Invested in by the BCG Bang Duong company, a member of the Bamboo Capital Group (BCG), the project covers 50.2 hectares and has a total investment of US$42 million, in Thanh An commune of Thanh Hoa district.

Tran Van Can, Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said that this is the first solar project that the province has hosted, which is a milestone in the provinces new power development programme.

The operation of the plant will pave the way for other similar projects in the locality, he said.

When operational, the plant is set to produce approximately 60 million kWh of power each year, helping to enhance the capacity of the national power grid.

The project includes the construction of a 110kV transformer station in Thanh Hoa district, a road system, a pumping station system for reservoirs and a 9km transmission line.

It is scheduled to be completed and put into operation by June 2019.

Nguyen Ho Nam, BCG President, said that the firm will cooperate closely with leading global enterprises in solar power towards ensuring the highest quality and environmental safety.

It has partnered with Syntegra Solar of Germany as the designer and monitor, he noted.

Nam said that the solar panels used in the project are made with the latest technology..    ,       150 BAU/ml.   .          ,     "". "-                .         ,    ... :         ,    

 ,                   ,     





:- ,            ?

 :      ,  ,                  ().        -      ,    .     .  11     .      -   ,      ,         .   ,          .           : www.eunews.bg .

:        20- .      ?

 :  ,    .   ,                .   ,             ,         ,              ,      ,            .    -  ,      .              .               .     ,         ,         .

:         .         ?

 :       ,          .           ,       .       .      ,        ,       .        ,   .  ,      ,     .

:          ?

 :         .        .    ,           ,     .      .      ,          .      ,    . ,      ,  .   ,            .          ,          .              .    .

:         ,   ,      -?

 : ,     -    ,   ,   ,   31    .

 

This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.Asia Argento threatened legal action against Rose McGowan on Monday and demanded she retract her previous statement claiming the Italian actress admitted to having sex with Jimmy Bennett.

In a tweet on Monday, Argento said McGowans lengthy statement released on Aug. 27 was filled with horrendous lies.

Dear @RoseMcGowan. It is with genuine regret that I am giving you 24 hours to retract and apologise for the horrendous lies made against me in your statement of August 27th. If you fail to address this libel I will have no option other than to take immediate legal action, Argento tweeted.

McGowan said in her previous statement that Argento had told her and her partner, model Rain Dove, that she was being extorted each month.

Asia had mentioned that she was being extorted for a large sum of money every month by someone who was blackmailing them with a provocative image, McGowan wrote. No one in the room knew who the extortionist was. Now we know it to be a reference to this case.

ROSE MCGOWAN TELLS ASIA ARGENTO: 'BE THE PERSON YOU WISH HARVEY COULD HAVE BEEN'

McGowan added Argento texted Dove saying she did sleep with Bennett and that she had been receiving unsolicited nudes of the actor since he was 12. The texts were published by TMZ just days before McGowans statement.

"I received a phone call and series of messages from the being Ive been dating - Rain Dove. They said that they had been texting with Asia and that Asia had revealed that she had indeed slept with Jimmy Bennett," the actress said. "Asia mentioned in these texts that she didnt take any action on those images. No reporting to authorities, to the parents, or blocking of Jimmys social media. Not even a simple message 'Dont send me these images. They are inappropriate.'"

There were a few other details revealed as well that I am not at liberty to mention in this statement as investigators do their job, she added.

Dove went to the police, with the support of McGowan.

The Charmed actress also shared how she met Argento, whom she previously referred to her as her ride or die and have both become prominent figures in the downfall of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and the rise of the #MeToo movement.

I first met Asia on a red carpet, but its only been the past year, through our shared experience of the HW case, that we have bonded. Asia was a person who understood my trauma in a way that many others didnt. We were able to talk through them together and champion each others voices, McGowan recalled.

She ended the statement urging Argento to do the right thing and be the person you with Harvey could have been.

ASIA ARGENTO ACCUSER JIMMY BENNETT BREAKS SILENCE ON SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION

Argentos alleged sexual relationship with Bennett came to light in a New York Times bombshell report published on Aug. 19. Citing court documents, Argento, through her late boyfriend Anthony Bourdain, paid roughly $380,000 to Bennett after he confronted her regarding an alleged sexual encounter that took place in 2013 in a Ritz-Carlton hotel room in Marina Del Rey, Calif.

During the alleged incident, Argento, then 37, showed Bennett, then 17, notes that she previously wrote to him and gave him alcohol. She kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, performed oral sex on him and then the two had intercourse, according to The New York Times.

Argento, now 42, has denied the accusations, saying in a previously statement: I strongly deny and oppose the contents of the New York Times article dated 20 August 2018, as circulated also in national and international news.

"I am deeply shocked and hurt by having read news that is absolutely false. I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett.

Fox News Mariah Haas contributed to this report.Now that comedian Rachel Feinstein has married an FDNY captain, she couldnt be more thrilled to tell everyone that shes a fire-wife.

Its a crazy feeling, Feinstein tells Fox News about marrying her husband, Pete. I certainly made some bad decisions, so I made the right stop."

I did it at the right time," she notes. "Its fun. It feels correct. The ceremony was just hilarious It was perfect. Im excited to be a fire-wife.

The Maryland native is so proud of her husband's line of work, the star says she tells everyone about his title and even put his rank on the couples save the dates.

I put Captain on the invitation, Feinstein gushes. People were like, Youre not supposed to put his rank on the invitation. All of his friends at FDNY were making fun of him and teasing him.

Along with the invites, Feinstein says they also had a fire truck at their Sept. 8 nuptials so they could take photos with it. However, there was one aspect of the wedding she wasnt able to get her husband on board with -- wearing his firefighter uniform.

He said, Thats for [the] military. Firemen dont wear their uniforms. My friends will tease me endlessly, Feinstein shares, adding that she let that one slide. Im like, Okay. Fair enough.

Feinstein was able to have some firefighter elements at the pairs joint Bachelor and Bachelorette party though.

It was really cool, Feinstein said of the bash which was thrown by HotelTonight at the Dream Hotel in New York City. They put like fire hats all over the place.

The party, which featured a three-day weekend theme, paid tribute to the couples mutual love of taking three-day getaways whenever they can grab them.

Everybody came and got cyrofacials and their nails done, says Feinstein. It was just this big fun day of firemen and comics and our friends. It was awesome.

One of Feinsteins guests was her longtime pal Amy Schumer, who was also her maid of honor at the wedding.

Were best friends, so it was kind of like a no-brainer, Feinstein explains of why she chose Schumer, 37, to be her right-hand woman on her special day.

Along with Schumer, comedian Irene Bremus, who introduced Feinstein and her husband, was also a bridesmaid. It made for a lot of funny speeches, admits Feinstein. It was great. Its the best day a girl can ask for.

As for if Schumer, who tied the knot with beau Chris Fischer back in February, gave her any marriage or wedding day advice? "No, actually She knows Pete. She loves Pete. She met him early on so shes happy that Im happy, Feinstein shares, adding that the friends call her husband backdraft.

As a comedian, one of the best things for Feinstein is that her new husband doesnt mind when hes featured in her comedy routines.

I have a whole chunk on him in my Netflix special I think he likes it, Feinstein admits, adding that she thinks he gets a kick out of it.

I mean if youre going to date a comedian, thats it. Its going to happen. I explained that to him, she says. He tells everybody to watch the Netflix special.

Feinstein went on to say that her husband is shy at moments however, he also enjoys this insane life.

Hes much more accepting of it than anybody Ive dated because I think when he goes out on calls, every day of his life is different and crazy so its nice. I think he understands it. I think he kinds of love it.The sprawling golden carpet for the 70th annual Emmy Awards is heating up as security readies for the deluge of television stars headed for the Microsoft Theater Monday afternoon.

NBC's Natalie Morales and Hoda Kotb were among the very early arrivals, making their way down the carpet before the inevitable traffic jam of bodies. Extra host Mario Lopez, who has a foot injury, zipped down the carpet on a tiny scooter keeping his left leg off the ground.

Although the temperatures in downtown Los Angeles are in the 80s, arriving attendees will not have to bear the brunt of the heat. The carpet area is covered by a massive tent and an army of industrial-size ceiling fans.

As nominees nervously wait to hear their name called, or not, there's more on the line at Monday's ceremony than personal glory.

"Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels is tasked with turning viewership around, after the 2017 Emmy audience of 11.4 million narrowly avoided setting a new low.

"The Handmaid's Tale" is the defending best drama series champ, with past winner "Game of Thrones" its top rival.

On the comedy side, the front-runners are FX's "Atlanta" and Amazon Prime Video's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

Sandra Oh could become the first performer of Asian descent to win a top drama acting trophy for spy thriller "Killing Eve."

The Emmys air on NBC with "SNL" cast members Michael Che and Colin Jost as hosts.The two sides agreed that the two countries comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership has grown positively since the last meeting in April 2017, with their high-ranking Party and State leaders exchanging frequent meetings and contacts, and cooperation between their public ministries, sectors and localities as well as people-to-people exchange boosted across fields.

They also pointed to shortcomings in bilateral ties, including trade deficit of Vietnam with China, slow progress of Chinese-constructed projects in Vietnam, and slow disbursement of Chinese non-refundable aid for Vietnam.

The sides delved into defining working priorities in implementation of their leaders common perceptions for healthy and sustainable growth of relations.

They said they will work together in preparing for upcoming visits and meetings of Vietnamese and Chinese leaders and promoting the role of the foreign ministries in coordinating bilateral engagements. Their joint work would also aim at the implementation of cooperation between their Parties as well as other exchange - collaboration mechanisms in defence, security, and law enforcement.

The sides showed their support toward measures to boost a sustainable, balanced and healthy cooperation in economy, trade, and investment. They said they backed partnerships between Vietnamese and Chinese firms in agro-forestry-fishery, particularly the production of rice, cassava, dairy products and fruit.

They also agreed to facilitate the operation of Vietnams trade promotion offices in China, encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in Vietnams high-tech and sustainable sectors, and direct firms from both sides to clear hurdles to their joint projects.

They concurred on boosting collaboration in science-technology, environment, transport, agriculture, health, and expanding involvement in culture, education, tourism, press, and people-to-people exchange.

Deputy PM Minh stated win  win bilateral cooperation should be practically enhanced in line with the common perceptions of the two countries leaders. He suggested the sides effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms between their ministries, sectors, and localities.

Frequent exchanges between the two general secretaries of the steering committee, and the promotion of ambassadors connectivity role are also necessary, Minh added.

The sides frankly discussed sea-related issues, agreeing to follow their leaders common perceptions and the Vietnam  China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea.

They said they will step up negotiation mechanisms on sea-related issues for substantial outcomes, and fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) to ensure a favourable environment for the negotiation process of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). They also agreed to well control disagreements at sea without any actions that further complicate the situation, and sustain peace and stability in the East Sea.

Concluding the meeting, the two chairs witnessed the signing of its minutes.

Earlier, on September 14, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou held a meeting between general secretaries of the Steering Committee for Vietnam  China Bilateral Cooperation.President Trump is angry and lashing out on a regular basis, as frequently portrayed by the mainstream media.

The Media Research Center conducted a study to determine what words reporters from ABC, NBC and CBS most often use to describe President Trump. The study looked at every broadcast evening news story about the President from January 1 through September 10, according to the MRC.

During the sample period, Trump was called angry 23 times, furious 17 times, outraged eight times, venting five times, infuriated five times and livid three times. The president was said to be lashing out a whopping 53 times, on a tirade eight times and was erupting three times during the nearly nine-month sample, according to the study.

MRC analysts Rich Noyes and Bill DAgostino  who conducted the study  noted that reporters often use highly-charged words to label Trump as unhinged or out-of-control.

The study revealed that Trump was described as some version of angry roughly 20 times per month, with ABCs World News Tonight responsible for more than half of the examples. ABCs newscast described Trump as some version of angry 185 times this year, compared to 53 times on NBCs Nightly News and 26 times on CBS Evening News.

The same study indicated that positive words such as ecstatic, delighted, thrilled, and gleeful were used to describe Trump only 23 times in all, less than the amount of times words like frustrated, aggravated and dismayed were used.

The MRC bills itself as a group dedicated to combating bias in the media, with a mission of creating a media culture in the United States that allows truth and liberty to flourish. The study's recap pointed to a recent Quinnipiac poll that showed 65 percent of voters dont think Trump is level-headed and some dont think hes fit for office.

After a year of news coverage casting him as a one-man rage machine, its a wonder that the Presidents numbers arent worse than they are, Noyes and DAgostino concluded.

President Trump has been in an ongoing feud with much of the media since he entered the political landscape. He regularly refers to CNN as fake news, describes The New York Times as failing and mocks The Washington Post for being a division of Amazon  as billionaire Jeff Bezos owns both companies.Former Secretary of State John Kerry is facing criticism after a Friday appearance on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, when he jokingly compared President Donald Trump to an insecure teenage girl, The Washington Post reported.

Kerry had gone on the program to promote his new memoir, Every Day is Extra, when the conversation veered off into the presidents tweet the day before, in which he denounced Kerrys recent meeting with the Iranian government as illegal.

When asked by Maher to elaborate on the presidents comments, Kerry shrugged it off.

Hes the first president that I know of who spends more time reading his Twitter likes than his briefing books or the Constitution of the United States, Kerry said.

Kerry went on: He really is the rare combination of an 8-year-old boy  I mean, hes got the maturity of an 8-year-old boy with the insecurity of a teenage girl. Its just who he is.

According to the Post, the audience cheered the exchange, but not everyone on social media was amused. Over the weekend a chorus of dissenters denounced the former secretary of states insecure teenage girl joke.

@JohnKerry I have tons of respect for you, wrote one Twitter user. Please do not insult young women with such a condescending and inaccurate generalization, never mind the offensive comparison to Trump. Teenage girls are our future. #dobetter

Im disappointed John Kerry said Trump has the insecurity of a teenage girl. Trump is insecure, yes. But teenage girls, if they are insecure, has a culture of toxic masculinity to blame, Tweeted author Martha Brockenbrough.

Matthew Segal, an ACLU attorney retweeted Stern's comment and wrote: "Trumpism is a reason to let teenagers vote, not to insult them."The National Newspaper Publishers Association honored Rep. Maxine Waters with a National Leadership Award on Friday and the Democratic leader used her acceptance speech to bad-mouth President Trump and call for his impeachment in front of media heavyweights.

It is no secret the president doesnt like me and I dont like him either, said Waters, D-Calif., as executives from predominately black-owned news organizations laughed.

I want you to know that I didnt just get started. I knew that this president should not be in the White House when I saw him, and the way that he conducted himself in the primary campaign, Waters continued.

Waters and Trump have taken shots at one another for months, with Waters repeatedly calling for Trump's impeachment. In June, Waters encouraged protesters to confront Trump Cabinet members publicly to shame them over the administrations policies.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly blasted Waters and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, both California Democrats, and sought to cast them as the face of the party.

The face of the Democrats is now Maxine Waters who, together with Nancy Pelosi, have established a fine leadership team, Trump tweeted in June. They should always stay together and lead the Democrats, who want Open Borders and Unlimited Crime, well into the future....and pick Crooked Hillary for Pres.

Trump took another dig at Waters in July, again calling her "the new leader" of the Democratic Party and mocking her as a "low-IQ individual."

"Honestly, she's somewhere in the mid-60s, I believe," Trump added.

No, I dont like him. Yes, I have worked against him. No, I didnt go to his inauguration. No, I didnt go to his State of the Union. No, I do not go to the White House. No, I do not engage with him, Waters said as the NNPA crowd erupted with applause. All I want for him and about him is to be impeached and get him out of the White House.

Waters then admitted that she would go after Vice President Pence if Trump were to be removed from office.

Were the patriots of this country, she told the crowd before declaring the Republicans are scared of President Trump.

They wont denounce some of the terrible things that hes doing, Waters said.

The crowd of NNPA members clearly shared Waters' disdain for Trump and celebrated her every word. The groups slogan is The Voice of the Black Community. The NNPA bills itself as a trade association of the more than 200 African American-owned community newspapers from around the United States that has been around for 75 years.

Since its founding 75 years ago, NNPA has consistently been the voice of the black community and an incubator for news that makes history and impacts our country. As the largest and most influential black-owned media resource in America, NNPA delivers news, information and commentary to over 20 million people each week, the groups website states.

Fox News Brooke Singman and Gregg Re contributed to this report.Meghan Markles estranged half-sister, Samantha Markle, is lashing out against Britains royal family once again.

The former actress' husband, Prince Harry, turned 34 on Saturday and Samantha quickly took to social media to snap back at the royal familys silent treatment on her father, Thomas Markle.

Harry Birthday Harry! the 53-year-old tweeted, as reported by E! News Monday. As you mack down on your birthday cake, think about the birthday wishes you never extended to your FATHER-IN-LAW.

Samantha tweeted her statement above a photo of a hamster with reddish fur, which mimicked Harrys mane, holding a piece of cake and a poker chip.

E! noted this hasnt been the first time Samantha wished the royals a happy birthday in her own way.

On Markles 37th birthday, which was on Aug. 4th, Samantha took to Twitter to convey a similar mesage.

Happy Birthday Meg! Samantha tweeted. It would be so lovely and appropriate of you to send DAD a BELATED birthday card for his July 18th.

Samantha added, Act like a humanitarian act like a woman! If our father dies Im holding you responsible, Meg! @KensingstonRoyal.

In a separate tweet, Samantha compared Markle to Cruella Deville.

Markles frustrated father has also recently lashed out against the royal family.

In late August, Thomas spoke to the media again and shared 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 U.K.s The Sun 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 claimed that Prince Harry, as well as the rest of the royal family, have stayed silent since he began giving tell-all interviews about Markle.

Maybe they have a secret handshake too! he exclaimed. You cannot ask a question of them  as they wont answer.

Thomas told the publication he has tried to encourage the couple to contact him after three months of silence. They reportedly have not spoken since the high-profiled 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 his daughter.

I worked hard to provide for my children, he said. Im their father, I dont expect them to pay me back.

Thomas laughed off a claim that he was launching a clothing line for men, which was first made by Samantha, 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 Markle 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 Markle would be walked down the aisle by Prince Charles, Harrys father.

Thomas' surgery followed days of press surrounding his health and speculation on whether or not hed attend the royal wedding.

He also stirred headlines when it was revealed he staged paparazzi photos that showed him preparing for the big day.

Back in January, Samantha 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 Samantha. 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."Arbys is giving its fans free sandwiches for life  but not the edible kind.

The home of the meats has announced they will be giving out free tattoos to the most dedicated fans, so they will have a free sandwich for life.

Theres simply no other brand more passionate and dedicated to sandwiches than Arbys  and there are many sandwich fans out there who share this same level of passion, Arbys said in a statement.

ARBY'S APOLOGIZES FOR SIGN DEFACED WITH RACIST AND MISOGYNISTIC SLURS

Nothing, however, shows more dedication and commitment to something than inking it on your body. Thats why Arbys is going to help sandwich fans showcase their commitment by giving them a free sandwich for life  in the form of a tattoo, the food chain continued, and added that it will be paying for the tattoos.

ARBY'S IS REWARDING MEAT LOVERS WITH LIMITED-EDITION MEAT SWEATS

However, if getting a tattoo of a sandwich on your body was not enough of a catch, there is another one  to take advantage of this permanent deal, you have to travel to Port City Tattoo in Long Beach, Calif., this Saturday, September 22. Tattoo artist Miguel Uzi Montgomery has teamed up with Arbys and will be doing all of the flash sandwich tattoos.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

If youre a die-hard Arbys fan and cant make it to California, the brand has another option. People can download the flash artwork online and take the sheet to a local tattoo artist -- though Arby's won't be footing the bill.

Domino's Pizza tried a similar stunt in Russia, but promised free pizza for life along with the tattoos. The pizza company was forced to shut it down when the campaign became too popular.Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle has thrown her support  and signature  behind a new charity cookbook as her first solo royal project.

The cookbook, Together: Our Community Cookbook, features recipes from Muslim women of The Hubb Community Kitchen in West London who came together to cook fresh food after being affected by the Grenfell Tower fire that left 70 people dead.

The Kensington Palace confirmed on Monday that the duchess, a well-known foodie, has been visiting the Hubb Community Kitchen since January  months before her May wedding to Prince Harry  and was inspired by how the project empowers women at a grassroots level.

MEGHAN MARKLES WEDDING DRESS MAY BE DISPLAYED AT WINDSOR CASTLE

I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together. Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates space to feel a sense of normalcy  in its simplest form, [it's about] the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy  something we can all relate to, Markle said in a statement. Through this charitable endeavor, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive.

According to a press release, the cookbook will showcase over 50 delicious recipes from the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen and include a foreword by HRH The Duchess of Sussex.

MEGHAN MARKLE SUFFERS WARDROBE MALFUNCTION AT FRIEND'S WEDDING: REPORT

The cookbook was Markles idea, The Guardian reports, after the duchess learned women could only cook hot food for their families at the center twice a week due to financial constraints. Markle pitched the idea for a cookbook to raise funds for the women to use the centers facilities more.

She saw the lovely food cooked by these women. So she goes: Why not do a cookbook? Zahira Ghaswala told the Guardian. At that time I thought it was a flying comment, and that was it, really. But now here we are.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

A portion of the sales will go to help the Hubb Community Kitchen to strengthen lives and communities through cooking, the press release reports. The proceeds will reportedly be managed by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The community will need to sell about 50,000 copies of the cookbook to keep the kitchen open seven days a week.Although Florence has decreased from a powerful hurricane to a tropical depression, its effects could still spread potentially life-threatening diseases and illnesses.

The Department of Health and Human Services declared public health emergencies in the Carolinas as well as Virginia last week.

As the president has emphasized, we are fully prepared to support communities that need our help because of the storm, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said. We are working closely with state health and emergency management officials to anticipate communities needs and be ready to meet them.

Read on for a look at certain health risks that can become prevalent after a hurricane.

Mold

As residents return to their homes following hurricanes, they could face a potentially dangerous hazard from the floodwaters in their houses: mold.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people should assume they have mold if the house was flooded and unable to be completely dried  including things like furniture and books  within 24 to 48 hours.

The agency recommends residents wear a N-95 respirator, protective gloves or googles when entering a site that could have mold. They should also immediately shower and change clothes after leaving a site.

Mold can cause eye and skin irritations, allergic reactions and asthma attacks and can be especially dangerous to those who already have weakened immune systems, the CDC said.

HURRICANE FLORENCE LASHES CAROLINAS, RESIDENTS SHARE FIRST, HARROWING VIDEOS OF STORMS FURY

The CDC also advises people to wait to return to their homes until after a professional has deemed it to be safe.

Wound infections

Its common to become wounded in the aftermath of a hurricane, Fox News Dr. Manny Alvarez has previously warned. But when those wounds are exposed to dirty flood waters, they could become infected, according to the CDC.

To prevent infections, the CDC recommends keeping wounds covered with waterproof bandages and washing them well with clean water and soap.

You should seek medical attention if a wound becomes red, swollen or has drainage, the CDC said.

Mosquitoes

While adult mosquitoes generally do not survive hurricanes, eggs that were laid in the soil by floodwater mosquitoes during previous floods will hatch, according to the CDC.

Most of these new mosquitoes are considered nuisance mosquitoes and do not generally spread viruses, the CDC said. But those that could cause illness can increase in population around two weeks to two months after a hurricane.

After a hurricane or flood, the health department or mosquito control district will often take steps to reduce the mosquito population, the CDC said.

HURRICANE FLORENCE COULD FLOOD MANURE PITS, CONTAMINATE DRINKING WATER, EXPERTS WARN

Following Hurricane Harvey, which devastated parts of Louisiana and Texas in 2017, mosquito control officials asked residents to be diligent about draining pools of water from things such as tires, flower pots and gutters.

As the water recedes from the floods, there will be a lot of formation of pockets and pools of water where mosquitoes will find to breed, Mustapha Debboun, director of Mosquito Control Division for Harris County Health Department, told Fox News at the time. More habitats will be available for them.

Trench foot

People could contract what is called trench foot, or immersion foot, if their feet are wet for an extended period of time.

According to the CDC, symptoms include pain, swelling, numbness, tingling sensation, itching, blotchy skin, coldness or a heavy feeling in the foot. The CDC also warns the foot could become dry, painful, red and form blisters.

Left untreated, severe cases could overtake a persons entire foot.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR HEALTH EFFECTS AFTER HURRICANES

To prevent this painful disease, the CDC recommends feet are air-dried and elevated. Wet socks and shoes should also be exchanged for dry ones as soon as possible. If contracted, the CDC recommends cleaning the feet, socking them in warm water and seeking medical attention.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

With the power out, many people might use gas, charcoal grills or generators in enclosed spaces that could build up carbon monoxide in the home, the CDC warned.

Dr. Jake Freiberger, an anesthesiologist with Duke Health, also warned of the dangers of carbon monoxide from generators. He encouraged people to make sure to have a working carbon monoxide monitor on hand.

Carbon monoxide goes through walls, Freiberger said at a recent Duke event. It penetrates sheet rock very, very easily, and having your generator in your garage or out on the porch or in another room of your house is absolutely no protection. It can be deadly, and it can kill many people at one time.

FLORENCE LEAVES HOMELESS POPULATION TO FACE EVEN MORE UNCERTAINTIES

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include: dizziness, weakness, vomiting, confusion, chest pain and headache. The symptoms can also be consistent with that of the flu.

People who are sleeping or drunk can die from CO poisoning before they have symptoms, according to the CDC.

Hog waste

As multiple hog farms flood, officials are concerned about the spread of hog urine and feces that can cause significant water contamination.

Eastern North Carolina, specifically, is a large area for corporate farms and hog waste pools, Joel Cline, a meteorologist and tropical storm coordinator with the NOAA, told Fox News. In fact, North Carolina has more than 2,000 industrial-scale pork farms which contain more than nine million hogs, The Associated Press reported.

Those hogs are typically housed in long metal sheds with grated floors. The floors are designed to allow the animals' urine and feces to fall through the grates and flow into nearby open-air pits, which contain millions of gallons of untreated sewage, according to the AP.

HURRICANE FLORENCE COULD BRING LIFE-THREATENING FLOODS, CONDITIONS TO AREAS AWAY FROM COASTLINE AS WELL

When those pits become flooded, the sewage can flow into other areas and threaten the public water supply with a variety of bacteria and disease-causing micro-organisms.

"The residents of North Carolina communities located in close proximity to large hog farms have multiple health issues that cannot be fully explained by the impact of demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and access-to-medical-care factors, but are also due to the additional impact of many large hog farms," Dr. Julia Kravchenko, an assistant professor at the Duke University School of Medicine, told Fox News.

"Hurricane and flooding increase the adverse impacts from environmental exposures because of higher doses of contaminants that can go outside the lagoons and the wider geographic areas that can be affected," she said.

Coal ash

Of concern after Florence are more than three dozen massive coal ash pits maintained by power plants in the area. The gray ash that remains after coal is burned contains potentially harmful amounts of arsenic, lead and mercury.

Duke Energy, North Carolinas primary electricity provider, said heavy rains have already caused a slope to collapse at a coal ash landfill near North Carolinas coast. Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan told The Associated Press about 2,000 cubic yards  enough ash to fill about 180 dump trucks  were displaced at the retired power station outside of Wilmington.

"While information about the health impact of coal-fired plants on human health remains sparse, health risks that have been reported include (but are not limited to) a spectrum of diseases such as increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, respiratory cancer, low birth weight, higher risk of developmental and behavioral disorders in infants and children and increased infant mortality," Kravchenko said.

Fox News Madeline Farber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.In the countrys largest city, confirmed drug overdose deaths are up over a year ago  and still at epidemic levels  but the rate of deaths has slowed down, according to a report Monday.

New York Citys health department said there was a 2 percent overall increase in drug overdoses in 2017, compared to a 51 percent uptick in 2016.

There were 1,487 drug overdose deaths in 2017  62 more deaths than 2016; in 2016, there were 437 more deaths than 2015.

The U.S. is in the midst of the deadliest drug overdose epidemic in its history, and its been getting worse. More than 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year, a 10 percent increase from the year before, according to preliminary U.S. government numbers.

Growing numbers of recent deaths have been attributed to the painkiller fentanyl and fentanyl-like drugs. The drugs are far more potent than heroin, but they are relatively cheap and increasingly have been cut by suppliers into street drugs without buyers knowledge.

Fentanyl  a potent, synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, the health department said  was detected in 57 percent of all overdose deaths in New York City, up from 44 percent in 2016.

In 2017, the health department reported, fentanyl was the most common substance identified in overdose deaths.

TENNESSEE NURSE WROTE HERSELF PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF OPIODS, DOCUMENTS REVEAL

The health department said the Bronx  home of Democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is expected to win a U.S. House seat in November  had the highest rate of overdose death, more than twice the citywide average.

New York Citys drug overdose epidemic continues, but the story of who is affected is changing, Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said in a statement.

For the first time in over a decade, the risk of fatal overdose is higher in African Americans than in Whites. Still, the rate of increase has slowed, and we are optimistic that the many efforts of HealingNYC (a comprehensive strategy to address the opioid overdose epidemic) are moving us in the right direction. These include connecting more New Yorkers to medications for addiction treatment and life-saving naloxone. We are committed to using our data to target our approaches to the communities most at risk of overdose.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Military veterans and their family members mounted horses on Saturday for the second annual Trail to Zero ride through Manhattan in order to raise awareness for the high suicide rate in their community. The ride, which was sponsored by the nonprofit BraveHearts, also intended to teach veterans how to ride horses as a form of therapy.

They feel what youre feeling, Jenny McDonald, an Iraq War veteran, told Fox 5 New York. If youre sad, they know it. If youre anxious they get anxious. If youre mad they want nothing to do with you.

WATCHDOG SLAMS SAFEGUARDS FOR FOSTER KIDS ON PSYCH DRUGS

McDonald, who was one of the two dozen participants on Saturday, has suffered from anxiety since returning home, and said riding and teaching others how to ride has helped her find a reason to get out of bed.

Saturdays event followed a similar ride hosted in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 8.

BraveHearts began the "Trail to Zero" event in 2017 with just five veterans riding 20 miles to signify the average of 20 veterans who commit suicide each day. The first ride took about 7.5 hours, and has since grown in popularity.

Ken Boyd, a Gold Star father, was also on hand to ride. His only son, C.J., was killed in Afghanistan. He said he was encouraged to take up equine therapy after his wife went on a BraveHearts retreat for Gold Star mothers and saw how it helped her.

2 MILLION US TEENS ARE VAPING MARIJUANA, SURVEY FINDS

When you become a Gold Star parent, its probably the darkest, deepest day of your life, Boyd told WCBS News Radio. It truly saved my life from suicide and other bad things that go on and happen, he told the news outlet.

Saturdays ride brought the group through Times Square, Central Park and the World Trade Center.

Were going to ride until it ends, until its zero, Mitchell Reno, an Army veteran who credits riding horses with helping him to reconnect with his family, said.

Reno said the horses have helped him cope with depression, anxiety and his traumatic brain injury since returning from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Equine therapy has grown in popularity over the years with both adults and children. Many programs offer sessions intended to help with depression, cognitive skills, addiction issues, anxiety or other developmental needs. Congress has also endorsed measures to increase funds for Equine Assisted Activites and Therapies.A military mom had a sweet reunion with her young son at an airport after returning home from her first deployment.

Air Force Staff Sergeant Chelsey Speicher spent six months in Jordan, away from her husband and two-year-old son, Bennett.

WAFFLE HOUSE CEO IN WILMINGTON, N.C. HELPING KEEP RESTAURANTS OPEN AFTER HURRICANE FLORENCE

Speicher and Bennett talked on FaceTime nearly every day, and she said the only thing getting her through her time overseas was imagining the day shed be reunited with her son, USA Today reports.

When the moment finally arrived, Speicher burst into tears as Bennett ran toward her at the arrivals gate in a now viral video of the heartfelt moment.

Speicher said she was initially nervous about how her son would react since she hadnt seen him in so long, but the young boy was clearly overjoyed by the encounter as he can be seen jumping into his moms arms and grabbing her face.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

The whole family was also at the airport to welcome Speicher home and got to witness the moment between mother and son.* India's finance minister said on September 15 that the government is confident of meeting its fiscal deficit target of 3.3 percent of gross domestic product in the current fiscal year, a day after outlining a number of measures to bolster the falling rupee.

* Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on September 15 that he will address the upcoming UN General Assembly on issues causing suffering to Palestinians.

* Iran would increase uranium enrichment if the European Union (EU) fails to implement its obligations following the US withdrawal from the Iranian landmark nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on September 15.

* Spanish Maritime Rescue services have confirmed that 258 immigrants have been rescued from the waters of the Mediterranean in the first 12 hours of Saturday (September 15).

* The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on September 15 discussed with his visiting Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi regional issues and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

* Syria's air defenses responded to an Israeli attack near the international airport of the capital Damascus on September 15 evening, state TV reported. The exact target of the attack is still unknown.

* Tropical Storm Florence dumped "epic" amounts of rain on North and South Carolina of America as it trudged inland on September 15, knocking out power and causing at least eight deaths as flood waters that have devastated many communities kept rising.

* Iran and India traded 4.71 million tons of non-oil commodities worth US$2.18 billion during the first five months of the current Iranian fiscal year from March 21 to August 22, Eghtesad online news website reported on September 15.

*The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Libya on September 15 revealed that Germany will provide 2 million (US$2.33 million) to election programs across the country between 2018 and 2020.

* Fresh fighting has broken out in South Sudan just days after the government and several opposition groups inked a peace deal in neighboring Ethiopia. Both government and opposition have blamed each other for the latest fighting in parts of Kajo-Keji and Lainya Counties respectively.

* Afghan president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met with visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on September 15. The two sides exchanged views on matters related to mutual interests including the Afghan peace process, stability and joint cooperation in the war on terror.

* The European Investment Fund (EIF) announced earlier this week that it will invest US$20 million in Israeli clean-tech fund Israel Cleantech Ventures (ICV).

* Algeria will cooperate with China in building a phosphate plant worth US$6 billion in the northeast region of Algeria, said Youcef Yousfi, Algerian minister for industry and mines, late on September 14. This project aims at exploiting the rich high-quality phosphate resources in Algeria.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Republicans running for office need to man up. If they cant win elections in the midst of an authentic economic boom, shame on them. Especially when Democrats are showcasing a bunch of wild-eyed progressives intent on Making America Lame Again.

With less than 60 days to go before the midterm elections, polling shows Democrats lead in the so-called generic ballot widening to 8 points, according to the Real Clear Politics average, up from 4 points one month ago.

A blue wave still seems unlikely, but many on the left are increasingly optimistic about Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives.

LIZ PEEK: ANGRY OBAMA STILL DOESN'T GET IT AS HE HITS THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

How can voters want to jeopardize the gangbuster economy, which is providing better jobs and better pay?

How can voters turn their backs on broadening opportunity for all kinds of people  ex-felons, minorities, those without a high school degree  all of whom are being hired in record numbers and who can finally set foot on the ladder of opportunity?

It boggles the mind. But here are some explanations:

First, Republicans are victims of their own success.

While every single survey for the past decade listed jobs and the economy as voters chief concern, booming growth has put that worry to bed. Almost everyone can find a job, and robust consumer spending suggests that people expect the good times to roll.

Only 17 percent of Americans polled last month by Gallup mentioned economic issues as their main concern, down from over 50 percent just four years ago. A problem solved is a problem no longer making headlines, or driving people to the polls.

Second, Republicans are doing a lousy job taking credit for the upturn.

Republicans need to tell voters why President Trumps agenda of cutting red tape and lowering taxes has boosted the economy.

GOP candidates need to explain to voters that the regulatory tsunami from the Obama White House squashed business spending on new plants and equipment. They need to tell voters that CEOs held back from expanding their businesses, fearful that out of the blue some crippling new rule would clobber their prospects. No expansion, no new jobs.

More importantly, Republicans need to lay out how the tax cuts have boosted incomes and hiring.

Astonishingly, even as consumer spending spikes higher and public sentiment improves  along with capital investment and job creation  Republicans have allowed House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to control the conversation about the GOP tax cuts.

Pelosi has convinced the nation  and apparently some Republican candidates  that those tax cuts are not helping the middle class.

Politico reports that some endangered GOP candidates wont back the newest tax cut measure being crafted by the House Ways and Means Committee. The proposals would help Americans put money away for retirement and, more importantly, make permanent the individual tax cuts contained in the Republican tax bill signed into law by President Trump.

Those are good things, but evidently some folks cant sell constituents on the virtues of keeping more of their hard-earned money. Good grief.

Third, Democrats are executing a well-organized battle plan.

Democrats are working to distract from the booming economy by undermining President Trump with alarming, incessant rumors of chaos in the White House.

Not a day goes by that The Washington Post or some other liberal news organization does not publish a headline like that one on the front page of The New York Times over the weekend: Chaos May Offset Economys Surge, Costing the GOP.

This is not accidental. Bob Woodwards book Fear came out just in time for the midterms, stuffed with material insulting to President Trump, almost all of which was based on hearsay and nearly all of which has been denied by the people who supposedly made the remarks.

In quick order we were next fed the anonymous op-ed in The New York Times that doubled down on charges that the president is wayward and dangerous.

At the same time, there has been a continued narrative that respected members of the Trump team are on their way out the door, so frustrated are they with the presidents demeanor.

Chief of Staff John Kelly was rumored to be leaving, but then (surprise!) agreed to stay on. Now the spotlight is on Defense Secretary James Mattis. He, too, is rumored to have fallen out of the good graces of the president.

The onslaught has taken a toll. President Trumps approval ratings have dipped modestly, which will not help GOP candidates, especially when Democrats (and some Republicans) are insisting the midterms are a referendum on the president.

The midterm elections, as always, will be decided by who shows up. Turnout is driven by fear and anger. Here Democrats have an advantage.

Convinced by Hillary Clinton herself that she was a victim of sexism, the Democratic National Committee, Russian President Vladimir Putin, then-FBI Director James Comey, President Obama, the media (!!) and other malicious influences, Democrats are furious that they lost the election.

They are also angry that, as President Obama so rightly observed, elections have consequences, such as allowing the party in charge to fill Supreme Court seats.

Democratic Party leaders have fastened onto the likely confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to frighten voters, promising his ascendance to the Supreme Court will spell the end of the Roe. V. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the end of worker and voter rights  indeed, the end of the world.

The GOP should not waste time countering such drivel; in their quest to sidetrack Kavanaughs confirmation, Democrats have embarrassed themselves.

But, Republicans need to scare voters too. They should remind Americans that the new progressive Democratic leadership has destroyed the party of Bill Clinton. The quest for single-payer health care, open borders, the elimination of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, guaranteed jobs and income  these are not popular or workable solutions to our nations challenges.

Republicans can also highlight that Tom Steyer is the single largest donor to Democrats in this cycle, pledging $120 million to help win the House  and that his biggest goal is to impeach President Trump.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

More simply, Republicans need to ask Americans, to paraphrase President Reagan: Are you better off now than you were two years ago?

And then Republicans need to make it clear to voters that a Democratic takeover of Congress in the midterm elections would crush the good times.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM LIZ PEEKNEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

The leaders of North and South Korea will hold a three-day summit beginning Tuesday in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, accompanied by several hundred officials from their two governments  indicating significant progress may be made in efforts to gradually move toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

This is a move we should all welcome  and it could lead to a second summit between President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. An agreement coming out of that meeting between the U.S. and North Korean leaders could change history and lead to a Nobel Peace Prize for President Trump, an idea I suggested in an op-ed for Fox News last spring. Maybe Trump and Kim could even share the prestigious prize.

Importantly, President Trump will need to be careful to not let his enthusiasm for progress toward North Korean denuclearization get ahead of reality. Kim  and his father and grandfather who ruled before him  all have broken promises to move toward a peaceful path.

Consequently, any promises Kim makes must be verified, tested and checked over and over to ensure he is honest and that his intentions are clear. If he meets with Kim again, President Trump would be wise to be accompanied by U.S. experts on North Korea who can carefully scrutinize everything Kim says.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in recently sent a negotiating team to craft the agenda for his summit with Kim. South Korean officials described the meetings as positive and said they were told that Kim would like to denuclearize by the end of President Trumps current term in office in January 2021.

Kim no doubt has a long list of big concessions he will want from the U.S. and South Korea in exchange for giving up his prized possessions  North Koreas approximately 65 nuclear bombs. The North Korean leader wont get rid of all his nukes at once  he wants concessions for every step he takes along the way. Expecting him to do otherwise is not realistic.

Kim could be in a mood for compromise because of President Trumps show of strength in recently cancelling a proposed visit to the North by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Realizing that the detente he has set up is now at risk of falling apart, Kim may be trying to inject new energy into negotiations.

While the Singapore Summit on June 12 between Presidents Trump and Kim was successful in creating a pathway to diplomacy, there has been little progress since then on denuclearization that is truly concrete and irreversible.

National Security Adviser John Bolton said recently that President Trump can't make the North Koreans walk through the door he's holding open when it comes to abandoning their nuclear weapons.

But just a quick look at the evidence suggests that this month could be a historic time for not only inter-Korean relations, but the eventual signing of a peace declaration ending the Korean War once and for all. Fighting in that war was halted by an armistice in 1953, but a peace treaty has never been signed.

One indication of major progress from the Kim-Moon summit would be for Kim to agree to provide Seoul and Washington with a full accounting of the size of his nuclear warhead stockpile and missile arsenal in exchange for a peace treaty ending the Korea War. It seems clear President Trump would embrace such a proposal.

With talk just recently that Moon and Kim could jointly attend the U.N. General Assembly meeting later this month in New York City, the occasion would provide the perfect setting for them to be joined by President Trump to sign a peace treaty formally ending the war on their divided peninsula.

In just the past few weeks, Kim has toned down his anti-American rhetoric and sounded more willing to take serious steps toward denuclearization and a de-escalation of tensions with America and South Korea.

As first noted in an article in 38 North, scholar Robert Carlin points out that recent media reports out of the North say that Kim hopes to completely remove the danger of armed conflict and horror of war from the Korean peninsula and turn it into the cradle of peace without nuclear weapons and free from nuclear threat.

Thats a far cry from Kims past declarations that he would never give up his nuclear weapons  what the North has referred to as its treasured sword  and threating to fire missiles near Guam or perhaps even detonating a nuclear weapon in the atmosphere.

In another positive move, Kim cancelled his annual display of North Koreas latest and greatest missiles at a military parade earlier this month. While many skeptics have said the move to keep intercontinental ballistic missiles out of the parade was no big deal, President Trump clearly appreciated it.

Kim was under pressure to display his weapons at a time when the North Korean economy is feeling the pinch of economic sanctions. With a gross domestic product the size of Vermont and a population that cant even feed itself, Kims long-range missiles and nuclear weapons are the only things the so-called hermit kingdom can claim as national achievements.

Kim likely faced stiff resistance from his top military brass and inner circle to show off the missiles, but he decided to make a gesture of goodwill. Considering the occasion in question was the 70th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean state, such a gesture shouldnt be casually dismissed.

On the U.S. side, President Trump may want to compromise with Kim to get something he could claim as a foreign policy triumph before the Nov. 6 midterm elections and at a time when Trump has faced criticism growing out of Bob Woodwards new book, an anonymous op-ed in The New York Times by a senior official in his administration, and the continued Russia probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Also, with the President Trump getting ready to take on China  perhaps slapping Beijing with $200 billion in tariffs  Beijing will surely back off any assistance in the maximum pressure campaign of economic sanctions that Washington has waged against North Korea. Since China accounts for almost all of North Koreas foreign trade, U.S. and international economic sanctions against the North are meaningless without Chinese cooperation.

And as Washington shifts its Asia policy more and more to take on a rising China  an infinitely bigger threat than North Korea  a deal on with Kim will look increasingly attractive to the Trump administration.

While we await the results of the Kim-Moon summit, the good news is that for once there are reasons to be optimistic about the possibility of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Even Republican foreign policy hawk Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told Fox News recently that he is optimistic that a compromise with North Korea can be found.

I also find myself  despite my concerns about the speed at which North Korea is becoming a dangerous nuclear power  having more reasons to be hopeful that a peaceful solution is possible.

Who knows, maybe we will see President Trump getting the Nobel Peace Prize. And if he succeeds in getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons he will surely deserve it.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Reps. Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who are set to face off in November to succeed retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, weighed in on the illegal-immigration debate in interviews that aired Sunday on Fox News.

Sinema has served in the House of Representatives since 2013, representing Maricopa County, while McSally has served in Congress since 2015, representing the Tucson area. Sinema is up three percentage points over McSally  47-44 percent, according to a Fox News poll of likely voters released last week. Her lead is within the polls margin of error.

The topic of immigration is among the top issues for voters in the state, as both candidates addressed in the Town Hall America special.

This is extremely frustrating that the Democrats have been obstructing border security  this should be a unifying issue, McSally, a former Air Force colonel who has played up her allegiance to President Trump, told Fox News Harris Faulkner. I have been leading in the House to make sure we fight for the resources and policies to secure our border.

She said as a congresswoman, her bill guaranteed $38 billion of border security to include building the wall, plus 5,000 new agents and 5,000 agents at port of entry.

Sinema said the wall is an 18th century solution to a 21st century problem.

Her solution: We should have money for drones, night-vision cameras, towers, and more boots on the ground so we can interdict the bad guys smuggling in guns and people and engaging in really dangerous trafficking. Weve got to put all this together.

McSally said the administration shouldnt have to choose between enforcing the law and keeping families together.

The administration tried separating parents and children to deter immigrants from making the dangerous trek through Mexico, however a political outcry forced it to end the separations. It also tried holding in families in detention until their court dates, but the courts rejected the policy. Fox News recently reported that according to Customs and Border Protection sources, some immigrants see an opportunity to exploit gridlock in Washington and get in while the administration tries to figure out its next step.

As the Trump administration regroups from these political and legal setbacks to curb illegal immigration, McSally said her work in the Senate would solve the public-safety issue, which she calls one of the highest priorities across the country: Families can stay together and we can enforce the law.

Sinema said that separating families is wrong, and doesnt comport with American values.

The centrist Democrat said she is more than willing to work across the aisle.

When asked why she voted with Trump 60 percent of the time, Sinema said shes not party-first. I stand for whats right for my state and community. When the president is moving forward on an issue right for our state, happy to vote with him.

Fox News Dana Blanton and Harris Faulkner contributed to this report.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Two incumbent red-state Democratic senators who have been the targets of some of President Trump's ire are facing increasingly tough odds to win re-election in November, a new poll shows, underscoring the challenges Democrats face in their bid to retake the Senate in November -- as well as Trump's continuing presence in key battleground states.

Montana Sen. Jon Tester and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill are locked in dead heats with their Republican challengers, according to the CBS News poll, with Tester leading Matt Rosendale by only two percentage points and McCaskill tied with Josh Hawley at 45 percent. Both results are firmly within the polls' margins of error, which are 5.2 and 3.3 percentage points respectively.

The results echoed the findings of a Fox News poll last week, showing McCaskill leading by only a whisker. Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate, and because Vice President Mike Pence could break any potential 50-50 ties, Democrats need to take two seats to seize control of the chamber.

WATCH: TRUMP RIBS MONTANA VOTERS ABOUT TESTER, ASKS 'HOW DID HE GET ELECTED?'

But where polls have shown increasing prospects that Democrats may regain control of the House of Representatives, their chances in the Senate have always been lower, owing to the smaller number of seats on the ballot and Trump's popularity in key states that are holding Senate elections.

Trump has endorsed both Rosendale and Hawley, and plans to attend a rally for Hawley in Missouri this week. The president won both Montana and Missouri by double-digits in the 2016 presidential election, and he has made no secret of his disdain for both Tester and McCaskill, mocking them as "very dishonest" and "phony," respectively.

This past April, Trump called for Tester to resign after the White House issued a report disputing his allegations against the president's pick for the next secretary of Veterans Affairs, Ronny Jackson.

"Jon Tester doesn't share your values," Trump said at a July rally in Montana. "He showed his true colors with his shameful, dishonest attacks on a great man -- a friend of mine."

Trump called Rosendale a "really good man" and said it is time that Big Sky Country "retire liberal Democrat Jon Tester."

Tester responded: "It's my duty to make sure Montana veterans get what they need and have earned, and I'll never stop fighting for them as their senator."

Outside groups, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), have heeded Trump's call to oust Tester and have funneled advertising money into the state. But they voiced concern initially that Tester's rival had limited name recognition.

Senator Tester has obstructed President Trump at every turn and now hes paying the price, Calvin Moore, a spokesman for the NRSC, told Fox News this summer. These developments really nuke his campaign strategy of trying to cozy up to President Trump, when all hes really done has been to obstruct, obstruct, obstruct.

As for McCaskill, Trump tweeted in June that she was "so phony" for using a private plane for two of the three days of her supposed campaign RV tour.

"Senator Claire McCaskill of the GREAT State of Missouri flew around in a luxurious private jet during her RV tour of the state," Trump wrote. "RVs are not for her. People are really upset, so phony! Josh Hawley should win big, and has my full endorsement."

For her part, McCaskill acknowledged that she had used a private plane, but insisted she had not used office funds and made no apologies for taking trips to see her constituents.

"I added some stops with the use of the plane, but I was on the RV so much that the broken drawer drove me crazy."

Trump's popularity and endorsements have been key factors in several races this midterm season, including pivotal contests in Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia and elsewhere. Republicans are hoping his influence will keep the Senate in GOP control for the next two years.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh forcefully denied the sexual assault allegations against him on Monday, saying he's willing to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the panel deems appropriate to refute the accusations.

Kavanaughs new statement comes after the White House said the committee was leaning toward inviting his accuser, Christine Ford, to testify regarding the claims. Ford, through her attorney, said she would be willing to appear before the committee.

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone, Kavanaugh said in the statement Monday. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making the accusation until she identified herself yesterday. I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Kavanaugh also visited the White House on Monday, amid questions about whether the committee might proceed or not with a vote scheduled for Thursday.

All 10 Democrats on the committee on Monday urged Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to postpone the vote.

As you are aware, Dr. Fords serious allegations were submitted to the FBI for investigation last week. Now that her story is public, it is even more important that we give the Bureau the time it needs to follow up, they wrote in a letter. Once the FBI has completed its independent work, we hope that we can work together in a bipartisan manner to decide on next steps.

Ford, a California-based professor, revealed her identity over the weekend in a Washington Post report, following a letter obtained by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., alleging sexual assault. She said that Kavanaugh, while in high school, pinned her down, tried to remove her bathing suit and put his hand over her mouth when she attempted to scream.

Kavanaugh issued a statement last week categorically and unequivocally denying the allegations when they first came out.

I did not do this back in high school or at any time, Kavanaugh said last week.

But Fords attorney, Debra Katz, told NBCs Today that her client believes Kavanaugh attempted to rape her.

She clearly considers this an attempted rape, Katz said Monday. She believes that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Kavanaugh, she would have been raped.

Katz also said Monday that her client was willing to take whatever it takes to get her story forth, and would testify before the committee under oath.

Meanwhile, the White House defended both Kavanaugh and Ford, noting that the woman deserved to be heard.

This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored. I think the Senate is headed toward a reasonable approach, allowing this woman to be heard in sworn testimony, allowing Judge Kavanaugh to be heard in sworn testimony, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway, told Fox & Friends Monday. I spoke with the president, I spoke with Senator [Lindsey] Graham and others. This woman will be heard.

Conway said the committee will decide how and in what form Ford could share her account, suggesting it could be in a public setting or even over the phone. Conway, though, noted that Fords account, while it should be considered, should also be weighed against other evidence.

This has to be weighed against what we already knowwhich is that Judge Kavanaugh is a man of good character and integrity, Conway said, noting he has been through half a dozen rounds of FBI vetting and has been lauded by women in every aspect of his life, including former classmates, and mothers of young girls he coaches in basketball.

Kavanaughs confirmation vote before the committee is scheduled for Thursday at this point. The accusations have thrown the timeline into doubt, however. Many Democrats have called for a delay in the vote, and a handful of Republicans have opened the door to that possibility.

But Conway said there should not be a delay, noting that even without Fords allegations, many Democratic senators were planning to vote against him.

Lets not fool ourselves--long before this happened there were Democrats saying they would not vote for Judge Kavanaugh or anyone President Trump nominated for the Supreme Court, Conway said. Lets make very clear that these Democratic senators  were not interested in Judge Kavnaughs significant record, his character and integrity, as testified to by many women.

Conway, though, responded to Katz' statements by saying committee members she's spoken to want to let Ford testify.

She should testify under oath. The Senate Judiciary Committee looks like they are heading that way, she said.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn could finally be sentenced on charges of lying to the FBI in November, newly filed court documents indicate.

On Monday, Special Counsel Robert Muellers team and attorneys for Flynn said in a joint filing that the matter is now ready to be scheduled for sentencing. Previously, a sentencing hearing had been delayed four times.

Both sides asked U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan to set a date for sentencing, saying they are both available Nov. 28.

Flynn in December pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI about his conversations with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the transition as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.

In July, a lawyer for Flynn said the retired Army lieutenant general was eager to wrap up and proceed to sentencing.

General Flynn very much does want to bring this chapter to a close, Flynn attorney Robert Kelner said during a court hearing with Sullivan.

In July, Sullivan demanded information about why both sides had repeatedly asked for Flynns sentencing to be delayed.

Fueling intrigue in the case is a report from the House Intelligence Committee earlier this year stating that former FBI Director James Comey testified to the committee that FBI agents did not believe that Flynn intentionally lied about talks with Russias ambassador.

Comey has suggested that his testimony about Flynn had been misunderstood, saying someone misunderstood something I said. I didnt believe that and didnt say that.

But the House report also states that then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said the FBI didnt detect deception from Flynn in the interview.

Fox News Jake Gibson contributed to this report.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Top Republican senators on Monday sharply criticized Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein for waiting nearly two months to inform the Judicary Committee about the decades-old sexual assault allegations now upending Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation, calling the delay "deeply disturbing" even as they agreed with the White House that the accuser deserves to be heard.

That accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, sent Feinstein's office a letter in July, according to The Washington Post. But Feinstein only went public with the then-anonymous claim last Thursday, after a report by The Intercept indicated she was "withholding" a key document about Kavanaugh and just one week before a now-postponed, crucial Judiciary Committee vote on his confirmation.

In a dramatic, full-throated speech on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., excoriated Democrats for what he described as "11th hour" theatrics, saying the accusations should have been raised earlier either in "the thousand-plus follow-up questions that senators sent to Judge Kavanaugh in writing," or the closed, off-the-record session held by the Judiciary Committee.

Now, an accusation of 36-year-old misconduct dating back to high school has been brought forward at the last minute in an irregular manner, McConnell said. It is an accusation which the ranking member of the committee of jurisdiction has known about for at least six weeks -- known about for six weeks -- yet chose to keep secret until the 11th hour.

McConnell also accused Democrats of deliberately orchestrating the leak of the letter's existence ahead of The Intercept's report. "The chain of custody of this letter runs through the Democratic side of the Judiciary Committee," he said.

McConnell, who concluded the situation was "really not fair" to either Kavanuagh or Ford, was one of several Republicans who unloaded on Democrats throughout the day.

"The Minority withheld even the anonymous allegations for six weeks, only to later decide that they were serious enough to investigate on the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed," Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a statement, which also noted that "Dr. Ford deserves to be heard."

Grassley slammed Feinstein for not telling Republicans, even privately, about the claims against Kavanaugh during days of private and public hearings on the nominee. Ford has claimed that during a summer in the 1980s, when they both were in high school, Kavanaugh forced himself on her and covered her mouth with his hand before she escaped.

FOUR WAYS DEMOCRATS' PLAN TO DERAIL KAVANAUGH COULD BACKFIRE

"Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this person's identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week," Grassley continued. "Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs."

The top Republican also accused Feinstein of refusing to help set up follow-up calls involving Kavanaugh and Ford, which he called "standard procedure" when there are updates to a nominee's background file.

"I asked Senator Feinsteins office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups," Grassley wrote. "Thus far, they have refused. But as a necessary step in evaluating these claims, Ill continue working to set them up."

In response, all ten Democrats on the Judiciary Committee issued a statement condemning Republicans for holding staff-level calls with Kavanaugh in the wake of the allegations, saying the FBI should investigate first.

"It is really not fair to either of them the way it is was handled.  Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins

In view of the enormity and seriousness of these allegations, a staff-only phone call behind closed doors is unacceptable and Democratic staff will not participate," the senators wrote. "This isnt how things should be done and is in complete violation of how this committee has worked in the past."

Fox News has learned that the FBI would ordinarily require specific instructions from the White House to further review the allegations, which do not involve a federal crime within the applicable statute of limitations.

Meanwhile, another key member of the Judiciary Commitee, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, agreed that "any accuser deserves to be heard." But he also intimated that Feinstein had, at best, badly botched the situation.

WHO IS CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD, THE WOMAN WHO ACCUSED KAVANUAGH OF SEXUAL ASSAULT?

"I remain deeply disappointed by the way Senate Democrats have so grossly mishandled these accusations thus far," Hatch said. "It seems in bad faith to hold this information from Republicans and from the FBI for over a month and then to suggest at the final hour that the only path forward is delaying the confirmation to allow the FBI to investigate."



Hatch spoke with Kavanaugh in the wake of Ford's allegations, and said that the nominee told Hatch he was not at a party like the one she describes, and that Ford may be "mistaking" him for someone else, Fox News has learned. In the Washington Post's story outlining Ford's accusations, she acknowledges she could not recall who owned the house where the alleged assault occured, or why the teens were gathered there.

Ford provided The Post with documentation that showed she had told her therapist in 2012 that four individuals "from an elitist boys school" who are now "highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington" had attacked her decades earlier. But she did not mention Kavanaugh by name at that time, and told The Post that the therapist had misunderstood her by saying she was attacked by four people, rather than Kavanaugh and his friend.

A key potential swing vote, Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, told reporters Monday, "Obviously if Judge Kavanaugh has lied about what happened, that would be disqualifying."

But, she added, "There are an awful lot of questions, inconsistencies, gaps, and that's why to be fair to both, we need to know what happened. ... I want to have both individuals come before the Senate Judiciary Committee and testify under oath."

Late Sunday, Collins said in an interview with The New York Times that the Democrats had treated both Kavanaugh and his accuser unfairly -- remarks that McConnell quoted Monday.

What is puzzling to me is the Democrats, by not bringing this out earlier, after having had this information for more than six weeks, have managed to cast a cloud of doubt on both the professor and the judge, Collins told the paper. If they believed Professor Ford, why didnt they surface this information earlier so that he could be questioned about it? And if they didnt believe her and chose to withhold the information, why did they decide at the 11th hour to release it? It is really not fair to either of them the way it is was handled.

In a statement, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, similarly took aim at Feinstein: "That Democrats have so egregiously mishandled this up until now is no excuse for us to do the same. If Democrats reject the committee handling this swiftly and in a bipartisan way through regular order, then its clear that their only intention is to smear Judge Kavanaugh and derail his nomination.

LAWYER FOR KAVANAUGH ACCUSER DOWNPLAYED SEX ASSAULT ACCUSATIONS AGAINST CLINTON, FRANKEN

The Judiciary Committee vote, once scheduled for Thursday, on whether to advance Kavanaugh's nomination has been postponed, and a hearing has been scheduled at which both Kavanaugh and Ford are expected to testify.

The Committee has 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, and one of the Republicans -- Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake -- indicated he wanted more information on Ford's claims before a vote is held.

It is not strictly necessary for a nominee to be approved by the Committee in order to be confirmed by the full Senate. In 1991, Clarence Thomas narrowly won Supreme Court confirmation after the Judiciary Committee sent his nomination to the Democrat-held Senate floor without a recommendation, in the wake of sexual harassment allegations by Anita Hill that he strenuously denied.

But as the day progressed, Republicans increasingly seemed open to holding off on the key vote. President Trump on Monday told reporters that the Senate should "hear everybody out" in a "full process," even as he praised Kavanaugh as "one of the finest people that I've ever known" and called Democrats' late release of the accusation "very unfortunate."

"If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay," Trump said in the White House.

Earlier in the day, top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway had said that the accuser "should not be ignored or insulted" and instead should "be heard."

Anti-Kavanaugh sentiment, which led to dozens of demonstrations and arrests during his confirmation hearings earlier this month, was poised to spill out onto the streets on Monday. Planned Parenthood announced its intention to hold a rally outside the Supreme Court in the evening in support of Ford and "to demand that senators immediately stop Kavanaugh's nomination."

The timeline is expected to become a central issue in the coming days. Ford had contacted The Washington Post through a tip line in "early July" about the alleged episode, according to the paper, and also corresponded with her local congresswoman, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif. at approximately the same time.

At that point, The Post reported, Kavanaugh was widely discussed as a potential Supreme Court pick, but President Trump had not yet announced his selection -- meaning these correspondences occured sometime before July 9.

Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, then received a letter dated July 30, 2018 from Ford, who wrote that Kavanaugh had pinned her to a bed and covered her mouth in the early 1980s. But the top Democrat was publicly mum about those accusations until last Thursday, when she released a cryptic statement saying that she had received information from an individual who "strongly requested confidentiality" and had "referred the matter to federal investigative authorities."

The Intercept published a story the day before, which indicated that the letter had become something of an open secret on Capitol Hill -- but that Feinstein had refused to share it with other members of the Judiciary Committee. The report did not specify who leaked the information in the letter, but claimed that Feinstein's actions had caused tension on the Judiciary Committee.



Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Indicted U.S. Rep. Chris Collins will remain on the November ballot despite previously suspending his campaign, confounding Republican Party leaders in his district Monday who had counted on Collins' cooperation to replace him.

The surprise decision by Collins, who pleaded not guilty to insider trading charges in August, throws the race for the western New York seat further into turmoil.

Erie County GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy said Collins confirmed his plans to him Monday, suggesting in a phone call that removing himself from the ballot could undermine his legal defense.

"As of last Monday, Mr. Collins was fully prepared to work with party officials to substitute himself from the ballot, so we had no reason to expect this," said Langworthy, who said he felt "a little bit like a jilted groom at the altar."

There was no immediate comment from Collins, and it was not clear whether he would actively campaign. Collins, an early and ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has a $1.3 million campaign war chest.

Since his indictment, Republican leaders across the eight counties of the right-leaning district between Buffalo and Rochester had been working to remove Collins from the congressional ballot by making him a placeholding nominee for another position such as county clerk. They were expected to announce their choice to replace Collins on the congressional ballot as early as this week.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez happened to be in the Buffalo area Monday for the opening of the campaign headquarters of Nate McMurray, who is running for Collins' seat. As about 150 supporters gathered for the event in Hamburg, news of the Republican's decision to stay on the ballot was spreading via mobile phone news feeds.

After addressing the crowd, Perez, who was critical of the plans to substitute Collins off the ballot, said: "Everything he's doing right now is a fraud."

McMurray, town supervisor in suburban Grand Island, downplayed any impact on the race.

"We were always running against team Collins. It's not just him, it's the system. ... We're fighting against corruption, and that corruption is top-down. It's a team of people who said, 'This man is our standard bearer,'" McMurray said.

Immediately after being charged in August with illegally using inside information about a biotech company to help his son avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses, Collins said at a news conference that he would continue his re-election campaign while fighting the charges.

Less than a week later, he announced he was ending his campaign, saying it was in the best interests of his constituents, the Republican Party and Trump's agenda. He confirmed that position during a television interview a week ago.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, reiterated her calls that both Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the woman accusing him of sexual assault should testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Collins, a key swing vote, told reporters gathered outside her office on Monday afternoon that a "through interview" of both Kavanaugh and his accuser, research psychologist Christine Blasey Ford, need to be conducted before the confirmation process continues.

"I want both individuals to come before the Senate Judiciary Committee and testify under oath," Collins said. "It's important that this is a through interview."

Collins comments comes after The Washington Post published a story on Sunday revealing Fords name and more details of the alleged sexual assault that occurred when she and Kavanaugh were in high school.

The Maine lawmaker added that she could not answer questions regarding the veracity of Ford's accusations, but noted that if they prove true, Kavanaugh would be disqualified for the Supreme Court nomination.

"I dont know enough about Dr. Ford and her allegations to reach judgment of the allegations," Collins said. "Obviously if Kavanaugh has lied about what happened that would disqualify him."

Collins spoke with Kavanaugh last Friday shortly after the then-anonymous allegations surfaced and said the federal judge denied ever assaulting any woman.

"When I had my phone call with him last week he emphatically said he never had an encounter like this," she added.

Democrats and some Republican senators have expressed concern over Ford's accusation that a drunken Kavanaugh groped her and tried to take off her clothes at a party when both were teenagers in suburban Maryland.

Kavanaugh released a new statement Monday calling the allegation "completely false" and saying he "had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself" to The Washington Post.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity," Kavanaugh said.

Debra Katz, the attorney for the accuser, said Ford was willing to tell her story publicly to the judiciary panel but no lawmakers had yet contacted her. Katz denied that Ford, a Democrat, was politically motivated.

"She believes that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped," Katz told NBC's "Today." Explaining Ford's initial reluctance to come forward, Katz said, "No one in their right mind regardless of their motives would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of violation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go through."

The judiciary panel's chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassely of Iowa, has said he wants Kavanaugh and Ford to be interviewed over the phone by bipartisan staff. But Democrats say staff calls are insufficient and want the proceedings postponed so the FBI can investigate.

The Democrats have written to Grassley, saying delaying Thursday's scheduled committee vote would give the FBI time to investigate.

Theit letter said there have been serious questions about Kavanaugh's "record, truthfulness and character."

Grassley hasn't indicated if he'd delay the committee vote.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

We may be in a grey area when it comes to whats next for the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court.

After the allegations against Kavanaugh made by Christine Ford, the White House says it wont yank the nomination and may even gird for battle. A spokesman for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says aides are working to set up additional calls with Kavanaugh and Ford ahead of Thursdays scheduled vote.

In other words, GOP leaders arent backing down from a committee vote on Kavanaugh Thursday and an effort to confirm him on the Senate floor by the middle of next week.

Heres the problem:

Multiple Republicans have indicated that they want to slow the process until they thoroughly addressed Fords charge and not just blindly charged ahead with the confirmation.

Im uncomfortable moving forward with a yes vote until we hear from (Ford), said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a member of the Judiciary Committee. Fellow Judiciary Committee member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also urged caution. But Graham wasnt in favor of a pause.

If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled, said Graham. If Ms. Ford wishes to provide information to the committee, I would gladly listen to what she has to say and compare that against all other information we have received about Judge Kavanaugh.

Multiple Democrats demanded the committee to bring the confirmation process to a screeching halt.

Sen. Grassley must postpone the vote until, at the very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. To railroad a vote now would be an insult of the women of America.

What happens now is unclear. Its unknown if Ford is willing to appear in person or just how thorough senators need to be with her allegation. But it wouldnt take much to throw things off kilter for those hoping for a quick confirmation. Plus, theres risk for the GOP if it fails to take Fords allegations seriously or account for what she has to say. Were in the Me Too era now. Republicans ignore Ford at their own peril less than two months before the midterm elections. GOPers know they could face a backlash at the polls if they misplay their hand.

The Judiciary Committee is split nearly-evenly between Republicans and Democrats: 11 GOPers. 10 Democrats. Flake already wants to tap the brakes. But frankly, a committee vote doesnt mean much. Lets say Grassley marches ahead regardless. Would Flake and other Republicans vote in opposition in committee to Kavanaughs nomination? Possibly. But that means very little for the actual confirmation.

Consider this:

Its not written anywhere in the Constitution or the Senate rules that Supreme Court nominees require a successful committee vote before heading to the floor. On October 6, 1987, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 9-5 against a favorable recommendation for Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork. The committee then voted 9-5 to send Borks nomination to the floor with an unfavorable recommendation.

The full Senate later followed the committee lead, rebuffing Bork, 58-42. Bork became only the 11th High Court nominee rejected by the Senate in the history of the republic.

In 1991, the Senate Judiciary Committee deadlocked 7-7 to send the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the floor with a favorable recommendation. The committee then voted 13-1 give Thomas no recommendation.

The Senate later voted to confirm Thomas, 52-48.

One can see how Kavanaugh could struggle to receive a favorable or even no recommendation from the Judiciary Committee with just a one vote GOP advantage.

So why do committees even bother with a recommendation? Not all senators sit on each committee. Senators take into account the disposition of committees who adjudicate nominees for a panoply of positions, ranging from the Supreme Court to ambassadors to Assistant Undersecretaries for Insular Affairs. Committee positions on nominees holds a lot of sway with senators.

But properly hearing from Ford may consume time. Thats why, nestled in the back of everyones mind, is what unfolded in 1991 with Thomas and Anita Hill.

In late September, 1991, the Judiciary Committee concluded its hearings with Thomas and sent his nomination onto the floor, without recommendation. Thats when allegations surfaced from Hill. She accused Thomas of sexual harassment when they worked at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

After much consternation, the Judiciary Committee re-opened the hearings and invited Hill to testify in a dramatic, public session. The panel heard again from Thomas and other witnesses. Thomas famously characterized the hearings a high-tech lynching.

History may not repeat itself. But as the author John le Carre wrote, Tomorrow was created yesterdayand the day before yesterday, too.

Those pushing for a quick, painless confirmation of Kavanaugh know that what happened with Thomass confirmation could be a problem. In fact, those hearings constitute what was really the first chapter in the Me Too movement. Republicans are wary of being portrayed as indifferent to Fords assertion.

The allegations made against Kavanaugh are unfolding in an eerily similar fashion to the way Hill leveled charges against Thomas: between the end of the hearings and a floor vote. The Kavanaugh accusations even hit at nearly the identical points on the calendar.

The committee vote could be the least the GOP and Kavanaughs worries.

Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 advantage in the Senate. Most Republicans are on the record as supporting Kavanaugh. But the nominee doesnt have the votes on the floor to score confirmation yet. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has not announced her position on Kavanaugh, but fellow moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski told CNN that she is open to the delay.

If there are more questions that need to be asked and answered, then I think it would be appropriate for that time, she said.

Collins just spent an hour on the phone with Kavanaugh Friday. It was a follow-up to questions the Maine Republican had after sifting through the nominees documents.

The call was scheduled prior to information arising about Ford. Collins discussed the accusations with Kavanaugh on Friday.

The office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday there were no changes to the schedule regarding Kavanaugh. So, if things go as planned  even if Kavanaugh scores an unfavorable rating by the committee or no recommendation at all, the Senate GOP brass hopes to hold a procedural vote to break a filibuster on the nomination around Monday, September 24.

The confirmation vote on the floor would presumably hit around Wednesday, September 26.

Its not clear yet of Christine Fords charges could stall or derail Kavanaughs nomination. But the Senate now floats in a grey area. Its a little bit like what happened when Anita Hill came forth in 1991. And with the midterms around the corner, Republicans worry privately about missteps with Kavanaugh and Ford could reverberate at the ballot box.Mangkhut is expected to land in coastal areas between Zhuhai and Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, on Sunday (September 16) afternoon or evening, bringing gales at the speed of 45 m to 52 m per second, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.

It will continue to move northwest after the landing, but its force will dwindle, the NMC said.

Mangkhut, the 22nd typhoon of the year, could become the strongest one to make landfall, the NMC said, suggesting local governments prepare for possible disasters.

The typhoon will bring strong wind and heavy rain to areas along its route, with some areas expected to experience downpours of up to 80 mm per hour, the NMC said.

* Some residents living in lower areas have been relocated on Saturday and flights will be canceled on Sunday as super typhoon Mangkhut approaches China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Most flights on Sunday will be canceled, affecting about 100,000 passengers, according to the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

A typhoon signal No. 8, the third highest, is likely to be hoisted as early as 11 p.m. on Saturday night, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.

The weather in Hong Kong is forecast to turn bad significantly on Sunday, when Mangkhut is expected to be the closest to Hong Kong.

* All the departments of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government have been fully mobilized since Saturday to take precautionary measures for incoming super typhoon Mangkhut, the government spokesman said Saturday.

The marine administrative department will issue a red storm surge warning at 9 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), a warning in its fourth-level in situations where floodwater levels are likely to be 1.5 meters to 2.5 meters above road level, government spokesman Chan Chi Ping said.

After the red storm surge warning, the government's evacuation plan for low-lying areas would be activated as approximately 21,000 people living in areas prone to serious flooding will be evacuated to safe places.

The meteorological authorities are likely to issue typhoon signal No. 8 Sunday morning and it is likely that typhoon signal No. 10, the highest category in the city's typhoon warning system, would be hoisted on Sunday afternoon.

* More than 50,000 fishermen and nearly 11,000 fishing boats have been called back to port in east China's Fujian Province as super typhoon Mangkhut approaches China's southern provinces.

Work has been suspended at more than 1,600 construction sites and 128 tourist spots have been closed in the province as of Saturday morning, according to local authorities.

* The north and central regions of Laos have been put on alert for heavy downpours after weather forecasters warned that Typhoon Mangkhut and Tropical Storm Barijat are expected to pass over Laos on coming Monday and Tuesday (September 17-18).

Areas at high risk of damage from storm activity include the capital and the provinces in central and northern Laos. The weather alert was issued by the Lao Meteorology and Hydrology Department on September 14.

* At least 13 people died and five others went missing as super typhoon Mangkhut hit the northern Philippines early Saturday, disaster officials said.

The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has yet to release an official casualty report on the typhoon.

Ricardo Jalad, the executive director of NDRRMC, admitted that the initial number of casualties will increase in the coming days.

More than 40 landslides have been reported in the Cordillera region and efforts are underway to clear the roads there, the NDRRMC added.

The typhoon also destroyed houses, toppled trees and displaced more than 60,000 in several villages in the northern Philippines.

The government is also restoring power supplies in areas that experienced power outages.

Nearly 5 million Filipinos have been affected by the typhoon, mostly farmers and fishermen from the provinces.

The super typhoon Mangkhut, which made landfall at 1:40 a.m. local time on Saturday in the northern Philippines, exited this Southeast Asian country on Saturday night.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

All 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have asked for the upcoming vote on Brett Kavanaughs confirmation to the Supreme Court be delayed due to new revelations of a sexual misconduct allegation. At least one Republican on the committee has joined the Democrats.

Professor Christine Blasey Ford publicly came forward to accuse Kavanaugh, a federal appeals judge who is President Trumps pick for the Supreme Court, of sexual assault, an incident she said happened more than three decades ago.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Ford accused Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed during a house party in Maryland in the early 1980s, attempting to remove her clothes and putting his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. At the time of the alleged incident, Ford was 15 and Kavanaugh was around 17, she said, claiming Kavanaugh was drunk at the time.

WHO IS CHRSTINE BLASEY FORD, THE PROFESSOR WHO ACCUSED BRETT KAVANAUGH OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT?

Kavanaugh has called the allegations completely false.

Both Ford and Kavanaugh have expressed willingness to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the allegations.

As Democrats have called for a delay in the vote  scheduled for Thursday  some Republicans have joined their colleagues across the aisle in support for a pause. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, the committee chairman, wants the pair to be interviewed by phone by bipartisan staff; Democrats, on the other hand, said that would be insufficient and have called for a delay with the proceedings so the FBI can investigate.

Read on for a look at which GOP senators believe the vote should be delayed.

Jeff Flake: Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake has said he is uncomfortable moving forward with a yes vote until we hear from Ford. So far, he is the only GOP member of the Judiciary Committee who has publicly supported delaying the vote.

Bob Corker: Outgoing Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker told Politico he supports a delay in the confirmation vote. He is not a member of the Judiciary Committee.

I think that would be best for all involved, including the nominee, he said of a delay. If she does want to be heard, she should do so promptly.

Lisa Murkowski: Noting the sexual assault allegations were not brought up during Kavanaughs hearing before the Judiciary Committee earlier, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said the committee might need to delay the vote.

Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion, Murkowski, who is not a member of the committee, told CNN. This is not something that came up during the hearings. The hearings are now over, and if there is real substance to this, it demands a response. That may be something the committee needs to look into.

Fox News' Andrew O'Reilly contributed to this report.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Attorney Debra Katz made the rounds Monday on morning television to argue her clients sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh should be taken seriously, an appeal accepted even by the White House.

But while her client's claims have raised bipartisan concerns about Kavanaugh, Katz, a longtime Democratic donor known for representing sexual harassment accusers, also has a history of downplaying or dismissing accusations made by women against Democratic politicians -- including former President Bill Clinton and former Minnesota Sen. Al Franken.

Paula Jones' suit is very, very, very weak, Katz said on CNNs Talkback Live in March 1998 in a discussion about Jones claims against Clinton, according to a show transcript. She's alleged one incident that took place in a hotel room that, by her own testimony, lasted 10 to 12 minutes. She suffered no repercussions in the workplace.

Jones, who worked as a government employee in Arkansas, accused Clinton, while governor of Arkansas in 1991, of propositioning her for sex. Clinton settled a lawsuit with Jones in 1998.

KAVANAUGH DISMISSES SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AS COMPLETELY FALSE

Katz, in other media appearances first highlighted by Townhall, suggested Jones didnt have much of a case.

Clearly a one-time incident that took place in 10 to 12 minutes, she was not forced to have sex, she left on her own volition, the courts increasingly are finding that that is not enough to create a sexually hostile work environment claim, Katz said in April 1998, according to a transcript of CBS Evening News.

''If a woman came to me with a similar fact pattern, that is someone in the company above her propositioned her but only once and she suffered no tangible job detriment,'' Katz told The New York Times in 1998, ''I would probably tell her that I'm sorry, it's unfair, but you don't have a case.''

Katz, speaking to the newspaper, added, ''If it's one time, it has to be severe, almost a sexual assault, not just a touching of somebody's breast or buttocks or even forceful kissing.

In more recent years, Katz also downplayed the wave of sexual misconduct allegations against Franken, who denied some of the allegations but eventually resigned from the Senate over them.

"Context is relevant, Katz said of Franken, who was a comedian before his election to the Senate. He did not do this as a member of the U.S. Senate. He did this in his capacity of someone who was still functioning as an entertainer.

Katz is now representing Christine Ford, a registered Democrat who has accused Kavanaugh, while in high school more than 30 years ago, of pinning her down, trying to remove her bathing suit and putting his hand over her mouth when she attempted to scream.

On Monday, Katz said on NBCs Today that her client would be willing to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to elaborate on her claims.

She is willing to take whatever it takes to get her story forth, Katz said.

Katz also said bluntly that Ford is alleging Kavanaugh attempted to rape her.

"She clearly considers this an attempted rape. She believes that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Kavanaugh, she would have been raped," Katz told "Today."

Meanwhile, Kavanaugh forcefully denied the sexual assault allegations against him on Monday.

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone, Kavanaugh said.

He added, Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making the accusation until she identified herself yesterday. I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Fox News Brooke Singman contributed to this report.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

President Trump on Monday stood by his embattled Supreme Court nominee amid accusations of sexual assault, calling Brett Kavanaugh one of the finest people that I have ever known while acknowledging a "little delay" may be necessary before the nomination is voted on in the Senate.

In his first public comments on the controversy, the president also criticized Democrats over the timing of the allegation.

I wish the Democrats could have done this a lot sooner because they had this information for many months," Trump told reporters at the White House. "And they shouldn't have waited until literally the last days. They should have done it a lot sooner.

The president indicated hes open to delaying the confirmation proceedings in Congress while the allegations are investigated.

"If it takes a little delay it'll take a little delay," Trump said. "It shouldn't certainly be very much."

The Senate Judiciary Committee has been scheduled to vote on Kavanaughs confirmation Thursday, but Democrats have called for that to be postponed.

Trump called it a ridiculous question" when asked if Kavanaugh has offered to withdraw his nomination.

"Youre talking about an individual who is as high a quality individual as you will ever see," Trump said.

Earlier Monday, Kavanaugh forcefully denied the sexual assault allegations against him.

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone, Kavanaugh said in a statement. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making the accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

Republicans and Democrats on the Hill spent Monday sparring over the time and venue for accuser Christine Ford to discuss her allegations with senators.

KAVANAUGH DISMISSES SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AS COMPLETELY FALSE

Kavanaugh, who was seen at the White House on Monday, said in his statement hes willing to talk to the committee in any way the committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Ford, through her attorney, said she would be willing to appear before the Judiciary committee.

Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Monday he is working to schedule follow-up calls with relevant parties to discuss the allegations, but said California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Committee, has refused.

Anyone who comes forward as Dr. Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner, he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said hes pleased Grassley is following standard practice and regular order and will pursue this matter by the book with bipartisan interviews of Kavanaugh and Ford.

All 10 Democrats on the committee on Monday, though, urged Grassley to postpone the vote.

Ford, a California-based professor, revealed her identity over the weekend in a Washington Post report, following a letter obtained by Feinstein alleging sexual assault. She said that Kavanaugh, while in high school, pinned her down, tried to remove her bathing suit and put his hand over her mouth when she attempted to scream.

The letter was sent to Feinstein in July but the Democrat didn't go public about the accusation until last week.

Kavanaugh issued a statement categorically and unequivocally denying the allegations when they first came out.

But Fords attorney, Debra Katz, told NBCs Today that her client believes Kavanaugh attempted to rape her.

She clearly considers this an attempted rape, Katz said Monday. She believes that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Kavanaugh, she would have been raped.

Katz also said Monday that her client was willing to take whatever it takes to get her story forth, and would testify before the committee under oath.

Meanwhile, the White House defended both Kavanaugh and Ford, noting that the woman deserved to be heard.

This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored. I think the Senate is headed toward a reasonable approach, allowing this woman to be heard in sworn testimony, allowing Judge Kavanaugh to be heard in sworn testimony, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway told Fox & Friends Monday.

Fox News Brooke Singman contributed to this report.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Just days before the Senate Judiciary Committee was set to vote on Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court confirmation, Christine Blasey Ford publicly came forward to accuse the federal appeals judge of sexual assault decades ago.

The sexual assault allegation first came to light in the form of a letter obtained by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who sent shockwaves through Washington when she announced last week she forwarded it to the FBI. Feinstein is the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, which is tasked with deciding whether to formally recommend a Supreme Court nominee to the full Senate for a vote.

But Ford publicly came forward in an interview with The Washington Post over the weekend, saying her civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.

She has accused Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed during a house party in Maryland in the early 1980s, attempting to remove her clothes and putting his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. At the time of the alleged incident, Ford was 15 and Kavanaugh was 17, she said, adding that Kavanaugh was drunk.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, Ford said. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

She said she was able to escape when Mark Judge  a friend of Kavanaughs who has come to his defense after the allegations became public  jumped on top of them.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations, saying, I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time. Judge said he has no recollection of the alleged events.

Kavanaugh and Ford are both set to testify before lawmakers on Sept. 27.

Read on for a look at four things to know about Ford.

Ford is a college professor

Ford is a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California. A biostatistician, she specializes in the design and analysis of clinical trials and other forms of intervention evaluation, according to the university.

Her work has also been published in several academic journals, covering topics such as 9/11 and child abuse.

KAVANAUGH ACCUSER MAY TESTIFY UNDER OATH, KELLYANNE CONWAY SAYS, AS LAWYER OPENS DOOR

Ford has also taught and worked at Stanford University since 1988, according to a Holton-Arms alumni magazine, the Bethesda, Maryland, school from where she graduated, The Wall Street Journal reported. She teaches at both schools in consortium, according to the newspaper.

The magazine also noted she is an avid surfer, and she and her family spend a great deal of time surfing in the Santa Cruz and San Francisco areas.

Her husband has backed her allegations

Russell Ford, her husband, also told The Washington Post that his wife detailed the alleged assault during a couples therapy session in 2012. During therapy, he said his wife talked about a time when she was trapped in a room with two drunken boys, and one of them had pinned her to a bed, molested her and tried to prevent her from screaming.

He said he remembered his wife specifically using Kavanaughs name. She said during the session, Russell Ford recalled, she was scared he would one day be nominated to the Supreme Court.

KAVANAUGH FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE AFTER ACCUSER BREAKS SILENCE, REPUBLICANS WORRY IN PRIVATE ABOUT MIDTERMS

Ford provided a copy of the therapists notes to The Washington Post, which detailed her recollection of being assaulted by young men from an elitist boys school who would become highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington.

Additional notes from a later therapy session said she discussed a rape attempt that occurred when she was a teenager, The Washington Post reported.

Shes a registered Democrat

Ford is a registered Democrat who has given small monetary donations to political causes, according to The Washington Post.

She has donated to ActBlue, a nonprofit group that aims to help Democrats and progressive candidates, The Wall Street Journal reported.

KAVANAUGH STAUNCH GUN-RIGHTS DEFENSE AMONG HUNDREDS OF DECISIONS IN SPOTLIGHT

She is also among the thousands of medical professionals who signed onto a Physicians for Human Rights letter in June decrying the practice of separating children from their parents at the border and urging the Trump administration to stop it.

Ford already took a polygraph test

Once it was clear that Kavanaugh was President Trumps pick to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, Ford contacted The Washington Posts tip line, according to the newspaper.

She also contacted her representative in Congress, Democrat Anna Eshoo. She sent a letter to Eshoos office about the allegations that was passed onto Feinstein.

After she retained the services of Debra Katz, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney, she took a polygraph test administered by a former FBI agent. According to the results shared with The Washington Post, the test concluded that Ford was being honest.

Fox News Gregg Re and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Broken plates and a mangled lampshades are fairly standard moving mishaps. But sometimes the truly crazy, surprising, or even embarrassing things happen when homeowners need to relocate. Even with the best intentions  and mountains of bubble wrap  people end up packing some strange and just plain off-putting things in an effort to get their possessions from point A to B.

Want proof? Enjoy the following moving tales so you'll know what not to pack, lest you become a cautionary tale yourself.

1. Trash cans full of ... trash

Larry Perlstein moved cross-country from Stamford, Conn., to Los Gatos, Calif., several years ago and appreciated the thoroughness of his packers. Everything was neatly wrapped and boxed and made it safely to the West Coast, he reports. But when he opened his wastebaskets, he realized they'd arrived full.

"The movers packed all the trash cans  with the garbage still in them," he says.

Lesson learned: Empty your bins before the move, or your banana peels will join you on the journey.

2. A song that wouldn't stop playing

Soon after Jenny Lilienthal and her family loaded their belongings in a 24-foot van and started driving it from Massachusetts to Florida, they heard a funny sound coming from the back of the truck.

"After we listened a bit, we realized it was our 3-year-old's game, 'Gone Fishing,' which was somehow triggered and playing music," she explains.

Unpacking the truck to turn it off wasn't an option. So, they spent the next three days listening to this jingle nonstop until it became forever drilled into their heads, like a moving theme song.

"It played cheerfully the whole way," she adds. "And it nearly drove us nuts!"

3. Last week's meal

Reba Haas, a real estate agent with Team Reba of Re/Max Metro Realty in Seattle, helped sell the home of a client who had hoarder tendencies.

"On moving day, the moving company told me that there were dirty dishes in the homeowner's sink and she somehow convinced the movers to pack them up," Haas explains.

Making matters even grosser, this was an international move  from the U.S. to Costa Rica.

"Nothing that might attract bugs or rodents can be moved," notes Haas, who doesn't know whether those dirty dishes made it through customs.

The movers admitted it was the most disgusting job they'd ever been a part of, but Haas insists they don't know the half of it: "They have no idea what I went through for months just to get this client's home ready to sell and pack!"

4. Stolen goods

It's hard to leave certain things when you move, but some items must remain in place if they're included in the purchase agreement. Haas, for one, recalls one seller who proceeded to make off with things that were supposed to stay.

"This seller stripped the house of its curtains, even though she'd earlier acknowledged that all window coverings were to stay," Haas recalls. "She even dug up plants in the front yard and took them with her. She didn't even bother to refill the holes with dirt!"

5. A dead person's ashes

During one move, pro mover Yuval Beton and his team were prepped in detail about a client's vase.

"We were told it was very important and that we were to take any precautions necessary to make sure it arrived safely," he explains. With further probing, Beton discovered that the vase was actually an urn  and it contained the ashes of the client's late husband.

"It was a nerve-wracking move," he admits. Luckily, the urn was moved in one piece.

This post, "5 Most Horrifying Things Ever Packed for a Move," appeared first on Realtor.com.This house is alive with the sound of music.

The Tennessee home of late songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Leon Russell is on the market for $1.39 million, according to a Zillow listing.

The bearded, long-haired Oklahoma native, who died in his sleep in 2016 at age 74, was known for collaborations with artists such as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Ringo Starr, the Beach Boys and Elton John. John, who joined forces with Russell on 2010s The Union album, considered Russell a mentor.

I loved him and always will, John posted on Instagram at the time of Russells death.

Russell, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, also recorded and performed as a solo artist. His 1970 hit A Song for You was later covered by Ray Charles, Cher and many others.

The 6,120-square-foot home, about 25 miles east of downtown Nashville at 5040 Porter Hurt Road in Hermitage, has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two powder rooms. Standing in a cul-de-sac, it boasts considerable curb appeal thanks to a dramatic sloping roof and landscaping with colorful crepe myrtle trees.

The 1992-built property also includes a custom elevator, a blue-toned library with a coffered ceiling, an open kitchen and several fireplaces. Outside, a patio leads to a koi pond with a waterfall. Of course, the home wouldnt be complete without a recording studio, which the listing notes is just the way Russell left it.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post.Just four days before the Cassini spacecraft's dramatic dive into Saturn's atmosphere last year, cameras aboard the spacecraft captured the mission's last image of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.

That image shows off what makes that moon so weird: It's covered in lakes brimming with methane and ethane. "Titan is a fascinating place that really teases us with some of its mysteries," Elizabeth Turtle, a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, said in a NASA statement released with the image. [See Cassini's Amazing Titan Photos from Saturn]

Titan has successfully clung to its mysteries even in the wake of the Cassini mission. That's particularly impressive, since the Cassini spacecraft carried a European Space Agency probe called Huygens, which landed on the odd moon.

One of those mysteries is on display in this image, which shows only a couple small clouds (the pale areas near the center of the image), despite having been snapped during a time when scientists had expected to see substantial cloudiness on the moon.

"In fact, atmospheric models predicted summer clouds over the northern latitudes several years ago," Turtle said in the NASA statement. "So, the fact that they still hadn't appeared before the end of the mission is telling us something interesting about Titan's methane cycle and weather." [Landing on Titan: Photos from Europe's Huygens Probe]

But puzzle aside, the lack of clouds makes it easier to admire the lakes that dot Titan's surface, which appear here as dark areas. The large network of dark splotches to the left of this image is a lake known as Kraken Mare, with Punga Mare above and Ligeia Mare below the center of the image.

When Cassini captured this image, it was about 87,000 miles (140,000 kilometers) above the moon's surface. Although Cassini's days around the moon are over, scientists hope to be able to someday revisit Titan with a dedicated mission  NASA is considering one such mission called Dragonfly, which would be able to hop around the moon's surface.

Cassini's mission ended on Sept. 15, 2017, when the spacecraft plunged into Saturn in an intentional death dive. NASA won an Emmy award this month for the space agency's coverage of the end of Cassini's mission at Saturn.

Original article on Space.com.A New Mexico observatory that was temporarily shut down over an undisclosed security issue is set to reopen Monday after its closure sparked wide-ranging theories, officials said.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory, located near the Sacramento Mountains, no longer faces a security threat to staff, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) said in a statement Sunday. The facility had been closed since Sept. 6.

Given the significant amount of publicity the temporary closure has generated, and the consequent expectation of an unusual number of visitors to the site, we are temporarily engaging a security service while the facility returns to a normal working environment, the statement said.

Its unclear what the security threat to the observatory was. The FBI referred all questions to the association.

We recognize that the lack of communications while the facility was vacated was concerning and frustrating for some. However, our desire to provide additional information had to be balanced against the risk that, if spread at the time, the news would alert the suspect and impede the law enforcement investigation. That was a risk we could not take, officials said.

The temporary closure and reports the FBI was involved sparked wild speculation over the reason.

Otero County Sheriff Benny House told the Alamogordo Daily News the sheriffs office was asked to stand by and mentioned that the FBI was involved.

The FBI is refusing to tell us whats going on, House told the newspaper. Weve got people up there (at Sunspot) that requested us to standby while they evacuate it. Nobody would really elaborate on any of the circumstances as to why. The FBI were up there. What their purpose was nobody will say.

House said there were a lot of unanswered questions over Sunspots closure.

But for the FBI to get involved that quick and be so secretive about it, there was a lot of stuff going on up there, House told the newspaper. There was a Blackhawk helicopter, a bunch of people around antennas and work crews on towers but nobody would tell us anything.

Security guards from Red Rock Security had been guarding the perimeter of the observatory last week due to the high influx of visitors since word of the facilitys closure, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. A guard told the newspaper at least 35 people had showed up by Friday.

Authorities evacuated all employees from the site, including four from New Mexico State University. About a dozen residents around the site were evacuated and the U.S. Postal Service decided to evacuate employees, too, according to the newspaper.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory is located atop Sacramento Peak and overlooks Tularosa Basin, which includes the city of Alamogordo, Holloman Air Force Base, White Sands Missile Range, and White Sands National Monument.

The telescope at the observatory was originally built by the U.S. Air Force and later was transferred to the National Solar Observatory. The one-of-a-kind telescope produces some of the sharpest images of the sun available to the world.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A woman in Paulding County, Ga., says dozens of venomous brown recluse spiders have invaded her home and she doesnt know how to get rid of them.

Nicole Photianos told WSB-TV 2 she found the 30 spiders immediately after she moved into her new house.

The dangerous brown recluse has a distinctive violin-shaped marking on its upper body. Native to the U.S., the arachnids habitat extends from Nebraska to Ohio and across the south from Texas to Florida, according to pest control specialist Orkin.

BROWN RECLUSE, BLACK WIDOW AND OTHER DANGEROUS SPIDERS FOUND IN THE US

Photianos said she contacted the houses former owners, who said they never encountered the brown recluses during the 10 years they lived there. She thinks the spider problem may be linked to a four-month period when the house was empty and workers were attempting to resolve a mold problem.

I think they have always lived in that house, they have always lived in the house, they just got out when they did the [mold] work, she told WSB-TV 2. They were just kind of everywhere.

I just say we should just burn it down, she joked.

TENNESSEE WOMAN BITTEN BY BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER ALLEGEDLY FINDS DOZENS MORE IN APARTMENT

As its name suggests, the brown recluse is a shy animal, although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warns that it can inject toxic venom when it bites. Symptoms can vary from none to very severe. There is often a systemic reaction within 24-36 hours characterized by restlessness, fever, chills, nausea, weakness and joint pain, OSHA experts say.

Although brown recluse spider bites are rare, the venom can sometimes cause serious wounds and infestations should be taken seriously, explains the University of Kentuckys College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, on its website. Persons bitten by a brown recluse spider should apply ice, elevate the affected area, and seek medical attention immediately.

Brown recluse spiders are difficult to eradicate, largely because of their secretive habits, it adds. Virtually any dark, undisturbed area can serve as harborage, and many such places occur within buildings. Because of this (and the potential health threat), treatment is best performed by professionals.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogersSpaceX is set to announce the first private passenger to fly around the Moon on one of its spacecraft, the company tweeted Thursday.

"SpaceX has signed the worlds first private passenger to fly around the Moon aboard our BFR launch vehiclean important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space," the Elon Musk-led company wrote in a tweet. "Find out whos flying and why on Monday, September 17."

It followed that up with a subsequent tweet, writing: "Only 24 humans have been to the Moon in history. No one has visited since the last Apollo mission in 1972."

SPACEX BFR: FLY ANYWHERE ON EARTH IN UNDER AN HOUR

On Twitter, Elon Musk was asked who the passenger is and simply responded with an emoji of the Japanese flag. Speculation swirled following the tweet, leading some to believe it might be SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son.

In 2017, Japanese internet conglomerate SofBbank, which runs the $93 billion SoftBank Vision Fund, invested in satellite broadband provider OneWeb, a business which SpaceX is also interested in, according to leaked documents obtained by Quartz.

On Monday, ahead of the announcement, Musk showed off two new pictures of the BFR.

History of space tourism

Despite the excitement surrounding the announcement, space tourism has happened before.

In 2009, space tourist Guy Laliberte flew to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz TMA-16, leaving from Kazakhstan. Laliberte was the seventh and last space tourist, prior to SpaceX's announcement on Monday.

Other non-astronauts that have flown into space include inventor Gregory Olsen, and multimillionaire Dennis Tito, the first tourist in space, after he paid $20 million to spend 8 days on the ISS in April 2001.

Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson, is also working on developing commercial spacecraft to provide "suborbital spaceflights to space tourists," according to its website. And Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is also working with his company, Blue Origin, on getting tourists to space.

WEIRD SOLAR SCIENCE: HOW NASA'S PARKER PROBE WILL DIVE THROUGH THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE

SpaceX's BFR

The BFR (also known as the Big Falcon Rocket) is SpaceX's upcoming two-stage reusable spaceship system that will weigh 9.7 million pounds and be capable of taking a 330,000 pound payload to Mars and lower-Earth orbit (LEO). The BFR, announced in September 2017, will eventually replace SpaceX's other launch vehicles, the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, as well as its Dragon spacecraft.

In April, Musk posted a picture to Instagram (since removed) of what he described as the main body tool for his companys BFR interplanetary spaceship.

In an interview in March, Musk said the ship was currently being built, adding "I think we'll probably be able to do short flights, short sort of up-and-down flights, probably sometime in the first half of next year."

Shortly after his successful Falcon Heavy Launch, Musk said he expected a full-scale test of the massive rocket within the next few years.

UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE PREPS FOR THE RETURN OF MANNED SPACE MISSIONS FROM CAPE CANAVERAL

Musk described a slightly scaled-down 348-foot-tall rocket in September 2017 and announced that the private space company aimed to launch two cargo missions to Mars in 2022. He called the goals at the time aspirational.

Two more cargo missions would follow in 2024 to provide more construction materials, along with two crewed flights, according to earlier reports. The window for launching to Mars occurs every two years.

This story has been updated from Sept. 14 to include pictures of the new BFR.

Fox News' Edmund DeMarche and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_CiacciaMADRID, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese technology company Xiaomi continued its expansion in Spain with the opening of two new stores this weekend.

Located in Guadalajara and Gerona, the shops are franchises and form part of the "Preferred Store" strategy which will see Xiaomi open around 20 stores in Spain before the end of the year, the company said in a statement.

"With the implementation of this model of franchise in Spain with the opening of these two Preferred Stores, Xiaomi continues to see its presence in Spain, where it already has 11 stores, grow," explained the company, stressing its commitment to Spain.

Xiaomi's popularity in Spain was highlighted on Aug. 30 when its new POCOPHONE F1 smartphone sold out just 13 minutes after being launched on the Spanish version of its website Mi.com.

Xiaomi is currently the fourth largest smartphone producer in the world.Archaeologists have discovered a stunning sphinx statue at an ancient temple in southern Egypt.

The sandstone statue was discovered during a project to reduce groundwater at Kom Ombo temple in Aswan.

The statue likely dates back to the Ptolemaic period, between 305 B.C. and 30 B.C., according to Dr. Mostafa Waziri, general secretary of Egypts Supreme Council of Antiquities.

In a Facebook post, Waziri explained that the statue was found in the southeastern side of the temple, where two sandstone reliefs of King Ptolemy V were discovered two months ago.

AMAZING EGYPTIAN DISCOVERY: VILLAGE THAT PREDATES PHARAOHS, PYRAMIDS UNCOVERED

Sphinx statues, which have a lions body and a human head, typically depict a king and are often found guarding the entrances to ancient Egyptian temples.

General Director of Aswan Antiquities Abdel Moneim Saeed said that more research will be done on the newly discovered sphinx.

The sphinx is the latest fascinating ancient find in Egypt. Another sphinx was recently uncovered during roadwork in the city of Luxor, 112 miles north of Aswan.

MYSTERIOUS GIANT SARCOPHAGUS DISCOVERED IN EGYPT

While the famous Great Sphinx of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo is the best known, there are a number of smaller sphinx statues in Luxor.

In another project, archaeologists recently unlocked the secrets of a mysterious ancient cursed black granite sarcophagus.

The massive coffin, which was excavated in the city of Alexandria, was found to contain three skeletons and gold sheets with the remains. The tomb also dates back to the Ptolemaic era.

'WORLD'S OLDEST CHEESE' DISCOVERED IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMB

Experts also recently found the oldest solid cheese in the tomb of Ptahmes, mayor of the ancient city of Memphis.

A mummy buried in southern Egypt more than 5,000 years ago, has also revealed its grisly secrets, shedding new light on prehistoric embalming practices.

In another project, experts unearthed a 2,200-year-old gold coin depicting the ancient King Ptolemy III, an ancestor of the famed Cleopatra.

MYSTERIOUS ANCIENT ARTWORK DEPICTING FEMALE PHARAOH FOUND BY ACCIDENT

Experts in southern Egypt recently discovered an extremely rare marble head depicting the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

In Australia, archaeologists found the tattered remains of an ancient priestess in a 2,500-year-old Egyptian coffin that was long thought to be empty.

On the other side of the world, a rare ancient artifact depicting the famous female pharaoh Hatshepsut surfaced in the U.K. Stunning new research also claims that King Tutankhamun may have been a boy soldier, challenging the theory he was a weak and sickly youth before his mysterious death at around 18 years of age.

MUMMY WEARING GOLD-GILDED FACE MASK DISCOVERED AT ANCIENT EGYPT BURIAL GROUND

Experts in the U.K. also found the worlds oldest figurative tattoos on two ancient Egyptian mummies recently, one of which is the oldest tattooed female ever discovered.

Other recent finds include an ancient cemetery in Egypt with more than 40 mummies and a necklace containing a message from the afterlife. An ancient statue of a Nubian king with an inscription written in Egyptian hieroglyphics was also found at a Nile River temple in Sudan.

Scientists also believe that they may have found the secret of the Great Pyramids near-perfect alignment. Experts are also confident that they have solved the long-standing mystery of the screaming mummy.

In February, archaeologists announced the discovery of a 4,400-year-old tomb near the pyramids. Late last year, archaeologists also revealed that they had uncovered the graves of four children at an ancient site in Egypt.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogersBERLIN A crowd gathers joyfully around a dinner table in the 18th-century illustration by the French artist Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen. The scene hides the artwork's dark history: It was robbed nearly 80 years ago from a Jewish family's home in Nazi-occupied Paris.

German investigators announced last week that the artwork and three other drawings have been identified as Nazi loot. They are now on public display here at the Gropius Bau in the exhibition "Gurlitt: Status Report."

The drawings once decorated the home of the wealthy Deutsch de la Meurthefamily, which earned a fortune in the oil industry and sponsored early aviation efforts. After the invasion of France, Nazi officers confiscated the home and used the house as a depot to store works of art and furniture plundered from Jewish homes as part of an operation known as "Mobel Aktion." One of the Deutsch de la Meurthewomen was murdered at Auschwitz. [Images: Missing Nazi Diary Resurfaces]

The rediscovery of the drawings marks a rare recovery of Nazi loot for the Gurlitt task force, a group of German researchers who have been trying to clarify the murky origins of a huge trove of art from a Nazi-era dealer for the past several years.

"There are many stories behind these artworks," said Andrea Baresel-Brand, head of the Department of Lost Art and Documentation for the German Lost Art Foundation. "This is always a very moving thing. When you come to a restitution, there's always a very tragic history forever attached to a work of art."

Gurlitt art trove

In 2012, German authorities entered the Munich apartment of Cornelius Gurlitt, a reclusive elderly man who was under investigation for tax evasion. Inside, they found hundreds of pieces by famous artists, including Picasso, Monet, Renoir and Rodin. The man had inherited the collection from his father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, a dealer who worked with the Nazis to acquire art for planned museums, such as Hitler's never-realized Fuhrermuseum in Linz. Hildebrand Gurlitt was also one of just four dealers approved to sell off art considered "degenerate" because it was modern, "un-German," or made by Jews and communists.

German authorities confiscated the art from Cornelius Gurlitt's Munich apartment and another apartment in Salzburg, Austria, in 2012. When news of the trove became public in 2013, the German government launched a task force to research the provenance, or origins, of the art, to determine if any of the 1,566 pieces were looted or unethically acquired during the Nazi regime.

So far, only six works have been restituted, including a portrait of a woman stolen from Jewish French politician Georges Mandel in Paris, identified last year by a repair in the canvas and on public view again in Berlin. The task force has faced some criticism over the slow pace of the investigation.

"With the Gurlitt art trove, the term 'provenance research' has become familiar to quite a lot of people, and I think that we created new awareness for younger generations about what happened in the Nazi era, how people were robbed and plundered," Baresel-Brand told Live Science. She added that she thinks the public has also become more aware of how vague the provenance of an art object can be even after a thorough investigation. "Even though we have good funding and perfect researchers, even they sometimes can't clarify a provenance to say that this is a work that came from a family or not."

In the span of 80 years, artworks can change frames, documents can be lost or forged, archives can be destroyed and titles of pieces can change, Baresel-Brand explained, and victims of the Holocaust may not have had proof of the objects they lost. [6 Archaeological Forgeries That Could Have Changed History]

New drawings come to light

The four recently discovered drawings were not part of Cornelius Gurlitt's trove.

Provenance researchers found that Cornelius Gurlitt's sister, Benita Gurlitt, had also inherited several works of art from their father. Among these works of art were the Deutsch de la Meurthefamily's drawings. The researchers essentially posted a missing notice for the drawings on Germany's Lost Art database in July 2017. An unnamed owner came forward with the artworks and agreed to return the drawings. The descendants of the Deutsch de la Meurthe family gave their approval for the works of art to be displayed. [30 of the World's Most Valuable Treasures That Are Still Missing]

The records of the Mobel Aktionprogram were destroyed, so there is a gap in the paper trail connecting Gurlitt to the confiscated drawings.

"It remains unclear whether Gurlitt had access to stores of this kind or could obtain 'goods' from them through middlemen," the exhibition catalog says. "What is certain is that the family did not voluntarily leave the four works behind and that they must therefore be considered as Nazi-looted cultural assets."

About 200 other pieces of suspicious art from the inventory are on display at the"Gurlitt: Status Report" exhibition. (The artworks were first featured in November 2017 in a joint exhibition atSwitzerland's Kunstmuseum Bern and Germany's Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.) Most of the "degenerate" art on display by artists like Edvard Munch, Emil Nolde, George Grosz and Otto Dix is not considered Nazi loot because these pieces were predominantly taken from German public institutions.

Baresel-Brand told Live Science that she thinks Hildebrand Gurlitt was "a very intelligent person profiting from a situation" and noted that criticism should also be directed at the shortcomings of postwar society in Germany. "You have many continuities people coming back to their offices like Hildebrand did."

After the war, Hildebrand Gurlitt was exonerated in his denazification trials, in part because he pointed to Jewish heritage from one of his grandparents, recasting himself as a potential victim of the Nazi regime. His art collection was briefly confiscated by the U.S. Army's "Monuments Men" team, but most works were returned to him after he swore that his business records had been destroyed and that none of the collection came from Jewish families. He went on to become the director of the Kunstverein Museumin Dusseldorf.

"He wanted to survive," Baresel-Brand said. "He wanted his family to have a happy life. This is understandable, but of course it doesn't legitimize his actions."

Original article on Live Science.Wildlife rehabilitators in Wisconsin on Thursday worked to untangle the tails of five young squirrels after they became "hopelessly entangled" in their nest.

The "Tale of Five Tails," as the Wisconsin Humane Society's (WHS) wildlife rehab program dubbed it, started when someone spotted the juvenile grey squirrels and reached out for help.

Their tails had become entwined with "long-stemmed grasses and strips of plastic their mother used as nest material," the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center wrote on Facebook.

Rehabbers anesthetized the squirrels and carefully worked to detangle the little tails  a puzzle the Humane Society jokingly described as a "Gordian Knot," a reference to a challenge faced by Alexander the Great, according to ancient lore.

6 SQUIRRELS STUCK IN A JAM AFTER GETTING THEIR TAILS TANGLED

"It was impossible to tell whose tail was whose, and we were increasingly concerned because all of them had suffered from varying degrees of tissue damage to their tails caused by circulatory impairment," the post read.

Eventually, they were able to cut away "at the grass-and-plastic knot with scissors, being very careful to make sure we weren't snipping anyone's tail in the process" in about 20 minutes' time.

The WHS said on Friday the squirrels were "bright-eyed" and three of the five critters were "bushy-tailed," while the other two seemed to have a little less fur. Rehabbers said they'll continue to monitor the squirrels to make sure their tails have sufficient bloodflow.The Navy will launch formal flight testing in 2021 for a new, first-of-its kind carrier-launched drone engineered to double the attack range of F-18 fighters, F-35Cs and other carrier aircraft.

The emerging Navy MQ-25 Stingray program, to enter service in the mid-2020s, will bring a new generation of technology by engineering a new unmanned re-fueler for the carrier air wing.

"The program expects to be in flight test by 2021 and achieve initial operational capability by 2024," Jamie Cosgrove, spokeswoman for Naval Air Systems Command, told Warrior Maven.

The Navy recently awarded a development deal to Boeing to further engineer and test the MQ-25.

A central key question informs the core of this technology effort: What if the attack capability of carrier fighters, such as an F-18 or F-35C, could double the range at which they hold enemy targets at risk? Could such a prospect substantially extend the envelope of offensive attack operations, while allowing carriers themselves to operate at safer distances?

The Navy believes so; "the MQ-25 will provide a robust organic refueling capability, extending the range of the carrier air wing to make better use of Navy combat strike fighters," Cosgrove said.

Perhaps enemy targets 1,000 miles away, at sea or deep inland, could successfully be destroyed by carrier-launched fighters operating with a vastly expanded combat radius. Wouldn't this be of crucial importance in a world of quickly evolving high-tech missile and aircraft threats from potential adversaries such as near-peer rivals? Perhaps of equal or greater relevance, what if the re-fueler were a drone, able to operate in forward high-risk locations to support fighter jets - all while not placing a large manned tanker aircraft within range of enemy fire?

The emergence of a drone of this kind bears prominently upon ongoing questions about the future of aircraft carriers in light of todays fast-changing threat environment. Chinese DF-21D and DF-26 anti-ship guided missiles, for instance, are said to be able to destroy targets as far away as 900 nautical miles. While there is some question about these weapons ability to strike moving targets, and carriers of course are armed with a wide range of layered defenses, the Chinese weapon does bring a substantial risk potentially great enough to require carriers to operate much further from shore.

In this scenario, these Chinese so-called carrier-killer missiles could, quite possibly, push a carrier back to a point where its fighters no longer have range to strike inland enemy targets from the air. The new drone is being engineered, at least in large measure, as a specific way to address this problem. If the attack distance of an F-18, which might have a combat radius of 500 miles or so, can double - then carrier-based fighters can strike targets as far as 1000 miles away if they are refueled from the air.

Also, despite the emergence of weapons such as the DF-21D, senior Navy leaders and some analysts have questioned the ability of precision-guided long-range missile to actually hit and destroy carriers on the move at 30-knots from 1,000 miles away. Targeting, guidance on the move fire control, ISR and other assets are necessary for these kinds of weapons to function as advertised. GPS, inertial measurement units, advanced sensors and dual-mode seekers are part of a handful of fast-developing technologies able to address some of these challenges, yet it does not seem clear that long-range anti-ship missiles such as the DF-21D will actually be able to destroy carriers on the move at the described distances.

Furthermore, the Navy is rapidly advancing ship-based defensive weapons, electronic warfare applications, lasers and technologies able to identify and destroy approaching anti-ship cruise missile from ranges beyond the horizon. Carriers often travel in Carrier Strike Groups where they are surrounded by destroyers and cruisers able to provide additional protection. One such example of this includes the now-deployed Naval Integrated Fire Control  Counter Air system, or NIFC-CA. This technology combines ship-based radar and fire control systems with an aerial sensor and dual-mode SM-6 missile to track and destroy approaching threats from beyond-the-horizon. Ship-based laser weapons and rail guns, in addition, could be among lower-cost ship defense weapons as well.

The MQ-25A Stingray is evolving out of a now-cancelled carrier-launched ISR and attack drone program called Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike system, or UCLASS.

A Northrop demonstrator aircraft, called the X-47B, has already performed successful carrier drone take-offs and landings. Accordingly, the ability of the Navy to operate a drone on an aircraft carrier is already progressing and has been demonstrated.

An existing large fuselage tanker, such as the emerging Air Force KC-46A, might have too large a radar signature and therefore be far too vulnerable to enemy attack. This, quite naturally, then creates the need for a drone able to better elude enemy radar and refuel attack aircraft on its way to a mission.

The early engineering process thus far has been geared toward MQ-25A Stingray technical and task analysis efforts spanning air vehicle capabilities, carrier suitability and integration, mission systems and software -- including cybersecurity.

More Weapons and Technology - WARRIOR MAVEN (CLICK HERE)--The driver responsible for leaving an unattended rental car near a terminal at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on Sunday morning  and throwing Terminal 4 into chaos as a result  is getting off with just a ticket and a towing fee.

The man, whose mistake resulted in the delay of hundreds of flights and dozens of cancellations, has been issued a ticket for $52 and ordered to pay an additional fee of $75 for towing the car, Phoenix police confirmed.

Police have submitted a report to the Transportation Security Administration for possible civil penalties, the Associated Press reported.

PARTS OF AIRPORT SHUT DOWN AFTER WOMAN SLIPS THROUGH SECURITY ZONE

Officials had initially shut down part of the Arizona airport and evacuated all passengers after someone called to report a suspicious rental car left in a curb lane at the airport shortly after 7 a.m, AZ Central reported. Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport officials announced shortly before noon on Sunday that operations were finally returning to normal after shutting down Terminal 4 as a precaution during a police investigation into the unattended vehicle.

The terminal closure caused flight delays and cancellations of Southwest flights, as well as American Airlines, Air Canada and British Airways aircraft.

PHILIPPINES AIRPORT PASSENGERS PANIC AFTER SEEING SNAKE IN DEPARTURES LOUNGE

Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson confirmed that a bomb squad had worked to make sure the vehicle was not a danger before the terminal could be reopened.

An airport spokeswoman said three of the four security checkpoints at the terminal had closed as a result of the incident, and the Sky Train stopped dropping passengers at the terminal.

Sgt. Thompson later stated that the driver, who was not named, would likely be facing nothing more than a parking citation, which he was told would amount to $56.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Displaced passengers on Twitter, meanwhile, had called for the driver to be punished much more severely.

One woman, who claimed she missed out on a friend's bridal shower as a result of the delays, shared an open tweet to the driver, saying she hopes the convenient parking job was "worth the trouble" he or she was about to get into.

Another, Ryan Hintze, called the driver an "idiot."

"An inconsiderate person decided to waste thousands of people's time and inconvenience them," wrote Hintze in a Twitter direct message, according to AZ Central. "I hope the idiot who left the rental car gets tracked down and punished to the fullest extent of the law."A passenger was hauled off an EasyJet flight after passengers thought he threatened to blow up the plane.

The culprit told ground crew to "f**k off" when they asked him not to walk under the wing as he dashed to avoid the budget airline's queues.

After he was confronted he was heard saying, what do you think Im going to, blow up the plane?

Cops boarded the plane and dragged the suspect off before quizzing him on the tarmac.

His luggage was taken off the Luton to Geneva flight and he was thrown out of the airport but not arrested.

"Everyone knows you dont mention anything about bombs or blowing up planes at an airport."  A source

Sniffer dogs checked the cabin as the captain joked, Dont worry folks the guy is there outside now. Does anyone not like dogs?"

A source said, "The suspect told the ground crew to 'f**k off' and was sticking his fingers up at them.

"He was on the stairs going to take his seat when he said something about blowing the plane up, the source said. "Everyone knows you dont mention anything about bombs or blowing up planes at an airport.

So they bundled him off," they added.

A witness said, The pilot announced there had been a security incident and the flight was delayed. Cops came on the plane and pulled this Asian man off. They then seemed to question him on the tarmac."

Police searched the hold then sent dogs onto the plane to go through the cabin," the witness continued. Every passenger had to stand up so their seat could be checked. Everyone on the aircraft was really worried about. No-one knew what was going on."

The pilot tried to make light of it with jokes, asking of everyone liked dogs," the witness added. But when the plane eventually took off the atmosphere was tense to say the least.

The packed flight EZY2051 had been due to leave London Luton Airport at 7:30 am.

It eventually took off at 8:17am - 47 minutes late.

This story originally appeared on The Sun. Read more content from The Sun here.A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to one count of interference with a flight crew after punching two policemen and threatening to put in a body bag an airline crew member who denied him a fourth drink on a Southwest Airlines flight last October.

Joel Michael Bane, a martial arts instructor and combat veteran, issued the plea in a New Orleans federal court Thursday, The New Orleans Advocate reports.

RYANAIR FLIGHT KICKS OFF 'DISRUPTIVE' PASSENGER DRESSED AS TINKER BELL

Bane was flying from Chicago to New Orleans in October 2017. During the flight, he had three alcoholic drinks, and when he requested a fourth was denied by flight crew because the plane was preparing to land.

According to reports, Bane became unhinged and refused to return to his seat and threatened a flight attendant and the planes captain by saying he had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and would have no problem handling them.

DELTA PASSENGERS RESTRAIN UNRULY MAN THREATENING TO 'TAKE THE PLANE DOWN'

Once the plane arrived in Louisiana, police boarded the plane to take Bane into custody. Bane reportedly punched two officers.

Officers used Tasers to subdue the large and very muscular veteran, according to court documents quoted by New Jersey.com.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

As part of his plea agreement, Bane will receive only probation instead of the up to 20 year prison sentence that he could have faced, his attorney said to NOLA.com.

However, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo could sentence him to the 20 years and give him a fine of up to $250,000 if she disagrees with the plea agreement.

Attorney Frank DeSalvo said his client suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sentencing is scheduled for December.A Philadelphia deejay was able to pass a background check to take a semiprivate JetSmarter flight from Las Vegas to New York even though he had been posting disturbing threats on Twitter.

DJ Maurice Paola, 23, forced an emergency landing of the 12-passenger jet in North Platte, Neb., Sept. 3 after he argued with the flight attendant and threatened to decapitate passengers.

The Lincoln Journal Star reported the jet had just taken off when Paola started throwing items at passengers, walking back and forth, pounding on windows, banging his head on walls and insisting that the plane land immediately.

DRIVER WHO LEFT UNATTENDED CAR NEAR AIRPORT TERMINAL LIKELY ONLY GETTING A TICKET, COPS SAY

The pilot  after failing to calm Paola down  retreated to the cockpit, while the flight attendant used an oxygen tank to defend herself and a family with children ages 4 and 6 cowered in the back of the plane.

Paola faces up to 20 years if convicted of interfering with the flight crew.

JetSmarter provides security far in excess of what commercial airlines provide, company spokesman Ronn Torossian told me. This was an unfortunate isolated incident.

PHILIPPINES AIRPORT PASSENGERS PANIC AFTER SEEING SNAKE IN DEPARTURES LOUNGE

But if anyone had looked at Paolas recent tweets, they would have found this one from late on Sept. 2: The next person that steps near my crib will have their heads taken off their shoulders.

A day earlier he wrote: Call the cops I dare ya theyll get taken out. On Aug. 31, he tweeted: From a jail cell to the private jet lmao they cant stop me.

We are cooperating with authorities, Torossian said. We have, and will continue to have, stringent security policies.

This article originally appeared on Page Six. Read more from the New York Post here.The Cape Cod town of Wellfleet, Mass., has issued a warning to swimmers in the wake of a shark attack that claimed the life of 26-year-old Arthur Medici on Saturday, though not everyone is heeding the advice.

In a news release issued Sunday, Cape Cod National Seashore confirmed that Wellfleets beaches  including the Newcomb Hollow Beach, where Medici was attacked  were closed to swimming, but surfers and paddleboarders were spotted in the water the same day.

Suzanne Thomas, the beach manager for Wellfleet, told Fox News on Monday morning that the reopening of the beach for swimming is being discussed, but "no decision has been made at this time."

"This is a directive issued by the Town in the interest of the safety of swimmers and surfers. We have to rely on people's common sense and will to survive," she added. "The end time has not yet been decided upon."

SCARY VID SHOWS TOURISTS RUNNING FROM COLLAPSING CLIFF AT GREEK BEACH

Officials placed signs informing visitors to Newcomb Hollow that the beach was closed on Saturday, after Medici  an engineering student originally from Brazil but a resident of Revere, Mass.  was bitten by a shark while boogie-boarding about 30 yards off the beach at around noon. A friend dragged Medici to shore following the attack, where emergency CPR was performed.

He was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, where he was ultimately pronounced dead. The specifics of his injuries, nor any information on the type of shark that attacked him have been made public.

Medicis death is believed to be the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936.

Cape Cod National Seashore has since issued warnings to anyone swimming in nearby beaches, urging them to take precautions when entering the waters.

People recreating in Cape Cod waters should read and heed advisories posted at beaches. Do not swim near seals; swim close to shore where feet can touch the bottom; swim, paddle, and kayak in groups; do not swim alone at dawn or dusk; avoid isolation; and limit splashing and do not wear shiny jewelry, the news release reads.

SEE IT: WOMAN IN TEXAS CATCHES 8-FOOT TIGER SHARK

Despite the warnings, and even the signs that had been posted on the beach reading No swimming, surfing, etc. just a day earlier, surfers had actually been spotted riding waves at Newcomb Hollow Beach on Sunday.

We cant not come out, said 69-year-old surfer Paul Fleming, who was present the day Medici was attacked, to the Boston Herald.

Its like if you compared the sharks to a terrorist, its the same kind of idea. You cant not have the scheduled event because of what may or may not happen, he added.

Another surfer who spoke with the Herald saw his actions as a fitting way to remember and honor Medici.

Saturdays incident is still under investigation by local police, officials with the National Park Service, and the Capes District Attorneys Office.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Medicis death follows an Aug. 15 attack on 61-year-old William Lytton, from Scarsdale, N.Y., who was swimming off Long Nook Beach in Truro, also on Cape Cod. The neurologist defended himself by strucking the shark in the gills, after remembering a nature documentary that said that was the predator's most sensitive spot.

Lytton's attack was the first in Massachusetts waters since 2012. He is currently rehabilitating at a hospital, with one more surgery scheduled before his release.

The Associated Press and Fox News Madeline Farber contributed to this report.More than 20 schools in Illinois reportedly have installed emergency response alarms on campuses in preparation for possible active shooter situations.

The schools, many in the Chicago area, now have BluePoint systems installed, the Chicago Tribune reported. A spokesperson for the company told the newspaper that more than 150 schools throughout the U.S. have had the alert systems implemented.

Each pull box, which looks similar to a fire alarm, is designed for "discreetly" protecting people in "an escalating situation," according to the product's website.

When the alarm is pulled, police are alerted and the system will text, email or send a voice alert to specific groups, according to the company.

One school in particular  St. Benedicts Preparatory School on Chicago's North Side with a student body of roughly 700  has set up 30 of the alarms throughout its campus and reportedly spent $40,000 on security cameras.

Rachel Gemo, head of school at the private institution, said that students, who have been trained to use the alarm system, "really, sadly, are aware of [the] possibility" that a school shooting could happen. She said they're "not immune to what they hear on TV."

One mother, whose son attends St. Benedict's, told the Tribune that while it's "nice" to know the alert system will be there in case of an emergency, "it's sad that we do have to think about this."

"With all these examples across the country, you hope and pray it doesn't happen to you and your school," the mother, Molly Klucznik said. "I really hope we never have to use (the alarm system), but it's nice to be prepared."BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- German auto brand BMW will recall more than 139,000 of its 3-series vehicles in China from Nov. 9 over a defect in the air-conditioning system, according to a statement from China's market regulator.

The recall covers 89,309 vehicles manufactured in China between May 2005 and July 2011, and 50,143 imported vehicles manufactured between January 2005 and July 2011, the State Administration for Market Regulation said.

"A part in the air-conditioning blower may wear after use and lead to rising resistance, which may cause an increase in temperature and raise the chance of a fire," the authority said.

BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., a joint venture based in northeast China, and BMW China Automotive Trading Ltd. will check the vehicles and replace the defective parts free of charge.A sheriff's deputy in Kansas was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sunday, investigators said.

Sedgwick County Deputy Robert Kunze III, 41, died Sunday afternoon after responding to a call about a suspicious character, officials said.

Kunze approached the suspect who was armed with a .40-caliber handgun, and when the deputy tried to apprehend the suspect, a struggle ensued.

When backup arrived around 1:50 p.m., both Kunze and the suspect had been shot. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Kunze was taken to a hospital where he later died.

A ballistics investigation is underway to determine if the .40-caliber handgun was fired, KWCH reported. No additional information on the suspect was released.

"Robert was a great asset to the sheriff's office," Sheriff Jeff Easter said at a news conference. "Robert was an exceptional deputy who was loved by everyone he worked with."

Kunze, a 12-year veteran of the Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office, was survived by his wife and daughter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Officials in Ashe County, N.C., told residents in the community of Creston to evacuate their homes Sunday night as a dam holding back water swollen by Florence threatened to breach.

The National Weather Service reported that the Headwaters Dam was in danger of being breached and warned anyone living downstream of the dam to evacuate. Forecasters also announced a flash flood warning was in effect for Ashe County until 8 a.m. Monday.

It was not immediately clear how many people have evacuated.

Florence has dumped more than 30 inches of rain across North Carolina since it made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane Friday. Tens of thousands have been ordered to evacuate from communities along the state's steadily rising rivers  with the Cape Fear, Little River, Lumber, Waccamaw and Pee Dee rivers all projected to burst their banks.

ALLEGED 'LOOTERS' IN FLORENCE-RAVAGED NORTH CAROLINA SOUGHT BY POLICE

Stream gauges across the region showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to crest Sunday and Monday at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel had been assigned to help relief efforts.

The storm has been blamed for 17 deaths, 11 of them in North Carolina.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.At least 21 people, mostly firefighters, were injured Monday after multiple vehicles caught fire inside a mall parking garage in New York City, sending plumes of black smoke into the air.

The 18 firefighters and three other people suffered injuries that were not life threatening, officials said. Several vehicles burst into flames at Kings Plaza Mall in Brooklyn just before 9 a.m., FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in a news conference.

"None of these 21 injuries is life threatening or critical, everyone is stable," Nigro said. "Our members have various levels of smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion, working under those conditions. Smoke and heat, wearing what they wear, one can only imagine what they are going through."

The blaze on the second floor of the parking garage quickly escalated, with between 250 and 300 firefighters responding to the scene within an hour.

Photos and videos from people nearby showed thick black smoke overwhelming the area. The explosion-like noises were caused by tires bursting, Nigro said.

The fire commissioner said officials were at the scene checking for damage to the structure.

The multi-floor parking garage stores about 120 vehicles for a nearby car dealership, according to Nigro. Although many of the vehicles were on fire when firefighters arrived, the blaze was contained to the second floor.

Kings Plaza mall tweeted earlier the shopping center was closed due to the fire.

Kings Plaza currently closed. Multiple cars on fire in garage and smoke conditions. FDNY on scene. Avoid area, a spokesperson for the mall tweeted.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.The man police called Baltimores No. 1 trigger puller is set to go on trial as part of a federal racketeering case against a gang accused in 10 unsolved killings.

Montana Barronette, along with 9 other men, is accused of being a member of vicious street gang Trained to Go  reportedly an offshoot of the Black Guerrilla Family.

The 23-year-old Barronette was arrested more than two years ago in connection to a 2014 murder, which was just one of up to a dozen homicides police believed he was behind, Fox Baltimore reported in August 2016.

[He] is very good at his craft  his craft is killing, former Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said at the time, according to Fox Baltimore.

At the time of his arrest, Barronette was charged with first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, firearm use in commission of a violent felony, handgun on person and reckless endangerment.

The racketeering case began Monday with jury selection for eight of the defendants. One of the accused has already pleaded guilty while another is a fugitive.

A superseding indictment against the 10 men includes charges of racketeering and drug distribution.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A nuclear power plant just outside of Wilmington, North Carolina declared an "unusual event" Monday after rising floodwaters and storm damage caused limited access to the facility, officials said.

Duke Energy's Brunswick Nuclear Plant  located about 30 miles south of Wilmington  declared the state of emergency, the lowest required by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, after roads surrounding the 1,200-acre complex were impacted by flooding and downed trees.

None of the roads are passable, NRC spokesman Joey Ledford told the News & Observer. The plant is safe. The reactors are in hot stand-by mode 3 shutdown.

Ledford told Fox News in an email that the twin-reactor nuclear plant is stable and poses no threat to public safety, as floodwaters have not entered the facility or threatened any important equipment.

The plant can be accessed by one route due to floodwaters, but since there are not multiple routes available, the plant was placed under an "unusual event," according to Ledford. A spokesperson for Duke Energy told Fox News the plant "remains safely shut down," after shuttering operations before Florence's hurricane-force winds arrived.

The spokesperson added that there is no flooding on the plant site, but the area is not fully accessible at this time. Some employees who live locally have been able to leave the nuclear plant and check on their homes, while others have made trips to local stores for supplies, the spokesperson added.

The Brunswick plant's two reactors are of the same design as those in Fukushima, Japan, which infamously exploded and leaked radiation following a 2011 magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami. Following that disaster, federal regulators required all U.S. nuclear plants to perform upgrades to better withstand earthquakes and flooding.

Ledford told Fox News that both units still have offsite power, and that essential plant employees and NRC inspectors remain on site, though storm damage is "limiting access to the site by personal vehicles."

Before the storm arrived, the NRC sent additional inspectors and provided staff to give around-the-clock support during the storm.

HURRICANE FLORENCE'S POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC PATH INCLUDES 'AT-RISK' NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

One of those "storm riders," Daniel Bacon, told the News & Observer that workers are sleeping on cots and using portable toilets because water is shut off at the facility and toilets can't flush.

Its kind-of like camping, Bacon told the newspaper. Everyone is handling it very well. I havent heard any complaining.

A shipment by food was delivered by helicopter on Monday morning, and another delivery is expected later in the day, he told the News & Observer. Bacon added that he was not sure when the flooding would subside to the point the "unusual event" could be lifted.

A spokesperson from Duke Energy told Fox News that the company has brought in additional supplies by aircraft using a helipad on the site.

WEAKENED FLORENCE REMAINS DANGEROUS AS IT WORKS ITS WAY NORTH

As of Monday, 17 people have been killed by the storm in North Carolina, according to Gov. Roy Cooper, who added the "crisis continues" in the state.

"For many parts of North Carolina, the danger is still immediate," he said at a news conference on Monday. "Floodwaters are still rising as rivers crest, and they will for days."

According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, there are 12 nuclear plants in the Carolinas that make electricity for the region. These plants generally reside near a body of water because they require a constant water source for cooling purposes.

The Brunswick facility has two nuclear reactors, which began operation in 1975 and 1977, according to Duke Energy. The plant has a capacity of 1,870 megawatts, enough to power over a million homes. It was issued a 20 year extension to its operation license in 2006, which now runs until 2034.

Fox News' Lucia Suarez contributed to this report.Dapper Don John Gottis younger brother, Gene, is back on the streets after serving 29 years in prison for dealing heroin  and the mob is bracing for what it will mean to their rackets, The Post has learned.

An exclusive Post photo shows Gene Gotti, 71, outside his family home in Valley Stream, LI, following his release on parole from a federal lockup in Louisiana last week.

The picture shows the stark change in appearance he underwent during nearly three decades behind bars.

Although Gene went away sporting dark hair, the geriatric gangster is now nearly bald  and what little hair he has left is snowy white.

The Gambino organized-crime family once run by his late brother  who died in prison in 2002  is now headed by Domenico Cefalu, with Frank Cali as its street boss, law-enforcement sources say.

But as a made man who was a mob captain when he headed off to the slammer, Gotti is entitled to a role in the Gambino family  which has his cronies worried about the scrutiny that could bring, sources said.

The Gambinos are running smoothly  gambling, pills, construction unions, etc., one law-enforcement official said.

The last thing they want is someone to put them back in papers and on TV.

John Gottis penchant for publicity set them back 30 years, the source added.

They dont want no flashy leaders, no weekly social-club meetings, the source said.

Click for more from The New York PostAs Hurricane Florence made landfall in the Carolinas Friday-- killing at least 17-- hundreds more remain trapped inside their homes and authorities said Sunday that the worst is yet to come.

The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression on Sunday, after three days of unrelenting rain in the Carolinas. But forecasters have warned that Florence is expected to dump as much as 40 inches of rain in southeastern North Carolina and 15 to 20 inches in the states western region in the coming days, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Other regions remain vulnerable to flash flooding and major river flooding, forecasters said. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has warned drivers to stay away, after flooding has blocked off roads and major highways.

In North Carolina City, a city of 120,000 people, all roads in and out of the city are underwater. Residents of inland communities who thought they were safe from the storm had to find high ground because of the expected flooding. In New Bern, at least 30 roads were left unpassable; 4,200 homes and more than 300 commercial buildings damaged; and 6,000 customers without power and 1,200 residents in shelters, said the citys mayor.

More than 1,000 search-and-rescue personnel with 36 helicopters and over 200 boats were dispatched to North Carolina after hundreds of people were left stranded in their homes,

In total, the emergency-management agencies said nearly 700,000 customers were lacking power in North Carolina and more than 60,000 outages were reported in South Carolina. Meanwhile, roughly 17,000 people have flocked to 190 shelters throughout the Carolinas. Statewide, as many as 1 million people were evacuated, The Asheville Citizen-Times reported.

[P]eople need to understand that some areas are likely to be without power for a while, said Gov. Roy Cooper during a news conference. The risk to life is rising with the angry waters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.When Hurricane Florence set its sights on the Carolina coast last week, Tony Alsup decided it was time for him to head into the storm zone to help clear out animal shelters in its path.

The 51-year-old trucker from Tennessee has transformed an old school bus into an animal transport on wheels, with the words "EMERGENCY ANIMAL RESCUE SHELTER" on the side. In his first trip to South Carolina, Alsup was able to rescue 53 dogs and 11 cats, the Greenville News reported.

I love it, he told The Greenville News. People dont believe me, they say its got to be barking crazy. But no. They know Im the Alpha dog and Im not here to hurt them.

In photos posted to Facebook, the group of dogs can be seen in kennels stacked to the roof hanging out in the back of the school bus awaiting their next stop.

Alsup also took a selfie with the bus full of kennels, writing "LET'S ROLL!!!"

"Its all true - Tony swooped in at 4am Wednesday morning to pick up our 'leftovers' - the dogs with blocky heads, the ones with heartworm. The ones no one else will ever take. And he got them to safety," The Saint Frances Animal Center in Georgetown, S.C. said in a Facebook post. "Not the most conventional evacuation, but surely the one with the most heart.

WEAKENED FLORENCE REMAINS DANGEROUS AS IT WORKS ITS WAY NORTH

After picking up the animals in four South Carolina towns, Alsup transported the group to a shelter in Alabama, where they will be spread out to other shelters across the country and hopefully be adopted.

Its so easy for people to adopt the small pets and the cuties and the cuddly, he told the paper. We take on the ones that deserve a chance even though they are big and a little ugly. But I love big dogs, and we find places for them.

ANIMALS RESCUED FROM FLORENCE FLOODWATERS, AFTER PETS LEFT BEHIND OR FORGOTTEN

The 51-year-old has been involved in large-scale animal rescues using his bus since last year, when Hurricane Harvey inundated Texas with floodwaters and during Hurricane Irma. He felt compelled to help out after watching how shelters became overcrowded with lost or rescued animals.

I thought, well what can I do? he told the Washington Post. Ill just go buy a bus.

After his trip to South Carolina, he has since headed back into the storm zone. In a series of videos posted to Facebook, Alsup said that he was headed towards the Lumberton area of North Carolina where a dam could possibly collapse after being overtopped by floodwaters spawned by Florence.

"Pray for those people in Lumberton that that dam doesn't collapse, but we're trying to get people and pets out of the way before this thing breaks," he said. "It's better to be safe than sorry. Don't be somebody who thinks its better to be lucky than safe, just get out of the way."A British man murdered his wife and deliberately sank the couple's catamaran near the Bahamas in a bid to inherit her estate, prosecutors said last week.

Lewis Bennett, 41, was charged with second-degree murder on the high seas in the May 2017 disappearance of Isabella Hellmann, 41, of Delray Beach, Florida, in February. Bennett and his wife were on a delayed honeymoon to St. Maarten, Puerto Rico and Cuba.

Hellmanns family allegedly bugged her apartment in Delray Beach to listen to Bennetts conversations because they believed he was involved in her disappearance, The Guardian reported, citing court papers.

A Miami federal judge was asked to admit conversations between Hellmann and her family, which they are believed to have discussed arguments over a potential move to Australia, financial struggles and the raising of their daughter, the newspaper reported. Prosecutor Benjamin Greenberg said the conversations show the couple were constantly arguing.

Hellmanns murder would remove the marital strife from the defendants life, allow the defendant to live his life as he pleased, and would enable him to inherit money from Hellmanns estate, all of which provide strong circumstantial proof that the defendant had a strong motive to murder Hellmann, Greenberg said.

Bennett would inherit Hellmans apartment and bank account should she be declared dead, according to The Guardian. Her body has yet to be found.

The FBI said in an affidavit in February that financial greed was the likely motive behind Hellmans murder. The document also noted that Bennett did nothing to search for his wife, but he did rescue a tea set.

Bennett told investigators the night Hellman disappeared he had gone below deck on their boat near Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas, to sleep around 8 p.m., activated autopilot and left Hellmann to keep watch. The FBI said he falsely stated she disappeared after the supposed accident. Investigators said they found evidence Bennett intentionally tried to sink the boat.

Bennett almost immediately got into a life raft with luggage and other items and took no actions to find his wife, the FBI said.

Prosecutors also said Hellman may have discovered he was in possession of rare coins stolen from a former employer in St. Maarten, which may have made her an accomplice to a crime. An argument over the coins "potentially led to an intense argument resulting in Hellman's murder," Greenberg said.

Bennett admitted to transporting the coins and was sentenced to seven months in jail.

Bennett is said to go to trial in the murder case in December.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.File Photo

A recent report on how the development of artificial intelligence (AI) will affect the Chinese job market has stirred up discussion among economists and AI industry practitioners in China.

Some believed that AI, in balance, will displace human employment, but others argued that AI, as a tool created by human beings, can never replace people.

Automation will replace one-fifth of China's jobs in the manufacturing sector by 2030, and if the process of automation accelerates, nearly 100 million workers will need to change their line of work, according to a report obtained by the Global Times on Thursday.

The report, "Human Capital Investment in the AI Era: Future Challenges and Coping Strategies in the Chinese Job Market," was jointly released by the China Development Research Foundation (CDRF) and Sequoia China.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, China had a total of 776 million employees at the end of 2017, with 54 percent of them working in urban areas.

Increasing efficiency

A study of China's 400 most common occupations showed that AI will have an impact on 70 percent of the occupations, according to the report.

The report estimated that 99 percent of workers in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, 98 percent of workers in construction and 94 percent of workers who install and maintain power systems will be replaced by AI in 20 years.

The report found that robots are already replacing human labor in provinces including Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong.

A total of 96,000 jobs in the online retail industry may be replaced, while some 23 percent of finance workers are expected to see their posts totally or partially replaced by AI, the report noted.

Taking the financial industry as an example, the report said that by 2027, there will be 9.93 million employees in the industry, but 22 percent of the jobs in banks, 25 percent in the insurance market and 16 percent in the capital market will be replaced by AI because of the repetitive nature of their work.

"Industrial robots have greatly improved efficiency, and 90 percent of the repetitive work of human labor in the factories which use my company's robots have been replaced by AI," Sun Ying, deputy president of the Zhejiang Robot Association and head of a robotics firm in Hangzhou, told the Global Times.

With China's development in core components of robotics, more human laborers will be replaced, Sun said.

China is the world's largest market for industrial robots. The International Federation of Robotics estimated that China is expected to have at least 800,000 industrial robots by 2020.

Sun's company mainly provides industrial robots for the detection of flaws and incorrect measurements to the logistics, automobile and optical communication sectors. Sun said that her company's sales revenue reached 200 million yuan ($29 million) in 2016, up from just 600,000 yuan in 2012 when the company was established, and she predicted that the revenue will continue to grow in the future.

Luo Jun, CEO of the International Robotics and Intelligent Equipment Industry Alliance, an industry think tank, told the Global Times that the cost of human laborers in China will soar in a few years with the shrinking of the labor force caused by an aging population.

"Robots with low cost and high efficiency will eventually replace human labor, but it won't happen overnight. Thus human laborers will have time to move to other industries," Luo said.

Adapt to the future

"The report is based on a static analysis, which fails to include new industries and new jobs in the future that are created from the development of China's technology," Cong Yi, a professor at the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, told the Global Times.

Cong believed that no matter how advanced the AI technology becomes, it still serves as a tool for human beings, and cannot replace human beings over the long term. "Even in the short term, people who are engaging in easy and repetitive work may find their jobs being replaced by robots, but other industries will absorb them. Thus there will be no large-scale unemployment in China," Cong said.

To avoid being replaced by AI, laborers in the future have to learn two major skills. They are digital techniques such as programming and project management, and skills in leadership, creativity and perceptivity, the report said.

"To avoid large scale unemployment, China should transfer its public resources to investing in talent, which includes reforming the education system to focus on comprehensive development and boosting education fairness between urban and rural areas," the report said.

Both Luo and Cong agreed with the report on the need to reform China's education system, and they said that China's universities should train students to develop more skills needed in a world dominated by AI and adapt themselves to the future job market.

In April, the Ministry of Educationissued an action plan to promote AI education in universities. According to the plan, universities in China will improve the strength of their AI disciplines and make breakthroughs in basic theory and key technology research by 2020.Authorities in Minnesota said a couple dropped off their 5-year-old boy in the woods as a form of punishment for wetting his pants, The Star Tribune reported.

The boy was found crying and wet from the rain on the side of a highway in Nicollet County, the report said. He later told law enforcement that he was naughty and didnt know where his parents were, the report said.

Gregory A Wilson, 32, and Lynda R. Michel, 42, were charged Friday. The boy is Wilsons biological son, the report said. Wilson was hit with neglect of a child and malicious punishment of a child, which are considered gross misdemeanors. Michel was hit with gross misdemeanor neglect.

The couple was searching for the boy but reportedly did not report him missing.

The paper, citing the charges, reported that the couple said the boy urinated on himself and they drove to an isolated location and told him to exit the vehicle. They reportedly said they drove off a short distance and when they returned, he was gone. They reportedly said they were searching for about 15 minutes.

A couple who lived on the hill reportedly heard yelling in a search, saying, youre not in trouble.

According to investigators, officers found multiple black and blue and red bruises on the boys back, buttocks and hips, indicating they had been caused over time, and Wilson told investigators that he regularly spanked the boy with an open hand. Wilson also faces charges of gross misdemeanor malicious punishment of a child and misdemeanor domestic assault.

The child was taken into protective custody and is currently in foster care, according to court documents that dont list an attorney for either Michel or Wilson.

The Associated Press contributed to this reportA Mississippi man in a wheelchair was arrested Sunday after his mother, grandmother and sister were found shot to death at a home, police said.

Maurice Forte, 22, was charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of his grandmother, Eddie Mae Wofford, 67, his mother, Miyuki Wofford, 49, and his sister, Kyisha Wofford, 26, police said.

Cops were called to a home in Jackson around 11 a.m. about someone being held against their will. They found Forte sitting in a wheelchair outside of a house with a gun near him, police said.

Forte told police he had shot someone.

Officers went to the back of the house where they found Eddie Mae, Miyuki and Kyisha Woffard with multiple gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Its unclear what led to the shooting. Forte is being held without bond and is awaiting his initial court appearance.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A 2-year-old girl was fatally struck by an ice cream truck over the weekend in Missouri, police said.

The girl, identified by relatives as Felicity Karam, was struck at about 3:45 p.m. Sunday in Wentzville, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Its a heartbreaking incident, Wentzville Police Officer Jacob Schmidt told the newspaper. I cant help but think of my own family and children. Its sad all the way around.

The girl was part of a larger group of children and adults who had just bought ice cream from the truck before she crossed in front of the vehicle, which struck her as it lurched forward, Schmidt said, adding that its too soon in the investigation to tell if the unidentified man driving will face charges in the fatal incident.

Were still working on that, Schmidt told The Post. Its too soon to tell at this point.

The driver, who stayed on the scene after the accident, is cooperating with investigators, Schmidt said.

Wentzville Fire Chief John Schneider told KSDK that the girl was taken by ambulance after the accident to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Read more at the New York Post.October has been recognized for years as National Crime Prevention Month, but statistics from the Department of Justice show the best way for Americans to prevent criminal activity may be to simply start picking up their phone.

The DOJ's Bureau of Justice Statistics says in its most recent National Criminal Victimization Survey (NCVS) that in 2016, "U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced 5.7 million violent victimizations." A majority of those crimes, some 58 percent the DOJ says, were never reported to police.

Serious violent crimes, which are analyzed as a subset of "violent crime," are reported just 49 percent of the time, according to the survey. The definition includes "rape or sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault."

"In 2016, U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced 5.7 million violent victimizationsa rate of 21.1 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older... Fewer than half (42%) of violent victimizations were reported to police."  U.S. Dept. of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics

According to DOJ data provided to Fox News, victims in the past have cited a variety of reasons for failing to report their experiences to authorities. Primary drivers include the fear of reprisal, or the feeling that the incident was a private or personal matter.

Another common refrain, according to BJS data, is the idea that police wouldn't bother to investigate, they would be ineffective, or they could cause trouble for the victim.

Statistics from the FBI indicate those concerns may run counter to the successes that U.S. law enforcement agencies have in solving crimes  at least the ones that are brought to their attention. According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR), which also details law enforcement actions across the country, U.S. agencies were able to bring nearly half (45.6 percent) of every violent crime brought to their attention to some kind of close in 2016.

And when it comes specifically to murder, U.S. law enforcement officials are apparently even more efficient - clearing some 59.4 percent of cases brought to their attention in 2016.

The idea that victims dont report their experiences to police because they believe police cant or wont help them, despite the evidence showing that nearly half of all cases brought to their attention are typically solved, is a theme the DOJ hopes to explore further by expanding the way it collects information from victims.

Lynn Langton, the Chief of Victimization Statistics at the Bureau of Justice Statistics, told Fox News that one of her agency's primary goals in redesigning the methodology behind the NCVS "is to really expand on what we capture in terms of... victim experiences with police when they contact the police."

"When residents have contact with police, the vast majority of them feel like the police treated them fairly and were respectful."  Lynn Langton, Chief of Victimization Statistics, DoJ Bureau of Justice Statistics

"The question of respondent victim satisfaction with police is an important one that we're not currently measuring," Langton said.

Still, she wishes more victims would contact authorities when they experience any type of victimization.

"When residents have contact with police, the vast majority of them feel like the police treated them fairly and were respectful," Langton said. "But to be able to look at variety and variation in terms of how respondents feel about the police and how that's related to their likelihood to respond and contact the police is an important topic."The father of a teen who disappeared in the waves off Rockaway Beach over the weekend said on Sunday that he had lost all hope that his son was alive, although the boys mother refused to give up.

Lamine Sarr, 17, was pulled out to sea by a riptide while going for a dip with two friends near his home on Beach 86th Street at 5 p.m. Saturday, according to friends.

His pals made it back to shore. Sarr never did.

Alive? No. Because yesterday it happened in the sea, Sarrs father, Mamadou Sarr, 56, told The Post at the familys home, where a dozen relatives were gathered.

The dad, who moved his family here from Senegal 11 years ago, said he had been up all night mourning the loss of Lamine, the youngest of his three children.

This is very difficult to bear, Mamadou Sarr said. I was crying for a long time.

Still, Lamine Sarrs mother said she was holding fast to hope that their boy would be found alive.

Appearing to be in shock as she sat on the living-room floor, the mother called her son a good boy.

The three teens had almost avoided the surf, knowing none of them was a strong swimmer, one of them, David Kallon, recalled to ABC-TV 7.

But we kinda just shrugged it off, he said.

To continue reading on The New York Post click here.A Pennsylvania man hunted by federal authorities for allegedly threatening to put a bulletin the head of President Donald J. Trump is suspected to be on the run in Ohio on Monday after authorities there found an abandoned truck he's believed to have stolen.

Police investigating a crash late Sunday afternoon near Mansfield determined the truck on the side of Interstate-71 was the same one alleged to have been swiped by Shawn Christy from a construction company in Luzerne County, Pa., about 380 miles east, Fox 56 reported.

The 27-year-old from McAdoo has been on the radar of U.S. Marshals, the FBI and the Secret Service after making threats against President Trump, law enforcement and public officials on Facebook in June, according to a federal arrest warrant.

"I promise I'll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of President Donald J. Trump, Christy allegedly wrote in one post directed at Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.

The FBI, who is warning that Christy should be considered armed and dangerous, also says he stated he will use lethal force on any law enforcement officer trying to stop him.

State police in Luzerne County said the GMC Sierra truck was reported stolen at 12:30 a.m. Sunday from the Skitco Iron Works in Hazle Township, from which Christy is believed to have stolen food, money and a shotgun.

"Federal agents are considering Christy a suspect in this vehicle theft because Christy is believed to have burglarized the same business on Sept. 5th and was known to still be in the immediate area," the U.S. Marshals said in a statement Sunday.

Christy is also wanted in Pennsylvania on arrest warrants for burglary, probation violation, and failure to appear for an aggravated assault case.

When he was 21, Christy was sentenced in federal court in Alaska to five years of probation after he and his father pleaded guilty to making harassing telephone calls to a law firm representing former vice presidential candidate and governor Sarah Palin, the U.S. Marshals Service said. Officials say the calls targeted Palin and her legal team.

The Maple Shade, New Jersey native's parents told the Associated Press on Thursday that Christy sent a Facebook message to them saying he "was slowed down a bit" after he may have broken his knee during a Maryland "getaway." The message ends: "Stay safe, I have a mission to complete."

Federal authorities have asked for help for the public, offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information on Christys whereabouts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Police say an eastern Kentucky man who barricaded himself in a home and fired at officers has died.

Trooper Jody Sims told WYMT-TV that police were called Sunday to a home in Breathitt County for a welfare check and had shots fired in their direction upon their arrival. Sims said a state police detective suffered minor injuries when a bullet fragment ricocheted and hit him in the face. He said the man who fired the shots died.

Sims did not release a cause of death and said it was unclear whether police returned fire. He said the identity of the deceased was being withheld pending notification of kin.

Police were investigating. No other information was immediately released.

___

Information from: WYMT-TV, http://www.wymt.com/She ruined birthdays, weddings and holidays for thousands of Wisconsin residents.

A U.S. postal worker admitted she stole more than 6,000 greeting cards filled with cash and checks while delivering mail in Wauwatosa. Ebony Lavonne Smith, 20, pleaded guilty last week to theft or receipt of stolen mail, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Authorities began investigating Smith after residents in Wauwatosa reported in summer of 2017 they were not receiving graduation, wedding, birthday and sympathy cards.

On Jan. 25, a test greeting card containing $20 and a transmitter that signaled when the envelope was opened was sent out to a Wauwatosa address, court documents stated. The card was placed under Smiths route.

During her shift, a USPS supervisor watched Smith sifting through mail trays and removing several greeting cards. Smith activated the transmitter when she opened the test card while standing outside her car, the report stated.

Postal agents approached Smith and found the $20 in the test card was missing, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Along with the money, authorities found 31 greeting cards in Smiths vehicle. Another 23 cards and a Starbucks gift card were found in her USPS vehicle.

Smith returned the $20 and later admitted to stealing the cards so she could use the cash found in them to pay for bills and take care of her four children. She said she would steal cards one to two days per week, gaining about $50 to $100. She would allegedly reseal some of the envelopes.

In July, a car registered to Smith was located at an auto salvage yard containing 6,625 greeting card envelopes and 540 personal checks dated between March 2017 and January 2018. Another 45 cards were unopened.

Its unclear if residents were reimbursed for the stolen money or received the cards after Smith was caught.A southeast Idaho teacher accused of feeding a sick puppy to a snapping turtle in front of several students will be tried in his own community next month.

The Idaho State Journal reports that prosecutors unsuccessfully sought to move the trial of science teacher Robert Crosland outside of Franklin County.

Prosecutors with the Idaho Attorney Generals Office argued they wont be able to seat an unbiased jury because the Preston Junior High School teacher enjoyed such widespread support in that community.

District Judge David C. Hooste last week disagreed, ruling that the teachers Oct. 26 trial would remain in Preston.

Crosland has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty. He faces up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted.

The dog also had an illness at the time of its death, which originally was reported to police by a local animal activist after a teacher told her about the alleged incident, according to FOX13.

"What I have learned in the last four days is disgusting. It is sick. It is sick," said Jill Parrish, the activist.

Crosland allegedly fed the puppy to the turtle in front of three boys after school hours on March 7. The mother of two of them told a local newspaper at the time that the story had been blown out of proportion, EastIdahoNews.com reported.

If anyone has a right to be upset, it is me, Farahlyn Hansen said, according to the news outlet. I am not upset. I felt like it was the more humane thing for Robert to do than to just leave it (the puppy) to die.  The puppy was dying.

While the district certainly does not condone individual actions that may violate district policy or reasonable expectations of behavior, we hope that any errors in judgment made by a teacher in this instance will not cause us to forget the years of care, effort, and passion the teacher has given to students in Preston School District, the district said in a letter sent home to parents at the time.

The school is in rural Preston, where the 2004 teen cult classic film Napoleon Dynamite was set.

Shane Reichert, Crosland's attorney, told The Idaho State Journal that his client is back in the classroom teaching students. He claims that his client's innocence will be proven at trial.

Fox News' Robert Gearty and The Associated Press contributed to this reportChinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Nguyen Thien Nhan, secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday.

Nhan, also a member of the political bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, welcomed Wang to the city and chairing the 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation in Vietnam, saying that the committee plays a vital role in planning and developing Vietnam-China relations.

Nhan said that China's success not only benefits the Chinese people, but also brings opportunities to the development of Vietnam.

He said that as Vietnam and China are both neighbors and comrades, "we should cherish and inherit the friendship forged by the older generation of leaders of our two countries, to facilitate a positive outcome of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation and to benefit people of both countries."

Nhan said that Ho Chi Minh City, with an important position in Vietnam's economy, is dedicated to building itself into a smart city, hoping to cooperate closely with related provinces and cities of China in this regard.

For his part, Wang said China and Vietnam are good brothers, partners and comrades, and the two countries have forged a deep friendship from living in harmony with each other for a long time.

China and Vietnam are two important socialist countries in the world, and the two parties and two countries have established mutual trust, support and cooperation which have not only promoted development and revitalization for each other, but also resulted in a positive and deep influence on the development and progress of mankind, Wang said.

XinhuaA weakening Florence is expected to drop at least about 6 inches of rain over parts of the Mid-Atlantic and New England over the next few days  raising fears that the heavily saturated waterways in the region will trigger flash floods.

The deadly storm  which has claimed at least 18 lives so far, including a 1-year-old boy who was swept from his mothers arms while they tried to get to dry land  has dropped an abundant 30 inches of rain since it made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Friday morning.

In some places, the rain has stopped as Florence moved on. But while the sun has peeked through the clouds, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is urging residents in the states hardest-hit areas to stay away from the flooded and closed roads.

Theres too much going on, he said during a Monday news conference, stressing that catastrophic flooding and tornados in the region pose an immediate threat.

The once-Category 4 hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical depression. But it is still a massive storm and its making its way further north.

Radar shows parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bulls-eye. Flash flood watches and warnings are still in effect.

Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina...but were also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long told Fox News on Sunday.

Forecasters said Florence is expected to weaken before re-intensifying as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone through Wednesday.

Fox News meteorologist Brandon Noriega said Monday any additional rainfall will exacerbate ongoing flooding and may even result in landslides near the Appalachians.

Residents in the community of Creston were ordered to evacuate their homes Sunday night as a dam holding back water threatened to breach. There has been no indication that the dam has breached, the Weather Channel reported.

The National Weather Service reported Sunday night that the Headwaters Dam was in danger of being breached and warned anyone living downstream to evacuate.

Its not immediately clear how many people evacuated.

Meanwhile, the city of Wilmington, N.C., has been completely cut off by floodwaters and officials are asking for additional help from the National Guard.

There is no access to Wilmington, Woody White, chairman of the county Board of Commissioners, said Sunday at a news conference.

While Wilmington has survived its share of hurricanes, including Hurricane Fran in September 1996, the city of 120,000 has not suffered through anything like the amount of rain that fell from Florence.

About 70 miles away from the coast, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards. River forecasts showed that the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

The rain was unrelenting in Cheraw, a town of about 6,000 people in northeastern South Carolina. Streets were flooded, and Police Chief Keith Thomas warned people not to drive, but the local food and gas store had customers.

"As you can tell, they're not listening to me," he said.

More than 486,000 people are still without power and Duke Energy president, David Fountain, said Monday that it may take a week or more to restore power for remaining customers.

Fox News Samuel Chamberlain and Bradford Betz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.A Virginia woman was severely burned when her vaping device reportedly burst into flames.

Heather Boyd, 34, was airlifted to a hospital Saturday after the device exploded while she was sitting in her car at a parking lot in Herndon, Virginia, authorities told FOX5DC.

Shes screaming, Im burning, Im burning, and I didnt understand how bad it was until I saw her hands, but her entire index finger right here was cracked open and it was pretty bad, said Dennis Whitaker, her boyfriend.

Whitaker said Boyd had just purchased new batteries for the device, but did not say what caused the explosion.

This type of explosion is rare, but it happens often enough for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to have a web page titled, Tips to Help Avoid Vape Battery Explosions.

Some of the safety tips include only using batteries specifically recommended for the device and replacing the batteries if they get damaged or wet.

Much like the numerous videos on YouTube of vape device explosions, Whitaker said the device went off like a big smoke bomb, shattering and then catching fire.

At this point, firefighters said Boyds injuries are not life-threatening, but her condition was otherwise unknown, according to FOX5DC.A Wyoming hunting guide was fatally mauled and his client was injured when a pair of grizzly bears attacked them Friday, officials said.

Authorities later euthanized two grizzly bears, a mother and a cub, who wildlife managers believe killed guide Mark Uptain and wounded his client Corey Chubon near the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks border, according to USA Today.

All available evidence indicates that these two bears were the bears involved in the Terrace Mountain attack, Wyoming Game and Fish Department spokeswoman Rebekah Fitzgerald said in a statement Sunday.

Uptain and Chubon were attacked by bears as they field dressed the elk they had shot Thursday but were only able to find Friday, officials said. The bears aggressively charged the men and didnt touch the dead elk, Teton County officials said.

The deadly incident came weeks after a federal judge halted Wyoming state officials plans to hold a grizzly hunt this month, according to USA Today. The hunt was put on hold until Oct. 1.

I can only imagine how horrific this was, Sy Gilliland, a hunting guide and spokesman for grizzly hunters in the area, told the newspaper. You've got a bear population that's basically un-hunted, is an apex predator, and has no fear of humans.

Uptain was a father of five, authorities said. A GoFundMe page was launched to help his family.

I have been best friends with Sarah (Uptains wife) since the 2nd grade, we have done a lot of life together, Rauli Perry, a family friend, wrote on the page. I know I cant take away the pain, but if we can help support Sarah to be able to focus on the kids and not worry about finances.next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

The Constitutional Court ordered President Jimmy Morales late Sunday to allow the head of a U.N.-backed anti-corruption commission to return to Guatemala, dealing a blunt rebuke to the leader who has sought in recent weeks to defang the body and its work.

The unanimous ruling by the court's five magistrates marked the second time in as many years that the court has reversed Morales' efforts to keep commission chief Ivan Velasquez out of Guatemala. Velasquez has pressed a number of high-profile graft probes, including one that is pending against the president himself.

Morales announced in late August that he would not renew the mandate of the commission for another two-year term, effectively giving it a year to wind down and end its activities.

A few days later he said that Velasquez, a Colombian national who was traveling in Washington at the time, would be barred from re-entering the Central American nation. Morales called him "a person who attacks order and public security in the country."

Morales' order touched off public protests in support of the body, and multiple appeals were promptly filed with the Constitutional Court.

In issuing its decision Sunday night, the court said its ruling must be obeyed and cannot be appealed.

Morales said earlier this month that he was "not obligated to obey illegal rulings," which observers interpreted as a clear allusion to the court's previous checks on his actions.

Last year, Morales had declared Velasquez persona non grata and tried to have him expelled from the country, but that move was blocked by the Constitutional Court.

Among the investigations that the commission, known as CICIG for its initials in Spanish, has brought in Guatemala was one that led to the resignation and jailing of former President Otto Perez Molina and his vice president. Others have ensnared dozens of politicians, public officials and businesspeople.

Morales is suspected in a case involving more than $1 million in purported illicit campaign financing. In August, Guatemala's Supreme Court allowed a motion by CICIG and Guatemalan prosecutors seeking to lift the president's immunity from prosecution to go to lawmakers. If they approve it, he would be opened up to possible prosecution.

Morales denies wrongdoing, but critics saw his move to wind down CICIG and bar Velasquez as a maneuver to protect himself as well as relatives and associates also in the sights of investigators.

The president had asked the United Nations to designate someone to replace Velasquez, but the world body opted to keep him in charge for the time being, working remotely from abroad. The U.N. defended CICIG and its commissioner, saying the body has played "a pivotal role in the fight against impunity in Guatemala."A federal judge indicted former President Cristina Fernandez on Monday and asked for her arrest for allegedly heading a corruption scheme that collected bribes from business leaders in exchange for public work contracts.

The decision by Judge Claudio Bonadio published by Argentina's official judicial news agency asked that Fernandez be taken into custody and for authorities to seize about $100 million from the former leader.

Bonadio said Fernandez committed crimes that included "being the boss of an illegal association" and taking bribes between 2003 and 2015. The period includes her two terms as president as well as the presidency of her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner.

Fernandez denies any wrongdoing. She calls Bonadio "an enemy judge" who she says is working with the administration of conservative President Mauricio Macri to persecute opponents and distract from Argentina's economic crisis.

Fernandez, 65, is currently a senator, a post that grants her immunity from prosecution. That immunity could be lifted only by a vote of two-thirds of the country's senators.

The judge also indicted more than 40 former business leaders and former government officials, including ex-Planning Minister Julio de Vido.

"There was a collusion of officials and businessmen who made this scheme work, which took out with rigged proceedings money from the national state to the detriment of education, health, pensioners, which left the people poorer without sewage, services, safe transportation," Bonadio wrote. "And all of this was done to distribute bribes to corrupt officials."

More than a dozen people have been arrested in the case. They include business leaders and former officials who served in Fernandez's 2007-2015 administration.

Known as the "notebooks case," the investigation is based on a probe by the newspaper La Nacion into alleged corruption over more than a decade during the governments of Fernandez and Kirchner.

It began after authorities received copies of notebooks with detailed information, photographs and video taken by a chauffeur of the planning ministry who is thought to have testified as part of a plea bargain.

Several former business leaders and ex-government officials have also spoken under plea bargains, but the details have not been made public.

Since leaving office in 2015, Fernandez has also been accused of money laundering, possible illegal enrichment and fraud.

Last December, Bonadio asked lawmakers to remove her immunity to allow her arrest on a charge of treason for allegedly covering up the role of Iranians in a 1994 bomb attack on a Jewish center  Argentina's worst terrorist attack.Belgian police have shot and injured a man after he attacked one of the officers with a knife in a northern neighborhood of the capital city, Brussels.

Brussels police spokeswoman Ilse Van De Keere said Monday that "the man attacked one of our colleagues with a knife."

Van De Keere said that a second officer shot the attacker and "seriously wounded him."

She said that the full details of the incident were not yet clear.Echoing some of President Donald Trump's rhetoric, authorities in Egypt are taking aim at an alleged barrage of "fake news" they say is meant to sow division and undermine the rule of general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Under a new law, the state's top media regulatory agency can now use the "fake news" label to shut down social media accounts with more than 5,000 followers, without having to obtain a court order. Another new law allows blocking websites with content deemed a threat to national security.

Last month, the government set up a unit tracking alleged rumors, after el-Sissi claimed without elaborating that the government had identified some 21,000 rumors having been circulated over a three-month period this year. The Cabinet often issues statements refuting purported rumors.

Government critics denounce the measures as the latest attempt to suppress dissent and silence what is left of independent journalism. Over the past few months, some 500 online sites have been blocked, as part of the state's growing control over the media, according to an Egyptian watchdog, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression.

"They (authorities) have blocked all sources of information," said Khaled el-Balshy, a prominent pro-democracy activist and former board member of the Journalists' Union. "They confiscate the media and any area of free speech, even on social media."

Two of his websites were recently blocked, including one just nine hours after its June 19 launch. He said the government did not publicize the decision or provide an explanation.

Trump has repeatedly accused critical media outlets of being producers of "fake news," labelling them "the enemy of the people," and only lauding those that cover him favorably.

Egypt's government never said publicly that it was embracing Trump's media policies, but el-Sissi, a staunch Trump ally, has made clear that he wants to see the media united behind him.

El-Sissi has alleged that Egypt and other Arab nations are being threatened by rumors.

"The real danger is blowing up countries from within," el-Sissi said in July. "Rumors, terrorist acts, losing hope and frustration, all these (things) function in an incredible network aiming at one objective: to stir up people to destroy their country."

In recent years, more restrictive media policies have been adopted elsewhere in the Arab world as governments crack down on social media content.

The Palestinian self-rule government, for example, last year clamped down on social media and news websites  main outlets for debate and dissent in the West Bank  with a vaguely worded law that allows for charges of harming "national unity" or the "social fabric."

In Egypt, officials have pointed to several recent reports on social media networks that they said were blatantly false and seemed designed to spread panic.

One report claimed poisoned tomatoes were being sold in the markets. Another said authorities planned to tax bank deposits. A third rumor warned depositors that the government planned to seize their foreign currency accounts and give them their equivalent in Egyptian pounds.

Not surprisingly, authorities are blaming the misinformation on the Muslim Brotherhood group, which was designated a terrorist organization after the 2013 military overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi, who hails from the group, amid mass street protest against his one-year rule.

The government has treated the Brotherhood as its main domestic enemy since then.

Thousands of people  mostly Islamists but also secular, pro-democracy advocates  have been jailed since 2013 as restrictions were placed on civil society groups and freedom of expression. The crackdown continues amid rising discontent over price hikes for food, transport and utilities.

The government has also clamped down on independent journalists, activists and bloggers, detaining dozens who now face an array of charges, chief among which is disseminating false news, according to Mokhtar Mounir, a rights lawyer who represents several detainees.

Among those detained were many social media heavyweights critical of the government, including famous blogger Wael Abbas, and political activists Hazem Abdel-Azim and Shady Harb.

Earlier this year, authorities shut down an independent news site after it published an Arabic translation of a New York Times article alleging that voters in this year's presidential election were offered cash, food and promises of better services if they cast their ballots. The site's editor was arrested.

Authorities said the site was operating without license and charged it with spreading false news and belonging to an outlawed group, political parlance for the Muslim Brotherhood.

At about the same time, the editor of one of Egypt's popular dailies  el-Masri el-Youm  was fired over an article that catalogued state-sponsored efforts to boost the turnout in the March vote. Election authorities said the article was an "insult" to the state, several staff members along with its editor, Mohammed el-Sayed Saleh, were questioned by prosecutors and the paper was fined 150,000 Egyptian pounds ($8,400).

The head of the government's new "rumor tracking unit," Naayim Saad Zaghloul, said her staff is focusing on social media. "It is fertile ground for rumors to spread, and we have personnel in the field to monitor rumors and address them immediately," she said.

The state media and private, pro-government TV networks broadcast daily announcements warning against purported lies on social media.

State-run Nile News TV ran an ad claiming to have identified eight fake reports within 10 days.

The pro-government CBC Extra channel urged viewers not to "believe everything seen on social media."Rescuers in the Philippines continue to frantically dig through a massive mound of mud to retrieve the bodies of dozens of people believed to be buried by a landslide triggered when powerful Typhoon Mangkhut battered the country.

Hope dwindled as teams dug through mud and debris covering a chapel in the town of Itogon, where more than 40 people sought shelter from the deadly storm. They were using their bare hands, passing blocks of concrete and pieces of wood down a 50-foot line to clear the area, the BBC reported.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan in Benguet province said on Monday that its highly unlikely any of the 40 to 50 people thought buried in the huge landslide will be found alive, saying theres a 99 percent (chance) that they really are all dead.

DOZENS FEARED TRAPPED IN PHILIPPINES AS TYPHOON MANGKHUT PUMMELS SOUTHERN CHINA

He said rescuers have dug out 11 bodies from the slide, as grief-stricken relatives waited nearby.

We will not stop until we recover all the bodies, Palangdan said.

Typhoon Mangkhut, the Thai name for Southeast Asias mangosteen fruit, has killed 66 people since it tore through the Philippines over the weekend. It has also killed another four in China, where it weakened to a tropical storm as it churned inland Monday.

The storm was about 124 miles west of the city of Nanning in Guangxi region and traveling northwest and weakening. There were no additional reports of deaths or damage.

Most of those buried in the Philippines are thought to be poor miners and their families.

Conrad Navidad of the International Organization for Migration told the BBC that the shelter had been a worship area for the mine workers and their families.

Before the typhoon hit, their pastor invited them to take refuge in that bunkhouse - and then the disaster happened and they were buried by the landslide, he said. They are not hoping for survivors anymore - just for the retrieval of the bodies buried."

In Hong Kong, the water levels surged 12 feet in some places and waves swamped roads.

Its the worst Ive seen, Martin Wong, a resident from the eastern Heng Fa Chuen district, told Reuters. Ive not seen the roads flood like this (and) the windows shake like this before.

The storm is expected to weaken to a tropical depression when it reaches the Yunnan province on Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Israel has released an American-French law professor who was detained Friday for allegedly trying to block Israeli troops in a West Bank village slated for demolition.

Frank Romano, 66, was detained on Friday in the embattled village of Khan al-Ahmar, along with two Palestinian activists.

Witnesses said that Romano stood in front of heavy equipment being used to clear barriers that had been set up to slow demolition. Activists said he began a hunger strike while in detention.

Romano was expected to appear before an Israeli military court on Monday before being released, said Gaby Lasky, his lawyer.

Lasky said a court ordered his release Sunday. She said he was freed early Monday after police decided not to appeal the decision.

Upon his release, Romano returned to the village and said: "I can continue the struggle with you."

Israel is expected to demolish the village in the coming days.

Romano's LinkedIn page says he teaches law, literature, history and philosophy at the Universite Paris Ouest Nanterre La Defense in France, and that he practices law in the U.S. and France.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

They dug trenches around towns, reinforced caves for cover and put up sand bags around their positions. They issued calls to arms, urging young men to join in the defense of Idlib, the Syrian province where opposition fighters expect to make their last stand against Russian- and Iranian-backed government troops they have fought for years.

This time, it's "surrender or die."

As the decisive stand for their last stronghold looms, this motley crew of tens of thousands of opposition fighters, including some of the world's most radical groups, is looking for ways to salvage whatever is possible of an armed rebellion that at one point in the seven-year conflict controlled more than half of the country.

In its last chapter, just as it has throughout the long, bloody war, the Syrian rebellion's fate lies in foreign hands. This time, the splintered and diverse rebels have only Turkey.

"The whole world gave up on us, but Turkey will not," said Capt. Najib al-Mustafa, spokesman for the Turkish-backed umbrella group known as the National Front for Liberation.

Idlib, with its 3 million residents and more than 60,000 fighters, is Turkey's cross to bear.

Ankara has appealed to Russia and Iran, its uneasy negotiating partners, for a diplomatic resolution to the ticking bomb. At the same time, it has sent reinforcements of its troops ringing Idlib, a move designed to ward off a ground assault, at least for now.

A wide offensive is only likely after a green light from Russia. But delicate diplomatic moves are at work. Moscow is keen on strengthening ties with Turkey, at a time when Ankara's relations are at their lowest with the United States. Turkey, by calling on the United States and Europe for support, seems to be playing on that interest to pressure Russia to accept its proposals for a solution on Idlib that avoids an attack.

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets for the second time in 10 days with Russia's Vladimir Putin, this time in Sochi, Russia.

"After proving its influence in Syria and the Middle East, Russia wants to pull Turkey away from the West much more than achieve a military victory over the armed Syrian opposition," Mustafa Ellabbad, an expert on Turkish-Arab relations, wrote in Kuwait's al-Qabas newspaper.

The province, the size of Lebanon, has been the beating heart of the rebellion for years. In rebel hands since 2015, it is the largest contiguous territory they controlled. It has access to Turkish borders, securing supply lines for weapons, fighters and aid.

For the past two years, Idlib became the shoe-box into which were pushed an estimated 20,000 rebel fighters from around the country, after their losses to government troops and surrender deals negotiated with Russia and Damascus following devastating sieges. Civilians who refused to go back under government rule were also bussed there, nearly doubling the province's population.

Among the estimated 60,000 opposition fighters in Idlib are at least 10,000 radicals affiliated with the al-Qaida-linked group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee). Thousands of foreign fighters, from China, Europe and the Middle East, are the backbone of the radical groups.

The Turkish reinforcements are going to 12 observation points that Ankara set up around Idlib last year under a deal with Russia and Iran creating a "de-escalation zone." The deal also effectively stopped an earlier government advance and set Turkey up as Idlib's protector.

Separately, Turkey has troops stationed in the enclave under its control north and east of Idlib, where it backs Syrian opposition fighters and a civilian administration. It is part of its plan to create a safe area along the border where some of the more than 3 million Syrian refugees it hosts may return.

Ankara initially sent in its troops more than two years ago to push out the Islamic State group and Syrian Kurdish fighters. For Ankara, the increasingly assertive, U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds were an existential threat that encourages the aspirations of its own Kurdish insurgents.

"In the mind of the rebellion, the hope is that from Turkish support they can have ... a republic of northern Syria, protected by Turkey like Northern Cyprus," said Fabrice Balanche, a Syria watcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

These Turkey-administered areas are likely to be the destination of the displaced and rebels of Idlib in case of an offensive.

An Idlib offensive holds multiple threats for Turkey right on its border  a humanitarian crisis, a security nightmare with thousands of gunmen loose and a defeat to its plans for the safe zone. If Syrian forces retake Idlib with no agreement on the fate of the opposition fighters, they could threaten the Turkey-controlled enclave, and Ankara would lose credibility with the fighters and leverage with Damascus on any future deal.

"There is really no way for the Syrian military and Damascus' allies to launch a military offensive on Idlib that doesn't have deeply negative, injurious effects on Turkey. There is no real way they can cushion this for Turkey," said Sam Heller, a Syria expert in the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

Turkey's strategy in the opposition areas has been complicated by the presence of radical fighters. By backing the National Front, it argued it can draw fighters away from the al-Qaida-linked HTS, the dominant power in the province, forcing it to dissolve and creating a new opposition force ready to negotiate with the Syrian government.

The strategy has had limited success.

The National Front in recent months gained control of territory in Idlib from HTS, which still controls nearly 70 percent of the province. HTS began to show signs of splits and two weeks ago, Turkey declared it a terrorist group.

But with the onset of a military offensive, HTS has set up joint operation rooms with different National Front factions.

Making a rare video appearance in late August, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani  wearing an olive-green military uniform  vowed to fight Assad's forces and said Turkish observation points were no protection.

The HTS spokesman in Idlib said now was not the time to talk about dissolving into Turkish-backed rebel groups. He underlined that an arrangement must eventually be made for the foreign fighters in the group.

"Right now, no sound is louder than that of the battle," Imad Eddin Mujahed said. "We have many military surprises; enough to upset the balance and ward off aggressors."

In rallies around Idlib the last two weeks, protesters took to the streets to deny that the province is a hotbed of extremists. Thousands raised only the flag of the Syrian revolution, a reminder that there was once a popular uprising against Assad, and Idlib is now its last bastion.

Some raised banners reading: "The rebels are our hope and the Turks are our brothers."

Syrian forces and Iranian-backed militias are likely to avoid a clash with the Turkish troops. But the stance of the Syrian government and Iran is clear-cut: they vow to recapture all Syrian territory and are loath to see an expansion of Turkish and American influence. They argue the West fueled jihadis with past support of the opposition and now must let Syria get rid of them.

"Assad and Russia gave the choice to the international community: first we kill everybody. Second thing, (they said) if you want to protect (Idlib) then take those people you think are nice ... It is cynical but puts the international community before its contradictions," said Balanche.

Al-Mustafa, the National Front spokesman, said the rebels are prepared for a battle he called "existential."

But, he added, "our cause will not end if we lose this battle."China's first domestically designed aircraft carrier (File photo)

China's first domestically made aircraft carrier Type 001A is expected to undergo a third sea trial after military exercises were announced in seas near the city of Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The military exercises are to be conducted from last Friday to this Friday in the Bohai Straits and northern Yellow Sea, reads a notice released on Thursday by China's Maritime Safety Administration. Vessels are prohibited from entering the designated area, it said.

According to the coordinates provided by the administration, the drill will cover a "large sea area" close to Dalian where the Type 001A is moored leading Chinese military fans to speculate that the Type 001A will undergo its third sea trial.

"The exact date for a sea trial of an aircraft carrier is confidential. However, such a sea trial would indeed need a large prohibited area because of the size of the carrier," Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Recent photos show the Type 001A equipped with four arresting cables following its second sea trial in August. Some speculate the carrier may let fighter jets take off and land during a potential third sea trial.

In addition to arresting cables which are basic to take-off and landing of fighter jets on an aircraft carrier, the Type 001A must also test its radar, communication, navigation and optical landing systems, Wei said, before it conducts high-difficulty tests like take-off and landing.

The carrier is expected to further experiment with its power and transmission systems, testing parameters like maximum speed and minimum turning radius.

It is also likely to conduct live-fire target practices with its close-in rapid-fire cannons and short-range air defense missiles, Wei said.

Chinese military observers said that it may take only about a year for the Type 001A to be delivered to the People's Liberation Army Navy thanks to the knowledge gained from the launch of the country's first carrier Liaoning.The Russian military said on Monday that the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing all 298 people on board, came from the arsenals of the Ukrainian army, not from Russia.

The jet was shot down by a Soviet-made missile over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border, where fighting had been raging for months between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.

The Netherlands and Australia announced in May that they believe the missile was transported to Ukraine from a military unit in the Russian city of Kursk.

Russia has vehemently denied involvement and has over the years come up with various theories as to the cause of the crash, generally laying the blame on the Ukrainian side.

Lt. Gen. Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Missile and Artillery Directorate at the Russian Defense Ministry, told reporters on Monday that the military had studied and declassified archives at the research center outside Moscow that produced the Buk missiles after the Dutch investigators displayed parts of the missile and their serial numbers. Parshin said the Russian archives show that the missile that was made of these parts was transported to a military unit in western Ukraine in 1986, and to Russia's knowledge never left Ukraine.

Asked about the possibility that the separatists may have seized the missile system during fighting in 2014, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov conceded that Russia does not have any documents proving otherwise but pointed to the statements of Ukrainian officials who have denied that separatists seized any of their Buks.

The separatists in the weeks prior to the plane crash bragged on social media about shooting down Ukrainian military aircraft. On the day that MH17 crashed, a rebel commander posted that his troops had shot down a Ukrainian military plane. He later said his account has been hacked and that the rebels did not shoot down any aircraft that day.

A highly placed rebel, speaking to the AP shortly after the crash, admitted that rebels were responsible. The rebels believed they were targeting a Ukrainian military plane, the person said. He did not speculate, however, on a possible role of the Russian military in the attack.

The Russian military did provide material assistance to the rebels, and journalists sighted sophisticated weapons in the separatist-controlled areas that were never in Ukraine's arsenals.

Oleksandr Turchynov, secretary of Ukraine's Security and Defense Council, said on Monday that Russia's claim is "yet another failed fake report that the Kremlin made up in order to cover up their crime that has been proven by the official investigation as well as independent experts."

__

Yuras Karmanau contributed to this report from Kiev, Ukraine.A senior Italian official meeting with Egypt's president on Monday raised the issue of an Italian student gruesomely killed in Cairo in 2016, objecting to what he said was a lack of progress in resolving the case.

Speaking to Italy's state television in Cairo after meeting President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Roberto Fico, president of Italy's Chamber of Deputies, said the Egyptian leader assured him that Giulio Regeni's case was a "priority" for Egypt. In response, Fico said facts, not words, is what counted and demanded that the case be more rigorously investigated and the culprits soon put on trial, according to the channel's report.

The Egyptian investigation, Fico said, was at a "stalling point."

His comments contrasted with the relatively upbeat statement put out by el-Sissi's office after Monday's talks.

According to that statement, Fico told el-Sissi that a "swift and final" resolution of the Regeni case would help boost relations between Cairo and Rome and that he expressed his appreciation for Egypt's "strong will" to find the killers through cooperation with Italy.

El-Sissi assured Fico of his nation's commitment to "full transparency" in the joint pursuit of the culprits, the statement added.

Regeni, a graduate Cambridge University student who researched trade unions in Egypt, was 28 when he disappeared in Cairo on January 25, 2016  the fifth anniversary of Egypt's popular uprising when thousands of police deployed across Cairo to pre-empt any attempt to mark the occasion. His body was found several days later by the side of a highway near Cairo with torture marks that activists and rights groups say resembled the results of widespread torture practices in Egyptian detention facilities.

Egypt has recently acknowledged that Regeni was being watched by police while in Cairo because of the nature of his research. Fico on Monday said nine people "had moved around Giulio Regeni, a network that tailed him, followed him" and then "abducted him, tortured him and killed him," according to the Italian state TV report.

The case roiled Cairo's relations with Rome, with Regeni's family and Italian media accusing Egyptian security forces of torturing and killing him. They have denied any involvement and since 2016 have suggested several alternative scenarios for his death, including being hit by a car or victimized by a criminal gang that specializes in robbing foreigners.

Italy withdrew its ambassador in April 2016, saying Egypt was not cooperating in an Italian investigation, without providing additional details. An ambassador returned last September.

Egypt has throughout the Regeni affair hinted that an outlawed Islamist group  the Muslim Brotherhood  was behind the killing to poison relations with Italy and smear Egypt's international image. As defense minister, el-Sissi led the military's 2013 ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, a Brotherhood stalwart whose one year in office proved divisive. El-Sissi was elected president a year later and re-elected earlier this year for a second, four-year term.

In the comments carried by the Italian state TV, Fico said Regeni was tortured for seven days, and that the torture was not the work of ordinary citizens. Evidence, he explained, indicated that "sophisticated" torture methods were used.

Fico's visit to Egypt is the latest by a top-level Italian official since a right-wing government took office in Italy following elections in March. Fico is a member of the populist 5-Star Movement, the main coalition partner of the anti-migrant League party. Before Fico, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi came to Egypt and met with el-Sissi.

As was the case on Monday, the Egyptian government has in the past consistently released statements after talks between el-Sissi and visiting Italian officials saying they were given assurances of Cairo's commitment to track down and put on trial Regeni's killers.

But, while Regeni's case remains a thorn in the side of relations between the two countries, Egypt's successful efforts to stop illegal migration to Europe, and Italy in particular, has resuscitated a measure of warmth in relations.

El-Sissi, according to Monday's statement, told Fico that Cairo has shown itself to be a "leading and credible" partner with Italy in combating illegal migration, a top priority for the current Italian government. Egypt's security measures and close monitoring of its Mediterranean coastline have prevented migrants from crossing the sea into Europe since 2016, the country's leader was quoted as saying.

Egypt and Italy are bound by close and mutually beneficial economic and commercial links, including the development of a vast natural gas field off Egypt's Mediterranean shores that Cairo is hoping will fulfill its ambition to become a regional energy hub.

___

D'Emilio reported from Rome.next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

Honduras' supreme court indefinitely suspended the start of a trial Monday of eight men charged in the 2016 killing of prize-winning Honduran indigenous and environmental rights activist Berta Caceres.

Judiciary spokesman Melvin Duarte said five related filings in the case have to be resolved first.

Caceres' family and the organization she led said in a statement Monday that the court where the trial was to be held had not guaranteed the rights of the victims or the accused and that it would not be impartial. They petitioned that the case be moved to another court.

"We seek justice amid adverse circumstances and even there find a criminal structure behind the death of Berta," her family said in a statement.

Prosecutors said in a statement that the scientific evidence collected would be the key to convicting the suspects.

Caceres was shot to death inside her home in La Esperanza in western Honduras on March 2, 2016, one year after winning the Goldman Environmental Prize for her leadership against a dam project.

Two of the accused worked at one time for Desarrollos Energeticos SA, the company behind the hydroelectric project that Caceres and her group Copinh had battled against for years. Caceres had reported death threats from both of them.

Another defendant was an active-duty military member, supporting assertions by Caceres' family that there was collusion between the company and state security forces.

"The board of directors of DESA planned the killing of my mother," charged Olivia Zuniga, one of Caceres' daughters.

Roberto David Castillo Mejia, who was executive president of DESA when Caceres was killed, was arrested last March in the killing, though he is not part of the suspended trial. Prosecutors allege he was in charge of handling logistics for the killing. The company said Castillo and its other employees were "totally unconnected" to the murder.

Caceres had been threatened before and as early as 2009 the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights had ordered protective measures for her safety. Other members of Copinh had also been killed. The gunmen who killed Caceres also wounded Mexican activist Gustavo Castro Soto, who was at the home that night.

Last year, a team of lawyers published a report after studying the case. They said it was a carefully planned effort and "there is evidence to link high-level state and non-state officials to the murder."

The Honduran government has been under significant pressure from abroad to solve the killing in a country where impunity runs high. The group of independent experts warned of irregularities and sloppiness in the investigation.

Last week, Caceres' daughter Berta Zuniga said in an interview with local radio that authorities want to limit the trial to the killing itself, but the family wants a broader airing of the years of harassment that Caceres suffered because of her opposition to the dam.

"It is impossible, truly, to understand the crime against Berta Caceres without understanding what was happening in the community of Rio Blanco with the hydroelectric project Agua Zarca," Zuniga said.

___

Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

The United States and Russia clashed Monday over enforcing U.N. sanctions against North Korea, with the U.S. ambassador accusing Moscow of "cheating" and Russia's envoy accusing Washington of "political ill-intent."

The acrimonious meeting of the Security Council was called by U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who accused Russia of pressuring independent U.N. experts to alter a report on implementation of sanctions against North Korea that she said contained "evidence of multiple Russian sanctions violations."

The sharp disagreement marked a rare break in what has been a united response by the U.N.'s most powerful body to North Korea's escalating nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

It has unanimously imposed increasingly tough sanctions on Pyongyang that have cut off all North Korean exports, 90 percent of its trade, and disbanded its pool of workers send abroad to earn hard currency.

Haley said Russia's violations are "systematic," including ship-to-ship transfers of banned items, mainly oil but increasingly coal and other goods. She identified the Russian ship Patriot filmed transferring refined petroleum to a North Korean vessel and accused Moscow of trying to cover up violations "whether they're committed by Russia or citizens of other states."

Haley said the United States prevented publication of the "tainted" report that removed allegations against the Russians and demanded the release of the initial version.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia countered that the work of the panel of experts "became increasingly politicized, then became ultimately the hostages to the vision of Washington" and didn't take into account Russia's views.

"Unsurprisingly, therefore, we insisted on having our position reflected in the document," he said, and a compromise on the report was reached among all 15 council members  including the expert from the U.S. Mission.

But Nebenzia said the following day Haley put a hold on the report, so it is the United States that is blocking release of the report and "the ball now is in your court."

Behind the U.S.-Russia squabble over implementing sanctions are the broader issues of how to achieve denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and when sanctions should be lifted.

The United States has kept up sanctions pressure on the North despite the historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June that dialed down nuclear tensions between the adversaries. That first-ever meeting of leaders from the two countries has been followed by a diplomatic impasse over how to achieve the agreed-upon goal of denuclearization.

The U.S. has said sanctions won't be lifted until that goal is met. South Korean officials who recently met with Kim said he still has faith in Trump's commitment to ending their nations' hostile relations, but is frustrated by questions about his willingness to denuclearize and wants his "goodwill measures" to be met in kind.

Haley told the council that "the difficult, sensitive talks with North Korea are ongoing."

"The Trump-Kim summit has set us on the path toward complete denuclearization," she said. "But we are not there yet. And until we get there, we must not ease the powerful worldwide sanctions that are in place."

Nebenzia countered that "resolving the nuclear issue of the peninsula through just sanctions and pressure on Pyongyang is impossible." He charged that the U.S. is using the Security Council committee monitoring implementation of sanctions "as a sledgehammer to punish (North Korea) for their intransigence."

He cited welcome developments, including the North's suspension of missile and nuclear tests, dismantling of a missile engine test site, opening of a liaison office, and agreeing to a third summit of Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in starting Tuesday.

Noting difficulties in U.S.-North Korea negotiations, Nebenzia stressed that negotiations are "a two-way street."

"It is difficult to come to agreement if you offer nothing in return for your demands," he said.

"What can we expect when Pyongyang is being called upon to unconditionally agree to comply with all of the conditions against a guarantee of empty promises," Nebenzia asked, saying the U.S. has broken promises to Tehran and pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

He called for "confidence-building measures," citing as a possibility the signing of a peace treaty to end the 1950-53 Korean War. Nebenzia said the Security Council also could consider creating temporary exemptions from sanctions to carry out projects promoting inter-Korean cooperation.

Chinese Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu said Beijing remains committed to implementing both sanctions and dialogue.

"Confrontation is a dead end," he said. "Resorting to force will bring nothing but disastrous consequences to the peninsula."

China, which is North Korea's closest ally and is responsible for 90 percent of its trade, believes the Security Council should take action to reverse sanctions "at the appropriate time" in light of Pyongyang's progress to denuclearization.

"This council should stay united, honor its responsibility entrusted by history and push for the denuclearization and lasting peace in northeast Asia," Ma said.By Professor Charles KAMBANDA

On September 15, 2018, the brutal ruler of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, took treachery a notch higher when he announced Executive clemency for some Rwandan political prisoners. Kagames political intolerance is unmatched. He bumps off to prison any real, potential or imaginary political challenger. Prominent among the recipients of Kagames executive clemency is Madam Victorie Ingabire and Kizito Mihigo. Like all political prisoners in Rwanda, the beneficiaries of Kagames clemency committed no crime; they sought to exercise their constitutional rights as well as asking Kagame to:

( i) take responsibility for his role in the 1994 massacres, which he conveniently markets as Tutsi genocide and blames it all to his vanquished Hutu foes,

( ii) respect rule of law, constitutionalism, and other democratic values,

( iii) stop forced disappearance and summary executions, among other things.

International pressure, imminent civil war and Kagames conflict with all neighboring countries, have all built insurmountable pressure unto Kagames disintegrating junta. Is executive clemency, in form of commutation of jail term for Kagames political prisoners an appropriate remedy? Does Kagames perfidious clemency provide a sustainable solution to the countrys political impulse?

Commutation is not an appropriate remedy in this case:

Commutation means cutting short someones jail term. The legal significance of commutation is plain. The beneficiary of commutation remains is a convict, and is guilty of the substantive crime, for all purposes. Commutation cuts short jail term without restoring the civil liberties lost upon conviction. A beneficiary of Executive commutation cannot stand for elective office. Most importantly, commutation confirms that the convict (a) has accepted responsibility for the crime(s) he/she committed but (b) he/she has reformed and he/she (c) has expressed the desire that he/she wants to move on.

Kagame used his insane junta, draconic laws and personalized courts of law to torment his political prisoners. Without remorse for tormenting innocent Rwandans, Kagame wants his victims to thank to be grateful for clemency. Kagame threw his political opponents to prison because he did not want any of them to challenge him during his sham elections. The same dictator tosses his tormented political opponents out of prison with legal incapacity to stand for elections for any office in the country.

Full pardon would probably make some sense but still not an appropriate remedy:

Unlike commutation, full Executive Pardon wipes out the convicted persons punishment and restores the convicts civil rights a convict lost upon conviction. However, full pardon does not expunge the convicts criminal records. Kagames political prisoners committed no crime; they are victims of Kagames political intolerance and disrespect for rule of law and constitutionalism. Executive pardon is not for law abiding citizens, whose only crime is exercise of their constitutional rights.

Unconditional release for political prisoners is the only proper remedy for Kagame's political prisoners:

All political prisoners in Rwanda are victims of Kagames criminal disposition. Kagame cannot provide a sustainable solution to the political crisis his criminal nature created and

cherishes. All Political prisoners in Rwanda deserve ( i) unconditional release, ( ii) compensation for torture Kagames dreadful junta has subjected them to and ( ii) expungement of all the mischievous criminal record Kagame junta has created against these law abiding Rwandans.

Way forward:

Transparent and candid national dialogue, under international mediation, is inevitable if Kagame wants to avert the looming civil war. Opening political space, creating public instituions that work for all Rwandans, respect for rule of law, instituionalizing a culture of respect for human rights and other Democratic values is what Rwandans need. Bogus clemency is not a solution to Rwandas political disaster in waiting..Bonn housing market : Affordable housing remains a problem

BONN Around 4000 visitors flocked to the Bonn Property Fair at the Telekom Dome at the weekend.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken

A man from Troisdorf was the first visitor to the 7th Bonn Property Fair. The fair, which the General Anzeiger had organised, only opened its doors to the Telekom Dome at 11am but the Troisdorfer was already standing in front of the hall at 6am on Saturday. The man gave sound reasons for the early start. He wanted to be the first at the stand of project developer Bonava. The company was one of a total of 30 exhibitors and what particularly interested him was that Bonava had linked the kickoff of the marketing of 15 apartments in the final new build phase of the Stadttorgarten project in Beuel to the 7th Bonn Property Fair, said Bastian Seelbach, who is responsible for the construction project.

The visitor was interested in a 50 square metre, two room apartment worth around Euro 250,000 in the final new build phase. This time, he did not want to leave anything to chance after having been interested in an apartment in the previous construction phase. At that time, I answered the offer I received by email within a minute. But the apartment was no longer available.

As a tour of the fair on Saturday showed, such experiences are not one-offs. Finding affordable properties remains a big problem. In addition, there were again many property owners among the 4000 visitors, who asked questions about renovation or were learning through specialist presentations. On Saturday, Seelbach had taken precautions at the Bonova stand to avoid the crush seen at the previous fair. It was still very crowded at around 1pm: Of the 15 apartments, nine are reserved, Seelbach explained. We are clearly experiencing the pressure on the housing market first hand.

Visitors to the fair were crowded round the stands of other estate agents by around noon. Hans-Werner and Hildegard Pissarczyk from Bonn were also looking for a three-room apartment for their son. The high market prices are simply a catastrophe, criticised Hildegard Pissarczyk. She primarily called the politicians to account. Better conditions must finally be created. Specifically, the rent brake is not working at all and there is hardly any publicly subsidised housing available any more. Everything was sold off in the past, said the woman, annoyed.

It is clear to Ulrich Ziegenhagen, deputy head of the Bonn Office for Development and his colleague Hermann Tengler, head of the Rhine-Sieg district Office for Development, that the city of Bonn and the 19 municipalities in the district must cooperate more closely to create more living space.

By the end of the fair, the prospective apartment purchaser from Troisdorf was happy: despite the crowds, he had reserved his dream apartment.Russian students hold Chinese and Russian national flags to welcome Chinese guests. (Photo by Qu Pei from Peoples Daily)

Chinese President Xi Jinpings remarks at the 4th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) showcased the broad horizon of Chinese leaders and charted the course for regional cooperation on peace and development, representatives told the Peoples Daily after Xi delivered the speech in Russia's Far Eastern port city of Vladivostok on Wednesday.

What Xi said also infused new impetus into co-construction of the Belt and Road and pursuit for common development, the representatives present at the event highly appreciated his words.

I believe Xis visit will lift China-Russia relations onto a new level, said Boris Titov, Russias Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs Rights.

The two heads of state, treating each other as open and sincere, share same or similar stands on many international and regional affairs, said Titov.

It testifies that guided by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, China-Russia ties are running along a track of high-level development, no matter in international or bilateral sphere, he added.

Xi announced in his speech that China has set up a development fund with 100 billion yuan to promote regional cooperation with Russia, with an input of 10 billion yuan ($1.46 billion) in the initial stage.

The president pledged that China is willing to work with Russia on the fund management and put major projects into place, in an effort to build the fund into an important platform for China-Russia sub-national cooperation.

As a frequent guest of China-Russia regional cooperation events, Tivot highly agrees with Xi, saying both Russias Far East and northeastern China need to develop, and there is huge potential for coordinated development of these regions.

It has been a dozen of years since last time I came to Vladivostok. I was surprised by the huge number of Chinese visitors here and the Chinese signs posted at local shops, said associate professor Oleg Timofeev from Peoples' Friendship University of Russia who also attended the EEF.

Go players compete at the Go Tournament on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). (Photo by Wu Yan from Peoples Daily)

It rightly verifies the booming economic, trade and cultural cooperation between China and Russia, he told Peoples Daily.

Timofeev spoke highly of Xis remarks at the plenary session of the forum that the cooperation between China and Russias Far East will embrace a harvest.

He explained that Russia places great importance on the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, and its Far East region is taking its geographical advantages to open wider to Chinese border provinces such as Heilongjiang, and expand trade with southeastern Chinese coastal provinces through the ports in the Far East.

China is playing a positive and vital role in the Northeast Asia cooperation, Timofeev said, calling on countries in the region to strengthen dialogue, cement mutual trust and jointly explore the way of common development despite rising unilateralism and protectionism in the world.

President Xis speech was marvelous, and I agree with his views on peace and security, deepening cooperation, and common development, said US investor Jim Rogers after the EEF session. Visiting China for the first time in 1984, Rogers is now living in Asia and travels to China around 10 times each year.

My understanding of China has deepened as I visited the country more, Rogers told the Peoples Daily, adding that Chinese people are diligent, hardworking, and well-educated, and they value savings.

The reform and opening up has brought profound changes to China, and also the world, added the investor who also encourages his children to learn Chinese.

He highly appreciates the Belt and Road Initiative, saying it has the power to promote the trend of times.

Noticing the imbalanced development among different countries and regions, President Xi creatively proposed the Belt and Road Initiative to promote common development through infrastructure construction, he said, adding that it would be very inspirational if the initiative is further implemented.Mario Tama/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, is ready to be sentenced later this year for pleading guilty to lying to the FBI in the Russia probe, according to a status report his lawyer filed jointly Monday with special counsel Robert Mueller.



After months of delays, Judge Emmet Sullivan is now likely to move swiftly to schedule Flynn's sentencing date, which the parties requested for Nov. 28 or the following week.



Sullivan has said it would occur within about 60 days of the two sides agreeing they are ready to proceed with a presentencing report and court date for Flynn, the former intelligence officer who spent three decades in the military before entering the political ring.



Friends and relatives have said the former Defense Intelligence Agency director and confidant of Trump, who at 2016 campaign rallies led chants of "Lock her up!" about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, is eager to face the judge and accept his fate following his dramatic guilty plea on Dec. 1.



Flynn told the first judge presiding over his case that he would fully cooperate with Mueller's investigators looking at Russian influence operations in the 2016 presidential campaign and he has kept a low profile publicly ever since.



"He's paralyzed, he can't do anything. He just wants this to go away," historian and commentator Michael Ledeen, a close confidant of Flynn, told ABC News over the weekend.



But it remains unclear the extent of his subsequent cooperation, which one knowledgeable source said occurred mostly immediately following his December court appearance.



Mueller's assessment of the value of the cooperation by Flynn -- who had at times testified in Congress as DIA director alongside Mueller when he led the FBI -- is likely to influence Sullivan's judgment at sentencing.



Under federal guidelines, Flynn could face up to six months in prison for lying to the FBI about his conversations with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the transition period from election day in 2016 to Trump's inauguration in January 2017. But court observers say if Flynn satisfactorily cooperated with the special counsel, it will likely mean he receives little if any prison time.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Chinese President Xi Jinping's address at the just-concluded Fourth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) has drawn a clear roadmap for a bright future of Northeast Asia.

Xi summarized the fruits of Chinas support for and participation in the cooperation with Russias Far East region and put forward four proposals on Northeast Asian cooperation, in the speech delivered to the EEF on Wednesday, in Vladivostok, Russia.

He said Northeast Asia should build up mutual trust to safeguard regional peace and tranquility; deepen cooperation to achieve mutually-beneficial and win-win outcomes; learn from each other to consolidate their traditional friendship; and realize integrated and coordinated development from a long-term perspective.

Based on the current situation of Northeast Asia, the proposals responded to the development demands of all regional countries and were widely echoed by representatives attending the meeting.

The international situation is now undergoing profound and complicated changes with mounting power politics, unilateralism and protectionism. But the overall situation in Northeast Asia remains stable and is improving, despite of complicated global political and economic landscape.

Against this backdrop, countries in Northeast Asia must seize this rare historical opportunity to further tap the full potential of cooperation so as to join efforts to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

The Northeast Asia has great development potential. Six Northeast Asian countries account for 23 percent of the global population, and their GDP make up 19 percent of global economy.

Besides, the region is endowed with rich energy resources and abundant supplies of financial and human resources, and owns the worlds leading scientific and technological research and development capabilities. The regional economies are highly complementary for each having respective strengths and distinctive features.

In 2017, trade between China and Russias Far Eastern federal district exceeded $7.7 billion. China has involved in more than 30 projects in the Advanced Special Economic Zones (ASEZs) and Vladivostok Free Port in Far East region, with a planned investment of over $4 billion.

China has grown into the largest trade partner as well as the largest source of foreign investment of the Far East.

Countless cooperation cases in the Northeast Asian region have proven that as long as the countries concerned can actively align their development strategies, and propel regional and sub-regional cooperation, they are fully capable and conditioned to bring their respective advantages into full play, and build a Northeast Asian economic circle by carrying out in-depth cooperation in various fields.

A closer Northeast Asian collaboration conforms to the interests and shared appeals of all sides in the region.

As an important member of Northeast Asia, China has always upheld the concept of peaceful development to create a harmonious and friendly neighboring environment, and endeavored to promote exchanges and dialogues among regional countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China also offers a feasible path to enhancing cooperation in Northeast Asia.

At present, China is actively promoting the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Russias Eurasian Economic Union and Mongolias Prairie Road Development initiative.

South Korea has expressed interests in taking part in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, and the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said on many occasions that Japan hopes to discuss cooperation with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, which has received positive response from Northeast Asian region, creates huge opportunities for the regions diversification and sustainable development.

A harmonious, united and stable Northeast Asia with mutual trust conforms to the interests of all countries and the expectations of the international community, and is also significant for safeguarding multilateralism and promoting a more just and equitable international order," Xi said in his speech.

By joining hands and making unremitting efforts to promote cooperation, we will create a bright future for Northeast Asia.NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, HONG KONG OR SOUTH AFRICA, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN.

Oslo, Norway, 17 September 2018. Reference is made to the Stock Exchange Notices published by PCI Biotech Holding ASA ("PCI Biotech" or the "Company") on 24 August and 14 September 2018 regarding a guaranteed rights issue of 12 million new shares (the "Rights Issue") at a subscription price of NOK 30 per new share.



The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway (Nw. "Finanstilsynet") has today approved the prospectus dated 17 September 2018 (the "Prospectus") in connection with the Rights Issue.

The Prospectus will be published electronically on 19 September 2018 (at which date the subscription period commences), on the Company's website (www.pcibiotech.com) and on the website of the Managers, ABG Sundal Collier ASA (www.abgsc.no) and Arctic Securities AS (www.arctic.com). A paper copy of the prospectus may then also be obtained, free of charge, at PCI Biotech Holding ASA, Ullernchausseen 64, NO-0379 Oslo and at ABG Sundal Collier ASA, Munkedamsveien 45E, NO-0115 Oslo, Norway and Arctic Securities AS, Haakon VII's gate 5, NO-0123 Oslo, Norway.

Contact information:

Ronny Skuggedal, CFO, rs@pcibiotech.no, Mobile: +47 9400 5757

For more information visit: www.pcibiotech.com

Contact information: PCI Biotech Holding ASA, Ullernchausseen 64, Oslo, NO-0379

Important Notice

The contents of this announcement have been prepared by, and are the sole responsibility of, the Company. The Company's financial advisors are acting exclusively for the Company and no one else, and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, or for advice in relation to the Rights Issue, the contents of this announcement or any of the matters referred to herein.

The information in this announcement is for information purposes only and does not purport to be accurate or complete. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy or completeness.

Matters discussed in this announcement may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "strategy", "intends", "estimate", "will", "may", "continue", "should" and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this announcement by such forward-looking statements. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements contained in this announcement speak only as at its date, and are subject to change without notice. Neither the publication and/or delivery of this announcement shall under any circumstances imply that there has been no change in the affairs of the Company or that the information contained herein is correct as of any date subsequent to the earlier of the date hereof and any earlier specified date with respect to such information.

A prospectus approved by the competent authority in Norway is expected to be published by the Company before the Rights Issue commences (if and when made) and, if and when published, can be obtained on the Company's website, subject to regulatory restrictions. Investors should not subscribe for any securities referred to in this announcement except on the basis of information contained in the prospectus.

Restrictions

Neither this announcement nor any copy of it may be made or transmitted directly or indirectly into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong or South Africa or any other jurisdiction where to do so would be unlawful. The Rights Issue (if made) and the distribution of this announcement and other information in connection with the Rights Issue may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. Any failure to comply with such restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws. Persons into whose possession this announcement or other information should come are required to inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. The Company assumes no responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.

This announcement does not in itself constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer for sale or subscription of or solicitation or invitation of any offer to subscribe for or purchase any securities of the Company or its affiliates in any jurisdiction. The Rights Issue will (if and when made) not be made in any jurisdiction or in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful. No steps have been taken or will be taken relating to the Rights Issue in any jurisdiction outside of Norway in which such steps would be required.

The securities referred to in this announcement have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with applicable state law. There will be no public offer of the securities in the United States.

This announcement is only being distributed to and is only directed at persons in the United Kingdom that are (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom this announcement may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Persons distributing this announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so.

Further information regarding restrictions applicable for the Rights Issue will be set out in the prospectus prepared for the Rights Issue.

About PCI Biotech

PCI Biotech is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on development and commercialisation of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer through its innovative photochemical internalisation (PCI) technology platform. PCI is applied to three distinct anticancer paradigms: fimaCHEM (enhancement of chemotherapeutics for localised treatment of cancer), fimaVACC (T-cell induction technology for therapeutic vaccination), and fimaNAc (nucleic acid therapeutics delivery).

Photochemical internalisation induces triggered endosomal release that is used to unlock the true potential of a wide array of therapeutic modalities. The Company's lead fimaCHEM programme consists of a clinical Phase I/II clinical study in bile duct cancer, an orphan indication with a high unmet need and without approved products. fimaVACC applies a unique mode of action to enhance the essential cytotoxic effect of therapeutic cancer vaccines, which works in synergy with several other state-of-the-art vaccination technologies. fimaNAc utilises the endosomal release to provide intracellular delivery of nucleic acids, such as mRNA and RNAi therapeutics, thereby addressing one of the major bottlenecks facing this emerging and promising field.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Forward-looking statements

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, which as such are not historical facts, but are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. These assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this announcement by such forward-looking statements. PCI Biotech disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.HAMPTON, Va., Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MacAulay-Brown, Inc. (MacB), an Alion company, announced today that it has developed a Resilient Command, Control, and Communications Integrated Solution (RC3IS) for use by customers and coalition partners in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The RC3IS is an ideal solution for coalition partners implementing systems and capabilities developed in the U.S. so foreign countries can perform air operations organically, and fight side-by-side with U.S. forces.



MacBs technical team leveraged years of experience in Air Battle Management and Air Operations to achieve significant reductions in the size, power, weight and cube of the RC3IS for testing and customer demonstrations. Senior engineers developed an advanced architectural framework that integrated best Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) components, and re-hosted them into a single suite. The result is a fully interoperable solution with current U.S. Air Operations Certification (AOC) applications, hosted in a half rack server composed of agnostic hardware and software. Current configuration is for 120 users, but the solution is scalable to grow to triple that capacity.

Numerous demonstrations to government representatives from the FMS program have enabled us to fully optimize the functionality of the RC3IS, said Ricky Carter, Vice President of MacBs Strategic Missions Division. Our engineering and integration efforts exceed the requirements for AOC modernization plans for Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, resulting in MacB being well-positioned as the program of record to deliver next generation technologies for our coalition partners.

ABOUT ALION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

At Alion, we combine large company resources with small business responsiveness to design and deliver engineering solutions across six core capability areas. With an 80-year technical heritage and an employee-base comprised of more than 30% veterans, we bridge invention and action to support military readiness from the lab to the battle space. Our engineers, technologists, and program managers bring together an agile engineering methodology and the best tools on the market to deliver mission success faster and at lower costs. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards; as such, Alion is ISO 9001:2008 certified and maintains CMMI Level 3-appraised development facilities. Based just outside of Washington, D.C., we help our clients achieve practical innovations by turning big ideas into real solutions. To learn more, visit www.alionscience.com .

ABOUT MACAULAY-BROWN, INC., an ALION COMPANY

For 39 years, MacAulay-Brown, Inc. (MacB), an Alion company, has been solving many of the Nations most complex National Security challenges. MacB is committed to delivering critical capabilities in the areas of Intelligence and Analysis, Cybersecurity, Secure Cloud Engineering, Research and Development, Integrated Laboratories and Information Technology to Defense, Intelligence Community, Special Operations Forces, Homeland Security, and Federal agencies to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. Learn more about MacB at www.macb.com .

Follow MacBPhoto taken on Sept. 16, 2018 shows broken trees in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. Super Typhoon Mangkhut landed at 5 p.m. on Sunday on the coast of Jiangmen City, south China's Guangdong Province, packing winds up to 162 km per hour, according to the provincial meteorological station. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

GUANGZHOU, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Four people have been confirmed dead in Guangdong as Super Typhoon Mangkhut ravaged the southern Chinese province, local authorities said Monday.

Mangkhut landed at 5 p.m. Sunday on the coast of Jiangmen City in Guangdong, packing winds up to 162 km per hour, according to the provincial meteorological station.

Three people were killed by falling trees in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, while another person died from collapsing construction materials in the city of Dongguan, according to Guangdong's disaster relief authorities.

As of 11 p.m. Sunday, more than 3.11 million people had been relocated and over 49,000 fishing boats were called back to port in the province.In recent months weve seen a rash of incidents, often captured on video, of police being called on black people going about normal everyday activities, such as two men sitting in a Philadelphia Starbucks waiting for a business associate or a Yale student falling asleep in the lounge of her dorm. These incidents have come to be characterized as examples of the hazards and frustrations of living while black and endemic racism.Other than a lot of hand-wringing, I havent seen much of a public policy response to this issue. But there is one that clearly works: pursuing racial integration as a policy goal. As Elizabeth Anderson, author of the 2010 book, told me, a lot of research suggests that racial prejudice is triggered when blacks are tokens -- that is, when whites see blacks in places where they dont usually see them. Its pretty much impossible, Anderson says, to exaggerate the extent to which racist behavior is motivated by fear. On the other hand, steady racial contact has positive effects in diminishing the stereotypes that prompt these fears.Andersons argument -- that its an illusion that racial justice can be achieved without integration -- makes sense to me, and I am surprised by the absence of any discussion of it when we talk about how to achieve racial equity. Perhaps that is because people see integration as impractical or unworkable.The residents of Oak Park, Ill., know otherwise. Rob Breymaier, the chief operations officer of the Chicago-area nonprofit Heartland Housing, has worked in Oak Park for years; Anderson refers to him as the world expert on how to pull off successful neighborhood integration. Oak Park adopted a strategy of promoting integration in the 1970s. Initially met with acrimonious debate and opposition, it has changed the culture of the community.Embracing integration, Breymaier says, is not only about building acceptance of diversity and calming racial fears, but also about driving prosperity by supporting a strong housing market, among other economic benefits. Thats particularly important in an era of major demographic change, with people of color making up an increasing percentage of the population. For central cities and inner-ring suburbs like Oak Park, embracing integration is a competitive advantage because African-Americans know they will be well treated and accepted.There are clear strategies that communities can adopt to promote integration, including educating landlords and training real estate agents to look at the larger community. In marketing itself, Oak Park stresses not only its traditional amenities, such as the quality of its schools and its business climate, but also its standing as one of the most inclusive communities.In a speech in 1962, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared that desegregation was only a means and that integration is the ultimate goal of our national community. If we want to do something more than bemoan living while black incidents, we need civic leaders to reclaim racial integration as a policy goal.History curriculum in Texas remembers the Alamo, but could soon forget Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller.As part of an effort to "streamline" the social studies curriculum in Texas, the State Board of Education voted on Friday to change what students in every grade are required to learn in the classroom. They voted to remove several historical figures, including Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller.The board also voted to add back into the curriculum a reference to the "heroism" of the defenders of the Alamo, which had been recommended for elimination, as well as Moses' influence on the writing of the founding documents, multiple references to "Judeo-Christian" values and a requirement that students explain how the "Arab rejection of the State of Israel has led to ongoing conflict" in the Middle East.The vote Friday was preliminary. The board will take a final vote on these curriculum changes in November and can make further amendments before then.The Dallas Morning News reached out all 15 members of the State Board of Education for comment about the Clinton and Keller deletions. Barbara Cargill, a Republican from Houston and former board chair, responded, saying, "the recommendation to eliminate Helen Keller and Hillary Clinton was made by (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) work groups. However the board did vote to agree with the work groups' recommendations.High schoolers have been required to learn about Clinton, who was the first woman to win a major political party's presidential nomination, in history class. She was included in the curriculum under a section about citizenship, where students were required to "evaluate the contributions of significant political and social leaders in the United States," including Andrew Carnegie, Thurgood Marshall and Sandra Day O'Connor.Barry Goldwater was also removed from this teaching requirement. A work groups tasked with the streamlining recommended axing American evangelist and Baptist pastor Billy Graham, but the state board added him back earlier this week.Third-grade social studies teachers have also been required to educate kids about the life of Keller, who despite being deaf and blind went on to college and a life of activism and authorship. But Keller did not make the work group's cut, and students in other grades aren't required to learn about her life.Removing figures like these from the curriculum wouldn't mean teachers are forbidden from teaching them, but they will no longer be required to do so. Any changes made to the curriculum also won't affect textbooks and other instructional material, which the board is not updating at this time.So why didn't Clinton, Keller and several dozen other historical figures make the cut?The News spoke with two teachers who sat on a group of volunteers that made these recommendations to the board. Both said the state requires students to learn too many historical figures, so the kids fall back on rote memorization of dates and names instead of real learning.That 15-member volunteer work group came up with a rubric for grading every historical figure to find of who is "essential" to learn and who wasn't. They asked questions like, Did the person trigger a watershed change? Was the person from an underrepresented group? Will their impact stand the test of time?Out of 20 points, Keller scored a 7. Out of 21 points, Clinton scored a 5. Eliminating Clinton from the requirements will save teachers 30 minutes of instructional time, the work group estimated, and eliminating Keller will save 40 minutes.By contrast, local members of the Texas Legislature (who are taught in fourth grade) got a perfect score, as did Barbara Jordan, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Henry B. Gonzalez. President Donald Trump isn't included in the list by name, but students are required to learn about the current president, governor and mayor.Earlier this year, the work group split up and each took a group of figures to grade using the rubric, according to the two teachers, who both said they wanted to keep politics out of the decisions."There were hundreds of people" kids had to learn, Misty Matthews, a teacher in Round Rock, told The News. "Our task was to simplify. ... We tried to make it as objective as possible."Jana Poth added that the work group did "not want to offend anyone" with their choices. "But there's too many people."Third-graders, for example, are required to learn about three dozen people. Fourth graders have to learn about 69, and in eighth grade, when students take the STAAR social studies test, they must learn about 50 historical figures.Neither Poth nor Matthews said they were in the small group that made the decisions about Clinton and Keller. In a note next to the deletion from the Grade 3 social studies curriculum, where Keller is included in a lesson about "the characteristics of good citizenship," the work group wrote, "Helen Keller does not best represent the concept of citizenship. Military and first responders are best represented."There was no comment next the recommendation to remove Clinton. Students in that grade are still required to learn about former President Bill Clinton's impeachment.Work groups were assigned to look at each grade's curriculum and suggest ways to streamline it. These groups -- made up of volunteers nominated by the state board -- made dozens of recommendations. The state board accepted many of the changes and rejected some.The board's members are elected to four-year terms and represent specific geographic areas. Five Democrats and 10 Republicans currently sit on the board.Each year, the board discusses and debates new classroom standards for Texas' 5.4 million schoolchildren.The process has always garnered attention -- and often controversy. Five years ago, they clashed over whether science books should have to teach an alternative to evolution. In 2014, math standards were revised, drawing criticisms from parents and teachers. And earlier this year, a new Mexican-American studies course was the subject of the latest culture war.Many of the work group's recommendations that the board did not accept dealt with descriptions of the nation's "Judeo-Christian" heritage. Texas Values, a conservative Christian political advocacy group, appeared earlier this week to speak out against removing these descriptions. On Friday, they applauded the board's decision to add them back in."In Texas, you don't mess with the Alamo and you don't mess with our Christian heritage. We applaud the majority of the State Board of Education for doing the right thing by restoring our foundational rights and history," Texas Values President Jonathan Saenz said in a statement. "We are prepared to fight to protect these standards all the way to the end."But some others criticized the board's vote. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Chris Turner urged its members to add Clinton and Keller back into the curriculum."If Helen Keller was an important historical figure when I was in school (and she was), then she still is today," Turner, D-Grand Prairie, tweeted. "Clinton is the 1st and only woman to be the presidential nominee of a major party in U.S. history. Enough said."The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed the governors power to make midyear state budget cuts.The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit in 2017 on behalf of two Democratic lawmakers, arguing that the state constitution gives legislators the power to set budgets. The suit also says a law that allows the governor to make midyear cuts violates the separation of powers between legislative and executive branchesIn June 2017, a Hinds County chancery judge dismissed the lawsuit brought by Sen. John Horhn of Jackson and Rep. Bryant Clark of Pickens.Supreme Court justices agreed with the dismissal Thursday. It said that while the Legislature has the power to write budgets, the executive branch has the core power to control budgets once they are set.At a time when advocates on both sides of the issue either fear or hope that Brett Kavanaugh's appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court will increase abortion regulations and limit women's access to the procedure, voters in Alabama and West Virginia have taken away a woman's right to an abortion.The new laws, however, will be largely unforceable unless Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that legalized abortion, is overturned or severely gutted by the new Supreme Court.Meanwhile, voters in Oregon defeated a ballot measure that would have ended abortion coverage for public employees and Medicaid patients.West Virginia's ballot measure will have one immediate effect: Medicaid, the nation's health insurance for the poor, will no longer cover abortion services in the state.With 96 percent of precincts reporting, West Virginia's Amendment 1 passed with 51 percent of the vote. The measure will change the states constitution to ensure that nothing in it secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion." It will also make receiving or performing an abortion punishable by up to three to 10 years in jail."West Virginia doesnt see ballot fights like this. We usually vote on road bonds and things like that, but we dont vote on contentious issues like this," said Margaret Chapman Pomponio, CEO of WVFree, an advocacy group campaigning against the ballot measure.Alabama's ballot measure, meanwhile, was approved 59 percent to 40 percent. It will not only change the states constitution to explicitly state that there is no right to an abortion but will also recognize the "sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life."Fetal rights propositions are controversial, even among some anti-abortion advocates. Recognizing fetal rights could criminalize some forms of birth control or fertility treatments. Mississippi, a red state, had a measure on the ballot in 2011 that would have established life as beginning at conception. But it was defeated. Alabama's approval of a fetal rights measure signals a further push to the right on abortion in solid red states.Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and Democratic lawmakers came out against both measures, while Republican lawmakers and Right to Life associations came out in support of them.The win in Alabama comes despite heavy spending from the opposition, which raised more than $1 million, largely from Planned Parenthood. Supporters only had about $8,000 on hand. Spending in West Virginia was light, with only $9,000 on hand from supporters and none from opponents.Oregon, however, represented a bright spot for abortion rights advocates on Tuesday.Measure 106 would have ended abortion benefits for public employees and women on Medicaid. Oregon is one of 17 states that allows taxpayer dollars to fund abortion coverage for public health plans. But it was defeated 66 percent to 34 percent.This is the fourth time Oregonians have voted down abortion restrictions in the past few decades.The Oregon Catholic Conference and the states Right to Life PAC supported Measure 106, while Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood were against it.Getting measures on the ballot often starts a year before an election. So while none of the measures in these three states are a result of the changes on the Supreme Court, each will offer a test of voters' feelings about the issue. And with Kavanaugh's confirmation, experts expect more states to push the boundaries of abortion law.Were looking at about a dozen of abortion cases making their way through the courts where the outcome could upend Roe," said Elizabeth Nash, state policy expert for the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion access. With's Kavanaugh's appointment, "I think itll up the ante.Cynthia Nixon's loss in a longshot bid for New York governor makes one trend increasingly clear: the "pink wave" is not coming to the shores of governors' mansions around the country as strong as it is likely heading to Congress.The odds were particularly stacked against Nixon, who challenged the well-established Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his bid for a third-term nomination, but the obstacles between women and electoral success as governors are real.There are a record of female gubernatorial nominees this cycle. According to Center for Women and American Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers, 61 women -- 41 Democrats and 20 Republicans -- filed to run in 2018. The previous record was 34 women who filed to run in 1994.Only 16 of the 61 have won their primaries -- 12 Democrats and four Republicans. That's a success rate of just 26% -- less than half the rate of their congressional counterparts, where almost 49% of female House candidates have won their primaries and exactly half of the 42% of female Senate candidates who won their primaries.As hundreds of thousands of people evacuate the coastal areas of South Carolina, more than 1,000 inmates in a Charleston County detention center will hunker down and weather out Hurricane Florence, a spokesman for the sheriff's office said.Though the Al Cannon Detention Center is located in a Federal Emergency Management Agency flood zone and the county of Charleston is under a mandatory evacuation, officials will not be clearing the jail ahead of the storm, Capt. Roger Antonio said.According to the jail's website, 1,047 men and 119 women are housed at the facility. It is operated by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office.Unlike prisons, most inmates housed in jails or detention centers have not been convicted of the charges for which they are incarcerated. Many are waiting for a bond hearing from a judge, were denied bond all together or could not pay their bonds.In an email, Antonio said the detention center, which received a new addition in 2010, was strong enough to withstand the storm. The jail has generators and medical staffing ready for Florence.That portion of the jail can house 1,128 people, according to the sheriff's office website.Though the building may be up to code, the entire jail facility -- including portions built in the 1960s -- falls into a FEMA flood plain, according to maps built by the federal agency.The detention center is also in a dangerous zone on a flood-hazard map created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Antonio said the jail has not had any issues with flooding before.The whole of Charleston County remains under a mandatory evacuation order issued Monday by S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster. Though some counties were removed from the order Tuesday, Charleston County remained."We know the evacuation order I'm issuing will be inconvenient," McMaster said during a Monday news conference. "But we're not going to gamble with the lives of the people of South Carolina. Not a one."The Al Cannon Detention Center, which sits near a bend in the Ashley River, is located within one of the mandatory evacuation zones.On Wednesday, McMaster urged coastal residents to flee the storm."If you are in one of the evacuation zones, you need to leave now," he said Wednesday.S.C. Sen. Marlon Kimpson, D-Charleston, said that South Carolina penal institutions, including jails and prisons, should evacuate residents in emergency situations such as this."Whether they're in jail or in prison as a convicted criminal, they're still human beings and we have to treat them as such," said Kimpson, who is on the Senate's Corrections and Penology committee.He added that government officials should have a plan to evacuate inmates that is cognizant of security concerns."They don't lose their status of being a human being simply because they made some mistakes in life," Kimpson said.During Hurricane Katrina, officials at the Orleans Parish Prison, the city jail for New Orleans, decided not to evacuate their residents, according to a report from the ACLU. Inmates who had yet to be convicted of the crimes they were accused of were left in a flooding facility without power, food or water for days.Generators at the facility failed and many guards fled the prison, VICE news reported.Prison advocates headed to the South Carolina State House on Wednesday morning to protest the decision to leave inmates at Ridgeland and MacDougall correctional institutions in their facilities.On Wednesday, the Department of Corrections announced it would be moving inmates from a low-security facility out of harms way. The prison was not located in a mandatory evacuation zone, unlike MacDougall.The Department of Corrections is not in charge of the Al Cannon Detention Center.Description

GIS  17 September 2018: A working session on Ornamental Fish Farming in Mauritius was held this morning between the Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah and technical expert, Dr Chih-Yang Huang, from the Department of Aquaculture of the National Taiwan Ocean University, at the seat of the Ministry in Port-Louis.

Dr Chih-Yang Huang was deputed by the African Asian Rural Development Organisation to provide technical support to local cooperatives from the 15 to 29 September 2018 so that they could embark in the ornamental fish business. In this context, a six-day training will be held at the Albion Fisheries Research Centre. His specialities include aquaculture, fish disease, aquatic ecology, ornamental fish techniques and industry, aquatic organism transportation and anaesthesiology.

In a statement, the Minister highlighted that while the majority of aquaculture production is related to food production, ornamental fish production is a fast growing component of the industry and is a globally lucrative business. According to him, Mauritius is endowed with the favourable tropical weather conditions and the gamut of ornamental species both from fresh waters and the marine environment for breeding of ornamental fish.

Minister Bholah pointed out that presently ornamental fish, which is in high demand locally, are mostly imported due to low local production. The aim of the project is to leverage ornamental fish farming as a new income generating activity and facilitate cooperatives to embark into this emerging sector, he said. He emphasised that this innovative activity will certainly boost the SME sector and has the potential to become a pillar in the economic growth, as local production will enable eventual exports and reduce reliance on imports.

On this score, the Minister indicated that a first batch of 40 participants will be trained to undertake business in the field while recalling that the Ministry has put in place several facilities for entrepreneurs for the successful development of their businesses. He also called on young entrepreneurs and SMEs to consider business opportunities in the sector.My Favorite Quotes Recent Quotes

Portfolio Summary Your most recently viewed tickers will automatically show up here if you type a ticker in the Get Quotes box on the top of the page.Description

GIS  17 September 2018: The handing-over of responsibilities pertaining to the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) was effected on Thursday 13 September 2018 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, to the new Chairperson of the IOC and the Vice-President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr Vincent Meriton, during the closing ceremony of the 33rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the IOC which was held at Le Maritim Hotel, Balaclava.

A press conference was also held by the Members of the IOC following the closing ceremony so as to shed light on the main highlights of the Meeting. The principal recommendations included the introduction of a preparatory meeting over two weeks at least one month before the Council of Ministers and the retreat of the regional organisation to reflect on its vision as well as its objectives.

Minister Lutchmeenaraidoo called for the reinforcement of Small Island Developing States in the Indian Ocean while adding that maritime security should be a topmost priority for them as Oceans are interconnected. On this score, he underlined that negotiations with other African islands should be initiated so as to better address pressing issues relating to illegal fishing, climate change, terrorism threats, marine pollution and the scourge of piracy, amongst others.

He emphasised that the islands have to prepare the ground for an integrated maritime safety and security strategy in the Indian Ocean with the support of all partners. Moreover, he highlighted that the sustainable use of marine resources should be encouraged among islands and capacity building should be strengthened for better protection of the marine ecosystem.

Speaking on the role of the IOC, the Minister further pointed out that the organisation is poised to have an exceptional destiny and a meaningful presence in the Indian Ocean region. He reiterated that the IOC plays an active role in ensuring the marine safety and security of the region and that all island nations should come together and make their voices heard.

On a concluding note, Minister Lutchmeenaraidoo announced that Mauritius will host the Indian Ocean Commission Week in the coming months so as to showcase the various aspects of the IOC and give an insight of the culture of the Member States.

For his part, the new Chairperson of the IOC and the Vice-President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr Vincent Meriton, underscored that IOC has the enormous responsibility to carry forward the ambitions of the region. He also emphasised the importance of connectivity and cooperation among the Member States with regard to regional integration. In addition to that, he highlighted, there is a great need to create an economic and commercial space among the Member States for the prosperity and welfare of the citizens.

On this occasion, a financing convention of EcoFish Programme was also signed by the Secretary General of the IOC, Mr Hamada Madi and the Ambassador of the European Union to Mauritius, Mrs Marjaana Sall. Under this programme, some 28 million Euros will be earmarked for the reinforcement of economic growth in the fisheries sector. The objective is also to increase regional cooperation with a view to ensuring, through appropriate management, the conservation and the optimisation of the utilisation of marine resources as well as encouraging sustainable development of fisheries.Description

GIS  17 September 2018: Mauritius will host, from 18 to 21 September 2018 at Le Meridien Hotel in Pointe aux Piments, the 24th session of the Inter-Governmental Committee of Experts (ICE) of Southern Africa Meeting at Senior Officials level. The meeting is organised at the initiative of the United Nations Economic Commission Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa. The leading theme is Blue Economy, Inclusive Industrialisation and Economic Development in Southern Africa.

The four-day meeting will focus on:

Blue Economy sector as a means of production, investments, accelerated growth, poverty reduction and development in Southern Africa;

country experiences on the blue economy, national policies and strategies;

strengthening collaboration among coastal states; and

role of SMEs in the industrialisation process in Southern Africa and Land, Identity and Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation in Southern Africa.

Discussions will also focus on how land-linked and land-locked countries can be part of, and benefit from the value chain of production in the blue economy sector.

In addition, deliberations during the 24th ICE will include an Ad-hoc Expert Group meeting on the theme: The Role of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the Industrialisation Process in Southern Africa. The Experts group meeting is jointly organised with the SADC Secretariat on 20-21 September 2018.

ICE

ICE is a UN statutory annual meeting which brings together Government senior officials, - mostly Permanent secretaries and other stakeholders from Southern Africa and the continent to discuss current and pressing issues affecting socio-economic development in the region.

Economic Commission of Africa

ECA, established by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in 1958 as one of UN's five regional commissions, is mandated to promote the economic and social development of Member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for development in Africa.

It comprises 54 member States, and plays a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and key component of the African institutional landscape.Best IT Collaboration Among Organizations

Demonstrated Excellence in Project Management

Best Application Serving the Public

This years Best of California Award winners span a range of front-burner IT issues, from unmanned aerial vehicles to electronic health records to enhanced citizen engagement. Agencies across the state tackled diverse government needs, from streamlining the lottery to delivering improved human services.Leaders involved in several of the 15 winning projects showcase a few things that California famously has a lot of: swimming pools, automobiles and legalized marijuana. In their own ways, each of the projects profiled here shines a light on the states vigorous, creative, citizen-centric IT efforts.When Californians voted to legalize marijuana, that decision brought with it serious technology implications. It became an IT challenge because it was a new bureau, a new regulatory market for the state of California, said Jason Piccione, CIO of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.With the fledgling industry still finding its feet, the IT team had a moving target. We had to come up with an IT overlay to a business that was still evolving. The inherent risks for IT around an established business are large enough, and here we had to do it around an emerging and evolving business, Piccione said. We knew things were shifting all the time, so we had to be agile  big A and little a  both in methodology and execution.Collaboration was key here. Using an agile methodology meant setting up an iterative, customer-centric process, with frequent check-ins between the IT team, the Bureau of Cannabis Control within the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Public Health.Because we all knew of the changing and evolving nature of the situation, we could be a little more flexible in what needed to happen, Piccione said. For example, we would go down the road of licensing, some new regulations would come out that were different from what we had planned, and we were able to shift and accommodate those changes.In order to implement this free-flowing process, the IT team had to take the lead in forging new intergovernmental connections, a new collaborative paradigm. We dont necessarily communicate operationally from department to department on a normal basis, Piccione said. To open up the flow of information, the IT helped to forge a hub for brainstorming, requirement-gathering and communication for all the departments. We created a cannabis war room, both physical and figurative, where we could demonstrate the technologies and create the business requirements.In addition to building business processes around a still-emerging industry, the IT team also had to grapple with implementing a previously untried technology, as they adopted the Accela platform to underpin the emerging cannabis bureaucracy.Accela was a new product for our portfolio, so there are intrinsic challenges in that, Piccione said. This was also one of our first forays into a cloud-hosted regulatory system of record. That posed new considerations. Would performance be an issue? Did we have contractual agreements that protected the state in terms of uptime and performance? Those were all considerations.A lot was riding on the outcome, as the nation watched to see whether California could successfully decriminalize this formerly contraband crop. We had the world looking at us, he said. From an IT perspective we had to make sure we were spot on. Our risk management game had to be stellar.In the end, the team developed new data standards and forged new interaction points. They implemented three licensing and enforcement platforms to serve different statutory elements. What made it all work? Piccione credits the close cooperation between the business side  especially the Bureau of Cannabis Control  and the IT leadership."We had consistent engagement. They showed openness to the flexibility and to the process, he said. When we have a project like this there can be different levels of engagement. In this case the business leadership understood the method, they understood the path, and they worked with us throughout the entire lifecycle. That made decision-making easier and quicker.They say no good deed goes unpunished. Take for instance Californias ongoing migration toward more fuel-efficient automobiles. Thats great for the planet. The downside? Less fuel consumption means radical declines in the fuel-tax base that pays for highway maintenance and operations.The state has said that by 2030 it could lose up to half that revenue thanks to increased fuel efficiencies. How to pay for roadwork in this brave new world?Enter the Road Charge pilot project, an effort to test-drive a variety of technologies that would allow the state to make up lost gas revenue by charging motorists for how much they drive. This was highly complex, with a lot of moving parts, said Brady Tacdol, the project manager in the California Department of Transportation who headed up the effort.The pilot ran for nine months. More than 5,000 citizens volunteered to test out six different mileage recording technologies including in-vehicle telematics, smartphone applications and onboard diagnostic port devices. Multiple agencies weighed in and multiple vendors helped coordinate the effort. Adding to the complexity of the project was a need to safeguard personal and location data of the many participants.More to the point, this was all brand new.This was looking at revenue collection from a perspective that weve never used before. As much as it was a technological test, this was also very much a public outreach effort, Tacdol said. We had legislative representation, we had the trucking industry, we had AAA as a highway user group. There were data security and privacy advocates. Then along the way we had to bring in various departments who are involved in the gas tax, who could potentially take on new responsibilities.Clearly, such a high-visibility project would require high-caliber project management. Tacdols secret? Always have a Plan B.Not everything goes according to plan, so you have to have contingency plans in place, he said. At one point in the project, a recording device wouldnt interface properly with electric vehicles. Thats where the decision to simultaneously test multiple technologies really paid off. It meant we had other options within the pilot, so we were nimble enough to allow them to test out a different reporting mechanism.Tacdol managed privacy concerns across the project by using only aggregated data, with locations and other personal information removed. That was established at the start, along with how the different technologies and subsystems would communicate with one another. We spent the time up front to really flesh out those business requirements, he said.The project came in $1 million under its $10 million budget and the team delivered its final report six months in advance of its legislative deadline. More to the point, the broad effort to build a coalition may eventually pay dividends for whatever solution the state eventually adopts. The participants generally wanted to learn more about transportation, so we communicated to them frequently, Tacdol said. These were the early adopters and I wanted them to come out with not just a greater awareness, but a high comfort level.Mohammed Al Rawi argues passionately for the business value of the IT department. As an IT executive, I want the workplace to realize what IT can do. We are not geek squads. We dont only fix computer and printers. We are more than that. We can help solve complex business problems, he said.As CIO of the County of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation department, Al Rawi, one of2018 Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers , set out to prove that point. To demonstrate the business value of IT, he took on the challenge of passive drowning, a phenomenon in which swimmers faint underwater, either because of exhaustion or a medical event. They sink silently and its extremely difficult for a lifeguard to detect, he said. It is very rare but it happens.As the operator of 38 public swimming pools, Parks and Rec could perhaps make a difference here. This is our type of problem, he said. With a combination of sophisticated sensors and artificial intelligence, we can make the invisible visible.In researching the problem, Al Rawi came upon a cluster of emerging technologies that seemed relevant. On the hardware side, he found designs for a camera that could be securely embedded in an underwater light  or in multiple lights around the periphery of a pool. On the software side, emerging data analytic techniques offered a means to identify apparent drowning behaviors.You have a light enclosure underwater with a camera in the middle, and all these cameras get wired to a server doing video analytics. When a drowning is detected, the lifeguard gets a signal on a wearable device and can see a picture of the person, along with a dot showing exactly where that person is in the pool, he said.County aquatics professionals were skeptical at first: They knew how hard it was to detect an underwater drowning, and anyway, what did the IT people know about swimming pools?A successful live demonstration helped to change their minds. A lifeguards average response time in training is 9.5 seconds, whereas lifeguards supported by the AI-driven analytics could respond to a simulated drowning in 1.5 seconds. Better still, the IT team carried out the demonstration at the Jesse Owens Pool in south L.A., where serious near-drowning incidents have occurred.Thats when the transition from IT to business happened. That was then they took it over and really made it their project, Al Rawi said. It helped that the director of parks and rec is a former lifeguard who lent his full support to the project.The system is in place in one pool and the county has an RFP planned to bring the AI-driven capability to five more. With a competitive process pending, Al Rawi wont cite a dollar figure for the project, but he said the technology when fully implemented should cost about 5 percent of what a single drowning-related lawsuit has cost the county in the past.See announcement below  the date has been moved:OAKLAND, Calif.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on October 3, 2018. The WEA portion of the test commences at 2:18 PM EDT and the EAS portion follows at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The test will assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message and determine whether technological improvements are needed.October 3 was the previously scheduled back-up date for the test, which was originally set up for this Thursday, September 20. A backup date is always planned in case of widespread severe weather or other significant events on the primary test date. FEMA and the nations emergency management community remain committed to the life-saving activities occurring through parts of North Carolina and South Carolina.This is the fourth EAS nationwide test and the first national WEA test. The WEA test message will be sent to cell phones. Previous EAS national tests were conducted in September 2011, 2016 and 2017 in collaboration with the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency management officials in recognition of FEMAs National Preparedness Month.The EAS test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and is made available to EAS participants including radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers. The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. The EAS message will include a reference to the WEA test: THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.The WEA test message will read THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.The WEA system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cell phones. It allows customers whose wireless provider participates in WEA and who own a WEA-compatible wireless phone to receive geo-targeted alerts of imminent threats to safety in their area through unique tones and vibration. The national WEA test will use the same special tone and vibration.The WEA test will be sent through IPAWS, as part of the nations modern alert and warning infrastructure that automatically authenticates alerts. Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, cell phones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower should be capable of receiving the test message. Cell phones should receive the message once.Significant coordination has been conducted with EAS Participants, wireless providers, and emergency managers in preparation for this EAS-WEA national test. The test is intended to ensure public safety officials have the methods and systems that will deliver urgent alerts and warnings to the public in times of an emergency or disaster. Periodic testing of public alert and warning systems is also a way to assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure required for the distribution of a national message and determine whether technological improvements are needed.Receiving preparedness tips and timely information about weather conditions or other emergency events can make all the difference in knowing when to take action to be safe. FEMA and our partners are working to ensure alerts and warnings are received quickly through several different technologies, no matter whether an individual is at home, at school, at work, or out in the community. The FEMA App, which can be downloaded on both Android and Apple devices, is one way to ensure receiving both preparedness tips and weather alerts of your choice. Download the FEMA App today at https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app More information on the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and Wireless Emergency Alerts is available at www.ready.gov/alerts.###Background: In 2007, FEMA began modernizing the nations public alert and warning system by integrating new technologies into the existing alert systems. The new system, known as the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) became operational in 2011. Today, IPAWS supports more than 1,000 state, local, tribal, territorial and federal users through a standardized message format. IPAWS enables public safety alerting authorities such as emergency managers, police, and fire departments to send the same alert and warning message over multiple communication pathways at the same time to citizens in harms way, helping to save lives. For more information on FEMAs IPAWS, go to: www.fema.gov/ipaws . For more preparedness information, go to www.ready.govThe need

The plan

Looking forward

(TNS)  To upload a video to YouTube, business owner Corina Sahlin has to drive half an hour from her home in Marblemount to the Upper Skagit Library in Concrete.Even when the library is closed, she sits outside in her car for hours waiting for a video to upload using the librarys Wi-Fi.Sahlin is one of many who could benefit from a fiber-optic backbone being constructed over the next two years by the Port of Skagit and the Skagit Public Utility District.Construction began last month on the six-segment network, which will stretch from Anacortes to Concrete and provide high-speed Internet. The network will have the potential of extending farther.Sahlin is the owner of Marblemount Homestead, a business that teaches self-reliant, sustainable living through homesteading, cheese making and fermentation, both online and in person.She has been teaching those skills at her home in Marblemount for more than a decade, but said she recognized about six years ago that not everyone wants to travel out to the boonies for a class.In 2012, she took her business online and now has thousands of followers on multiple platforms.But Sahlin said her reach online is limited by a lack of reliable Internet access on her property.It really impacts my ability to reach my people and make money, she said. Its very frustrating.Sahlin said her business lends itself to real-time interactions through Facebook Live or Google Hangouts, but she cant use them with her current Internet service.She said she has tried several of the limited Internet options available in her area. She paid $100 a month for satellite service that was slow, unreliable and couldnt upload videos.Shes since switched to T-Mobile after the company put in a tower at the Marblemount ranger station. She said T-Mobile is cheaper, but still not particularly reliable.People really want more of that live component and I just cant do it, she said of the ability to use interactive platforms.In a 2017 survey of east Skagit County residents and businesses conducted by the port, about 43 percent said their Internet access is somewhat reliable, while about 18 percent said it is not reliable. Four percent described their access as very reliable.If youre in Concrete right now, many businesses are not able to transmit data they need to, said Port of Skagit Community Outreach Administrator Andrew Entrikin.Currently, the majority of Internet in Skagit County is provided through cable or copper wires, Skagit PUD IT manager Gary Chrysler said.With this infrastructure, Internet providers are able to offer limited bandwidth to customers.A fiber-optic network, on the other hand, has the capacity to carry much larger amounts of data, Chrysler said.He likened the different infrastructures to waterlines. If copper is a half-inch pipe, fiber-optics would be a 24-inch pipe, he said.Because of the increased capacity, a fiber-optic network will hopefully bring in more providers and drive prices down through competition, Chrysler said.The ports main goal is to provide better Internet access to businesses, Port of Skagit Executive Director Patsy Martin said.Em Beals, owner of 5bs Bakery in downtown Concrete, said her business could benefit greatly from high-speed Internet provided through the backbone.With the business current service provided by WAVE, staff can only run one online system at a time, she said, and the Wi-Fi provided for customers frequently crashes.When Beals orders products online, she said she has to make sure no one else needs the Internet at that time.Concrete Mayor Jason Miller said lack of reliable Internet is unacceptable in the 21st century.Im completely on board with the countys backbone, Miller said. If private enterprise wont do it, then by golly well take it into our own hands.The fiber-optic backbone projects roots trace back to 2007, Martin said.Verizon already had a fiber-optic network in place near the ports properties west of Burlington, but Martin said the company wouldnt work with the port to serve it and its tenants.What we found is that we are so small that a lot of these big entities like Verizon and Comcast were not willing or able to serve a small entity like the port, she said.That left the port to find its own solution.The city of Mount Vernon already had access to a fiber-optic network that runs from Seattle along the Interstate 5 corridor, so the port extended that network to itself and its tenants in 2009.In 2015, several other cities and towns in the county expressed interest in a fiber-optic network, Martin said.Since then, weve been working on how to figure that out. To get broadband out to some of these smaller communities, she said.Martin said the port hopes to have all six segments of the $2.8 million backbone complete in 2020.Segment one, in Anacortes, is complete. Segments two and three, which include Anacortes to Burlington, Anacortes to Mount Vernon and Anacortes to La Conner, are under construction and set to be complete in early 2019.Segment four, which will bring the backbone to Sedro-Woolley, is halfway through the design process. Segment five, from Sedro-Woolley to Hamilton, was completed years ago by the PUD, Martin said. Segment six, which will get the backbone to Concrete, still needs funding.Once the backbone is complete, Internet service providers can lease space on the network and use it to provide their customers with high-speed Internet.Then cities, towns or private Internet service providers can work with business or residential customers to build connections to the backbone, Entrikin said.The port currently has interlocal agreements with the cities of Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley and Burlington to create connections from the backbone.The backbone connects up the city, then the city builds a system to distribute it within the city, Martin said.Anacortes is in the process of partnering with the port to construct a network that will serve businesses and residents in the downtown area.Concrete School District Superintendent Wayne Barrett said his students would benefit from extending the backbones reach to residents.The school is providing students in grades seven through 12 with Chromebooks for academic use this school year. While Internet service in the schools is reliable, Barrett said theres concern students wont have Internet access to use the devices at home.The impact is really to our kids and our families in the district, he said. So our hope for the future would be that they move (the network) further than downtown Concrete.Barrett estimates 25 percent of students in the district have reliable Internet access at home.Aside from reaching areas with little to no Internet access, the backbone will also serve as a backup system for the network extending up I-5 from Seattle, Martin said. Currently, theres no plan B in case the I-5 network goes down.In addition to improving access for businesses currently operating in the county, Martin said the backbone could help bring new businesses to the area.Were looking into if people will bring their businesses here if we have that industry standard Internet speed, she said.Miller also sees the backbone as a catalyst for economic development.If we have reliable, high-speed Internet access throughout the town that private providers can then tap into and feed into our residences and businesses, then existing businesses will have another tool in their toolbox to perform more efficiently, effectively and rapidly, he said.For now, the burden of extending the fiber-optic network past the county-funded backbone or city-funded distribution networks will ultimately fall on the customer.A home-based business in Concrete, for example, would need to work with an Internet provider to construct a line extension. Its unclear how financially feasible this would be for an individual business or resident.But the backbone is a first step in bringing high speed Internet to areas that desperately need it, Chrysler said.The backbone is what everyone will build off to get to the last mile, he said.Preliminary planning is underway to extend the backbone beyond Concrete, Entrikin said, but its no easy task.Building broadband infrastructure in our most rural areas is not simple, due to very high construction costs and challenging terrain, he said. If it were easy, the private sector would have already solved the problem.Overcoming these challenges will take a public-private partnership, Entrikin said.The port hopes to partner with entities such as Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light and the state Department of Transportation to find cost-effective ways of building infrastructure to deliver high-speed Internet east of Concrete.Out in Marblemount, Sahlin recognizes it will likely be years before a fiber-optic connection reaches her. In the meantime, she said shell continue to work around the lack of connectivity in creative ways.People are yearning for this kind of life, Sahlin said of her classes on sustainable living. For me, its about changing lives. And people are missing out on that because I cant access them.Alstom held a world premiere event on Sunday celebrating its Coradia iLint hydrogen fuel cell train (earlier post) rolling into service in Lower Saxony, Germany. From today onwards, two such trains will enter commercial service according to a fixed timetable.





Travellers in the Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser (EVB) network can look forward to a world-first journey on the low-noise, zero-emission trains that reach up to 140 km/h (87 mph). On behalf of Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (LNVG), the Coradia iLint trains will be operated on nearly 100km of line running between Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervorde and Buxtehude, replacing EVBs existing diesel fleet.

The new trains will be fueled at a mobile hydrogen filling station. The gaseous hydrogen will be pumped into the trains from a 40-foot-high steel container next to the tracks at Bremervorde station. With one tank, they can run throughout the network the whole day, with a total range of 1000 km (621 miles). A stationary filling station on EVB premises is scheduled to go into operation in 2021, when Alstom will deliver a further 14 Coradia iLint trains to LNVG.

This is a revolution for Alstom and for the future of mobility. The worlds first hydrogen fuel cell train is entering passenger service and is ready for serial production. The Coradia iLint heralds a new era in emission-free rail transport. It is an innovation that results from French-German teamwork and exemplifies successful cross-border cooperation. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Chairman and CEO of Alstom

Lower Saxonys Ministry of Economy and Transport has supported LNVGs purchase of another 14 hydrogen trains with more than 81 million (US$94 million).

With the test operation starting today, Lower Saxony is performing real pioneering work in local transport in cooperation with Alstom and EVB. The emission-free drive technology of the Coradia iLint provides a climate-friendly alternative to conventional diesel trains, particularly on non-electrified lines. In successfully proving the operability of the fuel cell technology in daily service, we will set the course for rail transport to be largely operated climate-friendly and emission-free in the future. The state government of Lower Saxony is proud of putting this trendsetting project on the track together with LNVG. Dr. Bernd Althusmann, Minister of Economy and Transport

The German federal government has actively supported the development and testing of the new drive technology in Lower Saxony by providing funds from the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.

For LNVG chief Carmen Schwabl, whose authority organizes the rail passenger transport between the North Sea and the Harz mountains and therefore pays annual compensation of around 300 million to the railway companies, the entry to fuel cell technology is also a strategic decision. She sees LNVG in a national pioneering role.

With the two Coradia iLint trains and with the use of another 14 hydrogen trains from the end of 2021, we are the first passenger rail transport authority to replace existing diesel vehicles by emission-free vehicles, thus contributing better to the fulfilment of the climate protection goals. We also do this because about 120 diesel trainsets in our vehicle pool will reach the end of their lifetime within the next 30 years, meaning we will have to replace them. The experience gained with this project helps us find a sustainable and practical solution. Carmen Schwabl

With around 2 million rail passengers and around 4 million bus passengers per year, EVB figures among the largest mobility providers in the Elbe-Weser triangle. The traditional company, with a history of more than 100 years and around 550 employees, is looking forward to the train of the future.Job Archive July 2021 (524) June 2021 (681) May 2021 (698) April 2021 (659) March 2021 (688) February 2021 (615) January 2021 (700) December 2020 (714) November 2020 (671) October 2020 (631) September 2020 (690) August 2020 (713) July 2020 (713) June 2020 (690) May 2020 (713) April 2020 (690) March 2020 (713) February 2020 (667) January 2020 (713) December 2019 (713) November 2019 (687) October 2019 (711) September 2019 (689) August 2019 (711) July 2019 (707) June 2019 (688) May 2019 (2002) April 2019 (1979) March 2019 (2039) February 2019 (1689) January 2019 (2259) December 2018 (2111) November 2018 (1935) October 2018 (1993) September 2018 (1918) August 2018 (39) July 2018 (72) June 2018 (44) May 2018 (76) April 2018 (65) March 2018 (16) February 2018 (32) January 2018 (201) December 2017 (352) November 2017 (381) October 2017 (600) September 2017 (1211) August 2017 (1655) July 2017 (1590) June 2017 (1506) May 2017 (1903) April 2017 (1965) March 2017 (1417) February 2017 (1808) January 2017 (1807) December 2016 (1593) November 2016 (1377) October 2016 (1408) September 2016 (1317) August 2016 (1499) July 2016 (1505) June 2016 (1421) May 2016 (1392) April 2016 (1340) March 2016 (1476) February 2016 (1396) January 2016 (1474) December 2015 (1409) November 2015 (1367) October 2015 (1478) September 2015 (1443) August 2015 (1468) July 2015 (1465) June 2015 (1410) May 2015 (1058) April 2015 (1269) March 2015 (1133) February 2015 (1155) January 2015 (1154) December 2014 (1156) November 2014 (1268) October 2014 (81)News

UAE will become first in ME to test driverless cars on its roads, says Mohammed

"Our goal is for this type of vehicle to be safer, safer and more reliable. We are awaiting the report of the Ministry of Interior, in coordination with the Office of Artificial Intelligence, for the results of the tests, to take the appropriate decision.Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received renowned Egyptian surgeon Sir Madgi Yacoub in the ministry's headquarters on Sunday to discuss plans to support his foundation and the Aswan Heart Centres activities in Africa and Nile Basin countries.

The Magdi Yacoub Foundation was created in 2008 by Professor Magdi Yacoub with the mission of establishing an international medical center that offers free state-of-the-art basic health services to the less privileged.



The foundation overseeing the heart centre is a charity with a board of trustees headed by Sir Yacoub that is fully-dependent on donations to support its buildings, operations and growth.



The official spokesperson for the ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid stated that the meeting was a result of the ministrys insistence on continuously supporting the world-class Egyptian cardiologist to improve the treatment of heart diseases in Africa, particularly in the Nile Basin countries.



The efforts of mutual support and cooperation are embodied into the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) through the agency's training courses in the fields of health and medicine for many African nations.



Abu Zeid elaborated that the cooperation between the ministry and the centre should set an example for other African nations, highlighting the training the centre offers and the opportunity for the transfer of knowledge throughout the continent, as exemplified through Dr. Yacoub's recent efforts in Ethiopia in establishing a treatment and surgical unit.



Dr Magdi Yacoub expressed his appreciation for the foreign ministry's support, saying that the efforts taken by the EAPD serves all of Egypts African counterparts, especially in the field of medicine due to the need of many African nations.

Search Keywords:

Short link:





Haiti - NYC : Discussions on the role of the diaspora in the development of Haiti





The delegation headedby the Director General of the Ministry of Communication, Calvin Cadet and composed of the spokesman of the President of the Republic, Martine Denis Chandler, the Special Adviser, Jude Charles Faustin, and the Councilor, Daniel Joseph is on his second day of mission to the Haitian diaspora in New York https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25549-haiti-politic-towards-a-reinforcement-of-the-communication-with-the-diaspora.html



On Saturday, September 16, 2018, the delegation was received at Radio Independance in Brooklyn to participate in the program Forum 360 hosted by Jean-Claude Junior Vaval and Jacques Dorvil. On this special broadcast, the Spokesperson of the President of the Republic, Martine Denis Chandler and the Special Advisers, Jude Charles Faustin and Daniel Joseph, answered the relevant questions of the presenters in search of the latest information and explanations concerning the Caravan of Change, the use of the National Fund of Education (FNE), the PetroCaribe file and other points of socio-political actuality in Haiti.



The second day of communication and information mission continued at Tonel Restaurant located in Brooklyn, in the heart of the region where a large part of the Haitian community is gathered. At Tonel Restaurant, the discussions focused on the important role of the diaspora in the development of Haiti and the involvement of our compatriots from outside in the management of State affairs. From complaints to suggestions, the debates were fruitful and led to the need for a better integration of the diaspora in Haiti.



The Ministry of Communication salutes the sense of patriotism of all those who welcomed the delegation and renews the strong will of the President of the Republic, Jovenel Moise to work so that our dear Haiti becomes again this hospitable land, welcoming for all his sons and daughters.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25549-haiti-politic-towards-a-reinforcement-of-the-communication-with-the-diaspora.html



HL/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - Justice : More than 30 rapes of minors in the Center





The Juvenile Protection Brigade (BPM) is concerned about the increase in cases of juvenile rape since the beginning of the year. Police officer Wesler Appolon, spokesperson for the National Police of Haiti (PNH) of the Department of the Center, describes as a real plague these criminal acts on children claiming "32 cases of rape on minors in 9 months. This deserves sustained attention" advocating much harsher penalties against rapists. He explains that such acts occur because of a lack of police force, which leaves several areas of the department unprotected and he asks the central authorities concerned, to intervene without delay to fight against this Scourge



During the first nine months of the year, the police arrested more than twenty people involved in wrongdoing against minors in the communes of Cerca-Carvajal, Thomassique and Thomonde. "Tifanm Jean" (55 years old) the head of a network specialized in the kidnapping of minors was arrested and accused of being the thinking head and the accomplice of individuals who for two days kidnapped, sequestered and raped a minor 12 years, at home," said Appolon adding "These individuals are dangerous they participate in the kidnapping of schoolchildren and aggravated rape on minors among others," announcing that he expected to increase the number of patrols during the day nearby schools to better protect students.



HL/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - Politic : End of a mission of Expertise France in Haiti





Within the framework of "Urbayiti" a program of support to the urban sector of the Haitian Government co-financed by the European Union and France, Nicolas Chenet, Director of the sustainable development department and Camille Le Jean, project manager of Expertise France, completed Saturday a mission of 5 days in Haiti.



Let's remember that Expertise France supports urban governance at the local and national level and coordinates the entire Urbayiti program, whose approach is multi-institutional (ST-CIAT, MICT, MTPTC, Town Halls of Port-au-Prince, Jeremie and Les Cayes in particular).



During their mission, Nicolas Chenet and Camille Le Jean met Youri Chevry the Mayor of Port-au-Prince and Ruthlande Langlade the Director of Territorial Communities of the Ministry of the Interior in order to plan activities and discuss implementation issues and confirm the mobilization of Expertise France to support the Haitian Government in its various projects of state reforms or modernization of public sectors.



They also met Edouard Excellent, Coordinator in the Office of the National Authorizing Officer of the European Development Fund, the Delegation of the European Union as well as the technical and financial partners involved in the sector of sustainable development.



This mission also coincides with the start of the second phase of the "State Building Contract" project, a project funded by the European Union which aims to continue the reforms of the Haitian administration in terms of resource mobilization, strengthening of the local governance and financial governance in the education sector. To support the implementation of this project four long term experts will be deployed in Haitian administrations.



It should be remembered that the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Litigation (CSC/CA) also benefited this year from support in terms of financial governance. As such, the French Court of Auditors through the mobilization of senior public officials has been able to provide strategic advice and assist the institution in its modernization process. This first phase was funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the World Bank and focused on clarifying the mandate and strengthening the main critical services of the Court. A workshop on the draft organic law was organized last December to reflect and discuss the text, it brought together representatives of State powers, legal professionals and national control institutions.



HL/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Inauguration of Prime Minister Ceant

The investiture ceremony of Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant will take place this 17 September 2018, at the National Palace.



It's a critical moment !

Yesterday afternoon, Gary Bodeau, President of the Lower House said on social networks that "It's a critical moment ! We must leave imperatively in search of lost time and catch up with missed opportunities. We can not continue to decide of our disappearance."



Advice to the agents of the PNH

"You have to know how to modulate your behavior to the circumstances and chance of meetings with a keen sense of communication, and any communication must be inspired by the respect we have for ourselves and for others," reminded the Director General of the PNH, Michel-Ange Gedeon



Reinforcement of the POLIFRONT

The Embassy of the United States in Port-au-Prince is pleased to announce the signing of a new agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the Haitian National Polices POLIFRONT and BLTS.



This agreement helps POLIFRONT and BLTS expand their presence to Anse-a-Pitres in the South East Department, while also increasing their professional capacity throughout Haiti. The United States looks forward to continuing this cooperation to help Haiti strengthen its border controls and meet our shared objectives to combat transnational crime and illicit trafficking.



Dilemma of the expulsions of Haitians in Canada

According to Stephane Handfield, immigration lawyer, the Canadian Refugee Commission in its decisions to deport Haitian migrants whose asylum application has been refused, could face the dilemma of children born from Haitians born in the United States who must be returned to this country in accordance with the law while their parents (if they are not American) will have to be returned to Haiti... See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25494-haiti-canada-32-173-foreign-migrants-in-an-irregular-situation-declared-inadmissible.html



End of career for Jeff Louis

The Haitian international player Jeff Louis, following his knee injuries and persistent chronic pain ends his international career.



HL/ HaitiLibre

















Lawsuits Close in on Hawaiis Largest Carbon Credit Scheme

by Andrew Walden

Some greenwash is thicker than others. When a couple of penny-stock touts , one of whom is listed in the Panama Papers Offshore Leaks Database , start selling timber futures and carbon credits in Hawaii, the greenwash is thicker than most.

Behind all the greenwash, a raft of lawsuits quietly working their way through Hawaii courts harkens back to Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods (HLH) co-owners Jeff Dunster and Darrell Foxs pump-n-dump days hustling wanna-be stock traders with tales of glorious riches awaiting them in the OTC shell-company listings. And a 2015 audit challenges representations made in HLHs timber futures prospectus.

Dunster is one of a handful of Hawaii residents showing up in the 2016 Panama Papers  Offshore Leaks  database. According to the leaked data posted online by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Dunster owns or owned as many as five formerly-secret trusts registered in the Cook Islandstagged by the New York Times as  A Paradise of Untouchable Assets . Other Cook Island trusts show up in 1990s litigation in Oregon Federal Court involving Dunster, Fox, and Waihee-connected lawyer Gary V Dubinwho is now facing disbarment proceedings in Hawaii.

How thick is it?

If youve got $15,499 burning a hole in your pocket, HLH claims it can turn it into $217,488  or $285,519 ,  or $321,117 .

Modelled after tree-farm schemes common in Costa Rica in the 1980s and 1990s, Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods (HLH), Hawaiis largest carbon credit scheme, is a  Certified B-Corporation , joining a new class of companies that use the power of business to help to resolve social environmental and economic problems, leading a global movement to redefine success in business.

Cashing in since 2010 , Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods sprawls across 1,011 acres of leased Kukaiau Ranch land on the Big Island at Paauilo. Dunster speaks of additional carbon credit plantings planned for Kahua Ranch near Kamuela, and Oahus Gunstock Ranch in Laie . HLH owns none of the land it is planting on.

Contacted by Hawaii Free Press , Dunster refused to answer two key questions:

1) When do you expect the earliest investors in HLH timber futures will begin to be paid ?

2) Do you have a performance bond, trust fund or other method to ensure that lease payments at Kukaiau Ranch are made for the full 60 year term of the land lease?

In a 2009 internet discussion , Fox explains: My wife and I followed a tree farm in Central America for over a decade. We even spent a month down there looking at similar operations. It isn't for everyone, but if I had invested in those guys I wouldn't have to listen to my wife say I told you so. An HLH Plan Book published in 2012 explains, It has taken Jeffrey Dunster, Darrell Fox, and the rest of the HLH team more than 10 years to research, plan, and establish the company.

The Costa-Rica-based Tico Times in 2012 investigated one of the countrys few remaining schemes in an article entitled  Investors: Wheres Our Money . This is a question HLH investors may soon be asking. HLH Projections to investors show timber sales revenues beginning to flow based on sales of lumber cut from eight-year-old koa trees. This creates a sense of urgency for Tiffany Potter whose Washington, DC-based Slipstream Consulting, August 10, 2015, sued Dunster and his associated entities in Hawaii federal court. Potter argues her name was listed on SEC documents as an HLH corporate officer without her permission.

Potter also alleges the HLH companies ripped her off for thousands of dollars in residuals due after she made key introductions which allowed HLH to launch its carbon credit business. Potters suit claims HLHs troubles began in 2013 and 2014 when it stopped paying a 3.5% residual owed her on carbon credit deals made with her assistance. According to the lawsuit, thanks to Potter, (HLH) has been listed on the Gold Standard Registry and verified to produce 10,000 carbon credits, or 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, for 40 years.

HLH is also being sued by Kukaiau Ranch . The ranch-owning De Luz family filed suit February 14, 2017 to evict Dunster and his companies for non-payment of rent on four Paauilo houses adjacent to the ranch land. HLH is represented in various Big Island courts by David Louie, former Abercrombie administration Attorney General, whose hourly rate and travel costs quickly add up to more than the monthly rent on the ranch houses. The house leases are separate from the primary ranch land lease.

The 2012 HLH Plan Book explains, As a company, HLH has a simple product range that is presented to the public in two completely different waysOne as an investment opportunity and the other as a pseudo non-profit.

The nonprofit Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative , with Dunster as Executive Director, is carrying a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Guidestar. HLRI scooped up a $130,000 Grant in Aid from the 2017 Legislative session. Meanwhile, HLH benefits from Enterprise Zone GE Tax exemptions , a 15-year USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program ( CREP ) subsidy, and other state and federal grants.

HLH boasts plenty of warm fuzzy Internet hype , the de rigueur fluff-piece from Pacific Business News , and  70 legacy partners including five Hawaii resorts, helicopter tour operators , developers, and even a funeral home--who include carbon credits as part of their sales packages. Additionally HLH names 300 legacy charities to whom donors send a $30 contribution when ponying up $90 for a  fully tax deductible legacy tree, and 400 legacy members who have planted a tree in the last year. HLH even gave the Hawaii Diabetes Association a newly planted 100-tree lotwhich an HLH news release says is worth the alleged 20-year harvest value of $285,519generating a juicy tax deduction.

Of the first 20,000 seedlings planted none of them forked.  Dunster, 2012 (This 2018 photo from HLH twitter feed shows a former Miss Hawaii posing with an HLH koa tree clearly forking out into multiple trunks at about the 6-foot level.)

If a carbon credit falls in the woods and no one is around to hear, does it make a sound?

HLH, LLC is a vendor of unregistered securities under Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 506 . By selling only to accredited investors, HLH avoids a SEC requirement that investors be given, financial statements, which in some cases may need to be certified or audited by an accountant.

Dunster Beats the Rap

Asked about the numerous complaints filed against him and his associated with the DCCA Securities Enforcement Branch, Dunster replies:

They were filed years agono one knows who filed them-- and the results were that there were no violations. So-- in essence, you are asking me to comment on nothing.

William Nhieu, DCCA Communications Officer, was a little more forthcoming. According to DCCA information provided by Nhieu, neither Dunster nor Fox is registered with the DCCA to sell securities in Hawaiibut they have filed four Notices of Exempt Offering of Securities with DCCA SEB since 2015. Nhieu explains Dunster, Fox and Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, Inc beat the rap a combined seven times:

Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, Inc. 1 complaint filed with SEB. Allegations were misrepresentations and omissions of material facts. Case was closed on October 4, 2013 because evidence gathered did not support a violation of the laws. Darrell D. Fox 1 complaint filed with SEB. Allegations were unregistered broker-dealer, unregistered securities salesperson, unregistered securities, and fraud. Case was closed on April 6, 2006 because evidence gathered did not support a violation of the laws. Jeffrey Alan Dunster 5 complaints filed with SEB Complaint filed, but closed on January 1, 2003. No other information was found for this case.

Allegations were unregistered broker-dealer, unregistered securities salesperson, unregistered securities, and fraud. Case was closed on April 5, 2006 because evidence gathered did not support a violation of the laws.

Allegations were unregistered broker-dealer, unregistered securities salesperson, unregistered securities, and fraud. Case was closed on April 6, 2006 because evidence gathered did not support a violation of the laws.

Allegations were misrepresentations and omissions of material facts. Case was closed on October 4, 2013 because evidence gathered did not support a violation of the laws.

Allegation was fraud. Case was closed on August 29, 2013 because evidence gathered did not support a violation of the laws.

The DCCA complaints came prior to a 2015 audit of HLH by the Rainforest Alliance which certified HLH for  Gold Standard designationdramatically boosting carbon credit sales in exchange for a cut of the action going to the Swiss-based  Gold Standard organization.

The Rainforest Audit also created a paper trail which contradicts many of the representations made to HLH timber investors.

Prospectus vs Audit

HLHs timber  projections -in essence a prospectus for investors--are contradicted by the information provided to the 2015 Rainforest audit. Confusing? Consider that more failed timber growthtrees that fork out instead of growing one trunk tall and straightmeans lower timber values and less tree cutting and therefore more carbon credits to sell. Here are some key examples:

1) Koa Speak with Forked Tongue?

No Fork: Of the first 20,000 seedlings planted, Dunster said, none of them forked.  Environment Hawaii, March, 2012

No Fork:  Much of our data (on koas behavior as a plantation tree) comes from the performance of Acacia mangium a very closely related tree from the same genus.  HLH Co. Projections

Fork: The auditor notes  Koas relatively poor growth form compared to Acacia mangium.  Audit of HLH pg 6

Fork: The assumed proportion of sawlogs in the final harvests has been revised downward. This approach, though less conservative, (Editors Note: Less Conservative means more carbon credits to sell and less usable lumber production.) is also more accurate as it is based on actual observations of tree form in 12 inventory plots at the planting site and projections made on the actual future density of 4m sawlogs. The auditor observed during the field audit that the original assumption of sawlog density was likely overestimated based on the somewhat frequent occurrence of poorly formed koa.  Audit of HLH pg 7

2) Koa Price Growth: 1000% -- 2000% -- or Nothing?

120%? -- even by the most ultra-conservative estimates, koa prices rise (sic) more than 120% in the past 5 years  Jeff Dunster, HLH Newsletter, October, 2014

or is it 1000%? -- The rate of increase in tropical hardwood prices has averaged 13% per year since records started being kept in 1972. To remain conservative, we have based our estimates on the more conservative value of the 6-7% annual price increase that has been documented for lumber in general by the forest industry over the last 100 years. In the case of tropical hardwoods, this is very conservative. The limited range of koa was a major consideration. Demand and limited supply has resulted in a price increase of almost 1000% in just the last 10 years.  HLH Co. Projections

or is it 2000%? -- The price of Koa has risen more than 1000% in the last ten years and more than 2000% in the last twenty years.  LegacyTrees.org (an HLH website)

or is it 1%? -- The developer has made several corrections and updates to the investment comparison analysis in response to this CAR. This includes  An increase in the assumed stumpage price for Koa of 1% per year, as compared to the 0% annual increase originally submitted in the first version of the analysis.  Audit of HLH pg 7

3) Will $53 Sustain HLH for 150 Years?

Sustain for 150 years? --  the annual revenue generated from the sale of carbon is enough to maintain the company three times over. In other words, this 50-year project will sustain HLH for the next 150 years. Along with carbon sales, the proceeds of the lumber collected from any dead trees after year 25 is enough to sustain this forest indefinitely.  DBEDT, May 23, 2017

Only worth $53? -- under the most plausible scenario that the Net Present Value ( NPV ) of the project activity is $53.00. -- Audit of HLH pg 8

Negative net worth? -- The NPV of the Native restoration/timber production forestry scenario is --$1,113,331. This unprofitable result is reasonable given that the majority of the planting area is dedicated to conservation forestry that generates no meaningful income. -- Audit of HLH pg 41

Environment-Hawaii in 2012 points out :

Estimates of the volume of lumber taken from HLH stands at the end of the 25-year investment cycle were more than an order of magnitude more than what we observe on a neighboring ranch, said J.B. Friday, a University of Hawaii extension service forester and one of the authors of several studies on koa growth trends.  The most recent figure I published was 7,000 board feet per acre And they [HLH] project 77,900 board feet per acre.

In a biographical sketch posted on the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative website, Dunster describes his stock-brokerage days :

When I was too young to know any better, I became a stock broker, and later, a partner in a brokerage firm with offices stretching from Honolulu to Dusseldorf. After retiring from the securities business in 1990, I began a small Mergers & Acquisitions consulting company with my longtime friend and business partner, Darrell Fox. Over the years, we have had the privilege of consulting for more than two dozen companies worldwide and from many diverse industries. Our expertise in the inner workings of public companies even allowed us the privilege of heading two large shareholder actions in which we successfully removed entrenched corrupt management and restored fiscal controls back to the shareholders.

Not quite.

According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Dunster worked in the late 1980s for three Honolulu penny stock brokeragesall subsequently expelled from FINRA. As a result, Dunster was suspended by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) August 7, 1989, and then lost his securities licenses, July 17, 1990, when he failed to pay $75,000 in fines.

Dunster and Fox were involved 2001-02 in two shareholder actions Seedling Technologies Corporation v. Komatsu Investments, LTD and Stocktrans Inc v. Dunster represented in Portland Federal Court by lawyer Dubin . The litigation began with a lawsuit filed by penny stock shell company Seedling Technologies against several of Dunsters Cook Islands corporations and Synergistic Connections, Inc , a Delaware corporation owned by Fox. At dispute, the penny-stock touting agreement Dunster and Fox were supposed to implement on behalf of Seedling. The litigation ended after Seedling became insolvent and stopped responding to the Court.

Cooked Up or Big in Japan?

Synergistic would later pop up as co-owner of two HLH-related corporations before Fox shed the shell in favor of his current Hawaii-registered vehicle, the Japanese-eponymous for-profit corporation, Kitsune Sangha, Inc . When the Panama Papers became worldwide news in 2016, the real Komatsu Group in Japan issued a news release explaining it had no connection at all to one of Dunsters Cook Island companies, Komatsu Investments Limited .

Lawyer Dubin also represented Dunster, 1997-98, in the second of three Dunster divorces. Then, just as Dunsters third divorce went to trial in 2007, one of Dunsters Cook Island trusts, Coelho Way Corp , sold Dunsters $4M Nuuanu home for $1,000 to Nuu Corporation , a Nevada corporation owned by then-Dubin Law Firm attorney Long Vu . A few days later , Nuu Corp re-sold the home for $1,000 to another Nevada corporation, Greentree Properties, LLC , whose sole listed Managing Member is Dubin.

One year later, Dunsters JV Recovery LLC received ownership of a Mililani condominium as part of a scheme which eventually cost Dubin his mortgage license.

Current records indicate Dunster still lives in the Nuuanu home. Several of his companies are registered at his home address. According to Oahu TMK records, Dubins Greentree still holds titleencumbered by $2.5M in mortgages--and owes property taxes totaling $67,463 for 2017 and 2018.

Bizarrely, neither Dunster nor Fox has ever made a Hawaii campaign contribution, according to the Hawaii CSC database .

---30---

Background:(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged an Indianapolis-based investment advisory firm and its sole owner with selling approximately $13 million of high-risk securities to more than 120 advisory clients  many of whom are current or former teachers or other workers in public education  without disclosing that the firm and its owner stood to receive commissions of up to 18 percent from the sales.

The SECs complaint alleges that from December 2012 to October 2016, Steele Financial Inc. and Tamara Steele sold to advisory clients and other investors more than $15 million of the securities of Behavioral Recognition Systems Inc. (BRS), a private company previously charged with fraud by the SEC. All told, Steele and Steele Financial received commissions of cash and warrants from BRS that were worth more than $2.5 million. Steele and Steele Financial allegedly targeted their own advisory clients who generally did not invest in individual stocks, selling more than 120 clients approximately $13 million of BRS securities without disclosing that the defendants were receiving commissions from BRS. The complaint further alleges that the defendants created false invoices and took other steps to conceal their involvement selling BRS securities.

We allege that Steele took advantage of her own advisory clients, including clients whom she herself described as two-pension, two Social Security families, said Antonia Chion, Associate Director of the SECs Division of Enforcement. Investment advisers must put their clients interests ahead of their own and make full and fair disclosure of financial conflicts of interest.

The SECs complaint, filed in federal district court in Indiana, charges the defendants with violating the antifraud and broker-dealer registration provisions of the federal securities laws. The SEC is seeking disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with interest, penalties, and permanent injunctions.

The investigation has been conducted by Peter Fielding and Joseph Griffin and supervised by George Bagnall, Stacy Bogert and Antonia Chion. The litigation will be led by Gregory Bockin and Kevin Lombardi and will be supervised by Cheryl Crumpton.

###

Related Materials

SEC Complaint

Saving and Investing Resources for TeachersA BUTCHER who once sold Rod Stewart a Christmas turkey is celebrating half a century in the trade.

Terry Colby joined Gabriel Machin in Market Place, Henley, as an apprentice in 1968 when he was still a teenager.

He had left the Piggott School in Wargrave at age 15 to start earning a wage but wasnt sure what he wanted to do.

Then he took a part-time job at Machins and enjoyed it so much that he went full-time.

The shop, which was then owned by the Marett family, was a traditional butchers.

But when Colin Marett, who later married Mr Colbys sister Linda, took charge he expanded the business to sell other produce, such as fish and cheese.

Mr Colby, now 65, would cycle to work from home every morning.

He recalled: I dont know if I did want to go into it but I had six sisters and a brother so I had to go out in to the world and bring some money in.

I was a Saturday boy at Jennings in Wargrave and because my sister was going out with the son of the owner of Gabriel Machin I became a Saturday boy there too. Then they offered me a job and I found that I loved it. I enjoyed learning the skills  there was so much to it. I learned from people who really knew what they were doing and I loved having the skills.

When my brother-in-law Colin took it over we developed the shop together. He had lots of ideas and we changed the place.

 Over the years we added to the shop, including fish, which was a great success.

Mr Colby, who lives in Peppard Lane, Henley, with wife Jeanette, remained at Machins for 38 years.

He said: People would ask how I could stay there all that time but I was helping to create something  it was great. In 2006 he was offered the chance to buy Gabriel Machin by Mr Marett but instead decided to leave after being approached by a customer who wanted to open a farm shop in Stadhampton.

This venture did not work out but Mr Colby joined another new farm shop in Wallingford.

He worked there for six years before buying the business in 2015 and setting up Wallingford Butchers with Tom Orpwood.

Mr Colby said: When I left Gabriel Machin I didnt realise how much it was going to affect me. I had helped build it and when I left I was pining for it. Im quite fortunate that Ive made something in Wallingford now.

During his years at Machins, he served rock musicians and TV stars.

I have met some lovely people, he said. Because of the area we are in Ive served lots of celebrities. Once I sold Rod Stewart a Christmas turkey. I was in the shop alone and when he was in there you could feel the atmosphere.

We also used to have a lot of people filming things. Antony Worrall Thompson was in the shop a few times filming The Good Food Show.

Mr Crosby said he had seen the trade change since he began work. People used this type of shop much more in those days as supermarkets werent what they are now, he said.

Gabriel Machin was extremely busy and I can remember the queues out of the door on Fridays and Saturdays.

With the high street suffering, more people are going online now and weve added that, too, over the last six months. We use social media  if you cant beat them, join them!

Mr Colby marked his 50th anniversary by recreating his daily bike ride from Wargrave to Henley.

He said: Back then, three of us would cycle in at 7.30am. You couldnt do it now, its so different.

I wanted to do it again on the Monday that would have been exactly 50 years but I was working so I went on the Sunday.

We drove over and then I cycled back to Henley. It was a wonderful day and I had some friends who met me at home for a champagne brunch. I had to do it but it was a shame I couldnt get in touch with the other two chaps.

My Colby isnt planning to hang up his apron until hes 70.

He said: I love the work and Ive got more enthusiasm than anyone else in the shop. Im up at 5.30am and get home at 6.30pm. I really enjoy it.Egypts justice minister accepted on Sunday a resignation submitted by the head of the countrys forensic medicine authority and appointed an interim head to carry out the daily duties.

In a statement reported by the Al-Ahram Arabic news website, justice minister Hossam Abdel-Reheem accepted the resignation from the forensics authoritys Hisham Abdel Hamid, and appointed Soaad Hassan as the new head until she reaches retirement age.

The reasons behind Hamids resignation, who has held the post since January 2016, remains unclear; however several Egyptian media reports quoted Hisam saying that an absence of a healthy work environment and full powers which enables me to carry out my duties played into the decision.

Abdel Hamid, who was once the spokesman of the authority, is best known for his investigations related to slain Italian student Guilio Regeni in 2016, and more recently, investigations related to the death of two British tourists in Red Sea resort of Hurghada in late August.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

AN old air base could be converted into a training centre for bodyguards, private investigators and police and military personnel.

Former serviceman Damion Morphy is seeking planning permission to build a large, steel-framed barn at the former RAF Woodcote site in Goring Heath to hold courses in skills such as self-defence, close protection, covert surveillance and search techniques.

His company, Advanced Tactical Resources, also teaches counter-surveillance and search techniques, evasive driving, camouflage and concealment, martial arts, photographing targets with long-range cameras and digital data collection.

It currently operates from a site off the B471 at Whitchurch Hill.

The barn would be 32ft tall, about 115ft long and located at the southern edge of the site, away from the main road and bordering the Camelid Veterinary Services clinic, which opened at a disused barracks on a neighbouring plot in 2016.

It would be made to look like a farm building and trees and hedges would be planted around the perimeter.

An earth mound to the north of the site, in front of the main entrance, would screen it from view. The plan also includes five huts that would be used for overnight accommodation for up to 10 people.

These would replace five Nissen huts that served the air base, which was decommissioned in 1959 and was later used as a poultry farm but has been derelict since 2011.

The remains of the bases washblock would be refurbished to form communal toilets and showers while the fire station would serve as a second training centre with classrooms, storage, a kitchen and office.

Mr Morphys agent Marc Willis has told South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, that the site was no longer fit for agricultural use because of the cost of removing the hard-standing and a number of old farm vehicles.

The training centre would bring the land back into gainful use instead of being a magnet for fly-tipping and would create jobs for cleaners, caterers, groundsmen, handymen and instructors, about five of whom would be directly employed.

Mr Willis said: The site presents a spacious and fairly unique location for security training courses to be conducted, benefiting from being in a rural setting and screened from the hamlet of Goring Heath by pockets of woodland to the east.

As a result, there is very little scope for having a negative impact on local residential amenity. Indeed, the nearest residential properties are located more than 140m from the eastern boundary.

The site, if left in its current condition, has very little scope for contributing to the rural economy. The former use for keeping poultry makes only a very modest contribution to the rural economy in comparison to that proposed, with fewer direct and secondary employment opportunities.

The proposed scheme is a sustainable and innovative redevelopment solution for a disused brownfield site which has fallen into a dilapidated state.

Goring Heath Parish Council has recommended that the application is turned down.

Chairman Peter Dragonetti said: Its inappropriate because of its scale and the fact that its a commercial development in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The site had been a farm for many years so we dont see why theres a problem restoring it to that use. Its easy to let a site become ugly then claim a completely different usage is the only alternative but that shouldnt be an excuse.

[This] massive great warehouse building would look out of place and goes against planning policy on rural businesses because its a new venture. It would be one thing if an existing company was successful and needed to expand but that is not the case here.

Ultimately, we cant see any difference between this proposal and a warehouse or any other industrial usage.

Mr Morphy, a former army corporal who won a Queens Commendation for bravery in 2008, did not want to comment.

Advanced Tactical Resources also offers consultancy on high net worth asset protection and sells security and surveillance products to law enforcement and military agencies, including tracking beacons, encrypted mobile handsets, stun guns and night vision lenses.

South Oxfordshire District Council will decide the application by November 1.

RAF Woodcote, also known as 70MU, was built in 1941 and served as an equipment distribution depot and housed German prisoners during the Second World War. It was eventually deemed surplus to requirements by the Ministry of Defence.Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of ZimbabweThe presidential aide for national and strategic projects, Sherif Ismail, delivered a message on Sunday from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari.

In his message, Sisi stressed the importance of boosting bilateral relations across all fields, Egyptian Ambassador in Nigeria Abuja Assem Hanafy said in a statement.

He added that Ismail is currently paying a visit to Nigeria, one of the stops on his African tour which will also take him to Gabon.

Hanafy noted that the message discussed Egypt's readiness to provide its expertise to meet Nigerian needs, particularly in the field of infrastructure.

The message also touched on Cairo's willingness to cooperate with Abuja across various industries, especially in the agriculture and medical domains, the ambassador said.

Ismail renewed President Sisi's invitation to Buhari to lead a high-level delegation of Nigerian senior officials and businessmen to mull over investment potentials in Egypt.

Sisi also reiterated his enthusiasm regarding Buhari's participation in the second edition of the World Youth Forum, slated for 3-6 November in Sharm El-Sheikh, as well as partaking in the Intra-African Trade Fair, due to be held on 11-17 December in Cairo.

The presidential aide also met with the Nigerian foreign minister to discuss ways of boosting bilateral cooperation and coordination, particularly since Egypt will chair the African Union in 2019.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Desperate fighting south of Sharpsburg ultimately decided the Battle of Antietam

Accounts of the bloodiest one-day battle in American historythe Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862tend to focus on the morning and midday fighting in the northern areas of the battlefield: the attacks by Union troops under Joseph Hooker, Joseph K.F. Mansfield, and Edwin V. Sumner against Stonewall Jacksons and James Longstreets corps, and the fierce struggles in the Cornfield, West Woods, and the Sunken Road. Yet the desperate and ultimately decisive fighting on the southern portion of the Antietam battlefield too often is either unfairly swept over with a few cursive sentences or ignored altogether, usually with dismissive conclusions such as General A.P. Hill arrived late that afternoon and ensured the Confederates an opportunity to fight another day. That hardly reflects what happened during some of the most brutal, bloody combat to take place the entire day. Although many historians accounts of the battle wrap up shortly after Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside finally makes his way across Antietam Creek on the bridge that will ultimately bear his name, plenty of critical fighting remained.

U ntil late in the afternoon of September 17, 1862, General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia and Maj. Gen. George B. McClellans Army of the Potomac had fought to a stalemate around Sharpsburg, Md. The combat that day had unfolded generally from north of town to the south, with Federal attempts to break Lees strong defensive lines ending mostly with frustration. Even with superior numbers, McClellan was unable to get the best of Lees veterans.

The area over which the battles final attacks were madethe southern end of the battlefieldwas much different than other areas because of the undulating terrain. The northern end of the battlefield, principally the land north of the Boonsboro Pike, is gently rolling. To the south, however, the terrain is very rough and broken. Deep ravines run through this section, and the main Confederate defensive line here at all points was perched 4070 feet higher than the attacking Federal forces. The terrain south of the Boonsboro Pike played just as large a role in stopping the Union advance during the afternoon as did the Confederate defenders.

Entrusted to hold this section of the Rebel line was Brig. Gen. David R. Jones, whose division comprised brigades under Brig. Gen. Richard Garnett, Colonel Joseph Walker (Jenkins Brigade), Brig. Gen. Thomas Drayton, Brig. Gen. James Kemper, and Brig. Gen. Robert Toombs. Jones also had 28 pieces of artillery at his disposal. The northern end of his line rested on the Boonsboro Pike and ran southwest toward the Harpers Ferry Road.

Two of Jones brigades had already been in action: Toombs Georgians and a few dismounted South Carolina cavalrymen, numbering about 500 men. They were initially positioned above Burnside Bridge (known at the time as the Lower Bridge) as well as overlooking Snavelys Ford, guarding these two crossings over the creek. Toombs men were forced to fall back from these positions after a staunch three-hour defense that began about 10 a.m. Garnett and his five Virginia regiments were located on the north end of Jones line, just south of the Boonsboro Pike. It was on this sector of the field that a small detachment of the Union 5th CorpsGeorge Sykes Regularscrossed the Middle Bridge at about 12:30 p.m. Garnetts men were under constant fire from the long-range Union artillery east side of the creek, as well as the advancing infantry, but they held their ground unflinchingly until late in the day before finally being forced to abandon their position.

Lees use of his interior lines throughout the morning fighting was one of the keys to his successful defense, but it is significant that he shifted no infantry support to Jones at any point. The only help Jones eventually received came from A.P. Hills men, who arrived on the field after a roughly 15-mile march from Harpers Ferry. Earlier, however, the remaining 12 guns of Colonel Stephen D. Lees Battalion arrived as artillery reinforcements, having withdrawn under heavy Union artillery fire from the Dunker Church area. Colonel Lees guns were repositioned at about 3 p.m. on the high ground east of Sharpsburg, stretching across the Boonsboro Turnpike.

Two divisions spearheaded the advance to the south made by General Burnsides 9th Corps. A third division was used to support the main assault. When the attack unfolded, it was 8,000 men strong, and the battle line was a daunting 1 mile long. On the north end of Burnsides line was the division of Brig. Gen. Orlando Wilcox, who had two brigades under his command: Colonel Benjamin Christs on the right, Colonel Thomas Welshs on the left.

Burnsides other division that assaulted the Confederate right was under the command of Brig. Gen. Isaac P. Rodman. It was his division that eventually gained the Confederate right flank, and it was also his division that was struck by Hills force as it arrived late in the afternoon. Under Rodman were the brigades of Colonels Harrison Fairchild and Edward Harland. Fairchilds command consisted of the 9th, 89th, and 103rd New York Infantry. Three Connecticut regiments and one from Rhode Island made up Harlands unit.

The division supporting Rodmans main line was the Kanawha Division, commanded by Colonel Eliakim P. Scammon, with two brigades composed entirely of Ohio regiments. In addition to long-range Union artillery on the eastern side of Antietam Creek, two batteries lent close-in support to this advance. Positioned on a ridge between the Otto Farm Lane and the staging area of Fairchilds brigade were batteries commanded by Captain Joseph Clark and Captain George Durell.

Rodman moved forward a little before 4:30 p.m. with about 2,000 men. Fairchilds brigade numbered approximately 950 men, the 9th on the right, followed by the 103rd, and then the 89th. Leading Harlands brigade was the 8th Connecticut, followed by the 16th Connecticut, and then the 4th Rhode Island. (The 11th Connecticut was not part of the advance because it had been engaged earlier at the Lower Bridge.)

The entire attack was made in echelon, beginning with Christ on the far right working southward toward Harland. As the long blue line advanced, the Confederate artillerywith command of the terrainopened fire. Wrote Christ: [A] battery on my left which commanded my whole line from left to right, [opened] and for thirty minutes we were under a most severe fire of round shot, shell, grape, and canister, and suffered severely. Eventually Christs and Welshs brigades drove the Confederate defenders from their front westward into the streets of Sharpsburg.

Recalled Garnett: I discovered that the Federals had turned our extreme right, which began to give way, and a number of Yankee flags appeared on the hill in rear of the town and not far from our only avenue of escapethe main street of the town was commanded by the Federal artillery. My troops, therefore, passed for the most part, to the north of the town along the cross-streets.

After lying under devastating Confederate artillery fire for some time, Rodman observed Wilcoxs division moving on the right. At this point, he sent orders to his subordinates to begin their attack.

Fairchilds brigade, moved through the Otto Farm Lane and down into numerous deep ravines. Its target was approximately 800 yards in fronta bold elevation crowned with a few pieces of Confederate artillery. Fairchilds men also had to cross a plowed field, as well as at least five separate fence lines. In addition, the 89th New York, on the brigades left, had to advance through what was known as the Lower or Forty Acre Cornfield.

Throughout this advance, the brigade commander used the deep swales to halt and dress his ranks before cresting the next ridge in view of the Confederate artillery to his front. A thin skirmish line pestered the Union soldiers as they advanced, but at this point it was still the artillery doing most of the damage to the New Yorkers.

Waiting atop steep embankments, just out of view of the attacking Federals, were Kemper and Draytons Confederate brigades, totaling about 590 men. Shortly before Fairchilds men reached the bold elevation, the Confederates were thrown to the crest of the ridge, Drayton behind a stone wall and Kemper using protection offered by a stout rail fence. At this point, the Rebel batteries of Captains J.S. Brown and James Reilly began moving back toward the town.

As Fairchilds New Yorkers crested the hill at the double quick, they came under devastating fire from the Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia troops. The 9th New York felt the brunt of this fire and its colors went down, only to be picked up and borne aloft for a few short seconds before being knocked down again and again. Eventually Lieutenant Sebastian Meyers and Captain Lawrence Leahy each picked up a blood-stained banner and encouraged the 9th to press forward. Every man who could continue sprang to his feet and charged the stone fence protecting Draytons men. A sharp hand-to-hand struggle ensued in which the defenders were driven from their position. The 9th New York, which now numbered about 100 men, was halted and rallied by Lt. Col. Edgar Kimball.

T o the south of this struggle, the 89th New York was also having success. As the regiment crested the ridge, a volley delivered by the 17th Virginia, Kempers Brigade, cut a tremendous swath through their line. The New Yorkers staggered, but returned fire and stood their ground. The six-rail fence the Virginians were behind helped to absorb many of the Yankee bullets sent their way, but it was only a matter of time before the small band was driven from the field. Colonel Montgomery Corse of the 17th Virginia wrote of the uneven fight: We put into the fight but 46 enlisted men and 9 officers7 officers and 24 men were killed and wounded and 10 taken prisoners.

This engagement continued for about 10 minutes before the Confederates were driven into the south end of Sharpsburg. For lack of support, the 9th New York and 89th New York were soon forced to fall back.

The 103rd New York did not advance past the crest of the ridge. The rough terrain and the Confederate artillery had reduced the regiment to a skeleton squad. By the end of the day, Fairchilds brigade had suffered more casualties than any other Union brigade in the battle in a little more than a half-hour of fighting455 of 940 killed, wounded, or missing (48 percent).

As the attack by Harlands brigade, advancing to the south of Fairchild, got under way, a series of events prevented it from lending any strength to Rodmans advance. Stated Harland in his after-action report:

When the order was given by Gen. Rodman to advance, [it] started promptly. The Sixteenth Connecticut and the Fourth Rhode Island, both of which regiments were in a cornfield, apparently did not hear my order.This delay on the left placed the Eighthconsiderably in the advance of the rest of the brigade.

The 16th Connecticut and the 4th Rhode Island were in the Forty Acre Cornfield and, to make matters worse, it was the 16ths first battle. The complications of attempting to maneuver a regiment in a tall cornfield over uneven terrain was a daunting task, but as this regiment had had no military training until late August, it proved nearly impossible for its colonel, Francis Beach.

The 16th prepared to go into battle behind the ridge where Clark and Durells batteries were positioned and came under galling artillery fire. While the 8th continued to advance, the other two regiments floundered in the cornfield. Harland, riding with the 8th, asked Rodman if he

should go back and bring the other regiments forward. [Rodman] ordered me to advance the Eighth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, Harland wrote, and he would hurry up the Sixteenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers and the Fourth Rhode Island volunteers. A gap of more than 600 yards opened between the 8th and the 16th. It was through this gap that the Confederate reinforcements under A.P. Hill pounced.

The 8th Connecticut encountered many of the same terrain problems as Fairchilds men and also came under fire from the Pee Dee Artillery, commanded by Captain David McIntoshone of the first units of Hills Division to arrive from Harpers Ferry. Despite taking significant casualties, the 8th pressed on. As the regiment crested the ridge, which by this point had been vacated by the 9th and 89th New York, now moving in the direction of Sharpsburg, one company saw an opportunity to move toward McIntosh. Hills main body, however, had arrived on the field. The general had placed his men along Millers Saw Mill Road in perfect position to strike the exposed Federal far left flank. Letting loose the feared Rebel Yell, Brig. Gen. Lawrence OBryan Branchs North Carolinians moved directly at the 8th Connecticut.

With Branchs attack under way, another of Hills brigades, commanded by Brig. Gen. Maxcy Gregg, struck the end of the Union line in the Forty Acre Cornfield. Turns out the 16th Connecticut was in perhaps the worst spot on the field. It had advanced across the Otto Farm Lane into the northeast part of the cornfield and then to the bottom of a ravine. From this spot, visibility was extremely poor, due to the tall corn and the sharply rising terrain. Shortly after arriving in this position, Colonel Beach sent out skirmishers, who advanced to the edge of the high ground near the southwest corner. The 16th was at this point moving in almost the opposite direction of the 8th because of the confusion created by the terrain and the tall corn.

Rodman, on high ground with the 8th, was able to view Greggs Brigade preparing to move into the cornfield, and could see his division was in danger of being flanked. Shortly after he sent word to Beach to swing his men to the left to meet the attack, Rodman was wounded. Though with restricted visibility, Beachs inexperienced unit eventually completed the difficult maneuver.

The 1st and 12th South Carolina, both part of Greggs command, moved into the southwest edge of the cornfield. They drove back a skirmish line sent forward by Beach and continued to move deeper into the corn. The South Carolinians were forced to halt momentarily, and then the 12th, under Colonel Dixon Barnes, charged down into the ravine upon the Connecticut troops position. The 16ths green soldiers were able to fire in response and repulsed the 12ths charge, without assistance from the 4th Rhode Island, which had just moved in on the 16ths left. For a few short minutes, it appeared this southern anchor of the Union line would hold.

A Close Call Confederate Brigadier General Maxcy Gregg was surveying the field with some staff officers during a lull in the action when he was struck in the hip by a bullet. While awaiting the arrival of the stretcher bearers, he began to delegate messages and orders to his staff officers. Upon their arrival and further investigation by the medics, Gregg was informed that the bullet did not penetrate his skin. Relieved and with renewed vigor, he promptly returned to the saddle and rode off. The next morning at breakfast, Gregg pulled out his handkerchief and while in the process of unfolding it a deformed bullet dropped to the ground. Gregg survived with only a bruise. Brian Baracz

After firing a few volleys, the 4th Rhode Island was ordered to cease fire for fear it was targeting Union soldiers across its front. But those Union soldiers turned out to be Confederates of the 1st South Carolina (Provisional Army), lending support. which had moved in on the right of the 12th to lend support. Yet the 1st was on the verge of running out of ammunition and started to fall back through the cornfield when the final element of Greggs Brigade, the 1st South Carolina Rifles, moved forward on the 4th Rhode Islands flank.

The thin line of men from Connecticut was charged again by the 12th South Carolina, forcing them and the Rhode Islanders to retreat. What had been the Union anchor was no more.

Meanwhile, higher on the ridge near the Harpers Ferry Road, more of Hills reinforcements moved onto the field. Confederate Colonel James H. Lane, who took command of the brigade after Branch was killed later in the fighting, wrote in his after-action report: [T]he brigade moved nearly at right angleson the enemys flank. The enemy flank was the 8th Connecticuts, just on the other side of a narrow cornfield. When the 37th and 7th North Carolina, part of Branchs Brigade, burst out of the cornfield, they were suddenly less than 150 yards away. Those two regiments fire, combined with that of McIntoshs guns and the remnants of Jones Division on the Harpers Ferry Road, forced the 8th Connecticut to fall back. The 8th had lost almost half of its unit attempting to turn the Confederate flank: 34 killed and 139 wounded.

By this time, Rodmans division was retreating back toward Antietam Creek. Farther to the north, the ground gained by Wilcoxs division was also relinquished because the Union left had crumbled; therefore, any attempt to move toward the Confederate line would expose the Union left even further to a Confederate flank attack.

The Kanawha Division was sent forward to lend support. On the right, Crooks brigade (the 11th, 28th, and 36th Ohio) advanced, but halted in the vicinity of the Otto House. Meanwhile, on the opposite end of Rodmans once-solid line, Ewings brigade (consisting of the 12th, 23rd, and 30th Ohio) was thrown forward.

As the 23rd and 30th Ohio advanced, the 12th remained back on the ridge that Clark and Durells batteries had earlier occupied. The 30th halted in the northwest corner of the Forty Acre Cornfield, facing west behind a stone wall, with the 23rd behind the same stone wall, on the 30ths right.

As soon as the Ohioans reached the wall, they attempted to cover the 8th Connecticuts retreat by firing at the flank of the 7th and 37th North Carolina, forcing those regiments to move west toward the Harpers Ferry Road. That diversion lasted for only a short period. Hills final brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. James J. Archer, soon crested the ridge on the Harpers Ferry Road and deployed into a battle line. Although Archer was extremely ill and had ridden to the battlefield in an ambulance, he gathered enough strength to lead his men into the fightthough fewer that 400 were available by the time he reached the field.

Archer deployed skirmishers and then, after some confusion, advanced his main line eastward through a narrow field of corn, adjacent to the Harpers Ferry Road. The brigade, accompanied by some of Toombs men, then charged 300 yards downhill to attack the stone wall protecting the 23rd and 30th Ohio. Subsequent attacks by the 7th and 37th North Carolinas as well as Greggs pesky South Carolinians had the Ohioans all but surrounded. The Federal regiments somehow got away and made their way through the Forty Acre Cornfield. A tattered group of Ohio and Connecticut soldiers made a brief stand, but that was all.

Commanders from both sides attempted to shore up their weak and weary lines. Branch repositioned his brigade behind Archers along the stone wall bordering the Forty Acre Cornfield and then rode in the direction of the 12th South Carolina. As he raised his field glasses to inspect the Union line, a bullet crashed through the glasses, killing him instantly.

T he Union advance on the southern end of the field tends to get overlooked, but clearly the Battle of Antietam did not end with the engagement at Burnside Bridge. Tellingly, it was neither the Irish Brigade nor the Iron Brigade that sustained the highest Union brigade casualty rate in the battle. Rather, it was Harrison Fairchilds New Yorkers who fought on this southern area of the battlefield.

Preserving Our Civil War History Until the early 2000s, a large land tract on the southern end of Antietam National Battlefield was privately owned. The only way to view this section of the field was by driving along the auto tour route. But in July 2003, a deal between a local family and the National Park Service added more than 140 acres to this section of the battlefield. This acquisition added the land over which Rodmans division attacked on the late afternoon of the battle, and now this unfairly neglected area of the Antietam battlefield can be studied up close by Civil War students and historians. Brian Baracz

Brian Baracz, a first-time contributor to Americas Civil War, has been a Park Ranger at Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Md., since 2000. Among his previously published work are articles on Civil War Generals George S. Greene and Bradley T. Johnson.A century ago, the U.S. Army Air Service embarked on its first major air campaign, presaging the combined-arms assaults to follow.

The air campaign at St. Mihiel, France, in September 1918 was among the most important events in the history of U.S. military aviation. It was then-Col. William Billy Mitchells show, wrote historian John W. Huston. He put together the largest air force ever committed to battle and drew up the plan for its employment. Remarkably, considering the reputation he acquired after World War I for criticizing fellow military leaders, Mitchell successfully cobbled together the bulk of those air assets from three other Allied nations.

Only about 600 of the nearly 1,500 aircraft that participated in the Battle of St. Mihiel were flown by Americans in U.S. units. Whats more, fewer than 50 of those 600 airplanes were American-made, the othersmostly reconnaissance Salmsons, Breguet bombers and pursuit Spadshaving been obtained from France. The remaining 900 machines were flown by French, British and Italian pilots. Interestingly, the Royal Air Force componentAirco and Handley Page single- and multi-engine bomberswas never actually under direct U.S. control, but because of the smooth cooperation between Mitchells staff and the British, that never became a problem. While American air strength would increase steadily between the St. Mihiel campaign and the Armistice two months later, never again during WWI would so much air power be amassed for any single battle.

Billy Mitchell was born into privilege in 1879, the scion of a prominent and wealthy Wisconsin family. His grandfather Alexander was a banker, railroad financier and U.S. Congressman. His father John was a U.S. Senator who had served as a first lieutenant in the Civil War.

In 1898 Mitchell entered the U.S. Army as a private, and for the next 18 years served in the infantry and Signal Corps. He was a latecomer to the flying game, receiving his pilots license in 1916, when he was 35 years old. By that time hed already made a name for himself with the Army General Staff in Washington, D.C. His gifts as a soldier combined with his patrician background, superb horsemanship and natural social skills opened many doors for him. As late as 1913, he was still committed to the infantry and his beloved Signal Corps, believing that the airplane was only useful as a reconnaissance tool.

Mitchell openly fought efforts to keep the fledgling Aeronautical Division from splitting away from the Signal Corps. In this he was joined by a number of other future air leaders, including 1st Lt. Henry H. Hap Arnold. By 1916, however, Mitchell had completely reversed himself, becoming a zealous advocate of offensive air power under a separate Air Service.

Four days after the U.S. entered the war on April 6, 1917, then-Major Mitchell fortuitously found himself in Paris with a handful of other American military observers. On April 22, Mitchell wangled a trip to the front. That evening he wrote in his diary: This has been one of the most important days of my life.I have seen the manner this war is made without the actual experience.I have been up in the front line trench during an attack. Flying as an observer with a French pilot on the 24th, Mitchell became the first U.S. Army officer to fly over German lines. During the next few months, his knowledge of French and the ease with which he moved in Parisian social and political circles paved the way for him to become a prominent Allied air power advocate. He soon convinced American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) commander General John J. Pershing that he knew what he was talking about. In May he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, in October to full colonel.

Mitchells organizational and aerial war-making abilities fully matured during the agonizingly long buildup and training of American forces from mid-1917 to mid-1918. After a careful review of the static trench warfare and resultant human slaughter of the previous three years, Mitchell concluded that a new offensive approach was imperative if the Allies were ever to break the stalemate. He noted the rapid technological advances that Britain and France had made since 1914 in both single-seat fighters and heavy bombers. When war first broke out, airplanes had a top speed of 65 mph and a maximum range of 200 miles. Three years later, pursuit ships were approaching 120 mph and the new multi-engine bombers could cruise at 85 mph with a 650-mile range. Just around the corner were such advanced long-range British bombers as the twin-engine Vickers Vimy and the four-engine Handley Page V/1500, both of which were expected to be available by early winter 1918. Mitchell realized that with such machines even Berlin could be bombed from aerodromes in England. He became convinced that airplanes in great numbers were key to the Allied ground armies finally overwhelming Germanys Western Front defenses.



The 11th Aero Squadron flew American-built de Havilland DH-4 bombers, powered by Liberty engines. (National Archives) The 11th Aero Squadron flew American-built de Havilland DH-4 bombers, powered by Liberty engines. (National Archives)

The year leading up to September 1918 was a time of great uncertainty regarding the character and mission of what would become the U.S. Army Air Service (USAS). Pershing and Mitchell wanted to bring the fight directly to the enemy and advocated for a strategic air force of both fighters and bombers, while war leaders in Washington, thoroughly behind the times and with veto power over Pershing, insisted on concentrating aircraft production on light reconnaissance machines. Both approaches suffered from the lack of adequate ocean shipping to get any kind of airplanes to France.

Despite Mitchells best efforts and to his bitter disappointment, Woodrow Wilsons administration placed its highest priority on reconnaissance planes. As Alfred F. Hurley observed in his book Billy Mitchell, This decision started the production program in the wrong direction at a time when every moment was too precious to be wasted. Mitchell himself opined in his memoirs that it constituted one of the most serious blunders that has ever occurred in our military service.

Mitchell worked tirelessly with French officials and key AEF officers to make do with whatever equipment was provided to the U.S. flying service. In July 1918, Pershing, very much pleased with Mitchells efforts, named him chief of the Air Service, First Armythe top combat position. Mitchell promptly served notice that he intended to build an air fighting force so powerful he could blow up Germany. His mantra: massive concentrations of aircraft, strategic penetrations behind enemy lines to interdict men and equipment moving to the front, and forcing German fighters to engage with the much stronger Allied air forces. Any residual concerns before the battle about his commitment to the overall AEF objectives were swept away when he firmly declared that the Air Service of an Army is only one of its offensive arms. [Its role is to help] the other arms in their appointed mission.

Early on, Mitchell had become well known for his aggressive and often dangerous reconnaissance flights. While he was no more than an average pilot himself, even his Air Service enemies praised his courage and tactical skills. American pilot training had been another matter: Although there were plenty of volunteers, there just wasnt enough time to bring them up to true wartime standards. In April 1918, and probably against his better judgment (the French and British were screaming for Pershing to get his men into action), Mitchell felt compelled to declare the first American aero squadron sufficiently trained for combat. European air servicemen openly demurred, rightfully believing the Yanks were woefully inexperienced. Privately, Mitchell probably agreed, but there was really no choicethe war had reached its most crucial stage, and it was now or never for the Americans.

Mitchell believed his mens courage and elan would be the great equalizer. Furthermore, he knew his non-regulation uniforms and bon vivant lifestyle delighted the rank and file. Despite the appalling loss of life over the spring and summer in accidents and combat, his fliers never wavered in their willingness to follow him down the barrel of a cannon. And while Mitchells apparent laxity off-duty may have suggested sloth to outsiders, he was ruthless about maintaining strict ground and air discipline. He refused to ease up on his pilots, even after the death of his brother John in a flying accident. (This is war, Mitchell consoled his mother. It has to be kept up until one or the other breaks.) While the USAS quickly matured and the American airmen fought bravely, it would never field more than 650 planes in action (during the later fight at the Meuse-Argonne, the AEFs only other major battle).

In late summer 1918, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, supreme Allied commander, ordered Pershing to break the four-year stalemate along the St. Mihiel sector of the Western Front. Foch dispatched 110,000 French troops to support Pershings 550,000-man army in the ground assault. Mitchell was put in command of all Allied air forces in this combined air/ground assault. His job was to coordinate and blend air assets that eventually totaled 1,481 multi- and single-engine bomber and pursuit planes flown by American, British, French and Italian airmen. The orders went out to all air commanders: Attain air superiority and provide aggressive ground support along the entire battle line.

The three-day offensive at St. Mihiel, the initial stage of what would be the final assault against Imperial Germany, began on September 12. Over the next three days, wave after wave of Allied planes, in close cooperation with ground forces, never let up their unrelenting pressure on the German war machine. In retrospect, considering the remarkable success Hermann Goring and his Luftwaffe would have in combined air/ground lightning war a generation later, its tempting to conclude the Germans learned more from Mitchells stunning air offensive than did the Allies.



Soldiers of the AEF liberate what remains of a French town during the St. Mihiel offensive. (National Archives) Soldiers of the AEF liberate what remains of a French town during the St. Mihiel offensive. (National Archives)

Colonel Mitchell and his loosely organized staff of senior Allied airmen directed the battle in hands-on fashion. Mitchell took his cues from Pershing, acting in strict subordination to AEF needs in the ground fighting. The combined air forces600 American-piloted machines, 500 French fighters and bombers, the RAFs Independent Force of bombers and a handful of Italian Caproni trimotor bombersoperated within less than a 35-mile radius from the center of the assault. Although Germanys rather meager force of 243 aircraft included the highly experienced Fokker D.VII pilots of Jagdgeschwader II and Jagdstaffel 18, Mitchells air offensive ultimately overwhelmed them, delighting Pershing. With absolute control of the air, Pershings ground armies were able to smash through the St. Mihiel salient. Just days after the battle, Mitchell was promoted to brigadier general.

There was no stopping the Allied juggernaut. The Germans moved Jagdgeschwader I, the late Manfred von Richthofens famed Flying Circus fighter wing, into the sector and mounted another desperate defensive stand in the Meuse-Argonne, which set up the climactic battle on the Western Front. On October 15, Mitchell was given command of the entire USAS in France. He kept the pressure on, sending hundreds of Allied bombers behind the lines to strike strategic targets. During this short period, Mitchells men dropped half of all AEF bomb tonnage released during the entire war.

Regrettably, by the time the November 11 Armistice abruptly brought hostilities to an end, Mitchells ground commander peers had become jealous of his tremendous success. Fearful the glamorous airmen would claim too much credit for the victory, AEF officials produced after-action reports that seriously downplayed the important contribution the air services had made in the breakouts at St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne. As a result, Mitchells air campaign was never properly appreciated during the postwar period.

Mitchell was dismayed that other U.S military leaders did not share his vision of the vital role the airplane would play in future wars. This led him, unfortunately, to overplay his hand. During the early 1920s, his overreach in demanding an Air Service independent of the Army and his ceaseless bickering with Army and Navy leaders contributed to bitter interservice rivalries and the resultant decline in American military preparedness.



Mitchells 1921 sinking of the German battleship Ostfriesland demonstrated the vulnerability of capital ships to aerial attack. His criticism of other military leaders led to his court-martial in October 1925. (National Archives) Mitchells 1921 sinking of the German battleship Ostfriesland demonstrated the vulnerability of capital ships to aerial attack. His criticism of other military leaders led to his court-martial in October 1925. (National Archives)

Despite Mitchells famous 1921 sinking by air of the captured German battleship Ostfriesland, which vividly demonstrated how vulnerable the Navys surface vessels were to aerial bombardment, little was done between the wars to bolster Americas air assetts. Mitchells willful contentiousness ultimately led to his court-martial in October 1925. He was charged with violating the 96th Article of War, a catchall provision of military law that allowed an officer to be charged for any action of a nature to bring discredit upon the military service. Found guilty, he was suspended from duty and ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances for five years. Mitchell responded by tendering his resignation and retiring from the Army.

Mitchells warnings about the vulnerability of Pearl Harbor would soon be forgotten, most pointedly his prediction that Japan would attack Hawaii on a Sunday morning! The buildup of an American strategic bomber forcesomething he lobbied for the rest of his life (he died in 1936 at age 56)finally gained traction after the Japanese and German threats became too much to ignore in the late 1930s. By the time war broke out in 1939, the stalwarts of the future Eighth Air Force in Europethe B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberatorwere barely in production or still on the drawing board.

Mitchells genius was recognized only after it became clear how prophetic he had been. In 1942, in an acknowledgment of his contributions to air power, President Franklin Roosevelt posthumously promoted him to major general on the Army Air Forces retired list. In 1946 he was awarded a special Congressional Medal of Honor for outstanding pioneer service and foresight in the field of American military aviation. He is the only individual to have a U.S. military aircraft named after him, the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber.

Robert O. Harder served as a U.S. Air Force B-52 navigator-bombardier and civilian flight instructor. He suggests for further reading: Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power, by Alfred F. Hurley; Hostile Skies, by James J. Hudson; and The U.S. Air Service in World War 1: Vol. III, by the Air Force Research Historical Center.

This feature appeared in the September 2018 issue of Aviation History. To subscribe, click here! For more on Billy Mitchell, read William Billy Mitchell: Air Power Visionary from our September 1997 issue.Egypt welcomed on Monday the signing of a peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, the Egyptian foreign ministry announced.

On Sunday, Ethiopian Prime minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace agreement in Jeddah to end years of fighting.

According to the Egyptian foreign ministrys statement, the peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea is considered an important development for the Horn of Africa area as well as the whole continent as it ends long years of fighting between the two neighboring countries.

Egypt also expressed its appreciation for the effort of King Salman Bin Abdel Aziz of Saudi Arabia for sponsoring the peace agreement in Jeddah.

UN Secretary-General Antonino Guterres attended the signing of the agreement in Jeddah as well.

This is considered the second agreement the two African leaders have signed, as they signed a joint declaration of peace and friendship in July to start normalizing the relations between the two countries.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Lockheeds chief test pilot for the SR-71 Blackbird overcame numerous inflight emergencies during his career and never failed to bring an airplane back to earth.

In the early afternoon of December 22, 1964, Lockheeds legendary aircraft designer Clarence Kelly Johnson shook hands with his chief test pilot and wished him well. Robert J. Gilliland mounted the ladder and strapped into the cockpit of Johnsons finest creation, the yet-unnamed and untested SR-71 Blackbird. Few were present for its top-secret first flight, but all who were knew its importance in maintaining the United States supremacy in manned aviation amid the tensions of the Cold War. Following clearance for takeoff from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., Gilliland eased the Blackbird into the sky, taking it out to Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet and into the annals of aviation history.

Bob Gilliland would go on to personally fly each of the 32 Blackbirds built as they became operational, in the process logging more test flight hours at Mach 3 than any other pilot. The SR-71 would go down in history as the worlds fastest air-breathing manned aircraft.

Born in Memphis, Tenn., in 1926, Gilliland graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1949 with an engineering degree. He took a commission in the U.S. Air Force in order to immediately attend flight school, and in 1952 volunteered for a combat tour in Korea, flying 25 missions in Republic F-84 Thunderjets. After the Korean War, he was selected for the elite Air Force research and development team at Eglin AFB in Florida, piloting virtually every aircraft in the USAF inventory, including the groundbreaking Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. Gilliland used that experience as a springboard to become an F-104 instructor pilot for Lockheed, training such highly accomplished aviators as German World War II aces Gunther Rall and Johannes Steinhoff, as well as Canadian Wing Cmdr. Kenneth Lett and USAF Brig. Gen. John Dunning. During his time flying the F-104, he made five successful dead-stick landings, an impressive accomplishment considering the Starfighter was said to glide like a toolbox.



Gilliland volunteered to do a combat tour in 1952, flying Republic F-84 Thunderjets during the Korean War. (Courtesy Robert J. Gilliland/Robert J. Gilliland Jr.) Gilliland volunteered to do a combat tour in 1952, flying Republic F-84 Thunderjets during the Korean War. (Courtesy Robert J. Gilliland/Robert J. Gilliland Jr.)

Since I had flown the F-104 in various tests, I was in a position to be considered for the SR-71 programs, Gilliland said. The Starfighter had a very tiny wingonly seven feet from wing root to wingtip. It had the highest wing loading of any aircraft known to man. They used the F-104 on approach practices to simulate the X-15. It was the first aircraft to simultaneously hold the worlds altitude, speed and time-to-climb records. No other aircraft had achieved anything like that, and the F-104 still holds the low-altitude world speed record.

Gilliland made significant contributions to the SR-71s development. He met with Lockheed engineers on a regular basis, and briefed the original cadre of 10 Air Force pilots chosen to fly the new Mach 3 aircraft. Gilliland kept them informed of design developments and later personally checked them out in the SR-71. He also spent a lot of time with the engineers involved with the cockpit layout, which was a concern for him due to his 6-foot-3-inch frame. Before the cockpit mock-up was laid out, the necessary corrections were made to comfortably accommodate a 6-foot pilot. Years after the Blackbird became operational, many of those who flew it commented about how roomy and well designed the cockpit was.

Leading up to that first flight, we had to plan to do everything just like we were going to take off, except we did not take off, Gilliland recalled. When all the instruments checked out OK, I did a high-speed run down the runway, deploying the chute and testing the brakes, jettisoning the chute and taxiing back to the ramp. All the instruments had to be checked and double-checked by the engineers to make sure they were working properly.Once we were given the green light, I taxied out, went through all the procedures and then took off.

On that first flight, there were 379 open items yet to be resolved on the Article, as Kelly referred to it. Several of the rear seat panel instruments were mounted in the forward cockpit, since I would be the only pilot on the initial test flight. We had three chase planes [F-104s]. One of them was a single-seater and the other two were two-seaters with Lockheed photographers in the back seats. Their assignment was to record every detail of the flight. I told them not to fly too close because I was going to be so busy in the cockpit that I would not have the time to keep an eye on them or even talk to them on the radio.



The SR-71 prototype flies low over California. (Lockheed via Warren Thompson)

We were able to accomplish a lot on that first flight. I wore an orange flight suit instead of the usual moon suit, and kept the plane under 50,000 feet pursuant to the flight profile and insurance requirements. On subsequent test flights, we had this Velcro rig on our space suits, and we would have a list of items that we were going to dothings Kelly and I had previously agreed onand nothing more. That was professionalism at its best. The chief engineer would draw up a list, and if I agreed with him, both of use would sign it. If there were any items that were in dispute, we would get Kelly involved to give us a ruling. We actually never had any problems with this list because we all knew what had to be done.

Once everything checked out [during the flight], I would turn around and head back toward the base, then go supersonic. This allowed a safety factor in case you had emergencies while at supersonic speed, since you wouldnt have to worry about turning around. In the Blackbird turning around was extremely difficult at high speeds. This way, you had more time to focus on any emergency that might crop up.

The only significant emergency I experienced on that first flight happened as I was turning over the Sierra Nevada mountains and heading south again. As I was accelerating through Mach 1.2, this big red light on the instrument panel lit up, indicating that the canopy was unsafe. I came back to minimum burner just in case. Knowing the guys who had done such a great job designing the canopy, I figured it had to be just a low-pressure area, aerodynamically, coming over the canopy and it lifted the canopy just a bit, triggering one of the micro switches and causing the red light to come on. I thought about it for a few seconds and then added power again, all the while with the red warning light on. Of course, once you get back on the ground, the engineers come out of the woodwork and say, What do you think we put those warning lights there for anyway! (In this case, the warning light turned out to have resulted from an improperly wired switch.)

On the first flight, Gilliland continued, I kept climbing until I got up to 50,000 feet, and that was where my cut-off was. I had climbed up to this altitude at a healthy 1.5 Mach, and it didnt take long. It would be very difficult to describe in words the enormous power that the Blackbird had.

The first flight revealed a great number of things that had to be corrected or adjusted before the second flight could even be attempted. The aircraft and systems were so radically new that nothing could be taken for granted. Engineers who had an issue that needed to be addressed worked through official service bulletins, ensuring the problem was corrected before a date was set for the second flight.

As one might imagine, it took some time to work out all the Blackbirds bugs. There were several inflight emergencies on just about all of the test flights, Gilliland said. One time I lost both engines up at 85,000 feet. I could not get either one lit until I was down to about 12,000 feet. I was very close to punching out, and that would have been very dangerous for me because we had about a 30-knot wind on the ground. There is an old saying about shaking hands with a Joshua tree at 30 knots.

I had other emergencies, like one where I had an electrical failure and could not transfer any fuel. As you go supersonic, your center of gravity moves aft. Therefore, we try to design our center-of-gravity system so that the tanks aft of the pilot are used up in a special sequence. [That way] as we fly, to keep the ailerons trimmed up right and have minimum drag, the CG stays within the bounds where you can get the most range and efficiency from the airplane. If you fly around with the ailerons sticking up, it is like flying with your speed brakes out. The CG is automatically programmed, and if it doesnt work properly, the pilot gets in the loop and programs it.

We have to have the alternator working to run the fuel forward to tank no. 1this puts the CG within limits so that when we landed, we would have positive stability. It was very squirrelly to land and very hard to control because it tended to rear back like a praying mantis.

The Blackbird could not have attained its impressive speeds without the specially developed Pratt & Whitney J58 engine. The hybrid engines gave an outstanding level of performance and contributed heavily to the SR-71s image, Gilliland said. It was half turbojet and half ramjet; that is where it achieves its efficiency.With a turbojet, the faster it goes, its efficiency is reduced, and a ramjet is just the oppositethe faster you go, the greater the efficiency.[A]s we start going down in efficiency, then we go into bypass mode. You have to remember that we had to make this efficient or wed have no chance of getting the range we wanted. Kelly originally stated that he would be happy if we got a range of 1,200 nautical miles, and he ended up getting twice that! We did a lot of things trying to optimize range.The optimal design speed for the SR was 3.2 Mach. If you fly faster than that, you go at the cost of efficiency. If you go slower than 3.2 Mach, then you do that also at the cost of efficiency. The aircraft could move up to 3.5 Mach and still maintain good stability.

The SR-71 relied on speed and altitude to keep it safe from surface-to-air missiles and fighter interception. To understand why a Blackbird at maximum altitude and top speed was nearly impossible to shoot down, consider that its traveling faster than a .30-06 rifle bullet while a SAM must make a standing start, with a tremendous lead angle. The window of launch opportunity was typically only about four seconds. In order to hit the Mach 3 airplane, the missile crew had to get a radar lock-on, and at the SR-71s operating altitude that was next to impossible. As the SAM accelerated into the vicinity of the target, it needed to keep a lock on the Blackbird and then do a terminal guidance and whats called a curve of pursuit.



Gilliland peers from the cockpit of an SR-71 after a test flight in the Blackbird. (Courtesy Robert J. Gilliland/Robert J. Gilliland Jr.) Gilliland peers from the cockpit of an SR-71 after a test flight in the Blackbird. (Courtesy Robert J. Gilliland/Robert J. Gilliland Jr.)

Mathematically, the odds of getting a hit against the SR-71 are almost nonexistent, said Gilliland. It would not even have raised my blood pressure, back in the Cold War days, to have known that a SAM was being fired at me. As a matter of fact, you could have announced in advance when and where you were going to fly overaltitude, speed, etc.and there was absolutely nothing the Soviets could have done about it. They might have gone broke sooner by shooting more SAMs, as those weapons are very expensive. I know for a fact that the Russians and their satellite countries have fired between 4,000 and 5,000 SAMs at the Blackbird without even a close hit.

For their work on the SR-71 Blackbird program, in 1964 Gilliland and three other test pilots won the Ivan C. Kincheloe Award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. When SETP president Joseph Tymczyszyn announced the winners that year, he said he couldnt describe what they had accomplished because it was top secret, But believe me, they deserve the award.

Warren Thompson conducted the interview with Bob Gilliland on which this article is based in 1998. On October 28, 2017, Gilliland was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. For further reading, Thompson recommends: SR-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales and Legends, by Rick Graham; and SR-71 Blackbird, by Paul F. Crickmore.

This feature originally appeared in the September 2018 issue of Aviation History. Subscribe today!As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is expected to meet on Monday with Italy's Parliament Speaker Roberto Fico in his first official visit to Cairo, the spokesman for the Egyptian president said.

Fico met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Abdel-Aal on Sunday in Cairo to discuss matters of mutual interest.

The meeting was attended by Egyptian parliament leaders including El-Sayed Sherif and Soliman Wahdan, the house speaker deputies, Ahmed Saad El-Din, the secretary-general of the house, and the chairmen of Foreign Relations, Defence, National Security and Human Rights Committees.

Abdel-Aal stressed during the meeting the close ties and historical friendship between the two countries.

The Egyptian parliament speaker said that Italian companies are strongly present in the Egyptian market, citing the work of the giant Italian energy firm Eni in the natural gas field in the country.

He highlighted the promising investment opportunities in various Egyptian regions, such as the Suez Canal, Ain Sokhna, the North Coast and various governorates that are witnessing the establishment of new integrated industrial zones.

Abdel-Aal also called for the resumption of the meetings of the Egyptian-Italian Business Council to strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries.

Addressing the case of the murder of Italian student Giulio Regini in Egypt in early 2016, Abdel-Aal told his Italian counterpart that the Egyptian authorities place a high priority on the investigation to determine who killed the graduate student.

For the past two years, Egyptian and Italian authorities have been cooperating in the ongoing investigation into the murder of the Regini, who disappeared in Cairo on 25 January 2016, and was found dead 10 days later, bearing signs of torture.

Abdel-Aal highlighted that investigations into such cases may take time, noting that Egypt cooperates with full transparency with the Italian authorities.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin shared about the State of Wheat at the Indigo Wheat Solutions event Aug. 28 and 29 in Dodge City and Wichita, Kansas.

In the last 20 years, there has been a steady decline in the number of planted wheat acres in Kansas, and that change has led to the innovations were seeing in the industry, he said.

In 1996, when we first had Freedom to Farm, Kansas planted about 12 million acres of wheat, Gilpin said. But then, markets and dynamics changed and yields and profitability of other crops changed and farmers moved to other row crops. Kansas farmers began to diversify. So in 2000, we were down to 10 million acres. And now, this last year, were down to 7.5 million acres of wheat. Gilpin said many in the business think this is the basement of this decline because wheat is critical in so many crop rotations. And actually, in 2019, there are a few who are predicting a bounce in wheat acres in Kansas and the Southern Plains.

This upcoming bounce is whats attracting industry to bringing innovation to production and marketing opportunities, Gilpin said.How can I support the Humane Society of the United States' efforts to help animals impacted by natural disasters?

Please support rescue and relief efforts by donating to our Emergency Animal Relief Fund. Your gift will ensure that our team can continue to answer the call during times of emergency wherever and whenever animals need us.

Back to top

What can the HSUS do to help during natural disasters?

We make every effort during times of crisis to respond to needsbut only through requests from official agencies for field response or from shelters in the path of the storm/affected by the event. Our trained and certified Animal Rescue and Response team can deploy with agencies in charge of animal response, provide disaster recovery grants post-disaster and plan and train prior to disasters.

During an active disaster, the team can provide support by making room and resources available through transporting out already adoptable animals from shelters, assisting in establishing emergency shelters and rescuing stranded animals.

Back to top

What should I do to keep my animals safeand with meduring a disaster?

First, always have a disaster plan in place. You can also:

Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to find out if they accept pets. Ask about any restrictions on number, size and species. Inquire if a "no pet" policy would be waived in an emergency. Keep a list of animal-friendly places handy and call ahead for a reservation as soon as you think you might have to leave your home. The longer you wait, the less likely there will be vacancies at nearby locations.

Consider a kennel or veterinarian's office outside of the affected area. Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinary offices that might be able to shelter animals in disasters and emergencies (and make sure to include their 24-hour telephone numbers).

Check with your local animal shelter for post-disaster help. Some shelters may be able to provide foster care or shelter for pets in the aftermath of emergency situations. But keep in mind that shelters have limited resources and are likely to be stretched during a local emergency. Make sure all your pets are current on their vaccines and have copies of those records handy (some shelters require this before taking in animals).

Back to top

Leaving a beloved pet behind when evacuating for disaster is not a choice anyone would ever want to have to make. Available transportation, shelter and financial restrictions can lead to an inability to take a beloved animal when evacuating. A fire, flash flood or tornado can happen when no one is home and safety restrictions prevent people from returning to collect their pets.

We always encourage people with pets to have a disaster preparedness plan to help keep their pets safe, evacuate with them and post signage on their doors and windows to notify emergency responders of the number and types of pet that maybe in the home so they can be evacuated. The Humane Society of the United States is assisting communities to ensure plans are in place to help residents with evacuation and shelter for them and their pets, so no animal needs to be left behind.

Back to top

Where can owners find their pets if they were separated during evacuation or rescue efforts?

First and foremost, contact the animal control agency in the area you last saw your pet. There are several websites that also have information on animals rescued during the hurricanes. You can find an updated list of these sites at Find My Lost Pet. We encourage owners to try different search terms, as animals are sometimes labeled by different breeds than what owners have on paperwork.

Back to top

I want to foster a displaced pet. Where can I go to sign up?

We encourage you to reach out to our Shelter and Rescue Partners near you to see if fosters are needed. (If you are able to help with equine, please visit the Horse Helpers Directory.)

Back to top

My shelter can take animals. How can we help?

Shelters outside of impacted areas able to transport or take in adoptable animals are encouraged to reach out and let those in need know that you can help.

Interested in becoming a Shelter and Rescue Partner in the future? Learn More

Back to top

I heard that a particular city or area needs help. Can you help?

In order for an out-of-state organization to assist in a federal disaster area, there has to be an official request from the appropriate agency or emergency official. If a group or agency is in need of help, we ask that they contact their local emergency officials, whoif assistance is neededwill get the request to us. These protocols are in place to ensure there is not chaos created by outside groups coming in unrequested, and to ensure the assistance is sent to where it is needed most.

Back to top

I can travel to an area impacted by one of the disasters. How can I help?

Beyond trained responders who were contacted, it is imperative that no one goes to the area on their own or self-deploys. We won't be able to use volunteers who haven't gone through official training. If people who self-deploy come and get stranded, emergency response attention must then add them to the long list of rescues and divert attention away from the existing priority rescue work. It is simply too dangerous and also may result in lost/stray animals not going through the official systems that can ensure they are reunited with owners. If you are not a trained volunteer, but would like to become one, you can learn more about the requirements and fill out an application.

Back to top

I want to donate supplies for local animal shelters. What should I send?

The best thing for out-of-state folks to do is to donate money and supplies to impacted shelters and those that are taking in animals. Please check with those organizations before sending supplies to make sure what you want to send is actually needed and helpful; many shelters will have lists of their top needs on their websites.

Back to top

What do I need to take when evacuating with my pet?

If you are evacuating or relocating with your pet, see our disaster preparedness kit list to make sure you have everything you need to keep them healthy and safe.

Back to top

What percentage of donations to the Emergency Animal Relief Fund goes toward disaster relief?

Donations made to our Emergency Animal Relief Fund are used for the Humane Society of the United States preparedness, rescue and relief efforts for disasters and cruelty and neglect cases. This includes paying for the care of animals, the cost of deploying resources to a location (such as staff, transport, etc.), increasing the infrastructure and capacity of our emergency response efforts through fundraising, education and awareness raising, the support of shelters and rescues taking animals from us, transporting animals from affected areas and, in some cases, long-term support of pets in the community going forward. Our priority is always to use donations in the most effective and efficient way possible so we are always ready to help animals in times of disaster or crisis.

Back to top

What training/experience is needed to become an animal rescuer? Is it a full-time position?

Our Animal Rescue and Response team is made up of full-time staff and reserve staff that works on a contract basis. Team members have a variety of backgrounds, including backgrounds in local animal services.

Back to top

How can I join?

Keep an eye on the Humane Society of the United States career page for open positions!

Back to top

How can I volunteer?

Please send us an application!

Back to topA large pile of dirt is visible in the background, behind acreage that used to hold the recently demolished classrooms, library, offices and cafeteria at Mount Greylock Regional School.

Mount Greylock Needs to Deal with Dirt Stockpile from Building Project

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The ongoing dispute over permitting fees was not the only mess on the agenda of the Mount Greylock Regional School Building Committee on Thursday.

The committee kicked off its monthly meeting with a discussion about dirt, specifically, the large pile of earth to the south and west of the renovated school and how to dispose of it.

The pile has always been part of the project. It was created with the earth excavated to prepare for the middle-high school's new three-story academic wing. And the plan was to use that earth to fill in the footprint of the old, sprawling single-story academic wings that have been demolished.

The issue is that the original plan did not take into account the dirt that would be removed during construction of the school's new parking lot; the parking lot was not part of the original scope of the building project but was instead added late in the process when it was clear the addition/renovation project itself was tracking to the budget.

"We have a 15-cubic-yard 15,000-cubic-yard stockpile that some of you may have seen behind the school," architect Dan Colli of Perkins Eastman told the committee. "We need to dispose of that in some way. We didn't know we'd have this much excess soil."

The issue was before the committee Thursday because Perkins Eastman was seeking a $23,000 amendment to its contract to pay for civil engineering and design work to decide how to dispose of the pile.

"We are going to use some to fill in where the building was demolished," Colli said. "But the pile that's there is going to significantly change the topography.  We're looking to get our civil engineer on board and have [Williamstown's Guntlow and Associates] possibly there to shepherd some of these things through if needed.

"My fear is that taking a big pile like that and not having professional engineers tell us what to do with it, we might not be happy with the outcome."

Colli indicated that while most of the soil in the pile came from previously undeveloped land where the three-story addition now sits, the soil under the former parking lot may have contamination.

Committee member Thomas Bartels immediately suggested that the district test the soil in question before repurposing it on the campus.

"At a minimum, we'd like to add to the scope of work the testing," Bartels said. "I think we have to test before we spread it out on site. That needs to be the first step before we spend money figuring out how we spread it out."

Colli agreed that the testing should be done and said there already as money for such analysis in the budget.

Committee member Richard Cohen amended the original motion to accept the request from Perkins Eastman to include language that the committee expects soil tests to be conducted before the pile is reused.

Cohen also pointed out the potential that the soil could be contaminated as an "unknown" that still faces the building project. Those unknowns, he argued, should be addressed before the district pay inspection fees to the town of Williamstown, an arrangement that was alluded to in at least two communications between the entities that Cohen has cited in discussions about the fees.

"It is my understanding that the project budget has allocated $300,000 for all permitting and inspection costs," Williamstown Town Manager Jason Hoch wrote then-Mount Greylock Superintendent Douglas Dias on Dec. 9, 2015. "Further, I fully appreciate that there will be costs for third-party inspections and reviews required outside of our jurisdiction that will carry costs. To that end, it is my recommendation that we will track the eligible hours and costs through the process and assess those charges at the end of the project IF funds still remain for permitting and inspection after other external charges have been paid.

Then, in July 2017, Hoch told Superintendent Kimberley Grady: "You may recall, in an unusual allowance made specifically for the school project, I agreed to hold payment of all fees until the end of the project with an understanding that, if necessary, we may revisit a portion of those to accommodate other critical project costs."

Cohen argued Thursday that the potential of soil remediation costs could impact a project that continues, so far, to be running at or under budget.

"We don't have a remediation budget," Cohen said. "It could be an enormous expense. We have to think about that as we talk about the budget for permit fees and things like that."

While the building project continues to track well with its budget, the committee learned Thursday that Turner Construction has missed another mark on the timeline.

A couple of weeks after learning that the start of classes needed to be delayed by two days, officials were informed that the celebratory ribbon cutting with representatives from the Massachusetts School Building Authority needs to be rescheduled from Oct. 18, the date announced at the committee's Aug. 16 meeting.

The last piece of the new school, the auditorium, will not be ready for the public in time for the planned celebration.

"We are working in the auditorium right now," Turner's Mike Ziobrowski told the committee. "Right now, the substantial completion date is the third week in October. At that point, we'll do a walk through with the town and get a temporary certificate of occupancy for that area."

In the meantime, school officials continue to gather feedback from faculty and staff about any issues that they may be finding with the new building, Grady and Principal Mary MacDonald told the committee.

"It's good to communicate with the faculty and staff," MacDonald said. "Sometimes, they see things we don't know. Some things we can turn over like that, other things may take a couple of weeks."

"It's always a good idea for the owner to do its own punch list," agreed Bartels, an architect.

In other business on Thursday, Cohen reminded the committee and construction team that, as construction and demolition at the site winds down, the district should keep in mind previous discussions about preserving some of temporary construction parking space on the north side of the campus as an overflow lot.

"There was a discussion  and concerns were expressed that we'd have fewer parking spaces [in the new lot]," Cohen said. "There are several events during the year like graduation and large sporting events where we have exceeded capacity."

And, as Cohen pointed out, given the school's location on a U.S. highway in a rural part of town, there is no on-street parking potentially available for overflow.

MacDonald took advantage of the discussion of the parking lot's size to clarify a couple of comments that have come up in social media about one element of the new lot.

"One comment has been those six or eight [electric vehicle] charging stations in the parking lot," MacDonald said. "They are there because of the LEED points, in the same way we have bicycle racks out front even though we don't have any students riding their bikes, which is probably just as well given our location on Route 7."

The MSBA offers financial incentives to building projects that achieve LEED certification, a standard for environmentally friendly design and construction.

"There is no signage that says you can't park there if you don't have an electric car," MacDonald said, addressing the concern that the charging stations unnecessarily reduce capacity in the lot. "And, for the record, no one in the administration has an electric car they're parking there so they can charge it for free.

"If people have those kinds of questions, I'd rather they bring them here [to the SBC meetings] rather than putting them on Facebook."Klara's Gourmet Cookies is one of three local businesses to be celebrated on Sept. 19.

Biz Briefs: Three Local Businesses To Be Celebrated For Growth

Rural Small Business Initiative

Berkshire County comprises 931 square miles, making it the second-largest county in Massachusetts. Census estimates a total population of 126,313, with approximately 135 residents per square mile within this large land mass - creating many economic challenges in a mostly rural county.



On Wednesday, Sept. 19, officials from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center will celebrate three local small businesses that have received free counseling from the MSBDC and successfully acquired SBA financing to grow their business. The three local businesses to be highlighted are: Klara's Gourmet Cookies, 195 Water St., Lee, 1:30 p.m.; Lenox Fit, 90 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, 2:30 p.m.; and Green Apple Linen, 316 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield, 3:30 p.m.



"Local economies can be built one business at a time. These three businesses are great examples of what can be done in rural areas where there is strong government and local support," said MSBDC Berkshire Regional Director Keith Girouard.

Bank partnership

Berkshire Bank is partnering with GreenPath Financial Wellness to offer its employees, customers and communities with practical resources and tools to improve their financial well-being. The goal of the new partnership is to enhance Berkshire Bank's ongoing commitment to helping individuals realize their financial goals. Funding for the new collaboration was made possible, in part, by a contribution from Berkshire Bank Foundation.



Berkshire's new partnership with GreenPath features no-cost access to personal and family budgeting; credit report education, including how to improve your credit score; and counseling on debt repayment, and avoiding bankruptcy, foreclosure or repossession. In addition, Berkshire launched a dedicated website and phone line 866-692-2659 to support individuals on their financial journey. GreenPath resources will also be integrated throughout all areas of the bank. The bank also plans to deliver financial education seminars across its markets on topics including: Money Concepts for Teens and Young Adults, Identity Theft and The Psychology of Spending.

Branch renovation

Greylock Federal Credit Union's first branch at 75 Kellogg Street, which was completed in 1971, will undergo a complete renovation beginning Sept. 24. Work is expected to go on for at least six months. While construction is in progress, members will have access to tellers, a member service representative, and the complete range of credit union products and services at the nearby Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) building right next door at 81 Kellogg St. The PEDA building will serve as a temporary branch until the Kellogg Street branch is completed with hours Monday through Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.



New TelePharmacy Services

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center has entered into a new partnership with Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Connected Care Center for overnight TelePharmacy coverage. The switch aligns TelePharmacy services with the other TeleMedicine services Dartmouth-Hitchcock provides to SVMC, including TeleEmergency, TeleExpressCare, TeleNorthshire ExpressCare, TeleICU, and TeleNeurolgy. In addition, Dartmouth-Hitchcocks experienced acute-care pharmacists and state-of-the-art technology offer improved connectivity, prompt order entry, and pinpoint accuracy.



The service allows medical staff at SVMC to order prescriptions and speak with a pharmacist 8:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays, when the volume of prescription orders decrease to a level that makes it difficult to employ a pharmacist onsite. Dartmouth-Hitchcock pharmacists review and reconcile orders and consult with physicians at SVMC, when necessary. Their team can collaborate with SVMCs pharmacists on complex cases and provide specialized expertise.



"We have built great relationships with the physicians at Dartmouth-Hitchcock," said Dr. Trey Dobson, SVMC's chief medical officer and medical director of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians. "Their pharmacists share our commitment to patients and have the skills and tools necessary to deliver excellent service."



iciHaiti - Economy : 5% drop in exports to Haiti





In 2017, Haiti exported $980 million, down by more than 5% from 2016, according to data from the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH).



Manufactured goods (textiles, sugar refining, milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts) were the main products exported by Haiti last year.



Essential oils is the 2nd exported product. Among others commodities (basin products) include metal and plastic waste, mangoes, coffee and cocoa.



TOP 5 countries of destination :



1st - The United States with 85%;

2nd Dominican Republic (4%);

3rd - Canada (3%);

4th - Mexico (2%)

5th - tied Belgium and the United Kingdom (1% each)



HL/ HaitiLibre

















Egypt's Minister of Health Hala Zayed will appear before the Egyptian House of Representatives on Tuesday to give a report on the death of three patients on Saturday during a dialysis session in a hospital in the Nile Delta governorate of Sharqiya.

Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek ordered on Saturday an immediate investigation into the deaths incident during the treatment session, which also resulted a number of infections and 12 coma cases among other patients.

On Sunday, the prosecution team seized all of the equipment and tools and detained 15 doctors, employees, and maintenance workers at the Darb Negb hospital's dialysis unit pending investigation.

The administrative prosecution has also opened a technical investigation into the incident.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Soda ash production in the United States rose for the second consecutive month in July 2018 to the years highest monthly production figure, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Soda ash production reached 1.07 million tonnes in July, up by 11% from 961,000 tonnes in June...Conferenceseries LLC Ltd. invite all the participants across the globe to attend the "8th International Conference on Petroleum Engineering (Petroleum Engineering 2018) scheduled during October 15-16, 2018, at Rome, Italy.

Petroleum engineering conference directs towards addressing main issues as well as future strategies of global energy industry. This is going to be the largest and most promising international conference where oil and gas engineering professionals as well as decision makers will come to discuss and debate on various aspects of the challenges, risks and investment opportunities throughout the complete integrated energy and utilities supply chain.

Conferenceseries LLC Ltd. Organise 1000+ Global Events Every Year across USA, Europe & Asia with support from 1000 more scientific societies and Publishes 700+ Open access journals which contains over 100000 eminent personalities, reputed scientists as editorial board and organizing committee members.

Importance & Scope:

Petroleum engineering is a field of engineering concerned with the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons, which can be either crude oil or natural gas. Exploration and Production are deemed to fall within the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. Exploration, by earth scientists, and petroleum engineering are the oil and gas industry's two main subsurface disciplines, which focus on maximizing economic recovery of hydrocarbons from subsurface reservoirs. Petroleum geology and geophysics focus on provision of a static description of the hydrocarbon reservoir rock, while petroleum engineering focuses on estimation of the recoverable volume of this resource using a detailed understanding of the physical behaviour of oil, water and gas within porous rock at very high pressure.

The combined efforts of geologists and petroleum engineers throughout the life of a hydrocarbon accumulation determine the way in which a reservoir is developed and depleted, and usually they have the highest impact on field economics. Petroleum engineering requires a good knowledge of many other related disciplines, such as geophysics, petroleum geology, formation evaluation (well logging), drilling, economics, reservoir simulation, reservoir engineering, well engineering, artificial lift systems, completions and oil and gas facilities engineering.

Recruitment to the industry has historically been from the disciplines of physics, chemical engineering and mining engineering. Subsequent development training has usually been done within oil companies.

Why Rome?

Rome has the status of a global city. Rome ranked in 2014 as the 14th most visited city in the world, 3rd most visited in the European Union, and the most popular tourist attraction in Italy. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Monuments and museums such as the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum are among the world's most visited tourist destinations with both locations receiving millions of tourists a year. Rome hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics and is the seat of United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Rome is a major EU and international financial, cultural and a business centre. With a 2005 GDP of 94.376 billion (US$121.5 billion), the city produces 6.7% of the national GDP (more than any other single city in Italy), and its unemployment rate, lowered from 11.1% to 6.5% between 2001 and 2005, is now one of the lowest rates of all the European Union capital cities. Rome grows +4.4% annually and continues to grow at a higher rate in comparison to any other city in the rest of the country. This means that were Rome a country, it would be the world's 52nd richest country by GDP, near to the size to that of Egypt. Rome also had a 2003 GDP per capita of 29,153 (US$ 37,412), which was second in Italy, (after Milan), and is more than 134.1% of the EU average GDP per capita. Also, Rome hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Italian companies and corporations, as well as the headquarters of 3 of the world's 100 largest companies: Enel, Eni, and Telecom Italia.

Why to attend?

Petroleum Engineering conference aims at multi-disciplined audience with diverse commercial, technical, corporate, operations, planning sectors of the upstream oil and gas engineering services. Meet Your Target Market with members from around the world focused on learning and sharing about Upstream Scientists/Engineers; this is your single best opportunity to reach the largest assemblage of participants from the global Oil and gas engineering industry. Conduct demonstrations, distribute information, meet with current and potential customers, make a splash with a new product line, and receive name recognition at this 3-day event. World-renowned speakers, the most recent techniques, tactics, and the newest breakthroughs in the upstream sector of oil and gas engineering are hallmarks of this conference.

Target Audience:September 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Spains President, socialist Pedro Sanchez, canceled a week ago the sale of 400 laser-guided missiles to the Saudis for humanitarian reasons (value of the missile contract  9.2 million US$ 10.7 million). A couple of days ago, he reversed that noble decision, reinstating the sale, because the Saudis threatened cancelling their contract for 5 Corvette warships to be built by Navantia over the next few years, for a value of  1.8 billion (US$ 2.1 billion), providing work for some 6000 shipyard workers in one of the economically worst hit areas of Spain, Cadiz Province of Andalusia.

So, to safe jobs, Sanchez decided to sell the bombs after all  the very bombs that will further decimate the Yemeni population  kill masses of children and increase the untold, unfathomable misery for this poor country, strategically located on the Gulf of Aden.

The war ships, Spain is producing for the Saudis, are certainly not going to bring peace to the world either; they bring perhaps work to Spanish shipyard workers, but, Dear Mr. Sanchez, where are your ethics, where is your sense of Human Rights?

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Would it not be more ethical to help Spanish workers find alternative jobs, or while they are looking, pay them unemployment at a decent level? Perhaps exceptional unemployment, because the reason for the unemployment in this case is exceptional and ethical to the point that the workers would probably understand  a sense of integrity and conscience they may proudly pass on to their children.

To top it all off  Spains Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, pretends that the Saudis have to guarantee that the missiles will not be used against Yemenis. Whom does she think she is fooling?  Would the Spanish people be so blind to reality to believe this lie?  I dont think so. The Spaniards, having gone themselves through ten years of foreign imposed economic austerity hardship, an economic warfare of sorts, are more awake than believing dishonesties that serve the capitalist, profit-seeking war industry.

The Spanish bombs may substantially contribute to the killing of tens of thousands of Yemenis and among them countless defenseless children and women. The delivery of these missiles would be a tacit recognition and acceptance that the Saudis, supported by the US, the UK and France, block vital food and medical supplies from entering Yemen, thereby starving literally millions to death. And most likely the Spanish warships are creating in Yemen or elsewhere even worse human suffering.

Instead, Mr. Sanchez  why not showing your heart and compassion for these innocent victims of western aggression, overriding your Minister of Defense, and block the sale of the 400 deadly missiles and the 5 killer Corvettes?

According to Mint Press News (10 September, 2018), the UN estimates that nearly 20 million Yemenis could die from starvation this year. Thats about 70% of the entire population, and that horrific number includes more than 2 million children. Two to three generations wiped out by the worlds most criminal monster nations, the Saudis, supported by the US, UK, France specifically, and more generally, by NATO. About 500,000 of these children already show severe signs of malnutrition, which, if it lasts over an extended period of time, may cause severe brain damage and stunting, effects that might even be passed on to future generations.

Since the onset of the war which typically and conveniently is called by the west a civil war which it is of course not  the US has supported the confrontation with over US$ 200 billion of war planes and weapons, and the UK with missiles and bombs. This war of aggression by the US and western puppet allies, aiming foremost at dominating the countrys geographic and geostrategic location, overlooking the Gulf of Aden and further to the east, the Arabian Sea, leading to the Persian Gulf, has created the worst humanitarian crisis in modern history.

Under international pressure and a UN appeal, the Saudis have offered US$ 300 million worth of humanitarian aid  food and medication  with deadly strings attached. They have weaponizing this humanitarian aid, by closing the main ports of entry, especially the one of Hodeida, so the aid could not reach the population in need. Yemen relies for 80% of her food supply on maritime imports, 90% of which normally enters through the Red Sea port of Hodeida.

The Saudis  always with the explicit support of Washington  targeted on purpose key survival installations, like water supply and sewerage systems, agricultural fields, market places, food storage sites, power generation and electricity grids, hospitals, schools, basic transportation infrastructure  all to create the most abject scenario for starvation and disease, especially intestinal diseases, dysentery, cholera, from lack of drinking water and sewage pollution. With a currency that loses every day more of its value and skyrocketing food prices, three quarters of the population depends on humanitarian aid  most of which is blocked at the points of entry.

The last remaining lifeline for about 18 million Yemenis is the port of Hodeida. In fact, the assault on the port city of Hodeida is led by another U.S. Gulf coalition ally, the United Arab Emirates. The deadly operation to capture Hodeida is dubbed Golden Victory, putting up to a million people into an open prison of sexual torture, rape, starvation and uncountable other war crimes. According to UN estimates, a quarter-million men, women, and children could die from the military assault alone should the US-backed coalition continue its invasion of Hodeida. Saudi warplanes have already bombed school buses with children and buses of refugees fleeing the airstrikes, killing hundreds.

Mr. President Sanchez, you must be aware of this abysmal situation and crime that your 400 guided missiles would worsen  more bloodshed, more suffering, more children killed?  Arent you?

And if you are, Mr. President, dont you think that the humanitarian gesture that you first intended, not selling these bombs to the Saudis  would by far outweigh the unemployment of 6000 shipyard workers?  An unemployment that your government could easily resolve, if not on a regular, then on an exceptional basis for the exceptional cause of avoiding more killing and more suffering, or what the UN describes as an outright genocide.

But there may be more at stake than meets the eye. Despite some fierce opposition, the US Congress has again voted for unquestioned support for Saudi Arabias war on Yemen. Foreign Secretary Pompeo has made it clear that he expects allied nations, especially NATO nations, of which Spain is one, to follow the US lead in supporting the Saudi-led hostility against a nation already eviscerated, for all practical purposes.

Was this perhaps understood as a threat of US sanctions, in case you disobey this tacit order, Mr. President?

Dear Mr. Sanchez, you would have a brilliant and simple legal reason for NOT selling these deadly and destructive weapons, missiles and warships, to the Saudis. The Spanish Constitution, like the Constitutions of most European countries, prohibits selling weapons to countries when there are indications that these weapons could be used against inherent human dignity. In addition, the common position of the EU recommends and insists that her members refrain from selling arms when there is a risk that they are used to violate Human Rights.

Of course, any EU law or regulation is easily overruled by the Masters from Washington. Thats why it takes guts  and a more  for a President, a socialist and humanitarian at heart, one who in his first 100 days in office has already done a lot of good at home, by undoing some of the disastrous social laws of his conservative predecessor, who was forced out of office in the midst of modern Spains scandal of worst corruption  hence, for you Mr. President, to resist the pressure form outside as well as from within  would be sending an important message of moral and ethics to the world.

Mr. Sanchez, you would be a hero, not only for Spain and the Spanish shipyard workers, who would most certainly applaud you, but for the entire world. You would demonstrate that your ethics cannot be compromised by money or political pressure. This would, indeed, be a novelty for our neoliberal western world.

And your personal benefit, Mr. Sanchez: You could again sleep at night.

Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a water resources and environmental specialist. He worked for over 30 years with the World Bank and the World Health Organization around the world in the fields of environment and water. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for Global Research; ICH; RT; Sputnik; PressTV; The 21st Century; TeleSUR; The Vineyard of The Saker Blog, the New Eastern Outlook (NEO); and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion  An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed  fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution!  Essays from the Resistance.

==See Also==

20 Companies Profiting the Most From War

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joyRecent statements from the Trump administration suggest that the United States is now preparing to go to war against the ICC itself, motivated largely by an effort to silence investigations into alleged American war crimes committed in Afghanistan, as well as alleged crimes committed by Israel during the 2014 war in the Gaza Strip. In a speech at a D.C. event held by the Federalist Society on Monday, Donald Trumps national security adviser John Bolton denounced the ICC as illegitimate and expressed his intentions toward the institution in no uncertain terms. We will not cooperate with the ICC, Bolton said. We will provide no assistance to the ICC. We will not join the ICC. We will let the ICC die on its own. After all, for all intents and purposes, the ICC is already dead to us.

In addition to this death wish against the court, Bolton said that the United States would retaliate against any ICC investigations into U.S. activities by sanctioning the travel and finances of ICC officials, even threatening to prosecute them in American courts.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Because it involves U.S. officials themselves, at the center of the campaign against the ICC is a 2016 report by ICC prosecutors that deals in part with the war in Afghanistan. That report alleges the commission of widespread crimes by the Taliban and Afghan government forces. But the report also makes allegations of serious crimes committed by U.S. military forces and the CIA, including torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity, and rape.

The crimes in question appear to have been related to detention programs run in Afghanistan during the early years of the U.S. occupation. While the report does not name the individuals responsible nor their victims, it indicates that there are dozens of cases in which torture, cruel treatment, and sexual assault were committed by American soldiers and CIA officers in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2004.

The report also states that the alleged crimes were not the abuses of a few isolated individuals, adding that there is a reasonable basis to believe these alleged crimes were committed in furtherance of a policy or policies aimed at eliciting information through the use of interrogation techniques involving cruel or violent methods which would support U.S. objectives in the conflict in Afghanistan.

Given longstanding U.S. refusals to cooperate with ICC investigations, its unlikely that the 2016 document  a preliminary report from the prosecutors office  would have succeeded in bringing U.S. officials to trial at the Hague. Boltons campaign thus seems intended on solidifying the fact that the United States is free of international norms on human rights conduct, with those who even investigate its actions subject to threat.

That the ICC investigation reaches back to the George W. Bush era, when Bolton served as United Nations ambassador, is fitting. In the years after the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States began to come under withering scrutiny for its detention policies in those countries. In addition to high-profile cases of torture at prison sites like Abu Ghraib, the CIA and U.S. military have been accused of brutalizing and even murdering prisoners held in their custody at detention facilities like Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

Civilian contractors working for the CIA have also engaged in the murder of Afghan detainees, including David Passaro, who beat to death an Afghan man named Abdul Wali who had turned himself in to authorities after being accused of involvement in a militant attack. Passaro was later sentenced to eight and a half years in jail by an American court. Following his release, he briefly returned to the public eye in media interviews justifying his involvement in the murder.

To date, Passaro, a civilian, is the only person to have been held legally accountable for torture and murder carried out under the CIA detention program, in Afghanistan or elsewhere. This despite a landmark 2014 Senate Intelligence Committee that documented, in excruciating detail, widespread evidence of torture and other abuses carried out by CIA officials.

The unwillingness or inability of U.S. courts to seriously investigate war crimes carried out by American citizens is part of why the ICC mandate in Afghanistan has been viewed as an important effort to bring a minimum level of accountability over the conflict. This past November, the court announced that it planned to move forward with investigations stemming from its 2016 report.

In a statement responding to Boltons threats, the ICC said that the ICC, as a court of law, will continue to do its work undeterred, in accordance with those principles and the overarching idea of the rule of law.

Given its longstanding intransigence toward the ICC, it was unlikely that the United States would ever have cooperated with its investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan, even under a less bellicose administration. But the Trump administrations threats to target specific ICC officials over their war crimes investigations enters a new realm of hostility against international law. The consequences could be a further degradation of already shaky international norms surrounding human rights in conflict zones.

The ICC is not stepping in just for the sake of how Bolton put it, just to undermine U.S. sovereignty. This is really nonsense. They are stepping in because we failed  the United States failed to uphold the rule of law, said Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLUs Human Rights Program, in a television segment on Democracy Now! Tuesday morning about Boltons comments. This is the same Trump administration that has an abysmal record of human rights here in the United States and is trying to encourage other countries to follow its pattern.

This article was originally published by " The Intercept " -

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joySeptember 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Editors note: On September 9, Think Progress published an article by Ian Millhiser that made text out of the subtext of Brett Kavanaughs confirmation process, describing how the Supreme Court nominee, in a fairly straightforward legal analysis, had revealed his belief that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. That legal analysis, the article noted, matched comments Kavanaugh had made in a speech in 2017. Kavanaughs 2017 speech, when laid alongside a statement he made during his confirmation hearing, eliminates any doubt that he opposes Roe, Millhiser wrote. Facebook, meanwhile, had empowered the right-wing outlet the Weekly Standard to fact check articles. The Weekly Standard, invested in Kavanaughs confirmation, deemed the Think Progress article false. The story was effectively nuked from Facebook, with other outlets threatened with traffic and monetary consequences if they shared it. The story is republished below, with permission from Think Progress, though not from Facebook or the Weekly Standard.

Brett Kavanaugh said he would kill Roe v. Wade last week and almost no one noticed

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh needs to give Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) plausible deniability regarding his anti-abortion views. Collins, who is nominally pro-choice, said shortly before Kavanaughs nomination that a Supreme Court nominee who would overturn Roe v. Wade would not be acceptable to me. But shes spent much of the time since his nomination looking for excuses to claim that Kavanaughs views on Roe are uncertain.

Well, they arent. Even before Kavanaugh became a Supreme Court nominee, his record indicated fairly clearly that he opposes Roe. And he cleared up any remaining doubt on the second day of his confirmation hearing  despite the fact that almost no one noticed.

Even before his hearing, Kavanaughs views on abortion werent exactly a state secret. He gave a speech to a conservative think tank in 2017 praising Justice William Rehnquists dissent in Roe v. Wade, and he wrote an opinion arguing that the Trump administration could temporarily imprison undocumented women who were seeking an abortion.

Kavanaughs 2017 speech, when laid alongside a statement he made during his confirmation hearing, eliminates any doubt that he opposes Roe.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The judge made this statement during an exchange with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) regarding the foundations of the unenumerated rights doctrine. The term unenumerated rights refers to rights, such as the right to an abortion, which are not explicitly named in the Constitutions text, but which the Supreme Court has held to be implicit in that text.

According to Kavanaugh, all roads lead to the Glucksberg test as the test that the Supreme Court has settled on as the proper test to determine the scope of these unenumerated rights.

Glucksberg means Washington v. Glucksberg, a 1997 Supreme Court decision holding that the Constitution does not protect a right to physician-assisted suicide. According to Chief Justice Rehnquists opinion for the Court in Glucksberg, the question of which unenumerated rights are protected by the Constitution should be answered by asking which rights are deeply rooted in this Nations history and tradition.

We dont have to guess, however, whether Judge Kavanaugh thinks that a constitutional right to abortion is grounded in this Glucksberg test, because hes already answered that question. As law professor Jim Oleske points out on Twitter, Kavanaugh said in his 2017 speech to the conservative American Enterprise Institute that even a first-year law student could tell you that the Glucksbergs approach to unenumerated rights was not consistent with the approach of the abortion cases such as Roe vs. Wade in 1973, as well as the 1992 decision reaffirming Roe, known as Planned Parenthood vs. Casey.

So, to spell this all out, Kavanaugh believes that the way to determine whether the Constitution protects a particular unenumerated right is to apply the test the Supreme Court laid out in Glucksberg. And the judge also thinks that even a first-year law student could tell you that Roe is inconsistent with Glucksberg.

It doesnt take the brains of a fourth-term United States senator from Maine to figure out what this means if Kavanaugh is confirmed. Judge Kavanaugh will be the fifth vote to kill Roe if he joins the nations highest Court.

For what its worth, Kavanaughs statement that all roads lead to the Glucksbergtest as the test that the Supreme Court has settled on as the proper test is incorrect. As law professor Jamal Greene first pointed out on Twitter, Glucksbergwas explicitly disavowed in Obergefell, the Supreme Courts 2015 marriage equality decision.

According to Obergefell, Glucksberg is inconsistent with the approach this Court has used in discussing other fundamental rights, including marriage and intimacy.

Kavanaughs apparent endorsement of Glucksberg as the sole test for determining unenumerated rights, in other words, threatens a whole lot more than the right to an abortion. It also suggests that he believes that a wide range of Supreme Court decisions governing sex, romantic relationships, and intimacy were wrongly decided.

Judge Kavanaugh appears to be telegraphing his belief that Roe, Obergefell, and the Supreme Courts decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which provides that the government cannot prosecute consenting adults for having sex, were not correctly decided.

This article was originally published by " The Intercept " -

==See Also==

"I Thought He Might Inadvertently Kill Me" - Kavanaugh Accuser Breaks Silence

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joySeptember 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Once upon a time, there was a little-known energy company called Enron. In its 16-year life, it went from being dubbed Americas most innovative company by Fortune Magazine to being the poster child of American corporate deceit. Using a classic recipe for book-cooking, Enron ended up in bankruptcy with jail time for those involved. Its shareholders lost $74 billion in the four years leading up to its bankruptcy in 2001.

A decade ago, the flameout of my former employer, Lehman Brothers, the global financial firm, proved far more devastating, contributing as it did to a series of events that ignited a global financial meltdown. Americans lost an estimated $12.8 trillion in the havoc.

Despite the differing scales of those disasters, there was a common thread: both companies used financial tricks to make themselves appear so much healthier than they actually were. They both faked the numbers, thanks to off-the-books or offshore mechanisms and eluded investigations... until they collapsed.

Now, heres a question for you as we head for the November midterm elections, sure to be seen as a referendum on the president: Could Donald Trump be a one-man version of either Enron or Lehman Brothers, someone who cooked the books until, well, he imploded?

Since weve never seen his tax returns, right now we really dont know. What we do know is that hes been dodging bullets ever since the Justice Department accused him of violating the Fair Housing Act in his operation of 39 buildings in New York City in 1973. Unlike famed 1920s mob boss Al Capone, he may never get done in by something as simple as tax evasion, but time will tell.

Rest assured of one thing though: he wont go down easily, even if he is already the subject of multiple investigations and a plethora of legal slings and arrows. Of course, his methods should be familiar. As President Calvin Coolidge so famously put it, the business of America is business. And the business of business is to circumvent or avoid the heat... until, of course, it cant.

The Safe

So far, Treasury Secretary and former Trump national campaign finance chairman Steven Mnuchin has remained out of the legal fray thats sweeping away some of his fellow campaign associates. Certainly, he and his wife have grandiose tastes. And, yes, his claim that his hedge fund, Dune Capital Management, used offshore tax havens only for his clients, not to help him evade taxes himself, represents a stretch of the imagination. Other than that, however, there seems little else to investigate -- for now. Still, as Treasury secretary he does oversee a federal agency that means the world to Donald Trump, the Internal Revenue Service, which just happens to be located across a courtyard from the Trump International Hotel on Washingtons Pennsylvania Avenue.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

As it happens, the IRS in the Trump era still doesnt have a commissioner, only an acting head. What it may have, National Enquirer-style, is genuine presidential secrets in the form of Donald Trumps elusive tax returns. Last fall, outgoing IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said that there were plans to relocate them to a shiny new safe where they would evidently remain.

In 2016, Trump became the first candidate since President Richard Nixon not to disclose his tax returns. During the campaign, he insisted that those returns were undergoing an IRS audit and that he would not release them until it was completed. (No one at the IRS has ever confirmed that being audited in any way prohibits the release of tax information.) The presidents pledge to do so remains unfulfilled and last year counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway noted that the White House was not going to release his tax returns, adding -- undoubtedly thinking about his base -- people didnt care.

On April 17, 2018, the White House announced that the president would defer even filing his 2017 tax returns until this October. As every president since Nixon has undergone a mandatory audit while in office, count on American taxpayers hearing the same excuse for the rest of his term, even if Congress were to decide to invoke a 1924 IRS provision to view them.

Still, Conway may have a point when it comes to the public. After all, tax dodging is as American as fireworks on the Fourth of July. According to one study, every year the U.S. loses $400 billion in unpaid taxes, much of it hidden in offshore tax havens.

Yet the financial disclosures that The Donald did make during election campaign 2016 indicate that there are more than 500 companies in over two dozen countries, mostly with few to no employees or real offices, that feature him as their president. Lets face it, someone like Trump would only create a business universe of such Wall Street-esque complexity if he wanted to hide something. He was likely trying to evade taxes, shield himself and his family from financial accountability, or hide the dubious health of parts of his business empire. As a colleague of mine at Bear Stearns once put it, when tax-haven companies pile up like dirty laundry, theres a high likelihood that their uses arent completely clean.

Now, lets consider what we know of Donald Trumps financial adventures, taxes and all. Its quite a story and, even though it already feels like forever, its only beginning to be told.

The Trump Organization

Atop the non-White House branch of the Trump dynasty is the Trump Organization. To comply with federal conflict-of-interest requirements, The Donald officially turned over that companys reins to his sons, Eric and Donald Jr. For all the obvious reasons, he was supposed to distance himself from his global business while running the country.

Only that didnt happen and not just because every diplomat and lobbyist in town started to frequent his money-making new hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue. Now, according to the New York Times, the Manhattan district attorneys office is considering pressing criminal charges against the Trump Organization and two of its senior officials because the presidents lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid off an adult film actress and a former Playboy model to keep their carnal knowledge to themselves before the election.

Though Cohen effectively gave Stormy Daniels $130,000 and Karen McDougal $150,000 to keep them quiet, the Trump Organization then paid Cohen even more, $420,000, funds it didnt categorize as a reimbursement for expenses, but as a retainer. In its internal paperwork, it then termed that sum as legal expenses.

The D.A.s office is evidently focusing its investigation on how the Trump Organization classified that payment of $420,000, in part for the funds Cohen raised from the equity in his home to calm the Stormy (so to speak). Most people take out home equity loans to build a garage or pay down some debt. Not Cohen. Its a situation that could become far thornier for Trump. As Cohen already knew, Trump couldnt possibly wield his pardon power to absolve his former lawyer, since it only applies to those convicted of federal charges, not state ones.

And thats bad news for the president. As Lanny Davis, Cohens lawyer, put it, If those payments were a crime for Michael Cohen, then why wouldnt they be a crime for Donald Trump?

The bigger question is: What else is there? Those two payoffs may, after all, just represent the beginning of the woes facing both the Trump Organization and the Trump Foundation, which has been the umbrella outfit for businesses that have incurred charges of lobbying violations (not disclosing payment to a local newspaper to promote favorable casino legislation) and gaming law violations. His organization has also been accused of misleading investors, engaging in currency-transaction-reporting crimes, and improperly accounting for money used to buy betting chips, among a myriad of other transgressions. To speculate on overarching corporate fraud would not exactly be a stretch.

Unlike his casinos, the Trump Organization has not (yet) gone bankrupt, nor -- were it to do so -- is it in a class with Enron or Lehman Brothers. Yet it does have something in common with both of them: piles of money secreted in places designed to hide its origins, uses, and possibly end-users. The question some authority may pursue someday is: If Donald Trump was willing to be a part of a scheme to hide money paid to former lovers, wouldn't he do the same for his businesses?

The Trump Foundation

Questions about Trumps charity, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, have abounded since campaign 2016. They prompted New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood to file a lawsuit on June 14th against the foundation, also naming its board of directors, including his sons and his daughter Ivanka. It cites a pattern of persistent illegal conduct... occurring over more than a decade, that includes extensive unlawful political coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing transactions to benefit Mr. Trumps personal and business interests, and violations of basic legal obligations for non-profit foundations.

As the New York Times reported, The lawsuit accused the charity and members of Mr. Trumps family of sweeping violations of campaign finance laws, self-dealing, and illegal coordination with Mr. Trumps presidential campaign. It also alleged that for four years -- 2007, 2012, 2013, and 2014 -- Trump himself placed his John Hancock below incorrect statements on the foundations tax returns.

The main issue in question: Did the Trump Foundation use any of its funds to benefit The Donald or any of his businesses directly? Underwood thinks so. As she pointed out, it was little more than a checkbook for payments from Mr. Trump or his businesses to nonprofits, regardless of their purpose or legality. Otherwise it seems to have employed no one and, according to the lawsuit, its board of directors has not met since 1999.

Because Trump ran all of his enterprises, he was also personally responsible for signing their tax returns. His charitable foundation was no exception. Were he found to have knowingly provided false information on its tax returns, he could someday face perjury charges.

On August 31st, the foundations lawyers fought back, filing papers of their own, calling the lawsuit, as the New York Times put it, a political attack motivated by the former attorney generals record of antipathy against Mr. Trump. They were referring to Eric Schneiderman, who had actually resigned the previous May -- consider this an irony under the circumstances -- after being accused of sexual assault by former girlfriends.

The New York state court system has, in fact, emerged as a vital force in the pushback against the president and his financial shenanigans. As Zephyr Teachout, recent Democratic candidate for New York attorney general, pointed out, it is one of the most important legal offices in the entire country to both resist and present an alternative to what is happening at the federal level." And indeed it had begun fulfilling that responsibility with The Donald long before the Mueller investigation was even launched.

In 2013, Schneiderman filed a civil suit against Trump University, calling it a sham institution that engaged in repeated fraudulent behavior. In 2016, Trump finally settled that case in court, agreeing to a $25 million payment to its former students -- something that (though we dont, of course, have the tax returns to confirm this) probably also proved to be a tax write-off for him.

These days, the New York attorney generals office could essentially create a branch only for matters Trumpian. So far, it has brought more than 100 legal or administrative actions against the president and congressional Republicans since he took office.

Still, dont sell the foundation short. It did, in the end, find a way to work for the greater good -- of Donald Trump. He and his wife, Melania, for instance, used the charity to purchase a now infamous six-foot portrait of himself for $20,000 -- and true to form, according to the Washington Post, even that purchase could turn out to be a tax violation. Such self-dealing is considered illegal. Of course, were talking about someone who used $258,000 from the foundation to pay off legal settlements that involved his for-profit businesses. That seems like the definition of self-dealing.

The Trump Team

The president swears that he has an uncanny ability to size someone up in a few seconds, based on attitude, confidence, and a handshake -- that, in other words, just as theres the art of the deal, so, too, theres the art of choosing those who will represent him, stand by him, and take bullets for him, his White House, and his business enterprises. And for a while, he did indeed seem to be a champion when it came to surrounding himself with people who had a special knack for hiding money, tax documents, and secret payoffs from public view.

These days -- think of them as the era of attrition for Donald Trump -- that landscape looks a lot emptier and less inviting.

On August 21st, his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was convicted in Virginia of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. (On September 14th, he would make a deal with Robert Mueller and plead guilty to two counts of conspiracy.) On that same August day, Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, also pled guilty to eight different federal crimes in the Manhattan U.S. attorneys office, including -- yep -- tax evasion.

Three days later, prosecutors in the Cohen investigation granted immunity to the Trump Organizations chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg. A loyal employee of the Trump family for more than four decades, he had also served as treasurer for the Donald J. Trump Foundation. If anyone other than the president and his children knows the financial and tax secrets of the Trump empire, its him. And now, he may be ready to talk. Lurking in his future testimony could be yet another catalyst in a coming Trump tax debacle.

And dont forget David Pecker, CEO of American Media, the company that publishes the National Enquirer. Pecker bought and buried stories for The Donald for what seems like forever. He, too, now has an immunity deal in the federal investigation of Cohen (and so Trump), evidently in return for providing information on the presidents hush-money deals to bury various exploits that he came to find unpalatable.

The question is this: Did Trump know of Cohens hush-money payments? Cohen has certainly indicated that he did and Pecker seems to have told federal prosecutors a similar story. As Cohen said in court of Pecker, "I and the CEO of a media company, at the request of the candidate, worked together" to keep the public in the dark about such payments and Trumps involvement in them.

The presidents former lawyer faces up to 65 years in prison. Thats enough time to make him consider what other tales he might be able to tell in return for a lighter sentence, including possibly exposing various tax avoidance techniques he and his former client cooked up.

And dont think that Cohen, Pecker, and Weisselberg are going to be the last figures to come forward with such stories as the Trump team begins to come unglued.

In the cases of Enron and Lehman Brothers, both companies unraveled after multiple shell games imploded. Enrons losses were being hidden in multiple offshore entities. In the case of Lehman Brothers, staggeringly over-valued assets were being pledged to borrow yet more money to buy similar assets. In both cases, rigged games were being played in the shadows, while vital information went undisclosed to the public -- until it was way too late.

Donald Trumps equivalent shell games still largely remain to be revealed. They may simply involve hiding money trails to evade taxes or to secretly buy political power and business influence. There is, as yet, no way of knowing. One thing is clear, however: the only way to begin to get answers is to see the presidents tax returns, audited or not. Isnt it time to open that safe?

Nomi Prins is a TomDispatch regular. Her latest book is Collusion: How Central Bankers Rigged the World (Nation Books). Of her six other books, the most recent is All the Presidents' Bankers: The Hidden Alliances That Drive American Power. She is a former Wall Street executive. Special thanks go to researcher Craig Wilson for his superb work on this piece.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, Beverly Gologorsky's novel Every Body Has a Story and Tom Engelhardt's A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy's In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, John Dower's The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, and John Feffer's dystopian novel Splinterlands.

This article was originally published by " Tom Dispatch " -

Copyright 2018 Nomi Prins

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joyA statement by Egypt's Foreign Ministry offered condolences to the US people and government over the victims of Hurricane Florence, which killed at least 17 people in North and South Carolina and inflicted major losses on the two states.

The statement wished speedy recovery to all those injured.



Search Keywords:

Short link:

September 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - There is a global struggle taking place of enormous consequence. Nothing less than the future of the planet  economically, socially and environmentally  is at stake.

At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, when the worlds top 1% now owns more wealth than the bottom 99%, we are seeing the rise of a new authoritarian axis.

While these regimes may differ in some respects, they share key attributes: hostility toward democratic norms, antagonism toward a free press, intolerance toward ethnic and religious minorities, and a belief that government should benefit their own selfish financial interests. These leaders are also deeply connected to a network of multi-billionaire oligarchs who see the world as their economic plaything.

Those of us who believe in democracy, who believe that a government must be accountable to its people, must understand the scope of this challenge if we are to effectively confront it.

It should be clear by now that Donald Trump and the rightwing movement that supports him is not a phenomenon unique to the United States. All around the world, in Europe, in Russia, in the Middle East, in Asia and elsewhere we are seeing movements led by demagogues who exploit peoples fears, prejudices and grievances to achieve and hold on to power.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

This trend certainly did not begin with Trump, but theres no question that authoritarian leaders around the world have drawn inspiration from the fact that the leader of the worlds oldest and most powerful democracy seems to delight in shattering democratic norms.

Three years ago, who would have imagined that the United States would stay neutral between Canada, our democratic neighbor and second largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia, a monarchic, client state that treats women as third-class citizens? Its also hard to imagine that Israels Netanyahu government would have moved to pass the recent nation state law, which essentially codifies the second-class status of Israels non-Jewish citizens, if Benjamin Netanyahu didnt know Trump would have his back.

All of this is not exactly a secret. As the US continues to grow further and further apart from our longtime democratic allies, the US ambassador to Germany recently made clear the Trump administrations support for rightwing extremist parties across Europe.

In addition to Trumps hostility toward democratic institutions we have a billionaire president who, in an unprecedented way, has blatantly embedded his own economic interests and those of his cronies into the policies of government.

Other authoritarian states are much farther along this kleptocratic process. In Russia, it is impossible to tell where the decisions of government end and the interests of Vladimir Putin and his circle of oligarchs begin. They operate as one unit. Similarly, in Saudi Arabia, there is no debate about separation because the natural resources of the state, valued at trillions of dollars, belong to the Saudi royal family. In Hungary, far-right authoritarian leader Viktor Orban is openly allied with Putin in Russia. In China, an inner circle led by Xi Jinping has steadily consolidated power, clamping down on domestic political freedom while it aggressively promotes a version of authoritarian capitalism abroad.

We must understand that these authoritarians are part of a common front. They are in close contact with each other, share tactics and, as in the case of European and American rightwing movements, even share some of the same funders. The Mercer family, for example, supporters of the infamous Cambridge Analytica, have been key backers of Trump and of Breitbart News, which operates in Europe, the United States and Israel to advance the same anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim agenda. Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson gives generously to rightwing causes in both the United States and Israel, promoting a shared agenda of intolerance and illiberalism in both countries.

The truth is, however, that to effectively oppose rightwing authoritarianism, we cannot simply go back to the failed status quo of the last several decades. Today in the United States, and in many other parts of the world, people are working longer hours for stagnating wages, and worry that their children will have a lower standard of living than they do.

Our job is to fight for a future in which new technology and innovation works to benefit all people, not just a few. It is not acceptable that the top 1% of the worlds population owns half the planets wealth, while the bottom 70% of the working age population accounts for just 2.7% of global wealth.

Together governments of the world must come together to end the absurdity of the rich and multinational corporations stashing over $21tn in offshore bank accounts to avoid paying their fair share of taxes and then demanding that their respective governments impose an austerity agenda on their working families.

It is not acceptable that the fossil fuel industry continues to make huge profits while their carbon emissions destroy the planet for our children and grandchildren.

It is not acceptable that a handful of multinational media giants, owned by a small number of billionaires, largely control the flow of information on the planet.

It is not acceptable that trade policies that benefit large multinational corporations and encourage a race to the bottom hurt working people throughout the world as they are written out of public view.

It is not acceptable that, with the cold war long behind us, countries around the world spend over $1tn a year on weapons of destruction, while millions of children die of easily treatable diseases.

In order to effectively combat the rise of the international authoritarian axis, we need an international progressive movement that mobilizes behind a vision of shared prosperity, security and dignity for all people, and that addresses the massive global inequality that exists, not only in wealth but in political power.

Such a movement must be willing to think creatively and boldly about the world that we would like to see. While the authoritarian axis is committed to tearing down a post-second world war global order that they see as limiting their access to power and wealth, it is not enough for us to simply defend that order as it exists now.

We must look honestly at how that order has failed to deliver on many of its promises, and how authoritarians have adeptly exploited those failures in order to build support for their agenda. We must take the opportunity to reconceptualize a genuinely progressive global order based on human solidarity, an order that recognizes that every person on this planet shares a common humanity, that we all want our children to grow up healthy, to have a good education, have decent jobs, drink clean water, breathe clean air and live in peace.

Our job is to reach out to those in every corner of the world who share these values, and who are fighting for a better world.

In a time of exploding wealth and technology, we have the potential to create a decent life for all people. Our job is to build on our common humanity and do everything that we can to oppose all of the forces, whether unaccountable government power or unaccountable corporate power, who try to divide us up and set us against each other. We know that those forces work together across borders. We must do the same.

Bernie Sanders is a US Senator from Vermont

We asked Yanis Varoufakis to comment on Bernie Sanders piece. Here is his response:

Bernie Sanders is spot-on. Financiers have long formed an international brotherhood to guarantee themselves international bailouts when their paper pyramids crash.

More recently, xenophobic rightwing zealots also formed their very own Nationalist International, turning once proud people against another so that they control their wealth and politics.

It is high time that Democrats from across the world form a Progressive International in the interests of a majority of people on every continent, in every country.

Sanders is also right when he says that the solution is not to go back to a status quo whose spectacular failure has paved the ground for the rise of the Nationalist International.

Our Progressive International must lead with a vision of the green, shared prosperity that human ingenuity is capable of providing  as long as democracy is given a chance to enable it.

To that end we need to do more than campaign together. Let us form a common council that draws out a common blueprint for an International New Deal, a progressive New Bretton Woods.

This article was originally published by " The Guardian " -

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joyBy Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace laureate

September 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - In examining the future, we must look to the past.

As we watch the media today, we are spoon fed more and more propaganda and fear of the unknown, that we should be afraid of the unknown and have full faith that our government is keeping us safe from the unknown. But by looking at media today, those of us who are old enough will be reminded of the era of Cold War news articles, hysteria of how the Russians would invade and how we should duck and cover under tables in our kitchens for the ensuing nuclear war. Under this mass hysteria all Western governments were convinced that we should join Western allies to fight the unknown evil that lies to the east. Later through my travels in Russia during the height of the Cold War with a peace delegation, we were shocked by the poverty of the country, and questioned how we ever were led to believe that Russia was a force to be afraid of. We talked to the Russian students who were dismayed by their absolute poverty and showed anger against NATO for leading their country into an arms race that they could not win. Many years later, when speaking to young Americans in the US, I was in disbelief about the fear the students had of Russia and their talk of invasion. This is a good example of how the unknown can cause a deep rooted paranoia when manipulated by the right powers.

All military is expensive, and we can see in Europe that the countries are reluctant to expand their military spending and find it hard to justify this to their people. In looking at this scenario, we can ask ourselves what is beneficial about this hysteria and fear caused on both sides. All armies must have an enemy to deem them necessary. An enemy must be created, and the people must be convinced that there is need for action to safeguard the freedom of their country. Right now, we can see a shifting of financial power from old Western powers to the rise of the Middle East and Asia. Do we honestly believe that the Western allies are going to give up their power? My suggestion is: not easily. The old dying empires will fight tooth and nail to protect their financial interests such as the petrol dollar and the many benefits that come through their power over poverty-stricken countries.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Firstly, I must say, that I personally believe that Russia is not by any means without faults. But the amount of anti-Russian propaganda in our media today is a throwback to the Cold War era. We must ask the question: Is this leading to more arms, a bigger NATO? Possibly to challenge large powers in the Middle East and Asia, as we see the US approaching the South China seas, and NATO Naval games taking place in the Black Sea. Missile compounds are being erected in Romania, Poland and other ex-Soviet countries, while military games are set up in Scandinavia close to the Russian border to practice for a cold climate war scenario. At the same time, we see the US President arriving in Europe asking for increased military spending. At the same time the USA has increased its budget by 300 billion in one year.

The demonization of Russia is, I believe, one of the most dangerous things that is happening in our world today. The scapegoating of Russia is an inexcusable game that the West is indulging in. It is time for political leaders and each individual to move us back from the brink of catastrophe to begin to build relationships with our Russian brothers and sisters. Too long has the elite financially gained from war while millions are moved into poverty and desperation. The people of the world have been subjected to war propaganda based on lies and misinformation and we have seen the results of invasions and occupations by NATO disguised as "humanitarian intervention" and "right to protect". NATO has destroyed the lives of millions of people and purposely devastated their lands, causing the exodus of millions of refugees. The people around the world must not be misled yet again. I personally believe that the US, the UK and France are the most military minded countries, whose inability to use their imagination and creativity to solve conflict through dialogue and negotiation is astonishing to myself and many people. In a highly militarized, dangerous world it is important we start to humanize each other and find ways of cooperation, and build fraternity amongst the nations. The policies of demonization of political leaders as a means of preparing the way for invasions and wars must be stopped immediately and serious effort put in to the building of relationships across the world. The isolation and marginalization of countries will only lead to extremism, fundamentalism and violence.

During our visit to Moscow we had the pleasure of attending a celebration of mass at the main Orthodox Cathedral. I was very inspired by the deep spirituality and faith of the people as they sang the entire three-hour mass. I was moved by the culture of the Russian people and I could feel that their tremendous history of suffering and persecution gave them sensitivity and passion for peace.

Surely it is time that we in Europe refuse to be put in a position where we are forced to choose between our Russian and American brothers and sisters. The enormous problems that we are faced with, such as, due to climate change and wars, mass migration and movement of peoples around the world, need to be tackled as a world community. The lifting of sanctions against Russia and the setting up of programs of cooperation will help build friendships amongst the nations.

I call on all people to encourage their political leaders in the US, EU, and Russia to show vision and political leadership and use their skills to build trust and work for peace and nonviolence.

Mairead Maguire (www.peacepeople.com) was awarded the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize for her work to help end the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Her fierce activism has continued in numerous global causes serving the cause of peace.

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joyHome Search ICH The Afghan Morass



By Cesar Chelala



September 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - On learning that he was from Afghanistan, I asked my Afghan taxi driver in New York his opinion about the situation in his country. Americans dont get it, he said. They are not going to succeed in Afghanistan. My father was a warlord who fought the Russians, and I grew up in Afghanistan, so I know the situation there. I have a lot of respect for the Russian soldiers, who fought us fiercely. But I dont have the same respect for the coalition soldiers who always overprotect themselves. They dont seem to understand that we have fought for centuries against foreign occupation in my country, and we have always succeeded.



The taxi drivers assessment confirmed the strength of the Afghan soldier, able to fight with the most primitive weapons against the greatest empires on earth. When these soldiers feel their land usurped by foreign forces, their strength is multiplied. And this is just one of the obstacles confronting U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.



Matthew Hoh, a former Foreign Service officer and former Marine Corps captain who became the first U.S. official to resign in protest over the Afghan war, had declared, Upon arriving in Afghanistan and serving in both the East and South (and particularly speaking with local Afghans) I found that the majority of those who were fighting us and the Afghan central government were fighting us because they felt occupied. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter More than 2,200 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan, and the U.S. has spent more than $840 billion fighting the Taliban and paying for relief and reconstruction. The amount of money the U.S. has so far spent in Afghanistan is higher than what it spent, in current dollars, on the Marshall Plan, which help rebuild Europe after World War II.



Despite all these financial resources spent in Afghanistan, and even though the American military says that the Afghan government controls or influences 56 percent of the country, this control is limited to district and military quarters while the Taliban controls the rest.



According to Afghan official statistics, the Afghan security forces outnumber the Taliban by 10 to 1. However, as recently as the second week in September, dozens of police officers, soldiers and civilians were killed by Taliban insurgents in four well-coordinated attacks which even included one in Kabul.



In the deadliest attack, the insurgents killed over 30 members of the government security forces in Baghlan Province, located in the north of the country. The casualties among the Afghan security forces have been significant. According to the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, a U.S. government agency, 6,785 Afghan police and soldiers have died in the first 10 months of 2016.



As there are increasing calls for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, the real dilemma for the U.S. is if it is worth to persist in what increasingly seems like an unwinnable war on this natural resources-plentiful country. The Taliban have indicated that they are ready for a second round of talks with the U.S.



It is now time for both parties in this cruel war to put and end to what has been like a hemorrhage in the body of the Afghan people. Those who have failed in the past should be a sobering reminder to the troops now fighting in that country. Afghanistan has been called the graveyard of empires. It should more properly be called the end of an illusion.



Cesar Chelala, MD, PhD, a co-winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award, is the foreign correspondent for The Middle East Times International (Australia). ==See Also== Note To ICH Community 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. Thank you for your 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.Home Search ICH Obamas Imperial Presidency



By Carl Boggs



September 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Could Donald Trump already be the worst of all American presidents? In less than two years his record on the world scene has been frightening enough: U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Accords, scuttling of the Iran nuclear treaty, moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, unjustifiably punitive sanctions against Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, terror bombing of Mosul and other Iraq cities, bombastic threats against friends and enemies alike  not to mention a $54 billion gift to the Pentagon and stepped-up nuclear modernization. Hard to imagine much worse.



One article of faith among liberals and the corporate media is that Trumps presidency stands alone as a house or horrors, unprecedented in its fascistic authoritarianism, crazy pronouncements, and ideological blend of xenophobia, racism, sexism, and sheer extremism. Those in the resistance know that pretty much any alternative (Bill Maher, LeBron James) would be far better, though specifics  beyond Trumps mortal sin of partnering with Putin  are rarely mentioned. But precisely what alternatives? Bernie Sanders? Well, the Democratic National Committee never gave him much chance. Obvious comparisons are Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, and his competitor, Hillary Clinton. Obama was in charge of U.S. foreign policy for the preceding eight years, so his legacy (with plenty of help from Clinton) might be worth considering.



Obama, it turns out, was among the most militaristic White House occupants in American history, taking the imperial presidency to new heights. It has been said that Obama was the only president whose administration was enmeshed in multiple wars from beginning to end. His imperial ventures spanned many countries  Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia along with proxy interventions in Yemen and Pakistan. He ordered nearly 100,000 bombs and missiles delivered against defenseless targets, a total greater than that of the more widely-recognized warmonger George W. Bushs total of 70,000 against five countries. Iraq alone  where U.S. forces were supposed to have been withdrawn  was recipient of 41,000 bombs and missiles along with untold amounts of smaller ordnance. Meanwhile, throughout his presidency Obama conducted hundreds of drone attacks in the Middle East, more than doubling Bushs total, all run jointly (and covertly) by the CIA and Air Force. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Obama engineered two of the most brazen regime-change operations of the postwar era, in Libya (2011) and Ukraine (2014), leaving both nations reduced to a state of ongoing civil war and economic ruin. For the past seven years Libya has been overrun by an assortment of militias, jihadic groups, and local strongmen  predictable result of the U.S./NATO bombing offensive to destroy the secular nationalist (and modernizing) Kadafi regime. This was purportedly Secretary of State Clintons biggest moment of glory, her imperialist gloating on full display following Kadafis assassination. As this is written conditions in Libya worsen by the day, reports surfacing of hundreds of people killed during violent clashes in the suburbs of Tripoli as rival militias fight for control of the capital. Militias now exercise control over ports, airfields, and much of the oil infrastructure. More tens of thousands of Libyans are being forced from their homes, a development greeted with silence at CNN and kindred media outlets.



United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric recently decried this violence, noting the indiscriminate shelling by armed groups killing civilians, including children. Not to be outdone, the U.S. (joined by a few European states) issued a statement condemning the violence in Libya, reading in part: We urge armed groups to immediately cease all military actions and warn those who tamper with security in Tripoli or elsewhere in Libya that they will be held accountable for any such actions. How thoughtful of those very military actors who, with U.N. blessing, brought nothing but endless death and destruction to the Libyan people.



In Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin was being demonized as the new Hitler, real fascists (or at least neo-fascists) were installed in power through the well-planned and generously-funded conspiracy of Obamas neocon functionaries, led by Victoria Nuland and cheered on by such visiting notables as John McCain, Joe Biden, and John Brennan  all scheming to bring the Kiev regime into the NATO/European Union orbit. The puppet Poroshenko regime has since 2014 been given enough American economic and military largesse to finance its warfare against separatists in the Russian-speaking Donbass region, resulting in more than 10,000 deaths, with no end in sight. Following the gruesome pattern of Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan, Ukrainian society descends into deepening chaos and violence with no end in sight.



It is easy to forget that it was the Obama administration that planned and carried out the first phases of the Mosul operation (begun in October 2016) which produced hundreds of thousands of casualties (with at least 40,000 dead), left a city of two million in Dresden-like state of rubble, and drove nearly a million civilians into exile. The same fate, on smaller scale, was brought to other Sunni-majority cities in Iraq, including Ramadi, Tikrit, and Fallujah (already destroyed by U.S. forces in 2004). Whatever the official goal, and however many secondary collaborators were involved, these were monstrous war crimes by any reckoning.



After calling for a nuclear-free world (and receiving a Nobel Peace Prize for that promise), Obama reversed course and embarked on the most ambitious U.S. nuclear upgrading since the early 1950s  the same project inherited by Trump. Speaking in Prague in 2009, the president called for total abolition of nukes, saying the Cold War has disappeared but thousands of those [nuclear] weapons have not . . . Our efforts to contain these dangers [must be] centered on a global non-proliferation regime. A laudable objective to be sure. But for a price tag of one trillion dollars (over two decades), Obama decided to create new missile delivery systems, expand the arsenal of tactical warheads, and fund a new cycle of bombers and submarines  all with little political or media notice. These initiatives violated the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty prohibiting such moves, while essentially blocking any genuine efforts toward nuclear reduction and nonproliferation.



In the months before Obama departed the White House he laid the groundwork for a new, more dangerous, Cold War with Russia. This agenda, negating earlier plans for a reset with the Putin government, would be multi-faceted  expanded NATO forces along Russian borders, renewed support for the oligarch Poroshenko in Ukraine, new and harsher economic sanctions, expulsion of diplomats, accelerated cyberwarfare, charges of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Not only has this strategy, eagerly advanced by the Clintonites and their media allies, brought new levels of insanity to American politics, it has left the two nuclear powers menacingly closer to armed confrontation than even at the peak of the Cold War.



Obamas contributions to a more robust imperial presidency went further. Collaborating with Israel and Saudi Arabia, he stoked the Syrian civil war by lending rebel fighters crucial material, logistical, and military aid for what Clinton  anticipating electoral victory  believed would bring yet another cheerful episode of regime change, this one leaving the U.S. face-to-face with the Russians. During his tenure in office, moreover, Obama would deploy more special-ops troops around the globe (to more than 70 countries) than any predecessor.



Many liberals and more than a few progressives  not to mention large sectors of the media intelligentsia  will find it difficult to reconcile the picture of an aggressively imperialist Obama with the more familiar image of a thoughtful, articulate politician who laced his talks with references to peace, arms control, and human rights. But this very dualism best corresponds to the historical reality. In his book The Obama Syndrome, Tariq Ali writes: From Palestine through Iraq, Obama has acted as just another steward of the American empire, pursuing the same aims as his predecessors, with the same means but with more emollient rhetoric. He adds: Historically, the model for the current variant of imperial presidency is Woodrow Wilson, no less pious a Christian, whose every second word was peace, democracy, or self-determination, while his armies invaded Mexico, occupied Haiti, and attacked Russia [yes, Russia!], and his treaties handed one colony after another to his partners in war. Obama is a hand-me-down version of the same, without even Fourteen Points to betray.



As the 2018 midterm elections approach, Obama has chosen to depart from historical norm and go on the attack against a Trump presidency viewed as signifying all that is evil. A Democratic victory would reject Trumps dark vision of the the nation and restore honesty, decency, and lawfulness to the American government. In his first speech Obama said that orchestrated public fear has created conditions ripe for exploitation by politicians who have no compunction and no shame about tapping into Americas dark history of racial and ethnic and religious division. Does Obama need to be reminded that such dark history also includes militarism and imperialism?



Whatever ones view of the Trump phenomenon in its totality, the amount of death and destruction he has brought to the world does not (yet) come close to Obamas record of warfare, drone strikes, regime changes, military provocations, and global deployments. If neocon interests have come to shape U.S. foreign policy, those interests have so far been more fully embraced by Obama and the Clintonites than by Trump, despite the scary presence of Trumps hawkish circle of lieutenants. Unfortunately, Obamas eight years of imperial aggression elicited strikingly few liberal or progressive voices of dissent across the political and media terrain. He enjoyed nearly complete immunity from protest at a time when even the smallest vestiges of a once-vigorous American antiwar movement had disappeared from the scene. CARL BOGGS is the author of several recent books, including Fascism Old and New (2018), Origins of the Warfare State (2016), and Drugs, Power, and Politics (2015). He can be reached at ceboggs@nu.edu. This article was originally published by " Counterpunch " - ==See Also== Note To ICH Community 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. Thank you for your 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.We Are The Victims Of The Victims Of European History

Watch

"Those who choose to be our enemies have mobilized against us, God, the Bible, Hitler, the Holocaust and Hollywood"

Dr Afif Safieh the Fatah Deputy Commissioner for International Relations receives a huge welcome during his address to the Sinn Fein 2018 Ard Fheis

Posted September 16, 2018

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joySeptember 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - UN chief Antonio Guterres said in comments published Thursday that US power is in decline as Washington loses its ability to impact world events, Anadolu reports.

I think that the soft power of the United States  is being reduced at the present moment, Guterres said during an interview with the Atlantic magazine.

Guterres warned the development poses unique challenges for the international community because without Washington there is no way to solve most of the problems in the world.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The United States is today involved in a number of conflicts of different naturesin relation to trade, in relation to other situationsand indeed that means that the  attraction of American society that was a dominant factor in international relations just a few decades ago is today less clear Guterres said.

Guterres did not refer to the Trump administration by name, but his comments reflect an increasing number of trade spats the US under President Donald Trump has become embroiled in, as well the USs withdrawal from major international accords and UN bodies.

Guterres suggested the world today is in pieces, moving away from a US-led order to a multi-polar system that has yet to fully settle.

Its inevitable that mono-state leadership of the international order will be more and more put into question, he said.

Both the United States and the rest of the world need to be able to adapt to this new situation, added Guterres.

This article was originally published by " MEMO " -

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joySeptember 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to severely cut funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is another step in what seems to be an attempt by the U.S. and Israel to erase the Palestinian refugee issue. Festering for seven decades, the Palestinian refugee crisis has been an open wound affecting Palestine and the countries around it, and now Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claim they have found a solution: deny the existence of the refugees.

However, as much as Trump and Netanyahu may try to deny they exist, and even if the U.S. government decides to reduce their number by declaring that there are far fewer refugees than there really are, the fact remains that over 5 million Palestinians live in camps in extreme poverty, neglect and abuse. The reason for this: Israel has banned the refugees and their descendants from returning to their land so that it could maintain a Jewish majority.

U.S. policy

If the U.S.-Israeli solution goes through, as it seems it will, UNRWA will serve only the original surviving refugees, whose number naturally decreases each year. According to a report in Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network:

A bill in Congress attempts to codify this [Trumps] new formulation. HR 6451 stipulates that only the surviving refugees qualify for resettlement and UNRWA services. The rest of the aid would be channelled to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which is bound by the 2018 Taylor Force Act, prohibiting U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority until certain conditions are met. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Also according to the Al-Shabaka report: In January 2018 the administration slashed the first $125 million installment of its annual payment to UNRWA by more than half. Then, when the U.S. announced that it will no longer contribute to UNRWA at all, the announcement sent shockwaves around the Arab world.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Clearly, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria  all countries where Palestinian refugee camps are situated, realize that the result of this will be that millions of Palestinian refugees would be left without even the little education, work, food, and healthcare they currently have. In other words, this will result in an even worse crisis, not a resolution.

Double standard

One of the more puzzling aspects of this issue is that the state of Israel claims its own legitimacy derives from the right of Jewish people to return to their biblical homeland after 2,000 years of exile. Zionists argue that, owing to connections to an ancient tribe that resided in Palestine some 2,000 years ago, they have a claim to Palestine. Now, the same state of Israel demands that Palestinian refugees drop their claim to return after 70 years and forget their homeland.

The absurdity of the 2,000 year claim to return needs hardly be explained, but the fact is that not a single Jewish person can point out where his or her family lived 2,000 years ago. Palestinians however, in many if not most cases, still have the keys to their homes and the deeds to their land. Many of the first generation refugees are still alive and  when given a chance, as shown in this video,  will, even in places where a village or town was totaled by the Israelis, find the exact spot where their home stood, where the well used to be, and where the school, mosque or church stood.

UNRWA

A report published by the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) says that,

The humanitarian aid and assistance that UNRWA provides to the Palestine refugees can never be enough. But it will be required as long as the issues of statelessness, prolonged military occupation, economic marginalization and vulnerability characteristic of the Palestinian refugee crisis are not addressed.

It goes on to say:

Because of the prolonged nature of the Palestine refugee problem, the [UNRWA] agencys efforts to provide education and health care have been pivotal in developing the refugees full human potential. Indeed, education is the largest of UNRWAs main programmes, accounting for approximately 54 percent of its General Fund Budget.

Clearly, the host countries of Palestinian refugees have a good reason to be concerned now that funding has decreased so substantially.

The U.S. support for UNRWA was not an act of generosity, historian Ilan Pappe recently posted. Back in 1950, the U.S. supported the establishment of the agency, with a promise that its creation would lead to the implementation of Resolution 194, passed on December 11, 1948. While in the so-called peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority the refugee issue was designated as a final status issue to be discussed at an unknown date in the distant future, the UN resolution predates that and therefore should be implemented without such interminable delays. Resolution 194 states that the UN:

Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible; Instructs the Conciliation Commission to facilitate the repatriation, resettlement and economic and social rehabilitation of the refugees and the payment of compensation, and to maintain close relations with the Director of the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees and, through him, with the appropriate organs and agencies of the United Nations 

In his book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Pappe says the following:

UNRWA was not committed to the return of the refugees as UN General Assembly Resolution 194, from 11 December 1948, had stipulated, but was set up simply to provide employment and subsidies to the approximately one million Palestinian refugees who had ended up in the camps. It was also entrusted with building more permanent camps for them, constructing schools and opening medical centres. In other words, UNRWA was intended, in general, to look after the refugees daily concerns.

Recently, Pappe stated that UNRWA can only be dismantled if that resolution [194] would be respected. In other words, dismantling UNRWA is fine as long as the refugees are permitted to return to their homes and their land in Palestine, as stipulated in the resolution, and be paid reparations for seven decades of dispossession.

Teaching humiliation

The Israeli government says it welcomes the U.S. decision to stop funding UNRWA. According to Israel, the UN agency  which in 1950 was tasked was caring for the Palestinian refugees that Zionist forces drove out of what was, until then, Palestine  is perpetuating the refugee problem.

Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani has written many short stories that reflect the lives of the Palestinian refugees in the camps. These are stories about the poverty, the humiliation and the desperation of a people who were thrown out of their land and forgotten by the world. He offers honest, heart wrenching descriptions of children learning humiliation in the Agency schools (Agency meaning UNRWA) and fathers who are helpless and must compromise their own integrity and dignity in order to provide for their families meager existence  and all of this because Israel has convinced the world that a Jewish majority is more important than humanity, peoples lives and dignity, not to mention peoples right to live free on their land.

As things stand today, the U.S. will stop funding the agency that is tasked with caring for millions of refugees  whom Israel created and is refusing to allow to return  while continuing to give Israel billions of dollars each year. Clearly, working the other way around would be more cost-effective. Stop sending Israel foreign aid, allow the refugees to return, and use the billions of dollars of foreign-aid money to facilitate their return, pay reparations, and rehabilitate the communities in Palestine that have been subjected to settler colonialism and apartheid since 1948.

Miko Peled is an author and human rights activist born in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Generals Son. Journey of an Israeli in Palestine, and Injustice, the Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five.

==See Also==

Trumps War on Palestinian Refugees Is as Heartless as Anything Hes Done: Cuts to UNRWA will mean refugee children have less access to education. Cuts to an East Jerusalem hospital will mean less treatment. Why? Why go out of his way like that?

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joy





By Fred Reed

September 16, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - I have no choice. I must don the mantle of greatness and take the reins of the country. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I will run for the office of dictator, or President in American parlance.

Readers may ask, But Fred, what makes you think you are qualified to be President? To which I respond, Nothing. But have you seenwhat we have now? You want a White House with John Bolton in it?

You see.

I append here a few of the enlightened policies which I will effect. Hold your applause until the end. Interspersed for perusal are a few slogans that I may use to incite your fervor.

One: I will end all policies hostile to Cuba. I will not make life difficult for eleven million perfectly good people to please a ratpack of phony Cubans afflicting Miami. In fact, I will offer Havana a twenty-billion-dollar loan if they will take the bastards back. Cuba poses no danger to anyone. They have good cigars. They should be left alone to live as they please and drink mojitos. If nutcake Republicans protest my policy, I will have them stuffed into an abandoned oil well. Along with the pseudo-Cubans.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Two: Elizabeth Warren will be required to take a DNA test to see whether she is a wild Indian. If she is, she will have to wear feathers. Otherwise, to see a psychiatrist.

We have nothing to be afred of but Fred hisself! Has a classic ring, dont you think?

Three: I will end the Afghan war in an afternoon, relying on use the exit strategy proposed by James P. Coyne, the Sun Tsu of our age:

OK, on the plane. Now.

If Lindsey Graham complains that we need to kill more puzzled goatherds, I will have him inserted into the oil well on top of the Republicans and pseudo-Cubans, with Oprah tamped down on top as a sort of cork. There is nothing in Afghanistan that Americans need or want, except opium products, and private enterprise now provides these in abundance. Check the nearest street corner, or ask your kids.

Four: I will make membership in AIPAC a felony, and remind its members that I could have Oprah temporarily removed from the oil well to make more room. Aipackers can act as they please in their own countryI will not meddle in foreign affairsbut leave ours alone.

Fred! Ahhhhhh. This has a nicely orgasmic quality that will appeal to the younger demographic. It represents the satisfaction that my rule will bring to the entire country.

Five: I will end all sanctions against Iran. Then I will sell those Persian rascals airplanes and cars and electronic stuff and towel softener and lock them into the American economic system. This will make Boeing and AT&T and Intel love me with the deep sweet love that never dies, at least as long as the money flows, and there will be lots of jobs in Seattle.

Six: I will bring charges of treason against the contents of the Great Double Wide on Pennsylvania Avenue. The evidence is incontrovertible. The first rule of empire is Dont Let Your Enemies Unite. Everybody who has an empire knows this. Except us. Inside the White House a bunch of apparently brain-damaged political mostly left-overs, suffering from Beltway Bubble Syndrome, push China, Russia, and Iran together like some kind of international spaghetti-grope LGTBQRSTUV threesome. Who are our dismal leaders really working for? China?

A Fred in Every Pot This makes no sense, you may say. No, but we are doing politics. It is almost iambic pentameter, like Shakespeare. It will lend class to my campaign.

Seven: I will keep the F-35 program. It provides a lot of jobs. However, I will but get rid of the airplane. Isnt this brilliant? Instead of building the thing, workers will dig holes and fill them in, but keep their current salaries. It will improve their health, and make America safer. The fewer dangerous things the children in the Five-Sided Wind Tunnel have, the less trouble it can cause.

Better Fred than Dead! Some readers will dispute this. What do they know?

Eight: I have been urged to end affirmative action on the grounds that things should be done by people who can actually do them. This is racist. I will have nothing to do with it. Instead I will make affirmative action democratic and inclusive. Everyone will qualify for it. Special privilege should not be restricted to a minority. It isnt the American way.

Fred! Good as Any, Bettern Some. Good thinking.

Nine: I will abolish NATO. America should find a cheaper way to control the vassals. There is of course the bedtime story that NATO exists to confront the Russkies, and only incidentally provides a compulsory market for American armament. Nuts. Russia cannot seem dangerous to anyone who wasnt dropped on his head at some formative juncture in life. Smallish population, low military budget.

Likewise South Korea, which has twice the population and forty times the economy of the North. If it wants to defend itself, it has my blessing. If it doesnt, it isnt our problem.

Tippecanoe and Frederick Too! This may require exhumation, but for this we have backhoes.

Ten: I will make a modest reduction in the military budget, say seventy-five percent. To keep the soldiers happy I will invest in high-throughput roller coasters, a shooting range with BB guns, and really loud speaker systems that say Varoooom and Bangbangbang and fzzzzzzzzboom. These will provide psychic emoluments of marital life without the murder.

Eleven: The money thus saved I will use on pressing domestic problems. LA has 68,,000 homeless people on the streets, San Francisco loses conventions because of so many homeless defecating on the sidewalks, Portland has homeless riots,. The lower primates in Antifa and BLM rend such social fabric as any longer exists. Dams are aging. Our trains are out of of the Fifties. And we spend a trillion a year on goddam aircraft carriers?

Fred? Well, Got a Better Idea?

Twelve: As an educational reform, I will have the Department of Education filled with linoleum cement, the occupants being left inside. This will raise the national IQ by at least three points. I will pass an amendment to the fragments of the Constitution saying, No federal entity or person shall say, think, suggest, or do anything whatever regarding schooling on pain of garroting. Part of the savings from lowering the military budget will go to purchasing garrotes. The duration, content, and nature of the schools shall be left to localities without exception.

Thirteen: The father of any girl subjected to genital mutilation will be awarded a free gender reassignment operation, preferably with tin-snips. Genital mutilation should be inclusive. The father will then be placed for two weeks in the bottom of a public latrine in Uganda. If this doesnt suffice to deter the practice, I may be forced to adopt extreme measures. A country that allows such treatment of daughters deserves to go to hell. And seems to be.

Fourteen: I will impose a literacy test for voting. People too dim to find their way home should not be permitted to influence policies they have never heard of and cant spell. Yes, this might be called illiberal. If so, it will doubtless be the only example of illiberalism in this meritorious list.

Fifteen: In higher education, I will prescribe horse whipping for anyone saying microaggression, white privilege, whiteness, patriarchy, safe space, people of color, racism, any kind of phobia, or Resist in a squalling voice with an exclamation point. No curriculum containing the word Studies will be permitted.

Sixteen: Anyone prescribing Ritalin for children under twenty-one will be thrown from a helicopter.

In conclusion, I say to my yearning public, There, you ,see, there is hope. Together we can do this. See you at the polls.

Fred, a keyboard mercenary with a disorganized past, has worked on staff for Army Times, The Washingtonian, Soldier of Fortune, Federal Computer Week, and The Washington Times. https://fredoneverything.org

=See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joyBy Eric Margolis

September 17, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Good work Mr. President! You have now managed to lay the groundwork for a grand Chinese-Russian alliance. The objective of intelligent diplomacy is to divide ones foes, not to unite them.

This epic blunder comes at a time when the US appears to be getting ready for overt military action in Syria against Russian and Syrian forces operating there. The excuse, as before, will be false-flag attacks with chlorine gas, a chemical widely used in the region for water purification. It appears that the fake attacks have already been filmed.

Meanwhile, some 303,000 Russian, Chinese and Mongolian soldiers are engaged in massive maneuvers in eastern Siberia and naval exercises in the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk. The latter, an isolated region of Arctic water, is the bastion of Russias Pacific Fleet of nuclear-armed missile submarines.

Interestingly, President Vladimir Putin, who has attended the war games with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, just offered to end the state of war between Russia and Japan that has continued since 1945. He also offered some sort of deal to resolve the very complex problem of the Russian-occupied Kuril Islands (Northern Territories to Japan) that has bedeviled MoscowTokyo relations since the war. The barren Kurils control the exits and entry to the Sea of Okhotsk where Russias nuclear missiles shelter.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

In the current war games, Russia has deployed 30,000 military vehicles and 1,000 combat aircraft. China contributed 3,200 troops, 30 warplanes and naval units. Most of the equipment deployed in Vostok-18 was state of the art. Russias and Chinas infantry, artillery and armor appeared impressive and combat ready  or as we in the US Army used to say, STRAC.

Why were these huge exercises being held in remotest eastern Siberia? First, so China could contribute forces close to its territory. Second, as a possible warning to the United States not to invade North Korea, which is just to the south and abuts on both China and Russia. Third, as a demonstration of the improved effectiveness of Russia and Chinas military and as a warning to the US and its NATO satraps not to pick a fight with Russia over Ukraine, Syria or the Black Sea.

On a grander scale, Beijing and Moscow were signaling their new entente cordiale designed to counter-balance the reckless military ambitions of the Trump administration, which has been rumbling about a wider war in Syria and intervention in, of all places, Venezuela. The feeling in Russia and China is that the Trump White House is drunk with power and unable to understand the consequences of its military actions, a fact underlined by recent alarming exposes about it.

Russia and China appear  at least for now  to have overcome their historic mutual suspicion and animosity. In the over-heated imagination of many Russians, China often appears to be the modern incarnation of the Mongol hordes of the past that held ancient Rus in feudal thrall. Russians still call China Kitai, or Cathay.

For the Chinese, Russia is the menacing power that stole large parts of eastern Siberia in the 19th century. Today, Russia frets that Chinas 1.4 billion people will one day swamp the Russian Far East which has only 6.2 million inhabitants spread over a vast, largely empty region which is one of the worlds least inhabited.

In the 1960s, after the Soviet Union and China became ideological antagonists, the two sides frequently clashed along their border rivers, Amur and Ussuri. They almost stumbled into a full-scale war on their 4,000 km border at a time when the US had invaded Vietnam supposedly to halt Chinese-Soviet aggression. The CIA was as ill-informed back then as it is today.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping attended the grand display, along with their senior military staffs. This week-long martial event, Russias largest war games in almost four decades, overshadowed the smaller military exercise being staged by NATO in Ukraine.

The message from eastern Siberia was clear: Washingtons reckless hostility and bellicosity is causing its foes to band together. A full third of the Russian Army just moved from Europe to the Far East for the war games. The Chinese dragon of which Napoleon warned is awakening.

Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times, Nation  Pakistan, Hurriyet,  Turkey, Sun Times Malaysia and other news sites in Asia. ericmargolis.com

Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2018

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

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.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joyGovernor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has responded to the latest request from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to place him on a watch list. According to the EFCC, the out-going Governor may have a plan to runaway from the country hence the request to put him under surveillance.

Reacting to the news, Fayose has said the move is not only political but very petty. The governor said he is not afraid to face what ever is hauled at him. Speaking via Twitter on Sunday, fayose said the Anti-corruption agency should expect him on October 16th, a day after he officially leaves office as governor.

He also stated that he would not be intimidated into leaving his party, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). He also reacted to the news that a group of civil servants were protesting that, he(Fayose) spent millions of Naira to charter a plane.

He wrote:

@officialEFCC putting my name on watch list after notification of my coming is not only political but petty. I'm not among those who are afraid to face tomorrow. Nobody is God.

They should expect me on October 16, 2018.

I will remain in PDP not minding their intimidation.  Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) September 16, 2018iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- Following allegations of sexual assault from a California psychology professor against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, outside groups from both sides of the aisle are readying for an intense messaging battle as Capitol Hill grapples with the political fallout.



The allegations made against Kavanaugh by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, 51, stem from an incident that allegedly took place while they were attending high school in suburban Maryland, and became public after the contents of a letter Ford sent to California Senate Dianne Feinstein, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, were leaked.



In a new statement released Monday morning, Kavanaugh forcefully refuted Ford's allegations.



"This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone," Kavanaugh's statement read, "Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday."



Following the initial firestorm over the allegations, leading groups on the left and right tell ABC News they are readying major advertising buys to push key Senators to either move forward on or put a stop to Kavanaugh's confirmation.



The Judicial Crisis Network (JCN), which has already spent millions to push for Kavanaugh's confirmation, is planning a new $1.5 million TV ad blitz, on cable and broadcast, featuring a 35-year friend of the nominee.



"We are not going to allow a last-minute smear campaign destroy a good and decent man who has an unblemished personal record," a conservative strategist told ABC News.



The Senate Leadership Fund, a leading GOP super PAC with links to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told ABC News that the group is "still evaluating" their options in light of the allegations against Kavanaugh.



Leading groups on the left have been pushing for a halt to Kavanaugh's nomination ever since the allegations from Dr. Ford, who spoke to the Washington Post about the incident on Sunday, were made public last week.



Demand Justice, one of the leading anti-Kavanaugh groups on the left, told ABC News Monday that they are planning a $700,000 television and digital advertising blitz in four states, Alaska, Colorado, Maine and Nevada, that will focus on Dr. Ford's allegations.



Brian Fallon, a spokesman for Demand Justice, told ABC News that this is the first time since Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement that trigger Kavanaugh's nomination, the group is targeting Colorado and Nevada in an effort to put pressure on Republican Senators Dean Heller and Cory Gardner, to halt the confirmation process.



The group has also been promoting the hashtag "#IBelieveChristine" on it's Twitter account in an effort to boost pressure on GOP lawmakers.



NARAL Pro-Choice America, another major organization on the left fighting against Kavanaugh's nomination, released two new online ads Monday targeting Heller and Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a key Republican swing vote who has been at the center of the left's efforts to block the judge's nomination to the Supreme Court.



Collins on Monday called for both Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee under oath.



A vote in Judiciary Committee is slated for Thursday, but several GOP senators, including Arizona's Jeff Flake, have said that the committee should hear from Ford before they move forward on Kavanaugh's nomination.



In a press call Monday afternoon, leaders from several progressive organizations said the allegations against Kavanaugh should force his withdrawal.



"This is a remarkable moment with echoes of the past, but also stark differences," said Nan Aaron, the founder and president of the Alliance for Justice, a liberal judicial advocacy group, "I can tell you, every woman in America will be watching how this unfolds."



Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL, said that the Judiciary Committee that is overseeing Kavanaugh's nomination is not in a position to obtain a credible denial from the nominee in the face of Ford's allegations.



"There is no way for the American people to be assured through any Senate Judiciary process that [Kavanaugh] can be trusted in his denials of this extraordinarily credible claim by a woman who had nothing to gain, and everything to lose by bravely coming forward and telling her story," Hogue told reporters, "It is NARAL's position and the position of our members that Brett Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination immediately."

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.At least 23 people were killed in a weekend of violence targeting minorities in the ethnic Oromo heartland near Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, police said, a blow to new reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's efforts at reconciliation.

The violence escalated on Saturday, the day of a rally marking the return to Ethiopia of leaders of the exiled Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which had waged a four-decade insurgency for self-determination for Ethiopia's largest ethnic group.

Abiy, himself the first Oromo leader in the ethnically diverse country's modern history, has pursued a reconciliation strategy since taking power in April, steering the state away from a hardline security policy in place for decades.

In the latest unrest, local residents said shops were looted and people attacked by mobs of Oromo youth who stormed through streets targeting businesses and homes of ethnic minorities on Saturday after two days of sporadic attacks in the Oromiya region's Burayu district northwest of Addis Ababa.

"Mobs of ethnic Oromo youth then marched here in Ashwa Meda and attacked our homes and looted businesses chanting 'leave our land'," said Hassan Ibrahim, a trader in an ethnically diverse part of the district told Reuters.

"By night time, there were several dead bodies along roads."

Another resident said some of the violence was carried out by people returning from Saturday's rally in support of the returning OLF leaders. Reuters could not immediately confirm this. The OLF did not immediately comment on the unrest.

State-affiliated Fana Broadcasting said so far police had detained 200 people over the violence.

Alemayehu Ejigu, head of Oromiya region's police commission, said 23 people were killed in the latest violence and more than 70 people had been arrested. He denied accusations that police were slow to respond.

"They do not represent anyone - they had no reason other than theft," he said of those behind the violence. "Anyone has the constitutional right to reside in Oromiya or anywhere."

Marginalisation

Ethiopia's Oromo, who make up about a third of the population, have long complained of being marginalised during decades of authoritarian rule by governments led by politicians from other smaller ethnic groups. In recent years the Oromo have been angered by what they see as encroachment on their land.

Abiy's predecessor Hailemariam Desalegn resigned in February in the wake of violent anti-government protests that had swept the Oromo heartland for two years.

Since taking power, Abiy has lifted a state of emergency, freed political prisoners and removed leaders of banned groups including the OLF from a blacklist, paving the way for their return to the country.

But Abiy's reforms have yet to halt ethnic violence. Clashes between Oromos and ethnic Gedeos in the south caused nearly a million people to flee their homes soon after he took power.

Abiy's chief of staff Fitsum Arega said on Twitter that the prime minister "strongly condemns the killings and acts of violence against innocent citizens around Ashwa Meda, Kataa and Fili Doro last night.

"These cowardly attacks represent a grave concern to our unity and solidarity of our people and will be met with appropriate response," he said.

On Monday, hundreds of people staged protests outside parliament, the central square, the headquarters of state television and other places in the capital demanding justice.

"Our homes were destroyed and our women raped simply because we belonged to another ethnic group. Yet the government is yet to respond properly," said Atnafu Worku, one of the demonstrators.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has said they are more than willing to accept the Governor of Lagos, Akinwumi Ambode, if his party, All progressives Congress(APC) sends him away.

According to the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Lagos, Taofik Gani, it isnt yet official that Billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola has picked the partys ticket for the governorship election. However, he noted that bigwigs in the party are working hard to ensure that this happens.

Mr Gani also said that the PDP has no problem accepting anyone into the party, as long as it favours their interest. In his words:Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Monday, Mahmood Yakubu said the commission may ban the use of mobile phones at polling units. According to prof Yakubu, phones would be collected from voters when they collect their ballot papers to curb vote buying.

INEC chairman made this known in Osogbo at the stakeholders forum, as he says this would help the upcoming gubernatorial election in Osun to be free and fair.

In a quick response, some commenters opined that the idea is such a good one as it would encourage bribing of INEC officials and was also an infringement on the rights of voters.

However, there were a few, who totally supported the idea, saying it would definitely help curb vote buying.

See reactions

Move by @inecnigeria to ban the use of mobile phones in the polling booth is a welcome development, it will at least reduce the 'see and buy' method of voters snapping the ballot paper in exchange for money inducement by political parties. Pleasing INEC is becoming proactive.  Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) September 17, 2018

Move by @inecnigeria to ban the use of mobile phones in the polling booth is a welcome development, it will at least reduce the 'see and buy' method of voters snapping the ballot paper in exchange for money inducement by political parties. Pleasing INEC is becoming proactive.  Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) September 17, 2018

https://twitter.com/segalink/status/1041670278324076544A newlywed Nigerian lady has been branded Britains biggest bridezilla after holding five different wedding ceremonies during which she wore 13 dresses.

Sandra Igwe, who married the same man five times, spent 70,000 in total on her wedding celebrations.

The first two ceremonies were held in Nigeria, at a cost of around 2,500 to each guest  one of whom had to take out a loan in order to attend.

Speaking on This Morning, Sandra said she doesnt feel guilty about expecting people to attend multiple ceremonies, because they should want to be there for her at such a significant time.

She also told how she instructed guests off the dance floor at one ceremony in order to watch her and her new husband dancing, and that those who failed to stick to her dress code were not included in her wedding photos.

But her remarks were slammed by This Morning viewers on Twitter, with some calling her greedy and vulgar.

Mrs Igwe said shed always dreamed of having the perfect wedding, but found she wanted so many different things that one day simply wasnt enough.

She explained:

From a young age us girls plan the biggest day of our lives so when the time came I wanted to have the perfect wedding. I thought, I want it here, I want it there and there, and I thought, Why cant I have what I always dreamed of?

Her first wedding took place in her fathers home village here in Nigeria, and her second was a huge party in a hotel in Lagos, costing guests 2,500 to attend.

But she doesnt feel guilty for making her loved ones fork out to attend her weddings, saying:

If you care about somebody, you love them, then why would you not be there for such a significant day in their life? So I dont feel guilty.

I would do the same, I have done the same so I think its fine.

She told how during the hotel party she kicked her guests off the dancefloor so they could watch her and her new husband dance all night, and she refused to let those who hadnt followed the strict blue and silver colour scheme pose for any of her wedding photos.

Her third wedding was on a beach and she argued with the videographer about the shots he was taking of them, expecting the waves of the sea to be in a perfect position in the background.

For her fourth wedding she had a much more low key ceremony in a registry office in Coventry, and was furious when many of her family and friends refused to attend because theyd been to so many of her celebrations already.

Her last big day was a lavish white wedding at Grosvenor House in London, for which she had 13 bridesmaids and two wedding gowns.

She made her guests learn an elaborate dance routine for the reception, which they ultimately did not perform it because the bride turned up four hours late.

Mrs Igwe says she is thrilled with how her weddings turned out, saying:

Honestly they were everything Ive ever imagined. Before I met my husband I told my friends Im going to get married in Nigeria in December and I did it. Everything I wanted happened.

She claimed she has made up with most of the friends and family she fell out with over her bridezilla actions, but refused to say how many she hadnt reconciled with.

Daily MailVanguard

Sen. Iyiola Omisore, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party for the Osun State governorship election, expresses the hope that the government would find the killers of former Justice minister Bola Ige.

ThisDay

Senate President Bukola Saraki said yesterday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could not remove him as Senate president, insisting that he would not step down from the exalted legislative position until his term runs out.

The Sun

The crisis rocking the Bassa and Egbura communities in Toto local Government Area of Nasarawa State and some neighboring communities in Kogi State have claimed many lives.

Daily Times

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown its weight behind the embattled immediate past Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, saluting her on the path of honour and integrity.

Leadership

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied freezing the bank accounts of Sen. Ademola Adeleke and those of his family members, including popular musician, Davido.

The Nation

Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State has condemned attack on his convoy by All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters who are loyalists to aggrieved governorship aspirants in the state

Daily Trust

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the gubernatorial election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke on Monday said he missed the debate organized for candidates because his campaign train was held up in a village where his supporters didnt allow him to leave as scheduled.

Tribune

Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has said that he hasnt committed the state to any debt either by taking bond or borrowing from any financial institution since he assumed office for the second time on October 16, 2014. till date.

The Herald

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said that Nigeria is in trouble caused by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its three and half years in charge of the nations affairs.Nigerians have taken to social media to react news that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has to the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to place Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state on a watch list .

The EFCC in the letter said the out-going Governor may have a plan to runaway from the country hence the request to put him under surveillance. Reacting to the news, many commenters criticised the government of double standards.

According to some, former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun who stepped down from her position for forging her National Youth Service Corps certificate was allowed to leave the country and nothing was done to her. However, there were a few, who said the government made a right move.

See some reactions below

https://twitter.com/SKSolaKuti/status/1041592277611806721

EFCC ordered custom to monitor fayose but Kemi Adeosun ran away yesterday. @adeyanjudeji @segalink @kelinauu @ikwerre  Amadi ike diego (@Amadidiego) September 16, 2018

EFCC placed a sitting governor like Fayose, with constitutional immunity on watch list & not allowed to leave the country, but someone like Kemi Adeosun with criminal offence & no immunity, left the country with no EFCC stopping her. Double standard, & selective prosecution.  Zaddy Ajala (@UNCLE_AJALA) September 17, 2018Nigerians have taken to social media to mock a man whose naked pictures went viral after it was posted online recently.

The pictures show the totally naked man who is said to be married  posing in different manners as his pictures were taken in the hotel room.

In one of the photos, the man can be seen posing sexily on a chair while crossing his legs. The other shows him standing close to the toilet.

According to online users who posted the pictures, the man had the images leaked by a lady whom he allegedly had (or still having) an affair with.

Internet users have reacted to the trending pictures.

See below:Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani Kayode has reacted to news that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) wrote to the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to place Fayose on a watch list.

EFCC says it believes Fayose harbours plans to abscond from the country after his tenure as Ekiti state governor elapses.

See letter

According to Fani Kayode, the president Muhammadu Buhari government is highly petty to place a governor, who hasnt left office on a watch list. Fani Kayode noted that Fayose has governor has immunity to travel anywhere until his tenure elapses.

Speaking via Twitter on Monday, Fani Kayode wrote:Zainab Ahmed, Nigerias newly appointed Acting Minister of Finance assumed duty on Monday, 4 days after the resignation of Kemi Adeosun, former Finance Minister. President Muhammadu Buhari after accepting the resignation of Adeosun, appointed Ahmed to oversee the ministry of finance.

Many have blasted the president for the appointment saying he hides no opportunity to show is nepotism. They have also argued that the new acting Minister is ill fit for the position and that there are better options in the South.

Well, we took a look at the CV the Mrs Ahmed and we thought you might want to see. Take a look below:

Still the minister of state for budget and national planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, a professional accountant was born on June 16, 1960 in Kaduna State.

Zainab graduated in 1981 from Ahmadu Bello University and did her National Youth Service, NYSC, in Kaduna State in 1981/1982. Her place of primary assignment was Messrs. Egunjobi Suleiman & Co. Chartered Accountants, as an Audit Trainee.

Ahmed obtained her masters degree from the Ogun state University, Ago Iwoye in 2004. She got her IJMB A Levels from SBS/ABU Zaria in 1979 and her WASC O Level in 1977 from Queen Amina College, Kaduna.

Zainab was employed in 1982 as an Accountant in the Ministry of Finance, Kaduna State. After several promotions in the ministry, Zainab resigned in 1985 to join the Nigerian Telecommunication Ltd (NITEL).

In 2010, Zainab was appointed as the executive secretary and national coordinator of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

She has also served as the managing director of the Kaduna Industrial and Finance Co. Ltd (KIFC), appointed a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG). She is a fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Taxation and the Nigerian Institute of Management.Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Khum Yan Chew, junior in culinary food science, is a transfer student from Malaysia. She arrived in Ames three weeks ago. For the first time in my life, Im alone in a country, Chew said. At home, when something happens, I always have my parents as my emotional support. Even though sometimes I don't talk to them, their presence is enough to comfort me.Saudi Arabia confirmed one cholera case and said three others were suspected in an area bordering Yemen, where an epidemic has killed more than 2,000 people, Saudi state TV said, citing a health ministry official.

The report late on Sunday said the patients, identified only as non-Saudis, were receiving care at al-Mauwassem General Hospital in Jizan, about 1,000 km (620 miles) southwest of the capital, Riyadh.

It was unclear if the outbreak was linked to Yemen or to last month's Muslim haj pilgrimage, which draws some two million foreigners each year, raising the risk of the spread of infectious disease.

Saudi Arabia reported five cases of cholera in 2017, all of which were imported, and there was no further spread, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO said on Monday the origin of the current cases was not yet known but the outbreak was not expected to spread given Saudi Arabia's infrastructure.

"Infectious diseases have no borders, and cholera is no different," spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told Reuters.

"Saudi Arabia has extensive measures in place to manage health issues during the haj, and has been able to prevent outbreaks by making sure that pilgrims to the haj have adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities."

The incubation period for cholera, which spreads through ingestion of faecal matter and causes acute watery diarrhoea, is a matter of hours. Once symptoms start, it can kill within hours unless the patient receives treatment.

The WHO has rolled out an emergency treatment programme, based on the vestiges of Yemens shattered health system, to try to catch new cases early and stop the explosive spread of the disease.

Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabeeah said last month that the haj had passed without any outbreak of disease.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

It is unacceptable for the European Union to strip Hungary of its right to protect its borders, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told parliament on Monday, criticizing a proposal by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to strengthen the Frontex border agency.

"It is welcome that instead of (migrant) quotas, the European Union finally turns its attention to the protection of borders," Orban said.

"However, it is not right that we should be stripped of our right to protect the borders and Brussels wants to take responsibility for this instead."

He said this is the stance he would represent at a meeting of EU leaders in Salzburg later this week.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Germany and Algeria want to find ways to speed up the repatriation of Algerians living illegally in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday during a visit to Algeria.

Since around 1 million asylum seekers reached Germany in 2015, Merkel's government has been pushing for ways to speed up the process of sending home those whose applications are denied.

The issue drew particular attention in relation to North Africa when Anis Amri, a Tunisian, killed 12 people in a Berlin Christmas market attack in December 2016. Amri's deportation had been delayed because he had no valid passport, a source of frustration for German officials dealing with the Tunisian, Algerian and Moroccan embassies.

"We talked about how to make more efficient that those who have no right to stay will be returned," Merkel said during her one-day visit when asked about the deportations of Algerians.

She gave no further details.

Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia said his government was willing to solve as soon as possible the cases of Algerians eligible for deportation, provided their identities are established. German authorities say nearly 3,700 Algerians are eligible for deportation.

"Algeria takes back its children," he said, adding that new digital technology would make identification easier.

German media reported that the number of Algerian failed asylum applicants deported from Germany has risen to 504 in 2017 from 57 in 2015.

Germany wants to declare Algeria, like Tunisia and Morocco, a safe country of origin, which would make it easier to deport asylum seekers from there. Less than 2 percent of Algerian asylum applicants in Germany receive protect status.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) provided 2.1 trillion cubic feet of gas to all local market economic sectors in FY 2017/18, leading to a 63% increase in the local consumption rate, according to a press release by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources on Monday.



The Egyptian natural gas industry has recently witnessed significant progress, which is demonstrated by the increase in local gas production and in new major gas discoveries, said Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla at an EGAS general assembly meeting held to endorse a report on the budget of the previous fiscal year.



There has also been an increase in the amount of gas supply to mega power stations in the New Administrative Capital and other new urban areas across the state, the minister noted, adding that the industrial sectors gas consumption constituted 22% of overall consumption.



The ministry gave priority to fulfilling the local markets gas supply needs to drive up the economic development process and maximize the added value, a goal that the energy sector plays a principal role in, El Molla said.



The ministry has also been maximizing its efforts in the Household Natural Gas Connection Project that aims at increasing household access to reliable, low cost and grid connected natural gas supply in accordance with the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the minister added.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Denise Salazar noticed that she was losing her vision when she was 8 years old.

Then I went to the doctor, and they gave me glasses. And each time I went to the doctor, they changed my lenses, said Salazar.

Salazar visited several specialists before going to Memorial Herman Hospital in Houston last month.

She was diagnosed with keratoconus, a rare eye disease that can lead to blurry or permanent vision loss. Doctors told said without surgery, shed be blind by the age of 14.

Her cousin, 16-year-old Laura Salazer said it was hard to imagine what Denise was going through.

Just close your eyes for like five minutes and do what you do normally, but you cant do it. And Im like, I cant believe, if she loses it, its not going to be the same as her life again, said Laura Salazar.

The cost of the surgery was well over $20,000 and doctors said it would only stop the disease from spreading.

I just know that if you believe in God, God can do a miracle in your life, said Denise.

In just three weeks, the members of Iglesia Victoria Pentecostal Church raised the money to pay off the needed surgery.

Our pastor was there to help us, our family was there, her school was there, even her principal donated money because we have a lot of financial problems, said 14-year-old Annie Salazar, Denises sister.

Shes always there for people. Shes always in church praying for people whenever they have problems, Annie said.

Denise said her vision has quickly gotten better.Egypt will sell 14 cotton gin lands worth EGP 27 billion ($1.51 billion) after changing their activities to fund the development of the rest of spinning and weaving companies, Egypt's business sector minister Hesham Tawfik said on Monday.

Tawfik explained that the sale of cotton gin lands would be "after changing their activity from industrial to real estate."

The plan to develop the Holding Company for Spinning and Weaving includes the repair of old machines in 25 cotton gins, the closure of 14 cotton gins and the import of modern machines for 11 cotton gins after the experimental operation of Fayoum cotton gin, Tawfik said, according to Al Mal daily economic newspaper.

He added that there is a current cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture to develop the system, cultivation and production of cotton as well as allowing the cultivation of 10,000 acres of short cotton in cooperation with the public and private sectors and the Egyptian armed forces, Al Mal said.

Many state-owned textile companies suffer losses due to the lack of equipment development and occasional labor protests.

Egypt tries to improve state-owned companies that suffer losses through restructuring or merging them in addition to the sale of unutilized assets.

The minister added that Egypt would merge some pharmaceutical companies as a part of its plan to target foreign markets.

"We need EGP 750 million to develop the pharmaceutical sector ... we will merge some companies," Tawfik said.

He noted that the Egyptian Iron and Steel Company "has scrap metal worth EGP four to five billion which will be sold to use the proceeds in the development of the company".

Many business sector companies in Egypt suffer from over-employment and poor production. The government owns about 121 companies employing around 214,000 workers in various economic fields.

*A correction was made to this story as the first version mentioned the Egyptian government will sell 11 cotton gin lands while the actual number is 14.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to formIn a monthly report released on Monday, Egypts Agricultural Exports Council said that the value of agricultural exports reached $2.114 billion from September 2017 to July 2018, up from $2.111 billion during the same period in previous year, with an increase of 0.14 percent.

In addition, Egypts agricultural exports volume edged up by 7 percent to stand at 3.973 million tons, up from 3.711 million tons the year before.

The overall exports from Egypt to Arab countries recorded $771 million during the period from September 2017 to July 2018.



Exports to EU and UK hit $630 million, while exports to European countries outside of the EU zone reached $409 million.



Exports to Asian countries reached $248 million.



Meanwhile, Exports to the Americas recorded $29 million, while exports to African countries reached $27 million.



Egypt has been enforcing new regulations and inspection measures to ensure the quality of its agricultural exports, the report noted.

A new system has been implemented under which crops are inspected several times in the fields, after being harvested and after the end of the process to prepare them for export.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon State Police say three people were killed and another person was seriously hurt in a head-on collision on a highway southwest of Portland.

State Police said Joseph Hawkins, 18, of Salem was killed in the crash along Highway 18 near McMinnville Saturday afternoon.

Police said Sunday that the preliminary investigation shows Hawkins was driving alone, heading eastbound, when he crossed into westbound lanes and hit a Subaru Legacy.

Two passengers in the Subaru were killed. Police identified them Mary Verdier, 59, of Vancouver, Washington, and Susan Heffel, 60, of McMinnville.

A Vancouver man was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

Police say they don't know yet why Hawkins entered oncoming traffic.LEBANON, Ore.  Two people were rescued and another jumped from a second-story apartment trying to escape a fire at their apartment complex early Sunday morning.

Lebanon Fire said the fire broke out at the apartment complex at 2051 South Second Street at around 2:00 a.m.

Firefighters said multiple people were hanging from second-story windows when they arrived.

With the help of the Lebanon Police Department, firefighters rescued two people from different second-story windows.

Darin Head, who lives in the apartment building, said he was woken up by his aunt telling him the complex is on fire.

Head said he found a way out of his front door, grabbed a hose and tried to put the fire out.

I just tried my best and that little hose, was not doing anything, Head said.

He said during this time, his girlfriend jumped from a second-story window to escape and said she fractured her ankle and spine.

Firefighters said two more people were rescued from the apartment, and one other person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

I get it that she didnt want to get burned and stuff like that, but I mean Im just glad that nothing worse happened to her, Head said. Were all alive and thats what Im concerned about.

Julia Beam, who lives nearby to the building said she wants to see safety measures put in place so people can make it safely to the ground.

"I think that apartments should in any two-story buildings like that should be required to have safety ladders at every window for a quicker exit."

Head said during the fire, his cat escaped. He describes his cat, Meow-Meow" as big and orange. He is asking community members to help with locating his cat.Yomeddine is a journey of El-Minya-born Beshay in search of his family after leaving a leprosy colony

The Egyptian movie Yomeddine (Judgment Day), which has been selected by the Cinematic Professions Syndicate to represent the country for the 2019 Academy Awards list for Best Foreign Language Film category, will locally premiere in Scape cinema in the Upper Egypt governorate of El-Minya on 23 September, three days before its screening in Cairo and rest of the country.

While El-Minya is the location where the middle-aged main character Beshay where born, Yomeddine is about his journey to search for his family after leaving a Leprosy colony.

The films main message, according to the filmmakers, is that when we start seeing people for who they are and not how they look, that's when humanity triumphs over prejudice and stereotypes.

Yomeddine was nominated by the syndicate for the 91st Oscars with 26 votes out of 41, while Akhdar Yabiss Withered Green was voted for by 12 members and Photocopy received one vote.

We are incredibly honored to [have been nominated] to represent Egypt in this year's Best Foreign Language Oscar race. Thanks to everyone who supported the film and we can't wait to share it with you in cinemas across Egypt in two weeks, the filmmakers stated through the film official website on Thursday.

The film will be reviewed by the Academy jury and the final entries to the Best Foreign Language category of Oscars will be announced later this year.

Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky and produced by Dina Emam, Yomeddine competed at the 71st Cannes Film Festival last May, making an impression on its screening.

Shawkys first film Al-Mostaamara (The Colony, 2009), a 15-minute documentary on one of Egypts leper colonies, was followed by The Road to Atalia (2010) and Martyr Friday (2011).

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

Search Keywords:

Short link:

CHARLES CITY, Iowa - On Sunday, Charles City celebrated the life of one of their own, Ben Zirbel.

Ben gew up in the small town and moved to Florida where he was a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff's Office. In August, he died in the line of duty in a motorcycle crash.

Sunday's service began with a procession of local first responders through the town. Ben's siblings Nick and Shelby said from the moment of Ben's crash, local law enforcement wanted to honor Ben.

"It's a family. It doesn't matter what color the badge, it doesn't matter what color the shirt, what the uniform is, they're all brothers," Nick Zirbel, Ben's brother, said.

"To see the support of that community and how much they still really cared...was really neat," she said.

And it hits close to home. Ben's dad is the former police chief of Charles City Police Department.

"Being a cop just somehow floats to the surface of the family," Shelby said. "So I think he said are you sure you want to do that, and he saw the light in Ben's eyes and knew that was going to happen."

Two members of the Clay County Sheriff's Office in Florida also came out to the service in Charles City, carrying Ben's ashes into the service.

"He was more of a friend than a coworker," Deputy Ray Jackson said. "Now he's finally back home where he was born. So that's a complete honor to be here for that, for him, for his family."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world to come out here to do this for him," Detective Andrew Koehler said.

Nick and Shelby said the hometown memorial service is helping them mourn the loss of their brother.

"Because you know everyone's suffering a little bit too," Nick said. "We're all kind of going through the same thing."

"And there's no way in heck he's going to be forgotten because there are too many memories floating around in this building today," Shelby added.ALBERT LEA, Minn.  A man accused of having sexual contact with a minor child is pleading guilty.

Joel Callejas Cantor, 25 of Red Springs, North Carolina, was arrested in July and charged with 1st degree criminal sexual conduct. He entered a plea Monday to a reduced charge of 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct. Cantors sentencing is scheduled for December 14.

Court documents state the sexual contact happened on July 20 in Albert Lea and involved a female under the age of 10.ROCHESTER, Minn.  A man accused of waving a shotgun around in a bar is going to prison.

Jordan Mitchell Blevins, 36 of Rochester, was arrested in February after Rochester police say he threatened to shoot people at Fusion Lounge. One witness told officers Blevins pointed the shotgun at the witness head and racked it.

Blevins pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm after being convicted of a crime of violence and must spend five years and three months in prison, with credit for 197 days already served.AUSTIN, Minn.  What police called a stabbing threat ends in a sentence of probation.

Adissa Kossi, 24 of Austin, will spend one year on supervised probation after being convicted of 5th degree assault. She was arrested in March 2017 after police said an argument with a roommate escalated into Kossi grabbing a knife and threatening to stab her roommate and another person.

A charge of 2nd degree assault against Kossi is dismissed.Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Areas Affected: Cerro Gordo; Hancock; Wright

NWS DesMoines (Central Iowa)

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CDT FOR NORTHWESTERN WRIGHT...SOUTHERN HANCOCK AND WEST CENTRAL CERRO GORDO COUNTIES... At 328 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Clear Lake to 8 miles north of Dakota City, moving east at 30 mph. At 315 PM CDT, law enforcement reported power lines down in Garner. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Law enforcement. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Locations impacted include... Garner, Clear Lake, Ventura, Kanawha, Klemme and Goodell. This includes Interstate 35 between mile markers 186 and 187. HAIL...<.75IN WIND...60MPH

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency. They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in Des Moines .Two leading theatre figures in Iran have been arrested over a trailer for Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" featuring men and women dancing together, a government official said Monday.

Prominent director Maryam Kazemi and venue manager Saeed Asadi were detained on Sunday on the orders of the judiciary, said Shahram Karami of the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA.

Karami, who heads the ministry's performing arts department, said the "type of music played" and the actors' "movements" were the main problem with the trailer, which was widely shared on social media.

Men and women are banned from dancing together in Iran.

Kazemi and Asadi were ordered to post bail of 3 billion rial (roughly $23,000 at the current unofficial rate) each, and were due to be released from detention on Tuesday, according to state news agency IRNA.

The play had already been showing for seven nights at City Theatre, one of Tehran's most famous venues, and only had one night left to run when the pair were arrested.

"The issue was with the trailer they released and not the play's content," Karami added.

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

Search Keywords:

Short link:

(Repeats earlier story for wider readership with no change to text.)

By Fergus Jensen

JAKARTA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Several global metals producers have set their sights on Indonesia's nickel reserves to tap an expected surge in demand for the metal for electric vehicle batteries.

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd (SMM) said on Thursday that it and nickel miner PT Vale Indonesia are conducting a feasibility study to build a nickel processing project in Pomalaa, Southeast Sulawesi. A spokesman for Vale said the plant would make an intermediate nickel and cobalt product that would then be processed into nickel sulphate for batteries.

Major nickel producers are taking a closer look at Indonesia whose large nickel laterite ore reserves are already prized for nickel pig iron used in stainless steel production.

Indonesia's nickel ore has largely been overlooked by battery producers, as extracting the high purity nickel they need from it requires plants that are more costly and difficult to operate than conventional nickel smelters.

That could change if producers are willing to plough investments into high pressure acid leach (HPAL) plants. The plants, which use heat and pressure to remove the nickel and cobalt from the ore, are regarded as technically challenging and expensive but produce high quality metal.

Xiao Fu, Head of Commodity Market Strategy at BOC International, said on the sidelines of Asian Nickel conference this week that the EV market "could represent growth opportunities in Indonesia" and attract interest from Chinese battery makers.

"In Asia, everyone is racing toward this new game," she added, referring to developing projects by , which is developing a huge nickel sulphate plant Western Australia, and by China's Jinchuan Group . "Indonesia's strength is in nickel ore, and nickel pig iron, but there could be a shift if this is where the opportunities are," Xiao said.

Vale Indonesia is working on obtaining environmental permits for the proposed 40,000-tonne smelter which will process ore extracted using high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL), Business Development Manager Steve Brown said on the sidelines of the conference.

HPAL technology is "still emerging" in Indonesia, said Brown, noting that early entrants willing to invest in the more technically challenging field could be well rewarded.

Brazil-based Vale is the world's biggest nickel producer. Chinese stainless steel-maker Tsingshan Holding Group, Indonesia's biggest nickel producer, is leading a group seeking investors for a nickel sulphate plant to produce EV batteries in a $10 billion industrial park linked to its Weda Bay concession, the group said last month.

The group, which also includes China's Huayou Cobalt Ltd and Zhenshi Holding Group, is looking to develop 9.3 million tonnes of nickel reserves in Weda Bay, in Malaku, jointly owned by France's Eramet.

A China-based spokesman for Tsingshan deferred questions to its subsidiary Shanghai Decent Investment Group, which declined to comment.

Huayou's board secretary did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Liu Cheng, chief engineer and vice president of the China ENFI Engineering Corp, said his company is conducting studies for four Indonesian projects using HPAL to produce nickel for batteries.

Liu declined to name the companies involved because of non-disclosure agreements, but said the process could use nickel ores high in cobalt that is often discarded by Indonesia's nickel pig iron industry.

Akira Nozaki, president of Sumitomo Metal Mining, said the feasibility study for the Pomalaa project would "probably" take up to two years.

SMM would like to take a majority stake in the project if it uses HPAL technology, Nozaki told Reuters. (Reporting by Fergus Jensen in JAKARTA; Additional reporting by Yuka Obayashi in TOKYO and TOM DALY in BEIJING; Editing by Christian Schmolinger)

Messaging: fergus.jensen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))MADRID (Reuters) - Talks between the European Union and Britain on Brexit are being conducted in a spirit of good cooperation, Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator on the issue, said on Monday.

Barnier spoke before meeting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in Madrid to discuss the state of negotiations on Britains departure from the EU.

We continue working in a spirit of good cooperation, Barnier told reporters as he left the Foreign Ministry.

Despite Barniers upbeat mood, there is, so far, no full exit agreement and some rebels in British Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative Party have threatened to vote down a deal if she clinches one with the EU.

Barnier also discussed the matter of Gibraltar, a British territory on Spains southern coast which will leave the EU along with the UK on March 29 next year.

Although Gibraltar is not part of the EU customs union, businesses fear regulation of the border could become more rigid following Britains exit from the EU, with detrimental effects for the thriving economy of the tiny territory.

In a statement on Monday evening, the Spanish government reiterated on Monday evening that Gibraltar should not become the latest hurdle to close the Brexit negotiations.

Spains prime minister and the EUs chief Brexit negotiator agreed to maintain the current timetable that foresees finalising the Brexit negotiations before the European (Union) summit in October, the statement said.

Former Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis told Reuters in an interview in April that Spain hoped to reach a bilateral agreement with Britain over Gibraltar before October.

A major obstacle facing Britain as it negotiates its exit from the EU, including the single market and customs union, is future arrangements for the border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.

But Brexit also raises problems for Gibraltar, whose economy relies on workers crossing the border with Spain.

Bilateral talks between London and Madrid regarding Gibraltar have been underway since the beginning of the year, with teams of Spanish and British civil servants meeting in encounters arranged in both countries.

Talks have touched on a possible joint use of Gibraltar airport and more comprehensive sharing of fiscal data between Britain and Spain for Gibraltar residents to prevent tax avoidance.BEIJING (Reuters) - China will not be content to only play defense in an escalating trade war with the United States, a widely read Chinese tabloid warned, as U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to announce new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods as early as Monday.

The United States and China have already levied duties on $50 billion worth of each others goods in an intensifying row that has jolted global financial markets in the past few months.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department invited senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He, to more talks on the tariff dispute, though scepticism remained high among trade observers on both sides over the prospects of a breakthrough.

Chinas Foreign Ministry reiterated that the escalation of the trade conflict was not in anyones interest.

We have always maintained that the only correct means to resolve the trade dispute is through dialogue and consultation on an equal basis with mutual trust and respect, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing.

A senior administration official told Reuters over the weekend that Trump was likely to announce the new tariffs as early as Monday.

In early morning tweets, Trump said imposing tariffs strengthened the United States bargaining position and that so far any cost increases on goods had been almost unnoticeable.

If countries will not make fair deals with us, they will be Tariffed! Trump wrote.

The Global Times, which is published by the ruling Communist Partys Peoples Daily, wrote in an editorial: It is nothing new for the U.S. to try to escalate tensions so as to exploit more gains at the negotiating table.

We are looking forward to a more beautiful counter-attack and will keep increasing the pain felt by the U.S., the Chinese-language column said.

Besides retaliating with tariffs, China could also restrict export of goods, raw materials and components core to U.S. manufacturing supply chains, former finance minister Lou Jiwei told a Beijing forum on Sunday, according to an attendee.

Lou is chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund.

The person who attended the event and is familiar with the White Houses thinking said such a move would likely attract sharp retaliation from Washington, which has studied its own limits on exporting key technologies to China.

Lou Jiweis approach would feed the most hawkish sentiments in the U.S. government, the person said, declining to be identified given the sensitivity of the matter.

China is a key supplier of minor metals and rare earths used in consumer electronics and other goods.

Beijing has said it would retaliate to trade war escalation with tariffs of its own as well as qualitative measures, which it has not specified but are perceived within the U.S. business community as likely to include increased customs and regulatory scrutiny.

Beijing may also decline to participate in the proposed trade talks with Washington later this month if the Trump administration goes ahead with the additional tariffs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing Chinese officials.

The Journal report quoted one senior Chinese advisory official saying China would not negotiate with a gun pointed to its head.

China has not publicly committed to join a new round of negotiations, but in the past it has pulled back from the prospect of talks in the face of escalations in the dispute.

In April, when Trump threatened tariffs on another $100 billion of Chinese goods, then seen as a major escalation, China responded by saying it would not conduct talks under these conditions.

The Chinese governments top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, will visit New York this week for the annual United Nations General Assembly, Beijing announced on Monday.

LAGGING EFFECT

Trump has demanded that China cut its $375 billion trade surplus with the United States, end policies aimed at acquiring U.S. technologies and intellectual property, and roll back high-tech industrial subsidies.

Repeated Chinese vows to reform what critics have argued is one of the worlds most restricted markets among major economies have in recent years triggered promise fatigue among foreign business groups that viewed changes as piecemeal.

Trump has said he will no longer allow China to take advantage of the United States on trade, though opposition to escalating tariffs has swelled in recent weeks within U.S. business circles.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, known as a moderate Republican and a former computer executive, told Reuters on a trip to China that the anxiety and uncertainty around tariffs risked limiting Chinese investment in the United States.

If you dont know what the rules are or how its going to operate, you are going to be fairly hesitant about making that investment, said Snyder, who was in China to promote his states industries, including autonomous vehicle technology.

There was likely to be a lagging effect from U.S. trade disputes with China, Canada and Mexico that could undercut the positive impacts of Trumps tax cuts, he said.

I would encourage the national governments to resolve it as quickly as possible, because its a concern for all.LONDON (Reuters) - Coffee producers are seeking urgent meetings with major customers such as Nestle, Jacobs Douwe Egberts and Starbucks to find ways to shore up prices that have slid to 12-year lows.

The World Coffee Producers Forum, whose members account for about 85 percent of global production, held a press conference on Monday after meeting to discuss the price crisis.

It is today a desperate moment for the 25 million coffee growers around the world. It is a crisis beyond imagination, said Roberto Velez, chief executive officer at the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation.

We need the industry and consumers to realize that this is a situation that cannot be maintained if we want the coffee industry to survive, he added.

Arabica coffee futures fell to a 98.65 cents per lb on Sept. 4, the lowest for the second position contract since July 2006. They continue to hover around that level, dipping to a low of 98.90 cents on Monday.

The market has been depressed by a record crop in Brazil this year while speculators have also made a huge bearish bet on the New York-based arabica coffee futures market, adding to the downward pressure on prices.

Rene Leon Gomez, the executive secretary of Promecafe, which represents growers in Central America and the Caribbean, said they were seeking to set up a dialogue with industry leaders across the world and also have a campaign to raise consumer consciousness about the crisis.

I would say millions of producers in the region are desperate right now, he said. A lot of farms are being abandoned, social conditions have deteriorated.

Among the schemes being discussed by producers is a positive certification program for companies willing to offer high enough prices to enable farmers to make a living.

Many farmers are currently producing at a loss.

Every day we have this price crisis, there is more illegal immigration from our countries to North America. That is a very dangerous situation, said Ricardo Arenas Mendes, president of Anacafe, a producers group based in Guatemala.

Our people are starving. The price (buyers) are paying for coffee today is less that the price they were paying 30 years ago, he added.

The fall in coffee prices could also encourage production of coca, the crop used in the production of cocaine, producers said.

Velez of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation said production of coca in Colombia was at an all-time high.

You will find in some places coffee growers will now grow coffee and coca, he said.

Many coffee producers are in London this week to attend a bi-annual meeting of the International Coffee Organization, an inter-governmental body.

Producers said they hoped the ICO meeting would focus on low prices.

There is nothing else we want to discuss, Velez said.MANILA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The Philippines' environment minister on Monday ordered the stoppage of all small-scale mining activities in a mountainous region in the country's north following major landslides after super typhoon Mangkhut hit the country.

"I officially order the cease and desist of all illegal small-scale mining in Cordillera Region," Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu told a media briefing.

Mangkhut, with hurricane-force winds well over 200 km per hour (124 miles per hour), barreled past the northern tip of the Philippines on Saturday, killing at least 50 people, the majority of them due to landslides.

It then skirted south of Hong Kong and neighbouring Macau, before making landfall in China. (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.; editing by Christian Schmollinger)

manolo.serapio.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net Twitter: @MannySerapio))(Refiles to remove duplicate text)

(Adds details)

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 17 (Reuters) - South African power utility Eskom said on Monday that it had fewer than 20 days of coal supplies at 10 of its 15 coal-fired power stations, posing a threat to national power supplies.

A company spokesman said a major supplier, owned by the Gupta family, had cut supplies as it seeks insolvency protection and Eskom was quickly trying to secure new contracts with other companies to ensure it had enough coal.

Cash-strapped Eskom is critical to Africa's most industrialised economy as it supplies more than 90 percent of the country's power, predominantly by burning coal. It is also one of South Africa's most indebted state firms.

"Out of our 15 coal-fired power stations, 10 of them have less than 20 days. Clearly this is contrary to what the regulator has prescribed," Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said.

Eskom, which is battling to recover from a financial and leadership crisis, said it will transport coal from other power stations to those facing constraints and is in discussions with 12 coal suppliers to secure coal contracts.

"If there is no coal it may hamper our ability going forward, but to avoid it being hampered we are diverting coal from other power stations," Phasiwe said.

The main reason for the coal shortages is that Tegeta Exploration and Resources, a coal-mining firm owned by the Gupta family, has cut supplies to Eskom as it seeks insolvency

protection, Phasiwe said. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by Susan Fenton)



Messaging: tanisha.heiberg.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))MOSCOW, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Shares in Russian aluminium giant Rusal , which has been hit by U.S. sanctions, rose on Monday after Washington said it would allow the company's customers prior to the imposition of sanctions to sign new contracts.

Rusal shares were up 3 percent in Hong Kong, outperforming a 1.3 percent decline in the benchmark index . Its Moscow shares climbed 11 percent, the best performers on the MOEX index , which was down 0.2 percent.

On Friday evening, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said Rusal's customers before the imposition of sanctions on April 6 could sign new contracts with the company without the risk of being hit with "secondary sanctions" themselves.

The guidance did not, however, address whether OFAC would

extend a deadline of Oct. 23 for U.S. customers to wind down business with Rusal.

In September, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters that European customers would avoid 2019 supply agreements with Rusal. Rusal declined to comment.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt; Editing by Mark Potter)

Messaging: polina.devitt.reuters.com@reuters.net))* Udokan is one of the world's largest untapped copper deposits* Udokan will celebrate 70 years since discovery in 2019* Usmanov's firm aims to launch plant at Udokan by 2022* Global mining, Chinese giants have expressed interest in Udokan

By Polina Devitt and Diana Asonova

MOSCOW, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Baikal Mining Company, operator of Russia's biggest untapped copper deposit Udokan, plans to raise $1.25 billion in project financing from a Russian bank by the start of 2019, its chairman, Valery Kazikayev told Reuters.

Spurred by high global appetite for cooper, which many expect to be in demand for use in electric vehicles, the company in September started preparing the site for construction of a massive plant at the deposit, which has remained in limbo in Siberia for almost 70 years. With total reserves of 26.7 million tonnes of copper, Udokan is one of the biggest untapped deposits in the world. However, it remained virgin since its discovery in 1949 due to lack of technology for its unique and difficult ore.

When Kazikayev was receiving a PhD in Economics from the Moscow Mining Institute in 1976, one of the ideas being researched by his fellow students was a "clean" nuclear blast but that remained on paper.

It took 10 years for Baikal Mining Company, owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, to solve the difficult parts of the project. Usmanov bought the right to develop Udokan for $500 million from the Russian government right before the 2008 financial crisis.

An additional $330 million was spent on creation of a new geological model for the deposit as it turned out that the Soviet estimate did not correspond with the real content of copper in Udokan's ore, Kazikayev said in a rare interview.

A mix of flotation and hydrometallurgy was chosen as production technology for the project, mainly focused on Chinese and other Asian markets.

The Baikal Mining Company needs $1.35 billion to build a plant able to mine 12 million tonnes of ore a year and produce 130,000 tonnes of copper from it. Half of the product will be cathode copper and the other half copper concentrate.

TIMELINE

The company plans to invest $100 million in the project and raise the $1.25-billion project financing for the rest of the sum, Kazikaev said. With annual capacity of 12 million tonnes of ore, the project will have an internal rate of return of at least 21 percent.

Udokan, which can potentially be expanded to 48 million tonnes in future, may speed up expansion subject to favourable market conditions for copper.

"Copper is one of the most promising metals," Kazikaev said. "That is why I think that the timeline of the project's capacity reaching 24, 36 or 48 (million tonnes of ore) may be tightened."

Two of four global mining giants and three Chinese companies have expressed interest in the project, and while the Russian company remains in contact with them, it currently plans to go ahead with the project on its own.

"We have not been offered enough (for a stake in the project) to make us strongly interested in this. We believe that we can do the first stage of the project on our own and thus increase the capitalisation of our project to a beneficial level," Kazikayev said.

Any foreign investment in the project, Kazikayev added, would be limited by Russia's law, which allows foreign investors to own a stake of only up to 25 percent in deposits like Udokan, deemed strategic for Russia, and also limits investment from companies owned by other countries' governments.

The operator plans to start sub-commercial production at the deposit at the end of 2021 which will reach its full production capacity in 2022.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt and Diana Asonova; writing by Polina Devitt; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

Messaging: polina.devitt.reuters.com@reuters.net))LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Britain's economy would contract if London and Brussels fail to strike a Brexit deal.

"A more disruptive departure will have a much worse outcome," she said as the IMF presented a report on Britain's economy, adding the economy would shrink in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

"Let me be clear, compared with today's smooth single market, all the likely Brexit scenarios will have costs for the economy and to a lesser extent as well for the EU," she said.

"The larger the impediments to trade in the new relationship, the costlier it will be," she said. "This should be fairly obvious, but it seems that sometimes it is not."

(Reporting by David Milliken; editing by Michael Holden Writing by William Schomberg)

Reuters Messaging: william.schomberg.reuters.com@reuters.net))In healthy elderly people who never had a heart attack, the widespread practice of taking a baby aspirin every day may do more harm than good, according to a U.S.-Australian study of more than 19,000 volunteers.

The trial has provided convincing evidence that aspirin is ineffective in preserving good health in elderly people without a medical (reason) to be using it, chief author Dr. John J. McNeil of Monash University in Melbourne told Reuters Health in an email.

The results - which show that risks of major bleeding in low-dose aspirin users overwhelm any heart benefits - were reported online in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented Sunday at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Paris.

The findings may upend a common practice.

For people trying to prevent a second heart attack or stroke, evidence in support of baby aspirin therapy remains strong. But the new study, known as ASPREE, looked at the long-standing question of whether a first heart attack, stroke, or case of heart failure could be prevented with small amounts of the blood thinner in aspirin.

Until now, the balance between risks and benefits in older individuals was unclear, said Dr. McNeil.

Most volunteers had to be at least 70 years old. Patients who were black or Hispanic and living in the U.S. - two groups that face a higher risk of heart disease or dementia - could be age 65 or older. At the start of the study, all were expected to survive for at least five years.

After about five years of treatment, the rate of heart disease was not significantly lower in the 9,525 volunteers taking 100 mg of aspirin daily than in the 9,589 who took placebo tablets.

But the odds of a major bleeding episode were 38 percent higher with aspirin. Problems like stroke and intestinal bleeding occurred in 8.6 percent of aspirin patients versus 6.2 percent of placebo patients.

This should set the record straight, said Dr. Vincent Bufalino of the Advocate Heart Institute in Chicago, who was not involved in the study. Theres a lot of folks on both sides of this but this study should end the question. There is no benefit for seniors who do not have vascular disease.

Ive spent the last five, six years trying to get all my seniors to stop taking aspirin based on the clear risks and unproven benefit, he told Reuters Health by phone. If you look at the new findings, at best its neutral and at worst it increases the bleeding risk.

And what about people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol who might be taking other medicines to mitigate a higher risk of heart attack or stroke? In the new study, most volunteers fell into that category and aspirin didnt seem to help them.

Essentially, we could not identify any subgroup in whom aspirin was beneficial in preserving good health, Dr. McNeil said.

The ASPREE study was stopped early as it became clear that the wonder drug wasnt working wonders.

While there were 21.5 cases of death, dementia or disability per 1,000 patients each year in the aspirin group, the rate was 21.2 with placebo. The difference wasnt statistically significant, meaning it could have been due to chance.

But the rate of major bleeding with daily aspirin use was 3.8 percent, versus 2.8 percent with placebo.

When the McNeil team looked at death from any cause, aspirin still made no difference statistically, with a rate of 12.7 per 1,000 patients each year with aspirin and 11.1 with placebo.

Extra cases of cancer were the chief reason for the higher death rate, with 3.1 percent of aspirin users dying of cancer versus 2.3 percent in the control group.

The higher pace of cancer deaths became apparent three and a half years after the study began, particularly death from stomach and intestinal tumors.

The cancer finding surprised researchers because in other studies, aspirin protected against death from cancer.

Thus, McNeil team said, the cancer results should be interpreted with caution.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 63F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 43F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349President Donald Trump's administration decided on Saturday to cut a $10-million aid for the so-called Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM) grants for Palestinians.

According to the website of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the CMM program is "part of a worldwide effort to bring together individuals of different backgrounds from areas of conflict in people-to-people reconciliation activities."

Involving cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis, the program funds projects that tackle a wide range of issues, including economic development, environment, health, education, sports, music and information technology.

USAID and US Embassy Tel Aviv have invested in 113 CMM grants, according to figures issued by the former.

Tim Rieser, foreign policy aide to Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, said that USAID officials "did not want to cut programs with Palestinians, but had to accommodate a White House that does not want to send American funds to Palestinians", the New York Times reported on Friday.

Rieser added, based on the same report, that funding will only be maintained for Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs, which is "contrary to the tradition of the funds and intent of the Congress."

"Both Palestinian and Israeli kids will lose, and these programs will be meaningless, if the PA [Palestinian Authority] continues to condemn a plan they havent seen & refuses to engage on it. Hopefully the PA will lead... lets see...", tweeted Jason D. GreenTrump's assistant and special representative for international negotiationson Saturday.

This is one out of several punitive measures that have been recently taken by Trump against the Palestinians due to the rejection of the latter to start a peace process, which has been stalled since 2014.

I think the president has basically said that he doesnt want to give any additional funding until the Palestinians are agreeing to come back to the negotiation table, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said in January.

Were trying to move for a peace process but if that doesnt happen the president is not going to continue to fund that situation.

Earlier this month, being criticised by Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit, the US administration decided to shut down the Palestine Liberation Organisation's (PLO) office in Washington.

In January, the administration cut hundreds of millions of dollars that go to fund the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Speaking to Ahram Online in July, UNRWA Spokesperson Christopher Gunness said the United States vowed last year to fund UNRWA with US$ 365 million, though they have now cut the sum by $305 million.

This escalation is putting the health, education and social safety services offered by UNRWA to the Palestinian people "at stake", said Pierre KrahenbuhlUNRWA's commissioner-generalin a Cairo briefing on 11 September.

Meanwhile, Protests in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have taken place in past months following the decision of Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, leading to the deaths of around 60 Palestinians and the injury of thousands others.

The Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

September 13, 2018, marks 25 years since the first of the Oslo Accords was signed by Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on the White House lawn amid great fanfare. Many Palestinians hoped that they would finally be free of Israels then-quarter-century-old military rule and have a state of their own.

Having taken part for two years in the Madrid and Washington Palestinian-Israeli negotiations preceding the Oslo accords, and having seen the obduracy of the Shamir and Rabin governments about allowing the Palestinians anything resembling self-determination, independence, and statehood, I had few hopes for Oslo. Sadly, my pessimism proved all too well-founded.

Under Oslo, Palestinians saw their freedom, their land, and their dreams for an independent state shrink, while Israel deepened its control over their lives. More than 100 Israeli settlements and some 600,000 settlers are now spread throughout occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Oslo established a Palestinian Authority, which was supposed to be an interim self-governing entity on the way to independence in five years. But Israel blocked that goal through its systematic colonization of the West Bank, and the PA has de facto become an instrument of Israels occupation.

This anniversary follows soon after Israels Knesset passed the Jewish nation-state bill, which formally enshrines in Israels quasi-constitutional basic laws the superior rights that Jewish Israelis enjoy over Palestinian citizens of the state. And it comes the very same week that Trump announced he would close the PLOs diplomatic office in Washington, DC. Meanwhile, release of the Trump administrations deal for the region is supposedly impending. The nation-state law, the Trump plan, and the closure of the PLO office signal the end of the Oslo eraand the beginning of a new and still more dangerous stage.

The Trump plan is based on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus stale economic peace plan. The idea that Palestinians will relinquish their demands for freedom in exchange for Israels lifting some of its suffocating restrictions on the Palestinian economy is an obvious nonstarter, produced by people who think that the dignity of others is for sale. That shouldnt be a surprise, given that it is being drafted by Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, who has close longstanding familial ties with Netanyahu and Israels settler movement, as does Jason Greenblatt, the plans other main author, and David Friedman, the US ambassador to Israel. Of late the Trump administration has also been campaigning to strip Palestinian refugees of their legal right to return to lands that they were expelled from by Israel. Demonstrating the heartlessness towards refugees that has become its trademark, the administration has also been undermining the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, the UN body responsible for the well-being of Palestinian refugees. The Trump administration has in fact more openly sided with Israel than any before it. It has adopted wholesale a range of extreme Israeli positions regarding Jerusalem (the city belongs exclusively to Israel, and according to Trump is off the table in any negotiations); military occupation (it does not exist); Israeli settlements (they will all remain in place and are not an obstacle to peace); refugees (they do not exist, and there will be no return); and full Palestinian sovereignty (there will be none: In a final deal, Israel will keep complete security control). Given the extensive evidence, it is clear that Trumps ultimate deal will be a plan for Israel to retain indefinite military rule over millions of disenfranchised Palestinians while continuing to steal their land and resources. Meanwhile, for Palestinian citizens of Israel who didnt already know their place, the nation-state bill leaves no doubt, relegating them to the status of a permanent underclass in their own homeland. Passed into law in July, it does away with any pretext of equality for Palestinian Israelis, who comprise about 20 percent of the population. It declares that the right to self-determination in the state of Israel is unique to the Jewish people and directs the government to encourage and promote the development of Jewish settlement as a national value. This law also asserts that while the entire land of IsraelEretz Yisrael, or the land that runs from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Seais the historic, national homeland of the Jewish people, wherever they reside, only the Jewish people have the right of self-determination in the state of Israel. Since all of Palestine is inexorably being annexedde facto or de jureto the state of Israel, this law effectively negates the right of national self-determination for the Palestinians anywhere in Eretz Yisrael, which is to say anywhere in Palestine. Only the Jewish people have that right, not only inside the state, but in the entire country. The result is a law that negates the very existence of the Palestinians and their national rights anywhere in Palestine, and not just within the infinitely elastic frontiers of the state of Israel. It rules out a Palestinian state, a binational state, or a single state with equal rights for all anywhere in Palestine, allowing only one big Jewish state in the entire area between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River, which has a Palestinian majority. There are many ways to describe this vision. Apartheid is the least of them. And yet while Israel attempts to close off all options for a dignified, independent national existence for the Palestinians, a growing number of them are resisting these efforts, insisting on a different vision of the future and shifting their focus from statehood to equal rights and justice. This wont be easy to achieve. Israeli Jews will have to give up the privileges and control that have allowed them to lord it over Palestinians for more than seven decades. But in exchange they will receive true and lasting peace and security, which their powerful military and increasingly authoritarian government have been unable to provide for them.

The exact details will have to be worked out by Palestinians and Israelis themselves, but just as apartheid was overcome in South Africa and Jim Crow and segregation brought to an end in the United States, so can such a vision be made a reality. And as with those other two difficult freedom struggles, peaceful economic tools such as boycotts, divestment, and sanctions will be key. Palestinians, and Israelis who want to live as equals, will need help from people of conscience the world over, in particular in the United States. Here there are hopeful signs. A growing list of churches, social-justice groups, and others are adopting boycotts, divestment, and human-rights investment screens to avoid being complicit in Israels violations of Palestinian rights. Members of Congress are working to stop the Israeli militarys systematic abuse of Palestinian children. With the passage of the nation-state law, many liberal supporters of Israel are realizing that Israel is a discriminatory, illiberal society. Americans are increasingly recognizing the values that they have in common with Palestinians struggling for their freedom, in contrast to the Trump administration and their soulmates on the Israeli right, who share the opposite worldview and many of the same racist and antidemocratic policies. In 2001, Netanyahu was caught on video boasting to a group of settlers that he had sabotaged Oslo, declaring I de facto put an end to the Oslo Accords. As he and his American enablers work to bury the two-state solution, it is time to learn the real lessons of Oslo and to envision a different paradigm for a future of freedom and equality for all in Palestine/Israel, regardless of religion or race. *This article was first published on The Nation. *Rashid Khalidi is the editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies and the author of several books.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Korea Investment Holdings Vice Chairman and CEO Kim Nam-goo speaks during the firm's recruitment fair at Korea University in Seoul, Sept. 11. The firm is the country's only non-bank financial holding company. / Courtesy of Korea Investment Holdings



By Jhoo Dong-chan



A Korea Investment & Securities employee who received a higher paycheck than the firm's owner became the talk of the town last month, while the CEO of the brokerage's holding company expressed his gratitude for the worker's efforts.



Korea Investment Holdings Vice Chairman and CEO Kim Nam-goo said during the firm's recruitment fair at Korea University in Seoul that the firm's success in the nation's financial market is attributed to its continuous investment in talented individuals.



"I'd like to display my deepest gratitude to the worker who received a higher paycheck than mine," Kim said.



"Frankly speaking, I know how much the firm's executives receive, but do not know about each worker's paycheck. However, Korea Investment has a wage system that guarantees top-notch treatment and high salaries for those who prove their quality."



Kim stressed each individual's talent has been the driving force behind the firm's rapid growth. Korea Investment Holdings is the country's only non-banking financial holding company.



"Each individual is the most valuable asset of a brokerage," he said.



"A worker's productivity is very important in a securities firm. Their quality makes a huge difference in the industry. If Korea Investment has grown faster than other firms, it's because of its relentless investments in talented individuals. In a bid to become Asia's best financial firm, we will continue to guarantee top-level treatment and salaries."



He also said that the nation's financial industry will lead Korea's economy in the future.



"The manufacturing sector has been the nation's engine so far. The country is now one of the most rapidly aging societies, and should look for another growth engine," Kim said.



"I believe the finance and investment industry will lead Korea's economy. Korea's household assets have reached 4,000 trillion won ($3.544 trillion), more than twice the 1,600 trillion won worth of annual gross domestic product. The potential is there."



The firm has held a recruitment fair every year since 2003, and said it will hire 100 new employees in the second half of this year.

By Park Hyong-ki





Cho Hyun-chan, director of IFC Asia infrastructure and resourcesPresidential chief of staff Lim Jong-seok speaks during a media conference at the press center in Seoul, Monday, ahead of the intern-Korean summit scheduled to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yonhap



Denuclearization put on agenda for Moon-Kim talks



By Kim Bo-eun

Leaders of the two Koreas may reach an agreement on easing military tension at their summit that begins Tuesday, presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok said Monday.

Easing military tension is among the three main items on the agenda for the third meeting between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Im said in a media briefing on the summit at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. Im is also chief of the summit preparation committee.

Moon will head for Pyongyang for a three-day summit, departing from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at 8:40 a.m. Tuesday and arriving at Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang at around 10:00 a.m.

The preparation committee chief said the North Korean leader may greet Moon at the airport, as an official welcoming event is scheduled to take place there.

The leaders will hold their first meeting after a luncheon. First lady Kim Jung-sook will visit a children's hospital and music college. Moon's special delegates will meet with the North Korean head of parliament Kim Yong-nam, and business executives will meet with a vice premier of North Korea's Cabinet. Moon and his delegates will watch a welcoming performance and attend a dinner reception the same day. The second meeting between Moon and Kim will take place Wednesday morning.President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with senior presidential secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. Moon will fly to Pyongyang today for a three-day trip, which will include multiple meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Yonhap



By Kim Yoo-chul



President Moon Jae-in said Monday he will try to persuade Pyongyang to advance peace and denuclearization processes during his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.



"Achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula isn't an issue for South Korea to handle alone. The top priority at the upcoming summit will be what specific steps should be taken to find common ground between the North and the U.S. We have to reconcile the North's demand to end hostile relations with the United States and how the latter can offer a security guarantee as a condition for denuclearization," Moon said in a weekly meeting with his top secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae.



"I plan to have a thorough and open discussion with Kim Jong-un. I will try to persuade Kim to advance the nuclear disarmament talks with the United States as he and U.S. President Donald Trump have reaffirmed their commitment for denuclearization many times."



He said Seoul is hoping to see a summit between Kim and Trump sometime soon. "If they meet again, that will be just great and will hugely help the stalled talks find momentum for a quick and speedy resolution."



President Moon will fly to Pyongyang from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam at 8:40 a.m. local time today in what some officials say is a "desperate move" to create a diplomatic thaw between Washington and Pyongyang amid a lack of progress in their denuclearization talks.



By Yi Whan-woo



ASEAN Culture House celebrated its first anniversary in Busan last week, the Korea Foundation announced on Sept. 17.

The foundation operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is responsible for managing the house, which opened on Sept. 1, 2017, to promote the cultures of 10 ASEAN countries.

The celebration took place on Sept. 14 and attracted more than 150 guests. Among them were Second Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Korea Foundation President Lee Si-hyung, Busan Metropolitan City Vice Mayor of Economic Affairs Yoo Jae-soo as well as ambassadors and other diplomats from the embassies of ASEAN countries in Seoul.

"ASEAN Culture House has been relentless for the past one year, faithfully serving as a platform for exchanges in culture, academics and human resources," Lee said.

He pledged to make all-out efforts to facilitate ASEAN-Korea relations, especially in line with President Moon Jae-in's signature New Southern Policy aimed at elevating Korea's relations with ASEAN to be on par with the four major powers in and around the Korean Peninsula  the United States, China, Japan and Russia.

The celebration program included a cake-cutting ceremony and a special exhibition featuring 150 devices used for traditional games and activities in Southeast Asia.

ASEAN Culture House was set up to mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN's establishment.

The center has two underground floors and four stories above ground. It has exhibition halls, a virtual reality room, a seminar room and a concert hall.ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Lee Hyuk delivers an opening speech during the ASEAN-Korea Tourism Capacity Building Workshop at the Hatten Hotel Melaka in Melaka, Malaysia, Aug. 27. / Courtesy of Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia



This is the second of two articles on the ASEAN-Korea Tourism Capacity Building Workshop organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre in Palawan, the Philippines, and Melaka, Malaysia, from Aug. 22 to 28. _ ED.



By Yi Whan-woo



MELAKA, Malaysia  Being a UNESCO World Heritage site suggests how nicely Melaka has preserved its multicultural society, customs, traditions and townscape as a former colonial town in Malaysia.

But this does not guarantee that the heritage of the Malay, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British in Melaka for more than the past 500 years will last forever.

Fifty-four World Heritage sites are on UNESCO's danger list while the two others  Oman's Arabian Oryx Sanctuary and Germany's Dresden Elbe Valley  have been delisted.

To enhance its competitiveness as a cultural heritage destination, the ASEAN-Korea Centre, jointly with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, organized a Tourism Capacity Building Workshop in Melaka on Aug. 27.

The workshop attracted more than 130 tourism professionals from various sectors including governments, tourism boards, travel agencies, hotels and academia.

Titled "Promoting Melaka as an attractive cultural heritage destination," the workshop at Hatten Hotel Melaka specifically focused on how better to serve and attract Korean tourists.

Korean arrivals have rose by 9 percent to 484,528 from 2016 to 2017, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia and the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Korea ranked seventh in international tourists to Malaysia, after Singapore (12,441,713), Indonesia (2,796,570), China (2,281,666), Thailand (1,836,522), Brunei (1,660,506) and India (552,739).

With 5.7 million foreign visitors, Melaka was Malaysia's fifth most visited tourist attraction in 2017, after Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Sabah.

"There is no question that Malaysia already has robust and advanced tourism," ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Lee Hyuk said in the opening address. "I expect we will be able to learn how best to promote Melaka to the Korean people as a city full of history, culture, beauty and hospitality by exchanging each other's perspective."





ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Lee Hyuk, seventh from left, with VIPs including lecturers during the ASEAN-Korea Tourism Capacity Building Workshop at Hatten Hotel Melaka in Melaka, Malaysia on Aug. 27. From left are Klook Travel General Manager Lee Zun-ho; Good Travel CEO Na Hyo-woo; Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board Senior Director Datuk Musa Yusof; Department of National Heritage Malaysia Director General Dato Dr. Zainah Ibrahim; Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia Secretary General Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah; Tourism, Heritage and Culture of Melaka Executive Councilor Muhammad Jailani Khamis; Lee; Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia Undersecretary Mohd Daud Mohd Arif; Online Travel Center CEO Kim Gwan-jo; Kyung Hee University Hotel and Tourism Management Assistant Professor Bae So-young; and Melaka Historic City Council architect Erne Binti Hamsah. / Courtesy of ASEAN-Korea Centre



Among the Seoul delegates were Lee's staff and four guest speakers  Klook Travel General Manager Lee Zun-ho, Kyung Hee University Hotel and Tourism Management Assistant Professor Bae So-young, Online Travel Center CEO Kim Gwan-jo and Good Travel CEO Na Hyo-woo. Malaysian delegates were led by Secretary General Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia.

He stressed that cultural heritage was "one of the main resources for tourism development," saying, "It creates curiosity among people, which motivates people to travel."

He also pointed out that the workshop was being run in line with the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016-2025, which underscores human resources as a key to bolster competiveness in ASEAN.

Tourism, Heritage and Culture of Melaka Executive Councilor Muhammad Jailani Khamis expressed hope that Melaka would become "the top heritage travel destination" through the workshop and other cooperation between the two countries.

The workshop was divided into five sessions and a panel discussion.

The four Korean guest speakers and Erne Binti Hamsah, an architect from Melaka Historic City Council, shared their expertise and knowhow in accordance with the workshop's theme.

Lee Zun-ho gave a lecture on the changing landscape of travel and the rise of independent travelers in Korea, while Bae So-young and Erne Binti Hamsah discussed their countries' perspectives on Melaka as a World Heritage site.

Kim Gwan-jo talked about how to improve bolster tourism to Melaka from Busan, where he runs a business.

Direct flights have connected Busan to Kuala Lumpur since 2013. The number of outbound Korean passengers to Malaysia reached a record 67,064 in 2017.

Na Hyo-woo underscored the need for fair and sustainable tourism business practices for Korean tourists.

The Stadthuys is a Dutch colonial building in Red Square. / Korea Times photo by Yi Whan-woo



In preparation for the workshop, the Korean delegation on Aug. 26 visited popular tourist attractions including Morten Village, Jonker Street, the Stadthuys and Taming Sari Tower.

Tucked away along the Melaka River, historic Morten Village is named after colonial British administrator Frederick Joseph Morten, who helped resettle villagers to this area in the 1920s.

The village has more than 50 traditional Malay houses, all with red zinc roofs. Among them, Villa Sentosa is perhaps the most attractive and best-preserved house. It serves as a private museum called the "The Malay Living Museum," and is open to the public.

In Jonker Street in Chinatown, heritage houses dating back as far as the 17th century line both sides of the road.

Stadthuys Building, the oldest remaining Dutch colonial building in Asia, houses the Museum of History and Ethnography.

Inside are displays of the history, artifacts and traditional costumes of Melaka.

Built in 1650, the building held the offices of the Dutch governor and deputy governor.

Taming Sari Tower is 110 meters tall and revolves 360 degrees, providing a panoramic view of Melaka within seven minutes.

The ASEAN-Korea Tourism Capacity Building Workshop has been running since 2009.

Based in Seoul, the ASEAN-Korea Centre aims to promote economic and socio-cultural cooperation between ASEAN countries and Korea.



By Jon Stein







operating out of Itaewon dedicated to promoting underground electronic dance music in Korea, celebrates its second anniversary this month.







"Any underground music scene needs a few key ingredients to really come together... you need good clubs, obviously, and DJs, but you also need record stores, labels, promoters, and you need media  magazines, websites and yeah, radio stations. That's where we came in  we were trying to fill that gap," said U.K. expatriate Richard Price, one of the co-founders of SCR.







"We found that there was a lot of energy and enthusiasm in the club scene here, but all of that energy was focused on the weekend, on going out and partying. With the radio station, we hoped to channel some of that enthusiasm and interest in other directions, to help the scene to grow."







An important aspect of the radio station, is that it acts as a kind of incubator for new talent in Seoul and elsewhere, as well as a place where artists and DJs can experiment with things they wouldn't necessarily get away with in the clubs, Price said.







"There's lots of competition in the club scene," he said. "It can be hard for new DJs to get a foot in the door, and even for established acts there's a lot of pressure to keep the crowd happy, so they might not always feel comfortable taking risks or trying new things. SCR gives them a platform to do that."







The focus is not just on Seoul, either. "There isn't that much of a scene outside of Seoul, but that doesn't mean there aren't people into this kind of music," Price noted. "SCR gives us a way to reach out to those people, as well."







Getting the radio station up and running was no easy task, however. "At first, we kind of struggled to get people to even understand the idea that you could have a radio station playing this kind of music," Price laughed. "Here, you know, people hear radio and the first thing they think of is talk shows or traffic reports, stuff people listen to on the way to work." The first few months, before SCR managed to secure themselves a physical studio location, were especially tough. "We had DJs recording themselves in their bedrooms, and just sending the recordings in."







Things have come a long way in the short time since then. Now, SCR is preparing to move into its second, more advanced studio, a move made possible in part through high-profile brand collaborations with companies such as Vans and Nike. Another of their sometime collaborators, Daelim Museum, adds a bit of cultural cachet to the radio station, and the collaborations between the two act as a kind of bridge between Seoul's art and club cultures. The station received further recognition last year when it was awarded Best Online Radio Station in the Asia/Pacific region in the Mixcloud Online Radio Awards  a huge honor for a station that had only been operating for little over a year at the time.







Initially, Price said, having foreign guests  big-name international DJs passing through Korea  appear on the show was a crucial part of attracting listeners, but as SCR has developed a loyal following of its own he finds it is less and less necessary to have a foreign name on the schedule in order to rope in listeners.







"Foreign guests definitely open up a kind of global window for SCR, sure, but the most advantageous thing about that window is that it gives the wider world a chance to discover Korean artists," he mused. "It's advantageous all around, really - the guests get exposed to Korean audiences, which means more people come to their shows here, and at the same time international audiences, who might tune in to hear the guest play, end up discovering some Korean DJs, which raises their profile and helps them get bookings overseas. It's a kind of symbiosis."







These days, SCR doesn't just confine itself to the online airwaves. The station has been involved in organizing a slew of events and parties, including the DMZ Peace Train Festival, held on the edge of the border with North Korea earlier this year.







"That probably is the thing I'm proudest of, personally... it felt like it really meant something, like we were showing the world a whole different side to Korea," Price said.







In addition, SCR has been instrumental in helping to organize Korean editions of the Boiler Room.tv events, a high-profile series of parties that take place around the world and are livestreamed to an audience sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands.







Showing the world a different side of Korea, bringing global and local attention to the Korean scene, is ultimately what SCR is all about.







Price seems like he never takes his eye off of that goal for long. "People here don't always know what they could do," he said.







"There are so many amazing DJs and producers in Korea, so many unknown gems, and if we can play even a small role in helping them realise their potential, I feel like we've done something worthwhile."











Jon Stein posts about the Seoul music scene at SeoultronicTwo cats glance at each other in front of a protest sign in Cheongnyangni 588, a former red-light district in northeastern Seoul. According to a security guard, 40 cats lived here post-eviction. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun



By Ron Bandun



The major holidays are an ideal time to go urban exploring in Korea. Seoul clears out twice a year as everyone goes to their hometowns for Lunar New Year and Chuseok. These holidays are also when animal abandonment peaks, so I pledged to always have some cat food in my trespassing kit.



I'm not sure feeding stray cats does any real good, only delaying the inevitable or growing the stray population, but it helps keep them still for a photo. Maybe I can tide a hungry runaway's appetite over until its owners can rescue it. I've also probably served a few abandoned cats their last meal. Discarded cats unable to fend for themselves haunt abandoned neighborhoods, and I'm unsure where they go after demolition; I probably don't want to know.



Last Lunar New Year, I visited a few abandoned sites in northeastern Seoul with Isaiah, another explorer who runs his own column in the monthly Gwangju News. We left my last can of cat food for a heavily pregnant cat on the roof of an abandoned apartment, and then below we found a male cat lounging in a pile of smashed bricks, so close to death he didn't even bother running from us.



After that, we headed for Cheongnyangni 588, one of Seoul's red-light districts, where we met another friend. Most of the area has been razed, but at that time a few blocks remained. There was one such space, hidden behind a green striped curtain strung across a roadway, leading into an alley lined with traditional hanok houses on both sides, all abandoned.



I'd been here a few times before, passing through the shattered glass windows behind which prostitutes sat enticing johns, slipping into the darkened hallways behind leading to private rooms where the sex trade was consummated. I'd previously been chased out of the red-light district in front of Yongsan Station, so I was wary of being caught back here.



Then a man, maybe in his late 50s, appeared at the striped curtain alley entrance yelling at us. He was blocking our only way out, so rather than try to run, we came over and cooperated.



He demanded to know what we were doing there, and rather than explain my perversion for endangered architecture, I told him we were looking for a cat. Er, cats, to feed.



He said he'd seen us on CCTV, pointing out a camera overlooking the alley entrance, and led us away angrily. We thought about bailing, but I was honestly curious to see what he had in store, confident we could talk our way out of any trouble.



He led us on and out onto the main road and then into another restricted area. Just when we were wondering about his intentions, he led us into the courtyard of one beautiful hanok. He showed us where he'd left out a bowl of cat food.



Then he brought us back to his guard shack, set up in one section that had been totally destroyed. A large building had been removed here, creating a three-level-deep pit flooded at the bottom. He pointed to all the little shelters made out of blankets and cardboard, and more cat food bowls. We suddenly discovered we were on a whirlwind tour of all the places in 588 the conventional pedestrian couldn't see.



He told us there were 40 cats in the area, introducing us to one beautiful female black cat he said had been spayed by the city and released, and now had many boyfriends in the area. I reached out to pet her and she withdrew; he told me she only lets him touch her. Cats are fastidious judges of character. He had a storage space full of cat food, apparently supplied by the district office.



I thanked him wholeheartedly and reached out a hand, and in an interestingly Korean move he took off his glove to shake my hand properly.



I returned to the former red-light district on June 18, to find demolition complete and construction vehicles driving through. A black cat watched me but kept her distance. I wondered if this was the same cat the guard had introduced me to, and I wondered where that guard was now, if he had moved on to some other doomed area to give the cats there some respite.





The writer is a self-described "anarchaeologist."

By Ko Dong-hwan





This closed circuit television footage shows the encounter inside a restaurant in Daejeon between the jailed man and his alleged victim in November 2017, after which the woman accused the man of grabbing her buttocks.

Sympathizers plan to stage a street protest against the jailing of a husband for six months for touching a woman's buttocks in a restaurant, and after his wife claimed his innocence in a bitter online petition.



"My Life for Happy," an online community on South Korean portal site Naver set up to support the man two days after he was jailed on Sept. 6, said Saturday the protest was set Oct. 27. The community had drawn more than 3,000 members as of Monday, which the site's staff deemed large enough to stage a protest.



The venue has not been decided but staff said they had visited Seoul City Hall square and the Supreme Court as possible venues.



The community urged its visitors not to leave any gender-biased post as the site, supporting the jailed man who claims had been misunderstood by his female accuser of touching her buttocks at a Daejeon restaurant in November 2017, was weary of gender clashes. It said that when it held an interview for recruiting operators of the planned protest the vetting process was particularly stringent to prevent "possible infiltration of members from WOMAD," an online community centered on male hatred.



Releasing the planned date of the protest, the community expressed concern that "feminism's very definition may be abused by a certain group to enforce others to improve women's rights."





By Kim Yoo-chul



President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has fallen ahead of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that will take place from September 18 to September 20 in Pyongyang, a weekly poll showed Monday.



According to the Realmeter survey, support for Moon during the second week of September was 53.1 percent, down 0.4 percentage points from a week earlier.



The result was based on a poll of 2,504 voters conducted from September 10 to September 14. It had a 2 percentage points margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level.



Some 41.7 percent disapprove of Moon's job performance, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from a week ago _ 5.2 percent didn't respond.







By Park Ji-won



Political party leaders accompanying President Moon Jae-in to Pyongyang will likely focus on pushing for party-to-party diplomacy with North Korea, which has been on and off since 1985.



For their first-ever participation as party leaders, they pledged to push for regular meetings with their North Korean counterparts or have parliamentary-level gatherings.



"My purpose to visit the North is to meet people who were involved in activities with South Korea in the past, and have a deep conversation with them to push for party-to-party summits," Rep. Lee Hae-chan, leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), told reporters during a press conference Monday when asked the aim of visiting North Korea as the leader of the DPK.



"I will do my best to hold a parliament-to-parliament summit by this year," Chung Dong-young, leader of the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP), said Monday.



As the special entourage for the third inter-Korean summit between President Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which will be held from Tuesday to Thursday in Pyongyang, Lee and the leaders of two liberal opposition parties, Chung and Lee Jeong-mi of the Justice Party, have agreed to join the trip to the North.



Adding to them, Rep. Park Jie-won of the PDP will also join the trip. Park had visited the North as a special envoy while serving as culture minister during the first inter-Korean summit in 2000 between then President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. He was also present for the dinner party for Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un's first inter-Korean summit on April 24.



Lee and Chung had also been to Pyongyang as key aides for previous presidents. Lee had been to Pyongyang in 2000 as the policy chief for the then Democratic Party. Chung had been to Pyongyang as minister of unification in 2005.



As the parliamentary team has a strong lineup, public attention has focused on whether they accomplish anything in parliamentary negotiations through a meeting with North Korea's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam, the North Korean counterpart to South Korea's National Assembly speaker.



Parliamentary-level exchanges have been stalled largely due to the political shake-ups between conservative and liberal political regimes.



The leaders of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and minor opposition Bareunmirae Party and National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang declined the proposal from Cheong Wa Dae to join the trip to the North.

Updated

By Kim Hyun-bin



It comes as no surprise that politicians and conglomerate CEOs are part of the 200 delegates heading to the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang from Sept. 18 to 20. However, a student taking part in the historic event is a first.



Cheong Wa Dae announced Sunday the members of the presidential entourage that will be accompanying President Moon Jae-in for his bilateral talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and initially on that list were two students _ middle school student Kim Kyu-yeon and college student Esther Lee.



Kim wrote a letter to her grandfather's older brother who lives in North Korea, which was delivered when the two brothers met during last month's reunion event at Mount Geumgang in the North.



But Cheong Wa Dae later said that Kim would not be travelling to the North. In a late afternoon briefing, presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan said the advance team in Pyongyang had informed the presidential office that a potential meeting between Kim and her grandfather's older brother could not take place, citing undisclosed reasons from Pyongyang.



Her grandfather, Kim Hyun-soo, was separated from his older brother Yong-soo during the 1950-53 Korean War.



Last month, the two siblings were able to reunite for the first time in 68 years.



The 15-year-old wrote the letter for the historic meeting.



"I recently saw a picture of you, and you look very similar to my grandfather. It is a shame I can't meet you in person," the girl wrote. "I want to become an important figure when I grow up and work in a field that contributes to unifying the two Koreas."



After receiving the letter, the 84-year-old elder brother broke into in tears, one of the most memorable scenes during the reunion.



Soon after hearing the news, Kim Kyu-yeon started to prepare a special gift for her relative in the North.



"After the last family reunion, my grandfather told me his older brother's eyesight seems to be fading away, so I bought a magnifying glass, and also prepared a cane as it could help him during his trip from Pyongyang to Hamhung," she said.



Esther Lee, a sophomore at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, is the other student on the list of delegates bound for Pyongyang. Since April she has been a member of the Ministry of Unification's college press corps.



"I have been interested in inter-Korean relations and studied and took part in diverse activities in the field, and being a member of the ministry's college press corps is one of them," Lee said.



Lee is looking forward to possible interactions with North Korea students, to get a glimpse of what it's like to be a college student north of the border.



"If there is a college delegate from the North, I would like to ask about his or her campus life and what are the hottest trends for people our age," Lee said.





By Kim Bo-eun



Increasing weight is being placed on the summit between the leaders of the Koreas, as the meeting comes amid stalled denuclearization talks between North Korea and the U.S.



With denuclearization on the agenda of the summit, attention is growing over whether President Moon Jae-in will be able to elicit a pledge from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that will lead to progress.



The summit comes after denuclearization talks were stalled for weeks due to differences between Pyongyang and Washington over who would take the first step. North Korea has been calling for the U.S. to declare an end to the 1950-53 Korean War as a means to protect its regime, while the U.S. has been requiring North Korea to take denuclearization measures first.



Moon's role as mediator in the talks is weighing in.



"We hope the President will play a considerable role in mediating and facilitating talks between North Korea and the U.S." presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok, who is also chief of the summit preparation committee, said in a media briefing, Monday.



At the same time, Im stated it is difficult to have an optimistic outlook.







By Nam Sang-so





Kim Yoo-chul of The Korea Times asked in the Aug. 17 cover story, "Can US businesses invest in North Korea?" Kim's article was well timed and refreshing which must have amazed hundreds of venture organizations in Korea, Japan, China and America who are secretively planning to earn money in the North when the DMZ is wide open.



I'm sure of it. Because more than 20 years ago I was actually invited to go to Pyongyang and help a planned investment by a third country venture fund to build coal burning power plants in North Korea.



On an autumn day in 1996, I had met at Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul a tall and heavy yet well-dressed Korean-American, about 60 years old, who said he was from Philadelphia and worked for a foundation, the name of which he said will only be revealed if I commit myself fully to his proposed business. He said he had checked my background and found I was a seasoned professional in managing the architectural and engineering design business and was familiar with the U.S. Building and Construction Standards including ASTM International Codes. From another source I knew he was not a big talker.



He asked me if I could organize a team of a dozen bilingual South Korean architects/engineers who could work in North Korea. I told him that this conversation could violate South Koreas National Security Law. He said he would take care of it, and added that he had talked with North Korean construction engineers and found it almost impossible to work with them. They had a completely different design concept and quality control standards (Russian and Chinese); there was the language problem and the most of all a big difference in the way of thinking. "So, you want me and my engineers to become a buffer zone?" "That is a correct assumption," he said.



It didn't take too long for me to find out; no architects/engineers in Seoul wanted to participate in such a scary business in the "communist" country. We could be arrested for the slightest mistake. I stated that to the secretive man and that was the end of the talks. That was 20 years ago.



I wish that Pennsylvania man would contact me again. This time I should be able to organize a willing bilingual engineering team, well experienced in the construction projects of U.S. Military facilities in South Korea as well as in Middle Eastern countries with the application of U.S. Building Codes.





Nam Sang-so (sangsonam@gamil.com) is a retired architect/engineer.



By John Burton





Seymour Hersh, one of America's most prominent investigative journalists, recently spoke about a psychological profile of Kim Jong-un, based on electronic intercepts, that was done by a team of top experts for the U.S. government. They concluded that Kim "has a real desire to have money. He wants to be a leader in tourism," Hersh said.



That finding may explain why U.S. President Donald Trump said in a press conference immediately after the Singapore summit with Kim that North Korea had "great beaches" and they would be the perfect location for condos and hotels. Although Trump was mocked by many for the remark, Hersh suggested that Trump "knew enough [from Kim's psychological profile] to make this pitch _ I can offer this guy money and he will [abandon] his bombs."



Skepticism remains strong among most Korean experts that Pyongyang can undertake the economic reforms needed to make North Korea the next Vietnam _ another communist-ruled country that has become both a popular tourist destination and a growing industrial base for foreign multinationals.



Nonetheless, North Korea could surprise many if Kim is serious about his vow to improve his country's economy. North Korea is no longer the collectivized economy it once was. It has gradually evolved over the last 20 years into a hybrid model combining state ownership of industry with grassroots capitalism focused on private market activity.



Signs of entrepreneurship are increasing, which potentially could provide the critical mass necessary to create a civil society that would ease the government's repressive grip.



Pyongyang has encouraged the opening of official markets as long as vendors pay taxes or rent to the state. The Center for Strategic and International Studies recently estimated that there are at least 436 official markets in North Korea, which "appear to be deeply integrated into both the economy and society." They generated an estimated $57 million in tax revenue for the government last year.



"The sheer volume and geographic distribution of markets indicates that they have become an institutionalized part of North Korean society," CSIS noted. "The advent of mobile phone technology, SMS texting (within the state's intranet and closed cellular system) suggests there is evidence that a latent civil society could be emerging around these markets as citizens share information, commerce and a growing autonomy of livelihood within these markets."



An informal survey of North Korean residents by CSIS found that 72 percent received almost all of their household income from the markets and 82 percent believed that outside goods and information had a greater impact on their lives than government decisions. As a result, society reacts angrily when the government periodically tries to repress market activity.



Markets look like they are here to stay. Their concentration in cities, where 60 percent of North Koreans live, provides a platform for the growth of a service economy in the future.



Another big economic advantage for North Korea is its geographical location in the heart of Northeast Asia, one of the world's most vibrant regions. North Korea could emerge as a transport and energy hub with rail and gas pipelines linking South Korea to the rest of continental Asia.



North Korea's proximity to China, Japan and South Korea and its cheap and disciplined workforce could attract foreign investment. Although North Korea's population is aging, that might also prove to be an advantage since there would be less resistance to automation in factories, which at the same time would increase productivity.



There are three big "ifs," however, that shadow plans to transform North Korea's economy.



The first is that North Korea must respect foreign investment rules instead of its usual habit of seizing assets. One test case will be the future of Orascom's venture in North Korea. The Egyptian telecom group established North Korea's Koryolink mobile service a decade ago and there were reports last year that it was withdrawing from the country due to business disputes. But the company recently said it would stay, indicating that Pyongyang is taking a more pragmatic attitude.



The second is whether Kim decides that liberalizing the economy will outweigh the risks of opening the door to political dissent. The marketization of the economy is already creating this potential. But Kim is likely to take comfort from the deals struck in other regional authoritarian societies from China to Singapore where the population agrees to remain loyal to the regime as long as they see an increase in economic benefits.



Finally, Kim must commit to denuclearization in return for security guarantees from the U.S. This would end the international sanctions regime against North Korea and allow it to pursue economic reforms with the help of foreign capital.



Kim may have recognized that he has little alternative except to pursue economic reforms. But the road to riches in North Korea may be less fraught then many think.





John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is now a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and consultant.

South Korea tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. has ranked seventh in global brand based on marketing consultancy Prophet's annual brand relevance survey, industry sources said Monday.

Samsung's ranking is up three notches from last year and the highest among non-American brands. Samsung has also made the top 10 list for the fourth consecutive year.

Samsung is also the sole Asian company that has ranked among the top 10 most relevant brands in the World's largest economy.

Prophet said Samsung is the best example of creating a connected home as it has positioned itself as a beloved brand through continuous innovation.

To find out which brands are the most relevant to people's lives, Prophet conducted a survey of 12,694 U.S. consumers about 299 brands across 37 industries, measuring across four brand principles: customer obsession, ruthless pragmatism, pervasive innovation and distinctive inspiration.

The Prophet index measures which brands are truly indispensable to people's lives and how forces like technology are changing consumer behaviors.

Apple topped this year's list, followed by e-commerce giant Amazon, social network service Pinterest, streaming video giant Netflix, Android and Google.

Among other Asian brands, Japanese electronics company Sony ranked 21st, with automakers Toyota and Honda of Japan placing 29th and 31st, respectively. (Yonhap)By Nam Hyun-woo





Google Korea CEO John Lee

Apple, Google and other global info-tech companies operating in Korea will face audits by the National Assembly over allegations that they abused and unfairly treated their local business partners, lawmakers said Monday.



They said they will summon the chiefs of Apple Korea, Google Korea, Dolby Laboratories Korea and other global firms for questioning



According to Rep. Kim Kyung-jin of the Party for Democracy and Peace, the members of Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee of the Assembly are preparing for requesting the attendance of the heads of those companies during the audit scheduled next month.



Also, the Assembly's National Policy Committee, which is in charge of matters related to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), is also planning to hear from them at the audit.



"You can say every related lawmakers' office at the Assembly is planning to request their appearance," an official at Kim's office said. "Each office seems to be preparing a lot for the audit because there are serious problems about those companies' unfair business practices."



Apple Korea has been under investigation for more than two years by the Fair Trade Commission over an allegation that it coerced mobile carriers to shoulder advertising costs and also repair costs for its iPhones.





Dolby Laboratories Korea Country Manager Lee Sang-hoSamsung Electro-Mechanics' multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) / Courtesy of Samsung Electro-Mechanics



By Baek Byung-yeul



Samsung Electro-Mechanics, a global supplier for high-end components used in electronics and mechanical devices, will add its multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) production line for automotive electronic devices in China.By Baek Byung-yeul





Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yongBy Nam Hyun-woo





LINA Korea CEO Benjamin HongA woman uses her umbrella as she walks past collapsed bamboo scaffolding hanging from a building during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong on Sept. 16. Typhoon Mangkhut rocked Hong Kong en route to mainland China on September 16, injuring scores and sending skyscrapers swaying, after killing at least 30 people in the Philippines and ripping a swathe of destruction through its agricultural heartland. AFP



Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sunday, killing two people after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left at least 64 dead and dozens more feared buried in a landslide.

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern China's Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the massive typhoon and nearly 50,000 fishing boats were called back to port, state media reported. It threatened to be the strongest typhoon to hit Hong Kong in nearly two decades.

''Prepare for the worst,'' Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents.

That warning came after Mangkhut's devastating march through the northern Philippines, where the storm made landfall Saturday on Luzon island with sustained winds of 205 kilometers (127 miles) per hour and gusts of 255 kph (158 mph).

Police Superintendent Pelita Tacio said 34 villagers had died and 36 remained missing in landslides in two villages in Itogon town in the northern Philippine mountain province of Benguet.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan told The Associated Press by phone that at the height of the typhoon's onslaught Saturday afternoon, dozens of people, mostly miners and their families, rushed into an old three-story building in the village of Ucab.

The building _ a former mining bunkhouse that had been transformed into a chapel _ was obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed. Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened.

''They thought they were really safe there,'' the mayor said. He expressed sadness that the villagers, many of them poor, had few options to survive in a region where big corporations have profited immensely from gold mines.

Rescuers were scrambling to pull out the body of a victim from the mound of mud and rocks in Ucab before Tacio, the police official, left the area Sunday.

''I could hear villagers wailing in their homes near the site of the accident,'' Tacio said.

The tragedy came as Florence, another major storm, unleashed catastrophic flooding across the Carolinas in the United States, where more than 30 inches of rain since Friday threatened a deluge of historic proportions as the storm slowly crawled inland from the coast. Muddy river waters swamped entire communities and the coastal city of Wilmington, North Carolina, was cut off by the flood waters.

In China, meanwhile, Mangkhut continued its destructive path, with Hong Kong bracing for a storm that could be the strongest to hit the city since Typhoon York in 1999.

A video posted online by residents showed the top corner of an old building break and fall off, while in another video, a tall building swayed as strong winds blew.

The storm shattered glass windows on commercial skyscrapers in Hong Kong, sending sheets of paper pouring out of the buildings, fluttering and spiraling as they headed for the debris-strewn ground, according to several videos posted on social media.

Mangkhut also felled trees, tore bamboo scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded some areas of Hong Kong with waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

The paper said the heavy rains brought storm surges of 3 meters (10 feet) around Hong Kong.

The storm made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 p.m., packing wind speeds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour. State television broadcaster CGTN reported that surging waves flooded a seaside hotel in the city of Shenzhen.

In Macau, next door to Hong Kong, casinos were ordered to close from 11 p.m. Saturday, the first time such action was taken in the city, the South China Morning Post reported. In the city's inner harbor district, the water level reached 1.5 meters (5 feet) on Sunday and was expected to rise further. The area was one of the most affected by floods from Typhoon Hato, which left 10 people dead last year.

Authorities in southern China issued a red alert, the most severe warning, as the national meteorological center said the densely populated region would face a ''severe test caused by wind and rain'' and urged officials to prepare for possible disasters.

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific said all of its flights would be canceled between 2:30 a.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday. The city of Shenzhen also canceled all flights between Sunday and early Monday morning. Hainan Airlines canceled 234 flights in the cities of Haikou, Sanya, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai scheduled over the weekend.

All high-speed and some normal rail services in Guangdong and Hainan provinces were also halted, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Co. said.

In the Philippines, rescuers for the Itogon landslide were hampered by rain and mud. The search and rescue operation was suspended at nightfall and was to resume at daybreak Monday, said Palangdan, the mayor. Police and their vehicles could not immediately reach the landslide-hit area because the ground was unstable and soaked from the heavy rains, regional police chief Rolando Nana told the ABS-CBN TV network.

Overall, at least 64 people have died in typhoon-related incidents in the northern Philippines, mostly from landslides and collapsed houses, according to the national police. Forty-five other people were missing and 33 were injured in the storm.

The hardest-hit area was Benguet province, where 38 people died, mostly in the two landslides in Itogon, and 37 are missing, the police said.

Still, the Philippines appeared to have been spared the high number of casualties many had feared. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattened villages and displaced more than 5 million in the central Philippines. A massive evacuation of about 87,000 people from high-risk areas helped lessen potential casualties, officials said.

The typhoon struck at the start of the rice and corn harvesting season in the Philippines' northern breadbasket, prompting farmers to scramble to save what they could of their crops, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said. (AP)Angola, IN (46703)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 58F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low near 35F. Winds light and variable.Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 59F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 36F. Winds light and variable.Utility crews in Waco worked to shut off the water flow to a fire hydrant that erupted following an accident Sunday night.

Just after 8 p.m., fire crews responded to the scene in front of H-E-B at Interstate 35 and Valley Mills Drive after a two-vehicle crash in which a truck slammed into the hydrant.

Water was spewing about 20 feet into the air.

It's unclear if anyone was hurt in the crash.Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund signed an agreement to invest more than $1 billion in aspiring U.S. electric-car maker Lucid Motors Inc., months after building a stake in Elon Musk-led rival Tesla Inc.

The deal clinches crucial funding needed for Lucid to start making its first model, the Air sedan, in 2020. The Silicon Valley start-up is years behind schedule in building a plant in Arizona and starting production of the car that it has said will start at $60,000.

Saudi Arabia, the worlds biggest oil exporter, has been diversifying its economy after the collapse in crude prices. As part of the plan, the kingdom plans to turn the Public Investment Fund into the worlds biggest sovereign fund, controlling more than $2 trillion by 2030, and to hedge against fluctuations in oil prices.

By investing in the rapidly expanding electric vehicle market, [the Public Investment Fund] is gaining exposure to long-term growth opportunities, supporting innovation and technological development and driving revenue and sectoral diversification for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the fund said in a statement.

Advertisement

The funds investment in Lucid adds to the uncertainty surrounding Tesla, whose chief executive, Musk, tweeted Aug. 7 that hed secured funding to take Tesla private. Musk clarified six days later that while the Saudi fund had expressed interest in helping take Tesla private, it still needed to conduct due diligence on the potential deal. On Aug. 24, he announced that Tesla would remain a publicly traded company after all.

Musk, 47, stirred unease among Saudi officials about the publicity surrounding their potential role, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News last month. The Saudis were unhappy about Musk detailing his talks with the fund in an Aug. 13 blog post, the people said. On top of that, they said, there were concerns about potential fallout from his tweets drawing shareholder lawsuits and an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Although the Saudis were open to making a significant investment in the effort as a way to help the kingdom hedge against oil and attract technology expertise to the region, the fund mainly was interested in a minority stake to limit its exposure to a single deal and save resources for other projects, the people said. The Saudi fund had built up a stake of just under 5% in Tesla.

Last year, the Saudi fund announced plans to invest as much as $45 billion in a technology fund run by Japans SoftBank Group Corp., put $20 billion into a U.S. infrastructure fund managed by Blackstone Group LP and build a $500-billion city called Neom on the Red Sea. It raised a loan of $11 billion this week.

Tesla shares initially extended declines on news of the funds investment in Lucid, but soon recovered that ground; the stock was up 0.8% at $297.59 shortly before 10 a.m. Pacific time. It is down 4.4% this year.

Lucids backstory

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 Motor Corp. and Tesla. Its chief technical officer, Peter Rawlinson, was chief engineer of the Model S before joining Lucid in 2013.

Lucid has said the Air will boast as much as 400 horsepower and 240 miles of range per charge, with higher-end versions of the sedan costing more than $100,000. When the company announced in November 2016 that it would build a plant in Casa Grande, Ariz., it said it planned to break ground and begin hiring in the first half of 2017 and start production of cars this year.

Within less than six months, it was clear that timeline had slipped. Rawlinson said in April 2017 that Lucid wanted to secure a fourth round of funding, known as a Series D financing round, before breaking ground on the Arizona factory.

UPDATES:

10 a.m.: This article was updated with details about Saudi officials thinking and with additional information about Lucid Motors.

This article was originally published at 8:45 a.m.Ajit Pai, the Trump-appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, is mightily ticked off at Californias effort to impose network neutrality rules on the internet after he worked so hard to kill them.

We know this thanks to a speech Pai delivered Friday to the right-wing Maine Heritage Policy Center. During the talk, he couldnt resist taking potshots at the states initiative, which is currently on Gov. Jerry Browns desk awaiting his signature.

In his talk, Pai called the measure a radical, anti-consumer internet regulation bill. Referring to the Obama-era FCC regulations that he had overturned, he groused that the California measure would impose restrictions even more burdensome than those adopted by the FCC in 2015. He called the measure illegal, and promised to fight it if its signed into law.

Nanny-state California legislators apparently want to ban their constituents from having this choice. They have met the enemy, and it is free data. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai

Advertisement

The measures sponsor, state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), wasted little time striking back. Pai can take whatever potshots at California he wants, Wiener said. The reality is that California is the worlds innovation capital, and unlike the crony capitalism promoted by the Trump administration, California understands exactly what it takes to foster an open innovation economy with a level playing field.

A quick primer on network neutrality. Its the principle that internet service providers, which own the last mile interconnection between the internet and your home or business, cant use their position to block content they dont like, charge content providers more for a fast lane into the home or stifle providers offering services that compete with the ISPs services.

As ISPs have become bigger and broader, this principle has become more important as a safeguard of consumer rights, since the economic incentives for ISPs to favor content providers that belong to them or are willing to pay them a toll are greater. Among big ISPs, Comcast owns NBCUniversal and AT&T recently acquired Time Warner, the owner of Warner Bros., HBO and CNN. Nevertheless, Pai and his GOP majority on the FCC extinguished the 2015 rule enacted under his predecessor, Tom Wheeler, to place limits on ISPs anticompetitive behavior.

Pais action largely benefited the big ISPs. Theyre his base. It inspired a great deal of pushback by states. Indeed, Californias proposed legislation isnt the first. Washington state and Oregon earlier enacted net neutrality laws, and governors in at least five states  Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Montana and Vermont  have signed executive orders upholding the principle.

But California obviously is the biggest dog in this fight, and Wieners legislation the most comprehensive proposal. It would place a short leash, for example, on zero-rating, through which a wireless internet service provider exempts certain content from the data caps on a users account. Some services such as Netflix might obtain that preference by paying a fee; others may have it because theyre subsidiaries of the wireless provider.

ISPs assert that these arrangements popularity proves that theyre consumer-friendly, but theyre anything but. They disadvantage providers without the connections or the capital to be on the inside. The FCC in its 2015 order didnt ban zero-rating outright, but said it would examine the deals on a case-by-case basis. The commission eventually opened investigations of zero-rating arrangements promoted by AT&T and Verizon. Almost as soon as he became FCC chairman, Pai shut those investigations down.

Pai offered an especially withering assessment of Californias proposed zero-rating rules. He observed that the zero-rating programs are enormously popular, which may be true, but is merely an indicator of ISPs skills at bribing consumers to favor policies that arent really in their best interest. Nanny-state California legislators apparently want to ban their constituents from having this choice, he said. They have met the enemy, and it is free data. Of course, the idea in the back of ISPs minds is that consumers wont know what theyre missing.

As part of his attack, Pai hauled out some hoary arguments against net neutrality rules. His favorite is the assertion that network neutrality hinders innovation. This is based on the claim that the broadband industry cut back its capital expenditures in response to the 2015 rule change. As weve reported before, this is a claim that comes directly from big broadband providers, through their lobbying arm, USTelecom.

It has been widely debunked, including by big telecom providers themselves. The overall decline in capital spending identified by USTelecom amounted to about 3%, bringing it to $74 billion in 2016 from the record $76.4 billion in 2014. Not even USTelecom was willing to attribute the decline to the effect of the net neutrality rule, acknowledging that many factors affect capital spending, such as competition, financial markets, taxes, government mandates, project timelines, and regulation.

Nor was the supposed decline industrywide. The nations second-biggest broadband provider, Comcast, raised its capital spending to $7.6 billion during 2016 from $6.2 billion in 2014, 22.6%. The USTelecom data also left out increased spending by Sprint, arguing dubiously that Sprints spending was merely due to an accounting change.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says the U.S. internet is the envy of the world, but its speeds are so slow that it looks more like a reason for shame. (Recode.net)

Pai labeled the purported slowdown in spending predictable, and, to an extent, he was correct. AT&T, one of the few providers to actually ratchet down its capital spending, had predicted it, but not because of the net neutrality rule. Rather, the company said in 2015 that it had substantially completed a network upgrade funded by higher spending, and therefore going forward it would return to normal capital expenditure levels.

Pais assertion that Californias measure is illegal and could be overturned as an infringement of the federal governments preemption of internet regulation is questionable, experts say. When he nullified the 2015 FCC rule, Pai effectively took the government out of the business of regulating network neutrality; the states are merely stepping into a vacuum  legal experts say it may be hard for the government to argue that its regulations preempt the states if it doesnt actually have regulations in place and has expressed the wish not to have any in the future.

As for Pais contention that hands-off regulation has given the United States an internet economy that became the envy of the world, its hard to imagine anyone envying American broadband service, except perhaps for bedouins living on the outskirts of Timbuktu. Across the developed world, broadband speeds put those of the United States to shame  and the services are typically cheaper. Even Greece has higher average speeds on its mobile internet network, and its hardly the epitome of an innovative economy.

The United States has fallen behind not because of too much regulation but because of too little, and too indulgent, oversight. That was bad enough under past administrations, but its being taken to extremes by President Trump. Brown hasnt yet tipped whether hell sign the Wiener bill, but Pai just challenged him to do so. Brown should take him up on the challenge.

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.Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions must be getting tired of so much winning in his campaign to punish cities and states with the temerity to challenge his attempted crackdown on immigration.

In the latest episode, U.S. Judge Manuel L. Real of Los Angeles enjoined him from withholding more than $1 million in federal law enforcement assistance funding from L.A. because the city declared itself a sanctuary community. Real ruled that Sessions was way out of line in attempting to add conditions to a federal grant program designed to be based strictly on a communitys population and crime rates.

Reals injunction tracks a nationwide injunction issued in April by the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. In that case, brought by the city of Chicago, the appellate panel ruled 2-1 that Sessions actions evince  a disturbing disregard for the separation of powers principle enshrined in the Constitution.

The Attorney General repeatedly characterizes the issue as whether localities can be allowed to thwart federal law enforcement. That is a red herring. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals

Advertisement

The power of the purse does not belong to the Executive Branch, the majority reminded Sessions. It rests in the Legislative Branch, which in this case didnt delegate to Sessions the authority to impose conditions on the law enforcement grants.

Several federal courts have slapped down Sessions efforts to bludgeon local communities into doing the federal governments dirty work of immigration enforcement, so its proper to take a quick look at Sessions viewpoint.

Sessions started throwing conniptions about sanctuary communities in March 2017, a couple of months after President Trump issued an executive order calling for federal funds to be withheld from communities that he said were out to thwart immigration agents. Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States, Trump asserted.

Trumps order recognized that the law might constrain how the Department of Justice might act, so Sessions attempted to gin up a legal rationale. He asserted that jurisdictions across the nation were actively violating federal immigration laws, pumping undocumented immigrants back onto the streets even after their convictions for serious crimes. Sessions has cited two provisions of federal law, Section 1373" and immigration detainers.

The first, enacted in 1996 under Bill Clinton, prohibits anyone from interfering with the exchange of information with federal authorities about the immigration status of any person. The law says merely that once local officials have that information, they cant be stopped from trading it to the feds. Nothing in the law, however, requires local officials to collect information about the immigration status of anyone they have in custody in the first place.

Detainers are requests by immigration officials that local police hold immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally and suspected or accused of a serious crime for 48 hours, or until the immigration authorities can decide if they want to take further action themselves. The Congressional Research Service found in 2015 that local policies vary widely about when to honor detainers, with many honoring those for people held for serious felonies but not for suspects in minor misdemeanor cases. Some require commitments from the federal government to cover the cost of detention or even the localitys legal liability. Demanding compliance with all detainers, some experts say, raises the possibility of federal commandeering of local resources for federal purposes, which happens to be unconstitutional.

Since Sessions began griping about sanctuary laws  many of which were enacted decades before Trump became president  federal judges have recognized consistently that localities have a legitimate interest in creating a trustful relationship between the police and the communities they serve. In communities with large populations of immigrants, that relationship can be easily destroyed if the cops become viewed as immigration agents. Residents will be reluctant to report crimes, much less help police find wrongdoers or testify against them. The result is more dangerous, not safer, communities.

In July, for example, Federal Judge John Mendez of Sacramento rejected the administrations attempt to block three sanctuary laws enacted by the state Legislature in 2017. Mendez found that for the most part the laws fell squarely within the states authority to manage its own law enforcement resources and keep them from being commandeered by the federal government for its own purposes.

Nothing in the sanctuary laws actively obstructs federal officials, Mendez found; they only required state officials not to participate in federal immigration enforcement, except on their own terms. Standing aside, he wrote, does not equate to standing in the way.

Sessions hasnt had any more success in trying to block federal funds for sanctuary cities. Thats the subject of the appeals court and Los Angeles cases. Both pertain to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, a federal program enacted in 2005 and named after a New York police officer slain while guarding an immigrant who had agreed to testify against drug dealers.

Congress established a strict formula for the Byrne funds, requiring that 50% be disbursed each year to states in amounts proportionate to their population and crime levels, with the remaining 50% tied to states proportions of violent crime. The city and county of Los Angeles, which were to receive a combined $1.9 million in the current fiscal year, planned to use the money for anti-gang programs, among other things.

Before making the disbursements, however, the DOJ said that applicants would have to certify their compliance with Section 1373 and agree to other forms of cooperation with immigration officials.

The appeals court in Chicago thought little of the DOJs arguments. The Attorney General repeatedly characterizes the issue as whether localities can be allowed to thwart federal law enforcement, the majority observed. That is a red herring. They ridiculed Sessions for being incredulous that localities receiving federal funds can complain about conditions attached to the distribution of those funds. But that was just too bad, they concluded: He simply doesnt have the authority to attach any conditions to the program, other than those dictated by the formula.

Judge Real came to the same conclusion. Sessions policy faced Los Angeles with an impossible choice: Either it must certify compliance with unconstitutional and unlawful directives that impinge on the Citys sovereignty, damage community trust, and harm public safety, or it will lose congressionally authorized Byrne JAG funding. Real wasnt inclined to force the city to make that choice.

For a federal officer charged with upholding the law, Jeff Sessions seems to need an awful lot of reminding of what the law says. Its time he took the lessons hes getting from federal courts to heart.

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.Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Elon Musk acknowledged Sunday that his company has been slow in getting new electric Model 3 cars to waiting customers, calling the problem delivery logistics hell.

In response to a tweet from a customer who complained to Musk that the delivery date for her car continued to slip, even though she saw 42 Tesla vehicles parked in a Union Pacific railroad lot in Salt Lake City, Musk tweeted: Sorry, weve gone from production hell to delivery logistics hell, but this problem is far more tractable. Were making rapid progress. Should be solved shortly.

Customers have been grumbling about the lack of firm delivery dates and sometimes weeks-long waits to get Model 3 cars that they have already paid for. Buyers say that delivery representatives voicemail boxes are often full and that calling other Tesla numbers leads to conflicting information.

As Tesla struggles to exit production hell, buyers complain of delivery limbo 

Advertisement

The delivery logistics issues come as Tesla struggles to exit production hell. The Palo Alto firm cranked up production volume to meet Musks goal of churning out 5,000 cars a week, a feat it finally achieved the last week of June. The company had run into problems with its Fremont, Calif., factorys robot-heavy production line, which didnt work out as planned, and ended up creating an additional assembly line in a tent.

In August, Business Insider reported that Tesla had to rework more than 4,300 of the 5,000 cars it built during that late-June burst week. Tesla told the publication that rework can include minor repairs and that our goal is to produce a perfect car for every customer.

What percentage of currently produced Model 3s require rework is not publicly known.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunagaThe Trump administration on Monday announced new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports, a sharp escalation of its trade fight with Beijing that will also exact costs on a wide range of American businesses and consumers.

The new tariffs, to take effect next Monday, will initially be set at 10% but will climb to 25% in the new year. With Trump already having slapped 25% tariffs on about $50 billion of Chinese goods, the United States by next week will have imposed significant taxes on about half of all Chinese merchandise crossing American borders.

Trump said Monday he was prepared to ratchet up the pressure if China retaliates. Beijing previously said that it would respond with counter-tariffs on an additional $60 billion of U.S. imports.

If China takes retaliatory action against our farmers or other industries, we will immediately pursue phase three, which is tariffs on approximately $267 billion of additional imports, Trump said in a statement.

Advertisement

Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin last week sent overtures to Beijing for renewed high-level trade talks, possibly later this month, but Trumps announcement Monday could scuttle the proposed meetings. As with the previous round, Trump issued the new duties based on the administrations findings that China has long engaged in unfair practices hurting U.S. intellectual property, including forcing firms to hand over technologies to have access to the large Chinese market.

It looks like both sides are digging in for protracted tensions, said David Loevinger, a managing director at TCW Emerging Markets Group in Los Angeles and formerly a senior Treasury Department official for China affairs.

The earlier round of tariffs, in two tranches, affected mostly Chinese machinery and industrial parts, intermediary materials and components largely invisible to consumers. But the new duties will ensnare roughly 5,000 products, including many ordinary household goods.

In anticipation of more tariffs on Chinese goods, many U.S. importers and retailers have stepped up their purchases in recent weeks. That could help keep prices of merchandise in check during the Christmas season.

In addition, the new 10% tariffs will be mitigated somewhat by the recent change in currency exchange rates. Since April, the U.S. dollar has appreciated by about 9% against the Chinese yuan, which means goods from China are cheaper when they are bought with U.S. dollars.

Even so, by next spring, some business people say, the tariff hikes are likely to be passed on to consumers. Thats what Arnold Kamler, owner of Bicycle Corp. of America, fully expects.

Kamler imports about 2.5 million bikes from China and also makes about 350,000 bikes a year at his factory in South Carolina. He hopes to expand domestic production, but is not sure how much he can at this point. The new taxes will hit not only his imported products, he said, but practically all the parts, including handlebars and chains, that he imports for assembly in South Carolina, where he employs 167 workers.

Were all trying to get as much merchandise [as possible] before the tariffs, Kamler said.

Other products subject to tariffs include such varied items as vacuum cleaners, baseball gloves and frozen fish. The U.S. trade representative issued a preliminary list of merchandise facing the new tariffs on July 10, but that was whittled down after U.S. officials received about 6,000 public comments and heard from about 350 witnesses over six days of hearings.

Among the 300 goods removed were smartwatches, such as the Apple Watch, and unspecified consumer electronic devices that use Bluetooth, as well as some chemicals used in manufacturing and agriculture, and consumer safety products such as bicycle helmets and child car seats.

Administration officials said they started with a 10% tariff to give businesses time to find alternative suppliers and make adjustments before the 25% rate took effect. But in many cases, it will take companies a lot longer than a few months to shift supply chains or move production to avoid higher costs.

The officials said Trump is open to negotiations with China over its trade practices, but that no talks have been scheduled. Despite numerous conversations in which U.S. officials have been clear about what they demand in order to avoid the tariffs, Chinese officials have not yet seriously engaged in talks, according to senior administration officials.

Weve given them chance after chance after chance, said a senior administration official, in a briefing with reporters. Up to this point, they have remained obdurate.

Trump has touted that the tariffs will generate billions of dollars in revenue from China. But duties are levied on the goods when they reach the United States and are paid by American importers at the border. Senior administration officials said Chinese companies in effect would swallow the cost if they lowered the prices of their goods so that the end cost to U.S. importers after the tariffs is the same.

Retailers and dozens of trade groups in the United States had urged Trump not to go through with the new tariffs, warning that they will wreak havoc on company supply chains and hurt consumers, who will inevitably face higher prices. Some have questioned the legality of Trumps actions.

If China retaliates with tariffs on $60 billion more of U.S. imports, as it has pledged to do, that would mean 85% of all American goods shipped to China would face additional duties. China imported about $130 billion of American products last year, while exporting about $505 billion worth of merchandise, according to U.S. figures.

The Trump administration has argued that the tariffs it has imposed thus far have not hurt the broader American economy and that they are necessary for reforming an unfair trading system. U.S. soybean and other farmers have felt the pain in particular, although the White House has sought to soften the blow with emergency relief aid.

The tariff story may be a very good force for good, Trumps economic advisor, Larry Kudlow, said Monday. People want to blame President Trump for fixing a broken system.

But even as businesses, politicians and former trade officials broadly agree on the need to address Chinas mercantilist economic behavior, many have criticized what they view as Trumps heavy-handed and often indiscriminate use of tariffs, directed at allies and adversaries alike.

Trump has slapped tariffs on steel from Canada and the European Union, among other trading partners, trying to use them as leverage to force countries to make concessions. The administration is now trying to wrap up negotiations on revamping the North American Free Trade Agreement. A successful rewrite of NAFTA and an easing of trade tensions with Europe could help Trump in his trade conflict with China.

Many, however, worry that the escalating trade fight will slow growth, hurt financial markets and destabilize the global economy. The Trump administration is betting that China, with its economy slowing and more dependent on exports than the United States, will acquiesce to American demands. But analysts say the White House may be overestimating Chinas economic slowdown or the slump in Chinas stock market, which plays a relatively small role in financing.

Trump, in his statement Monday, spoke about his strong relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Once again, I urge Chinas leaders to take swift action to end their countrys unfair trade practices. Hopefully, this trade situation will be resolved, in the end, by myself and President Xi of China, for whom I have great respect and affection, he said.

China experts, however, do not see Beijing backing down anytime soon. Chinese officials have taken steps that seem to be preparing for a protracted fight, easing what had been a tightening of bank credit and in some cases pushing domestic firms to pursue alternatives to the U.S. market.

Moreover, with Beijing having moved away from collective leadership to concentrated power in one man, Xi, the central government is even less likely to capitulate, said Loevinger, of TCW Emerging Markets.

The more the U.S. ramps up the pressure, the more it would make President Xi look weak if hes perceived as caving in to the U.S., he said. Loevinger called Trumps tariff policy a sawed-off shotgun approach to trade. Plenty of other suppliers and workers will get hit, including in the U.S., he said of Trumps new tariffs.

Susan Schwab, who served as U.S. trade representative in the George W. Bush administration, said she doesnt like tariffs. But she also noted that Chinas bad behavior has been going on for a long time and it is too early to judge whether Trumps tariff strategy has been effective.

This administration has gotten their attention, she said at a forum Monday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The latest from Washington 

More stories from Don Lee 

don.lee@latimes.com

Twitter: @dleelatimes

jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com

Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera

UPDATES:

4:50 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from David Loevinger, a managing director at TCW Emerging Markets Group in Los Angeles; South Carolina business owner Arnold Kamler; and others.

3:40 p.m.: This article was updated with President Trumps announcement about additional tariffs on Chinese imports.

12:40 p.m.: This article was updated with comments by President Trump.

This article was originally published at 12:20 p.m.The tapes are out there. At least according to Tom Arnold, actor-turned-investigative reporter in Vicelands The Hunt for the Trump Tapes With Tom Arnold.

The eight-part series, which premieres Tuesday, follows the True Lies sidekick in his maniacal quest to find damning footage and audio recordings of Donald Trump, proving once and for all hes unfit to serve as president.

But why Arnold? No one ever thought of me as an investigative journalist, then again, no one ever thought of Donald Trump as a president, he says in the shows opening. Hes the same kind of old-school dumb ass as I am, and I sure as hell dont think a guy like me should be president.

Through each half-hour episode Arnold jokes about his impulsive personality, multiple marriages and B-list TV ventures, proclaiming theres no one more ill-equipped  yet tailor made  for the job.

Advertisement

Arnolds goal is to uncover raw footage from The Apprentice in which Trump allegedly used the N-word while on set of the reality show competition, and the alleged Russian prostitute pee tape (his words, not mine) which became a national obsession after the Steele Dossier went public.

In Episode 2 of the Viceland series, former Celebrity Apprentice contestant Penn Jillette tells Arnold he heard Trump say on set homophobic, racist, misogynistic things that made me sick to my stomach.

When Jillette presses Arnold on the reality of his mission, he reveals what the scrappy show is about  the futility many Americans feel in the face of a runaway presidency.

The leaked Access Hollywood tape revealed Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women and it didnt dissuade voters, says Jillette. What could possibly be worse than that?, he asks Arnold. Even if you find them all what does it do? Does it get Trump out of the White House?

Trump-tape hunter Tom Arnold scuffles with Apprentice producer Mark Burnett at Hollywood party 

Probably not, given that a recent poll by the Economist and the YouGov polling firm found that 77% of white Trump voters agreed that it is possible that a person who uses the N-word while in office can still be a good President of the United States.

So what exactly does the Hunt for the Trump Tapes With Tom Arnold do other then give Arnold a platform to turn his particular brand of crazy into Viceland-worthy programming?

It does what few others in Hollywood or the TV industry have: it demands accountability from The Apprentice producer Mark Burnett.

Donald Trump, left, and Mark Burnett, in 2007 while filming The Apprentice Season 6 finale. (Mathew Imaging / FilmMagic)

Burnett crafted Trumps image as a competent leader over 14 seasons, and in that 12-year period likely spent more time with the real estate mogul than Melania. Yet of everyone in Trumps orbit whos taken a fall for him since he took office, or whos been thrown under the bus or who is one early-morning tweet away from total ruin, Burnett  the creator of Survivor  has remained virtually unscathed.

In the Viceland show, Arnold protests with a group outside the producers offices, chanting Give up the tapes! Burnett, whos now president of MGM Television and Digital, failed to appear. He no longer owns the tapes since MGM bought The Apprentice archives from Burnetts company in 2015, but Burnett didnt need the footage in hand to speak publicly about Trumps character before or after the election. Many saw the silence of this devout Christian whose faith has informed the films and TV series hes made such as Son of God and The Bible, as the ultimate shirking of civic responsibility and overall accountability.

So reliable an ally was Burnett to Trump that when former Apprentice contestant and White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman released a book reiterating accusations that Trump used the N-word on set, the president defended himself by name-checking the shows producer: Mark Burnett called to say there are NO TAPES of the Apprentice where I used such a terrible and disgusting word as attributed by Wacky and Deranged Omarosa, he tweeted.

.@MarkBurnettTV called to say that there are NO TAPES of the Apprentice where I used such a terrible and disgusting word as attributed by Wacky and Deranged Omarosa. I dont have that word in my vocabulary, and never have. She made it up. Look at her MANY recent quotes saying....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2018

Burnett remained silent, again.

(Ironically, in his role at MGM Television, Burnett has overseen Hulus The Handmaids Tale, a dystopian series about the collapse of America into a patriarchal, fascist regime where women are subjugated and journalists are enemies of the state.)

Burnett did issue a statement in 2016 disavowing the hatred, division and misogyny of Trumps campaign but declined to take the next step and tell American voters  many of whom rooted for contestants on Burnetts shows The Voice and Shark Tank  what he knew about the man who described himself as a ratings machine.

Someone did. Soon after the Access Hollywood tapes leaked, producer Bill Pruitt from The Apprentices early seasons tweeted that there was more offensive, raw footage to come: #trumptapes there are far worse. #justthebeginning.

As a producer on seasons 1 & 2 of #theapprentice I assure you: when it comes to the #trumptapes there are far worse. #justthebegininng  Bill Pruitt (@billpruitt) October 8, 2016

But here we are, two years and a dozen constitutional crises later, and one of the only industry figures willing to challenge media powerhouse Burnett is an actor who self-admittedly has little to lose at this stage in his career.

But from the guest on the Viceland show who claims to have transcribed everything Trump has said on tape starting with a 1980 Rona Barrett interview (Hes said believe me 1,185 times, claims the expert) or the transparency activists who give Arnold transcripts of every Trump appearance on Howard Sterns show (its there he bragged about spying on naked beauty queen contestants back stage: I sort of get away with things like that), Arnolds futile endeavor is the true gag.

The producers of Arnolds show claim they had seven former Apprentice crew members confirmed to talk on the show about their experience with Trump, but all of them pulled out at the last minute because they were scared theyd be sued or blacklisted.

Arnold gets the news while hes in the restaurant where they planned to interview the crew. He asks the young employees there  servers, cooks  if they wouldnt mind reading the anonymous quotes that the no-show Apprentice sources gave to his producer in pre-interviews.

Crew member No. 1, says Arnold, instructing the waitress to read the anonymous crew members quote. She looks embarrassed as her eyes scan the page  then mad: After a female crew member walked off set he said, Would you [have sex with] that? He said, I wouldnt [have sex with] that, she read aloud.

Another server read the quote: I heard Trump say the N-word several times.

After theyd read the material, Arnold asked them how they felt about Mark Burnett.

Its not fair for people in the public to be in the dark about this, said one young woman. We need to know everything about this man that were entrusting our country to.

The Hunt for the Trump Tapes With Tom Arnold

Where: Viceland

When: Tuesday, 7:30 and 8 p.m.; 10:30 and 11 p.m.

Rating: Not Rated

lorraine.ali@latimes.com

@lorrainealiHayv Kahramans paintings of Kurdish women at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects are exceedingly delicate and subtle  until theyre not. Kahraman, herself a Kurdish refugee from Iraq, paints raven-haired, ruby-lipped, ivory-skinned beauties in a flat, graphic style that draws from Persian miniatures and Japanese woodblock prints. But the beauty of these pictures is undercut by the uncanny recognition that all of the women look alike. Various slots cut into the surfaces of the paintings further disrupt the illusion.

The women all look the same because they are all avatars of the artist. In some images, such as Bodies #1, they appear as migrants, draped in variously patterned shawls and carrying small black boxes. The loss of their homeland doesnt seem to bother these women; they all have the same placid expression. They might as well be faceless.

In other images, the women appear beneath golden spotlights, as if on stage. In The Celebrity, a trio of women stands behind a large brown box. The box has a slot in it that is actually cut out of the surface of the painting. This opening suggests a donation box, and the spotlights refer to the display of refugee images  often disturbing ones  to spur charitable giving. But these lovely, languid women are hardly pitiable.

Hayv Kahramans The Celebrity (2018). (Robert Wedemeyer / Susanne Vielmetter)

Advertisement

In replacing the usual images of suffering refugees with these decorous ladies, Kahraman runs the risk of trivializing refugees travails, but she also attempts to short-circuit stereotypical images and question the motives behind our charity.

By replacing objects of pity with pretty ladies, she points to the sexual and Orientalist undertones of charity fundraising. The images reveal assumptions behind our role as Western saviors. We help these people not only because they are fellow humans in need, but because we find their stories titillating and because it makes us feel better about ourselves.

If this relationship isnt obvious in the group pictures, it becomes exceedingly clear in several images of individual women. In Boob Gold, a donation slot pierces the canvas between a womans breasts. Other, smaller paintings provide close-up views of more donation slots in a mouth and in between the legs. These images are unambiguous in their indictment of the relationship between fundraising and sexualized exploitation.

In a similar vein, strewn throughout the galleries are Persian carpets cut into lifesize silhouettes of the artist. They lie folded and crumpled, or leaning against a wall as if discarded. Perhaps even more pointed than the paintings, they capture the tangle of bodies, stereotypes and disrespect roiling beneath the surface of past and current debates over refugees and asylum.

Hayv Kahramans Bodies #1" (2018). (Jeff McLane / Susanne Vielmetter)

Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, 6006 Washington Blvd., Culver City, (310) 837-2117, through Oct. 27. Closed Sundays and Mondays. vielmetter.comIts 1991 again in America. Has anything really changed?

Twenty-seven years ago, Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill reluctantly stepped into an unforgiving public spotlight to accuse U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. He was confirmed anyway.

This time, California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford has come forward reluctantly to accuse U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

Her act of courage raises so many questions:

Advertisement

Will Republicans in the Senate do the right thing and postpone their vote on this man, who has had credibility problems throughout the entire hearing process?

Will the citizens of this country stand back and allow the Senate to confirm a man to the highest court in the land with what amounts to an accusation of attempted rape hanging over his head?

Have we learned nothing from the tribulations and aftermath of the Thomas/Hill debacle, when then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Biden refused to allow three other women to corroborate Hills allegations under oath? (And has since apologized for his terrible judgment?)

Has the #MeToo Movement not proved that women hold onto painful secrets of sexual harassment and assault for years and years and years because they know they will be disbelieved, mocked, humiliated and/or denied work if they step forward to accuse powerful men?

And does anyone really find it hard to believe that the culture of male privilege  responsible for producing the perversions of men as varied as President Trump, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Garrison Keillor, Leslie Moonves, Al Franken, Louis CK, Bill OReilly, Roger Ailes, Brett Ratner, Russell Simmons  could also produce a drunken prep school senior who assaulted a 15-year-old girl at a party?

Ford, 51, teaches at Palo Alto University and trains graduate students in clinical psychology. She first stepped forward anonymously, then allowed herself to be identified by the Washington Post on Sunday in order to have some control over her own story:

Around 1982, at a summertime party, Ford alleges, Kavanaugh drunkenly pinned her to a bed and ground his body against hers. When she tried to scream, she told the Post, he put his hand over her mouth. She was 15; Kavanaugh was 17.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, Ford told the Post. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

This image made me feel sick. I was attacked in college by a former boyfriend who tried to strangle me. You never forget the panic of not being able to breathe.

She got away, she said, only because a classmate of Kavanaughs, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them, sending all three tumbling and she used the moment to escape and lock herself in a bathroom. Kavanaughs response is, essentially, to call Ford a liar.

I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation, Kavanaugh, 53, said in a statement issued by the White House on Friday, two days before Ford allowed the Post to publish her name. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.

His denials have been corroborated by Judge, a filmmaker and writer who told the Weekly Standard and the New York Times that no such incident had ever occurred. And yet, as the Post  and others have pointed out  Judge published a 1997 memoir, Wasted, in which he chronicles moments of blackout drunkenness in high school.

Kavanaugh was also defended in a letter of support signed by 65 women who knew him in high school.

This is just specious. As a friend of mine put it, Thats like saying an arsonist is innocent because he didnt burn my house down.

Its easy to understand why Ford initially did not want her name out there. Whats the point of subjecting yourself to the ugliness inflicted on women who step forward to impugn the character of men who pretend to be better than they are? Anita Hill still gets hate mail.

And yet, just as I had no trouble believing Hill, I have no trouble believing Ford.

Her account of the alleged attack, the Post said, was corroborated by her therapists notes from 2012, her husband, and a lie detector test administered by a retired FBI agent. Lawmakers owe it to the American people to hear her out; she must be allowed to tell senators what happened to her.

Thankfully, some senators are insisting that Republicans put on the brakes. This was a very brave step to come forward, Sen. Doug Jones, the Alabama Democrat, tweeted Sunday. It is more important than ever to hit the pause button on Kavanaughs confirmation vote until we can fully investigate these serious and disturbing allegations. We cannot rush to move forward under this cloud.

When I first heard that Kavanaugh had been accused of assaulting an unnamed woman back in high school, I figured no one who had the power to stop his nomination, or at least slow it down, would act.

But his accuser is no longer anonymous. She is risking her privacy and reputation to be heard. She should not be ignored.

Im not suggesting Kavanaugh be prosecuted on charges he assaulted a 15-year-old girl 36 years ago. But I do think a criminal investigation is in order, just as it was for Moonves, whom the LAPD investigated after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s. No charges were filed, but after others came forward, Moonves was forced to leave his powerful job as the head of CBS.

Likewise, if the charges against Kavanaugh check out, he certainly should not be rewarded with a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.

robin.abcarian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AbcarianLATMore than a dozen students were evaluated after a classmate brought two cocaine-filled balloons to his Tulare County middle school, authorities said.

Two students found the deflated balloons on the playground of Carl F. Smith Middle School in Terra Bella on Friday morning with a white powdery substance both inside and outside, according to the Tulare County Sheriffs Office. Authorities said the substance tested positive for cocaine.

An ambulance crew evaluated 13 children who may have been exposed to the illicit drug, and two of those children were taken to a hospital as a precaution. The sheriffs office said all of those results came back negative.

Sheriffs deputies detained and interviewed a 13-year-old boy who they said brought the balloons to the campus. A drug-sniffing dog alerted to the boys shorts, which tested positive for drugs, the sheriffs office said.

Advertisement

Authorities said Friday they were preparing a search warrant after they determined the drugs came from the boys home.

Authorities used a drone to search the nearly 300-student campus, while the narcotics dog went room to room, and found no other evidence of drugs.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchekA flare-off at the Chevron oil refinery in El Segundo sent an enormous plume of black smoke billowing above the city Monday morning, fire officials said.

El Segundo fire officials responded to the refinery in the 300 block of El Segundo Boulevard about 7:30 a.m.

Initially, the department called for assistance from the Manhattan Beach and Los Angeles fire departments, but canceled that response once firefighters arrived at the refinery and realized the incident was a controlled burn, said El Segundo Fire Department Battalion Chief Breck Slover.

Slover said the refinery lost power this morning and initiated the flare as a safety measure to burn off their product so it didnt back up in their system and pose a hazard.

Advertisement

Its a common occurrence, but this happened to be a pretty big one, he said.

The dark plume, near Los Angeles International Airport, could be seen across the Los Angeles Basin and caused worry among some morning commuters.

Large plume of smoke in El Segundo is a controlled burn-off at the Chevron refinery. It can be seen several miles away. The smoke is definitely catching peoples attention. pic.twitter.com/HxpR5fhXw1  Kandiss Crone (@KandissCroneTV) September 17, 2018

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @Hannahnfry

UPDATES:

8:55 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Slover.

This article was originally published at 8:10 a.m.As the mandatory evacuation deadline for her neighborhood in Fayetteville neared Sunday, Patricia McGirt scanned her small apartment near the rising Cape Fear River one last time.

McGirt had already put clothes in plastic white trash bags. She lifted her most prized possession, her fathers framed poem of Jesus Grocery Store, off her living room wall.

She couldnt afford a U-Haul, so shed have to leave the rest of her things and hope the flooding river 350 feet away  gorged by rains from Tropical Depression Florence  did not reach the second floor of the Point Place public-housing complex where she lives.

This is it, yall, McGirt, 44, said sadly as she walked out with her fiance and her brother. She left behind her TV and her fish tank, her childrens baby photos and wall tapestries, her figurines of black cherubs and turtles.

Advertisement

Florences slow-moving assault on the mid-Atlantic generated more problems and anxiety Sunday as the former hurricane  the wettest storm in the recorded history of the Carolinas  kept dumping rain on millions of residents. The storm was responsible for at least 17 deaths as of late Sunday, officials said.

The misery has been spread far and wide. More than 600,000 North Carolinians lacked power Sunday. Major roads into the coastal city of Wilmington had been flooded, cutting off its residents from escape; hundreds more roads around the state remained blocked.

As is often the case, the disaster has presented the toughest challenges to poorer residents, who often lack the financial resources to escape. Many live in the low-lying neighborhoods in eastern and central North Carolina that are expected to flood in the coming days as storm-gorged rivers rise over their banks.

In Fayetteville, a military city of 200,000 that is home to the Armys Ft. Bragg, nearly 20% of residents live below the poverty line, and many of them live near Cape Fear River, which is expected to crest Tuesday as floodwaters from Florence start draining toward the Atlantic Ocean.

As county and city officials called for a mandatory evacuation of all homes within a mile of the Cape Fear River by 3 p.m., a little over 1,000 residents had crammed into city shelters. Police and emergency crews fanned across the city to notify residents of the mandatory evacuation zones, and public buses picked up residents.

Were trying to make sure lack of transportation is not a barrier to safety, Mayor Mitch Colvin said. If you dont have resources and are asked to evacuate, we are trying to help you do it.

Kynisha Johnson, a 28-year-old hair stylist, waited anxiously outside her apartment in the pouring rain for her family to come to her rescue Sunday morning.

She doesnt own a car. Her moms three-bedroom house is already crammed with five people  including Johnsons 5-year-old daughter, Neveah  so there isnt room to store her things anyway, except for some clothes and important documents.

She was waiting for her brother in New Jersey to send her $40 so she could buy some food  oatmeal, graham crackers and canned tuna.

I dont have anything right now, she said.

Many residents were still trying to recover from Hurricane Matthew two years ago, which flooded apartment complexes and homes across town, displacing low-income residents and leaving them struggling to pick up the pieces.

A lot of people are having really bad anxiety about what life was like, and theyre reliving this nightmare, Colvin said.

Anthony Evans, a 52-year-old laborer, is one of them. He lives on a ground-floor apartment at Sycamore Park, a mixed-income housing complex south of downtown Fayetteville, that flooded up to his knees during Matthew.

That storm forced Evans and his wife to live in a motel for two months as the walls and flooring of their home were repaired. Evans, who earns $11.50 an hour, had to scrabble to find the money to replace their bedroom set, their sofa, chairs, coffee tables and all his tools.

Aint nobody got money, he said. FEMA gave me a couple of dollars, but it still doesnt add up to what you lost.

Now he was evacuating again, picking up a bag of Army ready-made meals and a folding chair for his stay at the emergency shelter set up at Mac Williams Middle School.

Its just too much, Evans said as he walked through his home, where he had piled plastic bins and towels on kitchen cabinets and stacked one coffee table on top of another. Im hoping and praying the water doesnt come in.

A few streets away, Latisha Stone, 42-year-old warehouse worker, sat on a dark brown sofa on her second-floor apartment and sighed as she poured a glass of sweet red wine into a martini glass.

With only hours until the mandatory 3 p.m. evacuation was in effect, she was stalling. She could not afford a hotel and didnt want to go to a shelter.

Why do we have to leave today? she said. They want us to be in a shelter for three days?

We really got nowhere to go, said her daughter, Krystian Stone, 22, a temporary worker at another warehouse.

Krystian had just bought a new car, a Dodge Avenger, and was scared it was going to be flooded. She had a friend she could stay with, but didnt want to be separated from her mom.

Already, she had lost a few days work because of the storm, and she was worried about the loss of income. If she couldnt go to work, she would struggle to pay her $200 car payment and $100 daycare bill.

This is so hard, she said as her 2-year-old daughter Kaliyah spilled Lucky Charms over the carpet. We dont want to leave our one space.

Some residents in the mandatory evacuation zone were unconcerned about getting out by the 3 p.m. deadline, facing the storm with weary forbearance.

I aint leaving until I cook my sausage, said Joslyn Jackson 39, a high school cafeteria worker, who was doubtful her ground-floor apartment at Point Place would flood.

I dont want my toys to be ruined, her 5-year-old daughter, London, said as she skipped to her bedroom, filled with Peppa Pig soft toys, a Frozen bicycle, and a build-a-bear unicorn on skates.

Get your school shoes, Jackson hollered to London, who came back with a pink life preserver and an umbrella festooned with cats and dogs.

I worked hard for the little things I do have, Jackson said as she slowly started to prepare to leave for her grandmothers place. If I lose everything, wed have to start over.

But she was confident. She took a drag of her cigarette and said God would not present her anything she couldnt handle.

Times staff writer Matt Pearce in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

jenny.jarvie@latimes.com

Twitter: @jennyjarvie

More national headlinesAs Hurricane Florence surged toward land last week, meteorologists and emergency agencies took notice. The storm was a Category 4 hurricane, the second-strongest type, and it was drawing a bead on the Carolina coast.

By the time it made landfall on Friday, however, Florence had been downgraded to Category 1  and it wasnt long before it was further diminished to a tropical storm, and then a tropical depression. To some people in North Carolina and South Carolina, that sounded like good news.

The National Hurricane Center begged to differ. It repeatedly warned people that Florence remained highly dangerous, with the potential for catastrophic flooding.

Do not focus on the wind speed category of #Hurricane #Florence! the center tweeted, somewhat frantically.

Advertisement

Do not focus on the wind speed category of #Hurricane #Florence! Life-threatening storm surge flooding, catastrophic flash flooding and prolonged significant river flooding are still expected. More: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/eiD4c8pkRx  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 13, 2018

That led some people to wonder: If its so dangerous, why doesnt it carry a scarier designation? Here are some answers to key questions about the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

How are storms rated?

Hurricanes are rated according to Saffir-Simpson, which grades them from Category 1 (maximum sustained winds of 74-95 mph) to Category 5 (sustained winds of 157 mph or higher). Ranking below those in wind speed are tropical storms and tropical depressions. The National Hurricane Center describes the damage expected from each category, with language that grows more apocalyptic with each higher number.

For a Category 1 storm, it warns that very dangerous winds will produce some damage, and describes it in relatively measured tones: Well-constructed frame homes could have damage to roof, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters. Large branches of trees will snap and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled. Extensive damage to power lines and poles likely will result in power outages that could last a few to several days.

By the time it gets to a Category 5 hurricane, the language is terrifying: Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

Where did the scale get its name?

It was developed by wind engineer Herb Saffir and meteorologist Bob Simpson, who are said to have wanted to create an equivalent to the Richter scale for earthquakes.

So are the most damaging storms always rated Category 5?

Hurricane Harvey, which caused devastating flooding in Houston last year, was one of the two costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, along with Hurricane Katrina. And yet, it was not a Category 5 storm. It was rated Category 4 when it made landfall on the Texas coast, and was downgraded to a tropical depression long before it hit Houston, where it stalled and dumped vast amounts of rain. Water, not wind, caused the damage.

There have, of course, been devastating Category 5 storms, including Hurricane Andrew, which rampaged through south Florida and Louisiana in 1992, killing 25 people and causing $25 billion in damage, much of it from explosively powerful winds. Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, was a Category 5 storm, but it had diminished to Category 3 by the time it hit New Orleans, where it wreaked its worst damage.

Should flooding be taken into account in the storm scale?

Actually, it once was. When the scale was developed in 1972, it included barometric pressure, flooding impact and storm surge  the rise in ocean water that can swamp low-lying coastal communities. But over time, all but wind speed was dropped and the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale became the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

According to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the scale was simplified for two basic reasons: Wind measurements became more accurate, and there was a realization that storm surge was complicated and difficult to predict. It can change based on the size of the hurricane, the depth of the coastal waters, the hurricanes forward speed and its angle to the shore.

Thus, the report said, the scale was changed to help reduce public confusion about the impacts associated with the various hurricane categories, as well as to provide a more scientifically defensible scale.

That said, it acknowledged that wind speed is also not a perfect predictor of damage, which is to some degree dependent upon the local building codes in effect and how well and how long they have been enforced.

Do categories matter?

Yes, at least from a psychological standpoint.

I like the fact that people pay attention to the category because it gives them something to benchmark against, said Michael Cramer, town manager for the island community of Carolina Beach in southeast North Carolina. Most people dont pay much attention to the details, but they do pay attention to the category and as the categories go up, they get more scared. It helps focus people.

Theres evidence to back him up. A study by Texas A&M University after Hurricane Rita in 2005 found that people were more likely to heed evacuation orders when they were told the category of the hurricane was higher.

Only about 10% of those surveyed said they would evacuate in the event of a tropical storm, but more than 90% said theyd evacuate in a Category 5 hurricane.

So why not change the scale?

Some people have proposed doing just that.

Lakshmi Kantha, a professor of aerospace science at the University of Colorado-Boulder, published an article in 2006 arguing that it was time for the scale to retire with dignity. He proposed a new Hurricane Hazard Index that would have several components, including the size of the storm, the wind speed and rainfall potential.

That, in essence, is what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration argues it has been doing. NOAA has developed new online tools that show predicted rainfall and offer warnings about storm surges. There are multiple threats with a storm  there is the wind, there is the inland flooding and the storm surge  and all of those various threats are depicted graphically through a variety of Weather Service products, said NOAA spokesman Chis Vaccaro.

Chick Jacobs, a community writer who has covered weather stories for the Fayetteville Observer for more than 20 years, is among those who believe more should be done.

It would be nice in the off-season for everyone to get together and say, Okay, the last three big-damage hurricanes that hit the U.S. didnt hit us with wind. That means youve got to change something.

Theres got to be some way people can look at announcements and say, Oh man, its going to be a Category 2, Rain 5. Jeez, we better get out. But, he added, Thats up to bigger minds than me.

Jarvie reported from Fayetteville and Landsberg from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Conway, S.C., contributed to this report.A second suspect in the killing of a North Dakota woman whose baby was cut from her womb will stand trial this week, more than a year after her disappearance transfixed the state and shined a light on what advocates call oft-overlooked violence against Native American women.

Savanna Greywind was 22 years old and eight months pregnant when she vanished in August 2017. Her disappearance sparked vigils and searches before her body was found eight days later, shrouded in plastic and dumped in the Red River.

A neighbor in her apartment building, Brooke Crews, admitted that she killed Greywind and cut her baby from her womb. Crews boyfriend, William Hoehn, goes on trial Tuesday on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. Hoehn has admitted that he helped cover up Greywinds murder, but he said he didnt know Crews had planned to kill her.

Heres a look at the case and the trial:

Advertisement

Crews and Hoehn lived in an apartment two floors above Greywinds, and Crews had befriended the young woman. Shortly before her disappearance, Greywind texted her mother that she was going upstairs to model a dress that Crews was sewing.

According to prosecutors, Crews told investigators that she and Greywind got into an argument and that she pushed Greywind down and knocked her out before cutting her open. Greywind bled to death.

When Crews and Hoehn were arrested and the newborn was found with them, Crews claimed that Greywind, who was still missing at the time, had given her the child.

When Crews pleaded guilty in February, she apologized to Greywinds family, saying there was no excuse for what she had done.

Hoehn told police that he came home to find Crews cleaning up blood in their bathroom. Hoehn said Crews presented him with an infant girl and said: This is our baby. This is our family. Hoehn said he took garbage bags containing bloody shoes and bloody towels and disposed of them away from the apartment complex.

Hoehn earlier this month pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and lying to police, a misdemeanor. The remaining conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison.

Though Crews gave some details of the crime at her sentencing, she hasnt given a public accounting of Hoehns role. It isnt clear whether she will testify at his trial, but she is on a list of more than 50 potential state witnesses.

Cass County prosecutor Ryan Younggren declined to say whether hell call Crews to testify.

Steve Mottinger, who represented Crews in her proceedings, declined to comment.

Greywind was a member of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe and her family has ties to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, two North Dakota groups that traveled to the Fargo area to search for Greywind.

Her death prompted Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) to introduce Savannas Act, which aims to improve tribal access to federal crime information databases and create standardized protocols for responding to cases of missing and murdered Native American women. A similar bill has been introduced in the U.S. House.

Attorney Gloria Allred, who represents the Greywind family, said after Crews sentencing that the only good to come from such a horrific crime is the possibility that other Native American women may benefit from the legislation.A Mormon who led a campaign criticizing the churchs practice of allowing closed-door, one-on-one interviews of youth by lay leaders that sometimes included sexual questions has been kicked out of the faith following a disciplinary hearing.

Sam Young read a verdict letter for the first time Sunday that had been delivered to him after last weeks hearing with church leaders in Houston.

Young and his supporters say the interviews where youth are asked if theyre following the law of chastity led to inappropriate conversations and shaming.

Young called his excommunication a supreme disappointment and was emotional at a news conference attended by about 100 of his supporters.

Advertisement

The whistleblower has been kicked out, he said. But they have no power to excommunicate me from the cause of protecting children and protecting the healing of my friends. For our childrens sake, this whistleblower is not going to stop roaring.

Young, 65, recently finished a 23-day hunger strike in Salt Lake City near church headquarters to bring attention to his cause. In March, he organized a protest march of about 1,000 people who walked to church headquarters.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesnt comment on disciplinary hearings to respect peoples privacy.

While not a lifelong ban, excommunication is a rare move that amounts to the harshest punishment available for a church member.

Young becomes the third high-profile Mormon who led protests about church policy to be excommunicated in recent years.

Kate Kelly, founder of a group pushing for women to be allowed in the religions lay clergy, was excommunicated in 2014. John Dehlin, who runs a podcast that allows doubting Mormons to tell their stories, was kicked out in 2015.

In his summons to the disciplinary hearing, church leaders told Young he was facing excommunication because he encouraged others to vote against church leaders and because he organized more than one public action that expressed opposition.

The youth interviews usually happen twice a year starting at 12. One of the questions asked by men who are called bishops deals with sexual activity: Do you live the law of chastity?

Young and the Mormons and non-Mormons who back his campaign say the question is unnecessary and inappropriate.

The church changed its policy earlier this year to allow children to bring a parent or adult with them. Parents were only allowed in a hallway or adjacent room under old rules. Youth can still go in alone if they choose.

In June, the faith, for the first time, posted the list of questions lay leaders are supposed to ask during the interviews.

Mormon leaders say the interviews are an important way for bishops to get to know youth better and determine their religious habits and obedience to God.

Youngs ouster means hell be leaving a religion hes been a member of his entire life. Mormons usually have tight-knit connections with other people in their congregations, bonds forged by spending worship and social time together.

Excommunicated Mormons and those not in good standing cant go inside temples where members are married and other ordinances such as baptisms for dead relatives are performed.For more than three days, Alonzo Harris, 64, was trapped in a flooded house in a flooded neighborhood in the flooded town of Trenton, N.C., sleeping on a kitchen counter, waiting for the remnants of Hurricane Florence to pass.

But after the rains moved on, the floodwaters stayed behind. Down to one bar on his cellphone battery, Harris dialed 911 Monday  and a team of Coast Guard rescuers and Jones County sheriffs deputies launched a boat to come find him.

The trip was just a mile, but the eerie scenes they encountered were typical of those unfolding in communities across North Carolina since the wettest storm in the regions history killed at least 32 people and left a vast tapestry of watery misery.

In Trenton, there were flooded schools with no children inside. Street signs were barely visible. One home appeared to have burned down during the storm, its blackened walls and beams sticking morbidly out of the water like the hull of a lost frigate.

Advertisement

At one point, the rescue team had to steer through a flooded graveyard, where tombstones and flowers peeked out of the water.

Watch it! one rescuer hollered after the boat scraped a submerged tombstone.

James Lewis used his canoe to take Renee Bennett to check on her Lumberton, N.C., home that was on the verge of flooding Monday morning. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times)

After rescuing Harris, who looked run-down and exhausted in his yellow rain slicker, the team found his mutt standing on top of a dog house, water lapping at its paws. The dogs name was Luck.

It was hell, said Harris, who asked for a cigarette and dog food after he finally reached dry land.

But it could have been worse.

Most of the deaths were in North Carolina. Six people died in South Carolina and one in Virginia. Some places were slammed with more than 2 feet of rain, turning the Carolinas into a maze of flooded towns and highways where escape, and relief, is far from simple.

The coastal city of Wilmington, N.C., was still surrounded by floodwaters three days after taking a near-direct hit from Florence when it made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane. About 700 residents have been rescued, and damage was estimated at $13 million and growing, local officials said.

Were trying everything in our power, making every attempt necessary, to get resources to the community as quickly as we possibly can, Mayor Bill Saffo said in a video to residents shared on social media. But were also dealing with some very, very tough situations with respect to the impassible roads coming into the city of Wilmington, coming into the county of New Hanover.

Roads may not open until Wednesday, after rivers crest, Saffo said in a news conference, calling the disaster probably the most significant flooding event this state has ever seen.

About 1,100 roads across North Carolina were closed as of Monday morning, primarily in the southern and southeastern stretches of the state hit heaviest by Florences record rains, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Gerald Generette, right, and Maurice Miller watch the rising Cape Fear River flow by in Fayetteville, N.C., on Monday. (David Goldman / Associated Press)

Once-simple journeys between cities have turned into unpredictable odysseys filled with detours, flooded side roads and outright failure.

But the statewide anguish has brought with it a strange kind of kinship as survivors do their best to get by, even if they cant get around.

Some evacuees on the flooded roadsides in the piney woods between Wilmington and Lumberton, roughly 75 miles away, found the ways out blocked by flooding, downed trees, refrigerators, septic tanks and other debris.

Evacuees tried to help one another, chatting at pinch points, calling in closures to talk radio shows and uploading info to the Waze traffic app.

Reception was spotty, Google Maps unreliable. Some GPS apps have been steering drivers toward flooded roads. Other routes were blockaded by officials trying to prevent drivers from drowning.

At one highway blockade about 90 miles west of Wilmington, more than a dozen drivers parked and waited for hours, hoping the road might reopen.

Officials tried to tell them the road was washed out in multiple places, including a bridge state transportation experts said could be unsound.

But the evacuees didnt want to turn back, having already driven several hours from Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem and other places where they had sought shelter during the worst of the storm.

Matt Stewart, 37, was returning to Wilmington with his family of four, plus two dogs and two cats, packed in an SUV. They had evacuated for a few days and stayed with relatives in Chapel Hill, and been in touch with friends who remained in the city throughout the storm.

Their house had minimal damage, but with the city cut off, Stewart worried about other vulnerabilities.

Looting, for Gods sake. Its unfortunate, but that stuff happens, he said. And if theres leaks, I want to fix them.

Related: When a Category None hurricane is worse than a Category 5 

One of the few places open nearby was Orrum General Store, a gas station with no gas. The pumps had run dry Thursday, as they had at most other stations for miles.

The store, which doubles as a restaurant, had also suffered some roof damage and still had a tarp across the front windows.

But owner Gayle Wilkes felt lucky not to have flooded. At least not yet. Wilkes, 70, was keeping an eye on a nearby canal.

Theyre saying we still might get it, but so far the Lords looked after us, she said as staff fried chicken and dished out vinegary eastern Carolina barbecue.

They had electricity, but the credit card machines and ATMs were still down. Customers felt trapped.

All the roads are closed, Wilkes said. You cant get out.

Back in Trenton, some residents were lucky enough to reach higher ground. They, too, were waiting it out.

Gary Brown, 70, lost his house to flooding, but he was able to stay at his sisters place next door and rode out the storm there with his nephews.

They were passing the time by cooking on a gas burner on the back porch  their latest meal was pork chops.

I didnt leave when [Hurricane] Floyd came in 1999, Brown said. Ive been around since Hazel.

Which means Brown has been around for a while. Hurricane Hazel hit in 1954.

Further uphill was Gloria Moore, 58, who had also remained behind. With no electricity, shes spent days doing crossword puzzles.

It was eerie at night. All you hear, she said, is the crickets or the frogs.

chris.megerian@latimes.com

@chrismegerian

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

@mollyhf

matt.pearce@latimes.com

@mattdpearce

Times staff writers Megerian reported from Trenton, N.C., Hennessy-Fiske reported from Lumberton, and Pearce from Los Angeles.

UPDATES:

7:45 p.m.: This article has been updated with the latest death toll and extensive reporting on evacuees and rescue efforts.

10:50 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with Times reporting.

This article was originally published at 7:50 a.m.One thing is clear about the sensational accusation by a California psychologist that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were high school students: The Senate Judiciary Committee must not vote on Kavanaughs nomination until it thoroughly investigates the detailed and disturbing claim by Christine Blasey Ford.

A hearing at which Ford and Kavanaugh testify under oath about her allegations, scheduled for Monday, is the beginning, but not the end, of such an inquiry.

The allegation against Kavanaugh didnt emerge until after the committee had completed contentious hearings on Kavanaughs nomination. Thats largely because Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who received a letter from Ford earlier this summer, honored her constituents request for confidentiality. Feinstein, the senior Democrat on the committee, apparently didnt refer the allegation to the FBI until the existence of the letter was reported in the press.

Senate Republicans and the White House denounced what they called a last-minute hit job. For example, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch of Utah declared: I do not intend to allow Judge Kavanaughs confirmation to be stalled because of an 11th-hour accusation that Democrats did not see fit to raise for over a month.

Advertisement

That was then. Fords decision Sunday to identify herself to the Washington Post has dramatically altered the situation. We now have an accuser willing to stand behind her story publicly and testify before the Senate. Its an unsettling account even when allowance is made for the passage of time and Kavanaughs youth.

Its an unsettling account even when allowance is made for the passage of time and Kavanaughs youth.

Ford described an incident at a party at a suburban Maryland house in the early 1980s at which Kavanaugh and a friend, both drunk, allegedly pushed her into a bedroom. She asserted that Kavanaugh held her down on a bed, tried fumblingly to disrobe her and held his hand over her mouth. She said she was afraid that he might inadvertently kill her. Ford said she was able to get away when the other teen, whom she identified as Mark Judge, jumped on top of her and Kavanaugh, toppling the pile of bodies.

Some might argue that the conduct Ford accuses Kavanaugh of should be excused as the long-ago excesses of an alcohol-impaired adolescent. But thats not the nominees defense. He has issued a categorical denial that the incident Ford described occurred. This is a completely false allegation, he said in a statement released on Monday. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday. (Judge has also denied that the incident described by Ford occurred. Its just absolutely nuts, Judge said. I never saw Brett act that way.)

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

As late as Monday morning, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), the committee chairman, was insisting that it would be sufficient for the panel to reach out to Ford and Kavanaugh through the standard procedure for updating background information on nominees: follow-up telephone calls with relevant parties. Given the seriousness of Fords accusation, however, that stripped-down approach was clearly inadequate.

On Monday Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), whose vote is considered crucial to Kavanaughs confirmation, said that he and Ford should testify under oath before the committee. Later in the day, the White House issued a statement saying that Kavanaugh looks forward to a hearing where he can clear his name of this false allegation.

The committee had been scheduled to vote on the nomination Thursday; that has now been pushed back. Obviously the panel should not vote on the nomination until it takes testimony from Kavanaugh and Ford. But it also needs to hear from Judge and any other witnesses who can shed light on what happened in that bedroom decades ago. It should also wait until it has the benefit of an FBI investigation into Fords accusation, which the White House should expedite.

Its entirely possible that new hearings and an investigation still wont answer all the outstanding questions conclusively. In that case, senators disposed to vote for Kavanaugh because of his sterling credentials and his conservative judicial philosophy will face an agonizing dilemma. But the committee owes it to the country and the court to try to arrive at the truth. If that means that the Supreme Court convenes on Oct. 1 with only eight justices, so be it.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook.

UPDATES:

4 p.m.: This editorial was updated to include the news that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser, psychologist Christine Blasey Ford, will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.

This editorial was originally published at 2:20 p.m.I often reflect on how fortunate I am: Ive had an amazing career, and Im deeply grateful for the fans who continue to find joy in the music I wrote and recorded. But when it comes to the recorded music part of the business, Ive been surprised to learn that federal law discriminates against older artists like me, including the icons who inspired me to follow my passion and make music.

Let me explain. When you hear Sweet Caroline, my hit from 1968, on internet radio, satellite radio or a music channel on cable TV, those services can withhold certain royalty payments thanks to an obscure quirk in federal copyright law that predates digital radio altogether.

Federal copyright law does not protect music recorded before 1972. Instead, pre-72 recordings are subject to a patchwork of state laws that amount to a legal obstacle course, both for artists like me and for digital radio services.

I have been fortunate to earn a living from touring and from the royalties I receive as a recording artist and songwriter through sales of vinyl, CDs and downloads  and, more recently, through on-demand streaming from digital services like Spotify and Apple Music.

Advertisement

But when my music is played on digital and satellite radio services, I receive a small amount of songwriting royalties, but no royalties as the recording artist.

Since sound recordings didnt receive federal copyright protection until 1972, recordings made before 1972 are covered only under state law.

Its a ridiculous state of affairs. When these services play my original recordings of Red Red Wine (1968) and Girl, Youll Be a Woman Soon (1967), they arent required to pay a penny to me as the recording artist. Yet when great covers of those songs by UB40 and Urge Overkill are played on the very same services, those artists are paid, because their covers were recorded after 1972.

This bizarre quirk arose because, when Congress granted digital radio services a special federal license in the late 1990s, it covered only copyrighted recordings. Since sound recordings didnt receive federal copyright protection until 1972, recordings made before 1972 are covered only under state law. As a result, some digital radio services have argued they were not required to pay for pre-72 recordings at all. Years of litigation in state courts over the issue have inspired an effort to craft a solution that works for music creators and digital services alike.

If the law is left unchanged, countless great artists of the Motown era, the early days of rock n roll and the golden age of country may not earn royalties on many of their most omnipresent songs across digital radio. For some artists, those royalties could mean the difference between covering healthcare costs in retirement and spending their final years in poverty.

The issue hit home for me personally this year. In January, I reluctantly retired from touring on the advice of my doctors. It was a difficult but necessary decision. Touring takes a physical toll, and after being diagnosed with Parkinsons, it was an element of my career I needed to let go, much as I love it.

Artists and musicians my age should be paid from profit-making services like these. Im far more fortunate than most, I realize, but what about others? What about the icons of Americas musical heritage who inspire all of us, generation after generation, and whose creations enable these services to exist?

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Fortunately, a bill in Congress called the Music Modernization Act would correct this inequity. The legislation would also update woefully arcane rules governing how songwriters are compensated and ensure that producers are rewarded for their contributions to sound recordings.

The House unanimously passed the bill, which is now pending in the full Senate. As of this writing, more than 70 senators have co-sponsored the legislation. Im counting on Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer to schedule a vote in the Senate and push this bill across the finish line.

Its past time Congress address this issue and fix the pre-72 loophole by passing the Music Modernization Act. We owe it to the icons and legacy recording artists who have given us so much, and upon whose shoulders I stand.

Neil Diamond is among the top 25 best-selling artists in the world with more than 30 studio albums and has been widely recognized as a leading songwriter, recording artist and performer. He has been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2011 he was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or FacebookThere are very few things Im sure of in the latest, and worst, chapter in the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation saga.

Its like a Choose Your Own Adventure book where every chapter ends with a thud at the bottom of an old well or the clanking shut of a dungeon door.

What if Christine Blasey Ford is telling the truth that, 35 years ago, a drunken 17-year-old Brett Kavanaugh pushed her down on a bed and covered her mouth in an attempt to sexually assault her?

For starters, shell never get justice. This will never see a court of law. Theres no way to prove it happened, not least because she cannot provide a time or place where the event allegedly occurred. The most Ford might get is vengeance by thwarting Kavanaughs dream of getting on the Supreme Court and destroying his reputation.

Advertisement

No matter what you choose to believe, Feinsteins conduct is outrageous.

But what if her claim is only subjectively true? What if she felt like Kavanaugh intended her terrible harm, but he had no such intent, simply thinking he was being funny, flirtatious, manly or some other dumb idea drunk 17-year-old jocks sometimes have?

And what if the truth is somewhere in the middle? Do the actions, as described, tell us an enormous amount about the husband, father and judge of the last 35 years? The man has been through six background checks. No one has ever unearthed similar incidents, never mind a pattern of them. If anything, the well-documented patterns of his life and career suggest that the Kavanaugh of Fords memory is not the Kavanaugh he became  or perhaps ever was.

For the last decade or so, theres been a growing argument for going much easier on young men who run afoul of the law because our brains arent fully developed until our mid-20s. Would it be fair to let this one event, if remotely true, eclipse everything else?

On the other hand, if Kavanaugh is lying when he denies all this, that would be bad, too.

Moreover, no one is talking about prosecuting Kavanaugh. He has no entitlement to a seat on the highest court in the land. If he did what Ford claims he did, not being a Supreme Court justice is a pretty light sentence.

What if Ford isnt telling the truth? If its a deliberate lie, the answer is easy: This is one of the worst acts of character assassination and sewer politics in modern American history, and anyone involved should be held to account by the law and voters alike. All one need do is look under the rock of social media to see countless people insisting that Kavanaugh is a proven rapist or attempted rapist. If hes innocent, that is horrific.

But what if its not a deliberate lie? What if this is some terrible Rashomon-like confusion? Perhaps the events happened but Kavanaugh wasnt the person involved. Or perhaps something did happen, but not the way she remembers. Ford never said anything specific about these events until 2012, when she was in couples therapy (and Kavanaughs name was in the news), and the details she offered then differ from what she is saying now.

I honestly have no idea how to reach a confident conclusion about any of this. There are just way too many missing jigsaw puzzle pieces to make out the picture.

The only thing I am sure of now is that Sen. Dianne Feinstein has behaved outrageously. Because no matter what you choose to believe, she waited too long to reveal the accusation.

Feinstein knew about these allegations in July. She made no attempt to ask Kavanaugh about them, even in closed session. If she believed the allegations were true or credible, she should have acted on them. If she didnt  as has been reported  going public as a desperate ploy to derail or delay his confirmation is an act of grotesque cynicism, particularly when she had no idea whether Kavanaughs accuser would come forward.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Feinsteins gambit may pay off. Republicans are understandably wary of cross-examining an alleged victim of sexual assault, particularly ahead of the midterms, given that the GOP is bleeding support among moderate female voters.

But the conservative base also remembers the slander of Judge Robert Bork and has no appetite to surrender to such tactics ever again. If the White House or Senate Republicans do surrender, the populist rage from the right will be terrifying.

So congratulations, Sen. Feinstein, youve done the unimaginable: Youve made our politics even uglier.

jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or FacebookIn California, there are more than 2.2 million registered voters age 25 or younger. How many of them turn out on election day will depend on how hard the rest of us work to mobilize them.

We spent the summer leading a research project that involved holding voter workshops and registering student-age voters across the Central Valley  and we saw a lot of enthusiasm among this notoriously low-turnout age group. A new statewide poll also found that 72% of 18- to 24-year-olds say they will definitely vote November. But we also know that just 16% of Californians in that age group voted in the June 5 primary.

What can narrow that gap between intent and turnout? The poll (commissioned by Power California, a network of nonprofits focused on young voter engagement) took a close look at highly politically engaged 18- to 24-year-olds  those who vote at rates similar to senior citizens. That offers some clues.

Many young people dont know very much about the relevance of local and state elections to their everyday lives.

Advertisement

These young people volunteer in their community, boycott products for political reasons and attend protests. They strongly identify with the social movements of our time: Nearly half support Black Lives Matter and a majority back environmental activism and the fight for LGBTQ equality. Their top issues are immigration and housing, and they arent impressed by the efforts of state government to improve the quality of life in California.

In short, they see how politics connects to their lives.

Those findings reflect a lot of what we saw and heard from the 25 UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced students on our research team who were testing out ways to mobilize this untapped portion of the electorate. They spent time in high schools, college classrooms and community centers talking about how and why to vote  and when young people made that connection, a light bulb went on.

Initially, many young people dont know very much about the relevance of local and state elections to their everyday lives. So in our voter education workshops, we gave concrete examples. In Kern County, team members asked who wanted to attend college and whether they were worried about how expensive that might be. Hands shot up. Then we told them about the College for All ballot initiative  the one that didnt get enough voter signatures to qualify for the ballot this year. Or if they said their vote does not matter, we told them about the big hike in the sales tax up in Delano that passed in 2016 by just 66 votes.

Young Californians also need specific orientation to the process of voting. Half of Californians 18-24 are either an immigrant or the child of an immigrant, so they havent necessarily had a parent who knows the ropes when it comes to voting here. Unfortunately most schools offer little voter education to students, even though we know that regular voting habits are formed early. Investments we make now in civics education will help give the state a more representative electorate for decades to come.

Candidates and campaigns have a role to play, too. They can increase youth turnout by addressing the issues that matter to these voters and by targeting young people for political outreach. In the Power California Poll, among those who voted in the June primary, around 70% said they were personally contacted by email, text or mail about the election.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

For example, the young people who define themselves as part of the Black Lives Matter movement should hear from campaigns for sheriffs, district attorneys and judges about how candidates will address racial profiling and disparities in arrests and incarceration. These officials control the local criminal justice system, and thats an issue that young voters care about.

Likewise, the cost of housing is also a top issue for young people, which should be of little surprise. A California State University survey found that more than one out of 10 students experienced homelessness within the last year. Limited housing and high rents affect youth and their families. Proposition 10  which would allow cities to implement or retool rent control  will be of interest to young voters, and therefore campaigns should target them. Additionally, state legislators should publicize their stances on the housing shortage.

We can no longer pretend that young people dont care about politics. Recent election results in New York, Florida and Georgia appear to show that when candidates present a bold political vision on issues that matter to them, young voters will turn out in greater numbers. In the Central Valley, we saw that young Californians are ready to vote too.

Veronica Terriquez is an associate professor of sociology at UC Santa Cruz. Randy Villegas is a doctoral student in politics at UC Santa Cruz.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand FacebookNewsoms budget proposes $3 million for Alzheimers research, brain task force By Melody Gutierrez Amyloid plaques, shown here in human brains, are a hallmark of Alzheimers disease. (UCLA School of Medicine) Gov. Gavin Newsom will call for the creation of a brain health task force and dedicate $3 million annually from the states general fund to Alzheimers disease research in the budget proposal he will release Thursday, a source close to the administration said. The money for Alzheimers research would target the new grants at understanding why the disease is more prevalent in women and people of color. Former California first lady and Alzheimers activist Maria Shriver pushed for the funding to be included in the state budget. Shriver said in a statement Wednesday that the funding would make California the first state to make understanding our brains a priority. The states former first lady, whose late father Sargent Shriver was diagnosed with Alzheimers, founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement, an advocacy group raising awareness about womens increased risk for developing the disease. In 2011, she wrote a comprehensive assessment on the disease, to which Newsom  then mayor of San Francisco  contributed a portion called What one city is doing. This is personal to me, just like it is to millions of California families, Shriver said. Alzheimers is one of the largest medical, social and economic crises in our state, and of our time. I am so proud that, once again, California is leading the way. Wiping out Alzheimers is going to require bold thinking, and there is no doubt in my mind that California is home to bold thinkers who can make this happen. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Gavin Newsom orders reinvention of troubled California DMV By Patrick McGreevy A line of people stretches around the South L.A. location of a California Department of Motor Vehicles Office on Aug. 7. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered an overhaul of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which has been plagued by hours-long wait times at field offices, computer crashes and voter registration errors involving tens of thousands of customers. Just a few days after taking office, Newsom appointed a top advisor to a new DMV Reinvention Strike Team to revamp the beleaguered agency over the next six months. By any metric, California DMV has been chronically mismanaged and failed in its fundamental mission to the state customers it serves and the state workers it employs, Newsom said in a statement, adding Its time for a reinvention. The governor appointed state Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer to lead the strike team with a goal of modernizing the agency and enacting changes that improve customer satisfaction, employee performance and transparency. Newsom also ordered an accelerated review of initial findings of an ongoing audit ordered last year by Gov. Jerry Brown. The action was welcomed by lawmakers who have been critical of the DMV, including Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield). The egregious management failures of the DMV have been self-evident, which is why I have been calling for new leadership and a comprehensive independent audit of this troubled state agency over and over again as the problems grew significantly worse, Fong said. Last summer, Californians seeking new driver licenses complained of wait times of four to six hours at DMV offices, which the agency blamed partly on snafus caused by a rush of people trying to get Real IDs, a new identification card design required for airline passengers starting in late 2020. Delays were also blamed on computer crashes at DMV offices as the agency struggled to update its aging automation systems. The DMV also admitted that there were an estimated 23,000 errors as people either were unknowingly registered to vote or mistakes were made in their registration status as part of the states new motor voter program. The agency registered to vote as many as 1,500 people with legal U.S. residency but no citizenship. Last month, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto retired from the agency. Legislators were angered earlier this week when the DMV said it needed an additional $40 million to prevent the return of long lines at its field offices. In addition, the agency has been under fire for issuing driver licenses in the last year that do not comply with the federal Real ID standards requiring two forms of identification by applicants. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California police unions are preparing to battle new transparency law in the courtroom By Maya Lau Just as a landmark police transparency law is going into effect, some California police agencies are shredding internal affairs documents and law enforcement unions are rushing to block the information from being released. The new law, which begins to unwind Californias strictest-in-the-nation protections over the secrecy of law enforcement records, opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. But the lawsuits and records destruction, which began even before the law took effect Jan. 1, could tie up the release of information for months or years, and in some instances, prevent it from ever being disclosed. The fact that police unions are challenging this law is on some level not surprising, said Peter Bibring, director of police practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, one of the principal supporters of the new law. They have a long history of fighting tooth and nail against transparency. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Secretary of State Alex Padilla begins second term with challenge to ensure every Californian is counted By Jazmine Ulloa Secretary of State Alex Padilla takes the oath of office as his family stands by his side on Monday in Sacramento. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Secretary of State Alex Padilla was sworn in for a second term on Monday, saying he would continue the battle to protect the right to vote at a time when voter suppression efforts, online disinformation campaigns and interference from foreign adversaries have polarized the public and threatened to undermine trust in U.S. elections. I am doubling down on our fight here in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C., to defend our democracy, he said. Working on the front lines with so many of you, I know that our collective resolve has never been stronger. But the loudest applause came when Padilla promised to fight back against the Trump administrations changes to the U.S. census, saying he will ensure every Californian gets counted. Padilla, a former state senator and Los Angeles City Council member from the San Fernando Valley, led the cause for a new motor voter registration law in 2015, and a new system for online business registrations. But the programs have had experienced problems: More than 23,000 Californians were registered to vote incorrectly by the state DMV, the agency reported last year. On Monday, Padilla said he would continue to push back against false claims of voter fraud in California and pointed to the states voter turnout as proof that his office was involving more people in the democratic process, a promise he made when he was first sworn in four years ago. More than 12.7 million voters cast ballots in the Nov. 6 midterm election, representing roughly 65% of the states registered voters, the highest number of any midterm election since 1982, according to state certified results. I made that promise based on a shared belief that we are a stronger democracy and a better California when we hear all voices from all corners of California, and when those voices are not just heard but counted, Padilla said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Ricardo Lara, Californias first statewide officeholder to come out as gay, sworn in as insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara on the floor of the state Senate in 2016. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Ricardo Lara took the oath of office as California insurance commissioner on Monday, pledging action to boost healthcare coverage and combat climate change. Lara, a Democrat from Bell Gardens, is the first elected statewide officeholder in California who has come out as gay. He began his speech in downtown Sacramento by thanking LGBTQ leaders who came before him and celebrated the occasion. Today, because of you, weve shattered the pink ceiling, Lara said. In his inaugural speech, Lara announced the creation of an executive position in his office to address climate change. There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and our environment, Lara said. Our planet cant wait. Im ready, and I hope you are too. Lara served as a state legislator and in 2017 introduced a bill to create a single-payer healthcare system in the state. He promised to work with new Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand coverage across California. Lara was sworn in by retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who declared unconstitutional Californias Proposition 8 gay marriage ban. State Sen. President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) was on hand for the ceremony along with multiple other state lawmakers. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

New California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis says she will help expand access to universities in the state New Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, center, is shown in June talking with attendees at the Power to the Polls rally in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) More Californians should be given access to public universities, Eleni Kounalakis said as she took the oath of office Monday to become the states first woman elected lieutenant governor. Kounalakis was given the oath of office by Gov. Gavin Newsom, her predecessor in the job, who pledged they would work together. As lieutenant governor, Kounalakis serves on the University of California Board of Regents and the California State University Board of Trustees, she noted in a speech at her swearing-in ceremony at the main Sacramento Library. In that role, she said, she will be committed to expanding access to affordable public higher education here in our state. Its wise, its smart and it is the best way to address our rapidly changing digital economy. Kounalakis is former president of a development company founded by her father, Angelo Tsakopoulos, and served during the Obama administration as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary. In November, she won her first run for statewide office. Also attending the ceremony were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California meets Dutch Newsom, who steals the show at his fathers inauguration By Taryn Luna Gov. Gavin Newsom gives his inaugural address while holding his youngest son, Dutch. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) In the California political world, all eyes were on Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday until his 2-year-old son stole the show. Dutch, the youngest of four children in the Newsom brood, climbed onstage in the middle of his fathers inaugural address in a tent outside the Capitol on Monday. The unplanned moment saw the 51-year-old governors big day interrupted by the toddler, bringing levity to the ceremony. Newsom was recounting Gov. Jerry Browns last inaugural speech and reference to the Sermon on the Mount, a biblical story about two men who built separate homes on sand and rock, when Dutch approached his father, a pacifier in his mouth and blanket in hand. Now more than ever we Californians know how much a house matters and children matter, Newsom said, improvising as he scooped the boy into his arms. The governor kissed Dutch on the cheek and held him for several minutes as he continued with the speech. This is exactly how it was scripted, Newsom joked. Newsom eventually put his child down and Dutch walked to the edge of the stage before retreating behind the podium to hide from his mother, First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The crowd roared. Siebel Newsom was able to briefly divert her son only for him to return to the stage minutes later. She grabbed him again and this time, the crying toddler did not reemerge. When fires strikes, when kids cry and the earth shakes, well be there for each other, Newsom said. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who said the moment humanized Newsom, threw cold water on any theories that Dutchs cameo was planned. No, I know it was not, Garcetti said with a laugh after Newsoms speech concluded. I could see that look of absolute abject terror [on Newsoms face]. Weve all been there. Kids always think its about themselves and theyve proved it. California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) agreed. I worked in early childhood education for 20 years and theres no way you can ever get a child to do anything when you want them to do it, Rendon said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Fiona Ma takes oath as Californias new treasurer By Liam Dillon State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Fiona Ma took the oath of office in Sacramento on Monday as the states 34th treasurer, promising to boost Californias economy. Ma previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in the state Assembly and on the California Board of Equalization. I want to thank everyone for entrusting me with this important job. I understand my role here as your state treasurer is to build that financial wall around California so that we will remain the fifth-largest economy, Ma said in brief remarks. That is my promise to you. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye administered the oath to Ma. Following the ceremony, Ma held an ice cream social for guests. On Wednesday, she will host a public event in San Francisco to celebrate her swearing-in. State Treasurer Fiona Ma takes the oath of office. (Liam Dillon / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Expectations are high for newly sworn-in state schools chief Tony Thurmond Tony Thurmond shakes hands with retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco after taking the oath of office. (Melody Gutierrez / Los Angeles Times) Tony Thurmond took the oath of office as Californias state superintendent of public schools on Monday, promising a labor-friendly agenda before the teachers, students and Democratic officials who filled an auditorium at McClatchy High School in Sacramento to watch him being sworn in. We cant close the achievement gap without a great teacher at the head of every class, Thurmond said Monday to applause. We have to make sure we provide quality compensation and support to our teachers and our classified staff and all the educators who support our kids. Thurmond, a Bay Area Democrat who served in the state Assembly, won a hotly contested and expensive race with the help of labor leaders against charter school executive Marshall Tuck. The race took several days to sort out after Tuck held an initial lead in early returns on election night before falling behind thereafter. Thurmond was sworn in Monday by retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco. He was joined on stage by labor rights leader Dolores Huerta and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). Thurmonds former colleagues in the state Assembly took turns praising him and promising to be an ally in improving schools. Many said they expected Thurmond would be a strong leader focused on improving student outcomes. We know we are going to work hard to give you the money you need and the budget you need to fully fund education and our schools so we can put our money where our mouth is and make sure our children have everything they need, Assemblywoman Connie Leyva (D-Chino Hills) said. As state superintendent, Thurmond will oversee the education of 6.2 million students at 10,000 schools. Thurmond was a member of the West Contra Costa County School Board and a Richmond city councilman before he was elected to the state Assembly. Tony is the right man at the right time to fight the federal, Donald Trump, Betsy DeVos anti-child, anti-education, anti-civil and -human rights agenda, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said. Tony is going to do that for us. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

State Controller Betty Yee takes oath of office with call for more affordable housing and healthcare State Controller Betty Yee California Controller Betty Yee took the oath of office Monday for a second term, saying she still has work to do addressing problems that include a lack of affordability in housing, healthcare and higher education. A San Francisco native, Yee is the chief financial officer of California  the fifth-largest economy in the world  having first won election to the post in 2014 before winning reelection in November. No region is spared from the widening inequality and increased poverty that plague our state, fueled by the lack of affordable, stable housing, the cost of healthcare and transportation, limited educational opportunities, student loan debt, displacement caused by disasters and more, she said. Yee was administered the oath of office by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento before an overflow crowd that included state Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. As a public official it is about governance that delivers results and stays accountable while upholding the underlying value of dignity for all, Yee said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra begins new term promising to fight Trump policies California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Monday took the oath of office for a new term, saying he would continue his role as a leading challenger to Trump administration actions that he believes are counter to the states interests. Becerra, a former 12-term congressman, has become a national opposition figure to Trump, having sued the federal government 45 times since he was appointed as the states first Latino attorney general in 2017. Weve been a little busy stopping the dysfunction and insanity in Washington, D.C., from infecting California, Becerra told an audience during a swearing-in ceremony at the California Museum in Sacramento. Whether its the criminals on our streets or the conman in the boardrooms or highest office of the land, Becerra said, the California Department of Justice, well, weve got your back. Becerra won his first statewide election as the states top cop in November, two years after he filled the post vacated when predecessor Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. He has peppered the Trump administration with lawsuits challenging federal policies on healthcare, the U.S. census, the environment and immigration. Our state builds dreams, not walls, he said in a direct criticism of Trumps proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Just last week, Becerra led a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general in announcing an appeal of a federal judge in Texas that ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. The ACA has been the law for nearly a decade and is the backbone of our healthcare system, Becerra said last week. This case impacts nearly every American  workers covered by employers, families, women, children, young adults and seniors  so we will lead the ACAs defense as long and far as it takes. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California Democratic Party Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall announces bid to lead group By Christine Mai-Duc Daraka Larimore-Hall. (Dominic Parisi / Courtesy of Daraka Larimore-Hall) Daraka Larimore-Hall, a top official at the California Democratic Party, said Monday hes running to replace former chairman Eric Bauman, who resigned abruptly in November after being confronted with allegations of sexual misconduct. Larimore-Hall, a longtime state party activist and former chairman of the Democratic Party of Santa Barbara County, was one of the party leaders who urged Bauman to resign following the allegations. In an email to supporters announcing his bid, he urged both structural and cultural change at every level of our Party. He also repeated his call for a top-to-bottom investigation of the allegations, the party and its culture. In a Times investigation, 10 party activists and staff members said Bauman made crude sexual comments and engaged in unwanted touching and physical intimidation in professional settings. In order to be where we need to be for 2020, we have to confront the culture of abuse and fear that allowed someone to behave in such a vile way for so long, Larimore-Hall said in an interview. We cant brush it aside or think that our activists or our candidates or our donors are going to forget about this overnight. Larimore-Hall said his first priority would be to fully investigate the allegations and restore rank-and-file confidence in the partys leadership. The second would be to refocus the party on political priorities as the 2020 presidential election nears. The Bauman episode, Larimore-Hall said, threatens to derail the Democrats plans to help defeat President Trump and keep the seven congressional seats gained in the midterm elections. Its definitely a crisis, Larimore-Hall said. But the component parts  the energy, the enthusiasm, the volunteers, the infrastructure  its still there. We just need to direct it toward something. Larimore-Hall was elected vice chairman of the state party in February following Baumans razor-thin victory over Bay Area activist Kimberly Ellis. Ellis has announced another bid for the chairmanship and former state Senate leader Kevin de Leon is also mulling a run. The vote will take place at the partys May convention in San Francisco. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom will vow to seize this moment, and swipe at Trump in Monday inaugural address By Melanie Mason Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family attend an Inauguration Family Event at the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Building on the theme of California exceptionalism that defined his campaign, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will depict the state as a guardian of progressive values and a counterweight to President Trump in his inaugural address Monday, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks. What we do today is even more consequential, because of whats happening in our country, read the excerpts obtained by The Times. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe  they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment. The speech casts Californias political stakes in a decidedly national scope, promising an agenda that will unify and be an example to the rest of the country. It contrasts the governing goals of Newsom, a Democrat, with that of Trump, the incoming governors perennial foil. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House, the excerpts say. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people. Newsom campaigned on an ambitious and wide-ranging platform, promising sweeping solutions on housing, healthcare, education and other issues that rank among Californians top concerns. In the weeks after his election, he struck a more muted tone, taking pains to emphasize his fiscal caution and need for patience in achieving those goals. The inaugural excerpts indicate a return to lofty pledges. While Newsom will vow to prepare for uncertain times ahead by building budgetary reserves and paying down debt, the prepared remarks quickly turn to a vow to be bold. Newsom has already floated several proposals for his first budget that carry significant price tags, including a nearly $2-billion plan to boost early childhood development for low-income families and a dramatic expansion of paid family leave from six weeks to six months. When asked for a preview of his inauguration speech during a news conference Sunday evening, Newsom predicted pundits would criticize his address as short on specifics. Well, of course, Im at an inaugural, Newsom said. But Ill be very detailed in the budget, a few days later. And then we will architect, in much more nuance and detail, in state of the state. I really see this as three opportunities  to communicate over the next few weeks our agenda, our vision for the state. Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom-hosted benefit concert raises nearly $5 million for wildfire victims By Taryn Luna Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom speaks at a concert to benefit wildfire victims at the Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) On the eve of the gubernatorial inauguration, Californias political class rubbed elbows in Sacramento for a benefit concert hosted by Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and headlined by the rapper Pitbull. Newsom told the crowd gathered at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday evening that the fundraiser brought in nearly $5 million for the California Wildfire Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that supports the families of fallen firefighters and communities affected by wildfires. You know, a lot of folks feel anxious about not just politics, but government, Newsom said on stage before introducing the rapper and activist Common. But those firefighters, they are the antidote to the fear and cynicism; they are the manifestation of why government matters and why you should care. Top sponsors, including Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente and other interest groups, paid up to $1 million each to support the cause and curry favor with the new administration. Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom, said organizers sold more than 7,000 tickets. Several state lawmakers attended the concert alongside Capitol staff, lobbyists and business types, who mingled on the floor of the arena and offstage in private VIP areas. The rock band X Ambassadors and a duo called the Cold Weather Sons from the town of Paradise, which was destroyed by fire in November, were among several performers who entertained the crowd during the four-hour event. The California Rises concert is the final in a series of festivities held Sunday to celebrate the inauguration of Californias 40th governor. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum and his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Newsoms inauguration is set to begin at 11 a.m. Monday on the steps of the Capitol. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Inauguration fever hits Sacramento as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom prepares to take office By Phil Willon Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom holds his son, Dutch, as he and his family attend an inaugural event at the at the state Railroad Museum Sunday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom doesnt officially take the oath of office until Monday, but the parties celebrating his inauguration were in full swing all day Sunday. Newsom and his family were mobbed by well-wishers at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront in the afternoon, where his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families. He just has charisma. Hes able to really connect with people, said Rosielyn Pulmano, an attorney from Elk Grove who came to see Newsom with her husband, two sons and her niece. I think he cares about working Californians and a lot of their issues. Newsom arrived with his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their four young children, and the governor-elect spent a good deal of his time wading through crowds, taking selfies with supporters and signing autographs as music boomed in the background. As the family toured the inside of the museums locomotives and the bevy of exhibits, Newsoms two-year-old son, Dutch, was wide-eyed, impressed by all the train cars and seemingly a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Newsom said that for his son, all that was missing from the museum was Thomas the Train, popular fictional locomotive in childrens books and cartoons . If theres one thing I can contribute to Sacramento maybe its getting a Thomas the Train exhibit for the two years olds, Newsom joked when talking with reporters afterward. Newsom said he wanted to include such an event in his inaugural festivities to highlight families and children, whose wellbeing will be among the top priorities of his administration. Youll see that not only as a preamble to the inaugural and the budget that well be submitting next week, but I think itll be a big part of the administration, Newsom said. The museum event followed a private, high-dollar brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum. A steady rain failed to dissuade as many as 200 guests who sipped wine and dined on chicken and salmon while waiting for a photo with Californias new first couple. Seen at the event were representatives of some of the states most powerful political interests, among them organized labor, healthcare companies and tribal gaming interests. A few other high-profile guests attended, too, including Larry Baer, CEO of the San Francisco Giants, and Erika Jayne, a singer and cast member of the reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Im excited to see someone like Gavin  young, vibrant  taking over the state and leading us into the future, Jayne said after attending the brunch with her husband, attorney Tom Girardi. Hes got a lot of great plans. Attendees said the event, which was closed to reporters and held under a tent in the museums outdoor atrium, did not include prepared remarks by Newsom. Among those seen leaving the event were representatives of AT&T, the California Medical Assn., Uber, Kaiser Permanente and the State Building and Construction Trades Council. A fundraising invitation obtained by The Times offered bundled tickets to all of the inauguration events, including those on Sunday and the Monday ceremony, ranging in price from $25,000 to $200,000. The money will be collected by a committee specifically organized to pay for Newsoms inaugural weekend. Sundays festivities are scheduled to end with a benefit concert headlined by Pitbull at the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBAs Sacramento Kings, to raise money for the victims of Californias recent deadly wildfires. Among the attendees at @GavinNewsoms pre-inaugural leadership brunch: Real Housewife of

Bev Hills @erikajayne. Im excited to see someone like Gavinyoung, vibranttaking over the state and leading us into the future. Hes got a lot of great plans. pic.twitter.com/561NHiy2XQ  Melanie Mason (@melmason) January 6, 2019 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

As Newsom inaugural events begin, he unveils more state budget promises on education and paid family leave Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, seen here last April, will propose new state budget efforts on paid family leave and education subsidies. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Californias incoming governor, who must send his first state budget plan to the Legislature this week, has already signaled a significant new focus on programs to help families and children from infancy to college. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom campaigned on a platform that included a number of child-focused efforts specifically aimed at helping lower-income families. The price tag for the initial efforts is expected to approach $2 billion  a cost paid out of an unrestricted tax revenue windfall that could be one of the largest in state history. Newsom may also seek help for families through new subsidies paid by California employers. The governor-elect is expected to propose a dramatic expansion of paid parental leave  from six weeks to six months  according to an internal document provided by a source close to the Newsom transition team, first reported on Sunday by the New York Times. The document doesnt offer a full explanation for how the program will be funded, saying instead that the budget will set a goal of ensuring that all newborns and newly adopted babies can be cared for by a parent or a close family member for the first six months. Employers across the state are currently assessed a payroll tax that helps offer a subsidy to parents who temporarily leave their job to care for a newborn. Newsoms plan, according to the document, would pay for some of the new costs by shrinking the mandated cash reserve of the state fund that administers the program, allowing more of the money to be paid in benefits. The increase in paid leave would not all happen at once but instead be phased in over a multi-year period. A task force to help implement the expanded care plan is also envisioned, according to the document. It would determine whether two parents could split the six months of paid leave and whether an extended family member could be enlisted to help care for the child of a single parent over the six-month period. The incoming administrations focus on young children will also include $1.8 billion in new spending on early childhood education programs, with a particular focus on training childcare workers and pushing for more California schools to offer full-day kindergarten. Those costs, according to an overview memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times, are considered to be a one-time expense while leaving the long-term costs of the effort to be determined later. More community college students would get free tuition under a third initiative expected in the new governors budget plan. Newsom will propose spending $40 million to offer a second year of tuition-free college to California students, according to an outline provided by a transition official, first reported by Politico. Students are already eligible for a single year of paid tuition under a plan agreed to by Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers in 2017. The incoming governor embraced the idea of free community college during the 2018 campaign as part of a broader focus on additional investments in higher education. Education is an economic development strategy, Newsom said at a higher education forum last spring. We need to significantly increase the investment from the general fund of this state on higher education. Theres no greater higher return on investment. Whether the proposal would be targeted to students based on a familys financial need is unclear. Many low-income students are already eligible for fee waivers at community colleges. The new governor must submit his full state budget plan to lawmakers no later than Thursday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gavin Newsom and his family decide Sacramento is the place to be The Old Governors Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will move his family into the mansion. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family will give up the Marin County life and move to the Victorian-style governors mansion in Sacramento after he takes the oath of office Monday. Newsom and his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, had debated whether or when to relocate to the state capital since his election in November. The couple have four young children and expressed reservations about moving in the middle of a school year. To best serve the people of California while also maximizing family time together, the Newsoms have therefore decided to move to Sacramento, said Newsoms spokesman, Nathan Click. On Monday, they will move into the Governors Mansion  along with their four children, their two family dogs, and their family bunny rabbit  and reside there for the immediate future. The Newsoms currently live in Marin County. Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife, Ann Gust Brown, moved into the grand house in 2015 after it underwent $4.1 million in renovations to update electrical and plumbing systems, as well as to remove lead-based paint and install a fire sprinkler system and other security features. The mansion was built in 1877 and has been home to 14 governors, but before Brown it had not housed a California governor for nearly half a century. The state bought the mansion from a wealthy Sacramento hardware merchant, Albert Gallatin, in 1903 for $32,500. It was one of the few California homes at that time to have indoor plumbing. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom announces top labor, business liaisons as he prepares to take office Julie Su will be secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency for Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday named two advisors on issues related to the California economy, each recognized for their expertise on business and labor. The incoming governor will appoint Julie Su as secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and Lenny Mendonca as chief economic and business advisor and director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development. Su, 49, has served as state labor commissioner under Gov. Jerry Brown since 2011 and has led an office tasked with the enforcement of Californias labor laws. She won a MacArthur Foundation genius grant in 2001 and previously worked as a civil rights attorney representing low-wage workers. In her new position, Su will be tasked with coordinating the work of several workforce departments in state government, including those that administer unemployment benefits and oversee the relationship between agriculture workers and employers. Mendonca, 57, has been a longtime advocate for rethinking government operations as co-chairman of the nonprofit organization California Forward. Previously, he was partner at McKinsey & Co., a global management consulting firm. While he will be a key advisor to Newsom on the states economy, Mendonca will also lead the office often referred to as Go-Biz, designated as a high-level way to encourage job growth and economic development. In his new role, Mendonca will help ensure that California is rolling out the welcome mat to current and future California businesses and growing a sustainable economy for every Californian, said a statement from the Newsom transition team. Newsom will take the oath of office as governor Monday. He has previously selected key advisors on the state budget, legislative affairs and the executive branchs wide array of agencies and departments. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Joshua Groban, aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, sworn in to California Supreme Court By Taryn Luna California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban gives remarks after he is sworn into the court by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. (Taryn Luna) California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban, a lawyer and longtime aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, was sworn into the states highest court Thursday in Sacramento. The ceremony marked Browns fourth appointment to the state Supreme Court and gave the seven-member bench a Democratic majority. We live in a highly chaotic, ever-changing and ever-confusing world, Groban said in prepared remarks at the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building. But Im happy to report that Im joining an institution whose fundamental purpose, at core, is to provide stability and consistency amidst this chaotic place we live. I look forward to doing that with a sense of reflection, respect, fidelity to the law and compassion. None of Browns appointees, Groban included, have judicial experience. Groban served as legal counsel to Browns 2010 gubernatorial campaign and joined the administration as a senior advisor to the governor, overseeing the appointments of some 600 judges over the last eight years. Prior to working with Brown, Groban, 45, practiced law for more than a decade. In perhaps his final public appearance before his successor, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, takes office next week, Brown pushed back on notions that he stacked the court. I dont want this to be known as a Brown court, the governor said before administering the judicial oath of office. First of all, the so-called Brown appointments do not agree with themselves and nor should they. They are individuals. They will differ. Its not anybodys court. The governor called the court a high calling and said Groban possesses the values for the job. Probably, next to my wife, Ive talked to no person as much as Ive talked to Josh Groban, Brown said. I think youve talked to him more, Californias First Lady Anne Gust Brown interjected. I cant tell you what the hell hes going to do, Brown later quipped. I warned him, dont screw up, at least not at first. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California campaign watchdog agency seeks law barring use of campaign funds to fight harassment claims Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). ( (Steve Yeater / Associated Press)) Elected officials accused of harassment or discrimination would be barred from using political contributions to cover their legal defense costs under legislation proposed by Californias campaign watchdog agency. The state Fair Political Practices Commission has agreed to pursue a law change to clear up confusion after an attorney for one former state lawmaker argued political funds could be used in such legal defenses. Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said putting a prohibition into the law would provide some much needed clarity. As chair, I would like to show the public their lawmakers are held to a standard that is above reproach, Germond said in a statement. People dont give money to campaigns for lawmakers to use it to defend their own bad behavior, so lawmakers shouldnt be able to use it in that manner. The issue came up a year ago when an attorney for former Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) sought a formal opinion from the FPPC after the Senate launched an investigation that later concluded Mendoza likely engaged in a pattern of harassment against female aides. Mendoza resigned in February under threat of expulsion by the Senate. In a Jan. 10, 2018, letter, Cassandra Ferrannini, an attorney for Mendoza, wrote to the FPPC that she believed Mendoza should be allowed to establish a legal defense fund able to defray his legal expenses in defending himself against the allegations. The use of campaign funds for attorneys fees under these circumstances would fall squarely within the scope of legislative matters, since it involves the alleged conduct of a legislator with regard to legislative staff that he supervised, Ferrannini wrote. The commission staff originally issued an advice letter that said Mendoza may use campaign and legal defense funds to defend himself from claims of sexual harassment that arose directly out of his activities or status as a candidate or elected officer. But the panel later rescinded the letter after some members questioned using campaign funds to fight sexual harassment claims. That left uncertainty about what was allowed, which Germond said could be cleared up by a new law. The FPPC is still looking for a legislator to carry the bill, a spokesman said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias landmark police transparency law takes effect after court denies police union effort to block it California Supreme Court building (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) A new state law allowing the public disclosure of internal police shooting investigations has gone into effect after the California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a bid by a police union to block it. The law opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. challenged the law last month, asking state Supreme Court justices to decide that the law only apply to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. The court rejected that request Wednesday, allowing members of the public to seek all applicable records held by police departments. Union president Grant Ward said in a statement that his organization was disappointed with the decision and is now seeking other legal options. We feel this is a statewide issue and should be considered accordingly, Ward said. Last month, the city of Inglewood authorized the destruction of more than 100 police shooting investigations and other records in advance of Jan. 1, when the disclosure law was scheduled to take effect. California law requires police departments to keep such records for five years, and Inglewood City Council voted to destroy records older than that. Mayor James T. Butts has said the decision had nothing to do with the new law. In Los Angeles, Police Chief Michel Moore has said that complying with the new disclosure rules could take hundreds of thousands of hours of work. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of the transparency law, has said she has no immediate plans to propose changes to it. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Few complaints of racial profiling are sustained by police agencies in California, state panel finds CHP Officer J. Nelson stands outside the office of Gov. Jerry Brown as activists in 2015 support requiring the tracking of police stops. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Law enforcement agencies in California sustain few citizen complaints of racial or identity profiling, according to a report Wednesday by a state panel set up to help reduce bias in policing. The states Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board recommended in its annual report that law enforcement agencies improve training and adopt clear guidelines for tracking and reporting data on who is stopped by officers. The panel said that 453 law enforcement agencies in the state received 9,459 civilian complaints in 2017, including 865 complaints alleging racial or identity profiling. Of the racial and identity complaints that reached a disposition that year, 1.5% were sustained, 14.6% resulted in officers being exonerated and 83.9% of complaints were not sustained or were determined to be unfounded, the report said. A clearer picture of the issue is expected from a 2015 law that requires police agencies to report demographic data on all detentions and searches. The first reports by the eight largest agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, are due to be submitted in April. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, whose office oversees the board, said tracking of all detentions and searches will be helpful to understand the scope of the issue. The Boards recommendations will help make our law enforcement agencies more transparent and promote critical steps to enhance, and in some cases, repair the public trust, Becerra said in a statement Wednesday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California housing crisis podcast: What Minneapolis decision to end single-family zoning might mean for California A view of downtown Minneapolis in 2014 (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images) Theres a national movement brewing to roll back zoning rules in cities that only allow one house on a plot of land. The epicenter of that movement is Minneapolis, which passed a plan last month to eliminate single-family zoning citywide and let landowners build duplexes and triplexes on residential property. On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we talk about the reasons why Minneapolis leaders took this action, including their desire to combat a history of racial exclusion and spur more housing density to fight climate change. We also debate how Minneapolis decision might affect housing politics in California. Our guest is Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender, who helped shepherd the new zoning rules to passage and a former San Francisco city planner. The episode also crowns 2018s Avocado of the Year  the most ridiculous story exemplifying Californias housing woes  and includes our predictions for the most under-the-radar important themes in housing politics in 2019. Gimme Shelter, a biweekly podcast that looks at why its so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CALmatters. You can subscribe to Gimme Shelter on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Play and Overcast. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

How young immigrant Dreamers made flipping control of the House a personal quest By Jazmine Ulloa Gabriela Cruz, who was brought to the U.S. illegally when she was 1, couldnt vote, but in the final hours before the Nov. 6 election, she was making one last run to get people to the polls. The sun was setting in Modesto when she found Ronald Silva, 41, smoking a cigarette on a tattered old couch behind a group home. He politely tried to wave her off until she reminded him he had a right that she as an immigrant without citizenship didnt have. It could really make a change for us, said Cruz, 29. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose almost $2 billion for early childhood programs (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Seeking to frame his new administration as one with a firm focus on closing the gap between children from affluent and poor families, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose spending some $1.8 billion on an array of programs designed to boost Californias enrollment in early education and child-care programs. Newsoms plan, which he hinted at in a Fresno event last month, will be a key element in the state budget proposal he will submit to the Legislature shortly after taking office Monday, a source close to the governor-elects transition team said. The spending would boost programs designed to ensure children enter kindergarten prepared to learn, closing what some researchers have called the readiness gap that exists based on a familys income. It would also phase in an expansion of prekindergarten and offer money to help school districts that dont have facilities for full-day kindergarten. The fact that hes making significant investments with his opening budget is really exciting, Ted Lempert, president of the Bay Area-based nonprofit Children Now, said Tuesday. Whats exciting is the comprehensiveness of it, because its saying were going to focus on prenatal through age 5. A broad overview document reviewed by The Times on Tuesday shows that most of the outlay under the plan  $1.5 billion  would be a one-time expense in the budget year that begins July 1. Those dollars would be a single infusion of cash, an approach favored by Gov. Jerry Brown in recent years. Most of the money would be spent on efforts to expand child-care services and kindergarten classes. By law, a governor must submit a full budget to the Legislature no later than Jan. 10. Lawmakers will spend the winter and spring reviewing the proposal and must send a final budget plan to Newsom by June 15. Though legislative Democrats have pushed for additional early childhood funding in recent years  a key demand of the Legislative Womens Caucus  those actions have typically come late in the budget-writing season in Sacramento. Quite frankly, to start out with a January proposal that includes that investment in Californias children reflects a new day, state Sen. Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) said. The governor-elect will propose a $750-million boost to kindergarten funding, aimed at expanding facilities to allow full-day programs. A number of school districts offer only partial-day programs, leaving many low-income families to skip enrolling their children because kindergarten classes end in the middle of the workday. Because the money would not count toward meeting Californias three-decades-old education spending guarantee under Proposition 98, which sets a minimum annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges, it will not reduce planned spending on other education services. Close behind in total cost is a budget proposal by Newsom to help train child-care workers and expand local facilities already subsidized by the state, as well as those serving parents who attend state colleges and universities. Together, those efforts could cost $747 million, according to the budget overview document. An expansion of prekindergarten programs would be phased in over three years at a cost of $125 million in the first year. The multiyear rollout would, according to the budget overview, ensure the system can plan for the increase in capacity. Lempert said the Newsom proposal is notable for trying to avoid the kinds of battles that in recent years pitted prekindergarten and expanded child care against each other for additional taxpayer dollars. The reality is we need to expand both simultaneously, he said. Another $200 million of the proposal would be earmarked for programs that provide home visits to expectant parents from limited-income families and programs that provide healthcare screenings for young children. Some of the money would come from the states Medi-Cal program, and other money from federal matching dollars. Funding for the home visits program was provided in the budget Brown signed last summer; the Newsom effort would build on that. Emphasizing a policy area with broad appeal in his first state budget could reflect Newsoms political sensibility about the challenges ahead. Democratic lawmakers and interest groups will be especially eager to see how Newsom addresses the demand for an overhaul of healthcare coverage in California  especially after a 2017 effort to create a single-payer, universal system fizzled. The path forward on healthcare is complex and costly, making early childhood education a more achievable goal in the governor-elects early tenure. Newsom is likely to face considerable demands for other additional spending. In November, the Legislatures independent analysts projected that continued strength in tax revenues could produce a cash reserve of some $29 billion over the next 18 months. Almost $15 billion of that could be in unrestricted reserves, the kind that can be spent on any number of government programs. Kim Belshe, executive director of the child advocacy organization First 5 LA and a former state health and human services secretary, said the initial Newsom budget proposal suggests the next governor will focus on a comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for children from low-income families. School-ready kids deserve quality early learning, strong and well-supported families, and access to early screening services, Belshe said. Newsom understands the whole child, multifaceted needs of our kids and is clearly ready to lead. Mitchell, the chair of the Senate budget committee, said shes eager to see the details of the governor-elects proposal to determine whether it might signal the beginning of an even broader expansion of early education efforts. Similar efforts have been hindered by a lack of money and ongoing debate over which services to help children 5 and younger need state funding the most. Universal preschool, in particular, has been debated for more than a decade. California voters rejected a ballot measure to fund a full prekindergarten system in 2006. Its clear theres a new movement afoot trying to engage on investment for universal preschool, Mitchell said. How we invest, and how we prioritize that investment, is going to be a great conversation for the coming months. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Politics Podcast: A final conversation with Gov. Jerry Brown No Californian has served longer as governor, signed more laws, granted clemency to more felons or waged more high-profile campaigns than Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown will leave behind a unique legacy when he packs his last belongings for the trip from the governors mansion in Sacramento to his Northern California ranch. His final two terms in office could be his most consequential. The governor reviewed some of the more notable moments from the past eight years in a far-reaching interview with The Times on Dec. 22. This weeks podcast episode includes extended portions of that conversation. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

A sagging economy could doom a 2020 ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown says Gov. Jerry Brown, at his Colusa County home on Saturday, said a ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes could struggle in 2020. (Randall Benton/For The Times) An effort to remove commercial property in California from the tax limits imposed by the landmark Proposition 13 could be felled by an economic slowdown, Gov. Jerry Brown said. In a Saturday interview with The Times at his Northern California ranch, Brown said liberal activist groups that have successfully placed the proposal on the November 2020 statewide ballot shouldnt read too much into early poll numbers showing support for the plan. That isnt as easy as you think, Brown said. Because youre going to be in a downturn of the business cycle. And youre talking many kinds of business. And the cost of doing business in California is already high. The ballot measure would allow counties to more frequently assess the market value of commercial property in California than allowed under Proposition 13, a 1978 ballot initiative that amended the state constitution to place strict limits on assessing property values and taxation for both homeowners and businesses. An analysis of the new measure, which qualified in October for the 2020 ballot, estimates it could bring in some $10.5 billion a year in new tax revenue. The business community will fight it, Brown said. And the minimum wage, the family leave, the environmental rules  business[es] have left California, thats going to be the big argument. And I think thats something you really have to think a lot about. The governor, who leaves office early next month due to term limits, declined to either endorse or oppose the ballot measure. He said Californias economic health in two years time could be a key factor in how voters weigh the proposal. Well be in a recession by then, Brown said. So its anybodys guess. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Inglewood to destroy more than 100 police shooting records that could otherwise become public under new California law By Jack Dolan Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) The city of Inglewood has authorized the shredding of more than 100 police shooting and other internal investigation records weeks before a new state law could allow the public to access them for the first time. The decision, made at a City Council meeting earlier this month, has troubled civil liberties advocates who were behind the state legislation, Senate Bill 1421, which takes effect Jan. 1. The law opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The legislature passed SB 1421 because communities demanded an end to the secrecy cloaking police misconduct and use of force, Marcus Benigno, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said in a statement. Inglewood PDs decision to purge records undermines police accountability and transparency against the will of Californians. California law says police departments must retain records of officer shootings and internal misconduct investigations for five years. The city of Inglewood, however, had kept records longer than that, including case files of police shootings dating to 1991. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of SB 1421, intended for her bill to allow public access to all qualifying records held by a department, no matter the date of the incident. Inglewood City Council approved the destruction of records that have been in the police departments possession  more than 100 cases  longer than required by law. The city staff report and council resolution describing the action makes no mention of the new police transparency law. Instead it says the affected records are obsolete, occupy valuable space, and are of no further use to the police department. It added the traditional method of destroying such records is to shred them. It is unclear whether the records have since been destroyed. A spokesman for the Inglewood Police Department along with Inglewoods city manager, attorney, clerk, four council members and Mayor James T. Butts, a former Santa Monica police chief, did not respond to requests for comment. Inglewoods City Hall is closed the last two weeks of December. The Inglewood Police Department has a reputation for secrecy and using excessive force. In 2008, the departments officers fatally shot four men in as many months, three of whom turned out to be unarmed. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe and found significant flaws in the way the department oversaw use-of-force cases and investigated complaints against officers. Civil rights advocates still question why Inglewood police opened fire on a couple found sleeping in a car in 2016, killing them both. California police have a long history of shredding records to avoid scrutiny of their actions. In the 1970s, the LAPD famously destroyed more than four tons of personnel records after defense attorneys began requesting them as part of criminal cases against their clients. The move resulted in the dismissal of more than a hundred criminal complaints. In response, the Legislature demanded that records be preserved but then took other measures, supported by police unions, to ensure the public had very little access to them, making California the most secretive state in the nation when it comes to police misconduct. Skinners legislation begins to unwind those laws, which have been on the books since 1978. No video or audio of the Dec. 11 council action is available on the citys website and neither are meeting minutes or any record of the decision. A city spokeswoman, Courtney Torres, confirmed that the council had voted in favor of the police records purge, and said all the relevant reasons for the decision were included in the city staff report. The Jan. 1 implementation for SB 1421 has prompted other police officials to act. A police union in San Bernardino is asking the state Supreme Court to determine that Skinners bill only applies to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner earlier this month warning that complying with the law in regard to older records in the departments possession could take hundreds of thousands of work hours. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Federal officials question California DMVs process for issuing Real IDs (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has notified the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its process for providing residents with federally recognized identification cards is not adequate. DMV spokesman Armando Botello said Friday that 2.3 million residents who received Real IDs under the current process will have to submit additional documentation when their cards are renewed in five years but will be able to use them in the meantime. The DMV is developing a way for residents to submit more documentation online or via email to comply with the stricter federal requirement, he said. But some state legislators are upset about delays in notifying them of the problem and say Homeland Security could eventually require additional documentation provided by current holders. The DMV has known for a month that millions of Real IDs theyve been dolling out are potentially invalid, Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) said. The DMVs only hope is that the Department of Homeland Security takes pity on California and gives the DMV more time to fix this mess. Real IDs are a new kind of driver license and identification card that federal law will require legal residents to present when boarding domestic flights or visiting military bases and other federal facilities starting Oct. 1, 2020. The DMV has only been requiring one form of documentation, including a current lease or utility bill, to verify the residence of a card applicant. But the federal government said in a Nov. 21 letter to the agency that two such documents are needed. On Friday, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto released a letter defending the current process but said her agency will start requiring a second document to prove residency in April. In order to minimize confusion among our customers, the CADMV will work to inform individuals who have been issued a Real ID under the current process that their card will be accepted for official federal purposes, even if their renewal occurs after the October 1, 2020, final enforcement date for Real ID, Shiomoto wrote to the federal agency. Legislative officials worry there is still a possibility that those issued Real IDs in the past might be required to present a second document to have their cards designated as compliant. The more complex process for obtaining Real IDs has led to hours-long waits for customers at DMV field offices this year, although wait times have been reduced recently by an increase in staffing. Shiomoto last month announced that she is retiring amid problems with the motor voter registration system and after the governor ordered an audit of her agency in response to the long wait times. On Friday, Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido blasted the DMV for waiting a month to tell legislators of the problem. This is unacceptable and flies in the face of security for our citizens, which is what Real ID was created for in the first place, she said in a statement. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom taps Keely Bosler to be his finance director Keely Bosler, the director of the California Department of Finance, will continue in that role under Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (California Department of Finance) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday appointed Keely Martin Bosler as director of the California Department of Finance, continuing the role she has served under Gov. Jerry Brown since August. Bosler will become Newsoms chief fiscal advisor, and will play a pivotal role in shaping Newsoms spending plan for the state that will lay the foundation for his top policy priorities. Newsom must roll out his first budget plan within days of taking office on Jan. 7. Californias brighter future depends on a strong, stable fiscal foundation, Newsom said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Keely is an accomplished public servant of sound fiscal judgment. She understands that state budgets are more than numbers on a page  they are value statements affecting the fate and future of millions of families reaching for the California Dream. We are fortunate to have her on our team. Prior to being appointed finance director, Bosler served as Browns cabinet secretary for two years and, before that, as the chief deputy director for budget in the Finance Department for three years. Earlier this year, Brown picked Bosler to lead an audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles, which had come under fire for long wait times at DMV field offices and numerous computer problems, including errors in the new motor voter program that registered Californians to vote. As we have discussed, long wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles do not reflect the high standards of service that Californians expect from their state government, Bosler wrote in a letter in September to DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. The audit is still ongoing, but Shiomoto has since announced she will retire at the end of the year. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias legislative analyst, after decades of nonpartisan research for lawmakers, calls it a career Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, who has led the state research unit since 2008, will retire on Dec. 31. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Only five people have led the independent research office of the California Legislature since its creation in 1941. And each of them has had a pretty simple mantra to live by in reviewing public policy proposals and government programs: Call it like you see it. The job of any analyst, to me, is you maintain that nonpartisanship, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said. Taylor, 65, will retire from the post at the end of December after a four-decade career with the research team that began, as he likes to tell it, just after the passage of the landmark property tax rollback, Proposition 13, in 1978. He became the leader of the office, with the title of legislative analyst, in October 2008. Two months later, state government found itself in arguably the worst fiscal crisis in its history  a projected shortfall that ultimately grew to $42 billion by the following winter. There were forces beyond our control, Taylor said of that time. But dont underestimate the policy changes that were made afterward. Those changes, most notably a boost in taxes paid by high-income earners and a robust state budget cash reserve fund, have helped lead to successive years of fully funded government services. The state is projected to have some $24 billion in reserves by the end of the current fiscal year. Taylor announced his intention earlier to step down this year. Leaders from both houses of the Legislature select the analyst, who leads a staff of almost five dozen researchers. The office provides in-depth reports on pending legislation, as well as on broader policy topics like education and healthcare, and produces an independent analysis for every proposed ballot measure. A succession of lawmakers and governors alike have praised or panned the work of the Legislative Analysts Office based on their own political worldview. Taylor said his staff is mindful that they work for legislators, but try to ignore the rhetoric that follows the release of a major report. People are going to do what theyre going to do with our information, he said. They dont always like it, but they appreciate that we give them our best advice. Taylor oversaw a transformation in the way the Legislative Analysts Office distributes its information, embracing the release of research reports through social media instead of relying on traditional printed copies and journalist roundtable events. But he said the work of the researchers has remained largely unchanged through the decades. Having an independent take on things, I think, is good for the Legislature, he said. No replacement for Taylor has been announced, which means a short transition for his eventual successor before Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom sends his first budget proposal to lawmakers in early January. Taylor, who lives in the Sacramento suburbs, said he will honor the tradition of his predecessors in stepping away from public policy debates in order to give the new analyst space to lead the team as he or she sees fit. He said he hopes to travel in the coming years and spend time with his children who have moved to the East Coast. Forty years in state government, Taylor said in why he was stepping aside now. Isnt that enough? Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Jerry Brown sues to save California sentencing laws By Don Thompson, Associated Press (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown sued Thursday to protect one of his signature actions in office, a voter-approved measure that allows most prison inmates to seek earlier release and participate in rehabilitation programs. His administration filed a lawsuit challenging a pending 2020 initiative that seeks to toughen criminal penalties as part of an effort to roll back reforms adopted by voters within the last decade. Browns lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court contends the measure lacked enough valid signatures to overturn a previously approved constitutional amendment. County officials and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla certified the signatures in July but said they were submitted too late to qualify for last months election. The lawsuit names Padilla and the ballot measures official proponent, Nina Salarno Besselman, president of the advocacy group Crime Victims United. Padilla said the measure exceeded the required roughly 366,000 valid signatures, equal to 5% of votes cast for governor in 2014. Browns lawsuit says he used the wrong threshold. It says changing the state Constitution requires 8%, or more than 585,400 signatures. That makes the pending initiative more than 150,000 signatures short, the lawsuit says. Hes wrong, said Jeff Flint, a spokesman for the campaign backing the measure. He predicted a judge will be reluctant to reject a measure that already has qualified for the ballot. The secretary of state told us how many signatures are required, and thats how many we collected, Flint said. Padillas office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The measure would reverse reforms adopted by voters through Proposition 47 in 2014 and Proposition 57 in 2016. Proposition 57 allows most inmates to seek earlier paroles, and Proposition 47 reduced some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The combination has helped keep Californias inmate population below a population cap set by federal judges. Corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said the measure gives corrections and parole officials broad discretion to protect our communities and fashion a rational system of rehabilitation and punishment. This new initiative unlawfully seeks to supplant the departments constitutional authority to implement these critical reforms to our criminal justice system. The pending initiative would shorten the list of crimes that qualify for earlier parole and change some theft crimes from misdemeanors back to felonies. It would also increase the number of crimes for which DNA is collected, a list that was limited when some crimes went from felonies to misdemeanors. Those supporting the tougher penalties say easing criminal penalties has increased the number of dangerous criminals on the streets, but those backing the changes say they have helped reduce mass incarceration and rehabilitate convicted criminals. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Supreme Court orders records unsealed in pardon of ex-state Sen. Roderick Wright Former state Sen. Roderick Wright (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) The California Supreme Court has granted a request to unseal court records involving Gov. Jerry Browns decision last month to pardon former state Sen. Roderick Wright for felony convictions involving lying about living in his legislative district, officials said Thursday. The court order was in response to a request by the nonpartisan First Amendment Coalition, which argued that the public has a right to know what information went into the governors decision to grant clemency to Wright. This is an important victory for public access to court files involving the exercise of executive clemency, said coalition spokesman Glen A. Smith. We are gratified the court has recognized that these decisions should be subject to the same public access rules that apply to other judicial records under California law. The court gave Browns office until Jan. 2 to redact confidential material before giving the court documents that can be released to the public. The court files submitted by the governors office include letters of support for a pardon and an internal review of Wrights case. The court denied a motion to unseal the records of all clemency cases but left open consideration of requests on other individual cases. Browns office is currently evaluating the courts decision, said spokesman Brian Ferguson. The governor argued against unsealing records in a recent court filing that said confidentiality is consistent with historical practice and is supported by state law. In pardoning Wright on Nov. 22, the governor wrote: He has shown that since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character, and conducted himself as a law abiding citizen. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California political watchdog agency fines BART, urges prosecution over using public funds for campaign A Bay Area Rapid Transit train leaves the station in Oakland in this 2013 file photo. (Ben Margot / AP) Californias state political watchdog agency on Thursday imposed a $7,500 fine against the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and called for a possible criminal or civil prosecution over allegations the district used public resources to campaign for a 2016 bond measure. The state Fair Political Practices Commission levied an administrative fine against BART for its failure to disclose spending on YouTube videos, social media posts and text messages to promote Measure RR, which authorized $3.5 billion in general obligation bonds. Though the panel lacks authority to seek criminal charges over the misuse of public funds, it also urged county district attorneys in the BART service area and the state attorney general to pursue possible criminal or civil charges over the spending of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes, Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said. It is the concept of misusing public funds that I think we all here are very disturbed about, and we want to send a warning and not create a precedent that is a minor, little slap on the wrist, Germond said, adding that the referral to criminal prosecutors would further send a message that this is wrong. Commissioner Brian Hatch also called for the state Legislature to consider granting the FPPC power to go after public agencies that spend taxpayer money on campaigns. Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) called on the agency to increase the fine to the maximum level of $33,375. The proposed $7,500 fine represents a slap on the wrist for a very serious violation of the law and the publics trust, Glazer said in a letter to the panel. In supporting the fine recommended by the staff, Germond said BART has agreed to pay the penalty. Somebody did something wrong and they have admitted it, she said. A staff report said there were factors in favor of a fine below the maximum. Although the Commission considers BARTs violations to be serious, the absence of any evidence of an intention to conceal, deceive, or mislead; the voluntary filing of the delinquent campaign statement; and the absence of a prior record are mitigating, the report said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California police union seeks state Supreme Court review of new law disclosing internal investigation records Los Angeles Police Department officers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A police union is asking the California Supreme Court to block the release of internal officer investigations before a new state law takes effect next year. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. filed a petition Tuesday asking justices to rule that only investigations of incidents that occur after Jan. 1 would be available under the law  and not those the department has on file from years prior. The litigation comes after this years passage of Senate Bill 1421, which opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, and the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department has told the union it intends to make available in response to public records requests all the information it has. The union is very concerned about any plans to retroactively apply Senate Bill 1421, Grant Ward, the unions president, said in a statement. We believe retroactive application violates our members rights and we hope the California Supreme Court will consider the serious issues raised by our legal challenge. The bills author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), does not agree with the unions interpretation. She has said her legislation should apply to all the records in a police departments possession because the law simply declared that affected records were no longer confidential. If the record exists, its disclosable, Skinner said. A decision on what records will be available under the law is key to how far-reaching it will be. If the court restricts access to incidents that occurred prior to 2019, those cases will not be subject to public scrutiny. The police union in San Bernardino County is not the only one raising concerns about the law. Earlier this month, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner expressing concern that his agency would be overwhelmed if the law required the department to disclose older incidents. Even if the law only applied to the previous five years, Moore wrote, it could take nearly 300,000 hours of work to comply with its provisions. The LAPD operates with a guiding principle of Reverence for the Law; as such, we will diligently comply with SB 1421, Moore wrote. We maintain, however, that a retroactive implementation of SB 1421 will be exceptionally burdensome and would require significant reallocation of front-line investigative personnel. Skinner said if complying with the law becomes untenable for law enforcement agencies that maintain records for a long time, she would consider modifications. But she said agencies did not raise this concern during discussion over the bill. SB 1421 went through multiple committee hearings, multiple floor debates, extensive opportunity for all parties to weigh in on concerns with its structure, she said. That was not an issue that was raised by law enforcement at the time. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Brown warns of backlash for Republicans in 2020 if Obamacare repeal is upheld Gov. Jerry Brown at the National Press Club in April. (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown warned Republicans on Tuesday that repeal of the Affordable Care Act would devastate the partys political chances in the 2020 election. Brown, speaking at a Sacramento Press Club event moderated by Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton and Brown family historian Miriam Pawel, said a federal judges ruling last week to strike down the 2010 law  if upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court  will build such a backlash that the Democrats will not only take over the Senate, theyll win the presidency and will win with the kind of momentum, particularly on the issue of healthcare, that [the law] will be replaced probably with something even better. The governor, who leaves office in less than three weeks, said he did not believe the ruling by a Texas judge would ultimately prevail. I think the decision will probably be overturned, Brown said. Few states have embraced the law championed by former President Obama more than California, both through its healthcare exchange, Covered California, and by expanding access to government-funded services under Medi-Cal. Some 12 million Californians now receive healthcare through Medi-Cal, and Brown said a final ruling affecting the federal dollars that subsidize that care would be a serious blow. California would not be able to afford it without the subsidy, the governor said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Bars in Los Angeles, San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks (acuna-hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses, and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors, and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Bars in Los Angeles and San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks. (Acuna-Hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias DMV director announces retirement amid problems with motor voter program (Kent Nishamura/Los Angeles Times) The director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles will retire at years end with a number of questions unanswered about the implementation of a major voter registration system and long wait times experienced by customers for much of the past summer. Jean Shiomoto will not continue in her current role as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom takes office, and announced to staff several weeks ago her intent to retire at the end of the year after 38 years in state service, spokesman Armando Botello said in an email to The Times on Friday. Newsoms transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on who might lead the department in 2019. Shiomoto was appointed DMV director by Gov. Jerry Brown in the fall of 2013, having served in prior leadership roles with the department. DMV officials have been sharply criticized by lawmakers in recent months for delays in serving customers at its field offices across the state. Last week, DMV officials revealed errors in registering California voters for the November election  mistakes that followed a series of problems in the rollout of the states new motor voter registration system. Secretary of State Alex Padilla last week said he had lost confidence in Shiomotos leadership as a result of the voting registration problems. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

New law could break the stalemate over housing on the site of a near-vacant Cupertino mall By Liam Dillon For more than a decade, developers have tried to build new housing on the site of an all-but-empty mall in Cupertino, a city in the heart of Silicon Valley and home to Apple headquarters. A well-organized group of neighbors, upset about traffic, building heights and the potential loss of the communitys suburban lifestyle, turned away every plan. Now, for the first time, the stalemate might be broken  thanks to a decision made in the state Capitol. In an effort to address Californias housing affordability problem, legislators passed a law last year that requires cities and counties to approve housing projects if they comply with local zoning rules and other standards, forcing some resistant communities to agree to new homebuilding. In September, the city of Cupertino, citing the state law, approved developer Sand Hill Property Co.s proposal to build an office park and more than 2,400 homes where the Vallco Shopping Mall sits. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Local government was a last bastion for struggling California Republicans. Not anymore By Mark Z. Barabak Theres no shortage of watery metaphors to describe the disaster that befell California Republicans this midterm election. A blue wave. A Democratic tsunami. But the most apt may be a flood, with the casualties steadily rising as the vote count climbed in the days and weeks following Nov. 6. Eventually half the GOP congressional delegation was washed away, along with the entire slate of statewide Republican candidates. In Sacramento, Democrats claimed 29 of 40 state Senate seats and seized three-quarters of the 80-member Assembly  the largest number since 1883, when Chester A. Arthur was serving in the White House. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

For the Republicans left in Californias Legislature, fewer lawmakers will have to do more work By John Myers From January to late summer every year, the California Legislature is a perpetual motion machine. And in the new year, the people most likely to struggle in keeping up will be Republicans, vastly outnumbered but still responsible for representing millions of the states residents. There are 22 standing committees in the state Senate, plus at least a dozen more subcommittees or special committees. And after Novembers election, only 11 Republican senators will be left to divvy up the work. To the victors go the spoils. To the vanquished go the extra assignments. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Californias DMV failed to finish registering 329 new voters before November election (Los Angeles Times) Officials at the California Department of Motor Vehicles said Friday that the agency failed to send information for 329 new voters to state elections officers in time for the November election, the latest revelation in a string of mishaps regarding voter registration. Secretary of State Alex Padilla responded with a blistering letter, calling on Gov. Jerry Brown or Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to replace Jean Shiomoto, the DMV director. The Director of DMV has lost my confidence and trust, Padilla wrote. In all, the agency revealed that 589 mailed voter registration records that should have been processed under election deadlines werent sent to Californias secretary of state until late November, including forms from 260 drivers who had intended to update their address on existing voter registration records. The DMV had been instructed to not send registration forms that came in after Oct. 22, but the voters in question had forms that were postmarked before the deadline. In some cases, when the postmark wasnt legible, the agency said, documents inside indicated the voter had intended to finish their registration in time for the Nov. 6 election. The DMV recognizes the pause in transmittals was an error and affected the timing of the registration of the 589 individuals referenced above relative to the November election, Shiomoto wrote in a letter to Padilla on Friday. The pause was due to a misunderstanding on the part of the department, for which we take responsibility. Those who were trying to update their address for voter registration would not have been blocked from casting ballots. But officials said its unclear whether any of the 329 new voters were able to participate in the election. Shiomoto said in her letter that DMV will work with elections officials. The errors were not related to previous DMV mistakes about registering voters, problems associated with the rollout of the states new motor voter law. In those cases, multiple registration forms were sent to local elections offices for some voters, some people were assigned the wrong political party preference and others who are noncitizens were incorrectly placed on the list of registered voters. DMV officials have yet to respond to questions posed by The Times over the last several weeks about who knew of those mistakes and when. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom appoints a labor advocate and a former staffer as his chief deputy Cabinet secretaries By Taryn Luna A labor advocate and a San Francisco political operative have accepted positions in Gov.-elect Gavin Newsoms new administration. Angie Wei, a Capitol insider with deep ties to organized labor in California, will serve as a chief deputy Cabinet secretary with a focus on policy development. As a legislative director and chief of staff at the California Labor Federation, Wei has represented more than 1,200 unions and 2.1 million workers in Capitol fights over a host of policy issues, including drug-pricing transparency and paid family leave. The governor-elect also tapped Jason Elliott, a policy advisor to Newsom during his time as mayor of San Francisco and a chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, as another chief deputy Cabinet secretary overseeing executive branch operations. Elliott and Wei will serve under Ana Matosantos, Newsoms previouslyThe Trump administration is cutting the number of refugees allowed into the United States next year to 30,000.

The announcement comes despite calls from global humanitarian groups that this years cap of 45,000 was too low.

The 30,000 ceiling announced Monday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the maximum the U.S. will admit during the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. The actual number allowed could be lower. The U.S. welcomed nearly 85,000 refugees in the final year of the Obama administration.

The lower admittance numbers reflect the Trump administrations opposition to accepting refugees and other immigrants into the U.S. That approach has already reduced refugee admissions to their lowest level in a decade.Moving to undermine the Russia investigation that has overshadowed the White House, President Trump on Monday ordered the declassification of a raft of sensitive FBI and other records involving several high-profile adversaries, including former FBI Director James B. Comey and his former deputy, Andrew McCabe.

Trumps allies in Congress and elsewhere long have pressed for the release of classified documents that they say will show the investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the 2016 election was launched from an improper foundation and should be ended or curtailed.

In a statement, the White House said Trump had directed the immediate declassification of about 20 pages of a June 2017 application to conduct secret surveillance of Carter Page, a former Trump campaign foreign policy advisor who the FBI suspected might be a Russian spy. A heavily censored version of the counterintelligence warrant was made public in July.

Trump also ordered the release of all FBI reports of interviews with Justice Department official Bruce Ohr that were prepared in connection with the Russia investigation and all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with the surveillance warrant for Page.

Advertisement

He also directed the Justice Department to release all text messages relating to the Russia investigation of five individuals who the White House alleges played a significant role in driving the Russia inquiry, which Trump calls a witch hunt.

In addition to Ohr, they include Comey, whom Trump fired in May 2017; McCabe, a former deputy director of the FBI who was fired in March, just 26 hours before his scheduled retirement; Peter Strozok, a former senior FBI official who was fired in August; and Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer who had exchanged texts with Strozok critical of Trump.

A Justice Department spokesman said Trumps order would trigger a declassification review process that is conducted by agencies in the intelligence community together with the White House counsel to seek to ensure the safety of national security. The statement said the FBI and Justice Department were already working with the director of national intelligence to comply with the presidents order.

The presidents order comes days after Paul Manafort, a former chairman of Trumps presidential campaign, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with Muellers investigation. Manaforts testimony could pose a risk to the White House since he has direct knowledge of several incidents during the 2016 race that are in Muellers crosshairs.

By focusing on others in the investigation, the White House is supplying a counter-narrative that, at least politically, potentially undermines Muellers legal success so far  including guilty pleas from four former Trump aides or associates, as well as a related guilty plea from his lawyer in New York.

Ohr met with Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer paid by Democrats during the presidential campaign to research Trumps connections to Russia. Ohrs wife worked for Fusion GPS, the research firm that hired Steele.

Steeles findings were compiled in an infamous dossier of allegations involving Trump and Russia, and law enforcement officials cited his research in their application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for the eavesdropping warrant on Page. Page has never been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing.

The decision to declassify the Page and Ohr documents is the latest example of Trump using his authority over the national security bureaucracy to target his critics and the Russia investigation.

In August, Trump revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, who has frequently condemned the president in TV appearances. And in February, he helped Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, release a controversial memo alleging the Justice Department had inappropriately obtained the warrant for Page, sparking pushback from the FBI.

Trump is misusing those levers of power for very naked political reasons, said Steve Hall, a former CIA officer who was the agencys liaison to congressional committees in 2012. Its never a good thing. It compromises national security in the long run.

A cadre of conservative House Republicans publicly called on Trump to declassify the documents at a Capitol Hill news conference on Sept. 6. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said the material would reveal the rotten basis for the investigations that continue, solely to delegitimize the duly elected president of the United States.

But Trump already was pushing others to release the records, berating Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions about the Justice Departments reluctance to break its long-standing practice of keeping secret information involving an ongoing criminal investigation.

Open up the papers & documents without redaction? Trump tweeted on Aug. 24. Come on Jeff, you can do it, the country is waiting!

The Russia investigation began in mid-2016 as an FBI inquiry of Moscows efforts to disrupt the U.S. presidential election through the theft and release of Democratic Party emails and by spreading disinformation on social media. U.S. intelligence agencies say the clandestine Kremlin-backed operation later shifted its aim to supporting Trump in his bid to defeat Hillary Clinton.

After Trump fired Comey in May 2017, the Justice Department named Mueller as special counsel in an effort to ensure the investigations independence from outside interference. Mueller is seeking to determine whether Trumps campaign conspired with the Russian operation, or if the president obstructed justice by trying to interfere with the investigation.

The Justice Department first applied for a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant on Page in October 2016, after the energy consultant had left the Trump campaign and just weeks before the election. The classified warrant was approved by a federal judge and then renewed three times, each time by a different judge.

Critics say the warrant is flawed because the application included information provided by Steele, who had been hired by an opposition research firm working on behalf of Democrats. Steele previously was considered a trustworthy FBI source and the application disclosed that his research was politically motivated, but Republicans have repeatedly argued that was inadequate.

Once their criticism was released as part of Nunes memo in February, Democrats wrote their own document rebutting his conclusions.

Ohr, who has investigated Russian organized crime networks operating in the United States, was a point of contact for Steele at the Justice Department.

Trump has frequently targeted Ohr, calling him a disgrace and threatening to revoke his security clearance. Ohr remains at the Justice Department, but late last year, he was removed from his post as an associate deputy attorney general.

chris.megerian@latimes.com

Twitter: @chrismegerian

UPDATES:

5:05 p.m.: The story was updated with a Justice Department statement and other details.

The story was originally posted at 2:50 p.m.The prospect of vans loaded with pot delivering to homes in quiet Morgan Hill makes Police Chief David Swing uneasy.

Like most cities in the state, the upscale San Jose suburb has banned pot shops. But now, as California considers a proposal to allow marijuana businesses to send home-delivery vans into communities where retail stores are prohibited, Swing and others in law enforcement say they are preparing for the worst.

This will make it easier and more lucrative to rob a delivery person than a liquor store, said Swing, who is president of the California Police Chiefs Assn. He notes drivers would be allowed to carry up to $10,000 in cash. Robberies are the tip of the iceberg. They can lead to other crimes, including aggravated assaults and homicides.

Law enforcement leaders and city officials statewide have lined up to oppose the delivery proposal currently under consideration by California Bureau of Cannabis Control chief Lori Ajax. They were among the thousands of people who packed three public hearings recently held by the bureau on new marijuana regulations.

Advertisement

The League of California Cities, which represents the states 482 municipalities, has also joined with the California Police Chiefs Assn. in a campaign to kill the delivery proposal.

The groups have set up a website, StopWanderingWeed.com, asking Californians to protect our children and schools by signing a petition to oppose the rule change. It features a cartoon showing schoolchildren reacting gleefully to the arrival of a delivery van with a marijuana leaf on its side.

The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents many of the states cannabis industry employees, put up Facebook ads opposing the proposal. The group sees deliveries as a threat to legal pot shops.

As the labor union representing the largest number of workers in the medical cannabis industry, UFCW worked hard to keep communities safe by making sure recreational cannabis is sold with strict safeguards, James Araby, executive director UFCW Western States Council, said in a statement on the unions website. Regulated marijuana dispensaries have tough security, checks for identity and legal age, and strictly licensed workers. If marijuana can be delivered anywhere with virtually no regulation, California will lose these safeguards that protect communities and children.

But Ajax is also being lobbied heavily by the marijuana industry to approve statewide deliveries amid uncertainty about current law.

Coverage of California politics 

The bureau has tentatively interpreted state law as allowing delivery in all cities, including those that have banned pot shops. Regulators cite a passage in a law approved by the Legislature in 2016 that says: A local jurisdiction shall not prevent delivery of cannabis or cannabis products on public roads by a state licensee.

So far, 128 permits have been issued throughout the state to marijuana retailers allowing them to deliver to homes.

Licensed retailers who use Eaze, an online cannabis marketplace and delivery app, have made more than 500,000 deliveries throughout California since the sale of pot for recreational purposes began Jan. 1, according to the firm Eaze Solutions. The company also supports allowing delivery statewide, said Eaze Solutions executive Andrea Ambrose Lobato.

Californias voters made clear that any individual in California 21 years of age and over should be permitted to consume cannabis, Lobato said in a letter to Ajax.

The impact of legal deliveries across California could be felt immediately. Only about 15% of cities and counties have authorized cannabis sales, according to Weedmaps, a website that allows users to search listings for marijuana dispensaries and delivery services.

Dozens of cities and counties simply refuse to allow the sale of legal cannabis within their borders regardless of voter sentiment, creating vast geographical areas where no legal cannabis access market exists and medical patients have no valid options, Weedmaps President Chris Beals said in a letter to Ajax.

Meanwhile, cities that have banned pot sales have interpreted state law as allowing them to take action against deliveries in their jurisdictions. Officials argue that while the law may allow delivery vehicles on public roads, it does not permit marijuana sales on the doorsteps of homes in cities where sales are banned.

With Swing and other police chiefs saying they have authority to cite anyone who tries to deliver in their cities, the state is seeking to reduce confusion over the law with the proposed new rules.

The [proposed] regulations clarify that a licensed retailer who performs delivery may deliver to any jurisdiction within the state of California, said Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the bureau.

Ajax has received letters of opposition from 98 cities including Alhambra, Beverly Hills, Lakewood and Thousand Oaks.

Proposition 64 bars the state from issuing a license to pot shops that have not been given city approval to operate. But city council members throughout the state say that authority is undermined if deliveries are legal statewide.

The primary concern is local control, city control, Alhambra Mayor Jeffrey Koji Maloney said. Its something we think we should have some say in.

Stoking fears of an increase in crime, the League of California Cities recently circulated a news story on the arrest of two men who allegedly sold pot and methamphetamine from an ice cream truck in North Long Beach. The men did not have state delivery licenses.

The legalized cannabis industry has said the move is part of an unfair attack on licensed delivery services.

Demonizing delivery services has been a big part of the widespread misinformation about cannabis in general, Weedmaps said in a statement. A delivery service isnt a big truck with cannabis leaves painted all over it, ringing a bell and driving around the neighborhood like an ice cream truck looking for kids to sell to.

State regulations require all delivery orders to be placed with a state-licensed retailer. Drivers may only deliver in nondescript vehicles  without advertising promoting the drug  to an address from which an order has been placed.

Ajax said she is weighing public input before a determination is made in consultation with the office of Gov. Jerry Brown about whether to alter the proposed regulations, which also address other issues. The proposals include requirements for child-resistant packaging, age verification for purchasers and restrictions on advertisements directed at children, which are not opposed by cities and law enforcement.

I think it is important to note that the primary purpose of the bureaus regulations are to protect public safety, which includes restricting youth access to cannabis, Ajax said.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99Get ready for what could be a consequential week in the effort by President Trump to get Judge Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to the United States Supreme Court.

Simply put: Does an allegation from the jurists high school days carry enough weight to sully  or perhaps derail  his nomination? Will the woman who has made the accusation bring her story to Washington?

Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter 

FROM CALIFORNIA, AN ACCUSER STEPS FORWARD

Advertisement

On Sunday, a Palo Alto psychologist said she was the one who wrote the letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein alleging sexual assault by Kavanaugh when they were both teenagers.

Christine Blasey Ford came forward in a Washington Post interview published on Sunday, accusing Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party when they were in high school.

Kavanaugh has denied the accusation. But within hours, the story seemed to sharply change the dynamics of the nomination. A handful of Republicans said they wanted to hear more before the Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Kavanaugh, and the topic could spark a major battle less than two months before the midterm elections.

OUR OWN DAMN SATELLITE

Climate change and a devastating storm both made political news over the past few days.

On climate, few dominated last weeks Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco like Gov. Jerry Brown, the events co-host.

Brown spent most of the three-day event behind the scenes, and a private meeting with the veteran Democrat was one of the hottest tickets in town.

Hes very good at drawing people together, said Nicholas Stern, a climate change professor at the London School of Economics. People want to talk to him because hes so interesting to talk to.

When Brown did emerge on stage on Friday, he made a bold promise about what California would do next in the face of climate inaction by the Trump administration.

Were going to launch our own satellite, our own damn satellite, to figure out where the pollution is and how are we going to end it, Brown roared from the main stage to applause.

(For keen political observers yes, this seems to bring Brown full circle. In the 1970s, he famously pledged to launch a satellite and earned the nickname Governor Moonbeam from a Chicago columnist as a result.)

FLORENCE HITS, TRUMP TALKS ABOUT MARIA

As the Carolinas braced for yet more rain from the massive but slow-moving Florence  downgraded from hurricane to tropical depression  the president seemed to rattle many by insisting the death count in Puerto Rico resulting from last years Hurricane Maria had been inflated.

The barrage of angry tweets guarantees that his handling of the current storm, which is still battering North and South Carolina, will be under the microscope.

On Sunday, his top emergency management official seemed to fall in line with that assertion  one that stands in sharp contrast to academic reports and those of Puerto Ricos own officials.

You might see more deaths indirectly as time goes on, FEMA Director Brock Long said on Meet the Press.

NATIONAL LIGHTNING ROUND

-- A landmark law enacted 24 years ago to govern investigations and prosecutions of violent crimes against women is set to expire this month, and Congress has little time to rush to its rescue.

-- Immigration. Technology. Trump. A lot has changed in small-town America. One Iowa town drew the line at its movie theater.

DECISION CALIFORNIA

With election day now only about seven weeks away, were going to routinely highlight the important role California is playing in this midterm election. In particular, the state is home to a handful of battleground races for the House of Representatives that could affect the outcome of which party is in power come January.

Look for updates in our newsletters and on our Decision California page online.

-- Congressional Republicans are launching another tax-cut push this week. And in California, it could further inflame debate about the controversial new $10,000 limit on deductions for state and local tax payments that hits many residents hard.

-- If a blue wave of Democrats sweeps across California congressional races this fall, it could be strengthened by what voters did in 2010  taking the process of drawing districts away from politicians and giving it to an independent commission.

-- Columnist Robin Abcarian hits the campaign trail with the Latino Arab American candidate trying to oust Rep. Duncan Hunter.

POLITICAL ROAD MAP: HOW WE GOT PROPOSITION 11

When voters open their ballot pamphlet this fall and see that theyre being asked to decide whether ambulance company workers should get mandatory rest breaks, they may wonder how such a seemingly narrow topic ended up on the statewide ballot.

But the path for Proposition 11 was a familiar one: an industry that fails to get satisfaction from the Legislature decides to take its case to the voters.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- For nearly a year, investigators have been trying to determine what caused the deadly Tubbs fire in Northern California in 2017. The answer will have huge implications for residents, insurers and, perhaps most importantly, Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

-- Californias pot czar is being squeezed between lobbyists for the cannabis industry on one side, and cities and law enforcement on the other, who are battling over a proposal to allow marijuana deliveries in municipalities that have banned pot sales.

-- With less than two months until election day, Californias two gubernatorial contenders remained locked in a standoff over whether theyll meet in a formal debate to discuss the issues facing the state.

-- Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice endorsed Republican John Cox for California governor on Thursday, saying he has the vision to address the states most vexing problems.

-- Having fallen short in his recent campaign for governor, conservative state Assemblyman Travis Allen is weighing a run for chairman of the state GOP with the goal of leading California Republicans back to statewide relevance.

-- A Compton water district that has delivered brown water and therefore could be abolished under legislation on the governors desk is waging an eleventh-hour campaign for its survival.

-- Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell skipped a reelection debate on Saturday, another awkward episode in a high-powered election thats left many scratching their heads.

-- California housing crisis podcast: What the Legislature did in 2018 and whats coming next.

LOGISTICS

Essential Politics is published Monday and Friday.

You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox.Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature just showed why many voters dont trust Sacramento politicians with money  and why last years gas tax increase could be repealed on election day.

Ruling Democrats never quite get it. They become caught up in crafty, hurry-up maneuvering in the dark and forget that what theyre concocting often looks ugly when the light shines, which it inevitably does.

Heres the story briefly: In 2012, Brown and the Legislature took $410 million that was supposed to assist victims of abusive mortgage lending and used it to help balance the state budget. Homeowner groups sued. Two courts ruled against the state and ordered it to replace $331 million.

Just before the current Legislature adjourned Aug. 31, lawmakers passed a bill essentially telling the courts to go pound sand. The measure confirmed that Brown spent the money consistent with the direction given him by the 2012 Legislature. So there! The governor signed the bill last week.

Advertisement

The Legislature and the governor said, In your face, judge, were going to do what we want to do regardless of how you rule, says state Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa), a former Orange County treasurer-tax collector.

Brown is appealing the case to the state Supreme Court, which hasnt decided whether to take it.

But regardless of what the court does and whether what the governor and Legislature did was legal or illegal, it was plain wrong. You dont take money meant for financially pressed homeowners  or former owners who were improperly foreclosed on  and spend it on convenient budget balancing.

We were facing a difficult budget crisis in 2012, says H.D. Palmer, spokesman for Browns finance department.

Yes, the state was. But it isnt today. Its rolling in money, on its way to amassing a $13.5-billion cash reserve.

More from George Skelton 

That disputed $331 million should be spent belatedly to help victims of bad mortgages, or at least on some housing program.

The money came from a 2012 settlement reached by the nations five largest mortgage servicers  Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and GMAC  in a suit filed by the federal government and every state except Oklahoma. Lenders were accused of deception and improper foreclosures.

The banks paid $20 billion directly to foreclosed homeowners. In addition, it sent $2.5 billion to the states, with California getting the biggest pot, $410 million.

Each state attorney general shall designate the uses of the funds, the agreement decreed. To the extent practical, it continued, the money should be spent to assist foreclosure victims and to avoid future mortgage abuses.

Then-state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris  now a U.S. senator  helped negotiate the settlement and, as required by the agreement, designated several housing-related uses for the money. Brown and the Legislature virtually ignored her list.

What they mostly did with the money was use $316 million to make payments on $5 billion in housing bonds approved by voters in 2002 and 2006.

Coverage of California politics 

So, wait a minute: The settlement money was supposed to help current mortgage victims and prevent future calamities  not to be used for making payments on old bonds.

Thats essentially what trial and appellate courts ruled. And its certainly what Harris thought. In a rarity, there was dissension in the highest Democratic ranks, with Harris objecting to Browns use of the money.

In a 2012 written statement, she said: These funds should be used to help Californians stay in their homes. I plan to work with the governor and Legislature toward a balanced budget that honors our obligations to Californias homeowners.

The work didnt pay off. And when the state was sued, Harris opted not to defend it. Brown was forced to hire private attorneys.

In its appeal to the California Supreme Court, the Brown administration is making the state attorney general a separation-of-powers issue. Wearing an odd-looking hat, the states chief executive is taking the Legislatures side.

Does the Legislature or the attorney general have final authority to decide how to spend money paid to the state? Brown asks in a petition to the court. The lower courts rulings, he asserted, are squarely at odds with the fundamental principle that the Legislature holds the power of the purse.

The legislation telling the courts to take a hike passed on party-line votes in each house  Democrats for, Republicans against.

The bill doesnt make any difference for two reasons says Neil Barofsky, a lawyer for the National Asian American Coalition and other groups suing the state. What one legislature says six years later about what a previous legislature did doesnt matter.

And even if the court didnt see it that way, it wouldnt matter. The governor is bound to follow the federal consent order  the mortgage settlement. Thats his obligation.

Sacramento politicians have long had a reputation for raiding pots of money set aside for one purpose and using it for another. Some of the reputation is deserved, some not.

In 2003, Gov. Gray Davis and the Legislature grabbed Californias share of a $206-billion national settlement with tobacco companies and used it for budget-balancing. It should have been spent on smoking prevention and treating health problems caused by tobacco.

Currently, opponents of the gas tax hike thats raising money to repair dilapidated roads accuse the state of pilfering past highway funds for other purposes. Its basic baloney, but an effective pitch to voters.

Regardless of what the state Supreme Court does, Sacramento Democrats already have lost by snatching the mortgage money.

george.skelton@latimes.com

Follow @LATimesSkelton on TwitterLaguna Beach City Council member Rob Zur Schmiede has abandoned his run for a second term in order to care for his younger brother Tom, who was seriously injured in a vehicle collision three months ago, according to a statement Zur Schmiede released Sunday night.

It is with disappointment and great reluctance that I must announce that I am no longer able to seek reelection to the City Council seat that I have proudly held these past four years and am immediately suspending my reelection campaign, the statement said.

Zur Schmiede, Lagunas current mayor pro tem, said his brother is still hospitalized following the June 16 crash in Louisville, Ky., and is struggling with related medical, legal and financial issues.

As his legal representative and the only immediate family member with the skills needed to assist him with many of his needs, I have had to wrestle with the demands of ensuring that Tom has the care and resources hell need for the remainder of his life and have come to recognize that it is impossible for me to commit to another four years of service on the City Council at this time, Zur Schmiede said in his statement. I have to be able to sustain the work of caregiver and advocate for as long as my brother needs me.

Zur Schmiede said he will serve the remainder of his term, which ends in December.

His departure from the race leaves 10 candidates vying for three available seats, with Councilwoman Toni Iseman the only incumbent. Mayor Kelly Boyd had already announced he would not run.

Before being elected to the council in 2014, Zur Schmiede was a member of the city Planning Commission and Design Review Board.

Fountain Valley council forum Thursday

Candidates for three available seats on the Fountain Valley City Council will appear at a forum Thursday at City Hall.

The forum, presented by the Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce, will run from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

City Hall is at 10200 Slater Ave.

Newport council forum Saturday on Balboa Island

The Balboa Island Improvement Assn. will present a Newport Beach City Council candidates forum on Saturday.

The forum starts at 9 a.m. at the Balboa Island fire station at 124 Marine Ave.

Lecong named hero of fuel tax repeal effort

Fountain Valley City Council candidate Nick Lecong has been named a Gas Tax Repeal Hero by Yes on Prop. 6, a campaign seeking repeal in the November election of state fuel tax increases passed last year.

Fountain Valley seniors and working families cannot afford this gas tax, Lecong said in a statement. California pays the highest taxes in the country yet has some of the worst road conditions.

For a full list of Gas Tax Repeal Heroes, visit gastaxrepeal.org/heroes.

UPDATES:

1:20 p.m.: This article was updated with the Fountain Valley City Council candidates forum.

This article was originally published at 12:45 p.m.Glendale police detectives are seeking the publics help to identify additional victims relating to a case involving 48-year-old Harmik Haghverdian of Glendale.

On Aug. 3, the Glendale Police Department began investigating Haghverdian for allegedly inappropriately touching an 11-year-old boy during guitar lessons at a music school in Glendale, according to Tahnee Lightfoot, spokeswoman for the department, in a statement released Saturday.

On Aug. 8, Haghverdian was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old, she added.

The Glendale Police Department is asking that anyone with information that may lead to additional victims call Det. Suzanne OBrien at (818) 548-3106 or email sobrien@glendaleca.gov.

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @LAMarkKellamThe Glendale Historical Society will once again give area residents a taste of Christmas in the 1800s during the annual candlelight tour of the Doctors House museum and gazebo that will take place twice this holiday season.

Since 1994, the historic Doctors House in Brand Park  a restored Queen Anne-Eastlake-style home originally built around 1888 in central Glendale  has been the site for self-guided tours, music and holiday activities in the same vein as a Victorian-era Christmas.

It will really create a feeling as if you stepped back in time, said Peter Rusch, the museums curator. It takes a lot to put it all together and is truly a community project shared by the people of Glendale.

This years theme is Gingerbread and Spice. At the event, guests will learn about the origins of the gingerbread man and can also try their hand at icing a gingerbread cookie in the kitchen, Rusch said.

As part of a special exhibit, the house will be filled with authentic seasonal music from many years ago.

Music enthusiast Galen Wilkes will be at the tours playing songs from the early 1900s on a 1908 Edison phonograph.

Wilkes said his interest in vintage music and silent movies started when he was about 3 years old, growing up in Connecticut in the 1950s. His father brought him to a co-workers house. Both men were engineers, working at General Dynamics.

Wilkes said the co-worker had a manual player piano, but he connected its bellows to a vacuum cleaner hose so it could play itself.

[The vacuum cleaner] was in the basement, so you couldnt hear it, he said, adding that the two were connected through the floor.

That was probably one of the first times I was exposed to anything from that era, he said.

Upstairs at the Doctors House, guests can learn about the life of silent-screen actress and filmmaker Nell Shipman, who lived in the house from 1917 to 1920.

In the childrens room, there will be readings of various Christmas stories and there will be hot cocoa and cider as well as coffee available on the gazebo.

The tours will be conducted from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. this Saturday and Dec. 16. Brand Park is located at 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale.

A $10 donation is requested.

jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLandaTen Years Ago

La Canadans Josh Stroud, 12, and his friend Jordan Lawrence, 13, were having a hard time finding a good BMX park. They turned to City Hall, where they found sympathetic ears at the Parks and Recreation Commission. By September 2008, a trial run that involved opening the park for BMX-only hours a few days a week was underway and the boys were there to try it out. It feels good, Jordan told a reporter.

Twenty Years Ago

The La Canada Junior Womens Club presented the fire stations in La Canada (Stations 82 and 19) with an $18,000 thermal imaging camera to assist in finding victims in smoke-filled conditions.

Thirty Years Ago

Anne Kursinski, who trained at Flintridge Riding Club, was a member of the U.S. Equestrian Show Jumping Team that captured a silver medal in the XXIV Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The 1988 Summer Games opened Sept. 17 and closed Oct. 2.

Forty Years Ago

A knife-wielding man attempted to kidnap a 22-year-old female Sport Chalet employee who was preparing to drive home after the store closed one evening. She escaped his attempt after using her feet to shove him out of her car. She then screamed and ran toward a young man she spotted walking toward the parking lot from the store. The man who had accosted her escaped.

Fifty Years Ago

Grading work began at the site of the new $100,000 education building at St. Georges Episcopal Church. The new structure, which would provided eight large Sunday school classrooms, was expected to be ready for occupancy by April 1969.

Sixty Years Ago

When queried by members of the La Canada Chamber of Commerce concerned about the potential for local brush fires, the manager of Valley Water Co. said water lines specifically for fire protection could not be laid in vacant areas of Flintridge for economic reasons.

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said All-Star slugger Aaron Judge could return to the lineup against the Boston Red Sox during a three-game series that starts Tuesday in the Bronx.

Boone said Sunday that Judge is getting real close to returning from a broken right wrist.

Judge has been cleared to play the outfield and run the bases, and played two innings in right field Friday night. Hes still working his way back at the plate, though.

Betts suffers scare

Advertisement

Right fielder Mookie Betts had a scare when he injured his left side making two throws to the plate during Bostons 4-3 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.

It kind of flared back up on the second throw. Itll be fine. Ill be ready to play Tuesday, Betts said.

The Red Sox lead the second-place Yankees by 111/2 games in the American League East and would clinch with one win in the series.Something magical happens in autumn to leaves on deciduous trees and shrubs. They change color. Even in California. Or, as the tagline of CaliforniaFallColor.com says, Dude, autumn happens here, too.

That means you can skip the flight and the precious but pricey inn in New England and save money by leaf peeping in the Golden State.

Fall season overall is a good value proposition in California, which makes it a bit more affordable than the Northeast, said Gabe Saglie, senior editor for Travelzoo, a travel deal website.

Californias changes in elevation, from sea level to more than 14,000 feet, give it one of the longest fall color seasons in North America, said John Poimiroo, founder of CaliforniaFallColor.com. His site tells travelers when to go and explains why deciduous trees drop their leaves and more. His recent post on wildfires confirmed what experts told me: The peak viewing season should be about the same as last year: late September to mid-October.

Advertisement

With help from Saglie, Poimiroo and TripAdvisor, here are three fall destinations that can color your world. (Prices quoted may no longer be available, especially for hotels at which demand governs cost.)

Bishop, Inyo County

Bishop sits at 4,190 feet on the northern end of the Owens Valley, sandwiched between the Sierra and the White Mountains. Its colorful trees include aspen, cottonwood and willow.

Recommended views: Travel journalist Lee Foster, whose website contains an Eastern Sierra leaf guide (lat.ms/sierraleafguide), recommends the drive on U.S. 395 to Bishop and likes views for aspen at the Bishop Creek watershed and the land surrounding North Lake, Lake Sabrina and South Lake.

When to go: Late September to mid-October

Lodging tips: The average Bishop hotel room rate was about $155 a night from mid-September to mid-October, a recent check showed. Best deals will be found at midweek. Bishops Creekside Inn (which TripAdvisor rates first of 31 lodgings) was showing a rate of $145 a night for a midweek stay in early October.

Info: Bishop Visitor Center, 690 N. Main Street, Bishop; (760) 873-8405, bishopvisitor.com. Call for color updates.

Mammoth Lakes, Mono County

The town of Mammoth Lakes sits at 7,953 feet; the top of Mammoth Mountain is 11,053 feet. This resort area, which includes June Lake, offers more lodging options than Bishop. Trees that put on a show here include aspen, cottonwood, mountain alder and willow.

Recommended views: June Lake Loop, Convict Lake, Lundy Canyon, Rock Creek, Sherwin Summit, Virginia Lakes, Lee Vining and the panoramic Conway Summit north of Lee Vining and Lower Rock Creek to Upper Rock Creek.

When to go: Last week in September to mid-October

Lodging tips: Mammoths average hotel rate was $160 a night between mid-September and mid-October, Travelzoo said. Among properties Travelzoo suggested: Sierra Nevada Resort & Spa (No. 7 of 31 listings) and Tamarack Lodge (2 out of 31). Nightly rates for that time at these properties averaged $149-$175, excluding taxes. Rates at Village Lodge Mammoth (No. 3 out of 31) and Westin Monarche Resort, Mammoth (6 of 31) averaged $169-$199 a night, excluding taxes, for prime fall color time.

Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County

The Ferguson fire, which began July 13 in the Sierra National Forest, grew to more than 96,000 acres and shut down Yosemite National Park during what should have been the parks summer peak.

The fire is now 100% contained, although visitors may see smoke and some spots that are still smoldering.

Travel is the first opportunity to help these areas recover, Saglie said. Besides giving the area a financial shot in the arm, going there lets you see plenty of autumn. Colorful trees and plants include aspen, dogwood, non-native sugar maple, big leaf maple, black oak, white alder, cottonwood and poison oak.

Recommended views: The National Park Service devotes a page to where to see Yosemites fall colors. Top spots include Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Wawona and Tuolumne Meadows.

When to go: Mid- to late October.

Lodging tips: Reservations for campgrounds are handled through recreation.gov. A check showed availability for some camp sites for mid-week in October, starting at $26 a night.

If youre looking for four walls and a bed, Saglie recommended Tenaya Lodge, which is about two miles from the parks south entrance. The lowest rate I found on a Trip Advisor search for a one-night stay in early October was $245, excluding taxes. Rush Creek Lodge in Groveland offers up to 20% off a stay until Nov. 15. The best rate I found was $275 on Oct. 14 for a one-night stay in a king room/mini-suite. Yosemite Westgate Lodge, also in Groveland, offered a pre-tax rate for Oct. 14 for $159.

Info: Yosemite National Park and Yosemite and Mariposa County

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravelAdil Ahmad, 15, has had no contact with his parents since February 2017, when he received a frantic phone call from his mother in the Uighur homeland of Chinas western Xinjiang region.

She said my father was in some kind of trouble with the police, recalls Ahmad, whose parents had brought him and his older brother to Egypt to study Arabic. She said, Dont come back to China.

When Ahmad tried calling a few days later, none of the phone numbers worked. Finally, he heard from an uncle in China that his parents had been taken by police after their last phone conversation. His four siblings had also disappeared. Then, his uncles phone number stopped working.

Ahmad and his brother, fearing that they would be sent back to China, have since moved to Turkey.

Advertisement

I really dont know if my family is alive or dead, or if they are in these camps, he said.

The youngsters are among tens of thousands of Uighurs living in Turkey who find themselves cut off from their relatives in China. They are left to worry from abroad whether their families have been swept up in a large-scale social engineering campaign aimed at replacing the millennium-old Muslim Uighur identity with a secular Chinese one.

In August, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination estimated that about 1 million Muslims  mostly ethnic Uighurs but also other minorities  in the Xinjiang region were being held incommunicado  without being charged or tried, under the pretext of countering terrorism and religious extremism.

Up to 10% of the Uighur population in Xinjiang, the U.N. said, may be in detention.

China has denied Uighurs are being arbitrarily detained, telling the U.N. in August that there are no such things as reeducation centers, and that only those suspected of violent terrorist activities were being held at facilities providing vocational education and employment training.

The Times spoke with 11 ethnic Uighurs living in Turkey who believe their families in China have been placed in reeducation camps. Over the last two years, they have grappled with whether to return to China, as Xinjiang authorities have asked.

Uighurs have long been subjected to intense scrutiny by Beijing, which points to a handful of terrorist attacks as justification for restrictions aimed at stemming the rise of Islamist extremism.

For years, teaching and learning the Uighur language has largely been prohibited. Mosques have been made off-limits to those under 18 and schoolchildren and government workers are banned from fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Hijabs for women  as well as beards for men  have been outlawed in many parts of Xinjiang.

Yet such practices pale in comparison with policies enacted in 2016, when Beijing reassigned a top Communist Party official, Chen Quanguo, from his job overseeing security in Tibet, according to Adrian Zenz, a researcher at the European School of Culture and Theology in Germany.

In party directives, and bids for construction projects, Zenz has found evidence of a systematic program of building large-scale detention facilities.

At the same time, a pervasive system of surveillance  tapping mobile communications, using facial recognition technology and inspecting phones at hundreds of checkpoints  has made it extremely difficult to obtain details from Xinjiang.

Like Ahmad, Adil Hassan has been unable to reach his family for more than a year. The 35-year-old jewelry trader fled China for Turkey in 2015, after learning he was wanted by police for questioning because of his frequent business trips abroad.

At first, he had only sporadic contact with his wife in China, and in 2016 a friend told him she had been detained.

He has since received video of his three children from a man calling himself a police officer.

Daddy, Ive grown up and you never came to see me, Hassans youngest child, Omer, 5, says in one video.

Ismail Abdulkerim, a teacher in Istanbul, says his elderly parents, three young children, two brothers, and two sisters-in-law are in detention. (Umar Farooq / For The Times)

Ismail Abdulkerim, a Uighur language and Islamic studies teacher, came to Turkey with his wife in 2015, after learning they were wanted as a result of their time abroad.

They had left their children in the care of his parents and siblings, but he now believes all his immediate relatives in Xinjiang  including three of his children  are in camps.

There is oppression in many countries, even war, but not like this: You take away such large numbers of people and no one knows where, or why, Abdulkerim said.

Among Uighurs outside China, the experience of having relatives in detention centers seems to be nearly universal, said Rian Thum, associate professor of history at Loyola University New Orleans.

Aside from some elderly and ill detainees, there is no indication authorities are releasing Uighurs from the camps, Thum said. A vast surveillance network and a blanket ban on Uighurs leaving China have meant even of those released, only a few have provided details of the conditions there.

Among them is Omer Bekali, a 42-year-old ethnic Kazakh Muslim, who spent seven months in police detention centers, and a month in a reeducation camp near Karamay, a city in northern Xinjiang.

Bekali, who ran a small travel company, was born in China but obtained Kazakhstan nationality in 2009. He was released along with 10 other Kazakhstan nationals in November 2017 after the Kazakhstan government intervened on their behalf.

His troubles began during a business trip to China in March 2017, when he took a day off to visit his mother in Turpan. A Uighur in Kazakhstan had warned him to be careful, but Bekali thought he had nothing to worry about.

After being taken by police, he said, he was housed in a 12-square-foot cell with 42 other men.

Shuffled from one detention facility to another, Bekali claims he spent five hours a day suspended from the ceiling by his wrists, which still have scars. Other times, he said, he was beaten with iron and wooden sticks while shackled to a chair.

They asked me over and over again, do you pray, do you fast, have you been to Turkey, have you been to Syria, are you in a terror group? Bekali said. From this I understood they view all Uighur and Kazakh Muslims as terrorists.

More than seven months after being detained, Bekali was moved to what he believes was one of the reeducation camps. Each day, the detainees were told that their Islamic heritage was backward and that there was no God.

After meals, they were made to line up in two rows and sing patriotic hymns, including one that began, Without the Communist Party, there is no new China.

If you refused, or your voice was not loud enough, you were not given food, or put in solitary, or beaten, said Bekali. While in the camp, he said, the population swelled by 50 to 60 people daily with truckloads of new detainees brought in at night.

In March, Bekali began speaking to international news outlets about his detention. Within a few weeks, he says, 14 members of his family in China were detained, including his sister, mother and father.

Farooq is a special correspondent.It was only a few months ago that Haider Abadi, Iraqs avuncular prime minister, seemed to do no wrong.

He had been credited with defeating Islamic State, among other accomplishments, and was expected to easily net a second term in parliamentary elections in May. He had the backing of the U.S. and others in the West. He looked to be Iraqs first genuinely post-sectarian leader.

Yet today, he stands largely alone. His party has unraveled, his popularity has tanked and his political partners are abandoning him for alliances with groups loyal to Iran. That he is still prime minister is largely a measure of his opponents failure so far to agree on a governing coalition.

At his weekly news conference Thursday, he all but acknowledged that his days as prime minister are numbered, saying he would not cling to power.

Advertisement

Abadis looming downfall speaks to the wrath of a growing force in Iraqi politics: an electorate more concerned with the performance of its leaders than their sectarian or ethnic affiliations.

For weeks, Iraq has been roiled by protests in Basra, a city in the countrys south, which provides most of its oil but whose residents have neither electricity nor clean water to counter summer temperatures reaching 120 degrees.

Security forces deploy around the provincial government building during a demonstration demanding better public services and jobs in Basra, 275 miles south of Baghdad, on Sept. 12, 2018. (Nabil al Jurani / Associated Press)

The demonstrations, sparked after thousands had been hospitalized because of water contamination, turned violent.

Security forces killed at least 12 people, while rioters burned down any governmental, militia and party building they could find. The Iranian Consulate met the same fate. (Protesters gathered around the U.S. Consulate as well before security forces cordoned it off.)

The protests delivered what many believe was the fatal blow to Abadis bid for the premiership. But his problems had begun earlier.

From the archives: An interview with Haidar Abadi 

Little was expected from Abadi, a one-time engineer who lived in Britain before returning to Iraq after the 2003 U.S. invasion, when he was picked from the back ranks of the ruling Dawa Party to dislodge Nouri Maliki in 2014.

Arguably, his greatest advantage was that he wasnt Maliki, a Shiite Muslim supremacist who had frustrated so many that even Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, a Shiite cleric who is considered to be Iraqs highest religious authority, broke his proscription against meddling in political affairs and asked him to step aside.

But Abadi, who is also Shiite, performed well: He oversaw a turnaround of the countrys crippled armed forces, keeping a fragile anti-Islamic State coalition of local, regional and international rivals together long enough to beat back and then rout the jihadis who, at their peak, had marauded to within an hours drive of Baghdad. Later, he quelled an independence bid by Iraqi Kurds.

As parliamentary elections approached in May, he reached across the sectarian divide to assemble his Victory bloc, made up of elites from all groups in the country.

But some of the goodwill toward him had evaporated. He was a reluctant politician, and claimed to hate the politicking that was an integral part of governing Iraq.

Repeated attempts to fight corruption, jump-start the economy and reduce the public sector failed.

Though he was widely expected to win in May, he came in third, behind a coalition led by Shiite cleric and populist leader Muqtada Sadr, and the Fatah list, a political bloc staffed by leaders of pro-Iranian paramilitary factions.

It was apathy that felled him, many said.

A sobering 56% of eligible voters, many of them fed up with almost comical levels of corruption in successive governments and not driven by sectarian loyalties, didnt bother to go to the polls.

Many of those who did bother had been mobilized by Sadr or Hadi Ameri, the fervently anti-U.S. militiaman-turned-politician who led the Fatah bloc.

Abadi tried to recover. He engaged in the customary horse-trading that follows parliamentary elections, with different parties splintering and forming coalitions to achieve a majority in the 329-seat parliament.

By partnering with Sadr, Abadi could still snatch a second term.

But in the wake of the Basra protests, Sadr-affiliated members of parliament called for Abadis resignation. And just as he had intervened in 2014, Sistani last week issued a statement saying he would not support the incoming prime minister if he was chosen from politicians who have been in power in the previous years.

Some observers saw Irans hand behind Abadis sidelining, considering him a pro-U.S. figure, especially after he had agreed to abide by the sanctions Washington imposed last month on Iran.

But Iran had not won either, said Renad Mansour, an Iraq expert at the London-based Chatham House think tank.

The U.S.s number one choice was Abadi and that didnt work out. Irans number one choice was a coalition that would include Maliki and [Hadi] Ameri, and that also didnt work out, Mansour said.

In a change from the past, the election didnt turn on identity politics, Mansour added.

In Iraqs sectarian allocations, the president must be a Kurd, the speaker of parliament a Sunni and the prime minister a Shiite.

The system reinforces these identities, but for some time people have been saying this doesnt matter. Theyre saying give us water thats clean, electricity and jobs, he said.

For Ahmad Basheer, an Iraqi journalist and comedian who hosts the popular Basheer Show, the protests in Basra were a wholesale rejection of what he described as Iraqs political matrix.

The protests were rejecting all politicians, he said. It didnt matter if they were Sunni, Shiite, Kurd, or if they were protected because of their religion or creed.

There had been protests in Iraq every summer, Basheer pointed out, but he considered the ones in Basra as the final chance for politicians to improve.

People wont have mercy anymore with politicians, said Basheer, adding that this years protests would be the last to end without wider bloodshed.

If the politicians dont improve by next year and truly serve people, it will be a disaster, he said.

nabih.bulos@latimes.com

Twitter: @nabihbulosThiruvananthapuram : Jalandhar Diocese Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is facing a probe over the rape allegations, has written to the Vatican expressing his desire to step down temporarily from Church responsibilities.

As per the reports, Mulakkal handed over the letter to the representative of Pope, stating that he needs time to travel to Kerala following the case.

Bishop Mulakkal requires to spend more time to fight his case, travel to Kerala and expressed willingness to absolve himself from responsibilities of the diocese temporarily and has handed over a letter to representative of the Pope, seeking permission for the same, informed the Diocese of Jalandhar, reports ANI.

He had stepped down as Bishop of the Jaladhar Diocese on Saturday handing over temporary charge of the diocese to Father Mathew Kokkandam.The military said the governments anti-terror campaign has led to the rescue of three Indonesian nationals held captive by the Abu Sayyaf Group for 20 months since Jan. 18 last year. Col. Gerry Besana, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command identified the rescued Indonesian hostages as Hamdam Salim, 34; Subandi Sattuh, 27 and Sudarlan Samansung, 41. Besana said the hostages were rescued from the ASG at 4 pm Saturday in Brgy. Buanza, Indanan, Sulu. Besana said that the three Indonesians were turned over to Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo Jr., former Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan and Sulu provincial police officer Sr. Supt Labra. The three Indonesians will be eventually turned over to the Indonesia Ambassador at the Western Mindanao Command. The 3 hostages were taken Jan. 18, 2017 while on board a speedboat off the waters of Taganak Island, Tawi-Tawi. Meanwhile, Marine Col. Edgard Arevalo, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Sunday that operating units from the Joint Task Force Sulu under Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo conducted focused operations against the terrorist in Brgy Bakong, Patikul killing seven terrorists in an ensued firefight. Arevalo said the fighting erupted hours as Typhoon Ompong threatened to hit land in Cagayan and Isabela provinces at 1:30 am Friday.Arevalo disclosed that six other terrorists were injured, including ASG sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaaan who was hit in the stomach and lower extremities. The renewed fighting with the ASG injured 17 soldiers who sustained shrapnel wounds. We praise the combat skills of our soldiers in seizing the element of surprise and firepower. They were unfazed by volleys of retaliatory fire from more or less 100 Abu Sayyaf terrorists under senior leader Radullan Sahiron and sub leaders Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and Idang Susukan, Arevalo said. He said that the site of the intense skirmishes is a notorious ASG territory on the basis of military and human intelligence. The folks of Patikul knows it very well such that no civilians dared to go or pass by the place, Arevalo added. We stand firm in our report that this was a legitimate encounter contrary to enemy propaganda that it was a massacre, Arevalo pointed out.100 years ago, the world was shaken by the October Revolution. We rightly celebrate this heroic act as the first instance of workers power in history. But how exactly did the Bolsheviks and the working class exercise a power never-before wielded by the proletariat? What problems did they face  economic, administrative, political and military, from within and outside Russia  and how did they meet them? Derek Gunby provides an analysis and balance sheet of 1918: the first year of the Russian Revolution.

1918 proved to be one of the most tumultuous and violent years the world had ever seen. Not only were vast armies from all countries and continents fighting a gruesome World War but also the victorious Russian Revolution of October 1917 was facing a huge wave of internationally financed armies, Russian and Foreign, dedicated to its overthrow. By the end of the year the World War was over. The Bolshevik-led workers and peasants government of Russia had withstood all possible trials to secure a vital foothold for the revolution and begin the long task of defeating all the elements of armed counter-revolution. Much remained to be done and it wasnt until 1921 that Soviet power had been fully consolidated in all of Russia. This article traces the key events and identifies the main challenges facing the revolution in 1918, the decisive role of the Bolshevik Party and its leaders and the lessons that remain for us today.

The Bolshevik-led workers and peasants government of Russia withstood all possible trials to secure the revolution / Image: public domain

A revolution involves a tremendous clash of class interests, as has happened at various junctures throughout human history, such as the English Revolution of 1642, the French Revolution of 1789, the Paris Commune of 1871 and then the Russian Revolutions of 1917. These are rare events that are important to understand for all those interested in human affairs, but especially Marxist revolutionaries who seek to change the world bourgeois order to a working class order that will pave the way for a classless society.

Revolutions are the highest expression of historical change. They mark a qualitative change in the development of human society. During such revolutions the masses enter into direct political action. In the normal course of events politics is conducted by relatively small numbers of people representing class interests. But, in a major revolution, such as occurred in Russia in 1917, large numbers of ordinary people throw off such inhibitions and directly participate to achieve a transfer of power. However, it also requires a conscious and clear-headed political agency with a political programme to channel and direct this creative energy to transform society.

As revolutionaries, our aim is to be a part of that critical political agency. We need to arm ourselves with past experiences to guide future action. We need to understand the processes that occur during a revolutionary period. These lessons cannot be applied mechanically but must be refracted through the prisms of subsequent history and our current experience. Nothing is ever repeated exactly. We take from the past and test its relevance and application today to see how this may offer some guidance as to how to adapt effectively to our own age.

Russia at the end of 1917

The Russian Empire at the end of 1917 was a huge conglomeration of nationalities and ethnic groups covering millions of square miles from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Baltic and Black seas in the west. With a population of over 178 million people it was overwhelmingly a rural and agrarian society. Eighty percent of the population was composed of peasants living for the most part in scattered villages with poor communications between them. To the Russian peasants, the village and surrounding fields was, for all practical purposes, their world. Whilst in 1861 the peasants had been freed from serfdom, the legislation doing so had failed to modernise and develop agriculture and the conditions of the peasants still lagged way behind most other comparable European countries.

Russia in 1918 was mostly a rural and agrarian society / Image: public domain

Industry was concentrated in a few areas such as St. Petersburg and Moscow, with oil production in Baku in the south and coal mining in the Ukraines Donets Basin. A great proportion of the industrial capital was owned by foreign interests especially in St Petersburg, and the national capitalist class was both weak and divided, with much of it heavily dependent on the state. Some of its factories were very modern and even by world standards extremely large, especially in the capital St. Petersburg. This created a relatively compact and concentrated working class, much of it recruited relatively recently from the villages.

Nationalities

The Russian Empire consisted of a large number of different nations that had, over the years, been conquered and suppressed by the Russian Tsarist state. These comprised, among others, the Baltic States, Poland, Finland, the Ukraine, the various Caucasus States such as Georgia, Belorussia, Bessarabia, and a number of Asian States such as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and others. Nationalism was, therefore, a potent force within Russia and something that required a response from all socialist parties.

This issue had provoked considerable debate in Marxist circles. It demanded creating federated socialist states on the basis of of international socialism in addition to the more immediate question of throwing off the yoke of Russian imperialism. Lenins approach was practical. He recognised, unlike Rosa Luxemburg, that in order for the working class to achieve victory in an empire of oppressed nationalities, they had to win over those masses, often peasants and other petty-bourgeois classes, by adopting the principle of the right of all nations to self-determination. Without this approach the task of the Socialist Revolution in Russia would have been impossible.

The Russian Orthodox Church

The power and wealth of the Russian Orthodox Church was considerable. But it was strongly linked to the Tsar and the old Imperialist order. Whilst it had held tremendous sway over the peasant masses, the experience of the First World War and the growing disapproval of the Tsar caused a significant loss of its authority. During the counter-revolution and civil war the Church unreservedly backed the reactionary forces, leading to an even greater weakening of loyalty from the masses. Its power, wealth and influence were considerably reduced by new Bolshevik government decrees confiscating Church land and privileges and restricting its operations and influence.

During the counter-revolution and civil war the Church unreservedly backed the reactionary forces, weakening the loyalty of the masses / Image: public domain

Classes and conditions in Russia in late 1917

Russia in late 1917 was clearly in crisis. The country had been involved in a devastating World War for three years. The soldiers were weary and rebellious, prone to mutiny, with many deserting and returning to their peasant homes. The Provisional Government that followed the February Revolution failed to tackle any of the acute issues of war, food or land and was plainly ineffective. The economy and general morale of the country was in tatters. The motor for change in Russia was the relatively small but powerful working class. They had organised themselves in Soviets that became a parallel power to the Government. The old governing structures of the State and local Dumas became the last redoubts of the bourgeois class, allied with some of the remnants of the old aristocracy.

The Provisional Government that followed the February Revolution failed to tackle any of the acute issues of war, food or land / Image: public domain

The bourgeois class  the bankers, capitalists, big business managers and senior civil servants  was small, though relatively wealthy and with access to resources. However, it lacked the weight and history of similar classes in Western Europe and the USA. The Russian bourgeois had been denied a full place in government due to the backward nature of the Russian state. Whilst they gained leading positions in the first Provisional Government after the February Revolution, they proved weak and ineffective. The vast peasantry was not homogenous but, rather, split into rich, middle and poor peasants with the poorest, often landless, by far the larger proportion. Most peasants were poorly represented in governing structures. Local administration remained in the hands of the large landowners and their supporters, including rural merchants and businessmen and kulaks (rich peasants).

The Red Guards

Armed workers militias, known as the Red Guards, had emerged at the time of the February 1917 Revolution, often in spontaneous form. Various factories and political parties sought to encourage and develop such units. The Bolsheviks were the most successful and ardent in promoting the idea of armed workers militias. There was a suppression of the Red Guards after the events of July 1917 but this was reversed in September in the face of the threat to the Provisional Government by General Kornilov, and the forces under his command, who were then threatening Petrograd. The Bolsheviks were entreated to assist the resistance and rapidly mobilised and armed 25,000 Red Guards. After that, the Red Guards remained a key feature of future struggles in all the major cities and at the moment of the October Revolution, numbered 200,000. After the revolution, the Red Guards performed the functions of the police and army until such times as new police and Red Army units were constituted, sometimes quite late into 1918.

After the revolution, the Red Guards performed the functions of the police and army until new police and Red Army units were constituted / Image: public domain

Political Parties and Leaders

By the autumn of 1917, the Bolsheviks had gained a majority following among the urban working class but had a minority position in the countryside. The Bolshevik Party had a number of strong distinguishing features that gave it a unique strength in the conditions of Russia in late 1917 and into the turmoil of 1918. They had a grounding in Marxist theory, especially dialectical thinking, which allowed them to analyse events from all angles and uncover the underlying forces that such events represented.

There was no culture of rigid and uniform thinking in the Bolshevik Party. In the heat of the revolution there were initially several splits and occasionally resignations and later re-joining. Lenin, outstanding as the most sober, the most realistic, the chief dialectician, and Trotsky, also a great dialectician, proved to be head and shoulders above all other Bolshevik leaders in their capacity to analyse events and urge decisive action. Within the Party there was a strong tradition of internal democracy and debate. Leaders were acknowledged but opposed if they were thought to be wrong. Conversely, leaders accepted decisions that went against them, even if continuing to oppose them in debate. This pertained even in the darkest hours and throughout 1918 and up to 1924, when Lenin died and Stalin took the reins and changed this key Party principle. Once Lenin arrived back in Russia in April 1917, the Party developed great elan and confidence, which they transmitted to the working class and spurred heroic efforts to protect and advance the revolution. The Bolsheviks embodied the aspirations of the most advanced layers of the working class and utilised their skills and energy. This convinced ever-widening layers of workers, soldiers and poor peasants of the value and aims of the Bolsheviks.

By the autumn of 1917, the Bolsheviks had gained a majority following among the urban working class but had a minority position in the countryside / Image: public domain

The Social Revolutionary Party (SR) was founded in 1902 and was a member of the Second International. The Party was an amalgam of various influences, including some Marxism and some of the ideas of the old populist and terrorist group the Narodniks, but were primarily a reformist party with a focus on land reform. Unlike the Bolsheviks, the SRs placed an emphasis on individual, rather than collective outcomes for successful land reform. It was essentially a peasant-based party and thus tended to vacillate between the classes in its positions, since the peasantry is composed of scattered and heterogeneous elements, some much richer than others. In 1917 it was the majority party of the countryside with strong support among ordinary soldiers, who were in the main of peasant origin. They played a major role in the formation and leadership of the Soviets, albeit in most cases playing second fiddle to the Mensheviks.

After the February 1917 revolution the SR Party became a major component of the new Provisional Government. As that Government moved to the right under the pressure of events and Kerensky took the reins of power, the left faction of the SRs, led by Maria Spiridonova, began to establish a separate position, more sympathetic to the Bolsheviks. At the Second Congress of Soviets in October 1917, when the Bolsheviks proclaimed the deposition of the Provisional government, the split within the SR Party became final. The Left SRs stayed at the Congress and were elected to the permanent Soviet Executive (initially refusing to join the Bolshevik government), while the Right SR Party and their Menshevik allies walked out. Later, the Left SR Party joined the Bolshevik government, obtaining three ministries. The Right SRs thereafter moved into opposition to the new Bolshevik-led government, eventually taking up arms and attempting uprisings and later linking with the reactionary White armies.

The Mensheviks were a socialist and Marxist party, but their Marxism was of a rigid and mechanistic form. Along with the Bolsheviks they had originally been part of the Russian Social Democratic Party. They split with the Bolsheviks over the definition of membership of the Party. But, in fact, the deeper cause for the difference between the two factions lay in the Menshevik belief that socialism could not be achieved in Russia due to its backward economic conditions, and that Russia would first have to experience a bourgeois democratic revolution and go through a capitalist stage of development before socialism was technically possible and before the working class could develop the necessary consciousness for a socialist revolution. Thus, the Mensheviks were opposed to the Bolshevik idea of the party and the pursuit of socialist revolution in Russia.

Their opposition to revolutionary Marxism led inexorably to a path of reformism and eventually, for most of them, opposition to the October Revolution. The Mensheviks gained a considerable following among the working class in the run up to the February Revolution and often held majorities in Soviets and a strong presence in local Dumas. But their support for the War and their participation in an increasingly unpopular Provisional Government saw their support melt away throughout 1917. Following the October Revolution they split between the majority right faction, led by Tsereteli, who favoured action against the Bolsheviks and the left faction, led by Martov, who tended to support the Reds in the civil war but refused to break completely with the right section. Many of the most militant Mensheviks joined the Bolsheviks.

The Anarchists were relatively small and unpredictable. At times supporting the Bolsheviks, at times opposing / Image: public domain

The Anarchists were relatively small and unpredictable. At times supporting the Bolsheviks, at times opposing. In the Spring of 1918 they were disarmed following attempts to stage an uprising within Russia. Initially the Anarchists were principally urban and drawn from the ranks of the intellectual and other petty-bourgeois elements, but in the Ukraine anarchist bands of guerrillas rested on the peasantry. There they eventually coalesced into a large force under Makhno, who fought all-comers, mainly the Germans, but later also the Whites and eventually the Reds.

The Constitutional Democratic Party (Kadets), formed in 1905, was the main bourgeois party, representing capitalist interests. They were broadly liberal, favouring a constitutional monarchy and bourgeois democracy. Following the February Revolution they held five portfolios in the first Provisional Government, including that of Prime Minister (Prince Lvov) and Foreign Minister (Miliukov). Their position steadily eroded as opposition mounted to the Provisional Governments War Policy. Following the October Revolution they called for the overthrow of the Bolshevik regime and supported counter-revolution. As a consequence they were banned in December 1917.

Consolidating gains, October to December 1917

It is not the task of this article to go into any detail of the seizure of power in October 1917. Leon Trotsky has brilliantly captured this event in his History of the Russian Revolution, John Reed in Ten Days that Shook the World and many other pieces, including recent articles from In Defence of Marxism. The fact of the matter is that the resounding slogan of the Bolshevik Party, "All Power to the Soviets! received an immediate and overwhelming endorsement from the soldiers and working class in virtually every town and city throughout the Russian Empire.

In fact, in Tallin, Estonia the Soviet seized power two days before the revolution in Petrograd, and on the day of that insurrection, successful transfers of power were also achieved in Minsk, Novorod, Ivanovo-Voznesensk and Tartu. Within eight days of the declaration of a new workers state, a further 21 towns and cities had achieved Soviet-led power. Resistance from either the Provisional Government forces or from hostile class forces was, initially, universally weak.

The exception to this was Moscow, where poor planning and preparation by the Bolsheviks and the local Soviet, coupled with a strong resistance from armed Kadets, meant that taking power involved some serious fighting over six days, leading to the loss of some 400 lives. But, by the end of 1917, most of the provincial areas of Russia had declared for Soviet power, usually under the leadership of the Bolsheviks. However, the separate nationalities in the Ukraine, the Baltic States and areas of southern Russia around the Don and in the Caucasus Region proved more resistant to socialist revolution and these were to be acute zones of struggle for years to come.

The first steps of the counter-revolution

While the taking of power proved relatively easy, the counter-revolution soon commenced and various attempts were made to turn back the tide of socialist revolution. In Petrograd, the first, ill-fated attempt to thwart the revolution was undertaken by military cadets, known as Junkers (sons of the bourgeois and middle class), who mounted an armed struggle against the Bolsheviks. After a short conflict, the Red Guards easily disarmed them.

More problematic for the new state was the effort by Kerensky, the former head of the Provisional Government, to wrest back control of the capital by using elements of the Cossacks. Having fled Petrograd in disguise, Kerensky tried to galvanise the Imperial Army from the Northern Front headquarters at Psov. However, the Imperial Army was divided and only General Krasnov agreed to organise an expedition against Petrograd. He set off with 700 Cossacks, hoping others would join him on the way.

These forces, lacking morale and any sizeable infantry support, were defeated by Red Guards, recruited from the Petrograd factories, on the Pulkovo Heights, just a few kilometres from Petrograd. These events occurred only five days after the successful revolution in Petrograd. This marked the end of Kerenskys direct role in Russian events and he fled to Paris. Krasnov was arrested but later released and went on to participate in the civil war on the side of White Russian counter-revolution.

Laying the foundations for a new socialist order

Following the defeat of these first attempted coups, the new Bolshevik Government was given some breathing space and proceeded to lay down the foundations for a new, socialist system. Lenin drove the pace of change relentlessly. Only a few months prior to the October Revolution, Lenin had completed one of his outstanding works, State and Revolution. This spelled out with great clarity the Marxist view of the state as an instrument of class domination and the need for a successful proletarian revolution to transform the machinery and practice of the state into a vehicle of working-class rule.

Lenin knew that it was vital to establish the outlines of a new workers state immediately after taking power / Image: public domain

Lenin knew that it was vital to establish the outlines of a new workers state immediately after taking power. Part of his thinking was that the revolution was unlikely to succeed unless and until revolution broke out in one of the advanced capitalist countries. It was therefore imperative to lay down all the markers of a new order so as to establish a guide for the future. Decree after decree was promulgated. By the end of 1917, just over nine weeks after the successful seizure of power, 25 major decrees had been passed, covering such issues as peace, land, the press, civic rights, abolition of estates and titles, right of recall of elected representatives, the judicial system, internal security, economic planning, workers control in industry, unemployment insurance, nationalisation of the banks, civil marriage and so on. Many more decrees followed in 1918. In December, the government established the Economic Planning Council to direct production and distribution.

Resistance to revolutionary change: the old classes and the reformist parties

Efforts to establish the new order were carried on amidst the mounting fury of the old order, frantically scrabbling to get a purchase on the situation. Unable, at this stage, to secure any military support against the new government, the old classes resorted to sabotage and non-compliance. Many of the higher-ranking civil servants refused to cooperate with the new powers unless forced at gunpoint.

The first Council of Peoples Commissars, established in late October 1917, comprised solely Bolshevik Ministers. The Left-SR Party was invited to take some government posts but refused on the grounds that they wanted a government that included all parties represented in the Soviets. This demand was taken up by the Right-SR Party and the Mensheviks. The Bolsheviks could not agree to this, as some parties were continuing to oppose the revolution and seek the overthrow of the government.

The Mensheviks used their dominant position in the Railway Workers Union Executive Committee to pressure the Bolshevik government to accede to the demands for a broad Coalition Government. This was no idle threat, as the railways were key to transport and the movement of arms, goods and other vital necessities. Moreover, they used this muscle to sabotage and disrupt the Bolshevik governments operations as much as they could. For instance, they refused to allow trains to send troops to assist the revolution in Moscow. They also sought to mobilise other trade unions against the Bolshevik government, many of whom had backward, bureaucratic structures led by Mensheviks.

12 Bolshevik members of the cabinet, including Zinoviev (pictured), argued for an all-socialist government in "broad coalition" / Image: public domain

While the majority of Bolshevik leaders rejected the idea of a broad coalition, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Rykov, Nogin and Milyutin  all members of the Bolshevik Central Committee  supported this demand, going so far as to resign from the committee when they lost the vote on 14 November.

Shortly afterwards, five out of the 12 Bolshevik members of the cabinet, including three of the above, resigned their posts and published a manifesto calling for an all-socialist government. Lenin responded robustly. He pointed out that the Left-SRs had been offered places in the government and had declined, and that the purely Bolshevik government had been created and unanimously ratified by the Congress of Soviets. Lenin denounced Zinoviev and Kamenev as deserters and pointed out that they had behaved in a similar strike-breaking fashion before the uprising. In the end, the reformist parties had no support among the broad mass of workers, nor in the Soviets, and the idea of a broad coalition collapsed.

While this set the scene for future battles with the Right-SRs and Mensheviks, the Left-SRs, under pressure from a Peasants Congress in late November, agreed to participate in the Bolshevik government and fuse with the Soviet Executive Committee. By the end of 1917, the Left-SRs received three places in the cabinet.

The Constituent Assembly and the issue of democracy

Holding elections for a Russian Constituent Assembly had long been a key demand of all socialists, including the Bolsheviks. It was seen as a popular demand to challenge the power of the aristocratic and upper-bourgeois classes entrenched in Dumas (the parliaments and city councils that operated prior to the establishment of the Soviets).

The Provisional Government endorsed the demand after the February Revolution and eventually set the time for elections in late 1917. After the October Revolution, when power had passed to the Soviets, Lenin took the position that the elections should be postponed. He argued that an elected Constituent Assembly represented the highest level of democracy in a bourgeois republic, but once power had been won by the workers on the basis of all power to the soviets, this new proletarian democracy represented a higher level still.

While socialists subscribe to democratic processes and indeed demand ever-improved ways of representing the mass of people, the precise form of democracy is not set in stone but must be chosen on the basis that the rights and needs of the exploited are fully and constantly represented. The new workers democracy that emerged in revolutionary Russia was not some formal, bureaucratic, once-every-five-years type of system, but a living, breathing, everyday democracy, where delegates were regularly changed in response to new events and new opinions. The right of recall meant that 50 percent plus one of the electorate could recall their delegate at any time.

Lenin was also against holding Constituent Assembly elections on very practical grounds, arguing that to hold the elections on the basis of out-dated electoral rolls did not reflect the split in the SR Party that had led to effectively two parties  Left-SRs-and Right SRs  and therefore could not accurately reflect political reality at that time. Moreover, he argued there was a need to lower the voting age to 18 and to outlaw counter-revolutionaries who were determined to overthrow the soviet government by force. Without these changes, the election would favour the declining forces of Right-SRs and Kadets. But he was out-voted by the other Bolsheviks, the majority still clinging to a formal notion of democracy.

As Lenin had predicted, the Constituent Assembly in the conditions of late 1917 was at best an irrelevance / Image: public domain

In the event Lenin was absolutely correct. The elections were held before the revolution had been consolidated. The result was that the SRs were by far the largest party, with the Bolsheviks some way behind in second place. But the result also confirmed two further facts. The first was that the whole country was overwhelmingly left oriented. Moderate socialists, including the SRs, gained 62 percent of the vote; and the Bolsheviks, as revolutionary socialists, around 25 percent. The main bourgeois party, the Kadets, achieved less than 5 percent and the Mensheviks, once so powerful, were reduced to 3.3 percent; much of this vote concentrated in the Caucasus, and Georgia in particular.

While these results seemed to show a powerful position for the SRs, it needs to be borne in mind that the Left-SRs were scarcely on the ballot, due, as Lenin said, to out-dated rolls and candidates. Had the Left-SRs been properly represented there is little doubt the result would have looked very different.

In addition, the Bolsheviks won overwhelmingly in all the urban areas and their immediate periphery, and among many of the key soldier and navy units based in the north. Socialist Revolutionaries who dominated the Constituent Assembly represented the political confusion and indecision of the petty bourgeoisie in the towns and the millions of peasants who were relatively distant from the capital and industrial centres. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many peasants were fully behind Bolshevik policies without realising they were Bolshevik, and also thought Lenin and other Bolshevik leaders were German spies. This latter, insidious lie was widely spread by the bourgeois and Right-SR leaders and their press to confuse peasant voters.

As Lenin had predicted, the Constituent Assembly in the conditions of late 1917 was at best an irrelevance and at worst provided another basis for seeking to overthrow the Bolshevik government. He set out his view with great clarity in an article in Pravda in December 1917. The Theses on the Constituent Assembly hammered home in 19 points the basic arguments Lenin had advanced to the Bolsheviks prior to the elections. He was to take up the issue of bourgeois and proletarian democracy again in a polemic he wrote to counter Kautskys revisionist pamphlet, The Dictatorship of the Proletariat, at the end of 1918.

Delegates to the Constituent Assembly began to arrive in the capital in December. Tension was high as the counter-revolution was underway in the Ukarine under General Kaledin and steps were also afoot to start a White Army in the Don region. The Kadets support for an armed counter-revolution led by Kaledin led the government to ban the party and the arrest of some of its leaders.

The Constituent Assembly met in January 1918. The Right-SRs were aware of the opposition they faced from the Soviets and the Bolsheviks and tried to prepare a defence, with a Military Organisation and a Committee for the Defence of the Constituent Assembly. They also had a paper (The Grey Overcoat) and the support of two regiments, plus other soldiers recalled from the front. They also had a strong terrorist group. Their main supporters, the peasants, did not seem very concerned about the outcome as they had primarily seen the SR Party and the Constituent Assembly as a means of getting land, which had already by then been promised by the Bolshevik Government through an important decree.

A Right-SR terrorist group had infiltrated the headquarters of the Bolshevik Party and laid plans to kidnap or assassinate its key leaders, Lenin and Trotsky. The leadership called this off when it became apparent that the plan had been leaked. A right-wing demonstration was held on 5 January, attended by the ranks of the citys petty bourgeois: clerks, intellectuals and so on. They were easily dispersed. It was a sort of botched insurrection. The two regiments that originally supported the SR Party came over to the Bolsheviks.

It was against this tense background that the first and only meeting of the Assembly took place. Sverdlov, on behalf of the Soviet Executive Committee, seized the presiding officers bell, declared the meeting open and proceeded to propose a long resolution endorsing all the actions and decrees taken by the Soviet government so far. This was ignored by the Right-SR majority, which proceeded to the election of a president.

Chernov, of the Right-SR Party, achieved 244 votes, as against 153 for Marie Spiridonova, the Left-SR, whom the Bolsheviks supported. Speeches were then made to a background of boos and catcalls from the soldiers in the gallery. When the Assembly refused to discuss Sverdlovs motion, the Bolsheviks withdrew. The Assembly rambled on, passing three laws on land, a similar one to the Bolsheviks on peace (agreeing to the armistice) and finally proclaiming a democratic federative republic. At 5am, the Assembly was ordered to close, as the guards were tired. It dispersed, never to meet again, as the All-Russian Soviet Executive Committee dissolved the Assembly, saying that it served only as a cover for the overthrow of the Soviets. There was popular indifference to this move and the Assembly faded into history.

By the end of 1917, the October Revolution had managed to survive and defeat all the initial forces ranged against it. Moreover, the spirit and mood of the workers and soldiers still coursed with energy. The flames of the revolution, far from sputtering into darkness were burning brightly. But major obstacles to a lasting victory remained. One of the most pressing in the new year of 1918 was the matter of how best to end the war with Germany and the Central Powers.

Taking control of finance and the economy

The Banks were the first important industries to be nationalised.

The state bank refused to pay out money to the new government and the managers went on strike. Eventually, after threatening the officials, the government managed to retrieve 5m roubles. Private banks also refused to assist the new government, leading to their forcible seizure and opening of their vaults. At end of December 1917, all banks were nationalised and fused with the state bank. Withdrawals were limited to no more than 250 roubles per week.

Large houses were taken into public ownership and industrial enterprises that refused to abide by workers management were generally taken over. All gold held privately was confiscated by the state. In January, all payments of dividends and dealings in shares were made illegal. In February, all foreign debts were repudiated. Big industry was not immediately nationalised but certain individual concerns of strategic interest were, such as the electricity industry, the Putilov munitions factories and the Belgian Metal Company.

Wages and salaries became the main source of income for all. The government took steps to equalize these. To establish a precedent, the salary of the Peoples Commissars was made equal to the average of a skilled worker (500 roubles a month), with an additional 100 roubles per month for each dependant. Lenin, Trotsky and other leading Bolsheviks set a strong example of austere living.

Proletarian organisation

Victor Serge in his book, Year One of the Revolution, mentions that Lenin had urged that miracles of proletarian organisation must be achieved in order to overcome the many-headed resistance of the bourgeois class. Only in this way, especially in these early stages, could their resistance and opposition be overcome.

Lenin urged that miracles of proletarian organisation must be achieved in order to overcome the many-headed resistance of the bourgeois class / Image: public domain

In fact, in the months after the revolution, the policy of the Soviet government consisted principally in awakening, stimulating, sometimes guiding, but more usually simply endorsing the initiative of the masses. The Peoples Commissars were ordered, by decree, to work in close contact with the mass organisations of working men and women, the sailors and soldiers. Workers took initiatives in many diverse ways. Certain trade unions, for example, undertook to organise sections of industries. In many enterprises, offices as well as factories, employees found that they had to manage their places of work as their superiors had abandoned their positions. This was regularised in a decree legalising the intervention of workers in the management of industry and other workplaces. Workers control of industry and offices became widespread.

Some degree of planning and coordination, however, was vital and in December the government established the Supreme Economic Council. This body had the task of coordinating all the activities of local and central organs, which managed and controlled production and distribution. This was the beginning of a centralised planning system that would supplant the rule of the capitalist market.

The press

The Bolsheviks, in common with many socialists, had called for the freedom of the press under the restricted and repressive conditions of the old order. Certainly, it was the early intention of the Soviet government to allow general press freedom. In an early decree on the press, reference was made to the fact that some suppression of the bourgeois press had been undertaken in the immediate period of the revolution. The slogan freedom of the press concealed the fact that it was freedom for the propertied class, as they had taken hold of the lions share of the press to poison, unhindered, the minds and obscure the consciousness of the masses.

The decree went on to state:

As soon as the new (socialist) order has been consolidated all administrative pressure on the press will be terminated and it will be granted complete freedom within the bounds of legal responsibility, in keeping with a law that will be broadest and most progressive in this respect.

Meanwhile the Bolsheviks reserved the right to suppress publications that called for open resistance to the new Government, used slander or distorted facts. In fact, the bourgeois press was operating, relatively freely, as late as May 1918, despite the pressures on the regime. This press remained vicious and slanderous. As conditions deteriorated, press freedoms were curtailed for a number of bourgeois publications and some of the SR publications. This was extended as the civil war intensified and foreign armies intervened in the civil war.

Later in July 1918, the new Constitution of the Soviet Union stated in article 14:

In order to ensure genuine freedom of expression for the working people, the RSFSR abolishes the dependence of the press on capital, and places at the disposal of the working class and the poor peasantry all the technical and material requisites for the publication of newspaper, pamphlets, books and all other printed matter, and guarantees their unhindered circulation throughout the country.

State security and the Cheka

As Lenin had spelled out in State and Revolution, the state is at root an instrument of class rule that depends on force to ensure its survival. In the last analysis, this is achieved through having available armed bodies of men, such as the army, police and security forces, to ensure the will of the ruling class. The transfer of one class rule to another is a process of immense struggle that has always involved armed confrontation. The new workers state therefore had to have its own bodies of armed men.

The Bolsheviks established the Extraordinary Commission for Struggle against Sabotage and Counter-Revolution, otherwise known as the Cheka, and placed in charge the Bolshevik leader Dzerzhinsky / Image: public domain

These took time to establish. In the first instance, they took the form of workers militias, which became known as the Red Guards. They acted as both the shock troops of the revolution and the upholders of order within the towns. In terms of internal security, every state deploys its own specialist services. The Bolsheviks established the Extraordinary Commission for Struggle against Sabotage and Counter-Revolution, otherwise known as the Cheka, and placed in charge the Bolshevik leader Dzerzhinsky. In the early stages this organisation proved relatively mild and in the first few months of the revolution there were remarkably few executions or instances of draconian action. However, as the struggle with the reactionary and imperialist forces intensified, the Cheka accrued additional powers and met force with force, achieving a formidable reputation.

Social and cultural changes

Early soviet decrees highlighted the desire of the new order to radically transform social, cultural and religious norms. Central to this was the release of women from their position of legal subservience and oppression in law. In future, only civil weddings were to be recognised by the state and divorce was to be made freely available to either partner. Men and women were given full juridical equality. Children born out of wedlock were to be given the same rights as offspring of marriages. The criminal code that outlawed homosexual activity was abolished, making Russia among the first in the world to do so.

Early in 1918, a law was passed that separated the church from the state. It declared the right of any citizen to profess any religion or none. Religious oaths were abolished, as were church schools. Churches were not allowed to own property and all such property was declared the property of the people, with local and state authorities having the right to hand over buildings of worship to religious societies for free use.

Under Lunacharsky, radical artists were promoted and Russia's rich cultural heritage was made available to the masses / Image: public domain

In further efforts to align Russia with the modern world, it was agreed to end the use of the Justinian Calendar and, from February 1918, to adopt the Gregorian and West European calendar. This added 13 days to the year and the Revolution of 25 October was subsequently celebrated on 7 November. The Cyrillic script used in printing materials was also simplified.

The orator and somewhat maverick intellectual, the Bolshevik Lunacharsky, was appointed Commissar of Education. His brief also included protecting and advancing the cultural heritage of Russia. He proved a brilliant choice for this office. He was able to cajole and persuade reluctant teachers and academics to continue their teaching and research work under the new regime, despite many of them opposing the new direction. Under his leadership, a major programme to combat illiteracy was embarked upon and he proceeded to reform teaching procedures in a progressive libertarian spirit. New ideas, including Marxism, were introduced into curricula. His approach aroused considerable international interest.

He sought to popularise the arts, taking music, drama, literature and the visual arts to the masses. He was not afraid of the avant-garde and promoted the likes of Chagall and Tatlin to key academies, alongside the work of Eisenstein, the radical filmmaker.

Justice and administration

Justice systems also reflect class rule and so there was an early wholesale change to the Russian justice system. All the general judicial institutions were abolished. Justices of the Peace (JPs) were replaced with local courts represented by a permanent local judge, elected on the basis of direct, democratic suffrage, and two alternate assessors selected by local Soviets. Former JPs and judges were not disbarred from standing for the new posts. Similar changes were made to district and higher courts. Other detailed changes were made to court procedure.

Local government had been largely run by city and council dumas and these were effectively replaced by local and regional soviets. Other local committees and structures also became important, especially the various peasant committees and later the committees of the poor. Local co-operative structures also gained more power after the revolution, although these waned somewhat during the harsh exigencies of 1918 when increased central control was exerted in all aspects of administration.

In July 1918, the All-Russian Soviet agreed a new constitution for The Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic. This was arranged into the following main articles:

Declaration of rights of the labouring and exploited people. General provisions, which set down a number of key principles. Organisation of Soviet power. The right to vote. The budget. The coat of Arms and Flag.

This is an important document as it marked the formal and encoded establishment of a new workers state with all its key principles and operating mechanisms. Although, given the acute crises facing Russia at this time, it was not possible to fully implement all its aspects, it nevertheless marked a highpoint of the struggle to overcome the old capitalist state. It was amended and enlarged in 1924 to take account of the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other matters but its key principles remained, until amended by Stalin in 1936.

Peace and war

The Russian Revolution took place during World War One: war and peace were critical issues. The overthrow of the Tsar and the establishment of a democratic government in February 1917 were regarded by the Provisional Government, and by the SR and Menshevik majority in the Petrograd Soviet, as a justification for continuing the support of the war effort in the name of the defence of the revolution.

In practice, this meant defence of the bourgeoisie, since they were the class most empowered by the first Revolution in 1917. The Bolshevik Party insisted that war must end and peace must be achieved on the basis of no annexations or indemnities. Most Bolsheviks supported this. However, there were some in the party, notably Kamenev, who openly espoused the need for continuing the war on the basis of defending the revolution. Lenin opposed this position in his April Theses, recognising that the masses were desperate to see an end to war. He further argued that the position of revolutionary defencism within a bourgeois state was a confidence trick upon the workers and pandering to patriotism and jingoism. From April to October, the Bolsheviks maintained that a Bolshevik revolution, the ending of the war with a democratic peace and proletarian revolution in Europe, were all parts of a single process and in practice inseparable.

Internationalism and revolutionary war

The Bolshevik Party tradition was unreservedly internationalist in outlook. It believed that nationalism was part and parcel of the capitalist system and that wars were an inevitable consequence of that nationalism. They also took seriously the original Marxist international slogan, workers of the worlds unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains. In addition, the Bolsheviks were also strongly of the view that a Russian socialist revolution could not be sustained without one or more advanced capitalist countries also becoming socialist and linking up with the Russian proletariat.

Lenin opposed a 'revolutionary war', but was in a minority within the party leadership / Image: public domain

Bolsheviks believed that the ending of capitalism and landlordism in Russia would raise the morale of workers and peasants and make them stronger than any opponent. This new class war would rouse the masses internationally. This position was crucial to understanding why the party adopted various positions over the peace negotiations and the issue of revolutionary war. After the establishment of a workers and peasants state Lenin was not, in principle, against waging a revolutionary war against the imperialist powers but, looking at concrete reality, he understood the masses did not want to fight, even for a workers state, at this stage. In any event, the fledgling state had insufficient resources to wage a war of any kind and by December 1917 was faced with civil war. Therefore, Lenin implacably opposed a revolutionary war at this stage. But a majority in the party leadership did not. This set the scene for a prolonged and, in the end, damaging struggle within the Bolshevik Party, which was only finally settled in March 1918.

The peace decree and the armistice with Germany

One of the very first decrees, issued a day after the October Revolution, by the new government was on peace. It called upon all belligerent countries to halt the war immediately on the basis of a just and democratic peace with no annexations or indemnities, and to allow all nations the right of self-determination on a free vote. At the same time, the decree abolished secret diplomacy, calling for open and transparent negotiations, and annulled all secret treaties agreed by the old regime, stating that such secret treaties would be published. Finally, the government called for an immediate armistice.

A temporary armistice between Russia, Germany and her allies was agreed on 2 December 1917 / Image: public domain

After initial negotiations between the Soviet delegation and those of Germany and her allies, an armistice was agreed on 2 December. It allowed 28 days before full peace negotiations took place. It was agreed to maintain current military positions, and further agreed that Germany would not send troops to the western front because of the armistice and would allow a degree of fraternisation between troops.

Trotsky, after some resistance on his part, was appointed Commissar for Foreign Affairs and would eventually lead all negotiations, which were to take place in Brest-Litovsk: a small town on the Russian-Polish border, now in Belarus.

Foreign policy, under Trotsky, comprised largely of appeals to workers and revolutionary groups throughout the world to organise a world revolution. He paid scant attention to the traditional role of a Foreign Secretary, saying, My job is to publish the treaties, issue some revolutionary proclamations and shut up shop. Former secret treaties were quickly published, ambassadors recalled and new ones sent out. Money was made available for international revolutionary organisations. Agitational newspapers were published, aimed at foreign workers and prisoners of war. For their part, foreign governments rebuffed Russian attempts to obtain friendly responses and all countries opposed any rapprochement with the Bolsheviks. However, there were contacts between Russia and foreign ambassadors and initially the allies hoped to persuade Russia to continue fighting Germany. When this failed, their opposition to Bolshevik Russia noticeably stepped up.

Negotiations at Brest-Litovsk and Bolshevik splits

Following the armistice agreement, negotiations re-started at Brest-Litovsk, with Joffe initially leading the Russian delegation. These discussions were inconclusive. The Soviet delegation put forward their positions on annexations and the rights of nationalities to enjoy political freedom and ending colonies. The Central Powers (Germany, Austro-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria), led effectively by the German General Hoffman, played lip service to these demands as they had no intention of giving up Poland or those Baltic states under their control. Moreover, they now included in their delegation representatives of the Ukrainian Rada (a nationalist-led parliament), weakening the Soviet claim to represent all Russian territories. The Red offensive against the armed nationalists in Ukraine was only just underway.

Trotsky took over as leader of the Soviet delegation to the peace negotiations at Brest-Litovsk in 1918 / Image: public domain

Trotsky took over as leader of the Soviet delegation in the New Year, and hoping that delaying tactics would work in their favour, used the negotiations as a platform for propaganda. There were definite signs of revolt among workers in Austria and Germany and among their soldiers and sailors. Strikes occurred in Austria in mid-January and later in the month there were serious strikes in Berlin, Hamburg, Danzig and Kiel. Eventually, the Central Powers sought to break the deadlock by stating their demands for the Soviets to cede all territory currently occupied by Germany in the North and to negotiate the southern boundaries with the Ukrainian Rada. Trotsky decided that he now needed to return to Petrograd to discuss with the leadership the best response. There then began a series of debates and votes. In the first meeting, 63 leading Bolsheviks debated the issue of peace. Lenin argued for taking peace at any price to secure the bridgehead of the revolution and wait for better times. Despite Lenins prestige, he got only 15 votes. 32 votes, mainly Moscow Bolsheviks led by Bukharin, were for a revolutionary war against Germany and her allies rather than accepting their terms. Trotsky took a third position of neither war nor peace but to continue to delay the proceedings as long as possible in the hope revolution would break out in Germany of Austria and if necessary declare peace unilaterally when pressed. He got 16 votes.

A few days later the Central Committee of the party met and Lenin again called for immediate peace. Only Stalin was clear in his support so Lenin agreed to Trotskys delaying position and this passed 12-1. Only two, Bukharin and Dzerzhinsky, supported pursuing a revolutionary war.

Trotsky returned to the negotiations later in January, but after spinning it out as long as possible he made a unilateral declaration to end the war. He then walked out of the talks. Seven days later the German High Command announced it was going to resume hostilities. The Bolshevik unilateral declaration of peace was intended as a signal to all workers and soldiers involved in the war to rise up and oppose their leaders and join the struggle. This did not occur and the Central Powers immediately renewed hostilities. Meeting little resistance, they quickly advanced on all fronts.

Meanwhile, the Bolshevik Central Committee was in almost continuous session. Lenin again called for seeking terms with the Germans, but got only 4 votes against 6, with Trotsky voting against. Lenin then posed the question: what if the German army advanced and there was no revolution in Germany and Austria? By 6-1, with 4 abstentions (Trotsky went over to Lenin) it was agreed that, in that event, peace should be made. But the Germans were already advancing. The issue was debated the following day. Despite some movements, the vote for Trotskys hesitation again carried 6-5. But by evening it was clear the German advance was strong and Russia was threatened. At this point Trotsky went over to Lenin and the Central Committee agreed to ask for peace negotiations by 7-5. Other party and Soviet bodies rapidly ratified this decision, although not without division, and a telegram was sent off agreeing to a renewal of the peace negotiations.

The final Brest-Litovsk Treaty and its ratification

However, Germany was in no hurry to accept and took full advantage of its position, advancing deep into the Ukraine and other areas. Eventually, the Germans came up with new, much harsher terms than before: Soviet withdrawal from Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia and Finland and the ceding of territory to Turkey in the south. The treaty also demanded Soviet recognition of the Ukrainian Nationalist Government or Rada. The implications of the Treaty for the economy of Soviet Russia were immense. They lost some of the most productive areas of Russia, especially in the Ukraine with its large assets in coal, industry and agriculture. In all they lost 40 percent of industrial capacity, 45 percent of fuel, 90 percent of sugar, 70 percent of the metal industry and 55 percent of wheat potential. The demand to withdraw the Red Guards from Finland led to a German-backed counter-revolution of considerable ferocity.

So harsh were these terms that many leading Bolsheviks, especially in the Moscow Region, again resisted acceptance and ratification. There followed another heated debate in the Bolshevik Central Committee. Lenin moved acceptance, this time saying he would resign if he didnt gain the vote. Trotsky opposed but, in the end, abstained, as did Dzerzhinsky, Joffe, and Krestinsky, giving Lenin a 7-4 majority. In early March, the Soviet Government signed the new terms of Brest-Litovsk. Full internal ratification had to go through various bodies and the debates raged on. At the Seventh Bolshevik Party Congress in March 1918, Trotsky again reiterated his opposition to accepting such harsh terms but declared he would not vote against Lenin. This was then carried by 28 votes to 9. At the all-Russian Central Executive Committee, after a speech by Lenin it was carried 116 votes to 84. On 16 March, the All Russian Congress of Soviets, after two days of stormy debate, ratified the governments decision by 784-262.

The Germans demanded Soviet withdrawal from Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia and Finland, ceding of territory to Turkey in the south and recognition of the Ukrainian Nationalist Government or Rada / Image: public domain

These details are recounted to illustrate the tradition of debate and internal democracy within the Bolshevik Party and Soviet Russia at this time. This tradition, although necessarily curbed in the acute conditions of Civil War later in 1918, nevertheless remained at the heart of the Bolshevik Party as long as Lenin and Trotsky remained at the helm. It is instructive, in view of the later cult of the personality around Stalin, that Lenin, despite his immense standing in the party and among the workers, was consistently opposed by many leading comrades throughout this process. When he was defeated he accepted it and fought on with unflinching argument in meetings and in writing.

In fact, a notable feature of Lenin throughout is that at every stage and moment of the Revolution he was not only driving the process in practice, with attention to every detail, but also writing articles, resolutions and even longer works. It is true that, in the final stages of the debates on Brest-Litovsk, Lenin threatened to resign if his views were not accepted, but this was after months of exhaustive debate and at a critical moment for the survival of the revolution. Lenin always considered it vital, at this stage of world developments, to keep the core of the revolution secure.

The left wing of the party, around Bukharin, openly stated that they were prepared for a split in the party and were willing to sacrifice the revolution on the altar of an international revolutionary war. Lenin considered this absurd posturing and wrote a biting critique in February 1918, called Strange and Monstrous. In this piece Lenin shows how the process of debate within the party was carried out. He vigorously defends the left-wings right to express its view:

It is quite natural that comrades who sharply disagree with the Central Committee over the question of a separate peace should sharply condemn the Central Committee and express their conviction that a split is inevitable. All that is the most legitimate right of party members, which is quite understandable.

But, he did not fail to condemn their reasoning as strange and monstrous, nor hesitate to call them out for revolutionary phrasemaking. Immediately after the conclusion of this drawn out process of Peace he wrote a substantial text on the broader issues it raised and called it, Left-Wing Childishness and Petty-Bourgeois Mentality. He was to return to this theme two years later in 1920 when he wrote Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder.

Soviet foreign policy in 1918

Before returning to the immediate issues at home it is worth noting another issue that split the Bolsheviks at this stage and it again illustrates the division between the realists and what Lenin called a petty-bourgeois mentality. This occurred over the approach the Soviet Government should take in confronting the capitalist powers.

The left wing around Bukharin, stated that they were prepared for a split in the party over the question of revolutionary war / Image: public domain

The notion widely held at one time, that a workers government would have no truck with any capitalist power, proved untenable and unrealistic. The capitalist states were not a uniform bloc and divisions could be exploited. The leftists, led by Bukharin, refused to contemplate any deals with the capitalists. Lenin and Trotsky tended to operate on the pragmatic and realistic side, although, as we have seen, Trotsky sometimes took longer to reach the same conclusions as Lenin. Occasionally, it was the other way around, with Lenin acknowledging that Trotsky had been correct. In the Central Committee in February 1918, Trotsky argued in favour of accepting arms from any country, even capitalist ones, on the one condition that no political obligations were given to these countries in return. This was hotly debated and only carried 6-5 with Lenin not attending but supporting the proposal. In the end, this proposal was without effect because the vague offers of support from USA, Britain and France were predicated on keeping Russia in the war so as to keep Germany pinned down in the east. Once the Brest-Litovsk Treaty was finally signed the other imperialist powers declined Russia any assistance.

In the wake of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty a dual, inter-meshed foreign policy emerged: to promote world socialist revolution and defend the national security of the Soviet Republic. This would last as a consistent and integrated approach throughout the civil war and until the fight against the aggression of the allied powers finally ended in early 1921. Stalin later tried to portray a split between Lenin and Trotsky over the issue of world revolution or socialism in one country. In fact, this is entirely false and distorts the real split, which was between Lenin and the left communists that included Bukharin, Radek and Uritsky.

Lenin, like Trotsky, remained a powerful advocate of world revolution and indeed frequently said that it was the only hope for the long-term success of the Russian Revolution. Lenin said that if necessary he would be in favour of sacrificing the Russian Revolution for a German Revolution, if it occurred, which would be on a much higher level and would hasten world revolution. The difference between Lenin and Trotsky was essentially one of balance. Trotsky was slower than Lenin to realise that the German Revolution would take time to mature, over-estimating the prospects for revolution.

Early struggles on the periphery

The general headquarters of the Russian Army, a veritable citadel in a time of all-out war, was situated away from Moscow and Petrograd. Here the Bolsheviks were weak. The soldiers Committee of the Armies, which had been elected at the beginning of the February revolution, was controlled by the SRs and had a cosy relationship with the generals. Six days after the October Revolution, they decided to oppose the Bolsheviks and march on Petrograd. But the mood of the soldiers, who welcomed the revolution, prevented this. When Lenin then called on the soldiers to elect new delegates and organise for an armistice with Germany, the old army establishment was doomed. These elections were held on 18 November. Following these elections, General Dukhonin, the supreme army head, who had defied the Bolshevik Governments orders, was arrested and executed.

From October to March, the strong tide in favour of the Bolshevik-led Soviet Government had swept most urban and working-class areas of Russia. Even in the strongly nationalist areas of the Ukraine, parts of the Caucasus and the Don region, Red forces had been triumphant. Local soviets had sprung up everywhere. Most of the troops were with the Bolsheviks and the peasantry were broadly supportive as they saw their land needs being addressed. But from that point on the situation for the government became more and more difficult. The ending of the First World War proved a key factor in the west, as German troops occupied so much of the land that was highly productive for all parts of the economy. The Germans and their allies were keen to weaken Russia as far as possible and also to undermine Bolshevism by arming and encouraging nationalists and elements of the old order in Russia, principally the old Tsarist generals and officers, so that they could mount an effective counter-revolution. This, in effect, was the start of three years of brutal civil war.

Anti-Bolshevik, White forces in Russia, 1918 / Image: public domain

A number of generals and officers of the Imperial Army fled south to the Ukraine, where the Government was nationalistic and anti-Bolshevik. An Army of Volunteers, as the first White force was called, led by General Kornilov, gathered in the south, with more officers than men. Ukrainian nationalism, infused with certain elements of socialism, attempted a form of self-government under the old parliament, called the Rada. Eventually, struggles broke out between Bolshevik supporters in Kiev and the nationalists; the Reds took Kiev in January. Ukraine fell largely under Bolshevik control by February 1918.

After November there was a general strike in Finland. This was largely victorious but there was no revolutionary workers party prepared to take power. So, the workers took matters into their own hands and took power in Helsinki, driving out the bourgeois government. Still, the social democrat leaders failed to drive through a revolution and opted for radical but piecemeal change. The Russian Government passed a decree giving independence to Finland at the end of 1917. Momentum gathered in 1918 and by February a new constitution was established providing for an elected assembly every three years along with other highly advanced features.

The Finnish social democracy attempted the highest ever form of bourgeois democracy. But, in the circumstances, it was utopian and met with fierce armed reaction. The bourgeois launched a White terror, using a battalion of Finns in the German army. Red Guards and soviet supporters flocked to support the working class. Soviet forces had to withdraw under the terms of the Brest Litovsk Treaty. Vicious fighting then led to extreme white terror and the defeat of the Red forces. Up to a quarter of the proletariat were subsequently killed and murdered (100,000).

The Caucasus area was complex with many nationalities and conditions. This proved a difficult area for the pro-Bolshevik, revolutionary Red forces who were initially defeated by a combination of so-called socialist Georgians and reactionary Turks and Tartars.

In the Don region, another complex war occurred, involving several old imperial generals, complicated by divisions within the Cossacks population. The Cossack cavalry had traditionally been used by the Tsarist regime as a force for reaction. When the October Revolution, occurred the Don Cossack Council declared independence. General Kaledin welcomed former officers and some soldiers from the old imperial army and thus began the formation of a White army that was to play a lasting role in the ensuing civil war.

In December 1917, the Soviet government sent a Red Guard force to assert Soviet control. At this stage, the White forces were ill-equipped, poorly organised and unable to resist the Red forces. As a result, the Don Cossack Council agreed to yield to the Soviet forces, causing General Kaledin to commit suicide. The tide turned in May 1918 due to the German invasion in the west and the growth of the White forces under Generals Kornilov and Alekseev. The Cossack leadership rebelled against the Soviet administration and, with the improved White forces, armed and supplied by the French and British, were able to defeat most Red forces and resume control over large areas. In the process, there were many massacres and atrocities against Bolsheviks and the working class generally.

In Siberia and in the Central Asia regions Bolsheviks also achieved early success in the main centres, only to suffer reversals at a later stage.

The White Forces

The White movement and its armies were so-called because the colour white was associated with the Tsar. They represented the old defeated classes of the monarchy and the bourgeoisie. The movement, as such, did not have a strong social base. It drew in various elements dissatisfied with the Bolshevik regime, usually reactionary nationalist elements. Few wanted to see the Tsar restored, except the leaders and especially the army leaders, who became, in effect, petty dictators.

The Red Army, under Trotsky, achieved a strong, centralised leadership and had a clear purpose of defending the revolution / Image: public domain

In general, the White leadership was against separate national states and desired a return to a united empire. There was also a strong current of antisemitism within the White armies. Western sponsors expressed dismay at this, especially as the Bolsheviks had prohibited antisemitism and appeared more progressive. Winston Churchill personally warned General Denikin, whose forces effected pogroms against the Jews, that my task in winning support in Parliament for the Russian Nationalist cause will be infinitely harder if well-authenticated complaints continue to be received from Jews in the zone of the Volunteer Armies.

One of the abiding weaknesses of the White forces was their lack of unity. The leaders squabbled and there were many who joined the umbrella of the Whites simply because they opposed the Bolsheviks, rather than having a united vision of what they wanted. Ultimately, this played into the hands of the Red Army, which, under Trotsky's command, achieved a strong, centralised leadership, and, of course, always with the clear purpose of defending the revolution.

Backs against the wall

Whilst the broad mass of the working class continued to give their support to the Bolshevik Party, activists within the party were often split on crucial issues. The issue of whether or not to wage a revolutionary war against Germany and its forces of occupation proved one of the more divisive questions that very nearly led to a complete split in the party.

The division started in February, when the Moscow Region Committee took a left position and called for non-acceptance of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty and the heroic sacrifice of the Russian proletariat on the altar of internationalism. Lenin provided a powerful critique of this position, calling them Communists of misfortune and talking despair. By March this tendency had crystallised into an organised faction and were called Left Communists. They were led by Bukharin with the support of Radek and Uritsky, among others, and published a paper called the Kommunist. Several members of the faction were elected to the Central Committee but they refused to serve.

The two tendencies faced off at the 7th Party Congress in March 1918. Lenins position on peace was supported by Zinoviev, Smilga and Sverdlov. Trotsky also sided with Lenin but urged war in Ukraine against the German occupiers. Lenin, whilst not against such a move, argued for space and time to build up forces. It was at this Congress that the name Communist Party (Bolshevik) was adopted and it was agreed to review the Programme of the Party.

In April 1918 Lenin published The International Position of the Russian Soviet Republic and the Fundamental Tasks of the Socialist Revolution. In it, Lenin argued that at that time a brief respite existed when all efforts had to be made to tackle the issue of organising the new Soviet system in an administrative sense. This required honest accounting, no stealing and strict labour discipline. The most class-conscious workers must lead the drive to implement these slogans among the masses.

The aim was to establish a productive and efficient system that began to address the accumulated chaos of the war years and restore some order and benefits for people weary and close to despair. In the conclusion Lenin stated the situation clearly:

An extraordinarily difficult, complex and dangerous situation in international affairs; the necessity of manoeuvring and retreating; a period of waiting for new outbreaks of the revolution which is maturing in the west at a painfully slow pace; within the country a period of slow construction and ruthless tightening-up, of prolonged and persistent struggle waged by stern, proletarian discipline against the menacing element of petty-bourgeois laxity and anarchy: these in brief are the distinguishing features of the special stage of the socialist revolution in which we are now living.

Trotsky struck the same note in March when he gave a speech to a Party Conference. He emphasised the need for labour, discipline and order and urged that specialists be given a role in managing industry. In the same vein, he justified abandoning the principle of the election of officers in the Red Army, arguing that it was now a proletarian army and the need to challenge the Imperial officers through elections no longer applied. They needed the best, most-skilled and experienced to fill officer roles. The Left Communists published a critical response in their paper, Kommunist, which opposed the army reforms and at the same time called for the faster expropriation of capital and the cooperative organisation of production and distribution based on full workers control and management. Lenin replied in a series of articles in Pravda in May 1918, called Left Infantilism and the Petty-Bourgeois Mentality.

Lenin replied to the Left Communists in a series of articles in Pravda in May 1918 called 'Left Infantilism and the Petty-Bourgeois Mentality' / Image: public domain

The major debates that ensued through the Spring and Summer within the Party are important and instructive but require a more detailed analysis than can be offered here. Suffice it to say that, having lost the vote at the March Congress the Left Communists then lost their positions on the Supreme Council of National Economy and shortly afterward lost their control of the Moscow and Urals regional organisations. When the Soviet government, under different conditions, nationalised all large industrial enterprises in late June, many Left Communists considered this to be a correct economic policy and shifted their support back to Lenin. By the end of the summer, the Left Communists no longer existed as a distinct opposition group.

Political opposition outside Bolshevism

Efforts to overthrow the Bolshevik Government at home had not disappeared. In fact, in the harsh conditions of spring and summer 1918, when famine stalked the land, their efforts grew. Although the bourgeois parties, such as the Cadets and the Octobrists, had little support, there was lots of intrigue and rumour with foreign powers seeking to find suitable organisations to back. Several right-wing organisations and conspiracies were attempted. The Right or Moscow Centre (businessmen, landowners and conservative and liberal politicians) had a military department but was weak and disorganised. The National Centre, which split off from the Right Centre in June 1918, was a rallying point for the Cadet Party. Overall there was no real drive or unity between any of them and they were easily and, relatively leniently, dealt with by the Cheka.

The petty-bourgeois parties, which included the SRs of Left and Right, the Anarchists and the Mensheviks, did have a potential mass base given the weight of the peasantry in the country, and could have posed a serious problem for the Bolsheviks. But, as Lenin pointed out, the petty-bourgeois parties, like the class they represented, wavered and vacillated at every turn, becoming revolutionary one moment and, when things got difficult, siding with the bourgeoisie, or turning to terrorism. Not surprisingly the mass of peasants was largely uninterested.

The Right SR Party, lacking their base in the Constituent Assembly, had nowhere to go except an alliance with the White forces. This they did in a more and more overt fashion. In the spring of 1918 Savinkov, a veteran SR conspirator, helped to establish the Union for the Defence of the Motherland and Freedom. It claimed to have 5,500 members, but they were scattered all over the country. Its objective was to overthrow Soviet power and establish a military dictatorship. They had financial support from several imperial powers, notably France. Several leading members were arrested in May 1918 and its planned actions were foiled. Savinkov and others remained at large and tried to organise armed uprisings in several towns in July 1918, but these were easily overcome and the organisation faded away. Savinkov and other Right SRs re-emerged in the short-lived Samara Government on the Volga (described in more detail below).

The All-Russian Soviet Executive had representatives of all parties that participated in local and regional Soviets. Thus it had left Mensheviks, Left SRs and others. But in June, as the struggle for survival became paramount it was agreed to expel all those parties who were instigating civil war against the Soviets. This was both logical and necessary. This removed Right SRs and Mensheviks and left only Left SRs and Bolsheviks.

The terrorist wing of the Right SR Party, the so-called Battle Organisation, had one last throw of the dice at the end of August 1918 when they sought to assassinate a number of leaders, including Lenin and Trotsky. Lenin was shot by Fanny Kaplan and was lucky not to have been killed. Although struck in his shoulder and neck he survived and recovered after the operation and a short convalescence. The plot to kill Trotsky failed when he altered his planned route to Kazan at the last moment. Uritsky, the President of the Petrograd Cheka, was less lucky and was killed.

The Left SR Party ostensibly represented the poor peasantry but in practice tended to base themselves on the middle peasantry. They had a significant position in the Soviets. They left the government over the Brest-Litovsk Treaty in March 1918 but continued to offer critical support to the Bolsheviks for a period.

At the Fifth All-Russian Congress of Soviets in early July 1918, the Left SRs had 353 delegates out of 1,164. Nothing illustrates the vacillating and intemperate nature of petty-bourgeois revolutionaries better than the debates at this Congress, where the Left SRs hysterically attacked the Bolsheviks for their determination to maintain discipline in the Red Army on the border with Ukraine. The Left SRs had been agitating amongst these units, inciting them to join guerrilla bands inside the Ukraine and attack the German occupiers. Calling for discipline, Trotsky asked for approval of an order to shoot those responsible for fomenting such division and adventurism. The Left SRs erupted with fury but were soundly defeated in the vote.

When Dzerzhinsky, the Cheka leader, confronted the Left SR Committee in Moscow they arrested him and proceeded to use Cheka forces they controlled to occupy key parts of Moscow. With this act, they effectively 'committed suicide' / Image: public domain

Later, one of their leaders, Maria Spiridonova, made wild accusations against the Bolsheviks and was calmly rebutted by Lenin. Then news arrived at the Congress that Left SR agents had infiltrated the German Ukraine headquarters and assassinated the German ambassador, Count Mirbach. When Dzerzhinsky, the Cheka leader, confronted the Left SR Committee in Moscow they arrested him and proceeded to use Cheka forces they controlled to occupy key parts of Moscow. In the event, they lacked any popular support and the rebellion was put down in a day. Arrests and some executions followed. As Victor Serge says in Year One of the Revolution, The Left SR Party had committed suicide.

Anarchist groups were also present in most towns, but many were self-styled and close to banditry. They had gained some support, generally fighting with the Reds in November. They had their own Black General Staff, and were armed. In the period after March, they assumed a more anti-Bolshevik position and moved to violence. However, disarming them proved easy as they had little broad support. Hundreds were arrested but most of those who were genuine anarchists by conviction were released and allowed to operate more or less freely with their organisations, press and clubs. The anarchist movement in the Ukraine led by Makhno is a different story and is dealt with in a later installment.

After the October Revolution, the Menshevik Party became a shadow of its former self and had split into left and right factions. The weakness of the Mensheviks is revealed in the elections for the Constituent Assembly, when they only managed 3 percent of the vote. However, they were relatively strong in the Caucusus region, where they had taken a strongly pro-nationalist line. They had a majority position in Georgia and from May 1918 led an independent government, under the general permission of the Germans, known as the Democratic Republic of Georgia. Nationally, most Mensheviks who had not joined the Bolsheviks increasingly sided with counter-revolutionaries. Martov and the left faction continued to operate in a more principled fashion but became increasingly hostile to the Bolsheviks.

The end of the Romanovs

A brief mention should be made of the denouement of the Tsar and his family, the Romanovs, which occurred in the summer of 1918.

In July 1918, Ekaterinburg (where the Romanovs were being held) was virtually encircled by White forces and the Urals Soviet decided to execute the Tsar and his family / Image: public domain

After February 1917, the Romanovs had been held in comparative ease at the imperial palace at Tsarskoe Syelo. But after the July 1917 days of upheaval, the Provisional Government decided to place the family deeper into Russia in the remote Siberian town of Tobolsk. After the October Revolution, the question of what to do with the Tsar and his family became a more burning topic, as they clearly provided a rallying call for the counter-revolutionary forces. After a White Army approached the Tobolsk in April 1918, the Bolsheviks moved the imperial family west to Ekaterinburg in the Urals. In July, Ekaterinburg was virtually encircled by White forces and the Urals Soviet decided to execute the family.

The economic crisis and feeding the urban population

Prior to Brest-Litovsk and the German occupation of Ukraine, the Russian economy was already in a poor state. The effects of years of war and then the upheaval of revolution meant that production and distribution were massively disrupted. Moreover, as in all belligerent countries, the economy had become heavily oriented to the needs of war and the millions of troops that were required. The loss of the valuable economic areas of Ukraine, Caucasus and later the Don region provoked a major crisis after March 1918.

The primary and immediate problem was the need to obtain sufficient grain to feed the people, especially in the urban areas. The harvest was still to come. People were hungry and desperate. Riots and uprisings over lack of bread were not uncommon. Lenin said at this time, To get bread, that is the basis of socialism today. This called for desperate measures. The first of these was the creation of the Food Commissariat with sweeping powers (decree of 27 May) to supply the population with objects of primary necessity. The Food Commissar was Tsurupa, and among his powers was the ability to remove local commissars, override local soviets and in certain circumstances institute court proceedings against disobedient representatives of local soviets.

What ensued was a battle between the consuming, needy provinces and the producing provinces that held surpluses of food, often hoarded. Special armed detachments, recruited predominantly from Bolshevik-supporting factories, were attached to local food committees in the producing districts. Wealthy peasants, known as kulaks, were those mainly responsible for hoarding grain and other food resources. On 11 June, the Soviet regime set up Committees of the Poor all over the country. These committees were empowered to distribute grain, products of prime necessity and agricultural machines and to cooperate with local food brigades in taking surplus grain away from kulaks and other richer peasants. Incentives were offered to the poorer peasants to participate in this process. There was provision to exclude from any expropriation the slightly better-off peasants who possessed just a few livestock and hired one or two labourers, as long as they were basically self-sufficient. This was reinforced in August 1918 when a letter was circulated to try to prevent the alienation of middle peasants.

Certainly, there were many excesses and ferocious battles. 26 peasant uprisings were recorded in July, 47 in August, and 26 in September. In some cases, old scores were settled. In some instances, bandits and thieves joined the committees; and in some, genuine local communists were driven out of important and potentially lucrative posts such as the collection of local taxes. But, the tactic of splitting the villages on class lines was broadly successful. In regions where there was much poverty among the peasants the actions against kulaks and others were more severe. In areas closer to the big cities, there was greater control and order.

At their height, the Committees of the Poor numbered tens of thousands and as a policy they prevented a complete breakdown of society. There was famine and great hunger but it would have been much worse without such drastic, organised intervention. By November 1918, the crisis was passing and the Committees of the Poor were dissolved and there were new elections for local soviets, which included the best representatives of the old Committees. The two bodies were in effect fused. On 8 November 1918 Lenin declared Soviet policy in the village would be:

To reach an agreement with the middle-class peasantry, not relaxing for a moment the struggle against the kulak and relying firmly only on the poor.

The impact of the continuing food shortages can be seen in the major loss of population suffered by the towns and cities where people moved to the countryside to find food. Petrograds population, for example, declined from 2.3m in November 1915 to 1.4m in July 1918.

Meeting the military threat: Trotskys role as head of the army

The first soldiers of the revolution were the Red Guards, largely recruited from the working-class and Bolshevik soldiers and sailors. But in order to bring order and unity, a stronger and larger force was necessary. In the first stages of the revolution, no conscription was possible. The Bolsheviks had pledged peace and the old army was disintegrating and going home.

A decree on 28 January 1918 laid down the basis for recruiting a voluntary Red Army. There was an Initial sign-up for three months, and a salary of 150 rubles a month, along with some privileges and exemptions for the family. More than 100,000 recruits signed up in the next two and half months but efficiency and quality were often very low. The troops were liable to be ill-disciplined, to endlessly debate orders and make impossible demands. In addition, some criminal elements joined. This early Red Army was capable of defeating poorly organised, internal dissidents but no match for the German Army in Ukraine, nor the emerging White armies.

The Supreme War Council was set up on 1 March 1918 and took over the organisation of the Red Army. On 5 March, Trotsky was appointed chair. In early April, Trotsky was also appointed Commissar of War. He got to work immediately, determined to create a disciplined armed forces, in sufficient numbers and led by competent officers, with good planning and organisation. In these aims, he met plenty of opposition both from within and outside the Bolshevik Party.

In April, Trotsky was appointed Commissar of War. He was determined to create a disciplined armed forces, in sufficient numbers and led by competent officers / Image: public domain

Trotskys immediate task as the new Commissar of War was to conjure a new army out of practically nothing. Of the Imperial Russian Army, only the division of Latvian Riflemen was useful and reliable, and thus retained. The remnants of Red forces opposing the Whites on the various fronts often acted as scattered bands of partisans with little control and discipline. Red forces generally were poorly trained, equipped and led. But Trotsky rapidly transformed the Red Army into a disciplined, effective fighting force comprising several Red armies fighting on multiple fronts.

Trotskys first pronouncements on military policy in March 1918 were directed primarily at the party and the Soviets and called for Work, discipline and order. He noted that, in its first assault on power, the Bolsheviks had necessarily been anti-militaristic and had pressed for democracy in the army, electing commanders and challenging orders etc. But the new situation required a new approach that would enable the workers to defeat the enemy. This meant accepting former Tsarist officers who pledged to assist the Soviet government. Not only were they skilled in leadership but also often possessed technical and military knowledge lacking in the largely working-class layers that formed the Red Guards.

However, many within the Bolshevik Party, especially the Left Communists, fiercely resisted Trotskys proposals. Stalin, and some of the established Red military leaders, also opposed these ideas. Lenin and a majority of party leaders understood the necessity of adopting Trotskys position. Indeed Lenin took Trotskys theme of discipline, order and utilising skills from the within the old classes and adopted it in a much wider social and economic context, supporting the use of managers, professional and technical experts in running factories and other vital parts of economic life. For Lenin, as with Trotsky, the politics of the moment dictated the course of action.

Lenin laid his plans before the All-Russian Soviet Executive in April and they agreed on proposals for military training, new disciplinary codes and utilising the skills and expertise of former Tsarist officers. On 22 April, the government set out the policies in a Decree. Under this policy, all workers and peasants who did not hire labour would receive 12 hours of training over an 8-week period every year. The practice of electing officers was abolished and refusing to obey orders became a punishable offence and capital punishment was reintroduced for the most serious breaches of discipline. In seeking to improve army organisation, Trotsky created provincial, county and township war commissariats responsible, among other things, for the general military training of the adult population.

Trotskys scheme for a new Red Army did not pass without serious opposition. In April 1918, when he laid his plans before the All-Russian Soviet Executive, he met with opposition from many quarters. His decision to recruit former army officers provoked much outrage from Mensheviks and Left SRs. Martov accused Trotsky of paving the way for a dictator. More seriously, there was opposition from within the Bolshevik Party. The Left Communists rejected the idea of a centralised standing army and saw the recruitment of former officers as a compromise with the old regime.

Although the partys Central Committee backed Trotskys plan it was not without misgivings and much behind-the-scenes complaining. Trotskys position on the issue of hiring former officers and specialists touched on a wider issue of relations with the old order. Trotsky and Lenin recognised the reality that the new state lacked skilled professionals, technicians and managers from among the working class. The choice was to ignore the resources available and build from scratch, or to employ such resources on behalf of the revolution and use such people to help train new generations.

However, utilising these elements, who were inevitably conservative in outlook and sceptical of the revolution, carried dangers. Some officers were White sympathisers and later defected. But, in the crisis situation of the summer of 1918, the young new state had little practical alternative. To help offset the bias or deviation of the officer corps, political commissars were attached to all the levels of command in a form of dual power. To prevent officers from sabotage or deserting to the Whites, a register was kept of the officers families to be held as possible hostages.

The first to volunteer from the old Imperial Army was General Bonch-Bruevich, who was made head of General Staff. Trotsky discussed with other officers and they came over later in April. At the same time, Trotsky always sought to appoint communists and revolutionaries as officers if they had proven to be effective and disciplined leaders in military combat. Nevertheless, eventually the majority of officers were from the old army, and by the end of 1918, 30,000 former officers of the Tsarist Army were serving in the Red Army. Some proved to be traitors or unreliable and Trotsky used serious disciplinary measures if they stepped out of line, including the death penalty and using the officers family as hostages.

As well as creating a strong and centralised army, Trotsky set about establishing improved administration, equipment and supplies. In the conditions of 1918, this was difficult but gradually began to have an impact. This was greatly aided by the fact that Trotskys Deputy at the Supreme War Council, directing its day to day activities, was the brilliant organiser Sklyansky, whom Trotsky described as the Carnot of the Russian Revolution (Lazare Carnot was dubbed the Organiser of the Victory in the French Revolutionary Wars following the French Revolution of 1793).

By mid-1918, efforts to re-organise and invigorate the Red Army were still on-going and meeting resistance / Image: public domain

Finally, Trotsky laid great store in developing intensive educational and propaganda programmes to instil into the new army conscripts a spirit of commitment and devotion to the cause of the revolution. Agitprop techniques in drama, poster art and other methods were an integral element in creating a determined mood in a fighting, disciplined Red Army.

Forging an effective army was one matter but Trotsky also succeeded in reorganising the whole supply and administrative apparatus; again, not without struggle. Once the scale and urgency of the situation was realised, he was able to convince the government of the need to ensure the army was properly equipped and armed. This took time, but the process was started as soon as he took over as amy supremo. It was also quickly realised that a volunteer army was going to be insufficient to build the army rapidly to the level needed. This became apparent by the summer of 1918 and measures of conscription were introduced for working class and peasants only. Before conscription, Trotsky made appeals, especially to the Petrograd and Moscow workers, to volunteer, and many did so. These layers formed the heart of the new army, as they were committed and had self-discipline.

In May 1918, the Soviet government resorted to partial mobilisation as a response to the crisis caused by the Czech Legion turning against the Bolsheviks. The country was still war-weary and most of the peasants could not be relied upon, so the order applied only to conscript workers in Moscow and Petrograd, plus some in the regions most affected, such as the Don and Kuban areas; 51 counties in Siberia; the Urals and in the Volga Provinces. In July, orders were made to force those from bourgeois backgrounds aged 18-45 to undertake hard and dirty, non-combative tasks on the home front. This was sometimes carried out harshly. The formerly well-to-do classes in towns and countryside were forbidden to bear arms. Eventually, the principle of mobilisation was extended to young workers and peasants throughout the country. In August 1918, the Red Army numbered 331,000. This increased to 550,000 by September and 800,000 by end of the year. In October Lenin, foreseeing the end of the First World War, called for an Army of 1 million.

By mid-1918, efforts to re-organise and invigorate the Red Army were still on-going and meeting resistance. Luckily, the White forces were also ill-organised and fractious, whilst the imperial powers were still locked into the First World War. The initial foreign interventions were all peripheral at Murmansk, Archangel and Vladivostok. In central Russia, the Bolsheviks were able to consolidate their power in comparative safety.

The Czech Legion and the deepening civil war

By the end of March, Germany and her allies had occupied all the areas ceded under the Brest-Litovsk Treaty. There was no certainty they would stop at the agreed treaty line. Feeling that Petrograd was threatened, the Soviet government was moved to Moscow. One fall-out of the peace agreement was the position of a Czech nationalist force, augmented by 30,000 Czech prisoners of war, that had fought with the Russian army. They were now trapped in Russia.

Masaryk, the Czech nationalist leader, wanted to deploy them in France, so as to gain allied support for an independent Czechoslovakia after the war. To that end, he ordered them to make their way across Russia by the Trans-Siberian railway to Vladivostok for embarkation. Until this point, the relationship between Bolsheviks and the Czechs was reasonably good and there had been some collaboration against the advance of Germans into the Ukraine. But, despite an agreement on partial disarming and passage through Russia to the East, relations deteriorated. The more reactionary elements of the Czech leaders, urged on by Russian army officers who also served in the Czech army, led to resistance and a revolt by the Legion in May 1918. The British and French were only too eager to exploit Czech discontent to spark opposition to the Bolsheviks and thus establish new White fronts in the central and eastern areas of Russia. In this they succeeded. A plan by the Soviet Government to split the Czech forces as they made their way to the east led to tension, which boiled over in late May, and the Czech forces revolted, easily taking over several key towns along the Trans-Siberian railway. In many areas the Soviet power was weak and the Red forces lacked discipline and strong leadership.

In May, the Czech forces revolted, taking towns along the Trans-Siberian railway / Image: public domain

By June 1918, the French had moved from apparent neutrality to actively encouraging the Czech forces to stay and assist anti-Bolshevik elements. They saw the role of the Czechs to secure the Trans-Siberian railway in advance of a Japanese intervention from the East. By July, the Czech force had declared itself to be a new eastern front against Bolshevism. Resistance by Red forces in far eastern Siberia was stronger and the Czechs only managed to secure the areas around the railway near Vladivostok.

Two quasi-governments emerged following the success of the Czechs. The Western Siberian Commissariat announced its existence on 1 June. It derived its claim to authority from SRs who had been members of the Constituent Assembly. They declared for democracy, goods exchange and the re-establishment of the Constituent Assembly; and the autonomy of Siberia with its own flag. The general assessment of Siberia is that the peasants and workers were largely passive, not having the main concerns of war, hunger and so on of their western counterparts. They were not especially hostile to the Bolsheviks, but Bolshevism was weak in these territories. The initial Western Siberian Government, which had a radical tinge, was soon replaced by more conservative and reactionary elements and by July a purge and oppression of soviets and left elements began in the areas under its control.

The second quasi-government to emerge in the central/eastern region became known as the Samara Government, after a town in the Middle Volga where it was set up. Initially comprising SR Party activists it joined up with parts of the Czech Legion and rapidlyIn early June of this year, the workers of the Chinese welding equipment manufacturer Jasic Technologies in Shenzhen attempted to legally unionise to protect themselves from chronically poor working conditions and brutal treatment by the management.

The workers indicated that theyve been regularly subjected to illegal fines and underpayment of social insurance contributions, acts made more egregious given that Jasic is a large, publicly traded corporation that was contracted to provide equipment for the construction of the Birds Nest Stadium for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Jasics chairman Pan Lei also conveniently happens to be the elected Shenzhen representative to the National Peoples Congress.

At first, the Jasic workers in the Shenzhen facilities sought to unionise in accordance with Chinese law and even gained the permission of the All China Federation of Trade Union (ACFTU), the only legal trade union in China, to begin their unionisation drive. After management caught wind of this effort they preemptively called for a meeting of workers representatives under the companys direction, effectively freezing out the activist workers who were preparing the unionisation effort from being elected to lead the union.

At the same time, the leading activist workers began to face random beatings by thugs or were fired by management. Dissatisfied with this turn of events, a group of workers went to the local Shenzhen Yanziling police station to protest this treatment, only to be detained by the police. It is at this time that the ACFTUs local branch rescinded its endorsement for the workers unionisation drive, rendering it illegal.

Student solidarity

At this point, these events began to garner attention from leftist activists. A group of Maoist students travelled to the site to show their solidarity, an act that was appreciated by the workers. However, the authorities responded with beatings and detention of all activists involved. The police even descended upon the lodgings of the Maoist students in riot gear and arrested them, forcing their parents and university professors into a local hotel to undergo parental training to force them to pressure the students into abandoning their solidarity action. In protest, five of the students began a hunger strike.

The charges that the Chinese state levied on the students developed to ridiculous dimensions. One of the most notable student activists in this action, Yue Xin, was charged with supporting Taiwanese independence over an allegation that she took a picture with Taiwans DPP politician and current president Tsai Ing-wen. Yue is not Taiwanese and none of her activism has anything to do with Taiwan. She was noted, however, for leading the charge in Peking University demanding the school investigate a rapist professor.

To date, around 70 workers and their supporters remain detained for face severe restrictions of their freedoms. Since its eruption this incident has garnered widespread attention for the acute brutality against workers fighting for their rights. Many solidarity actions inside and outside of China have spontaneously sprung up demanding the governing Chinese Communist Party rectify the situation and release all those arrested.

Crisis in Chinese society

This development has been anticipated by the Marxists. We have consistently put forth the perspective that the restoration of capitalism in China will inevitably lead to the strengthening of the working-class and the intensification of its struggle against the capitalist system. Indeed, throughout the past decade or so China has been no stranger to sporadic and ferocious strikes, from the marvelous Shuangyashan miners strike of 2015 to the attempts of Walmart workers to unionise in 2016. This year, however, saw a marked increase of attempts to launch cross-country strike actions. Concurrent to the Jasic workers efforts, we also witnessed the May Day crane operators strike, the truck drivers strike, the Meituan food delivery workers strike and the Dee Dee drivers strike, with countless others doubtlessly unreported.

In the past decade, the downturn in Chinese capitalism has provoked a number of major strikes / Image: UDN

After a period of growth, Chinese capitalism is now facing a downturn, with a protracted economic crisis looming ahead. The wave of struggle is linked to the slowdown of the economy in recent years, as well as structural changes in the relative weakening of the industrial sector in favor of the service sector. One of the factors triggering the JASIC struggle is a slowdown in urban development in [Shenzhen], paralleled by increasingly precarious labor conditions, as the Nation reported.

The students and middle class, although they do not have power in isolation from the working class, are sensitive barometers of the class struggle. The nationwide scope of the struggle is reflected by the participation of students from elite universities located far apart: from Peking University, Tsinghua University of northern capital Beijing, Nanjing University on the east coast, and Sun Yat-sen University in the south.

It is noteworthy that some students have pursued the strategy of salting workplaces: giving up their chance at becoming comfortable, petty-bourgeois functionaries under the present capitalist system in order to work in factory jobs and agitate amongst the working class. The fact that privileged students chose to forfeit their prosperous futures in favor of the class struggle indicates that the capitalist crisis is shaking the entire Chinese society, affecting all classes.

The tactics and bravery of the students are commendable. They have succeeded in forming connections with the fighting workers of Jasic. A 27-year-old worker from central Chinas Hunan province who was recently released by the Shenzhen police said he was overwhelmed by the support. If not for this, I would probably never have come across a Tsinghua or Peking U student in my life, he said. The threat posed by the potential converging of the student movement with the working-class struggle poses a serious threat to Chinese capitalism, which is why the government is trying with all their might to sever students from workers.

No illusions in the CCP

The about-face of the ACFTU and the conduct of the Chinese authorities is nothing short of criminal. It was only last year, during the 19th Party Congress, that Xi Jinping reaffirmed that China is a dictatorship of the proletariat and the peasantry. Their behavior towards the Jasic workers proves that the exact opposite is true, that China today is a dictatorship of the party in favor of its capitalist class.

China today is a dictatorship of the CCP in favor of its capitalist class / Image: kremlin.ru

Moreover, a group of retired CCP cadres and officials from the older generation arrived at the scene to show their solidarity with banners stating senior cadres stand with workers! Their presence indicates that the questioning of the nature of state power, the CCPs role, and the meaning of the Xi Jinping administration, is spreading even among sections of the rank-and-file of the party. A representative example is cadre Zhang, a former department head of a high-level CCP think tank with 47 years seniority in the party. His presence at rallies is confirmed by a video posted on Twitter and a news report. This is both a reflection of how the crisis of capitalism affects the functionaries of the bourgeois state itself, but also a source of danger in the pressure of alien class ideas on the working class.

Activists have also written letters directly to Xi Jinping, urging him to intervene on behalf of workers and citing Xis years of labor in Liangjiahe as a positive example, as well as petitioning state institutions like ACFTU and All-China Womens Federation.

We fully sympathise with the fact that activists may not be in a position to state their full goals, and that slogans focusing on how organising trade unions shouldn't be illegal according to the CCPs own laws is understandable as a protective cover against persecution. But we also need to caution that there is a deeper reason why the CCP has no intention of allowing truly independent unionism, which goes beyond corrupt cops that are bought off by individual bosses, as some banners suggested.

The hyper-exploitation of the workers as guaranteed by their total subjection to government-controlled company unions is an essential contributor to the large profit margins pocketed by Chinese capitalists. In addition to the bottom-line, there is also a political dimension: any challenge to the ACFTU, which is fused with the state and party, poses the question of which class should rule society.

State crackdown

The escalation of the economic struggle into the political plane is already acknowledged by the central government in their raid and crackdown of Maoist political publications and even Hong Kong-based NGOs. Apart from brutal repression, sectors of the state can sometimes attempt the strategy of co-option. This is especially true for regional officials with their own grievances with the central government that have nothing to do with workers interests. As the Nation reported, in the past, rabble-rousing workers have successfully wrested concessions through workplace activism, sometimes with support from local officials who also have an interest in busting bad bosses. The ACFTU has also used the appeals from rank-and-file workers in order to preemptively unionise unorganised workers as a further means of co-opting them.

The task of Chinese workers is the establishment of independent union organisations democratically operated by the workers themselves / Image: Chengdu Evening News

Every political struggle opens up complex questions of theory and ideology. Here we can discern influences from two directions. Firstly, liberal intellectuals who have chimed in with support, offering their advice of unconditional respect for rule of law. Secondly, the presence of well-organised Maoist groups who are genuine, heroic and self-sacrificing. The dismantling of the planned economy led to the destruction of social safety nets, a progressive gain of the 1949 revolution. It is entirely understandable that radicalised youth look to Maoism as a way to return to the good old times. However, we must be careful not to let nostalgia for old slogans cause working-class interests to be conflated with the empty phrases of CCP and Xi. That being said, while we disagree with the Maoist ideology they rally behind, the arrested workers and students are fighters in the working-class struggle. For this reason Marxists stand in absolute solidarity with them.

Above all, the task of Chinese workers in their struggle is the establishment of independent union organisations democratically operated by the workers themselves. No confidence whatsoever should be put in the CCP, ACFTU, Xi, or enlightened local officials. Activists must understand that any real struggle that challenges the capitalists economic power will inevitably shake their very legal system itself, and will always invite aggression by the whole police apparatus and not just a few bad apples. Only this awareness can allow workers to be fully prepared for what lies ahead.

Free arrested activists! Sign the petition!

Recently, the IMT was invited to sign the global petition demanding the release of the detained Jasic workers and activists, organized by Jasic Worker Solidarity. We wholeheartedly endorse the petitions demands in solidarity with the fighting workers and youth of China. We urge socialists and progressive workers around the world to also sign this petition and take steps in showing solidarity and join forces in placing these demands upon the Chinese Communist Party government.

Here we reproduce the full text of the petition below:

---

Global Call on China to Release Arrested Workers, Activists and Students in Jasic Struggle: To the Chinese Government and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions

Please join us in signing and sharing this petition to call for the immediate release of the workers and their student allies unjustly arrested for union organising and solidarity actions at Shenzhen Jasic Technology in China since July 2018.

Since July, more than 70 workers, activists and students had been harassed, assaulted or detained. So far:

- 4 workers have been charged with criminal offence awaiting trial;

- 2 workers and 6 activists, currently in detention, are at high risk of facing criminal charge;

- Released student supporters are disciplined by their colleges, under police surveillance at home.



This is the most severe repression against workers and labour activists in China since a crackdown on labour rights organisations in 2015.

We, the undersigned, support the right of Chinese workers to organise unions, and the right of their allies to express solidarity, and demand the Chinese government:

#Release all detained workers, reinstate their jobs and recognise their right to unionise;

#Release all detained student supporters, and protect them from retaliation;

#Release all detained labour rights group staff.Like many good ideas in the world of technology, Resodynhttp://www.resodyn.com/ Corp. got its start in a garage when company founder Lawrence Farrar launched the firm in an industrial area of Butte.

Talking with Farrar, whos also Resodyns president and chief executive officer, one can tell that the CEO has a passion for the technology that helped build his company and also a passion for the bottom line. Perhaps thats what makes his company work in a town called Butte, Montana.

Farrar is far from whom one might have in mind when he or she pictures a CEO.

ANNIE PENTILLA [email protected]

https://mtstandard.com/business/resodyn-has-roots-in-butte-draws-worldly-audience-for-annual/article_fff9bc49-700d-5d1e-b6fc-6987ad5357f3.html#tracking-source=home-top-storiesUnfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.[September 17, 2018] DrayNow Continues Expansion to Texas and California DrayNow, the first real-time marketplace transforming the way Intermodal shipping brokers connect with available motor carriers, today announced its expansion into Dallas, Texas and Southern California. Additionally, DrayNow announced the hiring of new team members, including expanding their Leadership Team. Attendees of the IANA Intermodal Expo are encouraged to visit booth #334 to learn more and receive a demo of the DrayNow Marketplace and meet the team. With nearly one-third of the roughly 60 intermodal brokers signed up for the platform to date, DrayNow has enjoyed steady revenue growth and freight volume increases throughout 2018 while serving the Chicago and Atlanta markets. It looks to continue that momentum with its expansion into Dallas, Texas and Southern California. "Expanding into Dallas and Los Angeles continues to solidify our DrayNow model," said Mike Albert, founder and CEO of DrayNow. "Our Marketplace provides brokers with a better tool to manage a highly fragmented and regional business and gives carriers a single app for finding loads. More importantly, it provides everyone with transparency and real-time information while removing the waste that is far too common in Intermodal Drayage." "We're proud to have been the first company to move a load on the DrayNow platform," said Christopher Brach, Vice President, Operations for Radiant Clipper, a subsidiary of Radiant Global Logistics, Inc. "The innovative technology that is a part of the DrayNow platform has allowed our team to work more efficiently and has opened up new capacity and thought processes within the intermodal space. Our Operations Team has benefited from the gains provided by using this tech driven solution and our customers are also experiencing enhanced service, thanks to better visibility of the drayage portion of their moves that the tool provides. This differentiated method of booking dray has allowed us to approach some of our business in new ways which is very exciting for our Team. We only see this relationship continuing to grow as DrayNow enters new markets." In addition to expanding its reach, DrayNow has strengthened the leadership team by attracting key hires with deep technology and logistics expertise. Tom Shawver, DrayNow's CTO, joined after development and leadership roles at eBay (News - Alert) and Leadnomics. "Although Tom has been a member of the team for less than a year, his impact on our platform has been extensive. He also understands the industry's reality, but believes legacy platforms do not stand in the way of progress," says Mike Albert. Drew Holland has joined the team as VP of Operations & Strategy, coming from UBER, where he was most recently responsible for defining and managing the rollout of the Uber Eats product strategy and roadmap for enterprise restaurants globally. Albert added, "His UBER experience was certainly interesting, but more importantly his acuity to use business metrics to move quickly to create an absolutely frictionless experience made him the obvious choice." DrayNow has doubled its overall team in the past 60 days to provide experienced, hands-on support to brokers and carriers. "Backed by strong support from our great partners in Comcast (News - Alert) Ventures and Osage Venture Partners, we're able to accelerate our growth strategy," said Albert. "We're thrilled to have Tom and Drew join the DrayNow team. Their expertise is a welcome addition to our company. Although we are expanding, our mission remains steadfast; remove the waste, bring transparency, and bring common sense solutions for customers and carriers." About DrayNow DrayNow provides technology-driven solutions and operational acuity to the intermodal freight industry. Led by industry veterans, the company operates the first intermodal marketplace connecting brokers to available carriers. The DrayNow Marketplace is accessed by Third-Party Logistics (3PLs), Intermodal Marketing Companies (IMCs), and brokers through a desktop interface where users can view truck capacity in real-time, post loads, track load status and obtain electronic documents immediately. With DrayNow's mobile application, truck drivers can get turnkey access to Intermodal freight, browse loads, compare rates and details, select loads, deliver loads and get paid faster. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005208/en/

[ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ]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.Downpayments Hit Record Levels

There were quite a few recent milestones, high and low, noted in the Quarter 2 Residential Property Loan Origination Report from ATTOM Data Solutions. The report covers the 2.09 million 1 to 4 unit residential loans originated during the quarter, an increase of 15 percent from the first quarter but only 1 percent more than a year earlier.

One striking finding was the increase in the size of downpayments during the quarter - a median of $19,900, a record high in data going back to the first quarter of 2000. This is a 19 percent increase from $16,750 in the previous quarter and 18 percent from $16,925 in the same quarter last year. At a percentage, that represents 7.6 percent of the median sales price of the homes purchased with a mortgage during the quarter, compared to 6.6 percent in both of the two earlier periods. This is the highest median percentage down in nearly 15 years.

The number of loans with co-buyers, that is multiple, non-married buyers listed on the sales deed, also increased and those loans had average downpayments 51 percent higher than loans without co-buyers, $63,117 versus $41,749. Downpayments on co-buyer loans represented 16.3 percent of the purchase price, more than double the average percentage for other homebuyers of 8.1 percent. Nationwide 17.6 percent of all single family home purchases in Q2 were to co-buyers, up from 17.4 percent in the previous quarter.

No surprise that loans for refinancing were down 1 percent from the previous quarter and 2 percent year-over-year to the lowest level since the first quarter of 2014. Those originations totaled just under 800,000. The number of purchase loans jumped 39 percent compared to Q1, to 926,516 and were up 1 percent year-over-year. Home equity lines of credit (HELOCS) were originated at the highest level since the third quarter of 2008. The total of 361,845 was a 4 percent increase from the previous quarter and a 2 percent improvement over a year ago.

"Rising mortgage rates are continuing to cool demand for refinance originations, which were down to their lowest level since 2014 - the last time we saw more than six consecutive months with average 30-year fixed mortgage rates above 4 percent," said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at ATTOM Data Solutions. "Meanwhile buyers are upping the ante when it comes to down payments, evidenced by the record-high median down payment for homes purchased in the quarter, and an increasing number of buyers are getting help from co-buyers."

The ATTOM report is derived from publicly recorded mortgages and deeds of trust in more than 1,700 counties accounting for more than 87 percent of the U.S. population. Counts and dollar volumes for the two most recent quarters are projected based on available data at the time of the report.

Residential loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) accounted for 10.2 percent of all residential property loans originated in Q2 2018, down from 10.9 percent in the previous quarter and down from 13.5 percent a year ago to a more than 10-year low. VA loans accounted for 5.4 percent of the total, down from 6.2 percent in the previous quarter and 6.4 percent a year ago.

Refinancing declined year-over year in 99 of the 173 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) analyzed in the report including Los Angeles (down 13 percent), Chicago (5 percent) Philadelphia (9 percent); Washington, D.C. (21 percent); and Atlanta (12 percent). Among the 74 MSAs where refinancing increased were New York (up 17 percent), Dallas-Fort Worth (15 percent), Houston (69 percent); Miami (31 percent); and Boston (23 percent).

Among the 103 MSAs in which downpayments were analyzed, it is not surprising that four of the five with the highest were high priced California cities. San Jose topped the list with a median of $305,000, followed by San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks at $114,300. The fifth highest was Boulder, Colorado at $107,750. Many of these were also the areas with the highest share of co-buyers, with San Jose also topping this list at 49.3 percent. San Francisco, Honolulu, Seattle, and Miami made up the remainder of the top five.Notary Product, New Correspondent Lender; Events and Training for September

Given plenty of warning, and evacuations, the deaths in the Southeast from Florence have people wondering, Why do residents stick around? It is complicated, ranging from stubbornness to not having enough money to buy gasoline, but this NY Times article does a good job summarizing it.

Upcoming September Events

Momentifi CEO Gibran Nicholas is hosting a series of webinars this week to help loan originators create fourth-quarter sales momentum and generate purchase business from referral sources other than real estate agents. The lead topic is, How to Generate 10 Extra Loans from Financial Advisors in the Next 90 Days. Click here to sign up and forward the link to your loan officers. Separately, Momentifi is excited to launch its new enterprise API and sales technology that helps mortgage sales teams leverage enterprise CRM to create an extra $4 million in annual revenue from your tech stack and digital mortgage strategy. Click here to see a short overview. Gibran will be at the Digital Mortgage Conference today and tomorrow and you can reach out to him directly to schedule a meeting or demo.

Register now for the next FREE webinar, Customer Experience in the Digital Era, from the California MBA's Mortgage Technology & Marketing Committee, on September 20th at 11AM PT. This month's webinar is hosted by Charles Warnock of The Content Marketing Factory, and will feature Joe Dahleen, EVP & Chief Strategy Officer at MortgageHippo, Mikhail Cook, SVP Sales, EXOS Technologies at ServiceLink, and John Seroka, Principal of Seroka Brand Development. You'll learn how to create and deliver powerful customer experiences and bring the "lender for life" concept closer to reality.

On September 20th, Plaza is providing a complimentary training webinar: Financial Planner's Guide to Reverse Mortgages.

FHA is offering an online webinar, September 20th, on FHA Approval and Recertification Requirements.

Register for the California MBA Legal Issues Committee Webinar on September 20th. The presentation will include CFPB update, Whats new with Attorney-Client Privilege: Perspectives from Inside and Outside Counsels and impact of Perez vs Wells Fargo.

On September 23rd, MBA Education's Advanced Risk Management Concepts Workshop is a must-attend course for any mid- and senior-level mortgage risk professional looking to solidify their skillset and bolster their industry knowledge. The course occurs in conjunction with MBA's Risk Management, QA and Fraud Prevention Forum (RMQA18) in Los Angeles, attend both to save on registration fees* and get a comprehensive overview of the risk topics you need to be familiar with to succeed.

Register for the Ellie Mae live webinar on September 25th: Navigating Mortgage Mergers & Acquisitions: People, Systems, Culture.

Sign up for a HomeReady webinar, Wednesday, September 26th, hosted by Quicken Loans Product and Sales Experts.

And we have the September 27th Mortgage Quality & Compliance Committee (MQAC) webinar on "Advertising and Social Media Compliance".



Capital Markets

Regarding natural disasters and economic conditions, Hurricane Florence is expected to impact things the same way as other events. At first weekly first-time unemployment claims will rise. September auto sales will fall, but October sales will spike due to buyers replacing flood damaged cars. Similarly, September employment growth will weaken, but will probably be upwardly revised the following month. Housing will also be temporarily depressed. Things tend to bounce back.

Rates are still expected to creep higher. The U.S. 10-year closed Friday at 3% after the release of an August Retail Sales report that was below estimates but contained an upward revision to the July reading. The news cycle centered around reports that President Trump is seeking to impose tariffs on another $200 billion worth of imports from China despite the recent efforts to revive trade talks. Other news of note includes Mary Daly becoming the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco on October 1. And we learned that the preliminary University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for September was the second-highest level since 2004 as positive sentiment was widespread across all major socioeconomic groups, a good sign for consumer spending activity.

There are several central bank decisions including the BoJ on Wednesday with the SNB and Norges Bank on Thursday. In the U.S. today's calendar is light with only the September Empire State manufacturing Index (-6.6 to 19, whatever those mean). Tomorrow things pick back up slightly with the September NAHB Housing Market Index and July Net Long-Term TIC Flows. Wednesday brings the usual weekly MBA Mortgage Index, August Housing Starts, Building Permits, Q2 Current Account Balance, and weekly crude inventories. Thursday is Weekly Claims, the September Philadelphia Fed Survey, August Existing Home Sales, and August Leading Indicators. The week begins with rates a shade higher than Friday with the 10-year at 3.01% and agency MBS prices worse almost .125.



Lender Products and Services

11 MORTGAGE (Eleven Mortgage) announced the launch of its wholesale and correspondent lending platform. The management team averages 25 years of wholesale and correspondent lending experience and extensive relationships across the nation. The veteran sales management, account executives and support staff are powered by a proven operations team and a modern lending portal. 11 MORTGAGE is pleased to announce the nomination of Thomas Michel as the EVP head of wholesale and correspondent lending. Michel stated, 11 MORTGAGE is setting a new standard in the mortgage market. Our business is built on relationships, precision, and unparalleled service to make mortgage transactions easy for brokers and customers alike. Unprecedented speed and service beyond your expectations are at the heart of every loan. On a scale of one to ten, we are eleven 11 MORTGAGE.

ARMCO Reduces Lender Data Validation Times by 50 Percent with DataSure - Technology validates data and automatically communicates corrections back to LOS. ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of technology for loan quality and compliance testing, data validation and analytics, announced the launch of DataSure, a quality control technology that increases data validation accuracy and efficiency, and reduces lenders data validation task times by 50 percent or more. In a matter of moments, DataSure validates loan data for thousands of key data points within a lenders source system (i.e. loan origination system) by cross referencing those data points against data contained in loan documents. It then automatically communicates all corrected data fields back to the lenders source system. This assures data consistency and accuracy at each step of the loan process. DataSure also provides robust reporting capabilities, so lenders can identify the root causes of their data discrepancies and adjust their practices going forward. Read the press release.

From NotaryCam comes the true-life story of Dana Jackson, an Army wife whose husband was reassigned from Washington to Georgia. The Jacksons found a buyer for their home, but the closing date posed challenges: Dana was in Illinois visiting family, and her mother-in-law (a cosigner on the home) was in Missouri. The familys title agent recommended NotaryCams remote online notarization (RON) service. The Jacksons used iPads and laptops to join a Virginia-based notary in a virtual signing room. We were all connected and looking at each other from four separate states, said Dana. At first everyone had a little uncertainty  but it was easy and took just about 30 minutes. Seriously, the hardest part was picking the time to do it. After that, it couldn't have run smoother." If youve faced similar challenges and wished you had a customer-friendly solution, check out NotaryCams demo tomorrow at Digital Mortgage or email founder Rick Triola.

In its 54th consecutive and uninterrupted year providing warehouse lines to mortgage bankers, Comerica Bank is proud to recognize its team members for their dedicated service to the industry and their customers. The individuals on the Comerica Mortgage Banker Finance team average over 16 years in warehouse lending and 20 years in banking. Comerica Bank is also proud of its employees for their participation in the industry through support, advocacy, and volunteer efforts from Main Street to Washington D.C. The team of bankers at Comerica Bank is eager to learn about your business needs and grow with you. If youre looking to diversify your lines or work with a more sophisticated warehouse partner, let Comerica Bank raise your expectations of what a bank can be. Please contact Von Ringger (313-222-9285). Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. Loans subject to credit approval.



Employment, Wholesale Business Opportunity, and New Positions

Inc. magazine has named Homespire Mortgage Corporation to its Inc. 5000 List of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies for 2018 for the second consecutive year. The list represents an exclusive ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The companys position at #1306 places Homespire Mortgage Corporation among an elite group of companies that achieved remarkable and sustained three-year growth and expansion. To be named to this prestigious list for the second consecutive year is an incredible honor for Homespire Mortgage. It is a true testament to our sustained growth, our culture and our greatest strength of all, our people, said Michael Rappaport, President & CEO. Since its formation, Homespire Mortgage Corporation has expanded its presence into 29 states and the District of Columbia. The company plans to expand its presence into new markets, including a national call center next year.

Nations Lending Corporation, a privately-owned mortgage lender headquartered in Independence, Ohio, has announced that Jordan Gerard has been promoted to the new role of Divisional Sales Manager. Gerard will oversee the companys strategy to grow its retail footprint in all markets. Prior to this role, Gerard was a successful branch manager at Nations Lending running multiple offices in several states. Jordans experience and success building several of our top performing branches from the ground up will serve Nations Lending well in his new role. said Nations Lending CEO Jeremy Sopko. Nations Lending is a rapidly growing company that is looking to hire purchase focused originators across the country. For more information please visit the companys website.

In MI news, Essent Guaranty is looking for Account Managers in the San Diego, CA and New England areas. Essent Guaranty, a leader in the mortgage insurance industry and a great place to work, is looking for a results-driven Account Manager to call on mortgage lenders, banks, and credit unions. Essent offers a very competitive compensation and benefits package and makes it easy for serious professionals to transition. As an Account Manager, you will drive profitable mortgage insurance business using a risk centric approach and a goal of delivering value and added credit enhancement solutions. If you have significant mortgage lending experience and a minimum of 5 years of relevant business development experience within the financial services, mortgage, secondary markets, capital markets or mortgage insurance industries, this may be the job for you. If you are interested in joining our team, please send a resume to Robyn Donnelly. Learn more about Essent Guaranty at www.essent.us.

We have outgrown our parent  a Nevada-based wholesale division currently funding $50 million a month in 10 states looking to find a new home. We currently operate with healthy margins and are well into the black each month, our growth has been slowed by warehouse capacity and limited take out investor options. Our business mix is over 60% purchase and we break down with 60% Conventional 35% FHA/VA/USDA & 5% Jumbo NON/QM. If you think we might be a fit for you please email opportunity@wholesalemtg.com we look forward to talking with you.

Congrats to David Akre who recently assumed the EVP of Capital Markets role at Sprout Mortgage. Sprout is one of top originators of non-QM loans and channels include wholesale, correspondent and direct to consumer. (Hell also be moderating the Jumbo and Non-QM panel at the upcoming ABS East conference September 24th in Miami where panelists include members of senior management from Deephaven, Angel Oak, and SG Capital.)Michigan Technological University professors Lynn and Claudio Mazzoleni travel and teach in Calicut, India.

Atmospheric science experts Lynn Mazzoleni, associate professor of chemistry, and Claudio Mazzoleni, associate professor of physics, traveled more than 8,000 miles from Houghton to the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NIT) in the Southern Indian state of Kerala. Invited by Ravi Varma, associate professor of physics at NIT, and sponsored by the Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN), their three-week trip was punctuated by local cultural experiences, sandwiched between giving several academic lectures.

Lynn and Claudio participated in a six-day GIAN-sponsored workshop, Atmospheric Aerosol: Optical Properties, Composition, and Effects on Climate, for students and junior faculty from NIT and elsewhere. The GIAN program is funded by the Indian government to foster high-quality international experiences and to elevate Indias reputation in STEM. One way to achieve the mission is by inviting internationally renowned scientists like the Mazzolenis to share their expertise in atmospheric aerosols.

Play GIAN2018 VideoSummary video Watch a video summary of the Global Initiative for Academic Networks workshop that the Mazzolenis co-facilitated.

The Mazzolenis and Varma taught the intensive course, which focused on the classification, distribution, chemical compositions, forms of measurement and impacts of atmospheric aerosol.

After the course the three put on a science symposium at a local high school. They also presented at the Atmospheric Pollution: Science, Technology, Innovation, and Compliance International Symposium and Lecture Series Aug. 7-11 in CalicutMichigan Tech was a co-sponsor. But the Mazzolenis trip wasnt all work. A safari and a traditional dance performance were some of the many highlights of their travels.

The trip helped to fuel NIT and high school students' interest in Michigan Tech. It also strengthened relations between Michigan Tech and NIT. The two schools established their bond when their Kerala host, Varma, spent the fall 2016 semester at Michigan Tech in the department of physics while on sabbatical. Starting this fall, one of Varmas former students from NIT Calicut is pursuing her PhD in atmospheric sciences at Michigan Tech. Claudio is her advisor.

The Mazzolenis were back in Houghton before Kerala experienced historic and devastating flooding Aug. 16. They said their contacts at NIT are fine as is the university itselfa relief given the news reports coming out of the area. But weather wont stand in Lynns way to visit again. It was a really great experience professionally and personally. Id go back in a heartbeat.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, the University offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.Lelectricite est devenue, de nos jours, un besoin dune importance majeure, et cela, dans tous les domaines dactivite. Que ce soit dans les maisons ou []Unable to reach an agreement with United Technologies Corp., 188 employees at the companies Cheshire aerospace operation plan to go on strike Monday.

The employees, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 62A, would go on strike as of midnight after an offer from UTC failed to get the two-thirds majority needed, District Lodge 26 directing business representative Mike Stone said Sunday.

Jessica Napoli, a spokesman for UTC, said the plant will remain in operation despite the unions decision. She also said negotiations remain ongoing.

UTC Aerospace Systems will remain open and operate as normal throughout the work stoppage, she said in a statement, We have robust contingency plans in place and do not expect the strike to affect our customers or suppliers.

UTC acquired the 250 Knotter Dr. location as part of its purchase Goodrich, a deal that was announced in 2011.

Stone said this is the third contract negotiations between UTC and employees since then.

United Technologies crammed their substandard health care plan down the workers throats in their first negotiations with the group, he said in a press release. Since then they have applied their one size fits all approach toward negotiations giving Cheshire union workers the same health care and percentages for wage increases as employees at UTCs Pratt & Whitey and Hamilton Standard locations.

Stone said employees in Cheshire make less than those at other locations, though, and claimed some employees wages would actually drop under UTCs offer. He also said the union is consulting with attorneys about how to address a series of strong arm tactic(s) designed to influence the vote on Sunday.CHESHIRE  A Freedom of Information Commission hearing officer recommended the release, with redactions, of a 2007 internal investigation into a police sergeant.

The full commission could vote later this month on a decision in the case brought by the Record-Journal against the Cheshire Police Department. The department and Police Sgt. Jeff Falk objected to the release of the decade-old internal affairs investigation that resulted in workplace restrictions.

When promoted to sergeant last summer, Police Chief Neil Dryfe issued new workplace restrictions that limited contact between Falk and another department employee. The orders also required that Falk have his body camera on when interacting with the other employee.

Falk was suspended without pay from Aug. 5 to Aug. 24, 2007 following an incident with the employee.

In 2017, Falk became a member of the Town Council, filling the seat when Democrat Liz Linehan was elected a state representative.

The Record-Journal requested a copy of the 2007 investigation under the Freedom of Information law. The department declined to provide the document, citing exemptions such as privacy, attorney-client privilege and other exemptions in state disclosure laws.

In a written recommendation to the commission, hearing officer Valicia Dee Harmon agreed with some of the towns arguments that portions of the investigation need not be released, such as medical information.

Harmon wrote that most of the 150-page report was of public interest, however, and recommended that the department provide copies of the investigation to the public with redactions in four paragraphs.

Harmon viewed the report with town representatives.

It is found that these records are necessary to and facilitate the public understanding and evaluation of the Cheshire Police Departments investigative process, decision-making and overall handling of an important matter involving a fellow police officer, she wrote.

Joseph Schwartz, an attorney with Murtha Cullina who represented the town, argued that some of the details of the investigation were sexually salacious and shouldnt be disclosed under the privacy exemption. He also argued that the case occurred more than a decade ago and that the actions were no longer relevant or of public interest.

Harmon said that during her review of the documents, she found that none of the records contained language that is sexually salacious or unnecessarily graphic.

Harmon disagreed with Schwartz and town officials that the report was irrelevant 11 years later.

The fact that Sergeant Falk was promoted in 2017 and that the disciplinary restrictions which were imposed on him following the internal affairs investigation had to be modified to accommodate his promotion supports the finding that the public has a legitimate interest in the requested records, she wrote.

With Falk's promotion, Dryfe said there may be times when Falk and the other employee would be on the same shift, making the previous chiefs order "not practical.

Dryfe said in his seven years with the Cheshire department, hes heard no complaints about Falks conduct with the other employee and that his workplace restrictions havent placed a burden on the department.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com

203-317-2230

Twitter: @JBuchananRJMERIDEN  The State Board of Mediation and Arbitration ruled earlier this year that a union grievance filed on behalf of former police captain Patrick Gaynor in 2016 is not arbitrable.

Gaynor asked the union to file the grievance because he thought the city should reimburse him the $1,000 he spent on a professional online training course. Gaynor registered in 2016 but later canceled the $4,000 course when he realized the city would not pay for the tuition. Gaynor was charged a $1,000 fee for canceling.

The three-member arbitration panel ruled in July that the grievance isnt supported by the unions collective bargaining agreement.

Gaynor was terminated in June 2017 after a lengthy internal investigation concluded he committed 63 department policy violations, including misconduct and untruthfulness. Gaynor has since filed a wrongful termination case with the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration.

Attorney Daniel Esposito, who is representing Gaynor in his wrongful termination case, said the grievance denied by the labor board isnt related.

Gaynor has also filed a federal lawsuit claiming his termination violated his First Amendment rights and was the result of retaliation by Police Chief Jeffry Cossette. Cossette has denied the charges.

Gaynor, a 20-year police veteran, is still living in the area and has gotten a job counseling disabled veterans for the Veterans Affairs Administration, Esposito said.

John Williams, an attorney representing Gaynor in his federal lawsuit, couldnt immediately be reached for comment.

In April 2017, Cossette denied Gaynors request for the department to pay for him to take the $4,000 course offered by Northwestern University, according to the arbitration panels decision. Gaynor had registered for the course in June 2016 after he was temporarily assigned to supervise the citys dispatch center. Gaynor charged the tuition cost to the dispatch centers budget, separate from the police budget, assuming he would eventually become the centers permanent supervisor, the decision said. When someone else was named permanent supervisor, Gaynor again asked Cossette to fund the training, which Cossette denied.

The internal affairs investigation looked into whether Gaynor misappropriated funds by registering for the course. Charles Reynolds, a former New Hampshire police chief who was brought in to act as hearing officer in the case, ruled that Gaynor did not misappropriate funds but determined Gaynor was insubordinate in other incidents and recommended his termination.

mzabierek@record-journal.com

203-317-2279

Twitter: @MatthewZabierekNearly a year since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, many residents who remained and others who evacuated face uncertain futures.

The storm, which made landfall on Sept. 20, 2017, destroyed roughly 75,000 homes and damaged an additional 300,000, wiped out the islands power grid, and left its infrastructure in shambles.

Government officials at all levels were pressed into action after hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans eventually fled for shelter across the U.S.

At its peak, 13,000 residents came to Connecticut alone, 1,700 of them children who enrolled in local schools. Meriden accepted 169 new students.

Meriden City Councilor Miguel Castro worked with staff to post information on the citys website on efforts in Puerto Rico and resources available in Meriden.

In Meriden, our local agencies have been on the forefront of great initiatives and have been actively helping Puerto Rico and new families arriving to the city of Meriden, said Castro.

Some Puerto Ricans have returned home, but others say they are staying for at least the foreseeable future. The federal government has allocated $7.6 million to Connecticut to help school districts with the added costs. Meriden is expected to receive more than $800,000.

The state legislature also kicked in $500,000 for various services. Meridens Casa de Boricua received $40,000.

State Rep. Hilda Santiago, D-Meriden, said Puerto Rican lawmakers had to push for the funding, explaining that many evacuees were returning to hurricane relief centers multiple times.

The families just didnt come in once, she said. They came in four, five, six times. We had families coming back seven or eight times. We had to find the money.

Families were in need of more than coats and warm clothing. They needed medical care, translation services, help enrolling children in school and filling out applications for food and housing.

State Sen. Len Suzio, R-Meriden, credited the community for donating clothes, school supplies, and other necessities.

We are a community with a big heart, he said. The effort is not over, its still being delivered.

Housing continues to be the biggest challenge.

People were moving in with families and then landlords said you have to move out, said Santiago, whose district includes the inner city. If they went on a public housing list, their names went to the bottom.

Critics say the Trump Administration did more to help residents in Texas and Florida, affected by hurricanes Hugo and Irma, respectively, than it did for Puerto Rico.

These basic necessities should have been provided to fellow Americans in Puerto Rico, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said. The agencies should be held accountable for these needless senseless deaths.

The response to Maria has led lawmakers and the Government Accountability Office to re-evaluate the Federal Emergency Management Agencys response to natural disasters.

Trump has defended aid to Puerto Rico, calling it an incredible, unsung success. But the response, coupled with his claim that no more than 18 people died as a result of Maria, drew more criticism.

Trump was negligent in responding to Maria, U.S. Sen Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, said. He threw paper towels, he blamed the people of Puerto Rico. It was a disaster.

The initial official death toll was stated as 64, but researchers from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University last month reported 2,975 deaths in the six months following the storm.

Much of Puerto Ricos infrastructure was in poor shape even before Maria. A total of $3.8 billion in aid included funding to restore power to the island, but officials said in May that Puerto Ricos public electric authority, the nations largest, is almost certain to collapse again when the next hurricane hits the island of 3.3 million people, according to the Associated Press.

The devastation means that many Puerto Rican evacuees plan to stay in the U.S. for the foreseeable future, if not permanently.

Some face uncertain housing situations  the Associated Press reported earlier this week that a Friday deadline meant the end of FEMA vouchers for hundreds of evacuees.

FEMA has denied treating Puerto Ricans differently than aid recipients in Florida and Texas, and has said it provided a range of housing options to those who fled the devastation of Maria.

Further complicating recovery efforts was Puerto Ricos shoddy land records, which made it difficult for FEMA to assess property damage and try to help homeowners.

Santiago still has family on the island without electricity in the town of Naranjito. She said property was verbally willed from generation to generation and rarely challenged.

The island received a $100 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant to do several things; record the oral history of property transfers to create titles and to repair abandoned homes for people who are displaced.

Blumenthal has drafted legislation with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, that would rebuild Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands in a way that empowers them to thrive. The bill, modeled after the Marshall Plan that helped rebuild Western Europe after World War II, has Democratic support in both the House and the Senate and would cost $146 billion.

The plan would instruct the federal government to mobilize all resources and assets to restore power, provide clean drinking water and food, safe shelter, and access to health care. It would eliminate the territories debt without forcing them to take on more. The plan also calls for rebuilding energy efficient power supplies, schools, hospitals and investment in infrastructure to spur economic development.

The devastating effects of this historic natural disaster call for a historic response, Blumenthal said. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands must rebuild with resilience to better withstand future disasters, and we must meet our moral obligation to help fellow American citizens in need.

mgodin@record-journal.com

203-317-2255

Twitter: @CconnbizWALLINGFORD  The Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce is preparing to host its first Manufacturing Career Fair on Saturday at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre.

The fair is designed to help fill job openings in the local area. Over 20 manufacturers and other organizations will be represented, including Ulbrich Stainless Steels and the Connecticut Labor Department.

The event is officially sold out for manufacturing exhibitors. It runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and admission is free.

Its a good thing that we are sold out, but I also think its proof of the need for so many manufacturing jobs in the area, said Dee Nesti, the chambers executive director.

The event was created in response to manufacturing job opportunities in central Connecticut.

We basically went to these manufacturing companies and asked, What can we do to help you?  Nesti said. Were very excited about this, and well keep doing it until these jobs get filled.

Nesti believes the current shortage of applicants could be due to outdated stereotypes about manufacturing.

People think of manufacturing facilities and think of dirty, dark places, but thats just not true, she said. These places are bright and have so many opportunities.

While many companies will be looking to fill traditional manufacturing positions, there are also opportunities in sales, electrical maintenance and various entry-level positions.

We are hoping to expand our talent pool in terms of some of our primary positions, said Gwynnyth Henderson, human resources manager at Ametek Specialty Metals. We just want to see what is out there and hopefully the fair attracts the best of the best.

Oakdale Theatre is located at 95 S. Turnpike Road. Sponsors for the event include the Connecticut Department of Labor, Newtown Savings Bank, Holo-Krome, Pequot Health Care, the American Job Center, the Hartford Business Journal and the Record-Journal.

rchichester@record-journal.com

203-317-2231

Twitter: @ryanchichester1By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Family-owned businesses, despite their widespread reputation for being conservative and cautious, remain much better than their non-family owned counterparts as far as return on investment is concerned. According to global financial services major Credit Suisse, family-owned firms continue to outperform peers in nearly every metric.

The financial performance of family-owned companies is superior to that of non-family-owned businesses with stronger revenue growth, higher operating margins and better cash-flow returns.

For instance, India ranks third on the list of countries with the highest number of family-owned businesses with 111 firms boasting a cumulative market capitalisation of $839 billion, after China (159) and US (121). And, they are relatively more profitable than their counterparts.

Indian family-owned companies generated 13.9 per cent annual average returns since 2006, compared with 6 per cent returns clocked by their non-family-owned peers. This is something that the Indian firms share with their global peers.

In greater Asia, excluding Japan, family-owned companies generated 25.63 per cent greater cash flow return on investment than non-family owned companies. Performing 4.2 per cent better than non-family owned firms in terms of annual average share price return since 2006.

This year, we find that the family-owned businesses are continuing to outperform their peers in every region and sector whatever their size, Eugne Klerk, head analyst of Thematic Investments at Credit Suisse said, adding that they believe this was due to the long-term outlook of these firms and their relying less on external funding and investing more in research and development.

According to the report, of the top 50 profitable companies globally, 24 were from Asia, with a total market capitalisation of $748 billion. As many as 12 of these were Indian family-owned companies cumulatively valued at $192.2 billion.

The study also highlights other interesting trends, like the fact that family-owned companies may underperform non-family-owned companies during periods when economic conditions and sentiment improve. The report observes that this could be due to the popular belief that family-owned companies tend to be more conservatively managed, resulting in more defensive characteristics.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In a surprise move aimed at reviving the stressed banking sector through consolidation, the government on Monday proposed amalgamation of Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank.

This will create Indias third largest bank after SBI and ICICI Bank, the government said, adding that the merged entity will have total business to the tune of `14.82 lakh crore.

Consolidation of banks was in our agenda and the first step has been announced, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters here on Monday.

Dena Bank has been placed under the prompt corrective action framework by the Reserve Bank of India with restrictions on lending, while Vijaya Bank is among the only two lenders to have reported a profit in 2017-18.

Two strong banks can absorb a third bank to create a globally competitive bank, the FM said adding that no employee will face any adverse service conditions after the amalgamation.

According to Rajiv Kumar, secretary, Department of Financial Services, the boards of all the three banks had already been advised by the government to consider the proposal, which will be taken soon.

The government has not given any timeframe for the merger but experts feel it could take six months to one year.I do not know how long it will take but if you go by past experiences, it would take probably four to six months. It can be speeded up also, Bank of Baroda Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer P S Jayakumar told TNIE.

DFS secretary Rajiv Kumar said there is no need to amend the Bank Nationalization Act. The scheme of amalgamation will be tabled in Parliament. Meanwhile, All India Bank Employees Association has opposed the move saying what is required is an expansion of banks and not a merger of banks.

We have seen the example of the five associate banks merging with State Bank of India. No miracle has happened. On the other hand, it has resulted in closure of branches, increase in bad loans, reduction of staff, reduction in business etc, said C H Venkatachalam, general secretary, AIBEA.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Tech Mahindra has sacked the employee, who had been accused by a former employee of harassing and discriminating against him on grounds of sexual orientation, according to a tweet by the IT major.

"@gauravpramanik, arising out of an investigation carried out in the matter, the concerned employee has been separated from the employment of the company with immediate effect," Tech Mahindra said in a tweet late Saturday. It further added that the company believes in diversity and inclusion, and condemns "discrimination of any kind in the workplace".

This tweet was re-tweeted more than 400 times and liked over 900 times.

Pramanik, in a statement, said: "The path to my vindication hasn't been easy over the past week. I have been abused, threatened, maligned and my character been questioned. But I knew it would have been this way all this while, and I was prepared for it to rain on me. However, I hadn't realised how mentally exhausting all of this was. Thank you to all who have supported me steadfastly".

He added that he would like to know the steps that policymakers at Tech Mahindra are taking to ensure that such incidents don't occur in the future.

"How are you, as an organisation going to put in place stricter and more stringent policies to keep a check on discrimination against sexual and religious minorities. How are you going forward with sensitising your employees about gender sensitivity? I would love to hear from their HR team in this regard," he said.

Last week, Tech Mahindra had said it would conduct a thorough probe after a former employee, just days after the Supreme Court decriminalising homosexuality, alleged harassment and discrimination by his then team manager in 2015.

In a recent mail written to his previous manager after the SC's landmark order, Gaurav Probir Pramanik had cited a 2015 incident where the manager concerned, during an address in a training room, had allegedly made "sweeping generalisation and stereotyping of someone's sexuality".

Pramanik accused the manager of making "mocking judgements" on how his purported "effeminate" nature had affected his work.

He also alleged that the manager made "a mockery out of a religious minority and a sexual minority" despite being a leader at a company that prides itself for inclusion and diversity.

In his mail, Pramanik said that he had "promised" to write to the manager "the day IPC Section 377 was scrapped and being a homosexual in a country as great as India was legal".

On September 6, the apex court in a historic ruling had said that consensual gay sex is not a crime, while striking down a British era law that it said violates the right to equality.

Tech Mahindra had faced online criticism after the former employee went public with the charges against his former team leader.

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said the company is investigating the matter and "will ascertain the facts and see that the outcome is fair and just".

He had also assured that the group celebrates diversity at workplace and "fairness and dignity" of an individual are enshrined in core value of the company.UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed the signing of a new peace agreement in South Sudan, hailing it as "a positive and a significant development."

"The secretary-general commends the parties on this step forward and applauds regional and international efforts that led to the signing of the agreement," said Farhan Haq, Guterres' deputy spokesman, in a statement.

The secretary-general calls on the signatories of the agreement to fully and inclusively implement the agreement both in letter and spirit, so that the people of South Sudan can finally receive the peace dividend they deserve, said the statement.

It is imperative that all parties immediately cease hostilities across South Sudan, it added.

The road ahead remains challenging and the international community must remain seized of the situation in South Sudan, said the statement.

The United Nations stands ready to assist the parties in implementing the peace agreement that was signed on Wednesday, it said.

Shortly after its independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan plunged into civil war. Up to 300,000 people are estimated to have been killed since late 2013.By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Global markets can be expected to bleed further as US President Donald Trump is likely to announce fresh tariffs on about $200 billion worth of Chinese imports on Monday, media reports in the US over the weekend claimed. The Wall Street Journal reported that the tariffs could be set lower at around 10% as against 25% indicated earlier by the Trump administration.

The fresh tariffs are aimed at putting pressure on Beijing ahead of tough negotiations on its demand for technology transfer from US companies. China can be expected to retaliate in equal measure.

Global markets have been anticipating the punitive tariffs with trepidation since July when they were first proposed. Commodity prices are the ones to watch out for. Any fall in crude oil prices could help India. It can also be an opportunity for India to improve its exports to the US in textiles, garments, gems and jewellery.

Over 1,000 products could be impacted in the latest round of levies - from car seats for babies to seafood, bicycles, electronic goods, printed circuit boards, consumer goods like furniture, tyres, and commodities, including chemicals and plastics.

US media reported that the final details of the new tariff plan are still being worked out. White House spokesperson Lindsay Walters was quoted as having said, the president has been clear that he and his administration will continue to take action to address Chinas unfair trade practices.

Chinas government has sent no signals that it intends to de-escalate trade tensions; it could respond just as it has thus far by applying more tariffs on US exports. Like the higher prices for imported goods, punishing US exporters will damage the innocent bystanders in Trumps poorly justified trade war, Peterson Institute for International Economics had said in a paper.

Krugmans posers

Will this help US workers? Almost surely not. It will, instead, disrupt existing business arrangements, imposing a second China shock rather than fixing the first one. And will it bring China to the negotiating table? My problem here is that the U.S. doesnt seem to have any coherent demands, says Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman.By IANS

NEW DELHI: As the government on Monday proposed amalgamation of Bank of Baroda (BoB), Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank into the country's third-largest bank, BoB Managing Director P.S. Jayakumar said it may happen in four to six months.

"Going by past practices, the merger may take four to six months. It can be speeded up also...it depends," Jayakumar told reporters after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar announced the proposal here.

The envisaged amalgamation will be the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore. The combined entity will have a net NPA ratio at 5.71 per cent, better than public sector banks (PSB)'s average of 12.13 per cent.

"With the benefit of scale working in, with greater distribution and more opportunities for products for costumers etc., a reasonable assumption is that there will be good opportunity to come but it is something that will happen in due course," he said.

The boards of the three state-run banks are expected to meet shortly and consider the government's proposal and decide the merger ratio and other details of the scheme of amalgamation. The government's shareholding will be as per the merger ratio.

Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar said the biggest beneficiary of the merger is the amalgamated entity and the banking industry, as it aims to get scale, synergy and reach for the benefit of the customers.

"It is in tune with the sixth largest economy in the world. You need a global reach. Both Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank will get that global reach through BoB and BoB will get a much sounder credit culture in the Vijaya Bank. It's futuristic where you have large global banks," Kumar said.

BoB MD and CEO Jayakumar said while it will benefit loss-making Dena Bank, BoB will be benefited by its stronger presence in Maharashtra and Gujarat, and by having more branches in under-represented four southern states.

"BoB brings a huge foreign currency position to the table, technology is there and there are lot of things we are doing in the transformation journey which will be value to them (Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank).

"The new entity will benefit from a better CASA ratio of Dena Bank. The loan book will get diversified more into retail and MSME from a corporate exposure perspective. The loan book of BoB will go up by 40 per cent in the combined entity," he said.

CASA ratio is the ratio of deposits in current and saving accounts to total deposits. Higher CASA ratio indicates lower cost of funds for banks.

"It is a progressive move and signifies the government's determination to strengthen the banking sector in the country," industry body FICCI President Rashesh Shah said.

"This merger will lead to greater operational efficiencies and the entities involved would benefit through a synergistic relationship that would leverage each other's network, customer base and access to low-cost deposits," he said.

Though the government has assured there will be no job cuts, Delhi State Bank Workers Organisation General Secretary Ashwani Rana opposed the decision.

"The government's decision to merge the banks is not correct and the unions oppose it. There is no guarantee that it will benefit the banks, its employees and customers. Also, it is less likely to impact the NPA as was seen in SBI's case. It will have an adverse impact on the current employees," Rana said.

The National Organization of Bank Workers (NOBW) also opposes this merger, he added.By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Almost 11 years after a city resident lost his checked-in baggage which contained medical reports and business documents while travelling in a British Airways flight, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, South Chennai, has ordered the airlines to pay Rs 90,000 to the traveller.

The matter dates back to September 2007 when Sumanth Subramanian of Besant Nagar was travelling from Chennai to USA with his wife in British Airways. When the couple landed at the Washington International Airport, they found one of their three checked-in baggages to be missing. After they lodged a complaint with the airline, they were informed that a compensation will be paid.

A month later Sumanth was offered Rs 41,610 as compensation for the missing baggage by the airlines. But no efforts were made to trace the baggage which went missing due to negligence and deficiency on their part, said the resident in his complaint to the forum. We didnt even have a set of extra clothes to change. I could not attend any business meeting as all my important documents were lost. My wife lost her medical reports also, said Sumanth in his complaint.

The airlines denied all allegations and said according to the Carriage by Air Act 1972 they were not liable for the incident. The complainant is entitled to get only Rs 20,875 as the baggage weighed 23kg, the maximum permissible weight. But we offered Rs 20,000 more than that amount, said the airline in defence.

The forum said that though the airlines claimed that the baggage was lost due to technical snags developed in the system, no proof was submitted to substantiate this.

Rs 50,000 for lost items

The forum comprising President M Mony and Judicial Member K Amala ordered the airlines to pay Rs 50,000 towards the lost items and Rs 40,000 as compensationB Anbuselvan By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Giving much relief to train travellers, the Railways has dropped the proposal to convert the much-sought-after Chennai - Hazrat Nizamuddin Garib Rath Express, a low-cost three-tier AC train into a premier Humsafar Express.

Instead, it has decided to introduce a new Humsafar Express, a fully AC three-tier train between Chennai and New Delhi.

To this effect, IRCTC suspended on Friday ticket booking for the Garib Rath from December 29, from when it was planned to be operated as Humsafar Express.

In addition, on Saturday, the Garib Rath Express operated with its old rake as against the announcement that the train will run with Humsafar rake from September 15.

Owing to the huge demand for AC class in Chennai - Delhi route, the railway board decided not to withdraw the Garib Rath Express. An idea was mooted in the last minute to introduce a new Humsafar Express in the route, said a highly placed official in Southern Railway.

Pointing out that Chennai Central, New Delhi and Nizamuddin are already saturated in terms of availability of platforms, the official added that the railway board sought a report from zonal railways concerned to introduce a new train.

Since new rakes for Humsafar Express are available, the train is likely be introduced in coming months, added the official.

Chennai - New Delhi, Chennai - Howrah, and Chennai - Guwahati are among the long-distance routes that have the highest ticket demand throughout the year. It is impossible for passengers to get tickets during festivals and weekends.

The Garib Rath Express train has highest passenger patronage as it covers the 2176-km distance between the State capital and countrys capital in 28.5 hours, which is the shortest travel time compared to Tamil Nadu Express, Grand Trunk Express and Thirukkural Express operated in the same route.KV Navya By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Saleema (name changed) was a few metres away from her cloth shop when she saw a thick blanket of smoke billowing from her store. She sprinted towards it, the smoke now choking her as she got closer. But before she reached, the fire gutted her shop. Saleema broke down, inconsolably.

In June 2017, about 72 hours after the Chennai Silks building in T Nagar went up in flames, a fire erupted in another part of the city  at Suntec City Shopping Complex, in Purasawalkam, which housed about hundred shops.

Here, Saleema owned three shops, of which two burned to ashes.

A year later she has rebuilt her stores. Other shopkeepers left the building, and their shops have been converted into a large electronics showroom by a single owner.

In 2017, the fire accidents, which caused the city a property loss of `792 crore, should have been a wake-up call for civic authorities and shopkeepers to install fire safety equipment in all the public markets. But, the lessons seemed to have been forgotten overnight. Fire safety measures are still missing. Nahi Maam. Uski zaroorat hi kya hai? (No maam. What is the need?), said the owner of the electronics showroom.

No fire-safety licence

After the fire tragedy at Chennai Silks, the Fire Safety Department sent out caution notices to 1,244 commercial buildings in the city of which 370 were in north Chennai, 404 in central Chennai, 450 in south Chennai and 20 in suburban zones. The stores had either not complied with fire safety norms, or were yet to procure a licence.

Not even one building in Ranganathan Street in T Nagar has been sanctioned a fire safety licence, including popular commercial chain that has various branches in the city. The situation is similar at Purasawalkam, Broadway and few buildings in Chromepet, which is fast emerging as a commercial hub, said an official from the Fire Safety Department.

The fire safety authorities have warned Saleema, and the owner of Suntec City, but both are yet to take a serious note of it. A lot of money was involved in setting up the shops again from scratch and we did not want to waste money on this, she said.

High Court order

Following these incidents, when shops didnt pay heed to caution notices by Fire Safety Department, the Madras High Court in 2017 passed an order asking all the shops sans fire safety licence to display a board outside their shops, saying they operate without fire safety equipment.

The Madras High Court directed the state government to install a board outside each multi-storeyed building (violators) saying they do not comply with the fire safety norms. However, only posters were stuck following the order, which were torn by the building owners within a fortnight. From then on, no boards have been installed and when enquired, they stated shortage of funds to be the reason behind non-installation, said S Jayaraman from T Nagar Residents Welfare Association.

Narrow roads

When the fire broke out at T Nagar, the local fire engine reached on time, but firefighters from other areas had a difficult time driving through narrow roads, said Kannan Balachandran, a resident of T Nagar. The firefighters had to operate from the Usman Road flyover, resulting in a delay in dousing the flames.

As per development regulations of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), the access road width for multi-storeyed buildings must be 18 m or with limitations up to 12 m or 15 m. But, the access road width in T Nagar is still less than 4 m. While at night it may be a tad easier to get into the narrow lanes, fire engines might not be able to access commercial streets due to the crowd and encroachment during the day. To avoid such incidents and make accessibility better, fire safety officials measured the streets of T Nagar to expand the base for shopkeepers. But, it remains to see the light of the day.

Absence of equipment

A fire safety report was compiled by Multi Storey Inspection team in 2015, flaws were identified and defaulters were served notice. No action has been taken yet.

A famous retail chain in the city, with over four branches in T Nagar and two in Broadway, has already witnessed a fire accident, but still does not comply with safety norms. The Fire department mandates two 9-litre extinguishers for every 200 sq m in addition to the 5 kg extinguishers, but this chain of stores has only four 5-kg extinguishers on each floor.

Ninety per cent of the commercial buildings do not possess automatic sprinkler system, underground water tank as per required capacity (1.5 lakh l), fire lift, a set back area, exit sign, emergency lights along the staircases, fire damper and a building management system, said an official from fire safety.

Goods are stacked on all floors and staircases, leaving no space for customers to escape in case of fire, said P Balachandran, one of the customers at a store in Broadway.

According to the official, even if the automatic detection system and manually operated fire alarm points are installed, they do not work properly. It has been over two years since they have been asked to make the necessary changes.

Need for fire-proof future

Individual buildings in such crowded areas must have a sump and pump room in case of an emergency. Small retailers may claim that it is not feasible for them due to financial and space constraints. But, there is no excuse for the large retailers who have the resources and can not only cater to the needs of their building but also to others in the street when it comes to damage control in case of a fire, said V Sivaramakrishnan, a fire consultant.

He said that shop owners increase the number of storeys or make internal changes to the lighting system

and AC capacity that leads to short circuits which set off fire. Sumit Khanna, a member of Beyond Carlton, a public initiative for fire safety, explains, There are two kinds of markets  those located inside a building and those on the streets where the shops are adjacent to each other.

While shops in malls have some level of fire protection in terms of extinguishers, individual shops dont. There is a danger of the fire spreading from one shop to the next, especially in commercial markets that sell textiles, electronics or any other combustible material. (This is the first in our series on fire safety in the city)

Death traps

Even after several warnings, there are over a lakh commercial units across Chennai that do not have a fire safety licence. In case of a fire, a majority of the buildings located in the commercial pockets of T Nagar, Purasawalkam and Broadway would turn into death traps for its occupants as fire safety is not on top of their priority list.By Online Desk

An auto driver from Chennai who questioned BJP's Tamil Nadu state chief Tamilisai Soundararajan about the rising petrol price in the country was allegedly pushed away and hit by her aides.

In an ANI video, in which the BJP state chief is seen interacting with the media, the autorickshaw driver questions about the rising petrol and diesel prices. Immediately, Soundararjan's aide and BJP leader V. Kalidass pushes the man away and hits him. Other supporters are also seen manhandling the auto driver in the video.

#WATCH Saidapet(Chennai): BJP leader V Kalidass pushes and hits an auto rickshaw driver who asked Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Tamilisai Soundararajan about petrol price hike (16.9.18) pic.twitter.com/5SRH60sb23  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

Petrol price in Chennai has breached the Rs 85 mark and is being sold at Rs 85.31 per litre while diesel is being sold at Rs 78.00 per litre.By Express News Service

CHENNAI : Chennai streets will soon be as safe for women, as the streets in Singapore are, said actor Vikram in the city on Monday.He was releasing a video for spreading awareness on installing CCTV in all neighbourhoods. The video that he features in is an initiative taken by Greater Chennai police.The actor, known popularly for playing police in many of his films said, Catching a culprit becomes really easy, when there are video footages from the crime scene.

Police commissioner AK Viswanathan said individual houses, apartment associations and commercial landlords must install CCTV facing the road.He also urged that all MLAs should allot funds for installing CCTVs in highly-crowded places in their constituencies. The Chennai police had already launched a short film called Moondravathu Kan which features comedian Vivek, which is screened in many theatres in the State.By Express News Service

CHENNAI : Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Paul Salopek started his 35,000 km journey on foot from Ethiopia in 2013 to not set a Guinness world record or to become a celebrity. But, it was to break the invisible boundary present around each news story which limits the storytelling power of the original anecdote, he said during an interactive session at the US Consulate-General on Monday.

I wanted to literally walk away from the accelerating world of digital news and thats what I did, said 56-year-old Paul, who will complete his trek around the globe, Out of the Eden Walk in 2023.Retracing the ancient migration pattern of our human ancestors, he started his journey five years ago from the worlds oldest human fossil site in Ethiopia and since then he had travelled across Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan.

Currently, he has stopped at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and will head east to finally reach South America in the next five years. Paul, a National Geographic Fellow has documented stories, videos, pictures and audio clips and shared it on the Nat Geo website and magazine. With the help of walking partners, he has written extensively about climate change, culture, religion, environment, migration through stories by interacting with people.Aihik Sur By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: With thousands of people dependent on Annapurna canteens for their daily meals, a recent study found that the supervisors did not conduct regular food inspections and few were not even aware of its procedure.

The study done by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) called the Food and Welfare: A Case Study of Annapurna Canteens in Hyderabad observed, Most of the supervisors reported that the food inspections were not carried out frequently at regular intervals. A few canteen supervisors were not aware of the procedure of food inspections.

Annapurna canteens, where one can get a nutritious meal (albeit not hygienic as it turns out) for a mere Rs 5, cater to around 70,000 customers daily. They are managed by the GHMC and Hare Krishna Movement (HKM).

This also indicates that while the mandate of monitoring lies with the GHMC, no specific responsibilities and procedures seem to have been in place to ensure effective monitoring and accountability, it added.

It also found that most of the canteen kiosks were located beside large dustbins, small dumps or open canals. More than half, 53 per cent of beneficiaries were migrants as opposed to 47 per cent locals.

Most of the migrants hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh as well as other regions of Telangana.

Migrants consume more on a daily basis than locals, demonstrating high levels of food vulnerability given insufficient housing conditions for migrants, sometimes without existence of kitchens, the study said.By Express News Service

KOCHI: This was one of the best felicitations we received for engaging in rescue operations in flood-hit areas. Usually, when we were honoured, we had to travel to those places but this is the first time the organisers came to our place and felicitated us. This was indeed a good gesture, said the fishermen from Marianad.

The Inner Wheel club of Trivandrum Blossom, one of the largest womens service voluntary organisation, felicitated 132 fishermen from Marianad who played a major role in rescue operations.

On August 17, 132 fishermen with 22 boats left the coast of Marianad after they were requested to help from the offices of Chief Minister and the District Collector. When we broke the news of the rising water levels in Chengannur area, many fishermen decided to not go to the sea for three to four days which was their only means of livelihood. That night itself, they headed towards Chengannur to help the flood victims, said Fr Ashley Jose, the vicar of Our Lady of Assumption Church, Marianad.

The fishermen from Marianad and Pallithura were fully engaged in the rescue operations and they didnt leave any stone unturned to save the lives of people.

They even took up the cost incurred during the rescue operations and never waited for any help to repair or refuel their boats. As a sign of showing gratitude for their selfless service, the Inner Wheel Club of Trivandrum Blossom felicitated and provided them with lunch, in collaboration with Ajwa Restaurant Group in Marianad Parish Church.

Mayor V K Prasanth and Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar were the chief guests for the event.

The members of the Inner Wheel Club of Trivandrum Blossom also distributed school kits to students in the Kuttanad region.

They volunteered in different collection centres around the city and distributed mats to flood-affected people. We carried out the relief activities by raising our own funds, said Karthika Mohan, president of Inner Wheel Club of Trivandrum Blossom.

Started six years ago, the club has been conducting programmes for women and children. In the coming days, they are planning to conduct a dictionary and atlas drive that will be distributed to children in schools in the Kuttanad area. For this drive, we plan to approach the schools in the city and then collect dictionaries and atlas for flood-affected children, said Karthika. This 32-member club also plans to do something for fisherwomen and also carry out sanitation activities in the flood-hit areas.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a military parade of the participants of the Vostok-2018 (East-2018) drills at Tsugol military training ground in Zabaikalsky region, Russia, on September 13, 2018. (KREMLIN PHOTO)

The Russian Armed Forces have shown their readiness to successfully withstand potential military threats, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, after observing a series of drills involving hundreds of thousands of troops.

Putin, the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces, observed part of the Vostok-2018, or East-2018, drills held in the eastern part of Russia, a Kremlin statement said.

The main objectives of the drills are to check the level of readiness of the military command bodies for planning and conducting the regrouping of troops over long distances and organizing interaction between land troops and naval forces, the statement said.

They should also help commanders and staff improve their command and control skills, it said.

The drills held on Sept. 11-15 involved nearly 300,000 troops, about 36,000 military vehicles, and more than 1,000 aircraft from Russia's Eastern and Central military districts, as well as its Northern Fleet.

Units of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and Mongolian Armed Forces also participated in the drills.

During the main stage of the exercises, Russian, Chinese and Mongolian military units worked out actions to repel the offensive of a conventional enemy, to start their own offensive and to complete the defeat of the conventional enemy's main forces, the Kremlin said.

At the end of the exercises, Putin awarded medals to 10 servicemen of Russia, China and Mongolia, who distinguished themselves during the course.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission Shao Yuanming, as well as Hansalem.

Lhagvasuren, a brigade commander of the Armed Forces of Mongolia, as well as 87 observers from 59 countries, attended the drills, according to the Kremlin.By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet should scrap the Finance Department order which requires government employees to submit dissent notes if they are unwilling to donate one month's salary to the CMDRF, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said here on Monday.

The government should withdraw from the extortion of salaries which has triggered unrest in society, Chennithala said. None of the employees was against contributing two days salary to the CMDRF. The Chief Ministers suggestion that a months salary can be contributed in monthly instalments also was seen in a positive light.

However, the Finance Department s order did not fit in with this sentiment, he said. Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac should issue a public apology for unilaterally issuing the order without Cabinet approval, Chennithala said. Isaac boasts employees who submit dissenting notes will be embarrassed. How can a minister make such an irresponsible statement about government employees? he said.

Chennithala has filed a PIL before the Kerala High Court raising three issues related to the floods. He filed the PIL seeking a judicial probe into the flood, the establishment of a tribunal for carrying out the relief work properly and the opening of a separate account for flood relief contributions. The PIL will come up for hearing on Wednesday.

He accused the Central Water Commission (CWC) of being responsible to a certain extent for the flood havoc as it had not given proper intimation regarding the opening of the dams. He added that the central body has chided the state government for improper dam management. Chennithala said Law and Culture Minister A K Balan is knowingly or unknowingly arguing for Tamil Nadu - in their demand for supporting the CWCs suggestion on constructing a dam in Achenkovil-Vypar - and demanded to know whether this is indeed the LDFs political stance.

Chennithala charged the state government with trying to cover up the states failures using the flood as a bogey. He questioned the state governments action of sending a proposal for Rs 4,200 crore relief from the Centre while the actual extent of the devastation is much more. The state government is stating it gave the proposal on the basis of certain norms.

He urged the government to seek a special package from the Centre. On the nuns agitation, Chennithala said,  KPCC president (M M Hassan) has already extended moral support to this and I dont have anything more to say.

On whether Bishop Franco Mulackal will be arrested, his answer was, Its for the police to arrest him and let them do their job. He called upon the Speaker Sreeramakrishnan to take action against the MLA whose hostel room was used for illicit activities as complained by a woman. He should intervene on issues related to the MLAs Hostel and should not allow it to be turned into a den for nefarious activities.By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Kakinada, seized 1.2 kg of gold from a passenger who landed at the Rajahmundry airport, while it was being smuggled.

According to an official press release on Sunday, based on specific intelligence inputs, the DRI sleuths thoroughly frisked the passenger who arrived by SpiceJet Flight No SG-1267 from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry. During frisking, it was found that the passenger was carrying 1,900 grams of gold paste by concealing it in his innerwear.

The net weight of the gold in the paste is 1,269.85 grams. Enquiries revealed that the gold was purchased in Colombo and the passenger admitted that the yellow metal was smuggled into the country. The smuggled gold was seized under the Customs Act, 1962, the DRI sleuths said. Further investigation is on.By Express News Service

Suraj Gowda, who debuted with Maduveya Mamatheya Kareyole, has become choosy with his subjects, which explains the delay in signing his next. After Silicon City Suraj has agreed to be part of Lakshmi Tanaya, which also includes Achyuth Rao, Sitara, Sadhu Kokila, Chikanna Shivu KR Pete and Dharmanna in the cast.

Lakshmi Tanaya marks the directorial debut of Ramesh Venkatesh Babu in Kannada, a technician who has previously worked in Telugu films. The muharath on September 19 will see Rangasthalam director Sukumar, gracing the event. He will be tap the clapboard along with Dinakar Thoogudeepa who will switch on the camera. Venkatesh assisted Sukumar in Telugu. Even fight master Vijay, who has associated with actor Mahesh Babu previously will be working in this project, he says.

By being part of this big-budget film, Suraj has raised the bar. The films shoot will kickstart from November, before which the makers will reveal the first look. Meanwhile, Surajs first Telugu film is slated to release sometime this year.

The actor has made a cameo appearance in Hariprriya starrer, D/o of Parvathamma. While I will be concentrating on Lakshmi Tanaya, I also have a couple of other projects. I will be associating with the director of Akira Naveen Reddy for a film, he says.By Express News Service

Ill health did not deter Rebel star to indulge in his love for movies. Though the actor was admitted to a hospital, when he was told that his upcoming film, Ambi Ning Vayassaytho was censored with a U certificate, he made it a point to watch the film. According to a member of the production team, the senior actor went in an ambulance and watched the film at

Kalavidara Sangha on Saturday evening and was even thrilled with the output of the film, directed by Gurudatha Ganiga. While the films audio got released on Sunday, the function has been postponed.

Ambi Ning Vayassaytho has been made under Kichcha production in association with producer Jack Manju.

The film has Sudeep and Sruthi Hariharan in pivotal roles with Suhasini among others in the cast. Ambi Ning Vayassaytho has music by Arjun Janya and cinematographey by Jebin Jacob.By IANS

NEW DELHI: Ruling out the possibility of going back to paper ballots in place of electronic voting machines (EVMs), the Election Commission says it is working on a formula that will "minimise errors and maximise confidence" of the stakeholders in the working of the electronic voting machines.

It also says simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the assemblies are not possible now given the legal constraints. It says no political party has demanded going back to ballot papers at an all-party meeting with the Election Commission recently.

"I have been reading in the newspapers. That's why it must be coming in the media. Some editorials have come, some lead articles have come (about EVMs) that something which has eradicated booth capturing has eradicated the muscle power. The EVMs have eradicated that stigma on our voters that they cannot even vote; that so many votes are invalidated. Even at times, victory margin is less than a number of invalid votes.

"So all these issues have been flagged by even media that there is no point going back to that (paper ballots). Why do you want to bring back those days? When people never used to talk about campaigner or anything, now they would talk about how many booths did you capture. If you captured 83 and I have captured 150. I am going to win," Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) O.P. Rawat told IANS in an interview at his office at Nirvachan Sadan, the headquarters of the Election Commission of India.

He was replying to a question on the opposition demand for going back to the paper ballot system in view of the apprehensions that the EVMS could be manipulated, an allegation some major opposition parties have levelled in the past few years after electoral defeats.

The parties also demanded to increase the sample number of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) for physical counting to cross-check whether the vote had gone to the intended candidate.

Rawat also said no party demanded to dispense with the EVMs and a total return to the paper ballots during the all-party conference convened by the Election Commission last month.

"Yes, I have been reading in the newspapers," he said when told about the claim of some leaders of having made such a demand.

"Media has been telling that and, therefore, the Election Commission is just acting as the constitutional authority to conduct the elections and in the process, the Commission has to keep all major stakeholders satisfied. Therefore, we are trying to convince them since in the all-party meeting they all said that the number (of VVPATs) should be increased (for taking up sample counting)."

The CEC said at the all-party meeting basically the points raised by parties included that either more slips of VVPATs should be counted because right now the counting is done from only one randomly-selected polling station.

"So as of now, VVPATs will be counted in 4,120 Assembly constituencies that form part of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies. But since they (parties) have suggested that more should be counted, the Commission is seized of the matter. The Commission is examining.

"There are two issues -- one is our stakeholders should be happy and satisfied but at the same time, since we are operating in a global environment it will be decided whether it (sample) should be one per cent, 10 per cent or 12 per cent. It will be done on a scientific basis to minimise the error and maximise the confidence level of the stakeholders.....so statistically, it will be a sample size which minimises errors and maximises the confidence level to 99.9999 per cent...that kind of thing the Commission is looking for," the CEC said.

Asked what would be the ideal size of samples, he said, "if that was known, we would have ordered that. We need statisticians to work on this. So I can't predict how many days it will take but it will take more days."

To another query, Rawat said "the issue was not of practicability but a solution that is acceptable to all and whenever this solution is available, say within the next two-three weeks, the Commission will take a decision."

But, he said, he cannot say definitely whether the new solution could be applied in the coming round of Assembly elections in four or five states.

Asked about the demand from opposition parties for a cap on the expenses on party account, Rawat said there can be no different views on this. The Commission has already submitted a reform proposal that would like a ceiling on the party expenditure like there is a ceiling on candidates' expenditure.

"But this question should be put to all the parties. Because it is not that this party is in power for eternity. you were in power...you could have brought it," he said.

Asked about the simultaneous elections being pushed by BJP, the CEC said it was not possible given the current laws as the Constitution had to be amended and there should be amendments in other electoral laws.

He said even the Law Commission has said what the Election Commission had said in 2016. "But the Election Commission had said this in 2015 when we were asked that you (Parliament) will have to amend the Constitution. Sections of the Representation of the People Act have to be amended since you have to provide for logistics.

"Logistics would have three issues. One is the number of machines, number two Central Armed Police Force because generally political parties these days insist we don't have any faith in the state police. So if you want simultaneous elections you will need more whatever is available now will not do. So more of that, then more of vehicles, more of police personnel, more of all that. So those are logistical issues that will have to be addressed before doing it."By Express News Service

KOLKATA: Even after 36 hours of firefight, the blaze at central Kolkata's Bagree Market was still not doused on Monday afternoon. The fire that started at around 2.30 AM on Sunday gutted the entire wholesale market and spread to adjacent buildings on crowded Canning Street.

Though most of the fire was doused by fire-fighting engines that sprayed water from six sides, fire pockets continued to blaze even at 2.30 pm on Monday. Though no casualty was reported in the incident but three fire-fighters were injured during the operation and goods worth crores were gutted.

Presence of inflammable goods such as deodorants, nail polish and plastic products in the building made controlling fire a difficult task, fire brigade sources said.

Bagree Market owner Radha Bagree and her entire family are absconding since Sunday morning. Police have launched a manhunt for them. The fire extinguishers in the building were non-functional causing delay in initial response to the blaze, police sources revealed.

A forensic team visited the area but could not collect samples due to the raging fire. "Temperature at several pockets of the market is more than 100 degrees. Sampling is not possible now," forensic specialist Wasim Reza said.

Municipal affairs and urban development minister Firhad Hakim faced ire of the local residents when he visited the area. However, Mayor Sovan Chatterjee said that the residents were told several times to upgrade the firefighting mechanism but did not pay any heed.ends//By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Union Minister VK Singh on Monday said that the army still rules Pakistan despite Imran Khan becoming the prime minister. Singh also said it remains to be seen of 'the person' (Khan) would be able to bring a change in the neighbouring country. "India is adopting a wait and watch approach after the installation of a new government in Pakistan," he said.

Speaking on the incidents of infiltration at the border post the searing-in of the Imran Khan government, the minister of state for external affairs said, "Did you all expect a change? I don't know. After all, the person has been propped up by the (Pakistan) army. The army still rules. So, let's wait and watch how things go - whether the person remains under army control or doesn't remain under its control." Singh however refrained from naming Khan directly.

READ| No thaw in sight for India-Pak ties

The minister was speaking on the sidelines of the two-day conference on Smart Border Management, which was organized by FICCI. The minister said that dialogue between the two countries was possible only if the environment was 'conducive'. Singh also denied receiving any proposal from the Pakistan government for the opening of the Kartarpur border for Sikh pilgrims. "Nothing has come from the government's (Pakistan) side. This issue has been going on for a very long time. If anything comes about we will let you know," he said.

Singh was the opinion that India has a unique border and coming up with one solution to make it secure was not possible. "From plains to deserts and mountains and other terrains, one kind of solution cannot be applied to our border and the variety of the terrain has to be factored in while designing any solutions for making the border security more robust and smart," he said.

The conference included defence officials and experts, business leaders and a group of sarpanches from villages near the border. A report on smart border management prepared by FICCI along with BDO India was released on the occasion.Rajesh Asnani By

Express News Service

JAIPUR: Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan and AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot slammed current Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for misusing the bureaucracy in Rajasthan for her own political gains. Gehlot targeted Tanmay Kumar, a senior IAS officer and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, who he claimed was behaving less like a public servant and more as a personal servant to Raje.

"For the last four years the Chief Minister was moving around in helicopters while Tanmay Kumar was working as the de-facto CM. All decisions of the government were carried out on instructions of Kumar. Vasundhara Raje used him to threaten IAS/RAS officers and they gave away crores of rupees to event management companies of the BJPs liking. He was catering to Vasundhara Raje's whims and fancies which resulted in zero governance in the last 5 years", Gehlot said.

On the issue of wasting money on event management companies, Gehlot added that mega-events were still being organised and honest officers who stand in the way are targeted. "Last month on the Indo-Pak border there was a program to form a human chain but nothing of that sort actually happened. It was just a waste of resources. Rs 21 crore for the flower shower from the helicopter is still to be paid. When IAS officer, Sudeshan Sethi objected, he was transferred. They are bringing out the transfer list only to cover their past misdeeds. All those who raise their voice are put in the jail", Gehlot said.

He added that the government is working with vengeance against vigilant officials like IAS officer Sandhu, ex-Minister Shanti Dhariwal and Ajay Chopra. All of them were on the verge of being in jail. He also urged that departments of Mining, Energy, IT and PHED should all be investigated for corruption as they are working collectively with private event management companies , misusing exchequer's money.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday said that it will examine two days later whether there is material supporting the arrest of five rights activists in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra extended till September 19 the house arrest of the five rights activists--Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha-- at their respective homes.

"Every criminal investigation is based on allegations and we have to see whether there is some material," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

The bench said if there were some grave lapses, then it may consider the prayers like investigation by an SIT in the case.

READ| Few activists arrested in Bhima Koregaon violence case go on 'hunger strike' at Yerawada jail

The bench then fixed the case of Thapar and others for final hearing.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra government, said the court should make it clear that after the adjudication from the apex court, the arrested accused cannot avail remedies simultaneously on similar issues at another judicial forum.

The Maharashtra police had arrested the rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.Mukesh Ranjan By

Express News Service

RANCHI: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey from Godda has drawn flak from the Opposition parties for allowing his party worker to get his feet washed and drink the water used for washing. Pawan Sah, the party worker who washed the feet of Dubey, however, did not find anything unusual in it and threatened to file a complaint on the political parties and media if they further tried to politicize the issue.

The incident took place during the foundation stone laying ceremony of a Kalali-Kanbhara bridge in Godda on Sunday following which Dubey shared the photograph on Facebook praising the Sah for washing his feet in presence of thousands of people to keep his promise made earlier for getting his wish fulfilled.

"There is nothing unusual; I did it out of respect as I consider Nishikant Bhaiya as my God," said Sah.

He claimed that he did it on his own will and was not under anybody's pressure. "As I had a knife in my hand, which I used to apply 'tilaka' on Nishikant Bhaiya's forehead after cutting my thumb, I would have killed myself if I had not been allowed to wash his feet and drink the water," added the BJP worker.

Terming it a perfect example of feudalistic mindset, the Opposition parties on the other hand, have demanded immediate dismissal of BJP MP's Parliamentary membership.

"It explains the feudalistic mindset of the people who are in BJP. Now, Madam Speaker should dismiss his membership in the Parliament as showcasing of such a social evil will give a wrong message in the society," said JMM Spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya.

Referring to the video, Bhattacharya said that the Godda MP himself stood up and made the party worker put off his shoes and let him wash his feet and drink the water used for washing the feet, which is really disgusting and shameful act in this world of 21st century. "

Dubey did it just to give his men a message that he is superior to them," said the JMM Spokesperson. The BJP must think seriously on the issue and expel the Godda MP from permanent membership of the party, he added.

Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Spokesperson Yogendra Pratap Singh also asserted that the way Dubey shared the post praising the BJP worker itself explains the feudal mindset of the party members, which is the original ideology of BJP. "The arrogance which is being shown by the party men after coming into power is harmful for democracy," said Singh.

It is really surprising that such a person has been chosen as Best Parliamentarian for Lokmat Parliamentary Awards - 2018. Similarly, Congress Party also slammed the BJP and said that at the one hand, they are observing 'Swachhta Hi Seva' Cleanliness Fortnight, 2018, while on the other side; they are encouraging their party workers to drink water used for washing their feet.

"I thing Prime Minister Narendra Modi must take this matter into cognizance and take action against him so that no such incident takes place in future," said Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee Spokesperson Lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo.

Dubey, however, expressed pleasure for Godda drawing attention of the National Media and leaders of all Political Parties on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"It is really a pride moment for me as the time when Opposition parties were busy in raising fake issues, suddenly they dumped all the issues and focused on Godda, it really means a lot to me," said Dubey. People of Kanbhara are born RSS workers and hence they do not need to prove their loyalty to me or the party, he added. Dubey was also of the view that the matter should not be politicized and said that,

"If a party worker is trying to give respect by washing my feet, where is the problem?"A Syrian air defense missile is seen in the sky while responding to an Israeli missile attack on the international airport of Damascus, in Damascus, Syria, on Sept.15, 2018. Syria's air defenses responded to an Israeli attack near the international airport of the capital Damascus on Saturday evening, state TV reported. The air defenses intercepted several missiles targeting the Damascus airport, said the report, citing a military statement.

DAMASCUS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Syria's air defenses responded to an Israeli attack near the international airport of the capital Damascus on Saturday evening, state TV reported.

The air defenses intercepted several missiles targeting the Damascus airport, said the report, citing a military statement.

The exact target of the attack is still unknown.

The attack is the latest in a string of Israeli missile strikes that targeted Syrian military bases during the protracted war in the country.

On Sept. 4, Israeli warplanes infiltrated the Syrian airspace on a low altitude, targeting Syrian military sites in the central province of Hama and the northwestern province of Tartus, according to the army.

In July, Israel targeted again the scientific research center in the northwestern city of Masyaf.

The Saturday attack comes as the Syrian government is holding the Damascus international trade fair not far from the airport.

Saturday is the last day of the week-long fair, where a large turnout thronged the fairground to enjoy the evening concerts.

The Israeli attack did not stop the concerts at the fairground.By PTI

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday summoned RJD chief Lalu Prasad, wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav as accused in IRCTC money laundering case.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Arun Bharadwaj took cognisance of the charge sheet and directed all the accused to be present before it on October 6.

The court also issued production warrant against Prasad considering the fact that he is currently lodged in a Ranchi jail.

The court was hearing a case related to alleged irregularities in granting operational contract of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm.By ANI

JALANDHAR: Bishop of Jalandhar diocese, Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a Kerala nun, has written a letter to the Pope Francis, expressing his desire to temporarily step down from the responsibilities of the diocese. The letter has been handed over to Pope's representative in India.

"Bishop Franco Mullakal has written to the Pope on 16 Sep expressing his desire to step down temporarily from the responsibilities of the diocese and has sought permission for the same", Jalandhar diocese said in a statement.

The decision is being attributed to bishop requiring more time to fight his case and his repeated travels to Kerala, where the case is lodged.

Elaborating further on the details of latest development in the case, the statement reads, "Bishop requires to spend more time to fight his case, to even to travel to Kerala several times, and thus has expressed his willingness to absolve himself from the responsibilities of the diocese temporarily and has handed over a letter to the representative of the pope, seeking permission for the same".

Earlier, the victim had written a letter to the Apostolic Nunciature- the representative of the Pope in India- describing the ordeal she allegedly went through at the hands of Bishop Mulakkal.

Last week, the Jalandhar bishop who has been summoned by the Kerala Police for questioning on September 19 in the case, had announced that Monsignor Mathew Kokkandam will administer the diocese of Jalandhar in his absence.

The nun has accused the bishop of raping her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016. The bishop, however, refuted the allegation terming it "baseless and concocted.By Express News Service

JAIPUR: Back in Rajasthan after a five-day gap to lead his partys Assembly election campaign, BJP president Amit Shah set out to appease OBCs, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe voters on Sunday.

Addressing an OBC public meeting in Pali, attended by 750 party workers, Shah accused the Congress of not doing enough for the backward classes.

The Congress hasnt done anything in 70 years for the backward classes. But as soon as a poor tea seller became the Prime Minister, OBC Commission was given constitutional status. BJP is the party that is concerned about you, not the Congress, he said.

Shah said the BJP was not the party of any one caste or community. Prime minister Narendra Modi says the mantra for development is sabka sath sabka vikas, he said, adding that the BJP had never been branded as a party of a particular community and was the party of all.

Later in the evening, Shah reached Jodhpur and visited the temple of Baba Ramdev, a local deity who has a huge following amongst Rajput and backward communities, at Masuria.

Attacking the Opposition grand alliance, he said it was not serious about tackling poverty, unemployment and corruption and its sole agenda was to remove Modi. Modi Modi Modi. He's a phobia for them, he said.

Shah began his tour of the state from Pali district in Marwar region, where the BJP is facing major challenges from outside and inside. Party MLA, Manvendra Singh, who is the son of former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, has announced a self-respect yatra from September 22, which is being seen as a counter to Chief Minister Vasundhara Rajes Gaurav Yatra. Marwar is also considered to be a bastion of Congress veteran Ashok Gehlot.

Shah will cover three major divisions  Jodhpur, Ajmer and Udaipur  till September 20. Monday will see him touring Bhilwada district in Ajmer and on Tuesday he will head to Nagur district, where he is scheduled to address farmers, comprising mainly Jats, who decide the poll outcome on 35 out of 200 seats in the state.

From Nagaur, the BJP chief will go to tribal dominated Mewar region, which has mostly reserved seats and participate in an ST convention on Wednesday. He will address the ST community in other tribal-dominated areas like Kaurali and Gangapur on September 22.

He will tour SC-dominated Bikaner, Hanumangrah and Sriganganagar districts next month.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in his constituency Varanasi on Monday and Tuesday to take part in BJP's Kavyanjali (poetic tribute) campaign in memory of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The campaign will conclude on September 25, the birth anniversary of party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.

The PM will visit Narur village where he will interact with children of a primary school who are being aided by the non-profit organisation Room to Read, a government spokesperson said.

Later, he will interact with students of Kashi Vidyapeeth.

He will lay foundation stones for various development projects, cumulatively worth more than Rs 500 crore on the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus. He will be inaugurating Integrated Power Development Scheme for Puraani Kashi, and an Atal Incubation Centre at BHU, added the official.

He will also lay the foundation stone for a Regional Ophthalmology Centre at BHU.

Union ministers and BJP leaders and workers are taking part in the Kavyanjali campaign during which the party will hold camps to take the benefits of Central schemes to the people.Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav repeated his call to stitch up a Grand Alliance, dropping enough hints to be ready to make a few sacrifice for ensuring the BJP's ouster in 2019.

Addressing SP workers on Monday, the SP chief said the motive of the alliance would be to defeat the BJP-RSS combine.

"For this I am ready to take two steps back if need arises." Claiming to be in constant touch with the BSP chief, Akhilesh said he was confident that the alliance will happen in Uttar Pradesh.

"Let the time come. The opposition wants the BJP to be defeated in the next general elections."

On Sunday, BSP supremo Mayawati had asserted that she would join the Grand Alliance only if she was offered a respectable chunk of seats.

Akhilesh put equal onus on the Congress, saying it had the greatest responsibility to take everyone along and find a way by holding parleys with all the prospective partners.

Unlike Mayawati, Akhilesh said he had no reservations against Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad if he wanted to be a part of the alliance in Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati had snubbed Chandrashekhar's overtures, saying she did not have any association with a person who was jailed for anti-social activities, rioting and violence. But, Akhilesh said he did not have any problem if Chandrashekhar joined the opposition alliance.

On the issue of the leadership of prospective Grand Alliance, Akhilesh asserted the leader would be decided after the Lok Sabha polls. "Right now, the bigger goal is to remove the BJP government from the Centre."

He added that if the saffron juggernaut was stopped in Uttar Pradesh, it could be stopped in the country. "That can happen only if regional players get their space as they are going to play a crucial role in the upcoming elections. They have the key to defeat the BJP," he claimed.By PTI

BHOPAL: Taking a dig at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday drew a parallel between his announcements and the runs scored by the batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

Gandhi was addressing a public meeting here after holding a roadshow to kickstart the Congress' campaign for the assembly polls slated later this year.

"You all have known about Tendulkar. Whenever he played any innings, everybody was assured that he will score at least 50, 60, 70 or 100 runs.

"Here, in Madhya Pradesh, there is a run machine known as the state chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan who makes announcements with the same pace," Gandhi said.

He said Chouhan has made 21,000 announcements so far "but nothing happened".

He then asked the gathering, "What you have got? Madhya Pradesh ranks first in unemployment, rapes, malnutrition and crime against women," Gandhi alleged.Minhaz Merchant By

Early mornings in the three-bungalow complex at Lok Kalyan Marg, which serves as PM Narendra Modis residence and personal office, are tranquil. There, Modi reflects on the days schedule, does yoga and devours the morning papers along with a light breakfast.

On his mind will be the packed international calendar: the UN General Assembly speech will again be given by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Modi has other priorities than the annual bickering at the UNGA between India and Pakistan that no one outside the subcontinent pays attention to. The PMs meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in October is a more pressing engagement given the diplomatic tightrope India has to walk between Washington and Moscow.

But the real problems lie closer at home. Following a successful India-US 2+2 dialogue earlier this month, India has achieved three geopolitical objectives. First, naming Pakistani terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad in the joint statement at the end of the dialogue between the foreign and defence ministers of the two nations. The wording is significant: The US has for the first time used the term terror groups operating from areas under Pakistans control rather than Pakistani territory. The shift in nuance is not an accident. The US accepts that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is not sovereign Pakistan territory.

As the India-US joint statement pointed out: The Ministers denounced any use of terrorist proxies in the region, and  called on Pakistan to ensure that the territory under its control is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries.  They called on Pakistan to bring to justice expeditiously the perpetrators of the Mumbai, Pathankot, Uri and other cross-border terror attacks. The Ministers welcomed the launch of a bilateral dialogue on designation of terrorists in 2017, which is strengthening cooperation and action against terrorist groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizb-ul Mujahideen, D-Company and their affiliates.

This is also the first time an official US statement has been so explicit about Pakistans complicity in sponsoring proxy terror against India. Despite the US tilt towards India, the regions problems will have to be solved by regional initiatives. A key shift in Indias regional strategy is allowing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to remain comatose. India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka boycotted the last SAARC summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan. The summit was aborted. Islamabad is desperately keen to host the abandoned summit in November 2018.

Pakistans new PM Imran Khan will turn on the charm to convince Modi, or at least Sushma, to attend. Neither should and neither will. Without India, a SAARC summit is a non-starter. Pakistan knows this. A second consecutive snub will play badly with Pakistans establishment that craves equivalence with and respect from India. It doesnt qualify for the former and does not merit the latter.

Meanwhile, India has other irons in the fire. It is developing BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) as a substitute for the mothballed SAARC. The BIMSTEC comprises India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand. The first five are also part of the eight-member SAARC. The three SAARC absentees in BIMSTEC are Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Maldives. By giving Afghanistan special observer status, BIMSTEC can entirely replicate SAARC minus Pakistan and the Maldives.

There are precedents for giving non-contiguous countries observer status. For example, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a grouping headed by China and Russia and comprising a smattering of Central Asian countries, gave India and Pakistan observer status before admitting both recently as full members.

The presence of Afghanistan as a special invitee to BIMSTEC will send a terse message to Pakistan whose proxy terror war has turned ordinary Afghans into bitter critics of Pakistan. The appointment of Zalmay Khalilzad as special US envoy to Kabul is significant. Khalilzad is an anti-Pakistan hawk. According to Khaled Ahmed, a columnist with the Pakistan edition of Newsweek: If you are a non-Pashtun Pakistani in Afghanistan on a business trip, pretend to be from India or you will get roughed up, so offended are the Pashtun Afghans carrying the baggage of rage over the creation of Pakistan that divided the Pashtun nation. With Khalilzad helping President Ghani in Kabul, Pakistan is going to find it difficult to engage with Afghanistan on the lines it is familiar with.

BIMSTEC is over 20 years old but has only now assumed geopolitical importance. Many of its members are targets of Chinas ambitious One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative. Some like Sri Lanka and Myanmar have noted Malaysias rebuff to China by cancelling OBOR infrastructure projects worth $22 billion. By using BIMSTEC as its primary regional forum, India can achieve two complementary objectives. One, isolate Pakistan regionally; two, build support against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (a part of OBOR) that violates sovereign Indian territory in PoK.

The BIMSTEC summit in Kathmandu on August 30-31 has partially restored Indias relationship with Nepals China-leaning premier K P Oli. Chinas recent decision to allow Nepal use of four Chinese ports has ended Indias monopoly though the 3,300-km distance from Nepal to the nearest Chinese port makes the arrangement impractical. Nepals hostility following Indias thoughtless blockade in 2015-16 has however mellowed.

Indias strategic defence partnership with the US gives it an edge regionally. BIMSTEC will allow India to further strengthen its Act East policy. The Indo-Pacific extends from the Middle East to the west coast of the US. Indias strategic impulse, as it prepares for a wider global role, is to have tactical options to both its east and west.

Minhaz Merchant

The author is an editor and publisher

Tweets @MinhazMerchantKalyan Chakravarthi By

Elections may be round the corner in neighbouring Telangana but as far as action goes, its Andhra Pradesh that is grabbing the headlines in the last few days with the ruling Telugu Desam Party tying itself up in knots. While its daily diatribe against the BJP can be considered part of politics in the run-up to the elections in 2019, the drama that began last Thursday gives one the impression that the party is either turning paranoid or being too clever by half.

How else can one explain the TDP and its chief N Chandrababu Naidus spin on the non-bailable warrant issued against him by a local court at Dharmabad in Nanded district? For the uninitiated, the warrant was issued against Naidu and 15 others for defying prohibitory orders and staging a protest against the construction of the Babli project in Maharashtra way back in July, 2010. The TDP chief was then the leader of the opposition in the undivided Andhra Pradesh and the protest was ostensibly aimed at highlighting how the project across the river Godavari could turn Telangana region into a veritable desert. If the purpose of the protest was to strengthen the party in Telangana, the following bypolls at the time put paid to any such expectations.

The case, however, continues to drag given the slow pace of the judiciary. BJP leaders claim NBWs were issued several times to Naidu for non-appearance in court. They also came up with the case sheet to prove that NBW was first issued, even if not executed, in 2015 when the TDP was in NDA. Naidu, nonetheless, alleges that it is yet another instance of vendetta politics being played by the saffron brigade and has been pointing accusing fingers at the Fadnavis government in Maharashtra. Considering that these kind of NBWs are a matter of routine for politicians of all hues, TDP leaders are understandably having a tough time taking this particular victimhood narrative forward.

The question that arises then is why is Naidu making a mountain of a molehill? Surely he is not paranoid. A 24/7 career politician with four decades of experience, he appears to be pressing forward with two objectives in mind. First, to boost the party morale in Telangana where it is on the edge of an abyss having been branded an Andhra party; and second, to gain some advantage in the tough negotiations for seat-adjustments with the Congress in that state. Towards this end, party insiders say he could even appear in person in court on September 21.

The irony here is that the case against him and his party colleagues was slapped when the Congress was in power in Maharashtra and with whom he has now joined hands to redefine the TDP. Whatever his intentions, the TDP chief is exposing himself to ridicule by harping on the NBW. Any loss of credibility at this crucial juncture in Andhra could be worse than any advantage he may derive in Telangana.

As it is, his move to break bread with the Congress has made several TDP leaders queasy. The party was founded by the late NTR to oppose the Congress. To re-engineer it requires a sound reason. Naidu is convinced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reason enough to effect that change. He believes for good reason that an alliance with the Congress is in the best interests of the party in Telangana.

That may well be the case, but a section of the TDP leaders fear a backlash against the alliance in Andhra, where people have uprooted the Congress lock, stock and barrel for its role in the division of the state. Its a risk Naidu is taking but he senses signs of Congress revival in the country and an end to the Modi sarkar in 2019. If one looks at his career, more often than not, he has been good at picking the winning horse. The special category status promised to the state by Congress president Rahul Gandhi has already made the party likeable to some extent once again, thanks to the BJPs refusal to accord the same.

Sources privy to the TDP thinktanks say alliance in Andhra could also be on the cards but depends on how it fares in Telangana polls. If they are to be believed, the Congress is already seeking six MP seats in Andhra arguing that it could offset any dents that actor Pawan Kalyans Jana Sena might inflict on the TDP. For now though, both sides have ruled out a tie-up in Andhra. But it seems only logical and a matter of time.

Kalyan Chakravarthi

Deputy Resident Editor, Andhra Pradesh

Email: chakravarthy@newindianexpress.comRamesh Chennithala By

The catastrophe of a lifetime that hit Kerala has jolted everyone. Millions have been forced to flee to relief camps leaving behind all their savings, belongings, farmlands and cattle with their livelihood shattered to the core.As the flood waters recede, its time to fill the lacuna and rebuild a better Kerala. Dam safety monitoring, disaster mitigation and post flood management have to be discussed threadbare at this juncture.

Dam safety monitoring

For the purpose of flood moderation, flood control reservoirs have to maintain rule curves containing guidelines and specifications that govern the storage and release functions of a reservoir. The authorities concerned miserably failed in adhering to the rule curves before releasing water from 34 out of the 39 major dams. Strict adherence to the rule curves would have lessened the devastation.

The Government of India has put in place strict guidelines and procedures to be followed by states to reduce the consequences of any emergency triggered by a dam incident or a dam failure. The Central Water Commission (CWC) was formed with the objective of conservation and utilisation of water resources in the respective state which includes flood management.

The National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) has the responsibility to suggest procedures and guidelines for ensuring safety of dams. In 2016, the NCDS came up with an emergency action plan (EAP) to be followed by all states. The EAP mandates a reservoir operating manual, an inundation map, the type of warnings to be given, standard evacuation procedure, among others. The CAG report of 2017 had flagged the lack of EAPs for our dams, but the government ignored these warnings.

To predict the occurrence of floods in each state, the CWC prepares a standard operating procedure (SOP) for flood forecasting on a yearly basis. This is prepared for each state on a request basis.

For 2018, the CWC has prepared SOP for 24 states, except Kerala as it failed to submit the request. Safety, precautions and evacuation measures to be followed while declaring different alerts (blue, orange, red) are mentioned in these guidelines. But the government relied on WhatsApp and traditional means of warnings. Had we followed an EAP and SOP before releasing water from these dams, we would have saved many lives and reduced the gravity of the devastation considerably.

As per guidelines, all major dams have to maintain a buffer to handle unexpectedly high rainfall. This basic principle was flouted by the Kerala State Electricity Department in pursuance of windfall gain from electricity generation.

All the major reservoirs in the state had reached their full level by July-end. These dams were rendered incapable of containing the unexpected water flow due to the torrential rain in their catchments in August. This failure left the government with no option but to open the shutters of all major dams simultaneously.

A closer look at the water storage level and spill data reveals gross mismanagement in the control of Lower Sholayar, Kakki and Idamalayar dams. A bit more diligence would have considerably reduced the extent of the flood and subsequent devastation in the Periyar, Pampa and Chalakkudy rivers, respectively.The government should order a judicial inquiry into the mismanagement of dams.

Separate disaster fund

Our experience in the disbursement of relief funds in the aftermath of natural calamities, including the recent Ockhi, shows a shadow has been cast on the usage of the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).Though the government initially conceded to the Opposition demand for creating a new account for flood relief, it retracted from its commitment. This denial to form a separate account is in gross violation of the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005.

As per Section 46 and 48 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, the Centre and state governments have to create a separate head called Disaster Response Fund for accounting the grants received from individuals and institutions towards disaster relief. The objective of this law is to create and use a tied fund rather than using general purpose funds, which would increase transparency and accountability.

Disbursement tribunal

Over 1/6th of the states population has been hit by the fury of nature. Thus, it is imperative to disburse compensation to the actual victims in a time-bound manner. Several anomalies and partisanship in awarding of compensation have surfaced casting apprehension over the probity of disbursement. A special tribunal to disburse the compensation akin to the one formed during the Bhopal gas tragedy would help in speedy disbursement.

Back to nature

The talk on sustainable development has been confined to mere rhetoric over the past several decades. The general topography of the state has been severely hampered due to mushrooming real estate business.Illegal stone-quarrying activities have flourished unabated with many governmental policies serving as their catalysts. The paddy fields and wetlands have been reclaimed at a rate of knots. Its high time we performed a reality check on the measures and laws detrimental to nature and corrected the mistakes for a better tomorrow.

Ramesh Chennithala

Email: rameshchennithala@gmail.com

(Ramesh Chennithala is the Leader Of Opposition, Kerala Legislative Assembly and former President, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.)By Express News Service

ANANTAPUR: One person was killed, three others were severely injured and nearly 30 vehicles were either set afire or damaged in renewed violence in Chinnapolamada village of Tadipatri mandal on Sunday.

The inmates of Swamy Prabodhananda ashram attacked the villagers with stones and iron rods and even hurled petrol bombs at those who gathered outside the ashram protesting against Saturday nights attack.

Clashes broke out between the inmates of ashram and villagers of Chinnapolamada and Peddapolamada during Ganesh idol immersion procession leading to large scale violence and arson. On Sunday morning, the villagers gathered in large numbers and tried to force their way into the ashram though a huge police force from neighbouring Chittoor district led by SP SV Rajasekhara Babu, was posted at the ashram and in the village to prevent further clashes.

When the villagers reached the ashram entrance, the followers of Swamy Prabodhananda attacked them. Police caned the protestors and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the clashing villagers and the ashram inmates. The situation went out of control when MP JC Diwakar Reddy, who was protesting against the failure of the police in preventing clashes, reached the ashram.

Village tense after clashes

Fakeerappa (35) of Chinnapolamada died in the clashes and 12 others suffered severe injuries. The condition of four of the injured is said to be critical. A huge police force has been deployed at the ashram to prevent further clashes between the inmates and villagers.

He was initially stopped on the outskirts of Tadipatri. But the MP picked up an argument with the police officials and without heeding to their advice reached the village. The villagers erected a tent in front of the ashram and staged the protest. Some of them pelted stones at the ashram. The inmates, numbering around 2,000 who congregated for the recently celebrated Janmashtami festival, retaliated and they hurled stones, empty soda bottles and even petrol bombs at the villagers. The inmates came out of the ashram, pulled down the tent and attacked the protesting villagers indiscriminately with sticks and iron rods.

According to reports reaching the district headquarters, the ashram inmates set afire some two-wheelers and damaged several vehicles and also hurled stones on the convoy of MP Diwakar Reddy. One vehicle got damaged in the attack. Sensing that the situation was turning worse, the police forcibly shifted the MP from the village. The MP staged a protest in front of the III Town police station against the police action. Speaking to media, Diwakar Reddy held the police responsible for the violence and arson. He made scathing remarks against the police force.

The police have failed miserably to control the violence. Why are they not daring to enter the ashram and arrest the accused? he questioned. He left the police station late in the evening.

Tadipatri DSP Vijay Kumar said Fakeerappa (35) of Chinnapolamada died in the clashes and 12 others suffered severe injuries. The condition of four of the injured is said to be critical. The situation, however, remained tense in the village. A huge police force was deployed at the ashram to prevent further clashes between the inmates and villagers.Students practice a protective stance Saturday during an air defense drill in Beijing. Photo:IC

On Saturday (September 15), when China welcomed its 18th Nationwide National Defense Education Day, several provincial regions across the country sounded air raid sirens to improve people's awareness of national defense.

The air defense warning drill was carried out in three parts, each spaced seven minutes apart. The first is the pre-alarm signal. The second is the air raid siren. The third is the all-clear siren.

The three different signals have different meanings which need to be distinguished clearly.

The pre-alarm warning is a signal given when the enemy is about to carry out an air attack on the city. On hearing this warning in time of war, people could take their essentials and evacuate in a planned way according to the location designated by the air defense department.

An air raid siren is a signal that an enemy attack has begun or is about to strike a city target, warning people to take cover quickly.

The all-clear is a signal issued when the danger of enemy air strikes has passed. When the alarm is lifted, citizens could return to their homes and jobs in an organized and orderly manner.

At 10 am on Saturday, Beijing conducted an air defense alert test in areas outside the Fifth Ring Road to help citizens familiarize themselves with the air defense warning signals.

Li Chunting, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Civil Defense Bureau, said that the first reason for the air raid warning is to implement the civil air defense regulations and laws.

The second is to further enhance the general public's awareness of national air defense and improve the ability of self-rescue and mutual rescue.

The third is to test the air-raid warning coverage and the sound of the warning signals.

Most cities around the country have national defense education bases. In addition to raising national defense awareness, these parks also organize military equipment displays and military equipment simulation experiences, which greatly enhances teenagers' understanding of national defense.

The Shanghai Municipal Civil Defense Office arranged city-level evacuation drills Saturday in the business areas to improve the ability of white-collar workers to conduct air defense evacuations. Meanwhile, for the first time, the drill focused on community emergency evacuations for the elderly, sick and disabled.

"Shanghai has a large number of elderly citizens. Many senior citizens live in high-rise residential buildings. In the event of danger, how to help these vulnerable groups to evacuate in a proper manner is the focus of this exercise," said Wu Ai, deputy director of Civil Defense Office of Jing'an District in Shanghai.

Cities in East China's Shandong Province, Northwest China's Gansu Province, Southwest China's Yunnan Province and Chongqing Municipality held similar events on the same day.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday said there is no threat to the Congress-JD(S) coalition government and it will complete the full five-year term.

Speaking to media persons after meeting former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Venugopal accused the BJP of trying to destabilise the government. The government is 100 per cent safe. We have full faith in our MLAs and none of them will quit the party, he said and accused the BJP of trying to poach his party MLAs.

KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, BJP leaders are indulging in dirty politics and we will expose them. We have even filed a complaint with the Income Tax department.The BJP, however, has rubbished the allegations and stated that it has nothing to do with the crisis in Congress.

Rao said all Congress MLAs are with the party. All MLAs, including those from Ballari district, are in touch and there is no need to call them for meetings again and again, he said, adding that the legislative party meeting will be called ahead of next months legislative council elections. The party had recently convened a meeting of MLAs from Ballari after they expressed displeasure over not being included in the ministry.

Rao said even in BBMP Mayors election, BJP is trying to come to power by getting support from independent members in the council. The mayoral and deputy mayoral elections are scheduled in the last week of this month and Congress-JD(S) are in power in BBMP with support from independent members.

BJP has nothing to do with crisis in government

Arasikere: BJP is concerned with the internal crisis in the coalition government in the state and the party is not interested in taking political advantage of the situation, BJP state president and opposition leader B S Yeddyurappa said. The Shikaripura MLA said the allegations made by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy were politically motivated. Being the Chief Minister, he must refrain from airing irresponsible statements and think twice before targeting the opposition parties over any issue, he slammed.

Somashekar sets 48-hour deadline for CM

Arasikere: BJPs Somashekar Jayaraj alias Gym Soma has set a 48-hour deadline to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to prove allegations made against him. Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Somashekar said he will decide on the future course of action if the Chief Minister failed to give proper evidence to support his allegations. Kumaraswamy recently alleged that BJP leaders were trying to destabilise the coalition government using money generated by kingpins of real estates, hawala, gambling clubs and land developers.Shreyas H S By

Express News Service

RAICHUR: Hyderabad-Karnataka region is observing seventieth liberation day today. Many are familiar with the freedom struggle of the people hailing from this region. However, a tale of a freedom fighter and his teacher has remained untold.

A teacher, Nazir Sab, who was working as a headmaster in a school run by Nizam in Raichur district, who moved to Pakistan after partition had saved the life of a freedom fighter, on whom, a Fatwa was issued by the Razakar militia in the name of Nizam. It was a Fatwa to slay the freedom fighter.

Kashi Rao Patel Vatgal, was proactive in liberation movement while he was pursuing SSLC in 1947. Patel was actively taking part in all the movements, which also landed him in prisons many times, recalled Venkatesh Patel Vatgal, son of Kashi Rao. During the Razakar movement, a conflict between freedom fighters and the military was at its high.

Venkatesh Patel said when the liberation movement was at peak, and Kashi Rao became noted by the militia, a Fatwa to slay him was issued. However, my father did not know that fatwa was issued on him, he added.

On one day in 1947, the headmaster of his Nizam-run government school, Nazir Sab visited Kashi Raos house and asked Kashi Rao to move to his house immediately. Asking no questions, my father moved to his teachers place and stayed there, Patel informed.

Patel said, Nazir Sab, who after partition shifted to Pakistan, was working for Nizam government. Nazir had invited trouble harbouring anti-state element in his house. But, Nazir Sab had a great love towards Kashi Rao and he understood the liberation movement of the people. Risking his own life, Nazir Sab saved Kashi Rao. My father moved to his house after 10 days when the conflict subdued, added Patel.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Hours after he landed in Bengaluru after a 12-day Europe tour, the Congress high command on Sunday assigned former chief minister Siddaramaiah with the job of ending the crisis in the party to save the coalition government.

For the first time after the crisis broke out, Siddaramaiah, the partys crisis manager, was in the thick of the action as senior leaders including AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, DyCM G Parameshwara and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao landed at his residence in the morning seeking his intervention to defuse the crisis.

Also Read | Congress-JD(S) coalition government 100 per cent safe: AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal

They appealed to him to pacify the Jarkiholi brothers, seen as his camp followers, and who are miffed with the leadership after a setback in the Primary Land Development (PLD) Bank elections earlier this month.

He was also asked to talk to MLAs who are lobbying for ministerial berths and speaking against the party.

Various issues, including current political developments, were discussed and the responsibility to end the crisis has been entrusted to Siddaramaiah, said party sources. He is likely to convene a meeting with MLAs to discuss the issue.

Read | Suspense heightens as Jarkiholis say they wont meet Siddaramaiah

During the meeting, Siddaramaiah is learnt to have taken exception to his name being dragged into the Belagavi politics and some sections of leaders questioning his alleged silence over the issue. After the meeting, Venugopal tried to play down the crisis  which started after Jarkiholi brothers openly expressed their displeasure against the leadership  by terming it as a local issue that was resolved by the state leaders. There is no threat to the government and we have full faith in our MLAs, he told reporters. He accused the BJP of using Central agencies and black money to destabilise the government.

The crisis, however, seems to be far from over. Giving an indication of the threat the coalition government could face in the next few days, Congress MLA Satish Jarkiholi said, What can we (brothers) do if some party MLAs quit and join BJP?

Read | BJPs CP Yogeshwar pressuring me to switch sides: Congress MLA Anil S Chikkamadu

Satish even said there was no need for them to meet Siddaramaiah as they dont have a serious subject matter to discuss.Since the time the tussle between Jarkiholis and MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar to control Belagavi politics triggered a storm in the Congress, Siddaramaiah was away in Europe. He returned to the city in the wee hours of Sunday.

Congress points to Operation Lotus

Congress MLA Anil Chikkamadu and JD(S) KC Annadani accused the BJP of offering them ministerial berths if they joined the party. BJP has offered money to our MLAs. We have filed a complaint with the I-T dept. One group led by Yeddyurappa is trying to topple the government, said the state Congress chief.By Express News Service

MALAPPURAM: In yet another major haul of demonetised notes haul, Rs 1 crore has been seized in the district. A five-member gang has been also busted by the special police team, led by Perinthalmanna DySP M P Mohanachandran and Nilambur Circle Inspector K M Biju. The arrest was made on Saturday night from Vadapuram.

The police have identified the arrested as Santhosh, 43, from Sreekaryam in Thiruvananthapuram, Somanathan, 71, from Muneeswar Street in Chennai, Firos Babu, 34, and Jaleel, 36, from Kondotty and Shaijal, 32, from Pattarkulam in Manjeri.

The arrest was made after days long of observation by the police in various parts of the district. The police also took two vehicles, which were used by the gang, to custody.

According to a press statement, the arrested persons have told the police that the distribution and exchange of demonetised notes are still being held by agents in Palakkad and Thrissur districts.Dhinesh Kallungal By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dont blame it on the ISRO Espionage Case. Tourist arrivals from Maldives to Kerala which flip-flopped over the years have hit the nadir, with the travel industry expecting a 6o per cent drop in medical tourist arrivals from the Indian Ocean archipelago.

The number of Maldivians who visited the state in 2014 and 2015 went down 7.94 and 15.74 per cent, respectively. However, their numbers witnessed a quantum leap in the next two years - 248.79 per cent in 2016 and 11.95 per cent in 2017, according to the Tourism Departments statistics. But things were back to square one in 2018 as the tourist arrival nose-dived to over 60 per cent due to a host of factors including political and economical.

The department is assessing the drop in the tourist arrival from Male in 2018 and as per the preliminary assessment, there will be a minimum drop of over 40 per cent. The major stakeholders like the hospitals said the drop will be anywhere between 60-70 per cent.

According to a leading city-based hospital, Maldivians used to come down here regularly for medical purposes. But the recent change of guard in Male had soured the age-old bilateral ties with New Delhi and the Indian Government was upset with Maldives growing closeness towards China.

There have been some visa regulations and even the Indians who were offered jobs in the Maldives had been hit by the undeclared visa regulations with the job aspirants here as well receiving messages that political issues are behind the visa delays, say industry experts. Further, they have enhanced their health capabilities recently as part of making its health sector stronger.

E M Najeeb, Confederation of Tourism Industry Kerala president, said earlier there had been only flight to Thiruvananthapuram from Maldives. Now, they have regular flight services to major cities in the country, including Kochi, Chennai and Bengaluru. Some of the hospitals here even have special menu cards for Maldivian cuisine served at their in-house restaurants.

The Maldivians who arrive here will not go on a spending spree, unlike other foreign nationals. Nonetheless, there was a local economy based on their visit and spending. The percentage of share of Maldivians in the total foreign tourist arrivals in Kerala was 1.31 per cent in 2012 which eventually went upto 3.55 in 2017.Anil S By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the deluge, the salary challenge is giving the LDF Government tough times. With the High Court too coming out against forcing anyone to contribute, employees organisations are chalking out their next move.

While several employees have their reservations, some former top bureaucrats have a different take on the issue. Employees bodies are considering whether to implead in the ongoing case before the HC. Members of the 2,000-strong pro-Congress Secretariat Association plan to give their dissent note. We welcome the HC verdict. We feel the government will consider the HCs views and act accordingly. We have already expressed our reservation, said Secretariat Association president J Bency.

While many employees are not against contribution, the forced manner in which salary is collected irks many of them. I have given donations through my residents association, kids school, colleagues and friends in addition to an individual contribution. Now, how can the government insist on deducting my one months salary? The insistence that no contribution less than a months salary will be accepted is also wrong, said another Secretariat employee.

On Saturday, the Chief Secretary issued an order stating the employees should not be forced to contribute to flood relief. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has demanded the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday should revoke the order.By Express News Service

PUDUKKOTTAI, CHENNAI: A day after a video clip of BJP national secretary H Raja allegedly passing derogatory remarks against the HC and his heated exchange with an inspector in Pudukkottai went viral, a case was booked against him under 9 sections of IPC on Sunday. Raja, however, denied the charges and said the video had been edited.

Raja was in Meiyapuram that falls under Thirumayam police limits on Saturday to participate in a Vinayagar idol procession. When the organisers reportedly tried to take a detour into a road where a church was situated, police intervened and said they must stick to the permitted one. Following this, Raja engaged in heated arguments with inspector A Manoharan and others.

In the clip, inspector Manoharan is seen referring to High Court order on the subject of Vinayaga procession routes, followed by an outburst by Raja. The BJP leader singles out Manoharan and alleges he was receiving monetary favour from certain groups and goes on to accuse the whole police force as corrupt. He even questions why the policemen were still wearing uniforms even after DGPs house was raided by CBI.

As the clip went viral, there was condemnation from advocates, politicians, and social activists who demanded that Raja be arrested. On Sunday, police booked a case, following a complaint by inspector Manoharan, against Raja under 8 sections, including 153 A, 353, 505 (1) (b) (c), 506(1) of IPC. Cases were also booked against 7 others, including the functionaries of Hindu Munnani and BJP ,on same charges. Ponnamaravathy inspector S Karunakaran would handle the case. Speaking at the inauguration of Vinayakar procession at Koothanallur in Tiruvarur district on Sunday, Raja claimed the clipping was an edited version of what he spoke.

Take action for remarks

The AIADMK and DMK on Sunday opposed BJP national secretary H Rajas alleged remarks against the police and judiciary.

DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi, in a tweet, demanded that the Tamil Nadu government take legal action against him.

Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar deprecated the outburst against police and said the government was considering taking action and holding consultation with legal experts. He also expressed the hope that the court would take action on its own against Raja for his remarks against the judiciary.Vignessh KJ By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: When I had gone to address a gathering at Chinnalapatti, some persons pelted stones at me, but I started the oration. Lamps were shattered and a stone hit my hand. As the situation had become uncontrollable, the meeting was cancelled. Now, the same town welcomes me with garlands. Humiliation does not diminish the esteem I earned. In fact, they heighten it, Periyar said in 1972.

The social reformer, whose 140th birth anniversary is observed on Monday, always told the audience that they were at liberty to reject his words and oppose his ideas. Agrees writer V Geetha. Periyars life was a great demonstration of listening to something that one does not like and saying what the majority does not believe, she says. We are witnessing a prevalence of complete disinclination to points of view that one does not like, whether it is State trying to stop people from uttering opinions that it finds inimical or peoples unwillingness to listen to opposite points of view.

Periyar was trying to build a civil society which would rest on dialogue and dissension. We need that vision today, says Geetha. He noted that what we practised today might appear odd and anachronistic to those who view us several years down the line.

In the public life of Periyar, his fights for the rights of women, Dalits, minorities and backward classes can be subsumed under an ultimate goal of a casteless society. Punitha Pandian, the editor of Dalit Murasu, calls the leader a supermarket. All these aspects are its sections, he says. When Periyar was once asked what would Adi Dravidars gain if they joined Dravidar Kazhagam, he said they would only lose Adi and become Dravidars.

But the Hindutva forces are working to divide people along caste lines and they want people to address themselves by their caste names, like Devendra Kula Vellalar, Pandian says. While Ambedkar and Periyar fought to dismantle caste structure, the forces tried to strengthen it. That was when reservation came into play.

At this point, one may question whether the goal of Tamil nationalism has diminished the social and radical politics of the Dravidian movement. But Periyar did not promote an exclusionary xenophobic nationalism, says Karthick Ram Manoharan, an assistant professor of political science at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences. Despite the limitations of his Dravidian project, it provided a platform for members from any oppressed community, to come together in a broad identity that was fluid. Periyar did not endorse chauvinistic celebrations of a Tamil past, but anticipated an egalitarian future that was broadly inclusive.By UNI

CHENNAI: Tension prevailed on the arterial Anna Salai in the city on Monday, after the statue of Rationalist leader Periyar was desecrated by a miscreant on the occasion of his 140th birth anniversary, even as a similar incident took place in Tiruppur.

Tension prevailed on the spot, as leaders of various parties and their supporters, who had come to garland his statue, managed to nab the miscreant.

Reports received at the police headquarters here said, the statue of Periyar was also desecrated at Tiruppur, when a miscreant had placed a chappal on his statue.

However, police intervened in time and removed it.

A search was on to nab the culprit for offending the statue of the late leader.

Tamil Nadu: A statue of Periyar was found to be vandalised by unidentified miscreants today morning, with a pair of slippers kept on the top of it in Chennai's Tiruppur. Police have started an investigation. pic.twitter.com/qhZhRC12Ml  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

In Chennai city, at the time of the incident, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan had come to garland the statue located near Simpson junction on the Anna Salai, when the miscreant, who came in a two wheeler, hurled his chappal at the statue and shouted slogans.

VCK supporters immediately nabbed him and attacked the miscreant.

However, police interevened, arrested him and took him to a police station.

Tension prevailed in the area as Mr Thirumavalavan and his supporters staged a snap agitation condemning the incident.

However, they dispersed later after police assured them prompt action against the culprit.

Leaders of various political parties, including the ruling AIADMK and the Opposition DMK, condemned the incident and demanded stern action against the miscreant.

Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar condemned the incident and said such acts would not be tolerated.

''Insulting the statue of Periyar is akin to insulting the people of Tamil Nadu'', he said and promised that necessary action would be taken against the culprit.

DMK President and Opposition leader M K Stalin strongly condemned the incident and demanded the arrest of the culprit under the National Security Act (NSA).

In a statement here, he said, on a day when Periyar's birth anniversary was being celebrated to pay their gratitude for ensuring social justice and self-respect, some narrow minded perons, in the name of insulting Periyar, was indulging in such barbaric acts to disrupt peae in the state.

Strongly condemning the desecration of Periyar statues at Tiruppur and Chennai, Mr Stalin said some communal forces were behind such incident.

He said such efforts to disturb peace, communal harmony and social justice in the state should be nipped in the bud and demanded the arrest of the culprits under the NSA.

Meanwhile, floral tributes were paid to the late Rationalist leader on the occasion of his birth anniversary, with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers and leaders of various political parties garlanding his statue to mark the occasion.Bechu S By

Online Desk

Around 600 students, who have been protesting against the alleged saffronisation and crackdown on democratic rights in Pondicherry University, called off the strike following a meeting with the Vice Chancellor. The Joint Action Council, formulated by the coming together of seven student organisations, officially called off the indefinite strike stating that the varsity authorities have agreed to all their demands and dispersed after a victory rally in the campus.

The internal examinations, which were suspended on Monday following the protest will commence from Tuesday, a student said.

READ | PU students go on indefinite strike against 'campus saffronisation'; exams suspended

A set of new rules passed by the administration at the beginning of this academic year banning all gatherings after 6:00 PM in the campus had created displeasure among the students. This was followed by the putting up of a pro-Hindu poster on the notice board of the Aurobindo Hostel of the university. The authorities had also published state-wise list of inhabitants outside each hostel, which the students claim was a move to create division among them. This resulted in the formation of the Action Council and the strike began at 5:00 PM on Sunday.

"During the meeting, they said that the list was made for the NAAC team (who are visiting the varsity for an inspection on Tuesday) to understand that the campus respects diversity and no sort of segregation exists here. They have promised to remove them immediately after the visit," said Ajmal Rasheed, a unit committee member of the Students Federation of India.

He added that the administration said that pro-Hindu poster was stuck unintentionally, and such things won't happen in future.

The students had called for class boycott and gherao on Monday as no terms were reached till Sunday night.

PU gets more political freedom

The agitators were demanding the right to peacefully organise and protest in the campus, which they claim to have been taken away from them in recent times. However, after the meeting, it was decided that the polls to the university student's council will be conducted on political lines. The authorities have also given permission to use microphones and other means of canvassing as part of election campaigns. So far, no form of direct political mobilising was allowed in the varsity. Though absolute freedom for student organisations can't be guaranteed, permission to conduct programmes wouldn't be denied if notified seven days prior to the event.

Protesting students at PU's BR Ambedkar building (Facebook/Sreekanth Sivadasan)

The administration has agreed that the other demands raised by the students, especially those regarding the availability of clean drinking water, hostel wifi and vending machines as reasonable demands and have asked for a month's time to resolve them.

Rights won the hard way

It took almost 24 hours of continuous picketing and sloganeering by the students to take their woes to a discussion table with the Vice Chancellor. The students who started with protesting at the Gate 2 of the varsity around 5:00 PM on Sunday, later moved the administrative block by night since nobody concerned showed up to talk. Most of them spend the night before the administrative building not ready to give up. Though the University Registrar came down to talk with them twice, he wasn't ready to reason with them, the students said.

"We continued agitating before the closed doors of the of the administrative building from morning. It was only by 2: 00 PM today that the VC finally agreed to talk to us. Two members each from the seven organisations and another four independent students held a meeting with the VC, Registrar, all Head of the Departments and other officers, following which they agreed to our conditions," said Niyas Ali, unit Vice President of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF).

Edexlive published a statement issued by the university authorities that read:

"Pondicherry University is a secular institution imparting quality higher education to students and Research Scholars from all parts of the country irrespective of any religion, caste or creed. We firmly deny there are any .move of saffronisation of the University Campus. Steps are being taken by the University authorities to provide WiFi facility at Aurobindo Hostel. All the other places have 24x7 WiFi connectivity. Our Vice-Chancellor Professor Gurmeet Singh and Registrar Dr Sasi Kanta Dash are working tirelessly to improve all-round facilities and existing infrastructure in the interest of students community."

The Action Council was formed by all seven major outfits of the campus except the ABVP, namely SFI, NSUI, ASA, AISF, APSF, SIO and MSF.

The students had earlier alleged that the authorities are promoting Hindutva agenda in the campus with the support of the ABVP.

"While the political space for other organisations were decreasing day by day in the campus, only the ABVP was permitted to form various associations and spread their ideology in the campus. The same VC who usually blame the lack of fund for not supporting any activities in the campus was seen spending on the beautification of the campus for the NAAC visit. All these issues were raised in the meeting," said Abhijeet Sudhakaran who represented SFI in the meeting said.

Meanwhile, the campus ABVP unit published a release stating the strike to be a move aiming to gain political mileage. They said many of the issues raised by the Action Council are those already raised by them, but they have decided to stay back from any protests at the moment since they don't want to tarnish the university's "pride" before the visiting NAAC team.By Fan Yongqiang and Cai Pengcheng



The returning vehicles wait for the inspection at the Manzhouli Port on September 16. (Photo by Yang Zai)

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (ChinaMil)The Chinese participating troops began withdrawal from the Tsugol training range in Russias Trans-Baikal Region and returned to China on early Saturday morning after successfully completing the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise.

According to the consensus reached by China and Russia, Chinese troops went to Russia to participate in the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise from mid-August. The exercise was the largest strategic exercise organized by the Russian military in recent years. It was also the first time that China had sent such a large group of troops to attend a military exercise held by a foreign country.

During the exercise, the Chinese officers and soldiers successfully completed commanding exercise, operations by actual troops, and military parade, demonstrating the determination of the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries and the two militaries and showing the tenacious fighting style of the Chinese armed forces.

The outstanding performance of Chinese participating officers and soldiers was highly praised by their Russian counterparts.

It is reported that after completing the cross-border withdrawal, the PLA Northern Theater Command, who had sent troops to participate in the "Vostok-2018" exercise on behalf of the Chinese military, would draw lessons from aspects including planning and decision-making, coordination and contact, cross-border force projection, joint operations, and comprehensive support, so as to effectively enhance the troops' capabilities of overseas joint operations and actual combat.



Chinese and Russian officials discuss railway loading issues on September 15. (Photo by Yang Zai)By UNI

BEIJING: An outbreak of African swine fever in China is proving to be a windfall for chicken farmers, helping drive up prices of the country's second-most popular meat to two-and-a-half year highs.

With pork in short supply as authorities try to contain the highly contagious disease, shoppers are turning to chicken as a substitute, with some diners also concerned about safety.

ALSO READ | Latvia slaughters pigs after African swine fever outbreak

The turnaround is a boon for farmers in the world's top poultry producer after tepid demand growth in recent years following a series of food safety and bird flu scares.

Broiler prices in top producing region Shandong hit 9.7 yuan (USD 1.41) per kilogram earlier this month, their highest since March 2016.

"The recent African swine fever outbreaks have pushed up buying of chicken from cafeteria and restaurants to some extent.

More people might choose chicken now, especially in the infected regions with African swine fever cases," said Li Jinghui, managing director of the China Poultry Association.

Swine flu cannot be cured and is often fatal for pigs.

After more than a dozen outbreaks since the country's first case was reported in early August, Beijing has slaughtered around 40,000 hogs and banned transport of live hogs from and through infected areas.

The moves have tightened supply in the populous south, leading to soaring prices just as demand rises ahead of a week-long holiday in October.

Chicken is a cheaper substitute for pork and prices typically rise when pork prices increase.

Some cuts like chicken breast bones, used in school and work canteens, are already at record highs, according to Pan Chenjun, senior analyst at Rabobank.

Anecdotal reports suggest some consumers are also worried about catching swine fever from infected pork, even though the disease cannot be passed to humans.

"Although there is no official notice about the [swine flu] epidemic, I feel that pork is unsafe," a student in southern Guangzhou city surnamed Zhuang told Reuters.

"Now, I choose chicken dishes when I am out for a meal. Share prices jumped in August at companies including poultry producers Fujian Sunner Development Co.Ltd and Shandong Xiantan.

Stock prices and broiler prices have eased somewhat this month as more chickens were sent to slaughterhouses ahead of the holiday period, said Alice Xuan, an analyst with Shanghai JC Intelligence Co.Ltd.

ALSO READ | UN: China's African swine fever outbreak could cross borders

This comes despite a shortage of breeding stock, that has already helped support chicken prices this year, analysts and industry participants said.

Beijing's anti-dumping tariffs on imports of chicken meat from Brazil, implemented in June, have also underpinned chicken prices in China.

Average prices for chicken meat product reached 11.15 yuan per kg in early September, up 13.2 per cent on the year, according to Boyar, an agribusiness consultancy.By PTI

LAHORE: Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law were sent back to the jail on Monday after the end their five-day parole to attend the funeral of Begum Kulsoom who died last week in London after battling with cancer.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) M Safdar, currently serving jail terms in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after being convicted by an accountability court in a corruption case in July, were granted five-day parole on Wednesday.

ALSO READ | Nawaz Sharif's wife Kulsoom laid to rest as thousands attend her funeral

The Sharifs had been sent to the jail two months ago in the corruption case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in Avenfield House in London.

The three left their Jati Umra residence in the afternoon for the Lahore airport amid high security.

A special plane transported them to Nur Khan airbase Rawalpindi from where they were shifted to the Adiala Jail.

Shahbaz Sharif also accompanied them till Rawalpindi. Shahbaz tried to extend their parole till Kulsoom's chehlum, a ceremony that is held on the 40th day after the demise.

During the parole, a number of politicians and foreign dignitaries visited Sharif to condole the demise of Kulsoom.

"I regret that I was not with Kulsoom during the last days of her life," Sharif told former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari who went to his residence to condole the death of Kulsoom.

Sharif said he had been in a solitary confinement. "I am allowed to meet with daughter Maryam once a week," he said.

The three were released on 12-hour parole to attend the funeral of Kulsoom, who had passed away on Tuesday after a year-long battle with throat cancer.

Kulsoom was laid to rest on Friday at the Sharif family's Jati Umra residence here next to the graves of her father-in-law Mian Sharif and brother-in-law Abbas Sharif.

ALSO READ | Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law granted parole, reached Lahore to attend Kulsoom's funeral

The Accountability Court Islamabad in July this year sentenced Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Safdar 10, 7 and two years imprisonment respectively in the Avenfield properties case.

The Supreme Court last year disqualified Sharif from holding the office of prime minister after the Panama Papers scandal.By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the UK signed a justice and accountability agreement on Monday, nearly a month after Imran Khan, who has vowed to bring back money stolen by corrupt Pakistani politicians and taken to Britain, assumed power.

Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem and British Home Secretary Sajid Javid jointly announced a justice and accountability agreement between the UK and Pakistan aimed at repatriating "the looted wealth of the country".

ALSO READ | Pakistan Army chief arrives in China for three day visit

The agreement, which the two ministers insisted will not target individuals but is a broader agreement between the two governments to collaborate for the elimination of a variety of crimes, was arrived at during the Pakistani-origin British home secretary's official visit here, Dawn newspaper reported.

"The aim of this agreement is to bring back the looted wealth of the country," Shahzad Akbar, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability, said.

"The agreement on exchange of convicted personnel will also be renewed," he said.

Khan's government has pledged a corruption-free government and has promised to return to Pakistan allegedly stolen public money that was stashed abroad by politicians and others.

Prior to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's victory in the July 25 general elections, Khan had vowed to bring back some Rs 300 billion stolen by corrupt Pakistani politicians and taken to the UK.

Javid expressed the British government's desire for mutual cooperation with Pakistan in defence, regional security and efforts against terrorism and extremism the latter two of which, he said, are a common threat for the global community.

He described Pakistan as a "trustworthy friend of the UK" and said that eliminating corruption is a priority for both the countries.

Javid, who called on Prime Minister Khan and met Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, told reporters later that "no one can escape justice or act with impunity" and urged for a "more concerted action" to combat terror groups.

ALSO READ | Pakistan denies opening Afghan trade route for India

During talks, Qureshi stressed the need for expansion in cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

The two had discussed various aspects of regional and bilateral cooperation, particularly regional security, counter-terrorism, organised crime, migration, human trafficking, money laundering and asset recovery.

Qureshi also emphasised the need to translate existing ties into a tangible and multi-faceted strategic partnership.By AFP

WASHINGTON: A college professor went public for the first time Sunday to accuse President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s, prompting calls by opposition Democrats to postpone the nomination vote.

Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, initially detailed the allegations about Brett Kavanaugh in confidential letters to her local congresswoman and later to California Senator Diane Feinstein, a senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.

Now Ford has told The Washington Pot she had decided to waive her anonymity because she felt her "civic responsibility" was "outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation" after the basic outlines of the story emerged in media last week.

Kavanaugh had previously released a statement on Friday denying the incident, saying: "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time."

Ford, who is a registered Democrat herself, told the Post in an interview that one summer in the early 1980s Kavanaugh and a friend, both of whom were "stumbling drunk," cornered her in a bedroom at a teenagers' party in a house in Montgomery County, a suburb of Washington.

Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed while his friend watched, she said, then groped her while attempting to remove her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing on top of it.

When she attempted to scream for help, Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," said Ford, who is now 51 years old and lives in northern California. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

She said she was finally able to escape when another of Kavanaugh's classmates at his prestigious private school, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them, whereupon all three were sent tumbling and she was able to escape the room, first locking herself in a bathroom briefly before fleeing the house.

She added she did not tell anyone about the attack until 2012 when she brought it up during couples counseling therapy with her husband.

The therapist's notes from the time, seen by the Post, do not mention Kavanaugh by name but otherwise echo the claim, describing an attack by students "from an elitist boys' school" who went on to become "highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington."

Notes from a subsequent therapy session a year later describe the attack as a "rape attempt."

- 'An insult to women' -

Reacting to the story, on Sunday, Senator Feinstein said: "From the outset, I have believed these allegations were extremely serious and bear heavily on Judge Kavanaugh's character."

"I support Mrs. Ford's decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation," added Feinstein, who had previously forwarded the allegations to federal authorities.

"This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee."

Chuck Schumer, who is the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, also called on the committee's Republican chairman to postpone the vote until "these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated."

The Judiciary Committee is currently due to vote on the nomination on September 20. A vote of the full Senate would follow if the committee approves his nomination.

"For too long, when woman have made serious allegations of abuse, they have been ignored. That cannot happen in this case," Schumer said in a statement.

"To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court."

Speaking before Ford's interview with was published, a Republican member of the committee said he expected Kavanaugh would be comfortably approved in any vote and even predicted he would get some support from Democrats.

"They've had this stuff for three months. If they were serious about it, they should've told us about it," Louisiana Senator John Kennedy told Fox News, calling the whole process "an intergalactic freakshow."Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 61F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 43F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.Russia ran the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise from September 11 to 17 and Chinese militarys participation has helped it catch wide attention. As military cooperation has always been a sensitive aspect in bilateral relations, the deepening China-Russian military cooperation has shown the world closer relations between the two countries.

"Unprecedented" attention

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise is "unprecedented" in its scale. It is also the first foreign military exercise that China has sent the largest group of troops to attend.

"This is the first large-scale cross-border joint military exercise for Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). It is a test for the PLA's capability to carry out long range delivery, conduct operations in unfamiliar regions and seasons, and ensure the adaptation of weapons and equipment to the new environment. Judging from current observations, the PLA has demonstrated refreshing presence and capabilities." Jiang Yi, a research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European & Central Asian Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), said in an interview.

China played a critical role in this military exercise. In the light of the consensus reached by China and Russia, the PLA actively participated in the Russian strategic military exercise in three aspects: strategic background conception and exercise direction, battle command, and exercise with real troops.

As a report on the website of The Wall Street Journal noted, the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise, conducted in Russias Far East region close to the Chinese border, intends to show that China and Russia have developed beyond symbolic demonstration of their forces and have reached the stage of weapon system and command structure coordination.

The "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise, as one of the four strategic exercises of the Russian military, represents an essential part in the countrys military exercise system. "This is the first time that Russia has invited the Chinese military to participate in its annual strategic exercise, usually reserved to the most intimate allies of Russia," an article on the website of The Washington Post noted. This undoubtedly marks the fact that the mutual military trust and military cooperation between China and Russia have both reached a new height.

Deepened military cooperation

For more than a decade, China and Russia have deepened military cooperation, as the two sides have increased the frequency, scale, and participating arms and services of military exercises. China-Russia joint military exercises have increased from once in several years and once a year to several times a year, from single service participation to multiple services participation. At present, the joint military exercises between China and Russia have become more regular," said Jiang Yi.

Indeed,the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise is only one aspect of the military cooperation between China and Russia. Just last month, China and Russia participated in the "PeaceMission-2018" joint anti-terrorism military exercise of the Shanghai Cooperation OrganizationSCOmember states in Russias Chelyabinsk. Moreover, in recent years, China and Russia have maintained the regular "Joint Sea" series of exercises and the Aerospace Security series ofChinese-Russian anti-ballistic missile defense computer-simulated command post exercises.

The National Interest magazine in the US recently published an article titled "Russia and Chinas Growing Military Interaction; Surprised?", in which it was pointed out thatwhile Chinese-Russian military activities have in the past been mostly symbolic and representational, they appear increasingly interactive. Dating back to 2005, Russia and China have exercised modest forces together in a mostly counterterrorist role in Central Asia and in Russia as part of the Chinese-driven Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Today, the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise sees the participation of the largest scale of Chinese military in history. Moreover, the subject of the exercise has expanded from the previous joint anti-terrorism to the traditional security subject of organizing joint defense and counterattack. Compared with the previous "Peace Mission" exercises, the "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise features a higher level, a larger scale, more completed elements, andcloser cooperation.

The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post reported that both China and Russia are now advancing military reform and military modernization in full swing. The deepened mutual military trust between China and Russia provides China with valuable resources in that China will have access to Russias military technology and directly learn from its experience in Syria and Ukraine.

Stern, a weekly news magazine published in Germany, believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes to show Russias military strength through exercises with Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Gao Fei, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU), also pointed out that Russia enjoys comparative advantage in military. Russia wants to show its presence, sothe"Vostok-2018" exercise[04] is designed to be large-scale with strong visual and conscious impact with the purpose to demonstrate the countrys will to resist and its strong determination.

Deeper relations and warmer friendship

"Military exchanges are most sensitive in bilateral relations. Without close bilateral relations, there is no possibility of deepening military cooperation," said Jiang Yi.

At present, the continuous development of China-Russia military relations is a natural result of the deeper political and economic relations between the two countries. As RIA Novosti pointed out, the strategic partnership between China and Russia is increasingly being put into practice.

The "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise has showed the world warmer friendship between China and Russia. The US Newsweek quoted analysts saying that this military exercise shows the increasingly close relationship between Russia and China rather than Russia's own military strength.

Brian Taylor, a US-Russian political relations expert at Syracuse University, said that "Russia holds large-scale military exercises at this time every year. What is more worthy of attention is that China participates in these exercises for the first time this year, which is symbolic and reflects deepening relations between China and Russia."

Gao Fei said, "China and Russia are comprehensive strategic cooperative partners and the two share consensus and cooperation on many issues. Moreover, China and Russia send a signal of solidarity to the outside world through cooperation, which in itself increases certainty in a changing world."

However, as the Senior Colonel Wu Qian, Spokesman for Chinas Ministry of National Defense, said, "Vostok-2018" strategic military exercise aims to consolidate the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, deepen the pragmatic and friendly cooperation between the two militaries, further enhance the ability of the two militaries to jointly respond to various security threats, and maintain regional peace and security. The exercise is not directed at any third party and has nothing to do with the regional situation.

"The core objectives of China-Russia cooperation are to propel the development of multi-polarization of the world, promote the democratization of international relations, and improve international order. It should be said that China-Russia cooperation has largely embodied the international communitys efforts to construct a new international order and form a new set of rules for international exchanges," said Jiang Yi.Typhoon Mangkhut pummelled China's most populous province of Guangdong Sunday after lashing Hong Kong with heavy rains and winds of up to 200 km.

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated from Guangdong for what is considered the strongest storm to hit the region this year. Two people have been reported dead thus far in Southern China, according to Chinese media, after the storm left over 50 people in the Philippines dead.

Hong Kong raised a Number 10 storm warning, its highest alert. The Hong Kong Observatory made "a special appeal to the members of the public to stay in safe place indoors, and not to go outside," but everyone has not heeded that advice.

"I went running this morning," said 28-year-old Hao Chen. "I love fresh air and there's no one on the streets, no cars. On normal days we can't see this."

Justin, a Canadian tourist in Hong Kong, said, "I came here to actually catch the typhoon, and I have like, a helmet with a camera mount, and I have my waterproof gear for catching good footage of the storm."She Gave the OK for Steel Used

in Navy Subs. Now, a Guilty Plea(Newser)  Prosecutors say a British sailor initially arrested on charges he was smuggling gold and silver coins while on a voyage to Cuba now includes murder charges. The FBI believes Lewis Bennett killed his wife, Isabella Hellman, as they plied the Atlantic last year, the Guardian reports. After Bennett was rescued alone, he faced theft and attempted smuggling charges for allegedly stealing gold and silver coins authorities say belonged to a former employer in St. Maarten. As the Palm Beach Post reports, Bennett was just about to be sentenced to seven months in jail for the crimes when prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder.

story continues below

While Bennett told police following his rescue that he awoke on his 37-foot catamaran May 15, 2017, to a loud thud and went on deck to find his wife gone, prosecutors have outlined a more sinister chain of events. They have suggested a fight may have occurred between the husband and wife, possibly concerning the coins, that led Bennett to kill her. The couple's daughter is reportedly in England with Bennett's parents. He is slated to appear in a Miami federal court on the new charges Dec. 10. (Read more murder stories.)(Newser)  Police say a woman who escaped from an accused serial killer in Laredo, Texas, likely saved lives. Authorities were still piecing together the details of the case of veteran Border Patrol agent Juan David Ortiz, who allegedly killed four people and attempted to kidnap a fifth before his arrest over the weekend. The woman who escaped, a sex worker, told police that Ortiz, 35, picked her up on the street and took her to his home, reports the Corpus Christi Caller Times. She said he began acting "weird" when she kept talking about the recent murder of two other sex workers, one of them a friend. They left his home, and the woman, by now afraid for her life, made a break for it at a gas station, according to the police affidavit. Ortiz allegedly pulled a gun on her in his pickup truck, and she leaped out of the vehicle as he tried to grab her shirt.

story continues below

She then ran to a trooper at the gas station. Police arrested Ortiz hours later, at 2:30am, in a hotel parking lot, but they say he had killed two more women, also sex workers, in the interim, reports the Washington Post. One of the latter victims was transgender. Ortiz reportedly told investigators that he shot his first victim by the side of the road on Sept. 3 after a sexual encounter and the second after she accused him of being the last person to see the first victim alive. "This guy is cold," says Webb County-Zapata County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz. Ortiz is a 10-year veteran of the US Customs and Border Protection, and authorities say he committed the murders while off duty. He is being held on $2.5 million bond. "It's not a big city like San Antonio, Houston, where you see that a lot," says one Laredo resident of the killing spree. (Read more serial killer stories.)(Newser)  A firebrand commentator in the UK is now fighting off bankruptcy thanks largely to some errant tweets. Back in 2015, Katie Hopkins went on a Twitter rant against a female food writer named Jack Monroe, accusing Monroe of supporting the defacement of war memorials by protesters. The tweets were brutal, but there was one big problem: Hopkins had confused Monroe with another woman, explains the Guardian. Monroe insisted that Hopkins apologize and donate money to a migrants' charity, but Hopkins refused and instead called Monroe "social anthrax," per the Sun. Monroe sued for libel and won, and Hopkins is now on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and legal costs. She just took the first legal steps in a bid to avoid bankruptcy.

story continues below

Im supposed to be jubilant and celebratory but I feel quite mixed up," says Monroe. "Having been close to the edge of bankruptcy myself, its a hideous situation to be in, but it was completely avoidable." Hopkins, who now works for the far-right site Rebel Media, has not commented. She has previously billed herself as "Britains most controversial columnist for her right-wing views, and she once drew the praise of President Trump for her columns on "the UK's Muslim problems." Buzz.ie reports that another of Hopkins' tweets is now drawing attention given the new money trouble. "The only thing people in debt have in common other than bad money management, is an ability to blame anyone but themselves," she wrote in 2014. (Read more Twitter stories.)(Newser)  After President Trump's election victory in 2016, "I hoped that my fears for our future were overblown," Hillary Clinton writes in a blistering essay in the Atlantic. "They were not." In the essay, Clinton slams the "unspeakable" and "monstrous" actions of Trump's administration, including the separation of migrant children from their families, and warns that "our democracy is in crisis." She cites Trump's "assault on the rule of law," his "breathtaking corruption," and his "war on truth and reason." She accuses him of undermining the "national unity that makes democracy possible," and warns that the legitimacy of American elections is in doubt amid voter suppression and Trump's "complete unwillingness" to deal with Russian interference.

story continues below

But the "assault on our democracy" didnt start with Trump, Clinton writes. "He is as much a symptom as a cause of what ails us." She blames "unregulated, predatory capitalism," political "hyperpolarization," and right-wing billionaires like the Koch brothers, who "spent a lot of time and money building an alternative reality where ... lies masquerade as truth." "We must do all we can to save our democracy and heal our body politic," starting with the midterm elections, she writes. She calls for "serious housecleaning," including, unsurprisingly, the abolition of the Electoral College. "After Watergate, Congress passed a whole slew of reforms in response to Richard Nixons abuses of power," she writes. "After Trump, were going to need a similar process." Click for the full essay. (Read more Hillary Clinton stories.)London mayor Sadiq Khan has called for another referendum on Britain's European Union membership, saying the prime minister's handling of Brexit negotiations had become "mired in confusion and deadlock" and was leading the country down a damaging path.

Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29. But with Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plans still not accepted, some lawmakers, as well as union and business leaders are increasingly arguing for people to have a final say on any deal struck with Brussels.

May has repeatedly ruled out holding a second referendum following the vote two years ago to leave the EU. She says members of parliament will get to vote on whether to accept any final deal.

But with time running out for London and Brussels to thrash out a Brexit deal, the British government is preparing plans for a no-deal Brexit.

Finance Minister Philip Hammond told senior ministers last week that Brexit could have to be delayed beyond March 29 in order to pass new laws, the Sun newspaper said on Saturday.

(Newser)  With Wilmington cut off from the rest of North Carolina by still-rising floodwaters from Florence, officials plan to airlift food and water to a city of nearly 120,000 people as rescuers elsewhere pull inland residents from homes threatened by swollen rivers, the AP reports. The spreading disaster claimed additional lives Sunday, with at least 17 people confirmed dead, and the nation's top emergency official said other states were in the path this week. "Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina, ... but we're also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out," FEMA Administrator Brock Long told Fox News. The latest:

Downgraded to a tropical depression, Florence is still massive. Radar shows parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bull's-eye.

In Wilmington, the state's eighth-largest city, residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police guarded the door of one store, and only 10 people were allowed inside at a time. County commission chairman Woody White says officials are planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city. "Our roads are flooded," he says. "There is no access to Wilmington."

story continues below

The storm's death toll climbed to 17 when authorities said a 3-month-old child was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home in North Carolina. Three people died in weather-related traffic accidents, officials said.

In North Carolina, fears of what could be the worst flooding in the state's history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it wasn't clear how many had fled or even could.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of manure and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters.

Some stream gauges used to monitor river levels failed when they became submerged, but others showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to be at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel were assigned to help relief efforts.

President Trump says federal emergency workers, first responders, and law enforcement officials are "working really hard." As the storm "begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional!" he tweeted.

Meanwhile, halfway around the world, Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left dozens dead. More than 2.4 million people were evacuated from China's southern Guangdong province ahead of the massive typhoon, the strongest to hit the region in nearly two decades.

(Read more Hurricane Florence stories.)(Newser)  One person we haven't heard from in decades "as controversies tumbled around her": Soon-Yi Previn, wife of Woody Allen and adopted daughter of Mia Farrow. "No more," writes Daphne Merkin in a piece in New York that's attracting plenty of attentionand backlash. Previn details her life, from the time she says she was a 5-year-old runaway in South Korea, up through her adoption by Farrow and headline-making relationship with Allen, who'd been in a long-term relationship with Farrow. "He pursued me," Previn says, revealing she "hated him" at first. "That's why the relationship has worked. ... He's usually a meek person, and he took a big leap." Much of the piece, however, focuses on Previn's thoughts on Farrow and sibling Dylan Farrow, who has stood by her accusations that adoptive father Allen molested her when she was a child.

story continues below

"What's happened to Woody is so upsetting, so unjust," Previn tells Merkin, saying Mia Farrow was an abusive, neglectful mother who "has taken advantage of the #MeToo movement and paraded Dylan as a victim." A good deal of outrage about the interview is driven by Merkin's 40-year friendship with Allen, notes the Hollywood Reporter. Dylan Farrow put out a statement saying Merkin's story was full of "bizarre fabrications." "The idea of letting a friend of an alleged predator write a one-sided piece attacking the credibility of his victim is disgusting," she notes. She also posted a statement from seven of her siblings in support of their mom, as well as one from brother Ronan Farrow, who's been instrumental in advancing the "Me Too" movement with his exposes. New York has "done something shameful here," he writes, calling the piece a "hit job." Full interview with Previn here. (Read more Soon-Yi Previn stories.)(Newser)  Sometimes, arriving early for your hotel check-in results in scoring a bed ahead of schedule. And sometimes it leads to an international incident. The latter is true of a bizarre incident in Stockholm involving three Chinese touristsan older couple and their grown son, reports the Guardian. The three arrived very early, apparently the night before their scheduled check-in at a facility described variously as a hostel or a hotel. The two sides differ on exactly what happened nextthe hotel says the tourists became belligerent and threatened staff, while the son says he merely wanted the hotel to allow his elderly parents to wait in the lobbybut the upshot is that police came and carried the group outside. See them lying on the sidewalk here. This is killing, this is killing," the son yells in English. "Save me," says his mother.

story continues below

The video soon took off on social media platforms in China, with many users outraged at the treatment. Others thought the family embarrassed China. Beijing's foreign ministry sided with the former camp, and a spokesman at China's embassy in Sweden said police "severely endangered the life and violated the basic human rights of the Chinese citizens. A state newspaper, the People's Daily, has accused Sweden of being hypocritical in calling out human rights issues elsewhere, notes Reuters. So far, Swedish government officials haven't deemed the incident worthy of an investigation, with one anonymous official accusing China of exaggerating things because Sweden recently spoke out against the detention of a Swedish citizen, Gui Minhai, in China. (Another international incident took place at an Italian fountain.)(Newser)  Things are getting even more heated between Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, once thick as thieves amid the #MeToo movement: Argento has now demanded McGowan retract the statement she made Aug. 27 regarding sexual assault allegations against Argento. "Dear @RoseMcGowan. It is with genuine regret that I am giving you 24 hours to retract and apologise for the horrendous lies made against me in your statement of August 27th," Argento tweeted Monday. "If you fail to address this libel I will have no option other than to take immediate legal action." Former child actor Jimmy Bennett says Argento had sex with him when he was 17 and she was 37; Argento initially denied the accusation, but earlier this month, after getting a new lawyer, she changed her strategy and accused Bennett of sexually assaulting her, USA Today reports.

story continues below

It was McGowan's partner, model Rain Dove, who reported Argento's texts about the alleged encounter with Bennett to law enforcement. (Those same texts were also leaked to the press, but Rain Dove and McGowan deny any involvement in that.) In a previous tweet on Sept. 7, Argento had called on McGowan to change her tune, and included a screenshot of an apparent tweet from Rain Dove that, Argento said, had since been deleted; it reads, per Us Weekly and E! Online, "It was my mistake in interpreting the texts. You can tell even when Im writing to Asia I thought she meant that he had been sending nudes since 12. But indeed its 17. Still underage nudes received. That was my mistake. I clarified that in the press and owned that." Argento wrote, "It is a shame that @rosemcgowan is not prepared to accept when she is wrong. @raindovemodel accepted she was wrong, but her tweet has been deleted. Rose's statement continues to make false claims." (Rain Dove prefers nongendered pronouns.)(Newser)  Coca-Cola's next big line of products might revolve around a more adult beverage. Bloomberg reports that Coke is in partnership talks with a Canadian company called Aurora Cannabis, the possible outcome being health drinks infused with cannabis and marketed as remedies for ailments such as cramping and inflammation. Neither company confirmed the talks, but they didn't exactly deny them, either. "Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world," said a Coke statement, per MarketWatch. "The space is evolving quickly." Coke's would be the first entry into the cannabis market by a major manufacturer of non-alcoholic drinks, notes Reuters. (Read more Coca-Cola stories.)(Newser)  Marisa Medici was always concerned about her nephew, Arthur, when he went boogie boarding in what the Boston Herald describes as the "shark-infested waters" of Cape Cod. "Oh my gosh, thats where he wanted to be every day. Every day. Always I asked him, 'Dont go. Please, dont go,'" Marisa Medici tells the Herald. But "hed say, 'Aunt, theyre not going to bite me. The sharks dont bite me. Im Superman!'" But on Saturday, 26-year-old Arthur Medici became Cape Cod's first shark attack fatality in 82 years. Marisa Medici, whom Arthur lived with, says he left Friday night with Isaac Rocha, whom she describes as his future brother-in-law, for Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, Mass. They set out for the water that night and again the next morning, Rocha tells WCVB. He describes what happened next to the Boston Globe as "just horrible, the worst feeling in the world."

story continues below

The shark attacked Arthur from behind, biting his legs and severing his femoral arteries, per his aunt. Rocha estimates he was 5 to 10 yards away when he saw Arthur going down, then saw a lot of blood and heard Arthur screaming. "And when (Arthur) came up out of the water, (Rocha) went to him to rescue him and take him to the sand," said Marisa Medici between tears; Rocha says Arthur was no longer speaking at that point. "Because the shark bit on the back of his legs, the calves, he lost a lot of blood. A lot of blood. Basically everything," Marisa Medici says. "When he was on the sand, hed already lost the blood. They did CPR, they did everything. They didnt save him." A GoFundMe campaign has been started to bring Arthur's body home to his native Brazil to be buried. He had been in the US four years, was studying engineering and was planning to marry his girlfriend of nearly two years. (Read more shark attack stories.)(Newser)  Thousands of New Orleans residents who lost power for more than an hour Monday have a cat to blame, USA Today reports. The animal got into one of Entergy New Orleans' substations, touched the equipment, and caused a flash. Outages started around 8:30am, and by noon, all customers saw their power restored. The cat did not survive. "It is unusual for a cat to get into a substation and around protective devices. When this happens, the animals unfortunately do not survive the high-voltage contact," Entergy said in a statement, noting that it installs protective devices to keep just such an incident from occurring, but on rare occasions an animal is able to get around them. (Read more strange stuff stories.)Dhaka:

Bangladeshs Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of a proposed agreement with India to allow it to use the Chittagong and Mongla sea ports for transporting goods to and from its land-locked northeastern states.

The decision is another step in improving the friendly relations between Bangladesh and India, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam said.

Also Read | Vietnam: Seven dead, five in coma after taking drugs at music festival

The draft says the agreement would be effective for five years with a provision of automatic renewal for another five years while either of the countries could scrap it giving a six-month notice.

The agreement would allow India to use Chattogram (Chittagong) and Mongla ports to carry goods to their northeastern states in a very short time, Alam said after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

A draft of the communication network being built for connectivity between the Chattogram and Mongla ports has been approved for Indias signing. One of the provisions says that Nepal and Bhutan can be added to the agreement if they wish, he said.

Four routes were suggested for goods movements which are Chattagram Port/Mongla Port-Agartala via Akhaura, Chattagram/Mongla-Daouki via Tamabil, Chattagram/ Mongla-Sutarkandi via Sheola, and Chattagram/Mongla-Bibekbazar via Simantapur.

But, Alam said, under the agreement only Bangladeshi vehicles and vessels would be used to carry the goods inside Bangladesh.

A tracking system will be used to monitor the cargo moving through Bangladesh, he said.

He said however, India would have to follow the international General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as well as Bangladeshi laws and rules in carrying the goods.

Also Read | Imran Khan 'propped up' by army, army still rules Pakistan: VK Singh

The agreement suggested Bangladeshs tax authorities would take bond equivalent to duties and taxes from Indian companies while charges, fees and carrying cost will be charged according to GATT in addition to regular duty and taxes.

The draft deal said Bangladeshi authorities would use tracking systems like global positioning system (GPS), e-lock and e-seal to identify the goods carrying vessels.

A major objective of the proposed agreement was to strengthen the existing cordial bilateral ties, Alam said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.An advance team of South Korean officials arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday afternoon to prepare for the inter-Korean summit that starts Tuesday.

Officials from the two met in the border truce village of Panmunjom on Friday and agreed to provide live media coverage of some events.

Moon arrives in Pyongyang on Tuesday morning on his official plane and is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un several times over the next two days. He carries a heavy freight of expectations that he can break the deadlock in denuclearization talks between the U.S. and the North.

Government insiders say there may be a surprise outing for the two leaders, such as a trip to Mt. Baekdu or Kaema Plateau for Moon, who is an avid mountain climber.

The North could also take Moon to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of Kim's father and grandfather lie embalmed, or treat him with a performance of its notorious mass games.

Given that a top business entourage is traveling along, there is also a chance that Moon could visit a special economic zone in the North, particularly the Wonsan special tourism zone, which is a pet project of Kim's.New Delhi:

In a bid to revive credit and economic growth, Centre on Monday announced the merger of state-owned Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank to create the country's third-largest lender. Announcing the move, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that consolidation was always part of the governments agenda and the merger of associate banks last year was a step in that direction.

The consolidation will help create a strong globally competitive bank with economies of scale and enable the realisation of wide-ranging synergies, Jaitley said.

Also Read | Congress played major role in freedom struggle, admits RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

In 2017, the government had merged State Bank of India and five of its subsidiary banks and taking over Bharatiya Mahila Bank, catapulting it to be among top 50 global lenders.

Leveraging of networks, low-cost deposits and subsidiaries of the three banks have the potential of yielding significant synergies for positioning the consolidated entity for a substantial rise in customer base, market reach, operational efficiency, wider bouquet of products and services, and improved access for customers, the finance minister said.

To support the governments move to merge the three state-owned banks, Jaitley said, We have borne in mind that we do not want a merger of relatively weak banks. You can have two well-performing banks absorbing the third one and hopefully creating a megabank which will be sustainable, whose lending ability will be far higher.

Also Read | Manohar Parrikar in hospital, Congress stakes claim to form government in Goa

Jaitley also assured that no employees will face a service condition which is in any way adverse in nature to its present condition.

On the contrary, the SBI experience has been that amongst the merging entity and new entity, the best of service conditions continue to apply to all of them. So, the employee of relatively smaller banks will get an opportunity to improve the working condition, he said.

Financial Service Secretary Rajiv Kumar said that the merged entity will have a better financial strength and its net NPA ratio will be at 5.71 per cent, significantly better than public sector bank (PSB) average (12.13 per cent).

(With PTI Inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has assured him of taking appropriate action in the Rewari gangrape case.

"I have spoken to Haryana CM who has assured me of taking appropriate action in the case," Singh on the case.

The home minister is in Jammu to inaugurate two Comprehensive Integrated Border Managment System (CIBMS) pilot projects.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday arrested three people, including one of the main accused Nishu, in connection with the alleged rape of 20-year-old Haryana CBSE topper. Besides Nishu, two other people who were arrested were the owner of the borewell store-room where the crime was committed and a doctor who had been called to check the victim. However, two other main accused, including the Army man, were still absconding four days after the crime took place.

Addressing a press conference at Rewari, SIT chief Nazneen Bhasin said that within 30 hours of its formation, the SIT team arrested borewell owner Deen Dayal and doctor Sanjeev, while one key accused Nishu was also being brought to Rewari.

While Deen Dayal helped the accused  Army man Pankaj, Manish and Nishu  by providing keys of the storeroom where the student was gang-raped, Dr Sanjeev was called by one of the three accused to check the condition of the victim. But he didnt inform the police, therefore, arrested.

Dr Sanjeevs involvement is proved as it was in his knowledge that the girl was held by three boys and she was not conscious about the things happening. He was part of the plan till the end but didnt inform any authority, Bhasin said.

On being asked about the serving soldier, the SIT chief said, He is absconding but he will be arrested soon.

With the arrest of the two, the police got some vital clues about the whereabouts of the other accused and they will be arrested soon. We will produce Deen Dayal and Dr Sanjeev in a court on Monday and seek police remand for further investigations, she added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Ahead of his appearance before Kerala police, Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a Kerala nun, has written to Pope Francis offering to step aside temporarily as the Bishop of Jalandhar diocese.

The bishop has written a letter to Holy Father Pope Francis expressing his desire to step aside temporarily and requested to be relieved from the administration of the diocese, PTI quoted a spokesperson of Jalandhar diocese as saying.

Bishop Mulakkals move came ahead of his appearance before the Special Investigation Team of Kerala Police on September 19 to join the investigation amid protests seeking his arrest.

Also Read | Kerala Nun Rape Case: Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal hands over charge; Catholic priests join protest

A Kerala nun had accused the clergyman of repeated sexual assault between 2014 and 2016 during his visits to the Jalandhar-diocese run convent at Kuruvilangad in Kottayam district.



She had recently urged the Vatican to intervene in the matter and demanded Mulakkal's removal as the head of the Jalandhar diocese. She also questioned the "silence" of the church, accusing it of "closing its eyes to the truth".

Mulakkal, however, rebutted the allegations, saying the charges levelled by the nun were baseless and concocted. He also said that there were several contradictions in the evidence collected against him.

The bishop had last week handed over administrative responsibility of Jalandhar diocese to Msgr Mathew Kokkandam in his absence ahead of his Kerala visit.

Also Read | Amit Shah sounds poll bugle in Telangana; criticises KCR for ensuing early Assembly polls

The decision to summon the clergyman was taken last week after a meeting chaired by Vijay Sakhare, Inspector General (Ernakulam range), amid mounting pressure on police to initiate action against Mulakkal.

(With inputs from PTI)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Monday extended till September 19 the house arrest of five rights activists held in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case. The court said it will order for a SIT probe if they are convinced that material against the arrested activists are cooked up or completely false.

"Every criminal investigation is based on allegations and we have to see whether there is some material," a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had extended the house arrest till Monday. The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud adjourned the hearing on the plea filed by historian Romila Thapar and four others to September 19, after it was submitted that senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is representing the petitioners, was busy in another court.

Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra government, said the court should make it clear that after adjudication by it, the arrested accused cannot avail remedies simultaneously on similar issues at other judicial fora.

The Maharashtra police had arrested the rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.

Prominent Telugu poet Rao was arrested on August 28 from Hyderabad, while activists Gonsalves and Ferreira were nabbed from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj from Faridabad in Haryana and civil liberties activist Navlakha from Delhi.

The Supreme Court had on September 6 taken strong exception to the statement of a senior police officer on the arrest of the activists, saying he had cast "aspersions" on the top court.

An irked court had referred to the statements made to the media by an Assistant Commissioner of Police of Pune and said he was casting aspersions on the apex court by saying it should not have entertained the petition against the arrests.

The Maharashtra government had told the court that the petitioners were "strangers" to the mater and questioned their locus. Its counsel had said there was enough evidence including the materials taken from the activists' computers and other sources which belied the perception of the petitioners about those arrested.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, the counsel for Tushar Damgude who had filed the FIR in the Koregaon-Bhima violence, had opposed the plea of Thapar and said it could have been raised in the magistrate's court by the affected parties.

Earlier, the Maharashtra government had filed its response to the plea claiming the five activists were arrested due to the cogent evidence linking them with the banned CPI (Maoist) and not because of their dissenting views.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Breaking new boundaries in the development of Artificial Intelligence in searching extraterrestrials or aliens in the universe, the University of California has reportedly discovered 72 new fast radio burst from a 'mysterious' source some three billion light years from the planet Earth. The radio bursts are mere milliseconds in duration, thought to originate from far-off galaxies. However, the source of these emissions is still unclear, as per scientists. Fast Radio Bursts are bright pulses of emission originate from distant galaxies reportedly. More FRBs have been spotted during a single outburst.

To observe these FRBs more, the University of California's UC Berkley team took the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to drag the radio signals for a period of five-hour or more. The radio signals data were recorded over a five-hour period on August 26, 2017, by the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia which was dredged up by AI algorithms.

ALSO READ | Hubble telescope to help astronauts understand earliest galaxies: NASA

This has ranged from highly magnetised neutron stars blasted by gas streams from a supermassive black hole. There are reports that advanced civilisation burst properties are consistent with signatures of technology.

"This work is exciting not just because it helps us understand the dynamic behaviour of fast radio bursts in more detail, but also because of the promise it shows for using machine learning to detect signals missed by classical algorithms," said Andrew Siemion, principal investigator for Breakthrough Listen, an initiative led by the University of California, Berkeley in the US to find signs of intelligent life in the universe.

Investigators at Breakthrough Listen in order to find new kinds of signals that could be coming from extra-terrestrial civilisations are also applying the successful machine-learning algorithm.



ALSO READ | ISROs PSLV-C42 launches NovaSAR and S1-4 satellites

FRB 121102 source is unique in emitting repeated bursts. This has drawn the attention of many astronomers hoping to pin down the cause and the extreme physics involved in fast radio bursts.

The source alternates between periods of quiescence and frenzied activity, said postdoctoral researcher Vishal Gajjar, fron UC Berkeley.



Researches in 2017, reanalysed the data, finding an additional 72 bursts not detected originally. The researchers subsequently developed powerful machine-learning algorithm to study data again.

Researchers now have 300 bursts from FRB 121102 since its discovery in 2012.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Islamabad:

The cash-strapped Pakistan government on Monday sold 70 cars above their market price as it started the process of auctioning of 102 luxury vehicles of the PM House under Prime Minister Imran Khans austerity drive, a media report said.

Apart from luxury cars, the government, facing huge debts and liabilities, plans to auction eight buffaloes kept by deposed and jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House for his gastronomic requirements, a senior aide to Khan said last week.

It will also sell the four surplus helicopters lying unused with the Cabinet Division, Naeem-ul-Haq, the Prime Ministers Special Assistant for Political Affairs, said.

Also Read | Taliban attack kill 10 members of security forces in Badghis province

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the first batch of 70 vehicles have been sold.

These cars were sold above their market price, Chaudhry claimed.

He added that vehicles which are classified as protected (bomb and bullet-proof) would be sold next.

The cars that are being auctioned include four recent models of Mercedes Benz, eight bullet-proof BMWs, three 5000cc SUVs and two 3000cc SUVs of 2016 model.

Also Read | Time magazine sold for $ 190 million to couple

Twenty-four 24 Mercedes Benz of 2016 model are also being auctioned. Two of the 28 cars are 4,000cc bullet-proof vehicles, the report said.

Further, 40 Toyota cars, a Lexus SUV, and two Land Cruisers are also up for auction.

Other vehicles that are being auctioned include eight Suzuki cars, five Mitsubishi vehicles, nine Hondas and two jeeps.

The cars will be sold to those who have the highest bid, the report said.

In his first address to the nation, Prime Minister Khan had emphasised on cutting government expenditure. As part of the cost-cutting initiative, he had announced the auction of surplus PM House vehicles.

Pakistans debt and liabilities rose sharply to nearly Rs 30 trillion or 87 per cent of total size of the economy at the end of previous fiscal year, according to media reports.

Statistics released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) last month showed that in the last five years, Pakistans total debt and liabilities increased Rs 13.5 trillion or 82.8 per cent to stand at Rs 29.9 trillion. Five years ago, Pakistans total debt and liabilities were Rs 16.4 trillion, the Express Tribune reported.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Hanoi:

Seven Vietnamese have died and five are in a coma after taking drugs at an electronic dance music festival in Hanoi late Sunday, officials said, as authorities scrambled to trace the substance.

The victims, all Vietnamese, tested positive for an unspecified drug prompting officials to ban all EDM festivals in the capital in the wake of the fatal incident, which has shocked the conservative city.

Also Read | Taliban attack kill 10 members of security forces in Badghis province

Police investigators are trying to figure out what type of drug that was, deputy director of Hanoi police Nguyen Van Vien told reporters Monday.

Officials said the dead were all in their 20s, while the five people in a coma are between 18 and 30 years old.

The sick are being treated in intensive care at two Hanoi hospitals.

If the deaths are confirmed as drug-related it could be one of the worst mass deaths at a music festival linked to narcotics in recent memory anywhere in the world.

Sunday nights Trip To The Moon festival was hosted by Vietnam Electronic Weekend in Hanois upscale West Lake, a neighbourhood popular among expats, teachers and youth for its nightlife and club scene.

Also Read | Four killed, 3.11 million evacuated as tropical storm lashes China

Hundreds joined the event which sprawled across three stages and included EDM big hitters Yellow Claw and Headhunterz on the line-up, according to the online flyer for the event.

Investigators are trying to confirm who brought the drugs into the venue and said all events of its kind would be banned in the capital pending the probe.

The incident yesterday... was very painful. It was a great loss, said Tran Xuan Ha, deputy head of Hanoi governments propaganda department said.

Tickets to the event cost between USD 21 and USD 135 in a country which has joined Asias multi-million-dollar fixation on EDM.

Most ravers are found in the cosmopolitan and more free-wheeling southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City.

But the EDM party scene has gained popularity in the capital of the communist nation, as has drug use among young people.

It was the third Vietnam Electronic Weekend festival held in the country and was slated to be the biggest yet, according to state media.

Shocked Hanoians took to the internet Monday after the deaths.

A warning message for those young ones who have been so irresponsible for their own (lives), reader Nam Huynh wrote on VNExpress.

There are some 220,000 registered drug users in Vietnam, according to official figures.

In the past, most users were hooked on opium and heroin, though strong synthetics such as ICE and E are becoming increasingly popular, especially among Vietnams partying youth.

The synthetic substances largely come into Vietnam through porous borders from the notorious Golden Triangle drug producing zonecomprised of lawless parts of Laos, Myanmar and Thailandthough some high-profile busts in recent years in Vietnam have uncovered domestic labs.

Also Read | Americans recognising that they dont trust president: Jayapal

On Saturday evening, two Australians died of suspected drug overdoses at an electronic music festival in Sydney, according to national broadcaster ABC.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.The Deputy King, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa yesterday chaired the board meeting of the Economic Development Board (EDB) held at the organisations headquarters at Bahrain Bay.

During the meeting, HRH the Deputy King stressed the importance of securing the Kingdoms long-term fiscal stability by balancing fiscal adjustment measures with growth in the wider economy.A Bahraini man forged a sales form with an aim to seize his ex-wifes cars, the court heard. The couple got divorced in 2016 and the husband took revenge by seizing her cars that were parked at his compound.

He allegedly forged sales forms to prove his ownership over the cars. I discovered later that the ownership of cars was transferred to his name. The first car was purchased by me in 2012, but the second one was gifted to me by him. But after I got my divorce, I discovered that both cars were no longer owned by me, the woman told prosecutors.

The traffic officers summoned me to cross-check the sales forms which were submitted to them and my signatures on the papers were counterfeit, she added. The cars ownership was changed without my approval and my knowledge, she said in the complaint.

A handwriting expert confirmed that the signatures on the forms werent the womans and they were forged. Therefore, the Bahraini man was put on trial before the High Criminal Court on forgery charges."Really, really thank you," iconic Japanese pop singer Namie Amuro told thousands of fans at the end of her final live stage performance, held in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on Saturday, the day before her retirement from the show business.

"At the concert, everyone got excited and no one looked sad," said Yoji Toriumi, a 29-year-old corporate employee in Tokyo.

Amuro, now 40 years old, sang eight songs and danced for a total of 40 minutes before some 3,500 people who were lucky enough to get tickets to the concert at the Okinawa Convention Center, which was joined by Okinawan band Begin and solo musicians including Ken Hirai.

After finishing her last performance, Amuro, an Okinawa native, expressed her appreciation to the audience. Then she bowed together with all other musicians and left the stage while waving her hand. The fans in the hall kept calling her name for a while even after she was gone.

Outside the event venue was also crowded by fans coming to say goodbye.Although they were not granted asylum, they are now able to stay here temporarily since their lives could be at risk if they return home. They can stay anywhere in Korea for up to a year but will then have to have their permit reviewed.

Some 23 Yemeni refugees have been given permission to stay in Korea since arriving on Jeju Island earlier this year fleeing the civil war in their country, the Justice Ministry said last Friday.

Nearly all of them told immigration officials that they want to move to Seoul or Busan. They landed in Jeju because the island offers a special visa waiver to encourage tourism that does not apply at other ports of entry in Korea.

Their presence even in such small numbers has given rise to a wave of xenophobia, and the Cheong Wa Dae website was abuzz with denunciations of "pseudo refugees" who will now swarm all over Korea to launch "terror attacks like those seen in Europe."

But the Justice Ministry does not see that as a worry. Out of the 23 Yemenis who were granted permission to stay this time, 10 are under 19. The ministry said it "carefully screened the Yemenis for records of terrorist activities, drug use or criminal records" and added that it will be able to keep track of them.

"They can be punished if they fail to register their addresses," the ministry said. According to government data, asylum applications rose from 1,574 in 2013 to 9,942 last year.The fish was discovered not in water but in damp soil. Museum researcher Dr Rachunliu G Kamei uncovered it while searching the rainforest for an entirely different group of animal, the legless amphibians called caecilians.

'We were digging all day every day for caecilians in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, in the north-east of India, when I chanced upon this fish,' explains Rachunliu. 'This is the only specimen of the species, as we couldn't find any more.'

Compared to the two other species of swamp eel found in the region, the specimen was so distinct that even from this single individual the researchers could be certain it was a new species. It is described in the journal of Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.

A burrowing fish

Even among the 34,000 or so species of bony fishes, swamp eels are rather weird.

Many swamp eels are found close to freshwater streams, making a living in the mud and between roots. But some have evolved far more specialised, subterranean lifestyles.

Some of these eels live in caves while others are found in aquifers deep underground, but a few actually burrow through the soil. This new species, for example, was found burrowing some 50 metres from the nearest stream.

Unsurprisingly this means that very little is known about these ichthyological oddities, as those who study fishes tend to be looking in the water.

Dr Ralf Britz, fish researcher at the Museum and co-author of the paper with Rachunliu, says, 'More swamp eels have been collected by my herpetologist friends than I have ever collected with my fishing net.' Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles.Transport ties between China and North Korea are growing stronger than ever despite U.S.-led sanctions against the North.

Since China's No. 3 official Li Zhanshu visited Pyongyang for the regime's 70th founding anniversary celebrations on Sept. 9, North Korea's Air Koryo has started chartered flights between Dalian and Pyongyang.Ahead of the 2019 general elections, elder statesman and Second Republic governor of Kaduna state, Balarabe Musa has taken a close look at the state of affairs in the nation and insists that though President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigerians since his election in 2015; none of the aspirants in opposition parties is prepared to take the nation to her deserved destination.The former governor who stated this in an exclusive chat with our correspondent on Monday said from the pack of aspirants currently in the race for the highest elective office, none has shown capacity to elevate public above personal interest.According to him, the nation needs a credible leader in 2019 who will unite the diverse ethnic nationalities, use her earnings to work for the people and put an end to endemic corruption in high places.He said: President Buhari has failed and everyone knows this. But let me say too that none of those jostling to replace him has shown sufficient capacity to earn the trust of Nigerians.It is not enough to have integrity; that integrity must be tested for it to become an asset to be sought out for. The leaders of today are interested in themselves and this is largely the cause of the corruption the country is now infamously known for.If these elements have not been tested and their integrity established, I am afraid there is not much to be taken when 2019 finally comes. It is sad that while the current President has nothing to offer, those who want the job have not shown tested and demonstrable integrity.The former governor also decried the leadership recruitment process in the land, saying its monetized nature is the reason those who mean well often find it difficult to emerge on the nations political stage.The role of money in politics has made it difficult for those who genuinely want to serve to emerge. It is not that there are no credible and tested leaders out there but the political process is so monetized, making it difficult for them to take charge of the nations affairs, he added.Meanwhile, former Vice President and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar is set to intensify interface with stakeholders of the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, ahead of the October 5/6th Presidential convention of the PDP.The move, Vanguard gathered, would enable the Presidential hopeful to drum support for his aspiration, from across party lines; a development likely to work in his favour and fetch him an inch more advantage over his rivals.An official of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organization told this medium in confidence that the former Vice President is out to avail political stakeholders his blueprint for the rescue of the nation by meeting with them later this week.He said, His Excellency (Atiku) is worried about the sorry state of affairs in Nigeria. He has been talking about the need for restructuring but some people think he joined the advocates because of 2019.On restructuring, let me say that he is one of the foremost advocates we can remember today. His vision for Nigeria is beyond mere lip service. Recall that in many public outings, he offered policy alternatives to Nigerians and expectedly, some people in high places are not comfortable with his ever growing profile.He is open to talks with well meaning patriots on the way forward. I can assure you that he will meet with them (CUPP) this week or early next week, he said.The former Vice President is currently locked in an intense battle for the sole Presidential ticket of the PDP alongside Senate President , Bukola Saraki, his immediate successor, David Mark, erstwhile governors of Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Plateau and Sokoto states, Ahmed Makarfi, Rabiu Kwamkwaso, Sule Lamido, Jonah Jang and Attahiru Bafarawa respectively. Others are Gombe state governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki and businessman, Datti Baba-Ahmed.Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder and spiritual leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos State, has described the All Progressiv...

Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder and spiritual leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos State, has described the All Progressives Congress, APC, as an occult.





He said the ruling party was deceiving Nigerians, adding that its style of democracy will break Nigeria.





The Prophet who spoke in an interview with the Sun, also said the country was on a time bomb, adding that those who joined the APC did so for favour.





He said the 2019 election will be dicey, urging Nigerians to pray that it holds.





His words, Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb, Buhari cannot fight corruption; if he is not corrupt one way or the other, he has followed a corrupt party. I dont want to mention anybodys name.





If youre saying a particular person is corrupt and because of that you send EFCC after that person or if somebody does not support your agenda, you send the anti-graft agency after him, that is not the best way.





Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb; lets hope that the election will be conducted the same time, next year, because the election will be a bit dicey, more so, President Buhari cannot take Nigeria to the promised land.





This is because the ruling party is creating tension; They do not want anybody that criticises them; they are bitter on any one that talks about them; they try to weaken the PDP; when they were in opposition party, they were criticising, and doing all sorts of things but because somebody is trying to put them on their toes, even from the Senate, they start fighting.





I am not saying that they should like me, but they are not laying any precedent for the youth; what they are showing the youth is bitterness and they are not ready to help the youth to grow. They just wan to re-circle leaders.





Anybody defecting to the ruling party is doing so because he wants favour, either because he is corrupt, and wants to be protected.





The ruling party is deceiving Nigerians, and its style of democracy will break Nigeria. Resource control will break Nigeria and tribalism will fuel our wrath.





People defecting to APC do not like the party, and the party itself is creating more problems for themselves, so Buharis second term is not too certain.





The ruling party is an occult. If I were the President, anybody that defects to my party will be the first person to be sent to jail. The ruling party will destroy this democracy; our democracy is at risk.





Whoever that wants to contest against them, they frown at it because they dont want anybody to contest against them; these are the things they are doing.



Leaders of thought, elder statesmen from four of the six geo-political zones of the country, under the aegis of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum are at the moment, grilling former governor of Jigawa state and Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sule Lamido.The Leaders led by former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark are questioning him on his plans for Nigeria ahead of 2019 Presidential election.The former Jigawa State Governor appeared before the forum on Monday at the Asokoro residence of Clark in Abuja to take questions, particularly on the restructuring of the country which the forum is pushing for, and his plans to revive the economy against the backdrop of exponential growth in population.Before the question and answer session, Chief Clark told him that the forum will not endorse any aspirant until the aspirant had given all of them, including the President Muhammadu Buhari, the opportunity to be heard.Four aspirants have so far appeared before the forum at the Asokoro, Abuja residence of Chief Clark.They are former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Sokoto state governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; Sina Fagbenro of KOWA Party and Lamido.Former Nigeria Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has told Senate President, Bukola Saraki that he will support h...

Former Nigeria Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has told Senate President, Bukola Saraki that he will support him in his bid to become president just the way his late father supported him during his failed presidential ambition.

It is my turn to do what your father did to me, Babangida said.





He said this when Saraki visited him in Minna, Niger State, as part of his nationwide campaign tour for the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, convention.









The former Head of State said he would treat the presidential aspirant as his own son and ensure that he succeed in his ambition





He pointed out that I will rightly observe that you are my son, for coming to pay a courtesy visit.





I remember when I was still in office, I spoke with your father, Oloye Saraki who was always providing advises on a number of things attached to this country.





He always made himself available to me, to give advises and encouragement which will move the country forward.





Your visit today is historical, now it is your time and turn to come to me and I will do just that.





You mentioned three things that are very dear to us as military, and we fought to get them to preserve them.





They are unity of the country, the security of lives and the economic development.





The security of the people and their well being of the ordinary man are the right objectives for campaign and leadership for this country.



Saifura Ahmed, one of the three humanitarian workers abducted in Rann, Kala Balge local government area of Borno state, has been killed by...

Saifura Ahmed, one of the three humanitarian workers abducted in Rann, Kala Balge local government area of Borno state, has been killed by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction of Boko Haram.





The victim was abducted during a raid on a military facility in the area on March 1.





At least four soldiers, policemen and three humanitarian workers were killed in the attack.





Hauwa Leman, one of the workers abducted, had sent an audio to one of her friends, demanding that her parents be informed that she had been kidnapped.





Following the murder of Ahmed, Leman and Alice Ngaddah, a mother of two, are the ones in captivity among the three people abducted in Rann on March 1.





In a video seen by TheCable, the deceased was wearing a white hijab. She was shot from behind.





The insurgents claimed that they had contacted government over the captives but did not get any response.





We contacted the government through writing and also sent audio messages but the government have ignored us. So, here is a message of blood, said a spokesman of the group who did not give his name.





The other nurse and midwife will be executed in similar manner in one month, including Leah Sharibu.





The ICRC has confirmed the identity of the victim, promising to issue a statement.





In August, an audio of Sharibu appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue her.





ISWAP has kept her in captivity for seven months, sparking public outrage.





The federal government had said it was making efforts to secure her release.





Sharibu is the only Christian among the abducted 119 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe state, kidnapped in February.



The OurMumuDonDo civil society group led by Charles Oputa,a.k.a Charly boy, on Monday held a public campaign against vote- buying in Osun, ahead of the governorship election on September, 22.Members of the group, drawn from across the country, took the Dont sell your Vote campaign across major streets, markets and parks in Osogbo.According to the conveners, the rally is part of the Voters Education initiative of the group to ensure that ordinary Nigerians get rightly involved in governance and hold leaders accountable to their campaign promises.Charlyboy, popularly known as Areafada, said that vote-buying was an increasing menace to Nigeria democracy that must be curbed on time if the nation wants selfless and competent leaders.As a group that is genuinely interested in good leadership at all levels in Nigeria, we do not want the incidence of alleged massive vote-buying that took place in Ekiti, to happen here in Osun state.We are here to tell the electorate that, as they go to the poll on Saturday, they should not sell their votes for any other monetary value, and then suffer for the next 4years.The ordinary people here in the market and on the streets, need to know that they must not allow desperate politicians to take advantage of hunger in the land, to rob them of their future, he said.Also, Mr Deji Adeyanju, a co-convener of the Ourmumudondo group said: Election should not be seen as a business transaction where there are sellers and buyers.All we want is a society that works for everyone at the end of the day, instead of mortgaging our future for stipends, he said.Mr Ariyo-Dare Atoye, also a co-convener of the group, told NAN on the sideline that the campaign was a timely intervention to savage the Nigerian electorates from the hand of selfish politicians.He lamented that desperate politicians were taking advantage of the current economic challenges facing the average Nigerian voter to manipulate them with money.A lot of our politicians have nothing to offer the people other than money, and that is why we are preaching that people should not sell their future for five thousand naira.Vote-buying is a hurricane that will eventually kill all of us if not stopped, he said.NAN reports that the group also visited the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation and other stakeholders in Osogbo with the anti-vote buying message.Governor of Gombe State and a presidential aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Ibrahim Dankwambo, has promised to use his wealth of experience in financial management and human capacity development to rescue Nigeria from incompetent leadership if elected as president in 2019.Dankwambo who spoke in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, weekend, when he consulted with stakeholders of his party on his presidential aspiration, commended the party leadership for the role it played in properly repositioning the party to return to power to rescue the country from incompetent leadership, foisted on Nigerians by All Progressives Congress, APC.He recalled that his leadership as the then Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, during the PDP government, introduced innovations into the system, including the Treasury Single Account, TSA, as well as GSM that brought a lot of gains to the country.The presidential hopeful, therefore, urged Nigerians to pray to God for the wisdom to elect into office a competent and capable president on the platform of PDP in 2019, stressing that poor leadership in the country today demands that the APC must be changed.In their separate responses, political elders and leaders representing the three senatorial districts of Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene, Idongesit Nkanga, Chief Nduese Essien and Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien respectively, described his presidential ambition as a welcome development given his track records as Accountant-General of the Federation and Governor of Gombe State.Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti state governor, says he is not afraid of being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). ...

Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti state governor, says he is not afraid of being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).





The anti-graft agency has asked the Nigeria customs service to place the outgoing governor on its watch list, saying he is likely to flee the country in a bid to evade investigation.





Fayose said the action of the EFCC is petty and described his investigation as political.





In a tweet on Sunday, the governor said the anti-graft agency should expect him after he hands over power on October 16, as he earlier promised.





He wrote: @officialEFCC putting my name on watch list after notification of my coming is not only political but petty. Im not among those who are afraid to face tomorrow. Nobody is God.





They should expect me on October 16, 2018. I will remain in PDP not minding their intimidation.





Whatever they do, I will remain in PDP.

The governor, speaking through Lere Olayinka, his spokesman, also asked the EFCC to stop acting irresponsibly over the matter.





It is a further demonstration of the irresponsibility of the EFCC under Ibrahim Magu who is holding office as acting chairman illegally, he said in a statement made available to TheCable.





In Nigeria today, you are only a thief when you are against Buhari, those the EFCC accused of committing fraud in the past but are now members of the APC are now clean.





The EFCC should not waste public fund, and stop acting irresponsible, the governor has written a letter to them saying that he will be in their office by October 16, and we received a response saying the governor should come on September 20th and we saw that as a show of lack of understanding of the constitution of Nigeria.





As at today, the governor enjoys immunity against criminal prosecution and others.



The Atiku presidential campaign organisation says it finds it amusing that the presidency tagged the HSBC as corrupt over its prediction t...

The Atiku presidential campaign organisation says it finds it amusing that the presidency tagged the HSBC as corrupt over its prediction that a victory for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 will have a negative effect on the country.





In a recent report, the bank had predicted that a Buhari second tenure would stunt the economy.





It also foretold that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win the 2019 presidential election.





Reacting to the prediction, Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, said the HSBC has no moral right to criticise Buhari or make predictions about his potential second term.





Shehu accused the bank of laundering more than $100 million for late Sani Abacha, former military head of state.





The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also accused HSBC Bank of laundering proceeds of corruption for over 50 Nigerians, including a serving senator.





In reference to statement made by Buhari in 2011, the group in a statement issued on Monday, asked how Shehu could accuse the bank of helping Abacha keep money if he did not steal.





In 2008, Buhari had claimed that Abacha did not plunge the nations treasury.





It is with amusement that we read the statement by the Buhari administration condemning HSBC, the worlds largest bank, simply because HSBC gave a verdict that Buharis re-election would spell doom for Nigerias economy, the statement read.





In their statement, the Presidency called HSBC A bank that soiled its hand with millions of US dollars yet-to-be-recovered Abacha loot.





They forgot that their principal, Muhammadu Buhari said :Abacha did not steal. So if Abacha did not steal, how could HSBC keep recovered Abacha loot? When you tell so many lies, you begin to contradict yourself.





The group claimed that that some of the record 12 trillion worth of debt which the Buhari administration has saddled Nigeria with is actually funded from HSBC.





The group asked the federal government to desist from trading words and focus on governance.





When they were taking their money, the ever begging Buhari administration did not know that HSBC was corrupt. It was after the HSBC told the truth about the Buhari government that they knew that the HSBC is keeping looted funds, the statement read.





Only last month, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that our second quarter GDP growth rate was lower than our first quarter GDP growth. Another quarter of negative growth and Nigeria will enter a second recession under the Buhari administration.





The same NBS published in December 2017 that 7.9 million Nigerians lost their jobs in 21 months under Buharis watch.



The Navy's main submarines have been 1,200-ton Jangbogo-I and 1,800-ton Jangbogo-II-class subs.

The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, a 3,000-ton mid-class diesel-electric attack submarine, was launched at Okpo Shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province.

Korea last Friday launched its first homegrown attack submarine capable of firing ballistic missiles.

The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho has six vertical launch tubes, a first for a South Korean sub, though the ballistic missiles it will carry are still in development. Once armed with them, the sub could prove a formidable deterrent to security threats from North Korea, China and Japan.

The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho will be delivered to the Navy in December 2020 and deployed warfare-ready in January 2022.

Submarine-launched ballistic missiles are hard to intercept as they are faster and more powerful than sub-to-ground cruise missiles.Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, says the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as acting president was due to the actions of some people incl...

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, says the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as acting president was due to the actions of some people including Seriake Dickson, governor of Bayelsa.





Jonathan became acting president in 2010 after his principal, Umar Musa Yaradua, died.





Speaking on Sunday when he paid Dickson a condolence visit to commiserate the death of his mother, Tambuwal said Dickson approached him during the heat of the tension after Yaraduas death to work out the process of Jonathans emergence.





Tambuwal said Dickson persuaded him to accept the plan to make Jonathan acting president in the interest of national unity which he obliged as the then leader of the north-west caucus in the house of representatives.





God has elevated you to become Attorney General of Bayelsa, then a member of the National Assembly and now Governor of Bayelsa State. And even in the National Assembly, you played several major roles that helped to stabilize this great country, a statement by Fidelis Soriwei, Dicksons special adviser on media relations, quoted Tambuwal to have said.





I remember very well when we had to collaborate with you and work with you to ensure that our dear brother and leader, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was made the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.





To those of you who may not be aware, my brother and friend approached me being the leader of the North West to say my brother, we have to do this in the national interest and I agreed with him. And both of us agreed and drafted that resolution that made Goodluck Jonathan the acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.





So it is not today that my brother Dickson and I have been working to stabilize this country. You are a great son of the country, you are a great son of this community, you are a great son of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.





In his remarks, Dickson thanked Tambuwal for the show of solidarity.



Zainab Ahmed, acting minister of finance, assumed duty on Monday, expressing hope that she is in good hands.

Zainab Ahmed, acting minister of finance, assumed duty on Monday, expressing hope that she is in good hands.





President Muhammadu Buhari appointed her following the resignation of Kemi Adeosun who was caught in a scandal of forging the exemption certificate of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).





Ahmed described the task ahead of her as challenging, promising to tap from the experience of those on ground.





Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, permanent secretary and some directors in the ministry, welcomed her.





These are very challenging times for our country. It means we are part of the economic team that has been charged with making sure there is economic stability in our country, she said.





We have very serious revenue challenges and it is up to us to shore up the revenues of this country.





Mr President has a lot of confidence that we can do this very well together. We are working for Mr President, but at the end of the day we are working for the benefit of the citizens of our country.





There are a lot of sacrifices that I know that you have done, and we are going to push ourselves to still do more so that at the end of the day we will say Alhamdulillah glory be to God!





The finance ministry has overtime been known to have very skilled personnel; from interacting with some of you, I know that there is a lot of skill set within the ministry, and that I am in good hands.





I plan to work very closely with the whole of the directors, most especially with the permanent secretary.





I want to declare that today the permanent secretary is my new next-of-kin. What that means is that I am going to work hand-in-gloves with him, and I expect everybody to do the same thing.





There are some things I know about finance, but there is a lot that I dont know; and the knowledge resides in you.





Ahmed was minister of state for budget and national planning.





She has held several critical positions, including the executive secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).



The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Dr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, and other directors of the Ministry, on Monday received the Supervising Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed in Abuja.Ahmed while addressing members of staff of the ministry who had gathered to receive her, said going forward, she would work closely with the Permanent Secretary to catch up on the activities of the Ministry.She said: These are very challenging times for our country.It means we are part of the economic team that has been charged with making sure there is economic stability in our country.We have very serious revenue challenges and it is up to us to shore up the revenues of this country.Mr President has a lot of confidence that we can do this. We are working for Mr President, but at the end of the day we are working for the benefit of the citizens of our country.There are a lot of sacrifices that I know that you have done, and we are going to push ourselves to still do more so that at the end of the day we will say Alhamdulillah glory be to God, she said.President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Zainab Ahmed to oversee the Ministry of Finance after the resignation of Mrs Kemi Adeosun.Before her new appointment, Ahmed was the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning.Ahmed also held several critical positions in the past including the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Managing Director, Kaduna Investment Company, to mention but a few.President Muhammadu Buhari has advised African countries to improve on ports infrastructure and utilise all natural maritime endowments to facilitate trade.Buhari made the plea on Monday in Abuja during the first Regional Conference of International Africa Ports and Harbour (IAPH) with the theme: Africa Ports and Hinterland Community.He said that interconnectivity would improve African countries economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.Buhari advised that every port should have the complement of rail infrastructure.To complement the improvement in trade facilitation, we have improved on upgrading infrastructure.Our projection is that by the end of 2021, we will have standard gauge railway across the main North-South trading route.The same level of serious attention is being given to the improvement of road infrastructure.At the moment, 25 major highways and 44 roads are under construction across the six geo- political zones of the count just as we have insisted on the simulation activities on our inland waterways.Major inland river channels are being dredged with adequate channel markings for ease of navigation all the way through the Eastern and Northern parts of the country.That is the only way to go if we plan to remain competitive in the maritime industry.I want to implore participants at the conference to see themselves as people opportuned to stand in positions of responsibility on behalf of Africa, the president said.Buhari said that maritime sector was central to facilitation of trade and total integration of Africa for development.The Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, urged African countries to optimise the comparative advantage of their maritime endowments.Amaechi said that it should be understood that optimising maritime potential was totally dependent on efficient transportation of cargo from ports of destination into the hinterland.We are therefore committed to the multi-modal system of transportation from all our ports by improving on the extension of our railways to facilitate the ease of transportation from ports to hinterlands.We have started test operations in Warri and other places two months ago. We have reconstructed some railways for standard gauge to further open up the nations hinterlands.With the development of dry ports in Kano and Kaduna, with direct rail connection, cargoes and containers now easily transmit to Northern Nigeria.This also extends to Chad, Niger Republic in our determination to promote transshipment of cargoes to Niger Republic.We are also partnering with the government of Niger Republic in the reconstruction of Maadi, Niger Republic, from Kano to promote regional motivation of trade, he said.Amaechi said that solid minerals and some agricultural produce were already being exported from Ikorodu Lighter Terminal through Apapa port in Lagos.The Managing Director, IAPH, Mr Patrick Verhoven, said that Africa was the second largest and second most populous continent with six of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world.According to him, improving hinterland connection is not merely a matter of hardware.It is also about investing in software, namely peoples skills and Smart IT with 50 per cent of Africas 1.2 billion people under the age of 20 and a workforce of 504 million expected by 2020, Verhoven said.He told the participants to ensure that the port industry attracted the right status as well as made the best use of innovations in digitisation, stressing that the use of data was of equal significance.The Vice President of IAPH, Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman, said there was no doubt that Africa holds a special space in the global space with 39 of the 54 countries on the continent endowed with littoral assets.Bala-Usman, who is also the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), said that the development of the continent was to a large extent, tied to optimal exploitation of its vast maritime resources.According to her, determinant factors for determing ports are the speed and seamlessness with which owners of cargoes are able to move their consignments out of the ports.She said that Africa needed some work to be done in that area and urged participants to open their minds to speak out and learn new things that would justify the meeting.Bala-Usman recalled that IAPH was established to promote development of ports and create worldwide synergy for effectiveness among all member countries through strong member relationships.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in its 63-years of existence, the association had grown into a global alliance, representing 180 member ports and 140 port-related businesses in 90 countries.The founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has declared that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki will rule ...

The founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has declared that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki will rule Nigeria for just four years.

Ayodele disclosed that God told him that Nigeria will be in order if Saraki becomes President.





Speaking with The Sun, Ayodele also said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will defeat any party only if they stay united.





He said, Saraki will rule for just four years and put the country in order. I am talking as a prophet of God. I said in 2015 that so many things will happen in Buhari administration and it happened. If PDP puts their house in order; that is what will defeat any party.





If PDP wants to do well, let them be united, and know what they are doing and do the right thing. I dont belong to any party.





He also warned that those defecting from one party to another with corruption cases will end up in jail.





Most people who are defecting will still land in jail because judgment is coming to all Nigerian leaders. Those who are defecting now are not seeing the consequences ahead of them.





The forefathers of this nation are not asleep; they want to revenge, we have done a lot of blood sacrifice and that is why things are happening like this.





It is politics everywhere. They are just doing packaging; nobody is talking about anything that is happening to Nigerians, or how they feel.





I am not giving any opinion; there is poverty everywhere and because of this, people will vote against their conscience because this is the election of the highest bidder. People will not want to vote for the people they want, but they will vote for a temporal bail out, and that will not settle the case, he said.





The prophet also warned that true federalism will lead to Nigerias breakup.



Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has called out Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole over poor management ...

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has called out Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole over poor management and facilities in Nigerian hospitals.





SERAP in a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Timothy Adewale urged Adewole to provide information about the actual spending of allocations to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, (LUTH) Idi Araba and other 20 federal teaching hospitals and 20 federal medical centres across the country, for the period covering 2010 to 2017.





The letter reads, The information should include details of spending on specific projects and facilities at LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres under the direct control of the Ministry of Health. We would be grateful if the information is provided to us within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP shall take appropriate legal action to compel you to comply with our request.





Despite huge budgetary allocations, many of the teaching hospitals and medical centres under the direct control of your Ministry have been left to fall apart and health care facilities in many of these hospitals lack even the most basic of amenities. Ordinary Nigerians have derived appallingly little benefit from all of the allocations, in terms of access to basic healthcare, showing a failure to respect and ensure the right to health and human dignity in the country.





We need a paradigm shift and little short of a healthcare revolution in the country to end decades of mismanagement, corruption and neglect in the health sector and to improve access of millions of Nigerians to adequate healthcare and treatment. The status quo is simply unacceptable. Ensuring transparency in the spending of allocations to LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres would contribute hugely to charting a way forward in this regard.





As trustee of public funds, your Ministry has a legal duty to render account on the specific details of spending of capital allocations to LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres under the direct control of the Ministry to the beneficiaries (Nigerians) of the trust, if and when called upon to do so.Any failure or refusal to render account will also be clearly inconsistent with the attitude of a government that has repeatedly expressed commitment to the fight against corruption, and to transparency and accountability.









As a key agency of government, the Ministry of Health has a sacred duty to ensure that the countrys allocations to the health sector are used solely to achieve adequate access to healthcare services for all Nigerians and residents. This implies providing strong leadership in the efforts to curb public sector corruption, mismanagement and neglect, and to honour Freedom of Information requests on the spending of allocations to LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres across the country.





The disclosure of the information requested will give SERAP and the general public a true picture on how the allocations to LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres have been spent to improve medical facilities and infrastructure in these hospitals and medical centres and to facilitate enjoyment of the right to basic healthcare by all Nigerians, especially the socially and economically vulnerable sectors of the population.





SERAP notes approved capital allocations since 2010 to your Ministry as follows: N49.99 billion for 2010; N33.53 billion for 2011; N57.01 billion for 2012; N60.08 billion for 2013; N49.52 billion for 2014; N22.68 billion for 2015; N22.65 billion for 2016; and N55.61 billion for 2017.





According to our information and latest research, despite approved capital allocations of trillions of naira over the years to LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres under the direct control of the Ministry of Health, these hospitals have been left to crumble and wither away and Nigerians have suffered greatly from the decay of these vital public services.





Millions of Nigerian children are believed to die each year before the age of five, and most of those children lose their lives to diseases that are easily preventable or treatable at low cost. Nigeria is third highest in infant mortality rate in the world.





Healthcare services in the country remain extremely poor. Nigeria is rated 187th out of 191 countries in terms of healthcare delivery. One-third of more than 700 health facilities in the country have been destroyed because of many years of corruption, mismanagement and neglect, and that about 3.7 million people are in need of healthcare assistance.





By virtue of Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011, SERAP is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information, including information on details of spending of allocations to LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres in the country under the direct control of your Ministry, and the said information is in the custody or possession of any public official, agency or institution.





By virtue of Section 4 (a) of the FOI Act when a person makes a request for information from a public official, institution or agency, the public official, institution or urgency to whom the application is directed is under a binding legal obligation to provide the applicant with the information requested for, except as otherwise provided by the Act, within 7 days after the application is received.





By Sections 2(3)(d)(V) & (4) of the FOI Act, there is a binding legal duty to ensure that documents containing information relating to spending of allocations to LUTH and other teaching hospitals and medical centres under the direct control of your Ministry is widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means.





The information being requested does not come within the purview of the types of information exempted from disclosure by the provisions of the FOI Act. The information requested for, apart from not being exempted from disclosure under the FOI Act, bothers on an issue of access to healthcare, development, good governance, transparency and accountability.



Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong, SK chairman Chey Tae-won, LG chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Hyundai Motor vice chairman Kim Yong-hwan will accompany President Moon Jae-in to North Korea for his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday. Cheong Wa Dae as good as told them to come, whereas normally business tycoons accompany heads of state on foreign visits because they want their leader to help them win contracts.

But what are they supposed to do in North Korea? Nobody can do business there now, and even if they could the chances are high of having their investment confiscated at the regime's whim, or even having their staff held hostage. Nor does North Korea have any burgeoning market that would entice big South Korean businesses to brave such risks. Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG generate W700 trillion in revenues in South Korea, but North Korea's entire economy was worth an estimated W30 trillion last year, or 1/20 of that, according to the Bank of Korea (US$1=W1,123). That is chickenfeed to the big chaebol.

What North Korea really needs and is capable of playing host to is mid-sized manufacturing. The impoverished country needs to use its cheap labor to manufacture low-priced products for export and put the profits into its production infrastructure. All modern countries went through this process. So why on earth do the heads of cutting-edge South Korean technology giants need to visit North Korea?

Besides, the North is under stringent international sanctions and the U.S. is targeting any company that does business with Pyongyang. No business in the world wants anything to do with North Korea right now. That is why business leaders here hoped that Moon's business entourage would be limited to the heads of business lobbies and state-run companies. Instead, Cheong Wa Dae practically ordered the heads of the nation's top four conglomerates to traipse along and make nice with Kim Jong-un. Of course, if they were asked, they would dutifully say that they are going because of the North's bright business prospects, but would anyone believe them?

The Moon Jae-in administration has made a lot of capital from being virtuously outraged at the way ex-President Park Geun-hye twisted the arms of conglomerates to cough up money for her cronies. Yet here it is, twisting the same arms to cough up for cross-border economic projects, which offer about as much chance of reward as the phony foundations Park was touting, and could land the conglomerates in even deeper water.

Shanghai hosts international tourism festival

From:Xinhua | 2018-09-16 21:29

SHANGHAI, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,300 performers from 25 countries and regions celebrated the opening of Shanghai Tourism Festival on Saturday.

A total of 25 floats and 37 teams representing countries including Germany, Spain, Italy, France and Russia displayed their cultures.

Peru and Ecuador sent teams to the festival for the first time. A float representing the European Union debuted in the parade, to celebrate the China-EU Tourism Year.

The festival was established in 1990. Over 12 million visitors celebrated the event in 2017.

This year's festival will last until Oct. 6.Kathmandu, September 17

Following suspicions by stakeholders and media that the current leadership of national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), was involved in irregularities in the recent purchase of two wide body aircraft, the government on Sunday appointed a new Executive Chairman at the Corporation.

The Cabinet meeting held on late Sunday evening appointed Madan Kharel to the top position. Former Managing Director of the Corporation, Kharel was appointed a board member of the Corporation just two days back.

According to the NAC Act, the Executive Chairman also possesses rights and responsibilities of the Managing Director. The government, however, has not removed incumbent Managing Director Sugat Ratna Kansakar from his position.

Following the decision, Kansakar has said it was an interesting twist, adding he will not resign anyway.

I have decided not to resign, and stay back as CEO with no executive power, he wrote on Twitter, I know there will be lots of eyebrows raised!Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Monday have given the top priority to the formation of a new committee to investigate into the rape and murder of Nirmala Pant in Kanchanpur, and if police personnel were involved in the crime and hiding its evidence. There are some other stories as well in connection with the case.

Likewise, the Federal Parliament Secretariats success in endorsing all bills related to implementation of fundamental rights by the constitutional deadline of Wednesday has also received significant attention on the front pages of Kathmandu broadsheets.

Few other issues from political, sociocultural and financial spheres have been featured on the broadsheet covers today.

Important

Parliament passes all rights bills on time

Gorkhapatra, Kantipur, Annapurna Post, Nepal Samacharpatra and The Kathmandu Post report that both houses of the Federal ParliamentHouse of Representatives and National Assemblyhave endorsed 16 bills that were required to implement 31 fundamental rights mentioned in the 2015 constitution. The constitution had fixed a deadline of September 19 this year to introduce the laws.

Now, they will come into operation after President Bidya Devi Bhandari will enact them.

Transporters agree to open Dashain booking

The government and transport entrepreneurs have agreed to open booking for upcoming Dashain festival from Friday this week after rounds of negotiations, Karobar and The Himalayan Times report.

Earlier, the transporters have denied cooperating with the government to facilitate the movement of citizens ahead of the greatest festival. But, they agreed to open booking after the government said it would lift suspension imposed on bank accounts of transport committees. Likewise, the government has also agreed to adjust transport fare.

Ignored

Country still needs Rs 600 billion for reconstruction

Nepal still needs Rs 600 billion more in order to complete the ongoing post-earthquake reconstruction works, Rajdhani reports in a three column story. The report quotes National Reconstruction Authoritys CEO Sushil Gyewali to inform that the Authority is taking initiatives to collect the money from international donors as many of them are yet to implement the promises they made on different occasions.

Nirmala Pants parents meeting PM

Whereas the investigation into the rape and murder of Nirmala Pant has failed to produce any concrete results, the victims parents, who are in Kathmandu since last week, are planning to meet Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today, demanding justice, according to The Himalayan Times. They are planning to submit a five-point memorandum to the PM

Meanwhile, the couple also want to see president Bidya Devi Bhandari, the report adds.

Central bank faces challenges in managing small value notes

Nagarik reports in a two column anchor story that the central bank of the country, Nepal Rastra Bank, is finding it difficult to manage notes of smaller denominations as it collects them in a high number. The problem surfaces when banks and financial institutions promote the use of notes of bigger denominations, which is easier technically and logistically, and send smaller notes to the central bank.

PM avoids meeting chief ministers

After Prime Minister Oli denied meeting them collectively, chief ministers of various provinces are trying to see him individually to express concerns over rights delegated to provincial governments. However, the Prime Minister is avoiding them repeatedly, reports Naya Patrika.

Apparently Oli is unhappy after the chief ministers organised a meeting in Pokhara to have a collective voice before the scheduled meeting of inter-province council.

New company to prepare DPR for Kathmandu-Terai fast track

A four column story in Abhiyan informs that the Nepal Army is preparing to select an international company to prepare the detailed project report for the Kathmandu-Terai fast track. The selection process has reached its final stage and the announcement is likely to come out by the end of this week, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the Army Spokesperson Gokul Bhandari says the report will be prepared in next four months.

Interesting

Nepal didnt find qualified candidates for ambassadors

As many as 16 diplomatic missions of Nepal are running without ambassadors for past few months. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has already begun preparations to make the appointments. But still, the government has failed to appoint ambassadors. Why?

Quoting a minister and officials of the Office of the Prime Minister, Annapurna Post claims in its anchor story that the government has not found sufficient qualified candidates meeting all set criteria to lead the missions.

Achham locals turn Chhaugoth into community hall

After the new criminal code crminalised the practice of secluding menstruating women in a separate hut (Chhaugoth), locals of a village in Achham district have decided to use the existing structure for community meetings and gatherings, reports Kantipur in its anchor story.

For past 11 years, menstruating women used to stay in this common building every month; and they have now decided to end the tradition.Home  Just In  Gandaki CM: We tried to support centre, but it considered us opposing alliance

Pokhara, September 17

Gandakis Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung has accused the federal government of mistaking a joint effort of all provincial governments made about effective implementation of federalism for an alliance formed against the government.

Gurungs statement follows Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis decision to indefinitely defer the meeting of Inter-province Council, a constitutional body that consists of himself and chief ministers of states.

It has also been learned that the Prime Minister has been avoiding meetings with individual chief ministers as well after the chief ministers held a meeting in Pokhara days before the Council meeting so as to prepare the agendas jointly.

Gurung, who led the joint meeting as the Chief Minister of host province, says, We came together to a single forum to assist the federal government, to offer our suggestions. But, the central government thought it was an alliance against them.

He says such meetings will continue despite the apparent dissatisfaction in the Prime Minister. This is a beginning of the continuity. We will meet every three or four months. Every province will organise it in turn.

Gurung defends, Federalism is the system of conversations and cooperation. We need to learn about the problems more to solve them more effectively.

He also suggests that the central government organise the Inter-province Council meeting at the earliest. Postponing the meeting has not increased the prestige of federal government. Rather it has delayed implementation of federalism.

He demands that the central government also formulate laws guiding activities of provincial governments at the earliest.Home  Just In  Nepali peacekeeper in South Sudan hurt in rebels attack

Kathmandu, September 17

The Nepali Army says one of its personnel deployed in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan has sustained injuries in a bullet attack on Saturday.

The staffers identity has not been revealed.

The national military organisation says the peacekeeper is undergoing treatment at a health facility in Juba, the countrys capital city, and is out of danger.

The bullet fired by members of the rebelling Peoples Liberation Army hit the staffers ankle while on the way to a company operating base after fetching water, according to the Nepali Army.Home  Just In  PM wants INGOs to concentrate efforts on economic growth of marginalised people

Kathmandu, September 17

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli says international non-government agencies working in Nepal should concentrate their efforts on economic growth of most marginalised people in the society.

Receiving the Lutheran World Federations General Secretary Martin Junge at his office on Sunday, the Prime Minister said the support provided by INGOs should help them live a secure and dignified life.

On the occasion, Oli expressed gratitude and appreciation to the LWF for providing humanitarian and development support for over three decades. He appreciated the work of LWF Nepal in the care of Bhutanese Refugees and support to the host communities since 1991.

In response, the guest also expressed gratitude for the government for its excellent cooperation. Stating that the LWF is committed towards migrant and refugees, he said, We began supporting the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal from the beginning and we will continue the support till the end.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada during the meeting.

Earlier, Junge had held a meeting with Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Tham Maya Thapa, Minister for Industry Matrika Yadav, and Province 1 Minister for Internal Affairs and Law Hikmat Karki.

He is in Kathmandu since September 12.It is common for companies to organize various informal events where workers can come with their partners. One of those...Home  Just In  Ruling party lawmaker accuses judiciary of failing to accept peoples verdict

Kathmandu, September 17

Pampha Bhusal, a member of the House of Representatives on behalf of the ruling Nepal Community Party, has accused the judiciary of the country of failing to accept democracy and peoples verdict.

Bhusals statement comes after Biratnagar High Court ordered police to release suspects of a notorious 33.5 kg gold smuggling case. Earlier also, the Supreme Court had forced the government to withdraw its decisions regarding political appointments.

Speaking at the House meeting today, she said the court reversing decisions of the government was a serious problem.

The judiciary has not been able to accept the changes, democratic values and peoples verdict, she said, The governments decisions have been frequently reversed after one day, week or month.

I appeal to the court to accept the changes.Kathmandu, September 17

Leaders of Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav-led Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal have expressed contrasting opinions on whether the party will celebrate the Constitution Day or it will mark it as a black day in protest of the charter.

On Sunday, the partys Province 2 Chairperson Renu Yadav issued a statement calling all leaders of the party holding leadership positions at local and provincial governments to boycott the Constitution Day celebration citing it will be a black day as the constitution has restricted Madheshi peoples rights.

However, the partys Deputy General Secretary and Central Office Chief Prakash Adhikari issued a statement from the central office today, informing the party has not made any decision in this regard.

In the statement, Adhikari has said the party has made an understanding with parties in the government to correct mistakes in the constitution gradually.

Nepal is celebrating the third anniversary of the promulgation of its new 2015 constitution as the Constitution Day on Wednesday.We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.Model Edie Campbell would certainly know a thing or two about what can be improved in the fashion industry.

In a recent BBC Radio interview, the 27-year-old veteran, who has walked and campaigned for high-end brands like Burberry, Chanel, and Alexander McQueen since she was 15, opened up about the practice of models changing in front of people backstage and during castings and events, calling it "bizarre, uncomfortable and humiliating."

Elaborating further, Campbell stated that it's a common practice that models have no say in, though she has seen the practice change recently: "There was a moment in New York last season, so six months ago, where a lot of designers started putting up private changing areas," she says. "It was at that moment that I realized how bizarre and uncomfortable it was, and in a way humiliating, to have previously been encouraged to change, or been forced to change, in front of everyone. I think it adds to a much broader question of a dehumanization of the model and this kind of objectification that is a symptom of a bigger problem."

"[Agents] are responsible for the physical and mental wellbeing of the models they represent [...] When a model comes to you, listen."

Campbell notably praised Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini for being the only designer to provide private changing rooms for models during Milan Fashion Week in February. And in general, she has been using her platform to promote awareness and call attention to mistreatment and abuse of models, having penned an open letter for Women's Wear Daily last year, fittingly at the height of the #MeToo movement last fall.

In the letter, Campbell writes that the often casual nature of fashion leads to blurred lines of personal and professional conduct, and what constitutes acceptable behavior within those scenarios, especially calling out those who witness or are privy to inappropriate situations and do nothing. She calls for greater accountability among the powers that be, specifically with agents.

"[Agents] are responsible for the physical and mental wellbeing of the models they represent," Campbell writes. "Don't sell your model out to protect your relationship with a photographer or stylist. When a model comes to you, listen. Lastly, there should be no tolerance of abuse. Isolated incidents are often not isolated. Question your working practice. Question the situations that have been normalized. Why is it acceptable that models are sent alone to photographers' homes for castings? Be aware of the situations in which you place your models, and be aware of the kind of silent pressures and power plays to which they are vulnerable. If all agencies, casting directors, stylists took the same hardline approach against those that you know to be abusers, we might be closer to finding a solution. And to all the others: Don't stay silent. Your inaction is complicity."

Photo via GettyYou know how when someone you've just met says your name slightly wrong the first time you meet them and for whatever reasonexhaustion, irritation, a fleeting desire to be someone else for a momentyou don't correct them? And then the next time it happens it feels too late to say anything, because then they'll be embarrassed you didn't do it the first time, and it just gets worse from there?

Well, apparently Ariana Grande has been playing that game of social niceties chicken this entire time, with the entire world. On an episode of Australian radio show The Kyle and Jackie O show, the two hosts pointed out that in her recent interview with Ebro Darden for Beats 1, when referring to her name, Grande pronounces it not like most do as "Grawnd-ay," but "Grand-ee." Ebro appears not to notice given that he continuously uses "Grawnd-ay" throughout the interview, but to be fair, neither did we, nor apparently did most of the world.

"My grandparents said [Grandee]. My brother [Frankie Grande] kind of changed it to [Grawnday] because [Grandee] was kind of like the Americanized version of it," she explained. "I grew up saying [Grandee]."

"Grawnd-ay" is a more natural fit for the singer's ethnically ambiguous persona (she's Italian), while "Grand-ee" sounds like he'd be the protagonist in a multi-verse Randy Newton song, and perhaps that's why Ariana has let the mispronunciation slide for so long. Or she's just really, really polite.

Photo via Getty





A Decade of Design It's been 10 years since Mary Katrantzou burst onto the fashion scene. For her spring 2019 show, the runway became a memorandum for a decade worth of designs. While that took the form of a "greatest hits" array of looks referencing past collections on the runway, it was a curtain opening to reveal a mob of mannequins dressed in her most famous garments that truly capped off the celebration of her already iconic career.

"Collection" Naming a collection "Collection" may be aggressively meta but for Katrantzou, it was a fitting title for her runway show. As with her 180-piece retrospective at the Dallas Contemporary earlier this year, the garments she crafted for the spring 2019 season were a hodgepodge of found objects from collections past.

Art, stamps, perfume, and symbols were printed ad infinitum like surrealist dreamscapes on streamlined skirts, frilled dresses, and billowing silhouettes throughout the show's dozens of looks. Among the highlights, a slim, stamp-patterned dress and a bulbous but beautifully crafted jacket and skirt with black outline trimming seemed ready to go from the runway to a museum.

You're My Butterfly Crazy Train and Asia O'Hara would both shed a tear over the sheer number of butterflies that graced Katrantzou's spring 2019 collection. Printed on skirts, shirts, and gracefully flowing dresses, the insect of choice for the Greek designer was everywhere.

Perfume Finale While the designer's iconic lampshade shirts from her Spring '11 collection didn't make a comeback, the same can't be said for her perfume-bottle dresses. In a fitting finale, the iconic dresses inspired by bottles of Eternity, Pleasures and Shalimar perfume that launched her career 10 years ago were repurposed in an unforgettable metal mesh with crystal embroidery.

Photos via ImaxtreeMainstream artists profiting off culling inspiration from the underground is "a tale as old as time," Nomi Ruiz says. But that doesn't make it acceptable, and when the artists being squeezed like creative sponges  often without their consent  are of marginalized communities, those mainstream artists are complicit or even contributing to that systemic oppression. Today, the New York songwriter calls out one of the most famous of these perpetrators  Madonna  with the premiere of her new single, "Ridiculous."

The track is part of a forthcoming EP, The ELIOT Sessions, where she expands on the electronic dance-pop of her last two Jessica 6 full-lengths by circling back to her roots in R&B, hip-hop, and soul. That's where she'd started  solo, back in 2005  before appearing on multiple tracks on Hercules and Love Affair's first album, before Jessica 6.

Ruiz is also an actress  she made her debut this week on Mayans M.C., a Sons of Anarchy spinoff  and a writer and activist. PAPER chatted with Ruiz to get the tea on "Ridiculous," and to find out more about the new EP, stepping into acting, and more. Read on, and listen to the track, below.

Let's get into the single and the message behind it. On name alone, I thought you were calling people who appropriate queer culture ridiculous, but after listening, it seems you're referring to queer culture as ridiculous  in a positive way.

It's like a term of endearment, like saying someone's fly or someone's dope. It's like, Oh, she's ridiculous. Oh, shit, that's ridiculous  kind of changing it or rebranding.

I noticed the line about Madonna, "while you're out Xerox copying me." Can you get into that a bit? I remember when we were in the studio writing that, there were some articles coming out saying that Madonna was mentioning her influence for one of her records was one of the Jessica 6 records, See The Light. It's cool, it's always flattering, and that's dope. But I was just like, it's interesting  if you want to have that sound, as a songwriter you could reach out to the actual source? That would have been a great opportunity to be like, I got this chick from Brooklyn to co-write a song with me, instead of coopting it, you know? It's kind of like a backhanded compliment. I'm an independent, underground artist, so that just comes with the territory. That's kind of where people from the mainstream go for influence. It's a tale as old as time. But times are changing, and I think people should be giving more opportunities, especially to those who don't have access to the mainstream. Teyana Taylor recently worked with Mykki Blanco and I thought that was dope, because that track was sort of referencing queer culture a bit with the ballroom beat vibe. I appreciated that, and I wish we would see more of that.

Related | Teyana Taylor Can Have It All

Me too. So you recently got back from Santiago, Chile, right? You were spending time with Daniela Vega of Una Mujer Fantastica. I did, yeah. I actually went to visit some friends for two weeks and I wound up staying for six months. I loved Chile so much, and I really connected with Daniela. We did so much unexpected work together there. Their tipping moment for trans culture is sort of happening there. It's funny, because in America it kind of happened already. As someone who's constantly traveling the world, I see how it bleeds over to different cultures at different times. Daniela really became, not only the most famous person in Chile, but the only trans representation in media or in general in Chile, so she's really  even without wanting to take on the role of being an advocate and the responsibilities that go behind it  it's like you're forced into it no matter what. We live in a time when our rights are being taken from us, and you can't not address it, even if you just want to live as an artist and promote your work. It's always embedded in our lives.

"I want to tell my story when I want to tell my story, and how I want to tell it."

I feel like that obligation is unfair, but I completely understand how it's necessary, too. Do you feel that responsibility?

I do, and it's been an interesting road, because when I was first coming up, I really worked hard to be taken seriously as an artist and as a vocalist and as a songwriter. So many times, I felt like I was being pressured to use my trans narrative as a selling point  even for other people's projects. That's something that I've always wanted to have control over. I want to tell my story when I want to tell my story, and how I want to tell it. I don't necessarily want it to be wrapped up in promoting a record or something. I think over time I have been telling my story and standing up for my community in my own way, like through my writing and publishing essays. Instead of letting media sort of force me or control how and when that narrative is told.

I'm sure now that you're promoting your role on the Sons of Anarchy spinoff, Mayans M.C., that you're being asked about what it was like to be a trans woman among that cast. It is a show, I think, that could carry a lot of machismo in its characters; it's about a biker gang. Yes, totally. I think that's what's so interesting about actually having my presence on that show, which I think is so cool because a lot of my work  I like taking up spaces where I'm not supposed to be. Which I've basically done my whole life, even in the music industry; I was sort of the first to be in Glastonbury and these festivals. And even growing up in New York, I grew up in the hood, in a really macho environment, and I was the only one like myself in my neighborhood. My brother was more of a street guy and I would hang out with him and his boys, and it was me, again, taking up space where I'm not supposed to be, technically. But then it's in those spaces where we have important conversations that take on their own life within those masculine environments. Its in those environments that [things] need to be changed.

Were there any conversations like that during your time filming? We didn't specifically speak about that, but I felt very included, and I felt very accepted. They really went out of their way to make me feel like part of the gang, which was really awesome. It was a little intimidating; I didn't even get to meet the crew before shooting, because I was still in Chile, and I couldn't do the table reading and stuff. I flew in and went straight onto the set, and the scene you see is literally when I'm meeting the guys in real life, and I have to pretend I've known them forever. So it was a little intimidating, but it was really sweet that they really went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and included. I had conversations with one of the actors who, we have this intense scene, and we were just talking about consent and what our boundaries were, and what we wanted to do and how far we wanted to go. It was really awesome to have that from all these tough guys.

That's awesome. How did that come about? This is your acting debut, right? Yes. I had been talking to this casting manager in L.A. for a while. I had done a feature film that he had heard about; it's not out yet. But the producers of that film were telling him about me, that I was great at acting, and he was looking for someone to represent, so he approached me with Mayans. I've been offered a lot of roles for trans characters that I've declined because I just don't want to play  as a trans actress, you're forced to always play yourself, written by a cis person, which is kind of strange because you're kind of dumbing down your narrative, in a way. This is the first opportunity that came along where there was a character that was so much more complex, and the complexities didn't really necessarily have to do with her transness. And I really love the world of the Mayans; I was a fan of Sons of Anarchy. So I just sent a tape in and I got the gig based on a tape, which was awesome.

Related | This Designer Challenges the Male Ego Through Menswear

Getting back into music, but also getting into your writing: I was reading your essay, The Storm Inside: Loving Trans Women in a Toxic World, on Into, which corresponds with the track "The Storm Inside." Does your writing often relate to your music as Jessica 6? I really have gotten into writing essays lately. It happened after I was writing this letter to myself about this abusive relationship I was in, just as a therapeutic experience. Then I thought, I should publish this, I think it would help other people a lot. Jezebel published it and I got such an overwhelming response. I also saw it as another way to get a little more deeper into the meaning behind the songs, because songs can be really reinterpreted by listeners, which is just part of music, but I also want to tell a specific story. So with "The Storm Inside," I really tried to speak out a lot about toxic ideals of masculinity that exist in the world. I feel like a lot of my listeners are actually male, and I feel like [toxic masculinity] is the root of a lot of problems we have in the world. Not that it's our responsibility as women to fix men, but I think raising boys better and giving messages to men that they're understood  I've met so many men in my life that are stigmatized by society, and they struggle with their attraction and their transamory in general, and I've become really good friends with my lovers, I'm just that kind of girl, so I've heard of these stories of these men [where] they really have been oppressed in their lives because they're forced to live up to this false idea of what it means to be a man or of masculinity. They're not allowed to be feminine or emotional, it's seen as a sign of weakness. They're supposed to just be successful and provide and protect, and it's not realistic, and that oppression manifests itself in really dark ways. And that's when we all have to suffer at the hands of these men who are lashing out. It's intense. I've seen men who are in love who struggle with their emotions, and then also with that essay, it came back to me, because I was starting to get in tune with my own trauma from a society that frightens me into wanting to live in obscurity, or be really passable and hide my transness, and not be proud of it. Especially if I'm out with a man on a date, there's these moments where you're afraid to enjoy the moment or you're hyper-aware of if people are alert, if they know who you are, what you are. And it's this intense back and forth between two people, and sometimes it's not even the man who's experiencing that level of discomfort; I realize it's myself. So that's what I was exploring with that essay and that song.

Can we talk about the message behind "Get Loaded"? Although it's a fun, pro-party kind of song, I feel like it does have an important message within that: Everyone has the right to live the good life. That song started off as a fantasy, and I was like, why is it that there's this level of classism to dating where they're like, I have to date someone that's going to elevate my class status. How many people would say they'd date someone who's poor or broke? I know a lot of people that specifically set up their lives to sort of date up, so to speak. I've never been that kind of person; I've dated guys from all different walks of life. I just wanted to sort of explore that in the songwriting, like, fuck it, I'm tired of dating all these dudes that are just treating me like shit  why don't I focus on what all these other girls do and level up? [Laughs] So that was me being the Jessica 6 character, who's a little more bitchy, and she wants her coins. But then when other girls hear it, they really latch on to that saying, We have the right to get loaded. It's really empowering, I see even when I'm performing it how people are shouting yes, we have the right! I should have access to all these things that everyone else does! I shouldn't be not included!

Your last album Jessica 6 album  besides the See the Light remix  was released only a few years ago. When were these new singles recorded for your new EP, The ELIOT Sessions?

I had a lot of them recorded for a while. A lot of them were recorded actually while I was living in Greece. I linked up with Eliot, who's a producer, and we recorded them in this moment in time, and then over time, we've written and recorded more in the interim of those sessions.

Where does this EP fit in with previous albums in terms of what you want to bring, and where you're at as a songwriter?

I really love these songs. I think it's cool to work with one producer through the whole recording. My last record I worked with a bunch of different electronic producers from all over the globe. I think it's cool to have this one specific sound; I love Eliot, he does this sort of retro-futuristic, electronic '80s kind of music that has a bit of freestyle in it, and pop and electronic dance, so it was really cool to create this landscape with him. And also to tell these stories; they tell the story of what I was going through at that time.

And then it's over the course of a while, right? So you're telling a lengthy story? Yeah. Which is also interesting, when you hear the record, it's like, That's song's about this guy. There's like three different romantic relationships in one album. It's like, Wow, it's really been a trippy few years.

Related | 50 LGBTQ Musicians You Should Prioritize

As someone who's been releasing music for more than a decade, do you have any thoughts on the increasing prominence of queer music? It feels like there's more artists, and they're getting more attention, finally. I feel like you've been there for all that progress. Totally, I definitely have. It's great to feel like part of a movement and community of artists who are now also being given more and more opportunities, which is what I've always wanted to see. It's exciting. I'm also trying to release other artists too and start up on my own label so I can sort of contribute, because there's so many artists out there I still feel should be heard, so it's something I'm looking forward to getting into to also.

That's awesome. Yeah, I have a label called Yeah, I have a label called Park Side Records . I'm releasing my first artist, her name is Martine , and we have a single called " Origin ," which is out now, and we have a video that we're going to be premiering soon. She's a dope artist. She's sort of like trappy, tropical Sade.

Photography: Gabriel MagdalenoOn Saturday, Italian luxury brand Tod's launched its new boutique concept, the Sloane Apartment, during London Fashion Week. The store located on Sloane Street  at the heart of London  promises a chic and unique retail experience with a home-y feel. Designed by architect India Mahdavi, the interiors of the apartment-like boutique reflect refined, Italian palazzi-style living with its marble flooring, soft yet contrasting solid color scheme, and mod-inspired furniture.

The two-floor space includes a bar by the entrance, so customers can have a bit to drink as they peruse the latest collection's offerings. There are numerous seating and lounging options, which are can also serve as perfectly luxe Instagram-able moments.

During the opening of the Sloane Apartment, Tod's also debuted exclusive, limited edition Gommino bags, with soft-hued velvet panels, as well as black and white leather detail, in honor of the collaboration with Mahdavi.Homecoming It may be impossible for many to disassociate Victoria Beckham with her U.K. roots but for the last decade, the designer has shown her collections exclusively in New York  until now. To commemorate a decade of her brand, Posh Spice threw on her oversized sunglasses and made her way across the pond to show in London for the first time ever.

Ready to Wear "I made a collection that I would wear," Beckham explained backstage after her show. With pieces that were as elegant and minimal as anything she steps outside in, the spring 2019 show was a breath of fresh air. Across the collection, streamlined dresses with navy knot belts, casually tailored trousers, and business blazers all found a home in hues of burgundy, forest green, honey brown, and, of course, deep deep black. It is a Victoria Beckham show, after all.

Related | Victoria Beckham Recreates 2008 Marc Jacobs Campaign

In the Bag Beckham herself may be hanging out in oversized shopping bags with photographer Juergen Teller to recreate his iconic 2008 ads of the designer in Marc Jacobs bags, but on the runway, her models found some more manageable handbags to tote. There were understated and slightly oversized clutches big enough to fit the Spice Girls discography, but it was the cross-body bags that stole our hearts.

A Little Lace As business blazers and romantic dresses glided down the runway, little bits of lace weaved their way through the collection. From a delicate lace choker on the first model off the spiral staircase and trim lace detailing on a refined black blouse to the final, lace-filled look, Beckham's understated eye for detail was on full display.

What We Really, Really Want You know we couldn't close out a recap of Posh Spice's 10th anniversary runway show without at least one Spice Girls reference. Whatever you've decided you really really want from the show, the good news is some of the most signature garments are available for pre-order right now online to spice up your life.Neil Shah, a tech industry analyst at Counterpoint has talked, written and deep-dived on the potential of eSIM across different connected things from drones to the Internet-of-Things and smartphones. The move that the industry was waiting for, was for someone like Apple to integrate eSIM in smartphones and it's finally arrived in Apple's latest high-end smartphones, even though Google was technically the first smartphone player to add it to last year's Pixel series, but a very tiny scale.

Apple showed a first glimpse of it with iPads and then Apple Watch. The iPhone wasn't going to escape the grand plan Apple has for eSIM and the stronghold it looks to have over end-to-end customer experience and profit from it at every stage.

All the new fall range of iPhones, both Xs series and Xr have integrated eSIM (except China SKUs). Some of Neil Shah's thoughts on this are as follows:

Great addition for flexibility for consumers to choose a roaming country carrier or even within the same country, making the landscape very competitive.

iPhone eSIMs will be controlled by Apple and it can dictate which carrier to partner with, support and show relative plans in a companion first or third party app or via any offline QR code-based activation by iPhone users.

Apple could be the gatekeeper now since it will have control over the eSIM. Thus, it will demand a revenue cut for the activations happening through its eSIM.

I believe eventually, Apple will also show its own plans white-labeled by companies such as GigSky or Truphone [Wow, that's a leap.]

This is great news for likes of Gemalto, G&D and others to not only sell eSIM chips but also on-demand connectivity management platforms to OEMs like Apple.

Apple is in a position to charge a premium for the "convenience and ease of activating a new plan" on roaming or so forth.

Apple will market this well and get an additional revenue bump from its affluent base of iPhone customers.

Many operators have been fearing the moment when a powerful global actor like Apple, Amazon, Google or Facebook takes control of the data plans as well.

Many operators have been reluctant to offer DUAL SIM or eSIM which enables many virtual SIM profiles as they don't want to cede control of the SIM.

However, striking partnerships with these giants and sharing some revenue and treating them as resellers is the right (perhaps only) strategy for operators, as these players have become too powerful to fight or lobby against.

Considering operator-Apple dynamics, it is still not clear how this will work within the same country e.g. US or Japan, which are core iPhone markets and where traditionally SKUs are different for the different carriers based on the underlying 2G technology.

Maybe with just one Intel modem, Apple will have the same SKU across all US carriers and will benefit from eSIM scale and ease for consumers to switch or maintain plans between local carriers.

However, the operators in the US and Japan are among the strongest and richest; it was notable that Apple struck a relatively cautious tone in how it communicated its eSIM plans  perhaps aiming to mollify its carrier partners  many of whom were present at the iPhone launch. We will watch the developing relationship with interest.

eSIM in iPhones may thus come at a cost  it's just not going to be that open at least and the relationship will have been hard negotiated between Apple and participating carriers.

Apple will make sure it gets compensated for every new plan activated on iPhone via eSIM which could make plans more expensive than buying physically from an MVNO such as Lycamobile unless Apple sparks a strong tussle between carriers to lower prices, so Apple and iPhone users are benefited more.

One thing is sure, Apple will rake-in a good chunk of revenue from its eSIM move and effectively become a global scale MVNO.

Those Apple revenues from Services which are nearing US$10 billion per quarter, will likely get a big boost by this eSIM move.

Time will tell if affluent Apple users are okay to pay more via Apple eSIM service for the extra convenience. I think convenience will trump!!

Dear Mr. Shah: Please note that you should never, ever use the word trump in any way shape or form that's positive or you'll risk being lowered into a vat of hot lava and banned from the analyst world in America forever (ha!).

Kidding aside (kinda), what are your thoughts on Apple's integration of eSIMs and Shah's take on the matter?

Apple's first patent on eSIM solutions dates back to 2012, which is a patent fulfilled. Apple was granted their first patent for eSIM technology in December 2017 and their second in July 2018.





The graphic above shows Apple's SVP Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller introducing eSIM for new iPhones during their iPhone event held on September 12th.

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.This will be a collection of interesting, thought-provoking material I have dug up today in my own library and on the Internet about this fascinating issue. For those unfamiliar with the general controversies surrounding the issue of free will and Gods providence and foreknowledge, with regard to salvation and election (particularly within a Catholic theological framework), the following will be (I hope) a helpful (albeit very philosophically dense and heavy) aid.

*

I have sought to cite the most clearly expressed, as untechnical-as-possible selections. But since this is one of the most complex and vexed topics in the history of theology, one can only do so much. I have tried to help the reader (and myself, in working through the issues) along by my own editing and categorizing.

*

But proceed with caution, at your own peril. If you dislike abstract, analytical, and heavily philosophical treatments of theology, do not read any further! But if you are, like myself, one who loves the intersection of philosophy and theology, and pondering very deep mysteries of theology and God, then settle down for a thrilling intellectual adventure and feast for the (Christian) mind.

*

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TABLE OF CONTENTS

*

I. Thomism & Predestination

II. Molinism & Predestination

III. Common Beliefs of Thomists and Molinists Regarding Grace & Predestination

IV. Difficulties for Thomists

V. Difficulties for Molinists

VI. Francisco Suarez (1548-1617) and Congruism: a Moderate Developed Molinism

VII. Differences Between Congruism and Pure Molinism

VIII. Biblical Evidences for Middle Knowledge (scientia media)

IX. Biblical Evidences for Closely-Related Human and Divine Causation

X. The William G. Most Solution

*****



I. Thomism and Predestination

The Theory of Predestination ante proevisa merita

This theory, championed by all Thomists and a few Molinists (as Bellarmine, Suarez, Francis de Lugo), asserts that God, by an absolute decree and without regard to any future supernatural merits, predestined from all eternity certain men to the glory of heaven, and then, in consequence of this decree, decided to give them all the graces necessary for its accomplishment. In the order of time, however, the Divine decree is carried out in the reverse order, the predestined receiving first the graces preappointed to them, and lastly the glory of heaven as the reward of their good works. Two qualities, therefore, characterize this theory: first, the absoluteness of the eternal decree, and second, the reversing of the relation of grace and glory in the two different orders of eternal intention (ordo intentionis) and execution in time (ordo executionis). For while grace (and merit), in the order of eternal intention, is nothing else than the result or effect of glory absolutely decreed, yet, in the order of execution, it becomes the reason and partial cause of eternal happiness, as is required by the dogma of the meritoriousness of good works (see MERIT). Again, celestial glory is the thing willed first in the order of eternal intention and then is made the reason or motive for the graces offered, while in the order of execution it must be conceived as the result or effect of supernatural merits. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Predestination)

[see also, Catholic Encyclopedia, Grace, Controversies on, (1) Thomism]

II. Molinism and Predestination

The Theory of Predestination post proevisa merita

This theory defended by the earlier Scholastics (Alexander of Hales, Albertus Magnus), as well as by the majority of the Molinists, and warmly recommended by St. Francis de Sales as the truer and more attractive opinion, has this as its chief distinction, that it is free from the logical necessity of upholding negative reprobation. It differs from predestination ante proevisa merita in two points: first, it rejects the absolute decree and assumes a hypothetical predestination to glory; secondly, it does not reverse the succession of grace and glory in the two orders of eternal intention and of execution in time, but makes glory depend on merit in eternity as well as in the order of time. This hypothetical decree reads as follows: Just as in time eternal happiness depends on merit as a condition, so I intended heaven from all eternity only for foreseen merit.  It is only by reason of the infallible foreknowledge of these merits that the hypothetical decree is changed into an absolute: These and no others shall be saved.

This view not only safeguards the universality and sincerity of Gods salvific will, but coincides admirably with the teachings of St. Paul (cf. 2 Timothy 4:8), who knows that there is laid up (reposita est, apokeitai) in heaven a crown of justice, which the just judge will render (reddet, apodosei) to him on the day of judgment. Clearer still is the inference drawn from the sentence of the universal Judge (Matthew 25:34 sq.): Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat etc. As the possessing of the Kingdom of Heaven in time is here linked to the works of mercy as a condition, so the preparation of the Kingdom of Heaven in eternity, that is, predestination to glory is conceived as dependent on the foreknowledge that good works will be performed. The same conclusion follows from the parallel sentence of condemnation (Matthew 25:41 sq.): Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat etc. For it is evident that the everlasting fire of hell can only have been intended from all eternity for sin and demerit, that is, for neglect of Christian charity, in the same sense in which it is inflicted in time. Concluding a pari, we must say the same of eternal bliss. This explanation is splendidly confirmed by the Greek Fathers. Generally speaking, the Greeks are the chief authorities for conditional predestination dependent on foreseen merits. The Latins, too, are so unanimous on this question that St. Augustine is practically the only adversary in the Occident. St. Hilary (In Ps. lxiv, n. 5) expressly describes eternal election as proceeding from the choice of merit (ex meriti delectu), and St. Ambrose teaches in his paraphrase of Rom., viii, 29 (De fide, V, vi, 83): Non enim ante praedestinavit quam praescivit, sed quorum merita praescivit, eorum praemia praedestinavit (He did not predestine before He foreknew, but for those whose merits He foresaw, He predestined the reward). To conclude: no one can accuse us of boldness if we assert that the theory here presented has a firmer basis in Scripture and Tradition than the opposite opinion.

(Catholic Encyclopedia, Predestination)

In spite of original sin and concupiscence man is still free, not only with reference to ethical good and evil in his natural actions, but also in his supernatural salutary works in which Divine grace co-operates with his will. Molinism escaped every suspicion of Pelagianism by laying down at the outset that the soul with its faculties (the intellect and will) must be first constituted by prevenient grace a supernatural principle of operation in actu primo, before it can, in conjunction with the help of the supernatural concursus of God, elicit a salutary act in actu secundo. Thus, the salutary act is itself an act of grace rather than of the will; it is the common work of God and man, because and in so far as the supernatural element of the act is due to God and its vitality and freedom to man. It must not be imagined, however, that the will has such an influence on grace that its consent conditions or strengthens the power of grace; the fact is rather that the supernatural power of grace is first transformed into the vital energy of the will, and then, as a supernatural concursus, excites and accompanies the free and salutary act. In other words, as a helping or co-operating grace (gratia adiuvans seu cooperans), it produces the act conjointly with the will. According to this explanation, not only does Divine grace make a supernatural act possible, but the act itself, though free, is wholly dependent on grace, because it is grace which makes the salutary act possible and which stimulates and assists in producing it. Thus the act is produced entirely by God as First Cause (Causa prima), and also entirely by the will as second cause (causa secunda). The unprejudiced mind must acknowledge that this exposition is far from incurring the suspicion of Pelagianism or Semipelagianism.

When the Thomists propound the subtler question, through what agency does the will, under the influence and impulse of grace, cease to be a mere natural faculty (actus primus) and produce a salutary act (actus secundus), or (according to Aristotelean terminology) pass from potency into act, the Molinists answer without hesitation that it is no way due to the Thomistic predetermination (proedeterminatio sive proemotio physica) of the will of God. For such a causal predetermination coming from a will other than our own, is a denial of self-determination on the part of our own will and destroys its freedom. It is rather the will itself which by its consent, under the restrictions mentioned above, renders the prevenient grace (gratia proeveniens) co-operative and the completely sufficient grace (gratia vere sufficiens) efficacious; for, to produce the salutary act, the free will need only consent to the prevenient and sufficient grace, which it has received from God. This theory reveals forthwith two characteristic features of Molinism, which stand in direct opposition to the principles of Thomism. The first consists in this, that the actus primus (i. e. the power to elicit a supernatural act) is, according to Molinism, due to a determining influx of grace previous to the salutary act (influxus proevius, gratia proeveniens), but that God enters into the salutary act itself (actus secundus) only by means of a concomitant supernatural concursus (concursus simultaneus, gratia cooperans). The act, in so far as it is free, must come from the will; but the concursus prvius of the Thomists, which is ultimately identical with Gods predestination of the free act, makes illusory the free self-determination of the will, whether in giving or withholding its consent to the grace. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Molinism)

[see also, Catholic Encyclopedia, Grace, Controversies on, (3) Molinism

III. Common Beliefs of Thomists and Molinists Regarding Grace and Predestination

Owing to the infallible decisions laid down by the Church, every orthodox theory on predestination and reprobation must keep within the limits marked out by the following theses: (a) At least in the order of execution in time (in ordine executionis) the meritorious works of the predestined are the partial cause of their eternal happiness; (b) hell cannot even in the order of intention (in ordine intentionis) have been positively decreed to the damned, even though it is inflicted on them in time as the just punishment of their misdeeds; (c) there is absolutely no predestination to sin as a means to eternal damnation. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Predestination)

IV. Difficulties for Thomists

It is just as difficult to find in the writings of the Fathers a solid argument for an absolute predestination . . . What deters us most strongly from embracing the theory just discussed is not the fact that it cannot be dogmatically proved from Scripture or Tradition, but the logical necessity to which it binds us, of associating an absolute predestination to glory, with a reprobation just as absolute, even though it be but negative. The well-meant efforts of some theologians (e. g. Billot) to make a distinction between the two concepts, and so to escape the evil consequences of negative reprobation, cannot conceal from closer inspection the helplessness of such logical artifices. Hence the earlier partisans of absolute predestination never denied that their theory compelled them to assume for the wicked a parallel, negative reprobation  that is, to assume that, though not positively predestined to hell, yet they are absolutely predestined not to go to heaven (cf. above, I, B). While it was easy for the Thomists to bring this view into logical harmony with their proemotio physica, the few Molinists were put to straits to harmonize negative reprobation with their scientia media. In order to disguise the harshness and cruelty of such a Divine decree, the theologians invented more or less palliative expressions, saying that negative reprobation is the absolute will of God to pass over a priori those not predestined, to overlook them, not to elect them, by no means to admit them into heaven. Only Gonet had the courage to call the thing by its right name: exclusion from heaven (exclusio a gloria).

. . . How can that will to save be called serious and sincere which has decreed from all eternity the metaphysical impossibility of salvation? He who has been reprobated negatively, may exhaust all his efforts to attain salvation: it avails him nothing. Moreover, in order to realize infallibly his decree, God is compelled to frustrate the eternal welfare of all excluded a priori from heaven, and to take care that they die in their sins. Is this the language in which Holy Writ speaks to us? No; there we meet an anxious, loving father, who wills not that any should perish, but that all should return to penance (2 Peter 3:9). Lessius rightly says that it would be indifferent to him whether he was numbered among those reprobated positively or negatively; for, in either case, his eternal damnation would be certain. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Predestination)

Thomism, on the other hand, is confronted by the following dilemma: Either the grace which is merely sufficient (gratia mere sufficiens) is able by its own nature and without the help of an entirely different and new grace to produce the salutary act for which it was given, or it is not: if it is not able, then this sufficient grace is in reality insufficient (gratia insufficiens), since it must be supplemented by another; if it is able to produce the act by itself, then sufficient and efficacious grace do not differ in nature, but by reason of something extrinsic, namely in that the will gives its consent in one case and withholds it in the other. If then, when possessed of absolutely the same grace, one sinner is converted and another can remain obdurate, the inefficacy of the grace in the case of the obdurate sinner is due, not to the nature of the grace given, but to the sinful resistance of his free will, which refuses to avail itself of Gods assistance. But for Thomism, which assumes an intrinsic and essential difference between sufficient and efficacious grace, so that sufficient grace to become efficacious must be supplemented by a new grace, the explanation is by no means so easy and simple. It cannot free itself from the difficulty, as is possible for Molinism, by saying that, but for the refractory attitude of the will, God would have bestowed this supplementary grace. For, since the sinful resistance of the will, viewed as an act, is to be referred to a physical premotion on the part of God, as well as the free co-operation with grace, the will, which is predetermined ad unum, is placed in a hopeless predicament. On the one hand the physical premotion in the form of an efficacious grace which is necessary to produce the salutary act, is lacking to the will, and, on the other, the entity of the sinful act of resistance is irrevocably predetermined by God as the Prime Mover (Motor primus). Whence then is the will to derive the impulse to accept or to reject the one premotion rather than the other? Therefore, the Molinists conclude that the Thomists cannot lay down the sinful resistance of the will as the cause of the inefficacy of the grace, which is merely sufficient. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Molinism)

V. Difficulties for Molinists

At this stage of the controversy the Thomists urge with great emphasis the grave accusation that the Molinists, by their undue exaltation of mans freedom of will, seriously circumscribe and diminish the supremacy of the Creator over His creatures, so that they destroy the efficacy and predominance of grace and make impossible in the hands of God the infallible result of efficacious grace. For, they argue, if the decision ultimately depends on the free will, whether a given grace shall be efficacious or not, the result of the salutary act must be attributed to man and not to God. But this is contrary to the warning of St. Paul, that we must not glory in the work of our salvation as though it were our own (1 Corinthians 4:7), and to his teaching that it is Divine grace which does not only give us the power to act, but worketh also in us to will and to accomplish (Phil., ii, 13); it is contrary also to the constant doctrine of St. Augustine, according to whom our free salutary acts are not our own work, but the work of grace. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Molinism)



VI. Francisco Suarez (1548-1617) and Congruism: a Moderate Developed Molinism

First of all it was clear to the Jesuits from the beginning and the disputations before the Congregatio de Auxiliis (q. v.) did but strengthen the conviction, that a more perfect, more fully developed, and more accurate exposition of the Molinistic system on grace was both possible and desirable. As a modification of Molinism we are usually referred in the first place to that expansion and development, which afterwards took the name of Congruism (q. v.), and which owes its final form to the joint labours of Bellarmine, Suarez, Vasquez, and Lessius. As the article on Congruism shows in detail, the system received its name from the gratia congrua, i. e. a grace accommodated to circumstances. By such is understood a grace which, owing to its internal relationship and adaptation to the state of the recipient (his character, disposition, education, place, time, etc.), produces its effect in the light of the scientia media with infallible certainty, and thus is objectively identical with efficacious grace. The expression is borrowed from St. Augustine, as when he says: Cujus autem miseretur, sic eum vocat, (quomodo scit ei congruere, ut vocantem non respuat (Ad Simplicianum, I, Q. ii, n. 13). Consistently then with this terminology, the grace which is merely sufficient must be called gratia incongrua, i. e. a grace which has not a congruity with the circumstances, and is therefore inefficacious. This term also is sanctioned by St. Augustine (I. c.), for he says: Illi enim electi, qui congruenter vocati; illi autem, qui non congruebant neque contemperabantur vocationi, non electi, quia non secuti, quamvis vocati. This doctrine seems to have advanced beyond extreme Molinism to this extent, that inefficacious grace and merely sufficient grace are made to differ even in actu primo  not indeed in their internal nature and physical entity, but in their moral worth and ethical nature  inasmuch as the bestowal of an ever so weak gratia congrua is an incomparably greater benefit of God than that of an ever so powerful gratia incongrua, the actual inefficacy of which God foresaw from all eternity. Though Molina himself had taught this doctrine (Concordia, Paris, 1876, pp. 450, 466, 522, etc.), it seems that among his followers some extreme Molinists unduly emphasized the power of the will over grace, thus drawing upon themselves the suspicion of Semipelagianism. At least Cardinal Bellarmine attacks some who propagated such one-sided Molinistic views, and who cannot have been mere imaginary adversaries; against them he skilfully strengthened the tenets of Congruism by numerous quotations from St. Augustine.

. . . the opinion, gradually adopted since the time of Suarez (but repudiated in Molinas work), maintains that, by the scientia media, God sees the conditioned future acts in themselves, i. e. in their own (formal or objective) truth. For, since every free act must be absolutely determined in its being, even before it becomes actual or at least conditionally possible, it is from all eternity a definite truth (determinata veritas), and must consequently be knowable as such by the omniscient God with metaphysical certainty. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Molinism)

[see also, Catholic Encyclopedia, Grace, Controversies on, (4) Congruism]

VII. Differences Between Congruism and Pure Molinism

Congruism is the term by which theologians denote a theory according to which the efficacy of efficacious grace (see GRACE) is due, at least in part, to the fact that the grace is given in circumstances favourable to its operation, i. e. congruous in that sense. The distinction between gratia congrua and gratia incongrua is found in St. Augustine where he speaks of the elect as congruenter vocati (Ad Simplicianum, Bk. I, Q. ii, no. 13). The system known as Congruism was developed by eminent Jesuit theologians at the close of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth. All Molinists regard actual grace as being really identified with supernatural action, actual grace of will, technically called inspiration, being an act of will. This act invariably begins necessarily, and may become free at a certain point in its duration; so, however, that, should it become free, there will be no complete break in the individuality, but only a modification of the action; the original necessary motion continuing in a modified form after the point where freedom commences has been reached. An actual grace of will which is merely sufficient never gets beyond this point. Whenever the motion does get beyond and become free, it is called an efficacious grace; the term being applied, not merely to the second stage of the action, wherein it is free, but even to the first stage, wherein it was necessary, with a tendency, however, to continue after the crucial point where freedom begins. This tendency to continue as a free act is found in the grace which remains merely sufficient, in the sense that the second, or free, stage may be, but is not, reached in that case; whereas, in the case of efficacious grace, the second or free stage is actually attained.

Hereupon the question arises: what is the precise reason why, of two motions which may be supposed to be similar in every respect as far as their intrinsic constitution is concernedto be of the same intensity as well as of the same kindone does not last beyond the critical point where freedom begins, whereas the other does? It is of the essence of Molinism that this is due in part to the will itself continuing to act under the Divine grace or not continuing. To which Bellarmine adds that grace which proves efficacious is given by God to one who, He foresees, will use it freely; whereas He foresees no less surely, when giving a grace which remains merely sufficient, that it will not last in the recipient beyond the initial or necessary stage of its duration. Congruism further insists that the motion passes into the free stage when the circumstances are comparatively favourable (congruous) to it; but when they are comparatively adverse (not congruous), it will not continue, at least as a rule. The circumstances are to be deemed favourable or unfavourable not absolutely, but comparatively, that is, in proportion to the intensity of the grace; for it is plain that, no matter how adverse they may be, God can overcome them by a strong impulse of grace such as would not be needed in other less stubborn cases; and, vice versa, very powerful Divine impulses may fail where the temptation to sin is very great. Not that in the necessary stage of the motion there is not sufficient energy, as we may say, to continue, always supposing freedom; or that it is not within the competence of the will, when the crucial point has been reached, to discontinue the motion which is congruous or to continue that which is not so. The will can continue to act or can abstain in either case; as a rule, however, it continues to act when the circumstances are favourable to that precise form and intensity of motion, thereby becoming efficacious; and does not continue when the circumstances are unfavourable, thereby proving a merely sufficient grace.

. . . All true Molinists admit and contend that, antecedently to the concession of grace, whether merely sufficient or efficacious, God knows by scientia media whether it will actually result in the free action for which it is given, or will remain inefficacious though sufficient. All likewise admit and proclaim that a specially benevolent Providence is exercised towards the recipient of grace when, with His knowledge of conditional results, God gives graces which He foresees to be efficacious, rather than others which He foresees would be inefficacious and which He is free to give. Bellarmine (De Gratia et Lib. Arbitrio, Bk. I, ch. xii) seems to accuse Molina, unjustly, of not admitting this latter point. Difference of opinion among Molinists is manifested only when they proceed to inquire into the cause of the Divine selection: whether it is due to any antecedent decree of predestination which God means to carry out at all costs, selecting purposely to this end only such graces as He foresees to prove efficacious, and passing over or omitting to select, no less purposely, such as he foresees would be without result if given. Suarez holds that the selection of graces which are foreseen to prove efficacious is consequent on and necessitated by such an antecedent decree, whereby all, and only, those who will actually be saved were infallibly predestined to salvation, and this antecedently to any foreknowledge, whether of their actual or merely conditional correspondence with the graces they may receive. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Congruism)

VIII. Biblical Evidences for Middle Knowledge (scientia media) [RSV]

[T]here must be a third kind of intermediate knowledge, which embraces all objects that are found neither in the region of pure possibility nor strictly in that of actuality, but partake equally of both extremes and in some sort belong to both kinds of knowledge. In this class are numbered especially those free actions, which, though never destined to be realized in historical fact, would come into existence if certain conditions were fulfilled. A hypothetical occurrence of this kind the theologians call a conditional future occurrence (actus liber conditionate futurus seu futuribilis). In virtue of this particular kind of Divine knowledge, Christ, for example, was able to declare with certainty to His obstinate hearers that the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon would have done penance in sackcloth and ashes, if they had witnessed the signs and miracles which were wrought in Corozain and Bethsaida (cf. Matthew 11:21 sq.). We know, however, that such signs and miracles were not wrought and that the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon were not converted. Yet God had infallibly foreseen from all eternity that this conversion would have taken place if the condition (which never was realized) of Christs mission to these cities had been fulfilled. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Molinism)

Exodus 13:17: When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt. Jeremiah 23:21-22: I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Matthew 11:21-24: Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Beth-saida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Caperna-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you. 1 Corinthians 2:8: None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

IX. Biblical Evidences for Closely-Related Human and Divine Causation [RSV]

Mk. 16:20: And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them. Acts 13:2-4: While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. Acts 17:28: for In him we live and move and have our being; . . . (cf. Rom. 11:36; Heb. 1:3) 1 Corinthians 3:6-9: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his wages according to his labor. For we are Gods fellow workers; you are Gods field, Gods building. 1 Corinthians 12:6: and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. 2 Corinthians 6:1: Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Philippians 2:12-13: . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 2 Peter 1:3-4: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.

X. The William G. Most Solution

The solution: There is no time in God, but one thing may be logically before another. There are three logical points in His decisions on predestination:

1) God wills all men to be saved. This is explicit in 1 Tim 2:4, and since to love is to will good to another for the others sake, this is the same as saying God loves us. To deny that, as Banez did is a horrendous error, it denies the love of God. How strong this love is can be seen by the obstacle it overcame in the work of opening eternal happiness to us: the death of Christ on the cross.

2) God looks to see who resists His grace gravely and persistently, so persistently that the person throws away the only thing that could save him. With regrets, God decrees to let such persons go: reprobation because of and in view of grave and persistent resistance to grace.

3) All others not discarded in step two are positively predestined, but not because of merits, which are not at all in view yet, nor even because of the lack of such resistance, but because in step 1, God wanted to predestine them, and they are not stopping Him. This is predestination without merits.

This can also be seen from the Father analogy of the Gospels. In even an ordinarily good family: 1) the parents want all the children to turn out well. 2) No child feels he/she needs to help around the house etc. to earn love and care. The children get that because the parents are good, not because they, the children are good. 3) Yet the children know that if they are bad they can earn punishment, and if bad enough long enough, could be thrown out and lose their inheritance.

Cf. 1 Cor 6:9-10 saying that those who do these things, great sins, will not inherit the kingdom. And Rom 6:23: The wages [what one earns] of sin is death, but the free gift [unearned] of God is everlasting life. Cf. also: Unless you become like little children. (Predestination)

II. Solution from the revealed Father analogy

284. The analogy itself: The principal way in which Christ revealed to us the nature of God was in the name which He uses on almost every page of the Gospels: God is our Father.

The way was prepared for this revelation in the Old Testament. For, as we saw in chapter 4, through the old covenant of Sinai, God, out of the most intense love, willed to bind Himself to do good to His people, so that there existed between Him and them the relation expressed by the Hebrew word hesed. That is, God bound Himself to act as the next of kin, as a blood relative of the people of Israel. He willed also to be called the redeemer of the people whom He delivered from the slavery of Egypt and acquired as a people for Himself. Redeemer in Hebrew is goel. Now the principal and usual meaning of this word is:28 . . . that next of kin to whom the Mosaic law gave the right or enjoined the duty of redeeming his kinsmen and protecting them in all their rights. He acted this way out of the love of a Father, as He said through Hosea:29 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son, so that Isaiah lyrically exclaims:30 For thou art our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; thou, O Lord, art our Father.

But under the new covenant,31 in which the true goel, Christ, liberated us from the slavery of sin and acquired us as a people, God not only acts as though He were the next of kin, but, in the literal sense he becomes, by an added title, our Father, since the Son of this Father is our blood brother.

We have then, from direct revelation, an analogy from which we can learn much about God. It is to be regretted that so many theologians say little about this analogy-perhaps out of fear that someone might want to say: If God is our Father, surely he will damn no one. But that, of course, would be obviously false. However actually, if the analogy is rightly understood, it not only does not lead to such an error, but instead, the very existence of an eternal hell can be proved from it, as we shall soon see. We need then to investigate the chief truths contained in this analogy.

285. In the ordinary human family, with which a comparison is made, the father loves and cares for all the children. He wants all to turn out well. But why does the father love and care for the children? It was not required that they do something so that he would begin to love them: He began to love them before the children could do anything. Nor is it required that the children do something, e.g., various chores around their home,32 so that the father may continue to love and care for them. For the love of the father continues by its own force, out of his goodness. Something grave would be required to interrupt his love (or its effects) but nothing is required from the children in order that it may continue in its course. However, even though the children neither can nor must merit that the love of the father should begin, nor need they do anything so that his love may continue (for it continues by its own force), still, they can merit to be deprived of this love and care. For they can really merit punishment if they are bad. And, if they are gravely and persistently bad, they can even merit that the father should, though sadly, disinherit them.

Similarly God, our Father, loves and cares for all His children. He wants all to turn out well, i.e., to be saved. But why does He love them? It was not required that we do anything so that He might begin to love us-He began to love us before we existed; or rather, if He had not done this, we would not have existed at all. Nor is it required that we do something so that He may continue33 to love us, precisely because His love moves by its own power, out of His spontaneous unmerited goodness. However, we can merit punishment. And, if we are gravely and persistently bad,34 we can merit to be cast out of the house of our Father forever. This disinheritance is the pain of loss, which is the principal pain of hell.

So, those who are gravely and persistently bad, will be expelled from the house of their Father, that is, they are reprobated after and because of their demerits. But all others-God continues loving and caring for them, and giving all that is needed for salvation, including predestination itself, not because these children are good, nor because they have merited it, but simply because the Father from the outset, of his own spontaneous unmerited goodness, wanted to do this. For He wanted from the outset to save all and so He also willed to predestine them. He who wills the end, wills the means. But there is no salvation without predestination. Therefore, in willing to save all, He also willed to predestine all. It is not required that the children place any condition in order that God may predestine them, because the will of the Father was from the outset freely so disposed that He wanted to give everything needed for salvation, including predestination. Since this love and will of the Father moves by its own force, by force of His own goodness, nothing is required from man in order that it may continue, even though something serious would be required from man to interrupt35 this will so that it would not continue but would instead reprobate and cast them out of the number of His children.

286. Predestination is before, not after, prevision of merits: It is clear from this revealed Father analogy that predestination is neither because of nor after consideration of merits. Predestination would be because of merits, if merits were required to move the Father: but nothing is required to move Him; in fact, nothing could move Him. Predestination would be after, though not because of, prevision of merits if merits were a condition which the Father would freely will to consider, and predestine after finding it. But, as we have seen, nothing at all is required from man, i.e., it is not required that a man place any condition so that the love and care of the Father may begin and may continue, and may, in its course, predestine. The reason is that His love and care start and continue out of His own goodness. As we saw, a grave condition would be required to interrupt His love (or, more exactly, the effects of His love); but precisely because His love is spontaneous, self-moving, nothing is required from man that it may continue.

287. But we must still raise a question: Even though, by the nature of His love, it is not required that His children place any condition so that the love and care of the Father may continue, still, it is possible that the Father for some reason, e.g., out of love of good order, might want to add something, as it were by positive decree, that is, to decree that merits must be the formal condition. (We could not, of course, suppose that He would be so disposed as to refuse predestination to a son who did not resist, but still did not have merits-if these two things were separable. Certainly, the vehement force of His self-moving love would not leave room for that. Our question is solely about the possibility of adding a formal condition out of a positive decision of God).

The answer is that such a possibility is excluded by the revealed Father analogy.

1) A good human father, who has strong love, at least actually does not make any work or merit on the part of his children a formal requirement for his love and care, as long as they are little. Actually, for such a father, it is enough if the children do not place a negative condition that calls for punishment. Now, God, our Father, is the best of all Fathers, and has most vehement love (measured by the passion and the infinite objective titles for each individual), and we are always small children in His sight, for no matter how old we are we depend much more on Him than do small children in a human family: we can do nothing, even in the natural order, without the constant support of the power of our Father. Therefore, since God has revealed that He acts like a good Father to us, He has implicitly revealed that He does not add any such positive condition.

2) Furthermore, a human father simply would not be permitted to omit loving and caring for his small children precisely and formally because of the absence of a positive condition which he would demand from his child. The obligation of the father is imposed by the very nature of things from the very fact that he is a father. This obligation binds the father even though no positive condition is placed by the child. Only a gravely bad condition placed by the child will liberate the father from his obligation. It is true, a human father can order his children to do things to help in the home, and the children can merit punishment by disobedience. However, if a punishment is given, it is given formally because of disobedience, not formally because of a lack of a positive condition, i.e., the penalty of disinheritance and expulsion (if things reach such an extreme) is warranted precisely because of the evil condition of disobedience-not by the lack of a positive condition of earning the love and care of the father. Therefore God, from the fact that He acts as a Father to us, has implicitly revealed that He too acts in the way in which human fathers not only actually act but are bound to act. (If God wishes merits to be present for the sake of good order, this is sufficiently provided for in the order of execution, as we shall see below).36

Therefore it is revealed in the Father analogy that predestination is not after but before prevision of merits.

300. Conclusions:

1) The revealed Father analogy not only contains the principles needed for the solution, but it also, implicitly, contains the solution itself. For from this analogy it is clear that reprobation is after and because of foreseen demerits: but that predestination is before foreseen merits, in such a way that the cause of predestination is the spontaneous unmerited goodness of the Father, who predestines as often as the effects of His goodness are not impeded by a human condition, namely, grave and persistent resistance. Inasmuch as the absence of resistance in the first logical moment is an ontological zero, there is no condition in the predestined man. The point at which the decree of predestination is made is before foreseen merits, but after the foreseen absence of grave and persistent resistance. The resistance that brings on reprobation must be, in accordance with the will of God, grave, and persistent not only inasmuch as it must reach to the end of a mans life, but also inasmuch as reprobation is not decreed except after so many and such great sins that a man becomes physically or morally incurable.71 This does not mean that God cannot or will not ever send death after one or a few mortal sins, to a man who is foreseen as going to be incurable: He may do this out of mercy towards the man who is reprobated and/or towards others who would be harmed by the reprobate. It is certain, moreover, that some who resist much and are even hardened are saved by extraordinary graces. Probably, at least to some extent, God decides to save a hardened man on condition that other men fill up the deficiency in objective titles needed for him.

2) From the revelation on the salvific will and from that on the purpose of creation, it is clear that reprobation is after foreseen demerits, and also, it is clear from the salvific will that the resistance must be persistent in the senses explained in conclusion 1. It is probable, on the basis of these two loci in revelation, that predestination is before foreseen merits.

3) Even from philosophy it can be shown (following St. Thomas) that reprobation is after foreseen demerits, and that predestination is gratuitous.

(The Father William Most Theological Collection: Grace, Predestination and the Salvific Will of God: New Answers to Old Questions: Pt. 2: Predestination and reprobation  Ch. 17: Solution of the problem from the sources of revelation)

[see also: Predestination: Reasons For Centuries-Old Impasse, William G. Most)

* * *

What is my own position, after all this, you may wonder? Well, up till now I was not as well-studied on the issues (I didnt claim to be, so I dont think I was guilty of pretense or presumption). After my intensive, quite intellectually exciting study today, I am inclined towards Congruism or Suarezianism over against the original Molinism (though it is unclear how much what is known as Molinism departs from Molinas actual views  just as some strains of Thomism sometimes contradict St. Thomas; there is contradiction in my sources above in this regard).

Suarezian Congruism appeals to my strong belief in Gods sovereignty and His causation of all good actions by His enabling grace, yet I feel mildly troubled by the counter-objection that this mitigates to some extent against free will and creates some (logically reductive) difficulty for the universal salvific will of God. Suarez and Bellarmine retain belief in middle knowledge, which appears well-established from Scripture and philosophical reflection on omniscience, omnipotence, and providence. I definitely accept that, over against the Thomists.

I like the Suarezian development of Molinism in the sense that it seems to resolve the objection that Molinist free will overrides or causally precedes Gods sovereignty and is too radically free; also the fact that Suarez appreciates the frequent biblical paradox of Gods actions somehow mysteriously being also our own (as seen in the Scriptures from Section IX above). This is analogous to the Catholic doctrine of merit, upon which all Catholics agree: God merely crowns His own gifts when He rewards our merits (St. Augustine).

That said, I think Fr. Mosts remarkable why didnt I notice that before?-type solution is entirely satisfactory, since it accepts and incorporates paradox, human free will, divine sovereignty, universal divine salvific will, the profound mercy and love of our heavenly Father, and biblical analogy and parable alike. I believe that it (almost miraculously) resolves the continuing difficulties of both competing schools. It maintains the Thomist unconditional election before any consideration of merits, but also at the same time human free will, by making reprobation dependent on human rejection of God, without the instinctive discomfort which I feel about both traditional proposed explanations.

So whatever that school is called (Mostian doesnt have nearly the ring of Suarezian or Molinist, which are intriguing, romantic Spanish titles), Im enthusiastically there at present, until I see a more satisfactory solution to the dilemmas above.

Thanks for bearing with this sometimes tedious, difficult, ultra-demanding but ultimately rewarding reading. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have (which was a great deal indeed).

***

(originally 4-22-06)

Photo credit: Image by LightofShelley (6-9-10) [Deviant Art / CC BY-ND 3.o license]

***Tehran Accuses Twitter Of Closing Accounts Of 'Real' Iranians

09/17/18

Source: RFE/RL

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has accused Twitter of closing accounts of "real" Iranians, while allowing antigovernment ones backed by the United States.

Hello @Jack. Twitter has shuttered accounts of real Iranians, incl TV presenters & students, for supposedly being part of an 'influence op'. How about looking at actual bots in Tirana used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda spewed out of DC? #YouAreBots https://t.co/dTs0diYrM4  Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 16, 2018

"Hello @Jack. Twitter has shuttered accounts of real Iranians, (including) TV presenters & students, for supposedly being part of an 'influence op'," Zarif tweeted on September 16, addressing Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.



"How about looking at actual bots in [the Albanian capital of] Tirana used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda spewed out of [Washington] DC?," Zarif said.



There was no immediate reaction from Twitter.



Last month, Twitter and Facebook removed hundreds of accounts linked to an alleged Iranian state propaganda operation.



Iranian authorities often accuse foreign governments and Iranian opposition groups abroad of using social media to spread discord in Iran.



Iranian media have accused exiled Iranian opposition groups, including the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, which has some members based in Albania, of launching social-media campaigns calling for regime change in Tehran.



On September 6, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States and Israel of waging a media war to discourage Iranians, as the country faces economic hardship after the reimposition of U.S. sanctions.



Iranian officials have blamed popular messaging apps and social-media campaigns for nationwide antigovernment protests against the flagging economy that erupted in December last year.



Based on reporting by ReutersIRAN: Ahmadinejad Lambasts Chief of IRGC's Notorious Intelligence Organization

09/17/18

Source: Radio Farda

Iran's former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has levelled damning charges against IRGC Intelligence Chief calling him "psychologically imbalanced" and thus not fit for the job.



Mahmoud Ahmadinejad



Related Article by Radio Farda:

Ahmadinejad Lashes Out At the Establishment, Again





In a video released on the ultra-conservative former president's page on the popular messaging service Telegram on Sunday September 16, Ahmadinejad lashed out at Hossein Taeb, the hard-line cleric who chairs the notorious intelligence organization of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and said all he does is "fabricating cases."



Ahmadinejad added in the video that during his presidency, he was against Taeb taking the job, saying, "All state officials know that he is imbalanced and everyone knows what he has been up to."



He said he believed at the time that if Taeb was appointed the IRGC intelligence chief he would sow discord between powers of the government and state institutions.

Ahmadinejad also revealed that Taeb who was a deputy intelligence minister under former President Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani was removed from his post for instigating disputes among various officials.



"They kicked him out of the Intelligence Ministry, but later they gave him a top post with full authority elsewhere, violating the law," said Ahmadinejad.

The IRGC intelligence has been in charge of nearly every controversial security case including those involving the detention of a dozen environmentalists and scores of Sufis, charging all of them with espionage and other accusations.



Iran's Supreme Leader elevated the former IRGC Intelligence Unit, which was established in 1997 to clamp down on reformist activists, to the higher level of an "Organization" with a broader mandate and appointed Taeb as its chief in 2009 following the unrest after the disputed 2009 presidential elections.



Before 1997, IRGC Intelligence mainly dealt with breach of security within the ranks of the Guards Corps.



The IRGC Intelligence unit has arrested hundreds of political and civil right activists, particularly after 2000.



Taeb has been sanctioned by EU because of "gross violation of human rights" of Iranian citizens and is barred from entering EU countries.



Ahmadinejad said the IRGC Intelligence Organization has its own prisons, and this is "unlawful."Iran 'has received new trade proposals from Europe': FM Spokesman

09/17/18

Source: Press TV

Iran has received new proposals from Europe that would potentially meet its demand for practical guarantees for continued trade and keep Iran in a nuclear deal with five world powers, says the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, amid attempts by the United States to derail that agreement.

The move, by France, Germany and Britain, and supported by the EU, is likely to enrage Trump https://t.co/ZbHqNMSNCl  POLITICO Europe (@POLITICOEurope) September 14, 2018

Speaking at a regular press briefing at the Iranian Foreign Ministry in Tehran on Monday, Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said previous proposals by Europe had failed to guarantee that Iran would continue to be able to sell its oil at desired levels and have access to the international financial market.

"The past proposals were partially unworkable, or lacked the necessary guarantees; we put them aside," Qassemi said. "Alternative proposals were made; and we're looking for mechanisms that would enable [continued] economic cooperation between Iran and Europe [in the face of US restrictions]."

He hoped that the new proposals would go far enough in satisfying Iranian demands.

Iran reached a deal with originally six world powers in 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for mainly the lifting of restrictions on its oil sales.

While the former US administration - with which Iran negotiated - largely adhered to its commitments under the deal, the current administration of President Donald Trump chose to unilaterally stop implementing American obligations and ultimately withdrew from it on May 8.

The Trump administration also reintroduced the previous sanctions and imposed new ones on the Islamic Republic. It also introduced punitive measures - known as secondary sanctions - against third countries doing business with Iran.

Despite the American withdrawal, Iran stayed in the deal but stressed that the other parties to the agreement now had to work to offset the negative impacts of the US pullout for Iran if they wanted Tehran to continue to remain in it.

A first round of American sanctions - targeting Iranian access to the US dollar, metals trading, coal, industrial software, and auto sector - took effect in August.

A second round, forthcoming on November 4, will be targeting Iran's oil sales and its Central Bank.

Europe has been taking a range of measures to meet the Iranian demand for practical guarantees.

But Iran has said Europe must act more swiftly.

Qassemi said technical contacts between the two sides were underway and were happening at a faster pace.

He hoped that a ministerial meeting would be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly this year between Iran and the five other remaining parties to the deal - known as the 4+1 - "so that we can move on to newer stages."

"But of course, one has to be patient," he said.

The EU has activated a "blocking statute" to protect European businesses from the secondary US sanctions. Nevertheless, a number of European companies have been leaving the Iranian market for fear of US punishment.

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the German news magazine Der Spiegel that it was time for the Europeans and the other parties to the deal to act.

The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, was originally struck between Iran on the one side and the US, the UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China on the other.

President Rouhani will be attending UNGA

Qassemi also ended days of speculation by the media about whether or not President Hassan Rouhani would participate in the upcoming meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

"The President will head to the United Nations, and it will be an opportune time to hold meetings with other officials on the sidelines of the Assembly at the presidential and foreign ministerial levels," he said.

The US has assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of September, and the media have been speculating as to whether Iran would nix the General Assembly meeting this year in supposed objection, especially since President Trump seeks to convene a meeting at the Security Council to discuss Iran.

Qassemi compartmentalized the issue of the two meetings.

While President Rouhani would as usual take part in the General Assembly meeting and use that opportunity, he said, the manner of Iran's participation in the Security Council meeting will be announced once in-depth, thorough reviews of the situation have been made.

Zarif's Twitter diplomacy

Qassemi was asked about a recent tweet by Zarif that was addressed to Jack Patrick Dorsey, the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, in which the Iranian foreign minister said the tech company had blocked the accounts of Iranians over the accusation that they were involved in an "influence operation" but was allowing the anti-Iran advocates of "regime change" to continue to operate on the platform.

"How about looking at actual bots in Tirana used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda spewed out of DC?" Zarif wrote, alluding to the anti-Iran terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), whose members are currently based in Albanian capital city.

Hello @Jack. Twitter has shuttered accounts of real Iranians, incl TV presenters & students, for supposedly being part of an 'influence op'. How about looking at actual bots in Tirana used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda spewed out of DC? #YouAreBots https://t.co/dTs0diYrM4  Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 16, 2018

Qassemi said Zarif's tweet would certainly be of impact, helping Twitter realize that it was "knowingly or unknowingly at the service of terrorists."

'Iranian diplomatic perimeters safe'

The spokesman also said that Tehran had no concerns regarding the security of its diplomatic perimeters abroad, in the wake of abortive attacks on Iran's Consulate in the Iraqi city of Basra and its Embassy in the the French capital of Paris.

"Governments should be bound to provide security for [foreign] diplomatic centers and diplomats, and the one or two recent incidents that occurred under special circumstances cannot lead to a conclusion that Iranian missions do not have adequate security," Qassemi said.

"We have no particular concern [in that regard]," he said.

On Monday, Greek media reported an attack on the Iranian Embassy in Greece's capital of Athens by an anarchist group.President Akufo Addo says all persons found to have played any culpable role in the breach of the countrys banking regulations and the subsequent collapse of the banking sector will be brought before the law to answer for their deeds.



The Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) @ 80 Grand Durbar, held on the schools field under the theme; Powerful Past, Prosperous Present and Prominent Future, was the forum through which the President aggregated this position of his administrations.



It is not right that the overwhelming majority of ordinary Ghanaians should pay for the actions of a greedy few without sanction.



I can assure the Ghanaian people that those responsible for the sequence of events and activities that led to the banking crisis will face the full brunt of the law if they are found to have violated and broken the law, the President added.

President Akufo Addo as part if his participation at the durbar inspected and commissioned three projects that have been completed on the campus. The projects are a Visual Art Complex, an E-Library and the Appeadu House (a dormitory block).



PRESEC



Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) is a secondary boarding school for boys, founded in 1938, under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast. The progenitor of the idea for the school was the Basel missionary, the Reverend Nicholas Timothy Clerk (1862  1961) who served as the first Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast from 1918 to 1932. The school has ties with its sister school, Aburi Girls Senior High School.



The schools crest has a shield with the Presbyterian symbol (the St Andrew Cross-Scottish flag with the Swiss Flag embedded and a burning torch in the middle) with the motto of the school, In Lumine Tuo Videbimus Lumen, meaning In Thy Light We Shall See Light, scrolled beneath the shield. The school was originally located in Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region of Ghana before moving to its current location in Legon, Accra in 1968.The school anthem is Happy Are We, written by J. L. Anang.

Source: kasapafmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoHeritage Bank has joined the merger talks with GN Bank and Premium Bank.



The three banks have consequently informed the Bank of Ghana (BoG) about their intent, Graphic Online has gathered.



The deal forms part of moves to meet the Bank of Ghanas (BoGs) new minimum capital requirement of GH400 million by December this year.



A similar conversation initiated between GN, Premium and Sahel Sahara was abandoned by Sahel Sahara in July over a misunderstanding at a time the deal was almost concluded.



Sahel Sahara exited the merger deal into the waiting arms of Omni Bank, which specialises in servicing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).



Omni and Sahel agreed to consolidate their operations into one entity in the merger deal but their stated capital of about GH213 million  is still below the central banks new minimum capital requirement of GH400 million.



The move by Heritage, Premium and GN follows months of back and forth movements on the need for local banks to consolidate.



Past deals



Since 2010, about six merger and acquisition deals have occurred in the banking sector, with the most recent one being that of Sahel Sahara and Omni Bank.



Before the Sahel Sahara Omni merger, HFC Bank had been taken over by the Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.



Before that, the following acquisitions had taken place: Bank of Africa and Amalgamated Bank, Ecobank Ghana and The Trust Bank (TTB), Access Bank and Intercontinental Bank, First Bank of Nigeria and International Commercial Bank, and Fortis and Merchant Bank which gave birth to todays Universal Merchant Bank (UMB).

Source: Graphic.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoGovernment has provided financial support to over 250 businesses selected from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions under the Presidential Business Support Programme (PBSP).



PBSP is designed to provide funding, technical support, training, mentorship and business advisory services to Ghanaian start-ups, as well as small- and medium-size businesses, which constitute over 80% of businesses in the country.



At a ceremony in Tamale on Friday, 14 September 2018, Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, assisted by corporate, business and religious leaders, presented cheques for between GHS10,000 and GHS100,000, to the leaders of businesses which had successfully gone through the rigorous selection process undertaken by the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan, which is under the Ministry for Business Development.



The beneficiary businesses were competitively selected through the recommendations of the Private Incubation Hubs in a transparent, efficient and equitable manner to increase the likelihood of their success and sustainability.



The Youth Enterprise Support programme set up under the past administration provided support to 67 businesses at the time. An additional 2000 businesses have received support in the 19-month administration of the Akufo-Addo government.



Speaking after the presentation, Dr Bawumia underscored that this was yet another sign of Governments commitment to supporting the growth of Ghanaian businesses, particularly start-ups, with about US$100 million committed to support entrepreneurial activities in Ghana, particularly those led by women entrepreneurs.



Today marks a very important and exciting milestone in the life of our dear country. We have gathered here to celebrate and award financial support to the young men and women who have braced the odds to venture into the world of entrepreneurship.



Dr Bawumia continued: Through the Ministry of Business Development, government has made it a priority to create a favourable atmosphere to enable the private sector, including start-ups to flourish. In addition, we are working on the fundamentals of the economy, to stimulate the needed investments for significant expansion and growth of the national economy and the generation of wealth and jobs.



The vice-president reiterated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos vision and primary objective of building the most entrepreneurial, business-friendly economy in Africa, which will create jobs and prosperity for all Ghanaians.



This vision is clearly articulated in the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Policies (2017-2024) of His Excellency the President. The Government strongly believes that the private sector is a key partner and the main driver of our economic development agenda and we are therefore committed to the development of a thriving private sector in the country.



Vice-President Bawumia urged the beneficiaries to work and justify their selection by reaching beyond the shores of Ghana.



Entrepreneurship is not an easy journey, so be courageous, take the bold steps to build your businesses and be competitive.



I would like to urge you to look beyond Ghana and set your sights towards neighbouring Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger etc. These are potential markets for your products. Also pay attention to product design and product differentiation, packaging and marketing so that your products will meet both local requirements and global standards.



Minister of Business Development, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, expressed delight at the success of the programme so far, and urged the beneficiaries to work hard and create more opportunities and jobs for others.



According to officials of the NEIP, over 1,000 micro-, small- and medium-size businesses in the three regions up north, applied for support under the PBSP.



All the businesses were given the opportunity to go through a well-structured training programme to build their capacities to manage their various businesses.



The trainings were conducted by six Private Incubation Hubs across the three regions.



The businesses selected for funding, cover many sectors of the economy including agri-business and agro- processing; smock weaving; information communication technology; animal and livestock rearing; health; food and beverages; fashion (clothing & accessories) and beauty.









Source: classfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoMinister of Communications, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, has indicated that the current Akufo-Addo administration has erected 200 rural mobile telephony sites across the country within two years.



The move, she said, formed part of efforts by government to achieve its digitisation agenda aimed at bridging the digital divide between rural and urban Ghana.



She disclosed this on Monday, September 10, at the Global Ministerial Roundtable on efforts to ensure the development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and telephony to expedite the socio-economic development of Ghana.



The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) World Conference held in Durban, South Africa sought to accelerate ICT innovation for socio-economic development through solutions, sharing knowledge and networking with measures to develop and protect local intellectual property.



The Minister said that a paltry 117 rural telephony sites were constructed across the country from 2006 to 2017.



Speaking at the ongoing International Telecommunications Union (ITU) World Telecom Conference in Durban, South Africa, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said that in 2017 alone 100 rural telephony sites were constructed and activated in over 500 communities where access to mobile signals was not previously available.



According to her, the government has already completed 80 rural telephony sites, this year, and that its on course to adding extra 200 sites before the year ends in partnership with MTN and Huawei.



The partnership, she stated, would involve the deployment of voice and data connectivity as well.



We are making significant strides on this journey, and are determined to find an affordable, easily deployable solution to extend connectivity quickly as possible.



Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said bridging the wide digital divide is crucial to the countrys socio-economic development.



She said the widening digital gap was as a result of the growth in teledensity in urban areas fueled by mobile technological uptake plus the consideration by the network provider that the extension of connection to the rural areas is not commercially viable.



Reiterating the governments commitment to changing the narrative, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said a deliberate agenda to digitize Ghana with an ambitious technological programme of infrastructural development, national broadband infrastructure and connectivity with the unserved and underserved at the heart of the agenda is being vigorously pursued.



The government of Ghana has recognized the importance of connectivity for socio-economic development, she told the gathering at the ITU World Telecom Conference.



Its imperative that all citizens benefit from the opportunities presented by digitization.



According to her, as government scales up its digitization effort, the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), which is mandated by law to provide financial resources for the establishment of universal service and universal access to all communities and to facilitate the provision of access to basic telephony, internet services, multimedia broadband and broadcasting services, is playing an increasingly critical role in the digital transformation of our countryside.



Ghana joined over 126 countries across the world to showcase its digital solutions at the ITU Telecom World Conference and Exhibition at Durban, South Africa.



Investors, innovators, project and decision-makers from the ICT ecosystem from Ghana participated in the conference and exhibition on the theme, Innovation for a smarter world.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoSeasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has descended heavily on Menzgold and its CEO over the brouhaha involving the gold marketing firm, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Bank of Ghana (BoG).



He said the Bank of Ghana, SEC and all the appropriate state regulators in the financial sector should not spare Menzgold if indeed they are not operating within the remits of the laws of Ghana.



He told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's Kokrokoo that Menzgold just as any company or individual is not above the laws of country.



Why should we spare someone saying if his company flouts the law and we are sanctioning it, it will disturb some people? Whose company you touch wont worry other peopleThe Securities and Exchange Commission and Bank of Ghana are protecting us, why then do we fight them? he questioned.



According to him, the management of Menzgold should comply with the directives of SEC and acquire the right documents and licence to operate as a gold company.



Menzgold Ghana, a company trading in gold collectibles, has been directed to shut down by the Securities and Exchange Commission for not having a permit to operate.



The SEC wrote to the company, demanding that all trading in gold without licence be ceased.



It asked the company not to take new contracts (investments) and also halt broadcast and publishing of all its adverts.



This comes after the Central Bank warned customers and the general public from transacting business with Menzgold stating emphatically that it's unlicensed and any individual who deals with it do so at his or her own risk.



Some sympathizers of the company have begun a social media appeal with #IstandwithMenzgold and #JusticeforMenzgold with others demonstrating against the State regulators, claiming they are on a "witch hunt" agenda.



But Kwesi Pratt has called on Ghanaians to reason out why Menzgold has not proceeded to court to present their case if the company believes they're acting lawfully and that the SEC is oppressing them.



If what the Securities and Exchange Commission is doing is unlawful, why doesnt Menzgold go to court? Go to court and present your caseThey should go to court and stop the Bank of Ghana, and stop the Securities and Exchange Commission.

















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoBusiness mogul, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has penned his name in the good books of Ghana's development.



The good works of Mr. Akwasi Acquah, Chief Executive of The Community Hospitals (TCH) Group; have finally paid off as he is to be honoured at the maiden Eastern Star Awards (ESA) on Thursday, September 20, 2018.



Organizers of the event are set to reward him with the "Osagyefo Award for Excellence in Health Service Provider".



The event will be held at the Mac-Dic Royal Hotel at Koforidua in the Eastern Region under the theme Contribution of Easterners to Ghanas development- our people, our brand.



Eastern Star Awards seeks to recognise individuals from the Eastern Region who have impacted lives positively and contributed immensely to the development of the Region and the country.



It is also aimed at stimulating people to undertake projects that will enhance the progress of the nation as well as inspire residents in the Region to do good works.







About Akwasi Acquah

The businessman who operates The Community Hospital and Mortuaries in Akyem Oda, Kukurantumi, Somanya and Adeiso all in the Eastern Region, was selected following rigorous screening by a committee made up of representatives of all the 11 Paramountcies of the Regional House of Chiefs.



Other facilities operated by the TCH Group are The Community Hospital in Ashongman Estates, Trinity Community Hospital in Ashaiman as well as Kaneshie Medical Centre, all in the Greater Accra Region.



President Nana Akufo-Addo, who is the Special Guest and himself an indigene, will also be enstooled the Mputuhene (Development Chief) of the people the Eastern Region.



Activities also include a trade expo to be held from Wednesday, September 19-20, at the Jackson Park from 10 am to 6 pm each day.

Source: Gladys Boakye/Peace FM News with additional information from myjoyonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoThe Young Graduate Programme of Total has been hailed by beneficiaries as an important programme which has helped empower and boost their skills at the workplace.



The Young Graduate Programme, launched in 2016, is a career development and empowerment programme aimed at building and equipping newly graduated youth with skills through global exposure and practical experience. The programme, conceptualized by the Marketing & Services division of the Total Group in Africa and the Middle East (France) has so far benefitted twelve (12) Ghanaian graduates.



The first set of four (4) graduates who were picked after a thorough selection process were David Yaw Kumah, George Boamah Nkansah, Endesha Serwaa Amanquah and Ewurabena Asaam, alumni of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The beneficiaries of this first edition spent the first six months of the eighteen-month period at Total Petroleum Ghana whilst the remaining twelve months were spent at the Total Office in France and its affiliates in Uganda and Kenya.



Sharing his thoughts on how impactful this programme has been to his career, George Nkansah stated the experience has been worthwhile; this programme gave me a firsthand experience and training on the job. According to him, this programme has been very useful by preparing me for the future and giving me an opportunity to hone my skills in a world-class environment.



On his part, David Yaw Kumah who was posted to Total France says the programme is one of a kind and it has been a life-changing period for me; I have experienced and done things that I would have never imagined in my wildest dreams. He further adds I have learned from the most ambitious, amazing and inspiring people throughout the programme in both Ghana and France.



Comments from the other two beneficiaries from the first batch namely Endesha Serwaa Amanquah and Ewurabena Asaam who were both posted to Total Kenya are equally inspiring. In the words of Endesha, a Petroleum Engineering graduate, The programme has effectively impacted on my personal skills - the exposure, the challenges I was given, the projects accomplished, the nudge to constantly improve my performance; all these developed me holistically. This experience will remain with me for life.



Ewurabena Asaam, a Petrochemical Engineering graduate, also speaks of the significance of the programme in cultivating in her a keen learning attitude which has served me well to better understand the guidance and instructions of the supervisors. Overall, my training has made me more resilient as I easily adapt to most situations that could arise in my career.



Inductees for the 2017 batch are currently serving twelve months in Total Ethiopia, Total Sierra Leone, Total Zambia and Total Mozambique while the 2018 batch recently begun their programme at Total Petroleum Ghana Ltd.



Speaking about the programme, the Human Resource Manager of Total Ghana, Mr. Bright Dokosi said that For Total, this programme is a key element in realizing its ambition as the responsible energy major. The company noticed that in many African countries there is a large difference between what the educational system teaches young people and the actual needs expressed by companies. This programme gives them skills that are transferable thus enhancing their employability. Every year, 37 African countries participate in the Young Graduate program. It is also an equal-opportunity program because half of the participants are young women. Total Ghana will continue to empower young people in the country and grant them the opportunity to compete in the professional space through this programme.









Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoThe Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered unlicenced financial investment firms in the country offering schemes and products at unreasonably high returns, to close down immediately or face the law.



It said the activities of these firms are in clear breach of various provisions of the Security Industry Act of 2016, Act 929.



Close down or risk being caught on the wrong side of the law, SEC ordered in a new public notice issued Friday to warn the Ponzi schemes operating illegally in the country as investment firms.



According to SEC, it has taken note of the various activities of these unlincenced investment firms, which it labelled as pyramid and ponzi schemes



It said these firms were taking advantage of the unsuspecting public through various advertising platforms to rip them off their life savings.



The unique selling proposition of theses schemes and products is the unreasonably high rates of return or interest per month or year promised the investor public, it said.



These firms, SEC observed, were promising investors guaranteed returns ranging from 6%, 10%, 20%, 40% to 70% monthly, translating into 72%, 120%, 240%, 480% and 840% a year respectively.



SEC said the high rates of promised interest are mostly dollar denominated, noting proper disclosure on the risk and the ability to pay are not made by these entities.



Offering such high guaranteed returns, non-disclosure of risk and ability to pay are tell-tale features of pyramid and ponzi schemes where new or fresh money deposited by clients are essentially used to pay previous depositors since there is no real underlying investment in the first place, it indicated.



It said once the pipeline for fresh deposits or investments dry up, it leads to widespread default culminating in loss of the money supposedly invested by the unsuspecting depositors or investors.



The promise of high returns is in essence a guarantee of high risk, which is typically the stock in trade of pyramid and ponzi schemes, it said, explaining, high risk means you could lose your entire principal.



The regulatory commission said it is not out there to destroy anyones business and that it is only executing its mandate of protecting the interest of investors.



It has thus advised the public to be weary of these schemes and desist from investing their lifesavings with them and urged them to report the activities of such firms for action to be taken.

Source: 3news









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoThe Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, has appealed to President Akufo-Addo to fulfill his promises of fixing deplorable roads in the Volta Region without delay.



According to him, most of the roads, particularly the Ho-Accra Road, Ho-Aflao Road and the Eastern Corridor Road, which pose risk to travellers, require urgent attention.



Speaking at the grand durbar at this years Asogli Teza (Yam Festival), Togbe Afede emphasized that the construction of the roads was non-negotiable and urged government to immediately construct them.



The festival, which was on the theme, Uniting for the Cause of Asogli, Volta and Ghana, was also used to commemorate the 15th anniversary of enstoolment of Togbe Afede.



Togbe Afede, who is also the President of the National House of Chiefs, reiterated his commitment to helping government to develop the country to alleviate poverty and suffering.



To this end, he announced that for the next five years, he would commit resources towards the noble fight against poverty, deprivation and suffering of the majority of Ghanaians.



He called for the support of all and sundry.



Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa lauded Togbes decision to support government and urged the people in the region and the country to back the policies and programmes of government.



He said that government was on track and that soon they would fully benefit from programmes and policies like free SHS, One District, One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, One District, One Dam, One District, One Warehouse, among others.



Ho-Accra Road, Ho-Aflao Road, as well as the Eastern Corridor Road, are important to the people of the region.



The Ho-Accra Road, for instance, is the main road that ushers travelers to Ho, the regional capital in the Asogli State.



Residents have over years been complaining about the bad road.



The 10.5 kilometer Road from Sokode-Gbogame to Ho Central and from Sokode-Etoe through to the University of Health and Allied Sciences to join the Ho-Aflao Highway at Titrinu, near the Ho Aerodrome, has received little attention despite several promises by the Regional Minister Dr Letsa.



The GH126 million road project, which has been divided into two, had been awarded to China Railways and First Sky Construction Companies.



The Ho-Aflao Highway, which connects the regional capital to Ghanas main Eastern borders-Aflao and Akanu, has several potholes.



The President recently complained about the deplorable Eastern Corridor, which links the south to the north of the country.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoAuthorities in Brazil have seized more than $16m (12m) worth of cash and luxury watches from a delegation accompanying Teodorin Nguema Obiang, vice-president of Equatorial Guinea, local media report.



The 48-year-old, known for his lavish taste, is the son of the oil-rich Central African country's president.



Brazil limits people from entering the country with more than $2,400 in cash.



About 76% of Equatorial Guinea's 1.2m population live in poverty.



President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who is Africa's longest-serving leader, and his son, have been accused of misusing the country's oil revenue. They both deny any wrongdoing.



Human rights groups have also accused the president of systematic repression of opponents.



The Equatorial Guinea embassy in Brazil reportedly told police that Mr Obiang was in the country for medical treatment.



What was the money for?



The 11-man entourage - travelling on a government plane - landed in Viracopos International Airport in Campinas in Sao Paulo on Friday, according to media reports.



Police found $1.5m in cash and watches worth an estimated $15m in two bags, the other 17 bags had clothes, says local news site Globo.



Global reports that Equatorial Guinea's embassy told the Brazilian police in a statement that the money was for Mr Obiang's use on an onward trip to Singapore, while the watches - engraved with his initials - were for his personal use.



Brazil's foreign ministry told news agency AFP that it was "in permanent coordination with the federal police and the customs service over the case and to decide what measures should be taken".



Mr Obiang was the only member of the delegation who had diplomatic immunity as the group was not on an official mission, Globo reports.



Police searched other delegation members as Mr Obiang waited outside in a car, it added.



Who is Teodorin Nguema Obiang?



Last year The Economist reported on Mr Obiang's flashy lifestyle in a report titledInstagram playboy is also the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea.



It featured pictures of the vice-president showing off his expensive cars and mansions.



In 2017, a French court handed him a three-year suspended jail term for corruption.



The court ruled his assets in France be seized, including a mansion on Avenue Foch in Paris. He also got a suspended fine of 30m euro (27m; $35m).



In the same year Swiss prosecutors seized 11 luxury cars belonging to Mr Obiang. They said he had plundered his country's oil wealth to buy luxuries, including a private jet and Michael Jackson memorabilia.



In 2015, Mr Obiang reportedly paid a samba dance group some $3.5m to adopt an Equatorial Guinea theme during Brazil's annual carnival.



A spokesperson for the Beija-Flor samba group denied that they had received the money but said it had received "cultural and artistic support", the UK Guardian reported.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoA Nigerian counselor has urged all men whose wives were not virgins at the time of their marriage to take them back to their parents.



The counselor, Tayo Dotun AnuifeGbolahan, indicated that such women hold no place in the homes of their husband, and so they must be returned to their parents' houses.



He made this proclamation on Facebook, and stirred up a controversial conversation among users of the social media.



He wrote: Announcement!!! All women that lost virginity [before] before their husbands met them should return BACK to their parents houses.



According to Tayo Dotun AnuifeGbolahan, such women deserve to be confined to the homes of their parents because they committed sexual immorality and refused to keep themselves pure for the rightful person.



Tayo is not the only one who has made such a comment about virgins in recent times.



Popular man of God, Eastwood Anaba, recently decried the rate at which virgins are missing in the church, as reported by YEN.com.gh earlier.



According to Anaba, the love for riches is forcing young women into trading their virginity for money and other physical gains.



The man of God who was clearly not happy about the worrying trend lamented that the practice has now become common even in the church.

Source: Yen









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoInternational investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaws Anas, credited with several mind-blowing undercover works, has admitted to being traumatised a number of times after coming face to face with death in line of duty.



The Ghanaian journalists has been involved in a number of life threatening situations whilst going undercover, escaping by the skin of the teeth.



He was recently lynched in Malawi when he led a team of BBC journalists investigating a series of mysterious murders in that country.



The BBC had said the team were working undercover to expose men who claim to suck the blood of children to make get-rich amulets when they were attacked by a crowd of furious villagers.



The villagers had mistaken Anas and his team for the killers.



Well over a month after the incident, the investigative journalist told BBC World Service on Saturday that he was still traumatised by his close shave with death.



Just like any other story that happens, the trauma will still be there, but the impact is what brings the smiles on our faces, when you know that the story has really touched the nerve, it gives us a lot of courage, Anas said when asked if he has recovered from the trauma.



Nonetheless, Anas pointed out, we think that despite the problems, we have been able to mirror exactly what the situation is.



The Malawi incident is certainly not the first in his life as Anas Aremeyaw Anas told the BBC that he has seen many near-death situations in exposing corruption and killers in society both in Ghana and abroad.



They are near-death in such a way that, well, if you turn this way you may not die, there are near-death situations that you know your back up plan he explained.



In the Malawi case, he said, it was beyond control, stressing that the situation was terrifying to the extent that even the local police were scared and the chief could not contain it.



Addressing concerns that the BBC failed to work with local vigilante group to protect its journalists, Anas said considering the situation on the ground, working with vigilante group was not the best.



He explained that some members of the vigilante group were part of the syndicate, suggesting why it was not proper to deal with persons who are neck-deep into the ritual murders.



Watch excerpts of the Malawi experience:









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoThe ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has initiated moves to help calm down their angry serial callers in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital.



In that regard, scores of party gurus from Accra, the national capital, will soon move to Kumasi to meet with the peeved serial callers.



Members of the Volunteer Media Communicators, who have been defending the NPP on radio and other media platforms, burnt their mobile phones on Wednesday.



They had complained bitterly that the ruling political party had turned its back on them, so they would not work for the party again.



Henry Nana Boakye aka Nana B, the NPP National Youth Organizer, announced that the party leadership wants the case resolved immediately, and peacefully.



He announced that some party gurus from Accra, including himself, would be heading to Kumasi in the coming days to resolve the issue.



According to Nana B, the Volunteer Media Communicators are dear to the NPP and so the party is not happy about their mobile phones burning issue.



The party leadership is not happy about what has happened in Kumasi and so some party gurus will soon move to Kumasi to resolve the case.



The serial callers are very important to the NPP and so their grievances will receive adequate attention, Nana B said on Otec Fm in Kumasi.



According to him, the ruling political party needs total peace to enable the government deliver, urging party members to remain united.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoLeading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Okyere Darko and Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, have appealed to striking Ashanti regional pro-NPP serial callers (Volunteer Media Communicators) who declared a sit-down strike Wednesday over government neglect and lack of jobs to calm down their anger, as they party begins process to address their concerns.



The group made up of 64 members, for years have dedicated their lives and resources to defending the party while in opposition and in government since 1992.



However, this long time bond between the party and its serial callers in the Ashanti region is falling apart due to the ruling governments failure to secure them jobs.



This compelled the group to hold a dramatic news conference in Kumasi to air their concerns to the party leadership to sack the Ashanti regional minister who they alleged was sabotaging the work of the president by failing to resources them to preach and defend the good work of the ruling partys government.



The partys communicators during the press briefing burnt all their mobile phones which they used to defend the ruling government both on political television and radio talk shows.



The action taken by the group after 24 hours caught the attention of the Information Minister and Mr. Gabby Okyere Darko a leading member of government to intervene for an amicable resolution.



Speaking in an interview with Ultimate FMs Isaac Bediako, members of the group Lukeman & Alaska, said Our protest has finally caught the attention of the national leaders, the Information Minister Kojo Oppong NKrumah called our leader Anokye Abel, in short he told as to cease fire and assured him our concerns will be addressed after the funeral of the late Kofi Annan which is ongoing in Accra. Later on Gabby Okyere Darko also called him with similar assurance indicating he will personally come to meet us on the matter.



He added We planned to fight the regional minister and the regional executives of the party on radio, but for now we will not speak on the matter again on radio but we are still remain on strike until our concerns is addressed he noted.



However, reacting to the groups allegations Ashanti regional minister Simon Osei Mensah told Kumasi base Silver FMs Ampratum, that, he wont steal just to meet the demands of the serial callers



I wasnt poor before being appointed by the president to work as regional minister, I have survived 50 years after the death of my father. If the president sacks me because of your noise trust me I wont eat stone he fired back.



He revealed that those those serial callers insulting him on radio are his personal friends whom he used to eat with them from same bow.



All those serial callers complaining and insulting me are personal friends who have benefited from me for no job done for me. Its unfortunate people who will not dare insult me while I was MP now have the effrontery to insult me when Im the regional minister.







Source: kasapafmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoThe deputy General-Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has stated that President Akufo-Addo lacks the courage to fight corruption.



He said the President is superintending massive corruption at the seat of government, the Jubilee House. Speaking on Radio Rainbow, Koku said: I hope that Ghanaians cannot wait to vote him out in 2020,



He added that if the Akufo-Addo government was bent on fighting corruption, some persons within the party alleged to have been involved in corrupt deals would have been prosecuted by now.



This government is beset with troubles that relate to corruption and they havent shown any spine in dealing with those issues. KelniGVG is a classical case. Contracts were signed, under dubious circumstances, issues were raised and these issues were raised by none other persons than some of the strongest supporters of the administration, IMANI Ghanaso if they [IMANI] are talking we should be listening to them,  he said.



According to him, the corruption under Nana Addo has gone through the roofs and due to that, his ministers are resigning from their jobs.



He stressed that, the over bloated appointees under him is a mark of corruption and so, looking at Nana Addos number of appointees, I will say I am convinced he is not ready to fight corruption and in 2020, Ghanaians will vote him out.



Koku caused a stir last year when he stated that there will be a coup detat under Akufo-Addo. It led to him being arrested and charged with treason. The charges were later dropped.



Earlier same that year, The Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho admonished President Akufo-Addo to confess his sins and seek for Gods forgiveness to avert his wrath.



According to the maverick politician, the 2016 New Patriotic Party [NPP] Presidential Candidate had a devilish encounter with an unknown people who engineered his victory in the 2016 General polls and that its about time he asked his maker for divine forgiveness to end the mysterious happenings under his years in office.

Source: The Publisher









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoAfrican swine fever (ASF) could be difficult to eradicate in Belgium and possibly beyond, given the number of wild boar in the region, according to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

ASF was confirmed in four wild boar in the Belgian region of Luxembourg, just a few miles from the French border, last week. Three were adult wild boar found dead and a state of decomposition, while other was a young weakened animal which was shot dead. It is understood a further three cases in wild boar have now been confirmed.

This marks the first identification of ASF in wild boar or domestic pigs in Western Europe in several years  Belgiums last case was in 1985 when twelve farms tested positive as a result of contact with contaminated pig meat from Spain.

The source of this outbreak has not been confirmed, and investigations are continuing. But given the distance between other confirmed cases of ASF in wild boar, it is most likely that infection has again been introduced by infected meat products or fomites (virus carried on clothes or vehicles, for example) from ASF-infected areas, in other words, human spread, APHA said.

The agency added: These cases reported in wild boar are concerning as there are large numbers of wild boar in this area, crossing EU borders, which is forested. Eradication will be a challenge to be met through close collaboration and information sharing between those Member States at risk.

Interim protective measures are in place, delineated by the border with Luxembourg and France, but further measures will be discussed at the Standing Committee on Plant, Animals, Food and Feed meeting next week.

Imports of pig meat from Belgium accounted for around 4% of the UK total (23,000 tonnes), mainly primary fresh/frozen pork, from January to July, according to HMRC data. Most of this is primary fresh/frozen pork, around half of which is in the form of fresh pork cuts. Belgium is a significant supplier of loins to bacon manufacturers.

There has, however, been no change to the UKs ASF risk status. The risk level of the virus entering the country was recently increased to medium on a temporary basis, following a surge of cases in central and eastern Europe, particularly Romania. This risk level will remain in place,

The risk of exposure to the pig population in the UK is still considered to be low, dependent on the level of biosecurity on pig premises, although the situation is being kept under review, APHA said.

The agency reiterated its advice to pig keepers to take all steps possible to keep the virus away from their pigs.

It is important to highlight that all products of porcine origin (including wild boar), unless processed in a certain way, is a high risk commodity from affected areas, it said.

These products include fresh or frozen pig meat, salamis and hams, skins and bristles, germinal products, live animals, hunting trophies and any equipment which has had contact with an affected animal or the environment where they are found.

Pig keepers and veterinarians should remind themselves of the clinical signs for ASF and images and descriptions of clinical signs and pathology of ASF are provided on this link.

Get Our E-Newsletter - Pig World's best stories in your in-box twice a week See e-newsletter example Will be used in accordance with our Privacy PolicyThe Real Reasons Why It is Tougher for Malaysians To Obtain Australia Tourist VISA (ETA)

In the past, it took hours for Malaysians to get Australia Tourist VISA (ETA) when you apply online. This year, it takes at least two weeks to a month for a Malaysian to obtain the Australia Tourist VISA (ETA). There were no official statements on this issue until a news report by The Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) on their story Criminals faking Malaysian identities to obtain Australia visas, exploiting cosy international relationship.

We blogged about Four Things You Should Know to apply Australia Tourist VISA (ETA) in Malaysia to help Malaysian travellers to Australia on the stricter rules to apply the ETA. With the recent ABC news, there are a few real reasons why it is tougher for Malaysians to obtain Australia Tourist VISA (ETA).

People Smugglers

Accoding to ABC, people smugglers are using fake Malaysian passports to smuggle people to Australia using the Australia Tourist VISA (ETA).

ABC investigation has uncovered that people smugglers have helped nationals of other countries assume fake Malaysian identities so they can enter Australia the same way.

A Vietnamese man who spent five months in Malaysia awaiting documents to travel to Australia has spoken to the ABC about his ordeal.

Until last month, he was trapped with 37 other people from Vietnam in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur  all of whom had been promised safe passage to Australia and a job once they arrived.

They said that its easier here [in Malaysia] and I would not get my Australian visa if I submitted my application from Vietnam, the man told the ABC.

Citizens of most other ASEAN countries can travel to Malaysia without a visa. Once there, a passport can be fraudulently obtained in Malaysia for as little as $1300, according to Malaysian national security expert Andrin Raj.  http://www.abc.net.au







Terrorists

Australia is concerned that terrorists might exploit the relaxed Australia Tourist VISA (ETA) to enter Australia.

According to ABC, Australian authorities are deeply concerned extremists from Indonesia and the Philippines may slip into the country using Malaysian identification, according to Mr Quaedvlieg.

It is understood some Malaysians with extremist links have already travelled to Australia on the same tourist visas.

In 2016, the Australia Border Force launched a crackdown on visa overstayers sparked by suspicious money transfers made by several Malaysian men working illegally on Victorian farms.- http://www.abc.net.au







Overstaying Malaysians

Lastly, the issue of overstaying Malaysians exploiting the Australia Tourist VISA (ETA) in Australia. Many Malaysians have overstayed in Australia and worked illegally in fruit farms in the past.

The Australian Border Force estimates that the total number of overstayers has remained relatively static at about 63,000.

Remember to apply the Australia Tourist VISA (ETA) first before you purchase the airline ticket and book the accommodation. For frequent Malaysian travellers to Australia, it is easier for them to obtain Australia Tourist VISA (ETA) based on their good track records. Remember to provide all the relevant documents to apply Australia Tourist VISA (ETA) when you apply it online or via travel agencies. We hope this help to understand the real Real Reasons Why It is Tougher for Malaysians To Obtain Australia Tourist VISA (ETA).







Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S21 Ultra. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two.

I travel around 17 International trips per year. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's postsSea Of Clouds  Iyerweng Betong Yala Thailand



Two years ago, we saw a few postings of sea of clouds near Betong Thailand. Since then it is part of our plan to visit the sea of clouds near Betong Thailand. The name of the place is called Iyerweng or I-yerweng and it is around an hour drive from Betong Town. You just need to wake up as early as 4am to drive up the mountain for the best view. We have included the Google Map at the end of this post as well as the GPS Coordinate.



We called it the sea of clouds and some people called it the sea of mists, Iyerweng has become a popular tourist attraction in this part of Thailand for the past year. We went up to Iyerweng late, we reached the top of the mountain around 7 am. Cars and vans filled the street leading up the peak and there are people monitoring and guiding the traffic. We spotted many Malaysian cars parked along the street together the local cars.







We took a short hike up and when we reached the top, it was pretty crowded. The local authorities built a few lookout points but only one is near completion.



We brought our DJI Spark to take some photos and videos of the sea clouds. You can watch the video we compiled.

Since we took an hour to reach Iyerweng, we decided to stay longer here to take more photographs and videos. We spent around an hour here. Remember to bring water as there are no shops here on top of the mountain.







Is this worth to visit? Our answer yes. At least once in our lifetime to witness the sea of clouds or sea of mists with our own eyes. The beauty of Iyerweng is it is very near to Malaysia.

If you Google Map the location from Kuala Lumpur, it is actually less than six hours drive (excluding immigration stops). You need to drive North from Kuala Lumpur and enter border via Pengkalan Hulu. We hope this story will inspired you to visit Iyerweng Sea Of Clouds in Thailand.







Do you know that there will be a Betong Airport coming soon in Betong?

Read more: Betong New Airport Set To Boost Tourism in Southern Thailand

Iyerweng Sea of Clouds GPS Coordinate and Map:

GPS Coordinate:5.978055, 101.181640

Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S21 Ultra. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two.

I travel around 17 International trips per year. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's postsJuan David Ortiz, an intel supervisor for the Border Patrol, has been accused of killing four prostitutes. (Photo: Webb County)

A Border Patrol agent was arrested early Saturday after allegedly killing four women -- believed to have been prostitutes -- and kidnapping a fifth, officials say.

Juan David Ortiz, an intel supervisor for the Border Patrol, was found about 2 a.m. when state troopers tracked him to a hotel parking lot in the border city of Laredo, Texas. He was found hiding in a truck.

Officials told Fox News they were alerted about the 35-year-old Ortiz after a fifth woman allegedly escaped from him and notified authorities.Fort Worth, TX, officer Garrett Hull died Saturday from a gunshot wound he suffered early Friday morning while confronting robbery suspects. (Photo: Fort Worth PD)

Undercover Fort Worth (TX) Police Officer Garrett Hull who was shot just after midnight Friday while working with a robbery unit died Saturday.

Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald along with Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and several members of the Fort Worth Police Department announced the news just after midnight Saturday morning  just about 24 hours after Hull was shot during a confrontation with a group of armed robbery suspects.

I regret that I have to speak to you all this evening, began Fitzgerald. I am even more dismayed by the fact that I have to announce that at 21:40 hours Police Officer Garrett Hull passed away. Weve lost a true hero; someone who has dedicated more than one tour of service to this great city and was senselessly killed by three known criminals  two of which are in custody now.

According to police, officers had a group of suspects under surveillance early Friday morning at the bar when the suspects actually committed a robbery, CBS News reports.

When the suspects ran out of the bar uniformed officers were waiting, and helped the undercover officers stop the robbers as they tried to get into an SUV. It was then that one of the suspects, later identified as Dacion Steptoe, opened fire. Steptoe reportedly hit Hull, and Hull's fellow officers returned fire, killing Steptoe. Two other suspects are in custody.

Fitzgerald said that Hull was an organ donor. We will see him prolong the life of other folks that potentially could live a long and prosperous life because of the sacrifice that he made.Hungary PM Orban meets Deutsche Telekom execs in Parliament

Portfolio Save article Share Hungarian

Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban received executives of Deutsche Telekom (DT) in Parliament on Monday, reviewing the results achieved jointly in the field of Hungarys digital development as well as the prospects and challenges of the next few years.

Orban has met Timotheus Hottges, Chief Executive of Deutsche Telekom, Srini Gopalan, Member of the Board Management for Europe and Tibor Rekasi, Chief Executive of Magyar Telekom.



The parties agreed that the strengthening of the digital economy is key to the competitiveness of Hungary and also of Europe, and a convenient regulatory environment, the promotion of investment and effective frequency management are able to greatly promote the cause of digitisation.



The parties further confirmed that by relying on the goals defined as part of the Digital Welfare Programme and the results achieved so far Hungary has every chance of becoming a successful player of the digital era.



Timotheus Hottges said that Magyar Telekom will continue to play a major role in the development of a modern mobile and landline digital infrastructure in Hungary. Deutsche Telekom is taking part in the development of the 5G communications standard, and its domestic subsidiary as a member of the 5G Coalition will make every effort to enable Hungary to become one of the regions centres for 5G developments.



Srini Gopalan stressed that Magyar Telekom is playing a strategic role in the DT Group which is committed to Hungary and to further developments, the Prime Ministers Press Office said in a statement.



Front page photo by Press Office of the Prime Minister / MTI / Balazs SzecsodiPATNA, India, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Dy CM Sushil Kumar Modi inaugurated the function

Many eminent authors and writers graced the occasion

Bharati Bhawan celebrated its platinum jubilee in Patna on September 15. The function was inaugurated by deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi. The welcome address was given by Mr. Tarit Bose, after which the authors and the principals of the different school shared their views.

Speaking on the occasion of Bharati Bhawan's platinum jubilee, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi praised the organization for its illustrious journey. Modi said, "Bihar can never forget the contribution of Bharati Bhawan in the field of education. It is not an easy task to scale newer heights but Bharati Bhawan has made it possible. However, as the organization is setting new milestones for itself everyday, it is yet to attain its peak."

Remembering his 50 year-old association with Bharati Bhawan, Sushil Kumar Modi said, "When I was a student in Ram Mohan Roy Seminary School, I used to visit Bharati Bhawan shops and read books. The popularity and credibility of Bharati Bhawan's books are still intact even after 75 years. There are few brands in Bihar and Bharati Bhawan is one amongst them."

Modi also praised the organization for its honesty and integrity in its long journey along with its capability to change itself according to the changing times.

Many eminent authors from across the country participated in the event including Dr. Damodar Thakur, Dr. H C Verma and Sagarika Mukherji.

Mr. Tarit Bose, Retired Partner of Bharati Bhawan, said, "We will continue to uphold the values of quality and integrity in business laid down by our founder Sri Ram Mohan Bose."

He further said that the contributors to the organization's success have come from authors, teachers, paper, merchants, printers, binders, book sellers among others. The hard work put in by the employees has also played an important part in upholding the ideals of publishing quality books.

Mr. Sanjib Bose, Partner of Bharati Bhawan, said, "Quality at affordable prices has been our motto. We shall continue to stay true to that."

"Bharati Bhawan has always taken care of the fact that what types of books the students need and accordingly incorporated latest features in their books which helped the students a lot," said Sushil Kumar Modi.

The vote of thanks was given by Mr. Sanjib Bose.

Established by Sri Ram Mohan Bose in 1943 at Patna, Bharati Bhawan has travelled a long journey, and today the books published by it are known for their quality.

The organization wants to strengthen its position in markets that are relatively new for it. Establishing the brand in remote areas is also part of the plan for the organization.

The organization has published books in languages other than Hindi, English and Bengali including Urdu, Maithili, Nepali and Assamese. In the future when an opportunity presents itself, the organization will certainly consider publishing books in other languages too.

About Bharati Bhawan

Bharati Bhawan was established in 1943 by Ram Mohan Bose, who wanted to publish high-quality books at affordable prices. Starting from Patna, Bharati Bhawan gradually spread across India, and now has offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru (Bangalore) and Noida.

Bharati Bhawan publishes school and college textbooks in English, Hindi and Bengali. It publishes books for state school boards and for the national boards - CBSE and ICSE. Bharati Bhawan is also the principal distributor for Pinnacle Books Pvt. Ltd.

Website - www.bharatibhawan.in

Media Contact:

Snehil Swapnil

[email protected]

+91-9934316533

Manager - PR, Advantage Services



SOURCE Bharati BhawanWith a few easy steps, FE CREDIT cards can now be linked to the Samsung Pay application. Cardholders can then start transacting with their mobile phone without requiring their physical card or wallet. This enables even small ticket payments like groceries & taxi fare.

FE CREDIT has its own rewards program Everyday Rewards Plus. Through Samsung Pay, cardholders will receive a double dip benefit of Everyday Rewards Plus Points along with Samsung Reward Points.

Mr. Kalidas Ghose, CEO of FE CREDIT said, "FE CREDIT believes in harnessing technology to create unique propositions for our valued customers. The FE CREDIT Samsung Pay launch is one more example of this ongoing effort."

Mr. Nimish Dwivedi, Credit Card Business Center Director of FE CREDIT continued, "FE CREDIT aims to provide first time card users with an unprecedented level of convenience. Now with Samsung Pay, they can use their mobile phone to pay at any card accepting terminal in Vietnam or internationally in a flash, without requiring their physical cards."

About FE CREDIT

A pioneer in Consumer Finance, FE CREDIT has established a solid foundation to become the market leader in consumer lending. FE CREDIT has also emerged as one of the leading credit card issuers in Vietnam. FE CREDIT currently provides consumer lending services such as personal loans, two-wheeler loans, consumer durable loans and credit cards. FE CREDIT has served almost 10 million customers, co-operating with 8.400 partners across 12,200 sales outlets nationwide.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180914/2238084-1

SOURCE FE CREDITHELSINKI, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hainan province in southern China is hoping to attract tourists from Nordic countries and Russia, a delegation from Hainan has said, which is organized by the Publicity Department of CPC Hainan Provincial Committee.

The delegation comprising artists, media and politicians from Hainan is currently visiting Finland, Norway and Russia, exhibiting scenic photos, showing traditional music and dance and updating the open-up policies.

Wang Qi, head of the delegation, said the three countries are among the 59 nations in the newly announced visa waiver program. The citizens of these countries are allowed, starting from May 2018, to enter Hainan province without a visa if they stay there no longer than 30 days. A tourist agency of Hainan is required to be the operator though.

The warm climate and coastal recreation in the tropical island with a population of 9 million may offer an alternative destination for Scandinavians to choose to spend their summer vacation instead of Spain or Italy, Li Haojie, a TV documentary editor from Hainan Broadcasting Station, told Xinhua on Thursday.

At an introduction event held in the Finlandia Hall in Helsinki early this week, 74 photos were displayed with three themes -- "This is Hainan", "International Tourism Island" and "Cultural Exchange", showing the economic, social and cultural development of Hainan province in the past 30 years since it was approved as a special economic zone.

Artists from Hainan Provincial Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble performed the dance, Embroidery, which reflected the embroidery culture of Hainan Miao people. The dance was said to be created specially for this event.

Traditional bamboo and wood musical instruments were used in other songs and dances. Chen Liang, deputy chief of the Ensemble, even performed pieces of music simply using a rubber tree leaf, winning applause of the 50 strong audience.

The traditional dying and embroidery technique of Li people was shown at the scene. Fu Renling and Fu Renjian, two girls from eastern Hainan, showed a number of handicrafts such as costumes and scarves made from brocades of Li ethnic group. The traditional technique has been listed on UNESCO's "Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding".

"This cultural exhibition is impressive and gives an overview of the beauty of Hainan. It is expected that there could be more exchanges between Hainan and Helsinki and Finland in terms of culture and education," said Catia Suomalainen Pedrosa, director of Helsinki International Cultural Center.

Similar events are landing in Oslo, Norway and Moscow, Russia in mid-September.

SOURCE The Publicity Department of CPC Hainan Provincial CommitteeTORONTO, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Report on Business Cannabis Professional supported by dedicated journalism team

With unprecedented resources and the largest dedicated cannabis coverage team in the market, The Globe and Mail today launched Report on Business Cannabis Professional, a premium subscription news service for global cannabis insiders and investors.

Backed by The Globe's award-winning journalism and the largest business newsroom in Canada, Report on Business Cannabis Professional (https://robcannabispro.com/) covers exclusive information about the cannabis sector not available elsewhere. The B2B newsletter, available weekday mornings, will include need-to-know news about policy decisions, people moves, corporate finance, and business strategy and operations. In addition, subscribers will be the first to receive alerts with breaking cannabis industry news from The Globe's newsroom and bureaus.

"This is a product geared for people who need the best understanding of an industry that is on the cusp of a historic moment, with federal legalization coming in October," says Rob Gilroy, Editor, Report on Business Cannabis Professional. "The opportunities and risks for entrepreneurs and investors will be huge. From tracking policy trends across the country to reporting the latest mergers and acquisitions, our seasoned reporters will cut through the noise to bring subscribers the industry intelligence and insight they need to get ahead."

Gilroy, a Report on Business veteran, leads a team of experienced journalists to bring subscribers essential news and insights. The group includes:

Globe cannabis reporters Christina Pellegrini and Mark Rendell ;

and ; Marcy Nicholson , a veteran journalist from Reuters joining The Globe to cover the industry in Western Canada from our Calgary bureau;

, a veteran journalist from Reuters joining The Globe to cover the industry in from our bureau; Jessie Willms , a data journalist with a strong track record who joined The Globe from CBC;

, a data journalist with a strong track record who joined The Globe from CBC; Award-winning business writer David Milstead ;

; Members of The Globe and Mail's Report on Business team, including financial columnist Andrew Willis and investing writer David Berman ; as well as

and investing writer ; as well as Cannabis experts from outside The Globe.

Report on Business editor Derek DeCloet oversees the product, which exemplifies The Globe's expected journalism excellence.

"Cannabis professionals globally are looking to Canada to see how we navigate the first recreational cannabis legalization in a G7 country," says Gilroy. "Our coverage will go behind the headlines for a comprehensive view of this multi-billion-dollar market."

"The Globe and Mail is respected for its business reporting across the country and its coverage of new industries such as cannabis," says Phillip Crawley, The Globe's Publisher and CEO. "With significant change occurring weekly, if not daily, in the cannabis sector, The Globe is well-placed to provide subscribers with what they need to know to make better business decisions with current and reliable news and analysis."

Report on Business Cannabis Professional is supported by a dedicated business team:

Pierre Kitchell - Manager, Premium Digital Subscriptions

- Manager, Premium Digital Subscriptions Carlos Morales - Product Marketing Manager

- Product Marketing Manager Garth Thomas - Managing Director, Business and Financial Products

- Managing Director, Business and Financial Products Lindsey Lowy - Director, Consumer Marketing

- Director, Consumer Marketing Scott Adams - Director, Digital Subscription Product Development

- Director, Digital Subscription Product Development Neal Madan - Managing Director, Corporate Development & Planning

The news service will provide exclusive, original reporting on the cannabis industry only to Report on Business Cannabis Professionalsubscribers, as well as access to major breaking news on the cannabis industry that is published on globeandmail.com or in the newspaper. This is a stand-alone product and is not covered by a globeandmail.com or print subscription.

Images available at https://pr.theglobeandmail.com/robcanpro-visual-assets-170918

Staff head shots

Mobile screen shot

Logos

For interviews, contact Lanna Crucefix (Communications Manager) at lcrucefix@globeandmail.com, +1-416-585-5867

For news tips, contact editor Rob Gilroy at rgilroy@globeandmail.com, +1-416-585-5164

To subscribe, contact Pierre Kitchell (Manager, Premium Digital Subscriptions) at pkitchell@globeandmail.com, +1-416-585-3327

About The Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail is Canada's foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With our award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, we reach 6.8 million readers through our print and digital formats, including Report on Business magazine reaching 1.6 million readers in print and digital every issue. Our investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

Media Contact: Lanna Crucefix, The Globe and Mail, +1-416-585-5867, lcrucefix@globeandmail.com

SOURCE The Globe and MailIf you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found hereWelcome Guest! You Are Here:Mount Sinai Queens Opening New Infusion Center The last week of October was marked by an expansion of health care capacity in the borough, as Mount Sinai Queens celebrated the opening of...

The Unofficial Election Results The unofficial election results from the general election on November 2, 2021, with well over 90% of scanners reported: MAYOR: Eric Adams (D) decisively...

Batty Over Halloween Celebration Was A Treat! The Central Astoria LDCs 6th annual Batty Over Halloween Celebration held on Sunday, October 24 was a real treat for everyone who came out. Excited...Sentence of former Russian communist lawmaker appealed

 RIA Novosti, Vladimir Fedorenko

11:59 17/09/2018

MOSCOW, September 17 (RAPSI)  Ex-lawmaker with Russia's Communist Party Vladimir Bessonov convicted in absentia of beating police officers has appealed his 3-year prison sentence, attorney Dmitry Agranovsky has told RAPSI.

The court found that Bessonov organized an unauthorized rally in Rostov-on-Don on December 2, 2011. After the police demanded to end the rally Bessonov and his colleagues began fighting with the officers. Two police officers were recognized as victims in the case.

Bessonov pleaded not guilty and said he was determined to bring the Rostov police officers to responsibility, who, he believed, abused their power. Furthermore, Bessonov said that the vote to strip him of his immunity was held with violations.

The State Duma deprived Bessonov of his political immunity in July 2012.National rights observance strategy must be developed in Russia  ombudsman

 RAPSI

15:59 17/09/2018

SARATOV, September 17 (RAPSI)  Ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova said Monday that the national human rights observance strategy must be developed in Russia, RAPSI reported from a human rights conference held in Saratov.

According to Moskalkova, such a document would shape a state policy concerning improvement of mechanism for observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for some years to come.

Moreover, the strategy could unite together efforts of authorities and public institutions to create favorable environment for realization of peoples rights and freedoms, she noted.

The conference Human rights as an indicator of national development, which takes place in Saratov from September 16 to 18, brought together about 200 participants, including regional and foreign ombudsmen, local authorities, professors and students. The conference is aimed at discussion and analysis of burning problems of developing and guaranteeing human rights, analysis of current legislation and generation of proposals for its improvement.Posted by Philip on at 12:00 AM CST

NEW RELEASE: STAR WARS CLASSIC  EMPEROR PALPATINE(TM)Available in 1 oz Silver,  oz & 1 oz Gold CoinsLIMITED EDITION For the thirteenth release in New Zealand MintsClassic collection they have chosen the tyrannical Emperor Palpatine. Another great choice! A masterful and patient manipulator, he carefully played countless people. His intelligence coupled with his desire for power makes him one of the most formidable villains youll encounter in fiction.He has been likened to many tyrants before him but, love him or hate him, you cant dispute Palpatines commitment and follow through. From relative anonymity he rose to become a chancellor who was granted emergency powers, disbanded a senate and built a secret military unlike any other. He ended the republic in favour of his own new order: one where he had unlimited power. No wonder he is such a fan favourite!Each Emperor Palpatine coin, be it gold or silver, is delivered in high-qualitybranded packaging  adding extra value to this must-have purchase.BUT there is a limited quantity for each coin  indeed, only 500 of the 1 oz gold coins will be made! So, dont delay, get this masterful manipulator in your collection today! If you are keen to be one of the first to hear aboutcoin releases from New Zealand Mint, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter or sign up here to getcoin news emailed directly to your inbox!In addition to challenges such as reining in non-performing assets and boosting profits, Chaudhry will have to repair the banks reputation, build internal controls, and improve regulatory relations.

Amitabh Chaudhry, 54, will have a challenging job when he takes over as managing director and chief executive officer of private lender Axis Bank in January next year.

In addition to challenges such as reining in non-performing assets (NPAs) and boosting profits, Chaudhry will have to repair the banks reputation, build internal controls, and improve regulatory relations.

He will succeed Shikha Sharma, whose term ends in December.

Dwelling on priorities before Chaudhry, Ashvin Parekh, managing partner at Ashvin Parekh Advisory Services LLP, said building a quality loan book, forming an effective senior management team and having constructive relations with regulators should be top on his agenda.

Building quality loan book

While Axis Bank has been grappling with elevated NPAs, the asset quality of the bank showed improvement in the June quarter.

The bank expects another quarter of elevated NPA levels, after which it will be back to normal.

In the face of corporate led-loan book growth, Chaudhry will have to build a quality loan book by ensuring that NPA levels do not rise.

Organise senior management team

The Axis Bank ship is stabilising and now it needs a captain and competent crew. Chaudhry will have to build a solid senior management team.

The induction of an outsider as the companys chief executive officer often results in reshuffling at senior management levels, said a banker.

Sidharth Rath, head of corporate and transaction banking, has put in his papers.

Building relations with regulators Axis Bank had a run-in with regulators - the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) - lately.

Improving relations with these regulators would be a key role for Chaudhry, especially with the rising regulatory supervision of private banks in the country.

Sharma had to shorten her tenure owing to the RBI raising questions over her re-appointment despite the rising bad loans and governance issues like inquiries into earning leaks over Whatsapp.

Strengthening internal controls and governance

The bank is facing a Sebi probe into the banks earnings leak on WhatsApp.

It is also under the RBI scanner for high divergences in the banks recognition of bad loans compared to that of the RBI. All of these point at lax controls, say experts.

The new chief executive officer will need to review the banks systems and processes to keep the loan book healthy and grow the business.

Work to improve reputation

Regulatory probes, low profits, soaring NPA levels, the conduct of some executives after demonetisation, coupled with stretched uncertainty about the successor, have dented the banks reputation.

Chaudhry will have to work hard to improve the banks reputation and his induction as chief executive officer is expected to refurbish the banks brand image and change market perception.The US side had pushed for removal of price caps on medical equipment such as coronary stents and a commitment by India to reduce trade imbalance

The cancellation of a top United States trade delegation visit to New Delhi last week has solidified chances of higher import duties on 29 key US products, going live from September 18.

US trade representative for south and central Asian affairs, Mark Linscott, was set to visit India, with an aim to dissuade New Delhi from implementing the tariff hike of 29 US agro products, which has been in the works from June.

The move comes after New Delhi got a cold shoulder from Washington DC on its request for exempting India from higher tariffs announced by the US on steel and aluminium imports.

Despite both sides having had three separate meetings over the past three months on the issue, a possible solution is yet to be found.

"As a result, higher tariffs that have been announced, are expected to kick in," a senior commerce department official said.

The US side had pushed for removal of price caps on medical equipment such as coronary stents and a commitment by India to reduce trade imbalance, he added.

However, India has pointed to greater oil and gas imports from Texas and a burgeoning list of orders for aircraft by Indian commercial carriers.

From Tuesday onward, imports of high value products such as apples, almonds and walnuts from the US will attract 50 per cent higher tax.

Some industrial products and steel will also be hit. India is the largest destination for these goods and US farmers already reeling under high costs owing to America's continuing trade war with China will be hit hardest.

India expects to add $240 million to the exchequer as a result, the exact amount the government says businesses will lose because of higher US tariff hikes on steel and aluminium.

"We have notified the WTO of our decision and the retaliatory measures are allowed to us under trade norms," an official said.

However, New Delhi's upgraded tarffs, already notified by the Revenue Department, effectively breach WTO mandated 'bound rates' for the first time - India will enter a long list of nations that have broken their commitments to WTO, Abhijit Das, trade expert and head of the Centre for WTO Studies, said.

The country may officially then be open to criticism for being protectionist as under the norms of the WTO, the bound tariff rate is the customs duty rate committed by a country to all other members under the most favoured nation principle, he added.

This global trade law for the 164 WTO members prohibits discrimination on the basis of tariffs.

Time ticking for trade talks

Interestingly, the development comes only days after both nations decided to hold extensive talks on defence and foreign affairs, as part of the inaugural '2+2 dialogue' earlier this month.

However, a wide berth was given to trade issues despite animosity between both rising rising since last year.

This year, US President Donald Trumps administration has dragged India to the World Trade Organization multiple times over New Delhis export-promotion schemes and restrictions on solar cell imports.

India, too, has lodged a case against steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by the US.

The predecessor to the current talks, India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, had started in 2015. However, after two annual rounds, a decision was taken to carve out trade issues into a separate annual discussion - India-US Commercial Dialogue.

While Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu had gone to Washington DC in October last year the first edition of the trade talks, no plan for talks in 2018 has materialised so far, another official revealed.

Photograph: Carlo Allegri/ReutersThe centre eyes airport-specific digital solution and ties up with start-ups to solve problem unique to BIAL

Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) over the past two years is facing a puzzle - the forecast on the number of flyers is not matching.

While the airport had projected a growth rate of 32 per cent in 2013, it is growing at close to 40 per cent.

The saturation of Delhi and Mumbai airports has forced airlines to grow out of Bangalore.

IndiGo, the largest Indian carrier, has more than 100 departures and both full service carrier Jet Airways and Vistara is eyeing Bangalore as their alternative hub.

The airport needed to create more infrastructure for this growth.

Space is becoming premium. The number of flyers is growing much faster. But infrastructure takes time to be built. And time is not something that Indian airports have in hand with this kind of growth, BIAL chief operating officer Javed Malik said.

By 2020, the growing demand for air travel is expected to create a 15 per cent deficit of the critical infrastructure needed to cater to travel, according to the Airport Council International (ACI).

Under Malik, the airport has taken up an ambitious project of finding technology to solve this problem.

We germinate in terms of byte and not bricks, said Malik, referring to the importance of technology over physical infrastructure.

Malik said in the competitive world, airports would have to fight to make themselves attractive to airlines.

Faster and hassle-free check-in is the major component which increases the value of an airport to flyers, it also means more business for the airlines and the airports as more passengers can be processed faster, he said.

He said BIAL had been able to cut average check-in time from 90 seconds to 15 seconds through solutions like self-check in and self-bag drop system.

To implement this, BIAL tied up with IT major Accenture to set up an innovation centre.

The centre eyes airport-specific digital solution and ties up with start-ups to solve problem unique to BIAL.

Satyaki Raghunath, chief strategy and development officer, BIAL who joined early this year to lead the digital push says the mandate is to invent solutions from global examples but modify them to Indias needs.

Using technology is ok but in a country like India, where there are lot of first time flyers, technology has to be simple, he says.

For instance, last week the airport signed an agreement to implement a technology which would allow passengers to check in through facial recognition.

This technology used by major global airports will identify the flyer by their face and stop the requirement of presenting boarding card cutting down the check-in time.

Raghunath said that BIAL worked on the project for two years before selecting the facial recognition method.

We tried different solution rather than having it through core biometric solution like iris or finger print where there can be a concern over privacy, we tried hand waving technology but we realised thats complex because waving is not something a person does naturally, he said.

BIALs is also working on technology which can help the airlines to fasten the security check-in process.

Some of our innovations may not be visible to the flyer directly but behind the scene it improves efficiency of the system which would benefit the flyer, he says.

For instance it has implemented an automatic tray retrieval system which reduces the role of security officials during the baggage screening process as the baggage and the separated valuables placed on the trays will reach the other end without the manual involvement of Central Industry Security Force officials.

There is also a diversion in the conveyor belt for bags that are found to have suspicious content and need to be checked by hand.

This is to make sure that the conveyer belt does not have to stop at any time.

This is allowing the airport to handle 470 trays per hour as compared to 350 before.

Malik also sees a scope of revenue growth for the airport from the reduced check-in time.

The shorter time a flyer spends doing routine check-in process, the more time he would spend at the coffee shop, buy something as they have more choice.

"This also increases the scope of revenue generation for us, he says.

Photograph: Utkarsh Jha/Wikimedia CommonsCompanies such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter are finding it extremely difficult to rope in new India heads.

India's social media ecosystem is practically running on autopilot. Four of the country's top social media platforms -- Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and now LinkedIn -- do not have a head in India.



FACEBOOK UMANG BEDI

Managing Director

Joined: June 2016

Left: October 2017

Photograph: Courtesy Umang Bedi/Facebook

In the last one year, starting with Umang Bedi, who was managing director of Facebook India, the exits of Taranjeet Singh and Akshay Kothari -- India heads of Twitter and LinkedIn, respectively -- have left the offices of the three firms without a chief. Facebook's chat messenger WhatsApp is yet take up a local office, team and a top boss in the country.

The information technology ministry, which has time and again been warning companies such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp over issues ranging from data leaks, fake news and charges of influencing elections, has also taken notice of the situation and might call them soon to ask when they are planning to fill these vacancies. The four social media platforms have a total of about 350 million monthly active users in India.

While top bosses of these firms, sitting out of headquarters in the US, have deputed someone to temporarily fill in the position, there is a question mark on who and when would take the top spot.



TWITTER TARANJEET SINGH

Country Director

Joined: January 2015

Left: September 2018

Photograph: Courtesy Taranjeet Singh/Twitter

However, sources close to LinkedIn said the company has started the process of having discussions with professional chief executive officers and would be hiring someone from outside.

Sources said Kothari, who has already moved to the US, is all set to join a technology start-up and develop a new product for the firm.

"I do not think he is planning to start a new venture. He was having discussions with a start-up in the US and as he is a products person as heart, he wants to create something new. His exit however should not be equated to the exits in Facebook and Twitter, as LinkedIn for the longest time has managed to stay away from any controversy," said a source close to the company.

Companies such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, however, are finding it extremely difficult to rope in new India heads. Scandals over the last one year, including selling data to Cambridge Analytica, allegations of influencing elections as well as incidents of fake news leading to lynching in different parts of the country, have left Facebook and WhatsApp controversy ridden.



LINKEDIN AKSHAY KOTHARI

VP Product

Joined: April 2013

Left: August 2018

Photograph: Courtesy Akshay Kothari/LinkedIn

"Whoever takes up the position in India would have to deal with the government and work on quelling the fears of influencing elections, work on making the platform fake news proof and clean Facebook's image in general. This is a task not many CEOs would be ready to take," said a source close to Facebook.

WhatsApp for the last six months has been planning to set up a 100-150 member strong team in India and is supposedly in the final stages of selecting a head of operations. At present, WhatsApp is running all its operations from its base in Singapore.

However, the government has made it clear that if WhatsApp wants to continue with its payments service, it would have to set up a base in India.

"To support our users in India and continue our investment in the country, it's our top priority to hire a local leader who can help us build a team on the ground," a WhatsApp spokesperson said.

Twitter is facing the same problem of finding a top boss who would be able to deal with the government, law and order agencies as well as regulatory bodies in the country. The other problem is of monetising.

Experts believe that despite their huge reach, except for Google, none of the other major global social platforms has been able to monetise their platforms in the country.

The government has over the last one year warned social media giants such as Facebook and Google that they should take concrete steps to prevent the spread of fake news, that has led to a series of lynchings, as well as riots all over the country.

Lead photograph: Pixelkult/Pixabay.comThe Tata empire turns 150 this year.

R Gopalakrishnan, former director, Tata Sons Ltd, imagines a conversation among the group's founder Jamsetji, his son Dorabji, his successor, Nowroji Saklatwala, and his successor, J R D Tata.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Jamsetji Tata's biographer, a historian named Frank Harris, recorded that a partnership firm called Tata and Sons was established in 1868.

While the precise date is unclear, a good conjecture is that it was in the July to September period of 1868.

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Tata Sons, R Gopalakrishnan, a former director of Tata Sons Limited, pays a tribute to the institution of Tata.

Based on historical facts, he imagines a conversation among four former chairmen, who together led Tata from 1868 till 1991 -- founder Jamsetji, his son Dorabji, his successor Nowroji Saklatwala, and his successor, J R D Tata.

Jamsetji: Aao dikra. It has been a long time since we chatted together.

The company we had served has renewed itself constantly to survive and grow.

The culture and values of Tata for over a century are very precious.

Future leaders must know what aspects of culture must not change and what aspects must adapt to change.

However, I suggest a word of caution for our discussion: That we reminisce about our times, but we do not make judgements about our modern-day successors.

They are managing a vastly different business in a vastly different world.

Like you, I will always wish and pray that they are holding on to the purpose that we had set for the business and some core values.

I think Tata companies have done so for all of these years.

JRD: Yes, of course, dear Kakaji.

As you know, as one of your original partners in the business, my father R D would harangue me periodically about your vision and how you had ever so endearingly articulated the purpose of the firm.

You had said that the firm is an integral part of the community, and it exists to serve the community.

Eighty years later during the 1960s, when I was the chairman, I said pretty much the same thing in the business language of my times: That what the firm earns from people must go back to the people, many times over.

It is good that this strong foundation and our business purpose have both remained intact, although the profile and appurtenances of the business have changed.

There will always be challenging times and apparent aberrations, but I am sure that the true purpose of the firm continues to be what we had intended, articulated and practised.

Dorab: It is wonderful to know that our current generation is able to maintain our corporate purpose, that too, consistently over a century.

Among the four of us, we have experienced 150 years of the firm: colonial India, the 1930s depression, two World Wars, Partition, Independence of our beloved nation, global economic cycles, and an explosion in the population of India.

Jamsetji: Yes, that is true, but the intrinsic challenges of running a business surely remained broadly similar.

I remember what a tough time I had when I bought Dharamsi Mills in Kurla, later renamed Svadeshi Mills, because the idea of making things in India appealed to me.

I was convinced that such acquisitions at a low price must be seriously considered; if I could buy an asset cheap, I felt I had a decent chance to turn it around by making finer products than it did before.

Really, it was nerve-racking because the Tata name was at stake.

I staked my own wealth and even broke the trusts to raise the funds required.

Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters

Dorab: Papa, you are so right about what happens when the name Tata is at stake.

You may recall that you were so indisposed at Bad Nauheim, cousin R D and I came to meet you.

You said to us about your wealth, "If you cannot make it greater, at least preserve it."

"Do not let things slide."

"Go on doing my work and increasing it but if you cannot, do not lose what we have already done."

We could not raise capital from the London market, but Indian financiers surprised us by subscribing to the capital of our steel company.

After initial troubles, the company made its first ingot of steel in 1912.

Within four years, I told shareholders of my plan to expand the steel production because in 1916, I told the shareholders about the bumper earnings due to production of 30 per cent above designed capacity, bursting order books and ready markets!

However, World War I began, transport and labour costs spiralled out of control, and an earthquake struck Japan, the biggest pig iron market.

Our steel company was suddenly staring down an abyss.

JRD: Oh yes Dorabji, my father had told me this story.

Was this not the occasion when one of the directors suggested that the government take over the steel mill?

My father said he was livid and that he thumped the table, swearing that this would not happen so long as he was alive!

Dorab: Yes indeed, Jeh, your father did.

After that episode of thumping the table, we received a telegram from Jamshedpur stating that there was inadequate money to pay the wages of employees.

I went to the Imperial Bank of India and pledged my wife's jewellery to secure a loan.

After that, Papa's adopted motto for the firm, Humata, Hukta, Huvarsta, worked well because Ahura Mazda smiled, and our fortunes turned.

Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Bombay House was built by Dorabji Tata, founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata's elder son.

JRD: Yes Dorabji. Even the Taj Mahal hotel, which was one of Kaka's dream projects, took ever so long to make a profit.

They used to call it the 'Tata White Elephant'.

I found a talented hotelier in Ajit Kerkar, who turned the Taj around brilliantly.

During my chairmanship, we acquired a soda ash business at Mithapur.

People even told me that we had bought the wrong business in the wrong place.

Thanks to the imaginative leadership of another professional, Darbari Seth, the business turned round.

I understand that Tata is now the world's second largest soda ash player.

Saklatwala: Yeah, what you folks say is true; yet, there can be exceptions to the situation.

You must try very hard to turn around acquisitions or new ventures.

But if after trying hard and sincerely, you fail, may be for market-driven reasons, then you also need to stop the bleeding and haemorrhage.

How long can you persist with operations that you are just unable to turn around?

How do you judge when to call it quits?

After our time, Tata Textiles and Tata Oil Mills were divested because Tata could not see their way to make a sustainable success of it.

Dorab: Indeed, you raise a valid issue.

I think you have to do everything you possibly can with a great degree of sincerity, and then the time comes to take a call.

After 1917, I launched eleven new ventures; in each of them, investors fought to get shares, such was the faith in the Tata name.

Apart from Tata Oil Mills, I set up Tata Industrial Bank, New India Assurance Company, Tata Construction, Tata Electro-Chemicals, Tata Sugar Corporation, just to name a few.

Market conditions were tough and some of the ventures ran into problems.

Saklatwala: Indeed, and when I succeeded you, Dorabji, I had to get a grip on the situation I faced.

The firm was over-leveraged and the global recession did not help.

Your decisions may have been right when you took them, but later developments had their own impact.

I expressed my thoughts in a speech, "Those were truly mad days, and perhaps the maddest feature was the supreme confidence of the public in Tata, and, incidentally, the overconfidence of Tata themselves."

I really felt that these ventures suffered from insufficient preparation before their inception; some of them were over-capitalised in anticipation of rapid expansion, and some from a rapid collapse of market values and prices.

Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Natarajan Chandrasekaran, current chairman of the Tata group, right, and Ratan Tata, its emeritus chairman, at the opening of the refurbished Bombay House south Mumbai, July 29, 2018.

Dorab: Yes my dear Nowroji, I did hear the stories about those property disposals, but luckily for you, I was not around to express any views!

Times have changed, and nowadays businesses are sold and bought, hopefully with grace and fairness.

I heard that after the times when we headed the group, the Tata Sons board has periodically debated which businesses should be divested and how.

But, to be fair, I did support new businesses as well.

Jeh, as I recall, I supported you to enter the airline business around 1929.

JRD: Dorabji, in the late 1920s, you were totally against my idea of entering the airline business.

You felt that we were too stretched at that time, both financially and managerially.

The Tata Sons board minutes clearly carried the message of the board rejecting the firm's entry into airlines.

So I went to my mentor, John Peterson, you remember him? I cried out my emotions to him.

Dorab: You did put John Peterson on to me. How he pleaded for you.

He said something like, "Let the young man fly with his dreams."

Finally I relented, and you did a great job of developing Tata Airlines.

It was one business which you developed personally and could take full credit for.

But Jeh, you were ever so keen about the airline, it must have broken your heart to let it go when the government nationalised it.

JRD: In fact, more than nationalisation, it was the way I was removed from chairmanship that hurt me.

In business, one must take the decision that is felt to be right, but one must also attempt to implement it gracefully.

However, once the government decided to remove me from Air India, I swallowed my pride and accepted it.

Jamsetji: Changing the tack slightly to development of business leaders, Jeh, you referred to Ajit Kerkar and Darbari Seth as great leaders.

I learned early on that the key to my enterprise would be to find the right people to run the businesses.

I recruited an extraordinary man called Bezonji Mehta, a self-made man who had worked in the railway, trained him and he responded very well.

Later when I went into steel, I walked the streets of London and New York to find technocrats.

It was not that I always sought foreign technicians.

For the Taj architecture, I consulted Khanderao Sitaram.

Only after he died, did I bring in W A Chambers.

JRD: Kakaji, I think you make an exceptional point about developing technocrats and managers.

India had no business managers in those days, so Tata had to develop them internally through mentoring as well as real-life and hands-on experience.

Many Tata leaders went on to public positions.

When India was partitioned, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan of Pakistan appointed Sir Ghulam Mohammed, who was a Tata director, as the new nation's first finance minister.

Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of the new Indian government, asked that Tata director Sir John Mathai join the interim Cabinet, first, to be the railway minister, and later to be the second finance minister in the Union Cabinet.

A D Shroff and Nani Palkhivala were two doyens on the Tata Sons board who were as influential as finance ministers without ever becoming finance ministers.

When young Sumant Moolgaokar joined the Tata board, he remarked, "At the lunch table, you felt that Tata belonged to the nation."

Dorab: This is an important part of Tata history.

Jeh, you have rattled off many names of exceptional business leaders, and perhaps, you, more than any of us, needed all of them in free, independent India.

Sumant Moolgaokar in engineering, Faqir Chand Kohli in power and computers, how on earth did you attract them, and lead them?

JRD: You know, early on, I realised that I could not possibly manage all these businesses by myself.

I realised that I was no genius.

Further, my technical education was nipped in the bud because dad asked me to join the business as early as 1924.

So I went right out, looking for people who would be better than I was.

I consciously gave them the space and visibility to stretch and deliver to their full potential.

We had differences, but, after some discussion and argument, I let them do things their way.

In this regard I particularly recall A D Shroff, a hugely talented economist, but also given to strong opinions. I managed to get the best out of him for the nation and for Tata.

What would be the use of recruiting them and then subjugating them to my view, which had its own limitations?

Jamsetji: Well, well, I must say that it is a great tribute to you that you could do this.

A true leader, I reckon, is one who is not so insecure that he needs to impose his views on others arising out of his status or position.

True power must emanate from listening to others and from display of warmth.

Authoritativeness and leadership emanate, not necessarily from status, but from these qualities.

It sure is tough to do that.

Saklatwala: Well, this has been a great conversation.

All of us can feel happy that the institution which we all served and built continues to prosper.

I pray that it continue into the future.

Jamsetji: I join you in your prayer.

Like human beings organisations too need renewal.

Just one individual could have the power to renew an institution and elevate it to founding fathers' expectations if he has two qualifications: First, he should have no past to hide, and second, he should have no personal expectation for the future.'Much depends on Moon's persuasive skill to make both Trump and Kim shed some of their rigidity and be flexible to accommodate contrarian viewpoints,' says Dr Rajaram Panda.

IMAGE: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at Panmunjom inside the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, April 27, 2018. Photograph: Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via Reuters

The table seems to have turned towards peace in the past few months after years of escalatory tensions, nuclear tests, missile launches, even to the tune of the spectre of a possible nuclear holocaust.

All these became possible after a liberal assumed the Presidency in South Korea in 2017 with single-minded determination to normalise ties with the North Korean brethren, bury the past and open a new chapter on the Korean peninsula.

Not only did South Korean President Moon Jae-in make it possible for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in April, but met a second time to take the dialogue further.

Now widening the opening further of the new era of peace-making in the Korean peninsula, the third inter-Korean summit is scheduled to take place on September 18-20, 2018 at Pyeongyang in North Korea.

This inter-Korean bonhomie set the stage for a summit between US President Donald J Trump and Kim Jong Un on June 12, 2018 in Singapore.

Though there are controversies over the outcome of the Singapore summit on the issue of who conceded how much and on what terms, there is now talk about a possible second Trump-Kim summit soon.

The fact that two unpredictable leaders engaging but with no predictable outcomes on the issue of denuclearising the Korean peninsula itself was a significant development.

Each side made claims that success was achieved, but such assertions proved to be mere will-o-the-wisp, at least for now.

Suggestions even surfaced that the sole credit ought to go to Trump to make him a suitable candidate for a Nobel Peace Prize.

The truism, however, is that if at all a Nobel Prize is to be awarded on the peace initiatives, Moon Jae-in is a more suitable candidate to deserve such honour, not Trump.

So, what can one expect from a third Moon-Kim summit on September 18-20?

Standing committed to his resolve to solve the Korean peninsula issue, Moon urged North Korea and the US to 'make bold decisions' ahead of the summit with Kim to break a deepening diplomatic impasse over the North's nuclear ambitions, offering himself to be the negotiator.

The fact remains that Moon is striving hard and is committed to achieve denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula and expects his summit with Kim this week leading to another 'big step' towards denuclearisation.

Coming at a crucial moment in the overall diplomacy that is stuck amid recriminations between Washington and Pyongyang on how to follow through on vows made at the summit in Singapore, the significance of Moon's resolve to realise his aim of riding the North of its nuclear weapons may not be lost sight of.

Dismantling North Korea's nuclear arsenal is Trump's sole objective and he seems determined to achieve this before his term ends. Such a stance is laudable, but the path to achieve this is not simple, if not perilous.

As the main negotiator behind the scenes, Moon expects that while Pyongyang carries out dismantling of its nuclear installation, Washington must take a 'corresponding step', which will facilitate removal of the deep-rooted mutual distrust accumulated during 70 years of hostile relations.

IMAGE: Kim Jong Un, left, and Moon Jae-in at Panmunjom, April 27, 2018. Photograph: Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via Reuters

Though Pyongyang has dismantled its nuclear and rocket engine testing sites following the Moon-Kim and Trump-Kim summits, Washington demands more serious steps which irks Pyongyang.

Moon has noted that Kim has demanded that his efforts must be reciprocated by corresponding US measures such as a joint declaration to end the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Moon's expectations of 'genuine talks' between Trump and Kim look achievable with the news that a second Trump-Kim summit is likely soon.

Steve Biegun, the new US special envoy on North Korea, stressed the need to maintain nuclear diplomacy during his meeting with South Korean envoy Lee Do-hoon.

That Moon has faith in Trump is tremendous news if the commitment for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula remains on track.

Kim reportedly sent Trump a request for a second meeting to follow up their June summit and the credit for this must go to Moon for his perseverance to achieve the objective.

It remains unclear though if the deadlocked nuclear diplomacy is near resolution.

At the June summit, Kim made vague disarmament pledges without revealing a detailed road map or timetable for his denuclearisation process which gave room for analysts to say the promises were pompous bereft of any seriousness.

While interacting with the media in New Delhi on September 13 which I attended, South Korea's Ambassador to India Shin Bongkil observed that the Panmunjom declaration is being implemented in letter and spirit by both Koreas.

In particular, the ambassador mentioned the significance of both sides pushing to open a liaison office at a North Korean border city as part of cooperation between the rivals ahead of the summit.

Both sides also held military talks to ease tensions along the border such as disarming a jointly controlled area at Panmunjom, removing front-line guard posts and conducting joint searches for soldiers missing from the Korean War.

Ways to build mutual trust and prevent armed clashes between the two militaries is now a priority for both Koreas.

Ambassador Shin was also euphoric that Pyongyang did not display any long range missiles at its recent military parade and focused on conventional arms, peace and economic development as it marked the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding.

Though the reduced weapons display compared to the past three years pleased Trump who hailed it as a 'big and very positive statement from North Korea' and its 'commitment to denuclearise' based on the announcement made during the Singapore summit, Kim expects that the US takes corresponding steps to promote the political resolution process for the peninsula issue.

Notwithstanding the exuberance of such optimism, doubts remain about the ways to end the North's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programmes.

When the dates for the third Kim-Moon summit were announced, speculations abound if some headway could be expected on a possible peace declaration and cooperation on joint economic and infrastructure projects.

It remains doubtful if the trust deficit between the two Koreas has been bridged as opinions differ on who gained or conceded how much as there was lack of transparency in the discussions.

Pyongyang is yet to agree to a timeline for eliminating its nuclear arsenal or to disclose its size, which the US estimates have put at between 30 and 60 warheads.

An ever optimistic Moon is likely to visit Washington, as Ambassador Shin informed us on Thursday, to brief Trump after what transpired during his summit with Kim and plan the next step.

Earlier, Ri Son Gwon, chairman of a North Korean committee aiming for the 'peaceful reunification' of the peninsula, told his counterpart, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon: 'If the issues raised at the talks aren't resolved, unexpected problems could emerge and the issues that are already on the schedule may face difficulties.'

If one reads the statement carefully, it is clear that it is not easy to arrive at a consensus to resolve the denuclearisation issue quickly.

Besides the denuclearisation issue which is top of the table, there are some bilateral issues that could confront Moon and Kim at the September 18 to 20 summit.

North Korea is angry with South Korea's alleged complicity in receiving a dozen North Korean restaurant workers who defected via China in 2016. Pyongyang alleges these North Koreans were abducted by the South and therefore should be returned.

This case could create obstacles to the reunion of families divided by the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Though both sides expressed their commitment to resolve the issue on humanitarian issue and/or for the development of inter-Korean relations, the truism is that the issue is complicated.

Another intricate issue that Moon and Kim face is how to go forward with their commitment agreed at their first summit in April to declare an end to the Korean War together with the US.

Washington says this is only possible after the North abandons its nuclear programme.

Moon has other ideas to help the North, but faces hurdles.

South Korea hopes to restart efforts on a cross-peninsula railway and a joint industrial park in Kaesong. but is cautious about major projects due to international sanctions chiefly engineered by Washington over the North's nuclear and missile programmes.

Washington's inflexible position restrains Moon to do what he desires to improve relations with the North.

Pyongyang appreciates Moon's dilemma and blames Washington for continuing with the sanctions despite its goodwill gestures -- a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests, dismantling a nuclear site and returning the remains of US soldiers in the Korean War.

Kim expects Moon to bridge US expectations to speed up progress in officially declaring an end to the war.

According to Christopher Green, a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group, Kim is expected to increase pressure on the South to deliver on economic promises made at the April summit besides persuading Trump to ease sanctions.

Though one need not be entirely pessimistic about a possible outcome from the third Moon-Kim summit, there is no reason for despair either.

Given that the issues on the table are too complicated, there could be several summits and back channel diplomacy in the coming months to address them.

What one can expect is some incremental outcome. Much depends on Moon's persuasive skill to make Trump and Kim shed some of their rigidity and be flexible to accommodate contrarian viewpoints.

That could create a win-win situation and be in the long term interests of not only both the Koreas, but also for security of the region and the world.

Dr Rajaram Panda, former Senior Fellow at the IDSA and until recently ICCR Chair Professor at Reitaku University, Japan, is at present a Lok Sabha Research Fellow.'People beat their chests when the Babri Masjid was brought down, not realising that it was just one event in a chain going back centuries; to look at the last link or two in isolation is absurd.'

IMAGE: The Babri Masjid in Ayodhya before it was brought down on December 6, 1992.

Michel Danino is a French-born naturalised Indian scholar, who in 1977 came to India and settled here 'for good'.

After living in Auroville for a few years, he engaged himself in the preservation of tropical rainforests in the Nilgiri Hills. There he worked extensively on the edition, translation and publication of Sri Aurobindo's and the Mother's works, especially Mother's Agenda.

He also studied Indian archaeology and ancient history so as to understand the roots of Indian civilisation.

In 1996, he wrote his first book The Invasion that Never Was, with an enlarged edition in 2000. His masterpiece, The Lost River: On The Trail of the Saraswati was published in 2010.

Danino -- visiting professor at IIT Gandhinagar (Gujarat), where he helped set up an Archaeological Sciences Centre. -- was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017 for his contribution towards literature and education.

Claude Arpi met him in Pondicherry where he had come to release the fully revised version of his book Sri Aurobindo and India's Rebirth based on Sri Aurobindo's writings.

IMAGE: 'As a visionary, Sri Aurobindo points to India's spiritual foundations as the main source of her national and civilisational strengths which, today, is regarded as politically incorrect,' says Michel Danino. Photograph: Kind courtesy Auroville.org

Your book Sri Aurobindo and India's Rebirth has just been published. What does 'India's rebirth' mean? Why this title, was India really dead?

In a sense, to the freedom-fighters of the early twentieth century, India was half-dead. The need for 'awakening' pervades the entire literature of those times.

Awakening from the long slumber induced by the colonial rule, and in a deeper sense (the one taken by Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo, among others), the slumber of self-oblivion.

Rebirth was, to them, not merely 'nation-making', but a process of self-rediscovery and reawakening of India's strengths.

Who was Sri Aurobindo?

Chronologically (more or less!): A poet, an avid student of Indian civilisation, a freedom-fighter, a visionary of India's mission for herself and for the world, a philosopher, an author, an explorer of the worlds of consciousness, a yogi, an architect of the future.

Why do so very few understand or even acknowledge Sri Aurobindo in India today?

Sri Aurobindo is uncompromising: As a writer, he never endeavours to be 'readable'; you must rise to his level or close the book.

As a philosopher and teacher, he departs from orthodoxies, Western or Indian; he rejects humanism and all hopes for a more 'moral' human being as shallow and ineffectual, and insists on a fundamental change in human nature as the only hope for the species' survival.

As a visionary, he points to India's spiritual foundations as the main source of her national and civilisational strengths which, today, is regarded as politically incorrect.

Most of our eminent Indian intellectuals make no effort to understand his vision, much less his work; for them he was, at best, a 'spiritual figure' (if not a religious one!), and therefore good only for bhaktas.

Take Ramachandra Guha's Makers of Modern India as a symptomatic case: Sri Aurobindo does not figure among them -- neither does Swami Vivekananda, incidentally; modern India apparently owes nothing to them.

No central or state university is named after them. Not that such a lack of recognition matters much in the end: if their work had any intrinsic value, it will outlast our ephemeral second-hand intellectual constructions.

A few words about your other books.

They all had Sri Aurobindo as a starting point, in a way, since his study of the Vedas happened to reject the theory of an Aryan invasion of India. That was not central to his interpretation of the Vedic hymns (which, here too, departed from recent interpretations whether Indian or European), but he was clearly annoyed by this racial and racist theory, which he saw as wholly arbitrary and unsupported by the hymns.

I set off on an exploration to find out the current state of scholarship on the Aryan issue, eventually writing The Invasion That Never Was, which proved quite popular but later left me dissatisfied; in 2006 I wrote an updated and much longer version in French, followed by a multidisciplinary study of the Saraswati river (The Lost River: On The Trail of the Saraswati, 2010).

For the last few years, I have been working on a comprehensive study of the Aryan issue, using it as a pretext to explore the origins of Indian civilisation. I also contributed an essay on Indian culture and the challenges it has been facing (Indian Culture and India's Future, 2011).

Give us your view about the Aryan Invasion. Did the river Saraswati exist or is it a political myth?

My view of the Aryan invasion remains the same: There is no evidence for it, or for a peaceful migration either, and a good deal of counter-evidence.

However, just stating this -- which many scholars, Indian and non-Indian alike, have declared for over a century -- does not resolve the issue, since the Iranian, Central Asian and European sides of the supposed Indo-European migration have to be assessed, and the linguistic problem still calls for a solution.

It's essentially a multidisciplinary issue, which also touches on mythology, archaeoastronomy, genetics and a few more fields, and until all its aspects have been accounted for, no one can claim to have finally resolved it. We are still far from such a solution.

As regards the Saraswati, there can be no doubt that it was a real river; it is praised in the whole early Vedic literature, with details of its geography and progressive disappearance.

In recent times, its identification was determined not by satellite imagery, but way back in the 19th century by a French geographer, Louis Vivien de Saint-Martin, who in 1855 combined those literary references with recent explorations of the Yamuna-Sutlej divide.

The rest of the story can be found in my book. Politics of all hues has indeed barged into such issues, but that is hardly surprising, since archaeology and history have rarely been insulated from politics, being central to the construction of identities.

Tell us what you teach at IIT Gandhinagar. You are also involved with the Archaeological Sciences Centre.

I teach courses on classical Indian civilisation -- its foundations, knowledge systems -- and an introductory course on the history of science and technology in India.

As regards the Archaeological Sciences Centre, which is now over five years old, it conducts and encourages research on the scientific aspects of archaeology, using scientific methods (ranging from various microscopy and characterization techniques to ground-penetrating radar or remote sensing) to investigate excavated sites or materials.

India has lagged behind in this respect, resulting in a poor exploitation of excavated materials; we have a long way to go, but this centre is trying to make a beginning.

Do you find an interest for history among the younger generation today?

I think the number of young Indians interested in history is probably neither more nor less than with previous generations.

On the one hand, the rat race to jobs takes a heavy toll on disciplines that do not offer a fat pay cheque and therefore rarely attract the best talents; on the other, material (including videos) on history is more readily available, although much of it remains of dubious quality.

I have often had students in engineering or scientific disciplines coming to me with a very keen interest in archaeology or history, but having had to succumb to parental pressure.

The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is to drastically improve the pedagogy of history teaching so as to make it creative and captivating to schoolchildren to begin with; the rest would follow more or less automatically.

Is it important to know about the distant past, say, the Aryan question? Is it serious or just a hobby for you? It seems a waste of time when the world is changing so fast, isn't it?

From a certain angle, everything is a waste of time -- including being a successful engineer who happily contributes to the destruction of the planet's environment!

I am not obsessed with the Aryan question; I use it as a tool to explore the origins or Indian civilisation. I am equally interested in other periods or manifestations of Indian history, right up to the struggle for freedom.

Whether we like it or not, the past is never dead and has a knack of catching up with the present and exploding in our faces.

To take a dramatic example (many are less spectacular but equally important), people beat their chests when the Babri Masjid was brought down, not realising that it was just one event in a chain going back centuries; to look at the last link or two in isolation is absurd.

In what way can history help India to face its myriads 'concrete' problems?

In many ways: By helping us understand what Indianness means, and therefore our identity or identities and their complexities; by showing the way to healing some of the festering wounds of the past; by highlighting India's civilisational achievements and knowledge systems in various fields, including her ability to hold together people of such diversity; by clearing up much unnecessary confusion, for instance, in the silly debates on 'secularism'; and sometimes by suggesting workable improvements or solutions to burning problems of the day, whether in polity, agriculture, medicine, water management, environmental protection...

Why did you become a naturalised Indian?

I had in any case decided long ago to spend my life in India, so that was the natural thing to do. I was tired of being seen as a 'foreigner', also of the severe administrative limitations imposed on that status.

Any regret to have come to India and become an Indian?

I never regretted these decisions.

What does it mean for you -- a French-born -- to get the Padma Shri?

A great honour, undoubtedly, though I happen to know many people who deserve it far more. In any case, I never think in terms of honour and rewards; the old philosophy that the work is its own reward has much merit in my eyes.

Any message for the young of India?

Ask, question, explore, challenge, but above all, understand.

Nothing is more pitiful than the spectacle of some of our young 'activists', pale copies of their European counterparts, who spit on what they have never tried to understand in the first place and whose skulls are just echo-chambers.

In the end, what matters is not to accept or reject anything, but to deepen our understanding and grow with it.

We do not belong to the past dawns, but to the noons of the future ...a very rich, a very vast synthesis; a fresh and widely embracing harmonisation of our gains is both an intellectual and a spiritual necessity of the future.-- Sri Aurobindo.'If the Amendment Bill 2016 becomes law, the indigenous people of Assam will become a minority and the language, literature and culture of Assam will be lost.'

IMAGE: Villagers wait outside an NRC centre to get their documents verified by government officials at Mayong Village in Morigaon district in Assam. Photograph: Reuters

Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, former founder-president of the Asom Gana Parishad, was in Delhi to drum up support against a proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act 1955 that he believes is unfair to Assam's 'indigenous' people. He spoke to Radhika Ramaseshan about the issues confronting Assam.

You were the star of the All Assam Students' Union movement for detecting and deporting the so-called foreigners from Assam. After five decades, the exercise is reaching a conclusion of sorts under the leadership of Sarbananda Sonowal, who was your junior colleague in AASU. How do you feel about this?

It's all right. Sonowal joined a national political party (the Bharatiya Janata Party) that is in power in Assam and the Centre.

This issue of detecting non-Indians is a common concern of the AGP, BJP and the Centre.

His (Sonowal's) leadership arises from a democratic system, so the two are not inter-related.

The BJP has stolen the limelight from the AASU-AGP. Do you feel cheated or dejected?

Let's be clear. The National Register of Citizens of India was prepared under the directions of the Supreme Court.

The Court monitored the entire process.

Credit should not go or be claimed by any political party.

Loud claims must be avoided though it may be tempting for a party in power to do it.

You started a protest movement against the proposed amendments to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 under the banner of the Asom Andolan Sangrami Mancha. What are your objections?

Mainly that the changes envisaged go against the spirit of the Assam Accord (signed in 1985 between then PM Rajiv Gandhi and AASU and other student outfits).

The Citizenship Act was amended in 1982 and in its place the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act was enacted only for Assam in 1983 (the IMDT Act was intended to insulate the 'minorities' from the alleged harassment and victimisation by AASU activists).

The Supreme Court struck it down (in 2005).

The Citizenship Act was amended again in 1986 (the 1986 amendment inserted Section 6A under which all persons of Indian origin who had entered Assam before January 1, 1966 were deemed to be Indian citizens while those who came after that date but before March 25, 1971 were to get citizenship upon registration, after a 10- year interregnum. The rest were to be deported under the IMDT Act).

The point is these amendments went against the Assam Accord as a result of which indigenous people of Assam suffered immensely.

If the Amendment Bill 2016 becomes law, the indigenous people of Assam will become a minority and the language, literature and culture of Assam will be lost.

The Assamese people's struggles and sacrifices will go waste (the proposed amendment confers citizenship on illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan).

Have you discussed the contentious amendment with Prime Minister Modi and BJP President Shah?

We have already said what we have to, we staged protests.

Sometime back we met the Union home minister.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee has been set up to look into it. The report is expected by December.

The BJP has stuck to the old divide it drew between the refugees and infiltrators from Bangladesh who live in Assam.

Who will have to compromise, the BJP or the AGP?

Why refugees at the cost of Assam?

If they want to treat people as refugees, why doesn't the government release them in other states? We are clear.

After 1971, whoever came in, whatever be their religion, they must be treated as infiltrators.

The question of compromise doesn't arise.

We don't want this amendment passed.

The NRC authorities have given time to the identified stateless to prove their citizenship. What happens if they can't? Bangladesh said it won't take back a single deportee....

That has to be decided by the Centre and not the state government.

It's not as though Bangladesh has never taken back deportees.

The government there asks for a permanent address (in Bangladesh) and if a deportee can furnish one, he's repatriated.

My government sent back 25 infiltrators.

After the NRC released its list, Arunachal Pradesh turned back the so-called infiltrators who tried to cross over from Assam. Is the north east sitting on a demographic time bomb?

Why only Arunachal? Even Nagaland and Mizoram have the right to throw out such people. Yes, we are sitting on a time bomb.

Assam has remained largely peaceful. On its part, what did the AGP do to ensure things didn't go out of hand?

We told common people that the NRC is required to enable genuine Indian citizens to register.

People understood. Only Mamata Banerjee is creating trouble.

I suggested to her to have an NRC in West Bengal.

In 1951 when the first NRC was prepared in Assam, its population was only 80 lakh (8 million).

Now it's 3.12 crore (31.2 million). Compared to the all-India average, our growth rate is 50 per cent.

It's certainly not for natural reasons.

The AGP and BJP are allies, you have ministers in the Sonowal government. Apart from the amendment, do you have other areas of discord?

The alliance is going on, but it may not be possible if the amendment gets enacted.

This is the only point of disagreement.

The BJP is milking dry the NRC issue not only in the north east, but other parts too. It's become a BJP campaign theme...

Everybody will try to do it. Congress is trying.

The BJP is in power so its campaign will be louder and more forceful.

It could have uneasy ramifications because in Assam, the question of foreigners gets entangled with that of migrants from the other Indian states.

Indeed, both are called outsiders. The Assamese people are also working and living in other states.

If the issue is blown up, won't it endanger everybody's livelihoods?

Migrants are different.

They are Indians, they have the right to vote.

Here again I must clarify that migrants also must submit legacy data.

The problem is a Bengali may genuinely be from West Bengal, but if he's not able to submit legacy data like proof from electoral rolls or land patta, it is problematic.

The 'outsider' term is used only for Bangladeshis, not for Indian migrants.

There's a perceptible churn among the BJP's allies. The Telugu Desam Party and the People's Democratic Party have left the NDA. Where does the AGP stand?

Let 2019 come, then we will discuss.

The AGP was part of non-BJP coalitions that were supported from outside by the Congress, like the United Front. If such a possibility arises after the 2019 elections, do you see the AGP as part of it?

We haven't discussed, but the unity of regional political parties is a must.

Only we will not accept the Congress' leadership.

We joined hands with the BJP to defeat the Congress.

the Congress didn't support the UF government for long. As an ally, the BJP is okay.

So it's decided that you will fight the Lok Sabha polls with the BJP?

The AGP is rising again, so the matter of how we should fight the Lok Sabha polls, alone or in alliance, will be discussed by our leaders.Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent his 68th birthday Monday in his Lok Sabha constituency -- Varanasi -- during which he gave a pep talk to young school children telling them never to feel afraid to ask questions, saying it is a key aspect of learning.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with school children as part of his 68th birthday celebrations, at a school at Narur, Varanasi. Photograph: PIB/PTI Photo

Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi, first interacted with students of a primary school at Narur on the outskirts of the temple town and later met students of the Kashi Vidyapeeth and the children assisted by them at the Diesel Locomotive Works campus.

As students, it is vital to ask questions. Never feel afraid to ask questions. It is a key aspect of learning, Modi said in his interaction at the Narur school on a variety of subjects, calling the children future of India.

A smile lit up the face of the school children when the prime minister said they must give importance to sports and must go out and play since it is essential.

Students must give importance to sports. It is important to learn various skills, this will help you forever.

After the prime minister left the school, one of the students said, Modi kaka told us khelogey to khilogey (you will bloom only if you play).

I came to your school on the special day of Vishwakarma jayanti. My greetings to everyone on this special day, he told the students.

IMAGE: At the school, Modi said, "Students must give importance to sports. It is important to learn various skills, this will help you forever." Photograph: @PMO/Twitter/PTI Photo

Earlier, the students welcomed him enthusiastically saying Swagatam PM. The school is aided by a non-profit organisation, Room to Read.

The children also presented the prime minister greeting cards.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and local MLA Neelkanth Tewari said that as part of Modis birthday celebrations 68 cakes weighing 68 kg each were cut at 68 locations in Varanasi.

Tewari, who is a UP minister, said, Special prayers were being offered in 68 temples to pray for the long life of the PM. About a thousand earthen lamps have been lit at 90 locations.

Medical camps were held at 72 places, he added.

A cleanliness drive was launched on the streets leading to various ghats in the city, including the Ganga ghat and the Vishwanath Temple.

At Panini Kanya Vidyalaya, an yagna (special worship) was conducted for the prime ministers long life.

IMAGE: The children also presented the prime minister greeting cards. Photograph: PIB/PTI Photo

Modi was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2014 from Varanasi and Vadodara, but chose to retain the former saying Mujhe to maa ganga ne bulaya hai.

Earlier, on his arrival, the prime minister was received at the airport by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and state BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey.

Anganwadi workers too were present to thank the prime minister for the slew of benefits announced by him for them recently.

After spending the night, Modi will on Tuesday lay the foundation stone of various development projects, cumulatively worth more than Rs 500 crore, according to a statement by the prime ministers office.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by the Anganwadi workers. Photograph: PIB/PTI Photo

The event will be held at the amphitheatre of Banaras Hindu University.

Among the projects to be inaugurated by Modi are Integrated Power Development Scheme for Puraani Kashi and an Atal Incubation Centre at the BHU.

The projects for which the foundation stone will be laid include the Regional Ophthalmology Centre at the BHU. The prime minister will also address a gathering on Tuesday, the statement said.

Wishes pour in from all over for Modi

IMAGE: Union ministers Prakash Javadekar and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi share sweets as they participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday celebration with a huge laddoo, weighing 568 kg, in New Delhi on Monday. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo

Greetings from all quarters, including his political rivals, poured in on Monday for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who celebrated his 68th birthday in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and his cabinet colleague Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi unveiled a 568-kg laddoo on the occasion.

President Ramnath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah were among the first to greet Modi.

Modi thanked them for their wishes in a series of tweets.

Birthday greetings to our Prime Minister @narendramodi. Wish him a long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country, Kovind tweeted.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee 'hoped' that the PM is 'blessed with a long, healthy and happy life and continue to serve the nation for many more years to come'.

'Pranab Da, your wishes are always a source of strength for me. Thank you,' Modi responded.

Bollywood personalities Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Madhuri Dixit also wished the PM on Twitter.

Naidu, who is in Malta, called up Modi to greet him.

IMAGE: NDA supporters pour milk on a portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his birthday celebration, in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo

Participating at a function organised by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, which is celebrating the PM's birthday as 'Swachhta Diwas', Javadekar said, "Sanitation coverage has significantly increased in the country in last four years."

Under the 'Swachhta Campaign' more than nine crore toilets have been constructed and 450 lakh villages have been declared open defecation free, Javadekar said.

Stating that sanitation coverage was only 30 per cent in the country in the first 60 to 62 years, the Union human resource development minister said under the leadership of Modi the coverage now stood at 90 per cent.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said sanitation has become a mass movement.

'PM Sh @narendramodi has been working with the commitment to 'Clean India, Healthy India'. 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' #SwachhtaHiSeva has today become an effective mission with the participation & passion of common people of the country. (sic)' Naqvi later tweeted.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Stalin as well as Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh, Bihar's Nitish Kumar and Odisha's Naveen Patnaik and Modi's Cabinet colleagues, including Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, also extended their greetings.

Shah hailed Modi's leadership, saying India under him had become synonymous with development and he had infused energy into every section of society like never before.

India has a government under Modi, which is committed to the development of the poor, farmers and every section of society, the BJP chief said in a tweet.

Praying for a long and healthy life for the prime minister, he described Modi as a leader who is loved by all and has provided a decisive and visionary leadership to country.

Rahul Gandhi wished good health and happiness to the prime minister on his birthday.

Happy Birthday to our PM, Narendra Modi ji! Wishing him good health and happiness always, he said on Twitter.Observing that the new Pakistan premier Imran Khan was 'propped up' by the Army, Union minister V K Singh on Monday remained skeptical whether Pakistan has been able to change its attitude towards India, an issue over which Union Home minister Rajnath Singh shared similar sentiments.

Rajnath suggested he did not see any change towards India under Khan though he hoped for Pakistan to change its mindset and that he was praying for this to happen.

Alluding to Khan without directly naming him, V K Singh said it remains to be seen whether 'the person' will be able to bring about a change.

India is adopting a 'wait and watch' approach after the installation of the new government in Pakistan, the minister of state for external affairs told reporters in New Delhi.

Responding to a question on incidents of infiltration at the border after the change of government in Pakistan, he said, "Did you all expect a change? I don't know. After all, the person has been propped up by the (Pakistan) army. The army still rules. So, let's wait and watch how things go -- whether the person remains under army control or doesn't remain under its control."

Dialogue with Pakistan can happen only if the environment is 'conducive' for talks, the minister added on the sidelines of the opening of a two-day conference -- Smart Border Management -- organised by FICCI in New Delhi.

"India's policy is very clear. Dialogue can happen only when the environment is conducive," Singh said when asked whether there have been any attempts from Pakistan to initiate further dialogue with India.

Rajnath Singh, who was in Jammu to inaugurate two pilot projects of high-tech comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS) along the International Border, said he is hoping for a change in Pakistan's mindset and end 'support to terrorism' as India wants good relations with its neighbour.

Asked about Pakistan's continued support to terrorism despite change of government there, Rajnath said, "Pakistan has its own mindset and we cannot change its nature."

"They(Pakistan) have to do it on their own (to give up supporting terrorism). They have to understand how the neighbours are treated. India tried its best, keeping in mind the neighbourly relations, and initiated measures like our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) broke the protocol and visited Pakistan for the sake of better relations but if they fail to understand what one can do, he said.

When asked whether he was hoping that there would be change in Pakistan mindset after the change of the government there, he said he was not hoping so. However, he said, "I am praying for a change to take place there. It will be good."Fortune favours the brave and K Chandrashekar Rao has done well by taking risks and winning it all, says Aditi Phadnis.

K Chandrashekhar Rao (popularly known as KCR) is chief minister of a state that was in 2018 rated number two for the ease of doing business in India.

Possibly on the back of that endorsement, he has proposed advancing the assembly polls from May next year to November this year. He is, clearly, a man who is not afraid of taking risks.

This pretty much sums up KCR. Fortune favours the brave and he has done well by taking risks and winning it all.

He was in the Telugu Desam Party and an MLA for four terms. In 1999, he was close to getting a ministership but was pipped to the post by a fellow Vellama, former Central Bureau of Investigation director Vijaya Rama Rao who had contested the 1999 election and became a first-time MLA.

KCR might not have taken up cudgels on behalf of Telangana if he had become a minister then.

Anyhow, he left the TDP to form the Telangana Rashtra Samiti in 2001, ostensibly to right the wrongs done to Telangana all these years.

It is a battle he fought hard and won. He has not looked back since then. Investment is flowing into Telangana. The capital, Hyderabad, already well-developed, has recovered from the setback of the Telangana movement.

Telangana has been backward for centuries. It never came under the British but was ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad, who did set up a few factories and a textile mill in Warangal in collaboration with the French, but avenues of employment were few and exploitation abounded, something Shyam Benegal had captured eloquently in his film Ankur.

The most crucial infrastructure element -- irrigation system -- was never developed systematically in Telangana although both the Krishna and the Godavari flowed through it.

In contrast, the coastal Andhra region aggressively lobbied for and got a garland of canals that took river waters deep into East and West Godavari districts.

Nothing changed for Telangana over the years. The region became a stronghold of the Communist Party of India and armed struggle came to India first in Telangana.

In 1956, when the Fazal Ali Commission presented its report on the linguistic reorganisation of states, Telangana first refused to integrate and then negotiated too long and hard on the terms on which it would become part of Andhra Pradesh.

What Jawaharlal Nehru called a 'gentlemans agreement' was drawn up -- that Telangana would be recognised as 'virtually' a separate state.

This did not happen for 50 years but the movement -- and feelings -- for a separate state continued to simmer.

In the summer of 2001, Andhra Pradesh had local body elections. The TRS took off so strongly that the TDP won just 10 of the 20 zilla parishads, despite a triangular fight -- among itself, the Congress and the TRS.

Realising its potential, the Congress quickly did a deal with the TRS for the Lok Sabha election.

KCRs rallies proved an instant hit. In the 2004 Lok Sabha and assembly elections, which the TRS fought in alliance with Congress, the party had bagged 26 assembly and five Lok Sabha seats.

He kept petitioning the Congress to give statehood to Telangana. The Congress continued to prevaricate.

Finally, KCR pulled out of the coalition government, resigned as Union labour minister, and threatened to expose the Congress for betraying the people of Telangana.

As chief minister, KCR put in place a number of measures that may seem populist. He waived farm loans up to Rs 1,00,000 but these were broken up into four tranches.

He recently announced a scheme of Rythu Bandhu: Without getting involved in complicated agri-procurement subsidy schemes like the Bhavantar Bhugtan, he said Rs 8,000 per acre would be given to farmers in two phases to cover two sets of cropping seasons.

He also put in place a scheme to correct discrepancies in land records across Telangana. The net result is that KCR will likely coast to victory in Telangana.

He says the TRS is '100 per cent' secular and can never align with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

He also thinks he could never do a deal with a "buffoon' like Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Further moves by him have to be watched carefully.The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday ruled out change in leadership in Goa, claiming Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, admitted to the New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences, is fine.

BJP president Amit Shah has sent three senior members of the party -- B L Santhosh, Ram Lal and Vinay Puranik -- to Goa to take stock of the political situation in the coastal state in view of Parrikar's indisposition.

"Whatever was discussed today will be briefed to you tomorrow. There is no issue about the government and there is no demand of change in leadership from anyone," Ram Lal told reporters after a series of meetings with state BJP leaders and MLAs in Panji.

The three-member team also met BJP's allies in the state.

He declined to divulge details about the meetings, but Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said there is no question of leadership change in the state as Parrikar is "fine".

"During the meetings with central observers today we discussed organisational issues. There is no issue of leadership," Ram Lal said.

Parrikar has been admitted to the AIIMS for follow-up treatment reportedly for a pancreatic ailment.

The 62-year-old IIT engineer-turned-politician is running the BJP-led government with the help of two regional allies -- the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party -- and three Independents.

When pointed out that the GFP has asked for a "permanent solution" for the situation arising out of Parrikar's indisposition, Tendulkar said there is no need to change the leader.

"The chief minister is in good health and there is no need to change the leadership. The core committee (of the Goa BJP) will meet tomorrow," he said.

Earlier, alliance partners had asked the BJP's central observers to a provide permanent solution to the situation arising out of Parrikar's illness and his absence from day-to-day administrative work.

All the three MLAs of the GFP and the Independent legislators met BJP observers this evening in a city hotel.

The series of meetings began in the afternoon when BJP legislators and leaders met the emissaries. This was followed by BJP's alliance partners meeting them.

"We have put forth our points about present political situation in Goa. We have asked them to provide permanent solution," GFP president and Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai told reporters outside the hotel after meeting the observers.

He said the discussion centred around the current political situation in Goa and also preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

BJP leader and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo said the future strategy of the state government would be decided after the observers submit their report.

Lobo said there is no problem in the party but the chief minister not keeping well is a problem.

"The observers are sent by the party high command and they are monitoring the situation. Let them report to the high command (and) come back to us with the solution for the problem," Lobo said.

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane of the BJP said he has given his views about the political situation to the observers and it is now for the party to take a decision.

"We have briefed them about the facts. Each one of us have our own view and we briefed them about it. It is not right to come out in public with what we discussed," Rane said.

All the three MLAs of the MGP separately met the BJP observers but did not speak to mediapersons.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Congress said it is closely watching the developments.

The BJP currently has 14 legislators in the 40-member Assembly, while the GFP and the MGP have three each. The national party is also supported by three Independents.

The Congress has 16 MLAs while the Nationalist Congress Party has one legislator.

The Congress said on Sunday it may explore the possibility of forming a government but "not by compromising the state's interest".

"Our stand is very clear. We will definitely explore all possibilities but that does not mean that we will do it by compromising the ideology or the interest of Goans," All India Congress Committee secretary A Chellakumar, who is also Goa in-charge of the party, said.

"We are not in a hurry to capture power by compromising the interest of the people of Goa. The Congress is accountable to the people," he said.

"All our MLAs are together. We are watching what is going on in the ruling camp. The internal bickering has already started. The Cabinet ministers have started throwing stones at each other," he said.

The Congress leader said all legislators in Goa, cutting across party lines, should take a stand for the sake of the state.

Parrikar was admitted to the AIIMS Saturday morning. He had undergone a three-month-long treatment in the United States earlier this year.

The MGP had said Saturday it was "high time" Parrikar handed over the charge to the senior-most minister in his Cabinet during his absence.The Congresss new treasurer Ahmed Patel has been meeting industrialists and businessmen. He met one of the biggest industrialists of the country last week, but the assurance of any significant donation was half-hearted from the other end.

Business houses arent exactly queuing up to offer donations, reports Archis Mohan.

IMAGE: Congress activists stage a protest over the Rafale deal in New Delhi. Photograph: PTI Photo

Cash-starved and with fewer business houses willing to bet on it, at least not for the forthcoming assembly polls to five states, the Congress on Saturday launched its crowdfunding efforts to finance its Rajasthan assembly election campaign.

The website (external link) showed the Congress collected nearly Rs 200,000 by the end of Sunday, which it said was one per cent of what it hoped to collect during the 77-day campaign.

Party leaders concede that it would be unrealistic to expect the Congress to contest the Rajasthan assembly polls within Rs 20 million, but point to the partys empty coffers that has meant fewer funds for travel and events.

According to a source, the National Students Union of India, the partys students wing, didnt have sufficient money to fund its recently-concluded Delhi University Students Union polls, and was surprised that the eventual results were close.

During the Gujarat polls, the Congress asked leaders from across the country to reach the state to help in the campaign, but could only fund their train travel, when air travel has been customary for the workers of the once-mighty political party, and put them up in dingy hotels.

Several state and district units do not have money to fund their daily activities, which has meant cutting down on money for tea and snacks for guests, including local journalists, and travel by air.

In some cases, bringing in resourceful party leaders, for example the appointment of Niranjan Patnaik as the Odisha party unit chief, has helped galvanise the party.

Madhya Pradesh unit chief Kamal Nath is also expected to show his usual resourcefulness to help the partys election campaign in that state.

Nath has the added headache of raising money for the equally cash-starved Bahujan Samaj Party, the Congress partys potential ally in that state.

According to party sources, the Congresss new treasurer Ahmed Patel has been meeting industrialists and businessmen.

He met one of the biggest industrialists of the country last week, but the assurance of any significant donation was half-hearted from the other end, sources said.

Business houses arent exactly queuing up to offer donations.

If compared with what the Bharatiya Janata Party has received, money through electoral bonds has also been a trickle to the Congress, and non-existent to other parties.

But party sources are hopeful of it all changing for the better if it were to win at least some of the states going to polls.

Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Telangana are scheduled to go for polls in December.

Rajasthan is the best opportunity the Congress has to defeat the BJP, or so the party believes, and recent poll surveys bear it out.

Congress social media chief and former Lok Sabha member Divya Spandana and Kanishka Singh, a former aide of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, are leading the fundraising drive for Rajasthan.

This is the third such effort by the party, and its most ambitious to date.

Spandana had raised nearly Rs 1.1 million for party candidate Yogesh Babu to contest against the BJPs B Sreeramulu, a close confidant of the Reddy brothers, during the Karnataka assembly polls.

The partys second fundraising campaign was to offer support to 30-year-old Muktikant Biswal, who had walked 1,350-km from Odisha to Delhi to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a promise he had made to the people of his village in Rourkela of a super-specialty hospital.

In his appeal, Rajasthan state unit chief Sachin Pilot said: The BJP has enough money, power and resources, they dont lack anything. However, the Congress believes in politics of principles and will create a better future for the youth and farmers of Rajasthan.

The Congress campaign states the equation is now well known. Its the BJPs cash power versus peoples power. During Karnataka polls earlier this year, the BJP spent over Rs 3 billion on advertising alone and thousands of millions on the state election.

On the one hand you have BJP's billionaire friends giving them thousands of millions of rupees to control the media and public opinion, while on the other hand you have distressed farmers, women, jobless youth and citizens struggling to make a living, it states.

The recent campaign against industrialist Anil Ambani has also made some of the big businesses wary of the party, and has meant the party having to reassure them.

But the Congress chief has asked party leaders to not relent on their attack on the industrialist and the Rafale scam.

He has also asked senior lawyers associated with the party that they shouldnt take up Ambanis court cases.Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh does not seek domination and is indifferent to who comes to power, the Hindutva organisations chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Monday, as he launched an unprecedented outreach in a bid to allay apprehensions about its ideology.

IMAGE: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat speaks at the event titled Future of Bharat: An RSS perspective in New Delhi. Photograph: PTI Photo

In his nearly 80-minute long speech on the first day of the three-day conclave, Bhagwat also asserted that RSS is most democratic and not dictatorial, insisting that it neither imposes its ideology nor remote-controls its various affiliates, apparently rejecting criticism that the Bharatiya Janata Party is controlled by it.

Almost all major opposition parties gave the conclave Bhavishya Ka Bharat -- An RSS Perspective a miss though the RSS had invited them, while many BJP leaders, union ministers, Bollywood actors, artists and academicians attended it.

Bhagwat also said Indias diversity must be respected, celebrated and it should not be a reason for any discord in society as he extensively talked about evolution of the nearly nine-decade old RSS and its vision for an inclusive India.

Bhagwat insisted that Hindutva binds us together and our vision of Hindutva is not to oppose or demean anyone.

The mega outreach programme comes at a time when the Congress-led opposition has been ramping up attacks on the RSS, accusing it of promoting divisive ideology and attacking minorities.

Talking about various ideologies that worked during the freedom movement, the 68-year-old RSS leader acknowledged the role of the Congress, which has been among the organisations biggest critics.

In the form of Congress, a big freedom movement had started in the country which gave many great personalities, he said.

Who will be in power, what policy the country will accept is something to be decided by the society and people. There are mechanisms in place for that... We are not concerned about that, what we are concerned about is the conduct of the society, he said adding that RSS does not believe in publicising an individuals work and wants to remain faceless.

The comments assume significance as it is believed that the RSS had a key role in the victory of Modi-led BJP in 2014 and is widely expected to play an important role in the next years Lok Sabha polls as well.

He also asserted, We do not want RSS domination, rather we believe that if the history writes that something good happened in the country because of Sanghs domination, then it will be a big defeat for us. What we want that the country should rise due to the efforts of the common man and its history and present is decided by him.

He further emphasised that the RSS was not after power.

Sangh is the most democratic organisation. We run by consensus. Here every worker can express his views. There are no restrictions... We have started our work to make a certain kind of people and society and we do not want anything else, he added.

Bhagwat said, People often believe that the RSS is a dictatorial organisation and that one man decides everything... If you want to see the most open organisation, then you should come to Sangh. There is no restriction. A RSS worker conducts himself in line with values given to him by organisation.

During his speech, he also rejected oppositions criticism of lack of participation of women in the RSS, saying there is a separate wing for them.

Speaking about holding of the event in the national capital, he said the organisation wanted people to understand its functioning as the work it does is incomparable.

The main aim of the RSS is reforming the society by riding it of its ills, he said, claiming that an RSS worker considers the entire society as his own.

The venue of the event is Vigyan Bhavan, where usually major government events are held and the aim of the three-day conclave is to engage with a cross section of people and present its perspective on future of the country.

Bhagwat, who also extensively quoted RSS founder K B Hedgewar in his speech, said the event was being organised so that people could understand the organisation.

The Opposition, however, stayed away from the event and alleged it has a pre-election agenda to project that the outfit is neither untouchable nor hated.

Many opposition leaders, including those from the Congress said they did not get any invite and would have stayed away even if invited for the event, which comes three months after former president Pranab Mukherjee addressed a function at the Sanghs Nagpur headquarters in June.

The event started with a short introduction by Bajranglal Gupt, the RSS Sanghchalak for north zone.

Prominent personalities present included Metro Man E Sreedharan, Manisha Koirala, Malini Awasthi, Anu Malik, Anu Kapur, Manoj Tiwari, Chetan Chauhan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amar Singh, Swapan Dasgupta, Madhur Bhandarkar, Hansraj Hans, Gajendra, Sanjay Gupta (Jagran group editor).

Union ministers Dr Harshvardhan, Vijay Goel, Arjunram Meghwal and Alphons Kananthanam, as also several BJP leaders including Ram Madhav, Ram Lal and Subramaniam Swamy were also present.Former United States secretary of state John Kerry has torn into Donald Trump for accusing him of holding "illegal" meetings with Iran, saying the American President has the maturity of an "eight-year-old boy with the insecurity of a teenage girl".

Kerry's attack came in response to Trump's tweet accusing the former secretary of state of holding "illegal meetings" with the Iranian government that were "to the detriment of the American people".

"He told them to wait out the Trump Administration! Was he registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act? BAD!" Trump tweeted.

Reacting to the accusation on a late-night talk show on Friday to promote his new memoir Every Day is Extra, Kerry said, "He's the first President who spends more time reading his Twitter likes than his briefing books or the Constitution of the United States".

"Unfortunately, we have a president, literally, for whom 'the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth' is three different things. And you don't even know what they are," Kerry was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.

"He really is the rare combination of an 8-year-old boy -- he's got the maturity of an 8-year-old boy with the insecurity of a teenage girl. It's just who he is," he said.

Kerry's remarks received a mixed response online. While some lauded the comparison as "absolutely priceless" and a "mic drop" moment, many expressed disappointment for his "condescending" and "inaccurate" generalisation of young women.

Matt Summers, a spokesman for Kerry, later defended Kerry's Iran meetings.

"Secretary Kerry stays in touch with his former counterparts around the world just like every previous secretary of state," he said.

Kerry along with other top US officials played a key role in negotiating the 2015 agreement between Iran and several world powers that lifted sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme.RUSSIA: Criminal investigations of 69 Jehovah's Witnesses - list

Publisher Forum 18 Author Victoria Arnold Publication Date 13 September 2018 Cite as Forum 18, RUSSIA: Criminal investigations of 69 Jehovah's Witnesses - list , 13 September 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b9f4f564.html [accessed 9 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/17/2018 --Complete Overhead Door has been offering premium quality commercial and residential garage, roll-up openers, and truck doors since the year 1990. In the recent times, the company offer services to the entire Dallas area, which comprise of Dallas, Fort Worth, Mesquite, Richardson, Rockwall, Garland, Rowlett, Balch Springs, Highland Park, McKinney, Plano, Allen, Addison, Farmers Branch, Irving, Carrollton, Lewisville, North Dallas, Frisco, DeSoto and Lancaster.



The overhead garage door in Dallas and Coppell Texas offered by Complete Overhead Door is regarded as the best. The company is recognized for providing a vast range of commercial garage doors such as roll-up doors, mini-storage doors, rolling security gates, storefronts, truck doors, high-speed doors, fire and breakaway doors, etc. Additionally, the company has the skill to manage any garage door repairs that one can think about, from broken springs that need replacement, to out of order cables, to flawed panels. In case the door is off track, they can assist in getting it back on track again at the most reasonable price rate. Complete Overhead Door provides repair and service for products and circumstances, such as residential doors, crashed doors, panel replacements, tune-ups, garage door parts, garage door springs, and weather seals.



All types of doors and garage door replacement in Coppell and Sasche Texas offered by Complete Overhead Door are built to last and will perform superbly for years with proper care and maintenance. To know more about the types of garage door services that the company offers or to get it replaced and fixed, one can right away call the company at 972-412-6069 or 817-482-1957. In addition to this one can also reach the company by logging to their website and get more details about the services that the company offers. The agents within the company are always ready to assist the customers with their queries.



About Complete Overhead Door

Complete Overhead Door is a popular and a reliable company that offers services such as overhead garage door installation garage door openers and repair services.Los Angeles, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/17/2018 --D&S Security, Inc. is a famous company that offers the best security systems, access control, alarm, video surveillance, and surveillance camera in Long Beach and Los Angeles California. The primary aim of the company is to maximize the effectiveness of the latest technologies to reduce loss and chuck out security risks.



With the availability of high-tech services, most recent procedures and the advanced products, in addition to other inventive technologies the security professionals at D&S Security, Inc. perfectly combine security system that addresses approximately every kind of security risks. D&S Security, Inc. understands that the requirements of the customers are varied and thus they offer tailored solutions and all these assistance help the company to turn out into an all-inclusive, one-stop destination for all of the security necessities.



When it comes to security systems in Burbank and Los Angeles California D&S Security, Inc. is the best choice available. The company has been monitoring and installing high-tech security systems in homes and commercial buildings since the year 1987. D&S Security, Inc intends to keep the customers pleased, and thus they do not hesitate to take that extra step to satisfy them.



Apart from specializing in home security, the company also provides other services such as Closed Circuit Television Systems, UL Central Station Monitoring, Access Control Systems, Fire/Life Safety Systems, Intercom Systems as well as alarm systems. As a wholly devoted company, D&S Security, Inc. makes sure that their central station monitoring will be offering round the clock support to the clients.



To get a free estimate or to schedule an appointment, one can without delay call at 323-224-6700 or on the toll-free number which is 800-521-1958. Moreover, one can also login to the website of the company and fill up the form so that customer care executives from the company can answer them.



About D&S Security

D&S Security, Inc. is a well-known company that offers the top quality security systems, access control, alarm, CCTV and video surveillance in Long Beach, Anaheim, Burbank, Los Angeles, Torrance and the adjacent areas.Los Angeles, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/17/2018 --D&S Security is famous for providing the best safety and security solutions for the homes for over three decades now. Since its inception in the year 1987, the company has been providing the top quality solutions and products to the customers so that they can get the maximum benefit.



D&S Security has been the preferred choice for homeowners and businesses all through greater Southern California that insists on quality, value, sincerity, and truthfulness in security systems and services. Although the main headquarter of the company is located in Southern California the company of late has expanded all through the United States, and it is recognized for delivering total security solutions that provide complete peace of mind. Beginning from attentive analysis to concluding installation and continuous monitoring, D&S Security does approximately all when it comes to safety and security.



D&S Security offers numerous security systems in Burbank and Los Angeles California that when installing within the home as well as the office can give an advantage to both the residents in addition to the employees and visitors. Apart from providing security camera systems, the company also offers other services such as UL Central Station Monitoring, Closed Circuit Television Systems, Fire/Life Safety Systems, Intercom Systems, Access Control Systems, Water flow Monitoring Systems and Burglar Alarm Systems. All these help in improving the safety of the place.



To know more about surveillance camera in Long Beach and Los Angeles California that the company provides, one can call the professionals at D&S Security on 323-224-6700. The company can also be reached on the toll-free number which is 800-521-1958. The customer care representatives working within the company are always available round the clock to attend the customers. Thus, one may get in touch with the company at any given point of time to get solutions.



About D&S Security

D&S Security offers the best quality security systems solutions for the residents of Long Beach Burbank, Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Torrance in addition to the close by areas.Share

Tweet

Pin 33 shares

Note all articles are independently researched and written by myself. However, if you buy via one of the links it may be an affiliate and I may earn a small commission.

Fancy yourself as Steve McQueen? You could start by wearing the Tag Heuer Monaco 50th Anniversary Gulf Edition watch.

Yes, this is the watch Steve McQueen famously wore in the 1960s, but with a slight tweak to celebrate a particular event.

McQueen wore this in the Le Mans movie, as well as the Gulf colours, which are now a part of this classic timepiece.

That is because the latest issue of the Tag Heuer Monaco is a slight reworking to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gulfs first victory in the Le Mans endurance race. So more McQueen for your money.

The watch is an automatic steel device complete with a navy dial with blue and orange stripes, which is, of course, a reference to the livery of the winning Ford GT40. Also present are small second and 30-minute counting sub dials.

The automatic movement in the watch has a 40-hour power reserve, the dial stand out with Super-LumiNova indices and hands and it attaches to your wrist on a buckle-fastening blue calf leather strap. Love the matching box too. Not that you will be looking at that much. But on the days you dont wear it, the Monaco looks impressive in it.

Obviously it doesnt come cheap, although it comes a lot cheaper than the $800,000 someone paid for the original Steve McQueen watch at auction. The price is 4,750.

Find out more at the Mr Porter website

Via His KnibsSat., Nov. 13, 7-8:30 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 14, 2-3:30 p.m.

UIS Performing Arts Center One University Plaza, Springfield Lake Springfield Area

Film & Television

Presented by the University of Illinois Springfield. The generation that fought hardest to come out, is going back in. "Gen Silent" follows the lives of six LGBT seniors living in the Boston area who must choose if they will hide their sexuality in order to survive in the long-term health care system. AgeLinc and the Phoenix Center are co-Hosting along with Illinois HIV Care Connect, Illinois Assistive Technology Program and KW Capital, Keller Williams Realty as sponsors. Seating is limited. Registration is required. AgeLinc, Your Link to Aging Well. 217-787-9234The UK will suffer substantial costs if the country leaves the European Union without a deal, the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday.

Though the UK and the EU have reached agreement in principle on a 21-month implementation period, the "fundamental questionssuch as the future economic relationship between the two and the closely-related question of the status of the land border with Irelandremain unanswered," the lender said.

"Resolving these issues is critical to avoid a "no deal" Brexit on WTO terms that would entail substantial costs for the UK economyand to a lesser extent the EU economiesparticularly if it were to occur in a disorderly fashion," the IMF said in its staff concluding statement of the Article IV mission.

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.Binance, the largest global crypto exchange by traded volume, plans to launch a fiat-to-crypto exchange in Singapore.

Binance co-founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao or CZ tweeted that the company will begin Binance Singapore fiat exchange live money closed beta testing on September 18, in 3 days.

As per reports, CZ while speaking at a recent blockchain event, the Cumberland Summit in Singapore, accidentally revealed plans about the fiat-to-crypto exchange launch. Later that day, the CEO announced the the beta testing in the tweet and said it's invitation only first.

No further details are available. The Singapore exchange is most likely to be launched before the end of the year, and support the local Singapore dollar.

Singapore is considered to be a favorable financial hub with relatively low taxes, a friendly atmosphere, and a good place to launch Initial Coin Offerings or ICOs.

In mid-July, the country was ranked the third most favorable country for ICOs in terms of the number of top global ICO projects.

Hong Kong-based Binance recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding or MOU with the Malta Stock Exchange to launch a new security token exchange in support of Malta's "Blockchain Island" initiative. Binance set up an operational base in crypto-friendly Malta in late March after it fell out of favor with the Japanese financial regulator for failing to get a license to operate in the country.

Binance also announced plans to expand further after Malta by agreeing to develop a compliance base and open a cryptocurrency exchange in Channel Islands Jersey.

In early August, Binance LCX, a joint venture between Binance and Liechtenstein Cryptoassets Exchange, announced the launch of crypto-fiat exchange in Liechtenstein.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business NewsAmazon.com Inc. (AMZN) on Monday unveiled 'Amazon Storefronts,' a new online store for customers to buy exclusively from U.S. small and medium-sized businesses selling on Amazon.

Customers can shop a curated collection of over one million products and deals from nearly 20,000 U.S. small and medium-sized businesses located across all 50 U.S. states. They can also learn about profiled businesses through featured videos and stories.

Amazon Storefronts will feature more than 25 product categories, including Back to School, Halloween, Home, Kitchen, Pet Supplies and Books. At launch, customers can learn and browse more than a dozen businesses that are family-focused, artisans, innovator-makers and women-owned businesses.

The online store will offer customers curated Amazon collections. Each week, the store will highlight a featured U.S. through a fun video.

Nicholas Denissen, Vice President for Amazon said, "Amazon first invited businesses to sell on Amazon nearly two decades ago, and today, small and medium-sized businesses are a vital part of Amazon's large selection and commitment to customers. We're championing their success with this new store and a national advertising campaign featuring a successful Michigan business selling on Amazon to customers across the U.S. and worldwide."

To support the launch of the new store, Amazon unveiled its first-ever national TV commercial featuring real businesses that sell on Amazon. The U.S. small business featured in the national television ad coinciding with the store launch is 'Little Flower Soap Co.'

Amazon noted that half the items sold on its website are from small and medium-sized businesses. More than a million small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. currently sell on Amazon.

According to the Small Business Impact Report introduced by Amazon earlier this year, small and medium-sized businesses selling on Amazon are estimated to have created more than 900,000 jobs worldwide.

In 2017, more than 300,000 U.S.-based small and medium-sized businesses started to sell on Amazon.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business NewsDemocratic candidates are leading in two closely watched Senate races in Arizona and Tennessee, according to the results of a pair of CNN polls released on Monday.

The polls show Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and former Governor Phil Bredesen leading in Arizona and Tennessee, respectively, with Democrats hoping to claim the open seats of two retiring Republican Senators.

Sinema leads Congresswoman Martha McSally, R-Ariz., by 50 percent to 43 percent among likely Arizona voters and by a similar 48 percent to 41 percent among registered voters.

The advantage for Sinema in the race to replace Senator Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., may partly reflect the fact that a majority of Arizona voters disapprove of President Donald's Trump job performance.

Sinema also has a slightly more positive favorability rating than McSally, although both candidates are viewed more favorably than unfavorably.

In Tennessee, Bredesen has a 50 percent to 45 percent lead over Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., among likely voters and a slightly larger 50 percent to 42 percent lead among registered voters.

Trump has a much better approval rating in Tennessee than in Arizona, but Bredesen benefits from strong favorability numbers.

Bredesen has a positive 55 percent to 26 percent favorability rating among likely voters, while Blackburn's favorability rating is split 45 percent to 43 percent.

With Election Day a little less than two months away, vast majorities of voters in both Arizona and Tennessee say their minds are made up, although enough voters could still change their minds to affect both races.

Seventeen percent of likely Arizona voters said they might change their mind before Election Day, while 15 percent of Tennessee voters said the same.

The CNN polls of 1,001 Arizona adults and 1,000 Tennessee adults were both conducted by SSRS from September 11th through September 15th.

In the Arizona survey, the margin of error for total respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, for results among 854 registered voters it is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points, and for results among 761 likely voters it is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

The margin of error for total respondents in the Tennessee survey is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points, for results among 852 registered voters it is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points and for results among 723 likely voters it is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political NewsMF, UN sign a memorandum of understanding to carry ill citizens outside Yemen

[16/September/2018]

SANAA, Sept. 17 (Saba)  The ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations, Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a medical air bridge to carry injured citizens through programmed United Nations flights for six Months which will begin 18/9/2018.





This came during a meeting of Minister of Foreign Hasham Sharf in the capital Sanaa with the manager of and the Resident Representative of the United Nations, Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen Liza Grande on Saturday.







The minister said this is the first step to carry ill citizens outsid Yemen who the aggression did not allow them to traveled outside by Sanaa international airport.





He added the Sanaa airport should be opened because this bridge did not enough to carry all ill cases .





Amal / Ahmed Al-Mutawakelsaba

'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota' wins top award at TIFF (File photo) Director Vasan Bala's action thriller "Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota" won the top award at the 43rd Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which concluded here on Sunday. The film, which was India's first-ever entry into the festival's "Midnight Madness" segment, won the People's Choice

Midnight Madness Award.



But overall, director Peter Farrelly's film "Green Book" about racial segregation in the 1960s US, won the top People's

Choice Award by beating "If Beale Street Could Talk" by director Barry Jenkins and "Roma" by Mexican director Alfonso

Cuaron.



Lady Gaga-starrer "A Star Is Born" and Ryan Gosling-starrer "First Man" about the landing of Neil Armstrong on the moon

were also strong contenders for the top TIFF award -- which has often been seen as an indicator of future Oscar winners.



Vasan Bala's film beat out "Assassination Nation" and "Halloween" to bag the People's Choice Midnight Madness Award. A huge cheer went up when TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey announced the winner.



Accepting the award along with Radhika Madan and Ankur Nayyar, Bala said: "The last time I was called upon stage was

when I was in fourth grade and it was arts and craft... I cut cardboards and glued them together... Similar feeling... I think it

is a similar story. First you write the script and then you are never meant to make the film... Once you make the film, then

you are not meant to be in the festival, once you are meant to be in the festival, you are not meant to finish it in time for



screening. That's my life... I have never meant to be anywhere...thanks TIFF for changing it."



The Mumbai-based director added: "My wife edited the film while feeding my daughter Saiba. This morning I was chatting

with her and my daughter was blowing kisses at me... She is waiting for me to come back. Last but not the least, my

grandpa who encouraged me to watch films and who is probably the is the reason why I wrote this script.

"It feels like a unicorn."



Abhimanyu Dassani makes his debut in "Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota".



Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi has got a valid point. For the safety and welfare of students, he said all schools should start at 9am. Pronto.

Tuilaepas call is timely as the country prepares for daylight savings, which begins next Sunday 30 September and lasts until April next year.

Since 2010, the country has been trying to get used to having to wake up a lot earlier when the time changes.

This has caused a number of problems. Not only have many citizens complained that it has cost them more in terms of electricity, there is another issue that is far more serious.

It involves the safety and security of children, especially young girls, who have to leave home while it is still dark, to catch the bus to school. In some cases, their vulnerability to being sexually abused on buses and other forms of public transport under such conditions has been exploited by ruthless predators who have identified the opportunity.

Now Prime Minister Tuilaepa is clearly irritated about this but instead of doing something about the perpetrators, he has hit out at the poor School Principals and teachers.

Some teachers just have thick brains, they are not thinking properly, he said.

Tuilaepa accused some private schools of not heeding the advice by the Government to change their starting time from 8am to 9am.

All government schools have been given directives to change the time school starts but some schools are not heeding this advice, he said.

The problem is that no matter the explanation I give to change the starting time for classes, some people just dont want to understand.

The Prime Minister went on to say that Samoa opted for daylight savings because it saves electricity and money. Now this claim is debatable.

Since daylight savings was implemented some eight years ago, we have not seen a cost and benefit analysis of the decision. Nada.

We really need a proper cost and benefit analysis. You see, the Government keeps harping on about savings to electricity and whatnot, but where is the proof?

In the beginning, daylight savings was talked up as the answer to improving agriculture development. Again we ask, where is the proof? How has daylight savings improved agriculture developments over the years, if it has improved at all? Do we have statistics to prove it?

Anybody can say anything but numbers dont lie.

That said, we agree that there are benefits to longer evenings. But do they outweigh the negatives?

Let us be reminded today that Samoa is not a wealthy country. Compelling commerce, industry and agriculture to commence operation some three hours before sunrise must put considerable strain on the power grid. During this time of darkness, electricity is entirely derived from fossil fuel. This contributes to climate change and more.

Now getting back to the Prime Minister blasting those poor School Principals and Teachers who had no say in the decision in the first place, we believe it is quite unfair.

If there is anyone with the thick brains, its got to be those lauia in the Government who came up with this idea of daylight savings in the first place. It is not Principals and teachers who should be blamed.

There is a really simple solution to all this of course.

All Prime Minister Tuilaepa needs to do is stop this daylight savings madness. He can do it. With all the power in the world at his fingertips, he can surely get the Government to rethink the wisdom of daylight savings. That way, there will be no need for this name calling business, students will be safer, teachers happier to teach and everything will be just fine.

What do you think?

Have a fabulous Tuesday Samoa, God bless!Re: A true man of God

Rubbish. Its not the churchs money, its my money, already being taxed and Im giving it to the church or faifeau fully aware that hes going to use it for his keeping. Thats why the Levites didnt get an inheritance of the land.

Letaa is just a man with an opinion the same as you/me or anybody else.

We all have opinions, why shouldnt they be allowed to have an opinion as well?

Theres enough antagonist in this issue the warrant government to reconsider or come up with another method to solicit a consensus amongst its members instead of bullying tactics.

Thats the bitter taste in mouths of some, the same with the land rights debate L.T.R.A. 2008.

As long as the debate is not satisfied we all have the right to hear it. To ram it down someones throat on the account as being legal makes it an unrighteous law and its not a sin to disobey an unrighteous law. Pauls teachings in the epistles are guidelines because the new testament church is no longer subjected under any law as long as our conscience can testify in its righteousness.

The question of a righteousness under the law are arguments of hypocrites and not I, you or Letaa can claim it to be right because its legal.

The issue keeps on appearing because the government as the instigator of the law is being put in checked and reminded of their short comings time and time again which is by right our responsibility as humans and as tax payers.

The Samoa Observer can choose to write about it as long as their constitutional rights as citizens is not satisfied.

Theyre not forcing you to read which is your absolute right to choose.

SteveA Canadian man accused of possession of ice appeared before Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu yesterday.

William Ernest Rockliffe, 50, is accused of possession of narcotics and possession of utensils.

He was represented by lawyer, Lefau Harry Schuster.

Chief Justice Patu adjourned the matter to 1 October 2018 as requested by prosecution Leone Sua-Mailo so they can finalise the charges.

Mr. Rockliffe is released on bail and has been ordered to surrender all travel documents.

Earlier this month, Customs and police allegedly discovered the drug methamphetamine, better known as ice on a yacht, which is now docked at the Marina Bay.

The discovery was made during a joint operation involving more than 20 officials from various government agencies.

The vessel has been cordoned off at the wharf with the police restricting access by putting up barricade tapes. It is also alleged the yacht belongs to Mr. Rockliffe.The Ministry of Revenue and an Australian aviation company are in a tussle over the ownership of a multimillion-tala helicopter the Customs had planned to auction.

The helicopter made headlines in Samoa in early 2016 when the newly incorporated firm back then, Samoa Helicopters Company, won the backing of the Government to set up Samoas first medical evacuation and search and rescue operation.

But the project went bust six months later, with their Office in Apia shut and Company Founder and Principal Rodger McCutcheon, leaving town.

Early this month, the Ministry of Revenue advised of the public auction sale of helicopter in a public notice published in the 2 September 2018 edition of the Samoa Observer.

The auction was set for 15 September 2018 for a helicopter - Model AS350VA manufactured in 1981  with the minimum bidding price set at $60,000 tala.

All interested bidders had to register with the Ministry of Revenue prior to the auction date and the successful bidder had two hours after the close of auction to remove the aircraft.

But in a new twist to the story, there is opposition to the planned auction with Australian pilot Michael van der Zypp  who previously worked with Mr. McCutcheon in Tonga, where they also coincidentally launched a helicopter-based medical evacuation and search and rescue operation  telling the Samoa Observer yesterday that he has tried unsuccessfully over the last two years to get the Government to release his companys helicopter.

The Samoa Observer contacted the Ministry yesterday for comment, in relation to Mr. Zypps ownership claim and his opposition to the auction.

The reporter was referred to the C.E.O. Avalisa Viali Fautuaalii, who said they would issue a statement outlining the Ministry of Revenues position.

This newspaper had yet to get the statement last night by the time this edition went to press.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday from America, Mr. van der Zypp said the Australian-based company, Helicopter Group, owns the helicopter that is registered as VH-VWA on the Australian Aircraft Registry.

It has now been two years and we have tried unsuccessfully to have it moved. It needs to come back to Australia to be re-serviced, I am not sure if it (helicopter) can be flown again, he said.

However, the auction that the Ministry of Revenue scheduled for September 15, which it then deferred to September 22, has now been put off until further notice.

The Ministry, in another public notice dated September 10, 2018 advised that the indefinite deferral gives those who have an interest in the helicopter, to write formally to the Controller of Customs to request that the seizure of the aircraft is reconsidered. Parties who wish to submit letters of seizure reconsideration have until October 5, 2018.

It is understood Mr. van der Zypp intends to travel to Samoa to put forward his case and is in touch with a local legal representative.

The helicopter according to aviation enthusiasts will go for about US$750,000 on the open market.

Mr McCutcheon, who now resides in New Zealand, did not respond to questions sent by this newspaper to his social media account.A man accused of the death of a Chinese man earlier this month has been identified as Tauinaola Laupua, of Salelavalu, Gataivai and Vaitele-fou.

The 31-year-old appeared before Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu yesterday.

Leone Sua-Mailo, of the Attorney Generals Office, sought a two-week adjournment to finalise the charges.

Chief Justice Patu granted the application.

He also asked Laupua whether he wants a lawyer to represent him.

He said yes.

Chief Justice Patu then told the accused that two weeks is enough time to find a lawyer.

If you cannot afford a lawyer, then you must tell the prison officers to take you the office of the registrar so you can fill out a form to apply for legal aid, he said.

The matter was adjourned to 1 October 2018.

The family of the deceased was seen inside the Courtroom with a picture of the deceased.

According to Police reports, the accused is charged with robbery and murder.

The deceased was identified by his wife, Shine Meli as Charles Chao.

She said her husband had injuries to his head and face, and he was a volunteer at the Anglican School at Leifiifi.

Mr. Chao and wife have a six months old son.The World Banks Board of Executive Directors has approved a US$35.75 million (T$95.09m) grant to improve the climate resilience of Samoas road network and facilitate a rapid response in the event of a natural disaster.

Thousands of residents on Samoas two main islands, Upolu and Savaii, will benefit directly from this investment.

Safe, reliable and resilient roads are critical to our nations economic development, connecting people, facilitating the rapid movement of goods, and enabling people to access vital services, said Minister of Finance Sili Epa Tuioti in a statement by the World Bank.

The Government of Samoa has been working with the World Bank on improving our road network through multiple projects for more than a decade, and we are pleased to see this partnership continue.

The Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project is the first in a series under the Pacific Climate Resilient Transport Program that focuses on building resilience in infrastructure and institutions through four components:

1. Technical assistance to improve the way that climate change is factored into road development, including through better asset management and planning systems;

2. Infrastructure investments to improve the climate resilience of the West Coast Road between Malua and Faleolo, and slope protection and stabilisation and drainage on the East Coast Road to reduce landslip and rock fall hazards. Further works will include the replacement of the Afega Bridge and the Lano Ford Crossing, and a study into potential future upgrades of Alafaalava Road;

3. Institutional and regulatory reforms for road sector asset management and maintenance, including measures to strengthen local capacity and to increase the sustainability of climate resilient road investments; and

4. A provision for the Government of Samoa to redirect uncommitted project funds to rapidly fund urgent post-disaster rehabilitation or reconstruction needs in the event of a major natural disaster.

Samoas transport network is highly vulnerable to various factors including sea level-rise, storm surges, flooding and landslides, largely due to its proximity to the coastline, said Michel Kerf, Country Director for Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands in the statement.

This project will build on the works and lessons learned under the World Bank-funded Enhanced Road Access Project, which has successfully rehabilitated Vaitele Street and rebuilt Leone Bridge to climate resilient standards.

The Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project is funded through a US$35.75 million grant from the International Development Association, the World Banks fund for the worlds most in-need countries.Stressed out and overwhelmed travellers, mostly from developed countries, are looking for a way out of the fast life in order to find simplicity and mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a trending term we hear often but for those who apply the principles have called it the answer to modern ailments of anxiety and depression.

But mindfulness is also something Samoa does effortlessly in the sleepy villages with its slow paced lifestyle, still developing economy and strong cultural traditions.

Its what the world wants and needs if the growing trillion dollar global wellness tourism industry is anything to go by.

Which is why New Zealand based business woman and personal trainer, Jenny Rieder, decided that Samoa is the perfect location for her clients to nurture their minds, bodies and spirits by launching her brand of Elysian Retreats at the Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa during the weekend.

Originally she had planned to host it in Bali but decided on her first visit to Samoa a few moons ago that Samoa was the perfect setting for what she wanted for her clients.

Originally I was going to do this in Bali, I went to Bali three times and I thought its already done over here and its done well, she said.

Its much easier for my clients to come to Samoa instead of taking the big long hop to Bali, its two days of travel so I planned a holiday in Samoa and when I came I just fell in love with it and this was the spot.

While Samoa Tourism gets China ready by modifying or changing its offerings to suit a larger audience, people like Ms. Rieder are saying that the apparent shortcomings are exactly what people in the business of wellness tourism are looking for.

Thats why we are here because people arent coping in the environment we are creating, she laughs.

Were chasing something that really isnt real. Of course there should be goals and things to meet but deciding who you want to be is important, deciding where you want to go is important. We want to be people who enjoy life.

Ms. Rieder puts her findings down to a feeling saying that she followed a hunch once she experienced Samoa for the first time and she knew that her clients would find the space and the stillness to rejuvenate and re-evaluate their priorities to live healthier and happier lives.

To be honest, its the energy here, she said. The energy of the place is very settling and calming and I love that it wasnt commercialised, it still has its national culture deeply embedded within in it and you can easily see that and you can also see the natural beauty of it all.

During the weekend, Elysian Retreat invited local business owner and entrepreneur, Lufilufi Rasmussen to speak about her personal and business journey as well as her organic skincare line, Misiluki.

I was actually at a duty free shop at Faleolo International Airport on the way out and I came across some beautiful skincare products and I realised that they were made in Samoa. I looked it up on the website and found that Misiluki values aligned with what I believed are good life values. So I sent Misiluki an instagram message.

The 33- year-old entrepreneur has been pleased with her clients response to the inaugural Elysian Wellness Retreat in Samoa and she is looking to build on the success of the event by continuing to host Elysian retreats around Samoa.The handover ceremony of 110 tunnel and shade houses to 80 farmers earlier this month was part of the fourth phase of the China  Samoa Agricultural Technical Aid Project.

The recipients were selected last year from over 200 applicants and went through agricultural technical training throughout this year to ensure that they were equipped with new vegetable cultivation technology skills to grow new varieties and maintain the cost efficient vegetable production technologies.

Malaefono organic plantation owner, Tausala Cook, was one of the recipients of a shade house and technical training through the project and she said it was an enhancement to her fruit farming operation.

Having the shade house is a big bonus, I am an agriculturalist who never liked dealing with plants that are finicky such as leafy vegetables and only grew enough to feed my family and supply certain people, she said.

But having the shade house now will help me tap further in the vegetable market and it goes hand in hand in enhancing my small operation of being a fruit farmer. My heartfelt thanks to Mr. Jim Liu and his team of agriculture experts

Mr. Liu and his team of specialists visited more than 200 farm households in Samoa last year, with Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries field staff to conduct surveys and inspections. Ms. Cook put her name forward and was successful in her application. According to her, technical training was ongoing throughout this year before the official handover.

Having any expert come through and talk about different alternatives to farming is always helpful. Like they say there is more than one way to skin a catwith farming or any career in general you never stop learning.

At the ceremony earlier in the month, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Lopaoo Natanielu Mua congratulated the recipients of the tunnel and shade houses pointing out that the initiative contributes significantly towards the realisation of desired objectives in the Samoa Development Strategy and Agriculture Sector Plan.

I must say from my short tenure as the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, just over one year now, this is one partnership that has visibly shown and proven significant positive economic and social impacts on the lives of our farmers.

The main objective of this activity is to increase the production of safe and high quality vegetables with the ultimate aim of improving the welfare of our farmers.

Lopaoo also issued a reminder to the farmers that the Ministry will take a use it or lose it approach to farmers who do not utilise the technologies. He added any decision M.A.F. will make to invest in more tunnel and shade houses for farmers in the future, will depend to a significant extent, on the success of the operations of your model farms.

I just want to remind you all that our Ministry will continue to support those farmers who help themselves, Lopaoo said

The handover of these tunnel and shade houses to you is not only the transfer of property for your use, but also transfer of responsibility to you for their maintenance. Because at the end of the day, only you will reap the economic and social benefits associated with these production technologies.

And I will not shy away from saying that those of you who will not fully utilise the tunnel and shade houses for their intended purposes, our Ministry will have second thoughts in providing any further assistance towards your agriculture related developments.

The group of 80 farmers (58 from Upolu and 22 in Savaii) were selected from over 200 interested farmers, which included farmers from our three farmers associations (Samoa Farmers Association, Samoa Federated Farmers Incorporated, and Savaii Farmers Association), the prize winners of our 2017 Agriculture Show, and SACEP beneficiaries.Jobs in San Diego are plentiful. The local unemployment rate is about 3.5 percent. And yet employers continue to scrutinize applicants, often using investigative agencies to conduct background checks.

Late last month the California Supreme Court ruled that, where a background check goes beyond requesting an applicants credit records, to seek information through personal interviews or other means about an applicants character, an employer must satisfy the requirements of the states Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act. The high courts core holding was that the ICRAA was not rendered unconstitutionally vague as applied to employment background checks because it partially overlaps with the states Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act.

The employer in Connor v. First Student notified each bus driver applicant that the company may have investigative agency USIS prepare a report containing information about the applicants character, general reputation, educational background, or any other information reflecting on the applicants suitability for the job gathered from any individual or other source.

An employer need only inform the applicant that a report is being requested -- and not obtain the applicants written authorization -- if the employer only seeks the applicants credit records. But an employer seeking information beyond an applicants credit records must comply with the ICRAAs greater formality in obtaining [the applicants] credit records, for example, getting the applicants written authorization to conduct a credit check if it appears possible that the information ultimately received may be covered by the ICRAA.

Advertisement

To avoid substantial penalties for violating the ICRAA, an employer that wants to do a background check that may uncover information about the applicants character, beyond the applicants credit record alone, should comply with the disclosure and authorization provisions of the ICRAA rather than the more limited CCRAA disclosures.

And dont forget other legal restrictions on background checks. An employer may not conduct even a bare credit check on an applicant unless the job sought falls within a handful of categories, including an executive position or one with access to the employers trade secrets. Before requesting a consumer credit report for employment, an employer must notify the individual of the specific exception that applies.

An employer also may not ask about or look into an applicants criminal record until a conditional job offer has been extended. California law does not prohibit employers from rejecting applicants with a criminal record. As a Florida appellate court observed nearly 40 years ago, however, categorically disqualifying those with a criminal record would fl[y] in the face of the premise that society must make a reasonable effort to rehabilitate those who have gone astray.

Still, it would be a mistake -- even in a tight labor market -- to skip background checks or disregard altogether issues a background check uncovers.

Courts have held that an employer has no duty to conduct a background check of every employee. An employer nonetheless may be liable to a third person, such as a customer, for negligently hiring an unfit employee who harms the person if the employer knew or should have known that hiring the employee created a particular risk of harm that later materializes.

A Los Angeles federal judge recently applied those principles to allow church members to proceed with their action against a church that had hired a financial advisor to guide them, even though a background check exposed the advisors lengthy disciplinary record from governmental and financial regulators. The members lost over a million dollars they had invested through the advisor.

Background checks can protect your business from making a bad hire. But an employer generally should obtain written authorization from an applicant to conduct a background check as part of complying with the broadest applicable requirements of state law. If an applicant declines to authorize a background check, move on.

Dan Eaton is a partner with the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek where his practice focuses on defending and advising employers. He also is an instructor at the San Diego State University Fowler College of Business where he teaches classes in business ethics and employment law. He may be reached at eaton@scmv.com. His Twitter handle is @DanEatonlaw.Hispanic Heritage Month will be celebrated at two East County community colleges starting in mid-September.

Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges are calling their celebration Latinx Heritage Month, and it will run through Nov. 1. The colleges chose the word Latinx to be inclusive of all descendants of people from Latin America.

The free events include music and dance performances at Cuyamaca College and a visit to Grossmont College by poet/performance artist Yosimar Reyes.

Other events at the colleges include:

Advertisement

Latinx Delineation: Media Portrayals of la Familia and the Effects on la Cultura, a lecture by Cross-Cultural Studies instructor Raymundo Quezada from 11 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Sept. 18 at Grossmont College.

The Border Corrido: Music of Resistance, a workshop on the development of the border corrido, from 12:30 p.m until 1:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at Cuyamaca College. Corrido is popular narrative song/poetry in ballad form.

Tile of our People will be held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Oct. 4 at Cuyamaca College. Students will paint a tile mural with the theme, What does Latinx mean? during the event.

UndocuJoy: Shifting the Perspective in Undocumented Representation, a talk by Reyes from 9:30 until 10:45 a.m. Oct. 11 at Grossmont College. Reyes will explore how undocumented artists are creating works that give people hope.

The final scheduled event as part of the colleges celebration will be Dia de los Muertos Altar and Presentation, followed by food, music and discussion, from 11 a.m. until noon Nov. 1 at Cuyamaca College.

Grossmont College is at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon; Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in El Cajon.

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.comElectric scooters have found their way into La Mesa, and the motorized mode of transportation has ruffled some feathers in the city.

At the end of August, about 200 Bird scooters were dropped off at various spots in the city by representatives of the year-old Santa Monica-based company.

The scooters, for those 18 years old and up with a valid drivers license, have been popular modes of transportation in downtown San Diego, Hillcrest and Pacific beach since late January.

Earlier this month, several La Mesa-based online communities took note of the flock, sparking heated conversations about the scooters.

Advertisement

Many have welcomed the new climate-friendly mode of transportation, but others are taking exception, citing blocked sidewalks and irresponsible riders. Emails to the city have asked Mayor Mark Arapostathis and the rest of the City Council to explain the sudden appearance and ask for city oversight.

Arapostathis said he knows the scooters, permeating all across our state, can be controversial. At the same time, he said, he was glad that Bird chose La Mesa as a place for its scooters,because it is up and coming and that were on the the map now.

Last week, the City Council had a robust discussion about the scooters  and to a lesser extent the sprinkling across the city of dockless bicycles  with any major decisions on their fate to be rendered in the future.

While some cities have taken exception to mobility companies dropping their bikes and scooters on sidewalks without first consulting with officials, City Councilmen Bill Baber and Guy McWhirter invited Bird Community Relations Manager Sophie Beckerman to speak about the companys venture in La Mesa.

Beckerman praised the city for being vibrant and transit-oriented and said the company saw an opportunity to test the scooters as an alternative mobility choice in La Mesa. She also offered an apology to the city for the scooters showing up virtually unannounced.

We wish to remedy that by publicly committing to working with the and the community to help promote safety and good practices, Beckerman said. We really want to be a part of the community to help foster shared mobility as an alternative mode of transportation and help the city of La Mesa attain sustainability goals.

Beckerman said the company has a Save our Sidewalks pledge. She explained that Bird will incrementally deploy scooters, remove them at night, organize them in the mornings and respond quickly to moving scooters that block public and private walkways.

She also mentioned the companys plan for revenue sharing. She said Bird partners with municipalities for public safety needs and creating more infrastructure for pedestrians and shared mobility.

Bird uses an app that allows riders to unlock the scooters from a phone. Cost to ride is $1 to start and 15 cents a minute.

The companys How It Works page discusses safe riding and the need to follow all traffic rules. It explains how to start the scooter and how to ride it, use the brake and locking the scooter at the end of the ride. Bird offers a free helmet to regular users.

Bird requires its customers to ride in the street, near the curb and recommends bike lanes and prohibits riding on sidewalks. It also explains that parking needs to be away from the public pathway and suggests parking near bike racks when available.

Scooters are charged after 9 p.m. by Bird catchers, people who sign up to be company chargers. Bird sends the workers special charging equipment, pays them to charge the scooters overnight and place them at designated nests by 7 the next morning.

Bird also employs repair persons to fix broken scooters. Oren Hertz, a mechanic for Bird, also spoke at the meeting, promising that rider safety and public safety is the companys No. 1 concern.

Beckerman said the company provides a toll-free number for people to report unsafe riding, scooters being ridden on sidewalks and poor parking.

Susan Wayne said she was concerned about traffic, parked cars on major thoroughfares and distracted drivers interfering with the safety of bike riders and scooters in La Mesa. She said La Mesa and San Diego lack the cohesive infrastructure needed for bikes and scooters to be used as a major form of transportation.

She pressed the city to put in Class One bike lanes  not just painted bike lanes  that will further protect riders. She said she liked Birds idea of revenue sharing to help pay for some of the infrastructure needs.

Knikki Royster said the scooters are a good addition to the city and that she had spoken to several happy riders, including one who used it to quickly get from his place of work to the San Diego Trolley. She also relayed a story of a family of four using the scooters riding around La Mesa.

I thought, how wonderful that theyre off their cell phones, theyre out and about, Royster said. Out in the beautiful climate that we have here, riding and getting fresh air, enjoying each others company.

Arapostathis said he was wary of too much regulation, but said city staff would continue to discuss a partnership, plans and needs with Bird.

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.comLemon Grove is taking its first steps in planning for an emergency homeless shelter, a requirement mandated by the state for all cities and counties in California.

The emergency shelter plan is part of the citys housing element, but the city does not yet have the funding in its budget for one, nor does it have an operator.

However, all jurisdictions must plan for one, and Lemon Groves newly formed Community Advisory Commission (CAC) met on Sept. 11 to start the discussion about possible areas for an emergency shelter. The proposed shelter would offer temporary housing for individuals and families who are homeless.

The commission will meet again before giving a recommendation to the Planning Commission later this year. The City Council is not expected to make a decision until next year on a place where a shelter could be located.

Advertisement

In its discussion about the shelter, the CAC determined that it would operate from late afternoon to the next morning. It would provide meals, a cot and some case management services. A report shared at the meeting said that people typically stay in emergency homeless shelters for up to six months.

A shelter in the city would be welcome news for Brenda Hammond, a regular speaker at Lemon Grove, La Mesa and El Cajon City Council meetings. Hammond, 58, has been homeless since 2010. Hammond lives in her car, and says there is a need for a shelter in Lemon Grove.

The most recent San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless Point-In-Time Count identified 58 Lemon Grove homeless persons. Hammond says by her count there are anywhere between 15 and 20 homeless persons she sees on a regular basis in Lemon Grove.

She said she has spoken with several fellow homeless individuals about the citys early plans for a site for a shelter and several inquired about their need for electrical outlets. Many of the homeless have cellphones that need to be charged.

The city needs to get the homeless people together and say, Hey, we want to do this for you, what do you want? What do you need? What will help our vision on this,  Hammond said.

Areas the CAC are considering for recommendation to the city include: along East Broadway, on North Avenue, in the citys general/heavy commercial area, in the citys light industrial zone and at a facility already under San Diego County jurisdiction.

The city will hold a public workshop on the need for an emergency homeless shelter and the sites discussed by the commission at 5 p.m. on Oct. 9 at the Community Center. The next step after public discussion will be a recommendation by the CAC in November to Lemon Groves recently revived Planning Commission.

The city must work on the plan for a shelter or the California Department of Housing and Community Development can issue a 30-day notice to revoke the citys housing element. Since 1969, the state has required that all local governments adequately plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in their communities.

By March 1, 2019, Lemon Grove will have to provide documentation to HCD that the city has made a final decision on where a shelter would go.

The CAC discussed keeping the shelter away from a medical marijuana dispensary and close to public transportation with a safe pathway to schools to support those with children.

Those are well-thought-out, good ideas, but also expensive, said former City Councilman Tom Clabby, now part of the eight-member CAC. I keep asking myself, Where is all the finance going to come from? Thats the bottom line.

Clabby said he still has many questions as the city moves forward.

How many homeless does Lemon Grove have, because its so transient? Clabby said. Its close to not only San Diego but also La Mesa. Ive heard numbers go from eight to 60. Basically, the commission is saying were going to have a facility that can handle up to 60.

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.comSan Ysidro is home to a new center that offers free services to residents who are on the hunt for a job.

The center is run by Goodwill Industries of San Diego County, which operates three other locations. The center in San Ysidro, located at 630 Front St. next to a Goodwill retail store, opened its doors on Thursday.

It replaces a location in Chula Vista that has closed.

The free services include job search assistance, resume building and interview preparation. The center includes computers and a classroom where Goodwill Industries will host free workshops.

Advertisement

The workshops cover topics including preparation for hiring events, communication skills, conflict management and computer basics.

In addition to working with job-seekers, Goodwill Industries career advisers also help businesses find prospective job candidates.

Both employees and employers will benefit from the new training center and the multitude of programs and workshops offered by Goodwill Industries, said Andrew Phillip, interim president of Civic San Diego, which helped fund the center.

The redevelopment agency provided $12.6 million in tax credits to help Goodwill Industries fund projects in San Ysidro, including an outlet center and a distribution facility.

Councilman David Alvarez, whose district includes the low-income community, said he was excited to welcome the center to San Ysidro.

This employment center will help enrich our communitys workforce and overall bring new opportunities, Alvarez said.

Goodwill Industries regularly puts on hiring events at its centers to fill positions within Goodwill, which currently has about 50 open positions across the county. Jobs include sales person, donation center attendant and truck driver assistant.

Goodwill uses revenue from the sale of donated goods to support the job training programs and employment services.

The center is open to residents 18 years and older who are legally able to work in the U.S.

According to the latest data, San Diego Countys unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in July, an increase from a nearly two-decade low of 2.9 percent in April and May.

The three other Goodwill Industries centers in the county are located in Escondido, Oceanside and Point Loma. Anyone who wants more information about the centers may visit sdgoodwill.org.

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandezThe German companies KUTEC and Ercosplan and Switzerlands Seps Salt & Evaporation Plants Ltda are competing for a contract to design a lithium carbonate plant in Bolivia, the Andean nations government said.

The lithium carbonate produced at the plant is to be used in the manufacture of lithiumion battery cathodes.

The companies bids were submitted early this week and will be evaluated over the next two or three weeks, the Mining Ministrys National Management Committee for Evaporitic Resources said in a statement Tuesday.

Ercosplan offered to carry out the engineering work for approximately $3.1 million, while KUTEC and Seps Salt each submitted a $4.8 million bid, according to official figures.

Anuncio

A lithium carbonate pilot plant was inaugurated in 2013 at the largely untapped Uyuni salt flats, which cover a 10,000sq.kilometer (3,860sq.mile) area of southwest Bolivia and are the largest known reserve of the worlds lightest metal.

President Evo Morales wants Bolivias lithium reserves to be processed and industrialized at home and says foreign partners only will be brought on board if they agree to build a lithiumion battery plant and electric cars in the Andean nation.

The leftist head of state recently said Bolivia will invest $617 million through 2018 to develop its lithium industry, on top of the $115 million already invested through 2014.

A Chinesebuilt lithiumion battery pilot plant intended primarily for the training of Bolivian technicians was inaugurated in February 2014.September 17, 1973 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.

Monday, September 17, 1973

On Sept.17, 1973, the Evening Tribune began putting out the newspaper at its new custom-built Mission Valley plant. The San Diego Union soon followed suit.

In May 2016, The Union-Tribune offices moved back downtown, after 43 years in Mission Valley. The newspaper is now printed in Los Angeles.

Here are the first few paragraphs of the story:

Tribune arrives at new home

Weve moved.

The Evening Tribune began operating from its new home in Mission Valley today.

The newspaper youre reading could become a collectors item: Its one of the first to be fully produced in the highly automated $24-million-plus complex at 350 Camino de la Reina.

The San Diego Union will start publishing in the new facility Oct. 1.

Extra copies of todays Tribune may be purchased at the front circulation counter off the first-floor lobby of the new office building.

Newspaper executives say the new offset printing process now being used by the Tribune will double the quality of its product, formerly produced by the old letterpress method.

Quality will continue to improve as employes become skilled in operating the all-new equipment.

New telephone numbers are:

Editorial offices  299-3131. Circulation  299-4141. Action Line  299-6161.

Classified advertisings number will remain 233-8080 until Oct. 1, when the facility will be in full operation.

The Tribunes Post Office Box 191 will be retained, as will its 92112 zip code.

The complex contains nearly 400,000 sq. ft. of floor space, compared with 165,000 sq. ft. at the old plant at 919 2nd Ave., where the Tribune published since 1943.

The facility is located on 12.8 acres and consists of two major structuresfive-story office building and a three-story production building.

The equipment within the buildings makes the Tribune of of the most highly automated plants in the nation and one of the largest printed by the offset process.

It includes:

 Scanners  optical-character-recognition devices  which read copy and produce perforated tape at a rate of 1,200 words a minute.

 Computers with 40 million storage locations.

 Electronic phototypsetting machines which set type at up to 3,000 lines a minute (replacing Linotype machines with a top output of about 14 lines a minute).

Three presses weighing 1,500 tons which will use 35,000 miles of newsprint and 170,000 lbs. of ink monthly.

 Video display terminals with keyboards to correct copy.

Metal type is not used in the offset process. Instead, type is set by an electronic photocomposing machine and pasted on pages in the composing machine and pasted on pages in the composing room.

The full-sized pages are then photographed in the plate-making department, where negatives and plates are processed.

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.The citys recent announcement that $50 million has become available to help fund affordable rentals was good news for low-income families, but also revealed how far San Diego has to go to meet a pressing need.

San Diego Housing Commission President Rick Gentry said the money is expected to help create about 560 units, which may be built over the next few years.

The citys Regional Housing Need Estimates from 2010 projected that San Diego has to build 38,680 affordable rental housing units before 2020 to meet the areas need.

The most recent available data shows that as of 2017, only 4,410 units had been completed, or about 11 percent of the goal.

Advertisement

Its a big gap to fill, but there has been some progress. Besides the units that will created with the new pool of money, the Housing Commission has several other projects in the pipeline that will add to the citys low-income needs. Previously released Housing Commission loans were taken out by developers to create 862 affordable units, including some that have already opened.

There also is a possibility that voters will support an initiative that could appear on the 2020 ballot to raise $900 million for affordable housing projects.

That initiative had been led by the San Diego Housing Federation, a regional nonprofit coalition of developers, advocates, and other organizations that promote affordable housing.

Stephen Russell, executive director of the federation, said the initiative would release $150 million annually for six years and leverage state funds to help create 7,500 units for low-income and homeless San Diegans.

If we had $150 million a year for six years, it would build enough housing for everyone who is chronically homeless in San Diego, Russell said. But it would take six years to build. Housing doesnt just appear.

The 7,500 units also would include 2,500 for veterans and 2,500 for low-wage working families, he said.

For every local dollar that would become available for low-income housing projects, developers could receive $3 from other sources, including tax credits. Acquiring that funding takes time, which is why building affordable housing can take a couple of years longer than building market-value houses, Russell said.

And even with the best-case scenarios that would see projects developed quickly and a ballot initiative that would bring in more housing funds, the city still faces a formidable uphill challenge in meeting the citys basic housing needs.

A Housing Commission report released last September found the city must produce 17,000 units a year just to keep up with growth and 24,000 a year to catch up with the existing shortfall.

The most the city has ever produced in a year is 6,400 units.

What San Diego needs is more growth and, I think, greater density, Gentry said.

Despite the grim projections, both Russell and Gentry see cause for optimism in what has been accomplished and with news of funding for more than 500 additional affordable units.

We need it, and the 500 families who will be impacted, it means the world, Russell said.

Gentry also takes some pride in the projects that are in the pipeline.

Theres 407 units, plus 455 units, he said of projects that developers are working on with Housing Commission funding. And weve got two properities finished. Thats 862 units, or 862 people off the street. And thats not too shabby. Weve also set aside 4,000 vouchers for homelessness. We are addressing the issues. Its just that the issues are not going away.

In the commissions original Housing First - San Diego initiative in 2014, $30 million was made available for developers of eight projects. The 62-unit Cypress Apartments opened in July 2017, followed by the 59-unit Talmadge Gateway project that same month.

Projects expected to open later this year are the 38-unit Vista del Puente, the 8-unit Nook East Village and the 84-unit Zephyr Grantville Veterans Apartments.

Finishing out the $30 million awards, the 79-unit Bluewater veterans housing project and the 52-unit Lofts at Normal Heights are expected to open next summer, and the 25-unit Post 310 Apartments is expected to open in winter 2019.

Another $30 million in awards was presented to four projects in 2016. The 79-unit Stella family housing project is expected to open in summer 2019, the 65-unit Encanto Village is expected in spring 2019, the 79 New Palace Hotel is scheduled for fall 2018 and the 137-unit Paseo la Paz in San Ysidro is expected to be completed in fall 2019. Approval of a 95-unit project is pending.

The funding announced last week included $20 million for permanent support housing under the commissions Housing First - San Diego initiative. Gentry said projects with support services take longer to develop, so applications for the money will be open until Sept. 4, 2020.

Another $20 million is available for affordable rental housing development, and $10 million is available for rehabilitation projects and will be funded through the citys Community Development Block Grants. Applications for both are open until Dec. 4.

Homeless Playlist  On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the woman who has accused him of sexually assaulting her decades ago will testify publicly before the Senate next Monday, setting up a potentially dramatic and politically perilous hearing that could determine the fate of his nomination.

Republicans, including President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., remained defiant as they scrambled to protect Kavanaughs nomination in the wake of the allegation by Christine Blasey Ford, who told The Washington Post in an interview published Sunday that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back, groped her and put his hand over her mouth at a house party in the early 1980s.

But by the end of the day, Senate Republicans had delayed a committee vote planned for Thursday and abandoned tentative plans for the matter to be handled behind closed doors amid growing calls by members of both parties for Kavanaugh and Ford to testify publicly under oath, injecting uncertainty into the nomination.

The White House said in a statement that Kavanaugh looks forward to a hearing where he can clear his name of this false allegation and stands poised to testify as soon as the Senate is ready to hear him.

Advertisement

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said that his staff had contacted Ford to hear her account and held a follow-up call with Kavanaugh Monday afternoon but that Democrats had declined to participate.

However, to provide ample transparency, we will hold a public hearing Monday to give these recent allegations a full airing, he said.

Trump on Monday defended Kavanaugh, praising him as one of the finest people that anybody has known and signaling that he supports a proposed hearing on the allegations.

We want to go through a full process, Trump told reporters at an event on workforce development. He added that the Senate will go through a process and hear everybody out.

He called Kavanaugh somebody very special who never even had a little blemish on his record. And he criticized Democrats, who he said should have done this a lot sooner because they had this information for many months.

If it takes a little delay, itll take a little delay, Trump said of the confirmation process. It will, Im sure, work out very well.

Trumps comments marked his first public response after The Post reported Sunday on Fords accusation against Kavanaugh.

An attorney for Ford said Monday that Ford is willing to testify about the allegations before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In an article published Sunday, Ford told The Washington Post that one summer in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend - both stumbling drunk, Ford alleges - corralled her in a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County, Maryland.

While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth.

Kavanaugh on Monday issued a fresh denial of the allegations, which have roiled his confirmation process. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a member of the committee, said that Kavanaugh told him in a conversation Monday that he was not present at the party in question.

If I recall it correctly, he wasnt even there, Hatch said. I believe him. Hes a person of immense integrity. Ive known him for a long time, hes always been straightforward, honest, truthful, and a very, very decent man.

Ford has never said where and when the party occurred.

Democrats are insisting that the FBI handle the matter by reopening Kavanaughs background investigation rather having committee staff make calls.

In view of the enormity and seriousness of these allegations, a staff-only phone call behind closed doors is unacceptable and Democratic staff will not participate. This isnt how things should be done and is in complete violation of how this committee has worked in the past, Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats said in their statement.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also called for the FBI to investigate.

Republicans and their staff cannot investigate these allegations. Theyve already said theyre not true, he said in remarks on the Senate floor.

The double standard - the twisting of this body into a cruel, nasty partisanship, unprecedented in a feverish desire to fill the bench with people that the other side agrees with - its one of the lowest points I have seen in my years here, Schumer said.

His remarks came shortly after McConnell took to the floor to blast Democrats for not raising Fords accusation earlier in the process.

But now - now, at the 11th hour, with committee votes on schedule after Democrats have spent weeks and weeks searching for any possible reason that the nomination should be delayed - now, now, they choose to introduce this allegation, McConnell said.

The offer from Fords attorney prompted a growing number of calls from senators - including moderates in both parties whose votes are key to Kavanaughs fate - to hold another hearing at which both Ford and Kavanaugh could testify publicly.

Debra Katz, a lawyer for Ford, shared her clients willingness to testify during a round of television interviews on Monday morning.

Shes willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth, Katz said on NBCs Today show when asked whether her client would speak publicly about Trumps Supreme Court nominee.

Kavanaugh said Monday he is willing to talk to the committee in any way it deems appropriate.

I have never done anything like what the accuser describes - to her or to anyone, he said in a statement. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

Underscoring the uncertainty Kavanaugh faces, four senators considered swing votes on the nomination issued statements Monday calling for a thorough review of the allegations by Ford, a professor in California.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, tweeted that Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh should both testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee.

Three red-state Democrats, Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, also called for hearings.

Given the nature of these allegations, and the number of outstanding questions, I believe the Judiciary Committee should hold off on Thursdays scheduled vote, Donnelly said.

Heitkamp said it takes courage for any woman to speak up about sexual assault, and we need to respect Prof. Ford by listening to her and hearing her story.

Manchin, meanwhile, said Ford deserves to be heard, and Kavanaugh deserves a chance to clear his name during a hearing.

I hope they will be given the opportunity to do that as quickly as possible, Manchin said.

Kavanaugh was at the White House on Monday morning, but according to a senior official, he did not meet with Trump. The official said Kavanaugh has been coming to the White House often for meetings during the confirmation process.

Many GOP activists stood firmly by Kavanaugh amid the firestorm and prepared for a drawn-out battle over his nomination.

The Judicial Crisis Network, a conservative group that has been a major proponent of Republican nominees to the high court, said on Monday that it would launch a $1.5 million advertising blitz to support him, featuring a longtime friend of the federal judge who would speak to his character.

We are not going to allow a last-minute smear campaign destroy a good and decent man who has an unblemished personal record, an adviser to the Judicial Crisis Network said in a statement.

During the NBC interview, Katz characterized Kavanaughs actions as attempted rape, adding that her client feels that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped.

Ford is not taking a position on whether Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination, Katz said. She believes that these allegations obviously bear on his character and his fitness, and the denials of course bear on his character and fitness.

Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee, Republicans who are retiring at the end of this term, have joined Democrats in urging a delay in the vote until the committee hears from Ford.

Amid the uproar, Republicans continued to express anger Monday that Fords allegations did not surface until after Kavanaughs confirmation hearings.

Feinstein received a letter from Ford in July in which Ford asked to remain anonymous. Ford has said she decided to come forward only when her name began leaking out.

In a statement, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said that the Judiciary Committee should handle the allegation through its normal process, which begins with follow-up calls.

That Democrats have so egregiously mishandled this up until now is no excuse for us to do the same, said Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber. If Democrats reject the committee handling this swiftly and in a bipartisan way through regular order, then its clear that their only intention is to smear Judge Kavanaugh and derail his nomination.

The Washington Posts Robert Costa, Sean Sullivan and Gabriel Pogrung contributed to this report.The white Dallas police officer who killed her black neighbor inside his home has moved out of the apartment complex.

Staff members at South Side Flats informed other residents of Amber Guygers move in a Sunday email, according to TV station WFAA.

Guyger, who has been charged with manslaughter, lived in the unit right directly below 26-year-old Botham Jean. She claimed she mistook his apartment for her own after driving to the wrong floor in their parking garage.

She has vacated her apartment and no longer resides at our community, the email read, according to WFAA.

Advertisement

A grand jury could decide on more serious charges against the 30-year-old Guyger, but Jeans family questioned why it took three days for her to be charged in the Sept. 6 shooting.

Botham Jean was shot and killed in his own apartment. (Handout)

Jean family lawyers also criticized the release of an affadavit that relied heavily on Guygers version of events. She claimed that she had worked a 15-hour shift and that Jeans door was ajar, but his family said he would never leave his door unlocked.

Demonstrators rolled empty coffins outside AT&T Stadium before the Cowboys beat the Giants on Sunday night to protest Jeans death and the fatal police shooting of black man Oshae Terry in Arlington.

I will fly anywhere, I will walk anywhere, I will ride my bike anywhere, Dallas resident Milton Perkins told the Morning News newspaper. Its got to stop.

In honoring [Jeans] legacy we stand against any attempt to assassinate his character, Rev. Michael Waters told the newspaper. There must be justice in the living room and justice in the streets.

With News Wire ServicesA longtime employee of the University of Massachusetts Amherst says he was racially profiled by someone who called the cops to report an agitated black male on campus.

Reginald Andrade said he was following his normal daily routine on Friday when he was questioned by officers as he headed for his job in the disability office in the main administration building.

A caller, who was not identified, had contacted the schools tip line to say that a very agitated black man had walked into the administration building with a large duffel bag ... hanging off a strap, very heavy hanging on the ground, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette newspaper.

How can somebody just walk by me, not even speaking, and try to discern that I was agitated? Andrade told the newspaper. This is when it becomes dangerous, when people know how to push the buttons of law enforcement ... Those were those strong key buzzwords: agitated black man dragging a heavy bag.

Advertisement

The building was actually locked down for 30 minutes as the tip was investigated.

During this search, while were in the building, other staff are saying, Whats going on? So, we told them and gave them the description, University Police Chief Tyrone Parham told the Massachusetts Daily Collegian. Some of the staff were clearly like Oh, I think I know who that is. [He] comes in everyday, works out, carries a large backpack, etc. etc. So, within minutes, we figure all of this out and know this is actually a person who works in the building.

Parham told the Daily Collegian that they were focused on the behavior described in the message, and not necessarily the description of the person.

University Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy wrote in an email to the campus obtained by the Gazette that we are living at the intersection of two very trying issues.

We must all do our part to respond quickly to perceived threats of potential violence on campus, and we must build an inclusive community that respects everyone and rejects profiling, Subbaswamy wrote.

With News Wire ServicesA 3-month-old boy was killed when a large tree fell on his mobile home in North Carolina on Sunday as the death toll from Hurricane Florence increased to 31 people.

Little Kade Gill was fatally injured during the tragic accident in the town of Dallas. Kade is believed to be the first person in the Charlotte area killed by the storm, according to the State newspaper.

The boy was at his home with other members of his family when the pine tree fell.

It basically just cut the trailer in half, Gaston County Police Capt. Jon Leatherwood told the State.

Advertisement

Dad Olen Gill told TV station WBTV that Kade was alive and crying when they got him out of the home, but he later died from his injuries.

We knew that the winds, everything with the storm ... we were watching the trees in the back that were leaning, but I guess the whole time we were watching the wrong ones, Olen Gill told the station.

The family said they did all they could to protect their son from the storm.

I even moved the living room around to make sure his swing wasnt in the path of these trees, mother Tammy Gill told the station.

Kade was born five weeks early and battled in the intensive care unit for 10 days, his family told WBTV.

Officials said Monday that Kaiden Lee-Welchs body has been found. (Handout)

In addition, authorities have found the body of a 1-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters in North Carolina after his mother lost her grip on him.

Kaiden Lee-Welch and his mother were on their way to visit relatives when she drove past some barricades on a highway. She later said she believed it was OK because the barricades were off to the side. Her car was swept off the road.

The Union County Sheriffs Office said Monday that Kaidens body has been found.

About 500,000 people have been left without power, mostly in North Carolina, officials say.

Even though Florence was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical depression, the deadly storm was still dumping rain and had reached top winds of 30 mph early Monday. Forecasters said it was expected to gradually pick up forward speed and complete a turn toward the Northeast.

Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina ... but were also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out, FEMAs Brock Long told Fox News on Sunday.

Road access has been cut off to the North Carolina city of Wilmington, officials say.

New Bern, N.C. was also hit very hard. The flooding there is said to have caused at least $600 million dollars in damages, city manager Mark Stephens said Monday.

Town officials have estimated that roughly 4,300 homes and 300 businesses were damaged or destroyed. These numbers could get worse as flood waters continue to rise.

Our city has suffered, obviously, one of the most devastating storms in its 308-year history this past week, Stephens said at the press conference. As you can expect this is a significant setback at the hands of mother nature but we will prevail.

Amid the storm darkness, there were some bright lights.

As Hurricane Florence was ready to blow into into the Southeast coast, a trucker from Greenback, Tenn., rescued 53 dogs and 11 cats with his yellow school bus.

Animal lover Tony Alsup, 51, drove to South Carolina last Monday to save the leftovers from crowded animal shelters, according to the Greenvale News.

Alsup drove to four shelters in South Carolina. We take on the ones that deserve a chance even though they are big and a little ugly. But I love big dogs, and we find places for them, said Alsup, referring to the animals that arent easily adopted.

With News Wire ServicesLOS ANGELES  A Colombian drug kingpin who participated in a violent ring that used planes, speedboats and submarines to smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars in cocaine faced federal trafficking charges Friday in a Los Angeles courtroom, prosecutors said.

Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva is among nearly four dozen defendants charged in a vast conspiracy to ship tons of cocaine from South America through Mexico to the U.S.

The indictment unsealed Thursday was unique in targeting people throughout the drug distribution chain from the source of where the coke was produced in Colombia to investors in Mexico, transportation coordinators, houses where the drugs were stashed and to large scale distributors in the U.S., federal prosecutors said.

Cuellar-Silva, who was extradited Thursday from Colombia, was a high-ranking member of the drug ring headed by Mexican fugitive Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum, who is one of the most-wanted drug traffickers in the world, prosecutors said.

Advertisement

Chavez-Gastelum and his son, Alonso Jaime Gastelum-Salazar, are also charged in the indictment with two counts of murder in Mexico. One of the victims was tortured and dismembered, and the grisly act was shot on video obtained by investigators, prosecutors said.

This drug ring has spread death and misery across the Americas and to other parts of the world, which makes this case among the most significant drug trafficking cases ever brought in this district, U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna said.

This undated photo released by the U.S. Attorneys Office Central District of California shows Alonso Jaime Gastelum-Salazar. (AP)

Authorities seized more than 7,700 pounds (3,500 kilograms) of cocaine with a street value over $500 million during the three-year investigation.

The seizures included cocaine recovered after a plane was shot down by the Venezuelan military and crashed in the Caribbean, Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Barron said.

Other drugs seized included nearly a ton of cocaine (833 kilograms) floating in bales off the coast of Tumaco, Colombia, and more than 1,500 pounds (700 kilograms) of cocaine and over 60 pounds (30 kilograms) of methamphetamine seized in a Tijuana, Mexico, house.

The indictment charged 47 people in the drug operation. Seven defendants were arrested in the U.S. on Thursday, four were in custody in Thailand and about a half-dozen were facing extradition from Colombia. The others remained at large.

Cuellar-Silva pleaded not guilty and was held in custody, Barron said. A defense lawyer representing him said he had no comment.

If convicted of the charges, Cuellar-Silva and Chavez-Gastelum face up to life in prison, prosecutors said.San Diego is considering new regulations for local massage businesses so police can more quickly shut down those engaged in prostitution and human trafficking.

Each of the roughly 650 massage businesses in San Diego would be required to obtain a city permit that could be immediately revoked if the business conducts illicit activities.

Without the permit requirement, local police and City Attorney Mara Elliott must use a time consuming and costly legal process available under the states Red-Light Abatement Act.

Local groups fighting human trafficking have estimated that about 100 of the massage businesses in San Diego are engaged in prostitution, human trafficking or related illegal conduct.

Advertisement

They say San Diego is particularly vulnerable to those problems because of the large presence of people in the military, many of whom have recently served in foreign countries where prostitution may be legal or isnt as frowned upon.

Councilman Chris Cate of Mira Mesa is proposing the new regulations, which would allow San Diego to join a growing list of cities requiring local permits.

The goal of proposing changes is to provide the San Diego Police Department and City Attorneys Office with the tools needed to effectively and efficiently shut down bad actors and combat human trafficking in massage establishments, while lifting up the legitimate profession of massage therapy, Cate said in a news release.

Most cities in California essentially turned over massage licensing to the state in 2009, when new legislation created a system in which individual massage therapists must be certified by the California Massage Therapy Council.

So in San Diego and many other cities, massage businesses have no longer been required to obtain a local permit if all of their therapists have been certified by the state.

That approach has been blamed for making it harder to shut down massage businesses engaged in illegal activity, prompting the state Legislature to pass new legislation last year to encourage -- but not require -- local governments to resume requiring their own permits.

The legislature witnessed how well it worked when local government made use of a revocable registration tool, said Ahmos Netanel, chief executive of the California Massage Therapy Council. Even though they did not mandate it, they encouraged cities and counties to look into this.

Netanel said his group also encourages cities and counties to require permits, but he said its crucial the regulations and fees not be onerous.

We support city of San Diego efforts to make sure massage is not being used as a subterfuge for any kind of illicit activities, Netanel said by phone on Monday. The whole idea is striking a balance.

The owners of local massage businesses did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Cates proposal.

A phone call to the California chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association, which advocates for therapists but not for massage businesses, also wasnt returned.

Netanel predicted the owners of legitimate local massage businesses would embrace a revived permit requirement if San Diego does it right.

The industry will always support any kind of regulations that go after the bad apples but at the same time respect the legitimate therapeutic massage providers and do not impede their ability to provide this very important service to the community, he said.

In addition to reviving the permit requirement, Cate is proposing San Diego update its municipal code to include a robust list of grounds for permit suspension and revocation.

Cate said those grounds would include all violations outlined in California Business Professions Code Section 4609 and other violations relating to prostitution, human trafficking and lewdness.

He also wants the legislation to prevent massage businesses shut down for illegal activity from re-opening on the same site for at least two years and to block them from avoiding shutdown by transferring control of the business to a new owner during prosecution.

Cate also proposes that the fee for permits be relatively low and that city officials consider discounts for small massage businesses owned and operated by just one therapist.

Acting police Lt. Daniel Meyer said by email on Monday that Cates proposal would provide additional tools to combat prostitution and human trafficking, which he called priority issues.

This proposal would provide the Police Department with the ability to take regulatory action against all massage establishments throughout the city when violations of law are discovered through the police permitting and inspection process; as is seen in other police regulated industries, Meyer said.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrickProposals to accelerate paying off San Diegos pension debt of $2.76 billion are sharply dividing the citys pension board, which decided on Friday to delay any decisions until late October or early November.

Supporters say the citys relatively strong financial position makes it possible and prudent to accelerate debt reduction by increasing the citys annual pension payment in coming years, which would likely require budget cuts.

They contend such a move would reduce the chances of leaving taxpayers with a long-term bill they cant afford and soften any crisis San Diego would face if the stock market suffers the kind of downturn many financial analysts are predicting.

Opponents of the idea say San Diegos pension system already takes among the most conservative overall approaches to pension debt in the state and that policies in place are projected to reduce the debt below $1 billion by 2038.

Advertisement

They also say that proposals to accelerate debt reduction would only quicken that pace by a few years, but would likely force the city to immediately cut services like road repair, library hours and parks maintenance.

A vote on the proposals was scheduled for Friday, but a board majority decided to delay any decisions to an upcoming board retreat where accelerating debt reduction can be considered among several related topics.

Pension system officials said no date has been set for the retreat but that it will take place in late October or early November  before the boards next regular meeting on Nov. 9.

The proposals seek to modify longstanding policies that soften the impacts of new pension debt by spreading corresponding increases in the citys pension payment over 15 or 30 years.

When the system suffers a financial loss, like the 2008 stock market crash, the new debt from such a loss is spread over 15 years instead of paid off immediately.

When the systems actuary decides its necessary to change some assumptions, like how well the stock market will perform in coming years or how long retirees will live, new debt from such assumption changes is spread over 30 years.

A survey of 36 other pension systems conducted by the citys actuary, Gene Kalwarski, found that using 15 years for debt from financial losses is among the most conservative approaches.

The survey, however, found that using 30 years for assumption changes is among the least conservative, with 15 years being the most common and 20 years a close second.

Board member Bill Haynor said on Friday that San Diego should shift to 15 years, contending the city will probably never pay off its pension debt without such a move because a recession is inevitable.

He also said the city is in relatively strong position to cover higher pension payments thanks to a long bull market and thriving tax revenues from a sustained economic expansion after the downturn of 2008 and 2009.

I think we have an opportunity right here and now to make an adjustment, he said. The citys in better shape now than its been in a long time.

Board member George Kenney agreed that policy changes make sense.

These are the good times -- we should prepare ourselves for an eventual downturn, could be five years from now or it could be tomorrow, he said.

The citys projected pension debt has increased from $1.2 billion to nearly $2.8 billion since 2007.

Some say the city could be on a path toward repeating underfunding schemes more than a decade ago that caused huge pension payment increases, drastic budget cuts and eventually earned San Diego the nickname Enron by the Sea.

Kenney said the city quickly absorbing a higher pension payment could help avoid such scenarios.

I hope the city can weather that because it could make a big difference in the future, he said.

Kalwaraski, the actuary, recommended the board stick with the 30-year policy for debts caused by assumption changes, contending that San Diego already has the most conservative policies in other areas.

That includes a 6.5 percent long-term projection of investment growth, the lowest in the entire state. The city dropped that rate just last year from 7 percent, which spiked the pension debt by $549 million.

Lower investment returns hike pension debt because the greater the return on pension system investments, the less taxpayer money the city needs to spend longterm covering pension payments to retired employees.

Board member Almis Udrys agreed with Kalwarski. He said San Diego is clearly among the most conservative pension systems in the state, despite the 30-year policy on spreading out debt from assumption changes.

Udrys also said it makes sense for the board to consider changing the 30-year policy at the same time it discusses related topics at the retreat.

Those topics may will include whether the city should strive to increase the percentage of its pension debt thats fully funded above the current 70 percent, what the new percentage should be and how quickly the city should try to get there.

I think we owe it to our members to sit down and have a strategic planning session and talk through all the various levers we discussed, he said. I think without that session I wouldnt be prepared to really change anything.

Board chairman Valentine Hoy said he was prepared on Friday to replace the 30-year policy with a 20-year policy, which he called low-hanging fruit. Hoy eventually agreed that any policy changes should be discussed during the retreat.

Board member Jeffrey Wallace said he has no interest in the proposed policy changes.

This is a money grab, he said, contending the pension system was trying to take money from the city and pension system members based on the vague threat of a recession.

He also noted that a state Supreme Court ruling last month that San Diegos 2012 pension cuts were illegal could force the city to open its pension system to thousands of employees hired since then.

We are making drastic changes to a plan that may be evolving in the future, he said.

Wallace also said Haynor and other policy change supporters have overstated the citys financial well being, noting that the city has been forced to make targeted budget cuts two years in a row.

Ian Clampett, deputy chief of staff for Councilman Chris Cate, offered similar sentiments and urged the board to not make any changes.

We want to make sure decisions are made based on a presumption of what services taxpayers have to forego, Clampett said.

Board member Thanasi Preovolos disagreed, contending board members should only consider the impact on city finances of a policy change if they have a genuine concern the city could eventually default on pension payments to retirees.

I really want to stay away from the city can afford and the city cant afford, he said. Its not our job to decide whats good and bad for the city. The city entered into its (labor) agreements to fund this benefit. Our job is to make sure that benefit gets paid for.

Changing the 30-year policy to 15 years for debt from economic assumptions would increase the citys annual pension payment by roughly $7 million per year. The citys pension debt would drop below $1 billion in 2034 instead of 2037.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrickMission Valley may soon get a new attraction and community gathering place: an 18-acre park and educational center focused on the San Diego River and the areas history before decades of intense development.

Fundraising is under way for the $8.5 million project, which is slated to include a large viewing deck, water features and a concession area. The San Diego Planning Commission is scheduled to approve the centers design on Thursday.

The project is proposed for undeveloped land between Qualcomm Way and Interstate 805, just north of Camino Del Rio North. The river runs through the northern part of the site, just south of the San Diego Trolley.

The new progress comes after years of negotiations between the San Diego River Park Foundation and environmental agencies over the projects potential effects on the river and wildlife in the area.

Advertisement

Foundation chief executive Rob Hutsel said by phone last week that its almost surreal to him that so many hurdles have finally been overcome four years after his group unveiled the proposed Discovery Center at Grant Park.

It was contentious at times and it was frustrating at times, he said. A lot of people are passionate about parks and opens spaces along the river.

Those people include members of the foundation, who envision the project as an opportunity to increase awareness and appreciation of the river by educating people, especially young people, about it.

It will be our home for celebrating the river, Hutsel said.

A two-story, 8,750-square-foot interpretive center with classrooms would allow the foundation to increase the number of students it brings to the river each year from 2,500 to 25,000.

They will become the stewards of nature in the future, he said.

The project would also include a 5,780-square-foot passive park with a musicians performance area. The passive park could also host outdoor movies, art shows and other special events.

It would help fill Mission Valleys significant void of community gathering spaces and could become a popular place for people to have picnics or family events, said John Nugent, chairman of the Mission Valley Community Planning Group.

Nugent said by phone last week that the project would also boost the publics access to the river.

One of the complaints we continually hear about the San Diego River is that there isnt good access or viewing points, he said. Its something we thought was sorely lacking in Mission Valley.

The interpretive center would also include an 1,100-square-foot viewing deck with an outdoor fireplace, indoor classrooms and exhibits focusing on nature and the history of Mission Valley.

People will be able to see what Mission Valley was before all of the development, Nugent said.

The project would also include a 2,900-square-foot outdoor classroom area with a shade structure, picnic areas and a water feature. It would also include 58 parking spaces.

A river pathway would be located on the south side of the river and have three distinct segments, including an area with a cantilevered sidewalk.

The foundation plans to schedule docent-led group walks through the site when the project is complete.

The land, which was donated to the foundation in 2009, was heavily disturbed by sand mining prior to 1964.

If the Planning Commission gives its final approval of the site design on Thursday, approval from the City Council could be required if there is an appeal.

Hutsel said about $2.5 million has been raised so far, with some additional gift commitments. He said his group is optimistic it can raise the additional money in time to begin grading in nine months.

Construction of the interpretive center would take six months from when enough money is secured for that part of the project, he said.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrickThe U.S.Coast Guard intercepted a boat off the La Jolla coast with 19 people aboard early Saturday who were all suspected of trying to enter the United States illegally.

A Coast Guard vessel detected the boat shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday, Petty Officer 1st Class Patrick Kelley said.

The panga was intercepted about 8 miles west of Windansea Beach in La Jolla. All of the 19 people aboard taken into custody were believed to be unauthorized immigrants from Mexico, said Ralph DeSio, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman.

Two were arrested on suspicion of human smuggling, officials said.

Advertisement

Its at least the sixth known smuggling boat incident in recent weeks.

On Sept. 9 and 10, Border Patrol agents apprehended a total of 26 people in two separate apparent boat smuggling attempts. As many as 25 people may have come ashore illegally in Pacific Beach on Sept. 6, though none were caught, and 19 people were arrested when their panga landed at Ponto Beach in Carlsbad the day before.

On Aug. 26, another panga carrying 19 suspected unauthorized immigrants was stopped off the coast of Point Loma and everyone aboard was taken into custody.

Twitter: @karenkucher

(619) 293-1350

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.comA 22-year-old man who was skateboarding on a street in Mission Beach was gravely injured after he was struck by a car Sunday evening, San Diego police said.

The crash, which police initially said was a fatal incident, was reported just before 8:40 p.m. on West Mission Bay Drive near Quivera Road, said San Diego police Sgt. Edward Zwibel.



For the record: The San Diego Police Department clarified that the skateboarder involved in this crash was gravely injured and not expected to survive. The Union-Tribune regrets the error.

The Police Department said Monday that it erroneously reported the skateboarder was killed. He did suffer life-threatening injuries and was not expected to survive.

He was riding east along West Mission Bay Drive when he lost control of his skateboard, according to police.

Advertisement

He apparently chased the runaway board across two lanes of eastbound West Mission Bay Drive and into the westbound lanes, right into the path of a Nissan Sentra being driven by a 25-year-old man, Zwibel said.

The skateboarder was struck by the car, suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital, Zwibel said. The driver remained at the scene and talked with police, and alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

Staff writer Alex Riggins contributed to this report.

Twitter: @karenkucher

(619) 293-1350

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

2:50 p.m.: This article and its headline were updated with new information from police that the skateboarder was not killed, but was gravely injured and not expected to survive.

7:30 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at 10:20 p.m.Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the California professor accusing him of a decades-old sexual assault will testify publicly Monday about the allegation, throwing his carefully planned Senate confirmation  once seen as a sure bet  into limbo.

Republican leaders late in the day abandoned plans for a preliminary vote later this week in the Senate Judiciary Committee and agreed to reconvene for another confirmation hearing next Monday to take sworn public testimony from Kavanaugh, who denies the allegation, and the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, now a psychology professor at Palo Alto University.

The allegation and the new hearing call into doubt whether Republicans can meet their self-imposed deadline to seat Kavanaugh on the high court by early October. Several key Republicans said they wanted to hear directly from the woman, and Democrats renewed their calls to slow down the process.

Mondays hearing will probably rekindle unpleasant memories of another high-profile standoff involving sexual misconduct allegations against a Supreme Court nominee. In 1991, Anita Hills claims of workplace sexual harassment by then-nominee Clarence Thomas marked a turning point in efforts to combat such behavior and galvanized female voters in the next election. He was eventually confirmed by the Senate.

Advertisement

President Trump told reporters Monday that he wanted to go through a full process  and hear everybody out, but dismissed any idea of withdrawing Kavanaughs nomination as ridiculous.

The president added, If it takes a little delay, itll take a little delay.

Ford considers the incident an attempted rape, according to her attorney, Debra Katz. Ford told the Washington Post that during a pool party in suburban Maryland, a drunken Kavanaugh pinned her down on a bed, tried to remove her clothing and covered her mouth when she yelled for help. She fled when a second boy at the party jumped on the bed, sending all three tumbling off.

Kavanaugh denied the claim. This is a completely false allegation, he said in a statement Monday. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), who leads the Senate Judiciary Committee, initially said he planned to make arrangements to hear from Ford and Kavanaugh through follow-up phone calls.

But by Monday afternoon, some Republicans pressured GOP leaders to agree to next weeks public hearing.

Anyone who comes forward as Dr. Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner, Grassley said. By late Monday, he declined to commit to holding a vote by any deadline, refusing to speculate beyond the additional hearing.

Three moderate Republicans  Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee  had called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hear testimony from Ford. They were later joined by other Republican senators.

Republican leaders probably need nearly all of their 51 members to support the nomination, meaning any significant dissent would torpedo the confirmation. The votes of three moderate Democrats  Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota  are also in play, and all three said Ford needed to be heard.

We need to respect Professor Ford by listening to her and hearing her story, Heitkamp said.

Democrats, the vast majority of whom already oppose Kavanaughs nomination, were almost universally united in calling for a delay. All 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee said the Thursday vote should be postponed and suggested that the Senates work should be delayed until the FBI  which was asked last week to review the matter  can complete its work.

To railroad a vote now would be a deep insult to the women of America, a lasting scar on the integrity of the Supreme Court, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.

Some Republicans defended the nominee. Sen Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, said Kavanaugh told him Monday afternoon in a phone call that he wasnt at the party where Ford said the assault took place.

When asked how Kavanaugh can be so confident when Ford has not shared the exact date, Hatch said he didnt know, adding that there is some question whether she is mixed up on the details. He provided no details to support the assertion that Ford was confused.

This is a serious charge. It has to be investigated. We need to have hearings, Hatch said. The judge, who I know very, very well, is an honest man who said this didnt happen.

Katz denied that Ford had any political motive to try to thwart Trumps nominee.

No one in their right mind regardless of their motive would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of annihilation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go through, Katz said. This is not a politically motivated action.

The administration is standing by Kavanaugh, who visited the White House on Monday morning. Spokesperson Kerri Kupec recirculated a previous statement in support.

On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh categorically and unequivocally denied this allegation, she said. This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement.

White House advisor Kellyanne Conway told Fox News that Ford should be heard and allowed to testify under oath. This woman should not be ignored and should not be insulted, Conway said. She should be heard.

Republicans accused Democrats  particularly California Sen. Dianne Feinstein  of playing politics in an attempt to derail Kavanaughs nomination, noting that Feinstein knew of the allegations weeks ago and referred the matter to the FBI just last week.

That Democrats have so egregiously mishandled this up until now is no excuse for us to do the same, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the No. 2 GOP leader. If Democrats reject the committee handling this swiftly and in a bipartisan way through regular order, then its clear that their only intention is to smear Judge Kavanaugh and derail his nomination.

If it happened, that is a terrible thing, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). But theres a process here that seems to be a bit suspicious. Apparently she hired a lawyer and bought a polygraph in August. Makes me think somebody was thinking it might be public.

Feinstein has said she did not reveal the allegation because Ford initially did not want to be publicly identified. Over the weekend, Ford went public in an interview with the Washington Post, saying her name was beginning to leak out and her civic duty outweighed her desire for privacy.

I was asked to hold it confidential and I did as long as I thought it was wise, and then I referred it to the FBI, she said Monday.

The latest from Washington 

jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com

Twitter: @jenhab

UPDATES:

5 p.m.: The article was updated with Graham comments.

3:35 p.m.: The article was updated with Mondays hearing.

2:40 p.m.: The article was updated with comments from Democrats.

10:50 a.m.: The article was updated with Grassley and Cornyn comments.

9:40 a.m.: The article was updated with Collins comment.

7:55 a.m.: The article was updated with Kavanaughs latest denial.

The article was originally published at 5:20 a.m.LONDON - Julian Assange had just pulled off one of the biggest scoops in journalistic history, splaying the innards of American diplomacy across the web. But technology firms were cutting ties to his website, WikiLeaks, cable news pundits were calling for his head and a Swedish sex crime case was threatening to put him behind bars.

Caught in a vise, the silver-haired Australian wrote to the Russian Consulate in London.

I, Julian Assange, hereby grant full authority to my friend, Israel Shamir, to both drop off and collect my passport, in order to get a visa, said the letter, which was obtained exclusively by The Associated Press.

The Nov. 30, 2010 missive is part of a much larger trove of WikiLeaks emails, chat logs, financial records, secretly recorded footage and other documents leaked to The Associated Press. The files provide both an intimate look at the radical transparency organization and an early hint of Assanges budding relationship with Moscow.

Advertisement

The ex-hackers links to the Kremlin would become increasingly salient before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, when the FBI says Russias military intelligence agency directly supplied WikiLeaks with stolen emails from Hillary Clintons campaign chairman and other Democratic figures.

In a statement posted to Twitter, WikiLeaks said Assange never applied for the visa or authored the letter, identifying a former associate of his as the source of the document. WikiLeaks did not return a follow-up email seeking clarification on whether Shamir applied on his behalf, or whether a lawyer or someone else at WikiLeaks might have drafted the letter. The Russian Embassy in London said it didnt discuss the personal details of visa applicants.

WikiLeaks has repeatedly been hit by unauthorized disclosures , but the tens of thousands of files obtained by the AP may be the biggest leak yet.

The AP has confirmed the authenticity of many of the documents by running them by five former WikiLeaks associates or by verifying non-public details such as bank accounts, telephone numbers or airline tickets.

One of the former associates, an ex-employee, identified two of the names that frequently appeared in the documents metadata, Jessica Longley and Jim Evans Mowing, as pseudonyms assigned to two WikiLeaks laptops.

All five former associates spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, in some cases because they didnt want their past association with WikiLeaks to become public, and in others because they feared legal retaliation or harassment from the groups supporters.

Among other things, the documents lay out Assanges campaign to avoid being arrested and extradited to Sweden over allegations that he sexually molested one woman and raped another during a trip to the Scandinavian country in August 2010.

Assange has always denied wrongdoing in the case, which he cast as a prelude to extradition to the U.S. The Swedish prosecution jeopardized what at the time was WikiLeaks biggest-ever disclosure: the publication of around 250,000 U.S. State Department cables. Swedish authorities issued a warrant for his arrest on Nov. 18, just 10 days before the cables exploded across the web, with bombshell revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, American spying at the U.N. and corruption across the Arab world.

Italys then-foreign minister, Franco Frattini, described the release as the Sept. 11 of world diplomacy. Enraged American politicians demanded that Assange be treated like a terrorist.

Metadata suggests that it was on Nov. 29, the day after the release of the first batch of U.S. State Department files, that the letter to the Russian Consulate was drafted on the Jessica Longley computer.

The AP couldnt confirm whether or when the message was actually delivered, but the choice of Israel Shamir as a go-between was significant. Assanges involvement with Shamir, a fringe intellectual who once said it was the duty of every Christian and Muslim to deny the Holocaust, would draw indignation when it became public.

Shamir told the AP he was plagued by memory problems and couldnt remember delivering Assanges letter or say whether he eventually got the visa on Assanges behalf.

I cant possibly exclude that it happened, Shamir said in a telephone interview. I have a very vague memory of those things.

Shamirs memory appeared sharper during a January, 20, 2011 interview with Russian News Service radio  a Moscow-based station now known as Life Zvuk, or Life Sound. Shamir said hed personally brokered a Russian visa for Assange, but that it had come too late to rescue him from the sex crimes investigation.

Russia would be one of those places where he and his organization would be comfortable operating, Shamir explained. Asked if Assange had friends in the Kremlin, Shamir smiled and said: Lets hope thats the case.

Shamir often makes eyebrow-raising claims (in the same interview he said that the U.S. offered Assange $100 million not to publish the cables), but it was true that any visa for Assange would have been moot.

On Nov. 30, 2010  the date on the letter  Interpol issued a Red Notice seeking Assanges arrest, making any relocation to Russia virtually impossible. With legal bills mounting, Assange turned himself in on Dec. 7 and his staffs focus turned to getting him out of jail. One WikiLeaks spreadsheet listed names of potential supporters arrayed by wealth and influence; a second one titled Get Out of Jail Free tracked proposed bail donations and pledges for surety.

As they gathered money, Assanges allies also plotted what to do once the WikiLeaks founder was released.

One document showed Guatemalan human rights lawyer Renata Avila floating the idea of jumping bail.

I will advise him to seek asylum abroad: we already contacted the Ministry of Justice in Brazil, there is a possibility to run out of the country in a Brazilian ship, Avila told fellow WikiLeaks supporters in a memo. The document said Assange should plan to escape and pay the bail money back to his supporters.

Avila didnt return repeated messages seeking comment. Its not clear whether her idea went anywhere; former Brazilian Justice Minister Eduardo Cardozo, who was serving on then-President-elect Dilma Rousseffs transition team at the time, told the AP that hed never heard of an Assange asylum request.

Assange would eventually skip bail after exhausting his British legal campaign to block the Swedish extradition effort, darting into the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012. The move frustrated the sex crimes prosecution, which was dropped last year, but it sparked a standoff that continues to this day, with Assange refusing to leave the embassy unless he is shielded from extradition to the U.S.

Assanges escape left many of his guarantors in the lurch. When a group of them went to court in late 2012 to reduce their bill, the escape plan went unmentioned.

A lawyer for four of Assanges supporters, Henry Blaxland, told the judge that Assanges Ecuadorean asylum stunt caught everyone off guard.

Nobody could reasonably have foreseen thats what he would do, Blaxland said.Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court nomination was thrown into jeopardy Monday, as congressional leaders indefinitely postponed his first confirmation vote and laid plans to have him testify alongside his sexual assault accuser.

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) announced the extraordinary development after both Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, offered to give testimony under oath.

Kavanaugh will now appear before the committee next Monday together with Ford, a California university professor who alleges he drunkenly forced himself on her at a party while they both attended high school in Maryland in the early 1980s.

To provide ample transparency, we will hold a public hearing Monday to give these recent allegations a full airing, Grassley said in a statement.

Advertisement

The public showdown unmistakably evokes the 1991 testimony of Anita Hill, who accused Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment before he was confirmed.

The Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on Kavanaughs nomination Thursday. A new date was not immediately set.

Trump acknowledged earlier Monday that the committee should push back Kavanaughs confirmation vote in light of Fords allegations, but predicted the process will nonetheless work out very well.

If it takes a little delay, itll take a little delay, Trump told reporters at the White House.

Despite Fords allegations, Trump  whos himself accused of sexual misconduct by nearly two dozen women  called Kavanaugh a very special guy with a spotless record and demurred when asked if he should withdraw his nomination.

What a ridiculous question, Trump said.

Earlier in the day, Grassley said Ford deserves to be heard, but fell short of convening the committee for testimony or delaying the confirmation vote and said the whole matter could be addressed in a handful of phone calls.

The standard procedure for updates to any nominees background investigation file is to conduct separate follow-up calls with relevant parties, Grassley said in a statement. In this case, that would entail phone calls with at least Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford.

Democrats begged to differ.

The committees 10 Democratic members fired off a letter to Grassley calling on him to delay Thursdays vote until the FBI has fully investigated Fords allegations.

Republicans cannot simply dismiss Dr. Fords allegations with a conference call, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) tweeted. These are serious and credible allegations. Thursdays vote must be delayed.

President Trump speaks to reporters during a White House meeting on Monday. (Evan Vucci / AP)

Kavanaugh, 53, again denied Fords allegations on Monday.

I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity, Kavanaugh said in a statement released by the White House.

Meanwhile, Fords attorney, Debra Katz, went on a cable news blitz saying her client will do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of what Kavanaugh allegedly did to her, including testifying in a public setting.

Ford, 51, alleges Kavanaugh and a friend drunkenly forced her into a room at a party and pinned her on a bed.

Ford said she feared for her life and thought Kavanaugh was going to rape her as he allegedly covered her mouth and groped her. She said she was able to bolt out of the room after his pal jumped on top of them and made them fall to the floor.

Trump claimed Democrats should have addressed Fords allegations a lot sooner because they had this information for months.

With all of that being said, we want to go through the process, Trump said.

Despite Trumps assertions, Democrats opted not to publicize Fords allegations because, when she first approached Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in July, she explicitly asked to remain anonymous out of fear she would be painted as a political shill, according to Feinsteins office.

Fords allegations began to leak out last week and she went public on her own accord in an interview with the Washington Post on Sunday.

If the Judiciary Committee confirms Kavanaugh, his nomination will be up for a full floor vote in the Senate.

But Kavanaugh, a longtime conservative and current federal appeals judge, could face resistance from some Republicans.

Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said he was not comfortable voting for Kavanaugh as Fords allegations made national headlines.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell can only afford to lose two Republican votes in order to still confirm Kavanaugh if Democrats vote on party-line against him. Democrats have aggressively lobbied Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to vote against Kavanaugh over what they say is his opposition to abortion rights.

Also Monday, six Judiciary Committee Democrats filed a lawsuit against the U.S. National Archives and the CIA in a last-ditch effort to obtain some of the hundreds of thousands of records Republicans have withheld from Kavanaughs tenure in the George W. Bush administration.

The Dems argue the National Archives must release the records in order to comply with the Freedom of Information Act despite the Republican attempt to bar them from the public.

Democrats suspect the unreleased records may contain damning details about Kavanaughs work on divisive issues such as abortion, torture and gun control.In 2004, California voters approved Proposition 63, which added a 1 percent tax on the income of those making more than $1 million a year to provide funds for mental health programs. This tax has since generated up to $2.5 billion a year. But a state audit released in February noted that the funds are often stashed by the local governments that share Proposition 63s windfall, and that when the money is used, its spent without adequate state oversight. The audit recommended state guidelines to make sure the funds are actually being used in sound ways to promote mental health.

This backdrop helped prompt the Legislature to place Proposition 2 on the Nov. 6 ballot. It would authorize the state to use Proposition 63 revenue  about $120 million a year  to pay off $2 billion in new revenue bonds for homelessness prevention housing for those in need of mental health services. The measure recognizes that mental illness is a key part of the homeless problem in California and creates a path to constructing 20,000 permanent supportive housing units. It imposes no new taxes and doesnt require any additional dollars going forward from the general fund.

Proposition 2 has its critics. Some mental health officials think it amounts to a costly, inferior alternative to other strategies to deal with homelessness. But it has far more supporters than detractors in the mental health community and enjoys wide bipartisan and institutional support, including from the California Chamber of the Commerce.

An argument can be made that it might have been wiser to have a ballot measure that revised Proposition 63 to both fund revenue bonds for homeless housing and to force smarter use of its tax proceeds on mental health needs. But on balance, this measure is constructive public policy with little apparent downside. Vote yes on Proposition 2.

AdvertisementRe Why Prop 12 is needed to fight animal cruelty (Sept 12): San Diego Humane Society President Gary Weitzman was right in urging us to vote yes on Proposition 12. Polls show most people are concerned for the well-being of farm animals. Unfortunately, this concern isnt reflected in the way animals are treated. Most farm animals are confined in cramped cages for most of their lives. With big-agribusiness, small family farmers who care for their animals have been slowly pushed out of business. We can change that this November.

Dozens of family farmers and animal welfare groups support Proposition 12 because it would eliminate cages for egg-laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves for products sold in California. This is good for animals and gives conscientious family farmers a chance to compete with huge national chains that continue to cram animals into cages so small they cant move an inch. Stand up for humane treatment of animals by voting yes on 12 in November.

Jessica Dacher

Carmel Valley

Advertisement

Every year, thousands of Californians and millions of individuals nationwide fall victim to salmonella poisoning. Infected eggs are a primary cause. Thankfully, according to multiple scientific studies, the publics risk of infection can be substantially reduced by mitigating overcrowding among egg-laying hens. Perhaps thats why, given our states increased space requirements for hens, California has a lower rate of salmonella infection than the vast majority of other states.

In November, we have a chance to push that progress further by voting Yes on Proposition 12, a measure that would ban cages for egg-laying hens, mother pigs, and baby cows in California and would require any produce that wishes to sell their products here to follow those same standards.

Yes on Proposition 12 is an obvious win not only for animals but also for the people of California. I urge Californians to vote Yes on Proposition 12 this November 6!

Sarah Sedgwick

San Diego

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/17/2018 -- Washer-disinfectors (WDs) are defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Class II medical devices intended for general medical purposes to clean, decontaminate, disinfect and dry surgical instruments, anesthesia equipment, hollowware and other medical devices.



The technical barriers of washer-disinfectors are not high, and the major players are Steelco SpA, Miele, Belimed, Getinge Infection Control, Steris, AT-OS, CISA, SciCan, Tuttnauer, Eschmann Equipment, Skytron, IC Medical GmbH, Ken A/S, and Smeg Instruments. These companies mainly concentrate in Europe and USA. Europe is the largest consumer, more than 44% of total consumption in 2015.



Download Sample Copy of Washer-Disinfectors Market @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/18410



Scope of the Report:

The research methodologies used for evaluating the Washer-Disinfectors market are inventive and also provides enough evidence on the demand and supply status, production capability, import and export, supply chain management and investment feasibility. The investigative approach applied for the extensive analysis of the sale, gross margin and profit generated by the industry are presented through resources including tables, charts, and graphic images. Importantly, these resources can be easily integrated or used for preparing business or corporate presentations.



Market Segment by manufacturers, the report covers the following companies:

Steelco SpA, Miele, Belimed, Getinge Infection Control, Steris, AT-OS, CISA, SciCan, Tuttnauer, Eschmann Equipment, Skytron, IC Medical GmbH, Ken A/S, Smeg Instruments, Sakura, Shinva Medical Instrument, Dekomed, DentalEZ, Laokeng, Mocom Australia, Matachana, Sordina, DGM Pharma-Apparate Handel, Megagen



Market Segment on the basis of product, the report covers:

- Cabinet (Single Chamber) Machines

- Continuous Process Machines



Buy Washer-Disinfectors Market Research Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/18410



Market Segment on the basis of application, the report covers:

- Clinical Use

- Laboratory Use



Key Stakeholders

- Key Stakeholders

- Washer-Disinfectors Manufacturers

- Washer-Disinfectors Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers

- Washer-Disinfectors Subcomponent Manufacturers

- Industry Association

- Downstream Vendors

- Available Customizations



The market intelligence study for the Washer-Disinfectors market further provides an inside-out overview of necessary aspects associated with the product classification, important definitions, major orders and other industry-centric parameters. An underlying part of the study also maps the important factors associated with the recent events such as mergers and acquisition, collaboration and new product launches.



In addition, the research lays down a robust groundwork for obtaining a vast amount of information that potential customers can use to increase their profits and reduce costs. The inclusion of data on market segmentation by type, application, and geography offers clarity presents an analytical picture of, what manufacturers are aiming for.



The research provides answers to the following key questions:

- What is the estimated growth rate of the Washer-Disinfectors market for the forecast period 2018 - 2025? What will be the market share and size of the industry during the estimated period?

- What are prime factors expected to drive the Washer-Disinfectors industry for the estimated period?

- What are the major market leaders and what has been their winning strategy for success so far?

- What are the significant trends shaping the growth prospects of the Washer-Disinfectors market?

- What are the key challenges expected to restrict the progress of the industry for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025?

- What the opportunities product owners can bank on to generate high profits?



Browse the full Report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/washer-disinfectors-market



About MarketExpertz

Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges.



Contact US:

40 Wall St. 28th floor New York City, NY 10005 United States

sales@marketexpertz.com

+1-800-819-3052An international team of researchers from Stanford University and the University of Haifa has found the oldest archaeological evidence of cereal-based beer brewing. The discovery is described in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

The consumption of fermented and alcoholic beverages is one of the most prevalent human behaviors, but the time and cultural context of its origins remain unclear.

Archaeological evidence for alcohol production and use is usually associated with fermenting domesticated species in agricultural societies, such as ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and South America.

It has long been speculated that humans thirst for beer may have been the stimulus behind cereal domestication, and some scientists have attributed this invention to the Natufians, a Neolithic culture that inhabited the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean from about 13,000 to 9,700 BC.

Alcohol making and food storage were among the major technological innovations that eventually led to the development of civilizations in the world, and archaeological science is a powerful means to help reveal their origins and decode their contents, said Stanford University researcher Dr. Li Liu.

We are excited to have the opportunity to present our findings, which shed new light on a deeper history of human society.

The archaeologists analyzed residues from 13,000-year-old stone mortars found in Raqefet Cave, a Natufian burial cave site located near what is now Haifa, Israel.

Their analysis confirmed that these mortars were used for brewing of wheat/barley, as well as for food storage.

The Natufian remains in Raqefet Cave never stop surprising us, said University of Haifas Professor Dani Nadel.

We exposed a Natufian burial area with about 30 individuals; a wealth of small finds such as flint tools, animal bones and ground stone implements, and about 100 stone mortars and cupmarks.

And now, with the production of beer, the Raqefet Cave remains provide a very vivid and colorful picture of Natufian lifeways, their technological capabilities and inventions.

The Natufians exploited at least seven plant types associated with the mortars, including wheat or barley, oat, legumes and bast fibers (including flax).

They used bedrock mortars for pounding and cooking plant-foods, and for brewing wheat/barley-based beer, likely served in ritual feasts 13,000 years ago.

Ancient beer is far from what we drink today. It was most likely a multi-ingredient concoction like porridge or thin gruel, said Jiajing Wang, a doctoral student at Stanford University.

The archaeologists believe that the Natufians used a three-stage brewing process.

First, starch of wheat or barley would be turned into malt. This happens by germinating the grains in water to then be drained, dried and stored. Then, the malt would be mashed and heated. Finally, it would be left to ferment with airborne wild yeast.

The evidence of beer brewing at Raqefet Cave 13,000 years ago provides yet another example of the complex Natufian social and ritual realms, the scientists said.

Beer brewing may have been, at least in part, an underlying motivation to cultivate cereals in the southern Levant, supporting the beer hypothesis proposed by archaeologists more than six decades ago.

_____

Li Liu et al. 2018. Fermented beverage and food storage in 13,000 y-old stone mortars at Raqefet Cave, Israel: Investigating Natufian ritual feasting. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 21: 783-793; doi: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2018.08.008Intimate group sizes or bespoke experiences

The tours are offered in intimate group sizes and most can be personalized into private experiences. As well, a dedicated Concierge Ashore is available to create bespoke programs.

Highlights of the Caribbean Shore Collection include an exclusive tour of Aruba Aloe in Oranjestad, paired with an aloe-based treatment at The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Aruba; an overland adventure to Bogota, Colombia; and exploring Belizes marine and mountain wonders from the skies.

The Shore Collection is grouped into five categories: Iconic Sights, Stirring the Senses, Cultural Connections, Active Explorations and Epicurean Experiences. Newly announced is a selection of Overland Programs.

Stirring the Senses with aloe in Aruba

Stirring the Senses is exemplified by the aloe tour in Aruba, which begins with a visit to Aruba Aloe, one of the worlds first companies to formulate and manufacture skin and hair products with the succulent plant. Afterward, at The Ritz-Carlton Spa, participants will create a customized sugar scrub then choose from a selection of aloe-based treatments.

Cultural Connections in Colombia's capital

A Cultural Connections overland tour to Bogota takes travelers beyond the tropical coast to explore history, heritage and culture in Colombias mountaintop capital. Highlights of the overnight excursion include a guided tour of Bogotas colonial district featuring the presidential mansion and museums dedicated to gold and Botero; an evening outing to Monserrate, a hilltop church that affords unparalleled views; and dining experiences such as a cooking class with a local chef in a private home following a trip to the Plaza de Paloquemao fruit and flower market.

Active Explorations in Belize

As for Active Explorations, travelers can discover Belizes marine and mountain wonders from the skies, followed by a Mayan wine and food pairing at an exclusive resort. A chartered aircraft will take off from Belize City, traveling due east over the shifting blue hues of the coastal waters. At Long Caye, the plane banks northward toward the Lighthouse Reef and the Great Blue Hole at its center. After circling the Blue Hole, the plane will soar over rolling landscapes, waterfalls and the granite hillsides of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Touching down deep in the tropical jungle, participants will arrive at an exclusive resort for a four-course wine and food pairing lunch.

'The Caribbean Shore Collection demonstrates the type of innovative and personalized programming that will make The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection unique,' CEO Doug Prothero said.

Shipyard launch date nears

The brand's first 298-passenger, all-suite ship is scheduled for a traditional launch, not a float-outthis fall at Astillero Hijos de J. Barreras in Vigo, Spain, and delivery is set for late 2019. The christening will take place Feb. 5, 2020, in Florida.The creation of the Logistics Community of the Port of Guayaquil (Comunidad Logistica del Puerto de Guayaquil) is aimed at improving the competitiveness of Ecuador businesses in foreign trade and boosting the overall regional supply chain.

The first port logistics community in Ecuador and the entire region, CLPG serves as a platform for businesses with connections to the Port of Guayaquil in bringing research-based, technical solutions to optimize logistics capabilities within the supply chain.

As the leading maritime gateway of Ecuador, we are working hard towards the creation of a community that is representative of the needs and interests of the port community. This collaborative, innovative and pioneering framework in the region will allow us to improve and optimize the supply chain and processes of importers and exporters operating in the Port of Guayaquil," said CGSA ceo Jose Antonio Contreras.

With greater logistics collaboration, businesses will be able to maximize the commercial potential of Ecuadors top commodities, while reducing costs at the same time.

The creation of the Logistics Community of the Port of Guayaquil creates a unique vehicle to maximize opportunities for growth, Contreras aded.

The members of the logistics community, companies and business organization, represent more than 83% of Ecuador's non-oil exports. The most important commodity by volume is bananas, which represent 63% of the non-oil exports of the country.

Those supporting the needs of Ecuadors top exports, bananas, shrimps, paper and wood products, are already members of the logistics community: Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador (AEBE), Agzulasa, Reybanpac, Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscilla, Ecuadorian Association of Teak and Tropical Wood (ASOTECA), Multiteak, Papelera Nacional SA, Soprisa, and Procarsa.

Banco Guayaquil and RSA Insurance, the largest financial service networks in Ecuador, are also part of this new initiative.

Julio Mackliff, vp of Banco Guayaquil, lauded the impact of the new logistics community towards improving the competitiveness of Ecuador businesses: CLPG is an emblematic and innovative project in Ecuador. Banco de Guayaquil is not only supporting this initiative but is and will continue to be an active member. We are convinced about the positive results that this union of big companies will contribute for the economic and social development of our country.

Read More: Freight rate website provides free service to Panama importers and exporters

Eduardo Ledesma, executive director of AEBE added that the collaboration between and among different supply chain stakeholders ensures that the country stays on top as the worlds largest banana exporter: The opening and approach of Contecon Guayaquil to the export sectors of Ecuador has been seen and is perceived with optimism. We, the banana exporters, see with good eyes that this initiative will allow us to reach competitive improvements for the sectors.

Contecon Guayaquil, ICTSIs largest port project in Latin America, recently made strides towards greater trade facilitation, supporting the local economy through various investments in port infrastructure and technology.The hurricane had reached Category 4 (130 to 136 miles per hour max. sustained winds) status as it churned across the Atlantic. By the time it made landfall, near Wilmington, North Carolina, its winds had reduced to Category 1 (winds 74 to 95 mph).

Liners serving ports in the region (notably, Savannah, Charleston and Norfolk) had adjusted their schedules and sheltered vessels. The hallmark of this storm was its very slow movement over the land, causing extensive flooding in the region- including around Morehead City, N.C.

The US Coast Guard had suspended transits into the ports at Hampton Roads/ Norfolk early on, before the storm turned southward.

Once the ports in Virginia and the Carolinas re-opened, as they have now done, the bigger issues will concern replenishing flows on the inland supply chain links. Small disruptions had been experienced as motorways had been briefly closed,or routed westbound only for evacuations.

The South Carolina State Port Authority (SCSPA) was still evaluating the situation at its inland depot, at Port Dillon, one of the origination points for railway links to the coast, even after operations had resumed at Charleston.

The CSX rail line, one of two Class 1 rail-lines with links to the coast, had temporarily closed its rail yard at Rocky Mount, N.C., about 100 miles inland. The Norfolk Southern Railroad, the other big linkage to coastal seaports, had temporarily closed its terminals near Charlotte, N.C., about 150 miles inland, as the storm, now downgraded below hurricane strength, moved westward from the coast.

Here is a port by port review of what happened:

Georgia:

Savannah- Port remained open, but US Coast Guard established a safety zone

Brunswick- Port remained open

South Carolina:

Charleston  three day closure due to high winds

Georgetown- three day closure, evacuations, power outages

North Carolina:

Wilmington- port closure, evacuations, power outages

Morehead City- port closure, evacuations, power outages

Virginia:

Norfolk- port operations OK, but US Coast Guard had suspended transits off Virginia Capes

Hampton Roads- briefly evacuatedWith the traditional portfolios tumbling, at the beginning of September total lending of the 40 top banks stood at $345bn down some $52.5bn in the past two years.

Petrofin Bank Research's latest annual survey reported another $10bn has been knocked off the portfolios of the top 40 banks over the last year". But the Athens-based, Ted Petropoulos-led Petrofin, went on: "Bearing in mind the previous years reduction of $42.5bn, it would appear the rate of decline is slowing down.

"It is yet early days to conclude if banks will continue reducing their exposure in the sector and a great deal will depend on the overall available lending resources of banks and their commercial strategy.

Also, for the first time, two Chinese banks top the market underlying the fundamental geographical shift taking place, said Petrofin.

Indeed, of the top 28 lenders, 11 are based in Asia - four in China, five in Japan and two in South Korea. Twenty-four of the lenders are based in Europe, including three Greek banks near the bottom of the list, and three are US-based.

Petrofin notes "global bank finance stands at the lowest level in 11 years". It also notes banks are addressing their non performing loan portfolios and are beginning to alter their departmental structures in relation to shipping.

The survey shows that since 2008, global ship finance of the top 40 banks has fallen 25%, whilst the global fleet grew 28%. "This large differential has been taken up primarily by leasing firms, mainly in the Far East. These consist of Chinese, Japanese, as well as Korean leasing companies, often linked to international Far Eastern banks," said the report.

Petrofin sees and overall increase, "though not a dynamic one" in IPO activity in the US. The market that has evolved into a primary centre for shipping investment, loans and bonds has been the Norwegian market, which has shown to be a credible alternative to the US while the Norwegian market is growing in both size and depth and it has become easier to anticipate and rely upon.

For the banking ship finance market, it is essential for western banks to be able to attract fresh capital at a low cost, to compete with their Far Eastern competitors.

"It is anticipated western banks will regain some of their lost competitiveness and appetite over the next years, but a great deal would depend on their overall lending capabilities and to the extent that shipping is attractive compared to other industries," concluded.The overseas ports however were once again the standout performers, collectively seeing throughput rise 32% to 2.1m teu and forming the second highest component of overall throughput behind the Pearl River Delta ports.

Read More: Fading lines in logistics

The latter segment is seeing a slight resurgence going into the high season with the Pearl River Delta seeing a 3% rise in throughput to 2.5m teu, still contributing the most to CSPs overall volumes. However the traditional powerhouse of the Hong Kong cluster of terminals continued to decline, with volumes falling 10% to 264,500 teu. This was made up for by the Guangzhou terminals which saw volume spike 8% to almost hit 1m teu.

The industrial base in the Yangtze River Delta continues to slow down with throughput almost flat at 1.7m teu and now overtaken by the Bohai Rim region. Meanwhile the Southeast Coast saw throughput rise 7% to 501,800 teu and the sole port on the Southwest Coast, Guangxi Qinzhou International Container Terminal has a lackluster month, with volume falling 8% to 112,000 teu.Press Release

September 14, 2018 'We can do better than 7 million tourists'

ANGARA URGES DOT TO DEVELOP, PROMOTE ALTERNATIVE PH TOURIST DESTINATIONS In a bid to boost Philippine tourism, Senator Sonny Angara has called on the Department of Tourism (DOT) to fast-track its plans and programs in developing and promoting other tourist destinations in the country. Angara, Senate finance committee vice chairman who is tasked to sponsor and defend DOT's budget, questioned Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on the progress of airport construction and expansion projects so as to improve tourist arrivals in the country. The tourism secretary said the New Bohol International Airport in Panglao is almost complete, while the upgrading of San Vicente airport in Palawan and Siargao airport in Surigao del Norte are now in the works. Based on the DOT report, 6.6 million foreign tourists visited the Philippines in 2017. Boracay and Cebu remained the top destinations last year. For this year, the DOT is targeting 7.4 million foreign tourist arrivals. "There should be more emphasis on new destinations. Infrastructure is really what's holding us back. We can do so much better than P7.4 million tourists. Everyone knows that," the senator said during Thursday's budget hearing. "Tourism is a very low-hanging fruit. Kahit anong ganda ng promotions natin, hindi natin maiaangat ang bilang ng turista na pumupunta sa bansa hangga't hindi naaayos ang problema sa airport," Angara added, assuring that the expansion of San Vicente and Siargao airports will be funded. Of the 10 ASEAN countries, Philippines is ranked 6th in terms of foreign tourist arrivals. Thailand is leading with 32 million foreign tourists followed by Malaysia with 26 million tourists. Puyat said that despite the closure of Boracay, the number of tourist arrivals this year in the country is still growing. She said Boracay rehabilitation will be fully completed by December 2019. "While Boracay is still undergoing rehabilitation, this is an opportune time to help bring our other tourist spots, especially in poorer areas, to international recognition. Malaking tulong ang paglago ng turismo sa paglikha ng trabaho at kabuhayan lalo na para sa mga lokal," the senator said. According to DOT, tourism accounts for 13% of the country's total employment with 5.3 million employed Filipinos in the tourism sector. Angara cited Sorsogon, Leyte, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga, Catanduanes and Siquijor, which are among the poorest provinces, as potential tourist magnets. The senator stressed that by boosting the tourism industry, it would generate more jobs that could lead to poverty alleviation in these provinces.Press Release

September 14, 2018 'Start them young:' De Lima lauds 'thou-shall-not-steal' campaign in schools Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has commended the campaign of several Catholic schools from the eight dioceses in the National Capital Region (NCR) in raising awareness in the fight against corruption among school children. De Lima, who chairs the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, lauded the schools' campaign which promotes the virtues of honesty, integrity, and generosity to young people. "With corruption running rampant under the Duterte administration, I salute these Catholic schools in raising awareness to curb corruption and shape the youth to be future leaders who value honesty, fairness, and integrity," she said from her detention. In observance of "Huwag Kang Magnakaw" (Thou Shall Not Steal) this month, the NCR Advocacy Committee of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) has launched an initiative which aims to teach young students to fight corruption. Fr. Atilano Fajardo, who chairs the CEAP-NCR Advocacy Committee and head of the Public Affairs Ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila, said the campaign also allows the Catholic schools to contribute in advancing change in the country. As early as Dec. 16, 2014, the Catholic church in the Philippines has launched the "Huwag Kang Magnanakaw" advocacy drive, which was taken from the Seventh Commandment "Though Shall Not Steal," to fight graft and corruption. She notes that corruption is also a form of human rights violation. De Lima, a staunch pro-human rights and anti-corruption advocate, underscored the importance of raising awareness about corruption among the youth, especially school children, to help them easily recognize lies and deception early on and resist corruption. "Becoming aware of the scourge of corruption in our society would enable the youth to see through the duplicity and lies of some corrupt officials, particularly Mr. Duterte who pretends to hate corruption but allows his allies to use the taxpayers' money for their personal gains. In fact, among his major allies and benefactors now are the country's top plunderers and grafters." she said. "It will also serve as a constant reminder for them to always do the right thing should they encounter instances where corruption is hard to avoid, either because it appears to be the 'norm' or it is simply not easy to detect," she added. Duterte himself has faced corruption anomalies after several lawmakers pointed out that he is hiding wealth from the public, after an official at the Office of the Ombudsman claimed to have gotten hold of records of bank transactions of the President and his family that ran into hundreds of millions of pesos.Press Release

September 14, 2018 De Lima calls for 'urgent action' to send fact-finding mission to probe PH drug war Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to send an independent fact-finding mission to the Philippines to investigate the extrajudicial killings under the government's all-out war on drugs. In her letter to the UNHRC member-states last Sept. 5, De Lima reiterated her support to civil society groups and multilateral organizations in urging UNHRC to take "concrete and sustainable forms of action" on human rights issues in the Philippines. "There is urgency to create such a fact-finding mission or a commission of inquiry at the level of the UNHRC to address the human rights calamity in my country," she said as she requested for "urgent action" on the human rights crisis in the Philippines. According to the Senator, the independent international fact-finding mission must be urgently constituted and dispatched to establish facts and circumstances of extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations in the government's war on drugs. She pointed out that the independent mission should also ensure that the victims of the extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses should find justice and that their perpetrators and masterminds should be held accountable for their crimes. As the 39th session of UNHRC starts this week, De Lima urged member-states to pass a resolution for a fact-finding mission after credible investigation at the domestic level has been effectively blocked, if not met with indifference from local authorities. "There is added cogency in this call considering that the killings continue, and Duterte has vowed in his recent State of the Nation Address that his drug war would remain relentless and chilling as on the day it begun," she said. Last August, the National Bureau of Investigation claimed it was investigating only 37 drug war-related killings and the Department of Justice said it was only able to investigate 71 cases, wherein only 19 reached the courts for prosecution. In addition, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police has no public report whether it is even handling any sincere investigation of the extrajudicial killings, which should be part of its mandate. "By not conducting prompt, thorough and effective investigation into the extrajudicial killings under the so-called war on drugs, the Philippine government is in a clear breach of its duty under international law," De Lima said. Under international law, the former justice secretary explained that the States have the obligation to investigate extrajudicial killings and provide effective remedy by competent national institutions for these violations. However, De Lima continued, the present Philippine government has unilaterally withdrawn from its membership to the Rome Statue/International Criminal Court (ICC), an issue that is now a subject of petition before the Supreme Court of the Philippines. "His government even refuses to cooperate with UN human rights mechanisms. Worse, he shamelessly disrespects UN officials. The Philippines did not fully accept over half of the recommendations it received during its Universal Periodic Review at the UNHRC in 2017," she added. She also noted how the then UN High Commissioner and other UN Special Rapporteurs have been threatened and verbally attacked when they expressed their grave concerns over the human rights situation in the Philippines. According to De Lima, the only major investigation on EJKs that took place was the Senate inquiry she initiated and conducted where she presented key witnesses who testified under oath the rampant killings under the government's all-out war on drugs. After she was removed from chairing the Senate probe by President Duterte's allies in the Senate, the public hearings were abruptly concluded with a dubious report which ruled out that the killings are state-sponsored. Last Dec. 13, De Lima filed a 151-page Dissenting Report to the Joint Committee Report No. 18 of the Senate Committees on Justice and on Public Order where she pushed for the immediate creation of the independent fact-finding commission.Press Release

September 15, 2018 De Lima calls for 'urgent actions' vs impunity for PH human rights abuses Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called on the international community to take "urgent actions" to end impunity for human rights violations in the Philippines, notably for the Duterte administration-sponsored all-out war on illegal drugs. In her message at the side events of the 39th United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Session in Geneva, Switzerland, De Lima said it is high time for the UNHRC and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to end impunity in the Philippines. "It is imperative for the ICC and relevant UN bodies and mechanisms to work and work urgently not only to frustrate Duterte's plans but more importantly and ultimately to shrink the space for impunity in the Philippines," she said. Her message entitled "Shattering the Consensus of Silence: Let's Take Urgent Actions Against Impunity in the Philippines" was read at the sideline of the 39th session of UNHRC held at Geneva, Switzerland last Sept. 13. According to the Senator, police and vigilantes, acting upon President Duterte's instructions, instigations and incitements, have killed more than 20,000 suspected drug offenders under his administration's gruesome war on drugs. "And there is no sign that the killings will ever stop as Duterte has even vowed in his recent State of the Nation Address in July that his drug war would remain relentless and chilling as on the day it began," she said. "Thus, as high officials and agents of government themselves are involved in this spate of killings and attacks against our people, can we honestly expect the wheels of justice to turn,?" she added. The former justice secretary said she hopes that UNHRC would pass a resolution condemning the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and create an independent fact-fact-finding mission to ferret out the truth and identify accountabilities. She also called on the ICC which has begun its preliminary examination to expedite its proceedings on the human rights situation in the country, even if the government has decided to unilaterally withdraw from its membership to ICC. "More than the appeal to actions from governments and inter-government bodies, there is a cogency in the call for international solidarity and mobilization of public support to uphold, defend and protect human rights in the Philippines," she said. "We have to move - move with utmost urgency and in solidarity with each other. With political leaders themselves demonizing their own people and instigating human rights violations, the need for all of us to stand together and fight for the basic values of human dignity and equality of everyone everywhere has now become absolutely urgent," she added. In the Philippines where the rule of law is undermined and subverted by power-hungry government officials, De Lima noted the Filipinos need to take a united stand against human right abuses and depend on each other, to the international community, and to various instruments of global justice. "Where do a brutalized people go when domestic legal systems fail to provide them redress and remedy? Where can they turn to when, at home, they are turned away from the courts of justice and the corridors of power?," she said. "Where do the Filipinos go now? Expectedly, we have to turn to those avenues which seem available and appear viable to us: to each other, to the international community, and to the various instruments of global justice," she added. De Lima said an independent prosecution of cases at the domestic level is greatly jeopardized by the incessant threats of Duterte and his allies against the independence of the judiciary, and the politically-motivated ouster of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. As if those were not enough, De Lima mentioned how Duterte has threatened and verbally attacked the UN High Commissioner, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers for expressing their serious concerns over the human rights situation in the Philippines. "Duterte's goal is obvious: to discredit and block off international organs and mandate holders, who may have the will and platform to determine the truth and exact accountability from him and other masterminds, and all those who perpetrate the killings and other gross human rights violations in the Philippines," she explained. Last Sept. 5, De Lima sent a letter to the UNHRC member-states urging them to send an independent fact-finding mission to the Philippines to investigate the extrajudicial killings under the government-sponsored all-out war on drugs.Press Release

September 15, 2018 POE URGES IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF CALAMITY FUNDS TO TYPHOON-HIT CAGAYAN VALLEY Government should rush Calamity Funds to typhoon-damaged Cagayan Valley as the region, which ranks first in corn production and second in palay, is the cereal bowl that feeds the nation, Sen. Grace Poe urged. Poe said ensuring that the region will be able to replant, rebuild and restore its farm output and facilities must be treated as a "national food security priority." One-fourth of the corn we produce, and one-seventh of the national palay we harvest come from the Cagayan Valley, Poe said. "Kaya 'yang si Ompong, para talaga tayong sinuntok sa sikmura," she said referring to the typhoon which has been recorded as 2018's strongest so far. Poe said portion of P19.6 billion Calamity Fund, officially called the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund in the 2018 national budget, should also be released immediately to the other two regions pummelled by Ompong-Cordillera and Ilocos. "Hindi lang cereal bowl ang tinamaan ni Ompong, pati 'yung salad bowl natin nahagip din," Poe said, referring to the Cordillera Autonomous Region which is the principal supplier of vegetables to Mega Manila. "If you combine the agricultural area of the three regions which is about 835,012 hectares, then you are talking about a substantial area critical to our food supply, and which gives livelihood to millions of farmers," Poe said. "If Cagayan, Ilocos and Cordillera do not plant, the nation goes hungry," Poe said. She added that a rehabilitation of the farms, including farm infrastructure like roads and irrigation, in the three Northern Luzon regions is needed as it comes at a time when prices of food are rising "and we don't want this calamity to further worsen the situation." In addition to the P19.6 billion NDRRMC fund, government should also tap some P7.6 billion disaster Quick Response Fund (QRF) which are distributed to 10 agencies. "These funds are already parked with the agencies, and some should have been predeployed to regions," Poe said. "'Yung DA merong P1 billion in QRF, 'yung NIA merong P500 million. Ito 'yung puwede sa replanting assistance and repair of irrigation. 'Yung DPWH, merong P1 billion. Dito naman puwedeng kunin 'yung para sa mga tulay at daan na nasira. 'Yung sa schools naman, kunin sa P2 billion QRF ng DepEd," Poe said. Other QRF recipients are DSWD-OSEC (P1.25 B), DND-OCD (P500 M), DND-AFP (P750 M), DOH (P500 M) and NEA (P100 M). "Para masiguro na ang tulong ay kasing bilis ng bagyo, dapat magkaroon ng one-stop shop processing and approval center sa Cagayan Valley mismo for all Calamity Fund requests, para 'di na kailangang lumuwas ang mga LGU, na busy sa relief operations, sa Manila," Poe said.Press Release

September 16, 2018 ANGARA TO DICT: FAST-TRACK ROLL-OUT OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM Senator Sonny Angara has urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to fast-track the roll-out of emergency communications system in disaster-hit areas. This year, the department has received P192 million for the purchase of six Mobile Operations Vehicles for Emergency (MOVE)--a flagship component of the DICT's emergency communications system to help make Philippine communities more disaster-resilient. Angara, Senate finance committee vice chairperson tasked to defend DICT's budget, sponsored such inclusion of the six MOVE sets in the department's 2018 budget. "One of the first casualties when disaster strikes is the communication infrastructure. Response to people immediately needing help and coordination among responders are impeded and delayed because they could not communicate," the senator said. "By putting in place the MOVE project, we will be able to provide a communication system crucial in delivering help and services and in saving lives," he added. Under the said project, mobile emergency vehicles will be made available initially in strategic areas such as the National Capital Region, Clark, Batangas, Cebu, Cagayan De Oro and Davao City for easies access of nearby provinces needing it. Future roll-out sites include Bicol, Tuguegarao in Cagayan, Samar and Zamboanga City. Based on the DICT's plan, each MOVE set has one six-wheeler truck which will serve as the command and control center to coordinate efforts of the first-responders and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, as well as base station near evacuation centers to provide evacuees connectivity with their loved ones. It is also equipped with one pick-up truck and one motorcycle that will bring connectivity to first-responders in ground zero. "Hopefully, the DICT will be able to implement this project at the soonest possible time. The typhoon that caused damage in the northern provinces underscores the need for a better and effective communication system in place to help our government in disaster response," Angara said.Press Release

September 16, 2018 De Lima joins call for jailed Reuters journalists' freedom Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has joined calls for Myanmar authorities to immediately free two journalists sentenced to seven-year imprisonment for allegedly possessing secret documents for their report on massacres against Rohingya Muslims. De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad, said our modern democracy gives the people the right to access information about their government and allows the media to report on the excesses of power and the abuses of the powerful. "I am in solidarity with civil society and political leaders everywhere who are making loud protests against the crackdown on media freedom and right to information in Myanmar, as evidenced by the sham trial and wrongful conviction of journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo by a district court in Yangon," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 375. Two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, were sentenced to seven years in prison in Myanmar after allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act for reporting on a massacre of 10 Rohingya men by Myanmar security forces in Rakhine State. The two journalists pleaded not guilty as they reportedly testified that they were simply framed up by police officers who insisted on meeting them and then handed them documents minutes before their arrest. The issue of the violent military campaign against the Rohingya in Rahkine state which the two journalists researched about is sensitive in Myanmar because of global condemnation of the military's human rights abuses of Rohingya minority. De Lima has since supported global call on behalf of Rohingya people. She signed a joint statement of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights calling on the United Nations Security Council to bring the humanitarian crisis affecting Rohingya people in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court. In November 2017, De Lima opposed the Philippine government's decision not to support the United Nations General Assembly committee draft resolution against Myanmar's military campaign on Rohingya Muslims. As then DOJ secretary in May 2015, De Lima also proposed the Philippines, along with fellow ASEAN member-states, to send rescue ships to help the Rohingya Muslims or "boat people" still stranded in the seas and save their lives. The Senator from Bicol said the clampdown on press freedom in Myanmar resonates in the Philippines where the foreign and national media have also been under constant threat of repression. "There are reports of Filipino and foreign journalists being harassed and threatened for documenting rights violations, and for making known their opinion about the abuses and misconduct of government officials. Media killings are on the rise," she said. Media outfits like Rappler, ABS-CBN, and Philippine Daily Inquirer, have been subjects of severe attacks from Mr. Duterte. The former justice secretary said press freedom and access to information should be a concern of everyone in any parts of the world. "It is in the free flow of information that a citizen gets to know what his or her government is doing," she said. "It is through the courage of media that horrors and atrocities of unspeakable proportions, like those that surround the Rohingya ethnic cleansing, and also the mass murders under the Duterte regime, are exposed and brought under global scrutiny and action." In a bid to provide insurance coverage and hazard pay to journalists and other media persons assigned to cover conflict or disaster areas, De Lima has filed Senate Bill No. 1860 which mandates additional insurance benefits for journalists, such as disability, health and hospitalization benefits.Press Release

September 16, 2018 Legarda Joins Call to 'Keep Cool and Carry On' in Protecting the Ozone Layer In celebration of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (September 16), Senator Loren Legarda today encouraged everyone to continue doing their part in protecting the ozone layer. Legarda, UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience, joined the call to "Keep Cool and Carry On: The Montreal Protocol", which is the theme for this year's celebration that urges everyone to carry on with efforts to protect the ozone layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol. "Keeping our commitments under the Montreal Protocol, particularly through the phaseout of controlled uses of ozone depleting substances and related reductions, has resulted in the healing of our ozone layer. This goes to show that when nations work together, we can protect the Earth," Legarda said. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer banned the use of substances that are responsible for ozone depletion such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The Senator said she hopes that the same unity manifested in implementing the Montreal Protocol can be shown in addressing climate change. "Nothing is impossible if we all work together and I hope that all nations can unite once again to address the climate crisis. Let us implement the Paris Agreement with the same effort, or even greater, when we successfully implemented the Montreal Protocol. Let us take all the necessary actions immediately to limit global warming to 1.5C," said Legarda. "As we celebrate the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, let us be reminded that no challenge is too great if all nations, all of humanity, will unite to protect our only home. Development need not come at the cost of the environment and the survival of the Earth. Our actions must be geared towards development that is sustainable, one that ensures a livable world for future generations," Legarda concluded.Statement of Sen. Nancy Binay on the latest video of Asec. Mocha Uson and Drew Olivar

Hindi nakakatuwa ang huling video ni Asec. Mocha Uson at Drew Olivar.

It is disrespectful to the sizeable deaf/mute community who already struggle in airing their concerns and aspirations.

Bilang author at co-sponsor ng Filipino Sign Language Bill na naglalayong kilalanin at suportahan ang pagpapatupad ng sign language sa lahat ng transaksyon at sa edukasyon ng deaf community na kaka-pasa lamang ng Senado, nababahala ako sa epekto ng ganitong pangungutiya at panghamak.

Such discriminatory actions set back our efforts to make our society more inclusive by providing a more conducive environment for deaf Filipinos to exercise their right to expression without prejudice.

I wish to remind Asec. Mocha that as a public official, it is paramount that she refrain from mocking the people she serves.

And just so the others also become more aware, making fun of persons with disabilities is in violation of the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (Republic Act (RA) 9442).

Again, sign language should never be made an amusement piece.Press Release

September 17, 2018 De Lima condemns senseless killings of 7 civilians by military Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has condemned the senseless killings of seven civilians from a Tausug community by government troops amid the Duterte administration's continuing implementation of martial law in Mindanao. De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad, said the military should have strictly adhered to the established rules of engagement to avoid unnecessary casualties while there are continuing acts of terrorism in the island. "I strongly condemn the reckless military operation that instantly wasted seven precious lives. The attempt to bring peace and order in Mindanao should not be at the expense of human lives. The Bangsamoro people, especially the youth, should not be the collateral damage of warfare," she said. "The army troops should have a clear understanding of the rules of engagement in military operations to prevent inflicting harm upon the civilians. Soldiers are expected to know the appropriate response in every dangerous or hostile situation and not just go into a shooting spree without knowing their target," she added. News reports showed that the Armed Forces of the Philippines claimed that seven alleged members of notorious Abu Sayyaf terror group were killed in a recent encounter in Bgy. Bakong, Patikul, Sulu. The Moro rights group Suara Bangsamoro, however, confirmed the alleged Abu Sayyaf combatants were civilians from a Tausug community who sought permission from the military to harvest their fruit trees in their farmland in Sitio Tubig Bato in Bgy. Kabuntakas, Patikul last Sept. 14. The seven young men, including a minor, were reportedly captured alive by scout rangers from the 32nd Infantry Battalion at around noon time last Friday and were all dropped off lifeless at a police station at around 4 pm of the same day. De Lima, who has been very vocal against the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, said the Duterte administration's continuing implementation of martial law cannot justify the senseless killings and reckless operations by the military in the war-stricken island. "Since Mr. Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial law, reports of violations of human rights and reckless operations by government forces were recorded. How many more innocent lives are going to suffer?" she asked. "This recent regrettable incident should remind Mr. Duterte that his imposition of a more authoritarian restriction on civil liberties through martial law in Mindanao only promotes violence, places his people's life in great peril, and is obviously not a solution to a lasting peace in the island," she added. Duterte first declared martial law on May 23, 2017 after clashes erupted between government forces and members of the Maute terror group in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. The declaration was extended until Dec. 31 this year with concurrence of the two Houses of Congress. A year after the Duterte administration has placed the entire region under the state of martial law, De Lima filed Senate Resolution 768 seeking a Senate probe into the widespread reports of human rights abuses in Mindanao, especially by government forces. In filing the resolution, she cited the report published by local human rights group Karapatan claiming that 49 victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in Mindanao - or an average of one victim was killed every week since the region was placed under the rule of martial law. The same report claimed it documented 22 cases of torture, 116 victims of frustrated EJKs, 89 victims of illegal arrest and detention, and 336,124 victims of indiscriminate gunfire and aerial bombings where at least 404,654 individuals were displaced. "If the records of violence are not enough to convince Mr. Duterte that martial law only promotes abuse of power, recklessness, and a culture of impunity, I don't know what else will," she said. De Lima said she hopes justice will soon be served for the seven innocent Tausug men who died in the hands of the military, noting that, "the government should hold accountable those responsible for these deaths."Press Release

September 17, 2018 HONTIVEROS VOWS TO FULLY RESTORE 2019 HEALTH BUDGET In the face of the threat of 15,000 health workers losing their jobs due to massive budget cuts in the Department of Health's (DOH) proposed 2019 budget, Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday vowed to fully restore the health department's budget for next year. In a statement issued coinciding with the Senate's hearing of the DOH's proposed 2019 budget, Hontiveros raised concerns regarding the deep budget cut in the department's Health Human Resources Deployment (HHRD). She said that the HHRD's lower funds would undermine the country's effort to realize universal health care for all Filipinos. "This is a massive setback in our goal to provide our people universal health care. A significantly lower budget for the DOH's HHRD would mean less doctors, nurses, dentists and midwives to be deployed to rural areas and poor communities. Less health workers means less health services. Less health services means less opportunities for Filipinos to lead healthy lives," Hontiveros said. It was reported that from a P9.6 billion budget for this year, the DOH's HHRD program for 2019 was slashed to around P1.2 billion. DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III warned that this may result in the loss of about 15,012 health workers' jobs. Hontiveros, who is the Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, vowed to fully restore the DOH's proposed 2019 budget, including its budget for its Health Facilities Enhancement Program. She asked Duque to submit to the Senate a list of the DOH's "priority among priorities", giving her commitment to restore the budget for health projects that are about to be completed and for the purchase of equipment that would upgrade the level of care of many health facilities. "Sa panahon ng kagipitan, ang kalusugan ng mamamayan ay hindi dapat mapabayaan. Walang tigil na nga ang mga sakuna ng mamamayan sa bagyo, matataas na presyo ng bilihin at dagdag na pagbubuwis, huwag naman sana pati sa kapos na serbisyong kalusugan ang mamamayan ay magtiis," Hontiveros said. The HHRD is a DOH program that takes care of assigning health workers to rural areas and poor communities. It assists local government units (LGUs) in paying for the salary of workers when municipalities are unable to do so.Koko Praises Display of Bayanihan Spirit as Malls, Churches and Ports Offer Shelter During Typhoon

While Ompong left a trail of destruction in its wake before exiting the country Saturday night, the typhoon proved that the Filipino bayanihan spirit was alive and well.

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III gave full praise to mall chains which opened their doors to the public amid the flooding in various parts of Metro Manila.

In their respective social media accounts, SM Super Malls, Ayala Malls, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls and Robinsons Malls announced they were waiving overnight parking charges for those who needed shelter. A number of these establishments even offered free use of lounges and comfort rooms as well as wi-fi and phone charging services.

"Filipinos have a 'mall culture', we heavily patronize malls. It's comforting and reassuring to know that in times of need, these malls take the initiative to give back to the public," Pimentel said.

Pimentel likewise praised The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for offering its church buildings as shelter even to non-members, additionally providing food, water, and other basic supplies to those who came.

The bayanihan spirit, the senator noted, was also reported in various ports. The Asian Terminal Inc., the Philippine Red Cross, and the Batangas social welfare office worked hand-in-hand to distribute free meals to stranded passengers at the Batangas port.

"In the face of disasters and calamities, we saw generosity and altruism. It's my hope that this close cooperation between the private sector, the government and the public isn't limited to times of need. We need everyday acts of heroism and concern," Pimentel said.Press Release

September 17, 2018 POE APPEALS FOR SEED SUBSIDY FOR FARMERS AFFECTED BY OMPONG Sen. Grace Poe said the government's 'basket of aid' for Ompong-hit farmers in Northern Luzon should include seeds for replanting to help them quickly recover from the damage caused by the strongest typhoon that hit the country so far this year. "First, give them food to help them tide over, then give them the resources to grow food. Although they would welcome relief goods, what they need more is production assistance," Poe said. One of them could be in the form of seed subsidy, she stressed. "Give a Cagayan Valley farmer a bag of rice, and he can feed his family for a week, but give him rice seeds for planting, and he can feed many people for a long time." Citing PhilRice, Poe said 40 kilos of its certified rice seeds are enough to plant one hectare. "The ROI here is bigger. Malaki ang multiplier effect, volume-wise 100 times. And from a procurement point of view, certified seeds are cheaper than milled rice at P32.50 per kilo." "Bago tayo mag-angkat ng milyong toneladang bigas mula sa ibang bansa, baka puwedeng tulungan din natin ang sarili nating mga magsasaka," Poe stressed. The senator said "rice, corn and vegetable" seeds can be given directly by the government to farmers, or its purchase shall be clearly earmarked in any production grant or credit assistance. But Poe said a seed assistance program will only work if done in tandem with the repair of typhoon-damaged rural infrastructure such as irrigation, farm-to-market roads and solar dryers. "Samahan na rin natin ng discounted gasoline para sa kanilang traktora, mabilis na bayad ng crop insurance at extension ng payment ng loans na walang interest," Poe said. She reiterated her earlier call to the government to treat the rehabilitation of Cagayan Valley farms as a matter of "national food security" saying that the region's five provinces and four cities account for one-fourth and one-seventh of the national rice and corn production. Poe earlier urged the immediate release of Calamity Funds to the region considered as the cereal bowl that feeds the nation.Press Release

September 17, 2018 POE: REDUCTION OF DOH BUDGET WILL HAVE SUBSTANTIAL EFFECT ON HEALTH SERVICES, RESULT IN MASSIVE JOB LOSSES Sen. Grace Poe has lamented the huge budget cuts in the proposed budget of the Department of Health (DOH) next year, as she warned that this could result in massive job losses of health professionals and could have a huge dent on vital health services. Poe said the doctors deployed to underserved areas, including thousands of nurses, midwives and dentists, among other health experts, are the "collateral damage" of the P36-billion budget reduction--from P109.8 billion in the current year to only P74.1 billion in 2019. "Palitan po natin ang pesos ng pounds, at ihambing natin sa timbang ng tao. Ngayong taon, buto't balat na lang na 109 pounds, tapos gagawin pa nating 74 pounds na lang sa susunod na taon. It is as if a fiscal tourniquet was applied on the DOH, constricting the flow of funds, which is the lifeblood of its programs," manifested Poe after the ratification of the disagreeing provisions of Senate Bill 1537 and House Bill 5777 or the First 1,000 Days bill, one of the advocacies of the senator. During a hearing of the DOH budget on Monday, (Sept. 17) senators were briefed that as much as 15,000 health workers are at risk of being displaced because of the budget cuts. For one, the DOH's Health Human Resources Deployment suffered a budget slash of P8.4 billion to P1.2 billion next year, from this year's P9.6-billion allocation. "Ito po ang programang nagde-deploy ng mga health professional tulad ng mga doktor, nurse, midwife at dentist, lalo na at salat sa perang pangsuweldo ang mga lokal na pamahalaan. Sila rin ang mga taong mag-aaruga sa bata mula sa sinapupunan ng kanilang nanay, hanggang sa kanilang pagsilang, hanggang umabot sila ng dalawang taong gulang," said Poe. The end result? Crippled essential health services for the poor, Poe said. A closer scrutiny of the proposed 2019 budget of the DOH indicates that key programs also face cuts and "important implementing arms are in danger of being amputated," Poe said. The First 1,000 Days, with its maiden year of implementation next year, also faced fund reduction, with 2019 proposed allocation pegged at P118 million from P300 million this year. "Paano natin lalabanan ang infant and mother malnutrition kung ang DOH mismo ay nakakaranas ng fund malnutrition? We need not point out the negative effect of these budget cuts in this bill's maiden year of implementation," Poe added. Poe urged senators to rally behind important programs such as the First 1,000 Days program, forewarning that without proper support, the program may just be among the unfunded laws. "We have a library of so-called 'Mona Lisa' laws that just lie there and die there. By our last count, around 137 mandates lack funding, amounting to a deficiency of P125.2 billion," Poe explained. But with adequate support, Poe said "we are one step closer to closing a major gap in our social policy--the lack of care for mothers and children in the first 1,000 days of life." The legislation provides comprehensive, sustainable and multisectoral approaches to address health and nutrition problems of children 0-2 years of age, including pregnant and lactating women and adolescent females in order to eradicate hunger, improve nutrition and prevent and manage malnutrition. Under the measure, the Department of Health, National Nutrition Council, Department of Agriculture, in coordination with other state agencies and local government units, are mandated to develop a comprehensive strategy for the first 1,000 days of life. "This brief period of time can determine the fate of Filipino children, and thus, the future of our country," said Poe.Press Release

September 17, 2018 Senate oks bills on holidays The Senate approved today on third and final reading 14 house bills seeking to declare special non-working holidays in several provinces to commemorate local significant events. Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, and sponsor of the bills, said these holidays would be an opportunity for communities to honor and participate in these historical events. House Bill Nos. 6178, 5563, 2484, 2132, 3710, 2129, 2131, 2130, 6418, 5641, and 2097 propose the declaration of special non-working holidays on January 11 in Bataan; April 21 in Orani, Bataan; June 11 in Sagay, Negros Occidental; June 15 in Oplo, Misamis Oriental; June 27 in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental; July 1 in Alubijid, Misamis Oriental; July 22 in Claveria, Misamis Oriental; September 1 in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental; October 26 in Catanduanes; December 1 in Padre Garcia, Batangas; and December 2 in Pasay City in commemoration of their respective founding anniversaries. The Senate also approved House Bill No. 2483, which proposes to declare July 4 as a special non-working holiday in Cadiz, Negros Occidental, in commemoration of its charter day anniversary. The Senate also approved House Bill No. 5172, which proposes to declare June 19 as a special non-working holiday in Laguna in honor of the birth anniversary of our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal and HBN 5551 which proposes to declare a special non-working holiday on September 2 in Albay in honor of the birth anniversary of Simeon Ola, the last general of the Philippines to surrender to the American forces after the Philippine-American War. "It is also important to honor individuals who have greatly contributed to nation-building. We, especially the youth, should remember those who steered the country towards the independence that we enjoy today," Angara said. (AY Almiranez)Villanueva hails bicam report ratification on "Healthy Nanay and Bulilit" bill

Sen. Joel Villanueva on Monday welcomed the Senate ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the bill ensuring health of mothers and children starting from the first 1,000 days of mother's pregnancy.

Villanueva, one of the authors of Senate Bill No. 1537 or the Healthy Nanay and Bulilit Act, said that providing proper nutrition and health services to children and pregnant mothers will help prevent malnutrition in the Philippines.

"We laud the Senate bicam report ratification on the proposed Healthy Nanay and Bulilit Act. This will help more than 3.8 million stunted and over 800,000 underweight children in the country," Villanueva said.

Villanueva underscored that the measure will provide nutritional supplements and vitamins to pregnant women and babies from poor families annually and vaccination for babies against hepatitis B, polio, measles, among others.

The bill also strengthens the enforcement of Executive Order No. 51, or the Milk Code, and Republic Act No. 10028, or the "Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009," which promote optimal infant and young child feeding and maternity protection.

"We congratulate our co-authors in both Houses for actively pushing for the passage of this very important measure which we dedicate to our mothers and children who are the future pillars of our nation," Villanueva said.Press Release

September 17, 2018 Sponsorship Speech of Senator Cynthia Villar Senate Bill No. 1998 (In substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 1476, 1689, 1839, taking into consideration P.S. Resolution Nos. 143, 146, and HBN 7735) under Committee Report 440 September 17, 2018 Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, I stand here today to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1998 under committee report no. 440 or "An Act Replacing The Quantitative Import Restrictions On Rice With Tariffs, Lifting The Quantitative Export Restrictions On Rice, And Creating The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 8178, As Amended By Republic Act No. 9496, And As Further Amended By Republic Act No. 10848, And For Other Purposes". Senate Bill No. 1998 was prepared jointly by the Committees on Agriculture and Food, Ways and Means, and Finance. It is in substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 1476, 1689, 1839, taking into consideration Proposed Senate Resolution Nos. 143, 146 and House Bill No. 7735, with Senators Ralph Recto, Leila De Lima, Joel Villanueva, Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian and Cynthia Villar as authors thereof. As we know, the only agricultural commodity in the Philippines that has a quantitative restriction (QR) is rice, in line with the government's policy of rice self-sufficiency. The QR allows the government to limit the volume of rice that could be imported by the country each year in order to protect local rice producers from cheap rice imports. When the Philippines joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995, we made a commitment to lift the QR on rice or tariffy our rice or what we herein refer to as rice tariffication. The Philippines established a tariffication system in 1996 through Republic Act (RA) 8178, otherwise known as the Agricultural Tariffication Act, when we opened up our agricultural market to WTO member countries. Through which, all QRs on agricultural products were converted into tariffs, that is except rice. It was a "special treatment" given to the Philippines. The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) granted the Philippines an initial 10-year exemption for the lifting of the QR on rice and the subsequent conversion of this QR into a tariff. A rice QR allows the Philippines to prohibit rice imports from coming into the country beyond a minimum access volume, which that time was 238,940 metric tons (MT). MAV refers to the volume of rice that is allowed to be imported for a lower tariff committed by the country under the WTO. The special treatment would have expired on June 30, 2005 but we again negotiated to have the special treatment for rice extended by seven years or up to June 30, 2012. The Philippines again negotiated to postpone rice tariffication up to July 1, 2017. We have already notified the WTO that we will tariffy rice, we have opted not to extend further the special treatment given to our country. Rice tariffication is not possible unless we amend RA 8178 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act. Thus, the urgency of the passage of this bill. With tariffication or lifting of all existing quantitative import restrictions on rice with tariffs and the lifting of the quantitative export restrictions on rice, the substitute bill, repeals Section 5 of R.A. 8178. Thus, the NFA shall no longer establish rules and regulations governing the importation of rice and issue import licenses or permits for the private sector. Likewise, the power of the NFA to first certify the existence of a shortage, before importation is allowed, is hereby removed. In effect, it will remove unnecessary government intervention in the rice market, as envisioned by the President during the meeting with rice traders, officials of the NFA and members of the NFA Council including NEDA, which expects that once the QR is replaced by predictable tariffs, the private sector can respond more efficiently to the market. And the government can focus on regulating to ensure food safety and fair market competition. In terms of the tariff equivalent of the quantitative import restriction on rice, the bound rate shall be as notified by the Philippines to the WTO as follows: A. For the minimum access volume (MAV) committed by the Philippines to WTO, the indicated rates in the applicable provisions of the WTO agreement on agriculture, shall apply; B. For ASEAN member states, thirty-five percent (35%) or the import duty rate commitment of the Philippines for rice importation, pursuant to the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement or ATIGA; and; C. For non-ASEAN member states, fifty percent (50%) or the tariff equivalent calculated in accordance with the WTO agreement on agriculture upon the expiration of the waiver relating to the special treatment for rice of the Philippines, whichever is higher. The calculated tariff equivalent shall be determined by the NEDA board within 45 days upon the effectivity of this act. And as warranted under Chapter 2 Title XVI of the CMTA or the Customs Modernization Tariff Act, the President may exercise his powers in the following cases: in case of impending rice shortages--when a lower applied tariff rate on a specified volume of importation of rice for a limited period of time is necessary; and in case the tariff equivalent for Non-ASEAN member states exceeds 100 percent. Any order issued by the president adjusting the tariff rates and/or the specified volume shall take effect immediately. Senate Bill No. 1998 also provides for a special rice safeguard duty to protect the Philippine rice industry from sudden or extreme price fluctuations, in accordance with Safeguard Measures Act. One of the key features of the bill is the creation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, which shall consist of initial appropriation of ten billion pesos (PhP10,000,000,000.00) a year until the all duties collected from the importation of rice can replace it. It shall be automatically credited to a special account in the general fund of the national treasury. ' Funding for the succeeding years shall come from the tariff revenues for rice importation, until such time that there is enough collection from tariff in the fund, and the rice production competitiveness in the country shall have been achieved, a yearly appropriation of ten billion (PhP 10,000,000,000.00) pesos shall be provided for in the general appropriations act (GAA) and shall be continuously used for the purpose for which it was earmarked and set aside. The amount collected/allocated shall be released directly to the implementing agency as provided for in this law. The rice competitiveness enhancement fund shall be allocated and disbursed to rice-producing areas, as follows: Fifty percent (50%) shall be utilized as grant in aid to eligible farmers associations, and registered rice cooperatives and LGUs, in the form of rice farm equipments for purposes of improving farm mechanization. The machines are tillers, tractors, seeders, millers, dryers and the like. It will be implemented by Philmech;

Thirty percent (30%) shall be used for the development, propagation and promotion of inbred rice seeds to rice farmers. Layunin nito na tulungan at turuan ang mga rice farmers na maging seed growers. We also want them to engage in seed production and sale of improved seed varieties. This will be implemented by Philrice.

Ten percent (10%) shall be made available in the form of credit with minimal interest to rice farmers and cooperatives to be managed equally by Land Bank and the Development Bank of the Philippines;

Another ten pecent (10%) of the fund shall be for the extension services divided between Philmech, Philrice, Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and TESDA to teach skills on rice crop production, modern rice farming techniques, seed production, farm mechanization, and knowledge/technology transfer thru farm schools nationwide. Ang prayoridad ay ang mga rice farmers na adversely affected by the tariffication and lifting of the quantitative restriction on rice; and in accordance with the thrust and priorities of RA No. 8435, otherwise known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Law, and the Philippine Development Plan. Three months after the enactment of the bill, the DA together with the NEDA, DOST, National Irrigation Authority (NIA), Land Bank, DepED, TESDA and other relevant agencies have to finalize a rice roadmap to restructure delivery of the government's support services for the rice sector. Hangad natin na matugunan ang kanilang mga pangangailangan lalong lalo na sa equipment, facilities, technology, research and development among others. Gusto rin natin siguruhin na ang future generation of Filipinos will be experts in rice production. Mr. President, it should be also pointed out that besides being bound by our WTO commitment, rice tariffication will also solve pressing rice-related problems that the country is facing. Foremost of which is that the price of rice will decrease by PhP4 and PhP7 per kilo due to improved supply in an open market. We are aware also that it may affect the income of Filipino farmers, but that is why we are providing a safety net for them--the rice competitiveness enhancement fund comprise of a yearly appropriation of PhP10 billion to be replaced by the tariff revenues if it is enough. Over the long run, when the fund has been utilized as intended--to enhance the competitiveness of local farmers, then we are confident that we can narrow the competition gap. Palay production here costs 90 percent more than our neighboring countries, particularly Vietnam. Based on studies, the Philippines produces palay at PhP 12.41 per kilogram (kg), while Vietnam's cost is only PhP 6.53 per kilo. Kaya nahihirapan ang ating mga magsasaka. While the DA and other agri-related agencies have been providing support through various interventions, at tayo rin mismo dito sa Senado ay nagpasa na ng mga batas katulad ng ACEF at free irrigation, the cost of rice production and the price of rice remain high. And the upward trend is expected to continue. Hindi lang ang mga Pilipinong magsasaka ang nahihirapan, pati na ang mga mamimiling Pilipino, lalo na ang mga mahihirap na pamilyang Pilipino na hindi na halos makayanan ang presyo ng bigas. As pointed out by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies, based on the 2012 Family Income and Expenditure Survey, poorer Filipinos tend to allocate greater share for rice. In fact, the people in the poorest 20 percent of households spend 21 percent of their budget on rice. Walang duda na ang pagbaba ng presyo ng bigas ay mas malapit sa sikmura ng mga mahihirap nating mga kababayan. Talagang napapanahon na para maisakatuparan na natin ang rice tariffication. Hindi lang dahil sa ating commitment sa WTO. Lalong-lalo na dahil sa malulutas nito ang marami sa ating mga kinakaharap na problema sa suplay at presyo ng bigas. It cannot be overemphasized that besides being an agricultural country, the Philippines is a rice-eating nation, it is incumbent upon us to do right with rice. Para naman makapag unli-rice pa rin ang ating mga kababayan. With that, Mr. President, I seek the urgent approval of Senate Bill No. 1998.Vodafone Group's incoming chief executive Nick Read says a float of the New Zealand unit is on the cards next year.

Read told The Financial Times the company is tidying up its global operations and that a float of Vodafone New Zealand would probably take place in 2019.

The local Vodafone unit cooled on the prospect of an initial public offering earlier this year after drumming up support for a listing in 2017. A spokeswoman for Vodafone NZ today said the official stance on IPO hasn't changed since April.

"We'll consider a float in the future if market conditions are right," she said.

Vodafone New Zealand reported a 16 percent slide in annual profit to $39.9 million, even as revenue edged up 0.2 percent to $2.03 billion in the last financial year, with adviser fees for the canned float depressing the result.

The local Vodafone unit is also in for a change of leadership, with former Spark New Zealand executive Jason Paris taking over as CEO from October.

Russell Stanners has run the New Zealand branch for 12 years, taking it from a pure mobile company to an integrated telecommunications group, with acquisitions including TelstraClear, WorldxChange, and more recently Farmside. He missed out on building a vertically integrated media telecommunications group last year when the Commerce Commission rejected a proposed merger with pay-TV group Sky Network Television.

The UK group is also restructuring its Australian operations, where the Vodafone brand is run by Vodafone Hutchison Australia, a joint venture between ASX-listed Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) and Vodafone Group.

Last month Vodafone Hutchison and ASX-listed TPG Telecom proposed an A$15 billion merger. The enlarged entity would be 50.1 percent owned by Vodafone Hutchison shareholders, which include Spark, with TPG shareholders owning the remaining 49.9 percent.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

Infratil and Mercury NZ have a strong incentive to increase their stake in Tilt Renewables to 90 percent but may only raise their offer for the business if there is strong resistance from minority holders, an independent review says.

Delisting the Melbourne-based generation developer could save more than A$1 million a year, Northington Partners says. But it says that saving is minimal relative to the potential value of future imputation credits from the business, which Infratil may be able to use, given its significant Australian operations.

Whether Infratil and Mercury, bidding as a joint venture, will be prepared to increase their offer is hard to determine and will most likely come down to the take-up of the offer already in the market, the advisory firm said in a 54-page report issued today.

If acceptances are reasonably high - but still not sufficient to reach the 90 percent threshold for compulsory acquisition  Infratil could creep up its holdings over time or reconstitute the joint venture for a new offer in the future.

Conversely, if acceptances under this offer are low, the Tilt JV may be more inclined to increase the offer price towards the end of the offer period in order to improve acceptance levels, Northington said.

Infratil and Mercury, which control about 78 percent of Tilt, are offering $208.5 million, or $2.30 a share, for the rest of the business.

Tilts independent directors today strongly recommended shareholders reject the offer which they said was made more inadequate by a power supply agreement the firm received last week for part of the output from its proposed Dundonnell wind farm in Victoria.

Tilt shares rose 5 cents to $2.35 on the NZX today. They had traded below $2 most of this year until Mercury acquired its 19.9 percent stake in May.

Northington valued Tilt shares at between $2.56 and $3.01, with a mid-point of $2.79. That valuation makes no allowance for the potential value of Australian franking credits, which may not be captured for a long time since Tilt may continue investing heavily and limit its dividend payments.

Northington said the Infratil-Mercury venture is offering no more than Mercury was prepared to pay in May for a non-controlling minority interest in the business. Nor does it imply any value for the 336 megawatt Dundonnell development, nor the rest of the firms development pipeline of wind and solar projects.

Northington valued Tilts operating assets at $2.06 to $2.32 a share, Dundonnell at 33 to 44 cents, and the rest of the pipeline at 17 to 25 cents.

Last week Tilt announced it had signed a 15-year supply deal with Victoria's state government for 37 percent of the output from the proposed A$560 million Dundonnell project.

The company expects to make a final investment decision on the 80-turbine project later this year. Construction would begin early next year and be completed by mid-to-late 2020.

The offer from Infratil and Mercury is already unconditional. It must remain open until Oct. 15.

Fiona Oliver, chair of Tilt's independent directors, said that if the major shareholders are to acquire full control they should pay a fair price.

Tilt Renewables is extremely well positioned to be a significant part of, and benefit from, the global push towards renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions, she said. We are poised to make a major difference to the size of renewable energy generation in Australia and New Zealand."

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

The New Zealand dollar gained after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern mistakenly said she was "pretty pleased" with gross domestic product growth having received a "hint" ahead of Thursday's official release of the second-quarter economic data.

Her comments were downplayed by her chief press secretary who said she was referring the government's June year financial statements and had "made a mistake."

The kiwi lifted to 65.84 US cents from 65.78 US cents as at 8am prior to the comments.

Ardern told NewstalkZB she'd been given "a hint" about the GDP and "I am very pleased with the way we are tracking." The data, due Thursday, will come under particular scrutiny after the central bank last month kept the official cash rate at 1.75 percent and pushed out the timing of the first rate hike citing weak growth as a concern. Governor Adrian Orr reiterated that the direction of our next OCR move could be up or down.

The prime minister's chief press secretary Andrew Campbell said Ardern was not referring to the second-quarter GDP number but the unaudited financial statements of the Crown.

"She made a mistake," he said. "She has not seen and would not see the GDP numbers," Campbell said. "She conflated the two."

Economists are expecting the data to show GDP expanded 0.8 percent from the first quarter and 2.5 percent from a year ago, according to a Bloomberg poll of 16. The central bank is tipping growth of 0.5 percent.

Stronger-than-expected GDP growth would quell any market expectations of a rate cut. Market pricing for a rate cut also dipped to 44 percent from 50 percent before Ardern's comments.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

A review of intellectual property protection for new plant varieties will grapple with requirements of trade agreements and recommendations the Waitangi Tribunal has made on Maori guardianship.

The government has launched a 13-week consultation to help update 30-year-old legislation governing the intellectual property of plant breeders. A review of the law started in the 1990s but was put on hold twice, first to cater for the Wai 262 claim and then again during trade and investment negotiations for the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment notes several issues in the current regime including: whether there should be a mechanism for rights owners to collect a royalty when farmers and growers save and use material grown themselves; how far rights over harvested material should extend; how far rights are extended to similar varieties; whether compulsory licensing is fit-for-purpose; and how to appropriately enforce the regime.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said a robust regime is needed to encourage the development of new varieties without breaching international and Treaty obligations.

"Ensuring the plant variety rights regime includes adequate protection and recognition of Maori interests in the regime will be an important outcome of this review," he said.

The government hasn't formally responded to the Waitangi Tribunal's 2011 Wai 262 report which recommended widespread reforms that would give greater recognition to kaitiaki interests and Maori roles in decision-making, and would shift Crown-Maori relations to one of partnership.

MBIE used the Wai 262 report to structure the plant variety rights discussion, and balancing Treaty with international obligations is a key issue for the review, Faafoi said in a Cabinet paper. New Zealand has to meet the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants within three years of the CPTPP coming into force.

The government also wants feedback on how to engage with Maori in the review and plans regional hui in November and December to discuss the substantive issues for Maori. That separate consultation will also consider whether to expand the plant varieties rights review to other taonga species issues, such as requiring patent applicants to provide information on the origin of genetic resources or traditional knowledge used.

"Disclosure of origin is a key proposal to protect indigenous rights and interests in genetic resources and traditional knowledge being discussed in several international forums," the MBIE paper said. "The Waitangi Tribunal also recommended that a disclosure of origin requirement be incorporated."

Faafoi plans to seek Cabinet agreement on policy for disclosure of origin by early 2019 and to release an options paper on the plant varieties law review in the first half of next year.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

Ongoing China-US trade tensions kept the New Zealand dollar capped, with investors jittery about potential domestic economic impacts given China is the Pacific nation's largest trading partner.

The kiwi traded at 65.54 US cents at 5pm from 65.50 US cents at 8am in Wellington and 65.46 cents on Friday in New York. The trade-weighted index was at 71.34 from 71.24 last week.

President Donald Trump is likely to announce new tariffs on about US$200 billion of Chinese imports as early as Monday, a senior administration official told Reuters. Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported Beijing may decline to participate in proposed trade talks with the United States later this month if the Trump administration moves forward with the tariffs. Against that backdrop, the US dollar remained firm although trading was light due to a holiday in Japan.

"The New Zealand dollar continues to fall under the shadow of US dollar strength, downbeat NZ business confidence, falling dairy prices, emerging market stress, Chinese yuan depreciation, and of course the constant threat of US trade tariffs," Jarrod Kerr, chief economist for Kiwibank, said in a note.

While trade headlines will continue to weigh, domestically "this week will be dominated by GDP mania," he said. Second quarter gross domestic product likely grew 0.8 percent for an annual gain of 2.5 percent, according to a Bloomberg survey of 16 economists. The Reserve Bank forecast 0.5 percent quarterly growth. The data is due Thursday.

"If its on expectation, the kiwi should start to form a base after a long period of freefall," said Kerr.

Investors will also be watching for the Global Dairy Trade Auction, overnight Tuesday, where NZX dairy futures are pointing to further weakness in prices.

"Another fall in dairy prices would reinforce the downward pressure that we already judge to be on Fonterras 2018/19 milk price forecast of $6.75," said BNZ head of research Stephen Toplis.

Kerr said the Westpac-McDermott Miller consumer confidence survey for 3Q due Wednesday will also garner some interest given weak business confidence of late.

The kiwi traded at 91.60 Australian cents from 91.43 cents Friday and gained to 4.5000 Chinese yuan from 4.4912 yuan last week. It edged up to 56.31 euro cents from 56.27 cents on Friday and traded at 50.08 British pence from 50.03 pence. The local currency increased to 73.37 yen from 73.27 yen last week.

New Zealand's two-year swap rate was unchanged at 1.97 percent while 10-year swaps rose 2 basis points to 2.84 percent.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

Kathmandu Holdings says its two brands offer "significant growth potential" as the outdoor equipment chain seeks to crack America and Europe.

The retailer bought US footwear supplier Oboz Footwear for up to US$75 million earlier this year as part of a two-pronged strategy to accelerate expansion overseas. Kathmandu derives just 4.1 percent of its revenue outside New Zealand and Australia.

The Oboz acquisition is part of a wider strategy to turn what's been primarily an Australasian retailer into a global outdoor apparel and equipment brand. Kathmandu is targeting existing Oboz customers in the US for its namesake brand, leaning on New Zealand's international reputation for having a pristine environment and as an adventure travel destination.

"Its an exciting time for the business as we welcome Oboz to the group and accelerate our international growth," chief executive Xavier Simonet said. "In Kathmandu and Oboz, we have two great brands with significant growth potential in North America and Europe."

Kathmandu has spent the past couple of years improving the profitability from its New Zealand and Australian operations by dialing back discount sales and taking a more rigorous approach to managing inventory.

That's been largely successful with the retailer generating its third year of earnings growth under Simonet's leadership. The company today reported net profit of $50.5 million in the 12 months ended July 31, up 33 percent from a year earlier. Sales rose 12 percent to $497.4 million and gross margins widened to 63.4 percent from 61 percent.

In late June the retailer signalled profit would be between $48 million and $52 million and Forsyth Barr analyst Jeremy Simpson forecast profit of $52 million. The shares rose 2.2 percent to $3.25, near a four-year high reached last month.

Kathmandu will pay a $1,000 bonus to staff who aren't on an incentive plan to recognise the retailer's three-year run of strong performance. The company cut New Zealand staff numbers by 38 full-time equivalents to 468 over the past year, reducing total headcount to 1,256 from 1,273. That offset the additional 21 staff taken on in the Oboz acquisition.

Still, the wage bill rose 8.6 percent to $90 million. Key management pay rose 16 percent to $5.3 million.

The board declared a final dividend of 11 cents per share, with a Nov. 19 record date and paid on Nov. 30. That takes the annual return to 15 cents, a 15 percent increase from a year earlier.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

New Zealand shares were mixed in light trading as investors weighed up the impact of index rebalancing at the end of this week. Growth stocks Pushpay Holdings and A2 Milk Co gained, while Sky Network Television fell.

The S&P/NZX 50 index edged up 0.77 of a point, or 0.01 percent, to 9,271.53. Within the index, 20 stocks gained, 23 fell and seven were unchanged. Turnover was $89.4 million.

Several Australian stock indices tracked by passive investment funds will rebalance at the end of the week. The new line-ups will take effect from next month, including Sky TV's exit from the S&P/ASX 300 index. Sky TV fell 2.8 percent to $2.06, just shy of the $2.05 low it hit on Sept. 6.

David Price, a broker at Forsyth Barr, said trading had been particularly quiet for a number of days and that the index rebalancing will attract most focus this week.

"There'll be quite a bit going on this Friday with some large index changes. That'll be the highlight of the week."

Pushpay rose 2.7 percent to $4.15, extending last week's gain on a broker upgrade. A2 rose 2.5 percent to $12.29 after a Forsyth Barr research note said new Chinese e-commerce rules should play to the milk marketer's strengths. Synlait Milk fell 1.6 percent to $12.95 ahead of its annual result on Thursday.

Chorus gained 2.1 percent to $4.89 and Ebos Group rose 2.1 percent to $22.44.

Retirement stocks largely fell. Price said the decline was too small to attribute to the recently announced Australian Royal Commission into aged care, which saw the likes of ASX-listed Estia Health sink 17 percent. Summerset Group fell 2.6 percent to $7.60, Metlifecare declined 1.9 percent to $6.26 and Ryman Healthcare decreased 1.1 percent to $13.55.

Property For Industry slipped 2.5 percent to $1.755 after opening a seven-year bond offer. The real estate investor wants to raise $100 million which it will use to repay bank debt and diversify its funding at a lower cost.

Infratil declined 1.1 percent to $3.47 and Mercury NZ was unchanged at $3.28. Tilt Renewable's independent adviser valued the wind and solar generation business at a premium to the duo's $2.30 a share offer. Tilt rose 4.8 percent to $2.41.

Kathmandu was unchanged at $3.18 ahead of its annual result tomorrow. The retailer has said net profit should rise to between $48 million and $52 million from $38 million in 2017.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

The first report of the government's Tax Working Group will be published Thursday, while long-delayed announcements on legislation to allow onshore oil and gas exploration permits to be offered this year are imminent, said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

She would not be drawn on whether the TWG, led by the Finance Minister in the last Labour-led government, would recommend a capital gains tax, but reiterated her administration's commitment not to consider capital taxes "on the family home or the land under the family home".

The first report was an issues paper and would not contain firm recommendations, she said.

Michael Cullen will hold a briefing for media on Thursday morning before releasing the report at 11am.

Meanwhile, Ardern also gave a one-word update on the progress Cabinet is making on legislative amendments it must make to the Crown Minerals Act to ban offshore oil and gas exploration before it can offer exploration acreage onshore for the annual Block Offer. Oil and gas companies bid for the right to look for hydrocarbons that may one day be developed as oil and gas fields.

Energy Minister Megan Woods is out of the country this week and a spokesman for her office was unable to confirm when announcements would be made.

The April 12 announcement to stop offering offshore oil and gas exploration licences shocked the local industry, which had expected more consultation on a decision the government sees as a stake in the ground on its commitment to combating climate change. Critics say the change could lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions if coal rather than natural gas is required to meet electricity demand in dry, windless winters when water levels in hydro storage lakes are low.

In previous years, the Block Offer process would have been well under way before now, with successful bids normally unveiled before Christmas.

One of the most vocal critics of the government's decision and subsequent delays, Woodward Partners energy analyst John Kidd, wrote in a note to clients on Sept 3 that he suspected the government would rush the legislation through Parliament under urgency, on what he said was a "deeply disingenuous pretence" that this was necessary to allow the 2018 Block Offer to proceed.

However, the true benefit of urgency was to "kneecap" normal parliamentary scrutiny for a measure that was likely to be accompanied by a regulatory impact statement devoid of official support for the offshore exploration ban.

Parliament sits for one more week of the current four-week block, before taking a fortnight's recess. That suggests such a process might reasonably be expected next week.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

Former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and husband Burton were in court for the opening day of the high-profile case against Mainzeal's former directors.

They include Shipley, career director Paul Collins, and Richard Yan, head of Richina Pacific, which owned Mainzeal.

The building company collapsed in early 2013 owing more than $115 million to unsecured creditors. Problems included leaky buildings, cost overruns on the Vector Arena project and a lack of financial support from Richina when times got tough.

In court today, lawyers for the liquidators BDO argued Mainzeal was dangling by a thread and directors should have understood the risk.

If you are profitable, you might be funded, but if you are not profitable, you arent going to be funded, Mark O'Brien QC said.

The liquidators allege reckless trading and breach of director duties when they let the company trade with negative equity - when money owed exceeds the value of assets - from at least 2008. The directors vigorously deny any wrongdoing.

Shipley leaned forward and shook her head as BDOs lawyer O'Brien asserted that there was no reason to think the funding the company needed to continue trading would be forthcoming.

She was New Zealands first woman PM leading the country from 1997-1999. Shipley still chairs Genesis Energy and China Construction Bank (NZ) and is on the board of food export company Oravida and the International Finance Forum in Beijing. She will retire from Genesis at the October annual meeting.

Liquidators Brian Mayo-Smith and Andrew Bethell of BDO hope the directors professional liability insurance will allow them to recover up to $75 million for creditors, many of them unpaid subcontractors.

The addition of the insurance companies behind the case adds a certain frisson to the proceedings, as the case can be seen as a battle between litigation funder LPF Group, which is funding BDO, and the insurance companies standing behind the directors.

Bethell says the case is about more than just Mainzeal. It's about the standards of governance and care owed by company directors in New Zealand towards the company and creditors.

We say that when it became obvious that Mainzeal was insolvent, the directors had a duty to put strategies in place to enable the company to avoid substantial risk of serious loss from ongoing trading."

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Greenfern has commenced distributing GMP medications in Aus

Move Logistics Group Limited (NZX: MOV) Reminder of Retail Entitlement Offer Closing Date

Kathmandu Holdings Limited (NZX: KMD) Trading Update and Investor Day Presentation

9th November 2021 Morning Report

EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) Receives Overseas Investment Office Consent

Informed Investor weekly market outlook

8th November 2021 Morning Report

Trustpower Limited (NZX: TPW) Releases Half Year Report - 30 September 2021

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Launches Retail Bond Offer

Vector Limited (NZX: VCT) Considers Retail Bond Offer

Casting couch does exist in the movie industry, it is a reality that should not be brushed under the carpet, says Sunny Leone. She said if we do not admit that this menace exists in the industry we would not progress. My life itself is an example of this.

She was talking to a press meet in Chennai promoting her biopic web series. Sunny Leone who had acted in many Telugu and Tamil films apart from Bollywood movies also opined that the casting couch menace is not rampant. It is there but can be eradicated easily if more professionalism comes into the industry. There are already many changes have been done for good, she said.There was some speculation as to whether Justice Gogoi would be appointed in the light of his participation in an unprecedented press conference held by three of his colleagues in January. The press conference was called by the four judges, including Justice Gogoi, to raise their concerns on the Chief Justices allocation of cases to benches in the Supreme Court. During that press conference, Justice Gogoi said, its the discharge of a debt to the nation that has brought us here. The Indian Express editorial stated that with the appointment of Justice Gogoi, the transition would not be hampered by controversy 

Justice Ranjan Gogoi, will be the 46th Chief Justice of India after he is formally sworn in by the President on October 3rd. His tenure will be for 13 months. In adhering to tradition, the current Chief Justice Dipak Misra recommended the senior most justice after him to the post. Convention dictates that the outgoing Chief Justice submits his recommendation to the government.

The turbulence triggered by that January press conference in and around a traditionally sedate institution has still not abated. Against that backdrop, and in the context of the turbulence, therefore, CJI Misras decision to abide by the established convention stands out  and it reassures.

Born in 1954 in Assam, he followed his fathers footsteps and pursued law joining the bar in 1978. His father was former Assam Chief Minister Kesab Chandra Gogoi; albeit for a little over two months in 1982 during the turbulent agitation against illegal migrants. He practiced mainly at the Gauhati High Court, where in 2001 he was appointed as a permanent judge. His casework at the High Court consisted mainly of matters related to the constitution, taxation and company cases.

His elder brother retired Air Marshal Anjan Kumar Gogoi vouches for his sibling as someone who is honest and straightforward, saying in part, From the very beginning, he always followed the right path and rules. When he took up law, I knew he would make a good lawyer. As one among five kids, his father wanted him to join the civil services, take up a life of public service like he did. Given his outward humble nature, he is among 11 Supreme Court judges to have made public his assets, revealing he has no car.

The Indian Express noted a conversation highlighted by documenter Arup Kumar Dutta in the book Gauhati High Court: History and Heritage between then Chief Minister Gogoi and former Law Minister Abdul Muhib Mazumdar; Mr. Gogoi stated that his son would not join politics but had the potential to become the next Chief Justice of India.

In 2010, he was transferred to the Punjab & Haryana High Court where he was elevated as the Chief Justice there in 2011. The following year, he was appointed to the Supreme Court.

Known as someone who speaks his mind in delivering judgments; hence the striking aspect of his presence at the January presses conference. He was known to the courts Bar Association President, Atul Chandra Buragohain, as someone who thought differently. An example  he combined similar cases and hearing them together to handle the workload efficiently and save time.

Given his no-nonsense nature and straightforwardness, he, in 2016, became the first to issue a contempt notice to a former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju for an attack on the judges and not the judgment. This had to do with the Soumya rape and murder case, where Mr. Katju criticised the handling of the case.

As someone who believes fiercely in the independence of the judiciary, his comments at the Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture a few months back seem pertinent. He said in part, independent journalists and sometimes noisy judges should be democracys first line of defence. At a time when the role of the judiciary has played a vital role; their judgments of privacy and Section 377; Justice Gogoi will take oath when the judiciary has stepped up when parliament and lawmakers havent.

He currently presides over the controversial NRC draft case in Assam along with Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman. Other high profile case he presides over is the Aarushi Talwar murder case; he heads a bench in the alleged telephone exchange case involving former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran. Given the country is heading into an election year; he will be watched as to how he handles sensitive cases such as the Ayodhya title suit and the admissibility of Aadhaar as identity proof. As the Free Press Journal editorial stated , he will be judged on his merits and his work 

With the no-nonsense reputation that he enjoys, he can be expected to eschew political biases. Justice Gogoi would also be judged on how he deals with the contentious issue of appointment of judges which is hanging fire for long.

Taking the reign of a ship in choppy waters will be a challenge for the new Chief Justice. As someone who is keen on institution building and trying to form consensus on institutional issues, he holds the judiciary in the highest regard and doesnt diminish its vital role in a democracy as he stated in the Goenka Memorial lecture, This institution is the last bastion of hope and the one that the citizenry believes firmly, will give justice to them, come what may. I will only say that if it wishes to preserve its moral and institutional leverage, it must remain uncontaminated. And, independent.

More columns by Varun Sukumar

Japan conducts first submarine drill in disputed South China Sea: media



Tokyo, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, a newspaper said Monday, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters.

Submarine Kuroshio on Thursday joined three Japanese warships in waters just southwest of the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal, the Asahi Shimbun said.

China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, despite competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Tensions have been high over the Scarborough Shoal since it was seized from Manila by Beijing in 2012.

The newspaper said the submarine exercises were Tokyo's first in the South China Sea.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force carried out a "practical" anti-submarine drill, including an exercise to spot enemy submarines with sonar devices, Asahi said, quoting unnamed Japanese government sources.

The sources said it was a legitimate naval exercise in neutral waters, with rights of access secured under international law.

Following the drill, the Japanese submarine plans to make a port call on Monday at Cam Ranh, central Vietnam, in a bid to display Tokyo's defence cooperation with Hanoi, Asahi said.

It will be the first call by a submarine at the strategically important port since the Second World War, it added.

The disputed South China Sea contains vital global shipping routes and what are believed to be significant oil and natural gas deposits.

China has engaged in years of land-reclamation efforts on reefs it controls in the region, and built both civilian and military facilities in the contested area.

Earlier this month, Beijing lashed out at Britain for sending a warship close to the disputed islands -- one of a series of "freedom of navigation" operations carried out in recent times by the US and its allies as a signal to Beijing of their right to access the disputed waters.

Immediate confirmation of the Asahi Shimbun report was not available.China will hit back at any new US tariffs: ministry



Beijing, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



China's foreign ministry said Monday it would strike back at the US if Washington moved forward with new tariffs on $200 billion of its exports.

"If the US launches any new tariff measures, China will have to take countermeasures to firmly ensure our legitimate rights and interests," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a regular press briefing.

The two countries have been embroiled for months in a trade conflict that has threatened to hurt consumers in both countries. Trump has already imposed 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in goods from China.

Last week Beijing welcomed Washington's offer to hold fresh trade talks and said the two sides were discussing details, providing some hope the world's top two economies could step back from the brink of an all-out trade war.

But over the weekend the Wall Street Journal reported US President Trump planned to announce tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods early this week and that the move could cause Chinese officials to cancel the talks.

The US imports around $500 billion in goods from China.

The news sent Chinese stocks tumbling on Monday more than one percent with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index falling to 2,651.79, the lowest level since 2014.

"An escalating trade conflict serves no one's interests," Geng said.

"We have always stated that negotiations on the basis of equality, honesty and mutual respect represent the only right way out of the current trade issue between China and the US," said Geng.

In response to President Trump's threatened tariffs, Beijing has teed up tariffs of five to 25 percent on $60 billion of US goods including pig hides, cocoa butter and condoms.China complains to Sweden as tourists 'brutally' ejected from hotel



Beijing, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



China has lodged a diplomatic complaint accusing Swedish police of treating Chinese tourists "brutally" after a family was roughly ejected from a Stockholm hotel, the foreign ministry said Monday.

The spat began earlier this month when the family of three -- a man and his elderly parents -- tried to sleep in a Stockholm hotel lobby after arriving early for their reservation, but the hotel's employees refused to allow them.

Widely-shared video footage shows a Chinese man being carried out of a building by two police officers as someone in the background yells in protest. An older Chinese woman is seen sat on the ground outside next to her luggage.

The family claim police left them in the cold at a cemetery several kilometres (miles) away from the hotel.

The incident escalated over the weekend, with both foreign ministries wading in.

The Chinese embassy in Sweden and foreign ministry "lodged representation with the Swedish side, urging the Swedish side to investigate this case, to respond promptly to the reasonable request of the Chinese tourists," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters at a regular press briefing on Monday.

His Swedish counterpart Patric Nilsson said Stockholm and Beijing are conducting a dialogue on "various aspects of our relationship".

Swedish authorities on Monday said there was no police wrongdoing, calling it an "ordinary police procedure".

The hotel's manager told Swedish daily Aftonbladet that the Zeng family had threatened staff, who then called the police.

Chinese media have also weighed in, with state-run CCTV calling the police action "appalling".

"The rude treatment the foreign tourists got in a developed country that claimed to be civilised and a torchbearer of human rights is indeed shocking and unacceptable," it wrote in an editorial.

The spat comes after the Dalai Lama's visit to Sweden last week.

Seen as a thorn in China's side, the 83-year-old travels the world advocating peace and greater autonomy for Tibet.

Relations between Beijing and Stockholm have also been tense following the detention of publisher Gui Minhai, a Chinese-born Swede who vanished into Chinese custody in January under murky circumstances.

Asked if the recent escalation has to do with Gui's case, Geng said China's position on the case is "unchanged".

Social media has been split over the fracas, with some calling on the family to reflect on their actions.

"After the police arrived, as a fully-functioning person, how did you communicate that led to you and your elderly father getting carried out of the hotel?" wrote one user on the Twitter-like Weibo.Page Content

International Day of Democracy 2018 is held on September 15th every year, and it has been running for 10 years. It is a United Nations, (UN), day of observation, to review the state of democracy in the world and uphold and promote democracy and its principles. The day was founded on the 20th anniversary of the First International Conference of the New or Restored Democracies, which promoted global democracy. On this day, individuals and organizations of all kinds work together for democracy and hold events to raise awareness of democracy, including conferences, discussions and debates, as well as press conferences and publicity campaigns though distribution of leaflets, posters and flyers. Major events to commemorate the day are held at UN headquarters in New York.





Democracy and Human Rights





Democracy and human rights are closely linked, and UN covenants on these matters are to the fore on this observance day. Democracy is a state where the people have rights, especially to vote for and elect their government and regulation from among themselves, rather than being controlled by a government over whom they have no right of dissent, election or protest. Lack of democracy can lead to lack of rights or a voice, and this impacts on human rights as set out by the UN, the website quotes.





Sint Maarten has a parliamentary democracy, under a constitutional monarchy. The latter is a system of government in which a monarch, in this case, King Willem Alexander, is guided by a constitution whereby his rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.





Over the years Sint Maarten has had and have Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Via legislative elections, the winning party forms a government with or without other parties, they deem to work with, depending on the minimum amount of seats that is therefore required.





Sint Maartens Parliamentary democracy system has control over internal affairs, including aviation, customs, communications and immigration; the Netherlands is responsible for external affairs, such as citizenship, defense and foreign affairs.





But, the Day of Democracy goes further than only a political reality. How do we deal with freedom of speech, human rights (including gender equality and women rights, LGBT-rights, children rights, and rights of migrants, etc.)? How are we taken care for the people left behind in our society (such as the disabled, the elderly)? All these themes are meant to be captured in the reflex ion of the Day of Democracy. When it comes to the UN, these themes should be not only 1 day of the year, but a continues effort of Government and its people to leave no one behind.





2030 Agenda





The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its 17 goals, captures mainly with SDG 16 for Peace, Justice and strong institutions, several of these themes on democracy and human rights.





In our Sint Maarten Governing program 2018-2022 Building a Sustainable Sint Maarten the key priorities are mentioned. Although other priorities are mentioned, to cope with the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and MarIa in 2017, other priorities such as Electoral Reform, establishing an Integrity Chamber are mentioned to come to Good Governance, which is fundamental for Democracy.





St. Maartens Department of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) is the designated focal point for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda on St. Maarten. Ms. Drs. L. Morales, program manager at BAK can be contacted to be part of the SDGs process. You can reach her via government email loekie.morales@sintmaartengov.org or per telephone number +1721-5271223.





The governing program can be downloaded from the Sint Maarten government Website www.sintmaartengov.org





In the Picture: the Parliament of Sint Maarten



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(0x7f3fd95b8a98)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd963b4b0)', '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(0x7f3fd95b8a98)') 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(0x7f3fd963b4b0)') 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(0x7f3fd95ff2c8)') 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(0x7f3fd963b4b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd963b4b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd8cb7de8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9687118)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9687118)') 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(0x7f3fd94b1ae0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9657cb0)', '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(0x7f3fd94b1ae0)') 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(0x7f3fd9657cb0)') 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(0x7f3fd9617cd0)') 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(0x7f3fd9657cb0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9657cb0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd8cb8ea8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9610f80)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9610f80)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0The report from the national Inquiry into family violence has several demands of the Government, which, if accepted, will help Samoa defeat family violence.

Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman, Samoas national human rights institution, released its final report into a two-year national inquiry into family violence.

Ombudsman Maiava Iulai Toma said if all the findings and recommendations in the report are accepted, Samoa can defeat family violence and violence as a whole.

The price of power, belligerence and ignorance is not worth the pain and suffering of those people and everyone else who is fated to endure violence in their lives.

Neither is it worth the damage that it will do to the Faasamoa and to faith in the long term if these value systems cannot adapt to prove their worth and defeat this social illness, the report stated.

At the launch, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malilegaoi called on the nation to take action to address this issue head on at last.

This piece highlights just some of the many recommendations the commissioners made to Government for immediate or urgent action.

Cost is no barrier to enacting the recommendations in this report, Ombudsman Maiava said in his report conclusion.

They will pay for themselves over time; such is the drain on our economy family violence causes.

It is not just a drain on our resources, but a drain on our moral compass and values. We need to take meaningful action before it is too late.

The first of 39 recommendations is that Government should establish a family violence Prevention Office with gender equality at the forefront of all its objectives.

The office, alongside a national family violence prevention strategy and communications strategy and council and taskforce, should provide the foundation for a coordinated inter-agency response to family violence.

Established under the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, the office would be responsible for the overall implementation of the National Family Safety Strategy, coordinate agency responses and activities, implement and participate in activities, facilitate training for key actors, awareness raising, data collection and monitoring and evaluation, the report states.

Some of these key actors are schools, police and healthcare providers, which should be sites of safety for victims of violence, the report said.

Government should strengthen the corporal punishment ban, not weaken it, and educate society on the impacts of violence.

Police and health services should be trained to recognise family violence as a national issue requiring plans for their roles in attending to victims and perpetrators.

The report recommended both institutions undergo training into the causes and impacts of family violence, as well as improving their data collection, documentation and developing formal referral systems.

Furthermore, the state is obligated to provide universally accessible shelters to victims.

The report recommends an independent party should assess the level of need in Samoa and whether N.G.Os, Government, or some combination of the two should provide the shelters.

As Samoas national human rights institution, the office of the ombudsman would be the monitor of standards for these shelters.

As well as shelters, Samoa should be establishing a national family violence crisis centre with certified in house counsellors, alongside a national qualification for counsellors.

Currently, N.G.Os does not receive support or coordination by Government.

A national service standard should be established and standards should be monitored by government to ensure quality of service, the report said, and N.G.Os should expect training and financial/technical support from government, and they all need a standardised data collection system.

Furthermore, the commissioners want Government to further investigate the rates of violence against faafafine, the elderly, and persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.Mattis in Macedonia to counter 'Russian influence' against name change



Skopje, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Skopje Monday to back a 'yes' vote at this month's referendum on Macedonia's name change and counter what he called "Russian influence" against the move.

On September 30, Macedonians will vote on whether to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, which would open the door to NATO and EU membership.

The planned vote follows a landmark deal on the change signed by Athens and Skopje in June in a bid to break a stalemate that has poisoned their relations since 1991 and hobbled Macedonia's integration with the West.

Greece objected to its neighbour being called Macedonia because it has its own province of the same name.

It had accused Skopje of territorial ambitions and blocked the Balkan country from joining NATO or starting EU accession talks.

"I think to the people whose lives can be changed by economic opportunities, by security among... 30 democratic nations, I think it's very important that they have those options available," Mattis said on the plane taking him to Skopje.

But "this is a decision for our Macedonian friends. And however they go, you know that we are going to live by it."

Mattis is to meet with his Macedonian counterpart Ludmila Sekerinska and with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who struck the name-change deal with Greece.

He will also hold talks with President Gjorge Ivanov, close to the rightist nationalists and an opponent of the deal.

Washington accuses Russia, which opposes NATO enlargement in eastern Europe and the Balkans, of leading a disinformation campaign in Macedonia through social media to discourage voters from taking part.



- 'Russian influence operations' -



The Pentagon chief slammed what he called "Russian influence operations" in the country of 2.1 million.

"We don't want to see Russia doing there what they have tried to do in so many other countries," he said.

Mattis accused Russia of sending money to influence some political groups.

"No doubt that they have transferred money and that they are also conducting a broader influence campaign."

Montenegro, another tiny Balkan country, joined NATO in 2017, despite the opposition of Moscow and a part of the population.

Laura Cooper, in charge of Russia and central Europe at the Pentagon, accused Moscow of paying voters to boycott the referendum and financially supporting pro-Russian organisations.

"They are swooping in now with disinformation and other forms of malign influence to try to change the minds of the Macedonian people," she told reporters.

"There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organisations."

In an interview with Macedonian news portal Nova Makedonija, Russian ambassador to Skopje Oleg Shcherbak accused the West of putting "very strong media and psychological pressure" on Macedonian voters.

Macedonian media, notably the main TV channels, have led a campaign for a 'yes' vote, which seems the likely outcome.

According to the Macedonian constitution, the referendum will only be "consultative" -- meaning that a 'yes' outcome will need to be backed by parliament with a two-thirds majority.

The nationalist opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, which opposes the name change, has decided not to back an ongoing campaign on social media for a boycott of the vote.

"We'll just look at how they'll shape their own future, not shaped by someone else," said Mattis, the first US defence chief to visit Skopje since 2004.Russian 'Facebook' bans Myanmar army chief, hardline monk



Yangon, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



Russian social media site VKontakte (VK) has followed Facebook by banning Myanmar's army chief and a nationalist monk known for stirring up Islamophobia in a country condemned globally for the treatment of its Rohingya Muslims.

Facebook blacklisted Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other top military brass three weeks ago after a damning report by UN investigators called for their prosecution for genocide over the army's brutal crackdown on the Rohingya.

The military head immediately opened up an account on VK, which has a very similar blue and white interface to its Silicon Valley counterpart but is hosted by Myanmar's staunch ally Russia.

He quickly amassed some 37,000 followers but users Monday were greeted with a message that the account had been suspended "due to a violation of the VK terms of service".

VK told AFP that the accounts of Min Aung Hlaing and hardline abbot Wirathu had been "blocked permanently after receiving many complaints from users", adding that it had hired Burmese-speaking moderators to monitor posts.

Wirathu is an influential monk known for his hatred of Islam and the Rohingya in particular.

Facebook disabled his account in January after a string of vitriol targeting the stateless minority.

Last year's army campaign forced some 700,000 Rohingya to flee over the border into Bangladesh, with refugees bringing testimony of widespread murder, rape and arson.

Only a hardcore of military supporters appear to have made the switch to VK from Facebook in the Buddhist-majority country, which only came online recently after half a century of military rule.

Facebook still reigns supreme although it has scrambled in recent months to show it is taking hate speech seriously after coming under fire for its slow response to incendiary posts.

The UN envoy to Myanmar lambasted the world's biggest social network earlier this year, even saying it had morphed into a "beast".

The tech giant, which boasts some 18 million accounts in the country of 51 million people, has admitted it has often been too slow to take down inflammatory posts.

The army chief, who had two Facebook accounts with 1.3 and 2.8 million followers respectively, often used the site to drum up support for the military campaign.

Posts would frequently refer to the Rohingya as "Bengali" to imply they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and feature denials of atrocities during the crackdown.Turkey will increase troop numbers in Cyprus: Erdogan



Istanbul, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed that Ankara will increase rather than reduce its troops numbers in Cyprus, a move that could further set back attempts to reunify the divided Mediterranean island.

In comments published in Turkish media Monday, Erdogan added that Turkey had no need for a naval base on Cyprus as mooted in some reports but could establish such a facility if it was necessary from a "psychological" point of view.

"No, we are not going to reduce the numbers of our troops. We will increase them, we are not going to decrease them," he told Turkish reporters travelling back with him from a trip to Azerbaijan.

He expressed impatience over the Cyprus issue, saying "this business would have been solved" if the Greek Cypriots had backed unification in an April 2004 referendum on a plan put forward by the late former UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

While Turkish Cypriots were overwhelmingly in favour of the plan, Greek Cypriots voted against.

"Henceforth we will implement the formula that we have declared for ourselves," said Erdogan, without elaborating.

Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion which occupied the northern third of the island in response to a Greek military junta-sponsored coup.

Turkey is believed to maintain around 35,000 troops in northern Cyprus, although the military does not give official figures.

The withdrawal -- or drastic reduction -- of Turkey's military presence is seen as key to any reunification plan being acceptable to the Greek Cypriot side.

Some conservative Turkish media have also reported in recent weeks that Turkey was planning to open a naval base on Cyprus, a move that would likely deal a terminal blow to any reunification hopes.

But Erdogan said "we have no need to build a base there", noting that unlike Greece, Turkey was just "minutes away" from the coast of Cyprus.

But he appeared to leave the door open to such a move as a way of making a political statement.

"This issue just has a psychological dimension. In this respect, if we felt the need, we could establish a base. Our presence there is important," Erdogan said.

There were high hopes at the beginning of 2017 that UN-backed talks could clinch a breakthrough in the long-running stalemate on reuniting the island.

But the deadlock has not been broken and analysts say rapid progress is unlikely for the moment as Erdogan reaches out to the nationalist electorate in Turkey.Japan conducts first submarine drill in disputed South China Sea



Tokyo, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, local media said on Monday, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters.

The anti-submarine drill was conducted on Thursday in the region to "improve strategic techniques", Japan's defence ministry said in a short statement.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended the drill, which he said does not aim to target "a particular nation."

Neither Abe nor a ministry spokesman said whether it was the first such exercise there.

The Asahi Shimbun newspaper said the submarine Kuroshio joined three Japanese warships in waters just southwest of the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal.

China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, despite competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Tensions have been high over the Scarborough Shoal since Beijing seized it from Manila in 2012.

The newspaper said the one-day submarine exercises were Tokyo's first in the South China Sea.

The Maritime Self-Defence Force carried out a "practical" anti-submarine drill, including an exercise to spot enemy submarines with sonar devices, the Asahi said, quoting government sources.

The sources described it as a legitimate naval exercise in neutral waters, with rights of access under international law.

Abe stressed that he agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month that he will visit Beijing soon, saying Japan-China relations have entered "a new stage."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang declined to confirm the drill, but said that "the situation in the South China Sea is improving."

Japan "should act cautiously and avoid doing anything which would harm regional peace and stability", he told a regular press briefing.

Following the drill, the Japanese submarine made a port call on Monday at Cam Ranh in central Vietnam to promote defence cooperation with Hanoi, Japan's defence ministry said in a separate statement.

The submarine with 80 people aboard will stay until Friday.

It was the first call by any foreign submarine at the strategically important port, a defence ministry spokesman said, citing a Vietnamese counterpart.

China has engaged in years of land-reclamation work on reefs it controls in the South China Sea and has built both civilian and military facilities on them.

Earlier this month Beijing lashed out at Britain for sailing a warship close to the disputed islands -- one of a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises carried out in recent years by the US and its allies.Pentagon chief in Skopje over Russia bid 'to sway' name change vote



Skopje, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Skopje on Monday to throw his support behind a 'yes' vote in Macedonia's upcoming referendum on a name change and to counter "Russian influence" against the move.

Slated for September 30, the vote will ask Macedonians whether they want to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, in a move which could open the door to NATO and EU membership.

The referendum follows a landmark agreement between Athens and Skopje in June which sought to break the stalemate that has poisoned their relations since 1991 and hobbled Macedonia's integration with the West.

Greece objects to its neighbour being called Macedonia because it has its own province of the same name.

It has also accused Skopje of territorial ambitions and blocked the Balkan country from joining NATO or starting EU accession talks.

Speaking on the plane en route to Skopje, Mattis said it was up to the Macedonians to decide whether they wanted the change, which could open important doors for this country of 2.1 million.

"I think to the people whose lives can be changed by economic opportunities, by security... it's very important that they have those options available," he said.

"We'll just look at how they'll shape their own future, not... someone else."



- 'Russian influence operations' -



But he had harsh words for what he called "Russian influence operations" and efforts to pay off certain political groups.

"We don't want to see Russia doing there what they have tried to do in so many other countries," he said.

"No doubt that they have transferred money and that they are also conducting a broader influence campaign," he said.

Russia is opposed to any NATO enlargement in eastern Europe and the Balkans, and Washington has accused Moscow of leading an online disinformation campaign in Macedonia to discourage voters from taking part.

On arrival, Mattis -- the first US defence chief to visit Skopje since 2004 -- met his Macedonian counterpart Radmila Sekerinska and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who struck the name-change deal with Greece.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Mattis said Washington and Skopje would expand "cybersecurity cooperation to thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens both our democracies".



- 'No proof of Russian influence' -



But Zaev played down his allegations of Russian meddling.

"We don't have proof about Russian influence," he told reporters earlier on Monday on the sidelines of freedom of speech conference.

"The Russian Federation is a friend to Macedonia and they have nothing against our integration in the EU, but they are against our integration in NATO," he said.

Montenegro, another tiny Balkan country, joined NATO in 2017, despite opposition by Moscow and part of the population.

But Laura Cooper, who is in charge of Pentagon policy on Russia and central Europe, accused Moscow of paying voters to boycott the referendum and of financially supporting pro-Russian organisations.

"They are swooping in now with disinformation and other forms of malign influence to try to change the minds of the Macedonian people," she told reporters.

"There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organisations."

- Macedonia's 'consequential mistake' -



In June, Russian ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told Greek media that Macedonia's choice to become a NATO member was "a mistake".

"There are errors that have consequences," he said.

Speaking to Macedonian news portal Nova Makedonija in late August, Russian ambassador Oleg Shcherbak accused the West of putting "very strong media and psychological pressure" on Macedonian voters.

Macedonian media, notably the main TV channels, have led a 'yes' campaign, which seems the likely outcome.

Under the Macedonian constitution, the referendum is only "consultative" -- meaning that any vote in favour of the change will need to be backed by parliament with a two-thirds majority.

The nationalist opposition VMRO-DPMNE, which opposes the name change, has decided not to back a social media campaign calling for a boycott of the vote.US accuses Russia of 'cheating' on North Korea sanctions



United Nations, United States, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



The United States on Monday accused Russia of "cheating" on UN sanctions against North Korea with a planned railway project, oil transfers and ongoing business dealings with Pyongyang.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told a Security Council meeting that the United States has evidence of "consistent and wide-ranging Russian violations" of the UN sanctions imposed on North Korea.

"Step by step, sanction by sanction, and time and time again, Russia is working across the board to undermine the sanctions regime," Haley said.

Led by the United States, the council last year adopted three sets of wide-ranging sanctions aimed at cutting off revenue to North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

Haley said Russia had been "cheating" despite supporting UN sanctions resolutions.

Russia wants to develop railway links to North Korea to export coal from its Far East region and ultimately reach South Korea to access a global port, Haley said.

"The problem is, it isn't time yet to relieve pressure on North Korea no matter how lucrative it is for Russia," she said.

The United States maintains that UN sanctions which have dealt a blow to North Korea's economy must remain in place until Pyongyang has completely scrapped its nuclear weapons and military programs.

Russia also blocked a US move to blacklist Russian ships allegedly involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined oil to North Korea.

Haley charged that Moscow was refusing to expel a North Korean operative who is allegedly raising money for Pyongyang's military program and rejecting calls to block his Moscow bank account.

The council meeting was called by the United States after a report by an independent UN panel of experts was amended under pressure from Russia to remove sections that deal with Russian businesses.

The United States blocked the release of the report on the implementation of sanctions in protest at the changes in the latest version.

China called for UN sanctions to be enforced but recalled that resolutions allow for a lifting of the punitive measures if there is progress toward denuclearization.

Chinese Ambassador Mao Zhaoxu said "confrontation is a dead-end" and diplomacy must be "actively" promoted to bring an end to the standoff on the Korean peninsula.

China and Russia have argued that North Korea should be rewarded with the prospect of eased sanctions for opening up dialogue with the United States and halting missile tests.US, Russia clash at UN over North Korea sanctions



United Nations, United States, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



The United States on Monday accused Russia of "cheating" on UN sanctions against North Korea with plans for a railway project, oil transfers and ongoing business dealings with Pyongyang.

Russia shot back and charged that Washington was blocking steps to foster cooperation between North and South Korea and using a UN sanctions committee "as a select channel to punish" North Korea.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told a Security Council meeting that the United States has evidence of "consistent and wide-ranging Russian violations" of the tough economic penalties imposed on North Korea.

Sanctions "cannot be an end in itself," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia responded. "You should, instead of creating roadblocks, promote the inter-Korean cooperation and dialogue," he told Haley.

The raucous meeting highlighted divisions between the United States, which is pushing for sanctions to be fully enforced on North Korea, and Russia, which argues that incentives must be offered to Pyongyang to move forward.

Led by the United States, the council last year adopted three sets of wide-ranging sanctions aimed at cutting off revenue to North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

Haley said Russia had been "cheating" despite supporting UN sanctions resolutions.

"Step by step, sanction by sanction, and time and time again, Russia is working across the board to undermine the sanctions regime," she said.

The United States maintains that UN sanctions which have dealt a blow to North Korea's economy must remain in place until Pyongyang has completely scrapped its nuclear weapons and military programs.



- Row over UN report -



Russia wants to develop railway links between North and South Korea to export coal from its Far East region and reach South Korean ports, Haley said.

Russia also blocked a US move to blacklist Russian ships allegedly involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined oil to North Korea and is refusing to expel a North Korean operative, Haley said.

In a rebuttal, Nebenzia said the plan for rail links was not in violation of sanctions resolutions and rejected accusations of a Russian ship involved in oil transfers.

He said Russia had asked for further information from the United States on the North Korean national.

The council meeting was called by the United States after a report by an independent UN panel of experts was amended under pressure from Russia to remove sections that deal with Russian businesses.

The United States blocked release of the report on implementation of sanctions in protest at the changes in the latest version.

China called for UN sanctions to be enforced but recalled that resolutions allow for a lifting of the punitive measures if there is progress toward denuclearization.

Chinese Ambassador Mao Zhaoxu said "confrontation is a dead-end" and diplomacy must be "actively" promoted to bring an end to the standoff on the Korean peninsula.

China and Russia have argued that North Korea should be rewarded with the prospect of eased sanctions for opening up dialogue with the United States and halting missile tests.Optimization

Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should?

Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools.Retaliation for Potential Syrian Chemical Attack Germany Faces New Pressure to Take Military Role

Under pressure from the United States, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her defense minister have signaled an increased willingness to take military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in case of a chemical weapons attack. But their options are limited by domestic reality.Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.Back in June, Joya de Nicaragua announced the reintroduction of the Clasico line to the U.S. market. The move to bring back the first Nicaraguan cigar ever seems fitting at a time when the company is celebrating its golden anniversary.

Clasico goes back to America at a moment when we have reached the highest quality standards at the factory in our 50-year history, said Mario Perez, sales director for Joya de Nicaragua. But we kept the same blend that the founders of the company created, the blend that once captivated world leaders when it was the official cigar of the White House back in the 70s.

In a departure from the powerful smokes for which the company is known, Joya is marketing Clasico as mild and creamy. The recipe remains the same as it did decades ago. The wrapper is Cuban-seed Ecuadorian Connecticut, and the binder and filler tobaccos are, of course, Nicaraguan.

There are a whopping twelve formats, so theres a size here for everyone. The Toro may have been the first Clasico I tried (and also reviewed), but the thin Numero 6 (6 x 41, $6.50) is the most appealing to me in terms of dimensions. I tend to gravitate towards narrower ring gauges, whenever possible, and six inches long seems just about perfect in terms of smoking time.

Like the Toro, Numero 6 has a traditional, understated, andin my opinionbeautiful band that nicely highlights the golden color of the smooth, buttery wrapper. At the foot, I find bright, crisp pre-light notes of sweet hay. The cold draw is smooth, especially for such a thin cigar.

The initial profile is salty and abrasive. Fortunately, after just a couple puffs, things settle down nicely. Individual flavors include creamy butter, warm tobacco, and raw almond. Theres also a green freshness thats hard to put my finger on. The mild- to medium-bodied cigar has a bready texture.

The Numero 6 mostly remains this way until the end, save for the occasional additions of tastes like clove, cafe-au-lait, and white pepper. Along the way, the physical properties are mostly admirable. I found a straight burn line, smooth draw, and good smoke production. On the downside, the ash is very flaky and prone to fall off prematurely, and the burn requires a few re-lights along the way to stay burning.

As I wrote of the Toro, I enjoy mild cigars. But mild cigars need to have flavor. The Clasico Toro has flavor. At times it shines, and at times it falls a little short. All told, I think the most appropriate rating is three stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

Patrick A



photo credit: Stogie GuysIn mid-2018 Russia revealed that they had sent 63,012 troops to Syria since mid-2015. That includes army, navy and air force personnel, many having been there multiple times (but are only counted as one of the 63,012). Not included are contractors, who are civilians, even if they took on some of the most dangerous jobs and suffered more casualties than the military personnel. Yet many of the contractors were never near combat and were there mainly to help the Syrians refurbish and revive their rundown military equipment and infrastructure.

Out of those 63,000 Russian military personnel who have been in Syria (some for less than a day, few for more than six months) only about a hundred have died in combat so far. There have been half as many military contractors serving in Syria and they have suffered several hundred dead. No official numbers of military contractor fatalities have been released but Russian volunteer organizations have tried to keep track of the funerals or other indications of young men dying in Syria and it is clear that being a military contractor is a lot more dangerous. The point here is that there are still some Russians willing to take dangerous combat jobs but there are not enough them to maintain the million man military Russian leaders want. Russia knew going in that Russian troops getting killed overseas, even if they were not conscripts (who were kept out of Syria from the start) was politically unpopular with most Russians. Even volunteer troops getting killed overseas was unpopular although opinion surveys showed that the average Russian was not upset if a contractor (or mercenary) was killed because they were paid a lot more and were professionals who knew what they were getting into.

Russia also revealed that 41 percent of the Russian troops in Syria were officers and that seven percent of the troops sent were artillery specialists. Thats because Russia did have some artillery (tube and rocket) and anti-aircraft units in Syria as well as a lot of artillery officers and technicians to help rebuild the Syrian army artillery and air defense equipment and train personnel. Next to artillery troops there were nearly as many special operations troops. These were there both for training Syrians and carrying out, well, special operations. Most of these were eventually replaced with contractors, some of whom had earlier served in Syria as a soldier.

Most of the Russian troops in Syria were there to provide training, combat advisors and, most importantly, technical help in rebuilding the Syrian inventory of weapons and equipment. These support personnel were also hard at work maintaining Russian aircraft and military equipment in general. The Russian aircraft maintainers made it possible for Russian warplanes to fly 39,000 sorties (an average of 36 a day) that, according to Russian estimates, killed at least 86,000 enemy personnel. This air support was a key factor in Syrian forces being able to regain control of most of the country by 2017.

Russian air strikes in Syria were directed primarily at rebels and about 70 percent of the dead were Syrians (primarily rebels or nearby civilians) and not Islamic terrorists who were concentrating on their religious war with each other. Russia officially said it was there to fight ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) but most of the targets were non-ISIL rebels who have been taking a lot of territory from the Assad government. The Russian air strikes went after a few key Islamic terrorist leaders and the FSA (the largest secular rebel group, supported by the U.S.). Both FSA and al Qaeda (HTS/al Nusra) are hostile to ISIL but for Russia, these two groups were a major threat to the Syrian government, which has long been a Russian ally. Russian warplanes carried out 50-60 air strikes a day during peak periods, which was far more than the U.S. led air coalition.

By 2016 it was obvious that Russia was concentrating most of its considerable firepower on rebel groups that were hurting the Syrian Assad government forces the most. By American count, only about ten percent of Russian air strikes were against ISIL and those targets were usually hit to protect Assad forces. Russia justified (to the UN and the world in general) its military presence in Syria because it was part of the effort to destroy the ISIL threat. While Russia does not hide its support for the Assad government (which the UN and most of the world accuse of war crimes and want gone) it insists that its presence in Syria is not primarily to keep the Assads in power. Yet thousands of Russian troops were working with the Assad forces, the Russian troops were all based in Assad controlled territory and the majority of rebels, who are not ISIL or the local al Qaeda franchise al Nusra (now HTS), are the main targets of Russian firepower.

The Russian intervention in Syria was never meant to be a large effort in terms of manpower and intended, from the beginning, to help rebuild and revive the Syrian military forces that were already there. Most of the Russian troops and contractors were technical experts to assist the Syrians in refurbishing elderly (or just overworked) weapons and military equipment. Russia supplied the spare (or improved) parts and any special tools needed to get this done. New weapons and gear also arrived and the Syrian troops had to be quickly taught how to use all this stuff. By January 2016 the impact of this effort was visible to people on the ground. Western photo satellites and aerial surveillance showed the Syrian troops using new Russian artillery as well as more of their own refurbished stuff because the Russians had shipped in lots of ammo along with the new parts. A lot of worn out Syrian artillery and armored vehicles were ready to go again with the right replacement parts and perhaps a few new items (sights, electronics, better batteries) as upgrades. Russian UAVs were providing target information and the Syrian infantry seemed more precise and confident as they called in supporting artillery and air support before advancing. All this made it much harder for the rebels to defeat the Assad government and much easier to accept a peace deal that keeps the Assads in power, which was always a Russian goal.

Another advantage the Russian intervention bought the Syrian government was more medical assistance. The Russians brought in lots of badly needed medical supplies and equipment as well as medical personnel. This was a big morale booster for government forces because all these offensive operations meant more casualties. The knowledge that there was better medical care available made government forces more willing to take chances. This meant more Syrian local militias, even ones that are neutral or anti-government, were willing to work with government forces to defeat ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). There were a growing number of communities that initially (2011-12) sided with the rebels but by 2016 were willing to work with whoever could protect them. The government has always been willing to work with neutral civilians and make deals. The most useful neutrals are the non-Sunni Moslems (Shia, Christian, Druze and so on) that ISIL persecutes enthusiastically and that have long sided with the Assads who themselves come from the local Shia minority.

Russia has also made a major effort to help rebuild what is left of the Syrian Air Force, which has suffered enormous (over 70 percent) losses between 2011 and 2016. The Russians also brought in UAVs and electronic monitoring equipment and because of that provided a much better picture of where the best targets were. This caused a lot of damage to the rebels who found their supply facilities and other support operations being located and bombed. These airstrikes were delivered mainly by Russian jets and helicopters at first but soon the refurbished Syrian warplanes were carrying out a lot more airstrikes. Russia had always provided tech and material (spare parts) support for this largely Russian fleet of warplanes and helicopters but not enough for the Syrians to keep more than 30 percent of the 370 aircraft and helicopters operational by the time the Russians showed up. The surge of Russian support meant the Syrian Air Force could be rebuilt and become a major factor once more. By 2018 the Syrian Air Force was able to handle most of the air support Syrian ground forces needed.

Russia brought in several thousand of their Spetsnaz (special operations) troops both as active duty Russian army operators and former Spetsnaz serving as contractors. Unlike the popular image of special operations troops, these Spetsnaz were rarely used for raids. Like their Western counterparts Spetsnaz are also trained to do reconnaissance (often deep into enemy territory), provide security for very valuable people or equipment and carry out direct action (raids) as needed. Spetsnaz did a lot of direct action in Afghanistan in the 1980s and in the Caucasus since the late 1990s but not in Syria. Thats because Russia wanted to avoid casualties in Syria as any troop losses here were very unpopular in Russia. Spectacular victories, on the other hand, are still popular. Russian Spetsnaz commandos had been in Syria officially since October 2015 and unofficially up to a year earlier. Russia did not say much about what Spetsnaz was doing in Syria, which is standard for special operations missions. Initially, Spetsnaz were there to train their Syrian counterparts and help hunt down and kill key ISIL leaders. Any successes there were not publicized, which is, again, pretty standard for secretive commando operations. It was more difficult to hide the role Spetsnaz (especially the contractors) played in helping improve the security of senior government officials in Damascus. That operation was also a success. Russia also sent expert snipers, many of them Spetsnaz, who mainly served as instructors for Syrian Army snipers and to set up a program to select troops who could be good snipers and train them. New Russian sniping rifles were seen in Syria after 2015.

To make their Syria intervention work Russia had to quietly resort to employing Russian private security companies. By the end of 2017, there were about 1,200 military contractors from the Wagner Group and perhaps as many more from other Russian contractor firms. About half these private security troops were believed to have been organized combat units that were reliable enough to be used in place of scarce army special operations troops. By monitoring Russian language social media activity (which anyone can do) it was noted how many recent military veterans were working for several of these private security companies. These fellows would often post pictures from Syria and Ukraine. Casualties were suffered in both places although the duties of the contractors were different in each of those countries. In Syria, the security contractors mainly guarded Russian bases but were also used in combat when they provided security for Russian artillery units supporting Syrian Army troops. In a few cases, the contractors were sent in to assist Syrian troops who got themselves in trouble. Russia described these men as special operations troops because outside Russia the security contractors often wear Russian military uniforms. But social media revealed that many of these dead Russians in Syria were actually contractors.

Among the many Russian civilians in Syria were engineers and other specialists from Russian defense firms that were developing and manufacturing the most modern Russian weapons. This included smart bombs, warplanes, electronic warfare equipment and air defense systems. The defense industry experts were not only there to collect information on how the latest Russian military tech was doing but to also supply the sales and marketing people back in Russia with specific information they could use to improve export sales for new Russian weapons. This angle was widely publicized in Russian state-controlled mass media. One thing these defense firm personnel did not want to comment on was the small number of smart bombs, shells and rockets the Russian armed forces had. Some 90 percent of the bombs dropped in Syria by modern Russian aircraft were unguided (dumb) weapons because the tiny Russian stockpiles of smart bombs were quickly exhausted.

By late 2015 Russia was also learning the hard way how difficult it was to maintain modern warplanes in the sand and dust of the Middle East. Russia knew about this problem because for decades it had been selling military aircraft to countries (including Syria) in the region. But it turned out that there were a lot of (often minor) modifications Syrian maintainers made to their Russian aircraft to keep them operational in this environment. Russian maintainers were soon working overtime to adapt to all this. Despite that Russia was getting several sorties a day out of many of the fifty or so warplanes it had (most of the time) in Syria. On some days there are nearly a hundred air strikes. The 50 or so Russian aircraft in Syria initially consisted of Su-34 and Su-30 fighter-bombers, Su-24M bombers and Su-25 ground attack aircraft as well as about a dozen armed helicopters. There are also many transport helicopters. As time went on just about every new Russian warplane showed up in Syria, including the Su-57 stealth fighter and the Su-35 (the new top fighter in service).

By 2018 Russian casualties in Syria continued to be remarkably low with nearly all the fatalities were suffered by highly trained troops advising the Syrians or special operations personnel carrying out recon or other intel gathering missions. The few Russian artillery units rarely got close enough to the fighting to be shot at and were their mainly to test new or updated Russian guided rockets or artillery shells. As of the end of 2017, Russia admitted to 45 Russians killed in Syria since mid-2015. The actual number is believed to be 30-80 percent higher because of the growing use of Russian military contractors, who are not, for record keeping purposes, members of the Russian military. The Syrian war effort, despite the low number of Russian casualties, is not popular with most Russians who see Assad and most other Middle Eastern governments (especially former Soviet allies) as losers. By mid-2018 Russia adjusted their official death count to 90 (for members of the armed forces) and still said little about contractor deaths.Although Iran has been aware of its serious deficiencies when it comes to air defense for over a decade, nothing it has done so far has made a major difference. Outsiders began to notice this effort in 2009 when the Iranian Supreme Leader separated most missile-based air defense systems from the air force and organized them into a separate air defense command. Despite vigorous efforts by the new Air Defense Force that did not produce air defenses that could keep up with the potential threats from the many enemies, Iran has acquired (especially the U.S., Israel plus the Arab oil states). Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been described as visibly alarmed at the inability of Iran to defend itself against the many enemy aircraft and missiles that could be used in wartime, especially for a surprise attack. Iran has been promising to destroy Israel and the United States since the 1980s and is now trying to take control of Syria and further threaten Israel. In response to that Israel has been fighting back and Iran is uncomfortable about how this is playing out. In response, Khamenei replaced the commander of the air force in August, the fifth senior military commander replaced in the last year.

The current sense of urgency appears to have been caused by a late 2017 study of Iranian vulnerabilities to air attack. The study was published in an Iranian military journal so that everyone could see and this would generate useful suggestions for solutions. The list of vulnerabilities was basically a compilation of how Iran is generally defenseless against fifteen systems, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, smart bombs, ground penetrating bombs and other specialized air delivered guided weapons, like bombs that use lengths of carbon fibers (to short out electrical transmission lines) or monster bombs like MOAB or bombs that can create an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) that destroy electronics over large areas.

Then there are the specialized defensive and offensive electronic systems carried by many aircraft, UAVs and missiles. The Americans and Israelis have surveillance satellite systems that monitor Iranian activity and can assist in attacks on Iran. The United States and Israel have most of these scary systems but many of these advanced weapons have been obtained by the Arab Gulf states and since 2015 the Arabs have been proving in Yemen that they really have learned how to use them. That includes the Arab operated Patriot anti-missile systems which have intercepted over a hundred Iranian made ballistic missiles fired from Yemen into Saudi Arabia. The Supreme Leader apparently monitors Iranian progress, or lack of progress in this area and demanding that senior commanders come up with solutions. That has apparently not been happening and as long as more senior commanders get replaced it will indicate continued failure.

The Supreme Leader is also aware of the fact that many Iranian air defense systems are fake or press release systems that were announced but never got into production or developed to the point where they actually work. The Supreme Leader seems to have been upset over the recent IRGC press release about the new Iranian stealth fighter. You dont have to be an aviation engineer to understand the critiques of this new aircraft. These detailed descriptions of why the new stealth fighter wont (or actually cannot) work as described. Many of these critical reports have appeared in overseas Iranian language media and the Internet. These critiques are no secret, especially from the Supreme Leader.

On paper Iran has formidable air defense forces, in practice, most of this stuff is too old or too few to collectively make a big difference. Current Iranian air defenses consist of several hundred Cold War era warplanes in various states of readiness. None are seen as anything approaching a serious threat to aircraft the Americans, Israelis and Gulf Arabs possess. The Iranian ground-based air defense systems are not much better off.

The key Iranian air defense system is the Russian S-300 PMU2. Also known as the SA-20C, deliveries began in early 2016 and two years later the four S-300PMU2 batteries were declared operational. Shortly thereafter, in May 2018 Russia quietly let it be known that Russia was not going to deliver S-300 systems to anyone in Syria. Israel has been publicly and privately urging Russia to institute such a ban and Russia decided Israel was a more valued ally. Israel made it clear in Syria that the Israelis have the upper hand in terms of tech and military capabilities. Russia needed those demonstrations so they could maintain their good relationship with Iran while also refusing to deliver S-300 systems to Syria. This was something the Iranians wanted and were willing to pay for. But the Russians were not willing to lose the good relationship they had (since 1948) with Israel. Nor were the Russians willing to risk having the S-300 defeated by Israeli SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) tactics and equipment. The Iranians may be willing to underestimate the Israelis, but the Russians prefer to be more realistic.

The S-300 has impressive credentials. Each battery has a surveillance radar (range 300 kilometers) and command center plus four launcher vehicles, each carrying four missiles The S-300PMU missiles had a range of 200 kilometers and were considered somewhat similar to the American Patriot systems. Later models of the S-300 missiles had some capability to shoot down short range ballistic missiles but these SAMs only have a range of 40-120 kilometers. The SA-10/12 launcher vehicle also contains a guidance radar. The most recent version of S-300 (S-400) is supposed to be (according to Russia) superior to the American Patriot. But while the Patriot has over two decades of combat experience the S-300/400 has none.

Iran also bought four batteries of older (1980s) S-300PT SAMs from Belarus in 2008. These were being sold off by Belarus and replaced by more recent S-300 systems. The S-300PT has a max range of 75 kilometers. Before the S-300PSU systems were delivered Iran claimed to have cloned the S-300 tech and developed their own version, the Bavar-273. None of these have been seen and are apparently another press release system.

In 2011 Iran announced that it had test-fired U.S. made Hawk anti-aircraft missiles they had refurbished. Iran has been manufacturing its own copy of the Hawk missile, called Shahin and was also upgrading the Hawk fire control and radar systems. Iran, like many American allies, bought American Hawk anti-aircraft missile systems in the 1970s (the current religious government took over in 1979). Although 1950s technology, the Hawk, with a range of 25-45 kilometers, is reliable and quite effective against targets lacking a lot of countermeasures. The Iranians had the 1970 version, but further improvements were made in the 80s and 90s and Iran tried, with some success, to get some of those upgrades.

Before the 1979 revolution, Iran had bought 150 Hawk launchers, and nearly a thousand missiles and other gear, sufficient to equip 16 Hawk battalions. While much of the original equipment has died of old age and many of the missiles were used against Iraqi aircraft during the 1980s war, there have been ample opportunities to keep Iranian Hawks alive. That's because there are still several countries using Hawk. Over 40,000 missiles were manufactured since Hawk entered service in 1960, and the U.S. only stopped using it in 2002. Since the Cold War ended in 1991, a lot of Hawk equipment has been retired. While the U.S. tried to prevent Iran from getting the Cold War surplus stuff, they were not always successful. Moreover, while Hawk was cutting edge in the 1970s, that means the tech needed to keep Hawk batteries (each with six, three missile, launchers) operational today is easier to get or make locally. The big problem for Iran is obtaining the technology that enables Hawk to handle modern electronic-countermeasures. This was a frequent cause for Hawk upgrades since the 1970s. Iran, in the meantime, has developed ways to keep up. The Iranian upgrades to Hawk have not really been put to the test and Hawk remains the most numerous Iranian SAM (Surface to Air Missile) air defense system they have. Iran may also have some operational American SM-1 ship-based air defense systems converted to operate from land bases. Iran says it has reverse-engineered the SM-1 but not much has been seen of it lately. Since the 1970s the U.S. Navy has upgraded its air defense missiles to SM-2, SM-3 and the recently introduced SM-6.

In 2013 Iran announced it had built a factory to produce the Sayyad-2 anti-aircraft missile. This is an upgrade of the Sayyad-1, which was based on the old (1950s) Russian SA-2. Sayyad-1 entered service in 1999. Both Sayyad 1 and 2 copied much from the Chinese HQ-2, which is itself an upgrade of the Russian S-75/SA-2 system. Sayyad-2 appears to have incorporated technology from the American HAWK and SM-1 SAMs.

Sayyad-2 is a two ton, two stage anti-aircraft missile with a maximum range of 80 kilometers and max altitude of 20,000 meters (65,000 feet). The Sayyad-2 has better electronic countermeasures than Sayyad-1 but it is still dependent on the ground radar for guidance to a target and is vulnerable to electronic interference. Sayyad-2 is believed to have a more effective warhead. None of the Sayyad missiles has been in combat and test firings have not been impressive.

The Chinese HQ-2 has been in use since the late 1960s and has been upgraded several times with modern electronics, an improved warhead, better rocket motors, and more maneuverability and turned it into a much more effective HQ-2 early in the 21st century. Iran has been getting military technology from China since the 1980s. This apparently included the tech for the solid fuel rocket motors used by the Sayyad-2 and possibly some of the electronics. If an attacker does not have good electronic countermeasures the Sayyad-2 could be quite effective. China also has lots of S-300 and may have sold or leaked technical data on that system to Iran.

Iran claims to have kept a number of other older Russian SAM systems in working order. These include over a hundred launchers for SA-5 and SA-6 SAMS along with radars and fire control systems. These may exist in some usable form but appear to be more press release systems. The same applies to more than a dozen press release systems revealed since 2010 that seem to exist only as a few prototypes if that.

The army also has control of most of the short-range anti-aircraft gun systems. There are about 1,500 of these and comprise at least ten different systems with calibers ranging from 23mm to 57mm. Most are Cold War era Russian systems. These are effective against helicopters and any jets operating at low (under 2,000 meters) altitude. Iran also has thousands of MANPADS (man-portable air defense systems) similar to Russian models (or Chinese clones).

As impressive as all that appears to be the Iranian leaders, despite knowing that they are on a mission from God, do not believe that makes Iran immune from the other death from above.In Bangladesh, police commanders are complaining that NGOs and the UN are discouraging Rohingya refugees from returning to Burma. Thats not hard to do but the accusations are disputed by the UN and NGOs, What is undisputed is that the NGOs do often have their own foreign policy and a tendency to try and work the mass media to persuade or coerce governments to work for them. This has led Bangladesh to impose restrictions on what the 41 NGOs operating in the Rohingya refugee camps.

The basic problem here is Bangladesh cannot get Burma to take their Rohingya Moslems back. Bangladeshi officials regularly meet with their Burmese counterparts to discuss the issue. So far nothing has been accomplished in all these meetings but both sides declare that talks will continue. Talk is cheap and Burma will discuss the issue indefinitely without agreeing to take nearly a million of its colonial era population back. Thats the key to this as it was British colonial administrators that encouraged the Rohingya Moslems to move from what was then British ruled India (which was Hindu and Moslem) to the largely Buddhist Burma. Once independent the Burmese resented the presence of these alien looking Bengalis who were always good citizens but were never accepted. The Burmese are pretty confident they can get away with expelling the Rohingya because that is not a unique situation.

Such expulsions are part of an ancient pattern that has become a common cause of large-scale disorder during the last century. This is all about the existence of large stateless populations and it is quite common in this part of the world and Bangladesh has produced more of these illegals than anyone else. Illegal migrants have become a more difficult problem since national states became the preferred form of government as that led to disputes over who belonged and who did not. The UN estimates that there are currently over ten million such stateless people.

Most of the stateless are that way because they dont want to live where they, or their ancestors, came from. Thus there are at least a million Moslems in Burma who originally (often over a century ago) came from Bangladesh but dont want to return there. They prefer to live in Burma, where most of the population is Buddhist. India has a similar problem in its northeast tribal territories, especially Assam, where four million Bengali migrants (most of them or their ancestors entered illegally) are being denied citizen status. The tribal locals have long resented the illegal migrants, more so than the legal migrants. India sees this citizenship crackdown as a way to reducing support for local tribal separatist rebels. There are similar problems on every continent and no one has found an easy solution to these deadlocks.

The Rohingya dispute has claimed some high profile victims and the most prominent is Nobel peace prize winner and Burmese national hero Aung San Suu Kyi. She is being blamed by a growing number of foreign admirers for not doing more to solve the Rohingya problem. She has been harshly criticized for not speaking out more forcefully against the recent conviction of two foreign journalists who were sentenced to seven years in jail for violating the official secrets act. The two had also exposed army atrocities in the tribal north, The punishment of two foreign journalists had a lot of popular support inside Burma, as has the harsh treatment of the Burmese Rohingya, especially those forced to flee the country.

All politics is local and Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese Buddhist who sympathizes with the plight of the Rohingya but recognizes that most Burmese feel less certain about who is at fault here. Another problem foreign critics overlook is that the Burmese military (which took power in the 1960s) still has a lot of clout in Burma and were the first ones to make an issue of the Rohingya citizenship status, and also put the issue on hold in the 1980s when they were in power because a refugee dispute with neighboring Bangladesh was not in their interest. Now it is. Aung San Suu Kyi, who won international praise for her decades of efforts to get Burmese democracy restored in 2011 (after negotiating with the military dictatorship) agrees with this it is an internal problem policy and has the support of India and China, two neighbors that have faced similar problems that are still dealing with.

Aung San Suu Kyi also agrees with the Burmese military that China is the best alternative (for investment and essential imports) if international economic sanctions are again imposed on Burma, as they were until the generals gave up most of their power and allowed the 2011 elections. Suu Kyi fears the Burmese military trying to seize control of the government more than she fears foreign media and diplomatic criticism. The military coup possibility is more important to most Burmese than the fate of the expelled Rohingya or how Burmese courts treat foreign journalists. The only one benefitting from the anti-Rohingya violence (which was instigated by nationalist Buddhist religious leaders) is the military, which was forced to give up a lot of their power in 2011 and agree to a restoration of democracy. But now the threat of international sanctions gives the military more power in Burma to resist corruption investigations and interference with their profitable, but illegal, activities in the north. China prefers to work with the Burmese military, which makes Burmese democrats uneasy.

September 12, 2018: Bangladesh again proclaimed that it would never assimilate the Burmese Rohingya refugees, even those the Rohingya are ethnically Bengali and share the same religion as Bangladeshis. Most of the Burmese Rohingya come from families that have been in Burma for over a century and most speak Burmese and consider themselves Burmese. There has also been some intermarriage with ethnic Burmese (who are East Asian, like most Chinese rather than Indo-European as most Bangladeshis are) which means many Burmese Rohingya no longer look like Bengalis.

September 9, 2018: China and Burma signed a CMEC (China-Myanmar Economic Corridor) agreement that enables detailed negotiations to begin on where a 1,700 kilometers long transportation corridor from southern China (Yunan province) to central Burma (Mandalay) and then west to the coast at the Kyaukphyu SEZ (Special Economic Zone) will be built and what it will consist of. The corridor would improve roads, railroads and build, as needed, pipelines and electrical transmission lines. This would be financed by China and built mainly by Chinese construction firms. CMEC paid special attention to the risk of a debt trap where Burma might find itself with debt it could not repay unless it turned over new facilities to Chinese ownership or control. This has happened in other nations, most recently in Sri Lanka. Burma needs the investment and since 1988 China has been the major foreign investor in Burma with projects totaling $20 billion so far.

CMEC is the Burma component of the massive Chinese Obor (One Belt, One Road) effort. Obor is all about China building roads, railroads, pipelines and ports to make it easier for Chinese imports and exports to move around, from East Asia to Europe, Africa and more. Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand Sri Lanka and Burma are all Obor participants that are seeing billions of dollars in construction Chinese projects taking place and the terms of these deal tend to favor China, not the country where the construction takes place. Not surprisingly many people in these Obor countries see the Chinese investments as another form of colonialism. China prefers not to call it colonialism but rather seeking to expand its commercial activities. The Burmese tribes have long depended on Chinese cash and diplomatic influence to survive. China is working that angle as much as it can to get their costly development projects operational and want long-term peace with the tribes to keep the Chinese investments safe and profitable. Many of the tribal people are more willing to trust the Chinese than their own government which puts it all on China to make this work. While these Chinese projects often displace tribal people, usually without any compensation, the Chinese are more willing to make long-terms deals with the locals. For the Chinese, it is just business while the Burmese see the tribes as potential rebels and long-term antagonists.

September 6, 2018: The ICC (International Criminal Court) ruled that Burmese officials were likely guilty of war crimes for what they did during the expulsion of their Rohingya Moslems. The ICC can indict, arrest and try suspected war criminals and has done so in the past (with mixed success). But Burma points out that it never signed the treaty agreeing to abide by ICC rulings and is thus not subject to them. But Bangladesh did sign that treaty and this sets up another of those international shouting matches that create a lot of media noise and not much more. Some Western nations impose sanctions on individuals named by the ICC but this restricts the international travel of these individuals (and their money) but little else.

September 5, 2018: In the north, across the border in China (Kunming) Chinese officials held a brief meeting with four Burmese rebel groups (TNLA, Arakan Army, MNDAA and Kachin Independence Army) to try and establish some basis for a permanent peace deal in northern Burma. These four groups, also known as the Northern Alliance, have refused to sign the Burmese 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Those who did sign the NCA have made progress in working out differences with the Burmese government and military (which tends to do as it likes in the tribal areas of the north.) This was the first time China held such a meeting and was able to arrange it because the Northern Alliance members survive because of their access to China. The access is provided as long as the Burmese rebels do not let the fighting spread into China or interfere with Chinese commercial operations in Burma.

August 21, 2018: In neighboring Thailand police made their largest drug seizure ever near the capital, arresting three men (all Thais) and hauling away 14 million methamphetamine pills worth $45 million when on the street. This shipment, apparently from northern Burma, was headed for Malaysia and possibly Indonesia as well. Thailand and Malaysia are well aware that they are part of a smuggling route that gets these drugs to locals as well as people throughout Southeast Asia.Ruth Mestel, left, and Dru Stephenson as Jane Eyre. Photo: Andrew Maguire

IMPRESSIVE has to be an understatement when describing Tread the Boards adaptation of Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, currently playing at Stratfords Attic Theatre.

Having just written hundreds of thousands of words worth of PhD thesis on Bronte and failed miserably in condensing it I admit I was curious, even slightly sceptical, as to how this Victorian door-stopper could be squeezed into a two-and-a-half-hour production without losing the plot.

Given that the page-turning brilliance of the novel that propelled Bronte into the spotlight was and is largely to do with its intricately interwoven details and twists and turns that are all highly dependent on one another for their effect, I wondered what on earth could be culled and still leave a legible and gripping drama. I also wondered how a necessarily pared-down version would fare in terms of its dark and intense passions, which so often descend into melodramatic wailing in many adaptations of Bronte fiction.

Oh me of little faith. Not only did this small but beautifully formed company blow away any reservations I might have had, this fantastic production actually blew me away. It is sophisticated, captivating and ingeniously done.

One major revelation was that never could so few props convey so much information. This visual shorthand was used so cleverly and imaginatively, in much the same vein as Bronte does herself in written form. Her work is stuffed full of things, big and small, part of her genius being to fill those things with a plethora of meanings and signals. The same technique translates brilliantly onto the stage in this production. Who knew, for instance, that the humble suitcase could stand in for so many things and have so many uses, practical, metaphorical and thematic? They can stand in for deathbeds; be stood upon as a method of humiliation at Lowood school dunces corner; they are a prominent motif suggesting orphan Janes literal and psychological homelessness  she lives out of suitcases. As a plot condensing device, though, the suitcase is one example of how a seemingly sparse collection of props can speak volumes  simply packing a suitcase at one part of the stage and arriving at another complete with a swift bonnet-change can skip over several chapters of Janes life, and of the novel, seamlessly.

Props are far from the only aspect of this production that seem endlessly versatile; this seven-strong cast has its work cut out covering the main characters and does so with aplomb. It is unjust to single one actor out because each plays several parts and most are major and majorly different roles at that. As an example of the calibre of acting here, though, Ruth Mestel can go from long-suffering and pious Helen Burns dying of consumption in a heart-rending scene to skippy, frivolous French dancers daughter Adele Varens and on to Rochesters Jamaican wife-cum-madwoman in the attic Bertha Mason, with such skill that its easy to forget theyre played by the same actor.

Every member of the cast, though, is superb, their performances utterly believable and gripping - I am pleased to report that not a whit of melodramatic shrieking or wild arm-waving enters here. The emotion is intense, the passion authentic, the joys and tragedies heartfelt and heart-rending.

Brontes characters, in all their depth and complexity, are brought to life brilliantly by Dru Stephenson as Jane and Andy Chaplin as Rochester. Stephensons Jane, plain and humble, brutally victimised but never reduced to a victim, wins the audience not with pathos but with pride as her strength of character shines through to beat the odds not be beaten by them  just as Bronte intended. The Yorkshire accent is a welcome reminder of the authors presence in this tale, too. Chaplins Edward Rochester is brooding and Byronic, handsome and charismatic, full of faults yet neither entirely woeful nor wholly wicked. He holds the audience in his hands to such an extent that its easy to overlook his attempted bigamy and root for him to get his girl.

Director Andrew Smith admits it was a big ask to bring together seven versatile actors who could sing, play, dance and double up on roles. But his mission is most certainly accomplished, they do, indeed, do each of these things impeccably. They even play most of the live sound effects and compose the songs themselves and, much like the props, these sound elements capture the spirit and storms of Brontes atmospheric novel with the slightest touch that is nevertheless loaded with significance.

In short, go and see it.India Should Accept Disaster Assistance By Shashi Tharoor, exclusive to the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka View(s): View(s):

NEW DELHI  Indias southern state of Kerala has been hit by the worst floods in nearly a century. Now that the floodwaters are receding, a peculiar debate has emerged over whether India should accept foreign aid to support reconstruction.

At the peak of the floods, the Indian government allocated money from the National Disaster Response Fund for immediate relief. But it was the public that really stepped up, with an outpouring of contributions to the Kerala governments disaster relief fund that amounted to more than twice the funds so far provided by the national authorities.

In fact, the total additional assistance the government has provided  $90 million (with promises of an unspecified additional amount)  amounts to less than half of what the state government was requesting for immediate relief. It does not even begin to cover long-term reconstruction costs, estimated at over 50 times that figure.

The floods, which displaced a million people, left Kerala with 39 collapsed bridges, some 6,000 miles of ruined roads, significant agricultural losses, and more than 50,000 homes either damaged or destroyed. Rebuilding all that infrastructure, which took decades to construct the first time around, will be a herculean task.

Despite all of this, Indias government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have refused to accept outside help. That stance first became apparent as the crisis was unfolding, when the United Arab Emirates  which is home to some two million Keralites  reportedly offered assistance totaling $100 million.

Modi thanked the UAEs leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on Twitter. Then his government  via BJP spokesmen, rather than government officials  let the media know that it would not be taking the UAE grant.

On August 21, Thailands ambassador to India tweeted: Informally informed with regret that [the] Government of India is not accepting overseas donations for Kerala flood relief. Offers from Qatar and the Maldives of $5 million and $50,000, respectively, are thus also likely to be rejected. Indian missions abroad have been instructed to turn down offers of assistance.

BJP leaders insisted that this stance is based on the 2004 decision of then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs United Progressive Alliance government not to accept foreign aid following the Indian Ocean tsunami. But the tsunami had done far less damage than the Kerala floods have, and national resources could fully cover the estimated costs of rebuilding.

Moreover, any precedent established by that 2004 decision was superseded by the National Disaster Management Plan, issued by Modis own government in 2016. Paragraph 9.2 of the plan states that the government does not issue any appeal for foreign assistance in the wake of a disaster, but can accept such assistance, if another national government offers it voluntarily, as a goodwill gesture in solidarity with the disaster victims. This means that it would have been entirely permissible for the government to accept the UAEs help.

So why did the BJP reject the offer? After announcing the decision to reject the UAEs offer, the partys spokesmen lost no time in invoking national pride: India, now a net donor of aid to poor countries, could take care of its own.

If Modis government believes that it has adequate funds to meet Keralas needs, it owes the states people an explanation to as to why such a small amount has been allocated. But there is little reason to expect any such thing of the cash-strapped Modi government. When Cyclone Ockhi struck coastal areas of Kerala last December, the central government provided just 2% of the aid the state government requested.

The rejection of foreign assistance is not even a fundamental BJP policy. After the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake in Gujarat  where Modi himself was Chief Minister  the BJP-led central government accepted international assistance. The total funds raised by United Nations bodies  such as the UN Development Programme, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the International Labour Organization, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs  exceeded $42 million. A total of $1.7 billion was then pledged at a reconstruction conference, and Bhuj was rebuilt.

One could ask whether aid from international organizations should be regarded as foreign by a UN member in good standing. But even aid from other countries is an entirely normal feature of international relations, especially when major disasters strike and an all for one, one for all spirit takes hold.

India has voluntarily provided help when its neighbors have been similarly afflicted, such as after earthquakes in Nepal, Pakistan, and Iran, and floods in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Even the United States accepted foreign aid after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in August 2005, with India providing $5 million. Why shouldnt others similarly extend a helping hand to Indians in distress?

India is a proud country that prefers to rely on its own resources. But when our resources are nowhere near sufficient to meet the needs of our people  who are suffering in the wake of a devastating disaster  it is both churlish and irresponsible to reject aid from those who can and want to provide it. No policy of national pride can justify callousness towards our own distressed citizens.

By all means, do not go abroad with a begging bowl. But when your friendly neighbor knocks on your door and offers you the cup of sugar you need to finish a recipe, you dont turn him away. There is no shame in accepting aid from friends whom we would help if the tables were turned. For the sake of the people of Kerala, the BJP government must recognize this and revise its disaster-aid policy.

Shashi Tharoor, a former UN under-secretary-general and former Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Human Resource Development, is currently Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs and an MP for the Indian National Congress.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018. www.project-syndicate.orgSpeaker to deliver Bakeer Markar memorial lecture View(s):

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya will deliver the 21th Annual Bakeer Markar commemoration lecture on September 19 at 4.45 p.m. at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo. He will speak on A Vision for an Inclusive Sri Lanka.

These annual lectures are organised by the Bakeer Markar Centre for National Unity with a view to fostering national unity and encouraging fresh thinking on unity in diversity, key ideals of the late M. A. Bakeer Markar. The event is open to the public.

Following the demise of M. A. Bakeer Markar, a former Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament and Governor of the Southern Province, the Bakeer Markar Centre for National Unity was established in 1997 with the support of close associates of the Bakeer Markar family.After a week of waiting, the families and friends of the three Malaga tourists who were killed in a traffic accident in Tanzania on 2 September were finally able to lay their loved ones to rest.

The bodies of Maria Belen Jimenez and Juana Jimenez, both from Velez-Malaga, and Maria Victoria Alaez from Alhaurin de la Torre, were flown back last week from the Dar es Salam airport in Tanzania and then via Zurich in Switzerland.

The three victims were travelling together with Italian Sebastien Giordani who also died in the accident, as did the driver of the four wheel vehicle in which they were travelling and the guide that was accompanying them.

The cause of the accident is still not clear at the time of going to press and investigations are continuing, but the preliminary findings by the police suggest that the lorry had moved across into the lane that the tourists were travelling in and hit the 4x4 head on.

Serengeti National Park

The vehicle, property of the tour and safari company Tabia Tour, was driving through the Serengeti National Park and was only a few kilometres from Arusha when the collision occurred.

The three Malaga women and the Italian who was travelling with them had arrived in Africa on 31 August and were due to return to Spain today, 14 September.

The mayor of Alhaurin de la Torre, Joaquin Villanova, has announced a special mass at the San Sebastian church on Sunday 15 September at 10.30am.British ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, issued an open letter to British citizens on Friday to allay fears of a 'no-deal Brexit'. This came after the UK government published a series of technical notices on a range of areas including rights for students and tourists, driving licences, imports and exports, taxation and farming to help businesses and citizens prepare in the "unlikely" event of a no deal upon exiting the EU in March 2019.

Manley was keen to stress that "the Government does not want, nor does it expect, a no deal outcome in the negotiations" but that "as a responsible government, we must prepare for all eventualities".

That said, Manley said that he was "confident" that the UK negotiating team could reach a "positive and ambitious deal with the EU - an outcome that is in the interests of both the UK and the EU, and in the interest of both British and EU citizens".

Manley added: "I appreciate that this is a period of uncertainty and many of you have questions and want more advice for UK nationals living in Spain. We want to help you prepare for all scenarios and further relevant information will continue to be made available on gov.uk over the coming weeks."

To that end, he said: "Both the Embassy and Consulates will continue with the outreach events that we have planned throughout Spain, with some 20 such events planned between now and the end of the year, and ensure that your questions and concerns are shared with the relevant UK government departments."

Manley directed British nationals living in Spain to follow the Living in Spain guide on gov.uk, and to follow the Brits in Spain social media channels, including on Facebook.

"Both I and our UK in Spain consular teams will continue to share with you what we know, when we know it, to provide you with as much clarity as possible," Manley concluded.English Chinese (Simplified)

BEIJING, Sept. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HH Global, the worlds fastest-growing and most innovative marketing execution partner, today announced the signing of a long-term partnership contract with Walmart China to provide photography, design, and production of catalogues across more than 400 retail stores in China.



This partnership will focus on delivering to Walmarts shoppers exceptional customer experience through HH Globals design of eye-catching catalogues displaying products and in-store services.

HH Global will deploy a highly experienced team to implement best-in-class technology practices in the production phase including fortnightly delivery of millions of catalogues to Walmart Chinas customers.

''We believe our efficient processes coupled with our world-class expertise and systems will transform Walmart Chinas marketing outreach. Our on-site team will become a partner with Walmart Chinas Marketing team allowing them to focus on their core business. HH Global will help with the heavy lifting'' stated Operations Director of HH Global APAC, Stewart Hardy.

At HH Global, we strategically partner with our clients to customize our services and business models for a perfect business fit -- we do not expect our clients to fit inside a box. HH Global are agile and professional and we continually invest in initiatives to ensure our success, said Andrew Price, CEO APAC. It is a win-win strategy of growth and commercial outcome for both businesses.

This tremendous achievement represents an era of trust and transparent collaboration based on Walmart Chinas confidence in the global reputation of HH Globals marketing expertise and ability to drive greater return-on-investment and business development opportunity in a competitive market.English French

Cambridge & San Diego, September 17, 2018 - 7:00am (CET)

Egide USA and Santier successfully AS 9100 certified

Egide USA (Cambridge, Maryland) and Santier (San Diego, California) both achieved the AS9100:D certification

AS9100:D is a certification pioneered by the Aerospace Industry and based off the ISO 9001 certification

Egide USA and Santier demonstrate continued commitment to high quality standards and processes for aerospace products

The quality management systems of Egide USA (Cambridge facility) and Santier (San Diego facility) have been audited and registered as meeting the requirements of the standards AS9100:D and ISO 9001:2015. Both certifications were delivered by Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc.

AS9100 is the international quality management system standard for the Aircraft, Space and Defense (AS&D) industry; AS9100:D is the most current industry standard of quality and risk management for organizations that design and manufacture products for the aerospace industry, including parts, components and assemblies.

Based upon ISO 9001 standard, AS9100 is managed by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), the purpose being to satisfy the stringent industry requirements necessary to address both civil and military aviation and aerospace needs.

Adding AS9100:D certification in Cambridge and San Diego strengthens Egide USA and Santier's competitive position and standardizes quality processes across the organization. Original equipment manufacturers in the aerospace industry require AS9100 certification from suppliers and subcontractors.

For the record, Egide USA was ISO 9001 certified since December 1998 and Santier since July 2001.

Contact for Egide USA: Kathy Abbott - kabbott@us.egide-group.com - Ph:410-901-6218

Contact for Santier: Kouren Jouldjian - Kouren.jouldjian@santier.com - Ph:858-271-1993 x1208

To find out more about Egide: www.egide-group. com

Egide is a group with an international dimension, specialized in the manufacture of hermetic packages for sensitive electronic components. It operates in cutting edge markets with strong technology barriers to entry in all critical industry segments (Thermal Imaging, Optronics, Microwave, Power, .). Egide is the only pure player in this market niche with manufacturing facilities in France and the United States.

Egide has renewed its certification as an innovative company for FCPI on May 14, 2018

ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified quality and environmental management systems for Egide SA

Egide is listed on Euronext Paris(TM)- Segment C - ISIN: FR0000072373 - Reuters: EGID.PA - Bloomberg: GID

Egide shares are eligible for the Franch tax incentivized PEA PME and FCPI investment vehicles.Floodwaters rise as killer storm stalks southeastern US



Grifton, United States, Sept 16 (AFP) Sep 16, 2018



Catastrophic floods raised the threat of dam breaks and landslides across the southeastern United States on Sunday, prolonging the agony caused by a killer hurricane that has left more than a dozen people dead and billions of dollars in damage.

Downgraded to a tropical depression, Florence slowly crawled over South and North Carolina, dumping heavy rains on already flood-swollen river basins that authorities warned could bring more death and destruction.

"A lot of people have evacuated already," said Denise Harper, a resident of Grifton, a small North Carolina town threatened by rising water levels in a nearby creek and the River Neuse. "It's worrying to watch the water slowly rising."

Fifteen people have died since Florence made landfall Friday as a Category 1 hurricane near Wrightsville Beach, 10 in North Carolina and five in South Carolina.

"Unfortunately we've still got several days to go," Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told Fox News.

Long said more havoc lays ahead as the storm broadens its geographic scope over regions deeply saturated with water.

Of particular concern were the risks to dams, already stressed by heavy rainfall from a tropical storm earlier in the month, he said, urging citizens to heed official warnings about what was now a "flood event."

"What we have to focus on are there any dams that are going potentially going to break."

"People fail to heed warnings and get out or they get into the flood waters trying to escape their home. And that's where you start to see deaths escalate," he told CBS News.

"Even though hurricanes are categorized by wind, it's the water that really causes the most loss of life."

A dull, leaden sky hung over Grifton on Sunday. Days of heavy rainfall have turned the surrounding farmland into soggy marshland.

Grifton fire chief Justin Johnson warned of more deluges in the days ahead.

"People who need to be evacuated have been evacuated. We continue to patrol the area, but people have already been through Matthew hurricane and know what to expect," he told AFP.

Harper recalled Hurricane Floyd in 1999: "We got cut off, there was nowhere to go, water everywhere, the military had to come to bring us some food," she said.



- Electrocution risk -



Forty miles to the south, the tiny town of Pollocksville, population 300, found itself cut in two on Sunday afternoon after the River Trent burst its banks.

With the rain pausing for the first time since Friday, local resident Logan Sosebee pulled out his kayak to carry food and supplies to those who need it on the other side of the flooded river.

"We still have no water and power, so I'm happy to help if I can, there's nothing else to do," he said. "But the current is crazy.

"The water... has gone up 10-15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) in a few days and it's supposed to keep rising for a few days. I'm a bit worried for my home."

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper earlier told reporters "the strongest storm bands are dumping two to three inches of rain (5 - 7.5 centimeters) per hour" over regions that had already received up to two feet of rain.

"That's enough to cause flooding in areas that have never flooded before until now. The risk is growing as well in the mountains, where rains could lead to dangerous landslides," he said.

A woman and her baby were among the storm's first casualties when a tree fell on their house.

Others killed included three who perished "due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways," according to the Duplin County Sheriff's Office, and a 61-year-old woman who died when her car hit a downed tree.

At least two people died from electrocution while attempting to connect their generators, while one couple died of monoxide poisoning from running their generator indoors.



- 'Billions' in damage -



Even as some residents began returning to their homes, officials warned of a long road to recovery ahead.

"I think that the storm is likely going to produce impacts greater than Hurricane Matthew," Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said on Fox News, referring to a Category 5 storm that struck in 2016, killing 26 in the state.

"The agriculture industry, the largest industry in our state is hard-hit. We will have to sort out the crop damage," he continued, adding: "I think that it's fair to say in terms of economic impact rebuilding that we are talking in the billions of dollars."

The number of customers without power across North Carolina fell slightly to 700,000. Fifteen thousand meanwhile were being housed in 158 shelters across the state.

US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz told ABC 28 aircraft had been deployed as well as 35 "shallow water rescue teams."

Some 2,800 North Carolina National Guardsmen were actively aiding rescue and relief efforts Sunday with another 1,000 on standby.Floodwaters rise as killer storm stalks southeastern US



Grifton, United States, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



Catastrophic floods raised the threat of landslides and dam failures across the southeastern United States on Monday, prolonging the agony caused by a killer hurricane that has left more than a dozen people dead and caused billions of dollars in damage.

Downgraded to a tropical depression, Florence crept over South and North Carolina, dumping heavy rains on already flood-swollen river basins that authorities warned could bring more death and destruction.

The National Hurricane Center said the storm was expected to weaken further on Monday "before re-intensifying as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone Tuesday and Wednesday."

The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center warned of "heavy and excessive rainfall over the next couple of days."

There is an "elevated risk for landslides" in western North Carolina and southwest Virginia, as well as a danger of "catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding" in parts of the Carolinas, it said.

"A lot of people have evacuated already," said Denise Harper, a resident of Grifton, a small North Carolina town threatened by rising water levels in a nearby creek and the River Neuse. "It's worrying to watch the water slowly rising."

At least 15 people have died since Florence made landfall Friday as a Category 1 hurricane near Wrightsville Beach -- 10 in North Carolina and five in South Carolina.

"Unfortunately we've still got several days to go," Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told Fox News.

Long said more havoc lies ahead as the storm broadens its geographic scope over regions deeply saturated with water.

Of particular concern were the risks to dams, already stressed by heavy rainfall from a tropical storm earlier in the month, he said, urging citizens to heed official warnings about what is now a "flood event."

"What we have to focus on (is whether there) are any dams that are potentially going to break."

"People fail to heed warnings and get out or they get into the floodwaters trying to escape their home. And that's where you start to see deaths escalate," he told CBS News.

"Even though hurricanes are categorized by wind, it's the water that really causes the most loss of life."

The tiny town of Pollocksville, population 300, found itself cut in two on Sunday afternoon after the River Trent burst its banks.



- Electrocution risk -



With the rain pausing for the first time since Friday, local resident Logan Sosebee pulled out his kayak to carry food and supplies to those in need on the other side of the flooded river.

"We still have no water and power, so I'm happy to help if I can. There's nothing else to do," he said. "But the current is crazy."

"The water... has gone up 10-15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) in a few days and it's supposed to keep rising for a few days. I'm a bit worried for my home."

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper earlier told reporters "the strongest storm bands are dumping two to three inches of rain per hour" over regions that had already received up to two feet of rain.

"That's enough to cause flooding in areas that have never flooded before until now. The risk is growing as well in the mountains, where rains could lead to dangerous landslides," he said.

A woman and her baby were among the storm's first casualties when a tree fell on their house.

Others killed included three who perished "due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways," according to the Duplin County Sheriff's Office, and a 61-year-old woman who died when her car hit a downed tree.

At least two people were electrocuted while attempting to connect their generators, while one couple died of monoxide poisoning from running their generator indoors.



- 'Billions' in damage -



Even as some residents began returning to their homes, officials warned of a long road to recovery.

"I think that the storm is likely going to produce impacts greater than Hurricane Matthew," Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said on Fox News, referring to a Category 5 storm that struck in 2016, killing 26 in the state.

"The agriculture industry, the largest industry in our state, is hard-hit. We will have to sort out the crop damage," he said, adding: "I think that it's fair to say in terms of economic impact rebuilding that we are talking in the billions of dollars."

The number of customers without power across North Carolina fell to just under 500,000, with about 20,000 in South Carolina. Fifteen thousand meanwhile were being housed in 158 shelters across the state.

US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz told ABC 28 aircraft had been deployed as well as 35 "shallow-water rescue teams."

Some 2,800 North Carolina National Guardsmen were actively aiding rescue and relief efforts Sunday with another 1,000 on standby.Massive clean-up in Hong Kong after typhoon chaos



Hong Kong, Sept 17 (AFP) Sep 17, 2018



Hong Kong began a massive clean-up Monday after Typhoon Mangkhut raked the city, shredding trees and bringing damaging floods in a trail of destruction that left dozens dead in the Philippines and millions evacuated in southern China.

The death toll in the Philippines, where the north of the main island of Luzon was mauled by fierce winds and rain, reached 65. It was expected to rise further as frantic rescuers pulled bodies from a massive landslide in the mountain town of Itogon.

The landslide buried an emergency shelter which was being used by miners and their families.

Eleven bodies have been pulled from the rubble and up to 40 more may still be trapped. Relatives of the buried were among those digging with shovels and their bare hands in an increasingly desperate attempt to find survivors.

"We believe that those people there, maybe 99 percent, are already dead," the town's mayor Victorio Palangdan told reporters.

More than 155,000 people remain in evacuation centres in the Philippines two days after the typhoon struck, said national police spokesman Benigno Durana.

Farms across northern Luzon, which produces much of the nation's rice and corn, were under muddy floodwater, their crops ruined just a month before harvest.

After tearing through Luzon and pummelling Hong Kong and Macau, the storm made landfall in mainland China late Sunday. It killed four in Guangdong province, including three hit by falling trees.

Authorities there said they had evacuated more than three million people and ordered tens of thousands of fishing boats back to port before the arrival of what Chinese media dubbed the "King of Storms".

In the high-rise city of Hong Kong, the government described the damage as "severe and extensive" with more than 300 people injured in Mangkhut, which triggered the maximum "T10" typhoon alert.

The monumental task of cleaning up the city began as residents, some in suits and ties, struggled to get back to work on roads that remained blocked by felled trees, mud and debris.

Bus services were halted and commuters piled onto platforms trying to board infrequent trains after trees fell on overhead power lines. Schools will remain closed through Tuesday.

Landslides and severe flooding affected some areas, with over 1,500 residents seeking refuge in temporary shelters overnight.



- Floods and debris -



The storm, with gusts of more than 230 kilometres per hour (142 mph), sent buildings swaying and waters surging into homes and shopping malls in Hong Kong, with some roads waist-deep in water.

Windows in tower blocks and skyscrapers were smashed as people cowered inside.

In the neighbourhood of Heng Fa Chuen, thousands of rocks and pebbles from the sea covered parkland along the coastline which had been battered by waves.

Low-lying fishing villages were also badly affected after seawater swept through.

Streets in the seaside village of Lei Yue Mun were covered in debris and glass as residents picked their way through.

The city's main Victoria Park beaome an obstacle course with hundreds of trees down and many completely uprooted.

Emergency teams were sawing up some of the biggest trees blocking roads and pathways in a clean-up operation that is likely to take days.

In the neighbouring gambling enclave of Macau, all 42 casinos shut down for the first time in its history as the storm approached.

They opened again on Monday but Macau was still in recovery mode after severe flooding hit parts of the city, forcing emergency workers to rescue people from shops and homes using boats and jetskis.

On Monday morning, shopkeepers in Macau were hosing down their stores which had been caked in mud after the floodwaters receded.

People were attempting to dry out cupboards and electrical appliances on the streets.

The government and casinos took extra measures ahead of the storm, determined to avoid a repeat of Typhoon Hato which battered Macau last year, killing 12 people and drawing accusations the city was ill-prepared.

In the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong, a stone's throw from Macau, volunteers and police pulled fallen trees and debris off highways.

"I think it will take us three or four days before it gets back to normal," said Zhang, a police officer clearing a road near Nanshui town.

Rice paddies and banana plantations along the highway were flooded and destroyed, while some factories in nearby industrial areas suffered damage.

"I was scared. I didn't dare go out last night. At one point the flooding was this high," said Zhen Jingli, from Yashao village, pointing to his waist.WILMERDING, Pa., Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) today filed an amended preliminary proxy statement with the SEC relating to its proposed combination with GE Transportation. Wabtec and GE Transportation are progressing the proposed transaction toward an anticipated closing by the first quarter of 2019.



Albert J. Neupaver, Wabtecs executive chairman, said: Todays proxy filing reiterates and reinforces the strategic and financial logic of our planned combination with GE Transportation, to form a diversified, global leader for rail equipment, services and software. We are even more confident than when we announced the transaction in May that this combination will serve the best long-term interests of our shareholders.

As outlined in May, the strategic and financial rationale for the GE Transportation transaction remains compelling and unchanged. After the Merger:

Wabtec shareholders will have ownership in a combined company with a highly attractive growth profile based on an improved business mix, expanded global reach and faster innovation

Wabtec expects to have approximately $8 billion in revenues, a more diversified business mix and higher margins

The agreement was reached at an attractive point in the cycle, with the GE Transportation business still expected to deliver more than 600 locomotives annually by 2021, resulting in a double-digit CAGR over the 2018 to 2021 period

Wabtec believes that the transaction has a highly compelling financial rationale, with materially consistent expectations for both GE Transportation and the pro forma combined business as presented in May:

 GE Transportations adjusted EBITDA expected to be between $900 million and $1 billion in 2019;

 GE Transportations adjusted EBIT expected to be between $800 million and $900 million in 2019;

 Expected to be immediately accretive to margins, generating strong cash flow to the combined business and resulting in ~15% cash EPS accretion in Year 1;

 $250 million of anticipated run-rate synergies expected to be achieved by Year 4;

 Approximately $150 million of annual cash tax savings expected for next 15 years; and

 Cumulative free cash flow of approximately $6 billion expected from 2019-2022 for the combined business.

 GE Transportations adjusted EBITDA expected to be between $900 million and $1 billion in 2019;  GE Transportations adjusted EBIT expected to be between $800 million and $900 million in 2019;  Expected to be immediately accretive to margins, generating strong cash flow to the combined business and resulting in ~15% cash EPS accretion in Year 1;  $250 million of anticipated run-rate synergies expected to be achieved by Year 4;  Approximately $150 million of annual cash tax savings expected for next 15 years; and  Cumulative free cash flow of approximately $6 billion expected from 2019-2022 for the combined business. Strong free cash flow profile expected to enable rapid deleveraging, supporting Wabtecs commitment to retaining its investment grade rating and dividend; total debt/adjusted EBITDA is expected to be <2.5x by year-end 2019.

Todays amended preliminary proxy statement includes a minor adjustment to harmonize GE Transportations historical financial information with Wabtecs revenue recognition accounting policies for the purpose of the preparation of required pro forma financial statements. This harmonization is expected to result in a $63 million decrease in forecasted combined consolidated net revenue and EBIT in 2019, with no material effect in future years. The accounting policy harmonization does not materially affect Wabtecs future reported consolidated cash from operations. As is common in transactions of this nature, other adjustments may be required to conform to Wabtecs accounting policies, but they are not expected to be material. In addition, non-cash amortization expense from purchase price accounting will impact the results of operations.

Wabtec Corporation is a leading global provider of equipment, systems and value-added services for transit and freight rail. Through its subsidiaries, Wabtec manufactures a range of products for locomotives, freight cars and passenger transit vehicles. Wabtec also builds new switcher and commuter locomotives, and provides aftermarket services. Wabtec has facilities located throughout the world.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction between General Electric Company (GE) and Wabtec, Transportation Systems Holdings Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GE created for the transaction (SpinCo), will file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4/S-1 containing a prospectus or a registration statement on Form 10 and Wabtec will file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 and a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A. If the transaction is effected via an exchange offer, GE will also file with the SEC a Schedule TO with respect thereto. This communication is not a substitute for any definitive proxy statement, registration statement, proxy statement/prospectus or other documents GE, Wabtec and/or SpinCo may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THESE DOCUMENTS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY GE, WABTEC OR SPINCO WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of these materials and other documents filed with the SEC by GE, Wabtec and/or SpinCo through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders will also be able to obtain free copies of the documents filed by GE, Wabtec and/or SpinCo with the SEC from the respective companies by directing a written request to GE and/or SpinCo at General Electric Company, 41 Farnsworth Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210 or by calling 617-443-3400, or to Wabtec at Wabtec Corporation, 1001 Air Brake Avenue, Wilmerding, PA 15148 or by calling 412-825-1543.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and not intended to and does not constitute an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, or an invitation to subscribe for, buy or sell, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to or in connection with the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

Participants in the Solicitation

This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any investor or security holder. GE, Wabtec, SpinCo, their respective directors, executive officers and other members of their management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders of Wabtec in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the relevant materials when filed with the SEC. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of GE is contained in GEs proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of shareholders, filed with the SEC on March 12, 2018, its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on February 23, 2018, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, which was filed with the SEC on July 27, 2018 and certain of its Current Reports filed on Form 8-K. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of Wabtec is contained in Wabtecs proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of shareholders, filed with the SEC on April 5, 2018, Amendment No.1 to its preliminary proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on September 17, 2018, its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on February 26, 2018, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 which was filed with the SEC on July 31, 2018 and certain of its Current Reports filed on Form 8-K. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the proposed transaction between GE and Wabtec. All statements, other than historical facts, including statements regarding the expected timing and structure of the proposed transaction; the ability of the parties to complete the proposed transaction considering the various closing conditions; the expected benefits of the proposed transaction, including future financial and operating results, the tax consequences of the proposed transaction, and the combined companys plans, objectives, expectations and intentions; legal, economic and regulatory conditions; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements concern future circumstances and results and other statements that are not historical facts and are sometimes identified by the words may, will, should, potential, intend, expect, endeavor, seek, anticipate, estimate, overestimate, underestimate, believe, could, project, predict, continue, target or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based upon current plans, estimates and expectations that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others, (1) that one or more closing conditions to the transaction, including certain regulatory approvals, may not be satisfied or waived, on a timely basis or otherwise, including that a governmental entity may prohibit, delay or refuse to grant approval for the consummation of the proposed transaction, may require conditions, limitations or restrictions in connection with such approvals or that the required approval by the shareholders of Wabtec may not be obtained; (2) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed on the terms or in the time frame expected by GE or Wabtec, or at all; (3) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; (4) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of the combined company following completion of the proposed transaction; (5) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, including as a result of delay in completing the proposed transaction or integrating the businesses of GE, Wabtec and SpinCo; (6) the ability of the combined company to implement its business strategy; (7) difficulties and delays in achieving revenue and cost synergies of the combined company; (8) inability to retain and hire key personnel; (9) the occurrence of any event that could give rise to termination of the proposed transaction; (10) the risk that shareholder litigation in connection with the proposed transaction or other settlements or investigations may affect the timing or occurrence of the proposed transaction or result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; (11) evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes; (12) changes in general economic and/or industry specific conditions; (13) actions by third parties, including government agencies; and (14) other risk factors as detailed from time to time in GEs and Wabtecs respective reports filed with the SEC, including GEs and Wabtecs annual reports on Form 10-K, periodic quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, periodic current reports on Form 8-K and other documents filed with the SEC. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive.

Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication. Neither GE nor Wabtec undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or development, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nutritional High International Inc. (the "Company" or "Nutritional High") (CSE: EAT, OTCQB: SPLIF, FRANKFURT:2NU) is pleased to announce that Jim Frazier, CEO of Nutritional High, is scheduled to be a featured speaker at the Community-Led Cannabis Research Symposium hosted by the Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN).

Scheduled on September 23, 2018, the symposium is being hosted by C3RN in Boston, Massachusetts. Frazier will be presenting about FLI Products: Innovation in the Cannabis Industry, a topic which allows for an opportunity for Nutritional High to illustrate its focus on product innovation, social responsibility and cannabis education.

The Cannabis Community Care and Research Network is a company that specializes in providing high-quality advocacy, research, and education services related to Cannabis. As a social justice-oriented organization, C3RN specializes in designing, monitoring, and evaluating models of integrating adult-use and medical Cannabis to positively impact social, clinical, and public health outcomes. To learn more about the event, visit C3RNs event page here:

http://www.cannaresearchnetwork.com/events-2/

Jim Frazier, the CEO of Nutritional High, commented, On behalf of Nutritional High, Im thrilled to be given the opportunity to speak at this C3RN event situated in the cannabis advocacy and awareness community. With the recent launch of programs such as FLI Safe and our newest FLI Chocolate Shot and FLI Space Joint product releases, now is the time to talk about the work that were doing in the cannabis industry to differentiate both our products and our social awareness initiatives.

About Nutritional High International Inc.

Nutritional High is focused on developing, manufacturing and distributing products under recognized brands in the cannabis products industry, with a specific focus on edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company works exclusively through licensed facilities in jurisdictions where such activity is permitted and regulated by state law.

The Company follows a vertically integrated model with a fully developed strategy for acquisitions in extraction, production, sales, and distribution sectors of the cannabis industry. Nutritional High has brought its flagship FLI edibles and extracts product line from production to market through its wholly owned subsidiaries in California and Oregon, as well as Colorado where its FLI products are manufactured by a licensed producer. The Company distributes its products and products manufactured by other leading producers through its wholly owned distributor Calyx Brands Inc. The Company also owns a 50% interest in The Clinic Effingham (an Illinois dispensary), and is entering the Nevada, Washington State and Canadian markets in the near future.

For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please follow Nutritional High on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and Google+ or visit www.nutritionalhigh.com .

For further information or questions, contact:

David Posner

Chairman of the Board

Nutritional High International Inc.

647-985-6727

Email: dposner@nutritionalhigh.com

Disclaimer:

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Such statements include submission of the relevant documentation within the required timeframe and to the satisfaction of the relevant regulators, completing the acquisition of the applicable real estate and raising sufficient financing to complete the Company's business strategy. There is no certainty that any of these events will occur. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forwardlooking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forwardlooking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.Cities are dirty, and New York City is particularly filthy for a city with so much wealth. In many ways, the issues that have taken center stage in the current city and state election season are partially about germs, public health, and quality of life: transportation, housing, and health care. But beyond overflowing trash cans and rats, cities, with their constant flow of people and high density living, are fertile ground for infectious diseases. The history of the world is filled with waves of disease outbreaks, and some deadly ones have wiped out millions of people at a time. And often, groups of people -- the most socially and politically marginalized -- have become scapegoats for epidemics, instead of focus being placed on the living conditions and social realities that make certain groups susceptible to disease at different points in history.

The Museum of the City of New York has just opened a new multimedia exhibit, Germ City: Microbes and the Metropolis, examining the impact of disease outbreaks on cities and how during various eras people understood, interpreted, and ultimately fought to save lives and end pandemics. Germ City is the first of three exhibits in a series called Contagious Cities, which will feature other projects in Hong Kong and Geneva, Switzerland.

"We are honored to be the New York anchor of this three-city global initiative," said Whitney W. Donhauser, the president and Ronay Menschel director of the Museum of the City of New York. "As a historic port city, New York is a compelling location to study the complex relationship among microbes, migration, and the metropolis."

In many ways, the history of New York is in part a story about pandemics -- and pandemics are never just about a disease but also about the way that humans respond to it. The exhibit opens with a video installation on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and how that outbreak, once it reached U.S. shores, was interpreted by the news media. The video splices together newspaper and cable news headlines, one of which referred to Ebola as "the ISIS of biological agents." But the exhibit makes it clear that not only Ebola but also other epidemics have caused public hysteria and the scapegoating of marginalized people. Cholera, tuberculosis, and finally, the AIDS epidemic, have all had profound impacts on the political, economic, social, and cultural life of New York and the people that inhabit it.

Jordan Eagles' sculpture on exhibit "Blood Mirror," shows the way in which HIV, despite being a virus that nearly every human being can be susceptible to, continues to be imbued with social and political meaning that targets gay men in particular. It is a piece that displays the blood of 59 gay, bisexual, and transgender men as a way to highlight the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s continued partial ban on gay men donating blood. The ban was instituted in 1983, but after years of public pressure, the rule was changed in 2015. Gay men are no longer under a lifetime ban, but now must abstain from sex for an entire year before they can be eligible to donate blood, despite the existence of fourth-generation HIV testing, which can detect the virus within days of seroconversion. Eagles sees his sculpture as a visual representation of the men whose blood could be put to good use if they were allowed to donate blood and of why there's no reason gay men should be specifically singled out by this FDA rule other than homophobia.

"The irony is that all of the men are alive, no one is dead here, and they could all be contributing to our society by donating blood, said Eagles. "And this particular policy continues to perpetuate a stigma about HIV."

One of the other HIV-related pieces in the exhibit is less about public policy and more about fighting erasure. Artist and designer Ekene Ijeoma was concerned about the historicizing of the early years of AIDS and AIDS activism as exclusively white when he created "Pan-African AIDS" for this exhibit.

"I was watching some documentaries about what was happening in the '80s, and I wasn't seeing a lot of people of color, or any black people, said Ijeoma. "So, I found a report from 2008 from Black AIDS Institute that talked about how the Bush administration created PEPFAR in 2003 to fight AIDS in Africa, but hadn't created any initiative to help the black population in the U.S. So, I just had this idea of Africa merging into America."

Ijeoma then looked at recent HIV data and found that while new diagnoses were falling in Africa because of the PEPFAR program, they were spiking among blacks in the United States. The sculpture is a series of silhouettes of the African continent and the United States layered on top of one another to give the effect of seeing Africa inside America.

Germ City is happening at a time when HIV/AIDS-specific memorials are being erected around the country. Monuments in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco have been established in the last several years to commemorate the lives lost to the epidemic, and there are also several traveling art exhibits about AIDS. But Germ City is different in that brings HIV into conversation with other historical pandemics and brings visual artists into conversation with public health, urban planning, science, and medicine.

"This effort brings together our collective expertise on the history of health in New York and the impact that outbreaks of disease over time have had on New York City's residents, infrastructure, and its many interlocking systems, including housing, urban planning, water systems, migration, and public health policies," said Judith A. Salerno, M.D., M.S., president of the New York Academy of Medicine, one of Germ City's sponsoring institutions.

Keeping with this interdisciplinary concept, a number of events in New York City related to Germ City will be hosted by the museum during the exhibit's run through April 2019.IQALUIT, Nunavut, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northwestel and members of Nunavuts cabinet today officially celebrated the launch of Northwestels new high-speed broadband satellite network serving Nunavut. Iqaluit, Nunavuts capital and largest community, is the first to have the high-speed network commissioned, and all 25 Nunavut communities will have access to the network in the coming months.



Northwestels Tamarmik Nunaliit network provides up to 20 times more capacity to Nunavut communities than the companys previous generation C-Band satellite network. The network harnesses Telesats recently launched Telstar 19 VANTAGE ka-Band satellite, which uses high-throughput spot beams to deliver significantly more Internet capacity to remote communities.

Northwestel President Curtis Shaw acknowledged the importance of partnerships with Telesat, the Government of Nunavut, and the Government of Canada in making the Tamarmik Nunaliit project a reality. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) contributed $49.9 million to the open access satellite backbone network through the Connect to Innovate program. This network is available to all internet service providers in Nunavut.

15 Mbps residential Internet beginning in October

Using this new open access network, Northwestel will offer 15 Mbps Internet packages  three times faster than what is currently available  beginning next month. The new 15 Mbps service will include 100 GB of monthly usage, all for $129 per month. Northwestel will also begin to offer a new 5 Mbps package for $80 per month, with savings of $100 per month over current rates.

Iqaluit will be the first community to receive the new Internet packages beginning on October 1. Residents can pre-order at the Nunavut Trade Show on September 19.

The new 15 Mbps service will be available in Cambridge Bay, Arviat and Rankin Inlet by the end of the year and in all Nunavut communities in 2019.

Alongside Northwestel, another Bell company is expanding broadband wireless service to every community in Nunavut. Bell Mobility is now trialing its LTE wireless network in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet and 13 more communities are expected to be connected by the end of the year. Using the new open access satellite network for the backhaul portion of its LTE wireless network, Bell plans to offer LTE coverage in all 25 Nunavut communities in 2019.

Quotes

Nunavummiut are entitled to the same level of vital infrastructure as their fellow Canadians. I am pleased to see this investment to raise internet access within the territory, and I will continue to advocate for increased broadband and connectivity with our partners across the country. Our people and our economy depend on it.  The Honourable Lorne Kusugak, Minister of Community and Government Services.

Access to high-speed Internet is not a luxury; its an essential service that all Canadians should have access to, regardless of where they live. Our communities need this service to do business, upgrade their education and build stronger communities. Thanks to the Connect to Innovate program, more people will be able to participate fully in the digital economy.  The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

As a Northern company, Northwestel is proud to deliver the next generation of satellite Internet to Nunavut in partnership the Government of Canada and the Government of Nunavut. This Tamarmik Nunaliit network will significantly improve broadband Internet services for schools and health centres across Nunavut while enhancing access and innovation opportunities for residents and businesses in every community.  Curtis Shaw, Northwestel President.

Working with our colleagues at Northwestel and Bell Mobility to deliver enhanced broadband network access in Nunavut, including bringing wireless service to some communities for the first time, has been one of the most rewarding network builds Bell has ever undertaken. We are proud to be part of this celebration with Northwestel, Telesat and the Governments of Canada and Nunavut as we work to ensure people in all regions of Canada can access the economic and social benefits enabled by advanced broadband networks.  Stephen Howe, Chief Technology Officer, Bell Canada.

More information about Northwestels Tamarmik Nunaliit project is available at nwtel.ca .A foreign policy firmly based on consistency, restraint, and adherence to our founding principles would ultimately achieve what most of us mistakenly believe we already possess: an American Exceptionalism admired and envied by the world.

Since the founding of the Republic, American Exceptionalism has been a guiding principle for candidates seeking high office. Next only to a professed belief in God, a firm, if often unfounded, insistence in our benign and beneficent superiority to all other nations and cultures is indispensable for aspiring leaders. From Abraham Lincolns elegant warning that America is the last, best hope of earth to the religious overtones of Ronald Reagans shining city on the hill, our leaders embrace this notion of Exceptionalism with a fervor that often seems at odds with our more provincial aspirations, such as lowering taxes or reducing bureaucratic red tape.

But while American Exceptionalism guides candidates, the concept itself has two very distinct historical lineages. A more hands-off interpretation of our Exceptionalism, famously espoused by Washington in his Farewell Address, but most eloquently explained by John Quincy Adams goes like this: America abstain(s) from interference in the concerns of others. Wherever the standard of freedom has been unfurled, there will be her heart. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. This so-called isolationist brand of American Exceptionalism, however, is rarely espoused today. Of all the erstwhile candidates this presidential cycle only Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul fully embraced it.

The other, more popular strain of American Exceptionalism, is the Wilsonian brand. Wilson was not the first to espouse a more messianic American Exceptionalism, but he wasat least until George W. Bushits most prominent and blundering advocate. Most of the Republican presidential candidates this year and Hillary Clinton fall squarely into this camp whose members fervently believe there are few problems in todays world that can be solved without U.S. involvement. They embrace the mythology of interventionist exceptionalism as fervently as the leaders of any bygone empire that sought to bring civilization and justice to a barbaric world. As former Secretary of State Albright, unabashedly preening, put it: If we have to use force, it is because we are America. We are the indispensable nation. We stand tall. We see further into the future.

Why the Good War was So Bad

Understanding why the Washingtonian brand of Exceptionalism has fallen out of favor and the Wilsonian messianic brand of Exceptionalism has taken hold in the American psyche is not possible without understanding Americas view of history. The nations of the world dont agree on much, but one thing on which there is unanimity is the belief that Americans have no sense of history. Everywhere one looks from Asia to Europe to the Middle East there prevails an unshakeable belief that Americans are so busy with the future, they do not adequately value the past.

But they are mistaken. While it is certainly true that Americans have a wonderful facility for not allowing grievances from the distant past to control their outlookhow many Americans, for example, even know that the British burned Washington DC in 1814? And how many of those who do know think it was such a bad idea? We are not, however, completely clueless about history. The real problem is that most of us are only comfortable with a single decade of historyfrom 1938 to 1948from Kristallnacht and Munich to the onset of the Cold War. For most of the American public and certainly for most of our political leaders, the other 5,000 years of history are no more than a quaint and irrelevant footnote.

And because we are perpetually stuck in this timewarp, we see foreign affairs through a strange prism: every attempt at compromise is appeasement, every dictator is another Hitler, every effort at nation-building must succeed just like the Marshall Plan did, every aggression is a move toward world domination, and most importantly, every enemy is an existential threat who only understands brute strength and firm resolve. So, when North Korea marched south it was like the Nazis storming into Poland, and when the North Vietnamese infiltrated the south Ho Chi Minh was another Hitler, and when Iraq took over Kuwait it was like the Soviets taking over Eastern Europe, and Saddam again was yet another Hitler, and the annexation of the Crimea was the Sudentenland all over again, and any effort to broker an agreement with Iran on nuclear matters must be appeasement.

Reassessing American Exceptionalism

As a people, we Americans are in urgent need of a more nuanced, more mature view of history. We must come to see that not every competitor is an adversary and that every adversary need not be an enemy, and that even among our now myriad enemies, not all pose existential threats to us and our way of life. But this will take wisdom and courage, and a realization that most of history has been a bloody mess of misunderstandings and arrogant mistakes.

The madness of World War I almost brought us to our senses. It briefly convinced many in the West that war usually is a lose-lose proposition for civilization, but then Hitler saved us from peace and reason. Confronted with a genuine existential threat and appalled by the brutality and ruthlessness of the Nazi regime and the Japanese Empire, we realized that waging war was necessary in that unique set of circumstances. But given the disastrous consequences of our repeated interventions over the last few decades, the histories of World War I and the Peloponnesian Wars are arguably better cautionary tales for the modern world than our simplistic embrace of the lessons learned from World War II and its immediate aftermath. Yet we will not forsake that cursed decade of triumph and clarity easily; we yearn for it and it beckons to us, offering heroic purpose and a comforting certainty about who we think we are as a nation.

The interventionistsboth Democrats and Republicanshave gotten it wrong almost every time they have interceded in foreign conflicts. Since World War II, going abroad to destroy monsters is exactly what we do, breathlessly, unthinkingly, blindly. We are no longer just a bright beacon to the world; for the last seventy years, our exceptionalism has been imbued with a Messianic fervor and a Manichean perspective of absolute Good countering absolute Evil that threatens to destroy the very ideals we seek to promote.

But even fools can make wise observations: while the interventionists have been wrong over and over in getting us involved in military conflicts of questionable necessity, they have been right that John Quincy Adams brand of American Exceptionalism is outdated and inadequate for the modern age. The interventionist are correct that the modern world with all its technological advancements is too small, too interconnected, and too interdependent to allow us to isolate ourselves completely and merely cheer from the sidelines. It is doubtful that even Washington and Adams, if alive today, would have much confidence in the size of the oceans to ward off our enemies, and it is equally doubtful given the complexity of foreign relations today that they would be so disparaging of all foreign entanglements. But it is timepast timefor the pendulum to swing back after seventy years of hyper-interventionism to a more balanced brand of Exceptionalism that is neither reflexively interventionist nor irrationally isolationist.

What is to Be Done

First, use the label sparingly and prudently. Admittedly this will feel akin to amputating a leg or tearing out ones own heart. A passionate belief in our Exceptionalism is something we all were handfed since we were infants and accepting that we are something less than unique and special will be painful. But like every other extremist ism we denounce and distrust and have sought to destroy, American Exceptionalism can sometimes embody a threat to Republican principles. Imbued with a strong sense of Exceptionalism, our leaders sometimes justify policies and practices that we would generally find loathsome. Just as Marxism and Fascism and Islamic Extremism enable their followers to commit deplorable acts for some greater future good, so too American Exceptionalismdespite all the good and inspiring aspects of ithas made it easier for us to do similarly appalling acts. Embracing American Exceptionalism with thoughtful humility rather than boastful pride would be salutary.

Second, be consistent. From the very outset post-World War II interventionism has suffered from a notable hypocrisy of purpose. We unabashedly rail against the tyrannies in Syria and Iran, but continue to ignore the equally tyrannical and arguably more dangerous governments in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and elsewhere. At one time this approach, while never morally defensible, made some sense from a practical perspective. It was arguably practical because we needed certain resources such as oil from the Middle East, and it was also practical because we were waging a decades-long cold war, so we cleverly delineated between totalitarian regimes (our enemies) and mere authoritarian regimes (our friends) despite there being little difference in how they ran their governments and mistreated their citizens.

But these practicalities no longer apply. The end of the Cold War and American technological ingenuity have freed us from compromising our principles, yet political inertia keeps us stuck in old thought patterns. An uninformed realism still pervades our thinking and we hesitate to make a clean break with the flawed strategy of the post-WW II era. This uninformed realism is worsened paradoxically by an overwrought sentimentalism in our formulation of foreign policy. How else can we plausibly explain our decades-long reluctance to accept the reality in Cuba or our refusal to ever discern a difference between American interests and Israeli interests? Combined, this misapplied realism and misplaced sentimentalism have led much of the world to see our interventions as hypocritical and self-serving. We would do well to recall Washingtons warning that a nation which indulges towards another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest.

Third, embrace as allies only those who share our ideals and interests. Ally is an overused and underappreciated relationship. To be called a friend and ally of America should mean something special. It frankly does not apply to many nations which today we profess to be allied withmuch to our own detriment. There are few countries outside of Europe that would genuinely qualify as allies, and even some within Europe should be put on notice that an allied relationship with America is not always a given.

Fourth, distance ourselves from those who do not seek to emulate our ideals and principles. This does not mean we need to intervene in those countries such as Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or even pressure them to change. What it does mean is that we do not give economic support to them, we do not give them most-favored-nation trade status, and we do not share with them sophisticated military and civilian technology. If American Exceptionalism means anything it should mean that we do not enable and protect those who have interests and ways of life that threaten our own principles and way of life.

Fifth, limit unilateral military interventions to only those rare instances when an immediate and compelling threat to the United States is clear. And then respond with overwhelming force and leave. Nation-building, generally an unrealistic fairytale born of the success of the Marshall Plan, should be avoided at least until all hostilities have ended. Moreover, we should not support in any manner any third country military conflicts, such as the ongoing war in Yemen, where all sides are blameworthy and committing atrocities.

Finally, clearly define the criteria for interventions of a humanitarian nature. While we do have a legal and moral obligation to prevent genocide and to safeguard civilian populations, such interventions should never be done unilaterally or only with allies. Only UN-sanctioned humanitarian interventions should be supported.

There are plenty of arguments against these proposals. Dont we risk another Rwanda if we wait for the United Nations to act? Dont we risk worsening the economic plight of innocent populations by not compromising with tyrannical regimes? Dont we risk our own self-interest by not finding common ground with despotic nations like Saudi Arabia and China? But the record of the last seventy years doesnt bode well for the next seventy if we continue along the same path. Over time a more hands-off policy toward those not like us and an even stronger embrace of those who share our values would eventually benefit both the US and much of the world. The UN should become more active and competent; innocent populations could rise up against their corrupt governments or those governments could see the benefits of change; unallied states such as Saudi Arabia and even China may eventually find it beneficial to institute political reforms and improve human rights.

As the last century began we sought to liberate Cuba, civilize the Philippines, and capture that terrorist Pancho Villa. These exercises in Exceptionalism culminated in our disastrous entry into World War I. In less than a year it will be the centennial of our entry into that war to safeguard democracy. As we learned at great cost, our intervention not only didnt make the world safe for democracy, it did make the world safe for fascism and other forms of totalitarianism. We are at a similar crossroads today, striving to make the modern world saferand unintentionally also safer for terrorism and lawlessnessas we engage more and more in counterproductive struggles around the world. We have already stumbled badly and repeatedly in the first sixteen years of this century. Our misuse of American Exceptionalism in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Ukraine and elsewhere does not bode well for the rest of the century, but there is no need to keep repeating the same mistakes of the past if our leaders choose a different path. A foreign policy firmly based on consistency, restraint, and adherence to our founding principles would ultimately achieve what most of us mistakenly believe we already possess: an American Exceptionalism admired and envied by the world.

This essay was first published here in October 2016.

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politicswe approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

The featured image is American Progress (1872) by John Gast, and is in the public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Glenn Fredly (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 11:36 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087732d6a2 3 Opinion amnesty,prisoners-of-conscience,political-prisoners,human-rights,human-rights-abuse,politics,religion Free

The remarks of renowned American philosopher John Dewey, If you want to establish some conception of a society, go find out who is in gaol, has been quoted many times to elaborate on the state of freedom in many parts of the world, including Indonesia.



Indeed, reports about people being imprisoned, tortured or executed because of their views or faith are rife in the country.



Looking closely at prisons in Indonesia today, at least 20 people have been locked up for peacefully expressing their views about religion and politics, according to Amnesty International. Eleven of them were charged with blasphemy or defamation of religion and the rest were peaceful pro-independence political activists.



Papua would probably quickly pop up in our minds when talking about the province with the highest number of imprisoned peaceful political activists. Indeed the easternmost province is home to an active armed pro-independence movement. In western Indonesia, such insurgence ended after the government secured a peace agreement with the Free Aceh Movement in 2005.



However, Amnesty International has also identified the underdeveloped province of Maluku, which currently has no record of an armed pro-independence movement, on top of the list of punishers of peaceful political activists.



Eight people from Maluku are serving prison sentences for what the government calls makar (treason). They are Johan Teterissa, Ruben Saiya, Johanis Saiya, Jordan Saiya, John Markus, Romanus Batseran, Jonathan Riry and Pieter Yohanes. Their only offense is unfurling the Benang Raja flag, a symbol of the aspiration for Malukus independence, on June 29, 2007.



Johan was leading a group of 22 activists who performed the traditional war dance cakalele in front of then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the Maluku capital of Ambon, before they were all arrested for unfurling the flag.



If Indonesia respects rights to freedom of expression, they should not spend a single day in prison for such peaceful activity. Yet they were thrown behind bars for between 15 and 20 years. Johan was among those denied medical care while at least four of the activists died in prison.



Amnesty International considers Johan and all those arrested like him prisoners of conscience, who are jailed for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Their arrests highlight the polices failure to respect these rights.



Adding insult to injury, in March 2009, Johan and dozens of prisoners of conscience were transferred to prisons in Java, over 2,500 kilometers away from their home. The isolation meant family visits were almost impossible, which is unnecessary, costly and cruel on prisoners and their families.



On Nov. 28, 2016, I had a chance to visit Johan at a maximum security prison in Nusakambangan, Central Java, with the help of Amnesty International and the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute as part of a campaign to release all prisoners of conscience in Indonesia.



As a Maluku native, I have been enjoying the fruits of freedom in Indonesia after the fall of Soeharto in 1998 through my work as an artist. I have been able to freely express my thoughts through songs peacefully, but many in Maluku like Johan and other activists still lack this basic right to freely express political aspiration. This is why I am calling on the government to release Johan and his friends and grant them amnesty.



Johan and his friends posed no threats to the president when unfurling the forbidden flag, but the government at that time considered the act treason. Their arrests clearly tarnish Indonesias image as a free country. The administration of President Joko Jokowi Widodo must correct this mistake to restore Indonesias so-called freedoms.



Differences in political views must be clearly respected and expressing it peacefully in public never constitutes a crime. There was recent progress when all the prisoners from Maluku were transferred to a prison in the province, enabling easier access to visits for their families. The transfer also means the administration is open enough to respect different political views.



However, relocating them to a Maluku prison is not enough. They must be granted amnesty. Through amnesty, the Jokowi administration could restore Indonesias image as a country where anyone can easily express their ideas freely through peaceful means without fearing criminal charges.



In early 2015, I had an opportunity to meet President Jokowi with other artists. I personally asked the President about the fate of political prisoners from Maluku and Papua. I was happy with his firm answer that he would free all political prisoners as soon as possible.



Shortly after, President Jokowi released and granted clemency to six Papuan political prisoners. I am sure the transfer of the Maluku political activists is part of his plan to release and grant them amnesty. By doing so the President will rebuild trust and public confidence in the eastern part of Indonesia in the government.



I personally believe the peaceful call for independence derives from political frustration among activists in Maluku. One important fact is that Aboru, the village where Johan and other Maluku activists are from, is still very much underdeveloped and neglected by the central and local government. The government must tackle the root causes instead of arresting them for peacefully expressing their political aspirations. The President must understand this background, so he would be convinced that granting amnesty is the right course of action to solve this case.



I am confident that President Jokowi will walk his talk to release and grant amnesty to all political prisoners in Papua and Maluku in the near future. So when he is asked who is in gaol? he can confidently say Indonesia no longer has political prisoners there.

***

The writer is a musician and campaigner for freedom of expression.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Elly Burhaini Faizal (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 09:31 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877321fe6 1 Opinion #commentary,measles-rubella,vaccination,vaccine,immunization,healthcare-policy,health Free

The backlash against measles and rubella (MR) vaccinations may put more children at risk of being infected by these two deadly viral diseases. Parental concerns about the halal status of vaccines have not only slowed the progress of the governments mass MR immunization campaign but also triggered doubt: Can Indonesia achieve its targets of eliminating measles and controlling rubella by 2020?



At issue is that the MR vaccine used in the campaign has been declared haram by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) because the product uses porcine-based gelatin. Although the MUI said the vaccine was mubah (permitted for use by Muslims), given the absence of a halal vaccine, many parents across the country still refuse to vaccinate their children, citing their Islamic beliefs.



As of Sept. 16, MR immunization coverage in 28 provinces was at 47.37 percent, far below the target of 75 percent, according to the Health Ministry.



Indonesias fight against measles and rubella is inseparable from the 2010 global commitment of the World Health Assembly (WHA) to reduce the number of deaths by 95 percent by 2015.



However, South and East Asia is still heavily burdened by the very contagious diseases. In 2011, over 70,000 children died of measles in that region, accounting for around 45 percent of global measles deaths. This prompted the assemblys 11 member countries to convey to the World Health Organization (WHO) their commitment to eliminate measles and control rubella and congenital rubella syndrome by 2020.



To that end, Indonesia launched the MR immunization campaign, which targets around 70 percent of the population and comprises two stages, one each in 2017 and 2018. Conducted in six provinces across Java from August to September last year, the first stage managed to reach 35 million children aged 9 months to 15 years, exceeding the national target of 95 percent. In the second stage of the campaign this year, around 32 million children in 28 provinces outside Java are expected to receive the vaccine, with a coverage target of 95 percent.



With only two weeks left to complete the campaign, immunization coverage is still way too low. Coverage in seven of the provinces is at barely 40 percent. From December 2017 to March 2018, measles affected 651 children in Asmat, Papua, and killed 75 in a population that was impacted by widespread malnutrition.



If the MR vaccination campaign fails, millions of children aged between 9 months and 15 years will be left unprotected. Inpatient treatments for measles at hospitals and deaths caused by the disease may continuously increase while [] many more babies will be born with congenital rubella syndrome, said Arifianto Apin, a pediatrician and member of a task force that handles epidemics at the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI).



Without communal immunity, these highly contagious diseases and potential epidemics would continue to spread, threatening efforts to eliminate measles and control rubella by 2020, Arifianto warned.



An obvious misunderstanding of MUI Edict No. 33/2018 on the use of the MR vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII) has posed a key challenge in the second stage of the MR mass immunization. Not all MUI branches across the 28 provinces are willing to obey the fatwa issued on Aug. 20.



For Muslims in Aceh, the vaccines mubah status has not convinced parents. Acting governor Nova Iriansyah even announced last week that his administration had decided to postpone the immunization drive until the Aceh Ulemas Consultative Assembly decides whether the vaccination is halal. As of Sept. 16, only 7.01 percent of the 1.54 million targeted children in Aceh have been vaccinated, making it the province with the lowest rate of MR immunization coverage, followed by Riau (22.52 percent) and West Sumatra (24.25 percent). We should therefore applaud West Papua, where immunization coverage has exceeded 95 percent.



The current polemics would not have happened had the government acted swiftly to respond to public concerns on the halal status of vaccines. During the first stage of MR immunization last year, the MUI reminded the Health Ministry to immediately file a halal vaccine certification request with the councils Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Assessment Institute (LPPOM). But as of July this year, no such request has been submitted.



Worse, in the face of mounting pressure on the halal certification, the ministry stated the MR vaccination was optional, particularly for those without religious concerns. Meanwhile, Muslims rejecting the MR vaccination for their children, unless the vaccine is declared halal, can wait until a fatwa on a halal vaccine is announced.



By allowing vaccinations to be optional, the government has acted irresponsibly  the minimum coverage target of 95 percent of the countrys children is required to achieve herd immunity.



Today, the use of haram substances such as porcine-derived trypsin is largely inevitable as only certain media can be used to cultivate a virus. This is why Muslim authorities must be involved in vaccine manufacturing from the very beginning, as it is important that they understand the entire process.



The MUI must coordinate with all its branches to align perceptions about the MR vaccination. Otherwise, parents and local and national authorities will have to share the blame for the exposure of up to 32 million Indonesian children to measles and rubella and the dangerous and potentially fatal consequences  not to mention the 2020 global target to end the diseases.SINGAPORE, Sept. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TokenMatch (www.tokenmatch.net), a joint venture between CoinAgenda founder Michael Terpin and Lydians Capital managing partner Leonard Boord, will host its fifth edition in a global series of token presentations for funds, family offices and accredited token buyers at an exclusive event in Singapore on Friday, September 21, from 8 am until 6 pm, following Consensus: Singapore. The event will be covered by CNBC Crypto Trader, and the program will air a few days later.





The one-day matchmaking event, which takes place in private boardrooms at the Pan Pacific Hotel, 7 Raffles Blvd, Marina Square in Singapore, features up to 21 carefully selected ICOs (with a minimum ranking of 4.0 on a scale of five and average ranking of 4.5 on aggregated ICO ranking sites) with 80+ top investors and funds experienced in the digital currency sector.





This will be our fifth edition of TokenMatch and the one with the most international focus to date, said Terpin. The single largest source of capital for token purchases this year has been Asian investors, so TokenMatch Singapore offers a unique opportunity to present in a private boardroom setting to leading investors from across Asia and the world in one day.





How this works: Investors and token buyers are separated into boardrooms, each holding an average of 20 or more buyers. Each token team has 20 minutes to present to each boardroom, including deep Q&A and feedback from investors, made possible by the small room setting. Hot breakfast and lunch, plus breaks, demo stations and a cocktail party add additional opportunities to network and persuade potential token buyers.





ICO executives and investors alike continue to tell us that our small-format conferences provide a great platform for deal making, noted TokenMatch co-founder Leonard Boord, managing director of Lydians Capital. TokenMatch is a great opportunity for token project founders to meet only investors, including some of the most influential funds in the blockchain world, in a closed-door environment.



About Token Match

Token Match, created and organized by CoinAgenda founder Michael Terpin and Lydians Capital managing partner Leonard Boord, is an exclusive, high-end event, featuring meals and a cocktail party. Attendance is by invitation only and limited to 21 ICOs team founders and 80+ investors. The first event was held during New York Blockchain Week (visit http://tokenmatch.net/past-events/ for the teams that presented), with subsequent events taking place in New York, London, and San Francisco. TokenMatch is also hosting events on October 19th in Barcelona and on November 29th in New York .





For more information, please visit www.tokenmatch.net or contact info@tokenmatch.net.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Karlina Indraswari (The Jakarta Post) Brisbane  Mon, September 17, 2018 16:26 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087733ae78 3 Opinion animal-conservation,bird-conservation,bird,wildlife-trade,wildlife,pets Free

In July 2018, Indonesias Forestry and Environment Ministry updated the national list of protected species, for the first time in 19 years. It now lists 562 bird species as protected, including many species popular in the songbird trade that were previously unlisted. This newly revised list was greeted as a victory by conservationists.

However, this celebration was premature; as in early September 2018, less than two months after the new list was issued, the above Ministry approved to remove three of the threatened bird species off the list, all of which are of very high conservation concern.

The straw-headed bulbul (local name: cucak rawa), the Javan pied starling (jalak suren), and the white-rumped shama (kucica hutan), would be stripped of their newly acquired, and much needed, protection status. Illegal harvest of wild birds to meet demands of local caged bird for pets continues to decline populations of all three species.

Wild populations of the straw-headed bulbul is all but extinct in Indonesia; it is assessed by theRed List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered, with far fewer than 2,500 individuals left in the wild. Both the Javan pied starling and the white-rumped shama are also in serious decline in Indonesia. The Javan pied starling is thought to be extinct already in the wild, and is in dire need for conservation action to restore its population. Finally, the white-rumped shama has become so scarce that these once very common birds are scarcely found in Indonesias forests. Poachers are even smuggling birds into Indonesia from Thailand and Malaysia to meet the insatiable demand for this bird and its melodious song.

Despite ample evidence highlighting the decline of the three species in the wild due to illegal and unsustainable trade, the mnistry has ruled in favor of the bird traders and bird keepers and is set to revoke the much-needed legal protection.

Hobbyists and traders called to remove these species claiming their livelihoods would be affected and that the birds were bred in captivity, therefore not a conservation concern. However, are these reasons enough to justify removal of species with high conservation concern?

First, regarding claims of captive breeding and the effect towards livelihood, the ministry has clearly stated that the bird species listed as protected are wild populations, therefore, ideally, if songbird owners and vendors are sustainableand are not contributing to the decline of wild populations, as they claim to be, there should not be any concern. Rather, this may even create opportunities where they can work with the government in establishing a legal and sustainable livelihood that can contribute to the conservation and protection of wild populations. However, scientific evidence shows the opposite of those claims, that populations of all three species continue to decline in the wild as a result of trapping for trade and pet keeping.

Second, the ministry has even stated that birds caught in the wild which were privately owned prior to the revised list, will not be affected by the law. Thus the government provides space for hobbyists and traders to transition from wild-caught birds to legally obtained ones, allowing existing birds in the market to continue to be traded, and preventing sudden loss of income. This leeway has very much accommodated the needs of both hobbyists and traders.

Despite all these provisions such groupscontinue to demand removal of species from the protected list, with even two more species being considered for removal by the government. The hobbyists and traders hope removal of species from the list will then remove legal implications associated with keeping or selling the species, to provide, again, space to perform business as usual prior to the law revision.

Business as usual has been identified as illegal, posing an enormous threat against the wild populations of all these three species. Granting the removal of the species from the protected list will continue to drive illegal practices and provide no chance for these birds to thrive; it will drive the birds to extinction.

After years of conservation advocacy, and severe declinein populations of wild birds, 19 years after its initial release the list of protected species appears weaker than expected and does not appear to be based on science or evidence. Furthermore, the government clearly bows to social and economic pressure rather than environmental concerns, as the traders and hobbyists lobby have a far stronger voice than that of conservationists. We can only hope that when the day comes where the state of Indonesias wildlife and ecosystem stability becomes a priority over popularity of keeping a species as a pet, it wont be too late.

***

The writer is the education and research director of FLIGHT, currently pursuing her PhD at Queensland University of Technology, Australia, on possible conservation solutions to Indonesias songbird crisis. FLIGHT is a new NGO focusing on stopping the illegal trade of Indonesias songbirds through raising awareness, education and monitoring of the trade.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 08:46 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308773208d2 4 Editorial #Editorial,graft-convict,corruption-eradication,corruption,Bawaslu,KPU,2019-legislative-election,#2019GeneralElections Free

The idea behind the General Elections Commissions (KPU) decision to issue a regulation banning former graft convicts from running in elections is quite simple: cutting the chain of corruption that continues to shackle the countrys legislative bodies. The arrests of 44 members of the Malang Council are the latest example of rampant corruption in legislative institutions and its deleterious impact on local governance.



But the regulation proved to be too controversial, and the backlash against it was swift. The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) decided to ignore the regulation and allowed scores of former graft convicts to run in the 2019 legislative elections. Bawaslu founded its decision on the argument that the KPU regulation was not consistent with the Election Law, which does not go into too much detail regarding who can run in legislative elections.



Also, a number of former graft convicts took their fight against the KPU regulation to the Supreme Court. Initially, Supreme Court officials were hesitant to join the debate, arguing that the court was unable to hear the case as the Constitutional Court was handling several judicial review petitions challenging articles under the 2017 Elections Law, which serves as the basis of the regulation. Not exactly a moral beacon in the country, the court ruled late last week practically in favor of ex-graft convicts.



The court said in its ruling that the regulation banning people convicted of sexual assault, drug abuse or corruption from legislative office contradicted the 2017 Elections Law. The ruling should not come as a surprise. If anything, the Supreme Court appeared to also have no reservations about defending the interests of only two dozen political candidates whose chances of running for office has been diminished by the KPU. With the ruling, the Supreme Court has also stood in defense of only a handful of political parties, which has defied the regulation against nominating former graft convicts.



Data from poll watchdogs has revealed the identities of candidates and political parties whose interests have been defended by the Supreme Court. These politicians came from some of the biggest parties, including the Gerindra Party, which nominated five former graft convicts. The National Mandate Party (PAN) came in second with four.



Having seen this list, we should, however, be emboldened by the fact that some political parties, including the party of President Joko Jokowi Widodo, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the United Development Party (PPP) and the newly established Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), abide by the KPU regulation.



As the Supreme Courts decision is final and binding, there is no room to contest it. We may push lawmakers to amend the Elections Law so as to keep legislative bodies free of graft convicts, but this will not materialize anytime soon.



It is incumbent upon us, the voters, now to look closely at legislative candidates nominated by the well-intentioned political parties and punish graft-tainted candidates. Its a free market out there  vote for clean candidates.Hollywood's A-listers will don their black-tie best on Monday for the 70th Emmy Awards, which honor the best in television.

After a year off, HBO's wildly popular fantasy epic Game of Thrones -- which earned a whopping 22 nominations -- is expected to make a big comeback. It already won seven Emmys in technical categories.

But evergreen NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live is close behind with 21 nominations, and it too scooped up seven awards ahead of the main ceremony.

And The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu's flagship drama based on Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel of the same name and last year's best drama winner, is certainly in the hunt for more statuettes, with 20 nominations and three awards so far.

Here are five things to watch for on Monday night:

1. How will #MeToo be handled?

The #MeToo movement erupted after last year's Primetime Emmys, meaning it is likely to hover over this year's event.

The departure from CBS of its powerful CEO Les Moonves under a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations will not go unnoticed at Monday's gala.

Female-driven programs like The Handmaid's Tale, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and The Crown are among the top nomination getters this year.

But earlier this month, the Women's Media Center released a report showing that 70 percent of the non-acting nominations went to men -- and only six percent of the nominated directors were women, down from 10% in 2017.

2. How much will Trump weigh on gala?

With SNL stars Colin Jost and Michael Che hosting the Emmys, and Alec Baldwin once again nominated for his portrayal of President Donald Trump, this year's gala is once again likely to be a political one.

Jost told Vanity Fair that he and Che hope to make the show "less political than normal", but if recent awards shows are any indication, that might be difficult in resolutely Democratic Tinseltown.

At the Tonys in June, Robert De Niro got a standing ovation for using an expletive to condemn Trump. At the Oscars in February, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro made a plea for immigrants.

Read also: Escapism or realism? Top Emmy races pose a choice

3. Will Netflix break through?

In July, the streaming giant finally wrested the top spot from premium cable network HBO in terms of most nominations -- 112 to 108. But will that translate into more actual trophies?

Last year, HBO took home 29 Emmys, to Netflix's 20. After the Creative Arts Emmys -- the technical awards handed out ahead of the main event -- HBO had a slim lead, 17 to 16.

HBO has Game of Thrones and Westworld in its stable, while Netflix heads into battle with The Crown, Stranger Things and 1980s women's wrestling comedy GLOW.

4. Can stars of 'The Americans' win?

Critical darling The Americans -- a sweeping saga about sleeper Soviet agents in America -- has earned 18 nominations over its six-season run, but only two wins -- both for guest actress Margo Martindale.

Series stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are both nominated for the third time this year for their work in the acclaimed drama.

Can one -- or both -- of them finally take home a final hurrah Emmy, as Jon Hamm did for Mad Men?

Awards prediction site Gold Derby currently has Rhys as the odds-on favorite, but Russell is only in 4th place, lagging behind last year's winner Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale), Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) and Claire Foy (The Crown).

5. Another big night for Donald Glover?

On the comedy side of the Emmys, the field is wide-open, with perennial winner Veep out of the picture. Can Atlanta -- Donald Glover's funny take on the rap scene in the Georgia capital -- take top honors?

Last year, Glover won twin statuettes for acting and directing, after capturing two Golden Globes.

It's been another big year for the multi-talented 34-year-old, who raps under the name Childish Gambino and took home a Grammy in January for best traditional R&B performance.

He lit the internet ablaze in the spring with his controversial single "This Is America" and its wacky video. He co-starred in the latest Star Wars movie. And last week, he launched a US concert tour.

A few more Emmys, including the best comedy prize, could be the icing on the cake of a ferocious 2018.While the role of Indonesian women, especially in big cities like Jakarta, may have changed over the past decades, large parts of society still expect them to get married and start a family.

When Hera Diani, a journalist and managing editor, as well as cofounder of feminist web magazine magdalene.co, and her husband consciously decided not to have children, they were met with a good deal of criticism and suspicion  not only from their families but also some of their friends.

When you get married in Indonesia, it is normal to have kids after a while. My family was not pressuring me to start a family, but they often wondered what was going on, Hera recalls.

During larger family gatherings, people often asked me why I didnt have children yet, sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, and offered advice because they assumed we had medical problems.

For many different reasons, Hera remained steadfast in her decision to have a child-free marriage for a decade  but at some point, she says, things changed.

To be honest, I didnt really like kids, she explains. I also knew that having children would be expensive and I witnessed many times how hard it is to juggle motherhood and work. For 10 years, I was happy with my choice, but suddenly, I felt the urge to have children. I cant really explain what happened. Maybe it was my biological clock, who knows  but the feeling was very strong and didnt go away, so my husband and I decided to go ahead with it.

Even though Hera felt that she was finally ready to have children, she acknowledged that she was in a state of shock when her pregnancy test was positive and a doctors appointment confirmed the news of impending parenthood.

'38 and Pregnant' A Late Pregnancy  The Trials and Tribulations (Courtesy of Elex Media Komputindo /-)

As a true journalist, the first thing she could think of on how to deal with the situation was to put pen to paper and write about what she was going through.

I have always been a big fan of comic books and graphic novels, so I decided to create a web series about my experience because there were many issues that I didnt find in any other books or articles about pregnancy, Hera says.

In Indonesian culture and tradition, motherhood is usually put on a pedestal, but there are also darker sides to it  especially in my case, where I got pregnant at a late age.

Since Hera may have a way words, but admits that she has no talent whatsoever when it comes to drawing, she asked her cousin Adhitya Pattisahusiwa, who is also the illustrator at magdalene.co, to help her out.

The web series was first published on the web magazine, before ElexMedia

Komputindo turned it into a book, which hit the shelves in July.

Im very happy I decided to chronicle my pregnancy because looking back at it now, I cant remember the details anymore, Hera laughs. Its all vague and quite blurry.

Being a mother has changed Hera in every possible way  all the cliches, both good and bad, she says, have turned out to be true. At the same time, her son Jakob, who is now 2-and-half years old, keeps her on her toes.

I wont lie, I think motherhood is very hard and exhausting, especially during the first nine months when I was still breast-feeding, Hera explains. Its physically and mentally taxing. Going back to work, I immediately felt that I didnt have the same level of energy as before.

At the same time, Hera doesnt have any regrets. Im glad that I waited, she says. Even though I was already 38, I was still healthy and at a point in my life where I was mentally, physically and financially more stable.

Heras account of her first pregnancy is hilarious and blatantly honest. She doesnt shy away from talking about issues that are perhaps not often associated when it comes to expectant mothers: she admits that she sometimes felt lonely and cried for no reason, speaks about her sexual desire during the pregnancy, the not-so-flattering changes her body went through, the pain of going into labor and the fear of dying on the operating table during the C-section.

It wouldnt be the honest account Hera was striving for if she didnt include these rather gloomy experiences in her book  but thankfully, the funny bits are equally memorable, from the well-intentioned advice Hera received from literally everyone in her immediate surroundings to discussions with her husband about the right name for the baby and attending a parenting class that wasnt quite what they expected.

Accompanied by Adhityas sharp and humorous illustrations, Heras book makes for a highly entertaining read. However, beware: reading 38 and Pregnant in public  like on the train or bus  can lead to unexpected or unwanted attention, on account of the many parts that will make you laugh out loud.Writing a memoir is therapeutic  not that this was my intention in the first place, but somehow when I write, Im serene. But it is also dangerous, knowing that you are offering your readers a deeply intimate view of who you are. As I peeled off the masks and dug deep into my memory bank, I dredged up mixed feelings. Some are heartwarming, and others are repulsive.

Curiously for me though, it was not the most shocking or joyful memories that took the center stage in my mind. If asked to recall the most vivid scene from my childhood, Id say: When I was around 7 years old, my mom and dad were going out someplace. It was sometime in the afternoon, and I was crying because I wanted to go with them. They were inside the car  a shiny blue Mercedes  already, and trying so hard to convince me to stay at home. Ill bring something for you. Just stay at home. Go play with your sister, my mom said. But I couldnt stop crying in the driveway. Finally, my mom said, Go get your shoes and you can come with us. I stopped crying immediately, ran inside the house to get my shoes and went back to the driveway only to find it empty. They left without me. They tricked me into believing they would take me with them. I cried my heart out, but only for a good few minutes; then I went back inside the house, feeling hurt. I cannot remember if I was still mad at them when they got back home; all I know is I cannot forget what happened that day.

I want to tell my story simply because its a good story that will stay with the readers. Above all others, I hope that my daughters are my most avid readers. When it comes to writing, I start with the thought that someday I will pass my story to my daughters  which is sometimes awkward because, hey, what sort of mother wants to tell her daughters that she had more lovers than her fingers and toes can count? But that, too, is part of my story; you have to be brave to be honest. Maybe even cruel. After all, I want my daughters to understand me through my writing, and to hear my voice even though Im away from them or completely gone from their lives. Someday my daughters will write their own stories. If I could shape the tone of their stories (which I wont) Id prefer they say: My mother was a very lovely woman. Shes the best cook, a published writer and she was always there for me, rather than: The only thing I remember about my mom is shes always on her computer working on something. She hardly played with us, and she kept telling me that I was not a good piano player!

I dedicate every piece of my writing thats been published to my three daughters, including a memoir I finished writing a year ago, which somehow ended up nestling safely on my computer. A publisher has asked me to publish it, but I dont have the guts to let that happen just yet. Why?

A memoirist carefully selects a story to expose. In terms of doing mine, I hope I didnt cherry-pick the stories just because I wanted to appear good, to create a certain image that fits the ideal picture of an Indonesian woman living in America. I write my stories because I want to be heard; and I believe, in a way, there are some women who feel the same, and I want them to know that theyre neither crazy nor alone. That, and I want my daughters to get an idea of who their mother is from her own voice. Before giving the freedom for others to judge, I think everyone should establish how they want to be perceived.

Unfortunately, no matter how meticulously I curated my stories, its still an invitation of pulling back the curtain on my private life. A part of me is exposed to the public, and I willingly give that up to you. My privacy is out in the open. Worse yet, my story also affects other people I love the most: parents and siblings, friends, former lovers and many others. They dont sign up for this deal. What would my former lover feel if our story about how he cheated on his wife with me takes two chapters in my book? What if my siblings were outraged because I had brutally told the story of how much I hate my late father who held the Batak culture dearly in his heart by always prioritizing sons over daughters? What if my friends stopped talking to me because I pictured them twisted and broken?

These questions shut me down from publishing my manuscript. I have fears of revealing myself and others. I was so brave when I wrote my stories; everything was crystal clear: honesty  brutal honesty  was the only way to go. But when the last sentence was delivered, I suddenly felt uneasy. My memoir is not about sexual abuse, though theres a small part about my experience of being molested that I had casually mentioned. I cannot imagine how tough it had been for those who published sexual abuse memoirs. These kinds of memoirs, after all, were popular sells in the late 1980s and early 1990s. But then Peter Freyd coined false memory syndrome after his adult daughter, Professor Jennifer Freyd, accused him of sexual abuse when she was a child. The case led to a massive challenge against memoirists who ended up having to defend their rights (and memory) inside the court room. Isnt it even more alarming? Another reason not to publish my manuscript: What if my book was challenged by people who were highlighted in my memoir?

I woke up with a strangled feeling, loss, and long coiled around these thoughts that squeezed the breath out of me, debating myself whether Im a coward or a reasonable person. And then the snake slowly released its hold. Im not planning on burying my manuscript permanently. And turning it into fiction is not an option either. It isnt fiction, its my story, raw and real. I just need more time to prepare myself so Im not afraid and dont feel intimidated by a sack full of what ifs.

So help me, God.

***

Uly Siregar is an Indonesian journalist, essayist and writer who currently resides with her family in the United States.Japanese everyday household and food items on sale at more than 2,000 post offices in Russia since May have proved a hit, with popular products even experiencing supply shortages.

Japanese goods including noodles and shampoos are currently on sale in post offices in Moscow and Russia's Far East region, which is close to Japan, with products distributed via the Trans-Siberian Railway.

"I was surprised by the performance of Japanese shampoos and detergents," said a 48-year-old housewife who was purchasing Japanese facial sheet masks at a Vladivostok post office in late August.

According to a clerk at the outlet, food items such as instant noodles sell out quickly and the post office is often low on stock for these items. Russian post offices typically encompass retail stores that resemble Japanese convenience stores, making them popular shopping spots for locals.

Trading house Hokkaido Corp., based in Sapporo in Japan's northernmost main island, struck a deal with state-owned Russian Post to supply merchandise from Hokkaido and elsewhere via Pegas-HC LLC, its subsidiary based in Vladivostok.

The goods are shipped out of ports in Hokkaido and Tottori, a western Japan prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, to Vladivostok on vessels and then loaded on to Trans-Siberian Railway trains.

By utilizing train services carrying Russian Post's mail and parcels that operate daily between Moscow and Vladivostok, Hokkaido Corp. can significantly cut transportation costs that have hitherto hindered expansion of sales channels in the vast country, according to the company.

With 42,000 post offices throughout Russia, Hokkaido Corp. sees room for growth and is targeting annual sales of 5 billion yen ($45 million). The company is also planning to take advantage of the logistics network of Russian Post, which has some 80 warehouses across the country.

Read also: 1 in 3 Indonesians recently purchased Japanese brands

The trading house will soon launch an online shopping service utilizing the postal logistics network for delivery. It is in the process of selecting merchandise items such as cosmetics that are attractive to internet-savvy younger customers.

The company is also considering launching catalog sales for older consumers who are not used to online shopping.

"While Japanese items have created high expectations in the Far East, the drawback is that they come with hefty price tags," said Hideki Ikeda, representative director of the subsidiary Pegas.

"We would like to spread the idea that they can purchase those goods at reasonable prices at post offices," he said.Since its launch in Indonesia less than a year ago, Singaporean online fashion rental platform Style Theory has gained over 20,000 active users in Jakarta, signaling the country's market potential in the sharing economy in fashion.

After a successful run in Singapore, co-founders Raena Lim and Chris Halim brought the online rental platform to neighboring Indonesia in November 2017.

"Even though we just started in November last year, we've been growing at around two times the speed of when it started in Singapore," Halim said recently during the introduction of Style Theory's pop-up booth at Grand Indonesia shopping mall in Central Jakarta.

With an estimated 70,000 active users in total between the two countries, the platform is currently the biggest in Southeast Asia, according to company data.

The app was established to provide economically sustainable fashion choices, Halim said.

"I think this way of consumption is also probably the smartest way, rather than continuously buying clothing," he said.

With an office now established in the Indonesian capital, the company forged a cooperation with local ride-hailing and online payment company Go-Jek, integrating its fashion app with Go-Send for deliveries of its apparel in Jakarta.

Read also: Indonesia's fashion startups tap into Singapore market

Boasting premium women's wear, Style Theory uses a subscription-based model in which first-time users can sign up at an introductory discounted price of Rp 590,000 for the month.

The monthly fee covers the unlimited rental of three pieces at a time, delivery and returns, and dry-cleaning services, giving users the practical option of wearing only what they rent.

To date, Style Theory Indonesia offers more than 5,000 items from over 160 local and international brands, with new releases every Wednesday. Its unique appeal includes a wide range of clothing, from everyday wear and office apparel to outfits for special occasions.

Other brands on offer include Alice McCall, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Karen Millen, Coast and Ted Baker, as well as notable Indonesian brands Nikicio, Kraton by Auguste Soesastro, Todjo, Major Minor and Laison by Aurelia Santoso.

"In Indonesia, we've seen in particular a massive interest in modest fashion clothing, so we're looking to expand our choices in that particular segment," said Style Theory Indonesia marketing lead Yaumi Fauziah.

The company also has plans to expand to other cities, such as Bandung and Surabaya. (wng)Lessons learned from the first 2019 Michelin Guide announcements in the U.S.: You might have to wait 40 years for the top honor.

The Inn at Little Washington, which chef Patrick OConnell opened in 1978 in Washington, Va., is the first capital-area restaurant to earn the highest Michelin award. Its the third year the time-honored guidebook has recognized dining rooms in the nations capital.

One of Michelins truisms is that things move slowly, and this is acutely true for starred establishments here. While Washington has been lauded by such magazines as Bon Appetit as the Best New Food City in the country, and seen massive development such as the $2 billion, dining-heavy project Wharf, Michelin is awarding stars to just 15 restaurants. (By way of comparison, New York currently has 72; San Francisco, 55.)

There are two new one-star places (high quality cooking, worth a stop according to the guide). One is Bresca, which features chef Ryan Ratinos modern French bistronomy cooking: sea urchin linguine with truffle conserva and foie gras cake pots for dessert, for example. The other is Siren by RW, the seafood temple from venerable chef Robert Wiedmaier, at which sea urchin also figures, as well as caviar service.

Michael Ellis, international director of the Michelin Guide, says that even though they seem to prioritize European-style cooking, the inspectors are monitoring such restaurants as Filipino sensation Bad Saint to see if they can up their game from the Bib Gourmand award it currently has. (Bib Gourmands are the more affordable places that serve excellent food at a reasonable price.) Filipino food has not lent itself to Michelin stars the way some of the great cuisines, like Chinese, have, he says.

He also acknowledges that women arent well represented on the capitals star list. For instance, the well-reviewed new Fancy Radish, from Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, won one of 19 new Bib Gourmands but didnt earn a star. We dont look at gender, says Ellis. As soon as we open up the Pandoras Box of gender and ethnicity, then we will see interest groups that say, What about us? Its the same thing with sustainability. In Hong Kong, people say: Dont highlight a place that serves shark fin soup. If you dont want to support that establishment, dont go.

There are now two two-star restaurants (excellent cuisine, worth a special detour); the third, Inn at Little Washington, got a promotion.

Read also: Singapores Michelin star restaurant winners of 2018 announced

Here are the full list of Washingtons Michelin-starred restaurants. An asterisk (*) denotes a new entry.

Three Stars

Inn at Little Washington*

Two Stars

Minibar

Pineapple & Pearls

One Star

Blue Duck Tavern

Bresca*

The Dabney

Fiola

Kinship

Komi

Masseria

Metier

Plume

Roses Luxury

Siren by RW*

Sushi Taro

Tail Up Goat

Bib Gourmand Winners

Ambar*

Bad Saint

Bidwell

Chercher

China Chilcano

Chloe*

Das

Doi Moi

Fancy Radish*

HazelIvy City Smokehouse

JaleoJoselitos Casa de Comidas*

Kaliwa*

Kyirisan

Lapis

Maketto

Maydan*

Millies*

Mola*

Napoli Pasta Bar*

Ottoman Taverna

Oyamel

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

The Red Hen

Royal

Sababa*

Sfoglina

Spark*

Spoken English*

Succotash*

Supra*

Thip Khao

Tiger Fork*

Timber Pizza Co.*

Toki Underground*

Unconventional Diner*

Whaleys*

ZaytinyaShare this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar, Bali  Mon, September 17, 2018 07:10 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087731f6f6 1 Business IMF-WB-meeting,IMF,World-Bank,bali,Nusa-Dua,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan,security,military,police,#IMFWBG Free

The government is beefing up security ahead of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) Annual Meetings by inaugurating a command center that will involve the military and the police.

Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who chairs the national organizing committee, officially inaugurated the command center in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Saturday.

The command center will integrate all elements of the Indonesian Military and police. This is very good, as all the things are connected in here, he said, adding that the command center could be used for other major events in the future.

In the command center, the designated personnel will monitor over 600 closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems that have been installed across Bali, other nearby cities such as Banyuwangi, East Java, and Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, and a number of airports.

There will be a total of 26,000 security personnel deployed to safeguard the event," Luhut said, adding that a security simulation for the event had been conducted.

The minister said that following the inauguration of the command center, readiness for the event stood at 95 percent as of Saturday.

Meanwhile, the 9th Regional Military Command in Bali has said that its preparations are at almost 100 percent.

"Our preparations are nearly 100 percent complete. All the defense equipment and communication-supporting infrastructure are ready," said the commander Maj. Gen. Benny Susianto.

The Bali military command is set to deploy a total of 5,050 personnel, the commander said.

He emphasized that Bali was currently safe and secure, as there was no terror threat identified ahead of the event, which is considered the biggest international conference on the world economy.

Security at all entry points into Bali has been tightened for months and we have conducted intelligence operations," he added.

Deputy Bali Police chief, Brig. Gen. I Wayan Sunartha, said as quoted by Antara news agency that the police would deploy at least 5,823 personnel for the event.

Traffic restrictions will also be imposed, particularly during the events dinner reception at the Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park on Oct. 12, when 2,500 delegates are expected to attend, he said recently.

This is because the route from hotels in Nusa Dua to the home of Indonesias tallest statue is a busy, one-way street.

Speaking on a different occasion, the Bali Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said the agency had prepared 30 helicopters to evacuate world leaders who are scheduled to attend the meeting if anything untoward happened.

The evacuation standard for one world leader is 10 minutes, the head of Bali BPBD's Disaster Control and Management Operations technical unit, I Gede Made Jaya Serataberana, said in Denpasar on Sunday, as quoted by Antara.

A total of 189 member countries of the IMF and World Bank are slated to attend the event, which will take place from Oct. 8 to 14 in Nusa Dua. The estimated number of attendees is between 15,000 and 20,000, comprising high-ranking state officials, businesspeople, academics, parliamentarians and representatives of civil society organizations from across the world.

The 2018 annual meeting will discuss several substantial issues regarding the global economy, including the international monetary system, digital economy, infrastructure financing, sharia finance and issues related to the fiscal sector.

Aside from the safety and security focus, the country will also ensure smooth transportation for the attendees.

As an example, national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia plans to add 14 international flights per day from Oct. 6 to 11 or a total of 27,000 seats to anticipate the increased number of airline passengers, particularly those heading to Bali for the event.

It also plans to switch its 12 existing flights to expedite the arrivals in Bali, such as the flights to Jakarta from Incheon, South Korea, and Haneda, Japan. (sau/evi)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 08:37 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087731f8a7 2 City jakarta,anies-baswedan,stunting,stunting-in-children Free

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has said the city administration is committed to tackling stunting given that 27 percent of Jakarta children still suffer from the condition.

Even though the capitals stunting level is below the national level of 32 percent in urban areas and 42 percent in rural areas, Anies said stunting was a basic problem that needed to be eradicated by the city administration.

During a national campaign to prevent stunting at the National Monument (Monas), Central Jakarta, on Sunday, Anies encouraged women who attended the event to do their best to fight stunting.

Lets be serious [in fighting stunting]. There will be a joint program conducted by several agencies to make sure that we can solve the problem. We hope the stunting level can be reduced, Anies said on Sunday as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

He added that the role of parents and the government was vital in the effort to tackle stunting. Parents should be aware about the nutrition given to their children, especially during the first 1,000 days of life.

Anies went on to say that there would be programs to give additional nutritious food to children as well as campaigns to promote breast-feeding of babies.

If in Jakarta the stunting problem continues, how can we expect that other regions will be freed from the problem. We want to be serious in resolving the issue, he said.Tysons, VA, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

David Hirko, Co-Founder and Managing Partner B23 LLC, will speak at the Machine Learning and AI Conference Discovery Day London, September 26th & 27th, 2018 on the topic of operating enterprise data engineering and data science activities at scale in the Amazon Web Services cloud.

The Battlefin Discovery Day London event brings together alternative data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) experts from the worlds largest hedge funds, investment bankers, and venture capitalists.

Almost all organizations are interested in harnessing the capabilities of artificial intelligence using data in order to gain a competitive advantage, and yet so few are currently able to produce meaningful results, explains Hirko. These organizations are still throttled by fundamental data engineering challenges that can be easily overcome given the right skills and capabilities. B23 helps customers engineer and transform data so they can invest and focus on their core competency of developing algorithms to compete and gain additional revenues not otherwise possible using legacy techniques. Getting the data engineering correct just means quants can now do their jobs effectively - its really a zero-sum game. We achieve a level of unparalled operational excellence getting the data right using our technology platform we call the B23 Data Platform, that has been operational for over four years and battle tested in many of the largest, security conscious enterprises on the globe.

Before co-founding B23 with Brad Kolarov, Hirko and Kolarov worked at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and were instrumental in launching several of the most influential cloud computing initiatives to-date.

About B23, LLC: B23 is a software company that enables businesses to harness the power of nearly infinite cloud resources to extract intelligence from endless streams of datain minutes. With the belief that all businesses are data businesses, our cloud-based B23 Data Platform automates the collection and analysis of large volumes of data to provide unique competitive insights. B23 is privately held and headquartered in Tysons, VA. http://www.b23.ai/





Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 18:30 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087733f22f 1 Business oil-and-gas,imports,August-2018 Free

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has blamed accelerating economic activity for an increase in energy imports, the largest contributor to the countrys trade deficit in August.

Statistics Indonesia announced on Monday that the countrys trade deficit had risen to US$1.02 billion in August, mostly as a result of oil and gas imports, which had increased by 14.5 percent from the previous month to $3.05 billion.

Meanwhile, exports of oil and gas products dropped 3.27 percent over the same month to $1.38 billion.

Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arcandra Tahar said on Monday that the government had actually expected to see lower imports in August, as exports had decreased around 3 percent month-to-month (mtm).

It should be lower. Yet we see increasing economic activity that resulted in higher diesel imports, he said in a press briefing.

Arcandra explained that the takeover of oil and gas blocks by state-owned energy holding company Pertamina had also contributed to the decline in oil and gas exports.

Pertamina recently assumed control of the Mahakam Block, which had been operated by Total E&P Indonesie and Inpex Corporation since 1966. (bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 09:43 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308773277dc 1 Business minangkabau,Airport,west-sumatra,terminal,AP-II,waskita-karya Free

State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II has signed an agreement with state-owned construction company PT Waskita Karya to construct a new terminal at Minangkabau International Airport in Padang, West Sumatra.

With the signing of this cooperation agreement, Waskita and Angkasa Pura II will grow to become stronger companies, said PT Wasita Karya director of operations Didit Oemar Prihadi in a press release received by The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

He said that the expansion of the airport with a total investment of Rp 363.9 billion would become one of the foundations to help the region develop rapidly.

The signing ceremony was carried out by PT Waskita Karya Division 1 senior vice president Septiawan Andri Pruwanto and AP II airport construction division executive general manager Agung Sedayu, and was attended by several other directors from both companies. The agreement covers structural, architectural, interior and signage, landscaping, mechanical, electrical and electronic work. (acr/bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Indonesia  Mon, September 17 2018

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently appointed Indonesias former national development planning minister, Armida Alisjahbana, as executive secretary to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

Armida said on Sunday she would assume the highest position at the Bangkok-based regional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council in November, taking over duties from interim caretaker Hahm Hong-joo of South Korea.

The organization was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its 53 member states and nine associate members in Asia and the Pacific. Areas of cooperation include macroeconomic policy and development, trade and investment, the environment and sustainable development, according to its website.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Bambang Nurbianto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 11:50 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087732ed42 4 Business b20-biodiesel-mix,progress,mandatory-regulation,Djoko-Siswanto Free

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry oil and gas director general Djoko Siswanto has said that a program introduced in August on the mandatory use of 20 percent blended biodiesel (B20) has reached 80 percent of its target.

Referring to the results of our monitoring, the B20 expansion program by state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina has reached 80 percent, Djoko said on Sunday as reported by kompas.com.

He expressed optimism over reaching 100 percent of the target by the end of 2019.

According to Pertamina logistics supply chain and infrastructure director Gandhi Sriwidodo, of the targeted 2,265 million kiloliters (kl) of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), Pertamina used 1.8 million kl of FAME in the mix between January and September.

It is our task to make the government program successful, Gandhi said.

The mandatory use of B20 biodiesel is part of the government's effort to reduce the export of crude oil, which is blamed for the swelling current account deficit and weakening rupiah.

The program also aims to absorb the countrys large production of palm oil amid the commodity's weakening price in the international market. Indonesia is the world's largest producer of palm oil. (bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 19:58 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877342338 1 Politics Dems,Democratic-party,Susilo-Bambang-Yudhoyono,Press-Council,Bank-Century,libel,ethics Free

The Democratic Party reported online news site Asia Sentinel to the Press Council on Wednesday for publishing an article claiming that party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono headed a "vast criminal conspiracy" during his time as president.

In an article entitled, Indonesias SBY Government: Vast Criminal Conspiracy, the Asian Sentinel quoted a 488-page investigation report filed with the Mauritian Supreme Court accusing the Yudhoyono administration and the Dems of being involved in the high-profile Bank Century case that allegedly resulted in millions of dollars in state losses.

"It is not true that the Democratic Party received millions of dollars from Bank Century. It is not true that Pak SBY is the owner of Bank Century. It is not true that SBY and the Democratic Party was involved in money laundering," Dems secretary-general Hinca Panjaitan told reporters at the Press Council building in Central Jakarta on Wednesday. "Because these are serious allegations, we are also very serious in responding to them."

Hinca requested that the Press Council communicate with its counterpart in Hong Kong to discipline the Sentinel, as the party's investigation found that the website's IP address was registered in Hong Kong.

However, John Berthelsen, the Sentinel's editor and writer of the disputed article, told The Jakarta Post via email that the company was registered in California, the United States. The website of Asia Sentinel stated that the assets of the Hong Kong entity had been transferred to the US.

"Prior to July 21, 2017, the board of directors of Asia Sentinel Ltd. agreed to allow Asia Sentinel Ltd. to become dormant in Hong Kong and to transfer that companys assets and cash to Asia Sentinel Media LLC. The new entity was registered with the California Secretary of State on that date and Asia Sentinel Ltd of Hong Kong then ceased to carry on business. All stories written after that point are property of the new entity," the website said.

Press Council deputy chairman Ahmad Djauhar said the council would review the Dems' complaint and look into any form of action that could be taken.

"We will try to find comprehensive information about the matter, but so far during my tenure we have not worked together with the Hong Kong Press Council," he said. (evi)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Yoga Rusmana , Viriya Singgih , and Eko Listiyorini (Bloomberg) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 10:42 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087732d1d4 2 Business economy,Indonesia,election,nationalism,Jokowi,Prabowo-Subianto,Sandiaga-Uno Free

Facing a challenge from a self-proclaimed nationalist, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has used speeches after his nomination for Aprils vote to tout his success in wresting control of the nations prized natural resources from foreign companies.

Now the campaign in the lead up to the April 2019 poll is expected to develop into a battle built around economic nationalism. While it may risk a retreat by foreign investors from Southeast Asias biggest economy, its still likely to be a vote winner, according to analysts.

Jokowi has carried forward the resource nationalism championed by his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by taking steps to take back assets managed by multinationals such as Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Total SA and Chevron Corp. His government recently ordered all oil producers to sell their crude to state refiner PT Pertamina as it sought to cut imports.

Jokowi is pitted against Prabowo Subianto, a former general and the chief of the opposition Gerindra party, in a rematch of the 2014 elections. As Jokowi struggles to meet his 7 percent growth target and defend the rupiah that has slumped to the lowest level since the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98, hes likely to raise the pitch of nationalist rhetoric.

"We maintain our sovereignty, we guard our natural resources," the president said. "We want to use that as much as possible for the prosperity of the Indonesian people."

Economic Independence

Resource nationalism might be deemed unfriendly for investors, but looking at the consistency in the past years, the trend will likely remain in years to come, said Komaidi Notonegoro, executive director of Jakarta-based ReforMiner Institute. There has also been a shift in our investment paradigm from pro-market to economic independence.

The pull of protectionism has characterized Jokowis tenure since 2014, when he became the countrys second directly-elected president. Indonesia, rich in natural resources from tin to nickel and copper to natural gas, is keen to keep more of that wealth for the benefit of its 265 million people by restricting exports.

After filing his nomination for re-election on Aug. 10, Jokowi told his supporters he had protected the national interest by securing control of Grasberg copper and gold mine operated by Freeport and Rokan oil and gas field from Chevron. While Grasberg is the worlds second-largest copper mine, Rokan is Indonesias largest oil block.

Prabowo and his running mate Sandiaga Uno have echoed similar nationalist sentiments. The duo have pledged to preserve Indonesias wealth for its people and not allow other nations to exploit it.

"Indonesias wealth is for the people of Indonesia, not for other nations -- we do not want to be a minion of other nations, become a lackey and slave to other nations," Prabowo said last month.

Still, the government insisted the takeover of oil and gas fields was not nationalism. If the foreign companies made better offers, we would give the blocks to them," Djoko Siswanto, the director-general of oil and gas at the energy ministry, said. "This has nothing to do with nationalization. This is all about the economics."

Rising foreign direct investment since Jokowi became president indicates that investors consider the worlds fourth-most populous country as too big a market to ignore. Annual foreign investment jumped 13 percent in three years to $32.2 billion in 2017, official data show.

Nationalist rhetoric is definitely a vote getter in Indonesia where foreign investment is viewed by most people as either a bad thing or, at least, a necessary evil that must be strictly controlled, said Bill Sullivan, a lawyer specializing in mining at Christian Teo & Partners in Jakarta. I expect a repeat of the 2014 presidential election when every political party and politician sought to stake out the most extreme resource nationalist position possible.

BHP, Newmont

Indonesia banned metal ore exports in 2014 to encourage smelter construction, arguing that too much wealth was shifting to refineries overseas. The move led to mine closures and a global surge in nickel prices. Newmont Mining Corp. and BHP Billiton Ltd. both pulled out of Indonesia in 2016 by selling their mining assets to local players. The ban has since been relaxed to allow some exports.

Investors are bracing for the takeover of more oil and gas assets, where current contracts are due to end in the next few years and will cost the government very little to acquire, Notonegoro said. Its different in the mining sector because when a contract expires, the government has to pay some compensation to take over the mining asset, like in Freeport case, he said.

The nationalistic drive has led to state-owned companies dominating the resources sector. PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium is in the final stages of taking a majority stake at Grasberg valued at about $3.85 billion, while Pertamina took over Mahakam and Rokan oil blocks from Total and Chevron respectively.

Yet allowing state-owned companies to dominate the energy or mining industry will, based on their past track record, encourage corruption, inefficiency and political interference, said Sullivan from Christian Teo & Partners. That will reduce the competitiveness and make world class western energy or mining companies reluctant to invest in Indonesia."Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Jerusalem  Mon, September 17, 2018 08:38 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087731fb26 2 World #Israel,#French,Israel,Israel-Palestine-conflict,French Free

An American-French law professor arrested by Israel while protesting against the demolition of a Palestinian village in the West Bank is to be deported, his lawyer said Sunday.

US-born Frank Romano, who teaches law at the Paris Nanterre University, was detained on Friday while taking part in a demonstration at the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem.

"There is an administrative decision to deport him," lawyer Gaby Lansky told reporters.

Romano said he would fight deportation in the Israeli courts.

"I'm going to appeal if they want to expel me," he told reporters at a brief court hearing regarding the deportation order late Sunday.

"There is no reason to expel me, I have not committed an act of violence."

The court adjourned without giving a decision.

The village of roughly 200 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is at risk of being demolished at any time, despite fierce criticism from key European nations.

On September 5, Israel's supreme court upheld an order to raze it on grounds it was built without the proper permits.

It is extremely rare for Palestinians to be given Israeli permits to build in Area C of the West Bank, where Khan al-Ahmar is situated.

The village is located in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements and along a road leading to the Dead Sea.

There have been warnings that continued settlement construction in the area could eventually divide the West Bank in two and cut it off from Jerusalem, dealing a death blow to any remaining hopes of a two-state solution.

Anti-demolition activists said Romano was arrested along with two Palestinian protesters when they tried to block bulldozers sent in by Israeli authorities to seal off an access road to the village.

Pictures on social media show him being led from the scene by Israeli riot police.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Tokyo, Japan  Mon, September 17, 2018 13:01 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087732fea8 2 World #Japan,#military,#SouthChinaSea,Japan,military,drill,SouthChinaSeadispute Free

A Japanese submarine joined a naval drill in the South China Sea for the first time, the Ministry of Defence said on Monday, in an escalation of Japanese activity in the disputed waterway claimed by China and others.

The Maritime Self Defense Force submarine Kuroshio conducted a naval exercise on Thursday with other Japanese warships in the South China Sea, including the Kaga helicopter carrier, which is on a two-month tour of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

She said it was the first time a Japanese submarine had conducted drills there, confirming an earlier report in the Asahi newspaper.

The exercise, which involved the submarine trying to evade detection, was conducted away from island bases constructed by China to push its claims in the strategic sea. However, it could still anger Beijing because submarines represent a greater potential menace to shipping than surface vessels.

It came after a British Royal Navy amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion, sailed close to islands claimed by China in the South China Sea late last month to exercise "freedom of navigation" rights.

Britain's first such operation prompted a strong protest from China, which sent aircraft and a naval vessel to meet the British ship.

The U.S. Navy has conducted similar operations in the South China Sea. Washington has said it would like to see more countries challenge Beijing in the South China Sea, through which some $3 trillion of shipborne trade passes each year.

Foreign aircraft and vessels in the region are routinely challenged by Chinese naval ships and monitoring stations on the fortified islands, sources have said previously. Beijing insists its intentions in the South China Sea are peaceful.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have territorial claims in the area.

In a separate announcement, the defence ministry said the Kuroshio, with a crew of 80, would make a five-day port visit to Vietnam's strategic naval base at Cam Ranh Bay from Monday.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 17:55 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087733e207 4 National #religion,#Indonesia,JellyfishKingdom,leader,mental-disorder,police Free



A recently arrested cult leader in Serang regency, Banten, has been diagnosed with a mental disorder, police have said.



Doctors at the Soeharto Heerdjan Psychiatric Hospital in Grogol, West Jakarta, concluded last week a two-week examination on 38-year-old Aisyah Tusalamah Baiduri Intan, who had proclaimed herself Queen of the Jellyfish Kingdom, said Serang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Komarudin.



"The examination's result shows that [Aisyah] suffers from a severe mental disorder," Komarudin said as quoted by tempo.co on Monday.



Three doctors, namely Safitri Wulandari, Agung Priyanto and Endah Trilestari, observed Aisyah from Aug. 23 to Sept. 10. In their report, they concluded that she could not take full responsibility over her actions, Komarudin said.



Aisyah was named a suspect by Serang Police for spreading hate speech on social media. She has also uploaded videos of herself on YouTube in which she claimed that she could make Swiss banks give her all the treasures of Indonesia.

She has been charged under Article 28 of the 2018 Electronic Information and Transactions (IET) Law on spreading sectarian hatred.

The Jellyfish Kingdom cult has also triggered controversy for claiming that Prophet Muhammad was a woman.

The police arrested Aisyah after receiving a recommendation and legal opinion from the local chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which had denounced the Jellyfish Kingdom as "heretical". (fra)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 17:55 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087733d2fb 1 Business Jokowi,Esemka,Mahesa,automaker,automotive Free

Sukiyat, the initiator of the locally designed Mobil Esemka, has transformed the pet project of President Joko Jokowi Widodo into a rural transportation vehicle called the Mahesa, which will be mass-produced next year.

Rural residents are the target market for the Mahesa, Sukiyat said over the weekend.

The producer, PT Kiat Mahesa Wintor Indonesia (KMWI), and the distributor, PT Kiat Mahesa Wintor Distributor (KMWD), will cooperate with publicly listed automotive company PT Astra International to produce 25,000 units per year for now.

Mahesa stands for Moda Angkutan Hemat Desa (affordable rural mode of transportation), as the vehicle is designed for villagers needs. The Mahesa is a multifunctional vehicle powered by a 650-cc diesel engine and able to carry loads of up to 900 kilograms. The Mahesa can also double as a water pump and or rice mill.

This vehicle will be easily to sell, because it meets villagers needs. At the end of this year, all the licenses will be completed, Sukiyat told The Jakarta Post in a telephone interview on Sunday.

The Mahesa has been featured at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) this year. The design represents a further step in the longterm Esemka project, which was introduced and made popular by Jokowi when he was Surakarta mayor.

The Mahesa is a joint project involving several small and medium automotive industry firms in Indonesia. There are 165 members of Indonesian Automotive Institute [IOI]. So this car is really a domestic product, said Sukiyat.

Sukiyat said the Mahesa would come in three variants: a yellow double-cabin type tagged at Rp 70 million, a red pick-up priced at Rp 60 million and a white farming truck for Rp 50 million. All three types have a power outlet at the back of the car that is attachable to other farming equipment, like a rice mill, water pump and power generator.

The vehicle can reach a speed of up to 55 kilometers per hour and run 30 km on 1 liter of fuel.

Sukiyat said he had approached the Industry Minister last year to ask for support and permits.

Sukiyat claimed the target market had shown interest in buying the Mahesa, with pre-orders recently exceeding 10,000 units.

He said the producer had not received any government funding, adding that the capital had come from automotive companies.

The funding for the initial production is Rp 700 billion and is all from the private sector, he said.TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BELGRAVIA CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL INC. (CSE: BLGV) (OTCQB: BLGVF) (Belgravia) today announced Belgravia fell short in obtaining the necessary votes to replace the current board of Tartisan Nickel Corp. (CSE:TN) (Tartisan).



Mehdi Azodi stated, Astoundingly, over 83% of the issued shares of Tartisan voted in todays meeting, which Belgravia believes is an unprecedented turnout not only for Tartisan, but for any publicly traded junior mining company. Belgravia remains one of the largest shareholders of Tartisan and intends to use that position to hold management and the board accountable for their actions and will take such further measures as it may deem necessary to require changes that will increase shareholder value. We believe that our position as a major shareholder in Tartisan together with the regulatory oversight that was initiated by our complaints to the Ontario Securities Commission and Canadian Securities Exchange will constitute the catalyst for change.

In addition, Azodi said, According to the Management Services Agreement that Belgravia entered into with Tartisan earlier this year, Tartisan agreed to place one Belgravia nominee on the Tartisan board which was never honored. Now that the board of directors at Tartisan has decreased from 4 to 3; Mr. Appleby refused to answer any shareholders questions at the Annual General Meeting; and did not require a representative from the Auditor to attend the meeting to answer questions regarding the financial statements. It appears that the board and management of Tartisan do not want their actions open to shareholder scrutiny.

In conclusion, Azodi said, As activist shareholders we strive to seek accountability from the companies we invest in. The lack of communication, poor corporate governance practices and select disclosure by Mr. Appleby are reasons we will continue to seek changes at Tartisan.

About Belgravia

Belgravia Capital International Inc. is focused on three core business divisions: Incubator, Investments, and Royalty & Management Services. The three divisions of Belgravia are high risk business ventures and expose shareholders to financial risks. The Incubator division provides capital to support the development of early stage companies in the Biotech/Healthcare, Technology, Resources and Medical sectors. Belgravia Holdings, the Investments division, invests in various private and public companies with a focus on value. Belgravia Royalty & Management Services has a royalty and fee income model. Further, the cash and investment asset base provides capital to support expansion on a selective basis.

For more information, please visit www.belgraviacapital.ca .

Additional Information:

Belgravia is relying on the exemption under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102  Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102") to make this public broadcast solicitation. The following information is provided in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations.

For further information contact: Mehdi Azodi 416-779-3268 OR MAZODI@BLGV.CAShare this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 15:42 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877336f70 4 National KPU,#2019PresidentialElection,2019-presidential-election,2019-legislative-election,2019-elections,Bawaslu,DPT,voter-list Free

The Jakarta Post / Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has listed 187.1 million eligible voters on the final voter list (DPT) for the 2019 general election.

The KPU recently dealt with reports about double data in the preliminary voter list and found that the number of eligible voters in the revised list decreased by more than 670,000, kompas.com reported on Sunday.

Commission data released on Sept. 16 shows that the number of eligible voters decreased from 187,781,884 on the Sept. 5 list to 187,109,973 on the revised list, with 185.08 million domestic voters and 2.04 million voters living overseas.

The number of polling stations across the country has been decreased from 805,074 to 805,068, with 13 polling stations being dropped in West Papua, North Kalimantan, North Sumatra, West Java, Central Sulawesi and Central Kalimantan. One polling station was added in Maluku.

The DPT affects a lot of things [] including the number of ballot boxes and forms that must be made available, KPU chairman Arief Budiman said.

The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the camp of presidential candidate pair Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno previously complained about double data on the voter list.

Bawaslu said it found 2.9 million double-listed voters on the list, while the coalition backing Prabowos candidacy claimed that they found 8.1 million double-listed voters on the list.

Voters will cast their ballots in the presidential election and legislative election on April 17 next year. (afr)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 17:37 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087733cea8 1 City Bawaslu,2019-elections,KPU-Jakarta,voter-list,jakarta Free

The Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) has removed 5,429 names from the final voter list due to double entries, the supervisory agency has stated.

With the removal, the number of eligible voters has decreased from 7,211,891 to 7,206,462, according to the Jakarta Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu Jakarta).

"We appreciate the efforts of the KPU Jakarta in fixing the final voter list, Bawaslu Jakarta supervision department coordinator Burhanuddin said on Sunday, as quoted by tempo.co. This is our collaborative effort to ensure the voting rights of every citizen.

He said the removal was a follow-up to Bawaslus finding of 10,626 double-registered voters. (stu)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 16:13 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308773389f5 4 National vaccination,illness,haram,MUI,MUI-edict,parenting Free

The Karubaga community health center in Tolikara regency, Papua, has said many parents in the region have opposed the administration of measles-rubella (MR) and polio vaccinations for their children over fears the vaccines will cause disabilities or other illnesses.

We can say about 40 percent of parents refused to allow their children to get vaccinated, said Herdika Pareang of the Karubaga community health center on Sunday, as quoted by Antara.

When the health officers asked the students about their reasons for refusing to be vaccinated, they said their parents were concerned about disabilities or other illnesses being caused by the vaccine, Herdika added.

Tolikara Health Agency's head of disease prevention and control Constan Jikwa said that his team had continued to disseminate information about the vaccines, including in Karubaga.

Constan said the parents' opposition might be caused by information they had heard about a child with epilepsy in another district who became disabled after receiving the vaccination.

The [limited] understanding of parents and teachers in light of past events concerning a vaccine administered to a child with epilepsy in Kurulu district has caused many parents [in Karubaga] to refuse [the vaccinations], said Constan.

The deputy principal of YPPGI Karubaga elementary school in Tolikara, Kristian Adi, said that 60 percent of students at the school had received the MR and polio vaccinations.

Many parents in several predominantly Muslim regions have reportedly refused to take part in the program, despite an edict from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) last month that the MR vaccine was mubah (permitted for Muslims) even though it contains porcine-derived gelatin. The council has permitted Muslims to receive the vaccine until a halal alternative is made. The Health Ministry recorded that the nations average vaccine coverage rate was only 47.37 percent. (sau/dmr)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Maria Panina (Agence France-Presse) Sochi, Russia  Mon, September 17, 2018 22:10 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877346d7f 2 World #Putin,#Erdogan,Putin,Erdogan,talks,Syria,Idlib Free

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Monday to try to come to an agreement over the Syrian rebel stronghold of Idlib.

The leaders of the two countries are on opposite sides of the deadly seven-year conflict but remain key global allies.

"We have a lot of issues to discuss, including difficult ones," Putin said at the start of the talks at his residence in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.

He added that the meeting would help "find solutions for where there are none yet."

"I think not just the region, but the entire world has eyes focused on our meeting today," Erdogan said for his part, in comments that were translated into Russian.

"I believe that the statement we will make after the Sochi meeting will give new hope to the region," he added.

Russia-backed forces of the Syrian regime have massed around Idlib province in recent weeks, sparking fears of an imminent air and ground attack to retake the last major opposition bastion.

The United Nations and non-governmental organisations have repeatedly warned that such an offensive would unleash a "bloodbath" and "humanitarian catastrophe" in Idlib, which is home to three million people.

Turkey has intensified negotiations with Russia to avert a possible attack, repeatedly calling for a ceasefire.

Erdogan and Putin met previously on September 7 in Tehran for a three-way summit with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that saw the Russian and Turkish leaders openly disagree over how to deal with the rebel stronghold, which borders Turkey.

"The situation with Idlib is acute," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti state news agency ahead of the talks Monday.

"There are certain differences in approaches" between the leaders, he added.

- Mass exodus fears -

The two men met as Turkey's military has sent significant reinforcements to Idlib in recent weeks, according to media reports.

They were sent over the border Sunday and included tanks and other hardware, with a convoy of 50 military vehicles, according to the Hurriyet daily.

Russia and Iran are key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Turkey however backs opposition fighters seeking the ouster of the Syrian leader, and has said a large-scale offensive against the rebels could trigger a mass exodus towards its border.

Russian and Syrian air strikes, artillery fire and barrel bomb attacks have killed more than 30 civilians across the province in the past month, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The bombardment has slowed over the past week, however, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that the Syrian regime is not preparing a major offensive against Idlib, adding that Moscow will do everything to protect civilians.

"What is being presented at the moment as the beginning of a Russian-backed offensive by Syrian forces is not a faithful representation of the facts," Lavrov said.

"We are doing everything to ensure that the civilian population would not suffer," he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday said Turkey was ready to cooperate with anyone in the fight against terror groups in Syria, but criticised the Damascus regime for using the presence of jihadist groups to legitimise a possible operation in Idlib.

The Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, when the Assad regime launched a vicious crackdown on pro-democracy protests that evolved into a complex conflict involving jihadists and world powers.

It has killed an estimated 360,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung/Jakarta  Mon, September 17 2018

As part of a concerted mitigation plan to safeguard Indonesias economy from weakening further, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has called on textile and garment businesspeople to focus on domestic sales as foreign-made textile and textile products (TPT) are still dominating the local market with 70 percent share.

Enggartiasto said meeting local demand was vital for the domestic textile industry while its efforts to formulate an export expansion road map faced new challenges from the ongoing trade war between the United States and China.

We have a growing domestic market that our local textile industry was previously unable to tap into. But the [textile] industry has since grown much more robust, he said during a TPT export roadmap discussion in Bandung, West Java, on Friday.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 17, 2018 14:12 1149 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308773342ca 1 City water,water-access,distribution,Depok Free

Depok tap water company PDAM Tirta Asasta announced Monday that it will temporarily cut off the water supply for 40,000 customers from 9 p.m on Monday to 6 p.m. on Tuesday because of maintenance work at its Legong Water Treatment Plant (IPA) in Sukmajaya, Depok.

We are currently replacing our mechanical electrical utilities and improving the pumping system while also draining the reservoir, the firms communications and customer service supervisor, Dita, said Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

She said that customers in the districts of Cilodong, Cimanggis, Tapos and Sukmajaya would likely be affected by the halt in water distribution.

We will resume the distribution once the work has been done, Dita said, adding that she expected customers to supply their houses with clean water beforehand.

We have prepared three water tank trucks to provide clean water. We are sorry for the disruption, Dita said. (srz)Jacksonville, Florida, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The results of the July 2018 Florida bar administration were released today with Florida Coastal School of Law recording a 62.5% first time, Florida, bar pass rate placing the law school 7th out of 11 law schools in the state. Florida Coastals first-time pass rate was higher than many other Florida law schools including Ave Maria School of Law (58.5%), Florida A&M (50.6%), Barry University School of Law (45.5%), and Nova Southeastern School of Law (42.9%).

Florida Coastals Dean Scott DeVito said, We are very proud of our students who performed nearly as well as students from the University of Florida. Being only eight points below a first tier law school ranked 41st in US News and World Report is a great accomplishment for both our students and our faculty. This is especially true because UF enrolled students in 2015 with LSAT scores on average 13 points higher than those at Florida Coastal in 2015. This puts us closer to our goal of a 75% first time pass rate. 

Florida Coastals incoming credentials have increased each of the last three years. The Fall 2018 class boasts a 150 median LSAT score and a 3.11 undergraduate grade point average. The increased credentials have placed Florida Coastal at or higher than 50 plus other law schools in the country. The school has no plans to lower credentials as bar pass continues to go up year over year.

Our students worked exceptionally hard and were very proud of their success, said Jennifer Reiber, Dean of Academics. Having personally taught and prepared these students for the bar exam, this Thursday I have the honor and privilege to watch them be sworn in as attorneys. It is the greatest day for any professor and I will happily represent the school and everyone who taught them.

Florida Coastal School of Law (Coastal Law) is an ABA-accredited institution founded in 1996 and located in Jacksonville, Florida. The law school was founded upon three mission pillars: serving the underserved, providing an education that is student-outcome centered, and graduating students who are practice ready. Please find us online at www.fcsl.edu.

AttachmentsThe weather is gradually growing colder. While we begin to adjust to the growing autumn chill, let's explore the world's most spectacular hot springs. These handpicked springs are the earth's natural hot tubs, famed for their wildlife, architecture, scenic views, and spectacular mineral baths.

Credit: Civertan on Wikimedia Commons

fox fish

Let's start with a destination famous for its public baths. Szechenyi is one of Budapests most popular baths, one of the largest in Hungary and the rest of Europe. Szechenyi newly hosts raves and parties popular with tourists who can dance night-long in their swimwear in the warmth of the natural springs. Szechenyi has more than hot baths too: full-sized swimming pools, Ice Baths, Wave Simulators and more. Its a great place for explorers of all ages.This small hidden gem in the vast woodland of Parl in Australia's Northen Territory is a relatively unexplored destination perfect for backpackers and adventurers alike. The big attraction of the Douglas hot springs is the variety of wildlife including bandicoots, quolls, and even the rare flying

Credit: Andrew Shiva on Wikimedia Commons

travellers

centre

These truly stunning hot springs are set within an ice-cold landscape. The blend of ice and snow with volcanic heat is what makes these springs such a popular destination with. It is an encounter rarely experienced anywhere else on the globe.If you're looking to explore hot springs closer to home, then Kings Spring in Bath is ideal. Located within the Roman Bath Museum in theof town, the water in King's Spring is around 35 degrees Celsius. The surrounding structures were built during the 12th century, still displaying many original features such as statues and stonework. It is well worth a visit and much more accessible to UK residents.Heading over to a new continent, the Filwoha Springs in Ethiopia in Africa attract local wildlife such as dik-diks, Nile alligator, and waterbucks, as well as many people seeking retreat in the mineral-infused natural hot spring.

Credit: Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash

Perhaps one of the most well-known and popular tourist hot springs is the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Its popularity has been aided by the wonderful landscape of Grindavik, making Blue Lagoon arguably one of the most spectacular places on earth. Its bright blue waters contrast against the white snow and ice, forming a sight not to be missed.These hot springs are situated in the Northern Lowlands of Costa Rica within a peaceful and picturesque setting. The springs merge natural wonders including volcanic warmth, free-flowing hot spring waters, and fresh rainforest air. Nearby, local towns such as La Fortuna and Sarchi are open for exploration, making it the ideal place to emerge yourself in ancient Costa Rican heritage and culture.

8. Yufuin Onsen, Japan

Credit: Matthew Kane on Unsplash

are

The foot of Mount Yufu in Oita homes the truly magnificent Yufuin Onsen (Onsen meaning hot springs). With mountainous views over sweeping woodlands, this is one of the most scenic Onsens in Japan. Visitors of the baths have claimed that the springs have benefitted their skin by making it softer and smoother, but the most intriguing aspect of the springs is that you may just have to share the wonders with more than a few monkeys.Set in a quiet little valley, very few people know of the existence of Utah's Mystic Hot Springs. The springs are situated overlooking multiple fish ponds which house tropical fish of all kinds. It is a unique and mystical experience, deserving of its title.The Pagosa Springssurrounded by 3 million acres of woodland so if you really want a getaway in the middle of nowhere, this is the perfect place. The springs are said to have healing and medicinal powers, plus they are open all year round - truly a best-kept secret.

The Bolivarian wave



A rude reception awaits many Venezuelans fleeing their country



Turmoil in Latin America is causing mass migration







PACARAIMA is a speck of a town in the Brazilian Amazon on the border with Venezuela. Recently, it has been the entry point for tens of thousands of Venezuelans fleeing hunger, violence and hyperinflation at home. Most continue by foot 220km (135 miles) on the motorway to Boa Vista, the capital of the state of Roraima, where they struggle to survive by unloading lorries, hawking crafts and selling sex. About 2,000 of the poorest have stayed in Pacaraima, pitching tents in the streets. That has strained the towns resources and the tolerance of its 12,000 inhabitants.



On August 17th several men, apparently Venezuelans, robbed and beat a shop-owner. At an anti-immigration march the next day, hundreds of locals threw stones at migrants tents and set fire to their belongings. More than a thousand Venezuelans fled into the jungle or back over the border. Their makeshift homes burned to the ground. Brazils president, Michel Temer, sent 60 troops to restore order.



Though the Venezuelan exodus sometimes seems as invisible as tiny Pacaraima, it is the biggest movement of people in Latin Americas recent history. Since Venezuelas economy began to slump in 2014 under Nicolas Maduro, a socialist strongman, perhaps 2.3m Venezuelans have sought refuge in neighbouring countries. The size of the exodus rivals those of war-ravaged Afghanistan and South Sudan.



Unlike many rich countries, which have been closing their doors to migrants from northern Africa and the Middle East, Latin American governments have mostly let people in. Left-wing governments in the early 2000s relaxed immigration laws, says Luisa Feline Freier of the Universidad del Pacifico in Lima, Peru. The right-of-centre governments that succeeded them in several countries maintained these policies as a rebuke to Mr Maduros regime.









As Venezuelas crisis has worsened, the number of people fleeing has surged. Unlike those in earlier waves, the newer migrants tend to be poor rather than middle class. The exodus has prompted some countries to impose restrictions on their borders. Ms Freier fears that Latin American countries will soon become as wary of immigrants as many European ones.



On August 16th the government of Ecuador announced that it would turn away from its border Venezuelans not carrying passports, saying they posed a security risk. Most of these were heading towards Peru, which is receiving a record 5,000 Venezuelans a day. It imposed its own passport requirement with effect from August 25th and said it would not issue work permits to Venezuelans who arrive after October. Many do not carry passports. Because of a paper shortage and software problems, getting one can take two years. A bribe to jump the queue can cost up to $1,000.



Venezuelans are not the only migrants provoking unease. In Costa Rica, the backlash is directed at Nicaraguans, who are escaping the repression by Daniel Ortega, Nicaraguas president, of opposition protests. From April to July 23,000 migrants sought asylum in Costa Rica, which has a tradition of generosity to refugees. On August 18th hundreds of protesters in San Jose, the capital, chased Nicaraguans in a park and set fire to their flag. The United Nations reprimanded the instigators.



Chiles strong economy makes it a magnet for migrants. The number of foreigners registered there has risen almost five-fold in a decade, to 750,000 last year (about 4.5% of the population). Perhaps 300,000 more were living in Chile illegally. Last year the number of Venezuelans in Chile grew by about 100,000. Many had sold all their belongings to pay for the 12-day bus trip. More than 100,000 also came from Haiti, the Americas poorest country. A poll last year found that two-thirds of Chileans wanted to restrict immigration.



Sebastian Pinera, who became Chiles president in March this year, responded by tightening its relaxed immigration policies. He abolished a visa that immigrants could apply for after entering as tourists and placed restrictions on tourist visas for Haitians. Venezuelans are being treated more generously; they can get a democratic responsibility visa allowing them to work.



The main holdout against the trend towards harsher treatment of migrants is Colombia, by far the largest destination for Venezuelans. Around 900,000 have moved there, a third of those this year alone. Juan Manuel Santos signed a decree that regularised 442,000 undocumented Venezuelans before he left office as president on August 7th. For the next two years they will be able to work, get health insurance and studybenefits that 1.5m other Venezuelans living illegally in Colombia and elsewhere have a hard time claiming. The new conservative president, Ivan Duque, has not changed Mr Santoss policy. Colombias migration director criticised the restrictions in Peru and Ecuador, and restated Colombias commitment to helping Venezuelans.



In part, Colombias generosity is a form of gratitude to Venezuela, which took in more than 700,000 Colombians during the countrys half-century war with the FARC guerrilla group. The war ended in 2016. Some 250,000 Colombians have now come back from Venezuela, adding to the strain of coping with migrants.



Activists and some politicians are trying to keep doors ajar. After Ecuadors ombudswoman called its passport requirement cruel and filed a complaint with the supreme court, the government said it would not apply to children accompanied by parents who have passports. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in March that many Venezuelans qualify as refugees under international law. It is urging governments to issue humanitarian visas and work permits. Aid from richer countries like the United States could make the difference between Venezuelans being supported and Venezuelans being blocked at borders, says Chiara Cardoletti-Carroll of the UNHCR. Ecuador has called a meeting of leaders from the region in September to discuss a co-ordinated response to the crisis.



But diplomacy may not ease tensions in the host countries. In Roraima, the army has taken over responsibility for providing shelter, food and health care to the Venezuelans. So far, though, the governments policy of interiorisationsending them to richer states with more jobshas failed. Just 800 migrants have been moved.



One reason is institutionalised xenophobia, says a Roraima official. This is sharpened by a general election due to take place on October 7th. On August 19th Roraimas governor renewed a plea to Brazils supreme court to shut the border. That did not stop hundreds of Venezuelans from coming on August 20th. They had little choice, says Jesus Lopez Fernandez de Bobadilla, a Spanish priest who serves breakfast to 1,600 migrants. Over here its purgatory, but over there its hell.

remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.One year ago, only a few months after his $836 million Subway Action Plan was put into effect, Governor Andrew Cuomo assured New Yorkers that if you were looking very carefully, you would see improvement already in the subway system. Paradoxically, he added that because the MTA laid out a one-year time frame for the Subway Action Plan to take effect, we should give them that period of time to see improvements. Well, its been a year, and the subways are still infuriating.

According to a Riders Alliance analysis revealed on Sunday, there was only one morning rush hour during the month of August that did not experience delays due to signal problems. Todays Monday morning rush hour was miserable, thanks to delays or service changes on eleven lines.

But on Friday, Cuomo acted as if his 30-point primary victory over Cynthia Nixon washed all his MTA failures away. He repeated the legal footnote that the city owns the subway as if it is a significant fact even though it has no actual effect on the subways operation or governance. In addition, Cuomo again demanded the city pay for half of the upcoming capital plan, the financial blueprint which will likely determine if and when the subway gets fixed.

Its a redux of his demand that the city pay for half of the Subway Action Plan, a political feud that became a source of childish, unproductive jabs largely mediated between the mayors and governors spokespeople. In the end, the city did indeed pay for half, a fact that matters to almost nobody except Andrew Cuomo.

It is distressing to me that Andrew Cuomo did not pay a higher price at the polls for his failure to fix the subway system or even pretend to care about it, lamented City Councilman Brad Lander. Id be lying if I didnt say I had a hope voters would find a way to raise their anger about subway failures.

Lander, who represents parts of Park Slope and Clinton Hill, has been one of the most vocal politicians on the MTAs failures, which is why he backed Cynthia Nixon in the gubernatorial primary. Nixon made the subway crisis the focal point of her campaign, vowing to tax the rich and fix the subway. She got trounced. Not only did Nixon lose by a significant margin during Thursdays primary, but she didnt carry a single county south of Albany or any of the five boroughs.

Asked about the concern Lander has, that perhaps Cuomo could interpret this resounding victory as a validation of his handling of the MTA, Nick Sifuentes, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation campaign, sounded baffled.

I dont think any logical person could walk away from this and say, 'Oh good, I guess everybody likes the job Im doing on the subways. That would be a rather alarming misreading of the results.



Commuters on the M train, Monday morning (Jake Offenhartz / Gothamist)

All of Cuomos political bickering obscures the overwhelming consensus of what needs to be done to fix the subway. In January, the MTA hired Andy Byford, an international transportation expert with an impeccable resume, to run New York City Transit. Byford has received rave reviews from all corners and in May released a plan, called Fast Forward, to fix the subways, buses and paratransit. This plan, too, was universally applauded. The biggest improvement to the subway will involve upgrading most of the system to modern signaling. Byford estimates it will cost $40 billion. The only debate, then, is how to pay for it.

Fortunately, there is an idea floating around that can come up with a good chunk of the money, an idea Cuomo actually can claim some credit for. Last year, he almost single-handedly revived the idea of congestion pricing and convened a panel called FixNYC to come up with a plan to implement it. The FixNYC plan would yield between $1 billion and $1.5 billion annually, depending on to what degree its implemented, which would be invested directly into the transit system. But the proposal never made it out of the assembly or into Cuomos budget. Instead, Albany passed only a $2.75 surcharge on for-hire vehicle trips in Manhattan, a bastardization of a small part of the overall FixNYC proposal.

Despite Nixons loss, Lander and many transit activists are still mildly optimistic about the subways future. They know what needs to be done and there are more lawmakers heading to Albany who know it, too. Their optimism stems from the progressive challengers unseating IDC members and the large turnout statewide. This increases the likelihood of flipping the state senate in November, a step many believe is necessary to get those plans out of the legislature.

Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance was enthused by IDC challengers emerging victorious, emphasizing the importance that the candidates ran on a platform of understanding of riders' plight, the fact that they're regular people who realized how unreliable the subway is because they need it to get around. One of those primary winners, Jessica Ramos, doesnt have a driver's license and had to think after her victory how she would get around Albany.

To transit activists, having this fresh blood in Albany motivated to find funding for the Byford Plan is more important for fixing the subway than unseating Cuomo. After all, both Nixon and Cuomo broadly supported the same transit policies of funding the Fast Forward Plan and implementing congestion pricing.

Sifuentes noted that even if Nixon had won, she still would have had to get the senate and assembly to support her platform. One can doubt Cuomos desire to pass congestion pricing or fund the Byford Plan, just as one could have doubted Nixons political wherewithal to rally the legislature to pass those same measures. If I learned anything from doing this last year, Sifuentes cautioned about the congestion pricing plan, it matters just as much that we have a legislature that wants to get this done as having a governor who wants to get this done.

In the transit world, the main criticism of Cuomo during the last legislative session is that he wasnt willing to expend political capital to enact congestion pricing, instead fighting with de Blasio and the city about who owns the subway and who would pay for his Subway Action Plan, two relatively unimportant or irrelevant details that dont address the subways needs.

Theres a real difference between endorsing the Byford Plan and communicating that you will put real political muscle into winning the resources to implement it, Lander noted, which understates the degree to which Cuomo dragged his feet on supporting Byfords plan to begin with. This is one of the reasons Lander endorsed Nixon, but, he added, If we [Nixon] had gotten 44 percent of the vote but did not beat the IDC incumbents, I think thats probably worse.

The goal, then, is not necessarily that Cuomo becomes more motivated to enact congestion pricing and fund the Byford Plan, or that he becomes a different person and ceases his nonsense about the city owning the subway (although that would be nice), but that a more progressive legislature makes those measures politically expedient for him by offering less resistance or even pushing it themselves.

Regardless, Sifuentes is looking towards January when the governorpresumably a re-elected Cuomo, although Republican candidate Marc Molinaro does have an MTA reform platform that, to no ones surprise, also includes congestion pricing and supporting the Fast Forward Planreleases his budget proposal.

To be sure, there was no complete plan last budget season. Although FixNYC had put together a blueprint for congestion pricing, Byfords plan had not yet been released; many were concerned the money raised would continue to be wasted by the MTA without a clear path forward.

We now have that clear path forward, and, just to be certain, the last budget included an item for an MTA Sustainability Advisory Working Group, which is tasked with putting together a comprehensive, singular recommendation for the legislature this budget season. While there is already broad consensus on how to fix the subway, the working group will, presumably, put a neat little bow on it.

In the end, Sifuentes is far less concerned with what Cuomo says than what Cuomo does. If this guy wants to tell himself and try and tell the rest of us that the city owns the subways but he does congestion pricing anyways, fine.



Aaron Gordon is a New York City transportation reporter and writer of Signal Problems, a weekly newsletter on the subway.Recover your password.

A password will be e-mailed to you.After years of failed attempts, disgraced politician Hiram Monserrate has successfully mounted a political comeback. Last week, the former state Senatorwho was convicted for brutally assaulting his girlfriend in 2010, and later went to prison for stealing city fundswon his race for the Democratic district leader post in East Elmhurst.

The controversial candidate received just under 2,000 votes in his bid for the small-time office, which historically involves rubber-stamping the party's pick for political boss. But already, there are signs that Monserrate is eyeing a more significant role in local politics. On Monday morning, fellow state Senate alum and current City Councilmember Ruben Diaz Sr. deemed Monserrate the "strongest Latino Political Leader in Queens County" and a future "power-broker."

Hey, so remember how last week Hiram Monserrate won his bid to become a district leader in Queens? Well this morning, Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. is predicting "Monserrate has become the strongest Latino Political Leader in Queens County,"



Ima leave this here: pic.twitter.com/sI6EMPpjUw  Gloria Pazmino (@GloriaPazmino) September 17, 2018

"With all his 'Mischiefs' and political 'bumps in the road', last Thursday Hiram Monserrates political club came out and won (5) five district leadership positions," wrote Diaz Sr., in his weekly email newsletter, "What You Should Know."

As a reminder, those mischiefs include a misdemeanor assault conviction for dragging his then-girlfriend, Karla Giraldo, by the hair through a lobby. During the altercation, Giraldo's face was cut with a broken glass, leaving a gash that required 40 stitches to close.

He escaped jail that time around, despite video footage that clearly shows the assault. The Queens Democrat was eventually sent to prison for two years, after he was busted diverting $100,000 in funds earmarked for a local nonprofit toward his 2012 campaign. As of last year, he'd paid only a fraction of the money owed in restitution to the Manhattan US Attorney's Office, and still owed $71,785.

"I believe in democracy, and people are entitled to the government that they want to elect," said Daniel R. Alonso, who served as Special Counsel to the New York State Senate in its investigation of Monserrate. "But I certainly wouldn't vote for him, knowing what I know about his background, in a million years."

While Monserrate has long claimed that he's publicly addressed the charges and fully cooperated with the investigation, Alonso tells Gothamist that's "nonsense."

"The public has never heard his version of the story, other than in self serving sound bytes," he added. "That's his right not to [testify], but it was very cynical of him in the Select Committee's investigation not to lift a finger to cooperate in the slightest, even though he made it seem like that's what he was doing."

Ruben Diaz Sr. was at the sentencing to support Monserrate, and even approached the Special Counsel to ask if he planned on going after another Democratic state Senator, Kevin Parker, who was arrested after a confrontation with a New York Post reporter, recalls Alonso.

In his email blast on Monday morning, Diaz Sr. noted that Monserrate had "become so powerful with those (5) district leaders he has the capability to become a power broker, deciding who will be the next chairman of the The Queens Democrats."

Within hours of the email going out, district leaders voted overwhelmingly to re-elect Rep. Joe Crowley as Queens Party Chair, despite his shocking loss in the congressional primary to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Monserrate was reportedly one of just four dissenters in this voice vote, which took place during a private meeting in an Elmhurst diner.

Neither Monserrate nor Diaz Sr. could be reached for comment.MBABANE  The previous owner of Nkoyoyo Guest House has been taken to court by FINCORP after allegedly refusing to sign documents for the transfer of the property to a new owner.



FINCORP wants the court to compel the previous owner, Phumzile Cynthia Dlamini to sign all documents, deeds and to provide tax clearance required for the transfer of the property to the a new owner.



The guest house whose establishment was funded by FINCORP to the tune of E3.5 million has since been sold to Zanash Investments (PTY) Limited after Dlamini reportedly failed to service the loan.



In her founding affidavit, FINCORP Senior Legal Manager Legal Affairs, Lomalangeni Kunene alleged that Dlamini had notwithstanding multiple requests and undertakings, failed to execute the instruments, deeds and/or failed to furnish requisite documentation necessary to pass the transfer of the property into the name of Zanash Investment(PTY) Limited.



Kunene told the court that the first applicant (FINCORP) concluded a loan agreement with Dlamini, in terms of which the applicant agreed to lend and advance a sum of E3.5million to enable her to acquire Nkoyoyo Guest House.

As security for the loan, the second respondent (Dlamini) executed a first surety mortgage bond in favour of the applicant, in terms of which the immovable property described as Portion 23 (a Portion of Portion 6) of Farm 308.



The mortgage bond was executed as security for the loan, submitted the senior manager legal.

She averred that later on August 21, 2008, Dlamini sought further finance from the applicant, in order to capitalise the business through acquisition of furniture. Kunene claimed that the applicant advance Dlamini a sum of E300 000.



According to Kunene, a further security in respect of the guest house, Dlamini caused to be registered a second mortgage bond over the property.

She submitted that the second surety mortgage bond was also to secure a hypothec over the movable items within the business.

Dlaminis business then began to encounter difficulties and Nkoyoyo Guest House as a proprietor was not making any payments towards the liquidation of the loan, submitted Kunene.



Confounding



According to Kunene, this was a confounding development because on the face of it, it appeared that the business was operating soundly and doing well.

She said when it became apparent that Dlamini was not making the loan payments, in October 2009, FINCORP instituted legal proceedings for the cancellation of the agreements of loan of the amounts that were outstanding due and payable in terms of the two loans.MBANGWENI  It wouldnt have been a complete Shiselweni Reed Dance without the biting cold.



For the past four years, the constant feature has been the low temperatures, but on Saturday, as the temperatures were high, people assumed that maybe for the first time in many years, the Shiselweni Umhlanga Ceremony would be hot.



However, this was not to be as the temperatures were once again very low. Even the cold got to His Majesty King Mswati III because as soon as he took his seat, he was handed over a long black coat, which he wore throughout the proceedings. However, the low temperatures did not deter the maidens from giving their best as they danced impressively.



This was particularly the case with the uniformed forces, who include the Royal Eswatini Police Service, Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force and maidens from His Majestys Correctional Services who danced as if the temperatures were very high.



However, it was easy to spot that some of the maidens were feeling the cold and they were literally shaking and others sought refuge under the tent, which was reserved for members of the public. Although the VIP area had heaters installed, a majority of the guests would from time to time complain about the cold.

Some of the maidens, however, stopped dancing and simply observed the dances of their colleagues.



This was despite the fact that the programme director of the day, Wendy Hleta, would advise them to dance so that they could generate some heat.

Despite the unforgiving temperatures though, guests stayed throughout the proceedings and they were not disappointed as the likes of Princess Sikhanyiso gave it their best despite being half dressed as per the traditional dress.

Women, particularly members of Lutsango, came well prepared as they wore knee length boots and also carried blankets which they used to cover themselves.

The only comfort that the girls and guests had was that the rain had decided to keep away. Its freezing out here and I am not going back to dance because I already have a runny nose, remarked a 14-year-old pupil from KaNkonjwa Primary School, adding, Besides, I was really disappointed this year because the free sneakers ran out before our turn. It is one of my worst reed dances.MANZINI  Some private schools in the Manzini region have sought the assistance of government and the police following high incidents of drug and alcohol abuse among pupils.



Last week, about 15 private schools gathered for a workshop held at the Lamvelase Complex, where such issues were discussed with the Ministry of Education and Training under the Guidance and Counselling Unit, Ministry of Health, as well as the Manzini Regional Education Office.

The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) also confirmed to have received reports from more than 10 private schools, which had contacted and requested their services after pupils had become violent due to alleged drug or alcohol abuse.



Besides attending to such cases, the REPS also reaches out to the schools and teaches them about alcohol and drug abuse, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said.



She added that in order to prevent long term issues with drug and alcohol abuse among pupils or teens, education was necessary and early interventions and treatment were also important for anyone already suffering from such issues.

During the conference last week, it was discussed that drug and alcohol abuse in private schools around the region was highly-influenced by the attitudes and perceived norms of peers among pupils.



It was gathered that most pupils who used drugs regularly did not consistently do well in their studies as such substances affected their attention, memory and ability to learn.



Another issue that was revealed was over-the-counter medicines, especially cough syrup, which most pupils used in some of the local private schools to get high.



Such medicines are sold directly to any member of the public without any prescription. Such medicines have active ingredients with the potential for misuse at higher-than-recommended dosages. Many pupils have been found with such mixed with some fizzy drinks in their schoolbags and their parents have been contacted.



This is a general concern for the country, not just private schools. When we find these cough syrups in their bags, we have to contact their parents and REO, which then contacts the police to intervene in such issues, a head teacher from one of the private schools in Manzini said.



The head teacher added that they were advised not to seize the pupils bags or suspend them before contacting the REO. He also revealed that they had also been warned not to administer corporal punishment, as most of these pupils tend to become violent and assault teachers in some of the schools.



Ministry of Education and Training Principal Secretary (PS), Dr Sibongile Mtshali said they did not condone such behaviour from the pupils.

Mtshali said the ministry had drug education programmes to teach pupils about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Pupils who smoke, drink alcohol and abuse drugs suffer from little concentration during classes.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.By Trend





Over the past few days, the Armenian side has lost 4-5 servicemen, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry told Trend Sept. 17.

The ministry noted that the information disseminated by the Armenian side that the Armenian Armed Forces allegedly killed three Azerbaijani servicemen is false.

"This is disinformation disseminated for the Armenian internal audience in order to conceal the losses of the Armenian side," the ministry said.

It was also noted that unlike the Azerbaijani side, the Armenian side has recently lost 4-5 servicemen, but hides it from the public in every possible way.

As for the wounded Armenian civilian, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry states that the units of the Azerbaijani army dont open fire at the civilian population and settlements, the ministry said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.The value of Bahrain-origin exports increased by 58 per cent as it reached BD229 million ($605 million) during July versus BD145 million for the same month of 2017, the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) said in its latest foreign trade report.



The top ten countries account for 90 per cent of the exported national origin value and 10 per cent for other countries.



Saudi Arabia was ranked as the top country importing from Bahrain with BD41 million worth products, Oman was the second with BD39 million and Egypt came third with BD25 million.



As for national export products, agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top products exported in July 2018 with BD39 million in value, Aluminium wire was positioned second with a value of BD35 million and unwrought aluminium stood third place for exported products with BD21 million.



In the re-exports category, the value increased by 9 per cent as it reached BD48 million during July 2018 versus BD44 million for the same month of the previous year. The top ten countries accounted for 91 per cent of the re-exported value. Saudi Arabia was ranked as the top destination for re-export from Bahrain with BD18 million, China ranked as the second with BD8 million and the UAE as the third with BD6 million.



Four-wheel drive cars emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD8 million in value, Cigarettes containing tobacco came as the second product with BD3 million and mountings parts for motor vehicles came as the third with BD1.3 million value.



Imports

The value of imports increased by 12 per cent as it reached BD486 million during July 2018 versus BD433 million for the same month of the previous year. The top ten countries accounted for 69 per cent of the imports value.



According to the report, China was ranked as the leading country that exports to Bahrain with BD69 million worth of products, the UAE ranked second with BD50 million, whereas Australia came third with BD50 million.



Aluminium Oxide emerged as the top product imported to Bahrain with BD44 million, while four-wheel drive cars came second with BD19 million. Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates were the third products with BD16 million during July 2018.

The trade balance, the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit of BD209 million during July 2018 versus BD244 million for the same month of the previous year, a decrease of 14 per cent.  TradeArabia News ServiceIn a significant move, the UAE government is set to allow expatriates above 55 years of age to stay in the country after retirement for a period of five years, under a new law, said a report.



The move is seen as part of the governments policy reforms that seek to boost economic growth. It comes following a raft of similar changes earlier this year such as to allow investors and key workers such as doctors or engineers access to long-term visas.



The law was approved at the UAE cabinet meeting, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.



As per the law, which will come into effect from next year, all expatriates above 55 years of age will be able to stay in the country even after retirement for a period of five years (with the possibility of renewal), if they own a property worth Dh2 million ($544,450) in the emirates, reported state news agency Wam.



Outlining the requirements to qualify for the long-term visa, the cabinet said those expats having financial savings of no less than Dh1 million, or having an active income of no less than Dh20,000 per month would also be eligible for getting this special treatment post retirement, it added.Bahrain is set to construct a new bridge that will link the Arad and Hidd areas of the kingdom, within the next five years. There are also plans for a second bridge linking Muharraq jetty with Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Bridge in Hidd, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.



For further details, visit http://www.gdnonline.comThe Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), a wholly-owned entity of Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), has set up an international advisory board for the development of its ambitious Red Sea Project.

The TRSDC advisory board comprises 12 world leaders in various fields such as business, tourism, environmental sustainability and conservation.

It will help set The Red Sea Projects agenda to develop and implement a new international standard in environmental protection and restoration, sustainable development, innovation and luxury tourism.

Located along the west coast of Saudi Arabia at the crossroads of the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa, the project is envisioned as an ultra-luxury tourism destination for nature, adventure, wellness, and culture. It is part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabias ambitious blueprint for the future.

Utilising this group of advisors to guide The Red Sea Development Company is crucial to creating a world-class project of this scale, said John Pagano, chief executive officer of TRSDC. The collective expertise of this impressive group will help us to exceed the inspirational goals set for the tourism sector in Vision 2030.

The Red Sea Project will be developed around several unique treasures: 200 km of untouched coastline; over 50 pristine islands and lagoons; thriving coral reefs and marine life; mountains and dormant volcanoes; and heritage sites.

The first phase of The Red Sea Project will include hotels and residential units, an airport and related infrastructure, and a range of unique attractions, providing an ideal environment for partnerships with leading international investors. The number of hotel rooms and residential units which the project will ultimately deliver will be determined by its environmental parameters. The annual number of visitors will be capped to protect the unique environment and enhance the visitor experience.

Completion of Phase One is anticipated by the last quarter of 2022.

The members of the advisory board will serve multifunctional roles when working with TRSDCs board of directors and executive team. They will also advise the directors of TRSDC, led by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Collectively, the advisory board members will call on their broad experiences to suggest best practices across an array of disciplines; connect potential investors and partners to the opportunities offered by the luxury travel industryone of the fastest growing global economic segments; and serve as ambassadors of the project to raise its profile globally.

The advisory board members first met in New York City in March 2018 to provide initial feedback on the projects direction. They met again in Saudi Arabia in July to visit The Red Sea Projects unique marine and land ecosystems, and to provide further input on development and sustainability strategies, the statement said.

TRSDCs advisory board is playing a fundamental role in the development of the project, Pagano said. The insights and advice that we gather from the board are extremely valuable in assessing and tailoring the effectiveness of our current plan. This will enable us create something truly unique for our guests and for the people of Saudi Arabia, as we set new international standards for protecting, preserving, restoring and providing access to a unique experience at this site for generations to come.

The members of the advisory board are:

* Sir Richard Branson, founder, Virgin Group  Sir Richard is a serial entrepreneur known for his ambitious forays with the Virgin Group, creating eight different billion-dollar companies in eight different sectors. Sir Richards experiences building Virgin Hotels, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Limited Edition, and Virgin Airways will inform the strategic implementation of many aspects of The Red Sea Project.

* Steve Case, chairman and CEO, Revolution  As the CEO of Revolution, an investment firm dedicated to building built to last businesses, Case has established a legacy for creating some of the strongest businesses in history. He revolutionised the Internet through AOL, and negotiated the largest merger in business history. Case will work with The Red Sea Projects executive team to bring transformative business management to the project.

* Philippe Cousteau Jr, co-founder and president, EarthEcho International  Cousteau Jr is a multi Emmy-nominated TV host, author, speaker and social entrepreneur. He advises on best practices for social and environmental sustainable development and through his non-profit, EarthEcho International, prepares the next generation to solve the environmental challenges the world faces.

* Carlos Duarte, professor, Red Sea Research Center  Duartes leadership in biological oceanography and marine ecology will serve to inform conservation at utmost scientific level. His Red Sea expertise, and versatility as a world-leading marine ecologist, makes him a core part of the environmental protection initiative behind The Red Sea Project.

* J Carl Ganter, CEO, Vector Center -- Ganter is an expert on water security who focuses on the intersections and impacts of changing water, food, and energy resources globally. His experience with Vector Center's data analysis, contextualization, and reporting will help guide The Red Sea Projects leadership on risk identification and mitigation, investment, and environmental and sustainability initiatives.

* Paul Holthus, founder, president, and CEO, World Ocean Council  At the World Ocean Council, Holthus is responsible for a global multi-industry leadership alliance blending private sector interests and market forces to develop practical solutions for achieving ocean sustainability. Holthus will advise on best practices in business-led marine environmental management and sustainable development.

* Aradhana Khowala, CEO and founder, Aptamind Partners  Khowalas accomplishments in travel, tourism and hospitality will lend valuable insight into building and scaling the project. Her appreciation for tourism as a force of good will help bring together luxury hospitality and environmental conservation together with community engagement for The Red Sea Project.

* Sven-Olof Lindblad, CEO, Lindblad Expeditions  Lindblads experience in building world-class expeditions, particularly marine-focused trips aboard intimate ships, is an excellent resource for The Red Sea Project. Lindblads work with National Geographic and his understanding of cultural nuance in remote regions of the world will help inform the projects vision, development planning and guest experiences.

* William McDonough, founder, William McDonough and Partners  McDonough brings a wealth of experience relating to environmental design and sustainable development. McDonough is a leading environmental thought leader of our time, the co-author of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, and a strategic advisor to many of the worlds largest firms. He brings invaluable perspective to all environmental facets of the project.

* Frits Dirk van Paasschen, senior advisor, TPG Capital  Investment and business expert, van Paaschen has a strong understanding of consumers mindset, industry disruption and sustainability. His experience as the former CEO of Starwood Hotels and in the C-suite of various Fortune 500 companies will provide important counsel to The Red Sea Project.

* Vijay Poonoosamy, director of international and public affairs, QI Group  Poonoosamy is also president of the Hermes Air Transport Organisation. He started his career as an aviation lawyer in London, was the managing director of Air Mauritius, the executive chairman of Airports of Mauritius and the vice president international and public affairs of the Etihad Aviation Group. He has served on the board of directors of the US Travel Association, the board of governors of the International Aviation Club and as chairman of Iatas Industry Affairs Committee. Poonoosamy will be vital for planning transportation to the Red Sea.

* Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and joint creative director, Soneva  Often referred to as the founder of Six Senses, Shivdasani is an experienced hotelier who has built and prepared some of the most luxurious and environmentally pioneering hotels in the world. Shivdasanis work in addressing environmental challenges for imaginative projects will provide valuable counsel to The Red Sea Project to steer it in an environmentally conscious direction. - TradeArabia News ServiceWork on the $4-billion King Hamad Causeway, connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia, is set to kick off by mid-2021 and will be completed in three years, reported Arab News, citing the Saudi ambassador to Bahrain.



"The tender for the King Hamad Causeway will be launched after six months," Abdullah Al Shaikh told the Saudi daily.



Al Shaikh estimated that the cost of the project ranges between $3 and $4 billion, adding that it will act as a new link between the two countries and will contribute to boosting trade in all fields, stated Al Shaikh.



The causeway will also include a rail line for the GCC network, cargo trains and vehicle, he added.BASF, a German chemical company and the largest chemical producer in the world, said it has appointed Michael Wille as the new managing director of its unit Plastic Additives Middle East (Pame) based in Bahrain.



Pame is the state-of-the-art production facility for customer-specific antioxidant blends (CSB) in Bahrain.



The appointment marks an important step in BASFs support of the fast-growing polymer industry in the Middle East.



As the leading manufacturer and supplier of plastic additives in the region, BASF plans to continue to boost the local production of CSB  additive blends tailored to meet specific customer needs.



CSB is an integral part of the portfolio the company offers to the plastics industry, said a statement from BASF.



Welcoming Wille on board, Frank Fasdernes, vice president, responsible for the operating division Performance Chemicals in the Middle East, BASF: "We are pleased to have Wille assume the role of managing director for Bahrain. His expertise and strengths in engineering and leadership will drive the continued growth of the company in this high-potential region and beyond."



"His well-deserved appointment is the outcome of his relentless efforts in BASFs global expansion since 2002," he noted.



Alberto Giovanzana, the vice-president for Plastic Additives, Europe Middle East and Africa at BASF, said: "Since it began operations in 2012, BASF Pame has been the first wholly-owned production facility for BASFs Plastic Additives business in the Middle East and one of the largest of its kind in the world."



"We are proud to operate the site with the highest safety and environmental standards," he stated.



On Wille's appointment, Giovanzana said: "He will lead the competent team in Bahrain to maintain these standards and to ensure that we fulfil our commitment towards providing local production and services to the fast growing polymer market in the Middle East, especially to our key customers in the GCC countries."



"Over two decades, Wille has held several senior international positions within BASF, contributing to the companys growth and expansion of operations across markets in Europe and Asia, primarily in the field of engineering and operations," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceSaudi Arabia has launched the "Digital Giving" initiative aimed at spreading digital knowledge among Arab communities around the world.

The initiative, launched by Communications and Information Technology Minister Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al Sawah, is one of the largest specialised initiatives of its kind worldwide.

It highlights Saudi Arabia's leading role in serving the Arab and Islamic nations and the tremendous development witnessed in the field of communication and information technology, a Saudi Press Agency report said.

The launch was held during a ceremony organised by the ministry in the presence of Minister of Labor and Social Development Engineer Ahmed Al-Rajhi and a number of officials.

All professionals, those interested in technology, the non-profit sector and all members of the community can participate in the Digital Giving initiative. More information is available at: http://attaa.sa/The Sharjah Press Club of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau will host the fifth edition of the Arab Media Leaders Forum, an initiative by the Arab Media Forum Authority, on September 26 and 27, featuring more than hundred leading journalists, media professionals, senior management and owners.

The forum will open with the session titled "The Reality of Arab Media and the Desired Future ". It will discuss the development trajectories and capabilities of media institutions in the region, as well as the role of institutions in developing the media industry and the social responsibility of media institutions.

The second session titled "Recent Developments in Media and Professional Variables" tackles the role of Arab media and the contemporary challenges they face, while highlighting the significant, dramatic changes which have taken place in the industry so far.

Leading Arab opinion makers and media leaders from across the Arab world will also take part in a brainstorming session over the impact of the media, its objectives and how to boost and manage further development in this vital sector.

Challenges and Priorities

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, said that Sharjahs hosting of the fifth edition of the Arab Media Leaders Forum reflects the depth of media relations between the two sides.

He lauded Kuwait's continuing efforts to support the Arab media in confronting the challenges and pursuing an agenda of growth, pointing to its remarkable achievements in the media sector.

He stressed Sharjahs keenness to promote media in the Arab world and create an environment that encourages development and innovation in accordance with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

He cited a number of achievements made by the emirate in the media sector. He pointed out that Sharjah was the first to establish the UAEs first newspaper, Oman, in 1927, and the countrys first Arabic daily, Al Khaleej, in 1970. That was followed by a series of developments and initiatives aimed at developing media work.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi outlined the objectives of the media institutions under Sharjah Media Council, including Sharjah Media Corporation, Sharjah Government Media Bureau and Sharjah Media City.

New challenges

Madi Abdullah Al Khamis, secretary general of the Arab Media Forum, emphasised that the current developments and challenges facing the sector are the top priorities for the Arab Media Leaders Forum.

Thanking Sheikh Sultan for hosting the forum, he stressed that the hosting of this strategic forum is not unusual for the Emirate of Sharjah, which is known for its world-class events and activities.

He pointed out that a number of issues and challenges facing the Arab media will be tackled by the forum.

The Arab Media Forum was founded in Kuwait in 2003 with the aim of developing the Arab media discourse and capabilities of Arab media institutions.

The Sharjah Press Club operates under the umbrella of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau to serve the press and media fraternity in the country by organising a host of activities and training workshops throughout the year. - TradeArabia News ServiceNews

Cabinet approves residency to retired foreigners to stay in UAE

The criteria are: a single property or more than one property worth Dhs1 million (evaluation to be carried out by the related entity in each Emirate), or a bank deposit of no less than Dhs1 million, or an active income of no less than Dhs180,000 per annum.

Air France's subsidiary airline, Joon, will be launching flights between Paris and Quito, Ecuador, from May 2019.



Customers will be able to travel between the two capitals by an Airbus A340 in the comfort of new long-haul travel cabins, with 30 seats in the Business Class, 21 seats in the Premium Economy Class and 227 seats in the Economy Class.



The thrice-weekly service will commence from May 14, 2019, at 299 ($347.5), including tax one way.



Flight AF210 will leave Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 13h10 and arrive in Quito at 18:05. Return flight AF211 will leave Quito at 19h50 and arrive in Paris at 13h50 the following day.



Flights operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during the summer season.



The ancient city of Quito



Located more than 2,850 m above sea level, and built on the ruins of an Inca city, Ecuador's capital is home to many treasures. Its historic centre, the best preserved in Latin America, is the first to be included in Unesco's World Heritage List. From Independence Square to San Francisco Square, nothing beats getting lost in the narrow and colorful streets to discover Old Quito. Want a great view? The Panecillo peak, which stands in the middle of the city, offers a breathtaking view.



Want to go even higher? Quito, bordered by the Andes, is also the starting point for unforgettable escapades into the heart of the volcanoes, the gateway to the lush Amazonian forest and an opportunity to discover the Galapagos Islands and its protected species. - TradeArabia News Service

Flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines will now be accepting payments via Alipay  China's leading alternative payment method (APM), through its mobile app.



The airline has partnered with CellPoint Mobile, a leading provider of sales and payment-side technology solutions for the global travel sector, to enable the payment option.



This is the first APM integration for CellPoint Mobile as part of an ongoing partnership with the flag carrier of Ethiopia.

"CellPoint Mobile has demonstrated its commitment and knowledge of the Africa region as a member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), as well as its global reach as a payment service provider," said Miretab Teklaye, director digital, at Ethiopian Airlines. "The Alipay integration is the first in our PSP partnership in China and an important step in our airline's growth strategy for the mobile channel."



With 100 million Chinese travelling abroad every year, more merchants in Southeast Asia, Western Europe, North America  and now Ethiopia  are investing in mobile solutions to support Alipay for Chinese visitors and tourists, as well as foreign expats living in China. In nearby Japan, the number of stores accepting Alipay doubled to more than 50,000 last year, as mobile payment transactions in China reached a record $12.8 trillion; in comparison, the U.S. had only $49.3 billion in total mobile payment transactions in 2017.



"By adding support for Alipay, Ethiopian Airlines is strengthening its position not only as the flag carrier of Ethiopia, but as a leading airline for commercial air travel within Africa," said Ciaran Wilson, senior sales and account director at CellPoint Mobile. "As part of our ongoing partnership, CellPoint Mobile will continue to support Ethiopian Airlines in its mobile payment strategies and provide more competitive and forward-looking PSP services in an increasingly complex payment environment."



Earlier this year, Ethiopian Airlines and CellPoint Mobile announced an ongoing partnership that includes implementation of the Velocity payment platform  a full merchant-side payment control environment built specifically for the travel industry. Velocity's comprehensive platform enables immediate access to multiple PSPs, acquirers and global consumer wallets and APMs. Velocity also features a PCI DSS Level 1 certified card vault and advanced fraud monitoring  important value-adds for airlines operating to and from the growing APAC region, where local acquirer connections and support for local payment methods are paramount for success. - TradeArabia News ServiceThe Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia and creator of The Red Sea Project, today announced its international advisory board of 12 world leaders in business, tourism, environmental sustainability and conservation.

The board will help set The Red Sea Projects agenda to develop and implement a new international standard in environmental protection and restoration, sustainable development, innovation and luxury tourism.

Located along the west coast of Saudi Arabia at the crossroads of the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa, the project is envisioned as an ultra-luxury tourism destination for nature, adventure, wellness, and culture. It is part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabias ambitious blueprint for the future.

Utilising this group of advisors to guide The Red Sea Development Company is crucial to creating a world-class project of this scale, said John Pagano, Chief Executive Officer of TRSDC. The collective expertise of this impressive group will help us to exceed the inspirational goals set for the tourism sector in Vision 2030.

The Red Sea Project will be developed around several unique treasures: 200 km of untouched coastline; over 50 pristine islands and lagoons; thriving coral reefs and marine life; mountains and dormant volcanoes; and heritage sites.

The first phase of The Red Sea Project will include hotels and residential units, an airport and related infrastructure, and a range of unique attractions, providing an ideal environment for partnerships with leading international investors. The number of hotel rooms and residential units which the project will ultimately deliver will be determined by the projects environmental parameters. The annual number of visitors will be capped to protect the unique environment and enhance the visitor experience.

Completion of phase one is anticipated by the last quarter of 2022.

The members of the advisory board will serve multifunctional roles when working with TRSDCs board of directors and executive team. They will also advise the directors of TRSDC, led by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Collectively the advisory board members will call on their broad experiences to suggest best practices across an array of disciplines; connect potential investors and partners to the opportunities offered by the luxury travel industryone of the fastest growing global economic segments; and serve as ambassadors of the project to raise its profile globally.

The advisory board members first met in New York City in March 2018 to provide initial feedback on the projects direction. They met again in Saudi Arabia in July to visit The Red Sea Projects unique marine and land ecosystems, and to provide further input on development and sustainability strategies, the statement said.

TRSDCs advisory board is playing a fundamental role in the development of the project, Pagano said. The insights and advice that we gather from the board are extremely valuable in assessing and tailoring the effectiveness of our current plan. This will enable us create something truly unique for our guests and for the people of Saudi Arabia, as we set new international standards for protecting, preserving, restoring and providing access to a unique experience at this site for generations to come.

The members of the advisory board are:

* Sir Richard Branson, founder, Virgin Group  Sir Richard is a serial entrepreneur known for his ambitious forays with the Virgin Group, creating eight different billion-dollar companies in eight different sectors. Sir Richards experiences building Virgin Hotels, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Limited Edition, and Virgin Airways will inform the strategic implementation of many aspects of The Red Sea Project.

* Steve Case, chairman and CEO, Revolution  As the CEO of Revolution, an investment firm dedicated to building built to last businesses, Case has established a legacy for creating some of the strongest businesses in history. He revolutionised the Internet through AOL, and negotiated the largest merger in business history. Case will work with The Red Sea Projects executive team to bring transformative business management to the project.

* Philippe Cousteau Jr, co-founder and president, EarthEcho International  Cousteau Jr is a multi Emmy-nominated TV host, author, speaker and social entrepreneur. He advises on best practices for social and environmental sustainable development and through his non-profit, EarthEcho International, prepares the next generation to solve the environmental challenges the world faces.

* Carlos Duarte, professor, Red Sea Research Center  Duartes leadership in biological oceanography and marine ecology will serve to inform conservation at utmost scientific level. His Red Sea expertise, and versatility as a world-leading marine ecologist, makes him a core part of the environmental protection initiative behind The Red Sea Project.

* J Carl Ganter, CEO, Vector Center -- Ganter is an expert on water security who focuses on the intersections and impacts of changing water, food, and energy resources globally. His experience with Vector Center's data analysis, contextualization, and reporting will help guide The Red Sea Projects leadership on risk identification and mitigation, investment, and environmental and sustainability initiatives.

* Paul Holthus, founder, president, and CEO, World Ocean Council  At the World Ocean Council, Holthus is responsible for a global multi-industry leadership alliance blending private sector interests and market forces to develop practical solutions for achieving ocean sustainability. Holthus will advise on best practices in business-led marine environmental management and sustainable development.

* Aradhana Khowala, CEO & founder, Aptamind Partners  Khowalas accomplishments in travel, tourism and hospitality will lend valuable insight into building and scaling the project. Her appreciation for tourism as a force of good will help bring together luxury hospitality and environmental conservation together with community engagement for The Red Sea Project.

* Sven-Olof Lindblad, CEO, Lindblad Expeditions  Lindblads experience in building world-class expeditions, particularly marine-focused trips aboard intimate ships, is an excellent resource for The Red Sea Project. Lindblads work with National Geographic and his understanding of cultural nuance in remote regions of the world will help inform the projects vision, development planning and guest experiences.

* William McDonough, founder, William McDonough and Partners  McDonough brings a wealth of experience relating to environmental design and sustainable development. McDonough is a leading environmental thought leader of our time, the co-author of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, and a strategic advisor to many of the worlds largest firms. He brings invaluable perspective to all environmental facets of the project.

* Frits Dirk van Paasschen, senior advisor, TPG Capital  Investment and business expert, van Paaschen has a strong understanding of consumers mindset, industry disruption and sustainability. His experience as the former CEO of Starwood Hotels and in the C-suite of various Fortune 500 companies will provide important counsel to The Red Sea Project.

* Vijay Poonoosamy, director of international and public affairs, QI Group  Poonoosamy is also president of the Hermes Air Transport Organisation. He started his career as an aviation lawyer in London, was the managing director of Air Mauritius, the executive chairman of Airports of Mauritius and the vice president international and public affairs of the Etihad Aviation Group. He has served on the board of directors of the US Travel Association, the board of governors of the International Aviation Club and as chairman of Iatas Industry Affairs Committee. Poonoosamy will be vital for planning transportation to the Red Sea.

* Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and joint creative director, Soneva  Often referred to as the founder of Six Senses, Shivdasani is an experienced hotelier who has built and prepared some of the most luxurious and environmentally pioneering hotels in the world. Shivdasanis work in addressing environmental challenges for imaginative projects will provide valuable counsel to The Red Sea Project to steer it in an environmentally conscious direction. - TradeArabia News ServiceT+Fewer: Why Settlement Times Keep Falling

When it comes to trade settlement, progress is measured one day at a time. At one point it took five days after the transaction date for an equity trade to settle -- hence, T+5 settlement. Like so many things a decade or two ago, trade settlement was a time-consuming process done manually. As fund operations became more automated, the settlement window has narrowed down from T+5 to T+2.

Reduced settlement times bring other benefits beyond speed and efficiency. Faster settlements improve liquidity as fewer funds are held up in transactions that have yet to settle. Risk exposure is reduced as cash moves from the buyer to the sellers portfolio and less time is spent dealing with counterparties.

As the saying goes, if it were easy, everyone would do it. The same applies to a two-day settlement cycle. Getting to T+2 required better trade communications, cash reporting and reconciliation processes to improve the post-trade processes. Getting to T+2 took years of discussion between individual companies, industry business associations and regulators. There was plenty of hand-wringing  including some from me  wondering if the industry would be able to make the changes in time.

But things worked out. Although some firms were pressed right up against the deadline, the industry was able to make the switch in 2017 with relatively few glitches. It has been hailed as a successful transition, one where things worked out largely the way they should.

This victory in the U.S. strengthens efforts in other countries to reduce settlement times as well. Japan will move to T+2 next year. Thailand did the same a few months ago. European markets had already made the move nearly four years ago.

This also means many people in the industry are turning to the next goalpost  T+1. DTCC published a white paper outlining a strategy on how to move to a shorter settlement cycle. This might be late in the night of T+1 or later in the morning on T+2. A DTCC announcement in May 2018 said this next round of compression would also feature additional settlement optimization, a significant enhancement aimed at removing an entire market day of settlement exposure without eliminating a calendar day from the standard trade settlement process.

While the move to T+1 would require meeting additional challenges  including settling trades that involve foreign exchanges and settlement across time zones  a bolder move is possible. Leveraging new technology like blockchain actually may be the better bet for future enhancements that will allow the industry and individual firms to more efficiently or effectively trade their portfolios. The process of improving systems and infrastructures is an ongoing one  proceeding day by day  towards the ultimate objective of benefiting the investor.

Ryan Burns is Head of Client Services, North America, at Northern Trust Global Fund Services

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).

It was November 2017 and I had spent another hectic and eventful day working on the worlds most severe humanitarian crises as UNDPs Early Recovery Programme Coordinator in north-east Nigeria. I had just returned to the Humanitarian Base Camp in Maiduguri when I received the phone call to enquire if I would be interested in a post in the Caribbean in response to Hurricane Irma. My immediate response was no, not now. Because I was neck-deep in preparations for the simultaneous launch of four large, long-term recovery projects. But with some prodding I agreed to share an updated CV. Two months later, I arrived in cosy Antigua (the bigger of the two sister islands of Antigua and Barbuda) on a bright sunny afternoon in January 2018.

Two days into my new appointment, I began to experience first-hand the fact that the significance of any crisis response lies in a combination of factors, including but not limited to the size of the population in need. The complexity of the response is a key factor in these regards. And I soon appreciated the fact that what Antigua and Barbuda lacks in population it more than makes up for in complexity.

The hurricane response called for the establishment of a permanent UNDP presence in Antigua and Barbuda, with continued support from the sub-regional office in Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States . As a result, the pioneer UNDP team, which I led in the first six months, comprised of 12 persons half of whom were nationals of Antigua and Barbuda. With the US$2 million China-backed signature-project that UNDP co-led with the Government, this very committed team of men and women remained focused despite the never-ending stream of difficulties we encountered, especially in the very early stages.



In a show of international solidarity, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Antigua and Barbuda shortly after the Hurricane Irma struck the islands.



The most gratifying moment came exactly six months into my appointment when the Project Office assembled a cross section of national stakeholders to review some of the lessons learned from the pilot re-roofing project in preparation for the launch of longer-term recovery projects in Barbuda. During the day-long meeting with local contractors who had helped to repair damaged roofs, every single contractor unambiguously expressed willingness to continue to do business with UNDP as they affirmed that UNDP is indeed a tested and trusted partner for the sustainable development of the Small Island Developing State of Antigua and Barbuda.

Presently, I feel more upbeat about my appointment as I look forward to working with local partners who understand how different UNDP is from other companies or NGOs; and together we can approach the arduous task of ensuring the sustainable long-term recovery and resilience of these enchanting and disaster-prone Islands.

One year after hurricanes Irma and Maria wrought havoc, countries to continue to build back better, reducing risks with an ongoing hurricane season

New York/Bridgetown, Barbados, 17 September 2018  The UN Development Programme (UNDP) helped mobilize US$25 million, supported the revision and use of improved building codes and restored over 800 buildings for the most at-need people in Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, some of the countries hit hardest by two powerful back-to-back hurricanes that devastated several Caribbean islands a year ago. The results are highlighted in a new report released today, only days after Caribbean islands braced up and withstood the passage of Tropical Storm Isaac and exactly one year after category 5 Hurricane Maria wrought havoc in Dominica.



Working with national governments and affected communities, UNDP partnered with sister UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector in the recovery process, including in initiatives to train hurricane-affected people to rebuild their own communities while injecting needed cash for families, according to the Summary Report Hurricanes Irma and Maria, one year on: From early recovery to long term resilience in the Caribbean on the efforts to build back better in three of the hardest hit countries: Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands and Dominica. The initiative provided training and emergency employment to 400 people in Dominica, 42 percent of them women, and 28 in Antigua and Barbuda. Nearly 1000 contractors were trained in more resilient recovery techniques to build back better.



We are honoured that Caribbean countries affected by the devastating hurricanes one year ago trusted UNDP to support their recovery efforts and we are proud to have been working on the ground with governmentsat the national and local levelsand with several partners since the immediate aftermath, said UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva, thanking several partners that provided financial support for the recovery process.



With $5million support from the Government of Peoples Republic of China to Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda UNDP partnered with national and local governments and several organizations to install new, more resilient roofs, in devastated houses. In Dominica, 488 buildings were restored including three schools, five health care centres and essential government buildings, in addition to the main hospital and the state college. In Antigua and Barbuda, the first China Aid initiative in the Caribbean exceeded the target to repair 250 damaged roofs and strengthen national building code standards, with a total of 302 homes and essential facilities served with roofing materials, during the nine-month relief and recovery project completed on 30 June.



In Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, UNDP partnered with Microsoft, which provided a tailored app and tablets that enabled the swift damage assessment of over 30,000 buildings. With the georeferenced and visual data used to evaluate damages and needs, governments and partners had timely evidence to back a more risk-informed recovery.



In the three assessed countries thousands of tonnes of debris were removed, enabling the recovery process in essential roads, schools and tourism sites, In Dominica this meant re-establishing healthy and safe living conditions in targeted areas for more than 5000 people. In the island of Barbuda, over 3000 tonnes of disaster and construction debris were removed, while in the British Virgin Islands the debris was not only collected but also sorted and recycled.



In the British Virgin Island, UNDP also provided management support and technical expertise to the Ministry of Finance to implement a $65 million Caribbean Development Bank rehabilitation and reconstruction loan.



UNDP staff working in the affected countries note that the recovery process is still ongoing, in spite of the many challenges and a new hurricane season. They note that many key services are still disrupted in several areas and houses still need to be repaired, but progress is significant and visible, as partners continue to build back better focusing on boosting resilience for long-term sustainable development.



Download the Report



For footage and B-roll please contact Andrew.hein@undp.org



For media inquiries please contact penny.bowen@undp.org in UNDP Barbados and OECS and Carolina.azevedo@undp.org at UNDP HQ.Newly arrived refugees from South Sudan travel to the Numanzi Transit Centre in the Adjumani district of northern Uganda.  UNHCR/Will Swanson

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement on 13 September in Addis Ababa between the South Sudan warring parties. This is a crucial milestone towards permanent ceasefire and lasting peace for millions of war beleaguered South Sudanese.

UNHCR reiterates its call that all parties fully implement and uphold the deal for South Sudan to maintain a sustainable and permanent peace.

UNHCR stands ready to support all parties who genuinely strive to achieve an inclusive peace process, which includes a provision in the signed accord requiring the agreement be disseminated to the 2.5 million South Sudanese living in exile across six countries.

The peace process must include the voices of refugees and those displaced inside of South Sudan to bring an end to more than five years of senseless suffering, said Arnauld Akodjenou, UNHCR's Special Adviser on the South Sudan situation. Its important that refugees participate, understand and support the peace agreement for it to be fully effective.

Representatives of South Sudanese refugees came face-to-face with their leaders in a meeting in Khartoum on 4th September, pressing upon their demands for inclusion in peace building efforts.

South Sudan continues to generate the largest refugee crisis on the African continent. The credibility of the unfolding peace process rests on its ability to end nearly five years of violence and suffering for the people of South Sudan, and to meet the aspirations of over four million mostly women and children forcibly displaced by the conflict.

For more information on this topic, contact:GLO.ACT continues to support the development of a teaching curriculum on the specifics of cases related to human trafficking

Kyiv, Ukraine - 17 September 2018 - Under the framework of the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants ( GLO.ACT) and in collaboration with the National School of Judges, UNODC organized its second two-day workshop from 2 to 3 July 2018 to develop a teaching curriculum on the specifics of cases related to trafficking in persons (TIP).

To date, the available curriculum does not have a strong focus on TIP. The hope is that this new curriculum will provide the necessary theoretical background whilst also making available practical exercises to future judges. This should make a significant difference to the work of future judges, since one of the reasons why court rulings often appear lenient is because judges do not have adequate training on how to interpret Article 149 of Ukraine's criminal code. In many TIP cases, due to a lack of training on TIP, judges do not fully appreciate the severity of the crime or the devastating impact it has on its victims.

During the workshop, acting judges from all over Ukraine, as well as former judges with extensive expertise in cases related to TIP and international partners, including IOM, worked on the further development of the training curriculum for future judges.

Discussions covered the following subjects:

Adjusting the curriculum to include the latest trends on TIP according to the latest statistics;

National and international legislation on TIP;

Types of TIP cases and modern trends;

Cases related to the conflict in the east of Ukraine;

Qualification of the TIP crimes (Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and differences to other crimes;

Practical aspects with regards to the application of Article 149 of the Criminal Code by the courts;

Features of the evidence in criminal cases on TIP;

Ethical aspects of the court hearings;

Damages and compensation, civil litigation in connection with the criminal case;

Sentencing of perpetrators.

During the meeting, Ms. Natalia Akhirska, Chief Scientific Officer of the Department of Scientific and Methodological support of the Higher Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine and the High Council of Justice of Ukraine said, "We are happy to work with GLO.ACT on an important crime such as TIP. According to the latest statistics available to us, we note that the number of cases is increasing, yet the number of sentences is reducing. The same seem to be happening with compensation for victims. This means, that there is a huge need for a comprehensive curriculum. One that is up-to-date also with regards to the impact the military conflict has on TIP and the increase in TIP for organ removal. This curriculum is really of immense importance and urgency for Ukraine."

Coming up, from 10-12 October 2018, will be a three-day workshop that enables us to test the curriculum with a group of thirty representatives from the National School of Judges. After their approval, the developers of the curriculum will include any additions and finalize it.

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. 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:

Olga Ilchenko, National Project Coordinator, UNODC

Email: olga.ilchenko@un.org

www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/

glo.act@un.org

Twitter: @glo_actTo celebrate World Day against Trafficking in Persons GLO.ACT supports conference for law enforcement officers in Niamey

Niamey, Niger 17 September 2018 - Trafficking in Persons (TIP) is the criminal exploitation of women, men and children for various purposes, including forced labour and sexual exploitation. All States are affected by human trafficking, whether as countries of origin, transit or destination of victims. According to the report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), children account for one third of the victims of human trafficking worldwide, and women and girls for some 80% of the global trafficking. In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 68/192 proclaiming 30 July as World Day against Trafficking in Persons. In legal terms, trafficking in persons is covered by the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, adopted by resolution 55/25 of 15 November 2000.

In Niger, significant efforts are being made to counter this phenomenon. As a reminder, Niger has adopted all the relevant international legal instruments and set up the institutions in charge of the fight against trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants. In particular the national agency to combat TIP and SOM, which is working to raise awareness among all stakeholders that can play a role whilst also strengthening the capacities of the actors involved.

Accordingly, UNODC under the framework of the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants ( GLO.ACT), jointly organized, with the Agence Nationale de Lutte controe la Traite des Personnes (ANLTP/TIM), an awareness-raising conference for law enforcement officers to raise their awareness about the new recruitment methods used by human traffickers, including social media networks, specifically against minors. The aim is that providing law enforcement officers with these insights will enable them to better conduct their investigations in TIP cases and protect the rights of victims.

Speaking during the conference, Mr. Maman Sadissou Laouali, GLO.ACT's National Project Officer for Niger explained the importance of this day for the United Nations in general and for the UNODC in particular, whose mission is to assist States in achieving the objective of security and justice by making the world safer from crime, drugs and terrorism. Before finishing his remarks and thanking ANLTP/TIM and the management of the police training school he also explained to the audience the objectives of the GLO.ACT project.

Meanwhile, the Director of ANLTP/TIM, Ms. Goge Maimouna Gazibo, began by commenting on the very good collaboration that exists between UNODC and its agency, which made it possible to hold this conference. She then explained the reasons why law enforcement were target group for this conference, indicating that, as officers detecting cases of trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, it seemed necessary to raise their awareness of the new recruitment methods for victims of trafficking in order to be able to carry out their investigations effectively.

Speaking as a guest, the President of the Parliamentary Network to Combat Irregular Migration, Ms. Saminou Laouali Amina explained the reasons why such a network has been established within the National Assembly of Niger. In her view, the issues of TIP and SOM have become such a concern for the public authorities that it was deemed necessary for the national representation to set up this network.

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. 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:

Mr. Maman Sadissou Laouali

GLO.ACT National Project Officer for Niger

laouali.sadissou@un.org

www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/glo-act/

Email: glo.act@un.org

Twitter: @glo_actYongli Gaos student research team performs research at the Cibolo Preserve.

(Sept.17, 2018) -- The UTSA Vice President for Research, Economic Development, and Knowledge Enterprise (VPREDKE) and the Cibolo Preserve have renewed their research collaboration master agreement for another five years. Cibolo Preserve, a Texas charitable foundation/nonprofit, allows UTSA faculty, staff and students the controlled access to observe, instruct and conduct research per an application and vetting process managed by the VPREDKE.

The Cibolo Preserve, originally established by philanthropist Bill Lende, is a 644-acre outdoor natural preserve used for research and education purposes, located east of Boerne in south-central Kendall County. The site is known for its geological features, including a narrow canyon through a large exposure of caprinid (an extinct mollusk) rudist reef. The creek (also named Cibolo) provides critical recharge for the Trinity and Edwards Aquifers and connects to the San Antonio River. Slopes around the creek offer special microhabitats for some of the regions more interesting plant species including Texas mock-orange, big red sage and hairy sycamore-leaf snowbells. It is also one of the only great blue heron rookeries in the county.

This is the heart of Texas Hill Country. Its not only beautiful but it is also a vibrant, thriving, natural living laboratory where UTSA can conduct sustainable and responsible research in regards to the flora, fauna, land and water resources of the region, said Bernard Arulanandam, UTSA interim vice president for VPREDKE.

Most recently in FY 2018, Brian Laub, UTSA assistant professor in the Department of Environment Science and Ecology, was awarded two grants to conduct research on the preserve: one to map the aquatic habitat in Cibolo Creek with the help of two students and the second to evaluate estrogen concentrations in the creek with the assistance of a graduate student. The same year, Jeffrey Hutchison, UTSA assistant professor in environmental science, was funded to study the acoustic bat activity on site. In FY 2017, Vikram Kapoor, UTSA assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering, used molecular tools to track fecal sources. The preliminary data he gathered helped another funding application in which he subsequently secured a sizeable grant from the City of San Antonio to track fecal contamination in the Edwards Aquifer.

The partnership between UTSA and Cibolo Preserve is key to fostering a greater understanding of central Texas natural resources and the issues that surround them, said Donna Taylor, environmental research scientist and one of the seven Cibolo Preserve trustees. The partnership not only encourages high quality multi-disciplinary research, but inter-agency cooperation as well since the Cibolo Preserve invites Texas Parks and Wildlife, San Antonio River Authority, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Cibolo Nature Center to conduct studies too. Urban pressures on riparian corridors and recharge features, water quality impacts from waste and storm water inputs and habitat availability for wildlife are issues that affect all Texans. The research being conducted is helping the Cibolo Preserve understand these impacts on it specifically, while simultaneously informing the broader region, which is imperative as the area rapidly grows in human population.

Yongli Gao, UTSA associate professor with the Department of Geological Sciences and the director of the Center for Water Research (CWR), has conducted multi-year research relating to hydrogeology and geomorphology onsite since 2013. Through VPREDKE, CWR has had four projects funded for more than $45,000, and has had more than a dozen undergraduate and graduate students involved in experiential learning, from collecting samples, conducting field investigations, and running analysis.

The Cibolo Preserve is a very unique place and it is part of a complex aquifer system; it is a natural Karst lab ideal to conduct long-term research projects and monitoring, said Gao. This access and experience have also benefited my students in many ways: they have gained valuable research skills and have also developed materials and data to use in their own research papers and thesis proposals, and to be published in journal articles and conference proceedings. I look forward to continuing my research this year and next.

Since 2009, 15 UTSA faculty members and their teams have been received funding support from VPREDKE and access to the Cibolo Preserve. These disciplines include Anthropology, Architecture, Biology, Environmental Science & Ecology, Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute (TSERI).UW in the News

State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent articles:

The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) reported that the UW Board of Trustees approved a 4 percent tuition increase for most students in the 2019-20 academic year. U.S. News and World Report and Billings KULR 8 Television also published the article.

UW President Laurie Nichols and UW Vice President for Student Affairs Sean Blackburn discussed revamping the universitys dining plans for students at the UW Board of Trustees Budget Committee meeting last week, according to The Laramie Boomerang.

The Boomerang reported that UWs freshman class is likely to be a record-breaking class. The official enrollment numbers will be generated Sept. 19, the 15th day of classes. The Houston Chronicle carried a similar article.

Laramie, home of UW, was one of 35 communities named in an article, titled The Most Charming College Towns to Visit This Fall, by Bob Vila, known as the host of the television program, This Old House. Laramie was the only Mountain West Conference hometown mentioned on the list.

The Laramie Boomerang noted that several blockchain companies pledged commitments to the state after the recent WyoHackathon. The event was billed by entrepreneurs as a thank you to the state for the five blockchain-related bills the Legislature passed to spur a new software sector in the state. Crypto Briefing, Bitcoin Exchange Guide and Bitcoin News also reported on the event.

UW economist Chuck Mason told Wyoming Public Radio that mineral companies in Wyoming likely wont be affected by Bank of the Wests decision to stop financing, distributing or marketing activities within coal, oil or gas unless the companies focus on clean energy.

Wyoming Business Report and Sheridan Media published UWs release about UW researcher Michael Dillon studying how bees overcome harsh winter conditions to reproduce in the spring. The research is funded by an overall $5.68 million National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grant. Of that amount, UW received $2.37 million.

Wyo4News reported that UW researchers are planning a two-day mule deer capture near Superior later this month as part of the Red Desert to Hoback Migration Project.

The Boomerang profiled UWs new Marna M. Kuehne Foundation Veterans Services Center, which was dedicated last week.

Wyoming Public Radio reported on the first Native American welcome orientation session held in the Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center.

Wyoming Public Radio featured Locust: The Opera, a chamber opera written by UW faculty members Jeff Lockwood and Anne Guzzo. Lockwood, a professor of natural sciences and humanities, wrote the lyrics, and Guzzo, an associate professor of music, composed the score.

Mark Jenkins, a UW lecturer and National Geographic field staff writer, will share stories and photographs from his expedition to Egypt last fall as part of UWs World to Wyoming Series with Mark Jenkins, The CS-T reported. Jenkins will visit towns in the southern and central parts of the state this month.

UWs release on DNA and the Pursuit of Justice, a panel discussion about wrongful convictions, was published by Wyo4News. The online news outlet also published UWs Startup Weekend Laramie release.

KGWN Television published UWs release announcing that the World Language and Culture Program is offering 13 different language courses this fall for the campus and local communities.

Ali Nejadmalayeri, the John A. Guthrie Endowed Chair in Banking and Financial Services, discussed the best balance transfer credit cards with WalletHub.

Sweetwater NOW published UWs release noting that Mike Brotherton, a UW physics and astronomy professor, is among researchers studying quasars. Scientists were awarded a five-year National Science Foundation grant for $800,000 for their research.

The Boomerang previewed last weeks Downtown Mash Up, an event designed to bring UW students and the Laramie community together.

UW professors Jeanne Holland, Joy Landeira and Caskey Russell presented lectures about Ernest Hemingway during UWs Saturday University in Sheridan last week, according to Sheridan Media.Denis Brunetti

Can you tell us about Ericssons preparation for the launch of 5G networks globally and in Vietnam? How is it going?

We are expecting the commercial launch of 5G globally later in the year. The North American market will be first, followed shortly thereafter North East Asia. The commercial launch in Vietnam will likely be in 2020-2021 timeframe, with trials beginning as early as in 2019.

In terms of preparation, there are a lot of planning ongoing. Its important to understand that 5G, unlike its predecessors, requires a lot more collaboration between governments, enterprises, and Ericsson as the vendor. 5G impacts enterprises and industries more than its predecessors, which were more about personal communication and the more pervasive use of the internet over mobile devices. 5G moves into the enterprise space and digitally transforms industries.

For that reason, there would require more co-operation, collaboration, and planning by enterprises as well as education institutions to make 5G a reality. The latter needs to work on vocational training, data science, and other things that will be required to stimulate the capabilities needed for future jobs.

Most people think that implementation of 5G technology would be complicated in Vietnam. What are your thoughts on this? And what are benefits can we expect from the new technology?

In fact, Ericsson has made implementation easy. 4G technology was introduced in Vietnam in 2015, and we have 50-per-cent of the market share in 4G across operators in the country. That technology is 5G-ready as the radios can be upgraded to 5G with remote software installations. So when we launch 5G, we can unleash it across the current 4G infrastructure.

Industries that will benefit the most from 5G are those that can leverage on the high speeds, ultra-low latency, and ultra-high reliability that 5G provide to create innovative products or services. 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) will bring digital transformation to all industries. These technologies will digitally transform all other industries, making them more efficient, more cost-effective, more affordable, and more accessible to more people.

5G also has the potential to drive new revenue streams. Ericssons 5G Business Potential report estimates that for Vietnam, there will be an additional $3.17 billion in revenue opportunities for telecom operators addressing industry digitalisation with 5G technology. The largest opportunity for operator-addressable 5G-related revenues will be in the manufacturing and energy and utilities sectors. We want to help operators realise the value of 5G as well as support the acceleration of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for the benefit of Vietnam.

How will 5G technology affect the need for cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is always important, of course, especially in Vietnam, where last year, you had 13,000 cyber-attacks on enterprise websites. Half of those were malware attacks. The government is aware that with 5G, such attacks could have an even greater impact, as they would affect mission-critical applications, for example in autonomous vehicles, drones, and mobile health. Clearly, cybersecurity is important here. That is why at Ericsson, we follow the concept of Security by Design. That means we build security into our products from the very beginning, we dont wait until later. That security needs to be end-to-end, because it has to cover the network, the devices, and the applications.

How are you planning to support the Vietnamese market further?

Clearly, the expansion of our 4G networks and the planning for the 5G launch are the preparation for the future and are accompanied by startup support programmes. But training and education are also important for the future. The current forecast is that 56 per cent of the ASEANs workforce will be displaced as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. That doesnt mean they will all lose their jobs. In fact, thousands of new jobs will be created in the region. So it means that jobs and workers are transferred to new areas that require different set of skills to adapt with the transformation. As most manufacturing workers, especially in Vietnam, are women and will be most affected by this, we also plan to bring more education and skills to women as part of a Women in ICT programme. Were proud to be an industry leader in Vietnam and were committed to contributing to the countrys development for the next 25 years and beyond.The surge of renewable energy creates new challenges for Vietnams power infrastructure

Venu Nuguri - Group senior vice president, ABBs Power Grids Division in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa The green revolution of the power grid is one of those instances where the timing is right  technological advances are ready at the same time when the world is ready for them. This is important, because a shift towards renewable energy calls for global realignment on energy approaches. The dynamics of consuming more renewable energy will change the energy marketplace, opening up markets across the globe. Globally, we are seeing a major shift in the power value chain across generation, transmission and distribution. In generation, we see that the renewable share has gone up and is expected to hit around 40 per cent of capacity by 2035. This brings with it greater volatility, less predictability, and more feed-in nodes. Transmission and distribution is impacted by increasing complexity, need for enhanced control/ information flow, and needs to tackle longer distances and higher voltages. On the consumption side we see growth in distributed energy resources, grid-connected and off-grid microgrids, and control and optimisation at local levels. This scenario proposes two possible futures  the emergence of the global supergrid, or flexible grid evolution with distributed generation. Both could also happen at the same time. Moving to the technology that will help us realise these, we can see how everything lines up, and digitalisation is apparent at every stage.

Hunger for renewables

One of the biggest challenges countries face today is how to balance the growing demand for electricity with minimum climate impact. Energy efficiency and renewable energy are expected to contribute two-thirds of the reduction in CO2 emissions required to keep global temperature increases within the level of 2 degrees Celsius. This explains the increasing contribution of renewables to the energy mix  a trend expected to continue given the carbon emission targets adopted by most major countries. Therefore, a significant amount of future electricity will come from renewable energy sources like hydro, wind, and solar, reducing the dependence on fossil fuel resources and lowering emissions in the long run.

For Vietnams market, with energy demand projected to increase by more than 10 per cent annually in the next five years and required power capacity to double, the government is moving forward to develop renewable energy sources to ensure energy security and address the growing power demand.

Vietnam has high ambitions for renewable energy, as shown in the Revised National Power Development Master Plan VII, released in March 2016. The plan stipulates that 21 per cent of the total energy supply should come from renewable sources by 2030. As plans for a nuclear power plant have already been postponed by the National Assembly, the country is pushing for more alternatives to satisfy its energy hunger. Foreign investors are especially welcome, as there is no foreign ownership limit and many attractive tax incentives are offered.

Nguyen Van Thanh, deputy director of the Electric and Renewable Energy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said at a recent forum entitled Renewable Energy Integration: Challenges and Technology, co-organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and ABB Vietnam, that Vietnam has seen rapid development of power plants, which poses great challenges to transmission networks.

Nguyen Minh Quang from the National Load Dispatch Centre said that the southern central region is home to the nations renewable energy, but power grid conditions there are not prepared to adopt this kind of energy.

It takes three years, on average, to build a power grid project, while a solar power project needs only one year to be put in place. As a result, electric grid development cannot catch up with the proliferation of solar and wind power projects, he said.

The lesson has been put down that these renewables need to be integrated into electricity grids that are capable of managing new complexities such as unpredictable and intermittent supply, more distributed power generation, demand management, and electric vehicles. Grid operators will also need to expand and modernise their infrastructure to ensure the reliability, efficiency, and security of electricity supplies.

Venu Nuguri, group senior vice president for ABBs power grids division in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, said that as the country moves towards clean energy, the power grid will need to adapt to the influx of renewable energy, which is intermittent and also characterised by distributed generation. Not only does this call for wider industry collaboration and policy discussions, it is also important to make the right technology choices. Nuguri said, Technology will enable the grid to be flexible and to adapt to the new realities of distributed generation and multi-directional power flow. Digitalisation is a key to creating the power grid of the future.

Opportunities and challenges in edge technology

Stefan Jonsson, ABB territory marketing and sales manager for Asia, said, Since the new demand will increasingly be met by renewable, decentralised sources of power, we must be prepared to wrestle with regulators and encourage this shift from the utility monopoly to a fair distribution of resources, incentives, and benefits. This new market doesnt guarantee success  it provides an opportunity to continue proving that distributed energy solutions are what the market needs.

Grid operators will also need to expand and modernise their infrastructure to ensure the reliability, efficiency, and security of electricity supplies. If we can generate power more efficiently, reduce transmission losses, manage distribution networks more intelligently, and use electricity more productively in factories, offices, and homes, we can make a visible difference.

With additional and often intermittent power supplies feeding into the grid, reliability, stability, and quality issues also need to be addressed to prevent power fluctuations, grid failures, outages, and blackouts. This calls for solutions that offer a greater degree of control and protection to the grid, enabling early detection and rectification without compromising the power network.

So, the evolving power system needs to be increasingly flexible and interconnected, as well as more reliable and intelligent to address new challenges and opportunities  what we need, in short, is a stronger, smarter and greener grid, said Jonsson.

Nuguri told VIR, Renewables are, in fact, one of the biggest disruptors and have called for a complete redefinition of power grids the world over. Today, across the world, we acknowledge the need for cleaner energy sources, and every country is pursuing renewable energy goals. The integration of renewables into the power grid has initiated the next stage of grid evolution, with the model of the grid moving from uni-directional to multi-directional.

Hydroelectric, solar, wind, and wave comprise the best-known

renewables, but biomass, tidal, and geothermal are all increasing their contributions to global supplies, and all alternatives present individual challenges to the protection and management of electrical systems. Where electrical grids were designed around a handful of generating stations, they are now being criss-crossed with energy sources, many of which are unable to guarantee a consistent supply thanks to the vagaries of the weather, according to ABB.

Protection and management becomes more important as the grid becomes more complicated, and feeds from renewable sources increase the complexity hugely. ABBs experience with just about all forms of energy generation enables us to help design, and implement, protection schemes tailored for the most innovative of generating technologies, said Ranfeng Situ, ABBs regional application manager for renewables for Asia

At the conference held with the MoIT, ABB also offered a range of scalable sub-station solutions that help efficiently integrate renewable energy into the transmission grid and distribution network. Our in-depth knowledge of renewable power generation technologies and comprehensive experience with grid codes and utility practices in use around the world enables us to provide turnkey grid connection solutions for all types and sizes of renewable power plants. The customised systems are based on proven and state-of-the art technologies, and are designed to meet the requirements of customers with a global market presence as well as local specifications, ABB noted.The inauguration ceremony of Fidel Park on Saturday in Quang Tri Province - VNA/VNS Photo

Attending the ceremony were First Vice President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba Salvador Valdes Mesa; Politburo member and permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC)s Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong; Politburo member, member of the CPVCCs Secretariat and head of the CPVCCs Commission for Mass Mobilisation Truong Thi Mai, who is also President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association; and Minister of Construction Pham Hong Ha, who is co-chair of the Vietnam-Cuba Inter-Governmental Committee.

Speaking at the event, Truong Thi Mai said that the inauguration of the park on this occasion was of significance, demonstrating the love of the people in Quang Tri in particular and Vietnam in general for Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

The brotherhood between Vietnam and Cuba would last forever, she stressed. After the ceremony, the Vietnamese and Cuban delegates planted trees in the park.

Fidel Park covers six hectares in Dong Ha City with an investment of over VND137 billion (US$5.86 million).

Addressing a grand meeting in Quang Tri on September 14 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Fidel Castros visit, Tran Quoc Vuong stated that Fidels trip to the liberated zone brought the solidarity and valuable support of the Cuban people to Vietnam.

His presence in the zone amidst dangers and hardships was a great source of encouragement to southern residents and soldiers, as well as the Vietnamese people during the anti-US resistance war, he added.

Fidel made three visits to Vietnam in September 1973, December 1995 and February 2003.

He was the first foreign leader to visit the newly-liberated area in the south of Vietnam during the anti-US resistance war.

He was also a national leader who took the initiative in international movements to support Vietnams struggle for national independence and reunification, along with its process of national development and defence.

With all his great contributions, the Cuban leader was presented with the two noblest orders of the Vietnamese State: the Gold Star Order in 1982 and the Ho Chi Minh Order in 1989.HCM City to ease traffic congestion in school areas during peak hours.-VNA/VNS Photo Manh Linh

Since the beginning of school year, traffic congestion has increased at schools on Phan Van Tri Street, Quang Trung Street and Truong Chinh Street, especially during peak hours.

The department is finalising construction on an overpass near Thong Tay Hoi Secondary School in Go Vap District, and also plans to build more overpasses near schools located in crowded areas like Van Hien University in District 12.

In addition, Urban Traffic Management No 3 has proposed adding more barriers to prevent vehicles from travelling on walkways, and more traffic lights and signals as well as median strips.

Pham Ngoc Dung, head of Urban Traffic Management No 3, said the plans would be adjusted according to the characteristics of each area.

Since the beginning of the year, the department has organised three traffic safety campaigns in schools.

This month, the Department of Transport will disseminate information about traffic order and safety to students at Vo Thi Sau Primary School in Go Vap District and Nguyen An Ninh Secondary School in District 12.

In addition, the citys Department of Education and Training has encouraged teachers and students to use buses instead of private vehicles.

Bui Thi Diem, deputy head of the citys Department of Education and Training, has asked the citys Peoples Council to offer free bus tickets to students.

Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, head of the city Peoples Council, has directed the citys departments of Finance and Transport to study this proposal.

The city aims to increase the number of students using buses by 15-20 per cent by 2020.HEINEKEN Vietnam honoured amongst best companies to work for in Asia

The recognition was announced at a ceremony held on September 14, 2018, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for the first time, witnessed the crowning of the best companies to work for in Asia - Vietnam Chapter.

Awardees were selected from a pool of 130 nominees across 24 industries, based on proprietary research that assessed the company's working environment, HR practices, employee engagement and job satisfaction.

This year, thousands of employees across Vietnam responded to the HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia Survey. HR Asia, a publication of Business Media International, developed this proprietary survey in consultation with a team of senior industry practitioners and leading thought leaders.

For HEINEKEN Vietnam, people are at the heart of our business therefore we continually seek to uncage the potential of employees, maximise their prospects and offer them a safe, proactive workplace for continual learning and growth.

We believe the better trained our people are, the bigger the impact they will have on our company and the country, said Le Qui Don, HR director of HEINEKEN Vietnam, adding that HEINEKEN Vietnam has incorporated its sustainability strategy into its core business, with a key focus on caring for People, Planet and Prosperity.

Don stated that HEINEKEN Vietnams business success was very much due to its commitment to its people.

Because people are at the heart of HEINEKEN Vietnams business, HEINEKEN Vietnam has invested immensely in developing staff, at all levels. Employees working at HEINEKEN Vietnam benefit from the companys people development programme to increase their capacities and skillsets, as well as innovative programmes like short-term assignments and graduate programmes that give Vietnamese employees the chance to experience work in other HEINEKEN companies all around the world.

Employees at HEINEKEN Vietnam also get to experience the companys sustainability programmes including a Green workplace platform designed to encourage a better working environment because, not just within the company but also in the community.

HEINEKEN Vietnam has passionately pursued key development programs. A number of intensive programs have been designed for tertiary graduates to learn and grow within the first two years of their engagement.

Two different GO PLACES programs are currently offered to help budding professionals kick-start their career at HEINEKEN. They are the Asia Pacific Graduate Program (APGP), and HEINEKEN Vietnam Graduate programme (HVGP).

In 2017, the company invested VND18.9 billion ($836,000) in developing its people, including over 2,600 training hours for employees on road safety and health. HEINEKEN Vietnam went further by providing over 6,000 hours of training for its distributors and sub-distributors.

HEINEKEN Vietnam employees also spent over 2,000 volunteer hours on charity and advocacy initiatives and the Company invested a further VND7.8 billion ($345,000) in direct community support initiatives. These investments are a testament to HEINEKEN Vietnams commitment to ensure a highly skilled workforce.Dozens of domestic and international investors attended the conference held on September 15 to call for investment in Ho Chi Minh City Smart City Operations Centre and Socioeconomic Simulation and Forecast Centre.

Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan calling on domestic and international investors. Photo: Le Toan

According to Martin Yates, chief technology officer at National Information and Communications from Dell EMC, a smarter digital edge and e-government ICT solutions need to be created in harmony in order to build smart cities.

Our aim is to build a smart city which is safe, resilient, and enjoyable for people, families, creates jobs, and brings economic success, Yates said at the conference.

He added that the implementation of the City Integrated Operations Centre will include different key functions which must be closely linked and integrated with each other, such as smart mobility, e-government, and smart environment and utility management.

Successful smart cities have database protection strategies and share public data with others, from emergency response, power and water supply, and transportation to public facilities, public security, and environment stakeholders, he added.

Ho Chi Minh City must set up a 10-20-year plan to design, plan, deploy, and operate smart cities, he added.

Investors showed avid interest during the conference. Photo: Le Toan

Meanwhile, Jeff Winbourne, CEO of Winbourne Consulting, building an Integrated Emergency Communications System (IECS) in Ho Chi Minh City would need an initial investment capital of around $110 million.

The investment capital for this project, according to Winbourne, can be sourced from the citys budget and mobilised from the private sector.

He added that Vietnam already has an institute which is suitable for this type of investment. This is the Ho Chi Minh City Finance and Investment State Owned Company.

Other potential investors for IECS and smart city projects are banks, investment funds, and pension funds.

The two above-mentioned projects form the foundation for the city to develop into a smart city.

Specifically, the Smart City Operation Centre will be the place to synthesise important information and data of the urban area, equipped with advanced technologies to expand and develop in the future.

In particular, the city will adopts open technology standards, enabling the integration of additional management features and support city leaders in their decision making process.

Between 2018 and 2020, the Socioeconomic Simulation and Forecast Centre will analyse mid- to long-term socioeconomic trends. From 2021 onwards, the Centre will expand to simulate the development of all areas of the Smart City Development Plan of Ho Chi Minh City.

Speaking at the conference, Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan called on both domestic and international investors and experts to co-develop these two centres and turn Ho Chi Minh City into a smart city.

Nhan set the target that the general structural framework of these two centres must be finished before 2019. From 2020 onwards, these two centres will be piloted in District 1, 12, and Thu Thiem New Urban Area and expanded to other districts of the city later on.Samsung relapse its faulty batteries in Samsung Galaxy Note 9?

According to newswire NewYork Post, a Long Island woman Diane Chung took Samsung to the court after her Samsung Galaxy Note 9 spontaneously combusted inside a Long Island womans purse. The first target of the lawsuit is to clarify her damage in this incident.

Diane Chung said in her lawsuit she was using the new handset on September 3 when it suddenly became "extremely hot," and then she stopped using the phone and placed it in her purse but soon heard "a whistling and screeching sound, and she noticed thick smoke" pouring from her purse.

Chung had to remove the phone by emptying her purse onto an elevator floor, but the fire didn't stop until a passerby picked up the handset with a cloth and placed it into a bucket of water.

The regret incident happened in the context Samsung CEO Koh Dong-jin affirmed that the battery in the Galaxy Note 9 is safer than ever. Users do not have to worry about the batteries anymore.

Another Samsung exec, Kate Beaumont, director of product planning, said the company now had a multi-step battery safety check in place and the Note 9s would absolutely not catch fire.

Responding the above information, a Samsung spokesman told NewYork Post that We have not received any reports of similar incidents involving a Galaxy Note 9 device and we are investigating the matter.

It is not the first time that Samsungs Note brand has incident in term of faulty batteries.

Samsung CEO Koh Dong-jin affirmed that the battery in the Galaxy Note 9 is safer than ever. Users do not have to worry about the batteries anymore.Samsung CEO Koh Dong-jin affirmed that the battery in the Galaxy Note 9 is safer than ever. Users do not have to worry about the batteries anymore.

"The battery in the Galaxy Note 9 is safer than ever. Users do not have to worry about the batteries anymore," said Samsung CEO Koh Dong-jin.

Notably, on September 2, 2016, the company suspended sales of the oversized products and recalled 2.5 million Note 7 devices that had been shipped worldwide after faulty batteries caused the phones to explode while charging.

Note 7 products were launched in Vietnam on August 19, 2016. According to domestic distributors statistics, over 10,000 Note 7 smart phones have been shipped to customers.

The recall piled increasing pressure on the company, as the Federal Aviation Administration officially banned passengers from turning on Note 7 devices on flights, while according to the regulation, passengers are recommended to put their mobile phones airplane mode on flights only.

Besides, Samsung had to suffer a serious damage for recalling 2.5 million Note 7 devices on worldwide. Although the company would not reveal an exact figure, the cost likely stands at around $1 billion, based on Bloombergs estimates-a huge sum, especially, when only around 35 of the handsets (less than 0.1 per cent of the total volume sold) had been found faulty.PwC Vietnam's general director shared her expert views with the audience at the Vietnam, Business Summit 2018

At the Vietnam Business Summit, held within the framework of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018, Vietnam was widely hailed as a bright star for growth in the region. What do you think about this assessment? Where does Vietnam stand when compared to other ASEAN members?

Dinh Thi Quynh Van

Once a smaller economy in the ASEAN, Vietnam has made significant progress, emerging as a manufacturing hub and a robust consumer market in the region. For many years now, the country has been among the best performers in the region in terms of GDP growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction. According to the International Monetary Fund, Vietnam is projected to record real GDP growth of 6.2 per cent annually between 2016 and 2022. This is higher than the projected growth of the global economy and the ASEAN-5 group (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand).

In terms of FDI, Vietnam is among the few countries in the ASEAN to consistently witness positive FDI growth in recent years. Its share of the total FDI inflows into the region increased from 7 per cent in 2010 to 12 per cent in 2016, ranking only behind Singapore.

Vietnam also possesses other demographic advantages such as a large workforce (second-largest in the ASEAN) and a fast-growing middle-income population. In fact, Vietnam is projected to lead the ASEAN in terms of growth of per-capita spending by the middle 60 per cent of the population, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.1 per cent between 2016 and 2021.

What are Vietnams challenges in maintaining its position as a rising star in the region?

Vietnams trade-to-GDP ratio has continuously increased over the past years and reached 200 per cent in 2017, according to the World Bank. This indicates that Vietnams economic growth is heavily dependent on international trade. The key problem is that most Vietnamese businesses are only engaging in the final stages of manufacturing such as assembly or exporting agricultural products either raw or with low processing. Low value added is still the biggest challenge for many businesses.

High-value stages such as design or manufacturing of core components, spare parts, and materials are still largely located outside Vietnam. Vietnamese enterprises are not yet ready to get involved in these processes due to a lack of skills and management capacity, low technology levels, and limited access to finances. This will pose a high risk, since Vietnams competitive edge lies in its comparatively low production costs. As this advantage diminishes, foreign investment will likely flow out of Vietnam.

In addition, statistics show that Vietnam has yet to make best use of regional value chains. 90 per cent of Vietnams total export value in 2016 was earned from trade with non-ASEAN countries, while only 10 per cent was thanks to intra-ASEAN trade. Such dependence on global value chains makes Vietnam more susceptible to risks from trade wars.

What strategies should Vietnamese businesses implement to overcome these barriers?

Many Vietnamese companies have made efforts to participate more strongly in the regional value chains by actively partnering with foreign businesses, researching demands in new markets, and seeking out new opportunities. However, in my opinion, the key task is to strengthen the internal capacity of the business across three main factors: technology, talent, and governance.

According to PwCs Global CEO Survey 2016, technological change is the global megatrend that will drive the greatest transformation in the way businesses operate in the near future. Technology has a direct impact on every aspect of the business model, from strategy, operations, customer engagement, and personnel to compliance. In Vietnam, businesses should focus on automating production processes and digitally transforming systems, and start to explore emerging technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution such as the Internet of Things, blockchain, and artificial intelligence.

Parallel to technology, talent is an equally critical investment to be made. Companies will not succeed if they lack the right people who know how to effectively use new technologies. This is of concern to many businesses around the world, not just in Vietnam, as 80 per cent of CEOs participating in PwCs Global CEO Survey 2018 said they worried about the supply of key skills needed for the digital age in their countries. Either through recruitment or training, companies need a workforce that can operate automated tools, possesses data analytics skills, and is fluent in soft skills that technology cannot replace, such as creative thinking, emotional intelligence, persuasion, and more.

The two elements of talent and technology also lay the foundation for businesses to innovate and actively capture chances to step into higher value-added functions.

As businesses grow in scale and complexity and forge stronger connections with foreign partners, they will need to pay more attention to governance. Corporate governance is based on the separation of management and ownership of the business. It refers to the structures and processes for the direction and control of the company. It serves to help co-ordinate the relationships between multiple stakeholders, not just within the company, but also externally. Good governance will help businesses gain transparency, better prevent and respond to risks, and build trust with stakeholders, thereby improving their ability to access capital.

What is the role of the government in this process?

The government plays an essential role in laying out directions and policies, improving the business environment, and making investments in areas that the private sector lacks the necessary resources to invest in. In addition, the government should push for more public-private partnerships, especially in education and training, in order to develop digital skills for the workforce.

In terms of international co-operation, besides implementing free trade agreements with non-ASEAN partners, the government should continue promoting intra-ASEAN trade and investment. That way, Vietnam will be able to make greater use of the supply chains and business ecosystem of this dynamic region. The proactiveness of corporates, coupled with support from the government, will provide steady ground for businesses to raise their internal strength and access new growth opportunities in the region and the world at large.PwC Vietnam's general director shared her expert views with the audience at the Vietnam, Business Summit 2018

Growth in ASEAN

David Wijeratne

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a unique achievement considering the regional conflicts and poverty which characterised the region in the first half of the 20th century.

The ASEANs remarkable growth journey to become the worlds sixth-largest economy has been powered by its people, with the establishment of a formidable labour force and the subsequent creation of a wealthier middle class which has driven domestic consumption.

Challenges to ASEANs growth

However, against this backdrop, questions have been raised about the sustainability of the ASEAN growth story. Global economic growth has slowed in recent years and this has impacted all markets across the ASEAN. GDP growth in Singapore (or the developed ASEAN) dropped below the global average to 2.0 per cent in 2016 and in the emerging part of the ASEAN (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam), growth fell to 4.9 per cent, after a 6.9-per-cent high in 2010. The Fourth Industrial Revolution also threatens employment and disposable incomes in the short term at least, if its adoption is not managed responsibly by both governments and companies. This challenge will be felt throughout the region and countries such as Thailand are acting on it in earnest. Furthermore, an over-dependence on external trade partners, stagnating productivity growth, an ageing population, and a lack of infrastructure are also significant challenges to the ASEANs future prosperity.

Time to Act

From a regional perspective, in order to offset the risk emanating from the rising dependence on external partners, intra-ASEAN trade needs to be enhanced by strengthening regional co-operation, especially by reducing non-tariff trade barriers which reached a high of 5,975 in 2015. A reduction in Technical Barriers to Trade measures would need to be prioritised in order to improve the extent of intra-regional co-operation within the ASEAN going forward, especially norms related to the discriminatory treatment of certain products, discrepancies in standards across markets, and the lack of transparency in assessment procedures.

Whilst regional co-operation is important to the ASEANs continued growth, each individual country has its challenges. In this context, we see five categories of markets emerging across the ASEAN based on their current economic position and pace of demographic transition.

The first category is the ageing high-income markets of Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, where the growing fiscal burden of an ageing population is accompanied by a reduction in working-age population.

ICT adoption and skill development, especially within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will be central to improving productivity.

Our second category is the ageing middle-income markets of Malaysia and Thailand. Here, enabling structural shifts towards higher value-added activities in production will be key to remaining competitive amidst a rapidly disappearing labour cost advantage.

Vietnam stands on its own as an ageing low-income market, facing higher socio-economic growth pressures associated with population ageing at lower income levels.

Policy interventions, such as addressing talent gaps through inward migration, and long-term reforms targeted at improving labour force participation of women and older age groups, will be key to reducing the impact of ageing across the countries in the three ageing categories. Healthcare infrastructure and skill development will also need to be strengthened, coupled with investments in physical and digital connectivity infrastructure.

Indonesia and the Philippines make up the younger mid-income markets category, and are at an early-dividend stage, as they are projected to record among the largest additions in working-age population in the ASEAN in the coming years. Sustainable long-term growth will depend on their capacity to exploit the demographic dividend to their advantage  by focusing not only on the quantity, but also on the quality of jobs being created, fostering entrepreneurship, and adopting new digital solutions. Our final category is the younger low-income markets of Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, with the youngest populations in the region and a workforce which is expected to grow by 14 million by 2050. Job creation needs to take priority and reforms to foreign direct investment levels will be key to realising this objective. Digital adoption will help deliver access to basic services such as healthcare, education, and financial services that will improve social well-being and strengthen the human capital needed for growth.

Finding new strategies

The ASEAN Secretariat and individual governments will need the support of the business community to drive the regions growth. Just as governments will need new reform agendas, companies will also need to adopt more innovative strategies to promote and achieve growth. In our The Future of ASEAN report, we identify new strategies for growth across seven sectors.

There are a number of common themes to these new strategies, such as localised production and the development of regional hubs to serve ASEAN consumers, as well as the adoption of digital capabilities to produce and transport goods, and serve and communicate with consumers. Partnerships and alliances together with vertical integration will also play a more significant role, particularly cross-sector and with industry disruptors, as companies try to stay relevant and competitive, and meet consumer expectations in a profitable manner.

Automakers looking to establish a bigger foothold in the region can look to increase localisation more holistically  in sourcing, manufacturing, sales, and research and development. This will offer greater competitiveness, more localised products, and differentiation. Hurdles, such as a lack of scale due to lower demand, can be addressed by entering a region in partnership and through sharing manufacturing platforms.

In financial services, key challenges include limited financial access, a largely cash-based society, and the low usage of value-added services. Banks can look to bridge these gaps by building capabilities in digital financial services, specifically in digital on-boarding driving financial inclusion, introducing QR scanning capabilities to reduce merchant infrastructure gaps, developing automated financial advice applications to expand wealth management towards the emerging middle class, and in developing alternative lending platforms to bridge SME credit gaps.

Consumer goods companies have a significant opportunity to grow across the ASEAN by leveraging digital capabilities to connect directly with consumers to inform and influence purchasing habits, to employ greater efficiencies across their supply chains, and to collaborate with e-commerce and e-payment players. This involves a holistic review of their operating model, not just from a marketing and sales channel perspective.

Medical device companies have an important role in the ASEAN to improve the access, affordability, and quality of healthcare within the region. Instead of using a hand-me-down approach, companies should look to build customised and affordable devices for the market. They should get closer to the customer to understand patient needs, have a more local presence, and encourage local innovation. In this regard, medical device companies should look to work with both the public and private sector to provide care through alternative models in lower-cost settings, such as home care, and further embrace technology, such as mobility, Big Data, and artificial intelligence, in their current product portfolio.

The refining sector remains underdeveloped in most markets in the ASEAN, and limited production capacity and utilisation challenges are pushing the need for additional investments for new construction and plant upgrades. Integration of refining units with petrochemical plants is a key strategy that promises significant revenue and cost upside in the ASEAN region.

ASEAN telecommunications companies must pick the growth opportunities where they have a competitive edge and focus their strategy on these. In the consumer segment, telecom companies can monetise the flood of data running through their networks by developing advertising platforms, whereas in the enterprise segment, they have the opportunity to address the gap in the IT-as-a-Service market and build Internet of Things capabilities, which can support an ecosystem of cross-sector businesses to enhance their connectivity to the 630 million consumers across the ASEAN.

And finally, with regards to transportation, airlines and ocean liners operate in vastly different industries, but both face stronger global competition and pressure on pricing, which makes it difficult to capture rising opportunities in the ASEAN. Collaboration across adjacent sectors can play a part in addressing rising competition and operational complexities. By collaborating with railways to extend additional spokes in the network of services, airlines will be able to maintain a share in the growing short- to mid-haul routes, better serve the region despite its air restrictions, and at the same time better utilise their aircraft for more profitable routes. Meanwhile, a collaboration between ocean liners and terminals helps to consolidate their influence and capture opportunities in major economic centres, secure shipping demand and terminal availability with dedicated berths or prioritised ports of call, and streamline land-side efficiency. Analytics are also anticipated to be a critical enabler in transportation, not only in addressing the pressures on pricing, but also in improving operational efficiency.

The ASEAN can be proud of what it has achieved in the past 50 years, but the time of passive growth is over. Global trade and consumer markets are evolving, and the ASEAN and its individual nations need to acknowledge this and proactively develop business environments which are conducive to local production, intra-ASEAN trade, and serving local consumers. This will take time, and so companies looking to grow across the region need to be equally proactive and innovative in developing and executing strategies which will fulfil the potential of the region.

By David Wijeratne ,Growth Markets Centre leader, PwCVSIP Quang Ngai has become a reliable and friendly location for investors in Quang Ngai

VSIP held its ground-breaking ceremony in Tinh Phong commune, Son Tinh sistrict of Quang Ngai province in September 2013. Covering a total area of 1,700 hectares, the park has successfully developed into a modern and green township and industrial park with complete infrastructure for local and foreign investors.

Situated in the expanded Dung Quat economic zone, VSIP Quang Ngai offers various incentives for investors. Import duties on materials, raw materials, semi-finished products which cannot be domestically made shall be exempted for the first five years of production at the project. Meanwhile, there is also import duty exemption for machines, equipment, and transportation vehicles with more than 24 seats that are imported to form fixed assets for a project.

In addition, VSIP tenants can enjoy a corporate income tax of 10 per cent for 15 years after projects become operational, a four-year corporate income tax exemption after they produce taxable income and a 50 per cent tax reduction in the nine following years.

With regards to administrative procedures, VSIP Quang Ngai provides one-stop business services to facilitate tenants with a smooth investment startup as well as helps them tackle issues relating to business, construction, resources, environment, labour and immigration.

By virtue of its strategic location, VSIP Quang Ngai is well-connected with the neighbouring areas through National Highway 1A, railways, and waterways, thereby facilitating the flow of import and export commodities. The recent launch of the Danang-Quang Ngai Expressway in September also improves traffic connectivity from the park to deep sea ports and international airports.

At present, VSIP Quang Ngai has attracted 19 tenants with a total registered capital of $382.6 million, operating in the fields of footwear, textile, food and beverage, mechanics, and furniture. Nine projects are currently operational and have created more than 6,700 jobs for local residents and experts. Once fully operational, 19 projects are projected to generate around 27,500 jobs.

Xindadong Textiles and Properwell Vietnam are among the first wholly-owned foreign companies in VSIP Quang Ngai. Xindadong Textiles is specialised in high-end knitting yarn and colour yarn and high-end denim fabrics. The products are exported to Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. In 2017, the company achieved a total output of 16,800 tonnes and earned over VND1.131 trillion ($43.63 million) in revenue.

Meanwhile, Properwell Vietnam is a producer of womens leather shoes. In 2017, the company recorded an output of 1 million pairs of shoes with an export turnover of $11 million and revenue of over VND420 billion ($18.06 million).

Over the past five years, VSIP Quang Ngai has been actively involved in charity and community programmes with the donation of VND2.7 billion ($309,600) for the province. VSIP Quang Ngais public library project has created a favourite reading space for young readers and residents from the park and nearby areas. Meanwhile, the Sembcorp-VSIP Water Initiative has provided clean water purification systems to local schoolchildren and residents in the province. At the end of 2017, VSIP Quang Ngai also offered Tet gifts as well as built 25 houses worth VND1 billion ($43,000) for disadvantaged families in the flood-affected areas to help them settle down and overcome challenges.

After 22 years since its inception in Binh Duong, VSIP has developed nine projects in six localities across the country. VSIP has become a reliable and business-friendly destination for investors, in addition to driving a value-added economic transformation in the localities.

Moreover, VSIP Quang Ngai has made significant contributions to the growth of Quang Ngai over the past five years, propelling industrial, service, and urban development, generating employment for the locals and contributing to the local budget. These achievements underscore VSIPs long-term commitments to Quang Ngai and help the province become a modern industrial locality by 2020.You have permission to edit this article.

Edit CloseOn 9 March 2018, the Lebanese police arrested the Turkish citizen Ayten Ozturk at the international airport Rafiq Hariri (Beirut, Lebanon), when she was making her way to Greece.

On 13 March, the Minister for Home Affairs, Nohad Machnouk, secretly referred her to the Turkish equivalent of the CIA or MI5 (Milli Istihbarat Teskilat (MIT), bypassing the judicial process for extradition.

Mr Machnouk is a member of the Current of the Future (Hariris party).

Ayten Ozturk is a journalist who opposes the government. Her two brothers have already died prison in Turkey. She was living as an exile in Syria. Turkey had offered 600 00o.oo for her capture.

Ayten Ozturk has been tortured for a long time. She has been submitted to electroshocks, blows to the soles her feet, being suspended by her arms for long periods of time, simulated execution...). All this continually for six moths by a counter-guerrilla unit. It is unclear if she was conscious at the time and under the influence of hallucinatory drugs. She was later found on 28 August 2018 quite by chance in a cell of the department of Political Police at Ankara.

On 5 April 2018, the Turkish Vice Prime Minister, Bekir Bozdag, declared on Haberturk TV that MIT had already managed to catch 80 citizens in 18 countries.Autism Workshop for GHA Staff

Autism Support Gibraltar, in conjunction with the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA), held an Autism workshop on Friday the 14th September, where they delivered a series of talks to frontline staff at the Primary Care Centre.

The workshop was also held for staff at St Bernards Hospital on the 12th September and was part of an ongoing initiative, started by the GHA and the Advocacy Council for Service Users with Additional Needs.

The Advocacy Council is formed of representatives of various associations and support groups, who advocate for members of our community who live with different conditions and who have additional needs in their day-to-day life. The GHA regularly meets with the Council to identify areas within our Health and Care services which may be improved to better cater for persons with additional needs.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a range of conditions which affects the persons social skills, speech, non-verbal communication and how they experience the world around them. There is not one form of autism, but many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences. The term spectrum reflects the wide variation in challenges and strengths possessed by each person with autism. Autisms most-obvious signs tend to appear in young children aged between 2 and 3; however, it can be diagnosed as early as 18 months. Autism is a common condition. Statistics indicate that there are 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the United Kingdom alone. While there is no cure for the condition, the right support at the right time can have great benefits.

Mr Kevin Manasco, Chairperson for Autism Support Gibraltar said: Autism Support Gibraltar are extremely pleased to have been able to organise and offer these workshops to both the staff at the Hospital and PCC, as it widens their understanding and offers advice on how to deal with individuals on the spectrum. These sessions are invaluable and we will endeavour to try and make life easier for those on the spectrum and their families by coming up with similar initiatives in the future. ASG would like to thank the GHA and Minister Costa for their support towards our workshops.

Clinical Nurse Manager for Primary Care, Mrs Suzanne Romero said: We are delighted to have a very experienced health care professional in Autism, deliver these talks to our members of staff. It is important we all develop a better understanding on Autism.

The Minister for Health, Care and Justice, the Hon Neil F. Costa MP, addressed the attendees prior to the workshops commencement. He added: I would like to thank the members of the Autism Support Gibraltar for working with our teams at the GHA to organise the workshop. The talks will be invaluable to our staff at the Primary Care Centre, to help them better understand the challenges faced by persons with Autism and their loved ones, and learn what they can do to help overcome, or better deal with, some of these challenges. I would also like to extend my thanks to all the Advocacy Council members for their important contributions since its formation  I very much look forward to our next meeting.Garcia Calls for Sensible, Orderly and Well-Managed Brexit

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia has said that a sensible, an orderly and a well-managed Brexit is not only in the interests of Gibraltar, it is also in the best interests of Spain itself. The protection of citizens should be the most important aspect of Brexit.

Dr Garcia was speaking as a panelist together with delegates from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland during a meeting at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton.

The Deputy Chief Minister declared that the impact of Brexit on Gibraltar, the Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies was not properly considered in the debate at the time of the 2016 referendum. This has meant that the different interests of a disparate number of British territories must now be taken on board as we prepare to leave the European Union.

The Deputy Chief Minister explained that, unlike the Devolved Administrations, Gibraltar was British but was not part of the United Kingdom. Gibraltar had therefore enjoyed a differentiated relationship with the European Union since 1973.

It made sense for Gibraltar to pursue a tailor-made solution as we prepare to leave the European Union because that is the relationship we enjoy at present.

The Deputy Chief Minister explained that the UK would be ultimately responsible for three different land borders with the EU. These were the Northern Ireland border with the Irish Republic, the border between the sovereign bases and Cyprus and the border between Gibraltar and Spain. He explained the importance of frontier fluidity for all sides post-Brexit.

Dr Garcia made the point that the United Kingdom and Gibraltar had engaged with EU Member States as we prepared to leave the European Union. This included discussions with Spain, as our nearest EU neighbour, over a series of different issues. These EU-exit negotiations were progressing well but had not yet concluded.

The room was packed to capacity with an audience that included politicians and diplomats who were keen to achieve a better understanding of the impact of Brexit on the Devolved Administrations and on Gibraltar.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Tom Brake MP, ended with a lively question and answer session.Rose McGowan and Asia Argento. Photo: Getty Images

In mid-August, the New York Times reported that Italian actress and #MeToo advocate Asia Argento had reached a deal to pay a former co-star  Jimmy Bennett  who accused her of sexually assaulting him as a minor. Shortly after, Argentos fellow-activist and Harvey Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan released a statement addressing the report, in which she said that text messages purporting to contradict Argentos denial of the allegation had been handed over to police by the person she was dating, Rain Dove. On Monday, Argento issued a threat: McGowan must retract her statement within 24 hours or face legal action.

Dear @RoseMcGowan. It is with genuine regret that I am giving you 24 hours to retract and apologize for the horrendous lies you made against me in your statement of August 27th, Argento wrote on Twitter. If you fail to address this libel I will have no other option than to take immediate action.

Dear @RoseMcGowan. It is with genuine regret that I am giving you 24 hours to retract and apologise for the horrendous lies made against me in your statement of August 27th. If you fail to address this libel I will have no option other than to take immediate legal action.  Asia Argento (@AsiaArgento) September 17, 2018

In August, New York Times reported that Argento had reached a deal to pay $380,000 to actor Jimmy Bennett, now 22 and her former co-star from the 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. Bennett had accused Argento of sexually assaulting him in a California hotel room when he was 17 years old and she was 37. (The age of consent in California is 18.) In a statement released after the report was published, Argento strongly denied the allegations. However, she did admit to agreeing to pay Bennett, claiming her late boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, had orchestrated the deal out of compassion for Bennett.

But in the days following Argentos denial, text messages and pictures that seemed to contradict her denial began to circulate. On August 27, McGowan issued a statement about the texts, saying that they had been exchanged between Argento and Rain Dove, a gender-non-conforming activist and model. The statement reads, in part:

I received a phone call and series of messages from the being Ive been dating- Rain Dove. They said that they had been texting with Asia and that Asia had revealed that she had indeed slept with Jimmy Bennet. Rain also shared that Asia had stated that shed been receiving unsolicited nudes of Jimmy since he had been 12. Asia mentioned in these texts that she didnt take any action on those images. No reporting to authorities, to the parents, or blocking of Jimmys social media. Not even a simple message Dont send me these images. They are inappropriate. There were a few other details revealed as well that I am not at liberty to mention in this statement as investigators do their job.

2. @rosemcgowan has released a lengthy statement in response to the allegations against Asia Argento.



The last bit: "Do the right thing. Be honest. Be fair. Let justice stay its course. Be the person you wish Harvey could have been." pic.twitter.com/swAbuCFtX2  Yashar Ali  (@yashar) August 27, 2018

Dove later released a statement as well, confirming that the text messages were theirs and that they had released the messages to police. Dove said in a statement:

I would also like to address allegations that Jimmy Bennet extorted Asia Argento by saying simply- keep both actions separate. They are two different accusations and all victims of a crime deserve justice. All guilty parties must be honest. I would also like to state that the case between HW and Asia Argento is separate from Jimmy Bennets case and that Asia deserves the same respect in that case that Jimmy should receive in this one. Their choice to lie to the NYT does not mean that they are lying about HW. Their accounts for that case should be held separately and fairly.

Argento has issued no further statement beyond her tweet at this time. We will update this post if more information becomes available.Helen DeWitts The Last Samurai. Photo: Courtesy of the publisher

Ask a set of writers and critics to select books for a new canon, and it shouldnt come as a shock that the one most of them name is a novel about the nature of genius. It is also, more precisely, a novel about universal human potential.

Like many epics, Helen DeWitts The Last Samurai charts the education of its hero and proceeds by means of a quest narrative. A boy undertakes rigorous training and goes in search of his father. What makes it a story of our time is that the boy lives in an insufficiently heated London flat with a single mother. What makes it singular is that his training begins at age 4, when he starts to learn ancient Greek, before quickly moving on to Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, Japanese, Finnish, etc. Thats not to mention his acquisition of mathematics, physics, art history, music, and an eccentric taste for tales of world exploration.

Is this boy, Ludo, a genius? Sibylla, his mother, is of two minds about it. She recognizes that shes done something out of the ordinary by teaching the kid The Iliad so young, following the example of J.S. Mill, who did Greek at age 3. She knows hes a Boy Wonder and she encourages him in every way to follow his omnivorous instincts. But she also believes that the problem with everybody else  literally everybody else  is that they havent been properly taught and have gone out of their way, most of the time, to avoid difficult things, like thinking. Otherwise wed be living in a world of Ludos.

So a novel that appears on the surface to be elitist  concerned as it is with great works of art, scientific achievement, and excellence generally  is actually profoundly anti-elitist at its core. DeWitts novel is infused with the belief that any human mind is capable of feats we tend to associate with genius. But the novels characters, especially Sibylla, are aware that youthful talent can be thwarted at any turn. She knows it happened to her parents  a teenage-whiz father who was accepted to Harvard but made to go to seminary by his Christian father; and a musical prodigy mother who never went back to Juilliard for a second audition  and to herself. Whatever the world had in store for Sibylla changed forever the night Ludo was conceived.

The Last Samurai strives to take in the whole world from the vantage point of material deprivation. Most of the book takes place on two floors of an unrepaired house Sibylla rents for 150 a month, and she pays the rent by typing up  digitizing, wed say nowadays  the archives of obscure magazines for a paltry hourly wage: a bullshit job from the early days of the New Economy, already obsolete. DeWitts stroke of comic brilliance is to combine the pathetic and parodic in Sibyllas efforts at survival as Ludo diligently ploughs through the epics of world literature. Because they cant afford to heat their flat they spend winter days on the Tube; endless revolutions on the Circle Line where bystanders remark on the oddity of a little boy reading Homer in the original. Sibylla tabulates how often they say itll be good for his vocabulary or that itll screw him up, without ever saying how marvelous it is to read the Odyssey in Greek at whatever age.

That art and knowledge, achievement and adventure, are worthy things in and of themselves, not just as a means of attaining capital or worldly status  this is the idea that anchors The Last Samurai and motivates Sibyllas education of Ludo and his quest to find his true father (not his biological father, whom he finds and discards). Its a quest thats also part of his constant process of becoming (a hero whose quest ends, were told, turns into a villain). The cramped spaces of the first half of the novel open up into a series of narratives about Ludos potential fathers that encompass the globe and deliver a set of moral lessons.

The Last Samurai is, in a few ways, an instruction manual. It contains an ethics of living and learning, but it also attempts to tell its readers how to learn and to show them that they can learn things that they might have thought beyond their grasp. DeWitt told me this in 2016 when I interviewed her for this magazine, and I didnt quite understand what she meant until I returned to it this summer. Part of the reason might have been that I studied ancient Greek in college and had ignored how subtle her treatment of Ludos Greek education is, the way that shes also trying to instruct the reader in the rudiments of the Greek language (as well as Japanese, Finnish, and Icelandic). You, too, can learn Greek! the novel insists.

What is the value of these things? They open Ludos mind to the wider world, to many cultures, and to the expanse of time. They also give him the sense that there are other selves within him that he only need unlock. Things are different for Sibylla, who is stuck with her son and her drudgery. For her, culture, knowledge, and other languages are an escape, fleeting but always available. Mother and son watch a video cassette of Akira Kurosawas Seven Samurai dozens, perhaps hundreds, of times over the course of the novel  the idea is that a masterpiece is inexhaustible in what it can show us about the world.

The Last Samurai is another such masterpiece. Its an accident of recent history that its taken the culture some time to realize it. Initial critical reaction was mixed, with the negative reviews bending toward the anti-intellectual. There was a sense that she was as ambitious as writers coming out around the same time  Zadie Smith, David Foster Wallace, Dave Eggers, Michael Chabon  but her novel was never easily subsumed in one of the days critical categories, like James Woods hysterical realism. Still, the book became something like a cult favorite, passed around between friends, which is how I got my first copy. Belated appraisals by Daniel Mendelsohn (a classicist) and Jenny Turner turned the tide, as did the warm reception accorded DeWitts long-delayed second novel, Lightning Rods (2011), a dark comedy of an entirely different (but equally original) nature. DeWitt published her first novel in her early forties, later than we expect our geniuses to emerge; remained an outsider to New York and London publishing; and has famously tangled with the industry, to her own mental and financial distress, but also to the detriment of the culture. If ever an author deserved a MacArthur genius grant, its her.

As Ludo could tell you, worldly success or obscurity is beside the point when it comes to the greatness of a book like The Last Samurai. On the other hand, the lives of artists, their triumphs, and their defeats constitute much of the books subject matter, with Ludo, Sibylla, and the boys true father all more or less coded as artists themselves. Another of the novels big ideas is that there are no limits on the possibility of artistic achievement. That may be the best reason to say its not too soon to declare The Last Samurai a canonical work: It drinks deeply in the canon while at the same time renewing it. And thats why, DeWitt once told me, she quit her career as a classicist at Oxford to become a writer: There are so many things that have never been done.

*A version of this article appears in the September 17, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!He wants the throne. Photo: Film Frame/Marvel Studios 2018

It was bound to happen. Honestly, its surprising it didnt happen sooner. After the wild cineplex success of this Februarys Black Panther, it was only a matter of time before Marvel decided to capitalize on the acclaim for its unsettlingly sympathetic antagonist, Erik Killmonger. The character has been tyrannizing his way through the Marvel Comics universe since his early-1970s debut at the hands of writer Don McGregor and artist Rich Buckler, but has never had his own series. That changes this December with the first issue of a five-part mini-series, appropriately titled Killmonger. It will chronicle the tale of how a Wakandan named NJadaka, forcibly exiled to the United States, went from being a bitter genius to a full-blown supervillain with a memorable nom de guerre. Green Arrow artist Juan Ferreyra will be on penciling duties, and the writing credit will go to Detective Comics and The Wild Storm: Michael Cray scribe Bryan Edward Hill. We caught up with Hill to talk about how the series came to be, what we might learn about Killmonger, and how going to a gun range influenced his approach to the book.

How did the project come together?

[Editor] Wil [Moss] reached out to me and asked me if had any thoughts about doing a Killmonger mini-series that was an origin of sorts of the character, and I thought that was pretty interesting. But what I told him was, I didnt want to do something that people would expect. I didnt want to just recap what we had heard in his mythology. I wanted to explore the choices and the failures that lead a person to dedicate their life to revenge, and how that happens. Because with Erik, I feel like its really a tragedy. Its a story of a guy who was failed a lot by Wakanda in certain ways, by the people he met outside of Wakanda, by his own conscience in other ways, and I wanted to paint a portrait of that. Because to me the iconic fight between Erik Killmonger and TChalla is tragic. Its something that shouldnt happen. Its a conflict thats borne from a tragic misunderstanding and a young man who was violently taken from his home. He grew up in exile and had only his anger to nurture him. So by the time we get to the event of the waterfall [fight between Killmonger and TChalla in Don McGregors run], it doesnt read hero and villain to me as much as, the world failed. So I wanted to explore it from that context, and I wanted to explore the thoughts and the feelings of a person exiled from his homeland, from his belief system, whos using revenge as a guiding light. Getting into the series, youll see a bit of the Wakandan spiritualism and how hes wrestling with what he knows to be true in a spiritual sense, but also hes wrestling with what he desires in the moment, which is sanguine revenge. Hopefully readers will get to see new dimensions of the character, and the story will take them into pretty unexpected places.

Cover for Killmonger No. 1. Photo: Marvel Entertainment / Juan Ferreyra

I presume you went back to the original Don McGregor stories for inspiration. What did you find there?

I certainly looked at Don McGregors stuff. I also looked at Evan Narcisses recent work on Rise of the Black Panther, because Erik is in that as well. For me, really, research starts in the real world. I had to get into the mind-set of a guy like Erik, whos been that comfortable with violence for that long. So Ive got friends of mine who were in difficult situations that like. Some of them are criminals; some of them are not. I would just consult with them and ask them what their days felt like. Like when you just committed something horrible, when youve just done an act of violence, whats it like the morning after? Whats it like the day of? When you believe in a gun and its ability to keep you safe and execute your will, what is that belief like? Whats it like to know that youre a hunted person and to live your life? How do you forge relationships? Thats really a lot of what the research was for me. Yes, it was reading the comics, but Im not really a fan of reading comics to write comics. I do it, but its only an element of my work. Because otherwise youre just going to wind up with a reflection of previous things, and I think its important for readers to be able to go to the undiscovered country of these characters motivations. I have some familiarity with violence myself. I came from difficult circumstances in a lot of ways. I went to a gun range. The first thing I did, after I decided to go ahead and do it was, I need to use what Erik uses. I need to understand his relationship. Theres a gun range not too far from me. I went there and I just started firing off some weapons until I got comfortable with it, until I got used to the pound of the gunpowder, till I got in sync with the tool. Then you could put yourself in that space. You could see the world through someones eyes like that. I tend to do weird research things. Im a weird guy. [Laughs.]

We havent actually even gone into the plot of the book. What can you tell me about the setup and the approach of the story?

I can say that the events of the stories for the most part begin with Erik graduating from MIT. Like all stories, it begins with him having a fork in the road in front of him. Hes a young man who could have a successful and peaceful life if he could just put away his desire for revenge. In this case hes really focused on [villain Ulysses] Klaw and the men that took him from Wakanda, and also punishing Wakanda itself for its failures. We begin the story with him making that choice to step away from one potential future and step into another that speaks to more of his darker nature. For me, thats what a tragedy is, really. Something isnt tragic unless you can see a way that it could have worked out better. Like, you have to watch Hamlet and think, He could have done this without dying. It was possible. Or Othello is a better example. If he had just talked to Michael Cassio, then we could have avoided the end of that play. I think about Eriks story the same way. I see him as a tragic figure, whether youre talking about Othello or youre talking about Anakin Skywalker. Its about a fall of a person that should have been something much better than what he wound up being, and the story is about how he winds up in that place. But because we are watching him evolve and readers arent going to encounter an Erik from the beginning of the story that is the Killmonger that we identify with Black Panther. We have to get him to that place. We do that through a little bit of adventure in New York where some cool characters will make their way into the story that I dont think people would normally expect in a Killmonger story, but Im really excited to write them. We go overseas and eventually we take him back to Wakanda. Issue by issue, you are chronicling the fall of Erik Killmonger, and thats the goal.

The Black Panther movie featured a Killmonger with a largely reimagined backstory and motivation. But were there any aspects of the way that the character was written in the film and performed by Michael B. Jordan that left an impact on you?

Yeah, certainly. What Jordan and [writer-director Ryan] Coogler did was motivate him in a way thats relatable. Hes really like an aggressive evolution of militancy, and there is certainly a political motivation to his actions: the justification of extremity in the face of adversity, which is a question that you wrestle with. When you think about the world of my grandmother and I think about the world of my mother, I can understand how one would come to the conclusion that thats the only way through, is war, and thats what has to be done. The aspects of Erik being a soldier in his own cause that I took away from the film were certainly important to the narrative. For me, Jordans performance is remarkable because even in his philosophy you can see that hes still wounded. Hes a person justifying himself with his anger. And anger is always fear in disguise. Any time you see anger, youre really looking at fear. Erik, in the movie, to me, was a character who was very afraid. He was afraid of not belonging to anything, of being a man with no nation, whos afraid of not being able to live up to the Wakandan standard, of being the bastard son of Wakanda. The feelings of inadequacy led him into this unending desire for violent proof that he wasnt that, that he wasnt the bastard, that he deserved the right. Those emotions certainly play a part in that way. In a lot of ways those are universal emotions. Weve all felt that way at some point in our lives. We just didnt dedicate our entire life to nurturing it while trying to destroy our feelings simultaneously. So everything plays a part. Its an amalgam of forces, I think, what Im doing, but its also through my perspective. Its all me interpreting those things and trying to tell a story that makes the most sense to me, that is the most true to who I am as a writer.

Did you find yourself being seduced by Killmongers logic while you were researching and writing the story?

Not particularly, because Im well past my angry young man phase.

Okay, good.

I can identify with it, for sure. I can recognize the moments in which I would have subscribed to those thoughts and ideas. But Im beyond that now. I have a little maturity and perspective and experience thats taught me that if you walk down a path of violence and anger and rage, then that will be the world you create around yourself, and you cannot burn as a candle very long in that world. I do want it to feel true, though, to people, and I want people to identify with that character and maybe those feelings so that, as hes wrestling with them, theyre wrestling with them, as well. In a lot of ways, people like Erik are people that if they could have just met one kind person that could have understood them, then the story would be different. But we dont all have Uncle Ben. We all dont have those influences. Sometimes characters with potential and power and brilliance and rage, they dont have someone to put a hand on their shoulder and tell them, With great power comes great responsibility. They dont have a hand on their shoulder at all. I think Erik is one of those characters in the Marvel universe that probably fell through the cracks, unfortunately.

Tell me about working with Juan Ferreyra.

Oh, hes brilliant. Hes really inventive about how hes approaching the storytelling on the page, which I admire. Because for me, I read a lot of Marvel Comics growing up, but I was really a fan of the graphic novels, the pieces that were unique and very personal to the creators, works like Batman: The Dark Knight Returns or Arkham Asylum, even [Frank] Millers run on Daredevil or his Wolverine work, that kind of stuff. Those are the books that I read that set off little explosions in my mind and my heart. You had those moments when youre reading a comic, at least I did when I was growing up, where youre reading a comic book and youre having such a powerful experience that you look up around you because youre certain that other people can hear whats going on inside of you while youre reading this book, because youre being transported to a whole other place, like lines of prose find themselves in your memory. Juans work reminds me of that work, the way that he renders emotion, the way that he does his panel layouts. Hes expressive. Theres so much intent in creating this textured world and his artwork. Its really a joy to see him interpret the script. And thats really what hes doing. Thats the process that I like: I write a script, and then an artist interprets that script and tells that story visually. I dont like to dictate to an artist like, It has to be this. I need to see this from this angle, and all of that. I love it when Im working with an artist who also wants to think about interesting ways to do things and create art that sometimes makes my words superfluous, so Ill go back and Im like, You know what? I dont need this line now because look at that image. We have a great relationship. I really enjoy working with him. What I would like to let readers know is they should expect the unexpected with this. If they think that they know who Erik Killmonger is, they will be surprised by the aspects of this story. Theres everything here. Theres a little bit of a love story that we get into that Im really excited about. I can say that much. There are aspects of this character that I think will reframe a lot of peoples experience with the Black Panther universe, which is my hope.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.Spoiler Book Club A seasonal, nose-to-tail discussion of the book everyones been wanting to talk about for months. Photo: Vulture

Theres a lot to unpack and even more to savor in Severance, Ling Mas debut novel, which is greater than the sum of its many parts: apocalypse fiction, office satire, immigrant story, millennial bildungsroman, and love letter to a dying New York. Our heroine, Candace Chen, emigrated from China to Utah at the age of 6. Pushing 30, she returns occasionally  not to Utah or her native Fuzhou but to Shenzhen, where they manufacture the specialty bibles she produces for a midtown publisher. Shenzhen is also the source of Shen Fever, which starts turning everyone  except Candace and a handful of others  into zombies who, instead of eating brains, get stuck in an endless loop of their cherished routines until they die. As society crumbles, Candace clings to her routines, maintaining a blog called New York Ghost, but finally leaves to tag along with a cult run by a tech geek named Bob.

Thus far we havent spoiled much, but we will. Joining the discussion today  touching on late capitalism, model minorities, the evils and pleasures of routine, and dystopia  are Vulture staff writer Alex Jung, contributors Maris Kreizman and Hillary Kelly, the Cut editor Molly Fischer, and moderator Boris Kachka.

Alex: Good morning all! NY Ghost here.

Hillary: Pics to prove it, NYGhost.

Alex: My iPhone is broken sorryyyy.

Boris: Im not sure why every novel is not a dystopian novel now. Maybe the best ones are.

Maris: Theres definitely been an uptick in the market for dystopian books. This past year we had The Power, Red Clocks 

Hillary: Vox. They are mostly about women. We have been churning out the best post-apoc stuff lately.

Boris: Is that primarily what this is, or an office novel, coming of age? Is it wrong to even think of those strands separately?

Maris: I think the book loves being everything at once. A thing Ive loved about coming-of-age novels in 2018 is that they have been turned on their heads. Asymmetry  white girl has affair with famous author, and then suddenly the world is so much bigger. My Year of Rest and Relaxation  so narcissistic and petty, but then 9/11 happens. Severance is a part of this  an understanding that a coming-of-age story isnt enough.

Hillary: Severance is maybe a call to arms to other novelists? Like, telling them that they cant just stick to their genres now, that its all interconnected.

Anyone else read Station Eleven?

Maris: Yes! I was thinking about that a lot while reading this.

Hillary: I think Ma definitely had it in mind. Shes offering the millennial version. Like, would we really start up Shakespeare troupes after the apocalypse? Or would we watch Friends DVDs on repeat? And I am saying this as someone who thinks Station Eleven is one of the best books of the past 10 years.

Molly: What stays with me about Station Eleven is what a vividly scary job Emily St. John Mandel did of capturing how it would feel to realize civilization was crumbling around you. But it feels like by design Ma was not so interested in making this genuinely scary. Having a non-communicable disease as your plot device is such an anti-dramatic choice.

Hillary: In all the post-apoc novels, things come down with a boom. In Edan Lepuckis California, the economy just blows up. Here, things shut down so slowly. We literally get a stuck elevator.

Molly: The stuck elevator was a good moment. The recognition of all the societal mechanisms you take for granted to keep you safe.

Alex: I liked the slowness of this. I felt like it mirrored America at this moment.

Molly: Thinking back on events like blackouts or Hurricane Sandy, do you remember any sense of teetering on the brink? Like, Oh shit, what if this is much worse than I realize?

Hillary: I feel that way every day in D.C., Molly.

Alex: I think it was sort of like how Candace described  just enough disruption from the routine to be interesting.

Hillary: This whole book was my favorite Why I Left New York essay of all time.

Alex: Goodbye to All That Capitalism.

Maris: Is it a Why I Left New York essay if there are no New Yorkers left alive to read it?

Boris: But why does it take her so long to leave New York?

Hillary: Whats funny is that the fever makes people work through old routines again and again, but Candace  who isnt fevered  stays in New York to work through all her routines again and again. She stays, partially, because she feels like she is finally living up to her parents ideal of a success. And because she finally has the New York she always dreamed of. I mean, the MTA doesnt work anyway, so no loss there. But she is so gleeful about wandering without the crowds, the Frick, etc.

Boris: Hillary, you had an idea that nostalgia triggers Shen Fever, and Candace lacks it.

Alex: It does sound like she has nostalgia for a type of life  like her routines with her mom in Fuzhou.

Hillary: Well, the nostalgia she thinks triggers Shen Fever is very particular. Ashley only gets it in her own house. Bob only gets it in the mall. Its place-oriented. Salt Lake City holds nothing for her. Shes placeless. All that travel back and forth to Shenzhen for her job really dials that up. She doesnt feel connected to China, partially because China is no longer a distinct place.

Alex: Right, its become a simulacrum of the West in some ways.

Boris: The immigrant story felt both personal and familiar to me: pressure to succeed, a feeling of no return. How does this fit into the tradition of immigrant novels?

Hillary: Lately, theyve gotten so fantastical. Like the premise of Mohsin Hamids Exit West, in which people teleport between countries. Now that most immigrants (of course, excluding Syrians, et al.) dont have a dramatic transatlantic crossing, now that Lahore and Kansas City both have Starbucks, the focus needs to change. Its remarkable to read the differences between a novel like Colm Toibins Brooklyn, which I adored, and this one.

Alex: I do think there is something very Asian-American about the novel, which is something Ive been thinking about a lot lately  can it be a genre? Is it a sensibility?

Boris: What makes it that?

Alex: I think this feeling of placelessness really resonates with me  the movement back and forth  the loss of a home that youre not really sure that you had to begin with. So what does nostalgia mean in this case? And what does it mean for a person who isnt sure what the original referent is, whether its a childhood memory back in China or once youve moved to Utah. She doesnt belong when she goes back to China (but can fake it) and then in subtle ways is told she doesnt belong here (but can fake it).

Boris: I was put in mind of the model minority.

Alex: Yeah, her life as an extension of her parents that she has to make good on.

Hillary: Hence her staying in New York for the money.

Boris: Once it no longer has any value.

Maris: I was fascinated with the factors that went into Candaces job of producing bibles  how cheap labor was exploited.

Alex: Also, the deep irony that its a BIBLE. Its a product devoid of ethics like any other. When she thought about quitting, the thing that makes her decide not to is when she realizes that all the lingerie at Bendels is manufactured in the same way. Its purely about production and her job as a middle manager atop this chain of global capitalism. Our girl loves routine!

Hilary: I actually dont think Candace loves routine. I think she needs it. To keep herself from failing.

Maris: I dont know  the way she first describes her routine in NYC, when shes blogging  it seemed that she enjoyed that, legitimately.

Alex: The strongest emotional moments she had with her mom were tied to the sense of routine. I think she finds it grounding. And I think of Candaces baby as a way to get back to what she had with her mom. Thats sort of how I envision it. Like, Okay today were going to go stalk this mall, and then were going to eat some spam.

Boris: Routine is very important for children! And this book has such a wonderfully ambivalent relationship to it.

Alex: I like that the book doesnt seem to be a screed against routine. Theres a tenderness toward routine. Another detail that struck me was when they were stalking the one house and the mom was setting the dinner table, and Candace noticed the little variations. They werent doing the EXACT same thing. Which seemed to suggest that thats where a certain humanity resided within the routine, but slightly different.

Hillary: Thats what makes her think they are still human inside. Is it what she sees in herself, too  that under the routine shes still there?

Maris: Was Bob right in that they needed to be put out of their misery?

Hillary: Oh Maris, thats the million-dollar question.

Alex: Well, theyre physically suffering because theyre just stuck in a loop until they are eaten by maggots.

Hillary: Except  everybody is stuck in the loop. Even the unfevered.

Alex: Are we .. fevered?

Hillary: I love all the variations in how different shows/books refer to zombie-like people. The undead, the bitten, the walkers, the biters. And now, the fevered.

Alex: I wondered how many of the parallels to Romeros Night of the Living Dead were intentional. In the second movie for instance, they actually go to a mall and set up camp there, and they sort of get obsessed with consumption. The female protagonist is pregnant. Also in the (fourth?) movie, the zombies are slower and also get stuck in routines that mimic the jobs that they had while they were alive.

Hillary: Bob is a guy who has seen all the movies and read all the post-apocalypse books. Nobody imagines the zombie apocalypse and thinks, Im going to be a sheep who follows someone else to freezing cold Chicago. Bob was definitely excited when all this started going down.

Alex: Bob is a prepper!

Boris: I thought Bob was a bit thin. Did you all feel the book succeeds on every front?

Hillary: Everywhere, until it becomes an escape thriller. Then I felt a little disappointed. She gets out of the LOccitane too easily.

Molly: Yeah, and just hitting the road is kinda [rolling-eyes-emoji].

Hillary: Which makes some sense! She isnt playing to the convention and protesting her situation, thus alienating her captor even further. But still, I wanted more. Maybe its because I wanted to know more about what the others were doing in the mall.

Alex: I do like how intentional the brand choices were and how they said so much about someones personality. I mean, it is how we build our identities under late capitalism.

Molly: No ethical consumption under capitalism, or zombie apocalypse.

Boris: When did everyone realize Candace was pregnant?

Maris: Boris, Im conditioned, when I read about a young woman vomiting, to wonder if shes pregnant. Even during the apocalypse.

Alex: ESPECIALLY during the apocalypse. Every apocalypse has a pregnant woman, because she represents Life.

Hillary: It is a truth universally acknowledged that if the apocalypse happens and you are a fertile woman of childbearing age, you must be in want of a pregnancy.

Maris: I didnt know what to think until the end of Handmaids Tale season two. But now I think Candace could pull an Offred and get that baby born on her own.

Hillary: In front of a roaring fire in a glamorous old mansion? I hope so!

Alex: Honestly why isnt this a limited series yet?

Hillary: I thought Candace was going to miscarry, because Ma didnt seem like she was interested in perpetuating the human race.

Boris: Does the novel being set in 2011 work for everyone?

Alex: I have to admit, Occupy Wall Street threw me out of it a little bit. It was such a blip that it felt slightly extraneous to me.

Hillary: The way she describes Bob is priceless: He had played every iteration of Warcraft with a near-religious fervor. Which is such a 2011 reference.

The setting worked for me. It was a smart tactic to have readers reimagine the recent past, but to take the tragedies and dramas they knew and minimize them in reference to something way larger.

Alex: Thats true, it creates an opening and gestures to the present/future in ways that resonate emotionally/intellectually, but in that way it feels very much of the moment.

Hillary: On another subject, why did Ma call it Severance?

Boris: Well, Jonathan left corporate America after he got a bad severance package from a magazine that had gone through a Tronc-like process.

Maris: Shen Fever partly comes from the gig economy.

Alex: Severance as an ending, and then thinking about her dystopian life as a severance package from late capitalism.

Hillary: I love that it can be such a violent word, too, but it isnt used that way here.

Maris: The zombies are not violent. Theyre chill af.

Hillary: Could the fevered be  happy?

Alex: Killing them really makes Bob seem inhumane. Theyre just living their lives and fully have internalized Taylorism. Capitalism makes everyone fevered.

Maris: GOTTA GET THOSE BIBLES MADE!

Hillary: How about the ending, which is actually a beginning itself? I get out and start walking.

Alex: Severance 2: Here We Go Again.

Maris: Will she find anyone else?

Alex: Shes gonna run into Jonathan 100 percent.

Maris: That would be hot.

Alex: Hell be like, I was waiting.

Hillary: With my sea cucumber dick.

Boris: Okay, lets all go back to our routines.

Hillary: Same time tomorrow?

Alex: And the next day, and the next day, and the next day Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam in 1966s Dont Worry, Well Think of a Title. Photo: Everett Collection

Carl Reiners The Dick Van Dyke Show was ground zero for a number of comedy mainstays. It introduced the world to Broadway star Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam, and Richard Deacon and reintroduced the world to the then grown-up child star Rose Marie. The show ended in 1966, but that certainly wasnt the last the world was seeing of the cast. Van Dyke and Moore would go on to star in several more movies and shows that you already know, and that same year also saw the release of a film written by and starring Amsterdam alongside Deacon, Reiner, and Rose Marie. They also brought along a few other names you might know: Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Danny Thomas, and even Moe Howard. The movie was called Dont Worry, Well Think of a Title, and it is goofy, madcap, and boasts enough star power to rival Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, yet youve probably never heard of it. Well, theres a reason.

If one looks at a list of the top films of 1966, you wont find Dont Worry anywhere near it. In fact, with the exception of a couple of outliers (such as the Dick Van Dykestarring family comedy Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.), you wont find comedy anywhere near the top of the list. The feature-length comedies of this time were predominately situation-based; strong on premise and plot, with the jokes there in service to the story. While there are exceptions, for the most part during this period, the laugh-a-minute comedies of the Marx Brothers films or the Stooges shorts were gone.

Dont Worry, Well Think of a Title is different. There is a plot, sure, but focusing on that would be like becoming invested in Borat to follow his quest for love. Jokes are the priority of Dont Worry and youre going to get a ton of them.

But, since you asked, lets get into it: Morey Amsterdam plays Charlie Yuckapuck and Rose Marie plays Annie, a cook and a waitress, respectively, in a restaurant owned by Richard Deacons Mr. Travis. A Soviet spy sits at the counter one day to observe Charlie, and reports to her bosses that he is the escaped cosmonaut Yasha Nudnik. When a lawyer, played by Moe Howard, informs Magda, another waitress played by January Jones (not that one), that she has inherited her uncles bookstore, and Charlie and Annie are fired on the same day, they all leave their jobs as wacky restaurant employees to become wacky bookstore employees, with the Soviets hot on their tails. Secret agents of various affiliations arrive to settle the matter, and zany hijinks ensue.

If this film is mentioned by anyone today, it is generally because of the cameos. What I found most surprising was the disparate way in which these cameos were employed. Moe Howard, in one of his final film roles, is given absolutely nothing funny to do. He is there purely to deliver line after line of exposition, and its immediately clear why the Stooges shorts are generally devoid of monologues. In his old age hes still sporting his signature haircut, but its clear that delivering scads of dialogue is not his strong suit.

Later, our main characters unsuccessfully attempt to hitchhike from one job to the other and are subsequently ignored (or run over). Eventually we see them being dropped off in front of the bookstore in a familiar old jalopy driven by Irene Ryan, in character as Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies. No funny lines for her, either. She just drops our stars off at work, honks her horn, and drives off, her mere presence in the film enough of a joke for the filmmakers.

Later in the bookstore, as Charlie and Annie open the store for their first day on the job, a string of wacky customers come in, including Milton Berle, who breezes past them dragging a rope. When asked why, he retorts, You ever try pushing it? He continues walking and is never seen again, presumably walking through the bookstore forever. Carl Reiner asks for a real hair-raiser and is handed a book off the shelf. He opens it to find a toupee within that perfectly matches his head and leaves, pleased with his purchase. Immediately after, Steve Allen arrives asking to buy hamburger meat. Rebuffed, he then asks if they have a copy of The Sex Life of the Armadillo, and when informed that they do not, he tells the shopkeepers that they should try his, and hands them a copy of the book.

Those three jokes take up a little over one minute of the films run time, and while I would never claim that any of the jokes in this film are great  quite the opposite, in fact  they are constant. Dont Worry, Well Think of a Title was clearly an inexpensive film, filmed at television mainstay Desilu Studios, with most of the action taking place in the bookstore. The jokes are mostly corny, and Rose Marie frequently is given nothing more to do than roll her eyes at Amsterdams one-liners. In short: This film is not a classic. Pop-culture expert Mark Evanier had the opportunity to interview Rose Marie and brought up the film with her. Id obviously touched a very sore spot. She said  when it was announced that The Dick Van Dyke Show was shutting down after its fifth season, she turned to Morey and said, Well, what are we going to do now? And Morey said not to worry. He had these friends who had financing and he had an idea for a movie The film did not launch them into their next line of employment. It was not widely seen in its time (or ever). In fact, as far as I can tell, the film may not have even had a poster or trailer.

In spite of all of this, this movie does represent a forgotten stepping-stone that bridged the gap between the Marx Brothers and Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World on one end to the similarly zany Zucker brothers films of the 70s. The anything can happen spirit that Morey Amsterdam brought here may have felt out of place on theater screens in 1966, but it would live on in what came after.

So, if youve ever wondered what it would be like if Sally and Buddy from The Dick Van Dyke Show had their own spinoff, well, wonder no more, then wish for Rob and Lauras return.From Uncle Vanya, at the Hunter Theater Project. Photo: Joan Marcus

Its an easy leap to call Richard Nelson Chekhovian. The prolific playwright and director, known for his trilogies about American families at political turning points (The Gabriels and The Apple Family plays), is interested in building subtle, understated stage-worlds  modern slice-of-life dramas in which actors, dressed simply and interacting with simple domestic objects, attempt a kind of hyperrealism that verges on mumblecore. Dozens of tiny microphones often hang above the spare sets in Nelsons productions, ensuring that his actors dont have to switch their focus from their onstage relationships to something as artificial as being heard. Of course, those relationships are artificial, too, but thats not the point. The point is that Nelson has a style  a gentle, meticulous, and, at its best, stealthily moving style  that might seem to suggest a natural fit with Chekhovs plays, at least insofar as we tend to conceive of those plays on modern American stages. As an adaptor, hes created his own versions of Three Sisters, The Seagull, and The Wood Demon (an early work whose later drafts became Uncle Vanya), and now, as a consulting director and cocreator, hes embarked on a collection of new Chekhov translations with the preeminent Russian translators Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Its an exciting project, a collaboration that acknowledges, in Nelsons words, that a play is basically a series of notations for something else, and a new dramatic translation has something to accomplish besides literary merit, even besides unswerving fidelity to its source. Like so many of Chekhovs own flustered, flailing, frustrated characters, it wants to live.

Its a pity, then, that Nelson, Pevear, and Volokhonskys new version of Uncle Vanya, now at the Hunter Theater Project under Nelsons characteristically delicate direction, often seems to stick in the mouths of its actors. The cast is, for the most part, superb, and in the moments in which theyre not shown to their best advantage, their inherent abilities are still clearly visible beneath the text. But theyre not always visible through it. Despite Pevear and Volokhonskys literary prowess and Nelsons theatrical sensitivity, this Uncle Vanya is simply not that speakable. And Nelsons personal style  the understatement, the simple modern aesthetic, the deliberate anti-theatricality  ultimately serves to highlight the translations recurring clunkiness. Though my personal preference with Chekhov is always for language that leaps easily from the mouths of actors (for which translations have got to evolve, generation to generation), its possible to get away with a certain amount of textual stiffness in a more heightened production. Or rather, when the show is covered with frills and flourishes, it takes a keener ear to pick out starchy archaisms and a certain taste to object to them. Here, the actors are all, and their words have nowhere to hide, no competition for our attention. Its a credit to them, to Nelson as a director, and to the irrepressible brilliance of Chekhov that the production still manages, labored language and all, to find moments of real humor and pathos.

Jay O. Sanders is an outstanding Vanya, a hulking bear of a man with a brow whose wrinkles go from the lines of wry, eyebrow-raising mockery to the deep furrows of shame and despair. His story unfolds over the course of a hot summer, on the country estate that he and his niece Sonya (the excellent, unsentimental Yvonne Woods, who tilts her head like some tall, inquisitive bird) have been maintaining for Sonyas father, Vanyas brother-in-law, an aging professor of art called Serebryakov (a querulous Jon DeVries). Now the professor himself has shown up on the estate with his very young and very attractive second wife (his first, Vanyas sister, is long dead). Her name is Elena; Celeste Arias plays her with downturned eyes and an unaffected, resigned air, and every man in the play gets himself into a state over her. Well, not so much her husband, who at this point is fretting over his gout and his mortality, and who presumably already went through his honeymoon period with her  but Vanya is smitten. And so is, more surreptitiously, the local doctor, Astrov (Jesse Pennington, whos got natural magnetism, though he murmurs his whole part in a fuzzy monotone and never opens his eyes more than halfway until the curtain call).

Also around, drinking tea and eating soup, are Marya (a chilly Alice Cannon), Vanyas severe old mother, who makes him feel great about himself by saving all of her affection and pride for the professor, and Marina (Kate Kearney-Patch, with sad eyes and infinite patience), the familys former nanny, who there-theres the menfolk as if they were overtired children when they start whining, which is often. (Tellingly, this production dispenses with the character of Telegin, an impoverished, doofy neighbor nicknamed Waffles whos a benign hanger-on at the estate. I imagine Nelson wanted to streamline the domestic focus of the play, but cutting Waffles is a shame  a lot of wacky, pathetic, yet strangely vital eccentricity goes with him. He  to use the untranslatable word that caused Nelson, Pevear, and Volokhonsky such long deliberation  is a true chudak.) The presence of Elena and the Professor disrupts the quiet, if not particularly happy, routine at the estate, dredging up long-brewing resentments and inciting misguided passions (even more misguided than usual in this production, where the age-gap between Elena and Vanya is painfully, creepily wide). The plays arc is that of a muted explosion, a grenade underneath a pile of wool blankets: It starts sleepily enough, fuses are lit, theres a bang, and then everything calms back down.

The shows creators are depending on a couple of quotations from and about Chekhov, which theyve included in the program, to support their commitment to Nelsons brand of naturalism: A great majority of [people] suffer, Chekhov wrote to his wife, the actress Olga Knipper, but  do you see them throwing themselves about, jumping up and down or clutching their heads in their hands? Suffering should be expressed as in life itself, not with your arms and legs but by a tone of voice, or a glance; not by gesticulating but by elegance. Add to this an anecdote about the playwright, in which he stopped an actress playing Sonya in Uncle Vanya from going down on her knees before her father, reportedly saying, You mustnt do that, that isnt what drama is  The whole meaning or drama of a person lies internally, not in outer manifestations. There was drama in Sonyas life prior to this moment, and there will be subsequently, but this is just an occurrence.

These are fascinating and, for Nelson, convenient excerpts from the historical record, though they hardly need prescribe the one and only approach to Chekhovs plays (just look at how the Russians treat him these days  with considerably less reverential realism but with a taproot straight into his humane, idiosyncratic essence). But if, for the sake of the production at hand, we take the playwrights admonitions to heart, then it becomes imperative that actors be able to access the kind of subtlety, the kind of elegantly expressive realism hes talking about, and that comes from feeling intimately at home in the language. Here, the only actors who are consistently able to find natural rhythms in the text are Sanders and Woods. Pennington has resorted to charismatic mumbling to make it through Astrovs speeches, and Ariass Elena is especially burdened with awkwardly formal speech. If you believe in oaths, I swear to you, she insists to Sonya, about her marriage to the professor, I married him for love. He fascinated me as a scholar and a famous man. It wasnt real love, it was artificial, but  Im not to blame. The tweaks in the ear are subtle, but theyre there. Oaths, artificial, Im not to blame  why not, simply, Its not my fault? The text that Pevear, Volokhonsky, and Nelson have created is full of vocabulary and phrasing that, for all their efforts, still carries a whiff of the BBC miniseries: wicked; unbecoming; pure (repeatedly, to describe virtue); Forgive me; Even a saint wouldnt have patience enough, you must agree; To succumb to such a mans charm, to forget oneself; Youd do better not to grumble; and so on.

Watching Nelsons fine actors attempt to find themselves inside this speech, I thought back to his Illyria at the Public Theater last year. Working in his own idiom, with all the bumps and bristles of contemporary conversation, Nelson can do truly affecting things. Though the jump to Chekhov might seem a natural one, this translation has stranded him somewhere in the middle, between the real and the artificial. And, for all his advice to the players, Chekhov himself was more theatrical than he let on. There are soliloquies in Vanya, which here seem to rub up against the intentional anti-drama of the plays muted style: Are we in the room with these actors or are we flies on the wall in the lives of these people? Suffering people might not jump up and down and clutch their heads in real life, but nor do they often sit alone, speaking their feelings aloud. When we run from the latent theatricality in Chekhov, even on his own orders, we lose something in his plays, something that perhaps even the playwright himself  who, though brilliant, was deeply and touchingly insecure  might not have apprehended. We lose some of their unsoundable depths, a sense of the strangeness and violence and poetry and absurdity that render his works, domestic though they appear, as expansive and elastic as Shakespeares. We might achieve some of the pathos  which is why this Uncle Vanya remains affecting as a subdued portrait of the grinding, mundane pain of a perhaps wasted life  but we sacrifice the bracing rush of life that should hit you like a slap in the face before the characters, battered and bemused, settle back down into the deadening business of living.

The Emperor, a two-performer meditation on the man-made mythos of power, is part Brechtian commentary, part clown show, part investigation of the last days of a real regime  that of the Ethiopian monarch Haile Selassie, whose four-decade reign ended when he was deposed in 1974  and part playful, piercing allegory. Its a concentrated, compelling piece of theater with a light touch, recently adapted by Colin Teevan from a 1978 book by the Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski. As the only foreign correspondent for the impoverished Polish Press Agency, Kapuscinski travelled to Ethiopia in 1975 with a singular goal in mind: to locate and interview Selassies few surviving servants and palace officials, the people who watched from the background, opening doors or carrying pillows or counting out money, as a seeming demigod was dethroned.

Walter Meierjohanns spare, expressive production has travelled to Brooklyn from the Young Vic in London, and it stars the Ethiopian musician Temesgen Zeleke and the British physical theater virtuoso Kathryn Hunter. Zeleke grounds the story in its historical context, providing a stirring soundscape of percussion, vocals, and the Ethiopian lyre called the krar, and participating in the action sometimes as mute witness and sometimes as the voice of the Ethiopian populace in revolt (when he speaks, he speaks in Amharic, without subtitles). The second performer  a European woman speaking to us in English, using dialects and mannerisms whose connotations of class and character we immediately register  widens Kapuscinskis documentary into parable. Its a theatrical gesture that lets us see The Emperor as the Poles, living under their own oppressive regime in 1978, immediately saw it: as a story of rulers everywhere, of corruption and dispossession anywhere, of our tacit human agreement to participate in the mirages and misdirections of the theater of politics  what Teevan calls the grand illusion of power. (Poland went crazy for The Emperor, which made it around the censors on a technicality and was adapted for the Polish stage 17 times in less than ten years.)

From The Emperor, at Theater for a New Audience. Photo: Gerry Goodstein

Conjuring the upholders of this illusion for us is the impish shape-shifter Hunter, who bends her crackly voice and diminutive frame to become each of Selassies menials, from the lowly wiper of His Majestys dogs urine to the shrewd, swaggering minister of information. The 61-year-old Hunter  who has visited Theater for a New Audience before, in a solo show based on Kafkas A Report to the Academy (another collaboration with Teevan and Meierjohann) and as Puck in Julie Taymors A Midsummer Nights Dream  is, more than almost any actor Ive seen, a knavish sprite. With dark, bright eyes, a mop of gray hair above a sharp, pliable face, and a simple military jacket in which she seems able to shrink or expand, adding a cane or a pair of spectacles or a stiff back or a wide stride here and there, she conjures up a whole court of distinctive human beings. These royal zookeepers and purse-bearers and chauffeurs and clerks are often clownish but never fully ridiculous. Even Selassies timekeeper  the preening, affected G.H.M. (theyre all noted by their initials in Louis Prices video design), whos mockingly referred to as cuckoo by the rest of the court  maintains a sense of dignity beneath the flounce. The show is a kind of Remains of the Day for these men (they are all men, though the simple fact of Hunters casting reminds us that women were present, too, their roles and fates all the more invisible and disturbing). As they reflect on their Emperor and his downfall, they reveal their own pride, their own sense of purpose, and, gradually, their own shames and doubts.

Whether as the grave, sympathetic butler who stays with Selassie till the very end, reading to him from the Book of Psalms, or as the macho, cynical minister of information who smiles through his teeth at the foreign press, denying the ravages of famine in Ethiopia by inquiring sweetly, How can there be famine when there is development?  Hunter sketches each player in Selassies political theater with sly wit and technical finesse. As actors working on Shakespeare are often reminded: How do we know which one is the king? Not from how he acts, but from how everyone else acts around him. In The Emperor, Selassie is no more than a whispered name and an empty chair, but everyone is complicit in the narrative of his omnipotence. Hundreds of lives shatter with his, because hundreds of senses of self depended on his myth. In his wake comes not freedom or prosperity, but a cultural identity crisis that makes way for a bloody civil war which, together with continued famine, takes almost 3.5 million lives. Hunter, Zeleke, Meierjohann, and Teevan reveal all this with agility, wisdom, and humor, leaving the words of one bespectacled little palace clerk, known only as T.M., echoing in our memories: Now that its all gone, it fascinates me, how we once believed.

Uncle Vanya is at the Hunter Theater Project through October 14.

The Emperor is at Theater for a New Audience through September 30.Tom Arnold. Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for A+E Networks

As part of his crusade to unearth the so-called Trump tapes, actor Tom Arnold has repeatedly gone after The Apprentices creator, Mark Burnett, chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group, for allegedly burying the rumored videos, which reportedly include then-host Donald Trump behaving inappropriately, specifically in racist and sexist ways, while filming the NBC reality show. Now, in a bizarre turn of events, Tom Arnold has taken to Twitter to accuse Burnett of allegedly physically assaulting him at an Emmys party.

Mark Burnett just went apeshit & choked me at this huge Emmy party and then he ran away with his torn Pink shirt & missing gold chain, Arnold tweeted Sunday night. Im waiting for LAPD.

Mark Burnett just went apeshit & choked me at this huge Emmy party then he ran away with his torn Pink shirt & missing gold chain. Im waiting for LAPD  Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) September 17, 2018

Arnold is the host of Vicelands upcoming series The Hunt for the Trump Tapes, which details the actors attempts to locate the footage of the future POTUS acting offensively on-set  videos which Arnold, a former Celebrity Apprentice contestant, and former White House employee and Apprentice star Omarosa Manigault Newman maintain do exist.

Burnett has denied supporting Trump in the past, and noted that he does not have the ability to release MGM-owned footage at will. On August 13, the President tweeted about a rumored tape of him saying the n-word, claiming Burnett personally called Trump to reassure him there is no Apprentice footage of Trump using such a terrible and disgusting word. Said the President of Manigault Newmans assertion otherwise: She made it up.

Im going to keep hammering Mark Burnett on that, Arnold said in July while promoting his series at TCA. He sits next to Donald Trump and gives him cover. He never says one word. People at the border are getting their kids snatched. Mark Burnett says hes a Christian and he lets Donald Trump [do this].

Update: After Arnold tweeted, Burnetts wife Roma Downey posted a photo of her hand with a bruise, claiming that she Got this bruise tonight when Tom Arnold tried to ambush my husband Mark and me at a charity event. Is your TV show worth it Tom?Please stop. Arnold responded by tweeting bullshit and You lie your crazy husband attacked me you psycho. Im filing police report & suing you for defamation. He also retweeted a post claiming that Downey had photographed a days-old bruise, a photo Patton Oswalt shared of himself and Arnold, and claimed Kevin Bacon was a witness to the altercation. Arnolds lawyer, Marty Singer, told The Hollywood Reporter that Burnett attacked Arnold

Got this bruise tonight when Tom Arnold tried to ambush my husband Mark and me at a charity event. Is your TV show worth it Tom?Please stop pic.twitter.com/lXvuKjIMI2  Roma Downey (@RealRomaDowney) September 17, 2018

Bullshit. You lie your crazy husband attacked me you psycho. Im filing police report & suing you for defamation. https://t.co/9yXAEXM6na  Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) September 17, 2018White Boy Rick Photo: Scott Garfield/CTMG, Inc.

Theres something strangely uninvolving about White Boy Rick, despite all its claims to be a sensational true story. Director Yann Demanges film contains all the elements of a story that is positioning itself to say something important about America  firearms, racial divides, a crumbling, crime-ridden 1980s Detroit. But the script by Andy Weiss, Logan Miller, and Noah Miller often feels like its consistently off by a beat, falling short of what its trying to sell emotionally at every turn.

The extraordinary circumstances of Rick Wershe, a teenage FBI informant turned teenage drug lord, never feel quite extraordinary on the screen, partially due to the critically underplayed performance of Richie Merritt in the title role. For a kid with so much on his plate, Merritt never quite gives a sense of whats going on in Ricks head. Were left to hear it from his dad, Rick Sr. (Matthew McConaughey) who, not uncoincidentally, begins to feel like the main character. Rick Sr. is a black-market firearms dealer when the film opens in 1984, specializing in illegal silencers for automatic weapons. His sons role as his errand boy brings him in contact with local gangster Johnny Lil Man Curry, whose drug operation has ties to the police department and the mayor. When Rick Sr. refuses to play ball with an FBI sting, Rick Jr. steps up to the plate.

At this point, director Yann Demange hasnt done enough to establish who Rick is  how young he is, how strong his moral compass is  nothing. We know hes loyal to his dad and cares for his drug-addicted sister Dawn (Bel Powley), but aside from that, we dont know how to feel about his new gig, his testy relationship with the FBI agents (Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rory Cochrane), or his growing friendship with Johnnys crew. He has fun shooting rats with some of younger kids, and has some moments of jubilation at Johnnys wedding to the mayors daughter, but the relationship between him and the people hes supposedly spying on is murky at best  is he like a brother, making his betrayal even colder? Or is he an outsider, trying to win the trust of Johnnys circle while simultaneously eroding it? Neither scenario, or anything in between, is articulated compellingly.

Ricks work for the FBI includes dealing himself, with PD-issued crack, supplied by narcotics detective Jackson (Brian Tyree Henry)  getting him locked into a way of life that he finds he cant abandon once the bureau has made their arrests and has no more use for him. The final act of the film, with Richie as a young cocaine kingpin at the ripe age of 17, conveniently fast-forwards through the journey from the desperate poverty father and son are living in in the first two thirds of the film. Perhaps it would be too much methodical drudgery to get through, but the result is that once again the screenwriters have skipped over another opportunity to get us to like or root for Rick  or connect with him in any way. When everything ends about as happily as one would expect, a vague question mark of a moral forms over the film. Throughout Ricks hijinks, the black characters in the film have reminded him that he is held to a different standard and faces different consequences for his actions because of his race. So, with no real character work or compelling performance moments from Merritt, what are we to make of Rick? A kid who had it rough, but not as rough as his peers? A kid who ruined peoples lives, but also his own, more or less passively? White Boy Rick is better on paper than on the screen, but its the bland filmmaking that dooms it far more than a lack of story to work with.The Tennessee Bureau of investigations confirmed that the Lincoln County inmate, William Hawk died in the hospital. Hawk was accused of assaulting a corrections officer and trying to escape jail. While the officer was trying to control Hawk, he became unresponsive.

Hawk is the same guy who was wanted for attempted criminal homicide in July. He was found later that month.

WAAY 31 spoke with Hawk's family. Their attorney told them they can't talk to the media at this time.Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 17, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 17, 2018 | 01:05 PM | PADUCAH

UPDATE: The McCracken County Sheriff's Department has released more detailed information on the arrest of 22-year-old Jamir Brewington on Monday afternoon.



Deputies were called to the Country Aire Mobile Home Park on Clarks River Road Monday morning for a disturbance, where a domestic related assault had alledgedly occurred. They asked Jamir Brewington about the allegations when he suddenly fled the scene, leaving two minors in the residence. As deputies looked for him, they learned that Brewington was also wanted out of South Carolina for other felony charges.



The victim from the assault told deputies she was forced to flee when Brewington allegedly fired at least one shot in her direction. The victim and her children were reunited shortly after Brewington fled. The children were unharmed.



Deputies remained in the area throughout the day checking out possible sightings of Brewington. The Paducah Police Department also fielded calls for possible sightings.



At approximately 1:50 pm, Paducah Police saw Brewington in the area of Ashbrook Avenue, and took him into custody without incident until Sheriff's deputies arrived.





ORIGINAL STORY:



A suspect in a local assault who was wanted on a warrant in another state has been arrested.



On Monday morning, the McCracken County Sheriff's Department asked for help locating 22-year-old Jamir Brewington. They were investigating a local assault, and also learned that he is wanted on a arrest warrant in South Carolina for assault.



Deputies say at 9:12 am on Monday, they went to Brewington's home at Country Aire Mobile Home Park on Clarks River Road. When they arrived, deputies say Brewington fled on foot towards a nearby wooded area.



Deputies and Paducah Police began searching for Brewington, and asked for the public's help.



Sheriff Matt Carter said Paducah Police found Brewington and arrested him about 2 pm. He was taken to McCracken County Jail.Shooting victim said he pointed his gun at RittenhouseBy West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 17, 2018 | 04:44 PM | PADUCAH





A Paducah man was arrested Sunday for not complying to his conditions as a registered sex offender.On August 12, the McCracken County Sheriff's Department began investigating 28-year-old Andrew Paul Lowery because they learned he was living at an address on Nace Lane, which did not match the Hill Terrace address on file with state authorities. Detectives say Lowery had been arrested twice in the past six months for the same offense.Through surveillance, detectives say they confirmed Lowery's living arrangements, and on Thursday they pulled over a vehicle he was driving for a traffic violation. While talking with Lowery, detectives say he admitted he was living on Nace Lane, so he was arrested for failure to comply with the sex offender registry. He was also charged with driving on a suspended license and taken to McCracken County Jail, where he was released on bond.The investigation by detectives led them to discover that Lowery had been on the property of a local school numerous times, which is a violation of state law unless the person has written permission. This led detectives to get another arrest warrant for Lowery, and he was taken into custody on Sunday.The Sheriff's Department says Lowery has recently plead guilty to receiving stolen property and to the first sex offender registry violation. He is out on bond for the second sex offender violation, and that charge in pending in court. Lowery is also reportedly out on bond from Ballard County for felony theft by unlawful taking, criminal trespass and being a persistent felony offender.Detectives say their investigation is ongoing.Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required.

Your Full Name: (optional)

Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required.By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 17, 2018 | 07:33 AM | MAYFIELD

A Mayfield man is facing charges after a teen was hospitalized with alcohol poisoning Sunday night.

The Mayfield Police Department says officers were dispatched to an address on East North Street in reference to intoxicated juveniles. Police said one of the juveniles was so intoxicated he was losing consciousness. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, then flown by helicopter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville to be treated for alcohol poisoning.

Shortly after the ambulance left, police said the man allegedly responsible for giving the juveniles alcoholic beverages, 28-year-old Joshua Perry of Mayfield, arrived at the scene. Officers said Perry was also under the influence of alcohol.

Perry and the two remaining juveniles were detained and transported to the Mayfield Police Department for interviews. During his interview, police say Perry admitted he let the juveniles consume his alcoholic beverages while under his supervision.

Perry was placed under arrest and transported to the Graves County Jail. He's charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place, three counts of unlawful transaction with a minor and wanton endangerment. All three juveniles were charged possession of alcohol by a minor.Advertisement

By The Associated Press

Sep. 17, 2018 | HOPKINSVILLE

By The Associated Press Sep. 17, 2018 | 10:09 AM | HOPKINSVILLE

Kentucky State Police say a trooper investigating a suspicious vehicle fatally shot the operator after a pursuit.



Police said in a statement that the trooper was asked to assist Christian County Sheriff's deputies who were called early Monday to a complaint of a suspicious vehicle whose operator was slumped over the steering wheel.



The statement says when officers arrived they determined the vehicle had been stolen from Akron, Ohio, and the operator was uncooperative. Police say the trooper attempted unsuccessfully to remove the suspect, who began to flee, dragging the trooper until he was able to free himself.



Police say officers pursued the vehicle and the trooper fatally shot the suspect during an "interaction" at the end of the pursuit.



No further information was immediately released.Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.Climate change, water and the spread of diseases

Connecting the dots differently to grasp the impact of climate change on people, and specifically, on public health.

Half a century ago concerns about climate change, environment vulnerability, population density and the sustainability of earth systems reached a broad audience. This was clear from books like the Silent Spring published in 1962, and The Limits to Growth published 10 years later.

These works influenced environmental activism at the time. They also laid the foundations for growing scientific evidence that climate change was happening and was negatively affecting the earth.

But one piece of the puzzle has been missing: the impact of climate change on people, and specifically, on public health.

This changed at the beginning of this century with growing advocacy and gatherings such as the Conference of Parties and the publication of new research. Scientists began writing about the earth moving into a new era called the Anthropocene. This is an era in which ecosystems were increasingly being affected by human behaviour, and in which people were being affected by the changes brought about by their actions.

The Anthropocene provided the impetus for renewed attention on health and sustainability for all species. This new understanding led to increasing new research, across disciplines, to new interdisciplinary journals, and to policy documents on the impact of climate change on health. Major new insights began to emerge. These included the fact that changes in weather patterns were affecting the behaviour of mosquitoes. This in turn was affecting our ability to control disease. A raft of work also started to emerge on the affects of changing weather patterns, heat waves, and access to clean water on peoples health.

The next step along this journey was that academics came to realise that they cant work in disciplinary silos. For example, health scientists came to grasp that they need anthropologists, sociologists and economists for a full understanding of the impact of climate change. The circle of knowledge has, as a result, begun to expand.

Parallel to these efforts, artists and advocacy groups have worked to keep climate change on international and national policy agendas. For example, artists have taken inspiration and drawn from scientific research in engineering, chemistry, biology, and the earth sciences to make their art. In a first of its kind on the African continent, these efforts are reflected at a 10-day public and academic programme at the University of the Witwatersrand. The programme enmeshes art and science to provoke new thinking about water and how its politicisation affects public health.

Insights from different disciplines

Extreme weather events, shifts in temperature variation and precipitation, and higher mean temperatures have dramatically affected human health and well-being.

From a health perspective, incremental environmental changes over time have undone decades of investment in the control of infectious diseases. Many of these are water-borne and water-washed diseases, such as dysentery and scabies. They are result of poor personal hygiene because of inadequate water availability. These diseases, common throughout Africa, are often described as neglected diseases of poverty.

Scientists have started to explore the various affects in different settings in relation to different diseases.

For example, changes in temperature and rainfall have, in turn, changed the behaviour of vectors such as mosquitoes, flies and snails, with other factors complicating the spread of disease (for a summary, see). This means the settings that create the conditions for debilitating and potentially fatal diseases such as malaria, zika, and dengue have shifted. For example, mosquitoes have moved to new areas, introducing infection to previously unaffected people and certain animals.

Anthropologists have used a different lens to understand the impact. Research shows that inequality influences peoples exposure to vector-borne diseases and other environmentally sensitive infections. Gender, class and age have also emerged as points of vulnerability for disease and poor health in the context of climate change.

Climate change has, most notably, begun to affect weather patterns. Changes in precipitation and quantity, floods and droughts, and water insecurity are increasingly common as the planet warms.

Scientists have begun to track how this affects food production and other farming activities. This in turn affects peoples livelihoods and food security. These changes are increasingly being followed not just by climate scientists, but also by academics from disciplines as wide-ranging as economics and politics. This follows the realisation that challenges of ageing infrastructure and water governance, for example, complicate finding solutions to overcoming the challenges posed by global warming.

Creative interventions

Scientists across disciplines  social, biological, and physical sciences as well as the humanities and arts  need to continue to work on ways to interrupt disease transmission in the context of global warming. They seek to identify appropriate interventions where climate change affects health  and to come up with creative solutions that cut across narrow paths of thinking.

Artists and civil society have a key role to play by creating narrative, visual and acoustic forms to support advocacy on issues of climate change, pollution, the ecology and environmental justice.

Lenore Manderson, Visiting Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies, Brown University, USA, and Distinguished Professor, Public Health and Medical Anthropology, University of the Witwatersrand

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.Yerevan police today raided the editorial offices of Yerevan.Today, confiscating the computer and several computer discs of the news websites editor Sevak Hakobyan.

After the raid, Hakobyan told reporters that the reason for the police search was because the website was the first to publish a secretly taped telephone conversation between National Security Service Chief Artur Vanetsyan and Special Investigative Service Chief Sasun Khachatryan.

In the phone conversation, published on September 11, Vanetsyan and Khachatryan are heard discussing the detention of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and the ongoing investigation of the events of March 1, 2008.

Police allege that the website, according to a Google search, published the conversation two days before other outlets did so

The implication is that the website has close links to Robert Kocharyan and colluded with Armenias second president to beat other websites to the punch.

Kocharyan has pointed to the tape to bolster his claim that the Pashinyan government has launched a political vendetta against him.

Hakobyan refuted the allegation, stating that the website published the conversation at the same time as other websites and that it has no links to Kocharyan.

Kocharyan has refuted rumors that he has anything to do with the taped phone conversation.UPDATE: State police have identified the person who was killed in the head-on crash in Martinsburg on Sunday afternoon.

Police say 44-year-old Terence Gamble of Millbrook, Dutchess County was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the tractor trailer, 47-year-old Robert Armstrong of Florida, was uninjured in the crash.

__________________________________________

MARTINSBURG  One person was killed and a child is in critical condition following a crash involving a tractor trailer in Lewis County Sunday afternoon, according to New York State Police.

Around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, state police responded to the head-on crash on State Route 12 in the town of Martinsburg.

Police say a 2017 Peterbilt tractor trailer was driving northbound on State Route 12 when a 2008 Honda Civic that was driving southbound crossed over into the northbound lane, for an unknown reason, and struck the tractor trailer head-on.

The driver of the Honda was pronounced dead at the scene, and a nine-year-old passenger was airlifted to Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, where the child is listed in critical condition.

Police say they are not releasing the names of those involved in the crash until their families have been notified.

The investigation is continuing.On Monday a free educational conference about dementia was held at Mohawk Valley Community College in Rome.

The Alzheimers Foundation of America hosted the event, along with Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente and state Sen. Joseph Griffo. The conference was meant to give people a better understanding of dementia-related illnesses, and teach them how to talk about those illnesses with family and friends.

There were also free, confidential memory screenings at the event.

Most importantly when we're talking about how to talk the talk about dementia, we want to make sure that a family member or a friend or community member is having open conversations regularly about brain health and wellness, which is why we love to do these national memory screenings like were doing here today, said Molly Fogel, director of educational and social services at Alzheimers Foundation of America.

The Alzheimers Foundation of America estimated that more than 400,000 people in New York State are currently living with Alzheimers disease.DEWITT, N.Y. (AP) - Authorities say a former restaurant employee charged with fatally shooting two former co-workers intended to kill two other employees during a robbery outside the central New York eatery.

The Post-Standard of Syracuse reports Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Monday that 32-year-old William D. Wood Jr. knew the employees he confronted as they left the Chili's Bar and Grill in DeWitt early Saturday morning.

Authorities say he gunned down Kristopher Hicks and Stephen Gudknecht. Fitzpatrick says Wood also planned to shoot the other two workers but there's evidence that his gun jammed.

Wood fled after the shooting and was captured Sunday outside Syracuse. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and robbery.

About 200 people gathered Sunday evening outside the restaurant for a candlelight vigil in honor of the victims.

___

Information from: The Post-Standard, http://www.syracuse.comThis fall, New York State is holding listening sessions throughout the state regarding regulated marijuana. There will be 15 sessions, and one of them will be held in Utica on Wednesday, Oct. 10.

The goal of the listening sessions is to get input from community members on a potential regulated marijuana program. Some of the topics that will be discussed include reducing the harms of illicit marijuana, establishing an age limit, addressing the criminal records of those who have marijuana-related offenses, and more.

The 15 sessions are free to attend, but you must register ahead of time.

The Utica listening session will be from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 10 at Holiday Inn Utica, in the Utica Business Park off of Burrstone Road. To register for the event, and for more information, click here.LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  If you've been around Lafayette awhile, you've most likely spent an evening or two at Lafayette Brewing Company. This week, the brewpub is commemorating its 25th anniversary on Main Street with a week-long celebration.

On Sept. 17, 1993, Greg Emig opened the doors on 622 Main. Over the years, the brewpub has been known for its local flair, fresh food and of course, its beer. However, it's more than just food and beer. The history speaks for itself.

"We were the first brewery in Indiana to get the small brewers' permit," said Emig. "We are currently the second oldest operating brewery in the state behind the Broad Ripple Brewpub down in Indianapolis. So we have a week of fun stuff coming up."

The week includes special beer releases and deals on old menu items. A special collaboration beer with the Broad Ripple Brew Pub was released Sunday commemorating 53 years of Indiana brewing history. Monday, LBC will release its 25th Anniversary brew -- 25 Alive, a juicy double IPA. The week culminates in the anniversary party concert Wednesday at 7:30 in the upstairs Beer Hall.

Cheers, to 25 years, LBC!



China News on Women





Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home pageEmail Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter

Sign Up Free | The WPJ Weekly Newsletter Relevant real estate news.

Actionable market intelligence.

Right to your inbox every week. Go Thank you for your interest!

You will now be receiving our Weekly Real Estate Newsletter.

Real Estate Listings Showcase

When Smitty and I woke up our first morning in our new house in Panama, it was to the most musical sound of a bird. It felt like he was welcoming us to Panama. It is a strange and scary feeling waking up in a foreign country knowing this is where you have chosen to live and you don't know anyone except your attorney.When we arrived at the airport the night before with two cats and the macaw it was quite a scene. I don't think too many people bring a large bird into Panama. Several people had to meet me at customs to check the bird into the country; my attorney had it all set up so it went along quite smoothly. I quarantined the bird at home and had to call in every week for a month to say she was fine. I would advise anyone moving here with a bird to make sure your attorney has done this before and knows what they are doing. Cats and dogs are easy to bring into the country and you can quarantine them at home.I was asked to tell my story about moving to Panama and maybe a few stories on after I arrived here. Honestly, I have hundreds of stories, some are hilarious, some are heartwarming and some are pure frustration. I wouldn't know which story to write about, so I have decided to try and answer the big question everyone is always asking me--Why Panama?Honestly, I don't know why we chose Panama. When we went walking downtown our first day here everyone said good morning to us like they knew us. When we got lost people tried helping us. It didn't matter where we went we felt like we belonged here. One of the first things we noticed was how families sit out on their porches and play games or just visit and how the children all play together outside and seem so happy. It could have been the beauty of the country that got to us, the Pacific on one side and the Caribbean on the other or maybe it was the rain-forest and all the birds and nature. I guess it just all felt right and that's why we chose Panama.There are many positive reasons to retire here--the cost of living is cheaper. We don't need an air conditioner or heater, it's almost always the same temperature in the mountains, so our utilities are so much less. Medical is cheaper here and we have had excellent care. I had terrible allergies in the States and was continually on meds, but here I very rarely take anything because the air is so clear here in the mountains.There are also the negatives about living in a foreign country; first and foremost the culture is different. You have to be able to adapt to the way things are done and not try to change things to the way you think it should be done. The driving is probably one of the biggest obstacles you have here. If you aren't used to a two lane road turning into a four lane road at rush hour you might want to take a taxi. I think it will be hard for me to get use to driving in the States again. You mean the stop sign means Stop? And when the light turns red that doesn't mean six cars go through after it turns red?I have so many stories about driving, from being chased down the highway by teenagers because I refused to let them bully their way in front of me, to being stopped by protesters on a main road. You just never know what you will run into. The good thing is progress is happening here and there are more police and now they have radar guns... and they are using them. So things are changing here for the better and progress is going to continue here for years to come.We have lived here for almost seven years now and it has been a truly amazing experience. I don't know if I really answered the question, "Why Panama," but I do know I'm glad we chose Panama.I feel privileged that when I go to sleep at night it is by all the different sounds that are coming out of the jungle and I didn't have to buy the DVD Sounds of the Rainforest. Of course, waking up at dawn with all the bird sounds has to be one of the best ways to wake up. We especially love our musical common house wren. She still sings her song outside our window in the morning. I will miss all of this when we leave, but it is time for us to move onto a different adventure. Life is short and precious; we want to experience many life adventures.Rachelle and Ben Smith are now selling their three bedroom, three bathroom house in Los Altos de Cerro Azul. It is listed at $399,000. Click here for the listing.Email Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter

Daren Blomquist









Sign Up Free | The WPJ Weekly Newsletter Relevant real estate news.

Actionable market intelligence.

Right to your inbox every week. Go Thank you for your interest!

You will now be receiving our Weekly Real Estate Newsletter.

Real Estate Listings Showcase

According to ATTOM Data Solutions' Q2 201753,638 single-family homes and condos were flipped nationwide in the second quarter of 2017, a home flipping rate of 5.6 percent of all home sales during the quarter. The home flipping rate of 5.6 percent in Q2 2017 was down from 6.9 percent in the previous quarter but unchanged from a year ago.For the report, a home flip is defined as a property that is sold in an arms-length sale for the second time within a 12-month period based on publicly recorded sales deed data collected by ATTOM Data Solutions in more than 950 counties accounting for more than 80 percent of the U.S. population (see full methodology below).The average gross flipping profit of $67,516 for homes flipped in the second quarter, representing a 48.4 percent return on investment (ROI) for flippers -- down from 49.0 percent in the previous quarter and down from 49.6 percent in Q2 2016 to the lowest level since Q3 2015. After peaking at 51.1 percent in Q3 2016, average gross flipping ROI nationwide has decreased for three consecutive quarters."Home flippers are employing a number of strategies to give them an edge in the increasingly competitive environment where flipping yields are being compressed," said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at ATTOM Data Solutions. "Many flippers are gravitating toward lower-priced areas where discounted purchases are more readily available -- often due to foreclosure or some other type of distress. Many of those lower-priced areas also have strong rental markets, giving flippers a consistent pipeline of demand from buy-and-hold investors looking for turnkey rentals."In markets where distressed discounts have largely dried up, flippers are showing more willingness to leverage financing when acquiring properties, often purchasing closer to full market value and then relying more heavily on price appreciation to fuel their flipping profits," Blomquist added.More than 35 percent of homes flipped in Q2 2017 were purchased by the flipper with financing, up from 33.2 percent in the previous quarter and up from 32.3 percent a year ago to the highest level since Q3 2008 -- a nearly nine-year high.The estimated total dollar volume of financing for homes flipped in the second quarter was $4.4 billion, up from $3.9 billion in the previous quarter and up from $3.4 billion a year ago to the highest level since Q3 2007 -- a nearly 10-year high.Among 101 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report, those with the highest percentage of Q2 2017 home flips purchased with financing by the flipper were Colorado Springs, Colorado (68.4 percent); Denver, Colorado (56.1 percent); Boston, Massachusetts (53.3 percent); Providence, Rhode Island (51.7 percent); and San Diego, California (49.0 percent)."Across California the gross dollar profits available for property flips remains one of the highest in the country; however low market inventories, increases in home prices, and decreasing home affordability have decreased the number of opportunities available to secure prospective properties to invest," said Michael Mahon, president at First Team Real Estate, covering the Southern California housing market.Other markets in the top 10 for share of home flips purchased with financing were Seattle (49.0 percent); Phoenix (46.6 percent); Minneapolis-St. Paul (46.4 percent); San Francisco (46.3 percent); and Portland (44.8 percent)."It is good to see the substantial drop in Seattle-area home flipping activity in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter, but the year-over-year growth is somewhat concerning," said Matthew Gardner, chief economist at Windermere Real Estate, covering the Seattle market. "Home flipping can function to inflate home prices in a region, which as we saw in the run-up of the housing bubble, is not a good thing. That said, given the absolute number of flips relative to the total number of home sales (5.4 percent), it is not a huge cause for concern, at least not yet."Counter to the national trend, 54 metropolitan statistical areas -- 53 percent of the 101 metro areas analyzed in the report -- posted a year-over-year increase in home flipping rates in the second quarter, led by Baton Rouge, Louisiana (up 72 percent); Rochester, New York (up 39 percent); Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, Alabama (up 29 percent); New York (up 24 percent); and Modesto, California (up 24 percent).Other markets where the Q2 2017 home flipping rate increased at least 10 percent from a year ago included Birmingham, Alabama (up 22 percent); Grand Rapids, Michigan (up 20 percent); Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas (up 13 percent); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (up 12 percent); St. Louis (up 11 percent); Providence, Rhode Island (up 11 percent); and Cincinnati, Ohio (up 10 percent).Nationwide 40.3 percent of all homes flipped in Q2 2017 were purchased as foreclosures or as bank-owned properties (REO), down from 43.3 percent in the previous quarter and down from 44.4 percent in Q2 2016. A high of 70.4 percent of homes flipped in Q1 2010 were purchased as foreclosures or as REOs.States with the highest share of Q2 2017 home flips purchased as foreclosures or as REOs were Indiana (61.1 percent), New Jersey (60.0 percent), Maryland (59.4 percent), Illinois (52.7 percent), and Ohio (52.3 percent).Among 101 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report, those with the highest share of Q2 2017 home flips purchased as foreclosures or as REOs were York, Pennsylvania (62.9 percent); Rochester, New York (61.4 percent); Flint, Michigan (61.3 percent); Lakeland, Florida (59.2 percent); and Visalia-Porterville, California (58.3 percent).Nationwide, 25.4 percent of all homes flipped in Q2 2017 were sold (flipped) to cash buyers -- often other investors -- down from 26.2 percent in the previous quarter but up from 24.8 percent in Q2 2016.States with the highest share of Q2 2017 flipped homes sold to cash buyers were Michigan (43.4 percent), Alabama (41.2 percent), Louisiana (37.8 percent), Florida (35.9 percent), and Tennessee (34.3 percent).Nationwide, 18.2 percent of all homes flipped in Q2 2017 were sold (flipped) to buyers using FHA loans -- often first-time homebuyers -- down from 19.2 percent in the previous quarter and down from 20.1 percent in Q2 2016.States with the highest share of Q2 2017 flipped homes sold to FHA buyers were Idaho (30.3 percent), Utah (28.0 percent), Maryland (27.9 percent), Illinois (26.3 percent), and Rhode Island (22.8 percent).Nevada posted the highest home flipping rate in the nation in the second quarter (8.4 percent of all home sales were flips), followed by DC (8.2 percent), Maryland (7.4 percent), Tennessee (7.3 percent), and Alabama (7.3 percent).Among 101 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report, those with the highest home flipping rate in the second quarter were Memphis, Tennessee (11.1 percent); Fresno, California (9.6 percent); York, Pennsylvania (9.4 percent); Las Vegas, Nevada (8.9 percent); and Lakeland, Florida (8.8 percent).Homes flipped in Pennsylvania yielded the highest average gross flipping ROI nationwide in Q2 2017 (103.1 percent), followed by Louisiana (100.0 percent), Ohio (88.9 percent), New Jersey (81.7 percent), and the District of Columbia (81.2 percent).Among 101 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report, those with the highest average gross flipping ROI were Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (146.6 percent); Baton Rouge, Louisiana (120.3 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (114.0 percent); Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (103.3 percent); and Cleveland, Ohio (101.8 percent).Metro areas with the lowest average gross flipping returns in Q2 2017 were Honolulu, Hawaii (17.8 percent); Boise, Idaho (23.5 percent); Austin, Texas (26.0 percent); San Jose, California (27.0 percent); and San Francisco, California (27.1 percent).Other major markets with average gross flipping returns below 33 percent in Q2 2017 included Dallas, San Diego, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles.The compressed flipping returns in Denver, which posted an average gross flipping ROI of 35.2 percent in Q2 2017, have convinced local real estate investor Paul Schemmel to shift investing strategies."I've constantly evolved to make money in the Denver market," said Schemmel, who said he has flipped hundreds of homes since 2008 but was finding it harder to compete in the conventional home flipping arena. "Why don't I just buy at full price, scrape the lot and build a new house. ... And then I started making money again. I don't even rehab any more. I demolish and I build a new home. ... I can pay full price for a property, but my competition cannot."In Austria-Hungary I'd say Hungarians and Poles. I would argue that the Serbs living in Austria-Hungary for a long time (Uskok descendants) were pretty loyal. Look at Svetozar Borojevic. Bosnian Serbs are a different story.



However, when ww1 broke out A-H had a big problem. Slavs didn't like to fight Slavs and you had them fighting each other on both the Serbian and the Russian front. You couldn't motivate a lot of Slavs to fight the Russians whom they saw as their big brothers although Poles and Bosniaks might be an exception. Ruthenians spoke the same language as people on the other side of the border. I heard that a whole Bohemian battalion marched over to the Russians with their brass band playing along. Czechs were big on Panslavism but they weren't considered good soldiers. Many of them were good engineers in the navy though. Slavs liked to surrender to the Russians because this way the war was over for them - they were put on Russian farms to work, most of them were peasents anyway and knew the job plus they enjoyed the company of Russian women whose men were away fighting.



By the same token you wouldn't trust Italian soldiers during the war. They liked to put Slovenes and Croats on the Isonzo front. Slovenes always put up a tough deffense there because it was their own people behind the front and Croats often proved as good deffenders as well.Would several pounds added to your council tax bill to help balance Fire and Rescue Authority budget be excellent value ?

This article is old - Published: Monday, Sep 17th, 2018

Wrexham Councils contribution to the fire service could increase by more than 375,000 in the next 12 months.

The increase features as part of proposals by the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority as is faces the unusually difficult process of setting a balanced budget for 2019/20.

Earlier this year Wrexham.com reported that controversial plans to cut the number of Wrexhams engines, along with changing the hours of the countys second whole-time fire appliance to cover daytime hours only, had been put forward as one of a number of proposals before the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority as it looked to plug an expected 1.9m budget gap.

It was the second time such cuts had been put forward for the county borough.

However in June 2018 it was announced that the proposed cut to Wrexhams fire provision had been ruled out for the upcoming budget plans.

Now ahead of the final budget being drafted in December 2018, a public consultation has been launched over proposals to increase the contributions from the six North Wales councils to provide an additional 1.9 million to cover the authoritys costs.

Currently the bulk of the authoritys annual budget is provided by contributions from all six North Wales Councils  with the remainder being made of financial reserves and other income.

Over the past three years the authority says it has avoided passing on the full cost to county councils and relied instead on using some of its reserves.

But now it is estimated that there will be a 1.9 million shortfall in next years budget  something which could be provided by increasing the contribution from county councils.

Wrexhams contribution in the current financial year is 6,654,624  the second highest of any council in the region. This is based on population figures, with Wrexham contributing 19.87 per cent of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authoritys overall budget.

However if proposals to increase the overall cost from councils are given the go ahead, an additional 377,273 would be provided by Wrexham Council.

Locally this could result in an increase of 7.08 (0.65%) on council tax bills for a Band D property.

As part of the consultation a series of questions are posed to the public over whether funding from county councils should increase, if this should be raised through a council tax increase and how the fire and rescue authority could reduce its running costs in future years.

Councillor Meirick Lloyd Davies, chair of the Fire and Rescue Authority, said: Not only are we facing some unavoidable cost increases in 2019/20, but we also need to make up for the fact that contributions from the county councils over the last three years have been kept low by taking money from our own financial reserves instead.

Whilst using reserves in this way has worked well in the short term, the true cost of providing services has continued to increase gradually and we are reluctant to risk spending our financial reserves and leave nothing to fall back on.

The decision we now face is whether to increase our budget by the full amount next year, and so increase the contribution from the county councils by almost 1.9 million, or to increase the budget by a smaller amount and implement cost savings so we do not risk running out of money mid-year.

Any decision to reduce costs is going to be difficult but having carefully weighed up the alternatives for ensuring a balanced budget next year, members are minded not to pursue large scale savings as the level of risk would be too high at this time.

Whilst we have not ruled out making savings, the scale of savings in 2019/20 would stop short of closing fire stations or making firefighters redundant.

You can find out more about the consultation process on the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authoritys website / have your say here. Comments can be submitted until November 2nd.Wrexham MP demands new independent inquiry into murder of vulnerable man attacked in his own home

This article is old - Published: Monday, Sep 17th, 2018

Wrexham MP has called for a fresh independent inquiry into the circumstances which led to the murder a pensioner last year.

Nicholas Churton, 67, was killed at his home in March 2017 in a hammer and machete attack carried out by Jordan Davidson, who  just days earlier  had been arrested for possession of a knife and bailed despite being on licence from prison.

Ian Lucas, MP for Wrexham, has been demanding answers from the police and probation service over why Davidson was not immediately sent back to jail after being found with a knife.

Mr Lucas has now written to prisons minister Rory Stewart asking for independent review into the case, having grown frustrated with the two separate Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) investigations which  as far as he is aware  are still ongoing. His requests for a private briefing from the police have been refused.

Mr Lucas said: I want answers from the police and probation service but, so far, I simply havent received any. Basic facts are not being made clear to me or the public, and the North Wales Police & Crime Commissioner is doing nothing to hold the police to account on the matter.

The murder of Mr Churton took place 16 months ago yet Im still in the dark about how a dangerous criminal such as Jordan Davidson was not sent back to prison, leaving him free to commit this terrible crime.

I want to be sure measures have been put in place by the police and probation service to ensure something like this cannot happen again. Mr Churtons family have a right to known what went wrong, and so do my constituents.

I feel we need an independent inquiry into this case where the full findings are presented to the public  it is the only way to get the answers I am looking for.

Mr Lucas pointed to a similar case which has been the subject of an independent review, published on last week.

It concerned Lisa Skidmore, who was raped and murdered by Leroy Campbell in Wolverhampton two years ago. Convicted rapist Campbell had been released from prison four months before the attack but had told probation workers he was thinking of raping again.

However, instead of being recalled to prison, he was left free to rape and strangle Ms Skidmore in November 2016.

The HM Inspectorate of Probation review flagged up key failings in how Campbell was supervised after being freed.

Davidson was sentenced to at least 23 years in prison for the murder of Mr Churton.

Mr Lucas secured a Westminster debate on the case in June when Home Officer Minister Victoria Atkins told him improvements were being made after significant failings were identified in a review by the Wales Community Rehabilitation Company. The full findings, however, have not been made public.

I dont think the probation system is working as it should  and that is a major cause for concern, added Mr Lucas.More than two months after the police murder of 45-year-old postal worker Jason Washington, a local grand jury in the state of Oregon has declined to indict the two Portland State University (PSU) officers, Shawn McKenzie and James Dewey, who killed him.

The Multnomah County District Attorneys office announced their decision Thursday, based on an investigation by the Portland Police Bureau, which defends the officers for acting in self-defense and/or the defense of a third person.

We want those responsible for the death of my husband to be held accountable, Washingtons widow Michelle told local press in the wake of the decision. We will always remember and love Jason and know he was needlessly killed while attempting to keep the peace.

McKenzie and Dewey, two of fourteen armed officers at the school, shot Washington multiple times in the back after intervening in a fight outside a bar on the PSU campus in the early hours of June 29. According to witness and investigative reports, Washington intervened in a physical fight between his friends and another group when his gun fell from its holster. It is legal to carry a concealed handgun in Washington state, and Jason Washington had a legal permit to do so at the time he was killed.

The police body camera footage, which was not released until Friday, supports bystander footage and testimonies in showing the brutality with which the officers carried out his death. Quickly attempting to pick up his weapon, Washington turned his back toward the officers. They responded by rapidly firing at least ten shots, one second after shouting, Drop your weapon! Drop your weapon! Well shoot you.

Contrary to the local police investigation, there were no indications of hostility, aggressiveness or advances by Washington against the officers that would explain their need to defend themselves. It is not even clear from the video that he held a gun in his hand.

Rahmat Shoureshi, president of PSU, said in a video statement from Friday, We are determined to really learn from this unfortunate and tragic incident. He explained that the university is hiring two firms, the OIR Group and Margolis Healy, for independent investigations into the recent incident as well as campus security overall.

The university hopes that these investigations will quell opposition among students and city residents in the wake of Washingtons death, saying that they will consider factors on both sides of the debate in order to decide if the campus police should stay armed.

University officials recently gave a similar explanation to justify their original vote to arm campus police. The Board of Trustees of Portland State University, a state-appointed body of mostly business and political elites, voted to arm officers in the Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) in June 2015 in the face of broad opposition among students and faculty to the proposal. More than half of students and faculty did not want armed security or did not know such developments were underway.

Officials explained that their antidemocratic decision came out of weighing the opposition against other factors, such as campus safety needs, law enforcement options and risks, and national best practices. According to the administrators and trustees, armed officers have the ability to curb sexual assault, respond to mental health crises, and minimize the impacts of/or prevent mass shootings, such as the one that claimed nine lives at Umpqua Community College in Oregon in October 2015.

Supposedly, armed officers are also more sensitive to the unique challenges of the diverse student body and surrounding residents in the urban downtown location of the school. Monica Rimai, vice president of the Office of Finance and Administration when the board made the decision, stated that a campus officer should be seen as somewhere between a police officer and a social worker.

One of the factors with the greatest immediate influence was the fact that PSU was one of the only public universities that had yet to build its own sworn and armed police department. Hundreds of campuses across the country have armed police, CPSO wrote in a recent statement from July 2. In fact, before the new policy, Portland State was the only public American University with more than 15,000 students without a dedicated police force.

The university states these facts as if they are logical, when in fact they speak to the reactionary and militarized response of the ruling class to growing social unrest rooted in the crisis of the capitalist system. Far from being a rational decision or a tragic mistake, the killing of Jason Washington is a direct consequence of the highly developed and well-funded police apparatus that has been built up in cities and schools across the United States and internationally.

Since the mass student and workers struggles of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the ruling class has worked to drastically expand the material capabilities and reach of the police in American society. Initiatives backed by both the Democratic and Republican parties have resulted in the ubiquity of heavily militarized police departments in all fifty states, including on and around the campuses of most colleges and universities.

Nearly all public four-year colleges with more than 2,500 students have their own sworn law enforcement agency, with their officers armed with guns, Tasers, pepper spray and batons. More than 70 percent of campus police agencies can exercise authority off campus, aiding local police departments in overseeing working-class residents and students outside their geographic limits.

While underreported in the mainstream press, killings of youth and workers by college campus police are not uncommon. The death of Washington follows the murders by campus police of fourth-year student Scout Schultz at Georgia Tech University in 2017, 43-year-old Samuel DuBose at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio in 2015, and 18-year-old college freshman Gil Collar at the University of South Alabama in 2012.

In the first seven months of 2018, at least 720 people have been killed by police. At an average pace of more than three deaths per day, this year will be among the deadliest years for police killings in the United States. Even in the city of Portland, Oregon, which is dominated by Democrats and self-proclaimed progressives, university and local police are granted the same impunity to harass, intimidate and kill workers and young people.

Demands for the disarmament and dismantling of campus police will find no active support within the administration, campus safety office, or local or state government officials. Youth and students can only fight against the militarization of schools and society more broadly through an appeal to the working class in a direct confrontation with the capitalist system, which the police apparatus has been established to defend. Such a confrontation demands a fight for genuine socialism, based on an international, independent and unified movement of the working class.The first city-wide strike of more than 5,000 hotel workers at 26 hotels in Chicago continues into its 11th day against multinational hotel chains Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton.

Thousands of hotel workers in Hawaii, Seattle and San Francisco, California, have also voted for strike authorization by large numbers. Strike authorization votes are expected to be taken in Detroit, San Diego, Oakland, California, and other cities.

On September 11, more than 3,500 Hawaiian hotel workers in Honolulu and Maui voted to strike by more than 95 percent. In Boston, more than 1,000 Marriott hotel workers voted to strike by 96 percent in favor on September 13. On the same day, 98.6 percent of Marriott workers in San Francisco voted in favor of strike action.

The strike of Chicago hotel workers and the rebellious mood of hotel workers across the country intersects with the growth of workers struggles in the United States and internationally. Teachers, UPS workers, steelworkers and other sections of workers are seeking to fight back after decades of declining wages imposed by the corporations, trade unions and the Democratic and Republican parties.

The previous contract covering the hotel workers in the US expired on August 31. UNITE HERE Local 1, which has 15,000 members including 6,000 covered by expired hotel contracts, has largely kept the workers in the dark about negotiations. In 2015, the union imposed a sellout deal that created the very conditions that workers continue to face today, such as low wages and poor healthcare that provides no coverage when workers are laid off during the winter.

The giant hotel chains make billions in profits through the super-exploitation of hotel workers. In Chicago, the hotel chains made more than $2 billion alone in 2017. The average CEO of these multinational hotels makes millions. Christopher Nasetta, CEO of Hilton Hotels and Resorts, has the highest payout, at $17 million a year.

While Marriott owns 5,800 properties in over 110 countries, with an international workforce, UNITE HERE keep workers divided not just along national lines, but also by different contracts at every individual hotel.

The union is seeking to wear down workers and prevent the strike from spreading, paying only $300 a week in strike pay. UNITE HERE has close ties to the Democratic Party and wants to shut down the strike as soon as possible to prevent the joint action of hotel workers throughout the US and globally.

For their services as labor managers for the hotel corporations, the union bureaucracy is rewarded handsomely. Donald Taylor, the president of UNITE HERE, made over $370,000 in 2017, more than 10 times the wage of the average hotel worker.

Jonathan is one of many workers enduring poverty conditions whom World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to over the weekend. He is a dishwasher at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel, located at the site at one of the largest convention centers in Chicago. The hotel is a 33-story luxury hotel with over 1,200 rooms, most averaging around $500 a night.

Healthcare is the most important issue to me, Jonathan said. Ive worked here as a dishwasher for 24 years. We need good health care for our kids and for ourselves.

The Hyatt Corporation has over 777 properties in 54 countries. It is owned and operated by the billionaire Chicago-based Pritzker family, which has a net worth of more than $29 billion. The Pritzkers have heavily funded Democratic Party politics in Chicago and around the country. They also play a significant role in the formulation of US imperialist military strategy.

The strike by hotel workers pits them against billionaire Democratic candidate J. B. Pritzker, who is running for governor in Illinois against the current billionaire governor, Republican Bruce Rauner. Pritzkers campaign has ties to the unions in Illinois, and he claimed to stand with the labor movement, even as he and his family have made their fortunes off the back-breaking work of Hyatt hotel workers in Chicago. Pritzkers campaign epitomizes the nexus of exploitation of hotel workers by the political establishment, the corporations and the unions.

That Pritzker money should be going towards us, Jonathan said. We do all the work.

Dennis spoke about the cuts to hours and staff at Hyatt. Ive been here for fifteen years, he said. I was working as a bartender and server, full time. But it wasnt until the past year or two the company decided that it would cut one of my positions. So now, although Im a full-timer, I get less than fifteen hours a week.

The company created a loophole with our previous contract. So now, when you have full-timers that are laid off during the slow period, they get no healthcare. How is that possible? Youve been here ten years, fifteen years, youre planning on retiring here. Now youve developed health issues. These arent pre-existing, these are health issues that started to come about as you worked here, as you got older. Now that your need healthcare, its not there.

Hyatt rewards people with cash bonuses and raises in management and HR [Human Resources] who keep workers at home and cut their hours. They reward people who cut hours from workers who are counting their money at home to see if they have enough to pay for their medicine, like pills for cancer.

And theres no cost of living raises in the contract. They should have it regardless of the contract. Youre talking about living in a city thats one of the most expensive to live in. So how do you expect us to live here?

Nuri, a hotel worker from a nearby Marriott hotel, came by to support the Hyatt workers on strike. Sometimes we are scared, she said. These are multi-billion-dollar companies. These companies are really greedy when they could pay only a little more to us, and they wouldnt lose anything. But we are reminded that we are all in this together and that we are ready to struggle.

Ive been wondering why we arent striking everywhere in all the cities, Nuri added. Its not just Chicago. It should be an international struggle at the same time. All the hotel workers should go on strike. Other workers should join us. The working class needs to fight together.

The struggle of hotel workers can only be taken forward through the formation of rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, to formulate the demands of the workers themselves and unite the struggles of all hotel workers with other sections of the working class. No faith can be placed in the union, its secret negotiations and the sellout deal it is working on behind the scenes.On Wednesday, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the worlds richest man, will give the keynote address to the US Air Force Associations annual conference. Bezos will discuss how industry can better partner with the US military.

Bezos speech comes amid his Seattle-based firms lobbying to win a $10 billion contract, known as Project JEDI, to host large sections of the Pentagons operations infrastructure on the internet cloud. In a move that will likely win him points with the military brass awarding the contract, Bezos recently donated $10 million to a Virginia-based super PAC seeking to elect veterans to office and create a less polarized government.

The Amazon CEO will appear as the representative of the worlds second-largest company by market capitalization, the second-largest employer in the United States, the worlds biggest provider of cloud computing services, and Americas largest e-commerce retailer, with twice the sales of the next nine competitors.

Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post, is among Americas most powerful oligarchs. His speech to the Air Force Association embodies the corrupt nexus between the military, the financial oligarchy, the media and the high-tech companies, all of which are working to create a regime of censorship targeting left-wing, anti-war and socialist viewpoints.

This partnership expresses, in practice, the vision laid out in the Pentagons latest National Security Strategy, which calls for the seamless integration of multiple elements of national powerdiplomacy, information, economics, finance, intelligence, law enforcement and military.

This is a formula for a society in which all of the mechanisms of social control are jointly harnessed to defend and expand the wealth and power of Americas financial oligarchy. Toward this authoritarian end, Bezos and company are mobilizing one of the critical mechanismsthe media.

Bezos Washington Post has prepared its owners appearance at the Air Force event with a series of op-eds and editorials calling for a closer partnership between the Pentagon and Silicon Valley. More than any other major US newspaper, the Post has argued for the fusion of Americas high-tech sector with its military, in line with the Pentagons so-called third offset strategy, which aims to regain Americas military edge by harnessing a range of technologies, including robotics, autonomous systems and big data, in the words of the Economist.

The Posts campaign for a further integration of technology corporations with the military has been combined with attacks on tech workers who oppose the alliance of the firms for which they work with the US war machine.

Over the past two decades, hundreds of thousands of Americas brightest minds have gone to work in Northern Californias Silicon Valley and its offshoot in Seattle, lured by promises that people with passion can change the world for the better, in the words of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and the promise that they would help organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful, in the words of Googles mission statement.

But each year, more and more technology workers have found themselves involved in developing the means to carry out mass murder, censorship and political repression, prompting protests by workers at Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

In June, Amazon workers issued an open letter opposing the companys provision of facial recognition technology to police forces as well as its cloud computing contracts with the agencies carrying out Trumps Gestapo-style attacks on immigrants.

That same month, Google announced that it would end its involvement in a Pentagon program to build artificial intelligence capabilities for military drones after more than a thousand Google employees signed a letter demanding that Google swear off building weapons of war.

The Washington Post has opposed these protests. In an August 8 op-ed, two executives from Anduril Industries, a military defense contractor seeking to sell virtual reality systems to the Pentagon, condemned the protesting workers. We understand that tech workers want to build things used to help, not harm, the executives wrote. We feel the same way, they continued. But ostracizing the US military could have the opposite effect of what these protesters intend: If tech companies want to promote peace, they should stand with, not against, the United States defense community.

The authors added: The world is safer and more peaceful with strong US leadership. That requires the US government to maintain its advantage in critical technologies such as AI. But doing so will be difficult if Silicon Valleys rising hostility toward working with Washington continues.

The Post reiterated these points in an editorial last week entitled Silicon Valley should work with the military on AI. Bezoss newspaper made the cynical argument that the technology companies should partner with the Pentagon because the result might be technologies with applications outside of mass murder. DARPA [Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency] contractors will probably develop products with non-lethal applications, the Post declared.

The open secret of Silicon Valleys collaboration with the Pentagon is that the wars to be fought with the help of artificial intelligence will not take place only beyond Americas bordersthey will also include class and civil wars.

Americas financial oligarchy, whose wealth has more than doubled since the 2008 financial crash, is issuing warnings about the dangers posed to its wealth by an increasingly restive and angry working class. In a report published last week, JPMorgan Chase warned about the potential impact of a new financial crisis in fueling political opposition.

The report by the biggest US bank stated: The next crisis is also likely to result in social tensions similar to those witnessed 50 years ago in 1968a year that saw urban rebellions and mass protests against the Vietnam war in the US, the MayJune general strike in France, and a global radicalization of the working class.

In 1968, the report continued, TV and investigative journalism provided a generation of baby boomers access to unfiltered information on social developments such as Vietnam and other proxy wars, civil rights movements, income inequality, etc. Similar to 1968, the internet today (social media, leaked documents, etc.) provides millennials with unrestricted access to information on a surprisingly similar range of issues. In addition to information, the internet provides a platform for various social groups to become more self-aware, polarized and organized.

Such groups span various social dimensions based on differences in income/wealth, warned the bank. In other words, the looming financial crisis will likely spark a mass movement of the working class against social inequality.

Recognizing the immense power of the internet to mobilize opposition to the existing social order, under conditions where a mass audience for socialism is emerging among workers and young people, Americas leading technology companies, working with the state, are scrambling to impose political censorship.

At a congressional hearing last week, Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg pledged to replace bad speech with alternative facts in users news feeds. She boasted that her company now employs some 20,000 people to censor content.

Google, for its part, has continued and intensified its censorship of left-wing, anti-war and socialist websites. Since the World Socialist Web Site first reported last year that changes to Googles algorithms had led to a sharp fall in the readership of 13 left-wing sites, the search traffic of these sites has plunged even further, hitting a combined decline of 50 percent.

The reactionary nexus between Silicon Valley, the CIA and the Pentagon must beand will beopposed. All over the world, workers are entering into strugglefrom teachers and Amazon, UPS and postal workers in the United States, to pilots and cabin crew in Europe, to construction workers in Turkey. These workers must understand that they are the targets of censorship, and that they must mobilize to fight the drive to silence socialist and left-wing oppositional views.On September 12, some 5,000 demonstrators marched through downtown Lima to demand the ouster of Perus current attorney general, Pedro Chavarry. Leaked audiotapes have exposed his close ties with judges implicated in a wave of judicial corruption and his apparent attempts to stonewall investigations into these scandals.

The march, which assembled on San Martin Square (the traditional gathering point for such protests) and then proceeded down Nicolas de Pierola and Wilson Avenues to the Parque Universitario, was comprised of union members, collectives of radicalized and non-party-affiliated young people and members of the pseudo-left coalitions Frente Amplio (FA) and Nuevo Peru (NP).

Also participating in the march was the Partido Morado (PM), a new, explicitly right-wing party that claims to oppose corruption and the old establishment.

Since 2016, when high-ranking officials from Brazilians construction giant Odebrecht confessed in plea bargains that they had bribed all the last four Peruvian presidents and their respective governments (the Lava Jato scandal), a crisis of governability has consumed Peru and destroyed all credibility in the political establishment.

In response to these revelations, thousands of young people have participated in rallies and protests demanding a reform of the entire system. Unfortunately, without a clear perspective, the pseudo-left parties have managed to impose their reactionary, opportunistic views upon the rallies.

When the right-wing fujimorista oppositionwhich controls an absolute majority in Congressattempted to impeach ex-president and former Wall Street banker Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who had been discredited by his ties to Lava Jato, Nuevo Peru (led by former presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza) openly defended Kuczynski and accused the fujimoristas of trying to seize power by impeaching him.

This was an intensification of its already opportunistic view that Congress, dominated by the fujimoristas, is the main obstacle to the capitalist government working for the people. As a result, the marches have explicitly demanded that the executive shut down Congress, even though this is exactly what former President Alberto Fujimori did in 1992, establishing a repressive semi-dictatorship that lasted until its fall in 2000.

Kuczynski renounced the presidency amidst a vote-buying scandal in order to avoid another impeachment. Vice Pesident Martin Vizcarra took office, and the pseudo-left continued with its completely conciliatory policy towards the government, while denouncing only the fujimoristas in Congress.

Then, the leaked audiotapes recording high-ranking officials in the judicial systemboth judges and attorneysnegotiating verdicts, bribes and the control of state officesonce again shook the government and forced Vizcarra to announce a reform of the judicial system and a referendum for annulling the re-election in Congress (among other things).

Clearly, these measures are an attempt by the Peruvian bourgeoisie to prop up its state under conditions in which most of the population has lost any trust in capitalist institutions, threatening a collapse of governability. So far, the announcement of the measures has helped Vizcarra to recover 10 percent of his approval rating (from 39 to 49 percent).

The pseudo-left has adapted itself unreservedly to Vizcarras proposals, praising his supposed new disposition to listen to the people. In particular, Mendoza declared that Vizcarra had finally assumed his historic role before the crisis.

Chavarry, the Peruvian attorney general, has become the focus of outrage because, while implicated in the leaked tapes, he has been able to remain in power thanks to support from the fujimoristas, whom he has apparently helped with judicial maneuvers.

One of the organizations promoting September 12 rally (and others) calling for the ouster of Chavarry was the National Coordinator of Human Rights, a well-known NGO that has denounced many of the governments human rights abuses during the last decades, but whose web site lists the Ford Foundation (accused of being a CIA front) as one of its supporters. Organizations like this support these rallies as a means of venting the anger of workers and young people, as well as promoting reformist illusions in the government.

The march demonstrated the continuing loss of support from workers and youth for the main union confederations, the CGTP and CUT, as well as the main teachers federation SUTEP, with very small numbers marching behind their banners. During a strike last year, SUTEPs bureaucracy aligned with the government and denounced the rank-and-file teachers who initiated the walkout.

The most militant section of the march consisted of street cleaners from the Municipal Workers UnionSITOBURwho came in their orange work clothes, carrying their brooms and chanting the slogans: Out with the corrupt attorneys! and Lets sweep, sweep, sweep sweep corruption.

A group of cleaners explained to a WSWS reporter that 200 had come, representing the more than 500 members of the union. They also said that 70 percent of them were women, and that they were paid just S/200 on top of the minimum wage, that is S/1,050 (approximately US$330 a month.) One worker explained that it was a hunger wage, not even enough to buy her family food.

Maria, a cleaner, told the WSWS that they were furious with [Lima] Mayor Luis Castaneda for breaking his promise of giving us benefits. Castaneda currently has a minimal approval rating and is widely detested for his corruption, secrecy and neglect of the city.

Another contingent on the march was made up of textile workers who came from private businesses. Like the cleaners, they told the WSWS that they received hunger wages, and that minimum wage should be S/3,000 (US$930 a month).

The number of followers of the pseudo-left parties (FA and NP) along with the right-wing PM didnt surpass 200 each. The main bulk of the protest consisted of young people coming from the so-called Colectivos whose main demandapart from Out with everyone! (Que se vayan todos!)was for the calling of a constituent assembly.

This demand has also been put forward by the pseudo-left, who advance it from the standpoint of asking President Vizcarra to include it in his reforms.25 years ago: Yeltsin assumes dictatorial powers in Russia

On September 21, 1993, Russian President Boris Yeltsin disbanded parliament, suspended the constitution and assumed dictatorial powers, blowing to pieces the pretense that his regime represented the development of democracy in Russia after the dissolution of the USSR. The action was the first in a series leading up to the bombardment of the Russian parliament building in October.

Yeltsin made use of unexplained incidents in which unidentified gunmen fired shots at the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) military command and the central offices of the GRU, the Russian military intelligence. A policeman and a civilian were killed in the first of these suspicious shootings. Who carried out these attacks and for what purpose was unknown, but they provided a convenient pretext for a bloody crackdown.

Troops were deployed in Moscow for a possible assault on the Russian White House, the headquarters of the parliament. The leader of an anti-Yeltsin military faction, the Union of Officers, was arrested together with several other opponents of the regime.

Yeltsins spokesman issued a statement describing demonstrators gathered at the White House in opposition to Yeltsins coup as extremists, tramps, the mentally ill, criminals and the mafia gangs and claiming that they were arming themselves. This language, so reminiscent of the days of the Stalinist terror, pointed toward bloody repression.

The Russian presidents dictatorial actions actions received the immediate and unconditional support not only of the Clinton administration in Washington, but of the governments of Germany, Japan, Britain, France and every other imperialist power.

The coup was carried out at the direct behest of Washington and the US-dominated international financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund. They demanded that his regime smash all remaining impediments to the plunder of Russias economy by the multinational banks and corporations. This required the rapid dismantling of what remains of the state economy, the privatization of industry and the resulting layoff of millions of workers.

It was significant that the first military action taken by Yeltsin was the deployment of troops around Russias Central Bank. This institution was seized precisely to cut off the flow of funds used by state enterprises to maintain production and pay workers wages. Yeltsins coup was designed to prepare the Russian state to suppress the social convulsions that such economic shock therapy would set off.

The claims by Washington that it only learned of the coup an hour before Yeltsin announced it on Russian television were transparent lies. Yeltsin was installed as the direct representative and most servile puppet of imperialism to carry through the drive to restore capitalism and assert imperialist control of Eastern Europe and the former USSR.

The coup followed visits to Moscow by US Treasury Undersecretary Lawrence Summers and by an IMF mission, both devoted to pushing Yeltsin to take more aggressive action against state industry and the Russian working class. During this same period, Yeltsin made a series of high-profile tours of Russian military bases, visiting elite paratroop, tank and interior ministry units in and around Moscow.

50 years: US, China in first contact on normalizing relations

Mao Zedong

On September 17, 1968, the US State Department sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry of the Peoples Republic of China. The letter raised the possibility of normalizing diplomatic relations between the two countries, including the exchange of ambassadors. The Johnson administration took the action in the aftermath of Chinas hostile response to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia the previous month.

US imperialism had opposed the 1949 Chinese Revolution, backing the right-wing Kuomintang dictatorship until the bitter end, when Chiang Kai-shek and his defeated troops fled to the island of Taiwan, where the US Navy protected them from pursuit. The United States and China both intervened massively in the Korean War (1950-1953), with American and Chinese troops engaging in bloody battles against each other. In Vietnam as well, China gave significant aid to Hanoi regime, the target of US aggression.

In September 1968, following the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Soviet bureaucracys issuance of the Brezhnev Doctrine, asserting the right of Moscow to intervene in the Stalinist-ruled states, Maos government feared that political or even military intervention against China could be next. Following a pattern of animosity between the Soviet Union and the PRC due to their diverging nationalist interests, the Maoist bureaucracy was looking for alternatives to strengthen their position in the region.

Two days after the US letter, China responded writing that the PRC seeks to maintain friendly relations with all states, regardless of social system. The PRC calculated that an ease in tensions with the United States would relieve enough pressure to focus on resisting a possible military conflict with the Soviet Union. Soviet-Chinese tensions would reach a high point in 1969 during a seven-month-long border conflict.

Both the Soviet and Chinese policies are evidence that the foreign policy of two Stalinist regimes had nothing in common with genuine socialist internationalism. Instead they both followed a path of overseas diplomacy that served only the bureaucracies and ultimately imperialism.

The Brezhnev Doctrine sought to crack down on any political forces that threatened the Stalinist domination of the working class. Similarly, the Chinese Communist Party began to draw the conclusion that by opening the Chinese working class to exploitation by Western imperialism, they could be in a stronger position to defend their own privileges.

75 years ago: German troops massacre Italian soldiers

Anti-Nazi partisans in Greece

On September 20, 1943, German firing squads acting under orders from Adolf Hitler began executing Italian soldiers on the occupied Greek island of Kefalonia. By the end of the day 4,500 had been shot dead. This massacre was the outcome of actions taken by the Italian government to counter resistance within the Italian army.

On September 9, the day Italy surrendered to the Allies, the Italian regime issued orders that no hostile action be taken against the Germans. Glad to be done with the war, many Italian soldiers allowed themselves to be disarmed and taken prisoner by the Germans. Those who hesitated were machine-gunned.

Instead of being released and allowed to go home, 700,000 Italian soldiers were transferred to German prison camps, where 30,000 died under barbaric conditions. Sections of the Italian bourgeoisie welcomed Hitlers destruction of the army, which had been gravitating toward the revolutionary workers of Italy.

On the island of Kefalonia the troops of the Aqui Division had been infected with the revolutionary virus by the Greek partisans whom they were supposed to suppress. A soldiers plebiscite demanded their general not surrender to the Germans but change sides and fight against the Nazis regardless of the odds.

After seven days of ferocious German air bombardment, the Italian resistance was overcome and the executions began. In all, 8,400 Italian soldiers on Kefalonia were killed. On the island of Corfu, after an equally determined resistance, a garrison of more than 7,000 Italian soldiers was annihilated.

In Rome a mere two divisions fought against overwhelming odds to defend the city against German troops. A call was issued to Romes workers, and arms were distributed. For two days and nights workers and soldiers manned barricades against the German assault before an order was issued for the defenders to go underground and prepare for a guerrilla war.

100 years ago: British forces rout Turkish army in Palestine

Map shows arena of the battle for Palestine in September 1918

On September 21, 1918, at the outset of what is usually known as the Battle of Megiddo, named after the ruins of the Bronze Age city in the vicinity, British aircraft bombed and machine-gunned the remnants of the Turkish 7th and 8th Armies near Nablus in Palestine as part of an offensive which opened the road to the Syrian capital of Damascus. The four-hour attack virtually exterminated the two armies.

The offensive, commanded by General Sir Edmund Allenby, was launched by the British on September 18. Allenbys regular forces attacked the Turks north of Jaffa and then wheeled inland, reaching Nazareth on September 20.

The British forces arrived at Beisan the same day, the 4th Cavalry Division having covered 70 miles in 34 hours. It was this which forced the Turks to attempt to escape eastward across the Jordan River and produced the debacle near Nablus.

In the meantime, Arab troops, commanded by Prince Feisal and Col. T. E. Lawrence, were proceeding toward Damascus east of the Jordan along the main Hejaz railway. On September 16 and 17 they blew up the railway lines north, south and west of Deraa, cutting off the Turkish supply route.

By September 27 all the key positions on the way to Damascus were in Arab and British hands. Political and diplomatic considerations now played the key role. Allenbys victories had already exceeded the provisions of the Sykes-Picot Agreement between British and French imperialism, effectively shutting the French out of Palestine. Lebanon and Syria, however, were slated to fall under French hegemony. If Feisals Arabs entered Damascus first, the entire plan might be upset.

Two Arab contingents reached the outskirts of the city on September 30, but its surrender did not take place until the arrival of the 5th Australian Light Horse brigade the following day. Allenby met with Feisal and Lawrence on October 3. When Allenby informed Feisal that Palestine and northern coastal Syria were reserved for British and French military administrations and explained the terms of the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the latter objected. Lawrence claimed that he knew nothing of the British governments intentions regarding its Arab allies. He left for Britain the following day.The United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Professor Philip Alston, is to visit the UK with a view to reporting on the impact of extreme poverty on peoples lives.

Alston begins his visit on November 6 and will spend 10 days talking to organisations dealing with effects of poverty and to those experiencing poverty. On his final day, November 16, he will hold a press conference in London to announce his initial findings.

Alstons visit is significant, given that such visits are normally to developing countries where extreme poverty is a more endemic situation. Among the last countries he visited were Saudi Arabia and Ghana. The fact that the UK is now seen as requiring a visit demonstrates how large swathes of the population have been thrust into poverty, as a result of brutal austerity policies imposed over more than a decade. More than 110 billion in spending cuts have been imposed, with around a million jobs lost in the public sector. Alongside this, the National Health Service (NHS) and public education budgets have been cut to the tune of tens of billions of pounds.

The rapporteurs visit is the first to a Western European country since a trip to Ireland in 2011. Like their class brothers and sisters in the UK, workers in Ireland have suffered crushing austerity measures over the last decade, in order to pay for the bailout of the bankers and super-rich.

Alston is to speak to organisations as to what constitutes poverty, including the impact of child poverty. Alston is to investigate the impact of the austerity measures imposed by the 2010 Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition and Theresa Mays current Conservative government in response to the financial crisis. Also being investigated by the UN is the role that the hated Universal Credit benefit system, first introduced in 2010, has had, and how Brexit will impact those living in poverty.

He stated, Welfare cuts have taken place but there is now an interesting debate on whether they have gone too far and what measures need to be taken to shore up the NHS and other programmes.

Alston in his role as special rapporteur visited the United States at the end of last year, where inequality is also growing at an exponential rate. In his report on his US visit, issued last December, he noted, The dramatic cuts in welfare, foreshadowed by the President and Speaker Ryan  will essentially shred crucial dimensions of a safety net that is already full of holes.  I saw sewage filled yards in states where governments dont consider sanitation facilities to be their responsibility.  I heard about soaring death rates and family and community destruction wrought by prescription and other drug addiction  at the end of the day, particularly in a rich country like the USA, the persistence of extreme poverty is a political choice made by those in power.

The Trump administration reacted with anger and denial when the special rapporteurs final report was issued earlier this year. US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, described the report as misleading and politically motivated, adding, it is patently ridiculous for the United Nations to examine poverty in America. She accused Alston of wasting the UNs time and resources by focusing, on the wealthiest and freest country in the world.

A similar reaction can be expected from the ruling elite in Britain when Alston publishes his final report next year. In 2013, a report on UK housing by UN Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik was dismissed as a Marxist diatribe by Kris Hopkins, the then-Tory housing minister. Rolnik had called on the government to reverse its policy known as the bedroom tax, which led to huge cuts in housing benefits for people in houses deemed to have unused bedrooms. Needless to say the request was ignored.

The right-wing Centre for Social Justice think tank has already declared it will not make a submission to Alston. One of the co-founders of the organisation is Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, who as a former minister was responsible for setting up the Universal Credit system.

Prior to his visit Alston has called for submissions to be sent to him, from both organisations concerned with poverty and from individuals affected by poverty. The deadline for submissions was September 14.

One individual who has already sent in his submission is Alexander Tiffin. Tiffin, a former soldier, is now confined to a wheelchair and reliant on Universal Credit. He has created a web site https://universalcreditsuffer.com and explained his dire living conditions in a Guardian piece August 22.

Tiffin explains that he receives 95.35 in universal credit payments every two weeks. This leaves him just 10.50 after paying energy bills, fuel for his adapted car, TV licence, broadband connection and milk for his baby son.

He has kept a diary of his experiences. Relating his diary, he explained, At one time in February, I had no food at all for two weeks. I probably ate on less than a quarter of the days in that month. I just had nothing. I lost two and a half stone [35 pounds]  my hair has started to fall out and my teeth are loose due to a lack of vitamin intake.

Another entry for May 8 read: I wanted to be able to make myself some sandwiches, so I bought a loaf of bread for 45p and a small block of cheese for 1.72. This left me with 3.30 [with 10 days to go until the next payment]. I must admit I felt bad after buying it as I shouldnt have wasted the money.

Tiffin has suffered mental health problems and says he has come near to a full mental breakdown.

Among organisations submitting to Alston is the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a charity that researches social policy issues. Together with Edinburghs Heriot-Watt University it issued a report in June giving figures for the levels of destitution among the population in 2017. According to their report, around 1.5 million were classed as destitute. Of these, around a third of a million were children.

The study defines destitution as lacking two or more essentials over the past month because they have been unable to afford them. They give a list of six essentialsshelter, food, heating, lighting, clothing and basic toiletries. As an example, they classed as being in destitution people who had fewer than two meals a day for two or more days or had been unable to heat their homes for five or more days.

The report noted, Destitution is clustered mainly in northern cities with a history of de-industrialization, together with a number of London boroughs and other places with a similar history of de-industrialization.

While citing official figures claiming levels of destitution had fallen since 2015, it added, there is a very real risk that destitution will rise again if Universal Credit continues to roll out with its currently high sanction rate.

A growing problem for many in poverty is being able to afford food. Human Rights Watch (HRW), more commonly known for its advocacy of human rights abroad, plans to highlight food poverty in the UK in its submission.

Speaking to the Guardian, HRW researcher Kartik Raj explained, There is a lot of hunger that goes under the radar.  People have a right to food and an adequate standard of living.  If the fifth largest economy in the world is failing to ensure that basic minimum  then that is certainly something we will be bringing to the rapporteurs attention.

The Trussell Trust, an NGO coordinating 420 foodbanks from more than 1,230 centres across the UK, will also submit to Alston. Among the issues it will highlight are that the use of food banks in areas where Universal Credit has been rolled out rose by 52 percent. In areas where Universal Credit had not yet been rolled out or had just been introduced the rise in the use of food banks was 14 percent.

Regardless of the results of Alstons investigation there can be no doubt that the policies that are driving increasing poverty will not be abandoned, as the ruling elite seeks to impose the crisis of capitalism on the backs of the working class.Three weeks have passed since an early morning house fire devastated the working-class community of Chicagos Little Village neighborhood on the citys west side. The fire on the 2200 block of Sacramento Avenue killed 10 children, nine of whom were relatives of the same family: Amayah Almaraz, 3 months; Alanni Ayala, 3; Gialanni Ayala, 5; Ariel Garcia, 5; Giovanni Ayala, 10; Xavier Contreras, 11; Nathan Contreras, 13; Adrian Hernandez, 14; Cesar Contreras, 14; and family friend Victor Mendoza, 16.

Reports into the investigation of the fire and its impact on the community have all but disappeared from mainstream media outlets. The Chicago Fire Department reports that the causes of the fire are still under investigation.

Memorial for the ten children who died in the fire

A team of World Socialist Web Site reporters visited the block on Saturday to speak with residents about the fires impact on the community.

On the street near the building where the fire occurred, reporters met Mads and Colten, two young workers who live on the street behind the building. They told reporters that they had not heard much about the fire, but spoke on the difficulty of finding affordable rent in the city.

We were going to live in Pilsen, [the neighborhood to the east of Little Village] but the landlord pulled the rug from under us at the last minute, Mads explained. The day before we were to move in, he said he gave it to someone else because they were going to pay more.

A lot of the landlords dont even live around here. They live in California, or other places, and dont keep up with the maintenance. They are just trying to rake in the rent.

Like many young people, Mads expressed disillusionment in the capitalist system. I feel everything in a capitalist society leads to the richer getting richer and poorer getting poorer, and nothing is ever going to change until it ultimately fails; and it should.

Mads and Colten, Little Village residents

Later, reporters met with Andrea, who grew up in the adjacent Pilsen neighborhood and moved to Little Village in the early 2000s. A warm and well-spoken person, she offered beverages to the reporters and invited them to see the burnt-out husk of the building from her house.

Andrea described the nightmarish experience of waking up to see the wall of flame engulf the building behind, which had damaged her home as well. It was about 4:30 in the morning when my neighbor came around, screaming and banging on the window. When I got out I looked over and saw a wall of fire. The house behind us was engulfed. I knew the kids who died, because they would play around the back of the house sometimes.

The smoke detectors went off right away in the other buildings next to itonce they picked it up. It took about an hour for the fire department to come, and they found smoke detectors in the building, but no working batteries.

During the investigation carried out by the Chicago Fire Department immediately following, the CFD noted that if the residents had been woken by smoke detectors, they would have been able to escape unharmed.

Ive never seen anything like this happen since Ive lived here, Andrea continued, we have kids who live in our building and they cannot go out in back because just being out here gives you a somber feeling. I have two kids, and were looking to move because we have to see this every day. I had to clean some of the debris up myself, and all the while I was traumatized by the reminder of where it came from.

Andrea spoke candidly of the high levels of poverty in the area and the citys efforts to gentrify, that is to attract a wealthier social stratum to the neighborhood. This is an up-and-coming neighborhood, I can see it. Rents going up and people who live here dont have a way to make ends meet so they end up having to move out to places on the South Side like the Back-of-the-Yards neighborhood.

We are struggling with rent control right now in this community. There is a lot of gentrification going on in Pilsen, and the landlords have noticed that and so they keep increasing the rents here. My apartment used to be $400 per month in 2010; now its $750.

View of the back of the building

On minimum wage, it eats up about one-and-a-half of my paychecks. I collect food that the church gives away in order to make my payments. Andrea noted she works part-time as a personal shopper for Instacart, a grocery delivery service which relies upon cheap, piecemeal labor and app technology, similar to Uber, as well as a second part-time job in the food service industry, and is currently looking for a third.

A WSWS reporter asked Andrea if she thought that there was any way that representatives of the Democratic Party in Chicago could resolve the issues which plagued the community, given the lack of response by Democratic Alderman George Cardenas and Mayor Rahm Emmanuel.

Theyre not capable, because they dont see the benefit. They are just looking out for themselves and helping whoever makes a profit. Theyll do something only if its at minimum cost. Were the poor, and if they want to kick us out to increase the property value, then theyll do it.

Andrea supported the call to form a neighborhood committee to carry out an independent investigation of the fire and put forth demands based on what the members of the community need to improve their living standards, in opposition to the political parties of the ruling class.

I think that is definitely needed here. The people in this community need to be educated on these issues. You could come out here and talk to people more often or hold workshops and put up posters.

The fire in Little Village has laid bare the social dynamics of the capitalist system which lie at the root of the problems faced by the working class throughout the city and worldwide. Decades of successive Democratic administrations in Chicago have starved the city of funding for safe and affordable housing programs, jobs programs, and education, while giving tax breaks and incentives to corporations and real estate investors which offer nothing to the working class but low-wage jobs, forcing them to live in substandard housing and cramped conditions.

The citys Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel has presided over a massive transfer of wealth from the working class to the ruling elite. Since he was elected in 2011, Emanuel has closed 50 elementary schools, severely limited access to public housing units, and cut funding to the Chicago Fire Department.

Democratic Alderman of the 22nd Ward, George Cardenas, had ignored the multiple building code violations against the landlord, which include several electrical violations. Cardenas has attempted to shift blame for the tragedy from the citys shoulders and onto the mother of six of the children who were killed.

The building had failed four of seven inspections over the last three years and was the site of a February 2017 fire on the second floor, which was not fatal. However, firefighters found no smoke detectors present during the investigation.

The families of the deceased children and the residents affected by the fire deserve answers. They will not get them through the city administration or any of the various middle-class organizations which orbit the Democratic Party. The formation of a neighborhood committee is needed to demand an end to poverty and poor housing conditions through the implementation of a multi-billion-dollar public works program to re-build the citys neighborhoods without displacing working class residents.

Such a committee will need to link up with hotel workers, over 5,000 of whom are currently on strike in the city, UPS workers, autoworkers, and the working class all over the world to put an end to capitalism and replace it with a planned economy capable of meeting the needs of the vast majority of society, not just the wealthy few.WAUCHULA, Fla. (AP) - Bat droppings are being blamed for causing breathing problems that made 13 workers ill at a Florida courthouse.

The Lakeland Ledger reports that workers at the Hardee County Courthouse on Thursday complained of coughing, itchy and scratchy throats, chest burning, red eyes, and itchy skin. Two people were treated and released from a hospital.

About 1,500 bats infested the third floor of the courthouse in August but they were removed, the droppings cleaned up and the courthouse reopened.

Circuit Court Judge Marcus Ezelle has ordered the closure of the floor and court proceedings have been moved temporarily to the Board of County Commissioners building next door.

Holly Ober, an associate professor at the University of Florida, says if bat excrement is improperly swept then the droppings can become airborne.

___

Information from: The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.), http://www.theledger.com

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- The tropics are remaining active, through our named storms are gradually weakening.

Tropical Depression Florence continues to bring heavy rain and flooding to the Carolinas despite the weakening trend. Currently, Florence is about 30 miles south southeast of Greenville, South Carolina with sustained winds of 35 mph.

This tropical depression is now moving to the north at 14 mph. Over the next day or so, this storm will begin to turn toward the northeast, and enter into the western Atlantic Ocean near New York. Even though Florence will become an extra-tropical low, areas of heavy rain may be possible and this storm continues on its path.

Tropical Depression Joyce is now about 400 miles south of the Azores. Winds are also sustained at 35 mph.

On the forecast path, Joyce is expected to continue moving east through tonight before turning toward the southeast. Joyce is expected to gradually weaken as it will be entering into an environment with higher wind shear and drier air.

Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene is about 400 miles north of the Azores and is moving toward the northeast at 30 mph.

What's left of Helene will continue moving toward Ireland and the United Kingdom over the next couple of days.

The area of disturbed weather in the central Caribbean Sea continues to produce disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Gradual organization may be possible as this low pressure moves into the northwest Caribbean Sea. After that, environmental conditions will not be favorable for further development. Because of this, there is only a 20% chance of formation in the next five days. Heavy rains are still expected over Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Cuba over the next few days.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 05:13:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official condemned on Sunday the U.S. decision to revoke the visas of Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot, his wife and two children which were valid until 2020.

"This vindictive action by the Trump administration is spiteful, as if the announcement that the U.S. would close our office in Washington was not enough," Hanan Ashrawi, a member of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, said in an official statement.

The United States attempted to pressure and blackmail the Palestinians to a new level, she added.

The U.S. government "has gone from cruel punishment to revenge the Palestinians and their leadership," Ashrawi noted.

"Instead of working for a genuine peace, the U.S. is destroying the chances of peace and undermining its own credibility and standing on all levels," she warned.

On Tuesday, the U.S. government informed staff at the PLO General Delegation Office in Washington of the guidelines for closing down the office.

The employees were ordered to cease all operations, close down all their bank accounts, and leave the United States before Oct. 13.

Ties between the Palestinian Authority and the United States have almost been severed since U.S. President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 08:34:29|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Tran Tieu Vy (C), winner of the Miss Vietnam 2018 beauty contest, pose for photos during the finals of the contest in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Sept. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/VNA)

HO CHI MINH CITY, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Tran Tieu Vy, a 18-year-old student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, became Miss Vietnam 2018 on Sunday night after topping a national beauty pageant which promotes beauty, knowledge and kindness.

The 1.74-meter high girl from central Quang Nam province, who has bust-waist-hip measurements of 84-63-90 cm, outperformed 42 other young women in the final round of the 30-year-old beauty contest held at the 5,000-seat Phu Tho Gymnasium in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the contest's question-and-answer session, Vy was asked: "Image you were present in the next 100 years. What would you say to youths at that time?" She timidly replied: "I would advise them to believe in their dreams and enrich their knowledge to be successful. The success will help other people and make the society become better."

Vy will represent Vietnam to attend the 2018 Miss World slated for Dec. 8 in Sanya, China.

As Miss Vietnam 2018, Vy wore a crown which was handcrafted from 30 pearls, which represent 30 years of the beauty pageant, and 3,260 sapphires, which represent 3,260 kilometers of Vietnam's coastline. She received a cash award of 500 million Vietnamese dong (21,700 U.S. dollars).

The first runner-up is Bui Phuong Nga, a second-year finance student at the National Economics University. The 1.72-meter high young woman from the capital city of Hanoi stands in the crowd with a smiling bright face and a ladylike manner.

The second runner-up is Nguyen Thi Thuy An, a student at the University of Technology in Ho Chi Minh City. She was born in 1997 in the southern province of Kien Giang.

Among the beauty contest's nine auxiliary titles, including Ao dai (Vietnam's traditional long dress), Sport, Sea and Talent, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, a second-year student at the French Department of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities gained the "Most Benevolent" title.

The 2018 Miss Vietnam contest's winners are supposed to sign with the organizers deals on keeping their images nice, free of scandals.

On Sunday night, 43 contestants partook in three performances in ao dai, pink or violet swimsuits and evening gowns. The contestants in Top Five also responded to the judges' questions.

Vietnamese daily newspaper Tien Phong (Pioneer) has organized the beauty pageant biennially since 1988. After 30 years with 15 editions, Miss Vietnam has emerged as the country's most prestigious national beauty contest.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 10:29:50|Editor: Liu

Video Player Close

SANTIAGO, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chilean avocado growers have found a rapidly expanding market in China as the consumers there develop an ever finer appetite for nutritional produce, industry officials have said.

"We've had very good results," Francisco Contardo, general manager of Chile's Hass Palta Committee, an organization of avocado growers, told Xinhua recently.

The committee said avocado exports to China began three years ago and have been booming. In the latest avocado season, which runs from July to April, 14,860 tons of avocados were sold to China, up from 3,970 tons in the 2015-16 season.

The climate and soil in Chile's fertile central and northern valleys are favorable for growing avocados. The green vegetable-like fruit, known as palta in Chile, has been increasingly popular in recent years in many countries as a nutritional fruit.

Avocados are fairly new to Chinese consumers, but Chile's growers have been energetically promoting their produce in China.

The Hass Palta Committee will be doing a promotional campaign of Chilean avocados in the Chinese market this year, the third year in a row.

"Chile has done a tremendous job in terms of education," said Contardo, saying that the committee and Chile's national export promotion agency ProChile have joined hands to promote the fruit.

Sales of Chilean avocados have been brisk, catapulting Chile to a position as one of the leading suppliers to the Chinese market, Andreas Pierotic, commercial adviser at Chile's embassy in Beijing, said last year.

Contardo said there is much more to be done in terms of consumer education, including demonstrating to consumers the variety of ways avocados can be used as an ingredient and how to tell when they are ripe.

"There's still a lot to learn about ... how to eat it, and what color and condition the avocado should have when you're going to eat it," he said.

Contardo traveled to China in late August on a business trip to promote Chilean avocados.

Originally from south-central Mexico, avocado trees bear a pear-shaped fruit, or berry, with a rough but thin dark-green rind. Inside, its bright-green to bright-yellow flesh surrounds a large round stone.

Chile's Agriculture Minister Antonio Walker said the country's agricultural growth hinges on being able to enter markets in Southeast Asia, China and India, where there are potentially millions of consumers.

"We have a tremendous opportunity in Asia and we already have a tradition, a history," Walker said in an interview with Xinhua.

"More than 25 years ago, we created the Chilean farm in China, which generated a certain prestige and trust between the two countries, which not every Latin American country has," Walker said.

The efforts have paid off, helping Chile win the trust of Chinese consumers and making China one of Chile's top agricultural export destinations. Today, Chile is one of the top exporters of avocados to China and the United States, competing against Mexico and Peru.

"We have made a name for ourselves in the international market," Walker said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 10:44:52|Editor: Liu

Video Player Close

QUITO, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 27 others injured when a bus overturned in Ecuador's central province of Chimborazo on Sunday, the ECU 911 emergency services reported.

An emergency call at 3:46 a.m. local time (0846 GMT Sunday) alerted authorities to the roadway accident and five ambulances were dispatched to the crash site at the entrance to the town of Columbe.

The bus was reportedly carrying sightseers from the southern city of Cuenca towards the nation's capital Quito.

"The injured are receiving medical treatment at the site of the accident and being transported to the hospitals in (the towns of) Colta and Riobamba (Chimborazo's capital )," said the services.

Two Fire Department rescue units and four national police patrol cars were also dispatched, but the rescuers were able to get to the bodies only after removing the vehicle.

The cause of the accident has yet to be determined, but officials suspect the vehicle hit a barrier before turning over.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 10:49:53|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

SYDNEY, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The government of Queensland in Australia has offered a reward of 100,000 Aussie dollars (about 71,510 U.S. dollars) for information after reports of sewing needles or pins found in strawberries in two Australian states.

"Whoever is behind this is not just putting families at risk across Queensland and the rest of Australia -- they are putting an entire industry at risk," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in a statement.

The Queensland Health Department issued a health alert in response to the contamination Wednesday, advising consumers to cut up strawberries before eating them.

The police have also launched an investigation, and suspected the needles were deliberately planned "obviously to injure somebody."

Contaminated strawberries were also found in the state of New South Wales, but local police said they didn't know whether the same suspect or a copycat is responsible.

"I would urge anyone with information that may be relevant to this incident in any way to contact police as soon as possible," Palaszczuk also said in the statement.

As the strawberry needle scare widens, a New Zealand supermarket chain Foodstuffs has also stopped selling Australian strawberries in the latest blow to the industry.

"This is food terrorism that is bringing an industry to its knees," Strawberries Australia Inc Queensland spokesman Ray Daniels told Australian media.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 11:09:56|Editor: Yang Yi

Video Player Close

BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's coming middle-class boom is on Argentina's radar, said Enrique Mantilla, head of the Argentine Chamber of Exporters.

"Looking to 2040, there's going to be an important change in China. A very significant growth in the Chinese middle class and its purchasing capacity," Mantilla told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"We estimate that as wages rise, employment opportunities increase and family income grows, what's going to happen is that people are going to cook less at home and buy ready-made products," said Mantilla.

That's where Argentina's exporters hope to play a bigger role as suppliers, according to Mantilla.

"Over the next 20 years, it's a cultural change that we have to keep in mind -- selecting foods with a criteria based on health more than just pure pleasure," he added.

To that end, Argentina and China are stepping up negotiations on opening up China's consumer market to Argentine exports, such as lamb, pork, honey, wheat, cherries and sorghum.

Simply knowing the Chinese consumers' needs is not enough, Mantilla said, adding that the challenge is to find the channels through which you distribute or gain buyers for your products.

"China is very large. You have to ... narrow down what you want to focus on, get to know the wholesale buyers, then get to know how to also reach the retail level," said Mantilla.

Mantilla admitted that it is challenging to understand consumers' needs and meanwhile identify the advantages of Argentina's products. "It requires time."

However, the task is made easier since decision-makers in both the Argentine government and the private sector aim to strengthen trade ties with China, he said.

China is Argentina's biggest agricultural export market and a leading buyer of its cooking oils, soy, beef and poultry, wine and dairy products.

"Our vision of China is a vision of China plus Asia as a whole, because China also has many trade ties and productive chains with its neighbors, so the Chinese market is important," Mantilla said.

Food security is a matter of increasing relevance, he said, explaining that "due to climate change, you have to adapt the infrastructure where the foods are processed to guarantee food security."

"China is looking at this topic just as we are, offering cooperation and credit lines so we can gradually build the routes that will ... guarantee food security," Mantilla added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 13:00:49|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- A massive fire broke out at a movie theatre in the southern Indian port city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh state Monday, officials said.

The fire broke out at Sri Kanya cinema hall in Gajuwaka area of Visakhapatnam.

"The blaze started this morning. Some five fire tenders have been pressed into service. Fortunately, there have been no reports of any casualty in the incident," a fire official said.

Local media reports said that cinema hall employees have been evacuated by fire fighters and the theatre was empty as the shows start only after 11 a.m. local time.

A probe has been ordered into the incident, the official said. "We will book the cinema owner if any negligence is found on its part," he added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 13:20:54|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

HAVANA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Sunday said the main goal of his government is boosting links with the people, listening to their concerns and addressing their difficulties.

In an interview with Latin American network TeleSUR, Diaz-Canel said his administration advocates the notion of "governing for the people."

"There has to be a constant link and dialogue with the people," he said.

Diaz-Canel, who has visited several provinces and directly interacted with Cubans, said that government leaders at all levels must respond to the people's needs.

He also emphasized efforts to communicate with the youth and listen to their concerns and aspirations.

Diaz-Canel said it's important to strengthen ties between the central and local governments.

"We want to give provinces and municipal governments greater autonomy because they truly know the local concerns and problems and can solve them easier," he said.

The interview with TeleSUR is the first one with an international media outlet after Diaz-Canel was elected president of Cuba in April.SPRINGFIELD - Illinois voters will be picking a new attorney general in November, and 20 percent of the electorate has yet to decide who will get their votes - Democrat Senator Kwame Raoul or Republican attorney Erika Harold. Among those that have decided, Raoul is outpacing Harold by 12 points, a recent survey by the Illinois Broadcasters Association says.

Harold, who has received substantial financial support from GOP Governor Bruce Rauner, has been the focus of her opponent's recent attack ads. In one ad, Harold is quoted during her college years saying she'd rather send children to be adopted by an abusive heterosexual couple than to a same sex couple. The ads have been effective in turning up the dial on Harold's unfavorables.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 13:33:28|Editor: Yang Yi

Video Player Close

Lin I Chen, a Taiwanese, looks out of the window of the guest house at the "Rocks Can Sing" art zone in Beigang Village of Pingtan County, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 7, 2018. When tourists get close to "Rocks Can Sing," they may see artists playing music with the rocks, and people sipping coffee in rock houses. "Rocks Can Sing" is an art project which takes in accommodation, live music, restaurant, cafe and souvenir store. Now, a total of 10 young people from the mainland and Taiwan, including Taiwanese Lin I Chen and her boyfriend Liao Che Wei, work for the art project to promote cultural and tourism exchanges across the Taiwan Strait in Pingtan, 126 kilometers west of Taiwan. In June 2015, Lin and her brother and sister-in-law came to Pingtan to sell tea leaves and handicrafts from Taiwan. Pingtan is an island county in east Fujian, consisting of more than 100 islets and about 1,000 ledges. Impressed by the local rock-houses in Pingtan, they decided to rent the rock houses and start homestays and other business in Beigang Village. Their art project of "Rocks Can Sing" quickly became a success, attracting visitors from the mainland and Taiwan. Some Taiwanese artists even came to the village to seek artistic inspirations. (Xinhua/Zhang Guojun)Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 13:35:57|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

FARAH, Afghanistan, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- About 15 police personnel have been killed in fierce clashes in two Afghan western provinces as fighting rages elsewhere in the country, authorities said Monday.

In one attack, five police officers, including a senior police officer, were killed after Taliban attacked a police base on outskirts of Qala-e-Naw city, capital of Badghis province, a provincial police officer told Xinhua anonymously.

Several militants were also killed and wounded during the gun battle which occurred early Monday morning, but their number could not be exactly specified as the militants evacuated their casualties after the fighting, the source said.

In Farah province, bordering Iran, 10 police officers were killed after clashes flared up in Gajgin village of Pusht Rod district, north of provincial capital Farah city Sunday night.

The Taliban seized weapons and ammunition after attacking security checkpoints in the area before destroying the posts and two police officers went missing after the fighting, according to a provincial source.

The two provinces have been the scene of clashes between security forces and Taliban militants over the past couple of months.

Further details about the incidents are still forthcoming amid the absence of any official statement.

The violence has been on the rise as Afghan security forces struggle against a surge in attacks by militants at the time when the country is preparing for parliamentary and district council elections slated for Oct. 20 this year.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 14:26:02|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Journalists work at the press center of the upcoming 2018 Inter-Korean Summit in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 17, 2018. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un would sit face to face at least twice during their third summit in Pyongyang scheduled to last for three days from Tuesday, the presidential Blue House of South Korea said Monday. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un would sit face to face at least twice during their third summit in Pyongyang scheduled to last for three days from Tuesday, the presidential Blue House of South Korea said Monday.

Im Jong-seok, Moon's chief of staff, told a press briefing at the press center in Seoul for the upcoming summit that Moon was expected to arrive at the Pyongyang international airport at about 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) Tuesday and be greeted by a welcoming ceremony at the airport.

Whether the DPRK leader would greet the South Korean president at the welcoming ceremony had yet to be fixed.

After lunch, Moon and Kim were slated to sit face to face for the first time, and they will hold their second face-to-face talks Wednesday morning.

Im noted that if the talks go smoothly, Moon and Kim were anticipated to hold a joint press conference to announce an agreement after the Wednesday morning dialogue, but he added that another face-to-face meeting can be held once again in accordance with how the talks go.

Moon was set to stay in Pyongyang for three days till Thursday as he agreed with Kim to meet again in the DPRK's capital city this fall.

Major schedules for the third Moon-Kim summit would be live broadcast for the first time. Two former South Korean presidents visited Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, respectively, for their summit meetings with then DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, the father of the current leader, but they were not aired live.

It would be the first time that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is on the dialogue agenda for the inter-Korean summit meeting, the chief of staff said.

During the past Pyongyang summits, the denuclearization was not discussed directly between the leaders of the two sides.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 15:31:12|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

ISTANBUL, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two illegal migrants died and one went missing after a boat sank off Turkey's Aegean coast on Monday, the Turkish coast guard said.

The mishap occurred near the resort town of Bodrum in the southwestern province of Mugla when the inflatable boat carrying a total of 19 migrants capsized, the force said in a statement posted on its website.

The coast guards rescued 16 refugees, including eight children, the statement said, noting the rescue operation was continuing to find the missing person.

The refugees, including 15 Iraqis and one Syrian, are believed to have tried to sneak into a Greek island.

The Aegean Sea was once the main route for migrants fleeing into Europe via Turkey. A deal was signed between Ankara and the European Union in March 2016 to reduce the flow of illegal migration.

Since this year, a total of 17,958 migrants have attempted to reach the Greek islands via Turkey, up from 13,820 over the same period in 2017, according to figures released by the Turkish coast guard.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 15:31:13|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military said Monday it took preparatory steps ahead of the demolition of the West Bank home of a Palestinian knifeman who killed an Israeli-American citizen a day earlier.

Army forces raided overnight the village of Yatta, in the southern West Bank, from which the 17-year-old Khalil Jabarin went out to carry out his attack on Sunday.

"Following the terror attack, IDF (Israel Defense Forces), ISA (Israel's Shin Bet security service) and Border Police forces mapped the residence of the terrorist prior to its demolition," a military spokesperson said in a statement.

Israeli media reported that prior to the mapping, army forces raided Yatta, carrying out searches in homes and building throughout the village.

Police said that Jabarin arrived at the Harim mall in Gush Etzion, a major Jewish settlement bloc, and stabbed Ari Flud, 45, in his back. Jabarin was shot by several civilians, including Flud himself before he collapsed and was taken to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his wounds.

Jabarin sustained moderated injuries and taken to custody.

Flud was a U.S.-born Jew and a father of four. He lived in the West Bank settlement of Efrat south of Jerusalem.

Palestinian street attacks, mostly carried out by individuals with no affiliation to militant organizations, have been sporadic since 2015, a year after the peace talks reached an impasse.

Israel reacted with several measures, including the demolition of the family homes of the assailants, claiming the measure is used to deter more attacks. However, Palestinians and human rights groups say the measure constitutes a collective punishment and is ineffective.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 15:36:14|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- An economist called for more efforts to stimulate the private sector as the Chinese economy has entered a new period that requires a higher level of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Given a new era of reform and opening up, China needs to ponder how to further propel the private sector in a bid to make the broader economy more vibrant, said Fan Gang, president of the China Development Institute, a Shenzhen-based think tank.

Fan, a former member of the central bank's monetary policy committee, made the remarks during a two-day session of the China Development Forum starting Sunday.

China will increasingly rely on endogenous innovation to spur economic development in the future, a process that needs risk takers from private businesses, while state firms, always slower and more cautious in decision-making, are relatively less vigorous and not that willing to take risks, Fan said.

The private sector witnessed booming growth thanks to the country's reform and opening up during the past decades.

A State Council conference in August hailed private businesses as a "vibrant force" in national economic and social development, which currently provide more than half of governments' tax incomes, 60 percent of China's GDP, 70 percent of technological innovation and 80 percent of urban jobs.

There has been a raft of favorable policies that protect and motivate private entrepreneurs and create a better business environment for them, Fan said.

The government has reiterated its stance will not change, vowing stronger financing support, bigger tax reductions and better intellectual property protection to further encourage private companies, in particular, small and medium-sized enterprises.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 15:41:15|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Twelve militants of Islamic State (IS) outfit have been killed in two eastern Afghan provinces, officials said Monday.

In one incident, eight IS fighters were killed after Afghan Special Operations Forces stormed several IS hideouts and defensive fighting positions in Baandar area, Achin district of restive Nangarhar province Sunday night, provincial government spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told Xinhua.

Several militants' bunkers together with weapons and ammunition were also destroyed following the raid.

Since earlier this year, the security forces have been clashing with IS militants in Achin and neighboring Khogyani district. The clashes have forced thousands of villagers to flee.

In neighboring Kunar province, Afghan army commandos launched a special operation in Gundeel locality of Wata Pur district, killing four IS militants and arresting four others, Mirwais Sapay, an army spokesman in the region, told Xinhua.

Those among the killed was an IS divisional commander named Abuzar, the source said, adding no civilian or security force member were hurt during the operation.

The IS group, which emerged in Nangarhar in early 2015, has yet to make comments on the report.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 15:46:17|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two Syrian families refused to return back to their homeland from Lebanon Monday after discovering that they will have to perform the military service upon their arrival, local media reported.

"Members of these two families are men and they discovered that they have to join the military service upon their arrival and not six months after their arrival as they were previously informed," according to Elnashra, an independent online newspaper.

Hence, the number of refugees returning back to Syria from Nabatieh dropped from 50 to 39.

On Monday, Syrian refugees met in the early morning in different locations in Lebanon to return to Syria under the supervision of Lebanon's general security.

According to Elnashra, the number of refugees returning to Syria are 140 from Burj Hammoud, 220 from Al Madina Al Riyadiya, 39 from Nabatieh and 50 from Tyre.

More than one million Syrian refugees are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Lebanon. The government estimated the true number of Syrians in the country to be 1.5 million.

The Russian Defense Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs drafted a strategy last month to secure the safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

The strategy aims at securing the return of 890,000 refugees to Syria from Lebanon.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 16:11:22|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

CHANGSHA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 China International Food & Catering Expo concluded, with record attendance and contract volume, in the central Chinese city of Changsha on Sunday.

Over 151,000 people visited the four-day event, up 22.2 percent compared to last year, the organizing committee said.

Besides the 13 specialized exhibition areas, the concurrent meat expo and Hunan cuisine ingredient e-commerce festival also attracted a large attendance.

According to the organizers, 22 food companies from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province signed intention agreements totalling nearly 70 million yuan (10.2 million U.S. dollars) with 47 Hunan purchasers.

A tofu producer in Xinhua County reached purchase intentions worth 8 million yuan with purchasers across China at a special industrial poverty-relief fair.

The expo was first held in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, in 2016.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 16:11:22|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

CHENGDU, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 Cyberspace Expo kicked off Monday in the city of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, with the participation of nearly 100 organizations.

The expo features progress made in cybersecurity personnel training, technological innovation and industrial development, according to Tang Xin, an official with China's Cyberspace Administration.

It also displays a series of selected network security solutions and related innovative products in addition to offering visitors interactive experiences and an intelligent voice guide service to promote the public understanding of cybersecurity.

The expo, which is part of the 2018 China Cybersecurity Week that runs between Monday and Sunday, will last until Friday.

China had an internet population of 802 million and 5.44 million websites by the end of June, according to a report released by the China Internet Network Information Center in August.

The report said 4.83 million terminals and servers were detected to be infected with internet viruses in the first half of 2018, a 61.9 percent drop year on year.Pro-lifers cannot count on legislators who tout theyre pro-life but surrender to the pro-abortion regime in our state. This will not be tolerated any longer, said Executive Director of Illinois Right to Life Mary Kate Knorr. For years, Senator Connelly has relied on pro-life voters to keep his seat. However, he has made it very clear by voting for the ERA and bragging about it in this mail piece that pro-life issues are not a priority for him.

Senator Connelly can no longer count on district pro-lifers to send him back to Springfield, the group said. The first-term senator chose not to respond to the criticism when Illinois Review requested reaction.

CHICAGO - When a mail piece hit mailboxes with GOP State Senator Michael Connelly boasting about his support last session to pass the Equal Right Amendment, Illinois Right to Life Action responded with a strong "rebuke."

The Equal Rights Amendment is a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that, in practice, would put abortion restrictions across the country at serious risk if it were ratified, the group said. The Illinois legislature ratified the ERA in May of 2018.

Connellys mail piece emphasized that he is a strong supporter support of womens rights, exemplified in his vote for the ERA.

Other prolife leadership joined the criticism of Connelly.

Im disappointed with Senator Michael Connelly for voting for the ERA and then bragging about it, as we have seen, said IRLA Legislative Chairman Ralph Rivera. This is in direct opposition to the stance he took in 2014 when he voted against the ERA.

Past litigation has shown that the ERA is not used to guarantee the equality of the sexes under law, but to justify increasing abortion on demand and forcing taxpayers to cover the cost.

In both New Mexico and Connecticut, state courts have cited their state ERAs to justify the statewide expansion of abortion. In 1998, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that under the ERA, abortion cannot be regulated any differently than the medically necessary procedures that men seek, the group said.

The Connelly piece:Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 16:16:23|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Journalists work at the press center of the upcoming 2018 Inter-Korean Summit in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 17, 2018. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un would sit face to face at least twice during their third summit in Pyongyang scheduled to last for three days from Tuesday, the presidential Blue House of South Korea said Monday. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the defused military tension between the two Koreas would be on the main dialogue agenda for the upcoming summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un.

Im Jong-seok, Moon's chief of staff, told a press briefing Monday at the Seoul press center for the upcoming summit that Moon will make efforts to encourage the DPRK and the United States to rapidly resume sincere talks in a bid to let the DPRK advance the denuclearization and the United State take corresponding measures.

He said Moon will play a role in arbitrating and facilitating dialogues between Pyongyang and Washington for the denuclearization as U.S. President Donald Trump called for Moon to play a role as a chief negotiator, while the DPRK leader also had an anticipation for Moon's role.

Moon was forecast to sufficiently deliver the U.S. stance to Kim during the upcoming summit, while conveying the DPRK position to Trump as the South Korean president is set to visit New York later this month for the UN General Assembly.

Moon and Trump were expected to hold a separate summit meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The presidential chief of staff declined to deliberate on what concrete measures for the denuclearization Moon and Kim would discuss and even whether their discussion could be made known to the international community, though he noted that it would be the first time for the denuclearization to be on the key agenda in the inter-Korean summit.

Moon and Kim agreed to completely denuclearize the Korean Peninsula during their first summit on April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom.

Another on the main agenda would be the eased military tension along the heavily armed inter-Korean border. Im said the leaders of the two sides will discuss ways to end the military tension and the threat of war on the peninsula.

Moon and Kim, the chief of staff said, were anticipated to reach a meaningful agreement to fundamentally eliminate the threats of armed conflicts and war.

The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with armistice. Following the first summit, Moon and Kim agreed to declare the end to the Korean War by the end of this year.

Military officials from the two sides discussed ways to withdraw a part of guard posts inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which left the peninsula divided, to jointly excavate the remains inside the DMZ of fallen soldiers during the Korean War, to disarm the Joint Security Area (JSA) inside Panmunjom and to ban the entry of warships into waters near the western inter-Korean sea boundary.

Moon and Kim will also discuss ways to improve inter-Korean relations, especially making in-depth discussions on how to fundamentally eliminate the pain of Korean families who have been separated since the end of the Korean War, the presidential chief of staff said.

The separated families have been banned from exchanging letters and phone calls, even less meeting each other. The reunion of the separated families was held in August as agreed upon during the first Moon-Kim summit.

During the upcoming summit, Moon and Kim would sit face to face at least twice. Moon was expected to arrive at the Pyongyang international airport at about 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) Tuesday and be greeted by a welcoming ceremony at the airport.

Moon was set to stay in Pyongyang for three days till Thursday.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 16:36:27|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Baggage management company Sita assured that the software error that happened at the airport earlier this month was the company's fault and it was not intentional, said Beirut Airport's Manager Fadi El Hassan Monday.

"Sita assumes full responsibility of the error that happened at the airport earlier this month," he was quoted by ElNashra, an independent online newspaper, as saying.

Last week, Sita announced that it had to upgrade the airport's software to a newer version to avoid future errors.

Sita is a company that works on managing the flow of baggage from airline to airline and airport to airport.

An error in Sita's software led to flights delays, causing great congestion in the airport's departure halls earlier this month.

This prompted some voices in the country to rise against Beirut airport's manager and general director of civil aviation who were accused of the error.

"Airport's officials must be suspended from their jobs for failing to fulfill their responsibilities and duties," said Wadih Akl, advisor to the State Ministry for Combating Corruption.

"The chaos that happened at the airport last week is unacceptable and should not be repeated," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 16:56:32|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

SHANGHAI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- "A single bed in Puxi is preferable to a room in Pudong," a saying that had been popular in Shanghai till the 1980s goes.

The saying epitomized the sharp contrast of the laggard region east of the Huangpu River in Shanghai to the early-developed region on the opposite side of the river, as Pudong was occupied mostly by farmland and sparse industrial firms back then.

The backwardness associated with Pudong has long become a thing of the past after 28 years of development, during which the area has turned into a new symbol and pioneer of the country's reform and opening up.

PROFOUND CHANGES

For most visitors to Shanghai, a main attraction is the skyline of Pudong with its three towering skyscrapers, including the 632-meter-tall Shanghai Tower, currently China's tallest building and the world's second tallest.

The colossal buildings that meet the clouds, however, are only a small part of the profound changes from Pudong's development since 1990, when central authorities announced a decision to develop and open up Pudong.

"The decision pushed Pudong to the frontline of China's reform and opening up," said Weng Zuliang, secretary of the Pudong New Area Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Over the past 28 years, the local economy expanded from 6 billion yuan (about 876 million U.S. dollars) in 1990 to 965.1 billion yuan last year, an average annual growth of 15.1 percent, data showed.

Covering about one-fifth of Shanghai's total area and home to a quarter of the permanent residents, Pudong now creates near one-third of the municipality's regional GDP.

In the first half of this year, the local GDP rose 8 percent to 501.5 billion yuan, accounting for 32.2 percent of Shanghai's total, up by 0.2 percentage points from 2017.

The fiscal revenue rose more than 350 times from 1993 to 2017. The per-capita residential disposable income rose 3.1 times from 2003 to 60,715 yuan last year. Total fixed-asset investment exceeded 2.3 trillion yuan during the 28 years since reform and opening up.

Favorable policies and easy market access in Pudong attracted the extensive participation of foreign investors.

In the 1990-2017 period, Pudong saw a total contracted foreign direct investment of 196.2 billion dollars. The area is currently home to 281 regional headquarters of multinational companies.

NON-STOP REFORM

The changes would not have been possible without the area's constant steps toward reform and opening up.

"The important decision to reform and open up Pudong showed the world China's unswerving resolution and confidence to push forward the reform and opening up," Weng said.

In the initial stage, Pudong was granted a host of supportive policies, including tax exemptions, easier project approval and easier access for foreign investment.

With the policy preferences, Pudong saw the establishment of many of the country's firsts: a bonded area, a securities exchange and a foreign-invested bank, as well as the first foreign insurance company, among many others.

In 1993, Pudong was expanded with the establishment of the Pudong New Area. In 2005, the State Council approved the Pudong New Area's role as the first pilot area for comprehensive reforms.

Five years ago, the government decided to establish a China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in the Pudong New Area, the country's first FTZ.

Shanghai FTZ in Pudong published the country's first negative list with items which were off limits for foreign investment. The negative list has gradually been shortened as the opening-up drive expands, with items cut from 190 to 48.

The area also spearheaded the country's efforts of streamlining business registration, speeding up customs clearance and corporate supervision. So far, more than 100 categories of institutional innovation have been duplicated and rolled out in other parts of the country.

"Pudong's development is an important witness of China's reform and opening up and fully corroborates the greatness and correctness of the CPC Central Committee's decision of building special economic zones and new areas," Weng said.

It also shows the correctness of the reform and opening up under the Party's leadership, and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he added.

In early November, Shanghai will host the China International Import Expo, which has attracted more than 2,800 companies from more than 130 countries and regions.

Pudong has chosen 13 platforms and enterprises to provide exhibition and logistics services to exhibitors from all around the globe.

The area will take the opportunity of the expo to create new heights in pursuing opening up in all fronts, said Weng.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:16:37|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- India's Supreme Court Monday overturned a government ban on a popular pain killer and two other drugs.

The three medicines, including popular pain killer Saridon, were among 328 drugs banned by the Indian Health Ministry last week, stating there's "no therapeutic justification" for the ingredients and that those could pose risk to people.

"The top court has now permitted the sale of these three drugs in the wake of a petition filed by some drug manufacturers against the government's sudden action. However, the ban on the remaining drugs continue as of now," a lawyer said.

The court has also sought the response of the Indian government on the petition challenging the ban on the manufacture of the 328 drugs for sale and distribution, the lawyer added.

The Health Ministry had enacted the ban last week.

"The Drugs Technical Advisory Board recommended, amongst other things, that there is no therapeutic justification for the ingredients contained in 328 FDCs (fixed-dose combinations) and that these FDCs may involve risk to human beings," the ministry said in its order.

"The board recommended that it's necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of these FDCs under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, in the larger public interest," it added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:26:40|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

PARIS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer on Monday announced a plan to cut education ministry's payroll by 1,800 employees next year.

Blanquer said in an interview with the major public radio France Inter that the plan would involve only secondary schools and administrative services, noting that at least 400 administrative posts would be slashed in 2019.

"We will be better organized," without bringing down the supervision level, he said.

The planned jobs cut represents 0.2 percent of the ministry's more than one million employees in total, according to the minister.

Blanquer added the government would increase the ministry's budget by 1.7 percent, largely used to improve the teachers' pay and create more jobs in primary schools.

With the new measures, the French government targets an unprecedented "big rebalancing between primary and secondary schools that we wanted," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:31:42|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Acupuncture, an ancient traditional Chinese medical technique, is increasingly embraced by patients and doctors in the United States, attendants at a conference in San Francisco said Sunday.

The First National Conference of Chinese Medicine and U.S. Chinese Medicine Development Strategy Forum gathers more than 300 Chinese medicine practitioners.

Huang Xiansheng, president of the American Association of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (AACMA), one of the event organizers, said he saw the potential of introducing acupuncture to more patients and promoting traditional Chinese medicine to the U.S. mainstream, though traditional Chinese medicine faces both challenges and opportunities in the United States.

In particular, Huang said acupuncture is getting to be recognized as an alternative treatment to certain conditions.

Currently there are about 45,000 licensed acupuncturists in the United States.

"Traditional Chinese medicine is a cultural treasure of the Chinese civilization, and it provides 'distinguished footnotes' to the world's medical diversity," said Xiao Xiayong, Chinese cultural counselor in San Francisco, at the conference.

He told the conference that the Chinese government attaches great importance to developing and promoting traditional Chinese medicine.

The conference on Sunday, co-hosted by seven Chinese medicine organizations in California, New York, Florida, Washington D.C. and Massachusetts, was aimed to integrate traditional Chinese medicine into the U.S. mainstream medicine and provide a platform for exchanges.

California Assembly Members David Chiu, Phil Ting and Evan Low, both of Chinese descent, attended the conference to show their support.

Chiu said he was born in the family of a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and that he supported a California legislature to include acupuncture in insurance coverage. Low said it is important to boost the acupuncture community and have acupuncture included in insurance coverage.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:36:42|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Sept. 16, 2018 shows an exhibition area during the annual conference of global aviation World Routes in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

by Liu Baiyun, Wang Pan, Tian Jianchuan

PHNOM PENH/GUANGZHOU, Sept 17 (Xinhua) -- Earlier this year, 32-year-old Chinese businessman Wu Yuwen came up with a bold idea of opening a commercial air route by himself to link Cambodia's Sihanohkville with his hometown in the southeast Chinese province of Guangdong.

Despite more than a decade's experience in cross-border trade, furniture manufacturing and hotel management in Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, he barely knew anything about the airline industry till this year.

Wu's new business was born thanks to the changes brought by the Belt and Road Initiative to Sihanohkville, the second largest city of Cambodia.

NEW AIRWAYS FOR BUSINESS

The fledging industrial parks in the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) , jointly established by China and Cambodia in 2008, experienced a boom in recent years after the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative launched in 2013.

As of August, a total of 125 companies from all over the world had invested in the SSEZ, including 108 Chinese companies which offer over 21,000 local jobs, SSEZ President Chen Jiangang told Xinhua.

Yet for Wu and many others, the problem is enduring a tough journey to reach there. Wu's hometown is Jieyang, a small city in Guangdong, which had no direct flight to Sihanoukville till June this year. He had to take a three-hour high-speed train to the capital city of Guangzhou, and then take a flight from Guangzhou to Phnom Penh in Cambodia before driving five hours to Sihanoukville.

"It's a waste of time, and very exhausting," Wu said. His company had to keep a business convoy both in Guangdong and Cambodia for commuting.

Along with business opportunities, people are flocking to Sihanoukville and have caused a considerable burden to Wu's convoys because many Chinese entrepreneurs investing in Cambodia come from Jieyang and two nearby cities of Shantou and Chaozhou.

Wu sensed the urgent need for a direct route linking airports in Sihanoukville and Jieyang. After months of preparation, he reached an agreement with the Cambodia Sky Angkor Airlines in June to open a direct charter flight from Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport (JCIA) to Sihanoukville.

The one-way journey takes only two and a half hours. Furthermore, the figures of passengers are better than expected. As of late August, the route has a passenger load factor of over 90 percent from Jieyang, and the percentage of return trips has reached 80 percent, which means profits, Wu said.

Today, there are regular flights from Jieyang to Cambodia on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons. Additionally, the Lanmei Airlines of Cambodia has joined the charter route, which makes the number of flights on the route increase to six per week.

"Putting wings on the Belt and Road Initiative" is how General Manager of JCIA Company Guo Dajie describes his job. The airport's goal is to become "an important link of the air routes between China and Southeast Asia," Guo said.

AIR ROUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

"The Chinese wings" bring not only tourists and investment, but also technology innovation and exchange.

In August, China's Hainan Airlines opened a direct flight from Guangzhou to Tel Aviv, which is also the first direct route from Guangzhou to Israel.

With the new route, the number of flights between China and Israel has increased to 10 per week. "It is also 'the route for technology', which will witness the development of cooperation on technology innovation between the two countries," said Qi Yaoming, secretary of the Board of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Co., Ltd.

"I think that it is very good to the relations of tourism, economy and business between the two countries," said Israeli Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz at the opening ceremony of the first Guangzhou-Tel Aviv flight held at the Ben-Gurion International Airport of Israel.

A month before the Inauguration of the route, China-Israel Technology Innovation IP Trading Platform was set up in Zhuhai, a city located in the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong. The first four patents traded on the platform are all from Tel Aviv University of Israel.

China and Israel announced in March 2017 an innovative comprehensive partnership. From January to May of this year, the number of passengers of China-Israel air routes exceeded 80,000, which nearly doubled that of the same period in 2016, data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) showed.

The opening of the Guangzhou-Tel Aviv route is expected to promote the number of passengers between China and Israel to reach 220,000 for the whole year, said Rao Zhiteng, regional director for Central South of Marketing Department of Hainan Airlines.

CHINESE AVIATION'S BIG MAP

Presently, the annual conference of global aviation World Routes, running from Sept. 16 to 18, is ongoing in Guangzhou. This is the second time in three years for this industry event to be held in China.

Chief Brand Officer of World Routes Steven Small said when considering the bids to host 2018 World Routes, they returned to China because it is set to become the world's largest aviation market within the next five years.

Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, also hope to seize the opportunities in the new round of development. Taking Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (BIA) as an example, its route map so far has covered more than 210 destinations on five continents, and among them 86 are international ones.

The BIA company's Chairman Qiu Jiachen told Xinhua that in the next three years, the BIA will try to open 30 international routes from Guangzhou to Madrid, Chicago and Boston, seeking to become a global aviation hub.

According to the CAAC's latest statistics, for the 2018 summer-autumn aviation season, a total of 29 Chinese airlines operated regular round trips from 47 cities in China to 81 cities in 37 countries along the Belt and Road. The number of flights per week reached 2,849.

At the same time, there are 90 airlines from 37 countries along the Belt and Road operating regular flights from 84 foreign cities to 52 Chinese cities, with more than 2,346 flights per week.

"(China's) Civil aviation is highly internationalized and standardized. It has unique advantages for promoting the Belt and Road Initiative and elevating China's opening up to a new level," said Zhang Qing, a senior official of CAAC.

As the SSEZ in Cambodia aims to develop itself into a fully functional model of industrial park with 300 resident companies and up to 100,000 workers, Wu has a plan for his future business.

"I'm confident that in the future I'll start a cargo transportation business," Wu said.

(Xinhua reporters Zhang Xin in Beijing, Mao Pengfei in Phnom Penh and Chen Wenxian in Jerusalem contributed to this story.)

(Video editors: Luo Hui, Zhu Jianhui)Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:36:43|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

HAVANVA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Sunday said his government is open to talks with the United States based on respect towards the island country's sovereignty, independence and its political system.

In an interview to Latin American network TeleSUR, Diaz-Canel said that after U.S. President Donald Trump came into power, relations between Havana and Washington have faced a "serious setback."

"We don't deny the possibilities of dialogue with the Trump administration but it has to be between equals, where our sovereignty and independence are respected. Cuba isn't going to make any concessions," he said.

Diaz-Canel said Washington rolled back thawing links by dictating measures that are "totally unacceptable" for Cuba.

"If this aberrant attitude is maintained, there will be no dialogue. We should ask Trump if he wants to talk but it can't be from a prepotent position," he said.

Last year, Trump signed a presidential memorandum toughening U.S. policy towards Cuba, a document that prohibits U.S. companies from doing business with firms associated with Cuba's military, and restricts U.S. citizens' travel to the Caribbean nation.

According to the Cuban president, the new policy aims to limit Cuba's economic development and goes against the will of most U.S. citizens, entrepreneurs, academics and other sectors.

"There is an important business and agricultural sector that wants relations and investments with Cuba. Also universities, academics and scientists want greater engagement and exchanges between both countries," he added.

Relations were also hampered by alleged "attacks" on U.S. diplomats in the island which led to the partial closure of the U.S. embassy in Havana and the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats in Washington.

"In the midst of rolling back relations, they created a fallacy. We have not attacked anyone," Diaz-Canel said.

After months of investigations, security agencies of both countries have demonstrated that the alleged attacks never took place.

The Cuban leader also urged Trump's administration to lift the economic blockade on the island which has become the main obstacle for its development.

"It is a brutal policy. It's against human rights of our people and their lives," he said.

According to a recent report released by the Cuban Foreign Ministry, economic losses caused by the U.S. blockade on the island totaled over 4.3 billion U.S. dollars between April 2017 and March this year.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:41:44|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday condemned the killing of civilians and property damage in various areas on the outskirts of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

The exact number of people killed or injured in the violence on Saturday and Sunday is not yet available.

The violence has driven thousands of people to flee their homes and seek refuge in schools and other public facilities.

"Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed strongly condemns the killings and acts of violence against innocent citizens around Ashawa Meda, Kataa and Fili Doro last night," said Fitsum Arega, chief of staff of the Ethiopian Prime Minister's Office on Sunday.

"These cowardly attacks represent a grave concern to the unity and solidarity of our people and will be met with appropriate response," Ahmed, who is in Saudi Arabia to witness the signing of a peace agreement with Eritrea, was quoted as saying.

Video clips showing dead bodies and looted houses and properties appeared early Sunday on social media platforms.

The violence on Saturday and Sunday followed recent clashes in the capital Addis Ababa among local residents and youth from surrounding areas who came to celebrate the return of a rebel leader from years-long exile.

Police said on Sunday 70 people have been arrested for their suspected role in organizing the attacks on civilians and properties.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:51:46|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SHANGHAI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday stressed that China is willing to share the development opportunities in the digital economy with other countries and called for joint efforts in promoting artificial intelligence (AI) for the benefit of humankind.

Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai.

Xi pointed out that the new generation of AI is experiencing robust growth globally, injecting new impetus to the economic and social development and changing the patterns of work and life in a profound way.

To seize the development opportunity of AI and cope with new issues in fields including law, security, employment, ethics and governance, it requires deepened international cooperation and discussion, said Xi in the letter.

China is ready to work with other countries in the field of AI to jointly promote development, safeguard security and share the results, said Xi, highlighting expectations on exchange and cooperation in technology exchanging, data sharing, application markets and other areas.

Xi extended a warm welcome to the participants and called on them to build consensus through in-depth exchanges and jointly push forward AI for the benefit of humankind.

Xi's letter was read out at the opening ceremony by Li Qiang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.

Li noted that Xi's letter pointed out a clear direction for the swift and healthy development of AI.

Vice Premier Liu He, also member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the opening session and delivered a speech.

Xi's letter shows that the Chinese government attaches great importance to this conference and the development of AI, according to Liu.

The three-day conference has attracted experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from nearly 40 countries and regions. More than 200 leading companies in AI participated in the conference and the exhibition.CHICAGO - Social conservatives are often ridiculed and mocked for promoting traditional Biblical values such as one-man/one-woman marriage, encouraging sexual abstinence outside of marriage and refraining from immoral lifestyles.

The more popular perspective now is for political candidates to declare they "really don't care what goes on in the privacy of a bedroom" or that "love is the determining factor" about whether a couple - or three or four - of adults should be joined in state-recognized legal unions. Now it is considered rude, bigoted or homophobic - all societal taboos - to even be aware of a candidate's sexual orientation.

Ironically, that same tolerance and polite silence is not a part of the LGBTQ movement's political views. Instead, sexual orientation is a reason to support candidates, as indicated by the Victory Fund's promotion of candidates running in the 2018 election.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 17:51:48|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The rebels in the northwestern province of Idlib have blocked the humanitarian passage designed for civilians who want to flee an anticipated Syrian military campaign in Idlib, local media reported Monday.

The corridor, which links Idlib with areas under the government-controlled areas in Aleppo province in northern Syria, has been blocked by the Turkey-backed rebels to put pressure on Damascus and Moscow to either postpone or abort an anticipated military campaign in Idlib, said the pro-government al-Watan newspaper.

According to the report, orders were given by the Turkish army to the rebel factions to deny access to civilians through the corridor, which was established recently through a Russian mediation, to government-held parts in Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the Syrian army shelled with artillery the positions of the al-Qaida-linked militants in the northern countryside of Hama province near the southern countryside of Idlib.

In the countryside of Idlib, the army also targeted the positions of the rebels in the vicinity of Jisr al-Shughour area, according to al-Watan.

The army has amassed over 5,000 soldiers in frontline areas as part of the preparations for the battle in Idlib, which is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.

The situation in Idlib has become complicated as Iran and Russia, both are the key allies of the government in Syria, want the campaign in Idlib to start to defeat the ultra-radical rebels and move on to reconstruct Syria.

On the other hand, Turkey, which has a clout on the rebels in Idlib, wants to establish a cease-fire in Idlib and has warned of the offensive in Idlib over "humanitarian concerns."

The presidents of Turkey and Russia, which are supporting rival sides in the Syrian conflict, are set to meet Monday in the Russian city of Sochi to discuss was in Idlib.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 18:47:02|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- China welcomed the consensus reached between Laos and Cambodia on the border issue, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.

According to reports, Laos and Cambodia have reached an important consensus on resolving border tensions, including drawing all troops and residents from the disputed areas and holding joint patrols. Laos has already withdrawn its troops.

"As a common neighbor and friend of Laos and Cambodia, China always supports the two countries in resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation based on peace and friendly spirits," spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily news briefing, adding that China is happy to see they reached a consensus on relevant issues recently.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 18:47:02|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

HO CHI MINH CITY, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- CNN has selected the top five up-and-coming Asia Pacific destinations to visit this autumn, including Phu Quoc island off Vietnam's southern Kien Giang province, Vietnam News Agency reported Monday.

"If you're dreaming of a beach getaway in Asia this fall, Phu Quoc in Vietnam should be a top contender. For starters, the dry season begins in November and runs till April," stated CNN.

Formerly a prison island during French colonial times, Phu Quoc, which is just an hour from Ho Chi Minh City and offers a 30-day visa exemption policy for all foreign passports, has photogenic setting and clear waters. There is plenty to do aside from lounging and snorkeling around Ong Lang Beach.

The Phu Quoc Prison Museum offers a peek into the island's dark history while the Phu Quoc National Park and Suoi Tranh Waterfall will spoil nature lovers.

"As for the food, this island is famous for its fish sauce, so don't miss every chance to try it -- which shouldn't be hard, seeing as it's a main ingredient of most Vietnamese dishes," CNN noted.

Apart from Phu Quoc, other destinations in the CNN list are Chengdu (China), Fukuoka (Japan), Jeju (Japan) and Perth (Australia).People mourn the victim of the Aug. 25 attack in Chemnitz, eastern Germany, on Sept. 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Kevin Voigt)

by Maria Vasileiou

THE HAGUE, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- A fierce political row over migration policy triggered in Germany following violent anti-immigrant clashes in the city of Chemnitz, underlines a new line of conflict emerging within the European Union (EU) between nationalists and cosmopolitans, experts say.

"We have always defined much of European politics along the differences between Left and Right, but there is now a new line of conflict coming to the forefront, between nationalists and cosmopolitans, between those who are against migration and prefer closed borders and those, who are in favor of internationalism and openness," said Ben Crum, professor in political science at the Vrije University (VU) in Amsterdam.

MIGRATION POLICY ROW REIGNITED

According to Crum, the political debate currently evolving in Germany, where the violent clashes in the city of Chemnitz reignited a row over migration policy, could be seen along this new line of conflict. "The political debate in Germany is actually a fight over Angela Merkel's legacy, and it remains to be seen how German politics will evolve after the Chancellor concludes her term in office in some four years," the political expert told Xinhua, noting that "what happens in Germany is essential to the EU."

Violent right-wing protests broke out in Chemnitz late in August, in the eastern German state of Saxony, following the killing of a German man for which two immigrants from Syria and Iraq were arrested. The clashes have deeply shaken German politics, reviving strains in German Chancellor's Angela Merkel's government and sparking an intense debate about Merkel's open border 2015 policy to let in more than a million refugees.

"In German politics a lot depends on how Merkel's Christian Democrats and their allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), succeed in becoming a stable alliance again, managing to win back voters they lost in last September's elections to far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)," said Mark Elchardus, Emeritus professor of sociology at the Vrij University of Brussels (VUB).

Angela Merkel's government faced its deepest crisis since she became chancellor, when a dispute on migration policy between her party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its ally, the Christian Social Union (CSU) broke out in June.

Anti-immigration sentiment, which according to Elchardus is on the rise across the EU despite a sharp drop in the actual number of migrants arriving to the European Union to pre-2015 level, holds a key role in the emerging line of conflict between nationalists and cosmopolitans in Europe.

"Today the migration crisis is more about how people react to new arrivals and not about how to actually manage the number of those reaching the EU," said Elchardus. The rate at which migrants are arriving has dropped sharply in Europe since the huge inflows in 2015. According to latest data available by Frontex, the EU's border and coast guard agency, in the first eight months of 2018 the number of irregular border crossings into the EU fell 40 per cent from a year ago to about 86 500. In 2015 more than one million refugees and migrants crossed into Europe.

ORBAN VS MACRON

"On the European scene the emerging extremes of the nationalist position versus the cosmopolitan one are best embodied by Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban on one side and by French president Emmanuel Macron on the other," said Crum.

"Europe looks very much a struggle between what Macron stands for and what Orban stands for," agreed Elchardus, noting that it is unclear how this battle for influence will evolve, especially in regards to party alliance making in the run-up to European Parliament (EP) elections in May 2019.

"The opposition between them is very clear, Macron stands for liberal democracy, he is pro-European, whereas Orban advocates illiberal democracy, he is Eurosceptic and against immigration, but it is completely unclear how this is going to translate in alliances within the European parliament," the sociologist said.

Macron framed next year's European elections as a strong opposition "between nationalists and progressives" late in August, following statements by Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Orban, who labelled the French president their number one enemy.

Critical to further developments is whether Orban's Fidesz party remains within the conservative European People's Party (EPP), currently the largest grouping in the European Parliament. "It is doubtful whether Orban's party will remain in the EPP," said Crum, noting that "it will be more natural to either be boosted out or to be moved to a more right-wing nationalist group within the EP."

Orban said in June he would prefer Fidesz to stay within the EPP and try to reform the group from the inside, but EPP members, including Merkel's Christian Democrats, have criticized some of Orban's policies.

Macron's strategy for the European elections is decisive on how the balance of political powers along the conflict of nationalists versus cosmopolitans will evolve within the EU. "Macron has not affiliated himself to any of the European political families and hasn't attempted to create his own group either," said Crum.

Moreover, big questions loom over Europe's Social Democrats. "The decline of social democracy and the inability of those parties to regain their initiative, is an important factor because they have the potential of stopping the rise of far-right, anti-immigration forces," said Elchardus.

While Europe has seen a rise in support for far-right, anti-immigrant parties in recent national and regional elections, social democrats have experienced a sharp drop in popularity in several countries across the Continent, underlined by recent developments in Sweden. In last week's national elections in the Nordic country the Social Democrats' vote share fell to its lowest level since 1911, while the anti-immigration nationalists Sweden Democrats made gains.

Elchardus anticipated further rise in support for anti-immigration, nationalist forces but he saw no majorities in Western European countries, where mainstream democratic parties "manage to contain the rise of far-right by getting tougher on migration and European integration positions".Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 18:57:06|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the World Conference on Science Literacy 2018, which opened in Beijing Monday.

Science and technology (S&T) is the primary productive force, and innovation is a crucial driving force behind development, Xi said.

Strengthening the coordinated innovation of the S&T industry and all sectors of the society while advancing openness and cooperation between countries is a significant way to enhance the role of the S&T development in the progress of human society, he said.

Xi stressed that China had been active in exchanging ideas with other countries on promoting science and enhancing science literacy.

He said he hoped participants in the three-day conference would exchange opinions, learn from each other, contribute to improving science literacy, help share scientific achievements and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, read the letter at the conference's opening ceremony, and delivered a speech.

Xi has always highly valued S&T innovation and the S&T cause, and emphasized that S&T innovation depends on the rise of people's science literacy, asking for an equally significant position for science popularization with that of S&T innovation, Wang said.

The new challenges brought by the development of S&T need to be answered by humanity as a whole, and S&T innovation must be based on the consistent enhancement of people's science literacy and abilities, he noted.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also sent a congratulatory letter to the conference.

Before the conference opened, Wang met with foreign guests attending the conference.

Themed "Science Literacy for a Shared and Better Future," the conference has over 1,000 participants, including representatives from 23 international science organizations and 58 national science organizations from 38 countries.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:02:08|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Suspected weapon smugglers stand handcuffed after being arrested in Jalalabad city, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 17, 2018. Police have arrested seven suspected weapon smugglers in the eastern Nangarhar province, a Border Police Official Mohammad Ayub Hussain Khil said Monday. (Xinhua/Saifurahman Safi)

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Police have arrested seven suspected weapon smugglers in the eastern Nangarhar province, a Border Police Official Mohammad Ayub Hussain Khil said Monday.

"We arrested seven weapon smugglers in Dur Baba district today morning and discovered light weapons including Kalashnikovs and spare parts including magazines and bullets," Hussain Khil told Xinhua.

The arrested persons were taking the weapons to anti-government militants, the official said, adding investigation has been initiated into the case to find more members of the smuggling team.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:02:09|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

LONDON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- New figures show that one-in-eight of road casualties in Britain are caused by people driving too close to a vehicle in front, killing or seriously injuring more than 100 people a year, new figures from Highways England revealed Monday.

The government-run road agency has launched a safety campaign using well-known Space Invader video game character to alert drivers to the anti-social nature and risks of what is known as tailgating.

Campaign organisers said while a small minority of tailgating is deliberate, most is unintentional by drivers unaware they are dangerously invading someone else's road space.

A survey by Highways England has revealed that tailgating is the biggest single bugbear drivers have about other road users.

In-car research, using dashcams, facial recognition, emotion tracking and heart monitors, has revealed that a driver's typical reaction to a being tailgated is surprise, anger and contempt, with a spike in heart rate.

Nearly 9 out of 10 people say they have either been tailgated or seen it, with more than a quarter of drivers admitted to tailgating, said Highways England.

Former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell, one of the world's best drivers, is backing the "Don't be a Space Invader - stay safe, stay back "campaign.

Mansell, who is president of the Institute of Advanced Motorists RoadSmart, said: "Tailgating is a driving habit I utterly deplore. Not only is it aggressive and intimidating, but it can lead to a crash with a tragic outcome. It puts so many innocent people at risk."

Richard Leonard, road safety head at Highways England, said: "Tailgating makes the driver in front feel targeted and victimised, distracting their attention from the road ahead and making them more likely to make a mistake. It is intimidating and frightening if you're on the receiving end. If that leads to a collision, then people in both vehicles could end up seriously injured or killed."

Vehicle safety experts Thatcham Research described tailgating as one of the most dangerous driver behaviors seen on British roads.

A video using the Space Invader character has been produced by Highways England to highlight the problem.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:12:12|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- China has called on Sweden to guarantee the safety and legitimate rights of Chinese tourists, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Monday.

"In the early morning of Sept. 2, three Chinese tourists, including two elderly, were brutally treated by local police on the outskirts of Stockholm," Geng told a routine press briefing.

"The Chinese Embassy in Sweden and Chinese Foreign Ministry have successively lodged representations with the Swedish side, calling on the Swedish side to conduct a thorough investigation, respond to the Chinese tourists' reasonable appeal in a timely manner and inform the Chinese side as soon as possible.

"As of now, the Chinese side has neither received any update of the investigation from the Swedish side, nor any response from the Swedish police to the Chinese embassy's demand for a face-to-face communication," Geng said.

"This is not in line with diplomatic and international common practices," Geng said. "We urge the Swedish side to attach importance to the Chinese side's concern and take concrete measures to guarantee Chinese tourists' safety and legitimate rights."Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:27:14|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang here on Monday said that China expected the upcoming summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to achieve positive outcomes.

Geng said that China hopes the positive outcomes of the upcoming summit could further strengthen inter-Korean coordination and interaction, maintain and consolidate the momentum for detente on the peninsula and continue to promote the positive role of the political ways of settling Korean Peninsula issues.

ROK President Moon Jae-in and top leader of the DPRK Kim Jong Un will hold their third summit in Pyongyang from Tuesday to Thursday as agreed upon in their April summit at the border village of Panmunjom.

China will continue to fully support the improvement of relations between the two sides of the Korean Peninsula and make efforts and contributions to the early realization of the denuclearization of the peninsula and the long-term stability in Northeast Asia, said Geng, adding that it is also hoped that the international community will continue to play an active and constructive role in this regard.

When commenting on the moves that the DPRK and the ROK opened a joint liaison office at the DPRK's border town of Kaesong on Sept. 14, Geng extended China's sincere congratulations, saying that the launching of the office will help the DPRK and the ROK to consolidate trust, improve ties, promote reconciliation and cooperation and will also create a favorable atmosphere for the upcoming summit.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:32:15|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday welcomed a senate delegation from the Czech Republic at the State Palace, pledging to bring bilateral ties to a higher level.

Widodo and the Czech delegates discussed the possibility of strengthening cooperation in various fields in the future.

"I have committed to advancing cooperation with the Czech Republic in several fields, particularly trade and industry," Widodo said after the meeting.

Deputy Foreign Minister A.M. Fachir, who also attended the meeting, said that Widodo asked the Czech Republic to support Indonesia's crude palm oil export to Europe and help accelerate free trade talks between Indonesia and European Union.

The Czech delegates, led by President Milan Stech, said the two countries could also cooperate in hydro power and automotive sectors, Fachir added.

Indonesia is the world's largest producer and exporter of crude palm oil.



By Mark Weyermuller -

Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan visited with Illinois conservatives Saturday night in the Chicago suburbs. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and a lead contender to be the next speaker of the US House if Republicans can hold the majority.

Jordan spoke of the challenges in Washington D.C., along with a great sense of optimism for the future. He spoke of support for President Trump and his agenda. Afterwards, the congressman graciously shook hands, listened to constituents, and took pictures with practically everyone in the room.

Jordan was in Illinois as the guest of the Illinois Conservative Union, which held their third annual grassroots activist conference Friday and Saturday. The group met at the Midwest Conference Center in Northlake, near OHare Airport.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:32:15|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

ZHENGZHOU, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- A collection of fossils returned from overseas has been displayed at a hotel in the city of Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, on Monday.

The nine exhibits include fossils of Beibeilong sinensis, Gansu tortoise, confuciusornis, a smilodon skull, and manchurochelys, with huge value to scientific research according to fossil experts.

The Beibeilong sinensis fossil, a kind of dinosaur egg excavated in Henan in 1993, attracted the most attention among visitors. Measuring 118 cm long, it dates back at least 86 million years and was overseas for more than 20 years.

In 2013, the fossil was returned to China and displayed in the Henan Geological Museum.

Since the fossil protection regulation went into effect in 2011, more than 5,000 fossils taken overseas have been returned to China, according to Wang Lixia, deputy director of the state expert committee on paleontology and fossils.

After the display in the Yellow River Yingbin Grand Hotel, the fossils will be exhibited in Henan Geological Museum from Sept. 21 to the end of NovemberSource: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:52:21|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has decided that Hans-Georg Maasen, president of the Federal Office for the Protection (Bfv), must be sacked after making controversial comments in relation to far-right marches in Chemnitz, the newspaper "WELT" reported on Monday.

According to the report, Merkel will demand Maasen's replacement at a special cabinet session on Tuesday regardless of whether or not interior minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) continues to back the BfV president. "WELT" cited government circles who had been informed accordingly by the chancellor over the weekend.

The leadership of the German Social Democrats (SPD), who form a coalition government together with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), recently urged Merkel to personally ensure that Maasen would be fired. Earlier, the BfV president publicly questioned the authenticity of video footage depicting far-right protestors chasing foreign-looking civilians in Chemnitz.

By telling the newspaper "WELT" that information obtained by his agency offered no evidence for chases of foreigners having taken place, Maasen hereby directly contradicted Merkel as well as local security authorities on the issue. He was consequently ordered by interior minister Seehofer to present a clarifying report which "substantiates his thesis" in which he backtracked on his original statement and complained about having been misunderstood.

The demonstrations in question have been widely-publicized and were inspired by the alleged murder of a German by two immigrants. During the marches, some protestors resorted to violence, chanted Nazi slogans, and showcased general hostility towards foreign looking civilians.

For Seehofer, who has come under fire himself for saying that he would have joined the Chemnitz marches if he were not a federal minister, the explanation offered by Maasen sufficed to restore trust in his ability to run the BfV. "Maasen still has my confidence as president of the BfV," the interior minister told delegates during a speech in the federal parliament (Bundestag).

However, the SPD has since vocally expressed its disappointment at the leniency shown by Seehofer towards Maasen in the affair. The resulting confrontation between different members of Merkel's cabinet was seen in German media reports as potentially heralding a political crisis in the "grand coalition."

Maasen has previously also been accused of offering the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party clandestine advice on how to prevent being monitored by the BfV, a claim he vigorously denies. The AfD helped organize and defended the Chemnitz marches, leading to growing calls from senior German policymakers, including several senior SPD politicians, for links between the party and right-wing extremists to be scrutinized by the BfV.

Speaking on Sunday, SPD secretary general Lars Klingbeil expressed confidence that, no matter the outcome of current deliberations over whether or not to investigate the AfD, Maasen would no longer be in charge of the agency following the special cabinet session on Tuesday. "I am certain that the result will be that Mr. Maasen must leave," Klingbeil told the public broadcaster "ZDF".

Similarly, SPD leader Andrea Nahles vowed at a party event on Sunday that there would be consequences for the intelligence chief. "Mr. Maasen must go, and I tell you, he will go," Nahles said.

So far, Merkel and Seehofer have both emphasized in vague terms to the press that coalition agreement underpinning the federal government is not threatened by the controversy. "WELT" reported that Merkel is trying to find a compromise to enable Seehofer to complete the political U-turn implied by his firing of Maasen without losing face.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:57:23|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

LONDON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned Monday that continuing to press ahead with Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan will end in a spectacular political car crash.

Johnson said if the so-called Chequers plan for Britain leaving the European Union is utterly unacceptable in principle, the practical consequences are even worse.

He made his warning in the Daily Telegraph newspaper as it was revealed May has issued a stark warning that it will be her deal or no deal.

Johnson's weekly columns have become essential reading for people on both sides of the leave and remain sides.

In his column Monday he zooms in on the problem of the post-Brexit border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic which are separated by a 500 km land border.

In March the EU commission published a protocol spelling it out: that until Brussels agreed otherwise, Northern Ireland would have to remain effectively part of the EU.

As it stands, said Johnson, an EU version of resolving the border issue "is little short of an attempt to annex Northern Ireland".

"It would imply customs and regulatory controls between Britain and Northern Ireland, and therefore a border down the Irish sea," he claimed.

The suggested protocol, said Johnson, would amount to a change in Northern Ireland's constitutional status and a total breach of the peace agreement that ended decades of troubles, and thousands of killings, in Northern Ireland.

"We are now saying that if Brussels cannot be satisfied on our plans for the Irish border, then we are volunteering that the whole of the UK must remain effectively in the customs union and large parts of the single market until Brussels says otherwise," claimed Johnson.

In a major television interview to be aired Monday night local time to mark six months to go before Britain leaves the bloc, May has insisted it will be her deal or no deal.

Speaking in the interview to the BBC, May says that if the British parliament does not ratify her Chequers plan "I think that the alternative to that will be having no deal".

May adds there needs to be friction-free movement of goods with no customs or regulatory checks between Britain and EU on the island of Ireland, in order to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.

Meanwhile the Times newspaper in London claimed Monday that the EU is "secretly preparing to accept a frictionless Irish border".

The newspaper reports that the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier is working on a new protocol text outlining a plan to use technology to minimise border checks.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 19:57:25|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher said Monday that France is following up on the government formation in Lebanon, Lebanon's presidency website reported.

"France is keen to follow up on cabinet formation in Lebanon especially when it comes to the reforms that must be implemented by the new government in a bid to have access to the funds pledged for the country at CEDRE conference," Foucher said during his meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

Foucher's visit to Aoun aimed at discussing bilateral ties and ways of developing the French-Lebanese relations on all levels.

Foucher said that French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Lebanon from Feb. 11 to 14, 2019.

Economists have emphasized that authorities must speed up the formation of the new government to start necessary reforms to obtain the help pledged at CEDRE, an international conference in support of Lebanon development and reforms.

Lebanon secured over 11 billion U.S. dollars in soft loans and grants from international donors at CEDRE to revamp its ailing infrastructure and bolster its economy.Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (L) shakes hands with Xinhua News Agency's Editor-In-Chief He Ping in Baku on Sept. 17, 2018.

BAKU, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Xinhua News Agency's Editor-In-Chief He Ping here on Monday and said that he hopes media outlets play a bigger role in strengthening Azerbaijan-China relations.

Aliyev said his country values the visit of the Xinhua delegation and he hopes that it will promote mutual understanding of the two peoples and contribute to the development of bilateral ties.

He Ping said Xinhua attaches great significance to exchanges and cooperation with Azerbaijani media outlets, and Xinhua is ready to work with Azerbaijani partners to serve Belt and Road cooperation with true, objective and comprehensive reports.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (1st from R) holds talks with Xinhua News Agency's Editor-In-Chief He Ping (4th from L) in Baku on Sept. 17, 2018.

The Chinese editor-in-chief visited Baku at the invitation of Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC). During his stay, he also met Aliyev's assistant for public and political affairs Ali Hasanov and Chairman of the Board of AZERTAC Aslan Aslanov.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:12:28|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Belt and Road Initiative that envisions a great win-win connectivity between multiple countries is bringing plenty of opportunities to the world, a Bangladeshi expert told Xinhua in an interview.

Faiz Sobhan, senior research director at the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI), a leading Bangladeshi think-tank, made the remarks on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the creation of the Belt and Road Initiative that Chinese President Xi Jinping in the fall of 2013 first proposed while visiting Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Xi's idea is more than just an infrastructure plan, Sobhan said, it is a comprehensive strategy that also focuses on creating a shared future in a fractured world.

"Today we live in highly globalized world and as such global connectivity has become quintessential if any country wishes to increase their economic and social indicators by developing stronger ties beyond their national boundaries," said Sobhan, who has over two decades of experience on a wide range of international political, economic, social and security issues.

Sobhan, who spent 13 years at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London prior to joining BEI, said China has always been known to be a very forward-looking nation and, has thus embarked on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Sobhan praised the remarkable progress China has made in the past decades.

"China has made remarkable strides in the economic sphere during the past two decades in particular," said the expert, who studied at the University of London and George Mason University in the United States.

He said China's leadership has maintained a visionary outlook and continued on the path of economic and social development both at home and abroad.

"The Belt and Road Initiative is, in that same vein, a grand vision China has had for helping to open up the world," said the expert, whose research includes issues related to regional cooperation, security, radicalization, terrorism, counter-terrorism, preventing and countering violent extremism.

"It is a unique and monumental project with the hope that all the countries connected to it, should openly embrace it."

South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, over the past two decades have made tremendous economic and social strides, said the senior BEI research director.

Yet the countries in the region are still suffering from a massive infrastructure deficit, thus they now have ample opportunities to use the Belt and Road Initiative as a vehicle to strengthen regional connectivity, he said.

In particular, Bangladesh which is a geo-strategically located nation and is considered a bridge to South and Southeast Asian countries, can avail the opportunity, said Sobhan.

It is good that from the beginning of the Belt and Road Initiative, Bangladesh has expressed an interest in being a part of this grand project, as it was well aware of that it can only stand to benefit, the professor said.

In the area of infrastructure development, Bangladesh has made remarkable gains in recent years thanks to China for its all-out support.

"Work on a number of mega-projects, such as the Padma Bridge, supported by China, is progressing well and Bangladesh aims to continue developing its infrastructure," Sobhan said, adding that Bangladesh is well aware that the foundation of any strong economy is to have excellent infrastructure in place to foster economic growth and development.

"For this reason, Bangladesh is suitably placed to be an important Belt and Road Initiative player in the years to follow," said the expert.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:12:29|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB) has urged German policymakers and businesses on Monday to ramp up investments to equip the national labor force with the skills needed in an increasingly digitalized workplace.

"The consequences (of digitalization) will only be accepted by people, be they workers or consumers, if the technology in question serves them rather than vice-versa", DGB president Reiner Hoffmann told the newspaper "WELT". As a consequence, it was urgently necessary for "much more to be invested" in the training and retraining of staff in Germany with view to innovations such as artificial intelligence, automation and Big Data.

Hoffmann's appeal was made in response to a study published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) which found that only 46 percent of German employees are prepared for the digital workplace. Nearly every third staff member in the country would have undergo further training for more than three months in order to eliminate a knowledge and skill gap identified by the WEF.

"Without an active education strategy, entire sectors of the economy and the people employed there will lose out in the fourth industrial revolution", Saadia Zahidi, WEF head of Social and Economic Agendas, warned. The fourth industrial revolution is sometimes used as a term to refer to the process of digitalization whereby information can increasingly be stored and processed in digital as opposed to analogue formats.

The WEF study predicts that machines will already account for a higher share of total labor hours than humans as soon as 2025. The figure would represent a near doubling of the relative contribution which robotic technology makes in the global economy compared to a current share of total labor hours of 29 percent.

The development of machines and algorithms directing automated processes is hereby believed to result in the elimination of 75 million, largely-repetitive and low-skill office jobs. At the same time, however, the WEF expressed confidence that these losses would be more than offset by the creation of 133 million new forms of work enabled by digital technologies.

The forecast is therefore more upbeat than those of some other think-tank and research institutes, like the German digital association (Bitkom), which have cautioned policymakers against the social ramifications of anticipated net job losses. The WEF study authors justified their optimism with recent data on new fast-growing industries and types of jobs which had emerged as a direct or indirect product of digitalization.

"Businesses understand the possibilities which new technologies offer them much better today", the study authors wrote.

Positions which were particularly in demand in the fourth industrial revolution included those of data analysts, software engineers, as well as e-Commerce and social-media specialists. Additionally, the WEF highlighted that prospects of workers who rely on human and social skills which cannot be emulated by machines, including creative and marketing functions, could expect an improvement of their employment prospects.

While it remains unclear whether such job gains can ultimately compensate for current employment lost to automation, there is little doubt that these roles are better paid on average and more flexible than the "old economy" activities which are at risk from digitalization.

The WEF noted that companies were already increasingly turning to freelancers to meet their demand for digital skills, a development which required a response by policymakers with view to labor regulations and pensions systems which pre-dated ongoing technological change.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:17:30|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed and over 30 others injured when a Zambian bus they were travelling in crashed in Limpopo, South Africa, on Monday.

"Eleven people are confirmed to be deceased," Makoma Makhurupetje, of Limpopo's transport authority, told Xinhua.

According to media reports, the crash occurred after one tire of the bus burst, forcing the vehicle to veer off the road and overturn.

Authorities are identifying the nationalities of the victims.

"Thirty people survived with slight injuries, but an additional nine, including a driver, were critically injured," Makhurupetje said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:17:30|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Europeans have offered new trade proposals to Iran which might secure Iran's interests within the framework of the 2015 international nuclear deal, known as JCPOA, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said here on Monday.

Previous proposals by Europe could not provide enough guarantees for the sale of Iran's oil to Europe or to help Iran access to the international financial market, said Qasemi.

However, recent proposals by the Europeans seem practical, he said, adding that "we're looking for mechanisms to continue economic cooperation with them."

Qasemi did not elaborate on Europe's new proposals, but expressed hope that they would be instrumental to Iran's interests.

He said that a ministerial meeting of JCPOA signatories, excluding the United States, on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting could take "us to newer stages."

Iran has urged Europe to accept the cost of standing up to U.S. sanction pressures against the Islamic republic.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to sign an executive order on Nov. 4 to snap back U.S. sanctions on Iran's energy exports and international financial transactions.

Trump has also warned the Iranian international energy and financial partners of the punitive measures if they do not cease deals with Iran.

Iran and six world powers, namely China, Russia, Britain, France, the United States and Germany, struck a deal over Iran's nuclear program in 2015.

However, Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal earlier this year and re-impose sanctions on Iran.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:22:31|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- China urged non-regional countries to respect the efforts by regional countries to peacefully resolve South China Sea issues through dialogue and not damage the peace and stability of the region, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.

Spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked for comments on a Japanese submarine's drill in the South China Sea. According to the Japanese Defense Ministry, a Japanese submarine on the way to Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay for the first time joined a naval drill in the South China Sea. This is also the first time that a Japanese submarine presented in the area.

"The situation in the South China Sea has been improving. China and ASEAN countries are working on promoting the Code of Conduct in South China Sea consultations, strengthening pragmatic maritime cooperation and resolving disputes properly," Geng said.

China urged non-regional countries to respect the efforts by regional countries and act prudently to escape damaging the peace and stability of the region, he added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:32:35|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Over two dozen militants and security personnel have been killed as clash erupted between the government forces and Taliban in the northern Baghlan province on Monday, provincial police chief Ekramudin Sari said.

"More than two dozen people including seven security personnel have been killed since 02:00 a.m. local time in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the province," Sari told Xinhua.

However, he counted the Taliban casualties as high as 20, saying "20 armed insurgents have been killed and injured" in the fighting, but couldn't give an exact figure of the dead or injured of the militants.

Baghlan-e-Markazi, 30 km north of provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri, has been the scene of fierce fighting between the government forces and Taliban militants over the past couple of weeks.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:42:36|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the United States over the enduring thorny issues in the near future.

Talks with Washington is not on the agenda for the time being, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Bahram Qasemi said at a weekly press briefing.

"We do not think of negotiations with the United States in the current situation," he said alluding to the sanction pressures by the United States.

Iran has hinted that it might negotiate with the United States if the latter returns to the nuclear deal.

Besides, Tehran has stressed that it will not re-enter the talks with Washington under the spell of anti-Iran sanctions.

U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced readiness to meet with Iran's leadership over the persisting issues between the two countries.

Last month, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the Islamic republic would not hold new negotiations with the United States.

Referring to the U.S. withdrawal from the Iranian international nuclear deal, known also as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he said that Tehran would not again sit at the negotiation table with the "cheating" government.

Following Trump's decision to quit the nuclear pact on May 8, the United States vowed to reimpose sanctions lifted under the accord against Iran and inflict punishments like secondary sanctions on nations that have business links with Iran.

Washington's withdrawal from the landmark nuclear deal was criticized across the world. Some of its major European allies have been working to prevent the 2015 deal from falling apart.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 20:42:36|Editor: Yang Yi

Video Player Close

GUANGZHOU, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Four people have been confirmed dead, and 542 million yuan (78.9 million U.S. dollars) of insurance claims have been requested as of Monday afternoon in Guangdong as Super Typhoon Mangkhut ravaged the southern Chinese province.

Mangkhut landed at 5 p.m. Sunday on the coast of the city of Jiangmen in Guangdong, packing winds up to 162 km per hour, according to the provincial meteorological station.

Three people were killed by falling trees in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, while another person died from collapsing construction materials in the city of Dongguan, according to Guangdong's disaster relief authorities.

As of 11 p.m. Sunday, more than 3.11 million people had been relocated, and over 49,000 fishing boats were called back to port in the province.

According to the Guangdong insurance regulatory commission, more than 30,000 insurance claims have been received, including nearly 27,000 claims reporting vehicle damages with a combined loss of 233 million yuan, and another 1,100 claims reporting agricultural damage worth 105 million.

Mangkhut also triggered the catastrophe loss index in Guangdong, which is expected to pay about 75 million yuan for the losses incurred in the cities of Yangjiang and Maoming. The amount of compensation in other typhoon-affected areas is yet to be determined.

The administration of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge dispatched 83 employees to patrol the bridge and supporting facilities. It has withstood the test of the super typhoon, which had a maximum wind speed of 55 meters per second, according to on-site supervision data.

The National Meteorological Center said Mangkhut has entered neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, moving northwestward at a speed of 20 km per hour as of Monday morning.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 21:07:44|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Wu Chuanhua, having served eight years of diplomatic services in three African countries, will never forget the five Zimbabwean kungfu cadets he interviewed and sent to China in 2016.

They had five weeks of training which included lion dancing and learning Chinese, calligraphy and papercuts, Wu recalled. "After returning to Africa, they frequently participated in various performances and were highly commended."

"Many young local people reached out and hoped to learn lion dancing," said Wu. "It might have just been five weeks, but the influence on their future will last a lifetime."

China and Africa have actively carried out cultural exchanges and made important contributions to promoting equal dialogue between different world civilizations and safeguarding global cultural diversity, a leading Chinese think tank said in a recent report.

The report, titled "A New Era in China-Africa Friendly Cooperation," was released in Beijing last week.

Jointly compiled by the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies and the Bureau of International Cooperation, both under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the project consists of one main report "New Achievements, New Opportunities, New Vision" and eight subject reports.

There are many avenues for China and Africa to conduct cultural exchanges and cooperation, said Wu, an executive research fellow at the CASS Institute of West-Asian and African Studies and co-author of the report.

"China has signed intergovernmental cultural cooperation agreements with all African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China," the report says. "An annual implementation plan has been signed, providing an important guarantee for cultural exchanges between the two sides."

Noting that China-Africa cultural exchanges have seen an increase each year, the report says according to incomplete statistics, between 2000 and 2015 a total of 155 Chinese art groups visited Africa while 210 African ones visited China. Mutual participation in each other's art festivals also showcased their colorful cultures.

China has trained a large number of urgently-needed cultural professionals for African countries, says the report. For instance, the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and a cradle of Chinese kungfu, hosted five training classes for close to 100 cadets from over 20 African countries.

Wu cited a popular Chinese saying, "amity between people holds the key to sound relations between countries; people-to-people bonds are essential to foster amity between people."

"Cultural exchanges are an important bridge for China and Africa to mutually enhance understanding, build more trust and promote friendships," Wu told Xinhua. "Exchanges in more fields and forms allow the Chinese people to know a real Africa and the African people to know a real China."

"This way, China-African friendly cooperation will become more deeply ingrained," said Wu.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 21:32:47|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

HANGZHOU, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Twelve Chinese big data companies, including Internet giant Alibaba, vowed to better protect user data, as they signed a proposal on Monday in the city of Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province.

Signatories also included another Internet heavyweight Netease and the provincial branches of three major telecommunication operators in the country.

In the jointly-signed proposal on private information protection, the firms promised to guarantee users' control over their information and will clearly explain how they handle their information. The firms also promised not to force users to authorize their data to them.

The enterprises pledged to deal with user data in a transparent way and will inform users if any data leaks occur, according to the proposal.

The companies also agreed to establish a mechanism to allow users to have access to their data and make sure users can update and delete their private information.

The signatories said they will not collect, store, use or share user data without the knowledge of their clients, and vow to shield user data with better security technology and management.

The proposal was signed during the ongoing "cybersecurity week" in Zhejiang Province.

The number of Internet users in China hit 802 million at the end of June, up 3.8 percent from six months ago, according to a report from the China Internet Network Information Center in August.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 21:57:56|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- More than 80 criminal cases involving fraud or blackmail conducted by fake journalists were investigated from January to August due to a national campaign launched early this year. The National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications on Monday publicized 10 typical cases concerning such violations.

In one case, a person surnamed Zhang had organized a group of people to pose as reporters and blackmail companies in the city of Binzhou, Shandong Province, since 2015, collecting more than 3 million yuan (437,899 U.S. dollars) in blackmail payouts.

In another case in the city of Yulin, Shaanxi Province, a person surnamed Ma was arrested for blackmailing companies and individuals, and threatening them with media exposure if they refused to pay. Ma was suspected of obtaining 913,000 yuan in blackmail payouts.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 22:13:01|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

JUBA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Monday said the recent sporadic fighting between government troops and rebels will not derail the signed final peace agreement, urging the international community to support the transitional government.

Mawien Makol, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said the fighting was sporadic will not derail implementation of the peace agreement like previous incidents that resulted into the July 2016 renewed clashes that eventually weakened the 2015 peace agreement.

"Some of these things (fighting) are sporadic and not on a large scale but generally the situation is calm," he told Xinhua in Juba, adding that the government is looking toward the international community for support on peace.

The Troika countries that include the United States, Britain and Norway last week expressed concern about the possibility of the recent peace deal collapsing like others in the past.

They further warned that they will not be funding the deal if intermittent fighting between the government troops and the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in opposition (SPLA-IO) led by Riek Machar does not stop.

Makol disclosed that despite these developments they are committed to the implementation of the peace agreement and need the Troika to avail funds for supporting the Transitional Government National Unity which is already running for eight months.

"Peace implementation involves some financial obligations from international community. I don't see any reason why they can't help with funding now," he said.

South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.

The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally, and the world's youngest nation has for the third year running been ranked as the deadliest for aid workers to operate.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 22:13:01|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ULAN BATOR, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- A visiting Tibetan cultural exchange delegation dispatched by China's State Council Information Office has reported on the latest economic and social development of China's Tibet Autonomous Region and China's policies to protect traditional Tibetan culture.

It has informed Mongolian officials, representatives of the Tibetan Buddhist community and the press on the latest economic and social development of China's Tibet Autonomous Region and China's policies to protect traditional Tibetan culture.

"With vast territory, China is a united multi-ethnic state. Tibetan culture with unique plateau characteristics is an inseparable and important part of Chinese culture," said Hao Shiyuan, head of the delegation and member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, at the discussion with representatives from various fields of Mongolia at the Chinese Embassy here on Monday.

In the process of economic and social development, it is an important task for China to protect Tibetan culture and the cultures of other ethnic minorities, Hao said.

China and Mongolia have enjoyed a long history of religious and cultural exchanges. The cooperation and exchanges between the two sides have great potential, he added.

Yang Qingdong, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese embassy, said in his speech that China-Mongolia relations have entered the fast track this year.

"The visit of the Chinese Tibetan cultural exchange delegation to Mongolia is a concrete measure for China to implement the consensus of the leaders of the two countries and to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two sides," he said.

He expressed the hope that such exchanges will help Mongolian academia, media and ordinary people better understand China and enhance the friendship between the two peoples.

Mongolia is the second stop of the delegation's overseas exchange trip. The delegation has already visited Japan, and will leave Mongolia on Tuesday for South Korea. EnditemSource: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 22:38:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

JUBA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudan army on Monday said it has arrested a man who attacked a convoy of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) over the weekend in Yei near the Ugandan border.

Lul Ruai Koang, spokesperson for the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), told Xinhua that the attacker is an operative of the National Security Services (NSS), the intelligence arm and not the SPLA.

One Nepalese peacekeeper was wounded in the leg in the gun attack.

"The soldier who shot at the UNMISS convoy is not from the SPLA but from NSS," Koang said in Juba. "His actions were individual and not sanctioned by the leadership of NSS."

The arrest follows condemnation by UNMISS, which had earlier called for accountability from the government on the shooting.

According to UNMISS, the convoy of four vehicles, which included two water tankers, was travelling from the UN base in Yei to collect water at about 8.30 a.m. when it came under attack.

The government and SPLA-in-opposition (SPLA-IO), led by former First Vice President Riek Machar, traded blame for the attack.

The two sides clashed in the Yei River State last week in the wake of the signing of a final peace deal to end more than four years of conflict.

Koang said they were attacked at Mundu, Mangalatore and other surrounding areas of Yei by SPLA-IO; the rebels denied, accusing the SPLA of attacking their positions.

"There were clashes at Mundu, Sokiri areas surrounding Yei. The rebels were on the offensive to capture territory from us," Koang said, saying rebels want to play victim to gain attention from a visiting delegation of the U.S Africa Command (AFRICOM).

Deputy SPLA-IO spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said the rebels were attacked by the SPLA at Mundu in Lainya County but they repulsed them with significant losses.

"The remnants are being pursued towards Jamara which they recaptured from us a few days ago," he said.

The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) has confirmed that it is investigating alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Yei area.

Meanwhile, UNMISS has urged all forces to disengage as required by the peace agreement and end the violence.

It added that the parties must also work together to build trust between themselves and with the people of South Sudan who are suffering immensely from the ongoing conflict.

South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.

The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally, and the world's youngest nation has for the third year running been ranked as the deadliest for aid workers to operate.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 22:43:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said Monday that it had discovered new proof that the missile downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014 over Ukraine belonged to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Russian Defense Ministry's Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, presented at a press conference documents related to the missile, parts of which were shown in May by the Dutch-led five-nation joint investigation team (JIT).

The JIT announced on May 24 that the Buk missile that shot down the MH17 flight came from the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian army in Kursk and presented the wreckage of the missile found on the crash site.

Parshin said that the numbers on the missile components clearly indicated that it was produced in 1986 by a factory in the Moscow region and then transferred to Ukraine and remained with the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

He said that the Russian Defense Ministry made an unprecedented decision to declassify formerly top secret documents registering the production and movement of the missile in question, which were presented at the news conference.

The video footage used by the JIT as evidence of the involvement of the Russian Buk missile system in the downing of the Malaysian flight was falsified, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at the briefing.

He said that highly qualified Russian experts came to this conclusion after a careful study and to prove that, he showed the Russian Defense Ministry's own video pointing out discrepancies in the original footage.

"We expect that this time the JIT will take into account the evidence we presented today and will not doubt its authenticity," Konashenkov said.

The MH17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 196 Dutch citizens.

In August 2014, authorities from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Ukraine and Malaysia set up the JIT to conduct a criminal investigation into the crash.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 22:48:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

MACAO, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Recovery efforts after typhoon Mangkhut struck Macao over the weekend were well underway, the chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) said on Monday, as the order and business activities were gradually restored.

Following the lowering of Typhoon Signal No.8, Chief Executive Chui Sai On paid a visit on Monday morning to districts affected by severe flooding during the powerful storm.

He said the civil protection management team should step up efforts to remove all debris and waste brought about by floodwater from the streets, in order to bring community life back to normal as soon as possible.

All bus service, marine transport and air flight operation were resumed after the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau canceled all the typhoon signals at 6 p.m. local time (1000 GMT).

Macao's education bureau said most of universities, middle schools, primary schools and kindergartens would open on Tuesday, except a few of them need repair or sterilization.

Macao's health bureau said hospitals and health centers in Macao have received 40 people injured during the storm, among whom one was severely wounded, nine sustained mid-level injuries and 29 had minor ones.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 23:13:24|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- In its ongoing efforts to clean the country's banking system, the Indian government announced the merger of three state-run banks on Monday.

The banks -- Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank and Bank of Baroda -- will be merged to create the third largest bank in the country, an official statement said.

"Merger of the three banks will make this the third largest bank of the country," Indian Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar told the media.

Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was also present at the press conference, said the government has suggested the banks to consider the proposal.

"However, no employee will face any service conditions which are adverse in nature. The best of the service conditions will apply to all of them," the minister added.

Cleaning up non-performing assets of the state-run banks has been one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's major economic reforms.

The State Bank of India is the country's largest lender.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 23:23:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

ABUJA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Death toll has so far reached 31 in Nigeria's flood-hit northwestern state of Kano, the government said on Monday.

At least 10,000 houses have been partially or completely destroyed in 15 local areas where the recent flood had wreaked havoc in the state, according to government data.

Kano, the commercial and investment hub of northern Nigeria, has been hit by heavy floods since Aug. 27.

Head of the Kano State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency Ali Bashir told reporters that at least 35,000 farmers were also affected by the disaster in eight areas of the state.

Most of their farmlands were submerged by water while others were completely washed away by the flood, Bashir said.

The Kano State chapter of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria has also said its members lost over 5,000 hectares of rice farms to the flood.

Late August, Nigeria's Hydrological Services Agency issued a red alert on flooding in seven states across Nigeria, citing increasingly high river levels.

Both the hydrological service agency and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had issued alert to Kano that 20 out of its 44 local government areas will be affected by flooding.

At least three major dams have started releasing water as high flow from the upper catchment of the Niger basin continues to move downstream to Nigeria.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 23:28:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Due to its huge economic potential Indonesian government accelerated the recovery process on the resort island of Lombok after it was devastated by a powerful earthquake that crippled tourism facilities.

Two months after the 7-magnitude earthquake rocked the island, tourism in the award-winning island has started to live up with several hotels, whose buildings suffered minor damages, already receiving foreign guests as well as cafes and restaurants amid disrupted supplies.

The government's seriousness to swiftly recover the tourism on the island was reflected from the recent visit of senior officials to the island who checked the progress of reconstruction on tourism facilities.

Speaking during his visit at Lombok's popular tourism spot of Gili Trawangan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said that he had requested the Public Works Ministry to immediately fix the damaged roads to normalize the access to tour spots severely damaged by the earthquake.

"I also have requested the Transportation Ministry to improve the pier facility here so as to comfort the tourists whose spendings eventually give revenues to the people here and the state," Luhut said on Sunday.

Garbage processing facilities will also be built to assure the cleanliness of the island and all of those development processes were expected to be settled in November, he added.

Meanwhile, Indonesia Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said on the same occasion, "The Financial Service Authority (OJK) has applied relaxation schemes for tourism businessmen in Lombok to pay their obligations related to their business, including water and electricity bills, regional levies and bank loans."

The government is also developing the tourism human resources in the affected areas, rebuilding tourism facilities and continuing tourism promotion in Lombok, the minister said.

"Included in the rebuilding strategy were the rehabilitation of coral reefs around the small islands near Senggigi beach and trekking paths for tourists on Mount Rinjani," Arief said, citing plans of rehabilitations in the highly favored tourism spots in Lombok.

The Tourism Ministry will also support rehabilitating amenities for tourists, such as homestays and public lighting.

As part of recovery efforts in tourism human resources in Lombok, the ministry conducted trauma healing sessions for people on Lombok whose tourism businesses were affected by the earthquake.

The ministry has initially estimated tourism recovery in Lombok may take at least six months.

The powerful 7-magnitude earthquake in Lombok and series of aftershocks that jolted the island adjacent to Bali has claimed more than 560 lives, displaced and injured hundreds of thousand others.

Most of buildings in the affected areas were severely damaged or flattened with huge economic losses.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 23:33:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopia Federal Police Commission said on Monday five people have been shot dead during confrontations with angry demonstrators in Ethiopian capital city Addis Ababa.

Speaking to state media outlets, Zeynu Jemal, Commissioner, Ethiopia Federal Police Commission, said five people were shot dead, during confrontations with security forces in the city.

Jemal said there were attempts to loot property under the guise of demonstrations and that some "dangerous vagrants" also tried to snatch weapons from police officers.

Earlier on Monday, Addis Ababa witnessed demonstrations in various parts of the city, by demonstrators angry at reports of killings, looting and rape in Burayu town, located on the outskirts of the city.

Video clips showing dead bodies and looted houses and properties started appearing on Sunday on social media platforms causing grief and outrage in the city, which has largely been spared the violence that affected other parts of Ethiopia over the last three years.

The violence on Saturday and Sunday in Burayu town followed recent clashes in Addis Ababa among local residents and youth from surrounding ethnic Oromo localities who came to celebrate the return from exile of Dawud Ibsa, leader of Oromo Liberation Front rebel group.

Addis Ababa is an ethnically-mixed city of around four million people, but is situated within the larger Oromo-dominated Oromia regional state.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 23:33:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The majority of Germans believe that the co-existence of natives and immigration in Germany works well, an "Integration Barometer 2018" study published on Monday by the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration (SVR) finds.

Readings of 63.8 points for natives and 68.9 points for immigrants in the SVR integration climate index (IKI) hereby indicated that majorities in both groups viewed German multiculturalism positively. Although the rating fell compared with previous polls before the outbreak of the so-called "refugee crisis" in 2015, the study authors argued that the situation had hence deteriorated "less than could be expected from public debates."

The findings were based on a representative survey of around 9,300 respondents with and without migratory backgrounds. This status is defined in Germany as applying to inhabitants who were born without German citizenship or have at least one parent without German citizenship.

Across both groups, most respondents said that Germany should continue to accept refugees. At the same time, however, large majorities also indicated a preference for a quantitative limit on the number thereof that can come to the country each year.

The SVR study also showcased some regional and ethnic and/or cultural inequalities in the perception of the opportunities and risks associated with immigration. In spite, or because, of having less contact with foreigners on average, eastern Germans were more pessimistic about the implications of diversity for the well-being of society. Additionally, large majorities of Muslim immigrants favored the laws which allowed girls to wear headscarves in school, while the majority of the general survey population held the opposite view.

Commenting on the study, Annette Widmann-Mauz (CDU), the German government's commissioner for integration, highlighted that the co-existence of immigrants and natives was experienced to be most harmonious where both groups were in regular direct contact with each other. As a consequence, policymaker should prioritize creating more opportunities and spaces for such exchanges to take place.

Additionally, Widmann-Mauz drew attention to the important role played by schools in integration and called for intercultural competencies to be weighted more heavily during teacher training. "Schools are basically competence centers for integration," Widmann-Mauz argued.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 23:33:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KAMPALA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military has started the deployment of 24,000 troops in the capital Kampala and the central district of Wakiso as part of the interim security measures to curb crime.

Brig. Richard Karemire, military spokesperson, told Xinhua on Monday that the deployment of the reserve soldiers and local defense units in Kampala, Wakiso and other areas is in response to President Yoweri Museveni's order in a bid to curb criminality in the east African country.

"That is one of the interim measures aimed at stemming lawlessness in form of criminality. Our people and their property must be secured," said Karemire.

"The security forces are totally committed to do that. However, we call upon the public to also do their part by stepping up on vigilance," he said.

President Museveni on Saturday announced several interim security measures to curb crime, including the deployment of 24,000 soldiers in the reserve force, police to use radio calls rather than mobile phones for efficient coordination and cleaning up the force to rid it of criminal and corrupt elements.

In a televised address, Museveni called for quick coordination among the police with each police station making a telephone number known to the public in case they wished to report anything suspicious.

The measures came barely a week after the killing of a controversial and prominent police officer Muhammad Kirumira as he headed to his home in Bulenga in Wakiso.

In June, Museveni had announced 10 stringent security measures to fight the recent increase of murders and kidnappings.

The announcement followed the murder of a popular ruling National Resistance Movement party legislator by gunmen.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 23:43:41|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Volkswagen will build 10 million electric vehicles on the basis of a new modular e-propulsion assembly kit (MEB), the German carmaker announced on Monday.

"In the first wave alone around 10 million cars will be based on this platform," Thomas Ulbrich, head of electric mobility at Volkswagen, said. Christian Senger, the Volkswagen manager responsible for the development of the MEB vehicle series, emphasized that millions of global customers would consequently be able to afford an electric car for the first time.

Ulbrich's and Senger's comments were made during the public presentation of the new substructure system in the Saxon capital of Dresden. According to the plans unveiled by the Wolfsburg-based multinational company, the Volkswagen plant in nearby Zwickau will play a central role in manufacturing a fully electric new "ID" series of vehicles.

Speaking to Xinhua on Monday, a Volkswagen spokesperson said there would be two Chinese manufacturing sites for MEB-based lines in Foshan and Shanghai. As such, China will be one of three international sites, alongside Germany (Zwickau) and an unnamed third world region, where four new electric models, currently named "ID. Cross", "ID. Compact", "ID. Bus" and "ID. Vision" are first trialled.

Volkswagen wants to launch the production of a total of 27 MEB-based models for four of its brands by 2022. The company is targeting the production of up to three million electric and hybrid vehicles per year by 2025, 50 percent of which are intended to be equipped with fully-electric propulsion systems.

Six billion euros (7 billion U.S. dollars) in total investment are dedicated to the MEB project with 1.3 billion thereof flowing to the manufacturing of vehicle parts at German plants in Braunschweig, Salzgitter and Kassel. Specifically, Braunschweig will produce up to half a million battery systems each year while a pilot assembly line for battery cell production is established in Salzgitter.

Last year, Volkswagen announced that it would spend 34 billion euros on the development of electric vehicles, self-driving vehicles, digitalization and other mobility services by 2022 and unveil 80 new electric models by 2025. At the same time, however, chief executive officer (CEO) Herbert Diess has warned that the success of the company's electric offensive will hinge on making its operation more efficient in general.

"We need to reap higher profits to finance our future," Diess said.

Aside from cost-cutting measures, one way by which Volkswagen is trying to shore up its business model in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal is to prioritize reforms of its compliance regime and corporate culture. The specially-created division for "integrity and law" has already grown from 225 staff to 540 between 2017 and 2018 and is earmarked for further funding.

Another area where Volkswagen has set its sights on further expansion is China. The company's single largest market for automotive sales is envisioned as playing a greater role in manufacturing in the future. Towards that end, Volkswagen has recently signed cooperation agreements with its local partner FAW to build three new factories in Qingdao, Foshan and Tianjin.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 00:08:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

LONDON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Prominent British scientists warned on Monday of the impact of Britain leaving the European Union (EU) without a deal, which could affect scientific research immediately and could take years to build.

"Britain has benefited enormously from talent from the EU", and "one reason that UK has done very well in science ... is because it has been so open to talent from all over the world, especially from the EU the last four decades," Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, president of The Royal Society, said at a press briefing.

He was joined by two renowned British scientists and former presidents of The Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse and Lord Martin Rees, at the event.

Many in Britain's science communities have voiced their concern about the uncertainty surrounding the Brexit process which might affect Britain's scientific innovation and development in the long term.

Britain could lose access to over one billion pounds a year in EU research funding, and even with British government's guarantees, UK-based researchers and small- and medium-sized enterprises will lose access to around half a billion pounds a year in research funding, according to The Royal Society.

The mobility of international researchers after Brexit is another issue. For the time being, one in six academic staff in Britain's higher education institutions are from elsewhere in the EU, figures from the Society show.

Britain's science communities have been calling upon the government to create the lowest possible barriers to practicing scientists seeking to move across borders after Brexit.

"International mobility has always been crucial to science, and the reason is that mobility allows ... exchange of ideas and expertise. If countries are isolated, they tend to do not very well in science," said Ramakrishnan, who is a Nobel Prize-winning biologist.

The Society urges in a press release that science needs a Brexit deal that keeps highly-skilled scientist working in the UK and ensures that international talented people still choose to come here and contribute to Britain's globally competitive science.

"It's not just health, science brings safety standards across countries and cannot be put at risk," said Nurse.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 00:13:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

MAPUTO, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Island of Mozambique, the first capital of the southeast African country Mozambique, celebrates on Monday its 200 years anniversary since the island was raised to city status.

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said during the celebration that the island is in the list of world routes for tourists, scientists, religious and curious people, and all those seeking to know more about themselves and the human history.

"This is one of the country's centers of resistance against colonial penetration and of the exploration of men, the Mozambican island represents the wealth and diversity of our cultural heritage at world dimension," said the President.

As the first region in the country where foreigners docked, the Island of Mozambique in Mozambique's northeastern province of Nampula is currently home to 16,000 people. With a unique group of buildings with a mix of Arabic and Portuguese architecture, it is on the list of UNESCO's world heritages.

According to the island administrator Saide Gimba, the island is struggling with maintenance to preserve its genuine architecture due to climate change effects in forms of erosion, and reduction of forest species such as mangrove.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 01:34:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The sexual assault accuser against Brett Kavanaugh, U.S. President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, is willing to testify before Congress, her lawyer said Monday.

Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist at Palo Alto University in California, has accused the judge of sexually assaulting her at a party in the 1980s when they were teenagers in high school. She came forward publicly over the weekend.

"We hope that this hearing is fair and not another weaponized attack on a woman who has come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against a powerful man," Debra Katz, Ford's lawyer, told The New York Times on Monday.

Katz told NBC on the same day that Ford believes what she said Kavanaugh did to her was attempted rape.

In quick response, Kavanaugh issued a statement reiterating his denial of the misconduct, saying he is also willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which was scheduled to vote on his nomination on Thursday.

"This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes-to her or to anyone." Kavanaugh said in a statement issued Monday.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity." said the 53-year-old conservative federal appeals court judge.

"On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh 'categorically and unequivocally' denied this allegation," White House spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a statement, "This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement."

However, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Monday told Fox & Friends that the Senate Judiciary Committee would decide when and how Ford's testimony would be heard.

Conway said: "I have spoken with the president. I have spoken with Senator Graham and others. This woman will be heard."

Ford told The Washington Post over weekend that a drunken, teenage Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed, groped her and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming. She shared the accusations in July in a letter to Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein of California on the condition that she remain anonymous.

The Senate Judiciary Committee currently has 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Republicans hope to confirm Kavanaugh before the Nov. 6 midterm elections, while Democrats say the vote should be delayed so that Ford can be heard.

Trump nominated Kavanaugh in July to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced his retirement in June. It was the second time in two years that Trump has made a Supreme Court pick.

Liberal advocacy groups and others were concerned that Trump's pick could move the already conservative-leaning court more solidly to the right and revisit landmark rulings on abortion access, same-sex marriage and other hot-button issues.

The U.S. Senate is now narrowly divided, 51-49, in favor of Republicans.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 01:54:12|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Palestinian protesters run to take cover from tear gas canisters fired by Israeli troops during clashes near the border between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel, on Sept. 17, 2018. At least 95 Palestinians were wounded on Monday evening in their clashes with Israeli soldiers on the border between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel, the Gaza health ministry said. (Xinhua/Stringer)

GAZA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 95 Palestinians were wounded on Monday evening in their clashes with Israeli soldiers on the border between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel, the Gaza health ministry said.

Of the 95 injured, 26 were shot by live gunshots, while others suffered suffocation after inhaling tear gas, Ashraf al-Qedra, the ministry spokesman, told reporters.

The protests in northern Gaza were organized by the Gaza-based highest commission of the March of Return to defy the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave.

The demonstrators threw stones and burned tires close to the border fence, while Israeli soldiers used tear gas and live gunshots as reponses.

According to health ministry in Gaza, Israeli forces have killed at least 177 Palestinians, and injured 19,000 others since March 30, the first day of the ongoing Palestinian "Great March of Return" rally against Israel's 12-year crippling blockade and the U.S. embassy move to the disputed holy city of Jerusalem.

Efforts exerted by Egypt and UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov have so far failed to broker a cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Hamas-led militant groups in the Gaza Strip.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 02:34:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

DUBAI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- About 18 months after the Arab quartet severed ties with Qatar, "there is still no solution to the spat in sight," said UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash on Monday.

Referring to an interview by former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani on FRANCE 24 earlier in the day, Gargash said on his Twitter account that "I agree ... that there is no solution to his country's crisis."

In the interview, Al-Thani, Qatar's Prime Minister from April 3, 2007 to June 23, 2013, said he was disappointed about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud who he said was "not well advised."

Gargash said he does not think that Al-Thani was "not in a position to give advice to Riyadh and its leadership."

On June 5 last year, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, cut diplomatic and economic relations with Qatar.

The four accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region.

However, Doha has rejected the accusations, calling them "unjustified" and "baseless."Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 02:39:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Israel on Sunday held a reception in Israel's coastal city of Tel Aviv to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China which falls on Oct. 1.

The celebrations consisted of a photo exhibition on the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013, and a marvelous Peking opera show presented to about 400 guests including foreign diplomats, the Chinese people living in Israel, and Israelis from all circles of life.

The Belt and Road Initiative, formally known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Africa and Europe along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.

"This year's national day celebration carries special significance, as it also marks the 40th anniversary of China's Reform and Opening Up, an endeavor that transformed China and the world," said Chinese Ambassador to Israel Zhan Yongxin in his welcoming speech.

Zhan also mentioned the first China International Import Expo slated for early November in Shanghai, the financial hub of China.

Around 140 countries and regions, including Israel, and about 3,000 companies have confirmed their participation in the Chinese expo, which is expected to attract 150,000 professional buyers in and outside China.

The Chinese ambassador hailed the fruitful cooperation between China and Israel in the fields of politics, economics and trade, as well as on people-to-people and cultural exchanges, since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.

For the development of bilateral relations, the high-level exchanges have provided significant guidance, while the intergovernmental cooperation mechanisms have offered stronged institutional guarantees, noted Zhan.

Meanwhile, Israeli Science Minister Ofir Akunis said the Israel-China relations are stronger than ever and Israel "prioritizes" cooperation with China.

Akunis said he will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Shanghai Science and Technology Committee during his visit to the Chinese largest city in November to attend China International Import Expo.

China is Israel's largest trading partner in Asia and third largest trading partner in the world, with bilateral trade exceeding 13 billion U.S. dollars in 2017.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 02:44:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BISHKEK, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Security services of Kyrgyzstan have detained a national who tried to leave for Syria and join terrorists there, the State Committee for National Security said Monday.

The 21-year-old detainee had been in the territory of one of the neighboring countries for the past several years and by the order of the leaders of international terrorist organizations intended to participate in military operations against the Syrian governmental forces, it said.

According to official data, 12 citizens have been detained in Kyrgyzstan this year for attempting to take part in the Syrian war for terrorists or recruiting compatriots for religious extremist organizations.

According to data of intelligence agencies, around 850 citizens of Kyrgyzstan have gone to Syria since the war started, about 150 of whom were killed.A Chinese artist performs a Chinese traditional Peking opera show at the reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Israel in Tel Aviv, on Sept. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Guo Yu)

JERUSALEM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Israel on Sunday held a reception in Israel's coastal city of Tel Aviv to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China which falls on Oct. 1.

The celebrations consisted of a photo exhibition on the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013, and a marvelous Peking opera show presented to about 400 guests including foreign diplomats, the Chinese people living in Israel, and Israelis from all circles of life.

The Belt and Road Initiative, formally known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Africa and Europe along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.

"This year's national day celebration carries special significance, as it also marks the 40th anniversary of China's Reform and Opening Up, an endeavor that transformed China and the world," said Chinese Ambassador to Israel Zhan Yongxin in his welcoming speech.

Zhan also mentioned the first China International Import Expo slated for early November in Shanghai, the financial hub of China.

Around 140 countries and regions, including Israel, and about 3,000 companies have confirmed their participation in the Chinese expo, which is expected to attract 150,000 professional buyers in and outside China.

The Chinese ambassador hailed the fruitful cooperation between China and Israel in the fields of politics, economics and trade, as well as on people-to-people and cultural exchanges, since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.

For the development of bilateral relations, the high-level exchanges have provided significant guidance, while the intergovernmental cooperation mechanisms have offered stronged institutional guarantees, noted Zhan.

Meanwhile, Israeli Science Minister Ofir Akunis said the Israel-China relations are stronger than ever and Israel "prioritizes" cooperation with China.

Akunis said he will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Shanghai Science and Technology Committee during his visit to the Chinese largest city in November to attend China International Import Expo.

China is Israel's largest trading partner in Asia and third largest trading partner in the world, with bilateral trade exceeding 13 billion U.S. dollars in 2017.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 02:49:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KIEV, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak on Monday dismissed as a "fake" a fresh statement by the Russian Defence Ministry on the Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) crash, which claims that the missile that shot down the plane belonged to Ukraine.

"This is an absolute lie. This is another fake of the Russian Federation," Poltorak told reporters during a media briefing in Kiev.

Earlier in the day, Lt. Gen. Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Missile and Artillery Directorate at the Russian Defense Ministry, unveiled documents claiming that the missile that downed MH17 was produced at a military plant near Moscow and transferred to Ukraine in 1986. The documents suggested that the missile belonged to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The MH17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298 people on board died, including 196 Dutch citizens.

In October 2015, the Dutch Safety Board said the crash was caused by the detonation of a Buk missile that exploded right next to the cockpit. In May 2018, the Joint Investigation Team formed by investigators from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, and Ukraine said the Buk missile came from the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian army in Kursk.

The Russian Defense Ministry refuted the accusation, saying that no new anti-aircraft missiles crossed the border to Ukraine since 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed.Residents wade through a flooded street in the aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut in Calumpit, Bulacan, the Philippines on Sept. 17, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday expressed sadness at the reports of loss of life and extensive destruction caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines.

In a statement attributable to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, the secretary-general commended the leadership of the Philippine authorities for their preparedness efforts and response to the needs of the affected communities.

He noted the UN system in-country is already working to support the government-led response efforts and stands ready to scale up assistance as requested.

Guterres extended his condolences to the families of the victims.

The death toll from Typhoon Mangkhut has climbed to 65, Philippine police said on Monday.

The typhoon, which made landfall at 1:40 a.m. local time on Saturday in the northern Philippines, exited this Southeast Asian country on Saturday night.

However, the strongest typhoon in the region so far this year left a trail of destruction across the Philippines's main Luzon island.

The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said nearly 220,000 residents were still being served inside and outside evacuation centers provided by local governments Monday morning.

The government declared a total of seven provinces and cities under a state of calamity due to the typhoon.

Mangkhut is the 15th typhoon to slam the Philippines so far this year. Typhoons hit the Philippines around 19 times a year, bringing strong winds and heavy rains, resulting in flooding, great damage to crops, houses and building, and deaths.

In 2013, super typhoon Haiyan devastated the central Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people. In 2009, typhoon Ketsana also caused massive flooding in Metro Manila, killing more than 700.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 03:34:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

JUBA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Monday called on rebel leader Riek Machar to discuss the latest reports of fighting in Yei days after the warring parties signed a revitalized peace deal to end the five-year strife in the east African nation.

Kiir told the crowds of mourners that he telephoned rebel leader early Monday to discuss reports of fighting in parts of Yei River State that has been ongoing for the last three days.

"I called him and ask him why he is still fighting the government forces when we have signed the agreement. So I told him what is this? Is it the acquisition of more territories, or what," Kiir said.

Kiir who was speaking in Juba during a memorial ceremony organized to honor the 20 victims of last week's Yirol plane crash said he asked the opposition leader Machar to order his forces to cease attacking government troops for the sake of peace.

"I do not want us to go back to war again. So you talk to your field commanders in the field so that they don't attack us again." Kiir told congregation of mourners.

The president said the recently signed revitalized peace agreement marked the end of five years of civil war in the oil-rich country.

"I want to assure the citizens that the agreement we have just signed has ended the war. Your suffering provided the primary motivation for this government to pursue peace by all means necessary," Kiir added.

The latest clashes in which a Nepalese peacekeeper was attacked comes less than a week after the parties to South Sudan's five-year old conflict signed a peace deal in neighboring Ethiopia on Sept. 13.

South Sudan's conflict erupted in 2013 after forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar engaged in combat.

The 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was violated in July 2016 when rival factions resumed fighting in the capital, Juba, forcing Machar to flee into exile. Millions of South Sudanese civilians have sought refuge in neighboring countries as the conflict rages on.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 03:39:32|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia and Turkey have decided to set up a demilitarized zone between the armed opposition and the government troops in Syria's Idlib province by Oct. 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday.

The demilitarized zone with a depth of 15-20 kilometers will be created along the contact line of the armed opposition and the government forces, Putin said at a joint press conference following talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Russia's Sochi.

Mobile patrol groups consisting of Turkish army units and Russian military police units will control the situation in the demilitarized zone, Putin said, according to a Kremlin press release.

"Russia and Turkey reaffirmed their determination to fight terrorism in Syria in all its forms and manifestations," Putin said.

"We will continue to work on the formation of a constitutional committee consisting of representatives of the Syrian leadership, opposition forces and the civil society," he said.

Territories occupied by the Syrian opposition must be demilitarized, Erdogan said at the press conference, adding that the opposition will remain there but Turkey and Russia will make every effort to eliminate all radical groups from these territories.

There will be no military operation against the armed opposition in Idlib and the Russian military will soon coordinate with the Syrian forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said following the Putin-Erdogan meeting.

The Syrian government forces backed by Russia and Iran were preparing an offensive against the rebels' last major stronghold in Idlib, although Turkey and the United States have repeatedly warned against any operation.

Ankara and Washington reject the possible offensive in Idlib, citing that it could cause great civilian casualties and even a humanitarian disaster.

However, Erdogan's call for a cease-fire in Idlib, which borders Turkey, was accepted neither by Russia nor Iran at the tripartite summit in Tehran on Sept. 7.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 04:59:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

HAVANA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of Cuba and Ghana, Bruno Rodriguez and Shirley Botchwey, respectively, expressed on Monday their mutual interest in deepening economic relations and continuing to strengthen political ties, particularly in international forums.

Rodriguez received Botchwey at the Cuban foreign ministry and said her visit to the country would contribute to the development of bilateral ties.

"Our relations are marked by respect and mutual cooperation and we must work on expanding trade ties and collaboration on fields like health and education," said Rodriguez.

The Cuban minister highlighted that Ghana was the first African nation to establish diplomatic ties with Cuba in December 1959.

"We thank Ghana's efforts as well as the African Union in its constant demand to the U.S. government to end the six-decade-old economic, commercial and financial blockade on our nation," added the Cuban foreign minister.

Meanwhile, Botchwey thanked Havana's hospitality and vowed to strengthen links between both countries.

"As developing nations we can share experiences in many fields particularly in areas like health and education where Cuba has been very successful," she said.

After holding talks, Rodriguez and Botchwey signed an agreement to promote and strengthen political consultations and bilateral cooperation amongst both nations' foreign ministries.

The African minister will remain in Cuba until Tuesday where she will also meet with other government officials and lay a flower wreath to Ghana's independence leader, Kwame Nkrumah, at a local park.

Havana and Accra established diplomatic relations in 1959 as a result of the meeting between Nkrumah and Cuba's historical leader, Fidel Castro, in New York where they both attended the UN General Assembly.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 05:04:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

TUNIS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Monday for an integrated rural development project in southwestern Tunisia.

According to a statement from the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this project will be funded by Italy with an overall amount of 5 million euros (584 million U.S. dollars).

This project is part of Tunisia's national strategy to combat desertification as well as improve living conditions and incomes of the people in regions of Hazoua and Tamerza.

According to a press release from Italian embassy in Tunis, the project will be carried out for three years. It will benefit 950 farmers for a total of more than 1,100 hectares in 18 irrigated perimeters.

Italy is the second largest economic partner and the second largest investor in Tunisia with 861 companies in the north African country. It is the leading commercial supplier and one of the main donors of Tunisia.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 05:09:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Attijariwafa Bank (AWB), one of Morocco's largest banks, has signed an agreement with China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) to launch a joint bolster venture in Africa, the bank said in a statement Monday.

This agreement offers AWB the opportunity to develop a long-term partnership with CSCEC, a world-leading corporation in construction, infrastructure and real estate development, the statement said.

The two sides will exploit all commercial opportunities in various sectors, including infrastructure, construction and real estate in Morocco and other African countries where AWB is present.

"Africa's needs in all these areas are enormous, creating a wide range of opportunities for us," said AWB president Mohamed El Kettani.

CSCEC's expertise and AWB's experience with Chinese companies operating in Africa will stimulate the partnership and bring fruitful results, he added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 05:19:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Japanese JTEKT Corporation started building a plant for production of electric power steering systems in northern Moroccan city of Tangier on Monday.

The launching of the construction works was chaired by Morocco's Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy and JTEKT President Tetsuo Agata.

The plant is expected to start production in 2020.

With 22 million U.S. dollars initial investment, the factory aims to reach an initial production capacity of 300,000 units a year.

It will provide a direct supply for the growing automobile industry in Morocco as well as export to other markets.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 05:34:57|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

President of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces speaks to the media at the UN headquarters, in New York, Sept. 17, 2018. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces said Monday that she will work hard to protect multilateralism and make the UN relevant to all people. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- President of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces said Monday that she will work hard to protect multilateralism and make the UN relevant to all people.

"We intend to strengthen multilateralism," she said, shortly after taking oath as the 73rd president of the UNGA, adding that "the only way to solve global problems is through a cooperative approach."

Espinosa Garces said that she felt very happy to become the first woman in Latin America and the Caribbean to preside over the General Assembly.

Talking about the priorities of her work for the coming year, she said that the theme of the 73rd session of the UNGA is "Making the UN relevant to all people. Bringing UN closer to the people and the people closer to the UN -- bringing a people-centered approach to our work."

The UN General Assembly on June 5 picked Espinosa Garces, Ecuador's minister for foreign affairs and human mobility, to be its next president.

The 193-member General Assembly, one of the highest policy-making bodies at the UN, has a woman presiding over it for the fourth time in UN history.

Espinosa Garces beat Mary Elizabeth Flores Flake, permanent representative of Honduras to the UN, by 128-62 votes. She has succeeded Slovakia's Miroslav Lajcak and will preside over the 73rd session starting Sept. 18. The tenure is for a year.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 05:55:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BRASILIA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro leads pre-election polls as leftist hopeful Fernando Haddad shows momentum, according to a nationwide survey released on Monday.

Polling firm MDA said Bolsonaro, the candidate of the conservative Social Liberal Party (PSL), garnered a significant 28.2 percent of the votes for a more than 10-point lead over his closest rival, Fernando Haddad of the progressive Workers' Party (PT).

While Haddad garnered only 17.6 percent of the votes in the poll leading up to Oct. 7 general elections, the survey confirms he is fast gaining ground on Bolsonaro, despite arriving late to the race.

Haddad's candidacy was just announced on Sept. 11, after the PT's original pick, ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, bowed out of the race.

Lula had been campaigning from his jail cell, where he is serving a 12-year sentence for corruption, hoping an ongoing appeals process would allow him to run for reelection.

With just three weeks to go before the elections, trends indicate the battle may be shaping up between Bolsonaro and Haddad.

Bolsonaro, known for praising Brazil's former military dictatorship, is currently convalescing in the hospital after he was stabbed in the abdomen during a campaign rally.

On Monday, the hospital issued a report saying he was in stable condition following emergency surgery, and had been moved from the intensive-care unit to semi-intensive care.

Another 11 candidates are in the running, including a former governor, Ciro Gomes, who is in third place, with 10.8 percent of the votes.

According to the MDA's survey, an expected runoff would see Bolsonaro defeat Haddad by 39 percent versus 35.7 percent.

The poll commissioned by the National Transport Confederation (CNT) queried 2,002 registered voters across the country from Sept. 12 to 15, and has a 2.2-point margin of error.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 06:00:03|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis addresses the opening ceremony of the Three Seas Initiative Business Forum in Bucharest, Romania, Sept. 17, 2018. This was the first business forum of the Three Seas Initiative, which was launched in 2015 and consists of 12 EU member states located between the Adriatic Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. (Xinhua/Cristian Cristel)

BUCHAREST, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Three Seas Initiative started its move toward concrete economic projects by launching its first business forum in Bucharest, Romanian President Klause Iohannis stressed on Monday.

"Today, in Bucharest, we are opening a very important page in the history of the Three Seas Initiative," the president told the opening of the first Business Forum of the Three Seas Initiative Summit.

"We are opening today a large-scale, significant event, reuniting over 600 representatives from the business environment and the academia, as well as officials that come from our extended region and the United States of America," Iohannis said.

According to him, the new forum, which will be regularly organised, gives an "extremely efficient tool" to the Three Seas Initiative members, as well as other related countries for stimulating investment projects and entrepreneurial initiatives.

"It is about the example of a beneficial cooperation not only for partners in the region, but also for those in the immediate vicinity - the Western Balkans and the Eastern Neighborhood. Enhanced interconnectivity and the expansion of direct contacts between business environments will give positive dynamics to other economic projects in the neighbouring countries," specified the president.

Iohannis voiced his conviction that the Three Seas Initiative cooperation format will make a substantial contribution to the development and modernization of the infrastructure in the three areas, complementing the European Union's efforts in this regard.

He stressed that the future of the European Union is one of unity and cohesion, and the Three Seas Initiative can bring a real contribution to shaping it.

Romania hosts the third Summit of the Three Seas Initiative on Monday and Tuesday, to validate the strategic guidelines that underlie the future development of the flexible policy platform.

The Three Seas Initiative, launched in 2015, includes 12 EU member states located between the Adriatic Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. The first two summits of the initiative took place in Dubrovnik, Croatia in 2016 and in Warsaw, Poland in 2017 respectively.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker arrived in Bucharest late Monday and will attend the plenary sitting of the summit for the first time, along with the heads of state, government or parliament of the platform's member states.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 06:05:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani and his counterpart of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdic pledged on Monday to strengthen bilateral economic ties.

The two sides highlighted the partnership potential that exists in sectors, notably renewable energy, car industry, food industry, agricultural technology, fertilizer industry and tourism, a statement from Morocco's PM said.

They also stressed the need to sign the draft cooperation agreements, which are under negotiation, and to finalize other draft agreements currently under study, to strengthen trade cooperation and boost investment, the statement pointed out.

The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen their cooperation in the scientific and cultural fields, and the possibility of establishing partnerships between universities in the two countries.

Zvizdic arrived Sunday in Casablanca for a four-day official visit to Morocco. He is accompanied by a number of senior officials and businessmen.

During his visit, Zvizdic will also meet senior several Moroccan officials, including the speakers of two houses of parliament.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 06:10:06|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Syria's air defenses were triggered Monday evening by an Israeli missile attack on the coastal city of Latakia, which lasted for an hour and a half, state TV reported.

The state media reports said the air defenses intercepted many missiles before reaching their targets, airing footages showing the air defense missiles beaming in the sky over Latakia and the nearby city of Tartus.

The footages also showed areas that had been struck by the missile attack, which the TV said was carried out from the sea.

It said the Technical Industries Corporation on the eastern outskirts of the city was hit.

Pro-government activists said the 28 missiles were fired from the sea on military positions in Latakia.

The attack caused a major power cut in Latakia but was later fixed and the electricity returned to the coastal city.

Meanwhile, medical sources in Latakia said that eight people were wounded in the attack.

Pro-government activists said the Russian-run Khmeimim air base in Latakia countryside took part in intercepting the missile attack on Latakia.

Eyewitnesses said that heavy smoke was seen on the entrance of Latakia as the sounds of air defenses had reverberated across the city.

The Syrian army, meanwhile, said in a statement that the Israeli attack was carried out from inside the Lebanese airspace, which led to the killing of two soldiers in the Technical Industry facility.

The statement said the Israeli attack comes to lift the morale of the terrorists in the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, after the "decisive" victories achieved by the Syrian army on several fronts.

The army also warned of the "dangerous repercussions" of the attack, stressing the Syrian army's resolve to "squash terrorism and root it out of Syria."

The attack is not the first one to target Syria as Israel has repeatedly targeted Syrian military positions during the crisis and over the past few months in particular.

On Sept. 15, the Syrian air defenses intercepted a number of Israeli missiles that targeted the Damascus international airport, which was the latest in a string of Israeli attacks on Syrian positions.

On Sept. 4, Israeli warplanes infiltrated into the Syrian airspace, targeting Syrian military sites in the central province of Hama and the northwestern province of Tartus, according to the Syrian army.

In July, the Israelis targeted the scientific research center in Masyaf town in the central province of Hama, which wasn't the first time Israel targeted the facility.

Israeli reports claim that Israel targets Iranian positions or weapons in Syria that could end up in the hands of the Hezbollah group in Lebanon.

The Syrian government repeatedly accuses the U.S. and Israel of supporting the terrorist groups in Syria to prolong the war.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 06:35:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian-Turkish agreement to establish a demilitarized zone in the last major stronghold in the Syrian province of Idlib won't be a permanent solution, analysts said.

The deal of establishing a buffer zone between the positions of the Syrian government forces and the rebels in Idlib was declared after a summit between the leaders of Russia and Turkey, who met in the Russian resort city of Sochi on Monday.

During a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the demilitarization zone will be established by Oct. 15. It will be created along the contact line of the armed opposition and the government forces with a depth of 15-20 km.

The radical rebels will withdraw from the demilitarized zone along with heavy weapons.

The deal was a surprising one as it came days after the leaders of Iran, Russia, and Turkey held tripartite summit in Tehran during which the Iranian and Russian leaders rebuffed a Turkish call for a cease-fire in Idlib.

Iranian and Russian leaders backed a military offensive by the Syrian army to retake Idlib where al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front is located.

At the Tehran summit, Erdogan called on the rebels to turn in their weapons after his cease-fire proposal was turned down.

Later on, the Syrian army continued to send reinforcement to the frontline in Idlib, as part of the preparations that have been ongoing for a couple of months.

Airstrikes by the Russian and Syrian side had stopped over the past few days but the ground shelling continued.

Opposition activists said the Turkish side was attempting to put pressure on the al-Qaida-linked groups ahead of the anticipated offensive by sending in military backup to Turkey-backed rebels in Idlib.

But on Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the anticipated military offensive in Idlib was not on the agenda anymore.

Osama Danura, a Syrian political expert, told Xinhua that establishing a demilitarized zone in Idlib is not going to be permanent.

"I think that the solutions that prolong the de-escalation zones' concept in Idlib are practically temporary and are not comprehensive or permanent," he said.

He added the formula that was agreed upon by the leaders of Turkey and Russia would only postpone the confrontation between the Syrian army and the rebels and would give the Turkish side time to deal with the issue of the ultra-radical rebels in Idlib.

Danura stressed that the Syrian government will not accept to live with "terrorists" in Idlib, noting that the situation there cannot move on like this for a long time.

Hmaidi Abdullah, another analyst, said under the deal, the Turkish side has a big responsibility to put the rebels on a leash in Idlib.

He said that putting the Idlib battle on hold would give the Syrian army a chance to jump to the next phase, the illegitimate presence of the U.S.-backed forces in northeastern Syria.

His remarks came as Russian media reported that negotiations were underway between the Russian and the U.S. armies on the latter's withdrawal from the al-Tanf area in southeastern Syria.

Maher Ihsan, another analyst, said that the deal averted Idlib a wide-scale offensive and ensured that the rebels would not dare to attack Syrian military sites.

"It would also strip the Western countries of pretext to strike Syria," he said, as the U.S. and its Western backers were talking about having information that the Syrian army was planning a chemical attack in Idlib.

The Syria side and its allies slammed the Western claims, saying the United States was plotting with the rebels to stage such an attack to justify another foreign attack on the Syrian army.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-18 07:20:19|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Outgoing UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak on Monday outlined six major trends he identified during his one- year tenure on his last day in office, highlighting sustaining peace, combat against climate change and UN reform, among other things.

At the 117th or last meeting of the 72nd session of the assembly, the UNGA chief identified the turning towards "preventive action" in sustaining peace as the first trend he highlighted in his closing speech.

"We had excellent peacekeepers and mediators. The problem was that, by the time they got there, it was often too late," he said. "Essentially, we were trying to keep peace, when there was no peace left to keep. And we were leaving too soon - before the roots of conflict had been pulled fully from the ground."

The UNGA chief takes pride in the fact that the 72nd session brought the two-and-half-year-old idea of sustaining peace to the attention of world leaders by organizing the first ever High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, where "preventive action" was given thorough discussion.

Secondly, Lajcak talked about the world's focus on climate change, saying he has seen more and more member states reflecting the issue in their speeches.

Giving an example, he said "at last year's General Debate, climate change was the most frequently referenced item on the agenda. In fact, 85 percent of heads of state and delegations spoke about it," adding "I predict we will see similar trends next week."

Thirdly, he pointed to the growing ability of the General Assembly to adapt to major global shifts.

Singling out the "migration crisis," which emerged around 2015 and 2016, he said this past summer saw the agreement on a milestone outcome - the Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration.

The world's first global compact for migration is set to be formally adopted in Morocco in December.

"The General Assembly cannot get left behind. As the world's most representative body, it must stay ahead of the curve. Or at least be quick to follow it," he said.

He noted the organ's ability to adapt to global shifts is particularly important, "as issues like Artificial Intelligence, data protection and the future of work take up more space in our daily lives."

As to the fourth trend, Lajcak focused on reform, touching upon the General Assembly's endeavors as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' initiatives and the Security Council's discussion on this regard.

During the 72nd session, the secretary-general released reform proposals in three areas: peace and security, management, and development. The General Assembly has, since then, decided to advance all three.

He took the election of his successor for example, where unlike before, the process happened through a system of interactive dialogues with member states.

As to the fifth and sixth trends, the UNGA warned "the space for dialogue is closing" and "multilateralism is under threat."

However, he expressed hope that dialogue will eventually prevail. "Though our current political climate has trained us into our monologues, our instincts for dialogue run deeper."

On multilateralism, he warned that "we are seeing a return to the exclusive clubs of the past" and that "history tells us that this is not the way forward."

He said, "There is still time to counter this trend," stressing "multilateralism is the only way."Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-15 03:40:01|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

VIENNA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Vice Chancellor and leader of the right-wing Freedom Party Heinz-Christian Strache and Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini threw support behind Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in their talks here on Friday.

Salvini, from the fellow right-wing Lega Nord party, said a current European Union judicial procedure against Hungary in light of Orban's politics amounts to "sanctions against the Hungarian people," local media reported.

He said the next European Parliament elections in 2019 would, however, mark a turning point for those on the right of the political spectrum in Europe.

Both Salvini and Strache said they plan to promote the cooperation between their parties for the May election.

Strache said Orban deserves thanks and respect with regard to his stance on the 2015 migrant crisis. While other European nations had lost control of the escalating situation, the Hungarian government had sought to secure its borders.

He said Italy and other states who are on the outer borders of the European Union will not be left stranded, and believed that adequate border protection will soon come into effect.Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-17 22:38:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KIEV, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree to enforce a decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on terminating the key partnership agreement with Russia, the presidential press service said in a statement on Monday.

Adopted earlier this month, the NSDC decision envisages that the Ukrainian-Russian Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership, which expires on March 31, 2019, will not be prolonged by Ukraine.

Iryna Lutsenko, the Ukrainian president's representative in the parliament, said Poroshenko will submit to the parliament a draft law on the suspension of the agreement, while the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry will officially inform Moscow about the move by Sept. 30.

Signed in 1997, the Ukrainian-Russian treaty is a document which fixes the principle of strategic partnership between the two states.

Under the agreement, Kiev and Moscow pledged to respect the inviolability of each other's borders and to peacefully settle disputes.

While commenting on Kiev's intention to scrap the treaty, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he believes that "it would be unreasonable to take any steps that could inflict additional harm on the interests of the two countries' people."

Relations between Kiev and Moscow have been deteriorating since early 2014 over their different stances on the developments in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, between April 2014 and April 2018, the two former Soviet neighbors have either suspended or terminated 44 out of 451 treaties.Pier B, a brand new passenger terminal section of more than 10 000 square meters adjoining Terminal 2B, was inaugurated today at Budapest Airport. Going forward, the facility will be used to handle non-Schengen flights, including the wide body aircraft flying intercontinental long haul routes to North America, China and the Persian Gulf.

The construction of the latest airport development project lasted only one and a half years. The first concrete slabs were broken on 1 March 2017 by the main contractor, KESZ Epito Zrt., and the first flight, a Wizz Air service to Astana, departed through the new gates just 17 months later, on 1 August 2018.

Since then, the building has been opened to passenger traffic gradually. The total cost of the project is 7.8 billion HUF (25 million EUR), which Budapest Airport financed from its own resources.

The new facility was very much needed, as Budapest Airport has seen double-digit growth, often reaching 14-15%, in passenger numbers continuously during the last four years, with an even greater increase in non-Schengen traffic.

This summer, 44 airlines offered direct flights from Budapest to 130 destinations, with another record broken in August, as 1 527 620 arriving and departing passengers were registered.

All this makes Budapest Airport one of the fastest growing airports in Europe over the last few years and it clearly demonstrates the success of our aviation strategy and all our related airline marketing and route development initiatives and efforts, emphasized Jost Lammers, the CEO of Budapest Airport during the inauguration.

Of course, our success goes hand in hand with the overall success and strong growth of the whole country in recent years and we will do our utmost to continue contributing to the successful development of Hungary, he added.

Pier B is not a palace, it is not a piece of art, but rather a very modern and very functional building that allows safe and secure airport operations and serves the comfort of the ever increasing number of passengers. Still, we have implemented a series of sustainable and state-of-the-art technical innovations while constructing this building. remarked Laszlo Szalados, deputy CEO of KESZ Construction Ltd.

He also said, We are far from finishing our activity here at the airport, within days we will commence the construction of a brand new, six-level car parking building before Terminal 2.

We highly appreciate the role Budapest Airport plays in the development Liszt Ferenc International Airport, since the quality of the airport, the extensive logistics capacity here is of great importance in attracting tourists, or bringing new foreign direct investment to Hungary and thus supporting the success of the local economy. emphasized Tamas Menczer, Foreign State Secretary in charge of communication and the image of Hungary abroad.

He also added, that just last year through HIPA (Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency) Hungary has opened 96 major foreign direct investment projects with an accumulated value of 3.5 billion euros and this has created 17.000 new jobs in the country.

The newly opened passenger traffic facility is the flagship project of the five-year BUD 2020 airport development program.

The new pier B was designed by a team of architects from Hungarian design bureau KOZTI led by Zoltan Tima. As part of the self-financed plan, the airport operator spent 55-60 billion HUF (160-180 m euros) of its own resources to improve airport infrastructure, modernize instrument landing systems, expand aircraft maintenance hangars, hand over new logistics bases in the vicinity of Terminal 1 and open the new airport hotel near Terminal 2.

As part of the BUD 2020 program, the construction of a multi-story car park will commence in the parking area in front of Terminal 2 in a few weeks time and work on the Cargo City, a dedicated, 20 000 square meter air cargo handling facility, will also commence this September.



Source: bud.huPlanned new prisons will be built by inmates, according to a draft bill signed by Interior Minister Sandor Pinter and posted on the government website, Napi reports.

The bill lists a wide range of activities from earthworks to skilled labour tasks that inmates will have to perform.

Hungarys 29 prisons contain 18,000 inmates.

Prisoners erected the fence on the border with Serbia and they will build watchtowers and rain shelters as well, according to the bill on providing jobs to inmates.

The governments prison-building programme has been a failure so far as none have been built. Of the 667 new wardens who have been trained for the new prisons, 41% have left.Two high-level government officials recently had important electronic equipment stolen from them. Police are treating the cases as high priorities: instead of the local police stations, they put top investigators on the two cases.

Gabor Istvan Foldvary, deputy secretary of state in the Ministry of Defence, left his car window down on July 9 in busy Nyugati square in Budapest and his bag was stolen, tv channel RTL Klub recently reported. The thieves were arrested within a few weeks and the bag was recovered together with its contents except for Foldvarys tablet.

Unusually, the case was not investigated by the local, district police department but the intelligence unit of the Budapest Police Headquarters. RTL Klub reported that even DNA samples were examined in order to catch the thieves.

Atlatszo learned that another high-ranking government official is missing an important piece of equipment as well. A laptop was stolen from Attila Biro, deputy secretary of state in the Prime Ministers office. His car was locked when thieves broke into it and stole a laptop worth more than half a million forints from the trunk.

The car was left in the parking lot of the shopping mall in Dunakeszi, a small town in Budapests suburbs. It is unknown how the thieves knew which car to break into.

This laptop is also getting high-level attention: it is not the local police but the National Bureau of Investigation. Atlatszo asked the police why the top investigative unit was involved in the case but they did not answer our questions, claiming that it was in the interest of the investigations not to make any information public.Greg studied Drama at the University of Leeds and started his teaching career in Kingston upon Hull in 1989 and has worked the length and breadth of the country, and, for the past few years, in China and the Middle East.

Greg is a keen juggler and, with encouragement and a little Dutch courage, can juggle fire, occasionally managing to avoid burning himself at all! He earned his Equity card as a stand-up comedian which is about the best preparation for teaching he can think of.



Greg is a strong family man and has three children and two granddaughters and is very happy to be moving much closer to home, although his middle son is carrying on the family business and has just taken up an English teaching post in China.



Greg is a keen cyclist and has completed the140 mile Coast to Coast route in England a couple of times, though is not convinced his legs will get him up the hill to Britannica, well see!



1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?

I arrived on the 6th of August to take up post as the Head of Secondary at Britannica International School

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?

I have previously worked in Chengdu in South West China, Kuwait and most recently in the UAE

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?

The heat initially, which is odd as Ive just come from the extreme heat of the Middle East. I have also been taken by how green the city is, particularly where I live next to Varosmajor Park

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?

It depends on the friends-most will definitely be visiting the ruin bars though I think my granddaughters will love the castle area and the musical fountain on Margaret Island.

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?

Ive not sampled enough to say yet but actually our school lunches are fabulous, I particularly enjoyed spicy sausage last week!

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?

Lurpak, Greek yoghurt and there are almost always ice lollies in my freezer.

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?

I havent learned many yet but jo napot seems a good place to start.

8. What do you miss the most from home?

My family of course, not much else  next day Amazon deliveries would be good.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?

I wouldnt swap being a teacher for the world, but if pushed I could be tempted by travel writing

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?

Ive always thought that being an undertaker probably takes a set of skills that I dont really have. Id also be a terrible nurse!

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?

This summer was the beautiful gift of home blessed with very untypical British weather. When you live and work abroad, home is sometimes the most relaxing place to be.

12. Where do you hope to spend your next one?

One or two of our neighbouring countries or here in Hungary  open to recommendations.

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?

I was a very keen sailor growing up, and was also a big fan of The Clash

14. Apart of temptation what can't you resist?

I cant keep chocolate in the house, it calls to me until its all eaten!

15. Red wine or white?

Beer

16. Book or movie?

Book, every time!

17. Morning person or night person?

Definitely morning, I cant wait to get up!

18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?

stand up for equal rights and will challenge sexism whenever I come across it.

19. Buda side or Pest side?

Buda to live, Pest to play!

20. What would you say is your personal motto?

Suck the marrow out of life!ADDRESSING A bustling crowd at a Sunday benefit to raise legal funds to fight for Ojibway Correctional Facility are, from left, organizer Crystal Suzik; Rep. Scott Dianda, D-Calumet; and Ken Summers of L'Anse, who is now campaigning to fill Dianda's state house seat. The benefit was held at the Wakefield VFW.

By P.J. GLISSON

[email protected]

Wakefield - Organizers of a Sunday spaghetti feed at the Wakefield VFW hope the event will add to legal coffers aimed at disputing a recent state decision to close Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco.

Food was served steadily as the room quickly filled with local people willing to contribute the $10 fee for what they believe is still a fighting chance of reversing the state directive.

"We've got just under $4,000 right now sitting in a bank account," said Crystal Suzik of Ramsay, who added all funds raised for litigation will be offered to Marenisco Township, where OCF is based.

Suzik - who is leading the charge to keep the prison open - is married to Greg Suzik, who works as a prison lieutenant.

She said attorney Sean Gallagher of Clark Hill PLC of Lansing already filed paperwork on the case on Friday, and she hopes it will result in them learning this week whether an injunction will be applied to halt the state's current and gradual transfer of OCF prisoners to other state facilities. If that occurs, she said, further litigation efforts then will continue.

According to Suzik, two housing units at the prison already have been closed, but three and one-half still remain open with 560 prisoners as of Sunday.

In a spirited address to Sunday's crowd, Suzik said, "I want to thank you guys so much for standing strong with us."

She said the issue is not so much about a single entity as it is about community. "What we're saying is we matter." She added that political parties are not the issue so much as the question, "Who's standing with us? Who's fighting for us?"

Rep. Scott Dianda, D-Calumet, also addressed the crowd, saying, "This affects lives across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We must make sure that we're not the ones to say 'I didn't get involved.'"

Dianda, who is serving his third and final state term due to term limits, is now running for state senate. He added he will make sure state officials know how people from this region feel about the prison decision.

Ken Summers of L'Anse, who is now campaigning to fill Dianda's seat representing the 110th District in the State House of Representatives, also told the crowd that "tons of facilities downstate" could have been closed instead of OCF.

"It's time we put people in place who put people first and not profits," he said.

Summers also told the Globe, "I don't like to speculate. I'm a facts guy, but it seems they (state officials) made the wrong decision, based on the efficiency of the facility and the quality of the staff."

Summers said the region did not get "a fair shake" and added he's been in constant contact with Lansing ever since the prison closing was announced.

As for state officials' claims that it's difficult for OCF prisoners to visit with family members based downstate, Summers said that argument holds no weight in 2018, when various technological options allow for ease in communication. Moreover, he reminded, "Twenty-five years ago, when nobody else wanted these prisons, we took them here in the U.P."

The Michigan Department of Corrections announced the decision to close OFC in July, directly after legislators learned in June that $19 million had been cut from their next DOC budget.

Sunday's event also included a silent pie auction and several 50/50 raffles.Terrence Curtin, TE Connectivity CEO, seen with a transparent car, showing all the connectors they manufacture, that go into your automobile. 05/30/2017 MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer Read more

TE Connectivity, a maker of electrical connectors and sensors based in Switzerland with U.S. headquarters and executive offices in Berwyn, said Monday that it had reached an agreement to sell its undersea communications business, called SubCom, for $325 million.

The buyer of SubCom, which rolls cable across the ocean floor for Google, Facebook, and other large tech and telecom enterprises from its specially-designed ships, is Cerberus Capital Management LP, a Washington-based private-equity giant that owns Acme Markets and other companies.

The price was not quite half the value of SubCom's yearly sales, which total around $700 million. TE Connectivity said the business, with offices in Eatontown, N.J., and ships based in Baltimore and Portsmouth, N.H., was "minimally" profitable. TE had revenue of $13 billion in fiscal 2017.

"Program delays" from SubCom hurt TE Connectivity profit margins in its most recent earnings report, wrote David Holt, analyst for CFRA Research, in a report to clients. "The deal removes this overhang," and will boost profitability and growth for the company's remaining businesses in its data and devices and appliances unit, Holt said. The deal is scheduled to close later this year.

The seller will use the money to buy back shares, a common move by companies that find the impact on shareholder returns at least as favorable as acquisitions or research and development.

TE Connectivity shares topped $100 for the first time in January but closed Friday at $91.77. Like other industrial companies that operate U.S. factories and also have plants and customers in China and other foreign markets, the company has faced questions from investors about global demand since the Trump administration began raising import taxes (tariffs) and foreign governments retaliated with fees on U.S. products.

SubCom was "distinctly different from the rest of TE's connectivity and sensor portfolio," chief executive Terrence Curtin said in a statement announcing the sale. While SubCom is "a leader" in the global business of connecting the internet worldwide, it is also a cyclical business with only modest profit margins and uncertain growth, he added.

By contrast, most other TE Connectivity divisions produce small electrical components  or, increasingly, groups and assemblies of components  for large manufacturing and repair markets, such as cars, trucks, and aerospace, and for fast-growing sectors such as electric-vehicle and medical applications.

The move follows TE Connectivity's long string of asset sales since it was spun off in 2006 from the former Tyco International Ltd. Edward D. Breen, the former General Instruments cable salesman who headed West Windsor-based Tyco, broke that conglomerate into pieces in response to the former conglomerate's sagging share price. Breen has gone on to engineer DuPont Co.'s merger with Dow Chemical Co. and is currently overseeing another round of spin-offs from those two companies.

Under its first CEO Tom Lynch, TE Connectivity sold other industrial-equipment units, while buying firms that build connectors and sensors for use in "extreme environments" and expanding its original business as a supplier to auto companies. The auto business was based on TE Connectivity's predecessor, AMP, whose former plants remain a major employer in central Pennsylvania.

Acquisitions in recent years include Creganna Medical Group, Hirschmann Car Communication, and Advanced Cath (catheters), among many others.

Cerberus, founded by billionaire Steve Fineberg, a Princeton graduate and onetime trader at the former Philadelphia-based Drexel Burnham Lambert, specializes in buying, reorganizing, and eventually selling mature companies such as automaker Chrysler Corp., mercenary service DynCorp Interrnational, women's products maker Avon, and gun maker Remington Arms Corp. Cerberus leaders also include former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle and John W. Snow, a former treasury secretary under President George W. Bush.Ted Green checking on the distilling at La Colombe's Fishtown location at its 2014 opening. Read more

Philadelphia coffee giant La Colombe acknowledged that it has "sidelined" its rum-distilling business, which launched four years ago as a showpiece within its Fishtown flagship location.

The gleaming copper still and wooden rum barrels remain behind glass windows, though the room is used now for meetings. A spokeswoman said remaining stock was being used for "gifting and special occasions."

Draft latte  both on tap and in cans  has become La Colombe's focus, the representative said.

"Innovation here at La Colombe is key to everything we do," co-founder Todd Carmichael told me. "Once in a while, if you're lucky, you can tap into something truly huge. Massive. And we did that with the draft latte, which means that sadly the rum project will have to be sidelined. And while we will continue to tinker with spirits, the draft is a big part of our future and our focus."

Rum initially was Carmichael's side project. He set up a small still at the roasting plant in Port Richmond and gave the rum as gifts.

The rum, labeled as Different Drum, won critical praise.

Inquirer critic Craig LaBan pointed out that "unlike most coffee liqueurs, which are syrupy-sweet blends, this one gets a high-tech infusion  "cavitation"  in which pressurized inert gas disrupts the coffee-bean cells, releasing the flavors of Panama Geisha and Indian Monsoon Malabar beans. The result is dry but smooth and haunting, with notes of citrusy jasmine and toasty vanilla, plus an amber hue despite not much barrel time at all. It's even better with flan."Joe Stafford of Upper Chichester (left), Bill Barber of Chester (center), and Ron Navin Upper Chichester protest outside before a meeting of the Chester Water Authority board, which is split among members from Chester City, Delaware County, and Chester County on Nov. 21, 2017. Read more

Pennsylvania's water industry is drawing more attention from Wall Street, and investors thirsty for income and price appreciation may want to examine water stocks for their portfolio.

There are a few factors at play. Pennsylvania's Act 12, signed into law in 2016, allows investor-owned utilities to charge ratepayers for the appraised fair-market value of an acquired system, rather than its lower depreciated cost, as my Inquirer colleague Andrew Maykuth reported recently.

The law has triggered a spate of acquisitions by for-profit water companies. Aqua America already closed two deals, adding 27,000 customers in Pennsylvania and Illinois, which also has a fair-value law. It has more in the pipeline, including Cheltenham, which would be its largest acquisition since 1998.

"I would say, in my more than 25 years at the company, I've never seen this level of activity in municipal sector," Christopher Franklin, chief executive of Aqua America, said on an earnings conference call.

The Bryn Mawr-based utility has operations in eight states, including five with fair-value laws.

"Since the fair-market legislation has begun to pass in various states, we've just not seen this level of interest and activity for many, many years," Franklin said. The firm, which projects 2 to 3 percent customer growth in 2018, posted second-quarter revenue up 4.2 percent, and earnings-per-share growth of 8.8 percent over the prior year's second quarter. Aqua also raised its dividend by 7 percent, the 28th increase in 27 years.

Yet, the acquisition frenzy isn't without risk. Political factors could make some deals uncertain.

After Pennsylvania American Water bought the assets of the Scranton Sewer Authority (SSA) in 2016, the money paid was divided between the city of Scranton and the borough of Dunmore. But Scranton now faces numerous lawsuits by ratepayers, including one filed in October 2017, alleging that the SSA asset sale violated the law by turning over proceeds to Scranton and Dunmore general funds.

The lawsuit seeks the return of all monies from the SSA asset sale, Conrad O'Brien partner Kevin Kent wrote in the Legal Intelligencer, noting that "monetizing the SSA's assets for use in Scranton and Dunmore's general funds was not part of the mission or purpose of the SSA."

The suit seeks to have the money from the sale placed in trust. So the funds Scranton earmarked to balance its budget could be tied up for years or depleted by litigation.

Chester Township wants a new police facility paid for in part with $29.5 million from the sale of its sewer system to Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater, agreed to in 2016. Since then, the sale has been delayed, most recently in June, when the township, its sewer authority, and Aqua America agreed to extend the date of the sale by nearly two years.

In addition, Warminster Township drew howls of protest from residents after trying to hire a valuation firm for its water authority this year. A sale wasn't even on the table.

So what's an investor to do?

Focus on those public companies with current earnings and dividend growth for now, said Ryan Connors, equity analyst with Boenning & Scattergood, in Conshohocken.

"These investor-owned utilities want to grow, expand earnings, and drive the stock price over time. There's always been talk about privatization as a potential growth angle," he said. So while there will continue to be deals, he added, the "Act 12-driven privatization push in our state may moderate over the next two to three years."

Among the universe of 14 water and water equipment companies he follows, Connors points to a few companies that would be interesting for long-term buy-and-hold investors: Aqua America (WTR), a water utility, and Ecolab (ECL) and Xylem (XYL). As noted, Aqua America pays a healthy dividend, and its Aqua Pennsylvania subsidiary, with 1.4 million customers in 32 counties in the state, recently filed for its first rate hike since 2011. Aqua America also in July bought the 5,400-connection wastewater assets of Limerick Township for $75 million, marking Aqua Pennsylvania's first acquisition to close under the fair-market valuation law.

Ecolab and Xylem aren't utilities, but instead sell equipment such as water treatment instrumentation, meters, smart pumps, and other innovative products.

"Ecolab and Xylem may offer more stock price appreciation going forward" than some of the other more stable, slower-growing water utilities, Connors said. He's required to disclose that his firm may seek investment banking business with companies in his reports, and he does not personally own shares in any companies mentioned.

Aqua America closed at $38.02 a share Friday with a 2.3 percent dividend, while EcoLab finished at $157.12 a share, and Xylem at $80.93 a share. Connors' price target for the three stocks, respectively, are $43 for Aqua America, $215 for Ecolab, and $90 for Xylem.

Water Stocks

A.O. Smith Corp. (AOS)

Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS)

American Water Works (AWK)

Aqua America (WTR)

Badger Meter (BMI)

Ecolab (ECL)

Franklin Electric (FELE)

Lindsay (LNN)

Mueller Water Products (MWA)

Tetra Tech (TTEK)

Valmont Industries (VMI)

Watts Water Technologies (WTS)

Xylem Inc. (XYL)With fluid boundaries and the ability to create and change names from the ground up, Philadelphia has emerged as a city of neighborhoods. Here, a local restaurant names itself after the historic Devils Pocket neighborhood. Today, some consider that to be located inside Graduate Hospital or Southwest Center City. Read more

Calls to Rich Boardman at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Maps Collection came from out-of-towners, genealogists, but mostly, rowdy bar patrons.

"Often someone would call me and say, 'I'm having an argument with a friend! What's the boundary of this neighborhood or that neighborhood?' " said Boardman, who ran the Maps Collection for nearly 30 years. "They would be on the phone shouting, 'This is the boundary! No, this is it!' "

When it comes to defining neighborhoods in Philadelphia, there are no easy answers.

Take, for example, the swath of the city bounded by South Street to Washington, and from Broad to the Schuylkill. Is it Graduate Hospital? South of South? Southwest Center City? It's been called G-Ho. So-So. And then, of course, it has neighborhoods within: Schuylkill Square. Naval Square. And Devil's Pocket.

And that's just 0.4 square miles of a 141-square-mile city.

For decades, Philadelphia has carried the designation of "the city of neighborhoods," a moniker cemented over the years, even as other large cities carved out tiny neighborhoods of their own.

Boardman says the nickname stuck for good reason: The now-retired historian has identified 685 Philadelphia neighborhoods dating to 1778. That's everything from Chestnut Hill to Frankford to Beggarstown (located in today's Mount Airy section), recorded on a map just two years after America declared independence. In 2015, Boardman added the final name to his current list: Olde Richmond, which he discovered in the "older" section of the city's Port Richmond neighborhood.

But if history is any indication, Boardman's list will continue to grow, as the city rapidly gentrifies and re-labels.

Given fluid boundaries, self-declared names, and a fierce pride among residents about where they are from, squabbles over neighborhood names are nothing new. At one point, more than a century ago, today's Mount Airy had at least four names: Dogtown, Beeberstown, Beggarstown and Franklinville.

(Think those sound odd? There was once a Pumpkintown around the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Bells Mills Road, and a Frog Hollow in today's Logan section.)

As new development has marched across the city, residents at times have been pitted against developers and real-estate agents, historians and preservationists, over neighborhood names: Should the Gayborhood be called Midtown Village? And what do we call the city's Callowhill neighborhood  that, or the Loft District, or Chinatown North, or Eraserhood?

From the quarrels have emerged questions about who has the authority to declare a name and where the names should come from. And a bigger question has emerged about when change may be necessary.

According to a spokesman for the Philadelphia Planning Commission, the city has no involvement in drawing neighborhood boundaries  and keeps no official count of neighborhoods. Some, such as Fishtown and East Falls, date back decades, taking their names from the geography around them. Others, such as Chinatown, emerged based on the populations and businesses that settled within.

In recent years, new, sometimes controversial, names have crept into common vernacular  places such as Temple Town in North Philadelphia, Newbold in Point Breeze, and Naval Square in Southwest Center City  all named for massive development that occurred in their boundaries.

The rise of dozens of names has been fueled by new laws governing Philadelphia's self-organized Registered Community Organizations, collections of neighborhood residents who are notified about proposed developments that may affect them and who then get to offer input.

In practice, the role has allowed groups to carve out territory, naming their RCOs to promote a desired name. It's given rise to nearly 290 RCOs  and a multitude of organizations named for both historic and new neighborhoods, places such as Olde Richmond and Swampoodle, Cathedral Park and Olde Kensington. (And, for that matter, there are RCOs for South Kensington, East Kensington, and New Kensington, too.)

A few years ago, Denise Whittaker helped launch the Community Action Group in Northwest Philadelphia, claiming the swath from 24th and Allegheny to 30th and Hunting Park Avenue to Indiana Avenue for her RCO. The name she gave the area? Swampoodle Heights, reviving the historic Swampoodle name, used for the area in the early 1900s.

"We wanted to have a historic name, and this area was known for being swampy before industry moved in," said Whittaker, the group's vice president.

Why add Heights? The area around 30th Street is situated on more elevated land, she said, but mostly, "psychologically, a neighborhood name may change how you think and feel about where you live.  We're trying to clean up our community."

Some residents have taken to it: The Community Action Group hung signs for the new neighborhood  Swampoodle Heights: Love Where you Live, and another, Live Where You Love  along light posts, and has spread the name at cleanup events. Others, however, remain skeptical.

"Some people say, 'I don't live in Swampoodle; I live in Allegheny West," Whittaker said. " If you want to say Allegheny West, that's your choice."

Other neighborhood name changes have faced fiercer push-back.

The Cecil B. Moore section of North Philadelphia has undergone tremendous development over the years as the student population at Temple University has swelled. In return, private developers increasingly have been building in surrounding neighborhoods, replacing dilapidated single-family homes with student high-rises. Eventually the redevelopment gave way to "Temple Town"  a new name so widely used that even Google Maps picked it up.

Eventually, after protest, Google stripped the Temple Town name, and the Cecil B. Moore neighborhood was restored. For many North Philadelphia residents, it was a lesson about how fragile community history can be in the midst of change.

Other neighborhoods have seen their names shift under development pressures in recent years, too, many times altered by developers who are trying to re-brand to create interest in an area.

Developer John Longacre employed that method when he took a chance on an area of South Philadelphia bound by Jackson Street to Tasker and 18th Street to Broad. At a time when no one was developing that section of Point Breeze, Longacre introduced the South Philly Tap Room, new housing, and other commercial activity along West Passyunk Avenue to revitalize the area. When his job was complete, he dubbed the neighborhood Newbold after a street located in the neighborhood decades before.

"I's a great name," Longacre said. "It has ties to the history, and there's a connotation  it's new, it's bold, it seemed to fit."

As for that unlabeled area in the Southwest part of the city? The South of South Neighborhood Association said the group is not pushing any particular name.

"We're trying to be sensitive of the neighbors that were here before us," said Nicole Koedyker, programs manager for the group. " In a unique neighborhood like Grad Hospital  it's important to help [residents] feel passionate about the neighborhood."Former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr. speaks during the Pastoral Installation of Rev. Dr. Darron D. McKinney Sr. at the historic Bright Hope Baptist Church in Phila., Pa. on May 20, 2018. Read more

You would think that a man who OKd a bombing that killed 11 people, including five children, would be forever disqualified from having a city street named after him.

But this is Philly.

And this week, the 2400 block of North 59th Street will officially come to be known as W. Wilson Goode Sr. Way. It will be named after the former mayor who authorized Philadelphia police to drop a bomb on a house with people inside.

City Council members Curtis Jones, Cherelle Parker, Derek Green, Mark Squilla and Jannie Blackwell introduced a resolution on June 14 to name the street for Goode. It was adopted the following week before Council broke for summer recess.

This is a disgrace. Just thinking about it makes me hot.

For those who have forgotten what happened that awful day more than 30 years ago, let me refresh your memory: It was May 13, 1985. Philadelphia police were trying to arrest MOVE members holed up inside a house at 6221 Osage Ave. in Cobbs Creek. A protracted shootout ensued during which police fired 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

When MOVE members continued to defy police commands to exit, Goode allowed a bomb, made from C-4 explosives, to be dropped on the building from a helicopter. Only two of the 13 people inside survived. The resulting fire was allowed to burn for 45 minutes and eventually consumed the entire block. Sixty-one houses were destroyed and an entire neighborhood devastated.

Goode publicly apologized but no city employee ever faced criminal charges.

Afterward, Philly became the talk of the country and for good reason. What mayor bombs its own citizens and destroys an entire city block?

Time has a way of dulling even the most painful memories. To his credit, Goode, who went on to serve a second term, has spent almost a lifetime living down that awful decision that day. You can't deny that Goode, the son of sharecroppers from North Carolina, has an amazing story. Philly's first black mayor will always be remembered for how he helped minorities obtain municipal contracts and high-level jobs that they were once excluded from getting.

An ordained minister since 1999, Goode went on to create Amachi: People of Faith Mentoring Children of Promise to help kids whose parents were incarcerated. He recently published his second book called, Black Voters Mattered: A Philadelphia Story, about the rise of local black politicians.

He's a good man and deserving of all kinds of accolades  but not having a street renamed after him. That should be reserved for those icons amongst us who built the city up  not bombed it.

The renaming of Glenwood Avenue between Broad Street and Germantown Avenue "Smokin' Joe Frazier Boulevard" was a good move. And I was thrilled that a portion of Broad Street from Christian to Carpenter Streets has become "Boyz II Men Boulevard." Same with the 2300 block of South Street, which was named for the late Lois Fernandez, the iconic founder of the Odunde festival and with a portion of 11th Street between Pattison and Terminal Avenues dubbed "Ed Snider Way."

But W. Wilson Goode Sr. Way? Nah.

Meanwhile, the official ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday. I will not be there. Nor will a whole lot of other folks.

Naming a street after someone is among the highest honors a city can bestow upon one of its own. It shouldn't go to someone who got us the nickname, "The City that Bombed Itself."

But then again, there was the late Jimmy Tayoun, a former city councilman and state rep. He served time for corruption, but the 1200 block of South Broad Street was named for him in May. Because after all, this is Philly.Photo illustration of a proposed billboard as it would appear from the 600 block of Point Street. Although profits from billboard advertising would benefit city organizations, some neighborhood residents and waterfront development advocates are opposed. Read more

The ambitious proposals to build a towering billboard and remake Cooper Street in the neighborhood of Rutgers-Camden have genuine merit.

The digital display on a 15-story pole next to the Ben Franklin Bridge would generate an estimated $200,000 annually for nonprofit organizations in the city.

The $2.4 million redesign of downtown's handsomest street will include a landscaped, fenced median between Haddon Avenue and Fourth Street, and is expected to enhance traffic flow as well as pedestrian safety.

Some local residents see the $1 million billboard as an intrusion on their neighborhood  and on a waterfront only recently made easily accessible to them by demolition of a massive state prison that for decades had walled parts of North Camden off from the Delaware River.

And as for that terse Aug. 22 Camden Parking Authority decree imposing a total and permanent parking ban starting 48 hours later along three blocks of Cooper between Fourth and Haddon?

Some folks in the city saw it as yet another example of how controversial projects are often driven by, and for, powerful people who live elsewhere.

"There's a history of politicians telling residents of Camden what's good for us," said Luis Gaitan, a billboard foe and president of the recently revived Concerned Citizens of North Camden.

"The prison was supposed to be good for us," he said. "The trash-to-steam plant was supposed to be good for us."

As for Cooper Street: "More lanes and more traffic volume do not make streets safer," Gaitan said. "They're doing this just to create a highway to the waterfront."

Drew Katz, chief executive officer of Interstate Outdoor Advertising, the Cherry Hill company seeking the city zoning board's approval for the billboard, acknowledged the painful history Gaitan described.

"But there's a difference between people hearing promises that are not kept by those who have a financial profit incentive" and his proposed Camden Charitable Funding Project, Katz said.

"Every dollar of profit that the billboard generates is going to be donated to a nonprofit [entity], which will, on an annual basis, distribute all of the funds to nonprofits in the city," he told me.

"We will distribute 100 percent of the profits. There's no wiggle room here. There's no ulterior motive."

The 47-year-old father of two said he was inspired by the legacy of his own father, businessman Lewis Katz, who at the time of his death in a 2014 plane crash was an owner of the parent company of the Inquirer, the Daily News, and Philly.com. The elder Katz grew up in Camden and as a philanthropist supported many projects and causes in the city he loved.

"I had a light-bulb moment that the billboard would be a way I could use my business expertise to benefit Camden," Katz said.

The Cooper's Ferry Partnership, a powerful private organization that has evolved into a citywide redevelopment agency, opposes the billboard because "the plan we developed with the neighborhood's input absolutely prohibits billboards," said Kris Kolluri, the partnership's CEO.

Cooper's Ferry also is managing the Cooper Street project.

The seeming haste to ban parking and re-stripe the pavement into four travel lanes seems to me a step toward making what was once Camden's most gracious address into a waterfront commuter highway.

"That's factually inaccurate," Kolluri said.

The removal of meters between Fourth and Haddon, and the re-striping of the entire street from Delaware Avenue to Haddon Avenue, were implemented ahead of the planned redesign construction start due to pedestrian safety concerns, particularly around the LEAP Academy University School campus, he said.

Kolluri added that studies of the street date from 2005 and groundwork for the redesign began well before the new wave of waterfront office construction started two years ago.

Speaking of which, while the impressive new corporate headquarters of American Water is bringing hundreds of jobs to the city, the sparkling glass structure also obscures the dramatic view of Philadelphia that Cooper Street offered for centuries.

The redesign project, Kolluri said, is a step toward ultimately "reactivating" the thoroughfare  currently home to hardly any private businesses  for potential retail development between Fifth and Front Streets.

I certainly hope so.

As for the billboard, Katz said he just wants "a fair hearing."

His project certainly deserves one.Adam Bruckner of Philly Restart explains the proper protocol for receiving a check on Vine Street between 18th and 19th Street in Center City on Monday, September 29, 2014. The checks help people get ID's necessary to get into shelters, half-way house and possibly finding a job. Read more

You'll get zero done in Pennsylvania without a driver's license or some other form of state-issued ID.

Just try applying for a job, opening a bank account, or cashing a check. You can't. And good luck getting into an office building for an appointment or into a hospital to visit Grandma.

Basically, for those without licenses, life isn't doable without a state-issued ID, which costs $30.50. But obtaining the ID isn't doable unless you first present the state with a birth certificate to prove you exist.

Not everyone has ready access to a birth certificate (do you? I don't), especially the homeless and poor, who are often on the move.

And that's where an already tough life gets even tougher for people whose safety nets tattered long ago.

Replacing a Pennsylvania birth certificate costs $20. That's a fortune for folks living in deep poverty, as so many do. For the most destitute  those who've qualified for General Assistance  it equates to 10 percent of their monthly stipend of about $200 (which will be reinstated this fall, after being axed in the night six years ago by Gov. Tom "Scrooge" Corbett).

The cost of obtaining a birth certificate and ID is just unaffordable  but without it, people in poverty can't access the things that could change their fortunes, like employment, social services, and subsidized housing.

Pennsylvania has some of the highest fees in the country, by the way. It's obscene that Harrisburg is making major coin off the citizenry's vital statistics, which are so vital to our daily lives.

In 2017 alone, for example, the state issued 266,983 birth certificates where the $20 fee was collected. The fees generated $5,339,660, which was distributed to the Department of Human Services and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Worthy recipients, sure. But it sure would be humane to waive or reduce the fees for the poor.

There are both frustration and hope on that front.

First, the frustration: Lowering the $30.50 state-ID fee would require a change in state law, but no such bill is pending.

Now, the hope: There's actually a straightforward way to lower that $20 birth-certificate fee. And unlike most activities in Harrisburg, it doesn't require a change in law, a lobbyist's wallet, or a lot of gasbaggery.

It just requires Gov. Wolf's say-so.

Here's how it could happen:

In Pennsylvania, the Advisory Committee of the Department of Health comes up with the fees that we citizens pay for copies of our vital statistical records.

In 2014, for example, the committee authorized the Health Department to double the birth-certificate fee (yep, double) from $10 to $20.

The committee didn't require the department to do so; it just gave it the authority to do so. That means the department also has the authority to reduce or even eliminate the same fee.

In some cases, it already does.

For example, the fee is waived entirely for U.S. veterans and their dependents, regardless of their ability to pay. And in January, when Gov. Wolf declared a statewide heroin and opioid emergency, he waived the fee for addicts in order to speed up their ability to get the IDs they need to get into treatment.

So there's precedent.

"This would be a game-changer for poor people," says attorney Marsha Cohen, executive director of the Homeless Advocacy Project, who has been hammering on this issue for years now. Since 2016 alone, her staff attorneys have helped 1,853 poor people obtain birth certificates. "It should not be this hard for them."

Adam Bruckner sees the hardship firsthand. He's founder of Philly ReStart, an organization that has helped about 75,000 poor people obtain either birth certificates, state IDs, or both since ReStart's founding in 2002.

Each Monday, he and volunteers are out on the Parkway, meeting with the poor, who form two lines: one for food, and one for help obtaining IDs. The latter are referred by more than 100 social-services agencies who have pre-vetted them for assistance.

Bruckner raises $50,000 annually to pay the associated fees. If the state were to halve its birth-certificate fee, I ask him, what could he do with the leftover cash?

"Oh, wow," says Bruckner, youth director at Helping Hand Mission in Northern Liberties. "We could help families transition from public assistance to independent living, work on food insecurity and housing. You name it."

I contacted the governor's spokesperson, J.J. Abbott, to ask if his boss would work with the Health Department to craft a reasonable birth-certificate fee for the poor. (Bruckner thinks $5 is fair. "It's important that they pay something," he says.)

"In the context of REAL ID, this is something we have been analyzing but no final determination has been made," Abbott emailed. He was referring to the new ID that will eventually be required for commercial airline travel and access to federal buildings and military installations. "If I have any update, I will pass along to you ASAP."

The sooner the better, please. Because this seems like a manageable fix.

When Wolf waived the birth-certificate fee for people fighting addiction, he said it was "to protect Pennsylvanians from this looming public health crisis."

Well, Pennsylvania's deep poverty is a crisis all its own. And it's not looming.

It's already here.U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos gives a speech at the National Constitution Center on Sept. 17. Read more

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, speaking in Philadelphia Monday, decried what she called a lack of free speech on college campuses, saying that America has "abandoned truth" and calling for a greater focus on civil civic discourse.

DeVos, who spoke to college and high school students at the National Constitution Center on Constitution Day, said universities have become battlegrounds for First Amendment rights, with speakers  often conservative  being shouted down, marginalized, and even threatened with physical violence.

The education secretary, a controversial member of President Trump's cabinet, cited her own experiences. She said a "heckler's veto" has prevented her from planned appearances at times.

"More than a few institutions have been unwilling to provide a forum for their students to discuss serious policy matters that affect our country. I can and have found other forums, but what about students who cannot?" DeVos said.

School staff, DeVos said, "too often attempt to shield students from ideas they subjectively decide are hateful or offensive or injurious, or ones they just don't like. This patronizing practice assumes students are incapable of grappling with, learning from, or responding to ideas with which they disagree."

But DeVos said it's not her intent to use her office to fix that.

"Solutions won't come from new laws from Washington, D.C., or from a speech police at the U.S. Department of Education," she said. Instead, the answer is more and better civics education, and more robust public discourse. She urged the students to first "develop an interior life. Be still, pray, reflect, review, contemplate."

"It's easy to be nasty hiding behind screens and Twitter handles. It's not so easy when we are face to face," said DeVos, whose late father-in-law, Richard M. DeVos Sr., a co-founder of Amway, was a National Constitution Center trustee and major donor.

DeVos, who last month drew scrutiny amid reports her department was weighing a plan to let school districts use federal funds to arm teachers, did not take reporters' questions at Monday's event. But she fielded some tough queries from students.

Kaileigh Murphy, a senior studying education and history at the College of New Jersey, said that the Trump administration "is supportive of free speech, but only if it fits their personal agenda," and asked DeVos to clarify her Twitter comments.

DeVos said she believed Twitter was useful in some ways, but that "the distance  the separation that occurs" over social media is generally not helpful.

Later, Murphy said she was unsatisfied with the education secretary's answers or most of her speech, she said.

Trump, Murphy said, "is the prime example of hiding behind Twitter handles." She also took issue with DeVos' repeated references to prayer to fix societal ills.

"I don't really think prayers are the answer," Murphy said.

Sierra Collins, a senior at Constitution High School in Center City, was direct with DeVos.

"Why do you believe you're qualified to serve as education secretary with no experience in the public school system?" asked Collins, 17.

DeVos said that as the parent of four children and a longtime school-choice advocate, she felt she was qualified. She also answered another Constitution High student who asked about DeVos' plans for low-performing schools by saying that her department's focus "is going to continue to be on challenging local schools to do better on challenging each and every student."Lise Marlowe, 6th grade teacher at Elkins Park, is being honored by a Philadelphia Holocaust organization for her years of teaching about the Holocaust. Read more

Lise Marlowe is a sixth-grade teacher who believes in doing things big.

Consider the project she came up with 20 years ago when she realized her students at Cheltenham's Elkins Park School had a hard time grasping the enormity of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.

"So I took out a piece of paper and said, 'If I drew a stick figure every day, how long would it take to get to six million?' " Marlowe recalled. "They said a couple of weeks." Marlowe told them it might take a couple of decades.

The next day, her kids started drawing. The first year, Marlowe's Stick Figure Project did about 100,000 renderings, barely covering the murdered babies. The next class took over, then the next one.

"It's tedious, it hurt your hands," Marlowe said. Every spring, the kids lay out the reams of paper with all the stick figures on the entire gymnasium floor  and realize they're not nearly done. The teacher estimates they're now up to 1.3 million, or only the children who perished through the age of 8  a fact that not only conveys the size of the Holocaust to a new generation but brings an emotional wallop.

"The tears come," she said. "It shows they care. They're shocked that this could have happened."

Yet this massive project is only one part of what the 51-year-old teacher has done to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive in her Montgomery County community. She brings some of the dwindling number of survivors to talk to her classes, hires Temple University students to film their stories, and even has written short books about several of them.

Marlowe credits at least some of her zeal to her Danish great-grandmother, Victoria Madsen, who was the publisher of a Communist newspaper called Land Og Folk in Copenhagen when World War II broke out and who played a vital role in a remarkable campaign using fishing boats to help 7,000 Danish Jews flee the Nazi occupation.

"I feel I am very passionate about social justice and standing up for others  it could be from my great-grandmother's role in the Danish Underground movement," said Marlowe, whose mother converted to Judaism when she married Marlowe's dad.

In recognition of her work, Northeast Philadelphia's Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center  of which Marlowe is a board member and chairs the education committee  plans to honor her with an award at its annual fund-raising dinner Nov. 17.

"She's amazing," said Chuck Feldman, president of the museum, started in 1961 by a Soviet labor-camp survivor and believed to be the first Holocaust museum in the country. "The best word I can use to describe her and what she does is passion, she has a complete passion.  She's just a wonderful person."

Feldman said 25 to 30 survivors volunteer with his organization and dozens more live in the Philadelphia area. Most, who were children when war broke out more than 70 years ago, are in their 80s and 90s now. As their numbers decline, educators like Marlowe are finding ways to pass along and preserve their memories for future generations.

"She really leads with her heart," said Elkins Park principal Gerry Fitzpatrick-Doria. "She brings the truth of the Holocaust to the students in a very receivable way," helping children understand what it would be like to be a child during that time.

"It really touches the hearts of kids," she said.

The award is the latest in a string of plaudits for a teacher with a flair for bringing history to life.

After winning the History Channel's first Teacher of the Year award in 2006  for a book and film project on a nearly forgotten Cheltenham training camp for African American soldiers during the Civil War  Marlowe used some of the $5,000 prize money to hire a Temple student to record remembrances of Holocaust survivors.

"My students are the last generation to hear a survivor speak," Marlowe said, as those who escaped the Nazis' clutches are believed to be dying off at roughly one per day. Hearing from the last of those who endured the Holocaust, she said, will allow them to bear witness to others.

"I tell my students that when they go off into the world and hear 'the Holocaust never happened' from a denier, that they can say, 'You are lying, because I met a survivor,' " she said. "I tell them after they hear a survivor story, that it is now their story to tell to others."

One local survivor whom Marlowe chronicled in a book after he spoke to her students is David Tuck, a Polish native who as a child was taken by the Nazis to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp, among other places, before he was liberated in May 1945. His camp number is still tattooed on his arm.

"She's doing a marvelous job," Tuck said of his friend, noting that he has spoken to tens of thousands of students. He said Holocaust remembrance "is very important, because as time goes by certain people say it never happened."

"Once you meet survivors, you fall in love," Marlowe said. "They're not sad  they're happy people. That's a lesson for kids. Even if you have struggles  and a lot of our kids have different struggles  you can overcome it."Students walk through Temple's student center, where flags are displayed to represent the home countries of members of Temple's student body. Read more

Every year, Temple University holds a special event around Thanksgiving, bringing its international students together with families in the United States.

In 2016, just after Donald Trump was elected president amid talk of a crackdown on illegal immigration, Temple wanted to make sure its international students knew that the university wanted them. As Temple officials planned the event, they began to tout a theme embraced by several other universities: "You are welcome here."

And it caught on. Fast.

It became a hastag #YouAreWelcomeHere. Soon, dozens of schools were using it. Then an association of international educators adopted it and used it as the theme of its conference, and more than 350 colleges, 70 international education companies and organizations, and 20 high schools have embraced it.

Now, led by Temple, a group of those schools is turning that message into action.

On Monday, 57 colleges and universities, with Temple at the forefront, are to announce their pledge to each offer two annual, renewable scholarships to international students every year, worth at least 50 percent off tuition. Temple and many other schools charge international students the full price  at Temple that ranges from $28,000 to $36,500, depending on the program they are in.

"This program is a commitment to diversity and a promise to create educational opportunities for students from all cultures and continents," said Temple president Richard M. Englert.

The move comes as international enrollment at many schools has dipped over the last couple years. Temple enrolls 3,171 international students, down from 3,408 in 2016.

Martyn Miller, assistant vice president for international programs at Temple, said some international students, in declining offers of admission, thanked the school but said they planned to go to another country or stay at home, given the political climate. Uncertainty about visas, declines in scholarships, and costs also have been cited as reasons.

"We would like to not continue to lose students," Miller said.

Temple officials hope that even more schools join the new scholarship effort.

"I would love to see every institution in the United States that enrolls international students say 'you are welcome here,'" Miller said.

Schools from Vermont to Hawaii have joined in, from bigger institutions such as Temple to smaller schools and community colleges. Other local universities involved include Rutgers-Camden, Widener, and Cedar Crest College in Allentown.

The first scholarships will be offered in 2019; applicants will have to submit a video, showing how they will use their education in the United States to build bridges around the world  either on campus or when they return to their home country, Miller said.

A board overseeing the effort also hopes to create opportunities for all 114 initial scholars to communicate, Miller said.

"We need the world to see, if you will, how much good international education can bring to the world," Miller said.(Left to right:) Boyd Gaines, Andrew Veenstra, and Sierra Boggess in "The Age of Innocence," through Oct. 7 at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton. Read more

"It was the old New York way  the way of people who dreaded scandal more than disease, who placed decency above courage."

That's Edith Wharton's own summary of her 1921 novel, The Age of Innocence. Douglas McGrath's adaptation is now onstage at McCarter Theatre under Doug Hughes' direction, in a production that is both old-fashioned and opulent  and vacant  just as New York high society was at the turn of the century.

The show seems to be a Downton Abbey wannabe with American accents, although the plot is far less complex than anything in Downton. The central character is young Newland Archer (Andrew Veenstra), introduced to us by his older self (Boyd Gaines). And then there is an old, elegant Granny (Darrie Lawrence), matriarch of the family (think Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess, without the bite). The cast is perfectly watchable and enjoyable, although there is no depth in either the acting or the script.

The plot traces Newland Archer's torment that followed from his falling in love with the Countess Olenska (Sierra Boggess)  a beautiful cousin of the prestigious New York family. She has just returned to America from a hellish marriage to a rich European brute. She is, of course, dressed in black, while May (Helen Cespedes), Archer's fiancee, is, of course, dressed in white (lovely costumes by Linda Cho). The question is whether anyone has the daring to act on their desires and thereby risk losing their reputations.

There are passionate embraces and heaving bosoms. There are glances from opera box to opera box. There is endless gossip. There are balls and dinner parties, making the set design a huge challenge John Lee Beatty meets handsomely. The Age of Innocence is, in two words, chick lit. Unlike her dear friend Henry James, whose theme was the corrupting influence of the European on the young American woman, a theme Wharton hints at in The Age of Innocence, she lacks the subtlety and stylistic rigor of the Master.

Music creates much of the show's romantic atmosphere; the twin scenes where each woman sings duets with Archer of "Beautiful Dreamer" are moving and revealing. Pianist Yan Li accompanies much of the show, adding, beautifully and lightly, to the drama.Buy a prop, meet a player

The 32nd Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction, held in and around Shubert Alley (between 44th and 45th Streets and Broadway and Eighth Avenues), will be held Sept. 30.

This all-day event offers fans the chance to bid on props, autographed musical phrases, and memorabilia of all kinds. Shows scheduled to have tables this year include Aladdin, Anastasia, Beautiful  The Carole King Musical, Dear Evan Hansen, Frozen, Hamilton, Kinky Boots, The Lion King, Mean Girls, NEWSical the Musical, The Phantom of the Opera, Pretty Woman, School of Rock  The Musical, Sweeney Todd, Waitress, and Wicked.

There will also be a photo booth and an autograph table (stars to be announced). Proceeds benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Last year the event  now in its 31st year  raised more than a million dollars.

Hispanic stars turn out

Viva Broadway, a trade group that connects Latino audiences with the theater scene, will hold a free outdoor performance 5 p.m. Sept. 25 in Duffy Square (West 46th Street & Broadway) to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Bianca Marroquin (Chicago) will host. Performers will include Kathryn Allison (Aladdin), Ashley De la Rosa (Mean Girls), Enrique Segura (The Lion King), Mariand Torres (Wicked), and Ana Villafane, known for her role as Gloria Estefan in On Your Feet! The Musical  The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan. Mandy Gonzalez (Hamilton) will perform her new single, Amor Sin Fronteras, from the upcoming album and book, Fandango at the Wall.

Opening soon

The Lifespan of a Fact. What a cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Cherry Jones, and Bobby Cannavale. A fact-checker (Radcliffe) discovers that an essay for a major magazine is largely made up. It's based on a true story and tellingly thorough in giving credit where credit is due. The writers are Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell, who based the play on the essay/book by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal. Performances will start Sept. 20, and the show will open Oct. 18 at Studio 54 (254 W. 54th St.).

The Waverly Gallery . A feisty old women who runs a little art gallery will not go gently into the night. If anybody can make a play about Alzheimer's disease funny, that would be Elaine May, half of the legendary comedy duo Nichols and May. Joan Allen, Michael Cera and Lucas Hedges complete the cast. This play by Oscar winner Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) was first staged in 1999 and was nominated for the Pulitzer in 2001. Performances will start Sept. 25, and the show will open Oct. 25 at the John Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St.

The Ferryman. For all who love accents as much as I do, this drama by Jez Butterworth ( Jerusalem) is a treat. So thick and tasty are the accents that it's nearly in need of subtitles. In Northern Ireland in a farmhouse in 1981, an enormous family  including babies and geese  is preparing for a joyous harvest celebration when unnerving visitors arrive. This is a big (3 hours, 15 minutes), juicy, riveting epic of a play. Much admired in London last season, it will begin its American premiere Oct. 2 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th St.

King Kong. Look out, Empire State Building! A gigantic animatronic puppet, constructed for this original production in Melbourne, is coming your way. This adaptation of the famous story of the iconic beast  a monster? a tragic anti-hero?  is the latest in a long series since the 1933 movie: sequels, remakes, spin-offs, imitators, parodies, cartoons, books, video games, and theme park rides, and now a musical. (Seems inevitable, doesn't it?) Performances will start Oct. 5 at the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway (at 53rd St.).

American Son. The luminous cast here includes Kerry Washington (TV's Scandal ) and Steven Pasquale ( Rescue Me and Six Feet Under), in a play by lawyer-turned-playwright Christopher Demos-Brown. The drama tells a tense and all-too-familiar story of terrified parents in a Florida police station who are wondering what has happened to their missing teenage son. Performances will begin Oct. 6 at the Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St.

Torch Song Trilogy. Harvey Fierstein's show was a hit Off-Broadway  he played the lead and won a Tony for it. And now it comes to Broadway, with Michael Urie (Ugly Betty, Buyer & Cellar) and Academy Award and Tony winner Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King, Lost in Yonkers). The plot centers on Arnold, who wants a conventional happy life  a husband, a child, and bunny slippers  but who also needs, in the immortal word of Aretha, respect. Performances will begin Oct. 9 at the Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St.

Restaurant tip

If you flash your Playbill after a show, the West Bank Cafe (42nd Street and Ninth Avenue) will give you a free glass of wine with your meal.Qin Qian, an erhu player and teacher, left, guides the bow hand of Jordan Paynter, 11, right, as he participates in his fourth lesson with Qin Qian on August 29, 2018. Read more

With a world-class orchestra and more than a handful of historic music venues, Philadelphia's music scene has both breadth and depth. But Qin Qian believes that the instrument that she's spent decades mastering  the erhu, a traditional two-stringed bowed instrument that has existed in China for more than a thousand years  still flies under the radar.

"Americans actually really like this type of music," Qin, who has been studying the erhu since she was 8-years-old, said in Mandarin. "Whenever I perform here, lots of people ask me what the instrument is. They're all very curious."

The erhu, which is typically made out of red sandalwood and python skin, differs from such Western stringed instruments as violins and cellos in that it has no fingerboard, so players must press directly on the strings. It's also played vertically while resting on the player's lap, and the bow is already fixed between the strings. One of the main challenges of playing the erhu is that the instrument's intonation can change drastically, depending on finger positions. Affectionately known as China's violin and studied by traditional Chinese music enthusiasts, the instrument is still extremely popular in China.

Unsurprisingly, not many Philadelphians have heard of this instrument, according to Qin. She is the only erhu player performing regularly in the area. In her time here, she has performed at the Kimmel Center, the Free Library and St. Joseph's University. When she's not performing, Qin also teaches at Swarthmore College and Ding Hao Chinese School on the Main Line.

"There aren't many musicians here playing Chinese traditional music," she said. "I hope that eventually there are more. It's very unique."

Qin moved to Philadelphia in 2005 from a province in China called Guangxi. She had visited the United States for the first time the year before, when she spent six months traveling around the country, performing and teaching classes. Qin said immigrating to the United States has given her more chances to collaborate, and she's branched out from traditional Chinese music to other styles, including Italian and Irish  all on the erhu. She praised the artistry level of the other music groups here, saying that it's on a different level from music groups in China. (During the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong censored all forms of art, including music, leading to a loss of talent.)

"I've been in Philadelphia ever since immigrating," she said. "I have a special affection for the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. Also, there's a jazz scene here and I'm currently learning how to play jazz on the erhu. It's actually really suited to that style of music because it sounds so much like a human voice."

In China, Qin was admitted to study erhu at the Guangxi Arts Institute at 16 after spending time performing with the Guigang Troupe of Guangxi. After she graduated, she began playing around the country with other musical groups, such as the Guangxi Symphony Orchestra, eventually becoming a teacher and composer in her own right.

"My parents always said that I loved music as a child," Qin said. "They never had to tell me to go practice  I'd just do it myself."

That kind of determination is something Qin tries to impart to her students today. Her most experienced student, 13-year-old Kelvin Wang, has been playing for seven years. Under her guidance, he has won a handful of contests for his erhu playing. Wang first picked up the instrument when he attended one of his grandfather's lessons.

"I like the music and how it sounds, more than violin," said Wang, who spent most of his lesson on a recent Wednesday afternoon workshopping a piece for an upcoming competition. "Playing the violin isn't as flexible and I like the challenge of figuring out exactly where to put my fingers to find the right notes."

During his lesson, Wang also helped acclimate one of Qin's newest students, 11-year-old Jordan Paynter. He became interested in the instrument after trying it out at Qin's house when his mother was running errands. Wang helped tune Paynter's instrument and played through some of the most basic notes, while Qin looked on approvingly.

"I was surprised that Jordan really liked the instrument," Shuang Chen, Jordan's mom, said in Mandarin. "He's only had four lessons but he's been showing our neighbors what he's learned. He's never listened to traditional Chinese music before or seen the instrument in his life."

Even though most Philadelphians have yet to encounter the erhu, Qin is confident that the instrument will eventually become one that transcends the ideas of "Western" and "Eastern" music.

"Maybe it'll take 50 years, maybe it'll take 100 years," she said. "Right now it's just a Chinese instrument, but with time, more people will know about it. It'll become a global instrument."Nearly one in 11 US middle or high school students reports using cannabis in e-cigarettes. Read more

There is another sign of how e-cigarettes are affecting the behavior of American youths.

Nearly one in 11 U.S. middle and high school students in 2016 reported using cannabis while vaping, a study by epidemiologists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. That translates to about two million youths. The study was published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

The results came from the 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey, which asked 20,675 students in sixth through 12th grades in public and private schools if they had ever used an e-cigarette device with a substance besides nicotine, including marijuana, hash oil, or THC wax, a product that concentrates the hallucinogenic chemical in marijuana.

Of those students who were already using e-cigarettes, one in three high school students and one in four middle school students reported using cannabis while vaping, researchers found.

The use of cannabis in e-cigarettes was significantly higher among males and those who had previously used e-cigarettes, said Katrina Trivers, the study's primary author and an epidemiologist in the CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.

The study findings reinforce the importance of reducing all forms of e-cigarette use, Trivers said.

The results are consistent with other studies on marijuana and vaping, the study authors reported.

Terri Randall, a psychiatrist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said that while the higher numbers are surprising, the fact that teens are vaping with marijuana is not.

"There is a perception among youth that using e-cigarettes is safer than regular cigarettes and less harmful with marijuana," she said.

But the National Academy of Sciences found cannabis use in young people can negatively affect learning and memory, likely because their brains are still developing.

And it's easier to hide marijuana use when it's vaped rather than smoked. Marijuana emits the same kind of vapor as nicotine liquid, and doesn't smell as strong as when it is burned.

"That allows them to use marijuana without being concerned," she said.

Last week, Scott Gottlieb, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner, called youth vaping an epidemic. He ordered the manufacturers of e-cigarettes, including Juul, Vuse, Blu, MarkTen XL, and Logic, to show how they will restrict sales of e-cigarettes to minors or risk having their products pulled from the market. The agency criticized the makers' use of fruit and candy flavors that appeal to children, but stopped short of banning them, as some health advocates have demanded.University of Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 11, 1991. Hill's explosive allegations included graphic language and were carried live by many media outlets throughout the nation. Read more

Lynn Yeakel remembers watching a panel of men grill Anita Hill in 1991 as she described alleged unwanted sexual advances made by a Supreme Court nominee.

"They just didn't get it," said Yeakel, who the next year ran for Senate against Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter, Hill's main inquisitor. "They did not understand what she was talking about, and they didn't believe her."

Revelations about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have felt like Anita Hill 2.0 for some who draw parallels between Hill's accusations against Justice Clarence Thomas and those lodged Sunday in the Washington Post by Christine Blasey Ford, who said Kavanaugh attacked her when they were teenagers. Both women are respected academics who accused a Supreme Court nominee, widely expected to be confirmed, of sexual impropriety. Ford's attorney has said the California woman would agree to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee  a hearing has reportedly been scheduled for Monday  jogging memories of Hill testifying before the same panel and being accused of perjury by Specter.

Kavanaugh has strongly denied the allegations, and the White House is standing behind its nominee. Thomas denied the accusations against him as well. But there are key differences.

Hill, who was interviewed by the FBI before going public, accused Thomas of workplace-based sexual harassment that she said took place when they were both adults working for the federal government. Ford, who initially wanted her identity to remain confidential, told the Post that information about the allegations had leaked, and stepped forward after deciding to tell her own story. She contends that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her at a house party in Maryland one summer in the early 1980s, and she said he put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," said Ford, 51, now a psychology professor at Palo Alto University. She added that Kavanaugh was "stumbling drunk."

Hill was widely accused of coming forward for the sake of publicity and was excoriated by Thomas, who referred to the proceedings as a "high-tech lynching for uppity blacks." In October 1991, a USA Today survey found "that almost twice as many people believed Thomas as believed Hill."

That changed. Her testimony is seen as one of the events that gave way to the "Year of the Woman," or the 1992 elections, when women like Yeakel ran in record-breaking numbers.

This year has also been called the "Year of the Woman"  the president has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, and there's #MeToo, the social-media driven, sexual harassment-disclosure movement that started last fall and has brought down men of power in every field.

"The times now are so different, thank heavens, in terms of all of what's going on with women speaking up and coming forward, even at the risk of completely changing the course of their lives," said Yeakel, who now leads an initiative meant to get more women involved in politics.

That public perception  and the potential political fallout  will no doubt have an impact on how senators handle Kavanaugh's confirmation as it moves forward. Ford's attorney said Republicans "intend to play hardball." (The Senate Judiciary Committee is made up of 21 members, of which four are women.)

"They intend to grill her," Katz told CBS This Morning on Monday. "This is not an exercise that is designed to get at the truth. This is an exercise that's designed to terrify somebody that's already been traumatized."

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said Sunday that the timing of the allegations was "disturbing" and raised "a lot of questions about Democrats' tactics and motives." Republican Sen. Mike Lee's communications director on Twitter highlighted that the therapist's notes didn't name Kavanaugh.

Sen. Patty Murray (D., Wash.), who says she was motivated to run for the Senate after watching Hill testify, urged her colleagues to "treat this survivor with empathy and humanity, and make sure that the United States Senate in 2018 doesn't send the signal it sent to millions of women in 1991 who were scared to speak up, afraid to share their stories, and watched on television as someone very much like them was attacked and maligned."

Carol Tracy, executive director of the Philadelphia-based Women's Law Project, said the Thomas hearings were "clearly an exercise in victim-blaming." Today, she said, the public won't tolerate "character assassination."

Lisa Tucker, a professor at Drexel University's Thomas R. Kline School of Law and an expert on the Supreme Court, said that if Ford testifies, it'll be "markedly different."

"I think there will at least be the appearance of propriety," she said. "I think people will be respectful of her, and her lawyer will advise her to be limited in statements she makes."

Ford might face a more empathetic panel of politicians. But she's already faced something Hill didn't have to 25 years ago: internet mobs and online trolls attacking her credibility and sharing her personal information.

Soraya Chemaly, the director of the Speech Project at the Women's Media Center, an effort designed to raise public awareness about online harassment, said women who are publicly named as accusers  voluntarily or not  often face coordinated attacks that can be emotionally traumatizing. This is especially true in politics, more divisive than ever.

"A lot of people think these are disaffected boys sitting in their parents' basement," she said. "These are adult men strategically planning what they want to do."

Conservative blogs have deemed the allegation a "transparent political hit job" and described Ford as "a rabid anti-Trump #Resist activist." Multiple phone numbers that supposedly belong to her were shared on Twitter, while 4chan users posted violent GIFs and scrambled to be the first to post Ford's home address. Conspiracy theorist groups on Reddit have coordinated plans to dig up dirt on her.

Controlling what Chemaly called "cross-platform harassment" can be a bit like playing Whack-a-Mole because even if the posts violate rules on one platform and are removed, they might not be on another.

"Thirty years ago, maybe a woman would get a lot of letters or a note in her door or the wheels of her car slashed," she said, "but this is really pervasive surveillance  really and truly, a woman cannot retain a sense of safety or privacy."A view of Philadelphia skyline, as seen from Callowhill Street in May of this year. Read more

Which American city does the best job of integrating immigrants?

Hint: It's not Philadelphia.

It's Newark, N.J., followed by Baltimore and Chula Vista, a suburb of San Diego.

But the City of Brotherly Love fared reasonably well, placing sixth in a study that ranked the 100 biggest American cities, just behind San Francisco and just ahead of San Jose.

Finishing last was Raleigh, N.C.

On a one-to-five-point scale, "Philadelphia scores a high 3.85, owing in part to perfect marks in the government leadership and economic empowerment categories," the study said. "Rising incomes and a decline in the poverty rate would serve to improve Philly's already solid showing."

Mayor Kenney said the results "show that new citizens and all immigrants are vital to our shared prosperity, and help make our city a vibrant place where all residents can succeed."

The study was released Monday by New American Economy, a coalition of mayors and business people that promotes comprehensive immigration reform. It was founded in 2010 by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, and includes more than 500 Republican, Democratic, and independent mayors and business leaders.

The report scored each city based on 51 measures, from language-access policies to labor-force participation, from health-insurance rates to home ownership.

Whether immigrants are integrating into their communities and the impact they exert upon those places, the study noted, are two of the foundational questions driving the national debate over immigration. The report included documented and undocumented immigrants.

The Cities Index was timed to appear Monday, which is Citizenship Day and Constitution Day, observed every Sept. 17 to mark the date in 1787 when the U.S. Constitution was signed. In Philadelphia, the city is celebrating Welcome Week, held annually to showcase the community as an inviting place for immigrants, refugees, and people of all backgrounds.

The ability to attract immigrants was key to population growth among the top-ranked cities. Both Newark and Baltimore, which placed first and second, would have seen their populations shrink since 2010 except for an influx of immigrants, the study said.

In Philadelphia, immigration has become a major driver of the city's recent population growth. Its foreign-born population increased 69 percent from 2000 to 2016  to more than 232,000  and now represents nearly 15 percent of all Philadelphia residents, according to a Pew Charitable Trusts analysis that was released in June.

Between 2000 and 2016, the total city population increased from 1,517,550 to 1,567,872, Pew found.

The top 25 cities in the index have attracted larger shares of highly skilled newcomers, both immigrants and U.S.-born workers, that make them more competitive for business and economic investment. Those top cities also benefit from greater equity between immigrants and American-born residents across key measures of quality of life, according to the study.

NAE said the Cities Index was the first comprehensive national assessment of government policies that encourage immigrant integration, and of the resulting social and economic outcomes.

The cities with the highest scores tended to fit three very different profiles:

 Cities that are starting to rebound after years of job and population losses, like Newark and Baltimore, where immigrants are bringing skills and entrepreneurial spirit. In those places, immigrants are helping develop a more stable workforce, encourage creation of new businesses, fill vacant housing, and expand local tax bases.

 Cities that are established immigrant hubs, like New York City and San Francisco, and that have created a welcoming environment through strong policies on inclusivity and access to services and information.

 New immigrant gateways, such as Atlanta and Greensboro, N.C., that stand among the nation's fastest-growing places. In these cities, immigrants are helping create diverse workforces that fuel growth and business development.

The study presented its data in different ways, showing that some cities scored better or worse in various categories.

For instance, among cities that had the most effective government policies to welcome immigrants, the top five spots were claimed by towns that have served as major, traditional gateways: San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Seattle. Each city earned perfect scores in government leadership and legal support, the study said.

When judged on social and economic outcomes, smaller, more affordable cities were tops: St. Petersburg, Fla.; Baton Rouge, La.; Newark, Chula Vista, and Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas. Those cities scored especially high in livability, which pointed to relatively high rates of home ownership, health-insurance coverage, and educational attainment among their immigrant populations.Two foundations will jointly establish a $20 million fund for the advancement of local journalism in Philadelphia and nationwide, the groups announced Sunday.

The Knight Foundation and the Philadelphia-based Lenfest Institute for Journalism contributed equally to the fund, which will support leadership training, new technologies and other efforts to inspire innovation in the digital age at U.S. media outlets.

The Knight Foundation, which is based in Miami, will also give $9 million to support community engagement with Philadelphia's arts and green spaces, including $5 million to be split between the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation.

The journalism initiative and the other investments were announced Sunday night at a Knight Foundation Community Dinner at the Art Museum, which coincided with a Knight board of trustees meeting that is held once a year in one of the foundation's resident communities, this year Philadelphia.

The $20 million journalism fund  an investment to be made over five years  will be housed within the Lenfest Institute, which owns Philadelphia Media Network, publisher of the Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com.

"Local journalism is in crisis  financial crisis and, to some degree, political crisis," said Jim Friedlich, executive director of the Lenfest Institute. "And it's in crisis just when our democracy needs it most. As the crisis has become more acute, the resolve of major funders like Knight and Lenfest has also increased."

The journalism fund will be split between three main initiatives.

About $5 million will support journalism innovation in as many as 30 metro areas. It will go toward intensive training for news leaders looking to meet technology, business and audience needs in the digital age.

The program is meant to expand on the work done under the Knight-Lenfest Newsroom Initiative, a partnership that has brought resources and training into 12 newsrooms over the last three years. It will also expand on that program by including more multicultural media partners.

Another $5 million will fund a technology resource hub that will act as a central repository for the best ideas on issues such as product development, data journalism, and revenue models. Friedlich said the Lenfest Institute will issue a request for proposals to find one or more partners that can create and house the hub.

The remaining money, about $10 million, will support journalism at Philadelphia Media Network and at other news organizations throughout the city, including those that serve diverse communities. Friedlich said applications for grants will likely be accepted in the early part of 2019.

He said the hope is to use Philadelphia as a "test kitchen," then share both the successes and failures with other cities.

"The idea is to significantly move the needle in one major market where news organizations are already changing and already working together effectively," he said.

Stan Wischnowski, PMN's executive editor and senior vice president, said in a statement that the fund "puts the Inquirer and the entire local news ecosystem in a much stronger position."

"It will allow us to accelerate the pace of newsroom innovation, experimentation, and civic engagement so urgently needed as we try to build a viable path to preserving high-impact journalism in Philadelphia and beyond," he said.

Alberto Ibarguen, president of the Knight Foundation, said the investments align with the foundation's core value of fostering informed and engaged communities.

He said the fund has been set up so that other individuals, corporations or foundations can contribute. Future partners could be interested in backing local journalism in a specific community and use the fund as a mechanism to do so, he said.

The additional $9 million in funding announced by Knight will be split between three Philadelphia projects.

$4 million to support citizen engagement in the design and use of a public park that will cap a portion of I-95 near Penn's Landing. The park is part of a larger $225 million development initiative along the Delaware River.

$2.5 million for the Barnes Foundation to create a digital engagement center that will aid all of its departments in better interacting with visitors. In an example already underway, the museum has created a GPS-enabled touring tool of its galleries.

$2.5 million for the Philadelphia Museum of Art to enhance how visitors interact with the museum, both in the galleries and online. It will fund the integration of technology into all areas of the museum's operations.

"We are deeply grateful to the Knight Foundation both for its generosity and for its clear recognition of the opportunities that an investment in technology can provide to help institutions like ours develop new tools to engage today's audiences," Timothy Rub, the Art Museum's chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Thom Collins, executive director and president of the Barnes Foundation, expressed similar sentiments.

"Through the ongoing support the Knight Foundation's generous grant will provide, we will be able to expand the ways in which we use technology to connect with visitors onsite, and how we extend beyond our walls to engage directly with Philadelphia's many diverse communities," he said in a statement.

The funding for the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, jointly, is being provided by the Knight Foundation under a newly established Philadelphia Art and Technology Fund.

The fund for local journalism is among the last initiatives in which H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest, for whom the Lenfest Institute is named, had direct involvement before his death last month. Lenfest in 2016 created the nonprofit and gifted the Philadelphia newspapers, which he owned, to it. The nonprofit's endowment now sits at about $40 million.

Friedlich and Ibarguen said the idea for the new fund was first floated in May, when the two men met with Lenfest at his Rittenhouse Square apartment. While talking about the challenges facing local journalism, Lenfest  spontaneously but seriously, they said  suggested that he would put up $10 million if the Knight Foundation matched it.

Friedlich and Ibarguen left that night with plans to start developing a model for the fund. While progress had been made, that work was accelerated in August.

In an email to Friedlich the day Lenfest died, Ibarguen said the two foundations should "work, in his honor and for the good of informed communities, to make sure we make this happen."

Staff writer Stephanie Farr contributed to this article.McDonalds employee Tiyanah Boyd assists customer Judy Dixon (right) with the new technology in the McDonald's at 7500 City Ave. Read more

While Tanya Holliday was working at a McDonald's to pay her way through college, she assumed one day she'd get a "real job."

That was 40 years ago. Today, Holliday is well past "real." She became the first black woman in 2005 to own a McDonald's in the Philadelphia area, and today she owns nine across the region. On Friday, she unveiled her new-and-improved restaurant at 7500 City Ave., which was remodeled to become the McDonald's of the future  one with decorative upgrades, digital touch-screen ordering kiosks, and table service.

"It's just like Wawa," she said of the ordering process. "Maybe a little bit better."

The renovations are part of a multiyear effort to digitize ordering at thousands of McDonald's restaurants worldwide  there are about 14,000 in the United States  so the chain's image becomes less "Would you like fries with that?" and more "Touch if you'd like to customize that." The company and its franchisees are investing $6 billion this year and next, and have "modernized" about 5,000 restaurants in the U.S. to date. McDonald's CEO and president Steve Easterbrook told CNBC in June that the company is renovating and updating 1,000 restaurants per quarter.

That translates to a $266 million investment to renovate 360 restaurants in Pennsylvania and $155 million to update more than 160 restaurants in New Jersey, according to regional spokesperson Amanda Pisano.

Financial analysts are cheering the move, saying fast-food ordering kiosks will boost sales. That's because the kiosks encourage customization, add-ons and additional purchases, plenty of which are of the high-caloric variety that a person might avoid ordering from a cashier because of embarrassment. No judgmental gaze from a teenage cashier? Make it a large. And add an apple pie while you're at it.

The ordering screens do feel a little bit like Wawa (or honeygrow or Panera), though they're larger and accept card payment right at the kiosk. A user first selects between eating in or taking out, and is then brought to a "main menu" screen with general options like burgers, chicken and fish, salads, and McCafe, which are the restaurant's coffee options. Customer then select a category and the item they want, plus the size and whether they want to make it a meal. (Naturally, a large meal is the first option.)

Then, customers can tap the "customize" button, easily see every ingredient that comes on the item, and make amendments  add bacon, hold the onions, go light on the mayonnaise, or just make it "plain." Once customers are finished altering their order, they review it  along with the calorie count  and elect to either pay there by card or in cash at the register.

Customers take a numbered "table tent" with them to sit down at a table, a booth or a high-top. Food runners have access to a system that can detect where the table tents are, and aim to check in halfway through the meal to ensure the service is up to par.

Some critics say the digitization of the ordering process will allow for McDonald's to cut jobs just as it's facing national pressure to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. However, the company, which employs nearly 2 million people worldwide, insists the digital kiosks won't kill jobs, but instead allow franchises to repurpose labor. The owner at a McDonald's flagship location in Chicago said the restaurant actually employed more entry-level workers after going digital, according to Bloomberg.

Holliday said the same goes for her  while there are two fewer cashiers, there's now a "guest experience leader" stationed at the kiosk and food runners who are arguably more customer-facing than cashiers. (Though customers are not expected to tip.)

"It really doesn't save me in labor," Holliday said, gesturing toward the kiosk. "Essentially, this is a register."

The fast food behemoth is banking on the modernization efforts  which come alongside a large-scale partnership with UberEats to establish a delivery service  to stay relevant in an increasingly automated food service world. Fast-casual concepts are ubiquitous and other food chains are trying to attract new customers with fresher or healthier options: Wendy's is emphasizing fresh over frozen patties and White Castle has rolled out entirely plant-based "Impossible Sliders" nationwide.

During Friday's grand opening, Holliday had placed whole fruits and vegetables alongside cage-free eggs and a basket of oats on a picnic table in the middle of the dining room. It didn't really jibe with the rest of the more modern decor, but it had a greater purpose, she said.

"I like customers to know," she said, "that we use real food here."MAYS LANDING, N.J.  Did the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office have knowledge of a low-level drug dealer "looking for someone to help a local doctor kill his wife" before April Kauffman, wife of endocrinologist James Kauffman, was murdered in May 2012?

That was the bombshell argument made by Public Defender Mary Linehan on the first day of the long-awaited trial in the murder of April Kauffman. Linehan represents Ferdinand "Freddy" Augello, also known as "Miserable," a former president of a New Jersey Shore Pagan's Outlaw Motorcycle Club and the sole surviving defendant charged in Kauffman's slaying.

James Kauffman, 69, a prominent doctor whom the state says contracted with Augello to murder his wife in their Linwood home, killed himself in January while being held at the Hudson County Jail. Kauffman was first arrested on gun charges on June 13, 2017, after a standoff at his office. He and Augello were charged in the murder on Jan. 9.

"They've known since 2012," Linehan told a Superior Court jury on Monday. "The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office had this information arguably before April Kauffman's death and positively after April Kauffman's death."

The 47-year-old radio host was found shot to death on May 10, 2012, in the bedroom of the couple's home.

The office, she said, did not act on that information for six years, even as a drug ring run out of Kauffman's Egg Harbor Township office continued to thrive. In the end, she said, the prosecution became "too big to fail," referencing news conferences and appearances on national television. She said that the trial of Augello would hold the state to account for its actions and that April Kauffman's death was "at the hands of her husband."

"What the state has done and what the state has failed to do," Linehan said, "it's time for the accounting to be done."

Damon Tyner, the Atlantic County prosecutor who took over the investigation in 2017, declined to comment on Linehan's allegation. His office has been under a gag order in the case imposed by the judge after Tyner appeared on ABC's 20/20. Augello, who was posting on Facebook, is also under a gag order.

In his opening statement, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy sketched a narrative of clashing empires: James Kauffman, the high-flying, motorcycle-loving endocrinologist, and Augello, the Pagans chief who oversaw a lucrative OxyContin ring in concert with Kauffman.

"His medical practice was thriving on diabetes patients, the elderly," Levy said. "He was married to a beautiful, vivacious, and successful wife, a woman who increased not only his practice but his fortune. This was Jim Kauffman's empire, and he loved it more than anything in the entire world."

The empire was threatened, Levy said, when April sought a divorce after discovering her husband had lied about being a Vietnam veteran and Green Beret.

James Kauffman's response was blunt. "He would kill her and her entire family before he'd give her half of his empire," Levy said.

In response, April tried to first "spend him to death," and then threatened to expose the Kauffman-Pagans drug organization.

"She had something extra, something so deep and so secret, she could bring it all crashing down, ruin his practice," Levy said.

James Kauffman hatched the plot to kill April, Levy said, offering Augello $50,000 to find someone to do it. That led to more than a year of shopping around the doctor's wishes, Levy said, as one Pagan after another turned down the offer. Ultimately, he said, a heroin addict named Francis Mulholland accepted. Mulholland was found dead of an overdose 18 months after April Kauffman was killed.

"You might think there's no more two different people: the wealthy doctor who wants to be part of high society and the Pagan president," he said. "In their mutual greed, they found common ground. They came together to silence April, to make sure their empires of easy money would last forever."

Attending the trial was Carole Weintraub, a high school sweetheart of Kauffman's, who married him after April's murder. She declined to comment, taking notes in the second row.

Called to the stand was Andrew "Chef" Glick, another Pagan involved in the OxyContin ring and a cooperating witness who recorded conversations with Augello and others.

He testified that Joseph Mulholland, who pleaded guilty in connection with the ring, told him: "The doc was looking for someone to kill his wife."

"Would I be interested in doing a hit?" Glick said he was asked.

He said the time frame was "the sooner the better," as "the doc was impatient." Meetings with the Philadelphia mob at the Borgata and suggestions of other South Jersey gangs had not yielded a willing killer.

He turned the offer down, he said. It wasn't in his wheelhouse; he was more of a "hustler," not a killer.

"The doc was looking for someone to kill his wife, she was going to divorce him. She was cheating on him. He wasn't going to give her half his wealth, which was almost $5 million," Glick said he was told. "I was like, wow. That's rough. I said, 'I'll ask around.' My forte is not that."

In a recording played in court, Augello and Glick discuss a letter from Kauffman's attorney Ed Jacobs urging prosecutors to investigate Augello and Francis Mulholland.

"I don't even know the guy," Augello says on the tape, and calls it a "bizarre scapegoat fantasy." Neither acknowledges knowing Francis Mulholland, and they wonder why, under a "hypothetical" conspiracy, Kauffman would lead investigators to someone who could implicate him.

Glick testified Augello reassured him any Pagans involvement could not be proved. He said Kauffman promised Augello access to his Arizona house and a lucrative drug operation in the West, but had not delivered. He said Kauffman gave Augello a Corvette worth $10,000 to $15,000 as a "down payment" on the contract to kill his wife.

"Fred was not afraid of anybody," Glick said of Augello. "It was the money. [Augello's] sign shop didn't pay the bills. The doc's money paid the bills. He was just concerned of losing that cash flow."MAYS LANDING, N.J.  "Sir! Drop the gun!" yelled the police negotiator outside of James Kauffman's endocrinology practice early last Tuesday, according to an excerpt of body-camera video played in Superior Court on Monday morning.

"I'm not going to jail for this!" Kauffman, armed with a 9mm weapon, could be heard shouting.

"It's a search warrant!" he's told by the negotiator, whose weapon is pointed at the practice's door. "You're not under arrest!"

But the 45-minute standoff, nine minutes of which were played in court (see video below), led to Kauffman's arrest on gun charges, and on Monday prompted Judge Bernard DeLury to order Kauffman, 68, detained pending trial.

The warrant, prosecutors have said, is unrelated to the May 10, 2012, slaying of the physician's wife, April, a Jersey Shore radio host, though on Monday Prosecutor Damon Tyner said, "It's all connected."

Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy had urged the judge to detain Kauffman based on what Kauffman said in the video.

" 'I'm not going to jail for this!' Those were his words," said Levy. "He pulled a gun out in order to avoid being arrested on charges. He kept police in an hour-long standoff. It shows how far he's willing to go to avoid coming to court."

Levy said Kauffman had another gun in a storage area of his car, and is known to be a gun collector. He also had $100,000 in cash, which was found in his office. Levy noted he has homes in Arizona and Philadelphia, and a valid passport.

"Had law enforcement not been so calm in this situation, the defendant may very well have been justifiably shot," Levy added. "He pulled a gun on law enforcement."

Ed Jacobs, Kauffman's attorney, said he would appeal the detention ruling. He noted that Kauffman had pulled the gun out of the waistband of his scrubs and pointed it at himself, not police, according to police reports. And he said Kauffman "has every statutory right to have a weapon on those premises."

Jacobs said Kauffman's words were the result of the strain of being investigated  and his fear of being arrested  for a homicide he says he didn't commit. He said Kauffman has long demonstrated that he is not a flight risk.

"Dr. Kauffman has been the exclusive source of investigative activities by the Atlantic County prosecutor in the homicide of his wife for five years," he said. "For five years, he's stayed here."

DeLury said whether Kauffman was attempting to harm himself or law enforcement wasn't the point. "But for cool and responsible actions by police in this case," DeLury said, "the defendant's brandishing of a firearm put him in danger [and] could have had deadly consequences for police and others in the area.

"During the hour he was held by police, the potential for dangerous escalation in the case was palpable," DeLury said before ruling for detention.

Kauffman's wife, Carole Weintraub of Philadelphia, attended the hearing. She has declined comment.

April Kauffman's 2012 murder inside her bedroom roiled the affluent suburb of Linwood, outside Atlantic City. The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office has said it will work as quickly as possible to return medical files seized in the raid, the subject of which they have declined to specify.

Jacobs said the search warrant he examined mentioned "health-care fraud and homicide." The prosecutor would not disclose any further information.

The prosecutor has 90 days to indict Kauffman on the gun charges and 180 days to try him, Tyner said. He said the state would move to have Kauffman's medical license suspended.President Donald Trump breaks his silence about the sexual assault allegations facing his Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, during a meeting of the President's National Council of the American Worker in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in Washington. Read more

Breaking his silence about the sexual assault allegations made about his Supreme Court nominee, President Trump called Brett Kavanaugh "one of the finest people I have ever known" and said he would back a full process that allows both sides to be heard so the American people can "be happy" with the process.

"We want to go through a process. We want to make sure everything is perfect," Trump told reporters Monday afternoon during a meeting of the President's National Council of the American Worker at the White House. "If it takes a little delay, it takes a little delay."

Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination was pushed into chaos on Sunday after Christine Blasey Ford, a 51-year-old research psychologist, broke her silence about an alleged incident that took place when the two were in high school. Ford told the Washington Post that Kavanaugh and a friend  both "stumbling drunk," Ford alleges  corralled her into a bedroom during a summer party in the 1980s, pinned her to a bed and groped her. When she tried to scream, she claims Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth. She told the Post she eventually freed herself and ran out of the room.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford said. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

Ford also revealed she told a therapist during couple's therapy with her husband about the allegations in 2012. The Washington Post reviewed the notes taken by the therapist, and reported that Kavanaugh wasn't mentioned by name, but instead described as a "highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington."

Here are key points to know about Ford's allegations against Kavanaugh:

 In new statement released Monday, Kavanaugh called Ford's allegation "completely false," and added that he was willing to appear again before the Senate Judiciary Committee to "refute" the claims made against him. "I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone," Kavanaugh said.

 Mark Judge, the other man in the room in Ford's allegation, told the Weekly Standard he had "no recollection" of the alleged incident.

 It was Ford who told Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D, Calif.) to keep her allegations and the contents of her letter private, according to Debra Katz, Ford's attorney. It was only after leaked details were first reported by The Intercept that Ford decided to publicly come forward.

 Three Republican senators  Jeff Flake of Arizona, Bob Corker of Tennessee and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska  say the Senate Judiciary Committee should consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination until hearing from Ford. All 10 Democrats on the committee  including Cory Booker of New Jersey and Chris Coons of Delaware  have called on chairman Chuck Grassley to postpone Thursday's vote.

Trump angered by reporters question about Kavanaugh

While answering questions Monday afternoon in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Trump was slightly angered when a reporter asked if Kavanaugh had offered to withdraw his nomination.

"What a ridiculous question," Trump scoffed.

Key Republican senator calls for both Kavanaugh and Ford to testify under oath

Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) is now calling for both Kavanaugh and Ford to testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee, an apparent rebuke to Grassley's attempt to limit the scope of questioning to seperate phone calls prior to Thursday's scheduled committee vote.

Despite the call from Collins to hear both individuals testify before the committee, Grassley issued a statement Monday saying he still intends to conduct seperate follow-up phone calls with Kavanaugh and Ford.

"The standard procedure for updates to any nominee's background investigation file is to conduct separate follow-up calls with relevant parties," Grassley said. "Consistent with that practice, I asked Senator Feinstein's office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused."

Collins, along with Murkowski, are considered the most likely Republican senators to vote against Kavanaugh's nomination. If they both end up supporting Kavanaugh, Democrats don't have enough votes to prevent him from ending up on the Supreme Court.

Kavanaugh at the White House preparing for questions

CNN is reporting that Kavanaugh is currently at the White House meeting with its legal team to prepare for potential questions about Ford's accusations from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Kavanaugh has also reportedly hired Beth Wilkinson, of the law firm Wilkinson Walsh and Eskovitz, to be his attorney. Wilkinson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lawyer: Accuser believes Kavanaugh would have raped her if he werent so drunk

During an appearance on NBC's Today show Monday, Debra Katz, Ford's attorney, said her client believed Kavanaugh's alleged actions constituted attempted rape, and that only his "severe intoxication" allowed her to escape.

"Does she consider this an attempted rape?" Today host Savannah Guthrie asked Katz.

"She does," Katz replied. "She clearly considers this an attempted rape. She believes that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would've been raped."

Katz also told Guthrie that Ford was willing to testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee and face what would likely be difficult questions under oath.

"She is. She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth," Katz said.

Kellyanne Conway says Ford should not be ignored

During an interview on Fox News Monday morning, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Ford deserved the opportunity to have her allegations heard and considered.

"This woman should not be insulted and should not be ignored," Conway told the hosts of Fox & Friends, adding that she spoke to President Trump and several senators, and said Ford "will be heard."

Donald Trump Jr. mocks sexual assault allegations

Donald Trump Jr., the oldest son of President Trump, mocked Ford's allegations of sexual assault on Instagram on Sunday.

"Oh boy the Dems and their usual nonsense games really have him on the ropes now," Trump Jr. wrote, misspelling Feinstein's name in the Instagram post.

Among those to comment on Trump Jr.'s Instagram post was Lynne Patton, a senior official at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. On Twitter, Patton said her response to the meme  emojis of laughter and applause  was not an attempt to "diminish sexual assault."

Chris Christie: Allegations unfair to Kavanaugh

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, now a political analyst for ABC News, said Ford's allegation of sexual assault was "extraordinarily unfair" to Kavanaugh.

"This is an allegation that is 35-plus years old, and now you're going to attempt to try to deal with that in a very truncated period of time," Christie told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's Good Morning America Monday. This is why people are reluctant to get in front of those committees, George, and sit down for Senate confirmation, because of this kind of bloodletting."U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur (left), a South Jersey Republican, and Democrat Andy Kim (right) are running in one of the most competitive U.S. House races in the country. They are competing in New Jersey's third district, split between Burlington and Ocean counties. Read more

As a constituent of Congressman Tom MacArthur, I respectfully ask him to denounce the New Jersey State Republican Committee's divisive and dishonest political attack ads on Andy Kim, his challenger in the Nov. 6 midterm elections. I specifically request, at a minimum, to stop targeting YouTube channels for video gamers, as they are largely viewed by children like my 10-year-old, too young to understand he is being misled and pulled in by the racist undertow in those ads. The ads share a common theme, stated repeatedly in an apocalyptic voice: "Andy Kim  NOT one of us."

I do not experience bigotry or hatred in my daily life as a Medford, N.J. resident, so I have been surprised that the advertising strategy stoops to this level with voters. When I first got this flier in my mailbox, I was shocked at how crude it was and how blatantly it referenced Kim's ethnic background. Did you think we would fail to notice the bold Asian font alongside photos of a fish market and not understand the intent? "Something is really fishy about Andy Kim," it says. Really?!?

>> READ MORE: Where's Trump? President motivates Democrats, but he's not in their TV ads.

As I watched Sen. McCain's funeral recently, I felt a deep loss of true American greatness. I also felt the conviction and determination to honor him in his daughter's eulogy. I saw our former presidents, all seated in the congregation, each stand up and tell us that as Americans we must stand up for each other, put our better selves forward to form a more perfect union. Most importantly, we must somehow remember that we are all on the same team. If there is still a Team America still shining bright on a hill, as all great teams know, there is only greatness in unity.

To be honest, I am a little embarrassed to admit that until I got that flier in the mail, I did not even know who or which party represented my district. I vote in presidential elections, but I am not politically active. My personal life overwhelms my day-to-day, as it does most working moms and Americans in general. There is a good chance I might have sat out this election, like I have every other midterm. But I will be voting on Nov. 6. Congratulations, Congressman MacArthur. Your campaign ads secured two more votes  mine and my husband's  for your opponent, Andy Kim.

>> READ MORE: Poll: Tom MacArthur, Andy Kim neck-and-neck in key South Jersey U.S. House race

I encourage my fellow New Jersey voters to do something I had never done before until recently. Go out and meet Andy Kim, the candidate running to represent you at one of his meet-ups. There was free beer at the one I attended. Hear his story, shake his hand. You'll see that he is the kind of guy who just refuses to engage in anger and personal attacks. We should all aspire to do the same.

In response to the campaign against Andy Kim, just like McCain said to that woman who called Obama an Arab terrorist, I say to Tom MacArthur, "No, no sir [ma'am], he's a decent family manI want everyone to be respectful, and let's make sure we are."

Julie Olmstead is a Medford, N.J. resident and concerned citizen.

An earlier version of this piece criticized the offensive campaign ad as being part of the Tom MacArthur campaign; the advertising that criticizes Andy Kim was actually created by the New Jersey State Republican Committee.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...BENGALURU: A granite slab erected in Bengaluru in the honour of 26/11 martyr Major Sandeep Unnikrishnannan was vandalised by unidentified miscreants on Sunday evening. Following the vandalism, there has been a massive outcry over the incident.

"We're anguished to know that Major Sandeep Unnikrishnannan's board of granite slab erected on a brick structure at Yelahanka in Bangalore has been smashed. We're requesting for immediate erection of board and investigation to punish culprits," Soldiering tweeted.

We're anguished to know that Major Sandeep Unnikrishnannan's board of granite slab erected on a brick structure at Yelahanka in Bangalore has been smashed. We're requesting for immediate erection of board and investigation to punish culprits.

Info by @manhasvikas41 pic.twitter.com/wdT3elCNGI - Soldiering __ (@Soldiering_) September 17, 2018

The Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also joined in condemning the act and called for immediate action against the culprits.

"Am shocked to learn about the damage that has been caused to Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's memorial in Yelahanka. I have asked @BBMPCOMM to ensure that this is set right immediately," Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr Parameshwara tweeted.

Am shocked to learn about the damage that has been caused to Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's memorial in Yelahanka. I have asked @BBMPCOMM to ensure that this is set right immediately. https://t.co/VJRxTc0d10 - Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) September 17, 2018

BJP MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar urged the government to restore the memorial before the 26/11 anniversary. "Dear @DrParameshwara @hd_kumaraswamy - This is shameful treatmnt of sacrifice of #Namma #Bengaluru braveheart #SandipUnnkkrishnan tht too just a few days bfr 26/11. Urge u promptly restore this bfr 26th n track dwn crimnls bhnd this act," he tweeted.

Dear @DrParameshwara @hd_kumaraswamy - This is shameful treatmnt of sacrifice of #Namma #Bengaluru braveheart #SandipUnnkkrishnan tht too just a few days bfr 26/11 _ Urge u promptly restore this bfr 26th n track dwn crimnls bhnd this act.@CPBlr @FlagsOfHonour @Namma_Bengaluru https://t.co/RRN4MtP8gr - Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@rajeev_mp) September 17, 2018

Major Unnikrishnan had died fighting terrorists in the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. He was instrumental in rescuing 14 hostages from the clutches of terrorists who had swarmed the Mumbai hotel and killed hundreds of people. He entered the hotel in a group of 10 commandos and reached the sixth floor through the staircase. As the team descended the stairs, they suspected perpetrators on the third floor.

A few women were held hostages in a room which was locked from the inside. After breaking open the door, the round of fire by the perpetrators hit Commando Sunil Yadav, Unnikrishnan's colleague.

Unnikrishnan engaged the perpetrators in a gunbattle. He arranged for Yadav's evacuation for first aid.

Meanwhile, he chased the terrorists, who had escaped to another floor of the hotel. In the encounter that followed, he was shot from the back before later succumbing to his injuries.

According to NSG officials, his final words were, "Don't come up. I will handle them."New Delhi: The much-awaited film 'Nirahua Hindustani' starring Dinesh Lal Yadav and Amrapali Dubey is all set to release on Dussehra this year. The film will be directed by Satish Chand Jain and produced by Pravesh Lal Yadav.

Producer Pravesh had recently shared the second look poster of the film which had become viral on the social media.

In the poster, Nirahua and Amrapali are seen on the bullock cart while Shubhi Sharma posing in a field. While Nirahua is dressed up in a strange costume in the poster, Amrapali Dubey, who plays a Marathi Mulgi in the film, is seen donning a Marathi style saree in the poster. Shubhi, on the other hand, is seen in a urban modern look.

Check out the poster here:

The series began with 'Nirahua Hindustani in 2014'. The action-romantic-comedy film written by Santosh Mishra and directed by Satish Chand Jain created waves at the Box Office and gave a new lease of life to Bhojpuri cinema. 'Nirahua Hindustani 3' will be produced by Pravesh Lal Yadav under the banner of Nirahua Entertainment Pvt Ltd and will be directed by Nirahua Hindustani 2 helmer Manjul Thakur.

Rajnish Mishra will compose music for the film which will be penned by Pyarelal Kavi Dwara, Shyam Dehati and Azad Singh.

Notably, Amrapali made her debut opposite Dinesh Lal Yadav with the first installment of 'Nirahua Hindustani'. Before entering into films, Amrapali did daily soaps as well. She played pivotal parts in hit shows like 'Rehna Hai Teri Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein', 'Saat Phere', 'Maayka' and 'Mera Naam Karegi Roshan' among few.

Nirahua and Amrapali's latest release 'Border' hit the screens on Eid, June 15 this year and has received a warm response from the audiences.New Delhi: The Yash Raj Films on Monday released the first logo of its upcoming larger-than-life film 'Thugs Of Hindostan' through spectacular motion poster.

'Thugs Of Hindostan' is being helmed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and produced by Yash Raj Films. Reportedly set in the backdrop of India under the British rule in the 19th century, the film is inspired by Philip Meadows Taylor's 1839 novel Confessions of a Thug. The period action-adventure film revolves around the life of a thug and his gang who challenge the British empire in the country.

Check out the motion poster here:

Noted trade analyst and film critic Taran Adarsh too share the film's logo poster on Twitter besides announcing that the film will have an extended four-day opening weekend. "#ThugsOfHindostan will have an extended 4-day opening weekend Being released on a national holiday [Thursday, 8 Nov 2018], will it set new benchmarks on its opening day?... Will it surpass the highest *Day 1* number collected by #Baahubali2 [Hindi version;  41 cr]?, he tweeted.

#ThugsOfHindostan will have an extended 4-day opening weekend Being released on a national holiday [Thursday, 8 Nov 2018], will it set new benchmarks on its opening day?... Will it surpass the highest *Day 1* number collected by #Baahubali2 [Hindi version;  41 cr]?  taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) September 17, 2018

The film will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu with 3D & IMAX formats.

It is to be noted that during the shooting of the film, megastar Amitabh Bachchan suffered from neck and back pain due to the heavy clothing and stunts. Notably, this is Aamir's second time collaborating with Vijay Krishna Acharya and Katrina Kaif, after 'Dhoom 3'.

The film will have a dance sequence featuring Big B, choreographed by Prabhu Deva. It will also reportedly feature sea battles similar to ones seen in films such as Pirates of the Caribbean.

Earlier, Jackie Shroff was to be a part of the film but had to turn the role down due to conflicting commitments.New Delhi: A man accused of raping two women has been arrested here, police said on Monday.

Sanat Bindra, 35, was wanted in two sexual assault cases and three cases of sexual abuse, they said.

The Delhi Police had declared a reward of Rs 20,000 on the arrest of the accused.

The accused fled his house to evade arrest and on August 16, he was declared a proclaimed offender in the case by the Saket court, they said.Shenzhen: Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus announced on Monday that the company is developing a Smart TV called "OnePlus TV" under its Founder and CEO Pete Lau.

The development of "OnePlus TV" comes as a "natural extension" for the company with the aim to address the gaps in the TV segment and balance high-quality minimalistic hardware with the latest technology, the company said in a statement.

"With this new division, we`re excited to explore the total connected user experience that can enhance everyday life," said Lau.

"OnePlus TV" is expected to be released in 2019.

The premium flagship design of the "OnePlus TV" would combine advanced image quality and audio experience and provide users with better "intelligent connectivity" experiences.

"Intelligent connectivity" is the culmination of the underlying data and communication technologies that can connect.

"With the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, our imagination is endless -- and we are looking forward to the future," Lau added.

As with smartphones, OnePlus is constantly listening, welcoming feedback and suggestions for what should be included in its new Smart TV, the firm said.

It is still not clear whether or not the TV would run on an existing platform like Android TV or would the company launch something new altogether.PANAJI: The Congress, along with its 14 MLAs, on Monday staked claim to form a government in Goa. The party submitted a letter at Raj Bhavan on Monday. However, there has been no meeting between the Governor and the party MLAs yet. Congress party has 16 MLAs in the state.

"We have submitted two memorandums and requested that a situation to undergo election within 18 months should not arise. People elected us for 5 years. If the present government is not capable to function, we should be given the chance, we'll do it," Congress Legislature Party chief Chandrakant Kavlekar said on Monday.

"We are the single largest party, we should've been given the chance earlier. See how the government is functioning today. We have numbers so we're staking claim," Kavlekar said.

Submitted 2 memorandums&requested that situation to undergo election within 18 months shouldn't arise. People elected us for 5 yrs. If present govt is not capable to function, we should be given the chance, we'll do it: Chandrakant Kavlekar,Congress Legislature Party Chief #Goa pic.twitter.com/jQgVITudx9  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee had on Sunday appealed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to give the Congress party an opportunity to form a stable government in the state.

"The Congress has never hesitated to play the role of a constructive and effective opposition, but we will not hesitate to come forward and take responsibility to form a government. We have already cautioned Honourable Governor Her Excellency Dr Mridula Sinha about a possible ploy by the BJP to fraudulently impose President`s Rule in Goa, through the back door," thhe Congress had said in a statement on Sunday.

Requesting for a chance to form a 'stable government' in Goa, Congress criticised the CM for not handing over the charge of the administration to any of his cabinet colleagues in his absence. The Congress further claimed that the greed for power of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies has been exposed.

"We would also like to remind the people of Goa, that their well-being is the last thing on the minds of the ruling political parties who are unleashing the ugly game of power and clamouring for their benefit. The greed for power of the BJP and its allies is exposed to the fact that they can`t even give charge to a trusted lieutenant in the absence of CM," the statement said.

Accusing the BJP of creating a mess in Goa over last 16 months, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee said: "No one in Goa is Happy, BJP is not happy, Allies are not Happy, the people of Goa are unhappy, bureaucrats and Govt officers are unhappy, even CM and ministers are unhappy. This happens when you don't respect people's mandate. BJP and its allies should take up the responsibility for this mess created in Goa over the last 16 months," it added.

Parrikar was rushed to the AIIMS in Delhi on Saturday after his health deteriorated. He underwent treatment at a US hospital earlier this year and went back again on August 10 for a follow-up. He returned to India on August 22, but was later admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai the next day due to health complications. He had to be taken back to the US on August 29 midnight. He returned to India but was on September 15 admitted to AIIMS after he complained of health issues. The Goa CM is suffering from a pancreatic ailment.Chandigarh: The Haryana Police on Sunday stopped the cremation of a teenage girl in Rohtak district on suspicion that it was a case of honour killing.

Police said the girl, a student of Class 11, died on Saturday under mysterious circumstances in Behbal village. Her family tried to cremate her on Sunday but police intervened after a tip-off.

However, by the time firefighters doused the pyre flames, nearly 90 per cent of the body had been burnt.

Police sources claimed that the girl could have been strangulated. "We have sent the remains for forensic examination," a police official said.

The family claimed that the girl had complained of stomachache on Saturday, following which she died as she was on way to a hospital.

The incident comes at a time when Haryana is in the headlines for the brutal gangrape of a 19-year-old girl in Rewari. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Haryana Police had said on Sunday evening that one of the three main accused in the case has been arrested.

The 19-year-old woman's family had on Sunday rejected the compensation cheque for Rs 2 lakh sent by the Haryana government. "Is it the price that the Haryana government has calculated for her honour? We reject the compensation. I want justice for my daughter," her mother said in Rewari.

Doctors at a Rewari hospital said that the condition of the victim, a college student, had improved though she continued to be in "shock".

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, whose government has been in the firing line for inept handling of the case by Haryana Police and the administration, on Sunday axed his engagements in Jalandhar city in Punjab and rushed back to Chandigarh to take stock of the situation.New Delhi: Members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-backed AISA clashed early on Monday, with both groups accusing each other of attacking their supporters, hours after the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results were announced.

Violence erupted on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus after a united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by considerable margins.

While the AISA alleged that ABVP members randomly attacked students, with a former student being almost "lynched" and the new JNUSU president being beaten up, the RSS-affiliate claimed its activists were attacked by Left supporters and three were injured.

This is the second incident of the two groups clashing on campus, the last being on Saturday ahead of the counting, which was suspended after election authorities cited "forcible entry" and "attempts to snatch away ballot boxes".

Five FIRs have been registered on the basis of cross complaints in connection with the alleged incidents of violence on the JNU campus on Saturday and the early hours of Monday, a senior police officer said.

A sixth FIR is likely to be registered on Tuesday, police said.

Newly-elected JNUSU president N Sai Balaji alleged that he was beaten up in the early hours of Monday by ABVP activists.

"Today, ABVP students randomly attacked students. I was called to the scene at Sutlej (hostel). As the elected JNUSU president, I went to ensure the safety of a student who was attacked by ABVP students with sticks.

"On reaching, what I saw was mayhem. The mob, led by ABVP members, was baying for blood of any student they thought was a friend of the student who they were attacking," Balaji said.

He claimed that ABVP members "openly threatened him...And other students present there, with dire consequences if they intervened to stop the violence".

"The group turned into a mob and started attacking a former JNU student in the Jhelum hostel and chased him, and almost lynched him in the lawns. I ran with other students to save him, who had fallen unconscious after the beating, and took him to an ambulance," Balaji said.

He said some students asked him to sit inside a Police Control Room (PCR) van after the situation got out of control.

The mob stopped the van and an ABVP student sat in it. Two ABVP members were repeatedly stopping it, Balaji claimed.

The PCR van's doors were opened and "I was threatened and physically assaulted" by ABVP students, the JNUSU president claimed.

However, the ABVP claimed that their members were roughed up by AISA activists. They claimed the Left activists even roughed up one of their members, who is differently-abled.

"Three JNU students affiliated to the ABVP were attacked by the criminals hiding as champions of Communist ideology. 15-20 Left workers, including non-students,...(attacked the students)," the ABVP said.

It alleged that the Left workers entered the room of a student and hit him with sticks and punched him.

"The targeted violent attacks by the Left on ABVP students is a clear sign of an evil design unfolding on the campus. AISA-SFI and their allies have decided to turn things ugly on the JNU campus. The Left wants turmoil on the campus," they said.

The ABVP and the AISA have both filed complaints against each other at the Vasant Kunj police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Devender Arya said the situation is under control and five FIRs have been registered in connection with the case.

"The PCR got calls about a scuffle between students in JNU around 3 am. Subsequently, we had a discussion with university authorities, students and professors.

"Complaints have been received in Vasant Kunj (North) police station. Legal action is being taken on merit. The situation is under control and normal. Police arrangements are in place," he said.

The JNU Teachers' Association took out a protest march against the violence. Several students and university workers joined the protest.

JNU student leader Shehla Rashid Monday tweeted, "ABVP should change its Twitter handle from @ABVPVoice to @ABVPViolence and its full form from Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad to Akhil Bhartiya Violence Parishad."

Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid said the ABVP has been unleashing violence on the campus for the past three days.

"For the last 3 days, ABVP goons are unleashing violence in JNU, beating up students including women. Students rushed to the hospital, FIRs filed. But, the VC @mamidala90 has not spoken a word, tacitly encouraging these goons by his inaction. Shameless creature, blot on JNU!" he tweeted.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan tweeted, "If even after being badly trounced in #JNUSUelections2018 ABVP can resort to such violence on elected & former Presidents of JNU Students Union, imagine what would have happened had they won. Now you can understand what Shah means by saying, 'If we win 2019, we continue for 50 yrs'." He was referring to BJP president Amit Shah's remarks.

While the Left claimed the ABVP is stressed after losing the polls by a considerable margin, the ABVP claimed the Left has only won because four parties came together to form the 'United Left' alliance and would not have made gains had the four parties not come together.

The Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) and All India Students' Federation (AISF) came together to form the 'United Left' alliance.Former Army chief and Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh on Monday suggested that things wont change in Pakistan. Talking about the issue of increasing infiltration despite a government change in the neighbouring country, the minister said that Pakistani Army was still calling the shots.

Claiming that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was propped up by the countrys military, Singh said, Did you all expect a change? If a person is propped up by the military, army still rules. Army is still calling the shots.

He, however, added that the need was to wait and watch if Imran Khan remains under armys control or moves beyond it. Let's wait and watch how things move, whether a person remains under army's control or doesn't, Singh said.

This comes less than a month after the Indian Army killed three terrorists as they foiled a major infiltration bid in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Notably, after assuming power, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan reached out to India, saying India and Pakistan must talk to resolve issues like Kashmir.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister had said, To move forward Pakistan and India must dialogue and resolve their conflicts incl Kashmir: The best way to alleviate poverty and uplift the people of the subcontinent is to resolve our differences through dialogue and start trading.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had also said that Pakistan was not shying away from engaging with New Delhi, adding that it takes "two to tango".

He had said, "But it takes two to tango. You cannot clap with just one hand. We have a positive stance and will remain hopeful...current position of the ties between Pakistan and India was not a secret as peace talks are suspended, but we have to see how we can move forward."On the 68th birthday of Narendra Modi, his trusted aide and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah wrote a blog applauding the work done by the Prime Minister for the development of the country. In the blog published in The Times of India, Shah credited Modi for helping BJP become a force even in regions where it had no visibility earlier.

"Very often the PM reaches out to sections of society who are unsung heroes through his mobile app, letting them know they are most valued and their work is precious in nation building...This is one sterling quality I have observed in Modi right from the earliest time I got the opportunity to work with him. Everyone in the organisation or government, performing any kind of role, would be personally encouraged by him and made to feel special. This quality of recognising the importance of service and more importantly respecting those who put in their effort to serve others is exemplary," he wrote.

He added that by encouraging others, he also shows his own spirit of service. "Every moment he wants to be involved in making India a better place," he wrote.

Calling him an institution builder, he said that organisations are manned by people who put their shared vision above individual interests. "Such sacrifices, when recognised by people of stature, only make an organisation stronger by boosting morale," he said.

Elaborating on the qualities of the PM, Shah said that Modi gives great attention to detail. "For example, in many of our programmes, there would be a lamp lighting ceremony with which the programme would start. The cotton wicks used in lamps, if immersed in ghee beforehand, get lit immediately when a guest tries to light them. How-ever, if the same wick is dry, it takes a little longer. He would take care that even such minutiae were in place," he wrote.

Talking about how PM Modi respects law and order, Shah said that Modi believes in fairness and justice, and encourages people to work as per law without fear or favour.

Shah also listed out how Modi worked on his vision to have a bank account and LPG connection for every household. "He had a vision of a bank account for every household. Action and implementation flowed out of that vision and more than 32 crore bank accounts have been opened under Jan Dhan Yojana. Having seen smoke filled kitchens first-hand, he wanted to ensure smoke free lives for poor women. What followed was more than 5 crore free LPG connections to poor women," he wrote. He called it a paradigm shift in governance which has also brought great goodwill and trust for BJP.

Listing out his efforts in the battle against corruption, Shah said that Modi has been appreciated even by his critics. "That his probity and integrity are unquestionable is a fact accepted even by many of his adversaries," he said.

Equating Modi with former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee he said that just like the late leader, the current PM is also ensuring development across India. "Atalji was also a leader who similarly put the nation on the path of growth through multiple institutional reforms that breathed life into our economy...Similarly, even under Modis leadership rural roads are being built at twice the pace, highways are being built at more than double the pace than was the norm before. Electricity is reaching poor households and so is LPG; toilets are being built in crores of homes to boost access to safe sani-tation and a battle against malnutrition has been launched. The huge healthcare game changer  Ayushman Bharat  has also been initiated. Such development is not happening in just one or two states or regions but in the whole of India. Consider the fact that some states in the north-east have been connected by rail for the first time ever."

Shah added that the PM has helped BJP become a force even in regions where the party used to have a cursory presence, like in the north-east. "If BJP and its allies have been chosen by the people in state after state across regions, it is due to the good governance that Modi has successfully implemented and the can do spirit of New India that he resonates," he added.Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana has now attacked All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh supremo Prakash Ambedkar, accusing them of helping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by forming an alliance in Maharashtra.

Pointing that Owaisi and Ambedkar had announced that they would jointly contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, an editorial in Saamana said that earlier they used to work for the BJP from behind the curtains, but have now come out in open.

Prakash Ambedkar and Asaduddin Owaisi have joined hands and declared that they will show their might in 2019 elections. Earlier both of them used to do the politics of favouring the BJP from backstage, but now they will openly work in 2019 to favour the BJP. Their coming together is not a good message for politics in India, said the Saamana editorial.

Announcing the alliance on Saturday, the AIMIM had said that the idea behind the two parties joining hands was that Dalits, Muslims and OBCs have been ignored for 70 years, have no proper representation in politics and were being treated as vote-banks.

"(BBM chief) Prakash Ambedkar ji will be holding a public rally in Aurangabad on October 2 in which I too will be present. The formal structure of the alliance will be announced later," Owaisi had said on Saturday.

On behalf of the BBM, former MLA Haribhau Bhale said Dalits, Muslims and OBCs were upset with mainstream parties. "There is a growing pressure to form an alternative. Thus, all groups that have been ignored will come together. What shape the alliance will take will be decided by party leaders," he had.

Several parties, including the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), hit out at both the parties over the alliance. While the NCP termed it as unimpactful, the Congress called the alliance unfortunate.

"It is very unfortunate that Ambedkar ji has to go with a communal party like AIMIM. AIMIM is a party supported by the BJP and drives its agenda. It is saddening to see Ambedkar ji associate himself with such a party," Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sachin Sawant said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said that such experiments have been rejected in the past. "These experiments were rejected in Nanded last year. People who rejected AIMIM in Nanded, from where it started, want to see the Sena and BJP and BJP defeated," said Malik.

"Why did people reject AIMIM in Nanded and BBM in Bhandara-Gondiya? Such experiments cannot gain any political benefits because people know what to do. They will prefer an alternative to the BJP and Shiv Sena. Nobody is interested in experiments. It will be unimpactful in the state," he added.Prime Minister Narendra Modi turns 68 on Monday. The Prime Minister is slated to celebrate his birthday in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency. According to reports, Prime Minister Modi will celebrate his birthday with children from schools in the district.

He is expected to reach Varanasi by Monday afternoon and the preparations are in full swing to welcome the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongman.

During the day, the Prime Minister will also visit Jayapur, Nagepur and Kakrahia  villages adopted by him. Chalo Jeete Hain, a film based on the life of Prime Minister Modi, will also reportedly be screened during the event.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister will visit the Banaras Hindu University.

President Ram Nath Kovind, among others, took to microblogging site Twitter to wish the Prime Minister on his birthday. Others who wished him on Twitter included Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Miss World Manushi Chillar, former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and Bollywood actor Anupam Kher.

Birthday greetings to our Prime Minister @narendramodi. Wish him a long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 17, 2018

Heartiest birthday wishes to our Honble PM Shri @narendramodi ji. The nation continues to make progress under your dynamic leadership.  Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) September 17, 2018

Birthday greetings to Prime Minister @narendramodi ji  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 17, 2018

Happy birthday PM @narendramodi ji. May God fulfil all your dreams, for our motherland, India. May you continue to lead our country for years with your hard work, honesty & great vision. May your critics continue to have sleepless nights. Wishing you a long & healthy life. pic.twitter.com/jQKg5PdUZg  Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) September 16, 2018

Warm birthday compliments to the dynamic & illustrious Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji. I wish him good health and a long life. May he continue to render for many more years his exceptional services to the nation and guide the country to its glory. @narendramodi  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) September 17, 2018

Wishing our honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi a very happy birthday! #HappyBdayPMModi

During my homecoming after winning Miss World, I dont remember being quiet for even a single minute. His patience is admirable as he listened to my stories from college and Miss World. pic.twitter.com/voPtByWBpA  Manushi Chhillar (@ManushiChhillar) September 16, 2018

Prime Minister Modi was born in Vadnagar in Gujarat on September 17, 1950. He rose from being a tea seller to the Prime Minister of the country. Modi became a full time worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1971, and was assigned to the BJP more than a decade later, in 1985.

His first major political achievement was in 2001 when he was appointed the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Modi became the Prime Minister of the country in 2014 when the BJP got a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP-led NDA won the elections riding on Modi wave.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is slated to inaugurate the first smart fence pilot project of the country along the India-Pakistan international border in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The pilot project will be inaugurated by the Home Minister during his one-day visit to the state.

According to news agency ANI, the Home Minister will reach Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters at Paloura on Monday morning and formally launch the initiative taken by the force.

The BSF had taken up the initiative as part of the comprehensive integrated border management system.

The Home Minister is also expected to discuss the current security situation along the International Border in Jammu region with the top brass of the BSF.

The smart fencing at the border was initially slated to be in place by March 2018. Speaking about the same in August 2017, BSF Director General KK Sharma had said that the smart fencing at India-Pakistan border was priority as anything happening there has grave consequences.

"We are implementing a comprehensive integrated border management (CBIM) plan and are running a pilot project to make our international border (IB) along Pakistan secure," he had said.

Earlier this year, the BSF had operationalised the first smart fence on a riverine stretch with Bangladesh in Assam. The riverine stretch where the first fence was put up was previously patrolled by BSF speedboats. Due to its geographical features, no outpost could be erected in the area which often led to incidents like illegal migrations going unchecked. The introduction of the fence was done to bring down such instances.

The smart fence reportedly comprises of automated surveillance technology and alarm detection systems but BSF has not disclosed its complete features due to security reasons. It is, however, expected to be a massive boon for monitoring situations in border areas.New Delhi: In a rare recognition, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday said that the Congress played a big role in the freedom movement. He added that the grand old party has given the country many great personalities.

"Congress played a big role in the freedom movement and gave India many great personalities," Bhagwat said while he was addressing people on the first day of a three-day conclave, 'Bhavishya Ka Bharat - An RSS Perspective'.

The outreach comes at a time when the Congress-led opposition has been ramping up attacks on the RSS, accusing it of promoting divisive ideology and attacking minorities.

The conclave has been organised in the national capital and is venued at Vigyan Bhavan. During the event, the RSS chief also elaborated on the evolution of the RSS, which he said cannot be compared to any other organisation.

The aim of the three-day conclave is to engage with a cross section of people and present its perspective on future of the country. Bhagwat said that the event was being organised so that people could understand the organisation.

Almost all major opposition parties gave the conclave a miss though the RSS had invited them. However, many leaders of the ruling BJP were present, as were many Bollywood actors, artists and academicians.

(With inputs from PTI)NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday exempted Saridon, Piriton, Dart from the list of 328 fixed dose combination drugs that were banned by the Centre last week.

Allowing the sale of the three drugs, the SC has sought a reply from the Centre on the pleas against the order to ban the FDCs manufactured before 1988.

The health ministry had on September 13 banned the manufacture, sale and distribution of 328 fixed doze combination of drugs with immediate effect and restricted another six.

The Centre, in March 2016, had prohibited the manufacture, sale and distribution of 349 FDCs but this was contested by the affected manufacturers in high courts and the Supreme Court.

Complying with the December 2017 Supreme Court judgment, the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) examined the matter and, in its report to the Centre, recommended prohibition of the FDCs, saying there was no therapeutic justification for the ingredients contained in them and that these FDCs may involve risk to human beings.

Earlier, an expert committee appointed by the Centre too had made similar observations.

Considering the recommendations of DTAB and the expert committee, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through a gazette notification, prohibited the FDCs.NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday extended the house arrest of five rights activists in connection with Bhima-Koregaon violence case till September 19. The Central government will on September 19 produce the case diary and other evidence on the basis of which action was taken against the activists.

The five rights activists - Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha - at their respective homes.

The SC bench said that if the evidence provided by the police is not adequate, it may consider handing over the case to SIT for further investigation. "Every criminal investigation is based on allegations and we have to see whether there is some material," the bench said.

The SC has alotted Maharashtra government 45 minutes and 15 minutes to the defendants to finish its final arguments in the case.

The Maharashtra police had arrested the rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.Chennai: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Kalidass on Monday sparked a controversy after he was seen pushing and hitting an auto rickshaw driver in a video that went viral on social media.

In the video, the auto driver is seen standing behind Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan while she is speaking to the media. The driver asked Soundararajan about the rise in fuel prices after which Kalidass, who was standing next to her, was seen elbowing the elderly man quite a couple of times.

#WATCH Saidapet(Chennai): BJP leader V Kalidass pushes and hits an auto rickshaw driver who asked Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Tamilisai Soundararajan about petrol price hike (16.9.18) pic.twitter.com/5SRH60sb23  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

Media reports suggest that Kalidass lost his cool as the driver asked the Tamil Nadu BJP chief about skyrocketing hike in fuel prices.

Fuel prices have gone through roof, thereby burning a hole in the pockets of consumers. Fuel prices in the country have been going up almost daily since August 1. They fell only once on August 13 and have been on record levels for nearly two weeks now.

Fuel prices are the steepest in Maharashtra and the lowest in Andaman and Nicobar.

The Centre has been facing a lot of flak lately for not implementing stringent measures to curb prices. As per the country's pricing mechanism, the domestic fuel prices depend upon the international fuel prices on a 15-day average and the value of the rupee.New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Varanasi to celebrate his 68th birthday. He reached his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Monday afternoon and was received by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

PM Modi, who was slated to celebrate his birthday with children from schools in the district, visited a school in Varanasi's Narur village and interacted with the students.

During the event, the Prime Minister said, "Students must give importance to sports. Go out and play, it is very important."

#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with students at a school in Narur village, Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/9EnFnzRqkB  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 17, 2018

Later in the day, PM Modi reached Kashi Vidyapith in Varanasi where he was warmly greeted by the school children.

#WATCH: Children from Kashi Vidyapith in Varanasi wish Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday. pic.twitter.com/Sm5Mwlk6br  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 17, 2018

On Tuesday, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for various development projects. He will also visit the Banaras Hindu University.

Born on September 17, 1950, PM Modi rose from being a tea seller to the Prime Minister of the country. He hails from Vadnagar in Gujarat.

PM Modi became a full-time worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1971 and was assigned to the BJP more than a decade later, in 1985.

His first major political achievement was in 2001 when he was appointed the Chief Minister of Gujarat. PM Modi became the Prime Minister of the country in 2014 when the BJP got a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha elections.Kolkata: West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha workers on Monday protested after against the attack on the vehicle of state BJP president Dilip Ghosh in East Midnapore.

Following this, police have detained the workers of the state BJP youth wing.

#WATCH: Police detain Bengal BJP Yuva Morcha workers who were protesting against the attack on vehicle of state BJP President Dilip Ghosh in East Midnapore earlier today. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/4vV2KVx7YS  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

Earlier in the day, BJP West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh and his supporters were allegedly attacked by members of the Trinamool Congress in East Midnapore.

The incident left the West Bengal BJP chief and at least five others injured. Ghosh's car was also vandalised by the miscreants.

The BJP leader was quoted by media reports as saying that he was going for a public meet when attacked. Members of the BJP had organised a motorcycle rally to accompany Ghosh to the venue of the meeting.

Those participating in the rally were attacked using sticks. Stones were also pelted on the state BJP chief and his supporters.Thiruvananthapuram: Franco Mulakkal, the Bishop of Jalandhar Diocese and accused in the rape of a nun, has written to the Vatican, expressing his desire to step down temporarily from Church responsibilities.

Seeking permission for the same, Mulakkal handed over a letter to the representative of Pope, stating that he needs more time to travel to Kerala and fight the case against him.

Bishop Mulakkal requires to spend more time to fight his case, travel to Kerala and expressed willingness to absolve himself from responsibilities of the diocese temporarily and has handed over a letter to representative of the Pope, seeking permission for the same, informed the Diocese of Jalandhar, as reported by ANI.

Mulakkal stepped down as Bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese on Saturday, September 15, handing over temporary charge of the diocese to Father Mathew Kokkandam.

A Kerala nun has accused the 54-year-old Bishop of repeatedly raping her between 2014 and 2016. Five other nuns of the congregation have supported her claim and along with a section of the laity are holding a protest at Kochi, which continued for the ninth day on Sunday.

An FIR was registered against the Bishop, with the nun and other convent inmates giving detailed statements running into 114 pages.

Jalandhar police on Saturday served a notice to Mulakkal to appear for interrogation on September 19.

A criminal case has been registered against Missionaries of Jesus for publishing a letter as well as a photo of the victim nun," Kottayam Superintendent of Police Harishankar told ANI.

Mulakkal has denied wrongdoing and termed it a "conspiracy" against him.

With agency inputsBHOPAL: Amid huge pomp and show, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday began the poll campaign for his party in Madhya Pradesh. He began the campaign by taking the blessings from 11 Hindu priests in the Lalgathi area and holding a roadshow in the poll-bound state.

Rahul, arrived in Bhopal on Monday was accorded a grand welcome at the airport by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia among others. Banners and posters describing Rahuk as a 'Shiv bhakt' were put up across the city. Chants of 'Rahul Gandhi Zindabad' were also heard on his arrival.

Before beginning his 15-km-long roadshow, Rahul took the blessings of the priests and performed a 'puja'. Thousands of Congressmen thronged the roadsides and jostled to catch a glimpse of their party chief, who set out in the bus along with senior party leaders.

Congress President @RahulGandhi is greeted by a throng of supporters during the #CongressSankalpYatra in Bhopal. pic.twitter.com/CjNyQFZhSw  Congress (@INCIndia) September 17, 2018

He even stopped to drink tea and eat somasas also giving his followers a chance to click selfies with him.

There is heavy security deployment across the 15-km stretch where the roadshow is being held. Besides the regular police force, an additional 1,500 policemen are manning the streets of Bhopal.

Rahul's roadshow, in which he rode in an open vehicle, concluded at the Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd's Dussehra Maidan where he will interact with party cadres in the evening. A T-shape ramp has been constructed near the stage from where Rahul will take questions from party workers during his interaction with them.

The Congress is hoping to gain power in the state which has been ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last 15 years. Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are due this year along with Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram.New Delhi: Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon, who recently wrapped her schedule for her upcoming film Luka Chuppi, has already started shooting for Housefull 4 in Rajasthan.

The actress who is doing multiple projects has been running on a hectic schedule, hopping from one film set to another.

According to reports, Kriti Sanon fell sick because of her busy schedule, however, the actress continued her shoot and is currently in Jaisalmar.

Taking to Instagram, Kriti recently posted a story of her being sick and trying desi kadha for a speedy recovery to continue the shoot.

Only 4 films old, actress Kriti Sanon has an exciting film line up to look forward to with projects like Housefull 4, Luka Chuppi, Panipat and Arjun Patiala. The young actress is leaving no stone unturned to treat her fans with her versatile performances in varied genres of films.

Housefull 4 will reunite the actress with her mentor Sajid Nadiadwala after her debut film Heropanti.

The actress is also gearing up for her big film Panipat.New Delhi: Actor Kajol said Sunday while she is strict with her children, husband Ajay Devgn is the one who spoils them.

The actor said though they play the 'good cop-bad cop' routine in real life, Ajay has realised the importance of setting their kids - daughter Nysa and son Yug - straight.

"I'm a Hitler mother... I'm a bad cop, Ajay's a good cop... But the percentage of the good cop has dropped in him. He has realised that it is necessary to be a bad cop sometimes.

That he can't always look at the mother to say 'no'. I'm 30 per cent bad cop, 70 per cent good cop," Kajol said during a session at NDTV's special youth conclave, 'YUVA'.

The actor said parenting does not come with a manual and no amount of training can help a person.

"It's a very much a hands-on job... You have to do an internship with a child... You have to know that you will make mistakes and that others will make mistakes. You'll have to forgive them and yourself. It is one of the most rewarding jobs... To see your children growing up to become good human beings."

Kajol said TV and films have established an image of ideal mother, which many first-timers try to achieve.

"An ideal is there. That a good mother cooks food, does this and does that... She sacrifices her life for their kids. If your child thinks you are a good mother, that's the opinion that matters."

The actor said social media has changed everything and one cannot protect their children from its impact.

"The least you can do is encourage them to be who they are, irrespective of shape, size, colour... That 'you matter, you're loved and you're beautiful inside out."

Kajol said her children never stopped her to go to work.

"Maybe in childhood, they asked 'Why you have to go away?' But today when my daughter says 'I'm so proud of you', I cannot be more proud of myself for having earned that recognition.

"I hope my kids are not affected by my celebrity status. I have tried my best to keep them as normal as possible. I believe they have their head on their shoulders. I think I've done a good job."

The actor said she has never compared her kids with other children and encouraged them to do better.

Asked if Nysa would want to join the industry, how she would help, Kajol said, "She would tell me, I hope. I'd encourage her. I want her to choose for herself - what she wants to do with her life, not what I want her to do."

On the absence of #MeToo in Bollywood, the actor said she would like not just the film industry but all avenues to adopt the movement.

"It's something that needs to be adopted in every industry. It's not the problem of one industry. It's just that Bollywood is in the spotlight that it is expected to speak up. But what happens after you stand up and say that (you faced sexual harassment)? We also need a backup mechanism.

"You don't need to feel ashamed for the behaviour you are subjected to. But #MeToo can't be restricted to Bollywood, not just one section of the society."

Kajol will be next be seen in "Helicopter Eela", in which she plays mother to a college-going child. The film is slated to release October 12.New Delhi: The legendary actress Sridevi breathed her last on February 24, 2018, in Dubai where she had gone to attend a family wedding. Her sudden demise sent down shock waves across the world. The noted actress's elder daughter Janhvi Kapoor beautifully made her smashing entry into Bollywood this year.

Recently, Janhvi went to Switzerland along with ace fashion designer and family friend Manish Malhotra's for a magazine shoot. The latter shared some pictures from the beautifully locales of Switzerland and what caught our eye were these two photos in black and white where Janvhi resembles her mother Sridevi.

Check these pics as well:

The similarity between Janhvi and Sridevi is hard to miss and you will for a second think it's none other than the legendary actress sitting pretty. Several fans commented how the daughter looks strikingly similar to her mother.

Janhvi made her smashing debut with 'Dhadak', a film by Shashank Khaitan. It was produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. The movie also marked the debut of Ishaan Khatter.

It was a Hindi remake of the Marathi superhit 'Sairat'.

She will next be seen in KJo's 'Takht', a period drama by the maverick filmmaker. 'Takht' stars Ranveer Singh, Anil Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar and Janhvi Kapoor. Yes, it's an out-and-out starry ensemble cast which only KJo can manage to get on board.

It is a period drama set in the times of Mughal dynasty.Mumbai: Long-time collaborators Rishi Kapoor and Juhi Chawla are set to reunite on screen after over two decades for a family comedy. The duo was last seen together in "Daraar" (1996).

The untitled film will be co-produced by Sony Pictures International Productions in India and MacGuffin Pictures, a press release said.

The movie will be directed by debutante Hitesh Bhatia. Set in Delhi, the production on the film has just begun. Bhatia has co-written the film with Supratik Sen.

Vivek Krishnani, Managing Director, Sony Pictures Entertainment, India said they are excited to collaborate with Kapoor after the success of "102 Not Out".

"As we continue to ramp up our local production slate with a keen focus on stories that audiences have never seen before, we are extremely thrilled to get started on this family comedy. The moment our partners Abhishek Chaubey and Honey Trehan brought the story to us - we were sold on the idea," Krishnani said.

Abhishek Chaubey, Partner, MacGuffin Pictures said he is looking forward to their association with SPIP and is doubly excited about "working with Rishi ji and Juhi ji on a delightful script penned by Hitesh and Supratik".

Honey Trehan, Partner, MacGuffin Pictures added, "As producers, we've always been interested in making films across the genre spectrum, and I feel this is the perfect film for MacGuffin Pictures to break into the comedy/family drama genre - a pitch-perfect entertainer that the whole family can sit and watch together."Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch three more satellites to provide high-speed bandwidth connectivity to rural areas as part of the government`s Digital India programme, an official said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters after the successful launch of two UK satellites by Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) here on Sunday, ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said: "The ISRO will launch three more satellites, which together will provide international level bandwidth speed."

According to Sivan, the satellites are AGSAT 20 (to be launched next year), GSAT 11, and GSAT 29. GSAT 19 has already been launched.

Sivan said that the space agency had planned a series of launches over the next six months.

He said that there will be a rocket launch mission every second week.

Sivan also said earth observation satellites will also be launched in addition to the communication satellites.

He said that the much expected moon mission will happen next January.

"The launch window for Chandrayaan-2 mission is planned between January 3 and February 16, 2019. We are aiming for January 3. We do not expect any delay in the Chandrayaan-2 mission," Sivan said.

Queried about the certifying agency for the rocket that would carry Indian astronauts Sivan said that the ISRO will be the certifying agency.

He also said that the norms for certification will be drawn with the help of Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Sivan said that the ISRO would like to get the expertise of other countries in this regard.

India on Sunday night successfully put into orbit British earth observation satellites NovaSAR and S1-4 in copybook style.

The two satellites belonged to Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL), UK.

According to S. Rakesh, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Antrix Corporation Ltd, the revenue from the launch of two UK satellites is over Rs 220 crore.

Queried about the next commercial launch, Sivan said that the next PSLV rocket will carry 30 small satellites from third parties apart from carrying an Indian satellite.Mumbai: Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka has taken an interesting turn. The show which stars Shakti Arora (as Kunal Malhotra), Aditi Dev Sharma (as Mauli Malhotra) and Drashti Dhami (as Nandini Rajdeep Thakur) has high-voltage drama in store and viewers can expect some unimaginable twists in the plot.

Kunal and Nandini (who is married to Rajdeep Thakur, played by Abhinav Shukla) fall in love with each other. After making desperate attempts to curb their emotions, they succumb to their feelings and find love out of marriage.

When Kunal and Nandini's love affair gets exposed in front of Mauli, she is left completely disillusioned as she had unshakable faith in her husband and her best friend. But people who she trusted the most ended up breaking her trust and heart.

Both Kunal and Nandini are guilt-ridden for having cheated on Mauli, who has been a great wife and a true friend.

Rajdeep, who has always treated Nandini as his property takes revenge on her by causing harm to Kunal. Nandini, who is already guilty of having ruined her friend's life and marriage, wants to convince Mauli to accept Kunal back in her life.

There is a string buzz suggesting that Nandini may take a drastic step to seek forgiveness from Mauli.

What will Nandini do to win Mauli's trust again? Will Mauli forgive Kunal and accept him in her life again?

Let's wait and watch.Deadly storm Florence drenched North Carolina with yet more downpours on Sunday, cutting off the city of Wilmington, damaging tens of thousands of homes and threatening worse flooding as rivers fill to bursting point.

The death toll rose to at least 14 from Florence, which crashed into the state as a hurricane on Friday, bringing record rainfall.

It had weakened to a tropical depression by Sunday, but was forecast to drop another 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) of rain in North Carolina, bringing rainfall totals in some inland areas to 15 to 20 inches and over 30 inches (76 cm) closer to the coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

"The storm has never been more dangerous than it is now," North Carolina`s emergency management office said on Twitter, quoting Governor Roy Cooper. "Many rivers are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow."

More than 900 people were rescued from rising flood waters and 15,000 remained in shelters in the state, Cooper told a news conference on Sunday.

At least 10 people have died so far in the storm in North Carolina, including a mother and child killed by a falling tree, state officials said. Four people died in South Carolina, including a woman whose car hit a fallen tree.

People who evacuated were eager to return home but officials urged them to stay away.

"Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington," New Hanover County Commission chairman Woody White told a news conference. "We want you home but you can`t come yet."

Fresh evacuations were ordered further inland as rivers crested and spilled out of their banks.

In Fayetteville, a North Carolina city of about 210,000 people some 90 miles (145 km) from the ocean, authorities told thousands of residents near the Cape Fear River and Little River to get out of their homes by Sunday afternoon because of the flood risk.

"The worst is yet to come," Mayor Mitch Colvin told a news conference on Saturday.

North Carolina Emergency Management Director Michael Sprayberry said it was too early to estimate how many people in the state would be made homeless by the storm.

"Right now, we are thinking that there will tens of thousands of homes that are going to be damaged, he said.

DIN OF GENERATORS

In Leland, a low-lying city north of Wilmington, homes and local businesses were engulfed by water.

Gas stations were abandoned, with many pumps keeled over, and fallen trees cluttered many roads, making them impassable. The whir of generators could be heard throughout the city, a sound not expected to dim soon as crews work to restore power.

About 756,000 homes and businesses were without power in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.

In Belville, just south of Leland, some shops had power restored on Sunday.

I thought Id come out here and see if I could get more fuel, but no luck, said Steve McLean outside a Harris Teeter gasoline station that had electricity, but no gasoline.

So far weve been holding up pretty well, said McLean, 72, a self-employed heating and air conditioning contractor. "Well see how long this lasts.

Five people were arrested for breaking into a Dollar General Store, said the police department in Wilmington, which has imposed a nighttime curfew.

Florence set a record in the state for rain from a hurricane, dumping 33.9 inches (86 cm) in Swansboro, North Carolina. The previous record was 24 inches (61 cm), set by Hurricane Floyd, which killed 56 people in 1999, said Bryce Link, a meteorologist with private forecasting service DTN Marine Weather.

North Carolina officials warned motorists not to drive on roads in a large area - south of the I-64 and east of the I-73/74 highways - because of hazardous conditions in the southeast of the state. Swelling rivers and creeks threatened dams and bridges.

The flooding could taint waterways with murky coal ash. But so far officials said the state`s many lagoons of toxic hog waste had withstood the storm.

By Sunday morning Florence`s winds had dropped to about 35 miles per hour (55 km per hour), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm was moving at 10 mph (16 kph), with its center expected to cross the western Carolinas during Sunday and the Ohio Valley and Northeast United States on Monday and Tuesday.

The White House said President Donald Trump approved making federal funding available in some affected counties. Trump, who plans to visit the region this week, tweeted his condolences to the families and friends of those who died.

As the United States dealt with Florence, a super typhoon made landfall in China`s Guangdong on Sunday after barreling past Hong Kong and Macau and killing dozens of people in the Philippines.Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa began a three-day visit to China on Sunday, Pakistan's military said, days after a Pakistani minister stirred unease about Chinese Silk Road projects in the South Asian nation.

Bajwa is the most senior Pakistani figure to visit staunch ally China since the new government of Prime Minister Imran Khan took office in August, and his trip comes a week after China's top diplomat visited Islamabad.

Pakistan has deepened ties with China in recent years as relations with the United States have frayed.

Bajwa may be hoping in Beijing to smooth out any Chinese alarm at comments last week by Pakistan's commerce minister, Abdul Razak Dawood, who suggested suspending for a year projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Pakistan leg of China's Belt and Road Initiative that includes recreating the old Silk Road trading route.

Bajwa, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), regularly holds meetings with world leaders due to the Pakistan armed forces' outsize influence in the nuclear-armed nation, where the military controls security and dictates major foreign policy decisions.

"During the visit COAS will interact with various Chinese leaders including his counterpart," Major General Asif Ghafoor, the military spokesman, tweeted late on Sunday.

Beijing has pledged to invest about $60 billion in Pakistan for infrastructure for the Belt and Road project.

Dawood, in an interview with the Financial Times, also suggested the CPEC contracts had been unfairly negotiated by the previous government and were too favourable to the Chinese. Later he said the comments were taken out of context, but did not dispute their veracity.

The critical comments were published just after China's top diplomat, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, visited Pakistan and the two sides reaffirmed the mutual benefits of the Beijing-funded projects.

On Thursday, Pakistan's government said it wanted CPEC to include more projects with a focus on socio-economic development, something which would align more with the populist agenda of Khan's new administration.An Intelligence report sent to Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed that Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) held a secret meeting to discuss carrying out attacks during the Bangladesh general elections. During the meeting, the terror outfit discussed plans to buy weapons and suicidal vests with the help of other terrorist groups in Bangladesh.

As per the report, it was decided during the meeting of the JMB to recruit 300 more new cadres before the general election in Bangladesh. The group is also trying to conduct two-week training in Chittagong district with plan to establish 50 new training centres in various districts of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is slated to hold the country's 11th national election in the third week of December this year as the term of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League (AL) party comes to an end in January 2019.

Speaking to Zee News on condition of anonymity, a Home Ministry official said that the issue was of serious concern to India as well.

This is of serious concern to India, not only because of JMBs cross-border presence but also due to its linkage with other terrorist group in Bangladesh. Recent NIA report also suggests that JMB is trying to build base in India, he said.

The JMB, meaning Assembly of Holy Warriors, is a Bangladesh-based terror outfit formed in 1998 with an intention to establish an Islamic state in Bangladesh based on Sharia. The NIA had arrested a top leader of the JMB, Mohammad Jahidul Islam, from Bengaluru last month. He was wanted in the Burdwan Blast case in India and in several terror cases in Bangladesh.

On October 2, 2014, a blast had occurred in a house in West Bengal's Burdwan district, killing a man identified as one Sakil Gazi. The NIA in its investigation revealed that the JMB members wanted to establish Sharia rule by overthrowing the democratically elected government in Bangladesh.

Some terror camp has been set up by JMB and other terrorist groups along Bangladesh and West Bengal border of India. This is really cause of concern for us. There is report of presence of Pakistani origin Lashker terrorists in these camps, a senior security official said.

The JMB is using bordering area not only for hideout but also for recruitment. Recruitment is done through madrasas, mosques and the network is especially active in Murshidabad, Malda and Nadia districts of West Bengal and parts of Muslim-majority districts in Assam.This case has been going on since 2016. For two years, she became one of the most discussed case in the country. Lets see why

Open source

Today, large-scale clashes between the law enforcers and the nationalists took place under the building of the General Prosecutor's Office in Kyiv.

The nationalists even tried to storm the building of the GPO but were splashed by the water.

It is also known from social networks that tear gas was used against the participants of the rally. They responded with stones and smoke bombs.

As the representative of Svoboda (Freedom) political party Oleksandr Aronets noted, the activists came to the GPO building to demand the resignation of Deputy Prosecutor General Evhen Yenin, who signed the permission to extradite the Ingush Timur Tumgoev to Russia.

What happened?

Five days ago, on September 12, it became known that the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine had extradited a 31-year-old Ingush Timur Tumgoev to Russia at the request of Russian Federal Security Service.

Later, the GPO explained why they had done so. The argument is as follows:

- competent authorities of the Russian Federation" sent a request for extradition of a person for criminal prosecution for crimes under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, namely: training to carry out terrorist activities and participation in a terrorist organization.

In short, Russia accuses Tumgoev of involvement in an illegal armed formation that was structurally part of the Islamic State grouping and took part in hostilities against government troops of the Syrian Arab Republic. The GPO claimed Tumgoev did not hide this fact. That is why the Prosecutor General's Office on October 13 decided to extradite Tumgoev, who appealed against the decision.

- the appeal on the decision of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine for extradition was declined by the courts of the first and appellate instances. Thus, the decision of the Prosecutor General's Office on extradition came into force.

- it was reported that Tumgoev applied to the migration service authorities twice (in 2016 and 2017) with a request for refugee status, but was refused (due to the lack of grounds) each time. Even though Tumgoev informed that he was subjected to persecution in Russia because he was a Salafi Muslim;

- The European Court of Human Rights also considered the appeal of Tumgoev to suspend the extradition procedure in the Russian Federation. After studying the documents, the European Court canceled all restrictive measures.

- The GPO also says Tumgoev had not participated in the Joint Forces Operation.

"For all the time that the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has requested the extradition (more than two years) no data on his participation in the operation or the desire to participate in it have been reported, never once did the defense side say so."

There are other statements on that.

Did Tumgoev participate in Joint Forces Operation in Donbas?

"When Timur arrived in Ukraine, he told the escorts who had detained him, that he wanted to help his brothers in our battalion...He was treated and since last year was inscribed in the battalion, he was issued an identity card. He served both on the base and on the front. He regularly was checking in with the investigator in Kharkiv."

This is the message of Muslim Cheberloevsky, commander of the Sheikh Mansur battalion (part of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army). In the comments to the Facts agency he stated that Tumgoev still participated in the Joint Forces Operation.

It is noteworthy that during his stay in the prison after his arrest in 2016, Tumgoev cut his veins to, according to Cheberloevsky, not be extradited to Russia.

After that, he was released. However, recently he was detained again.

"His wife got seriously ill in Turkey, and Timur could not fly there while he was under investigation, but tried to somehow help. A month ago, we let him go to Kyiv, he was looking for medications, but later his wife died. Three or four days ago he phoned, saying he was returning, only had to go for checking in in Kharkiv. Its from there he informed that he was detained. We were told that it was nothing serious and in the morning on September 12 Timur would be free to return to the battalion. But in the morning there was no news from him, Cheberloevsky said.

Comment from General Prosecutors Office

Another comment for the collection. This time, from the person who signed the extradition documents.

Deputy Prosecutor General Yevhen Yenin in the comments for the Facts news agency said:

"Timur Tumgoev was wanted for his involvement in the Islamic State and he did not conceal this involvement. Such people are professional soldiers, who are usually trained in camps in Egypt, fighting in the IS. After that, having a red card for the search they go through Turkey to Ukraine. They are often involved in the illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs. Tumgoev did not engage with the Ukrainian special services, and he did not present any interest for the security of the country, and he was refused asylum. Then, he fully utilized his right for protection, but the courts refused to satisfy his appeals and to prohibit the extradition. In particular, because he did not provide any confirmation of his participation in the Joint Forces Operation. As for the appeal of the UN Human Rights Committee, it is of a recommendatory nature, that is, it is optional for implementation".

What is this appeal?

"The leadership of the General Prosecutor's Office ignored a direct instruction of the UN Human Rights Committee to not extradite Tumgoev to the Russian government until the completion of consideration of his case by the committee. The GPO has deliberately violated the norms of national and international law, instruction of an international body for human rights, not to mention his human rights. "

This is part of the joint statement of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group and the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union published on September 14.

The human rights activists demand to investigate the circumstances of Tumgoevs extradition, to suspend from duty the Deputy Prosecutor General Yevhen Yenin, who signed a detention order and order on the transfer of Tumgoev and demand from Russia the immediate establishment of the whereabouts of Timur Tumgoev and inform about his health and conditions of detention.

Whats next?

The situation has intensified, which has already led to clashes under the building of the GPO. The press service of the Kyiv police has already reported injuries of seven law enforcement officers due to the rally under the GPO.

The fate of Tumgoev is still unknown.Open source

From 7 a.m. through 6 p.m., the illegal armed formations violated ceasefire regime five times in Donbas. The press office of the JFO HQ reported on Facebook.

No casualties among the Joint Forces servicemen observed, reads the report.

According to the message, the militants opened aimed fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms at the areas of the settlements: Krymske, Vodiane, and Lebedinske. Yet the HQ notes that the members of the illegal armed formations didnt use weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreements during the shelling.

In the case of threat of life, the commanders were adopting decisions on carrying out a fire impact on the enemy in order to force them to stop the firing,' reads the message.

As it was reported earlier, the militants opened fire at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 30 times. None of the Ukrainian servicemen died.Open source

During the current day, the Russian occupation forces violated the ceasefire in Donbas nine times. There are no losses among Ukrainian servicemen. This is reported by the press service of the Joint Forces Operation on its Facebook page.



It is noted that during the day the enemy opened fire from grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns and small arms at positions of the Joint forces in the vicinity of the settlements Krymske, Novotoshkivske, Zolote, Novotroitske, Chermalyk, Pavlopil and Lebedynske.



"No losses among the military of the Joint forces reported during the current day," the headquarters stressed.



The situation in the operation area remains under the control of the Joint forces.

Earlier we reported Special Representative of the US State Department for Ukraine Kurt Volker is convinced that the Ukrainian authorities need to extend the law on the peculiarities of local self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He stated this during a briefing at the Yalta European Strategy forum, which was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine TV channel.



"A year ago, the Verkhovna Rada extended this special status and now, after it was extended, Russia did nothing to ensure that the conflict was resolved in accordance with the terms of the Minsk agreements. And I understand Ukraine: it adheres to the terms of the acgreements but Russia does not take them seriously, so Ukraine can use this as an excuse to extend the special status of Donbas, "he said.



At the same time, Volker recalled another thing: the key sanctions against Russia in the European Union are tied to the implementation of the Minsk agreements, which, inter alia, mention the need to preserve the special status of the uncontrolled part of Donbas.



"You know that there are many votes in the European Union to lift sanctions, even if Russia does not take a step. The non-extension of the law on the special status of Donbas will give arguments to those who promote the idea of lifting sanctions, "he stressed.



Related: Iran threatens to return to uranium enrichment if EU supports U.S. sanctions

The first release of a toxic emission from Crimean Titanium occurred during the night from 23 to 24 August, 2018

Armyansk, in Northern Crimea is suffocating from new toxic emissions and the Russian occupation authorities have finally announced that a state of emergency is being declared. The Crimean Titanium Factory responsible for the emissions has, meanwhile, decided to claim it is all Ukraines fault and ask the Russian occupiers to initiate criminal proceedings.

The first release of a toxic emission from Crimean Titanium occurred during the night from 23 to 24 August, 2018. Although there were extremely alarming reports on social media in Armyansk, and the effects were felt in the Kherson oblast which borders Crimea, no real measures were taken until 3-4 September. Even then, the occupation authorities tried to downplay everything, and avoid using words like evacuation, however children were sent away for two weeks. On 14 September, this was extended for a further week.

Those in affected areas reported a yellowish fog over the city and that things were covered in an oily slimy substance. From the rust appearing on metallic items, environmentalist Margarita Litvinenko suggested back on 28 August that it was likely that there had been a leak of sulphuric acid.

It seems now that what was emitted, because the retention basin near the plant had dried up, was a sulphur anhydride which, combined with water, can turn into sulphuric acid. The anhydride causes respiratory problems, irritation to the eyes and throat, allergic rashes and other reactions.

While some of the reports on social media may be exaggerated, the photos showing fruit, the leaves of trees, etc, all covered in a rust-like substance make it clear that the consequences will be long felt.

On 14 September, there were reports on social media that the situation had deteriorated again, that it was impossible to breathe on the streets. There was intense concern that the children were supposed to be returning. One person said that just going to take the rubbish out, hes almost suffocated, with the fumes burning his throat, nose and lungs.

The occupation authorities had said that the situation could be repeated if the hot weather returned, but claimed that this was only if the relevant measures were not taken.

It is not clear that measures have been taken. On 12 September, Primechania.ru reports, the de facto deputy prime minister Ihor Mykhailychenko reported that there had been no excessive concentration of toxic substances. Meetings of the operational headquarters were cancelled.

The same publication also reported that Armyansk residents are terrified and suffering physical effects, but are afraid to talk about them. Crimeans are frightened of the press as theyre convinced that after the publications, problems may arise with the city administration and officials.

People have told Primechania that after their stories were described in the press, that people from the management of the Titan factory and from the local city administration were extremely annoyed at their being so talkative. They force people, whether in the form of advice, demands or downright ultimatums, not to speak to the press.

The publication notes that the city residents appear to support such policy despite the fact that it was only after publications in the press that their children, with choking coughing and allergic rashes, were taken out of Armyansk.

The newspaper quotes a holiday-maker who also reports that people are suffering the same kinds of symptoms. She asked to remain anonymous because she feared problems when she returned home.

Doubtless because of the greater level of anonymity, people are more open on social media. While the occasional Internet user writes that this is all panic-mongering and that there are no problems, there are floods of responses, describing how mothers and children are both suffering in sanatoriums, with a temperature, vomiting and other symptoms. Hospital staff proved just as unwilling to speak to the press.

On 14 September, Novaya Gazeta reported that the management of Crimean Titanium had asked Russias FSB and Investigative Committee to initiate criminal proceedings against the Ukrainian authorities. They assert that the acid tank is on the (administrative) border between Crimea and the Kherson oblast, and that one of its parts is not under their monitoring.

According to their version of events, Ukraines leaders wanted to avenge themselves against Crimeans for their supposedly expressed wish to join the Russian Federation and had taken a range of actions, capable for causing an environmental catastrophe in the Kherson oblast and what they call the territory of the Russian Federation.

In fact, Ukraines Cyber Alliance have made public a number of documents that demonstrate that the same factory had multiple problems earlier which the occupation authorities ignored.

More on how Crimean Titanium, owned by Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash, and those providing it with raw materials from mainland Ukraine have evaded sanctions can be found here. It is clear, however, that the situation has been waiting to happen for a long time.

One of the major issues is that the plants etention basin previously received water from mainland Ukraine through the Dnipro River.

The water supply stopped after annexation, with Russia refusing to repay debt for the pumping of water and to sign a new contract in which Crimea was identified as occupied territory. Pressure is rising on Ukraine to now simply provide the water, however several high-ranking Ukrainian officials have reiterated in recent weeks that this will happen only when Russia stops occupying the peninsula.

Russias claim that Crimea was always Russian can be refuted on historical grounds, but also conflicts with the number of practical reasons why Crimea always was and remains organically part of Ukraine. One such reason is that around 80 percent of the fresh water required for Crimean agriculture (and, it transpires, a major chemical factory) comes from mainland Ukraine.

Read the original text here.

Related video:Ukraines Prosecutor General is reported to have handed Timur Tumgoev over to Russia, despite a halt on extradition from the UNs Human Rights Committee issued because of legitimate fears that the 31-year-old Ingush would be subjected to torture if returned against his will

Ukraines Prosecutor General is reported to have handed Timur Tumgoev over to Russia, despite a halt on extradition from the UNs Human Rights Committee issued because of legitimate fears that the 31-year-old Ingush would be subjected to torture if returned against his will. In their zeal to hand a Russian citizen over to a country holding at least 70 Ukrainian political prisoners, the Ukrainian authorities also lied in order to separate Tumgoev from his lawyer.

The move is especially shocking since Tumgoev risked his life for Ukraine in Donbas as part of the Chechen Sheik Mansur Battalion for the Defence of Ukraine, and has now knowingly been sent back to the country which is directly responsible for the military conflict.

Tumgoev was detained on June 17, 2016, after arriving in Kharkiv from Turkey where he had been living for two years. That detention was because Interpol had issued a Red Notice at Russias request, almost certainly without properly checking the grounds for Russias wish to prosecute him. He was held, pending an extradition check, in the Zaporizhya SIZO [detention unit] until June 2017, when the maximum period allowed for extradition arrest elapsed.

His release came shortly after the UN Human Rights Committee ordered the Ukrainian authorities to halt Tumgoevs extradition to Russia, pending consideration of his assertion that he would face torture if forcibly returned. The appeal to the UN watchdog had been sent by Kharkiv Human Rights Group [KHPG] lawyers after all other avenues failed. These, it should be noted, including the European Court of Human Rights which did not agree to apply Rule 39 (which would have also halted extradition).

It was after his release, that Tumgoev joined the above-mentioned volunteer battalion which members of the Chechen and Ingush Diaspora in Ukraine and human rights groups believe the FSB almost certainly knew.

Tumgoev had also applied for asylum in Ukraine, asserting that he was facing persecution in the Russian Federation for his religious beliefs. He told Ukraines Security Service (the SBU) that he had been detained on numerous occasions in Ingushetia, and beaten by officers from the so-called Centre for Countering Extremism. He asserts that the Russian police and FSB had tried to get him to act as an informer. During one search they had planted some bullets, however the neighbours called in as witnesses refused to sign the search protocol. After this, Tumgoev says, he left, first for Georgia and then for Turkey. He had also told the SBU that he had come to Ukraine to join a volunteer battalion fighting for Ukraine against Kremlin-backed militants in Donbas. Volunteer fighters had held protests outside the Kharkiv SIZO, protesting that Tumgoev had been taken into custody.

Ukraines State Migration Service ignored the huge weight of material presented on abductions, killings, torture and illegal imprisonment on political or religious grounds in the Northern Caucuses and turned down his application.

The Migration Service had earlier issued a document confirming that Tumgoev was an asylum seeker. It was that document which was out of date that was used as pretext for detaining him. It should be stressed that the UN Human Rights Committees order halting any extradition remained in force, and Tumgoev should have been safe and provided with the document confirming this.

Tumgoev had arrived in Kharkiv late on 11 September in order to extend this Migration Service document. He was detained in the night but managed to contact his lawyer from KHPG, Volodymyr Hlushchenko, who was with him until 4 a.m. At that point, the lawyer was told that Tumgoev was being taken to the police temporary holding centre and so he left, agreeing with Tumgoev that he would come to him at the centre the following day.

This proved to be a blatant lie, and Tumgoev has seemingly been handed over to the Russian authorities. Whether the document used as authorization for this shocking act of betrayal can be called an extradition order is surely in question, however the document is reported to have been signed by Deputy Prosecutor General Yevhen Yenin.

According to the documents provided by Russias Prosecutor General, an arrest warrant was issued in December 2015, on charges under Article 208  2 of the RF criminal code. This envisages a sentence of up to 15 years for what is termed participation in an armed formation, also participation on the territory of a foreign state in an armed formation not envisaged by the legislation of the given state, for purposes which run counter to the interests of the Russian Federation.

He is purportedly suspected of involvement in a radical formation in Syria. It is unclear what proof Russia has provided to substantiate this claim. Without very hard evidence, caution seems warranted since Russia has brought charges under this very same article against the world-renowned veteran of the Crimean Tatar national movement and Ukrainian MP Mustafa Dzhemilev and the Head of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis (and MP) Refat Chubarov. Both men were first banned from their homeland after Russias invasion of Crimea, and now face criminal charges of such activities running counter to Russian interests. This was in fact pointed out by Chubarov who, back in 2017, interceded on behalf of Tumgoev.

On March 21, 2016, further charges were brought against Tumgoev of undergoing training aimed at carrying out terrorist activities (205  3); and taking part in an organization recognized as terrorist in Russia (205.5  2). The latter of these two charges is the one being used to imprison over 30 Crimean Muslims for their faith and, in a number of cases, for their civic or human rights activism. Doubts about Russias motives in declaring it terrorist are among the many reasons the Memorial Human Rights Centre declares all those sentenced merely on grounds of proven or alleged involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir political prisoners.

This is not the first time over the last four years that the SBU and state bodies following its instructions have continued to collaborate with Russias FSB. On this occasion, there are very real grounds for fearing that Tumgoev will be immediately subjected to torture, not least because of his defence of Ukraine, and it defies belief that Ukraines Prosecutor Generals Office would carry out such an extraordinary step.

Read the original text at Human Rights in Ukraine.

Related video:The activists are outraged, as the Ukrainian authority extradited Russian citizen Timur Tumgoyev, wanted as the ISIS militant

Activists of Ukraine's far-right political forces tried to attack the building of Prosecutor General's Office in Kyiv. The disorder was caused by the decision of the Ukrainian authority to extradite Timur Tumgoev, the Ingush national and the Russian citizen. UNN news agency reported that on Monday afternoon.

MP Oleksandr Aronets, the member of Svoboda party specified that the activists demand to sack Yevhen Yenin, the Deputy Prosecutor General who signed the actual permission.

Judging by the videos uploaded on the Web, and the comments in social networks, the protesters tried to storm the building of Prosecutor General's Office, throwing stones and smoke pellets. The attempt failed, as the security used tear gas.

On September 12, it became known that Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine extradited Timgoev to Russia, as the Russian federal security service requested. Explaining the decision, the Ukrainian side said that Timgoev is wanted by the Russian Federation as the ISIS militant; he allegedly served with the Islamic State fighters in Syria.

Tumgoyev twice asked for the refugee status in Ukraine, but the request was turned down - in both cases.Different situation in the countries is the reason for that

Open source

NATO doesnt consider the idea of the synchronized enter of Ukraine and Georgia into the Alliance, since, the situation of the countries is different. Alejandro Alvargonzalez, Assistant Secretary-General of NATO for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Ukrayinska Pravda reports.

It is not a part of our plan. We will make decisions based on reforms and situation, which is too different; I insist on this. We literally dont have the idea of the synchronization of Ukraine and Georgia (on the way to NATO), Alvargonzalez claimed.

He also noted that the Action Plan for NATO Membership doesnt have a fundamental meaning, the main this is holding reforms described in Annual National Program.

Our assessment on Ukraines progress is positive. It concerns military aspects, ensure compatibility etc., and democratic reforms. A lot has been done. There is still a lot of work, said the Assistant Secretary-General.

He reminded that at the latest summit, NATO member countries approved the decision of Bucharest regarding Ukraine that one day it will join the Alliance.

As to the Action Plan for NATO Membership, currently, there is no a fundamental meaning, it will be on your way to the Action Plan for NATO Membership, or some another abbreviation, he added.

As it was reported earlier, during the current plenary week, the Ukrainian Parliament has to consider the amendments drafts into the Constitution considering the foreign policy course of Ukraine.U.K. Secretary of State for Defense also claimed that he plans to visit the Donbas Conflict combat zone

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and Secretary of State for Defense of the United Kingdom Gavin Williamson discussed the strengthening of the sanctions against Russia due to the poisoning of ex-GRU officer Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury as the presidential service reported.

"The issue was about the prospects of the strengthening of the sanctions regime against the Russian Federation due to the aggression against Ukraine and chemical attack in Salisbury," the message said.

The parties positively noted the intensity of the Ukrainian-British dialogue in the sphere of security and defense. The president welcomed the decision of the State Secretary to visit the confrontation line in Donbas.

"Particular attention was paid to strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and Britain in the framework of NATO and the UN, as well as bilateral cooperation in the area of counteraction to cyberthreats," the administration of the Ukrainian president said.

As we reported the Crown Prosecution Service of the U.K. called the names of the suspects in the poisoning of the ex-GRU officer Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia. The police suspect Russians Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Bashirov. They are accused of the poisoning of Skripals, a police officer who participated in the investigation and two citizens of the U.K. poisoned in Amesbury.

The investigation is sure that there is enough evidence to file charges.

Earlier the police of United Kingdom declare that they have identified perpetrators of the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury.

Later it was reported that there could be four more suspects in the Skripals case - apart from Aleksandr Petrov and Ruslan Boshyrov, whose names were revealed by the British counter-intelligence.

As it was reported Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in British Salisbury. Later, Theresa May, British PM, stated that Russia was responsible for that, and the investigation has confirmed the use of the Novichok nerve agent, which is produced in Russia.

Related video:According to Lutsenko, Tumgoev linked to the activity of Islamic State

Open source

Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko claimed that considers the extradition of Tumgoev to Russia on FSB's request correct. He claimed this at the briefing, Ukrainian News report.

We think that the extradition of those who arrive in Ukraine to create criminal gangs is a correct thing to do, he said.

According to him, Tumgoev is involved in the activities of the Islamic State. Also, he put into question the information on that he fought as a volunteer on the Ukrainian side in Donbas.

Lutsenko said, to prove that we need the contract, not someones claims.

The Prosecutor General stressed that the volunteers who fought on the Ukrainian side on the front-line, the Office has never and will never extradite them.

Earlier, Tumgoev was detained twice - in Kyiv, before leaving for Kharkiv, and upon arrival in Kharkiv, where the court was to be held. When detained, he was charged with an expired certificate of an asylum seeker.

Tumgoev appealed to the migration service of Ukraine with a request for asylum, and a certificate is a document proving his identity. He was detained by the Ukrainian border service at Kharkiv airport in June 2016, where he arrived from Turkey. In July 2017, he was released from custody after the expiration of the extradition arrest.

The FSB of Russia suspects Tumgoev of participating in one of the radical groups in Syria. The General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine then decided to extradite Tumgoev. The European Court of Human Rights twice refused to suspend the extradition, but the UN Human Rights Committee obliged the Ukrainian authorities to suspend the extradition.Also, there is a general strategy on the processing of the whole treaty and law base with Russia, the Minister said

Open source

Head of Ukrainian MFA claimed that the agreement between Ukraine and Russia on the joint usage of the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait, concluded in 2003 would be terminated. He claimed this to reporters today on September 17, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

There is a clear strategy we prepared The whole treaty and law base with Russia will be gradually proceeded for sure Certainly, the treaty regarding the Sea of Azov wont work in the future. When are we going to do it? This is the question of clear strategy, the Minister claimed.

He also claimed that the Government had the proceeding plan of earlier concluded agreements with Russia. This plan will be gradually presented to the public by a single agreement or separate treaty package.

For instance, there are treaty packages regarding the basing of former Black Sea fleet. Many parliamentarians ask me, what would happen to them after the Constitution changes. When it is discussed I will say this, so Russian doesnt use it to make our situation worse, the Head of the MFA said.

Reportedly, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko introduced the decision of NSDC on the termination of the Treaty of Friendship, cooperation, and partnership between Ukraine and Russia.The Kremlin states that the video materials presented by the joint investigation group were 'faked'

The missile that downed Boeing 777 of Malaysian Airlines over Donbas in 2014 belongs to Ukraine's Armed Forces. A representative of the Russian defense ministry reported this as quoted by Dozhd news channel.

The Russian authority claimed that the missile was made at Dolgoprudnensky factory in 1986 and sent to Ukraine's military unit; it allegedly was kept there until the tragedy happened. The ministry also claimed that it has access to the audio records made by the Ukrainian military; the tapes allegedly confirm that Ukraine is involved in the crash.

The Kremlin stated that the video materials presented by the joint investigation group in the MH17 case were 'fake'.

Boeing 777 of Malaysian Airlines, flight number MH17, was destroyed while performing a regular flight from the Netherlands to Malaysia in July 2014. The tragedy took place in the sky over the militant-held section of Donetsk region. All 298 people aboard deceased; most of the victims, 196, were Dutch, but there were citizens of other nine countries as well.

The international investigation team led by the Dutch experts concluded that the aircraft was shot down by the Russian-made missile; it was fired from the missile launcher, brought from the territory of Russia to the occupied area in Donetsk region.According to the Treaty, if Russia officially receives this statement, the document will be terminated on April 1, 2019

Open source

The Russian Federation regrets Ukraines intentions to terminate the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia, as the press office of Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

The destructive steps Ukraines authorities take cause deep regret. Trying to serve for the foreign political interests and its political ambitions, Kyiv authorities show the readiness to easily destroy everything being built over years and decades, to dissolve the bonds being developed by many generations of our mutual ancestry over the centuries. The Ukrainian Government, which got the power after the armed anti-constitutional coup detat in 2014, doesnt scorn to leave a print in the history as the politicians who caused a colossal damage not only on the Russian-Ukrainian relationships, but also on Ukraines national interests, the Russian Foreign Ministry informs.

Also, the message says that Russia hopes that the current crisis between the states will be inevitably overcome.

Earlier, the President Petro Poroshenko introduced the decision of NSDC on termination of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia.

As the presidents representative in the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Lutsenko noted, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will inform Russia before September 30, and Poroshenko will introduce the bill to the parliament.

As it was reported earlier, the Ukraine-Russia Friendship Treaty of 1998 fixed the principle of strategic partnership, the recognition of the inviolability of existing borders, respect for territorial integrity and mutual commitment not to use its territory to harm the security of each other. The treaty automatically renews on each 10th anniversary of its signing, unless one party advises the other of its intention to end the treaty.

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council approved the initiative of President Petro Poroshenko, who offered to discontinue the Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation with the Russian Federation for ten years-long period.The Swiss Foreign Ministry has summoned Russias ambassador in Bern three times this year to raise concerns

Switzerlands Government urged Russian Federation to stop any espionage activities on its territory, as Reuters reports.

The Swiss foreign ministry has summoned Russias ambassador in Bern three times this year to raise concerns about suspected operations targeting organizations based in Switzerland, including a laboratory used to test chemical weapons, the news agency reads.

The Swiss Dept. Of Foreign Affairs has called on Russia to immediately end illegal activities on Swiss soil or against Swiss targets, the statement says.

Moreover, Swiss Intelligence Agency stated that it worked with British and Dutch colleagues to foil the Russian plot which was supposedly aimed at the Swiss lab.

Citing unnamed sources, the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger and the Dutch NRC Handelsblad said the suspected agents were heading for the Spiez laboratory near Bern which analyses chemical and biological weapons and tests nerve agents such as Novichok, the news agency reads.

Earlier the police of United Kingdom declare that they have identified perpetrators of the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury.

Later it was reported that there could be four more suspects in the Skripals case - apart from Aleksandr Petrov and Ruslan Boshyrov, whose names were revealed by the British counter-intelligence.

As it was reported Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in British Salisbury. Later, Theresa May, British PM, stated that Russia was responsible for that, and the investigation has confirmed the use of the Novichok nerve agent, which is produced in Russia.The voting is scheduled for September 30  the Macedonians will decide on whether to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia

Jim Mattis, the U.S. Defense Secretary, stated that there was no doubt that Moscow is funding pro-Russian groups to influence the referendum on renaming the country, which could lead to NATO and EU membership, as DW reports.

"They have transferred money and they're also conducting broader influence campaigns," Mattis said to reporters.

The voting is scheduled for September 30  the Macedonians will decide on whether to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia. In June, Macedonia made a deal with Greece, which has long called for the name change, as Macedonia is also the name of a Greek region.

"We do not want to see Russia doing there what they have tried to do in so many other countries," Mattis said.

Russia is accused of meddling not for the first time. Greece expelled two Russian diplomats and prohibited two other people from entering the country for allegedly attempting to bribe officials and incite protests against the deal.For the second day, 150 Ukrainian tourists cant fly back to Kyiv from Hurghada, Egypt, TSN reports.

BAY 2092 flight of Bravo Airways airline company delayed.

Bravo plane stuck in Hurghada, flight number is BAY 2092. Luggage was loaded at 6:30 a.m., and unloaded at 10 a.m. We were taken out through the back entrance. Pleased us in terrible accommodations, one of the tourists told.

We are informed about anything. We are 150 people here, and the most are with children. At 5:20 p.m., it will be the second day of the delay. The tour operator in Ukraine doesnt know anything about the delay, he added.

In their turn, Join Up tour operator explained that delay was caused by the technical fault of the plane.

In order to fix it, we needed to bring an engineer from Kyiv. The fault is fixed already, the tourists are yet taken from hotels, they are preparing to fly to Ukraine. All tourists were immediately placed in hotels; accommodation, food, and beverage was provided, the press office of the tour operator noted.

The company added that the exact time of the depart is not known yet, although, they assured that it will take place in one hour, the tourists are yet checking in.

As it was reported earlier, a bus with Ukrainian tourists got in a car accident.It is planned that the test section of the Hyperloop superfast vacuum train to be built yet in 2019

Open source

The test section of Hyperloop superfast vacuum train to be built yet in 2019, the release of the real operational section should take place in five years. Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan claimed this, Ekonomichna Pravda reports.

We believed that the test section would be ready much earlier the next year. It is our inner deadline. As to the real section, five years - enough time for the development of the corridor between Baltic and Black seas, the Minister said.

The cost of the one kilometer of the section will reach $11 million, hypothetical cost of the Kyiv  Odesa line will make $5.5 billion.

There are calculations made by our partner  Ukrainian Institute for the Future. Preliminary calculations showed the cost of the one kilometer and hypothetical cost of Kyiv  Odesa line. About $5.5 billion - the cost of the line, one kilometer to cost $11 million, the minister noted.

According to Omelyan, the scientific assessment of the project to be undertaken until the end of the week.

We are completing a scientific assessment. Planning to do it by the end of the year. Yet, we can cautiously say that the scientific assessment will be positive. We dont know details yet but anticipate to know them. Based on the documentation we researched, can claim that the Hyperloop technology has a perspective, also for Ukraine, the Minister noted.

Moreover, the project launch time depends on the search for funding sources. Omelyan claimed that the project won't be financing by the Government.

The Minister planning that the project can be recouped in 12 years.

As it was reported earlier, Ukraine's ministry of infrastructure and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies signed the memorandum on cooperation.Kyiv District Court of Kharkiv imposed a pre-trial restraint for the suspect of organizing a criminal grouping which squeezed money from the local businessmen hiding behind Kharkiv City Association of ATO (Anti-terrorist operation, - ed.) veterans, as Interfax-Ukraine reported referring to the representatives of the local Prosecutors Office.

The Court sentenced the suspect to 24-hour house arrest.

The representatives of the Prosecutors Office specified that the prosecution insisted on a more severe restrictive measure  detention in custody.

The decision whether to appeal against the sentence has not been made yet.

As the Prosecutors Office informed, in July 2018 the suspect along with his friends attacked a construction site of a gas station. The attackers damaged the construction materials. Later, the suspect met with the representative of the owner of the site and demanded $50,000 and then, he and his friends would stop impeding the further construction. Then, the sum was reduced to $30,000. Besides, the blackmailer and his friends convinced the businessmans representative that if he refuses, the construction works will be forcefully stopped. In the middle of August of 2018, the representative of the builder gave the blackmailer $10,000. On September 13, when another part of the sum, $20,000, was being transferred, the law enforcers detained the suspect.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 Foreign Ministry of Ukraine will inform Russia by September 30, and Ukraines President will introduce the bill to parliament

Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko has enforced the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to terminate the Treaty on Friendship, cooperation and partnership between Ukraine and Russia. Poroshenko signed the relevant decree. It was stated on the website of the Presidential Administration.

As the presidents representative in the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Lutsenko noted, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will inform Russia before September 30, and Poroshenko will introduce the bill to the parliament.

"By September 30, the Russian Federation will be informed about it by the note of Ukraines Foreign Ministry, and the president will submit to the parliament a relevant bill in accordance with Article 24 of the law of Ukraine "On international treaties of Ukraine," the statement said.

Also, according to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, the Foreign Ministry should inform the United Nations, the OSCE and other international organizations about Ukraine's desire to put an end to the Treaty of Friendship, signed on May 31, 1997, and grounds for termination.

As it was reported earlier, the Ukraine-Russia Friendship Treaty of 1998 fixed the principle of strategic partnership, the recognition of the inviolability of existing borders, respect for territorial integrity and mutual commitment not to use its territory to harm the security of each other. The treaty automatically renews on each 10th anniversary of its signing, unless one party advises the other of its intention to end the treaty.

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council approved the initiative of President Petro Poroshenko, who offered to discontinue the Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation with the Russian Federation for ten years-long period.The protesters provoked the scuffle with the law enforcers, who tried to get inside the building.

At least seven policemen were injured in the disorders near General Prosecutors Office, as the press office of Kyiv police reports.

According to the information, the protesters provoked the scuffle with the law enforcers, who tried to get inside the building.

The protesters painted the walls and then, aggressive participants tried to get inside the building, used pepper spray canisters and then a scuffle with the police officers, who maintained order, occurred. During the conflict, several law enforcers were wounded, they couldnt receive medical aid as the protesters were storming the building. Consequently, the protesters made a corridor, the policemen retracted. The injured police officers are receiving medical aid, the press office informed.

Later, the protesters tried to damage the front door, fire extinguisher were applied against them from the inside. In response, stones and block stones flew to the windows of the building.

Police officers remain near the building, they are trying to urge the protesters to follow the current legislation and express their position in a peace way, the police informed.

As 112 Ukraine reported, the protesters brought several trash cans to the building of the Prosecutors Office.

Police opened the criminal proceeding on the case.

Moreover, NewsOne team was attacked during the protest. Someone threw eggs in the reporter, some woman punched another reporter. The police opened a criminal proceeding concerning this as well.

Reportedly, activists of Ukraine's far-right political forces tried to attack the building of Prosecutor General's Office in Kyiv. The disorder was caused by the decision of the Ukrainian authority to extradite Timur Tumgoev, the Ingush national and the Russian citizen.

On September 12, it became known that Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine extradited Timgoev to Russia, as the Russian federal security service requested. Explaining the decision, the Ukrainian side said that Timgoev is wanted by the Russian Federation as the ISIS militant; he allegedly served with the Islamic State fighters in Syria.

Tumgoev twice asked for the refugee status in Ukraine, but the request was turned down - in both cases.Such statements are not more than attempt to avoid the responsibility as the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported

The Armed Forces of Ukraine claimed that the statements of Russia's Defense Ministry on the Ukrainian belonging of the missile that downed MH17 flight over Donbas are not more than an attempt to avoid the responsibility. Bohdan Senyk, the Head of Public Relations Department of Ukraine's Armed Forces claimed this as UNN reported.

"It is nonsense. As the international investigative commission claimed that the launch system was Russian, the missile was Russian; they were deployed accompanied from the Russian territory. So, this is just another attempt to avoid the responsibility," he explained.

Earlier A representative of the Russian defense ministry reported that the missile that downed Boeing 777 of Malaysian Airlines over Donbas in 2014 belongs to Ukraine's Armed Forces. The Russian authority claimed that the missile was made at Dolgoprudnensky factory in 1986 and sent to Ukraine's military unit; it allegedly was kept there until the tragedy happened. The ministry also claimed that it has access to the audio records made by the Ukrainian military; the tapes allegedly confirm that Ukraine is involved in the crash.

Boeing 777 of Malaysian Airlines, flight number MH17, was destroyed while performing a regular flight from the Netherlands to Malaysia in July 2014. The tragedy took place in the sky over the militant-held section of Donetsk region. All 298 people aboard deceased; most of the victims, 196, were Dutch, but there were citizens of other nine countries as well.

Related video:Open source

The resident of Luhansk region was revealed at Hoptivka checkpoint. He tried to transfer around 21 kg of plant-based substance to Russia, as the website of Ukraines State Border Guard Service reports.

Volkswagen car was noticed in Hoptivka checkpoint  a dog reacted on the vehicle during the check. Luhansk region resident, who was at the wheel, intended to transfer 21 kg of plant-based substance, supposedly, marijuana, to Russia.

It was reported that during the check of the car, 68 rolls with a gray-green substance were found. According to the driver, the total amount of the potion is around 13 kg. But the law enforcers determined that 21 kg of plant-based substance was to be transferred to.

Investigation is underway. The culprit and the substance were handed over to SBU, the message says.According to him, Pushkin restaurant was chosen for the operation of elimination of the so-called "BNR" Head in 2017

Open source

The representatives of the so-called DNR made public the confession of the suspect of assassination attempt on Aleksandr Zakharchenko, the Head of DNR in 2017. The man was allegedly enlisted by SBU. DNR Ministry of State Security provided Russia-controlled Zvezda TV channel with a video of the questioning, which was later revealed.

As the TV channel informed, the man, who introduced himself Oleksandr Pogorelov, was detained in 2017. Yet, after Zakharchenkos death the officers of State Security Ministry decided to make the video of the questioning public.

I was enlisted in Kyiv in 2014 by SBU officer Segei. I chose a call sign Legionnaire and signed an agreement on cooperation with the Ukrainian intelligence. Sergei appointed a meeting on Zoloti Vorota subway station. He was with someone else, who introduced himself as Roman  the head of the fifth office of SBU Counter-Intelligence Department. He told me that the priority task then was elimination of the DNR Head, Pogorelov said.

According to him, Pushkin restaurant was chosen for the operation.

We chose Pushkin restaurant. It was defined that the Head of the Republic was sitting at different tables, so it was hard to determine which one he would choose, so Roman and Sergei said that it was necessary to set an explosive device in the toilet of the restaurant, the suspect noted.

Pogorelov confessed that he set a device under the sink and then activated it.

As Sergei said, SBU technical officers made this device was, it had a camera inside. I got the device through the transporter in Donetsk, brought it to the restaurant, set it under the sink, activated and told Sergei about it, he said.

He also said that he didnt know there was another subversive group to eliminate Zakharchenko. It was allegedly working in Donetsk centre in another facility. Pogorelov stated that this group was to use a brand-new system of remote-controlled explosive device.

Sergei told me that they were testing this remote-controlled explosive device in Kyiv and it worked well through thick concrete wall, passed a signal on around 1,5  2 km this signal cant be stifled, he told.

He added that the U.S. special forces provided it. The cost was around $10,000.

Reportedly, on August 31, as a result of the explosion in the restaurant in the downtown of Donetsk, head of so-called DNR Aleksandr Zakharchenko died. The Russian mass media reported that Oleksandr Timofeyev, so-called "minister of revenue and duties" of so-called "DNR" has also died. The so-called law enforcers of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic stated that they detained Ukrainian saboteurs who are presumably involved in the assassination of Zakharchenko. Although, SBU hasnt approved the information.

ORDO, Separate district of Donetsk region, suspects one of the guards of Zakharchenko in his death. At the same time, the Russian MFA accused "Kyiv regime" in the death of Zakharchenko. It was reported on the closure of all crossing checkpoints along the Inter-Entity Boundary Line because of the incident. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences over the murder of Zakharchenko.A meditation and sharing support group focused on the practice of Buddhist teachings and the 12 steps of recovery while integrating the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation.

The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and sharing support group with the purpose of bringing together the practice of meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the Twelve Steps of Recovery with the goal of integrating the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation with our commitment to abstinence. We welcome all those who wish to share in these common interests.

The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and sharing support group with the purpose of bringing together the practice of meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the Twelve Steps of Recovery with the goal of integrating the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation with our commitment to abstinence. We welcome all those who wish to share in these common interests.A hybrid form of yoga that combines traditional yoga postures with modern yoga moves and a silk hammock. Pre-registration required.

Please note: Aerial Yoga at the Yoga Art Space studio requires pre-registration through our website at www.YogaArtSpace.com/calendar. If no one registers for a class, the class may be cancelled between 6-12 hours prior to the class start time. Though this event is shown as a regular, weekly class each week on the Alabi calendar, there are occasionally times when the class will be cancelled in advance such as for certain holidays. All updates and cancellations are on the studio calendar at www.YogaArtSpace.com/calendar.

What is Aerial yoga?

Aerial Yoga is a hybrid form of yoga that combines traditional yoga postures infused with modern yoga moves and an silk fabric hammock.

Do I need Previous Yoga Experience?

No previous yoga experience is not necessary to enjoy an Aerial yoga class. In fact it can be easier than normal yoga! The silk hammock acts like a support whenever you require it, almost like having your own personal yoga teacher giving you assistance throughout the entire yoga class! Another advantage of having the support of the hammock is that 90% of students are able to complete more challenging poses, such as handstands!

Can Everybody do Aerial Yoga?

Yes and no. Students who have had a previous injury can find Aerial yoga much easier to participate in then normal yoga. This is due to the the weight being evenly distributed between your body, the hammock and the earth.

People who suffer any of following contraindications are advised NOT to participate in an Aerial yoga class: if you have had recent surgery of any sort, if you suffer glaucoma, if you are pregnant, if you suffer a heart condition (including very high or low blow pressure), if you get vertigo, if you have had a recent stroke or a hernia, if you have osteoporosis or any bone weakness, if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, or if you have had botox in the last six hours.

What Should I Wear?

All jewellery items must be removed before participating, a t-shirt must be worn to cover the armpit area and leggings are advised to avoid the silk rubbing on the skin and creating irritation. Please have clean feet or, alternatively, bring a pair of socks with you.Discuss a 60-year-old conspiracy following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision that inspired certain individuals to begin the process of dismantling our society.

Topic: Democracy in Chains, The Radical Right Conspiracy

Presented by Willard Hunter

We will discuss a 60 year old conspiracy following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision that inspired certain individuals to begin the process of dismantling our society. Today, the Koch brothers billionaires network, using techniques pioneered by Vladimir Lenin, have perpetrated a broad assault on important American democratic institutions. Their goal is to destroy majority rule and restructure the American government so that it spends money only on enforcement of rule of law (they create) and national security. Think about what that would mean  no social security, environmental protections, labor protections, and public education, for starters. Please join us for a discussion of Nancy MacLeans book Democracy in Chains and Jane Mayers book Dark Money.

Gray Panthers brings together young, old, women, men, persons of all ethnic, racial and economic backgrounds for the promotion of social and economic justice. Gray Panthers is a member of Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice.Salesforce is contracted with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use its cloud technology for information sharing. Protesters put the company on notice at the #WeWontBeComplicit march in New York City on July 31. (Photo by Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Movimiento Cosecha (The Harvest Movement), an immigrant justice organization, defines complicity with ICE as being involved in or facilitating deportations. The group targets even more casual connections, like when Customs and Border Protection agents boarded Greyhound buses asking for identification from Latinx passengers or when Motel 6 allegedly gave ICE information on Latinx guests.

The more institutions stop working with ICE, the more people are forced to ask themselves, which side am I on? says Arielle Clynes, an organizer with Cosecha.

Cosechas No Business with ICE campaign kicked off in early July at an Amazon bookstore in Manhattans Columbus Circle. We wanted to make a statement that if Amazon does business with ICE, were not going to let them do business at all, Clynes says. Cosecha activists blocked the entrance with a rally and shut down the store for the day.

The pressure escalated during a July 31 day of action in 10 cities. In Boston, hundreds marched at Northeastern University, which holds a $7.8 million technological research contract with ICE; twelve were arrested after lying down in the street in front of university President Joseph Aouns home. In Philadelphia, eight protesters were arrested after occupying the lobby of the Comcast Center for 90 minutes; Comcast provides internet access to ICE. In New York, Cosecha partnered with Science for the People on a march from Microsoft and Salesforce headquarters to an Amazon Books on 34th Street. In Palo Alto, the group targeted Palantir headquarters.

Other Cosecha protests focused on municipal officials. Local coordination with ICE has spiked in the Trump era, with DMVs, hospitals and even public schools sharing personal data on immigrant families. In liberal cities like Los Angeles and Philadelphia, activists are demanding that public officials live up to their values, but even redder towns like Grand Rapids, Mich., and Williamson County, Texas, have seen protests.

The next wave of the campaign will target investors in the lucrative immigrant detention industry. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) released a report August 10 identifying 26 hedge funds holding over $4 billion in stock in Geo Group, CoreCivic and General Dynamics. The report urges public pensions serving AFTs teachers, which carry over $3 trillion in assets under management, to dump those hedge funds from their portfolios. AFT President Randi Weingarten condemned the hedge funds for abetting the administrations policies of family separation and the permanent harm it has caused children.

Beneficiaries of immigration-related investments include the burgeoning class of multi-millionaire politicians. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) has money in a private equity fund that owns Correct Care Solutions, a healthcare provider that serves immigrant jails. Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte (R) bought at least $100,000 in CoreCivic stock in January. SuperPACs for Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), who is now running for U.S. Senate, took hundreds of thousands of dollars from Geo Group.

But the firms spread their cash around to both parties. Democrats in Congress have scrambled to clean up their campaign treasuries. Records show the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign arm for House Democrats, taking a direct $10,000 donation from Geo Group in November 2017, and over $380,000 throughout the 2018 election cycle bundled by lobbyists connected to private prison companies. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been criticized for taking money from landlords who rent out field offices to ICE.

The pressure put on anyone profiting from or enabling ICE complements the direct-action tactics of a growing movement known as Occupy ICE. Abolitionists have physically blocked entrances to ICE buildings in San Francisco, Louisville, and Tacoma, Wash., leading to confrontations with law enforcement. In Portland, Ore., ICE temporarily closed its facility; in Los Angeles, one entrance has been barricaded since late June. An Occupy ICE blockade in Denver drew a SWAT team and ICE employees had to drive across the lawn to leave the building. As much as we can, wed like to interrupt their ability to do their job, says one of the protesters arrested in Denver, who requested anonymity while his case is pending.

Out in the elements, protesters rally at JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimons Park Avenue penthouse July 25. (Photo courtesy of Make the Road New York)

The multi-pronged campaign against ICE and its private-sector partners is having an impact. After media scrutiny, MVM canceled its lease on the Phoenix office building housing migrant children. Consulting firm McKinsey terminated its contract with ICE, although its management consultant work for the agency had already been completed. New York state directed all its pension funds to divest from Geo Group and CoreCivic, following New York City and Philadelphia. At least 10 members of Congress have rejected Geo Group donations, along with state Democratic parties in California and Florida. Many politicians and parties have passed on donations to organizations protecting immigrants at the border.

But the movement is hoping for a signature victory. So far, no household names, like General Dynamics or Microsoft, have severed contracts with immigration authorities, and Amazon recently promised its unwavering commitment to work with law enforcement. ICE abolitionists plan to keep up the pressure. We dont see activism fatigue; we see people stepping up, says Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner of MomsRising.

Perhaps the most progress has been made in getting cities to cancel ICE contracts. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney revoked ICEs access to a city law enforcement database, a huge win for local organizing groups. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms prevented city jails from accepting new ICE detainees. And at least six cities and counties have canceled ICE contracts to use detention centers in their areas.

Bob Libal, executive director of Grassroots Leadership, recounts the organizations victory in suburban Williamson County, Texas. The county voted in June to end its contract in January 2019 for the T. Don Hutto Detention Center, a CoreCivic-run womens facility long accused of rampant abuse, though ICE could scramble to try and renegotiate. Grassroots Leadership used the testimony of 40 Hutto detainees separated from their families to sway county commissioners. We had people going to the county every week to read letters of women detained there, Libal says. It was really the powerful experience that won.

Some immigrant rights groups are wary of county closures because of the potential impact on current detainees. When Contra Costa County, Calif., Sheriff David Livingston revoked ICEs contract to house migrants at the West County Detention Facility, the group Freedom for Immigrants feared detainees would be moved across state lines, far from their families and legal resources. Canceling the contract shows that these protests are working, says Liz Martinez, advocacy and communications director for Freedom for Immigrants. But the real goal, she says, is to get people out of detention.

Libal, whose Grassroots Leadership has been trying to close down the Hutto detention center since it opened in 2006, says it was critical for the movement to gain momentum. You have to fight back somewhere, and one way to be effective is to win local battles, he says.

Geo Group has lost at least one contract because of its association with family separation. Lancaster County, Penn., rejected a Geo Group attempt to take over prison re-entry services, even though the contract had nothing to do with immigration. If they get painted as the family separator, thats going to hurt them across the board, says Jeremy Mohler of In the Public Interest.

Attacking the money alone will not fulfill the end goal; abolishing ICE will require legislation. But in the meantime, making ICE toxic can have powerful effects, preventing a return to the pre-Trump status quo of undocumented immigrants being treated abominably in virtual obscurity. Its already shown up in polling data; in just a few short months, ICE is net unfavorable, even less popular than the IRS. When a concept bleeds into the culture, as Abolish ICE signs are being seen at sporting events and the Statue of Liberty, that signals the ground is shifting. Even people who dont want to abolish ICE really hate ICE, says Sean McElwee, who popularized the Abolish ICE slogan. Its defined in an incredibly negative way, and that makes it hard to do its job.

Combining street protests with research on who profits from the immigration systema Gordian knot of opaque subcontracting and financing relationships that activists have been picking at for yearsis critical to that effort. When every uniform, every catered meal, every transportation shuttle, everything ICE does is contested, it throws sand into the gears of its operation.

ICEs extreme privatization was a catalyst to produce these pressure points, but it also speaks to a disconnect between capitalism and morality, and how family separation reveals those fissures. The ICE fight is about human rights but also labor rightsthe rights of workers to exert democratic control over company contracts and reject immoral work. Its about small towns with dried-up economies that have no choice but to become Americas migrant jailers. Its about the influence of lobbyists, and also financiers. Its about how the public gets a say in how public money should be spent. Its about the over-criminalization that gets the undocumented on ICEs radar. Its even about our energy policy, with climate refugees soon to follow the current wave of asylum seekers fleeing violence.

A lot of times in our politics, theres a singular focus on who is elected and who might hold formal reins of power, says Kevin Connor, co-founder of Little Sis, which has focused on ties between political and financial elites for years. This is a moment where people are seeing a power structure above and beyond that. Research systems and organizing can lay the groundwork for this kind of moment where that power structure can be challenged more directly.

This story was supported by the Leonard C. Goodman Institute for Investigative Reporting.Birtamode-Taplejung cargo fare hiked

Transport entrepreneurs have unilaterally hiked the cargo fare by up to 50 percent on the Birtamode-Taplejung route in the eastern region. This is expected to hit the wallets of common people as the cost of basic items will skyrocket ahead of the Dashain festival.Cashway Money Transfer begins SKorea service

South Korean remittance company, E9Pay and Cashway Money Transfer have inked a deal to allow Nepalese earners residing in South Korea to send money to their beloved ones in Nepal through E9PAY.Court orders release of two more suspects in gold case

The Biratnagar High Court has ordered the release of suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Prajit KC, one of the suspects in the 33kg gold smuggling case and the murder of carrier Sanam Shakya, on general date.Focus on trade

BIMSTEC seems to have too many things on its plate which is slowing it downEsta manana he enviado al @congresoperu el pedido de cuestion de confianza de acuerdo a lo que establece la Constitucion. Las reformas politica y de justicia van!#ReformaYa https://t.co/3lJ8C5oRhHA Dog Bakery for Chelsea

The Brown Basset opens.

by Shelley Daily

Published in September, 2018

It's a Saturday morning in mid-August, as Lexi, a mini Australian shepherd blue heeler, noses her way into the Brown Basset, the new dog bakery on W. Middle St. Lexi doesn't know it, but today's her first birthday, and she's about to get spoiled.



Her owner, Jacki Shatzer, is here from Waterford Township with her mother to commemorate the special occasion. Thankfully for Lexi, Brown Basset's owners, Staci and John Tripolsky, have one cake left: it's an all-natural carrot and cinnamon concoction made with organic whole wheat flour and drizzled with carob icing for $18.95. "Sold!" exclaims Shatzer's mother, who explains that Lexi is her "grandpuppy, who always gets special treats."



The Tripolskys, who are in their mid-thirties, don't have kids, and Staci calls their four-year-old basset hound Cooper their "fur child." She says she understands the need to spoil "special members of the family": she's been making homemade treats for Cooper since he was a pup. Staci often posted photos of her creations online and always received encouragement from friends. The couple had "joked about" opening a dog bakery, but after they moved to Chelsea earlier this year from Charleston, South Carolina, to be closer to their families, they found a spot perfect for their pipe dream.



Bonnie and Scott Cook--owners of the Potting Shed and Violet & Moss gift shops as well as Kitty Face, a baby and children's store--had put their Twigs gift shop space on W. Middle St. up for lease "to concentrate on our three big stores," Bonnie says. The Tripolskys--who'd just moved into what Staci calls a "cute fixer-upper" a few doors down--originally looked at the vacancy as office space for John, who owns a digital marketing company based in Charleston. But Staci says that, when they walked into the long, narrow sunlight-filled space with high ceilings and hardwood floors, they changed their mind. They'd already done research on dog bakeries and knew "there might be a business model here."

...continued below...

The nearest competition for homemade canine treats is Three Dog Bakery in Plymouth.Staci, who works full-time in health care marketing for a senior living facility in Saline, is the Brown Basset's "baker and social media guru," John says. She bakes Thursday evenings in their home's double oven using both original and adapted recipes that are all natural, with no preservatives. She says the treats, which include cookies, muffins, twists, doughnuts, cupcakes, and wafers, will last up to a week in the fridge.The breath-mint cookies "are always the first to go," Staci says. Peanut butter-pumpkin cookies are a favorite for senior dogs because of their softer texture. And "Fishy Treats," a pungent tuna-salmon recipe that's available regular or gluten-free, is also a hot seller. She says customers come in for everyday treats as well as birthdays and "Gotcha Days," which celebrate adoption anniversaries. Staci takes preorders for cakes and also tries to have some available in the store.John completed the renovations in thirty days--including building a twenty-foot-long custom counter with a bakery case. "We were here until four a.m. on opening day," he says. The spot is a hit for customers like Bailey Mae Quinn, a year-old Jack Russell-lab-husky mix and a rescue from the Humane Society of Huron Valley, who's visiting on this Saturday."She came on the 'love train' from Tennessee [a dog adoption program]," says her owner Tammy Quinn, who's shopping with daughter Maddie. "That's why we gave her a southern name. She's our princess," she says. Staci feeds Bailey Mae a bonus treat, and the Quinns leave with a bag of goodies. Cookies run $1.25 each, and doughnuts are $2. The Tripolskys also sell multipacks of treats in some varieties.Most of the bakery items--including an apple cinnamon doughnut with carob icing--look appetizing enough for the human customers. They're totally safe to eat, Staci confirms, "but they're missing the key ingredient we love," Staci says, and "that's sugar."---Chelsea resident Michael Nelson says he's nearing the end of renovations on hisrestaurant in Plaid Melon's former space on N. Main and plans to open in late fall. He'll serve "Mediterranean street food," including falafel, soups, and salads, as well as some India-inspired dishes, including house specialty Brahma Chicken--his version of tikka masala, served with basmati rice, naan, and hummus. Nelson, who has a decade of experience in the restaurant industry, says opening his own place has "always been my dream." [Originally published in September, 2018.]YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Leaders of South Korea and North Korea will hold bilateral negotiations on Tuesday and Wednesday, a spokesperson for the South Korean presidents administration said Monday, according to TASS.

"Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un will hold two rounds of bilateral negotiations - on Tuesday and Wednesday," TASS quoted the South Korean official as saying.

He added that the South Korean president will arrive to Pyongyang on a direct flight from Seoul at 10 a.m. (04:00 Moscow time) on September 18. The meeting will be held in the afternoon, he said.

The South Korean president will visit Pyongyang on September 18-20. The visit is expected to focus firstly on issues of denuclearization and bilateral cooperation.



Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Iraqi government has approved the deployment of border guards on the countrys border with Turkey, to prevent any breaches from happening, a statement from the Iraqi Prime Ministers office said.

Earlier on September 16 Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi chaired a meeting in Baghdad of the Ministerial Council for National Security to discuss security and stability.

The Ministerial Council issued several orders including the deployment of border guards across Iraqs border with Turkey to prevent any violations, the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry will take the necessary measures to document the Turkish violations of Iraqi airspace to the United Nations, the statement added.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanJournalists body declares drive to protect free press

The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has announced a campaign to exert pressure on the government to make amendments to some provisions in the new Civil Code and Criminal Code.YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenian foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan met with his counterpart from Artsakh Masis Mayilyan on September 17, the foreign ministry said.

The two initially held a one-on-one meeting, followed by an expanded format meeting with delegations.

The sides were pleased to note the frequent and substantive nature of the bilateral meetings, which enables to address numerous agenda issues in detail.

The FMs stressed the importance of holding regular sectoral consultations between the two foreign ministries.

Mnatsakanyan and Mayilyan exchanged ideas over a number of issued relating to the peaceful settlement process of the NK conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format.

Mayilyan also awarded his Armenian counterpart with the Commemorative Medal dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Artsakh foreign ministrys establishment.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenias healthcare minister Arsen Torosyan is currently on a working visit in Italy to take part in the 68th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Rome.

According to the World Health Organizations website, items on the agenda of the session include -

The European health report 2018;

Implementation of the roadmap to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Health 2020, the European policy framework for health and well-being, and review of the joint monitoring framework;

Advancing public health in the WHO European Region for sustainable development;

Can people afford to pay for health care? New evidence on financial protection in Europe;

Action plan to improve public health preparedness and response in the WHO European Region;

Strategy on the health and well-being of men in the WHO European Region;

Implementation of the Regional Framework for Surveillance and Control of Invasive Mosquito Vectors and Re-emerging Vector-borne Diseases 20142020: lessons learned and the way forward;

Vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization: realizing the full potential of the European Vaccine Action Plan;

Countries at the centre: the strategic role of country offices in the WHO European Region;

Impact of WHO reform on the work of the WHO European Region;

Accreditation of regional non-State actors to the WHO Regional Committee for Europe;

Report on WHO high-level meetings:

Health Systems Respond to NCDs: Experience in the European Region (Sitges, Spain, 1618 April 2018);

Health Systems for Prosperity and Solidarity: Leaving No One Behind (Tallinn, Estonia, 1314 June 2018).

In addition to the agenda items mentioned above, 15 progress reports will provide updates on the implementation of a number of resolutions approved by the Regional Committee at previous sessions. As is customary, ministerial lunches and technical briefings will offer additional opportunities to discuss technical items.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Special Investigative Service (SIS) of Armenia told ARMENPRESS that they have no information about the alleged search operations in the head office of Yerevan Today  an online Armenian media outlet.

SIS spokesperson Marina Ohanjanyan told ARMENPRESS she has no information about the report which claimed that police and the SIS are raiding the media outlets office.

Certain news media have reported earlier today that police officers and SIS agents are carrying out search operations in the head office of Yerevan Today.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Investigative Committee continues the investigation into the criminal case on the wiretapping of the phone conversation between National Security Service director Arthur Vanetsyan and Special Investigative Service director Sasun Khachatryan. The criminal case was launched on breaching confidentiality, wiretapping and leaking the conversation.

The Investigative Committee told ARMENPRESS that investigators are carrying out search operations in a number of addresses as part of the probe. Other details of the investigation arent subject to public disclosure, the committee said.

According to media reports, the head office of Yerevan Today online media outlet is being searched.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. An inspection group of the Armenian Armed Forces will carry out inspections of announced locations in the territory of Turkey September 17-22 within the framework of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), the defense ministry of Armenia told ARMENPRESS.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Armenia has sponsored the Village Life and Traditions Festival in Yerevan as part of the Year of Zayed initiative. The festivals goal is to highlight the traditions of women farmers and development, as well as provide material assistance to women of different regions and villages of Armenia for implementation of their projects and crafts.

The Year of Zayed initiative has been organized by the government of the UAE on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of birth of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates.

The initiative aims at strengthening and spreading the values which the countrys founder established. These values include supporting and empowering women worldwide.

UAE Embassy Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Mrs. Ahlam al-Salami delivered opening remarks at the festival, noting that this is already the third consecutive year that the embassy is carrying out this initiative.

The festival enabled to develop the work of women farmers, organize meetings, conduct exchange of experience and find new and real markets for their products.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenia remains committed to the peaceful negotiations process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, within the internationally accepted format, which is called Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, Armenias foreign ministry Zohrab Mnatsakanyan told reporters in Artsakh, addressing his upcoming meeting with Azerbaijans foreign minister.

Yes, this is a continuous process, it will happen. I have already mentioned once, let me repeat, that I respect the rules of work in similar processes, and one of these rules is announcing the date, hour and location of the meeting in an agreed manner. Be sure, that all this will be done in an agreed-upon manner and naturally it will be available to all, the FM said.

Addressing a question about the ongoing military exercises in Azerbaijan, the Armenian FM said: We are constantly emphasizing the important circumstance that if we are seriously moving towards peaceful settlement, and it is exclusively peaceful settlement for everyone, exclusively through negotiations and exclusively within the Minsk Group co-chairmanship, this important factors are subject to real implementation in terms of practice, when we are working in the direction of creating an atmosphere contributing to peace. What took place during this period doesnt anyhow contribute to the formation of such an atmosphere, both in terms of rhetoric and moreover in terms of actions. This is condemnable and unacceptable, when we have signs of tension, when we have actions of targeting peaceful civilians. Naturally this is unacceptable.

We have clearly noted that both Armenia and Artsakh are capable of defending themselves, but this isnt our goal. We must avoid crises with all cost, avoid the situation which can simply bring disaster to this region. No one will win or lose from this. This must be clearly realized. It is unacceptable, condemnable and is seriously damaging the peaceful process.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Six defendants in the ongoing trial of the Nork Marash Armed Group case have been released from pre-trial detention today by a Yerevan court.

Lawmakers Ararat Zurabyan (Tsarukyan faction), Napoleon Azizyan (Tsarukyan faction), Hovik Aghazaryan (Yelk faction) and Lena Nazaryan (Yelk faction) submitted personal guarantees for the release of four of the suspects, while the other two were released based on approving their attorneys request to change the measure of restraint.

The prosecutors did not object the motions.

Earlier in June, another defendant  ex deputy minister of defense Vahan Shirkhanyan - in the same case was set free.

More than 30 people are charged in the case.

The syndicate, dubbed the Nork Marash armed group, led by Arthur Vardanyan, had planned to overthrow the government at the time of their arrest in 2015, according to law enforcement agencies.

Armenian intelligence agencies earlier said the syndicate planned to down the presidential aircraft, attack the presidential residence, the governmental HQ, the Parliament Seat, the Constitutional Court building and other state buildings.

Intelligence agencies gathered the information and apprehended all members of the syndicate in November 2015, when national security agents stormed the compound of the syndicate in Yerevans Nork Marash district. The location of the compound was the reason why the media dubbed the syndicate  Nork Marash Armed Group.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Engineering units of the Russian military base of Armenia have commenced special tactical military exercises in the Kahmud and Alagyaz training grounds within the framework of bilateral company tactical drills.

The Southern Military District of Russia said that servicemen are carrying out engineering reconnaissance missions during the drills.

The troops are using the KORSHUN landmine detectors and K9 units. More than 100 servicemen and 50 units of military equipment are involved.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has held a meeting today with governors of central banks of Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member countries, who have arrived in Armenia to participate in the events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the Armenian currency, the dram.

During the meeting the PM welcomed the executives in the Armenian government and thanked them for taking part in the events.

PM Pashinyan noted that despite the non-violent, velvet revolution, the Armenian dram continued maintaining stability, which is an important factor in terms of economic development.

He attached importance to close partnership between central banks of EEU countries for the development of financial markets, advancement of economies and introduction of new mechanisms.

The Armenian PM expressed hope that productive and constructive discussions will continue between the executives of financial structures for developing cooperation.

The governors presented to the PM the steps aimed at further expansion of partnership, which will contribute to the development and enhancement of economies within integration processes, including capital markets and trade-turnover ties.

Ideas were exchanged over the possibilities of implementing mutual calculations with national currencies within the EEU.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanMan held with firearm

Police arrested a 27-year-old man in possession of an automatic pistol from Ghorahi in Dang district on Saturday.YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan Today Editor-In-Chief Sevak Hakobyan has commented on the search operations which were carried out in the head office of the news media outlet by police and investigative committee detectives.

He told reporters that what happened was odd.

According to him, the reason behind it all is that Yerevan Today was first to report the audio recording of the wiretapped phone conversation between the NSS director and the SIS director, which was leaked online. The Editor-In-Chief said he will soon summon a press conference. At this moment I can only say that they have confiscated my computer and the hard drives of the other computers. Moreover, this happened as result of double inspections. They noted that the information, for which they had arrived, was published on our website a lot later than it was distributed, but after this they confiscated whatever they wanted and left, Hakobyan told reporters.

Asked to clarify whether Yerevan Today is somehow affiliated with former President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, the Editor-In-Chief dismissed the rumors, claiming that Kocharyan isnt the owner and has nothing to do with it.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Human Rights Defenders Office has launched a discussion proceeding regarding the search operations carried out by the investigative committee at the head office of Yerevan Today  a Yerevan-based online news media outlet.

The Human Rights Defenders Office told ARMENPRESS that they have studied both the reports and Yerevan Todays clarifications over the matter.

The Human Rights Defenders Office said it has noted the Investigative Committees statement which said that the search has nothing to do with the media outlets journalistic activities.

Nevertheless, taking into account that the matter relates to a search operation in the editorial office of a news media outlet, regardless of the statement of the state body the Human Rights Defenders Office has requested the investigators to issue clarifications.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. A massive fire has broken out on the slopes of Mount Ararat, and the fire is still far away from the Armenian-Turkish border, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia.

Edited and translated by Tigran SirekanyanAlso in 2016, SHoP Architects completed one of the countrys most-documented prefab projects: 461 Dean St. in Prospect Heights, which, at 32 stories, is still the tallest modular building in the world.

Developed by Forest City as part of its massive Atlantic Yards project, its prefab modules were constructed by Full Stack Modular at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, currently the citys only modular fabricator. (Most prefab factories are located outside major cities, where space and labor are cheaper.) The company, created in-house specifically for the project, later spun off from the developer.

In order to avoid factory-style uniformity, SHoP utilized a variety of materials, colors, patterns, unit types and fabrication techniques for each of the buildings three volumes, creating an intricate play of light, pattern, and texture outside, and an array of spaces inside....

461 Dean first made headlines for delays: From start to finish, the project ended up taking about four years  more than twice the normal time for a high-rise. But both [SHoP principal Chris] Sharples and Full Stack CEO Roger Krulak blame the slowness not on the modular systems, but on disagreements between Forest City and the projects original contractor, Skanska (replaced by Turner). The project, now owned by Principal Global Investors, has since proven its worth by renting virtually all of its 363 units. Of those, 181 are set aside as affordable, while market-rate pads currently start at $2,710.

(Emphases added)





For more background, here's my 2017 roundup on the building.





The units were not constructed by Full Stack Modular. Rather, they were constructed by FCS Modular, a partnership between Forest City and Skanska, and later FC Modular, after Forest City bought out Skanska. Then Krulak, who as a Forest City executive worked on the project, bought the factory and established Full Stack Modular.









Also, the building may have been too tall. Krulak SHoP did indeed succeed in avoiding uniformity, but at the cost of standardization and speed; those in the modular field have said As Krulak told Wired, the diversity of modules--32 types!--meant "we probably went a little overboard on the complexity."Also, the building may have been too tall. Krulak told Fast.Co Design, "Our sweet spot for modular in an urban environment is in the 10-to-18-story, 80,000-to-120,000-square-foot buildings." Height adds risks of lack of "tolerance" for fitting perfectly.





The slowness wasn't merely because of "disagreements" but flaws in the building--whether the fault of the design or the implementation--that had serious implications: the structure suffered leaks, mold emerged, and the first four floors "were largely gutted," a state monitor reported , in documents I acquired through a Freedom of Information Law request.





As to whether the building's proven its worth, well, occupancy isn't a full metric. Forest City sold the tower at a seeming loss , given construction costs. Moreover, of course, Forest City's original plan to build the entire project modular was upended.

From the New York Post, 9/13/18, New Yorks modular building revolution is here , an overview of modular construction efforts, contains a segment on Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park:Whos property market forecasts are you going to believe?

Those of the media outlets who tell us our property market is collapsing when in reality values have fallen a total of 2% over the last year.

Also read: Is this Australias biggest tax scandal?

Or our new treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, who after consulting with the RBA and APRA has concluded that were in for an orderly soft landing in the Sydney and Melbourne markets.

Now Im not suggesting property values wont fall further in some locations  they will, but there is no sign of a general market collapse.

Also read: Want to be rich and successful? Heres how

The current tight lending criteria and subdued consumer confidence will continue to weigh heavily on the market, but recently ANZ Bank suggested that there are signs the property markets could stabilise by year end.

So lets take a look at whats really happening around the Australian property markets as we unpack the latest Corelogic charts and stats:

Michael Yardney 17.09.18

Source: Corelogic

Over the last year property values have trended higher in Hobart, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane; but are lower in Perth, Darwin, Sydney and Melbourne. In general the more expensive properties, which are more subject to discretionary spending, are the weakest segment of the market.

Source: Corelogic

SYDNEY HOUSING MARKET

The Sydney property market peaked in mid 2017 and home prices are down 5.6% over the last year.

Over the past five years, median dwelling prices have increased by 51.0% compared to household incomes increasing by just 16.1%.

It has been a similar story over the past decade with median price growth (89.0%) more than double the household income growth (42.0% meaning housing affordability has become an issue for some segments of the market.

Sydney is currently offering investors an opportunity to buy established apartments in the eastern suburbs, lower north shore and inner west in a buyers market with little further downside and the prospect of the market moving forward again in 2019.

MELBOURNE HOUSING MARKET

Story continues

The Melbourne property market peaked in November 2017 and is experiencing a soft landing after 5 years of strong price growth.

Property values are now 3.5% below their peak.

Over the past five years, median property prices in Melbourne have increased by 41.5% and over the past decade they are 77.3% higher.

By comparison, household incomes are just 12.4% higher over the past five years and 34.7% higher over the decade, both of which are much lower than price growth, meaning housing affordability has become an issue for some segments of the market.

While Melbournes property prices are likely to fall by a little further, they will be underpinned by a robust economy, jobs growth Australias strongest population growth and the influx of 35% of all overseas migrants.

BRISBANE HOUSING MARKET

Property price growth in Brisbane has been slow over the past few years, however Brisbane is the market with the most potential for growth over the next 3 years.

Housing is relatively affordable in Brisbane compared to the other east coast capital cities.

Over the past five years, median prices are 16.1% higher while household incomes have increased 9.2%.

Throughout the 10 years to June 2018, prices are 24.1% higher while household income growth has been stronger at 31.3%.

Queensland has led the nation in net interstate migration over the past year and job creation is quite strong in part because of the many significant infractructure projects being built.

ADELAIDE HOUSING MARKET

The annual rate of property price growth continues to slow in Adelaide, but prices are up 1% over the last 12 months, a better result that in some other capital cities.

The greatest price growth has shifted from the highest valued properties towards the lower and middle of the market.

But the 12.5% increase in new unit supply expected over the next two years is likely to put a dampener on the market.

With little price growth occurring housing remains relatively affordable in Adelaide.

Over the past 5 years dwelling prices are 15.6% higher compared to an 11.9% increase in household income growth.

Over the past decade total house price growth (31.6%) and the growth in household incomes has been very similar.

I know some investors are looking for opportunities in Adelaide hoping (speculating) prices will increase but there are few growth drivers in Adelaide which is experiencing above average unemployment rates and poor employment growth.

PERTH HOUSING MARKET

The Perth property market has been on a downward trajectory since peaking in June 2014.

For a brief period earlier in the year, Perths housing market was showing some positive signs, however values have trended lower over the past four months to be down 2.3% over the first eight months of the year.

The local unit market has recorded weaker conditions relative to houses, with unit values down 5.5% over the year to date while house values are down a lower 1.5%.

Prices and rents have been falling in Perth since 2014 and as a result there has been a substantial improvement in housing affordability.

Household income has grown at a faster pace over the past five (3.7%) and 10 years (30.6%) than median dwelling prices over the past five (1.1%) and 10 years (11.6%) leading to a significant improvement in affordability, yet Perth house prices keep falling due to local economic conditions, poor consumer confidence and an adverse supply and demand ratio.

While the Perth market may level out in the next six months, its much too early for a countercyclical investment in the west  I cant see prices rising significantly for a number of years.

HOBART MARKET UPDATE

Hobart has been the strongest performing capital city over the last 2 years.

Over the last five years median dwelling prices have increased at about double the rate of household income growth creating a deterioration in housing affordability in the Apple Isle.

This together with investors moving their aim to the next hot spot suggests that Hobarts strong property price growth will slow down in the coming year.

DARWIN HOUSING MARKET

The Darwin property market peaked in August 2010 is still suffering from the effects of the end of our mining boom today 8 years later falling a another 4% over the last year, and our research suggests that house prices are likely to keep falling for some time yet.

Darwin is Australias most affordable capital city housing markets due to its high wages at a time of continuing house price and rental falls.

Over the past decade, prices are up 30.3% compared to a 60.8% increase in household incomes.

Darwin does not have significant growth drivers on the horizon and would be best avoided by investors.

CANBERRA MARKET UPDATE

Canberras property market is a quiet achiever having grown 3.4 % over the last year and is likely to continue to perform well underpinned by a stable economy which has led to steady employment and to above average population growth (1.8% per annum.)

Houses price growth has outpaced its flatter apartment market.

Housing affordability in Canberra has deteriorated over the past five years, as median house prices grew 23.6% during a period when household incomes only grew 15.5%.

Interestingly over the past decade, median prices have increased at a similar rate (40.0%) to household incomes (41.4%).

RENTAL GROWTH HAS STALLED

At the same time as house prices are fallen rental growth has been sluggish around Australia, and rents have fallen a little in Sydney and Darwin.

Another sign of our slowing markets is the increased length of time it takes to sell a property with the length of time it takes to sell a property having increased relative to a year ago.

POPULATION GROWTH

Population growth remains strong however, and this will underpin our property markets.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Were clearly in the next stage of the property cycle and Australias property markets are very fragmented, driven by local factors including jobs growth, population growth, consumer confidence and supply and demand.

This makes it an opportune time for both home buyers and investors to buy property at a time when theyll face less competition.

However correct asset selection will be more important now than ever, so only buy in areas where there are multiple growth drivers such as employment growth, population growth or major infrastructure changes.

Similarly, suburbs undergoing gentrification are likely to outperform.

Michael Yardney is a director of Metropole Property Strategists, which creates wealth for its clients through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He is a best-selling author, one of Australias leading experts in wealth creation through property and writes the Property Update blog.Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has been ruled out of the rest of the Asia Cup with a broken hand after batting despite his injury in the opening match, an official said Monday. "He got two fractures in his hand. He would not be able to continue here and also for the next three to four weeks," team manager Khaled Mahmud told AFP from Dubai. Tamim was hailed as national hero after he returned to bat with his injured hand for the final wicket during Bangladesh's 137-run win in Saturday's opening match against Sri Lanka. The left-hander received a blow to his wrist in the second over of Bangladesh's innings when he was hit by a short ball from Suranga Lakmal. He left the field for hospital for a scan, and when he returned to the ground with a sling on his injured hand his Asia Cup was thought to be over. But the opener stunned all by striding out to bat after Bangladesh lost their ninth wicket for 229 runs. He fashioned a hole in his glove in order to fit his taped wrist, and used one hand in facing a single delivery to give the strike back to Mushfiqur Rahim, who was batting on 112. Mushfiqur then scored 32 off 16 balls alone in their 10th-wicket partnership, guiding Bangladesh to 261 runs before he was dismissed in the final over for 144. Bangladesh later bowled out Sri Lanka for 124 runs to record their biggest win on foreign soil, making a giant leap towards the Super Four round. Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in their second match of the tournament in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal was hailed as national hero after he returned to bat with his injured hand for the final wicket during Bangladesh's 137-run win in Saturday's opening match against Sri LankaIn her first solo charity project, Meghan, the newly-wed wife of Britain's Prince Harry, launches a cookbook this week in support of families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire disaster in London. The Duchess of Sussex has written the foreword to the recipe collection entitled "Together: Our Community Cookbook", produced by women who suffered from the fatal blaze. The June 2017 fire in a 24-storey residential block killed 71 people and left many more living in temporary accommodation. Women from the affected community made use of a kitchen in a local Muslim cultural centre to prepare food for their families. The duchess has made several visits to the kitchen and helped bring the book to fruition, as well as narrating a video about the initiative. "I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together," she wrote in the foreword. "Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy -- in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy. "Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive." The book showcases more than 50 recipes from across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. Meghan, a former US television actress, married Harry at Windsor Castle in May. Joined by Harry, she is hosting an event at Kensington Palace on Thursday to mark the launch of "Together". The couple are due to undertake their first major official trip outside Britain from October 16 to 31, touring Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. They will take in Harry's Invictus Games in Sydney: a paralympic-style event for wounded military veterans. Meghan, joined by husband Harry, is hosting an event at Kensington Palace on to mark the launch of "Together", a cookbook in support of families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in LondonCanada's trade minister on Monday signalled that the government will push ratification of the Trans Pacific Partnership quickly through parliament, as stalled North American free trade talks have raised concerns it could lose its privileged access to the US market. "Rapid ratification of the TPP" will mean "farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs and workers across the country can finally tap into new markets," Trade Minister Jim Carr said in a speech to parliament. Signed in March without the United States, the Trans-Pacific Partnership will come into effect 60 days after ratification by at least six of the 11 signatories -- Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The trading bloc represents 500 million consumers and 13 percent of the world's economic output. Ottawa wants to be among the first six TPP signatories, but is facing pushback from the powerful union representing Canadian auto workers. Unifor wants stricter labor standards written into the pact and for negotiations with the United States and Mexico to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement completed first. High-level talks ended last week with no deal, and no date has been set yet for Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland to return to Washington to continue negotiations. For Canada, implementing the TPP is "of paramount importance," said Carr, if only to act as a counterbalance to growing US protectionism under US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to cut Canada out of a new continental trade deal if Ottawa didn't give in to his demands. "This is not just a new trade agreement for Canada, it is also a message we send to the rest of the world: trade is important, the rules are important and we will not give in to protectionism," the minister said. Jim Carr (L) Canadian Minister of International Trade meets with Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade of Britain in Ottawa, Ontario, on September 17, 2018. Carr said Ottawa would now push Trans Pacific Partnership ratification in parliamentThe Czech Republic will limit the use of substances containing the controversial glyphosate weedkiller as of next year, the agriculture ministry said on Monday. Glyphosate was introduced in 1974 by US agro-giant Monsanto under the brand-name Roundup. Earlier this year, Monsanto was wholly acquired by German behemoth Bayer. A World Health Organization study has found that glyphosate probably causes cancer but studies conducted since have disagreed. The Czech Republic will ban the blanket use of glyphosate as a weedkiller and as a drying agent to accelerate plant maturation, the ministry said in a statement. "These substances will only be employed in cases when no other efficient method can be used," Agriculture Minister Miroslav Toman said. The ministry also said glyphosate use in the Czech Republic had dropped from 935,000 litres in 2013 to 750,000 litres last year. The European Union decided last year to extend a licence for the herbicide by five years until 2022, with 18 of the bloc's 28 member states voting in favour, including the Czech Republic and Germany. But the EU has allowed its members to decide whether to impose restrictions on the substance at the national level. Environmental campaigners like Greenpeace have been calling for an outright ban in Europe for glyphosate but Monsanto long insisted the herbicide meets EU licencing standards. Glyphosate was introduced under the brand name RoundUp'Sad' parrots and 'stressed-out' frogs might be unlikely contenders for concern in the aftermath of a catastrophic natural disaster. But the fate of two of Dominica's most prized species are still a source of worry a year after Hurricane Maria tore apart the tiny Caribbean island. Dominica's famously lush forests are slowly coming back to life after the worst destruction in the country's history, prompting a return of the intriguing creatures that call them home. The sisserou parrot and the mountain chicken frog -? both national emblems and both endangered -? have grown notably more scarce, however. "The impact on their habitat affects everything, from their feeding habits to their stress levels and the way they relate to each other," forestry officer Bradley Guye told AFP. The endemic sisserou -? at the center of the national flag ?- was badly hit by the 160 mile (257 kilometer) per hour winds. Up to half of the estimated 400 birds left in the wild may have been lost, according to Guye. Exact numbers are elusive because much of the woodland is inaccessible. The parrots mate for life, are said to be extremely faithful to each other and even grieve for a lost partner. - Traumatic blow - The sisserou birds are still reeling from Maria's onslaught: "Just like humans, some animals want to feel loved and comforted when they?ve suffered trauma, which can lead to exaggerated mating," Guye said. "And some just want to hide away and not see anybody." Exacerbating the parrots' plight was the loss of Dominica's abundant fresh fruit trees, an important food source. Apples, pears and grapes were flown in especially for them to eat. Fruit was left at strategic locations in the wild and brought to a breeding center in the capital, Roseau, along with several injured parrots The center has been working to increase the numbers of both the birds and the frogs. The critically endangered mountain chicken frog was once the national dish, gaining its name from its chicken-like taste. But a deadly fungal disease has taken the frog to the brink of extinction in recent years. Dubbed the "crapaud" -- French for "toad" -- the frogs are unusually large, breed in underground burrows rather than water, and have a distinctive mating call that is somewhere between a "whoop" and a bark. "We have been to their usual sites and heard their calls so we know there is still some activity," Mr Guye said. "But their habitat was badly damaged and some relocated." "The skin disease combined with the storm means their status is very shaky." - 'Nature isle' - The "nature isle" owes much to its forests, long the source of everything from bush medicine to eco-tourism. Environment chiefs say sightings of agouti, possums, red-necked amazon parrots and doves have been positive and they hope to begin a thorough wildlife inventory in January. Hurricane Maria struck September 18, 2017 and killed dozens of people, ripped roofs from 90 percent of buildings and caused damage topping $1.3 billion. It's a date seared into the nation's memory, and while the nation's cherished trees could take up to a decade to return to their former glory, their gradual rejuvenation is a welcome sign of recovery. "Our wildlife is a resource that's integral to our culture and traditions, and we work hard to protect our forests," Guye said. "Without it, children today would not know what a mountain chicken or an agouti was. I want my children and grandchildren to know too." The Dominica forest is seen in August 2015, two years before Hurricane Maria tore through the tiny Caribbean island A sisserou parrot, which takes center place in the national flag of Dominica, at the breeding center in Roseau, Dominica Mountain chicken frogs, a national emblem and an endangered species, in a forest near Roseau on the Caribbean island of DominicaNepal Media Society rebukes ideal wage recommendation

Nepal Media Society has taken exception to the government announcing the implementation of minimum wage for journalists.The European Union is riven with "too many tensions", Austria's chancellor said on Monday before hosting EU leaders later this week to try and close a major rift on immigration policy. Sebastian Kurz, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said during a trip to Paris that Austria aimed to "support all those that want to be bridge-builders. "There are far too many tensions in the European Union, between the east and west and north and south," he said at the start of a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. "We can all agree that the European Union can only be successful if we work together and if we act together." Previous weeks have seen a gulf between anti-immigration governments in eastern Europe, led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and western members erupt into an open war of words. Orban and Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini have labelled Macron as their main adversary in the fight against illegal immigration, while Macron sees them as betraying European values. There are also underlying tensions caused by a French push for a new budget for the eurozone area, which could result in more funds distributed from the wealthy north of the bloc towards the poorer south. Kurz and Macron both said that the 28-member bloc, soon to be 27 when Britain leaves, had made progress on the contentious issue of increasing taxes on US-based internet giants such as Amazon and Google. The companies take advantage of EU tax law by moving revenues between high-tax countries to low-tax nations such as Luxembourg and Ireland, paying little corporate tax in areas where they derive most of their income. An EU-wide tax regime has been under negotiation for over a year, but progress has been slow due to objections from low-tax countries who fear losses. "I really think that it is possible to find a solution this semester," Macron said. Kurz added: "We are both happy it was possible to make some progress on the taxation of internet giants at the meeting at the finance ministers in Vienna (last week) and I hope we will reach this goal before the end of our presidency" on December 31. EU leaders are set to meet at an informal summit in the Austrian city of Salzburg on Wednesday and Thursday. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (L) seeks to reduce tensions between EU members that have clashed over immigration. He is seen here with French President Emmanuel Macron

A young engineering student has been killed in a shark attack while boogie boarding at a popular US beach.

Arthur Medici was bitten off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Massachusetts after venturing into the water on Saturday afternoon (local time).

In a tragic twist, the 26-year-old was engaged to be married and had already started planning his wedding with his partner of two years.

[He] bought the ring. The wedding shower, everything, was ready, Mr Medicis aunt, Marisa, told the Boston Herald.

She added that Mr Medicis fiancee is heartbroken.

Mr Medicis friend dragged him ashore before beachgoers attempted life-saving measures including CPR and applying tourniquets.

Beachgoers race the 26-year-old from the beach. Image: Twitter/Andrew Jacob

Dramatic pictures showed a huge crowd rushing Mr Medici from the beach to a waiting ambulance.

He was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries, marking the states first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years.

The beach remained closed to swimming on Sunday, with flowers placed at the base of a no swimming sign.

A shark was spotted several kilometres south of Wellfleet on Sunday, according to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

Mr Medici, who moved from Brazil two years ago, was a part-time engineering student at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston last spring, the school said in a statement Sunday.

Arthur Medici was fatally bitten by a shark while boogie boarding with a friend on Saturday afternoon. Image: Facebook/Arthur Medici

A GoFundMe page set up by family and friends to cover funeral costs has already raised more than $18,000.

Arthur was a very happy young man, the fundraising page revealed.

He was happily engaged to a smart, kind-hearted medical student with a bright future.

He loved hiking, biking, surfing and various other sports He was always joyful and willing to help others, even going as far as feeding the homeless.

Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet remained closed after the fatal attack. Image: AP

Our lives are never going to be the same without him. His laughter filled our home and he will be greatly missed by us all.

There also was an outpouring of condolences on his Facebook page .

Mr Medici had worked at The Capital Grille restaurant in Burlington, just outside of Boston, and left the job more than a year ago, restaurant spokesman Rich Jeffers said.

Just like everybody else, were shocked and saddened, he said. Its just terrible.A Palestinian stabbed and severely wounded an Israeli at the entrance to a mall in the occupied West Bank on Sunday before being "neutralised" by a civilian, the army said. The incident took place at the Gush Etzion Junction south of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. A military spokeswoman said she had no further details on the Palestinian's condition or whether the person had been shot. There is regular friction between Israeli settlers and Palestinians at the junction, which has been the site of numerous attacks. A wave of Palestinian knife attacks against Israelis broke out in 2015, but they have since become sporadic. On September 3, a Palestinian wielding a knife approached an Israeli military checkpoint near the hardline Kiryat Arba settlement in the Hebron area and was shot dead by soldiers, according to the army. There are concerns that tensions between Israelis and Palestinians will increase this month as Jews celebrate their high holidays and pay more visits to holy sites. Israeli police inspect the scene of a previous Palestinian attack at the the Gush Etzion Junction on July 28, 2017Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, local media said on Monday, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters. The anti-submarine drill was conducted on Thursday in the region to "improve strategic techniques", Japan's defence ministry said in a short statement. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended the drill, which he said does not aim to target "a particular nation." Neither Abe nor a ministry spokesman said whether it was the first such exercise there. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper said the submarine Kuroshio joined three Japanese warships in waters just southwest of the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal. China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, despite competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Tensions have been high over the Scarborough Shoal since Beijing seized it from Manila in 2012. The newspaper said the one-day submarine exercises were Tokyo's first in the South China Sea. The Maritime Self-Defence Force carried out a "practical" anti-submarine drill, including an exercise to spot enemy submarines with sonar devices, the Asahi said, quoting government sources. The sources described it as a legitimate naval exercise in neutral waters, with rights of access under international law. Abe stressed that he agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month that he will visit Beijing soon, saying Japan-China relations have entered "a new stage." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang declined to confirm the drill, but said that "the situation in the South China Sea is improving." Japan "should act cautiously and avoid doing anything which would harm regional peace and stability", he told a regular press briefing. Following the drill, the Japanese submarine made a port call on Monday at Cam Ranh in central Vietnam to promote defence cooperation with Hanoi, Japan's defence ministry said in a separate statement. The submarine with 80 people aboard will stay until Friday. It was the first call by any foreign submarine at the strategically important port, a defence ministry spokesman said, citing a Vietnamese counterpart. China has engaged in years of land-reclamation work on reefs it controls in the South China Sea and has built both civilian and military facilities on them. Earlier this month Beijing lashed out at Britain for sailing a warship close to the disputed islands -- one of a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises carried out in recent years by the US and its allies. China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, despite claims from Brunei, Vietnam and the PhilippinesUS Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Skopje on Monday to throw his support behind a 'yes' vote in Macedonia's upcoming referendum on a name change and to counter "Russian influence" against the move. Slated for September 30, the vote will ask Macedonians whether they want to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, in a move which could open the door to NATO and EU membership. The referendum follows a landmark agreement between Athens and Skopje in June which sought to break the stalemate that has poisoned their relations since 1991 and hobbled Macedonia's integration with the West. Greece objects to its neighbour being called Macedonia because it has its own province of the same name. It has also accused Skopje of territorial ambitions and blocked the Balkan country from joining NATO or starting EU accession talks. Speaking on the plane en route to Skopje, Mattis said it was up to the Macedonians to decide whether they wanted the change, which could open important doors for this country of 2.1 million. "I think to the people whose lives can be changed by economic opportunities, by security... it's very important that they have those options available," he said. "We'll just look at how they'll shape their own future, not... someone else." - 'Russian influence operations' - But he had harsh words for what he called "Russian influence operations" and efforts to pay off certain political groups. "We don't want to see Russia doing there what they have tried to do in so many other countries," he said. "No doubt that they have transferred money and that they are also conducting a broader influence campaign," he said. Russia is opposed to any NATO enlargement in eastern Europe and the Balkans, and Washington has accused Moscow of leading an online disinformation campaign in Macedonia to discourage voters from taking part. On arrival, Mattis -- the first US defence chief to visit Skopje since 2004 -- met his Macedonian counterpart Radmila Sekerinska and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who struck the name-change deal with Greece. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Mattis said Washington and Skopje would expand "cybersecurity cooperation to thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens both our democracies". - 'No proof of Russian influence' - But Zaev played down his allegations of Russian meddling. "We don't have proof about Russian influence," he told reporters earlier on Monday on the sidelines of freedom of speech conference. "The Russian Federation is a friend to Macedonia and they have nothing against our integration in the EU, but they are against our integration in NATO," he said. Montenegro, another tiny Balkan country, joined NATO in 2017, despite opposition by Moscow and part of the population. But Laura Cooper, who is in charge of Pentagon policy on Russia and central Europe, accused Moscow of paying voters to boycott the referendum and of financially supporting pro-Russian organisations. "They are swooping in now with disinformation and other forms of malign influence to try to change the minds of the Macedonian people," she told reporters. "There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organisations." - Macedonia's 'consequential mistake' - In June, Russian ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told Greek media that Macedonia's choice to become a NATO member was "a mistake". "There are errors that have consequences," he said. Speaking to Macedonian news portal Nova Makedonija in late August, Russian ambassador Oleg Shcherbak accused the West of putting "very strong media and psychological pressure" on Macedonian voters. Macedonian media, notably the main TV channels, have led a 'yes' campaign, which seems the likely outcome. Under the Macedonian constitution, the referendum is only "consultative" -- meaning that any vote in favour of the change will need to be backed by parliament with a two-thirds majority. The nationalist opposition VMRO-DPMNE, which opposes the name change, has decided not to back a social media campaign calling for a boycott of the vote. Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, seen on the left, welcomed US Defence Secretary James Mattis when he touched down in Skopje Macedonian media have led a campaign for a 'yes' vote, which seems the likely outcome But the name deal has also unleashed angry protests in both Macedonia and GreeceGlobal targets aimed at warding off runaway planetary warming could be breached sooner than expected, experts warned Monday, as gases released by melting permafrost threaten to undermine human efforts to avert climate disaster. Under the current rescue plan, outlined in the 2015 Paris climate treaty, countries have agreed to limit global temperature rises to "well below" two degrees Celsius, and 1.5C if deemed possible. That course of action assumes that dealing with manmade greenhouse gases -- whether by slowing their emissions or removing them from the atmosphere -- will be enough to bring global warming under control. What climate models do not allow for are scenarios in which Earth begins to contribute to the problem, new research shows. A team of experts from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria said Monday they had for the first time included projected emissions from melting permafrost in global climate change models, and the results prompted concern. "Permafrost carbon release is caused by global warming, and will certainly diminish the budget of CO2 we can emit while staying below a certain level of global warming," said IIASA research scholar and lead study author Thomas Gasser. As reliance on fossil fuels persists, scientists have calculated that we are likely to "overshoot" the Paris temperature targets in the short to medium term. With only 1C of warming above pre-industrial levels so far, the world's permafrost is already thawing, albeit slowly. But the rate of that melting is sure to accelerate as Earth continues to heat up. Gasser warned that the overshoot scenario would leave the planet even more vulnerable to permafrost emissions and, in a vicious feedback loop, even more warming. In fact, under some models run in the study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, we have already missed the 1.5C target as a result of permafrost emissions. "Overshooting is a risky strategy, and getting back to lower levels after overshooting will be extremely difficult," Gasser told AFP. "We have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that we may never get back to safer levels of warming." - 'Higher temperatures, higher risk' - Methane and CO2 trapped in the frozen wastes of Russia, Canada and northern Europe are roughly equivalent to 15 years of manmade emissions at today's level. The problem with the Paris goals, according to Gasser, is that they set emissions targets based on the assumption that global temperature and atmospheric CO2 levels change in lock-step. They therefore allow countries to exceed the targets on the condition that enough carbon can be captured from the air to bring temperatures back down by the end of the century. But permafrost is subject to what scientists call a "tipping point", meaning that beyond a certain temperature threshold, it will continue to melt and release greenhouse gases in a self-perpetuating feedback loop independent of falling emission levels. The models will not have accounted for these additional greenhouse gases, mainly methane and carbon dioxide. "Not even mentioning the debate on whether or not we could capture CO2 on a large enough scale, there is also this risk that the higher we go the higher the risk of triggering something we don't understand," Gasser said. As the world struggles to curb manmade carbon pollution that amplifies the likelihood and intensity of deadly superstorms, heatwaves and droughts, Monday's study will add to fears that Earth itself could overwhelm efforts to limit climate change. Other possible climate tipping points include melting sea ice, which creates seawater that absorbs rather than reflects sunlight, and forest dieback -- which would see billions of tonnes of carbon released as CO2-absorbing biomass is lost. Methane and CO2 trapped in the frozen wastes of Russia, Canada and northern Europe are roughly equivalent to 15 years of manmade emissions Map showing areas where permafrost exists, with mini-factfileNearly one in 11 US youths say they use battery powered vaping devices, or e-cigarettes, to smoke marijuana or other cannabis products, US researchers said on Monday. The report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics was based on a 2016 survey of more than 20,000 middle and high school students aged 12 and up. About nine percent of youths surveyed -- nearly one in 11 -- said they had tried cannabis in e-cigarettes at some point. Among kids who vape, one in three high schoolers and one in four middle schoolers said they have tried an e-cigarette device with marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or hash oil, or THC wax. THC is the component in cannabis that conveys the feeling of getting high. "These estimates are consistent with or higher than previous reports of cannabis use in e-cigarettes among US and Canadian students," said the report, which did not examine overall rates of vaping among teens. The US Food and Drug Administration said last week it is considering a ban on e-cigarettes, which use fruit or candy-flavored nicotine liquids that may appeal to kids. The FDA chief, Scott Gottlieb, warned of an "epidemic" of vaping among youths, citing as yet unpublished data showing e-cigarette use "is rising very sharply." About nine percent of youths surveyed -- nearly one in 11 -- said they had tried cannabis in e-cigarettes, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) PediatricsA plane passenger has filmed a baggage handler taking an item out of a travellers luggage and putting it into his pocket.

The video, taken by a Ryanair passenger on a flight from Ibiza to Madrid, shows the handler attempting to discreetly zip open a bag on the luggage trolley he is standing beside.

The worker can then be seen in the footage, obtained by local publication Diario de Ibiza, digging around in the suitcase before pocketing what is reported to be a speaker.

Footage shows the baggage handler unzip a suitcase which is on a luggage trolley before digging around inside it. Source: Diario de Ibiza

Following the incident on Friday morning, the passenger filming alerted a flight attendant.

According to the Sun, the property was returned to its owner after the airport worker confessed to police about the alleged theft.

A passenger filmed the airport worker putting the item into their pocket. Source: Diario de Ibiza

A mother who had bought the speaker as a gift for her sons birthday said she was very grateful for it being given back.

The police told me it was the third day the man had been working at the airport and returned the speaker to me immediately, the woman said.

It is reported that the baggage handler has been fired and is facing trial.One year after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake devastated Mexico, killing 369 people, here are five stories of those still sorting through the rubble it left behind. 1. Forever a mom Miriam Rodriguez Guise's son, Jose Eduardo, would have turned eight Monday. He was one of 19 children killed when the Rebsamen elementary school collapsed last September 19. One year later, Rodriguez, 37, is searching for a job and struggling with her loss. A single mother, she had built her whole life around her only child. When he was born, the former business manager opened a pharmacy so she could set her own schedule and spend more time with him. But she had to close it after he died, she told AFP. "My customers knew my son. I could tell they felt bad for me. And eventually they just stopped coming," she said. Today, she spends her time however she can. She and other parents have pressed charges against the private school's fugitive owner, who had illegally built an apartment for herself on top of the building -- fatally destabilizing it, according to experts. After a year of counseling, she has started learning to let go of Jose Eduardo's things. She has kept a few favorites: toys, pictures, videos. "Would I want to have more children? No. I fulfilled my mission as a mom. My whole being was for him," she said. "I don't think another child, a new soul, would like to see his mom the way I am now." 2. Tired hero With her protective goggles and booties, Frida the dog was the most celebrated hero of the search-and-rescue effort. Using her powerful nose to find life in the rubble, she became a symbol of hope amid the destruction. Today, she is immortalized in stuffed toys, a statue and several giant murals across Mexico City. But at nine years old, her golden fur starting to gray, she is nearing the end of her career with the Mexican marines. At a recent training session, a marine threw himself to the ground, shouting, "Frida, come find me!" She gamely did her job -- but soon lay down panting. "You can see it in her face. She looks bored, a little tired. Nine is old for a rescue dog," said her handler, Corporal Israel Arau Salinas. Frida spent much of the past year attending TV appearances, photo shoots and events in her honor. Now close to retirement, she has worked her last disaster. She found 12 people alive beneath the rubble in her career, and the remains of 41 victims. 3. Starting from scratch Irma Escamilla has spent the past year living in an improvised wooden hut. It sits amid a sea of ramshackle dwellings near the collapsed and badly damaged buildings of the Tlalpan housing project, on the south side of the capital. The 46-year-old teacher and mother of three has all her worldly belongings inside this little house: a handmade cot and bed, some donated clothes, a bookshelf, a table and a few appliances. "We evacuated with nothing but the clothes on our backs," she told AFP. "We had to start from scratch." She quit her job after the quake, afraid to leave her nine-year-old daughter alone all day in the camp. She received welfare checks for five months, and her estranged husband sends her some money. The couple separated in the aftermath of the disaster. "That was my second earthquake," she said. It will take another 10 months to repair her badly damaged building, engineers say. "It's a very painful situation. We just want to go home," she said. 4. Life begins at 80 Guadalupe Vazquez's living room wall was one of the most iconic images of the disaster. The quake ripped her apartment building in two, leaving Vazquez's second-story wall visible from the street, complete with her family photos. About a month after the quake, Vazquez told AFP she wanted just one thing: to get back those sepia-toned pictures of her daughters. But the building was so fragile the authorities were reluctant to let anyone inside. It ended up being the first building torn down. But Vazquez did manage to get her pictures back, the spry octogenarian -- a former mountain climber -- said when AFP caught up with her. Now renting a small room nearby, her next wish is for a new home. "It's tough starting over at 80 years old," she said. 5. Back to work Xochilt de la Paz lost her mother and her business in one devastating blow. The earthquake brought down her hair salon, with her mother inside it. But with a 12-year-old son to raise, she had little time to feel sorry for herself. De la Paz, 45, decided to keep cutting hair in the street. With nothing but a parasol to protect her from the elements, she braved the wind and rain to keep styling her clients' hair. Word soon spread on Facebook, and new clients arrived. "This is how I support my son," she told AFP. "It's a situation you just have to rise above." Workers preprare to demolish Enrique Rebsamen elementary school in Mexico city, on August 20, 2018.The school collapsed during the earthquake on september 19 2018, killing 19 children and seven adults.Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa touched down in Angola on Monday kicking off a two-day trip designed to improve ties between Luanda and its former colonial master. The diplomacy marks an effort to move beyond the bitter legacy of Lisbon's rule over Angola that ended in 1975 when Portugal withdrew without handing over power and Angola sank into civil war until 2002. "Portugal and Angola have a long history, the tone of which should be defined by the future and not the past," said Costa as he set off for Luanda. Angola entered a new era last year when Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled the country with an iron fist from 1979 to 2017, stepped down and was replaced by President Joao Lourenco. "There's lots we can and should do together in terms of the economic ties between our countries which are already strong," Costa added shortly after arriving, becoming the first Portuguese head of government to visit for seven years. "Angola has a major challenge to diversify its economy and to increase domestic production, shrinking imports." Angola is a key trading partner with Portugal, and the third largest recipient of its investments. A key source of friction was removed in May when a Portuguese court decided that Angola's former vice president Manuel Vicente can be tried in Luanda, rather than in Portugal, on corruption charges. Lourenco had demanded that the trial take place in his country, "so that relations between Angola and Portugal can return to the level of the recent past". - Investment plans - Costa said that Angola's efforts to shift its economy away from heavy dependence on oil presented opportunities for Portuguese businesses. "We've put in place a number of mechanisms so that economic players can invest," he said. The prime minister will attend a gathering of Portuguese businesses active in Angola as well as visiting the nation's new military history museum. He will meet Lourenco on Tuesday when the two will sign a slew of agreements that include deals on Angola's debts to Portuguese businesses -- estimated to be in excess of 400 million euros ($470 million). Portugal, battered by the global financial crisis, avoided bankruptcy with a bailout from the European Union, while Angola has become the tenth largest foreign investor in the country. The visit by Costa, which has been postponed several times, was a "very important step" toward normalising relations, said analyst Alex Vines of Britain's Chatham House think-tank. President Lourenco has pledged to fight corruption and rebuild the economy of the second-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, which has still not recovered from the plunge in oil prices in 2014. He has ousted relatives of his predecessor from leadership positions at state institutions and public companies in an effort to stamp his authority on the country and break with his predecessor's checkered past. Angolan President Joao Lourenco welcomed Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa to Luanda for the first visit by a leader of the former colonial power in seven years Costa said both countries should look to better future ties and leave behind the bitter legacy of the colonial eraNepal needs Rs 600b to complete reconstruction, says NRA chief

Chief Executive Officer of National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Sushil Gyewali has said that it would require an estimated Rs 600 billion to complete the reconstruction of homes and other structures ravaged during the 2015 earthquake.A postal worker has been caught stealing thousands of dollars from inside more than 6000 greeting cards after secretly opening them and removing the cash inside.

Ebony Lavonne Smith, 20, of Milwaukee in the US admitted to the crime after concerned residents spoke out after their mail wasnt being delivered, USA Today reported.

Wauwatosa residents contacted the US Postal Service saying that a number of graduation, wedding, birthday and sympathy cards had all gone missing.

Smith was identified as the employee responsible for delivering those letters to recipients and began working in that area in March 2017.

Ebony Lavonne Smith was responsible for stealing thousands of letters over a period of nine months. Source: WISN

On January 25 a test letter with $20 inside was sent, containing a transmitter which signalled when it opened.

Smith was observed by a supervisor searching through other workers mail and pulling out letters. She added those letters as well as the test letter to her areas mail and placed them in her postal vehicle.

Under surveillance, she drove to the test letters address where the transmitter was activated.

Postal agents approached Smith before noticing the letter no longer contained the $20 note.

She returned to her vehicle, where she retrieved her purse and produced her purse. Inside her vehicle, agents discovered 54 greeting cards inside as well as a Starbucks gift card.

Discovery at scrap yard reveals extent of theft

In July, a salvage yard contacted US Postal Service saying a vehicle which was to be scrapped after being towed away contained 6625 First Class greeting card envelopes, 540 personal cheques and 45 unopened greeting cards.

A scrapyard discovered thousands of letters inside a car which had been towed away. Source: WISNPos

Court records say Smith revealed she stole money up to two times a week to help pay bills and look after her four children.

Smith predicted she would initially steal around $40 a week before upping it to $100 a week.

Smith pleaded guilty to theft or receipt of stolen mail on September 12 and is due to be sentenced at a later date.Russian social media site VKontakte (VK) has followed Facebook by banning Myanmar's army chief and a nationalist monk known for stirring up Islamophobia in a country condemned globally for the treatment of its Rohingya Muslims. Facebook blacklisted Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other top military brass three weeks ago after a damning report by UN investigators called for their prosecution for genocide over the army's brutal crackdown on the Rohingya. The military head immediately opened up an account on VK, which has a very similar blue and white interface to its Silicon Valley counterpart but is hosted by Myanmar's staunch ally Russia. He quickly amassed some 37,000 followers but users Monday were greeted with a message that the account had been suspended "due to a violation of the VK terms of service". VK told AFP that the accounts of Min Aung Hlaing and hardline abbot Wirathu had been "blocked permanently after receiving many complaints from users", adding that it had hired Burmese-speaking moderators to monitor posts. Wirathu is an influential monk known for his hatred of Islam and the Rohingya in particular. Facebook disabled his account in January after a string of vitriol targeting the stateless minority. Last year's army campaign forced some 700,000 Rohingya to flee over the border into Bangladesh, with refugees bringing testimony of widespread murder, rape and arson. Only a hardcore of military supporters appear to have made the switch to VK from Facebook in the Buddhist-majority country, which only came online recently after half a century of military rule. Facebook still reigns supreme although it has scrambled in recent months to show it is taking hate speech seriously after coming under fire for its slow response to incendiary posts. The UN envoy to Myanmar lambasted the world's biggest social network earlier this year, even saying it had morphed into a "beast". The tech giant, which boasts some 18 million accounts in the country of 51 million people, has admitted it has often been too slow to take down inflammatory posts. The army chief, who had two Facebook accounts with 1.3 and 2.8 million followers respectively, often used the site to drum up support for the military campaign. Posts would frequently refer to the Rohingya as "Bengali" to imply they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and feature denials of atrocities during the crackdown. Myanmar military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing: blacklisted by a Russian social media siteThe Kremlin faced a fresh electoral crisis Monday as the opposition cried foul over a key regional poll, drawing crowds of protesters into the streets. Communist Party candidate Andrei Ishchenko, 37, seemed poised to become the next governor of the far eastern region of Primorsky Krai until the results suddenly changed overnight, he and his supporters said. More than 2,000 people gathered outside the offices of local authorities in the far eastern city of Vladivostok after the race was called for a candidate of the ruling United Russia, the Communist Party said. Sunday's vote was a second-round runoff after a Moscow-backed candidate failed to win at least 50 percent of the vote earlier this month. It was one of a string of setbacks for the ruling party and the Kremlin as voters vented anger over a pension reform and rising poverty under Western sanctions. Ishchenko, a local lawmaker, had enjoyed a five-point lead in the vote with more than 95 percent of votes counted. Then Moscow-backed acting governor Andrei Tarasenko suddenly overtook him overnight to claim victory Monday. Opposition leaders claimed officials rigged the vote, pointing to President Vladimir Putin's endorsement of Tarasenko last week. "I know you face a second-round runoff," Putin said. "I think everything will be all right." Ishchenko said he would not give up and the Communist Party would take legal action. "Friends, they are stealing our votes, let's stand up for our victory," he said in a Facebook post, urging supporters to take to the streets. He claimed it had taken the authorities just "one hour" to rig the polls by giving Tarasenko thousands of additional votes. He said the most blatant violations had taken place in the towns of Ussuriisk, Artyom and Nakhodka. - 'Brazen falsification' - Putin's most vocal critic, Alexei Navalny, also urged local residents to come out and protest. "This is simply unbearable," said Navalny, who is serving a month-long jail term over an illegal protest. "The open and brazen falsification of the results of the vote in Primorsky Krai is a direct insult not only to residents of this region but also the entire country." Earlier this month, the Kremlin suffered several other blows in the regions of Khabarovsk, Khakasia and Vladimir where ruling party candidates failed to win gubernatorial elections in the first round. Second-round runoffs are scheduled in those regions on Sunday. Communists this month also beat United Russia candidates in elections to the regional parliaments of Khakasia, Irkutsk and Ulyanovsk regions. It was the United Russia party's worst performance in regional elections in more than a decade. Ella Pamfilova, the head of the Central Election Commission, said she would look into the results of the Primorsky Krai vote and did not rule out that they could be cancelled. Claims of mass rigging during the 2011 parliamentary elections prompted tens of thousands of people to protest against Putin's rule. Now, "for the first time Vladimir Putin's support has worsened and not improved the result of a candidate supported by the authorities," wrote The Bell, a respected Russian news website. Sunday's runoff votes, it added, will show just how far the authorities are willing to go to ensure the Kremlin-backed candidates win. Other observers said the loss of the Kremlin-backed candidates was the latest sign Putin's popularity was eroding amid mounting economic problems. These problems have been exacerbated by Western sanctions over Moscow's role in Ukraine, the poisoning of a former spy in Britain and other crises. "Is the president's magic support losing its influence?" wrote Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of Golos movement, an independent election observer. Confidence in Putin has nosedived since his government announced plans to raise the state pension age, sparking a rare outburst of public anger. Economic hardship and a pension reform has raised anger against Russia's President Vladimir Putin - seen here casting his ballot at a polling station in Moscow on September 9 Putin's most vocal critic, Alexei Navalny, accused authorities of "brazen falsification" of regional election results A Russian pensions reform has sparked mass protestsSri Lanka's president on Monday justified his decision to sack six diplomats -- including an ambassador -- for not answering his phone calls, saying more would follow if the foreign service did not shape up. Maithripala Sirisena was criticised for the shock dismissal last week of his top envoy to Austria and five other Vienna-based staff after his office tried unsuccessfully for hours to reach them by phone. "I am being attacked ferociously over social media for recalling the entire embassy staff. Yes, I did that to send a powerful message to other embassies," Sirisena told a public meeting in Colombo. He said he ordered the sacking of ambassador Priyanee Wijesekera and five other staff to set an example. Sirisena did not say why he needed to contact the embassy urgently, or why other avenues were not explored to reach the staffers. The Sri Lankan embassy in Austria is accredited to UN bodies in Vienna, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. It was the second time in days that Sirisena has raised eyebrows. Last week, he flew into a rage over nuts served aboard SriLankan Airlines, the island's national carrier, saying they were unfit for animals. "Returning from Kathmandu, I was served some cashews on board a SriLankan flight, but it was so bad even a dog wouldn't eat it," he said. An airline spokesman said it had cleared its stock of cashews -- only served in business class -- and would change its Dubai-based supplier. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Maithripala Sirisena was criticised for the shock dismissal last week of his top envoy to Austria

Nervous growers are weighing up their farming futures as the strawberry contamination crisis forces New Zealands major supermarkets to stop selling the fruit from Australia.

Fears over needles placed in strawberries have now spilled across the Tasman, with both of New Zealands major food distributors taking the fruit off their shelves.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has also ordered the food safety watchdog to investigate Queenslands handling of the strawberry spiking saga.

Hes directed Food Standards Australia New Zealand to investigate whether there are supply chain weaknesses or systemic changes needed.

At least five punnets of strawberries have now been found contaminated with sewing needles in fruit. Source: Facebook/ Joshua Gane

At the end of the day, the job is very, very clear. Protect the public and keep them safe, he told the ABC on Monday.

Both Foodstuffs and Countdown (owned by Woolworths), which between them control nearly the entire New Zealand grocery market, on Monday announced they had stopped sending out Australian strawberries to their stores.

In separate statements, both said while none of their products had been affected by a major recall in Australia, they wanted to reassure customers.

Countdown said it had stopped ordering any further imports of Australian strawberries, while Foodstuffs had halted distribution.

On Monday, Queensland Police said they were investigating an incident where a metal object was reportedly found inside a banana.

Authorities said a 62-year-old was helping with inquiries into the alleged contamination of a banana in a Maryborough supermarket.

Queensland man Haoni Hearne, 21, accidentally swallowed one of the needles after biting into a strawberry. Source: 7 News

New Zealand to replace Aussie strawberries

New Zealand imports the fruit from Australia when its out of season, from April to September, and both chains say the Kiwi product will be on shelves shortly instead.

The announcement comes as needles were found inserted into more strawberries in South Australia and NSW over the weekend, adding to incidents across the country and prompting fears of copycat behaviour.

Vice-president of the Queensland Strawberry Growers Association, Adrian Schultz, said what started with a single act of commercial terrorism has brought a multi-million-dollar industry to its knees.

Story continues

Im angry for all the associated people, its the farmers, the people who supply them, the packaging people, the truckies with families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs  its far-reaching, he said.

Consumers are being told to cut up strawberries to make sure they are safe to eat. Source: AAP (File pic)

Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne said he understands why New Zealanders are baulking at Australian strawberries.

He urged authorities to throw the book at whoever was responsible.

I hope we catch them and prosecute them and they spend a lot of time behind bars, because thats what they deserve, Mr Pyne said.

They have behaved shockingly badly and they are affecting the strawberry industry in Australia but also now the exports to New Zealand.

Nationals frontbencher Andrew Broad has blasted the culprits as low-life scum.

Coles and Aldi supermarkets have pulled all strawberries from their shelves, except Western Australia, as a precaution.

Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook Berries have recalled their strawberries nationwide.

A health warning to throw out or cut up strawberries remains in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

ALDI working to get strawberries back on shelves

Supermarket ALDI said its been working with strawberry growers and other officials to get the fruit back in stores.

An ALDI Australia spokesperson told Yahoo7 in a statement after speaking with Queensland Health, the supermarket has decided to return a selection of strawberries back to shelves as soon as the orders can be fulfilled and distributed.

On Sunday, ALDI Australia said it had been forced to remove all strawberries from shelves in Queensland, NSW, ACT, South Australia and Victoria.

The food waste associated with this matter is significant and has been unavoidable, the spokesperson said.

We are actively working with our valued primary producers and the supporting supply chain to do what we can to minimise the impact and cost of the recent withdrawals.

It added the safety of customers has been the leading concern throughout this matter and is encouraging shoppers to chop up their strawberries before eating them.

With AAPThe United States on Monday accused Russia of "cheating" on UN sanctions against North Korea with plans for a railway project, oil transfers and ongoing business dealings with Pyongyang. Russia shot back and charged that Washington was blocking steps to foster cooperation between North and South Korea and using a UN sanctions committee "as a select channel to punish" North Korea. US Ambassador Nikki Haley told a Security Council meeting that the United States has evidence of "consistent and wide-ranging Russian violations" of the tough economic penalties imposed on North Korea. Sanctions "cannot be an end in itself," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia responded. "You should, instead of creating roadblocks, promote the inter-Korean cooperation and dialogue," he told Haley. The raucous meeting highlighted divisions between the United States, which is pushing for sanctions to be fully enforced on North Korea, and Russia, which argues that incentives must be offered to Pyongyang to move forward. Led by the United States, the council last year adopted three sets of wide-ranging sanctions aimed at cutting off revenue to North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs. Haley said Russia had been "cheating" despite supporting UN sanctions resolutions. "Step by step, sanction by sanction, and time and time again, Russia is working across the board to undermine the sanctions regime," she said. The United States maintains that UN sanctions which have dealt a blow to North Korea's economy must remain in place until Pyongyang has completely scrapped its nuclear weapons and military programs. - Row over UN report - Russia wants to develop railway links between North and South Korea to export coal from its Far East region and reach South Korean ports, Haley said. Russia also blocked a US move to blacklist Russian ships allegedly involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined oil to North Korea and is refusing to expel a North Korean operative, Haley said. In a rebuttal, Nebenzia said the plan for rail links was not in violation of sanctions resolutions and rejected accusations of a Russian ship involved in oil transfers. He said Russia had asked for further information from the United States on the North Korean national. The council meeting was called by the United States after a report by an independent UN panel of experts was amended under pressure from Russia to remove sections that deal with Russian businesses. The United States blocked release of the report on implementation of sanctions in protest at the changes in the latest version. China called for UN sanctions to be enforced but recalled that resolutions allow for a lifting of the punitive measures if there is progress toward denuclearization. Chinese Ambassador Mao Zhaoxu said "confrontation is a dead-end" and diplomacy must be "actively" promoted to bring an end to the standoff on the Korean peninsula. China and Russia have argued that North Korea should be rewarded with the prospect of eased sanctions for opening up dialogue with the United States and halting missile tests. Deputy Russian Ambassador to the UN Vladimir Safronkov talks with Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council called by the United States to discuss sanctions against North KoreaAs Onondaga County Comptroller Bob Antonacci vies for the 50th Senate District seat, he has the support of the lawmaker he's seeking to succeed.

In a mailer sent to voters, state Sen. John DeFrancisco endorsed Antonacci, a Republican, in the 50th Senate District race. DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt, is retiring after more than 25 years representing the Syracuse area in the state Senate.

The mailer, which was paid for by the New York Republican State Committee, features a message from DeFrancisco thanking central New Yorkers for their support during his tenure as a state senator.

On the flip side of the mailer, DeFrancisco informs recipients of his support for Antonacci.

"Over the years, I hope I've earned your trust as someone who fought like heck for our area against a state government that is often too focused on New York City and downstate interests," he said. "It's critical that the next senator be equally committed to fighting for us.

DeFrancisco continued, "That's why I wholeheartedly endorse Bob Antonacci for state Senate. I've known Bob nearly all his life. He's a man of high character and integrity and we can trust Bob to be a champion for central New York's interests, values and fair share."

The mailer makes public what those within the Republican Party already knew  that DeFrancisco supports Antonacci to succeed him in the state Senate.

In an interview with The Citizen in June, DeFrancisco called Antonacci "a great choice" for state Senate.

Antonacci has the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Upstate Jobs party lines in the 50th Senate District race. His opponent is John Mannion, an Advanced Placement biology teacher at West Genesee High School in Camillus. Mannion has the Democratic, Women's Equality and Working Families party lines.

The race is expected to be one of the most competitive state Senate campaigns in New York. Both parties are fighting for control of the 63-seat chamber. Republicans hold the majority with 31 members and a Democrat who caucuses with the GOP.

The 50th district includes a portion of Syracuse and several towns in Onondaga County. The Cayuga County share of the district includes most of Auburn and the towns of Brutus, Cato, Ira and Sennett.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Democratic candidate John Mannion will hold a handful of town hall meetings in the 50th Senate District  and he's invited Republican nominee Bob Antonacci to join him for the forums.

Mannion, D-Westvale, announced Monday that he will hold a series of public meetings leading up to Election Day, Nov. 6. The first will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25 at Maxwell Library, 14 Main St., Camillus.

His town hall schedule will include a forum at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 at the North Syracuse Education Association, 210 Main St., North Syracuse. Another event is planned for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 at Baldwinsville Public Library, 33 E. Genesee St., Baldwinsville.

The final town hall meeting in the Onondaga County portion of the district is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15 at the East Syracuse Fire Department Community Room, 148 Sanders Creek Parkway, East Syracuse.

The town hall series will conclude with an afternoon forum in Auburn. The meeting will be held at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23 at the Boyle Center, 149 Genesee St.

The events are free and open to the public.

"Public servants should be easily accessible to the voters they want to represent," Mannion said in a statement. "These town hall meetings will give central New York residents a chance to raise their concerns and discuss their priorities with at least one of the candidates running to serve as their next state senator."

Mannion's campaign provided an email that was sent to Antonacci's campaign inviting them to participate in the public forums. According to the email provided to The Citizen, the invitation was sent at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Helen Kiggins Walsh, Antonacci's campaign manager, said they are "evaluating these requests in the context of our full schedule, which already includes a number of public events that will serve to inform voters."

"We look forward to holding as many public forums and debates as possible in the coming weeks to give voters the opportunity to view with their own eyes the stark contrast that exists in this race," Kiggins Walsh said.

She added, "Bob Antonacci will be a strong voice for hardworking taxpayers and families throughout central New York and ensure we have checks and balances in Albany, while his opponent will put the New York City politicians and their special interest allies in charge of our entire state government."

The candidates for the 50th district seat will likely participate in other debates and forums leading up to Election Day. They may square off in a debate at Cayuga Community College. Both candidates have been invited to appear at that forum in late October.

Mannion has held other public events to discuss issues with voters. He hosted a series of "Coffee with the Candidate" events in Cayuga and Onondaga counties. The town hall meetings would build on that engagement with voters.

"I encourage everyone, regardless of party affiliation, to come to these open meetings so we can discuss the issues that are facing our communities and how I want to address them as our next state senator," Mannion said.

The Senate race is expected to be one of the most competitive in the state. The state Senate Democrats and Republicans have said the 50th is a top priority.

The district's current representative is state Sen. John DeFrancisco, a Republican who has held the seat since 1993. He is retiring after more than 25 years in the state Senate.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The public school is a building unlike any other in the scope of its reach and impact as part of the built environment of a community. Many of them are beautiful architectural specimens and vital community anchors. Yet in New York state, these buildings do not have the protections that are offered other types of historic and culturally significant properties. Like all other public schools in upstate New York, those in Auburn are part of a state-mandated system by which public funds are used to subsidize major capital projects and additions. This system presents a challenge to preserving and protecting historically and culturally significant active public school buildings. Combined with a hardened anti-preservation mindset on the part of the public when it comes to education, historic schools struggle to stay open, although their materials and construction usually can guarantee an incredibly long lifespan.

The two major aspects of funding public instruction in New York state are known as foundation aid, money that goes to the salaries and operations of a school district, and building aid, which is self-explanatory. Foundation aid has been historically controversial and under significant scrutiny due to its lack of fairness. On the other hand, building aid has remained relatively non-controversial and unchanged for half a century, although close examination shows it is just as flawed.

Capital projects at schools are often portrayed by the state and seen by the public as great gifts. The reality is bit more complicated. The funding for any capital project is borrowed by the taxpayers of the school district from the Dormitory Authority of New York State. This amount is refunded to the district in the form of building aid from the state Education Department, which charges the local taxpayers interest. To top it all off, this is mandated by law to happen every five years. In other words, we borrow our own money at interest to build and upgrade, when it may not always be necessary.

Unfortunately, state policy diverts resources and attention away from the local school district maintenance. Prior to the Great Recession, there was a minor maintenance and repair funding stream that restricted state aid money to the active upkeep of facilities. In 2007, local districts were given the flexibility to redirect those funds at their discretion to help cope with the economic crisis. This resulted in deferred maintenance and an incentivized form of demolition by neglect in some of New Yorks most widely used and locally cherished public schools. Local school boards became encouraged to allow facilities to deteriorate until they became eligible for significant rehabilitation or upgrades with state capital assistance.

The state has long known this is an unsustainable system. In 2009, Deputy State Education Commissioner Johanna Duncan-Poitier issued a memo that detailed how every $1 spent in proper maintenance at the local level would save $4 in major capital projects. Consequently, the cost of replacement or major capital projects to the state and local taxpayer is higher than it would have been under a properly funded maintenance schedule. Regardless of these facts, the system of nonstop building persists. As the pressure to find more construction projects increases, our historic school buildings are ready-made scapegoats and targets for destruction. Of course, this is just one example of the absurdity of the states attitude towards public education.

As the 21st century moves forward, the Auburn Enlarged City School District is under mounting financial stress due to a shrinking enrollment and tax base, a burdensome transportation system, and a variety of debt service owed on bonds for renovation work done at schools, some of which may not have been necessary had proper maintenance funding been earmarked by the state. A private facility typically does well to budget 2-3 percent of the buildings replacement value toward annual maintenance, while the Auburn district budgets less than 0.5 percent for its eight buildings combined. So while government agencies and private business tend to maintain their facilities properly, our public schools do not. Its not their fault; they are the victims of a state-sponsored construction monopoly based on a system of demolition by neglect.

Hidden behind a bush at the Summit Pediatrics office on Fulton Street is the cornerstone saved from the Fulton Street school that stood on that spot for 88 years. The cornerstone itself was taken from the preceding school built in 1863. This is the sign of a community that is willing to move on, but not completely. We value our school buildings as community heritage more than we realize.

Andrew Roblee, of Auburn, is an historic preservation planner and serves on the board of the Preservation Association of Central New York.

Love 4 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2My heroes this month are women and men who are food providers in Cayuga County called the the Food Providers Network, which includes the soup kitchens. It is fitting, I think, to acknowledge all pantries and their efforts, because September is Hunger Action Month and pantries and soup kitchens hold off an invisible line of turmoil in this confusing time of uncertainty. David Wilcox, Lake Life editor of The Citizen, from the first article, back in May 2013, has included the network's list with my column. It was innovative and is now an important reference for all who live in this historic city. I am told that individuals who never thought about hunger now reach for the list, usually posted on their refrigerators, and give what they can. Thank you, David.

Please take a moment to contemplate the fact that Cayuga County food pantries, in 2017, distributed 834,162 meals and gave out 982,784 pounds of food (statistics from the Food Bank of Central New York). Remember that in this CNY area of the Finger Lakes, there is always someone, somewhere, who would go hungry without a food pantrys help. Remember that pantries sustain hungry people for one week when the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) runs out. Calvary Food Pantry then helps more than 200 families each month when they have no food in their cupboards. Additionally, anyone in the geographic area can walk in to a take food from our public shelving. (I am very proud of my racks, done by a volunteer who is a carpenter. Come and see them.)

This is the third year the Cayuga County Food Provider's Network has held the Cayuga County Hunger Walk, which takes place at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural & Country Living Museum and Dr. Joseph F. Karpinski Sr. Educational Center across from Emerson Park in Owasco. Auburn Mayor Mike Quill came the first year to start the effort off, and both Assemblyman Gary Finch and the mayor came last year along with 120 people to walk the course.

 You gather at the museum at 8:30 am. Ask a friend, business or family member to support you. You are helping to provide 834,162 meals a year. The Food Provider's Network made $4,750, a 1,000-percent increase, last year. This was from donations of sponsors and a $10 fee, per participant, to walk the course. The fee hasnt changed this year. If you have any questions, call Sue Norton at (315) 515-8936. As one of Cayuga Countys food providers, I ask you all to join us, helping to show awareness that anyone, in a heartbeat, or in a moment of time, will go hungry due to many things, such as the loss of a job or a loved one.

Here is some news from the pantry. My fundraising cap is always on:

 Our biannual rummage sale is Sept. 20, 21 and 22 (Thursday through Saturday). If you have items you wish to donate to this effort, please stop by during hours the pantry is open. Otherwise, I look forward to seeing you then.

 Our harvest dinner this year is Thursday, Oct. 4. Remember the scrumptious ham and delicious apple crisp, made by volunteers, that was featured last year (and everyone raved about them)? That will again be served. Call me for tickets at (315) 252-7772.

Please volunteer, donate or reciprocate in kind.

Nancy Sheffield is the executive director of the Calvary Food Pantry in Auburn.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Nepali peacekeeper in South Sudan shot at

A Nepali peacekeeper deployed in South Sudan has been injured when the soldiers of South Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) opened fire on Sunday morning. He was shot in the leg.UPDATE: Prison City Pub & Brewery co-owner Dawn Schulz said Tuesday afternoon that 4022 Technology Park Blvd. is no longer in the running to be the site of the Auburn brewery's production facility. As a result, she continued, Prison City will pull its application to Auburn's Zoning Board of Appeals for a use variance there.

One possible location of Prison City Pub & Brewery's long-awaited expansion has been identified.

The Auburn brewpub's owners, Dawn and Marc Schulz, have applied to the city's Zoning Board of Appeals for a use variance at 4022 Technology Park Blvd., according to a legal notice posted by the city. The variance would allow for the production of beer and the operation of a tasting room at the site.

The board will hear the Schulzes' application at its next meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, at Memorial City Hall.

However, the Prison City owners are still looking at other locations for the brewery's new production facility, Dawn Schulz said in an email. If they decide on one of those prior to the meeting, she continued, they will pull their variance application for the Technology Park site. The decision will be made within the next few weeks, she added.

According to Cayuga County property records, 4022 Technology Park Blvd. is owned by Florida-based interior design firm Lexi Interiors. The property is four acres and the building there is about 37,000 square feet. The property's 2018 assessment value was $996,000.

The Schulzes announced their plans to build a Prison City production facility in the summer of 2016. It will raise the brewpub's annual production from about 1,000 barrels to 10,000, and include canning and bottling lines, a tasting room and other amenities. The facility will also create between 22 and 25 full-time jobs.

The expansion is Prison City's response to the overwhelming demand for brewer Ben Maeso's beer, particularly India pale ales like the nationally acclaimed Mass Riot. Can and bottle releases at the State Street brewpub have drawn lines down the block, and supplies have sold out in minutes.

"We need the capacity," Marc Schulz said during the 2016 announcement. "We can't make any more beer here."

The Schulzes at one point planned to build the facility at 39 Genesee St., the former Nolan's Sporting Goods. The brewery would have been an anchor tenant of the city's Riverside Regional Public Market project. But the project, which would require the closure of a nearby segment of Loop Road, appears to be stalled.

It was when the Schulzes were planning to build the facility at 39 Genesee St. that the expansion received $900,000 in state funding through the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council. Dawn Schulz said the money is not tied to that site, but Prison City has yet to decide whether to accept it and its conditions.

Lake Life Editor David Wilcox can be reached at (315) 282-2245 or david.wilcox@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @drwilcox.

Love 2 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 3

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.JORDAN  While the biggest draw to the Jordan Fall Festival on Sunday may be to watch people climb up  or slip down  a greased pole, thousands of people converged at the festival grounds to take in all the festival had to offer.

The greased pole climb is the biggest event of the three-day festival, said Alicia Persaud, the festival's chairperson. One woman had already staked out her spot on a hay bale to watch the climb, scheduled for 1 p.m., as early as 10 a.m., Persaud added.

"The goal is to have a wicked strong base," Persaud said of the teams of five people that climb each other like a ladder to, hopefully, get to the top of the 30-foot tall ash wood pole.

The pole was covered in Crisco earlier in the morning by the Elbridge fire department and children's helping hands, Persaud said.

Two men's and two women's teams registered on-site to compete in the greased pole climb for a portion of the $1,000 prize money in the 87 degree heat on Sunday. As a bonus, there was $300 at the top of the pole for any team that made it all the way up. Each year the money at the top of the pole isn't reached, another $100 is added to the stack of cash for the next year, Persaud explained.

With hundreds in the audience and the Jordan ambulance and volunteer spotters on standby, each of the teams had two minutes to try and climb up to the highest point of the poll as possible in the least amount of time. The four teams tried different methods such as climbing barefoot, wearing belts for people to grab as they climb, having team members on the ground raise their hands as footholds and more. No matter the method or how high the teams got, what went up with great effort eventually slid back down effortlessly. After a 20-minute intermission, each of the teams got one more chance.

For the women's teams, Team USA made it farther up the pole and got $300 for first place; while The Winners, the second-place team, got to bring home $200. For the men's teams, Team Duger took home the $300 after securing first place and The Hardworkers received $200 for second place. Since no team reached the top of the pole, there will be a $400 prize on top next year.

"We've never done it before," said Anya Piskorowski from the Rochester-area Team USA after the victory. "None of us work out," she laughed.

"It was a huge adrenaline rush," Olivia Weston said. She added that everyone was so focused on what they were doing that they couldn't even hear her yelling instructions from the bottom of the stack.

Brian Wheeler, the announcer during the competition, said he also used to compete in the greased pole climb back in the 1980s. His dad started the climb in the 1970s, he added.

The record time for making it to the top of the pole was 12 seconds, he said, by a group of guys he described as "professionals" who used to travel to the festival from Boonville, Pennsylvania.

Beyond scaling up or sliding down a greased pole, however, the Jordan Fall festival has a myriad of other things to offer festival goers.

"It's fun, community oriented," Persaud said of the festival. "Everybody loves it."

In addition to the staples of a car show, plentiful fair foods, two large craft tents filled with artisans and vendors, carnival rides, wagon rides and live music; a new annual activity joined the festival this year.

Persaud said on Saturday the festival hosted its first annual 5K and fun run with more than 130 participants. In the past, she added, the festival used to have something called an alpine classic which was more like a mud or a trail run and in the future the 5K might transform into something more like that.

With more than 400 volunteers working to put on the festival, Persaud explained that the event started as a fundraiser 72 years ago. Now, the event continues to raise about $60,000 annually for the community, supporting things like the food bank, the community pool, the library, local non-profits and providing various scholarships, just to name a few.

The event has certainly grown throughout the years and cars continued to fill overflow parking lots in fields throughout the day.

"It's never been this packed before," said Cailee Campbell who grew up coming to the festival. She added that the donuts  which never ceased to have a line  are one of her favorite parts about the festival.

Staff writer Megan Ehrhart can be reached at (315) 282-2244 or megan.ehrhart@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @MeganEhrhart.

Love 7 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Written by Mark Smotroff 4:46 am Audiophile Music  One Comment

I jumped through several hoops to get the new Paul McCartney album on the day of its release. It was quite the fanboy journey hunting down the surprisingly elusive exclusive version of Egypt Station from Target featuring two bonus tracks. However, Ill save that tale for the end of this review as I want to get to the music first.

I am really enjoying this new album. Like its predecessor New (which I have reviewed here a couple of times, click here to learn about the recent reissue), Egypt Station was recorded in several studios. Fortunately the producers kept an eye on things so there is remarkable continuity across the record.

As 21st-century pop music CDs go, Egypt Station sounds great! The blend of classic rock flavors   drums, bass, guitar   with horns, strings and newer production textures makes for a compelling modern recording. The CD sounds quite dynamic with a bright patina supplemented by rich mids and lows. Egypt Station at once plays like no other Paul McCartney record yet at the same time it is like all of them. This is a good thing

Back In Brazil hooks around a nifty, childlike beep boop synthesizer type tone as a curious flute floats over a swaggering sequenced pop dance groove. Dominoes swings from acoustic introspection to full rock band assault  replete with mini psychedelic freakout section  and back, all in a five minute period.

The socio-political themed songs on Egypt Station work in their own McCartney-esque way. People Want Peace is a classic Macca singalong with a positive universal message. Despite Repeated Warnings is a poignant epic with multiple movements, recalling classic McCartney compositions such as Live and Let Die.

Initially I was a little thrown off by one of the singles from the album  Fuh You  not only because of its blunt lyrical pun, but also since it embraced a song writing style popular over the last several years, stopping just short of including the so-called millennal whoop (which would have been easy to add in!). But then I stopped to think about it and, yknow folks, in reality Paul McCartney has been riding (and driving) trends since the very start of his career: from Beatle-ized Motown to the Ska/Reggae groove of Obla Di Obla Da to his late 70s disco hit Silly Love Songs and beyond. So at the end of the day Fuh You is a fun ditty and if it turns on younger listeners on to Sir Pauls music, well then thats a good thing.

I will delve into more of the main albums songs when I get the vinyl version of Egypt Station in hand for the second half of this review. You can stream the basic 16-track version of the album on Tidal (click here to jump to it).

The two bonus tracks on the exclusive Target CD version of this album lend a different dynamic to the albums close. After the relative heaviness of the last several tracks  especially the rocking album closer Hunt You Down / Naked / C-Link which ends on a somber bluesy vibe  the two bonus tracks clear the air with an almost giddy frivolity.

The tracks are poppy and even fun, but I can also guess why they mightve been left off the regular album. Get Started is a driving pop rocker with some sweet 12-string electric guitar riffs complementing ooh oohchoruses and ending with a fun little Hendrix-inspired two chord jam. Nothing For Free is possibly the most trendy styled track here, feeling almost like some lost Beck tune (and thats not a bad thing, mind you). I kind of like that this 18-track version of Egypt Station wraps up on an upbeat note.

Before I close, I do need to comment on the odd retail phenomena I experienced on the launch day of this release, which I mentioned at the start of this review. It began when my Beatle-fan buddy Frank got up at 7:00 a.m. to go downtown to Target and found one copy of the album in stock. He texted me about this so, intrigued, I decided to explore it myself, going to three other Target stores here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Only one of them had the album and that one was all they got in stock the one CD which I bought! Store personnel at other outlets also confirmed that they only got the one copy but did indicate that more were probably on order.

Still I had to wonder why this happened if this is supposed to be a special promotion? Was it an upper management oversight? Was it a lack of enthusiasm or knowledge on the part of the buyers? Was the store being extra cautious so as to not overstock? Or perhaps it was a matter of the company consciously trying to stifle the wave of eBay flippers  people who scoop up these kinds of special editions packages and then resell them at exorbitant prices online?

Now, while I suspect that Sir Pauls music may not precisely target Targets target audience, he is still one of the most influential song writers and musicians of our times. To that point, I wouldve thought there would have been a little bit more support for him at retail on the day the album was launching. I actually had to help one young Target employee  who was searching their computer network for the album  on how to spell Paul McCartneys name, as he was not familiar with him.

Some hard Reality 101 for us Baby Boomers, I suppose

Anyhow, if you havent heard Egypt Station you should check it out as if you are a Paul McCartney fan. Its a really enjoyable album. Stay tuned for part two of this review as we will make another stop at Egypt Station as soon as I get my hands on the vinyl edition.

(Visited 113 times, 2 visits today)California last month passed the nations toughest state-level net neutrality law, and the Donald Trump-appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, does not like it at all.

At Pais urging, the Republican-dominated FCC voted last December to repeal the federal net neutrality rules that had been in effect since June of 2015. As of June 11 this year, the rules were lifted and the United States was without protections against big telecommunications companies strangling online traffic to some sites while giving easy access to others for a feeor for any reason that the internet service providers wanted.

But states have been fighting back, either passing their own net neutrality lawsas California did on August 31or joining in a federal lawsuit to reinstate the Obama-era net neutrality rules nationwide.

The California lawwhich after more than two weeks has languished without a signature on the desk of Governor Jerry Brownhas drawn Pais highest level of anger, however, as he revealed on Friday to a right-wing think-tank in Maine.

In his speech to the Maine Heritage Policy Center, Pai slammed SB 822the California net neutrality billas illegal, radical and anti-consumer, according to the Los Angeles Times, and went on to ridicule what he called Californias nanny-state legislators.

They have met the enemy, and it is free data, Pai saidthough the lack of net neutrality regulations would allow internet service providers to slow or cut off data arbitrarily, if they choose to do so.

Scott Wiener, the San Francisco state senator who is the lead author of SB 822, quickly shot back at Pai over what he called the FCC heads potshots at the California law.

Unlike Pais FCC, California isnt run by the big telecom and cable companies, Wiener said, as quoted by the tech news site Motherboard. SB 822 is supported by a broad coalition of consumer groups, groups advocating for low-income people, small and mid-size technology companies, labor unions, and President Obamas FCC chairman, Tom Wheeler. Ill take that support over Ajit Pai any day of the week.

In a Sacramento Bee column last week, Center for Media Justice Campaign Director Steven Renderos spelled out what his nonprofit group, which has sent a letter to Brown urging him to sign the bill, sees as the stakes in the net neutrality fight.

Its no coincidence that as black and brown people have gone online to expose the attacks on their communities, the Federal Communications Commission under President Donald Trump has actively worked against them, including the decision to repeal Obama administration rules to ensure a free and open internet, Renderos wrote. Without a free and open Internet, movements such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter may never have flourished and made such a dramatic impact. The battle for net neutrality is really a continuation of the age-old fight for our right to dissent.

Net neutrality is also a key issue for the online adult industry. Without the rules in place, porn sites are vulnerable to data throttling blocking as a form of censorship, as well as to ISPs who may require users to pay additional fees for access to adult sites.

Photo by Gage Skidmore / Wikimeda CommonsA recent court ruling brought bad news to movie companies and other content creators looking to sue individuals who download their films illegally online using torrents or any other means. At least in Canada. The Canadian Supreme Court ruled last week that if movie producers want internet service providers to find and hand over the personal information of users accused of copyright violations, they now must pay the ISPs a fee to do so, The Financial Post reported.

The ruling came in a case involving an American film company, Voltage Pictures LLC, which is the producer behind such Oscar winners as The Dallas Buyers Club and The Hurt Locker. Voltage was planning a reverse class action lawsuit against 55,000 internet users whom they suspect of downloading Voltage movies for free online.

Voltage, like many film companies, uses tracking software to pinpoint the IP addresses of users who share its movies via BitTorrent. Under Canadian laws, a copyright holder can demand that an ISP send a warning notice to the owner of an IP address, and the ISP must pay to make that happen.

But if the company wants an ISP to turn over information about the IP address owner, thats when the movie company must now pony up, the Canadian high court ruled on Friday.

Rogers Communications, Canadas largest telecom company and internet provider, had refused to cover the cost of digging up that information and handing it over to Voltage, according to the tech news site TechAeris. So Voltage sued to make the ISP pay, and the Canadian court sided with Rogers.

Voltage was seeking personal info on just one alleged copyright violator, before moving on to sue 54,999 more. Rogers said that the cost per person is about $50approximately $40 in United States currencyto find and transmit personal information. The company could have been looking at costs of well over $2 million to fully comply with Voltages demands. Those costs will now need to be paid by Voltage if it chooses to go ahead with its mass lawsuit.

This is an important win for our customers and millions of internet subscribers facing open season on their personal information, said Rogers senior vice-president of regulatory affairs, David Watt, following the court decision.

A lower court ruled two years ago that Rogers could force the movie company to pay the fee, but that ruling was reversed when Voltage appealedsending the case to Canadas Supreme Court, according to CTV News.

Rogers now uses an automated system to send out the required notices to alleged copyright infringerswhich it does about 200,000 times every month. But the process of obtaining further personal information about its customers and handing it over to a movie studio is more cumbersome and costs more money, Rogers said, and the court agreed.

Its definitely a setback for this kind of mass litigation in Canada, and a much-needed one, copyright attorney Howard Knopf said, quoted by TechAeris.

Photo by D. Gordon E. Robertson / Wikimedia CommonsNew team to scan officers for faulty investigation

Nepal Police on Sunday formed a nine-member committee to investigate police officials who misled the probe into the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant in Kanchanpur in July.Expanding Pasquotank County wind facility would interfere with operation of radar protecting U.S. coastline

A new study from the U.S. Navy says expanding the Amazon Wind Farm site near Elizabeth City, as the operator planned to do, may cause interference with the Navy's radar-tracking facility in southern Virginia.The Navy released the executive summary of its study July 9. It concluded the interference produced by the existing 104 Amazon Wind Farm turbines is allowable based on a 2014 agreement between the Navy and the wind farm operator Avangrid Renewables. But Avangrid's to plan to add another 46 turbines could cause problems with the Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar.The ROTHR receiver plays a key role in the military's tracking of aircraft and ships suspected of transporting illegal drugs and other banned substances to the United States.Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown, R-Onslow, told Carolina Journal the executive summary confirmed what he had been told privately by military officials.he said. In addition to the radar interference issue, Brown said he is concerned about compatibility with military training flights in eastern North Carolina.he said.The Amazon Wind Farm is North Carolina's only large-scale wind energy project.In January 2017, just before it went into full operation, North Carolina legislative leaders asked the Trump administration to consider shutting down the $400-million, 208-megawatt, 104-turbine project. State lawmakers said the massive turbines in Pasquotank County would interfere with ROTHR.Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory was the lead independent radar specialist organization for the study. The executive summary was four pages, but the Navy would not release the full report.Navy spokeswoman Katisha Draughn-Fraguada told CJ.Last year, the General Assembly instituted an 18-month moratorium on new North Carolina wind farms. The purpose of the moratorium was to allow the General Assembly time to study how wind projects and other development may pose a threat to military operations. The moratorium expires in December.In June 2012, the government's ROTHR Program Office released a study concluding that, to prevent interference with radar operation, a large-scale wind farm should be no closer than 28 miles from a ROTHR facility. The Navy released a map showing the "interference awareness area" relating to the ROTHR receiving facility in Virginia. The Amazon Wind Farm covers about 20,000 acres. It begins about 14 miles from the ROTHR facility stretching to a point about 22 miles away. It is entirely within the 28-mile interference awareness area described in the 2012 study.The Obama administration's Department of Defense reversed position in October 2014 and entered an agreement citing a goalUnder the agreement, the Navy would "discuss strategies" with Iberdrola Renewables [Avangrid] if the installation adversely affected radar operations. But under the agreement, if the turbines compromised the radar facility's effectiveness, the Navy had no option to terminate the project or force Avangrid to reduce the wind farm's operations.If the Navy detects an adverse impact from the turbines, the parties willand discuss strategies likely to prevent problems.The agreement also called for post-construction interference measurements, which formed the basis for the recent study.The saying "nix all six" is gaining traction from ideologues on the Left who value partisan victories and power over all else. Of course, "nix the six" refers to voting against all the state constitutional amendments on the November midterm ballots. Regardless if any amendment makes sense for you, your family, or community, apparently. It's better to "nix all six" they say rather than even pondering support for possibly just one. No need to think outside the collective, we've prepared this ready made slogan for you!One could follow the advice of activists and ideologues and be guided by a simplistic political slogan, and no doubt some will, but it doesn't seem like a very wise and informed choice given that there are diverse and even bipartisan amendments for voters to choose from.The Right to Hunt and Fish amendment is not controversial and will most likely have broad support from various political factions in the state. Don't believe me? Check out the lopsided vote totals by state lawmakers.Additionally, Florida and North Carolina are the only states in the Southeast without this language in their constitution. It has never been voted down in any state when placed on the ballot. Sure, some uber urbanized Lefties or extreme anti-firearms folks may be hostile to the amendment, but then they only reinforce its need. Just over 20 states have this language in their constitution, and more states are considering adding it.Capping the income tax at 7 percent offers voters an opportunity to place additional constitutional limits on state government and spending. This to me is not fundamentally pro-Republican or anti-Democrat, but rather gets to the basic question about what is the role and purpose of government? It's a detriment to our state when one party is primarily seen as more competent or responsible when it comes to managing revenue and the state budget.While most Democrats are pushing back aggressively on Voter ID, it has broad support from the electorate, not just in North Carolina but across the nation. And when it is implemented in other states, the hysteria immediately dies down. The crisis crowd just moves on to their next pet issue.Marsy's Law will probably prove to have broad support from voters and it's virtually impossible to make the case that it's a partisan power grab or ploy to turn out the vote. It's a victims rights bill that started in California and has been adopted by other states. Most of the money is provided by Henry T. Nicholas, whose sister was murdered by an ex-boyfriend. It will be on the 2018 ballot in other states besides North Carolina.Again, the larger point is "nix the six" is devoid of any critical thinking when it comes to voting on these amendments. Full disclosure: I'm probably not voting for all six but I support some of the proposed amendments and voters too should look at all six individually instead of being entrapped by a slogan for the sake of partisan politics.Trying to make a decision about constitutional amendments from a reflexive partisan position is usually never a good idea. The people and political parties in power inevitably change. Constitutions are meant to be more permanent to preserve our rights and rule of law. They are meant to empower people not government. Even though the two amendments that may appear more partisan on the surface, the judicial vacancies and the state board of Ethics and Election Enforcement reform amendment, your partisan loyalties may not determine your vote. You may feel that having a weaker governor or stronger legislator is good for North Carolina no matter who holds power. Different states give different levels of power to the governor for good reasons.Be a smarter voter than a slogan voter. That way you can offer your best vote to North Carolina instead of merely being an automaton enslaved by partisan group-think.On Thursday, President Trump leapt directly into the path of an oncoming public disaster, tearing into the official Puerto Rican government estimate of the death toll from Hurricane Maria just before Hurricane Florence was scheduled to make landfall. Trump tweeted:Now, there are serious questions to be asked about whether the Trump administration's response to Maria was sufficient and whether malfeasance largely rested with the local authorities. Those questions were exacerbated yesterday by footage of millions of bottles of water sitting on a tarmac in Puerto Rico.But there's also no question that the original death count of 6 to 18 was extraordinarily low, and clearly not accurate.Calculating death tolls from natural disasters is notoriously difficult - death tolls are rarely mere tallies of names. Bodies are lost; people without families die; it's difficult to determine how many people have actually perished in a hurricane. For example, Carl Bialik of FiveThirtyEight pointed out in 2015 that "we still don't know how many people died because of Katrina." He summarized:By its own admission, Louisiana never finished counting the dead. Its last news release on the topic, from February 2006, put the statewide toll at 1,103. Three months later, it added hundreds of state residents who'd died in other states. Three months after that, in August 2006, Louisiana counted 1,464 victims, with 135 people still missing. Today, when asked about the Louisiana death total, the health department cites a 2008 study that reviewed death certificates and concluded that there were 986 victims. But that study said the total could be nearly 50 percent higher if deaths possibly linked to the storm were included.It was particularly difficult to count "indirect" deaths:Direct deaths are those that occur from drowning or an injury sustained during the storm or post-storm flooding, while indirect deaths occur from some other cause that might be linked to the storm, such as an inability to access medical care to treat an illness. After Katrina, government counters in Louisiana chose to include indirect deaths based on an arbitrary time cutoff - people who were evacuated from New Orleans and died after Oct. 1 were not included, while those who died before were. The authors of the 2008 study that counted 986 Louisiana deaths took a different approach, counting only deaths that could be directly attributed to the storm.That didn't stop President Trump from favorably comparing the death toll in Puerto Rico to the death toll from Hurricane Katrina back in May:Sixteen people, certified - 16 people versus in the thousands. You can be very proud of all of your people, all of our people working together. Sixteen versus literally thousands of people.So, how was the count from Puerto Rico actually obtained? It was an approximation, not a list of names, according to Governor Ricardo Rossello. He stated the number could increase or decrease over time. George Washington University released a study based on "excess deaths" over the normal death rate at that particular time of year:Our excess mortality study analyzed past mortality patterns (mortality registration and population census data from 2010 to 2017) in order to predict the expected mortality if Hurricane Maria had not occurred (predicted mortality) and compare this figure to the actual deaths that occurred (observed mortality).They estimated "total excess mortality" at 2,975 - and that has become the government count. The Puerto Rican government had already increased its body count to 1,427 in early September, estimating deaths in the four months after the storm. But Lynn Goldman, dean of the university's Milken Institute of Public Health, which ran the study, admitted, "among all the deaths that occurred, which of them were related to Maria, which of them would not have occurred if it hadn't been for the storm? We're not able to say that now."CNN acknowledges that there are multiple estimates:In November, CNN reporters surveyed 112 funeral homes across the island, about half the total. Reporters found that funeral home directors identified 499 deaths they considered to be hurricane-related. In December, The New York Times estimated 1,052 "excess deaths"occurred after Maria. Others produced similar estimates.A research letter published this month in the medical journal JAMA estimated that between 1,006 and 1,272 people died in connection to the storm.In May, a team that included researchers from Harvard University published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine estimating that 793 to 8,498 people died in Maria's wake, a range that some academics have criticized as overly broad. The study's midpoint estimate -- 4,645 deaths -- became a rallying cry for activists upset by what they see as a lack of accountability for the scale of the catastrophe by officials in Puerto Rico and the United States.So the official Puerto Rican count isn't guaranteed, by any measure. But it's surely higher than the original count, and it's absurd for Trump to claim otherwise - especially when Trump was happy to slam the Obama administration for the 285 hurricane deaths in Hurricane Sandy, despite the initial estimate of 26 dead. Here was Trump on Sandy:An act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, violence or criminal offense committed against any person, group or property that appears to be intentional and motivated by prejudice or bias. Such are usually associated with negative feelings and beliefs with respect to others' race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, political affiliation, disability, veteran status, club affiliation or organizational membership.

Colleges are using a new tool with the frightening potential to shut down open dialogue. They go by the benign-sounding name of "bias response teams."Bias response teams monitor what students and faculty say. They encourage students to report, often anonymously, comments or behavior that make them feel uncomfortable or threatened, even if the speech or conduct is constitutionally protected. Those who are reported can face referral to student conduct administrators or law enforcement, but records on whether or how often punitive action is meted out are elusive. Indeed, colleges are reluctant to share much of the data collected by them.Campuses have created bias response teams as early as the 1980s, according to an article in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice authored in part by UNC-Charlotte professor Ryan Miller. Arizona State University was among the pioneers, said Adam Steinbaugh, director of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's (FIRE) Individual Rights Defense Program. By 1996, Ohio State University and others increasingly got on board.And their expansion has been a national issue. Bias response teams operate on at least 231 college campuses in 43 states and the District of Columbia, and the number is growing. Their names and methods might vary somewhat from campus to campus, but their mission is generally the same.North Carolina ranks No. 6 among states, with 10 college bias response teams, according to a study published by FIRE, entitled Bias Response Team Report 2017 . The state trails only New York (27), California (22), Pennsylvania (15), Wisconsin (13), and Massachusetts (12). North Carolina schools with bias response teams include Appalachian State University, Davidson College, Duke University, Elon University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina State University, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Charlotte, Wake Forest University, and Western Carolina State University.Bias response teams are the counter by higher education to court rulings against campus free speech zones and walls, and speech codes violating the First Amendment. But like those prior methods, bias response teams don't always embrace the full spectrum of constitutionally protected speech and expression. The teams can have the same chilling effect when colleges and universities try to curb speech in disfavor.But are they really so bad? In some situations, the university is legally required to address some of the complaints, such as sexual harassment and discrimination.Steinbaugh said.Steinbaugh said bias response teams are not as threatening to due process rights as campus sexual assault tribunals that operate under college judicial systems. That's because bias response teams investigate complaints but don't usually render punishment.Unfortunately, using bias response teams to address harassment and other campus issues may present too many threats to free thought and individual rights to justify their existence. Of great concern is just how broadly universities define bias. "We also see a lot of teams that have definitions of bias that are so broad that they sweep up political speech, and that's subjected to the review of law enforcement and student conduct administrators, which is certainly concerning," Steinbaugh said.Pulling from UNC-Asheville 's definition, bias is:Such expansive definitions give college officials an opening to deny First Amendment rights. Particularly if subjective feelings are a standard for improper speech-since feelings can be hurt by facts.Furthermore, the makeup of the bias response teams can be intimidating. FIRE's 2017 report revealed that 42 percent of bias response teams include law enforcement members, and 63 percent include student conduct administrators. That might send a message that individuals could be penalized for expressing what college bureaucrats decide is unwelcome speech.Another problem is that by silencing unwelcome speech, colleges fail to educate their students.said Richard Vedder, an economics professor at Ohio University and director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity.College is the place for students to be challenged by uncomfortable thoughts and ideas, learn how to cope with them, and deal with people different than they are, Vedder said.Some students, too, are bothered by the existence of these teams.said Jacob Matlock of Fayetteville, a communications student at North Carolina State University who was surprised to learn his university has a Bias Impact Response Team.with expressing lawfully protected speech even if someone reports it as offensive, said exploratory studies student Steven Schutzer, also an NC State freshman from Fayetteville.One way to partly resolve these issues is to educate bias response team members about free speech rights and the natural limitations of their power.Steinbaugh said. Nor do they give assurances they are not punitive by design, he added.And bias response teams are not yet understood by many administrators as a threat to free speech. The University of North Carolina system Board of Governors' recently released Report on Free Speech and Free Expression doesn't even mention bias response teams as an area of concern.Steinbaugh continued:In the short term, FIRE and other higher education watchdog organizations project growth in the number of bias response teams. But there is a glimmer of hope for those concerned about the rise of a campus surveillance state, where asking a question in class or making an insensitive comment could be reported to the "speech police" as a bias-laced microaggression.The civil rights organization Speech First has an ongoing suit against the University of Michigan's bias response team, and the U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement of interest saying the university operated aAnd the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Central Michigan have terminated their bias response teams within the past two years.At the University of Iowa, administrators are not moving forward on creating a bias assessment response team. Georgina Dodge, Iowa's chief diversity officer, said the university shelved plans to create one in favor of a non-investigatory, non-punitive approach. Why?Dodge said.Other universities might realize that all the supposed good that bias response teams can do isn't worth restricting the constitutional rights of their students. Instead, administrators could focus on advocating for students to combat protected but offensive speech with more speech-to engage in constructive dialogue. But for now, these teams will likely become a more common sight on college campuses.If you were to craft a narrative by which to undercut the #MeToo movement, it would be hard to do it better than Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The #MeToo movement is built on the credibility of the stories told by women who allege sexual abuse and misconduct. That credibility rests hand-in-hand with an eagerness to probe into such allegations - which is why we've spent so much time lauding Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker for doing just that.But the #MeToo movement cannot survive if it is just a series of allegations designed to shield the truth from scrutiny. And that's precisely what Dianne Feinstein has done here, and continues to do.According to The Washington Post, Christine Blasey Ford sent a letter to Senator Feinstein on July 30, 2018. She requested in the letter that she be kept anonymous. But Feinstein didn't forward the letter to the FBI; she didn't show it to her Democratic Senate colleagues; she didn't raise the question with Kavanaugh, even in closed session. She did nothing with the letter until after Kavanaugh's testimony, at which point she dumped news of it in public, forcing Ford to come forward with the actual letter.All of which doesn't speak to the credibility of the accuser. It looks like a partisan smear. And today, that partisan smear got even more partisan when Feinstein refused to help set up calls between senators and Ford. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) explained:Anyone who comes forward as Dr. Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner. The standard procedure for updates to any nominee's background investigation file is to conduct separate follow-up calls with relevant parties. In this case, that would entail phone calls with at least Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford. Consistent with that practice, I asked Senator Feinstein's office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused... Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this person's identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week. Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs. The Minority withheld even the anonymous allegations for six weeks, only to later decide that they were serious enough to investigate on the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed. It's deeply disturbing that the existence of these allegations were leaked in a way that seemed to preclude Dr. Ford's confidentiality. Over my nearly four decades in the Senate I have worked diligently to protect whistleblowers and get to the bottom of any issue. Dr. Ford's attorney could have approached my office, while keeping her client confidential and anonymous, so that these allegations could be thoroughly investigated. Nevertheless, we are working diligently to get to the bottom of these claims.This is amazing stuff. It essentially argues that Feinstein is a political show horse, and is trotting out an alleged victim in order to stop Kavanaugh's ascension. That's disgusting, and what's worse, it utterly undermines the credibility of women telling their stories. False allegations undermine #MeToo; so do deliberately-timed, unverifiable allegations carefully protected from scrutiny. Feinstein knows that. But presumably, she doesn't care, because she would prefer to be popular with her left-wing base - which includes many members of the #MeToo movement too shortsighted to see the impact of such antics.Judge Kavanaugh at his Yale Commencement with Parents: Above.

Judge Kavanaugh flanked by his two young daughters: Above.

Liberals /Socialists are now excruciatingly concerned with allegations that Judge Brett Kavanaugh may have fondled a young female when he was in High School; even accusing the Supreme Court Justice nominee of rape on some of the Democrat Media's Fake News outlets. On Facebook, Liberals /Socialists are parroting what they have been told by the propagandist "journalists" that they so willingly consume; the only news and information that they have any relative knowledge of.It is remarkable that these same Liberals /Socialists were not concerned in the least with the many women that did allege real rape, and other inappropriate sexual conduct against Bill Clinton that went well beyond a chance pubescent fondle, when he was actually in office supposedly serving his constituents. These same Liberals /Socialists did not seem to mind when political chameleon and back-rider Hillary Clinton conspired to denigrate these women wronged to further her husband's career and her's as well.Now, Judge Kavanaugh has been accused of bad behavior and impolite conduct involving a young female that is alleged to have occurred over 35 years ago, and the stench of hypocrisy is thick in the air as participating Feminists /practicing Hypocrites are ganging into a rabid mob, accusing the now middle-aged Judge of raping women as penance for that one alleged unrequited fondle ... when the Judge was a 17 years old boy.This is an action of alleged bad behavior that Judge Kavanaugh can not remember, and rejects as an untrue accusation. On the other hand, the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford , now suffering from this alleged boyhood unwelcomed advance, cannot remember where the fondle occurred, what year it occurred, and did not tell anyone about it for over 30 years; forgetting about the alleged incident until 2012, when she rediscovered the alleged fondle, as a repressed memory, during the psycho analysis.Color me as an insensitive Conservative, but, this Late Hit by the Liberals /Socialists in congress and reporting in the Democrat Media is a bit too much to swallow.Maybe that is why the FBI will not investigate this alleged incident, and all that other alleged rape'n'by these hypocrites with megaphones; enthusiastically defaming someone who grew into a good, smart and decent man - Judge Brett Kavanaugh.No decision to observe Constitution Day as black day: SSF-N

Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal (SSF-N) has said the party has made no decision to observe the Constitution Day as a black day.Overseas treatment

The decision to stop paying for medical treatment of political leaders welcomeThe majority of member nations at the International Whaling Commission sent out a clear message that conservation, not killing whales, is the need of the hour. Photo by Vanessa Mignon

1.1K shares







Japans package of proposals seeking to upend the 33-year global commercial whaling moratorium was soundly rejected last week at the International Whaling Commission meeting in Florianopolis, Brazil, with more than 40 countries making it clear to the rogue nation, which continues whaling in defiance of the ban, that killing whales for profit is simply not okay.

The IWC also passed key resolutions addressing the need to reduce noise pollution for whales caused by shipping, drilling and exploring for oil and gas, and preventing whale entanglements in lost fishing gear. A third resolution that was approved acknowledged the crucial role whales play as ecosystem engineers, helping to cycle ocean nutrients and maintain healthy ecosystems.

The majority of member nations at the IWC sent out a clear message that conservation, not killing whales, is the need of the hour. On Thursday, they approved, with a vote of 40 to 27, the Florianopolis Declaration advanced by Brazil, a non-binding resolution stating that commercial whaling is no longer a necessary economic activity and that killing whales for research is not valid. The declaration provided some consolation to whale-friendly nations after a longstanding proposal from Brazil and its Atlantic neighbors for a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic was defeated earlier in the meeting.

Australia was the clear leader for like-minded nations opposed to commercial whaling. Its commissioner, Nick Gales, pointed out that there is diminishing demand for the products of whaling, and countered Japans key narrative  that the IWC is broken  with his remarks that disagreement does not mean dysfunction.

Another significant victory for our Humane Society International delegation, which was at the meeting this week, was strong support, including financial pledges, for the IWCs new Bycatch Mitigation Initiative. Each year around the world, hundreds of thousands of whales, dolphins and porpoises are caught and drowned in fishing nets, causing immense suffering and threatening several species and populations with extinction, and the new initiative will address solutions to this problem that poses a massive threat to cetaceans worldwide.

I want to commend our HSI team members who attended the meeting, including experts in whale science, policy and law. It was a busy week for them as they advised governments on both a formal and informal basis, made interventions on such critical topics as whale killing methods used in aboriginal subsistence hunts and in the whaling programs of Iceland, Japan and Norway, supported key resolutions in joint statements with other non-governmental organizations, made contributions to key IWC voluntary funds that benefit whales, and generated substantial media coverage worldwide before, during and after the meeting.

A good part of the credit for helping stop Japans plans to resume whaling goes to you: more than 100,000 citizens worldwide signed our HSI pledge in defense of the moratorium. If you were one of them, thank you.

Every IWC meeting in recent years has featured one or more threats to the global ban on commercial whaling, but none so blatant as this years attempt by Japan and its voting bloc allies. And however difficult, holding the line on the moratorium remains an essential part of our strategy to defend whales from other threats. With this latest meeting in Brazil, we have succeeded in buying more time and more protection for whales, and you can rest assured we will keep up the fight.PACER (previously) is a paywall that charges you every time you look up the US's public domain Federal court records; for years, activists have railed against its existence, liberating key documents from it and putting them online for free, calling on Congress to eliminate it altogether.



Now, Rep. Doug Collins [R-GA] has introduced a bill to do away with the system.

PACER was created under the Clinton administration as part of the mania for charging access to government services rather than making them free for all. PACER was empowered to charge money to access court records, but ordered to operate on a break-even basis. In 2016, PACER raked in $150,000,000 in fees  far more money than is needed for a basic server to host some PDFs. The surplus capital has gone into an illegal Justice Department slush-fund and is used for other expenditures, like flat-panel displays in courtrooms.

Ars Technica's Timothy B Lee doesn't expect the bill to come up for vote in the current session, but as he points out, this could make universal access to US legal documents an election issue.



The Collins bill requires that "external websites shall be able to link to documents on the system." That's a standard feature of most websites, but PACER links are useless to the vast majority of the public without PACER accounts. Opening up PACER would allow reporters, academic researchers, and anyone else writing about the judiciary to link to the judiciary's official copy of any lawsuit, legal opinion, or other document. That will allow readers to read source documents if they want to and draw their own conclusions. The bill would alsofinallyenable the application of modern software techniques to the analysis of legal documents. It requires that documents be made available in full-text format and that there be a site-wide search function available to the public. Making documents free would also enable journalists and academic researchers to perform large-scale statistical analysis of the legal process, which could help to uncover biases or other problems with the judicial system.

New bill would finally tear down federal judiciary's ridiculous paywall [Timothy B Lee/Ars Technica]

(Image: Woody Hibbard, CC-BY; Listen to My Voice, CC-BY-SA)Our European immigrant ancestors did an unspeakable number of shitty things to North America's Indigenous peoples. Massacres, rapes, pillaging and residential schools designed to destroy their culture  we ticked off all of the genocidal boxes.

Take a visit to a nearby reservation and you'll find that the legacy of our white asshole doings still echo on today. Amidst the systematic racism and down-home bigotry that many natives in the United States and Canada are still putting up with, federal and local government officials are doing what they can to make amends for the atrocities of the past. Issuing an official apology for the indignities, pain and death visited upon those forced into Canada's residential school system is a good example of this.

However, not every gesture needs to be as grand in scope: inclusion, education and acceptance of indigenous cultures that were, for generations, forced outside of the mainstream, can go a long way towards healing the wounds of the past on a local level. To help move things along in this area, Professor Onowa McIvor of the University of Victoria's Department of Indigenous Education has put together a collection of words, greetings other and phrases in the languages of British Columbia's Indigenous peoples that can be incorporated into our day-to-day lives.

From The CBC:

Learning how to say "hello" or displaying a welcome sign in the language of the local First Nation are just a few ways the author is encouraging people to get involved. "To learn a greeting but also the appropriate response is a way of deepening our understanding of that language a little bit, and being able to have just a very short conversation," McIvor told On The Island host Gregor Craigie. "A greeting and a response is a way of beginning to learn the Indigenous language of the territory that you're in."

According to the CBC, McIvor's goal in creating the list was to provide a starting point for communities to gain a better understanding of the local Indigenous peoples whose lands their towns and cities are built upon. Hopefully, its an idea that spreads to other areas as well.

Image by Internet Archive Book Images  https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/19175400218/Source book page: https://archive.org/stream/annualreportofbu1018881889smit/#page/n491/mode/1up, No restrictions, LinkCanada has legalized pot for recreational use. But the United States still considers it a deadly drug, on par with heroin. If a Canadian pot smoker entering the US through Washington state (where pot is legal under state laws) tells a US Border agent that they have smoked pot even once in their life, they will be turned away. If they lie and the agent finds evidence on social media that they are fibbing, they will be barred from entering the US for life.

From Splinter News:

As Politico points out, these rules may be even more problematic for those working in Canada's new weed industry, which is expected to bring in billions of dollars. They'd be considered drug traffickers by the U.S. government. Customs and Border Patrol agents often ask those crossing the border what they do for a living. "If you work for the industry, that is grounds for inadmissibility," [Todd Owen, the executive assistant commissioner for the Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Office of Field Operations] told Politico. Even investors in the industry may face being banned from entering the country (those investing in the legal industries in countries like Israel already have encountered these problems). "We don't recognize that as a legal business," Owen said. "Facilitating the proliferation of the legal marijuana industry in U.S. states where it is deemed legal or Canada may affect an individual's admissibility to the U.S."

Image: arindambanerjee/Shutterstock. TORONTO  MAY 5: A Marijuana activist showing victory sign during the 14th annual Global Marijuana March on May 5 2012 in Toronto, Canada.Parliament passes all bills on basic rights

The 16 bills necessary to guarantee the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution have passed both the Houses of federal parliament, days before the deadline, through a suspension of rules.Angry that cave rescuer Vernon Unsworth made fun of his ridiculous rescue submarine, Elon Musk called him a "pedo" and, later, a "child rapist," then dared him to sue over the remarks. Unsworth has filed his lawsuit.

The defamation lawsuit will extend an episode that has made even Musk's biggest supporters squirm, with several inside Tesla, Musk's electric automaker, questioning why he remains so committed to doubling down on what they regard as a self-inflicted embarrassment. Unsworth is seeking more than $75,000 to compensate for the "worldwide damage" he suffered following Musk's attacks, uttered by Musk in July to his more than 22 million Twitter followers. Unsworth, through his attorney, said Musk's claim was baseless and lacked evidence. "Elon Musk falsely accused Vern Unsworth of being guilty of heinous crimes," Unsworth's attorney, L. Lin Wood, said in a statement. "Musk's influence and wealth cannot convert his lies into truth or protect him from accountability for his wrongdoing in a court of law."

A similar lawsuit was filed in London, where libel laws are more plaintiff-friendly. Unsworth is British, though, and Musk's remarks are completely bonkers, so it's not as if Unsworth is forum-shopping.

Even if Musk has some oppo-research dirt on Unsworth he's been sat on all this time, and there's no evidence at all that he has, what's the point? Musk's behavior has the air of pathology about it in general, and this only reminds everyone of the whole of it.A redacted version was "read" to CNN, it reports. Brett Kavanaugh, who has signalled willingness to both overturn Roe v. Wade and to immunize the presidency from indictment or prosecution, is Trump's pick for the vacant Supreme Court seat. Christine Blasey Ford is the California professor who claims he tried to rape her when she was 15 and he 17. An excerpt:

Kavanaugh physically pushed me into a bedroom as I was headed for a bathroom up a short stair well from the living room. They locked the door and played loud music precluding any successful attempt to yell for help.

Kavanaugh was on top of me while laughing with REDACTED, who periodically jumped onto Kavanaugh. They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state. With Kavanaugh's hand over my mouth I feared he may inadvertently kill me.

From across the room a very drunken REDACTED said mixed words to Kavanaugh ranging from "go for it" to "stop."

At one point when REDACTED jumped onto the bed the weight on me was substantial. The pile toppled, and the two scrapped with each other. After a few attempts to get away, I was able to take this opportune moment to get up and run across to a hallway bathroom. I locked the bathroom door behind me. Both loudly stumbled down the stair well at which point other persons at the house were talking with them.

Between 1947 and 1954, avant-garde dancer and experimental filmmaker Maya Deren visited Haiti and immersed herself in vodou. Supported with a Guggenheim Fellowship grant, Deren intended to study and film the trance dancing of vodou ceremony. Ultimately, Deren became an active participant in the rituals. She documented her experiences in the 1953 book Divine Horsemen: The Voodoo (Living) Gods of Haiti and the footage that resulted in the entrancing 1981 film above, completed two decades after Deren's death by her third husband and his wife. Now, the Psychic Sounds Research & Recordings label has remastered and reissued Deren's audio recordings from Haiti on vinyl. Audio sampler below. From the label:





Maya Deren journeyed to Haiti to make a film of ritual dances, instead, she came to be accepted as a Voudoun initiate, whose devotees commune with the cosmic powers through invocation, offerings, song and dance of the Voudoun pantheon of deities, or Loa, whom are witnessed as being living gods and goddesses, actually taking possession of their devotees. Deren describes the relationship between magic, science and religion bringing a uniquely lyrical voice to her narrative. This paints a multi-textured, infinitely complex portrait of a spiritual tradition with roots stretching back to the very dawn of humanity. Joseph Campbell calls Divine Horsemen 'the most illuminating introduction that has yet been rendered to the whole marvel of the Haitian mysteries as 'facts of the mind." Included in this album are some of the first recordings ever made during religious ceremonies near Croix de Missions and Petionville featuring selections that serve as a soundtrack to the film she shot documenting Voodoo ceremonies and festivals conveying the incantatory power of the ritual drumming and singing. One can hear the sounds of nature while processions begin across the landscape further giving the effect of an audio memoir. For the first time in almost 40 years, this long out-of-print cult classic is now available in a limited edition featuring a beautiful screen printed cover by Grant Corum, risograph insert with liner notes by Cherel Ito, original cover art by Teiji Ito and mastered for the first time by Timothy Stollenwerk.





Oakland, like San Francisco, has an out-of-control homeless crisis fueled by out-of-control housing prices; like San Francisco (where aid for homelessness can include tents to make outdoor sleeping more comfortable and safe), Oakland is supplying "temporary housing" for homeless people that institutionalizes a kind of living that has heretofore been viewed as a problem in and of itself.



The city is upgrading and refining its "Tuff Shed" camps, where homeless people live with roommates in prefab sheds behind fencing. The camps have shared portable toilets and twice-weekly service by Lava Mae, a charity that operates portable showers for homeless people. While the residents of the Tuff Shed camp are not required to be sober/drug-free, they are not allowed to consume intoxicants in the camp, nor are they allowed to cook in their homes.





Tuff Shed camp residents must sign themselves and any guests in and out of the camp at its gate.

It's hard to know what to make of this. On the one hand, as harm reduction goes, and given the limited resources of Bay Area cities, this is not a terrible idea and shares some of the things that make proven approaches like Housing First work.





On the other hand, it's easy to understand why homeless people, to stand to lose everything if they are robbed, would be leery of having a roommate, and how the inability to cook or consume a substance that you are addicted to in the safety of your home would constitute a major hardship for people already living on the edge.

Mostly, it's just depressing that the richest region of the richest state of the richest country in the world can't do better than this  even as the tech companies that thrive in the area (and whose employees have exacerbated the housing crisis) get away with paying infinitesimal amounts of tax.

The Northgate project cost almost $1 million, including $175,000 for the sheds, $550,000 for onsite staffing and services and a $125,000 fund for helping residents land permanent housing  but the funds came from outside donors, not from the city's coffers. Watkins was one of several people living in a massive encampment at Northgate and 27th who expressed reservations about moving into the sheds but said they were willing to give it a try. "I'm hopefully going to give this one a shot," said 31-year-old Jonathan Jacobs. "But if this one doesn't work out, I'm going to have to construct another plan." To Jacobs, the Tuff Sheds aren't a huge step up from his tent on Northgate. "We're still here on the street," he said, "it's just on the other side of the street."



Homeless greet Oakland's new Tuff Sheds with hesitation, hope

[Marisa Kendall/East Bay Times]Business / Local

by Staff Reporter

One of Bulawayo's leading giant supermarkets, Haddon and Sly Supermarket has reportedly closed due to operational challenges.According to the workers, the supermarket closed 5 days ago.It has been facing cash flow challenges resulting in failure to pay workers and restocking."The shop was no longer restocking. Bosses were taking the money we cashed in daily to Harare instead of ordering stock. We made enough money to pay us and also order stock," said an employee who spoke on condition of anonymity.Employees on Saturday demonstrated against the closure of the shop, citing that management did not notify them despite owing them."How can they close the shop without telling us? They have vanished with our outstanding salaries. They should have paid us our money before closing their shop," said MaNcube, one of the employees.Workers stated their predicament started when their working hours were shortened to two weeks a month, resulting in salary cuts.In March this year, Haddon and Sly was taken to court by Safeguard, a security company for failure to pay $27 836.66 for services rendered to them for a period of five months.Haddon and Sly Limited was established in Bulawayo in 1894 as a general dealer by two traders who merged their businesses to suppress competition from other entrepreneurs.The original structure was demolished in 1907 to be replaced by the one that is currently standing although it has also been refurbished recently.News / National

by Staff reporter

Construction of the new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden is expected to commence soon after China identified a contractor, Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.Adv Mudenda said construction would be completed between 18 and 24 months. Addressing the media after a courtesy call by outgoing Chinese Ambassador Huang Ping last week, Advocate Mudenda said the infrastructure required to start the project was in place.Ambassador Huang paid the courtesy call to say goodbye to Parliament at the end of his term of office in Zimbabwe."More exciting for Parliament is the assurance by His Excellency the Ambassador that the contractor has been identified and approved by the government of China to come to Zimbabwe and construct the new Parliament of Zimbabwe at Mt Hampden," said Adv Mudenda."As Government, we have completed the civil works and other infrastructure such as new roads, electricity supply and water reticulation. The infrastructure required to start the construction of the Parliament is in place."Knowing the work ethic of the Chinese in terms of completing their projects in record time, without compromising on quality, Parliament should be completed in a space of between 18 months to two years."Adv Mudenda said he was also excited that President Mnangagwa was addressing glitches that had been stalling the implementation of several other projects. He hoped Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube would find funds to pay debts Government owes the Chinese government to accelerate the implementation of mega projects.Adv Mudenda thanked Ambassador Huang for the number of projects he was able to complete during his tenure."During his stay here, we witnessed a number of important projects that he was able to push in terms of implementation. One outstanding project that comes to mind is the Kariba South Power Station, which he advised me is now producing 300 megawatts of electricity. This will go a long way in ensuring that we do not experience blackouts in our towns, industry and homes."The other project that has been signed between our Government and the Chinese government is for improving the Hwange Stage 7 and 8 power generation. It was commissioned by His Excellency President Mnangagwa just before we went into our elections."We are excited, especially for the people of Matabeleland North as it will create about 3 000 jobs. Some houses for the workers will be constructed thereby contributing to the creation of jobs. President Mnangagwa is keen to see that as many jobs as possible are created around these major projects," he said.Ambassador Huang said he was hoping that more projects would be financed in Zimbabwe to realise President Mnangagwa's vision of Zimbabwe becoming a middle income economy by 2030. He congratulated Adv Mudenda on his re-election as the Speaker of Parliament."I am very happy with the results. Politically, our traditional good relationship has been upgraded to comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation. This is the highest political positioning of China's foreign relationship with Zimbabwe."Economically speaking, we have seen the increase in trade and investment especially in completion of big projects."News / National

by Staff reporter

OUTGOING Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Huang Ping says China will continue to support several projects they initiated in the country, including the construction of a proposed new Parliament building in Mt Hampden, outside Harare's central business district.The envoy made the remarks as he bade farewell to Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda on Friday. He said they were still scouting for the contractor, adding construction would commence soon after that phase."China will continue to work with Zimbabwe in many projects; at the moment I can assure you that the tendering process for the constructor of the Parliament is being done and shortly we will be able to commence the construction of the new Parliament in Mt Hampden," Ping said.Mudenda said Ping played a crucial role in the implementation of many big developmental projects signed between Zimbabwe and China."I would like to thank Ambassador Ping for his work over the past three years," Mudenda said."During his stay, we witnessed a number of major projects which he was able to push for their implementation, one of them being the extension of the Kariba South Power Station which will go a long way in ensuring we do not have blackouts as a nation in our industries and homes."Ping, who started his term in 2015 during the era of former President Robert Mugabe, expressed appreciation for the friendship and hospitality he received from Zimbabweans during his tour of duty.News / National

by Staff reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his two deputies - Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi - have been urged to publicly declare their assets in order to demonstrate their commitment to fighting corruption, the Daily News can report.Upon taking over the reins of power from former president Robert Mugabe late last year, Mnangagwa has gone all out to fight corruption in both the public and private sectors.In January this year, he made a decree that Cabinet ministers and senior central and local government officials must declare their assets by the end of February.The decree was also animated by pledges during campaigns for the July 30 harmonised elections that his government would not tolerate corrupt elements.After winning the July 30 vote, Mnangagwa seems to be walking the talk, with some high-profile political figures among those nabbed for alleged corruption.But observers believe that the anti-corruption crusade could be targeting Mnangagwa's perceived rivals only, and that the leadership must be the first to publicly declare their assets and liabilities as a tool to inspire others; prevent corruption, and facilitate the detection of illicit enrichment and conflict of interest.The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) said it is one of the practices of exemplary leadership to inspire others by doing it first, adding that leaders must be prepared to show others how it is done."President Mnangagwa should lead by example and declare his assets and liabilities similar to what South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has done," director of ACT-SA, Obert Chinhamo said in a report released last week.He said by declaring assets, and liabilities, it shows clearly that one has nothing to hide.This will also increase the trust of citizens in individual politicians and civil servants.ACT-SA said declaring assets help prevent conflict of interest and to resolve such situations when they arise, in order to promote integrity."The law should make it mandatory that all politicians and high profile civil servants declare their assets and liabilities before taking office. This is one of the areas that need reform. We hope and trust that President Mnangagwa will not leave out these declarations in his list of anti-corruption activities," Chinhamo said.According to Mnangagwa's January decree, it is now mandatory for Cabinet ministers, their deputies and permanent secretaries, senior principal directors, board chairpersons and chief executives of parastatals to declare their assets.Among the assets that are being documented and submitted in sealed envelopes since February but have not been made public yet, are immovable properties owned by the officials or those they have an interest in.Mnangagwa's critics at the time were quick to point out that instead of lodging the details with his office, details of their assets and income must be uploaded to a publicly searchable database to boost transparency.They said this would also represent a show of good faith that officials are willing to open their finances up to public scrutiny, to be held accountable, and to move away from a culture that tacitly allowed bureaucrats to amass wealth through cronyism and graft.South African-based political analyst Ricky Mukonza told the Daily News that there exists an indelible impression  based on perceptions  that the Zanu-PF leadership was generally corrupt, making it absolutely necessary for its leadership to act transparently.He said fighting corruption requires that those that champion the cause have a moral standing that is beyond reproach."Some independent commission of enquiry set up by Parliament could assist. Further to that, institutions that are set up to fight corruption must be strengthened to ensure that they serve their intended purposes."Their impartiality and independence must be reasserted so that they gain public trust. At the moment what is happening in the purported fight against corruption looks more like Zanu-PF factional wars between Lacoste and G40 that are continuing," Mukonza said.Another analyst Maxwell Saungweme said for the anti-corruption drive to work effectively there was need for "a paradigm shift in ways of doing things", calling for reforms in the police and Judiciary which he singled out as being corrupt."It also demands more accountability from government leaders who should be able to lead by example by not only declaring their own assets, but sources of income from which they procured those assets from," Saungweme said.Added Saungweme; "It has to start with the president and his deputies, to inspire ministers and others to follow suit".News / National

by Staff reporter

Renowned Harare doctor Macjohn Chirisa has been dragged to court by his wife after he threatened to kill her for instituting divorce proceedings against him.Chirisa, 47, is being charged with intimidating and stalking in breach of the Domestic Violence Act.Chirisa is denying the charges and his case will be tried tomorrow.The complainant is Lesedi Lily Chirisa and the two have been married since 2008, with three children.Prosecutor Devoted Nyagano alleged that in March this year Lesedi moved out of the matrimonial home and started residing in Mt Pleasant.Since then Chirisa would call his wife threatening to kill and take the children away from her.On August 16, Chirisa was seen taking videos at his wife's apartment and this scared her since she had been threatened with death.Chirisa would also follow his wife at night with headlights of his car switched off to avoid detection.In her statement, Lesedi said she was now living in fear because her husband sent numerous threats."Macjohn is always threatening me because of the divorce and said he will make sure that he fixes me."He has already made a fake court order that says that I am mentally ill because whenever we have arguments he says I have anger issues," she said."I moved out of the matrimonial house and he has said that he will kill me. I have seen him recording videos at the apartment I moved into with the children."I even notice a car following me whenever I travel at night and realised that two of my cars now have car trackers."He is trying to create tension between me and my children and tells them that where I rent is not their home."People do not relate with me anymore because he threatens to beat them up saying they are influencing me on the divorce."Lesedi said Chirisa was breaching an agreement they settled for with their lawyers for him to cater for their children's welfare."sometimes I get stranded because he deliberately stops fending for the children."By Julie Gordon (Reuters) - USD Partners LP has begun expansion work at one of Canada's largest crude by rail loading terminals, which will boost capacity at the facility by 50 percent and be completed by year end, the head of the company's Canada unit told Reuters. The expansion at Hardisty, Alberta, will increase loading capacity to three 120-car unit trains per day, or roughly 225,000 barrels, to meet strong demand from both producers and refinery customers amid pipeline bottlenecks, said Jim Albertson, senior vice president, Canadian Business Unit, for parent USD Group. The group operates a network of oil and fuel loading, unloading and storage terminals across North America. "We have started the process of expanding the (Hardisty) terminal by the equivalent of one train a day. That is planned to be, by the year end, in commission," he said in an interview on Friday, declining to say how much the expansion would cost. The terminal currently has loading capacity for two 120-car unit trains per day. The expansion comes at time when new pipeline projects are facing long delays and the discount on Canadian oil has widened to its biggest spread in nearly five years. Canada's crude by rail exports hit a record of nearly 205,000 barrels per day (bpd) in June as rising oil production in Western Canada has outstripped pipeline capacity. Exports are expected to top 300,000 bpd by year-end and continue rising in 2019 as producers and railways sign transport deals. Houston-based USD's plan will add a second set of loading arms and a new inside loop, allowing trains to be loaded from both sides of the existing rack at once, Albertson said. Loading terminals are needed to get the oil onto the trains. USD Partners said last month that it was "evaluating a potential expansion" at Hardisty, a major Canadian oil hub northeast of Calgary, due to strong customer demand, but it has not previously confirmed the project was moving ahead. Albertson said that partner Gibson Energy Inc will be ready to flow higher volumes of oil to the facility by year-end and that railway operator Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd is also on board, though the shift to three trains per day will not be immediate. "The ramp-up will be very gradual in the first quarter (of 2019), which will allow us to make sure that everything is seamless on the loading and outbound operations," said Albertson. A spokesman for Gibson declined to comment on the project status but said the company would be ready to supply increased volumes of crude as soon as needed. A spokesman for CP said the railway is committed to ensuring that any new volume tendered for shipment on the railway, whether oil or other commodities, are supported through close alignment with its operations and network capacity. Reuters reported this month that major oil producer Cenovus Energy Inc had signed a deal with Canadian National Railway Co to move more crude by rail. USD canceled a previous planned expansion at Hardisty in 2016, which would have doubled capacity to four unit trains per day. That expansion would have required major new infrastructure and a federal environmental review. ($1 = 1.3034 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Julie Gordon in Vancouver; editing by Jonathan Oatis)Probe into ex-envoy Jhas murder hits wall

Investigation into the murder of former Nepali Ambassador to France Keshav Jha has hit the wall.Four birchbark canoes glided through Kejimkujik Lake, N.S., this weekend, leading a flotilla of paddlers there to celebrate a summer of canoe building.

Todd Labrador constructed the Mi'kmaq canoes by hand and had help from apprentices from Bear River First Nation for the two newest ones. Fourteen-year-olds Karlee Peck and Cedar Meuse-Waterman collected spruce roots, harvested bark and spent weeks transforming the raw materials into the 16-foot vessels. Cedar's mother, Rosie Meuse, worked alongside them as they whittled then sewed the spruce root through the bark and shaped the hull with cedar ribs, using skills that were new to them.

Submitted by Janice Ring

Approximately 200 people gathered in Kejimkujik National Park, 165 kilometres west of Halifax in central Nova Scotia, Saturday morning as the group took their first official paddle.

"It was beautiful, I loved it. They glide so nice... I felt like I was in a Ferrari," said Meuse as she slid into shore. "I can't wait for my next one."

Meuse said it was moving to see her daughter and Peck learn under Labrador's tutelage.

"It was amazing, I'll cherish it forever," said Peck. "It's definitely made me appreciate my culture a lot more. I feel like I took it for granted before, but I don't now."

Submitted by Janice Ring

On Saturday morning, the two 14-year-olds paddled in the canoe they built, accompanied by Carol Dee Potter, Bear River's chief.

"I feel proud after when I got out there just taking it all in was really amazing," said Meuse-Waterman.

"It was really special to get it out and be out there with everybody. It paddled well, there were no leaks or anything. I think we're lucky about that," said Peck with a laugh.

Elizabeth McMillan/CBC

One of the canoes will go to Bear River First Nation, the other to Annapolis Valley First Nation.

Potter said traditional skills won't be lost as long as people keep practising their culture.

"The power and the strength that was in that canoe, and the confidence in those girls  The ancestors, the spirits, were with us and I just give thanks to them," she said.

Story continues

CBC

The canoe project was part of summer programming in the national park. Visitors were able to drop by Labrador's workshop in a converted kitchen shelter several afternoons a week.

"Where they built these canoes on the shores of Keji lake, they turned this space into being absolutely alive with culture, a sense of family and a sense of community and sense of fun," said park superintendent Jonathan Sheppard.

Labrador's family has paddled along the waterways in the area for generations. Locations through the park  like Jeremy's Bay and Luxie Cove  now bear the names of his relatives.

CBC

Labrador told the group assembled for the launch that he remembers running around the park as a youngster the day it opened in the 1960s. He was there with his father, the late Charlie Labrador, who was a chief of Acadia First Nation.

"Sometimes it takes a long time to get it right, but I think we're in the best situation now that we've ever been to getting it right," he said as he thanked Parks Canada staff before guiding the canoes into the water.

Elizabeth McMillan/CBC

Though he joked that his hands and back are sore, Labrador said as he has aged it's become more important to share his craft and involve communities in his work.

"It's all about getting the word out there to let people know  across Mi'kma'ki, across Nova Scotia, and across the world  that we're still here. We've gone through hard times. But we're still here, we're still people and we have so much to share and offer."

Read more articles from CBC Nova ScotiaOMAHA, Neb. (AP)  A former doctor was sentenced to death on Friday for the revenge killings of four people connected to a Nebraska medical school, including the 11-year-old son of a physician who helped fire the man from a residency program nearly two decades ago.

Anthony Garcia, 45, of Indiana entered the courtroom in a wheelchair and appeared to sleep through the hearing as a three-judge panel sentenced him to death. The judges, who heard arguments earlier this year during the sentencing phase of Garcia's trial, also had the option of life in prison.

Garcia was convicted in 2016 for two attacks  that occurred five years apart  on families connected to Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha. Prosecutors argued the killings were motivated by Garcia's long-simmering rage over being fired in 2001 by Dr. William Hunter and another Creighton pathology doctor, Roger Brumback.

Some of the victims' relatives testified Friday, including Jeff Sherman, whose mother was fatally stabbed alongside Hunter's young son when she worked at the Hunter family's home in 2008.

"I'm left with constant images from courtroom pictures of what happened to my mom," Sherman said. "I can't ever get those images out of my head."

Investigators said Garcia fatally stabbed 11-year-old Thomas Hunter and 57-year-old Shirlee Sherman at the family's home in an upscale Omaha neighborhood. Police collected a slew of evidence but struggled to find a suspect in the killings.

The case went cold in the following years. But that changed with the 2013 Mother's Day deaths of Brumback and his wife, Mary, in their Omaha home. Police recognized similarities in the 2008 and 2013 killings, and Garcia was quickly eyed as a suspect. He was arrested two months later during a traffic stop in southern Illinois.

On Friday, Thomas Hunter's mother, Dr. Claire Hunter, spoke of the agony of losing her young son so violently. She said the boy "was a joy in everybody's life."

Story continues

"You can't begin to enumerate what an event like has had on us, on the entire community," she said after Garcia was sentenced.

Garcia's parents and brother, who live in California, also attended the hearing. They were tearful as the verdict was read.

His brother, Fernando Garcia, said it was hard for his family to imagine his brother committing the crimes.

"We just want the victims' families to know we do pray for them. We feel their pain," he said. "We're sorry those things took place. We're not an evil family. We hope they find peace somehow."

During the trial, prosecutors presented massive amounts of circumstantial evidence, including credit card and cellphone records placing Garcia in and around Omaha the day the Brumbacks were killed. One receipt showed Garcia eating a meal at a chicken wings restaurant within two hours of when police believe the Brumbacks were attacked.

Prosecutors also presented evidence that Garcia had sought to attack another Creighton medical school faculty member on May 10, 2013  the same day the Brumbacks were killed. Prosecutors said Garcia pushed in a back door of that woman's home but fled when the home's alarm went off. Police believe he then found the Brumbacks' address on his smartphone and attacked them.

Roger Brumback was shot in the doorway of his home and then stabbed. His wife was stabbed to death, much the same way Thomas Hunter and Shirlee Sherman had been stabbed, according to investigators.

Nebraska had not executed an inmate in more than 20 years until last month, when Carey Dean Moore died by lethal injection for the 1979 shooting deaths of two Omaha cab drivers.

However, the state's mode of execution remains riddled with controversy and legal challenges in the face of difficulty in obtaining some of the drugs used to carry out lethal injection.

Under Nebraska law, Garcia's sentence will be automatically appealed.

Friday's sentencing was briefly interrupted when the lead judge in the case suffered a medical emergency and had to be carried from the courthouse on a stretcher. Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner took over, explaining that Randall had undergone a medical procedure earlier in the week that caused him extreme back pain.

___

For the latest updates in this story: https://apnews.com/04e245949c1d4b3492298c25fe5ab0b7The Canadian Department of National Defence is using stones coming from the United States to restore Quebec City's historic Citadelle fortress, despite the heritage site's original stone being available across the river in Levis.

Engineer and geologist Martin Anctil excavates the stone in his Levis quarry. Anctil says he was contacted by two contractors who applied to the call for tender, launched at the beginning of 2018. The contract has been estimated at $16.5 million.

But the lowest bidder won the contract with its proposal to use an American bluestone from Pennsylvania.

"It's shameful, there's no other way to say it," Anctil told Radio-Canada. "The spirit of that type of restoration has always been very clear: it is to use the construction's original stone when it is available."

Maxime Corneau/Radio-Canada

The section of the Citadelle, built between 1820 and 1850, being restored is one of its four bastions, called the Bastion du roi, or King's Bastion.

Canadian standards call for use of original material

The Canadian standards for restoring national heritage sites, published on the government's website, calls for the use of original materials wherever possible.

It says to "replace in kind any extensively deteriorated or missing parts of character-defining elements, where there are surviving prototypes."

The guide defines "in kind" as "with the same form, material and detailing as seen in the existing elements."

Maxime Corneau/Radio-Canada

National defence said in a statement that the choice of American stone "meets all the requirements of the contract."

The three other masonry companies that proposed to use the original stone told Radio-Canada they would never have suggested using another material than the Sillery sandstone.

Their price submissions were higher than the winning contract, but lower than DND's budget estimate.By Sabine Siebold TAJI, Iraq (Reuters) - German forces will be needed in Iraq for a long time to help rebuild the country's military as it struggles to ensure that Islamic State militants do not regroup in underground cells, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday. Germany, which has about 125 soldiers in Iraq, is committed to supporting Baghdad as it rebuilds now that the fight to reclaim territory formerly held by Islamic State (IS)militants is largely over, she said during a visit to German troops at the Taji military base about 30 kms north of Baghdad. "The fight against IS left deep wounds and scars in the country. It will take patience ... to strengthen Iraq again," she said when asked why Germany was bracing for a longer-term engagement in Iraq. "This is about a reconstruction of a country in all areas." Iraq not only needed stability but also economic growth and cooperation, von der Leyen told reporters, noting that Germany had invested about 1.4 billion euros ($1.63 billion)in Iraq since 2014. Germany this year began shifting its military training activities to the central part of Iraq after focusing in the past more on training Kurdish Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq. German forces will also advise the Iraqi defense ministry on issues such as mine-clearing and development of defenses against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, von der Leyen said. She welcomed news that Iraq's parliament had elected Sunni lawmaker Mohammed al-Halbousi as speaker on Saturday, calling it an important step in the right direction. Von der Leyen, whose government is in talks about a possible role for Germany in military strikes against future chemical weapons use in Syria, said all players in the possible future Iraqi government had said they hoped for Germany's longer-term commitment to Iraq. On Saturday, during a visit to German forces in Jordan, von der Leyen had said she could not rule out a longer-term deployment of German forces in the Middle East. ($1 = 0.8600 euros) (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)A public probe into the controversial $12.7-billion Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project begins today in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

The independent inquiry will be led by provincial Supreme Court Justice Richard LeBlanc, and will scrutinize the project's sanctioning process as well as its significant cost overruns and delays.

Courtesy Nalcor Energy

The inquiry will also look at whether the provincial government at the time was justified in excluding the project from oversight by the Public Utilities Board.

The first phase will focus on the period before Muskrat Falls was officially sanctioned in late 2012. It's expected to conclude in December.

The inquiry opens today with remarks from Justice LeBlanc and testimony from Bent Flyvbjerg, an Oxford University economist who specializes in megaproject management.

The initial witnesses will look at the history of cost overruns on major projects, the history of the Churchill River and the river's links to Indigenous groups in Quebec and Labrador.

Nalcor CEO Stan Marshall will be among the first to testify, while accounting firm Grant Thornton is expected to release a forensic and investigative audit of the decision to sanction Muskrat Falls.

Former PC premiers Kathy Dunderdale and Danny Williams are also expected to testify.

'Proof of the pudding will be in the eating'

Williams led the charge to approve Muskrat Falls when he was premier, though it was sanctioned shortly after he left politics and Kathy Dunderdale took his place.

He has since come under fire for championing the project, with former premier Roger Grimes saying its growing price tag is the "price of pride."

Williams, however, stands by the project.

"It's a multigenerational project," he told CBC News. "You have to look at this over 10, 20, 50 and maybe 100 years. That may sound crazy and unrealistic, but that's what these projects are."

"I look at the end game, and I won't be around to see it, but hopefully the proof of the pudding will be in the eating."

Story continues

Terry Roberts/CBC

He said he still would have fought for the project even if he had known, at the time he was fighting for it, that the cost of the project would double.

"At the end of the day, that asset will be worth more than what it cost," he said.

"Yes, there is some short-term pain, I acknowledge that, but that can be mitigated and the mechanisms are there to do that."

Williams said he welcomes the inquiry "with open arms."

"I'm hoping that inquiry will get a chance for people like me to get out and lay out the facts and say, 'Here's where it is and here's where it's going and here's where it's going to be.'"

With files from Chris O'Neill-Yates

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and LabradorAfter spending a little over four weeks teaching English in Zanzibar, I can assure you that its not the tropical island paradise, which you imagine it to be. Yes theres lots of palm trees, gently waving their branches in welcoming gestures as the sea- breeze makes its way across the lush island, blown from the bewitching azure sea, which surrounds it.

Its the poverty, in contrast to its natural God-given-beauty, which is blatantly and defiantly revealed from one end of the island to the other, thats unsettling. However, its not the hardship that poverty and deprivation bring, that I wish to discuss today.

Rather its the spirit of the people of Zanzibar that deserves our attention.

We were humbled, to the point of self-loathing, as we sat and listened to Pastor David (not his real name) tell his story. To place his account in context, we need to acknowledge that Zanzibar, as a result of its (sadly) infamous history (formerly the centre of the East African slave trade) is a predominately Muslim country. The stats are 95% Muslim and 5% Christian population. Its not an overstatement to say that the Christians are out number 10 to 1.

After selling his home in Tanzania (the mainland), Pastor David betook himself, his wife and three children to Zanzibar to establish a church there. Moving from the mainland where Christianity is practiced freely to a spiritual wilderness in Zanzibar is a laudable feat in itself.

But to add further to his troubles, there were the Christian naysayers, who said he was crazy to leave, his homeland, church and job and move to the island, where hed have nothing, other than opposition.

Undeterred

Undeterred, he went anyway. He purchased a small parcel of land upon which to start a new church, and begin a work for Gods glory, in Zanzibar.

If youre waiting for one of those accounts of victory upon victory, supernatural miracles etc, then youre going to be disappointed. For the next five years, he and his family lived in a tent, on that block of land, no water, no electricity and no services. Making ends meet by working as a builder, while pastoring a small church.

Over time, and as result of God moving the hearts of many Christians in Africa to give generously to his cause, the place has been transformed slowly into a small Christian centre, with several school buildings in desperate need of repair, a small worship auditorium and a 3 story manse (also in need of repair).

As Pastor Davids recounted his trials, his face portrayed a quiet confidence that God would continue to provide, as he done over the last 20 or so years. He went onto tell me about the orphans God sends his way. Some people have a penchant for finding stray cats in the back streets. Pastor David finds stray kids. When he meets some abandoned kid in the street with no home, hungry and disheveled, he then brings them to his home to live with him, his wife and three children.

Moreover it isnt just one child at a time. There are usually about three or four orphans living there, as well as visitors passing through, all of whom we meet while spending time with him. All fed, clothed and cared for, from his own meagre resources.

Lets remember Jesuss words I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was naked and you clothed me. When did we do these things  when you did it, to one of these little ones, you did it as unto me

If Pastor David restrained by poverty can do this, then surely we, who are abundantly blessed with this worlds fare, can open our hearts, and then our wallets, to give generously to those in need.

Vic Matthews, has three degrees B.Optom, B.Arts & B. Christian Studies. He is a kiteboard tragic, who now works as a Christian Copywriter. He can be found at http://trustworthycopywriter.com/writing-services/christian-copywriter/Province 2 government to celebrate Constitution Day

The Province 2 government has decided to celebrate the Constitution Day despite the decision of the Rastriya Janta Party-Nepal (RJP-N), a key coalition partner of Province 2 government, to observe the day as a black day.Nestor Mirandas 75th birthday cigar is getting ready to hit the shelves. On Friday, September 28, 2018, the Nestor Miranda Collection 75th Anniversary cigar will have a national launch at Cava Cigars in Miami, Florida. Members of the Miami Cigar and Company team, including Miranda, will be on-hand for the celebration.

Were so excited to introduce this exquisite cigar to cigar smokers, said Miranda in a press release. Angel has done an amazing job at Cava, and were honored to introduce my 75th Anniversary cigar at his store.

Produced at the My Father Cigars factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, the Nestor Miranda Collection 75th Anniversary cigar is a 100% Nicaraguan puro. It is available in one size  a 7 1/4 x 57 salomon. The cigars are packaged in 15-count boxes with total production is slated to be 1,000 boxes. The cigar was showcased at the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show.MONDAY, Sept. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists warn that soot from polluted air is reaching the placenta of pregnant women, possibly harming the health of unborn babies.

Tiny carbon particles released by the burning of fossil fuels enter a woman's bloodstream when she breathes polluted air, said a research team at Queen Mary University of London in the United Kingdom.

"Our results provide the first evidence that inhaled pollution particles can move from the lungs into the circulation and then to the placenta," said Dr. Norrice Liu, a pediatrician.

"We do not know whether the particles we found could also move across into the fetus, but our evidence suggests that this is indeed possible," Liu said.

"We also know that the particles do not need to get into the baby's body to have an adverse effect, because if they have an effect on the placenta, this will have a direct impact on the fetus," Liu added in a news release from the European Respiratory Society.

The study involved five pregnant London women scheduled to have C-section deliveries. None smoked and all had uncomplicated pregnancies, which resulted in a healthy baby. After their babies were born, the researchers examined the placenta.

The team looked for specific immune cells called placental macrophages, which swallow up harmful particles like bacteria and pollution particles.

Overall, the researchers analyzed 3,500 macrophage cells under a high-powered microscope. They found 60 cells that contained a combined total of 72 small black areas, which were thought to be carbon particles. On average, each placenta contained about five square micrometers of this substance.

Using an electron microscope, the investigators examined the macrophages from two of the placentas in more detail. They found the same suspected carbon particles from the air.

"We were not sure if we were going to find any particles and if we did find them, we were only expecting to find a small number of placental macrophages that contain these sooty particles," Liu said. "This is because most of them should be engulfed by macrophages within the airways."

These findings underscore previous studies, which have linked air pollution to premature birth, low birth weight, infant death and lung issues among children.

According to Mina Gaga, president of the European Respiratory Society, "Previous research shows that pregnant women living in polluted cities are more prone to pregnancy issues such as restricted fetal growth, premature birth and low birth weight babies." Gaga was not involved in the new study.

"This new research suggests a possible mechanism of how babies are affected by pollution while being theoretically protected in the womb," she added. "We need stricter policies for cleaner air to reduce the impact of pollution on health worldwide."

The study findings were presented Sunday at the European Respiratory Society International Congress, in Paris.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has more on air pollution.Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



New York, September 17, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the Saudi Arabia-led military coalitions airstrike on a Yemeni radio station yesterday. The airstrike against the Ansar Allah-controlled Al-Maraweah Radio Broadcasting Center, located in Al-Maraweah District in Hodeida Governorate, killed three employees as well as a civilian in the vicinity of the building, according to the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate and Yemeni TV station Belqees.

According to Reuters and the Qatari outlet Al-Arabi al-Jadeed, a coalition airstrike targeted the radio station, with Al-Arabi al-Jadeed citing the Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, and Reuters quoting local residents and medical sources. Reuters reported that four of the stations employees were killed, while Al-Arabi al-Jadeed said three employees and a worker were killed.

According to an email from Yemeni Journalists Syndicate co-chair Nabil Alosaidi, the victims were Omar Ezzi Mohammad, a radio broadcast engineer for the station, as well as Ali Aish Mohammad Youssef and Jamaie Abdullah Musib, both building guards for the station. A farmer in the vicinity of the station, Abeed Heba Ali, was also killed in the airstrike, Alosaidi told CPJ. The Belqees report did not name any of the victims but said that three were radio station employees and one was a farmer.

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

This latest outrage is further proof of the Saudi-led coalitions casual disregard for the lives of journalists and media workers in Yemen, CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour said from Washington, D.C. Coalition authorities must investigate this attack immediately and thoroughly, and the international community should send a clear message to coalition authorities that the media are never legitimate military targets.

The airstrike comes as the Saudi-led coalition targets Houthi forces in and around the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, currently under Houthi control and a vital lifeline for the group, which controls most of Yemens north and west as well as the capital Sanaa.

At least six journalists had previously been killed in coalition airstrikes since Saudi-led forces started a military campaign in support of Yemens internationally recognized government in March 2015. A military spokesperson had previously said during a press conference that Houthi-affiliated media outlets were considered legitimate military targets.The second edition of Nepal-China joint military exercise named Mt Everest Friendship Exercise-2018 (Sagarmatha Friendship-2018) commenced in Chinas southwestern Sichuan province. The 12 day long joint exercise will focus on combating terror and disaster management trainings. Sagarmatha is the Nepali name for Mt Everest, which stands in between both the countries.

Mt Everest Friendship Exercise

This will be the second time that Nepal Army will participate in joint military drill with Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The first such exercise was held in April 2017 at Nepal Armys Para Training School in Maharajgunj in Kathmandu (capital of Nepal). This joint exercise is aimed at promoting military relations and enhance interoperability between armies of Nepal and China. In second edition of exercise, 12 military personnel from Nepali Army will visit China. It will mainly focus on anti-terrorism activities. Besides disaster management training will also be imparted in this edition of exercise.

The joint training with China marks the Nepals extension of military diplomacy. Nepali army has long been conducting joint military drills with countries like India and United States. This exercise does appear unconventional as Nepal has been conducting battalion-level exercises named Surya Kiran with the Indian Army for last 13 years, engaging some 300 personnel from both sides (It is largest exercise in terms of troops participation in series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries). Besides, Nepals bilateral military engagement with China does not violate India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) which permits free movement of people and goods between the two countries and a close relationship and collaboration on matters of defence and foreign affairsQuality education is key to Farwests development: PM

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that education is the key to develop Farwest.Tamil Nadu: Nagapattinam fishermen plan indefinite protest against soaring diesel cost

September 17,2018 | Source: The Hindu

Fishermen in Nagapattinam district have planned an indefinite protest against the Central Government later this month to condemn the escalating cost of diesel. In view of the enormous foreign exchange earning from export of seafood products, the Central Government ought to have protected the fishermen community from the impact of fuel price hike, representatives of fishermen welfare associations said.



On behalf of the fishermen community, R. M. P. Rajendra Nattar, one of the representatives intimated to the State Government the protest plan if their demands for ameliorative measures were not addressed. In the letter, Mr. Nattar sought increase in the monthly quota of subsidised diesel per mechanised boat to 3,000 litres from the existing 1,800 litres. Likewise, the monthly quota should be increased from 320 litres to 420 litres per small boat, he said.



At the prevailing cost of Rs. 79 per litre of diesel, the fishermen are able to get subsidy benefit in the range of Rs. 12 to Rs. 13 rupees per litre. But, their cumulative expenditure is still high, and there was no way for them to sell their fish catches at higher costs to offset the higher expenditure on fuel, he pointed out.



According to the fishermen associations, there are over 1,100 mechanised boats and over 4,000 small boats in Nagapattinam district. The future of the entire community is at stake as the losses have become unbearable, Mathialagan, representative of Nagapattinam Deep Sea Boat Owners' Association said.



The fishermen community is also sore with the government over their unfulfilled demand for completing registration process for more than 300 mechanised boats and close to 1,200 small boats. The boats without registration are intercepted by the Marine Police and Coast Guard and the crew face the trouble of facing gruelling interrogation, Mr. Nattar said. There was no reason for the Fisheries department to deny registration to eligible applicants in Nagapattinam district, he said. He cited the prompt action taken by the department in registering all mechanised and small boats in Tuticorin district.Odisha: Govt caught unawares by sea plane landing in Chilika

September 17,2018 | Source: Odisha Bytes

The Odisha government has no information about the landing of a sea plane in Chilika lake near Balugan in Khurda district on Saturday. According to reports, the people of Arakhakuda and Sanapatana villages along the lake area ran out of their houses due to the loud noise. Later, they witnessed the landing of a sea plane in the lake. The amphibious plane later took off after staying for about 15 minutes.



The incident took place at around 1.30 pm. We saw the sea plane landing in the lake with a loud noise that could be heard till a distance of about 2 km. But the plane left the lake after 15 minutes, the people of Arakhakuda village told the media on Sunday. Besides, some fishermen of Sanapatana village said they had seen the plane landing near the Nanganasi mouth of the lake. Asked about the incident, the local police said they have no information about the incident.



As neither the police nor the district administration has any information, the locals have demanded a probe into the landing of sea plane without the prior permission of the state government. It may be recalled that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had decided to shelve the proposed water aerodrome project in Chilika lake due to the objection by the state government, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and some local leaders maintaining that the project will have an adverse impact on the lakes biodiversity, exotic and endangered marine species as well as the migratory birds.



I came to know about the landing of a sea plane in Chilika from the newspapers today. If the incident is true, then it is not at all acceptable as this will adversely affect the biodiversity of the lake and the local fishermen will lose their livelihood. I will take up the matter with the Forest and Environment department after which appropriate action would be taken, Tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda told mediapersons in Bhubaneswar.India: Species-specific advisories are helping fishermen in India find good catch, save time

by Mayank Aggarwal

Already benefiting several hundred thousand fishermen with daily predictions about potential fishing zones along the Indian coast that can lead to a good yield, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services is now ready to roll out species-specific advisories for fish like tuna, hilsa and sardine. India has a vast coastline of over 7,500 km and an estimated seven million people living along the coast depend on fishing for their livelihood. With depleting fish stock over the years, it is a challenging task in some areas where the search for fish often involves a high investment of time and resources, with low profitability in return.



To help the fishermen use their time and resources efficiently, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, an institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences that is working on ocean research, started giving advisories to fishermen, suggesting potential zones of fish aggregation along the coast.



The Potential Fishing Zone advisory provides information on regions with fish availability as a map (including latitude and longitude) and in text form on a daily basis with specific references to 586 fish landing centres along the Indian coast. The information is available in 10 languages, including Hindi and English. As per the centre, the Indian coast is divided into 14 sectors  Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, South Tamil Nadu, North Tamil Nadu, South Andhra Pradesh, North Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Lakshadweep Islands, Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands  and advisories are generated for each sector.



Focused fishing saves time, money



Though it was started in 2004, the system of issuing fishing zone advisories has picked up pace in recent years. The advisories are generated by using satellite measurements of the sea surface temperature and chlorophyll, and include details like the depth at which the catch would be possible. The advisories are shared through various media such as telephone, fax, e-mail, website, Doordarshan channel on television, radio, news media, mobile phones and LED boards at major fishing harbours.



Along with the advisories, fishermen are also informed about the expected behaviour of the sea at that location (or on the route) on that particular day or for the next few days. Since the Potential Fishing Zones can shift from the marked location, the advisories include wind speed and directional information to help fishermen even when they reach the location after a day.



Advisories on Potential Fishing Zones is one of our flagship programmes, said scientist Dr Balakrishnan Nair TM, who is also head of information services and the ocean science group at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services. We already have over 5.4 lakh [540,000] registered users and we plan to increase our registered user base to over 900,000 during the next one or two years.



Additionally, for over two years now, the institute has been giving specific advisories for tuna, which is in high demand. The advisory for tuna is significant as it helps fishermen target this commercially important species. With a favourable response to the tuna advisories, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has now decided to roll out similar advisories for other species like hilsa and sardines. Fishermen are the backbone of the coastal economy and such service helps them save resources and time. We have got a very good response from fishermen too as they dont need to wander around and waste time at seas for days, emphasised Nair.



Praise, positive feedback



The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services advisory service received high praise from Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu who, in July, said the advisories have now become part of the value chain of the fishing community. I am told that an estimated 4.5 lakh [450,000] users are regularly accessing this advisory and reducing their fishing time by 60%-70%, while netting two to three times higher profit as compared to their previous searches prior to receiving these advisories, Naidu said. With millions along the Indian coastline dependent on fishing for their livelihood, I am pleased to know that these PFZ [Potential Fishing Zone] advisories with specific references to 586 fish landing centres along the coast are being given in the form of maps and texts in native languages.



He added, I am happy that the techniques and knowledge base developed at our research centres are helping in improving the quality of the life of the fishing community. This results in huge national savings on diesel and valuable human effort. The vice-president also said the centres efforts to fine-tune the accuracy of the advisories would further help out fishermen in their fishing activities. In August 2017, the Ministry of Earth Sciences had told Parliament that fishermen in the country made an annual profit of Rs 30 billion (Rs 3,000 crore) from these advisories.



According to the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, feedback from fishermen indicated that catch in Potential Fishing Zones is substantially higher when compared to other areas. The advisories were also found to be more beneficial to artisanal, motorised and small mechanised sector fishermen.



The institutes effort now is to make its services available to more fishermen. Thus, it is reaching out to state fisheries departments to obtain the mobile numbers of all fishermen for targeted messaging. It has also learnt from years of experience and is fine-tuning its outreach strategy. For instance, studies indicate that fishermen prefer to receive the advisory as mobile-based voice messages and text messages rather than from other sources and some of them even want training to be able to understand the advisories.



But what of traditional knowledge?



One concern has been that many a time, the Potential Fishing Zones are away from the traditional fishing grounds of fishermen. Excessive use of technology is harming the traditional culture of fishing in India, said Debasis Shyamal, secretary of the National Fishworkers Forum, a national federation of state-level small and traditional fish workers unions. If everyone gets the same information, it may lead to destruction of fish stock in that particular area. Fishermen dont need so much of technology as they have vast experience and knows which fish will be found where.



Shyamal added, Mechanised fishing is looting our sea. That stock first needs to be protected. If a proper fish stock is maintained, then the fishermen will easily get fish. Destructive fishing gear should also be banned to save the fish stocks.Jeffrey Havard, now on Mississippi's death row, insists he accidentally dropped the baby, Chloe Madison Britt, and that she hit her head on a toilet. A hearing in court on Aug. 14 will determine if Havard will receive a new trial in the 2002 crime.





Jeffrey Havard has spent nearly 16 years behind bars on Mississippi's death row for a crime the state's then-pathologist didn't believe took place.





On Friday, Adams County Circuit Judge Forrest A. Johnson ordered Havard off death row after questions arose regarding whether 6-month-old Chloe Madison Britt actually died of shaken baby syndrome (SBS).





"While the evidence presented by the (defense) is not sufficient to undermine this Court's confidence in the conviction," Johnson wrote, "there is a cautious disturbance in confidence of the sentence, even if slight."





Johnson vacated the death sentence and ordered a new sentencing hearing for Havard before a jury, which would decide between the death penalty and a life without parole.





"With all due respect, we think the court got it wrong," said defense lawyer Graham Carner, who is representing Havard with Mark Jicka. "We are disappointed, but we are not done."





Carner said he wants a jury to hear all of the evidence in the case "and not evidence that is unquestionably false and based on bad science. We have been fighting for Jeffrey for 10 years, and we will continue to do so."





Havard has spent most of his adult life behind bars and will celebrate his 40th birthday in November.





At the 2002 trial, the state's then-pathologist Dr. Steven Hayne testified that Chloe died of shaken baby syndrome, comparing it to a motor vehicle crash or a fall from a significant height.





But Hayne later backed off that conclusion, telling the Clarion Ledger there was "growing evidence" his shaken baby diagnosis was "probably not correct" because shaking alone couldn't generate enough force to cause such injuries.





After questions were raised about the case, the state Supreme Court in 2014 gave Havard permission to seek an evidentiary hearing.





For decades, shaken baby syndrome was widely accepted, diagnosed through a triad of symptoms: subdural bleeding (blood collecting between the brain and the skull), retinal bleeding (bleeding in the back of the eye) and brain swelling.





In the years since, medical belief that these symptoms provided ironclad proof of homicide began to crumble after a series of studies began to raise doubts.





In 2009, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that the syndrome diagnosis be discarded and replaced with "abusive head trauma."





At the request of the Clarion Ledger, New York pathologist Dr. Michael Baden studied the autopsy report and other materials in Britt's death.





He found no support for the shaken baby conclusion, pointing to a lack of neck or chest injuries or spine or rib fractures that suggest such abusive shaking.





At a hearing last year, Hayne testified that the term he would use now would be "abusive head trauma" to describe the injuries to Chloe, which he said included bruises on the forehead, scalp, back of head and mouth as well as bleeding between the skull and brain.





He said he still believed her death was a homicide - and Johnson came to the same conclusion in his ruling Friday.





The judge cited Havard's initial statement to authorities that he didn't know what happened to Britt.





The morning after Chloe's death, Havard told authorities that he dropped the baby accidentally after getting her out of the bathtub and that she hit her head on the porcelain toilet.





Hayne acknowledged that "tremendous G forces can be generated in a short fall. If it's straight to the head, then it could cause serious injury."





Baden testified that the problem with the "abusive head trauma" conclusion is that it's impossible to tell whether a person accidentally fell down the stairs or someone pushed that person.





He said he disagreed with a prosecution expert from the 2002 trial who claimed Britt's retinal hemorrhages proved that this baby had been shaken.





"It's my opinion that shaking had nothing to do with the death," Baden said. "It's my opinion that all of the injuries are consistent with blunt force impact."





The baby's injuries are consistent with the fall that Havard described, Baden said. "With short falls, you can have fatal injuries."





Last year's hearing did not include a discussion about evidence about the alleged sexual abuse, the underlying felony, which qualified the case for the death penalty.





"I didn't think there was a sexual assault," Hayne told the Clarion Ledger. "I didn't see any evidence of sexual assault."





At trial, several emergency room nurses and doctors testified there was unquestionable evidence of sexual assault, saying they saw tears and rips in the child's anus.





"Maybe they were looking at folds and thought they were tears," Hayne told the Clarion Ledger. "We were very careful, and we also took sections."





A rape kit also found no semen or foreign DNA, and he examined those sections under a microscope.





He said the anal contusion he did could have been consistent with the child passing a harder stool.





But jurors never heard that evidence, and they convicted Havard of capital murder.





Baden said when doctors overstate the case, such as with shaken baby syndrome, "innocent people can get convicted."

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar WildeIran Human Rights (Sep 15, 2018): One prisoner was executed at Zahedan Central Prison on the charge of trafficking, possessing, and selling drugs and carrying out the armed action.





According to a close source, on the morning of Saturday, September 15, one prisoner was executed at Zahedan Central Prison on the charge of trafficking, possessing, and selling drugs and carrying out armed action.





The prisoner, who was transferred to the solitary confinement on Wednesday, September 12, was identified as Aref Rigi, 31.





Habibollah Sarbazi, the Baluch civil activist, told IHR, Aref Rigi denied armed action all the stages of the proceedings.





According to a report by the Baluch Activists Campaign, Aref Rigi had been in prison for six years.





The execution of this prisoner has not been announced by the state-run media so far.





This is the fourth drug-related execution that has been reported by the statistical department of IHR since the enforcement of the new drug law on November 14, 2017.





The new drug law includes a mechanism that leads to a decrease in the number of death sentences and reduces the sentence of the death-row prisoners and those sentenced to life imprisonment.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar WildeDespite government's frantic efforts to recruit a hangman, Zimbabweans have frowned upon the job offer even though unemployment is above 90 percent.





In this Question & Answer with the Daily News' Tendayi Madhomu, the minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi speaks on this and other issues.





Q: How far is the Constitution alignment process from completion?





A: We have some outstanding Acts and the Attorney General is coordinating the process.





Home Affairs have not aligned any Acts in the past five years; the Citizens Act, the Immigration Act all need to be aligned with the new Constitution.





The ministry of Information also has some outstanding Acts, like Aippa.





This ninth Parliament will have to do a clean-up of the work that is remaining.





We have our vision that we need to follow; of improved governance and respect for human and property rights.





The Marriage Act also needs to be amended.





The Constitution says one may get married at the age of 18, but other laws are saying 16 years; the marriages Acts need to be revamped.





Q: What improved measure has your ministry taken in the fight against corruption at the courts?





A: The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has moved magistrates to alternative stations as a way of curbing corruption.





Magistrates have also been trained to deal with corruption cases comprehensively.





It is part of our Vision 2030 to be able to fight corruption with a strong arm.





We want to adopt an electronic management system to track processes; this makes it easy to fight corruption.





In fact, we want this system to be adopted in all sectors of the economy, so that we are able to meet the 2030 vision of becoming a middle-income economy.





Q: The ministry has been recruiting magistrates, court interpreters etc this year; has this improved the efficiency in your ministry?





A: Yes, we have been recruiting since January this year, after being granted permission by treasury.





Of course we haven't reached the numbers we had wished for, due to budget limitations but right now the JSC has finished training of new magistrates.





Q: President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently signed a Prisoners Exchange Programme deal with President Xi Ping of China, what does it entail?





A: I will not say much about this, since the Commissioner-General of prisons, Major General Paradzai Zimondi is still in China. When he comes back he will be able to answer all your questions.





Q: Have we had such programmes before?





A: It is not new, we have such a programme already running with Botswana, and we hope to have the same with all our surrounding countries.





Q: How many Zimbabwean prisoners do we have in China?





A: I don't have the exact numbers, but we do have our prisoners in China and we also have Chinese in the local prisons.





Q: Does such a programme not infringe on the rights of prisoners?





A: No, it does not infringe on prisoners' rights, it simply involves exchange or movement of imprisoned nationals to their countries of origin.





Q: Turning to the issue of the death penalty, how many inmates are currently awaiting the hangman's noose?





A: I don't have the exact number of inmates awaiting execution. We have not been executing for a while. Under section 48  Right to life, our Constitution does allow for the death penalty, depending on the circumstances.





A court may permit the death penalty to be imposed only on a person convicted of murder in aggravated circumstances. Of course, the sentence cannot be imposed on women, persons who are aged less than 21 or older than 70 years.





Q: But the president strongly despises the death sentence?





A: The death penalty stands, as long as it is in the Zimbabwean Constitution, despite our president's feelings towards this.





Q: Does the country have a hangman at present?





A: The hangman has not been found. No one has appetite for the job.





 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar WildeSaurya Airlines jet suffers bird strike in Kathmandu

A Saurya Airlines jet flying for Biratnagar suffered a bird strike shortly after take-off from Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu on Monday.Vietnam has become a hotbed of cybercrime, with criminals becoming increasingly sophisticated while banks still using old, insecure technologies.

Many banks in Vietnam have reported about customers losing information about their accounts to criminals through phishing attacks and other methods.

In a recent statement Techcombank said it had detected many cases of fraud and misappropriation of money by faking Western Union transactions.

The criminals would send victims fake Techcombank messages claiming they had received money through Western Union, and tell them to go to a fake Techcombank website and log in to confirm the transaction, resulting in their account information being stolen.

Maritime Bank has issued a statement cautioning customers about frauds in which criminals contact them through phone calls, text messages, social networks, and emails pretending to be the bank's employees. They then ask the victims to provide their account information in return for money, promotions or prizes.

Other major banks such as VPBank and Vietcombank have also issued similar statements cautioning customers against revealing their OTP codes to anyone, including the banks themselves, under any circumstances.

They are also told to closely monitor their accounts to detect any abnormal activity, and report immediately to the bank if they receive suspicious calls or text messages.

According to global statistics recently released by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab, nearly 36 percent of cyberattacks in the second quarter of 2018 were targeted at financial services, including over 21 percent targeting banks and 8.17 percent targeting online shops.

Financial experts have warned that Vietnam has become a hotbed of cybercrime, with criminals becoming increasingly sophisticated while banks still using old, insecure technologies and their customers lacking awareness of how or why to protect account information.

To counter the increase in cybercrime, the government has issued a decree requiring banks to secure their customers' information and not to provide such information to any third party without written consent from customers.Tien Giang police said Monday that a bank robber suspect has been arrested.

The suspect, who has not been named, allegedly held up a bank in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang last Thursday and escaped with VND945 million ($42,000) in cash.

Provincial police said the suspect was proceeding in a taxi towards Ho Chi Minh City when he was arrested. They said hed planned the heist for several days before buying a motorbike online and riding it to a Vietinbank branch in the provinces Chau Thanh District.

Disguising himself with a mask, hat, coat and gloves, he used a gun to subdue a security guard, before telling a bank staff to put money in a bag for him. There were two bank employees, one security guard and two customers present in the branch at the time.

After he took the cash, he drove towards HCMC before abandoning the bike and taking a cab, police said.

Earlier this month, police in the central province of Khanh Hoa arrested two men who robbed a local bank and escaped with more than VND4.4 billion ($188,200) in cash.

After they were caught, a search of the mens houses netted four handmade guns and dozens of bullets of the same kind found in the robbed bank. The duo had taken five guns with them when committing the robbery, police said.An open letter to Monsanto makes an impassioned plea for justice. Deny Agent Orange victims, and humanity is denied.

Hoang Phuong, journalist.

When Pham Van Tieu returned from the war, all he wanted was a normal and peaceful life. He wanted to get married, have a child, live on the farm and take care of his elderly mother.

But little did he know that his fate had already been sealed the day he enlisted. At 18, Tieu was one of the many Vietnamese soldiers exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.

Not many of Tieus comrades fared so well later. Some died of cancer, others lost their sight, while their children suffered from a slew of neurological handicaps. Tieus family was no exception. He had two sons with neurological issues, and so did his six grandchildren.

One way or another, Tieu and his wife managed to get their two sons married. The brides, both from a neighboring village, never knew about their husbands condition until a while after.

Three generations now live under the same roof, in a house built with the communitys support. Eleven people make ends meet with Tieus meager salary from his pottery work. The governments grants for families afflicted with Agent Orange, unfortunately, didnt help his family much.

Mrs. Ly, vice president of the Association for Victims of Agent Orange of Ung Hoa District in Hanoi, was the one who led us to Tieus household. She hoped that the press could help bring more people like Tieu to public awareness and thus garner more support.

Every bit of help counts, she said.

Last month, for the first time ever, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement, saying that the Missouri-based agrochemical and biotech firm Monsanto had to be responsible for the suffering of many Vietnamese and their descendants who were exposed to Agent Orange, which was developed by the firm.

We believe Monsanto has the responsibility to compensate people afflicted by Agent Orange in Vietnam due to the many harmful health effects caused by the herbicide (defoliant), said Nguyen Phuong Tra, deputy spokeswoman of the foreign ministry.

This is not the first time Monsantos been accused for its products adverse effects on human health. It has been happening for years and years. Just last month, Dewayne Johnson, a 46-year-old former groundskeeper in the U.S., got a judgment in his favor from a San Francisco court after he accused the biotech firms weedkiller, RoundUp, to have given him terminal cancer. It was ruled that Monsanto had to pay Johnson $289 million in compensation.

This is the first time someone who stood up against the agrochemical corporation about the connection between its glyphosate-based product and cancer has won a verdict, but it is far from being the last. 4,000 similar cases are lying in wait.

Pham Van Tieu (L, 6th), a veteran exposed to Agent Orange, and his family in their house on the outskirts of Hanoi. Photo by Do Manh Cuong

Specious demand

Johnson, however, had better luck than the Vietnamese people. Since 2004, millions of Vietnamese afflicted with Agent Orange have filed numerous lawsuits against 37 chemical firms in the U.S., most notably Monsanto and Dow Chemical. But their efforts have been in vain, with all petitions dismissed by the U.S. Federal Court on the grounds of not having enough evidence.

This is specious argument at best. In the past, Monsanto has already compensated several plaintiffs in the U.S. who were exposed to chemical products developed by the firm.

Yes. Monsanto has already paid Agent Orange compensation to victims in the U.S. And yet courts in the U.S. have no qualms in saying there is insufficient evidence!

Ly and others in the local Agent Orange association know too well how the defoliant has wrecked their brethrens homes. But what can they do when the U.S. Federal Court keeps asking them for more evidence? Not much.

And it looks like our government isnt very serious about pursuing this issue.

The Ministry of Health hasnt compiled the full list of Agent Orange-inflicted conditions on the exposed peoples third generation and beyond. The Ministry of Labor is still waiting for orders from higher-ups before moving forward with new policies. Meanwhile, surveys reveal that the number of Agent Orange victims keeps piling up, with fourth and fifth generations of the afflicted still suffering from its consequences.

In another corner of Hanoi, a Vietnam War veteran, who wishes not to be named, lives with his son and his grandchild. Both of them were blind at birth.

People in the area keep wondering aloud if the family had done something in the past that invoked the wrath of Heaven, because the family has been producing physically handicapped offspring through generations.

This has never been the life that he imagined, the veteran said. The day he left home to fight for his country, he only dreamt of everlasting peace and a united country. Not any of this.

You just try to go to any family with members affected by Agent Orange. No one will be able to smile now, said the veterans wife, her voice quivering.

In her eyes, all the euphoria and lofty rhetoric about normalization or strategic partnership, and other jargon used by politicians is just that, jargon. None of it has ever diminished the pain of her family and others like them.

There are compensations that need to be made, not because of their material or monetary values. For the people whose lives have been wronged by Agent Orange, Monsanto and others, what theyve lost can never be returned.

The least that society owes them is a trust in the system and in fairness and human rights.

Will anyone do anything about this?

It is not and never has been a question of money, Monsanto. It is a question of justice. In denying Agent Orange victims the justice they deserve, humanity is being denied.

*Hoang Phuong is a Vietnamese journalist based in Hanoi. The opinions expressed are her own.Seven die of suspected overdose at Hanoi music fest

EDM fans attend the Vietnam Electronic Weekend festival in Hanoi on Sunday night. Photo by Dang Khoa

Seven people have died and many others are in critical condition after suspected drug overdose at a Hanoi music festival.

Tay Ho District authorities said they are working on the tragic incident that took place at the Vietnam Electronic Weekend (VEW) festival at the West Lake Water Park on Sunday.

"Initial reports showed that seven people died and many others are receiving treatments at hospitals," Vo Bich Thuy, Tay Ho's spokeswoman, said.

The first eight patients were rushed to E Hospital, a general public hospital seven kilometers away, at 10:30 p.m. One of them died before admission and four died later. Two others died at Hanoi Heart Hospital.

A source from Hanoi police said they do not have the exact number of people affected yet.

"The incident is especially serious," an officer said.

Dubbed the biggest electronic music event ever in Vietnam, VEW was joined by top DJs including Ben Nicky, Yellow Claw and Headhunterz, drawing thousands of fans.

Hoang Hai Quan, a participant, said there were around 5,000 people in the audience, most of them young, stacked in a narrow space with three stages.

"I heard continuous ambulance sirens when I left at around midnight."

Seven die of suspected overdose at Hanoi music fest Performance at Hanoi's electronic music festival VEF

The Hanoi incident is almost unprecedented in Vietnam, although drug overdose has been a threat at music festivals around the world.

Last Saturday, a 23-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman died after collapsing from suspected drug overdose at the Defqon.1 festival in Sydney. Two of the 13 hospitalized people remain in critical condition, while about 700 sought assistance on site, Reuters reported.

In 2013 and 2015, two men in their 20s died while attending the annual festival, both of suspected drug overdose.

Video contributed by Dang KhoaA Vietnamese oil painting, Pink Lips, is brilliantly re-rendered by a street artist in California, redoubling its charm.

Hong Moi by artist Le The Anh

Le The Anh is a highly acclaimed and awarded artist in Vietnam. His works can be seen at the Vietnam Art Museum and Vietnam Fine Arts Association.

One of his famous works is Hong Moi or Pink Lips. It has been widely replicated and shown in many galleries in Hanoi. The captivating authenticity of the ethnic minority girl has earned the painting an honored spot in painter Cuong Nguyens art collection.

From there, it made its way to the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts, California, thanks to another artist who was a former student of Cuong Nguyen.

Cuong Nguyen, a Vietnamese American artist, is a graduate of graphic design at San Jose State University. He is known for his realistic paintings and has participated in street art events, specializing in pastels.

Marlon Yanes, Nguyens student, chose to recreate Pink Lips with chalk on the street.

Chalk and cheese

Now, this is easier said than done, given the considerable difference in material between drying oil and chalk.

Thus, the artist must have a thorough understanding of oil painting so that he can generate an identical representation of color and sensitivity.

Throughout the years I learned tips and tricks from other chalk artists. My technique comes from trial and error over the years. I use mostly Koss brand Soft pastels. I use unusual colors like green, light blue and purple for skin tones, doing crosshatch first and then I build up the values with output smudging, says Yanes.

Eye level vs foot level

Then there is a difference in the field of view: a crucial element for both the painter and viewers. On one hand, oil paintings are hung on the wall at the height of human eyes (typically 58 inches), plus the distance between them and the viewer is usually about 1-3 meters. The exhibition room where they are stored is often equipped with designed lighting. Oil paintings also have frames.

On the other hand, street painting is of course seen at the foot of the viewer. In the area where the work is exhibited, the Organizing Committee set up a fence system to keep an appropriate distance between viewers and the work. People can observe the painting from all angles, but in general, a direct, face-to-face position of standing allows spectators to grasp the paintings every detail accurately. Otherwise, their vision might be distorted by law of perspective.

Size matters

A street replica is often considerably larger than the original, so artists must use the rule of projection to come up with an accurate modification of the size.

The different field of view requires the artist to do some editing so that the viewer sees a proportional work, especially one that retains the original spirit of the painting. Depending on how intricate and big the work is, it can take from several hours to several days to finish it. That means the artist would have to endure inclement weather, maintain their energy flow, as well as keep the inspiration derived from the painting intact.

Yanes completed the replica after a total of 20.5 hours of work.

Replica of Hong Moi by Marlon Yanes

Yanes is a Guatemalan-born American artist living in Redwood City, California. He regularly competes in street painting festivals throughout the U.S. and has been quite successful.

He has immersed himself in chalk pastels over the past five years.

I started painting with chalk pastels back in 2008. I came across this medium by accident and fell in love right away. Since then I have been working on practicing and trying to improve every day, Yanes told VnExpress in an email.

His larger-than-life wall murals cover buildings  inside and out - throughout many Bay Area communities. His delivery of the original sensation of Hong Moi on a Palo Alto street was rooted in a desire to master the art like his teacher, Cuong Nguyen.

He has been my inspiration and my goal to one day be at least a little bit as good as he is; now I know I am nowhere near his skill level, but hope to one day get there, Yanes said.

A variety of chalk pastels in progress. Photo by Marlon Yanes

Talking about his feelings recreating the Pink Lips, Yanes said he was anxious throughout.

I was so nervous because Nguyen, who I look up to, sees this painting every day in his studio. And he was going to be at the festival to check it out, and it was a great image to reproduce and I didnt want to not be able to show the story that the image tells on its own.

An overhead shot of Yanes progress. Photo by Wayne Renshaw

Marlon Yanes and his completed replica of Hong Moi. Photo by Cuong Nguyen

He seems to have succeeded, given the commendations received from festival goers, who expressed awe at the revelation of Vietnamese ethnic minority identity in the painting.

Yanes told VnExpress that he did not give the street painting an English name but simply gave credit to its original creator.

Le The Anh, the original artist, said the experience fills him with joy on cinet.vn. He said he was happy that his painting could inspire fellow artists and allowed him to make new friends.

Most importantly, he said, the replica has introduced foreign friends and locals in Palo Alto, California to the charm of Vietnamese people.

If the girl in the picture is blushing, she has every right to.Hanoi may walk the talk some more

District authorities are proposing that the walking streets around Hoan Kiem Lake be expanded. Photo by VnExpress

Hanois rhetoric of reducing air pollution might develop new feet with walking streets around Hoan Kiem Lake extended further.

The success of walking streets at Hoan Kiem Lake and surrounding areas has prompted the project leader to end the trial period and officially open it with two options.

The first option would be to make the current arrangement official on October 10, 2018 or January 1, 2019.

The second option is to defer the offical opening until other projects renovating and upgrading the area around Hoan Kiem Lake are completed.

District authorities are also proposing that the walking street be expanded south of the Old Quarter to connect with the northern side of Hoan Kiem Lake, helping disperse the current high density of people in one area.

They say that this is a practical measure that will connect the two areas and make them function in a way that complements each other.

For now, Hoan Kiem District has proposed that the Peoples Committee of Hanoi allows it to make Dinh Liet a walking street from October 10, 2018.

District vice chairman Dinh Hong Phong said this would promote the walking habit among people, reduce the use of motor vehicles, promote cultural values and enhance the landscape of Hoan Kiem Lake.

It would also stimulate trade and tourism, and promote socio-economic development, Phong said.

According to Hoan Kiem District officials, the walking streets project being piloted at the moment has boosted tourism and related service industries, as also increased budget.

Phong said that in the coming months, Hoan Kiem District will continue to come up with solutions to traffic and environment problems.

It will continue to focus on projects to renovate and upgrade the area around Hoan Kiem Lake, and deal strictly with violations, he added.Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, laureate of Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award 2016, is seen outside H. C. Andersen's house in Odense, Denmark October 30, 2016. Photo by Scanpix Denmark/Henning Bagger/via Reuters

Japanese author Haruki Murakami has asked for the withdrawal of his nomination for an alternative to the Nobel Prize in Literature, saying he wanted to concentrate on his writing.

One of Japans most successful literary exports, Murakamis Nobel prospects are the subject of intense annual scrutiny in his home country.

Murakami expressed gratitude at the nomination, but said he wanted to concentrate on writing, away from media attention, the organizers of the New Academy Prize in Literature said while announcing his withdrawal on social media site Facebook.

It gave no further details of Murakamis decision.

The replacement award was set up by a group of Swedish cultural figures after this years Nobel Prize in Literature was postponed following a sexual misconduct scandal at the Swedish Academy.

The other nominees for the alternative prize are British-born author Neil Gaiman, Guadeloupe-born Maryse Conde and Vietnam-born Kim Thuy.

They have all expressed enthusiasm for their nomination, the organizers statement added. The winner will be announced in October.Fugitive oligarch Kurchenko gets under control major industrial assets in occupied Donbas  media

All enterprises that were managed by the pseudo-republic are being transferred to the external management of Vneshtorgservice.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterShoppers throng Indian markets ahead of Dashain

Nepalis living along the border with India have been thronging nearby Indian towns to do their festival shopping with the countrys biggest religious celebration Dashain approaching. The bordering markets in India receive crowds of Nepali shoppers throughout the year, but during Dashain, the crowds swell into hordes.A New Series By The Washington Post Highlights African Photography

Posted by Brienne Walsh on September 17, 2018 | Media, Photographer Interviews

Yagazie Emezi started taking photographs professionally when she was down to her last pennies, and living on friends couches in Lagos, Nigeria. A recent arrival to the big city from the small town where she had grown up, Emezi was constantly taking photographs with her smartphone, but didnt know how to transition to paid assignments until she was out of options. Her first professional assignment was shooting backstage at Lagos Fashion Week in 2015; the assignments snowballed from there. To date, Emezis photographs have appeared in Vogue, Time and the New York Times, and she has received a Getty Images Creative Bursary Award.

Emezi is the first photographer featured in Voices of African Photography, a series on The Washington Posts photography blog, In Sight, that is devoted to highlighting the work of ten African photographers and photojournalists. The series is presented in partnership with the African Photojournalism Database, a joint project of Everyday Africa and World Press Photo.

Were in an industry where white and male voices have been dominant  ever since the creation of photography itself, says Olivier Laurent, a foreign photo editor at The Washington Post. That doesnt mean that there havent been strong and important women photographers and photographers of color, but they have remained in the minority, unfortunately. As a photo editor commissioning photographers on a daily basis, Im part of the problem.

The decision to produce the series came, in part, from Laurents desire to change his hiring practices. Earlier this year, I decided, with [the help of the African Photojournalism Database], to rethink my own decisions and delved deeply into the work of African photographers I could and should hire.

His personal research led to the ten part series, which will be published weekly on In Sight. For more information, visit the blog. To read the first post on Emezi, follow this link.

To learn more about Emezis work, follow her on Instagram, or visit her website.Three names recommended for NAMS Vice Chancellor

A government committee has recommended three names for the appointment to the post of vice-chancellor of National Academy of Medical Science (NAMS), Bir Hospital.Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh

Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh

Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched

I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner

Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital

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

Google Ad

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

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Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh

Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh

Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched

Google Ad

I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner

Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital

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

Google Ad

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

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Ukraine's Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) Ministry of Ukraine introduced sanctions against Dmytro Firtash's Ukrainian Chemical Products (earlier Crimea Titan).

The ministry said in a press release last week that media reported that the Economic Development and Trade Ministry had not imposed sanctions on "the Firtash's company, which smuggles titanium ore from Ukraine to the occupied peninsula," despite the petition of military prosecutors.

"This information is not true, and the Economic Development and Trade Ministry many times informed media about it," the ministry said.

According to the legislation, for violation of the law of Ukraine on foreign economic activity or related laws of Ukraine, as well as for actions that may harm the interests of national economic security, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry can apply special sanctions on companies in the form of an individual regime licensing or temporary stoppage of foreign economic activity.

In accordance with the order of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry dated November 13, 2015, under a request of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, a special sanction was applied to PJSC Ukrainian Chemical Products - an individual licensing regime for foreign economic activity for violation of Article 1 of the law of Ukraine on the rules of making payments in foreign currency, which is effective today.

The ministry did not issue one-off (personal) licenses for foreign economic operations to PrJSC Ukrainian Chemical Products.

The ministry also received a petition from the military prosecutor's office of the Southern region of Ukraine, which proposed to apply an ad hoc sanction in the form of temporary stoppage of foreign economic activity to Ukrainian Chemical Products for actions that harm the interests of national economic security of Ukraine. The prosecutors' office said that the company sends titanium ore to the occupied territory.

However, the military prosecutor's office in its repeated petition did not provide for evidence of violating the legislation in the foreign economic activity area and did not mention the laws in this area being violated by the company.

MEDT asked the prosecutors' office to present this information.National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy insists on the soon announcement of a tender to select a strategic international partner to manage the Ukrainian gas transport system (GTS), Naftogaz Board Chairman Andriy Kobolev has said.

"We have said for a long time that this must be done quickly. I believe that there is already no time left," he told journalists on the sidelines of the 15th YES Conference organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in Kyiv on Saturday, asked whether the company keeps plans for issuing eurobonds in the current conditions.

Speaking at the conference, Kobolev said that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline could be completed within two years.

"As soon as the project is completed, all calculations show that there will be no transit through the Ukrainian territory: some of the gas will be moved to the Turkish Stream, remaining part will be moved to the North Stream 2," he said.

He said that this would result in Naftogaz losing $3 billion a year - the revenues that the company now receives from transit and which correspond to almost 3% of Ukraine's GDP.

"But it is not only about money it's also about our security, and by saying our security I believe it is also obvious it is also about security of the whole European Union If gas transit leaves our country, we are very confident that this will open way for a full-scale military aggression from Russia towards Ukraine," Kobolev said.

He said that he does not believe in the possibility of tariff competition after the construction of Nord Stream 2, since there is already a precedent when, after the launch of Nord Stream 1, it was completely filled with Russian gas that had been previously transited through Ukraine, despite the fact that the Ukrainian GTS had the lowest transit rate.

In this regard, Kobolev called on Europe to unite in the matter of extending the requirements of the Third Energy Package to the Nord Stream 2.

Deputy Foreign Minister for European Integration Olena Zerkal recalled that the application of European legislation allowed the South Stream project to be stopped in due time.

She also said that the compromise option offered to Ukraine for maintaining a certain amount of transit after the launch of Nord Stream 2 requires guarantees.

"How can you talk about Russia as a reliable partner when it does not respect any rules, any rulings of any international court, any rulings of international arbitration, which can break all words and actually all deals," the deputy foreign minister said.Ukraine's Supreme Court on September 14, 2018, received three appeals against the September 5, 2018 decision of Kyiv's Appeals Court to recognize and execute the May 2, 2018 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on compensation from Russia for property in Crimea belonging to former PrivatBank owner Ihor Kolomoisky and his associates, including the freezing of shares in Ukrainian subsidiaries of Russian banks.

According to information published on the Supreme Court's website, the appeal notices arrived on September 14, along with a motion to freeze the execution of the Kyiv Appeals Court's decision.

"Given to the judge" is the status of all four documents on the Supreme Court's website.

In the case of a petition, Judge Yulia Cherniak is indicated, in case of complaints together with her as a rapporteur judge, the case will be examined by members of the judge panel Borys Hulko and Dmytro Luspenyk, the Supreme Court's website says.

As reported, the Kyiv Court of Appeals on September 5 decided to seize the shares of the Ukrainian subsidiaries of Russian banks with the state's participation, namely VTB, Prominvestbank and Sberbank (all based in Kyiv). The decision was made in connection with the statement on securing the claim of ex-chairman of the board of PrivatBank Oleksandr Dubilet and 17 more companies, that had assets in Crimea, on recognizing and executing the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague dated March 2 on recovery from the Russian Federation.

According to the case file, the Hague Arbitration awarded the plaintiffs approximately $130.5 million in compensation for real estate, $9.2 million in compensation for litigation costs, as well as interest on these amounts at a rate of 12-month LIBOR plus 1% of compound percent annually.

In particular, the court ruling dated September 5 bans VTB, Prominvestbank and Sberbank from liquidating or reorganizing the legal entity, carrying out any actions aimed at alienating movable and immovable property belonging to the banks, including under contracts for sale, purchase, exchange, donation and etc.

According to the ruling, it takes effect from the moment of its issue, but can be appealed in the Supreme Court within 30 days.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague earlier said that the Tribunal issued its unanimous Award on the Merits, addressing issues pertaining to liability and damages. Other details of the award were not disclosed. The article of the UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) Arbitration Rules 1976 which the tribunal referred to says that the award shall be made in writing and shall be final and binding on the parties. The parties undertake to carry out the award without delay.

The lawsuit was initiated by the claimants against Russia on June 19, 2015 under the Ukraine-Russia bilateral investment treaty signed on November 27, 21998 and under the UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) regulations.

The Claimants contended that, as of August 2014, the Russian Federation breached its obligations under the Ukraine-Russia BIT by interfering with and ultimately expropriating their investments in real estate located in Crimea. Aerobud, Crimea Development, NIVa-tour, UBK-Invest, Edelveis-2000, Planeta, Privatoffice, Privatland, Dan-Panorama, Energetik recreation center, Financial Capital asset management company and Financial Vector asset management company are among claimants.Two die in separate road accidents in Lamjung

Two persons died in two separate accidents in Lamjung district on Monday.Russian-led forces have mounted 30 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with no casualties reported, the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters has reported.

"The Russian invaders opened fire on the positions of our troops 30 times and twice with the use of weapons banned by the Minsk agreements. The enemy fired a 120-mm and 82-mm mortar rounds, weapons of the BMP, grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns and small arms ... There have been no casualties among Ukrainian troops," the JFO staff said on Facebook on Monday morning.

Russian occupation forces opened fire to attack the defenders of Krymske, Novotoshkivske, Zolote, Novozvanivka, Svitlodarsk, Novoluhanske, Opytne, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, Novotroyitske, Novohryhorivka, Starohnativka, Chermalyk, Pavlopil, Hnutove, Vodiane, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne.

The enemy resorted to 120mm mortars to shell the Ukrainian positions near Novoluhanske, as well as 82mm mortars in Lebedynske.

In addition, the defenders of Novohryhorivka came under fire from weapons of an infantry fighting vehicle.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, during the past day, three militants were killed and another three wounded.

"Since Monday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted one attack on the Ukrainian positions near Hnutove, using heavy machine guns and small arms. There have been no casualties among Ukrainian troops," the report reads.The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, presided by Borys Lozhkin since the end of May 2018, has announced launch of four new projects.

The largest among the existing projects The righteous people of my city involves renaming streets in most of the major cities of Ukraine, granting special pensions to the Righteous People of Ukraine, filming a documentary, publishing books of their stories and expanding the database of internationally recognized heroes.

The righteous people of the world is the common name of the people who risked their own lives saving Jews during the Second World War. Their support and honoring programs operate around the world. According to the data of the Yad Vashem National Memorial, there are more than 2.6 thousand righteous people in Ukraine. However, according to the JCU, the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine states that there are actually many more such people  around 25 thousand. The work on finding their stories and granting the title of the Righteous is still ongoing.

In addition to perpetuating the memory of the heroes, the project is intended to promote education of the young people, teach tolerance and strengthen ties between the world Jewish community and the Ukrainian people. JCU is planning to further propose its experience in implementing this project for consideration of the Jewish organizations in other countries.

The project of a single Jewish information portal has been also proposed, that will cover the life of the Ukrainian Jews and provide users with access to such useful services as study of Hebrew, online counseling or an opportunity to participate in monitoring anti-Semitic manifestations.

The Confederation is planning to publish five volumes of illustrated albums, in which the most interesting relics of the Jewish culture in Ukraine will be collected, both from the point of view of history and art. Bright illustrative material will be accompanied by historical information on the relics themselves, the personalities with whose names they are associated with, the Jewish history of their location. A group of historians have already agreed to take part in the project. The volumes will be published as soon as they are ready, and the project will probably last until 2022.

A popular collection of the Jewish oral folklore Folktales in the presentation of the classic of the Jewish literature, Isaac Leib Peretz, with illustrations by Oleksandr Roitburd, is scheduled to be published already by the end of the year. The book was translated by the Ukrainian dissident Mykola Zerov in the early twentieth century.

In addition, the Supervisory Board has proposed to implement projects for the restoration and reconstruction of the Jewish cemeteries in different cities of Ukraine, supporting the Podillya Jewish community  one of the largest in Ukraine, perpetuating memory of the Ukrainian Jews who died during the Holodomor of 1932-33, organizing the exhibition of the collection about the Jewish people from the reserve of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Michael Blazer, one of the founders of the Charitable Foundation DAR and member of the Supervisory Board of the JCU, invited the Confederation to join a number of the Funds projects: The Holodomor, the Holocaust, the Gulag exhibitions  three tragedies on the Ukrainian lands in the twentieth century. The totalitarian regime against the people and an individual, Anne Frank. Lessons from History and Sources of Tolerance, creation of a museum of the Ukrainian Jews, as well as assistance to the Jews of different countries in the search for their ancestors in Ukraine.The state of health of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who is serving his term in the penal colony Bely Medvedev on Yamal, is satisfactory, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova told reporters on Monday.

"I am constantly in contact with the district human rights commissioner and the region's administration. They confirm this information," Moskalkova said.

In August 2015, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Sentsov, who was detained in Crimea in 2014, to 20 years in a high-security penitentiary for plotting a terrorist attack there.

Sentsov went on hunger strike on May 14, 2018 and demanded that all Ukrainians held in Russia for political reasons be freed.Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has said the statement of the Russian side that the missile from which the passenger Boeing of Malaysia Airlines was shot down in 2014 over Donbas was allegedly of Ukrainian origin is false.

"The statement of the Russian Federation about the alleged Ukrainian trace of the missile that downed the MH17 is another unsuccessful Kremlin fake to cover up its crime, which has already been proven both by an official investigation and by independent expert groups," Turchynov told Interfax-Ukraine in Kyiv on Monday, commenting on the statement of the Russian Defense Ministry.

Later in the day, the NSDC's press service published a comment by Turchynov, in which he says that the Russian military and political leadership will not be able to hide from responsibility for the downed Boeing.

"As far as I remember, this is perhaps the ninth or tenth theory, which the Russian military and politicians are trying to impose on the world community so as to hide their involvement in this terrible crime," the NSDC's press service quoted Turchynov as saying.

He recalled that earlier Russia spoke about a Spanish air traffic controller who supposedly saw on the radar a Ukrainian fighter aircraft and air-to-air missiles approaching the Boeing and about the so-called former serviceman who allegedly was at the airfield from which a Ukrainian fighter aircraft took off to shoot down the MH17. "And a lot of other lies," Turchynov said.

"These dirty fantasies, dirty fakes have only one goal of hiding true criminals, but the fact that the true criminals are in the Russian military and political leadership has already been proven both by an official investigation and by independent experts," he said.

Earlier on Monday, head of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry Nikolai Parshin said that the missile of the Buk anti-aircraft missile system, which shot down the Malaysian Boeing MH17 in 2014, was manufactured in Dolgoprudny outside Moscow in 1986 and sent off to Ukraine, from where it no longer returned to Russia.Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that he had discussed with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini the preparations for the meeting of the Council of the Ukraine-EU Association, scheduled for December this year.

"We have had a telephone conversation with Mogherini. We've discussed in detail the current cooperation, as well as the preparation and content of the meeting of the Council of the Ukraine-EU Association, which is planned to be hold in December," Groysman wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.

According to the head of the Ukrainian government, during the conversation the parties "agreed that during this meeting we will form a clear logistics of our integration with the EU, in particular, in such areas as justice, digital market, energy and customs issues."

"Our goal is integration with the European Union, which is why we conduct a constant and intensive dialogue with the European Commission," he said.Kyiv has entered the finish line in the issue of obtaining autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.

"We have walked this path together, especially in the past three years, and we can now say as part of this path that we have entered the finish line," he said at a meeting with the exarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Kyiv on Monday.

The head of state noted that Ukraine was looking forward to the accession of a single local Orthodox church that would become "the symbol of the reunification of the country, the unification of peace, grace that would finally contribute to the unification of both the Orthodox faith and the Ukrainian state."

According to Poroshenko, it is very important that Ukraine have another large state-forming foundation of the local Orthodox church.

The president wished the exarches success in their responsible mission.

An exarch in Ukraine, Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon, in turn, confirmed that representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople would continue to work on the "issue already solved" - the process of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"We must certainly work on this issue, and let me disagree with certain media that we came here not to split the Ukrainian Orthodoxy, but on the contrary, to take even more steps to bring the desired unification of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," he said.

According to him, the exarchs are ready for "clear cooperation" with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate.

"Undoubtedly, we are ready for dialogue and [...] cooperation with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as with the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. We have no prejudices to meet with representatives of different religious organizations, to learn their opinion and cooperate constructively with them," the archbishop said.

Exarchs handed Poroshenko an official address from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew about the decision of the Holy Synod to appoint Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon from the United States and Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton (Canada) as its exarchs in Ukraine.

At the same time, the head of state noted that it was necessary to act boldly and decisively in the matter of uniting Ukrainian Orthodoxy.

"I can repeat once more time that the church is separated from the state, and it should be separated especially from a foreign state," the president said.

Poroshenko stressed that the influence of a foreign state, which Ukraine feels today, confirms the correctness of actions in the issue of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak believes that the information provided by Russia about an allegedly Ukrainian Buk missile, which shot down flight MH17 over Donbas in 2014, shows that Moscow has not abandoned its plans to aggravate the situation.

"This is another lie. This is another fake of the Russian Federation, which shows that Russia has definitely not abandoned its plans to undermine the authority of Ukraine, to undermine the situation as a whole. They need a reason to aggravate the situation," Poltorak said at a briefing after a meeting with British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson in Kyiv on Monday.

Williamson, in turn, added that an independent investigation had shown who was involved in the attack on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

This is another example of Russian disinformation, Williamson said.TV remains key source of information for two thirds of Ukrainians, Internet for each second - poll

KYIV. Sept 17 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Television remains the key source of information for two thirds of Ukrainians and Internet for each second citizen, according to a poll conducted jointly by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), the Razumkov Center and the Socis Center for Social and Marketing Research.

According to information presented at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on September 14, 75.7% of respondents prefer receiving information about events in Ukraine and the world via watching national TV channels, and 49.7% of respondents from Internet.

Almost for each third Ukrainian (29.5%) friends, colleagues, relatives and neighbors are the source of information.

Some 10.4% of Ukrainians receive information via listening to FM radio stations and 10.3% from newspapers and magazines.

The face-to-face poll of 10,005 respondents was conducted in the Ukrainian territories controlled by Kyiv on August 30 to September 9, 2018. The respondent sampling is representative by sex, age, region and type of settlement.Five French trade unions have called for the release of Iranian teacher Mohammad Habibi and other teachers imprisoned in Iran in an open letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The imprisonment of Mohammad Habibi is a violation of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of unions, and on this basis we want his immediate release, the French Unions letter to Khamenei read.

The International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) reported that on May 20 a peaceful gathering organized by the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association of Tehran (ITTA-Tehran) was attacked by security forces and undercover agents. Fourteen participants, including Habibi, were arrested. At the time of his arrest, Habibi was on bail from a previous arrest in March.

All of the participants in the May 20 gathering except Habibi were freed one day later. Habibi was transferred to a solitary confinement cell in Tehran's largest prison and has been denied medical attention, according to his family.

His wife, Khadijeh Pakzamir, told Radio Farda that Habibi was beaten up.

About mid-day, when the children were leaving school, several plainclothesmen, without presenting their IDs, approached my husband, waved an alleged arrest warrant and told him he was under arrest, Ms. Pakzamir said, describing his earlier arrest in March.

Ms. Pakzamir says she is deeply worried for her husbands life. Recently, at least six prisoners have died under suspicious circumstances behind bars in Tehran and the city of Arak in central Iran. Authorities claim they committed suicide, a claim the prisoners families dispute.

Habibi is currently serving a seven and a half year sentence at the notorious Great Tehran Penitentiary (GTP), in Fashafouyeh. He was convicted of assembly and collusion against the security of the Islamic Republic. When he is released he will be subject to a two-year travel ban and two years of prohibition from participating in unions and political parties, as well as 74 lashes.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has reportedly stopped paying his monthly salary.

The French unions have also sent a copy of their letter to President Hassan Rouhani, the Islamic Republics judiciary head Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, and the Iranian ambassador to France, insisting, We urgently and unconditionally demand the release of all male and female activists, including Ismail Abdi and Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, all of whom are imprisoned teachers whose activities are limited to teachers union work and defending the legal rights of the wage earners.

The letter emphasizes that Habibis case is just one example of the persecution of private trade unions in Iran.

Citing Habibis relatives, the letter noted, Habibi has been denied urgent medical attention and has been maltreated by the prison authorities.

Earlier on August 8, the IASWI reported that According to family members who visited him, Habibi is suffering from deep pains in his chest and sides, due to severe kicks and blows to his body. He also has a large visible bruise on his back, the result of undercover agents dragging him on the asphalt of the street. He needs an immediate scan of the injured areas, but public authorities have not moved him to hospital from prison.

The French unions, in the meantime, say they hold Ayatollah Khamenei responsible for Mr. Habibis health and well-being.

International human rights organizations, including, Amnesty international (AI), the New York based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Education Organization, and the British Teachers Union have widely condemned the Islamic Republics increased crackdown on rights and union activists, demanding Tehran immediately free such individuals, especially those whose harsh treatment in captivity has been documented.

The Islamic Republic does not recognize independent trade unions and treats their activists as dissidents directed by foreign enemies, which is usually code for the United States.A group of anarchists has attacked the Iranian Embassy in Athens to protest Tehran's treatment of its Kurdish population, Greek authorities say.

Police officials said that about 10 people armed with iron bars early on September 17 smashed windows in the embassys waiting room and threw red paint into the courtyard.

Nobody was reported hurt in the attack. About ten assailants on their motorbikes immediately left the scene after the attack. Nobody has been arrested for the attack so far, Greek Reporter cited police as saying.

In a statement posted on the Internet, the anarchist Rubicon group claimed it carried out the attack in a gesture of solidarity with the "Kurds of Iran."

The group has carried out a series of similar attacks in Greece in recent years, targeting embassies, companies, and public buildings.

Meanwhile, during his press briefing today, Iranian Foreign Ministrys spokesman, Bahram Ghassemi, said that he has not yet been informed about the details of todays attack.

Following the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) missile attack on the headquarters of Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) in northern Iraq, Iranian embassies in Paris and Helsinki were targeted by angry demonstrators last week.

The countrys Foreign Ministry accused French police of failing to respond quickly.

Meanwhile, several mainly Kurdish populated cities in western Iran have gone on strike to protest the attack and recent execution of three young Kurdish political activists in Iran.

Members of Irans Kurdish minority live mainly in the west and northwest of the country. Human rights groups say are facing discrimination and human rights abuses from the Iranian government.Postal Road Project: Works progress at a snails pace

Physical progress in almost all the stretches of the Postal Road Project funded by India is dismal against the target as the highway built during the Rana period undergoes renovation.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a September 16 tweet, "many countries are taking actions to leave Iran" as "a different set of rules" would apply to "anyone who wants to engage in economic activity with the regime in Iran.

Secretary Pompeo was referring to the arrangements that would be enforced after the second round of sanctions on Iran take effect starting from November 4 and will target Iran's oil export and banking system.

The sanctions are part of U.S. measures against Iran following Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran on May 8.

Meanwhile, Irans atomic chief, Ali Akbar Salehi told an annual U.N. nuclear watchdog meeting on Monday that the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal is "doomed" to seriously affect peace and security in the Middle East.

Salehi, a veteran negotiator with the West, did not elaborate on what those repercussions might be.

President Donald Trump had said both during his election campaign and after his victory in the elections that he opposed the deal with Iran and deemed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to be against the United States' national interests and its security as the deal cannot prevent Iran's "destructive" measures in the region and the world.

The JCPOA, he said, has not stopped Iran's ballistic missile program.

This comes while U.S. European allies and most democrats in Congress support the Iran nuclear deal. Nevertheless, European governments and almost all U.S. politicians have protested Iran's activities in the region and its missile program.

Former US President Barak Obama has criticized President Trump and said that the Iran deal has set back Iran's nuclear program and that it was not supposed to end all of the problems between Tehran and Washington.

Only one day before this new tweet, Pompeo had commented about the news of new meetings between former Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying that "What John Kerry has done by engaging with Iras regime, the worlds top state sponsor of terror, is unseemly, unprecedented, and inconsistent with U.S. foreign policy. The deal failed. Let it go."

In another September 15 tweet, Pompeo said, "JCPOA didnt stop all paths for Iran to develop nuclear weapons, contrary to the way it was sold to the American people."

One of the major arguments of US officials against Iran is about its "support for terrorism." Iran on the other hand has ruled out sponsoring terrorism, saying that it does not intervene in other countries' internal affairs.

Tehran, however, has insisted that its missile program is a peaceful one and that it is not planning to stop it.

Meanwhile, Tehran has still not agreed to take part in a fresh round of negotiations with the Trump administration to discuss what Washington calls a catalogue of measures by Tehran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has officially "forbidden" negotiations with Washington.

In the meantime, Washington has vowed to minimize Iran's oil export with the aim of bringing it down to nil. Some observers have doubted whether this could be practical as China will apparently continue to purchase Iran's oil.

Among other major customers, India has reduced its oil import from Iran, while Japan and South Korea are trying to replace alternative sources for their oil imports.

Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif has threatened the EU that Tehran might increase the percentage of its Uranium enrichment while still remaining in the JCPOA, if EU fails to find a practical way to ensure Iran's continued oil export and international banking operations to collect its revenues.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has accused Twitter of closing accounts of "real" Iranians, while allowing antigovernment ones backed by the United States.

"Hello @Jack. Twitter has shuttered accounts of real Iranians, (including) TV presenters & students, for supposedly being part of an 'influence op'," Zarif tweeted on September 16, addressing Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

"How about looking at actual bots in [the Albanian capital of] Tirana used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda spewed out of [Washington] DC?, Zarif said.

There was no immediate reaction from Twitter.

Last month, Twitter and Facebook removed hundreds of accounts linked to an alleged Iranian state propaganda operation.

Iranian authorities often accuse foreign governments and Iranian opposition groups abroad of using social media to spread discord in Iran.

Iranian media have accused exiled Iranian opposition groups, including the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, which has some members based in Albania, of launching social-media campaigns calling for regime change in Tehran.

On September 6, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States and Israel of waging a media war to discourage Iranians, as the country faces economic hardship after the reimposition of U.S. sanctions.

Iranian officials have blamed popular messaging apps and social-media campaigns for nationwide antigovernment protests against the flagging economy that erupted in December last year.

Based on reporting by ReutersBaku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 93 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Sept. 17.

Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Samir Ali  Trend:

The statement made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that over the past three days the Armenian Armed Forces allegedly killed three Azerbaijani soldiers is false, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend Sept. 17.

Pashinyan made this statement during his speech at the pre-election rally of the "My step" bloc on September 16 in Yerevan.

In Armenia, covered by chaos, the military leadership, as usual, having deceived the prime minister, provided him with false information, the ministry said. "In turn, the prime minister with great enthusiasm conveyed this false information to the people, trying in such a way to distract people from his unsuccessful policy."

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces suffered no losses and the situation on the front line is fully controlled, the ministry said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Samir Ali - Trend:

Over the past few days, the Armenian side has lost 4-5 servicemen, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry told Trend Sept. 17.

The ministry noted that the information disseminated by the Armenian side that the Armenian Armed Forces allegedly killed three Azerbaijani servicemen is false.

"This is disinformation disseminated for the Armenian internal audience in order to conceal the losses of the Armenian side," the ministry said.

It was also noted that unlike the Azerbaijani side, the Armenian side has recently lost 4-5 servicemen, but hides it from the public in every possible way.

As for the wounded Armenian civilian, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry states that the units of the Azerbaijani army dont open fire at the civilian population and settlements, the ministry said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.Details added (first version posted on 13:10)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Samir Ali - Trend:

Over the past few days, the Armenian side has lost 4-5 servicemen, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry told Trend Sept. 17.

The ministry noted that the information disseminated by the Armenian side that the Armenian Armed Forces allegedly killed three Azerbaijani servicemen is false.

"This is disinformation disseminated for the Armenian internal audience in order to conceal the losses of the Armenian side," the ministry said.

It was also noted that unlike the Azerbaijani side, the Armenian side has recently lost 4-5 servicemen, but hides it from the public in every possible way.

As for the wounded Armenian civilian, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry states that the units of the Azerbaijani army dont open fire at the civilian population and settlements, the ministry said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

In accordance with the plan approved by President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, minister of defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov has arrived at the military exercises area to control the exercises, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message Sept. 17.

The minister of defense and the leadership of the ministry visited the bust of the national leader Heydar Aliyev in the territory of the military unit, laid flowers and paid tribute to his memory.

Then, according to the scenario of the exercises conducted at various training ranges and training areas, Hasanov heard reports on the goals and tasks to be fulfilled.

The minister of defense once again conveyed to the command staff and participants of the exercises the tasks assigned by the supreme commander-in-chief and gave appropriate instructions in connection with organizing and conducting large-scale operational-tactical exercises.

Azerbaijan started large-scale operational-tactical exercises with participation of various military branches of troops, army corpses and formations on Sept. 17.

The exercises that will last until Sept. 22 involve more than 20,000 military personnel, more than 200 tanks and other armored vehicles, more than 120 rocket and artillery mounts of different calibers, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars, up to 10 fighters and bomber aircraft, as well as up to 20 army aviation units for various purposes.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov and the leadership of the ministry visited units stationed in the front line zone and checked the state of combat readiness of military personnel, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message Sept. 17.

The minister of defense visited units located near the settlements that underwent fire by Armenia on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border for several days. The minister heard reports on the current situation and observed the foremost positions of the enemy.

The minister got acquainted with the situation in the foremost units and gave specific instructions to the units located along these directions connected with urgent retaliatory actions and the adoption of tougher measures against the shelling of civilians by Armenian troops.

Hasanov, meeting with servicemen, inquired about their concerns, social and living conditions, and talked to them at the tea table.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

In accordance with the plan of holding large-scale exercises of the Azerbaijani army, the management and movement of troops that have been put on alert are implemented covertly and operatively in line with high demand for their organization, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message Sept. 17.

In the course of ongoing exercises, the troops are moving into concentration areas and forming groupings. Combat work has been organized at the command and control posts of the troops.

In accordance with the plan approved by president of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev and under the supervision of Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Azerbaijan started large-scale operational-tactical exercises with participation of various military branches of troops, army corpses and formations on Sept. 17.

The exercises that will last until Sept. 22 involve more than 20,000 military personnel, more than 200 tanks and other armored vehicles, more than 120 rocket and artillery mounts of different calibers, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars, up to 10 fighters and bomber aircraft, as well as up to 20 army aviation units for various purposes.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is on a working visit to China to participate in the annual meeting of the Davos World Economic Forum, to be held Sept. 18-20 in Tianjin, press service of Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sept. 17.

Mammadyarov will address the meeting as part of the panel titled Inclusive Digital Development in Eurasia and will tell about the achievements and experience of Azerbaijan in sustainable development.

During the visit, Mammadyarov is also expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings.1. Yes. Losing daily service to Houston could be just the first in a series of service cutbacks.

2. Yes. Being less competitive with Austin and D-FW will hurt the airport in the long run.

3. No. The airport has seen strong passenger numbers. Good marketing can keep it going.

4. No. The airport is still pursuing other service, including a Denver route. Its still a solid asset.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing future airline and travel industry trends.

Vote

View ResultsBaku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Samir Ali - Trend:

Solemn celebration of the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation is very important, Tahir Rzayev, an Azerbaijani MP, told Trend Sept. 17.

The MP noted that Sept. 15 is a special page in the history of Azerbaijan.

This is also a vivid proof of the brotherhood of Azerbaijan and Turkey, he added. This date proves once again that the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood rests on historical roots. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey historically were always attacked. Azerbaijan and Turkey were always close to each other, so in 1918, it was namely Turkey that came to Bakus aid.

Rzayev said that Sept. 15 is a very significant date for both Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Having held a big parade in Baku, we declare to the whole world that Azerbaijan and Turkey are everywhere and always beside each other, he noted. The presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey speak from the same position all over the world. The two countries share common interests. The brotherhood of Azerbaijan and Turkey should also be an example for other Turkic-speaking states and peoples.

On Sept. 15, Azerbaijan marked the centenary of Bakus liberation from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation and a solemn parade marking this event was held at the Azadliq Square.

On this day in 1918, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, which included the Azerbaijani corps, entered Baku, liberating the city from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation.

The liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance for the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood.

Despite that during 70 years of the Soviet rule this event was purposefully explained in an erroneous context, the Azerbaijani people never forgot the heroism of Turkish soldiers.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

September 15, when 100 years ago Baku was liberated from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation, is the brightest page of the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood, Azerbaijani MP Aydin Huseynov told Trend Sept. 17.

He said that first of all, this event shows that this brotherhood has big and glorious history.

At that time, soldiers of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, along with Azerbaijani soldiers, showed great heroism and freed not only Baku from the occupation, but also stopped further massacre by Bolsheviks and Dashnaks in Azerbaijan, Huseynov said. The liberation movement launched by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus towards Baku was successfully continued, and after that, Shamakhi, which was a strategic point, was liberated from the occupation. If Baku hadnt been liberated from the occupation at that time, the fate of Azerbaijan would have been in question. However, Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood passed this test with head held high.

The MP said that after Azerbaijan gained independence, the brotherhood of the two countries entered a new stage.

The words of the great leader Heydar Aliyev 'one nation, two states' are a true embodiment of this brotherhood, the MP noted.

Huseynov added that this friendship and brotherhood are an example for the whole world.

There are no other countries as close to each other as Azerbaijan and Turkey in the world, he said. "The Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship is indestructible and eternal. At the same time, the Azerbaijani-Turkish fraternal relations are of great importance for the stability, security and development of the region as well. I believe these relations will continue to develop.

On September 15, Azerbaijan marked the centenary of Bakus liberation from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation and a solemn parade marking this event was held at the Azadlig Square.

On this day in 1918, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, which included the Azerbaijani corps, entered Baku, liberating the city from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation.

The liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance for the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood.

Despite that during 70 years of the Soviet rule this event was purposefully explained in an erroneous context, the Azerbaijani people never forgot the heroism of Turkish soldiers.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Samir Ali - Trend:

Holding of a military parade on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku is an important event in the history of the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood, just like the liberation of Baku from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus on September 15, 1918, Aydin Guliyev, editor-in-chief of the Baki Khabar newspaper, political expert, told Trend Sept. 17.

Guliyev said that the results of the event 100 years ago were just as important in the future fate of Azerbaijan, as the consequences of solemn events timed to the 100th anniversary of Bakus liberation that play an effective role in the general Turkic integration.

A joint parade with the participation of Turkish and Azerbaijani servicemen in Baku is an event that gives grounds for drawing various conclusions, Guliyev said. First, this event showed that if the political and economic cooperation of Azerbaijan and Turkey is the decisive guarantor of overall development and prosperity in the region, military cooperation between the two countries plays the role of indispensable tandem for regional peace and security.

Secondly, one of the most important messages of this event is that the construction of the armies of the two countries is undergoing a period of revival, he noted. Thirdly, the whole world saw that the Azerbaijani and Turkish armies have a flexible structure that makes it possible to unite their capabilities in any situation, even in a military one. Fourthly, holding of the solemn military parade at the same time with the new military adventurist games of Armenia, which continues its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan, is valuable as a response message to sane people.

Fifth, the potential of personal relations between President Ilham Aliyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was demonstrated, capable of making changes in all spheres, including the military one, Guliyev added. Finally, some well-known forces that were hoping they can neutralize Turkey, faced the fact that they are mistaken in case if the most dramatic scenario in Nagorno-Karabakh begins.

The expert stressed that the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey made a page that is a source of pride and provides a basis for in-depth analysis go down in history.

The leaders renewed in memory the joint successful, if to say in modern language, antiterrorist operation carried out by the Azerbaijani and Turkish armies 100 years ago, the expert said. The time has changed, but the sources of threat remain the same. I think that by holding the grandiose parade, Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it possible to significantly reduce the ways leading to joint antiterrorist operations of the two fraternal countries.

On September 15, Azerbaijan marked the centenary of Bakus liberation from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation and a solemn parade marking this event was held at the Azadlig Square.

On this day in 1918, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, which included the Azerbaijani corps, entered Baku, liberating the city from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation.

The liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance for the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood.

Despite that during 70 years of the Soviet rule this event was purposefully explained in an erroneous context, the Azerbaijani people never forgot the heroism of Turkish soldiers.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Azad Hasanli - Trend:

NATO welcomes Azerbaijan's contribution to international security, NATO Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said in an interview for the special project of the Georgian television company "STV" "Border ZONA".

"Azerbaijan is our consistent partner. We always welcome their contribution to international security in principle and NATO's efforts in Afghanistan, "Appathurai said.

He noted that Azerbaijan also provided NATO transit opportunities within the framework of the NATO peacekeeping mission, and also provides support in other ways.

"We have good cooperation, and I look forward to its continuation," the special representative added.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

The opening ceremony of the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology was held in Baku on Sept. 17.

The event was attended by the head of the Department of Interethnic Relations, Multiculturalism and Religious Issues of Azerbaijans Presidential Administration Etibar Najafov, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Mubariz Gurbanli, chairman of the parliamentary committee for public associations and religious structures Siyavush Novruzov, heads of Azerbaijan's religious communities and others.

The rector of the institute, Ph.D. in theology Jeyhun Mammadov stressed the successful continuation of the state's religious policy by President Ilham Aliyev, the foundation of which was laid by the great leader Heydar Aliyev.

Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which is headed by the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, also cares and pays special attention to this sphere.

On behalf of all theologians, the rector expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the great attention paid to religious affairs.

"In the academic year 2018-2019 on the basis of the state order (tuition fee paid by the state) 35 places were allocated for Islamic studies,and 25 places for Religious studies. All the allocated places are taken by students. Presently, the institute has one faculty and three departments. Lessons are conducted in Azerbaijani. In the future, it is planned to add Russian, English and Arabic, and attract students from other countries," the rector of the institute said.

Then Etibar Najafov, Mubariz Gurbanli, Siyavush Novruzov, deputy head of the Caucasian Muslims Office Haji Fuad Nurullah and others made speeches.

On behalf of the heads of religious communities participating in the event, an appeal was made to President Ilham Aliyev.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

New amendments to the tax legislation may be adopted in Azerbaijan by the end of the year, Samira Musayeva, General Director of the Tax Policy Department of the Ministry of Taxes of Azerbaijan told Trend.

She noted that the changes are aimed, among other things, at reducing the tax burden, simplifying tax administration, and suppressing tax evasion.

One of the proposals is the introduction of a single rate on the income of individuals. Musayeva said by the instruction of the head of state, the authors of the bill focused on reducing the tax burden in this area. Currently, the income tax in Azerbaijan amounts to 14 percent, and another 26 percent (22 percent - employer, 3 percent - employee) fall to the share of social contributions to the State Social Protection Fund.

Currently, she said, the package of proposals is under consideration by the government.

Recently, the Ministry of Taxes has been purposefully working not only on reduction of the tax burden, but also on simplification of the tax administration. So, for example, as it was reported earlier, the Ministry of Taxes will fill in the first versions of tax declarations instead of taxpayers and will send them to taxpayers for approval.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @AzadHasanliAshgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 17

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

Turkmenistan Airlines has been authorized to sign a contract with Boeing to purchase three Boeing 737 MAX 7 aircraft, including one aircraft intended for important flights, the Turkmen president's decree reads.

According to the decree, the new aircraft are to purchased in order to upgrade the air fleet, improve the quality and culture of passenger service and ensure flight safety. The issue was discussed at a government meeting.

Speaking about the importance of the development in the aviation sector, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that there are modern air terminal complexes in all of Turkmen provinces. They provide passengers with the whole range of services and runways capable of taking any model of airplanes.

Turkmenistan Airlines connects the country by air with Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, UK, France, Turkey, UAE, Germany, Thailand, China, India and other countries. The company has been purchasing Boeing airliners for over 20 years for international and domestic flights. Obsolete Soviet-style aircraft were put up for sale. The national air carrier plans to launch flights to Milan (Italy), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Tehran (Iran) and Tbilisi (Georgia).Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.17

Trend:

The Islamic Banking Industry in Indonesia has seen a new boost with the entrance of PT Bank NTB Syariah. The bank has successfully converted from a conventional bank into a full-fledged Syariah bank which has been officially launched today September 13, 2018!

The launching ceremony took place in Mataram, Indonesia, graced with the presence of ICD which assisted NTB with the conversion process as a technical advisor. The ceremony was also attended by dignitaries such as; West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor (Dr. Zainul Majdi), Central Bank of Indonesia, and Financial Services Authority of Indonesia (OJK).

All eyes in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province will be on us. Therefore, walk with good guidelines, make sure our regional bank becomes much stronger aspired the Governor of NTB. He mentioned that as the largest shareholder, the Government will always continue to support the progress and achieve success. He expects the Bank NTB Shariah to accomplish greater trust with the community advocating on the transparent and accountable of the conversion process.

The Governor appreciated and thanked Bank NTB staff for their sincerity and dedication. He highlighted the importance of banking in driving the regional economy and concluded stating that "all stakeholders contribute in development and growth of NTB". PT. Bank NTB was established in July 1954. It is a regional/provincial bank having its domicile in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara province. The Bank operates and runs 43 branches including Head Office, 1 main branch, 11 branches, 22 sub-branches and 9 cash offices. The Banks conversion vision started back in 2004 when it opened a Syariah division (Islamic window) and today the Bank has converted into full-fledged Islamic Bank (PT Bank NTB Syariah).

Mr Mohamed Maher Mannai, the Program manager of Islamic Financial Institutions, stated that Bank NTB Syariah is focused on offering suitable Islamic banking products and services to its clients in line with their needs while promoting ethical values, social philosophy, and positive impact on the real economy.

For further information, please contact:

Nabil Al-Alami

Head, Marketing

Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.icd-idb.orgAshgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 17

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand in Turkmenistan (with residence in Ankara) Phantipha Iamsudha Ekarohit has visited the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan (UIET) in Ashgabat, the UIET said in a statement.

The discussion of opportunities for cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism, the creation of joint ventures for the production of household appliances has taken place during the visit.

"The Thai envoy noted the presence of the most favorable conditions for the intensification of bilateral relations at the level of business entities in Turkmenistan," the message says.

The parties have expressed interest in developing business contacts between entrepreneurs of the two countries, holding business forums and other international events for this purpose.

"Taking into account the great experience of Thailand in the tourism business, special attention has been paid to the long-term plans of activity in the national tourist zone of "Avaza", the UIET stated.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

Starting from October 30 this year, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) will start Baku-Geneva-Baku flights.

AZAL flights will be carried out as part of a joint charter program for the classic transportation scheme, which includes free baggage and hand luggage and meals on board.

AZALs J2-5009 / J2-5010 flights will be carried out twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays with Airbus A319 aircraft with improved comfort seats in three service classes - VIP Club, Business Class and Economy Class.

Departures will be carried out from Terminal 1 of Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

Geneva is the second most populous and largest city in Switzerland. The city is located between the mountains of Jura and the Alps. It is the administrative center of the canton of the same name. The pearl of the city is its Lake Leman with a beautiful lakefront and luxurious hotels around. Today, Geneva is the worlds financial, political and scientific center, and is also the starting point for trips to the ski resorts of Switzerland and France.

Air tickets can be booked on the website of the company www.azal.az and purchased at AZAL sales offices and official sales agencies.

To purchase tickets and for more information, please contact:

(+99412) 598-88-80 (hotline from Azerbaijan: *8880)

E-mail: [email protected]

WhatsApp: (+99450) 437-40-82 (only written requests, this phone number does not accept incoming calls)Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) discusses the possibility of establishing assembly facilities in Uzbekistan, the Uzbek news agency Podrobno.uz reported.

"By instruction of Shavkat Mirziyoyev, we plan to establish a joint venture for the assembly of Belarusian trucks in Uzbekistan. This will make it possible to increase trade turnover between the two countries, as well as to start export of our products to such countries as Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. The terms of the contract and its specific details are under discussion now," Deputy Director of the MAZ-Tashkent trading house Golibzhon Khasanov told the correspondent of Podrobno.uz.

In 1H2018, the Belarusian plant delivered to Uzbekistan the products worth $1.4 million. It is planned that during the exhibition entitled as Made in Belarus, which will end on September 19, the additional contracts worth $2.5 million will be signed. As a result, 50 units of equipment will be delivered to Uzbekistan by the end of 2018.

At the exhibition, the Minsk Automobile Plant presented a variety of equipment for construction work, including a crane for implementation of loading and unloading, construction and installation work and dump semi-trailer trucks for transportation of bulk cargo. In addition, the low-floor passenger bus MAZ-206 is also presented the guests of the exhibition.

In February of this year, the "Toshshakhartranskhizmat" Association of Tashkent Urban Transport Services began pilot operation of two low-floor buses of MAZ brand, one being of large passenger capacity, another  of medium passenger capacity.

The buses are equipped with an engine running on compressed natural gas (methane), corresponding to the environmental standard Euro-5, which can significantly improve the level of purity of ecology by reducing the amount of toxic emissions from fuel combustion.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

Uzbekistan has entered the list of countries with a high human development index, taking the 105th place, which is three places higher than a year earlier, a report of the UN Development Program on human development reads.

The rating includes a total of 189 countries. The main indicators used to determine the ranking are education, life expectancy and GDP per capita. The data on gender equality, woman empowerment, environment and socio-economic stability have been taken into account.

The group with a very high human development index included 59 countries. Norway is in the first place, Switzerland is in the second place and Australia is in the third place. This group also included Russia (49th place) and Kazakhstan (58th place).

Uzbekistan left behind all its neighbors in Central Asia, except for Kazakhstan.

The list is closed by the states with a low level of human development. South Sudan, CAR and Niger occupy the last places in this ranking, being in the category of the least developed countries.

According to the report, the average life expectancy in Uzbekistan is 71.4 years, the duration of education is 11.5 years, and the GDP per capita is $6,470.Tehran, Iran, Sept. 17

Trend:



An official with the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development of Iran said the Islamic Republic and Italy are exploring ways to boost cooperation in the transit sector and facilitate the transfer of goods between the two countries.

Reza Nafisi, director general of the Islamic Republic of Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organizations Transit and International Transportation Office, said Iranian and Italian transportation officials are attending a two-day meeting in Tehran to enhance their transit ties.

The meeting kicked off in the Iranian capital on September 17.

Nearly, 4,000 trucks are commuting between the two counties annually, he said.

The meeting aims to remove all obstacles to transportation of goods between the two countries, Nafisi said.

In January 2018, Iran announced an increase of 13 percent in truck transit activities through its territory in what could be a sign of the significance of the countrys location in regional trade.

Irans Customs Administration in a statement said about 542,000 trucks had crossed the countrys border checkpoints points over a period of nine months starting 21 March 2017  the start of the Iranian calendar year.

The figure, the statement added, was higher than the similar period last year by 13 percent.

The trucks were carrying goods belonging to over 100 countries, the Customs Administration added in its statement as reported by Irans domestic media outlets.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.17

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Any financing by the European Investment Bank (EIB) remains conditional upon the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) being built and operated in line with the EIB Environmental and Social Standards, Trend learned from the Bank.

The EIB said that the project is strongly supported by the EU and has received the status of PCI (Project of Common Interest).

"The financing of the project is expected to be provided by TAPs shareholders and a large consortium of banking institutions. The Board of Directors of the EIB approved the provision of 1.5 billion euros for the TAP project on February 6, 2018. Any EIB financing remains conditional upon TAP being built and operated in line with the EIB Environmental and Social Standards, as stipulated in the Environmental and Social Data Sheet published on the Banks website," said the Bank.

The signature of the EIB loan has not taken place yet, said the EIB.

In March 2018, the other component of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline TANAP, that runs from the Turkish border with Georgia until the Turkish borders with Greece, got approval for $1.1 billion EIB long-term financing, said the Bank.

TAP worth 4.5 billion euros is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union. The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.

The pipeline will connect to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italys south.

TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 kilometers, Albania 215 kilometers, Adriatic Sea 105 kilometers, and Italy 8 kilometers).

TAPs shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering allocation of 500 million euros loan for TAP project. Aside from EBRD, the European Investment Bank (EIB) will also discuss the allocation of 1.5 billion euros loan for TAP in February.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynBaku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

Bilateral relations between Malaysia and Uzbekistan can be expanded through increased trade, economic and investment cooperation, including through resumption of the presence of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) in the oil and gas sector of Uzbekistan, said the article in the Malaysian national information agency Berita Nasional Malaysia (BERNAMA).

According to the author of the article, based on the current political and economic spheres in both countries, it was imperative that Petronas re-established its footprint in Uzbekistan after significant reforms were adopted by the two-year-old government of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Since the introduction last year of a special decree providing free currency conversion of legal entities and individuals, Uzbekistans investment climate has become more attractive.

The publication emphasizes the fact that the oil and gas sector plays a key role in the development of the national economy of Uzbekistan. To date, along with investment projects, the republic offers foreign investors to purchase a state share in the companies of the sector for modernization of existing production capacities and introduction of energy efficient technologies and advanced foreign experience.

Petronas previously participated in implementation of a number of projects in the oil and gas sector of Uzbekistan. In 2008, Petronas and Uzbekneftegaz signed an agreement on the Surkhan investment block in the Surkhandarya region.

In 2010, the government of Uzbekistan and Petronas signed a production sharing agreement (PSA) to develop oil and gas fields of the Boysun investment block for a period of 35 years.

However, as early as May 2011, Petronas withdrew from the international consortium for exploration and development in the Uzbek part of the Aral Sea in the framework of the PSA, and in June 2011 reduced its share from 33.3 percent to 11 percent in the construction of a plant for production of synthetic fuel in the south of Uzbekistan.

In April 2013, Petronas ceased exploration work on the investment block in the Surkhandarya region in the south of Uzbekistan due to optimization of business in the republic. In May 2014 the company withdrew from two PSAs in Uzbekistan - Baysun investment block and Ustyurt.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanovAshgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 17

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

The Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan has launched a large-scale project entitled "Development of telecommunication networks of Turkmenistan", the "Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper wrote.

The funds of the credit line amounting to $273 million allocated by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will be used to finance the project.

It is expected that the tender documents will be issued on the eve of the international exhibition "Turkmentel  2018", which will be held on October 10-12, 2018 in Ashgabat.

The priority direction of the project is development of mobile communication.

"Given the growing demands of the population, the national mobile operator "Altyn Asyr" will provide 100-percent coverage of the country with this type of communication, including 3G, 4G, and also 5G-Internet in the near future, and will provide other services. To this end, more than 600 units of basic equipment will be purchased," the message says.

More than 120 units of 4G base stations will be installed in the capital, which will increase the existing capacity of the network of this standard by about half.

Particular attention is paid to the development of wired telephony that supports the standards of the new generation  NGN (Next Generation Network) and multi-service platforms IMS (IP multimedia subsystem), when the telephony, the IP-TV and internet will be supplied from one telephone point.

It is planned to build about 550 telephone stations in the country on the basis of NGN-solutions, which have high efficiency with large volumes of traffic, low operating costs, a wide range of communication services, high data transfer rate. The project also provides for the replacement of obsolete digital stations in the capital.

Instead, a single IMS platform with a capacity spread of more than 80,000 numbers will be installed. In the IMS network, subscribers will have a single set of services for fixed and mobile devices and a single number for different applications.

It is planned to install multi-service billing platforms, automated systems of payment for the rendered communication services for the communication operators "Turkmentelecom" and "Ashgabat City Telephone Network". With their help, it will be possible to pay not only internet fees, communication services, IP-telephony, but also utility bills, traffic fines.

The new system is designed for one million subscribers. It is planned to implement modernization of the international and long-distance telephone exchange in Ashgabat.

One of the most important directions of development of communication networks in the country is the transition to IP-protocols in the transmission of all types of traffic, elimination of necessity of use of two ports of subscriber capacity for provision of telephony services and online access at higher speeds, possibility of video conferencing and conference calling.

The project also includes the expansion of FM radio broadcasting, especially in rural areas. It is planned to establish a State automated system of management, monitoring and supervision of the use of the radio frequency spectrum in order to conduct high-level technical supervision in Ashgabat and regional centers - Balkanabat, Dashoguz, Turkmenabat, Mary and Turkmenbashi.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend:

Azerbaijani specialists are developing a media monitoring system focused on the European region, the project manager Abulfat Fatullayev told Trend.

The system will operate in German, French, Italian, Spanish and English, Fatullayev said.

"It will allow monitoring the media by a given keyword. The system automatically tracks the keyword in all media, be it television, radio or electronic media. Upon detection of a mention, a notification with a brief description of the text will be sent to the mobile phone. A version of the system in English has already been tested," Fatullayev said.

Presently, according to the project manager, work is in progress on the product's English version, after which work will begin on its localization into French.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyevBaku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

The First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin has discussed the implementation of the joint "Baiterek" project in Moscow with the Director General of the "Roscosmos" State Corporation for Space Activities Dmitry Rogozin, the press service of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said in a statement Sept. 17, TASS reported.

"During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on topical issues of bilateral cooperation and prospects for further development of the "Baikonur" complex, discussed the implementation of the joint Kazakh-Russian "Baiterek" project, the message reads.

At the meeting, held on September 15, the issues of development of the city of Baikonur were also discussed.

"Currently, the issues of creating a special economic zone in the city of Baikonur in order to attract investment, are being worked out," the press service said.

In addition, Mamin and Rogozin discussed "the prospects of cooperation for joint creation of space communication satellites".Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

International Atomic Energy Agency and the Russian Federation have signed Sept. 17 an implementing agreement on the transportation of low enriched uranium (LEU) and equipment necessary for the functioning of the IAEAs LEU Bank in Kazakhstan, RIA Novosti reported.

The agreement has been signed by Oleg Kozin, Deputy General Director for Logistics of Techsnabexport JSC, and Mark Bassett, IAEA LEU Bank Project Executive.

The signing has taken place on the sidelines of the IAEA General conference, which is held in Vienna on September 17-21.

The low enriched uranium is the starting material for the production of fuel for nuclear power plants. The IAEA LEU Bank is one of the mechanisms to ensure the guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel to different countries in case of violation of the existing mechanisms of such supplies. This reserve, in fact, will become an inviolable stock, which will be in demand only in the event of a crisis in the global uranium market.

The bank is located on the territory of Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk city in the north-east Kazakhstan. The building of the bank was opened in August 2018.

In accordance with the previously signed agreement, the IAEA will bear the costs of acquisition, delivery, and maintenance of low enriched uranium. It will also bear the costs of importing and exporting low-enriched uranium and the costs of payment of taxes, duties and charges.

In turn, Kazakhstan will bear the costs associated with the direct storage of IAEAs low-enriched uranium, including the payment of electricity and heating supply fees, necessary office space rental fees and costs of maintenance of the personnel provided by Kazakhstan; the costs associated with the displacement of the bank within Kazakhstan for the countrys own needs.Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 17

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

The Turkmen delegation will participate in the economic forum and session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) scheduled for September 20-21 in Almaty city (Kazakhstan), the Turkmen government said in a message.

SPECA was established in 1998 in accordance with the Tashkent Declaration signed by presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as executive secretaries of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Later, the SPECA was joined by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Afghanistan.

During the sessions, issues related to improving communication capacities in the SPECA region, including those between Afghanistan and the countries of Central Asia, are regularly discussed.

It is known that the creation of quality infrastructure positively influences economic growth, promotes the expansion of trade, optimizes the use of natural resources and reduces production and logistics costs.

At the same time, the growing importance of regional cooperation also affects the increase in the competitiveness of countries in conditions of rapidly changing global processes, the SPECA said in a message.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

Trend:

Belarusian haulage and earthmoving equipment manufacturer BelAZ will supply 20 dump trucks to Uzbekistan by the end of 2018, BelTA news agency reported.

A cooperation agreement between BelAZ and UzbekHydroEnergo was signed during the Uzbek-Belarusian business and interregional cooperation forum.

This agreement creates a basis for mutually beneficial cooperation, development and strong economic ties.

"Already in 2018, 20 BelAZ-7547 dump trucks with the carrying capacity of 45 tons will be sent to Uzbekhydroenergo," the manufacturer said.

In total in Uzbekistan there are about 1000 units of BelAZ machinery with carrying capacity varying between 30 to 220 tons.

Cooperation between BelAZ and Uzbek mining enterprises has been ongoing since the Soviet times and is mutually beneficial and fruitful. As of 1H2018, Uzbekistan ranked second among the foreign trade partners of the company, in terms of its share in the foreign trade turnover.

BelAZ, the management company of BelAZ Holding, is a career and specialized transport manufacturer which uses innovative technologies.

During the 70-year history of the enterprise, more than 500 different versions of quarry dump trucks and special-purpose vehicles have been produced. Some 146,000 units have been manufactured and supplied to 78 countries.Tehran, Iran, Sept. 17

Trend:

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said Tehran is in constant contact with Europe over its measures to save the JCPOA, expressing the hope that the remaining parties to the deal will meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session that will open in New York tomorrow.

We are somewhat moving on the right path. Our constant contact with the European side (of the deal) is underway. They have offered more practical measures, Qassemi told reporters during his weekly press briefing in Tehran, Tasnim news agency reported on September 17.

He further expressed hope that participating representatives of Iran and the Group 4+1 (Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) could meet on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 73).

We need to remain patient and see if Europes new proposals could meet Irans demands, Qassemi said.

On May 8, the US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in Vienna in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

Following the US exit, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.

Meanwhile, Ayatollah Khamenei has underlined that any decision to keep the JCPOA running without the US should be conditional on practical guarantees from the EuropeansTehran, Iran, Sept. 17

Trend:

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano once again confirmed that Iran was honoring its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

Since the last General Conference, we have continued to verify and monitor the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Amano said during a speech at the 62nd IAEA General Conference, opened in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Monday, the official website of the IAEA said on September 17.

He added, Iran is implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA. It is essential that Iran continues to fully implement those commitments.

The Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran continue, Amano said.

On September 10, the head of the nuclear watchdog said in his introductory statement to the IAEA's Board of Governors in Vienna that Iran was implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.Details added (first version posted on 14:36)

Tehran, Iran, Sept. 17

Trend:

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said Washingtons unilateral decision to leave the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers has placed the international agreement in serious jeopardy, stressing this could have repercussions for international peace and security.

The US unilateral decision, a blatant breach of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and an open travesty of the fundamental and cherished principles of international law and multilateralism, has placed in serious jeopardy the fate of this valuable and unique science-diplomacy achievement, Salehi said on Monday addressing the 62nd IAEA General Conference underway in the Austrian capital of Vienna, Tasnim news agency reported on September 17.

He added, Let me be very clear about the negative impact and consequences of this reckless act. As discerned almost unanimously by the international community, this ominous move is doomed to have serious repercussions for the international and regional peace and security.

The Iranian nuclear chief said the reaction at the international level to the unlawful US withdrawal from the JCPOA, clearly raises serious doubts concerning the validity and wisdom of the US policy.

Elsewhere in his remarks said that Iran aspires to use nuclear science and technology for managing water supplies as well as responding to climate change, while continuing generating electricity, and improving health, food and agriculture.

Representatives from the IAEAs member states, including at ministerial level and above, have convened at the 62nd IAEA General Conference in Vienna to discuss key elements of the agencys priorities in its work on the peaceful use of nuclear technologies.

At the conference, delegates are expected to consider a range of issues from strengthening the agencys activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications, to improving the efficiency of IAEA safeguards and growing international cooperation in nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety.

Delegates will also discuss the IAEAs Annual Report for 2017, its Financial Statements for 2017 and its Program and Budget Update for 2019.

Throughout the General Conference, 77 side events will showcase cutting-edge work using nuclear techniques at the IAEA and in member states, highlighting activities and special programs.Tehran, Iran, Sept. 17

Trend:

A number of unknown assailants attacked Irans embassy building in Athens, only two days after the Islamic Republics diplomatic mission in Paris came under attack.

The attack took place on Monday morning, 6 a.m. local time, during which the assailants used bottles of paints to express their anger, media reports said on September 17.

According to Greek media outlets, the attackers were members of an anarchist group called Rouvikonas.

They reported that the attack by 10 anarchists on motor-bikes occurred in the suburb of Psychiko. The assailants disappeared after the attack and no arrests have been made so far.

In a Facebook post, a spokesman for the group said that the attack was in response to Irans brutal repression of the Kurds.

On September 15, the Iranian embassy building in Paris was also attacked this time by members of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.

Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan is an armed communist ethnic party of Kurds in Iran, exiled in northern Iraq.

The attack on the embassies came after some media outlets reported on Sept. 7 that at least 11 were killed and dozens more were wounded in a missile attack by IRGC on headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in Koya, 60 kilometers east of the Erbil city.

In a statement last week, the IRGC confirmed that it had launched a missile attack a day earlier against a center in northern Iraq, which was used for training of anti-Iran terrorists and hosted a meeting of terrorist leaders.

The IRGC said it had destroyed "the center of conspiracy" against Irans national security in the operation.Details added (first version posted on 10:05)

Tehran, Iran, Sept. 17

Trend:

A number of unknown assailants attacked Irans embassy building in Athens, only two days after the Islamic Republics diplomatic mission in Paris came under attack.

The attack took place on Monday morning, 6 a.m. local time, during which the assailants used bottles of paints to express their anger, media reports said on September 17.

According to Greek media outlets, the attackers were members of an anarchist group called Rouvikonas.

They reported that the attack by 10 anarchists on motor-bikes occurred in the suburb of Psychiko. The assailants disappeared after the attack and no arrests have been made so far.

In a Facebook post, a spokesman for the group said that the attack was in response to Irans brutal repression of the Kurds.

On September 15, the Iranian embassy building in Paris was also attacked this time by members of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.

Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan is an armed communist ethnic party of Kurds in Iran, exiled in northern Iraq.

The attack on the embassies came after some media outlets reported on Sept. 7 that at least 11 were killed and dozens more were wounded in a missile attack by IRGC on headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in Koya, 60 kilometers east of the Erbil city.

In a statement last week, the IRGC confirmed that it had launched a missile attack a day earlier against a center in northern Iraq, which was used for training of anti-Iran terrorists and hosted a meeting of terrorist leaders.

The IRGC said it had destroyed "the center of conspiracy" against Irans national security in the operation.Tehran, Iran, Sept. 17

Trend:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are expected to hold talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session that will open in New York tomorrow, said Iran's foreign ministry's spokesman.

During his weekly presser in Tehran on Monday, Bahram Qassemi said that reports about the Japanese prime ministers visit to Iran were media hype and this has not been on the agenda.

He added, however, that Rouhani and Abe might hold a meeting on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 73), Tasnim news agency reported on September 17.

The first day of the high-level General Debate will be Tuesday, September 25, and is scheduled to last for nine working days.

Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, President-elect of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), announced in July 2018 that the theme of the general debate will be, Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Yerevan is trying to sell its loyalty and obedience, delicately referred to as friendship, at a higher price, Founder of the PolitRUS expert-analytical network Vitaly Arkov said in an interview with Trend and Azernews.

The expert noted that the reorientation of Yerevan from Moscow to Washington will also affect the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The West was involved in the conflict settlement process (both in the OSCE Minsk Group format and through individual projects) earlier as well, but it was namely Russia that proposed the most realistic plan, considering the interests of the conflicting sides, said Arkov.

It is obvious that the new Armenian authorities are blackmailing Moscow, at least, they are making such an attempt, he noted.

Pashinyans statement on the inclusion of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in Armenia de jure can be regarded as part of blackmailing Russia, Arkov added.

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.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynMexico's government is confident a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, the US and Mexico will be reached by December, Presidential Spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said on Sunday, Xinhua reported.

The government of President Enrique Pena Nieto is hoping to sign an updated version of the 1994 trade accord before his six-year term ends on Nov. 30, Sanchez told reporters.

"We're working on it. Hopefully this government will get to sign it," Sanchez said on the sidelines of Mexico's Independence Day parade.

On Aug. 27, Mexico and the US reached an agreement in principle on a revamped deal, but to preserve the three-way agreement, those changes also require Canada's approval.

After US President Donald Trump took office, he insisted the deal be renegotiated to secure more favorable terms for US industry and workers, saying his administration could pursue bilateral agreements with its two regional trade partners if a trilateral deal is not successful.

Sanchez denied rumors Pena Nieto and Trump are to meet over NAFTA next week in New York during the annual United Nations General Assembly sessions.

Pena Nieto's successor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office on Dec. 1, has said he is in favor of NAFTA and his advisers have been taking part in the negotiations.Another famed banking real estate property is up for sale. Sources inform "Globes" that Bank Hapoalim is now offering for sale the building that houses its branch on Hayarkon Street in Tel Aviv. The branch contains Bank Hapoalim's private banking center for foreign residents, which is expected to move to another Tel Aviv location after the deal is completed.

The building on Hayarkon contains 1,500 square meters spread over five floors on a 460-square meter lot. The property's value is assessed at NIS 70-90 million, owing to its potential for upgrading.

The urban building plan applying the area includes housing and hotels, which provides a number of upgrading options, such as additional rights, for example. Also contributing to the high value is the location close to the Tel Aviv coast and the city's hotel district, embassies, and luxury housing. It is believed that an important part of those interested in buying the property have hotel uses in mind, and it is therefore likely that a hotel will be constructed on the site.

Bank Hapoalim's Hayarkon branch is one of the bank's best-known branches. It made the headlines 13 years ago when the police raided it on suspicion that a great deal of money laundering had taken place there. Some of the branch's employees were arrested in the raid. The affair ended with the employees' acquittal and a fine of less than NIS 10 million imposed on Bank Hapoalim by the Bank of Israel.

Private banking business has been shrinking in the wake of growing global regulation, including a complex investigation by the US authorities into suspicion that Bank Hapoalim helped its customers evade US taxes.

Selling this property is the latest in a series of sales by the Bank Hapoalim, managed by CEO Arik Pinto. The bank has sold 16 properties at prices totaling millions of shekels in the past two years, thereby reducing its space by thousands of square meters. These streamlining measures, led by the bank's COO division, are both boosting the bank's capital gains and saving on current expenses, especially the high municipal property taxes paid by Bank Hapoalim in the Tel Aviv area.

Sales of real estate by Israeli banks in recent years have generated hundreds of millions of shekels in profits for them. Well-known properties sold include Bank Leumi's main Tel Aviv branch for NIS 280 million and its current sales of its Dizengoff Center branch.

Israel Discount Bank is also expected to soon begin a wave of sales of properties in the Tel Aviv area amounting to hundreds of millions of shekels, following the moving of the bank's headquarters to Rishon Lezion. Mizrahi Tefahot Bank sold its headquarters in Ramat Gan for NIS 270 million ahead of its planned move to Lod.A Japanese submarine joined a naval drill in the South China Sea for the first time, the Ministry of Defence said on Monday, in an escalation of Japanese activity in the disputed waterway claimed by China and others, Reuters reported.

The Maritime Self Defense Force submarine Kuroshio conducted a naval exercise on Thursday with other Japanese warships in the South China Sea, including the Kaga helicopter carrier, which is on a two-month tour of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

She said it was the first time a Japanese submarine had conducted drills there, confirming an earlier report in the Asahi newspaper.

The exercise, which involved the submarine trying to evade detection, was conducted away from island bases constructed by China to push its claims in the strategic sea. However, it could still anger Beijing because submarines represent a greater potential menace to shipping than surface vessels.

It came after a British Royal Navy amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion, sailed close to islands claimed by China in the South China Sea late last month to exercise freedom of navigation rights.

Britains first such operation prompted a strong protest from China, which sent aircraft and a naval vessel to meet the British ship.

The U.S. Navy has conducted similar operations in the South China Sea. Washington has said it would like to see more countries challenge Beijing in the South China Sea, through which some $3 trillion of shipborne trade passes each year.

Foreign aircraft and vessels in the region are routinely challenged by Chinese naval ships and monitoring stations on the fortified islands, sources have said previously. Beijing insists its intentions in the South China Sea are peaceful.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have territorial claims in the area.

In a separate announcement, the defense ministry said the Kuroshio, with a crew of 80, would make a five-day port visit to Vietnams strategic naval base at Cam Ranh Bay from Monday.Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The Turkish gas distribution company "Igdas Dogal Gaz Dagitim A.S." has announced an open tender to insure 1,069 employees of the company.

Local and foreign companies can participate in the tender.

The tender will be held at 10:00 (GMT +3) on October 12, 2018.

Applications and proposals of interested parties are accepted at: Kazm Karabekir Cad. No:4 34060 Alibeykoy Eyupsultan/Istanbul.

Email: [email protected]

phone: (+90 212) 499 13 17, fax: (+90 212) 499 13 09.

The tender participation fee is 200 Turkish liras.

(6.0768 TRY = 1 USD on Sept. 17)

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizogluRussian and Turkish troops are to enforce a new demilitarized zone in Idlib from which radical rebels will be required to withdraw, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Reuters reports.

Russia, the biggest outside backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his fight against rebels, has been preparing for an offensive on Idlib, a city that is controlled by rebels and is home to about 3 million people.

But after Putins talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has opposed a military operation on the rebels in Idlib, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying by Interfax new agency there would not now be an offensive.

Putin told a joint news conference with Erdogan the agreement was that all heavy weapons be withdrawn from the buffer zone, and that what he called radically-minded rebels, including the Nusra front, would have to pull out of the zone.

The demilitarized zone will come into force by Oct. 15, Putin told reporters at his residence in Russias Black Sea resort of Sochi. The zone, he said, would be between 15 and 25 km wide and would be patrolled by mobile units of Turkish and Russian troops.

It was not immediately clear if the demilitarized zone incorporated the city of Idlib itself; if it did, that would require that some of the rebels pull out of the city.

Ahead of the trip to Russia, Erdogan had said Turkeys calls for a ceasefire in Idlib region were bearing fruit after days of relative calm but that more work needed to be done.

Putin this month publicly rebuffed a proposal from Erdogan for a ceasefire there when the two met along with Irans president for a three-way summit in Tehran.

Syrias ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, speaking earlier on Monday, said the Assad government was determined to drive the Nusra Front, which he described as a terrorist organization, from Idlib.

Our government wants to give priority to reconciliation and to give all necessary measures in order to ensure safe corridors, and to secure the lives of civilians and to provide the basic needs of civilians in cooperation with U.N. humanitarian agencies, Ambassador Hussam Edin Aala told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.Time, the pre-eminent weekly newsmagazine of the 20th century, has a new owner: Marc Benioff, the billionaire co-founder of the San Francisco software company Salesforce, The New York Times reported.

Times current owner, the Iowa-based Meredith Corporation, announced that it had entered into what it described in a news release as a definitive agreement to sell the storied publication to Mr. Benioff and his wife, Lynne, for $190 million in cash.

In its statement, Meredith said that the Benioffs would be hands-off owners and made it clear that the deal had nothing to do with Salesforce.

The Benioffs are purchasing Time personally and the transaction is unrelated to Salesforce.com, where Mr. Benioff is chairman, co-C.E.O. and founder, Meredith said in its release. Mr. and Mrs. Benioff will not be involved in the day-to-day operations or journalistic decisions, which will continue to be led by Times current executive leadership team.KYODO NEWS - Sep 17, 2018 - 20:30 | All, Japan

A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine joined a drill last week in the South China Sea for the first time, the MSDF said Monday, signaling Tokyo's intention to keep China's muscle-flexing in the area in check and prompting an immediate rebuke from Beijing.

In a rare announcement, the MSDF said the submarine Kuroshio, along with the helicopter carrier Kaga and two destroyers, the Inazuma and Suzutsuki, conducted an antisubmarine warfare exercise in the sea last Thursday.

(Kuroshio)

[Photo from the MSDF 's website]

The submarine left an MSDF base in western Japan's Kure on Aug. 27 for the drill.

Usually, the MSDF keeps the activities of its submarines secret, except for long-term dispatches to places such as Hawaii for drills.

The three other ships were separately dispatched to the exercise area encompassing the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean for the period from Aug. 26 to Oct. 30 to join similar operations conducted by the U.S. and some Southeast Asian countries' navies.

The Kuroshio made a port call Monday at Vietnam's strategic Cam Ranh Bay facing the South China Sea, which is relatively close to the Paracel and Spratly island chains. Vietnam is at odds with China over claims to those islands.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in response to the drill involving the Japanese submarine that regional peace and stability should not be undermined by a country outside the region.

China claims the entire South China Sea -- with its self-declared maritime border known as the "nine-dash line" -- and has built artificial islands with military infrastructure in the waters.

The MSDF is believed to have conducted the drill on the high seas within the nine-dash line.

Japan and China launched a communication mechanism between their defense authorities in June to avert accidental clashes at sea and in the air. But some Japanese officials are concerned that there could be unintended clashes.

"We need to advance talks as early as possible to ensure (the mechanism) becomes something useful to avoid accidental clashes," a senior official at the Japanese Defense Ministry.

Other Asian countries such as Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines also have territorial claims in the sea.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said China is in talks with Southeast Asian countries to avoid disputes and called on countries outside the region to act prudently.The Centre's assistance stopped on October 31, and consequently the 19,500-odd members of the Covid Brigade were asked to quit.Yet we all know that, at some irrevocable point ahead, the proverbial chickens will come home to roost. At least, perhaps we hope, that might happen on someone elses watch.

Therein lies the real issue. Collective inertia. While total collapse can be put off until some time in the future, we still enjoy our days in the sun.

So if most people agree on the problem, why is it so difficult to devise an effective solution?

Whether it be at social get-togethers or standing in line waiting to pay for groceries, everyone seems to be agree on the same issue. While I dont immerse myself in social media, I know that is discussing much the same thing (if one excludes fake news).

GOLD COAST - The constant issue everyone seems to agree on these days is the demonstrable lack of real leaders who can enunciate both a clear vision and a set of achievable national objectives.

Apres moi, le deluge (after me, the deluge) is a quote attributed to the King Louis XV of France (171074) and acknowledges that, while he enjoyed the good times, his successor would inevitably end up paying the price of so much extravagance.

He was correct, his successor (Louis XVI) being beheaded in the gory French revolution that followed.

So with all our knowledge of what works and what doesnt, why is it that we keep making the same mistakes? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, Albert Einstein (probably incorrectly) is reputed to have said.

While clearly Einstein was a genius, this trait of human frailty has been noted down the millennia of human history.

So why is it humans havent learnt to recognise that which doesnt work?

Perhaps because its easier to get high on the sugar fix of comfort and leave the inevitable low which follows for someone else to suffer. The timing of the perpetrators escape is crucial. How long can the good times be drawn out before the bad times arrive?

Phil Fitzpatrick has pointed out that for the vast majority or Papua New Guineans who arent part of the global economy, the global financial crisis of 10 years ago meant very little.

The observation recognises that, in a number of respects, the lives of very many people arent in any material way much changed from how their forefathers lived. As some wag pointed out to the Speaker in a previous PNG parliament, You can get progress forwards but you can also get progress backwards.

So inevitably one arrives at the source of the problem. As long as someone can put off the day of reckoning, for that person at that time it is an effective way of dealing with the problem.

Theres no problem until it become impossible to ignore. Like sweeping dust under the mat until someone trips over the hump.

So in the words of that old university song:

Gaudeamus igitur,

Juvenes dum sumus;

Post icundum iuventutem,

Post molestam senectutem

Nos habebit humus.

Let us therefore rejoice,

While we are young;

After our youth,

After a troublesome old age

The ground will hold us.

Or (in my words), Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

Gosh! Hold on. Maybe all those sweet words have deluded me from thinking about what I really am upset about.

Aiyah! Nau tasol het bilo mi klia liklik na mi malgalim ol samting bilo yu ya!The stories of Ranbir-Aliya's are continuously being discussed on social media. The couples were now busy shooting for Ayan Mukherjee's film Brahmastra for several days. Right now the shooting of this movie has ended. The film Brahmastra is going to be released on August 15, 2019. After the shooting of the film, Alia shared photos with Instagram along with director Ayan Mukherjee and Ranbir. Alia shared photos on the Instagram, almost a week later.

Aliya's looks very happy in this picture. The photo included with Alia, Ayan Mukherjee and Ranbir. Alia shared another picture, in which she looks very happy with the cast of the film. It is a pleasure to say that this film is now at a time to wrap up.

The film was being shot in Bulgaria. Before this, Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgan have shot their films here. These days Alia Bhatt and Ranbir's love chemistry are in the discussion. On the other hand, the pics of Ranbir and Alia are often shared o Instagram.

These facts have also come to light that Alia has good relations with Ranbir's family members. Regarding their relationship, Rishi Kapoor has also said that his whole family likes Alia. They are free to choose their partners and take the decision of their lives. Alia and Ranbir also said that the media was just right about their relationship.By Benjamin Jumbe.

Government has lashed out at the European Union following a statement calling for dropping of charges against the Kyadondo east MP Robert Kyagulanyi among other suspects arrested during the Arua by election.

The EU parliament last week in Brussels-Belgium asked Ugandan courts to drop the charges currently pressed against the MPs among other common citizens totaling to 35.

Addressing journalists today the government spokesperson Ofono Opondo said Uganda will not bow down to pressure from foreign states since Uganda is a sovereign state.

He attacked the EU for not going through the right channels to address the matter opting to use other means to peddle into Ugandan politics.

He says Uganda needs no lectures on democracy and how to govern itself

Opondo further urges local politicians to desist from being used by foreign powers to antagonize the country noting that the state will not hesitate to use available means to protect its citizens.By Ritah Kemigisa.

President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that he will meet the Kabaka of Buganda.

This follows concerns raised by the kingdom premier Charles Peter Mayiga who in wake of the Arua fracas asked Museveni to meet with the opposition whose people power is now popular.

Mayiga said that Ugandas problems start and stop with President Museveni, who is so engrossed in retaining power that he treats all potential competitors as outlaws.

Museveni however warns all those who are eyeing his seat as president to present competing manifestos adding that to be a president is a competition not a negotiation.Alibaba now has a market cap of over $400bn. Photo: Reuters

Its hard to remember a time when the e-commerce group Alibaba (BABA) wasnt the $423bn (323bn) behemoth it is today or when $32bn Spotify (SPOT) hadnt been instrumental in revolutionising the music industry. But spotting an opportunity to invest in these types of companies before they list on a stock exchange are integral for the largest fund management firms in the world.

This is exactly what Baillie Gifford did when it came to both Alibaba, Spotify, and other similar high-growth companies. With big success cases like this under its belt, Baillie Gifford is going to launch a fund dedicated to un-listed stocks, a portfolio manager told Yahoo Finance UK.

Theres more technological change going at a faster pace and disrupting the global economy than weve ever seen before, said Nick Thomas, a partner at Baillie Gifford who helps manage international portfolios as well as looking after the firms North American clients. This is fantastic from a growth investing point of view because these are the opportunities you can try and pick. What we found is, to try and capture a lot of that value before its realised, you have to start looking at the un-listed phase.

It would be better if you didnt have to do that because its more complicated and difficult for some client types to operationally do that (individually). Its simpler for them to have companies listed on an exchange. We would rather the growth companies could operate in an entrepreneurial way as public companies but we recognise that thats getting difficult as the market is so short term therefore we have to follow them in the private market.

Thomas added that the company is currently on an investor roadshow to discuss the upcoming fund.

READ MORE: Who is Teslas fourth-largest shareholder Baillie Gifford?

The investment management firm has $252bn of assets under management (AUM)for comparison thats $100bn more than Ray Dalios Bridgewater Associates. While its headquarters is in Edinburgh, Scotland, its AUM by client domicile is split across North America (43.7%), UK (35.8%), Asia (9.1%), with the remainder across the rest of the world.

Story continues

It counts five of the seven largest pension funds in the US as its customers and makes it clear that it is a long-term investor, not a speculator.

Its for this reason why Baillie Gifford is one of the largest shareholders in companies that have rapidly grown over the last 20 years, such Amazon (AMZN) and Tesla (TSLA) as well as having holdings in Netflix (NFLX), Facebook (FB) as part of its patient capital-style US Growth Trust, which invests predominantly in listed and unlisted US companies. Baillie Gifford believes that companies within that fund have the potential to grow substantially faster than the average company.

Thomas says that the firm has been aware of the major opportunities that these growth companies present so Baillie Gifford has been reorienting the group to accommodate those sweet spots, such as including more un-listed stocks in portfolios.

Investment trusts are great vehicles for doing un-listed investment because they dont have any liquidity needs because its a closed-end fund, so there is no possibility of the money being needed to be disinvested, he said.



"The last crisis was a terrible crisis, but it was both a financial crisis and an economic downturn. Right now, I don't see any economic downturn on the horizon, so it will be a little while before I think you have that confluence of factors," said Tony James, executive vice chairman at the Blackstone Group.

On top of that, he said he does not see the same "kind of excess and lack of risk systems, and the interconnectedness" that characterized the global financial crisis a decade ago.

James described himself as an "optimist" on the subject of the ongoing U.S.-China trade war.

There's nothing on the horizon that's indicating the next financial crisis is going to happen anytime soon, according to Tony James, executive vice chairman at the Blackstone Group BX .

Roughly a decade after the last financial crisis roared across the global, the situation is "definitely safer" because banks are more sturdy, risk and compliance procedures are improved, regulators are more vigilant and businesses are less likely to be engaged in risky behavior, James said. In fact, there appears to be some time before a problem rears its head, he told CNBC on Saturday at the annual Singapore Summit .

"The last crisis was a terrible crisis, but it was both a financial crisis and an economic downturn. Right now, I don't see any economic downturn on the horizon, so it will be a little while before I think you have that confluence of factors," he said.

On top of that, James said he does not see the same "kind of excess and lack of risk systems, and the interconnectedness" that characterized the global financial crisis a decade ago.

Still, James  who reportedly has a net worth well above $1 billion  acknowledged that the nature of financial shocks means they are unpredictable, so it is hard to know when stresses building.

"That's one of the thing that makes crises crises: They always surprise you somehow," he said.

Story continues

Many economists, analysts and executives have pointed to the ongoing U.S.- China trade war as a likely trigger for a global crisis, but James described himself as an "optimist" on that front.

"There are certainly rivalries between the countries, but I believe their mutuality of interest will, at the end of the day, mean they come to some kind of agreement," he said.

Washington and Beijing have already applied tariffs to $50 billion of each other's goods . The U.S. is also considering additional tariffs for which China has warned it would retaliate.

'A return to normalcy'

The Blackstone executive said much of the discussion at this year's Singapore Summit focused on how the shifting role of the U.S. in international relations is "terrible," but James countered that the rise of powers like China and the increasingly inward-looking America is really just a reversion to the historical mean.

"It's certainly scary, but one way to look at the world is that the last 70 years is a bit of an aberration. So, this may be a return to normalcy, not a change to normalcy," he said. "Pre-World War II, it was a multi-polar world where you had a number of global powers, and we're moving to that again."

On trade in particular, James said the U.S. had for decades espoused global commerce policies to encourage the rebuilding of developed areas like Europe and Japan and spur growth in other nations. Now that the goal has been met, it's reasonable to expect a change, he suggested.

"Seventy years in, those policies worked, but now the U.S. is struggling to keep up with the rest of the world, and the rest of the world doesn't want its unvarnished leadership anymore," he said. "So there's a re-calibration: The cost of the U.S. losing that leadership position and losing that economic superiority  so to speak  is a retrenchment, and they want level trade rules."

James said he thought trade rules could be altered without preventing any country from economically thriving.

A weakening yuan

As for China, the executive said Blackstone is "feeling undiminished enthusiasm" for Asia's largest economy  especially in light of its recent spate of reforms to open up the country's financial sector. The biggest risk his firm sees when evaluating the country, he added, is not necessarily trade spats or government resistance, but is instead currency.

"Obviously at this time there are some benefits for weakening the yuan, or allowing it to weaken, but at the same time that's a very delicate balance because if it goes too far, it can cause a stampede. It also, if it gets too weak, causes political issues in Washington, D.C.," he said.

"So I think China has done a very good job allowing it to weaken  it has come down somewhat," he added. "I suspect what's going on with trade  the strength of the U.S. versus the strength of China  it will weaken somewhat further, but I don't think it's going to be a big problem, I think they'll manage it well."

Still, he acknowledged, the value of any investments in China will take a hit in dollar terms if the yuan weakens, so his company has to keep in mind the outlook for the currency.





More From CNBC

By Anthony Boadle

ALCANTARA SPACE CENTER, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil is ready to launch small commercial rockets from its space base near the equator as soon as it agrees to safeguard U.S. technology that is dominant in the industry, the Brazilian Air Force officer managing the space program said on Friday.

Brig. Major Luiz Fernando Aguiar said Brazil wants to get a piece of the $300 billion-a-year space launch business by drawing U.S. companies interested in launching small satellites at a lower cost from the Alcantara base on its north coast.

"The microsatellite market is most attractive today and we are interested in the 50 to 500-kilo niche," Aguiar told Reuters at the base's main launch pad. "We are developing a rocket for microsatellites. For that this tower is totally ready."

Space cooperation between the United States and Brazil took a big step forward when they signed a Space Situational Awareness (SSA) agreement last month during a visit to Brasilia by U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis.

The accord on sharing real-time tracking data on objects and debris in space is needed to develop a satellite launching business without the risk of collision.

Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp in December visited the Alcantara space center, which is especially attractive to smaller firms, such as Tucson, Arizona-based rocket-maker Vector Launch Inc, because its equatorial location cuts fuel costs by a third allowing heavier payloads.

Story continues

But Brazil's plan to become a new hub in the space industry will depend on concluding a technology safeguard agreement (TSA) with the United States to protect sensitive American space launch and satellite technology, Aguiar said. Without it, no U.S. rocket can blast off from the South American country.

A previous attempt at a U.S.-Brazilian space partnership was scuttled in 2003 when the TSA ran into resistance from the leftist government of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and was thwarted by Brazilian lawmakers.

Aguiar said that agreement floundered because it allowed the U.S. unverified access to the Alcantara base that was not acceptable on sovereignty grounds. A new Brazilian proposal under consideration by the U.S. government will be more "palatable" to the Brazilian Congress.

The TSA is seen by Washington as opening opportunities for greater cooperation in aerospace and defense between the two countries.

The market for small satellite launches is expected to grow fast in the next few years and the U.S. space industry is keen to see new launch capacity in the world and a quick resolution to the negotiation of the TSA with Brazil.

"Demand for launch services has outstripped supply globally and another launch site is needed. Because of its location, Alcantara offers advantages no other site in the world provides," an industry source said.

Aguiar said the government will set up a company called Alada to market the launch site. He said the Air Force has been in talks with Brazilian aerospace company Embraer SA on how to manage the business going forward.

One possibility, Brazilian Air Force officials said, is a joint venture with Embraer's satellite company Visiona, which is not part of the planned $4.75 billion tie-up between Boeing and Embraer's commercial aviation arm.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; editing by Clive McKeef)By Ritah Kemigisa

President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to make Kampala a safe city within nine months as government moves to implement the elements of a smart and safe city solution for Uganda.

In his national address at state house Entebbe last evening, Museveni said Kampala will be a different city, will be safe, cleaner and smarter.

He meanwhile said there will be no need to rely on human intelligence and human observance during this period since advanced technology will be in place.

He adds that acquisition and installation of modern policing equipment such CCTV cameras, drones among others will be completed in this same period.

Just last week Museveni said he was recalling up to 24,000 armed reserves to man security in Kampala and Wakiso.

The presidents address that was premised on Urban Crime follow the assassination of the former Buyende DPC Muhammed Kirumira.The debate on whether the central authorities can ever regulate the cryptocurrency industry intensates further with the launch of a Chinese crypto-startup.

In a right-in-your-face stunt, InVault begins offering its cryptocurrency custody services last week in China despite the mainland ban. The Shanghai startup proposes to attract cryptocurrency exchanges as its primary clients, believing they should avoid the moral hazard of holding clients assets.

A custodian, in a traditional sense, holds clients securities or cash for safekeeping  in both electronics and physical form. Chinas implicit ban on keeping and trading cryptocurrencies could arguably disallow an organization to hold assets that 1) are virtual currencies, and 2) belongs to companies with no legal status in the mainland.

But InVault seems to have found a way to circumvent the ongoing crackdown. The startup offers a decentralized corporate cryptocurrency wallet service, meaning that there would not be a central control over the safeguarded funds. InVault will instead be the custodian of users private keys. Local media reports hint that the startup will keep the users private keys secured in several Physical Vaults. Only authorized personnel will have access to these safes.

Kenneth Xu, chief executive and founder of InVault, said the only way by which cryptocurrencies can be secured is with the absence of human oversight.

Today, the vast majority of cryptocurrency exchanges globally still involve their senior management in managing the transfer of digital tokens ordered by clients. Putting the private keys to your cryptocurrency assets in the hands of senior management is akin to putting all your money in their control, said Xu, speaking to the South China Morning Post.

Chinas Crackdown Insufficient to Enforce Crypto-ban

The launch of InVault occurs during tensed times. Chinas financial and market regulators had recently stepped up its crackdown against the local crypto operations. During the chase, they blocked access to 124 offshore crypto-exchanges that were providing trading services to Chinese investors, banned events that were to discuss cryptocurrencies and enforced local companies, including WeChat and Alibaba, to monitor and report their users involved in crypto activities.

Story continues

Chinese crypto companies continue to offer services to Chinese investors from offshore despite the ban. KYC-enabled money exchanges have been replaced by peer-to-peer commerce, which could dampen the regulators efforts towards enforcing the crypto-ban overall. Furthermore, fugitive exchanges have started to work under the different domain names, making it difficult for regulators to improve their mouse-chase.

Terence Tsang, the chief operating officer of TideBit, which offers centralized crypto-exchange services in Hong Kong and Taiwan, said in a statement to the local press:

The latest warning and potentially increased monitoring of foreign platforms is targeted at a batch of smaller exchanges that had claimed to be foreign entities, but are in fact operating in China claiming they have outsourced their operations to a Chinese company.

Meanwhile, InVault has already scored its first major deal from an undisclosed cryptocurrency exchange for the custodianship of one million Ethereum tokens.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post Chinas Crypto Custody Sector Is Growing despite the Mainland Ban appeared first on CCN.

Cryptocurrency Zimbabwe

Less than a fortnight since his appointment as Zimbabwes finance minister, the new treasury boss is potentially placing himself on a collision path with the countrys central bank with his pro-cryptocurrency stance.

According to Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwes newly minted Minister of Finance, cryptocurrencies could assist the southern Africa country to solve the cash crunch that has been ongoing for the last two years. Towards the realization of this, Ncube has promised to nudge the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) into establishing a cryptocurrency division that will be tasked with assisting the countrys apex bank to develop a better understanding of digital assets, IT Web Africa reported.

Role Model

Ncube cited the example of Switzerland where the European countrys central bank has adopted a more progressive stance on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies saying Zimbabwe should copy this example.

One can pay for travel using bitcoin in Switzerland. So, if these countries can see value in this and where its headed, we should also pay attention, Ncube said. We have innovative youngsters so the idea shouldnt be to stop it and say dont do this, but rather the regulators should invest in catching up with them and find ways to understand it, then you regulate it because you now understand it.

With banks imposing a cap on amounts that depositors can withdraw, the severe cash shortage in Zimbabwe has been worsened by the fact that savers tend to hold on to their money rather than entrust it with the financial institutions. And as the economy gets more dollarized, the cash shortages have been further exacerbated with the result being that foreign currency reserves are also dwindling.

Dramatic Reversal

If Ncube is able to convince the RBZ to set up the cryptocurrency unit it will be a 180-degree turn for Zimbabwes central bank which has taken an anti-crypto stance. As CCN reported in May this year, for instance, banks in the country were prohibited from processing cryptocurrency transactions for both investors and traders of the nascent asset class citing risks and dangers associated with them include their use in money laundering and other illegal activities.

Story continues

Further, cryptocurrencies can be used to facilitate tax evasion as well as externalization of funds in violation of a countrys laws, the RBZ wrote in a circular to financial institutions at the time.

Though a High Court in the countrys capital later reversed the ban, the regulatory uncertainty has forced some of the cryptocurrency exchanges such as Golix to explore other markets in Africa to avoid overreliance on the Zimbabwean market.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post Cryptocurrency Could Solve Zimbabwes Cash Shortages: Finance Minister appeared first on CCN.

Discover Financial Services DFS recently announced that it has collaborated with Promocion y Operacion S.A. de C.V. (Prosa). Both the companies will form a strategic network alliance for widely strengthening the acceptance of Discover Global Network in Mexico. With this deal, Discover, Diners Club International, PULSE and network affiliate cards will be accepted on Prosas network in Mexico at all ATM kiosks as well as at point-of-sale locations.



Initially, the agreement would enable all Discover Global Network cards on the Prosa network. In fact, all Discover Financial customers would now get card options in Mexico, a key destination for cardholders.



Prosa  which processes more than 3.6 trillion transactions annually at point of sale, ATMs, mobile devices and online  will continue to boost growth for the payments industry in Mexico by dint of this deal with Discover Financial.



The Discover Global Network consists of Discover Network, Diners Club International, PULSE and affiliate networks. With above 42 million merchant acceptance locations and 2 million ATM cash access sites across 190 countries and territories, Discover Financial could successfully enable network to network links around the globe including China, Japan, Korea, India, Brazil, Turkey, Nigeria and all of Europe.



Mexico with its large underpenetrated markets, a solid financial infrastructure and highly scalable models seems the ideal hub of growth for financial transaction service players. For instance, one of the money transfer companiess  MoneyGram International Inc. MGI  has tied up with OXXO convenience stores to help customers in Mexico receive funds sent to them from across the world.



Also, The Western Union Company WU launched the Western Union mobile app with omni-channel choices, allowing customers in Mexico to transfer cash digitally to more than 200 countries and territories.



Shares of Discover Financial have rallied nearly 29.2% in a years time, outperforming its industrys growth of 8.6%. The stock has a Zack Rank #3 (Hold).

Story continues



Stock to Consider



Investors interested in the financial sector might take a look at the better-ranked stock of Cardtronics plc CATM, which provides automated consumer financial services through its network of automated teller machines (ATMs) and multi-functional financial services kiosks. Sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy,) the company came up with an average four-quarter beat of 27.17%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Best Electric Car Stock? You'll Never Guess It.



Zacks Research has released a report that may shock many investors. One stock stands out as the best way to invest in the surge to electric cars. And it's not the one you may think!



Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium battery power is set to shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, revenues that were already at $31 billion in 2016 are expected to blast to over $67 billion by the end of 2022.



See Zacks Best EV Stock Free >>





Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Cardtronics PLC (CATM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Discover Financial Services (DFS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



MoneyGram International Inc. (MGI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



The Western Union Company (WU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment ResearchThe U.S. dollar slipped while the Aussie dollar edged higher on Monday

Investing.com - The U.S. dollar slipped while the Aussie dollar edged higher on Monday as markets awaited an announcement of additional U.S. tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods.

The U.S. Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, traded 0.04% lower to 94.47 by 12:35AM ET (04:35 GMT).

Reports on the weekend suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to move forward with tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods.

The tariff level will probably be about 10%, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people familiar with the matter. This is below the 25% the administration said it was considering for this possible round of tariffs.

"(The U.S. dollar) will take guidance this week from any trade discussion and bond and equity market movements," said Richard Grace, chief currency strategist and head of international economics at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Meanwhile, the AUD/USD pair gained 0.7% to 0.7160. The Australian dollar, which is a proxy for global growth and Chinese assets, was under pressure in recent months as Trump's tariff threats became a reality. The Australian currency plunged 9% so far this week and is one of the worst-performing major currencies this year. The Reserve Bank of Australia is set to publish the minutes of its latest policy setting meeting on Tuesday.

"This week, AUD/USD will take some guidance from the minutes of the (Reserve Bank of Australia's) September policy meeting on Tuesday. We don't expect much of a currency market reaction," said Grace.

Elsewhere, the USD/JPY pair was down 0.1% to 111.97. The Japanese stock market is closed in observance of Respect-for-the-Aged Day. A monetary policy announcement from the Bank of Japan is due this week, though no change is expected.

The USD/CNY pair gained 0.03% to 6.8732

"Further escalation looks very likely in which the rate will likely be raised to 25 percent and more US tariffs threatened, while China may potentially pull out of trade talks entirely and escalate on the new front of outright export restrictions," JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) analysts said in a morning note.

Story continues

"This would of course only inflame the situation further."

Related Articles

Gloom Lifts From Emerging Currencies After Rate Hikes: EM Review

Dollar hold gains in cautious trade ahead of new U.S. tariffs on China

Forex - Weekly Outlook: September 17 - 21Gold reclaims $1,200-level

Investing.com - Gold prices edged higher on Monday, reclaiming the key $1,200-level amid renewed fears over an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies.

Comex gold futures were up $2.00, or 0.2%, at $1,203.10 a troy ounce by 9:00AM ET.

Meanwhile, spot gold was trading at $1,200.08 per ounce, up $5.80, or 0.5%.

Market focus will largely be attuned to the next potential steps in the tit-for-tat trade dispute between the U.S. and China.

U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to announce new tariffs on about $200 billion on Chinese imports as early as Monday, according to a senior administration official.

The tariff level will probably be about 10%, the Wall Street Journal reported, far below the 25% the administration said it was considering for this possible round of tariffs.

The WSJ later reported that China may decline to participate in proposed trade talks with the U.S. later this month if the Trump administration moves forward with additional tariffs on imported Chinese goods, as Beijing won't negotiate under threat.

Officials are also considering potential retaliation steps, the report said.

Investors have shunned gold despite an escalation in global trade tensions, indicating that the precious metal may be losing its safe-haven status.

Instead, market players opted to pile in to the U.S. dollar in the belief that the United States has less to lose from the dispute.

In other metals action, silver futures were 9.3 cents, or 0.6%, higher at $14.23 a troy ounce.

Platinum was up 0.5% at $802.40, while palladium gained 0.3% to $972.90.

December copper slumped 1.7 cents, or 0.6%, to $2.630 a pound.

Copper prices have been hit by fears that a trade spat between the U.S. and China will act as a drag on the Chinese economy, undermining demand for metals used in construction and manufacturing.

China accounts for about half the worlds demand for copper and other industrial materials.

Related Articles

Oil Prices Inch Forward as Trade Tensions, Iran Sanctions Weigh

OPEC Sees Need to Keep Oil Supply Deal as Demand Faces Headwinds

Copper Wilts as Trade War Angst Spurs Fresh Losses for MetalsBy Stephen Otage.

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has revealed that Police barracks in Kampala are hosting immigrant children who are not immunized.

In a telephone interview today, the Authoritys director public health and environmentDr. Daniel Okello says areas such as Kisenyi, Namuwongo, Kagugube in Makerere West, Busega and Acholi quarters in Kireka are the highest without immunized children.

Dr. Okellos comments follow reports on Saturday from an immunization camp organized by Rotary Club of Kampala Central in Kireka Police barracks where children as old as five years were found not immunized.

According to Ivan Mwondha the club president, this is the third time they are finding such children in communities which KCCA mans being unimmunized.

The police spokesperson Emilian Kayima says the high numbers of unimmunized children can largely be attributed to the high population in the barracks.Kinder Morgan Inc KMI has reportedly hired investment bank, TD Securities, for the scheduled sale of its Canadian business.



The sale, which will indicate the U.S. pipeline giants exit from Canada, is expected to raise about C$2.4 billion ($1.8 billion). At a conference in September, Kinder Morgans chief executive expressed intent in divesting the remaining Canadian business, which was initially purchased to support the Trans Mountain project. However, no details were disclosed by either of the parties.



The company divested Trans Mountain pipeline to the Canadian government for about C$4.5 billion at the end of August. In the same month, a Canadian court reversed its consent of the Trans Mountain expansion on grounds that Ottawa did not pay attention to native concerns. Recently, pipeline companies in Canada have faced face high resistance from environmental groups and First Nations groups for the consent of new projects.



Due to such constraints, the existing pipelines are highly-valued assets in the country.



In 2005, Kinder Morgan had purchased Terasen Inc, wherein it obtained the Trans Mountain pipeline and considerably expanded footprint in Canada. The remaining Canadian business of Kinder Morgan includes the Edmonton, Alberta and Vancouver Wharves terminal businesses as well as the Canadian portion of the Cochin pipeline. The unit has earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of about C$200 million.



Per the sources, the assets, which will be sold individually or together, are anticipated to go for a multiple of 10 to 12 times EBITDA, taking the total value of the deal to C$2.4 billion. The offer for the business is likely to come from midstream companies, private equity firms and infrastructure funds. Kinder Morgan will retain the assets if it does not get a good price as they generate solid cash flows.



Lately, there have been companies who have exited businesses in Canada. In 2016, Williams Cos Inc WMB divested its Canadian business. In July, Enbridge Inc ENB sold its natural gas gathering and processing business in Canada to Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP BIP and its institutional partners for about C$4.31 billion. In February, MEG Energy settled for the divestiture of various pipeline and storage assets in Alberta to Wolf Midstream Inc for C$1.61 billion.



Price Performance



In the past year, Kinder Morgans shares have lost 6.8% compared with the industrys 11.5% decline.

Story continues









Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider



Kinder Morgan currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Best Electric Car Stock? You'll Never Guess It.



Zacks Research has released a report that may shock many investors. One stock stands out as the best way to invest in the surge to electric cars. And it's not the one you may think!



Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium battery power is set to shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, revenues that were already at $31 billion in 2016 are expected to blast to over $67 billion by the end of 2022.



See Zacks Best EV Stock Free >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP (BIP) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Enbridge Inc (ENB) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment ResearchIsraeli police investigates at the scene of an stabbing attack in the West Bank settlement of Gush Etzion Sunday, Sept. 15, 2018. The Israeli military says a Palestinian attacker has stabbed and critically wounded an Israeli man in front of a mall. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

JERUSALEM (AP)  A Palestinian assailant on Sunday fatally stabbed an Israeli settler outside a busy mall in the West Bank.

The victim was identified as Ari Fuld, a U.S.-born activist who was well-known in the local settler community and an outspoken Israel advocate on social media platforms.

The military said the attacker arrived at the mall near a major junction in the southern West Bank, close to the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, and stabbed the Fuld before fleeing.

Video footage showed Fuld giving chase and firing at his assailant before collapsing. Other civilians shot the attacker, whom Israeli media identified as a 17-year-old from a nearby Palestinian village. He was reportedly in moderate condition.

Fuld, a 45-year-old father of four who lived in the nearby settlement of Efrat, was evacuated to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Fuld was a well-known English-language internet commenter on current affairs and the weekly Torah lesson. He was known for his hard-line nationalist ideology and strong support for the Israeli military.

Settler spokesman Josh Hasten, who said he had known Fuld for about a decade, said his friend traveled widely to showcase "the beauty and reality of life" in the country.

He delivered care packages to Israeli soldiers and would go on solidarity trips to communities near the Gaza Strip during times of fighting with the Hamas militant group, Hasten said.

"When the rockets were falling, that's when he would get in his car and go down to Sderot," Hasten said.

Fuld also was known for an outspoken manner that included verbal clashes with Palestinians and critics of Israel that could land him in trouble. At times, his Facebook account was suspended.

"He did not hold back on his opinions," Hasten said. "If that meant 30 days of Facebook jail, so be it."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded Fuld on Facebook for fighting his attacker "heroically" and remembered him as "an advocate for Israel who fought to spread the truth."

On Twitter, David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel and a strong supporter of the settlements, called him "a passionate defender of Israel & an American patriot."

Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks. Israeli forces killed over 260 Palestinians in that period, of which Israel says most were attackers.At 2.636 Tcf, current natural gas inventories are 18.4% under the five-year average and 20.1% below the year-ago figure.

The U.S. Energy Department's weekly inventory release showed a marginally smaller-than-expected increase in natural gas supplies. Despite the headline beat and a growing storage deficit, strong production and the expected power loss from Hurricane Florence weighed on the fuels price, which ended flat over the week.

About the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report

The Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report  brought out by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) every Thursday since 2002  includes updates on natural gas market prices, the latest storage level estimates, recent weather data and other market activities or events.

The report provides an overview of the level of reserves and their movements, thereby helping investors understand the demand/supply dynamics of natural gas. It is an indicator of current gas prices and volatility that affect businesses of natural gas-weighted companies and related support plays.

Analysis of the Data: A Smaller-than-Expected Rise in Storage

Stockpiles held in underground storage in the lower 48 states rose by 69 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ended Sep 7, just below the guidance (of 70 Bcf gain) as per the analysts surveyed by S&P Global Platts, a leading independent commodities and energy data provider. The injection was also lower than both the five-year (2013-2017) average addition of 74 Bcf and last years build of 87 Bcf for the reported week.

Per the latest EIA data, the current storage remains well below benchmarks. At 2.636 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), current natural gas inventories are 596 Bcf (18.4%) under the five-year average and 662 Bcf (20.1%) below the year-ago figure.

Fundamentally speaking, total supply of natural gas averaged around 87.8 Bcf per day, essentially unchanged on a weekly basis as the slight increase in production was offset by lower Canadian imports. Meanwhile, daily consumption fell 1.5% to 74.5 Bcf on lower power generation demand, which was partly offset by higher natural gas usage for residential and commercial cooling requirements.

Story continues

Natural Gas Price Flat

Despite the headline beat, natural gas settled essentially unchanged last week based on Fridays close of $2.767 per MMBtu. While investors are encouraged by the low inventory levels following strong summer air-conditioning demand, they remain worried over unabated production from the Marcellus and Utica shale regions. In fact, dry gas output in the United States averaged 83.2 Bcf per day over the reporting week, up 14.1% from the year-ago level. Expectations of cool weather and demand loss associated with Hurricane Florence played further spoilsport.

Positive Long-Term Thesis

The fundamentals of natural gas continue to be favorable in the long run, considering the secular shift to the cleaner burning fuel for power generation globally and in the Asia-Pacific region in particular.

The EIA predicts global demand for the commodity to grow 43% from 2015 to 2040. Countries in Asia and in the Middle East  led by Chinas transition away from coal  will account for most of this increase.

And as the worlds largest gas producer, the United States has emerged as one of the key players  competing with Russia and Australia among others  to meet this soaring demand. With domestic prices struggling to break the $3 per million Btu threshold, American natural gas companies see a big opportunity in selling cheap U.S. production at attractive enough prices to rest of the world. In fact, more than 50% of the domestic volume growth in the near future will be used for export in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG). As per Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States will vie with Australia and Qatar as the top LNG exporter by 2022.

New pipelines to Mexico, together with large-scale liquefied gas export facilities like Cheniere Energy, Inc.s Sabine Pass terminal and Dominion Energy Inc.s (D) newly constructed Cove Point export plant, have meant that exports out of the U.S. are set for a quantum leap.

As per the Energy Department, gross liquefied natural gas exports are set to average 2.93 Bcf per day in 2018, increasing more than 50% from last year. Apart from surging exports, the replacement of coal-fired power plants and higher consumption from industrial projects will likely ensure strong natural gas demand.

Finally, if the upcoming (2018-2019) winter turns out to be colder-than-normal, the surge in expected demand in the face of relative deficit of natural gas inventory could trigger a large rally in the commodity's price.

Want to Own a Natural Gas Stock Now?

The secular tailwinds mentioned above could see natural gas eventually settle well above the $3 per MMBtu mark before the end of the winter. The perceived price strength augurs well for natural gas-heavy upstream companies like Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation COG, Chesapeake Energy Corporation CHK, Comstock Resources, Inc. CRK, Eclipse Resources Corporation ECR, Gulfport Energy Corporation GPOR and Southwestern Energy Company SWN.

However, if you are looking for a near term natural gas play, SilverBow Resources, Inc. SBOW may be a good selection. This company has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

SilverBow is engaged in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas properties in the Eagle Ford shale located in South Texas. The companys production consists of 86% natural gas. In the last 60 days, two earnings estimates moved north, while none moved south for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings has risen 7.5% in the same period.

Best Electric Car Stock? You'll Never Guess It.

Zacks Research has released a report that may shock many investors. One stock stands out as the best way to invest in the surge to electric cars. And it's not the one you may think!

Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium battery power is set to shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, revenues that were already at $31 billion in 2016 are expected to blast to over $67 billion by the end of 2022.

See Zacks Best EV Stock Free >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Southwestern Energy Company (SWN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Comstock Resources, Inc. (CRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Eclipse Resources Corporation (ECR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG) : Free Stock Analysis Report



SilverBow Resources Inc. (SBOW) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment ResearchOracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) reports first-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings after market close on Monday, September 17.

The tech giant is expected to report adjusted EPS of $0.69 per share, up from $0.62 in the prior-year quarter, on revenue of $9.24 billion, according to third-party consensus analyst estimates. Revenue is projected to grow 1.1 percent year over year, the low end of managements guidance for 1 percent to 3 percent growth.

Over the past eight quarters, ORCL has beat earnings estimates in seven of them. The only miss was during Q1 fiscal 2018. On the top-line, the company has either met expectations or beat them by a small margin in six out of the last eight quarters.

The stock dropped following each of its four previous reports. The smallest move was a 3.8 percent decline the day after it reported Q2 fiscal 2018 results and the largest being a 9.4 percent decline the day after it reported Q3 fiscal 2018 results.

Since this is typically ORCLs slowest quarter of the year, some analysts have indicated theyre expecting this report to be a non-event, barring any unexpected surprises. Others are expecting to get more information about the companys cloud business at the Oracle OpenWorld conference taking place October 22 to 25.

Checking on Cloud Transition

ORCL has been transitioning to more cloud-based services for several years now, although the path hasnt been as quick as management, or analysts, have been expecting.

When the company last reported, it changed how it reported cloud results and theyre no longer broken out separately from on-premise licenses and support. Management said they did this because of the launch of their build your own license (BYOL) initiative that allows customers to transition on-premise licenses to Oracle Cloud, provided they continue to pay support for the licenses.

In Q4 fiscal 2018, ORCL reported that revenue in the cloud services and license support segment increased 8 percent year-over-year to $6.8 billion, while cloud license and on-premise license revenues declined 5 percent year-over-year to $2.5 billion.

Story continues

President of product development Thomas Kurian, who was in charge of the companys cloud transition, just went on an extended leave, so analysts might be looking for some additional information about who will be running that division.

A Strong Dollar and Tariffs

These are two wild cards facing the company for tomorrows report. The first one is the impact of the foreign currency exchange. When ORCL last reported, management said that unfavorable shifts in exchange rates would result in a 1 percent revenue headwind, when it was previously a 3 percent benefit. EPS is expected to be negatively impacted by three cents.

View more earnings on ORCL

Tariffs still represent a big point of uncertainty as some of them have been implemented, while others are still up for negotiation. While its difficult to discern the end result, management might comment on how the business could be impacted under different scenarios.

ORACLE 2018 CHART. Oracle dropped sharply following both of its previous earnings reports. The stock dropped $5.15 by the open the day after it reported in March, and it dropped $2.76 by the open in its most recent report in mid-June. Its since come back a decent ways from its 52-week low of $42.57, but has seen resistance as it gets closer to the $50 level. Chart source: thinkorswim by TD Ameritrade. Not a recommendation. For illustrative purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Oracle Options Activity

Options traders have priced in a 5.3 percent ($2.61) stock move in either direction around the ORCLs earnings release, according to the Market Maker Move indicator on the thinkorswim platform. Implied volatility was at the 70th percentile as of this morning.

In short-term trading at the September 21 monthly expiration, calls have been active at the 49 and 50 strike prices. The 52.5 strike has also been heavily traded on the call side, although its $3.25 higher than where the stock closed on Friday. Volume has been lighter on the put side, and concentrated at the 48 and 49 strikes.

At the next few weekly expirations, as well as the October monthly expiration, there hasnt been much trading that stands out. Most of the activity has been at strikes right around the money.

Note: Call options represent the right, but not the obligation, to buy the underlying security at a predetermined price over a set period of time. Put options represent the right, but not the obligation to sell the underlying security at a predetermined price over a set period of time.

Whats Coming Up

Outside of a few reports here and there, its still pretty quiet for earnings. One of the next bigger companies coming up is Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE), scheduled to release its results at 4:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 25.

That same week is the Feds September meeting. The futures market is currently pricing in about a 95 percent chance that the Fed will hike the Fed Funds rate by a quarter-point. For a look at what else is going on, check out todays Market Update if you have time.

Information from TDA is not intended to be investment advice or construed as a recommendation or endorsement of any particular investment or investment strategy, and is for illustrative purposes only. Be sure to understand all risks involved with each strategy, including commission costs, before attempting to place any trade.

See more from Benzinga

 2018 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.In Kazakhstan, each sixth family faces the violence of a different nature. As a rule, most victims are children. It was said by Chairman of association of legal entities 'Union of Crisis Centres' Zulfiya Baisakova.





Kazakhstan's every sixth family faces violence, including psychological, economic, sexual or domestic assaults. The number of cases did not increase, but that of possibilities to transmit the information promptly by social networks, via telephone increased," said Zulfiya Baisakova.





Children are also affected by violence. However, between 2011-2016, the decrease in the number of crimes against children was observed. The number of those affected per 100,000 children has decreased by 3.7%, the speaker said.





We had and still have children among victims. I cannot say that the statistics have increased, but owing to the fact that the media cover domestic violence, many women have begun to seek help. As a Crisis Centre has been opened in Almaty, 48-50 victims are already in it. In total, 190 people have addressed to the Centre, 50% of them are children," said Baisakova.





As a rule, the Centre treats women who suffered violence by their husbands, Baisakova said. Such a situation affects children who then suffer health issues.





In turn, psychologists and specialists call everyone to not stay aside. In cases of violence in one's family, neighbors, and other people, one should call law enforcement bodies dialing 102, or address to a tip line dialing 150.





Everyone bears responsibility for those children who live close, even for those living in other families," said Zulfiya Baisakova.





According to the speaker, the solution is to revise the legislation base. Additionally, it is necessary to create a strategic plan to safeguard the rights of those underage children, which the country does not have yet.





What should we do? Firstly, to analyze the national legislation. It is necessary to have a strategic plan to protect those underage children, which the country does not have. I wish each child has access to claims, appeals on their problems and so that to make complaints available. Also, we propose to create a mobile app for those underage children that will enable to learn what to do in case domestic violence occurs," said Baisakova.





We note as of today the country has adopted 45 normative legal acts regulating rights and guarantees of children and teenagers. According to the Statistics Committee, the number of children aged from 17 made up 5.6 million people.





Earlier, the Chairman of association of legal entities 'Union of Crisis Centres' proposed radical methods to eliminate the number of beggars in Almaty.







TipRanks

U.S. stocks have been on a roll. The S&P 500 closed Monday at a new record high and was up for the eight consecutive positive day -- its longest streak of records since 1997. Among the recent supporting factors are Q3 earnings, which are up 40% year-over-year and have been beating expectations; and passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill last week, offering hope that Congress may be able to get its act together and put consequential legislation on the Presidents desk. In addition, weeklySTORIES YOU MIGHT LIKEImages | open sources

The Global Reporting Format for presentation of data on the state of runway surface has been introduced in Kazakhstan, the press service of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development said.

JSC "Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan" has successfully completed work on the implementation in the civil aviation of the Republic of Kazakhstan of ICAO standards for application of the Global Reporting Format for data on the state of the runway surface.

As a result, from November 4, 2021, operators of certified aerodromes of the Republic of Kazakhstan began to assess and transmit reports on the state of the runway surface according to the new ICAO methodology. With the introduction of GRF in the Republic of Kazakhstan, for the first time, the publication of SNOWTAM snow notifications to flight crews was started. The first to publish SNOWTAM were the airports of Kostanay, Pavlodar, Almaty.

One of ICAO's global safety goals is to ensure the safety of runway operations. In particular, a decrease in the number of aircraft excursions, as the proportion of accidents attributable to runway excursions is about 15%, with this category of accidents accounting for 50% of all fatal accidents.

80% of runway excursions are due to reduced runway adherence due to winter precipitation.

The GRF methodology aims to improve flight safety by preventing runway excursions in the presence of precipitation, providing a globally uniform approach to assessing and reporting runway surface conditions.

By comparing runway status reports with aircraft performance data provided by the aircraft manufacturer, the flight crew can calculate take-off and landing performance for a safe landing.











Representatives of the Tajik government and members of banned Tajik opposition groups came to the OSCE's annual Human Dimension Implementation Meetings (HDIM) in Warsaw this last week.

The forum provided both sides an opportunity to air their grievances in a neutral setting, but importantly this year, the two sides actually met face-to-face and spoke with one another. There were moments of friendship and one moment of violence when a member of the government was caught on video punching an activist in the face.

RFE/RL's media-relations manager, Muhammad Tahir, moderated a discussion on what happened between the Tajik groups in Warsaw and what the prospects might be for a rapprochement.

All the guests on this Majlis Podcast were speaking from Warsaw, where they were attending the HDIM.

Mahmudjon Faizrahmon, spokesman for the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, a party banned in Tajikistan since 2015, joined in the discussion. Independent Tajik journalist Hamyara Bakhtiyar, who has written for such media outlets as Anadolu Ajansi, CabarAsia, Asia-Plus, and Ozodagon, participated. Our longtime Majlis friend Steve Swerdlow, Central Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, was back to give us his insight on what happened between the Tajiks at the HDIM. I was not at this year's HDIM, but I threw in my two cents on events leading up to the meetings in Warsaw.

(Note: After we recorded the podcast, there were reports that the Tajik government had agreed to negotiations with the opposition.)

Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes.GOLDEN  Two men sit and contemplate the stature of their hero.

Pikes were never real, real tall, says Brian Pike, a distant relative of Zebulon Montgomery Pike.

This is something Harv Hisgen has discussed with Zebulon Montgomery Monty Pike, who at 96 is believed to be the closest in line to the explorer, the namesake of Pikes Peak. Hisgen has visited Monty several times at his Chaffee County home, not far from the pioneers Christmas Camp stop.

Monty says he was probably around 5-foot-6, Hisgen says here in Brian Pikes office, the walls of his pavement company adorned with family photos.

Yeah, but back then, that wasnt real short, Pike says.

But because he was shorter, Hisgen says, he was starting to put a little crust at the top of his thinking. You dont put up with crap.

That was the most important quality of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Monty has told Hisgen. He didnt put up with crap.

Mental toughness, Pike says now. He starts in 1804, and hes killed in 1813. In less than 10 years, hes on horseback or walking, going all the way to northern Minnesota, back down to the southern or middle part of Mexico, then back up to Canada. Can you imagine? Theres no way!

That route doesnt precisely describe the famed Southwest expedition of Pike, who died during the Battle of York outside Ontario, the province in east-central Canada.

His journey through Colorado and six more states are what Pike and Hisgen aim to honor, a complex endeavor that has required their mental toughness, too. And patience.

More than a decade since the conceptualization, the duo is seeing progress on the Pike National Historic Trail. The route would roughly follow the 3,664-mile expedition, with signs spotting highways and trails.

This summer, El Paso County commissioners approved a portion, the 15th of the desired 17 Colorado counties to do so. That was two years after Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law a bill that allowed counties to designate public roads as pioneer trails.

And last month, the Pike National Historic Trail got the preliminary support it needed from the U.S. Senate. A bipartisan bill cosponsored by Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, Colorados U.S. senators, advanced from a committee hearing. If its approved by Congress and the president, the National Park Service could study the trails feasibility.

Its gaining some traction, Pike says.

Thats been hard-won for him and Hisgen, the Pike National Historic Trail Association leader who undertook the mission after 2006, the expeditions bicentennial. One of Hisgens first priorities was rallying the Pikes. Monty eagerly joined the cause. With his health deteriorating, Brian has taken his place on the 14-person board.

Its been worthwhile to the Golden native, proud of the name he carries. And its been worthwhile to Hisgen, the retired professor living in Conifer and still wanting to teach, this time about the man he considers an American icon.

Hisgen says hes consulted people overseeing the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, taking tips and making a case for Pikes name in the same conversation as that most celebrated exploration post-Louisiana Purchase.

Never mind that Pike never reached the 14,115-foot summit bearing his name. Never mind that historians question his capabilities, as he wound up multiple times at the incorrect headwaters of the Red River he was assigned to find. Hisgen says that Pike, then in his mid-20s, deserves praise nevertheless for charting five watersheds and for his later military service as an Army captain.

Nothing to take away from Lewis and Clark, Pike says. Its just that we feel the significance is equal. Were not saying hes better. Were just saying this was a phenomenal man as well.

Their vision is far from complete. Teller is one of two Colorado counties yet to approve segments of the Pike National Historic Trail. If authorized, the federal government would take more years to decide on the designation, and counties would have to pay for signage and marketing.

And still, six other states must be lobbied. I was starting to work on New Mexico, Hisgen says. But he feels limited by his age, and he admits the effort could use more help, more energy.

Having field-tested the route, hes counted 150 monuments around the country commemorating Pike  plaques and such that he says help his case. People give a darn.The Hi-Point 9 mm pistol suspected car thief Manuel Zetina used in the Feb. 5 killing of El Paso County sheriffs Deputy Micah Flick had been used in another crime a year earlier, according to investigative records released by Colorado Springs police.

Forensics connected the handgun to the one used by a then 20-year-old Ontony Albert Hatcher on March 12, 2017, in a shooting off Hammock Drive North. Hatcher would eventually be convicted of felony menacing with a real or simulated weapon.

But how did Zetina get the gun?

Police traced the gun back to its origin to try to piece together its ownership. According to records, they learned:

A Pueblo woman had bought the gun from the Big R of Pueblo for her ex-boyfriend in January 2008. She said it was a Valentines Day present, but he considered the gun cheap and sold it three years later.

The woman said her ex sold it to friends, a couple who she kept in contact with despite marrying a different person. When police talked to that couple, they denied meeting the womans ex and said theyd only known the woman for a few years.

The man called the woman to confront her about saying the gun was sold to him, but police believe the woman feigned a faulty connection and hung up. Subsequent attempts to reach her were unsuccessful.

The man told police he believed that they just needed somebodys name to say who they sold the gun to and so they said it was him.

Somehow, the gun eventually came to Hatcher, who used it in 2017, but he didnt want to explain what happened to it after.

During the Feb. 5 shooting, Hatcher was in jail on an unrelated attempted robbery charge, for which he would later plead guilty, online criminal records show. Police asked him in jail what he did with the gun in 2017, but Hatcher refused to cooperate, fearing hed catch new charges.

Records show that Hatcher and Zetina have tattoos of three dots on their left wrists, a sign worn to show allegiance to, or membership in, a Hispanic gang, particularly Surenos. Police later reported Zetina was a known member of the South Side Soldados gang or Triple S, and went by the gang moniker Grumpy.

It is unknown at this time how the firearm was transferred from Mr. Hatcher  to Mr. Zetina, the report said.

A longtime friend of Zetina, Justin Wade, offered some clue when messages between him and his wife were turned over to police showing he sold the gun to Zetina at some undetermined point in the past, but that lead, too, went cold.

As Wade was jailed on warrants related to allegations of eluding and stealing a 1992 Toyota Corolla, officers interviewed him, but did not ask about the Facebook message or about selling the gun to Zetina, a summary of the conversation showed.

Officers did ask if Wade knew Zetina to carry weapons but Wade said they didnt talk about that stuff.

Another of Zetinas friends, Phillip Kopf, who had been helping Zetina spray paint the stolen car blue earlier on Feb. 5, said hed seen his friend carrying the same gun three weeks earlier.

Zetina always carried a gun, Kopf said, particularly at that time in February because someone was trying to get him and he needed to stay protected,  the report said.

MORE COVERAGE:Fighters with the Free Syrian army eat in a cave where they live, in the outskirts of the northern town of Jisr al-Shughur, Syria, west of the city of Idlib.NASSAU, The Bahamas, Sept. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Island Pay, an electronic money mobile payment provider, will roll out the Contactless Companion Platform (CCP)  a digital cash service allowing consumers to load money onto cards, fobs and a range of wearable items. The new service will allow Bahamians and visitors alike to make contactless payments between themselves or with Island Pay merchants across the whole of the island archipelago. CCP is running on secure chip technology from Samsung Semiconductor, the software application platform is provided by Smartlink, a Swiss fintech specializing in mobile and alternative payment solutions.



Frank Svatousek, Island Pay CEO said, By adding Smartlink to the Island Pay platform we bring immediate, critical benefits to our Bahamian customers including easy bill payment, mobile top-up and merchant solutions. The launch of the Island Pay cashless payment system, licensed by the Central Bank of The Bahamas, comes at a time when bricks and mortar banks are reducing their footprint allowing us to serve the under-banked as well as the un-banked.

The Smartlink CCP solution brings contactless digital cash to everyone in all levels of society, says Eric La Marca, CEO and founder of Smartlink. With CCP in place, you can make contactless payments via any enabled device of your choice, whether its a dedicated smart card, wristband, key fob, or even your smart watch or ring. As long as its able to accommodate the secure chip technology from Samsung, theres hardly any shape or size limit.

Among the benefits of Island Pay Mr. Svatousek explained that, Its a tokenized service, making it as secure as existing mobile payments services. It gives parents the ability to safely transfer money to their children and ensure they can only spend it on what the parents want and with its Web-based or smartphone app interface, available for iOS and Android, it allows users to manage the service and deactivate the chip in the card, fob or wearable item if it is lost. We are thrilled to be working with Samsung and Smartlink as it brings together a powerful combination of security, control and utility for our consumers throughout The Bahamas.

About Island Pay

Island Pay was founded in 2016. The company recognizes the strong business case for mobile electronic money providers seeking to re-do the way consumers interact with payments, authentication and identity, especially in underserved areas of the globe. Before Island Pay, management co-founded Carta Worldwide and Mint Technology. More information can be found on the Island Pay website .

About Smartlink SA

Smartlink SA, a fintech company based in Switzerland, is a pioneer in the payment industry. Smartlink offers an award-winning platform to banks and card issuers seeking a first-class mobile wallet application. Its innovation team has recently developed the disruptive Contactless Companion Platform which will be deployed worldwide, to facilitate cashless societies using Digital Cash. For more information, please visit www.smartlink.ch

For further Information contact:

Frank Svatousek, CEO

Island Pay

media@islandpay.comNEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The NY Women's September Market, opening Saturday, September 15th through Monday, September 17th, is an elevated fashion showcase comprised of five unique shows: COTERIE, SOLE COMMERCE, Fame, Moda and Sourcing@COTERIE. Held at the Javits Center in New York, this marketplace features the most sought-after contemporary and progressive designers and brands in womens apparel, footwear, accessories and sourcing.



This season, COTERIE, in partnership with ReMode, has proudly collaborated with the United Nations to support the UNs Sustainable Development Goals' Conscious Fashion Campaign. The initiative aims to harness the power of retailers, media and celebrities to embrace impact-driven fashion brands to create positive change and drive conscious consumerism.

Show-goers can explore the range of Conscious Fashion Campaign brands including AMUR, DefineMe, ELK, Legami, Liverpool Jeans, Skazi, Washed Away, and B. Yellowtail, in an installation within the Crystal Palace. A large part of the initiative is supported by SheTrades , an organization that enables women entrepreneurs to improve the quality of their products and services. SheTrades was instrumental in introducing female-led African brands including AAKS, Afrodesiac, COCOLILI, Maki Oh, Mar Y Sol, and Beauty@COTERIE brand, R&R Luxury to the floor.

We wanted to provide the fashion community with an experience that highlights the sustainable business practices and production methods of designers and brands at COTERIE. We are featuring a selection of brands; from woman-owned businesses in developing countries, to large US-based brands with domestic and overseas manufacturing. All have provided us with information regarding how they are addressing the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. We are proud to showcase their achievements, and the progress we are seeing in the fashion industry. Its been a pleasure working alongside SheTrades and the United Nations Conscious Fashion Campaign team to debut this at Coterie, states Womens Fashion Director, Danielle Licata.

Each season, COTERIE sets the standard as the premier global event for womens apparel, accessories and footwear, offering an array of comprehensive neighborhoods across each category. The Spring/Summer19 season hosts inspirational collections from around the world including South American brands Agua de Coco, Azulu, and, Julian SanMartin, Australias Winona Australia, and American designers Gal Meets Glam Collection and Charmosa.

Discover COTERIEs neighborhood highlights below:

EDIT | Celebrating its 10 th edition, EDIT offers a highly-curated presentation of luxury and contemporary ready-to-wear and accessories for women.

| Celebrating its 10 edition, EDIT offers a highly-curated presentation of luxury and contemporary ready-to-wear and accessories for women. TMRW | the ultimate destination for advanced contemporary lines and emerging designers with a global perspective including Eye Of P, LOL, Varque by Varun Nidhika, Wilde Vertigga and B. Yellowtail.

| the ultimate destination for advanced contemporary lines and emerging designers with a global perspective including Eye Of P, LOL, Varque by Varun Nidhika, Wilde Vertigga and B. Yellowtail. Circuit @ COTERIE | This season Circuit welcomes Gladys Tamez Millinery, Guanabana, Lulu Frost, and Welden to its exhibition of designer and contemporary accessories for women.

| This season Circuit welcomes Gladys Tamez Millinery, Guanabana, Lulu Frost, and Welden to its exhibition of designer and contemporary accessories for women. Footwear @ COTERIE | Stands as the ultimate destination for luxury footwear in the Northeast with not-to-miss spring collections from Frances Valentine, Ferri, Inukki, and Kanna.

| Stands as the ultimate destination for luxury footwear in the Northeast with not-to-miss spring collections from Frances Valentine, Ferri, Inukki, and Kanna. Beauty @ COTERIE | A central marketplace for beauty and apothecary items and brands available for wholesale and retail including DefineMe Fragrance, Gem Water, Lab To Beauty, MakeUp Eraser, UASHMAMA, and Zero Gravity Skin.

| A central marketplace for beauty and apothecary items and brands available for wholesale and retail including DefineMe Fragrance, Gem Water, Lab To Beauty, MakeUp Eraser, UASHMAMA, and Zero Gravity Skin. Vintage @ COTERIE | The elevated showcase of vintage dealers from across the US including, Classic Coco Handbags, Morphew, Orlando Vintage, and Upteam Corp, offers a one-of-a-kind apparel and accessories assortment

| The elevated showcase of vintage dealers from across the US including, Classic Coco Handbags, Morphew, Orlando Vintage, and Upteam Corp, offers a one-of-a-kind apparel and accessories assortment Stitch @ COTERIE | Entering its second season as a neighborhood within COTERIE the show offers the right mix of contemporary, sportswear, lifestyle and international. Must-see brands include A-Marsi, Aventures Des Toiles, Beate Heymann, Donna Degnan, European Culture and Maria Grazia Panizzi, Italy.

This season the NY Market announces a new floor plan: COTERIE is positioned as a townhouse style-split between level three and level one, with FAME, SOLE COMMERCE, and MODA positioned adjacent on the upper level three. Beauty@COTERIE will remain at level three registration. For more information on the show floor plan please visit: https://www.ubmfashion.com/blogs/ny-womens-september-new-show-hours-floor-plan

Womens footwear and accessory event, SOLE COMMERCE provides footwear brands access to the countrys largest concentration of womens ready-to-wear retailers on the Eastern Seaboard. This season, SOLE COMMERCE welcomes Laurevan, Maison Si, Olympian Sandals, and Ted Baker London among others.

Fame is the one-stop shopping destination where the retailers discover ready-to-wear young contemporary and trend-driven fashion for women. The Fame Lounge (booth #5411) celebrates Festival Season with Bohofaux who will be braiding and styling with artistic gem applications during show hours. Fame also welcomes Quiana Parks who will be onsite for a live artwork session. Within Fame, Fashion2Go presents a curated selection of the trendiest, young contemporary jewelry and accessories available for wholesale and cash and carry.

This season, MODA will present a concise mix of modern contemporary ready-to-wear collections with brands such as Karen Kane, Hilary Radley for Katherine Barclay, Lynn Ritchie, and Suzy D London. This show also stands as the largest showcase of accessory brands on the East Coast this September including Rush by Denis & Charles, Sondra Roberts, Mary Frances, Yochi and Blue Pacific.

On Sunday September 16th at 3:30pm COTERIE will celebrate the Conscious Fashion Campaign Collaboration, supported by ReMode. Welcome remarks and traditional land acknowledgement by Elder Gerrod Smith, Shinnecock, followed by a thanks and introduction by representatives from ReMode and United Nations. Prosecco toast sponsored by Principessa.

The show opens Saturday, September 15th from 11AM  7PM, Sunday, September 16th from 9AM  6PM and closing Monday, September 17th from 9AM  5PM at the Jacob Javits Center located at 655 W 34th St, New York, NY. To learn more about the NY Womens September Show, new show hours, and a listing of events please visit: https://www.ubmfashion.com/shows/ny-womens

Discover trend highlights and noteworthy brands from the NY Womens September Market here: https://readymag.com/u81963856/nywomens0918/

@coterie_show | @ubm_fashion | @sourcingatmagic

#coterie



About COTERIE | COTERIE is the premier global event within the New York marketplace that bridges women's apparel and accessories designers to the international 'Whos Who' of retailers that runs concurrently with Stitch, SOLE COMMERCE, Fame, Moda, The Accessories Show and The Edit. COTERIE builds exclusive shopping experiences from the ground up so that designers and buyers can create a synergy that fuels their businesses, continuing to be a platform for generating revenue and inspiring trends.

About UBM Fashion | UBM Fashion is organized by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest information visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com.TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSXV: GG; OTCQB:GGGOF) is pleased to announce that the Company has satisfied the majority of the various conditions precedent required under its previously announced US$5,000,000 secured loan facility with Barak Fund SPC Limited. The remaining substantive conditions precedent to the effectiveness of the loan agreement are for the Company to raise a minimum of US$2,000,000 of equity, and the execution and delivery of a three year offtake agreement, which is well advanced and should be completed by the end of September. The proceeds of the loan facility and of the equity issue will allow the company to restart the Galaxy mine.



Accordingly, the Company is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the Private Placement) of up to 54,000,000 units (the Units) at a price of C$0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$2,700,000. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a Common Share) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.05 for a period of 24 months from the date of closing. The expiry date of the Warrants can be accelerated by the Company to the date that is 10 business days after the date where the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is higher than C$0.20 for 10 consecutive trading days, provided such trading days occur four months and one day after the issuance of the Warrants.

Galane Gold expects to complete the Private Placement on or about September 24, 2018.

Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: It is exciting to think that we are now very close to the recommencement of operations at Galaxy. A mine that has historically produced over 1.2 million ounces and was where gold was first commercially mined in South Africa.(1)

With completion of the funding expected by the end of September we are aiming to be in production by the end of the first quarter of 2019.(2) Steady state annual production is targeted to be on average 25,000 ounces of gold at cash cost per ounce of less than US$800.(3)(4)

The total capital cost to restart operations is forecast to be approximately US$5 million which includes the upgrading of the crush, mill and float circuits to 30,000 tonnes per annum and development required to restart underground mining at the Galaxy and Princeton ore bodies. The remaining funds available will cover working capital costs to be incurred on recommencement of mining and processing. This represents only the first step of our resurrection of the Galaxy mine and we will shortly commence a study with the aim being to double production and lower the all in cost as a result of increased economies of scale.(2)

Pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Common Shares and Warrants comprising the Units, and the Common Shares underlying the Warrants, will be subject to a hold period until four months and one day after closing. The Private Placement remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

It is expected that certain insiders of the Company may participate in the Private Placement. Any issuance of Units to insiders pursuant to the Private Placement would be considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company intends to rely upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(b) of MI 61-101.

Notes: (1) Information regarding the quantity of gold produced historically should not be relied upon as a predictor of future results. (2) This is forward-looking information and is based on a number of assumptions. See "Cautionary Notes". (3) Based on a technical report entitled A Technical Report on the Galaxy Gold Mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa which was issued January 4, 2016 with an effective date of September 1, 2015 (the Galaxy Technical Report), and was prepared by Minxcon (Pty) Ltd and approved by Daniel van Heerden, B Eng (Min.), MCom (Bus. Admin.), Pr. Eng., FSAIMM, AMMSA, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The Galaxy Technical Report satisfies the requirements to be a pre-feasibility study. (4) Operating cash cost is a non-GAAP measure. Refer to Supplemental Information to Managements Discussion and Analysis in the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 for reconciliation to measures reported in the Companys financial statements.

About Galane Gold

Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSXV under the symbol GG and on the OTCQB under the symbol GGGOF. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates.

Cautionary Notes

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements, including timing for first production at Galaxy and increasing capacity at the processing plant. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.

Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development, plant expansion and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Charles Byron Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM., MGSSA and Chief Geologist for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Neither the TSXV nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information please contact:

Nick Brodie

CEO, Galane Gold Ltd.

+ 44 7905089878

Nick.Brodie@GalaneGold.com

www.GalaneGold.comAsistann wrote:

Nationality/Gender: Turkish Male

Age: 33 (1985)

WE: 8,5 years + 1,7 years Teaching Assistant (5 Semesters)

GMAT: 660 (Q49, V30, IR4, AWA5) - Prepared just 20 days, did not know anything about the exam before then, I believe I can hit 700+ if I study hard for a month. (Low IR is due to the loss of motivation during exam when I felt verbal was not going well)

GRE: 165 Quant, skipped other parts because my company only demands quant score

TOEFL: 104 Overall (R:29,L:26,S:24,W:25)



Undergrad: Turkey/Above Average University (But not one of the top 5) - Industrial Engineering GPA:2,69 (Different system, but too low I know) / 2004-2008

2. Underground: Turkey/Distant-Open Education in above average university - Economics GPA:3,06 (All courses are A+ or A in last two years) / 2009-2015 (2 years delay due to military service)

Master: Turkey/ Above average university/ Teaching Assistant and full scholarship despite low Undergrad GPA/ Gave all the lectures and thesis seminar but could not write the thesis, so could not graduate - GPA:3.38 (I could not write thesis because I started a new job, my subject was something very complicated and my prof left the university. Such thin excuses)



Work Ex:



- 1,5 years in a big commercial Bank in Turkey - Specialist in Risk Management (Market Risk and Operational Risk)

- 3 years in a Governmental Institution (Regional Development Agency) - Investment Support Consultant, attract Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) to the region on the purpose of reducing regional development disparities

- 4 years in the Central Bank of Republic of Turkey - Human Resources Specialist (Performance and Talent Management)



Target Schools: Fuqua and USNews 15th-20th (Cornell, UCLA, Tepper, McCombs, Kenan Flagler, Emory) Especially Kenan Flagler



Pros: - Every year my company selects and sends limited number of employees for overseas education (a tough procedure for candidates to get a place). This year I will be one of them, so all my tuition and living expenses will be covered by the company. Maybe important/impressing for AdCom.

- In previous jobs I did some good stuff which, I believe, can impress AdCom such as raising awareness in a city in a certain topic, attracting big FDI from Gulf countries, implementing totally new systems throughout the company etc.

- Not many candidates apply from my country



Cons: -Age, Low GPA, Not finishing master, relatively low GMAT (but I believe I can do better in retake, so please think as if I had 700)

-My company only allows to attend schools which rank in top 20



So what do you suggest me? To give up MBA and try some Human Resource/Management Information Master Programs? Or to focus on GMAT and get 730+?

Thanks in advance.



mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant

Chicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT Club

Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/

Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders



Kate RichardsonmbaMission Senior Admissions ConsultantChicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT ClubSign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Signature Read More

Hi there!I agree with your assessment -- I think the GMAT is likely to be the biggest concern, especially on the verbal side. The unfinished master's could present a challenge too, so make sure you explain that carefully in an Optional Essay. I think age/work experience is above average, yes, but that's less concerning to me, especially since your company is sponsoring you (which is definitely a positive that you and at least one of your recommenders must mention!). So, I would not give up your MBA dreams just yet; especially since you have this amazing sponsorship opportunity. I would push forward with GMAT if you think you can raise your score; if not, why not pick up the GRE again? Your quant score there is excellent, and schools have more flexibility in terms of accepting below average GRE scores. Either way, definitely worth investing the next month to try to improve that side of your profile.One last thought -- would your company let you pursue a part-time program at any of those schools, while keeping you employed? Not sure if that's possible, but part-time programs are typically less competitive, especially in terms of GMAT. Also one-year programs may be a good option, Cornell has one and other schools on your list might. Since it's also less traditional in the US, tends to be less competitive.Hope that helps!Kate_________________NandishSS wrote:

In response to drought conditions, the city of Valhalla banned the use of water hoses to push leaves, sticks, and other yard debris off of pavement into storm drains. However, the use of such water hoses had the other benefit of pushing dust and ash down the storm drains, as well, and public health officials fear that more dust and ash particles in the air will decrease air quality and lead to respiratory illnesses. Therefore, Valhalla should lift the ban.



Which of the following is an assumption required by the argument?



(A)The respiratory illnesses that could result from increased dust and ash particles in the air are severe enough to be life-threatening.

(B)Most of the dust and ash particles in the air result from those particles being blown off of pavement.

(C)There are no methods other than the use of water hoses for removing dust and ash particles from pavement.

(D)The drought in Valhalla is not yet severe enough to require the rationing of water.

(E)The drought in Valhalla has increased the amount of dust and ash particles on the city's pavement.

OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

Choice (C) is correct.

For those who don't anticipate the answer to this question (why not just vacuum up the dust? why does it have to be done with a hose?), the Assumption Negation Technique is helpful here. If you take the opposite of the correct answer to an assumption question, it will directly weaken the argument. If it doesn't, then that answer is incorrect.If you negate these answers:(A) would then say that the illnesses from dust are NOT severe enough to be life-threatening. But does that weaken the argument? This still allows for plenty of hardship to the community and good reason to remove the dust and ash.(B) would then say that less than half the dust and ash comes from pavement. But think about if 40% of the dust and ash were indeed from pavement: wouldn't removing that from the air be a major benefit?(C) would say that there are other ways to get rid of the ash and dust (like a vacuum or broom). If so, then there is no need to reverse the hose policy! You can still remove the harmful particles while protecting against further drought.(D) would say that the drought conditions are severe enough to ration water. But this still leaves you weighing the public health issue of dust in the air versus limiting car washes, lawn care, showers, etc. (anything that might be rationed), so this doesn't directly attack the conclusion.And (E) would say that the drought has not increased the amount of dust on the pavement. But as long as there was always harmful dust on the pavement, it's still a good idea to remove it, so (E) is not a necessary assumption._________________aragonn wrote:





[in] + Compare with and Compare to both are correct. Here are my notes on it, if you need.

Compare to - Comparison of unlike things.

Compare with - Comparison of like things.



using when/as + compare/contrast - wrong

As compared with - wrong vipulkhandelwal999 - First of all OA ia E not C.[in] + Compare with and Compare to both are correct. Here are my notes on it, if you need.- Comparison of unlike things.- Comparison of like things.using when/as + compare/contrast - wrongAs compared with - wrong

He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29





You never FAIL until you stop TRYING Signature Read More

When to Use Compare Tocompare to versus compare with What does compare to mean? To compare something to something else is to observe or point only to likenesses between them. In other words, you are likening one thing to another, or you are making a comment about their similarities.He compared their historic win to that of the 1992 Dream Team.His fight for civil rights is comparable to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.The phrase compare to is used when the intent is to assert, without the need for elaboration, that two or more items are similar.When to Use Compare WithDefinition of compare with definition and definition of compare to definitionWhat does compare with mean? To compare something with something else is to place the items side by side, noting differences and similarities between them.They won the championship in a clean sweep, compared with last years game 7 loss.Lets compare your record with your rhetoric.The phrase compare with is used to juxtapose two or more items to illustrate similarities and/or differences.Compare To vs. Compare With: Whats the Difference?If you still arent sure of the differences between these two phrases, lets compare two of the above examples side by side.He compared this years historic win to that of the 1992 Dream Team.They won the championship in a clean sweep, compared with last years game 7 loss.As you can see in the first example, the author is saying that this years win is similar to the 1992 win of the Dream Team. You are likening the two events.In the second example, that author is pointing out the differences between this two different championship wins. You are juxtaposing the events looking at their differences.In other words, the phrase compare to is really meant to liken things together, whereas the phrase compare with is used to juxtapose things with each._________________Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Audi China was granted licenses for autonomous vehicle road test in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province at the forum for intelligent transportation and the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) industry development on September 14. The other automaker got the license is SAIC Motor.

Audi China plans to set up a R&D and testing center in the first quarter of 2019 in this city. Nearly 150 employees are likely to be hired there, working on the spot tests for autonomous vehicle and IoV technologies.

Up until now, all of the three major German premium automakers have been given green light to road test autonomous vehicles in China. BMW obtained two license plates for the ICV (intelligent-connected vehicle) road test from Shanghai municipal government on May 14, becoming the first global automaker that is allowed to test ICV on roads. Then, Daimler AG announced on July 6 that it was given go-ahead to road test L4 autonomous vehicles in Beijing, the capital of China.

Audi AG has been actively developing cooperation with Chinese partners in autonomous driving domain. As early as 2017, the German automaker joined hands with Huawei, a China's leading provider of ICT infrastructure and smart devices, to test LTE-V ( the long-term evolution-vehicle) program on public roads. On July 10, 2018, Audi announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Huawei to develop in-depth cooperation in ICV area. The agreement constituted part of a broad-based partnership between companies in China and Germany initiated by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.Were Headed to Iceland

Every once in awhile that husband of mine gets a wild hair in him and does something very unexecuted and out of the blue. Insert Christmas of 2017. As I opened my last gift, I unfolded a piece of paper that showed pictures of Iceland. I was so confused. Iceland? Whats happening in Iceland? Isnt it cold in Iceland? Do people go to Iceland? It turns out that yes and yes  it is cold and tons of people go there. The best part? Were going now too. Shawn decided to surprise me with an adventurous trip for us to take this fall [were normally those people who find the warmest beach to set off to] and do something out of the ordinary. Excited for this next adventure is an understatement. We recently spent some time doing a little bit [okay, a lot] of research on what we want to do while we are in Iceland, where were staying and most importantly  what I plan on packing [hint: it will ALL come from one place and its here]! Heres a quick rundown of our trip before we go [and why I think you should start planning a trip there as well]!

Shawns outfit: The North Face Glacier Alpine Fleece Jacket  Mens [TTS, wearing Medium] // The North Face Terry Long-Sleeve Henley Shirt  Mens [TTS, wearing Medium] // New Balance 247 Deconstructed Knit Shoe  Mens

What to Do

Apparently there is way more to do in Iceland than I ever thought, starting with natural scenery. Do a quick google image search of Iceland and youll probably have the same blown away reaction that I did. Here are a few of the items on our itinerary:

Soak in the Blue Lagoon Hot Springs

See the Gullfoss Waterfall [along with MANY of the other breathtaking waterfalls in this country]

See the Northern Lights [preferably while sitting in a hot tub]

Snowmobile through ice caves

Potentially take a flight over to Ireland for a couple of days to explore the country, but most importantly enjoy an adult beverage in an Irish Pub

Drink lots and lots of hot cocoa in cozy pajamas while looking outside at the beautiful natural landscape

And much, much, more. Ive learned since booking our trip that Iceland has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, that it is unlike ANY other place in the world due to all of its untouched natural beauty and that its very fairly inexpensive to travel to/from there.

Where to Stay

While they are some incredible hotels in Iceland, we opted to rent a home for our weeklong stay in the Golden Circle area. The biggest perk? Outdoor hot tub. You know Ill be using that sucker every single morning and night. After our stay I will share the exact link of the home we rented along with my honest thoughts on staying there and if Id recommend going this route or not. More details to come post vacation.

What to Pack

Is it ridiculous that this is the part I may be MOST excited about? Theres just something about traveling to a land where I get to layer up in cozy clothes that has me all sorts of giddy. Like I mentioned before, its cold in Iceland [shocking based off the name of the country alone, I know] so warm and waterproof clothing is a must. My favorite spot to shop for activewear that looks great? Backcountry. From Sorel boots, Patagonia pullovers, Free People oversized sweaters, The North Face jackets, you name it  Ill be packing it! Backcountrys fall style selections have me head over heels ready to start buying everything immediately and begin packing. From flannels, to waffle knits, hats and more  I want it ALL. If you have similar feelings, use code YELLOW15 for 15% off your first purchase at Backcountry [some exclusions apply, one use per customer]. At the top of my list for packing  comfortable shoes and bags that are durable and can hold all of my things as well be on the go often.

All in all, I cant wait for this next adventure with Shawn and I only hope its the start of a few more journeys off the beaten path.

Have you been to Iceland before? Id love any and all recommendations on what to do / where to eat / etc while were there! I cant wait to share our travels once were home!

Shop todays post along with the ability to set-up sale alerts on the items you have your eyes on. Dont forget to check out Backcountry for all of your fall and travel needs!





Disclosure: Thank you to Backcountry & ShopStyle for partnering on todays post.As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQResearchers are worried about how climate issues will impact fish and other life in the water. The Purdue Climate Change Research Center released its latest report Wednesday.

Researchers arent sure exactly how these species will react to climate change  but it doesnt look good. Fish and other aquatic life are closely tied to the environment in the streams and lakes they live in. So things like changes in temperature, stream flow, and rainfall can have a big effect. Research Center Director Jeff Dukes says climate shifts complicate things even more.

Were making the extremes more extreme and thats making life more difficult for the species that are already on the edge, he says.

For example, periods of more rain and drought might hurt Indianas endangered freshwater mussels. Heavy floods can wash away young mussels, while low water levels could dry them to death.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the state used to have about 80 different species of freshwater mussels. Now, Purdue researchers say half of those either no longer live in the state or are listed as endangered or threatened.

Another species that could be in trouble is the cisco  one of the few native species of fish that lives in Indianas inland lakes. Tomas Hook is a professor in Purdue's forestry and natural resources department. He's also the director of the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.

He says the cisco likes cooler, deeper water  but climate change and other factors are making it so there are fewer lakes where it can live.

They get squeezed between very warm water at the surface and no oxygen on the bottom, he says.

Hook says there will likely be more heavy rains in the spring as the Earth warms, which means more fertilizer runoff from farms. That runoff then helps form algal blooms that use up more oxygen in the water  leaving less for fish and other aquatic life.

Hook says there are only six populations of cisco left in Indiana and they might not live much longer.

But even hardier fish can be affected by changes in climate. Hook says if the water gets too warm, fish burn more energy and have to eat more to survive. He says parasites and pathogens that affect fish are also more common at warmer temperatures.

Jeff Dukes says natural resource managers need to plan for climate impacts and keep waterways healthy and full of diverse species to make them more resilient.

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.Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of LunaticOutPost.Com. The owners or administration of this website can't be hold responsible for content hosted on sites that posters link to in; including, but not limited to, posts, signatures, private messages and such. This site may contain content not suitable for minors and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/Brian Hook, the US special envoy on Iran, said: [This is] the wrong message at the wrong time. Foreign aid from European taxpayers perpetuates the regimes ability to neglect the needs of its people and stifles meaningful policy changes.

He went onto explain that the Iranian people face very real economic pressures from their governments corruption, mismanagement, and deep investment in terrorism and foreign conflicts, none of which are caused by US sanctions.

He: The United States and the European Union should be working together instead to find lasting solutions that truly support Irans people and end the regimes threats to regional and global stability.

He advised that paying money to the mullahs will not improve the lives of the Iranian people, but will instead be used to fund Irans terrorism and the assassinations of political dissidents, some of which have occurred on European soil.

It should also be noted that earlier this year, European authorities foiled two terrorist attacks ordered by Iran; one in Albania and one in Paris. Both of these attacks targeted the Iranian Resistance.

In March, Albanian authorities arrested Regime agents posing as journalists outside of the main compound of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), an Iranian opposition group that was forced to flee Iran and Iraq to avoid being targeted by the Iranian Regime.

In June, police in Belgium arrested an Iranian couple who were driving to the Free Iran gathering with explosives in their car. They had been posing as MEK members and planned to blow up the rally, where over 100,000 people had gathered, on the orders of an Iranian diplomat to Vienna, Assadollah Assadi, who also provided the bomb.

Assadi, who met the couple in Luxembourg to give them the bomb, was arrested in Germany, where he does not have diplomatic immunity, on his way back from the bomb delivery. He is awaiting extradition to Belgium. Another Iranian agent was arrested in Paris, but it is unclear what their role was.

The point is that by giving money to the terrorist mullahs, the EU has increased the chances of a terrorist attack on their shores, when they could have joined Trump in his firm stance against the Regime.Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 5 Vote(s) - 3.4 Average

1

2

3

4

5

EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 348173

09-17-2018 12:50 PM











Post: #1 EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants

Advertisement



One European minister went so far as to heckle Salvini as he spoke, and unable to contain his anger interrupted the speech and unleashed in a vulgar outburst.



Salvini was presenting the rationale for his staunch opposition to accepting more migrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean from Africa  a deeply unpopular opinion among EU leadership, however something that's launched him to popularity in his own Italy  and explained that Italians and other Europeans need to be encouraged to have more babies , as opposed to caving to EU pressure to open their borders to a continued influx of migrants.



In response to one somewhat bizarre argument espoused by a handful of European leaders  that greater migrant acceptance could be the solution to Europe's ageing populations and low birth rates  Salvini, who is head of the anti-immigration League Party (or Lega) explained the answer is simply to encourage strong families and higher birth rates.



Ive heard colleagues say that we need immigration because the population of Europe is getting older, but I have a completely different viewpoint, said Salvini. I believe that Im in government in order to see that our young people have the number of children that they used to a few years ago and not to transplant the best of Africas youth to Europe."



Apparently this was too much for Luxembourg's foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, who began audibly uttering "blah, blah, blah..." as Salvini tried to talk.



https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-1...i-migrants Italy's populist right-wing interior minister Matteo Salvini has evoked fury from European lawmakers after making a reference to African "slaves" while addressing a migration conference in Vienna on Friday.One European minister went so far as to heckle Salvini as he spoke, and unable to contain his anger interrupted the speech and unleashed in a vulgar outburst.Salvini was presenting the rationale for his staunch opposition to accepting more migrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean from Africa  a deeply unpopular opinion among EU leadership, however something that's launched him to popularity in his own Italy  andIn response to one somewhat bizarre argument espoused by a handful of European leaders  that greater migrant acceptance could be the solution to Europe's ageing populations and low birth rates  Salvini, who is head of the anti-immigration League Party (or Lega) explained the answer is simply to encourage strong families and higher birth rates.Ive heard colleagues say that we need immigration because the population of Europe is getting older, but I have a completely different viewpoint, said Salvini.Apparently this was too much for Luxembourg's foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, who began LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 348173

09-17-2018 12:50 PM











Post: #2 RE: EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants





JohnPrewett

Registered User

User ID: 462686

09-17-2018 01:01 PM



Posts: 2,279









Post: #3 RE: EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants

LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 462688

09-17-2018 01:33 PM











Post: #4 RE: EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants

asselborn you cant make this sh*t up LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 439413

09-17-2018 01:42 PM











Post: #5 RE: EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants

Salvini is the real deal.



We should install him as President in America! LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 418593

09-17-2018 01:53 PM











Post: #6 RE: EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants

Yes, the globalists and the left incite, deliberately.



This is a tactic.



Be aware. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 439413

09-17-2018 04:14 PM











Post: #7 RE: EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants

LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 462706

09-17-2018 04:21 PM











Post: #8 RE: EU Official Caught In Vulgar Outburst Reacting To Italy's Salvini On Migrants

in non wedt nation salvini position nothing more than sanity



fifty years ago same here



i think the root problem is pretense race is only skin color



problem is thats not true and this immigration will lead to west possibly losing its core principles















- Filipino actor Monsour del Rosario disclosed that he turned down two offers of Ang Probinsyano to him

- He shared that he did not like the two roles thus he rejected the proposal

- He also said he doesnt want to accept antagonistic roles in projects

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

Actor-turned-politician Monsour del Rosario frankly admitted that he was tapped to be part of the top-rating teleserye, Ang Probinsyano twice.

KAMI learned that the actor turned down two offers because he did not like the proposed roles for him.

Monsour shared that the first proposed task was to portray a Congressman role which he found easy and interesting at first since he is serving the same position in Makati City.

However, when the details were discussed to him, he immediately rejected it and decided to just focus on being a politician.

E, sasabihin sa akin, 'Cong, may offer kami sa yo.' Sabi ko, 'Ayos 'yan, maganda. Anong role?' 'Congressman ka.' Sabi ko, 'Kaya kong gampanan 'yan, araw-araw kong ginagampanan 'yan sa buhay ko, madaling gampanan yan, the actor said.

Tapos sabi ko, 'Ano ang kuwento?' 'Ikaw ang congressman na protector ng drug lords sa Makati City.' Sabi ko, 'Pangit naman. Congressman ako sa Makati tapos protector pa ko ng drug lords... Ayoko niyan, yung medyo positive (dapat),' he further explained.

After three months, Monsour disclosed that he got a call again from Ang Probinsyano offering him another role that was unlike the first proposal.

He explained that the teleserye wanted him to act like former PNP Chief Bato Dela Rosa but he said no once again after knowing what the character would do in the show.

"Sabi nila, 'May role kami sa 'yo. Siguro ito magugustuhan mo. Para kang si Bato (Dela Rosa), police general. Sabi ko, maganda, wala kang tiyan, naka-uniporme ka, PNP. Then sabi ko, 'Ano ang kuwento ng pulis?' the action star quipped.

"Yun pala police general na protector ng congressman, na protector ng drug lords. Sabi ko, 'Ang pangit naman,' he added.

Monsour even gave his suggestions to the teleserye and asked if it was possible to be given a mentor role for Coco Martin.

PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data!

As much as possible, the actor revealed that he doesnt want to accept evil or antagonistic roles if there are projects available for him.

Alam niyo, kung hindi ako congressman, I dont mind playing bad guy dahil hindi ako choosy. Being a public servant, you have a responsibility of having your image known to people, he stressed.

We dont want to be in that category. We know naman people na no read, no write na, 'Ang galing niyang mag-portray na protector. Baka sa totoong buhay ganyan siya.' Alam mo na, nadadala sila sa acting mo, he added.

In a previous article by , the Taekwondo expert reacted to his ex-girlfriend Agot Isidro for being a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Monsour, or Manuel Monsour Tabib del Rosario III in real life, was born on May 11, 1965. He had been in showbiz hiatus for 13 years until he finally got a role in last years movie, Blood Hunters and now in the upcoming film, The Trigonal.

Imagine that youre walking down streets of the Philippines, thinking of your work, friends, and family. Suddenly a man walking in front of you drops his wallet. He continues walking, without realizing that he has just lost all his money. What would you do in this situation? Social Experiment: How Honest Are People Around You?  on HumanMeter!

Source: Kami.com.ph- Zia Dantes school recently celebrated its anniversary with a Hollywood-inspired event

- The celebrity toddler dressed up as Marilyn Monroe

- Her parents Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes teamed up in making Zia look like the Hollywood icon

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

New photos of Zia Dantes, the daughter of Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, have gone viral.

KAMI learned that the photos show Zia in a Marilyn Monroe hair, getup, makeup!

According to her mom, Zia dressed up as Marilyn in a Hollywood-inspired event to celebrate her schools anniversary.

Celebrating her schools anniversary, Hollywood style...Heres my little Ms. Monroe!

Swipe to see her Mama and Daddys early morning collaboration!

Photography by : Dingdong Dantes

Makeup & Styling by : Marian Dantes

Wig by : @jen_sevilla @lynellehair, Marian wrote.

Like Marian said, swipe to the left to see the other photos in this viral post by the actress:

Here are the reactions of netizens after seeing Zias photos:

Omg! @marianrivera lumalaki syang lalong gumaganda like you!

So cute zia very adorable talaga since baby si zia until now..grabe!!!

The most beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-alike. Even more beautiful than Marilyn herself

PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data!

In a previous report by KAMI, netizens are speculating that Marian might be pregnant with her second baby based on her photo at an event.

Marian tied the knot with Dingdong on December 30, 2014. The actress gave birth to her daughter Zia on November 23, 2015.

She has already expressed her desire to have another baby in the future.

POPULAR: Read more news about Marian Rivera!

Philippines social experiment: can you answer these tricky questions? Today we are going to ask Pinoy strangers some very funny Tagalog tricky questions! Do you think you can answer them correctly? Check it out  on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: Kami.com.ph- Actor Coco Martin threw defensive words regarding the issue of guesting in Ang Probinsyano

- This is after netizens dubbed the teleserye as an assembly area of celebrities in hiatus or retirement

- Coco said the celebrity guests are in fact blessings to the show

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

Kapamilya actor Coco Martin expressed his side on the issue regarding celebrity guests in the top-rating teleserye, Ang Probinsyano.

KAMI learned that some netizens brand the said teleserye as an assembly area for showbiz personalities who are in hiatus or retirement.

This is after the show paved the way for showbiz comeback of some artists including CJ Ramos, Whitney Tyson, Mystica, and Rhed Bustamante.

Coco defended the guest stars in the top-rating show and said that they were given by God as answers to their problem.

He admitted that the teleserye often encounters difficulties on suitability of celebrities to specific and available roles

The promising actor also said that he is not afraid of hearing more pleas from other artists who want to be part of the primetime show.

Mas natatakot kami na maubusan na kami ng guests. Honestly, may time talaga na kapag nag iisip kami, sino kaya ang artista dito, wala na kaming maisip, he quipped

Coco even expressed that he and the production team of Ang Probinsyano are in fact thankful to the celebrities who want to accept roles in the teleserye.

He said that they are lucky that the celebrities who are in hiatus and who opt to portray roles in the show fit in the available characters.

Kaya mas thankful pa nga kami na parang nilalaglag siya ng Diyos na parang biglang may taong nangangailangan tapos sakto naman merong character na ganyan, the actor stressed.

In a previous article by , the former Juan Dela Cruz star explained the true reason why he accepted Mystica and Rhed in the show.

Born on November 1, 1981, Coco is a Filipino actor, director, and film producer. He started in Star Magic as a member of Star Circle Batch 9. He debuted and gained one of his first major awards through the independent film, Masahista.

POPULAR: Read more news about Coco Martin!

PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data!

Imagine that youre walking down streets of the Philippines, thinking of your work, friends, and family. Suddenly a man walking in front of you drops his wallet. He continues walking, without realizing that he has just lost all his money. What would you do in this situation? Social Experiment: How Honest Are People Around You?  on HumanMeter!

Source: Kami.com.phNepali team visits India to study inland waterways

A Nepali technical team reached the Indian city of Varanasi on Sunday on their way to Kolkata to study the construction of infrastructure for inland waterways in India and explore ways to develop waterways up to Nepal border.Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Monday the Philippines aims to strengthen economic relations with Fujian, one of Chinas key provinces. We have strong historical ties with Fujian Province and its people. Our proximity with each other has attracted so many Fujian investors to do business in the country and partner with other Filipino business groups. Some of the known Filipino-Chinese taipans trace their origins from Fujian. And now that we have renewed our relationship with China, we can push further our collaboration in enhancing trade and investment relations that would have mutual benefits for both parties, Lopez said. He encouraged Fujian businesses to locate and expand their operations in the Philippines. He said the Philippines could be a critical entry point to over 600 million people in the Asean market and a natural gateway to the East-Asian economies.He underscored preferential trade agreements with different trading partner countries such as Asean, Japan, China, Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand. He also highlighted the countrys participation in United States Generalized System of Preferences, European Unions Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus and the free trade agreement signed by the country with the European Free Trade Association.A powerful ocean storm has caused many deaths and severe damage after hitting the Philippines, Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Typhoon Mangkhut struck the northern Philippines early Saturday. The storm brought heavy rain and many landslides.

Officials in the mining town of Itogon said a landslide there buried at least 40 miners and their families. Rescuers continued searching for survivors on Monday. But Mayor Victorio Palangdan said there was a 99 percent chance that all of the missing were killed.

Officials say Typhoon Mangkhut hit the Philippines with winds of at least 205 kilometers an hour. About 150,000 people were in temporary shelters when the storm hit.

The storm affected an estimated five million people across the Philippines. Severe flooding has been reported in nine provinces. Reuters reports that the government said the storm destroyed rice and corn crops worth an estimated $177 million. At least 450 homes were damaged.

Philippine officials said the Itogon landslide was near a gold mine operating illegally in the area. Such mines can weaken hillsides, increasing the chance of landslides, they said.

Environmental Secretary Roy Cimatu said the government will begin deploying soldiers and police to six mountain provinces. The move is an effort to stop illegal mining operations.

On Sunday, Mangkhut moved northwest to China, where it brought heavy rain and strong winds to several southern provinces. The storm caused some delays in rail, airplane and boat transportation along parts of Chinas southern coast.

In Hong Kong, workers cleared fallen trees and other storm damage. The Hong Kong Observatory said Mangkhut was the most powerful storm to hit the city since 1979.

The typhoon has weakened to a tropical storm. However, officials warned the storm conditions are expected to continue through Tuesday.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.American Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has accused Russia of trying to influence a planned vote in Macedonia. The vote could open a path for the country to join NATO.

Mattis spoke to reporters traveling with him to Skopje, the Macedonian capital.

He said he had "no doubt" that Moscow had given money to pro-Russian groups to defeat the vote about changing Macedonias name. A name change would end a dispute with Greece, which has territory of the same name. Greece has repeatedly blocked Macedonias request to join NATO.

Mattis said, "We ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds.''

Macedonians will vote on September 30th to decide on the possible name change. In June, Greece and Macedonia agreed that Macedonia would change its name. In return Greece would end its objections to Macedonias request to join NATO.

Other Western leaders had accused Russia of interference in the issue earlier, including the Chancellor of Germany and the chief of NATO. In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of giving money to groups against the name change. Russia objected to the expulsions as baseless.

The dispute over the name began when Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece argued that the use of the name was an insult to Greek history. Officials also said sharing the name could lead to a Macedonian claim on the Greek territory named Macedonia.

More than 100 United Nations member-countries recognize Macedonia officially as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The vote will ask Macedonians to decide if they want to join the EU and NATO by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?" If the majority vote yes the country will be renamed the "Republic of North Macedonia."

Im Caty Weaver.

Susan Shand adapted this story for Learning English based on VOA news report. Caty Weaver was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

doubt  n. to believe that something may not be true or is unlikely

empire  n. a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one governmentHealth advocacy group Anakalusugan welcomes the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to appoint Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista to head the National Food Authority. Bautista, who will retire from military service on Oct. 15, will replace former NFA chief Jason Aquino who earlier asked to be relieved. We welcome the appointment of Gen. Bautista as the new NFA head once he retires next month. With Gen. Bautista at the helm, Anakalusugan looks forward to better NFA services to our kababayan, especially in ensuring ample supply of cheap but quality rice, Anakalusugan media officer Florante Solmerin said. There can be no repeat of the bukbok rice controversy that hounded the past leadership of the NFA. While government officials have insisted that it is safe to eat weevil-infested rice, the fact that poor Filipinos were left without choice but to buy and eat bukbok rice from NFA is adding insult to injury. Filipinos deserve better than this. We all deserve to eat healthy food, Solmerin added. Last weekend, Duterte described Bautista as somebody he could trust to fix the rice shortage problem, which has driven prices of the grain up.Prior to Aquinos resignation, at least 330,000 sacks of rice imported from Thailand and Vietnam, which the NFA failed to unload because of the heavy rains in August, have become infested with weevil. Lawmakers have likewise criticized the NFA for diverting billions of pesos in funds intended for the purchase of palay from farmers in 2017 and this year. A Commission on Audit report earlier flagged the use of some P5.1 billion in subsidy as payment for maturing loans instead of using these for the NFAs food security program. The procurement shortfall affected other programs of NFA, such as rice distribution and buffer stocking resulting in higher price of rice, unavailability of NFA rice in the market and lower inventory of rice in various NFA warehouses, CoA said.In Bangladesh, two-thirds of all girls are married before the age of 18.

Getting married at an early age takes away some of their childhood. It also affects the girls right to an education.

A not-for-profit organization is trying to change that by providing educational support through an effort called the Girls Education Program. The group, called Speak Up for the Poor, has offices in the United States.

The support is coming from everyday U.S. citizens, like a mother and her 9-year-old daughter from Maryland.

When Sasha Forbes heard the founder of Speak Up for the Poor, she was moved by the groups cause.

Im very passionate about empowering girls and empowering women, Forbes said.

Speak Up for the Poor

Speak Up for the Poor does a lot of work in Bangladesh, one of the worlds poorest countries.

Troy Anderson is the founder and international director of Speak Up for the Poor.

So, in Bangladesh, the major problem there is child marriage, where up to two-thirds of the girls are married before the age of 18," Anderson said. "And quite a lot of those are getting married when theyre 13 or 14 years old. So, were working on the preventative side to keep girls in school so that they wont be forced into legal marriages when theyre young.

The Girls Education Program provides support to girls from 30 villages in rural Bangladesh. It pays for books, school supplies and educational programs outside of normal school hours. About 1,300 girls are registered in the program, with hundreds more on the waiting list.

The girls depend on the donations of families to help them finish school. For the past year, the Forbes have supported a 12-year-old girl in Khulna, the third largest city in Bangladesh.

Sasha Forbes said she decided to take her 9-year-old daughter Maya to Bangladesh to visit the girl they were helping.

I wanted her to be able to relate with a young girl on the other side of the world. And to get that perspective and know that not everybody lives the type of life or experience that we have. And then also I wanted her to know that if she felt passionate about something and she wanted to make a difference or volunteer that its very possible.

Volunteering in Bangladesh

For two weeks, the mother and daughter from Maryland volunteered their time and worked in several villages in Khulna. They spent time with the girl they supported, visited classrooms, brought presents and school supplies and taught English to young girls.

Maya says the time spent in Bangladesh taught her an important lesson.

I basically learned that no matter how much stuff you have, no matter how educated you are, inside everyone is basically the same person.

After returning to the U.S., the Forbes continued to speak up for the poor. They raised money through yard sales, workout programs, and even selling drinks like lemonade. They hope to bring the money they collected to Bangladesh in November.

Inspiring others

Their efforts have moved others like Wendy Zanders to support their cause.

I may not be able to, you know, pack up my bags, take time off from work and go to Bangladesh, but because she had that passion to do so, we can support her financially, or whatever it is that she needs.

With the help of groups like Speak Up for the Poor, Forbes and her daughter Maya are making a difference in the lives of many. Through their efforts, many more young girls are getting the chance to learn so they can follow their own paths to success.

Im Phil Dierking.

Vina Mubtadi reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted the story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

bag - n. a container made of thin material (such as paper, plastic, or cloth) that opens at the top and is used for holding or carrying things

basically - adv. used to say that something is true or correct as a general statement even if it is not entirely true or correct

lemonade - n. a drink made usually of lemon juice, sugar, and water

lesson - n. an activity that you do in order to learn something

passionate - adj. having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs

perspective - n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as a particular issue or life in general)

stuff - n. materials, supplies, or equipment

yard sale - n. a sale of used furniture, clothing, etc., held at the seller's homeDisclosure: Some links on this page are monetized by the Skimlinks, Amazon, Rakuten Advertising, and eBay, affiliate programs.

Sonys MDR-V6 studio monitor-style headphones are comfortable to wear for an extended period, offer a fairly neutral tone, and are nearly identical to the Sony MDR-7506 headphones that are pretty widely used by radio journalists and producers. Ive got a pair of each and I cant really tell the differences.

Prices usually range from around $80 to $100 for these Sony headphones. But right now BuyDig is running an unusual deal: you can pick up both a pair of Sony MDR-V6 headphones and a Google Home Mini smart speaker for $79 when you use the coupon code TQT12 at checkout.

Here are some of the days best deals.

Audio

Storage

Other

You can find more bargains in our daily deals section.

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email

Windows-powered smartphones have had declining market share for years, and at this point even Microsoft has pretty much given up on its own Windows 10 Mobile operating system (although it will continue to offer security updates for a little longer). So its not surprising that developers of third-party apps have largely abandoned the platform as well.

Google never really fully supported Windows 10 Mobile. The company never released Windows versions of Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, or other apps that are popular on Android and iOS. But there is an official Google Search app for Windows 10 Mobile it just hasnt been updated since 2013.

Now multiple users have reported that its stopped working altogether.

Fire up the app and try to conduct a search by text or voice, and youll apparently get a could not connect to server error message. The error is said to affect Windows 8.1 phones and tablets as well as Windows 10 Mobile devices.

I havent been able to confirm the error message because, like most people, I dont actually have access to a phone or tablet running one of those operating systems.

The good news is that theres an easy workaround: its called a web browser. Type Google.com into the URL bar of Microsoft Edge and you can still use Google search.

But this is yet another sign that Microsofts existing smartphone operating system is currently a wasteland. While there have been rumors making the rounds for years that an upcoming Surface Phone capable of running desktop and mobile apps may be in the work, right not its little more than a rumor and with Android and iOS dominating the mobile space, it seems like any sort of new Windows phone would be a tough sell.

via MSPowerUser

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email

OnePlus has been selling smartphones since 2014. Next year the company plans to launch its first television.

Details are scarce, but the move isnt a huge surprise. A lot of the technology behind smartphones and smart TVs is similar. Both are internet-connected devices designed to run a series of apps, for example. And companies including Google, Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi are in both the smartphone and smart TV business.

And its not hard to see why: controlling the platform you use to watch videos, stream music, or play games on both your phone and TV is a way to lock users into your ecosystem while promising a more seamless experience.

What remains to be seen is how the upcoming OnePlus TV will stand out in a crowded space.

The original OnePlus One earned a reputation as a solid smartphone with a relatively low price tag, top-tier specs, and software that was both easy to use but also aimed at power users. It seemed to be in line with the companys motto: Never Settle.

Since then the company has released a range of phones, some of which are better than others and many of which make some sort of trade-off: slimmer bezels are offset by a notch. The OnePlus 2 lacked NFC support. And the companys next phone is expected to have an in-display fingerprint sensor thats partially made possible by eliminating the headphone jack. And while the companys phones are still usually cheaper than flagships from rivals including Samsung and Apple, OnePlus has a habit of increasing the starting price year after year.

All of which is to say that while OnePlus still knows how to make some decent hardware, its phones may not be as distinctive as they once were. And so I cant help but wonder what OnePlus will bring to the smart TV table that Samsung, Sony, LG, Toshiba, TCL, or other major players arent already offering.

In an interview with Business Insider, OnePlus founder Pete Lau says the goal is to provide a TV that offers seamless connectivity between your smartphone and TV, as well as the type of AI smarts and assistive functionality offered by devices like Amazons Echo and Googles Home. But thats hardly unique: Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung all offer a combination of smartphone, smart TV, and virtual assistant software that runs across a range of products. Even Roku is developing a virtual assistant.

Lau also tells Business Insider that the companys TV will have a camera, enabling support for video calls, among other things. There will be some sort of privacy feature to keep it from recording you unexpectedly (I suspect it could be a low-tech solution like a shutter that covers the camera when its not in use).

The company is also taking an unconventional approach to naming the upcoming TV: its asking users to submit idea for a name. If you get your submission in by October 17th, youll be eligible for a chance to win a prize.

Finalists will get a pair of wireless headphones, the grand prize winner will get one of the first TVs produced, plus a trip to the launch event  if the company decides to use a name offered by a contestant. It seems like OnePlus is reserving the right to choose a different name altogether.

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email

The Bureau of Immigration ordered the deportation of two Koreans who were arrested in separate operations in Pampanga and Cagayan. Arrested were Nam Sangmin and Ha Que Back who were both wanted by Korean authorities for fraud and tax evasion amounting to more than 4 billion Korean won. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Nam was nabbed in Pampanga while Ha was cornered in Cagayan. The Korean Embassy has canceled their passports, according to Morente, adding that both would be deported for being undesirable and undocumented aliens. They will likewise be placed in our blacklist and banned from reentering the Philippines, he added.BI Intelligence Officer and FSU Chief Bobby Raquepo said that the two Koreans are on the Interpols red notice list due to outstanding arrest warrants issued against them by Korean courts. Nam is wanted for defrauding several victims of nearly 26 million won ($23,000) which he collected by hacking into someones instant messenger account. Ha, on the other hand, is wanted for violating Koreas Tax Evaders Act for allegedly submitting false sales tax invoices worth 4.4 billion won ($4 million) which he issued to 31 companies without delivering the corresponding goods or services. The two are currently detained at the BI Detention Center in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig pending deportation proceedings.The CCV craze is currently on and the promotions are happening in full swing. A lot of expectations have been mounted on the film and especially because it could turn out to be a big come back for STR.



The VTV actor has landed an exciting role in this Mani Ratnam directorial and he also has a big line up for interesting films that will begin one after another.





One in that list is his next film with director Sundar C. This Lyca production is said to be the Tamil remake of the Telugu superhit film Attarintiki Daredi that had Pawan Kalyan in the lead.The most recent development on this film is here. Our sources have confirmed with us that STR along with the team has flown to Georgia for the first schedule.It is also being said that Megha Akash would be playing an important role in this film that has two lead heroines. However, we need to wait for official announcements.Thousands of government nurses and other health personnel deployed in the countrys far-flung barangays from Batanes to Jolo may lose their jobs due to the Department of Budget and Managements move to cut the budget of the Department of Health, according to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon. If we will just follow the proposed budget of the Department of Health, about 15,000 nurses and health professionals will lose their jobs, Drilon said after grilling officials during the Senate hearing on the proposed P71-billion budget of the DoH. This is a very serious concern. I have not seen in my 20 years in the Senate that a budget is slashed this much and the budget of the DoH at that, Drilon said. This is injustice and I will not allow the budget to be passed unless this injustice is addressed, Drilon added. At the hearing, Drilon grilled a representative from the Department of Budget and Management for cutting the budget of the DoH by P36.2 billion from P107.3 billion in 2018 to P71 billion in 2019, particularly for health human resources deployment which was decreased from P9.59 billion in 2018 to P1.17 billion next year. Director Jane Abella, a representative from DBM, argued the budget was just transferred to Miscellaneous and Personnel Benefit Fund pending a review by the department and the Civil Service Commission. 15,000 nurses and health professionals will be on the streets while we are evaluating. Can you imagine the effect of this on our 15,000 workers and their performance? What kind of planning is this? Drilon asked. Drilon said it was not correct to transfer the funds of active government health personnel to MPBF, fearing it would not be released without Malacanangs clearance. Instead of reducing the number of health personnel, Drilon said the DBM should regularize the 26,000 health workers, who are on job order status. You cannot have an endo situation in the DoH, because the services will be affected. Let us regularize them so that we can provide stability to our health system, Drilon said. Drilon proposed that an errata be submitted by the DBM in order to correct this injustice, saying that it should not be the Senate scrambling to look for funds to restore the budget, which can be vetoed by the President. Asked where to source the funds, Drilon said: We have the budget. Even if we dont have, reduce some other items in the budget to provide the budget for the DoH. Remove the fat in the budget to provide funds for the DoH. Drilon also questioned DBMs move to reduce the DoHs budget for health facilities enhancement program to P50 million in 2019 from the current level of P30.26 billion. This is something unusual that is why I am alarmed. This is something worrisome, Drilon said.The DBM representative pointed to DoHs underutilization of the budget to justify the budget cuts. To which Drilon replied: So that is a punishment. The DoH should show to DBM that it can perform and if it doesnt perform, we would just let the poor patients suffer? Drilon thus asked the DBM to submit an amendment to the budget to provide enough funds for the construction and maintenance of health facilities throughout the country. Meanwhile, in the face of the threat of 15,000 health workers losing their jobs, Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros vowed to fully restore the health departments budget for next year. In a statement issued coinciding with the Senates hearing of the DoHs proposed 2019 budget, Hontiveros raised concerns regarding the deep budget cut in the departments Health Human Resources Deployment. She said the HHRDs lower funds would undermine the countrys effort to realize universal health care for all Filipinos. This is a massive setback in our goal to provide our people universal health care. A significantly lower budget for the DoHs HHRD would mean less doctors, nurses, dentists and midwives to be deployed to rural areas and poor communities. Less health workers means less health services. Less health services means less opportunities for Filipinos to lead healthy lives, Hontiveros said. It was reported that from a P9.6 billion budget for this year, the DOHs HHRD program for 2019 was slashed to around P1.2 billion. DoH Secretary Francisco Duque III warned this might result in the loss of about 15,012 health workers jobs. Hontiveros, who is the Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, vowed to fully restore the DoHs proposed 2019 budget, including its budget for its Health Facilities Enhancement Program. She asked Duque to submit to the Senate a list of the DoHs priority among priorities, giving her commitment to restore the budget for health projects that are about to be completed and for the purchase of equipment that would upgrade the level of care of many health facilities. The HHRD is a DoH program that takes care of assigning health workers to rural areas and poor communities. It assists local government units (LGUs) in paying for the salary of workers when municipalities are unable to do so.An Antonov-225 Mriya plane is seen at an Antonov plant's airdrome near Kiev, Ukraine, on Sept. 8, 2016. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty Images)

Warning Signs Hint at Dangers of Chinese Investment in Ukraine

Ukraine and China have increased partnerships in recent years, as the former is badly in need of cash to bolster its infrastructure, while the latter wants to get its hands on Ukrainian technologies.

However, a U.S. Pentagon official, while on a trip to the Ukraine capital, warned that Chinas investments could be a double-edged sword.

While in Kiev this past summer, the Pentagon official said that China wants to scoop up know-how by transferring manufacturing to China and import [Ukraines] defense industry production so [China] can reverse-engineer and produce [the technology], according to a Sept. 14 report by Kyiv Post, the oldest English-language newspaper published in Ukraine.

Additionally, the official warned that China plans to acquire research and development data from Ukrainian companies and hire Ukrainians brains to work in China.

The Pentagon official, who spoke to Kyiv Post on condition of anonymity, said briefings were conducted for Ukrainian officials, including those from the presidential administration, the parliament, foreign and economic development ministries, Ukraines secret service, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the military.

According to the Kyiv Post, China is the biggest buyer of Ukrainian arms, at more than $100 million annually. Sales to China include such hardware as engines for trainer planes, helicopters, army tanks, and gas turbines for naval vessels. In 1998, Ukraine sold China a partially completed aircraft carrier, which China eventually converted into its first modern aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.

But China isnt simply interested in arms sales; it also has strong ambitions for investing in Ukraines aerospace industry, according to the Kyiv Post. A 2016 agreement to have two Ukrainian Antonov An-225 Mriya, a type of strategic airlift cargo plane, assembled in China would offer China the opportunity to reverse-engineer the planes and eventually produce its own versions, according to the report.

The Kyiv Post obtained copies of U.S. documents that the visiting Pentagon official provided to Ukrainian officials, who said Ukrainians found doing business with China convenient because the Chinese were not averse to corrupt deals.

In the United States, the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS), an inter-agency committee thats overseen by the U.S. Treasury Department, reviews foreign acquisitions to determine whether deals may harm American interests. According to Kyiv Post, the Pentagon official urged the Ukraine government to set up a similar body.

Ukraine is also a major partner in Beijings One Belt, One Road initiative (OBOR, also known as Belt and Road).

According to Chinese media reports, Ukraine was among the first countries to publicly announce support for OBOR, launched in 2013 as a project Beijing claims would build up trade routes linking China, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Under OBOR, China has invested in infrastructure projects in more than 60 countries.

According to Chinas official OBOR website, Ukraine and China inked a cooperative agreement under the OBOR framework in 2015.

Even before the agreement was signed, Beijing had boldly announced its interests in Ukraine. On March 17, 2014, the day that Crimea announced its independence from Ukraine after citizens voted on a referendum a day earlier, Chinas hawkish state-run newspaper the Global Times published an opinion article titled The Crisis in Ukraine Brings China Strategic Opportunities.

The article said that China had much to gain from the conflict in Crimea and Ukraine: If the United States and Russia ended up in a quasi cold-war state, that would ease the international pressure against China. If China played its cards right, it could become a successful mediator and an ambassador of peace in the international community, the article claimed.

Ukraine currently has several infrastructure projects funded by Beijing. According to another Sept. 14 Kyiv Post article, a solar power plant in Nikopol City in central Ukraine, scheduled for completion by the end of this year, was jointly funded by DTEK, a holding company headquartered in Kiev, and Chinas state-run China Machinery Engineering Co.

At the Port of Chornomorsk, which faces the Black Sea, Chinas state-run China Harbor Engineering Co. is funding a dredging project at an estimated cost of about $15 million, according to the Kyiv Post.

Another OBOR project is a $2 billion metro line project in Kiev scheduled to begin later this year. According to the newspaper, the Ukraine government took out a 20-year loan from an unidentified Chinese bank to pay for 85 percent of the costs.

In July, an OBOR investment promotion center was established in Kiev, according to the official OBOR website. It was created to assist Ukrainian companies in expanding their businesses in China and other countries in the OBOR framework.

Debt Trap

According to a Sept. 2 article by The Bohr Times, a regional newspaper in Ukraine, the countrys public debt stood at $75.71 billion as of July 31. Its direct external debt stood at $37.51 billion.

It isnt known precisely how much of Ukraine debt is owed to China, but according to a policy paper issued by the Center for Global Development, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, in March, Ukraines debt to China stood at $1.59 billion as of the end of 2016.

An opinion article published by the Kyiv Post on Sept. 14 warned of the dangers in advancing trade and political ties with China, calling Beijing aggressive mercantilists who see opportunities in Ukrainian agriculture, high technology, and defense sectors. The article pointed out that Ukraine should study cases in Pakistan, Malaysia, and Sri Lankacountries under the threats of a debt trap after China financed expensive infrastructure projects there.

Sri Lanka handed control of its Hambantota port to China in December 2017, after it was unable to pay back $6 billion in loans and converted the debt into equity.

In Malaysia last month, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad canceled two Chinese OBOR projects, valued at a total of $23 billion, to minimize the countrys debt.

In July, Pakistan asked the International Monetary Fund for a bailout after the countrys external debt soared to a record $91.8 billion, far beyond the $62 billion value of its proposed OBOR project, the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).If it were up to him, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would close all mining on the heels of deadly landslides in Benguet during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong. If I were to try to do my thing, I will close all mining in the Philippines, the President said in a situation briefing in La Trinidad Monday evening. He said Congress should abrogate the Mining Law as he apologized to Benguet Gov. Crescencio Pacalso for the high death toll in the province, in particular in the mining town of Itogon. Mining has really contributed a lot of heartaches for the Filipino people. It is time for us, particularly the DENR, to take a second look, seriously now, regarding the dangers of open-pit mining, the President said, adding that the sectors contribution to the economy is outweighed by the environmental damage it causes.Never mind the P70 billion [revenues]. But of course, the [Department of Finance] people will object, Duterte added. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu earlier ordered a stop to all small-scale mining in the Cordillera region.President Donald Trumps continued embrace of tariffs spells danger for Michigan, says Tyler Groenendal in an op-ed for the Detroit Times.

Groenendal, the foundation relations coordinator at the Acton Institute, says though Trump is noted for his America First refrain, his call for tariffs will ultimately hurt America the most:

Michigan is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of protectionism. According to estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau of Economic Analysis, imports and exports accounted for 38.9 percent of the Michigans gross domestic product in 2017. In laymans terms, businesses in Michigan buy and sell a lot from businesses outside of the United States. By restricting international trade, Trumps tariffs will harm industry and commerce statewide, who rely on foreign trade, while also forcing millions of consumers to pay higher costs on everything from whiskey to cars.

Read more . . .Police Chief Oscar Albayalde has ordered the relief of two police officials in Mindanao after a second explosion rocked Midsayap in Cotabato, which followed the blast in General Santos that injured seven people including a three-year-old child on Sunday. The military has blamed the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters behind the bombing of a videoke bar in Midsayap on Sunday night. In a statement released on Monday, Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, head of the Armys Sixth Infantry Division, described the BIFF under Abu Torayfe as peace spoilers. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday cited the need to revisit the use of the intelligence budget following the series of bombings in Mindanao. The first corner is to see where the intelligence fund is being utilized, and that is why I think it is about time that we activated the committee on intelligence funds, Drilon said. Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday asked if Congress support for the martial law in Mindanao was worth it. With a promise of peace in Mindanao, we burned candles to pass the Bangsamoro Organic Law. That after we supported the extension of martial law, Lacson said in a tweet on Monday. The two police officials relieved from their post were Chief Insp. Patrich Elma, Station-2 Commander of the General Santos City Police Office, and Supt. Samuel Cadungon, Chief of Police of Midsayap Cotabato.Albayalde immediately posted Sr. Insp. Davis Dulawan and Supt. Joan Maganto vice Elma and Cadungon respectively. Earlier, Albayalde relieved two police officials in Sultan Kudarat after the twin bombings that killed five people and wounded 40 others. Albayalde axed the two police officials following an IED attack at the national highway of Apopong village near two Pharmacies at 11:40 am. Eight hours later, another explosive went off at Theresas Video House in Poblacion 4, Midsayap town at 7:15 pm but injured no one. Albayalde said police operatives were monitoring a certain group that might be responsible for the General Santos blast and the Sultan Kudarat explosion. He said there were four groups trying to gain recognition from the Islamic State, though they came from one main group having different sub-groups and leaders. Previously, intelligence reports indicated a plan by the terrorists to attack the Soccsksargen area to disrupt the recently-concluded tuna festival in Cotabato city. Just the same, we cannot afford to relax, knowing that the terrorists will always try to sneak in, Albayalde said.September 17, 2018 13:11

A woman ended up needing all the toes in one of her feet amputated after treating herself to a fish pedicure on holiday in Thailand. Victoria Curthoys decided to try out the popular treatment which promises to remove dead skin but after years of severe sickness, hospital trips and tests, she was told she had an infection in her foot that was eating away at her bones. She eventually needed all of her toes removed to stop the water-born disease from spreading.

What was meant to be a treat on holiday in Thailand turned into a nightmare for Victoria who needed her toes amputated (Picture: MDWfeatures) Victoria, 29, from Perth, Australia, initially contracted a bone infection in her toes after treading on broken glass in 2006. Doctors decided to amputate to stop the infection spreading and she recovered. Girl, 19, left unable to speak after being 'gangraped for eight hours' Four years later, while on holiday in Thailand in 2010, Victoria visited a fish spa after seeing the rising popularity of the unique treatment. It involves freshwater fish feeding off dead skin particles to reveal fresh new skin underneath.

But Victoria did not realise that the water in the tank she used was infected with a water-born disease found in Thailand which had got through her previous surgery wounds. After suffering from constant fevers and sickness when she returned home, doctors eventually diagnosed her with osteomyelitis  a bone infection.

Her big toe was amputated fully in 2012, but it didnt fully get rid of the disease  which led to her four remaining toes being removed over the next five years. When I was in Thailand I decided to use a fish spa. I thought nothing of it as Id watched the owner set up the system and it looked very clean, but how wrong I was, Victoria said. I ended up getting another bone infection in my big toe and it took doctors over a year to figure out what type of bug I had. By the time theyd realised what it was, my entire toe bone had been eaten away and Id been suffering from sickness the whole time. Doctors removed Victorias last toe in November 2017 and since then she has been posting photos of her amputated foot to warn others against the dangers of fish spas.

I can honestly say that my foot has never been as healthy as it is now. Now I can put pressure on my foot, said Victoria. At the end of the day Ive seen people with far worse injuries and life-altering illnesses, so I consider myself lucky.

By taking photos of my feet and posting them on Instagram I hope to build more confidence in myself and to have a positive impact on others who might not be happy with how their foot or leg looks after amputation. In July, a report published by doctors in the journal JAMA Dermatology, described a woman in her 20s whose toenails fell off after a similar fish pedicure. She is believed to have contracted an infection called onychomadesis from a fish pedicure. Fish pedicures pose a risk of transmitting infections as the fish are often used on more than one customer. Tanks are often not correctly sanitised, and disease-causing bacteria can be found in the water and in the fish.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter(HealthDay)Ambient particulate matter concentrations are associated with emergency/urgent care visits among individuals with asthma, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Katherine A. James, Ph.D., from the University of Colorado in Denver, and colleagues assessed the impact of ambient particulate matter concentrations on emergency/urgent visits and hospitalizations for asthma. Daily ambient particulate matter concentrations were obtained from the state health department for an air quality monitor in the San Luis Valley (in the state of Colorado) for 2003 to 2012. The correlation between daily counts of emergency/urgent visits for asthma and three- to five-day averaged ambient particulate matter concentrations were examined.

The researchers observed a 3.1 percent increase in hospital counts for all patients with asthma for each 15-g/m increase in three-day averaged ambient particulate matter. Asthma hospital visits increased by 16.8 and 65.8 percent when the three-day average exceeded 50 g/m and 100 g/m, respectively. In children, with each 15-g/m increase in three-day averaged ambient particulate matter, the odds of one asthma event requiring an emergency/urgent care visit increased 5 percent.

"We observed associations between ambient air levels of particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 mm and emergency/urgent care visits and hospitalization counts in a rural U.S. community prone to dust storms and Environmental Protection Agency exceedances," the authors write.

Explore further Neighborhoods can affect the need for urgent asthma care

Copyright  2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.For decades, doctors have been prescribing low-dose aspirin for healthy people over the age of 70. Credit: shutterstock.com

Taking low-dose aspirin daily doesn't preserve good health or delay the onset of disability or dementia in healthy older people. This was one finding from our seven-year study that included more than 19,000 older people from Australia and the US.

We also found daily low-dose aspirin does not prevent heart attack or stroke when taken by elderly people who hadn't experienced either condition before. However it does increase the risk of major bleeding.

It has long been established that aspirin saves lives when taken by people after a cardiac event such as a heart attack. And it had been apparent since the 1990s there was a lack of adequate evidence to support the use of low-dose aspirin in healthy older people. Yet, many healthy older people continued being prescribed aspirin for this purpose.

With the growing proportion of elderly people in our community, a major focus of preventive medicine is to maintain the independence of this age-group for as long as possible. This has increased the need to resolve whether aspirin in the healthy elderly actually prolongs their good health.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine today, the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial was the largest and most comprehensive clinical trial conducted in Australia. It compared the effects of aspirin and a placebo in people over the age of 70 without a medical condition that required aspirin.

Our findings mean millions of healthy people over the age of 70, and their doctors, will now know daily aspirin is not the answer to prolonging good health.

Why aspirin for prevention?

Aspirin was first synthesised in 1898. Since the 1960s it has been known that aspirin lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke among those who have had heart disease or stroke before. This is referred to as secondary prevention.

This effect has been attributed to aspirin's ability to prevent platelets from clumping together and obstructing blood vessels  sometimes referred to as "thinning the blood".

It had been assumed this protective action could be extrapolated to people who were otherwise healthy to prevent a first heart attack or stroke (known as primary prevention). A number of early primary prevention trials in middle-aged people appeared to confirm this view.

However more recent trials, including the ASCEND trial in diabetes and the ARRIVE trial in younger high-risk individuals, have thrown doubt on this proposition.

In older people, any effect of aspirin on reducing heart disease or stroke might be expected to be enhanced because of their higher underlying risk. But aspirin's adverse effects (mainly bleeding) might also be increased as older people are at higher risk of bleeding.

The balance between risks and benefits in this age group was previously quite unclear. This was also recognised in various clinical guidelines for aspirin use, which specifically acknowledged the lack of evidence in people older than 70.

The ASPREE trial

A trial of aspirin in the elderly was first called for in the early 1990s. But since aspirin was off patent, there was little prospect of securing industry funding to support a large trial. But controversy arising around the use of aspirin for primary prevention in the mid 2000s led to Monash University receiving initial funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Funding in Australia was only a part of that required to establish a trial the size and complexity of ASPREE. A grant from the US National Institute on Ageing (and subsequently from the US National Cancer Institute) made the study become feasible.

Another challenge was recruiting the necessary thousands of older volunteers who were healthy and living and often working in their community. Unlike most studies, we required participants who weren't in hospital or sick.

This was addressed with the assistance of more than 2,000 GPs who collaborated with the research team supporting recruitment of their patients and overseeing their health. In Australia, 16 sites were established across south-eastern Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, the ACT and southern NSW, to localise study activity and host community events that kept our volunteers updated and involved.

ASPREE is the first major prevention trial to use disability-free survival as the primary health measure. Disability-free survival provides a single integrated measure of whether an intervention such as aspirin provides net benefit. The rationale is that there is little point for elderly people to be taking a preventive medication unless it preserves good health and unless benefits of the medication outweigh any adverse effects.

Large-scale preventive health studies like ASPREE will become increasingly important to help keep an ageing population fit, healthy, out of hospital and living independently. As new preventive opportunities arise they will typically require large clinical trials, and the structure of the Australian health system has proven an ideal setting for this type of study.

Other results from the ASPREE trial will continue to appear for some time. These will describe longer-term effects of daily low dose aspirin on issues such as dementia and cancer. It will also provide valuable information about other strategies to promote healthy ageing well into the future.

Explore further Daily low-dose aspirin found to have no effect on healthy life span in older people

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.Babies exposed to higher levels of organochlorine compounds in the womb go on to have worse lung function in childhood, according to new research presented today (Tuesday) at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

These compounds, which include the pesticide DDT, as well as electrical insulators and other industrial products, are now banned in most parts of the world. However, because they degrade very slowly, they are still present in the environment and in foods.

Previous research has suggested links between exposure to these chemicals in the womb and parents reporting childhood respiratory diseases such as wheezing, asthma, and chest infections. The new study is the first to show a link with objective measures of lung strength and capacity in relation to low-level exposure to these chemicals.

The researchers behind the study say this finding is important in terms of trying to improve the health of all children through monitoring and controlling harmful substances, but that the effect on individual children's lungs is small.

The study was presented by Dr. Maribel Casas, assistant research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, Spain. She explained: "We already have evidence that exposure to environmental chemicals including organochlorine compounds can have an impact on children's health. Even though this group of chemicals were banned in the 1970s, low but detectable levels are still present in pregnant women and in children. That means current populations and future generations are still exposed to these compounds."

Organochlorine compounds are thought to disrupt the hormone system and have been linked to a wide range of conditions including cardiovascular disorders, cancers and low birth weight babies. The main source of exposure is through the foods we eat but foetuses and newborns can be exposed via the placenta and breastfeeding.

Dr. Casas and her colleagues studied 1,308 babies who were born in the Valencia, Gipuzkoa, and Sabadell regions of Spain between 2004 and 2008. They measured the levels of seven different organochlorine compounds in the pregnant mother's blood or in blood taken from the umbilical cord.

As the children grew older, they were asked to take part in tests to measure their lung function at the age of four years, and again at seven years. This was done by trained nurses or by paediatric pulmonologists using a spirometer to measure children's lung volume and check for any signs of obstruction in the airways.

In particular, the researchers found that levels of DDEa chemical formed when DDT breaks downwere linked with poorer lung function in children at both four and seven years old. For example, exposure to maternal concentrations of DDE between 0.23 and 0.50 nanograms per millilitre was associated with a 50-millilitre reduction in how much air children could blow out in one second (FEV1). Among those in the study the average (median) level of DDE was 0.28 nanograms per millilitre.

Dr. Casas said: "A reduction of this size in the amount of air a child can blow out would not be considered clinically relevant for a healthy child, but these smaller changes are highly relevant at population level and can be important in children with respiratory conditions.

"To reduce exposure to these chemicals, women of reproductive age can try to moderate consumption of foods with high levels of organochlorine compounds, such as fatty meats and oily fish.

"We know that this group of chemicals can interfere with the body's hormone system and we also know that hormone receptors play an important role in foetal development of the lungs, so this could be the mechanism for a link."

The researchers hope to study the impact of exposure to organochlorine compounds in the womb on older children and teenagers to understand whether this effect persists in the longer term.

Professor Mina Gaga is President of the European Respiratory Society, and Medical Director and Head of the Respiratory Department of Athens Chest Hospital, Greece, and was not involved in the study. She said: "We know organochlorine compounds are still in our environment so it's important that we continue to monitor their levels and try to learn more about their effects. Babies and children are the most susceptible population since their organs are still under development, and damage to the lungs at birth can have a huge impact in later life. A clear link has been demonstrated between low lung function in early adulthood and respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic issues in later life, and ultimately premature death.

"There are other chemicals present in the environment, such as phthalates or phenols for example, that may also have the potential to interfere with children's developing lungs. Studies on these individual compounds, and assessing combination of chemicals, are needed to understand their effects on childhood respiratory and overall health."

Explore further Growth in first three years of life affects respiratory health in children

More information: Abstract no: PA5015, "Prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds and lung function until early adulthood", M. Casas; Primary ciliary dyskinesia and lung function tests in respiratory morbidities, 14:45 hrs CEST, Tuesday 18 September, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.Two variants of an autoimmune disease that affects thousands but is hard to diagnose are relatively common among black Africans, research shows.

The findings, relating to systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, could improve diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

They could enable better management of the disease in patients of African descent, particularly in southern Africa, where incidence and mortality rates are relatively high.

Blood tests in black African patients pinpointed a high prevalence of two types of the disease, one of which was previously unacknowledged.

SLEthe most common form of lupuscan affect many parts of the body including the kidneys, heart, lungs, blood, brain and skin.

The new variants were identified by analysing antibodies that attack proteins in healthy cells.

Some of the patientsalmost half of those testedcarried an antibody already linked with lupus and used in its diagnosis. Patients with this antibody are more likely to have classic symptoms, including diseased organs and joints.

A second, larger group of patientsmany of whom had skin-related symptomscarried an antibody targeting a different protein in healthy cells. This antibody was not previously known to be important for SLE and is not currently used in diagnosis.

The study, carried out by the University of Edinburgh and partners in Zimbabwe, suggests that diagnostic tests for lupus should be broadened to include the second antibody.

The current recommended diagnosis method tests for the first antibody only. Incorporating the second antibody in tests would allow earlier diagnosis of the more predominant variant of the disease, and improved outcomes for patients, researchers say.

The disease occurs more frequently in people of African descent, with worse symptoms and higher mortality. If diagnosed and managed early, it is usually not life-threatening, but poor and late diagnosis in the developing world leads to high mortality rates.

The study, published in BMJ Global Health, was funded by the OAK Foundation and the UK National Institutes of Health Research.

Professor Francisca Mutapi, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences, who led the study, said: "For the first time, we have highlighted the importance of two variants of systemic lupus that affect black Africans, including one which was previously not defined in detail. Thanks to our research, we also have the means to diagnose and distinguish them."

Professor Elopy Sibanda, of the Asthma, Allergy and Immunology Clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe, who led the clinical aspects of the study, said: "These findings will be valuable in diagnosing SLE in affected patients. It is currently difficult to diagnose lupus erythematosus, as many symptoms overlap with those of other locally prevalent conditions, including HIV."

Explore further Study reveals early warning signs of heart problems in patients with newly diagnosed lupus

More information: Elopy N Sibanda et al, Evidence of a distinct group of Black African patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, BMJ Global Health (2018). Elopy N Sibanda et al, Evidence of a distinct group of Black African patients with systemic lupus erythematosus,(2018). DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000697A popular type of vaping device, called pod mods, look like USB drives and can even be charged via a laptop or USB port. Yale researchers in addiction medicine are concerned that teens may not know that they could be vaping with nicotine, a highly addictive drug. Credit: Yale University

Teens today are more reluctant to smoke cigarettes than their counterparts nearly three decades ago, according to a study released this summer. But parents should hold their collective sigh of relief. The study, carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), uncovered a new, troublesome trend: vaping.

Eleven percent of high school seniors, 8 percent of tenth graders, and 3.5 percent of eighth graders reported vaping with nicotine in the past month, according to a national survey released from the University of Michigan late last year. The worrying part? Young people think vaping is mostly harmless.

To understand vaping, it's best to start on broad terms. To vape is to inhale vapor created from a liquid heated up inside a device. From there, things quickly get complicated. The devices have many namesvape pens, pod mods, tanks, electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS), e-hookahs and e-cigarettes. The liquid they contain also has many monikersit might be called e-juice, e-liquid, cartridges, pods, or oil. Most vape liquids contain a combination of propylene glycol or glycerolalso called glycerinas a base, and nicotine, marijuana, or flavoring chemicals to produce common or outlandish flavors, from mint to "unicorn puke." The devices rely on batteries to power heating elements made of various materials that aerosolize the liquid.

What's more, manufacturers of a specific type of vaping device, called a "pod mod," sell vape liquid made from nicotine salts found in loose-leaf tobacco instead of the traditional free-base nicotine found in most e-cigarette liquid. This may allow the user to experience a higherand more addictiveconcentration of nicotine, according to a recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Since e-cigarettes arrived in the U.S. in 2007, they have been investigated by addiction researchers as possible cessation devices for adults trying to quit combustible, or regular, cigarettes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists 93 harmful or potentially harmful chemicals found in regular cigarettes, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) describes cigarettes as having more than 7,000 chemicals in them. E-cigarettes contain fewer chemicals and so the industry has presented them as a healthier alternative to regular cigarettes. But vape liquids can still contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug.

And on one point, Yale health researchers who study the health effects of vaping and e-cigs agree: Vape devices have not been proven to help adult smokers quit smoking. Moreover, vaping increases the risk a teen will smoke regular cigarettes later.

"We don't want youth to use devices and become addicted. That's my concern. The addiction to nicotine and conversion to cigarettes," says Roy S. Herbst, MD, Yale Medicine's chief of medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center. He points to two heavyweight organizations, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), that have issued statements that vaping could be harmful to youth.

One particular brand, called the Juul, a "pod mod" device, is worrying to addiction researchers. Juuls arrived late to the e-cigarette market in 2015, about eight years after vaping devices first began appearing in the United States. But the company, called Juul Labs, has surged ahead of competitors. In August, Juul accounted for 72 percent of the e-cig market, according to news reports. Sleek and slim, with an appearance that mirrors a flash drive, the Juul has been established among youth as the vaping tool of choice. Teens even morphed the brand into a verbjuulingaccording widespread news coverage chronicling its rise. "When we ask teens about their vaping or e-cig habits, they don't even consider juuling to be part of that," says Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, Ph.D., co-leader of the Yale Tobacco Center for Regulatory Science, one of 14 centers in the country funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the FDA to foster tobacco regulatory research.

The San Francisco-based company, and other vape manufacturers, including Vuse, MarkTen XL, blu e-cigs, and Logic, are under scrutiny by the FDA for marketing and sales practices that seem aimed at teens and young adults, according to an announcement the FDA released on September 12. "The agency is asking each company to submit to the FDA within 60 days plans describing how they will address the widespread youth access and use of their products," the news release states.

"We cannot allow a whole new generation to become addicted to nicotine," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, says in the release.

While it's possible to buy liquid without nicotine for some e-cigarettes, it's not possible to do so with popular pod mod devices. According to Juul's websitein a description that has since been taken downa single Juulpod contains 40 mg of nicotine, which is similar to "the nicotine yield of a pack of cigarettes." (The company also sells Juulpods with approximately 23 mg of nicotine.) But researchers explain that it's difficult to describe a single pod as a "serving." A person might consume one pod in a week, while another may take only one day.

A stubborn trend

When potentially risky behaviors experience an uptick in popularity, health researchers are never far behindgathering data. This year, Krishnan-Sarin and others found a direct link between students at public schools in Connecticut who said they'd used an e-cigarette in the past month and those who went on to smoke regular cigarettes.

Krishnan-Sarin points to progress that has been madefinallyin recent years to reduce regular cigarette smoking rates among young adults. In her opinion, the significant decline is due to the success of large-scale public health campaigns and a general awareness among youth that cigarettes are harmful to health.

She is concerned that most teens who vape with nicotine don't know the drug can be damaging to their development. "We have a lot of evidence showing that the adolescent brain is extremely sensitive to the effects of nicotine," she says, adding that the brain doesn't stop growing until around age 25. "Studies have shown us that nicotine can interfere with memory and attention processing," Krishnan-Sarin says.

In his imaging studies of adults who use e-cigarettes, Stephen Baldassarri, MD, an internist at Yale Medicine, has begun to gather information on the factors that influence nicotine delivery from e-cigarettes and whether vaping promotes cessation from conventional cigarette smoking. Teens cannot participate in such studies, but "we all agree that e-cigs are not a good thing for youth and nonsmokers," Dr. Baldassarri says.

How to talk to your kids

Probably the worst thing a parent could do for their child would be to buy an e-cigarette under the misconception that this might prevent them from smoking regular cigarettes, Krishnan-Sarin says. She encourages parents to talk openly and freely about vapingwith the caveat that they provide accurate information. "I think the problem is that parents lose credibility if they say something to try and convince their child, who then finds out that it isn't true," she says.

Dr. Baldassarri suggests explaining the addictive nature of vaping, which would mess with the one thing teens crave the most: independence. "In some ways, when you get addicted to a drug, it's like losing your freedom of choice," he says. "The risk of losing that freedom might be a persuasive message for kids."

Deepa Camenga, MD, a pediatrician who is board-certified in addiction medicine, says it's never too early to begin talking about e-cigarettes in age-appropriate language. "When you are out and about with your children and see an advertisement, for example, take the opportunity to talk about it." As they grow older, parents can expand on their thoughts and expectations. "It's also important to give teens and young adults the space to ask questions," she says.

Patrick O'Connor, MD, Yale Medicine's chief of general internal medicine, who has dedicated his career to researching opioid and alcohol drug abuse, points to similarities between epidemic cigarette use in the 1940s and 50s, and e-cigarette use now.

Even as evidence accumulated on the link between lung cancer and cigarette use, doctors didn't always take time to talk to patients about those risks, he says. "I think it's a major responsibility of physicians, family medicine doctors, pediatricians, and adolescent medicine practitioners. One of the big deficits in medical education has been to prepare medical students to address these issues with their patients, ask them about their use of these substances, and advise them on the risks," Dr. O'Connor says. "This is as true for e-cigarette use and vaping as it is for alcohol and other drug use."

What may be the most important message of all is that e-cigarettes and vaping come with many health unknowns, Dr. O'Connor adds. "You see plumes of what looks like steam coming out of people's mouths on the street when they are vaping, and I think they assume it's mostly safe, mostly water. But these liquids used in vaping are filled with all kinds of stuff [like nicotine, marijuana, flavoring agents, chemicals], and we don't always know what else is in there."

Explore further Number of vapers tops 3 million for first time in BritainThe plenary deliberations on the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 was marred by a threat to oust Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, the head of the House of Representatives appropriations committee. That came about even as Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will not in any way reduce or slash the Duterte administrations proposed budget for 2019, according to Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. He said Arroyo would want to ensure that funds were allocated to support the priority programs of President Duterte. There is no slash to be talked about, said Andaya, chairman of the House committee on rules. The Presidents budget in terms of aggregate amount is intact and the Speaker has no intention to reduce that amount of budget as presented. The House in plenary session Monday failed to tackle the budget bill after it was adjourned around 4:45 pm. It opened the session at 10 in the morning for the sponsorship speech and the debates on the proposed General Appropriations Act for 2019, but it was prevented by the intramurals over the chairmanship of the appropriations committee. But Andaya denied the reports that Nograles would be replaced as chairman of the House committee on appropriations. There is no reorganization. Business as usual, Andaya told reporters. A House source said the threat to get rid of Nograles came after Andaya discovered a total of a P55-billion fund as alleged insertions supposedly for infrastructure projects for the respective districts of some 40 congressmen. In an executive meeting he conducted before the 10 am session, Andaya allegedly engaged Nograles in a shouting match following the discovery of the insertions in the 2019 national budget. One source said Andaya would want Nograles to approve a committee report on the 2019 budget measure minus the alleged insertions. But Nograles insisted on not signing a committee report that was not prepared by his committee. There were two committee reports prepared by the House appropriations committee: One, containing the P55-billion insertions prepared by the Nograles panel, and other prepared by the House leadership without the P55 billion reportedly intended to the favored lawmakers. Apparently trying to help Nograles argue his position, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte and Andaya also engaged in a verbal tussle. The two had some internal political bickering in Camarines Sur.But Nograles, after meeting Monday afternoon with Palace officials led by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, said he was ready to sponsor and defend the budget bill. Nograles also denied the P55 billion, saying there was nothing to discuss. We did not approve any as such. He also said there was only one committee report that was prepared by the House appropriations committee and approved by the House committee on rules. He said the budget measure that was submitted by the Palace had been thoroughly discussed at the committee level. It was the budget bill given to us by the executive. It is a line-item budget, and we have been ready to defend all those items in the budget bill, Nograles said. We have been meeting with our counterparts. Nograles said the executive meeting was not really conducted the regular way. He also said he was prepared to vacate his post in the event he was ousted. If anybody wants to remove me as chair of the committee on appropriations, then they can have the position. This budget is for the needs of our people, Nograles said. The source said it was Medialdea who appealed to the House leadership to maintain the status quo to avoid controversies. The source said Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go called up Speaker Arroyo to allegedly appeal for the restoration of the P55-billion budget that Nograles endorsed, but she did not make any commitment.Philippine Consul General to Hong Kong Antonio Morales said on Monday that two Filipinos sustained minor injuries while at least 37 others were rescued as Typhoon Mangkhut or Ompong pounded the former British colony after devastating the Philippines. The two Filipinas, who were hurt by falling debris, are now out of danger, Morales said, when interviewed over ANC. Morales also said that 32 Filipino tourists were rescued from a tour bus that was stranded on a bridge on its way to the airport where all flights were canceled. They were brought back to their hotel in the Kowloon area, the Filipino diplomat said, adding that the Filipino tourists are all safe. Morales also reported that five more Filipina workers were rescued by Hong Kong authorities from a dive resort development. He called on the 220,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong to avoid going outdoors as clearing operations may still take some time. As this developed, the Hong Kong government began a massive cleanup Monday after Typhoon Mangkhut (Ompong) raked the city, shredding trees and bringing damaging floods, in a trail of destruction that left millions evacuated in Southern China. The Hong Kong government described the damage as severe and extensive with more than 300 people injured in Mangkhut, which triggered the maximum T10 typhoon alert. The monumental task of cleaning up the city began as residents, some in suits and ties, struggled to get back to work on roads that remained blocked by felled trees, mud and debris. Schools were closed, bus services halted, and travel disruption saw commuters piling onto platforms trying to board infrequent trains after trees fell on overhead lines. Landslides and severe flooding affected some areas, with over 1,500 residents seeking refuge in temporary shelters overnight. The storm, with gusts of more than 230 kilometers per hour (142 mph), sent buildings swaying and waters surging into homes and shopping malls in Hong Kong, with some roads waist-deep in water. Windows in tower blocks and skyscrapers were smashed as people cowered inside. In the neighborhood of Heng Fa Chuen, thousands of rocks and pebbles from the sea covered parkland along the coastline which had been battered by waves. Low-lying fishing villages were also badly affected after seawater swept through. Streets in the seaside village of Lei Yue Mun were covered in debris and glass as residents picked their way through. The citys main Victoria Park had become an obstacle course with hundreds of trees down and many completely uprooted. Emergency teams were sawing apart some of the biggest trees blocking roads and pathways across the city in a cleanup operation that is likely to take days. In the neighboring gambling enclave of Macau, all 42 casinos shut down for the first time in its history as the storm approached.They opened again on Monday but Macau was still in recovery mode after severe flooding hit parts of the city, forcing emergency workers to rescue people from their shops and homes using boats and jetskis. As the storm moved past the enclave Sunday, streets became submerged under water gushing in from the harbor. On Monday morning, shopkeepers in Macau were hosing down their stores which had been left caked in mud after the flood waters receded. People were attempting to dry out cupboards and electrical appliances on the streets as police and volunteers helped with the clear-up. The government and casinos took extra measures ahead of the storm, determined to avoid a repeat of Typhoon Hato which battered Macau last year, killing 12 people and drawing accusations the city was ill-prepared. Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda on Monday offered his sincerest condolences to the families of the victims of Typhoon Ompong and expressed his sympathies to all those affected. The Japanese government also vowed to provide the maximum possible assistance to the Philippine government to help those affected by the typhoon. I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to the government of the Philippines and its people on the damages from Typhoon Ompong in the Northern Philippines, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said in a message delivered to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano The Government of Japan stands with the government of the Philippines and its people and is ready to provide the maximum possible assistance to the Philippines, Kono said. My deepest condolences are with the bereaved and I sincerely pray for the speedy recovery of the affected people as well as the prompt restoration of the affected areas, he added. The death toll in the Philippines, where the main island of Luzon was battered with fierce winds and rain, rose to 65 overnight as rescuers pulled more bodies from a huge landslide in the mountain town of Itogon. The landslide buried an emergency shelter which was being used by miners and their families in the town. No one has yet been pulled alive from the rubble and relatives of those buried are taking part in the rescue efforts, the towns mayor Victorio Palangdan said. National police spokesman Sr. Supt. Benigno Durana said 43 other people are missing, and more than 155,000 people remain in evacuation centres two days after the typhoon struck. Farms across northern Luzon, which produces much of the nations rice and corn, were sitting under muddy floodwater, their crops ruined just a month before harvest. After tearing through Luzon and pummelling Hong Kong and Macau, the storm made landfall in mainland China late Sunday, killing four in Guangdong province, including three hit by falling trees. Authorities there said they had evacuated more than three million people and ordered tens of thousands of fishing boats back to port before the arrival of what Chinese m dia had dubbed the King of Storms.NOTICE:

TO BE CLEAR:

WE HAVE OUTLINED UNDER OUR RECORD MAINTENANCE POLICY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAIR PROCESS FOR ALL. SIMPLY PUT: IF THE COURT SAW FIT TO EXPUNGE YOUR RECORD,SO WILL WE, FREE OF CHARGE. ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT AND CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE MERELY ACCUSATIONS,EVERYONE IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW AND CONVICTED. FCRA DISCLAIMER: MUGSHOTS.COM DOES NOT PROVIDE CONSUMER REPORTS AND IS NOT A CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY. OUR DATABASE CANNOT BE USED TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT CONSUMER CREDIT, EMPLOYMENT, INSURANCE, TENANT SCREENING, OR ANY OTHER PURPOSES THAT WOULD REQUIRE FCRA COMPLIANCE. MUGSHOTS.COM PARTICIPATES IN AFFILIATE PROGRAMS WITH VARIOUS COMPANIES. WE MAY EARN A COMMISSION WHEN YOU CLICK ON OR MAKE PURCHASES VIA LINKS. MUGSHOTS.COM IS AN AGGREGATOR OF THE TODAYS CRIME NEWS. IN EACH FRONT-PAGE POST, THE HYPERLINK TO THE PRIMARY SOURCE IS SPECIFIED. ALL TRADEMARKS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, ALL MATERIALS TO THEIR AUTHORS. IF YOU ARE THE OWNER OF THE CONTENT AND DO NOT WANT US TO PUBLISH YOUR MATERIALS, PLEASE CONTACT US BY EMAIL mugshots.com1@gmail.com. THE CONTENT WILL BE DELETED WITHIN 48 HOURS.

MUGSHOTS.COM IS A NEWS ORGANIZATION. WE POST AND WRITE THOUSANDS OF NEWS STORIES A YEAR, MOST WANTED STORIES, EDITORIALS (UNDER CATEGORIES - BLOG) AND STORIES OF EXONERATIONS. OUR CONTENT REVOLVES AROUND CRIME, ARRESTS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT. WE BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PUBLISH UNPOPULAR SPEECH. OPEN RECORD LAWS WERE WRITTEN TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC; BY INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF ARRESTS AND TO HOLD LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ARRESTEES. MOST OF, IF NOT ALL MUGSHOT LAWS WERE CRAFTED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM FEES FOR REMOVAL OF ONLINE MUGSHOTS AND TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PRESS FROM THOSE VERY SAME "MUGSHOT LAWS".WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR REMOVAL OF ARREST INFORMATION AND/OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE...ARCHIVED - Spain aims to use Brexit as a lever to introduce changes in Gibraltar



Tax reforms, Gibraltar airport and other issues on the table at a meeting with the EU chief negotiator on Monday

With the official date on which, barring unexpected developments, the UK will leave the European Union now only just over 6 months away, the role of Spain in the negotiations is in the headlines this Monday, when Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Josep Borrell, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, meet the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Top of the agenda at the meeting will be the issue of Gibraltar and the status of the British Overseas Territory after Brexit becomes effective, with the Spanish government demanding more say in the matter. The aim of Sr Sanchez and Sr Borrell is for a separate chapter concerning Gibraltar to be included in any Brexit agreement, and for fiscal, environmental and anti-contraband measures which have always been resisted by the UK government to be implemented.

However, it is reported that for the time being at least no claim for Spanish sovereignty in Gibraltar will be pressed, as at one point seemed possible under the previous government.

The argument which will be presented to Monsieur Barnier is that southern Spain has one of the highest unemployment rates in the EU while Gibraltar has the third highest GDP per capita in the region. This anomaly, the Spanish delegation maintains, could be corrected to a large degree of the measures proposed were part of the Brexit deal.

It should be remembered that the negotiating guidelines agreed upon by the 27 countries which will remain in the EU after 29th march next year specify that Spain should have the last word in deciding whether the terms specified regarding Gibraltar are beneficial, a card which the government in Madrid has already played to begin bilateral negotiations with their counterparts in London: however, at the moment no real progress has been reported in those talks.

The likelihood is that controversy will surround any proposal made, with the topics on the table including the improvement in the working conditions of the 12,000 people who cross into Gibraltar every day to work, the fight against cigarette smuggling across the border and an end to the tax benefits enjoyed by companies resident in Gibraltar although they trade in Spain: the Rock is home to around 30,000 residents and 55,000 companies, many of which fall into this category.

In addition, there are ambitions for Gibraltar airport to be jointly run by the British and Spanish authorities, a project on which agreement was reached, in theory at least, in 2006, but which has never prospered. This, according to the Gibraltarian government, is because Spain has not yet given effect to this and other relevant parts of the agreement.

The ultimate aim, according to the Spanish government, is to establish a more balanced relationship where the benefits are mutual, but it seems almost inevitable that the reaction of the Gibraltarians will be one of vociferous opposition. More controversy doubtless lies ahead over the next six months.

Follow Murcia Today on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news, events and information in the Region of Murcia and the rest of Spain: https://www.facebook.com/MurciaToday/

article_detail

-->The SABC recently announced that it will embark on a retrenchment process as part of its strategy to address the financial mess it finds itself in.

The state broadcaster reported a loss of R622 million for the year ended 31 March 2018, following an even bigger loss the year before.

The SABC said it has been forced to lay off workers due to its financial situation and high salary costs, as it is struggling to fund its R3.1-billion annual wage bill.

These plans did not sit well with ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule, who said the organisation must support the workers of SABC.

The ANC has taken a decision and Im talking on behalf of the President that we must not allow any retrenchments even in our SOEs same with SABC  we should not allow people to be retrenched, he said.

The SABC board hit back after Magashules comments, saying it noted statements by the ANC with concern.

According to the SABC, Magashules comment has caused confusion among its employees and other stakeholders.

SABC spokesperson Neo Momodu highlighted that its board has the exclusive power to control the affairs of the corporation.

This includes how the SABC operates the business of the public broadcaster and conducts labour relations with its employees, she said.

The SABC board has assured employees and stakeholders that it will continue to uphold its fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the corporation.

ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule, speaking at the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela memorial lecture, details his view in the video below.

Now read: SABC to retrench hundreds of employeesGeoff Ellsworth, 2018 mayoral candidate and current city councilmember, continues to host a series of conversations about important issues in St. Helena.

The second meeting, 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, will feature Walter McNeill, lawyer and California water expert, who will discuss water rates and the flaws in the St. Helena water system, according to a press release. The free conversation will be held at the Upper Valley Campus of Napa Valley College, 1088 College Ave.

The remaining conversations will be Oct. 11 and Oct. 27 and will be held in a meeting room at the St. Helena Public Library, 1492 Library Lane. The topics for the October meetings will be determined by residents interests and both are free, according to a press release.

The library is not sponsoring nor endorsing the events, and is renting the room to Ellsworth for a private event that is open to the public, according to an email from the library.The late Anthony Bourdain once said that Food is everything we are. Its an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. Its inseparable from those from the get-go.

On his show, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, he filmed 96 episodes over 11 seasons in which he shared his passion for culture, food, travel and adventure. His enthusiasm was contagious, and we were all inspired explore the world through food

Or, at least, I was.

After all, what better way to explore a different culture than through its food? Of course, there is architecture, art, religion and nature, but food has so many meanings and incorporates everything. Food is a cultural identifier. Food is shaped by location and by history. Food can represent status and pleasure or can be for survival. Food is also about community and is a unifier across cultures.

As I traveled to countries for my first time, I have found myself in search of food. Yes, I like to eat. And, I can think of no better way to learn about a city and a culture than through its food. But, how does one decide where to go?

There are guidebooks, online reviews and suggestions from friends. So many of the best places are down small alleys, off the main streets or just hidden in plain sight. If it is the first time visiting a place, how can we stay away from the tourist spots and learn where the locals go and what they eat?

The answer is food tours. Simply type into the search browser on your computer the city you are going to with the words food tour and you will be amazed at the number of small businesses offering half-day, or sometimes longer, food tours of their cities. Across the world, these small, local businesses have been started by chefs, journalists, historians and passionate foodies who want to share their stories, the history of their cities and some of their favorite food spots.

Here are my suggested food tour companies:

 Culinary Backstreets [Turkey, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, China, Georgia, Japan, Portugal]

Culinary Backstreets was started in Istanbul, Turkey, by two food writers, Ansel Mullins and Yigal Schleifer. They were writing about the food scene in Istanbul when they planned their first walking tour. Culinary Backstreets takes guests to family-run restaurants and showcases the traditional side of urban culinary life. It currently offers culinary walking tours in Istanbul, Athens, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Shanghai, Tbilisi, Tokyo and Lisbon.

 Dubrovnik Food Story [Croatia]

Sisters Marija Turkalj Maticevic and Ana Turkalj started Dubrovnik Food Story as a way to share their love for their hometown of Dubrovnik. Marija, who studied management in tourism, worked in travel agencies and hotels and started offering food tours on the side. Her sister Ana, who studied aquaculture, got her tour guide license and joined her sister. Their personalized tours include a personal history of the war and life post-war, as well as the influence of difference cultures on Dubrovnik cuisine.

 FoodyChile [Chile]

American Colin Bennett moved to Chile to teach English and never left. After working with the fresh fruit and vegetables produced in Chile, Bennett began writing about food. At FoodyChile, he offers walking food tours in the center of Santiago, visiting the immense fresh produce market and trying local specialties.

 Eating Europe Tours [Italy, London, Amsterdam, Prague]

American native Kenny Dunn moved to Rome in 2008 and started informal culinary strolls, showing off his neighborhood and favorite restaurants to visiting friends. With the idea of promoting real food and real people, Eating Italy Food Tours was born. From Rome and Florence, Eating Italy expanded to other European cities and today is also in London, Amsterdam and Prague.

All of these food tours are personalized and small. On average, the group size is 8-12 people and the guides are English-speakers. These are tours that will take you off the main streets, down the small alleys, into the marketplaces and anywhere else to provide tastes of local specialties.

Along the way, youll hear stories about history and see significant sights. At the end of a half-day tour, satiated and informed, youll be ready to continue your journey of exploration of a new country on your own.

Allison Levine is a wine writer and events coordinator based in Los Angeles. Read more of her work at www.pleasethepalate.com.The 2018 harvest is rooted in a long history of those who were willing to take a chance. Two such viticulture pioneers were George Belden Crane and Henry Alphonse Pellet. In the mid-1800s they helped transform local fields into world-class vineyards by planting European varietals, however their paths into the local history books were most circuitous.

Crane, born in 1806 to a Dutchess County, New York farming family, made his way to the West Coast in mid-life. Although highly successful in his medical practice and happy with his personal life, Crane was growing increasingly restless. In 1853, he, his wife and family boarded a sailing ship bound for San Francisco.

They lived in the San Jose area for about four years before settling in Napa Valley. While continuing his medical practice locally, Crane became very interested in viticulture. He bought about 100 acres, which he eventually planted in mission grapes. But both the distributors and consumers were rather unimpressed with his product.

Following that disappointment, Crane briefly relocated to work his St. Louis area farm where he lost most of his money. Although nearly penniless when he returned to Napa Valley, he was determined to finally succeed in wine-making.

This time, he settled in the St. Helena area where he would live out the reminder of his days and experience significant life changes. In his personal life, Crane lost his first wife. Years later, he would remarry to an old San Jose friend, and widow, Frances Frankie Grayson.

Professionally, Crane formed a strong and significant alliance with Pellet. In addition to being associates, Pellet was also the Crane vineyard and winery manager. These two men then took the chance of planting European rootstock. In 1864, they crushed the first harvest from those vines. That risk paid off for both Crane and Pellet as well as all the local viticulturists.

As for Pellet, his journey to Napa County was also rather roundabout. After completing his education, this Switzerland native took a job with a Swiss watch-making firm, an occupation that would help fund his future in agriculture and viticulture.

In 1848, the 20-year-old Pellet decided to head for the New World. Possessing a substantial supply of watches, Pellet found a ready market for his wares and skills in St. Louis. Wanting to self-fund his California expedition, Pellet returned to Switzerland to procure more of the highly desired watches.

Upon his return to St. Louis, Pellet sold all those time pieces and parts to dealers. With those sales profits, Pellet purchased two, 6-mule teams and organized a crew of 12 men who wanted to strike it rich in California. Four months later in September of 1849, they reached Nevada City. But after only about 6 months, the frustrated Pellet gave up mining.

Fast-forwarding to 1853, Pellet relocated his San Francisco-based flour mill business to Napa. That move made his factory the first steam-operated mill in Napa. The enterprise at Fourth and Main streets drew farmers from Napa, Sonoma, Solano and Lake counties.

Pellet operated his milling business on a toll basis. Although full of potential, the enterprise was doomed to fail. The main reason was that Pellet charged an insufficient toll. By 1855, his milling business closed and Pellet returned to the mines. For the next three years, Pellet scratched out enough in the Siskiyous to allow him to return to Napa Valley and lease a local farm.

By 1860, Pellet was the manager of the John Patchett vineyard and winery. Located in Napa, it was the first commercial winery and vineyard in Napa County. With that job, Pellet had found his niche. To further pursue his new-found calling, Pellet purchased a 45-acre parcel. Thirty-eight acres of this Napa Valley land were planted in grapes. Around this time Pellet also established his association with Crane.

The two men continued their association until 1866 when Pellet built a wine cellar with a new partner, D.B. Carver. That professional association continued until 1878.

While refining his viticulture talents, Pellet also dabbled in local politics. In 1876 and 1878, he was elected to the Napa County Third District supervisor seat. He also served three terms on the St. Helena board of trustees.

Being dynamic Napa County residents, the life-stories of both Pellet and Crane will be explored in greater depth some time in the future. However, this brief and shared biography proves the success of any industry is dependent upon those who are willing to collaborate and take a chance.The number of children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has reached more than 10 percent, a significant increase during the past 20 years, according to a new study.

The rise was most pronounced in minority groups, suggesting that better access to health insurance and mental-health treatment through former President Barack Obamas health care law may have played some role in the increase. The rate of diagnosis doubled in girls, although it was still much lower than in boys.

But the researchers say they found no evidence confirming frequent complaints that the condition is overdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

The United States has significantly more instances of ADHD than other developed countries, which researchers said has led some to think Americans are overdiagnosing children. Wei Bao, the studys lead author, said in an interview that a review of studies around the world doesnt support that.

I dont think overdiagnosis is the main issue, he said.

Nonetheless, those doubts persist. Stephen Hinshaw, who co-authored a 2014 book called The ADHD Explosion: Myths, Medication, Money, and Todays Push for Performance, compared ADHD to depression. He said in an interview that neither condition has unequivocal biological markers, which makes it hard to determine whether a person has the condition. Symptoms of ADHD can include inattention, fidgety behavior and impulsivity.

Its probably not a true epidemic of ADHD, said Hinshaw, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley and a professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco. It might be an epidemic of diagnosing it.

In interpreting their results, the studys authors tied the higher numbers to better understanding of the condition by doctors and the public, new standards for diagnosis and an increase in access to health insurance through the ACA.

Because of the ACA, some low-income families have improved access to services and referrals, said Bao, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Iowa College of Public Health.

The study, published in JAMA Network, used data from the National Health Interview Survey, an annual federal survey of about 35,000 households. It found a steady increase in diagnoses, from about 6 percent of children between 1997 and 1998 to more than 10 percent between 2015 and 2016.

Advances in medical technology also may have contributed to the increase, according to the research. Twenty years ago, preterm and low-birth-weight babies had a harder time surviving. Those factors increase the risk of being diagnosed with ADHD.

The study also suggests that fewer stigmas about mental-health care in minority communities may lead to more people receiving an ADHD diagnosis.

In the late 1990s, 7.2 percent of non-Hispanic white children, 4.7 percent of non-Hispanic black children and 3.6 of Hispanic children were diagnosed with ADHD, according to the study.

By 2016, it was 12 percent of whites, 12.8 percent of blacks and 6.1 percent of Hispanics.

Over the past several decades, Hinshaw said, there has been an expanded view of who can develop ADHD. Its no longer viewed as a disease that affects only white middle-class boys, just as eating disorders are no longer seen as afflicting only white middle-class girls.

Still, he cautioned against overdiagnosing ADHD in communities where behavioral issues could be the result of social or environmental factors such as overcrowded classrooms.

The study found that rates of ADHD among girls rose from 3 percent to more than 6 percent over the study period. It said that was partly a result of a change in how the condition is classified. For years, ADHD pertained to children who were hyperactive. But in recent years, the American Psychiatric Association added to its guide of mental-health conditions that the diagnosis should also include some children who are inattentive, Bao said. That raised the number of girls, he explained, because it seems they are more likely than boys to be in that second subtype.

If we compare these two, you can easily imagine people will easily recognize hyperactivity, he said.

That rang true for Ruth Hay, a 25-year-old student and cook from New York who now lives in Jerusalem. She was diagnosed with what was then called ADD in the summer between second and third grade.

Hay said her hyperactive tendencies arent as loud as some peoples. Shes less likely to bounce around a room than she is to bounce in her chair, she said.

Yet despite her early diagnosis, Hay said, no one ever told her about other symptoms. For example, she said, she suffers from executive dysfunction, which leaves her feeling unable to accomplish tasks, no matter how much she wanted to or tried.

I grew up being called lazy in periods of time when I wasnt, Hay said. If you look at a list of all the various ADHD symptoms, I have all of them to one degree or another, but the only ones ever discussed with me was you might be less focused and more fidgety.

I dont know how my brain would be if I didnt have it, she added. I dont know if Id still be me, but all it has been for me is a disability.

Bluth is a reporter for Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.As fate would decree, both of Californias U.S. senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, both played starring roles in the recent confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and both had personal political agendas.

Feinstein is running this year for re-election and needed to be critical enough of President Donald Trump and Kavanaugh to avoid alienating fervently anti-Trump Democratic voters, while maintaining an air of senatorial decorum.

Harris fancies herself a 2020 presidential hopeful, and saw a golden opportunity to raise her profile as a fierce anti-Trump warrior  in competition, it seemed, with another committee member, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, whos also an unannounced presidential hopeful.

While Feinstein echoed the Democratic talking points about Kavanaughs nomination, particularly that his confirmation was being rushed through the Senate, she also was obviously distressed by the circus-like atmosphere.

Im sorry for the circumstances but well get through it, Feinstein told Kavanaugh at one point as demonstrators chanted loudly.

That earned Feinstein some jibes from the Democratic Partys left and from her challenger, state Sen. Kevin de Len, who has positioned himself as an implacable Trump foe.

Brian Fallon, director of the leftist group Demand Justice, tweeted ridiculous about Feinsteins remark, while de Leon, in a fundraising appeal to supporters, reacted, Are you kidding me? He also, in a tweet, demanded that Feinstein stand with (protesters) not apologize for them.

Feinstein didnt rise to the bait, however, telling McClatchy Newspapers, The purpose of these protests is to disturb, and the purpose of the disturbance is to stop the testimony, and the testimony clearly has to continue on. So we dont have a lot of choices.

While Feinstein was characteristically polite in her questioning of Kavanaugh, Harris was contemptuously adversarial, hectoring Kavanaugh on every conceivable hot-button issue, and promoting herself on social media, in video clips and fundraising appeals.

After one of several exchanges over abortion, Harris featured a clip in an Internet ad saying, If youre with me in this fight, can you sign my petition opposing Judge Kavanaghs nomination to the Supreme Court as Republicans rush through his confirmation hearings this week?

The Harris-Kavanaugh episode that gained the most media attention, however, came after she hinted that she had a smoking gun tying the nominee to Trumps personal lawyer.

The Los Angeles Times Michael McGough described the clash this way:

The drama unfolded Wednesday when Harris asked the judge: Have you discussed [Robert S.] Mueller or his investigation with anyone at Kasowitz Benson Torres, the law firm founded by Marc Kasowitz, President Trumps personal lawyer? Sounding like a prosecutor warning of a perjury trap, she added ominously: Be sure about your answer, sir.

Kavanaugh, perplexed, asked, Is there a person youre talking about? Harris, unable or unwilling to provide a name, shot back: Im asking you a very direct question: Yes or no?

When Kavanaugh didnt give her the answer she wanted, Harris turned mind-reader, saying: I think youre thinking of someone and you dont want to tell us. But Harris herself didnt provide any information about this supposed corrupt conversation.

Clips of the incident got heavy play on talking-head television, which was its apparent goal, even if it added nothing to the confirmation process itself.

The bottom line: Kavanaugh most likely will be confirmed, Feinstein most likely will win re-election and Harris most likely will continue to be one of many Democrats who see themselves as presidential candidates two years hence.

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.Being the only policeman in an area the size of Britain might be daunting for some, but not for Senior Constable Stephan Pursell.

The easy-going 53-year-old runs a modest police station in the equally modest town of Birdsville, making him the law across a vast swathe of outback Australia. In this isolated, arid, ferrous-red-and-orange moonscape fringing the Simpson Desert, dust, pesky flies, feral camels, wild dogs, and deadly snakes are your main companions. Pursell acknowledges that his patchwhich takes four days to drive acrossis quite big. But he relishes the challenge. This (job) came up and I thought, what an iconic location in Australia, he said, so I put an application in. He got the gig, and so two years ago hauled himself and his wife Sharon away from Queenslands gleaming surf, 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) to the east, and into this sandy cauldron. It is not a place for everyone. Daytime temperatures can soar above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and strong winds can whip up dust storms that blot out the sun and turn the skies dark. Youve got to experience it to enjoy it. Its an amazing place, said Pursell, who became an Internet sensation last year after shots of him frying an egg in the withering heat on the bonnet of his Toyota Land Cruiser went viral. Birdsville itself is home to just over 100 people. Theres one hotel that doubles as the watering hole. A roadhouse allows people to stock up on fuel and life-saving essentials. But the highlight may be a bakery selling curried camel pies. The tiny township is a relief from the barren landscape. Surrounding Birdsville are endless sandy plains and rolling dunes that merge into the distant horizon, a nothingness thats both mesmerizing and isolating.Crimes not an issue, Pursell admits, adding that much of his job is that of a first responder. The type of jobs that we do is mainly just making sure that people get here safely, get home safely. Breakdowns, medical issues, accidentsweve got to be ready to respond to those sorts of things. The most common type of accident is vehicles rolling over, but the station has also had to deal with a pilot whose plane lost a wheel in the air after colliding with a pelican. Because he has to monitor an area of 240,000 square kilometers (around 92,500 square miles)where you can go for hours or days before someone passesthe involvement of the local community is essential. A nurse, mechanic, Aboriginal ranger or community members may join him on rescue missions. Police officers at other stations hundreds of kilometers away also work with Pursell and nearby cattle stations to track travelers as they pass through.Twice a year the pace picks up a bit, for the century-old Birdsville horse races, which are known across Australia, and for the Big Red Bash music festival. Both annual events attract more than 6,000 tourists who travel for up to several days in four-wheel drives or in small planes from across the vast continent.Pursells predecessor, Senior Constable Neale McShane, who retired in 2015 after a decade in Birdsville, says there was never a dull moment. Each rescue of a stranded or injured traveller requires an epic drive across long dirt roads or countless sand dunes in the Land Cruiser for hours and sometimes days. Sometimes what is required is a helicopter big enough to carry a police officer, a nurse, and a stretcher, so a call is put out for any aircraft in the vicinity that can help out. The Royal Flying Doctor Service also plays a crucial role, ferrying patients in remote regions to the nearest hospitals. In 2009, during a desperate search for helicopters to rescue an injured motorcyclist stuck on a sand dune, an army Chinookpossibly the only one to ever land at Birdsville touched down at the airport, looking to refuel. The man was quickly rescued and made a full recovery. There are definite upsides to the job, McShane told AFP. When you are out sleeping in the desert looking up at the stars, and they [feel] so close you can touch them. But in a small, remote community, talking about sensitive personal issues can be difficult, he says. And the job is non-stop, with calls coming in at any time of the day on any day of the week, each of them possibly involving someone you know well who is in peril or has died. Perhaps surprisingly, one problem the policemen dont complain about is loneliness. Pursell realized more people were popping into his station to talk to him after he was described in the local media as having the loneliest job in the country. People came in just to have a chat, because they thought I was lonely, he says. Weve have never felt isolated or lonely out here. Its a great little town.In July the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a letter that would stop any parent in their tracks: Chemicals in food colorings, preservatives and packaging can be dangerous to children - and the government is not suitably regulating the substances.

A review of almost 4,000 additives found that 64 percent of them lacked research proving they are safe for people to eat or drink; these chemicals can be especially harmful to small children because they are still growing, making them more vulnerable to any ill effects. The AAP called for reforms to the Food and Drug Administration's food-additive regulatory process and offered guidelines that could be more panic-inducing than reassuring:

Don't microwave foods or liquids in plastic.

Buy fewer processed foods.

Whenever possible, switch from plastic to glass or metal.

Avoid putting plastics in the dishwasher.

It's the sort of medical advice that sends people pillaging through their memories - adding up every time they heated a bottle of breast milk in the microwave, tossed Tupperware in the dishwasher or sent their toddler to day care with sliced fruit in a plastic tub. And it's the sort of information that makes them wonder: If these materials pose such a danger, why are they everywhere? And where is our government?

Those are good questions, with complex and terrible answers. Scientists have known for some time that many of these chemicals are harmful. But as more evidence accumulates, the industry that produces them has mounted an increasingly aggressive and widespread campaign: publishing counter-studies in corporate-friendly science journals, attacking scientists and journalists who report on the dangers of these chemicals, and doing as much as possible to create doubt about harm - all tactics borrowed from the tobacco industry.

The FDA enjoys much higher levels of public trust than the federal government in general, but maybe it shouldn't: Much of what we consume is simply not regulated. "To be blunt, it's an honor system," says Erik Olson, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council and a former Environmental Protection Agency employee. Olson says that although the EPA does a terrible job of protecting people from dangerous chemicals, the FDA is worse: "They are completely in bed with industry." With corporate interests creating an alternate scientific reality and little federal pushback, ordinary Americans are left to sort through the noise - and try to assess what is safe for themselves and their children.

- - -

Olson's characterizations are echoed in a recent book by Rutgers University professor Norah MacKendrick, "Better Safe Than Sorry: How Consumers Navigate Exposure to Everyday Toxics." MacKendrick writes that the current era of deregulation places an undue burden on parents - mostly on mothers - to make complicated choices to ensure that the products and foods they buy are safe for children, a process she calls "precautionary consumption." Since the 1950s, food packaging has become increasingly cluttered with often incomprehensible information, and the FDA has provided little help for people who simply want food that is safe.

Before concluding that the FDA is not protecting children, says Leonardo Trasande, director of the division of environmental pediatrics at the NYU School of Medicine and a member of the AAP, the academy spent two years discussing food-additive safety. He adds that the statement is a conservative consensus of the AAP's 67,000 members, who delved into the research on the dangers of chemicals to small children. "This is not a bunch of green, tree-hugging pediatricians," says Trasande.

A physician by training, Trasande spends most of his time researching and publishing studies to understand how children are affected by BPA, one of many chemicals the AAP highlighted. BPA, which can act like the female hormone estrogen, is particularly threatening to kids. A growing body of research finds that tiny doses of BPA may cause a host of diseases; it can "potentially change the timing of puberty, decrease fertility, increase body fat, and affect the nervous and immune systems," the APP says. Yet, Trasande says, the government ignores much of this academic research.

Meanwhile, many chemicals go unregulated. Scientists who study the regulatory process point to a well-documented, decades-long disinformation campaign by industry to confuse regulators, policymakers and the public. In 2008, The Washington Post reported that Congress was investigating industry influence at the FDA. This and other articles noted that Congress had identified a private product-defense group that companies hired to create research favorable to the chemical industry and to undermine studies finding evidence of harm.

An award-winning Milwaukee Journal Sentinel series on the potential dangers of BPA reported in 2009 that the industry's disinformation campaign included altering Wikipedia pages - seen as highly unusual at the time. A law and lobbying firm for the chemical industry was exposed for attacking scientists who found harm with chemicals, all while vigorously defending the industry and not always disclosing its ties to it.

The Post and Journal Sentinel coverage came at a time of growing awareness of BPA's dangers to children. Eleven states would later ban the chemical from baby bottles; the FDA banned it from sippy cups and bottles in 2012. But new research is finding that many of BPA's replacements pose similar risks.

Last year, Trasande addressed the disinformation campaign in an article calling on scientists to speak up more forcefully when policymakers do not act on data concluding that chemicals and pesticides pose risks to kids. He highlighted one example in which a scientist aligned with industry dismissed evidence that the pesticide chlorpyrifos causes disease, calling it "pseudoscience." Trasande added that the funding for groups and scientists that make these counterclaims is not always disclosed.

- - -

Science journals are not safe from these antics. Several investigative reports by the Center for Public Integrity and other outlets have noted that corporate-funded scientists have favored two particular journals for publishing studies that promote the safety of chemicals and pesticides: Critical Reviews in Toxicology, and Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. In 2002, 43 scientists signed a letter criticizing frequent undisclosed conflicts of interest and industry ties in Regulatory Toxicology. Its editor, Gio Gori, previously worked as a tobacco consultant who wrote skeptically about the dangers of secondhand smoke; the society that publishes the journal, the International Society of Regulatory Toxicology & Phamacology, has held meetings in the office of a chemical-industry-lobby law firm.

Public health experts dismiss these publications as unreliable vanity journals. "These two journals exist to manufacture and disseminate scientific doubt," says David Michaels, a professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health and the author of "Doubt Is Their Product," a book about product defense science. "They provide the appearance of peer review and credibility to 'product defense' science - mercenary studies not designed to contribute to the scientific enterprise but to forestall public health and environmental protections and to defeat litigation. Corporations opposing public health or environmental regulations enter the rigged studies and questionable analyses published in these mercenary journals into regulatory proceedings or lawsuits to manufacture scientific uncertainty."

Then, Michaels says, companies can say, "Look, the studies have conflicting conclusions, so there is too much scientific uncertainty to issue regulations to protect the public or to compensate victims." For example, this spring, the auto industry cited a study in Regulatory Toxicology to beat back potential climate-change regulations. Citing a study in Regulatory Toxicology, a think tank with strong ties to industry sent a letter in August to the FDA attempting to ensure less-stringent regulations for smokeless tobacco.

Adding to the noise are the free-market think tanks and conservative foundations that fund groups to downplay the dangers of chemicals and disparage the scientists who study them (and the journalists who report on them). Most prominent among these is the American Council on Science and Health, which has received funding from several chemical companies and apparently exists to defend fracking, BPA and pesticides. The group recently unveiled a new website that attacks journalists (including me) and scientists who have noted that industry funding can affect research results - a trend that has been confirmed in a large body of research.

There is little confusion among independent scientists about these chemicals and their effects on humans. But given the manufactured public confusion on these issues, Trasande says he does not expect Congress or federal agencies to address chemical safety. The AAP statement was designed to alert the public and start a national discussion. Eventually, Trasande expects that pressure from consumers for more transparency about the chemicals in our food will force companies to make changes to protect their brands.

Until our government acts, however - or the public pressure becomes overwhelming - every time we walk down the supermarket aisle and wonder which products are safest for our families, we're on our own.

Paul D. Thacker is a freelance writer and former staffer with the Senate Finance Committee who led federal investigations into corruption in science and medicine. He wrote this for The Washington Post.The Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Sunday that countries like Nepal and Bhutan will have to be inclined to India because of geography. He was speaking to reporters at Aundh in Pune (India) on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation- Field Training Military Exercise, also known as BIMSTEC-MILEX 18 on Sunday.

A report published in the The Economic Times quoted Rawat as saying while replying to a query on Nepals growing alignment with China, Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be inclined to India because of geography. Geography favours inclination towards India and as far as alliance (with China) is concerned, it is a temporary thing.

To buttress his statement he gave the example of Pakistan and the US  The best example of this is the relation between America and Pakistan. It is not the same as what it used to be 70 years ago. Therefore, we need not be bothered about all these issues. We need to concentrate on how to keep our country strong, he said.

The report further quoted Rawat as saying that the leadership in India believes in developing relations with its neighbours. We are a bigger country and if we take the lead, everybody will follow suit. That is why we stepped into this (by organising the military exercise), he said.

He claimed that India looked at China as a competitor because of economics. They (China) are looking for a market and so are we. There is competition. Whoever does it better will win the race, Rawat said.

Replying to a query on whether the issue of illegal immigration would be added to the BIMSTEC discussion in the future, the General said it was not a new phenomenon. Migration always happens from an economically weaker nation to a stronger nation. Therefore, equal growth is important. This phenomenon is not going to end unless there is equitable and good distribution of growth, said Rawat.

While contingents of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan took part in the week-long military exercise, Nepal and Thailand skipped it and sent observers instead.The ceremony for presenting the Hrant Dink Award to people fighting for human rights was held for the tenth year, in Istanbul, Turkey.

From Turkey, Murat Celikkan, who fights for human rights since the 1970s and who has been imprisoned several times for this fight, received this years award, Agos Armenian weekly of Istanbul reported.

And from abroad, Radhya Al-Mutawakelm, Chairperson of MWATANA Organization for Human Rights of Yemen, became this years Hrant Dink Award winner.

World-renowned American Armenian musician Serj Tankian was among the jury members of this award.

Hrant Dink, the founder and chief editor of Agos, was gunned down on January 19, 2007, outside the then office of this newspaper.

In 2011, the perpetrator, Ogun Samast, was sentenced by a juvenile court to 22 years and ten months for the murder.

After long court proceedings and appeals, however, a new probe was ultimately launched into this murder case, and regarding numerous former and serving senior Turkish officials complicity in this assassination.OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Personal Representative: Certain changes made in actions after hostilities in 2020

Israeli Members of Knesset submit bill to recognize Armenian Genocide

Russia Ambassador: There won't be deals behind Armenian people's back when communications with Azerbaijan are unblocked

NEWS.am daily digest: 09.11.21

Baku not refuting attack on peaceful civilians in Artsakh, but putting blame on Yerevan

Gor Abrahamyan: Armenia Prosecutor General hasn't applied to Russia's competent authorities for citizenship

Armenia legislature committee approves draft state budget for 2022

Azerbaijani soldier dies after falling down from multi-story parking lot in Turkey

Persons suspected of murder of businessman Hayk Harutyunyan arrested in Moscow

Armenia Deputy PM receives newly appointed UNDP Resident Representative

Armenia is elected UNESCO General Conference 41st session vice-chair (PHOTOS)

Armenia MOD ex-press secretary is appointed expert to parliament committee

Armenia MOD leaves for Moscow

Russian MFA on anniversary of agreements of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia leaders on ceasefire in Karabakh

Armenia FM to head for Paris

Dollar loses value in Armenia

Turkey attempting to drive wedge between Armenia and Armenian diaspora

Online intimidation of Artsakh people by Azerbaijan special services gains new momentum

9-year-old Armenian boy dies after being run over by car

Kremlin comments on prospect of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders meeting over Karabakh

Armenia 2nd President and Karabakh ex-President also bid farewell to Serzh Sargsyan's mother

Armenia former President Kocharyan, ex-deputy PM and now lawmaker Gevorgyan court session pushed back 1 week

Peskov: Karabakh conflict statement signed last year by Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan is extremely important

Turkey defense minister: Opening of Zangezur corridor does not pose threat to any side

Azerbaijan threatens Armenia defense minister

President pays tribute to martyrs of recent Artsakh war

Saakashvili's supporters holding protest near Justice Ministry building in Tbilisi

Turkey defense minister stubbornly does not see Azerbaijan provocations

Armenian historian: Armenia needs to establish refugee settlement in Yerevan for those displaced from Artsakh

Armenia opposition MP not elected legislature defense committee deputy chair for 11th time

Armenia PM spokesperson resigns

Armenia parliament speaker: We have paid very high price for our mistakes

Armenia premier appoints new deputy FM

1,121 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Karabakh MFA: Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan

Russia peacekeepers patrol Karabakh line of contact

Women in the Police System training program kicks off in Armenia

Investigative Committee: Azerbaijan soldier entered Artsakh, fired at waterline repairmen (PHOTOS)

Newspaper: 114 soldiers and civilians are returned so far from Azerbaijan to Armenia

US State Department issues statement on 1-year anniversary of Karabakh ceasefire declaration

Armenia ruling power MPs visit Yerevan military pantheon

Newspaper: Ex-police chief continues knocking on opposition Armenia Blocs door

Armenia MFA: Realities created by use of force against Artsakh cannot create basis for Karabakh conflict settlement

Newspaper: Russia army Southern Military District deputy commander coming to Armenia on special mission

Armenia ruling power MPs visit Yerevan military pantheon

Reporters are allowed into Yerevan military pantheon only after PM motorcades departure

Armenia PM is at Yerevan military pantheon

Erdogan congratulates Aliyev

Armenia 2nd President: We're going to get rid of these authorities through barricades or elections

Russia, Azerbaijan FMs discuss trilateral statement signed on November 9, 2020

Armenia FM strongly condemns Azerbaijan's provocations during phone talks with Russian counterpart

armlur.am: Armenia ex-police chief: I support Robert Kocharyan, he can help get country out of this situation

Council of Armenia's Tegh village: Horse that crossed over to Azerbaijani side has returned

Russian and Armenia FMs continue to exchange views ahead of anniversary of adoption of trilateral statement

Armenia MFA issues statement strongly condemning Azerbaijan's gross violation of ceasefire regime

Armenia ruling party representative appointed Shirak Province governor

Ex-deputy chief of Armenian army's General Staff Tiran Khachatryan attends opposition's rally

Armenia 2nd President: Demarcation with border of Azerbaijan will predetermine status of Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia 2nd President presents 4 facts about 44-day war

168.am: Armenia ex-defense minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan to be appointed Ambassador to Russia

Armenia defense minister pays working visit to Karabakh and then visits Sev Lake territory of Syunik Province

Young Armenians hold demonstration in defense of Armenia and Artsakh in Athens

Opposition 'Armenia' Alliance adopts declaration at end of rally at Freedom Square in Yerevan

One of civilians injured in Shushi is in severe condition, 2 persons' condition is of medium severity

NEWS.am daily digest: 08.11.21

Armenia police apprehend female participant of rally at Freedom Square

Armenian FM receives outgoing UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia

Traffic stopped at intersection near Karabakh's Shushi after gunshots fired by Azerbaijanis at water company employees

Opposition 'Armenia' alliance holding rally at Freedom Square in Yerevan

Police troops deployed at Freedom Square in Yerevan and nearby streets

Opposition Armenia parliament faction leader: This unblocking will lead to deeper blockade

Armen Sarkissian: Armenia could become a base country for Russia for development of certain directions

Two of three civilians injured in Artsakh are undergoing surgeries, condition is stable but grave

Sarkissian: Armenia's relations with a third country are theorem but those with Russia are axiom

Hulusi Akar: Turkey expects Armenia to discuss 3+3 platform proposal

Dollar quite stable in Armenia

Armenia President on relations with Turkey: Nothing will work out, if there is no mutual respect

Iran MFA: We hope to see development of relations with Azerbaijan as much as possible

Armenian enemy uttered in every paragraph of Azerbaijan presidents address

Karabakh National Security Service: Azerbaijanis shoot civilians working on water pipelines near Shushi

Artsakh President gets vaccinated against Covid

Mijatovic: Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following 2020 hostilities in Karabakh

Armenia President states how long Russian peacekeepers will need to be in Nagorno-Karabakh

Health minister: Real number of people infected with COVID-19 may be 2-3 times greater in Armenia

Armenia PM sending Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer to Dubai on business trip

Peskov: Exact date of Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders video-link talks not determined yet

Turkey defense minister: Armenia must stop enmity, look forward

Protesters submit report on crime to Armenia Prosecutor General's Office, demand sentencing PM

Beglaryan: Artsakh Armenians righteous struggle continues for international recognition of their independence

Armenia town womans fellow city resident is detained in connection with her death as result of severe beating

Karabakh parliament to convene special session Tuesday

Economy minister: Agricultures share in Armenia's total GDP will inevitably decrease

4 more persons die of coronavirus in Artsakh

Armenian Genocide recognition bill to be debated on at UK House of Commons on Tuesday

Demonstration against November 2020 tripartite statement being held in Yerevan

810 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Health minister: More than 890,000 people in Armenia have been vaccinated against Covid

Pregnant woman dies of coronavirus in Armenia

World oil prices on the rise

CSTO peacekeepers military exercises kicking off in RussiaJovito Palparan

Retired Army major general Jovito Palparan shouted at a Malolos judge Monday, calling him a coward after he was found guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention and sentenced to life imprisonment.Palparan and two others, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt Edgardo Osorio were convicted of kidnapping University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno on June 26, 2006. Both are still missing. Duwag ka judge! Youre such a coward! Palparan shouted as Judge Alexander Tamayo of the Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 15 read the verdict. When the judge threatened to cite him for contempt, Palparan said it did not matter, since they would go to jail anyway. As court personnel tried to pacify him, Palparan went on. Youre such a fool! he shouted at the judge. In the service, Palparan pursued a ruthless campaign against communist insurgents in Mindoro, Samar and Central Luzon, earning him the nickname The Butcher. The Armed Forces of the Philippines declined to comment on Palparans conviction, but Col. Edgard Arevalo, military spokesman, said the institution respects the decision of the court. As it has been and always will be, the position of the AFP is submission to the majesty of the courts and respect for the rule of law, Arevalo said. We also respect whatever legal recourse are available to Palparan Jr. et al under the law and the Rules of Court, he added. Aside from the life sentence, each of the convicted were ordered to pay P100,000 in civil indemnity and P200,000 in moral damages. Palparan, Anotado, and Osorio will be detained at the New Bilibid Prison but their lawyers asked that they remain at the custodial center in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig because of another pending case. Sherlyns mother, Erlinda, cried as the verdict was read, saying the decision was correct and supported by the evidence. She added that as long as she was alive, she would hope that her daughter is alive. Palparan was arrested in August 2014, three years after he went into hiding following the issuance of a warrant against him. A co-accused, Sgt. Rizal Hilario, is still at large. Palparan was convicted on the strength of testimony from a witness, farmer Raymond Manalo, who testified that he saw both Cadapan and Empeno in a military cell, where he was also held. With Rey E. Requejo and Orlan L. Mauricio Manalo said he was taken on Feb. 14, 2006 on allegations that he was a communist rebel. In court, he testified that he saw military men torture and sexually molest Cadapan, 29 at the time, and Empeno, 22. The National Union of Peoples Lawyers hailed Palparans conviction. We are extremely elated that justice has finally caught up with the coward Butcher. The law and evidence is not only on our side this time around but we are on the side of truth and justice, the group said in a statement.His conviction sends the message that cocky perpetrators of hideous human rights violations will meet their match in the fortitude of the mothers, the strength of the mass movement, the courage of human rights defenders, and the value of good lawyering for the people. Edre Olalia, president of the NUPL, said his group was considering the implications of the verdict from the point of view of the command responsibility of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Militant lawmakers on Monday welcomed the guilty verdict. This much welcomed verdict is long overdue for this remorseless Butcher Palparan. This then should be taken as a strong warning to other human rights violators, then and now, that reckoning day will eventually come. This certainly is a good day for the human rights community, HR defenders and the families of victims, Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said. Anakpawis Party-list Ariel Casilao said the guilty verdict should move other victims of human rights abuses by the military to file charges. We laud the families of the victims, their supporters, the human rights advocacy and peoples movement in general, for resolutely struggling for this triumph, the butcher of Oplan Bantay Laya under the Macapagal Arroyo administration should not see a shade of freedom for the state terror he sowed against the people, Casilao said. In the Senate, Minority Leader Franklin Drilon described a bright spot in an otherwise difficult judicial process the conviction of retired general Jovito Palparan and two others. Senator Francis Pangilinan said the court decision should send a strong signal to the Armed Forces, the Philippine National Police, and the rest of those in government that, sooner or later, the law and the justice system will hold to account violators of human rights. Senator Francis Escudero said that justice has been served. Senator Grace Poe said the conviction is a good sign that while a crime was committed years ago, one has to pay for it. She said the court decision will somehow ease the pain felt by the families of Empeno and Cadapan. The Department of Justice also lauded the conviction. Justice may come a bit late, but it does come. Lets believe in that, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, in a message sent to reporters. Commission on Human Rights Chairman Chito Gascon said the decision could set a good precedent that justice can still be served to other victims of human rights violations. This is an important judgment. It sends a strong signal that victims of human rights violations could still be able to secure justice as long as there is a strong will on the part of the victims, their lawyers, and the human rights defenders who support them to hold perpetrators to account, he said. The human rights group Karapatan also welcomed Mondays decision. This is a step forward for justice, though partial for so long as Karen and Sherlyn remain missing and numerous other violations remain unresolved, Karapatan deputy secretary general Roneo Clamor said.Kafr Ain, SyriaThe grotto in northwestern Syria has already saved his childrens lives once. Fearing more air attacks, Abdulmonem is expanding the makeshift bomb shelter in case they need to take refuge there again. Residents of Idlib province and surrounding areas have been bracing themselves for a Russian-backed government offensive on the countrys largest remaining rebel-held zone. Some three million people live in the area and the United Nations has warned that a full-scale regime assault could spark the centurys worst humanitarian catastrophe. Residents fears have been heightened by Russian and Syrian air strikes, artillery fire and barrel bombs that have killed more than 30 civilians across the province in the past month, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Sat outside the craggy cave opening in his hometown of Kafr Ain, in Idlibs south, Abdulmonem Sheikh Jassem explains how he is trying to keep his family safe. About 10 days ago, we started digging out, expanding, and equipping the cave in case theres new bombing, says Jassem, a 55-year-old former truck driver. Citing a bad back and knee problems, he has hired a laborer to transform the grotto into a full shelter. Working by the dim light filtering in through the mouth of the cave, the elderly worker chips away at the rock face with a pickaxe to widen the cramped space. The builders two scrawny children, covered in a thick layer of dust, move rocks torn loose from the wall to a wheelbarrow outside, which they periodically dump in the nearby hills. Were expanding it out, then well paint it and put stairs at the entrance so you can go up and down easily, says Jassem, who has four daughters and two sons of his own. Two years ago, Jassem and his family rushed to the very same cave to hide from an incoming regime helicopter. Our house was demolished but we were in the cave, thank God, so no one was wounded or hurt, he says, his coarse salt-and-pepper hair tapering down into stubble on his tanned, wrinkled face. Im the most scared for my children, he says. Fear is normal for those who have a family. Syrias conflict erupted in 2011. Within four years, rebels and hard-line jihadists had overrun swathes of territory, including Idlib province. But since then, government troops have made a fierce comeback and recaptured nearly two-thirds of the country, bolstered by Syrian and Russian warplanes.The regimes use of air raids across Syria has sent residents fleeing to basements or caves, even forcing hospitals, community centres and schools to move underground. Medics in rural parts of Idlib have done the same. On September 8, an underground hospital on the outskirts of Hass in the south of the province was damaged by an air strike, according to the Observatory. A recent wave of strikes near the town of Hobeit further south sent Abu Mohammad, his uncle and his young cousins into their homemade bomb shelter, he tells AFP. The family dug out the large cellar during the early years of Syrias war. The floors and walls have been smoothed over with concrete and painted, and several fluorescent bulbs cast a blue-white light into the room. A shelf carved into one wall holds water and jars of pickles and other preserves. The bombing got worse on this area because its close to regime territory in northern Hama province, just south of Idlib, says Abu Mohammad, 25. We had to clean the shelter out again, bring preserves and everything we might need so that we wont have to go back up to the house. The UN has urged the conflicts top power brokersRussia, fellow regime ally Iran, and rebel backer Turkeyto engage in talks to avoid a bloodbath in Idlib. Bombardment has slowed over the past week, and on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied that Syrian troops were planning a major offensive on Idlib. For eight-year-old Omran, a cousin of Abu Mohammad, the most important thing is being able to go to school safely. The threat of air attacks has prevented the dark-eyed boy going to class for more than a week. I have lots of friends who have been wounded and some of them died, says Omran. I want to read, write, and go to school every day. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday opening talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that he wants to discuss problems of the Syrian settlement and try to find solutions to them, TASS reported quoting Kremlin.

"Our relations are developing dynamically and positively. It can be said about our trade and economic ties, which are growing rapidly. It can be said about our security cooperation, especially within the region, on the international arena in a broad sense of the word," he said. "There are a lot of problems, some of them being very difficult. I am glad to see you not only to exchange views on the entire range of problems but also to try to find solutions where there are none as of yet."

Welcoming the guest, the Russian leader stressed that their meetings are held rather regularly. He noted that the Turkish presidents latest visit to Russia took place exactly a year ago.Here we are again, facing the aftermath of a monster storm, strangely named Mangkhut (its international name, coming from the Thai word for Mangosteen) and its innocuous-sounding Filipino name Ompong (a Dolphy character if I correctly remember). But the story is the same. Winds, rain, floods, storm surges, and landslides wreck havoc and cause loss of life and damage to property. We are better now, of course. Dozens still died compared to the thousands when Yolanda devasted the Visayas and Pablo and Sendong hit Mindanao. But we cannot rest on our laurels. In a recent article I co-wrote with Dr. Kristoffer Berse from the National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University Philippines, we pointed out that no disasters are the same, but there are common themes of what constitute a good response. We pointed out that: A well-established early warning system ensured timely evacuation, while the operation centers of most cities were in full gear as torrential rains pounded the metropolis intermittently. But what created significant buzz among netizens is in how cities like Marikina, Makati, and Quezon Citycertainly our star cities when it comes to disaster managementhave raised the bar in camp and evacuation management. Marikina and Makati put up modular tents, a foldable technology adopted from the Japanese, while Quezon City showcased its own fire-proof and solar-powered pop-up huts. These examples should serve as the gold standard for other cities to up their ante in the provision of temporary shelters. The provinces, cities, and towns of Northern Luzon would certainly have benefited from the experience of Marikina, Makati, and Quezon City. Its time to scale up inter-LGU (local government unit) cooperation so best practices can be emulated. A best practice, Professor Berse and I point to is the shift towards nature-based solutions to manage flooding and other disasters. Multi-billion mega-flood control projects can only do so much; we need to harness nature so it can take back what it gives. While some local governments have improved their capacity to address disasters, Professor Berse and I propose that we cannot rest on the laurels of these star LGUs. As we have done for five years now, we strongly support the creation of a national agency that could dedicate its full resources in ensuring that the good practice of some LGUs become standard practice throughout the country. We observed: Scaling up of good practices cannot be done more effectively and efficiently in the current setup wherein the Office of Civil Defense, the Secretariat of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), could not even directly receive funds for Capital Outlay to finance the creation DRRM training institutes nationwide, as mandated by law. It does not help that the OCD, as an attached agency, has to compete with the bureaucratic priorities of its host agency, the Department of National Defense (DND). We believe that all of our local successes will be in vain if there is no authoritative and accountable agency that could effectively harmonize these efforts for a coherent whole-of-society and whole-of-government endeavor. Unfortunately, our efforts continue to be marred by bureaucratic squabbling and largely isolated activities, with LGUs on the receiving end of competing, if not conflicting, information and instructions from various national agencies. Take for instance what we did with a good thing like Project Noah. Fortunately, President Duterte in his last SONA is supporting the creation of a standalone executive department. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, one of the most experienced and innovative on disaster issues when he was governor of his province, has filed a bill creating of a Department of Disaster Resilience. Professor Berse and I suggest that we go further and create a Department of Disaster Resilence and Climate Change, with the Climate Change Commission and its powers and functions absorbed into the new department.The Salceda bill, of course, is not yet perfect in its current form. Congress should not start from scratch. It should consider the findings and recommendations of the nationwide consultations with various groups involved in NDRRMC operations that took place in 2015-2016, an effort led by NDRRMC Executive Director and Defense Undersecretary Alexander Pama to prepare for the formal sunset review of Republic Act 10121. Professor Berse and I propose the following considerations in creating a new department. First, Congress must be strategic in deciding which existing agencies should be integrated into the new department. For example, we must thoroughly discuss the pros and cons of transferring Pagasa and the Mining and GeoSciences Bureau (MGB) to the new department. We do not want the unintended consequence of having the mandate of these agencies, which goes beyond disaster resilience, affected by such a move. Are there other options short of removing them respectively from the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)? Top officials and rank and file from the affected agencies must certainly by consulted so all bases are covered. Second, the amalgamation of the NDRRMC and CCC, as the highest policymaking and advisory body, is also necessary. These institutions have been managed separately, undertaking activities that should have been integrated from the beginning. Now is the perfect time to make this institutional convergence happen officially and for good. For as the saying goes, too many cooks could spoil the broth. But similar to Pagasa and MGB, the top officials and rank and file of CCC should be consulted, among others to also identify mandates that might be affected by this change. Mitigation regulatory responsibilities should now be completely returned mainly to the DENR but with the Departments of Energy, Transportation, and Agriculture as playing important roles. The negotiation mandate of the CCC should now be returned mainly with the Department of Foreign Affairs working with all agencies but with the Secretary of the new department as the minister in charge for purposes of official meetings. Third, the new department must have one clear one line Cabinet secretary that will now be in charge of both disasters and climate change. It was not effective to have the President, who is very busy, to chair the NDRMRMC and CCC. He still of course will have control over the new department as head of the executive branch. Fourth, on the financial side, the Peoples Survival Fund should be included in discussion on funding resilience. By finally integrating disaster risk reduction planning and climate change adaptation, new sources of funding could be identified for resilience projects. This includes the Green Climate Fund where money is available for both mitigation and adaptation. In sum, we can face disasters better. But we must be united in our efforts, not distracted by our toxic politics. How to do that will be the topic of my next column.Russia and Turkey have agreed to set up a 15-20km demilitarized zone along the contact line between Syrian government troops and the armed opposition by October 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday after talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, TASS reported.

"At the meeting, we discussed in detail this situation (in the Idlib governorate) and decided to establish a 15-20km-wide demilitarized zone along the contact line between government troops and the armed opposition by October 15, 2018 and evacuate radical militants, including Jabhat al-Nusra," he said.

Putin also told about other agreements reached at his talks with Erdogan. Thus, at the Turkish presidents initiative, it is planned "to withdraw from this zone heavy weapons, tanks, multiple missile launcher systems, artillery systems and mortars of all opposition groups" by October 10," Putin informed. "Control in the demilitarized zone will be exercised by mobile patrol groups of Turkish units and units of Russian military police."

Putin also told about other agreements reached at his talks with Erdogan. Thus, at the Turkish presidents initiative, it is planned "to withdraw from this zone heavy weapons, tanks, multiple missile launcher systems, artillery systems and mortars of all opposition groups" by October 10," Putin informed. "Control in the demilitarized zone will be exercised by mobile patrol groups of Turkish units and units of Russian military police."

He also said that the sides agreed to "resume transit traffic along the Aleppo-Latakia and Aleppo-Hama highways by the end of 2018, also at the initiative of the Turkish side."

"Russia and Turkey are working closely to resolve the Syrian crisis, to strengthen the ceasefire and improve the humanitarian situation," Putin said, adding that during todays talks the sides "focused on the situation the Idlib governorate taking into account the presence of big groups of militants and their infrastructure there."

The Russian president noted that his talks with the Syrian counterpart have yielded "coordinated solutions." He recalled that Russia was worried over that fact that militants concentrated in that area pose threats "both to the city of Aleppo and our military facilities in Syria, namely in Tartus and Hmeymim."

Putin said consultations are being prepared with the Syrian authorities on the initiative to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib.

"In general, the Syrian leadership supports this approach," he said. "We will hold additional consultations with the Syrian authorities soon."

"Russia and Turkey reiterated their commitment to continue anti-terrorism efforts in Syria in any of its forms or manifestations," Putin stressed. "We agreed that practical implementation of the steps we plan will give a fresh impetus to the process of political settlement of the Syrian conflict and will make it possible to invigorate efforts in the Geneva format and will help restore peace in Syria."The Saudi manufacturer and provider of advanced copper, aluminium and fibre optic cable products, Saudi Cable Company (SCC), has sold its shares in Turkey-based Demirer Kablo to Chinas group Jiangsu Zongitan Technology (ZTT), Bahrain-based Trade Arabia reports.

The media says SCC founded 40 years ago has relinquished its 29.3 in Demirer Kablo.

SCC according to the media also noted that all necessary have been obtained from relevant authorities in Turkey and China.

SCC had begun early this month regular pull out from the manufacturer of the high and extra high voltage energy cables.

The kingdom-based company has decreased by 72.63 per cent its investment in Demirer Kablo, leading to a plunge from 40.4 to 29.3 of its stakes in the company.Foreign workers aged 55 could stay longer in the Gulf country on three conditions including owning property worth AED2 million ($545,000), the federal government announced Sunday.

The new law was adopted at a cabinet meeting chaired by Dubai ruler and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed.

Under the new law, the retired expat workers can apply for an extension of their visa under three criteria, namely ownership of a real estate investment of AED2 million, or of financial savings of not less than AED1 million, or proof of income above AED20,000 per month.

The UAE Cabinet approved a law to provide special residency-visa privileges for expat retirees over the age of fifty-five years for a period of five years, with the possibility of renewal, according to specific conditions, the Dubai Government Media office said.

The new law, Reuters notes, could help prop up the real estate market of Dubai.

The new law follows last week reports that Dubai-based Emaar Properties PJSC; a real estate company, would propose investors 10-year visa as part of incentives to attract foreign investments.

Emaar swiftly dismissed the reports arguing that the issuance of visas falls under the purview of the concerned authorities.

The economy of the Gulf of country is facing a slowdown and the real state sector in Dubai, according to S&P Global Ratings, could decline by 10 to 15 percent over the next two years, hit by new supply, geopolitical risks and the introduction of value added-tax in the United Arab Emirates.An American-French law teacher is due to be deported from Israel after his arrest on Friday while taking part in a protest against the demolition of a Bedouin village by Israeli forces.

Gaby Lansky, lawyer of US-born Frank Romano, Sunday said his client has been sent to immigration for deportation without a hearing following his arrest.

There is an administrative decision to deport him, Lansky wrote on Twitter.

Like thieves in the night, instead of bringing Frank Romano to a hearing to free him from jail, which I requested and which was set for 4 p.m. in Jerusalem Magistrates Court, without notifying me or the court, at 2 p.m., police transferred him to immigration for deportation, the lawyer added.

Romano, 66, who teaches law at the Paris Nanterre University, was arrested and detained on Friday as he tried to oppose the razing of Khan al-Ahmar, a Palestinian village situated east of Jerusalem, in Area C, which is under Israels control.

Israel is due to demolish the village despite International calls to halt the plan. Around 200 Palestinians live in the village made of corrugated shacks and tents. Israel claims the village is illegal and built without license. Israeli authorities propose to relocate the villagers 12 miles (7 kilometers) away.

Israels High Court of Justice last week rejected a final appeal against the demolition.

Opponents of the demolition argue that it is part of plans to expand the nearby settlement of Kfar Adumim and to create a region of contiguous Israeli control from Jerusalem almost to the Dead Sea, a move critics say will bisect the West Bank, making a contiguous Palestinian state impossible, Times of Israel reports.

Romano was arrested along with two other Palestinian activists. He was reportedly first moved to a police station in the West Bank before being locked up in Jerusalem.Recently, on September 6, Actons president and co-founder Rev. Robert Sirico launched his first trade press book in French Catholique et Liberal. Les raisons morales dune economie libre (Editions Salavator, trans. Solene Tadie) before a standing-room-only crowd at Paris Story, a theater in the French capitals Opera cultural district.

Invited by the publisher Editions Salvator, Institut des Libertes and some other local supporters, over 170 persons (a cross-current of entrepreneurs, think tank representatives, journalists, professors and Church leaders) came from all over the City of Light to hear an American Catholic priest defend the free market according to profound moral and religious convictions about human liberty and human dignity.

In making his case for why he supports free enterprise, Rev. Sirico argued that we cannot appreciate economics simply from false anthropological constructs like homo economicus, that is, viewing human flourishing through the mere satisfaction of determinate material needs. Nor can we appreciate economics as a vehicle for mitigating economic inequality or class warfare as we find in socialist and Marxist political-economic manifestos.

Rather, Rev. Sirico said, a moral defense of free market economics is more about defending our inalienable rights to live out our vocations according to our conscience and according to the dignity we associate with human innovation while freely and ingeniously contributing to the common good of mankind.

The human freedom in the market, the right to private property, contract, and similar things(are) intimately tied to human persons, because all these things are created by human beings and for human beings, who are themselves created by God in whose image they are fashioned, and are endowed with a vocation to be creative and productive and responsible, Rev. Sirico said.

Spurring discussion of Rev. Siricos book at Paris Story was Institut des Libertess president Charles Gave, author of the books French preface and former international financial executive in Hong Kong.

Mr. Gave writes in his preface that human freedom is ultimately order to Christs demanding moral command to give freely and entirely of ourselves, of all our talents, and all our resources to projects so as to take full responsibility of our moral choices and acts to contribute to the common good.

As Gave writes, He who has not given everything, has really given nothingThe essence of the Christian religion is not to ask for mechanical adhesion to a rule let alone obey a master as does a dog [obeys his owner]. This is not the full exercise of our free will. ( trans. from French in Catholique et Liberal, p. 8) Gave, therefore, argued that economies must be maximally disposed to increase and embolden our freedoms so we may act to our fullest, freest, most responsible capacity to respond to Christs high moral demands for us as individuals when caring for human society as a whole.

Jean-Philippe Delsol, president of IREF, an economics and tax reform advocacy, was invited to provide further commentary as Rev. Siricos discussant (see English translation here). According to Prof. Delsol, who wrote a favorable review of the book, much of the socialist-capitalist debate pivots around whether the moral precepts of Christianity are actually compatible with the secular political, economic and cultural norms established to sustain free enterprise.

Liberals must find God, he said. But Christians should also find freedom. Delsol went on to explain that in fact, there is no responsibility without freedom and that the highest political end of the State is human freedom and, thus, must support economic and legal systems that nourish and protect freedom.

Having said this, he told the attentive audience in Paris, Freedom is not the end of man, but the necessary means of attaining (human happiness)Freedom, despite the natural human yearning for it, is not a goal or a virtue in itself. We have freedom for something. Freedom is an instrumental goal. Once it is achieved, we naturally ask, And then? What is the answer to the and then? with regard to our freedom? Ultimately the aim of freedom must be the Truth of God and man.

The problem today, Prof. Delsol concluded, is that many Western governments crowd out creative human charity due to the largesse of Nanny Welfare States whose subsidies, impersonal agencies, and bureaucratic machines take the place of [loving, free] individuals making them more and more mediocre every day.

The evening concluded with a lively question and answer session with the author Rev. Sirico. Many of those in attendance spoke of the ways in which the Church, as with Pope Francis, actively speak out against the free market where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer or simply demonize entrepreneurs as self-aggrandizing, greedy Gordon Geckos, like in the 1980s Hollywood blockbuster film Wall Street who care not for poor but only themselves and maintaining their luxurious lifestyles, one man commented.

Rev. Sirico responded saying we must not just make moral claims about wealth creation. Moral claims are important, he said, and certainly we have plenty of Gordon Geckos out there bent on ameliorating only their own fate. However, he said, we must base our opinions about the free market on the facts. Without the facts our moral case is less credible, he said.

What no one can honestly deny is that over last few hundred years, since the Industrial Revolution, its not just the rich that are getting richer, but the poor are getting richer as well. While not necessarily at the same rate or in direct proportion to the rich, we cannot deny, Sirico said, that todays poor are better off and have more access to global market exchange and to goods that were yesterdays luxuries but which are todays commonplace affordable necessities, like penicillin and cell phones.

The world is a much better place to flourish today, he said, and we can thank human invention made possible in a global market context.

To purchase a copy of Rev. Sirico Catholique et Liberal. Les raisons morales dune economie libre, please order from the Editions Salvator web site.

Note: Solene Tadie contributed to this blog.Sudans President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Thursday named new ministers to the key posts of finance, interior and water resources.

The government of the war-torn nation was dissolved last week amid a deepening economic crisis. Motazz Moussa was appointed as the countrys new prime minister on Sunday.

On Thursday, Abdullah Hamduk was appointed minister of finance, Ahmed Bilal Othman interior minister, and Khadr Mohamed Qasmallah minister of water resources and electricity, National Congress Party Deputy Chairman Faisal Hassan told a news conference.

The official told reporters that the defense and interior ministers would remain in their posts in the new government.

Hamduk served previously as executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, according to Reuters.

The shake-up comes as Khartoum looks to cut back expenditure to tackle a severe hard currency shortage and economic downturn. The move includes a cut in the number of ministries to 21 from 31. The ministries of petroleum and mining have been merged in the new government, and will now be headed by Azhari Abdel Qader.

Sudans economy has been struggling since the south seceded in 2011, taking with it three quarters of oil output. Prices of food items and other products more than doubled over the past year across Sudan as the economic crisis grew.Colorado will vote on November 6 on a ballot proposition to increase the setback distance for drilling oil and gas wells by five times to 2,500 feet.

Proponents of the initiativewhich qualified in end-August for the ballot with enough signatures raisedsay that it would limit the health and environmental dangers of fracking.

Opponents and analysts say that such setback measures would effectively mean a ban on drilling in the state as it would put a lot of land off limits for new developments.

If Proposition 112as the new setback proposal will be put on the ballotpasses, it would devastate the oil and gas industry in Colorado, destroy thousands of jobs, and eliminate billions in state revenues from oil and gas taxes and royalties that would affect the entire Colorado economy, say the groups who oppose the initiative to increase the setbacks from the current 500 feet to 2,500 feet.

The stocks of oil and gas drillers and midstream companies active in Colorado, including Anadarko and Noble Energy, have already suffered since the proposition made the ballot and will continue to languish until the November ballot gives clarity on the setback initiative, analysts say.

Its far from certain that the setback proposal would pass. In fact, analysts say theres a 50-percent chance, while the industry and groups lobbying against the proposition are optimistic that it wont be approved in November.

Nevertheless, groups opposing the new setback measures and analysts warn that if it were to pass, the legislation would not only cut Colorados oil and gas production and lead to significant job losses, but it would also have a ripple effect on many other industries in Colorado and its entire economy.

Colorados field production of crude oil reached a record high last yearat 358,000 bpd, according to figures by the EIA. In 2016, as a result of the slump in oil prices, production had dropped to 318,000 bpd from 336,000 bpd in 2015. Related: Norways Offshore Oil Boom Is Back On

With the oil price rise in 2017 and so far this year, Colorados oil production in April and May hit a record at 447,000 bpd, and stood at 423,000 bpd in June, the latest available EIA data shows.

If the ballot measure is approved, Colorados oil production could plunge to 275,000 bpd by 2023, which would be a 54-percent drop from current projections, according to an S&P Global Platts Analytics report last week.

It has the potential to tip Colorado into recession and set off a nasty tax cut battle, Baird analyst Ethan Bellamy told Platts.

The setback measure, if it passes, would thrust a dagger into the heart of Colorados oil industry, Bellamy told Oil and Gas Investor.

Anne Lee Foster with Colorado Rising, the proponent of the initiative, said that This measure is designed to protect the long-term quality of our lives, our health, and a robust economy that is dependent on the natural beauty that Colorado is so famous for.

Colorado Oil & Gas Association President & CEO Dan Haley says that Coloradans need to know exactly what is at stake: private property rights, more than 100,000 good paying jobs, more than $1 billion in taxes for schools, parks and libraries, and our nations energy security. A half-mile setback is a blatant attempt by activists to ban oil and natural gas in Colorado and put working families on the unemployment line.

According to the association, the initiative would kill up to 147,800 good-paying jobs in Colorado by 2030, with up to 43,000 jobs being lost in the first year alone. The state would lose US$26 billion annually in GDP by 2030, and more than US$9 billion in state and local tax revenue.

Related: The U.S. Calls On Russia To Cap Soaring Oil Prices

More than 94 percent non-federal land in Colorados top five producing oil and natural gas countiesWeld, Garfield, La Plata, Rio Blanco, and Las Animaswould be unavailable for new production if the ballot measure passes, says Protect Colorado, a group opposing the initiative.

The expected state-wide negative economic impacts are the reason why bipartisan opposition to this measure includes Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper and both gubernatorial candidates, Republican Walker Stapleton and Democrat Jared Polis, according to Protect Colorado.

The huge bipartisan coalition to beat the setback measure in November means that the proposition would likely fail, Simon Lomax, a research fellow with Vital for Colorado, a group opposing the proposition, told Oil and Gas Investor.

The economic consequences of the impact are so great and extreme it makes this measure so beatable, Lomax said.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Russia and Saudi Arabia are eating into Irans oil market share, Tehrans OPEC governor, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, said in an interview with state oil agency Shana.

The official did not reserve his criticism for these two, however. He also slammed other OPEC members for welcoming the U.S. sanctions against Tehran and taking advantage of the situation to boost their production.

On the one hand Ardebili said, Russia and Saudi Arabia, under the pretext of balancing the supply and demand of the world, are seeking a part of Iran's market share; on the other hand, some OPEC members are hands in hands with the United States to strike some OPEC founding members.

At the same time, Ardebili was skeptical about Saudi Arabia, for one, being able to boost its production to 12 million bpd as it claimed it would should the need arise amid Iran sanctions.

Saudi Arabia has tapped its stockpiles of about 240 million barrels based on the latest estimates to bring its oil production to 12 mbd, a record the kingdom had previously registered during occupation of Kuwait by Iraq, as well as the overthrow of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Again, Riyadh will need to tap its oil inventories to strike such production levels, The OPEC governor of Iran said.

Related: Russia Looks To Boost Gas Sales In Tighter European Markets

The interview comes a few days after Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approached Russias Vladimir Putin for support in trying to restrain Washington.

At the same time, Ardebili accused Russia of trying to cozy up to Washington through Riyadh to make the most of the oil market situation. Although he admitted it is more or less natural for every oil producer to take advantage of higher prices and seek to maximize its gains, the official said that Russia and Saudi Arabia were pursuing hostage-taking policies in the market.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Iraqs oil production will only grow marginally over the next 10 years despite its potential capacity, which stands at as much as 7 million bpd, an analyst from IHS Markit has forecast.

According to Christopher Elsner, OPECs second-largest producer will only be able to boost production to 5 million bpd over the next decade, and by 2036 it would only grow to 6 million bpd, Arab News reports.

The reason for the countrys inability to boost production considerably is the political and economic situation. Iraq is currently dealing with protests in the south prompted by problems ranging from a lack of access to clean drinking water and electricity to high jobless rates.

But there are also industry-specific problems, according to Elsner, and most of them have to do with money. Noting that the estimated production numbers were conservative, Elsner explained, There is a lot of investment in getting wells out of the ground. And theres a lot of investment in exporting that oil. But the connections between the oil fields and the storage farms in the south and the export points have been what has really led to the bottlenecks in Iraq.

Pipeline shortages and lack of electricity in some fields were also among the challenges that Iraq needs to overcome if it wants to boost its production more considerably and more quickly.

Related: The U.S. Calls On Russia To Cap Soaring Oil Prices

Iraq had oil reserves of 153 billion barrels as of last year, but earlier this year Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said the actual reserves could be twice as large. If the higher estimate proves true, it would make Iraq the largest oil-rich country in the world, ahead of Venezuela, which claims its reserves are just above 300 billion barrels, and also ahead of Saudi Arabia, with 260.8 billion barrels.

Even so, developing these reserves will still require a lot of capital and infrastructure expansion that Iraq is currently finding difficult to find and build, respectively.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:The United States government will not lift sanctions against Zimbabwe until the new government demonstrates reforms, a senior U.S. economic official told a congressional panel on Thursday.

The United States imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe in early 2000, after they accused ex-president Robert Mugabe of trampling on human rights and press freedom, and rigging elections. The sanctions led to devastating economic challenges.

According to the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, Manisha Singh, there were 141 entities and individuals in Zimbabwe, including Mnangagwa and former President Robert Mugabe, that are currently under U.S. sanctions.

Manisha made the statement on Thursday during a hearing at the House of Representatives.

In her words, the pressure on Zimbabwe remains in place. We are trying to use this pressure to leverage political and economic reforms, human rights observations, She said.

Last month, President Mnangagwa was sworn in as Zimbabwes new president. He has called for the lifting of U.S. sanctions against officials from the ZANU-PF ruling party, top military figures and some government-owned firms.

As a reminder, the EU lifted most of its sanctions in 2014, but has maintained those against Mugabe and his wife Grace. The continental bloc said it wanted Mnangagwas government to match its positive messages with action, particularly on the implementation of critical political and economic reforms before committing significant funding to the cash-strapped government.It is a matter of common knowledge that energy relations between Russia and China have boomed in the past decade, with all sorts of new infrastructure being built to facilitate the ever-further expansion of bilateral energy trade. Yet it has seemed for some time now that new gas projects are very unlikely to happen  the 38 BCm per year Power of Siberia pipeline will go onstream December 20, 2019 and seemed to satiate Chinas needs for Russian gas  but that has now changed. A second project, generally denoted as the Altay pipeline (sometimes also mentioned as Power of Siberia-2), which had been stalled for four years due to limited demand and Gazproms sanctions-induced constraints, is set to be the next big Russo-Chinese gas project.

The Altay pipeline is supposed to be 2 600km-long and transport Western-Siberian gas through the Tomsk, Novosibirsk and Altai Oblasts and the Republic of Altai, to enter Chinas Xinjiang province thereafter. The framework agreement for the pipeline was signed in November 2014 between Gazprom and CNPC, stipulating a 30 BCm per year supply capacity and a 30-year duration (similar to Power of Siberia-1). The agreement implementation was left stranded almost immediately after its signing, pricing conditions were difficult to hammer out, the project needed significant infrastructure expenditures to which neither side was ready to commit and Chinese gas demand seemed to slow down in 2014-2017. Many of these factors could have been easily settled with some cooperation from the respective governments, but it has taken until now for an agreement to be reached due to several factors.

First, China had to decide that it needed the volumes of gas that the Altay pipeline would supply. The Xinjiang province, the point at which the pipeline enters China, is one of its main hydrocarbon-producing regions. Therefore, the gas would have to be transported further down the country, closer to the coastal regions. The West-East Pipeline, which also aggregates Central Asian volumes, could technically do this, but that would mean Beijing choosing Russian gas over the Turkmen gas. Turkmenistans heavy reliance on Chinese demand, with no more gas exports to Russia and Iran, means that Ashgabat will gladly pump as much gas to China as possible. For Altay to become more than just a pipe dream, China would need to construct a fifth line of the West-East Pipeline to accommodate additional volumes. Related: The Millennials Making Millions In Texas Oil

Second, negotiations over pricing terms have been going on for even longer than the decade-long talks over the Power of Siberia pipeline. In contrast to PoS, which is to be supplied from new fields in Eastern SIberia, the Altay pipeline would be fed from Gazproms traditional production hubs in the Nadym-Pur-Taz triangle and the Yamal peninsula. In simpler terms this means that Altay, from Gazproms point of view, ought to be on the same or a very similar pricing basis to its European gas supplies. This seemed an almost insurmountable obstacle and threatened to impede the project, but since both Gazprom and CNPC are state-owned entities, a political solution was possible. Judging by the words of PRC President Xi Jinping at the Vladivostok Eastern Economic Forum, top-down political pressure has driven the Altay pipeline agreement on this front.

Graph 1. Chinese Gas Consumption vs Own Production 1970-2017.

(Click to enlarge)

Source: BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2018.

For several years it seemed that with the slowing down of Chinese gas demand growth  falling from double-digit growth between 2003 and 2013 (see Graph 1) to a mere 3.4 percent and 7.5 percent in 2015 and 2016 - the emergence of plentiful LNG sources in the Asia Pacific region could largely satisfy Chinas appetite for additional gas. But the Altay pipeline was rejuvenated by Beijings adoption of stringent rules for coal-to-gas switching and, generally, its stricter stance on environmentsl regulations and air pollution. This led to a 15 percent y-o-y increase in Chinese gas demand in 2017 and will bring about a further increase of about 12-13 percent in 2018.

There are several underlying factors for why China opted for a safer, albeit price-wise more risky, Russian variant and not for a ramp-up in LNG or Central Asian gas. There have already been several articles in the party-controlled Global Times (the English-language version of the Chinese Communist Partys official newspaper, Renmin Ribao) decrying the irregular character of Central Asian gas imports, stating that Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan failed to deliver contracted gas volumes due to allegedly defective transmission infrastructure. The Chinese authorities concluded that it would be more expedient to rely on its main strategic energy partner, Russia, as this move makes significantly more sense politically. Related: Diesel Demand Is Set To Soar

If Beijing has learned anything from the U.S.-China political standoff of the past few months, it is that under current circumstances it would be irresponsible to depend too much on U.S. energy supplies. The White House makes little secret of its intent to use LNG as a geopolitical weapon against its foes. Even with all the difficulties that are on the horizon for the Altay pipeline, Beijing has plenty of geopoltiical reasons to see this project through. It has refrained from placing tarrifs on U.S. LNG but has decided to make the pivot towards Russian pipeline-supplied volumes instead. With Cheniere Energy being the only U.S. LNG exporter to have a long-term sales contract to China, Beijing made sure any additional ramp-up of U.S. LNG exports is to be kept at bay.

The fact that Xi Jinping has demanded the commercial issues are sorted out as soon as possible does not automatically mean that the Altay pipeline will proceed in its current form. For instance, it might be rerouted through Mongolia, which has long been lobbying for such a detour. The reason is twofold  Mongolias terrain is flatter than the Altay Mountains (doubly useful considering the regions moderate seismic risk) and allows for the shareholders to avoid UNESCO world heritage sites. In fact, UNESCO voiced its disapproval with the construction of a possible pipeline through the pristine Altay Mountains back in 2013. Chinas reliance on Russian energy sales  be it crude (ESPO), gas (Power of Siberia, Altay, Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG-2) or coal  apears to be increasing by the day.

By Viktor Katona for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:An unprecedented tragedy struck a small portion of eastern Massachusetts last week when dozens of houses in the towns of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover in the Merrimack Valley began to explode, as if spontaneously combusting. One 18-year-old man was killed when a chimney flew off of an exploding house and landed on his parked car, and an additional 25 people were injured.

The shocking disaster was caused by natural gas leaks that forced 8,000 people out of their homes and the governor of Massachusetts to declare a state of emergency. Some frightened residents even thought that their normally sleepy towns were under attack, while others described the experience as Armageddon.

It is suspected that the gas lines in the afflicted eastern Massachusetts towns were over-pressurized and outdated. In fact, Columbia Gas, a local subsidiary of Indiana-based NiSource and the company responsible for the areas natural gas supply at the time, had announced plans to upgrade the aged infrastructure on Thursday of the same week. After the explosions, Columbia Gas was shutting down gas meters and conducting safety inspections in order to allow the 8,000 evacuated residents to return to their homes. However, according to some officials, Columbia Gas was slow to respond to the disaster, and many politicians and residents are not convinced of the companys competence in dealing with the tragedy and its aftermath. In the words of Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, Since we first got word of this incident, the least informed and last to act has been Columbia Gas.

Furthermore, this is not Columbia Gas first failing. In fact, its not even their first explosion. In 2012, an international natural gas pipeline operated by Columbia Gas Transmission exploded in Sissonville, West Virginia, destroying three homes in what was very fortunately a rural and sparsely populated area. In 2014, a Columbia Gas pipeline exploded in Springfield, Massachusetts, injuring 21 and destroying a strip club. A year later, in 2015, a Columbia Gas line leaked in Upper Arlington, Ohio, causing yet another explosion and an ensuing fire that caused nearly $10 million worth of damage. According to a USA Today analysis of federally sourced data, Columbia Gas manages 471 miles of some of the nations oldest and most leak-prone gas pipelines.

As widespread criticism and local outrage from officials and the public alike continued to mount on Friday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker invoked a provision of state law allowing him to take the problem out of the hand of Colombia Gas, and instead the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities turned management of the disaster over to Eversource, an electric and gas company with a presence throughout New England.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which has jurisdiction over all domestic pipeline accidents, is investigating the explosion sites with hundreds of gas technicians employed through the night over the weekend, but we may be waiting weeks for any clear answers. As of Sunday, the evacuated residents of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover in the Merrimack Valley were allowed to return to their homes, but it could be a number of weeks before the entire power system is restored. Related: The U.S. Calls On Russia To Cap Soaring Oil Prices

This tragedy, apart from the human loss and considerable trauma caused to the afflicted communities, may also lead to extremely negative consequences for a region that was already having a hard time meeting its own energy demand. For the last few years, state and local governments around New England, but particularly in Massachusetts, have been battling against the construction of several new natural gas pipelines due to environmental concerns and clearly well-founded fears of disaster.

For a community that was already in opposition to pipeline construction, an unprecedented pipeline disaster of this nature could make any new natural gas projects all but impossible to greenlight in the state of Massachusetts. That being said, residents are already aware of just how grueling a natural gas shortage can be. Just last winter, in the midst of a series of cold snaps, the region was left with a natural gas shortage. Gas prices skyrocketed accordingly as local utilities had to turn to other, much dirtier fossil fuel sources like coal and petroleum, increasing the regions carbon footprint dramatically. Boston even went so far as to import liquefied natural gas all the way from Russia.

Without natural gas, New England is not left with a lot of viable alternatives. Thanks to the 1920 shipping law called the Jones Act, it is extremely difficult to ship natural gas domestically. Another long-term solution could be nuclear, but thats hardly more comforting disaster-wise, and faces a whole other set of bureaucratic hurdles. Solar, wind, and hydro, for their part, are simply not going to cut it in a harsh New England winter (bomb cyclone, anyone?).

Perhaps the real question is, how far will Massachusetts allow the energy crisis to go in the interest of environmental responsibility and a feeling of greater security? Or, how cold and broke will Bay Staters get before they allow cheap, abundant natural gas back into their backyards?

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:Russia and Saudi Arabia will continue co-operating in the long term, including on the design of a framework for the relations between OPEC and its external partners, a Russian Energy Ministry statement said.

The statement was released following a meeting between Alexander Novak and Khalid al-Falih that took place on Saturday, two days after Novak hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry to discuss oil markets and Russias contribution to global production ahead of the Iran sanctions.

The meeting with Al-Falih provided little in the way of surprises: the two officials once again reiterated their common intention to make sure there is enough oil on the global market and their preparedness to respond to any changes in the market situation so that market balance is kept. In non-official speak, this preparedness is effectively a declaration that OPEC and Russia will adjust their production to keep prices where they want them or at least closer to where they want them than it would be possible if each acted on their own.

Washington has approached both Russia and Saudi Arabia as two of the worlds top three producers to help offset a decline in global oil supply after the sanctions kick in. This intervention is looking increasingly necessary as Iranian officials begin to allow for the possibility of Irans oil exports being reduced to zero later this year.

Meanwhile, Washington must balance between keeping a lid on prices at the pump and maintaining its hostile stance in relations with Russia. As tough as this job may seem, it may be working for the moment despite the recent imposition of more U.S. sanctions against Moscow.



Related: Diesel Demand Is Set To Soar

The kingdom (Saudi Arabia), the members of OPEC that are opting their production to be able to make sure that the citizenry of the world does not see a spike in oil price ... are to be admired and appreciated, and Russia is one of them, Perry said after his meeting with Novak last week.

While this could be seen as the closest to an olive branch as the United States would be prepared to give Russia, Moscows long-term ally Iran is becoming disgruntled by these developments. This weekend, Irans OPEC governor accused Moscow of trying to take advantage of Irans sanction woes to eat into its oil market share.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilrpice.com:China accuses Sweden of protocol breach as row over police treatment of tourists ramps up

Chinas foreign ministry has joined the row over the alleged mistreatment of a family of Chinese tourists at a hostel in Stockholm, accusing Sweden of not following diplomatic and international protocol.

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the ministry and the Chinese embassy in Stockholm had requested a thorough investigation into what occurred, but had yet to receive a response.

This is not in line with diplomatic norms and international practice, he said. We again call on the Swedish side to pay attention to Chinas concerns and take measures to protect the safety and legitimate interests of Chinese tourists.

Gengs comments came after Chinese ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou accused Swedish police of ignoring his request for a meeting about the incident.

We have notified the Swedish government and demanded a meeting with Swedish police, he was quoted as saying in an interview with the newspaper Aftonbladet on Sunday.

But two weeks have already gone, and the Swedish police have not responded to our request. We are especially puzzled by this.

The dispute began when the Zeng family  a man and his parents  arrived at the Generator Stockholm hostel just after midnight on September 2. As they could not check in until 2pm that day, the family asked if they could wait in the lobby, but were told they could not. When they refused to leave the premises, staff called the police and officers carried them out.

Zeng filed complaints with the police and the Chinese embassy at the time of the incident, and on Saturday, an embassy statement accused the police in Stockholm of mistreating him and his parents.

Gui said that before taking up his post at the embassy just over a year ago he considered Sweden a safe country, but in that time his perception had changed.

Story continues

The embassy receives an average of two cases of wallet or passport theft every day, he said.

The diplomatic row comes at a time of turbulence in relations between Beijing and Stockholm. The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader whom Beijing considers a separatist, visited the Scandinavian country last week, while Beijing continues to hold Gui Minhai, a Chinese-born Swedish citizen and book publisher, in custody.

Ambassador Gui, however, denied there was any connection between the Zengs case and Gui Minhai.

I want to emphasise that Gui Minhai has committed serious crimes in China and the Chinese authorities have acted in accordance with the law, he said.

Have these three Chinese tourists broken Swedish law? If they had, why didnt the police and hotel staff immediately contact the embassy?

We have basically reached out to all relevant government authorities, but almost all of them said they are not responsible.

On Chinese social media, the response to the incident was mixed. A video clip of Zeng crying and screaming at police officers outside the hotel, while pointing at his elderly parents who were lying on the nearby pavement, was widely derided, with one internet user describing the tourist as a big baby.

Zeng said in an interview with Chinese tabloid Global Times that he reacted the way he did because he had been upset by the sight of his parents being carried out of the hostel by the police.

At this point I just crumbled and lost my mind, he said. At the time, I didnt even consider whether this was appropriate, I just wanted to denounce the polices behaviour and seek help from pedestrians.

Workers at the hostel told the Chinese embassy that Zeng had been emotional and talked loudly during the initial dispute over whether he and his family could wait in reception, Chinese news portal Jinyun reported on Monday.

The Aftonbladet report quoted a witness to the event as saying the the Swedish police did not behave rudely.

They just tried to calm down the whole situation, but the Chinese tourists were crying loudly and refused to cooperate.

This article China accuses Sweden of protocol breach as row over police treatment of tourists ramps up first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In mid-September the European Union threatened to fine the Big Tech companies if they did not remove terrorist content within one hour of appearing online. The change came because rising tensions are now developing and being played out on social media platforms.

Social conflicts that once built up in backroom meetings and came to a head on city streets, are now building momentum on social media platforms before spilling over into real life. In the past, governments tended to control traditional media, with little to no possibility for individuals to broadcast hate.

The digital revolution has altered everything.

Terrorist organizations, most notably Islamic State (ISIS) militants, have used social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for their propaganda campaigns, and to plan terrorist attacks against civilians.

Far right groups, including anti-refugee extremists in Germany, are also increasingly exploiting tech platforms to espouse anti-immigrant views and demonize minorities.

From Sri Lanka to Myanmar, communal tensions stoked online have led to violence.

Due to the growing political will within Western countries to regulate social media companies, many tech titans are arguing they can self-regulateand that artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the key tools to curtail online hate. Several years ago, we created the Digital Mass Atrocity Prevention Lab to work on improving public policy to curb the exploitation of tech platforms by violent extremists.

Oversold abilities?

Tech companies are painfully aware of the malicious use of their platforms.

In June 2017, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube announced the formation of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, which aims to disrupt extremist activities online. Yet as political pressure to remove harmful online content grows, these companies are beginning to realize the limits of their human content moderators.

Instead, they are increasingly developing and deploying AI technologies to automate the process of unwanted content detection and removal. But they are doing so with no oversight and little public information about how these AI systems work, a problem identified in a recent report by the Public Policy Forum.

Twitter, according to its most recent transparency report, claims it used AI to take down more than 300,000 terrorist-related accounts in the first half of 2017.

Facebook itself acknowledges that it is struggling to use make use of AI in an efficient manner on issues surrounding hate speech. CEO Mark Zuckerberg told members of the U.S. Congress earlier this year that AI still struggles to tackle the nuances of language dialects, context and whether or not a statement qualified as hate speech and that it could take years to solve.

However, the company also claims to be able to remove 99 per cent of ISIS and al-Qaida affiliated content using AI-powered algorithms and human content moderators. Whether AI or humans are the key to the company's claims of success has not yet been independently investigated.

The failure of AI

In 2017, 250 companies suspended advertising contracts with Google over its alleged failure to moderate YouTube's extremist content. A year later, Google's senior vice president of advertising and commerce, Sridhar Ramaswamy, says the company is making strong progress in platform safety to regain the lost confidence of its clients.

However, a recent study by the NGO Counter Extremism Project refutes the effectiveness of the company's effort to limit and delete extremist videos. More transparency and accountability from YouTube is needed, given that the study found that over 90 per cent of ISIS videos were uploaded more than once, with no action taken against the accounts that violated the company's terms of service.

Clearly there is no simple pathway forward. Removing content that is not harmful, offensive, extremist or illegal, even if it distasteful, is an impediment to free speech. In some cases, using AI to remove content has blocked legitimate material posted by human rights champions.

For example, in 2017, Shah Hossain, a human rights activist found a significant number of his Facebook posts regarding the persecution of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar had been deleted. YouTube also erased his news channel, which had nearly 80,000 subscribers. Hossain was documenting human rights abuses, not espousing hate.

In Syria, where independent journalism is severely restricted by war, videos and photos posted online by activists are crucial to understanding the situation in the country. In an attempt to crackdown on extremist content, however, YouTube's AI-powered algorithms removed thousands of videos of atrocities against civilians. The videos were posted as evidence for the eventual prosecution of Syrian officials for crimes against humanity. This is quite troubling.

Moving forward

Well-known social media giants have said publicly that they'll put more resources into policing their platforms. However, given the current results, it's time to consider if this approach is ethical and effective.

The United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union and the United States, among others, have begun to openly discuss and implement regulatory measures on the tech industry, not only pertaining to terrorism and hate speech, but also digital election interference, the spread of "fake news" and misinformation campaigns.

Canada has begun to take the issue seriously as well, forming the Digital Inclusion Lab at Global Affairs Canada, which works to strengthen the combined efforts of the G7.

These are much needed initiatives. The big tech giants have been overselling the effectiveness of AI in countering hate on their platforms. Our democratic and open societies must put aside the notion that AI is the panacea for the problem at hand. Social polarization and growing mistrust across the planet will continue unless elected officials regulate Big Tech.

Explore further US tech giants join forces against terror content

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A simple blood test could be used in the future to predict the health and productivity of dairy cows, research shows.

Testing female calves for molecules in the bloodcalled microRNAscould help predict their likelihood of developing disease, scientists say.

Scientists have found that the blood levels of certain microRNAs change dramatically during the early life of cows.

Some of these blood molecules are associated with diseases such as lameness and mastitisinflammation of the uddersas well as with milk production.

Researchers at the Roslin Institute and Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), who carried out the study, say a procedure to identify calves that are likely to have problems later in life would benefit the dairy industry and improve animal welfare.

Levels of microRNA can be easily analysed in lab tests, and used to assess changes in tissue function. This approach is already being applied to disease diagnosis in humans.

In UK dairy herds, up to one-third of cows are affected by disease or reproductive failure. This incurs costs to farmers.

The research was published in Scientific Reports.

Dr. Xavier Donadeu, of the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute, said: "As shown in previous studies, these results demonstrate that blood testing for microRNAs may be very useful as diagnostic tools in dairy cows and potentially other livestock species. They could allow for early selection of the healthiest animals in a herd in order to aid productivity and animal wellbeing."

Professor Georgios Banos, of the SRUC, said: "This work was funded by SRUC as a strategic topic of priority. We are investing in scientific research on the development of practical solutions for the improvement of livestock and farm practices. We are already designing collaborative follow-up projects and we look forward to exciting new outcomes."

Explore further New blood test reveals susceptibility to costly disease in dairy cows

More information: Jason Ioannidis et al, Association of plasma microRNA expression with age, genetic background and functional traits in dairy cattle, Scientific Reports (2018). Journal information: Scientific Reports Jason Ioannidis et al, Association of plasma microRNA expression with age, genetic background and functional traits in dairy cattle,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31099-wThe industry selling honey and bee products is booming. from www.shutterstock.com,. Credit: CC BY-ND

Last week's fake honey scandal, involving Australia's largest honey producer Capilano, prompted calls for better purity tests and regulation of the industry.

Tests by Germany's Quality Services International allegedly showed that some of Capilano's product, marketed as 100% honey sourced from Australia and China, had been adulterated with cheaper syrups.

Trust and confidence

The honey and bee products industry is fast-growing, innovative and to a significant extent based on science.

For suppliers, especially those from less regulated markets, there is a strong economic incentive to engage in false or misleading marketing. After all, claims regarding exact ingredients, or health benefits and country of origin, are "credence qualities". They are hard (if not impossible) for the average consumer to verify. At the same time, ensuring that products are known for their authenticity and integrity is essential for the industry's reputation and growth.

The problem is widespread. Apart from Australia, recent examples of misconduct, including dubious labelling, can be found in Europe, New Zealand, the United States and China. In a globalised world, this presents some complex challenges.

Mislabelling and misleadingly marketing products can have weighty consequences. Fraudulent behaviour reduces consumers' ability to make informed decisions, while undermining their trust and confidence. Consumer trust in the marketplace, however, is essential for the proper functioning of markets. More generally, trust is a fundamental component in modern societies.

Spilling the honey

From an economic perspective, the misconduct of one firm can have spillover effects on other companies. When consumers learn about misleading or deceptive behaviours, they may question the integrity of other players in that market.

The reduction of trust and confidence can prompt consumers to doubt firms' statements and may lead some to stop buying the products. As a consequence, producers have to invest more resources to convince consumers that their statements are true and honest.

Misleading conduct can also increase regulation costs when higher or stricter standards are employed. The Capilano case, with its controversy around the adoption of more effective testing methods, illustrates this. Capilano's product passed the official Australian test method, which scientists consider substandard by international comparison.

Following media coverage of this scandal, some have called for consumer organisations to step in and be more vigilant in monitoring this market. For instance, it has been reported that former competition watchdog chairman Allan Fels called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to prioritise anything involving food adulteration. Consumer law, of course, can be used to punish misleading and deceptive labelling. However, using the legal system is not a panacea, and can be costly.

Furthermore, enforcement agencieswhich operate with scarce resourcescannot enforce all laws all of the time. Hence, breaches of the law are not always detected. Even when they are, they are not always followed by legal enforcement.

How to solve a sticky problem

It is in the market's best interest to promote informal and formal self-regulation. In New Zealand, the Manuka Honey Appellation Society Inc has filed for a certification trademark for the term manuka honey. Accordingly, traders in New Zealand would only be able to market their products as manuka honey if they satisfy the standard and are certified as such.

Similarly, Comvita and UMF Honey have separately filed patent applications for marker compounds that can be used to identify true manuka honey. Such standards should be clear and unified, so not to confuse consumers.

Offsetting the economic incentive to cheat is not a simple task. It requires combining social and moral incentives with legal deterrence. Clear rules and standards, honest industry norms, and encouragement and protection for whistle-blowers all help to prevent dishonest and distrustful behaviour. At the end of the day, we want to live in an ethical and trusting society, where we can simply enjoy our honey and know that it is what it claims to be on the packaging.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.NASA's IMERGE estimated Florence's rainfall from Sept. 10 to 17, 2018. IMERG estimates show on the order of 250 mm of rain (~10 inches, shown in red) or more reaching inland over most of central and southern No. Carolina as well as the northeast corner of So. Carolina. However, along the southeast coast of North Carolina between Cape Fear and Cape Lookout rainfall amounts are much higher, IMERG estimates are on the order of 500 mm (~20 inches, shown in purple) or more. Locally, upwards of 30 inches of rain were reported in parts of North Carolina with reports of over 35 and 33 inches in Elizabethtown and Swansboro, respectively. Credit: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

NASA estimated the precipitation generated by Hurricane Florence from Sept. 10 through 17 as it approached North Carolina and days after it made landfall. On Sept. 17, Florence's remnant rainfall was moving up the Appalachian Mountains into the Mid-Atlantic.

Florence's History

After making its way across the Atlantic, Florence, a once powerful Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds reported at 140 mph by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), finally made landfall early Friday morning at around 7:15 a.m. EDT September 14th near Wrightsville Beach on the coast of North Carolina just east of Wilmington.

Although its maximum sustained winds had decreased to 90 mph when it made landfall, making it a Category 1 storm, Florence was still a very dangerous storm with a peak wind gust of 105 mph recorded at Wilmington, No. Carolina. By this time, Florence was a large storm with a large wind field.

Having undergone an eyewall replacement cycle on Sept. 11, wherein a new eyewall forms and replaces the original inner eyewall, Florence traded some of its peak intensity for size before reaching the coast. This kept the storm surge threat high even though the peak winds were down. New Bern, No. Carolina was hit by a reported 10 foot storm surge, which stranded many residents. In addition to its large size, Florence also slowed down as it approached the coast, allowing a good portion of its circulation to remain over water as it slowly made its way inland. This set the stage for a major flooding event over the Carolinas and was well forecast by NHC.

NASA Estimates Florence's Massive Rainfall

The Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM or IMERG is used to make estimates of precipitation from a combination of passive microwave sensors, including the GMI microwave sensor onboard the GPM or Global Precipitation Measurement mission satellite, and geostationary IR (infrared) data. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.

In an image created at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. the IMERG rainfall estimates associated with Florence for the 1-week period from Sept. 10 to 17 covered the central U.S. East Coast region where the storm came ashore. IMERG estimates show on the order of 250 mm of rain (~10 inches) or more reaching inland over most of central and southern North Carolina as well as the northeast corner of South Carolina.

However, along the southeast coast of North Carolina between Cape Fear and Cape Lookout rainfall amounts were much higher. There, where persistent rain bands rotated onshore bringing continuous bands of heavy rains onto the coast, IMERG estimates are on the order of 500 mm (~20 inches) or more. Locally, upwards of 30 inches of rain were reported in parts of North Carolina with reports of over 35 and 33 inches in Elizabethtown and Swansboro, respectively.

NASA's IMERGE estimated Florence's rainfall from Sept. 10 to 17, 2018. IMERG estimates show on the order of 250 mm of rain (~10 inches, shown in red) or more reaching inland over most of central and southern No. Carolina as well as the northeast corner of So. Carolina. However, along the southeast coast of North Carolina between Cape Fear and Cape Lookout rainfall amounts are much higher, IMERG estimates are on the order of 500 mm (~20 inches, shown in purple) or more. Locally, upwards of 30 inches of rain were reported in parts of North Carolina with reports of over 35 and 33 inches in Elizabethtown and Swansboro, respectively. Credit: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

Record Rainfall in Wilmington, No. Carolina

As a result of receiving over 26 inches of rain from Florence, Wilmington set a new yearly rainfall record. The result of all of this rain has been record or major flooding along many of the rivers in North Carolina. At one point, Wilmington, No. Carolina was reportedly cut off. So far, Florence is being blamed for 20 fatalities.

Warnings and Watches Continue

At 11 a.m. EDT on Sept. 17, NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center (WPC) in College Park, Md. issued the latest update on Tropical Depression Florence.

WPC said flash flood warnings are currently in effect across parts of central North Carolina into far southern Virginia. Flash flood watches are in effect across much of North Carolina, northern South Carolina, portions of Western Virginia, southern and eastern West Virginia, central and western Maryland, central and western Pennsylvania, southern New York and southern New England.

Status of Tropical Depression Florence on Sept. 17

At 11 a.m. EDT on Sept. 17 the WPC said,"Florence continues to produce heavy rain over parts of the Mid-Atlantic region. Flash flooding continues over the Carolinas and may develop across parts of the Delmarva Peninsula into Pennsylvania today."

At 1100 AM EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Florence was located near latitude 38.5 degrees north and longitude 82.9 degrees west. That's about 240 miles (385 km) west of Charlottesville, Virginia. The depression is moving toward the northeast near 15 mph (24 kph) and is forecast to become extratropical late today while accelerating to the east-northeast. Maximum sustained winds are near 25 mph (35 kph) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast until the low moves into the western Atlantic by early Wednesday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 millibars.

More Rain from Florence over Next Few Days

The WPC forecast stated: "Florence is expected to produce heavy to excessive rainfall over the next couple of days. Portions of the Mid-Atlantic states west of Interstate 95 into southern New York and southern New England are expected to receive an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches possible."Was this restaurant review written by a machine or a person? Not so easy, is it? Credit: Aalto University

Researchers find AI-generated reviews and comments pose a significant threat to consumers, but machine learning can help detect the fakes.

Sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp and Amazon display user reviews of products and services. Consumers take heed: nine out of ten people read these peer reviews and trust what they see. In fact, up to 40 percent of users decide to make a purchase based on only a couple of reviews, and great reviews make people spend 30 percent more on their purchases.

Yet not all reviews are legitimate. Fake reviews written by real people are already common on review sites, but the amount of fakes generated by machines is likely to increase substantially.

According to doctoral student Mika Juuti at Aalto University, fake reviews based on algorithms are nowadays easy, accurate and fast to generate. Most of the time, people are unable to tell the difference between genuine and machine-generated fake reviews.

"Misbehaving companies can either try to boost their sales by creating a positive brand image artificially or by generating fake negative reviews about a competitor. The motivation is, of course, money: online reviews are a big business for travel destinations, hotels, service providers and consumer products," says Mika Juuti.

In 2017, researchers from the University of Chicago described a method for training a machine learning model, a deep neural network, using a dataset of three million real restaurant ratings on Yelp. After the training, the model generated fake restaurant reviews character by character.

There was a slight hiccup in the method, however; it had a hard time staying on topic. For a review of a Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas, the model could make references to an Italian restaurant in Baltimore. These kinds of errors are, of course, easily spotted by readers.

To help the review generator stay on the mark, Juuti and his team used a technique called neural machine translation to give the model a sense of context. Using a text sequence of "review rating, restaurant name, city, state, and food tags," they started to obtain believable results.

"In the user study we conducted, we showed participants real reviews written by humans and fake machine-generated reviews and asked them to identify the fakes. Up to 60 percent of the fake reviews were mistakenly thought to be real," says Juuti.

Juuti and his colleagues then devised a classifier that would be able to spot the fakes. The classifier turned out to perform well, particularly in cases where human evaluators had the most difficulties in telling whether a review is real or not.

The study was conducted in collaboration with Aalto University's Secure Systems research group and researchers from Waseda University in Japan. It was presented at the 2018 European Symposium on Research in Computer Security in September.

Explore further Study reveals credibility muscle in machine-generated reviews

More information: Stay On-Topic: Generating Context-specific Fake Restaurant Reviews. Stay On-Topic: Generating Context-specific Fake Restaurant Reviews. arxiv.org/abs/1805.02400Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A new study has for the first time comprehensively accounted for permafrost carbon release when estimating emission budgets for climate targets. The results show that the world might be closer to exceeding the budget for the long-term target of the Paris climate agreement than previously thought.

Emissions budgets represent the upper limit of total carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions associated with remaining below a specific global average temperature. The simplicity of the concept has made it an attractive tool for policymakers to use in efforts to remain below dangerous levels of warming, even though it is strongly dependent on the assumption of a linear relationship between global temperature rise and cumulative CO 2 emissions due to human activity. In their study, the researchers investigated how current emission budgets are impacted by the non-linear feedback phenomenon of CO 2 and methane emissions caused by permafrost thaw.

Permafrost is soil that has been frozen year round for at least two years. Due to the long periods that it remains frozen, the soil stores large amounts of carbon and other nutrients from organic matter, and thus represents a large carbon reservoir, which is seldom considered in projections of potential future global warming. The upper layer of permafrost (the active layer) periodically thaws in the summer, but in recent years, the active layer of permafrost has gradually been expanding due to increasing temperatures. This means that more permafrost is thawing and thus releasing the previously trapped carbon into the atmosphere.

"Permafrost carbon release from previously frozen organic matter is caused by global warming, and will certainly diminish the budget of CO 2 we can emit while staying below a certain level of global warming. It is also an irreversible process over the course of a few centuries, and may therefore be considered a "tipping" element of the Earth's carbon-climate system that puts the linear approximation of the emission budget framework to the test," explains Thomas Gasser, a researcher with the IIASA Ecosystems Services and Management Program and lead author of the study published in Nature Geoscience.

This is the first time that such a tipping process is adequately accounted for in emission budgets, and according to the researchers, doing so shows that the world is closer to exceeding the budget for the long-term target of the Paris Agreement than previously thought.

Worryingly, the study also shows that the effect can become even more significant for overshooting trajectories. Overshooting means first exceeding the targeted level, and then going back down to the target. The Paris Agreement explicitly acknowledges an overshooting trajectory, peaking first at 'well-below' 2C and then pursuing efforts to get back to 1.5C. During the overshoot period however, rising temperatures will lead to further permafrost carbon thaw, which will in turn lead to more released carbon that will need to be removed from the atmosphere for global temperature to decrease.

"Overshooting is a risky strategy and getting back to lower levels after an overshoot will be extremely difficult. However, since we are officially on an overshooting trajectory, we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that we may never get back to safer levels of warming. Policymakers should understand that there is no elementary proportionality between cumulative CO 2 emissions due to human activity and global temperature, as previously believed, and that overshooting may have serious consequences," says Gasser.

The researchers hope that their work will impact the scientific community by demonstrating that emission budgets are not as simple a tool as first thought and that it will also help to inform policymakers in designing future climate mitigation strategies.

Explore further Study reveals what natural greenhouse emissions from wetlands and permafrosts mean for Paris Agreement targets

More information: T. Gasser et al, Path-dependent reductions in CO 2 emission budgets caused by permafrost carbon release, Nature Geoscience (2018). Journal information: Nature Geoscience T. Gasser et al, Path-dependent reductions in COemission budgets caused by permafrost carbon release,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-018-0227-0There is a powerful wind of hope blowing across the Horn of Africa region, said UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday, in Saudi Arabia, where he attended the signing of a peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, ending decades of simmering conflict.

Saudi Arabia facilitated the agreement, and in a message on Twitter, the Foreign Ministry said that the accord, signed in Jeddah is a historic milestone for the peoples of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and will contribute to strengthening security and stability in the region at large.

The signature of the peace agreement between the President of Eritrea and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia is indeed a historic event, said the Secretary-General, speaking at a press conference following the signing in Saudi Arabias second-largest city, on the Red Sea coast, with Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir.

We have seen a conflict that has lasted for decades, ending, and that has a very important meaning in a world where we see, unfortunately, so many conflicts multiplying, and lasting forever, added Guterres.

He expressed his deep appreciation for the role played by Saudi Arabia, before paying tribute on one hand to the courage, the vision, the wisdom of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia  who has had the capacity to overcome enormous resistance from the past and open a new chapter in the history of his country  and also the way the President of Eritrea has promptly responded to his peace initiatives.

The thaw in relations between the neighboring countries, who fought a bloody, unresolved war in the late 1990s, began in earnest in June, when Ethiopias newly-elected leader, Abiy Ahmed, made peace overtures to his counterpart, which have now come to fruition.

Seizing on the implications for the whole region, Guterres said that the agreement meant that there is a wind of hope blowing in the Horn of Africa. It is not only the peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea  it is the fact that tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we will have, here in Saudi Arabia, the President of Djibouti and the President of Eritrea  two countries that have also been at odds with each other.

According to news reports, Eritrea and Djibouti announced on Friday that they would also normalize diplomatic relations with each other following a falling out on the border, in 2008, which left several dead and resulted in prisoners being taken on both sides.

The UN chief also noted the peace agreement between the President and his former Vice President in South Sudan, that was signed on Thursday  in Ethiopias capital Addis Ababa  as another indicator of real diplomatic movement across the Horn of Africa and its borders.

I want to say that this window of hope is enormously important in a world where, unfortunately, hope has been very scarce, added the Secretary-General.In this Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, file photo released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks at the opening ceremony of Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested over $1 billion on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in an American electric car manufacturer just weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk earlier claimed the kingdom would help his own firm go private. (Saudi Press Agency via AP, File)

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested over $1 billion Monday in an American electric car manufacturer just weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk earlier claimed the kingdom would help his own firm go private.

Tesla stock dropped briefly Monday in reaction to the news, the same day that the Saudi fund announced it had taken its first loan, an $11 billion borrowing from global banks as it tries to expand its investments. It wasn't immediately clear if that loan money played a part in the electric-car investment.

The electric-car investment is a bold move for Saudi Arabia, an ultraconservative kingdom that for decades has relied on its oil wealth as the world's top crude exporter. But previous splashy market-moving promises by the kingdom's assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have yet to materialize.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund said it would invest the over $1 billion in Newark, California-based Lucid Motors, an 11-year-old private company that has yet to bring a vehicle to market.

The investment "will provide the necessary funding to commercially launch Lucid's first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air, in 2020," the sovereign wealth fund said in a statement. "The company plans to use the funding to complete engineering development and testing of the Lucid Air, construct its factory in Arizona, enter production for the Lucid Air to begin the global rollout of the company's retail strategy starting in North America."

Lucid issued a statement quoting Peter Rawlinson, its chief technology officer, welcoming the investment.

In this June 15, 2015, file photo, a Saudi man walks through the Tadawul Saudi Stock Exchange in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested over $1 billion on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in an American electric car manufacturer just weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk earlier claimed the kingdom would help his own firm go private. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File)

"At Lucid, we will demonstrate the full potential of the electric-connected vehicle in order to push the industry forward," said Rawlinson, who worked as the lead engineer of the Tesla Model S before joining Lucid.

The over $1 billion investment easily dwarfs prior funding for the manufacturer and puts Saudi Arabia clearly in the firm's driver seat. Three previous venture funding rounds have netted Lucid Motors some $131 million, according to the business information website crunchbase.com.

The firm's all-electric Lucid Air will have a range of over 400 miles (640 kilometers). The company already is taking deposits for the vehicle, which they've priced at $52,500.

Lucid plans to make the Air at a factory it's building in Casa Grande, Arizona. The company wants to make up to 130,000 vehicles per year by 2022.

The Saudi announcement comes after Musk on Aug. 7 tweeted that he had "funding secured" to take Tesla private. Investors pushed Tesla's shares up 11 percent in a day, boosting its valuation by $6 billion.

There are multiple reports that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the disclosure, including asking board members what they knew about Musk's plans. Experts say regulators likely are investigating if Musk was truthful in the tweet about having the financing set for the deal. Musk later said the Saudi Public Investment Fund would be investing in the firm, something Saudi officials never commented on. Musk on Aug. 24 said Tesla would remain publicly traded.

In this Oct. 24, 2017 photograph released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Minister of Commerce and Investment Majid al-Qasabi talks to the audience at the opening of Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested over $1 billion on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in an American electric car manufacturer just weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk earlier claimed the kingdom would help his own firm go private. (Saudi Press Agency via AP)

On Monday, Tesla stock fell as much as 2 percent before rebounding. The Financial Times newspaper previously reported that the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, known by the acronym PIF, had secured a near 5-percent stake in Tesla recently.

Meanwhile Monday, the PIF said it had taken its first loan, an $11 billion borrowing. It did not say how it would use the money, only describing it as going toward "general corporate purposes."

The Las Vegas-based Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute estimates the Saudi fund has holdings of $250 billion. Those include a $3.5 billion stake in the ride-sharing app Uber. The $11 billion loan allows it to make further investments without divesting from its other holdings.

Saudi Arabia's 33-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose father is King Salman, has talked about using the PIF to help diversify the economy of the kingdom, which relies almost entirely on money made from its oil sales.

However, other business promises made by the crown prince have yet to come to fruition. The most notable is his January 2016 pledge for an initial public offering of the state-run oil behemoth Saudi Aramco.

Officials have suggested the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. could have a valuation of $2 trillion. In comparison, Apple in August became the world's first publicly traded company to be valued at $1 trillion.

But analysts have offered far lower valuations for Aramco and multiple delays have struck the project since. In August, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom "committed to the IPO of Saudi Aramco at a time of its own choosing when conditions are optimum."

Explore further Elon Musk says in talks with Saudis on taking Tesla private

 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.The biofuel cell tests were carried out in this electrochemical cell. Credit: Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum

An international team of researchers has developed a new mechanism to protect enzymes from oxygen as biocatalysts in fuel cells. The enzymes, known as hydrogenases, are just as efficient as precious metal catalysts, but unstable when they come into contact with oxygen. They are therefore not yet suitable for technological applications. The new protective mechanism is based on oxygen-consuming enzymes that draw their energy from sugar. The researchers showed that they were able to use this protective mechanism to produce a functional biofuel cell that works with hydrogen and glucose as fuel.

The team led by Dr. Adrian Ruff and Professor Wolfgang Schuhmann from the Center for Electrochemical Sciences at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum describes the results in the journal Nature Communications from 10 September 2018 together with colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion in Mulheim an der Ruhr and the University of Lisbon.

The team from the Bochum Center for Electrochemical Sciences had already shown in earlier studies that hydrogenases can be protected from oxygen by embedding them in a polymer. "However, this mechanism consumed electrons, which reduced the performance of the fuel cell," says Adrian Ruff. "In addition, part of the catalyst was used to protect the enzyme." The scientists therefore looked for ways to decouple the catalytically active system from the protective mechanism.

Enzymes trap oxygen

With the aid of two enzymes, they built an oxygen removal system around the current-producing electrode. First, the researchers coated the electrode with the hydrogenases, which were embedded in a polymer matrix to fix them in place. They then placed another polymer matrix on top of the hydrogenase, which completely enclosed the underlying catalyst layer. It contained two enzymes that use sugar to convert oxygen into water.

Hydrogen is oxidised in the hydrogenase-containing layer at the bottom. The electrode absorbs the electrons released in the process. The top layer removes harmful oxygen.

Functional fuel cell built

In further experiments, the group combined the bioanodes described above with biocathodes, which are also based on the conversion of glucose. In this way, the team produced a functional biofuel cell. "The cheap and abundant biomass glucose is not only the fuel for the protective system, but also drives the biocathode and thus generates a current flow in the cell," summarises Wolfgang Schuhmann, head of the Center for Electrochemical Sciences and member of the cluster of excellence Ruhr Explores Solvation. The cell had an open-circuit voltage of 1.15 volts  the highest value ever achieved for a cell containing a polymer-based bioanode.

"We assume that the principle behind this protective shield mechanism can be transferred to any sensitive catalyst if the appropriate enzyme is selected that can catalyse the corresponding interception reaction," says Wolfgang Schuhmann.

Explore further A protecting umbrella against oxygen

More information: Adrian Ruff et al. A fully protected hydrogenase/polymer-based bioanode for high-performance hydrogen/glucose biofuel cells, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Adrian Ruff et al. A fully protected hydrogenase/polymer-based bioanode for high-performance hydrogen/glucose biofuel cells,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06106-3This artist's illustration courtesy of SpaceX shows the SpaceX BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) passenger spacecraft, which has only been shown in designs and images so far

SpaceX says it will reveal on Monday the name of the mysterious passenger it plans to send into orbit around the Moon, an ambitious project spearheaded by eccentric CEO Elon Musk.

An event to unveil the first lunar traveler since the last US Apollo mission in 1972 is planned for Monday at 6:00 pm (0100 GMT Tuesday) at SpaceX's headquarters and rocket factory in Hawthorne, California, in the middle of metropolitan Los Angeles.

An onslaught of questions about the passenger's identity on Twitter has failed to coax any details from Musk, except one hint.

In answer to a query about whether Musk himself would be the passenger, he tweeted an emoji of a Japanese flag.

Until now, Americans are the only ones who have left Earth's orbit. A total of 24 NASA astronautsall white menvoyaged to the Moon during the Apollo era of the 1960s and '70s. Twelve walked on the lunar surface.

In announcing the event last week, SpaceX described the journey as "an important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space."

It also said it would reveal "why"implying the mission may have a goal other than simply satisfying the whim of a wealthy clientas was the case with the first space tourist, Dennis Tito, an American businessman who in 2001 paid some $20 million to fly on a Russian spaceship to the International Space Station.

The price of a SpaceX Moon ticket and the date of travel are unknown.

The ride will take place aboard a Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), which has only been shown in designs and images so far, and may not be ready for human flight for four to five years at least, according to industry media.

The BFR was first announced in 2016, touted as the most powerful rocket in history, even more potent than the Saturn V Moon rocket that launched the Apollo missions five decades ago.

Last year, Musk said the BFR's admittedly ambitious goal was to make a test flight to Mars in 2022, followed by a crewed flight to the Red Planet in 2024.

California-based SpaceX is headed by Elon Musk, an internet entrepreneur and CEO of the Tesla electric car company

SpaceX chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell has said the BFR's first test flight should take place next year.

'Multi-planetary species'

This isn't the first time Musk has vowed to send tourists around the Moon. Last year, he said two paying tourists would circle the Moon in 2018, but those plans that did not materialize.

As curiosity mounts over the futuristic BFR, Musk tweeted three images, showing it will consist of a first stage with engines and fuel systems, and a second stage with the spacecraft where the passengers will ride.

Like SpaceX's existing rockets, the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, the first stage can detach from the rest of the rocket and return to Earth for an upright landing.

The spacecraft will continue on toward the Moon, powered by its own engines.

The BFR spacecraft's shape is reminiscent of the space shuttle, the bus-like US spaceships that carried astronauts to space 135 times from 1981 to 2011.

Musk has said he wants the BFR's vessel to be able to hold around 100 people, and that the launch system could one day be used to colonize the Moon and Mars in order to make humans a "multi-planetary" species.

A Martian mission is far more complicated than a back-and-forth trip around the Moon.

A Mars trip could take three to six months, including several fuel-ups.

Going to the Moon could be far quicker. US astronauts generally made the trip in about three days.

The shape of SpaceX's Big Falcon Rocket, shown in an artist's illustration, is reminiscent of the space shuttle

Whatever the details, SpaceX is touting an experience considerably more ambitious than space tourism plans under development by other private companies.

Virgin Galactic, founded by British tycoon Richard Branson, and billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's rocket company Blue Origin, are working on trips to the edge of space that could offer tourists a chance at weightlessness for 10 minutes or so.

Virgin's trip will cost about $250,000. Blue Origin's price has not been revealed.

Russian and Chinese companies are also working on space tourism plans.

Focus on NASA

Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla Motors, has drawn attention in recent months over his erratic behavior.

He has alleged that a cave diver in Thailand who helped rescue stranded boys was a "pedo," smoked what appeared to be marijuana on a comedian's podcast, spooked Tesla investors with comments about the future of the electric car maker, and admitted to exhaustion and use of the sleeping pill Ambien.

But so far this year, his space firm has also kept up a schedule outpaced only by the Chinese government, making 15 launches with its Falcon 9 rocket.

Next year, SpaceXwhich has received billions in NASA funding to ferry supplies to the ISS and build a crew vehiclehopes to become the first private company to send astronauts to the space station.

"Top SpaceX priority is and will remain supporting @NASA crewed spaceflight and National Security missions," Musk tweeted Monday.

Explore further SpaceX announces new plan to send tourist around Moon

 2018 AFPThe Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) took this snapshot of the Large Magellanic Cloud (right) and the bright star R Doradus (left) with just a single detector of one of its cameras on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. The frame is part of a swath of the southern sky TESS captured in its "first light" science image as part of its initial round of data collection. Credit: NASA/MIT/TESS

NASA's newest planet hunter, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), is now providing valuable data to help scientists discover and study exciting new exoplanets, or planets beyond our solar system. Part of the data from TESS' initial science orbit includes a detailed picture of the southern sky taken with all four of the spacecraft's wide-field cameras. This "first light" science image captures a wealth of stars and other objects, including systems previously known to have exoplanets.

"In a sea of stars brimming with new worlds, TESS is casting a wide net and will haul in a bounty of promising planets for further study," said Paul Hertz, astrophysics division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This first light science image shows the capabilities of TESS' cameras, and shows that the mission will realize its incredible potential in our search for another Earth."

TESS acquired the image using all four cameras during a 30-minute period on Tuesday, Aug. 7. The black lines in the image are gaps between the camera detectors. The images include parts of a dozen constellations, from Capricornus to Pictor, and both the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the galaxies nearest to our own. The small bright dot above the Small Magellanic Cloud is a globular clustera spherical collection of hundreds of thousands of starscalled NGC 104, also known as 47 Tucanae because of its location in the southern constellation Toucana, the Toucan. Two stars, Beta Gruis and R Doradus, are so bright they saturate an entire column of pixels on the detectors of TESS's second and fourth cameras, creating long spikes of light.

"This swath of the sky's southern hemisphere includes more than a dozen stars we know have transiting planets based on previous studies from ground observatories," said George Ricker, TESS principal investigator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research in Cambridge.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) captured this strip of stars and galaxies in the southern sky during one 30-minute period on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. Created by combining the view from all four of its cameras, this is TESS' "first light," from the first observing sector that will be used for identifying planets around other stars. Notable features in this swath of the southern sky include the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and a globular cluster called NGC 104, also known as 47 Tucanae. The brightest stars in the image, Beta Gruis and R Doradus, saturated an entire column of camera detector pixels on the satellite's second and fourth cameras. Credit: NASA/MIT/TESS

TESS's cameras, designed and built by MIT's Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts, and the MIT Kavli Institute, monitor large swaths of the sky to look for transits. Transits occur when a planet passes in front of its star as viewed from the satellite's perspective, causing a regular dip in the star's brightness.

TESS will spend two years monitoring 26 such sectors for 27 days each, covering 85 percent of the sky. During its first year of operations, the satellite will study the 13 sectors making up the southern sky. Then TESS will turn to the 13 sectors of the northern sky to carry out a second year-long survey.

MIT coordinates with Northrop Grumman in Falls Church, Virginia, to schedule science observations. TESS transmits images every 13.7 days, each time it swings closest to Earth. NASA's Deep Space Network receives and forwards the data to the TESS Payload Operations Center at MIT for initial evaluation and analysis. Full data processing and analysis takes place within the Science Processing and Operations Center pipeline at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, which provides calibrated images and refined light curves that scientists can analyze to find promising exoplanet transit candidates.

TESS builds on the legacy of NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which also uses transits to find exoplanets. TESS's target stars are 30 to 300 light-years away and about 30 to 100 times brighter than Kepler's targets, which are 300 to 3,000 light-years away. The brightness of TESS' targets make them ideal candidates for follow-up study with spectroscopy, the study of how matter and light interact.

The James Webb Space Telescope and other space and ground observatories will use spectroscopy to learn more about the planets TESS finds, including their atmospheric compositions, masses and densities.

TESS has also started observations requested through the TESS Guest Investigator Program, which allows the broader scientific community to conduct research using the satellite.

"We were very pleased with the number of guest investigator proposals we received, and we competitively selected programs for a wide range of science investigations, from studying distant active galaxies to asteroids in our own solar system," said Padi Boyd, TESS project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "And of course, lots of exciting exoplanet and star proposals as well. The science community are chomping at the bit to see the amazing data that TESS will produce and the exciting science discoveries for exoplanets and beyond."

Explore further NASA's TESS spacecraft starts science operationsAustralia's Lake Hume is on the fringes of the tropics and could be affected by the expansion of desert areas associated with widening of the tropics. Credit: Tim J. Keegan

Scientists have observed for years that the Earth's tropics are widening in connection with complex changes in climate and weather patterns. But in recent years, it appeared the widening was outpacing what models predicted, suggesting other factors were at work.

A new paper co-authored by Indiana University Bloomington researcher Paul Staten, however, finds that the most up-to-date models and the best data match up reasonably well.

"If we compare the observed trends of how the tropics have widened to modeling trends, it's actually not outside of what the models predict," said Staten, assistant professor of atmospheric sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Staten is an affiliated researcher with the IU Environmental Resilience Institute, which was established under Prepared for Environmental Change, the second initiative funded by the university's Grand Challenges Program.

The paper, "Re-examining Tropical Expansion," was published in the journal Nature Climate Change. Additional authors include Jian Lu of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Kevin Grise of the University of Virginia, Sean Davis of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Colorado and Thomas Birner of Ludwig Maximilians University Munich in Germany.

Staten said the research should add confidence to predictions based on current climate models.

"Climate change should continue to expand the tropics over the next several decades," he said. "But the expansion may not continue at the rapid rate we've seen; at times it may even temporarily contract."

The authors conclude that the tropics have been widening at an average rate of about 0.2 degrees latitude, or about 17 miles, per decade in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The rate varies widely from year to year and from location to location.

Widening of the tropics is important because it could be associated with severe changes in climate, Staten said. The world's hot, dry deserts tend to be located in bands along the northern and southern edges of the tropics, so widening of the tropics could lead to expansion of the subtropical deserts. At sea, the edges of the tropics are zones of high salinity and low marine productivity.

About half of the world's population lives in or near subtropical semi-arid climate zones, the researchers write, so changes in the subtropical climate could affect billions of people.

The researchers focus on five factors that may influence the widening of the tropics:

Increases in greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to a warmer global climate.

Depletion of ozone in the stratosphere over the South Pole, which probably shifts the edge of the tropics, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.

Aerosols from volcanic eruptions.

Pollution, including soot and ozone in the troposphere.

Natural variation, including changes in sea surface temperatures tied to the El Nino and La Nina phenomena.

Given the complexity of the factors, the authors say, it is difficult for now to tease out differences in natural and human-caused influences on the widening of the tropics. But if greenhouse gas emissions and pollution continue to increase, they write, human causes will become more obvious.

Explore further Climatologists offer explanation for widening of tropical beltAsh and soot from the western wildfires is coating the Athabasca Glacier in the Rocky Mountains. Credit: Greg Galloway

More than 500 wildfires were still burning in B.C. in September, with the Yukon, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the Atlantic provinces all experiencing one of the worst fire seasons in history. Globally, wildfires in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Sweden and Australia are burning at an alarming rate.

According to John Pomeroy, Canada Research Chair in Water Resources and Climate Change and director of the University of Saskatchewan-led Global Water Futures Program (GWF), this is a horrific year for wildfires not only in Canada, but around the world.

"You do not expect extensive wildfire in Swedish mountain tundra or in Welsh mountains, but we see that this year," said Pomeroy. "This is further evidence of remarkably fast changes in climate around the world as a result of new extremes of heat and variable precipitation, due to human-introduced greenhouse gasses."

Pomeroy points to a number of factors that have led to these severe fires this year, including an extremely dry and hot summer, and dead forests ravaged by the invasive pine beetlea creature that continues to thrive in warmer winters, especially in the B.C. interior.

These fires are also sprinkling ash across the Columbia Icefield and glaciers that make up the headwaters of the Saskatchewan, Mackenzie, and Columbia River Basins. This ash will likely speed up the melt due to the increase of solar radiation on the glacier, whereas clean ice would reflect the sun's rays.

"This is the darkest I've seen the Athabasca Glacier in my life," said Pomeroy, who has been studying hydrology in the Rockies since the early 1980s.

In nearby Canmore, Alta., Robert W. Sandford, a Fellow of the U of S Centre for Hydrology, and EPCOR Chair in Water and Climate Security with the United Nations University, described the situation in a different way.

"The sunrise in Canmore on the morning of Friday, August 17th, 2018, was surprisingly smoky in a way that made it eerily reminiscent of some of the sci-fi doomsday thrillers of the 1980 and 1990s," he said. "We are now seeing the direct climatic connection that climate scientists have been talking about for years, between water and its diametric and symbolic opposite fire. If you don't have the former, then you get the latter. Higher mean annual temperatures, especially in northern Canada, are already resulting in increased wildfire risk."

According to Sandford, a decade ago scientists predicted a whopping 75120 per cent increase in the amount of area burned each year, and now it is happening.

"We are also seeing once again this year that a slower and wavier jet stream is causing the conditions that exacerbate the wildfire threat to intensify and persist longer in vulnerable places. As a result, fires are already becoming bigger, hotter and faster. Just as scientists predicted, methane releases have accelerated from the thawing permafrost of the Arctic. We now have forest fires that are fueled by the methane they release," said Sandford.

Many researchers involved with the pan-Canadian GWF program are studying this situation with increased urgency. Addressing risk factors is critical moving forward, according to Pomeroy.

"The risk of fire can be predicted with coupled climate and water models," said Pomeroy. "For instance, the exceptionally low snowpack and dry soil moisture or dry duff layer under the forest canopy that led to the Fort McMurray fire in 2016 was predictable by our models. Once the risk of fire is high it is harder to say exactly where the fire will start because the start is often from a dropped match or a spark from a vehicle or a lightning strike. But it is possible to say where the risk is high.

"Risk can be mitigated by reducing the density of forests where there are communities, mines, roads and infrastructure right next to the forest. We often have very dense, old forest canopies right next to boreal forest and mountain communities and these are very dangerous situations given the recent increases in wildfire in Canada. We also need better prediction of risk of fire so that fire bans and other preparations can be made when risk is high."

Explore further Climate change and wild weatherDr. Airidas Korolkovas is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Sweden, and a long-term visitor at the Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, France. Credit: Airidas Korolkovas

From a humble plastic bag to ultra-light airplane wings, polymers are everywhere. These molecules are long chains of atoms that play many roles for good and bad, from organic photovoltaics to indestructible plastic pollution. Polymers are useful in liquid form, as well: The difference between tomato puree and ketchup is merely 0.5 percent of xanthan gum, which is a polymer made from sugar. Ketchup is thick but not sticky, thanks to xanthan chains that are so long that they interpenetrate and form an entangled web that resists flow. The same principle also underpins high-tech applications like ink jet printing.

It is possible to decrease the amount of thickening additives without compromising their effect on flow, which would save costs and minimize the environmental impact. Connecting the ends of three linear chains to a single point results in a configuration called a star polymer. Due to this branched architecture, webs of star polymers are dramatically more entangled than their linear cousins of the same mass. To explain how this entanglement works, consider the concept of a random walk. Imagine you are on a hike and you play a game: toss a coin four times and take a step left for every heads, and a step right for every tails. You will most often end up two steps away from the starting point. In fact, if we multiply the final distance by itself, 2x2=4, it is equal to the number of random steps. This is the law of diffusion, and it governs the motion of small molecules like water.

For polymers, we have to take the random walk to higher dimensions. Imagine you are on a hike again, but this time, you bring a hundred friends, and for safety, you all link up with a rope. Every member starts playing the random walk game, but the rope has some slack, so it takes a while for you to feel the pull of the entire team. This kind of motion is a random walk, embedded in another, slower random walk. Here, 4x4=16 random steps are required to move a distance of two steps. Next, imagine hundreds of rope teams all mingled so densely that they only have room to move up or down the line of their own team. The effect of the crowd brings us to 16x16=256 steps. Can you guess how many steps would be required by adding an extra branch to the middle of each rope team? Hint: it is not 256x256=65536. It takes a staggering 65536x65536=4.3 billion random attempts to get merely two steps away.

This result has been shown in a recent study "5-D Entanglement in Star Polymer Dynamics," by Airidas Korolkovas published in Advanced Theory and Simulations, a new journal focusing on breakthroughs in the science of modeling. A unique computer algorithm was invented to capture the billions of steps needed for entangled polymers. It runs on a high-speed GPU and takes advantage of texture mapping. Originally, this feature was designed for video games, but here, it has been repurposed to calculate the molecular forces inside a little polymer droplet. Using a streamlined physics model, this simulation runs hundreds of times faster than traditional code. It opens new horizons on the time scales that can be addressed in scientific computing. This can further push the frontiers for the latest generation of supercomputers, like the recently opened Summit in Oak Ridge National Lab, USA, which has almost 30,000 GPUs.

The effect of higher dimensional entanglement can be observed in real life using an instrument called neutron spin-echo. This machine shoots tiny subatomic particles, called neutrons, and listens to the echo of their nuclear spin as they scatter, or bounce off the polymer sample. A prime example is the IN15 beamline at the Institut Laue-Langevin, France, where the entanglement of linear polymers was first discovered. Thanks to constant upgrades and to upcoming new facilities like the European Spallation Source in Sweden, an experimental proof of the simulation prediction for star polymers may soon be within reach. A combination of high performance computing and neutron scattering is a powerful tool of discovery for new materials that improve our quality of life and respect the environment.

More information: Airidas Korolkovas, 5D Entanglement in Star Polymer Dynamics, Advanced Theory and Simulations (2018). Airidas Korolkovas, 5D Entanglement in Star Polymer Dynamics,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/adts.201800078Visualization of a shift from air-polluting economy based on fossil fuels to clean economy based on renewable energy, which is facilitated by electrocatalytic conversion of abundant CO 2 to fuels and other useful chemicals. The bottleneck of this reaction is activation of a linear CO 2 molecule to adsorbed carboxylate CO 2 ? with a chair-like geometry. Credit: Irina Chernyshova & Sathish Ponnurangam/Columbia Engineering

Using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, Columbia Engineers are first to observe how CO 2 is activated at the electrode-electrolyte interface; their finding shifts the catalyst design from trial-and-error paradigm to a rational approach and could lead to alternative, cheaper, and safer renewable energy storage

New York, NYSeptember 17, 2018Scientists have long sought ways to convert abundant CO 2 to useful products such as chemicals and fuel. As early as in 1869, they were able to electrocatalytically convert CO 2 to formic acid. Over the past two decades, the rise of CO 2 in the Earth's atmosphere has significantly accelerated research in CO 2 conversion using renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, and tidal. Because these resources are intermittentthe sun doesn't shine every day, nor does the wind constantly blowhow to store renewable energy safely and cost-effectively is a major challenge.

Recent research in electrocatalytic CO 2 conversion points the way to using CO 2 as a feedstock and renewable electricity as an energy supply for the synthesis of different types of fuel and value-added chemicals such as ethylene, ethanol, and propane. But scientists still do not understand even the first step of these reactionsCO 2 activation, or the transformation of the linear CO 2 molecule at the catalyst surface upon accepting the first electron. Knowing the exact structure of the activated CO 2 is essential because its structure dictates both the end product of the reaction and its energy cost. This reaction can start from many initial steps and go through many pathways, giving typically a mixture of products. If scientists figure out how the process works, they will be better able to selectively promote or inhibit certain pathways, which will lead to the development of a commercially viable catalyst for this technology.

Columbia Engineering researchers announced today that they solved the first piece of the puzzlethey have proved that CO 2 electroreduction begins with one common intermediate, not two as was commonly thought. They applied a comprehensive suite of experimental and theoretical methods to identify the structure of the first intermediate of CO 2 electroreduction: carboxylate CO 2 that is attached to the surface with C and O atoms. Their breakthrough, published online today in PNAS, came by applying surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) instead of the more frequently used surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy (SEIRAS). The spectroscopic results were corroborated by quantum chemical modeling.

"Our findings about CO 2 activation will open the door to an incredibly broad range of possibilities: if we can fully understand CO 2 electroreduction, we'll be able to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, contributing to the mitigation of climate change," says the paper's lead author Irina Chernyshova, associate research scientist, department of earth and environmental engineering. "In addition, our insight into CO 2 activation at the solid-water interface will enable researchers to better model the prebiotic scenarios from CO 2 to complex organic molecules that may have led to the origin of life on our planet."

They decided to use SERS rather than SEIRAS for their observations because they found that SERS has several significant advantages that enable more accurate identification of the structure of the reaction intermediate. Most importantly, the researchers were able to measure the vibrational spectra of species formed at the electrode-electrolyte interface along the entire spectral range and on an operating electrode (in operandi). Using both quantum chemical simulations and conventional electrochemical methods, the researchers were able to get the first detailed look at how CO 2 is activated at the electrode-electrolyte interface.

Understanding the nature of the first reaction intermediate is a critical step toward commercialization of the electrocatalytic CO 2 conversion to useful chemicals. It creates a solid foundation for moving away from the trial-and-error paradigm to rational catalyst design. "With this knowledge and computational power," says the paper's co-author Sathish Ponnurangam, a former graduate student and postdoc in Somasundaran's lab who is now an assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada, "researchers will be able to predict more accurately the reaction on different catalysts and specify the most promising ones, which can further be synthesized and tested."

"The Columbia Engineering experiments provide such detail that we should be able to obtain very definitive validation of the computational models," says William Goddard, Charles and Mary Ferkel Professor of Chemistry, Materials Science, and Applied Physics at CalTech, who was not involved with the study. "I expect that together with our theory, the Columbia Engineering experiments will provide precise mechanisms to be established and that examining how the mechanisms change for different alloys, surface structures, electrolytes, additives, should enable optimization of the electrocatalysts for water spitting (solar fuels), CO 2 reduction to fuels and organic feedstocks, N2 reduction to NH3 to obtain much less expensive fertilizers, all the key problems facing society to obtain the energy and food to accommodate our exploding population."

Electrocatalysis and photocatalysis (the so-called artificial photosynthesis) are among the most promising ways to achieve effective storage for renewable energy. CO 2 electroreduction has been capturing the imagination of researchers for more than 150 years because of its similarity to photosynthesis. Just as a plant converts sunlight into chemical energy, a catalyst converts electrons supplied by renewable energy into chemical energy that is stored in reduced products of CO 2 . In addition to its application for renewable energy, electrocatalysis technology may also enable manned Mars missions and colonies by providing fuel for the return trip and carbonaceous chemicals from the CO 2 that makes up 95 percent of that planet's atmosphere.

"We expect our findings and methodology will spur work on how to make go faster and at a lower energy cost not only electrocatalytic but also photocatalytic CO 2 reduction," says Ponisseril Somasundaran, LaVon Duddleson Krumb Professor of Mineral Engineering, Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering. "In the latter case, a catalyst reduces CO 2 using direct sun light. Even though these two approaches are experimentally different they are microscopically similarboth start with activation of CO 2 upon electron transfer from a catalyst surface. At this point, I believe that both these approaches will dominate the future."

The team is now working to uncover the subsequent reaction stepsto see how CO 2 is further transformedand to develop superior catalysts based on earth-abundant elements such as Cu (copper) and Sn (tin).

The study is titled "On the origin of the elusive first intermediate of CO2 electroreduction."

Explore further Selective catalysts for carbon dioxide recycling

More information: Irina V. Chernyshova el al., "On the origin of the elusive first intermediate of CO2 electroreduction," PNAS (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Irina V. Chernyshova el al., "On the origin of the elusive first intermediate of CO2 electroreduction,"(2018). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1802256115New parking System to be launched in Tbilisi

By Tea Mariamidze

Georgias capital Tbilisi will have a new parking system from 2019. The new model envisages the establishment of zonal parking system in the capital.The information was released by Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said at the meeting of Tbilisi Government.According to him, a new model of parking was developed within the new transport policy.The new model envisages a zonal parking, which we have already drafted and will send it to the Parliament. I think that implementation of this reform is very important and this is the part of the transport policy we have presented some time ago," Kaladze said.The mayor also talked about the shortcomings in the parking process, including the economic activities at the parking places or lots. Kakha Kaladze claims this is a violation of the law and instructed appropriate agencies to respond to it.Municipal parking lots are arranged for everyone and the fact that some shopkeepers or people do not let the others park their vehicles there is concerning. This is the violation of the law This problem needs to be solved as soon as possible, Kaladze said and instructed Giorgi Bagrationi, Head of Supervision Service, to eliminate such shortcomings.In addition, Kaladze stated that taxi drivers, who already have their working license, will be able to park their cars for free.We plan to allocate special places in the economically active zones of the capital, where licensed taxi drivers will have the opportunity to stop the cars without any tax European states have the same practice and we should follow their example, the Mayor added.Kaladze presented new Tbilisi Transport Policy on July 24, which is focused on defusing traffic jams and reducing air pollution in the capital.The policy also aims at ensuring safe movement of the pedestrians and the development of public transport and parking system.It envisages also aims at reducing private vehicles use and improving public transport services in the capital.Legalization of Medical Cannabis - EU Example

By Vladimer Napetvaridze

One of the most controversial topics of the last week, is a new initiative of the Georgian Government to legalize cultivation of medical cannabis and export it. This topic caused huge controversies in society, even Georgian orthodox church expressed its negative opinion about this new initiative, but the representatives of the ruling team state, that making new regulations and law, is their prerogative and its likely that Georgia will start cultivation of medical cannabis.How can marijuana be medicinally used? When the cannabis plant, Cannabis sativa, is legalized for medical use, this means that authorities allow the distribution of the strains that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  the key psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.This includes cannabis extract in mouth sprays, dried cannabis flowers for brewing in tea or vaporizing, or capsules containing THC. For medical purposes, cannabis can be used as an alternative for other pain therapies, which may not be working or have strong side effects. People with chronic pain often experience strong side effects from their pain medications. These can be alleviated with cannabis. Amongst other indications, cannabis may also relieve symptoms of cancer patients and multiple sclerosis patients. For scientist and doctors alike, the legalization of medical cannabis is not only seen as a way of alleviating patients pain and other symptoms, but also as an opportunity to conduct more research into the topic.Because of its medical benefits, EU countries started to legalize medical cannabis. In the EU, only Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland and Spain currently authorise marijuana's use as a medicine - while a few other states are planning legislation on the issue.In March 2017, although Germany has one of the strictest narcotic drug laws in Europe, it was one of the first countries to legalize cannabis for medical use. The German parliament voted for the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes. After one year from the decision other EU members such as: Portugal, Denmark, the UK joined Germany in this regard. Many other EU countries are considering legalizing medical cannabis.Based on the medical cannabis consumption data in Germany after legalizing it, we can make assumptions about economic impacts. For example, before medical cannabis was legalized, patients who needed cannabis had to apply for a specific exemption, and because of the strict regulations, only about 700 people were granted the permission to use medical cannabis. But according to Germanys health insurance companies reports, they have already received approximately 13.000 applications for reimbursement for the use of medical cannabis.Therefore,medical cannabis export will bring economic benefits, but another important question arises: Who will be allowed to cultivate marijuana and sell it for medical purposes? For example, in ItalyThe Italian Ministry of Health has been coordinating and monitoring the legalization process for medical cannabis. Since November 2015, it has had the power to distribute cultivation, production, possession and use permits.As for Germany, the legalization process has been strictly performed and controlled by the government. Law firms, on the other hand, are responsible for advising companies, who want to import, cultivate and distribute cannabis in Germany.But, despite all the benefits that cultivation of medical cannabis can bring to Georgia, it will be complicated for the government to adopt this initiative due to negative public opinion on the topic. As it was already mentioned, representatives of Georgian Orthodox Church openly expressed their negative attitudes towards the new initiative; therefore, legalization of medical cannabis cultivation will cost political points to the ruling team.4 hours ago

Two Leisure Stocks You Shouldnt Wait To Buy

Leisure Stocks - The World Is About To Go On Vacation With international travel restrictions lifting around the globe demand for travel and leisure services is on the rise. Today were highlighting two stocks the analysts are upgrading that we see moving higher.

Read ArticleBy Nick Duxbury

If you were to measure a citys greatness by its monikers, Boston would take some beating. Over the centuries it has been dubbed The Athens of America and City of Notions. Today, it is making a name for itself as an innovative financial powerhouse.

Financial pulling power

New Yorks Wall Street might wear the US finance crown, but 220 miles to the north-east, Boston is a major global financial centre in its own right. This March, it was ranked the 10th most competitive city for business in the world in the Global Financial Centres Index  one place higher than Beijing and bettered in the US only by San Francisco and New York.

The state capitals thriving job market drives Massachusetts economy; with 9 per cent of the states population living in Boston, it makes up 16 per cent of the states employment and accounts for 24 per cent of gross state product.

The city is home to Vertex Pharmaceuticals and General Electric, while online retailer Amazon, which plans to open a new 430,000 square feet office in Boston in 2021, has shortlisted the city for its proposed $5bn second headquarters.

Cradle of bright ideas

A big part of Bostons economic success story is its leadership in research and development, born out of the world-leading academic institutions on its doorstep. Having the intellectual powerhouses of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology across the river Charles in neighbouring Cambridge means Boston has innovation on tap.

As a result, Bostons Seaport district has a booming tech scene and the city boasts several unicorns (start-up companies valued at more than $1bn), including TripAdvisor, Wayfair, HubSpot and Athenahealth.

Harvard Business School, on the Boston side of the river Charles

History round every corner

Founded in 1630 by New Englands Puritan settlers, Boston  also the birthplace of the American Revolution  is one of the oldest cities in the US. As such, it is a history buffs dream.

The Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking route in the city, takes in landmarks such as the Paul Revere House (the oldest surviving structure in downtown Boston), a statue of US founding father Benjamin Franklin and the site of the Boston Massacre  when British troops fired on a mob in 1770 during the American Revolution.

An hours drive away is Plymouth on Cape Cod Bay, the colony set up in 1620 by Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower. Settlement life is recreated at Plimoth Plantation.

Old State House on the Freedom Trail

Atlantic-fresh seafood

Boston may be best known for its clam chowder, but the port citys true claim to gastronomic fame should be its wider offering of fresh Atlantic seafood.

Moments away from where fishing crews unload their daily catch at the dock in the Seaport district, Row 34 draws crowds for its oysters, lobster rolls and craft beers. In Back Bay, Michael Serpas Select Oyster Bar marries New England seafood with Mediterranean cooking, while the Saltie Girl serves up brunches of bagel benedict with lobster, and soft scrambled eggs with caviar.

Clam chowder is just a taster of Bostons culinary offerings

Room to grow

At a glance, it might seem like the Boston property market is looking overcooked. Property values are at an all-time high thanks to limited supply and pent-up demand. Prices have doubled in 10 years as a result of cheap credit, rapid population growth and a strong jobs market. Indeed, the city ranked third in property listings site Realtor.coms hottest US market list in June, with homes selling in 33 days on average.

However, analysis by property data company CoreLogic suggests that, far from peaking, Bostons rampant price growth remains sustainable with more to come. More than this, it suggests the citys high prices reflect fair value. The companys June report showed that unlike 52 per cent of major US markets, which are overvalued, Bostons prices, while expensive, are at value and can be supported by the citys prosperous economy.

Boston house prices are described as at value

Photographs: Getty Images/iStockphoto; Getty Images; DreamstimeClifton Sanders Jr. was really looking forward to having his say in the 2018 election.

That is, until the state of Florida caught up with him and took away his right to vote, nearly 30 years later.

Sanders, 69, is a retired minister living with a wife and young daughter in Orange Park, south of Jacksonville. He's a former pastor at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in downtown Jacksonville.



He received a letter in the mail in early May from the local elections office that would change his life. It said in part:

In Florida, convicted felons are permanently disenfranchised and can never vote again unless their civil rights are reinstated by the Board of Executive Clemency, made up of the governor and three elected Cabinet members.

Before those civil rights are revoked, state law requires that the felon be notified in writing and given an opportunity for a public hearing.

Sanders was indeed guilty of a felony, nearly 30 years ago.

He said he was working as a day laborer in Jacksonville and didn't know that a check he took as payment for labor was worthless. By his account, when he cashed that check he was charged with forgery -- a felony.

Duval County court records show that State Attorney Ed Austin charged Sanders with forgery on Oct. 17, 1989, for cashing the check.

The amount: $283.15.

Records show Sanders pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to one year of probation. Nearly a year later, he was charged with violating probation, according to court records.

The years rolled by. Sanders, a registered Democrat, became an ordained minister, got a pastorship, and became eligible for Medicare and Social Security. He got married and he and his wife Carisa had a daughter.

"Nobody appears to know why it happened, which is ridiculous. It doesn't make any sense," Sanders said. "It took them 30 years to get somebody who's black to not vote. Why did it take them so long?"

After being told he couldn't vote, Sanders asked for a hearing, which was held in August. Clay County said it had no choice but to take away his right to vote, which it did on August 15, nearly 30 years after the fact.

The letter states: "The determination has been made to remove your name from the Florida voter registration rolls because the documentation you provided did not disprove your felon status."

The letter Clifton Sanders Jr. received in August that took away his right to vote nearly 30 years later.

Since 2006, the primary responsibility for identifying potentially ineligible felons on the voter rolls has been the state's responsibility. But only a local supervisor of elections can remove a felon from the list of active voters, based on documentation only the state provides.

The state elections officer, Secretary of State Ken Detzner, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, said it has been aware of the Sanders case since 2010, but that Detzner's office could not positively identify Sanders as the same person who was guilty of forgery in 1989.

"The Department started reworking the potential felony match in August 2017 as part of an established practice to periodically review old potential matches that we were not previously able to validate due to insufficient documentation," said Detzner's spokeswoman, Sarah Revell. "Once we obtained the required documentation we were able to send a valid case to the supervisor of elections."

The facts of Sanders' forgery case are easily found on the Duval clerk of courts web site. There appears to be only one Clifton Sanders Jr. who was registered to vote in Florida who was born on Oct. 16, 1948.

Revell said a "valid case file" was sent to the Clay County elections office in May and Sanders was removed in August.

Because of Sanders' age, and that Florida has a mandatory five-year waiting period to apply for clemency and a backlog of more than 10,000 cases, it's not likely that Sanders will be able to vote again -- unless voters approve Amendment 4 on the Nov. 6 ballot.

READ MORE: A summer of building support for giving felons right to vote

Passage of the amendment would restore the right to vote to about 1.4 million felons, not including those convicted of murder or sex offenses, without formal hearings.

Florida's system of restoring voting rights to felons was struck down as unconstitutional this year by a federal judge, but the system remains in effect while the state appeals Judge Mark Walker's decision.

READ MORE: Judge strikes down Florida's system of restoring felons' rights

Sanders' wife Carisa, who contacted the Times/Herald about the case, is furious at the turn of events. She said so in an email to the elections office.

"You are nothing but committing election fraud," Mrs. Sanders wrote Aug. 3, "trying to take people's voter registration away to keep people from voting for who they want so that you can keep Donald Trump in office and the Republicans in control."

But the decades of delays also raised questions with the county elections officer.

"I wondered the same thing -- why this took so long to trickle through the process," said Chris Chambless, Clay County's supervisor of elections. "The county should be able to act immediately, and we go through many layers of review to make sure it's accurate."

"I freely admitted to Mr. Sanders that I empathized with him," Chambless told the Times/Herald. "It was a long period of time. But the statute doesn't provide me with any jurisprudence with a file once I receive it."The 2018 Florida governor's race is set. Two outsiders bucked their respective political establishments and will now face each over in November: Democrat Andrew Gillum (left) will face Republican Ron DeSantis (right). [COLIN HACKLEY / TAILYR IRVINE | Times]

The general election race is in full swing and there is finally one debate set between Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum, with likely more to come.

The two men have both accepted lists of debates across the state, but so far the only one that that overlaps is one in Davie hosted by Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association.

The Davie debate will take place on October 24, and will be will be broadcast live statewide according to Leadership Florida's website.

DeSantis announced his debate choices Monday in a tweet.

Weve accepted invites to the following debates: Leadership Florida, CBS Miami with Jim Defede, Telemundo in Orlando, Fox News and CNN.



The bottom line is Ill debate @AndrewGillum whenever possiblebecause his high-tax, far-left policies would be a disaster for Florida.  Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) September 17, 2018

The other debates he's accepted, with CBS in Miami, Telemundo in Orlando and Fox News, have not yet been agreed to by Gillum, who accepted a different station's invitation in Miami (Univision 23).

According to the DeSantis campaign, the CNN invitation DeSantis accepted is for a debate, which is different from the CNN "Town Hall" event in Tampa that Gillum has said he will do.

The debates between the two candidates promise to be electric, as the two have vastly differing ideologies and both displayed strong debate performances during the primary.Millionaires are pretty much just regular upper middle class folk these days. After all, when there are 16 million of them, they get lost in a sea of ordinariness. They arent ultra-wealthy at all. If you want ultra-wealthy, you have to have at least $50 million to make the grade. Better yet, bump it up to billionaire.

According to The Wealth Report by Knight Frank, the world now boasts $129,730 individuals with a net worth of $50 million or more as of 2017and a total worth of $26.4 trillion.

North America is home to the biggest portion at 44,000, followed by Asia with 35,880 and Europe close behind with 35,180.

(Click to enlarge)

And these numbers reflect a 10-percent increase over 2016. Its a significant increase when you consider that over the previous five years there was only a cumulative 18-percent increase, while in 2015, the ultra-wealthy population figures actually declined.

Indeed, Knight Frank speaks of an auspicious time for wealth creation.

We have been experiencing Goldilocks economic conditions: not too hot, and not too cold. These make it easier to do business, provide a good environment to raise capital and, above all, encourage entrepreneurialism  the key to wealth creation, says Vincent White, managing director at the Wealth-X Institution, as interviewed by Knight Frank.

Thats why the new millionaire has to have $50 million or more in net worth and assets, while the next tier up is the demi-billionaire with over $500 million. Even multi-millionairesthose with $5 million or morebarely rank these days.

So why the sudden, rapid uptick in the ultra-wealthy population?

According to Knight Frank and Wealth-X, in part, its the growing momentum of the global economy since the start of 2017.

While the relationship is not linear, the report says, many currencies gained strength against the US dollar last year, which has resulted in a net increase in our estimates [] There is an interplay between this and other factors affecting wealth growth.

Of course, those estimates came before the emerging markets crisis the world has found itself in today, where the US dollar is the only game in town and a handful of countries are experiencing a severe currency crisis that has some talking of a repeat of 2008.

Fiscal policy changes are also on Wealth-Xs impact list, although it can take some time for the changes to be felt.

But back to 2017 

While North Americas ultra-wealthy population increase by 5 percent last year, the biggest gains were in Asia, where the $50-billion-or-more population rose by 15 percent, bumping Europe out of the second-place spot. The ultra-wealthy population in Europe grew its ranks by 10 percent.

China is the biggest story here, and over the next five years, Wealth-X says the ultra-wealthy population will more than double here. And across Asia, things are looking pretty good. Japan is expected to see its ultra-wealthy ranks increase by over 50 percent, while India is expected to see an increase of over 70 percent, with Indonesia and Malaysia close behind.

We have revised up our economic outlook for the region owing to a rosier Chinese growth forecast in the short term. Steady demand from final consumer markets and rising commodity prices will support exporting countries in the region, while expectations of a very gradual monetary tightening will underpin growth overall, Frank Knight cited Economist Intelligence Unit analyst Agathe LHomme as saying.

And despite the present economic and geopolitical headwinds, White still expects 2018 to be a good one, with continued growth of the ultra-wealthy population in the medium term. Even when conditions are negative, we have traditionally seen more resilience among ultra-wealthy populations, he wrote.

By Fred Dunkley for Safehaven.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.comDetained Saudi billionaire Maan al-Sanea of the Saad Group will see his real estate auctioned off to cover unpaid debts after his company defaulted in 2009.

The auctions will begin in October, and will start off with a series of undeveloped and commercial land plots, a far and income-generation residential buildings in the Eastern Province, according to an exclusive report from Reuters.

It is a major fall from grace for the Saudi billionairewho was at one point ranked as one of the 100 richest people in the world by Forbes.

But last year, he was detained by the Saudi authorities for billions in unpaid debt that have seen creditors chasing after them for almost a decade.

Maan al-Saneas detainment is not to be confused with the Saudi purge of last year, in which the Kingdom started rounding up its wealthy businessmen and holding hundreds of them in custody in the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh.

Some negotiated their release, sacrificing huge settlements. Others were less fortunateeither banned from travel or clamped with ankle bracelets to monitor their locations.

Maan al-Saneas case is different, and more clearly linked to the authorities stated claims of an anti-corruption drive.

After all, the Saad Group defaulted on payments so big that the case ended up being the biggest financial meltdown Saudi Arabia has ever seen, as both this group and anotherAHAB (Ahmad Hamad al-Gosaibi Brothers) defaulted on $15 billion in loansor more. Al-Sanea himself is said to be in debt to the tune of up to $16 billion.

AHAB earlier this month said it would try to prevent the Arab National Bank and another creditor from claiming assets of the Saudi Arabian company to settle debts. The argument is that these assets have to be frozen by royal decree.

Late last year, a three-judge tribunal appointed the Etqaan Alliance consortium to liquidate assets owned by the billionaire. Since then, Etqaan has been extensively advertising the upcoming auctions to generate interest.

In March, the Kingdom started auctioning off the Saad Groups vehicles. Some 900 vehicles owned were auctioned off in Khobar, in the Eastern Province where the business is based.

All told, the entire process plans to auction off over 10 billion riyals (over $2.7 billion) of al-Saneas business empire and personal wealth.

For the real estate auctions starting next month, one unnamed source told Reuters that the sale proceeds would bring in an estimated $267-$533 million.

By Charles Benavidez for Safehaven.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com[SYDNEY] Women in high positions must change the system so that every girl and woman can experience equality of opportunity, says Nazhat Shameem Khan, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the UN in Geneva and the countrys ambassador to Switzerland.



Born in Suva to migrant parents of Indian descent, she has had a stellar career as a lawyer, a judge and a diplomat. In every position she worked to remove the barriers girls and women face, be it making the office of Fijis director of public prosecutions more inclusive or getting the Gender Action Plan passed as chief negotiator for Fijis presidency of the 23rd annual Conference of Parties (COP23) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

As women leaders, it is our job to look at the system and see how it works in practice for a woman Nazhat Shameem Khan

She spoke to SciDev.Net about her sheltered childhood, her struggle to get a job despite having a law degree from Cambridge University, her experience with gender and racial bias as an Indo-Fijian woman and harassment and bullying at the workplace.

From Suva Grammar school to Cambridge University and the UN, your achievements have been remarkable. What inspired and motivated you through this journey?

I was one of four daughters and my parents really couldnt see anything that their daughters couldnt achieve if they put their minds to it. I think that was a motivating factor in my upbringing. I was fortunate to go to a good school which had children from all over the world, and that made me realise the dangers of becoming insular.

Secondly, reading was a passion in my family. I read fiction, immersed in this world of imagination. While my father read philosophy and history, my mother, who was a school teacher, read self-improvement books for teachers. This constant intellectual stimulation helped me understand that there is a whole world to be explored, that life is an adventure, and that each of us has a role to play in it.

Thirdly, my choice of studying law at the university was very motivating. I discovered very early that law is not just a profession but is also an instrument for social change. If as a lawyer you dont strengthen society by creating better mechanisms for access to justice then you are not a good lawyer.

Lastly, I accepted the position at the UN because the timing was perfect, and it fitted in with what I liked to do. It gave me the opportunity to translate international human rights, norms and values to the landscape in Fiji.

What obstacles did you face in your legal career, which in the 1980s was a very male-dominated profession? How did you overcome them?

In 1983 when I returned to Fiji, I thought that I would be able to choose a job that I wanted. But I faced gender bias and racial discrimination as a woman and because of my Indo-Fijian background. One time, I was told frankly that there are vacancies but they were being reserved for non-Indian origin. Another, I was subjected to questions about my intentions to get married and have children. At one interview, I was asked if I had a boyfriend.

I chose prosecution because the director of public prosecutions (DPP) office was the only place that offered me a job. It was a wakeup call for me that ultimately no matter how educated or capable you might be, the impact of racism and sexism and the intersectionality of discrimination would be to really exclude you from discovering your own potential.

How did you overcome the cultural, institutional and legal challenges that make women, especially in developing countries, feel disempowered?

I have to say that these barriers are inherent and never disappear. It is a work in progress. As the first woman employee in the DPPs office I had to constantly prove myself and overcome barriers, including harassment and bullying. So, when I became the Director of Public Prosecutions, I said to myself that this is a chance to remove the inherent biases within the system. On my watch, I didnt want another woman to go through what I had experienced. By the time I left the directorship in 1999, we had managed to have 50 per cent women staff simply by removing the discriminations in the system such as changing the way we interview people and improving the promotion process to ensure that when someone goes on maternity leave they are not going to be at a disadvantage.

As women leaders, it is our job to look at the system and see how it works in practice for a woman. I think understanding that discrimination translates itself into stereotypical thinking, which then creates the barriers that we have to deal with. This is the conversation that we have to have more of and certainly we are having that more here in the Human Rights Council.

You were the chief negotiator for Fiji's presidency of COP23. Is there a need for more effective representation of women in climate action and climate governance?

One of the most important outcomes of COP23, of which Fiji is really proud, was the Gender Action Plan. It is designed for individual countries to bring more women to climate negotiations and to ensure internally that they train and support the capacity of women to be climate negotiators. For example, the `Solar Mamas programme in Fiji, a collaboration with the Barefoot College in India, is a wonderful example of gender empowerment, renewables and climate action.

The other good outcome of the work that climate change transformation has done in the Pacific is that in many patriarchal societies women are now having a say in adaptation programmes. Cultures are being modified because we now need to consult with women and children. This business about substantive equality is an unexpected outcome of how we respond to climate change. I find this to be the silver lining in the cloud of climate change.

What is it like to be a diplomat? How do you balance the demands of work and family?

A diplomats work is round-the-clock. It also involves a lot of travelling across continents. It is full on, but I wont have it any other way. A really important part of a diplomats job is personal relationships. I think a diplomat has to be an outgoing person, but I have to say that this did not come naturally to me. I had been a judge for 10 years and as a judge one has to do exactly the opposite. I really had to learn to be an extrovert.

I have been fortunate to have complete support from my husband, who has recently retired as CEO of Vodafone Fiji and joined me in Geneva. I couldnt have done any of this without his support. He would drop everything and attend to a sick child when I was in court. Now our daughter is a lawyer and our son is an engineer in the UK.

For young girls aspiring high in the Asia Pacific region, what would you say?

I would say that nothing is impossible. If you really believe passionately in something, immediately set down the steps to reach that goal. There will be a million people who will tell you that you cant do it, you shouldnt do it, or you should stay at home. If you want to stay at home, be the best homemaker that you can be.

Dont be discouraged and dont desist from doing what you think you can do best. If you follow the path of determination, you will get there. When you reach your goal, never forget what it was like when you were a young girl starting off on this journey. You should say to yourself that you are going to make sure to change the system so that every girl and every woman can experience an equality of opportunity which you did not have.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Asia & Pacific desk." " Family and friends remember 24-year-old Patricia Chew and her 46-year-old mother Lolita Wells at a memorial service where they were shot and killed on Sept. 29, 2015 in Chicago. The two were among five people shot at the scene including Chew's 11-month-old son. Scott Olson/Getty Images

A new study tracking gun-related deaths found that just six countries, all located in the Americas, accounted for more than half of all firearm deaths worldwide in 2016. The lamentable list was topped by Brazil with 43,200 gun deaths in 2016, followed by the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and Guatemala.

Taken together, those six nations were home to 50.5 percent of global firearm-related fatalities in 2016, a count that includes gun deaths from homicide, suicide and accidents, not war or terrorism. Interestingly, the death rate from gun-related murders, suicides and accidents significantly outpaced gun deaths from armed conflict in all but one year between 1990 and 2016, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, which published the new data in JAMA on Aug. 28, 2018. (That year was 1994, when the Rwandan genocide was going on.)

Advertisement

The full top 10 list of gun-related deaths is as follows:

Brazil: 43,200 deaths

United States: 37,200 deaths

India: 26,500

Mexico: 15,400

Colombia: 13,300

Venezuela: 12,800

Philippines: 8,020

Guatemala: 5,090

Russia: 4,380

Afghanistan: 4,050

"This study confirms what many have been claiming for years  that gun violence is one of the greatest public health crises of our time," said Dr. Mohsen Naghavi, a professor of global health at IHME, in a statement. "There are no simple antidotes to address this health problem. The tragedy of each firearm-related death will continue until reasonable and reasoned leaders come together to address the issue."

" " Firearm Statistics Around the World. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

Although more people died in the U.S. from guns in 2016 than almost any other country in the world, several other nations had far higher death rates, calculated as the number of firearm-related deaths per 100,000 people. El Salvador recorded the highest gun-related death rate in the world at 39.2 deaths per 100,000, followed by Venezuela (38.7), Guatemala (32.3), and Greenland (25.9). The U.S. was not in the top 10.

The study authors found that the leading cause of firearm death varied significantly by country. In El Salvador, for example, homicide accounted for nearly all gun deaths in the country, which has been ravaged by gang violence. In the U.S. however, there were nearly twice as many suicides (23,800 deaths) by firearm in 2016 as murders (12,400 deaths).

In wealthier countries as a whole, suicide accounted for 64.1 percent of all gun-related deaths in 2016, although the highest per-capita suicide rate by firearm was recorded by Greenland at 22 deaths per 100,000. As terrible as that sounds, Greenland's suicide rate by firearm was as high as 101 per 100,000 in 1990. For comparison, the gun-related suicide rate in the U.S. was 6.4 deaths per 100,000 in 2016, which was the second-highest in the world.

The study's authors hope that their detailed analysis, which spans 26 years and includes mortality data from 195 countries, will convince policymakers of the critical importance of expanding gun safety and education efforts worldwide.

Now That's Interesting The same study showed that the countries with the lowest death rates from firearms were Singapore (0.1 per 100,000 people), followed by China, Oman and Japan (each 0.2).Greek authorities have approved the extradition of Russian Alexander Vinnik to Russia, Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece overruled previous ones.

The Greek authorities have approved the extradition of Russian Alexander Vinnik to Russia, the decision has surprised the media because the man was expected to be extradited in the US or France as previously announces.

The decision of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece has overruled previous ones that were taken by other Greek courts.

Russia, France, and the United States, where Vinnik is charged with different hacking crimes.

Greek Police have arrested the Russian national Alexander Vinnik (38) and they accuse the man of running the BTC-e Bitcoin exchange to launder more than US$4bn worth of the cryptocurrency.

The police seized two laptops, two tablets, mobile phones, a router, a camera, and four credit cards.

The authorities reported that since 2011, 7 million Bitcoin went into the BTC-e exchange and 5.5 million withdrawn.

According to the Greek media outlet the Daily Thess, the FBI tracked Alexander Vinnik for more than a year.

The man is charged by the US authorities with fraud and money laundering for more than $4 billion worth amount of Bitcoin (BTC) resulting from criminal activities, the US prosecutors requested his extradition in July 2017.

The Greek Supreme Court first opted out to extradite Vinnink to the US to face with the charges with the operation of an unlicensed money service business, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.

Vinnik is also accused to be the responsible for the failure of the Japanese bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox.

Mt. Gox was the biggest Bitcoin exchange at the time of the shut down in 2014 that occurred after the platform was the victim of a series of cyber heists for a total of $375 million in Bitcoin.

The U.S. authorities speculate the Russian man stole funds from Mt. Gox, with the help of an insider. The stolen funds were transferred to a wallet managed by Vinnik and funds were laundered through his platform BTC-e-service during a three-year period.

In July 2018 there was a twist, a Greek lower court agreed to extradite Vinnik to France to face with charges with hacking, money laundering, extortion and involvement in organized crime.

The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the ruling and said the country will look to a response.

Several days after taking an unfriendly decision to expel Russian diplomats and to deny entry to several Russian citizens, they have adopted a decision to extradite Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik to France, Russias Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement. It is obvious that Russia cannot leave these actions unanswered.

The Russian government officially asked the Greek government to extradite Vinnik to Russia, where he is facing around $10,000 worth of fraud charges, practically nothing compared the charges in the US and France.

Now, the decision of the Greek Supreme Court is disconcerting, Vinnik is going to be extradited to Russia.

The Supreme Court will analyze Frances request for extradition on September 19, but its decision could be overrun by the Greek Minister of Justice.

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs  (Vinnik, BTC-e Bitcoin exchange)

Share this...

Linkedin

Share this: Twitter

Print

LinkedIn

Facebook

More

Tumblr

Pocket





Share OnBy Fathin Ungku

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Facebook <FB.O> said on Thursday it will invest more than $1 billion (774 million pounds) to build its first data centre in Asia in Singapore, slated to open in 2022.

Facebook's facility will be located in the west of the island, near where Google <GOOGL.O> is expanding its Singapore data centres in an $850 million investment as mobile growth, e-commerce and cloud computing demand rise across the region.

"This will be our first data centre in Asia," Thomas Furlong, Facebook's vice president of infrastructure data centres, said at a press conference with local authorities in Singapore.

He said the facility was expected to open in 2022 depending on the speed of construction.

Facebook said in a statement the 170,000 square metre facility represented an investment of more than S$1.4 billion ($1 billion) and would support hundreds of jobs.

Facebook has a number of data centres in the United States as well as Ireland and Sweden, and it is building a facility in Denmark.

"The data centre isn't country specific to where users are located...it's a dynamic process," said Furlong.

(Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Stephen Coates and Darren Schuettler)FILE PHOTO: Petrol tankers are seen parked along the roadside during the beginning of an indefinite strike in the industrial area, Nairobi, Kenya September 3, 2018. REUTERS/Njeri Mwangi/File Photo

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's energy regulator said on Thursday it had cancelled a petroleum products import licence for the country's main dealers' association, accusing its members of intimidating other transporters as part of a strike against a new fuel tax.

Pavel Oimeke, the director general of the Energy Regulatory Commission, said authorities were working towards restoring full depot operations after the strike, which involved transporters blocking fuel depots, disrupting fuel distribution.

The strike by the Kenya Independent Petroleum Dealers Association (KIPEDA) started on Monday, with the suppliers seeking the cancellation of a 16 percent value added tax on petroleum products that came into effect on Saturday.

Their action of blocking fuel depots in the capital Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa and intimidating other fuel transporters has led to fuel shortages that have also hit other parts of the country, the Energy Regulatory Commission said.

"The members who are actually disrupting operations are the members of KIPEDA," Oimeke said on privately-owned NTV television. "So we have issued a notice that we have cancelled their licence, and that is the licence for import."

KIPEDA members control 55 percent of the retail market, while the rest is served by marketers such as Shell's licensee Vivo Energy, KenolKobil <KENO.NR> and Total Kenya <TOTL.NR>.

Officials from the association were not immediately reachable for comment.

Oimeke said the regulator was working with state security agencies to make sure any other transporter wishing to collect fuel from the various depots did so unhindered.

"Already, I can confirm that loading at the depots in Nairobi was going on as of late afternoon yesterday and we expect that the flow of products is going to the petrol stations," he said, adding that KIPEDA could get its licence back on condition it did not interfere with other transporters.

Story continues

"We don't refuse they can go on strike, but it should be a peaceful demonstration not hindering others to load," he said.

The fuel tax is part of a government bid to finance key priorities while narrowing a fiscal deficit that could jeopardise a deal with the International Monetary Fund.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich was on Thursday holding a meeting with members of parliament to try and resolve the imposition of the tax, which has already triggered a hike in transport prices.

(Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian military said on Thursday that massive upcoming war games in central and eastern Russia were purely defensive in nature and not aimed at other countries, the Interfax news agency reported. Russia has touted its Vostok-2018 (East-2018) military exercises, which will take place from Sept. 11-15 in central and eastern Russian, as its biggest drills in nearly four decades. "The maneuvers are not directed against other countries and are in line with our military doctrine, which is defensive in character," Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia's general staff, was quoted as saying by Interfax. Gerasimov was speaking at a briefing for foreign military attaches in Moscow. He was also cited as saying that the war gaming scenarios and the hypothetical states involved in them were purely imaginary. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova and Andrew Osborn; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Andrew Osborn)A small smart card introduced by Beijing that offers Taiwanese a range of incentives to live and work on the Chinese mainland has generated an outsize controversy over whether its real aim is to win over residents of the self-ruled island and pave the way for future unification.

Since the start of the month, people from Taiwan, as well as those from Hong Kong and Macau, who have worked or studied on the mainland for more than six months have been eligible to apply for the new residence permits.

In the first 10 days of September, more than 22,000 mainland-based Taiwanese obtained the cards, according to the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing.

Holders of the permits are entitled to benefits and privileges including employment, access to housing fund schemes, basic medical care, legal help and social insurance.

Applying for driving licences, catching domestic flights and trains, and taking professional qualification tests are also more convenient, according to regulations issued in August.

Beijing officials say the scheme is designed to make it easier for people from the three locations to work on the mainland, but authorities and critics across the Taiwan Strait argue that it is merely an attempt to lure Taiwanese people to relocate to the mainland and so diminish the self-ruled islands identity.

Raymond Sung, a member of the supervisory board of Taiwan Democracy Watch, a pro-independence group, said the residence permit scheme was Chinas latest tactic to chip away at Taiwans sovereignty.

The [use of a personal] 18 digit code is the same as on the Chinese ID card. Its design is like the mainland Chinese ID card, he said.

By issuing such a card, China is trying to make the world accept the idea that the holders are Chinese people. This way, Beijing is quietly eroding the sovereignty of Taiwan.

Story continues

Chen Yun-wei, a Taiwanese computer software programmer based in Shanghai, said he was undecided on whether to apply for one of the new permits and needed more time to study the terms and conditions, including if it would mean he had to pay more taxes.

I dont know if there is any negative impact, he said, adding that he was aware of the political implications for Taipei and Beijing.

There is little we can do if we still want to work or live there.

Other Taiwanese on the Chinese mainland said the benefits of the permit scheme outweighed the controversy.

James Liu, an accountant for a Taiwanese electrical appliance company who was sent to work in Beijing, said he applied for a permit as soon as the scheme was announced and was unconcerned about the political implications.

The permit does provide us with a lot of conveniences while living on the mainland, he said. And if I stop working on the mainland, I can always give it up.

Liu said that one of the benefits was being able to buy train tickets online and not have to collect them from a counter at the railway station, a service available only to holders of a mainland ID card or the new residence permit.

David Tsai, a Taiwanese hairstylist who has worked in Shanghai for four years, said he liked the new scheme as having a residence permit entitled him to social insurance and cheaper health care on the mainland.

As well as the residence permit scheme, Beijing in March introduced a raft of measures that it said were designed to give Taiwanese the same status as mainland residents. Among other things, they allow Taiwanese companies doing business on the mainland to get involved in the Made in China 2025 industrial upgrade programme and claim tax incentives.

Tung Li-wen, a researcher at Taiwan Thinktank, said the residence permit scheme and the 31 new measures would create serious challenges for the self-ruled island.

The permits and the 31 incentives are aimed at wooing not just Taiwanese but talented Taiwanese, he said. This will create a brain drain problem that the government here must look into and find ways to counter as the benefits offered are big enough to attract many talented people to move to the mainland.

The Mainland Affairs Council in Taipei said earlier it was considering introducing a rule that would make it obligatory for people who acquired a mainland residence permit to inform the Taiwanese authorities of their status.

It also warned that the permits could pose a risk to personal privacy, particularly in light of Beijings current efforts to install a vast network of video surveillance and facial recognition technologies as means of social control.

Despite its concerns about the scheme, the island government said that people who were granted a mainland residence permit were not at risk of losing their Taiwanese citizenship. Such a move could only be made after considerable discussion, the Mainland Affairs Council said, as it was a matter of human rights.

This article Is Beijings offer of residence permits to Taiwanese a trick or treat? first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.A blackout was reported by a resident in the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 and Ave 2 on 18 September 2018 at around 1.30am. PHOTO: Ian Yeo

UPDATED 9:30am 18 September 2018: New information from SP Group added.

Residents living in the northern, eastern and western parts of Singapore reported a blackout in their estates in the wee hours of Tuesday (18 September).

SP Group said in a post on its Facebook page at 1.42am that electricity supply to parts of Singapore was disrupted at 1.29 am. It added that its officers were deployed to restore supply to the affected areas as soon as possible.

In a subsequent update on Facebook at 3:52am, SP said that supply was fully restored within 38 minutes, or by 1.56 am.

In our preliminary findings, the disruption was due to partial loss of supply from two power generation units, SP said. Our investigations are ongoing.

It disclosed that about 146,797 residential and commercial customers were affected.

The areas affected were Boon Lay, Choa Chu Kang, Clementi, Jurong, Pandan Loop, Aljunied, Geylang, Tanjong Rhu, Mountbatten, Kembangan, Bedok, East Coast, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Thomson, Mandai, Admiralty, Sembawang and Woodlands.

SP added that its officers were immediately deployed to the affected areas to restore supply as safely and quickly as possible.

Many residents in Sembawang, Yishun and Ang Mo Kio reported experiencing a blackout as early as around 1.20am.

The blackout was also reported in the eastern parts of Singapore in areas such as Bedok, Katong and Marine Parade. Residents living in the west also complained about a disruption in the electricity supply in as far as Jurong West.

At about 1.52am, several residents living in Sembawang reported that electricity had been restored.

Other Singapore stories

Paralympian Yip Pin Xiu and Sakae chairman Douglas Foo among 9 new NMPs chosen

Ministers may get well below $1.1 million in pay: Singapore government website

Man jailed for creating company to cheat RSAF of more than $600,000 in contractsChinese exchange student dies in high-impact US car crash that split vehicle in two

A 21-year-old Chinese exchange student was killed in the United States in a car crash that split the vehicle in two, scattering parts across a residential street in Pennsylvania, local media reported.

Pennsylvania State University exchange student Tang Kaijing was driving a white Chevrolet Corvette when it hit a tree on a residential street in the campus town of State College, Pennsylvania, at about 4.22am on Saturday.

Chinese student, 22, killed while hiking in Mount Rainier National Park in US

The car had completely split in two due to the force of the impact, according to a Facebook post from the Alpha Fire Company, which attended the scene.

Tang died at the scene from a head injury, Centre County coroner Scott Sayers said, according to Centre Daily Times. Tang was alone in the vehicle.

Tang had lost control of the vehicle before hitting the tree and speed might have been a factor, according to police, and had been returning from a friends party, according to China Daily on Monday.

Monstrous, senseless, cruel: Arizona woman who killed Chinese student Jiang Yue gets 25 years in prison

The surrounding streets were closed off for four hours as police and emergency workers cleared the crash site, the fire department said.

Tang was an undergraduate studying computer science at the university, which is more than three hours drive from New York and Washington.

We share our deepest condolences with the family and friends of Kaijing Tang and with all whose lives he touched, the university said in a statement. A police investigation into the crash is under way.

Another Chinese student, Zhao Zishan, 19, died on holiday in June after being hit by a car while crossing a street in Wilmington, North Carolina. Zhao was a student at Washington University in St Louis. His death was confirmed by the Chinese consulate general in Chicago.

This article Chinese exchange student dies in high-impact US car crash that split vehicle in two first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.Philippine rescuers on Monday searched desperately for dozens feared buried under a landslide unleashed by Typhoon Mangkhut, which also left a trail of destruction in Hong Kong and saw millions evacuated in southern China. The confirmed death toll across the northern Philippines, where the main island of Luzon was mauled by fierce winds and rain, reached 65 and was expected to rise further given the number of missing. Four more were killed in China's southern province of Guangdong. Searchers used shovels and bare hands to dig through mounds of rocky soil in the northern Philippine mountain town of Itogon, where 11 bodies have been pulled from the rubble and dozens more may still be trapped after a landslide buried an emergency shelter. Relatives of the missing were among those taking part in the search for survivors, with little hope they are still alive. "We believe that those people there, maybe 99 percent, are already dead," the town's mayor Victorio Palangdan told reporters. Tearful families surrounded a whiteboard bearing names of the dead and missing as others inspected recovered bodies for signs these could be their loved ones. Joan Catteg, 42, told AFP her missing cousin Harvey had taken shelter at the bunkhouse. "He texted his wife not to worry. He said nothing bad will happen to him and that once the rain stops, he will go up. But he hasn't returned until now." More than 155,000 people remain in evacuation centres in the Philippines two days after Mangkhut -- the world's most powerful storm this year -- struck, said national police spokesman Benigno Durana. Across northern Luzon, which produces much of the nation's rice and corn, farms were under muddy floodwater, their crops ruined just a month before harvest. Hong Kong began a massive clean-up Monday after the typhoon raked the city, shredding trees and bringing damaging floods in a trail of destruction. The government of the high-rise city described the damage as "severe and extensive" with more than 300 people injured. The monumental task of cleaning up began as residents, some in suits and ties, struggled to get back to work on roads that remained blocked by felled trees, mud and debris. Bus services were halted and commuters piled onto platforms trying to board infrequent trains after trees fell on overhead power lines. Schools will remain closed through Tuesday. Landslides and severe flooding affected some areas, with over 1,500 residents seeking refuge in temporary shelters overnight. - 'King of Storms' - The storm, with gusts of more than 230 kilometres per hour (142 mph), sent buildings swaying and water surging into homes and shopping malls in Hong Kong, with some roads waist-deep in water. Windows in tower blocks and skyscrapers were smashed as people cowered inside. In the neighbourhood of Heng Fa Chuen, thousands of rocks and pebbles from the sea covered parkland along the coastline which had been battered by waves. The city's main Victoria Park became an obstacle course with hundreds of trees down and many completely uprooted. In the neighbouring gambling enclave of Macau, all 42 casinos shut down for the first time in its history as the storm approached. They opened again on Monday but Macau was still in recovery mode after severe flooding hit parts of the city, forcing emergency workers to rescue people from shops and homes using boats and jetskis. On Monday morning, shopkeepers in Macau were hosing down their stores which had been caked in mud after the floodwaters receded. The storm made landfall in mainland China late Sunday, killing four in Guangdong including three hit by falling trees. Authorities there said they had evacuated more than three million people and ordered tens of thousands of fishing boats back to port before the arrival of what Chinese media dubbed the "King of Storms". In the city of Zhuhai, a stone's throw from Macau, volunteers and police pulled fallen trees and debris off highways. "I think it will take us three or four days before it gets back to normal," said Zhang, a police officer clearing a road near Nanshui town. Rice paddies and banana plantations along the highway were flooded and destroyed, while some factories in nearby industrial areas suffered damage. "I was scared. I didn't dare go out last night. At one point the flooding was this high," said Zhen Jingli, from Yashao village, pointing to his waist. In neighbouring Guangxi, alerts were issued for a dozen rivers running high due to the downpours and expected to rise even higher, leading to possible floods in the next 24 hours, Xinhua news agency reported.Ethiopia and Eritrea signed an agreement Sunday at a summit in Saudi Arabia, bolstering a historic peace accord between the two former Horn of Africa enemies, officials said. Authorities did not reveal exact details of the new deal signed in Jeddah, but sources close to the Saudi government said it would help strengthen the truce and enhance security in the wider region. Saudi King Salman hosted the signing ceremony which was also attended by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "The peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea signed today in Jeddah is a historic event that will contribute to strengthening security and stability in the region," said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace pact in July ending two decades of enmity sparked by a two-year border conflict which broke out in 1998. Two land border crossings between Ethiopia and Eritrea were reopened last Tuesday for the first time in 20 years, crowning a rapid reconciliation between the former bitter enemies. The warming of ties in the Horn of Africa has also seen Ethiopia and Eritrea re-open air links, embassies and trade routes. Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, and war broke out later that decade over a border dispute. A 2002 UN-backed boundary demarcation was meant to settle the dispute for good, but Ethiopia refused to abide by it. A turnaround began in June when Abiy announced that Ethiopia would hand back to Eritrea the disputed areas including the flashpoint town of Badme where the first shots of the border war were fired. - 'Wind of hope' - Aside from the Jeddah summit, Guterres said Saudi Arabia will also host possible talks between the presidents of Djibouti and Eritrea on Monday and Tuesday. The two nations have been at loggerheads for decades over a long-standing border dispute. "There is a wind of hope blowing in the Horn of Africa," Guterres said. Saudi Arabia and its ally the United Arab Emirates are helping broker peace in the region, in a sign of the growing importance the Gulf nations put on east Africa as they battle Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen. In recent years Eritrea has strengthened ties with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which has reportedly built a military base at the strategic southern port of Assab used in its operation in Yemen. Dozens of commercial vessels transit daily through the Bab al-Mandeb waterway, a crucial shipping lane between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. Huthi rebels have launched a number of attacks on ships during the Yemeni conflict. "This is part of a larger Saudi-UAE strategic cooperation to bring the Horn of Africa in their orbit, especially in light of the war in Yemen," Theodore Karasik, a senior advisor at the consultancy Gulf State Analytics, told AFP. burs-ac/rscAs if the frequent comparisons between Singapores industry of domestic helpers and outright slavery werent bad enough, maids were recently found listed on Carousell, a homegrown online marketplace platform used to auction off items.

Last Friday morning, a netizen alerted the All Singapore Stuff Facebook page about a Carousell user that had been putting up listings of various domestic helpers from Indonesia, complete with their faces exposed. Since the account was set up on Aug 15, user @maid.recruitment even had some of the profiles indicated as sold.

Photo: Carousell screengrab via All Singapore Stuff Facebook page

Photo: Carousell screengrab via All Singapore Stuff Facebook page

The page can no longer be found on the platform as Carousell has since taken down the account and its listings. A Carousell spokesman noted to The Straits Times that the listings violated the platforms community guidelines  sharing of individuals personal biodata is strictly prohibited.

Currently, Carousell is assisting the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in its investigations into the case. Acknowledging their awareness of the listings, MOM issued a strongly worded statement against employment agencies (EAs) that engage in such practices in a Facebook post.

MOM expects EAs to be responsible and exercise sensitivity when marketing their services, MOM wrote, reminding agencies that advertising foreign domestic workers like commodities is unacceptable, and a punishable offence. The public is also advised to engage only with MOM-licensed agencies, which can be verified on their directory.

EAs found guilty of doing so will be slapped with demerit points and have its license suspended or revoked. Those offering domestic worker employment services without a valid license can be fined up to $80,000 and/or jailed for up to two years.

When contacted by Coconuts Singapore, an MOM spokesperson was not able to provide any updates to the case as investigations are still ongoing.

Breaking the law is one thing, but the ethics of selling people like workhorses on an e-commerce website is another. Its demeaning and dehumanizing to the people involved (no matter how willing they are), akin to auctioning people off as slaves. Ultimately, local employment agencies dont see anything wrong in putting up such listings on Carousell because therere other sites online  such as Bestmaid.com.sg and Netmaid.com.sg  that already do the very same thing, with the personal profiles and faces of each domestic worker cataloged for interested hirers in Singapore.

The post Indonesian domestic workers found listed on online marketplace Carousell; MOM investigating appeared first on Coconuts.Leah and Simha Goldin have been thrust into an unwanted spotlight -- but all they want is finally to be able to bury their son who served in the Israeli army. From their living room in central Israel, surrounded by books and family photos, they have waged a years-long campaign to bring back the remains of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, a soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war. Their efforts have received increased attention in recent weeks as mediators seek a long-term truce between Israel and Gaza's rulers Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement believed to be holding his body. "This thing that's in our hearts -- to run around with a knife in our hearts -- has been forced upon us," said Leah, a computer scientist. "We're not diplomats. We're not legal experts," she said at her home in Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv. The Goldins argue that Israel's government has not done enough to bring back the remains of their son. The couple met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 2, along with the family of another soldier killed in the war, but they accuse the premier of "still doing nothing significant". They say a long-term truce deal with Hamas that does not guarantee the return of their son's remains would be a mark of shame for Israel and an insult to the family. Netanyahu told them "there would be no arrangement in the Gaza Strip without the return of the boys". - Pressure on Hamas - Hadar Goldin's remains and those of another soldier killed in 2014, Oron Shaul, are believed to be in the hands of Hamas. Two Israeli civilians -- both reputed to be mentally unstable -- are also believed to be in Hamas custody after entering the blockaded Gaza Strip. The Islamist movement has mooted the possibility of an exchange, but the price would likely be high. In 2011, Israel traded over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for the release of Gilad Shalit, a soldier held captive in Gaza for more than five years. The Goldin family says Israel's government should instead find ways to further pressure Hamas. Last year, partly in response to the Goldins' campaign, Israel imposed new restrictions on the Islamist group, including refusing to return the bodies of its militants. "It's first and foremost the Israeli prime minister's responsibility, the same one who sent Hadar to war," said Leah. The family has organised events to raise public awareness, including exhibitions of Hadar's colourful paintings of landscapes and people. They attend parliamentary discussions on their cause and meet with ministers and lawmakers. Supported by former Canadian justice minister Irwin Cotler, they have participated in sessions at the United Nations Security Council and the European Parliament. Leah has vowed to keep up her efforts -- "even if I have to reach Gaza" -- not just for her son, but for soldiers "who will fight the next war". - Gaza assault - Hadar Goldin was part of a team of Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip on August 1, 2014 trying to find and destroy militant tunnels. A 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire had been declared that morning, and as a result Israel says Goldin's team was prohibited from using weapons during their search except in the case of immediate danger to their lives. According to Israel's military, the soldiers came under fire from Gaza militants who killed Goldin and took his body into a tunnel. Two other soldiers were also killed. Israel's military did not know at the time if Goldin was dead or alive, and it launched a massive operation to find him and attack militant posts. The assault came to be known as "Black Friday". Rights groups say more than 130 Palestinians civilians died, while Israel's army acknowledges that up to 70 civilians were killed unintentionally. The war would end later in August without Goldin's body being recovered. Netanyahu "could have conditioned the end of the war on returning the soldiers", said Simha. Missing soldiers evoke particular emotion in Israel, a country of around nine million people where military service is compulsory for most Jewish citizens. "The initial deed of granting a dead soldier a Jewish burial is an act of true grace," said Simha, a history professor. "Any Jew in the world knows that's the first thing to do, and it hasn't been done."Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, local media said on Monday, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters. The anti-submarine drill was conducted on Thursday in the region to "improve strategic techniques", Japan's defence ministry said in a short statement. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended the drill, which he said does not aim to target "a particular nation." Neither Abe nor a ministry spokesman said whether it was the first such exercise there. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper said the submarine Kuroshio joined three Japanese warships in waters just southwest of the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal. China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, despite competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Tensions have been high over the Scarborough Shoal since Beijing seized it from Manila in 2012. The newspaper said the one-day submarine exercises were Tokyo's first in the South China Sea. The Maritime Self-Defence Force carried out a "practical" anti-submarine drill, including an exercise to spot enemy submarines with sonar devices, the Asahi said, quoting government sources. The sources described it as a legitimate naval exercise in neutral waters, with rights of access under international law. Abe stressed that he agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month that he will visit Beijing soon, saying Japan-China relations have entered "a new stage." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang declined to confirm the drill, but said that "the situation in the South China Sea is improving." Japan "should act cautiously and avoid doing anything which would harm regional peace and stability", he told a regular press briefing. Following the drill, the Japanese submarine made a port call on Monday at Cam Ranh in central Vietnam to promote defence cooperation with Hanoi, Japan's defence ministry said in a separate statement. The submarine with 80 people aboard will stay until Friday. It was the first call by any foreign submarine at the strategically important port, a defence ministry spokesman said, citing a Vietnamese counterpart. China has engaged in years of land-reclamation work on reefs it controls in the South China Sea and has built both civilian and military facilities on them. Earlier this month Beijing lashed out at Britain for sailing a warship close to the disputed islands -- one of a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises carried out in recent years by the US and its allies.MyCash is now seeking regulatory approval to build and operate innovative remittances and banking services in every market it operates, and wants to become a virtual bank for the unbanked

Being migrants themselves, the duo knows the major challenges faced by this massive 40 million population in Malaysia  one being the inability to access various financial services, as most of them are unbanked. The duos urge to solve this problem drove them to start MyCash Online, an online financial marketplace for the underbanked migrant population in Southeast Asia.

Both Nurol Haq and I are migrants from Bangladesh, MyCash Online Co-founder Mehedi Hasan Sumon tells e27. I came to Malaysia in 2007 as a student and worked for several software development companies. Haq, on the other hand, worked for Western Union in Dubai.

In 2014, the duo met while working for a Value Added Service (VAS) company in Kuala Lumpur. Whenever they met, the would talk about the problems of migrant population in Malaysia, particularly those coming from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. We wanted to develop a simple and cheaper financial alternative for them. This led us to start MyCash Online, he adds.

Incorporated in 2015 and headquartered in Singapore, MyCash provides a tailor-made platform for the unbanked migrant population, where they can purchase products and services online without using any bank account, credit cards, or prepaid cards. Users can reload phone credit, pay bills, and buy bus tickets through MyCash.

Also Read: Singapore govt to launch US$18M quantum engineering programme and local startup database

We offer many services, including local and international mobile recharge, utility bill payments, cross- border money transfer, wallet transfer, bus and air ticket, e-commerce voucher, dry foods and other products, PA insurance and many more. Migrant worker can fulfil all most all their needs through our platform, Sumon explains.

Story continues

For the end customer, the service is free. The company earns revenues from the commissions. For example, MyCash takes five to 10 per cent commission on every mobile top-up from its telecom partner. For bus tickets, it gets at least five per cent discount from operators.

Over the past two years, MyCash claims to have served more than 100,000 unique users and facilitated over a million transactions. On an average, the platform sees US$3 million worth of transactions per month. According to him, the company grows 25 per cent month on month.

With 16 employees, the startup has operations in Bangladesh, Singapore and Lithuania, besides Malaysia.

In June this year, MyCash Online raised RM500,000 (US$120,000) through equity crowd-funding platform pitchIN. A significant part of this investment came from Hong Kong-based JC Management.

The startup is now seeking regulatory approval to build and operate innovative remittances and banking services in every market it operates, and wants to become a virtual bank for the unbanked. We want to start off with Europe and later extend to other countries. Our main goal is to serve migrants around the world and provide them branchless banking facilities. We are planning to apply for the necessary license in Lithuania early next year followed by Europe, before we seek approval in Asia, he reveals the plans.

MyCash Online Co-founders Mehedi Hasan Sumon (L) and Nurol Haq

Like any other fintech company, a major challenge for MyCash is the government regulations. Sumon claims the companys products have huge demand in Singapore, although it doesnt have any remittance product to offer yet. The startup is still trying to figure a way out. We have this challenge in almost every market we operate. We also have many cool ideas like micro lending and pension savings, but we cannot simply start because we need license, he notes.

MyCash is currently looking for funding mainly for expansion in Europe and Australia  two geographies with significant migrant population.

In Europe, there are around 30 million migrants, who have similar needs. They also want to send money home and buy products online. MyCash offers cheaper maintenance solution and charge 50 per cent less than any traditional money service company, he goes on.

In Australia there are 500,000 Indian migrants and around two million from other countries. They rely on banks or companies like Western Union to send money to their relatives back home, which is very expensive and time-consuming. We provide instant money transfer service to 16 countries and it is 50 per cent cheaper than any other service providers, he said. For this we need capital, and we are in the early stages of discussions with two VCs to raise US$2 million by early next year, he concludes.

The post Malaysian fintech startup MyCash in talks to raise US$2M for expansion into Australia, Europe appeared first on e27.SOBI is focusing community empowerment through technology and sustainability

Indonesia is a country with an extensive tropical rain forest that become the home for various species of flora and fauna. The Indonesian forest has key commodities for the global needs. One of the commodities is timber, which has become the key source for the forest industry, contributing significantly to the Indonesian economy. Data shown that Indonesia is one of the biggest timber exporters in the world with its industry value reach up to US$10 billion annually (WRI Indonesia, 2018).

However, despite generating considerable profits, the Indonesian wood industry is often regarded as the cause for forest destruction, such as illegal logging and its bad practices that against the principles of environmental sustainability. As a result, Indonesia is listed as one of the countries with the massive forest destruction.

According to the research conducted by Anti-Mafia Coalition for Forestry and Forest Trends, Indonesia supplies 219 million cubic metres of illegal wood, which is unreported from 1991 to 2014. It has caused the state considerable loss in the form of non-taxable income up to US$9 million (KPK, 2015). Such condition is worsened due to the lack of knowledge and awareness of environmental sustainability standards in the forest business communities that cause the degraded Indonesian forest condition from year to year.

Also read: Restorative Innovation requires a change in mindset, but can bring about sustainable benefits for present and future generations

In responding to such problem, Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry has developed a system called Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK), an approach to ensure all timber in Indonesian market, either from domestic production or imported from abroad, must comply with Indonesian regulations. Such government initiative aligns with the emerging international standard for timber certification called Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which become the reference for certification of wood processed products for many countries. FSC certification system become the international standard for environmentally sustainable-logging businesses.

Story continues

The government initiative to stop illegal logging practices in Indonesia, and the business trend to incorporate the aspects of environmental sustainability, have become the prospect for the development of sustainable natural resource-based business model. Such initiative and the trend resulted positive impact particularly on the increasing demand for certified timber in Indonesia that exceed its supply capacity.

The implication is that the wood supply should not only be based on state-owned and private companies but also from the community forest farmers. In Indonesia, community forest farmers have the potential to supply more than 50% of certified timber. However, the communities are hampered with several problems such as high certification cost, as well as lack of professional management that enable them to connect with the business industry.

Looking at such huge potential and its challenges, Sosial Bisnis Indonesia (SOBI) was established in 2016 as Indonesias first market hub for sustainably-managed community-based natural resource commodities with the mission of shared ownership and sustainable management. In its initial stage, SOBI is now focusing on aggregating the community forest farmers in Indonesia with the certified timber industries through the approach of community empowerment and integrated information technology (IT) systems that adopt the principles of sustainability.

SOBI implements an inclusive business model in the forestry sector focusing on facilitating community forest farmers to be able to obtain the FSC and SVLK certification and connecting them with the sustainable market. Through the cooperative model developed by SOBI, community forest farmers have benefited from the multiplier effects from SOBI such as obtaining sustainability certification which costs are fully borne by SOBI, receiving intensive capacity development programs to scale up their competences in connecting with sustainable business market, and getting new job opportunities for local people in the area where SOBI operates.

As a result of such initiative, SOBI has successfully empowering more than 1,000 forest farmers in Indonesia in the form of community cooperatives for forest management unit located in Kulonprogo and Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. Both communities have received FSC and SVLK certificate that allow them to supply their certified timber for various industries in Indonesia.

Also read: 10 restorative innovation initiatives from Singapore that you should know

Currently, SOBI is building partnership with Ministry of Environment and Forestry and several Indonesian prominent Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to collaborate in empowering more of Indonesian community forest farmers. The initiative offered by SOBI was lauded by the government and other institutions as a breakthrough that merges the concepts of community empowerment and inclusive business model in adopting the sustainability principles and practices.

In the next five years, SOBI is targeting to empower 200 thousand forest farmers in Java island and expanding to 20 thousand farmers in other islands across archipelago. Beyond that, for the future plan SOBI envisions to expand its business not only focusing on forest-based sustainable products but also agriculture and fishery-based industry.

-

For further information about SOBI and its social business initiatives, can be found in the website www.sobi.co.id

References:

e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash

The post Marrying tech and sustainability, SOBI offers an inclusive business model for Indonesias community forest farmers appeared first on e27.US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Skopje on Monday to throw his support behind a 'yes' vote in Macedonia's upcoming referendum on a name change and to counter "Russian influence" against the move. Slated for September 30, the vote will ask Macedonians whether they want to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, in a move which could open the door to NATO and EU membership. The referendum follows a landmark agreement between Athens and Skopje in June which sought to break the stalemate that has poisoned their relations since 1991 and hobbled Macedonia's integration with the West. Greece objects to its neighbour being called Macedonia because it has its own province of the same name. It has also accused Skopje of territorial ambitions and blocked the Balkan country from joining NATO or starting EU accession talks. Speaking on the plane en route to Skopje, Mattis said it was up to the Macedonians to decide whether they wanted the change, which could open important doors for this country of 2.1 million. "I think to the people whose lives can be changed by economic opportunities, by security... it's very important that they have those options available," he said. "We'll just look at how they'll shape their own future, not... someone else." - 'Russian influence operations' - But he had harsh words for what he called "Russian influence operations" and efforts to pay off certain political groups. "We don't want to see Russia doing there what they have tried to do in so many other countries," he said. "No doubt that they have transferred money and that they are also conducting a broader influence campaign," he said. Russia is opposed to any NATO enlargement in eastern Europe and the Balkans, and Washington has accused Moscow of leading an online disinformation campaign in Macedonia to discourage voters from taking part. On arrival, Mattis -- the first US defence chief to visit Skopje since 2004 -- met his Macedonian counterpart Radmila Sekerinska and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who struck the name-change deal with Greece. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Mattis said Washington and Skopje would expand "cybersecurity cooperation to thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens both our democracies". - 'No proof of Russian influence' - But Zaev played down his allegations of Russian meddling. "We don't have proof about Russian influence," he told reporters earlier on Monday on the sidelines of freedom of speech conference. "The Russian Federation is a friend to Macedonia and they have nothing against our integration in the EU, but they are against our integration in NATO," he said. Montenegro, another tiny Balkan country, joined NATO in 2017, despite opposition by Moscow and part of the population. But Laura Cooper, who is in charge of Pentagon policy on Russia and central Europe, accused Moscow of paying voters to boycott the referendum and of financially supporting pro-Russian organisations. "They are swooping in now with disinformation and other forms of malign influence to try to change the minds of the Macedonian people," she told reporters. "There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organisations." - Macedonia's 'consequential mistake' - In June, Russian ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told Greek media that Macedonia's choice to become a NATO member was "a mistake". "There are errors that have consequences," he said. Speaking to Macedonian news portal Nova Makedonija in late August, Russian ambassador Oleg Shcherbak accused the West of putting "very strong media and psychological pressure" on Macedonian voters. Macedonian media, notably the main TV channels, have led a 'yes' campaign, which seems the likely outcome. Under the Macedonian constitution, the referendum is only "consultative" -- meaning that any vote in favour of the change will need to be backed by parliament with a two-thirds majority. The nationalist opposition VMRO-DPMNE, which opposes the name change, has decided not to back a social media campaign calling for a boycott of the vote.Never too early to teach Hong Kongs children how to protect themselves from abuse, Plan International boss says

Children should be taught at an early age how to protect themselves from being abused, a child rights expert has said.

Rasa Sekulovic, the regional head of child protection and partnerships at Plan International, said the first step in preventing child abuse was for parents and teachers to talk openly with children about the risk of violence, or psychological abuse.

According to the latest figures from the Social Welfare Department, child abuse cases in Hong Kong rose 6.2 per cent to 947 last year. Of those cases, 40 per cent involved physical injury, and 59 per cent of abusers were parents.

The head of the NGO in Asia, Sekulovic also said parents should stop beating their children as a punishment, and Hong Kong should follow Nepals lead and have children involved in the citys policymaking process.

As parents, or whoever is taking primary care of children, we cannot be with them all the time, Sekulovic said, during an interview with the Post.

Gradually we can introduce the concept that violence is not acceptable

Rasa Sekulovic, Plan International

Just like wed teach children not to touch fire, electric sockets or poisonous things, gradually we can introduce the concept that violence is not acceptable.

Children should know, no one should yell at you, no one should touch you where youre not supposed to be touched, and you deserve all the care.

The level of child abuse in the city is at its highest since 2013, with most abused children either infants below the age of two, and children aged between 12 and 14.

According to Sekulovic, historically, children in Hong Kong, as in the rest of the world, are often abused by people in positions of trust, which often makes victims hesitant to report what is happening.

While he did not identify a specific age to start anti-abuse education, Sekulovic said the earlier children were taught to protect themselves, the earlier they would be encouraged to identify the kind of abuse and ask for help.

Story continues

In the long term, this would also help break the vicious circle in which child abuse victims subsequently become violent parents themselves.

He said parents should stop beating their children as a punishment, as resorting to violence only instilled fear in children.

When the parents are away, they [children] will do [the misbehaviour] again, he said. That doesnt help children grow up to become responsible and caring adults.

Sekulovic believes the creation of Hong Kongs first Childrens Commission this year presents an opportunity for younger members of society to play a bigger role in matters concerning them the most.

One of the key steps could be ensuring legislation or policies concerning children first goes through consultation with them.

While it remains a progressive idea for Hong Kong, the Plan International chief pointed to children in Nepal, who have been consulted in the process of drafting new legislations for several years.

Drafted law could be translated in a child-friendly way so children could provide their input, then communicate it to the lawmakers, Sekulovic said.

Other areas children could give feedback in, include public services such as transport, or services intended to help children with disabilities.

Chaired by Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, the commission comprising officials from various bureaus and activists for child rights was criticised for not being an independent body which monitored the governments policies targeted at children.

During the first meeting in June, the government was pressed on a timetable for the commission to become a statutory body, independent from the government. However, sources said the government was non-committal on this, and on a separate proposal to set up a subcommittee to study what the commission would need to become an independent body.

Sekulovic said it was important for the commission to be independent, to truly help the government improve child-related policies.

Its not a shame to have a problem, every place has it, he said. But it would be a shame to hide it, and the problem will not disappear, but will only come back and bite.

This article Never too early to teach Hong Kongs children how to protect themselves from abuse, Plan International boss says first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.Moscow said Monday there would be no assault on Syria's Idlib as the leaders of Russia and Turkey agreed to create a demilitarised zone around the Syrian rebel-held province. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- who are on opposite sides in the deadly seven-year conflict in Syria -- met for over four hours in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi to decide the fate of Idlib, home to three million people. "We will prevent a humanitarian tragedy which could happen as a result of military action," Erdogan said after the talks. Putin said the two leaders agreed to create a 15-20 kilometre-wide demilitarised zone along the line of contact between rebels and regime troops by October 15. This would entail a "withdrawal of all radical fighters" from Idlib including the Al-Nusra Front, he added. Putin and Erdogan also agreed on the withdrawal of "heavy weaponry from this zone," including tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, and rocket launchers belonging to all armed groups, the Russian leader added. The demilitarised zone will be secured with the help of "mobile patrol groups of Turkish contingents and contingents of Russian military police," Putin said. By the end of the year, transportation routes between the key port of Latakia and Aleppo as well as Latakia and the major city of Hama must be restored, he added. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the agreement between Putin and Erdogan meant that no military action would be taken against Idlib, Russian news agencies reported. Russia-backed forces of the Syrian regime have massed around Idlib province in recent weeks, sparking fears of an imminent air and ground attack to retake the last major opposition bastion. The United Nations and non-governmental organisations have repeatedly warned that such an offensive would unleash a "bloodbath" and "humanitarian catastrophe" in Idlib. Turkey has repeatedly called for a ceasefire to avert a possible attack. Erdogan and Putin met previously on September 7 in Tehran for a three-way summit with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. At that summit the Russian and Turkish leaders openly disagreed over how to deal with the rebel stronghold, which borders Turkey. - Mass exodus fears - Turkey's military has reportedly sent reinforcements to Idlib in recent weeks. Tanks and other hardware, with a convoy of 50 military vehicles, were sent over the border Sunday, according to the Hurriyet daily. Russia and Iran are key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Turkey however backs opposition fighters seeking the ouster of the Syrian leader. It has said a large-scale offensive against the rebels could trigger a mass exodus towards its border. Russian and Syrian air strikes, artillery fire and barrel bomb attacks have killed more than 30 civilians across the province in the past month, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The bombardment has slowed over the past week, however, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that the Syrian regime is not preparing a major offensive against Idlib, adding that Moscow will do everything to protect civilians. "What is being presented at the moment as the beginning of a Russian-backed offensive by Syrian forces is not a faithful representation of the facts," Lavrov said. "We are doing everything to ensure that the civilian population would not suffer," he said. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday said Turkey was ready to cooperate with anyone in the fight against terror groups in Syria. But he criticised the Damascus regime for using the presence of jihadists to legitimise a possible operation in Idlib. The Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, when the Assad regime launched a crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The crackdown evolved into a complex conflict involving jihadists and world powers. It has killed an estimated 360,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes.It will also launch a national programme to facilitate overseas internships to help local entrepreneurs

The National Research Foundation (NRF), a Singapore government-backed R&D department, is set to launch a S$25 million (US$18 million) fund aimed at boosting the countrys quantum engineering capabilities.

Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Finance and Chairman of NRF, unveiled the new initiative, called the the Quantum Engineering Programme (QEP), during his opening address at the Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH) today.

Led by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and overseas partners, QEP will build upon 20 years of quantum science research from the countrys R&D facilities, to prototype and develop quantum technologies and devices.

Keat said that quantum technologies can achieve unprecedented levels of accuracy and, to put forth an example, mentioned how quantum clocks can unlock new possibilities for deep sea and space exploration.

QEP will focus on demonstrating use cases and applications in a range of domains such as cybersecurity and communications and diagnostics imaging.

Innovators Academy

Keat also announced two new initiatives designed to bolster the countrys entrepreneur ecosystem.

The first is the Innovators Academy  a national programme that facilitate overseas internship programmes in 17 cities over the next few years. Innovation academy is an initiative under the Global Innovation Alliance and aims to help Singapore entrepreneurs, businesses and students connect and collaborate with overseas partners in technology and innovation.

Also Read: Entering the healthcare tech space? Three things to keep in mind

By exposing students to a diverse range of innovation ecosystems abroad, the Innovators Academy hopes to grow Singapore business leaders with a global perspective. Nanyang Technological University (NTU), NUS, Singapore Management University and Ngee Ann Polytechnic will participate in this programme, with more institutions to follow.

Story continues

Startup SG Network

The second initiative is an online startup database for Singapore companies called Startup SG Network, developed by Enterprise Singapore.

It enables local ecosystem players across over 30 technology sectors such as agrifood tech,

medtech and urban solutions to profile themselves, connect with one another and seek

potential partnerships and deal flows through an online portal.

For example, startups could potentially use the database to search for an appropriate incubator or VC to help them scale. Or vice versa, a incubator or VC could leverage the portal to curate the right startups for strategic partnerships.

Keat also said that this portal puts Singapore on the radar of global players, making it easier for them to make connections within the local ecosystem.



The post Singapore govt to launch US$18M quantum engineering programme and local startup database appeared first on e27.Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka booked a place in the second round at the Saint Petersburg Open with a hard-fought straight-sets win over Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene here on Monday. The 33-year-old Wawrinka, who came to St Petersburg courtesy of a wildcard, prevailed 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) in one hour 46 minutes to chalk up his third win over Bedene in their fourth meeting. "I'm really happy to be back here," Wawrinka said on court after the match. "Last time I was here two years ago when I lost in the final. "Of course I'm happy with my first win here. I think it was a great level." The Swiss star has been struggling to find his best form since returning to the ATP Tour after two operations on his left knee a year ago, and he was trailing 5-3 here after dropping his serve early in the first set. But the former world number three, who is now down at 88, picked up steam and broke back twice to take the opener in 46 minutes. Wawrinka looked better in the second set but there were no big serves on the St Petersburg hard-court. Wawrinka won his first Grand Slam title at the 2014 Australian Open and then added the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open titles to his trophy cabinet. In the match for a place in the last eight he will face fourth seeded Russian Karen Khachanov, who enjoyed an opening-round bye. Earlier on Monday Martin Klizan of Slovakia, who won the title here six years ago, saw off Russia's Evgeny Donskoy 6-4, 6-4. In the match for a place in the quarter-finals the Slovakian left-hander will face second seed Fabio Fognini of Italy in a replay of the 2012 Saint Petersburg's final. "It's a great feeling as I came back to Saint Petersburg after a long break," Klizan said. "I have very pleasant memories after winning trophy here and I want to make it again. "It will be a good match I hope," he said about the meeting with Fognini. "Fabio is a great player but I feel very comfortable in this arena and I hope I can win more matches here."As I read Imani Perrys sophisticated Looking for Lorraine, which digs up the oft-overlooked life and work of activist and writer Lorraine Hansberry, I remembered New York Times film critic A.O. Scotts review of I Am Not Your Negro, Raoul Pecks 2017 award-winning film based on an unfinished manuscript by James Baldwin. In his review, Scott argues that the film is more of a posthumous collaboration, an uncanny and thrilling communion between the filmmaker  and his subject. Looking for Lorraine, which Perry suggests is less a biography than a genre yet to be namedmaybe third person memoir, conjures a similar spirit of communion. Using her own personal interest in Hansberrybest known today as the playwright of A Raisin in the Sunas narrative scaffolding, Perry mines Hansberrys life, her indefatigable radicalism, and her queerness, and she prods us to consider what this fuller portrait of a categorically transgressive figure reveals about the state of social justice today.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The title of Perrys book nods to Looking for Langston, an impressionistic 1989 film by Isaac Julien that, while dedicated to Langston Hughes, centers more broadly on queer black life during the Harlem Renaissance. In Perrys words, As [Julien] looked for Langston in footage, language, and imagination, I look for Lorraine in words, ideas, and imagination. And she begins her search with Hansberrys birthplace: Chicago.

While Hansberrys family lived comfortablyher father, Carl, was a successful real-estate brokershe quickly learned, as a child, that her relative prominence was no armor against a racist world. After her father began challenging racially restrictive housing covenants in Chicago in the 1930s, the family lived under relentless threat of attack by white mobs; Hansberrys mother, Nannie, spent evenings guarding the familys house with a German Luger pistol. That Jim Crow threatened all black Americans, class or any other scraping of privilege be damned, profoundly shaped Hansberrys broad black consciousness. Years later, at a rally in 1963, she declared that between the Negro intelligentsia, the Negro middle class, and the Negro this-and-thatwe are one people.  As far as we are concerned, we are represented by the Negroes in the streets of Birmingham! Perry also explores how both she and Hansberry were influenced by their fathers: Perrys was a Jewish communist with a tenacious belief in black liberation, and Hansberrys was a civil-rights activist who fought discrimination until, as his famous daughter told it, American racism helped kill him.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Yet Hansberrys passion for social justice stretched beyond Americas borders. Perry spends a meaningful portion of the book charting Hansberrys experiences abroad. For instance, while she was briefly an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, she spent the summer of 1949 in Ajijic, Mexico. Despite its tiny size, the Mexican city had long attracted artists from around the world. For the preternaturally talented Hansberry, Ajijic wasnt merely some college sojourn: it is clear that Ajijic was a place where her sense of possibility for her own life, her sense of romance and joy, was expanded and excited, Perry explains. She rightly refrains from speculating too much about young Hansberrys intimate life, but its hardly a leap to see how her time therelearning from indigenous and queer artists in what was, essentially, a bohemian oasismust have nurtured her eventual embrace of her own artistic and sexual autonomy.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In addition to Ajijic, Hansberry traveled to Montevideo, Uruguay. She went there in 1952 for the Inter-American Peace Conference in place of Paul Robeson, who had recently been stripped of his U.S. passport. Its in these pages that we can see the vastness of Hansberrys gaze as an activist. Of a march against police violence she joined while in Montevideo, she remarked that there were police along the streets with their long swords at their sides and their arms crossed and their faces drawn into those long sober expressions peculiar to police all over the world. Indeed, what made Hansberry a radical was partly her recognition, despite geography, of the enormity of injustice. As Perry recalls, When I was a child, radical was a compliment my parents gave to people whom they considered smart and politically righteous. (Its no surprise, then, that Perrys father, too, was a Hansberry acolyte: that he revered her for her radicalism, for her unflinching truth telling, and for being a seeker.)

Advertisement

Perry dedicates most of her attention to Hansberrys life in New York, the place she called home beginning in 1950. For a short time, she attended the New School for Social Research, until she dropped out and started working at Robesons pan-Africanist newspaper Freedom, which she believed in its time in history, ought to be the Negro journal of liberation. Hansberry also met the songwriter and publisher Robert Nemiroff, whom she married in 1953. His later successhe co-wrote the 1956 chart-topper Cindy, Oh Cindygave Hansberry the financial stability she needed to write full-time. In 1959, her most famous work, A Raisin in the Sun, about a poor black family living in Chicago (living, in fact, in an apartment not unlike the one Perry lived in for part of her youth), debuted on Broadway and turned her into a celebrity; Baldwin later reflected that never before, in the entire history of the American theater, had so much of the truth of black peoples lives been seen on the stage.

Advertisement

Advertisement

One of the challenges of writing about Hansberry is discussing her sexualityand thats because she wasnt out, at least publicly, while she was alive. She certainly advocated for gender and sexual equality, and Baldwin, who was open about his own sexuality, was a close friend. In the late 50s, Hansberry also began exploring the growing homophile movement and dating women, even while she was in a straight marriagesomething Nemiroff supported.

Advertisement

And yet, most of what we know about Hansberrys identity as a lesbian stems from her private writings: essays, letters, poetry, short stories. Perry treats these texts (many of them available only since 2010) with care, tenderly pulling back the veil on a woman who committed her craft to investigating the various facets of identity. In 1960, for instance, Hansberry wrote two lists: I like and I hate. On the former, she wrote things like Eartha Kitts looks, Older Women, and My homosexuality. She included My homosexuality on the latter, too. These two lists, Perry writes, illuminate the splendor and pain Hansberrythe passionate and opinionated intellect and the aesthetefelt when it came to her sexuality, to the emotional wrestling she kept mostly hidden away: It is a testament to the delicate strength of her pen that even this exercise in simple accounting became poetry.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Perrys concluding pages retrace the places Lorraine stood. In a diaristic manner, she recounts her travels in 2017 to Greenwich Village and Harlem (among other places), searching for signs of Hansberry. (Theres less of her in the former, she explains, noting that in lieu of the midcentury bohemia are cool accumulation and edgy wealth.) This literal looking for Lorraine transposes Hansberry into the present, into the Black Lives Matter eraand Perry isnt timid about pointing out how contemporary society still buckles morally on some matters of acceptance. Where would her place be? Perry asks. In Boystownan expensive upper-crust queer community where her brownness would still be an oddity? Probably not. Although her love of women would be treated more kindly today, there is a good chance Lorraines sexuality would be used to push her away from the center of American theater and thought. Even today, Perry reminds us, one form of oppression all too often crosshatches with, and props up, a litany of others.

Advertisement

In fitting herself into Hansberrys story with autobiographical elements, Perry offers a bracing air of familiarity and urgency around the artist, whose legacy has faded since her death from cancer in 1965. (She was only 34 years old.) By crisscrossing then and now, Perry insists how important it is that our connection to this historyto Hansberrysurvive. Because by learning more about herrevisiting the keen ways in which she interrogated America and its endless betrayalswe, too, are encouraged to become our best and most radical selves. Lorraine rejected the American project but not America, Perry writes. She saw her embrace of radical politics as a commitment to it, to what it could be.

Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry by Imani Perry. Beacon Press.

See all the pieces in the Slate Book Review.

Slate is an Amazon affiliate and may receive a commission from purchases you make through our links.If you were impressed by the few seconds of screen time that Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda got in the last, frustratingly short teaser for Mary Poppins Returns, just wait until you see the full-length trailer. Disney is bringing the famous nanny back to the big screen on Dec. 19 with a sequel to Mary Poppins, and the new trailer is, thankfully, more generous with its footageand more forthcoming about the movies plot. Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw star as Jane and Michael Banks, who are now grown up and taking care of Michaels children after the death of their mother.

Advertisement

They find some unexpected assistance when Mary Poppins blows into town. Blunt looks as commanding in the title role as Julie Andrews before her, but its the supporting cast who steal the show here, even the ones who are little more than flashes of a name and face on screen: Angela Lansbury! Julie Walters! Colin Firth! The film also boasts the return of 92-year-old Dick Van Dyke, playing Mr. Dawes Jr., the son of the minor but memorable character he played in the original. No doubt he also had advice for Lin-Manuel Miranda about trying to nail a Cockney accent.

But its Meryl Streep whose appearance in the trailer is the most intriguing. Shell play Mary Poppins cousin Topsy, and will be singing an original song by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. When Streep singswell or badlyOscar nominations tend to follow, but by this point, shes surely used to it. Its that ludicrous, bright-orange wig that deserves an award.Woody Allens wife Soon-Yi Previn will be giving her perspective on the scandals that have dogged her husband in an upcoming article from New York magazine, Page Six reports. Previn was the adopted daughter of Allens long-time significant other Mia Farrow; their relationship was a matter of contention and a very public scandal during Farrow and Allens split in the early 1990s. Previn married Woody Allen in 1997. Now, according to a statement from New York, she will be telling her story for the first time.

Advertisement

According to Page Six, Dylan Farrowwho accused Allen, her stepfather, of sexually assaulting her when she was a child, allegations Allen has deniedis furious about the story, because she believes that the author, Daphne Merkin, was chosen because she is sympathetic to Allen. Merkin has written in the past about her correspondence with Allen, which began when she sent him a fan letter. Representatives from New York magazine said in response that Daphne Merkins relationship to Woody Allen is disclosed and is a part of the story, as is Soon-Yis reason for speaking out now.

The story is expected to be in print on Monday, but could be published online Sunday night.

Update, Sept. 16: The story has now been published online.In 2017, the radio journalist John Hockenberry left his nearly decadelong job as host of the public radio program The Takeaway. Soon he was hit with allegations of bullying and sexual harassment, credibly documented in press accounts and confirmed in an internal investigation commissioned by his former employer, WNYC, which found discriminatorily harassing conduct.

Now, more than a year since Hockenberry was paid to talk into a microphone, hes penned an essay for Harpers claiming to explain his actions. It makes you realize why savvy defense lawyers seldom allow their clients to testify in their own defense.

Advertisement

This is a think piece by a man who is baffled as to what issue he needs to think about. It is logorrhea as apologia.

It is the rare #MeToo mea culpa that includes a lengthy description of how the penis functions during sex, but this one does. Its odd for a man seeking to communicate that he understands the damage he has caused to label his accusers cowardly, but that can be found in the second paragraph. I, for one did not expect to encounter any of the following in an essay intended to convince the reader that Hockenberry had looked inward and found fault: Brahms, Nabokov, Obama, Thomas Jefferson, Malala Yousafzai. And yet there they all are. Also, what of WNYCs own reporting that before the sexual harassment charges publically surfaced, Hockenberry missed interviews, arrived unprepared, and even fell asleep on the job? Those acts remain unaddressed. He does tell us however that his 1974 performance as Zorba the Greek on the high school stage is still talked about in his hometown.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The essay is, in a word, ridiculous. It misses the point, as much as any attempt at rehabilitation ever could, and therefore achieves the opposite of its intention. It is a cri de coeur of heartlessness. It is a think piece by a man who is baffled as to what issue he needs to think about. It is logorrhea as apologia. It is the most embarrassing work I have ever read written by someone whose work I once respected. And Ive read late Seymour Hersh.

It is easy to dismiss the apologies, or explanations, by the men named as harassers during the time of #MeToo as insufficient, or insincere-seeming. Sometimes these apologies are impossible to hear without the details of the transgression ringing in your ears. Harassers have been criticized if they name their victims and criticized if they dont. Many members of the audience are simply not yet at the forgiveness stage. That said, the problem with this essay is not that it fails to walk the narrow ledge that the harasser has constructed for himself. The Hockenberry essay fails completely and erases any doubt that even a charitable reader like me might have had about the ego, intention, or basic good sense of the man.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The essays first paragraph begins to build a resume and mount a defense. Sentence two reads:

You likely know that I use a wheelchair because of a 1976 car accident and the resultant spinal cord injury, received in the twilight of adolescence at age nineteen.

Sentence 4 reads:

Possibly you are aware of me as the father of five children: two sets of twinsthree girls and a boy, aged twenty and seventeenand another eight-year-old boy.

Hockenberry invokes his children no fewer than seven times in the essay, alternatively bragging about the piano-playing prowess of his sons and revealing that his older children, when engaging in sexual encounters, are themselves confused by standards of consent.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Did I actually say yes to that? Did you say thank you? What shade of gray was that? This agony of sexual indecision and bewilderment is how my kids and their peers often describe their sexual experiences.

Hey, thanks for mentioning that, Dad!

Hockenberrys physical disability is, understandably, central to his identity, and over the years, hes done a great job weaving that fact into his journalism and even performing a one-man off-Broadway show called Spoke Man. In this essay, however, the chair is used to excuse and deflect, like Lance Armstrong used his battle with cancer as a cudgel and as armor.

Advertisement

Over and over, Hockenberry comes back to the fact that hes disabled, emphasizing that he is a paraplegic man whose total lack of sensation renders him incapable of experiencing physical pleasure as an able-bodied person would. At one juncture, he puts forward an image of himself as a penis-less paraplegic. The intention is clearly to neuter himself in the readers mind, and therefore to render himself harmless. If he is impotent, how can his acts have been perceived as having such potency? Its a conscious misrepresentation of the nature of harassment, which can be used to belittle and control others as much as to physically gratify the harasser.

Advertisement

Hockenberry advances multiple defenses, but then, caveman-lawyer-like, retreats via see-though rhetoric. He writes:

Being a misguided romantic, or being born at the wrong time, or taking the wrong cues from the sexual revolution of the Sixties, or having a disability that leaves one impotent at the age of nineteennone of this is a justification for offensive behavior toward women.

They dont justify offensive behavior, yet he feels they justify a mention. The argument that he was born at the wrong time, that time being the 60s, is a sad echo of Harvey Weinsteins excuse that he was an old dinosaur.

Advertisement

Advertisement

When will we see a generation of offenders who are unable to blame their milieu? Hockenberry came of age in the 60s. But the 70s were a more libidinous bacchanalia, the U.S. Supreme Court didnt rule on a sexual harassment case until more than halfway through the 80s; the 90s saw the high-tech, mass-media sexual harassment of Anita Hill and Monica Lewinsky. I guess just now were birthing the first children who, upon their arrival into adulthood, wont be able to use the generational defense.

Advertisement

But it is the broad claim of romanticism that gets the most thorough workout from Hockenberry. Romance, or a variation on the word, appears 30 times in the essay; harassment, or a variant, appears three timestwice in Hockenberrys own words and once in a footnote where Harpers editors confirm that Hockenberry had been officially reported for sexual harassment.

Hockenberrys crusade on behalf of romance includes a bromide against blow jobs and a critique of the existence of a Medium article on cunnilingus. Just when you thought he might stand athwart Cole Porter and insist, NO! A glimpse of stocking is still something shocking, he actually goes even further. Casting about for an embodiment of the ideal level of feminist consciousness, Hockenberry points to the more progressive elements within the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I found the women described in Reading Lolita in Tehran refreshing pioneers of intellectual freedom and stewards of reinvention in their potentially unshackled nation. Whereas the women in my presumably unshackled America seem to be more like the religious police of Iran in ways that they themselves cannot see, or refuse to see, right now.

They cannot see, but Hockenberry can; such is the benefit of distance, as dictated by HR policy.

Hockenberry uses four paragraphs to tell us he once toyed with the idea of doing a piece for ABC News about the feminist scholar Andrea Dworkin but didnt. This, as much as anything could, sets the table for what Hockenberry judges to be supporting evidence for his own victimization. Yes, here comes the detailed discussion of what exactly a penis does during intercourse:

Advertisement

Advertisement

his penis is surrounded by strong muscles that contract like a fist shutting tight and release with a force that pushes hard on the tender thing, always so vulnerable no matter how hard.

That, dear reader, is the money shot: an ejaculation of self-pity. For all of Hockenberrys endless ramblings about romanticism, he seems not to grasp a key element contributing to his oft-mentioned employment and financial difficulties. It is this: Even if there were zero sexual element to his misdeeds, even if no woman ever was made to feel uncomfortable or demeaned in a way that was sexually inappropriate, even if Hockenberry never mentioned anything that anyone ever interpreted to be sleazy when it was meant to be romanticeven if all that were true, we cannot ignore the fact that he is a horrible bully. Hockenberry is the kind of person whom subordinates, co-workers, and even supervisors simply do not want to be around. A former employee of Hockenberrys WNYC show told me that Hockenberry was frequently excluded from edit meetings because he was so abusive and deleterious to the production of the show. Think of this: the staff of a radio program, a deeply collaborative exercise, shutting out the host because he was such an asshole.

Advertisement

Advertisement

For almost a decade, Hockenberry was one of the highest paid employees at WNYC, which pays its top employees well. Public filings reveal salaries and benefits of well over $300,000 in salary, and bonuses most years, with his compensation topping $400,000 in recent years.

To be clear, its expensive to live in New York, raise five children (did he mention the five children?), and incur the added expenses of having a disability. This isnt Les Moonves money were talking about. I do not begrudge the man, who was an excellent journalist for many years, a living. So I have some advice that Hockenberry didnt ask for. Take it in the spirit of comments to female employees that they never asked for. If you really want to rehab your name, image, and marketability, maybe you should drop the pitiable first-person essay. It is not your friend. Youre a journalist. Unlike a studio executive, comic, or actor, you do not need anyone elses approval to get out there and do your jobin fact, your line of work is constitutionally protected. Setting aside the question of whether you deserve to have the publics trust in you restored, it seems likely that the only practical route to absolution is to put your head down and work. You probably wont get paid for your initial efforts, but you could post all your stories publicly, and perhaps eventually demonstrate to the world that you still have value as a professional. Otherwise this caterwauling, solipsistic, tendentious argument for leniency wont simply document your exileit will cement it.

Mike Pesca was an employee of WNYC from 19962002, but his time did not overlap with Hockenberrys.This post was published in partnership with Wirecutter, the site devoted to finding the best gear and gadgets. Every product is independently selected by the Wirecutter team. We update links when possible, but note that deals may expire and prices are subject to change. If you buy something through our links, Slate and Wirecutter may earn an affiliate commission.

Whether you commute to the office or the coffee shop, you probably need a way to organize the pens, tech accessories, and toiletries you take with you every day. To find the best options to carry what different people might need with them, we spent a week researching 50 bag organizers and testing 20 of them, and we found six organizers we liked for their style, durability, and usability.

Some backpacks and purses come with all the pockets and loops youd need, but others are black holes, swallowing charging cables and tubes of lip balm. For those people (and I count myself among them), the right bag organizer simplifies grabbing accessories while on the go, or moving gear from one bag to another. But everyone has different carrying needs, which is why we have picks to suit a variety of situations: a tech-forward cable organizer that zips closed, a customizable mesh-pouch setup, picks that prioritize toiletries (while making room for tech), and a stylish duo of cosmetic travel pouches made of premium materialsas well as some alternatives where applicable.

Best for chargers and cables: Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Get this if: You want a sturdy, lightweight, waterproof organizer to corral all of your gadgets and chargers as well as some toiletries or cosmetics in one place.

Why its great: The Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer has plenty of room for everyday gear; it zips closed, so items wont get lost or fall out; and its water-repellent.

The Incase bag is roughly the size and shape of a large paperback, and like a book it opens flat from a spine. Its 2 inches thick, which is among the slimmest we found for this type of bag, but it still has enough space to stash most of what we carried for a day. It has two medium-sized loops that can hold two 5 W USB power adapters or multiple pens. It has an external zip pocket with a cable-sized hole leading to the inside. We love this feature because its great for charging a phone without removing the external battery pack from the main compartment. It also has a large, padded pocket lined in faux fur that wont scratch delicate phone screens. The bags inside flaps have a mesh pocket that is big enough to store a MacBook power adapter (with the cord in a different pocket), five more mesh or solid pockets of various sizes, a small zip pocket ideal for SD cards, a pen loop, and three small elastic loops that are the right size for earbuds.

Advertisement

Advertisement

With all of the organization slots, your gear stays neatly in place, even if you drop your bag. None of the items got tangled or moved about when we shook and flipped this Incase bag around. This wasnt the largest bag we looked at, due to its slim design, but it will hold most of what you need for the course of a day.

Advertisement

This bag is a poly-nylon blend, so its durable. In our tests, some bags, like one from Bagsmart, ended up scuffed and discolored from rubbing against the cables we loaded into the bagsbut the Incase stayed pristine. The Incase was the only cable-organizer bag we tested that successfully repelled waternot just from the exterior material, but also along the piping, which is where other cases often failed and liquid soaked through, potentially damaging your important gear.

Advertisement

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Incase cable organizer is a soft-shell bag, so its contents can distort the bags shape when full. But the bags edges remain rigidso the seams dont puckerits contents dont fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy.

Advertisement

Sizes: 9 by 6 by 2 inches

Colors: mulberry, olive

BUY: Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer

$50, Amazon

Most customizable: The Container Store Black Micro Mesh Pouches

Advertisement

Advertisement

Get this if: You prefer to have different bags for different kinds of gearphone cables, cosmetics, pens and notepadsso you can grab only what youre going to need.

Why its great: The Container Store Micro Mesh Pouches are a no-frills solution for keeping your cables and toiletries organized while being able to clearly see whats inside. These pouches are made of a finer mesh than other mesh bags we tested, so smaller items, such as pens and hairpins, wont fall through the holes. The material also has some give, so you can stuff the bag without fear of splitting a seam. And we found the zipper to be the smoothest among those of all the pouches we tested.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

These pouches are great for mixing colors and sizes to match your organizational needs. They come in three sizes and four colors; we recommend the two smaller bags because theyre easier to carry and load into a backpack or tote bag. We also like assigning each bags contents a different color, so its easier to grab the right items in an instant. That way you can have one bag for gadgets and accessories you take when flying, say, and another for the makeup you bring to work for touch-ups, and you can easily know which one to grab on the way out the door. (Jada Yuan, writer of The 52 Places Traveler at The New York Times, parent company of Wirecutter, also uses these bags.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Because the bags are covered in tiny holes, liquids will spill in and out of them, and theyre not ideal if you want complete privacy for your toiletry items. As a workaround, we recommend storing your toiletries in a black micro-mesh bag because the darker color will mask the bags contents better than the lighter ones.

Sizes: 7 by 4 inches; 7 by 3 by 5 inches; or 14 by 10 inches (but we think this bag is too big for most people)

Colors: aqua, black, pink, or silver

BUY: The Container Store Black Micro Mesh Pouches

$5, The Container Store

Also consider: Vaultz Mesh Storage Bags

Advertisement

Get this if: You like the idea of organizing your stuff into a collection of mesh bags, but you dont want to spend a lotand you dont tend to carry very, very small items.

Why we like it: Wirecutter senior editor Dan Frakes likes the Vaultz Cord Storage Bags as modular storage at a fraction of the cost of other bags. The mesh bags are sold in a pack of four for just $8 at the time of writing, while The Container Store pick starts at $5 each. These zip pouches are lighter and more pliant than any other bag we tested, and can scrunch into a tight ball when not in use and still rebound to their original shape. Each pack comes in a combination of four different sizes and colors. This makes it easy to organize your gear and grab the right pouch from your travel bag in an instant. You can separate daily tech and toiletry supplies into two bags, keep a driving kit in your car for phone mounts, pack charging cables and adapters in another, and save the last one for important documents when youre traveling out of town.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Where it falls short: These mesh bags arent great for storing smaller items (such as earbuds and pens) because its easier for them to get caught in the holes or fall out. And because the bags are made of mesh theyre not waterproof.

Advertisement

Sizes: 9 by 9 inches; 5 by 9 inches; 5 by 8 inches; 5 by 7 inches

Colors: black, red, orange, and yellow; or mint, pink, purple, and blue (for $6 more)

BUY: Vaultz Cord Storage Bags

$14, Amazon

Best for toiletries (and tech): Dsptch Dopp Kit

Our pick: Dsptch Dopp Kit

Get this if: You want a not-too-big bag that can keep both toiletries and cables in their placeand you need it to be waterproof.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Why its great: We found that traditional cable organizers, like our Incase pick, arent ideal for carrying toiletries around because theyre designed for holding gadgets rather than tubes of lotion. (To some of us, it just feels weird fitting moisturizer and lip balm in elastic loops designed for cords.) The Dsptch Dopp Kit is better suited for carrying both cables and lotions because the main compartment has three wide elastic loops that comfortably fit bulky toiletries (like sunscreen) and tech accessories (like charging bricks) beside each other. It also has plenty of room to stash all of the gear used in our tests. And its about half the size of the Herschel Supply Co. Chapter Travel Kit that we tested, so its easier to fit into a backpack or tote.

Advertisement

The Dsptch toiletry bag is covered in ballistic nylon, so its tough and resists scratches and scrapes more than most bags we tested. The Dsptch bags material is also completely waterproof, making it one of only four bags (and the only dedicated toiletry bag) we tested that didnt leak.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

This bag also has two unique storage features. The first is a two-way pocket thats accessible from the outside or inside the main compartment. So important items, like an ID card or cash, are easier to reach from the outside when in a rush. The bag also comes with a removable, padded valet tray that snaps into the secondary compartment. Youll probably want to store delicate items (like a dress watch) in this slimmer compartment, away from bulky tech accessories.

Advertisement

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Dopp Kits main compartment unzips down only an inch on the sides, so its harder to peer into and harder for larger hands to dig inside the bag. The black version of this bags black interior compounds the issue, because its very dark inside. (If you have limited vision, we recommend purchasing a bag with a lighter interior, such as the grey, grey speckled twill, moss, or navy, which have matching linings.)

Advertisement

The side compartments padded valet tray takes up valuable space and we had trouble quickly grabbing an item from the section when the tray is in place without fully unzipping the bag. Its a minor annoyancewe prefer keeping the valet in the bathroom or on a nightstand to fully take advantage of the bags storage space.

Sizes: 9 by 4 by 4 inches; valet tray is 7 by 3 inches

Colors: black, black camo, grey, navy, moss, grey speckled twill, and charcoal speckled twill

BUY: Dsptch Dopp Kit

$62, Dsptch

Also consider: Osprey UltraLight Roll Organizer

Advertisement

Get this if: You want a bag that packs slim and lets you see most of your stuff at a glance, but you dont need it to be waterproof, and you dont mind unrolling the whole bag to remove a single item.

Advertisement

Why we like it: The Osprey UltraLight Roll Organizer is what Wirecutter deputy editor Michael Zhao uses to organize his cables and gear. Its dimensions (6 by 3 by 9 inches) make it the slimmest toiletry bag we tested, but it still packs plenty of storage space and organization features. Its combination of full-width, slimmer mesh compartmentsgreat for cables, adapters, and pensand a deeper pocket for accommodating bulkier chargers, batteries, and toiletries give you a lot of packing flexibility. You can see almost everything inside when the bag is fully opened and it folds into thirds like a letter for packing away.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The bag is also easier to spot-clean than other toiletry bags we tested. Both sides are made of ripstop nylon, which is slicker than canvas or ballistic-nylon bathroom bags, so its painless to wipe off lotions and liquid makeup foundation spills.

Advertisement

Where it falls short: In our tests, we found the Osprey cumbersome to both unbuckle and unroll to access a particular item. Its not as intuitive to use as other picks, which you can just unzip. On the other hand, it has the benefit of letting you see whats in each pocket at a glance without having to rummage through any dark compartments.

Advertisement

This toiletry bag also isnt waterproof (the Dsptch Dopp Kit was the only truly waterproof toiletry bag we looked at). And a very, very small number of Amazon reviewers reported seams and mesh pockets ripping after just a couple months of use.

If you want a dedicated toiletry bag thats compact and spill-proof, check out our guide to the best toiletry bags.

Advertisement

Size: 6 by 3 by 9 inches

Colors: electric lime; poppy orange

BUY: Osprey UltraLight Roll Organizer

$30, Amazon

For luxe organizers: Cuyana Leather Travel Case Set

Advertisement

Get this if: You want a nicer-looking, more elegant way of carrying your accessoriesand wont miss individual compartments and lots of internal organization.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Why its great: We like the Cuyana Leather Travel Case Set because theyre a pair of two beautiful leather bags that are big enough to hold our essentials, and they have a broad base that keeps them upright when opened up. The clamshell bags come in 13 different jewel and pastel colors, and are made of Argentine leather with synthetic leather linings. The exterior leather is pebbled, which is easier to maintain a good grip on than the smooth, soft leathers of some other bags we tested. Each bag has gold- or silver-toned zippers that run effortlessly across their teeth. And the stitching throughout the bags is clean, and we didnt find any signs of loose seams.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Cuyana set is sold with a large (7 by 12 by 3 inches) and small bag (5 by 8 by 2 inches small). We easily fit our daily essentials in both cases, and closed them without having to force them like some other bags we tested. The organizers are spacious and the leather shell is thick, so they dont warp when full. And the wide base makes each bag sturdy, so it wont tip over either. Thanks to the clamshell design, the duo open wide enough to store bulky chargers and power adapters, along with everything else. The bags wide mouths also make it easier to search for objects that get lost in the bottom of the bag.

Advertisement

Flaws but not dealbreakers: We like that the Cuyana set comes with two bags, but feel that the larger one is too big to cart around daily with our other commuting gear. The large Cuyana is 7 by 12 by 3 inches, which could be challenging to stuff into a backpack, messenger bag, or tote. The smaller clutch is a more manageable size at 5 by 8 by 2 inches, and can easily fit into another bag. Both Cuyana bags lack multiple pockets and loops, so unsecured cords may tangle. (The large bag has one pocket; the small bag doesnt have any). If you dont plan on using both bags regularly, the $110 to $125 price may be prohibitive.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Argentine leather requires delicate care, so if youre rough with your accessories or are prone to spilling liquids and lotions, this bag isnt for you. Cuyana recommends wiping small blotches with a damp cloth or leather cleaner, and consulting a leather-cleaning professional for serious stains.

Sizes: 7 by 12 by 3 inches (large); 5 by 8 by 2 inches (small)

Colors: pebbled leather is black, blue, blush, burgundy, ecru, jade, navy/black, olive, pearl grey, pistachio, red, soft rose, or stone; shimmer leather is champagne.

BUY: Cuyana Leather Travel Case Set

$110, Cuyana

How to choose a bag organizer system

Advertisement

Advertisement

The easiest way to decide what type of organizer you need is to inventory the accessories you cart to and from work each day, then look at how you transport those items already, and how that systems works for you. For example, if you prefer to have many small bags for different situations, and you carry your gear in sandwich bags, a pouch system might work. Or, if you want to have everything with you at all times, and tend to just throw everything into in a big void in your backpack, the way to go may be a toiletry bag, traditional cable organizer, or makeup clutch.

Advertisement

Heres a look at the different types of bag organizers we reviewed.

Advertisement

Pencil pouches are ideal if you prefer a minimalist and modular approach. They lack pockets and loops, and you can purchase as many as you need without paying for pockets you have no need for. These bags are often sold in different sizes so that you can divide your gear among them to your personal preference. They are likely to hold less gear per pouch and less likely to be waterproof than other bags we tested.

Cosmetic bags and toiletry/Dopp kits are pretty similar. They typically have a large main compartment and minimal organizational featuresoften a sole pocket or limited elastic loops. Unlike pencil pouches, most cosmetic bags and toiletry kits are opaque, so no one will know youre packing a menstrual cup next to a multiport adapter. Most of the bags we tested in the category werent waterproof, including most toiletry bags.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Traditional cable organizers come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and styles. They can fold closed like a book, roll flat like a blanket, or have a flat, open grid system like a placemat. Our favorite style is a zippered book, which allows you to store gear in both covers, as well as the spine. They also come with more pockets and elastic loops than roll or grid organizers, and smaller gear wont fall out of the bags like they can with the other styles. Many of these bags are marketed as water-repellent, but in our tests, those claims didnt always live up to the hype.

How we picked and tested

We researched dozens of bags by browsing everything from manufacturer websites to bag enthusiast blogs. We compiled a list of more than 50 options and divided them into four categories: pencil pouches and mesh bags, cosmetic bags, traditional cable organizers (which includes zip books, roll bags, and grid sheets), and toiletry bags. (For this guide, we didnt review purse organizer inserts because thats a different category entirely.) We considered each bags design, size, organizational features, materials used, price, and online owner reviews. Then we shrunk the list by consulting a small panel of Wirecutter staffers about what they prefer in a bag, and considered some bags that staff members loved. That left us with a spread of 20 bags to accommodate various tastes. We tested the bags based on the following criteria:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Overall design: We reviewed each bags materials; the elasticity of elastic loops; the smoothness of zippers; and advanced features, like customizable compartments.

Bag configurations: We filled each bag with a days worth of the accessories (below) a person might need when traveling to work each day, looking for bags that could hold more gear and were easier to organize:

1 USB flash drive1 SD card1 Lightningto3.5-mm headphone jack adapter1 earbud set1 laptop multiport adapter1 external battery1 USB power cord and adapter1 lip balm1 travel-size bottle of lotion1 bottle of hand sanitizer1 small notepad1 small pill bottle1 makeup brush1 makeup compact2 tampons2 condoms3 hair ties2 pens1 ID badge and a partridge in a pear tree Shape retention: We tried closing the bags when stuffed with gear, and noted which bags deformed under the pressure.

Advertisement

Contents retention: We zipped each bag, shook it around, and opened it again to see if its contents had flown about.

Waterproofing: We ran each closed bag under a kitchen faucet with a spray setting for five seconds. We took any bags that remained dry, filled them with 2 tablespoons of water, and checked them for leaks.

Community review: We asked 18 people to share their thoughts on their favorite bags from our test pool.

The competition

Assorted bags/pencil pouches

The Custom Leathercraft 3 Multi-Purpose Clip-on Zippered Bags are better suited for your home toolbox than an everyday gadget bag. The trio of pouches are made of canvas, so theyre tough, and sharp nails and needle-nose pliers wont damage them. The canvas was rougher than our panelists preferred, and most staffers found the dark colors unattractive. Many of us also prefer pouches that are transparent because we dont like guessing whats stored in each bag in the set.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The IPOW BD02 pencil pouches are sold in a set of four. We liked the fun floral patterns and traditional pencil pouch shape. But the bags werent big enough to hold more than a single bulky item, such as a laptop charger. The zippers also stuck and some broke during our tests.

The five bags in the Modern Bethel Travel Pouch Set are covered in vinyl, so theyre waterproof. But in our tests, the seams werent stitched cleanly and the bags leaked water. We also found that the larger bags (13 by 10 inches and 11 by 8 inches) are so big that theyre as bad as just leaving things loose in your backpack or purse to begin with.

The Muji Double Fastener Case (medium) was great for storing the small gear on our list. But it couldnt hold our bulkier items without permanently deforming the polyester bag. Its also not waterproof, so a spilled soda or leaking lotion bottle would damage its contents.

Cosmetic bags

The BUBM cord and cosmetic organizer is a two-way makeup and brush bag thats convertible to store tech gear as well. The top is a traditional makeup bag, and the bottom unzips horizontally to store brushes, tablet pens, and skinny cable cords. But the main compartment isnt big enough to carry most of the accessories on our list. And the padded chamber absorbed leaking water, which means that it could retain the stinky odors of other spilled liquids over time.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Chiceco Handy Makeup Pouch offers better privacy than our pick from The Container Store because its made of 100D Oxford nylon and not micro mesh. Its small enough to carry with one hand, and is flexible and durable enough to cram full with gear without fear of it tearing. But the zipper broke during testing, making the bag virtually impossible to use.

Advertisement

The Leatherology Clamshell Makeup Bag is sold in two sizes (medium and large) or as a set. Both sizes were great for splitting the storage of our tech gear and personal hygiene items. We liked that both bags have zip pockets, and the clamshell design was ideal for finding small items hiding at the bottom of the bag. But the leather was too soft, and it was easy to scratch and scuff during normal use. Leatherology allows only a 30-day return window and only for unused gear, which isnt ideal for a product that costs $85 to $180. The company also doesnt offer a warranty, but a spokesperson said we stand behind our products and take care of our customers. Yet, we called the customer service line twice and never spoke with a live person (once we were on hold for 30 minutes before giving up and ended the call).

Toiletry bags

The Herschel Supply Co. Chapter Travel Kit measures 18 by 4 by 6 inches, so it holds our essentials with plenty of room to spare. But its large size also means it was way too big to carry each day. This Dopp kit also isnt waterproof.

Traditional cable organizers

Leatherology Small Tech Bag Organizer has three elastic loops, but the loops loosened after just a couple of uses. The bag is made of soft full-grain leather, which scratches easier than what we would like from a $65 bag. (You can upgrade to the firm, full-grain German leather bag for $100.) This bag is also subject to Leatherologys limited 30-day return window (described above).

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Both Bagsmart bags we looked at have plenty of loops and slots for our gear, but it felt weird putting toiletries in such a techie-looking pouch. Model Travel Universal Cable Organizer (BM0200044B001) wasnt waterproof. And though the Thicken Cable Organizer (BM0200064A001) model did repel water, its inside wasnt very durable and got scuffed up by our bulky laptop cable.

Advertisement

Our packing cube pick, the Eagle Creek Pack It Quarter Cube (extra-small) was too flimsy to hold our gear.

The Hynes Eagle Travel Accessories Organizer was too small to hold even half the gear on our list. The floral pattern on the bag was grainy and looked cheap. The bag also wasnt waterproof.

The Power Packer is durable, looks nice, and is big enough to store bulky cables, external power packs, and travel adapters. Although thats exactly what its designed to carry, most of our testers found it big for everyday use. And the knitted fabric accents absorbed and leaked water to other sections of the bag.

The Skooba Design Cable Stable DLX that we recommend in our guide The Best Gear for Travel is, at 12 by 9 inches (compared with the 9 by 6 inches of the Incase), a bit too big to take with you daily, and its smaller sibling the Skooba Cable Stable Mini lacks internal zippered pockets for keeping small items like SD cards in check.

Our former budget pick from that same guide, the AmazonBasics Universal Travel Case, has a hard shell that makes it awkward to fit in some bags and less accommodating to big and small loads, and its internal pockets are loose and prone to objects moving around in transit.

Sources

1. Jada Yuan, How Do You Pack for a Yearlong Trip?, The New York Times, June 27, 2018

Read the original article on The Best Bag Organizers.Chris Collins will stay on the ballot for New Yorks 27th Congressional District election despite being indicted for insider trading. Collins, a Republican and one of President Trumps earliest endorsers, had said he wouldnt run for re-election following his August indictment on counts of securities fraud, conspiracy, wire fraud, and making false statements.

Collins was running for his fourth term when his long-questioned association with Australian pharmaceutical company Innate Immunotherapeutics caught up with him. Collins had served on the companys board and, according to federal prosecutors, had let his son Cameron know about a failed test last summer for a new drug, enabling Cameron, his father-in-law, and others to dodge more than $750,000 in losses by selling the stock before it lost nearly all its value.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Since his indictment, Collins has consistently insisted that hes innocent. I was always very careful, as I updated other shareholders of the progress of the company, to make sure that anything that I told them was already in the public domain, things that were not privileged at all, and was always very careful about that, he told a Buffalo-area TV station last week.

When asked directly if he had tipped off his son to the failed test, Collins said, Im not going to discuss the case, Dave, other than to again remind everyone I am innocent of the meritless charges that have been placed against me, and Im confident I will be exonerated.

Getting Collins off the ballot would not have been a simple process and could have spurred a Democratic lawsuit, the New York Times reported. The district is one of New Yorks more conservative, with an 11-percentage-point Republican lean compared with the rest of the country, and in 2016, Collins won re-election there by more than 30 percentage points. This year he is running against Grand Island town supervisor Nate McMurray, and FiveThirtyEight predicts that Collins has roughly an 80 percent chance of winning.But why did she wait so long? A woman came forward Sunday with credible and specific claims about an alleged sexual assault she suffered at the hands of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh when she was 15 and he was 17. And that was the principal objection raised: that her timing, and the timing of Senate Democrats, is the material issue here.

Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University who teaches in a consortium with Stanford University, came forward in the Washington Post as the previously anonymous woman whose story surfaced last week. She claims to have been attacked by Kavanaugh and a classmate at a high school party in the 1980s. In her account to the Post, she explained that while she had chosen not to publicly accuse him, she had been forced to do so after her story, which she had shared with her congresswoman in late July, was leaked to the media. Reporters were staking out her place of work and showing up at her house.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Senate Democrats have called for an airing of her claims on the merits. Some of their Republican colleagues have now joined themSen. Jeff Flake was the first on Sunday to say that the vote ought to be delayed. But the prevailing reaction from Senate Republicans was to dismiss her allegations as strategic and cynical and too late. Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued a statement in which he seemed to claim that Ford was untruthful, based solely in the timing of the revelations: It raises a lot of questions about Democrats tactics and motives to bring this to the rest of the committees attention only now rather than during these many steps along the way.  Senator Feinstein should publicly release the letter she received back in July so that everyone can know what shes known for weeks. (CNN has released a redacted version.)

Advertisement

Sen. Lindsey Graham released a statement agreeing to at least hear Fords claims, while still disputing her decision to wait until the last minute to come forward. Sen. Susan Collins echoed this sentiment: What is puzzling to me is the Democrats, by not bringing this out earlier, after having had this information for more than six weeks, have managed to cast a cloud of doubt on both the professor and the judge, she told the New York Times on Sunday night. If they believed Professor Ford, why didnt they surface this information earlier so that he could be questioned about it? And if they didnt believe her and chose to withhold the information, why did they decide at the 11th hour to release it? It is really not fair to either of them the way it is was handled.

Advertisement

Why do women wait until the last possible second to speak out about sexual harassment and assault claims? This is exactly the line of questioning Senate Republicans used to smear Anita Hill back when she testified against Clarence Thomas. Why didnt she lodge these complaints until he was poised to sit on the highest court of the land, given that he had previously been appointed to prestigious positions?

Advertisement

The definition of power must include the power to set the timetable in which facts are discernible, and Senate Republicans who held a Supreme Court seat open for almost a year are now unwilling to hold one open for three months.

Its a funny question. Its actually related to the question I asked last week, which was: Why do women come forward with these claims at all? The prevailing Republican argument seems to be that if a woman was truly the victim of a violent act of sexual aggression, she ought to have reported it the very instant it happened, so the decision to wait to report it on the eve of a Senate Judiciary Committee vote clearly represents craven dirty tricks.

Advertisement

Heres one problem with that analysis: Its only the eleventh hour because Chuck Grassley and Mitch McConnell have decided this hearing needs to happen at light speed. Indeed, the pacing apparently necessitated withholding the vast majority of the nominees records from the National Archives, which they argued was fine because the documents were being vetted by a friend of the nominees. In fact, the same need for lightning speed required that Kavanaugh be rushed through the process so quickly that it necessitated tens of thousands of pages of documents to be sent to the full committee the night before confirmation hearings began.

Advertisement

The definition of power must include the power to set the timetable in which facts are discernible, and Senate Republicans, who held a Supreme Court seat open for almost a year, are now unwilling to hold one open for three months. The reason the eleventh hour wasnt, say, the third hour is entirely because the timetable has been set by those who wanted to short-circuit meaningful scrutiny. So the complaint that its too late in the process is hard to swallow.

Advertisement

That is one reason why complaints about Fords timing ring hollow. But here is the deeper reason why women dont publicly report their assaults until the last possible instant and until they absolutely have to: Women who are victims start the clock at the moment of their trauma. Men who are perpetrators start it at the moment they are caught.

Advertisement

The entire history of women complaining about sexual assault has been recorded on mens time. In case youre interested, here is what it looks like from womens perspectives: They are attacked. They wait. They persuade themselves they deserved it or asked for it. They try to shift along. They tell a partner, or they tell a spouse. They tell a therapist. They tell their parents and maybe their friends. They must weigh, at every step, the likelihood of being dismissed, as Ford is now being dismissed, as a liar and a hysteric. This is a trauma that they may carry around for years, burying it and excavating it and hiding it again. They debate speaking up. They realize what happens when they speak up, by watching what happens when other women speak up. They make little deals with themselves in which they promise that if the man ever is poised to do real harm to others, they will surely speak up.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Why dont women come forward on the very day it happens? Because they have friends and hopes and dreams and confusion and alcohol and hope and every Hollywood movie ever. Because for a very long time, its not worth the cost.

In Fords case, the decision to come forward on the record in September was not an active choice but instead the result of a position she was forced into after her anonymous account was made public against her will. Consider Fords explanation to the Post:

As the story snowballed, Ford said, she heard people repeating inaccuracies about her and, with the visits from reporters, felt her privacy being chipped away. Her calculation changed. These are all the ills that I was trying to avoid, she said, explaining her decision to come forward. Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its also important to be very specific about what is actually coming out now, in this so-called eleventh hour. Because the allegation is not newit is simply new to us. Ford sent a letter detailing her story to her congresswoman in late July. The Post story notes that she also sent a tip to the paper itself in early July: Though Ford had contacted The Post, she declined to speak on the record for weeks as she grappled with concerns about what going public would mean for her and her familyand what she said was her duty as a citizen to tell the story. This woman has been grappling with her story, and whether and how she should tell it, for months and for years. For her, this event started when she was 15 and unspooled over years of revelation, medical help, and ambivalence from those in power.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

For the men who commit these acts, the clock starts never. Consider Brett Kavanaughs statement on the matter, released Monday morning: This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday. For most of their lives, what they may have done never even occurs to them.

They were drunk. Or they forgot. Or they were alone. Or they were in a group. And people will cover and apologize and excuse them. People will say, Thirty-five years ago? He was a child. And they will forget that 35 years ago, she was also a childexcept that she has lugged this around on her back for decades and only got brave enough to tell anyone six years ago.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The power to decide when something is too late to matter is apparently in the hands of the same people who have the power to set the timetable, and those people do not seem to have a good understanding of trauma.

Most of the women I know spent Sunday afternoon recalling a time a man grabbed her at a party and covered her mouth and rubbed against her. It happens so damn often than we all have the same story. But we didnt report it in real time because thats just what it is, and boys will be boys, and also we will soon learn that if we come to report it in mens time, we will be told we were too late. We are all always too late, because if we really were worried about these types of transgressions, we would have had the wherewithal to stop them before they even happened. Once you have become a victim, you are already too late.

Advertisement

Advertisement

For victims, time splits open on the day of the assault. For the accused, time splits open on the day they are named. And yet again, as was the case for Anita Hill, the power to decide when something is too late to matter is apparently in the hands of the same people who have the power to set the timetable, and those people do not seem to have a good understanding of trauma. Let me say it yet again: I have no idea what happened to Ford in the 1980s and what part Kavanaugh may have played, but I am inclined to believe that if she reported it in 2012 to a therapist, it cannot be said that she made it up just yesterday or even last July. That women report assaults by powerful men at all remains difficult to comprehend, and attacks on Ford that began before she was even named show why. That women who eventually do report such assaults do not do so in a time frame that is convenient for powerful men says far more about who sets the schedule than who is telling the truth.If you feel like you dont hear enough from President Donald Trump, fear not. The president may soon have a new way to communicate directly with youand theres nothing you can do about it. On Thursday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will carry out its first test of a system that would allow the president to send a message directly to most U.S. mobile phones. The EAS is a national public warning system that provides the president with the communications capability to address the nation during a national emergency, explained FEMA on its website.

Advertisement

During the test, which is scheduled to take place Thursday at 2:18 p.m., cellphone users could receive a message with a header that reads Presidential Alert. The message will make it clear its a test. No one can opt out from the system.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Although some immediately raised concern that a president like Trump could use the system for his own purposes, experts assured there is nothing to worry about. A 2015 law makes clear that the system shall not be used to transmit a message that does not relate to a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster or threat to public safety. But it is up to the president to determine when the alerts are to be used.

Advertisement

UCLA communications professor Tim Groeling told NBC there was no reason to think the system would be abused, noting that broadcast-based emergency alert systems  have remained professional and impartial over decades. Others, however, arent so certain. Im not sure that the system would protect us from rogue announcements by a president who has exhibited the kind of behavior President Trump has over the last two years, Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, told Vox. I personally would not give this microphone to Donald Trump.

Even without Trump though, the alert system has not proven to be infallible. In January, Hawaii was sent into a state of panic when there was a false alert about a missile attack that went uncorrected for 38 harrowing minutes.At least 23 deaths have been attributed to Hurricane Florence since the storm hit, according to authorities.

Now a tropical depression, Florence has remained massive and deadly, pounding multiple states with heavy rains that have closed roads, stranded residents, and threatened to push already overflowing rivers to new record heights and flood areas far from the coasts.

While the storm has begun to move out of the Carolinas and Virginia into the Northeast, North Carolina remains in a state of emergency, and less heavy rains will continue to exacerbate flooding in all three states, which are still at risk of perilous landslides. Flooded areas will likely stay so for days, and thousands who evacuated still cannot return to their homes.

Advertisement

According to the Washington Post, recent fatalities include 1-year-old Kaiden Lee-Welch, who was swept from his mothers arms in Union County, North Carolina, on Sunday night after her car was overtaken by rushing water.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Among the other deaths are a 3-month-old and the infants mother, who were killed by a tree that fell through a mobile home; two people who died in a generator-related carbon monoxide incident; and several people who died in vehicular accidents. Seventeen of the reported deaths have been in North Carolina and six in South Carolina.

A large number of roads, including portions of interstates, have been cut off by flooding, isolating some patches of land in the region. The city of Wilmington, North Carolina, which has about 119,000 residents, has been almost entirely cut off from the rest of the state. Authorities are planning to deliver emergency supplies to the city.

Advertisement

Currently, the storm is moving northeast at around 15 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center, and as it pushes north into southern New York and New England, it can be expected to bring heavy rains and flash floods with it all the way through Pennsylvania. North Carolina and Virginia are currently under flash flood warnings, and at least one tornado has appeared in North Carolina.

Florence did not fail to follow through on forecasters dire warnings: According to CNN, it has dropped the highest-ever total rainfall for any tropical system to hit the East Coast of the United States. And according to CBS News, more than half a million power outages have been reported in the Carolinas, while tens of thousands of homes are thought to be damaged. President Trump approved a disaster declaration for South Carolina on Sunday.

The flooding in the areas around several of North Carolinas rivers has appeared particularly threatening, putting strain on dams and levees and prompting an order for thousands to evacuate in more inland areas. Authorities told residents in Hoke County, North Carolina, to evacuate late Sunday because of the possibility a dam there could breach. Across the region, thousands have taken refuge in shelters, and both volunteers and National Guard soldiers continue to conduct rescue operations.Its not exactly a moment for celebration, but perhaps one for cautious relief in a conflict that has had all too little of it. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed today after talks in Sochi to work together to create a 915-mile buffer zone between rebel and pro-government forces in Syrias Idlib province, with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu saying the agreement means there will be no new offensive into Idlib by the Syrian military and its allies. According to Putin, the zone will be established by Oct. 15.

Advertisement

U.N. officials have warned that an all-out assault on Idlib could create the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. The area, one of the last major rebel-held strongholds in the country, is home to about 3 million people, more than a million of whom are displaced from other parts of Syria. Over the last few weeks, as regime forces have been stepping up airstrikes and mustering reinforcements, residents have been preparing for an all-out attack and held a mass rally Friday against the looming assault.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The crisis had implications beyond Idlib itself. Turkey already hosts 3.5 million refugees from the Syrian conflict and has no desire to take in more. Under a 2016 agreement with the European Union, Turkey has worked to prevent the historic flow of refugees that has roiled politics in several European countries, but Erdogan has hinted that deal may no longer be sustainable in the face of mass displacement from Idlib. Reports that Syria was planning to use chemical weapons in Idlib have also led the U.S. to warn of another round of airstrikes against the Assad regime.

Advertisement

Obviously, its too early to assume that all of these scenarios are off the table. The agreement calls for radically minded jihadist groups to leave the de-escalation zone. This includes Tahrir al-Sham, the rebranded new incarnation of al-Qaidas Syrian affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, which has become militarily dominant in the area and is often intermingled on the ground with more mainstream rebel groups backed by Turkey and others. What happens if the jihadists dont pull out? If they launch attacks, it could give Syrian forces pretext to attack themas well as other rebel groups. Russia and its allies have also frequently violated other de-escalation zones. In fact, of the zones agreed to by Iran, Turkey, and Russia last year, Idlib is the last one left. As Daniel Serwer writes, To be effective, civilian protected zones would require the presence and active assistance of impartial military forces, which simply dont exist in Syria.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Washington has been quietly ramping up its diplomatic efforts in Syria, though primarily aimed at blunting Iranian influence rather than pressuring Assad himself. President Trump did tweet on Sept. 3 that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria must not recklessly attack Idlib Province, warning of a potential human tragedy.

Advertisement

But the primary actor here is increasingly Turkey. Erdogan has not only been rallying world opinion against an Idlib invasion; he also he has the boots on the ground to back them up. Turkey launched a military incursion into Syria in 2016 aimed mainly at containing the spread of the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG militia, and in the process Turkey has built a significant level of influence in Northern Syria, including 12 military observation posts around Idlibwith the tacit agreement of the local jihadists. And while Turkey and Russia have been on opposite sides of the Syrian war, increasingly cordial relations between Moscow and Ankara also gave Erdogan more leverage.

Advertisement

Some observers are now even discussing the possibility of a Turkish-backed protectorate in Northern Syrian, akin to the semi-independent Turkish-backed Republic of Northern Cyprus. That presents its own complicationsfor one, it could drive the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds even further into an alliance of convenience with the Assad regime.

For now, if this deal really does indefinitely delay a full-scale assault on Idlib, it may be the best outcome we can hope for. But seven years into the ever-mutating war in Syria, the situation is unlikely to stay static for long. Bashar al-Assad has vowed to retake every inch of Syrian territory. And although he remains heavily dependent on Russian support, hes likely to view todays agreement as a delay rather than a defeat.This post has been updated with recent news developments.

As a growing number of legislators call for more information about a recent allegation accusing Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in the 1980s, both the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, and Kavanaugh himself have said they were willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

On Monday, Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican whose vote has the potential to ensure or block Kavanaughs confirmation, expressed a desire Monday to hear from both parties:

Advertisement

Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh should both testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee.  Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) September 17, 2018

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Collins has until now appeared likely to vote to confirm Kavanaugh. She joined fellow Republican Sens. Jeff Flake, Lindsey Graham, and Bob Corker in calling for the testimony.

Advertisement

On Monday morning, a lawyer representing Ford, the California professor who accused Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her when the two were in high school, said on NBCs Today show on Monday that her client was willing to testify. Later in the day, Kavanaugh announced he would be willing to talk to the committee about the accusations, according to the New York Times.

Is your client willing to testify before the Judiciary Committee publicly and tell this story? -@savannahguthrie



She is. Shes willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth. -Debra Katz, attorney for Kavanaugh accuser pic.twitter.com/V3BRF43nGK  TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 17, 2018

Advertisement

Also speaking on Monday, Kellyanne Conway said in an interview on Fox & Friends that, though the White House still believed Kavanaugh to be a man of character and integrity, Ford should be allowed to testify and should be heard.

.@KellyannePolls: Woman who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault should not be insulted, and she should not be ignored pic.twitter.com/5o49tWkQQK  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) September 17, 2018

Advertisement

Advertisement

The statements came a day after Ford stepped forward publicly in an interview with the Washington Post. Ford had written a confidential letter about her allegations to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who said she would honor Fords request for anonymity and passed the letter on to the FBI, which in turn sent a redacted version to the White House to be included in Kavanaughs background file. As buzz around the letter grew, Ford came to believe she would be identified by reporters, and on Sunday, she decided to come forward publicly.

Advertisement

In the interview, Ford alleged that in the early 1980s, at a house in suburban Maryland, Kavanaugh and a friend cornered her in a bedroom. Kavanaugh, who she said was very drunk, pinned her to a bed and groped her and grinded against her while the friend watched. Kavanaugh tried to pull off her swimsuit, she said, and when she tried to scream, he covered her mouth with his hand. She said she was able to flee when the friend jumped on them, causing enough chaos to allow her to escape.

Fords attorney said Monday that while her client was willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth, she did not have a position on Kavanaughs nomination and was not politically motivated.

In a statement Monday, the White House reiterated its support for Kavanaugh. On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh categorically and unequivocally denied this allegation, a White House spokeswoman said. This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement.Republican Sen. Jeff Flake suddenly put Brett Kavanaghs confirmation to the Supreme Court in doubt Sunday, saying the woman who has publicly accused the judge of sexual assault must be heard first. If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what shes had to say, Im not comfortable voting yes, Flake told Politico. We need to hear from her. And I dont think Im alone in this.

Flake, who is retiring this year, has frequently been at odds with fellow Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump. But his opinion on this is particularly important considering Flake is one of 11 Republicans on the 21-member Senate Judiciary Committee. Ive made it clear that Im not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further, Flake told the Washington Post.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The senator spoke shortly after the Washington Post published an interview with Christine Blasey Ford, who came forward as the woman who had previously accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were both high school students in the early 1980s. Ford, a professor in California, said a stumbling drunk Kavanaugh forced himself on her, tried to remove her clothing, and prevented her from screaming. I thought he might inadvertently kill me, Ford said. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Flake was not alone. Sen. Bob Corker also said the committee needs to hear from Ford. And while he isnt a member of the committee, his support would be critical considering Republicans have a 51-49 majority in the Senate. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is a member of the Judiciary Committee, also said he would be willing to hear from Ford, although he suggested it should be sooner rather than later. If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled, he said.

Advertisement

My statement on Judge Kavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/QGz3uUyzC9  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 16, 2018

Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, are calling for a delay on the vote. The committee must postpone the vote until, at a very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated, Schumer said in a statement.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Senate Republicans ran a transparently partisan confirmation process and then immediately insinuated Prof Ford is being untruthful. They cannot impartially investigate these disturbing allegations. That must be done by the FBI, and the vote must be postponed until it is complete.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 17, 2018

I agree with Senator Flake that we should delay this week's vote on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination. There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to review this new material. Staff calls aren't the appropriate way to handle this.  Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) September 17, 2018

Advertisement

Advertisement

Even as Democrats protest, Republican leaders in the Senate and the White House all seem determined to emphasize that theyre standing by Kavanaugh. One lawyer close to the administration even suggested there was a tone of defiance in their way of thinking. No way, not even a hint of it, the lawyer told Politico. If anything, its the opposite. If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried. We can all be accused of something.

While the Republican leadership wants to insist the vote will go on as scheduled, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley was seeking more information and was actively working to set up such follow-up calls with Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford ahead of the vote, according to a statement.Bart Alsbrook resigned from his job as the then interim police chief of Colbert, Oklahoma a year ago after a local TV station uncovered videos where Alsbrook is shown selling racist media online and talks his involvement in a skinhead group named Blood and Honour and a neo-Nazi group called Combat 18.

Soon after Alsbrook got the Colbert police chief job, the Southern Poverty Law Center identified him in an image in Blood & Honour: The Way Forward, a a future-facing manifesto authored by a member one of the largest networks of organized racist skinheads in the world. Blood & Honour is, according to the SPLC, a shadowy international coalition of racist skinhead gangs.

My life is utterly destroyed, theres nothing left, Alsbrook told KXII.

Not only was his life not utterly destroyed, his career in policing wasnt either. Alsbrook was recently hired by the nearby Achille police department as a reserve officer. Everyone has a past, some of which they may not be proud of, of which he is not. He wishes he never had those connections, the towns police chief Christopher Watson told KXII.

The media and cameras have ruined that mans name enough, Watson told another local station.In December 2011, Sweden handed over the reins of its official Twitter account to a group of unlikely jockeys: its own people. The idea was simple. Each week, a different person would take control of the account, free to tweet about (basically) whatever they wanted. Now, after nearly seven years, 356 curators, and about 200,000 tweets, @swedens experiment with democratic social media curation is set to end on Sept. 30.

Known as the Curators of Sweden, the project was carried out by Visit Sweden and the Swedish Institute in order to showin practicethat Sweden is an open and democratic country. Administrators said they would delete tweets only if they violated Swedish law, promoted a brand, or represented a security threat.

Advertisement

And while the idea behind the project was simple, its results were complicated. Tweets from the account, which currently has 146,000 followers, bounced from funny to offensive to informative to mundane, generating international attention along the way. In honor of @swedens last tweets, weve collected highlights and lowlights of the grand experiment.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

June 6, 2018: when a 15-year-old shut down haters of multiculturalism

Maja Cedmert had little tolerance for anonymous profiles with Islamophobic and anti-immigrant comments.

Advertisement

May 15, 2018: that time a former prison officer gave us a glimpse inside Swedens criminal justice system

Daniel, who formerly worked at a high-security prison and used only his first name for safety reasons, also dove into topics like abortion and gun ownership.

This is how a cell looks like. Not in the picture is a toilet and sink that for washing and drinking water pic.twitter.com/noXzsUcOrf  @sweden (@sweden) May 15, 2018

Advertisement

May 9, 2017: that time we were reminded that there are some weather-related difficulties to tweeting in Sweden, even in May

Advertisement

Vian Tahir also brought attention to racism, sexism, homophobia, and other problematic content that became more commonly directed toward the account starting in 2016.

Can't tweet. In snowstorm. Freezing fingers off. Will return when (if) I find shelter. LLAP  @sweden (@sweden) May 9, 2017

Advertisement

Feb. 2027, 2017: when @sweden defended journalism and engaged in stringent fact-checking

After Trump falsely implied there had been a terror attack in Sweden during remarks at a campaign rally in Florida, Max Karlsson used fact dumps to set the record straight.

Press freedom is fragile. It's vital we defend it w/ policies and by speaking out. Attacks on press freedom are a threat to any democracy.  @sweden (@sweden) February 26, 2017

Advertisement

Advertisement

The discussion following @realDonaldTrump s belief about  is ridled w/ falsehoods & dystopian far-right myths.  @sweden (@sweden) February 21, 2017

Advertisement

Nov. 9, 2016: the time we talked about strawberries so we didnt have to talk about the new U.S. president

Advertisement

Matt Anderson, an American expat living in Sweden, had the tricky task of manning @sweden the week of the U.S. Election Day. After a while, the pressure was too much, and he turned to tweeting about produce.

Let's NOT talk politics! 1 of my favorite things about  is silly and simple...but the world needs to know! Strawberries! Srsly, folks!   @sweden (@sweden) November 9, 2016

Advertisement

June 12, 2016: when an 81-year-old Swede took us to school on internet accessibility

Advertisement

Power-tweeter Birgitta Jonsson wasted no time in explaining the importance of internet access in senior living homes and nursing facilities.

Advertisement

In 2014 I had a stroke. I had my tablet in the hospital & managed to log in to Fb. The comforting stories & good wishes gave me strength.  @sweden (@sweden) June 12, 2016

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

April 19, 2015: that time we learned a lot about chicken genetics

Martin Johnsson was clear that the goal of his curation was not to present groundbreaking insights about Swedishness, but rather to give followers a new appreciation for the chicken comb. He also answered the chicken vs. egg question. (He says the egg came first.)

So, to recap: Genetics is fun and chickens are magnificent creatures. #Rstats is a sweet language for data analysis. The egg came first.  @sweden (@sweden) April 19, 2015

Advertisement

Aug. 18, 2014: when a Swedish minister and political cartoonist started his Twitter takeover by joking about kitten slaughter

To be clear, fika is indeed a term for a Swedish coffee break. But points to Kent Wisti for  creativity?

Advertisement

First of all- let's make some things clear. The word "fika". Former curators told you that fika is coffee n cinemon rolls. Well, follow me-  @sweden (@sweden) August 18, 2014

Advertisement

July 815, 2013: when we were both confused and intrigued by @swedens instructions for how to cook food in our coffee makers

Katja Wulff cooks pretty much everything in a coffee maker, and for a week she (tried) to teach us how to do so too 

So what's your favorite things to cook on? Mine's obviously the coffee maker but also tried the dishwasher, toaster, iron, curling iron etc.  @sweden (@sweden) July 8, 2013

Advertisement

Advertisement

This was one of the first dishes I made in my coffee maker Yum? pic.twitter.com/ymamBArNqJ  @sweden (@sweden) July 14, 2013

Advertisement

June 1112, 2012: the time @sweden got really anti-Semitic

Advertisement

Sonja Abrahamsson decided to use the platform for an offensive rant on Jews. The Swedish Institute and Visit Sweden told Foreign Policy they stood behind her right to use to account to express herself in controversial ways.

Before WW2 Hitler was one of the most beautiful names in the whole wide world. I know. Its as chocking as dolphin rapists.  @sweden (@sweden) June 11, 2012

Advertisement

Whats the fuzz with jews. You can't even see if a person is a jew, unless you see their penises, and even if you do, you can't be sure!?  @sweden (@sweden) June 12, 2012

Jan. 1623, 2012: the time a truck driving, coffee drinking lesbian took us on a journey involving icy roads and tweeting while driving

Advertisement

Hanna Fange made headlines around the world with her interesting on-the-road observations.

Advertisement

@AnyaPalmer I would never dream of tweeting in a car, but a truck is way more steady. Believe me, it takes 2min to answer a tweet.  @sweden (@sweden) January 16, 2012

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

And among the most important things of all (if you want to be credible as a lesbian truck driver): snus. pic.twitter.com/IcoMYoBY  @sweden (@sweden) January 20, 2012

Dec. 24, 2011: that time a @sweden curator used his platform to discuss his familys experience fleeing the war in Bosnia

Advertisement

Hasan Ramic said his tweets tried to represent the more colorful side of Sweden, the one I know. The one that doesnt scare me.

After a few years in refugee camps and those kind of fascilities, we got kind of integrated into the swedish society.  @sweden (@sweden) December 24, 2011

Advertisement

Advertisement

Dec. 1018, 2011: when @sweden wasted no time in keeping things interesting

The accounts first curator, Jack Werner, decided to use his new and exciting platform to tweet about sex and masturbation.

Listen up, folks! I'm @kwasbeb, a regular swedish dude, and I'm taking over this goddamned account for a week! Expect bad sex and slapstick.  @sweden (@sweden) December 10, 2011

Advertisement

I absolutely love @gizmodo's head line on me. This is just how I imagined getting my international break-through: like an avid masturbator.  @sweden (@sweden) December 16, 2011

While the Curators of Sweden project is coming to a close, all of the tweets from the past seven years are available in a searchable online archive. When I asked her via Twitter, Rebecka Strahlen, the current @sweden curator, told me she was sad that no more Swedish voices will have the chance to be heard and represent their country (be it by birth or choice), and that the audience so clearly will miss it. For now, all we can say is farval.The high seas are probably the most lawless place left on Earth. Theyre a portal back in time to the way the world looked for most of our history: fierce and open competition for resources and contested territories. Pirating continues to be a way to make a living.

Its not a complete free-for-allmost countries require registration of fishing vessels and enforce environmental protocols. Cooperative agreements between countries oversee fisheries in international waters. But the best data available suggests that around 20 percent of the global seafood catch is illegal. This is an environmental hazard because unregistered boats evade regulations meant to protect marine life. And its an economic problem for fishermen who cant compete with boats that dont pay for licenses or follow the (often expensive) regulations. In many developing countries, local fishermen are outfished by foreign vessels coming into their territory and stealing their stock.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Time is running out to impose order on the situation: Thirty percent of fisheries are on the verge of collapse and the number of people reliant on fish protein is over 1 billion, and growing.

But doing it will be no easy task. The high seas (the very romantic, technical term for international waters) encompass 45 percent of the planet, and more than 4 million fishing vessels are on the water at any given time. So far the best efforts of navy fleets and coast guards around the world have been unable to keep up.

But Henri Weimerskirch, a French ecologist, has a cheap, low-impact way to monitor thousands of square miles a day in real time: Hes getting birds to do it (a project first reported by Hakai). Specifically, albatross, which have a 10-foot wingspan and can fly around the world in 46 days. The birds naturally congregate around fishing boats, hoping for an easy meal, so Weimerskirch is equipping them with GPS loggers that also have radar detection to pick up the ships radar (and make sure it is a ship, not an island) and a transmitter to send that data to authorities in real time. If it works, this should help in two ways: It will provide some information on the extent of the unofficial fishing operation in the area, and because the logger will transmit their information in real time, the data will be used to notify French navy ships in the area to check out suspicious boats.

Advertisement

Advertisement

His team is getting ready to deploy about 80 birds in the south Indian Ocean this November.

The loggers attached around the birds legs are about the shape and size of a Snickers. The south Indian Ocean is a shared fishing zone, and nine countries, including France (courtesy of several small islands it claims ownership of, a vestige of colonialism), manage it together. But there are big problems with illegal fishing in the area, especially of the Patagonian toothfish (better known to consumers as Chilean seabass).

Advertisement

The bird spies join an arsenal of technologies being used and developed around the world to catch illegal and unregistered fishing boats. The main tool right now is satellite surveillance, which has provided important big-picture data. But it relies on ships having signaling systems on boardwhich many unregistered vessels dont, and which can be easily switched off to provide cover for illegal activity. The information is also relatively low-resolution and only updated every few hours.

Advertisement

In the Seychelles, local fishermen have been asking for additional protection for years, as Chinese and other foreign vessels often encroach on their waters. They will take photos of the boats and report them to the coast guard, but because they didnt come from officials, their images cant be used in court. The coast guard often cant get to the scene fast enoughand even if they do, theyre vulnerable to bribes.

Advertisement

The bird spies join an arsenal of technologies being used and developed around the world to catch illegal and unregistered fishing boats.

This fall, as Weimerskirchs birds begin patrolling the Indian Ocean, the waters around the Republic of Seychelles will come under new scrutiny. The government is partnering with FishGuard, a project developed by the drone company ATLAN Space and the nonprofit GRID-Arendal. The coast guard will control drones for two modes of operation: targeted missions and surveillance. In targeted use, the coast guard will send them to check out a suspicious boat thats been previously identified. In surveillance mode, the drones will patrol a set area, and their artificial intelligence system will identify and report boats that match a registry of unregistered and illegal vessels.

Advertisement

The birds and drones have different talents. Birds can go farther from shore and handle stormy weather, and tracking them has the bonus of providing useful ecological data. Drones can be sent to a specific location on demand, and the images they capture provide more information than the bird loggers location and radar tracking. But they are part of the same phenomenon: ever more targeted, intimate surveillance of the oceans. Not everyone thinks this is such a great idea.

Advertisement

Drones dont differentiate between illegal and legal fishersits just blanket surveillance, points out Hilde Toonen, a Dutch expert on environmental policy who studies fishing enforcement from an anthropological perspective. The technology kind of makes them all potential villains, she said.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Were highly wary of the cavalier application of new monitoring approaches which may not be necessary, because often the costs are borne by fishermen, said Noah Oppenheim, executive director of the U.S.-based Institute for Fisheries Resources, a research and advocacy group run by fishermen that works to preserve fishery resources. He points to the example of a fishing regulation imposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Pacific Fishery Management Council for groundfish in 2011, which required that all vessels have a human observer on board monitoring their catch. This has been so expensive that its threatened to price out small vessels completely, so the council is planning a move to video monitoring instead.

Toonen and Oppenheimer agree the key to success in fishing surveillance technology will be involving the fishermen.

Advertisement

The best thing to do when it comes to operations at sea is to be very transparent, said Oppenheim. The last thing that a fisherman wants to see is a drone buzzing over his boat when he doesnt know whats going on.

Weimerskirch learned this for himself as the team prepared to launch the bird spies. His original plan was to have the data picked up by the birds be transmitted live and available on a public website, but the fishermen protestedthey didnt want their competitors to be able to see their prized fishing locations, an issue that hadnt occurred to Weimerskirch. The plan was quickly changed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In the Seychelles, FishGuard has been mostly met with positive sentiment so far. Valentin Yemelin, who directs GRID-Arendals environmental crime program, expects that there will inevitably be some resistance to their work. But so far, he hasnt encountered it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Fisheries are so valuable and precarious that scientists, fishermen, and conservationists all seem ready to get behind anything they see as leveling the playing field to achieve their goals. According to the U.N., about 33 percent of wild fisheries are being harvested at unsustainable levels, up from only 10 percent in 1974.

Of course, the biggest problem with trying to stop illegal fishing is the same, no matter how advanced technology becomesthe ocean encompasses the whole world. Countries, scientists, and nonprofits around the world are all working on their own toward the same goal.

The biggest thing in my mind is yet to happen and thats really bringing all of these standalone technologies together, says Michele Kuruc, the vice president of ocean policy at the World Wildlife Fund.* That is just in its infancy.

Advertisement

So far, theres no obvious way to consolidate their efforts, or decide how to share and manage data.

But its a big change taking place. For millennia, whats happened at sea has been mysterious and out of sight. Illegal activities could take place in broad daylight. Entire airplanes could be lost forever. Now, the days of the unobserved ocean are rapidly drawing to a close. Maybe bird spies, drones, and satellites will be enough to finally do what governments have been trying to do for centuriestame the high seasand eventually even save the fish.Leave your car at home - European Mobility Week has started.

In keeping with this year's 'mix and move' slogan, discounted and free public transport is available in a variety of places.

European Mobility Week is the largest European campaign that calls on cities, towns and villages to use alternative transport. It is an attempt to motivate people to use sustainable methods of transport, such as public transport, a bike or walking. This year they are focusing on multimodality - the mixing of transport modes within the same journey or for different trips, with the slogan 'mix and move'.

More than 50 Slovak towns and cities are participating this year and in the spirit of the theme, discounted travel is available in a variety of places throughout Slovakia. The Inhabitants of Kosice can use public transport at half price throughout the whole week, and can travel for free on Saturday. Moreover, the discount also applies to commuter buses and both category Os (personal) and Rex (regional) trains.

The Bratislava region is offering public transport for free with the exception of night lines and the lines 801 and 901 that continue abroad. Commuter transport on Slovak Lines buses and the ZSSK (Slovak Railway Company) are discounted by 50 percent. Regiojet will transport people for free on Saturday, September 22, on the Bratislava  Komarno line.

Citizens of Nitra may can enjoy a 40 percent discount for public transport. People in Presov and Trnava can use public transport for free. Transport on Arriva commuter buses in the Nitra, Kosice, Zilina and Trnava regions will be half price.

Do not forget to take a valid driving license with you as it will act as an identification document instead of a valid ticket. The week will continue until Saturday, September 22.

17. Sep 2018 at 13:53 | Compiled by Spectator staffSlovak detained due to attempted bomb attack suspicion

He reportedly has never hidden his beliefs.

For the first time, a Slovak has been detained abroad on the suspicion of preparing a bomb attack.

A radical follower of Islam, with Slovak origins using the name Abdul Rahman, was arrested by Czech police officers in mid-November 2017, but the information about his plans was leaked to the public only recently, the Sme daily reported.

We can confirm he is the first Slovak citizen detained abroad for these types of charges, Michal Slivka, spokesperson for the Slovak Police Corps Presidium, confirmed for Sme, adding that they are cooperating with their Czech colleagues.

Suspicious files on computer

The first to break the report about the man was the Czech daily MF Dnes, according to which a man identified as Dominik K. has been in prison for nearly a year. He has failed in a complaint against the prosecution at both the Prague City Court and the Czech Constitutional Court.

Read also:

Read also: Security analyst: People from central Europe also join Jihadists Read more

His situation worsened after a house search by the police who found documents on his computer such as videos of the Islamic State calling for Jihad and the fight against western civilisation, and details of the chemicals necessary for bomb production, Sme reported.

Not only videos depicting executions, but also instructions on how to construct a bomb and attach an explosive to a body or a car inconspicuously and then detonate it have been found in his notebook, said Radovan Suchanek, president of the Czech Constitutional Court, as quoted by Sme.

Muslims do not celebrate New Year

Dominik K. was also active in public. Apart from visits to the mosques in Prague, he would wear clothes typical of the Islamic State militants and greeted others with the gestures typical for this group: a raised right index finger, which symbolises devotion.

Moreover, he shared many links to various extremist videos and stories on his Facebook profile. This is why the Czech intelligence service became aware of him and moved the case to the Czech National Centre for Organised Crime.

Dominik K. responded by saying that he only wanted to use the chemicals to produce some home-made fireworks to celebrate New Year. He has rejected the claims that he planned an attack.

However, the Czech police say that Muslims do not celebrate New Year, as reported by Sme.

Neither the police nor intelligence services say what kind of contacts the detained Slovak had. However, the Czech intelligence service wrote in its latest report that they are aware of some individuals who have been inspired by Islamic ideologies, but they remained alone in their opinions and have not spread them among the Czech Muslim community. As a result, the threat from that community has remained modest, Sme cited from the report.

17. Sep 2018 at 14:09 | Compiled by Spectator staffThe national pilgrimage draws thousands to Sastin

The pilgrimage has been held regularly since 1732.

As many as 30,000 believers participated in the national pilgrimage of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows held in Sastin-Straze on September 15.

Read also:

Read also: Exploring the spiritual Slovakia (Spectacular Slovakia - travel guide) Read more

The pilgrimage culminated with a holy mass held at the Sastin Basilica, officiated by Milan Lach, Bishop of the Eparchy of Parma in the Byzantine Catholic Church, and co-officiated by 150 priests, including Slovak and foreign bishops.

The Current world is unbelievably fast-paced, we dont have time for relaxation, for anything, Lach said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. We need to stop, slow down, enjoy the moments. We have stopped being astonished, everything is normal for us. Lets find time to be with our family.

President Andrej Kiska, who also attended the mass, stressed the role of Church and family in our lives and society. PM Peter Pellegrini emphasised the message of Lachs homily, devoted to our way of life, as reported by the SITA newswire.

The national pilgrimage hailing the Feast of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, the patron saint of Slovakia, has been held annually since 1732, when the local sculpture was declared merciful.

Read also:

Read also: Holiday celebrates Virgin Mary, or just a day off work Read more

We came because we are Catholics and we worship the Virgin Mary, said Marcela Antalkova from Brodske (Trnava Region), as quoted by TASR, adding that she has been visiting the place since she was a young girl.

This year, about 60 volunteers took care of the pilgrims, TASR reported.

17. Sep 2018 at 14:13 | Compiled by Spectator staffTheres a growing specialty coffee scene in Slovenia and at the center of it all is Ljubljana, much of which has been covered here on the virtual pages of Sprudge. And now, the capital city is looking to push their coffee culture even further with the inaugural Ljubljana Coffee Festival taking place October 5th and 6th.

Taking place at the City Museum, the Ljubljana Coffee Festival may be in its first year but you wouldnt know it by everything they have planned. The two-day festival is chockfull of sensory cuppings and lectures by industry leaders from around the world, many given in both English and Slovenian. Lecture topics will include Home Brewing, Cascara, Career Development with Swedish Barista and Brewers Cup Champion Alexander Ruas, and a talk with 2016 World Cezve/Ibrik Champion Konstantinos Komninakis.

And if competitions are more your bag, the Ljubljana Coffee Festival has you covered. Along with the 2018 Slovenian Latte Art Throwdownwhere the winner earns a training session with current World Barista champion, Coffee Masters London champion, and World Latte Art finalist Agnieszka Rojewskathe festival will also play host to the third annual Barista Battle Challenge. The multidisciplinary contest will put barista through the proverbial ringer, all to be judged by Polish and Slovakian National Barista Champions Natalia Piotrowska and Veronica Galova Vesela, respectively. But whoever makes it out the other side gets to take home a brand new La Marzocco Linea Mini.

Of course, there will be coffee. The Ljubljana Coffee Festival has teamed up with La Marzocco for the True Artisan Cafe, a rotating pop-up to highlight roasters from around the world. Making appearances at the cafe this year will be: OmniBus (Japan), George Howell (USA), Origin Coffee (England), Bonanza (Germany), Taf (Greece), The Coffee Collective (Denmark), and Bocca (The Netherlands).

Tickets for the Ljubljana Coffee Festival cost 10 for a day pass and 15 for a weekend pass and can be purchased here. For more information on everything going on the festival, visit the Ljubljana Coffee Festivals official website.

Get ready, Slovenia, on October 5th and 6th youre going to be the center of the coffee world.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via the Ljubljana Coffee FestivalIf you are interested in Jordan Peterson and Christianity, this is the most important video on the subject: Dr Jordan Peterson recently explained how he founded his own church  the Church of St Joachim of Fiore. Why did Dr Peterson choose Joachim of Fiore? Dr Taylor Marshall explains the person and theology of Joachim of Fiore and connects the dots to Jordan Petersons own psychological and philosophical worldview. If you want to better understand Jordan Peterson, you need to better understand Joachim of Fiore.

The Taylor Marshall Show Podcast is now also available on Spotify: Play Taylor Marshall Show inside Spotify.

Listen to audio or watch the Youtube video interview by clicking here.

If the audio player does not show up in your email or browser, please click here to listen.

If you find this podcast episode helpful, please share this podcast on Facebook.

Announcements: The podcast is now on my channel on Youtube.com The complete Sword and Serpent Trilogy is now published, including the the third Book: Storm of Fire and Blood. Download the Study Guide at: http://swordandserpent.com New classes at New Saint Thomas Institute. We have just begun our New Testament Studies curriculum. Please visit: newsaintthomas.com for more details.



Id love to read your feedback: While you listen to todays podcast, would you please take 30 seconds to write a review? Please click here to Rate this Podcast!

Please Share Your Feedback:

POPULARITY: 1,706,247 downloads on iTunes as of today.

SHOUT OUTS: A huge shout out to all 741 (!) of you who wrote amazing 5-star reviews at iTunes. Please rate this podcast by clicking here. From there you can leave a review. I appreciate you for this! Thank you!

Subscribe to This Weekly Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or Youtube:

Apple/Mac Users: Please subscribe via iTunes by clicking here and then clicking on View in iTunes.

Android Users: For listening to The Taylor Marshall Show on Android devices (free) using the Stitcher app.

Spotify Users: For listening to The Taylor Marshall Show on Spotify, search in Spotify for Taylor Marshall.

SURVEY: Please view our Podcast Listener Poll by clicking here.

If you like this podcast, please leave a review.Real-time UAV communications system for disasters scenario. Credit: Duong et al.

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and Duy Tan University (DTU) have been collaborating on a project aimed at improving the communication systems of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Their research was awarded the Newton Prize 2017, receiving 200,000 by the UK government for the development of a new communication system that can work in extreme weather conditions and at times of natural disasters.

Between 2015 and 2017, the same team of researchers had been working on a project funded by the Newton grant and managed by the British council, called "Building a foundation for sustainable development networked societies for the cities of tomorrow." This project was aimed at leveraging contemporary wireless technology and infrastructure to meet the demands for connectivity in the context of natural disasters in Vietnam.

"After successfully completing our project in April 2017, we were invited to submit our results and future plans to the call for Newton Prize 2017," Trung Duong, one of the researchers who carried out the study told TechXplore. "Among approximately 200 Newton Fund projects submitted, our project was in the last five winners. We are proud to have been awarded the Newton Prize 2017 and continue to develop our project to the next step by using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in mission critical communications for disaster management."

At times of extreme weather conditions or during natural disasters, technology could make a huge difference, helping to save lives and providing assistance to people living in affected areas. UAVs could play a key role in this, as they could help to reach parties involved and carry valuable resources.

In their recent study, which was published on IEEE Wireless Communications Letter and pre-published on arXiv, the researchers developed a real-time resource allocation algorithm that could maximize energy efficiency for communications embedded within UAVs. Their algorithm works by jointly optimizing the energy-harvesting time and power control for device-to-device (D2D) communications between UAVs.

"Optimisation is central to any problem involving decision making, whether in engineering, economics or society," Duong explained. "In wireless communications, optimisation techniques are often used to choose or update the system parameters, to optimise network performance. However, these optimisation algorithms typically solve optimisation problems in minute or hour timescales."

Traditional convex optimisation methods are currently still expensive and implementing them can be extremely time-consuming. This calls for the development of new methods, which could be particularly beneficial when applied at times of emergency or natural disasters.

"In mission-critical communications supporting disaster management such as fire brigades, rescue teams, and emergency medical service, the time is a critical factor (e.g. with a minimum latency of millisecond to seconds)," Duong said. "A strict real-time deadline is the most important requirement for such scenarios, particularly under a constantly changing environment."

To develop tools that can truly make a difference in emergency situations, therefore, researchers should identify ways of reducing the solving time and computational complexity of optimisation problems. The real-time resource allocation algorithm developed by Duong and his colleagues does exactly this, effectively reducing the running time down to milliseconds.

Their algorithm could be integrated within UAVs, which could be of great help in situations where networks are congested, buildings have been destroyed, and there is a lack of power supply. In these instances, UAVs that are flying above the affected area could help first responders to assess the situation as quickly as possible.

"UAVs strictly rely on batteries to operate, and hence, for UAVs to remain airborne longer, their amount of resources (including batteries, bandwidth, etc.) must be well optimized," Duong explained. "This is very important for conducting successful search and rescue missions within the first 72 hours of the disaster, considering that commercially available UAVs can only remain airborne for approximately 20 minutes. Therefore, maximizing the lifetime of a multi-UAV communication network is vital for such applications."

During and after natural disasters, disrupted telecommunications infrastructure can often prevent emergency responders and evacuation crews from fulfilling their missions. By reducing UAV communication time down to milliseconds, the optimal resource allocation algorithm for UAVs developed by Duong and his colleagues could help to save lives and provide timely assistance to survivors.

"In natural disasters, keeping communication connectivity provides a lifeline," Duong said. "The lack of communications in remote areas and poor conditions for communications in developing countries can have detrimental effects. We believe that our research for real-time optimisation in UAV communications is the first attempt in the field to tackle time constraint of UAV, which will play a crucial role in disaster scenarios."

Currently, the team working on this Newton fund project is comprised of 3 post-doctoral and 4 PhD students. These researchers will now continue working on their meaningful endeavour, focusing on a number of further theoretical and practical aspects.

"Our next step is to exploit cutting-edge technologies, (e.g. distributed and parallel computing) and integrate machine learning into the context of real-time optimisation, to boost the processing time," Duong said. "We will also continue disseminating our research via high-impact scientific journals, at conferences, and to industry partners."

Explore further Robots learn by checking in on team members

 2018 Tech XploreDoctoral student Ryan Snodgrass heats up the TINY diagnostic device using sunlight at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation-Uganda Cares Clinic in Masaka, Uganda, in 2017. The energy stored from the sun negates the need for electricity, which may be unreliable in such locations. Credit: Cornell University

Its name is an acronym used to convey its size, but researchers at Cornell Engineering and Weill Cornell Medicine are hoping their hand-held cancer detection device's impact in the developing world is anything but small.

About half the size of a lunch box, the Tiny Isothermal Nucleic acid quantification sYstem (or TINY) has shown promise as a point-of-care detector of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in resource-limited settings such as sub-Saharan Africa. Early testing has resulted in about 94 percent agreement with traditional methods, with results being generated in a matter of hours instead of weeks.

Developed by a team led by David Erickson, the Sibley College Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Ethel Cesarman, M.D., professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, TINY met its goals in the first round of funding from the National Institutes of Health. The team is planning expanded testing over the next several years.

Results of the team's field testing of the device in 2017 in Uganda are detailed in the paper, "A Portable Device for Nucleic Acid Quantification Powered by Sunlight, a Flame or Electricity," published Sept. 11 in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Ryan Snodgrass, doctoral student in the Erickson lab, and Andrea Gardner, researcher technician at Weill Cornell Medicine, are first and second authors.

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a cancer that develops in lymph or blood vessels, and usually appears as lesions on the skin, inside of the mouth or internally. There are four types of the disease; epidemic, or AIDS-associated, KS is the most common in sub-Saharan Africa and is AIDS-defining. That means when someone with the HIV virus is diagnosed with KS, they officially have AIDS.

Early detection leads to better outcomes, but that's not always possible in the developing world, where pathological testing can take one to two weeks. "There's a problem with being able to diagnose it there," Erickson said. "A number of things look like KS  and the time it takes for a traditional diagnosis, one to two weeks, makes it tough."

TINY has shown the ability to generate results in approximately 2 hours.

Now in its third generation, TINY performs loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for nucleic acid quantification. That requires heating the sample to 154 degrees, which necessitates a power source.

One of the main benefits of TINY: It can collect and store heat generated from electricity, the sun or even a Bunsen burner, and will function even during temporary power disruption, of which three occurred during testing in Uganda. TINY's power flexibility is important because in many sub-Saharan African countries healthcare facilities lack access to reliable electricity.

For the study, Erickson's team collected biopsy samples from 71 patients in Uganda suspected of having KS and tested the samples with TINY as well as via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the current standard for nucleic acid quantification. Agreement between TINY and qPCR was 94 percent (67 of 71), and the team showed that all disagreement stemmed from assay limitations and not TINY capability.

Not only can TINY be carried to remote locations for point-of-care use, it could also be valuable in clinics and hospitals where electric power can be unreliable. "Both applications can enable nucleic acid diagnostics to reach more of the population in [low- and middle-income countries]," the group concluded in its report.

"As a pathologist who knows how difficult it can sometimes be to diagnose KS," Cesarman said, "it is very exciting to collaborate with engineers that invented a brilliant new device that makes it so easy to support or discard a diagnosis of KS in less than three hours from the time a biopsy is taken."

Future work on TINY will include expanding testing to more locations in Africa, South America and the U.S., and developing a commercialization plan. The group has applied for patent protection through Cornell's Center for Technology Licensing.

Erickson and Cesarman began work on this device approximately five years ago. "Where we are now," Erickson said, "is beyond the best-case scenario I could have envisioned when I wrote the proposal."

And Snodgrass, who's been to Uganda twice testing TINY, said it's "very rewarding to build a device, take it there and see it used on real patients."

Explore further Sun powers complex cancer test for remote regions

More information: Ryan Snodgrass et al. A portable device for nucleic acid quantification powered by sunlight, a flame or electricity, Nature Biomedical Engineering (2018). Journal information: Nature Biomedical Engineering Ryan Snodgrass et al. A portable device for nucleic acid quantification powered by sunlight, a flame or electricity,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41551-018-0286-yGreece Approved Vinnik's Extradition to US Last Year...

Then to France This Year...

And Now Russian

What's Next?

Found this article interesting? Follow THN on Facebook Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

Greece just took another U-turn.Mr. Bitcoin a.k.a.is not going to France nor to the United States; instead, he is now possibly going to his homeland Russia.The Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece on Friday has overruled previous decisions and approved to extradite the alleged owner of the now-defunct Bitcoin cryptocurrency exchangeVinnik to Russia.Several Greek courts have previously ruled in favor of all three countries, Russia, France, and the United States, where Vinnik is wanted to face different criminal and hacking charges.Vinnik, 38, has been accused of operating BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange, which was shut down right after his arrest by Greek police in July 2017 at the request of the U.S., where he is convicted for fraud and money laundering more than $4 billion worth amount of Bitcoin (BTC) for criminals involved in hacking attacks, tax fraud, and drug trafficking.Vinnik is also accused to the failure of the once-most famous Japanese bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox , which was suddenly shut down in 2014 following a series of mysterious robberies, which totaled $375 million in Bitcoin.The U.S. authorities believe Vinnik "obtained" funds from a hacker or insider who stole Bitcoins from Mt. Gox and then sent them to a bitcoin wallet controlled by him and intentionally laundered the money through his BTC-e-service over a period of three years.The Greek Supreme Court earlier approved Vinnik's extradition to the U.S. to stand trial on the charges with the operation of an unlicensed money service business, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.However, in July this year, a Greek lower court agreed to extradite Vinnik to France , after the country charged him with defrauding thousands of people worldwide, including 100 in France, through his bitcoin platform and laundered 133 million euros using 20,643 bitcoins.Meanwhile, the Russian government also intervened in the case, asking the Greek government to extradite the Russian national to his home country, where he is facing around $10,000 worth of fraud chargesvery low as compared to accusations made by other countries.Now, the decision of the Greek Supreme Court published Friday upheld a lower court ruling, allowing Vinnik to be tried in his native Russia for his alleged fraud crime.The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the French extradition request for Vinnik again on September 19.However, reportedly Greek Minister of Justice can still overturn the Supreme Court ruling and decide where Vinnik ends upthe United States, Russia or France.Meanwhile, Greek authorities are also investigating Vinnik for possible cyber crimes in Greece, which might also delay his extradition.Groundbreaking event heralds new era for UFs Institute of Black Culture and Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures

The University of Florida will celebrate the start of construction on the Institute of Black Culture (IBC) and the Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures (La Casita) with a groundbreaking ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the site the Institutes, at 1510 and 1504 W. University Ave., across from the UF campus. The IBC and La Casita serve as a beacon for cultural progress and a safe space for UF students.

The $9.9 million project will help meet the needs of todays students while continuing to preserve the cultural histories that each of the facilities represent. The new IBC and La Casita are being designed to meet U.S. Green Building Councils Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification. Project completion is expected for fall 2019.

Over the past year, we have focused on being intentional in how we engage students and alumni in the Institutes Project, said Will Atkins, associate Dean of Students and senior director for Multicultural and Diversity Affairs. We hosted numerous input sessions, went to student organization meetings, used polling features via social media, and created an update dashboard, with meeting minutes, audio recordings, and presentation slides - our emphasis has been transparency. We are thankful that so many people have been and will continue to be invested in this exciting and transformative moment in UF's history. 

The project is led by the OAC (Owner- UF/MCDA; Architect  DLR Group; and Contractor  Foresight) team with significant feedback and insight from the Project Team. The project team is currently co-chaired by Eddie Daniels, assistant vice president for Business Services, and Beaudelaine Mesadieu, a student representative.

My goals of this project include being able to efficiently present both cultures, inspire other cultures to speak up and speak out in order to one day have an Institute of their own, and to make strong ties with other organizations so they can back both institutes, said Mesadieu.

The design team for the Institutes project was led by DLR Group, DRMP, JCR Consulting, BBM Structural Engineers, and TLC Engineering for Architecture. The construction team includes Foresight Construction Group, and the commissioning agent is H2 Engineering.

Our goal was to design welcoming facilities that represent the cultural fabric of today's students, while celebrating their past, present, and future," said Mike Lindsey, DLR Group designer and University of Florida alumnus.

In 1971, the Institute of Black Culture (IBC) was established after a series of peaceful protests from black students advocating for their rights ended with 66 students arrested or suspended for occupying the UF Presidents office. Through the protests, 123 students withdrew from UF.

In 1994, Hispanic and Latino students at UF, growing in numbers on campus, petitioned for the space. For decades the IBC and La Casita served as a home away home for thousands of students.

To learn more about the Institutes Project, please visit https://institutes.multicultural.ufl.edu

About Multicultural and Diversity Affairs

UF Multicultural & Diversity Affairs is a department within the Division of Student Affairs. It provides a wide range of services, educational opportunities, learning, support, outreach, activities and engagement for students. Through transformative educational experiences and developmental opportunities, Multicultural and Diversity Affairs celebrates and empowers diverse communities and advocates for an inclusive campus for all students across identities.

About DLR Group

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients, local communities, and our planet. DLR Group is 100 percent employee-owned and fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge, and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.

About Foresight Construction Group, Inc.

Foresight Construction Group, Inc. provides construction services to government, institutional, healthcare and commercial clients throughout the Southeastern United States and Caribbean. Committed to simplifying the building experience, Foresight offers construction management, general contracting and design-build services across a wide range of projects that require the highest standards for operation. Foresight is headquartered in Gainesville, Fla., with additional offices in Jacksonville and Tampa. For more information, visit www.foresightcgi.com.Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacationWe finally have an idea of how much Congress wants to spend on education .

After months of wrangling, top lawmakers for the education budget struck a deal to fund the U.S. Department of Education for the upcoming fiscal year. Its not a done deal, because it still needs to pass the House and Senate, and President Donald Trump then has to sign it. But through this agreement, members of Congress who oversee spending are sending the Trump administration a pretty clear signal about what they want to pay for and how much they want to pay.

But is there any general theme for how various programs and their constituencies made out in the deal? Weve identified a few of them below.

Spending Deal Winners

 Programs Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Want to Cut: In their fiscal 2019 blueprint, the Trump team wanted to shrink or eliminate several programs. Big-ticket items the admininstration wanted to eliminate include the Title IV Part A block grant, Title II aid for educator preparation, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers (a program that supports after-school programs). They also wanted to shrink the budget for Impact Aid.

All of those programs are not only preserved in the spending dealthey get raises. The spending increases they would get arent huge by percentage. But Congress is sending a clear message that it sees value in those programs. Several other programs the White House wants to slash also survive unscathed in the deal.

 Career and Technical Education: Were listing CTE here not just because it got a $70 million bump in grants, or nearly 6 percent of its current funding. Its also here because the funding increase goes towards a newly authorized Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. Trump signed a Perkins reauthorization into law earlier this year after the legislation got overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress. Not everyone is totally enamored with the new Perkins law. But the spending increase Congress wants make it clear that CTE is a priority in education policy.

Spending Deal Losers

 Trump and DeVos (Mostly): Its not fair to say that Trump and DeVos have whiffed completely on their priorities. A $40 million increase for charter school grants fits with DeVos general push to direct more money to school choice programs. However, that increase is $60 million less than what the president wanted for charters. He and DeVos had a lot less luck on other fronts. Lawmakers completely ignored the administrations signature school choice proposal for next year, a $1 billion opportunity grants program to promote choice. And more broadly, Capitol Hill is so far refusing to cut spending like the Trump team wants.

 Pell Grant Reserve: The deal does rescind $600 million that Congress previously appropriated for Pell but which hasnt been spent yet. People can reasonably disagree as to whether this constitutes a spending cut in the way people traditionally understand it. And the deal includes a $100 increase to the maximum Pell award. But advocates for Pells long-term future might have reason to be concerned.

Need some color to go with your budget info? Check out the chart with proposed education spending levels for fiscal 2019 below:

Photo: House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, center, accompanied by Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., center left, walks to the House chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington last week. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . And you can follow the Andrew Ujifusa half of Politics K-12 @AndrewUjifusa.Despite a much-heralded debut 18 years ago, 2,000-yen bills failed to find wide appeal, leaving them seldom sighted recently.

The number of 2,000-yen bills in circulation accounts for a paltry 0.7 pct of all bank notes in use in Japan.

"They're very unpopular," a clerk at a Tokyo branch of a megabank said of the bills. The few requests for exchange include those by women who want their children to examine them during the summer vacation, according to the clerk.

The 2,000-yen bill was launched in July 2000, when Japan hosted a Group of Eight summit in the Kyushu southwestern region and Okinawa Prefecture. It is the brainchild of former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who laid the groundwork for bringing the summit to Okinawa but died earlier that year.

According to the Bank of Japan, a total of 880 million 2,000-yen bills had been issued by fiscal 2003. The amount in circulation peaked at some 500 million in 2004 and has stood slightly below 100 million in recent years, even fewer than some 200 million for the 500-yen bill, which has not been issued for 24 years.British broadcaster ITV is in the race for Endemol Shine as the latter continues to field potential buyers.

In July, Endemol Shine owners Apollo Global and 21st Century FOX hired Deutsche Bank and Liontree to advise on a sale.

British newspaper The Sunday Times, which is owned by News Corp, sibling to Endemol Shine co-owner 21st Century Fox, reports that the British commercial broadcaster has officially entered the bidding process as sale talks heat up. Endemol Shine has been valued at between US$2B and US$3B (AU$2.8B  AU$4.2B).

Other bidders are thought to include All3Media co-owner Liberty Global, ITV and Banijay.

BBC Studios and Fremantle owner RTL have both in recent weeks ruled out bidding for the company.

Between them Endemol Shine Australia, headed by Mark & Carl Fennessy, and ITV Studios Australia, under David Mott, produce some of the biggest titles in Australia including MasterChef, Australian Ninja Warrior, Married at First Sight, Gogglebox, Australian Survivor, Family Food Fight, Shark Tank, Offspring (all ESA) and The Voice, Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, The Chase, Mad as Hell, Love Island (all ITVA).

Should a bid prove successful, it would mean in less than a decade Southern Star, Endemol, Shine and ITV would have all merged into one group.

Source: Deadline

Updated.Actress Jessica Marais has dropped out of upcoming Nine drama Bad Mothers and halted acting commitments for the remainder of 2018 to focus on her health.

Production on the Jungle-produced drama is due to begin in Melbourne next month.

Marais was announced as part of the ensemble following the Logie Awards, which she did not attend in July.

The Daily Telegraph reports a statement from management: Jessica has decided to step away from acting for the remainder of 2018 to focus on her health and spend time with her family. She is disappointed that she will not be a part of the Bad Mothers production with such an incredible cast and team behind it, but knows that it is important to take time out to maintain ongoing balance and wellbeing.

The 8 part murder drama will also feature Mandy McElhinney (Love Child, Hyde & Seek), Shalom Brune-Franklin (Doctor Doctor, Our Girl) and Jessica Tovey (Wolf Creek, Wonderland).

Nine is yet to announce a casting replacement.Tom Arnold has claimed Hollywood producer Mark Burnett attacked him at a pre-Emmys party, coincidentally occurring just days before his documentary The Hunt for the Trump Tapes screens.

But Burnetts wife, Roma Downey, claims it was Arnold who actually ambushed him.

Mark Burnett just went apeshit & choked me at this huge Emmy party then he ran away with his torn pink shirt & missing gold chain. Im waiting for LAPD, Arnold tweeted.

After Roma Downey posted a pic of a bruise on her hand, Arnold fired back, Bullshit. You lie like your crazy husband attacked me you psycho. Im filing a police report & suing you for defamation.

Arnold has made allegations about Donald Trump occurring when he appeared on the Burnett-produced Apprentice.

At the time of publication, TMZ said, We checked with LAPD  so far no report.

Arnold, who was briefly on Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here last year (and threatening legal action which is yet to materialise), is the host of The Hunt for the Trump Tapes which is fast-tracked to SBS VICELAND at 8pm Wednesday.

Updated: Variety reports, Arnold went to the West L.A. division of the LAPD on Monday morning and made a report for battery, said LAPD Officer Rosario Herrera. No further details were immediately available.The incident happened at around 2 PM on Friday, when a man, posing as a plumber, knocked on the 83-year-old widows door. He said he was there to investigate a leak. The elderly widow let the man come in and he entered her kitchen and a bedroom before leaving her home.

After the man left, the elderly lady found that her husbands ashes and some jewellery and other items had gone missing from her Greenwich home in Annandale Road in southeast London. Police believe a second man entered her home while she was distracted by the man posing as a plumber.

Harrowing crime has devastated the widow

As reported by the BBC, London Metropolitan Police released an image of a heart-shaped box, similar to that stolen from the widow and containing her husbands ashes.

A heart-shaped box, similar to that pictured, contained the ashes of an 83-year-old widows husband. In a 'distraction burglary" thieves made off the box and a locket, also containing her late husband's ashes.



Image courtesy London Metropolitan Police. pic.twitter.com/yr7AmHkh1p  Anne Sewell (@anners2008) September 17, 2018

They also released a photo of an oval-shaped silver locket, also containing her late husbands ashes. They have also released surveillance camera images of two men, believed to be the suspects in the burglary.

They are asking the public to contact them if they can identify the two men.

A silver locket, pictured, contained the ashes of an 83-year-old widows husband. In a "distraction burglary" thieves made off the with this and a heart-shaped box, also containing her late husband's ashes.



Image courtesy London Metropolitan Police. pic.twitter.com/QL2giCeRll  Anne Sewell (@anners2008) September 17, 2018

As reported by Sky News, the widow later discovered that the thieves had taken other jewellery, including a wedding ring, a silver band containing a blue sapphire and three gold chains.

They also stole a bank card, 50 in cash and vouchers for Debenhams and Marks and Spencers.

Items stolen from the widow are irreplaceable

Detective constable Robert Costigan of the Metropolitan Police said in a statement that the crime was particularly harrowing as the two men had targeted a vulnerable person. He said the items that had been stolen were irreplaceable, leading to the crime having a devastating effect on the widow.

Costigan went on to ask anyone with information relating to the identity of the men, or about the theft itself, to please contact the police.

These two men are believed to be the suspects who robbed an elderly woman of her husband's ashes.



Image courtesy London Metropolitan Police pic.twitter.com/sIoliUdMwX  Anne Sewell (@anners2008) September 17, 2018

Recent crime in London

As was recently reported, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was also targeted by a burglar in his north London home recently. Oliver heard a commotion coming from his neighbours Highgate home. When he went outside to investigate the noise, he caught a burglar trying to smash his way into his own house, while his wife and five children were at home.

Oliver took off after the burglar and tackled him, pinning him to the ground. Neighbours went to his assistance, as they kept the thief pinned down until the Metropolitan Police arrived to arrest him. Neighbours called him a hero for his swift action against the thief.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz give a statment to the media in the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, September 16, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Thomson Reuters

BERLIN (Reuters) - Austria and Germany agree that everything possible must be done to avoid Britain leaving the European Union without a trade deal, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Sunday before a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Kurz and Merkel said they were meeting to discuss a range of issues, including Britain's planned departure from the bloc in 2019, immigration and efforts to bolster EU border security ahead of an informal summit of EU leaders in Salzburg next week.

"We have the same view that we must do all we can to avoid a hard Brexit," Kurz said in a statement before the meeting.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

See Also:BAKU, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Exports from the first stage of Azerbaijan's giant Shah Deniz gas field stood at 4.990 billion cubic metres (bcm) in January-August this year, up 4.4 percent from a year earlier, the State Statistics Committee said on Monday.

Gas from Shah Deniz I is exported through the South Caucasus pipeline.

Export volumes from Shah Deniz I, operated by an international consortium led by BP, were 7.314 bcm in 2017.

Azerbaijan's gas exports through all pipelines totalled 15.040 bcm in January-August this year.

The European Union is trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas by developing the so-called Southern Gas Corridor, which is expected to bring about 10 bcm of gas a year to Europe by 2020. Another 6 bcm of gas will be exported to Turkey.

The gas would come from the Shah Deniz II field via the 1,850 km (1,150 mile) Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) through Turkey, the South Caucasus pipeline extension through Azerbaijan and Georgia and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP (Shenzhen: 002826.SZ - news) ) to Greece, Albania and Italy.

Azeri oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline via Georgia and Turkey declined by 0.8 percent to 22.288 million tonnes in the first eight months of this year versus the same period in 2017, the State Statistics Committee also said.

(Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; writing by Margarita Antidze; editing by Kirsten Donovan)FILE PHOTO: Italian Economy Minister Giovanni Tria attends as Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (unseen) speaks during his first session at the Lower House of the Parliament in Rome, Italy, June 6, 2018. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo

By Ilaria Polleschi and Angelo Amante

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's top ministers met on Monday to discuss the 2019 budget, with friction building inside the coalition over the package and financial markets on edge about the big-spending plans of the government.

No final decisions were taken and talks will continue in the coming days, a government source said, with deputy prime ministers Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini pushing for a larger deficit than Economy Minister Giovanni Tria wanted to accept.

"The choices in the budget law have to be courageous and have to be made in the interests of the citizens," Di Maio, who is head of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, said after the meeting in the office of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

Daily Corriere della Sera reported on Monday that Tria, an academic with no party affiliation, was set on preventing the 2019 budget deficit from rising above 1.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

That would be double the current 0.8 percent target but lower than what was expected until recently by markets, which fear the deficit will rise steeply to fund welfare spending and tax cuts promised by the ruling parties.

The government source said both Di Maio and Salvini wanted a deficit of between 2.0 and 2.5 percent to help pay for some of their main electoral promises, including the introduction of a "universal wage" for the unemployed and pension reform.

CUTTING "DEAD WOOD"

Italy's public debt of around 132 percent of GDP is the highest in the euro zone after Greece's and markets are concerned it may rise further if government borrowing increases. Tria is seen as the bastion of market discipline against the demands of the right-wing League and 5-Star.

Di Maio said the coalition, which took office in June, would look to eliminate waste from the budget "and cut away all the dead wood" to free up resources for the new set of priorities.

The coalition must set its deficit and debt targets for next year by Sept. 27, and present the budget to parliament by Oct. 20. Governments normally work right up to these deadlines before presenting their plans.

Story continues

5-Star's flagship policy is a basic income of up to 780 euros per month for the poor, while the League, led by Salvini, is particularly anxious to cut corporate and income tax.

Both parties have said these measures will be phased in gradually starting from 2019. They have also both promised to water down a previous, unpopular pension reform.

"Experts from the two groups are working constantly to rake back waste and above all to guarantee the introduction of needed and courageous reforms," Salvini said in a statement late on Monday.

Italian media reported on Monday there was growing friction within the coalition over a raft of nominations across the public sector - including who should head market watchdog Consob - and suggested this was weighing on the internal budget debate.

(Additional reporting by Giuseppe Fonte and Francesca Piscioneri in Rome; Writing by Gavin Jones and Crispian Balmer; Editing by William Maclean and Andrew Roche)By Martinne Geller and Simon Jessop

LONDON (Reuters) - Unilever <ULVR.L> <UNc.AS> shareholder Lindsell Train is likely to use at least some of its shares to vote against the company's planned move to the Netherlands, which will cost the consumer goods giant its spot in the benchmark FTSE 100 <.FTSE> index.

The British asset manager - the third-largest owner of Unilever Plc shares, according to Thomson Reuters data - joins a growing chorus of concern against the move, aimed at simplifying Unilever's dual-headed Anglo-Dutch structure.

"We admire Unilever as a company and have a high regard for its current executive team and board, but on this issue we will vote in the interests of our various clients as we judge appropriate," Nick Train, co-founder of the British asset management firm, said in an emailed statement.

He spelled out various reasons why its British clients would be disadvantaged by the move to end its dual-headed structure.

He said Unilever ceasing to be a benchmark UK stock was "at the very least an inconvenience" for all UK funds, while those who only invest in the benchmark may become "forced sellers".

Train also cited "a new risk" from the possibility of a Dutch withholding tax on dividends once Unilever redomiciles to the Netherlands.

He noted the mitigation Unilever has offered against this threat but said the company is not offering "a perpetuity guarantee" that shareholders will never suffer from future changes in Dutch tax policy.

Lindsell Train, which owns a 2.38 percent stake, according to Thomson Reuters data, did not give a breakdown on how many of its clients were based in Britain.

Train's comments come after a fellow top-20 shareholder, Aviva <AV.L>, told the Financial Times that it plans to vote against the proposal.

A third, Columbia Threadneedle Investments, has also voiced concern about the move, though some non-British investors are more sanguine.

Story continues

A fourth investor, invested in both the UK and Dutch shares, said it made sense to rationalise the headquarters.

"Having two sets of headquarters and two listings is not always the most efficient," said the investor, who declined to be identified.

The Unilever move requires approval by 75 percent of UK shareholders and 50 percent of Dutch shareholders. The votes will take place on Oct. 25 in the Netherlands and Oct. 26 in London.

Unilever has said it is "very confident" of securing the required votes.

Unilever shares were down 0.2 percent in London at 1518 GMT.

(Reporting by Martinne Geller; Editing by Adrian Croft/Keith Weir)GUSH ETZION, West Bank (Reuters) - A Palestinian fatally stabbed an American-born Jewish settler in the occupied West Bank on Sunday then was himself shot and seized by armed civilians who gave chase.

The victim, Ari Fuld, 45, was well-known amongst settlers as a pro-Israel advocate. According to his Twitter account, he had planned a lecture tour in the United States in November.

Israeli police said the Palestinian who stabbed him in the back at a shopping mall in the Etzion bloc of Jewish settlements south of Jerusalem was shot and wounded by one of several armed civilians - including a bleeding Fuld - who gave chase.

The suspected assailant was identified by his family as Khalil Youssef Jabarin, 17, from the village of Yatta in the southern West Bank. He was taken into custody.

Palestinian street attacks against Israelis, many carried out by assailants with no known affiliation to militant groups, have been sporadic since 2015, a year after peace talks collapsed.

Hundreds of mourners attended Fuld's funeral, which began close to midnight at a cemetery at the Kfar Etzion settlement in the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a condolence visit to Fuld's family and wrote on Twitter: "I embraced them on behalf of all the people of Israel during their time of terrible sorrow. We live because of heroes like Ari, We will remember him, always."

Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made what appeared to be an indirect reference to the killing while meeting former Israeli officials in Ramallah, the official Palestinian Wafa news agency said.

"Abbas reaffirmed the commitment of the Palestinian side to achieving peace through peaceful, popular resistance, because killing, settlement building, destruction and displacing of residents will not achieve security and peace for any party in the region," Wafa quoted him as saying.

Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for the Hamas militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, called the West Bank stabbing a "natural response to Israeli crimes against Palestinians" in occupied territory. It did not claim responsibility for the attack.

Story continues

David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said on Twitter that "America grieves as one of its citizens was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist."

Friedman, who as a private citizen raised money for Jewish settlements, said Fuld "represented the best of both countries and will be deeply missed". Fuld, a father of four, lived in the settlement of Efrat, in the Etzion area.

U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East negotiator Jason Greenblatt also issued a comment, on Twitter: "Words cannot express our feeling of loss as an American-Israeli, Ari Fuld, was stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist."

Most countries view Israeli settlements, on occupied land Palestinians claim for a state as illegal. Israel disputes this.

(Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; wWriting by Dan Williams, Jeffrey Heller and Ori Lewis; editing by Jonathan Oatis)SKOPJE (Reuters) - Several thousand Macedonians gathered in the capital Skopje on Sunday to express their support for NATO and European Union membership bids and for a change in the country's name.

The crowd, waving Macedonian flags, marched through Skopje city centre and stopped in front of the European Union office in Macedonia to hear Prime Minister Zoran Zaev speak.

"EU and NATO is the safe road, for us there is no other alternative. That's our guide for a better life," Zaev told them.

He called on people to vote in support of a "historic" decision on Sept. 30, when a referendum on both the membership bids and the agreement with Greece to change the country's name to Republic of North Macedonia will take place.

Greece, a member of both NATO and the EU, has refused to accept the Balkan country's name, saying it implies territorial claims on the Greek province of Macedonia and amounts to an appropriation of its ancient civilisation. It has blocked the country's membership bids.

Macedonia was part of the now-defunct Yugoslavia, declaring independence in 1991.

Zaev's government, elected in 2017, pushed for an agreement with Greece and the two sides agreed on the new name in June.

In June, NATO invited Macedonia to begin accession talks with the alliance, but said it would have to change its constitution and adopt the new name first.

The EU has also said it would set a date for Macedonian accession talks pending implementation of the name deal.

Macedonian nationalists who oppose the deal organised a protest in the eastern town of Stip on Sunday.

"They (the government) are taking advantage of the Macedonian people's strong will to achieve European standards, true prosperity, stability and security, to push an agenda which is against our state and national interests," the leader of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, Hristijan Mickoski, told about 2,000 people in Stip.

According to recent opinion polls, more than 50 percent of people are likely to vote, with the majority supporting the membership bids and the name deal.

(Reporting by Kole Casule; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Angus MacSwan)Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald says Brexit makes Irish unity a "more imminent reality" than ever before.

She told Sky News that Tory in-fighting over the issue had demonstrated their "utter indifference to Ireland."

Ms McDonald accused Boris Johnson in particular of being "deliberately provocative" and "grossly irresponsible" about the peace process.

She said: "I think their statements make very clear their utter indifference to Ireland, their entire lack of appreciation of what happened on this island and their role in it, their utter ignorance in terms of the peace process.

"Their utterances, certainly in the case of Mr Johnson, have been provocative, one has to imagine deliberately provocative.

"Any notion that the Good Friday Agreement has served its purpose and should be put through the political shredder is grossly irresponsible," she added.

Ms McDonald, who succeeded Gerry Adams as Sinn Fein president six months ago, believes Brexit, among other issues, will lead to a referendum on Irish unity.

She said: "Brexit, the changing demographic, the fact that the in-built permanent Unionist majority upon which partition was based and the northern state was founded is now gone.

"And above all, for our purposes, there is now a surge right across Ireland for social change, for modernity, for progress.

"That's a very positive sentiment that's not orange or green exclusively but that actually affords us a platform for a very necessary debate as to what Ireland looks like now and where we're going over the next five to 10 years," she added.

Sinn Fein believes some Tories are deliberately ignoring the potential implications of a hard border.

But Ms McDonald rejects any suggestion that her party is exaggerating the challenges to push their own unity agenda.

She said: "Brexit is not of our making. We didn't want Brexit. In fact, the people in the north of Ireland voted against Brexit. They voted to remain.

"Brexit is a very peculiarly British and English construct that we are now to have, according to the Tories, foisted upon us.

"They seem to think that they can say 'we are leaving' and then unilaterally coerce the north of Ireland out of the European Union and rupture and sunder the economy and social life on this island and they have absolutely no right to do that," she added.Khan al-Ahmar, a village of roughly 200 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, is at risk of being demolished by Israeli bulldozers at any time, despite international criticism and fierce resistance from its inhabitants.

<span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Click on the player above to watch the report from Khan al-Ahmar by FRANCE 24s Irris Makler, Antoine Mariotti and Cecile Galluccio.</span></span></span></span></span>

After the West Bank hamlet lost its last legal protection against demolition late last week, Israeli forces could swoop in any day now to tear down the desert community's few dozen shacks and an Italian-funded schoolhouse made from recycled tires.

Some hold out hope that Israel might be deterred by the international outcry over razing the community. Major European countries have warned that flattening Khan al-Ahmar poses a grave threat to the already fading prospects of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The seemingly outsized international attention being paid to the tiny community is linked to its strategic location in the centre of the West Bank. It's an area deemed essential for setting up a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, areas Israel captured in 1967.

Israel has portrayed the battle over Khan al-Ahmar as a mere zoning dispute. But critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies say the village has become a symbol for what they describe as an ongoing displacement of Palestinians to make room for Israeli settlements.

With demolition now looming, dozens of activists, including foreigners, have been spending nights in Khan al-Ahmar to show support. They sleep on mattresses spread out under green tarp covering the front yard of the Italian-funded school.

Recent visitors included a delegation of three French senators, accompanied by the Consul-General of France in Jerusalem, who voiced their disagreement with the Israeli court ruling that the village was built illegally.

Story continues

They say the buildings are illegal everywhere except in the places where theyve set up Jewish settlements, so that's not true, said Senator Gilbert Roger, the deputy head of the Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee and head of the chamber's France-Palestine Group. What about illegal Jewish building? Israel also has to account for that!

Among the activists campaigning to save the village is French-American law professor Frank Romano, who was arrested on Friday and threatened with deportation. Romanos lawyer said Monday a court had ordered his release, and that the 66-year-old professor had since returned to the village.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)Turkey-focussed exploration and development company Ariana Resources announced the results of recent exploration and development work at the Ivrindi Gold Project on Monday.

The AIM-traded firm owned 100% of Ivrindi outside of the Red Rabbit joint venture in western Turkey, via its wholly-owned subsidiary Galata Madencilik.

It said a 1.3km long extension of the mineralised zone at Ivrindi had been identified through soil pXRF analysis.

Gold mineralisation was encountered at surface in the range 2-10 g/t Au, it revealed, and was developed largely within several discrete zones of clay alteration.

A 1,500m reverse circulation drilling programme was now being planned in order to test the full strike-length of the mineralised structure, it explained.

Trial mining had recently produced 8,000 tonnes, with a total of about 13,000 tonnes of gold mineralised material now stockpiled, with future potential to truck that to the Kiziltepe plant.

The discovery of a new zone of mineralisation outside of the areas previously tested with soil geochemistry or drilling, indicates the potential to grow the resource at Ivrindi substantially, said managing director Dr Kerim Sener.

Meanwhile, trial mining at the project undertaken during this summer has been completed and a stockpile is being maintained on site.

We are very pleased with these recent developments at Ivrindi and we are keen to demonstrate that this resource has the potential to be mined and trucked to the Kiziltepe processing plant in the future.

Dr Sener reiterated that a drilling programme and metallurgical testwork was being planned in order to de-risk the project even further.

We fully envisage Ivrindi being developed as a satellite operation during the later stages of mine life at Kiziltepe.Investment company Prospex Oil and Gas issued its interim results for the six months ended 30 June on Monday, reporting rapid progress being made across its three key investment assets.

The AIM-traded firm said that progress was in line with its strategy to build a leading oil and gas investment company, focussed on high impact European opportunities with short timelines to production.

It said it was set to commence imminent production at the Bainet-1 well in Romania, which would be achieved within just over a year of initial project acquisition and 10 months of drilling the exploration well.

That followed the successful completion of development permitting and the installation of a flowline to achieve access to existing Bilca production facility.

RELATED: First gas confirmed at Bainet by Prospex

At the Podere Maiar-1d well in Italy, which the company described as a significant gas discovery, peak flow rates of 148,136 scm/day and 129,658 scm/day had been achieved respectively from two gas-bearing reservoirs.

Production concession applications had been submitted and targeted to commence in the first or second quarter of 2020.

Prospex said defined work programmes were underway to de-risk up to 830 billion cubic feet of gas of gross unrisked prospective resources, with an upside in excess of 2 Tcf resources at the Tesorillo Project in Spain.

It said a multi strand work programme had begun, with the firm saying it had garnered strong local and regional support through community engagement programmes.

On the financial front, Prospex remained pre-revenue, with its administrative expenses rising to 0.54m from 0.38m in the first half of last year.

Its loss before tax narrowed, however, to 0.54m from 2.85m.

Prospex has built a highly strategic portfolio based on its investment criteria of acquiring undervalued, late stage projects in proven European hydrocarbon jurisdictions that can be rapidly advanced into low cost production thanks to the availability of historic data and established infrastructure, said Prospex managing director Edward Dawson.

Through this development approach we are now on the verge of commencing commercial production in Romania.

We look forward to delivering on this significant milestone alongside a number of other key developments in the coming months, as we focus on generating significant value for shareholders.With Tullow Oil showing "clear signs of a return to meaningful exploration", analysts at Canaccord Genuity raised their rating on the group to 'buy' on Monday.

After a long period where balance sheet constraints had limited Tullow's capex capacity, the firm has been exploring again, with a high impact well underway in Namibia and its more recent Exxon discovery off the coast of Guyana, which the Canadian broker believes could have "far more significant positive implications" for the group.

Canaccord pointed out that larger projects in Guyana would be valued at roughly $9 a barrel, but noted that, given the shallower water depth of Tullow's Orinduik/Kanuku development, it would be reasonable to expect a lower cost structure for the project.

The broker noted that, for the most part, it tended to steer clear of including exploration in its target prices for larger exploration and production firms, however, in this instance, given the combination of Tullow's exploration track record, the proximity to discoveries, and the scale of the potential, Canaccord thought it reasonable to include Guyana into its target price.

Canaccord said, as a result, it had added a conservative estimate of the offshore Guyana value of 15p/share, equivalent to $280m or risked 28 mmbbls net potential.

This saw it raise the target price to 270p per share from 250p and raise the rating from 'hold'.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley trimmed their target price for shares of Prudential but reiterated their 'overweight' recommendation for the stock ahead of its de-merger into an asset manager to be called M&G Pru and an insurer focused on the UK, US and, above all, Asia.

In particular, they highlighted how its shares had "materially" underperformed their hypothetical 'sum-of-the-parts' valuation for the business as well as its domestic peers - despite the drop in Sterling.

However, in their opinion, the reasons for the stock's recent underperformance included the 'execution risk' around a potential de-merger, poor sentiment towards emerging markets and negative earnings for Pru.

Linked to the execution risk around the split of the two businesses, Morgan Stanley said, was the increased uncertainty around how the market will value the two successor entities.

On an IFRS basis, the broker's earnings estimates for fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020 were trimmed by 0.4%, 2.6% and 1.2%.

"Although our price target only changes modestly, it is now set at end FY19, rather than end FY18 so implicitly has reduced by ~8% (from 2,481p to 2,469p)," they said.

There were risks, of course, the broker said, including a potential worsening in credit conditions, continued challenges in emerging markets, and changes in competitive conditions and regulation in key markets.

Security software and hardware company Sophos was under the cosh on Monday as Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock to 'hold' from 'buy' and slashed the price target to 530p from 630p amid rising competition and as guidance looks challenging.

The bank said competition in Endpoint, which blocks malware and infections, appears to be worsening and there is increasing evidence of enterprise-level next-generation players attacking the mid-market.

"As such, pricing is anecdotally tough across both traditional and next-gen Endpoint," DB said adding that this was probably a significant factor behind the 5% constant currency drop in end-user billings in the first quarter.

DB said new product releases, namely EDR and Email are helpful, but not game-changing and unlikely to drive significant cross-sell as Intercept X did in FY18.

"Given limited potential for material product releases, pricing pressure and tough competition, we see limited scope for a major improvement in net renewal rates and therefore see the FY20/21 renewal book impact as less impactful than previously thought," the bank said.

It also argued that guidance for the second half and FY20 is "unrealistic" and said it expects this to be revised, likely at the third-quarter results next month.The spotlight on Tuesday may well end up being on China's response to America's decision to levy a 10% tariff on $200bn-worth of the Asian giant's goods exports.

In particular, markets will watch for whether Beijing simply retaliates in-kind or whether it also snubs the US's invitation to hold trade talks.

The European Union's General Affairs Council, which is set to meet to analyse the result of the discussions around Britain's Withdrawal and the framework for relations with it after Brexit, will also be in focus.

Overnight meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Australia is due to publish the minutes of its last policy meeting.

Investors will also be keeping an eye out for the result of the Hungarian central bank's policy meeting.

Data-wise, the calendar was rather light, with only the US NAHB's housing market index for September and the US Treasury's report on long-term capital flows in July set for release.

Over in the corporate space, the focus was likely to be on Ocado's third quarter trading update, with analysts at Peel Hunt telling clients that they would focus on any new advances in the company's technology platform, as well as any advances on its deals with Casino, Sobeys, ICA or Kroger.

"Ocado's interims presentation was all about technology. The vastly reduced talk about food was conspicuous. It now truly is a technology business," they explained to clients.

Over at Numis meanwhile, analyst Andy Wade was expecting the trends observed throughout the second quarter in retail to carry through into third quarter with growth of 11.0%.

"The shares have had an outstanding run, reflecting recognition of the value in the Solutions division, the earnings runway afforded by the recently signed deals, and the validation of the OSP concept," Wade said.

"We believe that Ocado has developed the leading global solution for online grocery delivery, and see more to go for."

Tuesday September 18

INTERIMS

Augean, Bango, Be Heard Group, Cloudcall Group, DP Poland, Faroe Petroleum, Frontier Smart Technologies Group Limited, Hydrogen Group, JTC, Judges Scientific, Keywords Studios, NAHL Group, Personal Group Holdings, Smart Metering Systems, VR Education Holdings

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

4Imprint Group, London Stock Exchange Group

FINALS

AEW UK Long Lease Reit , Eagle Eye Solutions Group, GRC International Group, Green Reit, Haydale Graphene Industries, Purecircle Limited (DI), Springfield Properties

AGMS

Accsys Technologies, Elderstreet Draper Esprit VCT, Great Eastern Energy Corp Ltd. GDR, HML Holdings, MediaZest, Northgate, Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, Van Elle Holdings

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Northgate, Ocado GroupCar maker Jaguar Land Rover announced on Monday it would fight job cuts by moving 3,000 staff to a three-day week until Christmas at the Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands.

The company said it would move production to a three-day week in order to fight the challenging conditions the automotive industry is facing. Half of the plant's 2,000 workers will be affected by the move and will remain on full pay.

A spokesperson said: In light of the continuing headwinds impacting the car industry, we are making some temporary adjustments to our production schedules at Castle Bromwich.

We are, however, continuing to over-proportionally invest in new products and technologies, and are committed to our UK plants in which we have invested more than 4bn since 2010 to future-proof manufacturing technologies to deliver new models.

In July, Jaguar Land Rover warned that a hard Brexit would threaten 80bn worth of investment plans for the UK and could force the company to shut down its factories.

Chief executive Ralf Speth warned last week that tens of thousands of jobs in the automotive sector would be at risk if the UK exited the EU without a deal with Brussels.Sirius Minerals announced the signing of a take-or-pay supply agreement between its wholly-owned subsidiary York Potash , OFD Supply and Cibrafertil Companhia Brasileira de Fertilizantes - the Cibra Group - for the supply and resale of POLY4 into Brazil and certain other countries in South America.

The FTSE 250 company said that it also agreed to acquire, through one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, a 30% equity interest in each of the Cibra Group companies for a total of 95 million fully paid ordinary shares of Sirius.

It explained that the supply agreement provided for the resale of POLY4 on an exclusive basis into Brazil, Bolivia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela, and on a non-exclusive basis into Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

The initial contract term of seven years could be extended for two additional five-year periods.

Minimum contracted take-or-pay volume commitments under the agreement would increase to 2.5 Mtpa by the seventh year following the commencement of commercial production, Sirius explained.

The supply agreement contained provisions which would allow Cibra to roll forward and roll back a small proportion of take-or-pay volumes between contract years.

Pricing terms included a minimum commitment price that was linked to relevant product benchmarks, as well as a unique downstream price participation mechanic which would enable Sirius to benefit from higher realized POLY4 prices for the duration of the contract.

Pricing to be received by Sirius under the supply agreement was expected to be broadly in line with other offtake agreements in the early years of supply, with the potential to realise higher pricing sooner than the company's existing supply agreements.

The acquisition of the 30% interest in each of the Cibra Group companies was expected to include access to key markets for the long-term growth of Sirius, and the ability for Sirius to participate in the strategic direction and marketing strategy of the Cibra Group, the board explained.

It would also provide protection for Sirius' route to market.

Following completion of the acquisition of the equity in the Cibra Group companies management would remain unchanged, however under the shareholder agreements Sirius would have the right to appoint a director, with Chris Fraser to join the boards of each of the Cibra Group companies.

In line with an investment of such size and nature, certain strategic matters relating to the Cibra Group companies would require unanimous approval by the parties, with the shareholder agreements also containing what Sirius described as typical pre-emptive rights, transfer protections and rights and change of control protections.

The Sirius shares issued to the shareholders of the Cibra Group companies would be subject to a lock-up period of 12 months.

Completion of these arrangements remained subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, and was expected to take place in the coming weeks.

We are excited to be entering into this long-term partnership with Sirius to deliver POLY4 into Brazil and other key markets of South America, said Cibra chief executive officer Santiago Franco.

The supply agreement provides Cibra with access to a unique multi-nutrient product that will play an important and valuable role in one of the fastest growing fertiliser markets in the world.

POLY4 will change the shape of the fertiliser market in South America and Cibra will be at the heart of driving the growth and adoption of this innovative sustainable product across the region.

Chris Fraser, managing director and CEO of Sirius, added that his company was delighted to have signed the supply and investment agreements with a leading player in the South American fertiliser market, with a proven track record and ambitious growth plans.

Cibra is a perfect partner for distributing POLY4 into this key market, where trials have demonstrated how it can significantly enhance farming economics, Fraser explained.

The Cibra offtake agreement takes us beyond our targeted 7 Mtpa and is a major step forward as we look to complete Stage 2 financing and building our global fertiliser business.The University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents has recommended $13.6 million in state funding for the University of North Georgia (UNG) to begin renovations on the former Lanier Technical College campus space, located next door to UNG's Gainesville Campus.

The funds are part of nearly $169 million for construction, planning and design, which also included $2.3 million for initial planning and design of a new building at UNG's Dahlonega Campus for the Mike Cottrell College of Business, that the USG plans to seek for fiscal year 2020. The funds are part of USG's overall funding request approved by the Board of Regents at the Sept. 11 meeting that will be submitted to the Office of the Governor for consideration during the 2019 legislative session.

Renovating the property will take place in stages and is expected to cost $18.9 million, much of which will be requested from USG over a three-year period. UNG officials hope to begin renovations soon after Lanier Tech opens a new campus in early 2019 and vacates its Oakwood campus. The earliest UNG could begin to occupy portions of the space, including the property's 600-plus parking spots, is fall 2020. The anticipated completion of the project is January 2021.

Dr. Richard Oates, vice president of UNG's Gainesville Campus, said he is excited about the opportunities afforded by acquiring the space.

"It is a gift. How many times do you get to inherit a campus right across the street?" Oates said. "This is a cog in our 10-year facilities plan  an unexpected and very welcome element that begins to address our facility needs. We know that the Gainesville Campus will continue to grow and we know that this space alone will not meet the growth needs for the next 10 years, but this will support some of our fastest-growing programs."

The units identified to move into the space when renovations are completed are: geospatial sciences, film and digital media, nursing, visual arts, and Office of Information Technology, Oates said. Other programs and departments that need more space or are spread out across the campus will be able to move into the spaces vacated when those five programs move, Oates said.

Oates is appreciative of the support of Lanier Tech and USG regarding advance planning.

"The USG has been very understanding that this is not your typical project and has allowed us to do some initial design now," Oates said. "They have been very helpful throughout the process so that we can move quickly when Lanier Tech vacates the property."

State Rep. Emory Dunahoo, who represents Oakwood in the Georgia House of Representatives, helped secure $3 million in funds for initial planning and design for the project, which was included in the FY19 state budget. Dunahoo said he will support the second phase of funding for the project, too.

"The University of North Georgia is a great resource and partner to have in our backyard here in Oakwood," Dunahoo said. "I'm excited about the opportunities that this expansion can bring for people who wish to pursue higher education, as well as the businesses in our area who increasingly require a workforce with 21st century skills and knowledge."

State Rep. Matt Dubnik, who represents Gainesville in the Georgia House and sits on the House Higher Education Committee, also helped secure initial funding for the project, and said he will continue to support funding for completion of the project.

"I'm excited to help support UNG with this development to facilitate growth of programs at UNG that support regional and statewide needs in two areas identified in the Governor's High-Demand Career Initiative  nursing and film and digital media," Dubnik said. "This is a great boon for Hall County to have immediate access to the programs and expertise provided by UNG."Artist Ardina Seward began her creative career at the tender age of six when she drew silver tulips on her mother's food storage closet (the images remained there for several years until rust eroded the petals). As an adult, Ardina worked as a News photojournalist who covered stories spanning crime, politics and cultural events. Ardina presently co-hosts Westchester Eye on the Radio, a weekly talk show that frequently features guests such as artists.

Aside from working in radio, Ardina is actively pursing a career as an artist who works with found objects, mixed media, and abstract forms.

Her work has led her to have some incredible (and even spooky) experiences. On one memorable occasion, Ardina found a piece of wood that she wanted to char to the texture of burned pine until it was completely black and wrinkled. After unsuccessfully attempting the effect several times, Ardina became frustrated and held the wood directly over an open flame made from a burning citronella insect repellent candle.

That was successful--the wood burned just enough to change the surface--but it also resulted in several shapes emerging from the wood which look undeniably like faces! The freaky experience has stuck in Ardinas mind as being just one of the weird--yet amazing--experiences that art has afforded her.

Recently, Ardina granted an exclusive interview detailing her art, her career in media, and more.

Found objects, creative muse, and exhibitions

Meagan Meehan (MM): You got interested in making art from a young age, so did your family encourage you?

Ardina Seward (AS): My mother taught me to see things from a different perspective.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

One night as we drove across the Whitestone Bridge, lights glistened in the water. She was so thrilled that she exclaimed, "Look at the diamonds in the water, Ardina! They are beautiful!" I was six years old and that was when my view of the world shifted. I loved her very much and she was my mentor and the person who encouraged me in artistic endeavors.

We were poor and she taught me to make doll clothes from socks. Even today, I can make a cool doll couture gown from an old sock!

MM: How did you get into the media business and why did you gravitate towards the news?

AS: As I got older, I developed an interest in still photography but I also liked to write. So, combining the two defined the documentary film genre. I graduated from Columbia University and then did two more years at NYU grad school. Finished with an MFA and then took a job in news as a photojournalist. At the time, it was the best way to pursue the documentary style of filmmaking and still be able to earn a living.

MM: What was your career like, especially working with TV? Do you think it impacted your creative muse at all?

AS: My career can only be described as a wild ride. I have photographed the whole spectrum of life from birth to death. I have seen babies born and I have seen people die. Ive been with Presidents, gangsters, scammers, and beggars. The list is endless.

A typical day in news starts with a flower show in Manhattan and ends with a riot in Crown Heights. It is good and bad of everything. It spurred creativity because news photography is a "catch the moment" discipline. You have to act as soon as you see something and you have to photograph it so that it has context and meaning. It strains the brain at times, but it also hones a photographers skill.

MM: How did you get into Westchester Eye on the Radio and what can listeners expect from the show?

AS: Two years ago, a former news colleague, Peter Moses, asked me to guest host on his radio show, Westchester Eye on the Radio. I have a latent stutter from childhood that comes and goes when under stress so I did not think I could do it. But, he encouraged me to give it a try. The rest is history. I did the first show almost two years ago and never left! I handle most of the booking and like to invite a variety of guests on the show. It is broadcast live so you never know what will happen. Dimitry Sheinman, a suspect in the 2004 murder of a young Washington Heights jogger, Sarah Fox, was a guest a while back.

He had managed to avoid prosecution due to a lack of evidence but there is a suspicion that he was involved.

He is an artist and I wanted his side of the story. He now lives in South Africa and called from that location. Rambling on in incoherent sentences and avoiding the main topic, the discussion got heated. Peter became incensed and hung up on him on the air. The element of surprise is what makes the show exciting!

MM: You recently restarted your artwork career... So, what sparked that interest and how you would describe your style?

AS: I have resumed my art career full time. It is not unusual for me to work until dawn if I get an idea. I was always fascinated with things, shapes, objects and discarded broken pieces. When you put them down and turn them at different angles, you are able to see them in a new way.

And when you follow it up with the question of "What if that were...?" you begin the process of making a piece of art. When I worked in TV News, the maintenance people and the truck mechanics had the greatest trash. Computer guts, mufflers, hose clamps...all of these things became material to convert into something beautiful.

MM: You work with many found objects and recycle them into fine art pieces, so what are some of the coolest things youve found to work with?

AS: I like working with rusty objects and also tree bark. Both are challenging. Rust flakes and is constantly changing. The process of rust never stops so the art work you create today can look different five years from now. But that is what makes it alive.

Bark has texture and flexibility that has to be set so it does not break. Yet, it makes a cool backdrop to place other objects. Even mouse traps are fun. When painted, they look very different. I recently did a piece with burned wood and faces emerged from the process that I did not draw. The piece looks like Armageddon. Sounds crazy but they literally appeared in the charred surface and were quite scary. Im still trying to figure out the meaning.

MM: Where have you exhibited your artwork and how have you found the venues?

AS: I have exhibited at The Fusion Art Gallery at 57 Stanton Street (now closed) The Blue Door Gallery and Urban Studio Unbound in Yonkers, NY. Also An Beal Cafe in the Bronx.

All were or are great venues. An Beal is one of my favorites because it is a restaurant/gallery/music venue that caters to artists, playwrights, and musicians. It is a very nurturing environment where art is valued and appreciated.

Art, media, and the future

MM: Do you find that keeping close ties with other artists helps you produce and exhibit your own pieces?

AS: It is important to be in an artistic community to not only share ideas but to be inspired. Of course, artists are competitive. That is the nature of ego, business incentive, and style. But when you realize that as artists, we are all thinking from the same side of our brain, one understands that we need the support of each other.

MM: How did you meet famous German artist Chris Bleicher and how did you go on to become good friends?

AS: I met Chris Bleicher through a mutual friend many years ago. I liked her positive attitude and the colors that she surrounded herself with Chris is also an incredible technician. What she does not know, she seizes the time to learn. She even taught herself HTML so that she could design her own website. Amazing woman.

MM: What are the best things about being an artist and what have been the highlights of working in the media industry?

AS: The best aspect of being an artist is the gift of "seeing." An artist has an organic connection to his/her surroundings. Often criticized for being overly sensitive, the artist has the ability to feel more deeply than others. Maybe that is an over exaggeration but in order to create any artistic endeavor, you have to make a connection with what you are doing.

That is a good thing because it is as though you are functioning at a higher level in life.

MM: What are your biggest hopes for the future of your art career and position as a radio hostess? Also, how do you envision Westchester Eye on the Sky evolving over the coming five years?

AS: My hope is that my art career will grow and end up in more homes. Would I like to be famous? Sure, it helps the brand. But more importantly, I want my art to make people happy. Sometimes they look at my art and laugh. That is really the greatest reward. The radio show is a work in progress. I encourage people to call in when the show is on to either comment or ask a question. The number is 914-636-0110 The show airs from 3-4 PM on Mondays and is broadcast at WVOX 1460AM and streamed live at the WVOX website.

If anyone wants to be a guest or propose a show, contact me at aseward100{at}aol{dot}com. My work can be seen at www secondcycl weebly com and its also on Instagram via "thirteensnaps".Virginia Tech has appointed Kim Blair as an assistant vice president of advancement to lead fundraising and help with outreach and strategic communication initiatives centered in Roanoke.

The move reflects the universitys growing presence in the city, where the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine have emerged as economic anchors.

Blair has served as a principal gifts officer within the universitys Advancement Division since 2015. In this role she has helped secure multimillion dollar gifts supporting the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Program in Real Estate.

We have multiple, high-impact initiatives underway in Roanoke, all of which can have a more-powerful effect if we coordinate our advancement efforts, said Charlie Phlegar, Virginia Techs vice president for advancement. Kims appointment puts us in better position to do that. She has a talent for bringing people together to make ambitious visions come about.

Mike Friedlander is Virginia Techs vice president of health sciences and technology and the executive director of the VTC Research Institute, VTCRI for short, which is expanding with a new, 139,000-square-foot building under construction.

Im excited by the opportunity to continue working with Kim at an even higher level, Friedlander said. In my role as vice president for health sciences and technology, I have had the pleasure of working with her on multiple advancement projects for the Roanoke campus school of medicine and research institute. I have been equally impressed in my role as executive director of the VTCRI with how effectively Kim; the research institutes director of development, Garrett Weddle; and our director of communications, John Pastor, have partnered on innovative and integrated advancement projects. I look forward to more and greater successes working with each member of this outstanding team.

In her new role, Blair will report jointly to Virginia Tech Associate Vice President of Development for Colleges Mike Moyer, Friedlander, and VTC School of Medicine Dean Cynda Johnson.

Blair has 25 years of advancement experience. Since 2016, she has been working to advance the VTC Health Sciences and Technology Campus in the Roanoke Innovation Corridor by engaging key stakeholders including alumni, leaders in the Roanoke Valley business community, and public officials in Roanoke and beyond. She will be expected to build on this groundwork to attract transformative philanthropy that supports groundbreaking discoveries and world-class medical education  and helps ensure a thriving economic future for the region.

I look forward to working alongside our visionary leaders in Roanoke and the talented team of fundraisers and communicators we have there to establish new partnerships, raise money, and amplify VTCs profile, said Blair, who assumes her new role on Sept. 25.

The research institute and school of medicine were created through a public-private partnership between Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic, two major drivers of Southwest Virginias economy.

In July 2018, the Virginia Tech School of Medicine officially became a college of Virginia Tech. Blairs duties will include working on the schools behalf in partnership with its director of development, Mark Morrison; director of communications, Alison Matthiessen; and director of alumni affairs and special events, Lynne Pearo-Baker.

The importance of the Virginia Tech Carilion enterprise to Roanokes economic future cannot be overstated, said Heywood Fralin, a lifelong resident of the city who is chairman of Medical Facilities of America and a leader in regional economic development efforts. Having a senior advancement professional like Kim focused on maximizing VTCs potential is most welcome.

The VTC campus and Virginia Techs partnership with Carilion Clinic are projected to contribute nearly half a billion dollars per year to the commonwealths economy by 2026.So

The two men who allegedly tried to murder the Skripals and allegedly murdered one other and tried accidentally killing several others in the same process. Allegedly are gay and allegedly sell health drugs to weightlifters and allegedly these drugs are steroids and allegedly they are Russian spies and allegedly they are specifically GRU spies and allegedly Putin sent them and allegedly they were set up by the MI6 and allegedly they smuggled the drugs into Europe and allegedly basically guilty of being Russian and allegedly.they were dead already

Source: Russian novichok hitmen have been killed to cover up crime | Daily Mail Online

Allegedly the probable story: They are part of the Russian (Gay Jewish) mafia making routine visits overseas. They travel to Europe for illegal business (drugs, prostitution, etc) The Brits know this and chose them as the patsies because MI6 knew they would not be able to come forward publicly to prove a legitimate purpose for being there. Putin wants nothing to do with them, but probably sent a message as he laughed, that they were on their own and needed to do the RT interview and make the best explanation for why they were there. Let the European or Russian media figure out the truth  I guarantee it will not show they are Russian agents

{Maybe gay, drug runners and having been ruined for life by the British. But they are not Russian Agents and they just were Russians at the wrong place at the wrong time.All Russians (Maybe all foreigners?) are fingerprinted at the border as they cross and MI6 knew who they were a longtime ago}

The bullshite from both sides (admittedly 75% from the British) could fertilize every farm on the planet.RT did a sloppy interview under pressure by Putin as he laughed and said, I hope that they will show up and tell everything themselves. There is nothing particularly criminal there, I assure you,

The real issue is; Britain has lied non-stop about the whole Skripal thingy

Time to get some real reporting done and quit ALLEGEDLY speaking about it (RT lets do your job!)

And I love it 

A Soap Opera has got nothing on this.Putin is playing Britain like a violin

WtR

Here is the interview by RT

The perfection of allegedlyWe all know that the number of wineries in the USA keeps increasing, but few people know just how many there are, or how rapidly that number is increasing. Well, this is precisely the sort of thing that the government likes to keep a track of, and they do not hide the information from us.The data in the following graph come partly from the U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau ( Bonded wine producers count by state: 19992018 ) and partly from the Wine Institute ( Bonded wineries  data prior to 1999 ). To make this clear: "Bonded winery premises include every licensed production facility of single firms or individuals, licensed warehouses, experimental wineries and wineries with no casegoods production or fermentation capacity." That is, pretty much everything.So, that makes 12,573 facilities as of June 30 2018. This is one winery for every 30,000 persons in the country.There was a decline in number from World War II until 1965, presumably also still reflecting both Prohibition and the Great Depression. However, from 1970 there has been an exponential increase in the number of wine facilities, as shown in the next graph.The exponential model fits very well, which means that the rate of increase is itself increasing each year. Indeed, the number of wineries is multiplied every year by c.1.07 (on average, each year there is an increase of 7% over the previous year). It is not obvious how long this rate of growth can be maintained, since there is a finite amount of land area on which to construct these facilities. However, it has been going on for a half-century now, with no sign of abating.Obviously, not every year has exactly the same increase, as shown in the next graph, which simply shows the annual change in number.First, note the apparent boom between 1975 and 1980. This is an artifact  it is the accumulated number of new facilities over 5 years (341), not just 1 year (presumably, c.70 per year). Second, the apparent boom in 2011 also looks like a possible artifact  the preceding decline, plus the boom, looks like there were a whole lot of new facilities that were not recorded during 2008-2010, which were then included in the 2011 census. However, this same pattern is repeated across all of the states, as shown (in green) for California in the next graph. So, whatever it was that caused this was widespread.Speaking of California, it is appropriate to finish with a consideration of how the biggest wine-producing state fits into the national pattern. This is illustrated in the final graph, which shows the number of California facilities as a percentage of the national total.Note that the increasing dominance of the California industry until 1965 (reaching 57%) coincides with the general decline in the national number of wineries. This maximum percentage was maintained until 1984, after which there was a rapid rise in winery numbers elsewhere  that is, until 1986, the number of new facilities outside California grew more rapidly than the number inside. Things steadied after that, with the increase in numbers both inside and outside California keeping pace with each other until the end of the century.However, the last time California had more than 50% of the US wineries was in 2001; and its dominance has steadily decreased since then. Nowadays, people are simply setting up more facilities outside California than inside it  after all, there is a lot more potential vineyard land outside. Presumably, this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.Varma, the Tamil remake of Arjun Reddy, is fast gearing up for release. Directed by Bala, the film will mark the acting debut of Dhruv, son of popular actor Vikram. The films shoot has been completed and now, the makers are planning to launch the audio in a grand way.

Bengali model Megha will also be making her debut alongside Dhruv. The film was shot in Nepal, Chennai and several other locations. M Sukumar is the cinematographer of the film.

Varma is likely to hit the screens in November this year. It remains to be seen if the film will recreate the magic of Arjun Reddy or not in Tamil cinema too.









Articles that might interest you:by Bill Benzon

Seen on Google search, Friday morning, September 9, 2018:

Im sure youve heard about it. Elon Musk went on Joe Rogans podcast, Rogan lit up a blunt, and Musk took a toke. The next day Teslas stock tanked. Well, not exactly tanked, but it was down seven points, and the drop cant be attributed entirely to that toketheres been some turmoil in the executive ranksbut that made for a good lede.

Not to mention the image! Billionaire inventor, boy wonder, real-life Iron Man, with his Occupy Mars T-shirt, head cloaked in a cloud of smoke. Get it? Share-holder value, up in smoke?

Its the stuff of mythology, of realityTVnews.

But that wasnt the most interesting thing in the interview by a long shot.

I know, because I watched it  though a day later. It started at 9:30 PM Pacific time, which moved it to 12:30 AM for me. I made it through an hour and then went to bed. Got up Friday morning and picked up where Id left off. When Rogan lit up that blunt I was thinking dont do it Elon, dont do it! But of course he did it. How could he not, bad boy billionaire and crazy-ass fun-loving genius that he is?

Really, it was nothing. Just one drag. Elon said he almost never did pot, and this toke didnt affect him at all. And its perfectly legal, at least in California.

But if you were paying attention, really listening, that toke was the least interesting thing in the podcast.

Really.

Limbic Resonance

The conversation covered a bit of ground 

the Tesla is the most fun thing evera thing to maximize enjoyment,

flying cars: too noisy, too much air flow,

its going to be very tempting to use AI as a weaponthe danger is more humans using it against each other, I think,

thats what were trying to do, make things somebody loveswouldnt hurt to have more love in the world

 and more.

But for my money, the most interesting segment was about the internet. At about 5:23 in the above segment:

Elon Musk: A company is essentially a cybernetic collective of people and machines. Thats what a company is. Theres different levels of complexity in the ways these companies are formed. And theres sort of a collective AI in the Google sort of search, where were all sorta plugged in as nodes on the network, like leaves on a big tree. Were all feeding this network with our questions, and answers. Were all collectively programming the AI. And Google plus all the humans that connect to it are one giant cybernetic collective. This is also true of Facebook and Twitter, and Instagram, and all these social networks. Theyre giant cybernetic collective.

Joe Rogan: Humans and electronics all interfacing, and constantly now, constantly connected.

Yes, sure, we all know this, right. Just let it sink in. Were going somewhere, but its going to take awhile. We need to get a lot of the neural mesh humming.

A bit later (7:43):

EM: Yes, uh, I mean,  some years ago, it feels like we are the biological bootloader for AI, actively, we are building it. And then were building progressively greater intelligence, and the percentage of intelligence that is not human is increasing, and eventually we will represent a very small percentage of intelligence. But the AI isnt formed strangely by the human limbic system [sic], it is in large part our Id writ large.

JR: How so?

EM: Well you mention all those things, the sort of primal drive

JR: Um huh.

EM: All the things that we like, and hate, and fear, theyre all there on the internet. Theyre a projection of our limbic system.

PAUSE. Musk has an intense look on his face. Rogan too, he starts chuckling.

EM: Its true.

JR: No, it makes sense. Thinking of corporations and thinking of just human beings communicating on line through these social media networks as some sort of an organism thats a, its a cyborg, its a combination, a combination of electronics and biology.

EM: Yeah.  The success of these is sort of a function of how much limbic resonance theyre able to achieve with people. The more limbic resonance, the more engagement.

JR: UmmhWhereas like one of the reasons why probably Instagram is more enticing than Twitter

EM: Limbic resonance.

JR: Yeah.

You knew that too, right?

Of course theres nothing unusual about comparing AI to the brain; its done all the time; its a major article of intellectual contention. But the comparison is generally to the brains capacity for cognition, for reason. Not with the limbic system, the so-called lizard brain, the source of emotion, desire, and impulse. Thats whats interesting. When the typical super-AI goes haywire in science fiction its through hyper-rationality, like HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey. When Ray Kurzweil wanted to extol the inevitability of super-AI he called his book The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence. In this conversation Musk makes a different, and more interesting, connection, one that harkens back to the Monsters from the Id in the classic 1950s science fiction film, Forbidden Planet.

In the last few years weve heard a lot about irrationality on the Internet, especially since the Trump presidential campaign starting blowing up in our faces and taking over. There are two Trumps, the official one in the Oval Office behind the Resolute Desk, and the unofficial, the person Trump, he of the midnight Twitter rampage and the campaign-style rally out there displaying for The Base. Thats the Trump whos a master of limbic resonance.

Trumposaurus Rising

Ill let my friend David Porush tell you about that Trump. Ive known him since graduate school. He got his degree a year ahead of me, went to William and Mary for a couple of years, and then joined me at RPI for a couple of years. He spent a couple of years out West as a dean, came back East to head-up distance education for the State University of New York, and then once again went west to run MentorNet for a couple of years. Somewhere along the way he toured his book, The Soft Machine, in Japan and took a Fulbright year in Israel. David is well-educated and well-traveled, not the sort to fall under the spell of the Trumposaurus.

And he didnt, well not for more than a moment or two. But Trump Rex scared him.

It was March of 2016 and he was in DC for the annual AIPAC meeting (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Luminaries were speaking, Biden, Hillary, Kasich, and Trump. Yes, Trump.

David was almost within spitting distance of the man himself:

Trumps weird head was blown up even more than it is on TV. His crazy, swooping owlish comb-over, comb-forward and comb-back do is a doesnt: it doesnt hide his baldness when lights shine from atop. Hes fat. The blubber on his face, rippling like Jabba the Hutts, doesnt seem to be connected to any muscle or bone, and certainly not to any emotion except self-satisfaction. The tanning bed orange face and white around the eyes are fluorescent. Hes an alien. You wouldnt invite him back to the party unless it was to have something to titter about the next day, because he looks like the guy who eats all the hors dhoeuvres. He might also make a play for your wife.

The man began to speak:

Then, at one point, the crowd lost it and howled in spontaneous unison. His script  and amazingly he read from a script, unprecedented in Trump world  had him claim that he read the Iran deal. But his compulsion to inflate took over and jumped out of its cage. Yes, I read the whole thing, he ad libbed. Thats right. In fact, I know more about it than anyone else. The AIPAC crowd had been living and breathing the Iran deal for at least a decade and had heard every manner of expert. They hooted. Trump, as is his wont, interpreted the derision as affirmation. Thats right, thats right! he went on, misinterpreting the rolling laughter, his jowls quivering in delight. But then, I saw the Trumposaur. It had been let out to feed.

The Trumposaur is to blame for the moment that has given ammunition to the anti-AIPAC press. Trumps script said, And in this, the last year of Obamas presidency  Another ad lib erupted from Trumps lips, one syllable: Yay! The crowd laughed, this time with him. The Trumposaur had awoken. Obama is the worst thing that has ever happened to Israel, it declared, totally winging it. The crowd rose to its feet in approval.  These were not Trump supporters. It is AIPACs tradition to cheer for good rousing lines. Standing ovations are not endorsements. On the other hand, you can see how the cameras may have shown us being turned into a Trump mob. And maybe we were. Maybe you would have stood and cheered, too. Yet at the very moment I became part of the mob, I had this sudden schizoid flash of rational clear sight into Trump. I saw, I mean really saw, the Trumposaur in its naked, primitive state.

Thats what scared David, not Trump himself, but that he could be drawn under his spell, if only for a moment.

THATs what is resonating on the Internet. Thats what we dont understand.

Feed Me Donald

Let me offer you another image, another song and dance. This is from a 1986 film, a rock horror musical comedy called Little Shop of Horrors. Its about a nebbish named Seymour and his strange plant that he named Audrey II after his workmate at Mushniks Flower Shop. While working on Audrey II he pricks his finger and blood drops into the plant. The plant loves it and grows. Wonderful things begin happening to Seymour.

And then, in the evening as Seymours closing up, Audrey II starts talking, demanding more blood.

Heres a bit of what Audreys singing (after a bit of preliminary chat):

Feed me! Feed me! Feed me!

Feed me, Seymour

Feed me all night long

Thats right, boy

You can do it

Feed me, Seymour

Feed me all night long

Cause if you feed me, Seymour

I can grow up big and strong

A bit of chatter, then:

Would you like a Cadillac car?

Or a guest spot on Jack Paar?

How about a date with Hedy Lamarr?

You gonna git it

Howd you like to be a big wheel

Dinin out for every meal?

Im the plant that can make it all real

You gonna git it

Im your genie, Im your friend

Im your willing slave

And so forth.

Now, instead of Seymour think Donald Trump. Instead of Audrey II think of Trumps smart phone, his Twitter connection. At 3AM it calls to him, Feed me, Donald! Feed me! Think Fox News, think rallies.

They all connect Trump with his Base, forming an asynchronous cybernetic organism, distributed in time and space.

Trumps got to feed the beast. Thats the story were getting out of the White House through all those leaky back channels. Trump is impulsive and out of control. He feeds it and it feeds him. It applauds, it re-tweets.

Its mutual. Scary. Dangerous.

Yes, I mistrust those organic metaphors

Musk talked of a company as a cybernetic collective of people and machines, of how were like leaves on a big tree, of us being a biological bootloader for a webbed AI. Rogan talks of social media networks as some sort of an organism thats a, its a cyborg, its a combination, a combination of electronics and biology. My inner philosopher recoils a bit at these metaphors. But then I end with Seymour and Audrey II. Metaphor, all metaphor.

I fear were a long way from replacing those metaphors with sound analysis and explicit construction.

Were in it and we dont understand it. Isnt that always the way? Only when weve worked our way through it, up and out, will we understand.

* * * * *

The machine is no longer precisely constructed, its every action no longer measured. The machine is fix upon fix, hack after hack, its safety mechanisms sawed off. It has no brake, no fail-safe, no checks, no balances. It clatters. It thunders. It crushes the Constitution in its gears. The smell of smoke wafts out of the engine room. The machine is on fire.

Jill Lepore, The New York Timesby Evert Cilliers aka Evert Eden

When it comes to evil, nobody beats Hitler. He committed the biggest mass murder of innocent humans in all of history.

Six million Jews, and thats not even mentioning all the people who died because Hitler started the Second World War.

But Hitler is not the only mass murderer in human history: theres Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot.

And then theres us. The people of America.

Often given to calling America the greatest country on earth, weve had a very recent example in which we ourselves committed mass murder. President George W. Bush and his neo-conservative cabinet of Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleeza Rice and others, persuaded our noble American nation to go to war against Iraq and mass-murder a million and a half innocent Iraqi women and children.

Just like Hitler, Goring, Goebbels and the rest persuaded the Germans to kill Jews, Russians, French, and Brits.

This Iraqi civilian mass murder was our hysterical reaction to the terrorists killing over three-thousand of us on 9/11, a tragedy which we commemorated this past week.

A million and a half innocents. We bombed and shot them to smithereens.

So heck, if you dare to call yourself human, dont be too hard on Hitler and Germany to the exclusion of ourselves.

We Americans have committed one of the mightiest big mass murders since Hitlers Germany (lets forget for a moment what we did in Vietnam and Cambodia). Our Iraqi mass murder stacks up nicely with the other two big mass murders since Hitler: the mass murder of Cambodians by Pol Pot, and the Rwanda massacre of eight-hundred thousand Tsutsis by the Hutus.

The Hutus did it with machetes ordered from China, and we Americans did it with our troops ordered from the Pentagon.

America is as guilty of killing innocent Iraqis as Hitler is guilty of killing innocent Jews.

Then, in the blindness of our guilt, were always happy to say to any Iraq war veteran, thank you for you service, and regard this pathetic mass murderer as some kind of hero.

Not that our troops are the real guilty folks: the people who sent them to war are the palpable evil: the President and his cabinet and the generals in the Pentagon.

Our troops were merely their machetes.

But imagine saying to these machetes: Thank you for your service.

Shouldnt we Americans rather say to our Iraq War veterans: We apologize for turning you into mass murderers of innocent women and children?

Shouldnt we Americans examine ourselves and ask why we committed such a mass murder? And to this day, why we dont feel guilty about it at all?

What makes us Americans better than Hitler or Germany?

Hitler and Germany killed six million Jews and, by starting the Second World War, caused the death of sixty million people, including twenty million Russians; five million Poles; French, Brits and Americans half a million each; and eight million of the Germans themselves.

So yes, the Germans caused the deaths of far more humans than America did. But a million and a half dead Iraqi women and children are not small potatoes.

Nazi leaders were tried at the Nuremberg trials and executed, and the German nation itself has gone through hoops of self-examination (in school, German children learn about the Holocaust that their forefathers committed). Germany has paid millions in reparations to the Jewish State of Israel. And Germans have finally turned themselves into a successful and admired democracy after all the great evil theyve done.

What have we Americans done after the evil we committed in Iraq?

Nothing.

No Nuremberg trial for George W. Bush. Hes not even shunned by polite society.

True, he and Cheney and Rumsfeld and the others cannot travel overseas for fear of being arrested and hauled in front of the Hague for their Nuremberg reckoning with justice.

But nobody in America has prosecuted them for their war crimes. Neither have we as a nation paid reparations to the Iraqi families whose mothers and fathers and sons and daughters and sisters and brothers weve murdered.

The German nation has tried to atone for their sins. Not the American nation. In fact, our mass murder doesnt bother us one bit.

So who is the more noble nation: America or Germany? Who is the greater nation?

What right do Americans have to call ourselves the greatest country on earth?

Just asking.

*

BTW, fun facts from the October Harpers Index:

Number of paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence that were censored by Facebook in July as hate speech: 5

Minimum number of foreign electoral interventions conducted from 1990 to 2000 by the United States: 18 By Russia: 3'All Together Now' musical set for Capitol Theatre this weekend

A selection of music from 15 different shows will be performed on stage at the Capitol Theatre Nov. 12-15.NEW YORK  Although Soyini Chan-Shue easily delegated work to police officers when she was a sergeant in the New York City Police Department, it was hard to relinquish tasks to employees of the security firm she now owns.

The key difference for her? Chan-Shue worked in an NYPD office that formulated policy and she was part of a chain of command. At her own company, shes the one in charge.

It can be nerve-wracking to give my staffers the autonomy to make decisions I formerly made, but I realized that I cant effectively grow my business if I dont, says Chan-Shue, CEO of City Safe Partners in New York.

When a business is large enough that the owner must delegate decisions and tasks  even to trusted employees  it can be a psychic shock, especially for entrepreneurs used to doing everything themselves. Many pale at the idea of asking managers and top staffers to take on critical responsibilities like prospecting for and dealing with customers, hiring new workers or overseeing production. Beyond taking pride in being a superhero owner, they fear what might happen if a staffer makes a costly mistake.

Greg Galant remembers feeling a mixture of terror and pride as he gave his staff more responsibility at his company, Sawhorse Media, whose business includes Muck Rack, a website for journalists and public relations professionals.

You feel like you are the business, and now youre letting someone else do the business unchecked, he says.

The New York-based company has grown to more than 40 staffers since Galant and business partner Lee Semel founded it in 2009. Galant realized early on that the company wouldnt be able to expand that way unless he turned over some tasks to employees. Among them: maintaining the companys books and monitoring website traffic.

Eventually you realize that you are the bottleneck and not delegating is hurting the company, says Robert Glazer, the CEO of marketing company Acceleration Partners and a board member at other companies. Hes learned from his own experience and also from the struggles of owners hes advised.

People need to accept that the tasks they delegate wont be done perfectly all the time, Glazer says.

When things dont turn out as planned, they feel they should not have delegated. You have to break out of that cycle, he says. Success is it being 85 percent right without having to do the work themselves.

Lawrence Kopp struggled to delegate for the first decade he owned The TASC Group public relations firm. When a client wanted to appear on a network TV morning news show, Kopp wouldnt let a staffer call a producer to make the arrangements.

I always felt that I was the only one who had the answer, Kopp says.

His approach made it hard to retain employees who wanted more responsibility, and that created staff turnover that frustrated clients. When Kopp realized he was hindering the firms growth, he began seeking mentors.

He joined a business owners group and started taking their advice, delegating and letting staffers succeed or make mistakes. The payoff: It brings me great pride and joy to see my team succeed despite me. And it enables me to focus on the more important items.

Kopp has also learned that when staffers fail, the business can still benefit in the long run because they learn from their mistakes. Besides, he says, You make mistakes, so why shouldnt they?

Owners can improve staffers chances of success by delegating responsibilities to the right people, Chan-Shue says. Her 23 years in the NYPD taught her about staff development. I learned how to identify people who would be potential good decision-makers, she says.

And once shes given a staffer a new task, she takes a step back.

I try not to micromanage so as to allow them to be confident in their decisions and to support their growth as managers, she says.

For Tiffany Couch, it wasnt ceding control that was the issue. She worried that staffers might be overwhelmed by taking on work she had done, for example, handling the initial phone call with a prospective client.

I did not want my staff to feel the same burden I did, or to potentially fail, says Couch, owner of Acuity Forensics, an accounting firm in Vancouver, Washington, that specializes in financial investigations.

But Couchs employees told her that they had learned how to do the tasks, and do them well, by watching and listening to her. And she, in turn, learned how to reassure those who had self-doubts.

Id tell them, At some point, you might be better than me,' Couch says.Albuquerque startup BayoTech Inc. is blazing a path for hydrogen, ammonia and fertilizer producers to replace todays mammoth, centralized facilities with modular, transportable production units.

The technology, originally developed at Sandia National Laboratories, could allow chemical companies to produce fuel and fertilizer right where its used  at the doorsteps of farms, or next to future filling stations for hydrogen-powered vehicles. That could mean far-lower costs for growing food, and for replacing carbon-emitting, gasoline-fueled cars with cleaner ones that run on fuel cells.

And its technology that will hit the market next year, said BayoTech CEO Justin Eisenach.

We have a prototype now for the modular hydrogen plant, Eisenach said. We continue to refine it, but weve shown that it works. Well have our first sales sometime in 2019.

The technologys promise has attracted $16 million in venture investment since 2016, including a substantial contribution from a global fertilizer producer thats signed on as BayoTechs strategic partner, although the companys identity remains confidential.

Its one of the worlds largest fertilizer producers, Eisenach said. They provide technology support, marketing, and help with strategic planning for system deployment. Were very fortunate to have them.

That partner will be the first one to receive a hydrogen-production unit next year.

Well begin building the first prototype system in November for delivery to our strategic partner in 2019, Eisenach said. The company will use it for fertilizer production, providing a much cheaper way for them to make the hydrogen they need for their manufacturing process  Theyll test it first, and then hopefully convert to commercial orders that well fill under a supply agreement.

Its the first step in a three-part, modular strategy to build a full fertilizer plant by 2020. With the hydrogen unit now developed, BayoTech will build its first ammonia-production unit next year, and then add a final unit to produce nitrogen fertilizer.

The technology employs traditional steam methane reforming, or SMR, which is a pressurized heating and cooling process that most chemical plants use today to separate hydrogen from methane. The hydrogen is then processed further into other chemicals, including ammonia and nitrogen fertilizer.

But the plants that currently manufacture those chemicals require huge investments of $2 billion or more, and theyre usually centrally located far from target markets, driving up shipping costs for farmers or other end users.

In contrast, BayoTechs modular, nested flow reactor contains the entire SMR process for all three units in a small space the size of a cargo container. The contained area makes better use of energy in the heating and cooling process, improving efficiency by about 25 percent compared with traditional plants, according to the company.

Because its modular, the mobile units can be located right next to farms, or alongside future hydrogen filling stations to reduce shipping costs. And the plants can be scaled up and down to raise or lower chemical production without losing processing efficiency, said David Blivin, managing partner at Cottonwood Technology Funds, one of BayoTechs original investors.

The goal is to produce locally and sell locally, Blivin said. That eliminates most transport costs, providing a major benefit on top of the lower-cost production process itself.

The global fertilizer market offers huge opportunities. It reached $117 billion in 2014, and is projected to hit $152 billion by 2020, according to research and consulting firm IndustryARC.

And with fertilizers accounting for nearly one-quarter of production costs for some key agricultural crops like corn, a locally placed, cheaper manufacturing process could prove very attractive, Eisenach said.

For hydrogen, the fuel cell market is only just emerging, making BayoTech-backed hydrogen filling stations a longer-term goal. But the companys strategic partner and other chemical firms can immediately deploy BayoTechs hydrogen unit to lower production costs in fertilizer plants. And other industries could benefit as well.

Steel mills use a lot of energy, and producers want to lower their carbon emissions, Blivin said. Low-cost hydrogen can offer carbon-free production.

Ammonia as well can be used for fertilizer and in fuels, such as a substitute for diesel with a lower carbon footprint.

The ammonia market is expected to double in five to 10 years because of its fuel applications, Blivin said.

BayoTechs technology is drawing broad interest.

Were getting attention from industries all over the world, Eisenach said. In late September, Ill be in Switzerland and Germany discussing the technology and visiting some of the worlds largest hydrogen users.

Sandia spent about $50 million to develop the original technology, which BayoTech licensed from the lab. Some of the same laboratory scientists that worked on the project are now leading the commercial development at BayoTech, which employs 16 people at a 15,000-square-foot facility near the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park.

We have five retired Sandians working with us, Eisenach said. Thats about one-third of our workforce.

BayoTech is partnering with a family-run manufacturing firm in Farmington, Process Equipment & Service Co., to build its reactor units. That could significantly boost local employment opportunities, said PESCO co-owner and board chair Jim Rhodes.

We employ about 400 people now, 75 percent of them Native Americans, Rhodes said. When we move into full production with BayoTech, we could add another 100 to 200 people.

PESCO Business Development Manager John Byrom said its a win-win for New Mexicos emerging innovation economy.

This is technology originally developed at Sandia that an Albuquerque startup is refining into a commercial product, Byrom said. Theyre drawing on our manufacturing expertise to build it, which helps us to diversify our operations.Carol Akright seemed to have a bit of bop to her step during her final strides toward the finish line of the Patriot Triathlon in Rio Rancho on Saturday morning.

The 70-year-old Corrales resident, who was featured in the Journal in April, had good reason to dance as she reached a meaningful and remarkable goal. As she crossed the finish line she raised her arms to the sky.

She completed her 100th triathlon.

She began competing in run-bike-swim races 15 years ago after she overcame a bout with breast cancer. The health scare caused her to pay more attention to her fitness and she found triathlons as the perfect sport to give her new life.

I was so excited that Id actually done it, Akright said of her thoughts when crossing the finish line. Excited that I completed that many triathlons, that I had the tenacity and endurance, and also the commitment to reach a goal like that. It felt really, really good.

Akright threw a party later in the evening with many of her friends. At the Patriot Triathlon, she also had friends cheering for her, including MaryAnn Brooks.

Akright and Brooks met each other during kindergarten in Oklahoma 65 years ago.

Akright also had her trainer, Jimmy Santiago Moreno, at Saturdays race. Moreno used to live in Albuquerque before moving to the San Diego area. But he vowed to be at Akrights 100th triathlon when she set the goal 15 years ago.

Moreno followed Akright and a few other runners he trains during the triathlon. He was proud of Akright.

He recently began training her again in preparation for the Patriot Triathlon and to ready for next years National Senior Olympics in Albuquerque.

Moreno appreciated her hard work, he said. Akright pushed back with some of the training because she is so used to her methods.

Akright is very particular in many areas of her life. That helped her to success in her careers as a television news reporter, financial planner, and now marketing oils.

The hard work she put in for triathlons paid off in Rio Rancho on Saturday. She set a goal to complete the Patriot Triathlon under two hours.

She finished in 1 hour, 58 minutes, 40 seconds.

Throughout the past 15 years, Akright wasnt really concerned with her time. She was fulfilled by completing each race. As a bonus she usually won medals because she was the only runner in her female age division. That was the case again on Saturday.

She also received a special necklace that had 100 on it.

Akright wore a T-shirt during the race: This is my 100th triathlon! (but whos counting), it read.

In addition to her excitement, Akright was happy that she has been an inspiration for women, triathletes and those who have dealt with breast cancer.

Im one of the baby boomers, Akright said. I think our generation is changing the face of aging. We dont want to get old. Were going to be active all of our lives. My goal now is instead of 100 triathlons, I plan to live to age 100.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

The city is taking over efforts to remediate and revitalize the historic Albuquerque Rail Yards after breaking ties with the out-of-state contractor tasked with redeveloping the property.

During a news conference Sunday at the Rail Yards Market, Mayor Tim Keller tore apart a contract between the city and Samitaur Constructs, a California-based contractor hired in 2012 to develop the site.

We have decided to take back control over the Rail Yards. Thats right, the citys taking it back, Keller told reporters and a crowd of market-goers. And so its gonna be a long road ahead, but its gonna be our road. Its gonna be a path we take together.

Keller said the city will, for now, stick to a previously approved master vision for the 27.3 acre property, but it will break the plan into phases. The first priority after extensive environmental remediation will be to activate the building adjacent to the already-updated blacksmith shop, which is home to the weekly market. A second updated building will mean additional event space and market expansion.

Were also going to look at how it might be a workspace for the creative economy during the day and not on the weekends, and then at night and on the weekends well use it for event and community space, Keller said.

As far as the market goes, manager Alaska Piper said she will have no trouble filling that extra space. The event receives around 500 applications from potential vendors each year, and the blacksmith shop can hold about 110 booths.

To make that a reality, Keller plans to ask for help from the City Council, the state Legislature and the governor. He estimated that remediation would cost around $8 million and rehabbing the second building would be another couple of million dollars.

The announcement follows a finding by the Albuquerque Development Commission in July that Samitaur had not employed reasonable diligence for a second consecutive year, which meant the city could terminate its contract with the company.

Keller said the city is also switching management of the facility over to SMG, the company contracted to run the Albuquerque Convention Center, in hopes of increasing its use.

Eventually we are gonna get this place to be the community treasure that we know it is, Keller said.It was a hard conversation to have with my eighth-grade students in February about how they would feel if I wasnt their teacher the rest of the year. Our discussion was one I posed as hypothetical as I contemplated leaving my school of four years, the only school Id known, to take an administrative intern position.

If you leave, I dont know what Ill do! was a quote from one of the students in my room during our weekly lunch advisory sessions. This was one of the 10 students in my homeroom class whose rapport with myself was strong. It was this students honest comment, the love I had for my students, and the regard I had for my school and overall profession, that (ensured) I finished out the school year. Ultimately, I stayed through May because I knew they deserved me to finish their middle-school career  a highly qualified champion teacher.

Like many other educators in New Mexico the search for careers elsewhere was dawning on me, and it does to this day. The desire for greater financial stability (is unfulfilled) in the Land Of Enchantment, especially in regard to classroom teachers. There are some who leave the state to go to neighboring competitors, others who leave the profession in general, and some like myself who find their only opportunity to stay in education with greater compensation is to be an administrator.

At the end of the 2018-2019 school year, I will have taught for five complete years and already reached the highest salary schedule that New Mexico has to offer me in being a Level 3 educator. This is because as a five-year teacher with a masters degree completed, I will have the opportunity to level up to the highest tier of licensure. I exhausted the route of a masters degree to further my expertise in education and also know that to reach the highest financial opportunity as an educator the degree would be necessary. After all, I could not wait for the timeline  for National Board Certification when I wanted to move quickly. I knew my students deserved more from me, and the same to say for my family.

With this said, it has only taken me four years to know that being a Level 3 educator for the (next) 21 years will simply not be enough. I will obtain my second masters degree in the middle of this school year, and that will be in administration. This could mean that (an educator could potentially become) an administrator sooner than a Level 3 teacher. What picture does this paint?

As a special educator, I see potential on various levels every day. I set high expectations of quality learning and instruction, while my students and myself rise to the occasion with high academic and professional achievements. I have the pleasure of molding the minds of different thinkers as they travel through their educational career. I have also met phenomenal educators with toolkits unimaginable in every corner of this state. I dont want my students, or any other New Mexico students, to miss out on what these educators have to offer because they leave for lack of opportunity.

For these reasons I feel that additional licensure opportunities should be created in New Mexico. Teachers are limited to a Level 3 license unless they pursue an administrative role, taking them out of the classroom and away from direct instruction with students. There needs to be an avenue for teachers like myself, with masters degrees and whom are interested in leadership opportunities, to stay in the classroom. Providing opportunities for these champion educators allows for students, as well as teachers, to improve their learning and growth.

Just as we hold the expectations for our students high, we must do so for our educators. Teaching is the best profession in the world (and) needs to be held to the same  professionalism as any other.

Shelbi Simeone-Montoya is a Teach Plus New Mexico Teaching Policy Fellow.Why did Clinton do it?

I realize a question like that needs to be a lot more specific, so lets try again.

Why did Hillary Clinton tweet this on Wednesday?:

I want to be sure were all clear about something that Brett Kavanaugh said in his confirmation hearings last week. He referred to birth-control pills as abortion-inducing drugs. That set off a lot of alarm bells for me, and it should for you, too. She prattled on a bit more about how Kavanaugh deliberately distorted basic science to offer a dog whistle to the extreme right.

There was a hitch, though.

This claim  that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh considers birth control pills to be abortion-inducing drugs  had been widely debunked when California Sen. Kamala Harris tried to peddle it with a deceptively edited video.

Kavanaugh had been describing the views of specific plaintiffs in a specific case, Priests for Life v. HHS. Its pretty clear from the context, The Washington Posts fact-checker, Glenn Kessler, wrote he was quoting the views of the plaintiffs rather than offering a personal view. He gave Harris four Pinocchios  the worst rating. Even PolitiFact, which often bends its findings to fit a liberal narrative, ruled that the characterization was dishonest.

So why did Clinton jump on the bandwagon so late?

There are many plausible theories. A common one is she deliberately lied to pander to her base and further unfairly demonize Kavanaugh. Or perhaps she hasnt been paying attention and her staff is so incompetent no one bothered to do their due diligence. Indeed, she may not have tweeted it herself. Some 22-year-old intern may be responsible.

Any of these are possible. But something else may be at work. One of the dominant features of our time is that more and more people define themselves by what they hate. For many partisans, what motivates them the most isnt support for their sides policies but their hatred of the other party. Most Republicans didnt vote for Donald Trump; they voted against Hillary Clinton. Most Democrats didnt vote for Clinton; they voted against Trump.

This dynamic doesnt just apply to presidential candidates. It saturates both parties and both sides of the culture war, and it even distorts how we process basic facts. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences just came out with a report on how people will misinterpret objective data  in this case on climate change  if theres any hint that the data came from a Republican or Democratic source. The moment Democrats saw a Republican logo, the ability to interpret a chart went out the window for many of them, and vice versa.

In a media climate where every news outlet is essentially a niche product, appealing to a relatively small slice of the market, one of the best ways to get attention and support is to be attacked by the other side. This is the broader context for the often-lucrative vocation commonly known as trolling. Say or do something awful to get the other side to attack you, and your own side will rush to your support on the grounds that if youre making the right people angry, youre a hero.

We need more Americans to understand exactly this phenomenon, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse told me on my podcast, The Remnant. Cable news producers and magazine editors have told Sasse theres no chance in hell that youre getting a 70 percent audience from anything anymore. What you want is a deep and sticky 1 percent audience. And one of the most effective ways to do that  is by getting attacked. 

Sasse pointed to The New Yorkers almost conspiratorial expose of Chik-fil-As creepy infiltration  in the magazines words  of New York City. The magazine has done some really important work, not just in its history, but this year, Sasse said, yet they put out these nonsensical, scurrilous pieces.

I think that the motive is to get attacked from the other side, so you can now wear the victim badge of honor, and then other people who are in your base then rally to you as a second-order effect.

This dynamic is everywhere today, particularly in the presidents Twitter feed  and in the Twitter feeds of various Democrats whod like to replace him.

Again, I dont know if this explains Clintons tweets about Kavanaugh  but Sasse is surely correct that more Americans need to appreciate this phenomenon.Did the National Solar Observatory, near Alamogordo, capture proof of UFOs, extraterrestrials, or maybe some end-of the-world catastrophe heading our way?

Or perhaps Russian or Chinese hackers have compromised the computers and video devices at the observatory? Or theres been some kind of U.S. Embassy Cuban sonic attack?

Theres no shortage of speculation about the cause of the bizarre evacuation of the observatory and a nearby post office on Sept. 6.

The facilities are scheduled to open today, but it hasnt stopped the wild rumors.

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, which manages the observatory, would only say it is addressing a security issue and has decided to temporarily vacate the facility as a precautionary measure. The situation, whatever it is, was serious enough to draw the FBI there. Others report seeing unknown authorities hovering in helicopters and driving up in vehicles. Shades of The X-Files?

The FBI says no, actually issuing a short statement that the closure was not due to extraterrestrials. A U.S. Postal Service spokesman called the situation strange after authorities walked into the nearby post office without warning and told the clerk to evacuate.

Otero County Sheriff Benny House, meanwhile, says hes in the dark about the whole thing. All of the secrecy surrounding this incident  whatever it might be  is only stoking fears and conspiracy theories. Lets hope that AURA and the FBI let the public know sooner rather than later whats happening at the site. In the meantime, we ask nearby residents to let us know if agents Mulder and Scully show up.

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.ONE AND DONE ON REAL ID: Ron Faich emails I received my Real ID New Mexico drivers license when I last renewed my license almost 2 years ago. Im due for a new renewal in a few months. Do I have to provide the same documents as before, or does my previous proof of Real ID qualifications count for future renewals?

No.

For drivers who have not gotten their Real ID license yet (the federal deadline is October 2020), those documents Ron refers to include:

 For proof of ID number (1 required): Social Security card, W-2 or 1099 with full Social Security number;

 For proof of ID (1 required): valid passport or original government-issued birth certificate (no hospital or church versions);

 For proof of residency (two required): insurance/utility (no cellphone)/credit card bills or bank statements with home street address (no P.O. box). Insurance bills must be dated within the past six months; other bills and statements within the last 60 days.

And it is essential your name is the same on all the documents. If it isnt, you also need to present the linking document, i.e. marriage license, divorce decree, adoption papers, etc., that shows how/why your name changed. If you simply do not have the documents required for a Real ID license, you can still get a driver authorization card. That ID allows you to drive legally, it just wont allow you to board a commercial aircraft after October 2020.

And once you have gone through the Real ID process as Ron has, the state Taxation and Revenue Department, which oversees the Motor Vehicle Division, has said you are back to straightforward renewals and do not have to go through this all again.

AND IF I NEVER HAD A BIRTH CERTIFICATE? Peymaynes asks via email what about MVD adjustments for citizens who have been here since conception but do not have a birth certificate  and have no guarantees from the appropriate office in their birth state?

Ive been asked this more than once from seasoned citizens, many born at home at a time when someone went to a clerk after the fact to get a birth certificate  or not. Some say they only received a baptismal certificate. And one gentleman called to inquire for his wife, in her 90s, who never had a birth certificate because in segregated Baltimore where she was born in 1927, they didnt provide them to African Americans.

Kevin Kelley, communications director for Tax and Rev, explains there are no waivers. The only options for establishing identity and legal presence for U.S. citizens applying for a Real ID-compliant drivers license or ID are a birth certificate or valid passport.

For individuals for whom a birth certificate has never been issued, every state offers a process to acquire a delayed birth certificate. The applicant will have to reach out to the vital records office in their specific state to get those requirements. Alternatively, a DAC or non Real ID compliant ID (is) available.

I CANT BIKE TO WORK FROM HERE: Thats the predicament Hamid Fakhrai emails hes in. He says he commutes by bike, and the trail at the intersection of San Antonio and San Pedro has been closed for months. I would like to know when it will open back up in full service.

Johnny Chandler, who handles information for the city of Albuquerques Department of Municipal Development, explains the trail is closed as a result of a local contractor adding an expansion onto a hotel. This project involves heavy equipment that blocks this trail.

However, help is on the way. The trail is scheduled to re-open by mid-October,Chandler says. There is a detour posted, and we encourage all trail users to follow that detour until this trail is back open.

AN EXTRA YIELD AT EUBANK AND SOUTHERN? Jim Brown emails he spotted that when entering eastbound Southern from north-bound Eubank. There is a yield sign. That sign is unnecessary and confusing. This right turn results in a new traffic lane on Southern. Furthermore, the lanes are widely separated and clearly marked. That sign should be removed.

Actually, it needs to be updated.

Chandler says the yield signs at this intersection were posted in conjunction with the yield pavement markings, also known as sharks teeth, in front of the crosswalk to remind drivers to yield to pedestrians. The proper sign is a Yield Here to Pedestrians sign. The Department of Municipal Development is going to remove the yield signs and replace them.

Meanwhile, right-hand traffic from Southern turns into live traffic, so we will leave those signs in place.

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.Godless is already an Emmy winner.

The New Mexico-filmed miniseries is nominated for 12 Emmys going into tonights airing on TV.

Last week, composer Carlos Rafael Rivera picked up the statuette for outstanding original main title theme music.

Rivera posted on Twitter thanks to his music team with additional music by David Stal.

T Bone Burnett served as the executive score producer and orchestration was done by Jeremy Levy.

Mixing was done by Lawrence Manchester.

And the Cello/fiddles you hear on the Main Title are all a Joy Adams. She is a beast. And what a night  so much to be grateful for. Thanks for all the awesome messages!!, Rivera tweeted.

Godless picked up 12 nominations  many coming in technical areas such as sound editing, casting, music composition, main theme, hairstyling and cinematography.

The Western series follows Frank Griffin, an outlaw played by Jeff Daniels, as he hunts down former gang member Roy Goode, played by Jack OConnell.

Hoping for a more peaceful life, Goode had deserted his brotherhood and sought refuge with a widow named Alice Fletcher, played by Michelle Dockery.

An outcast herself, she lives in the isolated (and fictional) town of La Belle, N.M., which is run by women after most of the men were killed in a mining accident.

Both Daniels and Dockery picked up nominations for acting  Daniels for supporting actor and Dockery for lead actress in a limited series or television movie.

Also receiving an acting nomination for Godless is Merritt Wever, who is in the race for supporting actress in a limited series or TV.

Series creator Scott Frank was nominated twice  once for writing and once for directing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special.

Godless also picked up a nomination for limited series.

Production for the series began in September 2016 and was housed at Santa Fe Studios, though most of the series was shot on location in northern New Mexico.

The 70th Emmy Awards airs at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17, on NBC.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Republican Yvette Herrell is outpacing Democrat Xochitl Torres Small in a race for an open southern New Mexico-based congressional seat, a new Journal Poll found.

The contest for the 2nd Congressional District has gotten national attention in a year in which the national and local voter mood could favor Democratic candidates, but posting a rare victory in a GOP-friendly district wont be easy.

Forty-eight percent of proven, likely voters surveyed said they would vote for Herrell, a state lawmaker from Alamogordo, while 41 percent said they would vote for Torres Small, a water rights attorney from Las Cruces making her first bid for elected office.

The remaining voters were undecided or would not say who they planned to vote for this fall.

This is an opportune time for a high-quality Democrat to take a shot at this seat, said Brian Sanderoff, the president of Albuquerque-based Research & Polling, Inc., which conducted the poll.

However, he said that while Torres Small has created a buzz among state and national Democrats, Herrell is a strong candidate in her own right who has solid name recognition due to her four terms in the state House of Representatives.

And structural challenges exist for Democrats in the district, specifically the overwhelming Republican voter base in southeast New Mexico.

Shes got an uphill battle because of the nature of the voting behavior in the district, Sanderoff said of Torres Small.

Historically, the 2nd Congressional District seat has been held by a Republican for all but two years since 1981. The seat is open this year because incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce decided to forgo a re-election bid and instead run for governor

Both Herrell and Torres Small faced contested primary races in June, with Herrell, who has described herself as a Trump conservative, besting three GOP rivals and Torres Small defeating fellow Democrat Mad Hildebrandt.

With control of the U.S. House at stake in the November general election, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched a television ad last week targeting Herrells belated disclosure of lease income received by a family-owned real estate company.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is also expected to launch campaign ads in the race, as the group recently added Herrell to its list of young guns, a designation given to candidates in competitive congressional seats.

Oil country advantage

The Journal Poll found little difference between male and female voters in a race featuring two women running for a seat that has only ever been held by a man.

Herrell had a significant lead among Anglo voters, while Hispanic voters were more likely to support Torres Small. The sample sizes for other racial groups were too small to report their results with accuracy.

The Journal Poll also broke down voter responses in the district by region. Those residing in the western part of the district  including in Las Cruces  were more likely to vote for Torres Small, while those in the eastern part were more likely to back Herrell.

However, the margin was much more decisive in the oil-rich east side of the district, which led to Herrells overall lead in the race.

Even if Torres Small wins Las Cruces by a larger margin than a typical Democrat, the question becomes: Can that offset the eastern part of the district?  Sanderoff said.

Because of that trend, a key to a Torres Smalls electoral hopes would be a higher-than-usual turnout of Democrats  especially Latino voters  in southeastern New Mexico, Sanderoff added.

The 2nd Congressional District includes New Mexicos borderland region and stretches north to encompass Valencia County. In addition to Las Cruces, it also includes Roswell, Grants, Hobbs, Carlsbad and Artesia.

About the poll

The Journal Poll is based on a scientific, statewide sample of 405 registered voters who cast ballots in the 2014 and 2016 general elections and said they were very likely to vote in this years election.

The poll was conducted Sept. 7-13. The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples.

All interviews were conducted by live, professional interviewers, with multiple callbacks to households that did not initially answer the phone.

Both cellphone numbers (74 percent) and landlines (26 percent) of proven general election voters were used.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Support among liberal voters has helped propel Deb Haaland to a strong lead in the race that could make her the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. House, according to a new Journal Poll.

Haaland, a former chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, had support from 49 percent of likely, proven voters in the telephone survey, conducted by Research & Polling Inc. last week.

Republican Janice Arnold-Jones won support from 41 percent of those surveyed in the 1st Congressional District race, and Libertarian Lloyd Princeton had 3 percent. The remainder of those surveyed, about 8 percent, were undecided or wouldnt say.

Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling, said Haaland also has a chance to grow her lead by Election Day.

Democratic voters, in general, are more enthusiastic this election cycle, Sanderoff said, and Haaland has a proven record of bringing out some progressive voters who typically dont vote in low-turnout elections. If she were to repeat this feat, then her lead will, in all likelihood, widen.

Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo, is one of just two candidates across the country this year who could become the first Native American woman to join the U.S. House. Democrat Sharice Davids, a member of Ho-Chunk Nation, is running against an incumbent Republican in Kansas.

Haaland has highlighted her native ancestry as part of the campaign, in addition to emphasizing efforts to combat climate change, promote clean energy and ensure equality for LGBT residents.

Congress has never heard a voice like mine, she likes to say.

Sanderoff said Haalands unique profile and biography appear to resonate with voters. She won a hard-fought primary election that also featured a former U.S. attorney for New Mexico and a retired law professor.

In the Journal Poll, Haaland had support from 93 percent of voters who identified themselves as liberal. She also led among moderates.

Arnold-Jones, a former state representative and Albuquerque city councilor, had support from 79 percent of conservatives.

But she faces a variety of challenges, including a national environment thats more favorable for Democrats, Sanderoff said. The party in control of the White House  Republicans, in this case  tends to have a tough time at mid-term elections.

Albuquerques political behavior is also starting to lean more Democratic, Sanderoff said, similar to large urban areas in other parts of the country.

All of these things make the race an uphill political battle for the Republican, Sanderoff said.

Inside the numbers

Haaland led among both Hispanic and Anglo voters in the Journal Poll. The sample sizes for other racial groups were too small to report their results with accuracy.

Princeton, the Libertarian, had little support among Democrats or Republicans. He climbed to 14 percent among other voters, though that still left him last among the three candidates.

Arnold-Jones had support of 82 percent of Republicans and also led among voters 65 and older, according to the Journal Poll. She has built broad name recognition through a long career in public service, Sanderoff said.

Despite a tough political environment for Republicans, he said, Janice Arnold-Jones, being a former state representative and city councilor, is a formidable candidate who should not be taken lightly.

Haaland, nonetheless, has a significant financial advantage. She had about $241,000 in cash on hand through June 30, according reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Arnold-Jones had about $43,000, and Princeton had $407.

The 1st Congressional District covers much of the Albuquerque area and a chunk of central New Mexico. Democrats have held the seat for about 10 years.

The race is wide open this year because incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham is running for governor rather than seek re-election.

About the poll

The Journal Poll is based on a scientific sample of 410 registered voters who cast ballots in the 2014 and 2016 general elections and said they were very likely to vote in this years election.

The poll was conducted Sept. 7-13. The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.8 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples.

All interviews were conducted by live, professional interviewers, with multiple callbacks to households that did not initially answer the phone.

Both cellphone numbers (67 percent) and landlines (33 percent) of proven general election voters were used.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

EL PASO  In the months since Border Patrol Chief Aaron Hull returned to this stretch of border, construction on a wall began, National Guard troops were deployed and the controversial zero tolerance policy separated thousands of children from their parents.

Its been an eventful year, said Hull, chief patrol agent for the El Paso sector, which includes all of New Mexico.

Hull sat down with the Journal recently for an in-depth interview about the sector he leads, which includes 268 miles of border that stretches from the Arizona state line along the southern New Mexico border and into the western edge of Texas.

The motto of the El Paso sector is where the legend began since 1924. Weve been here for generations so theres a lot of history here, Hull said.

Along with Border Patrol history, there is also a lot of personal history in the area.

Im actually from New Mexico, said Hull, who grew up in Las Cruces and graduated from New Mexico State University.

The Border Patrol veteran became an agent in 1996, and hes worked in all four states bordering Mexico and along the Canadian border. He was the patrol agent in charge of the Santa Teresa Station from 2012 to 2014.

Hull has worked at Border Patrol headquarters in Washington, D.C., twice, most recently from 2015 to 2017 as deputy chief of the Law Enforcement Operations Directorate. He served as assistant chief in the Intelligence Division in 2006 and associate chief of the policy branch in the strategic Planning, Policy and Analysis Division in 2008.

Hulls homecoming from Washington coincided with the Trump administrations stepped-up border enforcement. The president chose Santa Teresa to build the first section of the wall. The bollard-style barrier going up is an extension of what was previously referred to by Border Patrol and others as a fence.

Over 11 of those 20 miles have already been built, Hull said. Thats proceeding very well and thats going to help us provide a substantial barrier to those trying to enter the border illegally in that area.

Hull was at the high-profile news conference announcing construction of the new wall. He also joined Gov. Susana Martinez in welcoming National Guard Troops to southern New Mexico after she and other governors deployed troops to the border at Trumps request in April.

Theyre watching monitors and cameras and sensor feeds for us, he said. They are repairing vehicles, repairing roads, providing intelligence analysis for us with their trained intel analysts.

The National Guard serves in a support role since border enforcement is the sole duty of Border Patrol agents. Hull expects the troops to remain on the border through next year as the federal government hires the 5,000 new Border Patrol agents authorized by Trump.

Its providing an advantage for us while we continue to build our capabilities and staffing, Hull said. He leads a force of 2,400 agents and professional staff.

Family separations

Border Patrol agents working in southern New Mexico and El Paso were the first tasked with carrying out a pilot program of Trumps zero tolerance policy late last year  which resulted in separating thousands of families  months before it was implemented across the Southwest border. Hull said the policy was about lawbreakers, not breaking up families.

Its really that simple, he said. There was never a family separation initiative. Thats not a term that we use. It was a prosecution initiative. The zero tolerance policy referred to has to do with prosecuting individuals regardless of parental status.

But separation was the result when parents were locked up and nearly 3,000 children had to be sent to shelters across the country.

Hull said the policy was designed to close a loophole that allowed parents who crossed the border illegally with kids to go free because children cant go to jail. And under the Flores Settlement, family immigration detention centers cannot hold children for more than 20 days.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services ultimately took custody of the detained parents and kids, but the Border Patrol was the public face of the separations.

Media included photos of frightened children standing at the feet of Border Patrol agents as their parents were arrested, video of kids in crowded Customs and Border Patrol holding facilities described as cages and an audio recording of a chorus of young children sobbing. All led to a public backlash.

What you dont ever hear about is all the agents that brought their own food, their own extra clothing, toys from home to share with the kids, Hull said.

Nearly 11 weeks after the zero policy took effect borderwide, Trump signed an executive order reversing it June 20.

We try to enforce the law as humanely as possible, but in the end we are here to enforce the law and we dont apologize for that, Hull said. We recognize the mission that has been placed on us by the American people to provide security between the ports of entry and thats what were here to do.

Humanitarian efforts

Along with a crackdown on illegal immigration, Hull said agents also save lives.

Its often misunderstood just how much of our time is spent on humanitarian efforts, rescuing people who are lost in the desert, he said.

In remote rural communities, Border Patrol agents are often first responders and partner with local law enforcement.

We provide a lot of backup for each other in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, Hull said.

Isolated farmland and ranches can bear the brunt of human and drug trafficking.

You feel the impact of illegal immigration, of drug smuggling more than other people because its your land theyre traveling on, its your windmills that are getting damaged, he said. Its your fences that are getting cut.

In recent years, illegal immigration from Mexico has declined sharply with crossings by other than Mexicans, known as OTMs by the Border Patrol, growing. Most are families or unaccompanied children and teens from Central America and many turn themselves in to Border Patrol agents seeking asylum.

There was a spike in the El Paso sector of more than 8,600 family units this past fiscal year. This year is on pace to meet or exceed that number in the region that includes southern New Mexico.

The types of drugs coming across the border in this region is also changing. Marijuana smuggling has plummeted the past couple of years from 67,532 pounds in 2016 to less than half of that last year. And Border Patrol agents have seized just over 13,000 pounds with the fiscal year set to end Sept. 30.

But the smuggling of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine is on the rise, with heroin seeing the biggest spike  in 2016, Border Patrol agents seized 114 ounces; in 2017 they seized 762 ounces. So far this year, 637 ounces of heroin have been seized in the region as the opioid addiction crisis fuels demand in the U.S.

As long as theres something pulling that here, its going to undermine even the most determined law enforcement efforts, Hull said.

Nearly a year after returning to the stretch of border he calls home, Hull reflected on the role of the Border Patrol in region.

Not only working here but living here gives us a perspective on what were accomplishing in New Mexico and in far West Texas, he said.

Our agents go to the same schools that the rest of the community goes to. They worship in the same places. They go to the same stores. So were part of these communities and we know that through our efforts that were helping build a safer border for citizens on both sides.ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Authorities say a carnival worker at the New Mexico State Fair has been arrested on suspicion of assault for beating another employee with a hard plastic pipe.

Witnesses say the two men argued and then fought Friday night on the Midway.

State Police say Terry Farmer allegedly grabbed a PVC pipe from a trailer and ran up behind the other man and hit him with the object multiple times.

The man suffered minor injuries. His name hasnt been released.

Farmer appeared before a judge Saturday and was released on his own recognizance with pretrial supervision.

Albuquerque TV station KRQE reports that Farmer has been employed with the State Fair for 14 years.

___

Information from: KRQE-TV, http://www.krqe.comSANTA FE  Gov. Susana Martinez was front and center at the White House on Monday for a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration hosted by President Donald Trump.

Martinez, the states two-term Republican governor, stood behind the president and was publicly recognized by him during the event in the White Houses East Room that focused largely on employment growth and Hispanic-owned businesses.

Thank you, Susana. Great job, Trump said in introducing Martinez, according a White House transcript of the event.

Another New Mexico elected official, Democratic U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, recently rejected Trumps invitation to attend the reception due to the presidents comments about the death toll in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

Lujan Grisham, who is the chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, is running for governor this year against Republican Steve Pearce. The race is open because Martinez is barred from seeking a third consecutive term and will step down at the end of the year.

Martinez traveled to Washington, D.C., on Sunday for meetings and to attend the White House event, according to an aide, and is scheduled to return to New Mexico today. Her trip has been categorized as official state business, meaning her travel expenses are being covered by taxpayers.

The Governors Office has not provided additional information about the nature of Martinezs meetings in the nations capital.

The governor criticized some of Trumps campaign rhetoric in 2016  including his remarks about Mexican immigrants  and did not attend either of his campaign rallies in New Mexico that year. But Martinez has been largely complimentary of Trump since he took office in 2017.

Per the state Constitution, Lt. Gov. John Sanchez serves as acting governor while Martinez is traveling outside New Mexico.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings to 22 New Mexico businesses and fined one establishment for selling electronic cigarettes to minors this summer, part of a nationwide operation the agency says is the largest coordinated enforcement effort in the FDAs history.

FDA records show that M and M Store on Yale Boulevard in Albuquerque was assessed a $559 fine for allegedly selling tobacco products to minors on three occasions within two years. The 22 warning letters were sent to vendors in Albuquerque, Clovis and Deming, and included stores operated by Walmart, Shell, 7-Eleven, Walgreens and Loves Travel Stops & Country Stores, among other retailers.

Murad Hijazi, the owner of M and M Store, said the incident for which the business was fined took place with a new employee who hadnt been sufficiently trained. According to the FDAs letter to Hijazi, someone under the age of 18 purchased a blu Magnificent Menthol e-cigarette on July 27 of this year, and was not asked to show his or her identification.

We totally agree with the fine, said Hijazi. It was our mistake. The FDA was very nice about educating us.

In response to the Journals request for comment, a Walgreens spokesman said the company will institute a nationwide policy by early October requiring identification for anyone purchasing tobacco products regardless of age. Under federal regulations, retailers must check the IDs for everyone under 27.

As part of this measure, we also will be training all of our store team members on the new requirements, and we have signage in stores to help notify our customers of the new policy, the spokesman said in an email.

A Loves spokeswoman said in statement that the incidents involving two locations did not reflect Loves policy and will be immediately corrected. Walmart, 7-Eleven and Shell did not respond to a request for comment, nor did several other establishments contacted by the Journal.

Last week, the FDA announced it had issued warnings or fines to more than 1,300 businesses across the country after a large-scale, undercover, nationwide blitz . . . at both brick-and-mortar and online retailers, which was conducted from June through the end of August. The agency also gave blu, Juul Labs and three other manufacturers of e-cigarette products 60 days to submit a plan describing how they will address widespread youth access and use of their products.

We see clear signs that youth use of electronic cigarettes has reached an epidemic proportion, said FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb in a news release. We wont allow the current trends in youth access and use to continue, even if it means putting limits in place that reduce adult uptake of these products.

According to the FDA, a 2017 study showed more than 2 million middle and high school students were users of e-cigarettes, an activity also known as vaping. Blu did not respond to a request for comment. Juul released a statement after the agencys announcement saying the company will work proactively with FDA in response to its request.BOSTON  A relief fund is being set up to help Massachusetts residents whose lives were disrupted Thursday by a series of natural gas fires and explosions.

The announcement was made Monday by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and leaders of the three affected communities. Baker wants to have the foundation running by the end of the week.

The announcement comes as Massachusetts lawmakers said theyre holding off on oversight hearings until after the National Transportation Safety Board completes an initial review of the incident.

The donations to the foundation will be in addition to payments from Columbia Gas, the utility serving Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, and payouts from insurance companies. Columbia Gas continues to process claims and distribute gift cards to help residents buy items like groceries.

One person died and about 25 were injured in the explosions last week.

Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo said his first instinct after learning of the fires was to immediately call for oversight hearings. He decided instead to let the NTSB conduct its review first.

Maybe thats something we might be able to build upon, he told reporters at the Statehouse.

Democratic Senate President Karen Spilka also didnt rule out future oversight hearings.

Baker said the NTSB report will become a kind of the guidepost for all the issues around fines and penalties.

Baker said that hes spoken face-to-face with the CEO of Columbia Gas parent company, NiSource and said were going to expect you to step up in a big way.

We should keep really good records  and we will  to make sure that everything that should get billed back to Columbia related to the outage and all the rest, does, Baker told reporters Monday.

Joe Hamrock, chief executive of NiSource said Sunday the company is taking full responsibility for what happened and is in this for the long run. Columbia Gas said that it would replace 48 miles of pipeline in the communities.

Bakers Democratic rival Jay Gonzalez said Monday there needs to be changes at the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to improve oversight of the natural gas infrastructure, including hiring more inspectors and speeding repairs of leaking gas pipelines.

The current system of oversight for Massachusetts natural gas infrastructure is woefully under-resourced, Gonzalez said, noting the department has just eight inspectors to monitor nearly 21,000 miles of natural gas pipelines.

Baker said the department is hiring an additional three inspectors which he said would put the agency basically in the same place theyve been dating back into the previous administration.

Slowly life was beginning to return to normal as first electricity, then gas service, was being restored.

In Lawrence, students will return to school Tuesday for the first time since the explosions and fires. Schools in Andover and North Andover opened again on Monday.WASHINGTON  The Trump administration will impose tariffs on $200 billion more in Chinese goods starting next week, escalating a trade war between the worlds two biggest economies and potentially raising prices on goods ranging from handbags to bicycle tires.

The tariffs will start at 10 percent, beginning Monday of next week, and then rise to 25 percent on Jan. 1.

President Donald Trump made the announcement Monday in a move that is sure to ratchet up hostilities between Washington and Beijing. Trump has already imposed 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese goods. And China has retaliated in kind, hitting American soybeans, among other goods, in a shot at the presidents supporters in the U.S. farm belt.

Beijing has warned that it would hit an additional $60 billion in American goods if Trump ordered more tariffs. If China does retaliate, Trump threatened Monday to add a further $267 billion in Chinese imports to the target list. That would raise the total to $517 billion  covering nearly everything China sells the United States.

After a public comment period, the administration said Monday that it had withdrawn some items from its preliminary list of $200 billion in Chinese imports to be taxed, including child-safety products like bicycle helmets. And in a victory for Apple Inc. and its American customers, the administration removed smart watches and some other consumer electronics products from the list of goods to be targeted by the new tariffs.

At the same time, the administration said it remains open to negotiations with China.

China has had many opportunities to fully address our concerns, Trump said in a statement. I urge Chinas leaders to take swift action to end their countrys unfair trade practices.

The two countries are fighting over Beijings ambitions to supplant American technological supremacy. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has charged that China is using predatory tactics to obtain foreign technology. These tactics include hacking U.S. companies to steal their trade secrets and forcing them to turn over their know-how in exchange for access to the Chinese market.

Trump has also complained about Americas gaping trade deficit  $336 billion last year  with China, its biggest trading partner.

In May, in fact, it looked briefly as if Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He had brokered a truce built around a Chinese offer to buy enough American farm products and liquefied natural gas to put a dent in the trade deficit. But Trump quickly backed away from the truce.

In the first two rounds of tariffs, the Trump administration took care to try to spare American consumers from the direct impact of the import taxes. The tariffs focused on industrial products, not on things Americans buy at the mall or via Amazon.

By expanding the list to $200 billion of Chinese imports, Trump risks spreading the pain to ordinary households. The administration is targeting a bewildering variety of products  from sockeye salmon to baseball gloves to bamboo mats  forcing U.S. companies to scramble for suppliers outside China, absorb the import taxes or pass along the cost to their customers.

In a filing with the government, for instance, Giant Bicycles Inc. of Newbury Park, California, noting that 94 percent of imported bicycles came from China last year, complained that there is no way our business can shift its supply chain to a new market to avoid the tariffs and warned a tariff increase of this magnitude will inevitably be paid for by the American consumer.

Trump campaigned for the presidency on a pledge to tax imports and rewrite or tear up trade agreements that he said put U.S. companies and workers at a disadvantage. But many analysts say his combative actions seem unlikely to succeed.

The presidents negotiating tactics do not work well with Chinas way of thinking, said Sung Won Sohn, chief economist at SS Economics in Los Angeles.

Sohn said he thinks that China will retaliate against every U.S. tariff and that the back-and-forth sparring will escalate until the U.S. is taxing all Chinese imports  $524 billion last year.

Still, he said, the U.S. economy appears strong enough to withstand the damage.

In the short term, we will have higher prices and fewer jobs than we would have had otherwise, Sohn said. Fortunately, the U.S. economy is humming, so we dont have to worry as much about what this will do to our economy.

Sohn said the Trump administration is pursuing a legitimate goal of getting China to stop violating international trade rules but that it should have enlisted support from other trading partners, such as the European Union, Canada and Mexico, and presented Beijing with a united front.

On the contrary, Trump has picked fights with each of those trading partners  from imposing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to demanding that Mexico and China transform the North American Free Trade Agreement into a deal more favorable to the United States.

Trumps tariffs on China raise costs and create uncertainty for companies that have built supply chains that span the Pacific Ocean. Some companies are looking to move out of China to dodge the tariffs, said Ted Murphy, a partner at the Baker McKenzie law firm. Some will likely move to other low-cost countries that arent in the line of fire. Some will bring operations to the United States  one of Trumps goals.

For years, multinational businesses went where the labor was cheapest, Murphy said. Now the calculus is more complicated.

____

AP Writer Ken Thomas in Washington contributed to this report.The festive season is yet to kick in full gear, especially after a very subdued Onam this year owing to the devastating floods in Kerala. However, with the Ganesh Mahotsav underway, market sentiments are looking up. Over the next few weeks, Adgully will be coming up with reports on how brands in different sectors are gearing up for the festive season this year.

As with the other sectors, the automobile sector is looking forward to a bumper festive season this year as the country is emerging from the after effects of demonetisation and GST implementation.

The last few months have seen low buying sentiments in the automobile sector owing to import hikes. The sector is yet to see any serious implications of the rising cost of petrol and diesel.

Consumer buying sentiment

pointed out that the last quarter was low on buying sentiments. Unfortunately, we had calamity in Kerala and we are providing full support to our partners and customers in that state. Looking at other regions, I am confident that this festival season has a lot to offer. We are already seeing an uplift in Maharashtra due to the Ganesha festival.

Echoing his views, Bishwajeet Samal, Head of Marketing, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, said, Festivals are about togetherness, cheer and sharing valuable moments with family and friends.With two subdued festive seasons owing to demonetisation and GST, this year we are quite positive about the consumer buying sentiment.

He further added that although the last few months had been tough for the automobile industry, with import hikes and the Kerala floods, we strongly believe that in the upcoming festivities we shall witness an increased footfall at our dealerships and sales trend in the marketplace.

Puneet Anand, Senior General Manager & Group Head (Marketing), Hyundai Motor India Limited, is equally bullish, as he said, We are upbeat about the upcoming festival season with a positive consumer sentiment. This is backed by factors such as stabilisation of the overall economy and a good monsoon, along with increase in customer confidence and sentiment towards new vehicle purchases. We expect a good momentum as we will be launching the most awaited family car  AH2  this festive season.

Festival plans

elucidated, Every year, we welcome our festive season with a unique and exciting annual campaign  Volksfest. We offer a slew of customer benefit programmes, both for our current and potential buyers, inviting them to our ever welcoming network across the country. The campaign oversees initiatives across the journey of a customer starting from the point of purchase to after-sales experience and value added services.

In a bid to create hype around the launch of its much awaited contemporary family car, code named AH2, Hyundai Motor India has rolled out a mega naming campaign  Naamkaran. As part of the campaign, Hyundai is inviting name suggestions for the new car from customers. The participants can suggest the name for their favourite car through Website, WhatsApp and SMS and get a chance to win the new car at the launch.

further added, This year, we are celebrating Hyundais 20 years of sales and production in India with the Brilliant Moments campaign, which started in July 2018 and will culminate during the festive season with the launch of AH2. The various elements of the campaign were designed to provide a unique experience to our customers at all Hyundai touch points and create brilliant ownership experience for them.We are enthused with the response received from the customers so far and look forward to an exciting festive season.

Pansare of FCA India, said, Our 5-year Freedom Pack, in which we offer a Maintenance package + Extended warranty + Road Side Assistance for 5 years is well accepted. It offers complete peace of mind for Jeep owners. We have a lot more for our customers in the festival period. All communication will be supported by a strategic marketing campaign.

Growth expectations

Buying a car continues to be an emotional decision, involving almost all of the family members. The prized purchase is made ensuring everyones requirements are met. Most households prefer purchasing their valued possession during the auspicious festive occasion, which makes it extremely positive for the automotive industry, remarked Samal.

Today, customers have many choices within each segment. While Pansare refrained from putting a figure to the estimated growth in consumer spends, he noted, I have seen customers upgrading two levels above their current vehicle segment.

Ad spends

Hyundai has gained strong market leadership position today, with sustainable growth through consistent innovation and market research. Anand informed, We are heavily advertising in Digital, OOH and the traditional media space to garner maximum visibility across all platforms. While all the mediums of advertising have grown, due to the strong ROI and reach, the advertising spends for digital media has gone up by 30 per cent. We spend a lot of our marketing spends on advertising seasonal sales and promotions and new launches on all media platforms. The AH2 will create a lot of excitement in the market.

He further said, Hyundais thrust towards providing a premium experience to all its customers across all touch points has been a major factor that contributes to the companys growth story. Our relentless effort in providing best-in-class product experience, customer care support and post purchase sustenance has been extremely noteworthy. Our goal is to have stronger presence in the current and newer segment for the future and achieve brand supremacy in each segment with our Super Performer Brands.

Pansare shared that FCA India had marked a 20 per cent hike in spends, compared to the previous quarters. Jeep Compass is well established amongst the target group and we have good number of enquiries to work on.

Samal added here, Volkswagen as a brand has a history of innovative advertising campaigns. This season, we promise to excite the market with yet another innovation and customer targeting from the brand. We are a fairly young brand in this country and aim to target the young millennial generation. Our planned spends will definitely bring a smile to our existing and prospective customers.Isobar is one of the few companies which acknowledge the lack of women leadership and that is not just about leadership, but also encouraging women oriented talent. Isobar started the Womens Council in 2016 with the aim of getting women together and addressing their problems, helping them work better and giving them the flexibility to perform as per their capabilities.

Grooming women for leadership roles

There is no conscious effort made to especially groom women leaders at Isobar. It is all about giving chances to the right kind of people irrespective of their gender.

Adding another dimension to it, Priyanka Shah, Senior Director - Mobile, Isobar, said, Approachability is very important for leaders, because the minute you have that fencing around you, people would think 100 times before they come and talk to you, and it gets difficult to pass on your learnings when you have that fence.

For Prachi Karan, Senior Director - Media, Isobar, some important leadership qualities that need to be honed include patience, intuition, staying true to the course and being thorough in ones work.

In this two-part special feature report, four women leaders at Isobar share their experiences at the agency, as well as insights and views on women empowerment in the industry, pay parity, sexual harassment at workplace and more.

Priyanka Shah, Senior Director - Mobile, Isobar

My journey at Isobar has been very fulfilling as well as very exciting. When I joined Isobar, there was no mobile unit as such and the whole vision of Shams was to make Isobar mobile forward and how I could help them get there and start a whole new revolution in media.

I was the first one to establish the mobile team at Isobar and as we started taking it forward, we focussed on the creative aspect of mobile and how to grab the users attention in a short span of time. Apart from the inventory planning, we worked on how to crack new mediums on mobile for innovations and brand integrations, and thats how I envisioned the mobile-media marriage. Coming from an engineering background, technology really excites me and hence, I love marrying brands with technology and mobile.

Highlights of the journey at Isobar

I started working with Isobar in 2016. Prior to that, the agency had not won notable mobile awards. The main highlight came in 2017, when we won the Campaign Asia, Mobile Agency of the Year Award. Though a Silver, it was a good start and we established ourselves in the mobile ecosystem.

The second highlight was personal one, when I was listed amongst the Top 25 mobile women to watch in 2017 globally. I was the only Indian who got featured in it. Isobar has helped me do a lot of crazy stuff.

Achievements & accolades

I have been in the mobile industry for 9 years now. I started my career in mobile product building and built M-Education and M-Health on the voice platform for Vodafone and Airtel, which won a lot of awards in the telecom industry.

We won almost all the mobile awards that were there during 2014-16 while I was part of the mobile team at HUL. These included a campaign for Wheel featuring Salman Khan and the Kan Khajura Tesan initiative, which was applauded at Cannes Lions.

I then joined Ogilvy Indias newly created mobile team. It was gratifying to be declared Mobile Agency of the Year at Adgullys DIGIXX Awards. That was also when I won Indias top digital planner award which was by DMA. Post that when I joined Isobar, we won quite a few awards  Emvies, Maddies, and Smarties, among others.

Work-Life balance

I would be lying if I said it was easy. Sometimes it takes a toll on you, but the best part is that I really love what I do and so it makes my job a little easy. Also, when you have a good partner and a supportive family, it is easier to manage a work-life balance. The senior members of Isobar have always been supportive about everything, they really give you that leverage and they have trust in your leadership.

Challenges faced while stepping into leadership role

It was more of an industry challenge of how mobile was taking over the whole digital ecosystem. While everyone was very laptop friendly and used to think from a laptop-desktop point of view, mobile was a different ballgame all together  it was not just the small screen size, but so many software and the treatment of Android, and within Android there are different phone makes supporting different technology. Thus, your creative rendering on each and every screen has to be planned and is unlike the desktop. The first challenge was how to shift that thinking from desktop to a mobile first platform across segments  be it media planning, creative, technology.

It was another challenge to make the clients believe in mobile, but as I delivered one case study, others came by pretty easily after that.

Madhura Ranade, Director - Client Servicing, Isobar

I came on board Isobar in May 2016 specifically for the Maruti Suzuki account. The journey has been incredible because its not every day that you get a chance to work with such a big brand. Recently, I have started looking at client servicing as a whole and now lead client servicing for all the other brands in Isobars Gurgaon branch.

Highlights of the journey at Isobar

Handling Maruti Suzuki was the biggest responsibility that was entrusted to me, which I can definitely count as a key highlight because it came rather early in my career. A few launches on the brand side were also some of the best highlights in my career. Its not something that everybody gets to experience.

Achievements & accolades

There are a couple of achievements and accolades that I have achieved last year, starting with Campaign India Young Achiever of the Year award in 2017. I also won the Client Lead of the Year 2017. In February 2018, I was featured in Impact 30 Under 30 list.

Work-Life balance

In terms of work-life balance, while it gets difficult, it is definitely not something which is not achievable. While a lot of people think that it is up to the company to be able to help people in managing this, but I think it also depends on the individual, on how well we manage our lives.

Challenges faced while stepping into leadership role

People by and large need to understand that a person has been given a promotion because he/she deserves it. Not only in Isobar, but across the industry, I think, its more like a perception thing. Its not something that can be called as a challenge, but yes, it is definitely something which bothers a lot.

Prachi Karan, Senior Director - Media, Isobar

I am heading Media and Strategy for the West region at Isobar and its been a very incredible and exciting journey. I have got the opportunity to work on a plethora of clients in different categories and have also got a lot of exposure and support as well.

Highlights of the journey at Isobar

Being a woman leader, I have got a lot of support in business. Theres no discrimination when it comes to gender at Isobar, growth is purely based on talent and the opportunities.

In fact, even before the government announced the 6-months maternity leave policy, Isobar had already implemented that policy. Whats more, if a woman employee wants to extend her maternity leave or even take a sabbatical for about a year, she will still get her old job back at Isobar.

Achievements & accolades

I am part of the coveted DAN Route 500 program, which is a global high-potential talent development program designed by Dentsu Aegis Network. In 2017 and so far in 2018, the digital media work that I have led or have been an active part of, has gone on to win several prestigious awards.

Work-life balance

Generally, people have this perception that those who work in agencies have a terrible work-life balance. While that is true, it also is changing as we voluntarily take steps to ensure a better work-life balance. One of the simplest things that we can do  which I also follow  is having an early start to the day. It helps me be more productive in my work and actually reduces the time I take to complete tasks. I also use organisers and calendars to plan my day better.

Aakriti Sinha, Director - Social, Isobar

The journey has been enriching and fulfilling with a lot of learning. I started off as a social media manger, and am now handling the entire social media practice at Isobar. The flat structure and hierarchy at Isobar have really helped me grow not just in the social media vertical, but overall as well. I consider myself as one of the key members who have been there for the last 5 years and have seen Isobar growing and becoming the No. 1 agency. The journey has been rollercoaster one.

Highlights of the journey at Isobar

I joined the agency in 2015. Though there are several highlights, one that I would like to mention is that I was given the power to not restrict myself in terms of thinking and ideation. Literally, we have been given social media wings and we havent really compartmentalised it.

Achievements & accolades

Im a published author and have written a coffee table book, titled Lets Know Dances of India. I am a member of Route 500, Dentsu Aegis Networks global leadership program. I basically come from a PR and mainline media background, so my transformation into digital has been a nice journey.

Work-life balance

Isobar has work time flexibility. We have processes in place at Isobar that ensure a proper work-life balance with which team members can work out.

Challenges faced while stepping into leadership role

Digital is very a dynamic field, where every second new updates are happening. Thus, you need to be updated about the trends, educate the clients and make sure that the partners are up to date with the trends in order to provide quality output.Apollo Tyres in collaboration with Mindshare, Indias largest full-service media agency, a part of Group M, has launched an integrated 360-degree campaign for the launch of its two-wheeler radial tyres, Apollo Alpha. The Beast is set to unleash itself through the digital platform YouTube and Facebook, following which the commercial will take over the other mediums like Television, Radio, Print and OOH. Through this power-packed campaign, Apollo Tyres is set to create a distinct spot for itself. The campaign is especially focused to garner the attention of Biking enthusiasts who are constantly on the move for their love of roads. It seeks to earn better brand visibility and immediate reach among the young, enthusiastic and adventurous.

Conceptualized by J Walter Thompson, produced by Small Fry Productions, and with Mindshare as the media agency, the riveting TVC for Apollo Alpha seeks to add more thrill to the beast (bike), which is the key message for the companys two-wheeler radial tyres. The campaign aims at establishing Apollo Tyres as a high-technology brand, which has introduced Indias first steel-belted radial tyres for the high-performance motorcycles.

There were two key aspects to address in media, while at the core is the high energy, risk taking millennial who is also conscious of safety, the additional task is to extend the halo of the Apollo Alpha brand on to the two wheeler tyres portfolio. We take a holistic view of media with the principle that all journeys begin and end in media  Connected Journeys. Time, location and (media) destination are the 3 dimensions of audience behaviour that have informed our choices in media  From genres, time bands and programming on TV to audience segments, time band, context and location on digital.

Sharing her thoughts on the campaign, Ruchi Mathur, Senior Vice President, Client Leadership, Mindshare North & East said Our task was to bring alive the connected journeys for this campaign by leveraging our proprietary tools, platforms and partnerships, like [m]insights and the Adaptive Marketing Framework. We needed both scale and agility to address our discerning cohort of bike riders. You will see an interesting swing in this campaign - from leveraging high interest properties like MotoGP on digital, to creating thrill and adventure through Movie Festivals, to building reach through presence during Asia Cup 2018 reality shows like Bigg Boss.

Commenting on the campaign launch, Satish Sharma, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Apollo Tyres Ltd, said This campaign on our two-wheeler radials is targeted towards those biking enthusiasts who like to ride carefree in their high-performance bikes, and would enjoy the cutting edge technology of Apollo Alpha. Our brief to the agency was to convey Apollo as a high technology brand, which has category leading products in its portfolio

Apollo Alpha: 'Zero degree' steel belt Motorcycle Radial has been designed and developed in-house at Apollo Tyres Global R&D Centre, Asia in Chennai, with the primary focus on grip and safety, with optimised tread mileage. It has been designed with high silica reinforced compound for best grip during cornering and other forms of maneuverings.

Credits:

Creative Agency: J Walter Thompson

Media Agency: Mindshare

Production Company: Small Fry Productions

Director: Andreas Bruns

DOP: Roland Stuprich

VFX: Mackevision

Music: German WahnsinnNykaa, Indias leading beauty retailer, announced today that it has signed actor and millennial icon Janhvi Kapoor as their brand ambassador. Janhvi will appear in digital, TV and print advertising campaigns and play an active role in creating social media content for Nykaa.

Since the success of her first film earlier this year, Janhvi has emerged as a strong voice for millennials, showcasing an authenticity that makes her a perfect fit for Nykaa. Her talent, confidence and determination to succeed reflect Nykaas values of empowerment and encouraging women to realize their dreams. She will help communicate Nykaas unique identity in the Indian market with an unmatched curation of the best of beauty products along with engaging content to excite and indulge beauty enthusiasts across India.

To mark the launch of this partnership, Janhvi picked her favourite products from Nykaas in-house collection, Nykaa Cosmetics. The curated products will be available in the Janhvi Loves edition that will be available on Nykaa.com and in Nykaa stores soon.

We are delighted to welcome Janhvi to the Nykaa family. From the first time I met her, I was absolutely charmed by her magnetic personality and down-to-earth attitude. She embodies perfectly the ideals of the Nykaa woman with her conviction to realize her goals. We look forward to an exciting partnership together towards building brand Nykaa, said Falguni Nayar, founder & CEO, Nykaa.

Janhvi Kapoor said I was fascinated when I heard how Falguni Nayar gave up a career as a successful banker, started Nykaa from scratch and built it into a market leader in just five years. For me, Nykaa is a shining example of what Indian women can achieve. And as a consumer, Nykaa gives you the power of choice and the ability to be your best. I'm really proud to be the face of Nykaa.If you were to ask someone to name some distinctive things about Mumbai, the iconic Ganpati festival would definitely make it to the list. Its that time of the year when the city is drenched in celebratory mood, dancing on the streets with music playing all night. The populated city is united with festivities at various pandals, making it a sight worth-watching. BUT, when the city is enjoying, there is a world thats weeping. The spirit of Ganpati festival is worth celebrating, unfortunately the aftermath created after immersions isn't!

Ruminating on the burden caused to the environment, Eros International, Indias leading global film and digital studio, in association with Altico Capital India Ltd. and Samhita Social Ventures today took up the responsibility to help clean up Juhu beach after the visarjan. Eros International employees along with citizens turned up in huge numbers to help clean the popular beach, which is reported to receive an average of 2,033 metric tonnes of residual during the festival each year.

This initiative is an extension of Eros Internationals citizen and society welfare programme. The company had previously joined hands with the Robin Hood Army and promoted #MissionMillion2018, a campaign aimed at feeding the deprived sections of the society.

Celebrate the festive season with responsibilityAs the floodwaters from Hurricane Florence continued to rise in North Carolina on Monday, a family from the Tar Heel States southern coast was waiting in Aiken to hear when a return home would be possible.

The sheriffs office in our county is asking for everybody who evacuated to stay put until further notice because the roads are flooded going in and they are washing out pretty bad, said Christy McKeithan, who lives on Oak Island.

She is staying in a house at Aiken Equine Rescue on Glenwood Drive with her husband, Cliff, and 13-year-old daughter, Savannah. Also there are Cliffs parents, Jack and Sylvia.

The other members of their group are Scooby, a beagle; Oreo, a rabbit, and three horses  Blu, Winchester and Puddin.

They all arrived at Aiken Equine Rescue late in the evening of Sept. 11 in a rental car and a truck pulling a trailer.

We just want to say a big thank you to Aiken Equine Rescue for having us, Christy said. Everybody here has been so friendly, all of the staff and the volunteers. Theyre great people.

+2 Aiken welcomes evacuees from North Carolina Fleeing the destructive forces of Hurricane Florences heavy rains, high winds and storm surge, the McKeithan family of Oak Island, North Caro

Even though the McKeithans are stuck for now, they did have some good news to celebrate.

Christy, Cliff and Savannahs residence on Oak Island is fine, Christy reported, and so is Jack and Sylvias home.

There are lots of tree limbs down, which is usual for a big storm, but there is no major damage, Christy said. Both of the houses are kind of the middle of the island and on a big hill, which is probably about the highest point around.

To pass the time and show their gratitude, Christy, Cliff and Savannah signed up to be Aiken Equine Rescue volunteers.

Weve been mucking out stalls and watering horses, that kind of thing, Christy said.

Cliff and Savannah were helping repair fences Monday morning while Christy was using her laptop to do some tasks remotely for her job as a director of project management for Pharmaceutical Product Development.

They are welcome to stay here as long as they need to; they are good people, said Aiken Equine Rescue President and Operating Director Jim Rhodes of the McKeithans.

Christy praised Rhodes for his kindness.

He has been absolutely wonderful, she said. Anything weve needed, hes been right there.

Instead of charging the McKeithans a specific fee for their accommodations, Rhodes has asked them to make a donation to Aiken Equine Rescue when they depart.

Oak Island is approximately 35 miles from Wilmington, North Carolina, and about 65 miles from Myrtle Beach.Florence finally shuffled past Aiken County on Sunday, bringing some more rain and wind.

Mike Proud, meteorologist with the National Weather Center, said Aiken County had less than a tenth of an inch of rain on Sunday.

However, the storm luckily brought no problems like severe flooding or power outages to the area.

Aiken Public Safety reported the day being fairly quiet with no issues from the storm.

Debra Albright, of Aiken, said she felt like the storm was going to be a lot worse than it was.

"I really thought it was going to be bad," Albright laughed. "But here we are and it's just wet and a little windy. I got tired of sitting at the house and decided to head downtown for some food."

As the storm drifts by South Carolina and we move into Monday, residents can expect to see clouds with some sunshine sprinkled in, Proud said.

"There could be some thunderstorms and showers in Aiken County moving into Monday afternoon," he said.

ICYMI: Top articles for the week of Sept. 17 In case you missed them, here's a list of the top five articles that appeared in the Aiken Standard this week.Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.ALEPPO, Syria  The local councils of the Syrian opposition-held Euphrates Shield area in the countryside of Aleppo have set up more service facilities for locals in a bid to bring stability to the area. The efforts have direct support from the Turkish government, which has been paying the salaries of employees working in the public services sector, which has been growing rapidly.

On Aug. 28, the Local Council of al-Bab set up a station for the filling of gas cylinders to provide fuel for the residents of the area. Each cylinder sells for 4,500 Syrian pounds, which is equivalent to $8.

The local council contracted with a Turkish company. The company set up a plant for the refilling of gas cylinders in the city of al-Bab. Gas is brought to the city from Turkey in special tanks through the border crossing in the countryside of Aleppo. The plant is equipped with the latest technologies, as well as with safety equipment such as an alarm system and fire extinguishers, plant manager Osama Tamro told Al-Monitor.

The plants daily production is about 3,500 cylinders, weighing 24 kilograms each. It has 12 experienced workers and is supervised by the local council in the al-Bab city. The council pays their salaries and handles the income as well, Tamro added.

He went on, The project aims to service the locals rather than making huge profits. We are trying to provide domestic gas for daily cooking. The people of the city of al-Bab, which falls under the control of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), have suffered from the high price of gas cylinders, reaching 15,000 Syrian pounds [$26] per cylinder. Gas is a rare product in the FSA-held areas in the countryside of Aleppo because of the high demand for gas cylinders and because the Syrian regime banned gas deliveries to the [opposition-held] areas. We used to import gas from the regime-controlled areas at very expensive prices. This is not to mention the greedy traders who also controlled prices.

Tamro explained that the gas plant opened on a trial basis for 10 days, and regular operations kicked off Sept. 7. The plants production is sufficient for the city of al-Bab and its surroundings, with a population of more than 300,000 people, according to Tamro.

Before this service, poor households depended on old Kerosene stoves, which was less expensive than gas. Today, most have dispensed with the unreliable stoves that caused many fires.

On Sept. 1, the local council established a public bus station in the center of the city of Jarablus to regulate public transportation traffic and prices.

The station was set up as a result of the efforts of the local councils service office and the support of our Turkish brothers. The construction began June 1 and the inauguration of the station was Sept. 1 for a five-day trial period, Mohammad Jadr, head of the service office of the Jarablus Local Council told Al-Monitor.

He said that the station began regular operations on Sept. 5. It has handled more than 100 buses and houses, offices for the traffic police and accommodations for bus drivers. It features a ticket counter, a restaurant and coffee shops for travelers, a mosque and restrooms for men and women. It runs regular routes from Jarablus to Manbij for 700 pounds ($1.50), to al-Bab for 1,5000 pounds ($3), to Azaz for 2,500 pounds ($5), to Afrin for 3,000 pounds ($6) and to Idlib for 5,000 pounds ($10). He added, "There is, of course, a long list for the bus trip from Jarablus to the surrounding towns in the countryside of Aleppo under FSA control.

Jadr concluded, New lines will be added in the coming period to facilitate the movement of travelers. The local councils in the Euphrates Shield area in the countryside of Aleppo receive continuous support from the Turkish government to upgrade services, achieve stability in the area and make it safer and more attractive for the Syrian people. The transportation sector is undoubtedly one of the major sectors that will bring further stability to a town.Anyone who has been active on Twitter and tweeted about Iran in the past year can attest that the online debate over events in the country has taken a dramatic turn for the hostile.

Many Iran observers are perplexed by the sharp increase in vitriol spewed at journalists and analysts. Some speculate that regime-change advocates were encouraged by US President Donald Trumps electoral victory and are seizing their chance to influence the online debate about Iran while there is a sympathetic ear in the White House. Others felt that the nationwide protests in January were a turning point in the Islamic Republic and that the public discourse had moved on from Reformism and into much starker choices. However, an investigative report by Al Jazeera has shed light on a third reason for the spike in Twitter activity: what many Iran observers had suspected from the outset, a Twitter troll factory meant to influence the already contentious debate over Iran.

According to the Al Jazeera report, the exiled Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) has set up a center at its headquarters in Albania, where 1,000-1,500 "online soldiers" are instructed to promote hashtags in support of overthrowing the Islamic Republic. Two former MEK members told Al Jazeera that they would receive specific daily orders on what to highlight regarding Iran and also which specific Iran analysts to attack on social media, often sharing the White House's critical messages against Iran and amplifying their tweets via bots.

In response to the report, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted to Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey, Hello @Jack. Twitter has shuttered accounts of real Iranians, incl TV presenters & students, for supposedly being part of an 'influence op'. How about looking at actual bots in Tirana used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda spewed out of DC? #YouAreBots"

In August, Twitter claimed to have closed 284 accounts originating in Iran for engaging in coordinated manipulation. One popular account from inside Iran that was shut down then belonged to SeyedMousavi7, who shortly afterward released a video through friends saying that he is a university student and had only sought to present a different narrative of Iran. Another belonged to Irans English-language news channel Press TV journalist Waqar Rizvi. A Sept. 17 special Etemaad report described the apparent discrepancy in Twitters actions as strictness with Iran, silence in the face of fake anti-Iranian accounts.

Iranian lawmaker Amirhossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi also tweeted to Dorsey, You suspended my official account as MP of Iran for my violation of not determined twitter rules, but why you have not blocked bots of MEK in Tirana, a group that killed 17000 Iranian people, used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda? #YouAreBots" The figure is a reference to a bombing campaign by the MEK after losing a power struggle with members of the Islamic Republican Party after the 1979 revolution.

Meanwhile, there has been some criticism of Zarifs call for Twitter to shut down the reported MEK accounts. Britain-based Manoto, an outlet broadly viewed as sympathetic to the monarchist camp, told its viewers that the foreign minister described [all] opponents of the Islamic Republic as bots.

Other social media users also brought up one irony of the Twitter battle: that the microblogging platform, with which the foreign minister, the president and the supreme leader all have either verified accounts or unofficial accounts that are run through their offices, is still officially blocked in Iran.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu couldnt have hoped for an easier US administration than the one in power today.

President Bill Clinton despised him and suggests as much in his autobiography. He believes that Netanyahu sabotaged the Oslo Accords. Yes, Netanyahu walked it back temporarily, by fulfilling the agreement in part during the 1998 Wye Plantation talks, but Netanyahu quickly returned to his old self. As soon as he landed in Israel, he announced that the third phase of redeployment on the West Bank, out of the three phases agreed to in the accords, would not exceed 1% of the territory!

As for President Barack Obama, Netanyahu portrayed him as hating Israel. The lack of chemistry between the two men dates back to the moment they first met, in Israel during the 2008 election campaign. Obama had no qualms saying that people could support Israel without supporting Likud. The ensuing conflict between the two men was well known to everyone. Even the $38 billion defense aid package that Obama provided Israel over the course of 10 years wasnt enough to thaw their icy relationship. Netanyahu went on to address a joint session of Congress about the Iran nuclear deal, hoping to convince the House and Senate to oppose Obamas policies toward Iran. This unusual step set a precedent in the relationship between Israel and its benefactor, which had never reached such a low point.

Netanyahus gamble on Donald Trump and against Hillary Clinton seemed risky, with little chance of success. Trump never went so far as to utter a cavalcade of pro-Israel statements during his campaign. At one point, he even declared that Israel would be forced to pay a price for the defense assistance it receives. Trump announced that under his leadership, the United States would be neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, so it could broker the deal of the century.

Netanyahus gamble paid off, however, at least ostensibly. It came to look like Netanyahu had gotten his dream team.

As president, Trump has never implemented his assertion that Israel pay a price for US aid, and he has not tried to appear to be neutral. He appointed a team of hawkish Jews to negotiate a peace agreement and stood by his word to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He even moved the US Embassy to the western part of the city. The most prominent member of the administration's peace negotiations team is David Friedman, who is also the US ambassador to Israel and who constantly visits the settlements, claiming they are legitimate and discussing the need to recognize Israels annexation of the Golan Heights. Then there is Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, an advocate of the most right-wing US defense and security policies.

The decision to relocate the US Embassy apparently pleased Netanyahu. At first, Trump had delayed the move, twice signing a waiver postponing the 1995 decision by Congress. Even after delivering a speech recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital in December 2017, Trump said actually moving the embassy would take years. Soon afterward, he expedited the embassys relocation. Then on May 15, Israeli forces killed some 60 Palestinians along the Gaza border, one of the bloodiest days of violence during the Great Return March protests, spurred on by the dedication of the new embassy. It was certainly a steep price to pay, but it failed to ignite a significant wave of protest in the Arab world or even among the Palestinians themselves, proving that it is possible to go wild. It also instigated an informal demand to recognize Israels annexation of the Golan.

The next steps taken by the US administration, however, were less likely to be supported by any Israeli government. Israel has been critical of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and rightly so, but the last thing it wants is to eliminate the organization in a single stroke and to step into its shoes in the West Bank and Gaza. Cutting direct aid to the Palestinians  only a small part of which goes toward the Palestinian Authority (PA) budget and most of which is allocated to organizations and initiatives supported by the US Agency for International Development  brings Netanyahus greatest nightmare closer to becoming the reality.

The cuts could lead to the PA shutting down, meaning the responsibility of funding and maintaining the occupation would fall squarely on Israel. Netanyahu also realizes that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would never accept the idea of American aid to the Palestinians focused solely on security cooperation with Israel and therefore would be forced to throw away the keys.

The Trump administrations Sept. 8 decision to stop funding hospitals in East Jerusalem was certainly not inspired by Netanyahu. It is hard to tell whether Trump distinguishes between Jerusalem and the West Bank or whether he is aware that according to Israeli law, East Jerusalem, including its hospitals, is under Israeli sovereignty. Netanyahu, on the other hand, is fully aware that if the United States stops funding Palestinian hospitals in the city, the task will immediately land on Israels shoulders.

Trump's bear hug is starting to get suffocating. Every time the Americans decide on one punitive action or another, Netanyahu praises it publicly, but it is hard to believe that he is not then concerned about the next wave of punishments. As it turns out, the United States and Israel do not share identical diplomatic positions.

Trump apparently feels an affinity toward Israel, and even toward Netanyahu, but his peace negotiating team is closer in its worldview to the pro-settler, national-religious HaBayit HaYehudi than to Netanyahu's. Nevertheless, the stated intention of the administration, and the position to which Trump repeatedly returns, is that it wants to resolve the conflict. It wants to prove that only Trump or his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are capable of achieving what all their predecessors have failed to achieve for the past 70 years  peace in the Middle East.

Netanyahu has walked back his 2009 Bar Ilan speech, in which he supported a two-state solution (despite having many reservations), when he said on the eve of the 2015 election that such a solution would not be implemented on his watch. When it appeared that Trump wanted to present his plan to the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting, Netanyahu was quick to respond with surprising candor that there was no need to rush in revealing the plan.

At this point, Trump poses a threat to Netanyahus plans to continue using the Oslo Accords as a permanent-status solution, rather than an interim agreement, to make the rest of the world pay for the occupation and to continue building settlements. In this story, the prime minister plays the role of the elderly lawyer who transfers all of his firms cases to his son, in this example, Trump. The next day, his son has a huge smile on his face when he comes to see his father and tells the old man that he just settled a case that had been open for decades. His father scolds him, saying, That unresolved case funded your schooling, your apartment, and your car, and it could have continued funding you for years, if you hadnt resolved it.

If strangling the Palestinians brings down the PA, Netanyahu will really start to miss Obama.The international donor group for Palestine, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), will meet in New York at the end of September to discuss the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip. It will be the first such meeting to be attended by Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Brig. Gen. (res.) Kamil Abu Rukon as well as Minister for Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbi. It was planned a few months ago as a routine gathering but in light of the American cut in assistance to UNRWA, it has become an emergency meeting to find financial alternatives. According to senior members of Israels Civil Administration, UNRWA is likely to collapse in the coming year. One official told Al-Monitor that if successful, the meeting could prevent another war between Israel and Hamas.

The planned get-together in New York highlights the paradox in the relations between Israel, Hamas and the Donald Trump administration. Several Israeli ministers applauded Washingtons decision to cut UNRWA's funding. Nevertheless, Israel is now counting on global funding to save the Strip from collapse.

Israels security chiefs, including IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, who has been reprimanded for his gloomy forecasts regarding the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Strip, try not to talk publicly about the issue. Nevertheless, we learned a lot from a recent radio interview by Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, the former head COGAT, chief of the Military Intelligence Research Division and former director of policy and political-military affairs in the Ministry of Defense. Sharp cutbacks in UNRWAs budget will lead to the firing of teachers, the closing of health clinics and schools. As a result, more and more people will wander aimlessly on the streets, Gilad argued. That means that security will suffer. When you want to dismantle something, you need to create an alternative. Therefore, a competing organization should be founded to replace UNRWA, instead of throwing thousands of people to the streets.

Israeli politicians are rejoicing over the US moves, at least publicly, but the military leadership is not hiding its consternation over the possible ramifications of the change. This apparent contradiction calls for a further inspection of these two different positions. The military espouses a long-term vision that tries to avoid unnecessary armed conflict with Hamas. The political echelon is concerned about its voters and support base, and offering magical solutions to the Gaza crisis.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, for example, called UNRWA a "terror-supporting organization" that "employs Hamas terrorists and uses its schools to hide rockets."

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman questioned any connection between the state of Gazas economy and the achievement of peace and quiet in Gaza and in Israel. He called any humanitarian assistance to the Strip an illusion.

Although Liberman authorized COGATs Abu Rukon to participate in the New York talks, the minister does not believe that campaigning for donations for the Palestinians should be Israels job. This past February, Liberman said, It is nonsense to say that were raising money for Hamas. It was decided in the past that well participate in the AHLC. We dont want to harm the population that does not participate in terror, but we wont pay their taxes either. Hamas spent $260 million on beefing up their military and on missile production and is not willing to redirect one shekel from its military empowerment program to the health or education system, or on improving water and electricity infrastructure. So we should finance them? No chance.

And so the only thing left for the Israeli team to do is to dispense advice and prepare plans for various projects. A meeting was held at the beginning of September in Brussels in preparation for the New York meeting, attended by representatives from COGAT and the Foreign Ministry. They presented, and not for the first time, projects to improve the humanitarian situation in the Strip. At least some of the plans are limited in scope, as a sort of an emergency response to the situation. More could be developed if and when a long-term arrangement is achieved between Israel and Hamas. Some of the projects presented by representatives of the Civil Administration in Brussels were: founding an oncology ward for children in Gaza, establishing the Karni Industrial Zone, installing solar panels on the roofs of residential houses, improving the electrical supply (running an electricity line from Israel that would double the supply to the Strip), creating infrastructure for natural gas and making it easier to ship agricultural products from Gaza to the West Bank.

These original ideas have the potential to create thousands of job openings and improve the Strips infrastructure. However, it turns out that most of these ideas remain just that: ideas on a paper.

A Civil Administration source who talked to Al-Monitor confirmed that these projects, which were unveiled in Brussels and slated to be exhibited in New York, had already presented in depth to the AHLC by Hanegbi and former COGAT head Yoav Mordechai, but nothing came of them. Now those same projects will be trotted out again with some changes and improvements, the fruit of intensive preparative work over recent weeks, on the heels of Trump's financial blows on the Palestinians.

The assumption in Israel is that the odds are still low that these projects will actually be adopted. The New York meeting will include representatives from the United States, the European Union, Norway, Holland, the United Kingdom, Japan, the UN, the World Bank, the Middle East Quartet and Israel. Occasionally, representatives of certain Arab countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia also join these kinds of meetings. All those countries pride themselves on being called the donor countries, even though they are not necessarily in a hurry to donate to the Palestinians.

On the other hand, Qatar actually does contribute quite a bit of money. However, its representative, Mohammad al-Amadi, operates independently, in close cooperation with UN Emissary to the Middle East Nikolay Mladenov.

What Israel really wants is to find organizational alternatives to UNRWA for taking care of Gazas needy. But would it be possible to establish such organizations quickly? And who will head them, when Hamas rules the Gaza Strip and no one lifts a finger without Hamas OK?

The prevailing assessment in Israel is that due to its dwindling budget, UNRWA will now focus on providing basic foodstuffs for the residents of refugee camps and be forced to abandon its schools, youth clubs and senior centers. The collapse of these systems will leave thousands of former employees dependent on UNRWAs food services.

It seems that no one knows how to save Gaza. Without UNRWA, the bomb will be ticking much faster.On Sept. 14, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Berlin. He came to the German capital to take part in the closing ceremony of the Russian-German Cross Year of Regional and Municipal Partnerships. During his visit, Lavrov met with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to discuss bilateral trade and energy issues, such as the construction of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline, as well as the Skripal poisoning case in England, the crisis in eastern Ukraine and the situation in Syria. On most of the discussed international issues both countries have different and sometimes totally opposite views. Relations between Moscow and Berlin have been seriously damaged since 2014 over the crisis in Ukraine followed by the sanctions Germany, along with other European nations and the United States, imposed on Russia.

Until now Germany may not have been more critical but certainly has been less public about its Syria policy than France and the UK. Recently, Berlin has raised its profile on the issue, calling for concerted global efforts to prevent chemical weapons from being used in Syria.

Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen urged a credible deterrent while Maas said diplomacy was the top priority to prevent the use of chemical weapons in Syria. At the same time, Chancellor Angela Merkel is under immense political pressure at home, with the latest polls suggesting 74% of Germans oppose potential military strikes on Syria similar to those launched by the coalition of the United States, the UK and France earlier this year. Such a context made the talks with Moscow all the more important.

During the meeting both Russian and German foreign ministers quite predictably paid a lot attention to the situation in Syrias Idlib.

We do not want to see thousands of deaths among civilians, Maas said.

Lavrov, in turn, said reports that there was a Russia-supported Idlib offensive by the Syrian army are a malicious distortion of facts.

Both the Syrian forces and we merely react to hit-and-run raids from Idlib, he said. These raids can involve unmanned aerial vehicles. It is very hard to detect drones with ordinary air defense weapons. Many of them are made of wood and cannot be seen on radar screens, Lavrov said.

Lavrov said that Moscow has intelligence information on where the terrorists assemble drones in Idlib and that it will be eliminating these underground workshops.

Berlin promised reconstruction help if Moscow kept Syrian President Bashar-al Assad from launching an offensive in Idlib and could help find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

If there's a political solution in Syria that leads to free elections, then we are ready to take on the responsibility of reconstruction. It is in our interest for Syria to be a stable country. For that, reconstruction is necessary. And we have an important role in that, Maas wrote on his Twitter account.

The German foreign minister said Syria will need more than the help of just the Russians, Iranians and Turks to reconstruct the country.

The German weekly newsmagazine Focus, commenting on the Lavrov-Maas meeting, said the German federal government has recently been making contact with Russia. Germany has been trying for many months to influence Moscow on all diplomatic channels so that Moscow in turn can use its influence on Assad.

German politicians, however, seem to be skeptical about a possible deal with Russia. Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, said he had heard nothing new from the Russian minister. The legislator said Russia is following clear, naked power politics.

Earlier this month, the German daily newspaper Bild published a report saying Berlin would consider a military deployment in Syria if another chemical weapons attack was carried out. According to the report, high-ranking officials from Germany and the United States had met to discuss possible German involvement in US-led air strikes on Syria. The report said Germany's defense minister had responded to a US request, which was followed by a meeting of high-ranking ministry and military officials from both countries. According to Bild, German Tornado jets could take part in combat missions alongside their US, UK and French counterparts.

The report sparked much discussion among the German political establishment. Many politicians within Merkel's conservative faction say the idea should be seriously considered. The German Defense Ministry has hinted that various response scenarios are being prepared, but it's all hypothetical, as Deutsche Welle reports.

Rottgen said Germany should consider joining its Western allies in future military missions "under specific conditions. He said Germany should not rule out efforts to prevent a new, horrific gas attack with a massive effect on the civilian population.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said nothing concrete about Germanys possible involvement.

Of course, the German government is in contact with its partners and allies, Seibert said. There is considerable concern that horrifying precedents from other Syrian battlefields could be repeated.

However, there is no consensus outside Merkel's party on possible involvement in the Syrian crisis. Members of the opposition Greens and Free Democrats supported an intervention. Germanys Social Democrats, which are in a grand coalition with Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, are against.

The leader of the Social Democrats, Andrea Nahles, said Sept. 12 that her party would not agree to military intervention in Syria if the United Nations did not authorize the international community to take such action.

As long as this doesnt happen, we Social Democrats cant agree to a violent intervention in Syria, Nahles said. Earlier, she had said her party will not approve Germany joining the war in Syria, neither in parliament nor in the government.

Armin-Paul Hampel, the foreign affairs spokesperson for the right-wing Alternative for Germany, said German participation in a mission in Syria would be a breach of the constitution, and questioned whether the Assad regime had in fact previously used chemical weapons, as is widely believed to be the case.

Left Party politician Gesine Lotzsch said Berlin would be making itself a submissive partner of American President Donald Trump if it were to join a combat mission in Syria.

German participation in any possible operation is still unclear. First of all, a parliamentary vote would be needed to send German troops to Syria, which would be difficult considering the absence of a consensus in the Bundestag. Nevertheless, if Berlin joined the alliance, it would risk direct confrontation with Moscow.In a major diplomatic win for Ankara, the leaders of Russia and Turkey on Monday agreed to enforce a demilitarized zone in Syrias Idlib province to forestall a bombardment of the oppositions last stronghold.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the new buffer zone, measuring 15-20 kilometers (9-12 miles) wide, would separate territories controlled by rebels in Idlib from those held by Syrian government soldiers and would be patrolled by Turkish and Russian troops. The zone will go into effect in mid-October, Putin said.

Syrias northwestern province of Idlib is the final rebel-held enclave in Syria, wracked by a seven-year war that has killed a half million people and displaced more than half of the countrys population.

Retaking Idlib could spell victory for President Bashar al-Assad, but would also unleash a humanitarian disaster for the provinces 3 million or more inhabitants. The United Nations has warned an offensive in the province could spark this centurys worst humanitarian disaster.

With this agreement, I believe we have prevented a major humanitarian crisis in Idlib, Erdogan said at a press briefing after two hours of talks with Putin in the Russian city of Sochi.

The opposition will continue to remain in the areas where they are present. We will ensure that radical groups do not engage in activity in the area. Russia will take measures to assure that the de-confliction zone will not be attacked, he said.

Putin said Russia and Turkey had achieved serious progress in resolving the standoff over Idlib and we can now move forward with coordinated actions."

He said, We are hoping to move militants, including Jabhat al-Nusra, from the zone, and we are also hoping to remove from the area heavy military equipment.

Putin also said Russias main worry is attacks on its military bases in Syria, which are sporadically hit by Turkey-backed rebels.

Russia had been preparing for an imminent attack on Idlib. But Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said, after Putins meeting with Erdogan, that there would be no offensive and that an agreement would be reached with Assads government to stop airstrikes.

Assad sees Idlib as a hotbed for terrorism, equating the opposition to terrorists as he has throughout the war, and has signaled for nearly a year that his forces will move on the province. But he needs Russian air support and pro-Iranian militias to back him. Their support has allowed government forces to recapture more than 60% of Syrian territory compared with the 20% they controlled at the start of 2017.

Idlib is home to between 50,000 and 90,000 armed fighters, according to diplomatic sources. Of these, between 10-20% are thought to be hard-line militants, including Jabhat al-Nusra, with links to al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Turkey, which supplies the province with aid and keeps hundreds of its soldiers in the province, has said a full-scale assault on Idlib would send as many as 2 million refugees across its southern border, as well as jihadis who could then move on to Europe. The UN said more than 30,000 people have already been displaced inside Syria by airstrikes on Idlib in recent weeks.

Washington, which has been largely absent from efforts to resolve the conflict, warned last week that Russia would be to blame if Syria caused mass civilian suffering in Idlib.

For its part, Russia has cultivated closer ties with Assads arch foe Erdogan, whose relationship with the United States has soured over a slew of disagreements.

Mondays meeting was Putin and Erdogans second in 10 days as the Turkish leader presses Syrias main backer to forgo an attack on Idlib.

He failed to persuade Russia and Iran to agree to a cease-fire at a summit in Tehran on Sept. 7. But airstrikes on the rebel enclave abated in recent days, and Erdogan credited Turkish efforts for the relative peace before he traveled to Sochi.

The situation in Idlib has been quiet for two or three days. We seem to have achieved a result from the initiatives we undertook, Erdogan told reporters on Sunday, Hurriyet newspaper reported.

Among those initiatives were reinforcements of tanks and weapons to Turkeys 12 observation points in Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Turkish military also controls some 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) of northern Syria after launching two military operations since 2016 against Syrian Kurdish militants.

Now Turkey is encouraging extremists in Idlib to align with more moderate forces and eliminate Syrias casus belli for attacking Idlib.

Turkey is providing alternatives so that they can isolate those who ideologically wont be convinced, a Western diplomat told Al-Monitor on condition he was not identified. Its not enough that they just change uniforms. They also have to prove it in their deeds, and that takes time as well. Turkey needs more time to do it.

Erdogan called for a comprehensive international counterterrorism operation to rid Idlib of hard-liners in an editorial printed by The Wall Street Journal last week.

Assads solution is a false one. Innocent people must not be sacrificed in the name of fighting terrorism. This will only create new hotbeds of terrorism and extremism, Erdogan wrote.If you grew up in Alabama, and you know delicious syrup, you're probably already well familiar with Golden Eagle Syrup.

The tasty condiment has a sweet story that starts in a shed in small-town Fayette, Alabama.

The architect behind the famous breakfast accoutrement is Victor Patterson, whose wife Lucy was kind enough to let him make syrup in their backyard. Patterson started making the syrup in 1928.

The Pattersons decided to turn their syrup venture into a full-fledged business, and by 1944, they moved into a manufacturing building in Fayette's downtown district.

The four ingredients that make up the popular product: cane sugar, corn syrup, molasses and honey.

"That's all that's in our product," Temple Bowling, one of the company's current co-owners, told This is Alabama. "Since they're all pure sugars, there is no expiration."

Bowling and John Blevins bought the company in 2011. They shared a passion for Golden Eagle and agreed that the brand should remain a friendly, family-owned operation.

"Our wives say, 'You (two are) both the same kind of weird.'"

But, they aren't alone. There are people in Alabama, and all over the U.S. who swear by Golden Eagle's syrup.

"We ship it to Rhode Island. There's a guy who buys it by the cases, come Christmas time. He says, 'I can't make my pie with anything else. It's just not the same,'" Bowling says.

While time have certainly change since the Pattersons' humble beginnings making their prized syrup, Blevins and Bowling are committed to the authenticity of Golden Eagle. To achieve that personal touch and hometown feel, each bottle of syrup is still hand-fastened by a local employee in the downtown Fayette facility.Bird made a crash landing in Alabama last month when the electric scooter rental company began operating in Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Birmingham and Homewood without first obtaining the proper licenses and permits.

As the cities study the legality of the scooters, each have asked Bird Rides Inc. to cease and desist operations and have seized scooters found on public rights of way. Bird has racked up thousands in fees and fines as a result.

It turns out, though, Bird may be facing bigger problems in Alabama.

The small scooters - think Razor scooters for adults - apparently are not street legal in Alabama.

To be street legal, vehicles must be registered by the Alabama Department of Revenue and displaying a tag, Alabama state trooper spokesperson Cpl. Jess Thornton said. If the scooters were property registered, he said operators would be required to have a motorcycle license.

Bird scooters, which can be located and rented through an app, aren't registered and don't display tags.

The city of Auburn concurs. The city issued a news release on Friday saying the scooters aren't street legal because they lack property safety equipment such as headlights and taillights, mirrors and turns signals.

"Our city attorney does agree that the scooters are both unsafe and illegal to operate on roads in the state of Alabama," city of Auburn spokesman David Dorton said in an email. "As it stands in the short term, we have not licensed Bird, and have asked them to cease operation and collect all scooters, which they have agreed to do."

The city of Tuscaloosa also contends the electric scooters aren't street legal. The city's revenue department denied Bird a business license on Sept. 7 and has since seized more than 300 of the scooters.

"The city cannot grant a business license or negotiate a franchise agreement with a company that would not be able to operate on our streets under state law," Tuscaloosa associate city attorney Scott Holmes said in an email.

He said granting the company a license to operate "would expose the city, it's staff, and elected officials to liability when inevitably someone is injured on one of these scooters."

Chad Emerson, chief executive officer of Downtown Huntsville, an economic development organization, said the legality of electric scooters is a gray area in the law.

"Hopefully, next spring there will be a legislative solution," he said.

Electric scooters and electric bikes are not intended to be motor vehicles under the spirit of the law, Emerson said. He does he doesn't think the gray area will keep Huntsville from implementing an electric scooter pilot program.

Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O'Quinn, an advocate for alternative modes of transportation in the Magic City, said he was advised by the city's law department that Bird electric scooters aren't street legal.

The scooters are considered motor vehicles because they have a motor and a throttle, he said.

"I don't necessarily agree with the notion that these scooters should be considered the same as a car," O'Quinn said. "But, that seems to be the general consensus among the legal community at this point."

Alabama law does allow certain electric personal assistive mobility devices, including Segways, to be operated on paved streets. O'Quinn contends that Bird scooters are more like a Segway than a motorcycle.

Homewood City Attorney Mike Kendrick said he hasn't taken a "firm position" on the street legality of the Bird scooters. Earlier this month, Homewood placed a 60-day moratorium on Bird to allow the city to study the issue and possibility draft regulations for their operation.

Bird Rides Inc. contends that Alabama law doesn't define low-speed electric scooters and should be considered street legal, and cities should be able to adopt their own legal definition of electric scooters and regulate them.

"Alabama, as we have seen to be the case in many states, counties, and cities across the country, does not define scooters such as Birds," the company said in a memo to the city of Tuscaloosa obtained by AL.com. "The closest fit would be a "motorcycle," but motorcycles have "a seat or saddle for the use of the rider," and therefore this definition does not apply to our scooters (Code of Alabama, Title 32-1-1.1-33). The category of "Motor-Driven Cycle" is also limited to the definition of a "Motorcycle" (32-1.1-34).

Bird also says its scooters are not meant to be defined as a "motor vehicle," which it calls an "umbrella term and catch-all category" for every self-propelled vehicle. The company said "it would be impossible for anyone to confuse the Bird scooter" with a motor vehicle.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't define electric scooters that are operated in a stand-up mode and don't exceed speeds of 20 miles per hour as motor vehicles.

O'Quinn said the likely next step for Birmingham is to go to the state Legislature and ask for the antiquated law be changed "because it's ridiculous in my opinion."

"The law needs to be amended accordingly to take into account alternative modes of transportation," he said. He also plans to try to change a Birmingham law that prohibits skateboarding and rollerblading in parts of downtown.

O'Quinn said there have been initial conversations to have legalizing electric scooters on the city of Birmingham's state legislative agenda for 2019. He said the topic should be discussed among the state's "Big 5" mayors when they have their annual meeting in November.A Fairfield elementary school teacher has been arrested amid allegations he inappropriately touched a student.

Kenya Deon Collins, 40, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Sept. 13, according to jail records. Fairfield police Chief Nick Dyer said Collins is charged with one count of sex abuse of a child under the age of 12.

Police began the investigation in May after a young C.J. Donald Elementary student reported sexual wrongdoing. Because of the age of the victim and the nature of the crime, the chief could not disclose specific details but said the allegations against Collins involve improper touching.

Collins at the time was a second-grade teacher. Dyer said the alleged abuse of the female student happened at the school but during after-school hours. He did not say whether the student was in Collins' classroom.

The felony warrant was issued against Collins in early September. He was then featured as wanted on Crime Stoppers until his arrest last week.

Collins was released from the county jail on Friday after posting $30,000 bond.

He did not return to C.J. Donald this year. Fairfield Superintendent Regina Thompson said he has been on administrative leave since the incident was reported to authorities and that the leave is now under review.

According to state records, Collins became a licensed teacher in 2003. Records indicate that license expired in June 2018. The records also note that alleged misconduct has been reported to the Alabama State Department of Education.A 22-year-old man convicted in the fatal shooting of a teen girl who was killed nearly five years ago over a cell phone has been sentenced to prison.

Larry Hunter Jr., who was 18 at the time of his arrest in 2013, was found guilty in May in the death of Alexis Hunter, who was killed outside of Selma High School. The suspect and the victim were not related but knew each other.

Dallas County Circuit Judge Donald McMillan on Monday sentenced Hunter to 30 years in prison. Hunter was one of two people charged in the killing. A second suspect - John Jones who was 16 at the time of his arrest - has not yet gone to trial.

The shooting happened on Dec. 23, 2013 about 9:45 p.m. on Franklin Street near the intersection of Memorial Avenue. Police arrived on the scene to find Alexis lying on the side with a gunshot wound to the head. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

The investigation showed that Larry Hunter, Jones and one of Jones' relatives were standing on the front porch of a nearby abandoned home when Jones said that he needed money and was going to get it from the next person that walked by. When Alexis and two of her friends walked by. They had been walking on the nearby track.

Alexis Hunter

Jones reportedly said "cuz that's a big (expletive) phone. I got to get that." At that point, Jones and Hunter walked off the porch and approached the girls, despite the relative's pleas for them to come.

According to witnesses, Hunter and Jones talked briefly with the girls and then Jones pulled a gun out of his waistband, cocked it and shot Alexis. Her friends testified that after Alexis had been shot, Hunter robbed one of them of a cell phone as well.

Hunter and Jones were quickly taken into custody. Hunter named Jones in the shooter. Both teens were initially charged with capital murder.

"We are glad another Selma gunslinger is off the streets,'' said Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson. "He needs to pack his suitcase because he will have plenty of time to think about how little he and his co-defendant value life."A man who opened fire outside a popular Tuscaloosa restaurant Sunday is developmentally challenged, and his caretaker is now facing charges.

The gunfire erupted at 12:40 p.m. outside Another Broken Egg Cafe on Jack Warner Parkway. The eatery is a favorite for University of Alabama students and is usually packed on Sunday.

When police arrived on the scene, they found a 21-year-old male student had been shot in the arm. He was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center. Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Kip Hart said shots had also been fired into the restaurant.

UA officials said the student was leaving the restaurant when the shots were fired. The shooting was random and he was an innocent bystander. He had already been released from the hospital.

Witnesses told investigators the shots came from a white vehicle in the parking lot outside the business and the white vehicle had left the scene. Responding officers were able to locate and stop the suspect vehicle and detained the two people inside it.

Hart said detectives determined the shooter is a developmentally-challenged 28-year-old man who was under the care of the driver - 30-year-old-Javaris Deangelo Dubose. Dubose was taking his client to the restaurant to eat.

When they arrived, Dubose left the client in the vehicle and went inside to reserve a table for himself and another friend. Dubose had also left his loaded pistol inside the vehicle.

Hart said it appears that while Dubose was inside, the client was able to get control of the pistol and began firing it. After the shooting stopped, Dubose went to his vehicle to check on the client and saw bullet holes in his vehicle. Dubose then left the scene with the client and was later stopped by patrol officers.

Dubose is being charged with reckless endangerment and tampering with physical evidence. He is being transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail where he will be held on $12,00 bond.

The shooter has been transferred to a facility for monitoring and evaluation, Hart said. More charges are possible.A statue showing an enslaved couple pulling the chains of oppression could be erected in Lauderdale County near a monument honoring the Confederate dead.

After more than a year of campaigning, hosting community discussions and pitching five different designs for a social justice monument, Florence-based nonprofit Project Say Something on Tuesday selected a statue featuring Dred and Harriet Scott.

"To have African American figures and bodies displayed in front of the courthouse will be powerful," said Camille Bennett, the founder of Project Say Something. "It shows what it means for Florence and can set an example for other cities."

Bennett said the organization is working on a presentation for the Lauderdale County Commission. If the design is approved by commissioners, the organization will then start raising the funds needed to create the statue itself.

The monument would be erected next to the 115-year-old Confederate memorial located in front of the Lauderdale County Courthouse. Bennett said selecting the Dred and Harriett Scott monument fits into the organization's mission to balance the state's Civil War history. Bennett said the monument ties Florence into a national story.

Dred Scott spent about a decade in Florence before he was sold to an army surgeon. After Dred and his wife Harriet sued for their freedom, Supreme Court justices ruled that blacks, freed or enslaved, were not U.S. citizens and thus could not petition for their freedom. The decision increased tensions between the North and the South before the Civil War.

Two artists submitted five different illustrations for the organization to consider. The other proposals included a bronze "Lady Justice" and a group of cast iron figures pushing against the weight of racial injustice. Wyoming artist David Alan Clark designed the Scott monument hoping it will create a positive influence in the Florence community for days to come in different ways.

"As the father of two daughters, I was pleased and surprised that Harriet had a pivotal influence in this because she was the one who started the entire 11-year legal battle and was a true partner with (Dred Scott) and other people at the time," Clark said. "It's important that you see a man and woman, husband and wife working together to produce important change. That's a message that's relevant in any day and age."

In August, Project Say Something hosted a showcase and displayed the different monument designs. Community comments collected during the event helped steer the organization's final decision.

Bennett said she received mixed reactions about the second version of the Scott monument, which included Taylor Blow. The Blow family owned Dred Scott while he was in Florence and paid for the Scotts' legal fees. But Bennett said many saw Blow's presence in the statue as distracting.

"He looked like he was anchoring Dred and Harriet and pulling a lot of the weight, which could be seen as racially insensitive," Bennett said. "Not that Blow was not important. He was an important ally, but in this case his figure was not working for us."

Bennett said the campaign has caught the eye of a few opponents. She said they were called "cockroaches" online. During a community meeting in a small, predominantly African American church last November, Bennett said two white men entered the church and recorded the event on their phones. Bennett said the men didn't speak and were frowning during the conversation. After the event, Bennett said she received a letter from an unknown individual.

"It kept challenging a statement that we made at our general discussion," Bennett said. "They were angry that we said that the Confederate monument was put there to intimidate African Americans, the central theme of the Civil War was not slavery and that 'the blacks' do not need a monument."

Bennett said Tori Bailey, president of the Tri-County Branch of the NAACP, also received a letter following the organization's first community meeting last October. She said that letter was the same except for one line.

"Mine didn't say, 'If you put another statue up, you will be in deep trouble,'" she said.

Bennett said that while the letters were upsetting, it didn't deter the group from moving forward with their mission.

"You kind of move through whatever negative feedback you get and you choose how much energy you give it," she said.An Alabama sheriff says a deputy shot another deputy with a baton round at the office.

Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin confirmed to the Decatur Daily on Monday that Deputy Zac Dockery was shot in the jaw Sept. 6. A baton round, typically a bean bag, is designed to be non-lethal.

Franklin said deputies were storing firearms and hadn't properly checked them.

Deputy Mike Whittle was written up for the shooting, and suspended three days without pay. Whittle and Deputy Joey Coburn, who was to ensure all items were handled in a safe manner, will be required to attend safety classes on their own time.

Dockery was hospitalized and released the same day. Franklin wasn't sure if he had returned to duty.

The sheriff's office has amended its storage policy.U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson has ordered the Alabama Department of Corrections to show why it should not be held in contempt of court for failing to meet deadlines for increasing mental health staffing in state prisons.

In an order issued on Friday, Thompson scheduled a hearing to begin Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Montgomery.

The hearing will be the latest development in the lawsuit filed on behalf of mentally ill Alabama prisoners in 2014 by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program.

In June 2017, Thompson ruled that mental health care in Alabama prisons was "horrendously inadequate" and violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The judge wrote that a shortage of mental health professionals and correctional officers was a key factor.

In February 2018, Thompson issued a remedial order setting deadlines in May, June and July for increasing mental health staff.

In July, lawyers representing the inmates asked Thompson to order the DOC to show why it should not be held in contempt for failing to meet the deadlines.

Lawyers for the state argued in an August 1 response that its new prison health care contractor, Wexford Health Sources, Inc., had worked extensively to meet the goals and had made substantial progress. They said they expect Wexford to meet the staffing targets in its contract by February.

Earlier this year, the Legislature boosted funding for the prison system by $80 million over two years. Most of the increase is intended to address the problems with understaffing and health care.The U.S. Coast Guard has removed one of its members from duty during Hurricane Florence after he allegedly made a white power sign in the background of a television broadcast.

The Coast Guard confirmed the removal in a tweet.

We are aware of the offensive video on twitter - the Coast Guard has identified the member and removed him from the response. His actions do not reflect those of the United States Coast Guard.  U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) September 15, 2018

The employee made the sign during an MSNBC video. During the on-air interview, the man, who has not been named by the Coast Guard, appears to scratch his head before making the motion, which includes a circle of the fingers and the "OK" sign. Some people claim the motion is a signal to other white supremacists.

The Coast Guard said the incident remains under investigation but did not deny the intent of the motion.

Earlier this year, four narcotics officers from the Jasper, Alabama Police Department generated controversy after appearing to make the same sign in a post-arrest photo.

The exact nature of the symbol is not clear, however. In a blog post, the Anti-Defamation League said the hand sign is not a hate sign and is a hoax.A picture showing six white male students standing with their boots on top of a black male student lying face down on the floor of Moody High School in St. Clair County has stirred racial tensions on social media.

The original post was captioned, "We got us one."

Principal Christopher Walters said in a statement, "We have confirmed that all students involved are friends and participated voluntarily in creating the picture, which they say was intended to be a 'joke'."

"The picture is offensive and unacceptable, and it does not reflect the values of our school, our students, or our community," he said.

The students were not identified. Though it's unclear when the picture was initially posted, commenters were quick to condemn the photo.

One commenter posted, "It's disgusting, disgraceful and disturbing to see this picture and claim that there's nothing racist about it! Why are there so many people in this country so proud of their ignorance and backward thinking?"

Walters told AL.com the picture was taken during a theme day last Friday where each class of students dressed up as one of four destinations: Hawaii, New Orleans, Dallas, and Hollywood.

St. Clair County Superintendent Jenny Seals provided this photo, taken of the same group of students taken at the same time.

This photo shows the same group of students taken at the same of the controversial photo. (Contributed by St. Clair County schools)

Here is Walters full statement, issued Monday afternoon:

We are aware of the disturbing picture of Moody High School students that is circulating on social media, and we are in the process of fully investigating this matter. We have confirmed that all students involved are friends and participated voluntarily in creating the picture, which they say was intended to be a "joke". The picture is offensive and unacceptable, and it does not reflect the values of our school, our students, or our community. Notably, I also don't believe that the picture reflects the values of the students involved. There is another picture circulating on social media taken of the same group of students at the same time demonstrating that the students are friends. The students involved clearly made poor decisions, and we will take appropriate disciplinary action.

At Moody High School, we will continue to emphasize our commitment that all students be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion so that all students feel welcome and gain the knowledge necessary to become college and career ready and to be good citizens in our community.

To see the social media posts, go here or go here. Warning: both posts contain foul language.A teenager has been arrested in connection with a school shooting threat that was posted on Snapchat over the weekend, authorities said.

The suspect, a Pisgah High School student, is charged as a juvenile, according to the Jackson County sheriff's office. Few details are available, and the suspect's name isn't being released.

Jackson County Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen said the student posted a picture of a pistol on Snapchat and said people shouldn't attend school on Monday.

School officials said a parent notified them about the threat. Heightened security procedures are in place today at the school. Harnen said while authorities believe any potential threat has been eliminated, the extra security is a precaution that can make students and parents feel safer.

"We have a zero tolerance policy," Harnen said. "Any threat will be handled in the criminal justice system."A new study adds fuel to the growing controversy about high school credit-recovery programs, finding that the schools that rely most heavily on them produce bigger increases in their graduation rates, even though their students perform poorly on state achievement tests.

The study, published Monday by the American Enterprise Institute , lands amid increasing worry about the role credit-recovery programs play in inflating high school graduation rates.

The national high school graduation rate reached an all-time high of 84 percent in 2016. But a pileup of anecdotes about schools and districts cutting corners has raised doubts about how many students truly deserved diplomas .

Credit-recovery programs exist in three-quarters of the countrys schools and serve 1 in every 13 high school students, the AEI study estimates.

Some Schools Rely Heavily on Credit Recovery

Nat Malkus, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, used several sets of federal data in his study to produce a troubling portrait of schools that rely heavily on credit recovery to help students complete high school.

The study divides its 15,500 schools into five categories based on how big a share of their students participate in credit recovery. About two-thirds have minimal, low or no participation.

But among the remaining one-third are schools Malkus dubs the peak credit-recovery schools: 1,230 schools where nearly 29 percent of students, on average, are using credit-recovery to stay on track. Thats 8 percent of all U.S. high schools, and 39 percent of all students in these catch-up courses.

That means that a lot of the credit-recovery work is concentrated in a small number of schools. Malkus found that the level of school poverty and minority enrollment track closely with the intensity of credit-recovery participation.

Those dynamics put equity front and center: The students who tend to be at greatest risk for not graduating are the ones who will be most affected by credit recoveryfor better or for worse.

In peak credit-recovery schools, students are slightly more likely to have fallen short on success markers like taking gateway math courses or taking AP classes or tests, and more likely to have been suspended, held back a grade, or chronically absent.

Theyre also less likely to have scored proficient on state tests.

But even those markers havent gotten in the way of big increases in their graduation rates, the AEI report finds. While the peak credit-recovery schools have graduation rates that are a few points lower on average than all schools, the AEI study finds that they produced much bigger gains in those rates from year to year, and over several years.

That schools with the highest credit-recovery participation also have the highest graduation-rate increases should raise serious concerns that these programs are devaluing diplomas and leaving students unprepared to negotiate the worlds of college or careers, the study says.

A handful of states emerge, also, as particularly reliant on credit recovery for their graduation rates. The AEI report shows the District of Columbiawhich has been reeling from its own graduation-rate scandalleading the pack, with 12 percent of all high school students enrolled in such programs. Arkansas, California, Rhode Island, and South Dakota weighed in with 10 percent each.

Heavy participation in credit recovery doesnt necessarily indicate that schools are offering poor-quality programs, however. The AEI study points out that some credit-recovery programs offer a good second chance for students whove fallen off track.

Leaders of the District of Columbia schools believe that its important to give students many ways to be successful as they get ready for life after high school, and rigorous, meaningful credit-recovery courses represent one of those options, district spokesman Shayne Wells said in an email.

The district is creating a new system to monitor the quality of those classes, and is drafting a new policy on their use that will be circulated soon for public comment, he said.

Ensuring Quality of Credit Recovery

The tricky part is that its hard to tell which programs are good and which ones arent, and so far, research sheds little light on this question of quality.

That leaves schools with a dilemma.

In schools with bigger populations of disadvantaged and academically struggling students, the AEI report says, it makes sense that they want to provide every opportunity possible for students to catch up and be able to graduate.

And when done well, credit recovery can provide a beneficial second chance for students while maintaining rigor and standards, the report says.

However, doing credit recovery well is difficult, and with anecdotal evidence as a backdrop, the unbridled access and high participation rates found in some schools can lend themselves to the programs becoming a second track to graduation, not just a second chance.

What should be done? The AEI report offers these recommendations:



Improve the accuracy of federal data on credit recovery

Monitor graduation-rate increases to see whether they accompany increases in test scores

Monitor credit-recovery programs and be transparent about the policies that ensure good quality

Regularly survey teachers and students about the quality of credit-recovery programs, since federal data dont capture this information

Consider deterrents to credit recovery, such as charging fees or making it available only in the summer or on weekends. Getting this balance right could be tricky, Malkus acknowledges in the report. But if credit recovery is too accessible to students, students could be tempted to fail a course and choose the easier alternative, and that can contribute to lower standards schoolwide, he says. Get High School & Beyond posts delivered to your inbox as soon as theyre published. Sign up here . Also, for news and analysis of issues that shape adolescents preparation for work and higher education.

Photo credit: Jennifer Kunz, right, talks with student Maralicia Presha, during a computer class in 2014 in Waco, Texas. Kunz works with at-risk students at the Brazos High School Credit Recovery Center. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald, Rod Aydelotte)Brett Kavanaugh during his conformation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Melina Mara The Washington Post

This is an opinion column.

Think about how much your own life has changed in 27 years.

I held nine different jobs in that span and was laid off on three times just between 2006-2014 as the media industry endured the painful contractions of the digital revolution.

In 1991, too, neither of my two now-think-they're-grown children were born.

Hopefully, I've grown from myriad lessons learned during those near-three decades and gained resilience from life's inevitable knock-downs.

We've grown as a nation, too. At least in some ways.

In many, unfortunately, we've seemingly regressed.

Yet in one vital way--the treatment of women--I do believe we've changed. And continue to do so.

Or so we'll soon see.

Like most Americans, I was riveted by Anita Hill's testimony during the 1991 Clarence Thomas U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She alleged, in graphic detail, that Thomas sexually harassed her while under his employment at the U.S. Department of Education and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.



For those more-innocent times, her revelations offered a titillating mix of race, sex, and power that became must-see television.

I don't think I've drunk a Coke since then, at least not out of a can.

Like many African-Americans, I also cringed at the sight of two intelligent, prominent and successful (political leanings and judicial rulings aside) blacks going at each other like Ali- Frazier.

Or Fred Sanford and Esther.

Hill took, and passed, a lie-detector test to support her assertions; Thomas refused to submit to one to defend his denials.

The hearings eventually turned when Thomas, in a moment piqued with as much tension as perhaps any political proceeding, emphatically and purposely played the race card before the all-white, all-male committee.

He famously called the hearings "a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves."

"And it is a message," he continued, "that unless you cow-tow to the old order, you will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured by a committee of the U.S. Senate rather than hung from a tree."

At that, it was over. The committee room when church-mouse quiet.

The Senate confirmed Thomas, 52-48, to a lifetime appointment on the U.S. Supreme Court, where he's been, frankly, as much of a disappointment as I suspected he'd be.

It was the narrowest confirmation margin since the 19th century.

At least until now.

There's a prevailing feeling, particularly so on social media, that California professor Christine Blasey Ford's stunning allegation that Judge Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were in high-school will not derail his U.S. Supreme Court nomination because Hill's testimony did not stop Thomas' rise to the highest court in the land.

Yet these are different times. Indeed, Hill's testimony, despite Thomas' confirmation, set in motion significant events and legislation that altered the treatment of women.

Not long after, Congress passed a law allowing women to seek federal damages, reinstatement and back pay for sexual harassment--after President George H.W. Bush, who had nominated Thomas, dropped his opposition to it.

A year following the hearings, EEOC harassment complaints were up 50 percent.

And after all those men essentially dismissed Hill's claims, more new women were elected to Congress in 1992 than in any previous decade--24, in fact, were voted into the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time.

Now, ignited not-quite-a-year ago when allegations surface against Hollywood power Harvey Weinstein, #metoo empowers women to speak openly about sexual impropriety, harassment, and assault--no matter when it occurred or the perpetrator's lofty status.

Last Saturday, Sen. Doug Jones, Alabama's unlikely Democrat, met with the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists and continued his often-repeated stance that he had not yet decided how he will vote on Kavanaugh's nomination.

"I'm going to make my decision when I get all the information [on him] and determine what is the right thing to do," he said. "There will be people who will be really pissed about it, either way."

That was just hours, however, before Ford revealed herself through the Washington Post, and later offered to testify the Senate committee.

And before Kavanaugh once again, on Monday, denied her claim.

On Sunday, Jones rightfully called for Thursday's scheduled committee vote to be delayed, as have Democrats and, as of this writing, at least three Republican Senators have called for doing so, as well.

But Jones also has no choice now but to vote against Kavanaugh.

How can any Senator, in these times, simply shrug their shoulders and dismiss Ford's claim because, perhaps, she has forgotten a few details?

How can that be explained to a constituency already on heightened-alert regarding sexual improprieties and the mistreatment of women?

If Ford testifies and displays the kind of confidence and credibility exhibited by Hill 27 years ago, it will all sound quite familiar and again be must-see television.

But these are different times.

Or so we'll soon see.

Roy S. Johnson's column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Hit me up at rjohnson@al.com or/and follow me at twitter.com/roysj or on Instagram at instagram.com/roysj/.Update: According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, McCluskey was recaptured on Sept 18. The original story follows.

Authorities are seeking an inmate who escaped late Sunday from a Baldwin County work release detail.

According to information released by the Alabama Department of Corrections, Gregory Keith McCluskey, 38, left his assigned job location in Foley shortly after 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16. He was sentenced in 2005 to a 15-year term for first-degree burglary in Limestone County.

The Department of Corrections describes him as a white male, 6 feet tall, blond hair and brown eyes, 210 pounds, with extensive tattoos including pit bull and flame designs. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a light-colored T-shirt with the Live Bait restaurant logo on the front and back.

Anyone with information on McCluskey's whereabouts is asked to call the Department of Corrections at 800-831-8825.A Soviet-era story explains how the Aral Sea became a ship graveyard. Young Uzbeks are now trying to revive the water.

Moynaq, Uzbekistan  The sun was setting over the ship graveyard in the town of Moynaq, Uzbekistan, when electronic music began thrumming through the air.

The warm, salty desert wind carried the sounds across the flat landscape, some 1,200 kilometres from the countrys capital, to the delight of thousands of spectators.

Friday, September 14 made history not only for the 13,500 local residents but also for Uzbekistans young generation.

The first electronic music festival in the country and the first music festival in Moynaq was an event many people had been waiting for.

Uzbekistan was until recently one of the worlds most isolated countries. Under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, it has been gradually opening up.

The Stihia festival, with avant-garde sounds and ambient techno played by DJs from Berlin, Georgia, Russia and Uzbekistan, was part of the new vision.

The location was not accidental.

The ship graveyard, littered with the skeletons of vessels rusting away in the sand, is what remains of the mighty Aral Sea.

In the ship graveyard, old vessels lie rusting in the sand [Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska/Al Jazeera]

It is a monument to one of the worst man-made environmental disasters.

The festival organisers wanted to raise awareness of the desiccation of the Aral and call for a more responsible approach in the notoriously water-hungry region.

Some attendees even believed the music might have a magical touch, hoping that perhaps techno beats and good energy could encourage the seas revitalisation.

Back in the 1960s, the Aral Sea fell victim to Soviet engineering projects.

Amu Daria and Syr Daria, two rivers that once flowed into the sea, were diverted to support the USSRs growing cotton industry.

In 1954, Turkmenistan launched the construction of the Karakum Canal bringing water from the top of the Amu Daria river, across the Karakum Desert, to cotton fields and taps in the parched capital of Ashkhabad.

Growing cotton, making textiles and growing wheat were more profitable than fish. So they did a trade-off, Michael H Glantz, director of the Consortium for Capacity Building at the University of Colorado, and a long-time activist to save the Aral, told Al Jazeera. The water sits there and evaporates anyway. So why not use it and build new canals, so that the water goes to the desert, which lacks water but is otherwise a productive soil?

In Soviet times, the relationship between Moscow and the Central Asian republics had a colonial dynamic, where the peripheries scarce resources boosted the centres economic might.

Do we care about some fish and fishing industry or do we want to feed the textile industry in Russia? said Glantz. The cotton used to go to factories in Moscow and other places on export, so it was a money maker. But the money didnt go to the Uzbeks or Turkmen.

People from all over the Karakalpakstan region attended the festival [Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska/Al Jazeera]

As a result, Moynaq, a thriving port and one of the most important fishing industry towns in the former Soviet Union, sank into oblivion.

By the mid-1990s, the coastline retreated over 100 kilometres and the sea lost three-quarters of its water. Soon after, all the fish died.

The Aral Sea disaster destroyed the towns main source of employment, which resulted in high outward migration.

Before the fish factory finally closed down in 1998, its employees were processing imported fish.

Today, the ship graveyard, where local boys hang out, is the last reminder of the towns lost identity.

The seas decay also had environmental consequences.

The runoff from the cotton fields left the ground waters in Moynaq contaminated with chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers, which affected the local populations health.

The area turned into a salt desert where dust storms rage for over 90 days a year, spreading poisonous salts.

During the perestroika time, the Aral Sea catastrophe was seen as analogous with Chernobyl, since both radioactive substances from Chernobyl and blown-away sands from the bottom of the dried-up Aral Sea could be found all over the Eurasian Continent, Tetsuro Chida, associate professor from the Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, told Al Jazeera.

The Soviet scholars and authorities had foreseen the shrinkage of the Aral Sea when they took developmental measures in the basin, but they did not know what would happen as a result of its diminishment, Chida said.

Muhabbad, a 35-year-old resident of Moynaq, says the effects of the seas decay are felt daily.

The weather is getting worse every year. The water is salty and undrinkable and we are suffering from various health issues, she told Al Jazeera. Oncological diseases have become way too common.

She attended the music festival with her 15-year-old niece Sabrina. While they enjoyed themselves, Muhabbad said the future of Moynaq is unclear.

We would like other countries to help us to address our problems. But I dont know if it can happen. Im 35 and I have never seen the Aral Sea, she said.

It's like with climate change. No one wants to give up on fossil fuels or coal. And the same is with the Aral - no one wants to give up water. So who is going to make the sacrifice? Michael H Glantz, director of the Consortium for Capacity Building at the University of Colorado and activist to save the Aral

For those who came from Tashkent, the capital, the event provided a reason for many to visit a faraway corner of the country and take a closer look at the effects of the environmental catastrophe.

The people who listen to electronic music and who came from Tashkent and Samarkand are young professionals. They read a lot and their voice is important, said Anna, a journalist from the capital, told Al Jazeera.

Its clear that we cannot change the situation, but we can draw some lessons from the catastrophe. We understand that the misuse of resources had caused a global problem. We have to learn from the past to avoid the same mistakes in the future.

At present, both the UNDP and the Uzbek government are trying to address the effects the ecological disaster has had on local populations.

Their efforts focus on improving peoples health, education and environmental security, promoting entrepreneurship and developing local infrastructure.

Thanks to a dam built between the northern and southern parts of the sea, Kazakhstan managed to save its own part of the Aral. That dam, however, has disrupted the flow of water into Uzbekistan.

{articleGUID}

There is little hope that the Aral Sea will return to Moynaq.

The Uzbeks, the Turkmen, the Kazakhs and then the Tajiks would all have to agree to give up water for irrigation of cotton, wheat, rice and just let it flow to the sea. It would take decades of sacrifice to refill it, the University of Colorados Glantz said.

Its like with climate change. No one wants to give up on fossil fuels or coal. And the same is with the Aral  no one wants to give up water. So who is going to make the sacrifice? he asked. It is hard to save something thats not there.Deadly storm Florence drenched North Carolina with more downpours on Sunday, cutting off the coastal city of Wilmington, damaging tens of thousands of homes and threatening worse flooding as rivers fill to the bursting point.

The death toll rose to at least 17.

Florence, a onetime hurricane that weakened to a tropical depression by Sunday, dumped up to 100 cm of rain on parts of North Carolina since Thursday, and continued to produce widespread heavy rain over much of North Carolina and eastern South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.

The storm has never been more dangerous than it is right now, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told a news conference. Many rivers are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow.

Some rivers were not expected to crest until Monday or Tuesday, the National Weather Service said. More than 900 people were rescued from rising floodwaters and 15,000 remained in shelters in the state, Cooper said.

Many of those rescues took place on swift boats in Wilmington, a historic coastal city of about 117,000 people on a peninsula between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean.

More than 641,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.It was nearly a year ago that an extraordinary story involving Saad Hariri, the Lebanese prime minister, unfolded in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Hariri announced in a live TV address that he was resigning as prime minister, citing threats to his life from Iran.

Reading in a stilted manner from a written script, he said that Iran was responsible for devastation, desolation and chaos wherever it goes adding I want to tell Iran and its followers that it will lose in its interventions in the internal affairs of Arab countries. It was a highly ironic thing to say, given the circumstance, but Hariri, if he was aware of the irony, was careful to mask it. With good reason.

The date of the broadcast, November 4, 2017, is significant. It was the same day that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, MBS as he is known, oversaw the arrest of nearly 200 senior businessmen and members of the ruling family and incarcerated them in Riyadhs five-star Ritz-Carlton Hotel in what was billed as an anti-corruption drive. Over the next two months, most were released but only after agreeing to hand over the bulk of their assets to the government.

For Hariri, whose family had extensive and troubled business holdings in the kingdom, the so-called anti-corruption drive had ominous implications. His own family was spared arrest but the message was unmistakable. He had no choice but to accept a Saudi engineered coup detat.

Hariri then spent nearly two weeks under effective house arrest before being allowed to leave Riyadh for Paris after French President Emmanuel Macron intervened. On returning to Beirut in early December, he rescinded his resignation and matters returned to what constitutes normal in the fractured political landscape of Lebanon.

The entire Hariri affair, designed as a putsch by MBS to underscore Saudi Arabias ability to curtail the meddling of Iran turned into a spectacular own goal. His growing reputation as a leader who acted fast without understanding the consequences, already much on display with the war in Yemen and the dispute with Qatar, was further reinforced.

The Lebanese, angered by Saudi high-handedness, rallied around Hariri. Hezbollah, the Iranian backed force that is a key power broker in Lebanon, emerged if anything in a more powerful position than before.

However, by the time the country went to the polls in May of this year much of the sympathy for Hariri had evaporated in a bitter climate of economic stagnation and, in the capital Beirut, the stench of an unresolved and long-running dispute over rubbish disposal. Hariris Future Movement party lost a third of its seats, winding up with just 20 in the 128-seat parliament. Hezbollah and an allied party, Amal, won 28 seats. Since then efforts to form a government with Hariri as prime minister have gone nowhere.

{articleGUID}

It is a situation that the speaker of the parliament Nabih Berri is reported to have described as very dangerous. He added Lebanon is in intensive care  The economic situation is very serious.

The speaker was not exaggerating. Lebanon now has one of the largest debt burdens in the world, with government debt standing at more than 150 percent of GDP. In a recent analysis, the influential economic consultancy firm Capital Economics notes: The current account deficit stands at 25 percent of GDP. The deficit is funded largely through  portfolio inflows and deposits into local banks from non-residents  mainly from the Lebanese diaspora.

Saudi Arabia has approximately 200,000 Lebanese expats and as the country ratchets up their Saudisation drive  replacing migrant workers with Saudi citizens  their jobs and the remittances they send back to Lebanon are increasingly at risk.

Though Mohammed Bin Salman stumbled badly in the Hariri affair, his simmering anger towards Iran continues unabated. He could go for less dramatic measures than seizing the prime minister and ordering his resignation, such as the expulsion of Lebanese workers and an embargo on Lebanese goods, mainly foodstuffs, shipped to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

An even more powerful measure would be to impose restrictions preventing any dealings with Lebanese banks, be they deposits via remittances or business transactions. Such a move would encourage the outflow of capital from the banks and force the central bank into devaluing the Lebanese pound, making it even more challenging to service a mountain of borrowing in a country where half of all government revenue goes towards paying down the debt.

That is exactly what happened in November when Hariri was coerced into resigning. As the Capital Economics report notes: the eruption of tensions late last year provided a glimpse of how vulnerable the Lebanese banking sector is to an escalation of tensions. During that period non-resident deposits dropped by three percent in a single month.

Were MBS to use such means to ratchet up the pressure in order to gain further concessions and force Lebanon to rein in the power of Hezbollah, the implications for the already fragile Lebanese banking sector, and with it the economy, are potentially catastrophic.

The question that remains is how far is Mohammed Bin Salman prepared to go to carry the fight to Iran via a proxy economic and political war in Lebanon? He may even be thinking that the Israelis, always uneasy about Hezbollah, will support some form of military action.

With US sanctions looming on Iran and with the unconditional and unquestioning backing of the Trump White House, MBS may believe now is as good a time as any to escalate his proxy war. It would be a reckless choice, one that would do incalculable harm to the people of Lebanon but then this is a leader who has shown himself time and again ready to leap first and think later, consequences be damned.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.The trial of eight men accused of taking part in the murder of Honduran indigenous rights and environmental activist Berta Caceres will begin on Monday, amid ongoing criticism of the governments handling of the investigation into the rights defenders killing.

Caceres was shot dead in her home in La Esperanza, Honduras just before midnight on March 2, 2016, after years of campaigning against a hydroelectric dam. All eight men have denied the charges.

Honduras is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmental and land rights activists, and even then, the murder of Caceres was shocking given that she was one of the most prominent and well-known activists in Latin America. She was the recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize before her death. The murder drew widespread condemnation from international human rights organisations and other governments, particularly for the Honduran governments lack of protection of Caceres.

In the years before she was killed, she, along with fellow activists from the Civic Council of Indigenous and Popular Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), campaigned against the internationally-financed Agua Zarca dam project in western Honduras. During that time, other international backers, including a client of the International Finance Corporation, dropped their involvement with the project.

Flowers lie as part of a memorial to slain Honduran activist Berta Caceres, who was shot in her home on March 2nd, 2016 [File: Kavitha Chekuru/Al Jazeera]

Of the eight men who will face trial on Monday, two are former employees of Desarrollos Energeticos (DESA), the company behind the dam project, as well as an active-duty member of the military. A ninth suspect, David Castillo, was arrested in March of this year  on the two year anniversary of the crime. He will face charges in a separate trial. At the time of his arrest, the government stated that Castillo, the executive president of DESA, was in charge of providing logistics for the crime, though the company has maintained his innocence.

Despite the arrests and even as the trial begins, many, including the family, have expressed doubts about the governments investigation so far and raised questions as to whether or not all of the true intellectual authors of her murder have been arrested.

There arent adequate conditions to begin the trial for the first eight people charged, Bertita Zuniga Caceres, one of the slain activists daughters, told Al Jazeera. Zuniga Caceres, who is now a coordinator with COPINH, pointed to a number of irregularities, including the fact that the government has refused various court orders to provide information about the investigation to the familys legal team.

Vast majority of evidence not examined

From the beginning of the investigation, Caceress family and international human rights groups have called on the Honduran government to let an independent body investigate the crime, similar to the investigation by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights into the disappearance of 43 students in Guerrero, Mexico in 2014. The government has so far refused to do so.

{articleGUID}

In light of the governments refusal, an independent group of lawyers that comprised five lawyers from the United States, Guatemala and Colombia was organised by the family last year. In October 2017, they released a report detailing a myriad of failings by the Honduran government in the course of the investigation.

One of the most damning conclusions of the report was that a year and a half into the investigation, the government was in possession of evidence implicating high-level business executives and state officials but had yet to act on that information.

In their report, the group of lawyers stated that they had been able to establish the participation of executives, managers and employees of DESA, of private security personnel hired by the company, of state agents and parallel structures to state security forces in crimes committed before, during and after March 2, 2016, the day of the assassination.

The scene of the 2016 murder of Berta Caceres [File: Kavitha Chekuru/Al Jazeera]

Among the evidence the independent group was available to review was a cache of documents, hard drives, text messages and WhatsApp messages. These included exchanges between Sergio Rodriguez, a social and environmental manager for DESA who is among the eight facing trial on Monday. One of the messages from him was from the day after the murder. In it, he forwards a copy of the police report of the crime scene that he received just hours after the killing to an undisclosed DESA executive. Caceress family had yet to receive that information.

The evidence that the group drew upon is among the evidence that the government is only now analysing, under court order. But its unclear if their findings will be part of the trial.

It appears that the public ministry is about to go to trial on murder charges against eight defendants without having examined the vast majority of the evidence in state custody since May 2016, Roxanna Altholz, one of the independent groups authors, told Al Jazeera. She also said that state prosecutors had not run a ballistics test on the Colt .38 revolver  the same calibre as the murder weapon  seized from the home of Mariano Diaz, a former military officer accused of the murder, or examined data from the computers seized from DESAs headquarters.

Caceress murder drew widespread condemnation from international human rights organisations and other governments [Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post/Getty Images]

The governments failure to process relevant evidence and information in a timely manner has raised objections from not only Caceress family  but the defence as well. The prosecutors, we believe, are withholding critical exculpatory evidence, Robert Amsterdam, a lawyer for DESA, said in a statement to Al Jazeera.

A spokesperson for Hondurass Public Ministry, the equivalent of the Attorney Generals office, had not responded to a request for comment from Al Jazeera at the time of publication.

The results of this trial will show whether or not the government is serious about tackling the corruption and impunity that has already stalled dozens of investigations into the murders of other activists and rights defenders.

[This crime] should be approached with all respect to due process, Zuniga Caceres said, so the case isnt exposed to annulment in the future or to the suspects being absolved due to improper proceedings.

With additional reporting by Raul Valdivia from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.Brexit countdown: IMF chief gives no-deal warning

The International Monetary Fund warns of major problems for the UK head if it fails to agree on an exit deal with the European Union.[September 17, 2018] TransPecos Banks Selects NYMBUS to Launch BankMD.com NYMBUS, the world's most advanced revenue and technology solutions company, today announced TransPecos Banks has selected NYMBUS SmartLaunch to outsource the operation of its new digital bank brand, BankMD. Already serving its established banking customers throughout three regional locations in West Texas, SmartLaunch supports TransPecos Banks' latest business transformation strategy to stand up a separate digital brand for expanding its digital reach and engaging loyal new consumers and revenue opportunities. "We entered 2018 with a goal of improving all of our customer experiences and developing targeted products and services for specific customer types, but quickly realized that our current technology was not capable of delivering the experiences, innovative solutions or services that met our or our customers' expectations," said Dub Sutherland, Vice President and Secretary of TransPecos Financial Corp., bank holding company of TransPecos Banks. "What attracted us to NYMBUS was the ability for SmartLaunch to rapidly support our new standalone BankMD brand and provide a modern customer experience to this targeted digital audience of medical professionals. NYMBUS does this with no disruption or cost to our existing bank infrastucture and they are willing and able to integrate with our cloud-based loan origination platform. Not only does this eliminate the need to manage another project or go through a technology conversion, but also the risks and obstacles we've previously faced while exploring digital transformation strategies." Recognizing that innovation has to happen immediately for financial institutions to compete and stay relevant, NYMBUS recently introduced SmartLaunch as a low-risk digital brand alternative that can be up and running in record time to quickly generate sustainable new deposits and revenue. This Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) model outsources the entire operation of a bank's digital brand-from a customer-facing call center to back-office operations to targeted digital marketing and website services-to the company's team of industry banking experts. SmartLaunch is also built on NYMBUS' modern, digital-first SmartCore platform, which bypasses the need to undergo a technology conversion. The legacy operation isn't disrupted and no additional staff is required. "TransPecos is not alone, as more financial institutions recognize the land grab opportunity to establish a digital-only bank brand for revenue protection and growth," said David Mitchell (News - Alert) , President of NYMBUS. "What we are pioneering is a strategy to help financial institutions with a business transformation which is focused on keeping their core competencies and shedding non-core operations to NYMBUS' best-practice sourcing center." Furthered Mitchell, "Assembling all of the required technical and human components would typically burden an organization's time-to-market and bottom line. SmartLaunch resolves these barriers to entry by providing all of the necessary technology, expert staff and full marketing support to ensure that the new brand gets maximum exposure to quickly and efficiently capture its new targeted audience." Specific to TransPecos Banks, SmartLaunch is delivering outsourced support for BankMD-their separate digital-only brand that is focused on serving the unique financial needs of medical professionals. Financial institutions can also use their established market brand for introducing a digital bank with SmartLaunch. In either scenario, NYMBUS handles this in as few as 90 days under the institution's existing charter. For more about SmartLaunch and how to get started, visit NYMBUS.com. About NYMBUS

NYMBUS provides the world's most advanced revenue and technology solutions for today's financial institutions. From SmartCore, SmartDigital and SmartPayments, our flagship digital technology platforms, to SmartLaunch, our full-service and standalone digital brand alternative, NYMBUS enables financial institutions to digitally transform their businesses. About TransPecos Banks

TransPecos Banks is a member of TransPecos Financial Corp., a Texas banking organization with locations throughout the TransPecos Region of West Texas and its corporate headquarters in San Antonio. We are committed to providing the highest level of customer care and leadership in the communities we serve. Our employees help set us apart by providing friendly, high quality customer experiences and innovative banking solutions. TransPecos Banks and its employees are proud of the communities in which we live and serve. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005091/en/

[ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ]Politicians on both sides of the aisle call for a planned committee vote on Trumps Supreme Court nominee be delayed.

Calls from both Democrats and Republicans to delay a vote on US President Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee continued to mount on Monday after a woman, who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, came forward over the weekend.

Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor in California, told the Washington Post on Sunday that Kavanaugh groped her and tried to take off her clothes at a party when they were teenagers in 1980s. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the allegations, reiterating again on Monday that he has never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or anyone.

Both Kavanaugh and Ford have said they are willing to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the allegations.

On Monday, all 10 Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats called on the panels Republican chairman to postpone this weeks planned committee vote on Kavanaughs nomination. According to US media, some Republicans on the panel also said the vote should be delayed until the committee can hear Fords testimony.

Republican Jeff Flake told Politico late on Sunday that he wasnt comfortable voting yes if a vote is held without any attempt with hearing what shes had to say. He added: We need to hear from her. And I dont think Im alone in this.

Republican Bob Corker also said delaying the vote would be best for all involved.

{articleGUID}

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley plans to speak with Kavanaugh and Ford before the committees scheduled vote, according to a spokesman for the senator. The spokesman made no mention of a hearing.

Republicans hold a slim 11-10 advantage on the Judiciary Committee. The panels vote only serves as a recommendation and Kavanaughs confirmation can still be brought to a vote in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-49 majority, even without the committees approval.

Kavanaugh has had a relatively smooth confirmation track until the allegations against him were reported last week. Ford, whose identity was unknown until Sunday, had sent a letter to Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein in July. In the letter, Ford said she had received medical treatment after the assault, adding that it is upsetting to discuss sexual assault and its repercussions, yet I felt guilty and compelled as a citizen about the idea of not saying anything.

Kavanaughs supporters have questioned why the allegations surfaced only after he underwent four days of questioning in early September.

This woman should not be ignored

Kavanaugh arrived at the White House on Monday, shortly after issuing a strongly worded statement denying Fords allegation and stressing his willingness to go before the Senate Judiciary Committee to refute it. It is unclear whom the Trump Supreme Court pick was meeting.

{articleGUID}

Although the White House appeared to stand behind Kavanaugh, senior adviser Kellyanne Conway said on Monday that sworn testimony from both Kavanaugh and Ford on the specific allegation should be considered as part of the record in the judges hearings.

This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored, Conway said in an interview with Fox News.

At the same time, Conway described 53-year-old Kavanaugh, a Washington federal appeals court judge, as a man of character and integrity who had already gone through deep vetting by the FBI.

Trump said on Monday it was OK with him if the Senate confirmation vote is briefly delayed. If it takes a little delay, itll take a little delay, Trump told reporters. But Trump said he believed Kavanaughs nomination remained on track and he has full confidence in his nominee, who he said has never even had a little blemish on his record.

We want to go through a full process  and hear everybody out, Trump said, adding that he wished Democrats would have brought up the accusations against Kavanaugh sooner.

If confirmed, Kavanaugh is expected to tip the scale in favour of conservatives, potentially further threatening womens access to abortion, restrictions on presidential powers and efforts to curb gun ownership. He would serve the court for life.

#MeToo

Fords allegations come nearly a year after the #MeToo movement was popularised following the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein, who has since been charged with rape and other sexual crimes. Weinstein denies the allegations.

{articleGUID}

Since then, allegations of sexual abuse have rocked numerous industries and professions including the media and political scene. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in three women in the United States experience some form of sexual violence in their lives.

Fords challenge also evoked the 1991 battle over the Republican nomination of Clarence Thomas, now the courts most conservative justice.

During his hearings, allegations from a former colleague, law school professor Anita Hill, surfaced accusing him of repeated sexual harassment when they worked together.

Hill endured a brutal assault on her personal reputation in hearings and in conservative media and the all-male Republicans on the committee ultimately backed Thomas.Money earmarked for Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza will instead be redirected to programmes within Israels borders.

The US has cut additional aid to the Palestinians for programmes supporting conflict resolution with Israelis, adding to more than $500m in other cuts.

The latest cuts come from $10m in programmes on reconciliation involving Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, as well as Jews and Palestinian citizens of Israel.

The portion of the money involving Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip was being redirected to programmes between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel, a US embassy official said on Sunday.





It was not clear how much of the $10m was being redirected.

US officials also could not confirm whether the latest cut meant all non-military related aid to the Palestinians had now been eliminated.

As announced in August, the administration redirected more than $200 million that was originally planned for programmes in the West Bank and Gaza, a US embassy official said.

At the same time, we redirected a portion of the $10 million which was planned for conflict management and mitigation.

The official said the portion involving Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza would be used to enhance programmes in Israel instead.

The latest cuts come amid a raft of financial and diplomatic sanctions against the Palestinians for what the Trump administration describes as their reluctance to negotiate with Israel.

Palestinians say the cuts are a form of blackmail aimed at pressuring them into accepting an unfavourable peace accord with Israel.

In recent months the US has shut down the Palestinian Liberation Organisations office in Washington, DC, cut economic aid to Palestinians in the occupied territories, and scrapped plans to finance hospitals in occupied East Jerusalem.

The US has also cut funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency, which supports Palestinian refugees and their descendants.Erdogan and Putin announce de-militarised zone between opposition and Syrian government forces in last rebel bastion.

The leaders of Russia and Turkey have agreed to establish a de-militarised zone in Syrias Idlib province, in a move that ostensibly puts on hold a threatened all-out assault by government forces on Syrias last rebel bastion.

The announcement was made on Monday during a press conference in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, where Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Speaking alongside Erdogan, Putin said the 15-20km-wide zone would be established by October 15.

This would entail a withdrawal of all radical fighters from Idlib, including the al-Nusra Front, Putin said, referring to Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is dominated by a rebel faction previously known as al-Nusra Front before renouncing its ties to al-Qaeda.

Putin added that heavy weapons would be withdrawn from all opposition forces by October 10  an approach supported by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

By the end of 2018, transportation routes linking Syrias key port of Latakia with major cities Aleppo and Hama must also be restored, added the Russian president, a major Assad ally.

Describing the agreement as a serious result, Putin said that Russia and Turkey have confirmed their determination to counter terrorism in Syria in all its forms.

For his part, Erdogan said both his country and Russia would carry out coordinated patrols in the de-militarised zone, and reiterated that the biggest threat to Turkey was the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), who control swaths of territory in northeast Syria.

We decided on the establishment of a region that is cleaned of weapons between the areas which are under the control of the opposition and the regime, said Erdogan, whose administration backs certain rebel groups in Idlib.

In return, we will ensure that radical groups, which we will designate together with Russia, wont be active in the relevant area, he added.

We will prevent a humanitarian tragedy which could happen as a result of military action.

The United Nations has warned that a large-scale offensive on the northwestern province, home to three million people, would result in a bloodbath and lead to the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century.

Following the press conference, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the agreement between Putin and Erdogan meant that no military action would be taken against Idlib, according to Russian news agencies.

{articleGUID}

Al Jazeeras Rory Challands, reporting from Russias capital, Moscow, said the deal ruled out an imminent offensive on Idlib.

Essentially, this boils down to a fairly significant diplomatic success for Erdogan as he has been voicing his strong opposition for some time now to the assault on Idlib, Challands said.

We are now looking at a very different scenario that is going to be playing out by October 15.

Turkeys huge leverage

The Syrian government had recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive on Idlib province, long controlled by various armed opposition groups, after managing to claw back swaths of rebel-held territory.

Since the beginning of September, dozens of people have been killed and wounded in air raids and attacks by the Syrian government and allied Russian fighter jets, according to activists on the ground.

Russia and Iran, who back the Syrian government, want to eliminate what they call terrorist groups in the province, which borders Turkey.

Ankara wants a stable ceasefire in the region to disarm these groups while keeping the peace in Idlib.

Turkish officials had repeatedly warned Russia and the Syrian government against attacking Idlib, saying it would lead to another massive wave of refugees heading towards Turkey.

Over the past week, Turkey has deployed reinforcements and expanded defensive structures at about a dozen observation points across opposition-held territories in Idlib, western Aleppo, and northern Hama provinces.

The outposts were established after a de-escalation agreement was reached between Turkey, Russia, and Iran in July 2017.

Marwan Kabalan, director of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, said that following the deployment of troops, Turkey seemed to have the right forces on the ground in order to enforce Mondays agreement.

The Turks seem to be very confident that they can actually implement this because they have a huge leverage right now on the radical groups in Idlib, he told Al Jazeera in Qatars capital, Doha.

Otherwise, there will be a military retaliation by the Russians  what the Turks are doing right now is providing some protection cover for these groups from any Russian attack. So these groups now, in my opinion, must bow to the Turkish pressure and try to cooperate.

On the other hand, Kabalan noted that a major military offensive would had been very costly for Russia.

Firstly, they dont have enough manpower on the ground to start the operation, he said.

Secondly, the agreement shows that Turkey has become a very important partner for Russia in Syria, and the Russians didnt want to sacrifice their partnership with Turkey in order to go and fight the opposition in Idlib.

And thirdly, the Russians are more attentive right now to the United States position on Idlib, which in recent days became even stronger against any military operation.

On Friday, thousands took to the streets across Idlib, a densely populated province where about half of the population are internally displaced persons, to protest against the threatened offensive.

Kabalan said the agreement signalled that when it comes to Idlibs fate, its only Putin and Erdogan, not even Iran that are calling the shots, adding that both leaders need each other right now in Syria  for any political solution.Turkeys president says he expects the meeting to have positive outcome to prevent humanitarian tragedy in Idlib.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi to discuss the countries disagreement over the future of the Syrian city of Idlib.

Erdogan will hold talks with Putin on Monday on his one-day trip to the Russian city, the Turkish presidential office said in a statement.

Syrian government has recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive on Idlib province, long controlled by various armed opposition groups and their last bastion in the war-torn country.

Russia and Iran, who back the Syrian government, want to eliminate what they call terrorist groups in the province, which neighbours Turkey.

Ankara wants a stable ceasefire in the region to disarm these groups while keeping the peace in Idlib.

{articleGUID}

The UN warns that a full offensive on Idlib would lead to the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century.

On Sunday, Erdogan said that he expected his meeting with Putin to have positive outcomes in order to prevent a humanitarian tragedy in Idlib.

The outcome of our meeting with Putin will be important. I also have visits to the United Nations General Assembly and Germany towards the end of the month, said Erdogan.

It is my wish that, with positive decisions made at these meetings, we will carry out the situation [in Idlib] to a new level. If the situation in Idlib continues as is, the results will be heavy.

During talks in Istanbul on Friday, officials from Turkey, Russia, France and Germany agreed that any attack on Syrias rebel-held Idlib would have severe results and a political solution must be reached, according to Turkeys presidency.

Turkey, Russia and Iran met in Tehran last week but the talks failed to produce any agreement on a ceasefire.

Since the beginning of September, dozens of people have been killed and injured in air raids and attacks by the Syrian government and Russian warplanes, according to activists on the ground.

Thousands took to the streetsacross Idlib on Friday to protest against a potential full-fledged offensive by government forces and their allies.Peace agreement bolsters historic peace accord between former Horn of Africa enemies after two decades of enmity.

Ethiopia and Eritrea signed an agreement at a summit in Saudi Arabia, bolstering an historic peace accord between the two former Horn of Africa enemies, officials said.

Authorities did not reveal exact details of the new deal signed on Sunday in Jeddah, but sources close to the Saudi government said it would help strengthen the truce and enhance security in the wider region.

Saudi King Salman hosted the signing ceremony which was also attended by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea signed today in Jeddah is a historic event that will contribute to strengthening security and stability in the region, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said.

Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritreas President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace pact in July ending two decades of enmity sparked by a two-year border conflict which broke out in 1998.

Two land border crossings between Ethiopia and Eritrea were reopened last Tuesday for the first time in 20 years, crowning a rapid reconciliation between the former bitter enemies.

The warming of ties in the Horn of Africa has also seen Ethiopia and Eritrea re-open air links, embassies and trade routes.

W ind of hope blowing in Horn of Africa

Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, and war broke out later that decade over a border dispute.

A 2002 UN-backed boundary demarcation was meant to settle the dispute for good, but Ethiopia refused to abide by it.

A turnaround began in June when Abiy announced that Ethiopia would hand back to Eritrea the disputed areas including the flashpoint town of Badme where the first shots of the border war were fired.

Meanwhile, Guterres said Saudi Arabia will also host possible talks between the presidents of Djibouti and Eritrea on Monday and Tuesday.

The two nations have been at loggerheads for decades over a long-standing border dispute.

There is a wind of hope blowing in the Horn of Africa, Guterres told journalists after the signing.

It is not only the peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea  it is the fact that tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we will have, here in Saudi Arabia, the president of Djibouti and the president of Eritrea  two countries that have also been at odds with each other. the UN chief added.Officials says danger still immediate as record flooding continues to plague parts of the US state.

More than 1,200 roads in North Carolina were closed on Monday due to flooding from Hurricane Florence, now downgraded to a tropical depression, which brought record rain and storm surges to the state.

At least 23 people have been killed as a result of the storm, which made landfall on Friday as a Category 1 hurricane.

The slow-moving storm has dumped up to 91cm of rain on the state since Thursday, displacing thousands. The flooding could persist for several weeks in some areas.

For many parts of North Carolina, the danger is still immediate, the states governor, Roy Cooper, told reporters on Monday. Flood waters are rising as rivers crest and they will for days.

The dead included a one-year-old boy, who was swept away from his mother as they tried to escape their car amid floodwaters. Officials warned residents to avoid driving around barricades.

Cooper said about 2,600 people were rescued in North Carolina, along with 300 animals, and that the rescues were continuing. About 14,000 people are in shelters, officials said.

Early on Monday, the rain was still falling in the middle of the state as another band of heavy rain was heading for Wilmington, a city already largely cut off from the outside world by flooding.

The Lumber River at Lumberton was at 6.71 metres, 7cm above the old record and maybe more dramatically, 2.75 metres above flood level. This level is forecast to be maintained for the next five days.

The Cape Fear River at Chinquapin was up to 7.38 metres on Sunday morning, 22cm into a new record, and again, a dramatic 3.42m above flood level.

Florence is now a tropical depression and on its way north through Virginia, Pennsylvania, New England and Nova Scotia.Guatemala City  Guatemalan activists and politicians warn of a breakdown in the constitutional order following the governments rejection of a court ruling overturning the presidents decision to ban an international anti-corruption commissioner from the country.

Late on Sunday, the Constitutional Court voted to overturn a government measure, issued earlier this month, that barred Ivan Velasquez, the head of the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity (known by its Spanish initials, CICIG), from Guatemala.

Following the ruling, high-level officials told reporters that the government would not accept Velasquez as the CICIG commissioner and will send the UN a request for a list of suggested replacements.

The developments prompted a fierce response from rights groups and others, including Iduvina Hernandez, director of the Association for the Study and Promotion of Security in Democracy, who say the governments handling of the order is a litmus test for [the president] and for institutionality.

Leocadio Juracan, an opposition politician from the Convergencia party, initially celebrated Sundays court ruling but said he was concerned about a constitutional breakdown related to the governments response.

If there is not compliance with [the ruling], is a clear demonstration of contempt of the law, he told Al Jazeera.

According to Juracan, people in power have used their power to blanket themselves with impunity and that is what is happening now in Guatemala.

Every day now the real dispute for power that is happening in this context in the country is becoming more evident, and that is where the population should continue with their pressure, demanding justice, because historically in Guatemala the population has never been heard, he said.

CICIGs role

CICIG has played a key role in combating government corruption in Guatemala, working alongside Guatemalan prosecutors to bring cases against high-level officials, judges, and corporate executives.

Prosecution of corruption has soared during the five years Velasquez, a Colombian former judge, has been CICIG commissioner. In 2015, then-President Otto Perez Molina was forced to resign and was promptly arrested after a corruption investigation. He and much of his administration are currently in jail awaiting trial on corruption charges.

Elected in late 2015, current Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales ran on an anti-corruption platform and promised to support CICIG. That support appeared to falter after Morales and his party became the subjects of investigations into illegal campaign financing.

Morales declared Velasquez persona non grata in 2017, but a Constitutional Court ruling overturned the measure. Although Morales abided by the ruling at the time, he announced late last month that he would not renew CICIGs mandate, which is set to end in September 2019, and again barred Velasquezs entrance to the country, setting off a number of legal challenges and protests.

On Sunday, the court ruled that Velasquez is allowed back into the country, saying that the moment he is denied entrance, there will be legal consequences.

Dina Ochoa, president of the Constitutional Court, reads the unanimous decision to permit CICIG commissioner Ivan Velasquez to enter the country [Jeff Abbott/Al Jazeera]

The ruling was celebrated by those who gathered outside the courtroom following the decision.

Its fantastic that the ruling announced tonight was the result of the unanimity of the court, Hernandez told Al Jazeera outside the court on Sunday night.

That optimism soon turned into concern, however, after high-level officials announced on Monday they were not obligated to permit Velasquez back into the country, arguing the ruling does not mention Velasquez by name.

Nowhere in the ruling does it establish that the president must permit Mr Ivan Velasquez into the country, Inspector General Jorge Luis Donado said at the press conference Monday. Donado added that the government could not comment on the intentions of the court magistrates or their comments beyond the text of the ruling.

Before the officials announcement, presidential spokesman Alfredo Brito told Al Jazeera that a legal team was analysing the court decision and that an official position would follow.

Although Sundays ruling only mentions the commissioner, Constitutional Court magistrates made it clear they were referring to Velasquez in their remarks during the press conference Sunday evening.

Many are asking why we said commissioner instead of saying Ivan Velasquez. And the truth is that we are using as our foundation Article 12 of the [CICIG] agreement which refers directly to a commitment by the Guatemalan state with the United Nations, Constitutional Court magistrate Gloria Porras told Guatemalan news programme, ConCriterio.

The commissioner designated by the United Nations must have access to the country without any kind of restrictions, she added.

Hernandez said now is the time for the public prosecutor to act.

The government  the president and the ministries of the interior and foreign affairs  has consummated the disobedience of the Constitutional Court ruling, she said following the officials announcement.

The office of the public prosecutor issued a statement on Monday with a message from Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras, who urged all parties to respect the ruling.

She ratifies her firm position to act in the face of any situation that gives rise to the commission of a crime, said the statement, adding that all public prosecutors and personnel are instructed to do the same.

Sliding back to times of the conflict

Concerns over the militarisation of the country also remain. When Morales announced he would not renew CICIGs mandate, he was flanked by dozens of military and police officials. A significant police presence and some military-style special forces were on the streets last week in advance of protests outside Congress and the national palace.

Its generating terror for the population, said Marcelo Sabuc, national coordinator of the Campesino Committee of the Highlands. Its as though things are sliding back to the times of the conflict, he told Al Jazeera.

A demonstrator holds a balloon with an image depicting Guatemalas President Jimmy Morales as a clown during a protest against his decision to not renew the mandate of CICIG [File: Luis Echeverria/Reuters]

A 36-year armed conflict, which ended in 1996, between leftist rebel groups and state and paramilitary armed forces devastated Guatemala.

Indigenous Mayan civilians bore the brunt of the violence, which left an estimated 200,000 people dead. State forces carried out acts of genocide in four regions of the country, according to a UN-backed truth commission.

Authoritarian governments and military rule in the decades prior to the 1996 Peace Accords are still fresh in many Guatemalans minds. As recently as 1993, then-President Jorge Serrano Elias attempted to dissolve Congress, the Supreme Court and other institutions.

We dont want to live through another coup detat, said Sabuc.

Protests against the government are expected to continue this week, with calls for Morales to step down.

The population is positing that this is not a problem between Jimmy [Morales] and Mr Velasquez. It is a problem of institutionality and the rule of law, which the population at large proposes to defend, said Hernandez.

The way to do that is to demand the resignation of the person responsible for the breakdown of constitutional order.The former vice president has been barred from the Democratic Republic of Congos presidential election over the case.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced Jean-Pierre Bemba, a former vice president and rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for bribing witnesses during his war crimes trial.

In a ruling on Monday, The Hague-based court handed Bemba a 12 month sentence and a 300,000 euros ($350,000) fine for tampering with witnesses in an earlier hearing over possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by fighters he sent to suppress a coup in neighbouring Central African Republic between October 2002 and 2003.

ICC Judge Bertram Schmitt said the ruling would provide a cautionary example as to what consequences obstructing the administration of justice can have.

Mr. Bembas acquittal in the main case should have been the end of his exposure to the court, yet he continues to have the spectre of this institution hanging over him, Schmitt said.

He will not return to jail because of the sentence, having served time after being found guilty following the war crimes case in 2016. Bemba, who had been in ICC detention since 2008, was acquitted on appeal in June.

Election uncertainty

After a decade in prison, Bemba returned to the DRC on August 1 to submit his candidacy for the countrys December 23 presidential election.

But the 55-year-old, a popular opposition leader, was barred on September 3 from standing because of the conviction for witness tampering.

{articleGUID}

According to DRC law, those found guilty of corruption are prohibited from running for president.

Al Jazeeras Neave Barker, reporting from Brussels, said it was very unclear what action Bemba will take following the ruling.

Bemba could well get on a plane and go back to Kinshasa [the DRCs capital], in theory there is nothing to stop him from doing that, Barker said.

He has hoped ever since the initial charges against him were quashed in June that he was going to be able to launch a presidential campaign to be able to one day lead the country.

In a rare opinion poll of potential candidates published by the Congo Research Group in late July, Bemba ranked joint-first alongside fellow opposition politicians Felix Tshisekedi and Moise Katumbi.

Katumbi has also been effectively barred from running, however, after the DRCs authorities prevented his return to the country from a self-imposed exile following a 2016 conviction in absentia for alleged real estate fraud.

Reuben Loffman, a lecturer in African history at UK-based Queen Mary University of London, said Bemba must back Tshisekedi  as a divided opposition opens the door for Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, the anointed candidate of incumbent President Joseph Kabilas ruling coalition.

There is always a chance he [Bemba] could get on the ticket. But overall I think it is very unlikely the CENI [electoral commission] would have a change of heart, Loffman told Al Jazeera.

Kabila took power in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Desire Kabila. He was declared the winner of elections in 2006 and 2011 that were marred by violence and opposition allegations of widespread fraud.

In August, following months of speculation, Kabila announced he would not seek re-election in the presidential poll, scheduled to take place two years after his second and final constitutional term officially expired.

The DRCs election commission is expected to publish a final list of candidates for the election on September 19.PM Khan said government will issue passports and ID cards to those born on Pakistani soil.

Karachi, Pakistan  Prime Minister Imran Khan has pledged to implement existing Pakistani laws that would grant citizenship to all Afghan and Bangladeshi refugees who were born on Pakistani soil, a major departure from previous policy.

Pakistan is home to more than 1.39 million registered Afghan refugees, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), many of whom have been resident in the country for more than 30 years.

There are also more than 200,000 ethnic Bangladeshis in Pakistan, most of whom live in the southern city of Karachi. Many of them were stranded in the city after the war in 1971 when Bangladesh, then East Pakistan, gained independence.

Afghan refugees, meanwhile, have poured into Pakistan from its western neighbour for decades, first fleeing the Soviet invasion in the 1970s, and then the civil war that ensued.

Since 2001, a fresh influx of refugees followed the US invasion of Afghanistan, and the subsequent Taliban war to take back the country.

These poor migrants from Bangladesh, they have been here for more than 40 years, their children are grown now  we will give them passports and ID cards, as well as those Afghans whose children have been raised here, who were born here, we will also give them [citizenship], said Khan in Karachi on Sunday.

This happens in every country in the world, why is it that here we are inflicting such an injustice on these people?

The announcement is a marked departure from the policy followed by previous governments, and could see the prime minister face confrontation with the countrys powerful military, which has often blamed Afghan refugees for violence in Pakistan.

Pakistani law allows citizenship for all those born in the country, with the exception of children of foreign diplomats, enemy aliens and those who migrated away from territories that became Pakistan after the partition of the subcontinent in 1947.

The legal status of Afghan refugees resident in Pakistan expires on September 30, although it is widely expected to be extended by the government, as has been done numerous times in the past.

Repatriation of refugees

The UNHCR welcomed the development, but said it was awaiting specifics on how Khans government intended to move forward.

UNHCR welcomes the statement on Afghan children born in Pakistan, spokesperson Dan McNorton told Al Jazeera. We look forward to working closely with the government of Pakistan on this issue in the coming weeks.





The Afghan government did not immediately comment.

Since 2014, Pakistan has been actively encouraging the repatriation of Afghan refugees, with the numbers of refugees returning spiking during that year.

Rights groups say Pakistani authorities have carried out a sustained campaign of intimidation and harassment of refugees since a 2014 attack on a Peshawar school killed more than 140 people, an attack that Pakistan blames groups based in Afghanistan for.

The rate of repatriation dropped last year, as violence spiked and the Afghan Taliban stepped up their attacks on civilian targets across the country.

This year, at least 9,821 Afghan refugees have repatriated to their homeland, according to UNHCR data. Birth rates among the refugee community, however, are high, and at least 14,682 Afghan refugee births were also recorded during the same period, the data shows.

Tense relations

Relations between the two neighbours have remained tense for years, with Afghanistan blaming Pakistan for hosting the Afghan Taliban leadership and its allies, a claim that Pakistan denies.

Pakistan claims Afghanistan has not acted against the Pakistan Taliban, which it claims is based in eastern Afghanistan.

On Saturday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi led a high-level delegation on a visit to Kabul, with both sides pledging their commitment to a new comprehensive dialogue framework.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras digital correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim.Iranian foreign minister questions Twitters decision while asking why US-backed bots were still active.

Iran has accused Twitter of closing accounts of real Iranians, while allowing anti-government bots backed by the United States, to continue.

Facebook and Twitter collectively removed hundreds of accounts tied to an alleged Iranian propaganda operation last month.

But in a tweet sent out on Sunday, Irans Foreign Minister Javad Zarif questioned Twitters decision to not block bots that prop up regime change propaganda spewed out of DC.

Hello @Jack. Twitter has shuttered accounts of real Iranians, [including] TV presenters & students, for supposedly being part of an influence op, Zarif said in the tweet, addressing Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

How about looking at actual bots in [the Albanian capital of] Tirana used to prop up regime change propaganda spewed out of DC? #YouAreBots.

Twitter declined to comment when contacted by the Reuters news agency in the US.

Iran, meanwhile, frequently blocks Twitter and other social media platforms due to concerns over national security.

In April, the government announced its plan to permanently block Telegram, the most popular messaging app in the country having about 40 million users in the country.

Iranian media have accused Israel, Saudi Arabia, and exiled opposition groups, including the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), which has some members based in Albania, of being behind social media campaigns calling for for regime change in Tehran.

Earlier this month, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the US and Israel of waging a media war to discourage Iranians, as the country faces economic hardship after the reimposition of US sanctions.A Missouri mother listed because the first caregiver for her 20-365 days-historic terminally in terrible health daughter has been charged with taking the girl's anxiety treatment after the family's doctor tipped off police about suspicious requests to stock up prescriptions.

She faces stealing and abuse charges of a vulnerable person.

The police claimed that Ballweg was the primary caregiver for her terminally-ill daughter, who is in hospice care and prescribed fentanyl and oxycodone for pain.

The listing identified Ballweg's daughter as "CM", but did no longer indicate what form of illness the girl has.

Concerns over these incidents prompted doctors to request a drug screen of the patient's urine. The release said the staff members reported Ballweg to the Department of Health and Senior Services after her prescriptions were filled earlier than required multiple times.

The urine screen came back negative of the daughter's prescribed drugs, which prompted a search warrant to be executed on September 11.at Ballweg's home.

Investigators searched Ballweg's home Tuesday, and Ballweg allegedly admitted to having an opioid addiction and to taking her daughter's oxycodone herself.

Evidently, because of the concerns regarding CM's care, particularly regarding her not receiving her pain medications, her doctor requested for a urine test just days before on September 7 and found no traces of the prescribed drugs in her system.

Prescription opioids are often used for treating patients suffering from chronic and acute pain, but the use of these drugs come with risks, which include addiction, overdoses, and deaths.

Her bond was set at $100,000, and a judge ordered that she cut off contact with her daughter. Between 1999 to 2016, opioid overdose claimed more than 200,000 lives in the United States.Retired army general Jovito Palparan found guilty of disappearance of two female university students in 2006.

A retired army general accused of being behind the killing of dozens of leftist activists in the Philippines has been sentenced to life for kidnapping two university students in 2006.

Jovito Palparan, nicknamed The Butcher for his deadly campaign against communist rebels, was found guilty of the disappearance of two university students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.

Judge Alexander Tamayo also convicted two of Palparans co-accused, an army lieutenant and a sergeant, and ordered the three to pay 300,000 Philippine peso ($5,500) each in damages to the family of the two students.

Palparan protested the conviction, shouting at the judge: Youre a coward, judge! Youre such a coward!

Tamayo warned Palparan that he would be cited for contempt, but the former general shouted: It doesnt matter. We will be jailed anyway. Youre such a fool.

Empeno and Cadapan were kidnapped from a rented home in the town of Hagonoy in Bulacan province, 36 kilometres north of Manila, in June 2006 by people believed to be soldiers.

"The Butcher" Gen. Jovito Palparan has been found guilty for the abduction of UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. This is a stern warning to all human rights violators. Impunity is not forever. The time of reckoning has come. #Hustisya  Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) September 17, 2018

Empeno, who was then 22, was doing research on the plight of farmers in the province, while Cadapan, then 29, was a community organiser for a leftist farmers group in Bulacan.

The two were believed to have been raped, tortured and later killed by soldiers, but their bodies have not been found.

When charges were filed by the parents, Palparan went into hiding and was only found three years later in Manila.

Local and international human rights groups welcomed Palparans conviction, which came seven years after the case was filed against him in 2011.

The National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL), which counseled Cadapan and Empenos families, welcomed the ruling, saying that human rights violations will meet their match.

[Palparans] conviction sends the message that perpetrators of hideous human rights violations will meet their match in the fortitude of the mothers, the strength of the mass movement, the courage of human rights defenders, and the value of good lawyering for the people, the NUPL said in a statement.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also hailed the verdict as a big blow against impunity in the Philippines.

This ruling by a Philippine court came after a long and agonising struggle for justice by the families and supporters of the two activists, who remain missing, Carlos H. Conde of HRW said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera.

Conde said the decision should serve as a reminder to state security forces that justice and the law will catch up with them sooner or later.At least two children were killed in raids on Saada province as UN special envoy arrives in Sanaa for peace talks.

[Warning: Some viewers may find images in this video distressing]



It was what everyone dreaded  two dead children.

After sifting through a home turned to rubble, rescue workers finally found the bodies of three-year-old Nabil and new-born baby girl Sumood.

Just moments earlier on Saturday, a Saudi-UAE military alliance, which has been carrying out air attacks on Yemen since March 2015, bombed their home in Saada provinces Marran district, an impoverished area less than 40km from oil-rich Saudi Arabia, footage sent to Al Jazeera by Houthi rebels appeared to show.

These were civilians, they were little kids, said one of the rescuers, as their bodies lay strewn next to him on a rock.

{articleGUID}

What was their guilt, why were they killed? said another, who managed to rescue other members of their family after the devastating attack.

Local news channel Saada News reported that the children were from an internally displaced family who had recently relocated to Marran after their home was previously destroyed.

But in what has become the norm for millions of Yemenis, families have had to repeatedly resettle when the sounds of planes pass overhead and bombs dropping intensify.

Air raids intensify

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been carrying out air raids on Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country, in an attempt to reinstate the internationally recognised government of President Abu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Hadis government was toppled by Houthi rebels in late 2014 after the rebels stormed south from their stronghold of Saada, and captured large parts of the north.

With logistical support from the US, the Saudi-UAE alliance has carried out more than 16,000 raids on Houthi-held areas in an attempt to reverse their gains.

These attacks have targeted weddings, hospitals as well as water and electricity plants, killing and wounding thousands.

According to the UN, at least 10,000 people have been killed in the war, but the death toll that has not been updated in years and is certain to be far higher.

In July, the last month where statistics of air raids were available, Saudi and UAE jets launched 277 raids, 43 percent of which targeted non-military sites.

The Yemen Data Project listed 108 air raids on Saada province, a region straddling the Saudi border that has been ravaged by violence since the start of the conflict.

Hodeidah, which has also been the scene of fierce fighting in recent weeks, was targeted at least 101 times, the monitoring group said.

Dire humanitarian situation

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has been pushing the warring parties to restart peace talks and arrived in Sanaa on Sunday to meet the Houthis as fighting resumed in the port city.

Griffiths visit to the capital comes after his push for peace talks last week with representatives from Yemens internationally recognised government and the rebels fell apart before they could officially begin.

That meeting, which would have been the first in nearly two years, was scheduled to take place in the Swiss city of Geneva on September 6.





The Houthi delegation, however, did not show up, accusing the UN of failing to guarantee their safe return to Sanaa and secure the evacuation of wounded rebels to Oman.

Lise Grande, the UNs Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, and David Miliband, the president of the International Rescue Committee, are expected to hold a press conference in the town of Bajil on Monday to discuss the latest on the humanitarian situation.

On Saturday, the Houthis signed a memorandum of understanding with the UN to take critically ill patients abroad for treatment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday that 12 health conditions had been identified, including patients with cancer, chronic diseases and congenital anomalies.

The UN has warned that continued conflict in Hodeidah, the entry point for the bulk of Yemens commercial imports and aid supplies, could trigger a famine.

An estimated 8.4 million people are at risk of starvation in Yemen, according to the UN.

The countrys three-year war has ensnared millions in what the European Union called the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 22 million in dire need of assistance.Future Forward party founder Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and two top members face hefty fines and jail if convicted.

Authorities in Thailand have charged the leader and two senior members of a newly-formed political party for allegedly spreading false information about the ruling military government on Facebook.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a 39-year-old tycoon and the founder of the Future Forward party, along with the two members, reported on Monday to a police station in the capital, Bangkok.

The three leaders of the liberal party, which aims to remove the influence of the military over Thai politics, were charged under the Computer Crime Act, considered draconian by government critics for its denial of freedom of speech online.

They are accused of giving false information in a June 29 speech by Thanathorn that was posted on Facebook, in which they had alleged that the military government was recruiting members of major political parties to join new parties set up in support of it.

The charges came a week after the military government partially lifted its ban on political activities, put in place since coming into power in May 2014, to allow parties to convene meetings and recruit members.

After being questioned and fingerprinted by police, Thanathorn denied the allegations in comments made to reporters.

The use of the Computer Crimes Act is used with the objective to silence us, threaten us, to make politics of fear happen in this country, he said.

Political campaigning remains banned in Thailand despite the approaching 2019 general elections, tentatively set by the military government for February following several postponements.

Politically motivated

If convicted under the law, the Future Forward trio face hefty fines and up to five years in jail. The military government-scripted Thai constitution bans anyone convicted of a criminal offence from running as a legislator.

The charge is politically motivated, said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a political science professor at Kyoto University and a prominent critic of the military government. Its a cheap ploy to eliminate political opponents of the state.





Thanathorns party said it would continue its campaigning before its formal launch onto the political stage on October 1.

We are not afraid. We will fight the case and continue our political activities, said spokesperson Pannika Wanich.

Thanathorns legal woes come just months after he launched his political career, hoping to win votes among a public wearied by the 12-year power struggle between a pro-military old guard and allies of billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The young politician, whose family owns the countrys largest car parts manufacturer, attracted some comparisons to other outsider politicians making waves around the globe, such as Frances Emmanuel Macron.

Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai party, which had formed the government that was toppled in 2014, is yet to reveal who its leader will be in advance of the polls.

Former premier Yingluck Shinawatra, who led that government, joined her brother Thaksin in self-exile last year just before a court found her guilty of criminal malfeasance during her time in office.

On Wednesday, Thailands monarchy endorsed two laws that would pave the way for parliamentary elections no later than May 2019.Eleven of the 14 governments respond to comments by OAS chief who refused to rule out military intervention.

Eleven of the 14 governments that are part of the Lima Group have rejected the possibility of military intervention against Venezuelas government and defended a peaceful outcome of the migration crisis.

The statement was in response to a press conference on Friday, where the head of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, refused to rule out military action, adding that only restoring democracy in Venezuela would solve the crisis the country is in.

As for military intervention to overthrow the Nicolas Maduro regime, I think we should not rule out any option, because definitively, the Nicolas Maduro regime is perpetrating crimes against humanity towards its population, and violations of human rights, said Almagro.

The suffering of the people, in this induced exodus, that it is driving, means that diplomacy remains the first option but we cant exclude any action.

This is the first time the Lima Group, which was established in 2017 to apply international pressure on Venezuela, and Almagro have publicly disagreed on Venezuela.

The Lima Group rejected the military intervention against Venezuela and left Luis Almagro, slavish agent of the Empire, all alone with his coup plotting obsession, tweeted the Bolivian head of state, Evo Morales, on Sunday.





It is a defeat of Trumps interventionism and a victory of dignity and courage of Venezuela and Latin America, he added.

The Venezuelan government announced it would appeal to the UN and other international bodies to take action against Almagro.

Almagro attacks Latin America and the Caribbean intends to revive the worst military intervention on the continent, said Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.

The idea of resolving Venezuelas crisis by changing the regime has always been rejected throughout the region.

Almagros threat of military force is surprising as he previously condemned the regions support for a US invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965 in order to remove a democratically elected president.

The invasion, carried out in the OAS name, left thousands dead and generated resentment against the idea of using force against sovereign nations.

In 2015, Almagro apologised for the OAS role in the invasion, saying such events should never be repeated. The region has not had a full-scale war in more than five decades.





Almagros comments came after his three-day visit to neighbouring Colombia where a wave of migrants has fled to from oil-rich but impoverished Venezuela.

Almost a million Venezuelans are currently living in Colombia, according to the government, but the real number is likely higher.

We havent had anything to eat for four days, Eric Aparicio, a Venezuelan migrant trying to cross into Colombia, told Al Jazeera. We bring metal and plastic, I dont know how much I will make with this but at least enough for a piece of bread.

Governments initially welcomed the migrants with open arms, remembering Venezuelas role in welcoming those fleeing dictatorships and conflicts in the past.

But the exodus has ballooned this year, stretching social services, creating more competition for low-skilled jobs and stoking fears of unrest.Worlds biggest storm of the year leaves a trail of destruction in Hong Kong, Macau and Chinas Guangdong province.

At least four people were killed in Chinas southern Guangdong province as a result of Typhoon Mangkhut, Chinese state television has reported.

Clean-up efforts were under way on Monday, a day after the worlds biggest storm of the year made landfall in southern China and pummelled Hong Kong and Macau.

The storm has been downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm. Forecasters warned that strong winds and heavy rain will last until Tuesday.

Mangkhut passed over the northern Philippines on Saturday, where at least 65 have been killed and rescue efforts are under way in hopes of finding survivors in areas hit by landslides.

On Sunday, the storm made landfall in Guangdong province around 5pm local time (09:00 GMT), packing wind speeds of 162 km/h, while 10-metre-high waves battered the coastline.

More than 2.4 million people were evacuated from seven cities in the province before the storms arrival.

Falling trees

Of the four fatalities in Guangdong, three died after they were hit by falling trees in Guangzhou while another was killed when a building collapsed in Dongguan.

In Hong Kong, Mangkhut made high rises sway and shattered windows. More than 300 were injured.

On Monday, commuters in Hong Kong had to clamber over fallen trees and piles of debris to get to work as life started getting back to normal.

There were trees down all over the place, no cars, no buses, lawyer David Milligan, who works in Hong Kongs commercial hub of Central, told AFP news agency.

The gambling enclave of Macau, meanwhile, closed its casinos for the first time.

South China Morning Post reported 20,000 households were left without power on Sunday in the gambling hub while 1,280 fled to temporary shelters as severe flooding hit low-lying areas. Casinos have since reopened.A national disaster has been declared in four states after devastating floods hit different parts of Nigeria.

Torrential rains have unleashed floods in different parts of Nigeria over the past few days, killing at least 100 people and damaging thousands of homes, according to officials.

A national disaster was declared in four states  Kogi, Niger, Anambra and Delta  over the flooding, meaning that the federal government had taken over the search, rescue and rehabilitation of victims.

Based on the data available, 100 people have so far died in 10 states, Sani Datti, spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Monday.

Delta is an oil-producing state in the Niger Delta region, home to Africas biggest energy industry, where the Niger river fans out before emptying itself into the Atlantic. There has been no reported impact on crude oil production.

A national disaster was declared in four states  Kogi, Niger, Anambra and Delta [Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters]

Kogi and Niger are in central Nigeria whereas the other two are in the south.

In Lokoja, the state capital of Kogi, floods partially submerged several houses.

The city lies at the confluence of the Benue and the Niger, Africas third-longest river, making it particularly vulnerable to high waters.

The water started coming this month and after a while, it appeared behind our houses and continued without let-up until last week when the water surrounded our houses, Angulu Atodo, a retiree in Lokoja, told Reuters news agency.

I didnt have anywhere to go to. They carried us off to a place far away and we have been there without any food or anything.

Nigerias rainy season, which typically runs from March to September, brings with it inevitable flooding.

Such flooding is exacerbated by poor infrastructure and lack of planning to protect against the waters, but this year the destruction has been the worst since 2012.

At least 140 people were killed and tens of thousands forced to abandon their homes that year, in Nigerias worst flooding in more than five decades.President Martin Vizcarra has been facing a stalemate over his proposed anti-corruption reforms.

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra is facing a standoff with legislators over his call for a referendum on anti-corruption measures and has invoked a constitutional procedure that could end up dissolving the Congress.

In a televised speech on Sunday night, President Martin Vizcarra ordered the opposition-dominated Congress to hold a special session Wednesday to debate his proposal.

If they block it in a no-confidence vote, Vizcarra will then be empowered by Perus constitution to dissolve Congress, something he has already threatened.

Almost 40 days ago, we submitted [these initiatives]  with the expectation of working and fighting together against this endemic evil [corruption], said Vizcarra.

However, in this period of time, the Congress only elaborated a timetable, without understanding the urgency of a change.

Under Perus constitution, if Congress dismisses two cabinets formed by a single administration, the president can close Congress and call legislative elections.

The current Congress already dismissed the Cabinet formed under former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who Vizcarra replaced in March after serving as vice president.

We hope history does not repeat itself after a year, when this Congress refused to renew its confidence in the Cabinet, Vizcarra warned in the televised message, telling Peruvians he would make good on promises to fight corruption at any cost.

The president of the Congress, Daniel Salaverry, called for meeting on Monday to discuss the message of Vizcarra.

Translation: Due to the announcement of the President of the Republic I am calling the Board of Spokespersons to meet tomorrow at 9am.

Ante el anuncio del Presidente de la Republica estoy convocando a la Junta de Portavoces para manana a las 9am.  Daniel Salaverry (@dsalaverryv) September 17, 2018

We will not be broken

Kuczynski blamed his fall on Fujimoris party and warned a week ago that Congress was aiming to overthrow the president again.

Opposition legislators denied the charge, saying Vizcarras proposed reforms are less urgent than other matters.

Vizcarra has proposed creating a new system for selecting judges and prosecutors, ending immediate re-election of legislators, creating a second chamber in Congress, and criminalising unreported campaign contributions.

In a recent Ipsos poll, 79 percent of Peruvians favour a petition including the changes in a referendum Vizcara wants during regional elections in December.

I represent the widespread acclaim for reform now, said Vizcarra. We will not be broken.

The escalation in tensions between the executive and legislative branches is starting a new period of political uncertainty in Peru, the worlds second-biggest copper producer and one of Latin Americas most stable economies.Dozens of gold miners feared buried in Benguet province landslide, as full extent of typhoon damage is revealed.

Rescue efforts are under way in the northern Philippines as authorities have raised the death toll of Typhoon Mangkhut to 66.

Philippines National Police said that as of Monday, a further 56 people remained missing and 64 were wounded as a result of the worlds strongest storm of this year.





All but one of the missing are in the Cordillera Administrative Region, which saw a number of landslides.

Philippine police earlier said that the missing, majority of whom are gold miners, were feared to have been trapped when part of a mountain slope collapsed on miners barracks in a remote village of Itogon town in Benguet province.

As of Monday evening, at least 11 bodies have been dug out from the site of the landslide.

Victorio Palangdan, mayor of Itogon, said that there is 99 percent chance that all the missing miners and their families were killed.

Dozens of people sought shelter at the bunkhouse of the miners during the storm, despite warnings it was dangerous.

They laughed at our policemen, Palangdan said. They were resisting when our police tried to pull them away. What can we do?

The Philippine government on Monday ordered a stop to all illegal mining in six mountainous northern provinces in hopes of preventing more tragedies.

In a press conference, Environmental Secretary Roy Cimatu said the army and police would be deployed to enforce the ban.

{articleGUID}

Typhoon Mangkhut, locally named Ompong, made landfall on Luzon Island in northern Philippines on Saturday.

On Monday morning, it weakened to a tropical storm after battering Hong Kong and parts of southern China on Sunday.

Chinese state TV on Monday said that four were killed in China as a result of Mangkhut. Millions were evacuated.

Damage revealed slowly

Reporting from Itogon, Al Jazeeras Jamela Alindogan said the mayor has said he fears the death toll could rise.

There have been reports that there are pockets of landslides in different parts of this village and we were told that the entire devastation in this community has not yet been grasped, she said.

There has been a movement of rescuers doing manual digging and that is because bringing in machines to help with it is very difficult.

Livelihoods destroyed

Homes and farmlands were left destroyed in rural communities in Luzons northeastern Cagayan province, where the typhoon first came to shore.

One of the towns which bore the brunt of the destruction was Baggao.

Rescue workers clear a road of debris and toppled electric posts as they try to reach Baggao [Ted Aljibe/AFP]

A quarter of people in the region live in poverty and get by on less than two dollars a day.

There is significant destruction of property and root crops, General Emmanuel Salamat of the Philippine Marines told Al Jazeera.

Cafe owner Julie Rosales had only her small cafeteria to support her family, but now it is gone.

It really hurts us, we dont know where to begin, she said.

Everything happened so fast and now my business is gone.

Many in Baggao defied a forced evacuation order by the government to protect their livelihoods.

Our house was blown away. We were flooded, 55-year-old Diday Llorente told the AFP news agency.

But we did not evacuate because we didnt want to leave our carabao (water buffalo) and livestock.Move comes after Washington ended aid to Palestinian institutions and moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The US has revoked visas for the family of the PLOs ambassador in Washington, DC, the latest measure against Palestinian officials by the Trump administration.

Ambassador Husam Zomlot said his family, including his two young children, had left the US after they were informed that their visas, which were due to expire in 2020 were no longer valid.

The move follows the US announcement last week to close diplomatic offices belonging to the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, which will take effect next month.





Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLOs executive committee, condemned the decision to cancel visas for Zomlots family.

As if the announcement that the US would close our office in Washington, DC was not enough, this vindictive action by the Trump administration is spiteful, Ashrawi said in a statement.

Zomlot said in an interview that two of his embassy employees met last week with State Department staff, who had requested the meeting.

The State Department informed our colleagues, as part of the discussion on the closure, that the visas of my wife and children are dependent on the PLO delegation and as such will not be valid after the closure of the office and that if they wanted to stay they would have to change their immigration status, Zomlot said.

He added: This goes against diplomatic norms. Children, spouses and family have nothing to do with political rows.

Inhuman and immoral

The move is the latest in a long line of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on Palestinian officials and institutions.

In late August, the US cut all funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides for the welfare and human development of Palestinian refugees expelled from their homes by Israel during its founding, as well as their descendants.

The number of such refugees totals about five million people.

That same month the US cut $200m in economic aid to the Palestinians, which was being used for programmes in the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip.

Even hospitals were not spared from the measures, with the US deciding to scrap plans to provide $25m to a network of six hospitals in occupied East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Authority has called the withdrawal of aid political blackmail and an inhuman and immoral action.

The Trump administration justifies the measures by saying it wants to force the Palestinians to the negotiating table, but Palestinians believe the US is trying to strong arm them into accepting an unfavourable deal with the Israelis.

The US has always been Israels strongest ally, shielding the country diplomatically and supplying it with military aid.

The Trump administration, however, has taken on an even more aggressive stance against the Palestinians, which includes the decision to move the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.Acrimonious meeting at the UN headquarters in New York comes on the eve of the inter-Korea summit in Pyongyang.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, has accused Russia of cheating international sanctions that were placed on North Korea in a bid to choke Pyongyangs nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

During a fractious Security Council meeting on Monday, Haley said Moscow had tried to conceal systematic violations of the 15-member bodys penalties on Pyongyang and pressure UN experts into altering a report on the implementation of the sanctions.

Russia must cease its violations of North Korea sanctions. It must end its concerted effort to cover up evidence of sanctions violations, Haley said at the UN headquarters in New York.

Breaches included Russian assistance in ship-to-ship transfers of banned items, mainly oil but increasingly coal and other goods, she added.

A report compiled by an independent panel reviewing whether UN sanctions on Pyongyang had been implemented was submitted to the Security Councils sanctions committee in August. Russia objected to the publication of the report at the time but did not specify which parts it took issue with.

Haley said an amended version was submitted last week that removed evidence of Russian actors violating sanctions. She added that the US blocked the publication of the tainted report and demanded the release of the initial version.

But Vassily Nebenzia, Russias UN ambassador, said Moscow insisted on having the report amended as it had become hostage to the vision of Washington and did not take into account Russias views.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, we insisted on having our position reflected in the document, he said, adding that the report determined that a specific ship-to-ship transfer of fuel by a Russian ship cited by Haley was not a violation.

Al Jazeeras James Bays, reporting from the UN headquarters, said the spat marked a rare departure from the Security Councils seemingly united response to North Korea in recent years.

We have seen a lot of division on many issues between the US and Russia in the Security Council, [but] North Korea had been one rare part of the agenda where there was unity. It seems there is no longer unity, Bays said.

The Security Council has voted unanimously to ratchet up penalties on Pyongyang several times since 2006, with the most recent bout of sanctions rolled out last December.

The measures included a ban on nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea and an order to its nationals working abroad to return to the country within 24 months.

Denuclearisation efforts

Mondays meeting, called for by the US, came on the eve of a high-stakes inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will travel to the North Korean capital on Tuesday for talks with the Norths leader, Kim Jong-un, in what will be their third meeting this year.

Tensions between the two countries have eased in recent times, prompting hopes of peace on the Korean Peninsula, which has been divided since the 1950-53 Korean War. The two Koreas are technically still at war because their conflict ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty.

The US, which backed South Korea during the conflict, has stationed combat troops on the peninsula since the war ended and established a so-called nuclear deterrence umbrella in the region.

More than 24,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea, according to Department of Defense figures from 2016.

In June, US President Donald Trump met Kim at a landmark summit in Singapore, at which the North Korean leader pledged to work towards complete denuclearisation of the peninsula in a bid to build a lasting and stable peace.

Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled in recent weeks, however, with Trump accusing North Korea of making insufficient progress on the terms discussed.

In August, Trump requested Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cancel a diplomatic visit to Pyongyang over the issue.

The US presidents comments came just days after the UNs nuclear watchdog said in a report there was no indication North Korea had ceased its nuclear activities.

The continuation and further development of the DPRKs nuclear programme and related statements by the DPRK are a cause for grave concern, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano said in the report, referring to North Koreas official name  the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea."The landslides happened as some residents returned to their homes after the typhoon", disaster response coordinator Francis Tolentino told DZMM Radio, adding that most of the 5.7 million people affected had made advance preparations.

The storm was still raging across southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday, the report said.

Authorities there said they had evacuated more than 3 million people and ordered tens of thousands of fishing boats back to port before the arrival of what Chinese media dubbed the "King of Storms".

Videos and images coming in from Hong Kong and nearby Shenzhen, China, show how destructive the storm is.

ITOGON, Philippines Dozens of people believed buried in a landslide unleashed by Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines probably did not survive, a mayor said today, although rescuers kept digging through mud and debris covering a chapel where they had taken shelter.

Police Superintendent Pelita Tacio said that a part of a mountain slope collapsed on the miners' bunkhouses in a far-flung village of Itogon town in Benguet province as Typhoon Mangkhut's ferocious winds and rain pounded the gold-mining region on Saturday.

Mangkhut made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 17:00 on Sunday, packing wind speeds of 162km/h.

The government and casinos took extra measures ahead of the storm, determined to avoid a repeat of Typhoon Hato which battered Macau a year ago, killing 12 people and drawing accusations the city was ill-prepared. The storm also brought transportation in the region to a halt.

People were warned to prepare for the worst by government officials.

All flights were cancelled in airports of Guangzhou and Shenzhen and will be resumed starting 8 a.m. on Monday.

Ms Villamar said that telephone coverage remained patchy across the province and "90 per cent of areas" were without power, making it hard to contact isolated areas to assess the scale of need. Some roads were cut off by landslides and many remained submerged.

In the town of Baggao it demolished houses, tore off roofs and downed power lines.

Farms across northern Luzon, which produces much of the nation's rice and corn, were under muddy floodwater, their crops ruined just a month before harvest.

Dozens of people have died and more are feared to be trapped by landslides, especially in the Cordillera mountain region.

Strong wind caused by Typhoon Mangkhut is seen on the waterfront of Victoria Habour Hong Kong.

Authorities in Hong Kong have begun totaling up the damage left behind by Mangkhut, which struck the territory with winds of more than 230 kilometers an hour, prompting officials to declare a Number 10 storm warning, its highest alert.

Separately, the coastguard said it had recovered the bodies of three people. In addition to the 30 killed in the Philippines, a woman was swept out to sea in Taiwan.

When contacted, Mr Eric Ong, head of retail banking at OCBC Wing Hang said the bank is adopting a flexible approach towards staff who found it hard to get back to work after Typhoon Mangkhut. Macau suffered catastrophic flooding during Typhoon Hato a year ago, leading to accusations of corruption and incompetence at its meteorological office.South Sudan war crimes: UN calling for forming hybrid court

After the peace deal, the UN is calling for a hybrid court to address the ethnic cleansing, sexual violence and use of child soldiers expected in a report from its human rights arm later on Monday.Syrian air defences have intercepted and downed missiles targeting several locations in the northwestern city of Latakia, according to state media.

The official SANA news agency blamed Israel for Mondays attacks which targeted state technical industry institutions in the government-controlled city.

Air defences have confronted enemy missiles coming from the sea in the direction of the Latakia city, and intercepted a number of them, SANA quoted a military source as saying.





The reported attack comes just hours after Turkey and Russia agreed to establish a buffer zone in the rebel-held province of Idlib.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said huge explosions were heard in Latakia.

The missiles targeted ammunition depots of the technical industry institution in the eastern outskirts of Latakia, the Observatory said.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli government, but in recent days it has targeted several Syrian areas to prevent what it said were weapons transfers to its enemies.

Earlier this month, a senior Israeli military official said the army had struck more than 200 targets in Syria, focussing on Iranian weapons and other targets.

In late August, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would take strong and determined action against Irans attempts to station forces and advanced weapons systems in Syria.

His statement came days after Iran and Syria signed a deal for military cooperation.

Tehran has provided steady political, financial and military backing to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has presided over a seven-year civil war that has left nearly half a million Syrians dead and half of the countrys prewar population of 12 million displaced.The Taliban have seized several districts in recent years and carry out frequent attacks targeting Afghan forces.

At least 27 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed in multiple Taliban attacks on checkpoints as well as police and military bases in different parts of the country, according to officials.

The attacks on Sunday and Monday in three separate provinces  Farah, Badghis and Baghlan  and the high casualty toll underscore the difficulties government forces face in trying to secure the country.

In western Farah province, attacks began on Sunday night and killed at least 17 members of the security forces.

Fared Bakhtawer, head of the provincial council, was quoted as saying by The Associated Press news agency on Monday that the Taliban had attacked police checkpoints across the province and Farah city, the provincial capital.

A group of Taliban fighters first targeted checkpoints in Push Rod district, killing 10 police officers. Another attack struck in Bala Buluk district, where seven officers were killed and at least three others were abducted by the fighters.

Separately, also in Bala Buluk, six police officers surrendered to the Taliban after an intense battle.

There were also attacks elsewhere in Farah but Bakhtawer could not provide any casualty figures, pending more detailed reports.

In northwestern Badghis province, five officers were killed, including Abdul Hakim, the police commander of a reserve unit, in an attack that took place on Monday morning near the provincial capital of Qala-i-Now.

Jamshid Shahabi, spokesman for the Badghis governor, said around 22 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded during the gun battle there.

In northern Baghlan province, the Taliban on Monday attacked a joint army and police base, killing three army and two police officers, said General Ekramuddin Serih, the provincial police chief.

Four other members of the security forces were wounded in the attack, which took place in the Baghlani Markazi district, he added.

The base is under the control of the Afghan security forces now and reinforcements have also been sent to the district.

The police chief added that at least 20 Taliban fighters were killed and wounded in the fighting.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi said the group was responsible for the attacks in Farah. Separately, the Taliban also claimed the attack in Badghis.

The Taliban have a strong presence in all three provinces and often attack Afghan security forces there.British prime minister tells the BBC that the only alternative to her potential Brexit deal with the EU is no deal.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has warned rebels in her ruling Conservative party that unless they support her potential Brexit deal with the EU they will face a no deal.

The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, nearly three years after 52 percent of Britons voted in favour of ending the countrys 43-year membership with the EU and its predecessor the European Economic Community.

With just six months to go, there is no full exit agreement and some Conservative MPs have threatened to vote down a deal if she manages to get one.

I think that the alternative to that will be having no deal, a defiant May told the BBC on Monday.

If May fails to negotiate an agreement on the terms of Brexit before March 29, a no-deal scenario could mean the UK would start trading with the EU under World Trade Organization rules.

This would have uncertain consequences for Britons living in EU countries and EU citizens living in the UK.

In her interview with the BBCs Panorama, May also said there needs to be friction-free movement of goods with no customs or regulatory checks between the UK and EU on the island of Ireland.

May has repeatedly insisted her Brexit plan will ensure a free-flowing Irish Border after Brexit and not a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

A hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland would breach the Good Friday peace agreement.

Brexit in doubt

The fate of Mays government and her Brexit plan is in doubt over whether she will be able to command the 320 votes needed in the House of Commons, the lower house of the British parliament, to approve a deal.

Recent signals from Brussels have buoyed hopes that the UK and the EU can agree and approve a proper divorce agreement before March 29, though the sides are still divided on about one-fifth of the detail of a deal.

{articleGUID}

But many business chiefs and investors fear politics could scupper an agreement, thrusting the worlds fifth largest economy into a no-deal Brexit that they say would weaken the West, spook financial markets, and block the arteries of trade.

In an editorial for the Observer newspaper, Labour Party politician and London mayor Sadiq Khan called for a second referendum and warned Brexit would cause job losses.

At every stage, [ Mays] government has looked unprepared and out of its depth, resulting in a litany of wrong turns, Khan wrote, before criticising his predecessor as London mayor, Boris Johnson, for prioritising his political ambitions.

It seems the debate has become more about Boris Johnsons political ambitions than whats good for the country.

Car crash Brexit

Johnson, Mays former foreign minister, attacked her Brexit plans on Saturday and warned the UK was heading for a car crash Brexit.

If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash, Johnson wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

{articleGUID}

The whole thing is a constitutional abomination, and if Chequers were adopted it would mean that for the first time since 1066 our leaders were deliberately acquiescing in foreign rule, Johnson said, referring to the 11th Century invasion which established Norman rule over England.

Polling

A YouGov poll found 68 percent of members from the UKs three biggest unions backed a second referendum.

A majority of respondents from Britains three largest trade unions  Unite, Unison, and GMB members  said they wanted a second vote compared with just 32 percent.

As the unions are affiliates of the opposition Labour Party, the results will add to calls for its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to back the Peoples Vote campaign.

Corbyn has been criticised for his stance on Brexit, which many within his own party see as too closely aligned to the governments Hard Brexit stance.Court indefinitely suspends trial of eight accused in 2016 murder of prominent environment, indigenous rights activist.

Hondurass Supreme Court has indefinitely suspended the start of a trial of eight men accused in the 2016 killing of prize-winning Honduran indigenous and environmental rights activist Berta Caceres.

Judiciary spokesman Melvin Duarte said there are five related filings pending at the criminal appeals court that have to be resolved.

Caceress family and the organisation she led said Monday in a statement that the court where the trial was to be held had not guaranteed the rights of the victims or the accused and that it would not be impartial. They petitioned that the case is moved to another court.

Caceres was killed on March 2, 2016, inside her home in La Esperanza in western Honduras, one year after winning the Goldman Environmental Prize for her leadership and activism.

#BertaCaceres trial suspended until judicial system resolves 5 injunctions (amparos) & request for 3 judges to recuse themselves from case. Unknown when trial will start again. Resolving amparos can take days to years in #Honduras  Honduras Solidarity (@hondurassol) September 17, 2018

She was a vocal opponent of a project to build a hydroelectric dam across a river on which indigenous communities were dependent.

Prior to her death, she said she received death threats from employees of Desarrollos Energeticos (DESA), the firm behind the project. In the past, DESA has denied any involvement in the murder of Caceres.

In March, authorities arrested and charged David Castillo Mejia with being the intellectual author of the killing while he was CEO of DESA. He is currently awaiting trial in a separate case.

Calls for broader inquiry

Caceress family and her supporters have repeatedly called for a broader inquiry into the rights activists murder.

Last year, a team of international lawyers said Honduran authorities had evidence implicating high-level business executives and state agents in Caceress murder but had yet to arrest them.

It also said that there were serious flaws in the governments investigation of the killing.

Caceress murder was condemned internationally and put the spotlight on the dangers of environmental activism in Honduras and worldwide.

Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmental activists, with more than 120 land defenders and other activists killed in the country since 2010.Were cooking leaves: Civilians caught in Yemens war

Civilians caught in the intensifying fighting are now so hungry they are eating leaves off trees.Why food vendors are paying the price as ZImbabwes capital fights a cholera outbreak.

ByConservationists and Native American tribes in the US are fighting to restore the wild bison to its old home.Although the laws have been on the books for decades, violations  and penalties  still occur.



If a U.S. company is persuaded by an overseas importer to provide a written statement that it has no business ties to Israel, thats a violation of the federal governments decades-old antiboycott regulations.

Antiboycott regulations prohibit U.S. persons from complying with certain requirements of unsanctioned boycotts. In addition, the regulations require that persons report the receipt of these boycott requests to the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security.

The antiboycott regulations date back more than 40 years ago  namely to Congress 1977 amendments to the Export Administration Act (EAA) and the Ribicoff Amendment to the 1976 Tax Reform Act  and were aimed primarily at precluding U.S. participation in the Arab Leagues boycott of Israel. However, they also apply to all boycotts imposed by foreign governments against countries that are friendly to the United States.

Although the laws have been on the books for decades and are generally well known by companies, especially those engaged in exports of goods and services to the Middle East, violations of the antiboycott regulations still occur.

In August, Citibank settled a $60,000 civil penalty with BIS over allegations that it provided information about business relationships with boycotted countries or blacklisted persons on 20 occasions between January 2012 and March 2016 for export transactions from the United States to Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Earlier this year, Mitsui Plastics of New York agreed to pay a $28,000 civil penalty with BIS that it illegally supplied information about business relationships with boycotted countries or blacklisted persons to a customer in Bahrain from December 2010 to April 2011 and for failure to report to the agency receipt of the request to engage in this restrictive practice.

Last year, eight companies were charged for failure to comply with U.S. antiboycott regulations.

Freight forwarders arent immune to these regulations. In August 2017, C. H. Robinson Freight Services Ltd. (formerly Phoenix International Freight Services Ltd.) was assessed a civil penalty of $37,000 for 10 violations of furnishing information about business relationships with boycotted countries or blacklisted persons for exports from the United States to the United Arab Emirates between June 2012 to July 2015. In addition, the company committed seven violations of the antiboycott regulations by failing to report to BIS requests to engage in this restrictive trade practice, which occurred between June 2012 and September 2014.

Anyone who comes in contact with letters of credit, sight drafts or certificate of origin information  exporters, banks, forwarders and even packaging firms  have a hand in the compliance with our countrys antiboycott laws, said Paul DiVecchio, president of Boston-based export compliance consultancy DiVecchio & Associates.

For the exporters, the corporate departments that will most likely come in contact with boycott requests are finance, order administration, sales and marketing, logistics and supply chain, and trade compliance, he said.

BIS has assessed civil penalties for antiboycott violations on about a dozen large and small forwarders during the past 10 years.

Freight forwarders come into contact with these potential issues when dealing with orders that are generally destined to the Middle East region and a majority of the time we see requests or potential requests when letters of credit are being used in the transaction, said Michael Ford, chief compliance officer at BDP International.

While antiboycott regulations are neither new nor that exciting for most people, they are important at BDP, Ford said.

BDP uses a combination of methods to bring the seriousness of complying with antiboycott regulations to its staffs attention, including through its export control manual, which provides the corporate policy on how to handle these types of requests, as well as through online training modules.

Other firms assessed civil penalties by BIS for antiboycott regulation violations during 2017 included Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co., Bank of America, Whirlpool Europe SrL (Italy), Whirlpool Corp., Oxyde Chemicals, Carrier Saudi Services Co. Ltd. (Saudi Arabia) and Pelco.

Enforcement agents from BIS Office of Antiboycott Compliance often encounter violations through company voluntary self-disclosures or when a party to the transaction, such as the bank, forwarder or exporter, files a boycott report to the agency, but one or both of the other parties fail to do the same.

The civil penalty amounts for antiboycott violations during 2017 were generally well below $100,000, with the exception of security and surveillance technology manufacturer Pelco, which was assessed a civil penalty of $162,000 based on the number of antiboycott violations  32 for refusing to do business in support of an unsanctioned foreign boycott and 34 for failure to report the receipt of boycott requests to BIS.

While the penalty amounts may be viewed by some companies as simply a cost of doing business, BIS believes the negative publicity from posting the settlements on its website is usually enough to encourage most companies to stay compliant.

As required by the law, the agency also publishes its warning letters to companies with alleged antiboycott violations. These are the only types of warning letters that BIS makes public.

For example, Phillips Specialty Products Inc. of Bartlesville, Okla., received a warning letter from BIS on Sept. 29, 2017, that described the agencys discovery of a shipping certificate affixed to a letter of credit that stated, We hereby state that the carrying vessel is allowed to enter Libyan ports.

BIS did not charge the company because it had voluntarily self-disclosed the violation, but warned, You should, therefore, assure that Phillips Specialty Products Inc. strictly adheres to the regulations in all future transactions.

U.S. companies still encounter unsanctioned boycott requests from Bahrain, Bangladesh, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, with many consignees specifying that goods are not to be of Israeli origin or shipped through an Israeli port.

Granted, some of the relationships among Israel and the members of the Arab League have changed since 1977, but I dont think that undercuts the utility of the antiboycott regulations, said Eric L. Hirschhorn, former undersecretary of commerce for industry and security and head of BIS, as well as a longtime legal scholar of U.S. export controls.

For one thing, the rules continue to constitute an important statement about U.S. foreign policy, namely that we wont allow U.S. persons to participate in foreign boycotts hostile to U.S. allies. Second, although relationships between Israel and some Arab League members are better than in 1977, and the Arab League no longer is monolithic in that regard, there still are members who maintain their hostility toward Israel, he explained.

Hirschhorn does not expect BIS to diminish its focus on antiboycott compliance. BIS is very busy these days, but my sense is that theyre continuing to direct a reasonable quantum of resources to the boycott program  reasonable probably being less than at one time because there are fewer instances of requests for boycott participation these days, he said.

DiVecchio said BIS Office of Antiboycott Compliance, under director Cathleen Ryan, does a good job at covering whats considered prohibited and whats considered reportable. He further complimented the office for its accessibility to companies with antiboycott compliance questions. They will usually respond within 24 to 48 hours, he said.

In addition to seminars about its antiboycott program, BIS offers detailed compliance information, including a multitude of examples and interpretations in Part 760 of the Export Administrations Regulations, on its website, as well as a telephone number, (202)482-2381, to speak with a duty officer.Airlines are growing more optimistic about their recovery from the pandemic as the U.S. reopens its borders. Cargo is ridingA report by The Intercept discusses how a lot of employees have been dissenting against Google's uncharacteristic new move and the reason why Poulson left Google.

The pressure was ramped up this week after a bipartisan group of 16 USA lawmakers wrote a letter to Google, asking if the Alphabet owned firm would be complying with China's censorship and surveillance policies should it re-enter the Chinese market.

The questioning added to the pressure on Google to disclose precautions it would take to protect the safety of its users if Chinese regulators allow its search engine to operate.

In the letter, the lawmakers said they had "serious concerns" over possible concessions to local internet regulations, and asked whether Google could ensure that Chinese citizens and resident foreigners alike "will not be surveilled or targeted through Google applications". It has also refused to engage with human rights groups regarding Dragonfly, ignored reporters' questions, and rebuffed US senators.

The bipartisan group also asked whether Google is considering cooperating with the Far Eastern country's censorship authorities should its widely reported plans to relaunch its search engine in China eventually materialize. Presumably, the Google workers quitting in protest want the search giant to kill the project. The lawmakers said they were concerned about the alleged plan and are still waiting for a response from the Mountain View, California-based technology giant. "Our industry has entered a new era of ethical responsibility: the choices we make matter on a global scale", the letter states, specifically referencing the Chinese search engine project.

The appointment of ombudspeople with meaningful employee input into their selection.

"If true, this reported plan is deeply troubling and risks making Google complicit in human rights abuses related to China's rigorous censorship regime", the senators wrote last month.

After the letter became public, Google held an internal meeting with its employees, where Pichai expressed that the company was "not close" to launching a search product and it was "very unclear" whether it would or could, according to CNBC. According to The Intercept, examples that will be censored include British broadcaster BBC and Wikipedia.

Google's potential return to China has prompted a bipartisan group of USA congressmen to seek further details from the company's chief executive. Pichai became Google's CEO in 2015, taking over from co-founder Larry Page, who became CEO of Alphabet, the holding company that owns Google.While the media objects to such a characterization, they do little to dispel their new found reputation. Only last week, the New York Times reinforced their fake news label with the story of UN Ambassador Nikki Haley supposedly ordering expensive curtains for her official residence when in reality the curtains were ordered by the Obama administration. The fact that it took two years for curtains to be installed after being ordered is an interesting sidelight of government inefficiency.

Fake News is a term popularized by President Donald Trump to characterize the mainstream media. Not all journalists, as the President notes, but the major American media outlets such as CNN, NBC, and the New York Times.

A small amount of research and fact checking would have kept the egg off the NY Times faces for publishing a bogus story. Was this deliberate or incompetence or both? It makes little difference and the fake news reputation of the NY Times has been reinforced.

This story broke during the time of Hurricane Florence, at one point predicted to be a category 4 or 5 superstorm, but in reality only a category 1 storm when making landfall, a reminder of the unpredictability of hurricanes in both course and strength.

The fake stream media took advantage of the hurricane to push their Trump hatred narrative, this time with the supposed death toll in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria last year. As Hurricane Florence was gaining strength in the Atlantic, the media could not resist the opportunity to trash the President. The Washington Post editorial board declared Trump complicit in the hurricane, as if he created and steered it.

Im sure if Hillary Clinton were president now there would not have been any hurricanes over the past two years. At least thats the implication.

Conveniently a story was released claiming 3000 deaths in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria, timed perfectly with the Washington Post editorial and Hurricane Florence. The President, in his fashion, punched back over the whopper of a story tying these supposed Puerto Rico deaths to him and his administrations hurricane response.

The media ran with this story in unison, eclipsing even Nikki Haleys curtains and Paul Manaforts deal with Special Counsel Mueller.

The problem is, The island government raised the official death toll to 2,975 on Tuesday after maintaining for months that 64 people had died as a result of the storm. Why the sudden change, from 64 to nearly 3000, a 50-fold increase? Other than an opportunity to stick it to President Trump.

This death toll number resulted from a request by the Puerto Rico Governor:

In order to accurately estimate the excess number of deaths due to Hurricane Maria, the Governor of Puerto Rico sought an independent assessment of mortality and commissioned The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health to complete the assessment.

In response, the Milken Institute:

...developed a series of generalized linear modelsto project forward mortality that would have been expected if the hurricane had not occurred.

In other words, this was a computer model, much like those predicting the strength and track of hurricanes, resulting in the spaghetti line plots of all of the potential tracks of an early hurricane. The same models predicted a category 4 storm when it was actually category 1 at landfall.

To calculate the number of deaths, the study Used records for all deaths occurring from September 2017-February 2018. Meaning someone with a bad heart or cancer, finally succumbing to their illness months after the hurricane, or a drug overdose or car accident, are all included in that number of deaths dubiously attributed to the hurricane.

Cause of death is based on the death certificate, filled out by a physician. The study found:

Physician lack of awareness of appropriate death certification practices after a natural disasterlimited the count of deaths that were reported as related to Hurricane Maria.

In other words, there is little correlation between the hurricane and cause of death.

How could there be. People die for myriad reasons. The stress of a hurricane may play a role but science is not capable of running two simultaneous scenarios  one with a hurricane and one without one  then comparing the two outcomes.

Imagine if we could do that. What would four years of President Trump look like after the fact compared with four years of President Clinton? Unfortunately that is only the realm of movies and novels, not real life.

This led researchers to take a different approach, to conclude that excess mortality is a good indicator for impact monitoring during and in the aftermath of a disaster. Is that valid? Maybe or maybe not.

Perhaps more instructive would be data on the actual death rate in Puerto Rico over the past two decades. The CIA factbook provides such data presented here.

The graph demonstrates that the death rate in Puerto Rico has been rising for most of the past decade, beginning in 2010. What if I suggested this rise in deaths was related to President Obama assuming office in 2009? Or Obamacare signed into law in 2010? Will any US university undertake such a study and conclude that the excess deaths from 2010 to 2016 are due to Obama and his policies? Dont hold your breath.

From the plot one can see that the death rate in Puerto Rico peaked in 2016, then dropped in 2017. What happened in 2016? Could we make the argument that President Trumps election is responsible for the reduction in deaths from 2016 to 2017? Why not?

More likely, the slowly rising death rate over the past decade is due to other causes, from accidents to lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Is the drop from 2016 to 2017 the beginning of a downward trend, or just a blip in an otherwise rising death rate? Time will tell.

The President is not disputing the 3000 deaths number, only the causation. CNN tries to paint Trump as a denier, Trump falsely claims nearly 3,000 Americans in Puerto Rico did not die. Its not that they didnt die, but instead the reason why they died.

As the President noted, it was a blatant political stunt, to blame the administrations hurricane response as the cause of these deaths, furthering the lefts talking points that Trump doesnt care, he hates people of color, hes incompetent, and so on. As expected, he responded.

The Hurricane Florence death toll, at the time of this writing, is seven. Details are needed to determine association versus causation. As the flooding continues, the death toll will likely rise. Will it suddenly spike from a few dozen to several thousand a year from now, in time for a new hurricane season and another bite of the Trump derangement syndrome apple? Almost certainly.

When the left and the media tries to politicize everything, from weather to gender to sports, they should expect push back. Not from spineless Republicans like House Speaker Paul Ryan, who readily agreed with the media narrative, saying he has "no reason to dispute those numbers."

Instead such pushback is from the only Republican who actually stands up to the media, punching back against fake news. What a refreshing change. And one of the major reasons we have a president named Trump, not Rubio, Kasich, or Jeb!

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.Robert Mueller Voted Most Popular

Polls reported last week apparently show that Robert Mueller is more popular than Donald Trump. According to one poll conducted for CNN, the 50% who approve of Muellers handling of his collusion investigation outpaces President Donald Trump's approval rating on the matter by 20 points. A poll of 600 likely voters conducted for the Detroit News and WDIV-TV found 63% support for the Mueller investigation, and 46% strongly favoring it, despite Trumps frequent criticism of the inquiry as a tainted witch hunt. Between both polls, support for impeachment ranges from 41 to 47%. The percentage who share Trumps view that the probe is tainted is in the low 30s. Not surprisingly, out of the 41 percent of voters who said Trump should be impeached, the greatest support was among Democratic voters and those who lean Democratic. The News survey also shows a bloc of Michigan voters who agree that the media are the enemy of the people, tracking a nationwide trend in which people are going to media sources that align with their own beliefs, a phenomenon that is escalating with the presidency of Donald Trump.

More accurately, whats been escalating since Trumps election (and in journalese that particular verb connotes a growing evil: e.g., tensions escalate, or wars and arms races escalate) -- is awareness among Americans of the extent of biased mainstream reporting routinely distorting the facts, or outright lying, to further the progressive agenda. Part of the medias message in spotlighting these surveys is that most Americans think the Mueller investigation is a good thing, and almost half the country agrees with Maxine Waters and half of 2018s Democrat candidates that impeaching Trump would also be a good thing. The rest of the message is that the minority of voters who think otherwise -- people who view the media as dangerous to democracy -- only think that way because theyre watching Fox News. Richard Czuba, whose Glengariff Group. Inc, conducted the Detroit News poll, explains that FOX News is having a very unusual disproportionate effect among Republican voters It really is telling. As proof, Czubas poll shows that fifty-five percent of respondents who said Fox News is their primary source of news said they think the media are the enemy of the people, compared with 31 percent for consumers of local television, 5 percent for CNN or MSNBC, 27 percent for radio and 14.5 percent for newspapers. Personally, Im more impressed with the 45% of Fox viewers who wouldnt agree to the loaded question that all the media (as opposed to those pushing fake news) are the enemy of the people, than I am with the 95% of CNN and MSNBC viewers who never doubt anything Don Lemon or Rachel Maddow tells them. Obviously, Fox News influences a segment of voters by broadcasting news and opinions that wont be heard on CNN, MSNBC, or the rest of the mainstream media; but by what standard is that either unusual or disproportionate? Those other outlets also influence a vast segment of voters; the CNN survey registered 61% of Americans who think the Russian investigation is a serious matter -- a point of view well flogged in the mainstream media. The News survey shows that voters whose primary source of news is something other than FOX (newspapers, radio, network television, local TV, CNN or MSNBC) overwhelmingly declared the [Mueller] probe fair. Because Czubas poll shows wide and deep support among everyone but Republicans for the Mueller investigation, he thinks he has proved something his poll hasnt proved at all: that Republicans are misinformed and wrong, while everyone else is well-informed and right. Opinion polls measure opinions, not facts. But do these majorities have the facts? Take the matter of impeachment. Legal experts disagree on whats required to impeach a president, but none agrees with Maxine Waters that Trump is subject to impeachment just for the high crime of beating Hillary. CNNs poll reflects that support for impeachment has risen since June, following Paul Manaforts conviction on tax and bank fraud charges unrelated to the Trump campaign, and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohens guilty pleas to tax evasion, fraud, and campaign finance violations for paying hush money to Stormy Daniels at Trumps direction. Even if Trump did direct it, any campaign violations are a far cry from being high crimes, and theres doubt they were even crimes at all. Yet, after those convictions, CNNs survey showed 47% of polled Americans said Trump ought to be impeached and removed from office, and among those who say Trump did direct Cohen to make the payment to Daniels, 69% say he ought to be impeached. A USA Today poll showed [a] whopping 91% of respondents whose most trusted network is MSNBC and 83% of those surveyed who chose CNN said the plea deal raised serious questions about Trumps behavior. Raising serious questions is a weasel phrase that can be made to suggest anything, and in this context its designed to suggest Cohens plea deal somehow justifies tearing the country apart with impeachment proceedings. Boiled down, this all means that those choosing mainstream media for news have concluded (or more accurately, come to feel) that Mueller convicting these two Trump associates proves that Trump is guilty of an impeachable offense. To put it nicely, this conclusion doesnt reflect opinions that are rooted in reality. Even the CNN pollsters acknowledge that many of those responding are merely voicing their personal desire for a new president more than an evidence-based assessment of whether he could be impeached. The anti-Trumpers whove been obsessed, since Election Night 2016, with getting rid of this guy by any means necessary, couldnt care less about evidence-based assessments: they just want what they want. Is it any wonder they turn to the establishment media, which day after day reliably communicates that, regardless of evidence, they want the same thing? Good Research is Not Partisan/Good Research is Accurate. So says pollster Richard Czubas website. And as far as they count voter opinions (or at least what voters tell them), these polls may be accurate. But the underlying assumption -- that the majority of voters who wisely get their information from progressive news outlets are empirically correct about Mueller and impeachment -- has no factual basis at all. Were being asked to accept that the majority who are not buying the president's argument that the investigation is rigged have the correct opinion just because there are 20% more of them than of us. Why cant the same data be read to say that the 67% who trust Mueller have been disproportionately influenced by CNN and Chris Matthews, in contrast to a significant remnant of thoughtful Americans whove done their homework and learned that the entire Russia probe was concocted out of bias, lies, fraud, and abuse of power? As much as it still rankles the left, Lincolns counsel that you cant fool all of the people all of the time still holds up. And the truth doesnt ask for a show of hands. T.R. Clancy looks at the world from Dearborn, Michigan. You can email him at trclancy@yahoo.com.The Myth of the Moderate Muslim

Is Moderate Islam an illusion? Moderate Islam is a wedge that will jam open the door to Jihad, and "evil will triumph when good Muslims do nothing." The great majority of Muslims are not adherents of the radical line. Yet, because Islamists wage their war under the name of Islam, they receive immense direct and indirect support from rank-and-file ordinary Muslims. It is this support of moderate Muslims that keeps the Jihadists alive. Perhaps it is wishful thinking on the part of non-Muslims to believe that one can be a moderate Muslim who does not participate in any shape or form the crimes of the jihadist. Good-hearted Americans, rightfully weary of wars, are voicing their opposition for the use of force in combating Islamic ideology.

"I am already against the next war," read the bumper sticker on a car ahead of me. I wish I could tell the driver that the next war is already here; Islamists are waging it in every corner of the globe and "moderate Muslims" are either knowingly or not, support them. In our conflict with jihadists, moderate Muslims either fault the West, or simply look the other way. Islam strives to wipe out everything free people cherish, including the right to freedom of expression. But Islam is a religion of peace and the great majority of Muslims are not a party to any plans or actions of radicals, so claim academic pundits, leftist journalists, and hired Islamic apologists. The incantation of these "authorities" is the lullaby that puts the people into a sleep of complacency. For an average free human being busy with all manner of demands on his time and resources, hardly wants to worry about the threat of Islam when those he believes "in the know" emphatically claim that there is nothing to see here. Some of these advocates of Islam go even further by accusing those who sound the alarm as racist, bigoted hatemongers and much more. But where are all the peace-loving moderate Muslims that supposedly are in the great majority? Muslims who are neither jihadist themselves, nor support them? I and others, time and again, have been calling upon them to stand up and show the world they oppose fanatical Islamists. It is small comfort even if most Muslims are not fanatic radicals, when they do nothing to demonstrate their proclaimed nonviolent stance. It is instructive to recall that it is invariably a minority, and more often than not, a very small minority, that launches a campaign of death and destruction with great success. It seems wishful thinking on the part of non-Muslims to believe that one can be a moderate Muslim, given that Islam is radical at its very core. To be a moderate Muslim demands that the person explicitly renounce much of the violent, exclusionary, and radical teachings of the Quran. By so doing, the individual issues his own death warrant in Islamic countries and is condemned as apostate. And if he lives in a non-Islamic land, he may even earn a fatwa on his head. It is deadly, in any confrontation, to assess the adversary through one's own mental template, because both templates can be vastly different from each other. People in the West are accustomed to relativistic rather than absolutistic thinking. To Westerners, just about all matters range from black to white with an array of gray shades in between the two poles. To Muslims, by contrast, nearly everything is in black and white and with virtually no shades of gray. The former type of thinking is typical of more mature minds, while the latter is that of young children and the less enlightened. This absolutist thinking is enshrined in the Quran itself. When the starting point for a Muslim is the explicit fanatical words of Allah in the Quran, then the faithful are left with no choice other than to literally obey its dictates or even take it to the next level of fanaticism. Good Muslims, for instance, do not shake hands with women, even though the Quran does not explicitly forbid it. Although the Quran stipulates that men rule over women, good Muslim men take it upon themselves to rule women not much better than they treat their domesticated animals. All extreme systems operate outside of the constraints of checks-and-balances and according to the principle of the negative feedback loop. That is, once it starts, the extreme becomes more and more extreme until it self-destructs and takes the larger system down with it. Cancer is a case in point. It begins with only a few cells. Left unchecked, the few cells continue expanding and stop only with the death of the host. Fanatical Islam may indeed be a minority. Yet it is a deadly cancer that has metastasized throughout the body of the world. Urgent confrontation of this advancing disease is imperative to stave it off. Dozens of Islamist bloodlettings are presently raging in the world, aided and abetted by a "moderate Muslim" majority. The so-called moderate Muslims, even if they do exist, are complicit in the crimes of the radicals either by providing them with funds, logistics, and new recruits, or by simply failing to actively confront and unequivocally renounce them. As is the case with cancer cells, it is the malignant minority that is death-bearing. In the Germany of the 1930s, for instance, very few people were Nazis and most Germans dismissed them as a bunch of hot-headed louts. Before long, the hot-headed few cowed the dismissive masses and as a result, millions lost their lives. The tentacles of the Islamist hydra have deeply penetrated the world. The Egyptian-based Muslim Brotherhood poses a clear threat in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood also wages its deadly campaign through its dozens of well-established and functioning branches all over the world. The Wahhabis finance thousands of madrassahs throughout the world where young boys are brainwashed into becoming fanatical foot-soldiers for the petrodollar-flush Saudis and other emirs of the Persian Gulf. The end-of-the-world believers of bomb-aspiring Iran's Khomeinism are busy establishing Shia hegemony in an arc extending from the Gulf of Oman to the Mediterranean Sea. Al Qaeda and dozens of its like-minded jihadists relentlessly carry their barbaric campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, the Philippines, the former Soviet republics, the Russian federation, Somalia, North Africa and parts of Europe, as well as other lands. I keep hoping those purported peace-loving moderate Muslims are indeed the great majority who would arise and demonstrate their peacefulness and moderation in action. Thus far, only a faint murmur of equivocation is all that I hear from these people. The only viable alternative for peaceful people of an Islamic background, therefore, is to leave the bondage of violent Islam altogether and join ranks with humanity's free people. I hope and pray that the force of freedom also abandons its reverse gear and stops retreating in the face of Islams surge. It is this hope that sustains me in my efforts to continue sounding the clarion.Remember when Democrats claimed they were against "dark money"? That stance is so yesterday when it comes to Stacey Abrams, their nominee for governor of Georgia, who it is hoped by Dems will become the first black female governor of that state.

Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee in Georgia's gubernatorial election, is refusing to disclose the origin of millions of dollars donated to two foundations that helped propel her political career. Former Georgia House of Representatives Minority Leader Stacey Abrams is remaining mum on who funded two tax exempt non-profit organizations. Voter Access Institute and Third Sector Development, both created and led by the Democrat, received a total of $12.5 million in donations from 2013 to 2016. The purpose of Voter Access Institute was to locate "low-propensity" voters and persuade them to go to the polls. Third Sector Development organized a voter-registration initiative that targeted people of color. The two foundations paid Abrams nearly half a million dollars over the course of three years and introduced the former state representative to a national fundraising network. However, the gubernatorial nominee has refused to publish the names of donors involved in her non-profit work.



Stacey Abrams in 2012 (via Wikimedia Commons).

So we are supposed to be indifferent to the identities of people or entities who rocketed her compensation into the stratosphere and who hooked her up with other money sources, preparing for a national political presence. Does the expression "puppet masters" apply here?

Keep in mind that a Georgia state representative earns $17,342 per year, plus a per diem of $173 when in session. One third of half a million dollars, the yearly sum she would have received from the sugar daddies and sugar mommies guiding her career, would be 9.6 times as much money as her base pay as a legislator.

Were a Republican hiding the identities of the people who funded and stage-managed his political rise, there would be nonstop coverage on MSNBC, CNN, and the New York Times, among many others, demanding to know what sinister dark money forces are behind the candidate.

But of course, the media rules for Democrats are entirely different from the ones for Republicans."Gratifying," my foot. Whose side is this tedious repeater of mainstream media terms for European populist parties on? It's not gratifying to me; it's disappointing. And I think it is to the vast majority of AT readers.

Michael Curtis ends his article published yesterday on AT about the recent Swedish election with a paragraph that starts, "It is gratifying that the Sweden Democrats did not do as well as some had feared."

The Sweden Democrats, Die Alternative fuer Deutschland (AFD), the Austrian Freedom Party, and Geert Wilders's Party in Holland, along with the governments of Poland; Hungary; and, most recently, Italy, are fighting the same fight Israel is fighting, in case Mr. Curtis hasn't figured that out: the right to exist as a separate people and civilization, with their own language, traditions, values, behavioral norms, and heroes.

Israel has this right, for Mr. Curtis, but not European nations? What hypocrisy. What blindness.

No government asked the peoples of Western Europe whether they want mass Muslim and sub-Saharan African immigration to Europe that will forever change their societies. In fact, every survey shows that overwhelming majorities everywhere across western Europe oppose this suicidal, elite-sponsored invasion.

In little more than ten years, Sweden has morphed from a seeming paradise where women walked home alone late at night in major cities to a crime-ridden replica of the worst parts of the Middle East. Similar horrors unfold in most major western European cities.

The European peoples do not vote the parties out that have spawned this madness because they are easily cowed by media and governmental elites that brand the patriot parties as "far right" and because they, especially the Germans and Swedes, have a neurotic fear of being called bad names.

The rapidly evolving situation in Germany may be worse than that in Sweden. The increasingly authoritarian German government is now threatening Die Alternative fuer Deutschland with surveillance by the Constitutional Court as an alleged threat to democracy. Merkel and her fellow travelers are increasingly desperate, as they watch the Alternative for Germany steadily climb in the polls (now at about 17%, just about equal to the once enormous, now shrunken, German socialists, whose voters have defected in droves to the AFD).

Increasingly, in the German elites' panicked battle against their own citizens' unsurprising desire to remain German, Merkel grasps at methods reminiscent of the government of the East German Erik Hoenecker. Merkel grew up and was educated under that odious regime until she reached the age of 30, when it fell. And she was distinctly not among the hundreds of thousands of East German who risked their lives in street demonstrations to bring it down.

All of the European "populist" parties, including the Sweden Democrats, are a natural reaction of normal Europeans  not fascists or Nazis  to the suicidal immigration policies of the European left and greens, supported by the feckless center-right parties. The former want votes and are also motivated, especially in Germany, by guilt and civilizational self-loathing, and the latter want to supplement Europe's declining population, blithely ignoring the catastrophic cultural consequences of pursuing that goal by importing historical enemies and groups that cannot possibly assimilate to European society.

And so Mr. Curtis calls these parties "far-right" and is "gratified" when they underperform.

President Trump is fighting the same battles in America. And he is fighting them against the same desperate elites who employ the same vicious and unmerited epithets and vitriol that European elites use in defending their strange effort to destroy Europe and to demonize the only forces resisting that destruction.This was more than nine months after the FBI had opened an investigation into possible cooperation between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Former FBI lawyer Lisa Page told Congress earlier this summer that at the time Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel, the FBI had no proof of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Page was testifying before the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees in mid-July as part of a joint congressional investigation into the Clinton email scandal. The transcript of Page's deposition has just been released.

Fox News:

Page was responding to Republican Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas, who wanted more information about a May 2017 text where Page, and her then colleague and lover FBI agent Peter Strzok discussed the merits of joining Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team. Page sat for the transcribed interview before the House Judiciary and Oversight committees in mid-July as part of a joint congressional investigation into the Justice Department's handling of the Russia and Clinton email probes. According to the transcript, Page stopped mid-answer. "...sorry. Can I consult with counsel? I'm sorry. I need to consult with FBI counsel for a moment." Sections of the transcript reviewed by Fox show Ratcliffe pursued the line of questioning at least three more times, and Page provided varying answers. "I cannot provide the specifics of a confidential interview," Ratcliffe told Fox News when asked for comment. "But I can say that Lisa Page left me with the impression, based on her own words, that the lead investigator of the Russian collusion case, Peter Strzok, had found no evidence of collusion after nearly a year."

Page was Strzok's mistress, and the two had exchanged dozens of emails that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt their loathing of Donald Trump.

The May 18, 2017, text was highlighted by Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz in his recent report about the handling of the Clinton email probe by the FBI and the Justice Department. The day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's appointment to the Russia probe on May 17, Strzok and Page discussed whether Strzok should join Mueller's team. "Who gives a f, one more A(ssistant) D(irector)...(versus) (a)n investigation leading to impeachment?" Strzok texted on May 18, according to the IG report. Strzok later continues, "...you and I both know the odds are nothing. If I thought it was likely I'd be there no question. I hesitate in part because of my gut sense and concern there's no big there there." (emphasis mine)

Strzok's "gut sense" that there was no collusion and of the FBI's failure to find any evidence of such is not a surprise. The surprise is that Page admitted it. Of course, by this time, Mueller has moved beyond collusion and is now almost certainly looking at obstruction of justice by the president in any number of instances. If Mueller had found anything remotely interesting on collusion, it would have leaked already.

Both Page and Strzok worked hard to find something  anything  to tie Trump and his campaign to the Russians. That they were obviously disappointed in the results of the investigation says a lot about how this inquiry began and the partisanship of the major players.The British people should have the final say on Brexit. Watch me talk about why on @Marrshow from 10am, or read here: https://t.co/I2xGrHFEjT

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is calling for a second referendum on whether Great Britain should leave the European Union. Khan claims that Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit policies have become "mired in confusion and deadlock" and could damage the country.

However, with time running out for London and Brussels to thrash out a Brexit deal, the British government is preparing plans for a no-deal Brexit. Chancellor Philip Hammond told senior ministers last week that Brexit could have to be delayed beyond March 29 in order to pass new laws, The Sun newspaper said on Saturday. The idea was immediately rejected by May, the report said. Khan, a senior member of the Labour Party, said Britain was now facing either a bad deal or a no-deal Brexit, both of which were "incredibly risky" for Britain. Writing in Sunday's Observer newspaper, Khan blamed the government's handling of the negotiations and said the threat to living standards, the economy, and jobs was too great for voters not to have a say. "The government's abject failure  and the huge risk we face of a bad deal or a no-deal Brexit  means that giving people a fresh say is now the right  and only  approach left for our country," he said. Khan's support for a second referendum, which supporters call a "people's vote", will put more pressure on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to change his opposition to the idea.

The "people's vote" already happened. That pro-E.U. forces lost it fair and square is apparently irrelevant. Khan wants the people to keep voting again and again if necessary, until they get it "right."

The first vote in June 2016 came as a shock to pro-E.U. forces. They had no clue that the depth of feeling against the E.U. ran as deep as it did in Great Britain. Their overconfidence led to a defeat. They will not make that same mistake again.

So far, even most Labor politicians are opposing a second Brexit vote, realizing that the backlash will cost them dearly at the polls if May's government falls. That prospect is not as far-fetched as it might have been at the beginning of the year as conservative members of Parliament are getting more and more frustrated with May's Brexit strategy.

May's government is torn between the "soft" and "hard" Brexit. This is reflected in May's approach to negotiations with Brussels. The E.U. government is perfectly content to draw out the process, hoping Khan and other pro-E.U. politicians will get their way and a second vote will be staged. And this time, the left would pull out all the stops to win.On the September 16, 2018 Sunday morning ABC This Week with Stephanopoulos , Ken Starr and Norm Eisen were speculating on how Manafort's plea of September 14, 2018 would affect President Trump.

I am not making up that Obama had an ethics counsel. Who knows? Maybe even Hillary had an ethics counsel.

Eisen should have stayed on after 2010 to advise Obama on the ethics of using the IRS to harass conservative groups, lying about Benghazi, lying about Fast and Furious, having the Obama DoJ and FBI lie to the FISA court to obtain warrants, having the Obama DoJ and FBI whitewash the investigation of the Hillary emails, and trying to sabotage the Trump campaign and presidency, among other high points of Obama ethics.

Eisen, in the expected protect-Obama-and-attack-Trump mode, said Mueller would not have agreed to Manafort's plea deal unless Manafort had incriminating evidence against Trump, and this is the end of Trump.

This is utter nonsense. If Manafort had incriminating evidence against Trump, he would have flipped at the start of the investigation and saved himself a fortune in legal fees and prison time. Mueller would have given Manafort anything he asked for if Manafort had any incriminating evidence against Trump. Manafort has no incriminating evidence against Trump because there isn't any.

Moreover, James Clapper said there was no evidence of collusion.

Senator Dianne Feinstein said there was no evidence of collusion.

Dems and Republicans have stated seventeen times that there is no evidence of collusion.

If there were any collusion between Trump and Russia, the evidence would be there for Clapper, the FBI, the Senate, numerous reporters, and Mueller's crack anti-Trump staff to find. They would not need Manafort.

Eisen is an Obama hack who attacks Trump on a regular basis. Eisen and George W. Bush's "ethics lawyer" have sued Trump.

George W. Bush and Obama are pals since President Trump beat Jeb Bush in the primaries.

Starr is back in the news, peddling his book, Contempt: A Memoir of the Clinton Investigation.

Starr said Hillary testified, "I don't recall or I don't remember" over 100 times during her deposition. Starr considered filing criminal charges against Hillary but did not because perjury is difficult to prove. This difficulty in proving perjury did not stop Mueller from filing frivolous perjury charges against General Michael Flynn and others.

Starr, though, chickened out. He did not do his job. Had he filed perjury charges, we would have been spared Hillary serving as senator, secretary of state, and presidential nominee. We would have been spared Benghazi, the selling of 20% of our uranium to Russia, and her email scandal that resulted in the corruption of the Obama DOJ and FBI, along with countries hacking her email.

Starr said on the September 10, 2018 Tucker Carlson show that he drafted a criminal complaint with a prosecution memo but did not file charges.

Starr kept repeating that the Manafort plea may finally lead to the "truth." What nonsense. We know the truth. There was no collusion between Trump and Russia. We know there was collusion between Hillary and Russian agents regarding the Hillary- and DNC-paid for Steele dossier.

Starr kept saying "Bob Mueller" is a fine, decent person, although his staff "may" be somewhat partisan.

It seems that Starr is trying to re-enter the good graces of the swamp by praising Mueller and explaining why he didn't indict Hillary.

James Comey and Ken Starr both gave Hillary a pass.What really is the Democrats' endgame in derailing Kavanaugh?

The Democrats are screaming bloody murder and proclaiming the death of democracy over the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. They're pulling crazy televisions stunts, from bizarre protests to Sen. Cory Booker calling himself "Spartacus" (to much merriment) to now the big letter by the Democratic activist, charging Judge Kavanaugh with high school groping. It's ridiculous, and even liberal Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has said such political shows over Court confirmations have gotten out of control. It's obvious that the Democrats are concerned about the balance on the court  the conservatives could finally outnumber the liberals, or as we see it, the originalists could finally outnumber the activists. That shouldn't be a problem for Democrats, actually, because all they would have to do to get around it is to pass more laws to their liking, which means working harder at selling their agenda to the American public to win elections. But they'd rather just have a few judges in their pocket because it's easier. After all, Roe v. Wade was a classic instance of legislating from the bench, and sure enough, that's the ruling they're most concerned about. They like to legislate from the bench. The idea of a small group of leftists ruling over Americans without their consent is perfect for enacting their increasingly radical agenda.

At the same time, they don't have the majority to stop Kavanaugh, nor do they have a president who will nominate a string of reliable leftists, as they did during the Obama administration. If they manage to get rid of Kavanaugh, courtesy of Sen. Jeff Flake, a bitter NeverTrump Republican on his way out, another conservative name will replace him. This would seem to be at cross purposes with Democratic aims. They'd need to cook up a new collection of tricks on the next one, since pulling the same Biden-Kennedy stuff they did on Kavanaugh, similar to what they pulled on Clarence Thomas two decades ago, probably won't work. In the end, they'd get another Republican. What is their real endgame, then? Probably to delay, delay, delay the nomination process so that it spills over into the next term  the one where they think they will finally win the Senate. It's the anticipation of things, same as happens in the stock market. And since they think they are going to win, it drives them to keep delaying as their endgame, throwing every crazy thing out there for examination, because they don't even have to win; all they need to do is run out the clock. You can bet they will use every weapon in their arsenal to derail the next guy who comes if they manage to take down the Kavanaugh nomination, because the endgame is to decide the next nominee under a Democratic Senate. If this tactic pans out, there probably won't be anyone sitting on the Supreme Court ever again. While they can probably argue that Republicans started it by refusing to bring President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, to a vote, the difference here is that Republicans ran the Senate at the time, not Democrats. A second difference is that they didn't assault the man's character with a carefully timed barrage of dirty tricks, grandstanding, and surprises. The Democrats are doing that, "ruling from below," as the defeated Sandinistas used to say, taking on mob tactics, slander, innuendo, and amazing surprises of timing to get their delay in place. In running out the clock, they open the gates to any minority party being able to do the same for their nominees. If so, it wouldn't be the first time they learn that in manipulating the legislative process in Congress, they should be careful what they wish for. Image credit: Gabriel Jorby via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.WWII vet remembers Bob Hope

Waiting in the car for what felt like forever, Mary texted me that she was in the Walmart checkout line, but it would be a while before she checked out with our groceries. I decided to go back into the store. In the restaurant area, I spotted an elderly white gentleman wearing a World War II veteran cap. I approached and thanked him for his service to our country. He said thank you very much. I shared that my dad who recently passed away at age 90 was one of the first blacks to serve in the Merchant Marines.

I did not say it out loud, but my mind raced back to when Dad's ship landed in St. Petersburg, Florida. After looking forward to a much needed shore leave, Dad and the other black sailor were told they could not leave the ship because St. Petersburg had a curfew for blacks. Dad said he cried, and the other black sailor would not stop cussing. When Dad was finally allowed off the ship, a mob of whites chased and tried to hang Dad simply because he was black. White shipmates saved Dad's life. While anti-American enemies within love to focus on America's past sins, America is the greatest land of opportunity on the planet because our Christian roots influence us to strive to do right by all. With a huge smile, the gentleman said, "I got to meet Bob Hope and Shirley Temple." The United Service Organizations (USO) was founded in 1941. Its mission was to provide humanity, caring, commitment, and support for our troops. Bob Hope's USO shows were called The One-Man Morale Machine. Hope provided an extremely important link to home for the military. I remember seeing video of Bob Hope bringing beautiful stars like Raquel Welch and Ann Margaret on stage. He would say something like, Take a good look, guys. This is what you are fighting for. The audiences of troops loved it, erupting in cheers and applause. We chatted about the great work Bob Hope did and how much he impacted the morale of our military. Suddenly, with great excitement, as if it had happened just yesterday, the old soldier said, "I even got to dance with Shirley Temple." We both laughed, enjoying his fond remembrance. The good that Bob Hope and Shirley Temple did lives far beyond their years. Thinking I had better look for Mary, I shook the WWII vet's hand and thanked him again for his service. He replied, "Thank you very much." Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American

Help Lloyd spread the Truth: http://bit.ly/2kZqmUk

http://LloydMarcus.comNorth and SC have so far experienced the worst of Florence's slow-crawling path of destruction, where the storm has been responsible for a total of 13 deaths, according to local media.

"I can not overstate it: Floodwaters are rising, and if you aren't watching for them, you are risking your life", Gov. Roy Cooper said.

"I thought I'd come out here and see if I could get more fuel, but no luck", said Steve McLean outside a Harris Teeter gasoline station that had electricity, but no gasoline. "The worst is still yet to come". Streams and creeks were running so high Sunday in the area around Charlotte, North Carolina's biggest city, that the National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency.

Five people were arrested for breaking into a Dollar General Store, said Wilmington police, who have imposed a night-time curfew.

Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all take-out, with the price of $2 per item. After two failures in seven years, a new dam was completed two years ago. FEMA crews and power company trucks were turned away Saturday night because of the flooding, Saffo said.

Though engineers told her they think the dam will hold this time, Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner sounded anxious. Along with other home cleanup and fix work ministries, Frazier said his group works to "basically restore somebody back to where they were as much as we can".

About 1.7 million people in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia are under voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders, and millions of others live in areas likely to be affected by the storm.

In rain-sodden Myrtle Beach, National Guardsmen were frantically working to place sandbags along the Waccamaw River.

But conditions in North Carolina were far worse. Gov. Cooper said power was out to 700,000, with new blackouts being reported regularly.

A woman of 61 died when her auto hit another tree in the road.Winds generated by Florence have slowed to some 35 miles per hour, but the historically heavy rains and subsequent flooding is presenting the biggest danger.Some 15,000 people are staying in emergency shelters deployed across the state of North Carolina, according to Governor Roy Cooper.

- A man who died when a his truck hit an overpass support beam on Interstate 20 in Kershaw County, South Carolina. And with Florence headed into the mountains on the west side of the state, the governor warned, flashfloods and mudslides will be hard to predict. He further asked residents who left coastal areas for shelter to stay there and not return until the middle of next week. It is expected to to curve north and die out by Tuesday, with a long path of destruction behind it.

Winds have dropped to about 55 km/h since it roared ashore on Friday as a hurricane and it is crawling west over two states at 9 km/h, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said early Sunday. If confirmed, this would be the first death caused by a shark in MA since 1936.

The storm's effects have reverberated well outside the terrain of its direct impact.

Though the popular North Carolina tourist destination seems to have been spared the worst of Florence's wrath, the islands still have some of the fastest rates of sea level rise in the world, almost an inch a year.

More than 900 people have been rescued from the rising floodwaters by local authorities, volunteers and the US Coast Guard since Friday morning.In short: Amazon is launching Storefronts today, which is a small section of its website that will be dedicated to selling products from small businesses located in the US. These small businesses come from all 50 of the States in the US, and include things in all sorts of categories like back to school, Halloween, Electronics and much more. This launch also coincides with Amazons latest ad campaign highlighting Storefronts which will have over a million products from 20,000 different small businesses.

Background: For many years, it was said that Amazon was putting small businesses out of business. This is because a small business with five employees cant really compete with Amazon, given the fact that Amazon offers free two-day shipping for Prime members, and their prices are far lower than most of their competitors, on top of that. Now, Amazon is giving these small businesses a place where they can flourish and make money. Half of the items already sold on Amazon come from small and medium-sized businesses, so this isnt really anything new for Amazon, it is just highlighting more products from small businesses now.

Impact: This new webpage on Amazon should help small businesses gain more spotlight and thus sell more products. The page is actually already live, and you can check it out right here. It allows you to sort by category and find something that you might be interested in. Its a pretty good idea for Amazon to do this, giving these small businesses a virtual storefront, basically. Storefronts will also showcase a different small business each week, and there will be a blurb about the business owner, so you can really get to know the person that owns and runs that small business. So it feels more like you are shopping at the small businesses in your neighborhood or town.In short: Americas largest wireless union, Communications Workers America, is pushing against T-Mobile and Sprints proposed merger, having asked competent Attorneys General to investigate how the consolidation would impact the industry in terms of job cuts and increased prices, among other concerns. In a new letter sent to all 50 state AGs, CWA President Christopher Shelton argued the unions own analysis suggests the merger would destroy approximately 28,000 jobs across the United States, primarily due to a large number of duplicate retail locations the two carriers would have to eliminate. Broadband and prepaid segments are also set to be affected by a drop in service quality and innovation backed by an increase in prices if the tie-up is approved in its current form, the CWA argues.

Background: Many points argued by the union have already been raised by other industry watchers, particularly in regards to how the merger would essentially eliminate all meaningful competition from the prepaid segment where T-Mobile and Sprint are already the dominant forces. CWA does bring up a number of new arguments, including a national security take on the matter, with the union pointing to Sprint and its parent SoftBank enjoying a long-standing relationship with Huawei, a Chinese firm that U.S. regulators and lawmakers have been labeling a national security threat for years. While CWA didnt attempt to make any conclusions on the matter, it asked for an in-depth investigation into the nature of any potential foreign interference in critical stateside infrastructure that could stem from the deal.

Impact: As the FCC recently paused its merger review deadline, some state AGs may see that development as an opening for an official probe into the matter, though its presently unclear whether any one of them would be willing to consider asking for an additional delay of the proceedings. T-Mobile and Sprint have also been criticized by their 5G argument, with several actors  including CWA  accusing them of being dishonest about the affair; whereas both claimed they were on track to be competitive in the 5G space this spring, they changed the story and now argue they cannot hope to take on Verizon and AT&Ts 5G services if they arent allowed to combine their operations, suggesting they were either dishonest with investors in the past or are now framing their merger pitch in a misleading light.Today, Amazon is discounting a slew of wireless headphones and speakers from SoundPEATS in its Gold Box Deal of the Day. So you can pick up a pair of wireless headphones for as low as $22.29, which makes it a really good time to pick up a pair. These are especially good for teenagers that lose their headphones a lot, or those that dont care as much about the audio coming out of their headphones. And thats because these arent the most high-end headphones, but they do definitely do their job. There is also a SoundPEATS Bluetooth speaker that is on sale and it is priced at just $19 right now.

Other deals going on today, include the Samsung Galaxy S8 for just $473, as well as the Verizon-branded Galaxy Note 9 being priced at $899 from Samsungs website. These are both really great prices for these smartphones and definitely worth picking up right now, especially if you are looking for a high-end smartphone that might be discounted a bit. While the Galaxy Note 9 is still pretty pricey, it is still about $100 off of its regular price, which makes this a great time to grab one. Especially since the Galaxy Note 9 only just launched last month at $999. It has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Its definitely a good deal at this price.

All of the deals listed below are accurate for today, and will expire at midnight PST on their expiration date. But keep in mind that some of these deals may end before then, if stock runs low or simply runs out. Also keep in mind that prices on Amazon do tend to fluctuate. So if you are looking to get in on one of these deals, youll want to do it as soon as possible.In short: FEMA was slated to test out its Presidential Alert system for sending mobile notifications to everyone, on September 20. Now, FEMA has announced that it has been pushed back to October 3. This decision was made due to the severe weather that is hitting the east coast right now, with much of the east coast dealing with Hurricane Florence. And doing a test during that time is definitely not a good idea, especially for those in the affected area.

Background: As is indicated by the name of this alert, it is an alert that the president could send to all cellphones in the US, regarding public emergencies. So if there is a hurricane coming, the President could warn everyone and tell everyone to get out. This is part of the WEA (Wireless Emergency Alerts) system that has been available for quite a few years, and used sparingly. The test will have a header that says Presidential Alert with the text THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed. This test will take place at 2:18pm Eastern time on October 3. Now while many are able to opt out of weather and AMBER alerts, these tests cannot be opted out of. This test is going to for sure startle some people, and it will ring regardless of whether your ringer is turned off or not, as is the case with all of these wireless emergency alerts.

Impact: Moving back this test will mean that itll be longer before the President can actually use this to send out alerts to the citizens of the United States. But its also the right thing to do, especially since FEMA is working in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and a few other states right now to get families back on their feet after Hurricane Florence came through.In short: In addition to the three variants of the Pixel 3 Android flagship that Google already teased last week, the upcoming smartphone series is also likely to be offered in pink, with 26 references to the said color being spotted inside the company websites CSS code by one Twitter user this Sunday. The same source managed to get the color (hex code #e2d8d6) to display over the previously reported Coming Soon banner, as evidenced by the image below. The shade in question is relatively mild in appearance and while Googles CSS code references it as pink, its closer to human skin color than what consumers would usually associate with that name.

Background: Last week, the Japanese branch of Google teased black, white, and teal variants of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, indicating the Really Blue finish is being retired in favor of new colors. Its still unclear whether all Pixel 3 colors will be available globally, though some memory configurations of the handsets likely wont be available in all of them, as was the case with the first two generations of the Android flagship family. The larger Pixel 3 XL already leaked in an extensive manner over the last weeks after a pre-production batch was stolen from Foxconn and ended up being retailed by a Ukrainian black market dealer who was selling the handsets for $2,000 a piece. The new devices are scheduled to be officially unveiled at an October 9 event and should become available for purchase by the end of the same month.

Impact: Google appears to be diversifying its smartphone color portfolio, likely in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. The Pixel 3 series may hence offer the most varied array of colors yet, though it remains to be seen whether Google will manage to keep all of them in stock in time for this years holiday season given how the company struggled with maintaining its handset inventory in recent years.In short: The Galaxy Xcover 5 may be Samsungs first smartphone with a 19:9 display, as suggested by a new browser benchmark listing discovered in the HTML5test database. First spotted by Dutch tech blog Mobiel Kopen, the entry identifies the tested device as the SM-G405F and indicates its screen features a resolution of 3,040 by 1,440 pixels, amounting to the tallest aspect ratio ever associated with a Samsung-made handset. The same phone has also been listed as running Android 9 Pie, whereas its model number suggests it may be part of the companys rugged phone family, though the listed QHD+ resolution isnt in line with that theory.

Background: The Galaxy Xcover 4 launched 18 months ago carried the model number SM-G390, whereas the Galaxy Xcover 3 line was known as the SM-G388. While the first two generations of the series followed a different naming scheme, no other existing handset from Samsung featured a model number that was remotely similar to the newly spotted one. The F in the SM-G405F moniker is also indicative of the tested device being powered by a Samsung-made Exynos chip, with that particular identifier usually being associated with international variants of the companys products, meaning the SM-G405F model likely wont ever be sold in the U.S. The Galaxy Xcover 5 was already prematurely listed by Samsung New Zealand in April, six weeks after its first alleged image leaked online, suggesting the handset will sport a triple-LED flash unit on the back. The fact that the device wasnt released until now may imply Samsung canceled the project, especially given how the Seoul-based firm now appears to be moving away from the rugged phone niche, as evidenced by the fact that the Galaxy S9 Active isnt happening this year even though the company ennobled the previous five generations of its Galaxy S family with an Active-branded model.

Impact: Between a slim aspect ratio thats even taller than the 18.5:9 one used by Samsungs Infinity Display panels and the existence of Android 9 Pie, the Xcover line may be set to receive its most significant remake ever, provided the SM-G405F truly is a member of the rugged handset series. Alternatively, Samsung may be developing an entirely new Android device line, which would also be in line with the companys recent research and development efforts; in the coming months, the tech giant is expected to unveil its first foldable phone, its first quadruple-camera handset, and possibly even a Galaxy A-series product powered by the high-end Snapdragon 845 chip from Qualcomm, according to recent reports.In short: A Long Island woman filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, alleging that her new Galaxy Note 9 spontaneously caught fire earlier this month, leaving her panicking in an elevator. The American branch of the South Korean firm acknowledge the receipt of the litigation and said its currently investigating the claim, maintaining that this is the first report of its latest flagship  released three weeks ago  being faulty in any way. Until further notice, Samsung is denying any wrongdoing and suspects the device that ended up combusting was either mishandled or was otherwise damaged in a manner that doesnt imply a more widespread issue. Samsung takes customer safety very seriously and we stand behind the quality of the millions of Galaxy devices in use in the United States. We have not received any reports of similar incidents involving a Galaxy Note9 device and we are investigating the matter, a company spokesperson said in a statement to AndroidHeadlines.

Background: The lawsuit doesnt fail to mention Samsungs Galaxy Note 7 fiasco which saw the company lose hundreds of millions of dollars after pulling the plug on the said Android flagship lineup in late 2016 due to widespread reports of the phablet catching fire, melting, and exploding for seemingly no reason. Samsung spent over a year apologizing for the issue and went above and beyond in order to compensate some 2.5 million customers whose devices ended up being recalled, vowing radically improve its quality-assurance practices in order to minimize the chances of such a scenario happening again. These days, the company is mostly ignoring the existence of the Galaxy Note 7 episode in its history but the same QA policy is still in place. The plaintiff, Diane Chung, alleges her Galaxy Note 9 unit started smoking in a moving elevator on September 3, which prompted her to panic and kick it out the moment the elevator stopped. The device stopped smoking after one bystander dropped it in a bucket of water, according to the plaintiffs account of the accident submitted alongside her lawsuit filed with the Queens Supreme Court.

Impact: Ms. Chung is seeking damages and an order preventing further Galaxy Note 9 sales, with details about the former not being formally submitted, whereas the latter request is extremely unlikely to be granted by any jury given the isolated nature of the incident. While its presently unclear how long Samsungs own probe into the matter might take, there are no indications that the incident described in the lawsuit is indicative of a more widespread problem with the Galaxy Note 9 lineup.In short: Users of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 are taking to Samsungs forums to report issues with the camera. Users are reporting that the camera will become unresponsive for about five to ten seconds a time when taking photos, and the issues becomes even worse when doing video. Some users believe that the issue is due to Smart Stay, but that has been tested and it appears to not be the issue. This isnt happening for everyone, but just some users, we have experienced it on our Verizon-branded unit here, though it doesnt happen every time.

Background: Samsungs skin that lays over-top of Android (now referred to as Samsung Experience) has had issues with lag and becoming unresponsive in the past, but it never really affected the camera. Now it is affecting the camera, and unfortunately that means that many people are going to miss capturing the shot that they want to grab with their Galaxy Note 9. This is something that Samsung should hopefully fix in the near future with a software update, and Samsung has not yet acknowledged the issue.

Impact: There is a fix out there that has been working for some people, but not everyone. A factory reset has worked for some users, but others are still reporting issues with the camera after doing a factory reset. So its worth a try, but it may not work for everyone experiencing this issue. This could turn into a pretty big issue for Samsung, and result in many people wanting to return their Galaxy Note 9. As the last thing that anyone wants, after spending a grand on a new smartphone, is to experience lag in the camera, to the point where they are unable to get the shot that they wanted to get. Which is understandable, and its something that Samsung needs to fix pretty soon.On Friday, Palestinians converged on the border area to take part in weekly demonstrations against Israel's decades-long occupation. A spokesman said Saturday he died from head wounds, without elaborating.

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Three Palestinians, including a 14-year-old, were shot dead by Israeli fire in new clashes along the Gaza border on Friday, the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said. "This Friday was his destiny to die as a martyr", said the boy's father, Abdel-Aziz Abdel-Al.

"The Kushner truth and the Netanyahu truth is that Jerusalem is Israel's capital, no right of return to refugees, settlements are legal, no Palestinian state on 1967 (borders) and Gaza must be separated from the West Bank and this is absolutely unacceptable", Erekat said.

The OCHA further highlighted that demolitions within the first half of the current year in East Jerusalem al-Quds mark an increase of 12 percent compared to the same period in the preceding year.

Asked about Abdel-Al's death, a military spokeswoman said only that troops had kept to their open-fire regulations.

Pushing back against widespread perceptions among Palestinians, Arab officials and independent analysts that the peace plan is likely to be decidedly pro-Israel, Greenblatt made clear that both sides can expect parts they will like and dislike.

"We were throwing stones at the gate heavily guarded by the israeli soldiers".

"Hamas continues to try and harm the defensive infrastructure of the security forces along the security fence while using civilians in the strip as shields and as cover for acts of terror", the IDF said in a statement.

The protesters want rights to lands Palestinians lost during the 1948 war of Israel's foundation, as well as the easing of a crippling blockade that Israel, with the help of neighboring Egypt, has placed on Gaza to isolate Hamas and deny it weaponry.

The official said the portion involving Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza would instead be used "to enhance" programs in Israel. A second Palestinian, who was not immediately identified, was killed near Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.THE ECONOMY FOLLOWS ITS OWN PATH.

In Catalonia, a nation where as Raimon sang "the rain doesn't know how to rain: either it rains too little or it rains too much", it is not clear whether a great storm awaits us this autumn or just a light drizzle until the trial. Economic data show that growth is solid and that the slight slowdown shown by the European economy is not yet affecting the dynamism in Catalonia. The lower growth of domestic consumption and the negative trend in exports (down 0.3% quarter-on-quarter) may be signs to keep an eye on, but they are offset by good GDP growth. Economic indicators, once again, move independently of politics and seem to forecast good weather in the short term. In the long run, however, it is not so clear that optimism can be maintained if major structural reforms that depend on broad agreements between political parties and social agents such as pensions continue to be postponed. In Spain and Catalonia there are more and more old age pensioners with a longer life expectancy, along with more young people immersed in a precarious labor market who provide low contributions to pension solidarity and have zero savings capacity.

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING IN MADRID.

Meanwhile, the political landscape is being hit by an endless storm, with thunder and lightning. In Spain, in a historic evolutionary milestone, the battle for power has gone from secular accusations of corruption and enrichment and phoney university degrees to a more sophisticated accusation of plagiarism in PhD theses. In other words, it has shifted from bribery with a cured ham or a designer handbag to the gift of a master's degree.

These low-class politics, based on insinuations and accusations that are nothing more than a smokescreen to cover up the big issues that require agreements and, therefore, work and risk-taking has exposed the way in which Ciudadanos acts. Albert Rivera, who at one time might have seemed the voice of liberal regeneration in Spanish politics, has now shown that he does not endorse a liberal agenda and that his style has nothing to do with the fair play that regeneration requires. His offensive of falsehoods against Sanchez's PhD thesis, despite having embellished his own CV with non-existent doctoral studies, has brought him crashing down. The virulence of the Ciudadanos campaign ahead of the Andalusian elections, the use of the yellow ribbons in Catalonia, and Sanchez's PhD do not seem to be a success at this time.

DISCONNECT IN CATALONIA.

While there is thunder in Madrid, in Catalonia there is a mix of clear skies and looming clouds. The demonstration on National Day showed that independence support is a deeply-rooted, stable, and determined movement that will neither disappear nor surrender. But also that the fundamental objective of mobilization today is the call for the freedom of political prisoners, and that the strategies of the political parties and grassroots organizations do not match. The weakness of joint action along with internal rifts were made clear in the Congressional vote on the motion in favor of dialogue with the PSOE. The timing of the motion could not be more politically inopportune, after the September 11 rally, and ERC did not swallow the bitter pill of dialogue "within the legal framework" in the face of a socialist spokesman who wanted to corner its prey and who made it easy for them to slam the door on the proposal. The motion exposed the tension between the will to negotiate and the strategy of keeping the rope tightened; the division between supporters of giving the PSOE some breathing room to see if it is able to bravely face the Catalan issue and those who, convinced, as Pla said, that "there is nothing more like a right-wing Spaniard than a left-wing Spaniard", expect an uncertain path of dialogue to fail. Distrust in the fruits of the approach is more than justified, but the question is: what is the alternative proposal to move forward after independence was declared on October 27, and how can day-to-day challenges be overcome?

The pro-independence camp is split between those in favor of seizing an imprecise opportunity that is contradicted by daily decisions and will not clarify how it is feasible without a Catalan justice system, sources of financing, and an EU agreement, and those who do not see shortcuts around a negotiation as bitter as it may be towards an agreed referendum. Meanwhile, the internal negotiation continues to be focused on what needs to be done with the Catalan MPs that Justice Llarena has suspended and is keeping in pre-trial custody, charged with crimes that are baseless unless they are politically motivated. Despite the agreements announced weeks ago, the question remains whether all the prisoners, and also President Puigdemont, will renounce their seats in Parliament. In the lead-up to the trial, a true test of fire in a year that threatens the worst storms, contradictions and differences between rhetoric and politics are guaranteed. It will depend on PM Pedro Sanchez to make credible the belief that there are options to avoid a new storm.There are two main market entry options available for foreign investors looking to expand into Indonesia: a Limited Liability Company and a Representative Office. A Limited Liability Company is known as Perseroan Terbatas or PT. Under a PT, shareholder liability is limited to the extent of the capital agreed to be contributed by the shareholders. Indonesian law divides PT into two classes: (1) Local Company and PDMN Company and; (2) Penanaman Modal Asing (PT PMA). In this article, we discuss the PT PMA, where up to 100 percent overseas ownership is permitted.

Under the terms of Indonesias Law No. 25/2007 on investment, a foreign investment in the country is defined as an activity conducted by a foreign investor for the purpose of running a business within the territory of Indonesia. The legal entity through which a foreign person, foreign company, or foreign government body can conduct a business and generate revenue is called PT PMA. The establishment of a PT PMA is regulated by Law No. 40/2007 on Limited Liability Companies (Company Law). Such a company can either be partially or 100 percent foreign-owned.

It may be noted that several industry sectors in Indonesia are closed, or partially closed, to foreign investment, and so some ownership restriction may be in place depending on the industry.

In order to find out which sectors are open to foreign investment at a given time, potential investors are advised to consult the countrys existing Negative Investment List, which is revised from time to time by Indonesias Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). For all those sectors that are partially closed to foreign investment, the list states the maximum allowed percentage of foreign ownership. This means that overseas investors would need to have a local (Indonesian) partner in order to engage in business activity in that particular sector.

Capital requirements for limited companies can be quite large. The government determined minimum authorized capital required for establishing a 100 percent foreign-owned PT PMA is more than Rupiah 10 billion (US$47.74 million). Indonesian law categorizes PT PMA as a legal entity which is a capital alliance with a minimum of two shareholders. The shareholders can be individuals or other companies that are legal entities.

Indonesias Law Number 40 of 2007 on Limited Liability Companies (the Company Law) and implementing regulations establish a two-board system of governance for PT PMA companies: the Board of Commissioners that supervises the performance of the Board of Directors and policies made by the board, and provides advice to the board; and the Board of Directors that manages the companys operations and serves as the authorised organ and representative of the company in all matters, subject to compliance with the law, the companys rules and resolutions of the general meeting of shareholders.

While the two boards are separate, the Board of Commissioners may work together in conjunction with the directors to implement strategies for the company.

A director has a duty to manage the company in good faith and prudently for the benefit of the company and is personally liable for any loss suffered by the company for breach of this duty. Directors of Indonesian companies have similar responsibilities to directors of companies in common law countries and, among other things, must prepare an annual report to shareholders for approval and a business plan for the next financial year, manage the companys operations, and represent the company in relation to external parties.Do it yourself if you can We accept  in principle  that private equity can deliver (somewhat) excess returns over most other asset classes. But there are a lot of qualifications attached to that, and most of them are very relevant to whether and how pension funds should invest in private equity.Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Monday to try to come to an agreement over the Syrian rebel stronghold of Idlib. "I think that not only the region, but the whole world has set sights on our today's meeting", Erdogan said.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey stands for the political solution of the Syrian conflict and in particular, the crisis in Idlib.

Erdogan on Monday was meeting Putin for the second time in just 10 days after Russian Federation and Iran expressed support for the idea of an offensive on Idlib.

"I believe our joint statement following this meeting will give the region a new hope", Erdogan said.

The province of Idlib in northwestern Syria is the largest bastion of the opposition, and Turkey has been eager to prevent a potential regime offensive there.

"The situation with Idlib is acute", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti state news agency ahead of the talks Monday. "There are differences in our approach".

The UN has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if the government launches an all-out assault to retake Idlib.

"We are trying to protect the pure, clean, innocent people there with these observation posts", Erdogan said.

Since the beginning of September, dozens of people have been killed and injured in air raids and attacks by the Syrian government and Russian fighter jets, according to activists on the ground.

"What is being presented at the moment as the beginning of a Russian-backed offensive by Syrian forces is not a faithful representation of the facts", Lavrov said.

The country is already home to more than 3 million Syrians who have fled the war.

"Let's all take steps, measures together against the terror groups among the opposition in Idlib", Erdogan said.The man whos led the legal team at Rupert Murdochs 21st Century Fox (21CF) for most of this decade is to return to his former law firm.

Gerson Zweifach is general counsel, chief compliance officer, and senior executive vice-president of the firm and has overseen some challenging times for the business.

He will return to Williams & Connolly, where he spent three decades prior to his current role, once the 21CF transaction with Disney completes, probably in the first half of 2019.Published by Cadillac Society , the photograph showcases a slide from a dealers presentation that offers insight on the product development process in China. The CT6 and XT5, launched in 2016, are the latest entries. But for 2018, the slide features two blacked-out silhouettes.The utility vehicle on the left is the XT4 compact crossover, but the car on the right is a three-box design that mirrors the profile of CT5 prototypes spied by the carparazzi. When you think about it, the development process of the CT5 is far ahead of the CT4 Not that long ago, Cadillac made it clear that it would launch a new model every six months or so. The XT4 was revealed in March 2018 at the Cadillac House in Manhattan, which means that the CT5 could be out of the bag in October 2018. For the United States, however, the successor of the CTS is expected to arrive at dealers for the 2020 model year.Both rear-wheel-drive sedans will be manufactured at the Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan, keeping the Chevrolet Camaro company. An investment of $175 million will facilitate production, and according to General Motors, new tooling and equipment are being installed at the factory in preparation for the CT5 and CT4.Being joined at the hip with the Camaro, both Cadillac models are expected to ride on the A2 platform from the Alpha family. The Alpha went into production in July 2012 with the ATS, and to this day, its been proven on high-performance vehicles such as the Camaro ZL1 with the 1LE Track Package and CTS-V.The U.S. reveal of the CT5 could happen as soon as the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show in November provided that the Chinese model goes official in October.This historic journey, of which we will be learning more today, will be completed in SpaceXs Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), a machine that if successful has all the chances of becoming the worlds first interplanetary spaceship.Two new photos of the booster-spaceship combo were Tweeted earlier on Monday by Elon Musk, showing the ship as it exists the clouds presumably on Earth and heads for the darkness of space.With the photos, Musk also Tweeted a new hashtag on the social network, #OccupyMars. Whether this means a new announcement about SpaceXs Martian plans is to be madec or is just another Muskism remains to be seen.For now, what we do know is what we learned back in 2017. Musk plans to send two BFRs packed with supplies to Mars by 2022. It will do so so that the humans which he plans to send there two years later will have enough resources to get by and, if possible, get a colony going.The ship readied for the task is said to be capable of carrying around 100 people and be compartmentalized in 40 cabins for crew, as well as common areas. All these will be located at the nose of the ship.Further down, more than half of the ship will be occupied by two tanks, one capable of holding 240 tons of fuel and the other 860 tons of liquid oxygen. These tanks are needed because the ship will be able to propel itself, both at sea level and in space.Four so-called vacuum engines will provide power for space travel, while two smaller ones will be used in the atmosphere.Stay tuned for more info the exciting announcement in the day ahead.As for why this Maranello machine won't surprise you, it all has to do with the hue of the supercar - the Pista comes dressed in a shade of red. Sure, the mid-engined delight also packs black stripes, but this is another story for another time.Now, thanks to the Instagram post at the bottom of the page, you can check out the Pista that currently adorns the streets of Monaco.While we're at it, we'll remind you that the Italian automotive producer has also released the Spider incarnation of the 488 Pista , so there will also be a time for the open-top model's first landing in the supercar capital.The 488 Pista is still too fresh to have truly showcased its potential. Then again, we have shown you a few dynamic stunts delivered by the Italian exotic.For instance, an independent test has seen the 720 hp toy playing the 0 to 62 mph sprint in 2.26 seconds. The number sits well below the official figure, with Ferrari mentioning that the supercar needs 2.85 seconds for the job.Then again, the test in question didn't show anything else than the dashboard of the car, so we need to take it with a grain of salt.Now, if you're curious about the Nurburgring number of the 488 Pista, we'll remind you that Ferrari isn't too excited about lap times, choosing to focus on driving sensations instead. In other words, we don't expect to see a lap time too soon. And we can say the same when it comes to track battles, even though we'd love to see the Fezza battling the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and the McLaren 720S or even the Senna.US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping at a ceremony in China.

One observer in the business sector said the administration may have reduced its planned tariff level after hearing public comments, hoping companies would not immediately hike prices for consumer goods to pass along the costs.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said: "The President has been clear that he and his administration will continue to take action to address China's unfair trade practices".

US President Donald Trump has already imposed 25% tariffs on steel imports and 10% on aluminum, as well as 25% on $50 billion in goods from China.

"We encourage China to address the long standing concerns raised by the Unites States".

But Trump has signaled that he thinks only the threat of real economic pain will push Beijing to make major changes.

On Thursday, China had welcomed a United States offer to hold fresh trade talks, providing some hope the worlds top two economies could step back from the brink of an all-out trade war.

Top trade officials from both China and the US had been holding trade meetings in each Beijing and Washington, DC before those talks broke down.

The Trump administration is demanding that China cut its $375 billion trade surplus with the United States, end policies aimed at acquiring USA technologies and intellectual property and roll back high-tech industrial subsidies.

In retaliation Beijing has pledged to hit back with tariffs on $60 billion of Us exports, including meat, coffee, furniture and auto parts. Last week Trump told reporters such a move could come 'very soon'.

Trump's decision was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. This tactic has had mixed success. Some of them have criticised Trump's tactics but many echo United States complaints about Chinese market barriers and industrial strategy.

The $200 billion tariff list included various internet technology products and other electronics, printed circuit boards, and consumer goods ranging from handbags to bicycles and furniture.

"For the near term, this combination of tactics seems to signal that unless and until China comes to the table with significant actions on the issues the U.S.is hammering, the USA will keep tariff pressure going", said Claire Reade, a former US trade negotiator.

And two weeks ago, he said he was preparing a third package of penalties on what he said would be $267 billion of additional items, a list that is likely to encompass all remaining goods produced in China. "Talks without action won't do the trick".

Adding in the $200 billion list and another $267 billion of Chinese goods, total imports from China facing tariffs would exceed the $505 billion in goods that the United States imported from China past year.What sounds like a dream flight will undoubtedly be a technical and logistical nightmare as a British group attempts the first circumnavigation in a Spitfire. Although the aircraft climbs like a scalded cat and can go more than 400 MPH, Spitfires were designed for 20-minute bouts of dogfighting, not 27,000-mile cross countries. With a combat range of just 425 miles, there will be a lot of takeoffs and landings as the Silver Spitfire-The Longest Flight hopscotches VFR through 30 countries. A lot of those stops will be in areas where avgas isnt readily available (not to mention spare parts) so a lot of advance work will be required for the flight, which is set for launch in the summer of 2019. Its not clear if the aircraft will carry external or ferry tanks. Its an ambitious effort, considering the aircraft restoration hasnt been finished yet. British pilots Matt Jones and Steve Brooks will be in the cockpit for the flight, which is expected to take four months.

The aircraft, Mark IX built in 1944, will be airworthy in the spring of 2019 and will be wrung out in a tour of the U.K. Although its partly a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, the aircraft will be finished unpainted without military markings. The pilots will head west from the U.K. via Arctic airports before going through Canada and the U.S. Then it will head north to Alaska and cross the Bering Strait to enter Russia. From there its south through Asia, the Middle East and Europe for a homecoming in December. Many of the stops will be in countries where the Spitfire operated. The main sponsor is Swiss watchmakerIWC Schaffhausen.It seems likely legislators will miss a Sept. 30 deadline to pass an FAA reauthorization bill but they may not require yet another short-term extension. The Senate sent its suggested revisions of the House version of the bill back to the House for consideration last week. But the House is adjourned all next week and wont reconvene until Sept. 25. Thats a short window to hash out the final details and it might not get done in time for the presidents signature by the time the current extension expires Sept. 30. There has been some discussion of missing the deadline by a day or two to get a final deal rather than push it down the legislative road.

There are a number of niggling issues in the way of bilateral ratification of the bill, including a measure to allow states to set rest and meal break rules for truck drivers, whether to allow the FAA to regulate model aircraft, and measures on drones and self-driving cars. If resolution isnt made on any or all of those issues, the alternative is a funding extension as the government heads into what appears to be a tumultuous period ahead of and in the aftermath of the November midterm elections.Rock The Vote is launching "Democracy Class" this week, bringing a one-period high school class on the importance and history of voting to over 2,000 schools.

Why it matters: Rock The Vote says that youth voters registered through their program had a turnout rate 30 points higher than the national youth average in the 2014 and 2016 elections. Their goal is to register  or pre-register, for those under 18  160,000 students in time for the midterm elections.

The backdrop: The Democracy Class curriculum covers the importance of local elections, a civics lesson through which students can work on a project to address an issue impacting their community, and modern-day voting rights.

More than 100 organizations and school districts have signed up to bring Democracy Class to their classrooms.

American Eagle Outfitters is sponsoring this pre-midterms effort as a way to try to reach even more youth voters.

By the numbers: In 2014, among those registered to vote through Rock The Vote, 53% voted compared to the national youth voter turnout average of 19.9%. They had an 81% turnout rate in 2016  and 58% of those voters had never voted before.Beijing is considering rejecting an offer from the White House for additional trade talks later this month amid reports that the Trump administration plans to impose new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The big picture: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had invited China's senior economic official Liu He to return to Washington. Axios contributor Bill Bishop predicted that Liu might decline: "It's going to take a lot of backchannel reassurances and promises to get Liu back to D.C. The Chinese understand that there's disagreement among Trump's top advisers and Liu has been humiliated on two recent trips to D.C."Donald Trump wants to rebuild Americas infrastructure the same way he built his buildings: debt, debt and more debt. His then-economic adviser, Gary Cohn, learned this the hard way in a fraught meeting last year, the details of which havent been previously reported.

What happened: As Cohn and his team were putting together their $1.5 trillion infrastructure package, Cohn tried to use a real estate analogy to sell Trump on his plan to pair public and private investment. It backfired.

The Cohn plan proposed leveraging $200 billion of federal investment into a $1.5 trillion overall infrastructure package  with state and local governments and the private sector making up the difference.

Trump was skeptical. Instead, he just wanted the federal government to borrow tons of money for infrastructure projects. He was especially obsessed with overhauling his hometown airport LaGuardia, which he calls "Third World."

The President horrified some Republicans in an October 2017 meeting with members of Congress at the White House when he told the Democrats that he liked their plan of massive public investment in infrastructure, according to a source in the room.

"We've just gotta spend money on this," Trump said, according to the source.

"He wants to govern like Robert Moses, but Republicans won't let him," the source added, referring to the titanic public official known as the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City.

In a separate conversation, Cohn tried to win Trump over with a real estate analogy, according to two sources familiar with their conversation. "Think about when you're putting up a building, you put down $50 million of your own money to leverage several hundred million," Cohn told Trump.

The president scoffed. He told Cohn that when he was building, he'd never be so stupid as to put down his own money. He'd borrow the first installment from one bank and borrow the rest from another bank.

Cohn told associates afterwards that he'd never have supported such an idea when he worked at Goldman Sachs. "I'm a 30% equity guy," Cohn told associates after the conversation. "He [Trump] is 100% leverage."

Why this matters: During his career as a real estate magnate, Trump proudly called himself the "King of Debt." Now, he's the President of Debt  stimulating the economy by slashing taxes and jacking up defense spending without doing anything serious to rein in entitlement spending.

A source familiar with Trump's private conversations with Republican members tells me it's going too far to say he doesn't care at all about debt. "When he talks to [Rep. Mark] Meadows and Freedom Caucus members, he's very sensitive to the sense that we're accumulating as much debt as the Obama years," the source said.

But the proof is in the numbers: Under Trump, the U.S national debt has passed the $21 trillion mark.

What's next? Senior administration officials tell me Trump is still dead keen on passing a massive infrastructure bill. He likes the sound of big round numbers: A $1 trillion package is music to his ears. If Democrats win the House in November, it's more than possible Trump will defy his own party and favor Sen. Elizabeth Warren's approach of heavy federal borrowing over private investment.NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told me he reassured Montenegro after President Trump publicly questioned whether it was worth it for the United States to defend the tiny NATO ally if an enemy attacked. "I have reassured Montenegro," Stoltenberg told me in an interview on Friday, "and I also know that the United States has clearly stated that they are fully committed to Article 5 and NATO and the collective defense."

Why this matters: NATO's foundational principle is that an attack on one member country is an attack on all. America's willingness to honor that commitment provides the security blanket that keeps the transatlantic alliance alive.

But in a July interview, Fox News host Tucker Carlson asked Trump why his son should "go to Montenegro to defend it from attack?"

"I understand what you're saying; I've asked the same question," Trump replied. "You know, Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people. ... They are very aggressive people. They may get aggressive, and congratulations, youre in World War III."

Trump was criticized at the time for  perhaps unwittingly  echoing a Vladimir Putin talking point.

I asked Stoltenberg whether he agreed with Trump's assessment that Montenegrins are "very aggressive people."

The NATO leader smiled wryly. "Montenegro is a very welcome ally of NATO," he responded.

"I've been in Montenegro many times ... when I was a child ... we went to Montenegro many times, and I have a good relationship to many Montenegrins."

You can read the rest of my interview with Stoltenberg here. It's a case study in how carefully the NATO leader chooses his words so as not to offend Trump.

The highlights:Natural-gas explosions in Massachusetts and Hurricane Florences threat of energy infrastructure remind us that energy can pose enormous, sometimes deadly, risks.

Why it matters: Energy is the thing we all need but dont notice until its gone, expensive or going awry. Energy facilities  particularly nuclear plants  appear to be withstanding Florence well. We saw a tragically different outcome in Massachusetts Thursday, with one death and roughly two dozen injuries. They both inject a consciousness into our energy dependence we usually overlook.

Think about it:

We drive gasoline-powered cars.

We use plastics made from petroleum.

We fly in jet fueled-planes.

We live in homes with electricity. What kind? Most of us dont know or care.

Our homes in America are increasingly powered by natural gas  particularly Massachusetts.

We live in homes heated by natural gas.

Some of us cook with natural-gas stoves.

But we dont actually think about this. We arent thankful when the lights come on. Reporters dont bother writing stories about how nuclear power plants stood up well to hurricanes. As someone on Twitter told me last week, Dog doesn't bite man is rarely newsworthy.

Honestly, I should have written this story when, in that not too-distant past, I accidentally left my gas-powered stove on just a touch and unknowingly filled my home with natural gas all day. Four fire trucks came. My neighbor darkly joked about the irony of an energy reporter dying of a natural gas explosion (I was not amused).

I didnt write a story, because I didnt explode and I carried on with my life like nothing happened. The moral of that story: I am just as bad as you, and I cover this most days of my life!

This lack of consciousness of energy makes the job of those who work in it unforgiving and unrelenting. You get no positive reinforcement for doing a job perfectly that we all rely on. Yet, in the rare times something goes wrong, youre suddenly the devil and the world should get rid of you yesterday.

Embedded in all of this is risk: how much were willing to take and what tradeoffs were willing to accept in order to minimize risk.

Some risk were aware of and can choose: driving a car or flying in a plane. Then theres risk we may be unaware of or have no choice to avoid: natural gas exploding in our homes, or a nuclear plant 30 miles away at risk of melting down.

The risks of these are infinitesimal, but the fear is real. And, in rare moments they happen: Massachusetts gas explosions, Fukushima nuclear meltdown, BP oil spill.

For some context, in America:

In 2017, eight people died related to pipeline incidents

Twice as

Some folks might be thinking right about now, "Hey, youre forgetting renewables, theyre the answer." Yes, they are part of it. Renewables arent explosive (big plus), and their share of the worlds electricity mix is growing fast.

But the world is still deeply dependent upon fossil fuels (81% to be exact), and tradeoffs exist with wind and solar (they need heck of a lot of land, for example, to match fossil fuels and nuclear).

So even while a transition is underway to safer forms of energy, it's critical to make sure the risk of our current dominant sources is as close to zero as possible. Lawmakers are already calling for hearings in response to the Massachusetts explosions.

A 2010 gas pipeline blast in San Bruno, Calif., which killed eight people, led to the inclusion of new safeguards, like automatic pipeline shutoff valves, in a 2011 pipeline safety reauthorization bill. But its implementation remains incomplete.

When energy hurts somebody outside its immediate value chain, theres usually a policy response.

 Kevin Book, managing director, analysis firm ClearView Energy Partners

Whats next: I would be remiss if I didnt mention the longest term, trickiest type of risks: Those posed by a warmer planet, which is occurring largely due to our dependence on fossil fuels.

Sea level rise, more extreme storms and more flooding all increase risks for average homeowners, businesses and energy infrastructure, wrote Edward Rust Jr., former longtime State Farm chief executive, in a New York Times op-ed earlier this month. He endorsed a carbon tax as one good way to reduce risk.U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley accused Russia of helping North Korea evade international sanctions during an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Monday.

The big picture: The Treasury Department announced sanctions against several Russian companies and vessels last month for engaging in petroleum trade with North Korea. On Monday, Haley called on the Security Council to punish Russia for its continued infractions, claiming its deliberate subversion of international sanctions is "impeding our ability to achieve complete denuclearization in North Korea."Typhoon Mangkhut whipped up storm surges as high as three metres in Hong Kong last night and forced the nearby gambling hub of Macau to close its casinos for the first time in its history.

Typhoon Mangkhut barrelled into southern China after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that caused landslides feared to have buried dozens.

More than 2.45 million people have been relocated and over 48,000 fishing boats called back to port in the province.

The world's biggest storm this year reached China after rocking Hong Kong earlier on Sunday, injuring more than 100 people and leaving skyscrapers swaying in the fierce winds.

More than 550 flights have been canceled at airports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and more than 200 have been delayed, according to Flightaware.com.

High winds and swells also hit Fujian province north of Guangdong, shutting ports, suspending ferry services and cancelling more than 100 flights.

Schools in the city will be shut Monday.

The cities are nearly entirely shut down and one of Macau's main attractions, local casinos, were ordered to close for the first time in history, CGTN reports. Hainan Airlines canceled 234 flights in the cities of Haikou, Sanya, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai scheduled over the weekend.

The government and casinos are taking extra precautions after Macau was battered by Typhoon Hato a year ago, which left 12 dead.

Water levels surged 3.5 meters (12 feet) in some places, waves swamped roads and washed up live fish, washing into some residential blocks and a mall in an eastern district. The district was one of the most affected by floods from Typhoon Hato, which left 10 people dead.

On Saturday, it plowed into the Philippines, killing at least two people and flattening homes in small towns and villages on the northern island of Luzon.

The people were trapped in a shelter at an old mining site in the town of Itogon, almost 125 miles north of Manila, which "went missing" during a landslide, Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said.

At least 36 people, including the eight miners retrieved in Itogon, have died in typhoon-related incidents in the Philippines, mostly from landslides and collapsed houses.

"I thought my child wouldn't survive because cars could not move outside", said this woman in the Philippines.

Rescuers stopped their search intermittently because of heavy rain, and the search and rescue operation was suspended at nightfall and will resume at daybreak Monday, Palangdan said. Men used pikes and shovels to dig into the mud since the soaked ground was unstable and limited the use of heavy equipment on site. Forty-five other people were missing and 33 were injured in the storm.

Mangkhut is now some 220 km south-southeast of the city, and heading for the surrounding Pearl River Delta, home to 120 million people.

Still, the Philippines appeared to have been spared the high number of casualties many had feared.

The Philippines is routinely hit during the typhoon season but the strength of Manghukt evoked memories of the deadliest storm on national record - Super Typhoon Haiyan - which killed more than 7,000 in 2013.

Presidential adviser Francis Tolentino said about 87,000 people had been evacuated from high-risk areas and advised not to return home until the danger has passed.

Police Director General Oscar Albayalde told the Associated Press that 20 people had died in the Cordillera region, four in Nueva Vizcaya province and another outside of the two regions, as the typhoon battered the rice-growing and mountain area Saturday.

The typhoon is the 22nd of the year but China's National Meteorological Centre says it could be the strongest one yet to make landfall.

"They thought they were really safe there", the mayor said Sunday.Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed to establish a 9- to 15-mile demilitarized zone in the Syrian province of Idlib to separate rebel fighters and Syrian government forces, reports BBC News.

Why it matters: Idlib is the last rebel stronghold left in Syria. The United Nations has warned that an offensive by the Syrian government could lead to a massive humanitarian disaster, with more than 30,000 civilians already displaced by attacks last week.President Trump has ordered the declassification of documents regarding the U.S. government's surveillance of Trump campaign adviser Carter Page and the investigative activities of senior Justice Department lawyer Bruce Ohr, a move Jonathan Swan reported earlier this month.

Trump also ordered the release of "all text messages relating to the Russia investigation, without redaction, of James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr," Press Secretaty Sarah Sanders said in a statement Monday.

Why it matters: Republicans on the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees believe the declassification will permanently taint the Trump-Russia investigation by showing the investigation was illegitimate to begin with.This year's UN General Assembly session promises to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict back to center stage. The Trump administration's recent decisions on Jerusalem and withdrawal of funding for the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees, together with a possible announcement at the UN of its "deal of the century," indicate that it is attempting to remove key issues for the Palestinians from the negotiating table.

The big picture: The U.S. apparent strategy is to decide a priori the fate of Jerusalem and refugees in Israel's favor, and to force the Palestinians to accept an inferior deal. Whether the U.S. unveils the details of its plan during the UNGA session or not, its likely to exacerbate tensions in the region.

The U.S. seems to want to bypass the Palestinian National Authority by forging close ties with other Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, in the hopes that they can be relied upon to bring the Palestinians around. This strategy assumes that Arab states would be able to do so, and that theyd be willing to accept a territorial deal that excludes East Jerusalem.

But the fact remains that the parameters of this deal are perceived to be so inferior, indeed insulting, that no Palestinian or Arab leader would accept it. Visits by presidential advisers Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner in recent months have underscored this fact. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas recently revealed, for example, that both he and the Jordanian leadership rejected a U.S. proposal for a confederation of Palestinian areas.

The international community seems to be ignoring that the majority of the new Palestinian generation have lost hope in the two-state solution and shifted their focus to demanding civic and political rights and raising the costs of the occupation. The most likely outcome is a continuation of the status quo, while the ongoing construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem  now home to more than 650,000 settlers  forecloses prospects for a two-state solution.

The bottom line: The international community will have to come to grips with the death of the two-state solution. It is no longer taboo to talk about alternatives, including variations of the one-state solution. That presents a whole new set of problems as the Jewish and Palestinian populations in areas under Israels control approach parity.

Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a former foreign minister of Jordan.By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 93 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Sept. 17.

Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Sara Israfilbayova

The Czech companies aim to expand their presence in Azerbaijan and strengthen cooperation with Azerbaijani entrepreneurs.

Chairman of the Board of the Czech Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the CIS Countries Frantisek Masopust, who took part in the Azerbaijani-Czech business forum in Baku told Trend that about 25 Czech companies, which aim to find partners in Azerbaijan to establish joint businesses, have arrived in Baku.

For 10 years, our companies have been coming here at an enviable regularity. During this period, we managed to spread information about your country in the Czech Republic, and our companies are very pleased to respond to the offers of trip to Azerbaijan and search for partners here. First of all, we are attracted by the economic stability and security in your country. When we first entered the Azerbaijani market 12-15 years ago, we felt that, as compared to your neighbor countries, more prospects for business activity are awaiting us in your country. And now we are convinced that at that time we made the right step, Masopust said.

He went on to say that the economy of Azerbaijan is developing steadily, and coming here almost every year, they witness this, adding that there is a good potential for the development of relations between the business entities of the two countries.

Masopust mentioned that the Czech entrepreneurs are ready to establish contacts with Azerbaijani partners for joint activities in a number of areas.

Speaking of the format of cooperation, he noted that the Czech companies mainly prefer export-import operations.

We have several joint ventures and partner companies, but the Czech companies mainly prefer partnership at the level of export-import operations. We are interested in increasing investments, but the fact is that the financial capacity of the Czech companies is not so great in order to implement major investment opportunities. For example, an average German company is much richer than the Czech companies. State support is necessary for us to be able to increase our investments in Azerbaijan, Masopust said.

Diplomatic relations between the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan were established in 1993.

Today, Azerbaijan significantly increases the energy security of the Czech Republic since the national oil provides a third of the annual consumption of the country. Therefore, Azerbaijan, which has made a significant contribution to the diversification of Czech energy resources, has become an important strategic partner of this European country.

Currently, there are 25 companies with Czech capital in Azerbaijan. Over the past period, the Czech Republic has invested $30 million in the economy of Azerbaijan. The Czech companies are contractors in eight state projects, the total value of which exceeds $2 billion.

Moreover, in the end of 2017 the management of Ganja Automobile Plant and representatives of the Czech Automobile Plant signed a memorandum, according to which, starting from 2018 various Tatra trucks will be produced in Azerbaijan.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic amounted to $473 million in January-July 2018, $394.3 million of which fell on the export of Azerbaijani products to the Czech Republic.

---

Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Sara Israfilbayova

A delegation led by Vice President of the Islamic Development Bank Zamir Iqbal paid an official visit to Azerbaijan on September 15.

During the visit, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev stressed the importance of cooperation with the IDB and the institutes that are part of the IDB group, noting that the banks support to the private sector of Azerbaijan was highly appreciated.

It was noted that the IDB has invested more than $1.2 billion in the Azerbaijani economy in more than 40 projects and these projects cover such areas as agriculture, energy, transport, social services, water supply, ecology, trade, private sector, etc.

Noting Azerbaijans interest in developing cooperation with the IDB, the minister stressed the importance of investing in the private sector of Azerbaijan, direct financing of enterprises, participation in equity, and expansion of investment cooperation in priority areas such as agriculture, industrial parks and zones, machinery and equipment, chemical industry, pharmaceuticals.

Iqbal, in turn, expressed satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan and the cooperation of the bank with the country. Igbal told about the Fund of Science, Technology and Innovations, the authorized capital of which is $500 million, noting that the fund supports the promotion of science, technology and innovation in the member countries of the bank and the development of start-ups, small and medium-sized businesses.

The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development bank, working to improve the lives of people by promoting social and economic development in Muslim countries and communities worldwide, delivering impact at scale.

It was founded in 1973 by the Finance Ministers at the first Organization of the Islamic Conference (now called the Organization of Islamic Cooperation).

The present membership of the Bank consists of 57 countries.

Azerbaijans cooperation with the IDB has started in 1992. The Banks Local Representative was appointed in Azerbaijan in 2007.

---

Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Rashid Shirinov

Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Mexico may reach $25 million in 2018, Mexican Ambassador to Azerbaijan Juan Rodrigo Labardini Flores said at an event dedicated to the Independence Day of Mexico on September 14.

He noted that in the period from 1992 to 2014, the annual trade turnover between the two countries averaged only $1.2 million, but over the past three years, this figure has increased eight times and reached $9.6 million.

The ambassador also mentioned that friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Mexico are expanding more and more.

Ambassador-at-large of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Gunduz Jafarov, in turn, noted that relations between Azerbaijan and Mexico in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and many other spheres are developing rapidly.

Mutual visits are carried out between the countries. Inter-parliamentary relations are also an important area of cooperation. The countries have signed many documents that will further expand the relations, Jafarov noted.

He further said that Azerbaijan highly appreciates the adoption of documents in the Senate of Mexico in 2011 condemning the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia and the Khojaly genocide.

Azerbaijan opened an embassy in Mexico City in 2007 and Mexico followed suit by opening an embassy in Baku in 2014. Since then, the volume of bilateral trade between the countries has increased several times.

Data of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan says that the trade turnover between the countries amounted to $19.3 million in 2017. Meanwhile, it made $16.9 million in the first eight months of this year.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan is among the countries with the lowest rate of corporate users exposed to cyber attacks through the web, reads the report of Kaspersky Lab on cyber threats in the CIS countries at the end of the first seven months of 2018.

This figure stood at only 16.1 percent in Azerbaijan in January-July this year, the report says, while it reached 24 percent in Tajikistan, 23.4 percent in Kyrgyzstan, 23 percent in Belarus, and 21.5 per cent in Ukraine during the reporting period.

Thus, Azerbaijan ranks 9th in terms of corporate users who are exposed to cyber attacks through the web.

According to Sergey Zemkov, Managing Director of Kaspersky Lab in Russia and the CIS, the low figure for Azerbaijan suggested that corporate users in the country are better protected. He did not exclude that this is due to the high level of their training.

The managing director believes that companies in Azerbaijan are actively working to improve their security, but, unfortunately, the level of piracy is still high in the personal segment and in small and medium-sized businesses. The statistics of Kaspersky Lab are usually prepared based on the data of licensed users.

Zemkov also noted that the Internet market of Azerbaijan is quite concentrated, and active web threats can be controlled at the internal level.

Due to the small number of entry points of global Internet traffic, it is not difficult to organize a higher level of security in small countries, he said.

It is noteworthy that the share of corporate users attacked by local threats in January-July this year was 50 percent in Tajikistan, 46.7 percent in Turkmenistan, 38.2 percent in Kazakhstan, and 29 percent in Azerbaijan.

Enterprises in every country are subject to constantly increasing numbers of cyber attacks, which may cause serious economic and societal damage to the enterprise and the country as a whole. Therefore, it is important for every enterprise to apply additional means of security.

The main sources for computer infection are the Internet, removable storage devices and malicious email attachments and scripts embedded in the body of emails. Therefore, in order to protect a computer from any kind of cyber attacks, the user should use antivirus programs and be attentive while surfing the Internet, without visiting suspicious websites and using such applications.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Laman Ismayilova

An exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Baku's liberation from the Dashnak-Bolshevik occupation has opened in the Azerbaijan National Museum of History on September 14.

The exhibition presents more than 120 unique historical exhibits from museum weapons funds and banners, archival materials, maps of battles, images of battle scenes, photo documents that tell of the events of those days, Trend Life reported.

Among the exhibits are weapons and accessories of Azerbaijani soldiers, weapons of the troops of the Baku Soviet, the Centro-Caspian Dictatorship, British troops, artifacts found on the battlefields, Ottoman orders awarded to Azerbaijani soldiers, as well as books and catalogs on the Caucasian Islamic Army.

The exposition also features busts of Nuri Pasha and Habib bey Salimov, portraits of Turkish and Azerbaijani generals, created by the sculptor and artist Ajdar Gafarov. It is interesting that the exposition is strewn with scarlet poppies, and poetic lines pay tribute to the heroes - Turkish and Azerbaijani soldiers who died in the name of Azerbaijan's independence.

The event began with the performance of the national anthems of Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Next, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral, the head of the museum, academician Nailya Velikhanly, the head of the Secretariat of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the assistant to the President, Professor Dilyara Seidzade, the academician Nargiz Akhundova spoke about the important historical event in the life of the fraternal peoples, stressing the significance of the 100th anniversary of Baku's liberation.

The liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance for the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood.

On September 15, 1918, Baku was liberated by the Caucasian Islamic Army, comprised of Azerbaijani and Turkish soldiers, led by Turkish General Nuri Pasha. Thus, Azerbaijan gained independence and the domination of Armenians and Bolsheviks in Baku and surrounding areas came to an end.

Despite that during 70 years of the Soviet rule this event was purposefully explained in an erroneous context, the Azerbaijani people never forgot the heroism of Turkish soldiers.

The liberation of Baku from Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation is one of the most glorious pages in the history of Azerbaijan of the 20th century.

Many years have passed since those events, but the brotherly help of the Turks is never forgotten, it has always been remembered and will be remembered by the Azerbaijani people with a sense of gratitude.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Laman Ismayilova

A final part of the exhibition of the project "The Netherlands through Azerbaijani Eyes" was held at the residence of the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Azerbaijan Onno Kervers.

Thirteen very talented artists presented wonderful paintings inspired by the Netherlands, Trend Life reported.

The Netherlands is entirely unique in the natural and architectural beauty

This extraordinarily diverse country features lush, green countryside, wild shorelines, medieval towns built on canals and modern cities filled with skyscrapers.

The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is a place of contrasts, a contemporary, laid back city filled with unique and historical sites.

The birthplace of Vincent van Gogh and Hieronymus Bosch is still striking in its ancient and modern architecture, and undoubtedly can serve as a source of inspiration.

The exhibition was attended by representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan, famous figures of culture and art, representatives of creative youth.

Addressing the event, Dutch Ambassador to Azerbaijan Onno Kervers expressed gratitude to the artists.

The diplomat added that the artists managed to reveal the given theme, and the works turned out to be interesting and diverse.

It was stressed that the artists painted their paintings in the Art Tower. And the project itself promotes the expansion of relations in the sphere of culture and art between the two countries.

The head of NGO Arts Council Azerbaijan artist Dadash Mammadov said that 13 works of art were created within the framework of the project. Through their works, artists brilliantly conveyed their impression and internal vision of this amazing country.

The Head of the NGO Arts Council Azerbaijan thanked the Embassy of the Netherlands in Azerbaijan for supporting the project and activities of the Arts Council Azerbaijan, adding that the project is of great interest, and cooperation with other countries will further continue.

Guests of the event got acquainted with the exposition. Each painting took the viewers on a journey through this beautiful country.

Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands enjoy high-level relations.

Kingdom of the Netherlands recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in December 31, 1991 and a year later the diplomatic relations between the two countries were established.

In recent years bilateral economic missions, business forums, as well as other activities organized with support of the Embassy opened a new phase in practical cooperation between the two sides.

Currently, more than 125 companies with the capital from the Netherlands operate in Azerbaijan in the field of trade, services, insurance, industry, construction, transport and other spheres.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzAfter three weeks of teacher strikes dotting the state of Washington, students in all districts are back in school.

Teachers in the Tacoma and Battle Ground districts returned to school today after settling contract agreements last week and over the weekend. Teachers in the Tumwater district are expected to return to work tomorrow, after voting today to ratify their tentative agreement with the district.

In 14 school districts across the state of Washington, teachers went on strike this fall over contract disputes stemming from an influx of cash districts had received from the state. The state had awarded $2 billion to districts to go toward teacher salary increases, a result of a 2012 ruling from the state supreme court. That rulingknown as the McCleary decisionfound that the state was not amply funding schools. Since then, the state has poured billions of dollars into public education. It was required to fully fund teacher salary increases by this year.

Teachers across the state negotiated new contracts with their districts, and in many cases, received double-digit pay increases. Still, some teachers had to go on strike to get there: In Tacoma, for instance, teachers received an average 14.4 percent pay raise, according to the News Tribune . Before the strike, the district had offered a 3.1 percent raise. And in Tumwaterwhere teachers defied a judges order to return to the classroom last weekteachers will receive a 16.7 percent pay raise this year and a 2.4 percent pay raise next year.

On social media, teachers applauded the resolution of the strikes. But in a blog post , Nate Bowling, a high school teacher in the Tacoma district and the 2016 Washington State Teacher of the Year, apologized to the 29,300 students in the district.

Adult issues kept you out of the classroom where you belong, he wrote. Thats an injustice and theres no way to spin that. There shouldnt have been a strike. I found the last two weeks mind-numbingly frustrating because it was preventable.

The district, he wrote, should have offered a fair contract from the beginning of negotiations. And young teachers need to feel valued for their work instead of having to work multiple jobs , he added.

Despite reaching a contract agreement, I have lingering concerns about our ability to retain many of the great teachers we have, Bowling wrote, adding that he hopes the school district will rebuild trust with its teachers and the community this year.

Meanwhile, teachers in Los Angeles are preparing for a strike that could come next month. Teachers voted to authorize a strike earlier this month , and since then, the district and the teachers union have not made progress with negotiations. Union members have said that the strike could be in October.

Image: Tacoma teachers are jubilant throughout the meeting at Mount Tacoma High School where they voted to accept a new, improved contract and end their strike on Sept. 14. Peter Haley/The News Tribune via APPassenger traffic at Tanger-Med port jumped by 202% this summer compared to 1,741,212 passengers last year.

The number of vehicles handled by the port hit 464,977 while the number of buses rose to 4,390, the ports authority said.

It ascribed the recent car jam that stretched for nearly 18km from the port to the high number of passengers and cars of Moroccan expatriates returning to Europe after spending the summer vacation in the homeland.

In the single day of August 27, 53,157 passengers and 10,510 vehicles used the port, it said.

Last month, Tanger-Med was ranked as the first container port in Africa and the 45th in the world in a survey by World Top Container Ports.

With a capacity of 3 million containers, the Moroccan port has handled 3,312,409 containers in 2017 that is 11% over its capacity.

The Tanger-Med Port authority aims to bring its container handling capacity to 9 million containers in 2019. This would enable the port to be in the worlds top 20.By Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijani Theater "YUG" will take part in the 5th International festival of meetings of city theaters (Sehir Tiyatrolar Bulusmas), which will be held in late October - early November in Adana,Turkey.

At the festival, the troupe of the Azerbaijani theater will perform the theater play called "A Marriage Proposal" based on the work of Russian short-story writer Anton Chekhov, Trend Life reported.

Director of photography is Gunay Sattar, art director - Honored Artist Rashid Sherif, and composer - Honored Artist Vugar Jamalzade.

The cast includes Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Vidadi Hasanov (Stepan Stepanovich Chubukov), actors Zumrud Hasanova (Natalia Stepanovna) and Elgun Hamidov (Ivan Vasilievich Lomov).

"A Marriage Proposal" is a one-act play by Anton Chekhov, written in 18881889 and first performed in 1890. It is a fast-paced play of dialogue-based action and situational humor.

The play is set in the rural countryside of Russia during the late 1800s.

It was successful in its first runs in St. Petersburg and Moscow, and quickly became popular across Russia.

The theater YUG was established in 1989 under the auspices of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater by Vagif Ibrahimoglu and Hasanaga Turabov. In 1992, the theater got the status of "a state theater".

The name of the theater carries a meaning: YUG means "an old rite". Everything, however, is more complicated as it seems, because this burial ritual during which were played the scenes from the life of the deceased, symbolizes a return to the memory. The actors try reminding the spectators of what they knew, maybe even in their past lives, but just forgot.

The main principle of this avant-garde theater is the relevance of chosen topics, non-standard interpretation of familiar stories and experimenting with new forms.

During its history, the Azerbaijan State Theater YUG has staged more than 90 plays. Today, it occupies a special place in the theater art of the country. The theaters troupe participated in many international festivals.

Plays by William Shakespeare, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Giovanni Boccaccio, Nikolai Gogol, Kobo Abe, as well as Azerbaijani classical and contemporary authors are regularly staged in the theater.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is on a working visit to China to participate in the annual meeting of the Davos World Economic Forum, to be held Sept. 18-20 in Tianjin, press service of Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sept. 17.

Mammadyarov will address the meeting as part of the panel titled Inclusive Digital Development in Eurasia and will tell about the achievements and experience of Azerbaijan in sustainable development.

During the visit, Mammadyarov is also expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

In accordance with the plan of holding large-scale exercises of the Azerbaijani army, the management and movement of troops that have been put on alert are implemented covertly and operatively in line with high demand for their organization, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message Sept. 17.

In the course of ongoing exercises, the troops are moving into concentration areas and forming groupings. Combat work has been organized at the command and control posts of the troops.

In accordance with the plan approved by president of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev and under the supervision of Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Azerbaijan started large-scale operational-tactical exercises with participation of various military branches of troops, army corpses and formations on Sept. 17.

The exercises that will last until Sept. 22 involve more than 20,000 military personnel, more than 200 tanks and other armored vehicles, more than 120 rocket and artillery mounts of different calibers, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars, up to 10 fighters and bomber aircraft, as well as up to 20 army aviation units for various purposes.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

First Deputy Speaker of Iran's Parliament Masoud Pezeshkian will arrive in Azerbaijan on Sept. 17, the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan told Trend.

On Sept. 21, Pezeshkian will take part in an event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament.

Parliamentary delegations from 150 countries will participate in the event. Speakers of parliaments of 14 countries will come to Baku to participate in the event, 13 countries will be represented by deputy speakers, and 11 countries will be represented by inter-parliamentary working groups.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

The opening ceremony of the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology was held in Baku on Sept. 17.

The event was attended by the head of the Department of Interethnic Relations, Multiculturalism and Religious Issues of Azerbaijans Presidential Administration Etibar Najafov, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Mubariz Gurbanli, chairman of the parliamentary committee for public associations and religious structures Siyavush Novruzov, heads of Azerbaijan's religious communities and others.

The rector of the institute, Ph.D. in theology Jeyhun Mammadov stressed the successful continuation of the state's religious policy by President Ilham Aliyev, the foundation of which was laid by the great leader Heydar Aliyev.

Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which is headed by the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, also cares and pays special attention to this sphere.

On behalf of all theologians, the rector expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the great attention paid to religious affairs.

"In the academic year 2018-2019 on the basis of the state order (tuition fee paid by the state) 35 places were allocated for Islamic studies,and 25 places for Religious studies. All the allocated places are taken by students. Presently, the institute has one faculty and three departments. Lessons are conducted in Azerbaijani. In the future, it is planned to add Russian, English and Arabic, and attract students from other countries," the rector of the institute said.

Then Etibar Najafov, Mubariz Gurbanli, Siyavush Novruzov, deputy head of the Caucasian Muslims Office Haji Fuad Nurullah and others made speeches.

On behalf of the heads of religious communities participating in the event, an appeal was made to President Ilham Aliyev.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

September 15, when 100 years ago Baku was liberated from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation, is the brightest page of the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood, Azerbaijani MP Aydin Huseynov told Trend Sept. 17.

He said that first of all, this event shows that this brotherhood has big and glorious history.

At that time, soldiers of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, along with Azerbaijani soldiers, showed great heroism and freed not only Baku from the occupation, but also stopped further massacre by Bolsheviks and Dashnaks in Azerbaijan, Huseynov said. The liberation movement launched by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus towards Baku was successfully continued, and after that, Shamakhi, which was a strategic point, was liberated from the occupation. If Baku hadnt been liberated from the occupation at that time, the fate of Azerbaijan would have been in question. However, Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood passed this test with head held high.

The MP said that after Azerbaijan gained independence, the brotherhood of the two countries entered a new stage.

The words of the great leader Heydar Aliyev 'one nation, two states' are a true embodiment of this brotherhood, the MP noted.

Huseynov added that this friendship and brotherhood are an example for the whole world.

There are no other countries as close to each other as Azerbaijan and Turkey in the world, he said. "The Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship is indestructible and eternal. At the same time, the Azerbaijani-Turkish fraternal relations are of great importance for the stability, security and development of the region as well. I believe these relations will continue to develop.

On September 15, Azerbaijan marked the centenary of Bakus liberation from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation and a solemn parade marking this event was held at the Azadlig Square.

On this day in 1918, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, which included the Azerbaijani corps, entered Baku, liberating the city from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation.

The liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance for the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood.

Despite that during 70 years of the Soviet rule this event was purposefully explained in an erroneous context, the Azerbaijani people never forgot the heroism of Turkish soldiers.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Kamila Aliyeva

The passenger car production in Uzbekistan amounted to 110,690 units in January-August 2018, thus showing an increase of 21.2 percent compared to the same period in 2017, according to the Uzbek State Statistics Committee.

In January-August 2018, the output of trucks was 2,450 units, which is 7.9 percent less compared to the same period in 2017.

Production of buses in Uzbekistan in the reported period 2018 amounted to 351 and registered a decrease of 39.8 percent compared to January-August 2017.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan increased the output of tractors by 6 times to 2,480 units.

According to Uzavtosanoat JSC, from January 1 to September 12, 2018, GM Uzbekistan sold more than 114,630 cars in the domestic market of Uzbekistan.

Car industry occupies one of the leading places in the economy of Uzbekistan. A significant number of the country's population is employed in this sector of industry.

The vast majority of automotive enterprises in Uzbekistan are joint ventures with foreign partners. This shows that the country is successfully working to create a favorable investment climate.

The main production companies are GM Uzbekistan, SamAvto, JV MAN Auto-Uzbekistan and GM Powertrain Uzbekistan.

The automotive industry has undergone significant reform last year. Simplification of the procedure for buying cars is intended to increase the demand for them, and the expansion of export opportunities will make this Uzbek brand even more popular abroad.

Since 1998 Uzbekistan has been a member of the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA).

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano once again confirmed that Iran was honoring its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

Since the last General Conference, we have continued to verify and monitor the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Amano said during a speech at the 62nd IAEA General Conference, opened in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Monday, the official website of the IAEA said on September 17.

He added, Iran is implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA. It is essential that Iran continues to fully implement those commitments.

The Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran continue, Amano said.

On September 10, the head of the nuclear watchdog said in his introductory statement to the IAEA's Board of Governors in Vienna that Iran was implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Kamila Aliyeva

Uzbekistans natural gas production in January-August exceeded 34.33 billion tons thus showing an increase of 6.6 percent, according to the Uzbek State Statistics Committee.

At the same time, the Central Asian country reduced oil production, which totaled 499,500 tons, by 9.9 percent.

In the mentioned period, Uzbekistan also produced 1.4 million tons of gas condensate, thus showing an increase of 14.3 percent.

Uzbekistans gasoline production went up by 5 percent and amounted to 764,100. The output of diesel fuel went up by 14 percent in the reporting period and amounted to 730,100 tons.

This year, after a six-year break, Uzbekistan resumed gas supplies to neighboring Tajikistan and from 2018 the country intends to increase gas supplies to China up to 10 billion cubic meters per year.

In April last year, Gazprom gas concern signed a five-year contract with Uzbekistan on the purchase of 4 billion cubic meters per year starting from 2018. The document provides for a reduction in the volume of purchases compared to 2016, when Gazprom acquired about 6.2 billion cubic meters of gas in Uzbekistan.

Natural gas production in Uzbekistan amounted to 56.417 billion cubic meters in 2017. Meanwhile, the country reduced oil production by 6.3 percent to 806,000 tons in 2017.

Over the past few years, Uzbekistan has been systematically facing an acute shortage of gasoline and some other petroleum products.

In Uzbekistan in 2010-2016, gasoline production decreased by 26.2 percent, diesel fuel - by 8.3 percent, while imports of hydrocarbons increased 1.3 times.

The total capacity of the three refineries currently reaches about 10 million tons, but due to a significant reduction in the reserves of raw materials in the country's active fields, the volumes of extraction of black gold are steadily declining.

The loading of the production capacities of the republican refineries reaches, in total, only 60 percent. To ensure their full supply from this year, the Uzbek authorities intend to import oil from Kazakhstan and Russia - up to 1 million tons in total.

On November 20, Kazakh company Kaztransoil began shipping Russian oil to Uzbekistan. Oil is pumped via the KazTransOil pipeline system en route Omsk-Pavlodar-Shymkent- Shagyr oil loading point, from where it is poured into railway tanks and then transported by rail to Uzbekistan.

In late April 2017, Uzbekistan started construction of a new refinery in Zafarobod district of the countrys Jizzakh region, which is expected to operate using the crude imported from Kazakhstan and Russia.

The refinery has design capacity of processing of five million tons of oil per year, production of 3.7 million tons of car fuel, over 700,000 tons of aviation fuel and 300,000 tons of associated oil products.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

International Atomic Energy Agency and the Russian Federation have signed Sept. 17 an implementing agreement on the transportation of low enriched uranium (LEU) and equipment necessary for the functioning of the IAEAs LEU Bank in Kazakhstan, RIA Novosti reported.

The agreement has been signed by Oleg Kozin, Deputy General Director for Logistics of Techsnabexport JSC, and Mark Bassett, IAEA LEU Bank Project Executive.

The signing has taken place on the sidelines of the IAEA General conference, which is held in Vienna on September 17-21.

The low enriched uranium is the starting material for the production of fuel for nuclear power plants. The IAEA LEU Bank is one of the mechanisms to ensure the guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel to different countries in case of violation of the existing mechanisms of such supplies. This reserve, in fact, will become an inviolable stock, which will be in demand only in the event of a crisis in the global uranium market.

The bank is located on the territory of Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk city in the north-east Kazakhstan. The building of the bank was opened in August 2018.

In accordance with the previously signed agreement, the IAEA will bear the costs of acquisition, delivery, and maintenance of low enriched uranium. It will also bear the costs of importing and exporting low-enriched uranium and the costs of payment of taxes, duties and charges.

In turn, Kazakhstan will bear the costs associated with the direct storage of IAEAs low-enriched uranium, including the payment of electricity and heating supply fees, necessary office space rental fees and costs of maintenance of the personnel provided by Kazakhstan; the costs associated with the displacement of the bank within Kazakhstan for the countrys own needs.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzThe government of Egypt last weekend signed a deep-water oil and gas exploration deal with Royal Dutch Shell and Malaysias Petronas worth around $1 billion for eight wells, a statement said.

The government in a separate deal of $10 million with Rockhopper, Kuwait Energy and Canadas Dover Corporation, agreed on the exploration of the Western Desert.

Egypt has gas reserves of its own but also has very heavy demand for natural gas, for domestic use  and for export as liquefied natural gas.

Earlier this year, Delek, the Israeli oil and natural gas explorations group owned by the billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva, announced two deals to sell gas to Egypt. The deal is for 64 billion cubic meters over 10 years, worth about $15 billion.

The North Africa nation aims to be a regional hub for the trade of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after a string of major discoveries in recent years.

The countrys natural gas production increased to 187 million cubic meters per day, on the back of a surge in the output of Zohr offshore gas field.

The Italian multinational firm ENI over the last couple of years has made the country one of its top priorities, drilling more wells offshore and onshore targeting both oil and gas. The company was recently granted a 739-km exploration license 50 km off Egypt in the East Nile Delta.Email Dan Walters of CALmatters at dan@calmatters.org. CALmatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining Californias policies and politics. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary.In the past, it was usually Sweden that accused China of human rights violations.

But following the release of several videos purportedly showing the mistreatment of a group of Chinese tourists in Stockholm earlier this month, the tables appear to be turned.

The footage -- already watched more than 100 million times -- shows Swedish police officers forcibly ejecting a group of three Chinese tourists from a hostel lobby on Sept. 2, as the son of the family shouts: "This is killing. This is killing!" In footage recorded later on, the father and mother can be seen weeping on the sidewalk next to the hostel.

Speaking to Swedish media, the hostel owner defended the measures taken against the family, saying that the three individuals had arrived hours before their booking and became verbally abusive after being denied access to a room.

"We only know that we have done everything we could do for this guest, but at the same time we cannot accept that our staff are exposed to threats and that other guests will suffer from a threatening situation," the hostel manager was quoted as saying by Swedish daily Aftonbladet. Neither the hostel nor Swedish police officials immediately responded to a request for comment on Monday.

But the family's son told Chinese media that the hostel refused his request to let his mother and father stay in the lobby as they were waiting for a room to become available. He says he made the hostel aware of his parents' fragile health but was instead ejected from the building by arriving police officers.

After reviewing the footage, the Chinese Embassy in Stockholm wrote in a statement that the incident "severely endangered the life and violated the basic human rights of the Chinese citizens." Beijing subsequently issued a safety alert for Chinese visitors to Sweden.

"We all need to extend sympathy to the tourists for their unfortunate experience. But so far we have heard not a single word of apology from the Swedish police, which we find shocking and hard to understand," China's ambassador to Sweden, Gui Congyou, said in an interview published Monday.

The strongly worded response may also have political motives. Sweden and China have clashed over a number of human rights issues in recent months, including last week when the Swedish government welcomed the spiritual head of Tibet, the Dalai Lama. Beijing claims Tibet as part of China and accuses the Dalai Lama of encouraging violent separatism, a charge he rejects.

In January, Chinese-born Swedish publisher Gui Minhai was detained in China while he was traveling with Swedish diplomats. He still has not been released.

Beijing has issued a number of warnings in recent years for Chinese visitors heading to Europe, citing threats in Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and other countries. Last year, the Chinese Embassy in Berlin issued a safety alert, writing that an increasing number of Chinese tourists had become victims of violent attacks. The Chinese claims emerged even as German crime statistics showed a drop in overall crime incidents.

"If possible, avoid to go onto the streets alone at night or to head to remote places," the Chinese Embassy in Germany recommended. "Once you're back at home, make sure nobody followed you."

In 2016, the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands said in a statement that it was "shocked" by footage showing an attack on Chinese tourists in the country with milk powder. As was the case in Stockholm, the incident gained attention only after it started trending on Chinese social media.Ben Jealous released his first advertisement since clinching the Maryland Democratic gubernatorial nomination in late June, a 60-second spot that will air in the Baltimore market for about a week.

The ad highlights Jealous' work as a former president of the NAACP, where he turned around the beleaguered civil rights organization, and as a venture capitalist at Kapor Capital, where he helped grow several small businesses.

The ad, which cost $109,000, is the first response from the Jealous campaign to Gov. Larry Hogan's advertising blitz. Hogan, R, who had $9.4 million on hand in late August, has already spent about $2 million on ads.

Jerusalem Demsas, a Jealous spokeswoman, said the candidate plans to be on the air until Election Day.

The ad is largely biographical, introducing Jealous as the son of two schoolteachers and describing his time at the NAACP and Kapor. It also mentions Jealous' progressive agenda, which includes a single-payer health-care system, lower prescription drug prices and a 29 percent increase in teacher pay over seven years.

"Our message is to fully fund our schools, fix our broken health-care system and get our economy moving again," Jealous said. "We're confident that if we simply buy enough ads to communicate our message with the voters, we win."

Jealous's ad credits him with creating more than 1,000 jobs while at Kapor. While the companies grew during Jealous' tenure, some companies were established before he began working there.

"We're not saying Ben created these jobs on his own, but he has ensured that 1,000 good jobs exist today at these companies," Demsas said.

The Jealous advertisement comes weeks after advertisements from Hogan and the Republican National Governors Association on Hogan's behalf. The association ads attempt to cast Jealous as a socialist and a tax-and-spend Democrat.

"[Hogan] has sought to define me as something that I'm not," Jealous said. "I'm someone who shows up every day with the heart of a civil rights leader and a mind of a businessperson that has created jobs in the state and around the country by building an inclusive 21st-century economy."Moroccos top diplomat has expressed his countrys concerns regarding Irans destabilizing operations in North Africa, saying that the North African Kingdom needs the Trump administrations backing to block Tehrans rise in the region.

Nasser Bourita told Breitbart News that Morocco views the Trump administrations determination to halt Irans efforts to become a hegemonic power in the Middle East, and over the Muslim world more broadly, with great enthusiasm and hope.

Bourita made the interview in Bucharest during his latest tour to the Balkan region.

Rabat cut off ties with Tehran in 2009, and only renewed them in December 2016. The Kingdom cut relations off once again on May 1, 2018, in protest against the military support provided by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group to the Polisario separatists, armed, funded and sheltered by the Algerian regime.

Asked by Breitbart News why Morocco cut off ties with Iran in 2009, Bourita said, Iran would like to be in North Africa. They tried to develop a presence in Morocco. Today they are repeating the efforts in other North African countries. They attracted some of our youth by giving them scholarships.

We used to have an Iranian cultural attache in Rabat who has visited the small cities of Morocco making what he was calling book festivals. He was giving books. He was present in every small city, Bourita added.

We were asking ourselves why he has to promote the books of Iran there? And we noticed he was giving scholarships. We went from 10 people to 120 people [a year] who were given scholarships to study in Qom. From 2009 to 2016 we had no relations with Iran because of what they were doing with the scholarships, explained the Moroccan Foreign Minister.

The Moroccan government viewed Irans missionary work among its youth as a means to undermine government authority by indoctrinating young Moroccans to reject the moderate Sunni Islam practiced in Morocco in favor of the radical Shia Islam of the Iranian regime, said Bourita.

The Iranians are targeting our diaspora in Europe, in Belgium in particular. There, because of the hesitation of Europe to manage Islam, they were left to themselves, he added.

According to Breitbart News, Iran stepped up in 2016 its offensive operations both in the Middle East and worldwide. One of the hubs of its new efforts was North Africa. Specifically, in November 2016, both through its Lebanese Hezbollah foreign legion and through its diplomatic networks, Iran began sponsoring the Polisario. These operations were massively increased last year.

In March 2017, Morocco arrested Hezbollah financial kingpin Kasseem Tajideen in response to an Interpol arrest warrant issued by the organizations Washington, DC, office. The Moroccans extradited Tajideen to the United States in May.

The U.S. Treasury Department had designated Tajideen as a global terrorist in 2009 due to his financial operations on behalf of Hezbollah. Those operations involve massive laundering of funds to Hezbollah through front companies in West Africa.

Bourita told Breitbart News that the Iranian proxys operations are far from limited to terrorist and military efforts. In North and West Africa, Hezbollah runs massive financial operations on behalf of Iran. These serve as a means to finance Irans global operations, warned the Moroccan Foreign Minister.The family of two men who watched their brother die at Beaumont's Exxon Mobil refinery two years ago should get $44 million, a Jefferson County jury decided this week.

"The family feels absolutely vindicated," said their attorney, Byron Alfred.

Alfred said he believed the verdict in the wrongful-death lawsuit, issued on Thursday, would cause the industry "to take notice" and "tighten up their safety practices."

"Jefferson County jurors are not going to tolerate unsafe work environments," he said.

The May 17, 2016, lawsuit, filed in state District Court a week after Miguel Barron died, claimed that Exxon Mobil Oil Corp., B&G Crane Service, LLC and AltairStrickland, LLC were responsible for the 37-year-old man's death.

AltairStrickland and Exxon Mobil settled their claims this April, although the terms remain confidential. The trial that ended this week involved B&G Crane Service. Alfred said the company will be responsible for paying 45 percent of the $44 million.

An attorney for B&G did not return a call for comment on Friday.

Barron and his brothers, Hector and Jorge Barron, were employed by AltairStrickland when they were working at the refinery during turnaround operations, according to court records.

Alfred said the men were working together on the same crew when Miguel Barron was killed by a heavy pipe that fell from overhead. He died before an ambulance could transport him from the refinery, accordfirst aid," court documents state. The death was caused by "negligence" on the part of the three companies, according to the lawsuit.

Miguel Barron left behind three daughters and his parents. They also were plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

He "experienced conscious pain and suffering before his death," the lawsuit charges.

"Due to deficiencies in Exxon's rescue plans, Exxon's on-site medics were not able to reach Miguel Barron within a reasonable time to render initial first aid," court documents state. The death was caused by "negligence" on the part of the three companies, according to the lawsuit.

In court records responding to the petition, Exxon Mobil, Altair-Strickland and B&G Crane Service each denied the allegations, with Exxon Mobil saying that the death was caused by third-party acts "not within (their) control."

"We deeply regret this incident. Safety is a core value for Exxon Mobil," company spokeswoman Ashley Alemayehu said in a statement on Friday. "Our goal is zero injuries or illnesses. We strive for an accident-free workplace and an environmental where 'Nobody Gets Hurt.'"

"We learn from all safety incidents and use such learnings to reinforce our commitment to continued safety improvement," Alemayehu continued.

Alfred, a Port Arthur native, said he was "ecstatic" about the area's industrial growth, but "if workers can't make it home to their families after work, it's not worth it."

Phoebe.Suy@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/PhoebeSuyOn the Bolivar Peninsula, the price of Hurricane Ike recovery far exceeds the cost of lumber and nails.

Ten years ago, the storm brought widespread devastation to Crystal Beach. But the new homes that replaced them are significantly more expensive, raising concerns not just for longtime residents priced out of the market but also for the stores and service industries struggling to attract workers who can afford to live there.

"Everybody fights for employees  us, real estate, cleaning services, restaurants," said Keith Zahar, owner of The Big Store at Crystal Beach.

10 Years Later: Photos from Hurricane Ike

"We see six to seven times the business in the summer and sometimes people can't get enough service while in winter there's plenty of help, but I can't just lay them off," he said. "I don't want to fire people."

Clint Droddy, a Realtor at Cobb Real Estate, said that while prices have gone down in the last few years, average home costs are much higher than before the storm. A typical home on Bolivar now costs about $280,000. Many of the older, more affordable homes were destroyed, and the price of land is constantly increasing as it becomes more and more scarce.

"After Ike," Droddy said, "investors picked up the land at low prices and built these vacation rental properties on them, or just held onto them to sell at a higher price later."

RELATED: Galveston homes built after Ike

He said there are more water hookups now then there were on Bolivar before the storm, although many of them are for motor homes.

Sarah Terry Standridge, owner of Latitude 29.2 Surf Shop, said monthly rental prices for a spot in those RV parks now run $400 to $500. If employees had more affordable housing options they would feel confident enough to stay on the peninsula instead of moving to Galveston to work, she said.

"There's no way employees can come down here and live," Standridge said.

Zahar said another part of the struggle is because of the change in the demographic of the area.

"It used to be more affordable and there were more retired people," he said. "Now it's vacationers and they're coming in from farther and farther away."

Standridge said people are coming in from as far as the East Coast.

"They realized they can buy beachfront property for 10 percent of what it would cost there and they say, 'Wow we can actually afford a beach house,'" she said.

Standridge and Zahar said they also carry different products than before the 2008 hurricane. That includes more home decor for people building and decorating their new cabins, Standridge said.

"We used to have 99 cent lightbulbs on an end cap and now we have a whole aisle," added Zahar. "People want better and different products. We had organic that never sold prior to the storm, and now healthy is popular."

Regardless of the hardships, and the changes, attitudes in the small community remain much the same.

"We had a vendor come in and at the end of the day she said, 'Does everyone know each other here?' and I said, 'Pretty much!'" Zahar said. "We're island people, and there's just something about it. We're laid back. You can be frustrated, but the second you cross that bridge you smile. It's a lifestyle."

Haley.Bruyn@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/HaleyWrites_BETurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has received a luxury jet worth about half a billion dollars from the emir of Qatar.

Erdogan confirmed receipt of the gift as he hit back at critics who'd been questioning whether it was actually paid for with taxpayer money. Turkey had showed interest in purchasing the aircraft when it was up for sale for around $500 million, Erdogan told reporters over the weekend, according to Hurriyet newspaper. But when Qatar's ruler found out, he donated it to the Turkish presidency free of charge, Erdogan said.

Initial reports in Turkish state media that Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Al Thani gifted the Boeing 747-8i to Turkey triggered a wave of criticism, with a member of the main opposition party filing an official inquiry into the transfer. Lawmaker Gamze Tascier asked Vice President Fuat Oktay to disclose the jet's price, which she speculated was paid for by the government.

"The plane they mention is now being painted," Erdogan told reporters flying with him from Azerbaijan to Turkey over the weekend. "God willing, we can have a trip with it when all is over."

The Turkish leader's spending has long been a topic of attack by opposition parties, who say he's wasted precious resources on things like a new presidential palace that's four times the size of Versailles, and fleets of luxury vehicles. Erdogan has said the palace belongs to the government, not himself, and that costs aren't to be considered when it comes to the prestige of the Turkish state.

The jet was produced in 2012 and is designed for 76 passengers and eighteen crew, according to a report in thedrive.com by Tyler Rogaway of Aviation Intel, which follows developments in the industry. It has ornate lounges, staterooms and even its own hospital, according to the report, which called it "the largest and most expensive private jet in the world."

The plane was flown to Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen Airport from Basel Mullhouse Freiburg Airport in France on Sept. 11 via an 8.5-hour route that took it over the Atlantic to the Azores, back to Brussels, and then to Istanbul, according to Rogoway.

It's unclear what will be done with Erdogan's current jet, an Airbus A-330-200 that he received in 2014. That purchase also sparked controversy because the jet was commissioned for the prime minister's office, but was delivered to Erdogan immediately after he was sworn in as president. Daily Sabah cited an aviation expert at the time estimating the plane's cost at $221 million, with an additional $100 million spent on the custom refit.

Another jet-related controversy erupted in 2015, when Erdogan responded to public uproar about the chief of the religious affairs directorate's $385,000 Mercedes. When the head of the directorate, Mehmet Gormez, returned the vehicle under public pressure, Erdogan gifted him a similar car from his own fleet and publicly announced that he was also giving Gormez a private jet.Super-predator or statesman? Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

In the United States, juvenile drug offenders are routinely tried as adults, 13-year-old murderers can be (and have been) sentenced to life without parole, and teenagers who text naked pictures of themselves regularly get arrested for child pornography, and forced to spend the rest of their lives as registered sex offenders.

The conservative movement has not, typically, lamented these realities. In fact, the American right played a central role in bringing them into being. Richard Nixons appeals to law and order helped inaugurate a draconian turn in American criminal justice, one that both parties ultimately embraced, but which Republicans have championed with greater fervor and consistency. And a cornerstone of tough on crime policy-making has been to recast juvenile offenders as irredeemable super-predators: During the 1990s, virtually every state passed laws enabling prosecutors to try juveniles in adult criminal courts, and increasing potential sentences for crimes committed by those under 18.

The Trump administration has evinced little discomfort with this state of affairs. The president regularly refers to teenage gang members as animals, and has, in the past, called for imposing the death penalty on alleged teen rapists. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, meanwhile, has actively made the criminal justice system more punitive toward juvenile offenders. And other right-wing commentators have frequently defended summary execution as a justifiable punishment for a wide array offenses committed by African-American teenagers.

But in the past 24 hours, the rights thinking on juvenile justice appears to have radically changed: Where conservatives once believed that people who commit violent crimes as teenagers do not necessarily deserve the opportunity to ever reenter free society, many now contend that such people should not (necessarily) be denied the chance to serve on the nations highest court.

On Sunday, clinical psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford publicly accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party when they were both in high school. In Fords account, Kavanaugh corralled her into a bedroom during a small party, pinned her to a bed and groped her, while clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. When she started screaming, Kavanaugh allegedly put a hand over her mouth, leading Ford to fear that he might inadvertently kill her.

Some conservative writers and operatives have treated this allegation with all due seriousness. And many of those who have chosen to dismiss Fords account have done so by questioning its veracity, not its relevance.

But a significant number of conservatives have insisted that it wouldnt matter if the allegations were true  either because Kavanaughs alleged actions were normal adolescent male behavior, or (more reasonably) that the misdeeds Kavanaugh committed as a stumbling drunk 17-year-old tell us little about his character as 53-year-old, let alone about his competency as a jurist.

The presidents son offered a (characteristically crude) version of the first argument in a post on Instagram, ostensibly likening Kavanaughs alleged act of attempted rape to an elementary-school boy passing a crayon-written love note to his crush.

I didnt think this was real. The presidents son posted this on Instagram yesterday. The  comment at the bottom is from senior HUD official @LynnePattonHUD. pic.twitter.com/nzRqMN0sIG  andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) September 17, 2018

Fox News columnist Stephen Miller made this case more explicitly, suggesting that Fords account amounted to a melodramatic description of drunk teenagers playing seven minutes of heaven.

One outside Trump adviser, meanwhile, suggested that Kavanaughs behavior was such a relatable example of boys beings boys, Democrats could suffer politically for stigmatizing it.

[Democrats are] playing a high-stakes game right now, the adviser told Politico. You know there are a lot of people in this country who are parents of high-school boys. This is not Anita Hill.

A lawyer close to the White House appeared to offer a similar sentiment, telling the same publication that the allegation only strengthened the administrations support for Kavanaugh. If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried, the anonymous attorney said. We can all be accused of something.

It is possible that this Trump ally meant that anyone can be victimized by (politically motivated) false sexual-assault allegations. But given that the lawyer refers to allegations like this rather than false allegations like this, it seems reasonable to interpret his remark as claiming that you, me, [and] every man engaged in behavior as teenagers analogous to that described by Ford.

NeverTrump conservative Tom Nichols, meanwhile, offered the second (somewhat more reasonable) argument, tweeting, Weve now gone from he did this terrible thing at 17 to hes a man who treated a woman like that. Man, I hope all the people who are making this case had spotless lives at 17, because I sure as hell didnt.

Nichols further warned, All of you arguing that what someone did at 17 is relevant when youre 53 better to be [sic] ready *always* to die on that hill, because its going to be the new rule. Dont complain later when the revolution eats its young.

There are a couple glaring problems with applying this argument to Kavanaughs case. First, if one accepts that the allegation is true (as Nichols does), then the 53-year-old Kavanaugh has been blatantly lying to the American people over the past few days, while maligning the integrity of a woman he sexually assaulted. Second, even if one stipulates that committing attempted rape at 17 shouldnt define who a person is as an adult, its still hard to see how maintaining a never committed sexual assault standard for Supreme Court justices would put America on a slippery slope toward a tyrannical intolerance for youthful indiscretions; not least because, as weve noted, America already has a tyrannical intolerance for such indiscretions  thanks, in large part, to the ideological movement that Nichols has identified with for most of his adult life.

All this said, if conservatives now wish to reform Americas criminal-justice system and draconian cultural disposition toward juvenile crime  to such a radical extent that violent teenage criminals will have a better chance of receiving lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court than lifelong sentences without the possibility of parole  then progressives should welcome them to the cause.

But it seems a tad more likely that conservatives are merely clarifying, yet again, that law and order means using the law to reinforce a social order that protects those at the top of class, race, and gender hierarchies, while suppressing those at the bottom.RIO BRAVO - The wooden urn holding Melissa Ramirezs ashes waits in her mothers kitchen, part of a small altar that includes a photo of the smiling girl, another of a brother who died years earlier, and a Bible opened to Psalm 91.

But despite the arrest early Saturday of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who law officers say confessed to killing Ramirez and three others, her mother, Maria Cristina Benavides lives in fear.

I dont feel secure. Im afraid for my grandchildren. I dont really know who killed Melissa and I dont know if there was more than one, Benavides, 51, said Sunday afternoon.

Teary-eyed and sunburned from collecting donations on a street corner Saturday to pay for her daughter's interment, Benavides spoke freely but declined to have her photo taken.

RELATED: Laredo Border Patrol agent charged as 'serial killer,' accused of killing four

I hurt a lot. All I want is justice. I want that guy to die in jail for taking the life of my daughter, she said, seated in the living room of an aging mobile home under a metal shade.

I last saw her on Aug. 31. She was here with us. They came on Sept. 5th to tell me she was killed, she said.

Outside, Melissas two children, a girl 7, and a boy 3, played in the yard which include a trampoline, a pink doll house, various mechanized vehicles and a yipping Chihuahua.

Their mothers alleged killer, Juan David Ortiz, 35, a 10-year U.S. Border Patrol agent, is being held in the Webb County Jail, charged with four counts of first-degree murder and other offenses.

In a bustling border city where U.S. Border Patrol agents are part of the fabric of daily life, the news that one had become a serial killer was especially jarring.

According to authorities, Ortiz, after he was arrested early Saturday, confessed to killing four people over a two-week period and getting rid of the bodies in a rural area near U.S. 83 in the northwest part of the county.

Two of the victims have not yet been officially identified.

According to affidavits released Saturday, all four victims, and a fifth person, who escaped and alerted police, were picked up on San Bernardo Avenue in a downtown area known for prostitution.

Erika Pena, who authorities say was picked up by Ortiz late Friday, told police she fled from his vehicle after he pulled a pistol on her. Earlier, she said, they had visited his house off Loop 20.

RELATED: Woman found in rural Webb Co. with fatal wounds identified

Ortiz was arrested hours later, but not before he picked up and killed two more people, according to the affidavits.

In Rio Bravo, a low-income community south of Laredo where Benavides raised her family, the dramatic news of the serial killings was just filtering out Sunday morning.

I knew Melissa. Everyone knew her, said R. B. Flores, 62, sitting in his wheelchair outside the Rio Bravo Meat Market, where part of the breakfast menu was posted on the bright yellow wall behind him.

Tacos Mananeros. 99 Cents was the heading.

Yesterday we were selling plates of food at the church for the muchacha, for her funeral. And afterward, someone said another girl was killed. We all were shocked, he added.

Benavides said her daughter dropped out high school when she was a junior, never really worked and developed a drug problem. Her mother took custody of her two children.

Ramirez would come and go from Rio Bravo, sometimes being away for days at a time, her mother said.

She loved music and watching TV with the kids. They would watch cartoons, said Benavides.

She would cook for them when she was here, sometimes all three meals. She didnt like me scolding them. Theyre little, she would tell me, she added.

RELATED: U.S. Customs and Border Protection offers condolences to the family

Ramirez never mentioned Ortiz to her mother.

She always told me about her boyfriends, but she never said she knew a Border Patrol, she said.

Claudine Anne Luera, 42, the other victim who has been identified, grew up in Laredo and was the third of four sisters, and mother of five children.

Her younger sister Colette Mireles said that Luera had gone from being a stay-at-home single mom caring for her children to living on the streets.

She chose the street life. Its just sad that her habits got the best of her, that life got the best of her, said Mireles.

While the family had always feared that Luera might die of an overdose, the news that she was brutally murdered was shocking.

According to police, she was killed by Ortiz on Sept. 13, after she accused him of being the last person seen with Melissa Ramirez.

She was shot multiple times in the head and left to die.

She didnt deserve that, said her sister.

Staff Writer Diana R. Fuentes contributed to this report.Gov. Greg Abbott is right to hold red-light cameras in low regard, and we share his disdain. He is wrong, however, in calling for a statewide ban on them. Each Texas city should be able to make that decision on its own. In fact, each city should be able to make as many of these local decisions as possible, from banning fracking to outlawing plastic bags.

This is how democracy works, or should be allowed to work. Government at the closest level to its citizens  whether city, county or school district  should be able to support or oppose something that directly affects its residents. This should occur, of course, after ample public discussion and open debate by the governing body in question.

That process usually ensures that city council members, county commissioner or school district trustees do what their constituents favor. If for some reason they dont, they can be voted out in the next election.

Increasingly, however, the Republicans who control the Legislature and all statewide offices are intervening in these local issues. Abbott says he wants to prevent the Californiazation of a state known for small government and few regulations. Few Texans want that either, but they also dont favor a top-down decision-making process that puts them on the bottom.

Abbott, getting ready for the next regular session of the Legislature that begins in January, is adding red-light cameras to the list of things he doesnt want to see in Port Arthur or Port Aransas, or anywhere in Texas, for that matter.

Abbott says the cameras actually increase rear-end collisions when drivers stop suddenly to avoid running a red light. He also says they presume drivers guilty until proven innocent when it should be the other way around. He didnt add, but could have, that the cameras dont factor in emergencies or weather conditions when going through a red light could be justifiable.

But again, let each city make that call. In fact, many Texans share his concern and dont want the cameras in their towns. Theyve never had much support in our region. Houston had them until residents voted to remove them in 2010. A proposal in Fort Worth was also stopped by local opposition.

Clearly, many Texas cities are doing what Abbott wants  without the heavy hand of state oversight.

The Legislature has enough purely state issues to focus on next year. It should debate those and let cities and counties in Texas handle their own concerns  without, it should be said, unfunded mandates from the state that cost local tax dollars. Members of the House and Senate shouldnt green-light anything that crosses these boundaries.Murkowski said she might have to consider a delay. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

On Sunday it looked increasingly likely that a vote on Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court nomination could be delayed  if not derailed entirely  after three Republican senators sided with Democrats in saying they need more information on Christine Blasey Fords claim that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her while they were both teenagers.

Top Republican lawmakers initially came to Kavanaughs defense as rumors about a letter accusing the him of sexual misconduct began to circulate in recent days. But three senators broke ranks after Ford went public on Sunday and shared her account with the Washington Post, saying theyre at least open to delaying a committee vote scheduled for Thursday.

Arizona senator Jeff Flake, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Ford must be heard before the vote. Ive made it clear that Im not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further, Flake told the Post. For me, we cant vote until we hear more.

Republicans have an 11-to-10 majority on the panel, so Flake could block the committee from advancing Kavanaughs nomination by voting with Democrats. In that case, GOP leaders could attempt to bring Kavanaughs nomination directly to the Senate floor. But with 51 seats in the Senate, Republicans can only afford to lose two votes, and other senators suggested theyd rather see the proceedings delayed.

When asked if the committee vote should be put off to give Ford a hearing, Senator Bob Corker, who is not on the panel, said, I think that would be best for all involved, including the nominee. If she does want to be heard, she should do so promptly.

Later, on CNN, Senator Lisa Murkowski, who is seen as the likeliest GOP no vote on Kavanaugh along with pro-choice Republican Susan Collins, said, Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion. This is not something that came up during the hearings. The hearings are now over, and if there is real substance to this, it demands a response. That may be something the committee needs to look into.

Collins and Murkowski have not indicated how they intend to vote on Kavanaugh, and until Ford came forward, red-state Democrats appeared to be waiting to find that out before announcing their own positions. Senator Doug Jones, an Alabama Democrat, still hasnt said how he would vote on Kavanaugh, but he joined members of his party in calling for a delay.

This was a very brave step to come forward. It is more important than ever to hit the pause button on Kavanaughs confirmation vote until we can fully investigate these serious and disturbing allegations. We cannot rush to move forward under this cloud. https://t.co/SIHzdnnOFJ  Doug Jones (@SenDougJones) September 16, 2018

Republican senator Lindsey Graham said he would gladly hear what Ford has to say  though he doesnt want to put off the vote. If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled, he said.

On Sunday afternoon, Taylor Foy, a spokesman for Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley dismissed the uncorroborated allegations against Kavanaugh and indicated that the vote would occur on Thursday as planned. But a few hours later, Grassley spokesman George Hartmann said the senator was working on arranging phone calls with Kavanaugh and Ford.

Given the late addendum to the background file and revelations of Dr. Fords identity, Chairman Grassley is actively working to set up such follow-up calls with Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford ahead of Thursdays scheduled vote, Hartmann said.

Republican senators did not give details on how they wanted to hear from Ford, who initially made the allegations in a letter sent to Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein. She demanded that the FBI reopen its background check into Kavanaugh.

I agree with Senator Flake that we should delay this weeks vote, said Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Theres a lot of information we dont know and the FBI should have the time it needs to investigate this new material. Staff calls arent the appropriate way to handle this.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed in a tweet that there must be an FBI investigation.

Senate Republicans ran a transparently partisan confirmation process and then immediately insinuated Prof Ford is being untruthful. They cannot impartially investigate these disturbing allegations. That must be done by the FBI, and the vote must be postponed until it is complete.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 17, 2018

The White House responded to Fords going public by reissuing the statement Kavanaugh made when the claim first surfaced: I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.

A lawyer close to the White House told Politico theres no way they would withdraw Kavanaughs nomination. If anything, its the opposite. If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried. We can all be accused of something, the source said. Its not even going to slow him down if thats all shes got, he added.

The plan was to have Kavanaugh confirmed in time to have him take his seat when the Supreme Court begins its next session on October 1, which would also remind midterm voters that Trump is making good on his promise to put conservatives on the court.

Conventional wisdom holds that Republicans dont want to see a high-profile fight over sexual misconduct in the lead up to the midterms, but an outside Trump adviser said that would actually backfire for Democrats. Theyre playing a high-stakes game right now, the adviser told Politico. You know there are a lot of people in this country who are parents of high school boys. This is not Anita Hill.

There are also a lot of people in this country who are parents of high school girls, or who were once high school girls themselves, but their stance on sexual misconduct evidently doesnt matter.Glendale, Calif.-based Chevy Chase Surgery Center physicians donated more than $250,000 worth of equipment to the Stepanakert Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert, Artsakh, Asbarez reports.

Here's what you should know:

1. Avedis Tavitian, MD, and Ara Tavitian, MD, donated the Alcon Infiniti System for cataract surgery and a gastroenterology machinery suite with five Pentax scopes. The donation supports Armenia Fund USA's 2018 medical mission to Armenia and Artsakh.

2. Armenia Fund USA has partnered with Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health to complete missions to Noyemberyan Hospital in Noyemberyan, Armenia, since 2015. The 2018 medical mission will also serve patients at Stepanakert Republican Medical Center Sept. 27 through Oct. 5.

3. More than 60 healthcare professionals from Adventist Health and Chevy Chase Surgery Center will provide free medical services to thousands.

4. Chevy Chase Surgery Center physicians will provide technical training at Stepanakert Republican Medical Center. The volunteers are gastroenterologist Edgar Mehdikhani, MD, gastroenterologist Armine Sarkisian, MD, ophthalmologist Mireille Hamparian, MD, colorectal surgeon Armen Gregorian, MD, and anesthesiologist Andre Yarian, MD.

"I visited the Stepanakert Republican Medical Center in May of this year," said Chevy Chase Surgery Center Administrator Raffi Sarkissian. "Touring its GI and ophthalmology departments and meeting with its leadership, I recognized the need for an upgrade. This donation will provide the hospital with the necessary equipment and tools needed to support its doctors and staff to apply the very latest medical methods, on par with the highest Western standards."GE Healthcare and Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University are expanding their partnership to develop a software application that will make care recommendations for patients at high risk for developing sepsis.

OHSU opened its Mission Control Center, a NASA-style hub that uses GE Healthcare technology and artificial intelligence to coordinate patient care, in July 2017. The center has helped OHSU accept more transfer patients, up 6.3 percent since the center's launch.

The new app will help support early sepsis detection and manage ongoing care of at-risk patients. As soon as the algorithm detects a patient at high risk for sepsis, it will flag mission controllers, who will research the situation and assist care teams to ensure a rapid response.

"OHSU is taking its program to the next level by supporting sepsis patient care," Jeff Terry, CEO of Command Centers at GE Healthcare, said in a news release. "This is a great example of the scalability of the command center concept. It's an honor to serve the OHSU team."Greg Garcia, executive director for cybersecurity at Washington, D.C.-based Healthcare Sector Coordinating Council, discusses the vulnerability that a lack of investment in cybersecurity can cause for hospital systems, and how C-suite executives can maintain strong methods of data protection.

Question: What would you say is the No. 1 threat to hospital cybersecurity today and why?

Greg Garcia: Overall, the No. 1 threat is lack of sufficient investment in cybersecurity among small to mid-sized health delivery organizations, even among larger systems. Hospitals must make numerous risk management decisions against resource constraints and cybersecurity has historically not been given the attention it needs  for the integrity and availability of their data, the reliability of their clinical operations and most importantly, patient safety.

Q: What advice would you give to hospital CISOs or CIOs to get hospital staff on the same page in the aftermath of a cyberattack?

GG: Engage the hospital C-suite to enforce a culture of security with the message that clinicians must treat computer viruses as seriously as human viruses.

Q: What is the No. 1, first step a hospital should take when developing a cybersecurity incident response plan? What departments and team members should be involved?

GG: No. 1, first step is asset inventory: what devices and information systems are on your network and how are they configured and interconnected. From there you develop a risk profile, then a security policy and controls. The risk profile and security policy require senior executive involvement, including the CIO, [chief technology officer], [chief revenue officer], [chief medical revenue officer], CFO and the CMO. Then you get the imprimatur from the CEO to make the necessary risk-based investments, promulgate the controls and enforce them.

Q: What do you consider to be the most important aspect of hospital data protection?

GG: The front-line clinician who is interacting with the data and the devices and systems that store and act on them.

To learn more about hospital and health system cybersecurity, as well as the key trends for CISOs, register for the Becker's Hospital Review 2nd Annual Health IT + Clinical Leadership Conference May 2-4, 2019 in Chicago. Click here to learn more and register.From reimbursement landscape challenges to dwindling patient volumes, many factors lead hospitals to file for bankruptcy.

Here are 10 hospitals and health systems that have filed for bankruptcy since Jan. 1, beginning with the most recent.

1. The hospital district that operated Coalinga (Calif.) Regional Medical Center before it closed earlier this year filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy Sept. 5. Coalinga Regional Medical Center CEO Wayne Allen said the hospital owes $5 million to unsecured creditors  $250,616 of which it owes to 115 employees for accrued vacation and sick time.

2. El Segundo, Calif.-based Verity Health, which operates six hospitals in California, filed for bankruptcy Aug. 31

3. Magee (Miss.) General Hospital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Aug. 24. The hospital entered bankruptcy protection to reorganize its debt, and officials said the facility will remain open during the bankruptcy process.

4. Knoxville, Tenn.-based Curae Health and its three hospitals in Mississippi filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Aug. 24. The three Mississippi hospitals included in Curae's bankruptcy case are Gilmore Memorial Hospital in Amory, Panola Medical Center in Batesville and Northwest Mississippi Medical Center in Clarksdale.

5. Rockdale, Texas-based Little River Healthcare, its parent company and several of its affiliated entities entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy July 24. One of the hospitals included in the bankruptcy filing, Crockett, Texas-based Timberlands Hospital, closed in 2017.

6. Florence (Ariz.) Hospital at Anthem entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late May after it failed to contest an involuntary bankruptcy petition from creditors within the required 21-day timeline.

7. Gilbert (Ariz.) Hospital, which is affiliated with Florence Hospital at Anthem, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy May 24.

8. The Miami Medical Center, a 67-bed hospital that suspended services in October 2017, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection March 9. The hospital was sold in auction in late June.

9. Iron County Medical Center, a critical access hospital in Pilot Knob, Mo., filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy Feb. 21. The hospital is owned by the Iron County Hospital District.

10. Surprise Valley Health Care District, which operates 26-bed Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, Calif., filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy Jan. 4.

More articles on healthcare finance:

MU Health Care's annual revenue hits $1B for first time

Quorum closes Tennessee hospital

Cash-strapped California hospital closes ERCash-strapped Sonoma Valley Hospital in Sonoma, Calif., has plans to discuss a third cost-saving measure: a proposal to close its skilled nursing facility, the Sonoma Index-Tribune reports.

Sonoma Valley Hospital recently approved two other plans to reduce the facility's operating costs. Ownership of Healing at Home, the hospital's home care service, will be transferred for free to Larkspur, Calif.-based Hospice by the Bay, effective Oct. 1, the report states. Patients will not see any disruptions in care, hospital officials said.

"It was a money-losing operation, that was clear to us," Sonoma Valley Hospital Board of Directors Secretary Bill Boerum told the publication. "Reluctantly, I think it was something that had to be dealt with because of the losses.  It's a lost opportunity for the hospital. Home healthcare is a trend in the industry. More and more organizations are providing healthcare."

The board also voted in July to close the hospital's obstetrics department, effective Oct. 31. The move drew the ire of many patients and community members. However, Mr. Boerum said he did not believe cutting either service line meant the hospital was headed for a downfall.

The third cost-saving measure Sonoma Valley Hospital officials said they are considering is the closure of the institution's skilled nursing facility. Officials formed a task force in August to identify ways of improving the skilled nursing facility's financial performance or consider its closure. Officials also hired an outside consultant to help with the assessment.

However, Mr. Boreum told the Sonoma Index-Tribune the hospital's skilled nursing facility is not up for closure.

"[The skilled nursing facility] not on the chopping block. It's under serious review and re-evaluation as to whether the right cost numbers are involved or whether adjustments can be made that would make it profitable," he said.

Hospital officials plan to hold a meeting Sept. 27 to obtain the public's input on the skilled nursing facility's future. The task force is expected to discuss its interim report findings with the board during its meeting Oct. 4.

To access the full report, click here.Sebastopol, Calif.-based Sonoma West Medical Center closed its emergency room Sept. 16.

The hospital, which is owned by the Palm Drive Health Care District, faced closure earlier this year, and staff projected the facility would run out of money by the end of August. However, the hospital recently entered into a 10-year agreement with Modesto, Calif.-based American Advanced Management Group that calls for the hospital to remain open with fewer services.

Under the agreement, Sonoma West Medical Center closed its ER, and it will also end short-term inpatient care. The hospital will transition to a long-term care hospital with an urgent care facility.

During a meeting Sept. 10, AAMG CEO Gia Smith told the Palm Drive Health Care District board of directors that AAMG's license to manage the hospital was approved by the state, according to Sonoma West Times & News.

More articles on healthcare finance:

Quorum closes Tennessee hospital

MU Health Care's annual revenue hits $1B for first time

Illinois hospital closes: 4 things to knowPauls Valley (Okla.) Regional Medical Center is asking for donations from the community to prevent the hospital from closing, according to a KOKH news report.

Here are eight things to know:

1. The hospital's dire financial situation was disclosed at a meeting Sept. 16 lead by Alliance Health Partners CEO Frank Avignone. Alliance Health Partners is the hospital's interim operator. Mr. Avignone attributed the financial crisis to mismanagement, poor relationships with community physicians, low admission rates and other challenges facing rural hospitals.

2. Pauls Valley Hospital needs $230,000 by Sept. 17 to make payroll and pay expenses for the week. Hospital officials then hope to secure $270,000 more by the end of the week to pay employee benefits and other taxes, according to Mr. Avignone.

3. "The money we're raising in the first $500,000 goes to the employees," Mr. Avignone told KOKH. "It goes to paying their back benefits, getting their insurance caught up, the things that needed to get done through this crisis."

4. At the meeting, the hospital passed out envelopes to citizens and disclosed it has a GoFundMe page encouraging citizens to save Pauls Valley Hospital.

5. Due to a legal issue with the hospital's previous owner, the money must come through donations.

6. After employee benefits are funded, the hospital is looking to secure l $1.5 million more to keep it afloat as it works through the legal battle.

7. If the hospital closes, the nearest hospital would be 30 miles to 40 miles away, according to the hospital's Go Fund Me page.

8. As of 7 p.m. Sept. 16 , the hospital had received $26,000 in pledges, according to a Facebook post.

"Unfortunately during this time, many of our employees understandably cannot afford to work somewhere that cannot promise them a paycheck. With that being said, we are still looking for donations, as we are short of making our payroll," the Facebook post reads.McKenzie (Tenn.) Regional Hospital closed Sept. 15.

The 45-bed hospital, owned by Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health, began scaling back services several weeks ago. The hospital ended obstetrics services and closed its emergency room Aug. 31 and ended surgical services Sept. 3.

"The closure reflects a national trend as small rural hospitals feel the impacts of reductions in federal funding, lower reimbursements from government and commercial insurers, and rising numbers of uninsured patients," the hospital said in a press release. "MRH has struggled with declining patient volumes in recent years and has maintained an average daily census of just eight patients."

In late July, Quorum entered a definitive agreement to sell McKenzie Regional to Memphis, Tenn.- based Baptist Memorial Health Care. Baptist Memorial plans to operate the facility as an outpatient diagnostic imaging center and sleep center.

More articles on healthcare finance:

Illinois hospital closes: 4 things to know

MU Health Care's annual revenue hits $1B for first time

U of Kansas Health gets record-breaking $66M giftApple is ramping up its stock in the healthcare industry by adding an electrocardiogram monitor to the Apple Watch Series 4, but the move has left many cardiologists concerned about putting the powerful tech around consumers' wrists.

Specialists told The Seattle Times they are worried giving patients around-the-clock access to such powerful heart-monitoring tools could lead to unnecessary anxiety and medical visits.

Although some say the device  which the FDA has cleared as a Class II medical device, meaning it is intended to diagnose or treat a medical condition and poses a minimal risk  could be good for patients who don't know they have abnormal heart rhythms, they are concerned the watch could alert its wearer to a problem that isn't there, prompting them to visit a physician for no reason.

Ultimately, those unnecessary visits could lead to expensive tests or unnecessary treatment if a patient shows other signs that can be misinterpreted.

Fitness trackers have already prompted anxious wearers to visit their physicians. "I've had to tell patients: Just take off the Fitbit and don't look at the data," Gregory Marcus, MD, a cardiologist and the director of clinical research in cardiology at UC San Francisco, told the publication. However, he added there could be positive medical and financial outcomes from a physician visit triggered by the watch, particularly if the ECG is accurate and could allow for a diagnosis on its own.

Dr. Marcus said educating patients about these heart conditions could reduce some of the patients' anxieties.

"Generally, physicians talk about these things among themselves," he said. "Perhaps this movement into the consumer realm means educating the public about these issues, as well."The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, a nonpartisan legislative branch agency, has expressed concern after learning that thousands of Medicaid beneficiaries in Arkansas lost their health insurance under new work requirements, The New York Times reported.

Eight things to know:

1. More than 4,300 Arkansas residents lost their Medicaid coverage because they did not comply with the program's work requirements for three months.

2. CMS approved the state's request to implement the requirements in March. Under the requirements, Medicaid beneficiaries generally must spend at least 80 hours each month working, training or job searching, going to school full time or volunteering. Those who don't comply for three months face being locked out of Arkansas' program for the rest of the year.

3. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said 43,655 Arkansas residents met the work requirement "through work, reporting activities or having a recognized exemption from reporting." However, 4,353 residents did not meet the work requirements.

"There were some that either found work, moved onto other insurance or moved out of state without notifying [the Arkansas Department of Human Services]," he said. "Some simply chose not to comply. Those are the ones who will lose their Arkansas Works coverage for the remainder of 2018."

4. CMS Administrator Seema Verma reacted to the news, tweeting Sept. 12: "I'm excited by the partnerships that Arkansas has fostered to connect Medicaid beneficiaries to work and educational opportunities, and I look forward to our continued collaboration as we thoroughly evaluate the results of their innovative reforms. #TransformingMedicaid."

5. But members of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, which met Sept. 13 and Sept. 14, expressed concern over the Medicaid recipients who lost coverage. Panel member Christopher Gorton, MD, said, "I hope these data scare the pants off people in Arkansas," according to the report. Panel chairperson Penny Thompson called the data "very concerning" and "very worrisome."

6. According to the NYT, commission member Toby Douglas said federal and state officials should "pause" Arkansas' efforts until there is greater understanding about the lack of responses to notices warning about being kicked off Medicaid.

7. Mr. Hutchinson said the Arkansas Department of Human Services, along with outreach partners, conducted outreach and education efforts including letters, emails, social media posts and phone calls, and "has created processes for those without computers or internet access to get help reporting their activities."

But attorneys for Medicaid beneficiaries said some Arkansas residents did not know the reporting requirements or lacked access to the internet and lost coverage even though they worked or could be eligible for an exemption, according to the report.

8. The commission reportedly plans to obtain more information on Arkansas' Medicaid program and make recommendations.

Read the full report here.

More articles on leadership:

Why Google co-founder Larry Page has disappeared from the public eye

Amazon's Jeff Bezos prioritizes 3 things to be a good leader

Fights over corporate control intensify amid CEO misconduct allegationsThe leaders of Russian Federation and Turkey have agreed to establish a de-militarised zone between rebel fighters and Syrian government forces in Idlib, the last stronghold of the armed opposition in Syria.

Putin told a joint news conference with Erdogan: "We agreed that by October 15 (we will) create along the contact line between the armed opposition and government troops a demilitarized zone of a depth of 15-20 km, with the withdrawal from there of radically-minded rebels, including al-Nusra".

This would entail a "withdrawal of all radical fighters" from Idlib including the al-Nusra Front, Putin said.

The zone will be established by October 15 and be 15-20 kilometers (9-12 miles) deep, President Vladimir Putin said at the end of a more than three-hour meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said, after Putin's meeting with Erdogan, that there would be no offensive and that an agreement would be reached with Assad's government to stop airstrikes.

"But we are still not satisfied", he said.

Erdogan urged against using "pretexts" for military action in the northwestern Syrian province, while saying he backs joint steps against "terrorists", according to Hurriyet newspaper. Turkey is backing some opposition groups.

The zone will be patrolled by Turkish and Russian military units.

W2W4: Can the Dallas Cowboys bounce back in Week Two?

The Cowboys have some work to do as they were defeated by the Carolina Panthers 16-8 in Week 1. He fumbled the last one at the Giants 19-yard line, but he is getting a second chance.

Turkey has intensified negotiations with Russian Federation to avert a possible attack, repeatedly calling for a cease-fire.

The agreement is created to prevent a new "humanitarian crisis" in Syria, Erdogan stressed, and will help Turkey to avoid an even more "difficult situation". In what appears to a breakthrough solution, Putin and Erdogan have agreed to ensure peace with the help of Russian and Turkish troops.

Washington, which has been largely absent from efforts to resolve the conflict, warned last week that Russian Federation would be to blame if Syria caused mass civilian suffering in Idlib. At the same time, both Turkey and the West support various militant groups they consider as "moderate" opposition to Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.

Russian and Syrian air strikes, artillery fire and barrel bomb attacks have killed more than 30 civilians across the province in the past month, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Erdogan is accompanied by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez, Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, head of National Intelligence Service (MIT) Hakan Fidan, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Presidency Communications Director Fahrettin Altun.

The civilian and fighter population of the province has been swollen by a series of surrender deals imposed by the regime after recapturing other areas of Syria, under which rebels and residents who refused to submit to government authority were sent to Idlib. The crackdown evolved into a complex conflict involving jihadists and world powers.Fox News partnered with the National Merit Scholarship Program to create a memorial scholarship for former contributor Charles Krauthammer, MD, the network announced Sept. 13.

Here are five things to know:

1. The Dr. Charles Krauthammer Memorial Scholarship will be made eligible to children of Fox News and Fox Business Network employees beginning in 2020.

2. All winners will receive a $2,000 per year award for their four-year college education. To be eligible, students must be planning to enter college in fall 2020, take the 2018 PSAT/NMSQT test and meet additional academic requirements set forth by the National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarship applications will be accepted through March 31, 2019, and winners will be announced during spring 2020.

3. Dr. Krauthammer, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author, worked as a Fox News contributor from 2002 until his death earlier this year. He also worked as syndicated columnist for The Washington Post from 1984 until his passing.

4. A graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Dr. Krauthammer went on to acquire his medical degree from Boston-based Harvard Medical School. Just after completing his first year, Dr. Krauthammer suffered a blow to the head that severed his spinal cord and left him paralyzed from the neck down. However, he continued his education while at the hospital and graduated on time, according to his June 21 obituary in The New York Times.

5. Dr. Krauthammer won several awards during his journalism career, including the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, the 2013 William F. Buckley Award for Media Excellence and the 1984 National Magazine Award for Essays and Criticisms.The New England Journal of Medicine doubled down on its refusal to retract a 2016 paper co-authored by a Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth health policy professor who resigned last week after allegations of plagiarism, STAT reports.

Here are six things to know:

1. Dartmouth initiated an investigation into H. Gilbert Welch, MD, after a Dartmouth associate professor and a UC Los Angeles associate professor claimed Dr. Welch's 2016 paper was "identical or virtually identical  in numerous key aspects" to a paper the duo submitted to NEJM in 2015 that was rejected.

2. The investigation found Dr. Welch "engaged in research misconduct, namely, plagiarism, by knowingly, intentionally or recklessly appropriating the ideas, processes, results or words of complainants without giving them appropriate credit," according to a June 2018 letter written by Dartmouth leadership and obtained by Retraction Watch, a blog that reports on retractions of scientific papers. Dr. Welch denied the investigation's findings.

3. The dean of the medical school reportedly proposed Dr. Welch could remain a Dartmouth employee if he revised the article to list Samir Soneji, PhD, and Hiram Beltran-Sanchez, PhD  the two individuals who brought the allegations to light  as first authors and resign from teaching. Dr. Welch, however, refused and announced his resignation Sept. 13.

4. Drs. Soneji and Beltran-Sanchez have objected to NEJM's repeated refusal to retract Dr. Welch's paper, telling STAT Sept. 14: "We believe the failure of the New England Journal of Medicine to retract creates a dangerous precedent whereby plagiarism is allowed in the most prestigious journals. We hope the Journal will adhere to the highest ethical principles and retract the plagiarizing article."

5. Drs. Soneji and Beltran-Sanchez reached out to the Committee on Publication Ethics, a publication and journal membership organization, to weigh in on the case. In a letter obtained by STAT, COPE said that "given that the investigation at Dartmouth College concluded that the author had plagiarized a portion of this work  it appears that a retraction should be considered."

6. NEJM told STAT Sept. 13 it will not retract the paper, despite COPE's statement: "The communication from COPE does not change our decision, and our view matches that of the U.S. Office of Research Integrity, which determined that the case represents an authorship dispute."

To access the full report, click here.Nurses at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine authorized their bargaining committee to call a strike.

The vote, which took place from Sept. 10-16, covers more than 5,700 nurses represented by the University of Michigan Professional Nurses Council, a Michigan Nurses Association affiliate. It does not mean a strike will take place. However, the union has the authority to issue a 10-day strike notice if it chooses.

"Our goal is not a work stoppage," said Katie Oppenheim, RN, chair of the nurses council. "Our goal is a fair agreement which respects nurses and guarantees safe staffing. The university can remedy this situation immediately, by stopping their unfair labor practices and bargaining in good faith."

On Sept. 11, nurses filed a federal lawsuit against Michigan Medicine over First Amendment rights. Nurses also filed various unfair labor practice charges with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission, alleging the health system engaged in bad-faith bargaining; changed work shifts without notifying or negotiating with the nurses council; and discriminated against nurses, according to the union.

Mary Masson, Michigan Medicine spokesperson, told Becker's the health system is disappointed in the strike authorization vote.

Ms. Masson said the health system considers a strike by public employees a violation of state law, and Michigan Medicine will take legal action to prevent a work stoppage.

"We have been bargaining in good faith since January and have offered a competitive package," she said.

Michigan Medicine leaders will bring in temporary nurses to replace striking employees, defer and reschedule select procedures and make staff scheduling adjustments as needed, if there is a strike, Ms. Masson said.

Michigan Medicine's latest contract offer includes a compensation package of across-the-board increases of at least 3 percent and a competitive paid maternal/parental leave program, she said.

As far as staffing, Ms. Masson cited Michigan Medicine's No. 5 national ranking on U.S. News & World Report's 2018-19 honor roll, which she said is partially representative of the health system's nurse-to-patient ratios.

More information about contract negotiations is available here.

More articles on human capital and risk:

San Francisco nursing facility workers protest, say staffing shortage is hurting patients

Hospitals and unions: 11 recent conflicts, agreements

Michigan Medicine nurses file federal lawsuit as potential strike loomsStephen Colbert discussed the opioid epidemic and took aim at pharmaceutical companies during a "Late Show" segment Sept. 14, according to Rolling Stone.

"There are certain subjects that are genuinely hard to talk about like, the opioid crisis," Mr. Colbert said during the segment. "It's an epidemic that affects both political parties, Republican, Democrat, rich people, poor people, it does not discriminate. And a lot of people blame big pharma, but only because it's their fault."

Mr. Colbert discussed the many lawsuits against Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sackler family, for allegedly obscuring OxyContin's addictive nature and contributing to the opioid epidemic.

In 2007, Purdue pled guilty to misleading regulators about the addictive nature of OxyContin and received a $600 million fine.

Mr. Colbert also said Purdue Pharma owns a secret company called Rhodes Pharma, which is the largest producer of off-patent generic opioids in the U.S., and recently patented a new opioid dependence treatment.

"So, the Sackler's addicted the country to opioids, now they're going to profit off the cure?" Mr. Colbert said. "That takes a pair of swingin' Sacklers."

Beckers Hospital Review reached out to Rhodes Pharmaceuticals for the following statement:

"Rhodes Pharmaceuticals has a patent, but we do not have a developed or approved product, and therefore no money has been made from this technology. The invention behind the buprenorphine patent in question was developed more than a dozen years ago. If a product is developed under this patent, it will not be commercialized for profit," James Doyle, vice president and general counsel of Rhodes Pharmaceuticals, told Beckers Hospital Review.

More articles on opioids:Becker's Hospital Review reported these eight contract resolutions and dissolutions between payers and providers since Aug. 13, beginning with the most recent.

1. Humana adds 10 Iora primary care practices to value-based network

Humana and Iora Health, a Boston-based network of primary care clinics, expanded their valued-based contract a fifth year, the companies said Sept. 12.



2. Mayo Clinic to launch health plans with Minnesota insurer

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic is creating health insurance products to network with providers nationwide, the health system said Sept. 13.



3. Montefiore Health, Aetna sign multiyear agreement

Bronx, N.Y.-based Montefiore Health System agreed to a multiyear agreement with Aetna, an Aetna spokesperson confirmed with Becker's Hospital Review.



4. BCBS of Tennessee resolves dispute with 520-member anesthesiologist, physician group

Nashville, Tenn.-based Anesthesia Medical Group, which comprises about 120 physicians and 400 anesthesiologists, reached an agreement with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, AMG told Becker's Hospital Review in an Aug. 29 news release.



5. Tenet's Baptist Health System, Mutual of Omaha, Lumeris link up for Medicare Advantage plan

San Antonio-based Baptist Health System, a part of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, will lead care delivery for a health plan operated by Mutual of Omaha and Lumeris in San Antonio.



6. UChicago, Humana strike value-based care partnership

The University of Chicago Medicine and Humana inked a value-based care deal to better coordinate care for Humana members in the Chicagoland area.

7. UMMC, BCBS reach deal after state official calls for mediation

Jackson-based University of Mississippi Medical Center and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi reached an agreement to keep all UMMC facilities and providers in network with the health insurer.



8. Sharp, Providence Health, MemorialCare collaborate with Aetna for regional health plan

Three Southern California health systems  San Diego-based Sharp HealthCare, Mountain Valley-based MemorialCare and Renton, Wash.-based Providence Health and Services' Los Angeles County facilities  introduced a regional health plan with Aetna Aug. 13.



More articles on payers:

Humana adds 10 Iora primary care practices to value-based network

Patient advocates, healthcare groups sue Trump administration to block short-term health plans

Payers investing in housing to cut healthcare costs, AHIP saysEHR reminders can help improve vaccination rates, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Researchers conducted a retrospective, quality improvement study of 11 primary care practices at the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia from Sept. 1, 2014, to March 31, 2017. They included 96,291 adults eligible for influenza vaccination in the study.

Of the 11 practices, three implemented an active choice intervention in the EHR, which prompted medical assistants to ask patients about influenza vaccination during check-in and created vaccination orders for physicians to review during the visit.

The study shows vaccination rates were 46.9 percent, 47.2 percent and 45.6 percent over the three-year study period at practices that did not use the EHR alert. Vaccination rates were 49.7 percent, 52.2 percent and 59.3 percent at practices that used the alert over the study period.

In adjusted analyses, the EHR alert was associated with a 9.5 percentage point increase in vaccination rates in practices that used the active choice intervention as compared with practices that did not.

Vaccination rates also differed according to time of day. Across all practices during the study period, vaccination rates were:

 44 percent from 8 am to 10 am

 41.2 percent by 11 am

 38.3 percent at noon

 40.2 percent at 1 pm

 34.3 percent at 3 pm

 32 percent at 4 pm

"The active choice intervention was associated with a significant increase in influenza vaccination rates that were similar in magnitude throughout the day," study authors concluded.While the ACA Medicaid expansion has increased overall access to surgical care, it has not increased complex surgical procedure use at high volume hospitals among low-income and minority patients, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Researchers compared surgery records from high volume hospitals in three states that opted-in to ACA's Medicaid expansion, Kentucky, Maryland and New Jersey, with comparable hospitals in North Carolina and Florida that did not expand their Medicaid program.

At 468 hospitals, researchers examined 166,558 adults between the ages of 18 and who underwent:

Total hip replacement

Total knee replacement

Heart bypass surgery

Pancreatic cancer surgery

Disparities in regionalized surgical procedure utilization at high volume hospitals among ethnic and racial minorities and low-income populations did not change after the ACA expansion.A former nurse at Nashville, Tenn.-based Hughston Orthopedic Clinic at TriStar Centennial allegedly wrote more than 100 prescriptions for pain killers for herself in three years, according to a KREM 2 report.

Here are five things to know:

1. The nurse is accused of writing herself 104 prescriptions for 8,764 pills of hydrocodone and 2,880 pills of the muscle relaxer Soma. She wrote the prescriptions over a three-year period using blank, pre-signed prescription slips.

2. The prescription slips she used to prescribe for herself were originally intended for patient refills. When her actions were discovered in October 2017, the nurse was fired.

3. In August, the nurse's license was suspended in connection with the fraudulent prescriptions. She is eligible to regain her license after completing the Tennessee Professional Assistance Program designed to rehabilitate addicted medical professionals.

4. The nurse said a physician gave her permission to use the blank prescription sheets to prescribe pain medication that would treat her long-term, surgery-related pain. The nurse claimed she didn't do anything wrong.

5. The nurse had worked at The Hughston Clinic for around four years before she began writing prescriptions for herself.Dennis Crandall, MD, medical director of Phoenix-based Sonoran Spine, has experience at the cutting-edge of spine surgery and practice development.

In addition to his responsibilities with Sonoran, Dr. Crandall is the chairman of the Sonoran Spine Research and Education Foundation, co-chair of the public relations committee for the Scoliosis Research Society and a clinical professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. He also serves as head of spine education at Phoenix-based Mayo Clinic-Arizona Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program.

Here, Dr. Crandall discusses his thoughts on seven key areas of spinal innovation development and where he sees the best opportunities for future technology advancement in the value-based care environment.

Note: responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Question: What technology and techniques are most exciting for you in the future?

Dr. Dennis Crandall: Here are my thoughts on seven key areas.

1. Biologics: New bone graft options with real basic science and clinical data supporting their use; Pain control alternatives that minimize opiate use; Osteoporotic bone strengthening through injectable products and pharmaceuticals; Bone graft delivery technologies for the interbody space; Alternatives to BMP with similar efficacy in achieving arthrodesis.

2. Biomechanics: "Smart" implants that measure load forces; Bone-friendly surface technologies for cage design; Bone graft-friendly expandable interbody implants; Computer modeling of interspace and implant stresses; Computer modeling of adjacent segment degeneration factors and potential solutions.

3. Biomaterials: Dissolvable spinal implants; Surface technology for interbody cages.

4. Diagnosis: Low-cost MRI scanners and technology; Lower cost radiographic imaging with 3D capability.

5. Surgical performance: Robots are on the rise and will continue to command attention because of their potential uses; Power tools that decrease the work surgeons do or make the work go faster; Efficient case and tray design for decreasing hospital sterile processing; Improved intraoperative neuro-monitoring techniques that are more consistent and reliable.

6. Deformity: MIS techniques; Addressing the big problem of proximal junctional kyphosis through computer modeling, implant design, construct design and biomaterials testing.

7. MIS: Non-fusion technologies for spondylolisthesis.

Despite continued and increasing pricing pressures placed on new (and existing) spine technology from the payers every year, creative diagnostic and surgical technologies continue to advance. That is a little surprising.



Q: How do you evaluate new technologies and techniques?

DC: In the current era of cost-conscious healthcare delivery in spine, I look for technology that will make a difference in the actual outcomes for my patients. The insurance companies and other large data collectors are tracking every outcome and complication my patients have and comparing that to how much the care I provided cost to achieve that outcome.

As a result, I look for things that make my surgeries faster, get my patients up and functional quicker, achieve reliable fusions, are associated with fewer complications and make a difference in patient-reported outcomes. New technology must help to solve a clinical problem in a way that is at least as effective as what is used now, without introducing new complications. Depending on how well it performs in these areas, payers/hospitals/surgeons will assess the appropriateness of the price, and the price must not outpace the benefits. In my area, only truly disruptive technology commands a price premium across the market.



Q: Is your practice moving toward value-based care? How does new technology fit in, whether you're taking cases to a hospital or outpatient surgery center?

DC: In Phoenix, we are very heavily managed care, with close scrutiny by both payers and hospitals. ASCs with surgeon investors are under incentive to limit technology to value-based options. Hospitals are holding meetings to provide surgeons with cost and profitability feedback in order to apply not-so-subtle pressure for cost containment. Gain share arrangements that incentivize surgeons to partner with hospitals to lower costs are common. Bundled payment plans are becoming more popular. Unless surgeons move toward not accepting insurance or Medicare, they are being forced into participating in value-based care.

To participate in future Q&As with Becker's Spine Review, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com.Marks and Spencer are opening a new store in Northern Ireland. (Yui Mok/PA)

Marks & Spencer has announced it will be opening the doors to its newest Northern Ireland foodhall on October 4.

The store will have 56 members of staff and will be located at Marlborough Retail Park, adjacent to Rushmere Shopping Centre, in Craigavon, with 350 free car parking spaces.

Read More

M&S Craigavon will also present the full range of M&S Clothing & Home products via its Collect in Store service. Customers can order online at M&S.com.

Store Manager, John Woods and his team of colleagues, will be joined by Great British Bake Off 2016 finalist Andrew Smyth to welcome customers from 10am.

Cllr Julie Flaherty, the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Council, alongside winners of a local school colouring competition will also join the M&S Craigavon team to cut the ribbon and officially open the brand new store.

John Woods, M&S Craigavon Store Manager, has worked at M&S for 12 years in various roles from Food Manager in Belfast to Menswear Manager in the Lisburn store.

He said: Having grown up in Craigavon, its always been my aspiration to bring M&S to the local community. After much anticipation, I feel incredibly proud to finally welcome our customers and talented team of colleagues to the store.

Were delighted to offer outstanding service for our customers. Along with our bespoke food offer, busy customers will be able to easily collect and return online clothing orders with pick up available seven days a week.

Were looking forward to welcoming Andrew Smyth, the Lord Mayor and our other special guests when we open the doors to our customers for the first time. It will be a very emotional day for me and a great moment for the team. I hope lots of local customers will pop down and join us.

The new store will be open:

Sunday: 1-6pm

Monday-Wednesday: 8am-9pm

Thursday & Friday: 8am-10pm

Saturday: 8am-8pmIs the move by IT giant Infosys to acquire Fluido, a Finland-based leading Salesforce advisor and consulting firm, a high price for just a geographical location? Some of the analysts who have looked at the deal closely are asking the question.

"The Fluido acquisition will add little to Infosys' reasonably strong Salesforce expertise and digital capabilities," says Sudheer Guntupalli, analyst at Ambit Capital. He says, Infosys is already a platinum Salesforce partner with about 880 certified professionals (vs 1118 of TCS and 95 of Fluido).

"This acquisition can at best augment its presence in Nordics, besides comforting investors that the new management is not shying away from acquisitions. Valuations do not provide comfort either when benchmarked against closest comparable transaction, acquisition of Parx by Persistent. While Parx spends $380,000 to acquire a Salesforce professional, Fluido transaction spends about $800,000 in a similar geography."

He feels, "The acquisition appears expensive even on EV/sales (CY17E) at 3.6X when benchmarked against broadly similar set of transactions like: (1) Parx at about 2.0X, (2) Wipro's acquisition of Appirio at 2.6X, (3) IBM's acquisition of Blue wolf at 2.2X, and (4) Accenture's acquisition of CloudSherpas at 2.0X. We estimate low to mid-single-digit EBIT margin for this entity and accordingly see this acquisition marginally diluting overall EBIT margin and return ratios."

His observations follow Infosys' announcement that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fluido. The entity is said to be a recognised leader in cloud consulting, implementation and training services. The cost of the acquisition is up to 65 million Euros ($76 million) including earn-out, management incentives and bonuses. Fluido is said to be a platinum type partner of Salesforce with about 95 Salesforce certified professionals. Infosys itself is a platinum type partner with about 880 Salesforce certified professionals (ex Fluido), just 21 per cent lower than that of TCS.

"Given the reasonably strong positioning of Infosys in the Salesforce ecosystem, we are not optimistic this acquisition will materially boost its existing Salesforce expertise or digital capabilities."

But then, he does feel that this acquisition can augment the geographical presence and client base of Infosys within Nordics. Fluido has deep client relationships in markets like Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Slovakia which can be significantly leveraged. Also, he adds that Infosys hasn't disclosed the revenue/margin profile of Fluido. However, AR16 of Norvestia, one of the investors of Fluido (since 2015), indicates that the company's revenue in CY16 was 12 million Euros. The AR also indicates that Fluido has grown by about 50 per cent since 2015."

In terms of comparison with other deals, he says, "We consider the acquisition of Parx by Persistent Systems to be the closest comparable transaction given the similarity in offerings and geography (Parx is a platinum Salesforce partner in the DACH region)." While Parx implies a cost to acquire of $380,000 per Salesforce professional, Fluido transaction, he says, implies more than double the amount in a similar geography.Serial entrepreneur and former BBC Dragons' Den star James Caan is planning a series of investments in Irish recruitment businesses to take advantage of what he believes will be a massive influx of post-Brexit jobs in the Republic.

Caan's latest company Recruitment Entrepreneur, which backs early to mid-stage firms, has just invested in specialist Dublin recruiter 360 Search and expects to invest in three more firms by the end of the year.

"We think, for us, Ireland will become the hub for Europe," Mr Caan said.

"I'm seeing a huge amount of interest in financial services that have identified Ireland as a very exciting prospective market.

"And I think what we need to do is have that infrastructure in place prior to that."

Mr Caan said Recruitment Entrepreneur would invest several million euros in Ireland.

"I see growth opportunities in Ireland to be extremely attractive so strategically as a business we'd identified Ireland in January and said if Brexit goes the way we think it is, we think growth opportunities are going to be quite attractive.

"I estimate the financial services alone will create between 10,000 to 20,000 jobs."

He said Recruitment Entrepreneur was in discussions with several companies.

Mr Caan added: "I'm extremely optimistic that we will probably back three further businesses in the market covering different specialisms of the economy because we recognise that to be able to take advantage of the growth of the Irish economy, you've got to be cross-section in terms of the services you provide."The earliest handheld hairdryers were invented in the 1920s, their heavy metal cases making them unwieldy

Solomon Harper is the man credited with inventing electrically heated hair rollers in 1930

When perusing old photos, if there's one thing that's a dead giveaway as to which era you're looking at, it's the hair.

Farrah Fawcett-esque waves? That'll be the Seventies. Crimped locks? You're looking at the Nineties. A shiny sheet of flattened hair? It's got to be the Noughties.

And to thank for those hairdos? In part, they're all due to the technological breakthroughs of the time, which brought heated hair gadgets into the home.

As far back as the Twenties, we've been using tools to tame and enhance our tresses, and today's iterations are getting ever more advanced.

Here, we look back at seven grooming gadgets that changed hair-story...

1. Curling tongs

A true icon in hairdressing history, Marcel Grateau invented one of the earliest curling tongs, way back in 1872. He used them to create his signature style, the 'Marcel wave', which was hugely popular at the time.

The device, however, had room for improvement. The scissor-like metal tongs were heated over a fire but with no way to accurately regulate the temperature, they often burned hair.

Electric curling tongs started to be sold in the late 1950s and have remained popular ever since, although hair fashions have changed, with today's ceramic barrel tongs used to create 'beachy' waves rather than tight curls.

2. Hood hairdryers

The first mechanical hair drying device was introduced in a French salon in 1888 by a man called Alexander Godefroy. The hood style dryer was powered by a gas stove but it wasn't a great success.

It wasn't until the 1950s that electric 'bonnet' dryers became widespread. Large rigid plastic helmets were common in salons, while soft shower cap-styles with portable heating units were sold for home use.

3. Handheld hairdryers

Expand Close The earliest handheld hairdryers were invented in the 1920s, their heavy metal cases making them unwieldy PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The earliest handheld hairdryers were invented in the 1920s, their heavy metal cases making them unwieldy

Remaining the quintessential hair styling gadget to this day, a hairdryer uses a simple mechanism - a heated coil and a fan - to increase the speed of water evaporation.

The earliest handheld hairdryers were invented in the 1920s, their heavy metal cases making them unwieldy.

They also offered only 100 watts of power, compared to today's 2000.

4. Heated rollers

Expand Close Solomon Harper is the man credited with inventing electrically heated hair rollers in 1930 PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Solomon Harper is the man credited with inventing electrically heated hair rollers in 1930

Solomon Harper is the man credited with inventing electrically heated hair rollers in 1930, but they really took off in the Sixties.

A weekly session with the rollers ensured a perfectly coiffed 'do' that stayed put for seven days.

5. Crimpers

Used to create ultra fine, zig-zag waves on straight hair, the crimping iron was invented in 1972 and reached peak popularity in the mid-Eighties.

Crimping eventually fell out of fashion, but it has had something of a resurgence in recent years, with GHD bringing out a modern-day version called the Contour in 2017.

6. Straighteners

Expand Close Hot hair: Katie Price launches her own haircare range in 2008 PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Hot hair: Katie Price launches her own haircare range in 2008

GHD is far more famous, of course, for a device that eradicates even the slightest hint of a kink.

The company, founded in 2001, bought the rights to a South Korean straightening iron and sparked a global phenomenon as the trend for poker-straight hair took hold.

The history of hair straightening actually goes back much further, to the 1870s, when Marcel Grateau used heated rods to banish waves, but the Noughties will always be remembered as the heyday of the straightener.

7. High-tech hairdryers

In general, hair dryers haven't evolved much during the last 20 years, apart from getting more powerful, lighter and quieter, but there is one notable exception.

Dyson, the company famous for vacuum cleaners, launched in 2016 its Supersonic Hair Dryer, which uses the brand's patented airflow principles and a digital motor to, it promises, dry hair faster without damaging it. But at 300 a pop, this high-tech gadget has yet to become a household essential.A Belfast-based human rights lawyer is to take part in an international event aimed at combating violent extremism and providing support to terror victims.

Ciaran O'Hare has been invited to attend this week's conference in Amsterdam being run by the European Commission.

The two-day Victims of Terrorism Working Group event will focus on building a network of organisations across Europe.

Its chief objective is to help victims regain their independence and place in society, as well as providing counselling.

The initiative also aims to prevent radicalisation and violent extremism throughout the continent.

Mr O'Hare, of the McIvor Farrell law firm, specialises in legacy-related judicial review cases.

He also dealt with one of the Northern Ireland-based legal challenges to Brexit which went to the Supreme Court.

Ahead of the conference in Holland he said: "I hope to raise issues about how victims of the troubles in Northern Ireland are finding it extremely difficult to seek justice."

In particular the solicitor pledged to highlight the case of his client Raymond McCord, whose son Raymond Jr was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1997.

"Mr McCord, is deeply dismayed by the fact that his son's 21st anniversary will occur shortly and yet in 21 years, there has never been an inquest into his son's murder."

According to Mr O'Hare the working group carries out vital work across Europe.

"I believe that lessons can be learnt from how other states deal with victims of terrorism, and an international event such as this brings people together from throughout the continent to help protect and support the rights of these victims," he said.

The lawyer added: "I will be making the point that I am concerned about the negative impact Brexit might have on victims' rights.

"Victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland are now passing away and in many instances, justice has not prevailed in respect of their cases.

"Therefore, I believe that it is imperative to echo these issues on the European plain."The dig in Co Monaghan in 2003 for the remains of Columba McVeigh

The sister of a teenager murdered and secretly buried by the IRA has said she is praying for her family's torment to end.

It comes as a new search for the remains of Columba McVeigh begins today - on the anniversary of his father's death. The 19-year-old, from Donaghmore in Co Tyrone, was abducted while working in Dublin in 1975.

Despite numerous searches his body has never been found.

The latest is taking place at Bragan Bog near Emyvale in Co Monaghan, a few miles from the border.

Mr McVeigh's sister Dympna Kerr said her family desperately needed closure.

"It's 21 years ago today that dad died, not knowing where Columba was buried," she said.

"As every year passes we ask: 'For how much longer must this go on?' I can only hope and pray that the torment will end."

Mr McVeigh is one of the so-called Disappeared, people abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. The remains of 13 have been recovered but three have not been found: Mr McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac.

Mr McVeigh was 19 when he disappeared in November 1975.

The IRA alleged he confessed to being an Army agent with instructions to infiltrate the terror group, a claim denied by his family.

Mr McVeigh's mother Vera campaigned tirelessly for the return of his body. She died in 2007 aged 82 without finding out what happened her son.

In 1999 the British and Irish Governments established the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) to gain confidential information about the location of the missing bodies.

Four searches have been carried out at Bragan Bog since 1999, initially by the Garda and subsequently by the ICLVR. The most recent ended in September 2013.

Mrs Kerr visited the scene earlier this year. She added: "For years I couldn't bring myself to stand on that bog where we were eventually told that Columba was buried.

"I went to it earlier this year and it's a bleak and desolate place and I cannot bear the thought that Columba is out there when he should be beside our mum and dad.

"Knowing that the ICLVR will do everything they possibly can to bring Columba home and also knowing that we have the thoughts and prayers of the other families of the Disappeared gives me the strength to face the coming days and weeks."

Mr McVeigh's brother Oliver said the family feel cautiously positive about the new search, but admitted they had learned not to build expectations.

"It is hard to get your hopes up, you just hope that something is found this time," he said.

"We have been in this position four times before, we have learned not to expect too much too soon."

Geoff Knupfer, the ICLVR's lead forensic investigator, believes Mr McVeigh's remains are buried at Bragan.

He said it had taken multiple searches to find the remains of other Disappeared victims.

"We remain convinced that Columba was buried in Bragan Bog and over the last five years since the last unsuccessful search we have been working to refine the search area," he added.

"That is what often has to be done when we are searching for a body that has been buried somewhere in a vast expanse of bog over 40 years ago.

"That's what happened in the search for Brendan Megraw, whose remains we found in October 2014 in Oristown Bog, Meath, around 15 years after searching commenced. And we were close to the burial place of Seamus Ruddy in an earlier search before we recovered his remains in France in May last year.

"But 'close' is not good enough.The fact that we are back on Bragan Bog for a fresh search does not mean that anyone who has information about where Columba is buried should assume that it is no longer relevant".

The ICLVR can be contacted by telephone: 00800 5558 5500 (International: +353 1 602 8655); e-mail at Secretary@iclvr.ie; or by post to: ICLVR PO Box 10827.MPs are next month set to vote on the contentious issue of making abortion legal in Northern Ireland.

The Labour MP Diana Johnson will introduce a 10-minute rule bill that will seek to decriminalise abortion and pave the way to allow women here to have a termination.

Northern Ireland will soon be the only part of the UK with an almost total ban on abortions.

It is estimated that about 28 women every week travel from here to England for terminations. Figures from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service recently suggested that 342 women crossed the Irish Sea for the procedure between March and May this year.

Calls for Northern Ireland's abortion laws to be reformed have intensified after a referendum in the Republic of Ireland in May resoundingly backed liberalising legislation south of the border.

Downing Street has previously said abortion law is a devolved issue. However, the absence of a power-sharing Assembly at Stormont has placed pressure on Westminster to act.

Prime Minister Theresa May's allies in the DUP, on whom she relies for her Commons majority, are staunchly opposed to relaxing abortion laws.

Under the 1967 Abortion Act, it is illegal for a woman to have a termination after 24 weeks for non-medical reasons and each procedure must be signed off by two doctors before it can go ahead. However, the bill being brought forward would remove the criminal sanctions and place the regulation with professional bodies. The bill has already won the backing of the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the British Medical Association.

While in theory abortions are illegal across the whole of the UK, women in England and Wales are given exemptions by the 1967 Act.

In March last year, MPs voted to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales, but the bill made no progress due to the subsequent general election.

Ms Johnson believes that far from over-riding devolution, her bill would enable Stormont to liberalise Northern Ireland's abortion laws when power-sharing resumes.

"It is time to remove this issue from the criminal law and treat it as a healthcare issue," she said.

Last week another Labour MP, Stella Creasy, publicly condemned DUP leader Arlene Foster's stance on abortion at a global women's caucus in Dublin Castle.

The audience audibly gasped after Ms Creasy said: "Right now there is only one woman who gets to make a choice about abortion rights for all women in Northern Ireland and she's called Arlene Foster.

"And because my Prime Minister needs to be in power by using the votes from this person, they don't want to move forward on abortion legislation, but I don't think it's right that that one woman should make that choice," she added.

North Belfast DUP MLA Paula Bradley slammed Ms Creasy's criticisms.The former head of the USPCA, Stephen Philpott has pleaded guilty to using his position as Chief Executive of the animal charity to defraud the organisation over a seven year period between January 2007 and November 2014.

Monday's guilty plea by the 54-year-old from Ashgrove Road, Newry came as he was about to go on trial in the city before a Crown Court jury of seven women and five men who had earlier been sworn in.

Philpott had faced a total of three charges, but following an adjournment before the start of his trial, defence QC James Gallagher asked for his client to be re-arraigned on the third count of the inditiment.

The particulars of the fraud charged Philpott with having obtained rental payments but "failed to account for the said payments and failed to bring notice of the said payments to the attention of the USPCA, with the intention, by means of the abuse of that position to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss to the USPCA or to expose the USPCA to a risk of a loss".

Prosecution QC Liam McCollum said in light of the guilty plea, counts one and two, accusing Philpott of stealing from the animal charity and attempting to cause criminal damage to a residential property and its contents should "remain on the books, not to be proceeded with, without leave of the court or Court of Appeal".

No details concerning Philpott's fraud were given to the court during the shortened hearing.

Judge Gordon Kerr QC released Philpott on continuing bail until December during which time a pre-sentence and other reports, including the possibility for compensation proceedings involving the former chief executive.As petrol and diesel prices continue to break records every day, yoga guru Baba Ramdev has said if the government allows, he can sell petrol and diesel for just Rs 35-40 per litre. "If the government lets me, and gives some relief in tax, I can give petrol diesel to India at Rs 35-45 per litre," the yoga guru said. He also called for bringing petrol and diesel under the lowest slab of the uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST), and not the 28 per cent rate, as people's "pockets are being emptied".

Raising questions over the government's reluctance to reduce excise duty on petrol and diesel, Ramdev said India would not stop functioning if there will be a revenue loss, which, he said, could be recovered by taxing the rich people more. He was speaking during the "NDTV Yuva" conclave on Sunday.

The ever increasing prices of fuel have put the Modi government in the dock. Though the weakening rupee and global factors like US sanctions against Iran are causing a spike in fuel prices, the Modi-led government has also refused to cut taxes to give some relief to the consumers. If the Modi government reduces excise duty on petrol and diesel by Re 1, it stands to lose Rs 14,000 crore in revenue, which would put a huge dent on its fiscal deficit target of 3.3 per cent of the GDP, says an estimate. The Centre currently levies a total excise duty of Rs 19.48 per litre on petrol and Rs 15.33 per litre on diesel, while VAT varies amongst states.

Baba Ramdev, who has actively supported most policies of the Narendra Modi government till now, seemed to be distancing himself with the BJP. He disclosed that he would not campaign for the saffron party in the 2019 General Elections; unlike he did 2014 when he campaigned for in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Many laud the policies of the Modi government, but some need correction now...price rise is a big issue and Modi ji will have to take corrective measures soon, failing which 'mehngai ki aag to Modi Sarkar ko bahut mehngi padegi' (the fire of rising prices will prove costly for the Modi government)," he said. The yoga guru also said it is people's fundamental right to criticise the Modi government but he has done "good work" like the Clean India Mission and not allowing any major scam to happen. He, however, agreed that questions are being raised about Rafale.

Talking about his political affiliations and whether he still had faith in PM Modi, which he had reposed in 2014, the yoga guru said: "I have withdrawn myself politically. I am with all parties and I am with no parties." He claimed to be "centrist instead of a leftist or a rightist". He said he has adopted "maun yoga (silence yoga) on many crucial issues". He also said he was a strong nationalist.

The Central government had raised excise duty on petrol by Rs 11.77 a litre and that on diesel by Rs 13.47 a litre in nine installments between November 2014 and January 2016 to shore up finances as global oil prices fell. Meanwhile, the petrol price in the national capital has reached Rs 82.06 per litre while diesel, too, is at a historic high of Rs 73.78 per litre. In financial capital Mumbai, petrol was priced at Rs 89.48 and diesel was priced at Rs 77.14.Detectives have made an arrest as part of an ongoing investigation into an incident in which a man sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen in north Belfast at the weekend.

Richard Mailey (24) - the son of the Greysteel murderer Stephen Irwin - was shot in the stomach in the city's New Lodge Road area.

The wounded man was treated at the scene for a gunshot wound and facial injuries, and later rushed to hospital by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

He remains in a "critical but stable" condition in the Royal Victoria Hospital, official sources confirmed.

A 23-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murde, has since been released.

The police officer appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

"Although we are not treating this incident as a paramilitary-style attack, we are appealing to anyone who was in the area, around 1.30am on Saturday morning and saw what happened, to get in touch with us on the non-emergency number 101."

A relative of the injured man said yesterday that she'd been sickened by the shooting and the effect it was having on the family.

She posted on Facebook: "Feel f****** sick, see if you're ever gonna intentionally hurt someone, take a while & think of the surrounding family that has to get that call."

In response to messages of support and concern for Richard, the relative revealed he was on a life support machine and they were waiting for him to wake up.

The shooting followed disorder in the New Lodge area on Friday during which police were attacked by members of the public, but it isn't clear if there is any connection between the incidents.

Mr Mailey's father Stephen Irwin was given eight life sentences for his part in the 1993 massacre at the Rising Sun Bar in Greysteel, when eight people were killed.The injured mountain biker is carried to the Air Ambulance by rescuers

A mountain biker remained critically ill in hospital yesterday with injuries sustained from a fall at the weekend.

The accident took place in the Mournes on Saturday afternoon.

Mourne Mountain Rescue and the Air Ambulance came to the man's aid.

The cyclist, who had been competing in an event, initially received first aid from St John Ambulance personnel who were on duty.

No further details in relation to how he sustained his injuries have emerged.

The callout was one of three emergencies in Co Down within 24 hours. The others took place off the coast.

Yesterday morning a fisherman was pulled from the water near Ardglass, while two men were rescued from Strangford Lough early the previous evening.

Yesterday's rescue was launched when the Coastguard issued a Mayday alert around 8.30am following reports a man had been swept into the sea from rocks near the fishing village.

Crews from Newcastle and Portaferry were tasked along with a Coastguard helicopter and the RNLI lifeboat. However, the fisherman was picked up by a local boat and returned to shore before their arrival.

He received first aid before being placed into the care of the Ambulance Service.

Less than 24 hours previously Portaferry RNLI volunteers had pulled two men from the waters of Strangford Lough, near Ballyhenry Island.

One of them had been out on the lough on a jet ski when he fell off and got into difficulties in the water.

This prompted the second man to swim from the shore to came to his aid, however he too got into difficulties.

RNLI crew successfully brought both men on board a lifeboat before returning to the shore, where they were handed over to the Portaferry Coastguard team.

Simon Rogers, lifeboat operations manager for Portaferry RNLI, said it had been a very busy weekend for volunteers.

"We can go for weeks without any callouts, but during those quiet periods our volunteer boat and shore crew members train hard every week, preparing for situations such as this," he said.

"It is thanks to their dedication and hard work that we are able to respond so quickly."Hospital beds are being shut as the effects of more than 5,600 vacancies across the health service in Northern Ireland take hold, a medical union has warned.

The number of unfilled posts across the sector here has risen by a staggering 53% in just 12 months.

Meanwhile, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned that the health service is facing disaster over the winter months as a result of the deepening workforce crisis.

Janice Smyth, director of the RCN in Northern Ireland, said: "Our members are telling us that hospital beds are being shut because there aren't the nurses to staff them.

"We aren't aware of what contingency plans are being put in place for the winter months but I can tell you that our nurses are seriously concerned about how they're going to manage.

"They frequently go without their breaks, they work on past their finish time and despite doing that they are still not able to give their patients the care they believe they need.

"The pressure they are working under that their patients may come to harm is immense. Beds are being closed over the summer months but it is going to be a disaster over the winter."

Ms Smyth was speaking out after it emerged there were 5,654 full and part-time vacancies across the health service at the end of March this year.

The figure was revealed by the chief executive of the Health & Social Care Board, Valerie Watts, in a letter sent to the chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster.

She did not provide a breakdown of the vacancies in her correspondence. Ms Watts wrote to Dr Andrew Murrison on September 7 to clarify the figure after saying there were 1,800 vacancies across the health service workforce when she appeared in front of the committee two days earlier.

Ms Smyth continued: "I'm shocked to hear this figure.

"We're starting to address the workforce crisis but we're not going to start to see the benefits in nursing until next year.

"In addition, we haven't done enough to relieve the pressure in the system through the transformation agenda.

"The political impasse has contributed to that in that the civil servants can't make decisions in the absence of a health minister.

"The Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said she will look at this issue, but that needs to happen as a matter of urgency.

"It's all very well telling staff they are valued but that doesn't pay bills, it doesn't relieve the pressures they are under every day, so we need action now."

Ms Smyth warned waiting lists for hospital appointments and operations are likely to rise over winter as a direct result of the workforce crisis. Some patients are already waiting up to five years for procedures to relieve conditions.

Ms Smyth said an increasing number of patients will turn to their family doctor or go to A&E as their conditions deteriorate while enduring spiralling waiting times for inpatient and outpatient appointments.

The pressure on overstretched emergency departments and GP services will grow as a result, Ms Smyth warned.

The growing number of vacancies has also been blamed for the increasing reliance on agency staff in Northern Ireland.

The six health trusts accrued a bill of more than 438m for agency staff between 2012/13 and 2016/17.

Alliance party health spokeswoman Paula Bradshaw said it is vital that the DUP and Sinn Fein work together to agree on a deal to enable health and finance ministers to address issues, such as disparity in pay between health workers here and the rest of the UK.

"There is an urgent need to deliver fair pay and conditions to front-line health workers who are currently underpaid and overburdened," she said.

The Department of Health did not respond to requests for comments.A yellow weather warning has been issued for Northern Ireland (PA)

The Met Office have warned that lives could be at risk in Northern Ireland with a weather warning in place on Wednesday.

The yellow warning is in place from 6am until 10pm on Wednesday with winds of up to 75mph possible.

The Met Office has warned injuries and danger to life are a possibility due to flying debris.

A previous yellow weather warning in place for Monday and Tuesday was downgraded over the weekend.

The majority of Helenes strong winds had been predicted to spend themselves over the Irish Sea from Monday night and into Tuesday morning but winds are now set to continue into Wednesday.

Strong winds affecting Northern Ireland early in the day will continue to strengthen through the morning. For some exposed areas gusts could reach in excess of 75mph in places.

The gusty winds will be accompanied in places by heavy, squally showers. The winds will gradually ease later on Wednesday.

The public are warned that road, rail, air, and ferry services are likely to be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations a possibility.

Road and bridges may close, with fallen trees are expected.

The public is also advised to take care near to the coastline, with injuries from large waves and beach material being thrown onto the seafront.

Power services could be impacted, with other services like mobile phone coverage also potentially affected.A post-Brexit Irish border solution will require regulatory alignment, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has said.

Admitting there is no simple answer to the issue, she conceded the UK is facing "new and different" times.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK to share a land border with the EU, and that has led to a unique set of Brexit-related challenges.

"Regulatory alignment" effectively means continuing to follow at least some of the rules of the EU's single market.

Ms Davidson was asked for her solution to the border question in an interview with the Sunday Times. She responded: "I think there is a realisation that because no one has ever left the EU before, a lot of this is new and different."

She continued: "I'm trying to pick my words carefully.

"And I'm genuinely trying to give the Prime Minister as much space as possible. For me, I think there is a deal to be done that allows, over time, for regulatory alignment."

She added: "What I'm saying is the whole of the UK would have close regulatory alignment with the EU."

Ms Davidson also ruled out ever taking on the party's top job for the sake of her mental health and relationship.

The 39-year-old, who is pregnant with her first child, told how she had self-harmed and had suicidal thoughts when she was younger.Orange Order grand master Edward Stevenson cuts the ribbon at the official opening of the new hall

A restored First World War memorial damaged when an Orange hall in Co Donegal was destroyed by arsonists has been unveiled in the rebuilt property.

A ceremony to mark the reopening of Newtowncunningham Orange hall was held exactly four years on from the blaze that gutted the building.

The memorial tablet dedicated to Donegal Orangemen who died in the 1914-18 conflict was repaired as part of the restoration project.

A Bible found among the charred debris was also reinstated in the new hall.

The project was supported by Irish Government funding.

Brethren from Newtowncunningham True Blues LOL 1063 were joined at a dedication service by senior Orangemen.

Newtowncunningham deputy master Stewart McClean said he was delighted with the new building, and extended his thanks to the Dublin authorities.

"The opening of our new hall is a tremendous accomplishment for all those associated with this substantial rebuild, and is a defining and historic moment for our lodge," he said.

"The upgraded property has been built for use by the local community and will be utilised not only by the lodge and accordion band, but also a range of groups and organisations in the area.

"We are confident the hall will be a wonderful asset for east Donegal for generations to come."

The new building is larger and better equipped than its predecessor. There are also plans to incorporate a small museum inside.

Grand master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Edward Stevenson officially opened the building.

"It is tremendous to see this community facility rise again from the ashes and fully restored to its former glory," he said.Downing Street has slapped down Boris Johnson after he warned that Britain was heading for a spectacular political car-crash if the Government stuck to Theresa Mays plans for Brexit.

The former foreign secretarys warning came as Mrs May gave one of her most positive forecasts yet for Britains future after Brexit, telling the BBC: I believe that our best days are ahead of us.

Asked in an interview for Panorama, asked why she thought Brexit would be good for Britain, she replied: It gives the United Kingdom opportunities as an independent and sovereign state to build a better future for all our people.

But Mr Johnson warned that, unless Mrs Mays Chequers plan was dropped, Britain was heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

Requirements for a backstop arrangement at the Irish border, contained in Decembers agreement between Mrs May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, would leave the UK a vassal state of the EU, the former foreign secretary warned.

We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of BrexitBoris Johnson

In his regular column for the Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson claimed that he and others had been taken in over the EUs fallback option, having been privately assured at the time that it would never be invoked.

But Number 10 pointed out that Mr Johnson had himself signed up to the joint report agreed by Mrs May and Mr Juncker, including the backstop provision, and had remained in government for a further seven months afterwards.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Boris Johnson was a member of the cabinet which agreed to the December joint report, including the backstop.

Expand Close Theresa May with Boris Johnson (Leon Neal/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Theresa May with Boris Johnson (Leon Neal/PA)

At the time, he congratulated the Prime Minister for her determination in securing the deal.

He remained in Government for a full seven months after the joint report was agreed. He was also a member of the cabinet sub-committee which agreed the UKs proposed customs backstop.

Although she is signed up to the principle of a backstop if no better arrangement can be agreed, Mrs May has robustly rejected the version put forward by Brussels, which would see Northern Ireland remain within the EU customs area and effectively draw a customs border down the Irish Sea.

However, Mr Johnson denounced alternative plans set out by the PM as a constitutional abomination which would leave Britain as a humiliated rules-taker.

Mr Johnson has backed proposals by the pro-Brexit European Research Group that physical checks can be done away from the border, without keeping the UK or Northern Ireland tied to EU customs rules.

And it has been reported that the EU is preparing to accept use of technology to avoid the need for new border infrastructure.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson said: If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash.

If we are to get out of this mess, and get the great British motor back on track, then we need to understand the Irish backstop, and how it is being used to coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of Brussels, he added.

The EUs backstop would leave a border down the Irish sea while the UKs proposal left it volunteering to remain effectively in the customs union and large parts of the single market until Brussels says otherwise, Mr Johnson said.

Expand Close Mrs May said there are only two possible solutions  the Chequers plan, or no deal (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Mrs May said there are only two possible solutions  the Chequers plan, or no deal (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

Both versions of the backstop are disastrous, he wrote.

One threatens the union; the other version, and its close cousin, Chequers, keep us effectively in the EU, as humiliated rules takers.

We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

We are straining at the gnat of the Irish border problem, in fact we havent even tried to chew the gnat, and we are swallowing the camel of EU membership in all but name.

Speaking to Panorama, Mrs May said there needs to be friction-free movement of goods across the Irish border, without customs or regulatory checks between the UK and EU, after Brexit.

Expand Close Michel Barnier is seeking to harness new technology to minimise potential border checks (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Michel Barnier is seeking to harness new technology to minimise potential border checks (Niall Carson/PA)

The only proposal thats been put forward that delivers on them not having a hard border and ensures that we dont carve up the United Kingdom, is the Chequers plan, she said.

Mrs May also said she believes Parliament will vote for a deal to maintain a good trading relationship with the EU and co-operation on other matters.

But she cast doubt on whether the EU would offer a better deal if MPs rejected it, adding: I believe well get a good deal, well bring that back from the EU negotiations, put that to Parliament.

I think the alternative to that will be not having a deal because a) I dont think the negotiations will have that deal, and b) were leaving on March 29 2019.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is drafting a new protocol text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks at the Irish border, according to The Times.

Diplomatic notes seen by the paper state: The biggest unsolved problem is Northern Ireland.

There is a political mobilisation in the UK in this regard. Therefore, we are trying to clarify the EU position.Sugar stocks continued their rise for the third consecutive session in trade today after the government approved an over 25 per cent hike in the price of ethanol produced directly from sugarcane juice for blending in petrol last week.

The top gainer among sugar stocks was Avadh Sugar and Energy which hit the upper circuit of 19.99% to 567.15 level on BSE today.

The stock of sugar manufacturer Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar rose up to 19.95% to 10.22 level on the BSE.

Balrampur Chini Mills too rose 8.07% to 95.75% on the BSE. The stock of Dhampur Sugar Mills too closed 19.96% higher at 140.45 level.

The stock of Magadh Sugar and Energy rose 19.99% to Rs 128.15. Similarly, Simbhaoli Sugars (19.95 per cent), Shree Renuka Sugars (19.84 per cent), Ugar Sugar (19.99%), Dwarikesh Sugar Industries (19.88%) saw northward movement on BSE.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on September 12 raised the procurement price of ethanol derived from 100 per cent sugarcane juice to Rs 59.13 per litre from the current rate of Rs 47.13. The move would help sugar mills quickly release arrears of cane farmers, which stands at over Rs 13,000 crore.

According to market experts, gain in the counter of sugar prices is mainly due to the government approval of hike in the prices of ethanol.

Such increase may result into more sugar production as more mills may start producing ethanol, they added.

The price for ethanol produced from B-heavy molasses (also called as intermediary molasses) was hiked to Rs 52.43 a litre from the current Rs 47.13 but that for ethanol produced from C-heavy molasses was reduced marginally to Rs 43.46 from Rs 43.70. Diverting sugarcane juice for directly making ethanol, which can be doped in petrol, is common across the major sugar producing nations. Brazil tops the list where all the ethanol produced is directly made from sugarcane juice.

The move would help sugar mills quickly release arrears of cane farmers, which stand at over Rs 13,000 crore. As much as 40 per cent of these dues are in Uttar Pradesh alone.

Ethanol so extracted would be doped in petrol to cut reliance on imports. The government is looking at scaling up the blending to 10 per cent in the next couple of years from 4-5 per cent now.A new search for a teenager murdered and secretly buried by the IRA has begun.

Columba McVeigh, 19, from Donaghmore, Co Tyrone disappeared in November 1975.

Excavators started digging in bogland across the Irish border in Co Monaghan on Monday morning.

Four previous searches in the Bragan bog near Emyvale have not uncovered his remains.

Expand Close Columba McVeigh, a teenager who was murdered and secretly buried by the Provisional IRA over 40 years ago (Family/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Columba McVeigh, a teenager who was murdered and secretly buried by the Provisional IRA over 40 years ago (Family/PA)

He is one of three of the Disappeared victims of the Troubles whose bodies have still to be found.

The teenagers brother Oliver McVeigh said the new search was hard for the family, given the number of unsuccessful digs.

But he said they were cautiously optimistic.

It is hard to get your hopes up, you just hope that something is found this time, he said.

Expand Close Jon Hill, senior investigator with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (Rebecca Black/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Jon Hill, senior investigator with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (Rebecca Black/PA)

We have been in this position four times before, we have learned not to expect too much too soon.

But you never know, we are positive enough.

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR) is undertaking the new search.

Four searches have been carried out since 1999 by the Garda and the ICLVR.

The new search will focus on an area around one acre in size.

ICLVR lead investigator Geoff Knupfer said they remain convinced that Mr McVeigh was buried at Bragan Bog.

Over the last five years since the last unsuccessful search we have been working to refine the search area, he said.

Expand Close The search for the remains of Columba McVeigh (Rebecca Black/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The search for the remains of Columba McVeigh (Rebecca Black/PA)

That is what often has to be done when we are searching for a body that has been buried somewhere in a vast expanse of bog over 40 years ago.

Thats what happened in the search for Brendan Megraw whose remains we found in October 2014 in Oristown Bog, Co Meath some 15 years after searching commenced.

And we were close to the burial place of Seamus Ruddy in an earlier search before we recovered his remains in France in May last year.

It is very sad that another year has passed and Vera McVeighs dying wish for her son Columba to be buried between her and his Dad has still not been achieved. Someone out there can assist. Please contact ICLVR on 0080055585500 or at PO Box 10827, Dublin 2 #ICLVR #WAVETrauma pic.twitter.com/mlCCE4zdFm  WAVE Trauma Centre (@WAVETrauma) May 9, 2018

But close is not good enough.

The fact that we are back on Bragan Bog for a fresh search does not mean that anyone who has information about where Columba is buried should assume that it is no longer relevant.

Jon Hill, a senior investigator with the ICLVR who will take charge of the initial phase of the search, said they will do all in their power to find Mr McVeigh.

We carried out a scoping exercise earlier in the year and are now concentrating on an area of around one acre in size, he said.

Expand Close Columba McVeigh is one of three of the 16 Disappeared whose remains are yet to be recovered (Family/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Columba McVeigh is one of three of the 16 Disappeared whose remains are yet to be recovered (Family/PA)

While that is relatively small compared to some of the searches weve carried out in the past, each one presents its own challenges and so I dont want to put a definitive time frame on it.

Obviously we hope that we have an early success but if thats not the case then well press on for as long as it takes.

We have a dedicated and vastly experienced team of contractors and forensic archaeologists working on the search.

We all know what this means to the McVeigh family and we will do everything in our power to bring this search to a successful conclusion.

Expand Close The remains of Columba McVeigh (left), Joe Lynskey (centre) and Robert Nairac (right) are yet to be recovered (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The remains of Columba McVeigh (left), Joe Lynskey (centre) and Robert Nairac (right) are yet to be recovered (Brian Lawless/PA)

Three of the 16 classified as the Disappeared remain missing.

They are Mr McVeigh as well as former monk Joe Lynskey and soldier Robert Nairac.

Mr Knupfer has issued a fresh call for information which could lead to their remains being found.

The ICLVR can be contacted by telephone: 00800-55585500 International: +353 1 602 8655.The remote Bragan Bog is not typically a hive of activity.

The lonely spot just a couple of miles across the border in Co Monaghan is usually the preserve of farmers but on Monday it witnessed a steady stream of activity, from diggers pulling up peat, to journalists from across Ireland navigating the tricky terrain.

This desolate landscape is believed to have witnessed the final moments of Co Tyrone teenager Columba McVeighs life after he was abducted from Dublin by the IRA.

The 19-year-old had just three weeks previously started a new life in the Irish capital.

On November 1, 1975 he was transported back up north, but instead of arriving to the warmth of his mothers house in Donaghmore and embrace of his family, he was taken by terrorists to the cold, brutal landscape of Bragan bog where it is believed he was murdered and secretly buried.

Only his killers will know whether the teenager was aware he had been travelling north and latterly on a cross-border road before ending up on a narrow country road, and then a long bumpy lane way up a steep hill to the bog.

Some 43 years have passed, there have been multiple pleas for information about where he is buried. Since 1999, there have been four attempts to find him but both his parents died without finding their son.

We are met here with very challenging ground surface and the searches that have taken place mean that a lot of material has been moved aroundSenior investigator Jon Hill

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (INLVR) is now trying again, having narrowed down the area to section of around an acre of bogland to try and find the teenagers remains.

Senior investigator Jon Hill is a veteran of this type of search, having been involved with previous searches for the 16 men and women who were disappeared during Northern Irelands Troubles.

All but three of them have now been found. Some by chance and a number by the commission.

Mr Hill has the expertise of archaeologists on site but said this type of search is much more challenging than looking for antiquities.

You either find them or you dont, he explained, rather than the usual archaeological practise of being able to narrow down which level of earth what they are looking for will be in.

He said an item of clothing is the first thing they find, and then a great deal of checking is carried out before they can have any certainty over what they have found.

We are met here with very challenging ground surface and the searches that have taken place mean that a lot of material has been moved around, so everything is stacked against it, but we have been in this position before and we have had success in this position before, Mr Hill said.

We will search for as long as we need to search.

It may well be that the weather will stop us from concluding this year and we may have to come back next year, but it is still worthy of searching and that is what we will do.Sinn Fein chief Mary Lou McDonald with Liadh Ni Riada at the announcement yesterday in Dublin of Ms Ni Riadas candidature

The son of a murdered prison officer has promised to challenge a Sinn Fein politician standing for election in the Irish presidential race over controversial comments she made about the Provisional IRA.

Liadh Ni Riada, a former producer for RTE and TG4, was confirmed as the party's candidate yesterday.

She joins four other confirmed runners, including incumbent Irish President Michael D Higgins.

The 51-year-old's anticipated selection was rubber-stamped at a meeting of Sinn Fein's ard chomhairle.

The Cork-based politician made headlines last year after saying she disagreed with IRA atrocities such as Bloody Friday, Warrington and Birmingham being described as acts of terrorism.

Ms Ni Riada, the daughter of renowned composer and musician Sean O'Riada, said in an interview with Hot Press magazine that she didn't "think you can be as black and white" when it came to describing the actions of the IRA.

Elaborating, she said that she would use the word to refer to Islamic State, citing "different levels of terrorism".

Austin Stack, whose father Brian died in hospital 18 months after he was shot in the neck by the IRA in 1983, said the MEP's remarks and her membership of Sinn Fein made her entirely unsuitable for the role of Irish President.

"My dad was shot in the back of the head in a Dublin street. It can only be termed as terrorism," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"He wasn't involved in any conflict."

Mr Stack said Ms Ni Riada's position and her party's political ideology conflicted with that of the role of President.

"If she wants to be President, she has be commander in chief of the armed forces," he explained.

"Sinn Fein are opposed to the use of the Special Criminal Court in the Republic, which is the three-judge court with no juries.

"She's never going to deny the IRA, but that makes her completely unsuitable from that perspective.

"She's unsuitable to represent the country on an international stage."

He added: "She's entitled to run, but I would call on all right-thinking people to challenge her on the hustings. I certainly have no difficulties challenging her personally, I would have no difficulty in that at all.

"She's not suitable for the role; no one from Sinn Fein is."

Mr Stack's comments were echoed by Ann McCabe, who challenged the late Martin McGuinness during his 2011 Irish presidential campaign bid with questions over the murder of her husband Jerry.

Mr McCabe, a Garda detective, was shot by IRA gunmen outside a post office in Adare, Co Limerick, in 1996.

"Any member of Sinn Fein should not be President. I would feel very bad about it (if Ms Ni Riada was elected). She's not suitable, no member of Sinn Fein is," she argued.

Despite Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald's insistence that she believed Ms Ni Riada would make an "exceptional President", Mrs McCabe, who accepted the freedom of Limerick awarded posthumously to her husband in June, poured cold water on their ambitions.

"I really don't think it will happen," she added.

Speaking yesterday after being confirmed as the party's candidate, Ms Ni Riada pledged to be a "new President for a new Ireland".

She also vowed to initiate an "inclusive citizens' conversation" on Irish unification if elected in next month's poll.

"Ireland has radically changed since the last presidential election," she told supporters in Dublin after her nomination was confirmed.

"We've become a more caring and inclusive society. A global inspiration when it comes to progressive social change.

"But we are only at the beginning of this new chapter. It's time for all of us, particularly our younger generation, to write our own story, to shape a new and united Ireland.

"Ireland needs an energetic President to support and encourage this journey."

Ms Ni Riada is the fifth name in the mix for next month's poll.

Mr Higgins, who was elected in 2011, has already announced his intention to run for a second term.

Two businessmen who were both investors on the Irish version of Dragons' Den, Sean Gallagher and Gavin Duffy, are running as independent candidates, as is mental health advocate Senator Joan Freeman.

Yesterday a RedC poll for the Sunday Business Post showed Mr Higgins is the overwhelming favourite to win the race.

TV producers swift rise in party ranks

The Sinn Fein candidate is the daughter of famed traditional composer Sean O Riada and has caused controversy in the past for failing to describe IRA attacks as terrorism.

Liadh Ni Riada, a mother-of-three and MEP for Ireland South, worked in television before her foray into politics. She worked as a producer for RTE and served on the board that set up TG4. She was appointed to the board by then-Arts Minister Michael D Higgins.

The Gaelic-speaker lost both parents at a young age and has talked about her upbringing in a poverty-stricken background. Her father is widely credited for his part in the revival of traditional music in the 1960s, and died when she was aged four. Her mother died when Ms Ni Riada was aged 10.

Ms Ni Riadas first husband also died when she was in her 20s and she has spoken about her experience with loss in the past. She joined Sinn Fein in 2011 and was elected to Europe in 2014. Her selection as candidate for the party marks a remarkable rise to the top in the party. In an interview with Hot Press Ms Ni Riada courted controversy over a refusal to name IRA attacks as acts of terror. Ms Ni Riada said that she didnt think you can be as black and white when it came to describing the actions of the IRA.

She has also been forced to clarify her position on the HPV vaccine after an interview she did with a Cork radio station resurfaced in which she said she had asked her daughter not to get it. She has dismissed the suggestion that she is anti-vaccinations as nonsense.Sinn Fein deputy vice-president Michelle ONeill said Theresa May had scant regard for Ireland in the Brexit negotiations. Stefan Rousseau/PA.

Theresa May is showing scant regard for Ireland in Brexit plans, Sinn Fein has claimed.

Party vice-president Michelle ONeill said the backstop should be enhanced to include rights protections.

Meanwhile, DUP MEP Diane Dodds said the EU should clarify its plans.

The Irish Government... has to stand firm on the backstop agreed between the British Government and the EU last December as this is the only insurance policy the people of the North can reply uponMichelle O'Neill

Mrs ONeill said: Theresa Mays focus remains on the civil war in her own party instead of focusing on negotiations with the EU.

More than 18 months into these negotiations and with time running out, Theresa May still shows scant regard for Ireland, for rights, our economy or our agreements.

The Taoiseach said a few months ago that citizens in the North would never be left behind again.

The Irish Government, as an EU member state which is party to this negotiation, has to stand firm on the backstop agreed between the British Government and the EU last December as this is the only insurance policy the people of the North can reply upon.

Mrs Dodds said it was unclear whether the proposals represented a serious departure from the EUs dogmatic stance or whether they were simply intended to dress up existing elements of its plan.

The job of finding a workable, practical and mutual solution remains incompleteDiane Dodds

She added: It is imperative that Brussels negotiators move to clarify their position as soon as possible.

The DUP remains firmly opposed to the core tenet of the original plan published by Michel Barnier which would see Northern Ireland remain tied to EU rules and cut adrift from the rest of the United Kingdom post-Brexit.

We will not countenance anything which affects the constitutional position of Northern Ireland within the Union, creates barriers to and within the UK internal market or erects barriers in customs or regulation.

She said at every stage the DUP had made this clear to the Prime Minister and Mr Barnier.

The job of finding a workable, practical and mutual solution remains incomplete.

She said suggestions the EU was considering technology-based solutions were a positive, if belated, development.

However, this will become null and void if based only on the EU goal of ensuring Northern Ireland remains in a common regulatory and customs areas inside the EU.

Equally, we are unconvinced by political and economic arguments which suggest that a technological border in the Irish Sea is more deliverable than on the land border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.The Church of England is said to be considering co-ordinating an effort to find a group of buyers for the loan book of failed pay day lender Wonga to prevent it falling into the hands of unscrupulous loan sharks.

A source close to the matter said it was highly unlikely the Church would be directly involved in the purchase of Wonga's estimated 400 million book.

Instead, it would work to bring a consortium of non-Government organisations and philanthropists to organise a buyout, the source said, but that any plan was in a "very preliminary stage".

The news comes a week after independent MP Frank Field called on Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to help find "good people" to buy Wonga's loan book.

Existing borrowers are thought to total around 200,000, and Mr Field said he feared they could be left at the mercy of money lenders and bailiffs who could purchase the debt at a knockdown price.

In a letter to the archbishop, he said: "Is there a possibility please of you asking the Church Commissioners quickly to assemble a consortium of good people with money who will attempt to buy those poor people's loan books at a knockdown price?"

He said swift action by the church would stop a new lender "terrorising" the poor and would be "an example of the jubilee in setting slaves free of their debts".

According to the Book of Leviticus, a jubilee year occurs every 50th year, during which slaves and prisoners are freed and debts forgiven.

Administrator Grant Thornton is running Wonga's loan book while it looks for a buyer.

Mr Field said that such a purchase led by the Church of England could mark the beginning of a "people's bank".

He told the Press Association: "Wonga targeted people who are beyond the abyss.

"This is an ambulance rescue operation, but longer term we need to look at offering long-term credit, through a people's bank, for those who are in urgent need."

A Church of England spokesman said: "We are reflecting on what may or may not be possible in the months ahead regarding the repercussions following Wonga's collapse."

In 2013 the Archbishop was forced to admit the Church of England's investment fund had invested indirectly in Wonga - about 75,000 out of investments totalling 5.5 billion - he described it as embarrassing.

"It shouldn't happen, it's very embarrassing, but these things do happen and we have to find out why and make sure it doesn't happen again," Archbishop Welby said at the time.A fleet of classic E-type Jaguar cars have set off on a 4,000-mile drive to raise funds for a cancer charity.

They left from Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire, for the 19-day 2018 Round Britain Coastal Drive in support of Prostate Cancer UK.

Organisers hope this years tour around the British mainland will add 70,000 to the 150,000 raised in the events first two years.

Expand Close Don Wales (right) and Jaguar driver Philip Porter hold a scarf in support of Prostate Cancer UK charity over the E-Type Jaguar that was used in the film The Italian Job (Ben Birchall/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Don Wales (right) and Jaguar driver Philip Porter hold a scarf in support of Prostate Cancer UK charity over the E-Type Jaguar that was used in the film The Italian Job (Ben Birchall/PA)

The Pendine Sands starting point is where Don Wales set the UK speed record for an electric car in 2000 at 137mph and the world speed record for a ride-on lawnmower in 2010 at 87.8mph.

Mr Wales, who is grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell, two of Britains greatest land and water speed record-holders, said: I am delighted to be part of this fabulous event and honoured to be flagging-off the entrants from Pendine Sands, where my grandfather set his first world land speed record.

Expand Close Classic E-Type Jaguars are waved off the beach at Pendine Sands by Don Wales (Ben Birchall/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Classic E-Type Jaguars are waved off the beach at Pendine Sands by Don Wales (Ben Birchall/PA)

Expand Close A driver checks his car as dozens of E-Types line up for the off (Ben Birchall/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A driver checks his car as dozens of E-Types line up for the off (Ben Birchall/PA)

I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and have now been successfully treated. We need to get more men talking about this horrible disease. Events like this are vital as they help to raise awareness and valuable funds to stop prostate cancer being a killer.

From Pendine, the charity drive will go as far north as John OGroats and as far south as Lands End, before finishing in the town of Tenby, on the opposite side of Carmarthen Bay to Pendine on October 5.A convicted former UBS trader has launched a last-ditch legal attempt to halt his deportation to Ghana.

Lawyers for Kweku Adoboli  who was jailed for seven years in 2012 for two counts of fraud that resulted in 1.4 billion in losses  have lodged a judicial review and injunction against deportation amid fears that his removal is hours away.

It is being argued on the grounds of public interest.

His lawyers say Mr Adoboli, 38, has been teaching at several universities and working with an initiative promoting responsible leadership since his release from prison in June 2015, and also that he left Ghana at the age of four, has lived in the UK since the age of 12 and it is where his family is based.

Expand Close Caroline Nokes said the UK public expects robust action to be taken against foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Caroline Nokes said the UK public expects robust action to be taken against foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality (Victoria Jones/PA)

Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said in a letter that all foreign nationals sentenced to more than four years are subject to automatic deportation unless there are compelling reasons for them to remain.

It is believed that Mr Adoboli, who was released after serving half his sentence, is due to be deported on Tuesday evening.

A group of 132 MPs and MSPs have written to Home Secretary Sajid Javid urging him to intervene.

The decision to deport Mr Adoboli has been upheld at several stages by the courts but his lawyers say they will make an application to review on an oral basis on Tuesday if the judicial review or the injunction are refused.

Expand Close Kweku Adoboli has lived in Britain since the age of 12 (Lewis Whyld/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Kweku Adoboli has lived in Britain since the age of 12 (Lewis Whyld/PA)

His legal team said in a statement: The new judicial review and the injunction to halt Kwekus deportation were lodged shortly after 2pm today.

Both focus on the key issue of public interest, in that Kweku Adoboli has done much to contribute to UK society since leaving custody in June 2015, and it is very much in the publics interest that he continue with his work, be it inspiring students, or working to effect systemic change in the financial services industry.

Given that his white collar offence was demonstrably non-violent, he is unable to reoffend without a banking licence and obviously represents no threat to the public of any kind.

The logical conclusion is that it cannot be in the public interest to deport him.

Even if Kweku is a foreign national on paper, sending a 38-year-old man to a country where he has not lived since the age of four is absurd, given that he has lived in Britain since the age of 12 and the UK is where his friends and partner live and where his family life is based.

It is unquestionably his home. Kweku Adoboli may have been born elsewhere, but he was forged in Britain.

A Home Office spokesman said: All foreign nationals who are given a custodial sentence will be considered for removal.

Foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes in the UK should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them and we have removed more than 44,500 foreign offenders since 2010.

Mr Adoboli was detained during a fortnightly check-in at Livingston Police Station, West Lothian, on September 3 and taken to Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre in South Lanarkshire.

In her letter Ms Nokes wrote: Financial crime, like all crime, has an impact on the society that we live in and the public expects robust action to be taken against foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crime.Jaguar Land Rover has announced a cut in production due to continuing headwinds affecting the car industry, hours after its chief executive was accused of fabricating warnings about potential hard Brexit job losses.

The automotive giant said it was making temporary adjustments at its Castle Bromwich site in Birmingham, with the areas MP saying staff had been placed on a three-day week until Christmas.

The move came hours after former shadow minister Sir Bernard Jenkin accused Professor Dr Ralf Speth of scaremongering over a prediction that crashing out of the EU would have a horrifying effect on the leading automotive firms business.

Prof Speth had told the UKs first Zero Emission Vehicle Summit in Birmingham last week  attended by the Prime Minister  that a hard Brexit could result in the worst of times for the UK while the cost to Jaguar Land Rover would be more than 1.2 billion a year.

What? The man, Ralf Speth who has transformed @JLR_News into a world-class success story, doubling the company in size to over 40,000, is making it up, according to @bernardjenkin on #Brexit? The irrational zeal of the #Brexiteers is breathtaking! @BBCr4today https://t.co/KE9HGWehis  Jack Dromey MP (@JackDromeyMP) September 17, 2018

Asked his view on the German businessmans warning on Monday, Sir Bernard, a member of the Eurosceptic European Research Group, told BBC Radio 4s Today: Im afraid I think hes making it up.

Weve had figures made up all the time by the scaremongers in this debate and Im afraid nobody believes them.

The comments sparked criticism from Labour and from within the Harwich and North Essex MPs own party.

In a tweet, Labours Jack Dromey said that Castle Bromwich, which is in his Birmingham Erdington constituency, was moving onto a three-day week until Christmas due to a combination of Brexit chaos and the mishandling by ministers of the transition from diesel.

He described Prof Speth as the man  who has transformed (Jaguar Land Rover) into a world-class success story, doubling the company in size to over 40,000, adding: The irrational zeal of the #Brexiteers is breathtaking!

Embarrassing. The Conservative Party is the party of business. Im backing Raif Speth & all the other business leaders & trade unions who are being honest about the disaster of a #NoDeal hard #Brexit & are increasingly backing @peoplesvote_uk https://t.co/N67nF34whf  Anna Soubry (@Anna_Soubry) September 17, 2018

The warning by Prof Speth  who has worked in the car industry for more than 30 years  followed similar warnings from other industry bosses, including Airbus and BMW, about the potentially damaging consequences of Britains decision to leave the EU.

Sir Bernards comments were described as embarrassing by pro-Remain Tory MP Anna Soubry.

She said on Twitter: The Conservative Party is the party of business. Im backing Raif (sic) Speth & all the other business leaders & trade unions who are being honest about the disaster of a #NoDeal hard #Brexit & are increasingly backing @peoplesvote_uk.

Expand Close Ralf Speth, chief executive officer of Jaguar Land Rover, had warned about the impact of a hard Brexit (Chris Ratcliffe/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Ralf Speth, chief executive officer of Jaguar Land Rover, had warned about the impact of a hard Brexit (Chris Ratcliffe/PA)

Jaguar Land Rover declined to comment on sir Bernards comments.

In a statement regarding Castle Bromwich, it said: As is standard business practice, Jaguar Land Rover regularly reviews its production schedules to ensure market demand is balanced globally.

In light of the continuing headwinds impacting the car industry, we are making some temporary adjustments to our production schedules at Castle Bromwich.

We are, however, continuing to over-proportionally invest in new products and technologies, and are committed to our UK plants, in which we have invested more than 4 billion since 2010 to future proof manufacturing technologies to deliver new models.

Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke said: This is the continuing effect of the chaotic mismanagement of the Brexit negotiations by the Government which has created uncertainty across the UKs automotive industry and the manufacturing sector generally.

It is also the result of the mishandling of how the UK makes a just transition from diesel and combustion engines to electric vehicles. Both issues have damaged the jewel in the crown of UK manufacturing  our automotive industry.

The situation is not helped when you have arch-Brexiteer MP Sir Bernard Jenkin accusing Ralf Speth of making it up when it comes to Brexit and the car industry.

Jenkins comments are highly irresponsible and misinformed when future employment is at stake and are entering into the world of fantasy economics.A Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 smartphone has reportedly caught fire in a woman's purse in New York. According to a report by The New York Post, the incident happened earlier this month and now the victim has filed a suit.

According to the report, the woman claimed that the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 had gotten extremely hot while she was using it. She then went on to put it in her purse. Soon after that, she heard a weird noise from her bag which she described as "whistling and screeching" sounds. This was followed by thick smoke coming out of her handbag.

The woman then tried to empty the contents of her purse on an elevator floor but to no avail. The smoke and sounds only stopped after a man picked up the phone with a piece of cloth and put it in a bucket full of water.

The new incident re-surfaces the issues that Samsung Galaxy Note 7 owners faced two years ago. The device had to be discontinued within months of its launch. The main issue with the Note 7 was the battery unit. Samsung's initial response was to recall the devices and replace the battery packs. However, some devices that were marked safe also reported cases of fire. The company released a public apology for the same and stopped producing and supplying the Note 7.

In the next cycle, Samsung released the Galaxy Note 8. However, this time around, they placed a much smaller battery with a capacity of 3300mAh. The company was trying to play safe but the device owners complained about considerably short battery back-up.

This year, Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 9 with a huge 4000mAh battery to keep up with the growing battery standards in the industry. To assure safety to the new buyers, Samsung's head of mobile business, DJ Koh cleared the air by saying that Note 9 batteries are safe and have undergone an 8-step test.

In a statement, Samsung claimed that no other incidents related to the Galaxy Note 9 have been reported so far and the company is already investigating the matter. If Samsung's new Galaxy Note 9 suffers the same fate as Note 7, the company might have to consider discontinuing the entire line-up.Mike Russell has insisted Westminster is incapable of working in Scotlands interests as he warned of the growing risk the UK will be forced into a chaotic, blind Brexit.

The Scottish Constitution Secretary accused Prime Minister Theresa May of misleading voters on the prospects for her Chequers plan, claiming EU leaders have already dismissed the UK Governments proposals.

And four years after Scotland voted to stay in the United Kingdom, he claimed politicians south of the border had failed to meet their pledge that Scotland would be an equal partner if it stayed in the Union.

Scots rejected independence by 45% to 55% in September 2014, with the country then going on to vote in favour of the UK remaining part of the EU.

However votes in England and Wales for Brexit meant the country as a whole opted to leave in the 2016 referendum.

Mrs May took charge of the UKs negotiations shortly after that, with talks between the PM and European leaders continuing in Salzburg this week.

Four years ago today, the people of Scotland voted on our nations future and were then told we were to be treated as equal partners in the UK  absolutely nothing that has happened since has lived up to that pledgeScottish Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell

Mr Russell said the Prime Minister must use that meeting to rule out both a blind and a No-deal Brexit.

Speaking ahead of an address to business leaders and academics in Edinburgh, Mr Russell said: It is misleading and the height of arrogance for the Prime Minister to say the only alternative to no-deal is the Tories flawed and unworkable Chequers plan, which even they dont agree on.

The EU has been clear that the key economic planks of the Chequers plan are not acceptable. That means theres a growing danger that we are heading for a chaotic, blind Brexit in which Scotland is dragged out of the EU with key questions on trade and the future relationship undecided and in the hands of hard-line anti-Europeans.

Four years ago today, the people of Scotland voted on our nations future and were then told we were to be treated as equal partners in the UK  absolutely nothing that has happened since has lived up to that pledge, with Brexit making it clearer by the day that Westminster is incapable of working in Scotlands national interests.

Pleased to discuss #Brexit and Scotland with a very experienced & engaged group from #BadenWurttemberg this evening in St Andrews House . Complete bemusement at what @GovUk is inflicting on itself - and us . pic.twitter.com/7JFL4eDGq3  Michael Russell (@Feorlean) September 12, 2018

Mr Russell added: The Scottish Government has published a detailed plan to keep both Scotland and the UK in the customs union and single market, which is around eight times bigger than the UK market alone.

Our plans would protect jobs and living standards. So instead of arrogantly dismissing those proposals the Prime Minister should be putting them on the table this week.File photo dated 22/3/2017 of Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood (centre) helps emergency services attend to a police officer outside the Palace of Westminster, London, after PC Keith Palmer was stabbed and his apparent attacker shot by officers in a major security incident at the Houses of Parliament. The former soldier gave evidence on Monday in the inquest at the Old Bailey into the deaths of the victims of the terrorist attack.

MP Tobias Ellwood held back tears in court as he told how he ignored fears of a second terror attack while he battled to save the life of a stabbed police officer in the wake of the Westminster Bridge atrocity.

The former soldier told the inquests into the victims deaths that despite the risk that attacker Khalid Masood may have had a bomb in his abandoned car, his main concern was giving help to stricken Pc Keith Palmer.

Mr Ellwood told the Old Bailey: My brother was killed in a secondary attack in Bali (a 2002 terrorist bombing in Indonesia)  so I was very aware of that.

Expand Close Keith Palmer was stabbed to death in the attack (Met Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Keith Palmer was stabbed to death in the attack (Met Police/PA)

I was concerned about what would happen if things were to ratchet up, but my immediate concern was that we had somebody who was clearly badly bleeding and needed assistance.

During his rampage, Masood, 52, killed Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, when he ploughed an SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, before stabbing Pc Palmer to death at the gates to the Palace of Westminster.

Mr Ellwood said he first became aware that something was wrong when he heard a significant crash followed by screams.

These were not screams of pain, they were screams of shock, which is slightly different, he said.

The Tory MP for Bournemouth East then saw two waves of people with panic in their eyes as he made his way to Parliament through the underground passageway.

Expand Close Westminster attacker Khalid Masood (Met Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Westminster attacker Khalid Masood (Met Police/PA)

They were shouting, go, go, go, go and, go back, go back, he said, before his attention was drawn to the area where Pc Palmer was attacked.

My first observation was the number of armed officers that were pointing their weapons towards Carriage Gates, he said.

I have never seen so many armed officers with their weapons out in the Houses of Parliament.

Some, I think, were crouching in positions of protection, but all were aiming there weapons towards Carriage Gates.

I could see there were two bodies lying in the ground and activity around both of them.

The nearest one was clearly a police officer with other officers attempting to give him support.

Expand Close Tobias Ellwood became emotional as he gave evidence (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Tobias Ellwood became emotional as he gave evidence (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Ellwood said he stepped forward, making clear who he was to the armed officers, ignoring the risk to his own safety to help administer first aid.

He told how he assessed the officers wounds before commencing CPR, which he continued after paramedics and doctors from the helicopter ambulance team arrived.

Becoming emotional as he recalled the dramatic events when doctors opened Pc Palmers chest, he said: Forgive me, its sometimes easier to do the helping rather than to talk about it afterwards.

When it became clear that Pc Palmer would not survive, Mr Ellwood told a doctor present: Youre going to have to order me to stop.

The medic said: Sir, youve done your best but you do need to stop.

He described the eerie silence at the Palace of Westminster as it stayed in lockdown in the aftermath of the carnage.

Mr Ellwood and one other person were left with the officers body.

He said: We both covered the body as best we could, closed the eyes and I said: Im sorry.

It was very, very silent, it was a very strange end to a very traumatic four or five minutes, to suddenly be left completely alone with just one other person.A US Border Patrol supervisor remains in jail in Texas after he confessed to killing four women and assaulting a fifth who managed to escape, police said in court records.

Juan David Ortiz is being held in Laredo on $2.5 million (1.9 million) bond on four counts of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful restraint.

According to records, the 35-year-old provided a voluntary verbal confession early on Saturday in the deaths of the women.

Expand Close Law enforcement officers gather near the scene where the body of a woman was found (Danny Zaragoza/The Laredo Morning Times/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Law enforcement officers gather near the scene where the body of a woman was found (Danny Zaragoza/The Laredo Morning Times/AP)

Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz described Ortiz as a serial killer whose victims were believed to be prostitutes.

Jail records do not list an attorney to speak for Ortiz, who had worked for Border Patrol for 10 years.

He is the second Border Patrol agent in Laredo to be arrested on a murder charge this year.British Home Secretary Sajid Javid has begun his visit to Pakistan, and said the eradication of corruption is a priority for both countries.

He announced a new partnership between the two nations that would strive for justice and accountability.

A warm welcome to Pakistan to British Home Secretary @sajidjavid. Thank you to PM @ImranKhanPTI and his team for their hospitality. pic.twitter.com/49WxOh5pBS  Thomas Drew (@TomDrewUK) September 17, 2018

Mr Javid, a son of Pakistani immigrants, met Prime Minister Imran Khan and other Pakistani officials in Islamabad.

Mr Javid told reporters later that no one can escape justice or act with impunity and called for a more concerted action to combat terror groups.

He said after meeting law minister Farogh Nasim that they discussed security issues and mechanisms for bilateral prisoner transfers, as well as money laundering, trade and education.

Mr Khans government has pledged corruption-free governance and has promised to return to Pakistan allegedly stolen public money that was spirited abroad.A man accused of threatening Donald Trump is being sought in Ohio, where he is believed to have abandoned a stolen truck.

The US Marshals Service said Shawn Richard Christy stole a truck on Sunday in McAdoo, Pennsylvania, and fled after abandoning it on Sunday afternoon on Interstate 71 in the Mansfield area of northern Ohio.

Authorities said a federal warrant was issued on June 19 for the 27-year-old McAdoo man in connection to Facebook posts threatening to shoot the president and a district attorney in Pennsylvania.

Officials said he also threatened a police chief.

Expand Close Shawn Richard Christy (US Marshals Service/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Shawn Richard Christy (US Marshals Service/AP)

Pennsylvania warrants issued for Christy allege burglary, probation violation and failure to appear for an aggravated assault case.

Authorities say Christy should be considered armed and dangerous.The Taliban has launched multiple attacks on Afghan checkpoints as well as police and military bases in different parts of the country, killing at least 27 members of the security forces.

The attacks and the high casualty toll reveal the difficulties Afghan forces face in trying to secure the country on their own.

The Afghan forces have struggled to combat both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate since the US and Nato formally ended their combat mission in the country in 2014.

In western Farah province, attacks began on Sunday night and killed at least 17 members of the security forces.

Fared Bakhtawer, head of the provincial council, said the Taliban attacked police checkpoints across the province and around the provincial capital.

A group of Taliban fighters first targeted checkpoints in the district of Push Rod, where 10 policemen died.

Another attack struck in Bala Buluk district, where seven were killed and at least three others were abducted by the insurgents.

Separately, also in Bala Buluk, six policemen surrendered to the Taliban after an intense battle.

There were also attacks elsewhere in Farah, but Mr Bakhtawer could not provide any casualty figures, pending more detailed reports.

In north-western Badghis province, five officers were killed, including Abdul Hakim, the police commander of a reserve unit, in an attack that took place on Monday morning near the provincial capital of Qala-i-Now.

Jamshid Shahabi, spokesman for the Badghis governor, said around 22 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded during the gunbattle there.

In northern Baghlan province, the Taliban on Monday attacked a joint army and police base, killing three army and two police officers, said Gen Ekramuddin Serih, the provincial police chief.

Four other members of the security forces were wounded in the attack, which took place in the Baghlani Markazi district, he said.

The base is under the control of the Afghan security forces now and reinforcements have also been sent to the district, he said. The police chief added that at least 20 Taliban were killed and wounded in the fighting.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi said the Taliban were claiming responsibility for the attacks in Farah. Separately, the insurgents also claimed the attack in Badghis.

The Taliban have a strong presence in all three provinces and often attack on Afghan security forces there.In the current political climate, a border poll would serve only to create further division, argues John Wilson Foster

My friend Liam Kennedy is right to see our political polarisation as having accelerated in recent years. His two "big beasts" - Sinn Fein and the DUP - have, during a famine, divided the kill, consigning other creatures to starvation.

They are easy to blame, but we must all take some responsibility, if only because we have not spoken out sufficiently to deny them their exclusive representative status.

It seems as if Irish nationalism and Irish republicanism are becoming one and the same, when this has not historically been the case.

The electors, too, are apparently polarising. Many unionists vote for a party that does not represent their views on how citizens should be allowed to conduct their lives.

There are signs a gulf is also opening up between our educated classes, where once it was smugly identified with warring working-class neighbourhoods.

What can be done? Liam identifies 40% of the electorate as voting for moderation and progress. And if there are those who vote DUP or Sinn Fein exclusively out of concern over their citizenship, that percentage could surely be even higher.

Either way there is a harmful disconnect between many electors' expressed or unexpressed views and their political representatives. Behind the scenes, we are not really as abnormal a people as the political picture suggests.

Liam's suggestion for giving voice to the silenced centre involves seeking agreements to share votes across the traditional divide using proportional representation.

He is a distinguished economic historian and rights campaigner, so presumably knows the mechanisms by which this rescue of the endangered centre could be carried out.

In the past unilateral gestures of cross-party goodwill, as Mike Nesbitt found out, are not always reciprocated, because of the zero-sum mindset Liam refers to, so there has to be agreed simultaneity.

Beyond that I assume it is fantasy to imagine a gathering of the SDLP, UUP, Alliance and Green parties (and independents) to discuss a way out of the cul-de-sac we find ourselves in? Even if they all share exclusion from governance?

But I fully agree with Liam that Strand 3 of the Belfast Agreement has never seriously been pursued. Yet, surely, without Strand 3 (east-west relations) the other two strands are ineffectual? Embedded in Strand 3 is the inextricable braiding of British and Irish identities on our island, broad recognition of which would go far to allay unionist fears.

What a missed opportunity this has been to knit up the ravelled sleeve of this co-dependent archipelago.

My small hope is that Brexit (like it or loathe it) will, contrary to current feelings, impose the necessity of this road not taken.

But I am equally interested in how the centre could be encouraged to speak below the political structures.

In a timely article in this newspaper, Malachi O'Doherty has drawn our attention to the Civic Forum provided for by the Belfast Agreement and allowed to fall into abeyance in 2002.

Certainly, that forum resurrected could do real good, unless it became an echo-chamber for our political differences.

A "body of expertise" drawn from various "sectors" and composing a "consultative mechanism on social, economic and cultural issues" does require, surely, a prior agreement by all involved that the forum is in sincere aid (at least for now) of a successful Northern Ireland.

The forum is at least worth a try. For it is my belief that, unless and until Northern Ireland can be made to work, and peacefully, there is no prospect of a united Ireland anytime soon that would not involve coercion and tumult.

So, we vocally prioritise what we all share and try to achieve the highest common factor of our mutual interests. Only then can we agree to differ civilly on our divided aspirations, with the future open to persuasion and debate (without sound and fury) and possibly evolution to constitutional change through broad consensus.

There is a real untapped constituency of opinion in our midst that justifies this approach. The 2017 Northern Ireland Life and Times survey reports that 49% of Catholics surveyed would vote today for a united Ireland.

Yet the response of Catholics who wouldn't vote today for a united Ireland I have still to see elaborated in words. Have I somehow missed this tremendous detail? My conclusion is that the identification of United Kingdom citizenship with Northern Irish unionism (especially DUP unionism) has made it impossible for Catholics who wish to stay inside the UK to say so publicly. Am I right?

Is it the case there is no available formulation for their preference and no political party they can vote for that would not taint that preference with historic Protestant unionism? Or is tribal allegiance (or unease, even fear, about breaking away) trumping personal opinion?

But surely the problem must be explained and a public attempt made to find the formulation? In any case, Catholics who do not wish an immediate united Ireland outside the UK have an unused power to affirm, in defiance of the polarised parties, the functional and often amicable daily life they enjoy with Protestants.

The real polarisation in our society is inside many of us, between what we feel and experience and what we feel obliged to say. And this is a form of repression.

For their part, the most educated Protestants suffer silent embarrassment over their unionism, worried at being thought tribal, provincial or bigoted should they declare it. Their silence, too, is costing us dearly.

They should be publicly explaining their embarrassment and declaring in defiance of the DUP the expansive, UK-wide nature of true unionism.

And if some think a united Ireland not such a bad idea, let them say so, even if their reasons or motive may be challenged.

For the big parties suffer no such embarrassment, blaring their parched certainties without qualifications or second thoughts.

"Whatever you say, say nothing" is wise counsel if it maintains daily inter-tribal peace. My old social anthropology teacher Rosemary Harris explained its intricacies in Prejudice And Tolerance In Ulster (1972). But is it unwise if it helps maintain polarity and never brings honest difference (and buried agreement) to the surface?

Why can't we civilly ask our friends and colleagues from the other side what they think about life in Northern Ireland and what they think we ought to do in the long-term?

Bizarrely, I don't know what most of my colleagues - and even some of my friends - think we should do. The worst among us may be full of passionate intensity, but I can't believe the best lack all conviction.

Daily life is too fragile, some might answer, for us to endanger it by "talking politics".

I agree that town hall meetings, for example, would not get us far, dominated as they would inevitably be by ideology and whataboutery.

The solution instead (and Liam seems to agree) is at the levels of publicised personal statements and civil conversation among acquaintances. The solution is in the hands not of the usual groups, which are tyrannical, but of a critical mass of individuals - us.

Until it is achieved, an imminent border poll would, during the announcement, the run-up, the result and the aftermath, be the ultimate polarising catastrophe.

We are simply not there yet.

John Wilson Foster is a literary critic and cultural historian. His latest book is A Better Boy: A Titanic Monologue (Kindle)Chrstine Lampard won't be rushing to join Phillip Schofield on the This Morning sofa as she's planning on concentrating on motherhood.

The Northern Irish TV presenter is set to give birth to her first child with husband Frank Lampard any day now.

This Morning bosses had been desperate to sign up the 39-year-old to step in for Holly Willoughby later this year.

They had hoped Christine would cut short maternity leave short to return to the screen when Holly goes Down Under for I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! for around six weeks from November.

But Christine is adamant she doesn't want to make any decisions about work until she sees how she adapts to parenthood. She finished working on Loose Women and Lorraine at the end of August as she prepared to become a mum.

An insider close to Christine told Sunday Life: "Christine loves working with Phil and being on This Morning and usually she would jump at the chance for this opportunity. But this is her first child and she has no idea what it's going to be like when the baby is born. Her friends have all warned her how full on it is and not to put too much pressure on herself."

Holly is taking a break from the ITV daytime show to step in for Ant McPartlin, who has taken a year off work to deal with his addiction issues.

She will co-present from the jungle alongside new dad Declan Donnelly, whose daughter Isla arrived this month.New Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was the target of a cemetery murder plot by dissident republicans.

Sunday Life can reveal that the Continuity IRA planned to kill the former PSNI Deputy Chief Constable while he visited the grave of his dad Alwyn, an RUC superintendent who was murdered aged 55 by the Provos in 1989.

Details of the assassination bid were secretly recorded on listening devices hidden by MI5 at a house in Ardcarn Park, Newry, which allegedly hosted Continuity IRA meetings.

Nine men are to go on trial charged with various offences connected to the contents of the tapes including leading republican and Omagh bomb suspect Patrick 'Mooch' Blair (63), and prominent Belfast dissident Liam Hannaway (47).

Expand Close Liam Hannaway.. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Liam Hannaway..

A court was previously told that the group discussed plots to kill judges, PSNI officers and attack Policing Board meetings.

Among the targets named were Drew Harris, who at the time of the November 2014 arrests, was PSNI Deputy Chief Constable.

Sources close to the case told Sunday Life that the Continuity IRA was aware the top cop was a regular visitor to his father Alwyn's grave, often going there at the same time each week.

An insider revealed: "The Continuity IRA was aware that a very senior policeman (Drew Harris) makes regular visits to his father's graveside, almost at the same time every week.

"The plan was to attach a booby trap bomb next to the headstone which would be detonated when he laid flowers there.

"Luckily the dissidents involved were recorded talking about the attack and the officer in question was warned."

Expand Close Alwyn Harris / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Alwyn Harris

Our source explained how Continuity IRA leaders had no regard for the public outcry leaving a bomb in a cemetery would provoke.

"It didn't bother them if it meant murdering a senior police officer," he added.

"Nor did the fact that the bomb could have killed anyone standing near the graveside, including children who often run around cemeteries climbing over graves."

After being sworn in as Garda Commissioner earlier this month Mr Harris spoke of how his murdered dad would have been "exceptionally proud" of his appointment.

Expand Close Convicted IRA bomb maker, Patrick Blair (Known as "Mooch" Blair) Pic: Collins / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Convicted IRA bomb maker, Patrick Blair (Known as "Mooch" Blair) Pic: Collins

The 52-year-old, who has been advised to always be with armed protection in public, said: "My father would have been very proud of me, the way any father would be of their son.

"He would have always wanted me to do well, to bring up my family, work hard at my job, which was police work. I think he would be exceptionally proud of the position I have attained."

Recalling his dad's IRA under-car booby trap bomb killing, Mr Harris added: "It was a terrible time. In some ways it remains, for me, beyond description and it has reverberated down through the years as well.

"I think it actually shapes your approach to humanity and what sort of person you are. I have worked, and certainly worked hard in those early years, to try not to be bitter and I hope I have succeeded in that."

Mr Harris, who describes himself as "Irish", also talked about being under threat from dissident republicans, but did not reference the Continuity IRA plot to murder him at his father's graveside.

He has described dissident republican terrorism as "the biggest threat on the island of Ireland" and said they are "determined" to carry out attacks.

cbarnes@sundaylife.co.ukA few years after Xiaomi launched its brand, it came to be known as "Apple of China". The design language, operating system, and many other elements seemed to be inspired by iPhones. The company has often been blamed for copying Apple's designs. Now, years later, it is Xiaomi's turn to a dig at Apple.

In its home market, China, the company has launched a few bundled offers of its best-selling products at prices lower than the new iPhones. Xiaomi is essentially taking a dig at the exorbitant pricing of the new iPhones; right from the iPhone XR to the iPhone XS Max.

Xiaomi has started selling bundles of devices with iPhone tags on them. There's an iPhone XR bundle that comes with Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, Mi Band 3, Mi Notebook Air and Mi Bluetooth headset at RMB 6499 (roughly Rs 69,000) which is the same price as the Apple iPhone XR.

The iPhone XS bundle comes with one Mi Mix 2S, Mi Band 3, Mi Notebook Air and Mi Bluetooth headset priced at RMB 8699 (roughly Rs 92,000). The iPhone XS Max bundle comes with Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi Band 3, Mi Notebook Pro and Mi Bluetooth headset at RMB 9599(roughly Rs 1,01,000).

The Indian prices of these devices are even higher. The iPhone XR, the supposedly cheap iPhone XR starts at Rs 76,900. For perspective, Samsung's flagship Galaxy Note 9, which is loaded with features, starts at a price of Rs 67,900. The iPhone XS, the immediate successor to the iPhone X, starts at a price of Rs 99,900 for the 64GB storage variant. The iPhone XS Max, the most expensive of the lot, starts at a price of Rs 1,09,000 for the 64GB storage variant. The pricing of the device goes all the way up to Rs 1,44,900.

Apple seems to be safeguarding its profit margins from the falling rupee. However, with competition starting at a much lower price point, Apple might see a substantial drop in sales this year. The company lost $13 billion in market value the day the new iPhones were launched.Fugitive former Philippine Army Gen. Jovito Palparan is helped by National Bureau of Investigation agents after a Manila news conference following his capture, Aug. 12, 2014.

A Philippine court on Monday sentenced a retired army general and two of his aides to life in prison for the kidnapping of two college activists 12 years ago.

Ex-Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, known as the butcher by the political left for his role in a deadly crackdown against communist insurgents, was found guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the disappearance of students Karen Empeno and Shirley Cadapan in 2006.

The women were activists at the state-run University of the Philippines. The women have not been seen since their disappearance.

Judge Alexander Tamayo handed down the judgment against Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado Jr. and Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio. The court also issued an arrest warrant for a third accomplice identified as a sergeant.

Philippine human rights group Karapatan welcomed the Palparans verdict. He is a close ally of former president and current Speaker of the House Gloria Arroyo, his political patron who considers the ex-general one of her favorites.

This is a step forward for justice. He is a psychopath who enjoys inflicting pain on others, and should therefore be in jail, far away from any position that can give him any power to victimize more people, said Roneo Clamor, the deputy head of Karapatan.

We want to see him rot in jail, not in the company of fellow butchers who share the same contempt for human rights, he added.

Palparan was arrested in Manila in 2014 after three years on the run.Police and volunteers dig out an area in the mining town of Itogon where as many as 50 miners and their families are feared trapped by landslide caused by Typhoon Mangkhut, Sept. 17, 2018.

Hundreds of rescuers raced against the clock Monday to dig through 30 feet of mud in efforts to reach as many as 50 miners and their families, who were believed to be trapped by a landslide unleashed by Typhoon Manghkut in a northern Philippine mining town.

As police and volunteers used bare hands, picks and shovels to find the missing people in Itogon town, the overall death toll from the swift-moving typhoon had reached 58 as of Monday, according to the Office of Civil Defense. The death toll is expected to climb.

Five black cadaver bags were lined up along a roadside in Itogon, a mining town in the Cordillera mountain region. Between 40 and 50 people who had sought shelter in an old two-story bunkhouse converted into living quarters are missing and feared dead.

A BenarNews team joined rescuers in climbing down the slope. At ground zero, little was said by rescuers as a chain saw cut through logs in the debris.

While the chance of finding survivors is slim, rescuers said they will not stop until all remains of missing miners are recovered even as they continue to battle the elements.

Theres an indication of a crack in the mountain. If it would rain again, theres a possibility of another landslide, said Lison Latawan, a local town official.

In our estimate, over 50 people were missing. This includes friends and relatives of the miners. But it could be more, he said.

Mangkhut slammed into the Philippines on Saturday, bringing winds of 170 kph (105 mph) with gusts of 260 kph (160 mph).

Learning of the landslide, Dino Dumugdug rushed to the town to look for his nephew, Sedon Dumugdug, 25. The younger man had just finished his criminology studies and was working as a freelance miner while waiting to get a better job.

We hope that he is still alive but with what we saw from the ground zero, we will leave everything to God, he said.

Town Mayor Victorio Palangdan said two miners survived by crawling through a tunnel at the height of the mudslide while others sought shelter in the bunkhouse.

They thought their area was safe so they turned it into an evacuation center by themselves. We did not allow them to do so, but they threatened to fight us off, Palangdan said.

They laughed at our policemen. They insisted, he told reporters. They were resisting when our police tried to pull them away. What can we do?

A police officer and his dog search for trapped miners following a landslide caused by Typhoon Mangkhut, Sept. 17, 2018. (Luis Liwanag/BenarNews)

Sinkhole

Palangdan slammed the Benguet Corp. which had run a mining operation at the site, saying the company knew of a sinkhole in 2015.

They were supposed to rehabilitate it after they finished their operation but they did not do it, he said.

Army Brig. Gen. Leopoldo Imbang, commander of militarys 503rd Brigade who heads the search and retrieval operations, assured the families crews would not stop the excavation operation until they recovered the buried bunkhouse.

We have halted the operation Sunday night due to the darkness. The operation will be difficult considering the unstable area and volume of the debris, but with high spirit and sense of coordination, we are optimistic that we will still rescue survivors, Imbang said.

The operations began at first light Monday, with earth movers clearing roads of debris so rescuers and other volunteers could punch through.

Roy Cimatu, President Rodrigo Dutertes environment secretary, ordered suspension of small-scale mining operations in the region to prevent a similar accident.

In view of this current situation in the Cordilleras, to prevent further danger to the lives of small-scale miners, I officially order cease and desist of all illegal small-scale mining operations in the whole of Cordillera Administrative Region, Cimatu said. We ask them to cooperate.

The worst landslide in the Philippines occurred on Feb. 17, 2006, following a 10-day downpour. It hit the province of Southern Leyte, burying the entire community of Guinsaugon and killing more than 1,000 people.

In January 2012, dozens were killed while as many as 100 people went missing following a landslide that struck the town of Pantukan, in Compostela Valley in Mindanao.

The Philippines sits on a typhoon belt and endures up to 20 storms a year, some of them devastating.The Attorney General's Center for the Future of Forensic Science at Bowling Green State University is part of a team that will conduct a study that could help Ohio authorities safely, quickly and reliably field test drugs for the presence of opioids.

The study was announced by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers on September 12.

As a public university, were committed to helping address the critical societal issues facing the state, Rogers said. This is a great example of the real-world, applicable research the center is doing to aid law enforcement.

The Attorney Generals Center for the Future of Forensic Science and Vuronyx Technologies of Woburn, Massachusetts, are part of a partnership that received a $200,000 grant as part of the Ohio Third Frontier's Opioid Technology Challenge, an effort to find technology-based solutions to address or improve opioid abuse prevention, treatment and overdose avoidance and response.

We welcome this opportunity to partner with Vuronyx to develop this rapid opioid detection technology, said Dr. Jon Sprague, director of the center.

The grant funds will be used to develop small, portable paper test cards that could be used by first responders, law enforcement agencies, medical professionals and crime scene investigators in the field to quickly detect opioids and cutting agents in drug samples. The Center will conduct a study to validate the results of the test cards using control substance standards alone and in the presence of cutting agents at various concentrations.

Right now, we discourage local agencies from field testing drugs because opioids are just so dangerous, but we are excited about the prospect of helping to develop this new technology, DeWine said. The goal is to help local authorities quickly determine what type of drugs theyve encountered while limiting the chance for an accidental exposure.

Visit the the Ohio Opioid Technology Challenges webpage for more information.Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the woke vs. the awakened.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesFor Immediate Release, September 17, 2018 Contact: Bill Snape, (202) 536-9351, bsnape@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Seeks Records on Trump's Refusal to Set Airplane Pollution Standards WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Trump administration for refusing to release public records related to the governments failure to develop greenhouse gas emission standards for airplanes as required by the Clean Air Act. The lawsuit, filed Sunday in U.S. District Court in D.C., seeks emails and other documents from the U.S. Department of State, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency about potential U.S. airplane emission standards and participation in the U.N.s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) carbon dioxide rulemaking process. Documents sought include communications between U.S. officials and airlines or airplane manufacturers like Boeing. The Center requested the documents under the Freedom of Information Act in February 2018 but the Trump administration has yet to comply. Americans deserve to know what backroom deals might be killing efforts to curb dangerous airplane pollution, said Bill Snape, senior counsel at the Centers Climate Law Institute. By shirking its legal duty to address airplane emissions, the Trump administration is slipping the aviation industry a free pass to dirty our air and heat up the planet. Airplanes are the third-largest source of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, and their emissions are rising steeply. The industry is expected to generate 43 metric gigatons of CO2 through 2050, consuming more than 4 percent of the worlds remaining carbon budget, according to a Center report. In 2010 the Center and allies successfully sued to compel the EPA to determine whether airplane emissions endanger human health and welfare. In June 2015 the EPA issued its finding that airplane greenhouse gas emissions drive climate change and endanger public health and welfare. This determination requires officials to set limitations on airplane pollution under the Clean Air Act. In March 2017 ICAO agreed to aircraft emission standards, though they fall short even of what the industry is projected to achieve already. If the U.S. does not set standards at least as stringent as those of the international community, U.S. manufacturers must seek hard-to-get exemptions for their airplanes to fly internationally, unless their planes comply with the ICAO standards voluntarily. A report by the International Council on Clean Transportation found that between 2014 and 2016, the U.S. domestic airline industrys fuel use increased by 7 percent, dwarfing efficiency gains of 3 percent. The industrys profits increased nearly sixfold between 2012 and 2016. The report further found that airlines could cut fuel use and carbon pollution by more than a quarter by investing in newer, more efficient planes and adopting greater passenger density. The aviation industrys supposed commitment to reducing its own carbon footprint is clearly a sham, Snape said. Thats why we need strong federal climate rules that actually cut airplanes skyrocketing emissions.OurAir indoor air quality solutions attains accreditation from RESET

Germany based MANN+HUMMEL Group, a leading global filtration specialist with revenues of 4 Billion Euro and 20,000 employees at 80 locations worldwide, has announced the launch of its OurAir brand in the Indian market.

OurAir offers end-to-end indoor air quality solutions that combine MANN+HUMMELs 77 years of filtration expertise with cutting-edge digital innovation. These solutions are based on smart devices, where air quality monitors, filters, purification and ventilation systems, integrate seamlessly with the OurAir digital platform.

With OurAir solutions, building owners, facility managers and tenants can KNOW, IMPROVE and MANAGE the air quality in commercial buildings.

The launch in India also coincided with the official announcement of the accreditation of both the OurAir air quality monitors and digital platform by RESET, the worlds first sensor-based and performance-driven building standard and certification program. The RESET Standard is created with the aim of improving indoor environments and occupant health on a global scale.

OurAir is the first company to successfully achieve RESET accreditation for both its cloud software (OurAir Digital Platform), and air quality monitors (OurAir SPS208, SPB308, and SPB358), making it the largest complete end-to-end solution provider in the world.

Access to clean air is vital for human health and well-being. Unfortunately air pollution in India continues to pose a serious challenge. Based on a WHO ranking of particulate pollution in cities in 2018, 14 of the 20 cities with the highest levels are located in our country. said Pradeep Randhawa, Managing Director, MANN+HUMMEL India. We are paying a high price for this, where 30% of all premature deaths today are due to air pollution. As a company MANN+HUMMEL wants to contribute. While it is challenging to eliminate outdoor air pollution, there are effective solutions to ensure good air quality indoors, where we spend up to 90% of our time.

The launch of OurAir in India is timely. There is an increase in public awareness, growing demand for pollution-free offices and homes, and new government regulations and building standards supporting the adoption of clean air solutions. We expect the market to grow rapidly over the next few years added Pradeep Randhawa.

To mark the OurAir launch in India, MANN+HUMMEL sponsored the inaugural Air Quality Expert Series in Bangalore. Bringing together thought leaders and representatives from government, industry and trade associations, this event explored trends driving the shift in focus from green to healthy buildings, and how the adoption of new air quality solutions, and building standards such as RESET, are helping to support this shift.A high-tech box can now read your health conditions wirelessly

Dina Katabi, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a device that can monitor your health using radio signals and machine learning, even through walls.

The device can help people living with conditions like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, depression, and pulmonary diseases and enable their physicians to wirelessly monitor their health.

Katabi built the gadget to track breathing, heart rate, sleep, gait and more as you live your life at home. According to her, the novel device will be able to replace the array of expensive, bulky, uncomfortable gear we currently need to get clinical data about the body.



It transmits a low-power wireless signal throughout a space the size of a one- or two-bedroom apartment (even through walls), and the signal reflects off people's bodies.



The device then uses machine learning to analyse those reflected signals and extract physiological data.

The gadget looks like a box and works like a Wi-Fi router; the low-power wireless signals reflect off nearby people's bodies and carry information back to the box, the MIT tech review said.

The box analyzes the information and offers up health data. The device senses your movements, even if you're just breathing, by recording changes in the electromagnetic field around you.

It can accurately monitor sleep, including individual sleep stages, in a person's own bed, with no changes to the way they sleep or what they wear.

Because the device would be installed in a home, it could track the resident over time, too, which could be useful for watching sleep-disrupting conditions like Alzheimer's or depression, she said.

The data is collected only about specific traits and only with a person's consent. In addition, it is encrypted and is limited to certain designated recipients.The researchers used a technique known as surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) to boost bioactivity of alloys surface

Researchers from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore have proposed a new approach for developing orthopedic implants with better ability to bond with the bone.

Currently, orthopedic implants for knee and hip arthroplasty are made of metallic alloys that contain potentially toxic elements like aluminum, vanadium and nickel. They are also much stiffer than human bone and dont bond well with the bone.

The research team at IISc has developed a strategy to increase the bioactivity of titanium alloy consisting of non-toxic elements - titanium, niobium and tin, through surface severe plastic deformation (metal working techniques). This approach could help produce new titanium alloys that are less stiff compared to currently use.

The researchers used a technique known as surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) to boost bioactivity of alloys surface. In this technique, the metal alloy sheet is placed inside a chamber containing hard steel balls typically used in ball bearings. The chamber is vibrated using electromechanical means because of which the balls start to move randomly at high speed inside the chamber.

The SMAT treatment deforms surface of the metal sheet, which leads to increase in surface hardness, modification in surface roughness and surface wettability and its chemistry. These modifications are responsible for increasing biological activity of the metal, explained Dr Kaushik Chatterjee, who led the research.

SMAT can improve biomechanical properties like fatigue and wear resistance, added Dr Sumit Bahl, lead author of the study. The equipment used for the experiment was developed in collaboration with a Bengaluru company.

The research team included Sai Rama Krishna Meka, Sumit Bahl, Satyam Suwas, and Kaushik Chatterjee. The study was supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).

(India Science Wire)Cloudnine Hospitals partner with Stasis to implement the Stasis Smart, Continuous, Remote Monitoring Solution in surgical and pediatric ICUs across key centres in Bengaluru.

Cloudnine has been a pioneer in the mother and child care space, and a leader in women's health. As Cloudnine looks to manage more high-risk pregnancies and complex gynecological & pediatric cases, patient safety becomes a critical part of care delivery. Now, Cloudnine is raising the bar in maternal and child safety by partnering with Stasis. By implementing Stasis Smart Monitoring Solution at Cloudnine's surgical and pediatric ICUs in Bengaluru, doctors will be able to ensure the safety of their patients at all times.

The Stasis Smart Monitoring Solution measures six key vitals signs and puts powerful long-term trends of the patient's condition on clinicians smartphones. Doctors can access this data readily through the Stasis app to identify patient deterioration in real-time and intervene in a timely manner. Smart Alerts powered by proprietary Stasis AI adds an additional layer of monitoring to identify patient deterioration proactively. This partnership provides Cloudnine with the opportunity to continuously monitor all their patients and ensure the highest quality of proactive care.

Commenting on the development, Dr Kishore Kumar, Founder, and Chairman, Cloudnine said, "Innovative companies like Stasis help hospitals like Cloudnine to stay on the cutting edge of technology. We are happy to be partnering with Stasis across our hospital network."

Cloudnine has always been an early adopter of medical technology that aids better patient care and improves the patient experience. Stasis and Cloudnine were able to work together on an early usability pilot funded by the IFC, part of the World Bank group, to implement and define the use case for smart monitoring in maternal care. Women with late-night deliveries and those with high-risk pregnancies were monitored using the Stasis Monitoring Solution. High blood pressure, a common risk indicator post-delivery, was monitored carefully with Stasis to ensure patient safety and stability.

"Using the Stasis Monitoring System has allowed me to get important notifications about the early warning score of my patients. The peace of mind about the patients' safety that comes with Stasis Monitoring System throughout the night is invaluable. Having 24 hours of high-resolution vital signs data at my fingertips and seeing the risk level of the patient has helped me confidently monitor and discharge my patients," said Ramachandra M A, Chief Anesthesiologist at Cloudnine.

"Cloudnine is one of the first maternity hospitals to adopt Stasis Monitoring Solution, especially when we started operations in India. They have always believed in the need for continuous monitoring of patients for proactive healthcare delivery. We, at Stasis, are very proud to partner with Cloudnine in their journey towards creating smarter hospitals," said Dinesh Seemakurty, CEO, Stasis.

The Stasis Monitoring Solution is currently being used across more than 20 hospitals including Fortis, Ramaiah, Columbia Asia, and HCG in India, with more than 500 doctors using the Stasis App to monitor their patients remotely. Cloudnine partnered with Stasis for a usability study funded by the World Bank Group through the TechEmerge program in 2017.

More than 250 Ortho Surgeons from all over the globe converged at the International Symposium on Robotic Joint Replacement organised by Lokmanya Hospitals, a pioneer of Robotic Surgery in India, at JW Marriott, SB Road recently.

More than 250 Ortho Surgeons from all over the globe converged at the International Symposium on Robotic Joint Replacement organised by Lokmanya Hospitals, a pioneer of Robotic Surgery in India, at JW Marriott, SB Road recently. The two-day deliberations included expert National and International speakers and will include case studies, paper presentations, live surgeries and the way forward for Joint Replacement technologies. This symposium in tune with the need of the times was aptly based on the theme Interactive Technology and was adorned by experts who have witnessed the transition from conventional to Robotic Technologies.



During this conference, experts opined that with more accuracy, decreased operating time, less invasive, Robotic Assisted Knee Surgeries have resulted in improved patient outcomes.1500 ortho surgeons watched live surgery through webcasting across the globe. It was a great platform for sharing knowledge and experience, new technology adoption for the benefit of arthritis patients.



Dr. Narendra Vaidya, Managing Director in his inaugural address said that the fact that about 159 surgical robotic systems are being developed, especially North America and Europe shows the need of these technologies for the patients and the interest that experts are taking in developing these technologies. With more accuracy, less operating time, minimally invasive technologies patient recovery is faster and therefore Robotic Knee Replacement technologies are here to stay. The cost of these treatments is high and patients have been going to Europe and the US for treatments. But we have made quality and high-end treatments available at affordable costs here in India. Organizing the first International Symposium is a concrete step in that direction by exchanging ideas and training the doctors.



The topics discussed include Conventional Knee Replacement - What is lacking? Evolution of technology in arthroplasty, Robotic Surgery with surgeon's and engineer's perspective, brainstorming on various topics, case studies, a debate on conventional v/s robotics etc.



The problem of knee pain is a challenge world over. Every third person In US about 91 million people suffer from joint pain, while in India about 28.7% people in the age group above 60 years suffer from joint pain. Sedentary Lifestyles, lack of exercise, bad eating habits are causing joint problems in ageing population. Robotic Surgeries are precise and minimally invasive and result in faster recovery.Birthday Special: Narendra Modi And Lesser-known Facts About Him Pulse oi-Syeda Farah Noor

On the 69th birthday of Narendra Modi, the nation is celebrating his birthday in the most tech-savvy ways.

With Modi's impeccable quotes like: "An opportunity to work is good luck for me. I put my soul into it. Each such opportunity opens the gates for the next one." to a lot more, he is remembered for his great words.

We from Boldsky wish Mr Narendra Modi a very Happy Birthday, and here in this article, we bring in some of the lesser-known facts about him that an ordinary person is not aware of.

Check them out.

He Is The First PM Born In Independent India Narendra Modi is the first ever Prime Minister to be born in independent India. He was born on 17 September 1950. He Is The Worlds Second-most Followed Leader After President Obama, Mr Narendra Modi is known to be the world's most-followed leader on Twitter. He has more than 12 million followers. His First Job When Narendra Modi joined RSS, his first job was to mop the floor at the RSS Headquarters in Ahmedabad. He Is The Most Tech-savvy Leader Mr Modi is also considered as India's most techno-savvy leader. He is said to be the most active leader on the social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, SoundCloud, Weibo and other social media handles. He Called India A Nation Of Mouse! When he was on an official visit to Taiwan, someone asked him whether India was a land of snake charmers. His reply baffled the press as he said India is now a land of the mouse'! Practically speaking, he meant the computer mouse!He Called India A Nation Of Mouse! His Mum Advised Him When Mr Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the first time, the only advice his mother gave him was - "Beta, kadi lanch na leis" which means 'Son, never take a bribe'.His Mum Advised HimReciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado

Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION

Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute.

Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno.

Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi.Dr Arif Alvi to address joint session today

President Dr Arif Alvi has summoned a joint session of both the houses of parliament for Monday (today) at 4 pm.



The joint session will be the first formal sitting of the National Assembly after election and swearing-in of the new prime minister, speaker and the deputy speaker. Earlier, the session was scheduled to meet on September 13 but was postponed until September 17 due to the death of former first lady Kulsoom Nawaz.



President Arif Alvi will address the joint session. According to the constitutional provisions, the president has to address a joint session of parliament at the beginning of the first session of the National Assembly after a general election as well as the first sitting of the assembly in every parliamentary year.



Prime Minister Imran Khan, members of the federal cabinet and parliament, chief ministers, governors, ambassadors, diplomats, members of civil society and important personalities from different segments of life are likely to attend the joint session.



Special passes have been issued for the auspicious occasion. All leading entry and exit points would be strictly monitored and no vehicle would be allowed to enter the federal capital without a thorough search.Five-day parole granted to Nawaz Sharif,Maryam Nawaz,Muhammad Safdar to end today

LAHORE: The five-day parole granted to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lifetime head Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar will end today as request for extension is likely.



Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar, who were sentenced to 10 years , 7 years and 1 year respectively in prison in Avenfield case were granted parole by the Punjab government over the death of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, who passed away last week after a prolonged battle with cancer.



The parole period will end in the evening after which they will be transferred to Adiala jail. According to Express News, it is expected that the three might write an application to the provincial government requesting to grant a 5-day extension in parole.



Former first lady Kulsoom Nawaz was laid to rest at her familys Jati Umra estate on Friday after a funeral prayer attended by hundreds of thousands of people, including leaders of ruling and opposition parties and workers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.



The prayer was led by Tableegi Jamaats Maulana Tariq Jameel, who was driven to the venue, Sharif Medical Complex, by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar have been released from Adiala Jail on parole to join Begum Kulsooms burial ritesImran Khan thanked CJP for his dam campaign

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday expressed his alarm at the water scarcity threatening the country and urged the nation to get united on the issue before it is too late.



Pakistan can head towards acute water shortage disturbing its food security in 2025 as per capita water availability has been reduced to merely 1000 cubic meter now, he told a dam fund raising event here. He announced that the government would strive to construct Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams in its five-year term and appealed to the countrymen to actively participate in the campaign for collection of funds for dams by making generous donations.



However, he made it clear that the task was possible only with the active participation of the public, contributions from the expatriates and the continuation of the cash flow as the government did not have required financial resources out of its tight monetary budget allocations. He regretted that the past political leaderships back-burned the burning issue while focusing on short-term matters for political benefits.



The prime minister said the country had only two major dams at present, compared to Chinas 84,000 dams and Indias 5,000 dams. In two-and-a-half months period, 80 per cent of the water flowed out of the country due to lack of storage capacity, he regretted. During 60s, cheap electricity was generated through hydropower units, but under the short-term arrangements in 90s, the power plants were shifted on the costly imported oil, he said.



The prime minister said an amount of Rs 30 billion has to be collected every year for the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams fund. I am the greatest fund raiser in the history of Pakistan. We have to meet our target of 30 billion rupees every year and I assure you that we will meet more than our target as all Pakistanis have been mobilised today, he said.



The prime minister observed that when the public and the government own each other, nothing remains unfeasible. Referring to the 2010 floods which affected the whole country, he said the entire nation contributed to the rehabilitation process, which surprised the world community. Now the countrymen have gathered for the construction of dams, he said, adding the work on the Mohmand Dam would also commence simultaneously.



Imran Khan especially mentioned Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar for the initiative and thanked him on behalf of the countrymen for starting the campaign for construction of dams.



The prime minister said the countrys debt figures, which were Rs 6 trillion some 10 years back, had now jumped to Rs 30 trillion, while the government had to pay Rs 6 billion per day in the debt servicing.



During his address, he vowed to address the issues faced by Afghan refugees and the families who migrated to Karachi from Bangladesh. He also announced to grant citizenship rights to the children of Afghan refugees and Bangladeshi migrants who were born in Pakistan.



The prime minister reiterated that change could not occur unless there was change in minds, and justified the governments move to part ways with the colonial style of governance and living.



Earlier, chairing a meeting on law and order situation in Karachi here at the State Guest House, the prime minister took strong exception to the cases of abduction of kids in the city. Expressing concerns about reported surge in street crime in the metropolis, he called for coordinated efforts to purge the city of criminal activities. He sought a coordinated action against the criminals and called for urgent recovery of the abducted children.



Karachi, he said, was the financial capital of Pakistan and the federal government would continue to offer full support to the provincial government for maintaining law and order in the city. The prime minister observed that overall situation in Karachi had improved significantly due to the devotion and sacrifices of the law enforcement agencies. He also appreciated the role of Rangers, police and other law enforcement agencies in restoring peace in Karachi.



Expressing concern over the water issues of Karachi, the prime minister emphasized the need for enhanced coordination between federal and provincial governments regarding the co-funded projects. He extensively reviewed the federal government-funded projects in Karachi and directed their completion within the stipulated time.



Meanwhile, a delegation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) called on Prime Minister Imran Khan at the State Guest House.Pakistan is willing to permit trade between Afghanistan and India via Pakistan: US Ambassador

US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass has said that Pakistan is willing to discuss resumption of overland trade between Afghanistan and India via Pakistan.



Pakistan approached Afghanistan earlier this year and indicated its willingness to discuss resumption of trade between Afghanistan and India through its land, Bass told The Economic Times in an interview.



The US envoy said Pakistani government had approached Afghanistan after looking at two developments. We have seen an increase in exports from Afghanistan to India [through air cargo]  it is obviously one part of the export strategy but it is an important part  and I think part of the reason why, in addition to the economic relationship between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, a couple of months ago for the first time the Pakistani government expressed a willingness to start talking with its Afghan counterparts for parameters to enabling trade between India and Afghanistan through Pakistan, he said during the interview on the sidelines of India-Afghanistan Trade and Investment show held in Mumbai.



Bass said a political settlement in Afghanistan was in Pakistans long-term interest. Increased trade in both directions, increased connectivity between central and south Asia through Afghanistan  these are all missed opportunities if Pakistan has its sole focus on perpetuating the status quo, he said.



He acknowledged that the Indian government had brought up the issue of US sanctions on Iran and how it would impact Chabahar port in Iran when US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis were in India last week. He said the Indian government in the discussions with the two US officials conveyed Indias perspectives on the importance of Chabahar as a means to expand bilateral trade and help improve Afghanistans connectivity with South Asia.



We are processing and evaluating how best to re-impose sanctions on Iran, with the Iranian regimes malevolent behaviour and its activities in destabilising its neighbours. My government is still thinking through how Chabahar factors in the re-imposition of the toughest sanctions that we believe need to be put in place to hold the Iranian government accountable for its actions, Bass said, adding the matter is still very much under discussion and consideration and review as per the policy process in Washington.Qamar Bajwa arrived in China on three-day official visit

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Sunday arrived in China on a three-day official visit.



According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the militarys media wing, the army chief will meet his Chinese counterpart and will interact with various Chinese leaders as well. Earlier this week, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan met General Bajwa and discussed matters of mutual interest and regional security.



The ambassador appreciated Pakistans support for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).HealthKit has opened its EMEA office in Cork today creating 10 new high-level jobs over the next nine months.

The global cloud-based healthcare management platform expects to double its Cork-based team over the next 18 months.

The Australian company is investing in its support and marketing expansion team in Cork with the technical developement team to come online within six to 12 months.

"After two years of preparation, we are delighted to launch our first overseas office in Ireland," said CEO and co-founder Alison Hardacre.

Corks growing reputation as a health and tech hub, the support from organisations such as the IDA and Cork Chamber of Commerce, the high quality of educated talent, and proximity to international transport links means it is the most attractive choice.

"Todays gigabit broadband network announcement further strengthens the citys world-leading community infrastructure and reaffirms our decision to build our EMEA expansion from Cork."

The official launch of the new office was attended by Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney and Australian Ambassador Richard Andrews.

"It is fantastic to see a successful, dynamic Australian company such as HealthKit opening their EMEA office in Cork," said Mr Coveney.

"There are huge opportunities in Cork for companies who are looking to scale and build into Europe and the wider EMEA."

HealthKit is currently experiencing growth between 1% and 5% every week and the new Cork office is expected to play an important role in this growth going forward.

Digital DeskThere has been a joint call for the current 9% Vat rate on food to stay put.

The Licenced Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) are calling on the Government to maintain it ahead of the budget.

Both groups say any step to increase the Vat rate could impact on pub jobs across the country.

Pubs are now the second most popular eating-out destination in Ireland, behind only limited service outlets, such as fast food and food to go locations, according to research released by Bord Bia.

LVA Chief Executive Donal O'Keefe says it is vital it is kept the same so bars can keep food prices down.

"Pubs across Ireland have worked hard in recent years to improve their food offering," he said.

"There has been sizeable investment made by publicans to improve their facilities, broaden their menus and employ additional staff. As the Bord Bia research puts it; 'Pubs are frequented for more than just drinking'.

"Irish pubs are now regarded as providing good value food of the highest quality. However that value will be put under severe threat if the Government were to increase the Vat rate.

"It will have an immediate impact on pub food prices across the country. It could do lasting damage to our food service offering at a time when the sector is already under pressure due to Brexit.

"During this period we need consistency and we need to maintain our current food prices. Any move towards increasing the Vat rate would be regarded as harmful to the pub trade and should be avoided."

Digital DeskConor McGregor has launched his Irish whiskey, Proper No. Twelve.

Eire Born Spirits, founded by McGregor, announced the launch of the new whiskey which will be available in Ireland and the United States before looking to further expand in the new year.

The project was initially developed under the name Notorious but following complaints from a Carlow brewer who had already registered the Notorious brand for their craft beer, McGregor's whiskey became Proper No. Twelve.

"I come from a place called Crumlin, in Dublin 12," said the MMA champion.

Its a place dear to my heart. Its where I learned how to fight; it made me who I am today. Its a place Im still very much a part of every single day of my life.

"So, thats where the name came from. Its proper Irish whiskey and twelve is my hometown.

"Growing up on the streets of Dublin 12, I learned the values of loyalty and hard work. I respect other Irish whiskeys, but I am coming in strong, with passion and with purpose.

"I am the founder of this company and I am going to give it my all."

McGregor teamed up with master distiller David Elder, who previously worked with Guinness, to bring the whiskey to fruition.

"We created close to one hundred blends and ultimately selected what we knew was the one and only proper whiskey blend," said McGregor.

"We took the time to develop an incredible whiskey and Im excited to share it with the world."

The company describe the whiskey as "complex and sophisticated yet smooth and approachable with hints of vanilla, honey and toasted wood".

Digital DeskCork Airport has won a global accolade recognising excellence in aviation marketing.

Ireland's second busiest airport won the annual World Routes 2018 Marketing Award.

The airport beat out competition from Shannon Airport; Billund Airport, Denmark; London Southend Airport; and Myrtle Beach International Airport, USA in the Under 4 Million Passengers category.

"The team at Cork Airport is absolutely delighted, especially for our Head of Aviation Marketing Daragh Hanratty," said Managing Director at Cork Airport, Niall MacCarthy.

"This award is a huge testament to our growth development over the past three years at Cork Airport, as we continually strive for excellence, new routes and expansion."

Cork Airport is forecasting growth of 4% this year and has made several route announcements in recent weeks including four new Ryanair services from Cork to Budapest, Malta, London Luton and Poznan, Poland.

Digital DeskHundreds of new jobs are to be created in Dublin.

It comes as Microsoft announced it is to expand its workforce by 200 people.

The tech company is to begin recruiting for 200 highly skilled new roles at its Leopardstown campus.

The majority of jobs will be created across Microsoft's engineering team where it is looking to hire 100 people.

They will support the development of new and emerging technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

The company is also recruiting 50 people to work in digital sales while also creating 50 roles across its graduate programme, sales and in Microsoft's data centre.

When the vacancies are filled it will bring the total numbers employed by Microsoft in Ireland to 2,200.

"This is another substantial expansion by Microsoft which is greatly welcome," said Martin Shanahan of IDA Ireland.

"It is a further strong endorsement of its commitment to Ireland and is clear evidence that Ireland meets the criteria for innovative, global companies like Microsoft to successfully operate here, including sourcing the highly skilled staff they need.

"I am particularly delighted with the strategic element of this expansion of the companys engineering team, designed to help drive its AI and machine learning offering to its customers globally."

Digital DeskBy Padraig Hoare

Vintners have joined hoteliers and tourism bodies in claiming jobs are at stake if the Government hikes the Vat rate on hospitality from 9% to 13.5% in the budget.

Any move to increase the rate could do lasting damage to the growing pub food trade, impacting on pub jobs across the country, according to the Licensed Vintners Federation (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI).

Chief executive of the LVA, Donall OKeeffe said: There has been sizeable investment made by publicans to improve their facilities, broaden their menus and employ additional staff.

It could do lasting damage to our food service offering at a time when the sector is already under pressure due to Brexit.

"During this period we need consistency and we need to maintain our current food prices.

Chief executive of the VFI, Padraig Cribben said: There are now approximately 58,000 people working in Irelands pub trade, with a significant portion of that number focusing on food service.

"There have also been employment opportunities generated by the increased numbers coming to pubs, thanks to the strong value food offering.

Increasing the Vat rate spoils that value, which will have a knock-on effect on the number of customers and the number of jobs available.

"The solution is simple, maintain the current Vat rate and protect Irish pub jobs.

The calls come despite the fact that hotel room prices have surpassed Celtic Tiger levels and that the exchequer is missing out on 500m yearly from the tax incentive.

According to Department of Finance figures, estimates show that restoring the 13.5% rate for all businesses favoured by the lower rate since 2011 would result in an additional 527m in revenues to the State.

Reducing the 13.5% Vat rate, to 9%, was originally envisaged as temporary to bolster industries ravaged by the recession.

It has cost the State 2.7bn since its introduction, according to the department assessment.

Opponents of retaining the 9% rate say that it has more than met its original target and that it should be removed, now that the hotel and tourism industries are thriving.Training for parents and teachers is key to success of interactive programme, says Trish Dromey.

With an interactive virtual online world called Desty Island, Mayo technology and training startup Education Desty aims to help young children learn to cope with their feelings and develop emotional resilience.

The virtual island is part of a solution now being offered to parents, educators and schools in the UK and Ireland to promote childrens well being.

We provide training to teachers, parents and carers to be mentors who accompany children to Desty Island where they learn to deal with core feelings and how to cope in difficult situations, said company CEO and founder Stephanie OMalley.

Following the launch on an online training platform earlier this year, Education Desty is now selling to five local authorities in the UK as well as several schools in Ireland.

Ms OMalley is working on developing new markets in Dubai and Northern Ireland and fundraising for the development of a new product for preschool children.

An educational psychologist who conducted seven years research into the area of emotional intelligence, Ms OMalley observed that children who needed help in expressing their emotions were frequently not being given the help they needed.

As part of her work on a PhD she piloted a beta version of a software programme in 2015 in the UK.

This was designed to help children develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, reflective thinking, said Ms OMalley, who was joined by her husband Noel OMalley in setting up the company.

Operating from their home in Westport, they initially received LEADER support to develop a prototype of the software programme based on Ms OMalleys research and findings.

Their first customers were UK local authorities who funded the use of the programme in primary school.

Although Desty Island went online in 2015, Ms OMalley initially had had to travel to the UK to provide the mentor training.

In 2017, fundraising of 200,000  half from private investors and half from Enterprise Ireland in High Potential Start Up funding  allowed the company to develop an online platform to deliver the mentor training.

Ms OMalley says this was a major step towards scaling the company internationally and is allowing Desty to develop sales in the UK and target new markets.

We are now selling to five local authorities in the UK and aim to sell to a further two by October and to grow the number to 10 by the end of the year.

"In the UK we have already trained 300 mentors and the platform is being used by around 900 children, she said.

The Irish market accounts for around 10% of sales, where Desty customers include schools in Mayo and Galway, as well as Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Westmeath and Dublin.

Based at the Leeson Enterprise Centre in Westport, the company operates by charging for a mentor training and support package which includes a Desty cuddly toy.

It also charges an annual license fee based on the number of children using the platform.

Currently fundraising for another 300,000, Ms OMalley now has her sights on the International School market in the Middle East.

International schools are attended by the children of expatriates who she says can benefit from the assistance of the Desty programme in adapting to change and to living in a foreign country.

There are 200 private schools in Dubai and we are now setting up discussion with a private school network which has 30 schools catering for almost 30,000 students, she said.

The funding will be used for sales and marketing and also to develop a new product in addition to the one for six to 12-year-olds.

We hope to pilot a platform for three to six-year-olds in 2019, said Ms OMalley.

Next year she plans to recruit four staff and grow the workforce to nine.

We are well on track to achieve our High Potential Start up target of having a staff of ten and a turnover of 1m by 2020.

Ms OMalley says that in selling internationally, Education Destys unique selling point is its training.

We are the only company that provides training and support for mentors in addition to an e-learning platform for the children, she said.Cork's most iconic landmarks will turn red this week to mark the launch of 'We are Cork'.

City Hall, County Hall, Port of Cork, UCC, CIT's City Centre Hub, The Capitol and One Albert Quay will be among those turning red as part of the new brand.

'We are Cork' aims to enhance the marketing of the city and county, both nationally and internationally, as a great place to live, work, invest, study and visit as Cork is set to become the fastest growing region in Ireland in the next 20 years.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney was on hand to launch the new initiative which is a first in Ireland.

"We Are Cork is a brilliant initiative to bring together under one banner everything that makes Cork great," said Mr Coveney.

"The city and county is going to be the fastest growing part of the country for the next two decades and it is essential that campaigns like We Are Cork are initiated to make the most out of the business to be done."

An Tanaiste @simoncoveney tells the audience @NanoNaglePlace for the launch of #WeAreCork that the city and county population set to grow in excess of 800,000 we are laying a foundation to be ready for growth #CorkCan pic.twitter.com/3drqB4YDC6  Seamus Heaney (@heaney_seamus) September 17, 2018

Backing the brand are Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Cork Airport, Port of Cork, University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association, Ibec, Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Failte Ireland and Visit Cork.

It is envisaged that 'We are Cork' will also be available for use by all businesses, organisations and interested parties in the county.

We are Cork - Capturing the essence of Cork through its people. These authentic stories shape why Cork is an inspiring place to live, work and play. #WeAreCork https://t.co/iitD57m27b  Cork County Council (@Corkcoco) September 17, 2018

Chair of the 'We are Cork' Steering Committee and Cork City Council CE, Ann Doherty, said: "Collaboration is the cornerstone of the We are Cork brand, which should be adopted widely in the coming weeks and months.

"The brand has unilateral support from all major players in Cork, unifying Corks positioning and messaging to help us tell the Cork story cohesively overseas as well as at home.

"With Brexit around the corner, it is vital to be prepared for the challenges and opportunities that this will inevitably bring.

"'We are Cork' is vital to our strategy to help realize the ambitious growth targets for our Region set by Government in Ireland 2040."

@mayor_co_cork Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy Lord Mayor @corkcitycouncil @mickfinn01 together with Cork's major stakeholders have joined forces to create a brand that will drive Cork as a region under brand #WeAreCork pic.twitter.com/FEZEWXh2Ag  Cork County Council (@Corkcoco) September 17, 2018

Cork has topped the Financial Times 'European League for Foreign Direct Investment' tabe and is home to global leaders including Dell EMC, Pfizer and Eli Lilly.

Cork was also voted the third friendliest location in the world.

"Cork has everything to offer  a great place to live, work, study, invest and to succeed," said Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber.

At @NanoNaglePlace for the launch of the new #WeAreCork branding initiative for the #Cork region pic.twitter.com/UQKEfBmp5p  Eoin English (@EoinBearla) September 17, 2018

"As a long term advocate of the need for a strong place brand, we are excited to see not just the We Are Cork brand launched here today but most importantly the collaborative approach that has been taken by all involved.

"Building on this we are calling on the people and businesses of Cork to support the brand and demonstrate the strong collective voice we have in the region as we work together to position Cork for prosperity."

Digital DeskTaliban demanding closure of US bases in Afghanistan-release of prisoners

WASHINGTON: Taliban leaders are demanding closure of US bases in Afghanistan and release of hundreds of their prisoners for continuing peace talks with the United States, the US media reported on Saturday.



Zalmay Khalilzad, a former US ambassador recently named as a special adviser for Afghanistan peace talks, arrived in the United Arab Emirates this week for the next round of US-Taliban talks, NBC News reported.



The release of hundreds of Taliban-linked prisoners and the status of US bases in Afghanistan were among the key issues Taliban leaders want to negotiate in US-backed talks to end the war in Afghanistan.



This meeting with the US authorities would either help pave the way for more meaningful talks or stop them forever, said one of the four senior Taliban officials who spoke to NBC News.



Other US media outlets, however, reported that the Afghan government was unlikely to concede to the request without a commensurate concession from the Taliban.By Nick Charalambous

On October 9, Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe will allocate a budget package of 3.4bn.

However, as things stand with 2.6bn of that already having been committed to various expenditure measures, it leaves just 800m for allocation.

Whilst the minister has previously stressed that the upcoming budget will put a little into everyones pockets, with suggestions this might be to the tune of around 300 per person on average, the chances of spending increases and tax cuts in Budget 2019 will be limited because of the previously agreed budget commitments.

So what can we expect and is this what we want?

From an earnings point of view, it seems that whilst the income tax rates will be kept the same, the bands may be increased, with suggestions from some quarters that they may be raised to as much as 37,000 for a single person and 46,000 for a couple, or single earning family.

Noting that the average rate of income in Ireland is around 47,000 per year for a full-time worker and given the current income level someone enters the higher rate at is currently 34,550 per annum, this could be worth almost a 1,000 per year to someone in after-tax earnings.

My feeling is the tax credit for the self-employed will be raised again to be closer to the current 1,650 PAYE credit.

The unpopular universal service charge may well be adjusted so lower earners pay less of it and PRSI may be increased by 0.5%.

The relevance of an increase in the current rate of PRSI from 4% to 4.5%, would see someone earning 50,000 pay an additional 250 in PRSI a year, or someone earning 100,000 per year an additional 500 a year.

This would bring in about 400m but the Taoiseach has stated he wants the majority of any additional cash to go into improving public infrastructure rather than tax reduction so its unlikely that this is going to be passed back to Joe Public.

Smaller positive changes that are likely are an increase in welfare benefits and pensions but not to the same degree as we have seen in the last two years.

The old reliables of alcohol and tobacco are likely to be increased again, especially as alcohol duty has not been increased since 2014.

Carbon tax is almost certain to be increased and wont face too much objection.

There is also likely to be an increase in the minimum wage to bring it closer to 10 per hour.

Other tax changes likely are to be property tax rates but these are likely not to take effect for a couple of years. Inheritance and gift tax thresholds will be increased.

Finally capital gains tax  which generally apply to the profit from the sale of shares or investment property  may be reduced by 1%-2% from the current rate of 33%.

As I work closely with all different types of workers in different sectors and employment types, from civil servants to the self-employed, I have had an opportunity to get insights from the public as to what they would like to see happen.

Listening to local representatives, they would like to see a focus on childcare with a tax rebate for parents, and a system of grants to upgrade facilities.

Another issue felt needing attention is education.

Representatives would like to see a reinstatement of capitation fee to former levels as schools struggling to stay afloat.

With regards to housing, they would like to see more measures, and a Vat reduction for the construction sector but a mechanism invoked to ensure that this reduction is passed on to the consumer also.

With property prices rising at the second highest rate in Europe, most of the younger clients I am speaking to are worried about the difficulties of accessing a home and being stuck renting or living at home.

One of the easiest options for Minister Donohoe would be to increase mortgage interest which is allowable, up from 85% at present.

Personally I would have liked to have seen the reintroduction of the SSIA savings scheme that operated in 2001-2002, but it seems the government are likely to now link this to pensions.

I would like to see more offered to new business start-ups especially having gone through this process myself just over five years ago, and given the high failure rate of startups, more given to assist early-stage companies.

For those hoping for something more radical over the next three weeks, I think this is unlikely as the Government has committed to a 2:1 ratio between spending on services and tax measures and that means any variations of what is expected to happen between now and budget day are likely to be limited.

Nick Charalambous is managing director of Alpha Wealth, a financial advisory firm in Little Island, Cork and Dublin.By Louise Walsh

Internationally-acclaimed guitarist Jimmy Smyth has backed out of the presidential race due to health reasons, despite getting a possible nod from two councils.

The Meath native who is living in Dublin said he received calls from both Sligo and Kilkenny Councils about possible nominations but he had to reluctantly decline.

He was hospitalised in recent weeks and advised to take two months off work by medics, which has put him out of the campaign to get approval from four local authorities.

In thanking his supporters on social media, he said: "I've sadly had to withdraw from the presidential campaign because of health reasons

"I'm taking some time out. I had to be hospitalised but I'm fine.

I just have to take some time out for myself which is ironic because two of the councils had been in touch about nominating me.

"Just like to make clear, this was never about Michael D (Higgins) of whom I'm a big fan.

"It was about a test of our democracy which is sadly failing in my opinion."

He said he was considering making a documentary about his experience on the campaign trail for nominations at a later date but now he was just going to rest.

"I'd like to thank everyone for their support and good wishes. This is not over and you might see me back in some political capacity next year," he added.

Jimmy -whose band The Bogey Boys was once supported by U2 and who was once asked to join Thin Lizzy by Phil Lynott, had gained the backing of jazz maestro Paddy Cole, Imelda May and Steve Wickham to try and woo the councils nominations.

Artists Don Baker, Mary Coughlan and Finbar Furey had also shown support for him in recent weeks.

Over the years, the Grammy-nominated star has worked with artists including Van Morrison, Tony Childs, Roger Dalrey, Curtis Steigers, Chaka Khan, Lisa Stansfield, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Mary Coughlan and Roger Daltrey as well as the National Concert and RTE Orchestras.

He was even notoriously mentioned on the Late Lunch Show when Gay Byrne described legendary Rory Gallagher as Ireland's best guitarist and the Donegal man replied that there was a better guitarist from Navan called Jimmy Smyth.Latest: Peter Casey has secured support from two local councils today meaning he is halfway to getting on the ballot paper for October's presidential election.

The businessman received support from Kerry and Clare County Councils today and will need two more councils to back him to run.

He will be attending Limerick and Tipperary councils tomorrow.

Earlier: Kerry County Council gives Peter Casey first nomination for presidency

By Anne Lucey in Tralee

Kerry County Council have voted to nominate Peter Casey, the businessman and RTE Dragons' Den star, as a candidate for election to the office of President.

After the meeting, Mr Casey said he was confident of getting the necessary three other councils to allow him to go forward. He also said he was not running to lose and was prepared to spend up to the cap of 750,000.

Some 14 people had contacted the council to request a nomination for the presidency, mayor of Kerry Norma Foley outlined at the start of the proceedings, which saw the council resolve to make a nomination in the first place.

Three nominees were proposed and seconded. Gemma O'Doherty was proposed and seconded by Sinn Fein; William Delaney was proposed by Cllr Brendan Cronin an independent councillor and jointly seconded by Sinn Fein's Robert Beasley and Michael Gleeson (Ind).

Peter Casey was proposed by Fianna Fail councillor Michael Cahill and seconded by Independent Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae.

Mr Cahill said Peter Casey had already invested in business in Co. Kerry and his programme on attracting the children of Irish emigrants to spend time in the Gaeltacht would be of benefit.

He had major business contacts in the US and Australia and could be a great ambassador .

These sentiments were echoed by Cllr J. Healy-Rae.

Mr Casey received strong backing from by Fianna Fail. Nine of the 10 Fianna Fail councillors on the 33-member Kerry County Council, including the mayor, voted for Mr Casey.

Mr Casey also received the backing of the independent councillors Johnny and Maura Healy-Rae, Sam Locke and Dan McCarthy, and Fine Gaels Pat McCarthy.

The eight other Fine Gael councillors abstained from voting.

The move by Sinn Fein to propose Cllr ODoherty caused surprise in some quarters.

Proposing Ms ODoherty, Sinn Fein 's Cllr Pat Daly said he wanted to make it clear he would be voting for and canvassing for the party candidate Liadh Ni Riada.

He believed in giving a voice to candidates.

Four people had addressed the council, two weeks ago, and this included Gemma ODoherty, a woman who came without a PR company, Cllr Daly said.

She was a woman fearless and brave in highlighting injustice in her 20 years as a journalist, Cllr Daly said.

There has been quite a frightening whispering campaign against her, Cllr Daly a solicitor said.

It reminded him of the whispering campaign from some gardai against the garda whistleblowers, he said.

Peter Casey was someone he could not support given his backing of Nato, Israel and his criticism of Michael D Higgins visit to Cuba, while saying he would give a very warm welcome to Donald Trump, Cllr Daly said.

Cllr Toireasa Ferris of Sinn Fein seconded the nomination of Ms ODoherty, saying she too was voting for and would be canvassing for Liadh Ni Riada, her party's candidate. What I am doing here today is to give the electorate as broad a chance as possible, Ms Ferris said.

Fourteen councillors voted for Mr Casey, three for Gemma ODoherty (three of the councils five SF councillors), while William Delaney got four votes. Eleven councillors abstained and one was absent.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Casey said he was absolutely delighted.

After Donegal, Kerry was very dear to him and its young people were leaving and not coming back.

I didnt stand to lose. I believe I have a very good platform , Mr Casey said.

There wasnt a single person who did not have a son or daughter or relative who had to emigrate from rural Ireland, he said.

He said he believes in small businesses and rural Ireland wasnt getting the infrastructure it needed to support young people returning home to work.

He also wanted a five-year term and a change in screening for candidates  with each presidential candidate needing the consent of 50 councillors before being allowed to address a meeting.

Asked why so many dragons were running, Mr Casey said: Its absolutely bizarre.

Gavin Duffy had been a big surprise, he said.Kevin Sharkey has pulled out of the race to become the next President of Ireland.

He announced his decision in a statement this morning, citing the "corruption of councils all over Ireland."

Instead, he says he is now focusing on his new collection of paintings.

Mr Sharkey was one of a number of presidential hopefuls yet to receive the backing of four local authority's - the figure needed to officially become a candidate.

Gavin Duffy, Sean Gallagher, President Michael D Higgins, Joan Freeman and Liadh Ni Riada have so far been confirmed for the ballot paper on 26th of October.

Meanwhile, a request has been put to Louth County Council to hold a second hearing for potential Presidential candidates.

Gavin Duffy has written to the council after its original hearing clashed with a meeting of Roscommon County Council.

He says it's "only fair" for other candidates to be given a hearing in Louth.

Since receiving his fourth endorsement from Waterford Council he has withdrawn from seeking any more.

Digital DeskUpdate 7.43pm: Met Eireann have said that the arrival of tropical Storm Helene signals the start of a "very active period of weather this week".

The forecaster today issued a yellow rainfall warning for Galway and Mayo which is valid up to midnight tonight.

They have said that heavy rain is continuing in parts of Connacht and West Ulster along with fresh to strong winds.

However, elsewhere will see intense bursts of rain which may bring some spot flooding tonight.

They have said that most of the rain will clear by early tomorrow morning, but the unsettled weather will continue for the rest of the week.

Met Eireann said: "A very active period of weather is now expected to follow over the coming days with an assembly line of low-pressure systems swinging close to our shores, bringing strong winds and heavy rain at times.

"There is potential that wind or rainfall warnings will be required in at least some parts of the country over the next few days associated with these Atlantic low-pressure systems."

Earlier: Drivers warned to exercise extra caution during status yellow weather warning

AA Ireland is warning motorists to exercise additional caution in the coming days as large amounts of rainfall are expected as the remnants of tropical Storm Helene pass over Ireland.

The warning to motorists came after Met Eireann extended a Status Yellow  Rainfall warning to five counties, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, which will remain in place from 1pm today until 5am tomorrow.

AA Ireland is calling on drivers in the affected counties to adapt their driving to suit the weather conditions and to be on the lookout for vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians as visibility could be reduced during heavy rain.

"The expectation with this storm, according to Met Eireann, is that we will have a large volume of rainfall in quite a short space of time meaning that the risk of flooding in the affected areas is quite high," said Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs.

"When you combine this with the lengthy, mostly dry spell of weather weve had recently motorists can expect roads in the affected areas to be significantly more slippery meaning that slowing down and slowing extra distance between yourself and other road users, especially vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians, will be vital.

"Driving in heavy rain is something that motorists across the country are well practiced in and ultimately it does not appear that Helene will bring weather conditions anywhere near as serious as what parts of the country saw last year with Ophelia.

"That said, however, we cant get complacent where road safety is concerned so its important that motorists adapt their driving to the conditions."

With a significant risk of flooding expected, particularly in the west of the country, AA Rescue, the motoring organisations breakdown assistance provider, is expecting a spike in breakdown callouts as flood water often pose a danger to a cars electrics and the engine.

"Where possible motorists should avoid driving through flood water but if you have no alternative remember to drop your speed and use a lower gear to help protect your car.

Driving through flood water at high speeds is not only inconsiderate but can also result in the air intake of your car drawing water into the engine which can cause significant and expensive damage.

"We would also encourage motorists who do break down in the coming days to keep the bonnet closed while you wait for assistance if it is raining heavily. Leaving the bonnet open could make the engine significantly more difficult to start when assistance arrives."

Digital Desk

Earlier: Flooding risk as Storm Helene travels towards Ireland

Update 7.53am: Met Eireann is warning that several parts of the country could be hit by flooding today as Storm Helene makes its way towards Ireland.

Up to 40mm of rain is expected to fall.

A yellow rainfall warning has already been issued for Galway and Mayo which is valid from noon to midnight tonight.

Between 25 and 40 mm of rain is currently forecast to fall on the counties with a risk of flooding in places.

Many other counties are expected to be hit by heavy rain tonight.

Met Eireann says it is possible that yellow level warnings may be issued for Cork, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, Meath and Louth.

Good morning all! 

A mild start to the new week with temperatures later between 17 and 25C for most, but tonight #StormHelene will bring the first bout of several windy spells that we'll see this week  @bbcbreakfast pic.twitter.com/Cl6NwFovXo  Matt Taylor (@MetMattTaylor) September 17, 2018

Current forecasts show south to southeast winds will reach gale or strong gale force at sea but will be fresh to strong over land as the ex-tropical storm tracks northeastwards close to the southeast tonight.

Rain will spread eastwards quickly across the country and will be heavy in many areas for a time with a risk of spot flooding.

Digital DeskBy Patrick Flynn

More than 200 passengers whose transatlantic flight was diverted twice overnight have completed their journey by road.

Aer Lingus flight EI-140 from Miami to Dublin had to make an emergency landing in Canada before the crew later diverted for a second time to Shannon Airport.

The Airbus A330-200 jet had departed Miami at around 2.15am Irish time and was due in Dublin at 10.35am this morning.

However, about five hours into the flight the crew declared a medical emergency, turned around and diverted to Gander, Newfoundland.

The flight landed safely shortly before 8am and was met by emergency medical personnel. The ill passenger was removed to hospital for treatment.

After departing Gander shortly after 10am today, the flight was unable to continue to Dublin as the crew would have exceeded their duty hours. Instead, the flight diverted to Shannon Airport where it landed at 1.45pm.

File photo.

While a replacement flight crew was sent to Shannon to take the aircraft back to Dublin, more than 200 passengers were transported by road up to the capital. Their aircraft was later flown to Dublin without any passengers on board.

An airline spokeswoman said: Aer Lingus flight EI-140, which departed Miami for Dublin yesterday evening local time, was diverted to Gander, Canada due to a medical emergency involving one of the guests on board. The guest was taken from the aircraft at Gander International Airport to receive the necessary medical attention.

The aircraft continued its flight but landed in Shannon at 13.45 due to the operating crew having reached their regulatory maximum flying hours per flight - due to the medical diversion to Gander. Ground transport has been provided to return guests to Dublin."

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, she said.The Education Minister is travelling to Indonesia today to lead a five-day Enterprise Ireland education mission.

Richard Bruton will then go to Malaysia on Wednesday to include the signing of several new bilateral agreements.

Mr Bruton will meet a number of key partners during the education trip.

He will take part in a number of strategic meetings, aimed at improving educational co-operation between Ireland, Malaysia and Indonesia.

He will arrive in Jakarta today where he will meet the Indonesian Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education, H.E. Muhammad Nasir.

The two Ministers will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the fields of Higher Education and Research.

The signing of this document will allow for the sharing of policy information and the promotion of academic, staff, student and research exchanges, to the mutual benefit of both countries.

He will then visit Malaysia from Wednesday until Friday.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Update - 6.51pm: The Irish Council of Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said that the Justice Minister's comments about a ban on photographing Gardai "begs all sorts of questions".

Charlie Flanagan has said he is concerned about Gardai who have mobile phones thrust in their faces while they are going about their policing duties.

It comes after a photo of a garda at a housing protest was posted online alongside threatening comments.

Liam Herrick from the ICCL has said, even though the Minister has rolled back on his original comments, it is still concerning.

Mr Herrick said: "He's now saying he wasn't talking about professional press photographers, and this particular group might be treated differently, but that begs all sorts of questions, too.

"Does it apply to freelance journalists?

"What we need to understand here is that a safeguard for protests from the police point of view is body cameras, but also for people involved in protests that filming and recording protests itself can be a safeguard for them."

Earlier: Justice Minister considers law banning photographs of Gardai while undertaking their duties

The Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has said that he is prepared to look at a proposal to make it illegal to photograph Gardai going about their normal duties.

The Minister was asked by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) to look at the proposal after one of its members was reportedly photographed and threatened online while doing his job.

The Minister said: I believe transparency is vitally important; I am on record as favouring Gardai wearing body cameras.

I also greatly value the role of the media in providing objective reporting.

"However, I am concerned about the public order dimension of Gardai having multiple mobile phones thrust into their faces as they try to go about their policing duties."

In my experience press photographers are professional in how they undertake their duties, they do not impede the Gardai going about their work.

This is regrettably not always the case where public order issues arise. The uploading of images of Gardai undertaking their duties on social media and consequent threats and intimidation is unacceptable to me and that is why I am concerned.

The Minister noted that the welfare and health of officers was one of the issues to be addressed in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which will be published tomorrow.

Earlier: Alan Kelly calls for garda unit to monitor social media

There needs to be a special garda unit dedicated to monitoring social media, according to the Labour Party.

Alan Kelly made the call after a member of the gardai was reportedly photographed and threatened online while doing his job.

Gardai are investigating reports that a garda who policed a housing protest last week was threatened after he was named and pictured on social media.

Labour TD Alan Kelly says there needs to be a response from the force.

"There should be a unit which is basically monitoring social media, helping the gardai who are doing their jobs to be protected on social media and going after people who behave in absolutely heinous behaviour whereby they're threatening gardai or their families," Mr Kelly said.

The party also said that all gardai should have body cameras to help protect themselves.

He said: "I think gardai should have body cameras, I think gardai who have specific roles who are on the streets should have body cameras to protect themselves to have their version of events.

"All patrol cars should have cameras front and back and side to show what is going on and to protect themselves.

"I think practical measures like that is what gardai really want."

The Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has suggested he would be supportive of the idea of making it illegal to photograph gardai carrying out their work.

He says attitudes to online posts need to change.

"I'm very concerned actually because I believe that some people are of the view that online engagement is in some way outside the law. That has to change," said Minister Flanagan.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin, however, disagrees with banning the photographing of members of the force.

"In a free society people have an absolute entitlement to take pictures of any public servant," said Mr Howlin.

I think we have to protect public servants in the course of their duty. The notion that normal civil liberties would be curtailed like that would be something the Labour party would not support.

The garda investigation into the incident is ongoing.A section of Limerick city has been sealed off this afternoon following the discovery of a suspicious device.

The gardai were alerted to the device by a member of the public a short time ago.Thousands of people are fleeing a town in Borneo after ethnic clashes there left at least 20 people dead.

Hundreds of trucks and buses packed with refugees left riot-torn Sampit in the Indonesian province of Kalimantan, said police officer Sargeant Yahtera.

Sgt Yahtera said more people were on their way to the island's provincial capital.

Violence between local Dayak people and immigrant Madurese erupted on Sunday. Most of the victims were hacked to death.

There have been frequent clashes in the region, some 480 miles north east of Jakarta, between the two groups. Hundreds have been killed in recent years.

Meanwhile in Medan on the island of Sumatra, the trial opened of a pro-independence activist from Aceh province on subversion charges.

Neither defendant Muhammad Nazar nor his defence team were present in court. The proceedings were adjourned for an unspecified time.

Nazar was detained by the police after organising a pro-independence rally in Aceh's capital on November 11. He faces a maximum of 20 years in jail if found guilty.

Insurgents in the oil- and gas-rich province have been fighting for an independent homeland since the mid-1970s. At least 6,000 people have been killed in the past decade.A primary school teacher from Cork has been crowned as Miss Ireland for 2018.

23-year-old Aoife O'Sullivan from Ballinadee, near Kinsale, fought off competition from 31 other finalists to win the event which was held at Dublin's Helix Theatre last night.

Aoife teaches senior infants in St Maries of the Isle in Cork, while also juggling modelling commitments as she is signed with Andrea Roches agency in Dublin.

Her chosen charity to support throughout the competition as Miss So Amazing Fashions was Jigsaw in Cork which helps young people with their mental health.

Aoife with her parents. Photo: Brian McEvoy

In an interview with the Evening Echo before the final, Aoife described herself as a "country girl" who looked to modelling to "fill the void" left by camogie after she tore her cruciate at 17.

I did it twice actually and was told I couldnt play sport any more, which was devastating, so I turned to modelling to fill the void, and that became my hobby, she told the paper.

She first entered Miss Ireland three years ago and finished third which, despite being a quiet, naive country girl who was thrown into the midst of it all, gave her a "huge platform" for modelling.

Aoife with Mr Ireland winner Karl Walsh. Photo: Brian McEvoyPhoto: Brian McEvoy

Besides modelling, she told the paper her hobbies are health and fitness.

She is in a relationship with Cork hurler Colm Spillane and he was in the audience to support her last night.

Karl Walsh from Galway won the Mr Ireland title on the night.

Digital DeskMatt Doherty has expressed his frustration at his lack of a Republic of Ireland start under Martin O'Neill.

The Wolves wing-back continued his good form yesterday by setting up Raul Jimenez for their winner against Burnley, the same day as his comments questioning O'Neill's criticism of him were published.

Ireland aren't blessed with many Premier League regulars, apart from right-back where Doherty is in competition with Seamus Coleman and Cyrus Christie. Indeed, O'Neill made room for the latter duo in Ireland's Nations League opener against Wales by playing Christie on the right wing.

Speaking to the press after last week's internationals, O'Neill said Doherty, whose three caps have all come as a sub in friendlies, needs to work on taking on players with attacking runs.

"My own view  and I think he totally agrees with me  is that the way Wolves play at times, when hes out wide hell look to pass it infield again. And I believe he can drive forward with it," said O'Neill.

"When he gets the confidence to do that, I believe he can do it because hes strong. Cyrus Christie will try and drive forward like that in that position. But overall I was pleased to get him on the field of play. Certainly, on that side of the field we have got a bit of competition."

In an interview with The Observer, those comments were put to Doherty.

"Thats his opinion when he watches me. I wouldnt say I have the same opinion," he said.

He was also asked if there is a personal issue between him and O'Neill, and if it was true O'Neill was unhappy with him wearing gloves.

"Hes mentioned the gloves. I wear them because its cold. When I first went out he had a joke about the gloves, nothing too serious. I dont know [if that is an issue]. Ask him.Nearly two years after leaving the White House, former President Barack Obama is set to return to the US political landscape.

To the delight of many Democrats, he has stepped back into the fray that former presidents often try to avoid, campaigning for candidates ahead of the midterm elections and blasting the political culture of the Trump era.

He attracted a large, adoring crowd this past week in Ohio and will be in Pennsylvania on Friday campaigning for Democratic Senator Bob Casey.

But Mr Obama's return poses challenges for both the former president and his party.

He has struggled to turn admiration for him into votes when he is not on the ballot. Democrats lost significant ground in the 2010 and 2014 midterms and his enthusiastic campaigning for Hillary Clinton did not carry her across the finish line in 2016.

More importantly, Mr Obama's public re-entry into politics could serve as a motivating factor for Republicans, potentially handing them a gift at a time when they face an uphill battle to maintain their grip on Congress.

"This is perfect for us," said Rep Lou Barletta, the Republican challenging Mr Casey for the Senate seat.

"It will energise Republicans as a reminder."

If you still don't think the midterms will affect you, @BarackObama is back to spell out just how important they are pic.twitter.com/5dghmZwp2m  NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 8, 2018

The former president will also "energise the blue-collar Democrats who worried about their jobs under the Obama administration and went out to vote for Donald Trump", Mr Barletta added.

For their part, Democrats say an Obama visit is a huge boon. Massive crowds give candidates and the party a chance to organise, update contact lists, motivate new donors and boost volunteers.

Michael Halle, the campaign manager for Richard Cordray - the Democratic candidate for governor in Ohio, said Mr Obama's visit sent a message about the stakes of the race, which could have implications for redistricting and voting rights in the future.

"First and foremost, it's important for the people who live in Ohio," he said. "But secondly, there are also significant national implications, and I think the [former] president weighed those in making the decision."

An aide to the former president said Mr Obama is aware that he does not have a strong record of aiding Democrats in midterm elections and that his presence can have the effect of galvanising Republican voters.

The aide said Mr Obama would take a strategic approach to the midterm races and pointed to the light footprint that the former president kept earlier in his post-presidency.

Today Im proud to endorse such a wide and impressive array of Democratic candidates  leaders as diverse, patriotic, and big-hearted as the America theyre running to represent: pic.twitter.com/gWzalQhFas  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 1, 2018

Scott Mulhauser, who served as Vice President Joe Biden's deputy chief of staff during the 2012 election, said Obama left office as the "most admired man in the country, and his popularity has only increased since".

"Part of his success is being strategic in his approach to campaigning - coordinating with campaigns to maximise his impact and minimise any blowback, stumping where it makes sense and avoiding where it doesn't," Mr Mulhauser said.

"He's rightfully out on the trail for certain campaigns, taking a pass on others and recording calls and sending emails on behalf of those that want to use him and his popularity in a targeted manner."

In Pennsylvania, Mr Obama returns to a state he carried twice but that swung to President Trump in 2016.

The state features critical contests for Congress and governor. Rep Dwight Evans of Philadelphia, where Mr Obama will campaign, said that the former president's presence will be important for his ability to motivate African-American voters, college-aged voters and the poor.

"I think that he can help Democrats, and I think it needs to be really targeted," Mr Evans said.

HAPPENING NOW: Former Pres. Obama stumps in Ohio for Democratic nominee Richard Cordray https://t.co/toeBQCE1Zg https://t.co/T38Mi3eGqK  ABC News (@ABC) September 14, 2018

Both African-Americans and college-age voters were crucial to Mr Obama's victories in 2008 and 2012, and because Mr Obama was the first black president, Mr Evans said, "he can say some things to the African-American community that cannot be said by anybody else".

While in Philadelphia, Mr Obama will fund-raise for Senate Democrats in general and in particular, Mr Casey, who was Mr among Obama's earliest Senate backers when he sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

While Mr Obama's full schedule is taking shape, aides say he is weighing how to best engage on behalf of Democratic candidates across the nation.

Earlier this year, he endorsed more than 80 Democrats across more than a dozen states, and aides say a second wave of endorsements is expected this autumn.

Brenda Boots, 42, who attended the Ohio rally, said Mr Obama is a welcome presence and hoped he would inject the governor's race with new life.

"How could he hurt?" she asked. "I don't think he could hurt."

PATelstra chief executive Andy Penn has told shareholders a planned merger between rivals TPG Telecom and Vodafone Hutchison Australia is a good thing for the competitive mobile industry.

Mr Penn, while fronting retail investors in Melbourne on Monday morning, said the creation of a $15 billion rival will help keep competition in the mobile space to a more appropriate level, with telcos already seeing prices falling and data inclusions rising as they fight for customers.

TPG, which has a significant presence in selling fixed internet services, has long been planning to launch a fourth mobile network and had been advertising upcoming unlimited mobile phone plans for $9.99, which would have put a squeeze on existing telcos.

Assuming the planned merger obtains regulatory approvals and a shareholder vote, Mr Penn described it as generally speaking a good thing for the industry.Amazon.com Inc. is conducting an investigation into employees that are said to offer sellers on its e-commerce program with an advantage by providing confidential internal data and other services in exchange for a fee.

Amazon is investigating the allegations. Credit:Bloomberg

Employees are allegedly selling information on sales and searches to the independent merchants that operate on the site and providing a way to delete negative reviews, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. These practices may help sellers' products appear higher in search results, bettering their chances of attracting customers. The newspaper cited brokers who act as intermediaries between employees and merchants, individuals who bought the services, and people familiar with the investigations.

The trillion-dollar firm reportedly initiated an internal probe in May after being alerted to instances of this taking place in China, where it is said to be most prevalent. An Amazon representative confirmed that the company is investigating the claims, saying that the tactics would run afoul of its policy and that action would be taken against employees and merchants who break these rules.Qantas could face a legal challenge over a condition in its controversial $2000 performance bonus scheme that strips a worker of their extra payment if they or one of their colleagues steps out of line and "harms" the airline.

The airline announced the $2000 cash performance bonus, plus a $500 travel voucher, for 27,000 frontline staff to much fanfare last month after handing down a record-high underlying profit of $1.6 billion.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus outside Qantas' headquarters on Monday. Credit:James Alcock

But Qantas was soon under fire after workers were told they would only receive the cash part of the bonus if and when they signed new wage agreements, which for some would not happen for another three years. Unions branded the bonus a "bribe" that would also make it harder for workers to reject any proposed enterprise bargaining agreements (EBAs).

Fairfax Media has confirmed a provision that workers will lose the bonus if they - or one of their colleagues - engage in any conduct that "harms" Qantas.Clive Palmer has denied recusing the judge in his Brisbane Supreme Court battle against liquidators was a failed attempt to delay his trial.

Lawyers for the former federal MP have convinced Justice John Bond to recuse himself after arguing he could be biased against Mr Palmer for freezing his assets in May.

Clive Palmer arrives at the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Monday. Credit:AAP

Justice Bond noted that when making the order to freeze the assets, it could be perceived he believed Mr Palmer's sworn evidence was untrue, and that could legally call into question his impartiality in the rest of the case.

But he rejected any suggestion that he was actually biased against Mr Palmer.Kidman Resources has defended its commitment to Australian lithium as the company tries to convince the WA Mines and Petroleum Minister to exempt it from spending obligations on tenements associated with its planned Mt Holland lithium project.

The project near Southern Cross in WA hit a legal hurdle last week when the mining warden, a magistrate that hears mining tenement matters, recommended Minister Bill Johnston not approve an exemption from past minimum spending obligations set out in the WA Mining Act. This usually relates to spending on exploration of the tenement.

Kidman and SQM's Mt Holland lithium mine is targeting an annual capacity of 44,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide.

Mt Holland is owned by Kidman (ASX: KDR) and Chilean lithium giant SQM in a joint venture.

The companies applied for exemptions of their spending obligations on 13 tenements from the period August 2014 to March 2016 but this was opposed by Phoenix Rise and Jeffrey Hull, sending the exemption application to the warden.Almost a million Australians have so far opted out of the controversial My Health Record, the Senate Committee looking into the system has heard.

As of September 12, roughly 900,000 people had opted out of the system, according to Australian Digital Health Agency chief executive Tim Kelsey.

As of September 12, roughly 900,000 people had opted out of My Health Record. Credit:Alamy

That figure represents about 3 per cent of those eligible for My Health Record, Mr Kelsey said.

That's out of a total of about 28 million, which includes "anyone who is eligible for a Medicare number, which would include non-residents with a variety of visa specifications et cetera, and others," he said.I first knew something was wrong was when I heard scuffling in the landing outside my apartment. Then came the knocking on the door of the apartment next to mine and voices, angry murmurs at first, that quickly escalated into shouting.

Police told Kasey Edwards that unless they caught the man who turned up at her neighbor's front door threatening to kill her in the act, there was nothing they could do to protect her.

Pretty soon a drunk and angry man was knocking repeatedly, swearing and hurling abuse. The young woman on the other side of the door, my neighbours new flatmate, was trying to placate him and asking for him to leave her alone.

Things went quiet for a bit. The man remained in the stairwell, a couple of levels down.

Next there were footsteps racing up the stairs and more raised voices, this time from my neighbour. Spying though the peephole, I saw my neighbours flatmate fling open their door and my neighbour rush inside.David Harold Eastman threw rocks at police conducting covert surveillance during the investigation into the murder of Colin Winchester, a court has heard.

Mr Winchester, the Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner, was gunned down in the driveway of his neighbour's Deakin home about 9.15pm on January 10, 1989.

Police immediately launched a full scale investigation into the assassination.

David Eastman, left, arrives at court with his legal team earlier in this trial. Credit:Karleen Minney

Mr Eastman was one of several suspects police pursued in the aftermath. Investigators installed bugs in his Reid flat and officers conducted overt and covert surveillance of his movements.When you think 'extreme' you might think adrenaline sports. Raging weather. Your distant uncle's unique political views. Rarely is something like the age-old pastime of knitting paired with the word extreme.

I soon learned that extreme knitting was not crocheting while performing parkour, or frantically spinning a scarf while hurtling from a plane. Extreme knitting just so happened to be knitting, but on a larger scale.

Textile artist Jacqui Fink first came up with the idea in 2010. Since then, her designs have been exhibited all over the world.

Textile artist Jacqui Fink and The Canberra Times journalist Serena Coady. Credit:Jamila Toderas

During her workshop at the Canberra Centre on the weekend, Fink talked to me about all things knitting, extreme knitting.We are stuffed without these specialists. NSW disability advocates have warned people with disability who struggle to swallow will die unless the decision is reversed. Margaret Vale feeding her daughter Ellen Toby, 20. Ellen needs 24-hour care and is at risk of choking during meals. Mealtime management and swallowing assessments have long been the purview of disability support services. But the NDIA now say it's the health system's responsibility. It goes against the fundamental principle of what the NDIS is trying to achieve, Ellens pathologist Simone Fitzgerald said.

The health system doesnt have the resources or the capacity to deal with this demographic of people. Lawyer and Senior Advocate at the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability Jim Simpson said the decision defied logic. Loading Dysphagia was the result of disability and functional impairments among this group of individuals, Mr Simpson said. The NDIA are taking a very narrow view of their responsibilities and their argument is just wrong," he said.

Families are very desperately worried about this. A whole lot of people are going to die if this therapy is taken away or done inadequately. Weve seen it before." People with intellectual disabilities were twice as likely to die potentially avoidable deaths than the general public in Australia, a 2017 study found. Adults with intellectual disability died on average 27 years earlier than other Australians (54 versus 81-years-old), a disparity comparable to the life expectancy gap between Australia and South Sudan. A recent NSW Ombudsman report found between 2002 and 2017, 65 per cent of disability services residents who died had swallowing difficulties.

Choking was a factor in the deaths of seven people in 2014-15 and four people 2016-17. Ten people died from choking in 2012-13 and nine in 2010-11, according to the report released in August. NSWCID senior advocate Jim Simpson said people with disability and swallowing problems will die if they cannot access appropriate specialist assessments. The Ombudsman concluded "dysphagia has significant and often fatal implications for the health of people with disability. It is critical that people with disability in residential care and elsewhere have timely access to skilled speech pathologists to obtain an accurate assessment of their swallowing function and clear recommendations. The NDIA says swallowing difficulties and the risk of choking are health risks and are most appropriately handled by the health system, including a Medicare rebate item, referring to the Chronic Disease Management Plan, through which patients can access a maximum of five Medicare-subsidised allied health services  such as speech pathologists  a year.

But this was flagrantly inadequate, Mr Simpson said, for people with disability who needed ongoing care and often have complex chronic health problems. He said the health system was not equipped with the appropriate expertise to manage mealtime and swallowing assessments. The money previously allocated to disability services for the assessments has been mopped up by the NDIS and should be carried on by the scheme, he said. The NSWCID is urging the federal Minister for Families and Social Services Paul Fletcher and the Disability Reform Council to reinstate NDIS funding for the services. The NSW Minister for Disability Services Ray Williams said: "I am aware that some NDIS participants have experienced issues with supports for swallowing problems and recognise the impact this has on them and their carers."Shock jock Ray Hadley has been forced into an embarrassing backtrack, issuing an apology to former prison guard Demmi Zeschke for wrongly suggesting she had sex with an inmate at Long Bay prison.

Ray Hadley was forced to apologise to former prison guard Demmi Zeschke, for wrongly suggesting she had sex with an inmate. Credit:Facebook

In July this year, Hadley told his listeners that the 22-year-old prison officer from country NSW had sex with convicted drink-drive double killer Jarad Smith in a segment calling prisons "hotbeds" of forbidden sexual relationships.

"Let me introduce you to a prisoner who is currently on day release. Jarad Smith, 23. Back in 2015, he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. His ute hit two pedestrians in Rozelle," the 2GB host said on his top-rating morning program on July 25.A teacher has been charged for allegedly assaulting a 13-year-old student at a primary school in Sydney's south-west.

Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad began investigating in May 2018 after reports a 13-year-old girl had been indecently assaulted a number of times by her teacher in 2017.

On Monday, police arrested a 28-year-old man and charged him with two counts of indecent assault of a child under 16.

Police will allege in court the teacher indecently assaulted the girl in a classroom at the south-western Sydney primary school.

The man was granted strict conditional bail and will appear in Liverpool Local Court on Tuesday. The 28-year-old is also currently suspended from teaching.In the contemporary culture war over whether racists and other bigots should be given airtime, American author and academic Roxane Gay has planted her feet firmly in the no-platforming camp.

So it may come as a surprise to hear what Gay thinks of the relatively low-profile speaker she plans to share the stage with, when she returns to Australian shores in March for the #FEMINIST speaking tour.

"I absolutely think that there is room within feminism for conservatism": Roxane Gay. Credit:Pat Scala

Unlike most speaking tours, the event that arrives at the Sydney Town Hall on March 29 is a debate. Though touted as a "meeting of the minds", whats likely to transpire given the two minds in question is a showdown between a woman whose name has become synonymous with her 2014 collection of essays, Bad Feminist, and a woman many other feminists just believe to be bad.

Gay's opponent is certainly a controversial feminist; a feminist whos been associated with the American alt-right. A feminist who insists the gender pay gap is a myth, and describes current movements to address rape on university campuses as a "sex panic".A woman has been taken to hospital after an alleged assault by an off-duty police officer in Geelong.

Police confirmed they are investigating an assault at a licensed premises which involved an off-duty officer.

Police are investigating the assault involving the off-duty police officer.

The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday morning at a nightclub in Geelong.

"Investigators have been told the assault took place inside the premises about 2am," a police spokeswoman said.We need to talk about drugs. We need to talk about them in a radically different way than we are now.

The tragic deaths of two young people, with more critically ill, as a result of suspected drug overdoses at the Defqon.1 music festival in Sydney has again put a spotlight on our current approach to drugs.

Defqon.1 music festival at the Sydney International Regatta centre. Credit:Jessica Aquilina

This as ACT Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson revealed he intends to this week introduce an exposure bill in the ACT Legislative Assembly about cannabis law reform. While the details of the bill are not yet known, broader discussion about non-prohibition models for drugs are welcomed.

But what is clear is that we need a conversation around drugs, a conversation informed by science and evidence. Canberras political leaders have shown a willingness to do this already.West Australians face days of aftershocks in the wake of a 5.6 magnitude earthquake in the state's South West.

Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Phil Cummins said he expected aftershocks "of decreasing magnitude and size" to continue for some time.

The quake struck just before 1pm. Credit:LE RESEAU SISMOLOGIQUE DE NOUVELLE-CALEDONIE

"It is quite a rare event and especially to have it occurred in this place. On the south coast earthquakes are more rare," Professor Cummins said.

Residents in Walpole, near to the quake, may feel aftershocks for days, while those in the immediate vicinity of the quake could even feel the aftershocks for weeks.The Corkhill Brothers group stands to make at least $139 million on its crossborder land venture with the ACT government, after the government paid $4.5m two years ago for the land the family owned on the ACT side of the border.

The housing estate in West Belconnen, Ginninderry, is being developed by the landscaping company's subsidiary property development group, Riverview, and the territory government.

ACT Housing Minister Yvette Berry, Suburban Land Agency chief John Deitz, Brian Corkhill, Riverview Developments managing director David Maxwell and Green Building Council of Australia chief Romilly Madew at a sod-turning ceremony to mark the start of construction on the Ginninderry housing development. Credit:Karleen Minney

Construction on the first of about 30 stages of the residential development began in April, with 11,500 new homes expected over the next three decades.

Documents released under freedom of information laws show the joint venture is valued at about $1.6 billion, with the ACT government to make about $208 million in profit. Given the profits are to be shared 60:40, Riverview stands to make $139 million.Senior leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and pacer Mohammed Siraj return to India's T20 squad for series against New Zealand.Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris continues to resist "sudden" calls for a board of inquiry into ACT Health, saying there is no evidence of criminal behaviour or significant harm to people within the system.

Ms Fitzharris announced an independent review into ACT Health's culture last week after months of escalating pressure over mismanagement and bullying allegations.

Canberra Hospital Credit:Karleen Minney

But she fell short of announcing a board of inquiry - as supported by the Australian Medical Association, salaried doctors' union and the opposition - which would have had similar powers and witness protections of a royal commission.

Ms Fitzharris on Monday told The Canberra Times other significant health groups - including the nurses' union, Health Care Consumers' Association and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons - all supported her alternative independent review.The NSW Liberal Party says Tony Abbott secured 68 per cent support in his controversial preselection, in a move designed to head off damaging speculation and internal disunity over the former prime minister's future.

A party spokesman told Fairfax Media on Monday afternoon that Mr Abbott received 68 votes during an endorsement meeting on Friday night, while 30 members voted against him and two lodged informal votes.

The actual number was kept secret from the meeting, triggering angry scenes and two days of division. Some members believe Mr Abbott received only 46 votes compared to 38 against, and are expected to dispute the results released by the party.

"Whilst it has been the partys practice to declare the number of votes for or against a particular candidate, a recent review of the partys constitution has determined that the returning officer is obliged to declare the result of the ballot, not the number of votes cast for or against," the spokesman said.

"Nevertheless, given inaccurate information being reported regarding the recent Warringah endorsement meeting, and at the request of the candidate, we advise that Tony Abbott was endorsed with 68 votes for, 30 votes against and two informal votes."The word "disgrace" is overused in politics - deployed constantly as a bipartisan weapon, too hyperbolic to take seriously.

But all hyperbole seems undercooked when you look into the pit the Liberal Party has dug for itself over its woman problem - a term that used to be given scare quotes but no longer warrants them.

The woman problem is real, and it is stark.

Politicians are fond of invoking the iron law of arithmetic, at least when it comes to toppling their leaders or shoring up their own numbers.You could set your watch by it. In the wake of the tragic death of two revellers at the Defqon.1 music festival due to drugs, the clarion calls blared out, starting with Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who said she would shut down the event.

Other politicians and conservative commentators followed, with much the same pronouncements we have heard since north shore schoolgirl Anna Wood tragically died after a rave party in Ultimo in 1995. "Zero tolerance!" "Increase punishments!"

The Premier has said she will shut down the Defqon.1 music festival. Credit:Twitter: @defqon1AU

As to the obvious idea of pill-testing at festivals, again the Premier led the way. Advocates of pill-testing, she said, were giving the green light to drugs." Queue echoing calls: We must win the war on drugs, Wed be sending the wrong message.

Always the assumption of the pollies, shock jocks et al is that the mums and dads are on their side, that they also want such festivals shut down, even as sniffer dogs are let off the leash, and battalions of men and women in blue storm ashore and plant a flag of decency right atop that massed mountain in the mosh pit at the festivals.A Queensland man accused of assisting his wife take her own life as he was beneficiary of her $1.4 million life insurance told her she was too weak to survive the biblical rapture, a court has heard.

Jennifer Morant died on the Gold Coast in 2014 after her husband Graham Robert Morant, 69, allegedly repeatedly told her her suicide would not be a sin in God's eyes because of the financial windfall to his pastor aspirations.

Graham Robert Morant found a suicide note from his wife saying she didn't want to be a burden on anyone, according to a triple-zero call. Credit:PA

Mr Morant wanted to buy a property in the Gold Coast hinterland with the life insurance money to start a religious commune, Jennifer Morant's sister Lynette Lucas has told a jury.

"He had explained to her that he was going to have a communal environment, with bunkers and extended out-buildings so that when the raptures came, they would have a place of safety," Ms Lucas has testified in Brisbane Supreme Court.Laws to jail for at least six months anyone who assaults an emergency worker on duty are expected to pass Victorias Parliament on Tuesday, as Labor and the Coalition pursue tougher justice policies ahead of the state election.

But community lawyers and health workers have made an eleventh-hour plea to the Andrews government to scrap mandatory sentencing for attacks on emergency workers, arguing the move will cost lives and set back recent progress on family violence.

The group warned some victims of family violence would no longer call for help for fear of condemning a partner or family member to jail.

It is only a matter of time until a person dies who did not call for help when their partner was abusing them or their adult child was in a psychotic state, Belinda Lo, chief executive of the Federation of Community Legal Centres said in a letter to Premier Daniel Andrews.

The legal centres have warned the government the laws will undermine progress on family violence by reimposing a culture of silence among victims.One of history's little pranks is the countries that were Asia's leading exponents of communism and socialism are now the most unequal and unfair.

In Mao's China, power was wielded ruthlessly to enforce the communist ideal of perfect equality. It was a poor country, and the poverty was shared pretty fairly.

India is now growing faster than China, and it shows every sign of continuing to do so. Credit:AP

Today in Xi's China, power is wielded ruthlessly to stoke growth amid a system of gross inequality comparable to that of American capitalism, red in tooth and claw. "To get rich is glorious," Deng Xiaoping said. Everyone else is invited to keep up as best they can.

In the India of the Gandhi dynasty, there was a stark divide between rich and poor, and power was used as veto to prevent any of the poor from becoming rich. It was a poor country, and the rich told the poor it was their fate to endure it that way.Wilmington: North Carolina is confronting a spiralling crisis as tropical depression Florence slowly ravages the region, flooding cities, endangering communities from the coastline to the rugged mountains, and requiring many more than 1000 rescues.

Sunday, it seemed, was when the storm system that had stalked the South for days  first as a hurricane, then as a tropical storm and eventually as a tropical depression  showed its full power with staggering scope. The death toll rose to at least 16 in North and South Carolina, where roads were treacherous and even the most stately trees were falling.

"It's horrible," said Mitch Colvin, the mayor of Fayetteville, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state, where the rising Cape Fear River was expected to swamp bridges and cut his city in two. "Things are deteriorating," he said.Washington: US Congressman Chris Collins, under federal indictment for insider trading and lying to investigators, will remain on the ballot in November despite suspending his campaign for reelection after being charged last month, a Republican party official said Monday.

That is a scenario that Republican Party officials had hoped to avoid. While New York's 27th Congressional District is heavily Republican, Democrats believe that with Collins on the ballot, they have an outside chance of claiming the seat in November.

For weeks, state Republican officials explored finding a way for Collins to vacate the general election ballot and replace him with an untainted GOP candidate, but under New York state law there are scant options for a primary winner to spurn his party's nomination. Short of death or moving out of state, Collins would have had to accept the Republican nomination for another state office.

According to the GOP official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of an official announcement, that effort was unsuccessful.Latest News Stabilised demand hints new post-COVID equilibrium for housing markets The end of the HomeBuilder scheme marks the most impressive sales since 2017

NAB announces 76% rise in profits Good news for brokers as market share grows to over 40% at Big Four bank

Following a recent ASIC report on reverse mortgages, an industry association is calling for the introduction of mandatory training and accreditation.

The training would be for anyone wanting to offer reverse mortgages, to ensure borrowers receive the right advice and understand the long-term implications and opportunities.

Executive director of the Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA) said the findings by ASIC highlighted the need for higher standards in the sector.

In its report, ASIC reviewed 17,000 reverse mortgages and found that while they can help Australians achieve a better way of life in retirement, there was a poor understanding of the risks and future costs of the loan.

It found that lenders had a clear role to play and should be doing more to communicate with borrowers.

Peter White said the FBAA had been working closely with ASIC on reverse mortgages for some time. It has formed a specialised working group under the chairmanship of Stephen Rasmussen following on from the foundational work of the Senior Australians Equity Release Association of Lenders, which folded in 2017.

Rasmussen said, We are seeking to develop a co-ordinated industry understanding and strategy towards higher levels of training and accreditation, and to improve consumer access to accurate, timely and appropriate advice on their financing options.

Our working group is focussed on a whole industry approach to strengthen consumer safeguards, but its important to note significant protections have been in place since 2011 including high level disclosure requirements and the no negative equity guarantee.

While the main lenders have maintained high standards, this is a highly specialised area ideally served by practitioners who have developed the knowledge and experience in the sector.

The tick-box response from some lenders is not appropriate as all applicants for reverse mortgages deserve good, independent advice taking into account long-term needs.

White said the FBAA knew there were gaps and was committed to closing them. He added, More than a year ago I instructed our registered training organisation to develop a new leading-edge course for reverse mortgages which was fully compliant and up to date.

Our members must complete this course if writing reverse mortgages and we have made it available to non-members also.



Guwahati, Sep 17 : Assam police have been arrested three more suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists from central Assams Hojai and Nagaon district last night.





According to the reports, police had arrested two suspected Hizbul operatives from Jamunamukh area in Hojai district and another from Kachua area in Nagaon district.





The arrested suspected terrorists were identified as 55-year-old Jainal Ahmed, 23-year-old Baharul Islam and 50-year-old Riyajuddin.





Police had also conducted search operation in the house of Baharul Islam and seized few incriminating documents.





Earlier, Assam police had arrested four suspected Hizbul terrorists from different locations of Hojai district.





After the arrest of Qamar-uz-Zaman, a suspected terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen who hails from Hojais Jamunamukh by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) at Kanpur on September 13, the Assam police have arrested seven of its operatives in past 72 hours.





Special DGP of Assam Pallav Bhattacharya said that, on the basis of the interrogation of Qamar-uz-Zaman and other people, Assam police have so far arrested seven suspected Hizbul operatives.





All things have been closely scrutinized by our investigating teams. We have closely monitored the issue and the security agencies of Government of India and Assam have been used to stop such kind activities. How many have joined the outfit and how many have not able to join, all aspects will come out during the investigation, Pallav Bhattacharya said.





The top Assam cop further said that, earlier some Pakistan supported terrorist groups also tried to set up base and network in Assam, but they failed because of Assamese community have not accepted their ridiculous ideology.





From Harkat-ul-Mujahideen to HUJI, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh had earlier tried to set up their bases in Assam. But they failed. People of Assamese society have not accepted their ideology. After Khagragarh blast, Assam police and other security agencies had arrested 56 JMB terrorists, Bhattacharya said.





Qamar-uz-Zaman was allegedly recruited in Kishtwar district in Jammu region of Jammu & Kashmir as he went missing in 2017 until April 2018 and appeared his picture in the social media with an AK-47 rifle as a Hizbul ultra.





On Saturday, Assam police had arrested two youths identified as Saidul Alam and Umar Faruk and they were very close with Qamar-uz-Zaman.



Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC

A Park Slope pet owner is furious with workers at a local carpet-cleaning businesses whom she claimed pulverized her beloved kittys paw during a recent cleanse, and then refused to pay the animals thousand-dollar medical tab, instead offering a mere $130 refund on the shampoo job.

They were grossly negligent in not telling us they hurt our cat and refusing to even consider our vet bills, said Emma Chapman.

Chapmans 14-year-old puss, Ralphie, was at her parents Dyker Heights home on Aug. 27, when Stanley Steemer cleaners showed up about 20 minutes early for their 9 am appointment, leaving the family no time to wrangle the cat, whom the workers were told to keep watch for, the pet owner claimed.

But as the employees moved furniture to prepare for a deep clean of the 78th Street residences basement carpet, they dropped a couch on Ralphies paw, causing a compound fracture that left bones protruding from his skin, according to Chapman, who said her parents later found the agonized kitty hiding beneath their bed.

He had a badly broken foot with bones sticking out of the skin, she said.

The family then rushed Ralphie to a nearby vet, whose diagnosis aligned with the trauma that they suspected the kitty endured, Chapman said.

The vet said the injuries are consistent with something like furniture being moved on top of it, she said.

Ralphies hospital visit resulted in a $3,000 bill, and he is far from back on his feet following the treatment, according to Chapman, who said antibiotics he received caused gastrointestinal problems that made him vomit blood and lose his appetite.

He may not survive, she said. Myself and my family are completely devastated.

Chapman said she contacted Stanley Steemers 20th Street outpost after the incident, but a manager there claimed his crew saw neither hide nor hair of any cat, blaming the injuries on the familys negligence.

He said, My guys didnt see no cat. Its your pet, your responsibility,  she said.

She then reached out to the companys Ohio headquarters, where a more-sympathetic employee offered to cover the carpet-cleaning bill, but not a penny of Ralphies medical fees, according to Chapman.

Finally, the distressed cat owner contacted the person who investigates insurance claims against Stanley Steemer, who told Chapman that her he-said-she-said situation was not basis enough for filing a claim, she said.

Stanley Steemers insurance adjuster told me its your word against the crew, and since I work for Stanley Steemer, I have to take their word over yours,  she said.

Reps for Stanley Steemer did not immediately return messages left seeking comment about the incident.



Guwahati : Manipur police on Sunday had suspended four police personnel including a Sub-Inspector, who were present while a 26-year-old youth was lynched to death by a mob on suspicion of being bike thief on September 13 last.





A top official of Manipur police said that, an inquiry has been initiated after a video of the incident showed that, armed police personnel were present at the spot when the victim was still alive.





On September 13 last, 26-year-old MBA student Farooq Ahmed Khan hailing from Lilong Haoreibi area in Thoubal district was attacked by a mob at Tharoijam Awang Leikai under Lamsgang assembly constituency in Imphal West district.





The incident was happened when Farooq and his two friends were travelled in the area on September 13 morning.





The mob had torched the car in which Khan and his two friends were travelling.





Two others with Khan had managed to escape from the area.





Locals alleged that, the youths were caught by the villagers when they were stealing a two-wheeler from the area.





Following the incident Manipur police had registered a case under section 302,117 and 34 of IPC and arrested five people in connection with the incident.





Manipur police said that, investigation is going on and 13 people who attacked the youth have been identified and will be arrested soon.





On the other hand, different groups of the north eastern state have asked the state government to conduct a proper investigation into the incident.





The Manipur Human Rights Commission has also registered a suo moto case and directed the Director General of Police of Manipur to submit a report by

September 22.





On the other, members of the Joint Action Committee formed against the mob lynching incident on Sunday met Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and signed a memorandum of agreement with the state government.





According to the memorandum of agreement, the state government will suspend the erring police personnel, who are on duty, as visible in video clips circulated in social media, immediately. Depratmental enquiry against the erring police personnel will be completed, as per procedure, preferably within a period of one month.





Maximum efforts will be made to arrest the remaining absconding persons who are seen to be involved in the mob lynching of Farooq Khan in the video clips, at earliest. A masscondemnation programme against mob justice will be held across the state on an appointed date, with participation of people irrespective of religion, caste or community with the objective of creating public awareness against this social evil. Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police will be entrusted with the responsibility of mobilising the public for the same, said in the memorandum of agreement.





Earlier, a mob had attacked two people on suspicion of being child lifters in the state in July last.





On June 8 last, the youths hailing from Guwahati were beaten to death by locals in the name of child kidnapper (locally called xupadhora) at Panjuri Kacharigaon village near Kangthailangso under Dokmoka police station in Assams Karbi Anglong district.



Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorSimultaneously, it is looking for a second tranche of power procurement and is planning to go the whole hog into trading through power exchange in tie-up with ICICI and BSE. TN, Telangana, Haryana, Punjab, Jharkhand and Bihar are likely to sign the power sales agreement (PSA) for the first tranche of 1,900 Mw, for which PTC has aggregated bids. Through the use of ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorUnion minister Sunday said he wants to withdraw two "inappropriate" words " bowl" from his speech, in which he had favoured educational institutes to seek support from their alumni, besides government help.

The Union human resource development minister said he wanted to withdraw the words, claiming that they were "inadvertently" used during his speech at a school in Pune on Friday.

He was quoted in various news reports as saying, "It is former students of an institute, who give back to their educational institutes, however, there are some schools which keep approaching the government with a bowl seeking help."

"My speech has been misinterpreted. The government is investing in education on a big scale and budgetary provisions have been increased by 70 per cent in last four years. At the same time the alumni also needs the to contribute for development of schools and colleges," Javadekar said.

"This is the practice worldwide. I didn't mean to say that the government will not help, I just meant that alumni should come forward to help besides the government support. I also want to withdraw two inappropriate words bowl which were inadvertently used during my speech," he said in a statement.

According to the reports, the minister had said, "Worldwide, who run educational institutes? It is the former students. Who run universities worldwide? It is the alumni who have excelled in their respective fields."

"Such students give back to their educational institutes. This same attitude has been cultivated by Jnana Prabhodhini among its students over the years, and because of the contribution of its former students, the institute is successfully running for the last 50 years," he had said, while speaking at a function organised here by the Jnana Prabhodini School.

ALSO READ: Don't come to us with a bowl for help, ask alumni: Prakash Javadekar

Javadekar had said that there were, however, some schools which keep approaching the government with a "bowl" seeking help while the real help (alumni) is with them itself.

"It is the responsibility of former students to get associated with their schools or colleges and contribute for its betterment. It is also important for a school or college to cultivate that attitude in its students," the minister had said.

He also told the gathering about the efforts his ministry was taking to reduce the weight of school bags by 50 per cent.

"Efforts are being taken to reduce the weight of the school bags by 50 per cent so that students get more time for extra-curricular activities," Javadekar had said.Ahead of Russian Vladimir Putin's visit next month, has clearly indicated that will not allow its time-tested defence and security ties with to be impacted by the US sanctions on military transactions with

She also said negotiations on the S-400 missile deal with are almost complete, hinting that is on course to finalise it soon.

"India has maintained its sovereignty as regards to its relationship with countries. We shall maintain it in all earnestness," she told PTI.

Sitharaman was replying to a question on whether the US sanctions on military transactions with will hit New Delhi's strategic and defence ties with one of its closest partners.

Putin is scheduled to visit India early next month to hold the annual India-Russia summit with Prime Minister during which both sides are likely to deliberate on ways to further strengthen strategic ties.

Russia has been one of India's key suppliers of arms and ammunition. After years of negotiations, both countries are on the verge of inking a Rs 400 billion deal to procure S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems for the

There was some uncertainty over the deal in the wake of the US military sanctions against Russia under the stringent CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) law for its annexation of Crimea.

However, India has already conveyed to the US that it will go ahead with the procurement of the air defence systems despite Washington's sanctions, official sources said. The issue figured during the first edition of two-plus-two talks between India and the US on September 6.

There have been mounting concerns in India over the US sanctions against Russian defence majors, including Rosoboronexport, as billions of dollars of military purchases may be impacted because of the punitive measure.

CAATSA mandates the to punish entities engaging in significant transaction with the defence or intelligence establishment of Russia.

India wants to procure the long-range missile systems to tighten its air defence mechanism, particularly along the nearly 4,000-km-long Sino-India border.

In 2016, India and Russia signed an agreement on the 'Triumf' interceptor-based missile system which can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km. S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.

was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to- deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system and has already started delivery of unknown number of the S-400 missile systems to

The S-400 is an upgraded version of the S-300 systems. The missile system, manufactured by Almaz-Antey, has been in service in Russia since 2007.Kathmandu, Nepal: Different 16 bills related to the fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal have been passed from both the federal parliament- House of Representatives (HoR) and the National Assembly (NA) on Monday.





All the necessary laws related to the fundamental rights have been passed just a day before the constitutional deadline to passage the rules. Articles 16 to 46 of the Constitution of Nepal has provisioned about the fundamental rights of the citizens.





As the constitution makes it mandatory for the laws to be in place within three years since its promulgation on September 19, 2015, all the laws have to be authenticated by the President Bidya Devi Bhandari by September 18.





Seven Bills were amended on necessary provisions while nine Bills were freshly drafted to ensure citizens fundamental rights as provisioned by the Constitution of Nepal.





Parliamentary becomes able to passage the bills only after slashing the lengthy procedures. As per the parliamentary rules, 72 hours require registering amendments but it was reduced to 12 hours so as to meet Tuesdays deadline.





There was a looming fear that laws related to the fundamental right might not be readied within the constitutional timeframe as government had delayed to register the bills at the Parliament Secretariat.



As the trade war between the US and China drags on with new tariffs and no end in sight, we need to ask ourselves: What do they want? A fundamental objective for both is to become less reliant on the other. The trade war should thus be reframed as a conscious uncoupling. Behind the rhetoric from both sides lies a profound distrust.

US suspicion stems from two specific issues. China is increasingly seen as a national security threat that fails to play by the rules. The Trump administrations stance has spurred debate over whether it was a mistake to allow admittance of a highly ...When President Bill Clinton deliberated whether he should loosen trade barriers against China, Wall Street helped plead Beijings case. When Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama talked tough about labeling China as a currency manipulator, Wall Street urged restraint  and both presidents backed down. Today, China is hoping that Wall Street will once again use its political heft to soothe tempers in Washington. But as President Trump ratchets up the trade war with Beijing, Wall Streets words are falling on deaf ears. ALSO READ: Beijing won't just play defence ...One of China's most prominent figures in global finance says Beijing should press Washington to end their tariff battle by clamping down on exports of goods needed by American companies, according to news reports Monday.

The comments by Lou Jiwei, a former finance minister and chairman of China's sovereign wealth fund, follow reports regulators are squeezing American companies by slowing down customs approvals and stepping up environmental and other inspections.

Also on Monday, an official newspaper called for more aggressive Chinese measures to "make American pain worse" following tariff hikes by both sides on $50 billion of each other's goods.

Beijing is considering Washington's invitation last week to revive talks on their fight over Chinese technology policy and plans for state-led development of global champions in robotics and other fields.

American officials say those violate Beijing's market-opening commitments and worry they might erode U.S. industrial leadership.

At the same time, US President Donald Trump is deciding whether to go ahead with potentially disruptive plans to raise tariffs on an additional $200 billion of Chinese goods.

Chinese authorities have yet to confirm what steps aside from retaliatory tariffs they might take. But they have threatened to take "comprehensive measures" as Beijing runs out of imports for penalties due to its lopsided trade balance with the United States. American companies worry their operations in China might be targeted.

Other commentators have suggested Beijing use its holdings of U.S. government debt or target American companies in China.

Speaking on Sunday at an economics forum, Lou said Beijing should disrupt supply chains of American companies that rely on low-cost goods or components from China's vast manufacturing industries, the website Sina.com reported.

China's "counterattack strategy needs to restrict exports to the United States as well as (imports of) U.S. goods," Lou was paraphrased as saying. "Only knowing the pain of fighting will stop the war and cause (the United States) to negotiate seriously," said Lou.

Lou was finance minister through 2016 and serves as chairman of China's 1.9 trillion yuan ($290 billion) National Social Security Fund, which manages assets of government pension plans. He is a former chairman of China's sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corp.

The Global Times, published by the ruling Communist Party, warned that China sees the technology conflict as a long battle.

"China will choose the most favorable and powerful way to counterattack," said the newspaper, which is known for its unusually nationalist and confrontational tone. "We are looking forward to a more beautiful counterattack that will make American pain worse."



Sina and other outlets did not indicate if Lou suggested specific products or industries Beijing might target.

Last week, the American Chambers of Commerce in China and in Shanghai reported 52.1 per cent of more than 430 companies that responded to a survey said Chinese authorities are subjecting them to "qualitative measures" including slower customs clearance and increased inspections and bureaucratic procedures.

Janakpur, Nepal: The Province 2 government has decided to celebrate the Constitution Day on September 19 despite the protest of the Rastriya Janta Party-Nepal (RJP-N), a key coalition partner of the provincial government.





The province 2 government was formed in a coalition of Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal (SSF-N) and the RJP-N. The SSF-N is also a coalition partner in the federal government.









The Province 2 government has formally decided to celebrate the Constitution Day with different programs including the tree plantation program, Province 2 Chief Secretary Rajendra Man Singh has said on Monday.





Earlier, it was said that both the coalition partners- SSF-N and RJP-N would mark the Constitution Day as the Black Day.





The SSF-N, which is a coalition partner in the incumbent Nepal Communist Party (NCP) chairman KP Oli led federal government, remains mum over decision of the Province 2 government while RJP-N has been clinching on the stand to mark the Constitution Day as black day.





The Madhes-based political parties including the SSF-N and RJP-N had been marking the anniversary of the charter promulgation as a black day alleging to the state that the constitution was endorsed by the Constituent Assembly (CA) on September 19, 2015 amid protests from the Madhesi community.





As leaders from the two coalition partners of the province two government- SSF-N and RJP-N ad vowed to mark the Constitution Day as the black day, the federal government had issued a circular to all the provincial governments to celebrate the Constitution Day on Wednesday with much fanfare.



US President Donald Trump said tariffs have bolstered the US bargaining position while cost increases to consumers have been negligible and warned of more levies as prospective trade talks with China appeared in doubt. Tariffs have put the US in a very strong bargaining position, with Billions of Dollars, and Jobs, flowing into our Country - and yet cost increases have thus far been almost unnoticeable, Trump said on Twitter Monday. If countries will not make fair deals with us, they will be Tariffed! Trumps tweet came as CNBC reported a ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorIndustry leaders from the tech-media-telecom to the healthcare sectors congregated at the Taj Vivanta, Bengaluru, to discuss the scope and future of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India. One of the largest thought leadership fora on technological disruption in the country, the 'IoT & AI Innovation India Conclave 2018' drew over 25 eminent speakers from key industries and 200 senior executives, and spoke on how their organizations have benefited from the ability to get real-time data from IoT devices.

The availability of IoT data can reduce cost, increase accuracy and increase efficiency, providing solutions to eliminate mundane tasks in everyday life. Mr. Aman Khanna, Founder and Director of Konnect Worldwide media strongly believes that over the years this conclave has proved to be a unified platform to connect all the leaders across various verticals of businesses to network, innovate, and ideate.

We always strive to incorporate trending topics in the conclave which directly connects to the ongoing developments in the industry.

"Our childhood used to be full of Granny's ghost stories and suddenly door opens up, light gets dimmed automatically. Today's IoT, coupled with AI, brings those stories to reality. The conclave brought out how digital technologies are ushering in societal transformation and customer values. Engineers are dealing with challenges to make systems intelligent enough for our smooth interaction with them without compromising our privacy," said Dr. Aloknath De, Corporate Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Samsung R&D.

"Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things need to combine to monetize and grow opportunities. Connected devices, smart learning, and predictability go together in the enabled world of technology - AI is imperative to enhance IoT. Growth coming from enterprises investing in technologies to analyse, organize and access unstructured data indicate the huge AI-IoT potential. The forum that Konnect has provided here brings the industry together in order to realise this," said Mr. Kuldeep Malik, Director-Corporate Sales, India, Mediatek.

"The Conclave has consistently evolved with the time. In its 7th edition it has addressed issues that are on most progressive organisations radar. The knowledge of the speaker and audience proved insights on various topics that we at Gaia are embracing. We wish the best to the Konnect Worldwide Business Media team," said Bipin Pradeep Kumar, Co-founder and Director, Gaia Smart Cities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday expressed confidence in stitching a strong alliance to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 general elections.

He claimed that not only the opposition, but even the people of the nation want to vote out the BJP.

While addressing a press conference here, the SP president said, "Not only the political parties but all the people in India want to oust BJP. I think you will see a strong 'Gathbandhan' in future."

His statement came a day after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said that her party will only form an alliance if they get a fair share of seats.

"We will agree to alliance anywhere and in any election only when we get a fair share of seats, otherwise BSP will contest alone," she had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Even after multiple system failure, adverse weather conditions and lack of fuel while struggling to land at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, an Air India pilot succeeded in saving the life of 370 passengers on-board.

It was September 11, when Air India's AI-101 was flying from Delhi to New York. It suddenly was caught in between the worst flying conditions any pilot would want to imagine.

The pilot reported to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) that the flight experienced multiple system failure and was low on fuel, which also restricted its time of flying when the system failed.

Apart from these, the flight also witnessed the malfunctioning of all three of its Instrument Landing System (ILS) receivers on board the jet.

This meant that the pilot of the flagship aircraft of the airline needed to manually land the aircraft.

In such desperate conditions and unable to land at the JFK International Airport, the pilot manning AI-101 somehow managed to land at the alternate designated airport in Newark.

According to the latest information, Air India has set up an inquiry on aircraft and constituted an internal inquiry under the monitoring of airlines Flight safety department.

Confirming the news, Air India spokesperson Praveen Bhatnagar told ANI, "For New York diversion, the Flight Safety department is investigating the matter. The Air India pilots have successfully handled the situation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Haryana cabinet minister Anil Vij on Monday labelled the opposition leaders, who are likely to snub the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) three-day lecture series in New Delhi, as "ghosts" who are afraid of entering the RSS' "temple of patriotism."

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Vij said, "The RSS is a temple of patriotism and ghosts never enter temples as they are afraid of them."

Vij's remarks come amid reports that several opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) member Sitaram Yechury will not attend the three-day lecture series in New Delhi that begins on Monday.

Speaking to ANI, Vij reiterated, "The RSS is a temple of patriotism and ghosts never enter because they are afraid. Maybe that is why some people are opposed to attending the lecture."

Key issues of interest, including the Ayodhya temple issue, agriculture, rural health and economy is expected to be discussed in the lecture series, which will be headed by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

A host of high-profile dignitaries, including sportspersons, film stars and political leaders have been invited for the session.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Delhi court on Monday sent self-styled godman Ashu Maharaj to judicial custody till October 1, for allegedly raping a woman and sexually assaulting her daughter.

A case of gang rape has been filed against the self-styled godman at Hauz Khas police station by the survivor on September 10th, 2018.

In her complaint, the survivor has claimed that she was repeatedly raped by the godman and his associates between 2013 and 2018. The accused also sexually assaulted her minor daughter when she took her for treatment to Maharaj. The accused pressurised the survivor into remaining silent by threatening her with dire consequences.

Ashu Maharaj has been booked under Section 376D/354/506 of Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

The case has been transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch for further investigation.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday extended the house arrest of five activists held in connection with Bhima Koregaon violence till September 19, which is also the next date of hearing.

The five activists -- Sudha Bhardwaj, P. Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves -- were detained on August 28 from various cities for their alleged involvement in the violence. They have been under house arrest since August 29.

The apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra informed that the central government wants to produce the case diary and other evidence on the same day.

Senior lawyer Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Maharashtra government, opposed a petition seeking an independent investigation in the case and immediate relief from house arrest.

Making his argument, Mehta claimed that those who had filed the petition are neither related to the case nor do they have any idea about it. "There are many alleged incriminating documents recovered from the accused. The accused persons have not only been arrested for their alleged involvement in the case but they also seem to be disrupting peace in the country," he added.

Senior lawyer Maninder Singh, who represented the central government accused all five activists of increasing threat of the anti-social activities. "The menace of Maoists and Naxalites is increasing day by day, and it is these accused persons who are responsible for the increasing threat of the anti-social activities," Singh said.

He also raised objections over petitioners filed in the top court and said, "They (Petitioners) have options to approach the lower court, high courts or even other legal options to seek redressal."

However, on this argument, Chief Justice of India Misra observed, "We entertained the case on the foundations of liberty. Issues like independent enquiry, etc, comes at a later stage."

Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for many petitioners and submitted to the apex court that the case should be properly investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or there should be a court-monitored probe.

Giving arguments over directly approaching the Supreme Court, he said that they have directly come to the apex court, as they only need a court-monitored investigation or a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Investigation Agency (NIA) probe, to ascertain what the case is and who is involved in it.

Defending the activists, Singhvi argued, "Out of 25 cases against accused Varavar Rao, he was acquitted in all cases. Vernon Gonsalves, was acquitted in 17 cases out of a total of 18, and Arun Ferreira was acquitted in all 11 cases. No accused was present in the programme of Yalgar Parishad and even the FIR does not have names of any of the five accused persons in the case."

After hearing his arguments, Chief Justice of India Misra observed, "We are not going to any extreme propagation, but wanted to see whether the case is connected to Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) or Article 32 of the Indian Constitution."

The clashes that erupted in Pune in January this year during an event organised to mark 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle claimed life of one person and injured many people, including police personnel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In an unprecedented turn of events, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Kalidass manhandled an auto driver for asking the state BJP Chief Tamilisai Soundararajan about the ongoing fuel price hike.

In a video, the BJP lawmaker was seen pushing the auto driver aside and hurling abuses at him for posing a question on the soaring prices of fuel.

The incident took place while Tamilsai was interacting with reporters here in Saidapet area amid Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.

The incident comes at a time when fuel prices have skyrocketed in the country to claim fresh record highs.

In New Delhi, petrol is now being sold at Rs 82.06 per litre (increased by Rs 0.15 per litre), while the price of diesel has been hiked by Rs 0.6 per litre to Rs 73.78 per litre.

On the other hand, the price of petrol rose to Rs 89.44 per litre in Mumbai, while diesel is being sold at Rs 78.33 per litre.

The Centre has been facing flak in the past few weeks for not implementing stringent measures to curb prices. However, it has maintained that international factors are causing the hike in fuel prices.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)New Delhi, [India] Sept 17 (ANI): The Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), under its Namami Gange Programme is confident about accomplishing its task of rejuvenating and conserving the mighty river Ganga by 2020. Several projects have been completed and many are ongoing, which would help stop the flow of thousands of million litres per day (MLD) of industrial effluents and untreated domestic sewage into 2500-km-long river, which passes through several cities, towns and villages. The contribution of industrial pollution, volume-wise, is about 20 per cent but due to its toxic and non- biodegradable nature, this has much greater significance.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of Mission for Clean Ganga, said since the launch of Namami Gange Programme, many pro-active steps have been taken to clean up the river, which boasts cultural, religious and economic significance.

Here are excerpts of the interview:

Q. The government took a major initiative by launching 'Namami Gange Programme' to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, rejuvenate and conserve the River Ganga. What have we achieved in the past four years?

A. We have taken up more than 220 projects out of which 64 have already been completed, while several are under execution. If you look at sewerage sector, we are implementing 106 projects. Out of these 28 are already complete and most of the other projects are under execution. We have to call tenders for only 7 projects. Hence, most of the projects are either at advanced stage of completion or are likely to be over in 2018 or 2019. So, we are on track and a large number of projects are on ground which we expect to be complete in the next two years.

Q. The river is passing through many big cities that push sewage into Ganga. What were the major hurdles faced while cleaning it?

A. It is a very challenging project and the first thing we did was to have a clear mapping of all the towns along the banks of the river. Earlier, we were able to do these in a piecemeal approach - one town, two towns. But now we clearly know that within five kilometres of both sides of the river how many towns are there - its 97 towns. Similarly, we have also identified more than 4,500 villages. After identification of these, we tried to find what is the most polluting element for each of these towns? We have that data. If its sewerage, then what quantity of sewerage is being generated, how much is being generated and what is the existing capacity? We have done all that. Similarly, there are industrial clusters also like in Kanpur we have tanneries. Along the Ganga we have other industrial clusters like paper and pulp industry, distilleries, sugar and textiles which may cause pollution.

We have got projects to improve the situation for each of these clusters. I can give you the details about Kanpur. We have almost 400 tanneries in Kanpur and the effluent of these tanneries pollute the river through drains. So, now we have taken up a Common Effluent Treatment Plant in a very integrated manner. The present CETP existing there does not function very well and has been a cause of concern for more than two decades. Finally, we have been able to find a solution under this mission and then we also have sufficient finances available to intervene. We are trying to construct a CETP with chrome recovery, proper conveyance and also a pilot ZLD, because ultimately we have to go into that doctrine.

Q. Has the government given any strict instructions to these industries like the tanneries in Kanpur?

A. What has happened, we have done the inventory of all these industries. We call them grossly polluting industries. With the help of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) we have given them a very clear target of effluent standards. We have also set up a system where we do a very thorough inspection of all these industries every year. And, we are not only dependent on the pollution control boards. We have involved 12 institutions like IITs, NITs and NEERI, which are expert institutions. They also bring a kind of neutral domain and lot of credibility in their inspection which we are getting done through them. As a result of inspection, if we find anyone not complying with their standards, we immediately issue them show cause notice or closure and many of these industries have been closed. If they improve, meet the standard, they can be reopened.

In the last two years, there is a lot of improvement in compliance. We are also trying to put online effluent quality monitoring so that manual tampering is not possible. Whatever quality of effluent quality is coming out of the industry it will be visible online to us, so we are trying to set up that kind of comprehensive monitoring centre to check effluent quality of industries as well as those of sewerage treatment plants.

Q. Municipal sewerages are also responsible for pollution in the Ganga. Are there any plans to increase the capacity of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in all major cities and towns?

A. We have done the entire analyses and found that municipal sewage causes 70 per cent of the pollution in the river. A number of STPs (Sewerage Treatment Plants) were constructed previously also. So, very scientifically we have gone city by city, town by town. We have assessed how much is the sewerage generation. What is the existing capacity. And then we have identified the gap that how much additional capacity we have to create.

So, if I tell you the overall picture of River Ganga, when we started this mission in 2014-15, we saw that the total generation was 3000 MLD. And, against 3000 MLD the existing treatment capacity was less than 1400 MLD. We put a professional agency to visit all existing STPs for condition assessment and found that out of 1400 MLD, some 700 MLD require repair and were not in working condition. Under Namami Gange Programme, the strategy is to rehabilitate the old STP then we are creating new capacity. At present 106 new projects are there so that we can cater to the needs of future.

And, when we were building STPs. This we are not doing only for the present need but we are looking at for the next 15 years targeting the population of 2035.

Hence, whatever capacity is required for a city we have assessed that and projects are being taken to meet that need. We have already taken up projects for adding something like 2000 MLD additional capacity. Think of 1400 MLD, plus 2000 MLD. The target for 2035 is 3,600 MLD. Keeping that target in mind we are constructing these STPs and also making provisions of operational maintenance of these STPs. If you simply construct and leave it, then the local government may not maintain it properly, and these STPs will not work, as we have seen in the past. So, the project cost includes cost of construction, plus operation and maintenance for the next 15 years.

Q. River Ganga passes through five states. What is the response of local administration in the Clean Ganga Mission?

A. It is very challenging and unless everyone joins, it will not be possible. Cleaning of towns is primarily the state subject. In fact, it is not even a state but the urban local bodies have to take care of it. Now, the challenge is so much and their financial condition and capacity is under constraint that is why this kind of mission like Namami Gange helps them.

We also decided that in earlier programmes, Government of India was not funding them completely. Centre used to fund 70 per cent whereas 30 per cent came from the state. Now, under Namami Gange we are giving them 100 per cent funds. We are also helping them in making of the detailed project report (DPR). But the construction work, the tendering is all handled by the state governments. Like we have Mission for Clean Ganga, we have set up similar kind of project organizations in each of the states. We call them State Mission for Clean Ganga. There project directors are there, we work with them and there are number of executing agencies like Jal Nigam or Urban Development Corporations of different states and they work together. It is that kind of team which is expediting all the work.

Q. Millions of pilgrims who come to bath at various Ghats are also responsible for polluting the River. What steps have been taken to keep these ghats clean and spread awareness among the visitors?

A. As we all know this river has so much of cultural, religious and economic importance. People visit this river like no other river in the world. Lakhs of people visit every day. So ghats are very important, the kind of amenities you provide for the pilgrims or even local people, the kind of sanitation facilities which is available plus the kind of lifestyle that you can give on ghats is also very important. In some of the places we have developed river fronts like we have connected few ghats. Some of the major cities like Patna, six kilometers of river front has been developed. Other places, at this point of time we have got 115 ghat projects and more than 50 crematoriums, which are to be modernalised. In addition, we have also brought into focus some of the major iconic ghats like Varanasi, Haridwar, Mathura, Vrindavan, Kanpur, Allahabad. We have also take up projects for regular cleaning up of these ghats through agencies. Along with this, we have also encouraged local people to join us as volunteer and clean these ghats. Unless there is some sensitivity and awareness that these are our ghats, it is very difficult for the government to do it. We have also put some machines for cleaning the surface of the water because floating solid waste also sometimes creates a lot of inconvenience for the visitors. These machines are working on some of the important ghats in Kanpur, Patna, Allahabad and Haridwar.

Q. The government also laid emphasis on developing model villages on the banks of River Ganga. How is the Ganga Gram project helping in keeping the river clean?

A. In all our earlier missions, generally focus has been on the cities because cities contribute more in pollution. But Namami Gange is one mission where we are not leaving any area untouched. We have concentrated on all the villages along the banks of river. We have more than 4,500 villages which are on the banks of the River Ganga. We are working with Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation which is looking at the Swacch Bharat Mission Gramin and under Namami Gange Programme we have funded them for making these villages open defecation free on priority. They will be doing it for all the villages in the country but we has asked them to do it on priority for villages next to Ganga.

We have taken some of these villages to be developed as model villages called Ganga Gram. For Ganga Gram, the idea is to do some scientific solid and liquid waste management. Afforestation is another component. Also, if a village has any particular kind of handicraft or the craftsmen are there, we help them develop it further and improve cultural aspect and promote tourism.

Q. Your department also laid stress on afforestation on the banks of River Ganga. How does it help to rejuvenate and conserve the River?

A. Namami Gange is perhaps the first program on river rejuvenation in the country which has looked at afforestation as a major strategy. Right in the beginning, we engaged with the Forest Research Institute and got a very detailed project report made through them. It has become a model report because now Ministry of and Forest is also looking at it very seriously to take it as model and help it from the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) fund also. At present what we have done is that as per project report we are focusing on three types of plantation. One is the natural river escape - along the river. And then we are looking at the agricultural river escape and also urban river escape. It includes right kind of plantation, species and right kind of the land where plantation can be done. This mission has been supporting the forest department of all the five states for the last three years.

Q. Despite all efforts by the government in the past few years, the River is still facing issues concerning pollution flowing into it which becomes an issue of criticism. How important is the need to have awareness among the masses to keep the holy River clean?

A. As you rightly say and you have also identified this is a huge challenge. And the success lies in planning it very well. There are over 100 urban local bodies along the river. There are 4,500 villages along the river. We have got complete thing mapped in and then we know the requirement of each of the town and accordingly the projects are being prepared. We are working with the states as this cannot be done only by the Government of India mission. We need to gear up our organization in every state.

We also took few policy decisions which are very unique and first time in the waste water management these decisions are being taken. We are going for PPP in sewerage treatment plants and we have brought the concept of hybrid annuity model, which will benefit in the long run. If you simply keep on constructing projects and leave it to the local body they may not have the capacity to run it and that's what happened in the past.

So, in all the major projects now which we have taken in the last one and a half year, we are only paying 40 per cent for construction and the remaining 60 per cent the contractor will get once he runs the plant, meets our standard. This way automatically performance is guaranteed.

And then we have tried to reduce risk so as to ensure good response. We have successfully implemented 7 projects on hybrid annuity model and 14 more are in the pipeline. This took little long in the beginning being tried for the first time and we had to do a lot of analysis but all these projects are now in full swing. We want to further speed up.

All have aspiration to see this river very pure, clean and rejuvenated, but you look at afforestation - it's a very time consuming. But the right thing is to plan well. In the last two years we have completed 28 major projects on the sewerage treatment plant. In Uttarakhand, all the 31 projects are going on -- 15 have already been completed while remaining 16 will soon be completed by March or June next year. In Uttarakhand, all the sewerage treatment plants will be ready by next year.

In Uttar Pradesh, out of 32 projects, 8 have been completed. One of the symbols of Ganga pollution, Kanpur has infamous Sisamau drain which produces 140 MLD of sewer to the river. We have been able to tap 80 MLD out of it and the remaining 60 would be over in October this year. So, we are progressing, but we appeal to everyone to contribute. We have also set up a Clean Ganga Fund. You, me and everyone wants to do something for this river. Often we may not know how to do it so there is an option for Clean Ganga Fund and we are trying to create a huge volunteer force, Ganga Praharis with the Wildlife Institute. We have Ganga Vichar Mancha, we have created a force of ex-servicemen calling them Ganga Task Force who are working in Allahabad, Kanpur and Varanasi. There is a cadre of Ganga Mitra which is coming up. But, yes whatever we do we have to feel that we have to do much more because this is such a pious river, and a huge challenge always lies ahead.

We have started moving in a right direction, we have picked up speed and by 2020 our target not to allow untreated sewage water go into river Ganga would be achieved.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has written to Facebook Inc, United Kingdom-based Global Science Research (GSR) and Cambridge Analytica (CA) seeking information regarding the alleged data theft case, according to sources.

The investigation agency had registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) against Cambridge Analytica and others on August 8 this year.

In July, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said that the CBI would probe the Cambridge Analytica data breach case.

While addressing the Rajya Sabha, Prasad said that the central investigation agency would investigate whether the British company violated laws to manipulate the electoral process during the 2014 general elections.

Cambridge Analytica had earlier this year filed for bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York. It illegally accessed data from millions of Facebook accounts, whistleblower Christopher Wylie had disclosed earlier.

Facebook confirmed the charge in April and informed that the data of a total of 87 million users was used without authorisation by the data firm.

Known for its connection with US President Donald Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign, Cambridge Analytica was also alleged to have influenced the 2014 general elections in India as well.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress party on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a video of Godda Member of Parliament (MP) Nishikant Dubey, letting a party worker wash his feet surfaced on media.

The BJP MP drew flak after the party worker, Pawan washed the parliamentarian's feet and drank the used water thereafter.

Speaking to ANI over the incident, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala demanded action against the Dubey and said, "The arrogance of the ilk of BJP leaders like Nishikant Dubey who are habitual offenders of insulting others, of breaking the tradition and of self-prophesying a God-like status for themselves, is now out in open."

"Has the arrogance of BJP leaders reached such a zenith that now they want their Karyakartas and common people to wash their feet and drink that water? Is it even humane in the 21st century?," he added.

Raising question over the culture and ethics of the BJP, Surjewala said, "Is this the culture and ethics of the BJP that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah speak about? Will they take action against Dubey. If they will not take action then it will be proved that it is with active support and connivance of Prime Minister and BJP president that such elements like Nishikant Dubey continue to profess inhumane and insulting practices in today's world."

The incident took place on Sunday when the MP visited Kanhavara village of his constituency to announce the construction of a bridge.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Sharad Kalaskar, an accused in arms hauls case, was on Monday remanded to judicial custody till September 29 for probing his alleged role in activist Narendra Dabholkar murder in 2013.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) produced Kalaskar before the Pune Session court as his custody with the investigation body ended today. He was initially sent to the CBI custody on September 10 to probe his alleged involvement in Dabholkar murder case.

In August, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested him in connection with the seizure of arms and ammunition from different parts of the state.

Founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), Dabholkar was shot by bike-borne assailants while returning home from a morning walk on August 20, 2013.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)'Stranger Things' star David Harbour spent the weekend keeping a promise made to the fan to officiate her wedding.

In January, 'Stranger Things' fan Ericka Millholland from Springfield, Illinois asked the star on Twitter that how many retweets would take to get him to officiate her wedding to Daniel Rockwood in September. The fan managed to score 125,000 retweets as asked by the star in less than 24 hours, reported E! Online.

Harbour performed her marriage ceremony this weekend and dressed up as his 'Stranger Things' character, Chief Jim Hopper.

He shared a picture from the ceremony on his Twitter handle, writing, "Hey internet. I know it's been awhile. I retreated. Needed some space. You probably get it. But I've been thinking about ya in the interim. And all your retweets. And so me and some fun folks in Springfield, Illinois made good on our promise we made all those months ago."

The bride donned a strapless gown and the wedding was conducted by a lake, in front of an arch decorated with white flowers and a baby pink ribbon.

As Millholland is a big fan of the show, she told the Chicago Tribune that her man has actually never sat down and watched the show, adding that she would make him watch it.

Harbour has always been a sweetheart to his fans, and this was not the first time he granted a fan's request on social media. He had earlier agreed to take photos with a California high school student who reached out to the star on Twitter.

The 43-year-old actor is set to be back in Los Angeles for the 2018 Emmys and is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a drama series for his role on 'Stranger Things'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)NITI Aayog Member Dr. Vinod K. Paul will inaugurate MTaI MedTekon 2018 in New Delhi on September 20, as industry leaders come together to envision the role of the MedTech industry in the implementation of Ayushman Bharat, formally known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).

Dr. Paul is the Head of Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, since 1985. He has been closely associated with India's reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health programs in various roles for over three decades.

He has been a member of the NITI Aayog since August last year.

The seminar will also be attended by Indu Bhushan, Chief Executive Officer of Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission and National Health Agency (NHA), along with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Indian Alliance of Patients' Group, Insurance companies, PE Funds, private hospitals and diagnostic industry.

Foreign delegates will share the global experience of implementing similar healthcare programmes in their countries. The former undersecretary, Department of Health, Government of Philippines, Dr. Teodoro J Herbosa, who played a key role in rolling out the Philippines Public Healthcare Programme has also confirmed his presence to share his country's experience with the policymakers of India.

This is the first seminar where representatives from the entire medical technology sector will be present to talk about Ayushman Bharat, which indicates the importance the MedTech industry attaches to this pathbreaking programme.

Industry captains from different MedTech associations will huddle together to plan how they can unitedly contribute to the successful implementation of Ayushman Bharat.

The government is launching Ayushman Bharat on September 25 to finance secondary and tertiary healthcare in the country. The scheme will provide health insurance worth Rs. 5 lakh per household and will cover 50 crore people or nearly 40 per cent of India's population.

During MTaI MedTekon 2018, MTaI will unveil a theme paper entitled "MedTech - The Keystone for Ayushman Bharat" that would define the challenges and opportunities in implementing the scheme.

"Ayushman Bharat is the largest public healthcare scheme in the world. Given the scale of implementation, it is extremely important that all stakeholders should be in sync with the programme objective and implementation roadmap. At the same time, it is necessary that concerns of all stakeholders are addressed. MTaI MedTekon 2018 will bring together all stakeholders for a day of constructive discussion," said MedTekon Chairman Badhri Iyengar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday announced that contributions made under the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) would be eligible for claiming deduction under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act from the current financial year.

Jaitley also said that the decision would benefit members of the Armed forces who would join the scheme on retirement.

"Contributions made under Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme or ECHS would be eligible for claiming deduction under section 80D of Income Tax Act from this financial year. This would benefit the armed forces personnel joining this scheme on retirement," Jaitley tweeted.

Section 80D of the Income Tax Act allows an individual to claim a deduction up to Rs. 25,000 per budgetary year for medical insurance premium instalments. In case the individual is over 60 years of age, the limit goes up to Rs. 30,000.

The ECHS, which was first introduced by the Government of India in April 2003, is a publicly-funded medicare scheme for ex-servicemen, pensioners and their eligible dependents, and provides medical care through out-patient treatment at 227 polyclinics all over India.

In September last year, the ECHS committee had launched the Complaint and Litigation Reduction Scheme (CLRS) and invited all stakeholders, including veterans and their dependents, ECHS employees at all echelons, hospitals and other service providers, for direct communication with the ECHS to reduce complaints and litigation.

The scheme was implemented to increase focus on the formulation of caring policy and initiatives for army veterans.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hyderabad [India], Sept 17 (ANI): Families of five Hyderabadi youth stranded in Malaysia, and one woman stuck in Oman after being allegedly trafficked by agents, have sought help from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for their return.

According to the family members, these youth were taken to Malaysia and Oman on the promise of good jobs after taking Rs 1 lakh each by the local agents but they are now stranded without salaries. Some are even facing violence, claimed their families.

The families claimed they have already taken up the matter with concerned officers and lodged complaints with the government.

"My brother Md Taher was searching for a job when he was approached by an agent. He offered my brother a good job with a salary of Rs 45,000 per month in Malaysia and took one lakh from him. The agent sent Taher to Malaysia on 30 October 2017, on tourist visa on the promise that the visa will be extended after going to Malaysia. However, till now the visa has not been extended. The agent's counterpart in Malaysia, who received my brother, has kept him in a resort where his employers are neither paying him the money nor giving him adequate food. I request EAM Sushma Swaraj to rescue my brother," Md Munawar, elder brother of victim Md Taher, told ANI.

Md Shoeb Ahmed, nephew of the victim Azhar Mohinuddin, had a similar story to tell. His uncle was allegedly approached by an agent who offered a job in Malaysia and took one lakh from him. Azhar too was sent to Malaysia in October 2017 and kept in a resort as Taher's where he was not paid salary. "So he moved away from that place and is now stranded in Malaysia. He is trying to return back to India," Ahmed said.

Shehnaz Sultana, sister of victim Md Hayath, claimed her brother was allegedly approached by an agent and offered a good job in Malaysia in October 2017. "After going there he is facing lots of problems. My brother's visa has also expired," Sultana said.

Md Nadeem, younger brother of Md Nayeem said his brother was approached by allegedly an agent who offered a job in Malaysia and took one lakh as processing fees etc. Later he sent Nayeem to Malaysia in December 2017 on a tourist visa. "After going there my brother was given no employment. He was just roaming there in Malaysia without job and salary when the local police caught him," Nadeem said.

Shaik Mazher, elder brother of victim Shaik Nadeem, claimed his brother was offered a tailoring job in Malaysia after taking one lakh from him. Mazher claimed that his brother, who is Malaysia since July 4, 2018, has not been paid salary by his employers and is being tortured. "They also beat him up few times. He is stranded there," Mazher said.

Meanwhile, a Hyderabadi women stuck in Oman after allegedly being trafficked by an agent, too has sought Swaraj's help. Zubaida Begum, sister of victim Reshma Begum said, her sister was allegedly approached by an agent and offered a job in Oman in November 2017. "After going there she was employed as a house maid which was not said by the agent before sending my sister to Oman. Her employer's are making her work 20 hours a day. The agent in India had promised Rs 40,000 salary per month but after going there my sister's employer is paying just Rs 10,000 per month. Her health condition too has become worse and her employers are not providing medicines," Zubaida said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Goa faction of the Congress party has staked to form the government in the state as they feel that the administration has 'collapsed' due to the frequent hospitalisation of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The Congress, along with 14 legislators in the 40-member state Assembly, submitted a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha, urging her to invite them to form the government.

"We submitted two memoranda and requested that a situation to conduct elections within 18 months shouldn't arise. The people of the state have elected the government for five years. If the present government is not capable of functioning, we should be given a chance," the Leader of Opposition in Goa assembly, Chandrakant Kavlekar told reporters here.

"We are the single largest party; we should've been given a chance earlier itself. Looking at the present situation, it feels like there is no government. We have the numbers so we are staking the claim. The Governor will be here tomorrow. We'll make a request for the same," he added.

The Congress emerged as the largest party in a hung house in the assembly elections last year, but the Bharatiya Janata Party stitched an alliance with the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three independents to reach the magic figure of 21, required to form the government in the state.

The GFP and the independent Members of Legislative Assembly have demanded a solution to what they termed as leadership crisis, arising out of Parrikar's illness.

Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, reached the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for further treatment on Saturday.

Earlier this year, he had flown to the United States for treatment and returned to India in June, after two-and-half months.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif launched a direct attack on Twitter, accusing the platform of shutting down accounts of real Iranians instead of bots.

Zarif posted a tweet addressed to CEO Jack Dorsey charging shuttered accounts of real Iranians including TV presenters, students for supposedly being part of an 'influence op' whereas actual bots used for regime change propaganda continue to flourish on the platform.

The removal of accounts, as claimed by Zarif, is supposedly after Twitter's recent crackdown on fake accounts. As Cnet reported, had revealed that it had suspended 284 accounts with ties to Iran for coordinated manipulation.Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee along with producer-director Krishna D K visited District Police Lines (DPL) in Srinagar and held interaction with the officers and jawans stationed there.

The 'Gali Guleiyan' actor lauded the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their hospitality before also thanking Jammu and Kashmir Police for performing their job in a smooth manner despite challenging circumstances.

He also expressed that he has immense respect for the police as they provide a helping hand in the time of need.

Bajpayee also thanked the Srinagar police for organizing such a beautiful and meaningful interaction programme with the jawans and officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

During the interaction, the star shared many inspiring anecdotes from his life. He also conveyed that Bollywood has great regard for the services of the police and assured that his films would portray the valley's image positively.

Later, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Headquarter thanked Bajpayee for visiting the jawans and spending some time with them.

The 49-year-old actor was last seen in 'Love Sonia', which also starred Mrunal Thakur, Anupam Kher, Richa Chadha, Freida Pinto, Rajkummar Rao, and Demi Moore.

The actor will next be seen in Abhishek Chaubey's 'Sonchiriya', which is slated to hit the big screens in 2019. Bajpayee is also set to make his debut in the digital world with the web series titled 'The Family Man' which will be launched on Amazon Prime, next year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two persons were sent to custody and questioned by the police in connection with a shooting incident at a Mexico City restaurant, which claimed five lives last week.

CNN quoted an official with the city's Secretary of Public Security Office saying on Sunday that more arrests are expected as the investigation is currently underway. He added that the motive behind the shooting is yet to be ascertained.

On Friday, a group of men, disguised as musicians, started indiscriminate shooting in Mexico city's iconic Plaza Garibaldi, leaving people frightened and scurrying for cover. While five people were killed, several others got injured in the incident.

The attack happened when the place was flooded with locals and tourists, with musicians playing their instruments during Mexico's Independence Day celebrations.

The shooters fled the scene on motorcycles after the attack and are still absconding. It is still unclear if either of those people being interrogated is a suspect in the shooting. According to officials, three men and two women died in the incident whose ages ranged from 22 to 46 years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Days after the state Election Commission announced the dates for Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir, few unidentified miscreants attempted to set ablaze a Panchayat Ghar in the vicinity of Nazneenpora in Shopian district.

However, the state police and fire officials immediately rushed to the spot and doused the flames, causing minor damage to the building.

Meanwhile, the police have registered a case in this regard and further investigation has also been initiated.

On September 16, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Shaleen Kabra announced that Panchayat elections in the state would be held in nine phases, from November 17 to December 11, between 8 am and 2 pm.

With the announcement of the Panchayat elections schedule, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is already in place.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed his willingness to bolster its relations with China while thanking the Chinese President Xi Jinping for sending an envoy to attend the regime's 70th founding anniversary last week.

Citing Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim expressed his "deep gratitude" on Xi's message and said that his government wishes to strengthen its ties with the Chinese leadership.

Commenting on Li Zhanshu, a special envoy sent by Xi to attend the military parade in Pyongyang, the North Korean leader underscored that it made him and the citizens of the country feel more affectionate to the Chinese people.

"I will join hands with President Xi Jinping to work actively to further develop the relations and friendship and continue close cooperations," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

Kim added that the bilateral ties based on the foundation laid by the previous leaders of both countries "have been developing according to the needs of the new era", according to him.

Li, who also met with the North Korean leader separately, handed him a personal letter from Xi.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), the Chinese president said, "China and North Korea, through the three past summits with Kim, opened a new chapter in the development of bilateral relations. (I) want to develop North Korea-China relations more quickly by implementing the two sides' common understanding."

Kim has visited China three times this year, twice to Beijing and once to the northeastern city of Dalian, meeting Xi on all the three occasions. The two leaders held talks on bilateral ties and denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Lawmakers from opposition parties walked out of the assembly during newly-elected Pakistan President Arif Alvi's maiden address.

The session began with a protest from opposition senators, which was overruled by Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, following which opposition lawmakers walked out as the president began his speech.

According to the Dawn, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government claimed that it was assured by the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party that its members will not disrupt the proceedings.

Alvi, in his address, had said, "Today's address marks the beginning of the new parliamentary year. I am grateful to be elected to Pakistan's highest Constitutional office, and pray that I will be able to fulfill the responsibilities that have been given to me."

During his speech, Alvi addressed several issues including democracy, corruption, foreign relations, and the austerity drive.

"Governments are only successful when they cater to the needs of their people. The current government has set out to make a Naya Pakistan, it is this same slogan that led us to win the elections," Alvi said.

He further emphasised on the improvements required in the healthcare and educational sectors as well as women empowerment.

While addressing the parliament, Alvi assured the senators that Pakistan's relations with other countries during the Imran Khan-led government will be strengthened

Addressing the Kashmir issue, Alvi urged the Pakistan government to stop the "blame game" and continue to make efforts at every level.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, Director General of ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said that Bajwa will hold talks with the Chinese leaders, including his counterpart.

"COAS arrived at Beijing, China on three days official visit. During the visit COAS will interact with various Chinese leaders including his counterpart," Ghafoor tweeted.

In a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing in Rawalpindi last week, Bajwa had reiterated that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the economic future of Pakistan.

A statement on the official Twitter account of the Pakistan Government had read, "Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has reiterated that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is economic future of #Pakistan and its security will never be compromised. He was talking to Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing in Rawalpindi."

A report from the UK-based Financial Times had earlier surfaced which said that the Imran Khan-led government was mulling to review the agreements under the CPEC project.

Top officials of the Pakistan government had also said that the administration would be looking to review the deals of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and renegotiate the trade pact signed with Beijing a decade ago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Osmania General Hospital Junior Doctors' Association on Monday continued to protest demanding the construction of a new building.

"The century-old in-patient building is in a dilapidated state, and the situation is no different in the Out Patient building," Dr P S Vijayender, Chairman, Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) said.

Vijayender stated that Rs 200 crore was sanctioned in 2014 by the then Chief Minister, Kiran Kumar Reddy, for the construction of a new building. However, the funds were kept unused and got added to the next financial year's budget.

In 2015, he said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao visited the Osmania General Hospital and assured the construction of twin towers of ten-floors each for the hospital.

"We waited for two-years (till 2017) for a new building. As there was no response from the government, we decided to form the Osmania General Hospital - Joint Action Committee (OGH-JAC). JAC comprises of Telangana Government Doctors Association, Telangana Junior Doctors Association and Nursing associations, Paramedical Associations, Supporting and Class IV employees associations," he explained.

After forming the JAC, the TJUDA Chief said the issue was raised before the Directorate of Medical Education, Health Secretary and Health Minister, but no action was taken. Left with no option, Vijayender said that in January this year, protests were staged for nearly three months.

"In January 2018, we launched various forms of protest which continued for 84 days. After this, the Health Minister called us for talks and assured a new building. He also asked JAC members to stop the protest. But till now there is no progress in the construction of the new building," he added.

The TJUDA Chief said that due to the condition of the second floor of the inpatient building, wards were shifted to the first and ground floors. He also said that due to a shortage of beds, some patients are forced to sit or sleep on the floor while receiving treatment.

"In the wake of the situation, we are sincerely requesting for a safe hospital environment for patients and their attendees, and also a safe working environment for doctors, nurses and supporting staff," he added.

Earlier in the month, doctors, nurses and other staff at Osmania General Hospital were seen wearing helmets to work as a mark of protest against the poor condition of the building.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 68th birthday.

Referring Prime Minister Modi "our PM", Rahul wished him good health and happiness. "Happy Birthday to our PM, Narendra Modi ji! Wishing him good health and happiness always. @narendramodi," he tweeted.

The Congress party also extended birthday greeting to the Prime Minister through its official Twitter handle, the Indian Congress (INC)."We wish PM @narendramodi a Happy Birthday", the INC tweeted.

Earlier in the day, President Ram Nath Kovind, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal and many other senior ministers and politicians wished Prime Minister Modi on his birthday.

Prime Minister Modi will celebrate his birthday in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday directed the victims' families in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to amend their petitions of not releasing the convicts, and file fresh petitions after three weeks.

In May 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber, during an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

The attack also left 14 other people killed, whose kin have been opposing the release of the convicts after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK)-led Tamil Nadu government recommended to get them out of prison.

The families had recently sought a meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to persuade him to not give his consent to the state government's recommendation.

On Saturday, Governor Purohit refuted reports that a recommendation from the state government has been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"It is clarified that no reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs in the matter. The case is a complex one and involves the examination of legal, administrative and Constitutional issues," a press release from the Raj Bhavan stated.

Meanwhile, AIADMK leader, D. Jayakumar urged the Governor to accept the recommendation, saying that the state cabinet's decision to recommend the release of the convicts reflected the will of the people of the state.

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet, led by Chief Minister E. K. Palaniswami, had on September 9 recommended the release of all the seven convicts, Nalini, Perarivalan, Murugan, Santhan, Robert Pious, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, who are serving life terms and have been in jail for the last 27 years, to Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bishop of Jalandhar diocese, Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a Kerala nun, has written a letter to the Pope Francis, expressing his desire to temporarily step down from the responsibilities of the diocese. The letter has been handed over to Pope's representative in India.

"Bishop Franco Mullakal has written to the Pope on 16 Sep expressing his desire to step down temporarily from the responsibilities of the diocese and has sought permission for the same", Jalandhar diocese said in a statement.

The decision is being attributed to bishop requiring more time to fight his case and his repeated travels to Kerala, where the case is lodged.

Elaborating further on the details of latest development in the case, the statement reads, "Bishop requires to spend more time to fight his case, to even to travel to Kerala several times, and thus has expressed his willingness to absolve himself from the responsibilities of the diocese temporarily and has handed over a letter to the representative of the pope, seeking permission for the same".

Earlier, the victim had written a letter to the Apostolic Nunciature- the representative of the Pope in India- describing the ordeal she allegedly went through at the hands of Bishop Mulakkal.

Last week, the Jalandhar bishop who has been summoned by the Kerala Police for questioning on September 19 in the case, had announced that Monsignor Mathew Kokkandam will administer the diocese of Jalandhar in his absence.

The nun has accused the bishop of raping her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016. The bishop, however, refuted the allegation terming it "baseless and concocted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rewari (Haryana) [India], Sep 17 (ANI): A mahapanchayat or congregation of panchayats of 25 villages, was held in Haryana's Kosli town in which a notice was issued that no practising lawyer would help any of the accused in the alleged gang rape of a 19-year-old student here last week.

The members of the panchayat will also meet the Bar Association in Chandigarh to appeal to lawyers not to help the accused. A letter has also been sent to Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya for stringent action to be taken sans further lapses.

The 19-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and gang-raped after being drugged on Wednesday in Haryana's Narnaul area. In the FIR registered at Kanina, police have identified three accused- Pankaj, Manish, and Nishu. Pankaj is a defence personnel stationed in Rajasthan.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has directed the police to take stringent action against the accused in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has directed the police to take stringent action against one of the accused who was arrested on Sunday in the alleged gangrape incident in Rewari.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also spoken to Khattar. Speaking to the media in Jammu, Singh said, "I have spoken to Haryana Chief Minister who has assured me of taking appropriate action in the case."

Last week a girl was allegedly abducted, drugged and gang-raped in Haryana's Narnaul area. The FIR registered at Kanina identifies three accused - Pankaj, Manish and Nishu. While Nishu has been arrested, Pankaj, who is a Defence personnel stationed in Rajasthan, and Manish are yet to be arrested.

Addressing the media in Karnal, Khattar assured that the remaining two accused in the case would also be arrested soon. He warned that strict action would be taken if anyone was found harbouring them. "Police have been directed to take strict action in the case. The other two accused in the case will also be arrested soon. I appeal to the public not to harbour them. Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them," the chief minister said.

On Sunday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in-charge of the case and Nuh Superintendent of Police (SP), Naazneen Bhasin, confirmed that one of the three main accused in the case, along with two aides, was arrested.

SP Bhasin informed that Nishu, one of the three main accused who was found to have allegedly planned the crime, was arrested along with two aides including Deen Dayal, the owner of the tubewell where the incident took place and a doctor, Sanjeev, who allegedly gave first aid to the victim.

Meanwhile, the Medical Superintendent of the Rewari district hospital, Sudarshan Panwar confirmed that the victim's condition is normal and that she is recovering well from the trauma.

Newly appointed Rewari Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Sharma, who was appointed as a replacement for former Rewari SP Rajesh Duggal on Sunday, met with the victim earlier today and said that her safety and the nabbing of the remaining accused were the two primary objectives right now.

"Safety of victim is one of the main concerns, arresting the remaining accused is another. It doesn't end with the arrest but with conviction of the accused. So securing evidence and ensuring they get convicted through fast track court would be the next step," Sharma said.

Also, Rewari Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said that the family of the victim had requested that no one, without permission, should be allowed to visit them at the hospital. A cabin outside the hospital was being constructed in line with the request where people can meet the family.

"If they (victim's family) want to meet them inside the hospital, they will (be allowed in), otherwise they won't. The family has also said that they are satisfied with the treatment and have given that in writing, so the treatment will continue here," Sharma said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In an incident reminiscent of the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, a Samsung Galaxy Note 9 allegedly caught fire inside a woman's purse after getting extremely hot.

A New York real estate agent Diane Chung said in her lawsuit that she was using the phablet on September 3, 2018 when it suddenly became extremely hot. She stopped using it and placed it inside her purse but soon heard a whistling and screeching sound only to notice a thick smoke coming out of her purse, Cnet reported.

Samsung is investigating the matter. The incident comes into light a month after Samsung's mobile chief DJ Koh said that the battery in the Galaxy Note 9 is safer than ever and users shouldn't worry about the batteries anymore.

Two years ago, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 units were globally recalled soon after their release owing to a battery malfunction that resulted in fires or explosions causing a much deeper reputational damage to the South Korean giant.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced Prashant Kumar as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

A Science graduate and a Law graduate from Delhi University, Kumar joined the bank in the year 1983, as Probationary Officer and since then he has held various important portfolios in Bank.

As DMD (HR) & CDO he was spearheading the largest Human Resources Department of the Banking Industry consisting of a workforce of more than two lakh seventy thousand employees and the largest training infrastructure in the country in the Banking system.

In his long service in the Bank, he has had opportunity to work in various areas of banking such as Retail Operations, Human Resources and Strategic Training.

He also worked as Chief General Manager, Kolkata circle and General Manager in Mumbai Circle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The MSME Sector in India is set to take a huge leap with the proposed launch of SMEXINDIA, a division of SMEXASEAN, an online marketplace owned and operated by SRAM & MRAM Group, a leading international conglomerate with footprints across 5 continents and 12 countries from their headquarters in the United Kingdom.

SMEXASEAN, is an online marketplace for SMEs in the ASEAN region. Close on the heels of SMEXASEAN, SMEXINDIA is tailor-made for the Indian SME Sector. Speaking at the launch of SMEXINDIA, Shri Indresh Kumar, National Executive Member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said he was pleased at the way SMEXASEAN was being organised and operated by SRAM & MRAM Group, with a focus on the Indian SME sector.

Shri Kumar added that with the help of Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, Chairman of SRAM & MRAM Group, he had made special efforts to initiate the process of bringing SMEXASEAN to India in its new avatar as SMEXINDIA. Shri Indresh Kumar and his team headed by Mr. Shailesh Vats, have taken keeninterest in SMEXINDIA to make it the instrument for India's SME (small & medium enterprise) sector. Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Bharat March, Shri Indresh Kumar said social divide on the lines of caste, colour and community had dealt immense loss to the country and world and time is to overcome these barriers and achieve welfare through economic growth.

SMEXINDIA will be started by its visionary Chairman Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani in association with Infinite New India Movement. Shri Shailesh Vats, convenor of the conclave, is the OSD to Lakshadweep and he would be the bridge between SRAM & Infinite New India Movement. Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, whose penchant for identifying futuristic technologies, recently tied up with COSMO Solutions Private Limited to arrange funds and land to setup a manufacturing unit for his energy harvesting solutions in South Africa. Mr. Nitin Mahendraprasad Gupta, Renowned Scientist, Director of Cosmo Solutions, a technocrat, inventor and owner of a multitude of patents, said that on the recommendation of Dr.

Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani is considering putting up the manufacturing base for his energy harvesting solutions facility in India under the Make in India Initiative of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. Mr. Gupta has been a front runner in various technologies with multiple patents in the fields of renewable energy, storage and auto ancillaries. He and his team are currently doing a lot of innovative research in the fields of energy using nanotechnology.

SMEXINDIA aims to tap full potential of the government-backed initiatives to create a global marketplace which will for the first time bring in businesses, governments, banks, insurance companies, freight and logistics companies, NGOs, charitable organisations and the consumers under one roof. The objective would be to create a virtual store which could supply any product of any range of price or size. A virtual superhighway is what is being planned by Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani and his team of visionaries headed by Dato Ramakrishnan Nair and Mr. Shailesh Vats.

Citing the vision of revolutionaries of India's Freedom Struggle and the achievements of the present-day Government of India, Mr. M J Akbar, Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs said that when like-minded people join hands, success is inevitable. Gen. V K Singh, Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs, said that entrepreneurs like Dr. Hiranandani, whose roots are in India should help in the economic development of the country and should contribute towards the uplift of the country.

Gurujee Shree Kumaran Swamijee, who is a spiritual guru and the biggest advocate of India across the globe with his various social activities said that his organisation has been working with SRAM & MRAM in various CSR initiatives to help the poor and downtrodden in various parts of the globe. He was all praise for the efforts put in by Shri Shailesh Vats and Dr. Hiranandani to help the Indian entrepreneurs and said the project has blessings.

Dato Ramakrishnan Nair, Dy. Chairman, SRAM & MRAM, and NEW INDIA and SRAM & MRAM Federation, emphasised the need to strengthen the base of the industrial growth pyramid which forms 70% of any industrial revolution. 30% of all the top industries depends entirely on the ancillary companies which grow as an offshoot to the bigger industrial players but without whom the larger industries cannot survive or thrive in the current competitive environment. By strengthening the SME sector, we will build a stronger and wider foundation and with a symbiotic approach will be able to weather any storm. Each of the SME sectors can feed off each other thus enabling faster and sustained growth. Mr. Shailesh Vats, indicated that the trade growth matrix in India will look positively upwards and is expected to cross USD 50 Bn in the coming months thanks to initiatives by the government.

Dato Ram Nair, said that Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani wanted a strong Indian presence in the Global SME market place due to its cheaper and skilled work force and thus initiated this confluence between the SME and the Macro Industrial players to merge their respective core competencies in building a better SME market force that can battle international competition. Dato Nair stressed the need for Infinite New India Movement to play the role of a moderator by providing guidance on policy advocacy and creative a competitive environment, thus creating the next generation entrepreneurs who are ready to take on the international markets with zest.

Speaking at the conference to highlight "THE GLOBAL MARCH OF BHARAT - NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION OF INDIA TOWARDS A GREAT BHARAT", Mr. Shailesh Vats, Convenor of the grand conclave, envisaged the need to bring in the smaller organisations or to be more specific, strengthen the SME sector as the pivot point for growth of any country and its The nerve center of any industrial growth is the SME Sector. Without the cog being in the right place businesses will slump and lead to drastic reduction in industrial growth. He feels that SMEXINDIA, a government supported initiative without any political affiliation will provide the gateway for Indian SMEs to face the challenges of a competitive global environment by providing the necessary innovation, enhancing production capacity, access the financial, technical and human resources from across the globe and create the necessary talent pool to enter the global domain.

Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, Head of the advisory Board and the founder of SMEXINDIA, and the pioneer in bringing micro and macro financing architecture to the SME sectors in Cambodia, Indonesia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, has been in the forefront of Industrial growth across all the above nations and is all set to bring in his vast repertoire of experience to help build SMEXINDIA. Along with his team of experts, he has built a growth map for the industrial growth of India with its focus on micro-financing of the SME sector, thus enabling the smaller companies to play a pivotal role in the nation building exercise.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing adult star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump, on Sunday expressed his intentions about a possible run for the presidency in the 2020 election, saying he is "very serious" about it.

Citing The Hill, Avenatti told CNN's 'Reliable Sources', "I'm very serious. And I'm getting more serious by the week because I'm travelling around the country and people are encouraging me to do it."

Lashing out at his Democratic critics who say he lacks the experience of holding public office, Avenatti said that he has 20 years of experience as an attorney and has knowledge about the working of government regulations.

"I've got 20 years of experience at a very high level as an attorney. I understand how governmental regulations are passed, how laws are passed, how the Supreme Court works. I have an extreme depth of knowledge," he added.

The 47-year-old attorney has been vying to run for the presidency in the 2020 presidential election since recent months. In July, Avenatti had announced that he would stand in the polls if Trump ran for re-election.

Avenatti made headlines earlier this year for representing Daniels against Trump and his lawyer Michael Cohen for the USD 130,000 hush agreement over the alleged affair between the adult star and the US president.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Meredith Corp. is selling Time magazine for 190 million USD in cash to Marc Benioff, co-founder of Salesforce and his wife.

The Benioffs are purchasing Time personally, and the transaction is unrelated to Salesforce.com, where Benioff is chairman, co-CEO and co-founder, reported ABC News.

As per the announcement by Meredith, the Benioffs will not be involved in the daily operations or journalistic decisions at Time and the current executive leadership team of the magazine will continue to take care of these.

Meredith president and CEO, Tom Harty, in a statement said, "We're pleased to have found such passionate buyers in Marc and Lynne Benioff for the Time brand. For over 90 years, Time has been at the forefront of the most significant events and impactful stories that shape our global conversation."

The prospective sale is expected to close within 30 days.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Benioff said he and his wife were investing "in a company with tremendous impact on the world, one that is also an incredibly strong That's what we're looking for when we invest as a family."

Founded in 1923 by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden, Time was the first weekly news magazine in the United States.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Topline Consulting, a China-based strategic communications firm, which recently inaugurated their first international operations in Gurgaon, India was invited to speak at the 'First ever' India Tourism Mart (ITM) 2018 from September 16 to 18.

The ITM is organised by the Tourism Ministry in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), a federation where all the national associations representing tourism, travel, transport, restaurants, hotels and convention sectors in India are members.

The main agenda of hosting this 2-day conference is to present India as a preferred tourist destination to countries abroad specially to emerging tourism markets like China, Japan and Latin America.

Representing Topline as one of the invited speakers was Yan Han, Chairperson, International who has witnessed the development of the China tourism industry and has been actively involved in the same in her career. Han is adept in understanding both the conformity as well as nuances of the travel and tourism industry.

Han has been experiencing the development of the Indian tourism industry which has immense untapped potential and believes that Indian tourism meets a great marketing potential in China.

"Basis the research done by Toplinewe found that while the number of outbound Chinese tourists had increased from 117 million to 131 million for the period 2015-2017, the total number of Chinese tourists to India was less than 1 per cent of the overall tourists in the past three years and this presents a very strong opportunity for the Indian Tourism sector," said Yan.

Having been a stakeholder in the Chinese tourism industry in her earlier experience as a senior manager with Air China, Yan has been instrumental in bringing about a positive change in the tourism industry in China.

Based on market surveys done by Topline, there are multiple reasons why India tourism is still not popular in China. Some of these are related to security for women, since 60 per cent of Chinese outbound tourists are females. The language barrier also has an impact as very few tourist guides can speak in Mandarin, and finally the travel costs incurred to come to India are some of the factors affecting tourist traffic to India.

"The challenges actually present an opportunity for the Indian tourism sector and with a strategic objective to attract 14 million Chinese tourists in the next 5 years, Topline would devise strategies that would not only attract China outbound tourists, but also give them a sense of belonging in terms of a cultural exchange which would celebrate what we can only describe best with the line- Incredible India," added Yan.

Topline boasts of executing several successful tourism campaigns promoted by other countries in the China market and that's the expertise that they bring to the India market.

With the India operations established in Gurugram and offices coming up in other locations like Mumbai and Bangalore, Topline is uniquely positioned to help the Indian Tourism industry market itself in the Chinese domestic market.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least two men were arrested by Assam Police for disguising as bank officers and duping people by cloning their ATM cards.

Both accused, the native of Haryana, were arrested near Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati on Sunday.

At least 43 blank ATM cards, one laptop, swipe machine, three mobile handsets, and Rs 20,000 in cash were seized from their possession.

A case has been registered in this regard. The further probe is underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 54 people were killed in the on Sunday after wreaked havoc in the island nation as the continued its devastating path and made landfall in and mainland China.

The typhoon, dubbed as the world's strongest of the year, had made landfall in the on Saturday. With winds reaching a speed of up to 165 mph, the sent debris flying, toppling roofs of houses, crashing down trees and flattening huts, CNN reported.

According to government officials on Sunday, 42 people were missing and rescue operations to trace those missing will resume on Monday. Over 250,000 people were affected by the storm across the island nation, forcing them to seek shelter in evacuation centres in the northern Philippines, a region which has seen 51 incidents of landslides.

Harry Rogue, the spokesperson for president Rodrigo Duterte, told CNN that most of the casualties occurred due to landslides in Cordillera Administrative Region in northern Luzon. Duterte also undertook a visit to the affected areas to take stock of the situation and oversee the rescue operations.

Meanwhile, the governor of Benguet province Crescencio Carino Pacalso said that those missing were believed to be miners working in small villages in Itogon municipality.

As made landfall in on Sunday, gusty winds sent debris flying, smashing trees, blowing roofs off and led to massive flooding, triggered by storm surge, inundating parts of the city. As of now, no deaths or injuries have been reported.

The storm is expected to dump torrential downpour in and flood warnings have been issued for low-lying areas in the city. Other cities such as Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai were also put on high alert.

Flights were cancelled in Shenzhen and Hainan in anticipation of the storm. According to Chinese media, over 2.45 million people have been evacuated in Guangdong province as the typhoon made landfall at 5 pm (local time) on Sunday.The Unified Commanders' Conference has been planned for September 28 in Jodhpur, and will be attended by all the senior field commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The conference has been kept one day prior to the second anniversary of the surgical strike of September 29, 2016.

In the last meeting in July, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman complemented the Services for their performance and achievements in the past year and stressed on the need for greater synergy amongst the Services as well as between the Services and the MoD.

The Combined Commanders Conference is an apex platform for discussions on all 'Joint Issues' amongst the three Services and the Ministry of Defence. It also serves as the stock-taking exercise of the previous year and facilitates future planning.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday inaugurated a medical camp at Dharchula in Uttarakhand along the Indo-Nepal border.

Dharchula is an ancient trading town known for the trans-Himalayan trade located on the banks of Kali river. The medical camp was organised at the Dharchula Military Station to provide medical succour to the locals.

Sitharaman was accompanied by Lieutenant General Harish Thukral, General Officer Commanding Uttar Bharat Area, who briefed the Defence Minister of the operational preparedness of the formation and various welfare measures that have been undertaken by the Army for the veterans.

During her visit, Sitharaman felicitated the veterans of the Army, disabled persons, war widows, and also distributed cheques of Rs 10,000 each to selected persons below the poverty line as part of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme followed by an interaction with the public.

Sitharaman also praised the soldiers for their efforts in maintaining the sanctity of the Line of Actual Control in the Tawaghat Sector.

More than 1,000 ex-serviceman and civilians from Dharchula, Jauljibi, Munsiyari and Didihat in Pithoragarh district turned up to meet Sitharaman and availed the medical facilities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu held delegation-level talks with the Speaker of the House of Representative of Malta, Anglu Farrugia, where Parliamentarians from both the sides exchanged their experiences.

The Vice President also had a meeting with Minister for Economy, Investment and Small Business of Malta, Christian Cardona. The two leaders discussed bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual concerns.

Meanwhile, Naidu also met Leader of Opposition of Malta, Adrian Delia. They emphasised on working together to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier in the day, India and Malta signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) relating to tourism, maritime cooperation and exchanges between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, University of Malta.

In addition, India has offered Malta to take advantage of its highly-skilled professionals in the field of Information and Technology (IT), financial services, health, pharmaceutical, transport, freight and tourism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Activists of the West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha on Monday were detained by police after they staged a protest against the attack on state BJP president Dilip Ghosh's vehicle in East Midnapore district earlier in the day.

Ghosh's car was attacked with stones by unidentified miscreants as he was travelling to a venue in Contai in East Midnapore. The rear windshield of Ghosh's car was broken, leaving three injured. However, Ghosh was left unhurt.

"It is well known that this has been done by Trinamool Congress. They are resorting to every kind of violence as they cannot stop us democratically in the state of West Bengal. Moreover, Trinamool MP Dibyendu Adhikari and the police officers were present in the spot when I was attacked," Ghosh told reporters after his car was attacked.

However, the Trinamool Congress has brushed-off the allegation and said they had no role to play behind the attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Headline indices of the Australia market closed higher on Monday, 17 September 2018, as investors continued hunting for beaten down stocks, with shares of banks and financials being notable gainers. However, market gains were capped by losses in healthcare stocks after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a royal commission into the sector due to an "alarming and disturbing" spike in elder abuse and poor standards in the industry. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed 19.67 points, or 0.32%, higher at 6,185 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index was up 17.55 points, or 0.28%, at 6,293.90 points.

Shares of banks and financials closed higher after early losses, with NAB posting the biggest gain, jumping 0.8% to A$27.56 after it announced former NSW Premier Mike Baird would be leading its retail unit following the departure of consumer boss Andrew Hagger. Commonwealth Bank shares were up 0.4% at A$71.75 and ANZ was up 0.9% to A$28.40.

Shares in aged-care operators plunged after the government said it would set up a powerful public inquiry to investigate abuse and mistreatment in the sector.

Australia's A$20 billion ($14.3 billion) aged-care industry has long attracted headlines of predatory pricing, assaults on patients and poor standards of care, and investors are bracing for more bad news after the government's announcement on Sunday. Estia Health was the hardest hit, plummeting 18.6% to A$2.40. Regis Healthcare were down 17.1% to A$3.00, Japara Healthcare down 17% to A$1.39, and Aveo Group down 7.2% to A$2.06.

Oil stocks were also mostly lower despite crude oil prices rising Friday. Oil Search is lower by 0.2% and Woodside Petroleum is down 0.4%, while Santos is advancing more than 1%.

CURRENCY: Australian Dollar declined against greenback and other major currencies on Monday, impacted by the escalation of trade tensions between the US and China. The Aussie was buying 71.60 US cents, down from 72.06 US cents on Friday; 61.55 euro cents, from 61.56; 54.71 British pence, from 54.94; 109.18 NZ cents, from 109.41.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Key benchmark indices were trading lower in early trade, tracking negative Asian cues. At 9:19 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 262.18 points or 0.69% at 37,828.46. The Nifty 50 index was down 83.05 points or 0.72% at 11,432.15.

Among secondary barometers,the BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.85%, underperforming the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.46%, outperforming the Sensex.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On BSE, 452 shares rose and 813 shares fell. A total of 70 shares were unchanged.

Overseas, Asian shares were broadly in negative territory on Monday, amid reports over the weekend that the US could be imposing new tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods as early as this week.

US stocks ended almost unchanged on Friday, though slight gains were enough to give the S&P 500 its fifth straight positive session.

On the data front, US retail sales rose a scant 0.1% in August, the government said Friday. Meanwhile, the import price index sank 0.6% in August, marking the second straight month and the biggest drop in 2-1/2 years for the cost of goods imported into the country, largely reflecting lower oil prices. A report on industrial production for August showed a rise of 0.4%, the Federal Reserve reported, representing the third monthly increase. Separately, the confidence of Americans in the US economy and their own well-being rose toward the end of summer and stood near a 14-year high. Business inventories rose 0.6% in July.

Back home, Yes Bank (down 1.89%), Tata Motors (down 1.6%), Tata Steel (down 1.52%), Axis Bank (down 1.45%), State Bank of India (down 1.43%) and Bajaj Auto (down 1.3%), were the major Sensex losers.

Infosys was up 0.33%. The company announced a definitive agreement to acquire Fluido, the leading salesforce advisor and consulting partner in Nordics and a recognized leader in cloud consulting, implementation and training services. Executing on its strategy to help clients navigate the next in their digital transformation journey, this acquisition strengthens Infosys' position as a leading Salesforce enterprise cloud services provider, and enhances its ability to provide clients an unparalleled cloud-first transformation. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 14 September 2018.

Wipro was up 1.41%. The company said its arm signed an agreement with Mercury Network to jointly offer appraisal management platform systems to customers in the financial services space. These include banks, mortgage/lending companies, credit unions, underwriting and appraisal management companies. As part of the agreement, Mercury Network, one of the industry's largest appraisal order management platforms, will be integrated with Wipro's NetOxygen Loan Origination System (LOS) platform. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 14 September 2018.

Reliance Industries was down 0.96%. The company said its unit Reliance Retail Ventures purchased an additional 3.10% stake in Genesis Colors (GCL) for a consideration of Rs 8.39 crore, taking its total stake in the readymade garment wholesaler and retailer to 19.63%. Accordingly, the aggregate equity shareholding in GCL stands at 69.1%. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 14 September 2018.

GCL was incorporated in November 1998 and is in the business of retailing and wholesale of branded readymade garments, bags, footwear and accessories directly and through its subsidiary/Joint Ventures. This acquisition adds to the existing portfolio of branded fashion retail outlets.

MEP Infrastructure Developers was down 0.52%. The company said it received a letter from the office of the director local bodies (toll tax department) dated 13 September 2018 informing to extend period of suspension of collection of toll tax from any of the specified commercial vehicle till 30 September 2018 owing to pending of completion of installation of Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) work by its selected concessionaire- Tecsidel India - GHV (India). The settlement of claims, if any, will be dealt as per the provisions of the contract agreement executed with the authority. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 14 September 2018.

On the economic front, merchandise exports in August 2018 were $27.84 billion, as compared to $23.36 billion in August 2017, exhibiting a positive growth of 19.21%. In rupee terms, exports were Rs 1,93,624.74 crore in August 2018, as compared to Rs 1,49,398.90 crore in August 2017, registering a positive growth of 29.60%. Imports in August 2018 were $45.24 billion (Rs 3,14,597.54 crore), which was 25.41% higher in dollar terms and 36.34 % higher in rupee terms over imports of $36.07 billion (Rs 2,30,737.96 crore) in August 2017.

The trade deficit for August 2018 was estimated at $17.39 billion as against the deficit of $12.72 billion in August 2017. Taking merchandise and services together, overall trade deficit for April-August 2018-19 is estimated at $ 47.72 billion as compared to $38.95 billion in April-August 2017-18.

India's overall exports (merchandise and services combined) in April-August 2018-19 are estimated to be $221.83 billion, exhibiting a positive growth of 20.70% over the same period last year. Overall imports in April-August 2018-19 are estimated to be $269.54 billion, exhibiting a positive growth of 21.01% over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the Indian government late on Friday reportedly announced a slew of steps aimed at stemming a steep decline in the rupee, and it left the door open to announcing more measures. After an economic review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's finance minister reportedly said the government plans to take measures to cut down "non-necessary" imports, ease overseas borrowing norms for the manufacturing sector and relax rules around banks raising masala bonds, or rupee-denominated overseas bonds. Jaitley said manufacturing entities will be permitted to make use of external commercial borrowings (ECBs) of up to $50 million with a minimum maturity of one year, down from three years earlier.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Fifteen policemen have been killed in fierce clashes in two Afghan provinces, the authorities said on Monday.

In one attack, five police officers were killed after Taliban militants attacked a police base on the outskirts of Qala-e-Naw city, capital of Badghis province, an official told Xinhua news agency.

Several militants were also killed during the gun battle which occurred early Monday morning, but their number could not be exactly specified, the official said.

In Farah province bordering Iran, 10 police officers were killed after clashes flared up in Gajgin village of Pusht Rod district, on Sunday night.

The Taliban seized weapons and ammunition after attacking security checkpoints in the area before destroying the posts and two police officers went missing after the fighting, according to the official.

--IANS

ksk/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday unveiled a huge ladoo weighing 568 kg at an event organised in New delhi to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 68th birthday.

The ladoo was cut by Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International social service organization, which has been celebrating September 17 as "Swachhta Diwas" since 2015.

The organisation also held a photography exhibition at Constitution Club in the national capital, showcasing the works done by Modi. Two coffee table books on his life were also launched at the event.

"This week -- till September 25 -- will be celebrated as 'Seva Week'. We are soon coming up with a scheme to pay hospital expenses of the poor and to create health awareness in a way that people don't fall ill," Human Resource Development Minister Javadekar said at the event organised here by Sulabh International.

Javadekar said that things in the area of sanitation have been improving "gradually". "Earlier, there was only 30 per cent toilet coverage in the country. After the Prime Minister took initiatives, it went up to 90 per cent."

He added: "450 lakh villages got open defecation free, 20 states got open defecation free... When we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary (October 2) next year, India will have 100 per cent toilet coverage. There will be cleanliness and health."

Naqvi tweeted that the Prime Minister "has been working with the commitment to Clean India, Healthy India".

"Swachh Bharat Abhiyan #SwachhtaHiSeva has today become an effective mission with the participation and passion of common people of the country," he said.

--IANS

mg/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Following an alert from PETA India, the Central government on Monday directed the Rajasthan government to take preventive measures against the spread of tuberculosis from captive elephants in the state.

"Ten out of 91 elephants tested for tuberculosis (TB) in April were found to be reactive and they are still being forced to give rides at Amer Fort," People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India said in a statement.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed the government of Rajasthan to screen all elephants again for TB.

The move comes after an April 2018 evaluation report on captive elephants in Jaipur by the Animal Welfare Board of India revealed that 10 per cent of the elephants used for rides and other tourist attractions in Jaipur were found to be reactive in tests for TB.

PETA India said that numerous elephants remain untested, putting the general public at risk.

--IANS

sd/anp/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said on Monday that strict action will be taken against former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress MLA Karan Dalal for meeting the gang-rape victim in Rewari without the consent of doctors.

He said the Congress leaders also threatened the doctors attending on her. Vij told the media here that though the doctors had informed Hooda and Dalal that the victim was not fit to interact with them, they met her.

"This is against protocol. They also threatened the doctors which is a step in the direction of causing chaos," Vij said.

"Even the police and the investigation team cannot take statements of the victim without the consent of doctors but Hooda and Dalal have done this, and knowingly violated the rules. Necessary action will be taken against them after investigation," Vij added.

The board topper was allegedly gang-raped on September 12.

--IANS

js/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Afghanistan knocked Sri Lanka out of the Asia Cup after thrashing the Islanders by 91 runs in a Group B match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Tuesday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Afghanistan showed great maturity by piling on 249 runs before skittling out the Sri Lankans for a mere 158 in 41.2 overs.

With this win, Afghanistan will join Bangladesh from Group B in the Super Fours.

For Afghanistan, this was their first win over the Sri Lankans in One-day Internationals, with the Islanders already facing a must-win situation having come into this game on the back of a 137-run loss to Bangladesh in their tournament opener on Saturday.

Riding on a fine half century from Rahmat Shah (72), and valuable contributions from the opening duo of Mohammad Shahzad (34) and Ihsanullah Janat (45), the Afghans batted confidently to deny the Sri Lankans any early inroads in their innings.

Afghanistan were off to a strong 57-run opening start between Shahzad and Janat, before Shah joined Janat for another 50 runs for the second wicket.

The departure of the opening duo, however, did not deter the minnows from taking the attack to the opposition as Shah forged together a 80-run fourth wicket stand with Hashmatullah Shahidi (37) to take the side to a comfortable position.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera (5/55) managed to break the partnership before triggering a mini collapse of sort but by then the Afghans had neared the 250-run mark towards the end of their innings.

In reply, the Islanders once again faltered with their batting and lost their first wicket in the opening over itself with teenaged off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/32) packing back Kusal Mendis for a duck.

Upul Tharanga (36) and Dhananjaya de Silva (23) put on a brave show to weather the storm with a 54-run second wicket stand before being separated, courtesy a silly run-out of the latter.

Thereafter, wickets began to tumble one after the other as the Sri Lankans slipped from a comfortable 86/2A to lose half their side with just 108 runs from 27 overs.

Skipper Angelo Matthews (22) and Thisara Perera (28) managed to get decent starts but the loss of partners at regular intervals dented their hopes, even as the Afghan spinners led by leggie Rashid Khan (2/26) kept dominating the proceedings

Besides Rashid and Mujeeb, veteran offie Mohammed Nabi and seamer Gulbadin Naib also contributed with two wickets apiece.

Brief Scores: Afghanistan 249 (Rahmat Shah 72, Ihsanullah Janat 45, Hashmatullah Shahidi 37; Thisara Perera 5/55) beat Sri Lanka 158 (Upul Tharanga 36, Thisara Perera 28; Rashid Khan 2/26, Gulbadin Naib 2/29) by 91 runs.

--IANS

tri/ahm/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Even as the ruling BJP-led coalition alliance looks for a new leader to replace ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Congress MLAs on Monday staked claim to form a government in Goa.

Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar visited Raj Bhavan and submitted a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha's office signed by all 16 Congress MLAs, demanding that she should not dissolve the Assembly and pave way for a fresh election.

This follows the political turmoil following Parrikar's airlift to a Delhi hospital last week. The Congress urged the Governor to instead invite the Congress, the single largest party, to form a government.

"We have requested the Governor that the government should not be dissolved and put the state on the path of elections. We have also asked her not to impose President's Rule or keep the House in suspended animation. People have elected us for five years... Imposing an election after a mere 18 months is not good for anybody," Kavlekar said.

In a formal demand to Sinha, Kavlekar has said: "That any recommendation for dissolution of the Goa Assembly ought not to be accepted... That the Congress being the single largest party, ought to be invited to form the government."

Kavlekar said he feared that a false letter or statement may be submitted to the Governor claiming the Congress recommended dissolution of the state Assembly.

"We also apprehended that false letters or statements may be placed attributed to Leaders of the INC (Indian National Congress), claiming there is a desire on the part of the INC to accept recommendation for dissolution of the Goa legislative assembly. This is not true and should not be accepted without adverting to a floor test," the letter said.

Sinha is currently not in the state and is expected to return to Goa on Tuesday.

Kavlekar's staking the claim comes at a time when BJP central observers are in the state meeting leaders of their own party and allies to finalise an alternative for Parrikar who has been fighting advanced pancreatic cancer for several months.

He has been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.

State Congress President Girish Chodankar in a letter to the Governor last week also warned her against dissolving the House, seeking an opportunity for the Congress to form a government.

The Congress is the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly with 16 MLAs, while the BJP, with 14 MLAs, is supported by three members each of Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a Nationalist Congress Party legislator and three independent MLAs.

What queers the pitch in the number game, however, is the health conditions of three BJP MLAs. While Parrikar is severely afflicted by cancer, Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza is currently taking treatment for cancer in New York and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar, who suffered from a brainstroke some months back, is bed-ridden at his private residence near Panaji.

--IANS

maya/mr

(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.)BJP President Amit Shah was seeking votes in Rajasthan in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he has lost faith in Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said on Monday.

Amit Shah was well aware that people in the state shall never vote for her, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told the media.

He added that Amit Shah needed to know that people of Rajasthan were aware of the fake promises made to them by the BJP and hence even Modi's magic shall not work any more in the coming Assembly or Lok Sabha elections.

Modi's popularity graph was going down rapidly, he added.

After accusing Modi and Amit Shah of pursuing a fascist approach, Gehlot challenged the Chief Minister to make public five major accomplishments of her government in the last four and a half years.

--IANS

arc/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Anti-government protests continued in Nicaragua despite the ongoing threats and attacks against the demonstrators.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Managua on Sunday to march against President Daniel Ortega, who they hold accountable for the death of hundreds in the anti-government protests that have gripped the country since April, reports Efe news.

The protest attracted a large crowd of people despite a strong police presence at the scene, which is unusual in Nicaragua.

Hours before the march, two "key" protesters were arrested, one of them, Javier Espinoza, and the other, Norwin Gutierrez Alvarez, who was in charge of directing the protests to avoid violent situations.

The Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights (CENIDH) termed the arrested protesters as political prisoners, because they were arrested without committing a crime, just like the other 309 people who had been arrested in a similar manner since the unrest began.

The demonstrators also accused the police of "practicing acts of intimidation", to which they will not yield.

The protest march extended for more than 10 kms.

The demonstrations against Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, began on April 18 due to failed social security reforms and became a demand for the President to resign after 11 years in power.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress on Monday demanded the Narendra Modi government name a special counsel to contest the Adani Group's plea before the Bombay High Court.

The plea has sought quashing all Letters Rogatory (LRs) issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) against the group, in connection with the alleged Rs 29,000-crore scam involving over-valuation of coal imports.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over crony capitalism, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed the DRI's request to the Central government for appointing a special counsel against the Adani Group in the High Court was being neglected.

"The Bombay High Court is slated to hear Adani's plea on Wednesday. The Modi government keeps on asserting about its clean intentions, so they should display that intention by accepting DRI's request of deploying a special counsel to assert that the LRs are imperative to probe the group's complicity in the coal import scam," Ramesh told the media here.

--IANS

and-sid/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "industrialist friend" Gautam Adani, the Congress on Monday asked the Centre to strongly contest the Adani group's plea in the Bombay High Court regarding an alleged Rs 29,000-crore scam of over-valuing coal imports.

The Congress, which has been seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the scam, demanded that the Modi government appoint a special counsel as the High Court is slated to hear on Wednesday a plea to seek quashing of all Letters Rogatory (LRs) issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence against the group.

Accusing the Centre of extending "undue favours" to the Adani group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that the DRI's request to the Central government for appointing a special counsel was being neglected.

"The Modi government keeps on asserting about its clean intentions. So, it should display that intention by accepting the DRI's request to field a special counsel to assert that the LRs are imperative to probe the group's complicity in the coal import scam," Ramesh told the media here.

The DRI had alleged that 40 companies, including those from the Adani group, had inflated price of coal imported from Indonesia so as to siphon money abroad and avail of higher power tariff compensation.

The group moved the High Court in August after a Singapore court rejected its plea for a stay to produce documents pertaining to coal imports.

Ramesh claimed that the Modi government's motto is "privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses", adding that probe into the group's financial irregularities had been stalled by the Centre.

"Modi's much touted slogan of 'minimum government, maximum governance' has now given way to privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses wherein companies are allowed to make profits and recover their loses at the cost of public exchequer and the common people.

"Almost 80 per cent of India's coal imports is done by the Adani group. The DRI has indicted the group in the scam, yet the government is not showing any inclination to secure the documents that are imperative for probing this scam. There can be no bigger example of crony capitalism," said Ramesh.

He accused the BJP government in Gujarat of "working on the directions of the Modi regime to provide relief" to power companies owned by Adani, Tatas and Essar.

"Despite the Supreme Court ruling against the power companies demand to increase tariffs agreed upon in power purchase agreements (PPA), a state government appointed committee has recommended revision in the tariff structure.

"Because of this relief by the Gujarat government, the Adani, Tata and Essar groups will reap profit of Rs 1,30,000 crore in 30 years. The burden of this huge profit will be put on banks and consumers. This is nothing but privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses," added Ramesh.

--IANS

and/tsb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday asked social activist Swami Agnivesh to approach the High Court for a probe by the CBI or the NIA into attacks on him in Jharkhand and Delhi.

A bench of Justice S.A. Bobde and Justice L. Nageswara Rao also asked the social activist to approach the competent authority in the central government for security.

"We can't prevent threats to ourselves, how can we prevent these to you? People threat us also," the bench said when counsel Mehmood Pracha sought prevention of attacks on his client.

Pracha said that Agnivesh had been attacked twice -- first in Jharkhand and then in Delhi -- and that his safety should be ensured.

He urged the two FIRs be clubbed and the investigation be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation or the National Investigation Agency.

The counsel contended that Agnivesh doesn't expect a fair police investigation and hence the probe should be transferred to the CBI.

The court replied: "How can it be a part of CBI jurisdiction? How can we assume that there won't be a fair investigation?"

Agnivesh, 79, was abused and assaulted on July 17 in Jharkhand's Pakur by a mob which, he claimed, comprised members of a BJP-affiliated youth group.

He was also shown black flags for making alleged anti-Hindu remarks earlier and provoking the tribals.

On August 17, Agnivesh was again abused and thrashed outside the BJP headquarters in Delhi when he went there to pay tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose body was lying in state for the people to pay homage.

--IANS

gt/tsb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday predicted that the high-voltage Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan would be an even contest.

"It will be a 50-50 contest between India and Pakistan," Ganguly said on the sidelines of a promotional event here.

India have a 6-5 win loss ratio at the Asia Cup and on Wednesday the Rohit Sharma led side would look to continue the momentum.

Asked if regular captain and star batsman Virat Kohli's absence would be a factor, Ganguly said, "Virat Kohli's absence won't be a factor, they are a better side."

India are the most successful side in the Asia Cup, having won the title a total of six times, while Pakistan have won twice.

The men in blue begin their campaign against Hong Kong on Tuesday, while Pakistan beat the same opponents by eight wickets on Sunday.

--IANS

dm/gau/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A police officer was wounded on Monday after suffering a knife attack near Maximilien Park in central Brussels, officials said.

The incident took place in the morning. The officer sustained slight cuts while the attacker was hit by police shots in the chest and a leg, according to VRT, a Flemish public channel.

The Brussels prosecutor's office stated there was nothing to suggest a terror attack, Efe news reported.

According to Belga news agency, the attacker, whose identity was not disclosed, was rushed to hospital in "critical state" and apparently was a migrant who was sleeping rough in the park when he was woken up by a police patrol.

The migrant pulled out a knife against the police officers, who asked him to drop it but after he refused, sprayed him with CS gas, used as a riot control agent.

The man responded by assaulting an officer, wounding him "slightly on the head", and prompting the other officer to open fire.

This incident resulted in the opening of two investigations, one to ascertain if the police weapon was used according to standing engagement rules and the other related to the knife attack.

Maximilien Park is located beside Brussel's Gare du Nord, where hundreds of migrants, mainly Sudanese and Eritreans, gather on a daily basis.

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Making the case for a bill to end juve LWOP in the federal system | Main | Paul Manafort's DC plea agreement has a calculated guideline range of 17.5 to 22 years (though he can only get 10) 

September 17, 2018

"What Should the Senate Do With Brett Kavanaugh?"

The title of this post is the title of this new Politico piece which has answers/comments from a number of legal academics. This topic is one surely to roil the legal world this coming week, and the Politico piece sets up why:

In a dramatic turn, Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were in high school in suburban Maryland. He has categorically denied the allegation, and Republicans are indicating they intend to move ahead with a confirmation vote scheduled for later this week. Democrats, along with several GOP senators  Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee  are calling for a pause while the Senate investigates Fords story.

I find useful the comment from Ilya Somin to frame some of the criminal law and punishment issues now taking shape as the future of the Supreme Court unfolds. Here is part of his answer to the question above:

The Judiciary Committee should investigate the matter, and potentially hold additional hearings, and if necessary delay voting on the nomination, as recently suggested by GOP Senator Jeff Flake. Given that the alleged events in question occurred over 35 years ago, when Kavanaugh was 17 and the accuser 15, getting at the truth may be very difficult, or even impossible. But the committee should at least try. What should the standard of proof be? A Supreme Court confirmation hearing is very different from a criminal trial, where guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Denying a person a lifetime position of vast power on the nations highest court is not the same thing as taking away his or her liberty. It is reasonable to set a lower threshold for the former than the latter. At the same time, it would be a mistake to put nominees in the position of having to definitively prove that accusations leveled against them are false. If that becomes the norm, virtually any nomination could be derailed by unsubstantiated accusations concerning alleged wrongdoing that occurred decades ago. I would thus tentatively suggest that the right standard is that of preponderance of evidence. If the evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that a Supreme Court nominee is guilty of serious wrongdoing, that should be sufficient to reject the nomination. There is some merit to the idea that we should discount accusations about long-ago events that occurred when the perpetrator was a minor. But whether such issues can be ignored completely depends on the seriousness of the charge and the importance of the position for which the person is being considered. Sexual assault is a serious crime and a seat on the Supreme Court is a position of vast power. The situation may change radically if other women come forward with plausible accusations of sexual assault or harassment. Regardless, fair-minded observers should keep an open mind and should encourage the Senate to conduct as unbiased an investigation as possible. Sadly, that may be too much to expect in this era of poisonous partisan bias.

September 17, 2018 at 09:38 AM | Permalink

Comments

What should the Senate do? Let's see:

The Professor was able to name an accomplice (who happens to still be friends with Kavanaugh and who has a prediliction for posting pictures of young, scantily clad girls...the younger the better)

She took a polygraph - passed

She has corroborating witnesses that she told years ago

Including written notes by her therapist

She has now said she will testify ....UNDER OATH....IN PUBLIC...as to what she knows

She is a professional woman with a doctorate

Kavanaugh....already lied at least four times under oath about different issues related to his past work.

In sum, Kavanaugh should withdraw; if not, the Senate should vote NO.



Posted by: Mary from Vermont | Sep 17, 2018 1:26:31 PM

Well, it is obvious that the Senate is not going to vote "no" at this stage because if there was a realistic chance that the Senate was going to vote no people would not be talking about a "delay" or a "pause;" they would be talking about stopping it. This hullabaloo is an exercise in peremptory delegitimization; its purpose is to continue the narrative that Republicans have a "women" problem so that when the Court votes to overturn, gut, or otherwise undo Roe v Wade the Times and the Post can breathlessly remind everyone that two of the conservatives (Thomas and now Kavanaugh) were accused of sexual misconduct and so that ruling should be seen as nothing more than a continuation of Republican hostility to the female gender.

The odd thing is that the more that liberals claim that Republicans have a women problem the more women seem to vote Republican. Trump is a notorious womanizer and he still manged to capture 41% of the female vote.



Posted by: Daniel | Sep 17, 2018 4:56:29 PM

Sic Semper Tyranus has just posted inside dope on the society in which both Kavanaugh and Ford grew up. The word in that community is that Ford was "boy crazy" in those days. She left the community as did her parents. Kavanaugh stayed. People there don't like lying nymphos like Ford. She is an ass and a lying ass at that. May she be taken down emphatically and rapidly for the force of lying un-American evi that she is and that she represents.

Posted by: restless94110 | Sep 18, 2018 12:11:51 AM

https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/brett-kavanaugh-should-call-public-investigation-sexual-misconduct-allegations-against-him

I'll just leave this here for posterity sake.

On anotehr note, I noted a typo in my post above. It should be "preemptory delegitimization" as in an attempt to delegitimize an action before it is taken.

Posted by: Daniel | Sep 18, 2018 5:06:05 PM

Post a commentAn autorickshaw driver here was allegedly assaulted by BJP members when he asked the party's state President about rising oil prices.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Tamil Nadu chief, Tamilisai Soundararajan, was addressing the media here on Sunday when an autorickshaw driver, Kadir, who was standing behind her, asked her about the rising fuel prices.

While Sundararajan ignored the question and kept facing the camera unperturbed, BJP members near her pushed him back and later pulled him away.

Soundararajan had earlier complained to Tuticorin airport authorities about a young woman, Sofia, who shouted anti-BJP slogans inside an aircraft.

The police took Sofia into custody but got bail the next day.

--IANS

vj/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A BJP central team on Monday met former Goa party lawmakers here after little headway was made over an alternative leadership in the absence of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

A series of meetings which are being held at a hotel here, are being chaired by BJP's National General Secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and his associates B.L. Santosh and Vijay Puranik.

"We have said that the Chief Minister should continue. It will be for the good... He is undergoing treatment and will recover sooner or later. There was no discussion on whether someone else should be appointed in charge. The High Command will decide that," former Power Minister Mahadev Naik said.

On Sunday, Ram Lal and his team had met sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and allied legislators to chart out a political roadmap following Parrikar's hospitalisation at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi last week for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

While all the BJP MLAs and coalition partner Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have also rooted for Parrikar continuing as Chief Minister, another alliance partner Goa Forward and three Independent MLAs demanded a "permanent solution" to the ongoing leadership crisis.

Before the meetings on Monday, Ram Lal played down the leadership change issue insisting that the party was only discussing its preparations for the Lok Sabha polls.

"It is Lok Sabha polls preparation agenda. No leadership agenda. What is discussed in the meeting does not come out. What comes outside is not what is discussed in the meeting," he said.

When asked to comment on Parrikar's health and whether a permanent solution was being worked out the BJP leader said: "We will discuss it with the core committee."

--IANS

maya/ksk/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ten Canadian firms on Monday showcased smart city solutions here for Indian stakeholders.

"Based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the solutions in the form of products and services are for Indian industry leaders, accelerators and technology providers," said the Consulate General of Canada, which organised the event.

The Indian government has launched a smart city mission in 100 cities across the country as part of urban renewal and retrofitting programme to improve infrastructure and use smart technologies for making them citizen friendly and sustainable in the long term.

"The Canadian International Innovation Programme allows Canadian and Indian firms to apply for funding up to Canadian $900,000 (Rs 51 lakh) per project for R&D in technology validation, adaptation and co-development," said the statement.

"Some of the Canadian firms participating in the mission have presence in India, while others are exploring the Indian market for the first time," added the statement.

Among the companies are AUG, which offers a low-cost, portable solution for real-time IoT-based air quality monitoring and Aversan, an IoT system that can be customized for solutions from smart parking to smart street lighting.

--IANS

fb/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The CBI has written to UK-based Cambridge Analytica and Global Science Research (GSR) and US-based Facebook, seeking information in connection with its probe into allegedly illegally obtaining social networking site data of Indians, sources said on Monday.

According to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources, the agency has written to the Cambridge Analytica's New York City office, GSR office in UK and Facebook's US office.

The agency's moves comes in the wake of a "Preliminary Enquiry (PE)" it registered against the firms after receiving a reference from the Centre to start a probe into the matter on August 8.

The CBI got the reference from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in July, to investigate the role of Cambride Analytica.

Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on July 26 had also told Parliament that the government has ordered the CBI to probe and find out if the British company had violated Indian laws.

Cambridge Analytica -- a company owned by the hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer -- declared bankruptcy this year following allegations that it used personal information harvested from 87 million Facebook accounts to help Donald Trump win the 2016 US presidential election.

The firm is accused of mining personal information without authorisation in early 2014, to build a system that could profile individual US voters, in order to target them with personalised political advertisements.

--IANS

aks/anp/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday not only acknowledged Congress's contribution in freedom struggle but also admitted that the grand old party contributed to the country post Independence in a big way.

His remarks came here during his address on the first day of the three-day lecture series on "Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective".

"Under Congress, a big movement started in the country. There were many great personalities who sacrificed their lives and who still inspires us. They inspired many common people to come forward for Independence. That stream (Congress) made a big contribution," he said.

He said that the Rashtriya Swayansevak Sangh (RSS) does not believe in its own domination but in strengthening and enabling the society to take the nation forward.

Presenting the Sangh's way of working and its views, Bhagwat said the Sangh's work is so unique that its comparison with any other organisation is not possible.

"I will explain the working of the Sangh. My intention is not to convince you. Your judgement is your own prerogative. If you want to check out the facts that I give you, you must come closer to the Sangh and check for yourself," he said.

"To understand the Sangh, one must understand its founder -- Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar," Bhagwat said and went on to relate the life and experiences that shaped Dr. Hedgewar.

He related various anecdotes about Dr Hedgewar's life, his participation in the independence struggle and how he became convinced about the imperative need to train the people to create a strong and united society.

He quoted many leaders and thinkers such as Rabindranath Tagore, communist thinker M.N. Roy, former President Dr Abdul Kalam, who came to believe that the society needs to be awakened to realise the strengths of its traditional values.

Hedgewar, he said, interacted copiously with different ideologists and came to believe that all ideologies must come together to form a strong nation.

Bhagwat said Dr Hedgewar felt the need to train people to work towards positively transforming the society and the nation.

"It was with this objective that he announced the formation of the Sangh on Vijayadashmi day in 1925," he said.

"RSS is a methodology. It's only work is 'vyakti nirman' (making good human beings). There should be good Swayamsevaks in every village and mohalla," he said.

To bring out a positive change in the society, he said, the RSS objective is simply to motivate and train every Swayamsevak.

Prominent personalities who attended the lecture series were Metro man E. Sreedharan, Manisha Koirala, Malini Awasthi, Anu Malik, Anu Kapur, Manoj Tiwari, Chetan Chauhan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amar Singh, Swapandas Gupta, Madhur Bhandarkar, Hansraj Hans, Gajendra, and BJP leaders Ram Madhav, Ram Lal and Subramaniam Swamy.

Several Union Ministers including Harshvardhan, Vijay Goel, Arjunram Meghwal and Alphons Kananthanam also attended the event.

--IANS

bns/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Political activity in Goa gathered steam on Monday in the absence of an ailing Manohar Parrikar, with the Congress staking claim to form a government in Goa even as leaders of the BJP-led alliance discussed leadership options to replace the Chief Minister who is currently being treated for pancreatic cancer at the AIIMS in Delhi.

In a letter submitted to Raj Bhavan, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar demanded that in view of the political instability arising out of Parrikar's absence from office, the state Assembly should not be dissolved or held in suspended and instead the Congress, the single largest party, should be invited to take power.

"We have requested the Governor that the government should not be dissolved and put the state on the path of elections. We have also asked her not to impose President's Rule or keep the House in suspended animation. People have elected us for five years. Imposing an election after a mere 18 months is not good for anybody," Kavlekar said.

"We also apprehended that false letters or statements may be attributed to Leaders of INC (Indian National Congress), claiming there is a desire on the part of the INC to accept recommendation for dissolution of the Goa Assembly. This is not true and should not be accepted without adverting to a floor test," the letter signed by 16 Congress MLAs also said.

Governor Mridula Sinha is not in Goa. The Congress MLAs are expected to meet her when she returns on Tuesday.

Earlier, a team of Bharatiya Janata Party central observers, including General Secretary in charge of the organisation Ram Lal, who on Sunday had met BJP MLAs and leaders from alliance parties and independent lawmakers, conversed with senior BJP leaders from the party's core committee as well as former MLAs in a bid to draw up a list of potential alternative options for the post of Chief Minister, in place of Parrikar.

From Monday morning till afternoon, Ram Lal met former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, former Speaker Rajendra Arlekar, former Power Minister Mahadev Naik and former Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar among others.

"We have said that the CM (Parrikar) should continue. It will be for the good... He is undergoing treatment. He will recover sooner or later. There was no discussion on whether someone else should be appointed in charge. The High Command will decide that," Mahadev Naik told reporters.

Ram Lal, however, initially tried to play-down the discussions on leadership change, later insisting that the final call could be taken by BJP President Amit Shah.

"The government is strong and has the full majority, what is going to happen? It is not for me to decide (on a permanent solution). Whatever everyone has said I will place before the national president. What decision has to be taken will be taken. The government has to function," Ram Lal said, adding that there was no proposal for merger of any of the supporting alliance parties into the BJP.

Ram Lal's comment came on a day when Amit Shah also called on Parrikar at AIIMS.

Meanwhile, both key allies the Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have put the ball in the BJP's court as far the decision of leadership is concerned.

"We want common solution from the BJP, which will be agreeable to all alliance partners," MGP President Dipak Dhavalikar said, even as party sources suggest that the party has already pitched for Public Works Department Sudin Dhavalikar to be appointed as Chief Minister in Parrikar's absence.

Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai has opposed Parrikar's proposal to appoint Dhavalikar as Deputy Chief Minister and has insisted on a "permanent solution" to the leadership issue, rather than opting for an ad hoc route.

--IANS

maya/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Delhi government on Monday said it will launch a massive campaign to bring awareness about the 2013 Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act.

The decision was taken after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reviewed the implementation of the act in a meeting with the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) here.

"The Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the status, challenges and progress in the implementation of this Act in all 11 districts of Delhi. Eight out of 11 districts have formed local level committees in their districts," a statement released by Sisodia's office said.

The two-month-long awareness campaign will include using mediums like radio, television and cinema halls, among others, so that the informal sector workers as well as formal institutions are aware of their rights under the act.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act makes it mandatory for the government, private and non-government formal establishments to form Internal Committee (IC) wherever there are more than 10 employees.

For the informal sector, such as domestic workers and open markets, in case of any harassment faced by a woman, a local committee (LC) at the district level should be formed with a nodal officer in-charge to address the complaint.

Taking cognizance of the Act, Sisodia said: "This is a very effective act and we must use it in both letter and spirit to make it workable. These local committees can play a very important role in the implementation of this act. It is our top concern to provide a safe work environment for Delhi's women."

In the meeting, it was decided that by November 31, all formal institutions and organisations will be mandated to form their Internal Committees.

--IANS

sd/pgh/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Witnessing violence in high school may lead to emotional distress among children and affect their academic performance later, suggests a new research.

The findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, suggest that schools should seek to empower bystander students who are not directly involved in acts of school violence, rather than giving them messages to stay uninvolved.

For the study, the researchers statistically tested the relationship between witnessing school violence in Grade 8 and subsequent anti-social behaviour (drug use, delinquency), emotional distress (social anxiety, depressive symptoms), and academic adjustment (school achievement, engagement) in Grade 10.

The research involved nearly 4,000 high-school students in Canada.

"There were several take-home messages. First, witnessing school violence in Grade 8 predicted later impairment at Grade 10. Second, bystander effects were very similar to being victimized by violence directly," said study co-author Linda Pagani, Professor at University of Montreal in Canada.

The researchers examined different forms of violence and established the fact that witnessing major violence including physical assaults or carrying weapons is associated with drug use and delinquency later.

The effect was the same for hidden or veiled violence, which included theft and vandalism.

Witnessing minor violence (threats and insults) resulted in an increase in drug use, social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and decrease in engagement and participation at school, the findings showed.

"Most students reported witnessing violence. It is clear that approaches to prevention and intervention should include witnesses as well victims and perpetrators and target all forms of school violence," Michel Janosz of University of Montreal said.

"Supportive family and community relationships also prevent emotional desensitisation to violence which contribute to aggressive behaviour in youth," Janosz said.

--IANS

pb/gb/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Noted freedom fighter and former Odisha Minister Dolagobinda Pradhan passed away at his residence in Bhubaneswar on Monday. He was 93.

Pradhan is survived by his wife, four sons and three daughters.

A follower of Mahatma Gandhi, he took part in the Quit India Movement in 1942 and got imprisoned by the then British government for 3 years and two months, said sources.

Born on June 7, 1929 in Dihasahi of Cuttack, Pradhan was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Cuttack Sadar constituency twice between 1980 and 1990.

He also served as the Urban Development Minister of the state from 1989 to 1990.

Several eminent personalities and many politicians cutting across party lines paid last respects to the departed soul. The members in the Odisha Assembly also condoled the demise of the former minister.

"His contribution to the freedom struggle and to our social life will be remembered forever. He was a true Gandhian and had dedicated his life to uphold Gandhian values in words and actions," said Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death of Pradhan and conveyed his deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed his condolence over the sad demise of the freedom fighter.

--IANS

cd/anp/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Dehradun International Film Festival (DIFF) is all set to start from September 21 with a view to provide a platform to connect the rich and great content with local audiences.

Addressing the media on Monday, writer-producer and actor Vivek Vaswani said: "Dehradun International Film Festival has made filmmakers out of college students... I am delighted to be associated with DIFF and am hopeful of interacting, teaching and counseling the youth, students and those who are hungry to know more about cinema."

He added: "I expect DIFF to grow into a major hub for world cinema, just like Cannes and Toronto. I am really grateful that people like Rajesh Sharma love cinema enough to bring it to Dehradun and its wonderful people."

The festival will showcase a wide array of regional films, short films, documentaries and national and international award-winning films.

The fourth edition will not only witness renowned people from the film industry like Ramesh Sippy, Sharman Joshi and Vivek Vaswani but will also showcase distinguished writers and guests from the domain of art, culture and other social segments.

Ruchin Kohli, organizer of DIFF, added: "DIFF has now become a platform not just for filmmakers and talent from Uttarakhand but the rest of the country also looks forward to being a part of it in great numbers."

Ramesh Sippy said: "I am delighted that actors and producers like Vivek Vaswani and Sharman Joshi are also going to be a part of this festival."

Rajesh Sharma, the Festival Director, said the event will provide a platform that connects the rich and great content with local audiences.

The festival will end on September 23.

--IANS

aru/mr/pgh

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)This well-established Blog is worth visiting on a regular basis for a wealth of information of interest to Armenian nationals and to the Armenian Diaspora world-wide. Although it has a particular role in promoting international recognition of the Genocide, the Blog encompasses much more and includes many articles of general appeal to all those concerned with Armenian affairs. Much of the content is difficult or impossible to find elsewhere and the long list of links provided gives easy access to a plethora of material on social, political, religious, educational and cultural matters, and many news items from around the world.



Russia on Monday claimed it had proof Ukraine was behind the 2014 downing of a passenger aircraft that claimed the lives of all 298 people on board.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov told the press in the Russian capital that video material presented as evidence by an international team of investigators into the fatal downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was "falsified".

"We have an audio recording of telephone conversations of Ukrainian servicemen made in 2016," Konashenkov was cited as saying by Efe news.

"An analysis of its content confirms earlier made conclusions about the direct involvement of the Ukrainian side in the crash of the Malaysian Boeing."

The Joint Investigation Team, made up of experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Ukraine, Australia and Malaysia, previously confirmed that the anti-aircraft Buk missile system that brought down the passenger jet belonged to the Russian armed forces.

Investigators found the system was brought to Ukraine from the western Russian city of Kursk about one month before the plane was downed.

According to the Russian military, the missile that brought down the aircraft when it was flying over pro-Russian rebel-held territory in East Ukraine was delivered to the Ukrainian military by Russia back in 1986 and went into service in 2014 as part of Ukraine's 223rd anti-aircraft regiment.

Chief of the Missile and Artillery Directorate at the Russian Defence Ministry Lieutenant-General Nikolai Parshin said the missile "never returned" to Russian territory after the collapse of the USSR, and remained in the hands of the Ukrainian military.

The JIT concluded that the Buk rocket was fired from a field in Pervomaiskyi, eastern Ukraine, which at the time was in the hands of pro-Russian rebels.

All 298 people, among them 196 Dutch, were travelling on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur when it was brought down by an air-to-surface missile fired from eastern Ukraine in July 2014.

The Netherlands and Australia accused Russia of having brought down the plane, that it has categorically denied.

--IANS

soni/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)International bestselling author Khaled Hosseini's latest book "Sea Prayer" is barely 48 pages long but in its short span, the authors text and illustrations by Dan Williams capture the modern day tragedy of forced migration, thereby narrating the emotional trauma that its victims face as an unforeseeable future awaits them.

The book opens on a moonlit beach where a father cradles his sleeping son as "they wait for the dawn to break and a boat to arrive". The young son, or the silent protagonist, inspired by the story of Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian refugee who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea trying to reach safety in Europe, is asleep as his father speaks to they boy about Homs, in Syria, when it was not ravaged by war.

"...in the long summers of childhood, when I was a boy the age you are now, your uncles and I spread our mattresses on the roof of your grandfather's farmhouse outside of Homs," says the father, providing a backdrop to the readers.

As one turns the pages, centre spread is a serene illustration of the village that he talks of, full of greenery and alive in its full grandeur. The father then recalls that they woke up in mornings "to the stirring of olive trees in the breeze, to the bleating of your grandmother's goat, the clanking of her cooking pots, the air cool and the un a pale rim of persimmon to the east".

He reminds his son that they had taken him to the village when he was a toddler, when his mother showed him "a herd of cows grazing in a field blown through with wild flowers".

He wishes that his son could remember Homs as "I do", before arousing profoud imageries of the bustling old city.

"But that life, that time, seems like a dream now, even to me, like some long-dissolved rumour," he laments. And then the illustrations of protests, the siege, starvation, burials and "the skies spitting bombs" come to fore.

Husseini maps his phrases carefully, and keeps them very short, allowing the illustrator to bring alive the scenes of tragedies in Syria. And then the reader is made familiar with the long serpentine queues of people, escaping their faith and running away from the chaos.

But all he can do is pray.

The book is published by Bloomsbury, which will donate one pound from the sale of each copy of the book to the UNHCR.

--IANS

ss/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Launching two smart fencing pilot projects along the international border with Pakistan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday expressed the hope that there will be a change in the attitude of the new government in Islamabad towards India.

"I don't think that there will be any change in Pakistan's nature. I pray to God that there would be change. I hope the change will be better than before," he told reporters who asked him whether he expected a change in the attitude with the formation of a new government under Imran Khan.

He was talking to the media at the BSF headquarters in Paloura after launching two "smart" border fencing pilot projects under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) programme.

"Pakistan has its own nature and we cannot change it. What Pakistan can do (to change its nature), it will have to do itself. Pakistan has to understand how to behave with neighbours," Singh said.

He said India has taken maximum attempts to maintain relations with Pakistan as a neighbour.

"Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi went Pakistan by breaking protocol only to maintain better relation. If Pakistan is not trying to understand despite that approach, then what can be done."

Launching the two pilot CIBMS projects, each covering a 5.5 km stretch along the International Border in Jammu, a first-of-a-kind high-tech surveillance system, Singh said the new fencing will be erected in vulnerable areas along the 2,026 km border after monitoring of its proper functioning.

He said technology will help in minimising the casualties of soldiers guarding border as well as help them to de-stress due to long hours in border duties.

"It will also help in reducing the dependency on physical patrolling," said the Minister, adding technology will create an invisible electronic barrier on land, water and even in air and underground, helping the Border Security Force (BSF) to detect and foil infiltration bids in the most difficult terrains.

"When I visited Israel, I saw this system there and immediately after that we started work on this project. Based on the feedback, the system will be foolproof. I have launched two such pilot projects here. We will launch a similar 60 km long pilot project in Assam," he said.

Singh said there were several challenges which the nation faced.

"Whether it is the Naxal violence or terrorism in J&K, our security forces are dealing with this effectively. The Army, CRPF and state police are working here in absolute coordination."

Asked about the boycott of municipal and panchayat polls by the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, he said: "I appeal to these parties to take part in these elections because this is the only way to establish direct contact with the people."

--IANS

rak/sq/vsc/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)HP India on Monday introduced an affordable mini desktop to help students learn and collaborate in schools and educational institutions across the country.

Starting at Rs 19,990, the HP 260 G3 desktop will enable schools and institutes to set up or upgrade computers in their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) labs at a minimal cost, the company said in a statement.

"As technology becomes integral to businesses and consumers' daily lives, students need to learn digital skills that equip them well for the future," said Sumeer Chandra, Managing Director, HP India.

When paired with HP Integrated Work Center and HP EliteDisplay, teachers can read and present files effortlessly. With the wide range of input display connectors, documents can also be shared across multiple monitors.

"Driven by our goal to empower students, HP has launched the mini desktop solution to enable easy and affordable digital learning for students across India," Chandra added.

The Pentium Dual Core with 18.5-inch monitor system is available at a starting price of Rs 19,990 while Intel Core i3 with 18.5-inch monitor is available at a starting price of Rs 25,990.

"We are hitting a new price band with the HP 260 G3 desktop mini. With this, HP will be able to address the market's need for cost-effective desktop PCs," said Vickram Bedi, Senior Director, Personal Systems, HP Inc. India.

The company is reaching out to schools and educational institutions as well as in smaller cities, where affordable digital learning devices can be highly useful.

The system runs Windows 10 Pro and houses memory up to 32GB of DDR4.

--IANS

na/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates from Tuesday at the invitation of the two countries leaderships, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

It will be the prime minister's first foreign visit since he took office in August. Khan will be accompanied by the foreign minister, the finance minister and his commerce adviser, the Foreign Ministry said.

Khan is expected to call on Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and hold a bilateral meeting with crown prince on bilateral ties, the ministry said in a statement.

The Pakistani delegation will also proceed to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE on Wednesday. The two sides will discuss issues of bilateral interests, according to the statement.

--IANS

ahm/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 55-year-old Indian national has been arrested in Nepal's Kanchanpur district with banned Indian currency notes, the police said.

Acting on a special tip off, the police arrested Satman Singh from Belauri area on Sunday evening and recovered Indian currency notes worth Rs 200,000 of Rs 500 denomination, the Himalayan Times reported on Monday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Krishna Raj Ojha said an investigation into the incident was underway.

--IANS

soni/

(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.)Iran's nuclear chief on Monday called on European countries to take concrete steps to save the 2015 nuclear agreement following the US withdrawal from the deal.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, during a speech to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, said he was encouraged by proposals from France, the UK and Germany but added further action was required, Efe news reported.

Iran and six world powers -- Russia, Britain, China, France, the US and Germany -- struck the landmark deal over Iran's nuclear programme, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Under the 2015 deal, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear programme in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against it.

However, US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal on May 8 and re-impose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Iran.

Salehi warned that US policies jeopardized peace and security in the Middle East, saying that the EU needed to fulfil its obligations during the gathering of the IAEA's 62nd General Conference.

European countries have been working to keep the deal from collapsing through measures dedicated to guaranteeing the economic benefits for Iran that were part of the deal.

For his part, US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry asserted during the conference on Monday that the nuclear deal was defective from the beginning.

The IAEA general conference is held to review the activities and policies of the UN agency, charged with ensuring global nuclear safety.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the US over the enduring thorny issues in the near future.

Tehran would not again sit at the negotiation table with the "cheating" US government, Ministry spokesperson Bahram Qasemi said.

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hundreds of people on Monday staged a silent protest outside the Collectorate's office here, demanding justice for a 10-year-old victim of rape.

The locals, carrying banners and placards, started from various places in the town, converged at the centrally located Gandhi Maidan and later staged a sit-in there.

They were protesting against the brutal abduction, assault and rape of the girl by a neighbour, identified as 24-year-old Latif Syed.

The incident happened late in August when the girl was playing alone outside her home in Tofkhana locality.

Nearly a fortnight later, on Saturday, the terrified girl finally gathered courage to narrate her plight to her parents who sought help from other villagers.

They immediately trooped to the home of the accused, caught him and dragged him to the police station.

The locals decided to draw the attention of the government by organising a silent procession to the Collectorate on Monday.

They demanded that the case be investigated on priority, the accused be tried in a fast-track court, eminent criminal lawyer Ujjwal Nikam should be named the public prosecutor and the victim should be entitled to compensation by the government.

--IANS

qn/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 31-year-old man from Madhya Pradesh was arrested here when he came to deliver a consignment of 23 pistols, police said on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police P.S. Kushwah said Kalu Sahu was arrested on September 13 at about 7.30 p.m.

"The accused was caught when he reached the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium flyover carrying a bag. The bag had 23 sophisticated pistols, meant for criminals in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR)," the officer said.

--IANS

mg/pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Factors like the declining population in the 19-25 age-group and stagnant wages in the Gulf countries could be responsible for migration from Kerala declining 11 per cent between 2013 and 2018, a new study says.

"Of the 2.1 million emigrants (from Kerala in the Gulf and elsewhere), 15.8 per cent are females. However, there is a reduction of 3 lakhs migrants, which is one-tenth of the number of migrants in 2013. In 2018, we reached a stage where migrants figures shown a negative growth of 11.6 per cent," S. Irudayarajan, who led the Kerala Migration Survey (KMS) 2018 told reporters here on Monday.

The survery is the eighth in a series of studies on migration undertaken by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) since 1998. CDS is an internationally renowned, self-governing institution known for its cutting edge research in applied economics and topics germane to socio-economic development. It was established in 1971 by the late Professor K.N. Raj, considered the archistect of India's First Five-Year Plan (1951-56), and a former Vice Cancellor of Delhi University, with whom he was associated for 18 years.

Explaining the reason for the decline Irudayarajan said it could be due to the cumulative effects of the demographic advances which have decreased the population in the migration-prone age-group (15-29 years) as Kerala attained replacement fertility level in around 1987.

"Wages in the Gulf economies have not improved after the global economic crisis. This has led to lower savings, de-motivating them to migrate. Another reason is wages in the domestic economy have increased compared to other states," said Irudayarajan.

Explaining further he said the price of oil, on which the Gulf economy is based has been declining since 2010.

"Although the last one year has seen a slight increase in oil price, the growth of the Gulf economy has suffered a major setback. Due to nationalisation policies such as Nitaqat and recently introduced family taxes in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies appear to be not that conducive for current and prospective migrants," Irudayarajan noted.

The study was conducted through a survey of 15,000 households from January 1-March 31 and was funded by the Kerala government's Department of Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs.

The study notes that 89.2 per cent of the total migrants from Kerala are in the Middle East countries.

In 2013 while there were 20.70 lakh migrants in the Middle East, the figure fell to 18.93 lakh in 2018.

The remaining 10 per cent of the emigrants are concentrated in the other countries like the USA, the UK, and Australia.

In 2013 there were 8.9 lakh in the UAE while in 2018 it stands at 8.30 lakh, followed by 5.22 lakhs in Saudi Arabia and falling to 4.87 lakh in 2018.

In Qatar, there has been an increase from 1.06 lakhs in 2013 to 1.86 lakhs in 2018 but in Bahrain there has been a fall from 1.49 lakhs in 2013 to 0.81 lakhs in 2018.

The study found that one in every fifth household in Kerala has a migrant, while among religious groups, one in every third household is a Muslim, one in five household is a Christian and one in 10 households is a Hindu.

The estimated total annual remittances to Kerala have been placed at 85,092 crore.

"Of the total remittances at state level, Malappuram district receives 21 per cent, followed by Kollam (15 per cent), and Thrissur (11 per cent)," added Irudayarajan.

Concluding his findings, he said the long history of migration from Kerala to the Gulf is in its last phase.

"However, remittances to the state have increased. This is due to the fact that Keralites' in the Gulf have climbed the social ladder and are earning higher wages, allowing them to remit more. Thanks to the weakening rupee, families remit more. The KMS 2018, has also confirmed that the migration from Kerala is falling and return of migrants is on the rise," added Irudayarajan.

On the study of return migrants as estimated by KMS 2018, it is 1.29 million, which is about 60 per cent of the number of emigrants.

"The KMS 2018, would be an invaluable pointer for further policy formation in terms of international migration and also employment schemes of the government. The last 20 years of KMS proved that almost 40 per cent of total remittances to the state were used by emigrants in land, housing and its assets.

"With the recent devastating floods, and the massive loss of physical capital and land value, migration can be conjectured to increase at least in the short run. We expect the trend will change after the floods as migration will play major role as a livelihood option for the New Kerala, where we expect further migration and remittances. This requires another quick assessment by the Government of Kerala," said Irudayarajan.

--IANS

sg/anp/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The global finals of the Hult Prize - the worlds biggest engine for the launch of start-ups emerging from university, took place at the United Nations Headquarters on September 15, with the participation of six teams.



A member of SunRice Kisum Chan said the teams technology is based on the rice grain drying technology of Vietnam, which has been handed over to Myanmar, then improved to suit local agriculture.



SunRices business model aims to reduce the amount of wasted rice during the drying process and benefit rice farmers in Southeast Asia, which helps to ensure food security in the future.



The model bridges the gap between off-the-shelf rice drying technology and rice farmers that could not afford it thus making the drying technology more accessible for poor farmers.



The ninth annual Hult Prize attracted more than 100,000 university students from 121 countries and territories worldwide. This years theme is Harnessing the power of energy to transform the lives of 10 million people.



The Hult Prize is the biggest and most prestigious start-up event in the world, and awards millions of US dollars in investment to young budding entrepreneurs, including a grand prize of 1 million USD.



It is run in partnership with the United Nations and support of former US President Bill Clinton. Each year the Hult Prize provides one million dollars in seed capital to the winning impact enterprise of its flagship programme. Funding is also available through national programs which have a similar structure.



National Director of Hult Prize Vietnam Ho Quang Hung said the competition holds huge potential which will contribute to Vietnams educational and economic and social development.-VNAPrime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day visit to Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency, on Monday to celebrate his 68th birthday.

Upon reaching Varanasi on Monday afternoon, Modi will directly head to Narur village where he is expected to interact with the children of a primary school and attend the screening of a movie based on his life, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement here.

"Prime Minister Modi will arrive in the city from where he will head directly for Narur village... He will interact with children of a primary school who are being aided by the non-profit organisation, 'Room to Read'," the statement said.

"Later, at the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) campus, the Prime Minister will interact with students of Kashi Vidyapeeth, and children assisted by them," it added.

Meanwhile on Twitter, the hashtag #HappyBDayPMModi was trending.

In a tweet, President Ram Nath Kovind wished Modi a "long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country".

"Birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who work towards nation-building with full dedication. God give him a long life and he continues to serve the country," Kovind wrote in another tweet.

Vice President M. Venkiah Naidu also greeted Modi saying: "India is making rapid strides under his visionary leadership and taking its rightful place in the comity of nations. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life."

Modi's colleagues in the Union Cabinet also took to Twitter to wish him on his birthday.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said: "Warm birthday compliments to the dynamic & illustrious Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji. I wish him good health and a long life. May he continue to render for many more years his exceptional services to the nation and guide the country to its glory."

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called Modi a man with a vision for "New India".

"Birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. My prayers for your long and healthy life. An ancient civilization, India, being led into this century with a vision for a #NewIndia that is #SwachhBharat in every sense. Honoured to serve with your guidance and under your leadership," she said.

Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad wished Modi to "continue guiding our country on the path of prosperity".

The Opposition Congress also extended their best wishes to Modi with party President Rahul Gandhi saying: "Happy Birthday to our PM, Narendra Modi ji! Wishing him good health and happiness always."

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal said: "A very happy birthday to Prime Minister. I wish him long and healthy life."

On Tuesday, Modi will lay the foundation stone for various development projects, cumulatively worth more than Rs 500 crore at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) amphitheatre, the PMO office said.

"Among the projects to be inaugurated are Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for Puraani Kashi; and an Atal Incubation Centre at BHU. Among the projects for which the Foundation Stone will be laid, is the Regional Ophthalmology Centre at BHU."

--IANS

sd/ksk/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Wishes poured in from across the political spectrum on Monday for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will celebrate his 68th birthday in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi.

Upon reaching Varanasi, Modi will head directly to Narur village where he is expected to interact with the children of a primary school and attend the screening of "Chalo Jeete Hain", a short film based on his life.

He will also interact with students of Kashi Vidyapeeth at the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) campus.

On Tuesday, Modi will lay the foundation stone for various development projects, cumulatively worth more than Rs 500 crore at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) amphitheatre.

Among the projects to be inaugurated are the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for Puraani Kashi and an Atal Incubation Centre at BHU. He will also lay the foundation stone for the Regional Ophthalmology Centre at BHU.

Greeting Modi on the occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind wished him a "long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country".

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu in his greeting said: "India is making rapid strides under his visionary leadership and taking its rightful place in the comity of nations. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life."

A host of opposition leaders including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended their good wishes to the Prime Minister.

Modi's ministerial and party colleagues took to Twitter to wish him.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said: "Warm birthday compliments to the dynamic and illustrious Prime Minister. I wish him good health and a long life. May he continue to render for many more years his exceptional services to the nation and guide the country to its glory."

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called Modi a man with a vision for "New India".

Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad wished Modi to "continue guiding our country on the path of prosperity".

Uttar pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath in his greeting said under Modi India was moving ahead on the path of progress and prosperity and has found a prominent place in international forums.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: " Birthday greetings to PM Modi and I pray for his healthy and long life."

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Tejashwi Yadav, tweeted "Wishing a very Warm & Happy birthday to respected PM Sh. @narendramodi ji! May God bless you healthy & long life, success and strength to live up to the expectations of 125 Crore Indians & fulfil the dreams & promises shown and given to the people!

#HappyBdayPMModi".

Marking the occasion, the Delhi unit of the BJP launched a week-long programme wherein various welfare initiatives will be undertaken in the national capital.

--IANS

and/ksk/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rome, Sep 17 (IANS/AKI) Italian authorities have deported a 32-year-old Moroccan accused of glorifying the deadly jihadist attacks in Barcelona last year and of calling for other such attacks, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

The Moroccan was expelled from Italy aboard a flight from Milan's Malpensa airport to Casablanca, the Ministry stated.

Investigators observed the suspect praising the August 17, 2017 attacks on Barcelona's central tourist avenue Las Ramblas which killed 15 people and urged further jihadist attacks "on numerous occasions" while he was in jail for assault, according to the statement.

A total of 322 suspected Islamic extremists have been expelled from Italy since January 2015, according to the Interior Ministry.

--IANS/AKI

mr/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The North African nation of Morocco, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, on Monday opened a full-fledged Moroccan National Tourism Office here in a bid to woo Indian tourists.

"Morocco has a lot of potential in the tourism sector," Mohammed Sajid, the Moroccan Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, said at an event to mark the office's inauguration.

"We (Morocco and India) are open to each other's cultures," Sajid said, adding that "we can learn a lot from each other's tourism sectors and create jobs".

According to Sajid, the new office in New Delhi will help Morocco in planning various strategic promotional and awareness programmes to tap the robust tourism sector in India.

He said that his ministry and the Indian Tourism Ministry also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) earlier in the day.

"We are going to sign an agreement on air transport between Air India and Royal Air Maroc," Sajid stated.

Stating that Morocco has 17 tourism promotion offices in the world, Adel El Fakir, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Moroccan National Tourist Office, said that the newest office in New Delhi "is a very strategic office for us".

"We had 1.3 billion tourists last year," El Fakir said.

Tourism remains a vital pillar of the Moroccan economy and the country's second biggest employer after agriculture.

Indian tourists are known to be among the world's highest-spending globetrotters.

"Their spending power has been estimated to be four times that of the Chinese and Japanese which justifies the need for a planned strategic campaign for Morocco in India," the Moroccan Embassy here said in a statement.

--IANS

ab/pgh/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In a significant development, the Mumbai Congress on Monday demanded reservations in education and jobs for north Indians belonging to different backward classes living here, an official said.

Mumbai Congress party President Sanjay Nirupam met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and submitted a three-point memorandum, seeking quotas for North Indian OBCs, SCs and STs, who are accorded reservations in northern parts of India but not in Maharashtra.

"People belonging to multiple castes have migrated from north India to to Mumbai in search of employment. These include people from more than 30 different castes like Vishwakarma, Kurmi, Koiri, Pal, Kanojia, Gupta, Chaurasia, Maurya and Rajbhar who have made Maharashtra their homes for over two-three generations now," Nirupam said.

Unfortunately, he said they have not yet been recognised or granted the status of Backward Classes in Maharashtra, which is a denial of their 'fundamental rights' and the country must have one uniform rule which can be implemented across all states.

Nirupam further said that certain OBC names which are commonly used in the northern parts of India are not in vogue in Maharashtra although they belong to the same community and hence are entitled to quotas.

"The government should introduce a new system in place wherein only a domicile certificate shall be considered as the mandatory criteria for allotting a caste certificate as opposed to the present complicated system in which old records and proofs are demanded," Nirupam added.

Giving them a hearing, Fadnavis said certain issues pertained to to the central government with legal ramifications which he would pursue and take appropriate action in the matter.

On the question of why caste certificate were not issued expeditiously despite submission of all documents by the applicants, Fadnavis assured he would asked the concerned departments to probe and ensure the matter is resolved.

The memorandum was signed by 25 prominent members of various North Indian OBC communities in the state backing the demands.

--IANS

qn/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The New Zealand government on Monday announced an extension of its military training deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as a renewal of three peacekeeping missions in the Middle East and Africa.

"The decision to deploy defence force personnel overseas is one of the hardest for any government to take, especially when these deployments are to challenging and dangerous environments," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement cited by Xinhua news agency.

The Iraq deployment will be extended till June 2019 and the Afghanistan deployment will be extended till September 2019. This allows New Zealand to fulfil its current commitment to both missions, Ardern said.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) was first deployed to Iraq in April 2015. "This is a non-combat training mission aimed at upskilling the Iraqi security forces to counter the threat posed by the Islamic State. Up to 143 personnel were currently deployed on this mission," Ardern said.

The government extended the deployment of 11 NZDF trainers at the Afghanistan National Army Officer Academy for 12 months. NZDF trainers were first deployed to the academy in 2013, Ardern added.

The three peacekeeping missions will be to the UN Mission in South Sudan, the UN Truce Supervision Organization in the Golan Heights and Lebanon and the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.

"The government has decided to continue with our current commitments to three peacekeeping missions in the Middle East and Africa, where we have an established presence and proven track record," said New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order in which it had not given exemption to two-wheelers and vehicles driven by women in the national capital during the odd-even vehicle rotation scheme.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta stayed the November 11, 2017 order of the NGT after the counsel appearing for Delhi government contended that apart from the two-wheelers, they also wanted exemption for vehicles driven by women due to "safety" concern.

The NGT had directed that odd-even scheme, which is currently not in force in Delhi, would be applicable for all vehicles otherwise such relaxation would defeat the purpose of improving Delhi's ambient air quality.

Under the scheme, odd and even numbered vehicles are to ply on alternate days.

The top court while hearing the Delhi government's plea against the NGT order, also issued notice to the petitioner who filed the plea before the tribunal.

During the hearing, the apex court also asked the counsel appearing for Delhi government why there is no odd-even scheme in force now. At this, counsel replied the scheme would be implemented based on the level of PM10 and PM2.5 and the ensuing months of winter would be the time for it.

As per the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the odd-even scheme comes into effect automatically whenever the particulate matter PM10 and PM 2.5 rises to 500 microgram per cubic metre and 300 microgram per cubic metre respectively for 48 hours.

Earlier, during odd-even scheme, exemption was granted to women driving four-wheelers due to safety reasons.

--IANS

gt/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus announced on Monday that the company is developing a Smart TV called "OnePlus TV" under its Founder and CEO Pete Lau.

The development of "OnePlus TV" comes as a "natural extension" for the company with the aim to address the gaps in the TV segment and balance high-quality minimalistic hardware with the latest technology, the company said in a statement.

"With this new division, we're excited to explore the total connected user experience that can enhance everyday life," said Lau.

"OnePlus TV" is expected to be released in 2019.

The premium flagship design of the "OnePlus TV" would combine advanced image quality and audio experience and provide users with better "intelligent connectivity" experiences.

"Intelligent connectivity" is the culmination of the underlying data and communication technologies that can connect.

"With the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, our imagination is endless -- and we are looking forward to the future," Lau added.

As with smartphones, OnePlus is constantly listening, welcoming feedback and suggestions for what should be included in its new Smart TV, the firm said.

It is still not clear whether or not the TV would run on an existing platform like Android TV or would the company launch something new altogether.

--IANS

rp/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has dismissed reports that Islamabad has expressed readiness to talk on restoring the India-Afghanistan trade route through its territory.

"Pakistan has not agreed to consider Afghanistan-India trade through our land," the Foreign Office said on Sunday, quoting Qureshi.

According to a report by the Express Tribune, the rejection came after US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass said that Pakistan was considering resumption of India-Afghanistan trade via its territory.

"Pakistan had already approached Afghanistan earlier this year and indicated its willingness to resume trade between Afghanistan and India through its land," Bass had said in an interview to an Indian daily last week.

The Express Tribune called the revelation "significant" as according to it Pakistan "did not allow Indian goods to be transported through its territory into Afghanistan".

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistani Law Minister Farogh Naseem and British Home Secretary Sajid Javid on Monday announced a joint justice and accountability initiative aimed at repatriating "the looted wealth of the country".

The initiative, which the duo insisted will not target individuals but was a broader arrangement between the two governments to collaborate for the elimination of a variety of crimes, was launched during Javid's visit to Islamabad, Dawn online reported.

"The aim of this declaration is to bring back the looted wealth of the country," said Shahzad Akbar, the Special Assistant to the Pakistan's Prime Minister on Accountability, adding that "the agreement on exchange of convicted personnel will also be renewed".

The British Home Secretary said that the eradicating the scourge of corruption was the top priority of both nations.

"When it comes to corrupt individuals, we have deepened our cooperation. The UK is not reluctant in helping Pakistan, there is good cooperation between the two countries," Javid said while addressing a joint press conference with Naseem.

"We have not discussed individual cases," the Pakistan Minister said, refusing to comment on the extradition of former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, absconding in a corruption investigation, and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz -- declared absconders in a corruption reference that sent their father to jail.

Javid said that London also wanted to work together with Islamabad in the anti-terror fight and that British firms were exploring investment options in Pakistan.

"We will assist Pakistan in the education and defence projects in whatever capacity we can," said the Home Secretary during his maiden visit to Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while meeting Javid at the Foreign Office, stressed on the need for expansion in cooperation between Pakistan and the UK.

The two had discussed various aspects of regional and bilateral cooperation, particularly regional security, counter-terrorism, organised crime, migration, human trafficking, money laundering and asset recovery.

The two countries closely cooperate under the institutional framework of the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue.

--IANS

soni/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)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.Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra shared an adorable photograph kissing her fiance Nick Jonas, whom she fondly calls "baby", on his 26th birthday.

Jonas turned 26 on Sunday, and Priyanka, who is currently Dallas with the pop star shared a photograph of herself planting a kiss on Jonas's cheek.

"Happy birthday baby," she captioned the image.

Actress Parineeti Chopra, who is Priyanka's cousin, tweeted: "Happy birthday Nick! Nick Jonas, this year love and lady luck is sorted, so now I can only wish you all the happiness in the world! Throwback to the first family picture we all ever took."

Priyanka and Nick, along with their families and close friends, had gathered in Mumbai for pre-wedding festivities, including a traditional 'roka' ceremony, on August 18.

Nick left for the US with his family a day later, while Priyanka went back to shooting her new Hindi film "The Sky Is Pink".

--IANS

dc/sim/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday left for Jammu and Kashmir to inaugurate two pilot projects of "smart" border fencing built under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) programme.

The two projects, each covering a 5.5 km-border stretch along the International Border in Jammu, are set to get a first-of-a-kind high-tech surveillance system that will create an invisible electronic barrier on land, water and even in air and underground, helping the Border Security Force (BSF) detect and foil infiltration bids in the most difficult terrains.

CIBMS involves deployment of a range of state-of-the-art surveillance technologies -- thermal imagers, infra-red and laser-based intruder alarms that form an invisible land fence, aerostats for aerial surveillance, unattended ground sensors that can help detect intrusion bids through tunnels, radars, sonar systems to secure riverine borders, fibre-optic sensors and a command and control system that shall receive data from all surveillance device in real time.

The programme is a more robust border management system which is seamlessly integrating modern technology with human resource, a Home Ministry official said.

"Based on integrated border management system, this virtual fence would be first of its kind initiative in India," said the official.

The officer said the CIBMS is designed to guard stretches where physical surveillance is not possible either due to inhospitable terrain or riverine borders.

--IANS

rak/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rohingya refugees' return to Myanmar's Rakhine state should be safe, speedy and sustainable, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Monday.

In his first visit to Bangladesh's Kutupalong refugee camp, inhabited mostly by Rohingya Muslims, Shringla said India was focussing on three "Ss" to address the Rohingya crisis, bdnews24.com reported.

Bangladesh is currently providing shelter to over 1 million Rohingyas who fled "ethnic cleansing" in the Rakhine state.

The High Commissioner handed over relief materials to Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzel Hussain Chowdhury Maya for Rohingyas refugees living in Bangladesh.

Over 1.1 million litres of super kerosene oil and 20,000 kerosene multi wick stoves were handed over in the third phase of humanitarian assistance from the Indian government to Bangladesh, reports say.

The Bangladeshi Minister thanked India for its fuel support and said the latest round of Indian aid will help over 20,000 families for five months.

"Fuel is a big problem and it's a complex issue. We sought support from India and they responded very positively. We thank them for this support," said Maya.

The Rohingya exodus from Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh began in August 2017 after a crackdown by the Myanmarese military that the UN likened to "ethnic cleansing with signs of genocide through killings, rapes and the razing of houses that year".

But the Myanmar government says it was fighting militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and was not targeting civilians.

In September 2017, the Indian government under "Operation Insaniyat" extended the first phase of humanitarian assistance comprising of 981 tonnes of relief supplies.

The relief material consisted of family packs of rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready-to-eat noodles, biscuits and mosquito nets.

In May 2018, 373 tonnes of relief materials, including 104 tonnes of milk powder, 102 tonnes of dried fish, 61 tonnes of baby food, 50,000 raincoats and 50,000 pairs of gum boots for the rainy season were handed over in Chattogram.

Earlier, the Myanmar government agreed to a deal with Bangladesh to repatriate refugees, but few have returned. The Rohingya leaders say they would not go back unless they were guaranteed safety.

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi has faced international outrage for not condemning the Army's actions in Rakhine state.

A predominantly Buddhist country, Myanmar denies Rohingyas citizenship. The government even excluded them from the 2014 census and refused to recognize them as a people.

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In an attempt to take on Chinese smartphone brands in India, Samsung is set to launch two new smartphones -- Galaxy J6+ and Galaxy J4+ -- in India this week.

Both the smartphones are likely to be priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000, industry sources told IANS.

The Galaxy J6+ is expected to come with dual rear cameras along with the support of an industry-first side finger print sensor.

The Galaxy J4+ is likely to come with a new "emotify' feature that would allow millennial users to express themselves better.

Earlier this year, Samsung launched Galaxy J8 and J6 mid-segment smartphones in India. In July this year, the South Korean tech giant reportedly sold over two million units of Galaxy J8 and J6 in the country.

"Galaxy J" is Samsung India's most successful smartphone brand.

--IANS

rp/gb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme court on Monday lifted a ban on the manufacture and sale of Piramal's painkiller Saridon and two other drugs - Piriton and Dart - for now.

These drugs were part of the 328 Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs whose manufacture, distribution and sale was banned by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on September 12.

Lifting the ban till the case was disposed, a bench of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice Indu Malhotra sought the Centre's response to the pleas by affected pharmaceutical companies against the order to ban FDCs manufactured before 1988.

The bench is hearing cases on the validity of fixed-dose drug licences.

Questioning the ban, the companies had earlier said that the only reason given in the government's notification was that the combinations had "no therapeutic value".

The Centre's decision to ban 328 FDC drugs had brought around 6,000 medicines on the radar, including very commonly used ones.

The list of such drugs includes Piramal's painkiller Saridon, Macleods Pharma's Panderm Plus skin cream, Alkem Laboratories' antibacterial Taxim AZ and combination diabetes drug Gluconorm PG.

The ban order was, however, hailed by the All India Drug Action Network, which said that the government had taken the right decision as "banned drugs were indeed harmful and not prescribed in medicine textbooks".

--IANS

pk/tsb/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from Centre on a plea for a ban on 85 pesticides since these were banned in other countries but were allowed in India, posing a serious health hazards to farmers.

A bench of Justice Arun Misra and Justice Vineet Saran issued notice to the Centre and others on a plea by one Kavita Kuruganti who said that the continued use of "deadly pesticides" is a major threat to the right to life of farm workers and farmers.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, argued for empowering the states to take decisions at their own level for prohibition and restriction related to pesticides.

The plea said: "The continued use of deadly pesticides is a major threat to the right to life of farm workers and farmers. Just in terms of acute poisoning, without even getting into chronic health impacts, the situation is alarming and needs urgent action to remove deadly poisons from the scene."

The plea said though there was much evidence of the success of agricultural practices like organic farming in terms of profitability for farmers and crop productivity, these deadly pesticides were still in use.

It said that 84 cases of hospitalisation in Yavatmal in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and 40 other cases stand testimony to this danger.

--IANS

gt/tsb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday said it will examine the veracity of material gathered by police against five rights activists arrested on charges of links with the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist.

Ordering the matter to be heard on Wednesday, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said: "First of all, we must look into the material. We will see the record, what are the allegations, and see if there is something real. We will quash if it is a cooked-up or clumsy story."

The interim order of house arrest of the activists will remain in force till the next hearing, i.e. September 19.

The court told the senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi: "We are protecting your liberty... your formulation on law, we will hear you on Wednesday."

In the course of the hearing, Chief Justice Misra said: "The best way to deal with it (is that) the interim order (of house arrest) will remain. All the cases will be transferred to one court."

However, this course of action was lost as the hearing took a different turn in the course of arguments by Singhvi.

The hearing saw the Centre opposing a plea by historian Romila Thapar and activist Maja Daruwala against the arrests by contending that Naxalism was not just a problem bedeviling one state but also other states in the country.

Citing the procedure and asserting that the matter be heard by a competent court, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh said that if it did not happen every matter may start coming to the top court.

Earlier, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, told the court that he will show the material to demonstrate that the five accused -- Sudha Bhardwaj, Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira -- were arrested not for airing dissent but for "activities prejudicial to the interest of the State".

As the apex court said that it will examine the veracity of the material, Mehta said that five accused can't say thereafter that they have a (judicial) remedy.

"They can't have two remedies. Let them withdraw their respective pleas before different courts, they can't have two remedies."

Singhvi informed the court that nothing had happened in those petition, ever since the matter came before the top court and that hearings on them have been deferred.

Mehta reiterated his objection as to how could strangers -- Romila Thapar and Maja Daruwala -- petition the top court to challenge the arrests.

At this, CJI Misra said: "We are not concerned about the locus of the case. I have not even uttered these words."

Senior counsel Anand Grover asserted that "they (police) have not followed the procedure under the law".

Grover said that it was no more a case of strangers moving the court as two of the five accused have filed their affidavits in the court.

Pressing for an "independent and comprehensive inquiry", the petitioners' counsel Singhvi said that he wanted to show the court some of the shocking material relied upon by the Maharashtra Police to proceed against the five activists who were arrested on August 28.

The Chief Justice said they will have to move a separate petition for an independent probe.

Referring to two FIRs filed in the case (0 of 2018 and 4/2018), Singhvi said that a part of play by German playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht calling upon the people to rise for their rights -- that was used in Bhima-Koregaon event - is the foundation of an FIR.

He told the court about the volte face by the Maharashtra government, wherein in response to the first FIR (0 of 2018) they blamed activists of a right-wing outfit for violence on the peaceful Dalit procession at Bhima-Koregaon village but in the case of second FIR (4/2018) backtrack on it.

Singhvi said that after the Bhima-Koregoan violence on January 1, a committee had submitted its inquiry report. The Pune police did not accept it and later even disowned it.

Describing the evidence as "fabricated", Singhvi said that police had accused the five activist of receiving a letter from one Comrade Prakash, forgetting that he is lodged in jail after his conviction in a case.

Alleging that canard is being spread about the arrested activists, Singhvi said that in the 25 cases against poet Varavara Rao, he was either acquitted or the cases withdrawn or quashed.

In case of Vernon Gonsalves, he was acquitted in 17 of the 18 cases. In one case, an appeal is pending. Ferreira was acquitted in all 11 cases, the counsel said.

--IANS

pk/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were back in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail as a five-day parole granted to them to attend Kulsoom Nawaz's funeral ended on Monday.

The parole of the three, who have been serving sentences since July in the Avenfield corruption case, ended at 4 p.m. They were shifted to the prison amid stringent security, Geo News reported.

They were flown to Rawalpindi on a special flight from Lahore. Three members of the Sharif family -- Hamza Shehbaz, Salman and Yousuf Abbas -- had been granted permission to accompany them inside the Lahore airport, sources told Geo News.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) President Shehbaz Sharif was granted permission to accompany the three on the special flight to Rawalpindi, the report said.

Earlier in the day, the members of the Sharif family visited Begum Kulsoom's grave. The wife the three-time Premier died last week in London after a year-long battle with cancer and was laid to rest in Lahore on September 14.

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Sri Lankan government will soon implement digital identification cards for its citizens aimed at strengthening the island's digital economy, officials said on Monday.

Vice Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Dialog Axiata PLC Director Dr Hans Wijayasuriya said that these would be irrefutable digital identification cards which could not be forged as it would be bio-metric, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Thereby, every citizen could potentially be incorporated as economic entities into the larger economy," Wijayasuriya said.

The idea proposed in 2012 had gone through many processes and would be introduced in the near future. This digital ID would help the government to effectively disburse welfare funds, said Wijayasuriya.

"The government's investments in welfare can be targeted and directed at the right segments down to a single citizen."

Wijayasuriya added that implementation of the digital identification card would create an economic surplus which could be reinvested for growth.

--IANS

soni/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The UK police on Monday ruled out the possibility that two people who fell ill after eating at a restaurant in Salisbury had been exposed to nerve agent Novichok.

The Wiltshire police declared a "major incident" on Sunday evening after it came to light that a man and woman had become unwell at a Prezzo restaurant, six months after former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia became the victims of Novichok poisoning in the same city.

"Due to recent events in the city and concerns that the pair had been exposed to an unknown substance, a highly precautionary approach was taken by all emergency services," the police said in a statement cited by the BBC.

"We can now confirm that there is nothing to suggest that Novichok is the substance," added the statement.

The pair were taken to Salisbury District Hospital. The police said it was "not yet clear" if a crime had been committed and that inquiries remained ongoing.

In March, Skripal and his daughter collapsed in the centre of Salisbury after being exposed to the nerve agent Novichok.

After weeks in hospital they were released, but in June two Amesbury town residents fell ill after being exposed to the same nerve agent. Dawn Sturgess, 44, died and a murder inquiry was launched.

Her partner, Charlie Rowley, also became ill but managed to make a recovery.

The UK blamed Russia for the Novichok attack on the Skripals and accused two Russian citizens -- Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov of poisoning the ex-spy and his daughter.

But in an interview on a Russian state-run news channel, the two men claimed to be tourists. Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning.

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said Monday that the US withdrawal from the 2015 international nuclear deal would cause serious repercussions on the regional and international peace and security, Press TV reported.

"The unilateral US move to withdraw from this agreement will have negative impacts on regional and international peace and security," Ali Akbar Salehi said in an address to the 62nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Monday.

Washington decided to pull out of the deal "despite the IAEA verification of the Islamic republic's compliance with the agreement on 12 consecutive occasions," he added, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Washington never fulfilled its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) completely," Salehi was quoted as saying.

Iran and six world powers, namely China, Russia, Britain, France, the United States and Germany, struck a deal over Iran's nuclear program in 2015.

However, Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal earlier this year and re-impose sanctions on Iran.

--IANS

ahm/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh on Monday underlined the need for user-oriented technological solutions for securing the countrys borders.

"We have a 15,000-km land border and a 7,500-km coastal border line," he said while inaugurating a conference on 'Smart Border Management 2018' organised by industry body Ficci in collaboration with the India Foundation think tank here.

"We have deserts, riverine areas, hills and mountains and thick forests along our borders," he said. "In coastal areas also there are variations."

Singh said that close interface between the manufacturers of border surveillance systems and the users was critical to enable border security forces to identify, delay and disrupt infiltration.

He said that in view of the uniqueness of India's borders in terms of the variety of terrain and climatic differences, it is imperative to have in place systems that required minimal maintenance and are easy to handle.

"In addition, technology should have reliable and robust alarm systems to reduce the response time for counter-measures," he emphasised.

A Ficci release stated that Monday's conference coincided with the launch of two pilot projects in Jammu by Home Minister Rajnath Singh under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management Solution (CIBMS).

The two stretches along the International Border in Jammu will have a first-of-a-kind, high-tech surveillance system that will create an invisible electronic barrier on land, water and even in air and underground, helping the Border Security Force.

After inaugurating the conference, V.K. Singh released a report on "Smart Border Management" brought out by Ficci and consulting firm BDO India.

Noting that security organisations collect a vast amount of data, the report said that this data, along with analytics, can be used to make more insightful, forward-looking decisions about readiness, logistics, manpower, intelligence and a host of other critical security concerns along the border.

--IANS

ab/ksk/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh's car was attacked on Monday in East Midnapore district where he had arrived in the morning to attend a meeting, police said.

According to Ghosh, the attack at Contai was facilitated by Trinamool Congress workers, a charge denied by the ruling party. Police said those behind the attack were yet to be identified.

The BJP claimed that around 10 party workers were injured in the attack.

--IANS

dm/anp/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Light to moderate widespread rain will lash the southern city of Bengaluru till Thursday, an official from Karnataka's weather monitoring centre said on Monday.

As of Monday morning 8.30 a.m., parts of Bengaluru received maximum rainfall measuring up to 14.1 cm and an average rainfall of 3 cm across the Bengaluru Urban district, the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) said.

"Due to low pressure created in the Bay of Bengal, the city is expected to continue to receive light to moderate rain over the next few days," KSNDMC Director, G.S. Srinivasa Reddy, told IANS here.

The south interior districts of the state, including Mysuru and Chamarajanagar also received moderate rain over the past 24 hours.

"Monsoon activity is likely to increase in the north interior districts of Kalaburagi, Bidar and Raichur," Reddy added.

The state capital, however, is on alert and is prepared to act in case the intensity of the rain increases, an official said.

"We have already cleared out many of the storm water drains across the city to prevent flash floods in any region, in case of heavy rain," the city's civic body spokesman, L. Suresh, told IANS.

On August 15 last year, Bengaluru received its heaviest downpour in a century measuring up to 18 cm within a span of three hours, which wreaked havoc across the city, crippling normal life, flooding hundreds of roads and houses.

--IANS

bha/anp/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday said it will examine the veracity of material gathered by police against five rights activists arrested on charges of links with the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist.

Ordering the matter to be heard on Wednesday, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said: "First of all, we must look into the material. We will see the record, what are the allegations, and see if there is something real. We will quash if it is a cooked-up or clumsy story."

The court told the senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi: "We are protecting your liberty... your formulation on law, we will hear you on Wednesday."

In the course of the hearing, Chief Justice Misra said: "The best way to deal with it (is that) the interim order (of house arrest) will remain. All the cases will be transferred to one court."

However, this course of action was lost as the hearing took a different turn in the course of arguments by Singhvi.

The hearing saw the Centre opposing a plea by historian Romila Thapar and activist Maja Daruwala against the arrests by contending that Naxalism was not just a problem bedeviling one state but also other states in the country.

Citing the procedure and asserting that the matter be heard by a competent court, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh said that if it did not happen every matter may start coming to the top court.

Earlier, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, told the court that he will show the material to demonstrate that the five accused -- Sudha Bhardwaj, Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira -- were arrested not for airing dissent but for "activities prejudicial to the interest of the State".

As the apex court said that it will examine the veracity of the material, Mehta said that five accused can't say thereafter that they have a (judicial) remedy.

"They can't have two remedies. Let them withdraw their respective pleas before different courts, they can't have two remedies."

Singhvi informed the court that nothing had happened in those petition, ever since the matter came before the top court and that hearings on them have been deferred.

Mehta reiterated his objection as to how could strangers -- Romila Thapar and Maja Daruwala -- petition the top court to challenge the arrests.

At this, CJI Misra said: "We are not concerned about the locus of the case. I have not even uttered these words."

Senior counsel Anand Grover asserted that "they (police) have not followed the procedure under the law".

Grover said that it was no more a case of strangers moving the court as two of the five accused have filed their affidavits in the court.

Pressing for an "independent and comprehensive inquiry", the petitioners' counsel Singhvi said that he wanted to show the court some of the shocking material relied upon by the Maharashtra Police to proceed against the five activists who were arrested on August 28.

The Chief Justice said they will have to move a separate petition for an independent probe.

Referring to two FIRs filed in the case (0 of 2018 and 4/2018), Singhvi said that a part of play by German playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht calling upon the people to rise for their rights -- that was used in Bhima-Koregaon event - is the foundation of an FIR.

He told the court about the volte face by the Maharashtra government, wherein in response to the first FIR (0 of 2018) they blamed activists of a right-wing outfit for violence on the peaceful Dalit procession at Bhima-Koregaon village but in the case of second FIR (4/2018) backtrack on it.

Singhvi said that after the Bhima-Koregoan violence on January 1, a committee had submitted its inquiry report. The Pune police did not accept it and later even disowned it.

Describing the evidence as "fabricated", Singhvi said that police had accused the five activist of receiving a letter from one Comrade Prakash, forgetting that he is lodged in jail after his conviction in a case.

Alleging that canard is being spread about the arrested activists, Singhvi said that in the 25 cases against poet Varavara Rao, he was either acquitted or the cases withdrawn or quashed.

In case of Vernon Gonsalves, he was acquitted in 17 of the 18 cases. In one case, an appeal is pending. Ferreira was acquitted in all 11 cases, the counsel said.

--IANS

pk/tsb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday said the World Ozone Day was an opportunity to focus global attention on protecting the ozone layer.

Observing the 24th World Ozone Day with this year's theme 'Keep Cool and Carry on: The Montreal Protocol' the Minister stressed upon the need to strengthen active collaboration between the government, industries and all stakeholders.

According to the ministry, implementation of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) programme has not only led to the phase-out of around 98 per cent chemicals, but also averted more than 135 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

"Nearly two million cases of skin cancer per year have been averted globally" it said.

The ministry has already undertaken an important initiative for up-skilling of one lakh refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing technicians in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, he said.

He underlined the Montreal Protocol -- international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion.

Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary C.K. Mishra said it was critical to identify the usage of gases and not merely replacement of gases.

"There are alternative ways to cooling that should be looked at. Another issue is an army of trained manpower to handle manufacturing and maintenance," Mishra said.

On the occasion, the Minister released the draft India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP), a booklet on 'Montreal Protocol - India's Success Story' and refurbished website on the Ozone Cell.

The event was attended by senior officials of the ministry, UN representatives, officials of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

September 16 was marked by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as the International Day for ozone layer prevention.

--IANS

sm/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Zimbabwe's ongoing cholera outbreak has killed 30 people and has spread to the country's second-largest city Bulawayo, according to figures given by Health Minister Obadiah Moyo.

Moyo said two people died over the weekend and that control measures were in place while water and medical supplies were being brought to affected areas, Efe news reported.

Over 5,400 cases of cholera have been reported since the outbreak was first detected on September 6 in the suburbs of the capital.

Zimbabwe's fourth cholera outbreak in the last 15 years was caused when community water wells in the capital were contaminated with raw sewage from a leaking sewer pipe, according to officials from Harare's municipal council.

On September 11, the Zimbabwean government declared a health emergency in the capital after 20 people died and 2,000 became infected.

The human rights organization Amnesty International's Executive Director in Zimbabwe, Jessica Pwiti, blamed the government for the most recent cholera crisis.

"The current cholera epidemic is a terrible consequence of Zimbabwe's failure to invest in and manage both its basic water and sanitation infrastructure and its health care system," Pwiti said in a statement.

The UN World Health Organization, which has sent experts and epidemiologists to Zimbabwe to organize a vaccination campaign, describes cholera as "an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae".

The current crisis is the deadliest since Zimbabwe's worst cholera outbreak from 2008 to 2009, when over 4,000 people died and 90,000 people were infected.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Delhi court Monday summoned RJD chief Lalu Prasad, wife and son as accused in money laundering case.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Arun Bharadwaj took cognisance of the charge sheet and directed all the accused to be present before it on October 6.

The court also issued production warrant against Prasad considering the fact that he is currently lodged in a Ranchi jail.

The court was hearing a case related to alleged irregularities in granting operational contract of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm.Typhoon Mangkhut, the year's most powerful tropical storm to hit the Chinese mainland, barrelled into the coast of Guangdong province killing at least four persons and forcing evacuation of over 3.11 million people in the southern region after leaving a trail of death and destruction from the Philippines to Hong Kong.

Mangkhut landed at 5 p.m. on Sunday on the coast of Jiangmen City in Guangdong province, packing winds up to 162 km per hour, according to the provincial meteorological station.

Three people were killed by falling trees in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, while another person died from collapsing construction materials in the city of Dongguan, Guangdong's disaster relief authorities said.

More than 3.11 million people had been relocated and over 49,000 fishing boats were called back to port in the province, state-run Xinhua agency reported on Monday.

Work has been suspended at more than 29,000 construction sites and 640 tourist spots were closed.

The airports of Guangzhou and Shenzhen. All high-speed train services and some normal-speed rail services have been suspended in Guangdong and Hainan provinces.

The storm was still raging across southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday, the report said.

Mangkhut made landfall in western Guangdong on Sunday afternoon before moving into neighbouring Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, bringing with it torrential rains and gales.

Though the worst appears to have passed for Guangdong province, local meteorological authorities warned residents to remain alert for floods and landslides in Guangxi.

Mangkhut earlier lashed the Philippines, sparking landslides and building collapses that killed at least 65 people, with another 43 missing.

Hong Kong was also buffeted by fierce winds that tore off roofs, downed trees and caused cranes perched atop half-built skyscrapers to swing ominously. However, there were no reported deaths in Hong Kong, a city well prepared for tropical cyclones.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Seven Vietnamese have died and five are in a coma after taking drugs at an electronic dance music festival in Hanoi late Sunday, officials said, as authorities scrambled to trace the substance.

The victims, all Vietnamese, tested positive for an unspecified drug prompting officials to ban all EDM festivals in the capital in the wake of the fatal incident, which has shocked the conservative city.

"Police investigators are trying to figure out what type of drug that was," deputy director of Hanoi police Nguyen Van Vien told reporters Monday.

Officials said the dead were all in their 20s, while the five people in a coma are between 18 and 30 years old.

The sick are being treated in intensive care at two Hanoi hospitals.

If the deaths are confirmed as drug-related it could be one of the worst mass deaths at a music festival linked to narcotics in recent memory anywhere in the world.

Sunday night's "Trip To The Moon" festival was hosted by Vietnam Electronic Weekend in Hanoi's upscale West Lake, a neighbourhood popular among expats, teachers and youth for its nightlife and club scene.

Hundreds joined the event which sprawled across three stages and included EDM big hitters Yellow Claw and Headhunterz on the line-up, according to the online flyer for the event.

Investigators are trying to confirm who brought the drugs into the venue and said all events of its kind would be banned in the capital pending the probe.

"The incident yesterday... was very painful. It was a great loss," said Tran Xuan Ha, deputy head of Hanoi government's propaganda department said.

Tickets to the event cost between USD 21 and USD 135 in a country which has joined Asia's multi-million-dollar fixation on EDM.

Most ravers are found in the cosmopolitan and more free-wheeling southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City.

But the EDM party scene has gained popularity in the capital of the communist nation, as has drug use among young people.

It was the third Vietnam Electronic Weekend festival held in the country and was slated to be the biggest yet, according to state media.

Shocked Hanoians took to the internet Monday after the deaths.

"A warning message for those young ones who have been so irresponsible for their own (lives)," reader Nam Huynh wrote on VNExpress.

There are some 220,000 registered drug users in Vietnam, according to official figures.

In the past, most users were hooked on opium and heroin, though strong synthetics such as ICE and E are becoming increasingly popular, especially among Vietnam's partying youth.

The synthetic substances largely come into Vietnam through porous borders from the notorious 'Golden Triangle' drug producing zone -- comprised of lawless parts of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand -- though some high-profile busts in recent years in Vietnam have uncovered domestic labs.

On Saturday evening, two Australians died of suspected drug overdoses at an electronic music festival in Sydney, according to national broadcaster ABC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) will prepare a detailed project report for development of Palaly airport in Sri Lanka.

This would be the first project for the AAI in the island nation and "we are trying to get engaged with our neighbours", an AAI official said.

In a release issued on Monday, the AAI said it has signed an agreement with External Affairs Ministry for "preparation of a Detailed Project Report for development of Palaly airport in Sri Lanka".

Palaly airport is in northern Sri Lanka.

The official said all the technical and design aspects would be covered in the DPR, which is expected to be completed in three months time.

"The AAI has developed more than 60 airports in metro and non-metro cities in India and now the AAI wants to leverage its expertise to other countries on a bigger scale," the release said.

The AAI manages more than 120 airports in different parts of the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-backed AISA clashed early Monday, with both groups accusing each other of attacking their supporters, hours after the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results were announced.

Violence erupted on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus after a united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by considerable margins.

While the AISA alleged that ABVP members randomly attacked students, with a former student being almost "lynched" and the new JNUSU president being beaten up, the RSS-affiliate claimed its activists were attacked by Left supporters and three were injured.

This is the second incident of the two groups clashing on campus, the last being on Saturday ahead of the counting, which was suspended after election authorities cited "forcible entry" and "attempts to snatch away ballot boxes".

Newly-elected JNUSU president N Sai Balaji alleged that he was beaten up in the early hours of Monday by ABVP activists.

"Today, ABVP students randomly attacked students. I was called to the scene at Sutlej (hostel). As the elected JNUSU president, I went to ensure the safety of a student who was attacked by ABVP students with sticks.

"On reaching, what I saw was mayhem. The mob, led by ABVP members, was baying for blood of any student they thought was a friend of the student who they were attacking," Balaji said.

He claimed that ABVP members "openly threatened him, along with former JNUSU president Geeta Kumari and other students present there, with dire consequences if they intervened to stop the violence".

"The group turned into a mob and started attacking a former JNU student in the Jhelum hostel and chased him, and almost lynched him in the lawns. I ran with other students to save him, who had fallen unconscious after the beating, and took him to an ambulance," Balaji said.

He said some students asked him to sit inside a Police Control Room (PCR) van after the situation got out of control.

The mob stopped the van and an ABVP student sat in it. Two ABVP members were repeatedly stopping it, Balaji claimed.

The PCR van's doors were opened and "I was threatened and physically assaulted" by ABVP students, the JNUSU president claimed.

However, the ABVP claimed that their members were roughed up by AISA activists. They claimed the Left activists even roughed up one of their members, who is differently-abled.

"Three JNU students affiliated to the ABVP were attacked by the criminals hiding as champions of Communist ideology. 15-20 Left workers, including non-students, led by the outgoing JNUSU president Geeta Kumari and one of her close friends (attacked the students)," the ABVP said.

It alleged that the Left workers entered the room of a student and hit him with sticks and punched him. Two others were also injured, the ABVP claimed.

"The targeted violent attacks by the Left on ABVP students is a clear sign of an evil design unfolding on the campus. AISA-SFI and their allies have decided to turn things ugly on the JNU campus. The Left wants turmoil on the campus," they said.

The ABVP and the AISA have both filed complaints against each other at the Vasant Kunj police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Devender Arya said the situation is under control.

"The PCR got calls about a scuffle between students in JNU around 3 am. Subsequently, we had a discussion with university authorities, students and professors.

"Complaints have been received in Vasant Kunj (North) police station. Legal action is being taken on merit. The situation is under control and normal. Police arrangements are in place," he said.

The JNU Teachers' Association took out a protest march against the violence. Several students and university workers joined the protest.

JNU student leader Shehla Rashid Monday tweeted, "ABVP should change its Twitter handle from @ABVPVoice to @ABVPViolence and its full form from Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad to Akhil Bhartiya Violence Parishad."



Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid said the ABVP has been unleashing violence on the campus for the past three days.

"For the last 3 days, ABVP goons are unleashing violence in JNU, beating up students including women. Students rushed to the hospital, FIRs filed. But, the VC @mamidala90 has not spoken a word, tacitly encouraging these goons by his inaction. Shameless creature, blot on JNU!" he tweeted.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan tweeted, "If even after being badly trounced in #JNUSUelections2018 ABVP can resort to such violence on elected & former Presidents of JNU Students Union, imagine what would have happened had they won. Now you can understand what Shah means by saying, 'If we win 2019, we continue for 50 yrs'." He was referring to BJP president Amit Shah's remarks.

While the Left claimed the ABVP is stressed after losing the polls by a considerable margin, the ABVP claimed the Left has only won because four parties came together to form the 'United Left' alliance and would not have made gains had the four parties not come together.

The Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) and All India Students' Federation (AISF) came together to form the 'United Left' alliance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-backed AISA clashed early Monday, with both groups accusing each other of attacking their supporters, hours after the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results were announced.

Violence erupted on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus after a united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by considerable margins.

While the AISA alleged that ABVP members randomly attacked students, with a former student being almost "lynched" and the new JNUSU president being beaten up, the RSS-affiliate claimed its activists were attacked by Left supporters and three were injured.

This is the second incident of the two groups clashing on campus, the last being on Saturday ahead of the counting, which was suspended after election authorities cited "forcible entry" and "attempts to snatch away ballot boxes".

Five FIRs have been registered in connection with the alleged incidents of violence on the JNU campus on Saturday and the early hours of Monday, a senior police officer said.

Newly-elected JNUSU president N Sai Balaji alleged that he was beaten up in the early hours of Monday by ABVP activists.

"Today, ABVP students randomly attacked students. I was called to the scene at Sutlej (hostel). As the elected JNUSU president, I went to ensure the safety of a student who was attacked by ABVP students with sticks.

"On reaching, what I saw was mayhem. The mob, led by ABVP members, was baying for blood of any student they thought was a friend of the student who they were attacking," Balaji said.

He claimed that ABVP members "openly threatened him...and other students present there, with dire consequences if they intervened to stop the violence".

"The group turned into a mob and started attacking a former JNU student in the Jhelum hostel and chased him, and almost lynched him in the lawns. I ran with other students to save him, who had fallen unconscious after the beating, and took him to an ambulance," Balaji said.

He said some students asked him to sit inside a Police Control Room (PCR) van after the situation got out of control.

The mob stopped the van and an ABVP student sat in it. Two ABVP members were repeatedly stopping it, Balaji claimed.

The PCR van's doors were opened and "I was threatened and physically assaulted" by ABVP students, the JNUSU president claimed.

However, the ABVP claimed that their members were roughed up by AISA activists. They claimed the Left activists even roughed up one of their members, who is differently-abled.

"Three JNU students affiliated to the ABVP were attacked by the criminals hiding as champions of Communist ideology. 15-20 Left workers, including non-students,...(attacked the students)," the ABVP said.

It alleged that the Left workers entered the room of a student and hit him with sticks and punched him.

"The targeted violent attacks by the Left on ABVP students is a clear sign of an evil design unfolding on the campus. AISA-SFI and their allies have decided to turn things ugly on the JNU campus. The Left wants turmoil on the campus," they said.

The ABVP and the AISA have both filed complaints against each other at the Vasant Kunj police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Devender Arya said the situation is under control and five FIRs have been registered in connection with the case.

"The PCR got calls about a scuffle between students in JNU around 3 am. Subsequently, we had a discussion with university authorities, students and professors.

"Complaints have been received in Vasant Kunj (North) police station. Legal action is being taken on merit. The situation is under control and normal. Police arrangements are in place," he said.

The JNU Teachers' Association took out a protest march against the violence. Several students and university workers joined the protest.

JNU student leader Shehla Rashid Monday tweeted, "ABVP should change its Twitter handle from @ABVPVoice to @ABVPViolence and its full form from Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad to Akhil Bhartiya Violence Parishad."



Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid said the ABVP has been unleashing violence on the campus for the past three days.

"For the last 3 days, ABVP goons are unleashing violence in JNU, beating up students including women. Students rushed to the hospital, FIRs filed. But, the VC @mamidala90 has not spoken a word, tacitly encouraging these goons by his inaction. Shameless creature, blot on JNU!" he tweeted.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan tweeted, "If even after being badly trounced in #JNUSUelections2018 ABVP can resort to such violence on elected & former Presidents of JNU Students Union, imagine what would have happened had they won. Now you can understand what Shah means by saying, 'If we win 2019, we continue for 50 yrs'." He was referring to BJP president Amit Shah's remarks.

While the Left claimed the ABVP is stressed after losing the polls by a considerable margin, the ABVP claimed the Left has only won because four parties came together to form the 'United Left' alliance and would not have made gains had the four parties not come together.

The Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) and All India Students' Federation (AISF) came together to form the 'United Left' alliance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-backed AISA clashed early Monday, hours after the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results were announced, with both groups accusing each other of attacking their supporters.

Violence erupted on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus after a united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by considerable margins.

While the AISA alleged that ABVP members randomly attacked students with a former student being almost "lynched" and the new JNUSU president being beaten up, the RSS-affiliate claimed its activists were attacked by Left supporters and three were injured.

This is the second incident of the two groups clashing on campus, the last being on Saturday ahead of the counting, which was suspended after election authorities cited "forcible entry" and "attempts to snatch away ballot boxes".

Newly-elected JNUSU president N Sai Balaji alleged that he was beaten up in the early hours of Monday by ABVP activists



"Today, ABVP students randomly attacked students. I was called to the scene at Sutlej (hostel). As the elected JNUSU president, I went to ensure the safety of a student who was attacked by ABVP students with sticks.

"On reaching, what I saw was mayhem. The mob, led by ABVP members, was baying for blood of any student they thought was a friend of the student who they were attacking," Balaji said.

He claimed that ABVP members "openly threatened him, along with former JNUSU president Geeta Kumari and other students present there with dire consequences if they intervened to stop the violence".

"The group turned into a mob and started attacking a former JNU student in the Jhelum hostel and chased him, and almost lynched him in the lawns. I ran with other students to save him, who had fallen unconscious after the beating, and took him to an ambulance," Balaji said.

He said some students asked him to sit inside a Police Control Room (PCR) van after the situation got out of control.

The mob stopped the van and an ABVP student sat in it. Two ABVP members were repeatedly stopping it, Balaji claimed.

The PCR van's doors were opened and "I was threatened and physically assaulted" by ABVP students, the JNUSU president claimed.

However, the ABVP claimed that their members were roughed up by AISA activists.

"Three JNU students affiliated to the ABVP were attacked by the criminals hiding as champions of Communist ideology. 15-20 Left workers, including non-students, led by the outgoing JNUSU president Geeta Kumari and one of her close friends," the ABVP said.

It alleged that the Left workers entered the room of a student and hit him with sticks and punched him. Two others were also injured, the ABVP claimed.

"The targeted violent attacks by the Left on ABVP students is a clear sign of an evil design unfolding on the campus. AISA-SFI and their allies have decided to turn things ugly in the JNU campus. The Left wants turmoil on the campus," they said.

The ABVP and the AISA have both filed complaints against each other at the Vasant Kunj police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Devender Arya said the situation is under control.

"The PCR got calls about a scuffle between students in JNU around 3 am. Subsequently, we had a discussion with university authorities, students and professors.

"Complaints have been received in Vasant Kunj (North) police station. Legal action is being taken on merit. The situation is under control and normal. Police arrangements are in place," he said.

The JNU Teachers' Association will be taking out a protest march this evening from the famous Ganga Dhaba to Chandrabhaga Hostel against the violence on campus.

JNU student leader Shehla Rashid Monday tweeted, "ABVP should change its Twitter handle from @ABVPVoice to @ABVPViolence and its full form from Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad to Akhil Bhartiya Violence Parishad."



Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid said the ABVP has been unleashing violence in the campus for the last three days.

"For the last 3 days, ABVP goons are unleashing violence in JNU, beating up students including women. Students rushed to the hospital, FIRs filed.

"But, the VC @mamidala90 has not spoken a word, tacitly encouraging these goons by his inaction. Shameless creature, blot on JNU!" he tweeted.

Balaji of the AISA bagged 2,161 votes in the JNUSU polls Sunday. He defeated ABVP candidate Lalit Pandey by a margin of 1,179 votes.

The Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) and All India Students' Federation (AISF) came together to form the 'United Left' alliance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An Afghanistan national has been arrested by customs officials for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country saffron worth about Rs 36 lakh at Delhi airport, according to an official statement issued Monday.

The man, in his mid 30s, was intercepted by the officials after his arrival from Kabul on Saturday.

His baggage and personal search resulted in recovery of 40 packets of saffron, in total weighing 45.8 kg, the customs department said.

The total value of the saffron, which has been seized, is Rs 36.64 lakh, it said, adding the Afghan man has been arrested.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Legislators of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Monday contributed their one month salary totalling more than Rs 1.13 crore towards relief works in flood-ravaged Kerala.

Those who contributed their month's salary included Speaker P Dhanapal, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, besides the lone nominated member, among others, an official release said.

Dhanapal presented Demand Drafts (DDs) for a total sum of Rs 1,13,20,000 to the chief minister to be sent to the Kerala government for helping the flood-ravaged state, it said.

AIADMK has a total of 117 members, including the Speaker, in the 234-member Assembly.

The House also has one Nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Terming the proposed pre-poll alliance between the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Prakash Ambedkar-led Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) as "bogus", the Shiv Sena said Monday that such a political move is not a good omen.

The alliance would only benefit the BJP, the Sena claimed, alleging that the move by the BBM chief, who is the grandson of late Dr B R Ambedkar, is akin to betraying people of his own community.

The political alliance of Owaisi and Ambedkar is only for someone's defeat and is a well-planned strategy," it said, without naming any party.

Leaders of the AIMIM and the BBM had said Saturday that both parties will forge an alliance for the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls in 2019.

Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the Hyderabad-headquartered AIMIM, had said that preliminary talks held between the two parties yielded positive results.

"The proposed political alliance of the AIMIM and Prakash Ambedkar's front of scheduled castes is not a good omen," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'



Till now, both were carrying out activities behind the curtains in support of the BJP, but now they will come out openly to help the saffron party, said the Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.

It said instead of openly joining hands with the BJP, they have chosen to set up a new front, which has nothing to do with the line of thinking of late Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.

"Babasaheb fought against the wrong, unjust traditions of Hindu religion but he never joined hands with radical Muslim groups. He even rejected an offer to convert to Islam," the Marathi publication said.

The AIMIM is a "corrupt version" of the Muslim League, it alleged, adding that it is involved in Muslim vote bank politics.

"One Owaisi brother had allegedly remarked that 25 crore Muslims could easily overpower Hindus in this country. The grandson of late Babasaheb Ambedkar joining hands with such people is like betraying people of his own community," it said.

"However, any rational Muslim or a scheduled caste youth will not fall for such a bogus alliance," it added.

Alleging that Owaisi's language propagates "anarchism", the Sena asked Prakash Ambedkar to clarify if he is comfortable with it.

"If someone construes that BBM's joining hands with Owaisi would lead to instigating the scheduled caste youth and fuel riots in the state, then what answer does Prakash Ambedkar have for it?" it sought to know.

Most of the scheduled caste community outfits are already affiliated to some mainstream political party. The leaders are more interested in their self-growth than helping the community, the Sena said.

"The schedule castes are already divided into several factions, such as Athawale, Kawade, Gavai and Ambedkar. Instead of these factions floating their own front, Prakash Ambedkar is joining hands with the AIMIM," it said, wondering if such a move will be accepted to the scheduled caste youth.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Algeria will take back its citizens illegally residing in Germany, Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia pledged Monday during a visit by the country's Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"I confirm that Algeria will bring its citizens back, whether it's a matter of 3,000 or 5,000 (people)," the premier said during a conference alongside Merkel.

Ouyahia said most citizens had been returned on Air Algerie flights, adding the process could be speedier if Berlin was able to convince Lufthansa to fly them back on its regular flights.

Merkel affirmed the "will in Germany to welcome those who have good reasons to flee their countries," such as Iraqis and Syrians, offering them the right to stay and work.

"On the other hand, where the right to remain does not exist we expect that the state can take action.

"To that end, we need partners who are in agreement with us and Algeria is one of those partners," Merkel said.

Ouyahia said the Algerian authorities were also taking action against those illegally entering its territory.

"Algeria does battle for the rest of the international community," he said, by preventing "20,000 to 30,000 people annually from entering Algeria illegally" from where many continue their journeys to Europe.

Berlin wants to classify the North African nation as a "safe" country, as part of a legal change which would make it harder for Algerians to claim asylum in Germany.

Algiers has meanwhile asked Berlin to implement extradition requests issued by Algerian courts.

Speaking on Monday, Ouyahia denied Algeria had abandoned "Africans in the desert", following accusations by rights groups that thousands of migrants were dumped at the border.

Earlier this month the International Organization for Migration said more than 400 people had been rescued from the desert in northern Niger in two days, without specifying whether they had been pushed back from neighbouring Algeria.

Merkel, who departed Algeria later on Monday, also met with the country's ailing president, 81-year-old Abdelaziz Bouteflika during her official visit.

As well as migration, economic issues and terrorism were also on the agenda, according to official Algerian Press Service.

"We wish... to contribute to the diversification of the Algerian economy" hit hard by low oil prices, Merkel said.

She also said Germany was willing to continue its "close cooperation" with Algeria in defence and security, particularly for "the fight against terrorism and internal security".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)is investigating allegations that some of its staff sold confidential customer data to third-party particularly in China, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

According to the newspaper, which did not give figures, employees of the online giant sell internal data and other confidential information -- usually through intermediaries -- to merchants who sell their goods on the US giant's website.

On Amazon, customers can buy products sold directly by the company along with goods from many other merchants.

The practice under investigation is a violation of company policy. It is particularly present in China, the paper said, citing the example of intermediaries in Shenzhen working for group employees and selling information on sales volumes for payments ranging from 80 to more than 2,000 dollars.

Reached by AFP, did not immediately respond.

Fake reviews by purported customers are among the concerns of the internal probe, the report said.

According to WSJ, has been investigating this topic for months. Amazon employs approximately 560,000 people worldwide.BJP president Amit Shah and many senior party leaders visited ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on Monday.

Sources in the premier hospital said although 62-year-old Parrikar "is not critical", he was under observation. He is admitted at the old private ward under Dr Pramod Garg, professor of gastroenterology.

The visits by Shah and other senior leaders came after Goa's main opposition party, the Congress, submitted a memorandum to Governor Mridula Sinha, staking claim to form an alternative government.

Apart from Shah, Union Health Minister J P Nadda and Union Minister Vijay Goel paid a visit to Parrikar.

Earlier in the day, Shah flew to Delhi from Rajasthan and left again for the state after visiting AIIMS.

According to a hospital source, "Parrikar is not critical and is being treated by a team of doctors. He has not undergone any procedure so far."



The sources had said on Sunday that the Goa chief minister underwent a series of tests at the premier health institute.

Parrikar was flown to the national capital owing to his declining health.

He had returned from the US in the first week of September, days after which he was admitted to a hospital at Candolim in north Goa.

Earlier this year, he had undergone a three-month-long treatment in the US.

The BJP high command has sent three senior leaders -- Ram Lal, B L Santhosh and Vinay Puranik -- to meet the state party leaders and allies to take stock of the political situation after Parrikar was admitted to AIIMS.

The Congress, which has 16 members in the 40-member state Assembly, submitted a memorandum to the Governor, urging her not to dissolve the Assembly and instead invite the party to form the government, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

The state is being ruled by the BJP-led alliance.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, its allies Goa Forward Party and MGP have three each. Three Independents and an MLA from Nationalist Congress Party also support the BJP-led government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said Monday that Anganwadi and ASHA workers would soon be getting free life and accident insurance under the PMJJY and PMSBY schemes.

"We would provide free of cost insurance (under PMJJY and PMBSY) to these workers (Anganwadi and ASHA workers)," Gangwar said at a function to distribute Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP) and National Safety Awards (NSA).

"The honorarium of 14 lakh Anganwadi workers have been increased from Rs 3,000 per month to Rs 4,500 per month. Likewise, honorarium of Anganwadi helpers has also been increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,250 per month. There are over 10 lakh ASHA workers."



The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) provide life and accident insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh each, respectively. The annual insurance premium of the PMJJY is Rs 330 while it is Rs 12 for the PMSBY.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced over 50 per cent hike in honorarium of Anganwadi and ASHA workers.

Stressing that the government is committed to labour reforms, Gangwar said, "We are expecting standing committee's report on Wage Code Bill soon. The Code on Social Security has also been circulated for discussions on our website. The two other codes are also at various discussion stage."



Under labour reforms, the government wants to concise 38 labour laws into four broad codes.

The minister said that workers of the country are architects of modern India.

He gave away 28 Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP) shared by 139 individuals and 128 National Safety Awards (NSA) for the performance year 2016 at a special function at New Delhi today.

Addressing the function Gangwar said that there are around six crore organised sector workers who are getting benefits of EPFO and ESIC.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is specially concerned about around 40 crore unorganised sector workers. The Union Government has taken many steps to enhance their working conditions, safety and social security in order to improve their standard of living.

On building and construction workers' cess, he said, an amount of Rs 40,000 crore has been collected as cess for welfare of construction workers and this fund is being utilised by states for welfare of nearly 5 crore construction workers.

He said, "Our government is concerned for well-being and safety of women workers too. Recently, Creche facility for the organisation with 50 or more workers has been made compulsory. Maternity leave has been extended up to 26 weeks from 12 weeks."



He further said, "Ministry is making efforts to increase employment opportunities through Pradhan Manrti Rojgar Protsahan Yojana. Twelve per cent of the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) contribution of new employees is being given by government so that employees may not have to bear this cost and enhancement of employment opportunities. The government has spent Rs 1,744 crore for this EPF contribution for around 72 lakh employees of nearly 87,000 organisations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A former Miss India, earlier engaged to the husband of a female flight attendant who allegedly committed suicide in south Delhi, told police he had assaulted her and chased her with a knife, sources said.

Anissia Batra, who worked with a German airline, had allegedly jumped from the terrace of her house in July. Her husband Mayank Singhvi was arrested on the charge of dowry death.

The police filed a status report in the Delhi High Court in the case today.

The court has reserved its verdict in the matter.

The police opposed the anticipatory bail plea of the Singhvi's parents saying they have sufficient evidence in the case against Mayank and his parents, sources said.

The case was transferred to the Crime Branch in July after Anissia's family alleged inadequacies in the manner the local police carried out the investigation, a senior police officer said.

Sources said, the status report in the case, says Mayank had anger issues, and had even assaulted his former fiance.

The woman, who had won Miss India beauty pageant contest, was engaged to Mayank, but had called off her engagement after he had threatened her and chased her with a knife, sources said.

The incident took place four-five years ago.

After the woman learnt about Anissia's suicide, she herself approached the police and recorded the statement.

Anissia's father, a retired major general, had in his complaint to police on June 27, stated that he was filing the report as a precautionary measure against any harm to his daughter which may come from her husband or her in-laws.

The 39-year-old flight attendant allegedly jumped to death from the terrace of her residence in south Delhi's Panchsheel Park. As per the post-mortem report, the injuries on her body were due to a fall, sources stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu once again flayed the Centre over denial of SCS to the state and 'failure' to implement provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and accused the Prime Minister of seeking to create a wedge between the two Telugu states.

He also alleged that the BJP was deliberately trying to weaken the Telugu Desam Party and operating with a hidden agenda (by joining hands with the opposition YSR Congress), but warned that 'people are wiser than you'.

Winding up a short discussion in the Assembly Monday on 'Non-implementation of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act by Government of India', the Chief Minister said "Injustice has been done (to AP).

We are fighting for justice. We will not leave till justice is done. We are not bothered whether you will foist cases or exert pressure on us. People are watching."



He wondered what the Centre's objection was in according Special Category Status (SCS) when all political parties in the country vociferously supported it.

"Why are you not granting SCS? Is it not an ulterior motive?" the chief minister asked.

He targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, saying that on one hand they were making political moves and on the other, meting out 'injustice' to the state by doing nothing (vis--vis the Reorganisation Act).

"You have an understanding with the YSRC and took its support in the President and Vice-President elections. You deliberately wanted to weaken us.

You (BJP) unilaterally broke the alliance with us (TDP) in Telangana for no reason," Chandrababu said, referring to Amit Shah.

The Chief Minister said Modi never once called a meeting of the two Chief Ministers in the last four years to sort out contentious issues, if any, between the two states.

"Has he convened even one meeting with the two CMs to sort out bifurcation-related issues like division of Schedules IX and X institutions? On the contrary, he (PM) tried to create a rift between us (CMs).It is irresponsible behaviour," he alleged.

Rather, the Centre had only tried to control the states, he added.

Referring to the provision in the Reorganisation Act on increasing the number of seats in the two Assemblies, Naidu lamented that the Centre did not have the heart to fulfil it.

"The Act provided for increasing the number of Assembly seats from 119 to 154 in Telangana and 175 to 225 in AP. That was intended to ensure stability, but the Centre did not have the heart to do it," he said.

Maintaining that he had taken the 'right turn' and not a 'U-turn' as alleged by the Prime Minister on the special category status issue, Chandrababu said they had fought for it in Parliament, the Assembly and in Delhi.

"We have taken it to the people as well. What else should we do in a democracy?" he asked.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra Monday said that arbitrators must undergo training to understand the developments taking place in the world of arbitration.

He also said that a good arbitrator must also be a strong mediator.

Justice Misra was speaking at the release of the book "Principles of Law of Arbitration in India" penned by Dharmendra Rautray.

Praising the author, Justice Misra said, "I am sure after I demit my office, the book will be of help."



"Learning should not stop at any time. I am of strong view that arbitrators should be trained. I have decided many arbitration cases but still there are some techniques like de-duplicating of documents and other concepts," Justice Misra said.

Elaborating on the process of litigation, Justice Misra said,"Earlier, we had only 300 documents, now it can increase up to thousands. So, earlier these documents were admitted and contested but now we cannot do this because we love to litigate. There is a passion for litigation," said Justice Misra.

Delhi High Court Justice Ravindra Bhat, who was also one of the dignitaries, said that there is a scarcity of arbitration institutions in the country.

He mentioned the Delhi High Court Arbitration Centre has its own limitations though it was performing well despite the constraints.

Senior Advocate A K Ganguly said that he has been supporting the cause of arbitration for a long time.

"Arbitrations provide right opportunity to litigants," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)ArcelorMittal, which is locked in a three-way fight for the acquisition of Essar Steel, first wrote a letter targeting rival bidder Vedanta over its alleged violation of environmental law and human rights but shortly thereafter withdrew the letter.

ArcelorMittal, which is competing against Russia's VTB Group-backed Numetal Ltd and Vedanta for the takeover of Essar Steel, on September 15 wrote a hard-hitting letter on "facts" in relation to alleged "environmental law violations committed in India and Zambia, illegal mining, disregard for safety standards and human rights violations" by Vedanta.

The letter was addressed to the Resolution Professional, which is conducting the auction of Essar Steel to recover over Rs 49,000 crore of unpaid loans of banks.

But ArcelorMittal later withdrew the letter saying, "an internal draft of such letter was inadvertently shared". "Please ignore the communication for now. We regret any inconvenience caused to you".

The letter went on to state that the company reserves all rights in relation to the issue.

A company spokesperson had declined to comment when reached out for a response on the September 15 letter.

Later a withdrawal letter, bearing September 16 as the date, came to light.

A Vedanta spokesperson had strongly reacted to the September 15 letter saying it was "highly disappointed that such baseless and irrelevant issues are being raised and unfounded allegations are being made with the objective to malign competitors".

"Similar attempts were made at the time of our bid for Electrosteel Steels Ltd as well and the same were dealt with by NCLT and NCLAT appropriately by dismissing the challenges of competing resolution applicants. NCLAT in its order dated August 10, 2018, declared Vedanta Limited as an eligible applicant under Section 29A of the IBC," the spokesperson said.

Vedanta had won the bid to acquire Electrosteel with an offer of Rs 5,320 crore.

In the six-page letter of September 15, ArcelorMittal had written to the Resolution Professional saying the cornerstone of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, under which Essar Steel is being auctioned to recover unpaid loans, is full and complete disclosure of all material facts and so it is inviting attention to certain facts in respect of Vedanta.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had on September 7 held Numetal's Rs 37,000 crore second-round bid for Essar Steel was valid, but rival bidder ArcelorMittal would have to clear Rs 7,000 crore overdue loans of its previously associated firms to qualify for the acquisition.

ArcelorMittal subsequently revised its bid to Rs 42,000 crore and challenged the NCLAT order before the Supreme Court asking it to clear the dues of Uttam Galva and KSS Petron. The court is likely to further hear the appeal on Tuesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union minister V K Singh said Monday the army still rules Pakistan despite the election of Imran Khan as the new prime minister, adding that it remains to be seen whether the person will be able to bring about a change.

India is adopting a wait and watch approach after the installation of a new government in Pakistan, the minister of state for external affairs told reporters.

Responding to a question on incidents of infiltration at the border after the change of government in Pakistan, he said, "Did you all expect a change? I don't know. After all, the person has been propped up by the (Pakistan) army. The army still rules. So, let's wait and watch how things go -- whether the person remains under army control or doesn't remain under its control.

He did not refer to Khan by name.

Dialogue with Pakistan can happen only if the environment is conducive for talks, the minister added on the sidelines of the opening of a two-day conference - Smart Border Management - organised by FICCI.

India's policy is very clear. Dialogue can happen only when the environment is conducive, Singh said when asked whether there have been any attempts from Pakistan to initiate further dialogue with India.

Referring to reports of proposals to open the Kartarpur border crossing for Sikh pilgrims, Singh said India has not received any proposal from Pakistan to open the route.

Nothing has come from the government's (Pakistan) side. This issue has been going on for a very long time. If anything comes about we will let you know," he said.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Singh said India's border is unique and therefore one solution cannot be devised to make it more secure.

From plains to deserts and mountains and other terrains, one kind of solution cannot be applied to our border and the variety of the terrain has to be factored in while designing any solutions for making the border security more robust and smart, he said.

The gathering included defence officials and experts, business leaders and a group of 'sarpanches' from villages near the border.

A report on smart border management prepared by FICCI along with BDO India was released on the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)TDP leaders in Telangana Monday met Governor ESL Narasimhan days after a Maharashtra court issued an arrest warrant against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and party president N Chandrababu Naidu and other party leaders in connection with a 2010 case.

A TDP delegation led by party's Telangana unit president L Ramana met Narasimhan, common Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, at Raj Bhavan here.

Talking to reporters, Ramana demanded that the Maharashtra government withdraw the cases unconditionally.

The TDP had organised the agitation against the construction of Babli project to protect the interests of farmers in Telangana, Ramana said.

The TDP leaders had then refused to take bail and preferred to be in jails instead, he claimed.

The Maharashtra government had sent the TDP team by air to Hyderabad after informing that the cases against them had been lifted, he added.

On September 13, a court in Maharashtra issued an arrest warrant against Naidu and 15 others in a case related to an agitation staged by them over the Babli project across the Godavari.

Judicial Magistrate First Class of Dharmabad in Nanded district N R Gajbhiye issued the order, directing the police to arrest all the accused and produce them in the court by September 21.

Naidu and others, then in the opposition in the united Andhra Pradesh, were arrested and lodged in a Pune jail in connection with the agitation staged by them near the Babli project site in Maharashtra, opposing it on the ground that it would affect the people downstream.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The blaze that engulfed the Bagree Market in the central business hub of the city since early Sunday was controlled to some extent but fire fighters were still trying to tame the flames, official sources said on Monday.

Fire fighters tried to control the blaze throughout the day by spraying water on the building from six directions. Some shopowners made desperate attempts to retrieve some of their goods which escaped the fire.

A senior police officer, who visited the area on Monday, said the situation has improved but firemen are still working to control the blaze.

According to a senior official of the fire department it may take several hours more to extinguish the fire.

"Almost the entire building has been engulfed in fire because a huge amount of inflammable material was stored inside the shops which helped spreading the blaze.

"Most of the shops were closed due to which we are finding it tough to reach crucial points. Despite the problems, we are fighting to the best of our abilities to douse the flames," the fire department official told PTI.

City mayor Sovan Chatterjee, who visited the market, said the fire was controlled to some extent, but refused to comment on how long it would take to extinguish the blaze completely.

"Efforts are on to extinguish the fire. Cooling process is also going on," he said.

The state government on Monday directed the police and the fire department to find out the cause of the fire that almost gutted the Bagree market and summoned the owners of the commercial building, a senior minister said.

A group of ministers, under the chairmanship of state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, held a meeting at the state secretariat on Monday to discuss the incident of fire that engulfed the Bagree Market early Sunday.

"We have got a preliminary report from the police and fire department. They have been directed to find out the cause of the fire in consultation with the forensic department and come out with a report," a senior minister, who was present at the meeting, told PTI.

The minister said preliminary report by police mentioned that even toilets in the market building were sublet to small traders.

Fire fighters had a tough time on Sunday bringing in fire tenders and other equipment inside the congested area. They had to cut innumerable overhead tangled wires to bring in one hydraulic ladder to fight the fire.

Fire personnel also sprayed water on adjacent buildings to prevent the blaze from spreading. Scarcity of water in the area made their job even more difficult as water had to be supplied from a water body in BBD Bagh area and the Hooghly river.

"Water scarcity is a problem here. If there was a water supply from this area we could have fought the fire in a much better manner. Supplying water has been a problem as it is brought from nearby supplies," another official of the fire department, present at the site, said.

The fire, which broke out around 2.30 am Sunday, gutted at least 1,000 business establishments inside the G+5 market causing huge losses to traders ahead of the Durga Puja.

No loss of life has been reported but six people, including two fire fighters, fell sick after inhaling the toxic smoke, police said, adding they were treated at the Calcutta Medical College Hospital and later discharged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Senior Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate talks with Pakistan to transfer the Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib corridor to India in return for an alternate piece of land.

In a letter to the prime minister, the Rajya Sabha MP of the Congress asked him to show his commitment to Sikhs across the country and give a "worthy gift" to them on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism - Guru Nanak Dev, that falls next year.

"It is my request that you, Sir, initiate bilateral talks with Pakistan on this issue and propose to transfer the Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib corridor to India, in return for an alternate piece of land," he told the prime minister in his letter.

Bajwa, a former president of the Punjab Congress, said such a deal has historical precedent as in 1962, India swapped land for the area around Hussainiwala in Punjab, which housed the cremation site of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru.

"I offer this as an alternative to visa-free access, so as to negate any national security concerns that may arise. I beseech you - show your commitment to Sikhs across India, give them a gift worthy of the occasion and ensure that Sikhs from across the world can come together and celebrate.

"I offer my help in this noble endeavour, in any capacity you may need," he wrote.

The Congress MP said this is an urgent matter of great sentimental and symbolic value to Sikhs across the world.

He said ever since the partition, Sikhs on the Indian side of the border have been unable to celebrate the anniversary to its fullest with a visit to Kartarpur Sahib.

The shrine is located just 2 miles across the international border and this is where Guru Nanak Dev had spent 18 years of his life, he said.

"Every year, pilgrims flock to the 'Shaktisthal', an elevated platform erected at Dera Baba Nanak (district Gurdaspur) on the Indo-Pak border, so that they can catch a glimpse of Kartarpur Sahib. There have even been proposals to install high-powered binoculars.

"It pains me to see such desperation in the eyes of the faithful. Guru Nanak stood for compassion and universal brotherhood and we must honour his memory and put aside our differences to ensure everyone can share in his glory," he said.

Bajwa said on December 8, 2011 he had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and is now bringing it to the prime minister's knowledge.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bangladesh's Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of a proposed agreement with India to enable New Delhi to use the Chittagong and Mongla ports for goods movement to and from northeast India.

"The agreement would allow India to use Chattogram (Chittagong) and Mongla ports to carry goods to their northeastern states in a very short time," Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam said after a Cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"A draft of the communication network being built for connectivity between the Chattogram and Mongla ports has been approved for India's signing. One of the provisions says that Nepal and Bhutan can be added to the agreement if they wish," he said.

He said the draft suggested the agreement to be effective for five years with a provision of automatic renewal for another five years while either of the countries could scrap it giving a six-month notice.

Four routes were suggested for goods movements which are Chattagram Port/Mongla Port-Agartala via Akhaura, Chattagram/Mongla-Daouki via Tamabil, Chattagram/ Mongla-Sutarkandi via Sheola, and Chattagram/Mongla-Bibekbazar via Simantapur.

But, Alam said, under the agreement only Bangladeshi vehicles and vessels would be used to carry the goods inside Bangladesh.

He said however, India would have to follow the international General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as well as Bangladeshi laws and rules in carrying the goods.

The agreement suggested Bangladesh's tax authorities would take bond equivalent to duties and taxes from Indian companies while charges, fees and carrying cost will be charged according to GATT in addition to regular duty and taxes.

The draft deal said Bangladeshi authorities would use tracking systems like global positioning system (GPS), e-lock and e-seal to identify the goods carrying vessels.

"A major objective of the proposed agreement was to strengthen the existing cordial bilateral ties," Alam said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has been ruled out of the rest of the Asia Cup with a broken hand after batting despite his injury in the opening match, an official said Monday.

"He got two fractures in his hand. He would not be able to continue here and also for the next three to four weeks," team manager Khaled Mahmud told AFP from Dubai.

Tamim was hailed as national hero after he returned to bat with his injured hand for the final wicket during Bangladesh's 137-run win in Saturday's opening match against Sri Lanka.

The left-hander received a blow to his wrist in the second over of Bangladesh's innings when he was hit by a short ball from Suranga Lakmal.

He left the field for hospital for a scan, and when he returned to the ground with a sling on his injured hand his Asia Cup was thought to be over.

But the opener stunned all by striding out to bat after Bangladesh lost their ninth wicket for 229 runs.

He fashioned a hole in his glove in order to fit his taped wrist, and used one hand in facing a single delivery to give the strike back to Mushfiqur Rahim, who was batting on 112.

Mushfiqur then scored 32 off 16 balls alone in their 10th-wicket partnership, guiding Bangladesh to 261 runs before he was dismissed in the final over for 144.

Bangladesh later bowled out Sri Lanka for 124 runs to record their biggest win on foreign soil, making a giant leap towards the Super Four round.

Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in their second match of the tournament in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The government Monday said state-owned Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will be merged to create the country's third largest lender as part of efforts to revive credit and economic growth.

The move follows top lender State Bank of India last year merging with itself five of its subsidiary banks and taking over Bharatiya Mahila Bank, a niche state-run lender for women.

Announcing the plan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the merger will make the banks stronger and sustainable as well as increase their lending ability.

Giving the context of the merger, he said bank lending was becoming weak, hurting corporate sector investments.

Also, many banks were in a fragile condition due to excessive lending and ballooning NPAs, he said.

"This amalgamated entity will increase banking operations," he said.

As was in case of SBI, no employee of the three banks would have service conditions that are adverse to their present one.

The government owns majority stakes in 21 lenders, which account for more than two-thirds of banking assets in the Asia's third biggest economy.

But these PSU banks also account for the lion's share of bad loans or NPAs plaguing the sector and need crores of rupees in new capital in the next two years to meet global Basel III capital norms.

Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar said bank boards of the three banks will examine the amalgamation proposal. "The merger will help improve operational efficiency and customer services."



The amalgamated bank would be the third largest bank in India and will be strong competitive lender with economies of scale, he said adding the three would have synergies for network, low-cost deposits and subsidiaries.

While the employees interest will be protected, brand equity will be preserved, he said.

Capital support to the merged entity of Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank and BoB would be ensured, he said.

The three banks will continue to work independently post merger.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The BJP's West Bengal unit Monday celebrated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday through cleanliness drive in various parts of the state, a senior party leader said.

Modi turned 68 Monday and is scheduled to celebrate his birthday with school children in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

"We have celebrated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday through cleanliness drive in various parts of the state and the city. The party workers have organized 'Swachhta Campaign" and cleaned various streets," BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said.

"We had also propagated about various welfare schemes that the BJP government at the Centre has introduced since 2014. It is a week-long programme, where we will reach out to the people with various welfare initiatives that has been undertaken by various central government ministries," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh's car came under attack Monday in East Midnapore district, where he arrived in the morning with a contingent of 10-12 cars to attend a meeting, a police officer said.

Ghosh claimed that the attack at Contai in East Midnapore was the "handiwork" of Trinamool Congress workers, a charge denied by the ruling party.

The police officer, however, said the miscreants behind the attack were yet to be identified.

"Ghosh was shown black flags while entering the venue of a party meeting near Contai central bus stand. The miscreants also broke the window panes of the state BJP president's car," the officer said.

He, however, clarified that the situation was under control and Ghosh's meet underway as per schedule.

"Policemen have been deployed in huge numbers in the area and we are looking into the situation, trying to identify the miscreants," the officer added.

The state BJP president, on his part, said three of his partymen have received injuries in the attack.

"The TMC workers broke the window panes of my car and damaged 15 motorbikes that were a part of the contingent accompanying me. Three of our workers have received serious injuries in the attack", he alleged.

The BJP leader also said that he had faced similar attacks on earlier occasions.

"We are prepared for it. We know they will anything to stop the BJP. This is the kind of situation we have been facing in Bengal," he said.

He alleged that local TMC MP Dibyendu Adhikari and police officers were present at the spot when his car was attacked by the miscreants.

Adhikari, however, refuted the allegations and said he was nowhere near the site of the incident.

"I was passing through the area when I came to know that Ghosh was shown black flags by his own partymen. The attack was the result of the saffron party's internal fight," he claimed.

The TMC has never stopped the BJP from holding any meeting anywhere in the state, the MP said.

"It was unfortunate that the BJP president made such allegations," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Delhi unit of the BJP Monday launched a week-long programme, under which welfare initiatives will be undertaken by party leaders, to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday.

Modi turned 68 on Monday and will be celebrating his birthday in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

Under the programme senior BJP leaders and Union ministers, including Harsh Vardhan and Smriti Irani, are slated to inaugurate different welfare initiatives for the people in various parts of the national capital.

BJP Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari and senior party leader Vinay Sahasrabudhe inaugurated the programme at Kirti Nagar this morning.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda inaugurated a health camp along with east Delhi MP Maheish Girri at Vishwas Nagar.

The health minister said Prime Minister Modi has dedicated his birthday to "service" and the day is being observed as 'sewa diwas'. This highlights his "inspiring personality", he said.

Nadda also swept a street at a JJ cluster near the site of the health camp.

Some sanitation workers of a municipal corporation staged a demonstration over their pending dues outside the venue before Nadda's arrival.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)To mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, the BJP's Delhi unit Monday launched a week-long programme, under which welfare measures will be undertaken by party leaders.

Modi turned 68 Monday and celebrated his birthday in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

As part of the "Sewa Divas" programmes, Union ministers Harsh Vardhan, J P Nadda and Smriti Irani launched several initiatives in various parts of the national capital for the welfare of people.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda and East Delhi MP Maheish Girri inaugurated a health camp along at Vishwas Nagar.

The health minister said Prime Minister Modi has dedicated his birthday to "service" and the day is being observed as 'sewa diwas'. This highlights his "inspiring personality".

Nadda also swept a street at a JJ cluster near the site of the health camp.

Some sanitation workers of a municipal corporation staged a demonstration over their pending dues outside the venue before Nadda's arrival.

Later, Nadda said under Ayushman Bharat, 1.5 lakh health sub-centres and primary health centres will be converted into health and wellness centres.

The sub centres, taking care of pregnant women and infants, will now undertake check up of hypertension, oral cancer, breast cancer, tuberculosis, mental health, leprosy and dental care.

He said the government is providing free medicines and diagnostic facilities in all primary health centres, community health centres and district hospitals and Rs 16,000 crore has been spent on medicines in four years.

The prime minister will launch "the biggest" universal health coverage scheme from Ranchi on September 23. Under it, 10.74 lakh families (55 crore people) will be provided annual health insurance cover for five years.

Union minister Smriti Irani celebrated Modi's birthday at RK Puram meeting students and offering chocolates and sweets to them.

"On the occasion of PM Narendra Modi's birthday today, we have been celebrating the day as Sewa Divas across the country. Prime Minister Modi's dream of making Naya Bharat (New India) would be a reality if every individual of the country works for that. We should all strive for making a new India," said Irani.

Union Forest and Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan offered voluntary labour on the occasion at Ashok Vihar. He also distributed tricycles and hearing aid to around 200 specially abled people on the occasion.

BJP's Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari and senior party leader Vinay Sahasrabuddhe inaugurated Sewa Divas programmes at Kirti Nagar.

Sahasrabuddhe said Narendra Modi is a "great leader" who like Mahatma Gandhi is taking care of the health of people by initiating the Swatchh Bharat campaign in the country.

Tiwari said 280 Sewa Divas programmes were organised in entire Delhi on the occasion. He along with Sahsrabuddhe also offered 'Shramdaan' by sweeping at Jawahar Camp.

BJP's Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta donated blood at a camp in Rohini.

Delhi BJP Yuva Morcha activists led by its president Sunil Yadav performed a Hawan at Pant Marg office of the party for long life of the prime minister. They also took out a 'Vikas Yatra' in Connaught Place highlighting achievements of the Modi government.

The Delhi BJP said programmes celebrating Modi's birthday were held across the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Monday said the popularity graph of the Narendra Modi government has fallen and it will not be a surprise if the BJP faces a drubbing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He was speaking at a press conference at his residence here.

"Only two faces are ruling the countrythose of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. But it will not be a surprise if they are trounced (in the 2019 general) elections," the former Rajasthan chief minister said.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also knows well that it will lose the upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, which is why party president Amit Shah is using Modi's name and not chief minister Vasundhara Raje's to seek votes.

"They (BJP) have understood that seeking votes in the name of Vasundhara Raje will only lead to defeat. Therefore they are seeking votes in the name of Modi. But that time has passed, the (popularity) graph (of the Modi government) has rapidly come down," Gehlot said.

"What Amit Shah and Vasundhara Raje are saying is a bundle of lies and people know it," he added.

The Congress leader also demanded answers from the BJP on the Rafale fighter jets deal and on the huge rise in the turnover of the company of Shah's son.

"They are not replying (to questions) about the Rafale deal and rather pushing forward IAF officers (for statements). They should also respond on the matter of (assets of company of) Amit Shah's son," he said.

Speaking about the proposed 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of opposition parties to stop the juggernaut of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Gehlot said it was necessary that all of them come on one platform.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The body of a 60-year-old man was found in a village here, police said Monday.

According to Superintendent of Police Shriparna Ganguly, Videshi Rajbhar was found dead in Dumri village.

He was allegedly killed late on Sunday night, police said, adding that prima facie it appears that the deceased was attacked on his head.

The SP said that the body has been sent for post-mortem and efforts are on to nab the culprits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Over a thousand farmers from Chattisgarh's tribal-dominated Bastar region will hold a protest here Tuesday demanding farm loan waiver and fixing of Rs 2,500 as paddy procurement price.

The farmers had begun their march from Jagdalpur on September 10 under the banner of the Rashtriya Kisan Parishad, a farmers' outfit whose patron is former VHP leader Pravin Togadia.

"After covering a distance of 300 kilometres, the march will culminate here Tuesday and a dharna and meeting will be held at the Idgah Bhata Ground in Lakhe Nagar area here at 2pm," informed Omesh Bisen, state secretary of the RKP.

He told PTI that Togadia would also address the gathering Tuesday and will join the march at Abhanpur, about 27 kilometres from here.

Togadia is likely to lead a delegation later to Chhattisgarh Governor Anandiben Patel and submit a memorandum of farmers' demands, he said.

"The demands include waiver of all farm loans and a minimum support price of Rs 2,500 for paddy. We also want the government to disburse pending crop insurance dues of farmers, exempt farmers' vehicles from toll and implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report," Bisen said.

Assembly polls are slated for the end of this year in Chhattisgarh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Foiled Again has been in the industry news as of late, as it has been announced that he will be at Ohios Delaware County Fair this week and in Ontario in December. Although, in case you missed it, you should be aware that harness racings richest horse notched win No. 103 this past weekend.

The 14-year-old Dragon Again gelding made his way to Freehold Raceway this past Saturday (Sept. 15) for the Open Space Pace, which was contested for a purse of $6,000.

With George Brennan in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke, Foiled Again started from Post 5 and was third down to the quarter pole, which had been clicked off in :27.3 by the Harry Landy-driven Newbie.

Brennan called on the career winner of $7.6 million in purses in the second quarter, and the duo was out and racing in third as Newbie spun off the opening half in :57.

Foiled Again continued his grind up to the lead in the third quarter, as he was just a quarter-length back on the outside as Newbie completed three quarters in 1:25.

Foiled Again was money in the final quarter, as he came home in :28.4, which was good enough to record a one and three-quarter-length victory in 1:53.4.



Foiled Again, pictured recording career win No. 103 on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at Freehold Raceway in New Jersey (Photo courtesy Lillian Shupe)

Foiled Again is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC (of Fredericktown, PA), Weaver Bruscemi LLC (Canonsburg, PA) and JJK Stables LLC (Fort Lauderdale, FL).

Freehold Raceway was the scene of Foiled Agains first-ever pari-mutuel start back in 2006, as he recorded a half-length victory in 2:01 on October 12 of that year.

Foiled Again has won his last three races. He recorded a two-length win in 1:56.2 at Ohios Greenville Fair on August 23, and followed up that effort with a one and a quarter-length victory in 1:55.4 at Windsor in Maine.Bangladesh's Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of a proposed agreement with India to allow it to use the Chittagong and Mongla sea ports for transporting goods to and from its land-locked northeastern states.

The decision is another step in improving the friendly relations between Bangladesh and India, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam said.

The draft says the agreement would be effective for five years with a provision of automatic renewal for another five years while either of the countries could scrap it giving a six-month notice.

"The agreement would allow India to use Chattogram (Chittagong) and Mongla ports to carry goods to their northeastern states in a very short time," Alam said after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"A draft of the communication network being built for connectivity between the Chattogram and Mongla ports has been approved for India's signing. One of the provisions says that Nepal and Bhutan can be added to the agreement if they wish," he said.

Four routes were suggested for goods movements which are Chattagram Port/Mongla Port-Agartala via Akhaura, Chattagram/Mongla-Daouki via Tamabil, Chattagram/ Mongla-Sutarkandi via Sheola, and Chattagram/Mongla-Bibekbazar via Simantapur.

But, Alam said, under the agreement only Bangladeshi vehicles and vessels would be used to carry the goods inside Bangladesh.

A tracking system will be used to monitor the cargo moving through Bangladesh, he said.

He said however, India would have to follow the international General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as well as Bangladeshi laws and rules in carrying the goods.

The agreement suggested Bangladesh's tax authorities would take bond equivalent to duties and taxes from Indian companies while charges, fees and carrying cost will be charged according to GATT in addition to regular duty and taxes.

The draft deal said Bangladeshi authorities would use tracking systems like global positioning system (GPS), e-lock and e-seal to identify the goods carrying vessels.

"A major objective of the proposed agreement was to strengthen the existing cordial bilateral ties," Alam said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Canada's trade minister on Monday signalled that the government will push ratification of the Trans Pacific Partnership quickly through parliament, as stalled North American free trade talks have raised concerns it could lose its privileged access to the US market.

"Rapid ratification of the TPP" will mean "farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs and workers across the country can finally tap into new markets," Trade Minister Jim Carr said in a speech to parliament.

Signed in March without the United States, the Trans-Pacific Partnership will come into effect 60 days after ratification by at least six of the 11 signatories -- Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

The trading bloc represents 500 million consumers and 13 percent of the world's economic output.

Ottawa wants to be among the first six TPP signatories, but is facing pushback from the powerful union representing Canadian auto workers.

Unifor wants stricter labor standards written into the pact and for negotiations with the United States and Mexico to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement completed first.

High-level talks ended last week with no deal, and no date has been set yet for Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland to return to Washington to continue negotiations.

For Canada, implementing the TPP is "of paramount importance," said Carr, if only to act as a counterbalance to growing US protectionism under US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to cut Canada out of a new continental trade deal if Ottawa didn't give in to his demands.

"This is not just a new trade agreement for Canada, it is also a message we send to the rest of the world: trade is important, the rules are important and we will not give in to protectionism," the minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat met the representatives of seven political parties in Jaipur on Monday to discuss the issues related to the upcoming Assembly election in Rajasthan.

Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party submitted a memorandum to the commissioner, demanding elections in the state in two phases. The representatives sought adequate security and administrative force for a free-and-fair election, a BJP spokesperson said.

The commissioner flagged-off two 'sweep raths' in Jaipur urban constituencies, which will disseminate and sensitise people about the EVM-VVPAT voting machines.

Rawat also released literature and CDs related to the election campaigning and inaugurated 'sweep exhibition' related to pictures of past elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Centre has asked all departments under it to undertake cleanliness drive on their premises, according to an official communique.

All central government employees have been asked to contribute six hours of 'shramdaan' (labour) during the ongoing fortnight-long cleanliness drive.

"Shramdaan activities may include cleaning of office complexes, residential colonies and public places including cleaning of drains, public toilets, waste collection drives, and awareness campaigns," the Ministry of Personnel said in the directive issued to secretaries of all central government departments.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Swachhta hi Seva' movement on September 15. It will continue till October 2.

The movement is aimed at generating greater public participation towards cleanliness. It is being organised in the run-up to the fourth anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission, on October 2, 2018, which will also mark the commencement of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi.

The prime minister has given a clarion call to citizens from all walks of life, including government employees, to join 'Swachhata Hi Seva 2018' - as part of a 'jan andolan' (public movement) for achieving Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India, the Personnel Ministry said.

"I appeal to the staff and employees of all ministries/departments to come out and join this Swachhata Shramdaan in large number along with their family and friends and contribute atleast 6 hours of Shramdaan during the September 15 to October 2 Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign. Their role will be crucial in making Swachhata Hi Seva a grand success," it said.

All employees are also requested to upload details of scale and nature of the undertaken 'Shramdaan' activities along with pictures on a portal -- sbm.gov.in/shs -- through mobile based OTP login, the communique said.

The directive, issued by Personnel Secretary C Chandramouli, asked secretaries of the departments to lead their respective ministries/departments in conducting 'shramdaan' activities during the fortnight and make it a grand success, "which will be a fitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi just before the commencement of his 150th birth year celebration".

There are 48.41 lakh central government employees.

The move may push some of the central government organisations and bring change on the premises where large scale construction material, unused furniture and vehicles among other discarded items are lying.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Centre government not granting the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh has reduced it to the lowest per capita income state in South India and it would take years for the state to catch-up with others, IT minister Nara Lokesh said here Monday.

Accusing the ruling BJP government of "back-stabbing" Andhra Pradesh despite sharing an alliance with state's ruling Telugu Desam Party, Lokesh said the bifurcation of the state had resulted in great depravation of industrial investment.

"We were patient for four years. Unfortunately, the promises were not honoured," Lokesh, the son of the state's Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, told PTI.

"Post bifurcation there is lot of depravation in terms of opportunities and investments being made. This resulted in Andhra Pradesh being the lowest per capita state in South India and this will continue for the next ten years," said Lokesh, who is here to attend the World Economic Forum and to seek Chinese investments.

He said when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated in 2014, the then prime minister Manmohan Singh stated in Parliament that the Special Category Status would be extended to the state for five years to help put it on a firmer footing.

"We are appealing to the rest of the country that certain commitments have been made following which the bifurcation bill was passed. When the commitment was made by Manmohan Singh the sanctity of the House should prevail and it should beyond politics," he said.

The way the bifurcation was done, Andhraites got the lowest per capita income in South India, he said, adding that prior to that 62 years of hard work from people of Andhra and Telangana went in to build Hyderabad as the capital city, which contributed the most to per capita income.

Now Andhra Pradesh is left to fend for itself with the burden of building a capital of its own, he said.

"In all fairness India should support Amravati, the new capital. We have not build a green field city post Chandigarh. All countries are building massive cities. If Amravati succeeds, we could able to show successful microcosms of activity and growth. That is the need for India," he said.

The State is trying to reduce gap with sustained double digit growth for the last four years with host of industrial investment campaigns, he said.

So far 755 companies have gone into production in the State, attracting about Rs 1.55 lakh crore investment and creating 2.5 lakh jobs, he said.

"We are the only state growing at an average of 10.25 per cent compared with any other state," Lokesh said.

He said despite this, the per capita income gap between Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu with respect to Andhra Pradesh was nearly about Rs 40,000.

"That is a massive gap. About Rs 40,000 on the base of Rs 1.80 lakhs which is more than 20 per cent," he said and appealed to the rest of India to help the State get the Special Category Status (SCS).

He said the most important clause of SCS was industrial incentives and the pattern of the fund central government devolves to the state.

It is the responsibility of every state in India to help Andhra Pradesh (AP) secure the SCS as all parties have voted for it, he said.

Lokesh said his government was "caught by surprise" by the BJP's decision to not grant the SCS and not implement the promise of special package.

"The point here is that they said SCS status is not being given to any state, because with GST coming in. However, we will give you special package which will ensure that the interest of the state was protected," he said.

"We have agreed to that because we believe in our partners. Partnership or marriage is based on belief. But unfortunately, the erstwhile states which had SCS have been renewed, while Andhra Pradesh has been deprived and they have not done what they promised to us," he said.

"This is called nammaka droham (back stabbing) in Telugu. If Congress deceived us, the BJP told a lie to our face and deceived us too," he said.

Asked how justified was it that his party was now aligning with Congress in Telangana to contest the upcoming Assembly polls, Lokesh said it was because the party president Rahul Gandhi had promised to implement the SCS.

"It is primarily on the Congress commitment for SCS. No second thoughts about it. It is purely based on that commitment that we are going forward to work with them," he said.

On the order for the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu by a court in Maharashtra, Lokesh said "that is the beauty of Indian democracy. He has protested the construction of the dam in 2010. Maharashtra police illegally detained him".

He said the state was successfully attracting investments in energy and electronics.

"We contribute 30 per cent to India's mobile manufacturing. This is in three and half years," he said.

South Korean Automobile manufacturer KIA has committed to invest USD three billion in the state, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Attorneys made opening arguments Monday in the trial of a white Chicago police officer charged with murder for shooting a black teen four years ago, a politically-charged case that has roiled the city.

The prosecution said Jason Van Dyke unlawfully shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in the street October 2014, after the knife-wielding teen disobeyed officers' orders to drop the weapon.

Van Dyke simply saw "a black boy, walking down the street... and having the audacity to ignore the police," lead prosecutor Joe McMahon told the court.

The defendant's attorney Daniel Herbert countered with a portrait of McDonald as a dangerous criminal, high on hallucinogenic drug PCP, who had threatened members of the public during a "wild rampage."



The shooting, captured on dash-cam video, has upended the city's politics and left many fearful that violence could break out if the officer is acquitted.

The video shows Van Dyke firing 16 bullets into McDonald, who appeared to have been walking away from officers. Van Dyke continued to fire even after the teen collapsed.

None of the other nine officers at the scene fired their weapons.

Opening statements began after a week of jury selection, as 12 jurors were picked from a pool of 200.

Only a handful of protesters were outside the courthouse Monday, but the city was keenly watching the case's outcome.

The incident was considered another example in a series of fatal encounters between police and African Americans in recent years that led to the Black Lives Matter Movement.

"We're trying to get justice," McDonald relative and family spokesman Marvin Hunter told reporters.

"Justice in the matter of this case sets a precedent around this country for all of the people that have suffered what Laquan had suffered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has come forward to accuse US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault more than three decades ago, is a clinical psychology professor whose academic work has been widely published.

Ford, 51, teaches at Palo Alto University, south of San Francisco, in a consortium with Stanford University.

According to an archive of her LinkedIn professional networking page, she has worked as a research psychologist at Stanford since 1998, and also taught psychology at Pepperdine University.

In the private sector, she worked as a consultant to biotech companies in Silicon Valley, specializing in biostatistics.

The articles Ford has published have addressed a wide range of topics, including depression and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

She received her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina and earned a Master's degree in clinical psychology at Pepperdine University. She also earned a Master's in epidemiology and biostatistics at Stanford.

Ford earned her PhD in educational psychology at the University of Southern California.

Ford came forward with her allegation concerning Kavanaugh in July, when she sent a confidential letter detailing the alleged assault to her congresswoman as well as veteran Senator Dianne Feinstein.

She spoke out herself on Sunday, telling The Washington Post that Kavanaugh and one of his friends -- both "stumbling drunk" -- pinned her down, groped her and tried to pull off her clothes. Kavanaugh also covered her mouth when she tried to scream.

Ford was 15 at the time of the alleged incident and Kavanaugh was 17. Both were attending prep schools in the Washington area.

"Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation," Ford told the Post.

Ford said she had kept silent about the alleged incident until she and her husband were in couples therapy in 2012.

Ford said through her lawyer on Monday that she was willing to testify in public about the alleged attack.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegation, and 65 women who said they went to high school with him have signed a letter saying that in the 35 years they have known him, he has "behaved honorably and treated women with respect."



A group of women who went to Holton-Arms, the prestigious private girls' school outside Washington, are circulating their own open letter that had garnered more than 200 signatures as of Monday.

The signatories said they were grateful to Ford for coming forward and urged a "thorough and independent" investigation before any vote on Kavanaugh's nomination to the nation's highest court.

"Dr Blasey Ford's experience is all too consistent with stories we heard and lived while attending Holton," the letter states. "Many of us are survivors ourselves."



"Holton's motto teaches students to 'find a way or make one.' We dream of making a world where women are free from harassment, assault and sexual violence," it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)After a gap of 15 years, Nagaland State Transport department re-introduced the city bus service in Dimapur from Monday.

Initially the bus will operate on the main national highway route from Dimapur to Chumukedima with over 22 stoppages, Transport Minister P Paiwang Konyak after flagging off the service.

The department plans to cover other important locations in the near future, he said.

The transport department will offer free rides to senior citizens in the city bus, the minister said.

"We hope the step will be welcomed by commuters. The fare structure for the other passengers will be reasonable," he said.

Besides the city bus service, Pink bus service, exclusively for women, was also introduced for Dimapur and Kohima on a trial basis.

The Transport minister said the city bus service had earlier been taken off the road due to the shortfall of buses.

Thanking chief minister Neiphiu Rio for re-introducing the service, Konyak said the initiative had been taken by the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) government.

"Transport is a social service department rendering all possible service to the people without worrying about revenue. At preseent, the department is concentrating more in areas where private bus operators fail to reach," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Efforts made by the government towards cleanliness in the past four years would boost tourism in India, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.

After inaugurating Indian Tourism Mart, a symposium of the travel and trade industry sector, Goyal flagged the areas of concern for tourists visiting the country such as electricity, cleanliness and pollution.

"No country can attract international tourists, until they feel the country is clean...The efforts we have undertaken in the last four years to bring about cleanliness is certainly going to be one of the defining features to promote tourism in the nation in a big way," he said.

He said cleanliness also makes tourists feel safer when they walk around streets without garbage and muck littering their paths.

He said that electricity will be available across the country, even in the remotest areas, as the country has "gone from an era of power shortages to an era of power surpluses. We can now provide power to even the most remotest areas, and tourists can be assured about this."



"I think giving electricity access to the entirety of the country was very important to give confidence and comfort to all our tourists, both domestic and international, that India is a safe country. You can come here and you will have availability of electricity," said Goyal.

He further said that the government has fast-tracked the country's connectivity mission and effort to connect the remotest parts of India with efficient modes of transport is ongoing.

"Very recently, we have significantly reduced the pricing of luxury trains to encourage more and more tourists to travel in these trains to see and explore the beauty of our nation.

"I would like to urge all of you to crowd-source ideas and help us with newer initiatives to help us to meet the ambitious targets we have set for the tourism industry," said Goyal, adding that the growth in tourism will also generate jobs.

Tourism brings about several entrepreneurial and business opportunities, sometimes as simple as translators, he said, adding that more focus needed to be given on providing facilities and attracting high-spending international tourists.

Tourism Minister K J Alphons said that his ministry was focusing on building infrastructure for the sector and said that by 2020, India will become the third largest aviation hub in the world, thus bringing in tourists in larger numbers.

Alphons said the tourism and hospitality industry is one of the fastest growing sectors, which contribute 6.88 per cent to the GDP. He said, India is one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the world.

He said that one of the biggest decisions taken by the government to make a tourist feel welcome was simplification of the visa system. He said that the tourism mart would provide a great platform for states that do not have their own marts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar hospitalised, Goa's main opposition Congress party submitted a memorandum to Governor Mridula Sinha Monday, staking claim to form an alternate government.

The move came at a time when the BJP high command has sent three senior leaders -- Ram Lal, B L Santhosh and Vinay Puranik -- here to meet the state party leaders and allies to take stock of the political situation.

Parrikar, 62, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, is currently admitted in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for treatment.

The Congress, which has 16 members in the 40-member state Assembly, submitted a memorandum to the Governor, urging her not to dissolve the Assembly and instead invite the party to form the government, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

He said the BJP has a habit of forcing Governors Rule in a state where they fail to rule and the Congress will not allow to happen it.

Goa is being ruled by the BJP-led Alliance headed by Parrikar.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, its allies Goa Forward Party and MGP have three each. Three Independents and an MLA from Nationalist Congress Party also support the BJP.

All the 16 Congress MLAs, led by Kavlekar, went to the Raj Bhavan but could not meet the governor as she is out of the state.

"The party urged the governor not to consider dissolution of the state Legislative Assembly, which is a possibility considering internal fighting in the ruling alliance and illness of Parrikar," Kavlekar told PTI.

He said the Congress has support of legislators from other parties and can form the government, if given a chance by governor.

"We will prove our majority on the floor of the House," he said.

Earlier, BJP leader Ram Lal said the Goa government is stable and no demand has been made for a change in the leadership.

He stated this after a meeting with party MLAs, former legislators and core committee members.

He said the BJP's alliance partners - the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Independents - conveyed that they will agree to any political decision taken by the saffron party.

Kavlekar said that the state is not in a position to face another election within one-and-half year due to whims and fancies of BJP.

"Having another election means stress on the state exchequer," he said.

Earlier too, the Congress had staked claim on May 18, 2018 to form the government in Goa, citing the example of Karnataka where the largest party BJP was invited to form the government after the Assembly polls threw up a fractured verdict.

The Congress had said that it had not been invited to form the government in Goa after the Assembly polls in March last year despite it emerging as the largest single party.

The party had also met Governor on September 7, 2018 urging her to intervene as State Administration was suffering due to sickness of the Chief Minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A training programme for all district Collectors in Telangana on how to deal with the process of election work, especially those involving information technology, was conducted here Monday.

According to the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, all the Collectors/District Election Officers (DEOs) of the state have been imparted training on how to deal with the process of election work.

Also, deputy DEOs with IT wing have been trained to have a clear idea to perform their duties with transparency during the process of the elections, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar told reporters.

The ECI has deputed teams from Delhi to impart the training at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) head office whereKumar and the civic body Commissioner M Dana Kishore monitored the programme, he said.

The ECI has made available10 IT applications which would help the DEOs perform their duties in an appropriate way, Kumar said. Also, the ECI has introduced an application 'C Vigil' wherein any citizen can upload photos and videos during the election time, for which time-bound response would be provided, he said.

Every citizen can utilise the application to upload and give information about the model code of conduct, malpractices etc, and the EC officials would act on the grievances in a time-boundschedule to sort the issues out immediately, Kumar said.

These are some sophisticated and powerful IT tools which would be used this time in the election, he said.

Special awareness campaigns towards voter enrolment were also conducted over the last three days across the state where every booth-level officer performed the assigned duties at the polling stations, he said.

Kumar said he would also have an interaction with all the Collectors after the meeting to know their feedback on the details of the awareness campaigns.

The CEO said special care was being taken for duplicate entries, inclusion, deletion etc. in a time-bound manner as it is a statutory activity guided by the rules and conditions which have to be implemented while performing the duties during the election period.

Also, Kumar explained about Unified National Photo Electoral Roll (UNPER) and National Voter Service Portal (NVSP), and about their importance during the process of election work.

Last week, Kumar had said preparations for Assembly polls in the state were underway, and EVMs and VVPAT machines had started to arrive.

He had said over 52,000 ballot units, around 41,000 central units and 44,000 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines were expected to reach various districts before September 20.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Accusing the Modi government of promoting crony capitalism, the Congress Monday asked it to come clean by appointing a special counsel in the Bombay High Court in a case of alleged over-invoicing of coal imports by industrialist Gautam Adani-led group.

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh also alleged that the Gujarat government has accepted the recommendations of a three-member panel to raise the cost of power purchased from three private entities including Essar, Tatas and Adanis that will cost Rs 1.30 lakh crore in the next 30 years.

At a press conference, Ramesh alleged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has tried to save industrialist Gautam Adani whenever a probe is launched against him and cited a Rs 6,500-crore alleged scam relating to the purchase of power appliances.

He asked Modi whether his government would appoint a special counsel to defend the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for accepting its Letters Rogatory (LRs) to seek information on the alleged Rs 29,000-crore scam in over-invoicing of coal imports from Singapore.

Adani group, which has earlier denied these allegations, had moved the Bombay High Court last month seeking to quash LRs -- issued to agencies abroad to seek information or assistance -- issued by the DRI in 2016 in the case.

In March 2016, the DRI had initiated probe against some Adani Group firms for alleged overvaluation of coal imports from Indonesia between 2011 and 2015.

DRI issued LRs to Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong authorities seeking their help to access documents lying with overseas branches of three state-owned banks relating to the transactions under probe.

Ramesh also said the prime minister gave the slogan of "minimum government, maximum governance" but it seems the same has changed to "munaafe ka nijikaran, ghaate ka rashtriyakaran" (privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses), after it allowed increase in power rates.

He said this hike in rate of power purchased from private companies would put an additional burden of Rs 18,000 crore on banks who have given loans to those firms and power consumers who would have to pay more.

Ramesh said the documents required to prove the Rs 29,000-crore coal scam are with Singapore branch of the SBI.

He claimed the Finance Ministry wrote to the then SBI CMD Arundhati Bhattacharya in 2016 that the DRI has been investigating the matter and wanted the documents, but she later cited Singapore laws to reject the request.

Ramesh further claimed Adani subsequently filed a petition in a Singapore court requesting to deny the Government of India the documents desired by it.

After his petition was turned down by the Singapore court, Adani has now filed a case in the Bombay High Court requesting rejecting of the LRs, the Congress leader said.

Stating that the hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday, Ramesh said the biggest legal luminaries will come to defend the case in favour of Adani and it was the most opportune moment for Modi to prove his "real intentions" by appointing a special counsel to defend the cause of the DRI.

Ramesh claimed the DRI has already requested for appointment of a special counsel but the finance ministry has not yet taken a decision on it.

He also alleged that a show cause notice has been served on four companies importing coal but not on Adani group, which is importing 80 per cent of the total coal imported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Opposition Congress Monday suggested Odisha government not to clear the proposed Rs 9785 crore power plant by NTPC at Talcher in a haste as it may go against interest of the state.

The issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress while initiating the debate on the Odisha Appropriation Bill, 2018 in the Assembly.

Citing a newspaper report, Mishra said there was exchange of letters between the state government and the Centre over clearance for the NTPC project.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had written to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik requesting him to clear the NTPC project as it has already been given environment, water and other required clearances.

The project could not proceed as the state government's High Level Clearance Committee has not yet cleared the project.

Odisha Energy Minister Sushant Singh had written to Union Power Minister R K Singh stating that the state has been supporting the project for which it obtained other clearances. But the Odisha government has expressed its reservation against the high power tariff of the proposed power plant.

The state government pointed out that the tariff of the proposed 1320 MW project at Talcher was pegged at Rs 3.40 per unit, which is more than Rs 2.68 per unit indicated earlier. Odisha government has also requested the Centre to use the transmission network of the state for evacuation of power from Talcher to avoid transmission charge to Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, officials said.

Meanwhile, the union power minister has again written to the chief minister seeking personal intervention for clearance to the NTPC project.

"The Prime Minister is expected to visit Talcher on September 22. May I suggest that we utilise this opportunity for laying the foundation stone on that day in your august presence," Union Power Minister R K Singh wrote to Patnaik.

Mishra cautioned the state government that it should not clear the project "in a hurry" to keep date with the Prime Minister's visit. "During this session, we can discuss the matter in the assembly and see whether the NTPC's project will be beneficial for the people of the state. A committee may be set up to look into the matter," Mishra said.

Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said "The prime minister's past record showed that he made promises, but did not carry it out. The PM had promised modernisation of a hospital in Rourkela and the second bridge on Brahmani river during his visit four years ago. The promises were not fulfilled."



Citing another instance, he said the PMO did not give an appointment to the House Committee to hold discussion on the minimum support price of paddy.

Therefore the state government should not clear the project in a hurry, he said.

The Congress leader also criticised the BJD government in the state of not fulfilling its promises. "The BJD in 2006 had promised to provide irrigation facilities to 35 per cent of each block in the state. So far this has not happened," he said adding that both the governments make false promises.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress Monday termed Nagpur Mayor Nanda Jichkar's reported act of taking her son as a private secretary on an official visit to the United States as "corruption of highest order".

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary for Maharashtra Ashish Dua alleged that the "misuse, misappropriation and mismanagement" of privileges by the mayor, who belongs to the BJP, has lowered national prestige at international fora.

"Misuse,misappropriation & mismanagement of privileges by #BJP at international fora lowers national prestige. Also, such rampant drainage of public resources for personal gains by #Nagpur Mayor is corruption of highest order, but will there be any action?" Dua asked on Twitter.

According to media reports, Jichkar took her son along as a private secretary to San Francisco in the US last week.

Her son's tour was funded by Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, an international alliance of cities.

Jichkar's tour ended last Saturday, the report said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Patron of Sahakar Bharati and Reserve Bank of India Director Satish Marathe said Monday co- operative banks in India need a new "vision document".

He said it is unfortunate that in the last 15 years, not a single urban cooperative bank came up in the country. At the same time, small finance banks, payment banks and other private financial institutions have flourished.

"Till 1967, the Centre, as well as state policy, was to give priority to the cooperative sector but in the later years, barring some institutions, the cooperative sector did not flourish.

"After the division in the Congress in the late 60s, the perspective to look at the cooperative sector as a developmental movement changed and the cooperative sector became a stepping stone to enter politics," said Marathe.

He was speaking to reporters here.

"There is a need to put the cooperative sector into right and balanced perspective as the existing cooperative policy was formulated 15 years ago and now a review of that policy is needed. Thus, cooperative banks in the country need a new vision document," he asserted.

Marathe said he is engaging with the RBI on the issues related to co-operative banks.

Marathe was appointed a part-timedirector on the RBI board last month along with S Gurumurthy, co-convenor of RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch.

Sahakar Bharati is a non-political and non-government organisation that works for strengthening the co-operative movement in the country.

(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 the country will witness a "revolution" in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and people will defeat the BJP.

The BJP had won the 2014 Lok Sabha polls by securing 31 per cent votes but it cannot be repeated, she claimed.

She reiterated that "BJP Hatao, Desh Bachao" (Oust BJP, Save Country) will be her slogan for the next year's elections, which, she said, will be "people's referendum" on the performance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

"They (BJP) did not fulfil even a single promise they made in 2014," Banerjee, who is in Germany, told a Bengali channel.

She claimed that no one will vote for the saffron party in the Lok Sabha elections and people will vote for those who are strong.

"Those (strong) parties will form the government at the Centre. Who would become the prime minister will be decided later. The country will witness a revolution in 2019," she said.

Banerjee, who mooted the idea of a 'federal front' to stop the juggernaut of Modi-led National Democratic Alliance, said all anti-BJP parties are coming together.

She said West Bengal will play a positive role in "bringing back democracy in the country" and alleged that the BJP had adopted a "vindictive attitude" towards its opponents.

Banerjee also warned against the BJP returning to power.

"If the BJP returns to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, it will pose a grave danger to the country," she claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Delhi court Monday summoned RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav as accused in connection with the IRCTC hotels allotment money laundering case.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Arun Bharadwaj took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) and directed all the accused to appear before the court on October 6.

The court also issued production warrant against Prasad considering the fact that he is currently lodged in a Ranchi jail.

The court also summoned RJD member PC Gupta and his wife Sarla Gupta, a firm Lara Projects and 10 others, including IRCTC's the then MD PK Goyal, as accused in the case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The court took note of the submissions made by ED's special public prosecutor Atul Tripathy that prima facie there was enough evidence against the accused in the matter.

The agency said in its report that Prasad and IRCTC officials allegedly misused their position in granting sub-lease right of two railway hotels at Puri and Ranchi to Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd, owned by Vinay Kochhar and Vijay Kochhar. Kochhars also own Chanakya Hotel in Patna.

In lieu of the hotels' sub-lease, a prime plot of land in Patna was transferred to Delight Marketing Company Pvt Ltd (owned by family of PC Gupta who is a close associate of Yadav and an MP from RJD) in February 2005 at a rate which was much less than the then prevailing circle rates, the agency claimed.

According to the charge sheet, "The said company possessing valuable chunk of land gradually got transferred to Rabri Devi and her son Tejashwi by way of share purchase at nominal prices.

"The funds used to acquire the land had dubious origin and had been laundered through 151 group of companies belonging to P C Gupta by using an NBFC named Abhishek Finance Company Limited."



Subsequently, the shares of Delight Marketing Company Private Limited, it said, were acquired by Rabri Devi and Tejashwi at less than fair market value.

"It is noteworthy that the funds used for acquisition of shares by Rabri Devi are questionable and individuals from whom Tejashwi had purchased shares denied any knowledge of holding them," it said.

The ED said it has attached assets worth over Rs 44 crore in this case till now.

The CBI too has filed a charge sheet in this case in which the court has already summoned Yadav, his wife and their son as accused.

The CBI FIR had alleged that Yadav, during his tenure as the railway minister in UPA-I government, handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company in 2004 after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna through a 'benami' company owned by Sarla Gupta.

The ED registered the criminal case against his family members and others under the PMLA, based on this CBI FIR.

The ED is investigating the alleged "proceeds of crime" generated by the accused, purportedly through shell companies, according to the officials.

The CBI FIR was registered on July 5 in connection with favours allegedly extended to Sujata Hotels in awarding a contract for the upkeep of the hotels in Ranchi and Puri and receiving premium land as "quid pro quo".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday said it will boycott the upcoming panchayat and local bodies polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

Slamming the Centre for going ahead with the elections despite opposition from mainstream parties in the state, the CPI(M) said it showed the "arrogance" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government.

The decision of the government to go ahead with panchayat and urban local bodies elections despite majority of mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir deciding not to participate... shows the arrogance of the BJP-led Central government, state secretary, CPI(M), Ghulam Nabi Malik, said in a statement here.

The CPI(M) is the third political party after National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) to stay away from the polls scheduled to be held from next month.

The government should have convened an all party meeting to discuss this issue, unfortunately that has not been done. Keeping the prevailing situation in consideration, the CPI(M) has decided not to participate in these polls, the state secretary said.

Malik said the political parties of the state had raised some issues, including the linking of the polls to the plea in the Supreme Court on Article 35A by both the Central and state governments.

It was wrong on behalf of the government to use polls as a reason to seek deferment of Article 35A in the SC. The mainstream political parties had also urged the Centre to clear its stand over Article 35A before announcing ULB and Panchayat elections," he said.

The political parties in the state were also demanding the shifting of additional solicitor general of India Tushar Mehta from Article 35A case in the Supreme Court, as during the hearing on the case in the apex court on August 31, Mehta, who represents the state, crossed his brief," he added.

"They have also demanded that till (an) elected government is formed in the state, the proceedings in the apex court regarding Article 35A should be deferred, Malik said further.

The CPI(M) state secretary said the prevailing situation in Kashmir was another reason behind parties seeking deferment of the polls.

CPI(M) had always been demanding to hold dialogue with voices of dissent in the state. But now the situation has reached to a stage, where even the suggestions of mainstream political parties are being ignored," he said.

Rather than being adamant on holding the polls in the current atmosphere it would have been better for the government to assure the people of the state that it was serious in defending the Article 35A in the Supreme Court, he added.

Stressing that the CPI(M) stands for the empowerment of institutions for which, participation of people in the election process was a must, Malik said, on the ground, the situation is such that participation of people is doubtful".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A rulng JD(S) MLA in Karnataka Monday alleged that a local BJP leader attempted to lure him to defect to the party wth an offer of a ministerial berth.

Sakaleshpur JD(S) MLA H K Kumaraswamy claimed that the leader tried to lure him to break away from his party and join bjp



Speaking to reporters at his residence, he said the man made the offer of a ministerial berth to him through his wife Chanchala, a district panchayat member.

Chanchala said the man said her husband deserved a ministerial post as he had won the assembly elections six times



She alleged that he even offered money, but they refused.

The MLA demanded that people who make such attempts be brought to book.

On September 14, the chief minister H D Kumraswamy had alleged that BJP has employed certain 'kingpins' who have been contacting MLAs to topple the coalition government.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Govind Karjol dismissed the charges by JD(S) and Congress that BJP was striving to topple the government and said there no need for them to do so as it would collapse on its own due to internal conflicts.

He however asserted that given a chance, his party was ready to form the government.

"We did not take away any of them (MLAs of coalition government). There is no need for us to do so. We are content with the 104 MLAs in our party.

We will play the role of a constructive opposition," he told reporters at Bagalkote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress' Delhi unit Monday said it will hold a mahapanchayat next week in which people from 365 villages will participate to protest the "illegal" sealing drive by the BJP-ruled municipal corporations in the city.

Senior Congress leader Mukesh Sharma, who is also the convener of the party's 'Nyay Yudh' campaign against the sealing drive, said their agitation will only intensify in the coming days and "we will force the BJP and the AAP to find a solution to the illegal exercise that has resulted into a livelihood crisis for lakhs of Delhiites".

"In the next phase of the campaign, we will hold a mahapanchayat of 365 villages at Rangpuri in South Delhi on September 23 to decide the future course of the agitation," he said.

The Congress leader claimed that the support generated by 'Nyay Yudh' has rattled the BJP and the AAP.

About Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari breaking the lock of a sealed house in Gokalpuri Sunday, Sharma said he was enacting a drama.

"Tiwari broke the lock of a house that was sealed by the corporation's veterinary department. It had nothing to do with the sealing drive being monitored by the Supreme Court-appointed committee," he claimed.

A senior BJP leader said the party gives "full respect" to the Supreme Court- appointed monitoring committee on sealing, but the role of "corrupt" officials who were adopting "pick and choose policy" on illegal constructions also needed to be probed.

The Congress and the AAP have made no sincere efforts to find solutions to the problem of illegal constructions and encroachments, he said.

The monitoring committee chief, KJ Rao, said the matter will be reported to the Supreme Court.

The committee has also sought a report from the municipal corporation concerned over the entire incident.

Tiwari had Sunday said he will not even spare the BJP-ruled municipal corporations in matters of "pick and choose" action in sealing drive.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A senior doctor of sub-divisional hospital, Chhatrapur and one of his servants were arrested Monday on charge of killing a 45-year old man and chopping his body parts, police said.

Hrusikesh Tripathy (55), surgery specialist and owner of a private clinic near New Bus-stand here and his servant Bidhan Sethi (35) were arrested for killing Bishnu Prasad Gouda of Bania village. Gouda was killed on August 19 at the doctor's clinic, they said.

Police said the doctor was nabbed at Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Earlier, police had arrested Ganga Behera (50) another servant of the doctor in this murder case.

Police seized two blood stained surgery blades, three gloves, four empty saline bottles, Gouda's bike keys and a pair of shoes from his clinic.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the incident might be taken place over affairs between Gouda and a nurse working at the doctor's private clinic.

"Doctor killed him (Gouda) in order to remove him permanently from the life of the nurse," said SP (Berhampur) Pinak Mishra.

The doctor had given an injection to Gouda and after some times, he fell down. Gouda's body was cut into three pieces. The body parts were packed in the polythene bags which was dumped in a waste pit at Bada Gumula village, about 22-km from here, police said.

During the investigation, Behera showed the place where the doctor buried Gouda's body. The police exhumed the body parts on September 12.

"Though the doctor has confessed to the crime, we are waiting for the post-mortem report to know about the type of injection he had injected Gouda with," the SP said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four people in Europe developed breast cancer after receiving organs from the same donor in what is being described as an "extraordinary case" by doctors.

Three of the patients died from the cancer, which underscores the "often-fatal consequences of donor-derived breast cancer," researchers wrote in a study published in the American Journal of Transplantation.

According to the researchers from Netherlands and Germany, a 53-year-old organ donor died from a stroke in 2007.

She had no known medical conditions that would have precluded organ donation, and multiple tests showed no signs of cancer, 'Live Science' reported.

Doctors transplanted both kidneys, lungs, liver and heart into five separate donor recipients. The heart-transplant patient died of unrelated causes shortly after the transplant.

However, the three patients who received lung, liver and left kidney transplants succumbed to cancer over the span of next six years.

A DNA analysis of their cancer cells revealed that they had come from the organ donor.

A 32-year-old man who received the right kidney was also diagnosed with breast cancer cells in his transplanted kidney in 2011.

However, the doctors were able to remove the kidney, and he also underwent chemotherapy. The treatment was successful, and the man was cancer-free 10 years after the transplantation surgery.

Passing cancer through an organ transplant is "a very, very uncommon event," said Lewis Teperman, director of organ transplantation at Northwell Health in the US, who was not involved in the case.

Transplant recipients have a chance of between one in 10,000 and five in 10,000 of this happening, according to the report.

The report concludes that the low rate of cancer transmission from transplantation "implies that current practices of donor screening for malignancy are effective."



If cancer does pass from a donor to a recipient, doctors should consider removing transplants from all other patients who received organs from that donor, the researchers wrote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man was arrested from Jammu and Kashmir by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in connection with a racket involved in selling heroin smuggled from Pakistan using sea route, police said Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Gujarat ATS nabbed Nazir Ahmed Thakar on Sunday from a place in Srinagar with the help of local police and brought him here Monday, the ATS said in a release.

This is the third arrest by the Gujarat ATS in the heroin smuggling case.

Last month, the ATS had arrested two men from different parts of Gujarat and seized 5 kg of heroin, worth Rs 14.84 crore in the international market, from one of them.

Thakar, a native of Anantnag in Kashmir, allegedly took delivery of a large amount of heroin from one of the accused, Rafiq Adam Sumra, at Unjha town in Mehsana district a few months back, the police said.

The ATS had nabbed Sumra and one Aziz Abdul Bhagad last month and seized heroin worth Rs 14.84 crore from Bhagad. While Sumra was held from Mandvi town in Kutch, Bhagad was nabbed from Salaya, a coastal town in Gir Somnath district.

During the probe, it came to light that Bhagad had brought around 300 kg of heroin from Pakistan via sea route five months back and gave a large portion of the smuggled contraband to Sumra, the release said, adding the 5-kg heroin seized from the two accused last month was part of that consignment.

Later, Sumra handed over the contraband to Thakar and one of his accomplices, Manzur Ahmed Mir, at Unjha.

The investigation also revealed that Sumra delivered the contraband to Thakar and Mir on the instruction of a Punjab-based drug dealer, identified as Simranjeet.

The ATS claimed that the consignment was transferred to Thakar and Mir for its sale in north India.

Both Mir and Simranjeet are yet to be nabbed, the police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Scores of students of Delhi University's Delhi School Of Journalism protested here on Monday against the administration "for not providing adequate lab facilities" in the department.

Around 100 students gathered at the department and did not attend classes. They staged a protest at the main gate of the Delhi School Of Journalism (DSJ).

Following the protest, police detained a student from the site, who was later released in the evening.

"We are demanding media lab facilities, photography and camera instruments, better faculty members and removal of present Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of the department," said Prashant Yadav, a DSJ student.

He said despite paying a fee of Rs 67,500, they are not having basic amenities for studying media courses.

The protesting students said they will go on an indefinite hunger strike if their demands are not met by the authorities.

A representative of the Delhi School Of Journalism claimed the students protested outside the office of the varsity's vice-chancellor, following which the police were called.

"We have assured the students they can facilities at the lab of School Of Open Learning but they are adamant. They broke the lock of the Journalism Department's classroom and are doing a sit-in," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nigeria was on Monday urged to ensure that trials of Boko Haram suspects meet international standards, amid concern about due process and prolonged periods of detention.

Human Rights Watch warned that failure to do so could even exacerbate the conflict, which has left more than 27,000 dead in northeast Nigeria since 2009.

Trials of 1,669 suspects, some of whom had been held for years, began at civilian courts sitting at a remote military base in Niger state last October.

The trials were welcomed at the time but there were concerns about justice being seen to be done as proceedings took place behind closed doors with media and the public banned.

What information has emerged has come from government statements, although reporters were briefly allowed to observe proceedings in February. HRW's Anietie Ewang said: "Nigeria needs to pursue justice for those responsible for Boko Haram's atrocities and end the prolonged detention of thousands of suspects.

"However, to achieve justice and deter extremist attacks, the Nigerian government's overall strategy and trial procedures need to conform with constitutional safeguards and international standards." Ewang said the group was able to monitor the third round of proceedings in July at which more than 200 defendants were tried.

A total of 113 people were convicted and sentenced on charges including membership of a proscribed organisation, supporting Boko Haram and participating in acts of terrorism.

One of those found guilty was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his part in the mass kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from the northeastern town of Chibok in 2014.

According to government statements, 240 people have been convicted in connection with the insurgency while 1,054 have been acquitted or had their cases dropped for lack of evidence.

HRW catalogued concerns about the trials, from the short length of time of proceedings and ambiguity of detail in charges to lack of interpreters and access to lawyers.

The group urged the government to improve trial procedures and consider "truth commissions" and other efforts at reconciliation, particularly for lesser, non-violent crimes.

It also urged the international community to focus on non-military means of supporting Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram to ensure "genuine justice and accountability".

"Trials that abuse suspects' rights are not only unlawful, they can backfire by alienating local communities and handing a recruitment card to groups like Boko Haram," said Ewang.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A fire broke out Monday afternoon at the kitchen of a sweetmeat shop near Jadubabu's Bazaar in south Kolkata, an official said.

No one was injured in the incident, the fire brigade official said.

Three fire tenders have been pressed into service to douse the flames, he told reporters.

"The fire had erupted at 3.20 am in the kitchen of a sweet shop on the third floor of the multi-storey building. The shop is located on the first floor," the official said, adding that the blaze has been brought under control.

The incident comes a day after a massive fire broke out at Bagree Market, in the central part of the city. The market blaze, which has been raging for over 36 hours, is yet to be contained.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Five alleged drug peddlers were arrested on Monday in three separate operations in Jammu and Kashmir and a large quantity of contraband substances seized from them, police said.

In the first incident, two alleged drug peddlers were arrested from Pulwama district's Awantipora area and contraband substance was seized from them, a police spokesperson said.

The arrested persons have been identified as Arif Ahmad Dar and Fayaz Ahmad Wani, he said.

Another two alleged drug peddlers, hailing from neighbouring Punjab, were arrested by police in Kulgam district following recovery of contraband substance from their possession, he said.

The accused, Bika Singh from Amritsar and Satbir Singh from Tarn Taran, were arrested by a police party from Jawahar Tunnel during naka checking, he added.

In the third incident, an alleged drug peddler was arrested in Anantnag district with 52 kilograms of poppy straw, the police spokesperson said.

The accused, identified as Bashir Ahmad Wani, was intercepted by the naka party at Saller in Bijbehara area, he said.

Cases have been registered against the arrested persons under the relevant sections of law, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Five robbers, including two women, of the inter-state 'Pardi' gang have been arrested in connection with the murder of an elderly woman last week in Mansarovar area here, police said Monday.

Manish alias Bablu, Channa alias Jony, Badam Singh, his wife Guddi, and their daughter Nandini, were arrested in connection with the killing of Pushpa Devi Bisaria (75) last Saturday, they said.

The accused had entered into Bisaria's residence after breaking window grill with a motive to loot jewellery and other valuables. They overpowered the victim woman's grandson and then attacked the woman with screw drivers and other tools, leading to her death, and fled the scene, police said.

"Fifteen teams were constituted to nab the accused. Two teams were sent to Madhya Pradesh and others were sent to Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts in Rajasthan where they had committed crimes," Jaipur police commissioner Sanjay Agarwal said at a press conference Monday.

He said the accused hail from Madhya Pradesh and were living temporarily in Jaipur.

They have confessed to five crimes in the last 15 days in Jaipur and Jhunjhunu, he said.

The accused were being interrogated for their role in similar offences, the officer said.

CCTV footage installed in the area accessed by the police had recorded three accused moving out of the residence after the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Veteran freedom fighter and former Odisha Minister Dolagobinda Pradhan died at his residence here Monday after a brief illness, according to family sources.

He was 93 and is survived by wife, four sons and three daughters.

Pradhan, who was elected to the state Assembly twice from Cuttack Sadar constituency in 1980 and 1990, was a minister from 1989 to 1990.

Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's ideals, he had left school in 1942 and joined the Quit India movement. He was also jailed during the freedom movement.

His demise was mourned in the state Assembly where the members stood in silence for a minute to pay tribute to the departed leader.

Condoling Pradhan's demise, Governor Ganeshi Lal said his contribution to the freedom struggle and society would be remembered always.

"He was a true Gandhian and had dedicated his life to uphold Gandhian values in words and actions," the governor said in a message.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death of Pradhan and conveyed his deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik expressed deep grief over the passing away of the veteran freedom fighter and conveyed his sympathy to Pradhan's family.

A number of distinguished personalities, freedom fighters and politicians visited Pradhan's house to pay their last respect to the departed soul.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Philippine rescuers used shovels and their bare hands to claw through mounds of rocky soil on Monday as they desperately looked for dozens of people feared buried beneath a landslide unleashed by Typhoon Mangkhut.

Searchers have already pulled 11 bodies from the vast debris field in Itogon, in the disaster-hit nation's north. Up to 40 may still be buried, with little hope they have survived.

"We believe that those people there, maybe 99 percent, are already dead," Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan told reporters.

He added later: "It will continue until they (searchers) surrender. There are relatives among the rescuers who are still hoping they will be able to find their kin alive." A massive hillside, weakened by the monster storm's lashing rains, collapsed on the miners' bunkhouse about a half-kilometre (third of a mile) below.

Mangkhut, the world's most powerful storm this year, pounded the Philippines at the weekend with torrential rains and violent winds that snapped utility poles and sheared roofs off homes.

Authorities say dozens died in the storm, mostly buried in landslides in the mountainous regions in the north of Luzon, the Philippines' largest island. Hundreds of rescuers in rows formed a human chain to pass rocks, debris and tree trunks out of the search area in Itogon.

The massive landslide left a gaping gash in the otherwise green hillside that was studded with small homes topped with rusting metals roofs.

With damaged roads preventing the entry of heavy equipment, soldiers, police and miners also used shovels and channelled water from a nearby stream to loosen the earth.

It was excruciatingly slow work, as anguished relatives watched and waited for word on their missing loved ones.

Residents of the remote town, in the Cordillera range about 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Manila, had sought refuge in the building to avoid the wrath of Mangkhut.

The two-storey structure was an old bunkhouse abandoned by a gold mining firm at an area that has since been settled by small-time miners, Palangdan said. Recovered bodies were draped in fabric and lined up in a row at a makeshift tent on a nearby road above the bunkhouse.

Landslides and flooding elsewhere in the Philippines forced nearly 200,000 people to flee their homes, according to a police tally.

Weeks of heavy monsoon downpours had already left hillsides unstable in the region.

Crescencio Bacalso, the governor of Benguet, a province that includes Itogon, also cited a tragic case in Baguio, the region's largest city, where small-scale miners were helping to find a woman whose house had been buried.

"Unfortunately, there was a second collapse and the responders themselves became victims of a landslide. Six of them managed to crawl out but two others are missing," he added.

"It rained for a month here in Benguet just before (Mangkhut) arrived, so the ground was soggy, leading to erosion and landslides," Bacalso said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz are meeting to discuss migration before an upcoming European Union summit on the topic.

Merkel told reporters in Berlin as she and Kurz prepared to sit down for their one-to-one talks Sunday that "migration is, of course, a very important issue."



The EU's member countries are divided over how to respond to mass migration.

Some refuse to accept any asylum-seekers from the southern nations where most newcomers land first. Others are encouraging greater solidarity within the 28-nation EU.

Merkel and Kurz are set to join other national leaders at the two-day summit starting Wednesday in Salzburg, Austria. Their agenda includes a review of Brexit negotiations.

The Austrian leader next travels to Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A woman employee of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was allegedly assaulted and injured Monday by a ruling TRS Co-option (nominated) member of the civic body over removal of a statue here, police said.

The woman working as Assistant City Planner, in her complaint stated that during 'Prajavani' meeting, G Jyothi Goud and others allegedly manhandled her causing injury on her right hand, besides she was "slapped and insulted" by Jyothi, police said.

Last week during her rounds in the Alwal area, the official noticed that a statue of the deceased son of Jyothi, was installed "unauthorisedly". Although necessary notices were served to remove it, the statue was still there at the spot.

The municipal administration got the statue removed as it is an encroachment on road last week, which apparently is suspected to be the cause behind the "attack", police said based on the complaint.

Following the complaint, police registered a case on the charge of assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty and took up investigation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Goa government is stable and no demand has been made for change in leadership at a meeting called by the ruling BJP here Monday to take stock of the political situation in view of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's indisposition, senior party leader Ram Lal said.

The meeting was called in the presence of BJP central observers.

Asserting that the state government is stable, Lal said allies reiterated their support to the BJP in the meeting.

He said opinions expressed by various leaders in the meeting will be shared with the party high command to take a decision in the interest of the state.

Parrikar, 62, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for treatment.

BJP president Amit Shah had Sunday sent three senior members of the party -- B L Santhosh, Ram Lal and Vinay Puranik -- to Goa to meet the party leaders and allies in the coastal state.

The meeting was held Monday morning at the BJP headquarters and was attended by party MLAs, former legislators and core committee members.

Later, Lal said the party held discussions on the political situation in the state and preparations for the Lok Sabha elections due next year.

He said the BJP's alliance partners - the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Independents - conveyed that they will agree to any political decision taken by the saffron party.

"We have taken everyone's opinion which would be shared with leaders in Delhi to take a decision which is good in the interest of the state," Lal said, without elaborating further on what transpired in the meeting.

He ruled out change in leadership in the state.

"All the allies have said they are with the government and will agree to the BJP's decision. No one has placed a demand for change in leadership in front of me. The government is stable," Lal asserted.

He further said that as of now there is no proposal for merger from alliance partners.

"There is no proposal for merger. If they want to give any proposal (later), then they will give," he said.

The MGP had said Saturday it was "high time" Parrikar handed over the charge to the senior-most minister in his Cabinet during his absence.

The BJP currently has 14 legislators in the 40-member Assembly, while the GFP and the MGP have three each. The national party is also supported by three Independents.

The Congress has 16 MLAs while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has one legislator.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGF) and Goa Forward Party (GFP), allies of the ruling BJP in Goa, on Monday said they were awaiting a solution to the political situation arising out of the indisposition of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

MGP chief Deepak Dhavalikar said a "common solution", in sync with "what the allies have been requesting", should come from the BJP as it was the single largest party in ruling alliance.

GFP president Vijai Sardesai also said that his party was waiting for a solution, which is permanent rather than "ad hoc".

"We are waiting for the future course of action as now all the pros and cons of the situation are known well to the BJP national leadership," Sardesai, who is also state Agriculture Minister, said.

He appreciated BJP national president Amit Shah for promptly deputing central observers to listen to allies in connection with the political situation.

Parrikar is currently recuperating in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and three observers from the BJP were in the coastal state to take stock of the political situation in view of his indisposition.

The three central observers of the BJP -- Ram Lal, B L Santhosh and Vinay Puranik -- left for Delhi Monday after holding several rounds of talks in the coastal state with partymen and alliance partners.

They will submit a report on the political scene in Goa to Shah, party functionaries said.

Sardesai said his party was with Parrikar and "we are not talking to anyone, neither is anybody talking to us".

Speaking to PTI, Sardesai said, "We appreciate swift action of BJP national president to depute senior leaders to hear us in Goa. This reflects the concern that he has for a small state like Goa, which is deserving and appreciated."



He added that his party, as well as Independents supporting the ruling alliance, had told the BJP emissaries that the solution offered should be a permanent one and not something on an "ad hoc" basis.

Dhavalikar said, "This is a coalition government but the decision (on governance in the absence of Parrikar) has to be taken by the BJP since it is the largest party in the state government. We are waiting for a common solution on the current situation, which the BJP will give us."



He said his party had not given any specific proposal (to the BJP) on a change of leadership.

"Yes we have told them (BJP) if they are considering it (change in leadership), then the charge should be given to the seniormost minister. Our demand continues to stand," Dhavalikar said.

Dhavalikar, speaking to reporters Saturday, had said, "It is high time Parrikar hands over the charge to the seniormost minister for smooth functioning of the government."



His elder brother, Sudin Dhavalikar, who is the state's Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, is the seniormost member in the Parrikar-led Cabinet.

The MGP's demand had, however, met with resistance from other allies including the Goa Forward Party.

"What can I comment on MGP's statement? Everything that MGP wants need not happen. In an alliance, decisions are taken collectively. It cannot be the demand of a single party," Sardesai had said on Saturday.

The Congress on Monday afternoon submitted a memorandum to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, staking claim to form an alternate government in the state in view of the absence of the chief minister.

The Congress, with 16 MLAS, claimed that it had the numbers in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly to form the government.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, its allies Goa Forward Party and MGP have three each. Three Independents and an MLA from Nationalist Congress Party also support the BJP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The government is hopeful of introducing the draft personal data protection bill in the ensuing winter session of Parliament, a senior IT ministry official said Monday.

The draft personal data protection bill was drafted by a high-level panel headed by Justice B N Srikrishna and following the submission of the draft bill and data protection report in July end, the IT ministry had sought public feedback on the provisions by September 30.

The draft bill moots seeking "explicit consent" for processing 'sensitive personal information' like religious or political beliefs, sexual orientation and biometric details.

The senior official, who did not wish to be named, told reporters that the ministry is hopeful that the legislation will be introduced in the winter session of Parliament, after taking into account suggestions and feedback received.

Parliament is expected to convene for the winter session in November-December.

The draft bill and panel's recommendations suggest steps for safeguarding personal information, defining obligations of data processors as also rights of individuals, and proposed penalties for violation.

The areas covered by the recommendations include consent, what comprises personal data including sensitive personal data, exemptions which can be granted, grounds for processing data, storage restrictions for personal data, individual rights and right to be forgotten.

The draft of Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 restricts and imposes conditions on the cross-border transfer of personal data, and suggests setting up of Data Protection Authority of India to prevent any misuse of personal information.

It provides for a penalty of Rs 15 crore or 4 per cent of the total worldwide turnover of any data collection entity, including the state, for violation of personal data processing provisions. Failure to take prompt action on a data security breach can attract a penalty of up to Rs 5 crore or 2 per cent of turnover, whichever is higher.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The government will further extend the deadline for the imposition of higher customs duties on 29 products, including almond, walnut and pulses, imported from the US, a senior official said Monday.

In June, India decided to impose retaliatory tariffs from August 4. But it was extended by another 45 days till September 18.

"We are still in discussion with the US authorities. The deadline will be extended tonight," the government official said.

The duty hike move by India was in retaliation to the March 9 decision of US President Donald Trump to impose heavy tariffs on imported steel and aluminium items, a move that has sparked fears of a global trade war.

Senior officials of India and the US are in discussions to finalise a kind of trade deal. Both the sides holding two track discussions -- to increase trade in short and medium term, and identify long term trade potentials.

India is pressing for exemption from high duty imposed by the US on certain steel and aluminium products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under their Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), greater market access for its products from sectors, including agriculture, automobile, auto components and engineering.

As many as 3,500 Indian products from sectors such as chemicals and engineering get duty free access to the US market under the GSP, introduced in 1976.

On the other hand, the US is demanding greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, including medical devices.

As part of imposition of higher import duties, New Delhi has notified higher tariffs on several products. While import duty on walnut is to be hiked to 120 per cent from 30 per cent, duty on chickpeas, Bengal gram (chana) and masur dal will be hiked to 70 per cent from 30 per cent. Levy on lentils will be hiked to 40 per cent from 30 per cent.

India had also dragged the US to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism over the imposition of import duties on steel and aluminium.

India exports steel and aluminium products worth about USD 1.5 billion to the US every year.

Exports to the US in 2016-17 stood at USD 42.21 billion, while imports were USD 22.3 billion.

Other products which would attract higher duties include boric acid, phosphoric acid, diagnostic reagent, flat rolled products of iron, certain flat rolled products of stainless steel.

India's exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at USD 47.9 billion, while imports were USD 26.7 billion. The trade balance is in favour of India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The government Monday said state-owned Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will be merged to create the country's third largest lender as part of efforts to revive credit and economic growth.

The move follows top lender State Bank of India last year merging with itself five of its subsidiary banks and taking over Bharatiya Mahila Bank, catapulting it to be among top 50 global lenders.

Announcing the plan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said consolidation was always part of the government's agenda and the merger of associate banks last year was a step in that direction.

The decision taken by 'Alternative Mechanism' to amalgamate three banks would create a mega lender which will be stronger and sustainable.

The envisaged amalgamation will be the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, making it the third largest bank after SBI and ICICI Bank.

Post this merger, the number of PSU banks will come down to 19.

"The consolidation will help create a strong globally competitive bank with economies of scale and enable realisation of wide-ranging synergies," Jaitley said.

"Leveraging of networks, low-cost deposits and subsidiaries of the three banks have the potential of yielding significant synergies for positioning the consolidated entity for substantial rise in customer base, market reach, operational efficiency, wider bouquet of products and services, and improved access for customers," he said.

The merged entity will have better financial strength, Financial Service Secretary Rajiv Kumar said, adding that its net NPA ratio will be at 5.71 per cent, significantly better than public sector bank (PSB) average (12.13 per cent).

Besides, Kumar said, Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) would be better at 67.5 per cent against average of 63.7 per cent and cost to income ratio of the combined entity would come down to 48.94 per cent as compared to average of 53.92 per cent.

Kumar further said the respective board would take approval in next 10-15 days and the entire merger process would be complete by the end of the current fiscal.

"If you go by the past experience and processes, it would take 4-6 months. But it can be speeded up...the combined entity will benefit from better CASA ratio of Dena Bank...," BoB Managing Director P S Jayakumar said.

Jaitley further said the amalgamation would be through share swap which will be the part of scheme of merger.

"The scheme of amalgamation, which will be formed, will be laid before Parliament," he said, adding no change in the banking law is required.

Giving rationale for the proposed merger, he said, "We have borne in mind that we do not want merger of relatively weak banks. You can have two well performing banks absorbing a third one and hopefully creating a mega bank which will be sustainable, whose lending ability will be far higher."



Jaitley further said this amalgamated entity will increase banking operations and expansion is inevitable. The ministry has had discussions with the RBI on the proposed merger, he added.

The finance minister, who heads Alternative Mechanism, assured capital support to the merged entity. Other members of Alternative Mechanism included Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Jaitley also assured that no employees will face a service condition which is in any way adverse in nature to its present condition.

"On the contrary the SBI experience has been that amongst the merging entity and new entity, the best of service conditions continue to apply to all of them. So, the employee of relatively smaller banks will get an opportunity to improve working condition," he said.

Asked about the name of the new entity, he said it will be decided by scheme of amalgamation and regional identity will continue to expand.

Giving the context of the merger, he said bank lending was becoming weak, hurting corporate sector investments.

Also, many banks were in a fragile condition due to excessive lending and ballooning NPAs, he said.

Pointing out that indiscriminate lending during 2008-14 was the reason for the weak health of the banking sector, the finance minister said various steps taken by the government have started showing results.

Lending during the period increased from Rs 18 lakh crore to Rs 55 lakh crore and "the nature of lending was as if there was no tomorrow and that took toll on banks as well as on economy", he said.

Following the Asset Quality Review initiated by the RBI, he said both government and the apex bank took steps for cleaning up banks and put a check on "adventure lending".

"NPAs have now started taking a turn. The curve itself has started moving. Hopefully, we should look for each quarter as better than previous one," he said.

Commenting on the decision Dena Bank Executive Director Ramesh Singh said the government has been mooting consolidation in the banking sector to create world standard banks in India and this is a pragmatic step in that direction.

Vijaya Bank managing director and chief executive R A Sankara Narayanan said the government is determined to make stronger and bigger banks to ensure economies of scale.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Monday grassroots workers will be considered for nomination as candidates and preference will not be given to sons of party leaders during ticket distribution for the upcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh.

Besides, the Congress is going to field a large number of women candidates in the BJP-ruled state, where polls are due this year-end, Gandhi said while interacting with party cadres at Dusshera Maidan here.

"The old system of distributing tickets won't be followed this time around. Son of any person (Congress leader) won't be picked up as nominee," he said in response to a question asked by a party worker.

"Those who fight for the Congress and are grassroots workers will get the ticket. The winnable party workers and persons will get the ticket," he said amid cheers from party cadres present at the event.

He said those who join the Congress from other political parties won't get tickets.

"Those who parachute in our party can come in happily. But ticket won't drop like a parachute for them," he said.

"First they have to fight for the party, thereafter their names would be considered," he said.

"Election is drawing closer in MP. I want to give maximum tickets to women to send them to the assembly. I know unless women get power, they can't be protected," he said.

Gandhi said party workers and district unit presidents would be consulted before finalising candidates in the respective assembly constituencies.

To a question, he said the Congress will fully support the Women Reservation Bill in Parliament.

The Congress chief said if his party is voted to power in Madhya Pradesh, more women would be inducted in the police force and special stations would be set up for them.

In response to a query, Gandhi said rapists would be punished severely under Congress rule.

He alleged a BJP MLA raped a woman in Uttar Pradesh but the prime minister kept mum over the issue.

Gandhi was on a day-long tour of Bhopal, where he held a roadshow and addressed a rally of Congress workers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Pakistani national was apprehended by the BSF from Bela village in Rapar taluka of Kutchh district near the border between the two countries, police said Monday.

The man, who identified himself as Jivan Prabhu, was apprehended by a Border Security Force team from border pillar number 995 there Sunday afternoon after he crossed the India-Pakistan border, the official said.

At the time, he was carrying a mobile phone, a SIM card, some Pakistani currency, a water bottle and literature in Urdu, the official said.

He was handed over to police at Balasar for further investigation, the official said.

His interrogation has revealed that he was a native of Sindh province, an official said, adding that it was not clear why he crossed over into India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress in Gujarat will organise a farmers' rally and 'gherao' of the state assembly in Gandhinagar to demand a complete farm loan waiver on the first day of the two-day monsoon session beginning Tuesday.

Farmers from across the state will join the 'Khedut Akrosh Rally', which will be organised by the Congress at Satyagrah Chhavni in the state capital Tuesday to press for their main demand - a complete waiver of crop loans.

It will be followed by 'gherao' (to lay siege) of the Vidhan Sabha complex by agriculturists in support of their slew of demands, the main opposition party said Monday.

The two programmes are being organised on the day the two-day assembly session begins because the short session will give the opposition party little time to raise the issues of farmers in the House, Congress leaders Amit Chavda and Paresh Dhanani said at a joint press conference here.

The other demands of farmers include adequate minimum support price (MSP) for their produce, providing good quality fertilisers and seeds at reasonable rate, improved supply of water and electricity, scrapping of recently-conducted land survey based on satellite images which has many "discrepancies", they said.

Dhanani accused the BJP government of ignoring farmers and working only for industrialists.

"Farmers in the state, especially marginal farmers, are financially strained due to anti-farmer policies of the BJP government which has ruled the state for 22 years but only worked to appease industrialists," the Leader of Opposition in the assembly said.

"The Government has betrayed farmers by going back on promises made to them before the elections. Crop insurance schemes and satellite land surveys have only benefited private parties.

"Farmers are under loan burden while the government has failed to give them relief in terms of higher MSPs, cheaper and good quality fertilisers and seeds, better supply of electricity and water, among other measures," he said.

Chavda said agriculturists have approached the government repeatedly with their set of demands, but the BJP administration has turned a deaf ear to their pleas for relief.

"The rally and assembly gherao programme organised by Congress is a way to vent their anger and frustration towards the BJP government," the state Congress president said.

Chavda said the two-day assembly session called on September 18-19 is insufficient for the opposition party to raise the issues affecting the public, including farmers.

"The government has deliberately kept the assembly session short so that it does not have to face inconvenient questions (from opposition).

"The rally and gherao are ways to raise farmer issues before the government. We will continue to fight for farmers until our demands are met," Chavda added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)This extremely popular series takes you up-close-and-personal with significant personalities of the Bible, including Joseph, Moses, David, Job, Elijah, Paul, Esther, andthe most significant of allJesus! And, to expand your notion of who is significant in the Bible, one book explores some forgotten lives.Members of several women rights organisations protested outside the Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday to demand justice for the young woman who was gang-raped in Haryana's Mahendragarh district and stringent action against the accused.

The 19-year-year-old woman from Rewari, a recipient of the President's award for her academic achievements at school, was allegedly abducted and gang-raped by five men last week.

The Haryana Police Sunday arrested three men, including one of the prime accused.

"Only one of the (prime) accused has been arrested. Police's failure to nab the others shows the government's insensitivity towards the issue," a member of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) said.

"One of the accused is an Army man. If he cannot be punished, what is the credibility of our system all about?" asked Sheena Chibbar from the All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA).

Maya John from the Centre for Struggling Women (CSW) alleged that the Khattar government has failed to open Nirbhaya centres aimed at helping rape victims seek immediate treatment and file complaints in a speedy manner.

"One cannot forget the horrific gang-rape of a mentally challenged woman in Rohtak district of Haryana, in which the culprits not only murdered the woman after raping her but also mutilated her body," she said.

The women activists demanded that strict punishment be given to the culprits in all the recent incidents of rape and murder.

"We demand that Nirbhaya centres be established in all the districts of the state and legal help and treatment be provided to all women victims of atrocities.

"It should be ensured that complaints of women victims are registered and acted upon by police. The activists have pledged to intensify their movement for women safety in the coming days," another activist said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has said his government has proposed to the Centre to update the citizens list in Jharkhand, on the lines of Assam NRC exercise, to identify all Bangladeshis living in the state illegally and deport them "one by one".

In an interaction with mediapersons at his residence here, Das said his government has submitted to the Union Home Ministry that many "Bangladeshi infiltrators" are living in Jharkhand and they should be deported after updating the National Register of Citizens in the state.

"The BJP has a clear cut opinion on this. We have to look for every Bangladeshi and send them out of the country one by one," he said.

The chief minister alleged that "Bangladeshi infiltrators" have "snatched" jobs from local tribals.

"In Godda, Sahebganj and Pakur districts (Bangladeshis live)... In Ranchi too we have Bangladeshis. They are in my Jamshedpur too. They have snatched the jobs of our tribals labourers.

"So, I am of the opinion, so has been the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh, that we oust Bangladeshi infiltrators from the country," Das said.

Referring to the Assam NRC revision, he said the Jharkhand government has informed the Union Home Ministry about this and submitted to them that in Jharkhand too, there are many "Bangladeshi infiltrators".

Sunil Kumar Barnwal, the principal secretary to the chief minister, said, "In Pakur district, almost 50 per cent population (are Bangladeshis living there illegally). They are also present in Godda and Sahebganj."



Asked if such Bangladeshis residing in India were getting "political patronage", Das said, "The Congress indulged in politics of vote bank and division for 60 years. Now, under Modiji, we are doing the politics of uniting people. Politics of development."



Das also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the state to launch the health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat on September 23 and will also lay foundation stones for two medical colleges -- one each in Chaibasa and Kodarma.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A notification, constituting town vending committees (TVCs) for which elections were held on July 15, has been issued, the Delhi government Monday told the Supreme Court.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta was informed by the counsel for Delhi government that the notification has been issued in accordance with the Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2017.

The apex court said that since the TVCs have been notified, the committees could now look into all aspects related to street vendors in the national capital.

On September 12, the Delhi government had told the apex court that it would issue within three days the notification regarding constitution of the TVCs.

An advocate, appearing for the street vendors, said the elections for 26 TVCs had taken place on July 15, but only 12 TVC had the required number of members.

The bench then observed, "We have to move forward and not backward. Now the notification has come. Let it be implemented. Let the statute be implemented."



The advocate said that now a scheme has to be formulated by the Delhi government in consultation with the TVCs as per the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

The bench, after perusing the provisions of the Act, asked the Delhi government counsel to frame the scheme on or before December 31 this year.

The apex court had earlier pulled up the city government and asked why no TVCs were constituted as per the rules even after 2014 Act came into force four years ago.

The issue of encroachments had also cropped in the Delhi sealing matter in which the apex court is dealing with the issue of validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 and subsequent legislations which protect unauthorised constructions from being sealed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Delhi High Court Monday directed Delhi University to keep in safe custody the EVMs used in the students union elections following a plea by three candidates of the Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) challenging the polls.

Justice Siddharth Mridul also asked the Chief Electoral Officer, appointed by the DU for conducting the polls, to securely keep the paper trails and other documents under his lock and key.

The court sought response of the Delhi University, Chief Electoral Officer, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Election Commission of India and the three ABVP candidates who have won the recent elections -- Ankit Basoya, Shakti Singh and Jyoti Choudhary.

"The Chief Electoral Officer appointed by the Delhi University to conduct elections of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) is directed to ensure that EVMs utilised for conducting polling and counting of votes and all paper trails and documentations are kept in safe base and are kept under his lock and key," the judge said.

The court, which listed the matter for further hearing on October 29, refused to allow the oral prayer of counsel for the petitioners to restrain the newly elected officer bearers from functioning.

Three NSUI candidates -- Sunny Chhillar, Meena and Saurabh Yadav -- have approached the high court challenging the elections on the grounds that voting machines were allegedly tampered with.

The plea sought that electronic voting machines (EVM) used in the DUSU polls be secured to ensure they do not go missing.

Senior Advocate Anoop George Chaudhari, appearing for NSUI candidates, claimed that out of 12 EVMs, seven had gone missing.

The plea alleged that EVMs were tampered with and questioned as to how "privately procured" EVMs could have been used in the polls held on September 12.

During the hearing, Central government standing counsel Anil Soni, appearing for the HRD ministry, said the same EVMs were used in the DUSU polls held in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2017 but the NSUI had not raised any objections then.

He said the petitioners have challenged the elections for three posts won by ABVP candidates and not the one seat bagged by NSUI.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Delhi had said last Thursday that EVMs used in the DUSU elections were not issued by the Election Commission of India and seem to have been procured privately.

The ABVP, student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, on September 13 bagged three posts including that of the President in the student union elections.

The NSUI won only one seat, while the AAP's student wing CYSS, which fought the elections in alliance with Left-backed AISA, failed to open its account.

Polling took place at 52 centres in the colleges and there were as many as 23 candidates in the fray.

In the petition, the NSUI candidates have sought a direction to declare the polls results as "arbitrary, illegal, void-ab-initio (to be treated as invalid from the outset) and violation of Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution" and quash it.

It also sought a direction to conduct fresh elections using ballot paper system or fresh polling and counting under the supervision of an independent person.

It alleged that the university has "adopted a practice which is fundamentally antithesis to the democratic principles and practice, de hors (outside of) the election laws and the Constitution of India."



The NSUI candidates alleged that the elections were conducted in an "arbitrary, corrupt and unfair" manner by the university and claimed it appeared that the varsity and the Chief Electoral Officer were acting under extraneous pressure.

"... the petitioner by noon was leading his opponent by 4,200 votes, all of a sudden the university abruptly stopped the counting on the ground of malfunctioning in the EVMs and after a gap of 5-6 hours, started recounting.

"The entire process was marred by clandestine process of tampering the EVMs...," the plea alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Madras High Court Monday directed the Commandant of the Indian Coast Guard or any other competent authority to be present on September 19 to explain the possibilities of alerting Indian fishermen from crossing the international maritime border, particularly that of Sri Lanka.

The officer shall explain as to whether there could be any Navy or Coast Guard ship that can provide signal for a two-way communication with Indian fishing boats through transponders, the court said.

"The additional director of state fisheries department is directed to submit a detailed technical know-how as to how the fishing boat transponders and towers operate. Besides, a report as to whether fishermen of Nagapattinam to Rameswaram regions can be provided transponders and VHF handsets," a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad said.

The bench passed the interim order on a public interest litigation (PIL)moved by Fishermen Care, a fishermen rights organisation, seeking a direction to the Centre to refer all cases of violation of human rights of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

When the plea came up, the External Affairs Ministry filed an affidavit submitting that a Joint Working Group (JWG), comprising officials from India and Sri Lanka, have agreed to establish joint patrolling around IMBL by Coast uard/Navy of both the countries for better coordination and monitoring, and stablishment of a hotline connectivity between the respective Coast Guards.

"The hotline has since been established between Coast Guards of both the countries and joint patrolling has been strengthened around the IMBL..," assistant solicitor general Karthikeyan said.

In addition, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been requested to develop transponders for tracking movements of fishing vessels, he said.

The ISRO and the Indian Navy have installed a few transponders on fishing vessels on a trial basis for tracking their movements, Karthikeyan said.

"On successful implementation, it is proposed to install transponders on a large-scale, mainly in fishing boats of states having a close proximity to the neighbouring countries, including Tamil Nadu, so as to locate their movements and prevent cross-border fishing activities," he submitted.

The state government has communicated to the ISRO a list of 1,215 boats for fixing transponders, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Madras High Court Monday initiated contempt proceedings against BJP leader H Raja over his alleged derogatory remarks against the judiciary and the police.

Observing that any attempt at disrespecting the judiciary could lead to promotion of fascism and naxalism, the bench comprising justices C T Selvam and M Nirmal Kumar ordered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Secretary, to appear before the court on October 22.

The order came even as the second bench of Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh and Justice K Kalyanasundaram declined to take suo motu cognisance, saying it would hear the matter if any contempt petition was filed before it.

A criminal case was registered against Raja Sunday, a day after he picked up a quarrel with policemen in Meiyyapuram village in Pudukottai district over the route of an immersion procession of Lord Ganesh idols.

He had called the police "anti-Hindu" and "highly corrupt" besides making some remarks against judiciary when informed that permission could not be given to take out the procession through the route in view of a court order.

Raja was booked under Indian Penal Code sections including those relating to promoting enmity on grounds of religion, unlawful assembly, public nuisance, use of obscene words, deterring public servant from discharging his duty and criminal intimidation.

As a video of the incident went viral, opposition parties, including Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), demanded action against the BJP leader, known for making stoking controversies.

Senior Minister D Jayakumar had Sunday expressed hope that the court would take action on its own against Raja for his remarks against the judiciary.

The issue echoed in the high court Monday when some advocates made a mention before the second bench headed by Justice Ramesh and sought contempt action. The bench, though, declined to initiate suo motu action.

However, the bench headed by Justice Selvam said the majesty of courts was paramount.

"The Judiciary held in high esteem by all right thinking people and which holds its head high by virtue of its numerous decisions both of old and of new has held aloft the flag of Justice," it said.

"Any attempt at creating a dent in this most revered pillar of our democratic system could lead to promotion of fascism, naxalism and all that is opposed to democracy," it added.

With this concern, the court was taking cognisance of the "scandalous conduct of the contemner in the course of his actions visuals and reports whereof are in wide circulation...," the bench said.

In its order, the bench gave a detailed explanation on why it was initiating suo motu contempt though, it was not the concerned bench according to portfolio allocation.

"Let us be told that if any individual Judge or body of Judges is held in scant disregard, disrespect and scandalous contempt, the brother/sister Judges will await and abide the decision of the one to whom the portfolio stands allotted!" it said.

It said the court might be told that exercise of contempt jurisdiction was a rarity and that legal niceties, procedural technicalities and judicial politeness would deter courts from acting against the contemner.

Facing the heat, Raja had Sunday claimed his remarks had been "selectively edited" and disseminated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Delhi High Court Monday sought response of three major private hospitals here on a plea alleging violation of court order on providing free treatment to 25 per cent OPD and 10 per cent IPD patients from the economically weaker section (EWS) category.

The three hospitals have been allotted land by the government at subsidised rates and are mandated under the Delhi law to provide free treatment to EWS category patients.

Justice Siddharth Mridul observed that earlier directions of the court have to be complied with and free treatment should be provided to EWS patients.

The court issued notice to the managing director of Mool Chand Khairati Ram Trust, which runs Mool Chand Hospital, Chairman of St Stephen's Hospital and Chief Executive Officer of Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre.

It listed the matter for further hearing on October 23.

The court was hearing a plea by NGO Social Jurist, filed through advocate Ashok Agarwal, seeking contempt action against the three hospitals for "deliberate and intentional disobedience" of the March 22, 2007 order of the Delhi High Court and July 9, 2018 verdict of the Supreme Court.

The counsel for Mool Chand Hospital stated that they were complying with the court's earlier directions to provide free treatment to patients of EWS category.

In the 2007 judgement, the high court had directed that all the 20 hospitals, which were party in the matter, and other identically situated hospitals will have to strictly comply with the terms of free patient treatment to indigent/ poor patients.

It had said that provide free treatment to 25 per cent OPD and 10 per cent IPD patients from the EWS category.

In the July verdict, the apex court had said the private hospitals here, allotted land at subsidised rates, cannot do away with the mandatory requirement of providing free treatment to 25 per cent OPD and 10 per cent IPD patients from EWS category.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hindi has to adapt to science and technology to enhance its spread, President Ram Nath Kovind Monday said, adding smartphones could be well used to propagate the language as they act to reduce distances.

The president said Hindi has a strong presence on the world map.

Outside India, more than one crore people speak Hindi and it is being taught in universities of major countries, he said.

"To enhance its presence, Hindi has to adapt to science and technology - both in content and dissemination.

"We live in the age of technology. Smartphones are eroding distances between languages and technology could similarly be used in the propagation of Hindi," Kovind said felicitating Indian scholars who were acknowledged at the 11th world Hindi conference in Mauritius recently.

The 11th World Hindi Conference saw the participation of more than 2,000 representatives from 45 countries, he said.

During the event, the president also lauded the role played by Hindi cinema in popularising the language within the country and abroad.

Kovind hailed Mauritius for extending its help in the organising the world Hindi conference.

Talking about Fiji, he noted that the national languague of the island nation is Hindi and 37 per cent of the population speaks the language.

"I will be soon leaving for Fiji to srengthen these ties," the president said.

Kovind said service to language is real service to the nation.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her remarks at the event said every state in India and 45 countries were represented at the conference.

Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said the next world Hindi conference will be organised in Fiji.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Parents, take note! Commonly used household cleaners and disinfectants could be making your children overweight by altering their gut microbes, a study has found.

The study, published in Canadian Medical Association Journal, analysed the gut flora of 757 infants from the general population at age 3-4 months and weight at ages one and three years, looking at exposure to disinfectants, detergents and eco-friendly products used in the home.

The researchers from University of Alberta in Canada found that frequent use of household disinfectants such as multisurface cleaners altered gut flora in babies 3-4 months old.

They did not find the same association with detergents or eco-friendly cleaners. Studies of piglets have found similar changes in the gut microbiome when exposed to aerosol disinfectants.

Babies living in households that used eco-friendly cleaners had different microbiota and were less likely to be overweight as toddlers.

Use of eco-friendly products may be linked to healthier overall maternal lifestyles and eating habits, contributing in turn to the healthier gut microbiomes and weight of their infants.

"Antibacterial cleaning products have the capacity to change the environmental microbiome and alter risk for child overweight," researchers said.

"Our study provides novel information regarding the impact of these products on infant gut microbial composition and outcomes of overweight in the same population," they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban Monday vowed to oppose an EU plan aimed at bolstering the bloc's external borders, accusing Brussels of wanting to take away Hungary's control of its own frontiers.

According to the fiercely anti-immigration premier, the plan to reinforce border defences on the bloc's margins would "strip Hungary of its right to protect its own borders".

"We will not give up our right to defend a border, no-one can take an iota of that away from us," he said during a speech in parliament in Budapest.

Hungary "understand(s) border defence better than anyone in Brussels or an international organisation," he said.

The European Commission unveiled a proposal in July to hike staff numbers at the EU's border-guard and coastguard agency Frontex.

The Warsaw-based agency currently only has 600 staff, with EU members assigning extra support through hundreds of police for operations in Italy and Greece, which along with Spain have continued to bear the brunt of the arrivals.

An extra 10,000 agents would be deployed at EU borders from 2020 under the plan, and would be able to patrol and intervene when needed.

Last week Orban described the EU plan as a "pro-immigration" effort led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to remove border control from peripheral countries and give "the keys to the gate" to Brussels.

"They will send mercenaries here from Brussels, from where they will be told how the Hungarian border should be protected," Orban said on state radio Friday.

"We should be under no illusions: if they control Hungarian border defences, they will let in the migrants," he said.

Orban said he would oppose the plan at a informal meeting of EU heads of state in Salzburg, Austria, later this week where the topics of migration and border security are expected to dominate.

In a statement Monday the European Commission's representative office in Budapest denied Orban's accusations.

"The EU does not want to take over border defence from member states, but rather help them to protect the external borders," it said.

The 55-year-old premier suffered a rare setback last week when the European Parliament voted to launch a sanctions procedure against Hungary over rule-of-law concerns.

Orban said the vote in Strasbourg was a bid to weaken Hungary which has become a "symbol of resistance against migration".

Hungary will file a case at the European Court of Justice, said Orban's chief-of-staff Monday, as the vote did not include abstentions in the calculation of the two-thirds majority necessary for its adoption, and hence broke EU rules according to Budapest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haitian men illegally detained for five months in TCI prison

LAST Friday (September 7) attorney at law Keith James was successful in securing the release of four Haitian men who were unlawfully remanded to Her Majestys Prison for several months.





During a hearing in the Grand Turk Magistrates Court, James argued persuasively for his clients Joseph Jacky, Jules Denel, Loudior Murat and Jhonny St Cylaire who were first arrested in April.





They were arrested by law enforcement agents of the Department of Environmental and Coastal Resources (DECR).





The men were subsequently charged by the Royal TCI Police Force with illegally digging up and removing sand, earth, stones, coral or any calcareous from the coastal area in the Turks and Caicos Islands, without a licence and contrary to section 3(1) of the coastal protection regulation chapter 10.06.





The four men and their boss Kristian Maric were all charged with the offence, but while Maric was granted bail pending his September or October trial, the four Haitian men were remanded to prison.





The men were allegedly hired by Maric to work on the beach in front of his property.





The lawyer argued that the offence the men were charged with did not warrant a remand to prison, or necessarily prison time.





James told the court that in cases such as these, accused are oftentimes ordered to pay a fine.





The Crowns representative told the court that they were not to blame for the five months the men were left to languish in the prison as prison authorities did not produce them for their court dates since their remand in April.





Following the discussions, the case against the four was dismissed and they were all handed over to immigration authorities for repatriation back to Haiti.





Haitian man charged with indecent assault

Guilbaud Thomas of Sandy Lane, Five Cays, Providenciales has been charged with indecently assaulting a child.





Thomas, a Haitian national, was arrested on August 27 after the childs mother reported to the police that her daughter was sexually molested by the accused in the Granny Hill area.





Thomas was officially charged by police on August 31 with indecent assault.





Last week, he was taken before the Magistrates Court where he was remanded to HM Prison until his sufficiency hearing on October 5 in the Grand Turk Supreme Court.





He was unrepresented at the time of his arraignment.





Accused rapist for trial

Haywood McIntosh of Lower Bight, Providenciales, has been committed to stand trial for the role he played in the alleged rape of a woman.





The accused appeared in the Grand Turk Supreme Court on Friday, September 7, for his sufficiency hearing.





Justice Shiraz Azeez determined that there was sufficient evidence to take the matter to trial and continued McIntoshs remand at HMP.





The rape is said to have occurred at North West Point, Providenciales, on April 8.





McIntosh and co-defendant Patrick Delancy are both accused of the committing the heinous act.





McIntosh had avoided the police for almost four months before being arrested, charged with the crime and remanded to prison.





Both men are expected to be tried later this year for the crime.





Representing the men are attorneys Ashwood Forbes for McIntosh and Finbar Grant for Delancy.





Inmate gets nine more months tacked on to prison term

An inmate at Her Majestys Prison will have to serve an additional nine months for several other offences.





Bryant Bassett was sentenced on September 11 to nine more months in prison for a number of crimes.





Nine months each for three counts of burglary, nine months for taking a motor vehicle without authority and nine months for theft.





These sentences will run concurrently to each other, but will be served after Bassett completes a 12 month sentence he is already serving for earlier burglaries and offences.



Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad incubated startup PuREnergy said it has developed "affordable" lithium batteries and is commercially launching them during the Renewable Energy Expo 2018 that begins at Greater Noida tomorrow.

"While the current models of lithium batteries in the market are expensive, PuREnergy plans to make them available at economical prices due to their strong design capabilities and in-house product development, it said in a statement.

Founded in 2016 by Dr Nishanth Dongari, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, IIT Hyderabad, PuREnergy has designed and assembled lithium batteries with wide applications in fields from agriculture to aerospace, it said.

Dongari said, "We are also in close discussion with a few defence laboratories for our battery applications in tanks, missiles, and communication equipment. They need to work under harsh environmental conditions, reduce the weight by four times compared to lead acid technology and deliver high discharge currents, which is to be achieved by doping of anodes and cathodes."



The startup claimed it has been one of the pioneers in developing solar hybrid systems combining solar PV with battery back-up and grid synchronisation, and has served more than 100 clients in sectors as varied as Telangana government, pharmaceuticals, real estate, hospitals and non-governmental organisations at the national level.

The team has built expertise in the battery design by choosing application specific cell chemistry to offer lower total cost of ownership, efficient thermal management systems to enhance life by 50 per cent for Indian conditions, the statement claimed.

It also offers in-house testing and service facilities to achieve better warranty period.

The products are currently available in 0.2 KWH to 2 KWH (agriculture drones, automobile), 2 to 20 KWH (aerospace, electric autos & carriers, telecom and household) and 50 to 500 KWH (residential societies, data centres and industrial entities), it was stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Police on Monday claimed to have busted an illegal casino in east Delhi's Ashok Nagar with the arrest of 14 men, including the owner and manager.

Police were informed about the illegal casino on Sunday, following which a raid was conducted.

"Of the 14 people arrested, 13, including the manager of casino, were found playing online. Ten desktop computers, its accessories, router, LAN connecting machines and other items were seized. Rs 38,130 in cash was also seized," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Kumar Singh said.

Two of the accused were identified as Neeraj (27), the manager of the casino, and Amit (25) its owner, police said, adding Amit was previously arrested in a similar type of case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Following are some important quotes from the speech of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on the first day of the three-day conclave 'Bhavishya Ka Bharat -- An RSS Perspective':



-- India is a country full of diversity and it must be respected and celebrated.

-- In the form of Congress, a big freedom movement had started in the country which gave many great personalities.

-- For the sake of uniting the society, no one is stranger to us, not even those who are opposed to us.

-- We believe in an India which includes everyone and does not exclude anybody. That is why we try to approach everyone.

-- We do not want to dominate the society. The Sangh wants common man to lead the society in the right direction.

-- People tell us that Sangh is becoming faceless. We want to be faceless so that we don't become arrogant. If tomorrow pictures of Mohan Bhagwat start getting published in newspapers, it will be a matter of concern for Mohan Bhagwat.

-- Dr Hedgewar (the founding chief of the RSS) always used to say for how long will we blame the Muslim invaders and British for our state. How did it happen that a handful of invaders from thousands of miles away conquered this nation of warriors. He used to say there is some problem in you which you need to correct.

-- When we forgot our values, our decline started. If you study it, then India's decline started with our decline. The solution is to come back to it (values).

-- This value-based behaviour and culture is our Hinduness. Therefore, Hindutva unites us.

-- Hedgewar said we will organise Hindu community. He did not make this proclamation because he wanted to oppose somebody, but he wanted to unite people.

-- Who will be in power, what policy the country will accept is something to be decided by the society and people. There are mechanisms in place for that...We are not concerned about that, what we are concerned about is the conduct of the society.

-- Sangh is the most democratic organisation. We function by consensus. Here every worker can express his views. There are no restrictions...We have started our work to make a certain kind of people and society and we do not want anything else.

-- People often believe that RSS is a dictatorial organisation and that one man decides everything... If you want to see the most open organisation, then you should come to Sangh. There is no restriction. An RSS worker conducts himself in line with values given to him by the organisation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Observing that the new Pakistan premier Imran Khan was "propped up" by the Army, Union minister V K Singh on Monday remained skeptical whether Pakistan has been able to change its attitude towards India, an issue over which Home minister Rajnath Singh shared similar sentiments.

Rajnath Singh suggested he did not see any change towards India under Khan though he hoped for Pakistan to change its mindset and that he was praying for this to happen.

Alluding to Khan without directly naming him, V K Singh said it remains to be seen whether "the person" will be able to bring about a change.

India is adopting a "wait and watch" approach after the installation of the new government in Pakistan, the minister of state for external affairs told reporters in New Delhi.

Responding to a question on incidents of infiltration at the border after the change of government in Pakistan, he said, "Did you all expect a change? I don't know. After all, the person has been propped up by the (Pakistan) army. The army still rules. So, let's wait and watch how things go -- whether the person remains under army control or doesn't remain under its control.

Dialogue with Pakistan can happen only if the environment is "conducive" for talks, the minister added on the sidelines of the opening of a two-day conference - Smart Border Management - organised by FICCI in New Delhi.

India's policy is very clear. Dialogue can happen only when the environment is conducive, Singh said when asked whether there have been any attempts from Pakistan to initiate further dialogue with India.

Rajnath Singh, who was in Jammu to ianugurate two pilot projects of high-tech comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS) along the International Border, said he is hoping for a change in Pakistan's mindset and end 'support to terrorism' as India wants good relations with its neighbour.

Asked about Pakistan's continued support to terrorism despite change of government there, Rajnath said, "Pakistan has its own mindset and we cannot change its nature."



"They(Pakistan) have to do it on their own (to give up supporting terrorism). They have to understand how the neighbours are treated. India tried its best, keeping in mind the neighbourly relations, and initiated measures like our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) broke the protocol and visited Pakistan for the sake of better relations but if they fail to understand what one can do, he said.

When asked whether he was hoping that there would be change in Pakistan mindset after the change of the government there, he said he was not hoping so. However, he said, "I am praying for a change to take place there. It will be good.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India and Malta signed three MoUs on Monday, including one on maritime cooperation, as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu held comprehensive discussions with the President of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca on ways to enhance bilateral relations.

The two countries signed the MoUs in areas of tourism, maritime cooperation and diplomatic studies.

"New areas of cooperation emerging between two countries! On sidelines of the talks btwn Vice President @MVenkaiahNaidu & President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, documents were signed between India & Malta in areas of tourism, maritime cooperation & diplomatic studies," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Naidu, who arrived here on Sunday, is the first senior Indian leader to visit the Mediterranean nation in last 28 years.

The vice president, who is also the chairman of Rajya Sabha, was accorded a ceremonial welcome by Coleiro Preca.

"A relationship that is coming of age! Giving impetus to bilateral relationship through high level engagements, Vice President met with President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca," Kumar tweeted.

Naidu and Coleiro Preca led delegation-level talks between and discussed tourism, manufacturing, education and shipping, Kumar tweeted.

During the visit, the two sides signed three MoUs for collaboration between the Foreign Services Institutes of the two nations and cooperation in maritime and tourism.

The vice president will also have an interaction with the Indian diaspora and attend a business event where 180-200 companies are likely to participate.

Last year, India had opened a permanent high commission in Malta. The country also actively cooperated in evacuation of Indians form Libya in 2011 and 2014.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India on Monday provided relief supplies including over 1 million litres of kerosene oil and 20,000 stoves to Bangladesh for Rohingya Muslim refugees who live in makeshift camps in the country after fleeing violence in Myanmar.

Bangladesh, which faced a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the issue.

Over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar's violence-hit Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh since August last year when the military intensified crackdown against alleged militant outfits of Rohingya Muslims.

India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla handed over 1.1 million litres of super kerosene oil and 20,000 kerosene multi wick stoves to Minister of Disaster Management and Relief Mofazzel Hussain Chowdhury at Cox's Bazar.

The kerosene oil and stoves will address the energy needs of the displaced persons and contribute to environmental conservation in Bangladesh by reducing demand for locally sourced firewood.

This is as per the requirement of assistance expressed by Bangladesh, the High Commission of India said in a statement.

The relief supplies were then distributed to displaced persons at Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar.

Vikram Doraiswami, Joint Secretary (Bangladesh, Myanmar) of the Ministry of External Affairs was also present on the occasion.

This is the third phase of humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh to assist in its efforts to meet the requirements of displaced persons from the Rakhine State of Myanmar.

In September last year, India under the 'Operation Insaniyat', extended the first phase of humanitarian assistance comprising 981 metric tonnes of relief supplies.

The relief material included rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready-to-eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets among others to meet the immediate requirements of the approximately 3,00,000 displaced persons at that time.

In May, 373 metric tonnes of relief material containing 104 metric tonnes of milk powder; 102 metric tonnes dried fish; 61 metric tonnes baby food; 50,000 raincoats; and 50,000 pairs of gum boots for the rainy season were handed over in Chattogram.

India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the two countries, the statement said.

India remains committed to continue assisting the government and people of Bangladesh in meeting the humanitarian needs of displaced persons from Myanmar, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Cashew kernel exports, which have been on a decline since last five years following intense competition from Vietnam is likely to be around 5 per cent this calender year (CY), Icra said in a report.

In CY12, India's exports stood at 1.02 lakh tonne, enjoying 27 per cent market share compared to 58 per cent of Vietnam, Icra assistant vice president and head, mid-corporate ratings, R Srinivasan told PTI here.

"However, since then India's marketshare began declining and while the Indian cashew exports recorded a marginal decline at a annually 3 per cent between CY2012 and CY2017, the exports from Vietnam grew at 10 annually during the same period," he said.

In CY17, India's share was 19 per cent of global exports with 88,000 tonne while Vietnam enjoys 74 per cent, he added.

Lower cost of production aided by a higher degree of mechanisation and cheaper labour costs have aided the Vietnamese processors to become more competitive in the global market, the Icra report said.

To compete with Vietnam, the government should encourage mechanisation in the cashew processing sector through incentives, Srinivasan said.

He said, cashew output also needs to be boosted through high yield plant varieties.

"In fact, overall our cashew output is lower than other producing countries and there is a need for right crop varieties to boost production," he added.

The government has protected domestic industry by way of 45 per cent import duty on cashew kernels, which has supported higher domestic price resulting in Indian processors focusing increasingly on the domestic market, Srinivasan said.

In terms of output, the world cashew kernel production is led by Vietnam and India.

While in consumption, India has registered a stronger growth than the rest of the world and continues to be the largest market for cashew kernels, supported by its usage in traditional sweets and snacks.

Despite elevated price levels in the recent years, cashew kernel demand has sustained and the growth trend in both domestic and global demand is expected to continue going forward. "We expect the domestic consumption to grow 6-8 per cent this year," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India's diversity must be respected, celebrated and it should not be a reason for any discord in society, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said Monday, launching an unprecedented outreach to make the organisation better understood.

On the first day of the three-day conclave "Bhavishya Ka Bharat -- An RSS Perspective", he elaborated on evolution of the RSS, which he said cannot be compared to any other organisation.

Almost all major opposition parties gave the conclave a miss though the RSS had invited them. However, many leaders of the ruling BJP were present, as were many Bollywood actors, artists and academicians.

"India is a country full of diversity and it must be respected and celebrated," he said, adding that it should not become a reason for "discord" in the society.

The outreach comes at a time when the Congress-led opposition has been ramping up attacks on the RSS, accusing it of promoting divisive ideology and attacking minorities.

In his around 80-minute speech, Bhagwat spoke on a variety of issues, including the freedom movement, and acknowledged the role of the Congress, which has been among the organisation's biggest critics.

"Congress played a big role in freedom movement and gave India many great personalities," he said.

Speaking about the holding of the event in the national capital, he said the organisation wanted people to understand its functioning as the work it does is "incomparable".

The main aim of the RSS is reforming the society by riding it of its ills, he said, claiming that an RSS worker considers the entire society as his own.

The venue of the event is Vigyan Bhavan, where usually major government events are held.

The aim of the three-day conclave is to engage with a cross section of people and present its perspective on future of the country.

Bhagwat said the event was being organised so that people could understand the organisation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India's top military commanders will extensively deliberate on the country's security challenges, including geo-political power play in the critical sea lanes in the region, at a conference on September 28 in Jodhpur.

The Combined Commanders' Conference, to be attended by top brass of the Army, Navy and the Air Force, is expected to review the situation along the border with China and developments in India's maritime neighbourhood, military sources said.

The conference in Rajasthan's Jodhpur is expected to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Senior officials of the Defence Ministry and tri-services organisations will also be attending it.

The conference is also likely to carry out a comprehensive review of the anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said.

"The commanders are likely to deliberate on an overall approach to deal with the evolving security situation in the region," a military source said.

The conference is scheduled a day ahead of the second anniversary of the surgical strike of September 29, 2016.

The commanders will also deliberate on ways to bring convergence among the Army, Navy and the Air Force, sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Delana Isles

A SOUTH Caicos native currently imprisoned at Her Majestys Prison has accused the court, the police and his lawyer of corruption and collusion in his continued imprisonment.





Recently, Samuel Augustine reached out to the local media to vent his grievances by way of a letter, outlining what he perceives to be unfairness in the judiciary of the Turks and Caicos Islands.





Augustine is currently serving an 11 year sentence for robbery and wounding with intent for an incident that took place in 2011.





He was convicted by a jury for shooting and robbing veteran security officer and ex-policeman Calvin Lightbourne, as the victim was attempting to make one of IGA supermarkets ATM night drop off deposits of a large sum of cash.





The security officer was robbed in a shootout outside Scotiabank in Providenciales by two masked men.





Augustine has since appealed his conviction and sentence, and lost.





In his letter, the inmate stated: "The TCI judiciary is not fair to most people with Haitian last names or what I should call the small men of the community in the TCIthe biasness and unfairness goes as far as the head, the chief justice, and most other judges that have been around here far, far too long.





"Even with the sentences, whos granted bail, the amount of bail granted, its all very, very corrupt and unfair and wrong.





He further outlines that he has already lost his trial and appeal in the appellate court, and is now in the process of trying another appeal with a fresh look at his case as he believes the way his appeal was handled was not fair.





"I expected to be dealt with wrongly in the TCI Supreme Court because the TCI juries like to convict Haitian last name people even if we born here and have full TCI status.





"I was dealt a bad deal in the TCI judiciary system. I am in prison serving an 11 year sentence for robbery and wounding with intent outside the Scotiabank in 2011.





"From that date to this, I have been proclaiming innocence but its all falling on deaf ears.





"Nobody is listening to me. Nobody seems to be checking, even my lawyer through the entire process did not seem to have believed in my innocence [name removed].





He stated that a lot of information was withheld during his trial, for what he believes are wrong reasons.





However, the inmate noted that had the jury heard this information they may still have convicted him because of their alleged bias against Haitians.





He said that in spite of this, he wanted the information to be put out in the public domain.





"I just wanted to make the public know that not everybody in prison serving long or short sentences mean they did it or mean the judiciary system dealt with them fairly and justly.





Augustine further explains his contention that that the judiciary leaves much to be desired in their treatment of defendants and prisoners, stating that the lawyer who represented him at trial and during his appeal was against him throughout the entire process.





Pointing particularly to the performance of his attorney, Augustine accused her of deliberately ignoring facts and strategies, the latter of which was allegedly pointed out to her by the court of appeal president to be employed in defence of her client.





"This whole case was made up against me by the police and others follow in the corruption.





"Theres no piece of evidence that was official in this case. The evidence in the trial was solely circumstantial. It relates to an alleged money band, footprints, cash, confession and the GSR.





He further noted that higher authorities should carry out a proper investigation into the court system, as a lot of innocent inmates are currently sitting in prison.





Also contained in Augustines letter is a note from his family. They stated that they have proof that he is imprisoned illegally and that they will continue to fight for his freedom.





"I have to say for an innocent man doing time at HM Prison, I have to find some kind of way to let the public know I have been seriously wronged in my case round and round.





Efforts to reach the registrar of the court in relation to Augustines accusations have so far been unsuccessful, but more attempts will be made in the coming days.



Online marketplace IndiaMART InterMESH Ltd and logistics company Avana Logistek have received markets regulator Sebi's go ahead to float initial share sale offers.

With this, the number of companies getting Sebi's approval to float an initial public offer (IPO) has reached 50 this year so far.

These two companies, which had filed draft their respective draft offer documents with Sebi in June, obtained the regulator's "observations" on September 14, according to the latest update with the markets watchdog.

Sebi's observations are necessary for any company to launch IPO, follow-on public offer and rights issue.

Through IndiaMART's public issue, a total of 42,88,801 equity shares will be divested by the promoters and private equity firms Intel Capital (Mauritius) Ltd, Amadeus Capital Partners and Accion Frontier Inclusion Mauritius.

The initial share-sale offer is expected to garner Rs 600 crore, merchant banking sources said.

The public issue is being managed by ICICI Securities, Edelweiss Financial Services and Jefferies India.

Avana Logistek's initial share sale consists of fresh issue of shares worth up to Rs 300 crore, besides, an offer for sale of up to 43 lakh scrips by the existing shareholders.

The Mumbai-based company plans to utilise the net proceeds towards funding capital expenditure for setting up of new dry warehouses and cold storages and repayment of certain borrowings.

Besides, the IPO proceeds will be used for acquisition of containers for coastal and liner services, expenditure towards software development, implementation and maintenance and general corporate purposes.

ICICI Securities and Axis Capital are the lead managers to the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An Indian has been arrested in Nepal for allegedly carrying banned Indian notes with a face value of Rs 200,000, police said Monday.

Satman Singh, 55, a resident of Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on a tip-off from Kanchanpur district with the currency on Sunday evening, Kathmandu Post reported.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Krishna Raj Ojha said that the amount recovered from the accused is in Rs 500 denomination.

The Indian government in November 2016 demonetised high value currency notes. Indian currency is widely used in Nepal for day-to-day transactions, especially in the border areas.

According to the Nepal's national bank, the Nepal Rashtra Bank, nearly 33.6 million Indian rupees in Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 banknotes are currently in the Nepali banking channel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A prominent Wales-based businessman has become the first Indian-origin person to be appointed Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the UK's Royal Navy.

Raj Aggarwal, who is India's Honorary Consul in Wales, was appointed to his naval post by Admiral Sir Philip Jones following the formal approval of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

The move will see the pharmacist and healthcare expert take on the rank of honorary lieutenant commander in the Royal Navy, which is equivalent to the rank of an army major, and he will be affiliated to the Royal Navy ship 'HMS Dragon' in his new role.

"Raj is a great friend and advocate of the Naval service and his appointment will deepen the relationship between the community and the Royal Navy," Royal Marine Brigadier Graeme Fraser told the 'Wales Online' newspaper.

"Our Armed Forces are inclusive employers; we recognise the value of diversity and proudly serve all members of our communities at home and overseas. As the only Honorary Royal Navy officer in Wales, it is fitting that we celebrate his appointment. He will wear his Naval officer's uniform at the ceremony with pride," said Fraser.

Each honorary officer is expected to bring a breadth of experience and make a contribution in their own distinct way to the Royal Navy. The official inauguration ceremony, which took place on Sunday on 'HMS Cambria' the only Royal Navy base in Wales, was dubbed the Royal Naval Mela in honour of Aggarwal's Indian roots.

Aggarwal said, "It is my great honour to accept this position in the Royal Navy as one of the special' honoraries. I want to use this position to create greater diversity in the Navy, to show the community that the Navy will be supportive and that there are amazing careers on offer, with first rate skills-training and opportunities to see the world".

Aggarwal, chairman of pharma firm RK Aggarwal Ltd, migrated from Kenya to Wales in 1967 and studied pharmacy at Cardiff University before settling down in Cardiff.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Police Monday claimed to have busted an inter-state gang allegedly involved in child trafficking with the arrest of five persons, including four women.

The gang was allegedly involved in child trafficking by alluring their parents with money, police said in a release.

The accused were identified as Labh Singh, Rachna, Randeep Kaur, Rajwant Kaur and Suman who were allegedly part of the gang.

They were nabbed from an area near Sherpur Chowk, Jagraon. An infant was also recovered from them, police said.

During detailed interrogation, it has come to light that they had sold children for money in various districts like Jalandhar, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and also in nearby states like Haryana and Rajasthan.

Police said investigations were underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The in has sought to project the upcoming assembly elections in the state as a contest between BJP's "cash power" and "people's power" as it reaches out to the public to fund the party's campaign.

The claimed it has raised Rs 247,000 in the past few days through public donations.

Exuding confidence that it will oust the from power in the state, the invited the citizens for supporting the Congress financially and make contributions through the website of the

The party website states that as many as 168 people have donated Rs 2,47,477 in the last couple of days.

"The equation is now well known - it's the BJP's cash power versus people's power. During polls earlier this year, the spent over Rs 3 billion alone on advertising and thousands of crores on the state election," it states.

Congress chief said it was an initiative from the All India Congress Committee.

"This is an initiative by the All India Congress Committee. More than 95 per cent of all corporate donations are only going to one party- the We want to make people stakeholders wherein they not only contribute but also feel that they are the part of the growth of the party," Pilot said on Monday.

A former union minister, who took reins of the party in the state in January 2014 after it faced defeat in the 2013 assembly polls, said that big corporates after making donations use to put pressure on government with vested interests and therefore the atmosphere of control and subversion was rampant.

"Congress party wants transparency therefore the initiative was taken for a transparent resource mobilisation," he said.

Pilot on Saturday tweeted informing his followers that the party has taken a big initiative in the direction of transparency in political funding and invited people to support the crowdfunding.

The party is boosting the campaign through

"The BJP has enough money, power and resources. They do not lack anything. The Congress believes in of principles and hence, we have got people's love and trust and that is our biggest strength...," Pilot said in a video message.

"The election is for the public and by the public and their involvement is going down slowly. Making the politicians accountable during and post the elections, ensuring participation and contribution to the elections -- be it financially or politically or in principle. There should be a public stakeholdership and involvement and Congress party wants to ensure this," he said.

The party on its website urged people to support their campaign.

"On one hand you have BJP's billionaire friends giving them thousands of crores of rupees to control the media and public opinion, while on the other you have distressed farmers, women, jobless youth and citizens struggling to make a living," the INC website states, making an appeal to support the party's campaign to take on the "corrupt BJP regime in Rajasthan".State-run hospitality company ITDC signed an MoU with the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT) on Monday, for strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector, a statement from the ministry said.

India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) a PSU under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism signed the MoU with the SMIT, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Kingdom of Morocco.

Chairperson and Managing Director (C&MD), ITDC, Ravneet Kaur said, "Signing of the MoU is an acknowledgement of the capabilities and core competency of ITDC and the important role it has played in development of tourism and related infrastructure in the country."



With the signing of the MoU, both the organisations will be able to share engineering and tourism products development expertise, new trends and technology in tourism products and innovative tourism product development, the statement from the tourism ministry said.

The advantages of the alliance would be marketing, feasibility studies related to the needs and expectations of investors and tourists, expertise in structuring projects in the infrastructure space apart from sharing of database of potential Indian and Moroccan investors in the tourism sector, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Senior Catholic priest Franco Mulakkal, facing probe after a nun accused him of rape, has written a letter to the Pope, offering to "step aside temporarily" as Bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese, the Church said Monday.

A spokesman of the diocese told PTI that the Bishop wrote to the Pope Sunday.

Bishop Franco Mulakkal has written "a letter to Holy Father Pope Francis expressing his desire to step aside temporarily and requested to be relieved from the administration of the diocese," the Jalandhar diocese said in a release.

The Bishop's move came ahead of his appearance before the Kerala Police team on September 19 in connection with the case.

The nun had accused the clergyman of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.

The bishop had, however, dismissed the allegations as "baseless and concocted", insisting she levelled those as the Catholic order had rejected her demand for favours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Auto component maker Jamna Auto Industries Monday said it has earmarked a capex of Rs 600 crore over the next 3-4 years to enhance production capacity for various products, including parabolic springs and axles.

The company, which Monday inked a pact with UK-based Tinsley Bridge Limited (TBL) for technology transfer, also plans to introduce two new products -- stabilizer bars and U-bolts as part of the product expansion plan.

The capex will be funded through internal accruals, Jamna Auto said in a statement.

The company has nine manufacturing plants across the country located near major commercial vehicle hubs and has also announced setting up of two new facilities in Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Adityapur (near Jamshedpur).

TBL will transfer its Extralite Spring and Special Steel Technologies to Jamna Auto as part of the agreement.

"Technology is going to be the key differentiator and will allow us to maintain our leadership position in the market. These technology products would bring in significant improvement in our customer's products," Jamna Auto MD & CEO Pradeep Singh Jauhar said.

The introduction of BS VI emission norms with effect from April 1, 2020 comes with a challenge for the manufacturers to compensate the increased engine weight.

The Extralite Spring and Special Steel Technologies will provide access to lighter and stronger springs that will bring down the weight of the vehicle, thereby increasing the load carrying capacity of the vehicle, Jamna Auto said.

Shares of Jamna Auto were trading 1.81 per cent up at Rs 81.70 apiece on the BSE.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Before the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration banned protests and rallies in campus Monday, the varsity's teachers' association took out a peace march against the incidents of violence.

The march, which was also attended by students and university staffers, started from Ganga Dhaba and culminated at Chandrabhaga Hostel. The teachers and students are also carrying out a night vigil against the attack and the ban imposed by the administration on protests and gatherings.

The JNUTA expressed its serious concern at the situation in the varsity "where several students, including many women, have been targets of mob violence within the university".

"The administration seems to have been standing by as a mute spectator. An air of insecurity is prevailing in the campus as there are several reports of incidents and there is a palpable lack of response on the part of the administration," the JNUTA said.

The JNUTA accused the administration of having an "uneven approach" and blamed it for the emboldening of "the perpetrators of such violence who are hell bent on undermining JNU's great democratic traditions".

"While disciplinary powers have been used very harshly and excessively to penalise students and students' union activists protesting peacefully against the administration's policies, and even teachers have been similarly targeted, others indulging in violence (particularly against fellow students) have been favoured with kid glove treatment," they said.

The JNU Administration appears to be complicit in this process and failing in its duty to defend its own university and its democratic culture, the JNUTA said.

"The JNUTA demands an immediate end to this administrative ineptitude it demands that more security personnel be deployed at all hostels and other locations," they said.

Students wishing to register complaints have been attacked in the vicinity of the police station and the JNUTA alleged its members and students were even threatened inside the police station.

"Several teachers who went to the Vasant Kunj Police Station only because they heard that the newly elected JNUSU president was being threatened there were witness to this sordid event.

"The JNUTA hopes the Delhi Police will do the needful to ensure the safety and security of JNU students and all other members of the JNU community," they said.

Members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-backed AISA clashed early Monday, hours after the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results were announced, with both groups accusing each other of attacking their supporters.

Violence erupted on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus after a united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by considerable margins. While the AISA alleged that ABVP members randomly attacked students with a former student being almost "lynched" and the new JNUSU president being beaten up, the RSS-affiliate claimed its activists were attacked by Left supporters and three were injured.

This is the second incident of the two groups clashing on campus, the last being on Saturday ahead of the counting, which was suspended after election authorities cited "forcible entry" and "attempts to snatch away ballot boxes".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karti Chidambaram, son of senior P Chidambaram, has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted to him by the court for travel abroad, using it to protract investigations, informed the in a response on Monday.

A bench comprising and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud fixed for Tuesday the plea of Karti seeking its nod to travel to the United Kingdom.

Karti has been facing criminal cases being investigated by the and the CBI.

One of the cases relates to FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds of Rs 305 crore when his father was the minister.

ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, has filed its response alleging that Karti, who is also facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis and money laundering matters, has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted by court in allowing him to travel abroad and has been using the same to protract the investigation in the case.

The said the liberty granted to him by the apex court is "blatantly and brazenly hampering, subverting, jeopardising and protracting" the investigation pending against him in the Maxis Case, which the agency has to complete in six months.

The agency also said: "The Petitioner/applicant (Karti) during this period of 6 months has remained unavailable for investigation for a total number of 51 days due to his foreign visits.

The reply filed by Rajeev Sharma, Deputy Director of ED, said: "Whenever he was confronted with the documents, he showed his irritation, sometimes anger and then conveniently avoided to answer the questions on one pretext or the other."



Karti has also failed to provide the documents required during investigations as per schedule and in the circumstances, an effective investigation can take place only during his custodial integration, the agency said.

The apex court had on July 23 allowed Karti to visit the United Kingdom, and the of America from July 23 to 31, making it clear that he has to abide by the conditions imposed by it in an earlier similar order.

The bench had said that Karti will have to surrender his passport with the when he returns from his visit.

The court had allowed Karti to travel abroad with certain conditions, including that he would not open or close any bank account abroad.By Olivia Rose

ELECTED Member of Parliament for Grand Turk South, Hon. Edwin Astwood, said a slothful tendering process is stalling critical infrastructural projects in Grand Turk.





Astwood was at the time speaking to Robert Hall on RTCs radio show Expressions on Wednesday, August 22.





He expressed his frustration with the system which he said is holding up the development and beautification of the nations capital.





"This long process has been so frustrating to me, he said.





He explained that the hardest part of the process is not getting money approved but it is the execution of the contract.





"For the last couple of months, this Government has been jumping through hoopsand one hurdle after the next and I always tell people that this Government will never say our hands are tied.





He explained that while the Government has been working tirelessly to bring several projects, including the upgrading of roads throughout the island, to fruition there have been many stumbling blocks along the way.





"Its just that roadblocks are constantly put in our way that we have to burst through over and over again and every time you reach the finish line you realise that the goal post has been moved a next 500 yards down the road.





"Then you go to that checkpoint and realise well no, youre still not finished yet, you have to go over here and that has been the merry-go-round that we have been on for the last couple of months.





He said that despite the hurdles the contracts have been signed and work was scheduled to begin in early September in Grand Turk.





Astwood noted that most of the roads, especially those that are riddled with potholes, will be graded, tarred and paved for the first time in Grand Turks history.





Turning his attention to Grand Turks Carnival Infrastructure Fund, Astwood said money from that fund also has to go through the slow tendering process.





"This same system that we have seen failing us and causing so many delays, Im hearing now that these contracts have to go through the normal procurement system, and Im thinking, wow, when are we going to get to spend this money in Grand Turk?





"I mean we cant keep saying were beautiful by nature and tourists complainreally look at the state of Grand Turk.





No consensus

Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson who also spoke to the issue on the radio show said it is imperative for people to understand the entire process.





She explained that theres no shortage of political will or funds, but rather a lack of Cabinet consensus hinders pivotal projects from going forward.





"These monies were approved from the first budget in 2017-2018, so from last year March the monies were approved.





"We noted the contract in March this year which means it took about a year plus to get to the contract and the minister has said that weve had some surprises along the way, so theres been some challenges in getting to the contract stage.





She stressed that what was said in last years budget address, that money was approved for the Grand Turk roads, was true.





"The infrastructure account, on coming to office we immediately begun the conversation with Carnival and as of March the infrastructure account has $7 million in it.





She explained that the Grand Turk Carnival Infrastructure Fund is managed by the Ministry of Finance, and both the Government and Carnival contribute to its sustainability.





"People call it the Carnival fund but it is not a Carnival fund, it is jointly funded by Government and Carnival.





She further revealed that there were instances when she, as minister of finance, took projects to Cabinet but did not receive consensus.





"We agreed to projects that we would like to move ahead and we had the opportunity to have some works done and I of course took it to Cabinet where I was unable to get consensus.





"The position now from Cabinet is that we must complete or sign a memorandum of understanding which was never done in the 11 years that Carnival has been here.





"We are currently waiting and having the Chambers deal with the lawyers of Carnival to execute a memorandum that is not as straightforward as we apparently understand it to be and that of course is now holding up the $7 million that could be spent in Grand Turk.





She stressed that while many people may believe that the Government has the last say, this is not the case.





"It is one of the biggest surprises Ive had on coming to office. I think that when you put your name on the line and you fight to get to a place where you want to bring change you think when you get to Cabinet and you have a majority of members and you are elected members that unless it is contrary to the law, that the Government will have its way in Cabinet - not so.





"Consensus is a word attached to the process for Cabinet. We do not have a vote so there is no majority vote.





There are now ten Cabinet members for the first time since the new constitution - the attorney general and the deputy governor are full voting members.





"There are ten members of Cabinet, not ex-officio members, but full right members and if either one of the individuals elected or unelected does not agree, that does not go forward, the premier said.





"So if the deputy governor doesnt agree it doesnt go forward, if the attorney general doesnt agree it doesnt go forward and if the governor doesnt agree it doesnt go forward.





"So I think that it is important for people to understand that and how the country works.



Khadi India Monday celebrated the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by launching an exclusive designer range of 'Modi Jackets' and 'Modi Kurtas' at its flagship store at Connaught Place here.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said that the designer jackets and kurtas will also be available at all Khadi outlets in the country.

He said KVIC workers celebrated with fervour and gaiety, the 68th birthday of Modi who himself has become the biggest brand Ambassador of the Khadi.

Saxena said it was the inspiration and vision of the prime minister that Khadi had achieved several milestones in the last four years.

"For Khadi, Prime Minister himself has become the biggest brand Ambassador. It was his call of 'Khadi for Fashion' that millions of youths adopted Khadi. The launch of these designer jackets and kurtas is the expression of love and gratitude from our artisans for whom the Prime Minister has always shown his concern," Saxena said.

He said the new collection, stitched by expert tailors, was available in affordable range of Rs 999 to Rs 3,500.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday expressed discontentment over government departments neglecting complaints lodged on CM Window, a web portal for redressing citizens' grievances.

Khattar has directed the HSIDC, Industries and Commerce, Rural Development and Panchayats, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Urban Local Bodies Departments to hold a separate meeting on this issue, Additional Principal Secretary to the chief minister, Rakesh Gupta, said in an official release here.

Gupta, at a meeting held here with nodal officers of CM Window, said the chief minister has directed that strict action be initiated against them for not showing seriousness in addressing the complaints.

Khattar had sent a written communication to the additional chief secretary of Cooperative Department on a complaint received on CM Window regarding embezzlement in cooperative societies in Panipat, he said.

The chief secretary said orders were issued to suspend Akashdeep, an official of the Horticulture Department, and Dilbag Singh, inspector of State Vigilance Bureau, in a case of alleged embezzlement of Rs 7 crore.

The amount was received as subsidy for installation of a fountain and an underground pipeline by the Horticulture Department in Nuh district.

At the meeting here, directions were issued to charge sheet and suspend Rakesh Kumar, an accountant of Power Department posted in Rewari, for "harassing a consumer and overcharging".

Apart from this, directions were also issued to suspend Pradeep, an assistant environment engineer, for allegedly causing delay and misguiding others in the matter of discharge of untreated effluent through tankers of residential colonies in agricultural fields.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court Monday said it may order SIT probe if it found that evidence has been "cooked up" and the material supporting the arrest of the five rights activists in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case needed to be examined.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra extended till September 19 the house arrest of the five rights activists--Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha-- at their respective homes and said it would accord a final hearing after two days on the plea of historian Romila Thapar and four others.

"Every criminal investigation is based on allegations and we have to see whether there is some material," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

"First of all we must have a look at the material. If we find that the material is cooked up, we will set up SIT. ... How can we adjudicate against them (Maharashtra police) without hearing them and looking at the material. We will see the materials of the agency," the bench said.

At the outset, Additional Solicitors General Maninder Singh and Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Maharashtra government respectively, opposed the plea of Thapar and others, saying what were the materials which had created the impression that the lower judicial forum would not hear the accused.

The bench then said it has granted protection to the accused keeping in mind their liberty and this would continue till the courts below decided their pleas.

"We entertained the case on the foundations of liberty. Issues like independent enquiry...comes at a later stage. Let the accused seek relief below. Meanwhile, our interim order (on house arrest) may continue," the bench said.

"So far as the problem of 'Naxalism' is concerned, it is becoming a bigger problem and has spread throughout the country. That is why I have intervened," Singh said.

This would set a "dangerous precedent" and "What is the situation or the case which has not been entertained by the courts below and what is that aspect which creates doubt in their minds, that the lower judicial forum won't hear them," he said.

Mehta said irrespective of the belief of the petitioners that the arrested accused are human rights activists, there was enough materials, seen by him, against them.

"This is not about dissent. This concerns serious offences. Your Lordships may not be convinced now, but evidence from laptops, computers, hard disks will show that they were involved," the law officer said, adding the accused have also resorted to parallel remedies in other courts including the High Courts.

"Let them (arrested accused) withdraw their respective petitions in the courts as there cannot be parallel proceedings," he said, adding the "strangers to the lis" have no locus to file the matter and seek remedy in criminal cases.

The bench said it was not on the point of "locus" of Thapar and the others and the activists could be made parties as it has been done on a "daily basis" in high courts.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the historian and others, termed as "pedantic" the objections of the Centre and Maharashtra and said that after the apex court took note of this case, nothing has taken place in other courts below.

Singhvi said he should be allowed to present the case as it would shock the conscience of the court.

Proceeding with the submissions by referring to documents including the two FIRs, he said the key point that there was a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister was not mentioned in either the FIRs or in the reply filed by the Maharashtra government.

"What we have been hearing that there is a possible attempt to eliminate the Prime Minister. The FIRs and others do not talk about assassination plot," Singhvi said.

He said after the top court's observation asking Maharashtra police not to speak to media about the probe, the "spreading of lies has subsided" but not stopped.

"Canard has been spread about criminal past of some of the activists," he said and gave details about the status of the matters against some of them.

There were 25 cases against Rao and he is either acquitted or the cases have been withdrawn, he said, adding that against Gonsalves, there were 18 cases and he is acquitted in 17 and the appeal is pending in one.

There were either 10 or 11 cases against Arun Ferreira and he has been acquitted in all of them, Singhvi said.

Referring to the violence case, he said two former judges, one of Supreme Court and other of the High Court, were also invited to the event which was being organised for the past 200 years at Bhima Koregaon.

The arrested activists were neither present, nor named in the FIRs, Singhvi said.

The plea by Thapar and economists Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain, sociology professor Satish Deshpande and human rights lawyer Maja Daruwala has sought an independent probe into the arrests and the immediate release of the five activists.

The Maharashtra police had arrested the rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.

Prominent Telugu poet Rao was arrested on August 28 from Hyderabad, while activists Gonsalves and Ferreira were nabbed from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj from Faridabad in Haryana and civil liberties activist Navlakha from Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Some locals Monday allegedly broke open the lock of a sealed shop in the Gandhi Nagar area in the presence of local AAP MLA Anil Kumar Bajpai.

The incident comes a day after Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari broke open the lock of a sealed house in Gokalpur in northeast Delhi. A video of the latest incident has gone viral on social media.

The municipal corporations in the city are carrying out a sealing drive over violations of the Delhi Master Plan and other irregularities, under the supervision of a Supreme Court-appointed committee.

A senior officer of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation said the incident was not reported to the civic body.

"Appropriate action will be taken after local staff report the incident," he said.

Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Gandhi Nagar Anil Kumar Bajpai said he was passing through Kanti Nagar locality in Gandhi Nagar when he saw some municipal corporation employees sealing shops there.

When Bajpai intervened, the employees "fled the spot".

"Agitated locals broke open the sealed lock of a shop. Around 10 shops were sealed by the corporation," he told PTI.

Senior Delhi Congress leader Arivinder Singh Lovely said his party's 'Nyay Yudh' campaign against the "illegal" sealing has awakened the BJP and the AAP from a deep slumber.

"Our campaign is for de-sealing of the properties, while they are breaking seals in desperation, as our campaign is getting tremendous support from people," Lovely said.

Delhi Congress has announced to hold a 'mahapanchayat' of 365 villages, at Rangpuri on September 23, to discuss the future course of its campaign.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Among the myriad Durga pujas of the city, two prominent puja committees have planned loneliness of the elderly and setting of Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed film 'Padmaavat' as the theme of their films.

In another puja, the deity would be kept on a chariot made of 20 tonnes of silver.

'Shikorer Tane'(The Call of the Roots) is the theme of Shibmandiar Puja Committee that would focus on the plight of the elderly people whose children have left them for greener pasture, said Partha Ghosh, one of the organisers of the south Kolkata puja.

"We have seen how the elderly lead a lonely life after their children leave them behind and settle outside the city or the country. These people don't have anyone to look after them," Ghosh said.

Sree Bhumi Sporting Club authorities have selected the the period film Padmavaat as their theme.

"We will recreate the Chittorgarh Fort, the setting of the film, and the ambience," Sujit Bose said on behalf of the puja committee.

He said the models inside the pandal will don the costumes worn by the characters of the film.

Bose said illumination from Chandernagore, famous for its unique lighting designs, will help in creating the ambience.

In the puja of Santosh Mitra Square in the central part of the city, a chariot made of 20 tonnes of silver will draw the crowd, the organisers hope.

The chariot will be 60 feet high and 40 feet wide, puja committee president Pradip Ghosh said.

"The chariot, equal to a middle-sized apartment building, will have intricate silver artwork on its inside and outside walls," Ghosh said.

The silver work was being done by a reputed city-based jewellery brand.

This year the four-day Durga Puja, the biggest festival of Bengal, will start on October 16.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Disgruntled BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh has slammed the Maharashtra government for failing to provide reservation to the Muslim community.

Addressing a function recently at Katol, a taluka in Nagpur district, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator said that lack of reservations was depriving the community of good education.

"There is an urgent need for Muslim reservation. It will allow the community to progress if they get reservation in jobs and education," Deshmukh said.

The previous Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) government in the state had issued an ordinance in October 2014 announcing 5 per cent quota in jobs and education for Muslims and 16 per cent for Marathas.

After the decision was challenged, the Bombay High Court scrapped the entire Maratha reservation along with 5 per cent Muslim reservation in jobs. However, it allowed the 5 per cent Muslim quota in education.

"But the Devendra Fadnavis government has not implemented 5 per cent reservations for Muslims in education," Deshmukh said, claiming that the community would not get quota till it showed its strength.

He said that intellectuals and prominent citizens from the community must come together to press for reservation, adding that the community's condition was worse than that of the Dalits.

The Katol MLA claimed that Sachar Committee and the Rangnath Commission had recommended quota for Muslims but political agendas had scuttled these recommendations.

"The Maharashtra government should immediately provide reservation to the Muslim community so that they can progress socially, economically, educationally, politically, and culturally," Deshmukh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam Monday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand reservations for north Indian migrants in the city belonging to backward classes.

Nirupam also handed over a letter to Fadnavis in this connection.

"People belonging to more that 30 castes such as Vishwakarma, Kurmi, Koiri, Pal, Kanojia, Gupta, Chaurasiya, Maurya and Rajbhar etc have migrated from northern parts of India to Mumbai for the sake of livelihood," Nirupam stated in the letter.

"But unfortunately these people haven't yet been accorded the status of backward castes in Maharashtra, which is equal to denying them their fundamental rights," Nirupam's letter added.

Nirupam wrote that the country required a uniform rule in place in which the domicile certificate would be the only mandatory document needed to obtain a caste certificate.

The letter was signed by 25 people hailing from various OBC groups.

"Appropriate action from the CM is awaited in order to empower the backward classes and give them justice," Nirupam told reporters after the meeting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Monday asked people to give a befitting reply to the ruling Congress in the Zila Paridhad and Panchayat samiti polls for alleged conspiracy in vitiating peaceful atmosphere of the state along with separatist elements.

He said the manner in which police escorted 50 "separatist elements" including SAD (Amritsar) Simranjit Mann's group and aides of Raviinder Singh of United Akali Dal at Faridkot on Sunday, indicated that the state government was following "divide and rule" policy.

"Earlier also, before the advent of terrorism in Punjab, Congress leaders destroyed peace in the state by encouraging and sheltering radical elements. The same is being done now," Majithia alleged at a public meeting here and at Kathunangal and Bhangali in support of SAD candidates contesting Zila Parishad and Block samiti polls.

Asking people to recognize the "conspiracy" behind these acts, the SAD leader claimed that the Congress wanted to "weaken" the SAD and Sikh institutions, and had "recruited" the likes of Sikh radicals Baljit Singh Daduwal and Dhyan Singh Mand for this purpose.

He said the SAD would not allow anyone to "ride roughshod" over Akali workers in the ensuing elections to panchayati raj bodies.

Akali workers had countered Congress "atrocities" on the son of a Scheduled Cast candidate who was "insulted and even dragged around with his beard" for protesting in front of the Jandiala Guru police station, Majithia said.

"Though we have got a case registered in this regard late last night, I want to warn the Congressmen behind this reprehensible act that we will not spare them once we come to power," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Malnutrition is a "blot" on the society and the Gujarat government has joined hands with leading milk products maker GCMMF to tackle malnutrition among infants, girls and lactating mothers, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said Monday.

In a bid to fight malnutrition among infants, girls and lactating mothers, the Gujarat government has roped in the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) to build plants to supply nutritious food, he said.

GCMMF is the marketing body of the Amul brand of milk and other dairy products.

Rupani Monday inaugurated one such 'Take Home Ration- Supplementary Nutritious Food Plant', built by Sumul Dairy (which comes under GCMMF) at a cost of Rs 55 crore at Chalthan in Surat, 250km form here, an official release said.

Speaking on the occasion, Rupani said his government is committed to make the next generation - infants in the age group of 0-6, lactating mothers and the girl child - free from malnutrition, according to the release.

"Malnutrition is a blot on the society. The government has allotted an annual budget of Rs 2,800 crore to fight malnutrition," he said.

"The state government has joined hands with GCMMF, whose district cooperative milk unions will build such plants in different districts to supply nutritious food to fight malnutrition," he said.

Rupani said the plant's inauguration coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 68th birthday as it was his resolve to erase malnutrition from the state.

Child and Womens Welfare Minister Ganpatsinh Vasava said 42 lakh kids and women will benefit from the government's scheme to tackle malnutrition.

"The mission entails sending 16,000 metric tonnes of nutritious food to 42 lakh people in 11 predominantly tribal districts. This is besides milk being supplied to schools and anganwadis (child care centres," he said.

On the occasion, Rupani presented a cheque of Rs 68 lakh to athlete Sarita Gayakwad, who won a gold medal at the just concluded Asian Games in Indonesia.

The CM also handed over a letter to Gayakwad, appointing her as the Gujarat governments brand ambassador for its "Nutrition Mission".

Gayakwad hails from the tribal-dominated Dang district of the state. The Gujarat government had announced a reward of Rs 68 lakh to the 24-year-old sprinter after she won the gold medal in the 4x400 metre relay race in the Asian Games.

Problem of malnutrition is mostly prevalent in the 11 tribal-dominated districts of Gujarat.

(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 greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 68th birthday.

"Birthday greetings to Prime Minister @narendramodiji," Banerjee, who is currently on 13-day official tour to Europe, tweeted in the morning.

Modi will celebrate his 68th birthday in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi.

The PM is scheduled to spend the day with children of a primary school, aided by a non-profit organisation.

In Tamil Nadu, the BJP celebrated Modi's birthday by gifting gold rings to newborns.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Delana Isles

PREMIER Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has promised to publicly address the rising crime situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands very soon.





Speaking with the Weekly News on the matter on Wednesday (September 12), the premier said that the Government is looking at all avenues available to them to try to halt the problem.





One such avenue is tapping into the expertise of those who sit on the National Security Council (NSC).





Robinson said that she met with NSC members on Monday (September 10) and will soon be meeting with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force before she publicly addresses the issue.





These meetings, the premier said, looked at what they will be doing and can do that will go beyond the provision of resources, with the police handling the operational part.





However, she expressed a deep concern at the nature of many of the recent crimes, particularly the gun violence and deaths.





"People are saying it is getting out of hand; as I said during the town hall [meeting], the offences that are happening, there is no government programme or resources that could stop people from beefing with each other.





"If I have a problem with you, I am going to find you and what we have is serious concerns that resources wouldnt just solve it. Operation from the police cant just solve it.





"I am saying to the people of the Turks and Caicos, some of us saw the video that was put out that really brought it home as to where some of the young mens minds are.





"When you have a deceased victim laying on the ground and youre saying the devil wants souls, that is bigger than a government, that is bigger than police, that is even bigger than families, we need all hands on deck.





She insists that the police cant throw operations at that kind of mentality, but stated that the Government is working on finding ways to address it.





The video the premier referred to shows a man kneeling over the dead body of another as gangster rap plays in the background and the words burn in hell and R.i.hell appear over and near the deceaseds body.





Other words such as shoot to kill, Devil want Soul, explicit language and the names of two other individuals also feature in the 1.05 minute video.





Not all of the recent murders are gang related, but it does indicate that gun crime and illegal gun possession is a worrying new trend in the Turks and Caicos Islands.





The latest suspected gang related murder was that of 22-year-old Prince John Brutus, a professional criminal who was found shot to death along Leeward Highway on August 31.





On July 3, Judah Gail, another well-known criminal, was gunned down outside a bar on Aviation Drive.





Kendal Dean has since been charged with that murder.





Reports, which are not confirmed by police, suggest that several of the murders so far for the year are related to the burgeoning gang violence in the territory.



Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Macedonia Monday, condemning Russian efforts to use its money and influence to build opposition to an upcoming vote that could pave the way for the country to join NATO a move Moscow opposes.

Mattis told reporters travelling with him to Skopje that there is "no doubt" that Moscow has been funding pro-Russian groups in order to defeat the referendum on a name change later this month.

"They have transferred money and they're also conducting broader influence campaigns," Mattis said.

"We ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds."



Macedonians will vote Sept 30 on whether to approve the new name of North Macedonia is an effort to placate Greece, which has for years blocked Macedonia's path to NATO and the European Union.

But any progress toward NATO membership by the Balkan nation is strongly opposed by Russia, which doesn't want the alliance to expand to areas formerly under Moscow's influence.

Mattis is the latest in a string of international leaders visiting Macedonia to voice support for the referendum, and he's the most senior US official to go there.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz have all visited and made public endorsements of the name change, saying it's critical in order for the country to join NATO, after years of waiting.

Mattis said that he and other NATO allies "say right up front in open press what we think.

We're not passing money to people behind the scenes, we're not putting together parties that we control or try to control."



Russia has already been called out for trying to influence the vote.

In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of supplying funds to protest groups who were opposing the name change deal. Russia denounced the expulsions as unjustified.

Greece, a member of NATO, has for years vetoed attempts by Macedonia to join NATO, complaining about the country's name ever since Yugoslavia broke up in the early 1990s. Greece argues that the name implies a territorial claim against the northern Greek region of Macedonia and its ancient heritage.

NATO leaders in July formally invited Macedonia to begin membership talks on the condition that it wouldn't become effective until the name change was implemented.

But there is widespread concern about Russian impact on the vote.

"There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organizations," said Laura Cooper, the deputy assistant defense secretary for Russia and the region.

She said she couldn't give specifics about the pay-offs, but said the US is aware of financial support that Moscow has given to pro-Russian individuals and groups that are working to undermine the referendum.

Russia, she said, is "swooping in now with disinformation and other forms of malign influence to try to change the minds of the Macedonian people."



As examples, she cited efforts to convince people that the vote isn't relevant and isn't the last step for NATO admission.

Evelyn Farkas, an expert on the region who is a fellow with the Atlantic Council and a former Defense Department adviser, said Mattis' visit to the tiny nation could help sow support for the name change.

"I think Mattis could make or break this thing by delivering a strong message to the opposition which has been grudgingly quiet, that they need to come out in full-throated support, because they're not going to get another chance later," said Farkas.

"He can tell them this is their last chance."



Farkas, who was recently in Macedonia, also said the visit reaffirms America's commitment to the region and the need for stability there.

According to Cooper, the US has given Macedonia about USD 5 million in security assistance annually since 1991, and the total US aid since then has been about USD 750 million.

Mattis plans to meet with Macedonia President Gjorge Ivanov, center-left Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska.

The main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party and Ivanov have said Macedonia's goal is to join NATO and the EU, but that they oppose the deal with Greece, warning it will damage the country's national interests.

Mattis said he believes the Macedonian peoples' lives can be changed with added economic opportunities and security, and it's important to have those options available.

He said he will take that message to Ivanov.

Polls indicate Macedonians will likely back the deal, but it's not clear if turnout will meet the required 50 per cent for the vote to be valid.

The agreement with Greece was signed in June, and requires changes to the Macedonian Constitution.

The final step for NATO admission is ratification by Greece's parliament, which would vote only after Macedonia completes all necessary procedures.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A three-day conference to deliberate on global benchmark documents prepared by the World Health Organization for practice in Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani medicine system commenced here on Monday.

A total of 39 experts representing 18 countries -- 13 each from Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani -- would be reviewing the draft documents developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) through consultative process, an official of National Ayurveda Institute said.

Developing benchmark documents is part of Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) between WHO and the Ministry of AYUSH to provide safe, effective and accessible traditional medicine to global community.

WHO regional advisor for traditional medicine Sungchol Kim stressed on the need of integrating traditional medicine system in the conventional medicine system.

Addressing the gathering, AYUSH secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said the ministry was "actively" using a centralised web portal for documentation of its facilities and activities, including the recent rehabilitative efforts undertaken during floods in Kerala.

Kotecha said the National Ayurveda Morbidity Standardized Terminology Engine (NAMSTE) is being used for documentation of its facilities and activities, according to an official statement.

The AYUSH Ministry secretary also talked about the activities undertaken by the ministry under the government's 'Ayushman Bharat" scheme, touted as the world's largest healthcare scheme, aims at providing a coverage of Rs five lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.

He suggested that WHO may also provide assistance in the scheme.

"He requested WHO may also help Ministry of AYUSH for developing country specific module and applications based program like M-Yoga and M-Ayurveda etc," the statement said.

The three-day programme containing four sessions on each day has been organised by the Ministry of AYUSH and coordinated by National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur.

The purposes of the meeting are to review, comment and revise as required each of the three zero draft documents prepared by the experts.

"The documents are expected to provide minimum requirements for qualified practice by practitioners of Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani to provide minimum safety requirement for practising these and also to serve as a reference to national authorities to establish/ strengthen regulatory standards to ensure qualified practice of such system and patients safety," the statement added.

Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy-Director General, WHO, stated that traditional medicines are an important and integral part of universal health coverage programme, especially under Sustainable Developmental Goal-3 (SDG-3).

She pointed out that Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems have been included in 2nd Traditional Medicine Module of ICD Chapter-11 and 2018 is being celebrated as 40th Anniversay Year of Alma Ata Declaration.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Freida Pinto says she never wanted to surrender to the Indian stereotype in Hollywood, which resulted in her saying no to a lot of big projects.

The 33-year-old Indian actor, who started her Hollywood journey with Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire", says even though she knew it was the right decision, she went through a phase of "self doubt and anxiety".

"I made it very clear after 'Slumdog...' that I would have to carve my own path and also determine the path for the next generation of Indian actors. It was very important for me to not surrender to the Indian stereotype.

"But there was a fear of missing out. There was a no formula, which I could follow. There was a phase in my career for two-and-half years where there was a lot anxiety and fear," Freida told PTI in an interview.

The actor, however, says those "moments of self-doubt" taught her a lot.

"I am exactly in a place where I wanted to be. This is exactly the space where I wanted to work. I always wanted to be a part of the content where focus is not on glamour and beauty but on real people.

"After having a huge start and then going through a phase of anxiety, I can truly say I am happy and content now. It was a great learning experience."



Freida believes the inclusivity drive and debate on representation of cultures, races and gender has made things better for artistes like her.

"There is no better time to be in cinema or in television than right now. The time right now is such where a lot of producers and filmmakers are taking risks. Definitely in the West we have seen that happening with 'The Crown' or 'The Handmaid's Tale'. In films also women are playing the lead and they are successful."



Under-representation of actors of colour in 2016 Academy Awards nominations ignited the debate around whitewashing and a year later the #MeToo movement brought a major shift in the politics around gender in Hollywood.

The strong reaction from people within the industry pushed filmmakers and writers to focus on writing better parts for women and actors of colour.

Freida says the way Hollywood is evolving is commendable, and she feels privileged to witness the change.

"I have seen representation in movies becoming a talking point in front of my eyes. I feel privileged as it was not possible once and within 10 years I have seen that change, which is monumental.

"Probably even three years ago, the Asian representation was not taken seriously. It is remarkable that we are talking about inclusion because for the longest time Asians on American television and in movies were never written seriously. For me, it is really phenomenal to see this change during my career."



Freida's latest film to hit the theatres is "Love Sonia". The actor says she is proud of the film directed by Tabrez Noorani.

"I was probably one of the first actors to come on board. Tabrez (Noorani) is my good friend and he shared the script with me 10 years ago when I was shooting for 'Slumdog Millionaire'. I told him 'I want to be a part of this film'. He asked me to read for other parts. I loved Rashmi's character the most.

"I am very proud of the film. Of all the film's we have seen on human trafficking, I feel this is the most authentic. It is just one of those films which looks so real," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Delhi High Court Monday reserved its decision on a plea by one of the convicts in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings seeking a 2009 Intelligence Bureau (IB) report which purportedly called for review of evidence in the case.

While reserving the decision in the matter, Justice Vibhu Bakhru was of the view that the IB report sought under the transparency law RTI did not have any relation to human rights violation and therefore, the intelligence agency was exempted from providing it.

The court also observed that the case against the convict Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddique, represented by advocate Arpit Bhargava, had run its course and he could have raised the issue of false implication earlier.

The judge was also of the view that the exception in the Right to Information (RTI) Act, under which details can be sought from intelligence agencies, would not apply in this case.

"Will pass orders later," the court said.

Siddique, in his plea, has claimed he was falsely implicated in the case which amounts to violation of his human rights and therefore, he needed the IB report which purportedly called for review of the evidence in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case.

He has also challenged a March 26, 2018 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) rejecting his plea for directions to IB to provide the report which, according to him, was tabled before the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2009.

The IB, represented by advocates Rahul Sharma and C K Bhatt, opposed the plea saying that since Siddique was convicted after trial by a court set up under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), he cannot in another forum claim he was falsely implicated.

The IB's lawyers contended that the convict was "trying to create a parallel trial" since the death sentence to him was pending confirmation in the Bombay High Court.

Siddique, presently lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail, was convicted and given capital punishment for the July 11, 2006 serial blasts when seven RDX bombs ripped through as many Western line local trains in Mumbai leading to death of 189 persons and injuring 829.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The basic duty of an airline towards a passenger who it has left behind is to provide meals and accommodation for overnight stay, the apex consumer commission has said while asking Indigo Airlines to pay compensation to a family of four who failed to board the flight due to deficiency in service.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), hearing a review plea of the Airlines against the Tripura state commission's order, asked Indigo to pay Rs 20,000 to Kalpana Rani Debbarma and her family.

Debbarma, her husband and her two minor sons were travelling from Kolkata to Agartala availing Indigo flight services in 2017. The Airlines had issued boarding passes to all of them.

Debbarma claimed in her plea that the Airlines left all her family at the Kolkata Airport without informing them despite their being in the Airport premises.

She also claimed that the airport staff snatched away the tickets from her when she went to the office staff to file a written complaint.

The family had to stay in a hotel and purchase new tickets the next day.

"The basic duty of care for a passenger who has been left behind despite issuance of the boarding passes, when admittedly boarding passes were issued well ahead of the boarding time and the baggage was also boarded on to the Airlines, is to provide meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation in cases where stay of one more night is necessary and the operating carrier should also pay particular attention to the needs of the accompanying family," said a bench comprising Justice R K Agrawal and presiding member Justice M Shreesha.

The Commission said that apart from not only forcibly taking the boarding passes from the complainants, no effort was made by the Airline to compensate them by arranging for their travel in the next scheduled flight to Agartala.

"It is not in dispute that the Complainants were put to lot of mental agony and inconvenience as they had to stay in a hotel for two days and once again travelled by Indigo Airlines after two days after having had to purchase fresh tickets by spending an amount of Rs 16,432," it said.

The commission further said that even when the complainants chose to fly again by the Airlines after two days there was no concession made by way of "compensating for the inconvenience caused".

"The airline should have taken care to see that the passengers boarded the plane specially when the baggage was also checked in. Further, the attitude of the Airline in snatching away the boarding pass is deprecated," it said.

The airline had contended that numerous announcements were made at regular intervals and that the passengers did not report at the boarding gate on time.

It said that once the passengers checked in, their movements are restricted to a very limited sensitised area and it is "beyond comprehension" not to report at the gate and hence the assertion that the announcements were made "does not hold any water".

"More so, when it is not a silent airport, we are of the considered view that announcements should be made at least in the sensitised waiting area," the commission said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Monday amended its order on the Essar Steel, passed by it on September 7, to add the name of senior counsel Darius Khambata, which was left out.

Khambata had represented Resolution Professional of the debt-ridden firm in this matter before the appellate tribunal and his name was missing in the final order.

Tribunal's direction came after an application was moved to include his name.

In its judgement, passed earlier this month, had ruled that Numetal's Rs 370 billion second-round bid for is valid, but asked rival bidder to clear Rs 70 billion dues of its previously associated firms within three days to qualify for the acquisition.

World's largest steel manufacturer and Russia's VTB Capital-backed Numetal are in race to acquire debt-ridden Essar Steel, which is being auctioned by its lenders to recover their Rs 490 billion defaulted loans.

The order of is now challenged before the by both bidder Numetal and separately.

The apex is scheduled to hear the matter on Tuesday.A private Nepalese airline's plane was hit by a bird shortly after take-off from Tribhuvan International Airport here on Monday, but the pilot continued to fly, risking the life of 52 persons on board.

The Saurya Airlines' jet bound for Biratnagar was hit by a bird this morning. Though the pilot felt something striking the plane, he continued to fly as he failed to establish what it was, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Spokesperson Pratab Babu Tiwari said.

The TIA spokesperson said the pilot also did not inform Kathmandu tower about the strike.

He said a dead bird was found on the runway after the plane took off.

Pilot Rai called for an emergency landing at Biratnagar airport after the jet began vibrating midway into the flight. However, he had initially informed Biratnagar tower that he suspected a bird strike and later said he dismissed the possibility. As the pilot was not sure about the bird strike he continued the flight, said the official.

The Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft has suffered damage in two blades of its left engine.

The aircraft has been grounded at Biratnagar airport and is being inspected by technicians.

There were 52 persons on board the aircraft including four crew members. However, all the passengers and crew members on board the aircraft were safe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A coffee-table book titled "Narendra Modi: A Charismatic & Visionary Statesman" was dedicated to the prime minister on the occasion of his 68th birthday on Monday.

The 672-page book, weighing 5 kilograms on Japanese matte art paper, claims to present an objective picture of the country's 14th PM Narendra Modi, who the authors said "successfully left the spectre of the Gujarat riots of 2002 behind to rise like a phoenix in spite of much adversity and court battles".

The foreword of the book by international writers and jurists Adish C Aggarwala and Sarah J Marchington, is written by BJP president Amit Shah.

"Shri Narendra Modi has become an icon of politics of development. With his thrust on innovation and entrepreneurship, he has taken a slew of de-licensing and deregulation measures to remove complexities that hindered growth of business in the country, Shah writes in the foreword.

Peppered with rare photographs of Modi, be it of his childhood or his meetings with eminent personalities from across the world, the book also offers readers a peep into the everyday regime of the prime minister from his morning tea till the "time he retires for the day at 1 am".

"The difference between Narendra Modi and others begin with his daily schedule and routine. He gets up early, and sleeps late. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President, joked that Narendra Modi doesn't sleep, and doesn't allow his ministers to do so.

"It's now established that the Prime Minister is awake by 4 am," reads the book.

Several cabinet ministers and chief ministers, including Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have also contributed to the book.

One of the articles written by the defence minister reads: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided much needed leadership to the masses. His idea of governance is inclusive and people oriented. Under his able leadership, we have been able to retain the tenets of peace even in times of grave provocation by our immediate neighbour."



According to the publisher, the book has "painstakingly covered the journey of Modi right from his early childhood days, till he held the reins of the country".

"It has spanned each significant event and chronicled the myriad influences that shaped his ideology and thought process," said the statement by the publisher.

The book is published by U K Publishers & Distributors, London.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of his 68th birthday.

The chief minister also prayed for the Prime Minister's health, besides wishing him a long political career, an official release said.

"Greetings for the honourable prime minister on his birthday. Wish for his good health and long life," Kumar tweeted in Hindi.

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, accompanied by cabinet ministers Mangal Pandey and Nand Kishore Yadav, attended a health camp organized on this occasion.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and RJD heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav also greeted Modi.

"May God bless you (with) healthy and long life, success and strength to live up to the expectations of 125 crore Indians and fulfil the dream and promises shown and given to the people," Yadav tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday made an unscheduled visit to the national capital where he is likely to undergo medical treatment, besides, possibly, finalising seat-sharing arrangements with other NDA partners ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

According to sources in the chief minister's office here, Kumar left for Delhi in the afternoon and is likely to stay there for the next couple of days.

The sources cited health reasons for Kumar's sudden visit to the national capital, which comes a day after the state executive meeting of his party -- Janata Dal (United).

However, senior party leaders, on condition of anonymity, said he could meet top BJP leaders to finalise a formula for seat-sharing in the Lok Sabha polls.

JD(U)'s Bihar unit president Vasishtha Narayan Singh had recently said a seat-sharing formula was likely to be arrived at "by mid-September".

At the JD(U)'s state executive meeting on Sunday, which saw the induction of poll strategist Prashant Kishor, Kumar reportedly told party workers that decks had been cleared for a "respectable" seat-sharing arrangement.

It is widely believed that among other things, Kishor is likely to be entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring proper communication between the JD(U) and other NDA partners, especially the BJP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)By Olivia Rose

RESIDENTS in the Turks and Caicos Islands will soon have access to a variety of primary healthcare services within their own communities.





The Ministry of Health launched the TCIs first ever mobile health clinic at the Town Centre Mall, Downtown, Providenciales, on Monday (September 10).





The clinic is designed to reach children, adults and seniors in remote places with no prior access to healthcare.





Staff will provide physical exams as well as blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose level screenings.





Other services include immunisations and flu shots, prescriptions to treat high blood pressure, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol and nutritional counselling and health education.





Speaking at a brief ribbon cutting ceremony, Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, Hon. Edwin Astwood, who commissioned mobile clinic, said it will be instrumental in increasing access to primary healthcare services.





Astwood said the Government has a responsibility to ensure residents have access to sustainable, comprehensive and high quality healthcare services.





"The world at one time was looking to go to centralisation of healthcare and I think the Turks and Caicos Islands also got caught up in that notion that we need to centralise healthcare, but eventually the world figured out that centralisation isnt working so there was some move back to decentralise healthcare.





"And now today in the Turks and Caicos I am happy to say that we are leading in that decentralisation and this mobile clinicis that step in the right direction.





Astwood said the initiative is in keeping with the Governments effort to prioritise primary healthcare in a bid to reduce the financial burden on the treatment abroad programme.





The skyrocketing cost of the programme and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases has compelled the Government to gear its energy towards improving facilities and promoting healthy lifestyle practices.





"Our Government is committed to primary healthcare and disease prevention and that is something that we continue to speak about - getting people to adopt healthy lifestyles, that is one of our main goals, preventing people from becoming sick.





He emphasised the dire need for the populace to adopt healthy lifestyle practices as fundamental to the overall approach to health and wellness across the territory.





"We want our population to be healthy and one of the ways is early detection and again we have a history, not just in the Turks and Caicos Islands but in the Caribbean, persons do not like to go to the clinic, persons do not like to go to the hospitals.





"We find a reason not to go and seek healthcare and Im not excusing myself, Im one of them who do not like to go to hospitals and clinics.





"I think that Im super healthy, but I know that is the wrong approach.





Astwood pointed out that taking these services directly to their community will ensure people get the help and information they need at a place that is more convenient for them.





"This is very importantwe need to get our population healthy. There are too many of us dying from lifestyle disorders, diseases and conditions that couldve been prevented if detected earlier.





"This mobile clinic will assist in that, this clinic will bring healthcare to where the people are, where the elderly are.





"We have a portion of the population that really cannot access healthcare when they need it and so we are taking healthcare to the people.





Director of Health Services Dr Nadia Astwood agreed that the promotion of healthy lifestyles and early detection of diseases remains a priority for the ministry.





"There is an identified need and commitment to strengthen primary healthcare in order to deliver integrated, comprehensive patient centred services in communities.





"Our aim is to improve access to primary healthcare in communities through the provision of services to promote health in an equitable manner in order for persons to live healthy and more productive lives.





Several Cabinet ministers and Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson also attended the launch.



Senior Catholic priest Franco Mulakkal, accused of rape by a nun, has written to the Pope offering to "step aside temporarily" as Bishop of the Jalandhar diocese, a move which comes ahead of his appearance before the Kerala Police on Wednesday to join the investigation in the case.

A spokesman of the diocese told PTI that the Bishop wrote to the Pope Sunday.

The bishop has written "a letter to Holy Father Pope Francis expressing his desire to step aside temporarily and requested to be relieved from the administration of the diocese," the Jalandhar diocese said in a release.

The bishop's move came ahead of his appearance before the Special Investigation Team of Kerala Police on September 19 in response to the summons asking him to join the investigation and amid continued protests seeking his arrest.

The Kerala-based nun had accused the clergyman of sexually assaulting her 13 times between 2014 and 2016 during his visits to the Jalandhar-diocese run convent at Kuruvilangad in Kottayam district.

The bishop has, however, dismissed the allegations as "baseless and concocted".

The diocese release said the Bishop expressed his desire to step aside in the background of what it claimed was the Kerala High Court's "opinion in favour of Bishop Franco which says, there is lack of adequate evidence for the Bishop's arrest indicating his innocence".

"He decided on his own to make his request to Holy Father. He is confident that his request will be accepted by the Vatican," the release said.

The bishop had last week handed over administrative responsibility of Jalandhar diocese to Msgr Mathew Kokkandam in his absence ahead of his Kerala visit.

The decision to summon the clergyman was taken last week after a meeting chaired by Vijay Sakhare, Inspector General (Ernakulam range), amid mounting pressure on police to initiate action against Mulakkal.

Kottayam District Superintendent of Police Hari Sankar said in Kottayam that the Punjab Police has informed the SIT that the Bishop would appear before them on September 19.

The Jalandhar diocese spokesman, however, refused to disclose the details of the Bishop's Kerala travel plan.

Meanwhile, the protest by various Catholic reformation organisations and a group of nuns seeking arrest of the Bishop entered the 10th day Monday with the sister of the rape survivor joining the agitation seeking justice.

Several catholic priests have visited the protest venue here expressing their solidarity with their agitation.

The Kerala Catholic Bishop Council (KCBC) had slammed the nuns' protest, saying it has "crossed all limits".

The nun had recently sought urgent intervention of the Vatican for justice and demanded the bishop's removal as the head of the Jalandhar diocese, questioning why the church was "closing its eyes to the truth" when she had mustered courage to make public her suffering.

She has alleged that Bishop Mulakkal was using "political and money power" to "bury" the case against him.

The bishop has claimed there were "several contradictions" in the evidence collected against him by the police probing the case.

"I leave everything into the hand of God as I await the result of the findings of the team probing the allegation," he had said in a circular last week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The opposition stayed away from the three-day RSS outreach event that started here on Monday alleging that it has a "pre-election agenda" to project that the outfit is "neither untouchable nor hated".

None of the opposition leaders turned up for dialogue at the event -- "Bhavishya Ka Bharat - An RSS Perspective" -- organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological fountainhead of the ruling BJP, even though the Sangh had claimed to have invited many of them.

Many opposition leaders, including those from the Congress said they did not get any invite and would have stayed away even if invited.

The event comes three months after former president Pranab Mukherjee addressed a function at the Sangh's Nagpur headquarters in June.

Sources said this event was aimed at opening up the RSS for dialogue with such forces that are opposed to it.

It was speculated that Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who attacks the RSS often and accuses it of spreading hatred in the country, would be invited for the event, but the party leaders denied having received any invite.

When asked about the RSS event, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh downplayed it saying, "I got no invitation from the RSS (for the three-day lecture series). No mail, no phone call, no letter. Even if they invited me, I would not have gone."



NCP leader Majeed Memon said it appears that the endeavour of RSS is to create some kind of an atmosphere that "it is not untouchable and not hated".

"It is some kind of a pre-election agenda. People can understand it and therefore we do not want people to be misled.

"They first called Pranab Mukherjee. He went there. Then they thought of expanding their reach to the whole country. But that would not work. It is now exposed that you (RSS) are now trying to expand your fold in order to grant some kind of benefit to the BJP," Memon said.

RJD leader Tejashvi Yadav tweeted, "What role RSS played in freedom movement of India? Cozying up with invaders or spying for Britishers (sic)."



Terming the RSS a "radicalised right-wing organisation", Muslim Political Council of India president T A Rehmani denied having received any invitation from the Sangh.

Congress spokesperson Gaurav Gogoi said on Twitter, "From the horse's mouth - 'Mr Modi has allowed RSS the opportunity to get at state power' - PM Modi has become a Trojan Horse for the RSS to infiltrate Indian constitutional institutions. People of India will fight back in 2019 (sic)."



Another Congress leader Salman Anees Soz said, "The world knows about the role of the Congress in the freedom movement. It is the RSS the world wants to know more about. For example, that inconvenient part about love for Nazism and Fascism."



Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had earlier alleged that the RSS and the BJP have been spreading "fake news" for a while regarding sending invites for the event.

"No such invite has been received by the Congress party and it is not a medal of honour. Their inherently hate-filled agenda is known to one and all," Surjewala had said.

Launching the unprecedented outreach programme to make the organisation better understood, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said India's diversity must be respected, celebrated and it should not be a reason for any discord in society.

On the first day of the three-day conclave he elaborated on the evolution of the RSS, which, he said, cannot be compared to any other organisation.

Many leaders of the ruling BJP were present at the event, as were many Bollywood actors, artists and academicians.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)British police Monday said there is nothing to suggest that Novichok was the cause of two people falling ill at a restaurant in Salisbury, where a former Russian double agent and his daughter suffered poisoning from a military-grade nerve agent attack in March.

Wiltshire Police declared a major incident after a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s became ill at Prezzo in High Street on Sunday evening.

Nearby streets were cordoned off "due to recent events" in the city, but restrictions have now been lifted, the BBC reported.

Police say they are no longer treating the illness as a major incident.

Salisbury is in south-west England where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia had suffered a Novichok nerve agent poisoning in March.

"Due to recent events in the city and concerns that the pair had been exposed to an unknown substance, a highly precautionary approach was taken by all emergency services," A Wiltshire Police statement said.

In June, two Amesbury residents also fell ill after being exposed to the same nerve agent. Dawn Sturgess, 44, died and a murder inquiry was launched.

The UK government has accused two Russian men, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, of attempting to kill the Skripals.

Last week, the duo told Russian government backed RT channel that they travelled to Salisbury to see tourist sites such as Stonehenge, which is about 16 kilometres from Salisbury.

Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning incidents.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa is in for talks with the top Chinese leadership and defence officials amid reports that the new government led by Prime Minister wants to renegotiate some of the projects under the multi-billion CPEC.

His visit comes days after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's trip to Islamabad during which he held a comprehensive round of talks with Khan and Gen. Bajwa among others.

Army's media wing Inter Services Public Relations said Sunday that the Chief Of Army Staff arrived at Beijing on a three-day official visit.

During the visit, Bajwa will interact with various Chinese leaders including his counterpart, it said.

After Wang's visit, both and denied any differences over the projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) after Pakistan's Commerce, Textile, Industry and Investment Minister Abdul Razak Dawood was quoted as saying in a media report that Islamabad "should put everything on hold for a year so we can get our act together".

The minister is reported to have said this in an interview to the London-based Financial Times. He subsequently clarified that he was quoted out of context.

Reacting to the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that "the Pakistan- relations are unbreakable and Pakistani government's commitment to the CPEC is unwavering".

Geng also said that both sides have decided to extend the CPEC to western provinces like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, located close to the Afghanistan border.

Khan in the past had accused the previous Pakistani government of depriving other provinces, specially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and allocating major share of the projects to the dominant Punjab province.

Apparently, China in a move to address the growing concerns over the viability of the CPEC projects now plans to extend them to the western region to address the concerns of the new government.

Gen. Bajwa's visit assumes significance as Wang during his visit praised Pakistani military's role in the close ties between the two countries, saying that it is a "staunch guardian of China-Pakistan friendship".

"China-Pakistan military relations are an important part of China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and also a symbol of the high-level political mutual trust between the two countries.

"It is expected that the Pakistani military will make greater contributions to promoting the development of China-Pakistan relations," Wang said, according to an official statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative launched in 2015, is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China's resource-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's strategic on the Arabian Sea.Pakistan's new President Arif Alvi on Monday raked up the Kashmir issue in his first address to the joint session of Parliament, saying Kashmiris have a right to "self-determination" as he sought the international community's help.

At the same time, he stressed that Pakistan wants peaceful relations with India.

"We want a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue and will continue efforts for this. Kashmiris have a right to self-determination and I urge the international community to help," the president was quoted as saying by Geo

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday rejected as "frivolous" the petition of the country's top anti-graft body against Islamabad High Court's decision to hear the appeals of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law against their conviction in a corruption case.

The apex court also imposed a fine of 20,000 Rupees on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar are serving jail terms of 10-years, seven years and one year respectively in the Adiala Jail after the accountability court convicted them on July 6 over the family's ownership of four luxury flats in London through illegal means.

The anti-graft watchdog on Sunday moved the Supreme Court against the Islamabad High Court's decision accepting Sharifs' Avenfield verdict suspension pleas for hearing.

"The Supreme Court rejected a 'frivolous' NAB plea blocking the Sharifs' Avenfield verdict suspension pleas before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and fined the anti-grant watchdog Rs 20,000," The Express Tribune reported.

The petition submitted in the apex court by NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal stated that Sharif family members' appeals against their conviction in the Avenfield property case and their bail pleas cannot be heard simultaneously.

According to the petition, the high court did not send the NAB a notice before accepting the Sharif family's petition for hearing.

"The high court cannot rule on the Sharif family's petition without listening to NAB's perspective," the petition said.

The NAB chief said in his petition that ruling on the suspension application is not in the high court's jurisdiction and thus the IHC should be stopped from hearing the petition.

Meanwhile, an Islamabad High Court bench hearing the Sharifs' pleas expressed surprise over the NAB challenging their September 10 order.

Justice Athar Minallah said that the NAB had placed no objection to the order and has now challenged it before the apex court.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan and the UK signed a justice and accountability agreement on Monday, nearly a month after Imran Khan, who has vowed to bring back money stolen by corrupt Pakistani politicians and taken to Britain, assumed power.

Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem and British Home Secretary Sajid Javid jointly announced a justice and accountability agreement between the UK and Pakistan aimed at repatriating "the looted wealth of the country".

The agreement, which the two ministers insisted will not target individuals but is a broader agreement between the two governments to collaborate for the elimination of a variety of crimes, was arrived at during the Pakistani-origin British home secretary's official visit here, Dawn newspaper reported.

"The aim of this agreement is to bring back the looted wealth of the country," Shahzad Akbar, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability, said.

"The agreement on exchange of convicted personnel will also be renewed," he said.

Khan's government has pledged a corruption-free government and has promised to return to Pakistan allegedly stolen public money that was stashed abroad by politicians and others.

Prior to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's victory in the July 25 general elections, Khan had vowed to bring back some Rs 300 billion stolen by corrupt Pakistani politicians and taken to the UK.

Javid expressed the British government's desire for mutual cooperation with Pakistan in defence, regional security and efforts against terrorism and extremism the latter two of which, he said, are a common threat for the global community.

He described Pakistan as a "trustworthy friend of the UK" and said that eliminating corruption is a priority for both the countries.

Javid, who called on Prime Minister Khan and met Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, told reporters later that "no one can escape justice or act with impunity" and urged for a "more concerted action" to combat terror groups.

During talks, Qureshi stressed the need for expansion in cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

The two had discussed various aspects of regional and bilateral cooperation, particularly regional security, counter-terrorism, organised crime, migration, human trafficking, money laundering and asset recovery.

Qureshi also emphasised the need to translate existing ties into a tangible and multi-faceted strategic partnership.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that his government will give citizenship to all Afghan and Bangladeshi refugees who are born in Pakistan, according to media reports



Prime Minister Khan, during his maiden visit to Karachi on Sunday after forming the government, said that Pakistan-born Afghan and Bangladeshi refugees would get National Identity Cards (NICs) and passports, the Express Tribune reported.

"These poor migrants from Bangladesh, they have been here for more than 40 years, their children are grown older now...we will give them passports and ID cards, as well as those Afghans whose children have been raised here, who were born here, we will also give them (citizenship)," Khan was quoted as saying by media reports.

Pakistan is home to more than 1.39 million Afghan refugees, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), many of whom have been resident in the country for more than 30 years.

There are also more than 200,000 Bangladeshis in Pakistan. Many of them arrived during Pakistan's civil war in 1971, when Bangladesh, then East Pakistan, gained independence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Madras High Court Monday



directed the Advocate General to file a detailed report on the formation of committees on awarding contracts, as it resumed hearing on the DMK plaint seeking a DVAC probe against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

Justice Jagadeesh Chandira asked Advocate General (AG) Vijay Narayan to submit the detailed report by September 24.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader R S Bharathi alleged that the guidelines on award of contracts were violated by Palaniswami, who is the chairman of the empowered committee to award contracts.

On September 12, the court had directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file a report on the day-to-day preliminary investigation conducted by it against Palaniswami on the complaint filed against him in the award of contracts.

It had asked the state government whether DVAC officials have concluded that no offence was made out in the corruption plaint filed by Bharathi.

The judge passed the interim order on the plea by Bharathi who alleged that Palaniswami had abused his power and allotted highway projects worth Rs 3,500 crore to his relatives and 'benamis'.

When the hearing resumed, the AG submitted the status report in a sealed cover.

According to the World Bank guidelines, it is clearly mentioned that no person who is related to any of the members of the committee should be awarded any contract, counsel for Bharathi said.

The DMK leader has alleged various irregularities and corruption in awarding of road contracts by the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

Counsel for Bharathi alleged that there was a clear violation of the guidelines issued by the World Bank in connection with awarding of contracts.

The AG submitted that even if one assumed there were violations, there cannot be any "criminal proceedings" but only "civil proceedings".

On the allegations that the contracts were given to the relatives of the chief minister, the AG said the contractor against whom the "allegation is made that he is Palaniswami's relative, was already awarded many contracts for several years" and "he is not a new man".

Responding to this, the counsel for Bharathi said the same person cannot be allotted many contracts for several years and would become ineligible for getting contracts according to the World Bank guidelines, once conflict of interest arises.

Pointing out the definition of illegality in the Prevention of Corruption Act, Bharathi's counsel said, "Illegality will also include civil wrong".

The judge asked the AG to file a detailed report on the formation of steering/empowered committees, when were they formed and to whom and when the contracts were awarded.

This apart, the judge directed the AG to inform the court about the total amount the contractors have been paid.

The judge posted further hearing on September 26.

Earlier, the DMK leader had moved an additional plea seeking to transfer the probe to an independent investigating team, since DVAC was technically under the chief minister.

Narayan had submitted that technically the plea has become infructuous since the DVAC had completed the preliminary investigation and forwarded its report to the vigilance commissioner.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The grieving parents of a 13-year-old girl in Nepal who was raped and murdered in July in the country's remote west, met Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday and sought justice for their daughter whose brutal killing triggered nationwide outrage.

Prime Minister Oli told the parents that he had directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to reinvestigate the case and briefed them about the government's actions, including suspensions of police personnel, My Republica reported.

The girl's parents came to the capital last week to draw the attention of the government towards the case.

Oli said the government would leave no stones unturned to nab those involved.

"No matter how wealthy, strong or politically connected the culprit is, we will book the criminals," Oli said.

The girl was raped and murdered on July 26. Her body was found in a sugarcane field the next day.

Angry crowds took to the streets accusing police of protecting the person responsible for the brutal crime.

The victim's father alleged that top police and civil official had coerced him to sign a paper and quickly perform the last rites of his daughter with about 300 police personnel deployed, Nepalese media reported.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal had earlier defended the investigation as well as the way the incident was handled.

The parents had last week met President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and asked the government not to deny justice to their daughter.

Bhandari had said that "justice should not be delayed and denied to the victim and her family".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)On the occasion of Dravidian icon E V Ramasamy's 139th birth anniversary, a man hurled a shoe at the rationalist's statue in Chennai and another figure was vandalised near Tirupur on Monday, officials said.

Police said they are on the lookout for the miscreants who vandalised Periyar's statue at Dharapuram in Tirupur district, while the accused in Chennai was overpowered and arrested.

The ruling AIADMK, the main opposition DMK, its parent outfit DK and other political parties condemned the incidents.

AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said, "Amma's (late Jayalalithaa) government will not tolerate such unacceptable acts. They (the culprits) will be brought to book. Stern action will be taken against them."



DMK chief M K Stalin demanded that those responsible for the incidents be booked under the National Security Act.

Demanding tough action against the culprits, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) chief K Veeramani said Periyar cannot be defamed by hurling footwear at his statue.

When cadre of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi were paying floral tributes to a statue of Periyar on Anna Salai in Chennai, a man arrived on a motorcycle and flung a shoe at it.

VCK cadre roughed up the man, later identified as Jagadeesan, before he was whisked away, police said.

The VKC workers, led by party chief Thol Thirumavalavan, staged a flash protest, seeking tough action against the accused.

"The man who threw the shoe was arrested after questioning," a police officer told PTI.

When DMK and DK cadres congregated in a park at Dharampuram to pay homage to the late leader, they found footwear on the head of Periyar's statue.

Scratches were also found on the head portion of the six-feet high bronze statue of the social reformer and a slight damage to the spectacles, police said.

Dravidian parties paid floral tributes to Periyar statues across Tamil Nadu.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Railway machinery maker Plasser India is setting up its second manufacturing facility at Vadodara in Gujarat at an investment of Rs 400 crore, a top company official said Monday.

The new unit will be spread over an area of 25 acres and would commence operations by the end of March 2019, the company's Managing Director (MD), Siegfried Fink, who was here to meet Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, told PTI.

The company has a unit at Faridabad (Haryana) where it makes machines used for railway track maintenance, laying down of tracks, their alignment etc, he said.

When asked about the agenda of meeting with the minister, Fink said it was to apprise him about the "dumping of machinery from China".

If cheap imports take place, Indian machine makers would find it difficult to survive in the market, Plasser India Director Vikas Vig said.

"China does not allows any foreign company to participate in public procurement. It says if any company wants to sell its products in China, that company must first invest in China. So if China is interested in India, they must also come and invest here and participate in tenders," he said further.

The government promotes Make In India and Plasser India is already making in India for past 50 years and has given employment to over 400 people, he said adding another 500-600 people will get job at the Vadodara plant, Fink said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A plea has been moved in the Delhi High Court Monday challenging the Delhi University Students' Union election results.

The plea filed by three candidates alleged that EVMs were tampered with and questioned how "privately procured" EVMs could have been used in the polls held on September 12.

The candidates sought securing of the Electronic Voting Machines used in the DUSU elections.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Delhi on Thursday last said that EVMs used in the DUSU election were not issued by the Election Commission and seem to have been procured privately.

The ABVP, student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, on September 13 bagged three posts including that of the President in the student union elections.

The Congress-backed NSUI won only one seat, while the AAP's student wing CYSS, which fought the elections in alliance with Left-backed AISA, failed to open its account.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre and DU's responses on some Kerala-based students' plea to consider all the languages, including Malayalam, given in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution to calculate ''best of four'' marks for admission to colleges in the university.

Justice Siddharth Mridul issued notice to the Ministry of Human Resources Development and Delhi University (DU) and sought their stand on the petition which contended that the university's selection criteria was "arbitrary and irrational".

Six Kerala-based students, represented by advocates Jose Abraham and M P Srivignesh, said that the calculation of ''best of four'' marks is restricted only to the subjects mentioned in the varsity prospectus -- Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali and Punjabi languages.

The other languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution are excluded and if any other subject, other than those mentioned in the prospectus, is considered for calculating ''best of four'', there is a deduction of 2.5 per cent in the aggregate score, the petition said.

"This causes much discomfiture for those students who chose their regional language for the board exams as elective subjects and have scored high in the same.

"The illogical and arbitrary exclusion of most of the regional languages by a Central University is an infringement on the fundamental rights guaranteed under Constitution," the students argued in their plea which was listed for further hearing on November 26.

The petition alleged lack of uniformity in the admission process followed by the colleges affiliated to DU.

It claimed that while most colleges consider languages such as Malayalam and Tamil -- which are not part of the list considered by the university for calculation of ''best of four'' subjects -- with 2.5 per cent deduction, some do not accept the languages at all.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)com, the latest venture by Group, Monday said it has received an initial internal funding of $50 million (about Rs 3.62 billion) from the parent company.

com, which allows users to book appointments with doctors and labs through its platform, has partnered with 14,000 doctors and 5,000 diagnostic labs. It aims to expand its network to 150,000 doctors and 20,000 labs across over 100 cities.

While com allows users to book appointments in Delhi-NCR, it also plans to make the facility available across all major cities, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai, the company said in a statement.

"We intend to use the capital in providing seamless user experience and bringing innovation in the space. Our focus is to make the services more customer-friendly driven by transparency, trust, and sustainability," docprime.com CEO Ashish Gupta said.

He added that the company is bringing in innovation through the use of various new-age technology tools like (AI), data science and deep analytics.

" sector has a lot of untapped potential and currently, the services are not affordable and accessible for all. With rising out-of-pocket expenses, there's a need to provide quality healthcare at competitive prices that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere," Yashish Dahiya, CEO and co-founder of Group of Companies, said.

It also plans to bring in an OPD subscription-based product, which will cover unlimited consultations and diagnostic tests. The company is targeting 1 million free medical consultations by March 2019 and up to 5 million by March 2020.

Earlier this year, had received a $238 million funding, led by Japan's SoftBank Group and its existing investors.Five-time former



Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang, who resigned from the Congress last week, said his political career was not over yet.

He, however, did not talk about his next move and said he would continue to serve the people.

Lapang had made the announcement to quit the Congress at his residence here, where he was received by hundreds of his followers and friends, shortly after he arrived from Delhi where he went to hand over his resignation letter to party chief Rahul Gandhi.

"They (new leaders at the helm of power in the Congress) asked me to stop. I came out of the party," the former Meghalaya chief minister told media persons here on Monday.

"What kind of leadership ask us (elderly) to stop? I am against such a policy and I will keep working," he said.

Lapang said senior Congress leaders such as Digvijaya Singh, Ambika Soni, Kamal Nath and Janardan Dwivedi were sidelined, adding leaders like Sushil Kumar Shinde were also driven out.

He has refused to withdraw his resignation from the party.

"I have withstood the test of time (in the Congress). Rahul wanted to talk to me, even Sonia wanted to speak to me. Mukul (present Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya) spoke with me for over an hour. But, I have decided and I am a man of my words," the former state president of the Congress said.

Lapang, an MLA since 1972 representing Nongpoh constituency in Ri-Bhoi district, held the Congress president responsible for his quitting the party and not contesting the last assembly elections.

"I did not fight the last election because I saw that the mind of the AICC leaders was against elderly people with grey hair," he said.

Slamming sidelining of elderly leaders from the party, Lapang said, "If we, senior leaders cannot serve, the AICC has forgotten that politicians do not retire".

Lapang, the longest serving Congress legislator representing Nongpoh constituency in Ri-Bhoi district, did not contest the assembly polls in February last, a decision he made in protest against Rahul sacking him from the Congress state president post.

He was replaced by Celestine Lyngdoh as state Congress president in December last year, ahead of the state polls.

Meanwhile, the ruling National Peoples Party (NPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have aired their strong resentment to the move of the Congress to oust older leaders like Lapang.

"It is quite sad and a person of his stature should not have been treated in that manner. I think the Congress will realise that it is a great loss to the party," Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said earlier.

Terming it a "big blow" to the Congress, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said, "I think it would also be something the Congress party must be realising itself that he is parting ways after such a long journey".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A college professor has gone public for the first time to accuse President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s, prompting calls by the opposition to postpone the nomination vote.

Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, initially detailed the allegations about Brett Kavanaugh in confidential letters to her Congresswoman and later to California Senator Diane Feinstein, a senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.

Ford told the Washington Post in an interview published Sunday she had decided to come forward because she felt her "civic responsibility" was "outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation" after the basic outlines of the story emerged in US media last week.

Kavanaugh had previously released a statement on Friday denying the incident, saying: "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time."



Ford, who is a registered Democrat herself, told the Post that one summer in the early 1980s Kavanaugh and a friend, both of whom were "stumbling drunk," cornered her in a bedroom at a teenagers' party in a house in Montgomery County, a suburb of Washington.

Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed while his friend watched, she said, then groped her while attempting to remove her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing on top of it.

When she attempted to scream for help, Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," said Ford, who is now 51 years old and lives in northern California.

"He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."



She said she was finally able to escape when another of Kavanaugh's classmates at his prestigious private school, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them, whereupon all three were sent tumbling and she was able to escape the room, first locking herself in a bathroom briefly before fleeing the house.

She added she did not tell anyone about the attack until 2012 when she brought it up during couples counseling therapy with her husband.

The therapist's notes from the time, seen by the Post, do not mention Kavanaugh by name but otherwise echo the claim, describing an attack by students "from an elitist boys' school" who went on to become "highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington."



Notes from a subsequent therapy session a year later describe the attack as a "rape attempt."



Reacting to the story, on Sunday, Senator Feinstein said: "From the outset, I have believed these allegations were extremely serious and bear heavily on Judge Kavanaugh's character."



"I support Mrs Ford's decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation," she said.

"This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi Monday demanded that police register a case against the management of a private school where a UKG student was allegedly raped last week by a supervisor in the institution.

Owaisi met city Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar and requested him to transfer the case to Central Crime Station (CCS)a wing of the police here, and also sought seizure of all electronic evidence from the school.

In a tweet, the AIMIM leader said, "I requested @CPHydCity to transfer the case to CCS and all electronic evidence from this school should be seized,a case should be booked against school..."



The accused, Mohammed Jeelani, was arrested Saturday, police said.

The management of the school has condemned the incident and assured parents and guardians of 'uncompromising' safety of its students in future.

They school authorities also said they were cooperating with the investigations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday embarked on a roadshow to kick-off the party's campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh after seeking the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests.

Polls in the BJP-ruled state are scheduled this year-end.

Gandhi was received by state Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, at the airport here.

Thousands of Congress workers and supporters holding the party's flags chanted "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad" as he left the airport.

The Congress chief then headed to embark on a 15-km-long roadshow from Lalghati Chowk, located close to the airport, after seeking the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests, state Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

Gandhi's roadshow, in which he will ride an open vehicle, will conclude at the Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd's Dussehra Maidan, where he will interact with party cadres this evening, Chaturvedi said.

"A T-shape ramp has been constructed near the stage from where Gandhi is going to take questions from party workers during his interaction with them," he said.

Besides, he is going to address a meeting of Congress workers, which is open to public, before leaving in the evening, Chaturvedi added.

"We are upbeat as our leader is in the city to launch the election campaign," he said.

The main opposition party has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing the 48-year-old Congress chief, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.

As part of the pilgrimage, devotees undertake an arduous journey to Mount Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.

Heavy security has been deployed in areas from where Gandhi is going to pass.

Besides the regular police force, an additional 1,500 policemen are manning the streets of Bhopal.

Thousands of Congressmen from across the state have gathered in the state capital to catch a glimpse of their leader and meet him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress president Rahul Gandhi began his roadshow here on Monday after taking blessings from 11 Hindu priests as he kick-started his party's campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

The 48-year-old Congress chief, whom the main opposition party in the state has been describing a 'Shiv bhakt' in banners and posters put up in Bhopal, arrived at the airport here earlier to a grand welcome.

Gandhi was received at the airport by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia among others.

As he stepped out from the airport, several Congressmen holding the party flags chanted "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad".

Hindu priests, chanting mantras, blessed Gandhi as he reached the Lalgathi area, amid a heavy security cover, to launch the poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh where the BJP has been ruling for the last 15 years.

Before hopping on to a bus for the 15-km-long roadshow, Gandhi performed a 'puja'. Thousands of Congressmen thronged the road sides and jostled to catch a glimpse of their party chief, who set out in the bus along with senior party leaders.

Gandhi's roadshow, after passing through the main streets of the city, will conclude at the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan, where he will interact with party cadres this evening.

"A T-shape ramp has been constructed near the stage from where Gandhi is going to take questions from party workers and interact with them," state Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

Before leaving in the evening, Gandhi will address a meeting of Congress workers, which is also open to public, he said.

Heavy security has been deployed in the areas from where Gandhi is going to pass. Besides the regular police force, an additional 1,500 policemen are manning the streets of Bhopal.

The Congress president recently returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar. As part of the pilgrimage, devotees undertake an arduous journey to Mount Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be addressing a public rally in Dungarpur district's Sagwara area in Rajasthan on Friday.

"People are excited about Gandhi's proposed rally. Lakhs of people would be attending the public meeting. Preparations are on in full swing," the party's state president Sachin Pilot said.

This will be Gandhi's first public meeting in the state after he launched the party's election campaign in Jaipur in August. After the visit to Dungarpur, which is a tribal area, the party president will have visit the state again in October and the venue would be decided later.

Pilot said Rahul will visit the state several times ahead of the elections. Assembly elections in the BJP-ruled state is due later this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Holding a 15-km roadshow in poll- bound Madhya Pradesh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday termed the demonetisation as the "biggest scam" of the Modi government to convert black money into white.

Gandhi held the four-hour-long roadshow after performing 'puja' and taking blessings from 11 priests.

Travelling in a bus, the 48-year-old leader criss-crossed several areas of Bhopal, passing through the roads which were decorated and had party banners like the ones describing Gandhi as a 'Shiv bhakt' (a devotee of Lord Shiva).

The roadshow was the virtual launch of the Congress campaign for the assembly polls slated later this year, in which his party has the tought task of dislodging the BJP which has been ruling the state for the last 15 years.

Thousands of Congress workers and local residents flanked the roads and jostled to catch a glimpse of Gandhi, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, including state Congress president Kamal Nath and state party's campaign panel chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia.

En route, he had a brief halt to have tea and 'samosa' at a roadside stall near Sadar Manzil.

He also posed for a selfie with the tea stall owner and his staff, Congress MLA from Indore Jitu Patwari told PTI.

After the roadshow, Gandhi addressed a public meeting, during which he attacked the Modi government.

"Demonetisation was the biggest scam that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken in four years which the Congress had not done in the last 70 years," the Congress leader said at the BHEL Dusshera Maidan.

Modi had on November 8, 2016 announced demonetisation, under which the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes existing then were scrapped with immediate effect.

"The scam was aimed at taking out money from the small traders to put into the pockets of 15 richest persons of the country," Gandhi alleged.

He claimed that the BJP-led government has waived loans worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore which was the NPA of 15 big industries.

He questioned why the loans of farmers, who "have borrowed just Rs 5000", could not be waived.

"Those who took loans in lakhs and crores were called as 'Non-Performing Assets (NPA)', but when a farmer fails to pay Rs 5000 loan, you term him as 'defaulter'," Gandhi said.

"When Congress comes to power in the country, it will waive the entire loan of farmers. The Congress had already done so by waiving Rs 70,000 crore loan earlier of the peasants," he said.

For generating jobs for the youth, the Congress government will ensure that mobile phones and other items will be manufactured here under 'Made-in-Madhya Pradesh' and 'Made-in-Bhopal, he added.

Before hopping on to a bus for the roadshow, Gandhi performed a 'puja' and took blessings from 11 Hindu priests amid chanting of mantras.

Gandhi's roadshow, after passing through the main streets of the city, concluded at the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan at around 5 pm.

A large number of security personnel were deployed along the route of Gandhi's roadshow. Besides the regular police force, an additional 1,500 policemen manned the streets of Bhopal, police officials said.

Security personnel were seen having a tough time in ensuring a smooth passage for Gandhi's vehicle amid the crowded roads.

Earlier, Gandhi was received at the airport by Nath and Scindia among others.

As he stepped out of the airport, scores of Congress workers holding the party flag chanted "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad".

The Congress president recently returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar. As part of the pilgrimage, devotees undertake an arduous journey to Mount Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Holding a 15-km roadshow in poll- bound Madhya Pradesh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter deal and termed demonetisation as the "biggest scam".

Gandhi held the four-hour-long roadshow after performing 'puja' and taking blessings from 11 priests.

Travelling in a bus, the 48-year-old leader criss-crossed several areas of Bhopal, passing through the roads which were decorated and had party banners like the ones describing Gandhi as a 'Shiv bhakt' (a devotee of Lord Shiva).

The roadshow was the virtual launch of the Congress campaign for the assembly polls slated later this year, in which his party has the tought task of dislodging the BJP which has been ruling the state for the last 15 years.

Thousands of Congress workers and local residents flanked the roads and jostled to catch a glimpse of Gandhi, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, including state Congress president Kamal Nath and state party's campaign panel chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia.

En route, he had a brief halt to have tea and 'samosa' at a roadside stall near Sadar Manzil.

He also posed for a selfie with the tea stall owner and his staff, Congress MLA from Indore Jitu Patwari told PTI.

After the roadshow, Gandhi addressed a public meeting, during which he attacked the Modi government over Rafale deal with France, demonetisation, GST and farm loan waiver.

Referring to the Rafale deal, Gandhi told the gathering, "This is your money. 'Choukidar chori kar gaya' (Watchman has indulged in a theft)."



The Congress president claimed that Modi could not look into his (Rahul's) eye when he "questioned" him in the Lok Sabha on the issue.

"In Parliament house, I asked Narendra Modiji why a Rafale aircraft of Rs 700 crore was purchased at Rs 1600 crore," Gandhi said.

"I asked him why you have snatched the contract from HAL and awarded it to Anil Ambai. Anil Ambani is indebted with Rs 45,000 crore. Why did you give the contact to Anil Ambani? I asked, looking into his eyes," Gandhi said.

"Narendra Modiji turned his eyes here and there. 'Choukidar' saw here and there... But he could see look into my eyes," he said.

Ambani has already rejected Gandhi's allegations and emphasised that the government had no role in the Rafale- manufacturer French company Dassault picking up his company as a local partner.

"Modiji came to the power, saying that he longs to become the watchman... Narendra Modiji snatched the contract of Rafale deal from state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Since last 70 years, HAL is making fighter planes like MIG, Jaugar, Sukhoi for Air Force, Gandhi claimed.

"But I don't know for what fault, Narendra Modiji snatched the contract from HAL and gave it to his friend Anil Ambani, he alleged in his 35-minute speech.

Gandhi claimed that when Modi went to Paris, his delegation included Anil Ambani", he said, adding, "Anil Ambani and 'chowkidar' have a friendship."



He claimed that "Neither (Defence Minister Manohar) Parikar, nor Cabinet Committee on Security was asked. The contract was straightaway given to Anil Ambani."Earlier, Anil Ambani had written to Gandhi on December 12, 2017, refuting allegations of his Reliance Group lacking experience to get the Rafale fighter jet deal.

He had written that Reliance Defence has the largest shipyard in the private sector at Pipavav in Gujarat and is currently building five Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) for the Indian Navy and 14 Fast Patrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard.

Referring to demonetisation, Gandhi said on Monday that it was "the biggest scam that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken in four years which the Congress had not done in the last 70 years."



Modi had on November 8, 2016 announced demonetisation, under which the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes existing then were scrapped with immediate effect.

"The scam was aimed at taking out money from the small traders to put into the pockets of 15 richest persons of the country," Gandhi alleged.

He asked the gathering, "Have you seen people like Vijay Mallya or Anil Ambani standing in queues after demonetization?"



Only the honest people of the country stood in the queues, he said.

He claimed that the BJP-led government has waived loans worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore which was the NPA of 15 big industries.

He questioned why the loans of farmers, who "have borrowed just Rs 5000", could not be waived.

"Those who took loans in lakhs and crores were called as 'Non-Performing Assets (NPA)', but when a farmer fails to pay Rs 5000 loan, you term him as 'defaulter'," Gandhi said.

"When Congress comes to power in the country, it will waive the entire loan of farmers. The Congress had already done so by waiving Rs 70,000 crore loan earlier of the peasants," he said.

"Some days ago, (fugitive businessman) Vijay Mallya said in London that before fleeing India, he had a meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and told him that he was going to London," Gandhi said.

Mallya ran away with Rs 9,000 crore, he said, adding the Finance Minister did not tell CBI and ED.

Describing GST (Goods and Services Tax) as 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Gandhi alleged that it too was an attempt to take out money from the small traders for putting into the pocket of 15 richest persons of India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court Monday allowed the kins of those who had died in a bomb blast along with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, to file additional documents in their plea objecting to the Tamil Nadu government's decision to release seven convicts in the case.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K M Joseph listed the matter for further hearing after four weeks.

Advocate G Sivabalmurugan, appearing for petitioner S Abbas and three others, said their writ has been pending since 2014 when they had challenged the first decision of then J Jayalalithaa-led government to release the seven convicts.

He sought permission to file additional documents and amend the petition, saying recently, the Tamil Nadu government has again decided to release these convicts.

After Sivabalmurugan said several orders have been passed by the apex court since 2014 with regard to the case and he needed to put it on record, the bench asked him to file the additional documents.

S Abbas, now 35, was eight years old when his mother had died in the blast triggered by an LTTE suicide bomber in which the former Prime Minister was killed at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991.

On September 6, in a separate case, the apex court had asked the Tamil Nadu Governor to consider the mercy petition of A G Perarivalan, a convict in the 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The Centre had on August 10 told the apex court that it does not concur with the Tamil Nadu government's proposal of 2014 to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, claiming remission of their sentence will set a "dangerous precedent" and have "international ramifications".

On August 20, 47-year old Perarivalan alias Arivu had told the apex court that no decision has been taken as yet on his mercy petition filed before the Tamil Nadu Governor over two years ago under Article 161 of the Constitution. He had filed the petition on December 30, 2015, saying he had suffered over 24 years of solitary/single confinement.

He was charged with supplying a 9-volt battery which was allegedly used for the belt bomb that had killed Gandhi and 14 others.

Convicts Perarivalan, V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santham, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, P Ravichandaran and Nalini have been in jail for more than 25 years.

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.

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, the probe was transferred from the state police to a Special Investigation Team of the CBI at 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 Rajiv's wife and then Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The death sentence of the remaining three convicts were commuted in February 2014 by the apex court on grounds of inordinate delay of 11 years in deciding their mercy petitions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Home Minister Rajnath Singh Monday appealed to political parties to participate in the forthcoming panchayat and urban local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir, in the wake of the NC and the PDP announcing a boycott of the elections.

Singh's appeal came after the two major regional parties -- the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party -- announced that they would not take part in the elections as the Centre has not cleared its stand on Article 35A of the Constitution.

"I would like to appeal that all the political parties should participate in the political process. This will provide an opportunity to them to interact with the people," Singh said at a press conference here.

Article 35A was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order and accords special rights and privileges to the Jammu and Kashmir citizens.

The Article, which denies property rights to a woman who marries a person from outside the state, has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the matter is still under consideration.

To a question, the home minister said India has made all efforts to improve its relations with Pakistan and cited the impromptu visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to that country to buttress his point.

"But we cannot change the behaviour of Pakistan. They will have to understand how to behave with a neighbour," he said.

Earlier, Singh inaugurated two smart fence pilot projects along the Indo-Pak border near here.

"Border security is our top most priority. I am happy to inaugurate two pilot projects under CIBMS (Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System) today.

"We have already identified vulnerable areas and gaps on all borders," he said.

Singh said the government was working towards upgrading border infrastructure, and more than 600 km roads have been constructed in border areas and hundreds of border out posts have been built.

"Initially the CIBMS project will be implemented to cover gaps in the physical fencing on the border. Subsequently, these technological solution will be implemented on the entire border," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Swiss luxury watchmaker expects India to be among its top five global markets in next 4-5 years, as the company is witnessing good growth here led by aspirational class consumers, said a top company official.

The company is upbeat as it has doubled its India business in last 12 months and expects to continue such growth in the coming years also.

sees huge 'potential' in the Indian market, which ranks around 12 to 13 in its overall global sales, said Director Olivier Bernheim.

"India is one of the two markets for us which has the biggest potentials," Bernheim said.

On being asked whether India could be among Raymond Weil's top five global markets in next 4-5 years, he said: "Of Course. It should be".

However, he also warned that current currency fluctuation, as the Indian rupee is falling against UD Dollar, may have some impact.

Raymond Weil did not share its global or India revenue figures.

Its start around Rs 50,000 and go up to around Rs 300,000.

"Keeping in mind the luxury market in India, it has witnessed immense winds of change over the past few years. The company has made a niche for itself in the watch market within the Indian sub-continent," Bernheim added.

As per its strategy, the company is targeting the aspirational class and young professional for its growth in sales here.

"We are exactly targeting the crowd (Young) which is interesting. This is the crowd, which follows social media, Instagram and look after everything we have developed," he added.

The company is presently operating 42 stores, in which two are at duty-free zone at Delhi and Bengaluru airports and most of them are operated by its retail partner Ethos.

Over expansion of retail network, Weil said the company is looking on the rapidly evolving online channels and shopping patterns in India.

"We are at turning point on the process, the way people would be buying and India is very much ahead of this because online sales, social media and other means of communication, which are very efficient and quick in India," he said.

On being asked about 18 per cent tax slab on under GST regime, Weil said: "It's absolutely correct... We are used to between 18 to 21 per cent in Europe".The Reserve Bank has rejected Bank of Maharashtra request to set off over Rs 2,543-crore losses against the balance in its share premium account.

The Reserve Bank of India vide its letter dated September 11, 2018 has intimated about its inability to accede to the request made by the bank for setting off the accumulated losses against the balance lying in share premium account of the bank, Maharashtra Bank said in a regulatory filing Monday.

The Pune-headquartered state sector lender had got approval of board and shareholders to set off the accumulated loss of the bank as on March 31, 2018 in its annual general meeting held on June 21, subject to regulatory approvals.

The bank had Rs 5,293.72 crore in its share premium account by the end of fiscal ended March 2018.

A share premium account reflects amount in a company's balance sheet accrued from additional amount paid by shareholders that is in excess of the par value of shares issued to them.

The bank had wanted to utilise the available funds in the share premium account and had sought permission to set off the accumulated losses to the tune of Rs 2,543.66 crore by end-March 2018 to present a true and fair view of the financial position of the bank.

The lender wanted to take the set off to be reflected during the current financial year (2018-19) having received the necessary approvals and permissions.

The bank had reported a net loss of Rs 1,119 crore in the first quarter ended June of the current fiscal. There was a net loss of Rs 412.20 crore in the same period of preceding fiscal.

In the entire 2017-18, the bank had reported a net loss of Rs 1,145.65 crore.

The gross non-performing assets (NPAs) hit 21.18 per cent of gross advances by end of June 2018 at Rs 17,800.30 crore.

Stock of Maharashtra Bank closed 1.04 per cent up at Rs 12.66 on BSE.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Opposition leaders Monday slammed the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra over the rising fuel prices and called for slashing taxes imposed on petrol and diesel to give relief to the common people.

They said Maharashtra should follow Rajasthan and Karnataka in slashing fuel prices.

"The BJP-Shiv Sena government seems to have decided to not give any relief to the people even if their back is broken. Therefore, the rise in prices since last several days," Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said on Twitter.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly made the comments in response to a media report that said the petrol and diesel (per litre) rates have gone up by 15 paise and 7 paise, respectively.

According to the report, petrol and diesel were being sold at Rs 89.44 and Rs 78.33 per litre, respectively, in Mumbai. In Sindhudurg, Parbhani and Nanded districts of the state, petrol was being sold at Rs 90.45, Rs 91.22 and Rs 91 per litre, respectively, the report said.

Another Congress leader Naseem Khan wrote a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking him to cut down petrol prices by Rs 10 a litre, in line with measures taken by the Rajasthan and Karnataka governments, being ruled by the BJP and the Congress-JD(S) combine respectively.

"It is our demand that petrol and diesel are brought under the ambit of goods and services tax (GST). We have demanded the CM to recommend this to the GST Council. The government must give some relief to the people," Khan said in the letter.

In a sarcastic comment, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde of the NCP asked whether the rising fuel prices were the "good days" promised by the BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

"After Rajasthan, the neighbouring Karnataka too has reduced prices of petrol and diesel (cutting taxes). When is the @Dev_Fadnavis government going to give relief to the people of Maharashtra taking such a decision? Ganpati Bappa (Lord Ganesha) please bless the government with a good sense," Munde said on micro-blogging site Twitter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A rift is brewing within the JNU unit of the Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) with two sides accusing each other of indulging in "anti-party activities".

It all started after NSUI JNU in-charge Sunny Mehta suspended four members for alleged "anti-party" activities and indiscipline during the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) election.

The four suspended members are Mritunjay Singh Yadav, Surendra Bhaderwal, Manish Meena, and Sunny Dhiman.

"The four members elicited support for BAPSA (Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association) and Jayant Kumar, who was the presidential candidate for the Chhatra Rashtriya Janta Dal, which made its debut this year.

"Mehta was appointed as the JNU unit chief a few months ago and under him the party saw a substantial increase in its vote share. Had these members not sought votes for opposition, the gains could have been higher," said an office-bearer of the NSUI.

Meanwhile, one of the suspended members, Mrityunjay Singh Yadav accused Mehta of siding with the ABVP.

"I am not even a member of the NSUI. I am just a sympathiser. I worked hard during the elections. Sunny Mehta chose the presidential candidate Vikas Yadav without following the due process and then struck a deal with the ABVP," Yadav claimed.

He said Mehta sought the ABVP's help in eliciting support for Vikas Yadav and, in turn, assured them of help in winning the posts of vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary.

"We are anti-RSS and did not campaign for Vikas Yadav but we campaigned for other candidates. However, we did not indulge in campaigning for presidential candidates of other parties," he said.

Ruchi Gupta, national in-charge of NSUI, said she has called both the parties for a hearing on September 18.

"Members can be expelled from NSUI only after hearing by in-charge and national president. I have called both the parties for a hearing and will listen to their sides," she said.

Gupta also said the party saw a considerable rise in vote share but lost out due to Left and right polarisation in the JNU campus.

NSUI's presidential candidate Vikas Yadav polled 402 votes. Lijy K Babu, its vice-president candidate, polled 457 votes.

Md Mofizul Alam, who contested for the post of secretary, polled 328 votes, while Ngurang Reena, who contested for the post of joint secretary, polled 772 votes.

Last year, the NSUI had polled even lesser votes than NOTA (none of the above) with their presidential candidate only managing 82 votes.

A united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by considerable margins.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Punjab Food and Drug Administration on Monday seized more than 2,000 quintals of rotten wheat, which was allegedly being used for making flour, in Ludhiana district.

In a raid at a mill in Alamgir village, the team, assisted by dairy development officers, found that the damaged wheat, which had turned black and had been emitting foul smell, was being used for making wheat flour, an official said.

The team took samples of wheat, flour, 'maida' and 'suji' for further investigation. The mill was allegedly being run without a mandatory Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence, the spokesperson added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Experts of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Monday said the Royal Bengal tigress 'Sundari' will continue to stay in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha's Angul district.

The local people are demanding that the tigress be shifted from Satkosia Wildlife sanctuary alleging that it killed a woman.

The death of the woman of Haribari village on September 12 had triggered protests by local people, who torched the Hatibari Forest beat office and Tikarpara forest range office.

WII researcher Dr Ramesh, after monitoring the situation at Satkosia, said the incident (death of the woman) was unfortunate.

"The tigress cannot be relocated. However, the authorities will ensure that such incidents do not occur again," Ramesh told a local channel adding that the relocation project is a larger vision.

He said the decision to relocate the tigress from Madhya Pradesh to Odisha was done after a long planning to repopulate Satkosia.

Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Police, Angul, Mitrabhanu Mohapatra said the post-mortem of the woman revealed that she died due to an attack by a wild animal.

Though the woman died due to attack by wildlife, there is no confirmation that the killer was Sundari, the SP said.

A DSP level officer was probing the death of the woman, the SP added.

The Odisha government on Friday had said that it has taken up with the Wildlife Institute of India the demand of local people for shifting a Royal Bengal tigress which allegedly killed a woman near Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul district on Wednesday.

The tigress was brought from Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh National Park to Satkosia and released into wild on August 17.

"We have taken up the matter with the Wildlife Institute of India. We are also waiting for the post-mortem report of the woman. We will abide by the decision of WII. But so far, no decision has been taken to relocate the tigress," Odisha Forest and Minister Bijayshree Routray said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Over 4, 500 buses remained off the roads in Rajasthan Monday as state transport corporation employees went on a strike over various demands, including implementation of the seventh pay panel's recommendations.

Unions have called for a one-day strike, but it can be extended, Rajasthan Roadways Workers' Union, general secretary, Kishan Singh Rathore, told PTI.

"There are 4,716 buses with the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC). This includes nearly 1,000 buses that are on contract, and most of them are not operating. This one-day call may be extended," he said here.

Rathore said the unions held a meeting with Transport Minister Yunus Khan Sunday, but it failed and the strike began at midnight.

Our main demands are that our salary should be as per the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations, there must be new recruitment in the corporation and new buses be purchased, he said.

Commuters across Rajasthan faced hardship due to the strike.

Rathore claimed that about 10 lakh people use RSRTC buses everyday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh does not seek domination and is indifferent to who comes to power, the Hindutva organisation's chief Mohan Bhagwat said Monday, as he launched an unprecedented outreach in a bid to allay apprehensions about its ideology.

In his nearly 80-minute long speech on the first day of the three-day conclave, Bhagwat also asserted that RSS is "most democratic" and not dictatorial, insisting that it neither imposes its ideology nor remote-controls its various affiliates, apparently rejecting criticism that the BJP is controlled by it.

Almost all major opposition parties gave the conclave "Bhavishya Ka Bharat -- An RSS Perspective" a miss though the RSS had invited them, while many BJP leaders, union ministers, Bollywood actors, artists and academicians attended it.

Bhagwat also said India's diversity must be respected, celebrated and it should not be a reason for any discord in society as he extensively talked about evolution of the nearly nine-decade old RSS and its vision for an inclusive India.

Bhagwat insisted that "Hindutva binds us together and our vision of Hindutva is not to oppose or demean anyone".

The mega outreach programme comes at a time when the Congress-led opposition has been ramping up attacks on the RSS, accusing it of promoting divisive ideology and attacking minorities.

Talking about various ideologies that worked during the freedom movement, the 68-year-old RSS leader acknowledged the role of the Congress, which has been among the organisation's biggest critics.

"In the form of Congress, a big freedom movement had started in the country which gave many great personalities," he said.

"Who will be in power, what policy the country will accept is something to be decided by the society and people. There are mechanisms in place for that... We are not concerned about that, what we are concerned about is the conduct of the society," he said adding that RSS does not believe in publicising an individual's work and wants to remain faceless.

The comments assume significance as it is believed that the RSS had a key role in the victory of Modi-led BJP in 2014 and is widely expected to play an important role in the next year's Lok Sabha polls as well.

He also asserted, "We do not want RSS's domination, rather we believe that if the history writes that something good happened in the country because of Sangh's domination, then it will be a big defeat for us. What we want that the country should rise due to the efforts of the common man and its history and present is decided by him."



He further emphasised that the RSS was not after power.

"Sangh is the most democratic organisation. We run by consensus. Here every worker can express his views. There are no restrictions... We have started our work to make a certain kind of people and society and we do not want anything else," he added.

Bhagwat said, "People often believe that the RSS is a dictatorial organisation and that one man decides everything... If you want to see the most open organisation, then you should come to Sangh. There is no restriction. A RSS worker conducts himself in line with values given to him by organisation."



During his speech, he also rejected opposition's criticism of lack of participation of women in the RSS, saying there is a separate wing for them.

Speaking about holding of the event in the national capital, he said the organisation wanted people to understand its functioning as the work it does is "incomparable".

The main aim of the RSS is reforming the society by riding it of its ills, he said, claiming that an RSS worker considers the entire society as his own.

The venue of the event is Vigyan Bhavan, where usually major government events are held and the aim of the three-day conclave is to engage with a cross section of people and present its perspective on future of the country.

Bhagwat, who also extensively quoted RSS founder K B Hedgewar in his speech, said the event was being organised so that people could understand the organisation.

The Opposition, however, stayed away from the event and alleged it has a "pre-election agenda" to project that the outfit is "neither untouchable nor hated".

Many opposition leaders, including those from the Congress said they did not get any invite and would have stayed away even if invited for the event, which comes three months after former president Pranab Mukherjee addressed a function at the Sangh's Nagpur headquarters in June.

The event started with a short introduction by Bajranglal Gupt, the RSS Sanghchalak for north zone.

Prominent personalities present included 'Metro Man' E Sreedharan, Manisha Koirala, Malini Awasthi, Anu Malik, Anu Kapur, Manoj Tiwari, Chetan Chauhan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amar Singh, Swapan Dasgupta, Madhur Bhandarkar, Hansraj Hans, Gajendra, Sanjay Gupta (Jagran group editor).

Union ministers Dr Harshvardhan, Vijay Goel, Arjunram Meghwal and Alphons Kananthanam, as also several BJP leaders including Ram Madhav, Ram Lal and Subramaniam Swamy were also present.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Moscow said Monday there would be no assault on Syria's Idlib as the leaders of Russia and Turkey agreed to create a demilitarised zone around the Syrian rebel-held province.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- who are on opposite sides in the deadly seven-year conflict in Syria -- met for over four hours in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi to decide the fate of Idlib, home to three million people.

"We will prevent a humanitarian tragedy which could happen as a result of military action," Erdogan said after the talks.

Putin said the two leaders agreed to create a 15-20 kilometre-wide demilitarised zone along the line of contact between rebels and regime troops by October 15.

This would entail a "withdrawal of all radical fighters" from Idlib including the Al-Nusra Front, he added.

Putin and Erdogan also agreed on the withdrawal of "heavy weaponry from this zone," including tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, and rocket launchers belonging to all armed groups, the Russian leader added.

The demilitarised zone will be secured with the help of "mobile patrol groups of Turkish contingents and contingents of Russian military police," Putin said.

By the end of the year, transportation routes between the key port of Latakia and Aleppo as well as Latakia and the major city of Hama must be restored, he added.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the agreement between Putin and Erdogan meant that no military action would be taken against Idlib, Russian agencies reported.

Russia-backed forces of the Syrian regime have massed around Idlib province in recent weeks, sparking fears of an imminent air and ground attack to retake the last major opposition bastion.

The United Nations and non-governmental organisations have repeatedly warned that such an offensive would unleash a "bloodbath" and "humanitarian catastrophe" in Idlib.

Turkey has repeatedly called for a ceasefire to avert a possible attack. Erdogan and Putin met previously on September 7 in Tehran for a three-way summit with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

At that summit the Russian and Turkish leaders openly disagreed over how to deal with the rebel stronghold, which borders Turkey.

Turkey's military has reportedly sent reinforcements to Idlib in recent weeks.

Tanks and other hardware, with a convoy of 50 military vehicles, were sent over the border Sunday, according to the Hurriyet daily.

Russia and Iran are key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Turkey however backs opposition fighters seeking the ouster of the Syrian leader. It has said a large-scale offensive against the rebels could trigger a mass exodus towards its border.

Russian and Syrian air strikes, artillery fire and barrel bomb attacks have killed more than 30 civilians across the province in the past month, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The bombardment has slowed over the past week, however, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that the Syrian regime is not preparing a major offensive against Idlib, adding that Moscow will do everything to protect civilians.

"What is being presented at the moment as the beginning of a Russian-backed offensive by Syrian forces is not a faithful representation of the facts," Lavrov said.

"We are doing everything to ensure that the civilian population would not suffer," he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday said Turkey was ready to cooperate with anyone in the fight against terror groups in Syria.

But he criticised the Damascus regime for using the presence of jihadists to legitimise a possible operation in Idlib.

The Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, when the Assad regime launched a crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The crackdown evolved into a complex conflict involving jihadists and world powers.

It has killed an estimated 360,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The eyes of the world will be on Pyongyang on Tuesday as South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's Chairman Kim Jong-un are slated to meet for their third summit talks, seeking to accelerate the process of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Prior to the third Inter-Korean Summit in 2018, the two leaders have met each other in April and May, both times in truce village of Panmunjom.

Moon has stressed that the South Korean government's role is "to find the point of agreement between the US and North Korea so that the two countries can accelerate conversation and speed up denuclearisation".

Although conflicts and confrontations have raged between the two Koreas across the DMZ (demilitarized zone) for over 65 years, an atmosphere of dialogue and exchange and cooperation was fostered temporarily between the two countries following the summits held in 2000 and 2007.

"The upcoming event is the first inter-Korean summit to be held in Pyeongyang in 11 years, since the summit in 2007," said Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom. "President Moon Jae-in is fulfilling an item of the Panmunjeom Declaration in which he promised to visit Pyeongyang this fall."



It will also be the first time in 18 years for a president to visit the North Korea capital by plane, according to Korea Joongang Daily.

Preparations are in full swing for the summit to be held from September 18-20, titled '2018 Inter-Korean Summit Pyongyang' with the slogan 'Peace, A New Future'.

"The slogan conveys the Korean people's wish for South and North Korea to together bring a new future in this critical time where the Korean Peninsula is going through a historic change," Kim was quoted as saying by the Blue House.

The official image of the slogan was created with a brush on calligraphy paper. The image will be used to decorate the summit venues and various government publications.

The main press centre for the upcoming summit will be open at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul from September 16-21.

On September 13, President Moon had announced that the objectives of the upcoming third inter-Korean summit, are to develop and improve inter-Korean ties, and to accelerate and mediate US-North Korea talks, the Blue House had said in a statement.

"The inter-Korean relationship is proceeding faster than we expected," the president said.

He emphasised that during the upcoming summit his government will focus mainly on ending any fear about threats of war or worries about military clashes between the two Koreas, the statement said.

Concerning the US-North Korea relationship, the president had downplayed any pessimism, saying that the leaders of the two countries are building trust by continuously exchanging personal letters.

The results of the April 27 talks that took place in the Joint Security Area led to the Panmunjom Declaration that was adopted between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

The two Koreas fought a war in early 50s. Since the signing of the armistice agreement on the July 27, 1953, the Peninsula has remained divided.

South Korea in June had said that India could play an "important role" in working towards lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula as it urged New Delhi to persuade Pyongyang to recalculate its strategy to change its course to denuclearisation.

"India as the largest democracy plays quite an influential role in forming international opinion. And, if international opinion supports peace initiative of South Korea, it will back up our initiative very effectively," South Korea's Ambassador for Public Diplomacy Enna Park had said during her visit to New Delhi.

"Our government has started a bold journey towards peace process in Korean Peninsula. We ask for your (India's) wisdom and full support again," she had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bollywood actor Salman Khan will inaugurate a centre for special children in Jaipur on Tuesday.

"Khan will meet the children and see the services provided by the centre for rehabilitating them," former Rajasthan tourism minister Bina Kak, who is the trustee of 'Umang', the centre, said on Monday.

She said that actor will also inaugurate a shop which houses products made by the children.

Later in the evening, the actor will attend a programme which will feature dance performances by the children, who have been trained by choreographer Shiamak Davar, she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Popular painkiller Saridon will be available on medical stores across the country, with the on Monday allowing the sale of the drug and three other banned fixed-dose combinations (FDCs).

A bench of Justices R F Nariman and Indu Malhotra issued a notice to the Centre and sought its reply on the plea filed by some drug makers and pharma associations.

The medicines whose sale was allowed were Piramal Healthcare's Saridon, GlaxoSmithKline's Piriton, Juggat Pharma's Dart and another drug, the details of which could not be immediately known.

The top court, however, did not grant any relief to the other medicines falling in the list of 328 FDC drugs which were banned by the Health Ministry by its September 7 notification. FDCs are two or more drugs combined in a fixed ratio into a single dosage form.

The Delhi High Court had earlier allowed Indian pharma major Wockhardt to sell its Ace Proxyvon tablets, which is a mixture of three salts -- aceclofenac, paracetamol and rabeprazol -- a combination that is banned.

The pharma company, which claimed to have been manufacturing and selling the drug for over 11 years, had contended that it has not been provided with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) report, based on which the decision was taken.

It had claimed that the only reason given in the September 7 notification was that the combination had no therapeutic value. The medicine is reportedly prescribed for people with painful rheumatic conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

The Health Ministry had, through a notification of March 10, 2016, prohibited 349 FDCs for manufacture, sale and distribution under Section 26 A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The notification was then contested by the pharma in the Delhi High Court and the

The high court in December 2016 had quashed the ban on the FDCs, which was challenged by the Centre in the apex court.

The top court had in December last year set aside the high court order and referred the banned FDCs to DTAB for re-examination.

Complying with the apex court direction, an expert panel set up by DTAB, in its report to the Centre, had stated that there was no therapeutic justification for the ingredients contained in 328 of the 349 FDCs, which may also involve risk to humans.

The Board had recommended that it was necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of these FDCs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 in larger public interest.

(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 Monday said it will examine two days later whether there is material supporting the arrest of five rights activists in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case.

A bench headed by extended till September 19 the house arrest of the five rights activists--Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha-- at their respective homes.

"Every criminal investigation is based on allegations and we have to see whether there is some material," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

The bench said if there are some grave lapses, it may consider prayers like investigation by a Special Investigating Team (SIT) into the case.

The plea by Thapar and others has sought an independent probe into the arrests and the immediate release of the five activists.

The bench fixed the plea by Thapar, economists Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain, sociology professor Satish Deshpande and human rights lawyer Maja Daruwala for final hearing on Wednesday. The court had on September 12 extended the house arrest of the activists till today.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for government, said the court should make it clear that after adjudication by it, the arrested accused cannot avail remedies simultaneously on similar issues at other judicial fora.

The police had arrested the rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.

Prominent Telugu poet Rao was arrested on August 28 from Hyderabad, while activists Gonsalves and Ferreira were nabbed from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj from Faridabad in and civil liberties activist Navlakha from

The had on September 6 taken strong exception to the statement of a senior police officer on the arrest of the activists, saying he had cast "aspersions" on the top court.

An irked court had referred to the statements made to the media by an Assistant Commissioner of Police of Pune and said he was casting aspersions on the apex court by saying it should not have entertained the petition against the arrests.

The government had told the court that the petitioners were "strangers" to the mater and questioned their locus. Its counsel had said there was enough evidence including the materials taken from the activists' computers and other sources which belied the perception of the petitioners about those arrested.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, the counsel for Tushar Damgude who had filed the FIR in the Koregaon-Bhima violence, had opposed the plea of Thapar and said it could have been raised in the magistrate's court by the affected parties.

Earlier, the Maharashtra government had filed its response to the plea claiming the five activists were arrested due to the cogent evidence linking them with the banned CPI (Maoist) and not because of their dissenting views.

The state's response had come in the backdrop of the apex court, while ordering the house arrest of the five activists on August 29, categorically stating that "dissent is the safety valve of democracy".

The court had questioned the state police's move to arrest these activists nine months after the incident and said all of them were reputed citizens and "stifling the dissent" was not good.

(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 Monday agreed to examine a plea seeking ban on nearly 85 pesticides that are being used in India on the grounds that they pose health hazard.

A bench of Justices Arun Misra and Vineet Saran issued notices to the Centre and other authorities concerned on the plea which also sought empowering state governments to take decisions at their level for prohibition and restriction related to pesticides.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners, said that these pesticides have been banned in other countries but in India they are being allowed to be used which could pose serious health hazards to farmers.

"The continued use of deadly pesticides is a major threat to the Right to Life of farm workers and farmers. Just in terms of acute poisoning, without even getting into chronic health impacts, the situation is alarming and needs urgent action to remove deadly poisons from the scene," the plea said.

The petition filed by Kavita Kuruganti said that deadly pesticides are still used at a time when there is much evidence of the success of ecological agriculture practices like organic farming in terms of profitability for farmers as well as productivity of the crops.

"Lack of authority with state governments is against the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, wherein Item 14 under List II makes agriculture and plant protection, the subject of state governments," the plea said.

The petition said that the reports of pesticide poisoning deaths and hospitalisations are likely to increase as two more months of spraying of pesticides will continue on crops like cotton.

It also pointed out that 84 cases of hospitalisation in Yavatmal in Vidarbha and 40 cases including a death in the government hospital in Akola of Maharashtra stand testimony to this danger.

"Pass orders that empower state governments to take state level prohibition and restriction decisions related to pesticides based on due processes adopted by them regarding the socio-economic, health and environmental impacts of pesticides," the plea said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Supreme Court on Monday refused to order a CBI probe into the recent attacks on social activist Swami Agnivesh in Delhi and Pakur district of Jharkhand, saying the state police was already investigating the matter.

Agnivesh claimed that the police in Jharkhand was not probing the matter and a state cabinet minister had dubbed him a "fraud".

The top court, however, granted liberty to Agnivesh to make a representation to the competent authority for providing security.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao also refused to club the two FIRs registered after attacks on Agnivesh in Pakur on July 17 and Delhi on August 18 and refer it to CBI.

"We are not saying what happened to you is right or wrong. But the state police is investigating the matter. We cannot order CBI probe," the bench said.

The court said it cannot club both the FIRs lodged in Delhi and Pakur as they were two different incidents.

Advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for Agnivesh, said that in Jharkhand a cabinet minister had called him a "fraud" and hence he cannot expect a fair investigation from the police.

He alleged that members of the Bharatiya Janata Party had assaulted him in Pakur and Delhi in July and August.

"In the Pakur case, they have even lodged a case against me and therefore investigation should be transferred to CBI," he said, adding that Agnivesh was 80-years old and needed to be provided security.

The bench said, "You (Agnivesh) can approach the high court with your grievances for CBI probe and as far as your security is concerned, you can approach the competent authority".

The court said in the circumstances the petition is withdrawn.

On July 17, the activist was on his way to Litipara area in Pakur district of Jharkhand to participate in an event organised by the Pahariya tribal community when he was attacked allegedly by some BJP youth wing Yuva Morcha supporters.

A month later on August 17, Agnivesh was allegedly heckled and assaulted near the BJP headquarters in Delhi, when he was on his way to pay homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee there. He had alleged that the attackers were BJP workers.

(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 West Bengal government to file a report in two weeks on the investigation into the alleged killing of three BJP workers in the state after the recent local body polls.

A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Ashok Bhushan said it will go into the locus of petitioner advocate Gaurav Bhatia only after the state government's reply comes, after the state government said such petitions should not be encouraged by the court.

Maintaining that several people have been arrested with regard to the alleged murders, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for West Bengal government, said it was wrong to say that the police was not doing anything.

"At the time when the petition was filed, several people were arrested with regard to those crimes. We will file a detailed reply with respect to the investigation done in a sealed cover," he said.

The bench said it needed only a brief outline of what is being done in these cases.

Bhatia, who is also a BJP leader, said that after the notice was issued on his petition, the police started acting and told the media that people were being arrested.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks.

The apex court had on August 24 agreed to examine the plea seeking a CBI probe into the alleged killing of three BJP workers in West Bengal. The plea filed by Bhatia alleged that the family members of the victims were being threatened.

The court had issued notice to West Bengal and the CBI on the plea and sought their replies in four weeks.

Bhatia had sought a CBI probe and alleged that the family members of the three slain BJP workers, Shaktipada Sarkar, Trilochan Mahato and Dulal Kumar, were being threatened. He had also demanded that compensation to the tune of Rs 50 lakh and security cover to the family members of the victims.

The BJP workers were killed in Purulia and South 24 Pargana districts of West Bengal after the recently held panchayat polls.

Shaktipada Sarkar, a BJP block president in the Mandirbazar-Dhanurhat area, was hacked tod death when he was returning home in the South 24 Parganas district on July 28m, while the body of 32-year-old Dulal Kumar, a BJP worker, was found hanging from an electric pole in the Purulia's Balarampur area on June 2.

In the same district on May 30, the body of 18-year-old Tirlochan Mahato, also a BJP worker from Balarampur, was found hanging from a tree with a poster written in Bengali struck on his back, saying he was killed for canvassing for the BJP in the panchayat election.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two-wheelers and four wheelers driven by women plying in the national capital would be exempted from the odd-even vehicle rotation scheme with the Supreme Court Monday staying the National Green Tribunal's 2017 direction which had made it applicable for all vehicles.

Under the scheme, which is currently not in force in Delhi, odd and even numbered vehicles are to ply on alternate days.

As per the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the odd-even scheme comes into effect automatically whenever the particulate matter PM10 and PM 2.5 rises to 500 microgram per cubic metre and 300 microgram per cubic metre respectively for 48 hours.

The apex court's order came after the Delhi government said there were around 68 lakh two-wheelers here and it would be "impossible to accommodate" the people in public transport if the odd-even scheme was made applicable for two-wheelers also.

The NGT had on November 11 last year said that "There shall be no exemption to any person, officer and individual and the two wheelers from the ambit and scope of odd and even scheme. They will be applied with equal rigour to all cases and all vehicles."



On December 15 last year, it had dismissed the review plea filed by the Delhi government seeking exemption for two-wheelers in the odd-even scheme, saying such a relaxation would defeat the purpose of improving Delhi's ambient air quality.

Today, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta was told by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Delhi government, that besides the two-wheelers, they also wanted exemption for vehicles driven by women due to "safety" concern.

The bench issued notice to the petitioner, who had moved the NGT in the matter, on the plea filed by the Delhi government.

Nadkarni told the court that as per NGT's last year order, no exemption would be granted to any individual or two-wheelers from the ambit of the odd-even scheme.

He said that earlier during odd-even scheme, exemption was granted to women driving four-wheelers due to safety reasons.

When he sought a stay on the NGT's directions, the bench observed "there is no odd-even scheme now".

To this, the ASG said the scheme would be implemented automatically based on the level of PM 10 and PM 2.5 and the ensuing months of winter would be the time for it. "We want exemption for two-wheelers and women," he said.

Nadkarni referred to the number of two-wheelers in Delhi and said if the odd-even scheme was made applicable for these vehicles, around 25 lakh people would have to be accommodated in public transport which would be "impossible".

Seeking exemption for four-wheelers driven by women, the ASG said that "unfortunately" there were safety concerns and women cannot be asked to travel in public transport.

The bench accepted the submissions of Nadkarni and stayed the operation of NGT's order in this regard.

During the hearing, Nadkarni told the apex court that they were complying with all the directions of the NGT but want exemption for two-wheelers and vehicles driven by women from the odd-even scheme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two school dropouts, who allegedly stole motorcycles to impress girls, were arrested in southeast Delhi, the police said Monday.

Nitin (22) and Garvit alias Gaurav (19) were held at a checkpoint near Cambridge School, Sriniwaspuri on Friday. Three stolen motorcycles were recovered from their possession, they said.

The accused were coming from Ring Road and headed towards Sriniwaspuri, said Chinmoy Biswal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast).

Upon seeing the police picket, they took a U-turn and tried to flee but were nabbed, he added.

During interrogation the duo revealed that they were childhood friends and studied in the same school in Lajpat Nagar and also lived in the same locality, police said.

As the duo yearned to lead a lavish life, they dropped out of school and took to crime. Garvit learnt how to break the locks of motorcycles and the youngsters began stealing bikes in the residential colonies of south Delhi, they added.

"They are drug addicts and wanted to live a lavish life. Nitin had also gifted an Apple iPhone to his girlfriend, the DCP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A faction in the Mumbai Congress has sought the ouster of city unit chief Sanjay Nirupam and his replacement with former MP Milind Deora "for better results" in the upcoming polls, party sources said.

The faction, comprising some senior city leaders, met Congress general secretary in-charge for Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge here Sunday and contended the party "would not win a single seat in Mumbai" if Nirupam continues in the post, they said.

According to the sources, the faction, which has questioned Nirupam's leadership, would also meet party president Rahul Gandhi to flag its concerns.

Nirupam, a former MP, took charge as Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) president in March 2015.

However, another group supporting Nirupam is learnt to have cautioned Kharge against removing the Mumbai unit chief given "the elections are just around the corner and that the party needs to put up a united show".

Senior leaders like former MRCC chiefs Kripashankar Singh and Janardan Chandurkar, former state minister Naseem Khan, Madhu Chavan, Baba Siddiqui, Bhai Jagtap and Amin Patel were part of the delegation that met Kharge.

The anti-Nirupam faction had recently sought Gandhi's appointment to press for their demand for a change of leadership at the MRCC. Responding, Gandhi had then asked Kharge to listen to the seniors, the sources said.

"All these senior leaders are worried about the party's dwindling fortunes under the current city leadership. The Mumbai Congress chief is controversial (for the remarks he makes) which hurts the party's prospects," said a leader, requesting anonymity.

The leader said the delegation (of anti-Nirupam leaders) told Kharge that the tickets distribution for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls (held in February 2017) was "improper" and allegedly favoured a particular group within the party, leading to its poor show.

The party, which once had more than 50 corporators in the BMC, is left with fewer members in the country's richest civic body due to flawed tickets distribution under Nirupam's watch, the leader contended.

A group of Congress workers, who owed allegiance to late party veteran Gurudas Kamat, also seconded the views opined by the senior leaders in a separate meeting with Kharge, he added.

"People in the party think that not a single party candidate will win in the next election if the present party committee is to lead its campaign. They feel a new face in the form of (Milind) Deora as city chief will give better results for the party," the leader added.

The leader said Kharge listened to the grievances "patiently". The general secretary also told the faction he would convey its grievances to Gandhi.

The group led by Nirupam, however, told Kharge that effecting a change of guard when polls are nearing would have "debilitating effect" on the party's poll prospects, another source said.

"Those who are complaining themselves are on their way to the BJP. Destabilising the unit now would hamper our outing in the election is what the Nirupam supporters told Kharge in a separate meeting," the source added.

Meanwhile, supporters of Kamat are learnt to have told Kharge to see the late leader's wife Maharookh is fielded as the Congress candidate from the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha constituency.

Kamat, a former Union minister, had once represented the seat.

Mumbai accounts for six Parliamentary and 36 assembly seats. The Congress had drawn a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the city.

In 2009, the party had won five Lok Sabha seats from Mumbai.

Besides the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, the state will also see assembly elections in the second half of next year.

Maharashtra sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha and has a 288-member assembly.

The MRCC was set up to look after the Congress affairs in Mumbai, while MPCC handles party affairs in the rest of the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law were sent back to the jail on Monday after the end their five-day parole to attend the funeral of Begum Kulsoom who died last week in London after battling with cancer.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) M Safdar, currently serving jail terms in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after being convicted by an accountability court in a corruption case in July, were granted five-day parole on Wednesday.

The Sharifs had been sent to the jail two months ago in the corruption case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in Avenfield House in London.

The three left their Jati Umra residence in the afternoon for the Lahore airport amid high security. A special plane transported them to Nur Khan airbase Rawalpindi from where they were shifted to the Adiala Jail. Shahbaz Sharif also accompanied them till Rawalpindi.

Shahbaz tried to extend their parole till Kulsoom's chehlum, a ceremony that is held on the 40th day after the demise.

During the parole, a number of politicians and foreign dignitaries visited Sharif to condole the demise of Kulsoom.

"I regret that I was not with Kulsoom during the last days of her life," Sharif told former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari who went to his residence to condole the death of Kulsoom.

Sharif said he had been in a solitary confinement.

"I am allowed to meet with daughter Maryam once a week," he said.

The three were released on 12-hour parole Kulsoom, passed away on Tuesday after a year-long battle with throat cancer.

Kulsoom was laid to rest on Friday at the Sharif family's Jati Umra residence here next to the graves of her father-in-law Mian Sharif and brother-in-law Abbas Sharif.

The Accountability Court Islamabad in July this year sentenced Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Safdar 10, 7 and two years imprisonment respectively in the Avenfield properties case.

The Supreme Court last year disqualified Sharif from holding the office of prime minister after the Panama Papers scandal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law are set to return to the jail on Monday after the end their five-day parole granted to them to attend the funeral of Begum Kulsoom who died last week in London after battling with cancer, according to a media report.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) M Safdar, currently serving jail terms in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after being convicted by an accountability court in a corruption case in July, were released on parole on Thursday.

The Sharifs had been sent to the jail two months ago in the corruption case related to their purchase of properties in London.

The parole will end at 4pm on Monday.

They will be flown to Rawalpindi via a special flight from the Lahore airport.

Geo quoting sources said three members of the Sharif family -- Hamza Shehbaz, Salman and Yousuf Abbas -- have been granted permission to accompany them inside the Lahore airport.

Sharif's younger brother, Shehbaz, has been granted permission to accompany them on the special flight to Rawalpindi, the sources added.

Several PML-N leaders were present at their Jati Umra residece when the three were taken to the airport.

Earlier, PML-N leader Tanveer Hussain denied reports that the Sharifs have requested for another extension in their parole.

The three were released on 12-hour parole Kulsoom, passed away on Tuesday after a year-long battle with throat cancer.

On Wednesday, however, the Punjab government extended their parole by four days until 12 am on Monday.

Kulsoom was laid to rest on Friday at the Sharif family's Jati Umra residence here next to the graves of her father-in-law Mian Sharif and brother-in-law Abbas Sharif.

Earlier, another media report said that Sharif's party is making efforts to extend his parole to allow him to mourn the death of Kulsoom till a ceremony that is held on the 40th day after the demise.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two persons, including a temple priest, were killed at a village in neighbouring Deoria district on Monday, police said.

The body of a local Shive temple priest Moti Yadav (70) was found near a lake in Sakrapar village under Sadar Kotwali police station area this morning, police said. Injury marks were found on Yadav's body.

Convinced that temple guard Pintu Patel (25) committed the murder, Yadav's family members killed him with sharp-edged weapons, police said.

SP Deoria, N Kolanchi said Pintu Patel was a mentally unstable person who had been attacking unsuspecting persons in the last 4 to 5 days.

Patel allegedly killed Yadav and the latter's family members, retaliated by killing the temple guard, the official added.

"We have detained one Sunil Yadav in connection with the murder of Pintu. He told us about the involvement of four other relatives of Moti Yadav. Efforts are on to nab the accused," the SP said ,adding that the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A local Samajwadi Party leader in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur district has accused her in-laws of setting her on fire over a monetary dispute, police said on Monday.

Sangeeta Yadav sustained burn injuries at her residence in Bithua Kalan village under Badlapur administrative division -- around 240 km southeast of Lucknow -- late on Sunday night. The 42-year-old woman, who got married two years ago, is undergoing treatment at a hospital, said Badlapur police station incharge Sunil Dutt.

The SP leader, meanwhile, told reporters that her father-in-law and mother-in-law had allegedly tried to kill her by burning her at the behest of her husband, Durgesh Yadav.

"Both my father-in-law and mother-in-law were demanding money in name of business and to buy land. I have been harassed for the past several days," Sangeeta added.

The station house officer, however, said a case would be registered once a complaint is received.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In its bid to clean up the air, the Odisha government Monday launched a 'Star Rating' system here for industries, the first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, to ensure transparency in compliance to pollution standards.

The programme, launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, will rate industries from 1 to 5 based on their efforts to meet the standards set by Odisha's pollution control board.

A joint effort of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago, the project is an example of the state's 3T framework - Teamwork, Transparency and Technology, the CM said.

"It will go a long way in strengthening the pollution board's regulatory efforts," he observed.

Describing the programme as yet another initiative, where his government has demonstrated commitment to transparency and accountability, Patnaik said "the system will encourage industries to adopt clean technologies".

"This 'Star Rating' programme will help public find out whether industries in their vicinity are fair in their environmental compliance. It will also recognise the efforts of industries that take responsibility to maintain clean environment," Patnaik said.

On the occasion, the chief minister also launched a website, where citizens can access information in this regard.

Development commissioner and chairman of SPCB, R Balakrishnan, said the pollution board has been collecting data through a Continuous Emission Monitoring System on industrial pollution.

"It has been an exciting journey working with researchers from the Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) to distill data into star ratings for public disclosure," he said.

Economist Michael Greenstone, who is also the director of EPIC, said citizens will be able to identify the sources of pollution through this project.

"The Odisha Star Rating program is a pioneering initiative to empower people to ensure that industries comply with existing laws," he said.

State Industries Minister Anant Das, Forest and Minister Bijayshree Routray and Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi were among others who attended the programme here in the morning.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A suspected arms peddler was arrested with 23 sophisticated pistols, police said Monday.

The accused, identified as Kalu Sahu (31), used to bring pistols to Delhi and supply them to criminals in Delhi-National Capital Region, they said.

Acting on a tip off, a trap was laid at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium flyover in Delhi on September 13, where the accused had come at 7.30 pm to deliver a huge consignment of illegal pistols to criminals.

Subsequently, the accused was apprehended and 23 sophisticated pistols were found in his bag, said P S Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

During interrogation, the accused told police that he was working as a driver in a private firm in Jabalpur. Last year, he lost his job due to closure of the company, following which he returned to his native village in Madhya Pradesh's Jagathar, where he came in contact with a few persons, who were allegedly peddling arms, he said.

Sahu also started procuring arms and ammunition and supplied them to criminals in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, he added.

A case has been registered in this regard, police said, adding that the previous involvement of the accused is being verified.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Syrian air defences on Monday intercepted missiles targeting the northwestern city of Latakia, state media said quoting a military source.

"Our air defences are countering hostile missiles coming from the sea towards the city of Latakia, and a number of them have been intercepted," the source said.

That came shortly after the official SANA agency reported "aggression on Latakia", without providing further information.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)(AP) The Taliban on Monday attacked Afghan police and military bases, killing at least 10 members of the security forces, Afghan officials said.

In northwestern Badghis province, five officers were killed, including Abdul Hakim, the police commander of a reserve unit, in an attack that took place near the provincial capital of Qala-i-Now.

Jamshid Shahabi, spokesman for the Badghis governor, said around 22 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded during the gunbattle there.

And in northern Baghlan province, the Taliban launched attacks against a joined army and police base, killing three army and two police officers, said Gen. Ekramuddin Serih, the provincial police chief.

Serih said that four other members of the security forces were wounded in the attack, which took place in the Baghlani Markazi district.

"The base is under the control of the Afghan security forces now and reinforcements have also been sent to the district," he said. The police chief added that at least 20 Taliban were killed and wounded in the fighting.

The insurgents issued no statements on these attacks and no group immediately claimed responsibility but both Shahabi and Serih blamed the Taliban, who have a strong presence in both provinces and often attack on Afghan security forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tata Motors-owned on Monday confirmed a cut in its production schedule at the Castle Bromwich plant manufacturing Jaguar cars in the West Midlands region of England due to "continuing headwinds" impacting the British car industry.

The change in schedule, described as "standard business practice" by the Tata Group company, will see nearly 1,000 workers at the plant shifting from a five-day work schedule to a three-day one until Christmas this year.

"As is standard business practice, regularly reviews its production schedules to ensure market demand is balanced globally," said in a statement.

"In light of the continuing headwinds impacting the car industry, we are making some temporary adjustments to our production schedules at Castle Bromwich," it noted.

The company, however, reiterated that it continues to "over-proportionally invest" in new products and technologies, and is committed to its UK plants, in which it has invested more than 4 billion pounds since 2010 to "future-proof manufacturing technologies to deliver new models".

While the company did not confirm the exact numbers to be affected by the change in production schedule, an estimated 1,000 of the 2,000 workers at the Castle Bromwich plant are expected to be moved to a three-day week.

Jack Dromey, the local Labour MP for Erdington, blamed " chaos and the mishandling by ministers of the transition from diesel" for the move.

" now threatens the jewel in the crown of British manufacturing excellence. Ministers must get it right or the future is bleak," he said in a statement on Twitter.

The "headwinds" blamed by the company are quite clearly a reference to the impact of ongoing negotiations and the deal Britain is able to strike with the (EU), something CEO Ralf Speth has repeatedly intervened over in recent weeks.

In his most recent comments earlier this month, Speth had warned that a so-called "no-deal" Brexit and lack of clarity over Britain's post-Brexit plans threatens the UK-based luxury carmaker's entire operational set up in the country.

"Just one part missing could mean stopping production at a cost of 60 million pounds a day. That is a huge risk. We depend on free, frictionless, seamless logistics," he had said.

Speth had also reiterated a previous warning over a hard Brexit scenario hitting Tata Motors-owned JLR's annual profits by over 1.2 billion pounds, which might even force its exit from the UK.

"At the end of the day we are British. We are an absolutely British company and we want to stay here," he said.

The of the latest production cuts this week comes on the day that prominent pro-Brexit Conservative party MP Bernard Jenkin accused Speth of scaremongering with his predictions.

"I'm afraid I think he's making it up. We've had figures made up all the time by the scaremongers in this debate and I'm afraid nobody believes them," Jenkin said.

Labour MP Dromey countered that Monday's announcement by confirms that all "fears are justified".

"A hard Brexit or no-deal will be catastrophic for Britain's automotive industry," Dromey warned.

At the beginning of the year, JLR had said it would cut production at its plant in Halewood, Merseyside, where it builds three of its Range Rover models. In April, it said that it would not renew the contracts for 1,000 temporary workers at its operation at Solihull in the West Midlands.

In June, JLR said it would shift production of its Discovery SUV to a new plant in Slovakia, potentially leading to some job losses in the UK.

Industry body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) has issued repeated warnings over the impact Brexit is having on the UK's automotive sector - which registered a decline in 2017.

"To ensure future growth, we need political and economic clarity at home, and the continuation of beneficial trading arrangements with the EU and other key markets," SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said.

The British car industry is particularly concerned about Brexit because of its heavy reliance on the European supply chain and the EU's status as Britain's biggest car export market.Militants on Monday shot dead a Territorial Army soldier in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The ultras barged into the house of Mukhtar Ahmad Malik at Churat in Kulgam and shot at him from a close range, a police official said.

The official said Malik, a soldier in the Territorial Army, died on the spot.

Further details are awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has expressed grief over the death of Kartik Thakur, a Pilot in the Air Force, who belonged to Lahla village in Lad-Badhol Tehsil of Mandi district.

Stating this here Monday, an official spokesperson said 23-year-old Kartik Thakur was posted at Hyderabad and had gone to Kolkata for training where he died in an accident.

The chief minister expressed deep condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for peace to the departed soul, the spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)BJP president Amit Shah Monday asked party workers in poll-bound Rajasthan to think about 'Bharat Mata' and 'Lotus' when they campaign, prompting opposition party Congress to ask whether he has lost faith in the state's Vasundhara Raje government.

Addressing BJP workers at an event in industrial city Bhilwara, Shah asked them to work hard at booth level, saying elections cannot be won only through achievements of the government and it was an election of party workers rather than just of any minister or chief minister.

At the same time, the BJP chief also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje are working as double engines to lead the country and the state, respectively, and every party worker should visit door-to-door to highlight the work done by the two leaders.

He also highlighted several achievements of the Modi government at the Centre, listing surgical strike against Pakistan, increase in minimum support price for farm produce and vaccination scheme among others.

Exuding confidence in party workers, Shah said that it was not an election of any minister or chief minister but it was an election of party workers and the BJP.

Party workers should think only about the party symbol 'Lotus' and 'Bharat Mata' (Mother India) when they campaign, he said at the 'Shakti Kendra Sammelan' event.

Reacting to his speech, Rajasthan Congress Chief Sachin Pilot said the saffron party head has lost faith in five-year tenure of Raje government in the state as he was seeking votes in the name of 'Bharat Mata' and the BJP.

Shah also hit out at the Congress on issues of NRC (National Register of Citizens in Assam) and surgical strike. He said the 'Mahagathbandhan', or the grand alliance, that the Opposition is talking about will not be able to defeat the BJP.

At another event in Bhilwara, Shah celebrated Modi's birthday with differently-abled children and said the prime minister's life was dedicated people of the country, its pride and its development.

Shah will address 'Shakti Kendra Sammelan' in Nagaur and Udaipur on Tuesday. The BJP president is interacting with party workers at various places through this event.

Since July, this is Shah's third visit to the state where assembly elections are scheduled to take place later this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three minor children died of diarrhoea while half a dozen people were taken ill, three of them seriously in Bihar's Katihar district on Monday, a senior Health official said.

Katihar Civil Surgeon Murtuza Ali, who has rushed to the spot to monitor the situation, confirmed three deaths due to diarrhoea.

The deceased have been identified as Bishun Kumar (2), Krishna Kumar (5) and Chanchala Kumari (12), Falka Additional Primary Health Centre (PHC) in-charge Dr Pankaj Kumar said.

The children were referred to sadar hospital after initial treatment, Kumar said adding that the three children died in course of treatment.

The other six persons, who were taken ill due to diarrhoea, belonged to Salehpur village under Falka block of the district, sources said adding that those died of diarrhoea belonged to Mahadalit hamlet of the same village.

Patients have been admitted to APHC for treatment, Dr Pankaj Kumar said.

After getting the information of diarrhoea deaths in the village, Civil Surgeon rushed to the spot and met the family of members of the deceased and those fell ill due to diarrhoea.

The Civil Surgeon also inspected the village and deployed a team along with necessary medicines including ORS powder. The medical officer also got DDT sprayed in the village area where water has been accumulated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A baby born at a primary health centre here Monday co-inciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday was gifted a gold ring by the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP as part of its celebrations of the day.

Party's state unit President Tamilisai Soundararajan presented the gold ring to the newborn at the government-run PHC at Purasawalkam in Central Chennai.

She also gave away gift packs to some other babies born at the facility in the past few days.

Soundararajan told PTI that the party had announced it will present gold rings to all babies born at the PHC on Monday. However, only one baby was born at the facility.

"I presented a gold ring to one child (born Monday). However, we presented gift packs to other newborns, numbering 17-18, at the health centre," she told PTI.

Soundararajan, herself a gynaecologist, shared on Twitter, pictures of her with the newborns at the hospital.

The party state unit also distributed welfare aid to several people to mark the Prime Minister's 68th birthday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Monday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 68th birthday.

In his greetings to the prime minister, Palaniswami extended his "warm wishes" to Modi "for a wonderful year ahead. "



Modi will celebrate his birthday in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

"On the joyous occasion of your birthday, I take great pleasure in conveying my warm wishes to you for a wonderful year ahead," the chief minister said.

"I pray that the almighty may grant you many more years of good health and strength to serve our nation and the people," he said in the message, which was released by the state government.

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi also greeted the prime minister on his birthday and said "the vision, commitment, intellect and leadership exhibited by you (Modi) have been instrumental in our country emerging as a force to reckon in the comity of nations."



She also extended greetings on behalf of the people of the Union Territory.

"Schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana, MUDRA, and Ayushman Bharat are path breaking schemes, truly inclusive, to make the poor of India be part of development and prosperity," she said.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, BJP chief Amit Shah and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had earlier greeted the prime minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and DMK President M K Stalin Monday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 68th birthday, while the BJP's state unit celebrated the occasion by gifting a gold ring to a new-born.

Palaniswami sent his birthday greetings to the Prime Minister along with a flower bouquet, wishing Modi good health to serve the nation and the people.

"On the joyous occasion of your birthday, I take great pleasure in conveying my warm wishes to you for a wonderful year ahead," he told Modi.

"I pray that the Almighty may grant you many more years of good health and strength to serve our nation and the people," he said in the message, which was released by the state government.

Stalin, Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly, took to Twitter to greet Modi.

"Warm greetings and best wishes to Prime Minister @narendramodi on his birthday. I wish him good health and a long life," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, the state BJP celebrated Modi's birthday by presenting gold ring to a new-born at a government primary health centre at Purasawalkam here.

Party's state unit President Tamilisai Soundararajan said though the party had announced it will present such rings to all children born today, there was only one new-born today coinciding with Modi's birthday.

"I presented a gold ring to one child (born today). However, we presented gift packs to other new-borns, numbering 17-18, at the health centre," she told PTI.

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi also greeted Modi on his birthday and said "the vision, commitment, intellect and leadership exhibited by you (Prime Minister) have been instrumental in our country emerging as a force to reckon in the comity of nations."



She also extended greetings on behalf of the people of Union Territory.

"Schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana, MUDRA, and Ayushman Bharat are path-breaking schemes, truly inclusive, to make the poor of India be part of development and prosperity," she said.

Earlier, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, BJP chief Amit Shah and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had greeted the Prime Minister, who turned 68 today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)President Donald Trump claimed Monday that America's steel industry has revived and attributed this to his economic policy and decisions.

American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), in its latest report, said that the US' steel mills operated above 80 per cent of their capacity last week.

Its Chief Executive Officer Thomas J Gibson said that tariffs on foreign steel have been saving US jobs.

Trump said in a tweet: "Our steel industry is the talk of the World. It has been given new life, and is thriving. Billions of dollars is being spent on new plants all around the country!"



Trump had imposed steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union on national security grounds.

Gibson wrote in USA Today that "The president's actions are working. Steel imports fell 34 per cent from April to June, prompting job growth. US Steel has restarted facilities in Granite city, Illinois, which means 800 jobs".

In an op-ed in The Washington Examiner, former CEO of Nucor steel company Dan DiMicco said that Trump is delivering on trade deals for American workers.

"Since his early days in office, Trump outlined priorities for trade policy that include a stronger American economy, a focus on the American worker, enforcement of trade laws, and negotiations that ensure trade competitors do not take advantage of the United States," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump stood firmly by his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Monday after a woman accused the conservative judge of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers.

But Trump acknowledged there could be a delay in approving the nominee as pressure built for Congress to reopen hearings to review the bombshell allegation.

"Judge Kavanaugh is one of the finest people I have ever known," Trump told reporters from the Oval Office.

"Never even had a little blemish on his record."



He described as "ridiculous" the suggestion that Kavanaugh might withdraw his candidacy.

"I think he's on track, very much on track," Trump said. "If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay."



Trump did not comment directly on the claim by California university professor Christine Blasey Ford that a drunken Kavanaugh and one of his friends trapped her in a room and attempted to pull her clothes off at a high school party in 1982 -- although he questioned why she had not come forward sooner.

After Ford's lawyer said she was ready to testify under oath about the incident, Democrats with the apparent support of some Republicans urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to postpone a vote on the nomination scheduled for Thursday.

Kavanaugh, whose approval had previously appeared certain, denied the allegations and said he was willing to return to the committee to answer the charge.

"I have never done anything like what the accuser describes -- to her or to anyone," he said in a statement released by the White House.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation from 36 years ago and defend my integrity."



The explosive assault claim makes the Supreme Court the latest US institution to be rocked by fallout from the year-old #MeToo movement exposing sexual misconduct.

Trump questioned why the accusation became public only on Friday, after Kavanaugh had undergone four days of questioning in early September.

"This is something that should have been brought up long before this.

They had the information in July as I understand it," he said -- referring to Democratic lawmakers who were contacted by Ford before she went public.

The allegation now threatens to inject a potentially heated "he said-she said" battle into the looming midterm congressional elections, with Republican control of the House of Representatives and the Senate at stake.

And it stands to derail one of the most consequential appointments to the nine-seat high court in decades.

Evenly balanced for years, the court is expected to tilt decidedly conservative if Kavanaugh is approved, potentially threatening women's access to abortion, restrictions on presidential powers, and efforts to curb gun ownership.

It was not clear if the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee would reopen hearings.

Chairman Chuck Grassley said in a statement that Ford "deserves to be heard", but he proposed the committee hold phone calls with Ford and Kavanaugh.

Moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins, whose support is crucial to Kavanaugh's nomination, said both the judge and his accuser should testify under oath.

"I don't know enough about Dr Ford and her allegations yet" to reach a judgement, Collins said in the Senate Monday afternoon.

"I have said that in order for me to assess the credibility of these allegations, that I want to have both individuals come before the Senate



Judiciary Committee and testify under oath." "Obviously, if Judge Kavanaugh has lied about what happened, that would be disqualifying."



Kellyanne Conway, Trump's top female aide, also said Ford should be heard out.

"This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored," Conway said.

Ford's lawyer, Debra Katz, told US media her client had been ambivalent about the pressure that would come with speaking out publicly.

She first contacted lawmakers about her experience in July, but initially insisted on remaining remain anonymous, saying the 1982 incident, when she and Kavanaugh both attended private schools in suburban Washington, had been a source of lasting trauma.

"She's now going to have to live with the tremendous efforts by people to annihilate her and to try to discredit her," Katz told CNN.

Ford's challenge evoked the 1991 battle of over the Republican nomination of Clarence Thomas, now the court's most conservative justice.

During his hearings allegations from a former colleague, law school professor Anita Hill, surfaced accusing him of repeated sexual harassment when they worked together.

Hill endured a brutal assault on her personal reputation in hearings and in conservative media, and the all-male Republicans on the committee ultimately backed Thomas.

This time, the Republicans on the committee are also all men.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former US secretary of state John Kerry has torn into Donald Trump for accusing him of holding "illegal" meetings with Iran, saying the American President has the maturity of an "eight-year-old boy with the insecurity of a teenage girl".

Kerry's attack came in response to Trump's tweet accusing the former secretary of state of holding "illegal meetings" with the Iranian government that were "to the detriment of the American people".

"He told them to wait out the Trump Administration! Was he registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act? BAD!" Trump tweeted.

Reacting to the accusation on a late-night talk show on Friday to promote his new memoir 'Every Day is Extra', Kerry said, "He's the first President who spends more time reading his Twitter likes than his briefing books or the Constitution of the United States".

"Unfortunately, we have a president, literally, for whom 'the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth' is three different things. And you don't even know what they are," Kerry was quoted as saying by 'The Washington Post'.

"He really is the rare combination of an 8-year-old boy he's got the maturity of an 8-year-old boy with the insecurity of a teenage girl. It's just who he is," he said.

Kerry's remarks received a mixed response online. While some lauded the comparison as "absolutely priceless" and a "mic drop" moment, many expressed disappointment for his "condescending" and "inaccurate" generalisation of young women.

Matt Summers, a spokesman for Kerry, later defended Kerry's Iran meetings.

"Secretary Kerry stays in touch with his former counterparts around the world just like every previous secretary of state," he said.

Kerry along with other top US officials played a key role in negotiating the 2015 agreement between Iran and several world powers that lifted sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Britain's Opposition Labour Party on Monday called for a ban on sex determination tests for pregnant women to counter a bias among South Asian communities in favour of male babies.

Indian-origin Labour MP Tan Dhesi said gender determination tests during pregnancies should be controlled to ensure the "social evil" of aborting female foetuses can be kept in check in Britain.

"Communities in South Asia have made huge strides in tackling this social evil. That's been primarily through legislation, banning gender determination clinics," the UK's first turbaned Sikh MP said.

In the UK I think we need to be doing likewise, with regards to the private sector as well," he said.

Choosing an abortion for gender reasons is illegal in the UK but it is difficult to detect as women often cite other reasons for having the procedure.

The UK's Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT) is used by the state-run National Health Service (NHS) to test for genetic conditions, but people can pay for it privately to discover a baby's sex for around 200 pounds.

Pakistani-origin Labour MP Naz Shah, who is the shadow women and equalities minister, said it was morally wrong for people to use the test to abort pregnancies based on the outcome.

"NIPT screenings should be used for their intended purpose, to screen for serious conditions such as Down's Syndrome. The government needs to look into this exploitative practice and enforce appropriate restrictions," she said.

An investigation by the BBC found thousands of pregnant women in the UK using online forums to discuss the discovery of their baby's gender through NIPT testing.

Jeena International, a charity supporting women from ethnic minority communities in the UK, said some women were forced into abortions because they became pregnant with a girl for a second or third time.

"No wonder they're resorting to sex-selection abortion because they've got no choice, said charity founder Rani Bilkhu.

"They don't want to be homeless, they don't want their marriage to fail all because they couldn't give birth to a boy," she said.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, a UK government advisory body, has warned that increasingly widespread private NIPT testing in the UK could lead to the country becoming a haven for "sex-selective" abortions.

"Countries like China and India have recognised the problem of sex-selective abortionso if we allow it, people will come here as tourists," warned Dr Tom Shakespeare of the council.

A spokesperson for the UK government's Department of Health and Social Care said, "The pre-natal test is never meant to be used for gender. We will continue to review the evidence".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)British Prime Minister Theresa May is fighting back against opponents of her blueprint for Brexit, saying Parliament will have to choose between her proposal and crashing out of the European Union without a deal.

May said Monday on the BBC that if rebel lawmakers shoot down a deal between her government and the EU, "the alternative to that will be having no deal."



With just over six months until Britain is due to leave the 28-nation EU on March 29, May's Conservative government remains divided over how close an economic relationship to seek with the bloc.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who says Britain should make a clean break with the EU, wrote in Monday's Daily Telegraph that May's Brexit negotiations were heading for a "spectacular political car crash.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Government doctors in Uttar Pradesh under the banner of Provincial Medical Services Association-UP announced Monday their decision to wear black bands on October 1 in support of their demands including promotion issues and non-practice allowance.

"Government doctors across the state will register their protest while discharging their duties by wearing black bands to protest insensitivity shown towards them by the authorities," a statement issued by the association said.

Association president Dr Ashok Kumar Yadav alleged at a press conference here that government doctors were "being targeted" and held responsible for the shortcomings in the health services "without any fault of theirs".

Yadav, who is a senior consultant at Dr SP Mukherjee (civil) Hospital here also said that government doctors were over-burdened.

He said the 18-point charter of demands, which will be handed over to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, included time-bound promotion and non-practice allowance, besides special allowance for specialists and rural allowance for those serving in the villages.

The association claims membership of 15,000 government doctors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four persons, allegedly manipulating the electronic public distribution system (PDS) for subsidised ration to the poor in Gautam Buddh Nagar, were nabbed by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) Monday, according to officials.

The Noida unit of the STF, along with officials of the local police's Cyber Cell, nabbed the four accused, including a ration dealer, from Surajpur area of the district, they said.

The state government uses the PDS to distribute ration to the poor via fair price shops. The ration dealers in the shops use the ePOS (point of sale) machine, which is linked to the Aadhaar of the beneficiaries.

Recently, it had emerged that some dealers had attached around 200 Aadhaar numbers to the ePOS machine and distributed the ration to unauthorised accounts and the administration had ordered a probe into the matter.

"We had received inputs from the Lucknow headquarters of the STF about the large scale pilferage in ration distribution by manipulation of Aadhaar and biometric details. Building on that information, we arrested these four persons today," an STF official said.

"A computer along with its CPU, 2ePOS machine, mobile phones, original Aadhaar cards and huge number of its photocopies, among other documents were seized from their possession," the official said.

Those arrested have been identified as Gaurav Joshi, Nem Singh, Sonu Kumar and Saurav Kumar, according to the STF.

Joshi is a ration dealer and would also provide other dealers with login-id and passwords of the beneficiaries, while Singh is a computer operator.

Sonu worked as a middleman and also collected data, while Saurav, son of a ration dealer, worked as a middle providing computer operators to others, the STF said.

Similar ration frauds, involving large scale pilferage in PDS, were reported from various parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Allahabad in the recent months.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The United States on Monday accused Russia of "cheating" on UN sanctions against North Korea with plans for a railway project, oil transfers and ongoing business dealings with Pyongyang.

Russia shot back and charged that Washington was blocking steps to foster cooperation between North and South Korea and using a UN sanctions committee "as a select channel to punish" North Korea.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told a Security Council meeting that the United States has evidence of "consistent and wide-ranging Russian violations" of the tough economic penalties imposed on North Korea.

Sanctions "cannot be an end in itself," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia responded. "You should, instead of creating roadblocks, promote the inter-Korean cooperation and dialogue," he told Haley.

The raucous meeting highlighted divisions between the United States, which is pushing for sanctions to be fully enforced on North Korea, and Russia, which argues that incentives must be offered to Pyongyang to move forward.

Led by the United States, the council last year adopted three sets of wide-ranging sanctions aimed at cutting off revenue to North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

Haley said Russia had been "cheating" despite supporting UN sanctions resolutions.

"Step by step, sanction by sanction, and time and time again, Russia is working across the board to undermine the sanctions regime," she said.

The United States maintains that UN sanctions which have dealt a blow to North Korea's economy must remain in place until Pyongyang has completely scrapped its nuclear weapons and military programs.

Russia wants to develop railway links between North and South Korea to export coal from its Far East region and reach South Korean ports, Haley said. Russia also blocked a US move to blacklist Russian ships allegedly involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined oil to North Korea and is refusing to expel a North Korean operative, Haley said.

In a rebuttal, Nebenzia said the plan for rail links was not in violation of sanctions resolutions and rejected accusations of a Russian ship involved in oil transfers.

He said Russia had asked for further information from the United States on the North Korean national.

The council meeting was called by the United States after a report by an independent UN panel of experts was amended under pressure from Russia to remove sections that deal with Russian businesses.

The United States blocked release of the report on implementation of sanctions in protest at the changes in the latest version.

China called for UN sanctions to be enforced but recalled that resolutions allow for a lifting of the punitive measures if there is progress toward denuclearization.

Chinese Ambassador Mao Zhaoxu said "confrontation is a dead-end" and diplomacy must be "actively" promoted to bring an end to the standoff on the Korean peninsula.

China and Russia have argued that North Korea should be rewarded with the prospect of eased sanctions for opening up dialogue with the United States and halting missile tests.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Veteran actor Captain Raju, who gave a new dimension to portrayal of villain roles in Malalyalam movies, died here Monday after prolonged illness, his family and film industry sources said.

A former army officer, Raju, 68, is survived by his wife and a son.

Also known for his character roles, the actor had featured in over 500 films, including in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, in his nearly four-decade long career.

He was best known for his performances in superstar Mohanlal-starrer 'Nadodikkattu', 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha' and 'CID Moosa'.

He had been undergoing treatment after suffering a stroke during a flight to the US two months ago, the sources said.

After brief hospitalisation in Oman, he was brought here in July and continued treatment at a private hospital.

Raju was later discharged from the hospital and there was no considerable improvement in his health. His end came this morning due to a cardiac arrest, the actor's relatives said.

He began his film career in 1981 with 'Raktham' after quitting the Army.

Malayalam film industry paid rich tribute to Raju, who had also essayed comedy roles in some films.

Raju's demise is a loss for cinema, Malayalam movie stars Mammootty and Mohanlal said.

Mammootty said Raju's acting skill and well-built physique made him famous.

Recalling his friendship with Raju, Mohanlal said his demise was a personal loss for him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 30-year-oldvillagerwas killed byNaxalsin Chhattisgarhs Kanker district on suspicion he was a "police informer", police said Monday.

His father was brutally thrashed byultras when he tried to intervene and save his son, they said.

The deceased, Gendlal Jain, was beaten and then hacked to death byNaxals in Amagaon village under Tadoki police station limits Sunday night, Kanker Superintendent of Police K L Dhruv told PTI over the phone.

The village is located around 250km from the state capital Raipur.

As per preliminary information, a group of around two dozen armed Naxals stormed Gendlal Jain's house and dragged him out on to the street where they brutally thrashed him, accusing him of acting as a "police informer", he said.

Subsequently, they slit Gendlal Jain's throat with a sharp-edged weapon, leaving him dead on the spot, Dhruv said, adding he worked as a taxi driver.

Jain's father Dayaluram Jain (60) tried to intervene and save his son, but ultras attacked him too with sticks, causing serious injuries to him, the police officer said.

The entire incident took place in full view of villagers.

After being alerted about the incident, a police team reached the village Monday morning. Policemen admitted Dayaluram Jain to a local hospital and sent his son's body for post-mortem, he said.

The injured was later shifted to the Kanker district hospital for further treatment, Dhruv added.

A case has been registered and a search operation launched to trace the ultras involved in the attack, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Washington is set to replace the commander of US forces in South Korea amid a rapid diplomatic thaw on the peninsula, even as denuclearisation of the North stalls.

The US stations 28,500 troops in the South, a treaty ally, to defend it against its nuclear-armed neighbour, which invaded in 1950, triggering the Korean War.

General Robert B Abrams, commander of the US Army Forces Command, will undergo a confirmation hearing next week to be head of US Forces Korea (USFK), the Senate Armed Services Committee's website showed.

If his nomination is approved, he will succeed General Vincent Brooks as commander of USFK, the UN Command and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Korea, who has been in the post since April 2016.

The outgoing commander has described his time in the South as "a rollercoaster ride", with the peninsula turning from the fears of war to a historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"We have gone from points of great tension and great danger to points of great opportunity and sometimes back and forth between those, never being completely certain about what will come the next day," Brooks told reporters in Seoul last month.

"So it's been quite a ride and a great honour to have been part of such a historic period of time," he added.

Abrams, whose father was a former Army Chief of Staff, General Creighton W. Abrams Jr., comes from a family of career military officers. He has held various command and staff positions across the Army and Joint Community in Germany, the US and Southwest Asia during his 34 years of active service.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The West Bengal government on Monday directed the police and fire department to find out the cause of the blaze that almost gutted Bagree market in the state capital and summon the owners of the commercial building, a senior minister said.

A group of ministers, under the chairmanship of state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, held a meeting at the state secretariat on Monday to discuss the incident of fire that engulfed the famous Bagree Market in the central part of the city early Sunday.

"We have got a preliminary report from the police and fire department. They have been directed to find out the cause of the fire in consultation with the forensic department and come out with a report," a senior minister, who was present at the meeting, told PTI.

He said the police were asked to summon the owners after ascertaining the cause of the fire and talk to them.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials were directed to clear unauthorised holdings inside the Bagree market and take strict action in this regard, the minister said, adding preliminary report by police mentioned that even bathrooms in the market building were rented out to small traders.

According to a secretariat source, the group of ministers are likely to meet again on Wednesday to decide on the next course of action in the Bagree market fire incident.

A copy of Monday's meeting would be forwarded to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently on an official tour to Europe, he said.

A senior Kolkata Police officer said a team of officials from the force's forensic department visited the Bagree market and collected samples from the site to ascertain the cause of the fire.

The fire which engulfed the Bagree market is still raging on even as fire personnel were tirelessly making efforts to douse it.

No loss of life has been reported but six persons, including two fire fighters, fell sick inhaling the toxic smoke, police said, adding they were treated at the Calcutta Medical College Hospital and later discharged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Monday told the Supreme Court that they would submit a report within a month on the issue related to removal of spikes and fireballs, which were allegedly used to drive away elephants in some states.

The ministry told a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that directions were issued by them to the forest departments that spikes should not be used for this purpose.

It said that these aspects were required to be looked into so that a comprehensive view could be taken keeping in mind totality of facts as it would also have impact in the matter related to elephants corridors in the country.

"How much time will you take to file a report on spikes and fireballs?," the bench asked.

The ministry said that they would take around one month time to submit a report.

"Look at the entire issue in a humane manner," the bench told a senior official of 'Project Elephant' who was present in the court.

'Project Elephant' was launched in 1992 by the ministry to provide support to the states for protection of elephants and their habitats.

The apex court has posted the matter for further hearing on October 22.

Meanwhile, the counsel appearing for Karnataka said they have already started the removal process of spikes and have also filed an affidavit in this regard.

However, the counsel for the petitioner referred to media reports and claimed that in Karnataka, training was being given for use of fireballs to drive away the elephants as this method was found to be successful in West Bengal.

The apex court had earlier termed as "barbaric" the use of spikes and fireballs to drive away elephants and had directed the states to desist from using such methods.

The court's directions had come after it was told that these methods were being allegedly adopted in states like Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.

The court was hearing a petition which had raised the issue of tenders for procuring spikes and fireballs allegedly issued in these states.

The Karnataka government had earlier told the court that in July itself, the state authority had written letters to all the concerned officers to remove these spikes.

The counsel for West Bengal had said the state has issued guidelines that none of these harmful things would be used to divert the elephants.

Similarly, the Jharkhand government had told the court that they have not put any restriction on the movement of wild elephants in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)President Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court was thrust into turmoil Sunday after the woman accusing him of high school-era sexual misconduct told her story publicly for the first time.

Democrats immediately called for a delay in a key committee vote set for this later week and a Republican on the closely divided panel said he's "not comfortable" voting on the nomination without first hearing from the accuser.

The woman, Christine Blasey Ford, told The Washington Post in her first interview that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a Maryland party they attended in the early 1980s, clumsily tried to remove her clothing and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford said.

"He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing." Ford, 51 and a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, says she was able to get away after a friend of Kavanaugh's who was in the room jumped on top of them and everyone tumbled.

Kavanaugh, 53 and a federal appeals judge in Washington, on Sunday repeated an earlier denial of Ford's allegation.

"I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time," Kavanaugh said through the White House.

The allegation first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that has been in the possession of Sen Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for some time.

The committee recently concluded four days of public hearings on the nomination and the panel's Republican chairman, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, scheduled a Thursday vote on whether to recommend that the full Senate confirm Kavanaugh for a lifetime appointment to the nation's highest court.

Democrats, led by New York Sen Chuck Schumer, immediately called for it to be postponed, though Republicans gave no indication Sunday that they would accede to the calls by Democrats, most of whom already publicly oppose Kavanaugh.

A spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee said late Sunday that Grassley is trying to arrange separate, follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, but just for aides to Grassley and Feinstein, before Thursday's scheduled vote.

Feinstein late Sunday rejected Grassley's plan for phone interviews with Kavanaugh and Ford.

"Staff calls aren't the appropriate way to handle this," Feinstein said.

Sen Jeff Flake, R-Ariz, a committee member, told The Washington Post and Politico in interviews Sunday that he's "not comfortable" voting for Kavanaugh until he learns more about the allegation.

Flake is one of 11 Republicans on the committee, whose 10 Democrats all oppose Kavanaugh.

A potential "no" vote from Flake would complicate Kavanaugh's prospects.

Feinstein applauded Flake's call to slow things down.

"I agree with Senator Flake that we should delay this week's vote," she said.

"There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to investigate this new material."



Another Republican member, Sen Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said he's willing to hear from Ford provided that it's "done immediately" to keep the confirmation process on track.

Critics have accused the GOP of fast-tracking the process to get Kavanaugh on the court by October 1, the first day of the fall term.

Senate Republicans, along with the White House, see no need to postpone voting over what they consider uncorroborated and unverifiable accusations, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorised to speak publicly.

In considering their options Sunday, Republicans largely settled on the view that Ford's story alone was not enough to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Grassley could invite Ford to testify, likely in closed session before Thursday.

Kavanaugh would also probably be asked to appear before senators.

The panel would also likely seek testimony from Mark Judge, Kavanaugh's friend and classmate who Ford says jumped on top of her and Kavanaugh.

Judge has denied that the incident happened.

Republicans have not settled on the strategy, the person familiar with the situation said, but were weighing options, including doing nothing.

Republicans say the allegations have already cast a shadow over Kavanaugh but that it does not appear to be enough to change the votes in the narrowly divided 51-49 Senate.

Key will be the views of Sens Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who did not immediately comment publicly Sunday.

A spokesman for Grassley said Kavanaugh already went through several days of hearings and has been investigated by the FBI.

The White House has accused Feinstein, who revealed the letter's existence late last week, of mounting an "11th hour attempt to delay his confirmation."



The White House has also sought to cast doubt about Ford's allegation by noting that the FBI has repeatedly investigated Kavanaugh since the 1990s for highly sensitive positions he has held, including in the office of independent counsel Ken Starr, at the White House and his current post on the federal appeals court in Washington.

Both Democratic and Republican senators questioned Feinstein's handling of the allegation.

Kavanaugh's nomination has sharply divided an already closely divided Senate, with most Democrats opposing him and most Republicans supporting him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Research work of several law universities, international judgements and psychological institutes came in handy to the Supreme Court in delivering the historic verdict that decriminalised consensual gay sex.

Some of the universities whose research papers found mention in the apex court's verdict include National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) and O P Jindal Global University (JGU).

While striking down part of a British-era law that criminalised consensual gay sex earlier this month, the five-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, took note of various international judgements, quoting from similar verdicts passed by the constitutional courts of the United States, Canada, South Africa, Republic of Philippines and European court of Human Rights.

CJI Misra noted that the Supreme Court of the United States in Obergefell v Hodges, Director, Ohio Department of Health had highlighted the plight of homosexuals and held that the Constitution allows homosexual persons the right to make this choice.

The homosexuality verdict, written by CJI, also referred to a 2008 study by the American Psychological Association which had stated that research over several decades has demonstrated that sexual orientation ranges along a continuum, from exclusive attraction to the other sex to exclusive attraction to the same sex.

"Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic and/or sexual attractions to men, women or both sexes. Sexual orientation also refers to a person's sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviours, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions," said the study, 'Answers to Your Questions for a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality'.

The research work of four faculty members of JGU's Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), have also been cited by the apex court in its judgement.

Citing a report of Zaid Al Baset, 'Section 377 and the Myth of Heterosexuality', published in Jindal Global Law Review, the bench said that "the 'naturalness' and omnipresence of heterosexuality is manufactured by an elimination of historical specificities about the organisation, regulation and deployment of sexuality across time and space".

Citing from another report by JGLS professor Saptarshi Mandal, "'Right To Privacy' In Naz Foundation: A Counter-Heteronormative Critique'", published in NUJS Law Review, the bench said it is imperative that the protection granted for consensual acts in private must also be available in situations where sexual minorities are "vulnerable in public spaces on account of their sexuality and appearance".

Applauding the apex court's decision, JGU Vice Chancellor C Raj Kumar said the fact that the apex court has cited research work of the faculty members is a testament to the institutional commitment and research contribution of JGLS and JGU.

"It is a matter of great honour and pride. I would like to congratulate all the faculty members of JGLS for their contribution to legal scholarship and jurisprudence. This is a reflection of the intensive and rigourous research we promote at the university," he said.

The Court also drew on a report co-written by another JGLS professor Danish Sheikh in his capacity as a consultant at the International Commission of Jurists, to understand how LGBT persons are deprived access to justice.

"This judgment is infused with the promise of transformative potential. It is now up to us as activists, lawyers, academics and members of civil society to ensure that the letter of the law seeps into the daily fabric of our lives," Sheikh said.

The apex court's judgement cited another international publication by Ryan Goodman, 'Beyond the Enforcement Principle: Sodomy Laws, Social Norms, and Social Panoptics', published in the California Law Review, and said that the public is sensitive to the visibility of lesbians and gays and private individuals also perform roles of policing.

"The state's relationship to lesbian and gay individuals under a regime of sodomy laws constructs a similar, yet dispersed, structure of observation and surveillance. The public is sensitive to the visibility of lesbians and gays as socially and legally constructed miscreants.

"Admittedly certain individuals, namely those who are certified with various levels of state authority, are more directly linked to the extension of law's power.

"Yet the social effects of sodomy laws are not tied to these specialized agents alone. On the ground level, private individuals also perform roles of policing and controlling lesbian and gay lives in a mimetic relation to the modes of justice itself," the bench quoted from the study.

The judgement of Justices R F Nariman and Indu Malhotra quoted from the statement of the Indian Psychiatric Society, in line with the American Psychiatric Association, that homosexuality is not a psychiatric disorder.

"There is no scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be altered by any treatment and that any such attempts may in fact lead to low self-esteem and stigmatization of the person," Justice Malhotra quoted from the statement in her judgment.

Justice D Y Chandrachud, who was part of the constitution bench, took note of the adverse impact of sodomy laws on the lives of homosexual adults considered by the Constitutional Court of South Africa in National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality vs Minister of Justice, saying it violated their right to equality.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's main Shanghai Composite index fell to its lowest close in nearly four years on Monday as reports said U.S. President Donald Trump would unveil new tariffs on $200 billion of imported Chinese goods this week.The Shanghai Composite index dropped 1.1 percent to 2,651.79 points, its worst close since Nov. 27, 2014. The blue-chip CSI300 index also declined 1.1 percent, to 3,204.92 points.In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index was down 1.3 percent in late afternoon trade, and the China Enterprises index was off 1.2 percent.A senior official in the Trump administration told ...China will not be content to only play defence in an escalating trade war with the United States, a widely read Chinese tabloid warned, as US President Donald Trump was expected to announce new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods as early as Monday. The United States and China have already levied duties on $50 billion worth of each other's goods in an intensifying row that has jolted global financial markets in the past few months. Last week, the US Treasury Department invited senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He, to more talks on the tariff dispute, ...By Liana B. Baker(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc has hired three investment bankers for its technology investment banking group focused on software in the United States and in Europe, according to a memo published internally at the bank and confirmed by a spokeswoman on Monday. Technology and non-technology companies alike have been acquiring software companies to help modernize a range of various industries from retail to industrials. Citigroup's move shows how bankers specializing in the sector have become sought after on Wall Street. Brian Marshall will join Citigroup from Credit Suisse Group AG ...ATHENS (Reuters) - Eurobank is confident of beating this year's sour loan reduction target agreed with European Central Bank supervisors and plans to make further progress by 2021, the chief executive of Greece's third largest lender said on Monday.So-called non-performing exposures (NPEs) are the biggest challenge facing the country's banking sector, hit hard by the euro zone's debt crisis and years of deep recession.Central bank data this month showed the total stock of NPEs on Greek banks' books amounted to 88.6 billion euros ($103.1 billion), or 47.6 percent of their combined loan book, ...BRAUNSCHWEIG, Germany (Reuters) - Investors suing Volkswagen for billions in compensation from the hit to the carmaker's share price from its diesel emissions scandal will have to wait until end-November for court hearings to continue, a German judge ruled on Monday.Certain claims that have been excluded from the proceedings so far will then be considered, and the basis of calculation for possible compensation payments will be decided by then, presiding judge Christian Jaede said on Monday.Shareholders representing 1,670 claims are seeking 9.2 billion euros ($10.7 billion) in damages over the ...BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund has held productive meetings with Argentina aimed at revamping the country's standby loan agreement, the IMF said on Monday, while the government prepares to send its 2019 budget bill to Congress.The measure is expected to include new spending cuts aimed at erasing Argentina's primary fiscal deficit next year. In June the government signed a $50 billion standby deal that included a fiscal shortfall of 1.3 percent of gross domestic product.But the IMF backing was not enough to halt a run on the peso, which has erased more than one-half ...BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund has held productive meetings with Argentine officials in Buenos Aires aimed at revamping the country's standby loan agreement, the Fund said in a statement on Monday."Important progress is being made toward strengthening Argentina's economic policy plan, supported by a stand-by arrangement with the IMF. We are working hard to conclude these staff-level talks in short order and present a proposal to the IMF executive board," the statement said. (Reporting by Eliana Raszewski, writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)(This ...By Manoj KumarNEW DELHI (Reuters) - India plans to merge state-run Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank, the financial services secretary said on Monday, as part of efforts to tackle a pile of bad loans plaguing the banking sector and revive credit growth. The government will continue to provide capital support to the merged bank, which is expected to be India's third largest with assets of 14.82 trillion rupees ($204 billion), Rajeev Kumar told reporters."It is a major economic, commercial decision," finance minister Arun Jaitley added. Banking sector reforms are a major plank of Prime ...(Reuters) - The focus on Tesla Inc's battle to ramp up production swung to concerns over logistics and distribution on Monday, after Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk acknowledged there were delivery bottlenecks and promised to swiftly iron out the delays."Sorry, we've gone from production hell to delivery logistics hell, but this problem is far more tractable," Musk said in a tweet on Sunday, in response to a customer complaint on delivery delay. "We're making rapid progress. Should be solved shortly." The 47-year-old billionaire, who earlier this month faced investor ire over smoking ...RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Shareholders of Brazilian mobile phone operator Oi on Monday gave a nod of approval to new board chairman Eleazar de Carvalho and the rest of the slate of new board members proposed by the company.The shareholders' meeting is a key step in sorting out the reorganized firm's governance and formalising the 4 billion reais ($964 million) capital increase. It filed for bankruptcy protection in 2016 after buckling under 65 billion reais of debt.($1 = 4.15 reais) (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)(This story has not been edited by Business ...By Stephanie KellyNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices were little changed on Monday as the market weighed deepening trade tension between the U.S. and China that is expected to dent global crude demand and potential supply tightening due to Iran sanctions. Brent crude futures dipped 4 cents to settle at $78.05 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 8 cents to settle at $68.91 a barrel.Top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Monday that he expected the United States would soon announce tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese ...BEIJING (Reuters) - Global oil prices edged up from early losses on Monday despite assurances from Washington that Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States can raise output fast enough to offset falling supplies from Iran and elsewhere.U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said in an interview with Reuters on Friday that he does not foresee any price spikes and that the countries, the world's top three oil producers, can between them raise global output in the next 18 months.Brent crude oil futures gained 25 cents to $78.34 per barrel as of 0727 GMT, reversing a 0.2 percent loss earlier in the ...By Steve Holland and David LawderWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would announce his latest plan for China tariffs after the markets close, with expectations he would levy about $200 billion worth of Chinese imports.Trump offered few details about his tariff announcement, which has been anticipated for several days after he directed aides to proceed with the next round of tariffs on Chinese products amid deep disagreements with Beijing over trade and intellectual property policies. "It will be a lot of money coming into the coffers of the United States of ...(Reuters) - Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc is in talks to buy Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ for about $2 billion to $2.5 billion, Bloomberg reported https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-17/uber-is-said-in-talks-to-acquire-dubai-ride-hailing-firm-careem?utm_source=google&utm_medium=bd&cmpId=google on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. No final decisions have been made, and the companies may decide against the transaction, according to Bloomberg.Uber and Careem held preliminary talks in July to combine their Middle Eastern ride-hailing services, hoping ...KAMPALA (Reuters) - The Ugandan unit of India's pharmaceutical giant Cipla raised 155 billion Ugandan shillings ($41 million) from its initial public offering (IPO) that was oversubscribed, a brokerage that helped advise on the transaction said on Monday.Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Ltd (CQCIL), majority owned by India's third-largest drugmaker, sold 657 million shares equivalent to 18 percent of the firm's total equity. Each share in the IPO was priced at 256.5 shillings and closed the first day of trading up 2.1 percent at 262 Ugandan shillings.John Porter, chief business officer at ...Not surprisingly so, given that the majority of food labels under the Nestle brand umbrella are all part of popular breakfast menus and; besides, its longstanding association with dairy staples automatically lent heft to its new positioning, the company indicated. Its entry is being tracked with keen interest as the other global majors in the breakfast ring, Kelloggs and PepsiCo, have steadily raised their stakes in the Indian market over ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital EditorJK Tyre & Industries Ltd

JK Tyre & Industries Ltd is one of the leading automotive tyre manufacturers in India. The company mainly develops manufactures markets and distributes automotive tyres tubes flaps and retreads. It markets tyres for sale to vehicle manufacturers for fitment as original equipment and for sale in replacement markets. The company has manufacturing plants located in India and Mexico with worldwide dis...> MoreA high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday decided to curb non-essential imports and increase exports.



The government decided to review the mandatory hedging conditions for infrastructure loans, permit manufacturing entities to avail of ECBs of up to $50 million with a minimum maturity of one year against three years now, remove the exposure limit of 20 per cent of FPIs corporate bond portfolio to a single corporate group, companies and related entities, and review 50 per cent of any issue of corporate bonds, abolishing the withholding tax for issuing masala bonds during 2018-19 and removing restrictions on Indian banks, market making in masala bonds, including restrictions on underwriting of masala bonds.

Investors will also keep an eye on the movement of the rupee. The domestic unit on Friday surged by another 34 paise to close at a one-week high of 71.84 against the US dollar on positive macro data and hopes of policy intervention by the government to defend the volatile currency.

On the global front, Asian share markets slipped in the early trade amid reports Washington was about to announce a new round of tariffs on Chinese imports, setting the stage for possible reprisals by Beijing. MSCIs broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dipped 0.26 per cent, snapping three straight sessions of gains.

The Nifty futures on Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) traded 46 points or 0.40 per cent lower at 11,500.50.

The initial public offer (IPO) of Ircon International (Ircon) opens today for subscription. The government plans to divest around 10 per cent in its railway subsidiary.

The issue consists entirely of an offer for sale (OFS) of 9,905,157 shares with 5 per cent shares being reserved for Ircons employees. The retail investors and employees will be offered a discount of Rs 10 per share. As the issue is 100 per cent OFS, the company will not receive any funds raised from the issue.



The price band of the offer has been fixed between Rs 470-475 per share of the face value of Rs 10 each. At the upper end of the price band, the IPO is expected to fetch Rs 470 crore. The number of shares in each lot has been fixed at 30.A week after the Supreme Court banned the sale of as many as 328 combination drugs, including popular painkiller Saridon, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed the sale of Saridon and two other drugs, Piriton Expectorant and Dart. The decision was taken after drug makers filed a petition, saying that these drugs were being manufactured since 1988. The petitioners cited the Supreme Court's earlier relief to 15 manufacturers on the bases of the similar grounds, saying that they should also be exempted from the ban.

The Supreme Court also asked the Ministry of Health to give its opinion on the petitions filed against the order. The order provides a major relief to the companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Piramal, as these drugs are marketed by these companies. The Union Ministry of Health had banned the manufacture, sale or distribution of as many as 328 varieties of combination drugs manufactured in its efforts to keep a check on the irrational use of fixed dose combination (FDC) medicines. The FDC medicines are two or more drugs contained in a single dosage form. They are manufactured to evade price control measures, and are low-cost drugs that can treat multiple diseases.

The SC order has affected over 6,000 medicine brands worth about Rs 25,000 crore across the country. Earlier, a government statement had said that the move would help curb the wrong use of 'unsafe' FDC medicines. The health ministry had taken the decision to ban these drugs after the Drugs Technical Advisor Board suggested these drugs might pose health risks.

Experts believe combination drugs as unsafe because unaware physicians can sometimes prescribe a wrong dosage that can in turn make human body resistant to treatment. India's overall Rs 1.10-lakh crore drug market is saturated with over 25,000 brands. The government had initially brought in a notification to ban 345 combination drugs deemed 'unsafe' in 2010. Pharma companies and the government battled it out in various courts and eventually the Supreme Court directed the government to set up another committee to take a fresh look. Thereafter, the issue was examined by the Drugs Technical Adviser to study its overall impacts, which suggested the government to ban these 328 drugs.With fuel prices skyrocketing, friends of a groom gifted him a slightly unusual but certainly the most precious gift - petrol. The incident happened in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore, where a groom was gifted with 5 litres of petrol. As reported in Tamil television channel, Puthiya Thalaimurai, the young man and his newly-wed wife were greeting guests when the groom's friends trooped in and gave him the unusual gift.

As shown in a video clip telecasted by the TV channel, the man graciously received the gift amid laughter all around.

Petrol price in Tamil Nadu is one of the highest in the country. According to agency reports, the friends said that fuel symbolised a commodity worthy of being given as a gift.

Not only Tamil Nadu, petrol prices have consistently increased over the past few weeks across the country. In fact, it has almost touched Rs 90 in Mumbai. On Monday, petrol went up by 19 paise to Rs 89.48 while diesel was increased 9 paise to Rs 78.33. In Delhi, petrol reached Rs 82.06 per litre, 15 paise up from Sunday, while diesel surged 6 paise to Rs 73.78 per litre. In Chennai and Kolkata, petrol reached Rs 86.37 and Rs 84.20 respectively, while diesel touched Rs 78.99 and Rs 75.90 respectively.

Petrol has already crossed the Rs 90 mark in two districts of Maharashtra.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters, "The prices of petrol and diesel are fast rising and moving towards the century mark. I congratulate the prime minister for inching towards the century and wonder when the diesel price would also touch the mark."

Congress has been attacking the Modi government over rising fuel price. With the support of 21 political parties, the Congress party recently held a Bharat Bandh and held protests over increasing fuel prices.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)The government has decided to deactivate the Director Identification Numbers (DINs) of as many as 21 lakh directors of the total 33 lakh active directors who were asked to furnish their KYC (Know Your Customer) details as part of the government's efforts to crack down on shell companies to stop illicit fund flows. Only 12.16 lakh directors fulfilled the KYC criteria, a Ministry of Corporate Affairs statement said.

A DIN is a unique number that is allotted to those who are directors on the boards of registered companies. Last year, the government had barred over 3 lakh directors from holding directorship over their failures to furnish KYC details.

News agency PTI quoted officials saying those who have failed to comply with the guidelines may face action, and their accounts will be reactivated only after a fee payment of Rs 5,000 along with the requisite form. This means they will not be able to able to sign any compliance document on behalf of their company until they furnish KYC details.

In June, the government had asked company directors, including those who were disqualified too, and designated partners in LLPs (limited liability partnerships) to submit their KYC details by furnishing the DIR-3 KYC e-form. The last date for complying with the new norms by way of submitting form 'DIR-3 KYC' without fee ended on September 15. But only around 12.16 lakh directors completed the KYC process till the last date. The process of deactivating the non-compliant DINs is in progress and is likely to be completed by September 17, 2018," the ministry said in a communication on its website.

While filling in details in the DIR-3 KYC e-form, directors had to mandatorily enter the unique personal mobile number and personal e-mail ID. The directors of Indian origin had been asked to mandatorily furnish their PAN, Aadhaar, permanent residential address, and their passports.

After the deadline of September 15, the MCA 21 system would mark all approved DINs -- allotted on or before March 31 this year -- against which 'DIR-3 KYC' form has not been filed as "de-activated", the ministry said. The MCA 21 is used by all the stakeholders to submit requisite filings to the ministry.

Since the last date to file these KYC details has passed, the form may be filed "in respect of such de-activated DINs only with a fee of Rs 5,000, without prejudice to any other action that may be taken", said the ministry, which is implementing the Companies Act. In 2017, the government had disqualified over three lakh people from holding a directorship at registered companies as they were not carrying out business activities for a long time.After exhorting millions of Indians to use digital modes of payment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it seems, is doing his best to make India a less-cash economy. PM Modi's cash-in-hand dropped by a whopping 67 per cent to Rs 48,944 as of March 31 this year from around Rs 1,50,000 in the previous year.

However, the gross total value of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's financial assets is over Rs 2.28 crore as on March 31, 2018. This includes movable assets worth Rs 1,28,50,498 and the current market value of PM Modi's residential property in Gandhinagar - worth Rs 1 crore.

The Prime Minister had bought a one-fourth part in a 3531.45 sq.ft. residential property for just over Rs 1 lakh in 2002. Its value has remained unchanged in the last one year.

Apart from immovable assets, the latest disclosure shows that the PM has a bank balance worth Rs 11,29,690 in SBI's Gandhinagar NSCH Branch.

PM Modi has also invested Rs 1,07,96,288 in fixed deposits and MOD (Multi Option Deposit Scheme) at the same branch.

Infrastructure bond deposits (tax saving) of Rs 20,000 dated January 25, 2012, are part of PM's declarations. He has also invested Rs 5,18,235 in National Saving Certificate (Post) and a life insurance (LIC) policy of Rs 1,59,281 as on March 31, 2018.

PM Modi doesn't have any car registered in his name. PM's latest declaration states that he doesn't own any motor vehicle, aircraft, yachts or ships.

Also, the Prime Minister hasn't bought any gold jewellery ever since he took over the office. His gold jewellery includes four pieces of gold rings, weighing approximately 45 grams worth Rs 1,38,060 as on March 31, 2018.

The declaration shows that the Prime Minister has not taken any loan from banks.

In contrast, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has cash-in-hand of over Rs 10 lakh. Jaitley's bank balance in savings accounts in Greater Kailash branch of SBI and HDFC Bank as on March 31, 2018 was at Rs 1.58 crore.German carmaker Volkswagen is recalling unspecified number of Polo GT, Vento and Jetta models in India manufactured between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2017.

In a public notice dated September 15, the company said the recall was for making "necessary updates" for Polo GT 1.5 and Vento 1.5 with manual transmission.

While for Jetta 1.4 TSI, it is for replacement of O-rings in carbon canister as per the Conformity of Production (COP) process agreed with ARAI.

Carbon canister is used to absorb fuel vapour to prevent pollution.

Details of the number of units affected by the recall could not be ascertained as an e-mailed query to the company remained unanswered.

On April 1, 2016, the company had issued recall of 3,877 Vento cars with 1.5-litre diesel engine and manual gearbox due to inconsistent Carbon Monoxide (CO) emissions besides halting the sales of the model with immediate effect.

The development came after Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) found carbon monoxide levels to be higher than permissible limits during a test.

In December 2015, the VW group had announced recall of 3.4 lakh vehicles in India across its different brands, including Audi, Volkswagen and Skoda, sold from 2008 till end of November 2015.

A government-ordered probe had found the automakers EA 189 diesel engines were equipped with a defeat device that helped it cheat on emission tests.

The company in 2016 had announced plans to update the engines of the recalled vehicles.The Delhi government has rejected the National Capital Region Transport Corporation's (NCRTC) proposal to build an elevated station at Sarai Kale Khan for the high-speed Delhi-Meerut corridor. The Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) aims to reduce travel time between the two cities to just 55 minutes.

The Delhi government said that the construction of the station would delay the redevelopment project of the existing Sarai Kale Khan inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) by more than two years. According to a report in Hindustan Times, the Sarai Kale Khan station was supposed to be the starting point of the RRTS line from Delhi. However, State Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot returned the file on September 12 saying that the government would approve the station only if it's according to the previous plan in which the station was designed to be underground.

The minister further stated that while changing the station's design, the Delhi government was not kept in loop by the NCRTC. He further stated that at least 11 approvals including DDA, ASI, Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC), fire department, forest department, environment department have been taken to start work on the ISBT project. If the project is delayed, approvals will have to be taken again which will delay the project massively, the minister pointed out.

The Sarai Kale Khan ISBT currently sees a daily average footfall of 57,000 passengers, which was estimated to touch 97,000 after the redevelopment. The multi-modal hub is designed to connect the ISBT with the Delhi-Meerut RRTS line, the Nizamuddin railway station, the Nizamuddin metro station of the Delhi Metro's Pink Line as well as the bus stand.OnePlus is ready to take the next big step in its brand's evolution. After smartphones, the Chinese company is going to take on the SmartTV industry. OnePlus has declared its interest in the segment by launching a new division that will be led by the company chief, Pete Lau. They are also inviting the OnePlus community to help them decide the name of the new TV.

While talking to Business Insider about the new product, OnePlus chief, Pete Lau gives us a few ideas about what to expect from their first TV.

1. The new product will be a SmartTV. Software is one of the biggest plus points of OnePlus devices. The television series is expected to be no different. Company chief, Pete Lau has mentioned that televisions haven't kept up with other technological advancements and that it's still "conventional and cumbersome".

2. Similar to what the company did in the smartphone segment, OnePlus TV might also feature a flagship experience at a fraction of the costs demanded by incumbent manufacturers.

3. The new TV will be big on connectivity. Pete Lau explained how we go through four major experiences each day; home, workplace, commute and being on-the-move. Among these four environments, home has just started using intelligent connectivity. He claimed that AI will pave the way to the future of SmartTVs.

OnePlus is internally calling the new product OnePlus TV but the company is conducting an online competition within its community, spanning across 196 countries. Members of the community have to suggest a name for the new TV. The top 10 finalists will get OnePlus Bullets Wireless which are worth Rs 3,990. The entries will be selected by October 31 and the names will have to be submitted by October 16. The best name will be announced before December 17 and the winner will not only get a ticket to the launch event, but also the first OnePlus TV.

OnePlus will not be the first smartphone manufacturer to venture into TV production. Samsung is already the reigning champion in this segment and another Chinese manufacturer, Xiaomi is trying to build its name in the Indian market. Xiaomi launched a budget TV series as well as its flagship Mi TV 4 with aggressive price tags and their own SmartTV interface called, PatchWall.

Samsung has established itself as a reliable brand in the television industry and Xiaomi has entered the market as a disruptor. OnePlus will have to enter the market with its own USP to make space for itself in the television industry.HealthKit, the global cloud-based healthcare management platform, has today opened its EMEA office in Cork, Ireland.

HealthKit has grown to over 28,000 health practitioners across 75 different professions in 50 countries and is on track to realising 40,000 practitioners by years end.

Its new EMEA office will create 10 new high-level jobs in Cork over the next nine months, with the team expected to double from that point over the next 18 months. The company is currently witnessing growth between 1% and 5% every week, with the Cork office playing an important role in this growth going forward.

HealthKits core software is free to use and its success has been driven by its ability to transform how health practitioners manage patient records and administrative tasks. With HealthKit, practitioners can manage their entire practice, simply and effectively in the cloud, improving efficiency and access to vital patient information, and ultimately realising improved patient outcomes.

The past year has seen HealthKit grow to accept over 5,000,000 appointments through its platform globally. This is expected to double over the next two years, with the Cork office enabling much of this increase.

This success has seen practitioners adopt and rely upon HealthKit across all continents, from countries including Ireland, the UK, France, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, South Africa, and the US.

Commenting at the launch of their EMEA office, CEO and co-founder, Alison Hardacre, said: After two years of preparation, we are delighted to launch our first overseas office in Ireland. Corks growing reputation as a health and tech hub, the support from organisations such as the IDA and Cork Chamber of Commerce, the high quality of educated talent, and proximity to international transport links means it is the most attractive choice.

Todays gigabit broadband network announcement further strengthens the citys world-leading community infrastructure and reaffirms our decision to build our EMEA expansion from Cork.

HealthKit is currently investing in its support and market expansion team in Cork, with the technical development team to come online in the next six to 12 months. These globally-focused roles will spearhead HealthKits growth, not only in Ireland, but the EMEA region as a whole, and reiterate Cork as an emerging destination for world-leading technology companies.

Welcoming HealthKit to Cork, CEO of Cork Chamber Conor Healy said: I am delighted that HealthKit has benefitted from our diverse resources and strong talent pool, and this launch is a testament to the opportunities for global growth available in Cork and the surrounding area.

Source: www.businessworld.ieA scandal involving a Chinese college professor providing thesis ghostwriting services has unveiled a lucrative market for academic paper fraud.

In an audio recording recently exposed by Chinese media, an associate biology professor named Han Chunyu discussed brokering thesis ghostwriting services for students, charging 7,000 yuan ($1,019) for a doctoral thesis, and 4,000  5,000 yuan for a masters paper. Han is affiliated with Hebei University of Science and Technology (HEBUST) in the northern city of Shijiazhuang.

In the recording, Han also offered money in exchange for having his wifes name added to a paper as a co-author.

This was not the first time Han, once seen as Chinas next Nobel Prize winner, appeared in news headlines.

The 42-year old biologist became a celebrity in Chinese academia after publishing a paper in the scientific journal Nature Biotechnology in May 2016 claiming the discovery of a new protein that can be used for genome editing. The finding was hailed as a major breakthrough in genome studies because it offered an alternative to a widely adopted gene editing technique and promised to improve prospects for curing cancer and even reversing the aging process.

But scientists around the world later raised questions after they were unable to replicate the papers results. Last year, Hans team bowed to mounting pressure and retracted the paper.

Hans position at his university doesnt seem to have been much affected by the incident. In an investigation posted on HEBUSTs website in August, the school said it found no subjective fraud by Hans team.

But the scandal not only raised further doubts about Hans personal academic integrity but also revealed a broader gray industry for academic fraud.

China had an underground academic paper-trading market of as much as 1 billion yuan 2009, according to Shen Yang, an associate professor of publishing science at Wuhan University School of Information Management.

Academic paper trading and ghostwriting have since become even more rampant as more Chinese university graduates go on to graduate school to gain an edge in the countrys competitive job market.

The direct consequence of such practices has been a series of retractions of Chinese papers by prestigious scientific journals.

In April 2017, the Berlin-based academic publisher Springer Nature retracted more than 100 Chinese-authored cancer-related papers published in Tumor Biology between 2012 and 2016 because authors had supplied the journals editors with made-up contact information of third-party reviewers.

Most of the 524 authors of the retracted works are from top medical institutions in China, according to author biographies.

British publisher BioMed Central, which publishes more than 200 academic journal titles, retracted 43 papers, including 41 from China, in March 2015 after discovering fake peer reviews.

Many of the fake third-party reviews were provided by ghostwriters working for otherwise legitimate editing, polishing and reviewing services.

With Chinas academic reputation at stake, the central government has issued a series of guidelines to ban ghostwriting, plagiarism and data fabrication.

Earlier this month, China's Ministry of Education required universities to work harder to end academic misconduct on bachelor's theses.

But without a real punishment system in place, such bans have had little effect so far. On some popular Chinese social media platforms, there are still a large number of thesis ghostwriting requests and service offerings.As this year marks the 40th anniversary of Chinas economic reform, policymakers and academics have been busy at conferences assessing the countrys reform path.

A number of high-profile events have made headlines this month, bringing together top policymaking minds and business elites from China and abroad to discuss economic and trade topics of major concern. The most-watched gatherings include the China Development Forum over the weekend, which was organized by the State Councils Development Research Center  the countrys top think tank  and the newly created China-U.S. Financial Roundtable, chaired by former Chinese central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan and former Goldman Sachs President John Thornton.

But a lesser-known academic event in Beijing during the weekend has caught attention with candid and critical comments from most respected economists and officials, including Vice Premier Liu He, a key architect of Chinas current economic policy.

A conference of the Chinese Economists 50 Forum, an independent think tank initiated by some of Chinas most prominent economists, including Liu, took place on Sunday and Monday in Beijing to commemorate Chinas 40 years of economic reform, as well as the forums own 20th anniversary.

Having the theme The New Mission in a New Era of Reform and Opening-Up, the conference sparked heated discussions and exchanges of advice on reform. Below is a selection of some of the highlights.

Yang Weimin, deputy director of the Subcommittee of Economy of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference

Public doubts about reform have grown recently. Reform is a profound revolution for any society. Since it is a revolution, it will definitely not be smooth sailing. The new era doesnt just require reform, it requires accelerated reform. And this doesnt mean small reforms, but rather comprehensive deepening. This must not be empty reform  it must tackle the toughest problems. These must not be imaginary problems  there must be tangible results.

What were currently seeing  low productivity and even a recent period of decline  is fundamentally caused by the fact that a large amount of resource allocation is still being decided by the government. Therefore, we must correctly tackle the relationship between socialisms tendency to concentrate power in order to manage major undertakings, and the markets ability to determine resource allocation. We should reduce the concentration of power slightly, significantly cutting the amount of direct government intervention and direct allocation when it comes to resources.

In the future, we should reduce the focus on ownership and instead strengthen the rights that are attached to ownership. If we are always fighting over ownership issues, it will be difficult ideological restrictions like private and public ownership, and it will be difficult for reform to achieve substantive breakthroughs.

In the long run, China should play down and eventually eliminate its system of classifying ownership into state-owned enterprises, private enterprises and foreign-owned ones. The 19th Party Congress called for all enterprises registered in China to be treated equally by laws and policies.

Lou Jiwei, former finance minister

Lou focused on the structural reform on the supply side during his presentation. I understand that the central government has used the term structural reform on the supply side to remind people of paying attention to the supply side and not to worry about the stimulus policies on the demand side, he said.

Lou said the focus of the labor force is to promote the free flow of labor, but recently, some places have moved in the opposite direction by ridding themselves of lower-skilled laborers to attract high-end talent. This is an important factor behind rising labor costs.

Wiping out lower-skilled laborers will significantly increase labor costs, he said. This will inconvenience peoples livelihoods and the operations of high-end businesses, fueling potential immigration and relocation to other places.

On financial governance, Lou said that when reducing leverage and risk, serious consideration needs to be given to capital market needs and what kind of business models to develop to better serve the real economy.

Wu Jinglian, researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council

Wu said that the past 40 years of reform show the importance of adhering to market liberalization and legal reforms. In the past 40 years, China has seen improved quality and speed of national economic growth and the peoples welfare. If such reforms are not carried out smoothly, Chinas modern socialist system will encounter setbacks, and progress will be slowed in all fields, he said. Wu said failure to put economic reforms in place will impact economic growth and transformation.

Economic growth is driven by a lot of investments, which have resulted in excessive leverage and systemic risks. Under such circumstances, macroeconomic policies are difficult to implement. If you want to reduce the leverage, it will decrease the economic growth rate, and if you want to maintain a certain level of growth, then it will push up the leverage. This will increase the explosion of systematic risks, Wu said.

Lin Yifu, dean emeritus of the Peking University Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences

Chinese economists must widen their scope. We must not only care about Chinas internal affairs, but also about the rest of the world. Whether Chinas rise and national rejuvenation will be accepted by the world depends to a large extent on whether Chinas development will create opportunities for other countries. In this respect, we must not only act but also speak, Lin said.

For example, the U.S. and China are engaged in a trade war even though we know that trade between us is a win-win situation. In such a situation, how can we help the U.S. public, as well as their academics and theorists, understand Chinas development and the fact that the promotion of Sino-American trade will improve the living standards of ordinary people? Chinas development and rise can provide greater profit margins for U.S. companies. This is a mutually beneficial situation.

Sheng Hong, director, Unirule Institute of Economics

Sheng Hong said that general fiscal revenue grew at a faster rate than gross domestic product in the first half of this year, and the proportion is increasing. Land revenue was much higher in 2017 than in previous years.

Many people have clearly pointed out that the recent so-called tax reform has in fact increased the macro tax burden by reducing personal income tax and transferring labor insurance and funds from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security Ministry to the State Administration of Taxation. This will bring two changes. First, the proportion of labor insurance collected is no longer calculated based on basic salary, but based on total salary, which actually has increased. Secondly, the nature of the State Administration of Taxation is fundamentally different from the Human Resources Ministry. It must be mandatory, actually increasing the insurance payment ratio in many places, and increasing the macro tax burden.

Wu Xiaoling, chairwoman and dean of Tsinghua University PBC School of Finance, and former deputy governor of the Peoples Bank of China

The new mission of the reform is to incorporate the country into a legal system so that the rights granted to the people by the Constitution can be fully protected, and the government elected by the people can be legally authorized under the law. The country can also avoid social instability by adjusting the interests of all parties through legal measures, Wu said.

Only through a back-and-forth between the legislative body and judicial body of the country can we build up the foundation for social stability. Only by comprehensively following the rule of law can we prevent corruption effectively, and avoid falling into the vicious cycle of whats known as Huang Zongxi Law. Huang was a 17th-century philosopher and political scientist who studied the history of tax reform. He made the observation that tax reform often has unintended consequences of increasing the tax burden even though the state reduces taxes.

Li Yang, chairman of the National Institution for Finance & Development, and former vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

There has been a public debate on the phenomenon of the state advances, but the private sector retreats recently. Id rather say it was a self-help measure amid mounting pressure of cooling economic growth, Li said. The drawback of such measure is obvious, as state-owned enterprises have less corporate efficiency than private enterprises. Although SOEs (state-owned enterprises) have been generating sound revenues currently, we should be aware that their performance is under the protection of policymakers.

In fact, we are standing on the turning point of SOE reforms, and we have the road map in hand already. The first step is to inject capital and introduce favorable policies into SOEs while meanwhile relaxing the control on the management side. The second step is to carry out mixed ownership reform of the SOEs. These two measures both showcase the right direction of reviving the running of state-owned firms, but unfortunately they havent been implemented properly so far.

Ma Jiantang, party secretary and vice minister of the Development Research Center of the State Council

An article written by Wu Xiaoping triggered a lot of discussion in the past several days. (The controversy) is on one hand due to the rather confusing logic of his opinions carried by the piece. On the other hand, it is sparked by concerns over the state of private enterprises, and,  to put it in a more serious way, by the discontent about some economic policies. There is a lack of confidence (in the policies). People may be concerned about whether competition is fair, law enforcement is impartial, and property rights can be faithfully protected. Some complain that their tax burden is yet to be clearly reduced, and their access to loans is still very restricted. But the deeper cause (of the controversy) is how the private economy should be regarded.

Editors note: Ma was referring to an article that went viral online on Wednesday suggesting that the private sector should gradually withdraw from the Chinese economy now that it has completed its mission of assisting in the development of the public sector, an apparent mockery of government policies favoring state companies. The article was written by Wu Xiaoping, a private business owner who used to be a senior manager at investment bank China International Capital Corp.

Song Xiaowu, consultant and former head of the China Society of Economic Reform

Song said the most important thing for China right now is how to evaluate the current labor market.

I want to raise a statistic. Among the 420 million workers in the labor market, in urban areas about 280 million are migrant workers. That is to say, migrant workers represent nearly 70% of the workers in urban areas, 67.5% to be precise. In this kind of an employment market, the labor market is very skewed. When examining any countrys process of industrialization, none has exhibited this kind of double-track system of overall employment. In the end, the development of our labor market is a question that needs to be well-researched.

Bai Chongen, dean of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management

Bai said some companies have received all kinds of assistance during their development process, and this can help them overcome institutional obstacles.

We call this a kind of preferential model. In a situation where the system is still moving toward inclusiveness, where the business environment is not perfect, local governments provide special assistance and protection for certain enterprises so that these enterprises can overcome obstacles to development created by the bad business environment.

While the system is still not perfectly inclusive, the preferential model still has its role, but the preferential model will not work in the long run. As the economy develops, the possibility of preferential treatment creating positive effects gets smaller and smaller. We must do our best to improve the inclusiveness of the overall system. But an important question is: What incentives should we provide in order to improve the inclusiveness of the system? At the same time, before we reach perfect inclusiveness, should we still tolerate some sub-optimal arrangements?

Contact reporter Yang Ge (geyang@caixin.com)Each year on Sept. 17, Americans celebrate Constitution Day as a way to recognize the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. Why September 17? On this day in 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia.

At GPS, students and faculty celebrated during IMPACT period, gathering in Frierson Theatre for a lesson about the U.S. Constitution and government.

Kicking off the program, reenacting Cabinet Battle #1 from Hamilton: An American Musical, were Dr. Steve Harrison as Alexander Hamilton, Mrs. Callie Hamilton as Thomas Jefferson, Mrs. Debbie Glasscock as James Madison, and Ms. Mary Baxter as President George Washington.

Afterward, Harrison and Hamilton debriefed the scene with a discussion of positive and negative liberty and implied versus expressed powers followed by a Schoolhouse Rock video: The Preamble.

Senior Larkin Brown provided some lighthearted moments with a short joke-filled intermission. Was General Washington handsome? Yes. Georgeous!

Sophomores Addie Youmans and Isabel Milan, members of Junior State of America club, then hosted a hot battle between two talented teams of classmates (creatively dubbed Team One and Team Two) to see who could outwit the other with their knowledge of American government and its Constitution, Bill of Rights, Amendments, and more.

After a close contest, with the score mostly tied throughout, finally Team Two edged out Team One with a score of 22 versus 19.

The assembly concluded with a second Schoolhouse Rock video, I'm Just a Bill.September 17, 2018  Ottawa, ON

From September 17 to 21, 2018, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), led by its new president, Rumina Velshi, will participate as part of the Canadian delegation to the 62nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria.

Participation in the General Conference contributes to the CNSCs mandate to implement Canadas international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

During the General Conference, the CNSC will attend bilateral meetings with representatives from a number of national nuclear regulators in order to share information and best practices to further enhance nuclear safety and security in Canada and abroad. Key topics for these discussions include the regulation of small modular reactors, nuclear waste and medical isotopes, further enhancing regulatory cooperation, emergency preparedness and response, safeguards and security, and non-proliferation.

Ms. Velshi, along with Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer Ramzi Jammal, and staff will also participate in several side events, including the 43rd International Nuclear Regulators Association Meeting, the Senior Regulators Meeting, and the IAEA Scientific Forum Programme 2018 on Nuclear Technology for Climate: Mitigation, Monitoring and Adaptation.

comment, editorial

You can't blame NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, for wanting to shut down Defqon.1, the Penrith music festival that attracted more than 30,000 fans from around the country, after the tragic, and potentially avoidable, deaths of two people on Saturday night. Medical services were stretched to the limit. An estimated 700 partygoers sought assistance at the first aid-centre and NSW ambulance officers had to deal with three people, two of whom died, going into cardiac arrest almost simultaneously. Saturday's grim tally brought the number of deaths at Defqon.1 to four in just five years. "I feel so sorry for the parents of the people who have died," Tony Wood, an anti-drugs campaigner who lost her 15-year-old daughter, Anna, to ecstasy at a Sydney dance party in 1995, said. "Grief is a constant thing. It never goes away." So, in this context, Ms Berjiklian's impulse to shut down the event in the name of public safety is likely to win widespread support. But does that make it the right thing to do? Prohibition, criminalisation and "black letter" law enforcement have a poor track record on preventing drug abuse and drug deaths. If this, and all similar events, were banned it is probable unauthorised, unregistered, and unpoliced parties would start popping up all across the country. They would, by definition, be far less safe on many levels than legal events which have to comply with copious amounts of red tape. A far more sensible approach, and one which Ms Berejiklian appears to have rejected out of hand, would be to go down the harm minimisation route through allowing drug testing. Her claim that: "...anyone who advocates pill testing is giving the green light to drugs..." is demonstrably wrong if the lessons learned from Australia's first pill testing trial at Canberra's "Groovin the Moo" in April are anything to go by. While about half of the pills tested were found to be duds concocted from substances such as lactose, paint, toothpaste and condensed milk, the other half did contain MDMA. Two of the tablets were potentially deadly with one containing a substance linked to a mass hospitalisation in New Zealand in March and the other containing a substance linked to three deaths in Melbourne last year. None of the 128 people who had drugs tested was among those who later required medical treatment. This is the clearest Australian proof to date that putting medical professionals in contact with individuals about to use drugs can change minds and save lives. It is not about giving a drug the stamp of legitimacy; it is about creating an opportunity for a crucial conversation on risk at the right place and the right time. "Many of the patrons initially thought a product that contained MDMA of high purity was a success," STA-Safe consortium member and Canberra emergency physician, Dr David Caldicott, said after Groovin the Moo. "We were able to disabuse them of that... the purer an MDMA product is, the more likely you are to overdose on it." This is the sort of message festival goers need to hear when they have a potentially lethal pill in their hand and a life-changing decision to make. Why deny it to them, when the tough on drugs approach has found to be an abject failure?

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/27a98c2a-b065-414c-8489-6c4750e0742e/r0_46_900_554_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgnews, latest-news

Tough new laws designed to make dog owners more accountable for attacks will be introduced to the ACT Legislative Assembly by the ACT Opposition this week. The Canberra Liberals' push for tighter laws comes as Domestic Animal Services figures show that 218 dog attacks were reported in the ACT between January and late May this year, with humans the victims in 94 of those cases. Dog attacks are a growing problem in the ACT, with 389 reported in 2016-17, up from just 85 in 2012-13. Deputy Opposition leader Nicole Lawder, who will table the proposed laws on Wednesday, said the proposed legislation aimed to protect pet owners and domestic animals, which often struggled to survive an attack. The Liberals believe the current laws are not strong enough, and that there are probably more attacks that go unreported. "I have heard from many victims and witnesses to dog attacks who are concerned at how little is done after a dog attack," Ms Lawder said. "I have seen grief turn to anger when they learn that attacking dogs are let back into the community and their owners are let off the hook. "It's not fair. We need better laws to protect our furry friends and Canberrans." Ms Lawder said she would table an exposure draft of the Domestic Animals (Dangerous Dogs) Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 on Wednesday. She said the draft bill would be the first in a series of proposed new animal welfare laws creating clear and simple steps to make dog owners accountable after an attack. The proposed laws require a registrar to investigate complaints of dog attacks where a person or domestic animal is killed or seriously injured. During the course of the investigation, which must be documented, the offending dog would have to be impounded. The draft bill also stipulates that complainants, dog owners and the minister must be told of the outcome of the investigation within two weeks of it being completed. If the offending dog is not destroyed, the registrar would be required to issue a control order and declare the animal dangerous. Ms Lawder, the Canberra Liberals' urban services spokeswoman, said her dog Kenny had been part of her family for 11 years. She said while most Canberrans shared her love of dogs, not all owners were responsible and not all dogs were safe. "It is clear to me that dog attacks are both an animal welfare and public safety issue," Ms Lawder said. Once the draft legislation is tabled on Wednesday, submissions will be open via the ACT Legislation Register until October 12. The Canberra Liberals are seeking feedback at www.haveyoursay.net.au/dogattacks.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/73cf9f3c-0502-416d-b87b-5b6ee8685077/r0_291_3340_2178_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgnews, latest-news

One person has been taken to hospital in a critical condition after a car crashed into a tree near a Tuggeranong Parkway off-ramp. An Emergency Services Agency spokeswoman said paramedics had taken a male patient to Canberra Hospital after being called to the crash at 11.09am on Monday. A photo from the scene, at the Tuggeranong Parkway southbound off-ramp onto Hindmarsh Drive, shows a damaged white car on its side. An ACT Policing spokesman said the car had hit a tree. He said there were diversions in place; the off-ramp was closed while emergency services worked at the scene.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/08a8d292-9362-4aa3-8d6b-6e636195e406/r0_947_4032_3225_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgOur Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the State of Telangana and the State Of Andhra Pradesh has released a recruitment notification for the post of Civil Judge. The notification was issued for 26 vacancies in the cadre of Civil Judges (21 under direct recruitment and 5 under recruitment by transfer).

The selection of the candidates will be based on a written examination and viva-voce. The selected candidates can earn up to INR 44,770 per month. Eligible candidates who meet all the prerequisites set by the organisation can apply before November 03, 2018.

Hyderabad High Court Recruitment Vacancy Details

OC: 08 vacancies

BC -A: 02 vacancies

BC -B: 03 vacancies

BC -D: 01 vacancy

BC -E: 01 vacancy

SC: 03 vacancies

ST: 03 vacancies

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Civil Judge Organisation High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad Educational Qualification Bachelors degree in law from a recognised university and practising for not less than three years as an advocate. Job Responsibilities Participating in the both civil and criminal proceedings Job Location Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Salary Scale INR 44,770 per month Industry Judiciary Application Start Date October 4, 2018 Application End Date November 3, 2018

How To Apply

Step 1 Candidates should visit the official website of High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad - http://hc.tap.nic.in/ Step 2 Click on the notification for recruitment of 26 posts of the civil judge for the year 2018. Step 3 Go through the detailed notification meticulously. Step 4 The online applications will be available on the official website of the High Court "hc.tap.nic.in" from October 4, 2018 to November 3, 2018. Step 5 Candidates can access the ''Mock Test (Computer Based Test) in connection with Civil Judges Recruitment'' located on the home page. Step 6 Fill the Login details to access the mock test.

Age Limit

The upper age limit for the candidates is 35 years as on September 1, 2018. The age relaxation is provided to SC, ST and OBC candidates.

Click here for the official announcement.

Application Fee

Candidates have to pay INR 500 as the application fee. However, candidates belonging to SC or ST candidates have to pay INR 250 as application fee.

Telangana Govt Jobs: Apply Online For 9355 Junior Panchayat Secretary VacanciesIndo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) has released an employment notification calling out aspirants to apply for the post of doctors. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here.

The engagement of employees will be on a contract period of three years. Prospective candidates will be medically examined. You have the scope to earn up to INR 85000 per month through this opportunity. The selection process is through a walk-in interview that will be on Oct 29, 2018.

CAPF BSF Recruitment 2018 For 36 Junior Engineers

ITBP Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Specialist and General Duty Medical Officer Organisation Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) Educational Qualification Recognised medical qualification Experience 1.5 years for Specialist and internship completion for GDMO Skills Required Clinical judgement Job Location India Salary Scale INR 85000 for Specialist and INR 75000 for General Duty Medical Officer Industry Medicine Application Start Date October 29, 2018 Application End Date October 29, 2018

Maximum Age Limit: 67 years

Also Read: Indian Navy Recruitment 2018 For 37 SSC Officers

How To Apply For ITBP Recruitment 2018

In order to apply for ITBP Recruitment 2018, follow these steps:

Step 1 Log on to the ITBP official website. Step 2 Scroll down to find the Recruitment section. Step 3 Click on the link that reads, WALK-IN-INTERVIEW FOR GDMOs & SPECIALIST DOCTORS FOR ITBPF (WALK-IN-INTERVIEW ON 29-10-2018). Step 4 The detailed notification will open on a new screen. Read the details carefully. Step 5 Scroll down to find the various venue for the walk-in interview and note the one where you want to attend.

Step 6: Attend the walk-in interview along with your application and other supporting documents.

Follow the link - http://itbpolice.nic.in/itbpwebsite/news/4051-53.pdf to read the detailed official notification.Telangana State Public Service Commission is likely to release the answer keys for the TSPSC VRO 2018 Exam. There is no official notification in this regard and the exact date of the Telangana Village Revenue Officer Answer Keys release is not yet out. However, anticipating the release soon, here is what you need to know.

Some websites have released fake news claiming that TSPSC VRO have been released. Note that there are impostors containing unofficial answer keys that are not authentic. Stay updated with CareerIndia for official announcements.

TSLPRB Announces Telangana Police Recruitment Results 2018

Where To Find The TSPSC VRO Answer Key 2018

TSPSC VRO Answer Key 2018 will be available on the Telangana civil services official website https://tspsc.gov.in/TSPSCWEB0508/.

How To Check The TSPSC VRO Answer Key 2018

In order to check the TSPSC VRO Answer Key 2018, follow the steps given here:

Step 1: Log on to the TSPSC official website.

Step 2: Spot the CANDIDATE SERVICES section on the right-hand side of the page.

Step 3: Select Results.

Step 4: The list of recent notifications will be displayed on the screen. Click on the link for TSPSC VRO Answer keys once it is out.

Step 5: The answer keys will be displayed on the screen. Save it to your computer and take a printout of it for future reference.

Candidates are advised to keep following that link in order to check out the answer keys as soon as they are out.

When Was TSPSC VRO Exam 2018 Held

The exam was held on Sunday (Sep 16, 2018).

About TSPSC

Earlier, the Hyderabad Public Service Commission was formed. But after the partition of Telangana, the TSPSC was started in 2014. TSPSC is the body under which government recruitments take place for the state.The cleanup from Typhoon Mangkhut began in Hong Kong and southern China on Monday after the storm left at least four dead in Guangdong province, damaged buildings and disrupted flights throughout the region.

Mangkhut, the worlds most powerful storm this year, was blamed for more than 200 million yuan ($29.1 million) of damage in the southern province of Guangdong, state broadcaster China Central Television reported. The storm killed dozens when it earlier hit the Philippines.

The weakened remnants of Mangkhut were forecast to move across the inland area of southern China, and all storm warning signals will be canceled shortly, the Hong Kong Observatory said at 6:45 p.m. Macaus casinos reopened after a 33-hour shutdown thats estimated to cost operators as much as $186 million in revenue. Flights in and out of the region are gradually resuming.

Mangkhut brought considerable damages to Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Observatory said in an advisory on Monday. There may still be risks in the surroundings.

Mangkhut had shut Hong Kong all day Sunday after the Observatory gave the storm its highest warning signal. Hong Kong escaped the brunt although media reports showed images of apartment building windows being blown out, trees toppling, scaffolds collapsing and a crane falling off a building at a construction site. Storm surges raised sea levels as much as four meters higher than usual in Victoria Harbour, according to the Observatory.

Schools in Hong Kong will be closed for a second day on Tuesday, while some of the citys bus and railway services remain suspended. The government aims to complete its clean up of major roads by 5 a.m. local time on Tuesday, said the citys commissioner for transport during a briefing on Monday. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam urged companies to show understanding and adopt a flexible approach to staff who have difficulties getting back to work. Hong Kong Disneyland and Hong Kong Ocean Park were shut for clean-up.

Hong Kong Airport is trying to get business back to normal. More than 1,400 flights had been canceled across the region, according to Flight Aware. Cathay Pacific Airways said it expects a gradual return to scheduled operations, but there will be continued delays and some cancellations.

In an unwelcome, and potentially costly first for Macau, the gaming regulator had issued an order on Saturday forcing casinos to close their doors.

This robs the month of one important weekend day, Grant Govertsen, an analyst at Union Gaming Securities Asia Ltd., said in a note.

While the casinos were able to reopen this morning, it will take a while to get transportation back to normal given the disruption to flight and ferry services.

Septembers revenue growth rate could be affected by as much as seven percentage points, almost cutting in half Union Gamings previous forecast of a 15 percent increase, Govertsen said. It also may cut third-quarter revenue growth by two points, to 12 percent.

In China, more than 2.45 million people were relocated and more than 48,000 fishing boats returned to ports in Guangdong province as of 5 p.m. Sunday, when Mangkhut made landfall.

The Philippines was worst hit, particularly the mainly agricultural north-west as the death toll topped 50 with 49 people still missing. The government put losses to the nations agriculture sector at 4.99 billion pesos ($92 million), almost all of it rice, and 175,301 hectares of farm land.

Francis Tolentino, a senior adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte, estimated 5.7 million people were affected by the storm.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.Volksfest 2018, the annual festival bonanza from Volkswagen began on 15 September and will GO on till the end of October. During this ongoing festival, the customers have an opportunity to avail an exciting range of benefits across all its 121 dealerships in 104 cities in India. In an effort to make it all the more interesting, the company is also celebrating 90 years of Mickey Mouses magic through the Happy Days Are Here Again campaign. This year marks 90 years since Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in Steamboat Willie, which was first released on 18 November 1928.

During the campaign period, Volkswagen dealerships will host activities that include - Mickey photo-op corner, colouring activity for kids, and assured co-branded giveaways on test drives, bookings and after-sales services. Additionally, the Volksfest 2018 also allows existing and prospective customers to avail attractive finance, insurance and exchange bonus along with assured gifts on test drives, bookings and after-sales services.

Speaking on the occasion, Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, With the diverse cultures prevailing in India, every day is a celebration, taking it a notch higher each time. This year has been an extra special as we associate with Disney India to celebrate Mickey Mouse, a timeless character who represents fun and adventure. With the Volksfests Happy Days Are Here Again campaign, Volkswagen would like to give its existing and prospective customers another reason to rejoice and be part of this family.

Speaking on the occasion of the Mickey Mouses 90th anniversary, Devika Prabhu, Executive Director - Content and Communications, Media Networks - Disney India said, For 90 years, Mickey Mouse has brought laughter, optimism and hope to fans around the world. This year, globally we are celebrating the magic of our beloved icon. We are thrilled that the collaboration with Volkswagen will give kids and families an opportunity to experience the spirit of their favourite Disney character in a fun manner.

VolkswagenPhoto: The Canadian Press Manila police distribute rice porridge to residents living along the coastal community of Baseco as they evacuate during the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut which barreled into northeastern Philippines before dawn Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Typhoon Mangkhut barrelled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the northern Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left at least 64 people dead and dozens more feared buried in a landslide.

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern China's Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the massive typhoon and nearly 50,000 fishing boats were called back to port, state media reported.

The gambling enclave of Macau closed casinos for the first time and the Hong Kong Observatory warned people to stay away from the Victoria Harbour landmark, where storm surges battered the sandbag-reinforced waterfront.

Hong Kong's RTHK broadcaster cited experts as saying Mangkhut was expected to be the strongest typhoon to hit the city in decades. The Hong Kong Observatory issued its strongest storm warning for 10 hours on Sunday, just slightly shorter than the record time of 11 hours set by Typhoon York in 1999, the South China Morning Post reported.

The storm made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 p.m., packing wind speeds of 162 kilometres (100 miles) per hour. State television broadcaster CGTN reported that surging waves flooded a seaside hotel in the city of Shenzhen.

Groceries flew off the shelves of supermarkets in the provincial capital of Guangzhou as residents stocked up in anticipation of being confined at home by the typhoon, China's official Xinhua News Agency said.

Authorities in southern China issued a red alert, the most severe warning, as the national meteorological centre said the densely populated region would face a "severe test caused by wind and rain" and urged officials to prepare for possible disasters.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled. All high-speed and some normal rail services in Guangdong and Hainan provinces were also halted, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Co. said.

In Hong Kong, a video posted online by residents showed the top corner of an old building break and fall off, while in another video, a tall building swayed as strong winds blew.

The storm also broke windows, felled trees, tore bamboo scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded areas with sometimes waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

The paper said the heavy rains brought storm surges of 3 metres (10 feet) around Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents to prepare for the worst.

"Because Mangkhut will bring winds and rains of extraordinary speeds, scope and severity, our preparation and response efforts will be greater than in the past," Lee said. "Each department must have a sense of crisis, make a comprehensive assessment and plan, and prepare for the worst."

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific said all of its flights would be cancelled between 2:30 a.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday. The city of Shenzhen also cancelled all flights between Sunday and early Monday morning. Hainan Airlines cancelled 234 flights in the cities of Haikou, Sanya, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai scheduled over the weekend.

In Macau, next door to Hong Kong, casinos were ordered to close from 11 p.m. Saturday, the first time such action was taken in the city, the South China Morning Post reported. Macau suffered catastrophic flooding during Typhoon Hato last year, leading to accusations of corruption and incompetence at its meteorological office.

In Macau's inner harbour district, the water level reached 1.5 metres (5 feet) on Sunday and was expected to rise further. The district was one of the most affected by floods from Typhoon Hato, which left 10 people dead.

In the northern Philippines, Mangkhut made landfall Saturday on the northeastern tip of Luzon island with sustained winds of 205 kilometres (127 miles) per hour and gusts of 255 kph (158 mph).

Dozens of people, mostly small-scale miners and their families, were feared to have been trapped by a landslide in the far-flung village of Ucab in Itogon town in the northern Philippines' Benguet province, Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said by phone on Sunday.

Palangdan said three villagers who nearly got buried by the huge pile of mud and rocks told authorities they saw residents rush into an old three-story building, a former mining bunkhouse that has been transformed into a chapel, at the height of the typhoon's onslaught Saturday afternoon.

"That was not an authorized evacuation centre," Palangdan said, but expressed sadness that the villagers, many of them poor miners, had few options to survive in a region where big corporations have profited immensely from gold mines.

Police Superintendent Pelita Tacio said 34 villagers had died and 36 remained missing in the landslides in Ucab and another village in Itogon town. Rescuers were scrambling to pull out the body of a victim from the mound of mud and rocks in Ucab before Tacio left the area Sunday.

"It's very sad. I could hear villagers wailing in their homes near the site of the accident," Tacio said by phone.

Rescuers were hampered by rain and mud, and the search and rescue operation was suspended at nightfall and will resume at daybreak Monday, Palangdan said. Police and their vehicles could not immediately reach the landside-hit area because the ground was unstable and soaked from the heavy rains, regional police chief Rolando Nana told the ABS-CBN TV network.

Overall, at least 64 people have died in typhoon incidents in the northern Philippines, mostly from landslides and collapsed houses, according to the national police. Forty-five other people were missing and 33 were injured in the storm.

The hardest-hit province was Benguet, where 38 people died, mostly in two landslides, and 37 are missing, the police said.Photo: Contributed

Canadian investors who head south of the border could be in for a new headache very soon.

Most investors realize that purchasing stocks in the cannabis sector is high risk and that they stand an equal chance of losing what they put in as they do in making money.

But how many are aware of the second risk of investing in this industry?

As Canada is set to legalize recreational use of cannabis on Oct. 17, a senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official is warning that the U.S. does not plan to change its border policies.

Todd Owen, executive assistant commissioner for the office of field operations, warned that

Facilitating the proliferation of the legal marijuana industry in U.S. states where it is deemed legal or Canada may affect an individuals admissibility to the U.S."

Mike Niezgoda, a spokesman for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service issued similar warnings as well, stating that anyone using or investing in the sector could be barred entry to the U.S., maybe even for life.

Owning even one single share of a companys stock makes you technically an owner of that company. In the eyes of the U.S. federal law, that could see you branded as the owner of a company that sells illegal narcotics and therefore can't cross their borders.

There has been much excitement for many Canadians with cannabis related stocks and many investors have bought in hoping to make a quick buck.

Results have varied for sure in this highly risky and volatile sector  if youre timing has been good, you may have done very well and if you didnt time things right you could have easily lost a lot of money as well.

Purchasing Canopy Growth stock on Jan. 1 of this year would have you roughly doubling your money as of Fridays close. But holding Aurora Cannabis stock over that same period would have netted a minus 35 per cent return.

But regardless of your investment track record, owning any of these stocks could cause you big travel issues.

It is unlikely the average customs agent is going to ask what you hold in your portfolio these days, but these border guards have very broad powers to question Canadians and you never know

if the agent you get is simply having a bad day or doesnt like you for some reason.

Many investors who havent directly purchased cannabis company stock may also be caught up by owning a mutual fund or other pooled investment that has cannabis companies as part of their underlying holdings.

Most portfolio managers are avoiding these investments due to the risks involved but a few outliers are holding some exposure.

The odds of the average investor being caught up is likely not too high at this point, but the lack of clarity on how these laws will be enforced is troubling and the pointed warnings from the above-mentioned officials adds to the concern.

Take this as a warning if you are one of the 400,000 people who cross between the Canada and U.S. borders each day  border agent questioning could lead down the path of cannabis use or investments and if discovered, your entry could be denied.Commander, captain and acquaintance with mobilizeAnd Joel Carly He is one of the advocates of the great campaign of Botafogo...Irans cement exports up 32%

ICR Newsroom By 17 September 2018

Irans cement exports expanded by 32 per cent during the first four months of the current fiscal year (20 March-22 July 2018), according to the countrys Customs Administration.



The country exported cement to the value of US$107m, representing a 32 per cent YoY rise, and a volume of 2.7Mt, up 24 per cent YoY. In addition, 2.2Mt of clinker was exported with a value of US$60m.



Destinations included Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Cement and clinker exports to Oman and Kuwait saw significant growth.



Irans cement production reached 13.36Mt in the first quarter of the fiscal year (20 March-20 June 2018), down 5.7 per cent YoY, according to data from the Iranian Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade.



In the last financial year, ended 20 March 2018, domestic cement production reached 55.19Mt, remaining stable when compared with the previous fiscal year. Of this total, over 49Mt was supplied to the domestic market  a three per cent increase when compared with the previous year. Clinker production during this period edged up one per cent YoY to 58.1Mt.



Some 6Mt of cement and 6Mt of clinker was exported in the 12-month period, representing a decrease of 16.8 per cent and an increase of six per cent, respectively.





Published underTaiwan Cement continues talks with Sanko Holding

17 September 2018

Taiwan Cement Corp (TCC) has announced that it and Sanko Holding AS has signed a memorandum of understanding and a confidentiality clause regarding the companys intention to invest in the Turkish group. Talks about the strategic partnership are expected to continue until a definitive contract is signed.



Taiwan Cement has previously noted its interest in the Turkish cement industry, which would be the companys first move into the European market.

Published underAccording to the Trump administration, a small number of people died in Hurricane Maria. But experts disagree with the president. The Washington Post reports that in an apparent effort to cast doubt on a George Washington University study that concluded there were nearly 3,000 excess deaths on the island in the months after the storm, Donald Trump denied large-scale casualties from Hurricane Maria.

Trump tweeted that 3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. When I left the Island, AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths. He also claimed that if a person died for any reason, like old age, the researchers would just add them onto the list. FEMA administrator Brock Long, similarly, said Hurricane Maria death toll numbers are all over the place. Long added, Its hard to tell whats accurate and whats not.

But experts  even though they concede that the death toll is only an estimate  dont seem to think its that difficult to tell. Heres what we know about the Hurricane Maria death toll, and what the Trump administration is ignoring.

Puerto Ricos official count is 2,975 deaths from Hurricane Maria

Vox reports that Puerto Ricos official count of 2,975 deaths in Hurricane Maria was calculated after months of painstaking analysis of death records and expected mortality rates by researchers at George Washington University at the behest of the governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello. Trump falsely claimed that this method was never done with previous hurricanes because other jurisdictions know how many people were killed. To the contrary, Vox reports that this is the accepted method for determining the death toll:

The ideal way to calculate the death toll from a hurricane, disaster researchers say, generally, is to count all the deaths in the time since the event, and then compare that number to the average number of deaths in the same time period from previous years. Subtract the average number from the current number and thats the death toll.

Trump seems to object to the updated number in part because the official death toll began at 16 and then went up to 64, where it remained for months. But people on the ground knew the figure was an order of magnitude too low, Vox reports. Which is why  in the absence of a reliable figure from the government  researchers and journalists attempted to calculate the excess mortality of Hurricane Maria. Rossello commissioned the GWU study to enable the government to put out a more accurate death toll. But Trump now refuses to accept the official count because it exposes what The Atlantic characterizes as the collapse of official systems and the disastrous response by multiple levels of government.

Trump is ignoring the real impact of the disaster

As The New York Times reports, Donald Trumps tweets betray his opinion that a disaster is an event in a specific moment. If you died later because of the long-term effects of a hurricane, for instance, then to his way of thinking, your death should not be counted in the toll, The Times explains. But thats not how unbiased researchers approach the task of calculating a death toll from a disaster like Hurricane Maria.

Time reports that the number  2,975  highlighted in the GWU report represents deaths in excess of what would have been predicted if there had not been a hurricane, whether the physician filling out a death certificate says it was related or not. That could include deaths caused by dangerous conditions encountered while evacuating, for example, or by disruptions to medical care caused by widespread and long-lasting power outages in Puerto Rico. (Such as kidney patients who couldnt get treatment because their dialysis center didnt have generator fuel or fresh water, as federal and local emergency plans classified dialysis facilities as a relatively low priority for emergency supplies.)

Guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that these deaths should be included in disaster totals. But the GWU researchers found that most physicians dont have formal training in completing a death certificate and werent aware of the CDCs recommendation. So by the researchers estimate, some 2,911 deaths (2,975 minus 64) should have been counted as storm-related, but initially were not.

Deaths werent just caused by winds or flooding

Time reports that an earlier study of Hurricane Maria deaths by researchers at Harvard University attributed thousands of deaths to delayed or interrupted health care. As Vox notes, Hurricane Maria knocked out 80% of the islands power transmission lines, vulnerable due to years of neglect and fiscal crisis, in what would become the United States longest-ever blackout. As the response from FEMA progressed painfully slowly, thousands of people went without power, adequate safe water, or medical care for months.

The Associated Press reports that thousands of people who died in Puerto Rico could have been saved with standard medical treatment. Disabled and elderly patients were discharged from overwhelmed hospitals with bedsores that led to fatal infections. People developed lung infections in the heat of nursing homes and state facilities. Others died of diseases transmitted by contaminated water, or when medical equipment failed, or due to complications from heart disease or diabetes. It doesnt help that Puerto Ricos health care system was in financial crisis going into the storm, and receives far less help from the federal government than it would if Puerto Rico were a state instead of a territory.

The AP explains, This was a slow-motion, months-long disaster that kept Puerto Ricans from getting the care they needed for treatable ailments, even as President Donald Trump lauded his administrations response. The publication adds, Along with post-storm conditions, each death has a complex mix of causes that can include serious pre-existing conditions and individual decisions by patients, caregivers, and doctors, making it difficult to definitively apportion blame in every case. But critics say many could have been saved by better preparation and emergency response.

Hurricane Marias death toll isnt the most important fact

Time also notes that death tolls arent the most meaningful piece of information about a disaster. Thats especially true if, like the Trump administration, you look at a disaster as a single, isolated event to downplay its impact. The New York Times reports that We will never understand why some people are vulnerable and others arent if the focus is only on a disaster as an event. Nor will we comprehend why some communities recover quickly while others languish.

Though the Trump administration doesnt want to take responsibility for its response to the natural disaster, The Conversation reports that Hurricane Maria was partly a human-made disaster. Most of Marias fatalities were caused by the failure of the U.S. disaster response system. And as The Conversation notes, Disasters can be particularly devastating for those with poor access to government services, lower incomes, or living further from population centers. Many Puerto Ricans fit all three conditions, and most fit at least one or two.

Even accurate fatality counts dont capture the true extent of the disaster, which is still unfolding in Puerto Rico and will affect many survivors for the rest of their lives. Increased levels of disability, higher incidences of malnutrition, homelessness, lower school participation, mental health consequences, and other effects leave both the individuals and their communities worse off, The Conversation reports. Trump accounts for none of that.

Read more: These Photos Show How Much Damage Hurricanes Leave Behind

Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!Funding for syringe clean-up among four new ARPA proposals

Access Point Pueblo, a syringe access program, was one of four American Rescue Plan Act proposals presented during a Nov. 8 council work session.The U.S. slashed $10 million of foreign aid dollars that were earmarked for peace programs between Israel and Palestine.

Previously, the U.S. shut down a $25 million package that was intended to fund hospitals in Palestine. Funding was also blocked for the UNRWA, a United Nations refugee agency that helps Palestinians. Some $200 million was cut for humanitarian and development help in West Bank and Gaza.

That money has been reallocated to programs between Jewish and Arab Israelis and high priority projects elsewhere, a U.S. embassy official told the media.

The funds had been earmarked for disbursement in the fiscal year 2017, which ends on Sept. 30.

The Conflict Management and Mitigation Program receives about $26 million annually. The other $16 million is spent in other parts of the world, according to the New York Times.

The cuts came after Trumps administration reviewed the spending in Palestine. Trump had threatened to pull the funding if the country did not begin peace negotiations with Israel.

In recent weeks, that funding was cut.

Senator Leahy regards the decision to cut off funding for the West Bank and Gaza as a sign that this White House has failed at diplomacy, Tim Rieser, foreign policy aide to Leahy, said.

This is not a partisan view. Its the view of those who recognize that you dont advance the cause of peace by cutting off programs that are designed to promote tolerance, understanding and address shared problems.

However, President Donald Trump and Jared Kushner, senior adviser to the president, have said they are working on a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians. Its unclear if the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas would be part of those discussions.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly," Kushner said.

"There have been countless mistakes and missed opportunities over the years, and you, the Palestinian people, have paid the price.

"Dont let your leadership reject a plan they havent even seen," he added.

Photo courtesy: Unsplash/Vladimir SolomyaniI remember having a discussion around faith matters years ago with an intelligent person. I met him at an event I was attending with a few friends. On one particular evening, we all decided to have dinner together. Just from the incidental conversations we had before this meal, I knew that he and I did not see eye to eye on many issues.

After the meal finished, the three others got up to use the restroom while he and I sat talking across the table. We entered into a contentious theological issue, and it soon felt as though someone had turned up the temperature in the room. His face became red, and I am sure mine was too.

Eventually he looked at me and said, Oh I understand now. You are a foundationalist! If I werent so caught up in the emotion of the conversation at the time, I would have asked him what a foundationalist is.

He quickly moved on to his next accusation, clothed in the form of a question: Tell me, where did you study? When I mentioned the two universities at which I had done post-graduate education, he dropped his case against me. In hindsight, I am convinced that he was looking to categorize me, but he couldnt do it because the universities I mentioned simply would not fit the anticipated boxes to be ticked.

As I think back to that intense conversation, I wonder how I could have navigated that situation better and how the Christian faith might inform my frame of mind.

Many of us have been in conversations like this in which we stop listening to the person with whom we are speaking. Lyell Asher, English professor at Lewis and Clark College, proposes a meaningful antidote to this challenge in his American Scholar article. He makes the point that instead of listening for what others might say, we need to recover the art of listening to others. If you have ever been on the receiving end of the listening for conversation, you know what this feels like.

When we simply listen for what another person is saying, we reduce that person down to a stereotype that we already have in our mind. This kind of listening is not really listening. It is merely argument formulation masquerading as listening.

When we listen to others, it is as if the posture and disposition of the conversation becomes open-handed. Listening to another person implicitly says, I want to learn from you even if I dont agree with you. As Christians who are called to love our neighbors as ourselves, this strikes me as exactly the sort of thing we are called to do.

Recovering the Art of Critical Thinking

After watching a certain protest in the news recently, I could not help but think that this listening dynamic or lack thereof is contributing profoundly to the great disconnect and anger in many of the cultural conversations today. Just think of the many protests we hear of on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

Regardless of who is right and who is wrong in each particular case, much of the disillusionment and confusion stems from our inability to understand each other. In politics, higher education, and increasingly in sport, the us versus them mentality haunts us. Issues that might have once been talked about are simply no-go areas in classrooms, locker rooms, and restaurants. The issues are complex, no doubt, but I wonder if one step in the right direction through this volatile terrain might be recovering the art of critical thinking?

In the foreword for Neil Postmans book Amusing Ourselves to Death, there are two portraits of the future painted for the reader. One comes from George Orwells 1984 and the other is Aldous Huxleys Brave New World. The author outlines Orwells and Huxleys views of the future and how they both shared concerns with how the truth would be handled.

Article continues below

As he looked into the future, Orwell feared that truth would be concealed from us. Huxleys concern was that the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Postmans book, penned in 1985, sides with Huxleys view of the future, and as I read it, I could not help but feel that we have arrived in the moment foretold by Huxley.

Day after day in our 24/7, always-on news cycle, we are bombarded with images, stories, and statements that show the outworking of what Huxley feared. Truth, it seems, is drowning in a sea of irrelevance. Huxley believed truth would be lost in a sea of irrelevance through the deluge of information we would be inundated with. The important would get buried in a sea of irrelevant news.

Indeed, this is a real challenge for us today. But I wonder if the problem lies more in our disposition to simply not listen and learn from others. Yes, truth is being lost in a sea of irrelevance, like Huxley predicted, but the bombardment of information is not the only culprit for this trend. I think a greater problem is that we do not really want to think and listen to others.

Social critic Os Guinness tells the story of a person who studied under Francis Schaeffer. On one particular evening in a French bar room, the student was having a drink with a skeptic. The skeptic asked this Schaeffer protege many questions about faith. To every question came a response that was nearly word for word from Francis Schaeffer. Finally there came a point in the conversation in which the skeptic, who had actually read much of Schaeffers writing, looked at the Christian and said, Excuse me, but do you write with a Schaeffer pen too?

The skeptics point was that while he was asking genuine questions he was receiving stock answers being trotted out mechanically. Each question was greeted by a ready-made response. They might have been good answers in another context, but they did not seem to grapple with the questions being asked by that particular questioner. True and genuine thinking was not taking place

I confess I am guilty of the same categorization that my friend placed upon me in that heated exchange I wrote about earlier. I have been in conversations with others and have tried to figure out where to place the other person. The problem with this approach (aside from being disrespectful and ignoring a persons dignity) is that listening for fails to acknowledge the real complexity of what makes up a persons opinion and line of argument.

More importantly, simply listening for what a person is going to say models an extremely reductionistic view of the human person. It is as if we are saying that our conversational partner can be reduced to a mere set of lists, categories, and sound bites. But are we as human beings not more complex and more sophisticated than that? Is it not the art and discipline of listeningtruly listeningthat gives our conversations dignity, worth, and civility?

Listening Is Hard Work

Perhaps one of the reasons many of us find it difficult to listen in conversations is because genuine listening takes more work and critical thought. Worryingly, I am convinced that we have become skilled in learning what to think, but not as strong in learning how to think. We are good at clinging to content and conversations that substantiate what we believe and what works within our view of the world. But as soon as we encounter a contradictory opinion to ours, no matter how intelligent it is, we have difficulty engaging it. The tendency is to move away or to tune it out.

Article continues below

Instead of listening to the other person who is sharing an opposing thought to ours, our default setting is to place them into a category that we can comprehenda category that will keep our own views and convictions intact.

When we find it hard to understand opposing views and we enter into a mode of thought that seeks to place the opposing opinion in a category, are we not implying that we do not desire the truth? Yes, our views and convictions might survive the conversation, but the end result is that the truth, at least our desire for it, has drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

Recently I was speaking to a group of senior high students who were about to head off to college. During the question and answer time of my session, one particular student expressly disagreed with a point I made in my talk. The room slowly became quiet. Many students turned their heads to the ground. As it became my turn to respond, there was pin-drop silence. The roaming microphone was then taken away from the questioner and I began my response.

I thanked the questioner for his question and comments. I then asked if we could bring back the roaming microphone so that he and I could continue the conversation. I expanded on the points I made in my talk that he called into question, and we had a meaningful dialogue. After the session ended, one colleague came to me and said, I missed some of your talk, but I loved the way in which you gave the microphone to the person who asked the most controversial question.

Truthfully, I would not have made that observation on my own. But in hearing my colleagues feedback, it reminded me that one of the most significant ways we can navigate tough conversations is to ensure that each person in the conversation is heard.

Christianity Speaks to the Challenge

So what might Christianity have to say to these challenges? As I look at the way the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul interacted with others, I find two practical ways their interaction with others can shape how we think about conversations.

1. Be open and willing to engage with those with whom we do not agree.

There are many stories of Jesus in which we see him embodying this attitude. Even when others come to trick him, he still listens to and interacts with them. When the Pharisees and Herodians come to trap Jesus in Matthew 22:1522, they ask him whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus responds by asking for a coin, and he then asks them whose image is on that coin. They acknowledge that Caesars image is on the coin. Jesus famously says, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods (ESV).

Matthews gospel continues: When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. We are not sure if these exact people ever engaged with Jesus again. But just by his willingness and courage to engage with those with whom he disagreed, a meaningful conversation was had.

Commentators often make special note of the question that Jesus asked this politically charged and theologically fierce group. He asked them a question about image. In the ancient world, images denoted authority and accountability. An inscription or a sculpture of a ruler often signified their ruling over a particular area.

When Jesus asks this question to the Pharisees and Herodians, they immediately know the answer because they understand the power linked to Caesars image. Yet, as significant as that question was, what is even more striking is that Jesus was willing to have a conversation with people who had opposing views to his.

There is so much to be gleaned from Jesus conversational care and thought, but we would do exceedingly well to simply practice and live out his generous willingness to engage with others who did not share in his teaching.

Article continues below

2. Read and understand what others are reading.

In Acts 17:2234 we read of Pauls interaction with the Athenians. Paul is explaining and defending the Christian God to a mixed group that included Stoics and Epicureans. Just by doing a bit of study of this story, we soon realize that Paul refers to and cites poetry that had powerfully shaped the religious belief of his audience. His method of evangelism reflects a disposition that wanted to understand the people to whom he was ministering. He was interested in how they thought. He had much to say, but he wanted to show them that he understood them.

There are so many points to draw from this one rich passage of Scripture, but we should not miss the fact that Pauls citing of poets tells us that he had read the poets! He had read what his conversation partners had read. In our moment in which we have become severely groupish in what we read, what we listen to, and who we spend time with, we would do well to take notes from Pauls speech in Acts 17.

This does not mean we should immerse ourselves in literature contrary to the Christian faith. It simply means that our reading and learning should indicate a desire to learn from others outside our faith conviction. Pauls method of evangelism at the Areopagus can provide a guiding light to us on this front.

These are only two points, but if we are serious about wanting to listen and learn from others in our radically misunderstanding time, the Christian faith shows us that a meaningful start begins with a willingness to enter into the hard conversations. No one did this more beautifully than Christ. Paul shows us that reading and engaging what our friends have been shaped by could provide real and practical help to our understanding them, not to mention making our witness of Christ more appealing.

We live in a time in which listening, learning, and understanding each other seems beyond our reach. Yet, Christianity brings encouraging news to us here. May God give us the courage, the care, and the clarity to rise above the challenge of misunderstanding others and do so in his name.

Nathan Betts is an apologist with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). He speaks frequently across the US and Canada. His focus areas include the interface of faith and culture, digital technology and belief, and youth apologetics. Follow him on Twitter @NathanGBetts.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.At the turn of the year, Jews return to G-d

As I write on Sunday at noon, this country is making history  the first ever public rally against antisemitism, backed by the Greater Manchester Bet Din, and including the present Chief Rabbi of the UK as speaker, together with MPs from all over the country.

This national event took place here in Greater Manchester, just two miles from where I was born and in the very street where my Holocaust immigrant father started again: from being a young judge in Poland (where the rest of his family were murdered) to adapting to a new country, a new language and a new profession as textile wholesaler in the city of raincoats.

This Sunday rally outside the Anglican cathedral took place during the in-between period when we Jews have have, since records began, taken the time to introspect on our lives and failings, hoping by so doing to return to G-d.

For last week, on Rosh Hashana (the Head or Beginning of the Year), we were inscribed in G-d's book and beginning on Tuesday evening, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, our fate will be sealed. But our 'return' is always possible and if genuine our own return returns G-d towards us and the decree against us is thus averted for another year.

Judaism regards every person as of equal value. G-d told Adam, the first human being, 'There is nowhere you can hide: I know all your thoughts.'

So what we have to examine in these 10 days of penitence is not how others behave, but how we behave  and I'm not talking about the 'sins' of eating bacon sandwiches or mowing the lawn on Shabbat. Those kinds of mitzvoth (precepts) are easy enough to keep if we really want to and set our minds on them. Often we even keep these precepts by rote, without even thinking.

What is far more difficult is how we deal in our daily lives with the people we encounter. Do we treat our children with respect, even when we disagree with them? How do we treat the plumber, the electrician, the home help (if we have one)? What about people encountered in the street who are lost, foreign, or unattractive in various ways: do we treat them as if they are in G-d's image, as Judaism teaches, always and everywhere?

Or do we simply take advantage of people and discard them when they aren't of use any more?

If people let us down, as they tend to do, how do we respond  do we let people down ourselves? Would it not perhaps be better not to expect anything of others and then often be pleasantly surprised?

The point of 'returning to G-d' is to reacquaint ourselves with the source of our existence. We should not allow the mitzvoth to take us over to the extent that we end up mistaking the trees for the wood. And the wood in this case is G-d himself, that intangible being whose ways are different than ours and whose thoughts are not our thoughts.

For the relationship we have with G-d is unique and the mitzvoth are simply the means of getting there.

Of ultimate importance in Judaism is commitment. Committing ourselves to change and immediately acting on this commitment in the new year of 5779 is more essential than ruminating on the bad habits and worse of the past year of 5778. But the past is also important. Having committed to starting again for the New Year, we should nevertheless use our 'sins' of the past year to turn ourselves into a more profound person who transmutes rather than represses.

For every mistake we make throughout our lives helps us to learn.

And the worst thing possible is depression. As Winston Churchill, who admired Judaism, said: 'Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.'

This could be the motto of the Jewish people: 'Be bold; take risks. You will fall by the way. But through your fall you will rise and I, G-d, will help you.'

Sitting on the fence is simply never an option.

As the great Jewish mystic and Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Kook (1865-1935), wrote in his seminal work The Lights of Teshuva: 'Timidity is an evil trait. It is the dross in the fear of G-d. Until timidity is purged from it, the true awe of G-d will not be crowned with love and joy.'

Two images spring to mind: the orange and the dress.

As I was walking to Shul yesterday  which is known as the Shabbat of Teshuva (Return), I tried to define for myself what Judaism is at core.

Judaism can be compared to an orange. With an orange, it would be advisable to take your time. You peel the skin and carefully recycle it. You take a knife and cut the peeled fruit into segments. You remove any pith or pips (and similarly recycle). You take one of the segments of orange in your hand. You chew slowly and carefully to avoid bits going down the wrong way. And at the end you feel quite full and have absorbed your recommended quota of Vitamin C for the day, together with added ingredients whose health benefits are essential but not always easily definable.

But why, you might think, take the trouble to go through this tiresome and time-consuming ceremony when you can obtain the same results by simply pouring yourself a glass of orange juice? Surely, in our busy world, this is the optimum solution, with the same benefits, and much easier for the children.

Alas, no. We now know that juice in large doses is actually bad for us. Even if we occasionally buy the more expensive juice with 'bits' to make it seem that we are doing the real thing, we are simply drinking a dilution which, at the end of the day, often rots our teeth  or so my dentist tells me.

The word for 'teeth' in Hebrew is the same as for 'year' as in 'Jewish New Year'. They are both related to the concept of 'repetition'. On Jewish New Year we should be cutting our teeth on the real thing and not simply putting up with second best.

In the biblical book of Leviticus, the injunction to love your neighbour (for instance) is surrounded by examples of how best to love and how not to love. But for the last 2,000 years the non-Jewish world on the whole has preferred to dilute this teaching, preferring the juice to the orange itself. After all, isn't the watered-down version so much easier to absorb than the whole  but what about the long-term consequences?

As I was returning from Shul yesterday, carefully digesting one uplifting sermon after another, I espied a friend across the road. This friend has been through loads in her life. But there she was in a new outfit of bright scarlet, replete with hat and feathers. I had to hand it to her.

My friend is a teacher at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in our neighbourhood. And being a person steeped in Judaism, she must be aware of the famous passage from Isaiah (1:18): 'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.'

But even the prophet Isaiah wasn't going to stop my friend enjoying life to the full  even during the time of return. For isn't it the case that returning to G-d means demonstrating to the world that Judaism always chooses life  whatever the circumstances? And if it means wearing a scarlet outfit to Shul on the Shabbat of Teshuva, so be it!

Dr Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic, author and translator who has established university courses on Jewish history, Jewish studies and the Hebrew Bible.Christians welcome Labour call for ban on gender test for abortion

Christian campaigners have welcomed calls for a ban on pregnant women being told the sex of their baby over fears it is leading to girls being aborted.

Labour MPs have called for the Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT)  used by doctors to diagnose genetic conditions  to be banned for private use.

Naz Shah, shadow women and equalities minister, told the BBC it was morally wrong to use the test for gender selection in which a female foetus is aborted.

She said some communities, like the South Asian community, have a preference for boys and that this put great strain on women, 'forcing them to adopt methods such as NIPT to live up to expectations of family members'.

'NIPT screenings should be used for their intended purpose, to screen for serious conditions such as Down's syndrome,' she said.

'The government needs to look into this exploitative practice and enforce appropriate restrictions.'

CARE chief executive Nola Leach said: 'This is a very welcome call from the Labour party. Sex-selective abortion is completely discriminatory and should be explicitly outlawed in UK law.

'When this issue was voted on back in February 2015, many Labour MPs voted against an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill which would have clarified the current law on this issue. So it might be three years too late, but it's still good to see the party shifting its position in this positive way.'

However, she said there were 'still serious questions about the use of the non-invasive screening test and especially the way it all too often leads to babies with disabilities, including Down's syndrome, being aborted.

'We might have made great progress in society in terms of how we treat those with disabilities but it is utterly wrong that so many babies with Down's syndrome end up being terminated.'Home mission worker submits petition to stop Pride event in Inverness

A home mission worker with the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) has submitted a petition with the local council in Inverness to stop a planned Pride event.

Proud Ness has yet to be formally approved by the council but is planned for October 6, with a march from the Scottish city's High Street to the Eden Court Theatre.

However, Donald Morrison has submitted a petition signed by over 600 people to Highland Council to stop the event from going ahead.

He said Pride events were too offensive and unsavoury to take place in city centres where children are often present, the Inverness Courier reports.

'This becomes evident especially in city centres when they thrust lewdness in the faces of men, women and children alike by frolicking unashamedly on rainbow-coloured floats making obscene sexual gestures,' he said.

Mr Morrison, whose petition was signed by over 700 people, said that as public spaces, city centres should be kept child-friendly.

A spokeperson for the Highland LGBTI forum told the Inverness Courier that the event would be family-friendly and 'nothing untoward' would take place during the march.

'I have no problem with him or the people who have signed the petition holding their views and I totally respect that but there are a lot of other people who don't hold those views,' she said.

'You will always get people who don't like LGBT stuff.'

Others felt more strongly, with one person starting a petition on Change.org seeking to ban Mr Morrison from Inverness and 'all major population centers in the Highlands'.

The petition, which has only been signed by 34 people to date, says: 'If we are to call ourselves a truly family friendly city and create a welcoming atmosphere for all not only in the city but in the highlands, then we can not tolerate such bigotry on our streets where children, and people just trying to go about their days would be exposed to it.'

A spokesperson for Highland Council confirmed to Pink News that it had received Mr Morrison's petition and that it was currently being considered under the Council's Petitions Procedure.

The spokesperson told the newspaper that the objections raised by Mr Morrison were 'not sufficient reason' for the council to refuse permission for the parade.London prison chaplain says his Bible classes were 'hijacked' by radicals who supported ISIS

A Christian prison chaplain, who last year was forced out of his position, said Islamists took over the Bible classes at the London prison he served at.

Evangelical pastor Paul Song, who has recently been reinstated by HMP Brixton in London following an independent review, told The Mail that he was initially ousted after he was accused by a Muslim chaplain of being a 'terrorist.'

Song insists that the truth of the matter is that radical jihadists 'who backed ISIS' hijacked his Bible classes and influenced the running of the prison.

'My courses were often disrupted in this way. Two or three would often come to my classes and rant about different things like how the actions of suicide bombers were justified. There was nothing I could do,' he recalled.

Song, who was born in South Korea, says that he was racially abused and attacked for his Christian faith by the Islamic militants.

'It was obscene,' the chaplain of 19 years said.

He added that other volunteer chaplains were driven out by the radicals, with inmates told to convert to Islam for their own protection.

'My colleagues couldn't take any more,' Song said.

'My classes were often disrupted. At times inmates openly spoke in the chapel in support of Islamic State and suicide bombers. And there was nothing I could do about it ... They spoke with such hatred of Britain that it was frightening.'

The pastor said that he was hit on the back of the head, jeered and abused on other occasions. He also heard stories of other prisoners being beaten and pushed to convert.

'They also tried to convert me. They'd scream in my face, Arabic things such as 'Allahu Akbar'  Allah is greatest. They'd also criticize Christianity, comparing it unfavorably to Islam,' Song described.

'One day I was walking through a section of a wing housing many of the Muslim prisoners when one of them came at me from behind and hit me hard on the back. They were all laughing calling me a 'Chinky' and 'Crazy Christian.' It was very frightening.'

It was Islamic imam Mohammed Yusuf Ahmed who accused the evangelical preacher of extremism in his courses, which led to Brixton prison initially ousting him from his role.

Song said of the teaching material in question: 'They are mainstream courses used by churches throughout the world. [The imam] said he wanted to 'change the Christian domination' within the prison.'

Andrea Williams of the Christian Legal Center said branding the pastor as an extremist 'defied belief'.

'It is wonderful to see justice done,' Williams added of the pastor's reinstatement.

A Prison Service spokesman responded to Song's latest accusations by releasing a short statement : 'There is absolutely no evidence to support claims relating to extremist behavior at HMP Brixton.'Mind your language: How what we say about mission hinders what we do

I recently watched a TV debate in India about religious conversions. If you know anything about religious conversions in India, then you know it's a highly controversial subject often used to attack Christians.

Half a dozen Indian states have enacted laws against so-called 'forced' or 'fraudulent' conversions, which Christians deny. There have been frightening mob lynching incidents of Muslims accused of 'love jihad', a wild theory that Muslims marry Hindu girls to convert them to Islam. And just recently a 78-year-old prominent Hindu activist was beaten by a mob who alleged he was attending a meeting to encourage India's native tribal people to convert to Christianity.

On the TV debate, spokespersons from India's ruling party accused Christians of targeted proselytisation. As proof, they pointed to a well-known website that lists the world's 'unreached' people groups, those who are yet to hear the gospel. According to the website, most of these groups dwell in India and the Middle East, among the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim people.

In speaking with leaders of these religious groups I have learned that, though well-intentioned, our missiological language has communicated the opposite of what we've intended. What we hear as a compelling call to witness God's unconditional love to our neighbours, they interpret as a campaign to make one religion dominant over another. Paul's strikingly humble approach to 'become all things to all people' is undermined when people see themselves as 'targets' of overseas organizations.

Part of the confusion stems from the fact that the church developed its missiological language more than 50 years ago, when the West emerged as a political and economic powerhouse and before the advent of the internet. Intended for internal church use, the language has become public, and as such we need to see it in light of those who are now hearing it.

Here are some of the terms the church should reconsider in its missiological language:

1. Unreached

When we say people are 'unreached', we mean the gospel is not immediately accessible to them. Perhaps the Bible hasn't been translated into their language, or there are so few Christians that the gospel hasn't been preached to the larger population. This is what we mean by 'unreached', but what they hear is they are unreached by God.

'Does the West have more of God than we do?' is one of the questions I've heard. The answer is, of course, no. It's obvious parts of Europe and the Americas could be considered unreached given the recent sharp rise in the religiously unaffiliated.

We must remember that, though God works through the church, he is not bound by it. Jesus said the Spirit is like the wind  it goes wherever it pleases. There are countless stories of people from 'unreached' countries who've had visions, dreams and supernatural healings that have led them to Jesus. Just because there isn't a strong Christian presence in a country it doesn't mean God isn't present. There isn't a place that isn't reached by God.

2. People groups

To this day people have a hard time understanding why there's so much ethnic tension in places like Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. It's because people have multiple cultural, ethnic and tribal identities.

Take for example the so-called Bhojpuri people group of north India  150 million people lumped together because they share the Bhojpuri language. But within the larger Bhojpuri population there are both Bihari Bhojpuri and Uttar Pradesh Bhojpuri who see themselves as distinct from the other. Further there are castes within the Bhojpuri group, including Dalits. A Bhojpuri Brahmin from Bihar may marry a Bhojpuri Brahmin from Uttar Pradesh, but will not marry a Bhojpuri Dalit or low caste. And when it comes to language they read and write in Hindi even as they keep their mother tongue.

There is no such thing as a unified Bhojpuri caste identity, and in this world as a whole, culture does not fit into linear anthropological definitions.

3. Targeting

Targeting might be a straightforward, business-like concept for Christians in the West, but for people who less than a century ago were under colonial rule the term brings memories of religious and political conquest.

Out of this terminology evolved the notion of reaching an entire nation for Jesus, yet there has never been a nation which was fully Christian. Even when Constantine declared Christianity as the official faith of the Roman Empire in the fourth century, Christians constituted no more than a fourth of the entire population.

Jesus himself taught most people would find his teachings difficult, and only a few would follow him and find the 'narrow road' to his Kingdom (Matthew 7:13-14).

4. Conversion

When it comes to conversion, we tend to think of it in individual terms  a personaldecision of faith. However, in collective societies where people's sense of identity comes from their communities conversion takes on a political tone. It could mean you are turning against your local culture, nation or family. In countries such as India, conversion  like targeting  evokes memories of colonial subjugation.

'Regeneration' is a better word to describe the experience of saving faith in Jesus through the Holy Spirit. It captures the idea of coming to new life in Jesus without necessarily implying you're turning against your culture or heritage.

Conclusion: Called to disciple-making

Mahatma Gandhi  the father of modern India  once said, 'I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.' Gandhi was enamoured of Jesus and his teachings, but one sour encounter with a street preacher who was denigrating Hinduism left him with a bad taste in his mouth toward Christians.

We need to remember that Jesus called us to the long-term process of making disciples, which is the transformation of our lives into the person of Jesus. It matters how we preach the gospel. Our missiological language needs to reflect Jesus. If we're not careful, it can become a major stumbling block to the witness for Jesus. As Peter exhorts us, 'Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect....' (1 Peter 3:15).

Most Rev Joseph D'Souza is archbishop of the Good Shepherd Church of India-Anglican. He also serves as the president of the All India Christian Council. He is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his work as a human and civil rights activist.Parents of boy killed by alligator 'blessed' with birth of baby boy

The family of a two-year-old boy killed by an alligator near a Disney resort in Florida say they have been blessed by God with another baby.

Matt and Melissa Graves were on a family vacation at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, in Orlando, in 2016 when their son, Lane, was dragged underwater by an alligator as he paddled in a lagoon.

Despite the efforts of his father and the on-duty lifeguards, he could not be saved and his body was found a day later.

The alligator that killed Lane was tracked down and euthanized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The Graves, who are also parents to daughter Ella, set up the Lane Thomas Foundation in memory of their son. The foundation provides financial support the non-medical expenses of families with sick children at Omaha's Children's Hospital.

Since the accident, Disney has installed protective fencing around the lagoon and erected a memorial to Lane at the resort.

Just over two years since the tragic death of their son, the family announced that they have welcomed a baby boy to their family.

The baby was born earlier this month and named Christian Lane Graves as a tribute to their son.

The family told People magazine, 'Although we know the pain of losing Lane will never go away, we feel God has blessed our family with this precious miracle of life.

'We know Ella and Christian have their brother, Lane, watching over them as their guardian angel.'

The family expressed their gratitude for the support they have received but also asked that their privacy continue to be respected.

'The love and support we continue to receive from so many is greatly appreciated, but we ask that our desire for privacy continue to be honored,' they added.Pope Francis expels Chilean priest accused of child sex abuse

Pope Francis on Saturday expelled a Chilean priest under investigation in a case involving the sexual abuse of children, according to a report by local media on Saturday, amid a growing global abuse scandal that has shaken the Roman Catholic Church.

The Archdiocese of Santiago said the pope had decided to defrock Rev Cristian Precht, local daily El Mercurio reported.

Precht was a former head of the Church's Vicariate of Solidarity human rights group that in the 1980s had challenged ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet to end the practice of torture in Chile.

The well-known Chilean religious leader has since been accused of sexual abuse as part of the investigation into allegations against members of the Marist Brothers religious community.

Precht has previously denied the charges, saying in a letter to the director of the Chilean newspaper La Tercera earlier this year: 'I absolutely deny participating, in any way, in the acts which I'm slanderously being accused of. I will defend my personal and clerical honour in every way I can and any time it's violated.'

Pope Francis announcement comes as Chilean police raid church offices throughout the Andean nation looking for new cases of sexual abuse or evidence that church officials concealed abuse from authorities.

The Catholic Church worldwide is reeling from crises involving sexual abuse of minors, deeply damaging confidence in the Church in Chile, but also in the United States, Australia and Ireland, where the scandal has hit hardest, and elsewhere.

Additional reporting by Reuters.Russia's Orthodox Church freezes ties with Constantinople over Ukraine spat

Russia's Orthodox Church said on Friday it would no longer participate in structures chaired by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, deepening a row in Orthodox Christianity over the Ukrainian Church's bid to break away from Moscow's orbit.

The Russian Orthodox Church's Holy Synod ruling body convened on Friday to consider how to respond as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has courted Constantinople to formally make it a self-governing body independent of Moscow.

Ukraine's pro-Western political leaders have sought step by step to take the former Soviet republic out of Moscow's orbit after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and a Moscow-backed insurgency broke out in eastern Ukraine.

Vladimir Legoida, a Russian Church spokesman, said the Holy Synod had decided to suspend its participation in all structures chaired or co-chaired by representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

It is also suspending all services with top priests of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and will not commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in its services, Legoida wrote on social media, summarizing the outcome of the meeting.

'Essentially this is a breakdown of relations. To take an example from secular life, the decision is roughly equivalent to cutting diplomatic ties,' the Russian Church's Metropolitan Hilarion was quoted by RIA news agency as saying.

Rival Churches

The Moscow Patriarchate is part of the Russian Orthodox Church and has a sizeable following in Ukraine.

Kiev considers it a tool for the Kremlin to wield influence, while the Moscow Patriarchate sees itself as the only legitimate Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

The Kremlin said it was following the situation closely and opposed any split in Orthodoxy, adding that the state should http://tass.com/society/1021726

not intervene in church matters.

'Of course for Moscow and indeed for the entire Orthodox world the single preferable scenario is the preservation of unity of this Orthodox world,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

The Moscow Patriarchate vies for influence in Ukraine with the Kiev Patriarchate  a branch of the Orthodox Church that broke away from Moscow in 1992 after the fall of the Soviet Union  and with other Orthodox and Catholic denominations.

The Kiev Patriarchate's leader has been sharply critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin and in 2014 suggested he was possessed by Satan.

The Ecumenical Patriarch does not wield the power enjoyed by the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church but is traditionally regarded as the 'first among equals' among the patriarchs of the self-governing Orthodox churches and also as the spiritual leader of the roughly 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

The Ecumenical Patriarch, currently Bartholomew, also holds the title of Archbishop of Constantinople, the old Greek name for Istanbul, Turkey's largest city. The city fell to the Muslim Turks in 1453 but has remained the historic seat of Orthodoxy.

However Russia has long been home to the world's largest Orthodox Christian Church.The 'mutant liberalism' behind the Lib Dem pro-abortion agenda

Some 50 years after David Steel's Abortion Act came into force, the Liberal Democrats are again debating abortion. On Saturday, the Lib Dem conference passed a motion which commits the party to supporting an extension of access to abortion within the UK, removing all legal protection for the unborn up to 24 weeks gestation and asserting a so-called human right to reproductive choice. Of course, there is no such internationally recognised human right to abortion, but why let the facts get in the way of ideology?

The motion represents a growing trend within the Lib Dems to adopt policy positions on issues which traditionally have been seen as a matter of conscience. This is a very dangerous and illiberal tendency which is ultimately likely to drive people of faith from the party.

In the motion, the Lib Dems claim that the UK Supreme Court has stated that access to reproductive healthcare is a human right. This misrepresents the Court's recent judgement relating to abortion in Northern Ireland. The most that can be said is that the Court found that not allowing for abortion in cases involving life-limiting conditions and sexual crime is contrary to article 8 of the ECHR. There is certainly no positive right to access abortion services in any circumstance. Moreover, the Court's judgement raises significant questions about whether UK law on abortion in relation to disabled children is compatible with human rights. For some reason this aspect of the Court's judgment seems to have been overlooked by the Lib Dems.

It is worth noting at this point that robust research by the campaign group Both Lives Matter has shown there are 100,000 people alive in Northern Ireland today who would not be had the 1967 Act covered Northern Ireland. Contrast that with nearly 9 million unborn lives lost in Britain. Why, then, is a political party so intent on forcing one constituent part of the United Kingdom to abandon its life affirming laws? It is the rest of the UK which should be learning from Northern Ireland rather than the other way around.

The Lib Dems go on to call for abortion to be available regardless of national boundaries. Are they really suggesting that people from all over the world should be able to have an abortion on the NHS for free? How do they intend to pay for this extravagant promise?

Under the Lib Dem's proposals, millions of people from countries where abortion is restricted would have the right to get free abortions on the NHS. Will the NHS be offering to pay for the travel and accommodation costs of these people? At a time of scarce resources in the NHS, what other treatments will be sacrificed in order to meet this goal?

The other aspect of the Lib Dem's new position is their commitment to ban protests and prayer vigils outside abortion clinics and also on common transport routes to these locations. This raises very serious issues of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. These are core human rights, which can only be denied by the state on grounds of strictest necessity (eg national security). Clearly a few people praying peacefully outside a hospital or clinic is unlikely to meet this test.

The very fact that such a motion is being debated surely demonstrates beyond reasonable doubt that the party has become a cold place for anyone with religious beliefs or pro-life views. One feels for those such as Tim Farron, a committed Christian who resigned the party leadership after pressure was applied on him because of his views on issues such as abortion. His brave stand subsequently for genuine tolerance within politics of those who have religious beliefs seems all the more relevant. The motion suggests that the Lib Dems are still unwilling to take on board his concerns.

This new policy and the plans contained in it pose a threat to the very foundations of a liberal free society. The party is a long way removed from the liberalism advocated by Gladstone and Asquith and now represents a mutant liberalism, which is the antithesis of everything the party historically represented. It is the most vulnerable, unborn children, who have been overlooked in the current abortion debate.

The Preamble to the Lib Dem Constitution states: 'We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the full.' Later it states: 'We will at all times defend the right to speak, write, worship, associate and vote freely...' These commitments would appear to be under serious threat.

Dr Gordon Macdonald works for CARE (Christian Action Research and Education) and is a former Lib Dem parliamentary candidate and councillor.The unfolding Anglican earthquake: a way through?

Can Anglicans ever compromise on the vexed issue of sexuality? And if not, is there now a possible way forward?

Many still hope for some kind of compromise. After all, Christians of various denominations disagree amicably on many other things  such as re-marriage of divorcees in church, or whether to baptise children, for example.

But that's probably wishful thinking. That's because the issue of sexuality is different from many others on which Christians have varying practices. Nobody believes, for example, that baptism is a 'bad thing' or that divorce is in and of itself a 'good thing'. The range of practice in relation to each issue does not reflect underlying differences on the rights or wrongs of the thing under discussion itself. For all Christians, baptism is a matter for rejoicing, whereas divorce is sad.

With sexuality, it's different. One part of Anglicanism believes non-celibate same-sex relationships should be celebrated. Another part  by far the majority  believes there is a better story for Christians to tell, and that it doesn't involve jettisoning 2,000-year old beliefs about the uniqueness of male-female marriage and chastity outside that. For each side, compromise is impossible.

For 'liberals' that would involve what they would see as the continuing oppression and repression of gay and lesbian people. For 'conservatives' it would be selling out on a 'salvation issue' affecting people's eternal destiny and undermining the faithful self-denial of celibate same-sex attracted Christians. Compromise would go against the conscience of each side, and indeed would threaten the internal consistency of either point of view.

So is there any way forward other than conflict? Well, there is now at least one proposal on the table. It comes from the chair of the Anglican network GAFCON, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh. A few days ago, he proposed a 'structural separation' between churches in New Zealand that hold traditional beliefs on sexuality and those that accept same-sex marriage. It would, he said, be a strategy that accepts 'the reality of irreconcilable differences about the nature of the Bible and the gospel, but calls for it to be done peacefully'  and without the endless court battles blighting Anglicanism elsewhere.

It is a shrewd move, the logic of which is hard to fault. And it throws up questions for many in Anglican leadership, not least in England. Here, fault lines just as deep as those in New Zealand and US are apparent, as is shown with current controversy over a proposed 'Rainbow Eucharist' at Wells Cathedral which has been roundly condemned by conservatives. So what challenges and opportunities does the GAFCON plan bring?

1. It's an olive branch for Justin Welby. As Archbishop Okoh wrote of his proposal: 'In practice much will depend on the attitude of the Archbishop of Canterbury.' The GAFCON proposal is a peaceful way forward  and he should take it. It's been bad enough seeing endless court battles among American Episcopalians. Does he really want that same scenario unfold elsewhere round the world? If he's been praying for a way forward, maybe this is his answer.

2. It's a wake-up call for Anglican evangelical bishops. I have lost count of the number of times I have come across Anglican evangelical clergy who express perplexity and frustration that, while liberal bishops in the Church of England seem to advance their agenda boldly, many (if not all) Anglican evangelical bishops appear as timid as dormice about sexuality. There are some high-profile diocesan bishops whose reticence baffles many. Archbishop Okoh's proposal is a wake-up call for them to realise what could unfold in Britain soon  and that whether it does nor not might depend on what they say. Can they find the courage to speak out clearly in public for what, in private, many of them believe?

3. It's a spur for Anglican evangelical unity. This week, the more conservative section of Anglican evangelicals meet for their annual ReNew conference. They themselves have different opinions about the future of the CofE: some advocate a 'stay and fight because the battle is not lost' approach, while others believe that 'it's all over bar the shouting'  and are looking to leave the denomination. And the ReNew conference is itself only one segment of the total Anglican evangelical constituency, which comes together under the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC). For that council, the question is whether Archbishop Okoh's plan is effectively identical to their own previously-announced blueprint for 'visible differentiation' in the future between liberal and conservative Anglicans, should the C of E change its tune on sexuality. If that plan and that of Archbishop Okoh overlap, could it help generate much needed unity among fragmented Anglican evangelicals?

At the end of the day these are not abstract questions. These issues affect thousands of ordinary Anglican parish clergy such as me, our churches, and our unchurched friends and neighbours. So we look to those who lead us to do just that: to lead. Will we end up in an 'Alice in Wonderland' world of pick-and-mix faith, or disappear down a rabbit hole of litigation  or just be able to get on with making Jesus known? Much will depend on what our leaders now decide.

David Baker is a former daily newspaper journalist now working as an Anglican minister in Sussex, England. Follow him on Twitter @Baker_David_AThe East End Kroger, one of the grocery chain's older Houston stores, is preparing for a $500,000 renovation, city records show.

Mid-Con Contractors filed a building permit last week to remodel the store at 4000 Polk at Cullen.OPEC needs to keep working with other oil producers to manage global supplies as demand for crude faces headwinds, the head of the organization said.

The historic supply deal between Saudi Arabia, Russia and other producers reached in late 2016 needs to become permanent, Mohammad Barkindo, secretary-general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, said Sunday in an interview in Dubai. Oil demand is robust, though crude use is beginning to face some headwinds, he said, without elaborating.

There is no viable alternative on the table other than to institutionalize and make this cooperation between ourselves and our good partners from non-OPEC in a permanent fashion, Barkindo said. Low crude prices hit the oil industry and starved it of investment, leaving continued cooperation among producers as they only way to maintain stability in markets, he said.

RELATED: IEA warns of higher oil prices as Iran, Venezuela losses deepen

Crude is averaging about $72 a barrel this year, and the International Energy Agency warned last week that prices could rise above $80 a barrel unless producers make up for lost supply from OPEC members Iran and Venezuela. While trade disputes and financial woes in some emerging markets threaten to erode crude demand, the IEA, a watchdog of the industry, said that supply risks outweigh those concerns.

Saudi Arabia and Russia led OPEC and allied producers in agreeing to cap output starting in January 2017 to curb a glut. They changed course in June and have since pledged to ensure that supplies are adequate to meet demand. A committee of OPEC members and allied producers is set to meet next week in Algeria to review compliance with their production targets, though its unclear whether the committee will try to enforce output quotas for individual countries.

Khalid Al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak met Saturday and re-emphasized their joint commitment to ensuring the adequacy of oil supplies, especially considering market uncertainties on the horizon, the Saudi energy ministry said Sunday in a statement. The ministers reviewed the state of the global economy, oil demand and potential risks to supply, according to the statement.

SUPPLY: U.S. oil inventories continue to fall, now below average

Irans crude sales are falling as the U.S. prepares to restrict Tehrans ability to sell oil and participate in global financial markets. Fellow OPEC-member Venezuela is pumping half as much oil as it did in 2016 and faces further declines amid economic upheaval.

Russia is ready to boost production to record levels, should the market require it, Energy Minister Novak said last week. Saudi Arabia, which has never pumped more than 11 million barrels a day, says it can produce at least 12 million. The kingdom is OPECs biggest producer and holds most of the groups spare capacity.

--With assistance from Giovanni Prati and Elena Mazneva.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.Former Pct. 1 Commissioner Mike McCarty will not be on the fall ballot. His appeal is still being considered by the Ninth Court of Appeals in Beaumont and while an opinion may be imminent, the deadline has passed for a candidate to get on the ballot.

That date was Monday, Aug. 20 and it passed unceremoniously for most, except for political watchers who were anticipating an announcement from the court. There was none.

Neal Davis, who represented McCarty, felt good about the presentation before the Court of Appeals.

I think oral arguments went well, Davis said. You never know though until the opinion comes out.

Oral arguments were presented before the three-judge panel on May 31 and all parties await the opinion of the court.

An opinion is expected any time, Davis said.

He felt like one of the issues that might have slowed a quicker opinion was that he believes theyre looking at the entire record.

Should McCarty prevail, he could be reinstated, at least temporarily.

He still has a civil removal case in Liberty County that took him off the bench, at least while his trial was under appeal in Beaumont.

Poston explained the rather complicated scenario from 201.051 of the Election Code.

For a vacancy to be filled by special election to be held on the date of the General Election for state and county officers, the election shall be ordered not later than the 78th day before the election, he said. That date has come and gone.

Should McCarty lose the appeal, his return to commissioners court is over. Its likely County Attorney Matt Poston would drop the civil removal case, he said.

A favorable opinion from the Ninth Court of Appeals would return McCarty to his seat on commissioners court, temporarily, while the Liberty County civil removal case moves forward.

If they rule in his favor, he is still subject to the temporary orders of the removal we brought, Poston said.

The county attorney said he would take time to evaluate what the justices opinions were and consider to what extent, if any, it would affect his civil case.

We have additional causes of action in the civil case that were not included in the criminal case, he said.

Poston said McCarty would have to win the appellate case and immediately apply to the District Court who removed him, convince the judge that he was wrong in removing him.

I would still have the right to try him for the final removal, he said.

Until the mandate from the court has been delivered, current Pct. 1 Commissioner Bruce Karbowski will remain in his place on the commissioners court.

Davis wasnt sure McCarty was ready to return to the county commissioners court at this point.

I think hes just wanting to clear his name. Thats the thing that means a ton to him, especially in a small town like Liberty. A lot of it has to do with that, he said.

McCarty was found guilty on Friday, April 21, 2017 on two counts of abuse of official capacity.

Judge Joe Ned Dean, visiting judge in the 75th District Court, sentenced McCarty to six months in county jail, to be probated for a period of two years, and fined him the maximum at $2,000.

According to Section 87.031 of the Texas Local Government Code, the conviction of a county officer by a petit jury for any felony or for a misdemeanor involving official misconduct warrants an immediate removal from office.

The judge ordered the removal of McCarty from office, but after the defense filed a Notice of Appeal, he set aside the removal.

On May 22, Liberty County Attorney Matthew Poston presented the Honorable Ernest "Ernie" L. McClendon from the 258th District Court that oversees Polk, San Jacinto, and Trinity counties, who will oversee this case, with a new set of papers. Shortly after noon, he signed them and ordered the immediate removal of McCarty while he awaits his civil trial.

Poston said he hoped for a resolution before the end of the year.

dtaylor@hcnonline.comCiting financial losses, Maba Pan-Asian Diner in Midtown has closed, chef/owner Wayne Nguyen said Monday.

The modern Vietnamese restaurant at 510 Gray, which enjoyed a cult fan base and glowing reviews from critics, served its last meals Saturday night.

"Maba has depleted all its funds," Nguyen said. "In the end, there were challenges we could not overcome."

THREE-STAR REVIEW: Alison Cook reviews Maba Pan-Asian Diner, only on HoustonChronicle.com

One of the chief challenges, he said, was insufficient parking at the strip mall where the restaurant opened in December 2016. Lack of parking meant there weren't enough customers coming through the door. "We were not hitting our numbers. I think we never hit our numbers in that space," Nguyen said, adding that there were days when the restaurant first opened that sales were a mere $300 a day.

But the restaurant found its fans, including the Chronicle's restaurant critic Alison Cook, who placed Maba at No. 11 in her Top 100 list last year. She called Nguyen "the brightest new star on Houston's culinary scene."

"Nguyen's ingredients are first-rate," she wrote. "His ideas are witty and intelligent. The execution  over which he presides like a sharp-eyed hawk  is impeccable. And the prices are startlingly affordable, with most prices hovering near the $10 mark."

Nguyen said that the nights when Maba was operating at full throttle with a packed house, the experience was exhilarating.

"For me, it was akin to when I was in my early 20 and I rode a motorcycle and took it to 120 miles an hour. There's no feeling like it. When I'm in the kitchen cooking, it feels the same way," he said.

But the financial stress and long hours took its toll, he said. "It took a toll on my family," he said. "I don't know how many parents' nights I missed at my daughter's school. I'm going to see if I can make up for lost time."

Nguyen said he has no immediate plans to get back into the restaurant business. In fact, it might be years, he said. First things first: He said he's going to enjoy 48 hours of sleep and then take his wife, Tammy, on vacation.

On the restaurant's Facebook page, Nguyen wrote: "Maba was created to provide high-quality Asian cuisine at an affordable price. Although we had a tremendous increase in support since our grand opening in December 2016, it saddens us to say that it was not enough to keep our doors open. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our patrons and to all those who have supported Maba Pan-Asian Diner. It was a huge privilege to have served you."

He added Monday that he wanted to thank his staff, his customers, and his family for Maba's nearly two-year run.



Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.If youve been trying to find the Harris County Precinct 3 Parks Administrative Office building to make a pavilion reservation, youve probably been looking in the wrong place.

Mike McMahan, special activities coordinator for the Harris County Precinct 3 Parks Department, said Thursday the office building at War Memorial Drive had been closed indefinitely and moved to the Westside Service Center on Clay Road after the county decided the building was not worth the cost to rebuild. The building was demolished in early June, he said.

The Tax Day Floods (in 2016) put water in the downstairs and (Hurricane) Harvey flooded us upstairs, he said. We didnt have any time to take anything with us when we left. We left everything in that building.

The Harris County Precinct 3 Parks Department temporarily moved their offices to the Richard & Meg Weekley Community Center until adjustments could be made for them to be moved to the main Precinct 3 facility, McMahan said.

Bear Creek Park itself is open; the only change is that the administration office has moved to another facility, he said.

We dont know what the future holds, McMahan said. At some point we might rebuild the parks administration building, but thats not a decision that has been made.

McMahan said the site where the parks building used to be is not currently being used for any other development and will eventually become part of the park. The two-story administration building was built in the 1960s and had been renovated a number of times throughout the years, McMahan said.

Bear Creek Park is located in north west Harris County inside of U.S 290, Interstate 10, Beltway 8 and Highway 6.

Harris County Precinct 3 officials are asking Bear Creek Park patrons to make pavilion reservations at Westside Service Center located 16635 Clay Road. Patrons can reserve pavilions for 80 to 100 guests at a time to picnic and barbecue provided they make a $125 cleanup deposit.Its mid-September and Katy Area Economic Development Area Council is adjusting to its new home in the Grandway West Business Park.

Lance LaCour, whos led the nonprofit the last 13 years as its CEO/president, said the Class A office with just over 2,000 square feet is more effective in terms of space and operations. The arrangement also offers more stability - a longer term lease compared to the year-to-year lease it had from the Katy Independent School District to occupy the former Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union near Interstate 10 and FM 1463.

It also opens up more opportunities to work with the University of Houston-Victoria at Katy which shares space in the same building off the Grand Parkway North near Franz Road. LaCour already serves on the University of Houston-Victoria Presidents Regional Advisory Board.

His term on the Texas Economic Development Council expires in October. The council in 2016 recognized the Katy group for Economic Excellence recognition and in 2014 with the Community Economic Development Award.

LaCour, at 53, has 27 years experience in the field of economic development. After earning his undergraduate degree in political science and then his masters degree in economic development, he got his first job in economic development after completing an internship in Mississippi. He spent 15 years in Mississippi and Alabama before coming to Katy. When he first came to Katy, he remembers conversations that identified Katy as that city halfway to San Antonio.

Were now on a lot of companies radar screens. I think that will continue, he said. Katy Independent School District is a key factor. Its rated a top school district. That plays a big part in bringing more people to Katy and bringing more quality projects to Katy.

After Hurricane Harvey threw a wrench in the implementation of the Katy Area 2020 strategic plan, it is now called the Katy Area 2021 strategic plan. Visit http://www.katyedc.org/About-Us/Strategic-Plan.aspx for more information. The plan maps out four areas of critical work for the EDC: Marketing and business development, competitiveness, leadership and effective organization. Target industries include headquarters, energy services, research and development facilities and data centers. The Katy Area EDC more than 200 members and an annual budget of about $850,000.

LaCour is optimistic that Saudi Basic Industries Corp. might move forward next year on its project. The Middle East's largest petrochemicals maker announced plans to build a Katy headquarters for its Western Hemisphere operations. Spec buildings also are under construction and LaCour talks of new industrial development up and down the Grand Parkway.

Said LaCour, Its going to be a good year. Were pretty excited about it.

Where did you grow up and where did you go to school? I grew up outside New Orleans. I went to Holy Cross High School. I went to Louisiana State University for two years and then finished undergraduate studies at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Graduate studies continued at The University of Southern Mississippi.

What does your role as CEO/President involve? Basically I lead the organization as the chief administrative officer, human resources officer. Im the project manager. I do just about everything in terms of the organization. A vice president works with existing businesses and membership development. Im the chief recruiting officer. I have a research person. I help lead much of the community strategic plan. Im the chief bottle washer.

What are the boundaries of the Katy Area EDC? Our boundaries are the Katy Independent School District boundaries. Its pretty much the same area - 180 square miles.

How do you measure success? How we implement and accomplish our strategic plan projects. How were able to make them happen. Recruiting businesses, helping businesses to expand, helping facilitate the tools that help businesses and people, helping businesses create jobs.

What do you consider its most significant achievement? The Geico project. We actually won a Texas Economic Development Council Community Economic Development Award. Katy competes in the largest population category (over 250,001 and above) with large metropolitan areas such as San Antonio and Austin that usually win that award. The GEICO Insurance Claims Center is an office employer project. (The $8 million project with 1,000 jobs also earned honorable mention recognition from Site Selection Magazine  a publication for CEOs, corporate real estate executives and facility planners  for top North American Deals of 2013.) That project was a a hallmark project. They have 800 employees now. Eventually they will have 1,500.

What is the greatest challenge? The greatest challenge is mobility  making sure we have mobility in the Katy area because growth creates congestion. Mobility requires significant public infrastructure and thats something thats in the forefront of everyones mind.

Attracting businesses to an area is competitive. How do you avoid hard feelings or having someone say you favored another project over theirs? We present what we have available. Companies make the decision where to locate. Our job is to make sure they have the best information on whats available in the Katy area. Some competition may exist among the three counties  Harris, Fort Bend and Waller  that make up the Katy area. It depends on where the companies want to be. Some companies want to be located close to Houston. Some companies want to be located in a rural setting.

What does the move of the EDC office mean for your operations? Its a more long-term situation. We have a five-year lease. Our previous lease was year to year. We were offered a deal we couldnt refuse. We wanted to have a little more high profile facility. We were offered a great deal. Another positive to the location is the closeness to the University of Houston-Victoria at Katy. We will be able to work together. This past summer we had two interns from the University of Houston-Victoria at Katy. One got an economic development job recently because of the internship.

How do you view the future of Katy? Katy is going to continue to grow and grow in a positive way. I see more office-type employers, research and testing and data centers  the target industries. Our goal is to facilitate all Katy Area 2021 goals, tactics and objectives. The Katy Boardwalk will be a game changer for the area and create new high quality restaurants and shopping opportunities.

When not working, what do you like to do? Im co-chair of the Katy Triathlon at Cane Island. It looks like favorable weather. (The event is Sept. 23. Visit www.kathtriathlon.com for details.) I was part of a two-person relay in last years event. I bike. My son is working toward his Eagle Scout designation and Ill help him. I play racquetball and I like to offshore fish.

karen.zurawski@chron.comHunters Creek

9/9/18 at 0300 Hours. 10700 Block of Marsha. Driving While under the Influence of a Drug. Officers observed a vehicle driving in the area on several occasions that appeared to be attempting to avoid officers by quickly turning and making U-turns. Officers were able to locate the vehicle and initiate a traffic stop. Upon approaching the driver, he appeared to be sweating profusely and was disorientated. An investigation revealed that he had just left a RAVE event and had consumed an unknown substance while there. The subject failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. A Search warrant for blood was obtained and executed on the driver who was then booked into the Harris County Jail.

9/12/18 at 1115 Hours. 10800 Block of Timberglen. Suspicious Situation. Victim was notified that her mail was requested to be forwarded to an address in Odessa Texas, however the resident has never asked for her mail to be forwarded. The request for the transfer was canceled by the post office and information was obtained and provided to detectives for follow-up. The home was placed on a special watch.

Piney Point

9/7/18 at 0900 Hours. 11400 Block of Calico. Credit Card Abuse. Victim reported that upon receiving her monthly bank statement she noticed multiple charges that she had not made on her account. Charges had occurred over a period of several days at various gas stations and convenience stores in the Katy area and totaled over $1000. The victim stated that the last time she had used her credit card was at the Valero at on Bunker Hill Road. Information about the charges and account was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation.

9/9/18 at 1500 Hours. 100 Block Windemere. Attempted Burglary/Criminal Mischief. Officers responded to the location after receiving an alarm call. Upon checking the residence, officers located a broken out rear window. The window that been broken by someone using a nearby chair to break the window, however, entry was not gained. A check of security cameras showed that a black male had arrived in the area in a purple older model Mazda with a black wheel. The male had exited the car and went to the home. Soon after the alarm was activated the department received a call from a nearby resident of black male with a white shirt on his head who had just run through their yard. The area was searched, and detectives were notified about the incident. Officers checked the crime scene for fingerprints and for additional video. The investigation is still on-going.

9/11/18 at 2130 Hours. 8500 Block of San Felipe. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Officers initiated a traffic stop after observing a traffic violation and upon approaching the driver could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle located drug paraphernalia in the front seat of the vehicle. The 26-year-old male driver was issued several citations, evidence was collected and tagged into evidence and the driver released.

Bunker Hill

9/8/18 at 0045 Hours. 11900 Block of Taylorcrest. Driving While Intoxicated. While on patrol an officer observed the suspects, vehicle traveling North on Knipp without any headlights turned on. Officer turned around in order to stop the vehicle and after activating emergency equipment the officer observed the suspects vehicle strike a curb and blow out a tire. Upon approaching the driver, the officer detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage, watery and bloodshot eyes and other signs of intoxication. The driver failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. The driver was administered a breath test that showed results of over twice the legal limit. The 22-year-old male was then booked into the Harris County jail.

9/10/18 at 1045 Hours. 11600 Block of Mockingbird. Credit Card Abuse. Victim reported that he was notified by his bank of unusual activity occurring on his credit card on the prior day. Multiple purchases had been made at three Home Depots all on the same day. The victim had not made any purchases. Information about the account activity was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow-up investigation.Aug. 27

At 12:23 a.m., Corporal D. Clawson conducted a traffic stop on the defendant for driving without rear lighting equipment on during nighttime hours in the 6500 block of IH 610 southbound. During the traffic investigation the defendant fled the scene with his co-defendant, while actively evading law enforcement for approximately 12-15 miles. Upon jumping out of his moving vehicle and it crashing into a fence in Southeast Houston, the defendant and co- defendant then fled on foot and were captured a short distance later. The defendant was later properly identified and found to have several felony warrants for his arrest and was subsequently charged with felony evading in a motor vehicle. The co-defendant had an active parole violation warrant and was charged with misdemeanor evading on foot.

At 8:58 a.m., Officer C. Barber was dispatched to 5130 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a shoplifting in progress. A description of the suspect was provided over the radio and the suspect was located at the Bellaire Transit Center where a brief investigation was conducted and the suspect arrested for shoplifting and public intoxication. Detective Salinas assisted with this arrest.

At 8:12 a.m., Officer M. Santillanes was dispatched to 6800 West Loop South in reference to a burglary of a building. Officers met with a partner of the company who stated an unknown suspect broke into the office suite at an unknown time over the weekend and stole three laptops. Officer Santillanes completed a burglary of building report.

At 10:42 a.m. Officer M. Santillanes was dispatched to the 5300 block of Pocahontas Street in reference to a deceased male. Officers met with the victims son and nurse. The nurse advised about 9 a.m. she found the patient cold to the touch with no pulse. Bellaire Medics were called to the scene and they pronounced the victim deceased. Officer Santillanes completed a death investigation report.

At 2:14 p.m., Officer Lysack was dispatched to 5410 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a forgery. Officer Lysack arrived on scene and was advised the suspect attempted to cash a forged check. The bank teller also advised the suspect fled the scene in a hurry and left behind his Texas Identification Card. Officer Lysack spoke with the complainant in this case who confirmed she did not issue the check to the suspect. Officer Lysack will file a To-Be warrant for the suspect after receiving the bank security video.

Aug. 28

At 2:29 a.m., Officer D. Norman observed a Blue Acura TSX with its hazard lights on in the 4400 block of Bissonnet St with defective equipment - a head light out. As Officer Norman went to check on the welfare of the vehicle the vehicle began to drive away. Officer Norman initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle for the above listed violation. During the investigation, Officer Norman determined the driver to be driving while intoxicated. Officer Norman placed the suspect into custody for driving while intoxicated and transported the suspect to the Bellaire Police Department Jail for processing. Officer O. Barrientos assisted in this investigation.

At 7:04 p.m., Officer Lysack was dispatched to 4400 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Officer Lysack arrived on scene and met with the victim who stated her bag been stolen.

Aug. 29

At 11 a.m., Officer H. Lopez was dispatched to the Bellaire Police Lobby in reference to an identity theft in the 10 block of Prospect Place. The victim stated she received some credit cards in the mail which she did not order but yet contained her name on the cards.

At 5:11 p.m., Officer Delgado was dispatched to 7112 Newcastle in reference to burglary of a motor vehicle. Officer Delgado made contact with the victim who stated an unknown suspect(s) broke out the front driver side window of her vehicle and stole her purse.

Aug. 30

At 8 a.m., Officer D.Rocha was dispatched to the 5200 block of Beech Street in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Officer Rocha arrived at 0804 and met with the reportee. He stated between 08-29-2018 and the morning of 08-30-2018 at approximately 0755 hours, an unknown suspect(s) made entry into his vehicle by breaking the window and stole his childs tablet.

At 7:37 a.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to 5214 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Officer Andrade met with the victim who stated an unknown suspect forced entry into her vehicle and stole her purse.

At 6:39 p.m., Officer OSullivan was dispatched to the 7600 block of IH 610 northbound in reference to an accident. The driver of the vehicle was arrested for driving with license invalid. Officer OSullivan was assisted by Officer Schwausch.

Aug. 31

At 7:13 p.m., Officer OSullivan located a vehicle displaying a Texas license plate linked to an out of state fugitive in the 5600 block of IH 610 East Service Road. During the subsequent traffic stop the suspect fled the scene on foot and was apprehend. The suspect was charged with evading and the Louisiana warrants were confirmed for accessory after the fact to armed robbery and 2nd degree kidnapping, illegal possession of a stolen firearm, simple burglary and theft of a firearm. The driver of the vehicle was arrested for class C offenses. Officer OSullivan was assisted by Officers Younger, Schwausch, and Norman. Houston, West University and South Side Police Departments also arrived to assist.

Sept. 1

At 12:55 a.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to 5130 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Officer Andrade met with the reportee who stated an unknown suspect forced entry into his vehicle and stole blank bank deposit slips and envelopes.

At 3:46 p.m., Officer Marcotte initiated a traffic stop on a 1996 Dodge pickup for expired registration in the 8300 block of Chimney Rock. The driver was found to have a suspended drivers license and was arrested for driving while license invalid (DWLI).

Sept. 2

At 12:56 a.m., Officer D. Norman observed a Silver Toyota Camry fail to maintain a single lane of traffic in the 5100 block of Bissonnet St traveling eastbound. Officer Norman initiated the patrol vehicle emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle for the above listed violation. During the investigation, Officer Norman determined the driver to be driving while intoxicated. Officer Norman placed the suspect in custody for driving while intoxicated and transported the suspect to the Bellaire Police Department Jail for processing. Officer Y. Ortega assisted in this investigation.

At 9:19 a.m., Officer M. Santillanes was dispatched to the Bellaire Police Department lobby for an identity theft call in the 4400 block of Jonathan. Upon arrival the officer met with the victim who stated an unknown person used her credit card information to make an unauthorized purchase online. Officer Santillanes completed an identity theft report.

At 10:24 p.m., Corporal D. Clawson and Corporal K. Kramer were traveling in the approximate area of 5700 IH 69 northbound, within the city limits of Houston. The officers observed a grey Chevrolet Impala exiting at Chimney Rock road with defective license plate lighting and an expired temporary tag. They conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. During the traffic investigation it was determined the front seat passenger was in possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and unlawfully carrying a weapon. The defendant was subsequently charged with the felony charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and unlawfully carrying a weapon.

At 9:07 p.m., Officer Delgado conducted a traffic stop for expired motor vehicle registration on a 2001 Toyota Corolla in the 5800 block of Bissonnet Street. Officer Delgado made contact with the driver who provided his Texas Identification Card but was unable to provide proof of financial responsibility. Through computer inquiry the driver was shown to have a suspended Texas Driver License. The driver was placed in custody for driving while license invalid enhanced.A human trafficking expert told Bellaire-area parents that todays average trafficking victim looks nothing like what most Americans envision.

Jennifer Hohman is a community leader and advocate with anti-trafficking organizations Houston 20 and Fight for Us. On Thursday, Sept. 13, she shared her knowledge about human trafficking at the Safety Series at the Park. The Crime Stoppers of Houston series began earlier this summer at Evelyns Park in Bellaire.

Hohman got involved in the fight against trafficking in 2016 after she heard of four daughters of people just one degree away from her that had been groomed by traffickers and went missing, all within a matter of months.

Today, Hohman has six girls that she helped free and now considers daughters. She said the girls did not fit the idea most people have of trafficking victims.

They all came from very good homes. They were middle- to upper-class families, so it was absolutely not the persona that I thought it was. Right? Hohman said. It was not the child that was in [foster care] although foster care is a huge pipeline into girls being trafficked. It wasnt the foreign girl that came across the border via a coyote. It wasnt someone that emigrated over here or an Asian. This was literally what looked like us.

Hohman explained how because of the thousands of dollars of profit at stake, traffickers often take 12 to 18 months to groom a victim. She said they first befriend them, and then they intoxicate them by introducing or increasing drugs or alcohol. Next, they alienate and isolate them from their families and friends before they start revealing what is really going on, Hohman said. Finally, she said the traffickers capitalize on their months of work and traffic them.

Parents should understand the process, be aware of the signs that their children are in trouble and talk to them about the dangers, Hohman said. She also encouraged parents to trust their gut when they think something is wrong.

She said a lot of the grooming and trafficking starts online, and a big reason for that is the sheer number of people that have access to children and teens there. Low self-esteem is also a common factor, and Hohman said traffickers prey on areas where the victims are vulnerable, such a having problems at school or going through a breakup.

Hohman said citizens need to get active in the fight, pushing for anti-trafficking laws and supporting abolitionists. In her work with Houston 20, she learned legislators and most elected officials start paying attention when they get phone calls from about 25 constituents, which she said is a low bar to meet.

More Information The final Safety Series at the Park event is slated for 6-7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 11, at Evelyn's Park, located at 4400 Bellaire Blvd. The focus will be Every Day Safety & Crime Trends. For more information or tips on how to keep your children safe, visit http://crime-stoppers.org/. See More Collapse

Concerned parents or citizens can get involved with a number of organizations, including Houston 20, which Hohman described as a community uprising against trafficking in the city. Hohman said she expects to see Fight for Us fighting soon against a civil lawsuit by Harris County against a group that included 55 sex trafficking victims following an effort to clean out a red-light district on Bissonnet.

Although Hohman said she believes the numbers are low because they only show what is reported, according to Crime Stoppers, Texas has an estimated 313,000 human trafficking victims and more than 79,000 minors that are being trafficked for sex each year.

Hohman said from the time they are trafficked into sex, the average victim lives just seven years.

To me, this is a massive public health crisis. We all freak out about Ebola and all these other diseases, but literally, people are dying from this situation, and the chance of rescue is less than 2 percent, Hohman said.

Evelyns Park Conservancy Park Director Patricia King-Ritter said the event was important because it gave information that parents could use to arm and prepare their children.

Its about giving them knowledge that not everybody is nice  there are bad people in our world, King-Ritter said. When you give somebody that knowledge and that power, they can then understand and make the right decision to say, No.

Hohman said the threat of human trafficking with daughters and sons in the Houston area is very real and that the community has to be mindful, aware and working toward change.

I get at least two to three calls every week on trying to help someone find their child. They look at their social media, and they see signs of somebody having groomed and recruited them, Hohman said. So its just something we need to fight together as a community because if we dont speak for one, I believe we dont speak for all.Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houstons aniMeals on Wheels program has been helping feed the pets of underserved seniors for 11 years. More recently, aniMeals on Wheels has discovered a need for those pets to receive veterinarian care as well.

According to Interfaith Ministries, PetSmart Charities recently made a $20,000 donation to help provide veterinary care and supplies to the pets of homebound seniors. The grant will cover necessary medical interventions and surgeries, vaccines, prescriptions for chronic or acute illness, heartworm and parasite treatment.

According to Lauren Peterson, donor relations officer for IM, the need for veterinarian care came out of the relationship between the volunteer drivers and the seniors who were a part of the Meals on Wheels program.

Our drivers noticed that seniors were putting their meal trays on the floor. They were feeding their pets. They would rather feed them then feed themselves. As soon as we figured this out, we started aMOW, Peterson said.

The volunteer drivers would drop off monthly deliveries of pet food, but then the drivers also noticed another issue.

The pets were having various issues ranging in severity, from needing their nails clipped to having fleas, ticks and heartworms. They are able to take care of some needs with some partnering organizations, but funding was limited.

We started trying to find corporate finders. PetSmart has been on our radar for years. They had this grant come up for pet retention, to make sure that seniors wouldnt have to give their pets up, Peterson said.

Peterson said that there is a misconception about senior citizens giving up their pets. People may think that the seniors are just tired of taking care of their pets and dont want to do it anymore, but she says that that is not the case.

Some of the seniors that have pets, a lot of them are just having difficulties because they cant transport themselves, Cecilia Pham, manager of aMOW said.

A lot of seniors were having to bring their pets back to the shelter. They love their pets so much, but they just didnt want to see them in pain, Peterson said.

Pham remembers one woman who was a Meals on Wheels client, and also a aMOW client. The women had recently lost her dog, but she called Pham up and was excited to tell her about her new dog.

She wanted to let me know how hard it was for her to lose her dog, but then her vet suggested adopting a senior chihuahua. She was so excited to call and tell me that she didnt want to be taken off of the aMOW program, Pham said.

Another client is Ms. Betty and her dog Spot. Betty tried to take Spot to the veterinarian on her own but could not take him as often as needed.

After the veterinarian care through aMOW, Betty said, Spot is doing wonderful and that he's her everything.

She says that she does not know what she would do without him, and is grateful that her friend and only companion was able to get the care he needed.

According to Peterson, 171 pets through the aMOW program are on a waiting list to get veterinarian care. Thanks to the PetSmart donation, the program should be able to take care of all the animals on the list.

We are grateful for PetSmart. We could not help them without the grant funding, Peterson said.

Peterson said that any Meals on Wheels client with a pet can also sign up for aniMeals on Wheels. Interfaith Ministries are always looking for more volunteers too. To get more information, or to become a volunteer, visit www.imgh.org.

Those seniors are grateful for what we give them. We are not doing a whole lot, but to them, it is so appreciated, Pham said.

rebecca.hazen@chron.comDiagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, nine-year-old Lara Amer was angry and wouldnt leave her hospital room for days. Then, someone brought her art supplies, and her attitude changed as she began to create art.

During this Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Lara is cancer-free. She said when she was sick, creating art helped her to forget about her pain and get better.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Childrens Cancer Hospital has been using art for years to help its young patients, but it launched the Postal Art Exchange Project in April. The project allows children with cancer the opportunity to create and exchange their artwork with artists from across the nation and world.

MD Anderson pediatric patients begin a work of art on the back of a postcard, using watercolor, printmaking or mixed media materials. On the reverse side of the postcard, they include their name, age, hometown and a description of their artwork and any suggestions for their collaborator, said Arts in Medicine Manager Zachary Gresham.

He said the hospital mails the postcards to artists, who then add their art and mail them back to the patients. Additionally, the process repeats but in reverse, where the artists start with a blank card and have the patients complete it, Gresham said.

Gresham said the Postal Art Exchange Project began as a summer project with the idea that most of the patients spend a lot of time at the hospital, unable to really travel for summer vacations.

Studies have shown that creating art can benefit patients, and Gresham said the process often brings improvements in mood, outlook and sometimes even physical health.

Patients can be entrenched in a creative process and lose track of time or momentarily forget about an ailment or frustration, he said. Thats why the Arts in Medicine Program is so valuable to patients and families.

Lara and her family first learned she had the highly aggressive type of cancer in early January after she grew very ill over the Christmas holidays.

Although Laras mother Mai Ramadan had not yet told her that she had cancer, Lara knew that when she arrived at MD Anderson, it was a cancer hospital because her grandmother had been treated there. Ramadan said when Lara finally heard the full scope of her diagnosis, she was very upset.

She was angry. She wasnt very happy. She was in a lot of pain. She hadnt slept for almost two days because we keep having  thats hospital life  doctors and nurses checking on her every hour, asking questions, Ramadan said. She was yelling at the doctors. She kicked one of the nurses.

The hospital offered activities for the patients, but Ramadan said Lara was not interested until a child life specialist came to Laras room toting art supplies. Lara started making art. Soon, she was taking walks around her floor, meeting peers and even began checking the calendar daily to see what people would be visiting and what types of activities she could get into.

I like art because it took my mind off of the pain, and it was just really fun. I got to draw, and I didnt even think I was that good at art until I actually got to do it for a long time, Lara said.

Lara has worked on several pieces, and some of her art is slated to be featured in the Childrens Art Project, which sells items like cards, gifts and apparel to support programs for patients like her.

After completing six cycles of chemotherapy, Lara got to ring a ceremonial bell May 29 to celebrate her last treatment. For now, she goes back for follow-ups each month. She said she is stronger for having walked the difficult journey.

Looking back, the sweet, young girl whose hair is growing back after being shaved off for chemo said, Theres always hope, even when it feels like theres none.

The artwork of Lara and other pediatric cancer patients will be on display through November outside Third Coast, which is a restaurant in the Texas Medical Center located on the sixth floor at 6550 Bertner Ave.

Gresham said the Postal Art Exchange Project has been so successful and popular that the hospital has decided to make it a year-round program.

We hope the postcards can be a momentary escape from the hospital via our imaginations for the patients and families, Gresham said. Even though they might be stuck in the hospital for a while or theyre unable to do the usual activities due to treatment, the kids can imagine what adventure their artwork might go on and whose hands it will be in next.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.comWhen Jana Miller posts a photograph of her son on Facebook, the third grader will come back minutes later to ask for a status on the number of likes it received.

I think thats so sad. Is he going to associate his self-worth with how many likes he got? Miller said. It doesnt matter in the long run.

The impact of social media on the emotional well being of impressionable school age children is a major concern for parents as well as educators. The Katy Independent School District is hosting a series of training sessions for parents to help them cope with that issue and others.

Parents will hear from experts on topics that impact students and schools district-wide such as financial aid for college, mental health resources and bullying, said Christy Maeker, KISDs director of counseling services.

With so many stories in the news about school violence, Miller said the training session she attended was very timely. She said children seem to be more stressed these day than when she was in school.

There are so many more issues and so many more incidents of childhood trauma taking place that are impacting our childrens ability to deal with it, said Miller, who also has a son in junior high. The level of stress is increasing and children need the resources to be able to deal with it.

Anne McHale-Miller is Katy ISDs licensed social worker on staff. She said communication is critical in any family and children should not be expected to bottle up troubling feelings they might be experiencing.

Its okay not to be okay, McHale-Miller said. We have to normalize that for ourselves and our children. Stressed brains cant learn.

She said Texas is falling behind in the need to provide adequate mental health services for young people.

Of the kids that are struggling, only half of them receive treatment, McHale-Miller said. We need to have this conversation more and it can be uncomfortable.

Because Katy was one of the hardest hit areas from Hurricane Harvey related flooding, experts say KISD students have experienced more trauma than many others. McHale-Miller said trauma is an experience rather than an event.

We all went through Harvey but we experienced it differently. My experience can be different than yours, she said.

The Katy community also had a spike in the number of people categorized as homeless in the days after Hurricane Harvey, McHale-Miller said.

Homelessness is not necessarily someone thats living on the street. It can take on a lot of different looks, she said. If I lose my job so I cant pay my mortgage and I have to move in with my mom, that could be considered homeless.

She said any serious disruption in a students daily life - including being forced to flee their home because of rising flood waters - could be traumatizing to them.

That toxic stress really changes the way we think and the way we behave, McHale-Miller said. Thats why were talking about this.

What parents can do to help their children is engage in active listening with them, she said.

Do more than just hear your child - really listen and engage with them, McHale-Miller said.

Edie White, Katy ISDs newly hired anti-bullying cooridinator, told about 50 parents in the audience at Legacy Stadium that she would not want to be a teenager these days. Social media has only served to complicate growing up.

Its called FOMO - Fear of Missing Out. Social media drives the need for approval, White said. Our kids are constantly worried that everybody else around them is having so much fun and theyre the ones at home doing homework.

In the past, writing a rude comment about a fellow student on a bathroom wall was considered bullying behavior. But that has changed with the technology. White said students arent learning the skills to handle conflict. Cell phones allow students to instantaneously post hurtful messages without considering its impact to the person on the receiving end.

Its easier to be mean on a screen. We cant see the other people and we cant gauge how theyre feeling, White said. Our face to face interactions are limited.

Students need to be in a supportive environment that encourages them to thrive. If not, it can have a huge and detrimental effect on their academic and behavioral performance in school, Maeker said.

mike.glenn@chron.comWhen it comes to making an impact on campus, Vanessa Lindsley and Luis Flores have some advice for fellow college students.

If theres an issue you care about deeply, there are other people who will share that with you, Lindsley said in a film she and Flores recently made on how to build a movement.

Flores added that after finding others to join a group, the next step is getting a sponsor. There are plenty of professors on campus and more than likely at least one or two of them will share your concern, he said.

The two Lone Star College-CyFair students, both 19, spent the past two years learning about civic engagement and working to get more involved.

And the short they made on the subject, How to Make an Environmental Impact on your Campus, was recently recognized at Bayou Land Conservancys Wild and Scenic Film Festival, which was held at Star Cinema Grill in Vintage Park on Aug. 30.

The film was inspired by the students trip to the 2018 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting with professors Aurora Lugo and Melanie Steel, who are also leaders in the schools Center for Civic Engagement.

Whats really great about it is that it allows you to connect with others working to build civic engagement on campus, Steel said. We talk about what works and what doesnt so we can find new solutions and bring them back with us.

Lindsley, a Katy resident, said that the experience was eye opening.

There were a lot of cool projects that people were doing all around the world, she said.

Flores, who resides in Jersey Village, was amazed at the accomplishments of other conference attendees.

They were talking to us like equals, he said. Later Vanessa and I were asked to moderate a session at the conference. We didnt even think we were worthy to sit at the same table.

Both Flores and Lindsley were selected to attend the conference because they have served as moderators as part of the Center for Civic Engagements deliberate dialogue program at Lone Star College Cy-Fair.

Lindsley explained that volunteers for the program go to different classrooms to help lead discussions on important issues.

It can be anything from the opioid epidemic to obesity in America, she said. Were just getting people to talk about these things, have an open mind and over all to get people to participate in their community.

Moderators sit in a circle with other students to discuss various solutions to a problem.

Your job is to see all points of view and encourage students to share their own insights, Lindsley said.

Flores joined the program as a means to hone his public speaking skills - but along the way, became passionate about fostering the dialogue.

We always struggle when it comes to controversial stuff, he said. We tend to avoid it completely. I wanted to learn what to do in that situation, and I wanted to learn to be a better speaker.

Lugo said the deliberate dialogue program took off last semester.

We found opportunities to bring civic engagement into STEM classes, she said. At first, it was a challenge, but weve been able to break that barrier.

Not only do students engage in creative problem solving, but they also expand upon their classroom learning and discuss real world scenarios, she explained.

The professors and students were able to share their deliberate dialogue program with conference participants in California.

Students have attended with us in the past, Steel said. But this year, we wanted to give our students a task when they returned.

The first assignment Steel and Lugo gave Lindsley and Flores was to make a film about their experience at the conference.

The students were up for the challenge.

Im one of those people whos always recording things, Lindsley said. They were like, Just keep filming.

She shot almost everything on her iPhone. Then she and Flores sat down and started planning their movie.

We spent a lot of time brainstorming what kind of video to make, she said.

At first, we were drawing blanks, Flores said with a laugh.

Then, he suggested, that they draw on their experience as moderators, apply what they learned at the conferences and focus on preserving the environment.

The students only had a short time to put the film together, but they met the deadline and submitted the final project in mid-July for the Bayou Land Conservancy festival.

About a week later, they learned their entry was accepted.

From how fast they got back to us, I thought maybe theyll have 20 to 50 short films, Lindsley said. We showed up and there were 11 other films being shown. Ours was the only student film. It was scary, but it was exciting.

Now she wants to pursue other ideas and make more films. Maybe this was just the entryway into something else that I wouldnt have been confident to approach before, she said.

Lindsley also hopes the film will inspire others.

Its about helping anyone on a college campus to find a problem and take action and be successful in making a change, she said. We want to help people see that they have the power to fix things. Its not just seeing a problem and saying, Someone else will fix that.

Throughout the experience, Lindsley and Flores said that Steele and Lugo inspired them.

I wasnt always confident in my own abilities, Lindsley said. I have been able to make a difference. I have a lot of sympathy for people who dont think they can be leaders or affect change.

Flores plans to continue to encourage others to make a difference. As an individual, you have a lot more power than you think, he said. One voice is still strong.

He wants to tell other students that they can still change the world. It can be done, if youre willing to do it, he said. Its all about doing something you believe in and taking a risk.

Helping students realize their passions is the whole point of the program, Steel and Lugo explained.

Were both incredibly proud and excited for Vanessa and Luis, Steel said. We focus on helping our students find their voices. On this first attempt, their voice got traction. Hopefully, it spurs them to do more things like this.

Lindsley plans to pursue a career in film. Flores hopes to incorporate politics into his pursuit of biotechnology.

He advises other students to look for civic engagement programs on their campuses.

Study government and the process of making a change, he said. Then youll realize that what you want to make happen is possible.

For information about LSC-CyFair, visit LoneStar.edu/Cyfair. To learn about the Center for Civic Engagement, visit www.lonestar.edu/civicengagement.htm.The Chattanooga Music Club will present "Choro das 3" at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium (Main Stage) on Sunday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m.

Review for Choro das 3:

Choro das 3 is a Brazilian instrumental music band comprised of three sisters who travel with their father. Corina plays flute and piccolo, Lia plays acoustic 7 string guitar, Elisa plays mandolin, clarinet, banjo and piano and Eduardo (the father) plays pandeiro (the Brazilian tambourine).

In Brazil Choro das 3 has played for presidents and for huge audiences such as Sao Paulo's New Year's Eve Party (2 million people). They have appeared on national Brazilian TV many times, including the Jo Soares show (the Brazilian version of "The Tonight Show) as well as on many local TV stations around the world.

For the last five years Choro das 3 has played in the USA to reviews with words like, superbly talented, cohesive, and beguiling. Their appearances at Mike Marshall and David Grisman's Mandolin Symposium led Marshall to say that Choro das 3 plays ". . . some of the most inspired and inspiring music . . . the highest level of musicianship and presentation . . . the highest quality of Brazilian Choro music that can be heard any place today." Theyve played over 200 concerts at halls, festivals, clubs and schools from Massachusetts to California and from Seattle to Texas. Choro das 3 has released eight CDs since 2008. This will mark the third appearance in Chattanooga by the group.

The Chattanooga Music Club has provided 2,400 free seats for Hamilton Title 1 schools students families and 25 free seats for Chattanooga Recreation Center students families. As a non-profit 100 percent of the box-office collected will go to pay the group after any minimal expenses. Please help the CMC cover their expenses and enjoy a world class show.

General seating tickets are only $13.50 each ($10 General Seating, $2 Tivoli Restoration Foundation Fee, and Eventbrite ticketing fee of $1.50). Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/choro-das-3-in-concert-presented-by-the-chattanooga-music-club-tickets-47812322945

For more information contact Buddy Shirk at 529-0315.Residents from Colonial Oaks Assisted Living and Memory Care Center in Sugar Land recently delivered boxes of donated school supplies to the Williams Schools, a K-12 private school in Missouri City.

The donated supplies included pens and pencils, crayons, notebooks, binders, glue sticks and other essentials.

Our students will put these supplies to good use, director Lisa Williams said. We really appreciate the donations. Since we are a private school, we dont receive any funding from the state and are always grateful for support from the community.

Williams founded the not-for-profit school in 2004 to offer a positive learning environment for students with dyslexia and other learning challenges. Classes are held for the schools 21 students in a learning annex located in the First United Methodist Church in Missouri City.

Kim Hinojosa, community relations director at Colonial Oaks at First Colony, said residents began collecting donations of school supplies last July.

One of our most popular fundraisers happened when our residents hosted a special bingo party and invited their family members to attend, Hinojosa said. It was an extremely successful event. Bingo cards were purchased with school supplies and we were able to gather hundreds of dollars in donations for the school.

Hinojosa and a group of residents visited students and dropped off the donated supplies on Friday, Sept. 14.

Our residents lovedcoming to the school with the supplies and interacting with the students, Hinojosa said. Just because theyre older doesnt mean they cant give back to the community.

Colonial Oaks is located at 13825 Lexington Blvd. in Sugar Land.

For more information about the Williams School, visit www.the-williams-school.orgSchool superintendents from across Fort Bend County will get the chance to showcase their plans for the future, thanks in part to the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce.

The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerces Education Division will host the 11th Annual State of the Schools luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at Safari Texas Ranch, located at 11627 FM 1464, in Richmond.

The State of the Schools luncheon brings together the superintendents from Stafford Municipal School District, Dr. Robert Bostic; Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, Dr. Thomas Randle; and Fort Bend Independent School District, Dr. Charles Dupre, to present their plans for the future of more than 110,000 students they serve in their respective districts.

The luncheon is presented by AUTOARCH Architects, LLC, Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc., Vanir Construction Management, Inc., Prime Contractors, Inc., Rogers, Morris & Grover, CBRE | HEERY, and Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, LLP.

Underwritten by VLK Architects, Drymalla Construction Company, Inc., Linebarger Law Firm, LLP, Powell & Leon, LLP, Wharton County Junior College, Huitt-Zollars, Inc., Salas OBrien, STOA Architects, Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc., Karczewski, Bradshaw, Spalding, Nichols, Lamp, Langlois, Post Oak Municipal Advisors LLC, Pfluger Associates Architects, JACOBS Engineering Group, Dally + Associates, Inc., PBK Architect, Inc., and The Fort Bend Church.

The Education Division of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is under the leadership of Chair, Jim Rice, Rice & Gardner Consultants. The Education Divisions passion is building awareness and connections between the business sector, community leaders, and education. By keeping its members engaged with current events impacting education on a local and national level; the divisions goal is to create opportunities for individuals to invest in education.

Registration is open. Tickets are Presenter Sponsor  $2,000; Underwriter Sponsor  $1,000; Corporate Table  $550; Member Reservation  $35; and Prospective Member Reservation  $45.

Details of upcoming events can be found at www.FortBendChamber.com or contact Juliette Nessmith at 281-566-2161 or Juliette@fortbendcc.org.

About the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce

As the only 5-star accredited and single-county chamber in the nine-county area surrounding the Houston Metroplex, membership provides both immediate and long-term benefits for your business and helps build momentum for our communitys future.The first pride festival in The Woodlands may have just happened this month, but a small group of LGBTQ community members and their family and friends have been meeting in the area for about three years.

Kirsten Beckler, who has a transgender son and a bisexual daughter, started the South Montgomery County LGBTQ Support Group in 2015.

Our group is open to everyone: friends, family, allies and people in the community. Parents whose child recently came out may have questions, or someone will talk about something that happened to them, Beckler said of the group, describing it as a place where anyone can come to find support.

The group meets twice a month at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church along South Panther Creek Drive in The Woodlands.

Leaders were clear that while the group may meet in a church, they are not religiously affiliated. The rules are that the confidential conversation stays away from politics and religion during meetings.

Yet, Beckler said that even though it is unintentional, it may be a healing experience for support group members to meet in a church.

Sometimes, its healing (for people) to meet in a church building and know that theyre walking in and its always been very accepting, Beckler said.

She added that this wasnt an aspect she expected, but has seen it be a powerful experience at times. Beckler said one of the most frequently asked questions asked in the group was where one could find a friendly place to worship.

Not every person in the community wants to go to church, but there are a lot of them (who want to), Beckler said.

Lord of Life Pastor, the Rev. Gary Heath, allowed the group to meet at the church said he is happy that it does.

We understand that when people have been wounded by society for who they are, it creates a lot of hurt and pain. The church should be a place where they can come as a place of care and acceptance, Heath said.

Both Heath and Beckler compared the support group to groups such as Boy Scouts or Alcoholics Anonymous: all are nonreligious groups that often use a church building as a place to host meetings.

Group member Joe Agrella has been attending the meetings for about a year.

Agrella explained that that he had been previously rejected from a church because of his identity and was looking for a tolerant place to worship when he first found the group.

Its an open discussion where you can talk about all the challenges that you may face. No one tries to change your mind, Agrella said. The fact that the church is willing to open their space without any expectation from the group is very Christ-like, in my opinion.

But, in his co-leadership role, he reiterated that the church is simply a space where the group meets.

Group leader Roxy Waguespack, who is a mental health professional and leads a teenager-centered breakout group at meetings, also commented on the unique relationship between the group and the church.

We do try to keep it separate, but it is a huge part of peoples lives and struggles. We dont preach one way or the other, we provide the space, Waguespack said.

Both Agrella and Waguespack became members of Lord of Life after they joined the support group.

Since it has started meeting, Beckler said the group continues to grow as the traditionally conservative area becomes more open to the LGBTQ community.

Theres a lot more knowledge out there, and knowledge is what helps create acceptance and visibility, Beckler said.

jane.stueckemann@chron.comSaudi Arabia brokered a new peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea aimed at stabilizing the Horn of Africa region, Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed the so-called Jeddah Peace Accord on Sunday in the presence of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. It's the second peace deal the two states have made since they ended decades of enmity in July.

The deal is "a historic milestone for the peoples of Ethiopia and Eritrea and will contribute to strengthening security and stability in the region at large," Al-Jubeir said in a statement on Twitter.

The agreement comes after "extensive Saudi back-channel diplomacy" to maintain stability and development in one of the world's most strategic locations, Saud al-Sarhan, secretary-general of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, said by email from Riyadh. Eritrea is located near the near Bab el-Mandeb, a shipping choke-point on the Red Sea used by oil tankers and other cargo vessels en route to Europe and the U.S. through the Suez Canal.

The accord can also be viewed as Riyadh "moving forward on a key element" of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's so-called Vision 2030, which aims to make Saudi Arabia a global logistical and shipping hub, al-Sarhan said.

This "can only be realized if the Horn of Africa is at peace," al-Sarhan said. "Hosting the signing of the Ethiopian-Eritrean peace agreement in Jeddah is an important sign of Saudi Arabia's commitment to regional peace, security, and the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea."

Eritrea and Ethiopia declared peace in July and agreed to reestablish economic links after an unprecedented summit between the neighbors' leaders ended decades of enmity. The states fought a 1998-2000 border war that claimed as many as 100,000 lives and left thousands of Ethiopian and Eritrean families divided. The two sides have clashed sporadically in the years since and accused each other of supporting rival rebel groups.In May 2004, 18-year-old Adriana Ortega was sitting in her living room and crying as she was holding her infant son and watching the televised graduation ceremony for her Midland High School classmates. Ortega wasnt there because she had dropped out of school two years earlier to get married.

Watching my friends graduate made me realize that I needed to get a high school diploma, so I started taking GED classes at Midland College, and 3  months later, I had a high school diploma, she said.

Two years after Santiago was born, she and her then-husband had a daughter, Karyme. When Karyme started pre-school in 2010, Ortega decided it was time to take her education one step further, so she enrolled in classes at Midland College.

I wasnt sure what my major would be, Ortega said. I enrolled in a few business-related classes, and then one day, as I was sitting in a business systems class taught by Sylvia Brown, I realized that a business career was my calling. What can I say  I like paperwork!

While she was taking classes, Ortega worked full-time as an administrative assistant, was married and was raising two young children.

She graduated from Midland College in 2013 with an associate of applied science degree in business systems and soon obtained an administrative assistant position at D&H pumps. She was also active in Midland Colleges Students in Philanthropy organization and was a member of Sigma Kappa Delta, the English honor society.

I really enjoyed having Adriana as a student, said Sylvia Brown, business systems department chair. She was always eager to learn new things. She fully participated in all the classroom activities. I could tell that she has the confidence needed to accomplish everything she sets her mind to do.

Ortega enrolled at Midland College again in 2015 to pursue a baccalaureate degree in organizational management. She was able to advance her career when she accepted a position as an administrative assistant working for a local oilfield service company, Badger Daylighting.

However, life wasnt exactly idyllic for Ortega and her family. She and her husband of 15 years divorced in 2016. Despite being a single mother, she was determined to complete her degree. Even though her college tuition was being financed in part through a Midland Uptown Business & Professional Womens scholarship, Ortega said it was hard to juggle finances. In July of last year, she began working part-time at Kirklands at Midland Park Mall.

It wasnt easy raising a family, working and going to school, Ortega said. My family had to make lots of sacrifices, but it is worth it.

Ortega graduated from in May with a bachelor of applied technology in organizational management. In June, she celebrated two years of employment at Badger.

Every student has a different path to graduation, said Ryan Peckham, organizational management associate professor. Adrianas work ethic and determination have never wavered, and even in the face of adversity, she has persevered. I am proud of her, but more importantly, she should be very proud of herself.

Ortega wants to take her career even further. She plans to begin taking paralegal courses or start working on an MBA beginning in January.

Rebecca C. Bell is executive director of Institutional Advancement at Midland College and the Midland College Foundation.A Texas appeals court has bounced back to a lower court the case of a Harris County man on death row, after forensic evidence showed he never committed a second slaying he was accused of in court.

Ronald James Hamilton was sentenced to die 16 years ago for the 2001 killing of Ismail Matalkah during a convenience store robbery on Yellowstone. In a rare move, he pleaded guilty to the crime - and instead focused on begging the jury for a life sentence during the punishment phase of trial.

But to show that he was a future danger and deserved a death sentence, prosecutors presented evidence that Hamilton was responsible for another murder, the 2001 slaying of Son Vinh Huynh at a convenience store on Holman.

An eyewitness spotted the shooter putting down a beer just before the murder, according to court records. Yet, the fingerprint on the bottle turned out to match another man, one who had a long criminal history and matched the police sketch circulated at the time.

READ MORE: Ex-convict gets death in store clerk's murder

Though Houston police had DNA and fingerprint from the beer at the time, it either wasn't tested at all or else was tested and the results never turned over to Hamilton's trial lawyers, according to court papers.

"This new evidence establishes that Hamilton is actually innocent of this extraneous offense," his attorneys wrote in court filings, "that the State failed to reveal this exculpatory evidence and false and misleading evidence regarding the extraneous Holman murder."

On appeal, Hamilton's attorney raised three main issues, including the fingerprint evidence, as well as concerns about earlier bad lawyering.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals didn't let the defense move ahead with two claims about sub-par legal representation, but on Wednesday the CCA remanded the case to a Harris County court for further review on the claim that Hamilton didn't commit the earlier murder.

"We have 120 days to file our response," said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the district attorney's office. Hamilton's current lawyers did not respond to a request for comment.A man didn't let two people steal his 2014 Ford Focus without a fight last month.

The unidentified victim told police he saw people following him on Aug. 30 when he was leaving a southeast Houston Kroger around midnight. Two men jumped him in the parking lot. The victim then pepper sprayed the attackers before they eventually made off with his vehicle, police said.

Houston police released a video Monday of the robbery in the 16400 block of El Camino Real. It shows the two suspects loitering in the Kroger parking lot near the victim's car around midnight before the victim walks out of the store.

RELATED: Surveillance video shows Houston robbery suspect pistol-whip store clerk

The victim walks to his car as one of the suspects appears to greet him at the vehicle. The second suspect runs up to him from behind and appears to assault the man. That's when the victim pepper sprays the suspects, according to the video.

In the video, both suspects appear to run away from the man as he chases them around his car with the pepper spray. At one point, the suspects run completely out of the camera frame but later turn back to steal the car.

Police said the suspects took the man's keys at some point during the struggle. After they entered his vehicle, the victim tried to get back into the car and was thrown to the ground.

Houston police released descriptive information for only one suspect: a black male between 15 and 20 years old, weighing between 120 and 140 pounds. That suspect also appears to be between 5-foot 6-inches and 6-foot 2-inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, police said.

The man's vehicle has not yet been recovered, police said.

RELATED: Bank teller accused of triggering violent robbery in northwest Harris County

Police are asking anyone with information about the suspect to call Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or submit information online at www.crime-stoppers.org.

>>Scroll through the gallery above for a play-by-play account of the fight.

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.comFor the first time in NASA's 60-year existence, the space agency has tapped a woman to lead the Mission Control flight directors at Houston's Johnson Space Center.

Holly Ridings, a Texas native, has worked at NASA for 20 years. She was named chief flight director Thursday, the first woman to ever hold this position.

"Holly has proven herself a leader among a group of highly talented flight directors," Brian Kelly, NASA's director of flight operations, said in a statement. "I know she will excel in this unique and critical leadership position providing direction for the safety and success of human spaceflight missions."

PAVING THE WAY: NASA's Vanessa Wyche first African American named second in command at Johnson Space Center

Ridings, 44, did not provide a comment Monday. In her new role, she will manage all 32 flight directors and flight directors-in-training. These individuals are in charge of keeping the astronauts and the International Space Station safe by leading teams of controllers, researchers, engineers and support personnel at the Houston center.

If something goes wrong, flight directors have to be able to make split-second decisions while holding someone's life in their hands. For example, in 1970 during the Apollo 13 mission, Gene Kranz was in charge of an enormous team on the ground that helped bring the three astronauts home after an oxygen tank explosion forced them to abort their trip to the moon.

FROM SPACE TO MISSION CONTROL: NASA's T.J. Creamer first astronaut to become Mission Control flight director

Ridings  who has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University  became a flight director in 2005. Her predecessor, Norm Knight, became chief flight director in 2012.

The Texas native steps into her leadership role at a time of transition for the space agency.

LONG, LATE HOURS: NASA's Mission Control team shifts to younger recruits

Since taking office last year, President Donald Trump has pushed for the U.S. to return to the moon as a stepping stone toward Mars.

Trump's $19.9 billion proposed budget for the next fiscal year tasks NASA with launching Americans around the moon in 2023. It also would set aside $504.2 million in the coming year to begin working on the foundation of a $2.7 billion Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway  basically a mini-space station orbiting the moon where astronauts could live and work.

Officials have said the gateway should be fully functional by 2026, with human missions to the lunar surface expected soon after.

Ridings "will lead the team during exciting times as they adapt to support future missions with commercial partners and beyond low-Earth orbit," Kelly said.

Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.AUSTIN  The spokesman for the state agency pushing greater awareness of sex trafficking trivialized allegations of high school-era sexual assault brought against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Marc Rylander, communications director for Attorney General Ken Paxton, retweeted, Judge Kavanaugh now being accused of kicking his mother several times  while in the womb. In another retweet, he shared, Breaking: Democrats have a witness who says Kavanaugh cheated at Pin the Tail On the Donkey in Kindergarten class. The tweets were originally shared by Mark Simone, a conservative New York radio host.

Rylander did not respond to requests for comment, although the tweet about Kavanaugh kicking his mother several times was deleted from his account Monday afternoon.

The comments come after the sexual assault allegations surfaced from Christine Blasey Ford. She said Kavanaugh and another male classmate, both two years older than her, locked her in a bedroom during a high school party in suburban Maryland. She said Kavanaugh tried to pull off her clothes and covered her mouth. She said she escaped the room when the second boy jumped on the bed, causing them to tumble to the floor.

Kavanaugh has said the alleged sexual assault never happened.

MORE: Official Washington scrambles over Kavanaugh allegations

Rylanders Twitter activity comes just weeks after Paxton released an ad that spoke to rape culture. The agency unveiled a commercial with actor Matthew McConaughey speaking to the gravity of the agencys concern over human and sex trafficking, an issue the agency says is a priority to prosecute.

Nearly 79,000 Texas minors and youth are victims of sex trafficking, an activity that forces women into the sex trade and subjects them to commercialized sexual assault and rape.

Paxton, a Republican, is up for re-election in November. He is running against Justin Nelson, a Democrat and Austin lawyer.

Sexual assault is a crime of violence and abuse of power  never a laughing matter. Another disgrace surrounding indicted Ken Paxton, Margaret Justus, a spokeswoman for Nelsons campaign, said in a written statement.

Paxton was indicted in 2015 and is awaiting trial on a pair of first-degree felony securities fraud charges and a third charge of failing to register as an investment adviser. He is unlikely to face trial until after the November election.I began my career with stars in my eyes. I set my sights highI was going to climb the corporate ladder and become a chief executive. But slowly, my focus shifted, and I adjusted my trajectory. I told myself that my decision to scale back my ambition was to accommodate life changes and find balance.

When I started my career, work was fun, and I felt like I was making a difference. Looking back, I recognize that my passion and profession needed to align. I need to work in an environment where I matter, where I can shine and dream, and where what you know is more important than who you know. Ultimately, I connected with a like-minded partner, who shared a burning desire to create a better future. Opting out of the corporate rat-race may contribute to an increase of women entrepreneurs, and the decrease in female CEOs.

A NY Times article attributes the 25 percent decline in female CEOs to challenges women face as a result of unconscious bias. People describe the typical CEO as being six feet tall with a deep voice. In an experiment given two identical candidates, participants selected Eric over Erica as a natural leader. While there is little doubt that unconscious bias exists, we need to consider if women are being denied opportunities or selecting an alternate career path. It is possible that women and men are attracted to different types of positions. Women are more likely than men to run companies on the brink of disaster. And these risky assignments are less likely to result in long tenures, which may contribute to the decline in women CEOs.

It is important to maintain perspective, women only gained the right to vote in 1920 and increased their participation in the workforce during World War II. Today there are more opportunities for women. But entering a male-centric workplace and breaking into the C suite has been an uphill battle. More senators are named John than there are women senators. As women make inroads in politics, these numbers will change. In 2018, the number of women candidates increased, with 72 women running in 66 districts. Politics are just one example where women are breaking into male-dominated fields.

Navigating the corporate ladder can be exhausting! It requires tenacity and sponsorship for anyone to advance in an organization. This climb to the top is more difficult for women because the number of women leaders decreases the higher in a company you go. While the old boy's network provides a connection and support system for male workers, women are on their own.

To compound the problem, women in power tend to be less supportive of other women. Dubbed the Queen Bee syndrome, when a woman in a position of authority treats female colleagues more critically and can be seen as ruthless or cut-throat. Queen Bee behavior prevents other women from advancing. Also, research showed that women who rose to the top by being assertive and dominant were not made to feel included by their female counterparts. It might not be that women are harder on other women, but simply that women are just expected to be nicer. No matter the cause, the result is that women leaders may experience isolation which can make organizational advancement less appealing.

In my experience, the lack of support contributed to my disillusion. I could not thrive in the large corporate environment and looked outside to find an environment where I felt valued and could contribute. It is possible that womens desire to find the right fit is contributing to the growth of womens entrepreneurship at rates roughly 2  times the national average (114% vs. 44%) (that from 1997 to 2017). By selecting entrepreneurship, women can create a different organization dynamic. Women can be successful without conforming or competing in male-oriented environments.

The growth of women-owned businesses may be the beginning of a renaissance. It was amazing to me how things changed once I followed my passion. I find working in a woman-owned business affirming, collaborative, and creative. I am close to my business partner because we share a dream, a passion and the ability to deliver amazing results. Based on my experience, organizations designed by women will change the status quo, by respecting integrity, innovation and creating room for the best talent at the top.The tech industry isn't a bunch of scrappy underdogs anymore. In the wake of numerous data lapses and incidents of personal data being monetized in ways users never expected, consumer trust is droppingaccording to a recent survey from Selligent, 75 percent of consumers are worried about brands tracking their browsing behavior. And it's not just customers: unethical behavior is causing tech talent to balk at working at certain companies, and some employees are refusing to work on projects they deem morally dubious.

It's become more urgent than ever for organizations to establish a code of ethics, laying down strict guidelines to circumscribe potentially dubious actions. But drawing up a set of guidelines is only half the battle: you need to give an ethics policy teeth, or it'll be cast aside as soon as breaking the rules can give the companyor some division or employeea momentary advantage. "This comes down to the top team owning and embracing the policy," says Alexander Lowry, who directs the ethics-focused Financial Analysis program at Gordon College. "They need to live it and embody it. That example is essential."

Importance of a code of ethics

Most of us probably think of ourselves as ethical people. But within organizations built to maximize profits, many seemingly inevitably drift towards more dubious behavior, especially when it comes to user personal data. "More companies than not are collecting data just for the sake of collecting data, without having any reason as to why or what to do with it," says Philip Jones, a GDPR regulatory compliance expert at Capgemini. "Although this is an expensive and unethical approach, most businesses dont think twice about it. I view this approach as one of the highest risks to companies today, because they have no clue where, how long, or how accurate much of their private data is on consumers."

This is the sort of organizational ethical drift that can arise in the absence of clear ethical guidelinesand it's the sort of drift that laws like the GDPR, the EU's stringent new framework for how companies must handle customer data, are meant to counter. And the temptation is certainly there to simply use such regulations as a de facto ethics policy. "The GDPR and laws like it make the process of creating a digital ethics policy much easier than it once was," says Ian McClarty, President and CEO of PhoenixNAP. "Anything and everything that an organization does with personal data obtained from an individual must come with the explicit consent of that data owner. Its very hard to subvert digital ethics when ones ability to use personal data is curtailed in such a draconian fashion."

But companies cannot simply outsource their ethics codes to regulators and think that hewing to the letter of the law will keep their reputations intact. "New possibilities emerge so fast," says Mads Hennelund, a consultant at Nextwork, "that companies will be forced by market competition to apply new technologies before any regulator has been able to grasp them and impose meaningful rules or standards." He also notes that, if different silos within a company are left to their own devices and subject to their own particular forms of regulation and technology adoption, "the organization as a whole becomes ethically fragmented, consisting of multiple ethically autonomous departments."

And creating an ethics policy has definite business benefits. "It's advantageous for brands to put consumer data privacy at the forefront of their data strategies," says Gladys Kong, CEO of UberMedia. "Brands have a responsibility to be clear on knowing what data they have access to and what permission levels they've been granted by consumers. As long as companies are respectful of that principle, there is no 'gray area' in a data strategyits clear to both company and user how data is gathered and handled."

Building a digital ethics policy

If you're going to build your own ethics code, how are you going to go about it? Nextwork's Hennelund, offers a framework for doing so, based on five ethical themes.You visit your doctor for a routine checkup. She decides to do a fine needle aspiration for a seemingly insignificant lesion (Its probably nothing). But a few days later you get a call back. Theyve found some abnormal cells.

Your doctor recommends a specialist who performs a resection in his office, sending a tissue sample to a histology lab. The labs histologist preps the sample by taking sections, placing them in a cassette, then sending it overnight to another lab for processing. When the tissue blocks are returned the next day, a histologist cuts slides from the processed paraffin-embedded tissue and stains them with hematoxylin and eosin which differentially bind to cellular structures. A case number is created, whereupon the slides are placed on a plastic tray and delivered to the pathologist, as if serving hors doeuvres. The pathologist might walk the tray down the hall to another pathologist, who examines the specimens under a microscope, sometimes recommending additional interpretive stains. A diagnosis is made, and the pathology report is sent back to your doctor, who then creates a treatment plan. The entire process can take weeks, sometimes even months.

Patients and medical professionals have become accustomed to the drill: its been standard practice for decades. But advancements in artificial intelligence are about to disrupt disease diagnosis.

Diagnosis, accelerated

Imagine that a histologist can scan the slides, creating electronic images that can be accessed digitally by different physicians, labs, and technicians. Tissue samples can be stored in the cloud and shared with far-flung specialists who can collaborate from afar with care providers. Diagnoses can be corroborated through deep learning algorithms that recognize specific characteristics and behaviors in the tissue sample. The digital images become a historical record of the blood or tissue sample. The entire diagnostic process could go from weeks to hours, accelerating vital patient care.

Weve always had the discussion about whether pathology is art or science, explains Dave Billiter, CEO and co-founder of Deep Lens, a digital pathology AI and cloud platform vendor. Billiter comes from more traditional healthcare, holding executive positions at Cardinal Health and The Research Institute at Nationwide Childrens Hospital. But he recognizes the promise of AI breaking new ground in medicine.

In essence youre relying on a trained eye to render a diagnosis of a biospecimen. But there are so many different types and subtypes of a disease. Even with highly trained medical professionals, youre relying on an individual to understand them all. Its an arduous process for a pathologist. Then you start adding all these different biomarkers, genomics, metabolomics Its a pathology information tsunami!

As the need for more specialization increases, the number of pathologists is shrinking. According to the Medical Laboratory Observer, fewer medical school graduates are choosing pathology as a specialty, despite the increasing demand driven by an aging baby-boomer population and evolving genomic research.

We see a decreasing pool of pathology experts, confirms Saskia Boisot MD, a board-certified hematopathologist based in Orange County, California. Part of it is that medical schools dont feature careers in pathology as prominently as they do other specialties. Part of it is that the job market for pathologists is quite limited, the practice entirely dependent on affiliations with either hospitals or private reference laboratories, with little opportunity for autonomy.

Humans, more than ever

Recognizing the opportunity, medical schools are beefing up their emerging technology curricula. Med students are now offered courses in technology infrastructure, deep learning, and data management alongside their biology classes, adding GPUs, robotics, and convolutional neural networks to their training.

Companies like Deep Lens and Philips package images in secure environments and can automatically place them into a pathologist workflow. AI algorithms can optimize routing to specialists and others in a dynamic, collaborative environment.

The benefits dont stop at diagnosis. Digitized results could move the needle for clinical trials, says software investor and Deep Lens President and co-founder Simon Arkell. Patient enrollment is difficult and time consuming. AI can identify a cancer, feed new models, and help researchers quickly qualify clinical trial participants. Drug companies and CROs [Contract Resource Organizations] could experience huge economies of scale.

Then theres the coming data deluge. According to Andrew Hessell, a biotech industry pioneer and now CEO of Humane Genomics, Its economically realistic for a billion human genomes to come online over the next decade or two. It will be nearly impossible for pathologists to stay current with the emergence of new biomarkers without the help of machine learning and digitization.

I think theres a fear that, much in the same way a lot of radiology interpretation is being outsourced through digitization, pathologists could become progressively obsolete, says Dr. Boisot. Conventional anatomic pathology is undergoing a massive transformation, as many diagnoses are now being made based on molecular studies. While these studies currently only represent an adjunct to morphologic evaluation, theres a very real chance that they could dwarf the need for a pathologists keen eye.

Todays problems have fomented over decades. But the pathology discipline isnt going the way of the dinosaur. Billiter maintains that the pathology discipline will be central to personalizing medicine, with pathologists adopting new technologies drive faster, more accurate diagnostics. This will be as much about humans helping AI as AI helping humans.

What better partnership could there be?Its uncanny how closely the Democrats are following the Anita Hill playbook as they try to Anita Brett Kavanaugh, looking to prevent his confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice. Like Hill, Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford is a professor who made her accusation in the expectation of anonymity, never dreaming that newspapers from coast to coast would blazon her name across Page One. Hill had received assurances from a Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee staffer that, in all likelihood, Clarence Thomas would quietly withdraw his name from consideration, to spare himself and his family embarrassment. After all, Hills friend, administrative law judge Susan Hoerchner, had reportedly sprung a similar surprise on a fellow judge, with complete success, and it may well have been she who urged Hill to try the same tactic with Thomas. But theres nothing leakier than a politicians office, and Senate Democrats plainly considered Hill as a mere tool to derail Thomass confirmation without any concern about what would happen to her.

I didnt believe Hills accusations back then, and now, having a clear picture of Justice Thomass sterling character, and having just reread the transcript of the Hill-Thomas hearings, I believe them still less. What, then, would have been her motivation in accusing the judge? her supporters ask. Though Hoerchner and many of Hills allies wanted to bar Thomas from the High Court to ward off any threat to the Roe v. Wade abortion decision, Hills own motive may have been her strong disagreement with Thomass opposition to affirmative action, about which the Supreme Court would have much to say in the years ahead. Also, those who believe her ask, how would such a prim-seeming young lady know some of the very concrete salacious details of what she claimed Thomas had said to her a decade earlier? The answer: the most graphic detail, complete with photograph, is in a federal appellate case whose transcript was in the library of the federal agency where Hill had worked as a Thomas employee. The other lurid detail comes from The Exorcist, a bestselling book and hit movie during the 1970s. But even supposing that Hill was telling the truthwhich I do notthe most you could say, as Judiciary Committee member Orrin Hatch commented, is that Thomas talked dirty to her. He never touched her.

Having watched Kavanaughs testimony and having heard the encomia on his character from the many women whose careers he has fostered as a judge and professor, as well as from his colleagues, I strongly doubt that he did what Ford alleges, and what her allegation suggests was a rape attempt was, by her own description, nothing of the kindthough, following the Hill playbook, she has already taken a lie-detector test and hired a well-known lawyer. But again, supposing it were trueas I do not supposehe was 17 years old at the time. Do the Democrats really think that a single teenage indiscretion should have a place in confirmation hearings?

But ever since their savaging of Robert Bork, no dirty trick is too dirty for the Democrats when it comes to the Supreme Court. After all, so many of the policy victories they have won in the past half-century have been won from the Court, in its era of interpreting the fictitious living Constitution, with all its emanations, formed by penumbras. So dedicated were they to preserving what they called settled law during the Thomas hearings that they didnt even blush to have committee member Edward Kennedyresponsible for the gruesome death of a young woman staffer when he was allegedly driving drunkquestion Thomas about this charge of sexual harassment.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley should treat this character assassination with the contempt it deserves and hold the committee vote this week, as planned. As even Karl Marx knew, history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.

Photo: Zach Gibson/Getty Images9.00AM - 9.30AM Registration, coffee & networking Registration, coffee & networking

9.30AM - 9.40AM Chair's welcome Tania Mason, editor, Governance & Leadership



9.40AM - 10.20AM Articial intelligence - the force shaping our future It has been widely dubbed the dening technology of our time, but what really is AI and how is it changing the world as we know it? In this thought-provoking keynote speech, Daniel Hulme, a leading expert in articial intelligence, will shed some light on the practical application of AI as well as considering some of the associated social, commercial, economic and ethical implications.



Daniel Hulme, AI entrepreneur and academic

10.20AM - 11.00AM RSPB send in the drones: transforming conservation through drone technology Over the past decade the use and accessibility of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has rapidly accelerated. One charity making the most of this technology is the RSPB, which has rolled out the use of drones across multiple sites, transforming the way in which aerial imagery is acquired on its reserves. The ability to take regular, high-denition aerial images has proved a low-cost and highly eective method of mapping and measuring dierent habitats, enabling an enhanced level of detail and the creation of 3D digital surface models. In this session, Thomas Starnes will share some of the challenges and benets involved in making this transformation, and present some examples of the drones in action.



Thomas Starnes, geographic information systems analyst, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Adam Williams, head of sales, KCOM



11.00AM - 11.25AM Networking & refreshment break  BANKEX Foundation product demo Networking & refreshment break  BANKEX Foundation product demo



11.25AM - 11.35AM Chair's welcome Stream A: Dan Hall, chief information ocer, Girls Day School Trust and chair, Charity IT Leaders Stream B: David McNeill, digital director, SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations)



Stream C: Tania Mason, editor, Governance & Leadership



Stream D: Stephen Cotterill, editor, Fundraising



11.35AM - 12.10PM 1A. Data management: Where do we even start Burning the midnight oil managing data within your organisation is not where any of us want to be. Yet, with the sheer volume of data being generated every second of our lives, managing this has never been more challenging. The question is, where do you even begin? Steve Georgiou

will guide you on this journey explaining the options and best practice advice, along with real-life case studies from organisations towards the end of their expedition.



Steve Georgiou, senior accout manager,



11.35AM - 12.10PM 1B. Samaritans case study: Unifying digital communications For many organisations, their website and social media presence act as the public face of the charity and provide key ways of engaging with supporters. In a climate of increased scrutiny and regulation, quality and consistency are more crucial than ever. Optimising and aligning your social and content strategies can be challenging, especially for confederated charities like Samaritans, which has over 200 branches nationwide all using social media. Attend this session to hear more about Mike Keatings approach to creating content and social strategies, ensuring they actually get used, and how they support Samaritans journey to launch a new website platform and rebrand, all by 2019.



Mike Keating, digital communications manager, Samaritans





11.35AM - 12.10PM 1C. Demystifying digital transformation All too often organisations start down the road of digital transformation only to nd that the systems they are using do not support the digital

organisation they want to be. Although it may seem simpler to compromise on the basics in order to instigate change, this approach has a tendency to result in overextended timelines on delivery and poor customer experience of the transforming organisation. Whether you are a technology expert or a senior manager engaged in digital transformation, this session will provide an insight into managing large-scale digital transformation, and shed some light on how innovative technologies can enhance the customer experience and help to bridge the funding gap.



Nathan Baranowski, director, ojo Solutions



11.35AM - 12.10PM 1D. Guide Dogs case study: Shaping an innovative IT strategy for a traditional organisation Most charities, regardless of their shape or size, are struggling with similar challenges when it comes to the fast-moving realm of technology. These include; how to balance innovative projects with business as usual, how to keep moving forward in a low-risk, low-cost way, and how to create an organisational culture that supports investment in tech. In this session, we will learn more about Guide Dogs IT strategy, from a new approach to project management to their renewed focus on technology governance.



Ray Brooks, chief information ocer and Marie Orpen, head of digital, Guide Dogs



12.10PM - 12.50PM 2A. Unleashing the creative potential of technology for cultural organisations Technology is increasingly playing a central role in the arts, culture and heritage sector. Tonya Nelson, whose experience and interest in the application of new technologies in this sector resulted in her being seconded to the department for digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) to research and write the 2018 policy paper Culture is digital, will summarise the reports key insights. Drawing on practical examples and charity case studies, Tonya will outline the key challenges and highlight some inspiring opportunities for leaders to take back to their own organisations. Tonya Nelson, director of museums and cultural programmes, UCL

12.10PM - 12.50PM 2B. Family Fund case study: Building beneciaries digital condence Technology can be a great enabler, opening up social, educational and financial opportunities for those otherwise unable to access them. But many beneficiaries from groups needing extra support can find themselves digitally excluded owing to a lack of skills and lack of consideration of that isolation in the design of support programmes. Family Fund recognised this potential disconnect and devised a digital skills training programme to provide carers and parents with the knowledge and skills to support their disabled childrens digital needs in a changing world. This session will consider the potential for technology to support disabled childrens learning and development and enhance their and their families wellbeing.



Alison Davies, head of service delivery and family contact



12.10PM - 12.50PM 2C. A funders guide to getting your tech initiative o the ground While the power of technology to address social problems is widely recognised, funding and support for tech initiatives remains scarce.

Based on their extensive experience working with charities on funding and development, Martha Young and Sam Sparrow will share what they consider to be the secrets of successful projects and applications. They will highlight the importance of sustainability and some practical tips to

conducting constructive user research, as well as advising on common pitfalls to avoid. Whether you are seeking funding or just want to get an idea o the ground, this is the session for you.



Samantha Sparrow, operations and programmes lead, CAST and Martha Young, senior partnership manager, Tech for Good, Comic Relief



12.10PM - 12.50PM 2D. Embedding a cyber security-conscious culture Cyber crime poses a serious threat to charities in possession of large quantities of extremely valuable and often sensitive personal data. The NCSC has recently issued fresh guidance to charities outlining some prevalent risks and suggesting quick and low-cost methods to avoid being left open to attack. This session will oer practical advice on how to embed a cyber security-aware culture across your entire organisation, enabling sta, volunteers and trustees to keep pace with the ever-changing realm of cyber security, and safeguarding your most sensitive data.



Speaker to be announced, National Cyber Security Centre (part of GCHQ)



12.50PM - 2.00PM Lunch and networking break- PS Financials product demo Lunch and networking break- PS Financials product demo

2.00PM - 2.35PM 3A. Innovation spotlight: health and social care One area seeing large-scale change due to the application of new technologies is the health and social care sector. In this session we put the spotlight on some of the innovations making a dierence to peoples lives. StreetLink provides a tool for the public to take action when they see people sleeping rough: presented by Matt Harrison, director of social enterprise, Homeless Link PARO seal is a therapeutic robot being used in dementia care: presented by Dr Amanda Sharkey, associate professor, University of Sheeld TalkLife is the social network providing mental health support to young people, presented by Jamie Druitt, chief executive, TalkLife Chaired by Deborah El-Sayed, director of digital, NHS England

2.00PM - 2.35PM 3B. Supercharging engagement: put your communications on autopilot and your supporters in the driving seat It is an established fact that organisations using marketing automation see signicantly higher supporter engagement. While marketing automation may sound like jargon, it is fast becoming the secret weapon of savvy charities. Whats more, once set up, it almost runs itself. Join this session to learn the essentials about email and marketing automation, including what you need to consider to get it o the ground. Keira Roth will share expertise based on real-life charity examples, imparting the necessary tools to help ne-tune your strategy and

messaging to create more meaningful and impactful campaigns.



Keira Roth, UK business development director, Engaging Networks



2.00PM - 2.35PM 3C. Digital leadership in practice Kit Collingwood Richardson is currently leading the data team for the Universal Credit Digital Service at DWP and recently co-founded OneTeam Gov, a global community of public servants and allies seeking to improve government services and reform the way they work. In this session, she will discuss what she considers to be the changing priorities for digital leaders in a society which is in a state of rapid flux. She will consider the role of new technologies in changing the way we interact and what being a networked, authentic and effective leader looks like in 2018 and beyond. Kit Collingwood Richardson, deputy director, data: Universal Credit, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and co-founder, OneTeamGov







2.00PM - 2.35PM 3D. CRM  The journey to a connected workforce In this session, hear how Solent Mind partnered with m-hance to implement Dynamics 365 with lofty aims to simplify reporting processes, better connect its workforce and provide an improved service to clients. David Watson will share some of the outcomes of the project, from increasing sta productivity by 25

per cent, through to gaining new business and enhancing organisational reputation. Attend to learn whats next for Solent Mind, and why charities ought to constantly reevaluate the needs of their CRM in order to tackle ongoing challenges around business processes and data management.



Tory Cassie, NFP business development, m-hance and David Watson, CRM & ICT manager, Solent Mind



2.35PM - 3.15PM 4A. Partnership-working: Creating the right client-agency relationship This session will look in-depth at some of the challenges charities face when working with agencies, and will impart practical guidance to promote more productive partnerships. Join Darshan Sanghrajka to work through his tried and tested methodology and learn how to adopt an alternative

approach to problem-solving. From writing the initial brief and shaping the budget, as well as how to anticipate surprises along the way, you will leave better equipped to avoid common pitfalls and ensure success.



Darshan Sanghrajka, founder and chief executive,Super Being Labs



2.35PM - 3.15PM 4B. RAFA case study: Setting up a CRM from scratch The CRM journey for the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) has not been entirely smooth sailing, with its rst attempt stalling, and the charity being forced to rethink its strategy. Attend this session to learn more about the challenges and practicalities it is facing while implementing a

system that is t to serve an organisation with over 70,000 members across the globe. With the benet of hindsight, RAFA are keen to share their learning and experience so far, in order to help other organisations considering implementing a new CRM.



Guy Davies, project manager, Chris Goss, trustee and Phil Sherwin, CIO, Royal Air Forces Association



2.35PM - 3.15PM 4C. Digital detox workshop - Identifying how & when to unplug Our personal relationship with technology can have a signicant impact on our wellbeing, resilience and energy levels. This workshop will explore the challenges associated with being constantly connected. How can we ensure we utilise technology wisely and productively, getting the balance right in order

to avoid potential stress and burnout?



Hannah Massarella, founder, Bird



2.35PM - 3.15PM 4D. Shelter UK case study: Using digital storytelling to drive donations In its latest media campaign Shelter embedded camcorders with homeless children and their families, allowing them to bring to life beneciaries stories hrough incredibly intimate and moving lm footage. When strategically timed to coincide with a digital fundraising campaign the team were also

able to exceed fundraising targets. This case study demonstates how the use of technology does not always have to be ashy or expensive in order to be eective, and outlines some of the steps involved to launching truly collaborative digital campaigns.



Stephanie Borne, head of digital fundraising and Alice Klein, head of media, Shelter UK



3.15PM - 3.40PM Networking and refreshment break Networking and refreshment break

3.40PM - 4.25PM Panel: Balancing ethics and progress We are living through unprecedented acceleration in the application of new technologies to solve social problems. On the one hand, we must welcome innovation and its benets, but on the other, there is a growing awareness of the potential downsides of technology. No matter what happens, charities must always remain committed to defending equality, human dignity and inclusiveness. In this session, our panel will debate some of the ethics surrounding developments in data-caputre, AI and new-generation robotics. As technology leaders and advocates, how can we nd a way to navigate the ethics in order to make the most of these new technologies?



Chair - Chris Sherwood, incoming chief executive, RSPCA

Panellists - Katy Cook, cyberpsychologist and founder, Centre for Technology Awareness, Rhodri Davies, head of policy, Charities Aid Foundation, Deborah El-Sayed, director of digital, NHS England and trustee, British Red Cross and Dr Amanda Sharkey, associate professor, University of Sheeld



4.25PM - 4.55PM Mobilising one billion people to take action for our planet Technology is the single most powerful weapon in WWF Internationals armoury. The charitys ambitious new strategy aims to mobilise one billion people to help bend the curve of nature loss by 2020, with the far-reaching inuence of new technologies playing a pivotal role. In an uplifting talk to end the day, Alice More OFerrall will share some inspiring examples of their tactics, from social media to streamed TV, and partnerships to peer pressure.



Alice More OFerrall, digital engagement manager, WWF International



4.55PM - 5.00PM Chair's closing remarks Tania Mason, editor, Governance & Leadershi

Our weekly summary of the latest movers in the charity sector.

Chief executive

Oxfam GB has appointed Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah as its new chief executive, taking over from Mark Goldring at the end of 2018.

Sriskandarajah is currently secretary general and chief executive of CIVICUS, the Johannesburg-based global alliance of civil society organisations and activists with members in more than 180 countries.

He joined CIVICUS in 2013 and was previously director general of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

Read the full story here.

Danyal Satter has been appointed chief executive of Big Issue Invest, the social investment arm of the Big Issue. Sattar previously held the role of head of social investment at The Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

He will take over the role in December 2018, alongside Daniel Wilson-Dodd, currently head of lending, who will take on the role of deputy chief executive.

Operations

Mencap has appointed John Verge director of Golden Lane Housing. Founded by Mencap in 1998, the independent charity Golden Lane Housing (GLH) houses more than 100 people with a learning disability in supported living arrangements every year, empowering them to live the life they want within their community.

Verge has been with GLH since 2000, and became head of development in 2014.

Help Musicians UK (HMUK) has appointed Liz Stokes to communications and PR manager and Alex Mann as its external affairs manager. Both roles are newly created within the communications team.

Fundraising

Mencap has appointed Colman Cawe to the role of director of income generation. Cawe joined Mencap in 2016 as head of corporate partnerships, and has held the role of interim director of income generation since June 2017.

Cawe has previously held fundraising positions at the British Heart Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support, NSPCC and Leukemia and Lymphoma Research (now Bloodwise).

Non executive

Roma Hooper has been appointed chair of Clink. She will take up the role at Clinks, which supports the voluntary sector working in the criminal justice system. Hooper will take over the role from Dame Anne Owers after the charitys AGM in November.

The Medical Research Foundation has appointed Professor Moira Whyte and Dr Lesley Sherratt to its board of trustees for an initial term of three years.

Whyte is the Sir John Crofton professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and the head of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Sherratt is a director of Temple Bar Investment Trust and lectures in business ethics at Kings College.



For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here.In February, a retired priest confessed to Buffalo News reporter Jay Tokasz that he had sexually abused dozens of teenage boys decades ago. The admission shook Buffalo, a deeply Catholic city, and several victims have come forward with stories of abuse by priests in the local diocese. New York Attorney General Barbara Underwoods statewide clergy abuse probe will reportedly focus on Buffalos diocese.

ICYMI: Anticipating the daily traumas of local reporting

Tokasz, 48, previously worked at the Ithaca Journal and then at the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle*, where he covered an unraveling clergy abuse scandal in the local diocese. Since 2002, hes held a number of reporting roles at The Buffalo News, where he recently joined the watchdog team covering the Catholic church.

Tokasz traced the path of his reporting from the surprise February admission to the ongoing statewide investigation. The interview is condensed and edited for clarity.

Its a phrase thats seared into my brain, and its the one real quote I had in my story, because Ill never forget that.

Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project

Tell me how you got the confession.

There was this gentleman, Michael Whalen, who held a press conference at the Buffalo Diocese headquarters. Our breaking news reporter handled that assignment, but later in the day, my editor asked me how we could get in touch with the priest, Norbert Orsolits, because they had figured out he was still living and they obviously wanted to find out if he had anything to say about Whalens allegations. We found a phone number for him, but he didnt call back. So, due diligence, my editor asked me to go out there. I look back at it now, and there was sort of a reluctance on both of our parts, because he lived 45 minutes outside Buffalo, so it would have been an hour and a half both ways. I figured, Hes just going to slam the door in my face. And thats not what happened at all.

What happened?

I didnt have my notebook out. I just knocked on the door and said, Hey, its Jay Tokasz, I write for The Buffalo News. There was a gentleman at the Catholic Center today who said that you sexually abused him, and Im just here to see what you have to say about that.

It was immediately peculiar when he didnt flat-out deny it. His response was, What was the name again? That was the response. So I said his name, and he said, Well, I dont remember him. But he said it in a way like he was suggesting that there were other people, so at one point I just said, Well, was there any sexual contact between you and boys, kids? He said yes, and of course, through all of this, Im not taking notes because I dont want to freak him out.

We continued to go back and forth, and I knew some things about how the diocese operated when it had reports of priests who abused kids, how they sent them away. I knew particulars about the Southdown Institute [a rehab facility for clergy, located outside Toronto], and I threw that into the discussion, and he said, Oh yes, I was at Southdown, which was further confirmation that he was there for molesting kids. Then he confirmed he went on ski trips that Whalen talked about. So I said, Well, how often did you inappropriately or sexually touch these kids? He didnt offer a number or a frequency on that. At one point, I did try to pin him down, and I said, Was it one boy, or two boys, or three boys, or dozens of boys? And then he said, Probably dozens. Its a phrase thats seared into my brain, and its the one real quote I had in my story, because Ill never forget that.

You tried to take your notebook out, right?

Thats when he realized that maybe he shouldnt be saying these things. He told me Id need to go talk to the diocese or something like that. So I rushed back to my car and wrote down what I could remember, drove back to the office, and filed that story. Within the next day, I got calls from other people, including a gentleman by the name of Jim McCarthy, who basically described what Orsolits had done to him even earlierin the late 60s, early 70s. I had a long discussion with McCarthy, and then his brother also said that he was abused by Orsolits.

I went back to Orsolits a second time, and this time he welcomed me into his house, and we talked more. He remembered the McCarthy brothers. He admitted that he abused both of them. That was on a late Saturday afternoon. I think I could have spent a lot more time with him, but I had a deadline and I had to get back to the office and finish the story. I mainly wanted him to comment on the McCarthys. That story ran, and then my editor said, Well, why dont you go back again? I went back a third time, and again he welcomed me in, and during that conversation, I was mostly interested in figuring out how the diocese handled his case, from his perspective. Finally, maybe a half hour into the conversation, he got uncomfortable again and wanted to go off the record. I said, Ill go off the record from here forward, but everything else has been on the record. He didnt like that, so he asked me to leave. I havent been back since.

Why do you think he talked to you?

Im still trying to figure that out. He lives in a pretty remote, isolated area. I dont know if he gets the opportunity to talk to a lot of people. It could have just been simple loneliness. But, really, I dont know the answer to that.

Do you think he knows the statute of limitations in New York prevents him from being prosecuted or sued?

I would think he knows that. One of the major takeaways I got from him was, there really wasnt a lot of consideration for the pain he had caused other people. I asked him numerous times what he would say to these guys, and he just wasnt very responsive on that. I gave him an opportunity to express remorse and he didnt. It was more about him trying to tell me that after treatment, he never did anything bad again.

It seems as though your story on Orsolits opened the floodgates. A lot of people are coming forward now.

Were now trying to focus on how this was all covered up for so long. Victims feel much, much freer in terms of coming and talking with us. Two or three victims came to me in 2005 or 2006, and I met with them at the News to hear their stories. I remember their stories very clearly, and they said, Of course, I want to be anonymous, and the priest is deceased. At that time, I dont know how much you could do with that story: youve got an anonymous accuser and a dead priest and a diocese thats not going to confirm or deny anything. But since then, weve had a man come forward with his name, accusing a priest who confirms abusing other boys. Its just a different ball game.

Is it dark, writing about abuse?

It wears on you a little bit. I thought I had gotten away from it, years ago. The only thing you can think about is that is that its not nearly as dark as the experience of having been abused.

Interviewing victims is the hardest part of it. I still stumble over it every time I do it. Theres no particular methodI think its just trying to be honest and straightforward about what they can expect to see in print. I always tell people, As a paper, were not here to out you as being a victim of abuse. So if theyre not comfortable with their name on something, then we back up. But I also say, Look, the credibility skyrockets when you attach your name to it. It just makes the story so much stronger and more believable and more credible. But theyre all brave doing what theyre doing.

Do you have an amicable relationship with priests in general?

Ive never burned a priest on any story, so they would have no reason to distrust me. I still have a lot of priest sources, and they talk to me. I have found myself, in some instances, prefacing conversations with, Look, Im not calling about you, just to ward off that sense of dread.

Where do you see this story going as the attorney generals investigation moves along?

The Pennsylvania AGs report set a pretty high bar for what New York and other states will probably have to live up to. The problemat least, the way weve been toldis that the New York AG doesnt have the same sweeping power, criminally, that the Pennsylvania AG office does, so they are trying to work with district attorneys across New York on the criminal aspect. That could be very unwieldy and very complicated. And then youve got an office where the AG is going to be turning over shortly, so I dont know how its going to shake out. I think thats going to require us to continue to be on the story as much as possible.

Whats the response been like in Buffalo?

People are talking about this constantly. Its just a lot of disbelief, anger, frustration and a sense of, Where do we go from here? Its a heavily Catholic town. Even if the Catholic population has dwindled to some degree, or just become disconnected from the church, theres still the influence of the Catholic church all over the place. Its just a very, very entrenched Catholic town, and so a lot of people feel badly about the whole thing.

Are you Catholic?

I am. I attended Catholic high school, and my son goes to a Catholic elementary school. Its been difficult for me. Luckily, my son is still maybe too young to totally understand everything thats going on, but theres been a bit of a personal struggle on the whole thing. Its not a struggle of pursuing the stories; its a struggle of, How do I buy into this institution still?

And youre still figuring that out?

Yeah. I dont know if I buy into the institution. But I will say that, for all of this cover-up and everything, theres another side to the institution. Its high school helped mold me; growing up in that tradition helped mold me as a person. Those were good things for me, personally. I cant just reject that outright.

*This story has been updated to correct the name of the Democrat and Chronicle.

ICYMI: Orange County Register has investigated abuse in USA Gymnastics since 2004

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Matthew Kassel is a freelance writer whose work has been published by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Slate.A wealthy stock traders negligence led to a deadly fire that killed a young man who was helping him build a network of tunnels for a bunker beneath a suburban Washington, D.C., home, a lawsuit alleges.

The parents of 21-year-old Askia Khafra sued 27-year-old Daniel Beckwitt and his father on Monday, the anniversary of the fire that killed Khafra in the basement of the Beckwitts house in Bethesda, Maryland.

Daniel Beckwitt is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in Khafras death. His criminal trial is scheduled to start in April 2019.

The hoarding conditions in Beckwitts home made the fire spread more quickly and created a maze of junk and trash that hindered Khafras ability to escape, the parents wrongful death lawsuit says.

Beckwitt didnt immediately respond to a phone call and text message seeking comment on the lawsuit, which the parents filed in a Montgomery County court. An attorney who represents Beckwitt in the criminal case has called Khafras death a tragic accident, not a crime.

Investigators found Khafras charred body in the basement, where a hole in the concrete floor led to a shaft that dropped down 20 feet (6 meters) into tunnels that branched out roughly 200 feet (60 meters) in length.

During a hearing in May, Montgomery County prosecutor Douglas Wink described Beckwitt as a skilled computer hacker who had a paranoid fixation on a possible nuclear attack by North Korea.

Beckwitts lawyer, Robert Bonsib, described his client as a successful day trader who has made millions trading stocks.

Khafra, who lived with his parents in Silver Spring, had met Beckwitt online and agreed to help him dig the tunnels in exchange for Beckwitts investments in an internet company Khafra was launching.

Dia Khafra, Askia Khafras father, said during a recent interview that he and his wife, Claudia, tried to persuade Askia to stay away from Beckwitts tunnels.

I always feared something dangerous would happen to him, the elder Khafra said.

Beckwitt went to elaborate lengths to preserve the secrecy of his tunnels, tricking Askia Khafra into thinking he was digging them in Virginia, not Maryland, according to authorities.

Beckwitt told investigators he would rent a car, pick Khafra up and drive him to Manassas, Virginia, where he had the younger man don blackout glasses before driving him around for about an hour, a police report said. Khafra spent days at a time working, eating and sleeping in the tunnels. He had his cellphone with him, but Beckwitt used internet spoofing to make it appear he was in Virginia, according to Wink.

The tunnels had lights, an air circulation system and a heater powered by a haphazard daisy chain of power strips that created a fire risk, Wink said.

These extension cords and power strips created a clear and substantial risk of fire, exacerbated by the piles of paper and garbage throughout the house, and the storage of dangerous chemicals, the parents lawsuit says.

Wink said Beckwitt ignored obvious signs of danger before the fire broke out Sept. 10, 2017. Hours before the fire, Khafra texted Beckwitt to warn him it smelled like smoke in the tunnels. Beckwitt flipped a breaker that turned off lights in the tunnels but turned the power back on after Khafra said he couldnt see, Wink said.

County officials sued Beckwitt over the propertys condition, calling it unsafe and a public nuisance. Beckwitts father, David, owns the Bethesda property but lives in Burke, Virginia, according to the wrongful death lawsuit.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Investigators worked Friday to pinpoint the cause of a series of fiery natural gas explosions that killed a teen driver in his car just hours after he got his license, injured at least 25 others and left dozens of homes in smoldering ruins.

Authorities said an estimated 8,000 people were displaced at the height of Thursdays post-explosion chaos in three towns north of Boston rocked by the disaster. Most were still waiting, shaken and exhausted, to be allowed to return to their homes.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team to help investigate the blasts in a state where some of the aging gas pipeline system dates to the 1860s.

The rapid-fire series of gas explosions that one official described as Armageddon ignited fires in 60 to 80 homes in the working-class towns of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, forcing entire neighborhoods to evacuate as crews scrambled to fight the flames and shut off the gas and electricity.

Gas and electricity remained shut down Friday in most of the area, and entire neighborhoods were eerily deserted.

Authorities said Leonel Rondon, 18, of Lawrence, died after a chimney toppled by an exploding house crashed into his car. He was rushed to a Boston hospital and pronounced dead Thursday evening.

Rondon, a musician who went by the name DJ Blaze, had just gotten his drivers license, grieving friends and relatives told The Boston Globe. Its crazy how this happened, said a friend, Cassandra Carrion.

The state Registry of Motor Vehicles said Rondon had been issued his drivers license only hours earlier Thursday.

Massachusetts State Police urged all residents with homes serviced by Columbia Gas in the three communities to evacuate, snarling traffic and causing widespread confusion as residents and local officials struggled to understand what was happening. Some 400 people spent the night in shelters, and school was canceled Friday as families waited to return to their homes.

Gov. Charlie Baker said state and local authorities were investigating but it could take days or weeks before they turn up answers, acknowledging the massive inconvenience for those displaced by the explosions. He said hundreds of gas technicians were going house-to-house to ensure each was safe, and declared a state of emergency for the affected area so the state could take over recovery efforts.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency blamed the fires on gas lines that had become over-pressurized but said investigators were still examining what happened.

Capturing the mounting sense of frustration, Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton tweeted that he had called the utilitys president several times with no response. Everyone wants answers. And we deserve them, Moulton said.

Columbia Gas President Steve Bryant wouldnt comment on the suspected cause of the blasts, deflecting questions about his companys response but saying it had substantive, lengthy conversations with the authorities.

The Massachusetts gas pipeline system is among the oldest in the country, as much as 157 years old in some places, according to the Conservation Law Foundation, an environmental advocacy group.

Columbia Gas had announced earlier Thursday that it would be upgrading gas lines in neighborhoods across the state, including the area where the explosions happened. It was not clear whether work was happening there Thursday, and a spokeswoman did not return calls seeking comment.

At least one story of heroism emerged from the ashes: that of Lawrence police officer Ivan Soto. His house burned nearly to the ground, but after rushing home to check on his family and warn his neighbors to evacuate, he went back on patrol.

He actually stayed on duty even though his house was burning down neighbor Christel Nazario told The Associated Press. I dont know how he did it.

The three communities house more than 146,000 residents about 26 miles (40 kilometers) north of Boston, near the New Hampshire border. Lawrence, the largest, is a majority Latino city with a population of about 80,000.

Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera reassured immigrants who might not be living in his city legally that they had nothing to fear.

Do not be afraid. Stay in the light. We will support you and your family, Rivera said at a news conference Friday, speaking in English and Spanish. Lawrence is one community.

Authorities said all of the fires had been extinguished overnight and the situation was stabilizing. But Rivera criticized the gas utility for poor communications and accused the company of hiding from the problem.

On Thursday, Andover Fire Chief Michael Mansfield described the unfolding scene as Armageddon.

There were billows of smoke coming from Lawrence behind me. I could see pillars of smoke in front of me from the town of Andover, he told reporters.

Aerial footage of the area showed some homes that appeared to be torn apart by the blasts.

Brenda Charest stood anxiously on her front porch while a crew checked her undamaged home before giving her the all-clear to return Friday. On Thursday, she had come home to a hissing sound in her basement and a strong odor of natural gas.

We took off. I said, `Pack up, were out of here, said Charest, who went with her 93-year old father and cat to a relatives home. It was scary. We didnt know anything.

Columbia Gas was been fined $100,000 by the state for a variety of safety violations since 2010, including $35,000 in 2016 for failing to follow company and pipeline safety regulations when responding to an outage and repairing a leak in Taunton.

The company was sued in 2014 after a strip club was destroyed in a natural gas explosion in Springfield, Massachusetts, after a Columbia employee accidentally punctured a gas line while probing for a leak. The November 2012 blast leveled the Scores Gentlemans Club, injuring about 20 people and damaging dozens of other buildings. The club owner and the gas company eventually settled the case.

Gas explosions have claimed lives and destroyed property around the U.S. in recent years.

In 2016, a buildup of natural gas triggered an explosion and fire that killed seven people in apartments in Silver Spring, Maryland.

In 2014, a gas explosion in New York Citys East Harlem neighborhood killed eight people and injured about 50. Consolidated Edison later agreed to pay $153 million to settle charges after the states Public Service Commission found it had violated state safety regulations. A gas leak had been reported before that blast.

A 2011 natural gas explosion killed five people in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and that states largest gas utility was fined by regulators, who called the companys safety record downright alarming.

(Associated Press writers Philip Marcelo in Lawrence, Alanna Durkin Richer and Collin Binkley in Boston, Mary Schwalm in North Andover and Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Behold the awesome power of water. Already the ocean is swallowing beaches, roads and anything else in the way of Hurricane Florences monstrous storm surge. Storm surges arent walls of water, like a tsunami, as commonly thought. Caused by a hurricanes winds pushing relentlessly on the shore, they are more like domes of high water that form as the ocean spreads inland. The high water has destructive waves on top, and it comes in addition to normal tides.

You are taking the ocean and raising it, said storm surge expert Hal Needham, director of Marine Weather and Climate in Miami. Its not a wave the surfer rides. Its actually raising the ocean. Thats why its so scary.

Florences storm surge will probably be 7 to 11 feet (more than 2 to 3 meters) above ground in parts of North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center. Other areas can expect the surge to be taller than the average person  nearly 6 feet (2 meters) or higher.

View in FEMA Multimedia Library

FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team California Task Force 2 performs a swift water rescue of man trapped in an SUV in Cumberland County, North Carolina, near the Sampson County line, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. The 16-member swiftwater team and an incident support team member deployed from the Los Angeles County, California, Fire Department Sept. 10 to support the response to Hurricane Florence. There are currently 13 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams and 20 mission ready packages on the ground in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia to support rescue operations. The water rescue mission ready packages are smaller teams with water rescue specialists that augment local teams.

(Video by FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team California Task Force 2)

Even if a house is elevated 10 feet (3 meters), with that kind of storm surge, theres a good chance theres going to be water inside of it, Needham said.

With Florence moving slowly and stalling, the storm surge is going to be a bigger, longer-term factor than normal because the water just keeps piling up, Needham said.

Its not just beach areas that are at risk. Storm surge invades rivers and estuaries, too. And National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said thats a particular worry with Florence.

These bays, these rivers and these inlets, theres so much storm surge the water is being literally forced to flow the opposite direction, Graham said. You can get storm surge even several miles inland.

While hurricane-force winds can rip the roofs off houses, it is the water  storm surge, inland flooding, surf and drowning at sea  that kills nearly 9 out of 10 people in hurricanes like Florence.

And of all those, storm surge is the deadliest. From 1963 to 2012, 49 percent of U.S. hurricane deaths were from storm surge, 27 percent from rain, 8 percent from wind, 6 percent from surf, 6 percent were offshore and 3 percent from tornadoes, according to a National Hurricane Center study.

The deadliest hurricanes to hit the U.S. mainland killed most of their victims with storm surge, including 2005s Katrina, said Jeff Masters, meteorology director at Weather Underground.

But last year, even with hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, no one in the United States died of storm surge, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. It was the first year that the hurricane center had started new storm surge warnings. Mostly people are getting better at evacuating, with three-quarters of the Florida Keys fleeing before Irma, Masters said.

Storm surge is also the source of vast amounts of damage. Masters estimated that storm surge caused at least $3 billion in damage, compared with maybe $1 billion for wind damage. Damaged or destroyed buildings are often rebuilt in the same surge-prone areas, with government aid, he said.

Needham, who drove all night from Miami to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to watch and record the storm surge from the relative safety of a parking garage, said the storm surge had already gobbled up the beach there.

Its just going to be an interesting ride, Needham said. I could not sit home and watch it on TV. I had to be there.

The worst storm surge comes in with a hurricanes eye, and it arrives with a lot of debris to batter you, and its not particularly survivable, Masters said.

Storm surge is higher in the right-front quadrant of a storm because the systems counterclockwise motion pushes more water inland, Masters said. Sometimes in the opposite quadrant theres a reverse storm surge that makes the ocean retreat. Thats particularly dangerous because the ocean comes back quickly with 6 feet (2 meters) or more of water.

Storm surge is higher when the water just off the beach is shallower, Needham said. Think of it like a giant aquarium filled to the brim. If a large rock in thrown in, it spills over. But if the aquarium is not full, its only a ripple.

Tides are another factor. The surge is highest when the tides are high. The coast of the Carolinas is about middle of the road with about 4 to 5 feet of difference (1.2 to 1.5 meters) between high and low tides.

The shape of the coastline is another factor. If it is bowl-shaped, like in Georgia and South Carolina, the surge is deeper, but when it is the opposite shape, like the Outer Banks, its less so, Needham said.

Seas have risen from global warming, making all of this even worse. In Wilmington, North Carolina, the sea level is close to 8 inches (20 centimeters) higher than in 1935, according to NOAA. Those few inches can mean the difference between staying dry and enduring costly damage.

(Associated Press Writer Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.CLEVELAND, Ohio - The City of Cleveland has agreed to pay $1 million to the families of six women who fell victim to condemned serial-killer Anthony Sowell after a botched police investigation into a 2008 rape accusation allowed Sowell to walk out of jail with no charges.

The families of Nancy Cobbs, Telacia Fortson, Amelda Hunter, Le'Shanda Long, Diane Turner, and Janice Webb will divvy up the $1 million equally as part of an agreement to settle a lawsuit that was filed in 2010, dismissed by a county judge in 2014 and revived by an appeals court late last year.

The City of Cleveland, which will not admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, also agreed to reimburse the families' lawyers for the cost of bringing the eight-year lawsuit.

Sowell was convicted in 2011 of raping and strangling 11 women and storing their bodies in and around in his home on Imperial Avenue, in the city's Mount Pleasant neighborhood. He was sentenced to death. His case is currently in the appeals process.

The lawsuit was set to go to trial on Tuesday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Fuerst's room.

The families were represented by lawyers from the law firms Friedman & Gilbert and Friedman, Domiano & Smith.

The settlement marks the latest major payout by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's administration to settle a lawsuit alleging misconduct by Cleveland police officers. Since 2004, the city has shelled out more than $21 million to settle such lawsuits. Another $17.7 million in pending judgments in two police misconduct cases from 1999 and 2012 is being challenged in appeals courts.

The case could also pave the way for crime victims to sue police officers who failed in their duty to protect the public from foreseeable harm, Terry Gilbert, one of the lawyers who worked on the case, said.

"This lawsuit wasn't so much about money as it was about making sure that the system was held accountable," Gilbert said.

The suit revolves a Dec. 8, 2008 report from Gladys Wade, who ran up to a Cleveland police car and told them that Sowell had just attacked and raped her. Patrol officers tracked down Sowell and arrested him as they investigated. They found footprints, broken glass and droplets of blood in the yard outside of his apartment, and photographed Wade's injuries.

The case was assigned to Georgia Hussein, who admitted in a sworn statement that she failed to review the evidence gathered by patrol officers before she took the case to assistant city prosecutor Lorraine Coyne. Hussein found Wade was not credible and told Coyne there was no evidence to corroborate her claims.

Hussein also knew that Sowell, who had served 15 years in prison on prior rape conviction, was a registered sex offender, but did not tell Coyne.

Coyne determined there was not enough evidence to file charges and released Sowell two days after his arrest.

Eleven months later, in October 2009, police discovered the remains of two women decomposing inside Sowell's home. Investigators tore apart the interior walls and excavated the back yard looking for more bodies. They eventually unearthed 10 bodies and one skull, found in a bucket in the basement.

The gruesome discovery lured international media to Cleveland, and brought scorn to the police department's sex crimes unit.

Several family members of the victims filed lawsuits in 2010 and 2011 alleging that Hussein failed to conduct a thorough investigation into Wade's complaint, and if she had, police could have charged Sowell, held him in custody and prevented him from carrying out several of the murders.

The suit also claimed that other officers in the department did not follow up on missing persons reports and, in some cases refused to take them from family members of the women.

City lawyers who represented the detectives and Coyne argued in a December 2014 motion for summary judgment that they are immune from liability for criminal acts that Sowell committed after his release. Fuerst agreed and granted judgment in favor of all of the detectives and Coyne.

The 8th District Court of Appeals partially reversed that decision in December 2017 and reinstated the claims against Hussein.

The Sowell case also marked the first black eye for the department's sex crimes unit, which has been dogged by scandal in recent years.

Months after the macabre find on Imperial Avenue, Jackson convened a commission to review how the city could improve its handling of sex crimes and missing persons cases. The commission ultimately recommended two dozen changes, the majority of which were implemented.

A 2013 Plain Dealer Publishing Co. investigation found the department's detectives had never sent thousands of rape kits in for DNA testing, and as recently as this year a top supervisor in the department was demoted and reassigned after more than 60 cases went uninvestigated.

The city razed Sowell's house and plans to build a memorial to the women on the site have snagged.

Coyne is now a defense lawyer and candidate for Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge this November.

To comment on this story, please visit Monday's crime and courts comments page.Machine Gun Kelly performs on stage at Wrigley Field on September 8, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Daniel Boczarski)MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Mayor Anthony DiCicco and City Council are asking all residents opposed to seeing a 425-foot communications tower erected in the city to take action and let their voices be heard.

At the conclusion of Sept. 12's council meeting, Councilman Robert DeJohn asked DiCicco to consider taking legal action against the state of Ohio to try and prevent the tower from being installed.

The tower, which would relay financial information between Chicago and New York City, is planned for ODOT-owned property, specifically the grassy infield of the cloverleaf at the I-271 southbound exit at Mayfield Road, across from Golden Gate Shopping Center.

For leasing its land, ODOT will earn from Pearce Broadband $60,000 per year.

After a community meeting held Aug. 1 to discuss the coming of the tower, DiCicco, said, "it seems like a done deal."

DeJohn's request set off a discussion in which each council member spoke of his or her opposition to the tower, and about the number of emails and calls each has received from upset constituents.

City leaders believe there may still be a chance, if residents are vocal in their opposition, to avoid living in the tower's 42-story shadow.

"We need residents to send emails and texts and to make phone calls letting them know we don't want it here, and that they should consider somewhere else," said Councilwoman Gayle Teresi.

Council members suggested residents make communication with ODOT's leadership in Columbus, as well as McKay Brothers. McKay Brothers is a firm that installs towers around the world. Teresi said residents should visit mckay-brothers.com, as she did.

"McKay Brothers is where people should be going (to complain), instead of ODOT," Teresi said. "ODOT is not going to do anything. They're getting $60,000 a year and money talks."

Councilwoman Susan Sabetta said she spoke on Sept. 12 with ODOT officials in Columbus.

"ODOT does not have a construction schedule," she said, noting that there may be time yet to try and stop the tower's coming. Sabetta said that ODOT still must attain approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Ohio EPA. The tower would be located a short distance from Hillcrest Hospital, from where medical helicopters fly in and out.

Councilman Donald Manno said that McKay Brothers representatives who appeared at the Aug. 1 meeting were "ill prepared." He suggested that this lack of preparation could make it more likely that their tower plans can be reversed.

When it was noted that ODOT has not sent a representative to either of the two public meetings held to discuss the tower, DiCicco told council members, "It's their choice when they come and, so far, they have chosen not to."

In urging residents to get involved, Councilwoman Diane Snider said of ODOT and the tower planners, "They're coming into our city and upsetting our residents."

Said DeJohn of the tower, "This is going to be a monstrosity."

"None of us wants it, that's for sure," DiCicco added.

The tower is planned for the cloverleaf because that site would align well with other towers between Chicago and New York. DiCicco had previously been told by tower planners that it is best for communication if the towers line up in as straight a line as possible between Chicago and New York.

The fact that the tower would be located on ODOT property will allow McKay Brothers/Pearce Broadband to avoid objections a city could offer if the tower was planned for city-owned property.

"I understand why they want to put it there," said Councilman Michael Ballistrea. "I would want to put it there, too, if I was them. It's all about money and convenience."

When asked by cleveland.com whether the tower is a done deal, and why an ODOT representative has yet to appear at a Mayfield Heights meeting, ODOT District 12 Public Information Officer Amanda McFarland said she would contact a superior in Columbus for answers.

McFarland later replied, via email, with a one sentence answer -- "The tower company is still working through necessary approvals, including what can be a lengthy approval process through FAA."

When asked if he would pursue legal action against the state, DiCicco said, "I have to talk with the law director (Paul Murphy). It could be a daunting task to take legal action against the state."

ODOT can be reached by visiting here.

The coming of WOW!

DiCicco told council that the internet cable and phone company WOW! has begun preparatory work in Mayfield Heights.

The mayor said WOW! is trimming trees and installing 17 powering units within the city. He said the units will be covered by a decorative wrap featuring images from around Mayfield Heights. A non-WOW! unit in front of the city hall building is similarly wrapped with a photo of the city's gazebo. The wraps will feature no advertising.

When DeJohn asked where the units would be placed, DiCicco said, "Most will be in rights-of-way. The service and building departments are working with them on placement."

WOW!, headquartered in Engelwood, Col., is the sixth largest cable operator in the United States with about 776,000 subscribers.

Preserving green space

Council voted without dissent Sept. 12 to approve a resolution that will require a permanent conservation easement on the east side of the property that will soon be home to CA Senior Living Holdings' independent and assisted living and memory care facility. The facility is to be built at 6200 Landerhaven Drive, across from Executive Caterers at Landerhaven.

There is a wooded property of about 1.5 acres on the east end of the construction site. That property, because of the easement, will forever remain in a natural state.

Coming down

Council passed legislation that will lead to the demolition of a 1,504-square-foot, single-family home at 1157 Sunset Road.

The home, which was built in 1947 and has no garage, is vacant and has been declared a nuisance.LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Lakewood City Schools last Friday welcomed Ohio Board of Education President Tess Elshoff for a tour of the district. Lakewood City Schools Superintendent Michael J. Barnes said Elshoff visited Lakewood High School, Harrison Elementary School and Garfield Middle School.

"It was a special day," Barnes said. "She got a chance to interact with Board of Education members, teachers and students. She was able to sit in a classroom and experience a lesson by one of our talented High School teachers in the psychology department.

"She worked with our culinary arts students preparing dessert for lunch, so she was working hands-on."

The goal of the visit was to observe how Lakewood City Schools is preparing students to succeed in a global economy through hands-on learning and enrichment.

"Incredibly impressive for her was while at Garfield Middle School we went into a classroom where about 20 English as a second language (ESL) students greeted her in their native languages," Barnes said. "That was powerful because it spoke to the richness of diversity in the Lakewood School community.

"She was incredibly moved, as were other adults in the room. I think she walked away from the meeting really impressed with Lakewood and all that it has to offer our students."

Barnes said during Elshoff's visit to Harrison Elementary School she commented on how the number of foreign languages spoken at the Quail Avenue building impacts student achievement and growth.

"She asked if it is a model that can be shared throughout the state," Barnes said. "I think she was intrigued by Lakewood."

Regarding just how Lakewood City Schools was able to schedule a visit from Elshoff, both Barnes and Career Technical Education Coordinator Bill DiMascio have known the Ohio Board of Education President for a while.

"You have to be an advocate, you have to be the loud voice for your school community, and Tess responded to us," Barnes said. "We sent a request for her to visit. She is very passionate about career technical education with DiMascio having a working relationship with her because of her activism and involvement. So we were lucky enough that she graciously accepted our invitation.

"I wanted her to see the wonderful and fantastic things that are happening in our district and community in hopes that when there were opportunities to talk about policy changes as it relates to public education, she can share the Lakewood story and just perhaps things can get better for the kids in this state."CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Fifteen Cleveland police recruits were fired Friday after an internal investigation found the group cheated during their police academy training.

Cleveland Safety Director Michael McGrath fired the group on Friday, but the city did not acknowledge the firings until Monday because they were still trying to serve all of the recruits with their disciplinary letters.

An attorney representing nine of the recruits, Sean Sobel, also said the firings. He said in a joint statement with attorney Eric Henry said the accusations of cheating are false.

Fifteen "careers were ruined simply because the City of Cleveland couldn't bring itself to admit that it made a mistake," the attorneys' statement said. "The City committed itself to getting rid of this diverse group of hard-working public servants, even though information came to light that the City's allegations of cheating were false. Our clients will continue to fight for the privilege to serve the public as police officers and are confident that their names will be cleared at the conclusion of their lawsuit."

Letters from Cleveland Safety Director Michael McGrath notifying the recruits of their firing say 13 recruits were fired for failing to come forward and admit to cheating or were fired after admitting to cheating.

Another, Jonathan Young, was fired for stealing a fellow recruits notes and sharing them with other recruits. Recruit Erica Johnson was fired for conspiring to hide evidence of cheating and plagiarism and trying to convince a fellow recruit to conceal the same evidence, the letters say.

A lawsuit filed by nine of the 15 says the recruits are encouraged to copy, verbatim, wording that is used in class presentations. They are also encouraged to work together, and help underperforming recruits, including by sharing notes, the lawsuit says.

The cheating accusations are related to notebooks the recruits are required to keep as part of their Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy certification training. The 15 recruits were accused of sharing and copying notes.

The notebooks are inspected, and recruits are required to take detailed notes. They are judged on content, neatness and formatting.

A lawsuit filed by nine of the 15 says the recruits are encouraged to copy, verbatim, wording that is used in class presentations. They are also encouraged to work together, and help under-performing recruits, including by sharing notes, the lawsuit says.

The 66-recruit class began its courses Feb. 5. The investigation began in July, when a recruit "accessed and copied from another student's electronic notes without permission," the lawsuit says.

The recruit, who is identified in the lawsuit only as J.Y., later admitted to cheating, the lawsuit says. That recruit then tried to "sabotage" other recruits by sending an academy supervisor an anonymous message that implicated 33 classmates in a larger cheating scandal, the lawsuit says.

Police academy supervisors confiscated the 33 recruits' notebooks as part of the investigation.

Eighteen of the 33 recruits were cleared and permitted to take the state exam, including some who were cleared "immediately." Police officials did not indicate why they were cleared and the others weren't, the lawsuit says.

The 15 recruits sued the city on the grounds that they believed the investigation wasn't completed at the time the OPOTA test and should have been allowed to take the test with the investigation pending.

U.S. District Judge James Gwin disagreed and said in his ruling that the city had no jurisdiction over the recruits. City attorneys argued that the state certifies "commanders," who are in charge of administering OPOTA training.

The OPOTA commander for the Cleveland Police Academy, Sgt. Sean Smith, was acting as a state employee when he barred the recruits from taking the test because he deemed they failed the notebook section of the training.

Fifty recruits took and passed their OPATA licensing exams and were sworn in as police officers on Aug. 24.

The names of the other 13 recruits who were fired are:

Jonathan Bellomy, Anthony Burdette, Brandon Chappell, James Johnson, Jordan Markey, Thomas McGervey, Tatayana Moore, Daniel Pershin, Elijah Preson, Nicole Russell, Tazhanae Spears, Henry Sykes and Michael Vaughn.

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 94-year-old woman died after an attack that happened during a home invasion, police said.

The attack happened about 1:45 a.m. Monday at the woman's home in the 6200 block of Gertrude Avenue between East 57th Street and East 65th Street.

Police said robbers broke into the home and attacked the 94-year-old woman and a 74-year-old woman inside the home.

The 94-year-old woman was taken to MetroHealth, where she died.

It's the fourth homicide in Cleveland in a 24-hour span. A man and woman were shot and killed early Sunday while sitting inside a stolen car in Cleveland's Cudell neighborhood.

A 35-year-old man was also shot to death about 2:30 p.m. Sunday at a rental property he owned in Cleveland's West Park neighborhood.

No arrests have been made in any of the cases.

There have been 94 homicides in Cleveland in 2018 compared to 85 at this point last year.

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 94-year-old woman beaten to death during a home invasion in the city's Slavic Village neighborhood was in town from Honduras visiting her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a family member said.

Eucebia Garcia died from blunt force trauma to the head during early Monday, police said.

Her 74-year-old daughter, Marina Garcia, is in and out of consciousness at MetroHealth's intensive care unit, Marina Garcia's son-in-law, Chris Cinolotac said. She suffered a concussion and has bleeding on her brain, Cinolotac said.

"We're just upset at everything right now," Cinolotac said. "They didn't deserve this. Whoever did this went too far. They didn't need to do this."

Cinolotac lives with his wife next door to the home where the beating death happened. His family is in shock. He said the killer stole an iPad, iPhone and jewelry.

He said Eucebia and Marina Garcia visit their family in Cleveland every year, typically for about six months, in order to spend time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were set to return to Honduras in two weeks.

Cinolotac said the family is devastated, particularly because the two women live in Honduras, where rampant violence has become the norm.

"Honduras is known for its violence," Cinolotac said. "Then they come here and this happens. It's not fair."

Eucebia Garcia raised her children in Honduras on the money she and her late husband made by running a general store. She closed the store when her husband died. Her daughter lives with her in Honduras and looks after her, despite being only able to see out of one eye, Cinolotac said.

Both particularly loved taking road trips and were healthy and active.

Cinolotac owns three houses in a row on Gertrude Avenue in Slavic Village. He lives in one, allowed his mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law to live in the other and is fixing up the third house.

While she lived in the Gertrude house this summer, Eucebia Garcia planted flowers in the yard and spruced up the porch with even more flowers, Cinolotac said.

He said he usually works on the homes until 2 a.m. He went to sleep early Sunday night, and Marina Garcia woke him after she made her way to his house after the beating.

A burglar about 1:30 a.m. Monday removed a window air-conditioning unit and climbed into the home, according to police and Cinolotac.

Once inside, the burglar "confronted" the two women and beat them, causing severe head injuries, according to police. The man ran away and police have not yet identified the attacker.

Eucebia Garcia was taken to MetroHealth, where she died.

Cinolotac said he attends community meetings and has expressed his desire for more police officers to patrol the area. He said the officers who do are dedicated, but they need more.

He said drug deals and prostitution are daily occurrences in the neighborhood. Several abandoned homes on his street bring even more crime to the area, he said.

"We've found people shooting up in an abandoned house across the street," he said. "We had one man, who was clearly high on drugs run in to the house (where the fatal beating happened) because he was running from a drug dealer."

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.David Callaghan

AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man charged in the death of his girlfriend received a multimillion dollar during a Monday court appearance, court records show.

David A. Callaghan is charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse is the death of his girlfriend, Martha Robin Freitag.

Callaghan, 52, appeared in court via video from the Summit County Jail during a Monday morning arraignment.

Akron Municipal Court Judge Annalisa S. Williams set his bond at $2 million and appointed him an attorney, Akron Municipal Court records show.

Freitag, 53, was found Thursday in a shallow grave behind the couple's home in the 600 block of Crouse Street, police said.

Freitag's daughter told police she'd been unable to reach her mother since July 31, that her mother had an abusive boyfriend and she was afraid "he did something to her," according to a police report.

The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office identified the remains as Freitag Saturday, police said.

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.Stanford University has decided to rename many places on campus that give tribute to Father Junipero Serra, the 18th century Spanish missionary who was canonized in 2015. A total of 21 missions were established by the missionaries, nine of which were under the tenure of Serra; he personally founded six missions.

The decision, which was approved by Stanford's board of trustees, means that Serra Mall will be renamed "Jane Stanford Way" in honor of Jane Stanford, co-founder of the university. Two campus buildings bearing Serra's name will be renamed, but some other campus sites will keep the Franciscan's name; the names of other Spanish missionaries will also remain.

The university committee that made these recommendations acknowledged the "multiple dimensions of his [Serra's] legacyas a California pioneer, as a celebrated religious figure, but also as founder of a system that did harm to Native Americans." It said that "the historical record confirms that the mission system inflicted great harm and violence on Native Americans."

The most serious weakness in the committee's report is its failure to recognize Serra's heroics in combating the inhumane treatment afforded the Indians by the Spanish authorities. Similarly, its failure to identify specific instances of injustice committed by Father Serra is telling. The committee's report seems to blame Serra for the misdeeds of others, which is patently unfair.

For the most part, Serra got along fine with the Indians. They understood, for example, that it was the Catholic Church that led the protests against inhumane treatment of the Indians; the Spanish crown ultimately agreed with this position.

Both colonial authorities and the missionaries vied for control over the Indians, but their practices could not have been more different. With the exception of serious crimes, Serra insisted that all punishments be meted out by the priests, the result being that the Indians were spared the worst excesses at the hands of the civil authorities.

The Franciscans also sought to protect Indian women from the Spaniards. They segregated the population on the basis of sex and age, hoping to protect the women from unwanted advances. When sexual abuse occurred, it was quickly condemned by Serra and his fellow priests.

The violence that the Stanford committee cites was certainly not done by Serra, or at his behest. The only person he ever flogged was himself: it was an expression of redemptive suffering. Not to recognize these facts is delinquent.

As for the missionaries uprooting the Indian culture, the evidence shows that no attempt was made to wipe out the native language of the Indians. Indeed, the missionaries learned their language and even employed Indians as teachers. Some cultural modification was inevitable, given that the missionaries taught the Indians how to be masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, and painters. The Indians were also taught how to buy and sell animals, and were allowed to keep their bounty. Women were taught spinning, knitting, and sewing.

It is disturbing that so many historical figures are being reexamined under the cultural microscope of the 21st century. Those engaged in this cultural transformationit is more like an eradicationare creating standards that will no doubt be used by successive generations to indict many of them. This is not a mature way to judge history.

Father Serra is being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. To Catholics, however, he was a saintly man, one whose place alongside other great saints remains secure.

The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.HILLSBORO, Ohio -- A child playing in a toy car was killed Sunday after being struck by a vehicle, reports say.

The child, whose name and age were not available, was pronounced dead at Highland District Hospital after the incident, which occurred just before 4 p.m., WLWT Channel 5 reports.

The State Highway Patrol says the child entered the road in a toy car and was struck by a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by a 40-year-old Hillsboro man, according to local12.com.

The crash remains under investigation.

Hillsboro is located in southwest Ohio, about 55 miles east of Cincinnati.

To comment on this story, visit Sunday's crime and courts comment section.NEW BERN, N.C. -- As the death toll from Florence grew and hundreds of people were pulled from flooded homes, North Carolina braced for catastrophic, widespread river flooding that could be the next stage of a mounting disaster.

Weakened to a tropical depression early Sunday after blowing ashore as a hurricane with 90 mph winds on Friday, Florence was still spinning slowly atop the Carolinas as it pulled warm water from the ocean and hurled it onshore.

The storm's death toll climbed to 14 as authorities said two people died from inhaling carbon monoxide from a generator in their South Carolina home, and a man drowned when a pickup truck flipped into a drainage ditch in South Carolina early Sunday.

About 740,000 homes and businesses remained without power in the Carolinas, and utilities said some could be out for weeks.

Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, but North and South Carolina were in the bull's-eye.

The head of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said officials were still focused on finding and rescuing people.

"We'll get through this. It'll be ugly, but we'll get through it," Long told NBC's "Meet The Press."

Rivers swelled toward record levels, forecasters said, and thousands of people were ordered to evacuate for fear that the next few days could bring the most destructive round of flooding in North Carolina history.

Stream gauges across the region showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to crest Sunday and Monday at or near record levels: The Little River, the Cape Fear, the Lumber, the Neuse, the Waccamaw and the Pee Dee were all projected to burst their banks, possibly flooding nearby communities.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

John Rose owns a furniture business with stores less than a mile from the river. Rain-soaked furniture workers helped him quickly empty more than 1,000 mattresses from a warehouse in a low-lying strip mall.

"It's the first time we've ever had to move anything like this," Rose said. "If the river rises to the level they say it's going to, then this warehouse is going to be under water."

On U.S. Route 401 nearby, rain rose in ditches and around unharvested tobacco crops along the road. Ponds had begun to overflow, and creeks passing under the highway churned with muddy, brown water. Farther along the Cape Fear River, grass and trees lining the banks were partly submerged.

Fayetteville's city officials, meanwhile, got help from the Nebraska Task Force One search and rescue team to evacuate 140 residents of an assisted-living facility in Fayetteville to a safer location at a church.

Already, more than 2 feet of rain has fallen in places, and forecasters are saying there could be an additional 11/2 feet before Sunday is out.

"Floodwaters are rising, and if you aren't watching for them, you are risking your life," Gov. Roy Cooper said.

Officials were warning residents not only to stay off the roads but also to avoid using GPS systems.

"As conditions change, GPS navigation systems are not keeping up with the road closures and are directing people onto roads that are confirmed closed and/or flooded," the state Transportation Department said on Twitter.

Florence weakened to a tropical depression early Sunday and was crawling west at 8 mph. At 5 a.m., the storm was centered about 20 miles southwest of Columbia, South Carolina. Its winds were down to 35 mph.

In Goldsboro, North Carolina, home of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, roads that frequently flood were already closed Saturday by rushing water. Dozens of electric repair trucks massed to respond to damage expected to hit central North Carolina as rainwater collected into rivers headed to the coast.

On Saturday evening, Duke Energy said heavy rains caused a slope to collapse at a coal ash landfill at a closed power station outside Wilmington, North Carolina. Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said about 2,000 cubic yards of ash were displaced at the Sutton Plant and that contaminated storm water likely flowed into the plant's cooling pond.

In New Bern, along the coast, homes were completely surrounded by water, and rescuers used inflatable boats to reach people Saturday.

Kevin Knox and his family were rescued by boat from their flooded brick home with the help of Army Sgt. Johan Mackie, whose team used a phone app to locate people in distress.

"Amazing. They did awesome," said Knox, who was stranded with seven others.

New Bern spokeswoman Colleen Roberts said 455 people were safely rescued in the town of 30,000 residents.

Spirits were high at the Trent Park Elementary School in New Bern, where 44-year-old Cathy Yolanda Wright took shelter after being rescued from her flooded home Saturday. Wright, who sings in the choir at Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist, led residents at the shelter in an energetic singalong.

People clapped and shouted, "Amen!" and "Thank you, Lord."

Across the Trent River from New Bern, Jerry and Jan Andrews returned home after evacuating to find carp flopping in their backyard near the porch stairs.

Coast Guard helicopters took off across the street to rescue stranded people from rooftops and swamped cars.

The Marines rescued about 20 civilians from floodwaters near Camp Lejeune, using Humvees and amphibious assault vehicles, the base reported.WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) -- With Wilmington cut off from the rest of North Carolina by still-rising floodwaters from Florence, officials plan to airlift food and water to a city of nearly 120,000 people as rescuers elsewhere pull inland residents from homes threatened by swollen rivers.

The spreading disaster claimed additional lives Sunday, with at least 17 people confirmed dead, and the nation's top emergency official said other states were in the path this week.

"Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina, ... but we're also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out," Brock Long of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Sunday on Fox News.

In Wilmington , the state's eighth-largest city, residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police guarded the door of one store, and only 10 people were allowed inside at a time.

County commission chairman Woody White said officials were planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city.

"Our roads are flooded," he said. "There is no access to Wilmington."

About 70 miles (115 kilometers) away from the coast, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards; river forecasts showed the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

Downgraded to a tropical depression, Florence was still massive. Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bull's-eye.

Meanwhile, half way around the world, Typhoon Mangkhutbarreled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left dozens dead. More than 2.4 million people were evacuated from China's southern Guangdong province ahead of the massive typhoon, the strongest to hit the region in nearly two decades.

In North Carolina, fears of what could be the worst flooding in the state's history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it wasn't clear how many had fled or even could.

President Donald Trump said federal emergency workers, first responders and law enforcement officials were "working really hard." As the storm "begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional!" he declared in a tweet.

The storm's death toll climbed to 17 when authorities said a 3-month-old child was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home in North Carolina. Three people died in weather-related traffic accidents, officials said.

Victor Merlos was overjoyed to find a store open for business in Wilmington since he had about 20 relatives staying at his apartment, which still had power. He spent more than $500 on cereal, eggs, soft drinks and other necessities, plus beer.

"I have everything I need for my whole family," said Merlos. Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all take-out, with the price of $2 per item.

Kenneth Campbell had donned waterproof waders intending to check out his home in Lumberton , but he didn't bother when he saw the Coast Guard and murky waters in his neighborhood.

"I'm not going to waste my time. I already know," he said.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal feces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters. In past hurricanes, flooding at dozens of farms also left hundreds of thousands of dead hogs, chickens and other decomposing livestock bobbing in floodwaters.

Some stream gauges used to monitor river levels failed when they became submerged, but others showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel were assigned to help relief efforts.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile (1.6 kilometers) of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

Near the flooded-out town of New Bern , where about 455 people had to be rescued from the swirling flood waters, water completely surrounded churches, businesses and homes. In the neighboring town of Trenton, downtown streets were turned to creeks full of brown water.

The rain was unrelenting in Cheraw, a town of about 6,000 people in northeastern South Carolina. Streets were flooded and Police Chief Keith Thomas warned people not to drive, but the local food and gas store had customers.

"As you can tell, they're not listening to me," he said.

Local airline delays?

See how the weather is affecting arrivals and departures locally from Cleveland Hopkins Airport and Akron-Canton Airport.

How can you help?

WKYC lists several ways you can assist those affected by the storm; WOIO reports the Red Cross is accepting blood donations; Channel 5 reports Carolina food banks are in need of donations

You can also donate to The Red Cross Disaster Relief program.

Interested in helping out locally or in the affected region? Learn how you can volunteer.

Prior hurricane coverage

"Monster" Hurricane Florence aims to drench Carolinas: See photos and latest storm track

Millions prepare for potentially catastrophic Hurricane Florence both nationally and locally

Hurricane Florence could hit with punch not seen in more than 60 years

Florence now a major hurricane, aims for US Southeast

See Lake Erie rocking with remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon

Florence's rain, wind begin lashing Carolinas

Florence makes landfall

At least 4 dead as Hurricane Florence drenches the Carolinas

Florence, now a tropical storm, besieges Carolinas

Florence death toll swells to 14 as rivers rise; downgraded to tropical depression

Hurricane Florence: The story in photos

___

Associated Press writers Alex Derosier in Fayetteville, North Carolina; Jonathan Drew in Wilmington, North Carolina; Allen G. Breed and Emery P. Dalesio in New Bern, North Carolina; Denise Lavoie and Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia; Gary Robertson and Martha Waggoner in Raleigh, North Carolina; Meg Kinnard and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Russ Bynum in Cheraw, South Carolina; Seth Borenstein and Michael Biesecker in Washington; Lolita C. Baldor at the Pentagon; Jennifer Kay in Miami; and Jay Reeves in Atlanta contributed to this report.NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- City Council is expected to soon approve a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement with Omni Senior Living regarding the construction of the proposed Vitalia Senior Residences at North Olmsted slated to begin early next year.

"It's a great project for the city," Mayor Kevin Kennedy said. "We've been working on it since the beginning of the year. It takes some older undeveloped land and creates jobs and seniors housing, which is greatly needed in North Olmsted.

"We have an aging population that wants to stay in North Olmsted. Also, there are a lot of families that want to make North Olmsted their destination because of the many amenities we have and the new schools. So it's good for the entire community."

The proposed facility will sit on a 9-acre site on Lorain Road currently zoned B-2 office/service district. The three-parcel development includes the Zergott Landscaping Inc. land, Debbie D's Lounge and a vacant parcel to the east.

Vitalia Senior Residences at North Olmsted is a 161-unit development with 88 independent living apartments in a three-story building, 64 assisted living and memory care units in an adjacent structure and nine independent villas.

"We do a lot of analysis for our projects," Omni Senior Living Vice President of Development Gary Biales said. "If you look at the number of rooms available to people in the North Olmsted community, it's far below what's needed."

Omni Senior Living currently has six properties around Northeast Ohio with additional facilities expected to open in the next couple of years.

North Olmsted Economic Development Manager Greg Myers said the local project will create 50 full-time equivalent jobs with an annual payroll of $2.2 million. The facility's construction will have $9.5 million in payroll and $190,000 of associated income taxes.

The CRA provides Omni Senior Living with real estate tax abatement for a 15-year exemption period in the amount of 50 percent of the tax.

The estimated tax impact of the North Olmsted Senior Living Community Project is $850,000 annually. After abatement, the net incremental new property taxes will be $425,000 annually.

The city's portion of new property taxes will be $56,400 with new annual income taxes at $44,000. The North Olmsted City Schools will receive $276,400 in new property taxes.

Regarding the CRA, Kennedy said it's important for North Olmsted's economic development growth.

"Omni Senior Living has many options," Kennedy said. "They could go several different places, which have more greenspace than us and costs less to develop. But it's important we keep a project like this in North Olmsted. The CRA is the type of tool that attracts a project like this."

As for what role the city's CRA played into Omni Senior Living choosing North Olmsted, Biales said without abatement the project wouldn't be happening.

"We couldn't make the numbers work without the CRA," Biales said. "Their tax rate for our project would have been in the $800,000 range per year. That's a lot compared to other projects that are all similar."NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio - "While the report card the state provides to each district is important, it does not necessarily reflect an accurate picture of the district or the progress that it has made," said Roxann Ramsey-Caserio, North Ridgeville schools superintendent." Her comments were made after the 2018 Ohio School Report gave an overall grade of C to the North Ridgeville City Schools. (Note: all letter grades for the individual city schools were either A or B.)

"We understand that an overall report card grade of a C is not where we want it to be, but we encourage stakeholders to understand that student learning cannot be summarized by one letter grade. This report card and the data it includes must be digested and acted upon as part of a long-term improvement strategy. We are committed to continuous improvement and make no excuses for our performance against standards," she said.

Ramsey-Caserio went on to list the city schools' achievements over the past years, prior to her becoming the new superintendent in February of this year and formally beginning her tenure on August 1.

"Over the last several years, the North Ridgeville City School District has made a number of changes," she said, "which have positively impacted both the education of the students in the district as well as the number of offerings available to students. Some of these changes are evident on the state issued report card, like increasing the four-year graduation rate from a "D" five years ago to the "A" that is represented today. The changes to curriculum and course offerings have made the students of the North Ridgeville City Schools extremely competitive whether they are applying to elite colleges or pursuing the work force after graduation. In the last few years the district has:

--Improved its gap closing score on the state issued report card from an "F" a year ago to a "B" meaning that all of our subgroups, minority students, students with a disability, economically disadvantaged, etc., are growing at an accelerated rate.

--Increased the Third Grade Literacy score from a "D" to a "B" and "C" over the last two years (a letter grade of a "C" is considered expected growth).

--Per the state guidelines, have only been required to retain two students out of nearly 1,900 due to third grade literacy requirements.

--Scored consistently above the national average for reading and math growth based upon national STAR assessments.

--More than doubled enrollment at Ranger High-Tech Academy, the only public STEM school in Lorain County, in just one year.

--Added STEM electives in grades 5-8.

--Quadrupled the number of students receiving AP credit while increasing the average AP score over the past four years. North Ridgeville High School was officially acknowledged by the College Board for the distinction.

--Increased the number of students at the high school and the middle school taking College Credit Plus courses, allowing students to gain college credit while in high school or middle school.

--Increased the number of gifted students served throughout the district.

--Increased the number of middle school students receiving high school credit in math by 50 percent while grade accelerating nearly 300 math students throughout the district (fourth grade students taking fifth grade math, sixth grade students taking seventh grade math, etc.).

--Added physical science for high school credit in the middle school.

Began a partnership with NASA where students at NRHS are making products for use by NASA and the International Space Station. This particular STEM program is one of only 20 in the country.

--Moved to a 1:1 technology district for students in grades 3-12.

"We understand that an overall report card grade of a C is not where we want it to be," Ramsey-Caserio said, "but we encourage stakeholders to understand that student learning cannot be summarized by one letter grade. This report card and the data it includes must be digested and acted upon as part of a long-term improvement strategy. We are committed to continuous improvement and make no excuses for our performance against standards.

North Ridgeville City Schools is committed to providing educational excellence and engaging in the hard work of continuous improvement. Our district vision is "Empowering students to design their preferred future" and the district's mission describes, 'North Ridgeville City Schools, an innovative and collaborative district, focuses on the development of the whole child to ensure success.'

This mission and vision are supported by a detailed set of goals that were adopted by the Board of Education in collaboration with our community partners. This latest report card and previous ones have directly influenced the professional development we give to our staff, the academic supports we provide our students, the innovative educational options we offer to families, and the state-of-the-art facilities we have built. None of this could be possible without the generous support of this community. North Ridgeville is an exciting place to live, work and learn and we are committed to making our district top tier in the state. With (community) support, feedback and communication there is no standard we cannot meet."

For more information on all components of the 2018 Ohio School Report Card, visit https://reportcard.education.ohio.gov.NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio - Orange barrels may line the entire length of Ohio 82 in North Royalton next year, due to two scheduled road projects.

The first is a widening of 82 between West 130th Street and York Road, a distance of about 1.5 miles. Workers will add a center-turning lane to the two-lane road so that drivers waiting to turn left will no longer stop and delay through traffic.

The second project is a resurfacing of 82 between York and the east city line, a distance of about 2.6 miles. This section of 82 needs resurfacing, according to city Engineer Mark Schmitzer.

Tom Jordan, the city's director of community development, said the 82 widening may start later this year and extend into 2019. A revised schedule is due in about two weeks or so.

"There will be a public meeting in the near future about the schedule and what people can expect during construction," Jordan told cleveland.com.

Schmitzer said the planned resurfacing is scheduled to begin in May 2019. The resurfacing may overlap with the road widening to the west.

Ohio 82 widening

DiGioia-Suburban Excavating LLC in North Royalton won the contract to widen 82 between West 130th and York after submitting a low bid of $14.7 million, according to Schmitzer.

Two years ago, the project estimate was $12.3 million.

Federal money, administered through the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, will pay for about 72 percent of the costs, or $10.6 million, according to Schmitzer.

The city and Cuyahoga County, which is managing the road-widening project, will "generally" split the remaining $4 million in costs, Schmitzer said, although the city will pay for 100 percent of some line items that weren't eligible for federal funds.

Originally, construction was supposed to start in 2017. However, preliminary engineering and environmental checking took longer than expected.

The project was then moved to early 2018. However, the first round of bids exceeded the engineer's estimate, so the bids were thrown out and the project was rebid, according to Jordan.

Preparatory work has already started, though. Jordan said workers have planted new utility poles, farther back from the road than the previous poles, and have been installing new natural gas lines.

"For the most part, people have seen the utility work go on for most of the year," Jordan said.

In addition to the center turning lane, improvements to 82 will include:

Widening intersections so that trucks, which now have trouble turning onto 82, can do so without drifting left of center.

Replacement or improvement of traffic lights. Timing will be adjusted to keep cars moving. "There will be some newer technologies requested by the Police Department for better flow of traffic along the corridor," Schmitzer said. "All the lights, poles, walk signals and signs will be new."

Construction of sidewalks, where none exist now, on both sides of the street.

Covering roadside drainage ditches on both sides of the street to create storm sewers.

Inspection, improvement or replacement of four culverts that run under 82. Flooding has occurred at these culverts, and workers will make sure they are clean and not crumbling.

Construction of a new storm water detention basin at Abbey Road.

Schmitzer said an inspection of existing sanitary sewers didn't show a need to replace the pipes. Workers will clean the sewers and make minor repairs as needed during the road widening.

Also, it hasn't been decided whether to replace the entire water-line system or replace line sections as needed, Schmitzer said.

Future phases of the 82 widening might include York To Ridge Road, then Ridge to North Royalton's eastern border. However, Schmitzer said he's not aware of any funding or scheduling set for those phases.

"Nothing has been defined as a definite," Schmitzer said.

Ohio 82 resurfacing

Last week, City Council accepted a federal grant that will pay for 80 percent of the 82 resurfacing between York and the eastern city border. The estimated cost of the project is $1.2 million.

The city will pay the remaining 20 percent, or about $234,000.

Schmitzer said the Ohio Department of Transportation is managing the resurfacing. The agency is scheduled to solicit bids for construction in January or February.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The two major candidates for this year's Ohio Senate race will debate in Cleveland next month, organizers for the event announced Monday.

Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and his Republican challenger, Rep. Jim Renacci, have agreed to debate at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14 in Cleveland, about three weeks before the November election.

The debate will be held at the Westfield Insurance studio theater at the Idea Center in Playhouse Square, according to the nonpartisan Ohio Debate Commission, which is organizing the event.

Two veteran journalists -- Ann Fisher, of WOSU public radio in Columbus and Russ Mitchell, anchor at WKYC-TV in Cleveland -- will serve as moderators. Tickets for the event are free, and organizers say more information about how to attend will be posted on their website, www.ohiodebatecommission.org, on Tuesday.

The Cleveland debate is the first announced between Brown and Renacci. But their campaigns also have agreed to hold debates in Columbus and Cincinnati. Negotiations on specific dates and locations for those events are still ongoing.

The Ohio Debate Commission is a nonpartisan group of media outlets, academic institutions and civic organizations. It was formed earlier this year to try to provide a framework for Ohio candidates to debate, who increasingly have been unwilling to do so in recent years. Cleveland.com/Advance Ohio is a founding member of the commission.PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Due to budget constraints, earlier this month Mayor Michael P. Byrne eliminated the Parma Heights Senior Center Director position.

Longtime city employee Judy McLaughlin was laid off with Byrne announcing every department in the city is currently under a cost-savings review that will lead to a comprehensive restructuring for the 2019 budget.

"I agonized over this," Byrne said. "It's never easy to lay off anyone. I've known Judy and her family for an extended period of time. To know the family as well as I do, it compounds the frustration on my behalf."

Parma Heights City Council President Marie Gallo said she understood Byrne's decision.

"Council sets the budget and the mayor has to stay within the parameters of what we approve," Gallo said. "Looking ahead into 2019 on the administrative end, Mayor Byrne is making a tough decision to continue to do restructuring as we go forward."

As far as the Parma Heights Senior Center is concerned, Byrne said he visited the N. Church Drive venue to speak directly to seniors about the move.

"My goal is the services remain at the same level that they've become accustomed to," Byrne said. "Busing is being scheduled. Everything they enjoy will continue uninterrupted. We'll try to do more with less, unfortunately."

The elimination of the Senior Center Director position will save the city $54,000 annually plus benefits. The move comes less than a year after Byrne had to let go three full-time City Hall employees for a savings of $146,000.

In a similar cost-savings move, the Mayor this past winter shifted collection of the city's municipal income tax to Cleveland's Central Collection Agency for an estimated $135,000 in annual savings.

"While there are people that may be upset about these layoffs, especially people that are close to the individuals that were laid off, in the big picture it is in the best interest of the residents," Gallo said. "I'm sure the residents understand and see that the administration is working hard to do what's best for their tax dollars."

Regarding the 2018 budget, Byrne said the city should close the year in the black without a rainy day fund.

"There's no doubt about it, it's tight," Byrne said. "It's something that unfortunately is a challenge we face more often than not. It's just the makeup of our city. We don't have a diverse tax base.

"We're a bedroom community, and there are only a certain amount of times you can go to the residents. We've got a school levy on the ballot that's extremely important. We're limited to what our resources are to try create new revenue."

Gallo added, "Council is concerned. We've been concerned since the beginning of the year. Again, it goes back to the cuts made to our local government fund. This is the fallout of what our governor (John Kasich) is doing. Unfortunately, it's choking the city. Our employees are having to do more with less staff."

While Parma Heights lacks a large income tax base funding city operations, Gallo said there is a project on the horizon that could provide relief.

"I know our economic development director is working on marketing the corner of W. 130th Street and Pearl Road," Gallo said. "That's the Cornerstone property. It was held up in court for many years, and now we can work to market that."Che would hawk his shirts for roughly nine hours a day in the fashionable Manhattan neighborhood, where he was often able to lure in celebrity customers like comedian Billy Crystal and rappers Andre 3000 and Kwame. His shirts featured his own portraits of famous entertainers like Sammy Davis Jr., Richard Pryor, Jimi Hendrix and Spike Lee. Lee even once spotted Che wearing one of the shirts with Lee's likeness on it and gave the young designer his phone number, but Che told the Village Voice he never worked up the nerve to call the legendary director.

"I really wanted to paint and to have a clothing line. I was really excited about it," Che told New York magazine's Vulture in 2013. He spend a few years in his early 20s selling his shirts on the street and typically earning "300 or 400 dollars a week," he says.

"[Art] was my therapy, it was my creative outlet," Che told the Village Voice. "Art takes so much practice. People will tell you you're good before you are. They want to encourage you. Luckily for me, I never really bought into any of my hype. I always knew it took a lot of work for me to be what I wanted to be." Che kept working on refining his painting by making acrylic portraits that he would print on T-shirts. He quit his job at the dealership after two years so he could spend every day selling his self-designed T-shirts from a folding table he set up on the corner of Prince and Wooster Streets in SoHo.

Che, 35, who grew up in the housing projects on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, graduated from the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts, where he honed his drawing and painting skills. After high school, Che briefly worked in customer service at a local Toyota dealership, he told the Village Voice in 2014. But Che ultimately could not ignore his passion for art, so he started looking for a way to make money with his painting skills.

But, far fewer people are likely to recognize Che from one of his first jobs: selling T-shirts he designed himself on a New York City street corner.

The millions of viewers who tune in to watch Monday night's 2018 Emmy Awards on NBC might recognize the award show's co-host, comedian Michael Che, from his job as "Weekend Update" anchor on "Saturday Night Live" on the same network. They might also be aware of his stand-up comedy or his stint as a correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."

But, it was another brush with fame that very nearly changed Che's life, and the trajectory of his career. One day, while Che's table of shirts was set up in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, his designs caught the eye of Richard Hilfiger (the son of fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger), who briefly chatted with Che. A few weeks later, Richard returned with his father in tow, at which point Tommy Hilfiger bought a few of Che's shirts. The elder Hilfiger even ended up offering Che some freelance work designing logos for his clothing company.

"Tommy Hilfiger comes by and he's like 'Oh man, I love your stuff. Come on down to the office and I'll give you a job, or something.' And, I'm like, 'Alright!'" Che revealed on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in 2017.

Hilfiger even invited Che to his company's Manhattan office to praise him in front of his employees and to give Che some money upfront.

"He introduces me to everybody in the office individually, and he's like, 'This is Michael Che. One of these days he's going to be a great artist.' And, I was like, 'What is happening?!'" Che told Fallon.

Hilfiger gave Che $1,000 in cash, with the agreement that Che would create a series of designs. "He said, 'You know why I'm giving this to you? Because somebody gave me a chance, and I'm giving you a chance.'"

The moment could have been the inspiring origin story of a future fashion mogul, but unfortunately, Che says he never made good on his agreement with Hilfiger. Che never made any designs and he never returned to Hilfiger's office. Looking back, he says he was paralyzed by anxiety and the fear that he wouldn't be able to create anything worthy of Hilfiger's praise.

"Now, in hindsight, I know what it was. I was scared," Che told Splitsider. "But then, I just didn't understand. Nothing looked right, I just couldn't. They set me up with like a whole work area, they gave me a computer and a desk and all that shit, and I could do whatever I wanted. I could come and go as I please, I had no boss. I was working for Tommy. And I just couldn't do it."

Che told Hilfiger he worked better from home, so he stopped coming into the office. But, as the weeks passed, he still never turned in any designs. "And a week turned to two weeks, because I was too embarrassed  I was honestly just terrified," Che says.

The experience taught him a lot, Che says. "I had an opportunity that I thought was change my life. And I f------ blew it completely, just from being scared," he told Vulture. "So now, when I do comedy, I ain't scared of s---. I'm like, just take advantage of every opportunity I get, because I don't know. How you gonna get lucky twice?"

(A corporate spokesperson at Tommy Hilfiger did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.)

After the embarrassing end to his freelance gig with Tommy Hilfiger, Che was afraid to go back to selling his shirts on the street  fearful that he'd run into Hilfiger or his son. With his T-shirt business struggling, Che says he became depressed and stopped painting altogether.

"At that point, I couldn't do it anymore. I was tired. And I was depressed," he told Vulture.

Che decided that he needed a totally new career, and that's how he ended up starting out in comedy. Che had loved comedy since he "was in diapers," he told Vulture, which is one reason why iconic comedian Richard Pryor was one of his painting subjects.

In October 2009, at the age of 26, Che first started performing stand-up comedy at open-mics around New York City. While it takes many comedians years to experience any success in stand-up  and countless others never do  Che's comedy career took off amazingly quickly, helped by his intense dedication to getting better onstage and working on his material.

"I went onstage every day, maybe two to three times a day, just open mics, open mics, open mics. Maybe four times a day. Maybe five times a day," he told the Village Voice.

Soon, Che was performing at iconic New York comedy clubs like Caroline's and the Comedy Cellar. In 2012, he won a competition for New York's Funniest Stand-Up and he also performed for the first time on CBS's "The Late Show with David Letterman". He first landed a job as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" in 2013, and the next year he worked as a correspondent on "The Daily Show" for one season before returning to "SNL" as the co-host of "Weekend Update."

Now, Che is a co-head writer of the NBC sketch show and he's co-hosting the Emmys along with Colin Jost, his fellow "Weekend Update" anchor.

Last year, Che told Fallon that he always felt bad that he "stiffed" Hilfiger, who he said he'd never seen since he ditched the freelance gig all of those years ago. On the "Tonight Show," Che even whipped out his checkbook and wrote a check for $1,000, made out to Hilfiger, in the hopes of squaring his debt.

"Just make sure you don't cash it until October 13," he joked.

Disclosure: NBC and CNBC are divisions of NBCUniversal.

Don't Miss:

'Crazy Rich Asians' star Constance Wu was 'tens of thousands of dollars in debt' before getting her big break

How Chris Pratt went from homeless waiter at Bubba Gump shrimp to $10 million 'Jurassic World' star

Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!

Apple's wireless AirPower charger hasn't launched because it's facing overheating issues, according to two separate reports.

During its 2017 iPhone event, Apple announced AirPower. It looked promising, since it's supposed to charge an Apple Watch, an iPhone and AirPods all at the same time without being plugged in.

But a year later, Apple still hasn't provided any additional information on AirPower, even during its iPhone event last week. It seems as though all mention of it has been removed from the company's website, too.

Tech writer Sonny Dickson, who has a track record of accurately reporting on Apple, said over the weekend that Apple has struggled with heat management, which affects accuracy and charging speed. Dickson thinks it's unlikely Apple will make its end-of-year release deadline.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber said something similar. Gruber said the charging pad, which uses a multicoil design, is "getting too hot -- way too hot."

"There are engineers who looked at AirPower's design and said it could never work, thermally. ... I think they've either had to go completely back to the drawing board and start over with an entirely different design, or they've decided to give up and they just don't want to say so," Gruber said.

Other chargers, like those offered by Samsung, sometimes ship with built-in fans to help with heat management. Samsung is also now shipping a new device that can charge a phone and a watch at the same time, but not three products.

Apple gave a broad timeline for AirPower's launch, saying it would go on sale in 2018. So it is still possible it can work out any issues before the end of the year.

Apple declined to comment.New trade talks between the two governments are tentatively scheduled between Steven Mnuchin , the Treasury secretary, and Liu He, a Chinese vice premier, later this month in Washington. Stephen A. Schwarzman , Blackstone's chief, has been playing a critical role in organizing them, say people familiar with the talks, who asked for anonymity because the process is sensitive.

Senior Wall Street executives met in Beijing on Sunday with current and former Chinese officials and bankers at a hastily organized session to find ways to strengthen financial ties between the United States and China. On Monday, the group  which included executives from Goldman Sachs Group , Morgan Stanley and the Blackstone Group , the private equity firm, among others  planned to meet with Vice President Wang Qishan, the right hand man of Xi Jinping , the country's leader.

Today, China is hoping that Wall Street will once again use its political heft to soothe tempers in Washington. But as President Trump ratchets up the trade war with Beijing, Wall Street's words are falling on deaf ears.

When Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama talked tough about labeling China as a currency manipulator, Wall Street urged restraint  and both presidents backed down.

But the Chinese have indicated that they will pull out of the talks if Mr. Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on another $200 billion in Chinese goods, according to a person familiar with the matter. Mr. Trump has told advisers that he wants to move ahead with the new round of tariffs and an announcement could come as early as this week, another person familiar with the discussions said.

That continues a frustrating trend for America's financial titans: Even as they win tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks from the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress, they appear to be able to do little to stop the trade war.

"What's really surprising is that the connections that used to work, the formula that used to work, just don't work at this point," said Marshall W. Meyer, an emeritus professor of management at the Wharton School of Business.

Wall Street has long gambled that helping China would pay off. China has been slow to open its vast but tightly controlled financial markets, and Wall Street banks hope to get more business advising Chinese companies on acquisitions in the United States, lending money and selling financial services. Pressure from the Trump administration is now bearing fruit as China has begun to open its financial markets to foreign banks.

A worsening trade war could stymie that progress, and it hurt other foreign businesses as well. Lou Jiwei, China's former finance minister, said in a speech on Sunday that China could block exports of crucial components for Western supply chains if the trade war continued. Such a move would disrupt American businesses but would likely accelerate corporate efforts to shift factories away from China, and current Chinese officials haven't publicly discussed such a dramatic step.

The financial sector's arguments have often found a sympathetic ear in Washington. Over the past two decades, China has emerged as a major global economic growth driver and as an important customer for many American companies, including Apple, Qualcomm and General Motors.

But the Trump administration's trade hawks have so far prevailed against Wall Street-friendly voices of trade moderation, such as Mr. Mnuchin, a onetime Goldman Sachs executive. That is partly because the trade war hasn't shown President Trump much downside. His stance has won support from both parties. The United States economy shows few signs of trade-war damage, and markets continue to rise.

Even if Republicans lose Congress in November's elections, the trade war will probably continue, said Robert B. Zoellick, a former United States trade representative. Only a slump in the markets might make him reconsider, Mr. Zoellick said.

"I don't think that's going to affect Trump," Mr. Zoellick said about November's elections. "Markets could."

Relations between President Trump and Wall Street are complicated. Last year's tax bill greatly favored big financial companies, but some financial executives have clashed openly with Mr. Trump.

JPMorgan's chief executive, Jamie Dimon, a onetime informal adviser to Mr. Trump, said last Wednesday in a speech that "I'm smarter than he is" and that unlike Mr. Trump's, his personal wealth "wasn't a gift from Daddy." Mr. Trump the next day called Mr. Dimon a "nervous mess," and Mr. Dimon has since said he shouldn't have made the remarks. Others, like Morgan Stanley's chief, James Gorman, and the chief executive of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd C. Blankfein, opposed Trump policies like his original travel and immigration ban.

In the past, Wall Street was an effective advocate. In the late 1990s, when China's effort to lower trade barriers faced tough political opposition, China flew its premier, Zhu Rongji, to New York to meet directly with financial and business leaders. Senior leaders of Goldman Sachs and the American International Group, the big financial conglomerate, urged President Clinton to strike a deal. He did, and China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.

Wall Street also discouraged the United States from formally accusing China of manipulating its currency. Both President Bush and President Obama vowed to get tough on China's longstanding efforts to weaken the value of its currency to help its importers. Wall Street banks urged them to reconsider. Both ultimately backed down. (President Trump has also threatened to label China a currency manipulator, though the currency has strengthened considerably in recent years. Business leaders and some members of his administration have discouraged him from acting.)

The Wall Street influence ran deep. Robert E. Rubin, a Wall Street veteran, served as Treasury secretary under President Clinton and helped forge the consensus within the Clinton administration on how to bring China into the World Trade Organization. Henry M. Paulson Jr., a former Goldman Sachs executive with a high profile in China, served as President Bush's Treasury secretary.

Wall Street figures have cultivated China connections in other ways. Mr. Schwarzman has raised more than $500 million to build a scholarship program in his name at China's prestigious Tsinghua University. Goldman Sachs last year said it would help China's sovereign wealth fund put $5 billion into acquiring stakes in American businesses.

Mr. Schwarzman is working behind the scenes to get China and the United States talking again. He urged American officials to invite their Chinese counterparts to resume talks, according to the people familiar with the discussions.

Last week, Mr. Mnuchin issued an invitation, which Chinese officials publicly greeted warmly. But Larry Kudlow, President Trump's chief economic adviser and another Wall Street veteran, suggested afterward that China had sought the invitation.

"There's some discussions and information that we've received that the top of the Chinese government wishes to pursue talks," he told Fox News.

The meeting in Beijing on Sunday  organized by Zhou Xiaochuan, China's former central banker, and John Thornton, a former Goldman Sachs president  gave Wall Street a chance to press for more business from China. The bankers were planning to present Wall Street's wish list for more market access, including creating a more transparent process for financial firms to get operating licenses and expanding the services that American bank branches can offer.

Because the meeting was called on short notice, top Wall Street executives didn't attend. Most sent a senior executive, like Franck Petitgas, head of Morgan Stanley's international business; John Waldron, president of Goldman Sachs; and Jon Gray, the No. 2 executive at Blackstone. Officials will pass suggestions to Mr. Liu, Mr. Xi's top economic adviser.

Prospects are good that this type of outreach will help, said Wendy Cutler, a former United States trade negotiator.

"Traditionally there have been these back channels, and one of the reasons why Beijing has put people like Liu He in these senior positions has been because they have such good relationships with Wall Street," said Ms. Cutler, who is vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.

"To date, these back channels don't seem to be working in moving this administration towards a negotiated solution."

Alexandra Stevenson reported from Hong Kong, Kate Kelly from New York and Keith Bradsher from Beijing.Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault more than three decades ago, is willing to testify publicly about the alleged attack, according to her lawyer.

Ford, 51, "will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the Senate Judiciary Committee has the full story and the full set of allegations to allow them to make a fully informed decision," her lawyer, Debra Katz, told news outlets Monday.

This development, combined with two key Republicans calling to pause the confirmation process in light of Ford's accusation and willingness to come forward, signals peril for Kavanaugh's nomination that was unthinkable a week ago. Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate. Two GOP defections, along with unanimous opposition from the Democratic caucus, would sink Kavanaugh.

Republicans are planning to play hardball over the accusation, according to Axios, which cited "top sources" in its report Monday morning.

The allegations were revealed last week. A letter detailing the accusation was sent to California Democrat Rep. Anna Eshoo, who then passed it to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. Feinstein ultimately referred it to federal investigative authorities.

The initially mysterious contents of that letter were soon revealed to be an allegation that Kavanaugh, as a high school student, had drunkenly forced Ford onto a bed and attempted to sexually assault her. Ford said she was 15 at the time, and Kavanaugh would have been about 17. Ford said she was able to escape from him and another classmate, who was identified as conservative author Mark Judge.

"I have no recollection" of the alleged assault, Judge told The New Yorker. Through the White House, Kavanaugh said he "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegations.

After Ford came forward publicly Sunday in an interview with The Washington Post, multiple Senate Republicans  including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is scheduled to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination this week  called for more investigation.

Republican Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee, both of whom are retiring when their terms in end in January, told Politico they have reservations about proceeding with Kavanaugh's nomination without more information.

"If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes," Flake said Sunday. Flake, who frequently criticizes the president, is a member of the the Judiciary Committee.

Corker, who has also taken issue with Trump at times, told Politico that delaying the committee vote "would be best for all involved, including the nominee."

GOP worries about Kavanaugh marks a dramatic turn from just days earlier, when the federal appellate judge and George W. Bush administration veteran appeared to have few obstacles left on his way to a lifetime Supreme Court appointment.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, were already considered possible swing votes, particularly due to their support for the landmark 1973 abortion ruling Roe v. Wade.

Ford's allegation has prompted even some less-moderate Republicans to pump the brakes.

"I don't know what she's comfortable with," Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said of Ford, but "we need to hear from her."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a former strident Trump critic who is now one of his most vocal supporters, also said Ford's testimony is warranted  but suggested it shouldn't slow down Kavanaugh's nomination process.

"If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately," said Graham, another member of the committee.

Trump, who himself has been accused of sexual misconduct and was caught on a hot mic boasting about sexual assault in a 2005 tape that came to light during the 2016 presidential campaign, has yet to publicly weigh in on Ford's allegations. (The president has denied the allegations against him.)

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, however, said Monday morning on Fox News: "This woman should not be ignored and should not be insulted. She should be heard."An on-the-record allegation of sexual assault published in The Washington Post on Sunday has threatened to crack the carefully crafted image of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and with it the narrow majority of senators expected to confirm his lifetime appointment to the nation's highest court.

Kavanaugh, a veteran judge on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, was widely seen as a shoo-in for the court, expected to collect votes from a unanimous bloc of the Senate's Republicans as well as a number of moderate Democrats who voted for Trump's last nominee, Justice Neil Gorsuch.

But after Christine Blasey Ford, a professor in California, went public over the weekend with allegations that Kavanaugh drunkenly held her down, groped her and attempted to remove her clothing during a party in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh's chances for confirmation have been thrust into uncertainty.

Ford's attorney said on CNN Monday morning that her client is willing to testify to the Judiciary Committee ahead of the committee's vote on Kavanaugh's nomination scheduled for Thursday. All ten of the Democrats on the committee signed onto a statement Monday morning demanding a delay on the vote, and calling for an FBI investigation into Ford's accusation as well as Kavanaugh's "false and misleading committee testimony."

Republicans have responded to the accusation by criticizing what they say are Democrats' political motives. But the specter of public testimony concerning an allegation of sexual assault in the midst of the #MeToo movement's public reckoning over sexual misconduct by powerful men will haunt lawmakers who until now had faced few obstacles to securing the judge's confirmation.

Kavanaugh has flatly denied the allegation, and the White House has stood by its nominee. On Sunday, the White House reissued a statement from Kavanaugh in which he said that "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time."

On Monday, Kavanaugh doubled down. In a statement released by the White House, he said, "This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday. I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity."

Later Monday, a White House official told NBC News that Kavanaugh has said that he was not at the party where the alleged incident occurred. Kavanaugh gave the same account to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a Hatch aide told NBC News.

Mark Judge, a conservative writer who Ford said was present at the high school gathering in which the attempted rape occurred, has also denied that the incident took place. Judge called the allegation "just absolutely nuts" in an interview with The Weekly Standard that was published Friday, after the contours of the alleged incident were made public but before Ford came forward by name.

Nonetheless, at least three Republicans, Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have called for a Thursday Judiciary Committee vote on his nomination to be delayed, the first major fracture in the party over the nominee. Flake is a member of the committee, and the other two senators are crucial to securing Kavanaugh's nomination.

"I've made it clear that I'm not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further," Flake told The Washington Post. Both Flake and Corker have announced that they are retiring from the Senate.

Pressure has also ramped up on three moderate Democrats  Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia  who were thought to be possible "yes" votes on Kavanaugh's nomination.

Adding to the fission are statements from two female Republicans who Democrats have targeted since Kavanaugh's nomination was announced as possible "no" votes, including Murkowski.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Sunday night that the revelation caught her off guard, noting that "I don't know enough to create a judgment at this point." In a Monday tweet, Collins called on both Ford and Kavanaugh to testify to the Judiciary Committee.

Tweet

Murkowski, who said Sunday that the Judiciary Committee may need to consider delaying its vote this week, told CNN that "if there is real substance to this, it demands a response."

What that response may look like is unclear, though all of the options are bad news for Republicans, who until the weekend had managed to successfully ward off Democratic opposition and calls for delay. Democrats have blasted the confirmation process since it started, accusing Republicans of withholding crucial information and documents about Kavanaugh's previous work. Feinstein and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., have accused Kavanaugh of lying under oath to lawmakers during his confirmation hearings.By Trend





New amendments to the tax legislation may be adopted in Azerbaijan by the end of the year, Samira Musayeva, General Director of the Tax Policy Department of the Ministry of Taxes of Azerbaijan told Trend.

She noted that the changes are aimed, among other things, at reducing the tax burden, simplifying tax administration, and suppressing tax evasion.

One of the proposals is the introduction of a single rate on the income of individuals. Musayeva said by the instruction of the head of state, the authors of the bill focused on reducing the tax burden in this area. Currently, the income tax in Azerbaijan amounts to 14 percent, and another 26 percent (22 percent - employer, 3 percent - employee) fall to the share of social contributions to the State Social Protection Fund.

Currently, she said, the package of proposals is under consideration by the government.

Recently, the Ministry of Taxes has been purposefully working not only on reduction of the tax burden, but also on simplification of the tax administration. So, for example, as it was reported earlier, the Ministry of Taxes will fill in the first versions of tax declarations instead of taxpayers and will send them to taxpayers for approval.China will not be content to only play defense in an escalating trade war with the United States, a widely read Chinese tabloid warned, as U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to announce new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods as early as Monday. The United States and China have already levied duties on $50 billion worth of each other's goods in an intensifying row that has jolted global financial markets in the past few months. Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department invited senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He, to more talks on the tariff dispute, though scepticism remained high among trade observers on both sides over the prospects of a breakthrough. China's Foreign Ministry reiterated that the escalation of the trade conflict was not in anyone's interest. "We have always maintained that the only correct means to resolve the trade dispute is through dialogue and consultation on an equal basis with mutual trust and respect," ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing.

President Donald Trump, left, and China's President Xi Jinping arrive for a meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

A senior administration official told Reuters over the weekend that Trump was likely to announce the new tariffs as early as Monday. "It is nothing new for the U.S. to try to escalate tensions so as to exploit more gains at the negotiating table," the Global Times, which is published by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily, wrote in an editorial. "We are looking forward to a more beautiful counter-attack and will keep increasing the pain felt by the U.S.," the Chinese-language column said. Besides retaliating with tariffs, China could also restrict export of goods, raw materials and components core to U.S. manufacturing supply chains, former finance minister Lou Jiwei told a Beijing forum on Sunday, according to an attendee. Lou is chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund. The person who attended the event and is familiar with the White House's thinking said such a move would likely attract sharp retaliation from Washington, which has studied its own limits on exporting key technologies to China. "Lou Jiwei's approach would feed the most hawkish sentiments in the U.S. government," the person said, declining to be identified given the sensitivity of the matter. China is a key supplier of minor metals and rare earths used in consumer electronics and other goods. Beijing has said it would retaliate to trade war escalation with tariffs of its own as well as qualitative measures, which it has not specified but are perceived within the U.S. business community as likely to include increased customs and regulatory scrutiny.

Beijing may also decline to participate in the proposed trade talks with Washington later this month if the Trump administration goes ahead with the additional tariffs, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing Chinese officials. The Journal report quoted one senior Chinese advisory official saying China would not negotiate "with a gun pointed to its head". China has not publicly committed to join a new round of negotiations, but in the past it has pulled back from the prospect of talks in the face of escalations in the dispute. In April, when Trump threatened tariffs on $100 billion of Chinese goods, then seen as a major escalation, China responded by saying it would not conduct talks "under these conditions". The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, will visit New York this week for the annual United Nations General Assembly, Beijing announced on Monday.

Trump has demanded that China cut its $375 billion trade surplus with the United States, end policies aimed at acquiring U.S. technologies and intellectual property, and roll back high-tech industrial subsidies. Repeated Chinese vows to reform what critics have argued is one of the world's most restricted markets among major economies have in recent years triggered "promise fatigue" among foreign business groups that viewed changes as piecemeal. Trump has said he will no longer allow China to take advantage of the United States on trade, though opposition to escalating tariffs has swelled in recent weeks within U.S. business circles.Below is the transcript of a CNBC Exclusive interview with Choi Heenam, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Korea Investment Corporation. The interview was first broadcast on CNBC's Squawk Box Asia on 17 September 2018.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview'.

Interviewed by CNBC's Amanda Drury

Amanda Drury (Mandy): Thank you very much for joining us today.

Choi Heenam (Choi): Thank you for having me.

Mandy: We are now 10 years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, how much safer are we now?

Choi: In general, I can say we are safer than before in various aspects. First, I'd like to say that current economy cycle is kind of in a late cycle, not like 10 years ago. 10 years ago, the global economy was in recession. So, we are more prepared than before. And second, just to look at some emerging markets, even though there are few countries suffering from external shocks, mostly the emerging markets are well prepared in terms of safety net, global safety net, regional safety net, and bilateral safety net. They are well prepared. And secondly, during last 10 years, many emerging markets they did structural reform, I mean they have stronger economic fundamentals than before.

Mandy: Even though you think we are safer now than before, where do you think the next crisis could come from and are we close to it?

Choi: When the economy continues to grow, not only the federal reserve but also other central banks might start to do tightening monetary policy then only certain, some emerging markets might suffer liquidity squeeze that might cause another potential risk.

In addition to that, there are non-economic factors. I mean trade war, trade dispute, geopolitical risk might be potential risk factors to affect the global economy. But I think trade dispute is not easy to solve because the epicenter of the trade dispute is who lead global growth in the next decade. So U.S. and China are, you know, even though they make every effort to tackle the trade dispute but question is how can you quickly solve it? On that issue I'm a little bit negative.

Mandy: And Korea is still very reliant on exports. China is both a competitor and a trading partner for South Korea. So how are the tariffs affecting South Korea so far and does it affect your investment strategy?

Choi: First, if the trade friction becomes severe then China's export to global economy, I mean mainly through U.S. will be affected negatively then our export to China is around twenty five percent. Our main export items are parts and intermediate goods, not consumption goods. So our export is mainly used for China Chinese export to globally. So trade dispute, if China is severely affected by the U.S. tariff then our exports might be affected by those trade disputes.

Mandy: But it doesn't affect your investment strategy at KIC?

Choi: To give you our whole picture of our investment, our investment more than 90, 92 percent is toward of advanced economy not emerging market so less there might be limited effect from the trade dispute.

Mandy: You were appointed to this position in April and you planned to make the KIC of the world's leading sovereign wealth funds.

Choi: I hope so.

Mandy: How do you plan to do that?

Choi: Our first you know the pie is showing our capacity in generating returns. So we did a lot of effort. First, our invest approaches based on our research base so we increased our research capacity, also to localize our investment. We set up overseas branch in London, the EU, even in Singapore here last year. So we managed our assets locally, more local based investment. So that may increase our capacity to generate returns. Second, we're close to other asset owners, like the Canadian pension funds, and many other asset owners. So in Asia, to manage our official reserve we try to expand our coverage for institutional investors.

Mandy: I see that you've returned just over 16 percent on investments last year, for 2017, much more than the year before. What do you hope to achieve this year on your return on investment?

Choi: That's a pretty difficult question. You know we tried to beat the benchmark but the way to increase returns is to increase our capacity on asset allocation. So this year we tried to, actually we did strategic tilting. I mean a slight change portfolio position from equity to bond, bond to alternative asset kind of thing. So by doing strategic tilting or asset allocation, we do our best to show our capacity.

Mandy: Your original mandate was for outbound investment.

Choi: Yes.

Mandy: But is there a case to domestically invest as well and support domestic industry?

Choi: No. By KIC law, we are not allowed to invest domestically, our whole investment for overseas investment.

Mandy: Where do you see the best opportunity overseas?

Choi: Overseas for the time being, still we have a strong belief in emerging markets even though we are cautious. So we tried to increase our exposure to emerging markets especially Asia Pacific region.

Mandy: Emerging markets are going through some problems

Choi: Yeah sure

Mandy: Does that create good value for you?

Choi: Yeah I believe. I think so.

Mandy: What about hedge funds? Your allocation to hedge funds was cut last year. What about this year? Is it being upped or cut again or is it the same?

Choi: We continue to increase our exposure to hedge fund. So recently we selected some external manager hedge funds to increase our exposure to hedge funds.

Mandy: With increased exposure to hedge funds does that means that you are chasing shorter term returns?

Choi: No, hedge fund is a kind of long term investment not traditional so we tend to invest long.

Mandy: What about infrastructure assets? I was speaking with someone yesterday here at the Singapore Summit from the Canadian Pension Board and they were saying that in developed countries they want to find good infrastructure assets but there is high demand and low supply.

Choi: Yeah

Mandy: Are you finding that problem as well?

Choi: Yes. Because in advanced economy it is not difficult to find the appropriate infrastructure. But in emerging markets, infrastructure is quite a complicated asset because it heavily depends on the domestic regulation. So to have a transparent system regulation is very important to attract foreign money to domestic emerging markets infrastructure.

Mandy: I understand that this time last year and you weren't the head of KIC but nonetheless this time last year the KIC announced a 300 million dollar commitment to environmental social and governance, ESG investment fund

Choi: ESG yes we did

Mandy: ESG is very popular right now it's politically very palatable. It sounds good but does it also generate good return?

Choi: Yes. As you mentioned we started our ESG investment this year 300 million U.S. dollars so it's a first step. But I believe, as a responsible investor we need to increase our ESG investment. But with regard to returns, I'm not quite sure the returns will be better than general investment in short term but in the long run I have a strong belief that ESG investment will produce better returns.

Mandy: This is a political question. But your president Mr. Moon is one year into a 5-year term and there is some concern that his economic reform is not gaining as much traction as some people would like. What is your reading on it?

Choi: Ah yes because new government, to adopt a new economic policy quite different from previous governments. So it's going to take time to take effect. So you have to wait to see the real result of the new economic policy. So some people might complain about that but it takes time.

Mandy: What do you see at the KIC as your biggest opportunity and your biggest challenge when you face the investment climate now?

Choi: The challenge is the global market. Our performance, our return is heavily dependent on global market. So you know to overcome those kind of challenges, we decided to increase our alternative investment. Now currently 15 percent our AUM is invested in alternative asset. But we try to increase that portion to 20 percent by 2020. So alternative asset, as you see is a long term investment not affected by market fluctuation.

Mandy: My final question is in regards to North Korea. How do you feel about the current ongoing negotiations with President Trump. And do you see potential future investment opportunity with North Korea if things go well?

Choi: It might be too early to say. It takes time but I'm quite sure those days will come. As you know I am an offspring of North Korea defector. My father was from North Korea Pyongyang. So I hope in the future two Koreas are living together peacefully and in the end might be one Korea. So there might be huge investment opportunity but I don't know when will come.

Mandy: Thank you very much Mr. Choi. It's been a pleasure to talk to you.

END

Media Contact:

Clarence Chen

Communications Manager APAC, CNBC International

D: +65 6326 1123

M: +65 9852 8630

clarence.chen@cnbc.com

About CNBC

CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with regional headquarters Singapore, London and New York. The TV channel is available in more than 410 million homes worldwide.

CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools.

CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.comBelow is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Michael Froman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard. The interview was first broadcast on CNBC's Squawk Box Asia on 17 September 2018.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview'.

Interviewed by CNBC's Amanda Drury

Amanda Drury (Mandy): When you got an emerging market as big as China, and obviously going backward and forward over trade with the US, you got issues still with NAFTA, the US also threatening to pull out of the WTO, do you feel that all the balls are in President Trump's court?

Michael Froman (Michael): The president, well he certainly has a very distinct approach to trade. It's something that he's had a longstanding view on long before he ran for president. I think the rest of the world is paying attention to that. I think the president and the administration is figuring out how they want to proceed with this renegotiation of NAFTA. Whether it's engaging with the Europeans or whether it's engaging with China and other trading partners to try and resolve in some cases longstanding trade issues different administrations have different approaches. I was part of another administration that had a somewhat different approach but certainly some of the underlying concerns about subsidies about IP theft about forced technology transfer. Those are longstanding issues that a number of administrations have been concerned.

Mandy: Putting on your trade cap again, what advice would you give to President Trump today?

Michael: We are most influential vis-a-vis China when we're part of a broad based coalition of other developed and developing countries and I think the administration has started to reach out and work with the EU and Japan, visibly China and I think broadening that out to include other major emerging economies could be helpful as well. I think that's having a carrot and stick approach we use the WTO quite aggressively. We brought 26 cases before the WTO, six of which are against China. We won every case that went to conclusion and then it made engaging in some meaningful dialogue about the kinds of changes you want to see in Chinese policy in order to have a more stable and enduring economic relationship but we have to have a clear idea about what it is we want China to do and make sure that we can put it forward in a way that the Chinese will see that it's in their interests as well.

Mandy: Do you think the WTO has been treating the US unfairly as President Trump claims?

Michael: I think as a general matter, the WTO is something the United States was very much involved in the formulation of it, the rules underlying it, the processes underlying it. We're an active user of its dispute settlement procedures and we tend to do very well in those procedures. Having said that, it's not a perfect organization. There is need to update and reform it. And I think one of the fundamental questions that the WTO faces is how do we accommodate it, bring into the global trading system a party like China which has a very different approach through state capitalism into a system that's based on an open rules based dynamic. It's been a challenge since they joined the WTO and it will continue to be a challenge as we think about reforming it.

Mandy: So when you say about reforms, it's almost like we need to rip up the old playbook and completely rewrite it, as the world realigns itself with the greater power of China and the East?

Michael: I think there are specific reforms that could be pursued without completely ripping up the playbook as you say but certainly in the areas of the dispute settlement body, they could be quicker in coming to a conclusion. It needs more resources in order to do that. But I think there are things that could be done to address it. But we recognize the WTO is an organization. 164 countries and decisions are made by consensus. Any single country whether it's as large as China or as small as some of the other countries can obstruct that consensus. And that's why we pursued agreements like TPP, the Trans-Pacific Partnership as a way of raising standards above the level of the WTO. So as a way of creating some positive dynamic in the global trading system

Mandy: Mike, you worked on TPP. Do you feel that President Trump might come back to it under different terms?

Michael: I don't know. I think it's good that there are 11 countries continue to pursue TPP that there are other countries that want to join it. And I think a number of the issues that the administration has been engaging with Mexico and Canada on and the renegotiating of NAFTA are also issues that we dealt with in TPP. So whether or not they ever come back to TPP itself, I think a lot of the rules that we pursued there that we negotiated there will find their way into the global trading system in one form or another.

END

Media Contact:

Clarence Chen

Communications Manager APAC, CNBC International

D: +65 6326 1123

M: +65 9852 8630

clarence.chen@cnbc.com

About CNBC

CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with regional headquarters Singapore, London and New York. The TV channel is available in more than 410 million homes worldwide.

CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools.

CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.comCNBC's told CNBC on Monday that the reported 10 percent threshold for new U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods is not enough to really worry Wall Street.

The Trump administration is expected to announce the new trade measures against China as early as Monday. Beijing has threatened retaliatory measures.

"I think that people have to start recognizing that the $200 billion number isn't as important as the 10 percent on $200 billion," Cramer said, comparing that with the 25 percent figure originally floated by the administration.

"I just think people don't think that this is that big of a deal," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." "It's just not playing out as that important."

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing Chinese officials, that a move by President Donald Trump for new tariffs could put Beijing trade talks with Washington later this month in jeopardy.

Investors did not seem particularly concerned about this latest round in the trade war between the world's two biggest economic superpowers. Stocks slipped in opened modestly lower Monday, and flip-flopped positive at stages in early trading.

Cramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money," said that sentiment could change if the president were to follow through on threatened China tariffs on another $267 billion.

On top of the expected $200 billion and $50 billion already in place, all Chinese imports would be affected. According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. imported more than $505 billion worth of goods from China last year.

In the meantime, though, price increases on goods as a result of the trade volleys have "not been impactful because the [U.S.] economy is too strong," Cramer said.

"At the same time," he added, "I think that the president's tweet about how strong the economy is makes people feel better."

Tariffs have put the U.S. in a very strong bargaining position, with Billions of Dollars, and Jobs, flowing into our Country - and yet cost increases have thus far been almost unnoticeable. If countries will not make fair deals with us, they will be "Tariffed"

 Reuters contributed to this report.David Fountain, president of Duke Energy's North Carolina operations, told CNBC on Monday the impact from Hurricane Florence on his state has been the most severe he's ever experienced.

"I've lived in North Carolina my entire life, and I've seen a lot of bad storms, a lot of bad hurricanes. But this is absolutely the worst," he said.

In a "Squawk Box" interview, Fountain described Hurricane Matthew, which slammed the Carolinas in 2016, as a "100-year flood." Matthew caused $10.3 billion in estimated damage.

"I thought that [Matthew] would be the worst I've ever saw in my life. But this [Florence] certainly surpasses that," he said.

Florence made landfall on Thursday as a Category 1 hurricane at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, a resort town just east of the state's eighth-largest city, Wilmington, which has been completely cut off by surrounding floodwaters.

At least 18 storm-related deaths have been reported in the region.

The threat of more flooding continues as rivers in the Carolinas begin to crest in the coming days, even as the remnants of Florence tracked northward after dumping days of drenching rain.

Fountain, 51, said about 300,000 Duke Energy households and businesses remained in the dark as of Monday morning.

"With 1.4 million customers having been impacted, we're pleased with the restoration progress ... especially under such challenging conditions," he said. "But we've got a lot more work to do."Tesla CEO and Chairman Elon Musk on Sunday said the electric vehicle maker will soon bring most collision repairs in-house  a promise he first made during the company's annual shareholder meeting in June.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, Musk blamed outside shops for taking too long to complete repairs.

Specifically, Musk wrote: "Tesla is bringing most collision repairs in-house, as outside firms take weeks to months for repairs, driving Tesla owners (and us) crazy."

tweet 1

He acknowledged that some collision repair shops are able to turn around a Tesla customer's car after an accident rather quickly.

tweet 2

When Tesla eventually rolls out its own collision repairs service, he said, the goal will be to make each vehicle "better than before accident."

tweet 3

Musk also suggested that Tesla has an advantage over outside collision repair shops when it comes to timely service. "Outside repair shops are jack of all trades, which means supporting 1000's of makes & models. Tesla collision repair specializes in three," he wrote. "Having all parts in stock & not waiting for insurance approval also make a world of difference."

tweet 4

Ron Arth, the owner of Oakland, California, repair shop George V. Arth & Son, told CNBC that he's not sure how Tesla could repair vehicles without waiting for insurance approvals, unless it's willing to do work for free or temporarily carry the cost on its books while it works out approvals. "Collision repair shops have to document everything we do, and justify it in order to get paid for the repairs," he said.European stocks were pointing in different directions by Monday's close, as renewed fears over an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China capped gains in the region. The pan-European Stoxx 600 finished up 0.12 percent, with the majority of the region's sectors moving higher by the close. On the bourses front, however, markets showed a different picture. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 closed down 0.03 percent, the French CAC 40 fell 0.07 percent, while the German DAX slipped 0.23 percent. In the periphery, markets were mostly positive.

Europe's retail stocks were among some of the best performers Monday, closing up 0.95 percent amid earnings news. Sweden's H&M led the gains, surging to the top of the European benchmark after reporting better-than-expected earnings over the third quarter. The world's second-largest retailer said efforts to compete with online sellers and budget brands were now starting to pay off. Its shares climbed, ending the day up 16.63 percent. Looking at individual stocks, Groupe Casino soared over 7.5 percent after some banks granted its debt-laden parent company, Rallye, an additional 500 million euro ($582 million) credit line, Reuters reported. At the other end, recruitment consultancy Hays tumbled over 2 percent, after HSBC cut its stock recommendation to "hold" from "buy." The bank said Hays "must do better" to justify a premium valuation. Meanwhile, Britain's GVC Holdings slipped 3.5 percent, after Barclays cut its target price for the stock.

Trade warGary Cohn, the White House's former top economic advisor, said Monday that Jamie Dimon would make a "phenomenal president" days after the J.P. Morgan Chase chief executive said he could beat President Donald Trump in an election.

"I think Jamie would make a phenomenal president. I think Jamie would be a spectacular president," Cohn said during a live interview with Reuters.

"Look, after having seen the inside of the Oval Office and worked inside there for hours and hours a day, it's in many respects very similar to running a complex, multinational global firm. It really is," he added.

Cohn's comments came less than a week after Dimon said he could beat Trump in a head-to-head election.

"I think I could beat Trump," Dimon said Wednesday during an event held at his bank's Park Avenue headquarters in New York. "Because I'm as tough as he is, I'm smarter than he is. I would be fine. He could punch me all he wants, it wouldn't work with me. I'd fight right back."

Shortly after, the CEO walked back his statement, saying "I should not have said it. I'm not running for president." Dimon added that the off-the-cuff remark "proves I wouldn't make a good politician."

As an outspoken voice on American economic policy, Dimon has advocated for reform on topics ranging from immigration policy to infrastructure spending. Even barring last week's outburst, many have wondered if the J.P. Morgan chief would consider a bid for the Oval Office.

Cohn, whose own experience in the White House was cut short earlier this year, said he believes Dimon's role at the helm of a multinational bank would help him tackle the myriad issues faced by the White House.

"The problems are different, the magnitude of the problems is different, the impact is different," he added. "But Jamie would be a phenomenal president."

Cohn supervised a historic overhaul of the U.S. tax code that resulted in the reduction of the corporate tax rate to 21 percent. But despite agreements over deregulation and tax cuts, Cohn and Trump frequently sparred over the president's plans to impose trade sanctions on economic allies.

Trump, who's championed a policy of "America First" since his 2016 campaign, has employed tariffs against a slew of nations including China, Canada, Mexico and the European Union in an attempt to garner better trade agreements.

The former Goldman Sachs executive announced his resignation as Director of the National Economic Council in March, days after Trump decided to pursue tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Cohn was also depicted in veteran Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward's recent book about the Trump administration, entitled "Fear." Woodward wrote that multiple White House staff members, including Cohn, stole documents off Trump's desk to keep him from signing them.

For his part, Cohn told Axios in a statement that "This book does not accurately portray my experience at the White House."

 CNBC's Hugh Son contributed reporting.Ben Gomes, Google vice president of search engineering, at the Googleplex campus in Mountain View, California.

High level: How Google search works

People sometimes anthropomorphize Google search, believing that it "understands" their query, like when they type "movie volleyball island" and Google delivers results about Tom Hanks' "Cast Away." But the search engine has no idea what those words mean: It's merely looking for pages where those words, their synonyms, or even common misspellings appear, and surfacing the most relevant ones. Google programs, known as web crawlers, scour the internet to gather information from hundreds of billions of webpages. Google then stores that data in a massive, constantly changing index, taking note of signals like freshness and where the page was created. When you enter something into the search bar, it's fed through a set of rules and processes casually known as Google's search "algorithm." This process compares your query against information in the index and decides which pages to place at the top, all in a fraction of a second. One of ranking factors that set Google apart when it launched 20 years ago is PageRank, named for co-founder Larry Page. PageRank judges a page's relevance by how many others link to it  the idea is if a lot of people on the web find a page useful enough to link to it, it's probably more relevant than a page that everybody ignores. PageRank is still a factor that Google's algorithm uses today, but there are many others as well. The company intentionally doesn't reveal all the factors steering its ranking system, in part because it doesn't want people to try to use that information to game the system  there's a lot of traffic and money at stake in appearing at the top of search results. This secrecy also helps Google stay ahead of potential competitors.

How Google decides to tweak its search algorithm

When Google is considering a search algorithm change, a team tests the proposed adjustment with a small percentage of real users to see how they interact with it in the wild, as well as with a group of contractors called "search quality raters." Google contracts about 10,000 of these raters around the world, and while they cannot directly affect search results, their opinions help Google's search team evaluate whether a given tweak should go through or not. Raters typically see old and new results side by side, and determine which are better. "Better" is not a purely subjective term. It's defined by a published document of search quality rater guidelines, which describe how raters should judge a page that shows up in their results. Particular attention is paid to a page's expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. "You can view the rater guidelines as where we want the search algorithm to go," Ben Gomes, Google's vice president of search, assistant and news, told CNBC. "They don't tell you how the algorithm is ranking results, but they fundamentally show what the algorithm should do." Google in July made some significant changes to the guidelines that, among other things, required raters to consider the reputation of a page's author. As a result, pages with no clear author may now be ranked as lower quality. In 2017, Google ran 31,584 side-by-side experiments with its raters and subsequently launched 2,453 search changes. While changes can have enormous effects on how any given website is ranked  and thus the amount of people who see it  regular Google search users often don't notice the changes at all. In the meeting that CNBC observed, the team had tested a new format for mobile searches that would display a photo from a webpage alongside its link. The hypothesis was that images like the one below would help users better determine which link would get them to the page most relevant to what they were looking for.

Google wouldn't reveal how many queries it showed raters or real users but said it was enough to achieve "statistical significance." For side-by-side experiments for raters, that typically means hundreds of queries. In this case, Google's rater evaluation asked people if they thought that the images added next to the links helped them understand the results. The team presented their data to Gomes and Google fellow Pandu Nayak, who leads ranking. The whole process, from the introduction of the idea to the conclusion of the meeting, took roughly 20 minutes. The team ran through various data points, like what percent of users clicked through a picture-link and then quickly clicked back (a bad sign), or whether there was a significant increase in the time until they made their first interaction with the results (also bad). They showed some examples of queries where the pictures weren't helpful. The results for "Pomona College," for example, provided generic pictures of students. However, the data ultimately showed that 91 percent of the time, raters found that image results were useful. In the live experiment, real users clicked through the pictures, too. Weighing that positive feedback against a slight increase in latency (how long it took the results page to load), Gomes and Nayak approved the tweak. "For any change, the question is always, on balance, is it more useful than not?" Gomes said. In this case, it was. The meeting wasn't exciting. There were no passionate debates or philosophical explorations of whether Google should be showing users more images. The data drove the decision. That's by design. "We've got a rigorous process of testing things out," Gomes said. "And we're really driven by metrics  that's the core of how we operate."

How Google experiments

Google has the hard data to direct why it approves changes. But its process of choosing experiments in the first place is less straightforward. Google listens to user feedback, including from big, ugly screw-ups, like when people discovered that Google was linking a white supremacist website as the first result for "Did the Holocaust happen?" When there's a glaring problem, Google doesn't just eliminate the bad search result and consider its work done. More often, it tries to figure out how to change both its algorithm and its rater guidelines to avoid similar mistakes. Other times, ideas for algorithm changes come from broad company directives or priorities. For example, some employees have long argued that Google search results should be more personalized, Nayak said. Right now, there is very little search personalization and what exists is focused on a user's location or immediate context from a prior search. (If you Googled something related to baseball followed by "The Giants," the results wouldn't surface the football team, for example.) But after a lot of effort to test personalization, Google has found that it seldom actually improves results. "A query a user comes with usually has so much context that the opportunity for personalization is just very limited," Nayak says. By not personalizing search results, Google has been able to escape a lot of the criticism that Facebook and Twitter have received for creating "filter bubbles," where people see only information they were already predisposed to believe or like. (Google's video product, YouTube, has not been able to avoid this criticism, particularly in how it recommends related videos. The two algorithms are totally separate and not created or maintained by the same team.) Personalization could cause people to lose trust in Google, too. While Google doesn't personalize most of its search rankings, its advertisements are extremely personalized because of the vast swathes of data its collects (Google allows users to manage privacy settings around what data it collects, but its methods have been misleading in the past). In all, Google's search results have come a long way from its original "10 blue links" to other websites. As voice search becomes increasingly important for Google and other big tech companies, it has relied more on its Knowledge Graph, a database of more than a billion entities with 70 billion connections between them, and on "featured snippets," which surface answers extracted from webpages at the top of search results. There are much higher stakes to getting those answers wrong. For all its user testing, Google knows mistakes will still appear, sometimes because of intentional vandalism, sometimes because of a problem with the algorithm, sometimes because results reflect societal biases. "We are under no illusion that search is perfect," Nayak said. "But we have an absolute commitment to addressing the challenges that we have and continuing to improve it. That's what people are here to do."Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) answers reporters' questions during a news conference about Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill August 2, 2018 in Washington, DC. Republicans on the committee claim that Senate Democrats are attempting to slow or stall Kavanaugh's confirmation with demands to see emails and other records relating to Kavanaugh's time as staff secretary to former President George W. Bush.

In the wake of explosive allegations against President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Republicans have hard-hitting questions  for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Feinstein, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has come under fire by her opponents on Capitol Hill, who suggest she withheld potentially damaging information about Kavanaugh until after his confirmation hearings had wrapped in order to cripple has candidacy.

The controversy revolves around Christine Blasey Ford, a California-based university professor who alleged in a letter that Kavanaugh and his then-classmate Mark Judge had physically and sexually assaulted her in the 1980s, when they were teenagers.

Kavanaugh, 53, strongly denied the allegation, calling it "completely false."

Ford, 51, requested confidentiality in the letter, which was sent in late July to Feinstein through the office of Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., The Washington Post reported.

But reports of the letter surfaced about six weeks later, in mid-September. Without revealing Ford's identity, Feinstein acknowledged the letter's existence and referred the information to federal investigators.

That gap in time between Feinstein's discovery and her public acknowledgement quickly became a central objection among key Republicans in the Senate.

"Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this person's identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week," said Senate Judiciary Commitee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. "Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs."

Democrats had already triggered a Senate rule allowing them to delay a Judiciary Committee vote to advance Kavanaugh's nomination by one week. The vote is now scheduled for Thursday, but the entire Democratic minority on the committee  and at least two Republicans in the Senate  has called to further delay the proceeding.

Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the most senior member of the committee, echoed Grassley's criticism of Feinstein.

"I remain deeply disappointed by the way Senate Democrats have so grossly mishandled these accusations thus far," Hatch said in a statement Monday. "It seems in bad faith to hold this information from Republicans and from the FBI for over a month and then to suggest at the final hour that the only path forward is delaying the confirmation to allow the FBI to investigate."

Trump himself took issue with the timing, as well.

Asked by reporters at the White House on Monday about Ford's allegation, Trump said, "This is something that should've been brought up long before this ... that's a long time ago and nobody mentioned it until the other day."

The president added that it's "very unfortunate that they didn't mention it sooner."

Trump was shortly followed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who slammed Feinstein for having known about the "accusation of 36-year-old misconduct" for "at least 6 weeks." Yet, he added, Feinstein chose to keep the information secret "until the eleventh hour."

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas provided perhaps the most severe assessment of Feinstein's actions. "If Democrats reject the committee handling this swiftly and in a bipartisan way through regular order, then it's clear that their only intention is to smear Judge Kavanaugh and derail his nomination," he said.

Both Kavanaugh and Ford have said they are willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. But Grassley said the "standard procedure" he would rather follow is to schedule follow-up phone calls with Kavanaugh and Ford to ask them about the allegation.

In his statement, Grassley said that Feinstein had refused to cooperate with him. "I asked Senator Feinstein's office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused."

Feinstein in a statement, responded: "There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to investigate this new material. Staff calls aren't the appropriate way to handle this."By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijani postal operator Azerpost LLC will soon start issuing cards of Visa International payment system, Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies told Trend on September 15.

The state agency noted that the parties signed a NDA (Non-disclosure agreement) and the price offer was received. Currently, work is underway to select the appropriate bank, the ministry said.

The postal operator of Azerbaijan started providing financial services in 2012 in accordance with the license of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan. Today, more than 1,200 post offices provide all types of banking services except for issuing loans and attracting deposits.

The total number of active payment cards of Azerpost increased by 62.5 percent in January-July 2018 and exceeded 114,900. The number of cards has increased by more than 43,700 over this period.

Changes made in 2016 to the law On electronic commerce contributed to a significant increase in the number of payment cards. As a result, non-bank credit institutions and pawnshops committed themselves to working directly with banks. Since Azerpoct is not engaged in issuing loans, it cannot compete with non-bank credit institutions and pawnshops. Therefore, they took Azerpost as a partner and this contributed to the growth of its cards issue.

Azerpost was established in 1999 and received the status of national postal operator in 2004. The company mostly implements such important functions like offering quality and affordable postal and financial services, delivery of mail and goods and their transit to other countries, and other services with the aim of supporting daily activities of the population.Globally-renowned conference raises millions for the treatment and cure of pediatric cancer and childhood diseases

The Sohn Conference Foundation is proud to announce the speaker lineup for the 4th Annual Sohn Tel Aviv Investment Conference, in partnership with CNBC, to be held on October 3rd 2018 at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Convention Center. At the Conference, speakers reveal their best investment ideas and raise money for charity. The Conference benefits the Israel Rett Syndrome Foundation and Kids Kicking Cancer, charities that fund medical research for improved treatments and cures for childhood diseases, including the Sohn Conference Foundation.

"The remarkable expansion of the Sohn Conference Foundation to emerging global hedge fund centers has allowed the Foundation to fund the most innovative initiatives to benefit pediatric cancer and other children's diseases around the world," said Evan Sohn, Co-Founder of the Sohn Conference Foundation.

"We are grateful for the overwhelming support and success of last year's sold out conference", said Eddie Shapiro, Co-Chairman of Sohn Tel Aviv. Sponsors of the 4th Annual Sohn Tel Aviv Conference include Jefferies and Citi as Lead sponsors, Credit Suisse Asset Management as Platinum sponsor and Azrieli Group, GAM and WisdomTree.

"Hosting the prestigious Sohn Investment Conference again in Israel, at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, reinforces that Tel Aviv has grown to become one of the most important financial capitals in the world," noted Daniel Schwartz, Co-Chairman of Sohn Tel Aviv and Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner, York Capital Management LLC.

The speaker lineup for the 4th Annual Sohn Tel Aviv Investment Conference:

Bart Baum, Principal and CIO of Ionic Capital Management, a $3 billion New York-based investment company

Matthew Beesley is Head of Investments at GAM, a $110 billion European fund manager

Seth Fischer, CIO of Oasis Management Co. Ltd., with a return in the main fund of over 17% per year since 2002

Sander Gerber, CEO and CIO of Hudson Bay Capital Management LP, a $3 billion private investment firm

Paul Glazer, CEO and CIO of Glazer Capital, a New York-based investment firm managing over $1 billion

Maj. Gen (ret.) Yoav Har-Even is the CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., the developer of the Iron Dome Missile Defense system

Shimon Hassin is a Partner and Portfolio Manager of Sphera Fixed Income Strategies, part of the largest hedge fund management company in Israel

Andrew Herenstein, Co-Portfolio Manager and Co-Founder of Monarch Alternative Capital LP, a $5 billion private investment firm

Amos Meron, Co-Founder and CIO of Empyrean Capital Partners, a multi-billion-dollar investment firm

Maj. Gen (ret.) Giora Romm, former Deputy Chief of the Israeli Air Force and Dir. Gen. of ICAA

Aaron Stern, Head of International Investments at Fir Tree Partners, an $8 billion New York-based investment company

Amir Vardi, Managing Director focused on Structured Products and CLOs within the Credit Investments Group at Credit Suisse Asset Management, a $52 billion non-investment grade credit manager based in New York and London

Alex Waislitz, Executive Chairman and CIO of Thorney Investment Group a Melbourne, Australia-based activist hedge fund and technology investment company

Todd Westhus, CEO and CIO of Olympic Peak Management, a hedge fund launching 1.1.2019 with over $200 million of anchor capital from investors which include among others Richard Perry and Paul Leff (Perry Capital) and Marc Lasry (Avenue Capital)

Dr. David Zervos, CIO of Global Macro Division of Jefferies Investment Advisors and Global Chief Strategist of Jefferies, LLC, the largest private investment bank in the world

ABOUT THE SOHN CONFERENCE FOUNDATION

The Foundation is dedicated to the treatment and cure of pediatric cancer. The Foundation supports cutting-edge medical research, state-of-the-art research equipment, and innovative programs to ensure that children with cancer survive and thrive. The Foundation raises its funds through premier investment conferences, including the renowned annual New York Sohn Investment Conference.

The Conference honors the memory of Ira Sohn, a Wall Street Professional who lost his battle with cancer at age 29. His friends and family founded the New York Sohn Investment Conference in 1995. Since then, investment leaders from across the globe have been inspired to launch partner Sohn Conferences to bring the financial community together for charitable causes. Sohn Conferences include, Sohn Australia, Sohn Brazil, Sohn Canada, Sohn Geneva, Sohn Hong Kong, Sohn India, Sohn London, Sohn Monaco, Sohn San Francisco, and Sohn Tel Aviv. To date, the Foundation has raised more than $85 million. More information on the Sohn Investment Conference is available at www.sohnconference.org

ABOUT CNBC

With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and CNBC World, CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to 410 million homes worldwide, including more than 90 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries.

CNBC Digital delivers more than 52 million multi-platform unique visitors each month. CNBC.com provides real-time financial market news and information to CNBC's investor audience. CNBC Make It is a digital destination focused on making you smarter about how you earn, save and spend your money by zeroing in on careers, leadership, entrepreneurship and personal finance.

CNBC has a vast portfolio of digital products, offering CNBC content to a variety of platforms such as: CNBC.com; CNBC PRO, a premium service that provides in-depth access to Wall Street; a suite of CNBC mobile apps for iOS and Android devices; Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri voice interfaces; and streaming services including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Samsung Smart TVs. To learn more, visit https://www.cnbc.com/digital-products/.

Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBCUniversal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/programming/cnbc. For more information about NBCUniversal, please visit http://www.NBCUniversal.com.

KEEP UPDATED

For more information on the Ira Sohn Conference Foundation, including the confirmed speaker lineup, please visit www.sohnconference.org/tel-aviv

For meeting updates, news and highlights, follow Sohn on Twitter at @SohnConf #SohnTelAviv2017Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC.

President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh said Monday that he is willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee once again in order to "refute" an allegation of sexual misconduct against him.

"This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or anyone," Kavanaugh, 53, said in a statement.

A White House official later on Monday told NBC News denies he even attended the party in question.

On Sunday, California professor Christine Blasey Ford, 51, came forward publicly to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual assault during a drunken encounter when they were both teenagers.

Kavanaugh's potential return to Capitol Hill for another grilling from lawmakers sets up a high-stakes game of he said-she said, as Ford has also signaled a willingness to state her allegations in congressional testimony.

After Ford spoke with The Washington Post in a report published Sunday, lawyer Debra Katz told news outlets that Ford is open to speaking before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is scheduled to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination this week.

Ford "will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the Senate Judiciary Committee has the full story and the full set of allegations to allow them to make a fully informed decision," Katz said.

Ford had originally requested anonymity in a letter she sent to California Rep. Anna Eshoo detailing the allegation. Eshoo passed Ford's letter to Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. Feinstein referred the letter to federal investigators.

Mark Judge, a classmate of Kavanaugh's who Ford says was a participant in the alleged assault, told The New Yorker that he has "no recollection" of the incident.

In a statement Monday, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, criticized Feinstein and other Democrats on the committee for withholding the allegations until "the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed."

Grassley said his "standard procedure" would be to conduct follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, but Feinstein's office "refused" to help him schedule those calls.

Feinstein responded: "There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to investigate this new material. Staff calls aren't the appropriate way to handle this."

As the initially cryptic reports about Ford's letter grew in detail, some Republican lawmakers began to call for more time to investigate the allegations.

"If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes," said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., an occasionally vocal critic of Trump's who is retiring at the end of his term. Flake is a member of the the Judiciary Committee, which has not yet rescheduled a vote on Thursday to advance Kavanaugh's nomination.

Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, another Republican Trump critic who is also retiring, said that delaying the committee vote "would be best for all involved, including the nominee."

--CNBC's Brian Schwartz contributed to this report.The political network funded by billionaire industrialist Charles Koch is standing by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh following allegations of sexual assault.

A representative for the influential organization told CNBC in a statement that they are going to monitor the decisions being made by the Senate Judiciary Committee, who have yet to hold a vote to confirm Kavanaugh. Here is the full statement:

Any allegation of this type should be taken seriously, however, we are not going to speculate on media reports. Our support of Brett Kavanaugh's nomination is based on his impeccable qualifications, decades of experience, and his extensive record of defending the Constitution and the rule of law. He also received the American Bar Association's (ABA) highest rating, which included an analysis of his character and integrity. We will continue to follow the Judiciary Committee's lead as it evaluates the allegations.

Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-backed group, committed seven figures to supporting Kavanaugh just after he was nominated by President Donald Trump in July.

According to their July press release, AFP decided to move ahead with advertising and grassroots engagement in the congressional midterm battleground states of West Virginia, North Dakota, Indiana, Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin, among others.

Prior to Kavanaugh's nomination, the group were also asked to join a coalition of political advocacy groups that were expected to promote whoever the president chose as long as they matched with the network's principles. AFP previously put forward a six-figure investment in backing Neil Gorsuch, another Trump nominee to the Supreme Court.

Gorsuch was confirmed by the Senate in April 2017.

On Sunday, Christine Blasey Ford went public with a story to The Washington Post, alleging Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while he was in high school at Georgetown Preparatory School. She said she was about 15 years old at the time; Kavanaugh would have been about 17.

While at a party, Ford says, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped over her clothes and tried to pull off her bathing suit. She goes on to say when she tried to scream, Kavanaugh covered her mouth.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford told the Post. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the allegation and on Monday said he would be willing to testify in front of the Judiciary Committee to contest the charges.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity," Kavanaugh said through a White House spokesman.

Ford's attorney, Debra Katz, has not returned multiple interview requests by CNBC.

The accusation against Kavanaugh has sent Capitol Hill into disarray, with a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers calling for a vote to be delayed until an investigation is complete.

One of the senators voicing concern has been Arizona Republican and Senate Judiciary Committee member Jeff Flake. He said recently that he wasn't comfortable voting yes until they heard more from Ford.

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins called on both Ford and Kavanaugh to testify under oath in a tweet on Monday.

https://twitter.com/SenatorCollins/status/1041719261142679553

All 10 Democrats on the committee signed a letter directed at their Republican committee chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley, calling for any vote for Kavanaugh to be delayed until the Federal Bureau of Investigation follows up with their previous referral.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Democratic leader on the committee, confirmed last week that she had forwarded a letter signed by Ford and alleging abuse by Kavanaugh to the FBI.

Still, Trump's allies are continuing to back Kavanaugh and questioning the timing of Ford moving ahead with her story.

In an interview with CNBC on Monday, Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani questioned why Feinstein waited until now to send Ford's letter to the FBI after reportedly having possession of it since July.

"I got to believe Feinstein didn't make much of it at first and that this is a bit of a Hail Mary pass," Giuliani said.

He acknowledged, however, that because of the seriousness of the claims, it may be best for Kavanaugh and Ford to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"Maybe in fairness to everybody, you have to put everybody under oath," Giuliani said. "It doesn't have to be a hearing. It could just be a deposition."Bob Richling carries Iris Darden as water from the Little River starts to seep into her home on September 17, 2018 in Spring Lake, North Carolina. Joe Raedle | Getty Images

Property damage and disruption from Hurricane Florence is expected to total at least $17 billion to $22 billion, but the estimate could end up being conservative, as the Carolinas continue to face historic rainfalls and flooding, according to Moody's Analytics. "We were close to $10 [billion] to $15 billion on Friday. The flooding is more extensive than we had anticipated, and the storm was slow moving. It hung over the Carolinas a lot more than was expected," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. He said the number could be adjusted based on further flooding, as some rivers are not expected to crest until later in the week. Moody's said Florence is among the 10 costliest hurricanes. Economists expect Florence, which came ashore Friday as a Category 1, to have a slight impact on the U.S. economy despite the severe devastation to homes, businesses and vehicles in its path. Florence was quickly downgraded to a tropical storm and is now a tropical depression, but its rainfall of 24 inches was a record for a hurricane, surpassing 1999's Hurricane Floyd.

"These estimates are based on the information available, and there is a high probability that Florence's costs will be revised significantly higher with added information or inland flooding," according to Moody's Analytics. The anticipated loss to economic output is $1 billion to $2 billion, amounting to about a 0.2 percentage point hit to GDP, according to Zandi. Costs of hurricanes vary based on the severity and region affected, and costs have been rising because of increased construction in coastal areas and with rising sea levels. Zandi said the business damage would have been worse if the hurricane had moved closer to either the port of Charleston, South Carolina, or Norfolk, Virginia. Zandi said the economy has several weeks to make up for the lost output this quarter. "It's a strong quarter. The growth rate is 3.5 to 4 percent. A tenth or two for an economy growing at 1 percent is a very different thing than for an economy growing at 3.5 to 4 percent," he said. There also was catastrophic damage on the West Coast from fires that detracted from second- and third-quarter growth. The National Weather Service warned that flash floods, landslide warnings and "prolonged" and "significant" river flooding will continue for the next few days, the National Weather Service said. North Carolina has had 40 inches of rain since Thursday. The inland flooding could result in the National Flood Insurance Program taking a hit as opposed to private insurers. "Based on our methodology, it's too early in the process to get a full read on [third-quarter growth]," said Macroeconomic Advisers economist Ben Herzon. He said he is awaiting updates from FEMA, which describes areas of the Carolinas as under emergency but has not yet reported them as actual disasters.

Herzon said the share of GDP in the Florence-affected areas is about half that of Harvey and one-sixth that of Irma. Harvey came ashore in Texas last August, causing devastating flooding in Houston, and Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys before traveling up the west coast of Florida last September. Herzon also said he expects little to no impact on September payrolls but that average hourly wages, which rose near 3 percent on an annual basis last month, could get a temporary lift from the storm. While wages for salaried workers would likely remain the same, the hours worked in the hurricane region fell as employees were unable to get to work or evacuated. That should result in an increase in average hourly wages for September. But there should not be much impact on the number of jobs, because of the timing of the hurricane. Employees are counted as working if they worked any time in the pay period that included the 12th of the month, which was last Wednesday. "I do not believe there will be a payroll employment impact. It's because the BLS [Bureau of Labor Statistics] defines someone as employed if they were at work or received pay for any portion of the pay period. It's the week that includes the 12th. That's about 20 percent of all pay periods. If they're on a standard Sunday through Saturday, and they were at work on Monday and evacuated Tuesday, they would be counted," he said. About 20 percent of workers are on a weekly pay period, and many others are biweekly or even monthly.

WATCH: Too early to assess flood damage, says NFIP exec.Former U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn departs after a plea hearing at U.S. District Court, in Washington, U.S., December 1, 2017.

Special counsel Robert Mueller and defense lawyers for former national security advisor Michael Flynn on Monday asked that the retired Army lieutenant general be sentenced for his crime of lying to the FBI on Nov. 28 or the following week.

The request suggests that Flynn has completed, or soon is expected to complete, his cooperation with Mueller in the prosecutor's ongoing probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as into possible collusion by President Donald Trump's campaign in that effort, and other matters.

Mueller himself was appointed special counsel after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, two months after Comey said the president had said, "I hope you can let this go," referring to an ongoing criminal probe of Flynn.

The former national security adviser pleaded guilty last December to lying to the FBI about the nature of his conversations with Russia's then-ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, which occurred after the election, but before Trump was sworn in as president.

Flynn had talked to Kislyak about sanctions the Obama administration was imposing on Russia for meddling in the election, but later claimed falsely that the talks were not substantive.Meanwhile, Congress has pushed back on the scheduled transfer of two F-35 jets to Turkey.

The S-400 system is believed to have a larger range than the American-made THAAD missile system and is estimated to cost significantly less. Turkey is slated to receive the S-400 next year and is expected to have the system ready for use by 2020.

The Russian-made S-400 missile system, which is equipped with eight launchers and 32 missiles, is capable of targeting stealth warplanes like the F-35 fighter. Turkey's march toward procuring the Russian missile system has raised concerns among NATO partners and Washington, who are wary of Moscow's increasing military presence in the region.

In short, these two big ticket weapons systems that Turkey hopes to add to its budding arsenal can be used against each other.

Last year, Ankara signed an agreement with Moscow for S-400 missiles, a deal reportedly worth $2.5 billion. All the while, Turkey has helped finance America's most expensive weapons system, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

WASHINGTON  NATO, the world's most powerful military alliance, is stuck in the middle of tricky weapons sale between Russia and Turkey and the United States.

An F-35 fighter jet is seen as Turkey takes delivery of its first F-35 fighter jet with a ceremony in Forth Worth, Texas, USA on June 21, 2018. Two such planes destined for Turkey are yet to leave American soil.

"I hope that it's possible to find a solution," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday at the Heritage Foundation when asked about the weapons deals. "I welcome the dialogue but at the same time it is important to recognize the importance Turkey is playing to the whole alliance," he added noting that an ultimatum from Washington would be unhelpful.

"Turkey is a very important ally for NATO for many reasons, but not least because of its geographic location," Stoltenberg began. "If you look at the map you see how big Turkey is, but also how Turkey is bordering Iraq, Syria, and you will understand why Turkey has been so important in the fight against ISIS Daesh. Infrastructure bases, air bases have been extremely important in the success we have had in degrading and fighting ISIS," he added.

Read more: Turkey begins constructing site for Russian missile system  despite US warnings

Turkey, an F-35 program partner, is currently slated to receive two of the jets. That delivery of Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation jets is the start of what Ankara hopes will eventually amount to an arsenal of 100 of the stealth aircraft.

In June, the U.S. defense giant held a formal hand-off ceremony at its F-35 facility in Fort Worth, Texas. After the ceremony, Lockheed ferried the aircraft to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona where Turkish pilots began training alongside U.S. airmen.

In the colossal $717 billion National Defense Authorization Act, Congress tasked the Pentagon to deliver a report in 90 days outlining the potential risks associated with Turkey's purchase of the S-400 missile system.

"We are going through this current issue between us, and we are engaged in, I would call it, frequent, right now, very frequent, discussions at very high levels to try to sort this out," Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters traveling with him earlier this month.

"I believe that there is sincerity on both sides to try to work this out. So we're engaged in it right now, and I  you know, I need to work with them directly on this, as does Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo and others on our side," he added.

What's more, tensions between the U.S. and Ankara have intensified over the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

Read more: White House: US sanctions top Turkish officials over detention of American pastor

In October 2016, Turkey detained Brunson on accusations of spying and attempting to overthrow the government. Brunson has denied all charges.An employee carries an empty styrofoam box used for transporting human organs into an operation room. Sean Gallup | Getty Images

David Blackshear was born with only one kidney. But the 70-year-old Arizona man didn't seriously worry about it until this summer, when it began to fail. His doctors told him he had a choice. He could start dialysis, and wait up to five years for an organ transplant. Or he could take a shortcut: He could accept a donor kidney infected with hepatitis C. More from USA Today:

Three hard lessons about addiction we learned after Mac Miller's death

Low-dose aspirin has no effect, causes harm in some older people, study says

Drake's little fan gets her heart transplant just days after his surprise visit "I was not too thrilled about the dialysis," said Blackshear, of Surprise, Arizona. He feared his quality of life would be limited by frequent trips to a center to be hooked up to a blood-cleansing machine for hours at a time. He agreed to take the infected kidney: "I had no other alternative." It cut the wait from five years to two weeks. Blackshear received his transplant at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix in July. This month, he'll begin taking antiviral drugs to rid his body of signs of the virus. Hospitals have long discarded organs donated by patients who were infected with hepatitis C. But with a new class of direct-acting antiviral drugs that can cure the infection  and an opioid crisis that's produced thousands of potential donors with the virus  doctors at several of the nation's most prestigious hospitals are transplanting infected organs into people who don't already have the virus. People who get the infected organs must take an expensive drug over 8 to 12 weeks to remove signs of the virus from their blood. But a trio of recent, small studies suggest that the operation is usually successful. Recipients must give consent to take an organ infected with a potentially deadly virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that hepatitis C caused or contributed to more than 18,000 deaths in 2016.

Substantially lessens wait time

Doctors say expanding the pool of usable organs can save lives. For example, more than 95,000 Americans are candidates for a kidney, the most common type of organ transplant, according to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. But nearly 4,800 people died in 2014 waiting for a transplant. Thousands of others are considered too sick to get a transplant. "Many will not live long long enough by the time their name gets to the top of the list," said Niraj Desai, a transplant surgeon at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. "This substantially lessens the wait time." With more young adults dying from heroin and fentanyl overdoses, doctors became frustrated when otherwise-healthy organs were tossed out because they were infected with hepatitis C. Nearly 2,700 kidneys infected with the virus were thrown out between 2005 and 2014, University of Pennsylvania nephrologist Peter Reese reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. "There are a lot of people dying of opioid overdoses who want to donate their organs," Reese told USA TODAY."We are burying thousands of organs that can be used for transplant." Doctors long avoided giving organs with hepatitis C to patients who weren't already infected. That's changed in recent years. Infected organs were transplanted into nearly 500 non-infected patients in 2017, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, a more than tenfold increase over 2015. Why now? A handful of doctors and hospitals have grown comfortable doing these transplants because antiviral drugs can clear signs of the virus. Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville have conducted small, preliminary studies of patients transplanted with infected kidneys, hearts and lungs. There's no data on patients over the long term, but doctors say larger, more robust studies are in the works. Alexandra Glazier is CEO of New England Donor Services, which coordinates organ donation in six states. "We're seeing a collision of two public health crises come together," she said. "The fact that there can be some life-saving legacy out of a pretty horrific public health crisis is a reality."

'I don't take much for granted now that I have a second chance of living'

Holly Licht's worsening heart condition put her at Vanderbilt University Medical Center's intensive care unit in early 2017. The Crossville, Tennessee woman, an office coordinator for a physical therapy practice, needed a new heart soon. Doctors explained she could get a transplant more quickly if she agreed to accept an infected organ. "I've been in the medical field for over 20 years," Licht said. "I didn't know if I wanted a high-risk, hepatitis C donor." But Vanderbilt doctors explained that antiviral drugs cleared the virus in nearly all patients. And Licht also knew that time wasn't on her side. She had waited two years for a donor heart when she had her first transplant in the 1990s. She accepted an infected heart in March 2017, and completed three months of treatment with the hepatitis C-attacking drug Harvoni. She's been tested every three months since then with no signs of the virus in her blood. "I don't take much for granted now that I have a second chance of living," Licht said. Vanderbilt has transplanted about 50 hepatitis C-infected hearts into people without the virus. Researchers have published the results of 13 patients, 12 or whom never had hepatitis C. Nine developed traces of the virus following transplant, and eight of those patients were cleared of the virus after receiving medication. The other patient died of a pulmonary embolism.

Drugs remain costlyAn employee tends to marijuana plants at the Aurora Cannabis Inc. facility in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

Marijuana stocks soared Monday after a report yet another beverage giant is looking to get into the industry  and this time it was the biggest beverage company of them all.

Aurora Cannabis, a Vancouver, Canada-based cannabis producer, rallied more than 17 percent in Canadian trading Monday after Canadian news service BNN Bloomberg reported Coca-Cola is in talks with Aurora to develop weed-infused beverages. Any partnership between the two would likely develop health-focused beverages aimed at easing inflammation, pain and cramping, the report said.

Other companies with exposure to the cannabis market, including Tilray and Scotts Miracle-Gro, also gained on the week's first day of trading. Tilray climbed 10.2 percent and Scotts added 2.99 percent in U.S. trading. Canopy shares added 2.99 percent in Canadian trading.

Aurora offered the following statement to CNBC:

"Aurora has expressed specific interest in the infused beverage space, and we intend to enter that market. There is so much happening in this area right now and we think it has incredible potential. As a rule, we do not discuss business development initiatives until they are finalized, however we have a responsibility to our shareholders to give proper consideration to all relevant opportunities that are presented."

Coca-Cola offered this statement:

"Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world. The space is evolving quickly. No decisions have been made at this time."

Though the move in marijuana stocks is mostly headline-driven thus far, Coca-Cola wouldn't be the first beverage titan to test the waters with an investment in a cannabis producer.

Corona beer maker Constellation, for example, upped its bet on the industry last month, announcing an additional $4 billion stake in Canopy Growth. Molson Coors, too, announced in August that its Canadian unit is entering into a deal that will develop cannabis-infused beverages in Canada.

The Denver brewer said Molson Coors Canada is partnering with Canadian cannabis producer The Hydropothecary Corporation (HEXO) to create a joint partnership "to pursue opportunities to develop non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused beverages for the Canadian market following legalization."

Marijuana use in Canada will be legal in mid-October after legislation cleared regulatory hurdles in June.

The headlines have caused these stocks to soar. Canopy shares have doubled this year in Canada. Tilray, which made its debut in July, has more than tripled in the last one month alone.Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York charged Collins last month. They alleged that the congressman, while he was a board member of Australian company Innate Immunotherapeutics, gave a tip to his son Cameron last year about a failed drug trial that would soon be announced . His son used that information to dump the stock and avoid a six-figure loss, the Justice Department alleges, and Cameron Collins passed that information along to his father-in-law.

"Because of the protracted and uncertain nature of any legal effort to replace Congressman Collins we do not see a path allowing Congressman Collins to be replaced on the ballot," Mark Braden, legal counsel for Collins, said in a statement Monday.

A legal representative for Rep. Chris Collins , R-N.Y., says his client will remain on the ballot in the race for New York's 27th Congressional District despite his indictment for insider trading.

Since then, the New York Republican State Committee has scrambled to find a way to get Collins off the ballot and prepare an alternative candidate to take on newcomer Nate McMurray. In August, Collins suspended his re-election campaign. It was unclear Monday afternoon whether he planned to actively run for office again.

In a an interview with McMurray on Monday, the Democratic congressional candidate called the decision by Republican Party leaders to support Collins remaining on the ballot.

"I think it's an embarrassment. It's hilarious. I can't believe Republican Party leaders are going to stand up and say 'we want this guy to win.' We have seen in previous elections where he's won in landslide victories. But now he's been smoked out," McMurray said. "We know exactly who he is. He's the guy who called up his son in order for him to sell his stock. The average person didn't have that benefit. It's all about him and thinking about his own long term interests." he added.

Democrats appear to have a better chance of flipping Collins' seat with him on the ballot. The legal damage would likely make nonpartisan election handicapper Sabato's Crystal Ball move its rating for the race to "leans" Republican from "likely" GOP, the site's managing editor, Kyle Kondik, said Monday.

Collins' seat is one of two that Republicans will now have a tougher time defending in November due to legal troubles for an incumbent. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., faces charges of misusing campaign funds. Sabato's Crystal Ball also lists that race as "leans" Republican.

Both Collins and Hunter have pleaded not guilty to the charges facing them.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a group dedicated to electing House Democrats, has tried to cast House Republicans as corrupt this year. It seized on the news that Collins would stay on the ballot, and tied his legal troubles to Hunter's.

"The voters of New York 27th Congressional District now have the clearest of choices between scandal-plagued Chris Collins and Nate McMurray, who will be a real fighter for the families of Western New York, and the stakes just got a whole lot higher on November 6th," Meredith Kelly, the DCCC's communications director, said in a statement.

House Republicans cannot afford to lose many elections in this year's midterms as they try to stop Democrats from flipping the 23 GOP-held seats needed to win a House majority.

Both Collins and Hunter won their districts by more than 25 points in 2016 and were considered near locks to hold on to them this year.Shiseido, one of the largest cosmetics companies in the world, isn't relying on its reputation alone for business success.

Instead, the 146-year-old Japanese firm is looking to combine the knowledge of start-ups with the its own extensive experience, the company's chief told CNBC on Friday at the annual Singapore Summit.

"Everybody is looking at, you know, new fronts of businesses. Yes, so we are in competition," said Shiseido CEO Masahiko Uotani.

The company has over the past few years acquired start-ups, including Olivo Laboratories, which developed "second skin technology" that creates nearly invisible artificial skin. Another acquisition was Giaran, a start-up with artificial intelligence technology to enable consumers on their phones or computers to virtually remove and apply makeup, The Japan Times reported.

Uotani was quick to note that simply acquiring start-ups with cutting edge technology was not enough for businesses to do well, but it was important to combine expertise that each party could bring to the table.By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijani Theater "YU?" will take part in the 5th International festival of meetings of city theaters (?ehir Tiyatrolar? Bulusmas?), which will be held in late October - early November in Adana,Turkey.

At the festival, the troupe of the Azerbaijani theater will perform the theater play called "A Marriage Proposal" based on the work of Russian short-story writer Anton Chekhov, Trend Life reported.

Director of photography is Gunay Sattar, art director - Honored Artist Rashid Sherif, and composer - Honored Artist Vugar Jamalzade.

The cast includes Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Vidadi Hasanov (Stepan Stepanovich Chubukov), actors Zumrud Hasanova (Natalia Stepanovna) and Elgun Hamidov (Ivan Vasilievich Lomov).

"A Marriage Proposal" is a one-act play by Anton Chekhov, written in 18881889 and first performed in 1890. It is a fast-paced play of dialogue-based action and situational humor.

The play is set in the rural countryside of Russia during the late 1800s.

It was successful in its first runs in St. Petersburg and Moscow, and quickly became popular across Russia.

The theater YU? was established in 1989 under the auspices of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater by Vagif Ibrahimoglu and Hasanaga Turabov. In 1992, the theater got the status of "a state theater".

The name of the theater carries a meaning: YU? means "an old rite". Everything, however, is more complicated as it seems, because this burial ritual during which were played the scenes from the life of the deceased, symbolizes a return to the memory. The actors try reminding the spectators of what they knew, maybe even in their past lives, but just forgot.

The main principle of this avant-garde theater is the relevance of chosen topics, non-standard interpretation of familiar stories and experimenting with new forms.

During its history, the Azerbaijan State Theater YU? has staged more than 90 plays. Today, it occupies a special place in the theater art of the country. The theaters troupe participated in many international festivals.

Plays by William Shakespeare, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Giovanni Boccaccio, Nikolai Gogol, K?b? Abe, as well as Azerbaijani classical and contemporary authors are regularly staged in the theater.







Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) questions Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill September 6, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Six Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to force the National Archives and Records Administration and the Central Intelligence Agency to turn over documents related to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

The suit, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, is in relation to three Freedom of Information Act requests submitted by members of the committee in early August. The senators are demanding that the CIA and the National Archives produce documents related to Kavanaugh's time in the George W. Bush White House within 20 days of a court order.

The FOIA requests were sent Aug. 8 to the CIA, NARA, and the George W. Bush Library Presidential Library and Museum, which is a NARA component.

The senators requested records related to Kavanaugh's time as senior associate counsel, assistant to the president and staff secretary in the Bush administration, as well as documents related to his nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The CIA FOIA request sought a wide variety of records, including any document mentioning Kavanaugh "by name, initials, or title."

The suit says the government agencies "failed to promptly review agency records," and notes that some of the documents that are sought "relate to a subject of heightened media interest implicating questions concerning the government's integrity."

NARA and the CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

In addition to Harris and Booker, Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii are plaintiffs in the suit. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top-ranking Democrat on the committee, was not named in the suit. Her office did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have pressed the committee's Republicans for months to delay a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination in order to provide more time to review documents related to his previous work. Republicans have continued over Democrats' objections, and voted along party lines last week to schedule a committee vote on Kavanaugh's nomination for Thursday.

The momentum for Kavanaugh shifted rapidly this weekend, however. The 53-year-old appeals court judge seemed to have an easy road to confirmation until Sunday, when a woman came forward accusing him of sexually assaulting her decades ago while the two were both high school students. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the accusation.

In a statement Monday, Kavanaugh said the allegation was "completely false."

"I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or anyone," Kavanaugh said.

Later Monday, a White House official told NBC News that Kavanaugh has said that he was not at the party where the alleged incident occurred. Kavanaugh gave the same account to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a Hatch aide told NBC News.

Nonetheless, the revelation prompted all 10 Democrats on the committee to demand a delay to Thursday's vote and an FBI investigation into the allegation. Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who sits on the committee, has also pressed for a delay until the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, is heard out.

"We need to hear from her. And I don't think I'm alone in this," Flake told Politico on Sunday.

Kavanaugh and Ford have both expressed a willingness to testify before the committee, though the committee's Republican chairman, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, has so far said only that he hopes to schedule phone calls with the two.SoftBank will increase its focus on the Middle East by helping the companies it has invested in via its $100 billion Vision Fund set up in the region.

During a CNBC-hosted panel at the Fintech Abu Dhabi conference Monday, a top executive from SoftBank Investment Advisers revealed details of the Vision Fund's spotlight on the Middle East, a topic that the Japanese firm has previously not spoken much about.

"We are working... to bring our portfolio of companies, where relevant, to the region so that they can actually set up local and regional businesses here and there are a number of our companies that have globally scalable models," Faisal Rahman, Middle Eastern regional office head at SoftBank Investment Advisers, said.Beijing could be the wildcard in trade negotiations with Washington, according to Europe's second-largest fund manager.

"The bigger risk of a trade war lies in the Chinese side rather than the U.S. side," said Martin Gilbert, co-chief executive of global investment firm Standard Life Aberdeen.

President Donald Trump is used to making compromises in deal-making, Gilbert told CNBC's Nancy Hungerford on the sidelines of the Singapore Summit over the weekend. But "whether China will do that, I think is the bigger risk," he continued.

Trump has made clear that he has no intention of backing down on retaliatory tariffs that threaten to disrupt global supply chains, even as Washington and Beijing prepare to meet later this month to resolve their differences.

The White House is reportedly planning a fresh round of duties on up to $200 billion of Chinese goods. If that takes place, Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration may not want to participate in bilateral talks, The Wall Street Journal announced on Sunday.Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) speaks to reporters as she arrives for a nomination vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, December 13, 2017.

"Obviously if Judge Kavanaugh has lied about what happened that would be disqualifying," Collins said during a brief gaggle with the press outside her office.

Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine, told reporters on Monday that if Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh lied in denying that he sexually assaulted a woman at a high school party in the early 1980s that it would "obviously" disqualify him from a seat on the nation's highest court.

Kavanaugh has vigorously denied that the alleged incident ever took place, and a White House official told NBC News Monday that Kavanaugh has said that he was not at the party. Kavanaugh gave the same account to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a Hatch aide told NBC News.

Collins also continued to demand a hearing on the issue with Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, a position which seemingly puts her at odds with GOP leadership. Collins' first demanded a hearing, with both parties under oath, in a tweet earlier Monday.

Collins tweet

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who is also viewed as a potential swing vote in Kavanaugh's candidacy, voiced her support for a hearing, as well.

"Allegations surrounding sexual assault must be taken seriously and the Judiciary Committee must look into this further," Murkowski told CNBC in a statement Monday evening.

"Despite the length of time since the alleged incident, Dr. Ford's allegations should be heard and she must have an opportunity to present her story before the committee under oath, with Judge Kavanaugh having the opportunity to respond under oath as well," Murkowski added.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has proposed holding phone calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, a plan which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., endorsed Monday from the Senate floor.

Collins said Monday that she assumed staff interviews "would be the prelude to some sort of hearing."

She said that during a phone call with Kavanaugh Friday, after the contours of the accusation against him were public but before Ford came forward by name, the nominee told her "that he had never acted that way not only with this unnamed accuser but with any woman."Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been sued for libel and slander by the rescue diver he called a "pedo guy" and "child rapist," according to the lawsuit filed in a U.S. District Court in California.

British cave explorer Vernon Unsworth filed a lawsuit against Musk on Monday in a U.S. District Court in California for defamation. Unsworth is seeking at least $75,000 in compensatory damages, as well as an injunction against Musk requiring him to "refrain from making further publication of the False and Defamatory Accusations," according to court documents.

"Elon Musk falsely accused Vern Unsworth of being guilty of heinous crimes," L. Lin Wood, an attorney representing Vernon Unsworth, said in a statement. "Musk's influence and wealth cannot convert his lies into truth or protect him from accountability for his wrongdoing in a court of law."A handful of senators from both major parties will play a critical role in determining whether Brett Kavanaugh joins the Supreme Court following a sexual assault accusation against the federal appellate judge.

Kavanaugh's confirmation to the highest U.S. court  which seemed like a done deal in the GOP-controlled Senate only days ago  now appears more in doubt following the allegation. Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor in California, says Kavanaugh tried to "attack [her] and remove [her] clothing" during a party when both of them were high school students in Maryland decades ago. Kavanaugh, in a new statement Monday, called the allegation "completely false."

Republicans enter this week intent on moving forward with a vote Thursday to advance Kavanaugh's confirmation through the Senate Judiciary Committee and on to the full chamber despite the serious allegation. Democrats and even some Republicans now want to delay the vote until Ford can publicly tell her story. She is willing to testify before Congress, her lawyer said Monday.

All eyes now turn to a few key lawmakers who will help to determine whether the appointee of President Donald Trump will take his lifetime seat on the Supreme Court. Already, several Republicans who hold swing votes have showed qualms about pushing forward with the judge's confirmation.

Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican and Judiciary Committee member, and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., both told news outlets that the panel should delay a vote until it hears more from Ford. The two senators will retire in January.White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow doubts Republicans can push another round of tax cuts through Congress before November's midterm elections.

On Monday, the National Economic Council director said he does not think the GOP's latest tax legislation will clear both chambers of Congress even if the House holds a vote on it. Still, he called the House GOP measure  which would make individual tax cuts passed last year permanent  a "very good idea."

"No, I don't think it'll pass, it'll get through the whole Congress," Kudlow said at the Economic Club of New York. "But it's a good message. I think it's a good message. And I think we can do a lot more on tax reform going down the road."

House Republicans aim to vote this month on a range of proposals making up their second phase of tax reform. The House Ways and Means Committee already approved them last week. The plans include locking in the individual rates as well as changes to make saving for retirement easier, among other tweaks.

While the House could pass the legislation, the Senate is unlikely to do so. Republicans, who hold 51 seats in the upper chamber, would need to get nine Democrats on board to reach the required 60-vote threshold.

Kudlow hinted at part of congressional Republicans' motivation for putting the proposals forward now: messaging. The GOP wants more selling points for voters as it tries to stop Democrats from flipping the 23 GOP-held seats needed to take a House majority. Their first tax overhaul passed in December has seen mediocre public approval and fallen out of some candidates' main talking points.

Republicans aim in part to put pressure on Democrats after they repeatedly said last year's GOP reform package disproportionately helped the wealthy and corporations. Democrats have also raised concerns about fueling larger budget deficits by extending the tax cuts, which were set to expire after 2025.

Locking in the individual tax cuts would tack on another $630 billion to budget deficits, according to an estimate from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation.President Donald Trump smiles in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on September 12, 2018.

President Donald Trump on Monday declassified a trove of documents related to the early days of the FBI's Russia investigation, including portions of a secret surveillance warrant and former FBI Director James Comey's text messages.

Trump made the extraordinary move in response to calls from his allies in Congress who say they believe the Russia investigation was tainted by anti-Trump bias within the ranks of the FBI and Justice Department. It also came as Trump continued his efforts to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's probe in the wake of the guilty plea of his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and amid the ongoing grand jury investigation into a longtime associate, Roger Stone.

Trump's decision will result in the release of text messages and documents involving several top Justice Department and FBI officials who Trump has repeatedly attacked over the last year.

"When the President issues such an order, it triggers a declassification review process that is conducted by various agencies within the intelligence community, in conjunction with the White House Counsel, to seek to ensure the safety of America's national security interests," A DOJ spokesperson told CNBC.

"The Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are already working with the Director of National Intelligence to comply with the President's order," the spokesperson said.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Trump's decision in a written statement, saying the president had directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Justice Department to declassify the documents "at the request of a number of committees of Congress, and for reasons of transparency."

According to the statement, Trump declassified about 20 pages of the warrant obtained under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page and FBI interviews conducted to secure that warrant.

He also is declassifying all FBI reports documenting interviews with senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who was in contact with ex-British spy Christopher Steele. Steele was a longtime FBI informant whose Democratic-funded research into Trump ties to Russia was compiled into a dossier that has become a partisan lightning rod since its publication in January 2017.

According to Sanders' statement, Trump also directed the Justice Department to publicly release in full the text messages of Comey, Ohr, former FBI Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page and former FBI special agent Peter Strzok.President Donald Trump said Monday that "if it takes a little delay" to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, that's alright.

Trump stressed that Kavanaugh has "never even had a little blemish on his record," and that the nominee had undergone several FBI background checks over the course of his career.

"He is somebody very special. At the same time, we want to go through a process. We want to make sure everything is perfect," Trump said.

The White House was reeling on Monday in the wake of explosive allegations by a California professor, Christine Blasey Ford, who alleged that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party when they were teenagers. Several senators in both parties have called for a delay to Thursday's planned Judiciary Committee vote on Kavanagh's nomination.

The allegations only became public in the past week, as Kavanaugh's confirmation seemed all but assured. Yet two Democratic lawmakers had known of them earlier this year. "I wish the Democrats could have done this a lot sooner," Trump said of the release of the allegations.

"But with all of that being said, it will, I'm sure, work out very well. You're talking about an individual who is as high a quality individual as you will ever see," Trump said, adding that he had not yet spoken directly to Kavanaugh on Monday.

Trump was speaking at the inaugural White House meeting of a group dubbed the President's National Council for the American Worker.

Kavanaugh has categorically denied Ford's detailed account of the incident, which was published on Sunday by The Washington Post. "This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone," Kavanagh said in a statement released Monday by the White House.

Both Kavanaugh and Ford have signaled that they would be willing to testify before the Senate about the allegations.

Kavanaugh spent most of Monday morning at the White House, where he reportedly met with White House counsel Don McGahn.

NBC News reported that the White House is encouraging Kavanaugh to fight the allegations, and to refuse to withdraw his nomination.

Unveiled in July of this year, the President's National Council for the American Worker is dedicated to increasing opportunities for workers who lack college educations: reskilling older workers, expanding apprenticeship programs, and encouraging the private sector to step in and fund most skills-based workforce development programs. Along with the council, Trump established an American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.President Donald Trump wants the trade war with China and doesn't see the danger to the U.S. economy, said Austan Goolsbee, former economic advisor to President Barack Obama.

Trump said an announcement on China trade will be coming after the bell on Monday. He's expected to announce a new round of trade measures in an escalating tit for tat between the two countries.

"The president wants to have a big, public battle and is not under the impression that if we got in a shooting trade war that it would lead both of us into recession. But the market knows that it would," said Goolsbee, who served as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors under Obama.

That's why people are hoping others in the administration can do what they can to thwart Trump, he said Monday on "Power Lunch," referring to the recent New York Times op-ed from a senior administration official who detailed those attempts.

Earlier in the day, top White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said that Trump has "not been satisfied" with the trade talks with China. He also confirmed the administration was readying additional tariffs.

"The president has suggested tariffs on a couple $100 billion" in Chinese goods, said Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council. "My guess is that an announcement will be coming soon."

His comments came after a report by The Wall Street Journal that Trump was set to move forward with tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods. The report followed other news outlets saying that U.S. officials were trying to restart U.S.-China trade talks.

"Every time they take one step toward 'let's have some trade negotiations, let's try to achieve something, let's try to get some allies on board with us to collectively go confront China,' they then turn around and the Mr. Jekyll comes out and the president begins tweeting," Goolsbee said. "There is a big danger to the markets and a big danger to the economy."

On Monday morning, Trump tweeted that tariffs put the U.S. in a strong bargaining position.

Trump 'tariffed' tweet

In July, Trump told CNBC that he's ready to put tariffs on all $505 billion of Chinese goods imported to the U.S.

 CNBC's Fred Imbert contributed to this report.By Trend





The statement made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that over the past three days the Armenian Armed Forces allegedly killed three Azerbaijani soldiers is false, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend Sept. 17.

Pashinyan made this statement during his speech at the pre-election rally of the "My step" bloc on September 16 in Yerevan.

In Armenia, covered by chaos, the military leadership, as usual, having deceived the prime minister, provided him with false information, the ministry said. "In turn, the prime minister with great enthusiasm conveyed this false information to the people, trying in such a way to distract people from his unsuccessful policy."

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces suffered no losses and the situation on the front line is fully controlled, the ministry said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts."While the investment community has been in general wary about NAND pricing for some time, it is the weakness in DRAM pricing, which we believe has caught investors by surprise," Srivastava told clients in a note, referring to two types of memory chips. "We believe downward estimate revisions for Micron are just beginning. Our estimates remain below those of consensus."

Shares of the chipmaker fell 1.6 percent after both Deutsche's Sidney Ho and BMO's Ambrish Srivastava highlighted softness in the company's memory chip pricing.

Wall Street darling Micron drew two big price target cuts Monday morning, with both BMO Capital Markets and Deutsche Bank slashing forecasts and sending shares tumbling in early trading.

The BMO analyst cut his price target by 25 percent to $45, implying just 1.5 percent upside over the next year, a far cry from the stock's 27 percent climb over the last 12 months. Srivastava also reiterated his market perform rating on the company's shares.

Micron is set to report fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Sept. 20.

Shares of both Micron and rival Advanced Micro Devices have traded at unusually high volumes lately as investors try to decide what to do with the hot stocks. AMD was the most actively traded stock in the S&P 500 index last Thursday, closing with volume above 300 million shares.

AMD is up 9.4 percent over the past week while Micron is down 1.3 percent.

Deutsche's analyst, too, lowered estimates to reflect the recent "deterioration" of memory chip pricing. The brokerage issued earnings per share cuts of 6 percent for the first fiscal quarter of 2019 and a 20 percent cut for the 2019 calendar year.

Ho also cut Deutsche's price target by 25 percent, forecasting that shares will reach $60 over the next 12 months. The analyst reiterated the firm's buy rating; the new target implies 35 percent upside.

"We are also reducing our price target from $80 to $60 to reflect a lower target price-to-book multiple, as it appears we have passed the peak of the current memory cycle," Ho wrote. "While we do expect MU's share price to be choppy in the near term, we also see rational capital spending by other memory suppliers leading to quicker stabilization of the market than previous cycles."

"With the stock currently trading at about 35 percent below our revised price target, we believe risk-reward is attractive," the analyst added.China's southern regions faced more heavy rainfall on Monday as a devastating typhoon swept west, a day after wreaking havoc in Hong Kong and Macau and killing potentially more than 50 people in the Philippines.

China Meteorological Administration said early on Monday rainfall from the typhoon, dubbed the "King of Storms", was expected to reach 100-160 millimeters (4-6 inches).

It said Mangkhut was located in Hengxian in Guangxi at 6 a.m. HK/SIN (2200 GMT Sunday) and had weakened to a "tropical storm." The storm was also due to hit the regions of Guizhou, Chongqing and Yunnan on Monday.

Packing winds of more than 200 kph (125 mph) at its peak, tropical cyclone Mangkhut is considered the strongest to hit the region this year.

Its strength outstripped that of Hurricane Florence, which achieved maximum sustained winds of 150 kph (90 mph) when it roared into North Carolina in the United States on Friday.

The eye of Mangkhut, the Thai name for Southeast Asia's mangosteen fruit, skirted 100 kms (62 miles) south of Hong Kong but the former British colony was still caught in the typhoon's swirling bands of rain and gale-force winds.

The financial hub of Hong Kong began clearing up on Monday after being battered by one of the strongest typhoons in recent years, with financial markets and offices operating as normal.

Super typhoon Mangkhut, with hurricane-force winds well over 200 kilometers per hour (124 miles/h), had barreled past the northern tip of the Philippines, killing at least 50 people. It then skirted south of Hong Kong and the neighboring gambling hub of Macau, before making landfall in China.

Parts of Hong Kong and Macau were severely flooded, though there were no immediate reports of any fatalities. Two people were reported killed in Guangdong, China's most populous province and home to over 100 million residents, state media reported.

The China Meteorological Administration said the typhoon, dubbed "King of Storms", swept west to Guangxi province at 6 a.m. (2200 GMT on Sunday) and weakened to a "tropical storm". It forecast the storm to hit the regions of Guizhou, Chongqing and Yunnan on Monday.

The meteorological administration said Mangkhut was one of the 10 biggest storms to hit southeast China since 1949 - when records began - with wind speeds at around 162 km/h.

Across Hong Kong, authorities strived to clear roads of debris, including toppled trees and bamboo scaffolding. Some buildings, including the One Harbourfront office tower, had many windows smashed after a day in which some of the city's skyscrapers had swayed with the ferocious gusts.

"Yesterday's storm was very strong. Even for a person of my weight, I was about to be blown down by the wind which made me very scared," said a 70-year-old resident surnamed Fung.

"It was very serious this time."

Stock and financial markets opened as normal on Monday in Hong Kong and the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Some transport services remained suspended, though flights in the region were slowly resuming after a shutdown on Sunday, stranding many thousands of passengers.

In Macau, badly hit by a super typhoon last year, authorities were much more prepared this time, ordering casinos to close late on Saturday night as the storm approached.

Casinos were operational again early on Monday though authorities were still struggling to restore power to some of the 20,000 households that suffered power cuts.

Macau gambling stocks were down in early Monday trade.Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May holds a press conference at the end of the second day of the G7 Summit on June 9, 2018 in La Malbaie, Canada.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has warned rebels in her party that the alternative to her potential Brexit deal with the EU is no deal.

The United Kingdom is due to leave the EU on March 29 and yet little is clear: There is, so far, no full exit agreement and some rebels in May's Conservative Party have threatened to vote down a deal if she clinches one.

"I think that the alternative to that will be having no deal," May told BBC TV.

The main sticking point to agreeing a deal between Britain and the EU is the issue of ensuring there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic after Brexit.Escalating trade tensions between the United States and China would have manifested with or without Donald Trump, experts said at the Singapore Summit on Saturday.

While the U.S. president's "crazy" ways have worsened it, he's only a symptom of world developments that have hastened the tensions, and not the cause, pointed out Dani Rodrik, a professor at Harvard University.

"I think we must not exaggerate the importance of Trump," said Rodrik, who is a professor of international political economy at the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

"I think Trump is very much a symptom and not the cause ... Whether Trump is president of the United States or not, in many ways we'll be facing such tensions," he said pointing to structural problems in the world economy and competition between rising economic and political powers. "These are broad-based reactions to the kind of economic policies that we've pursued in the last quarter century."

"Unfortunately, Trump isn't making it easy for us because of the crazy way in which he's managing it," added Rodrik.

He said the upside of it all was that Trump has "instincts" but unfortunately, no long-term strategy.

Some examples of his "basic instincts" were that "exports are good, imports are bad," Rodrik said. "Whatever is good for me must be bad for you, and vice versa," he added.

"On the other hand, he's not the kind of person who follows through, he can be easily diverted," he concluded.

The U.S. and China have been locked in a trade battle, imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on each other. In Trump's latest move, he reportedly approved tariffs of another $200 million on Chinese goods which could be come as early as this week.

George Yeo, Singapore's former foreign minister, said at the conference that the "big story" here was the rise of China. The trade war is but one manifestation in the tensions between the world's two largest economies which could go on for years, he added.U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil industry are unproductive and there will be consequences to such a move, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told CNBC. "Our position remains that this is unproductive, this is wrong," Novak said when asked about the possible impact U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil industry could have. "It is better to continue working in the market, Iran being just another exporter that provides stable supplies to the market," Novak said, speaking to CNBC's Geoff Cutmore at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) last week in Vladivostok, Russia. "It is one of the richest in resources and has a solid standing in terms of its energy capability both in the OPEC, and in the energy markets as a whole. So, I think there will be consequences, I am sure, but we could only comment once they are in place," he said.

Sanctions are due to be re-imposed on Iran's oil industry on November 4. The move comes after President Donald Trump decided to withdraw the U.S. from an international nuclear deal in May. The U.S. has said that any countries or companies that conduct transactions with Iran are liable to face secondary sanctions. Needless to say, the move is expected to severely impact Iran's oil industry and exports, with a production decline of over a million barrels a day -- and likely upward pressures on oil prices -- a distinct possibility, according to analysts. Novak told CNBC that it was difficult to comment on the consequences of Iranian sanctions as he was still waiting to "learn the legal particulars" and effects of the sanctions.

Oil wells on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, off the coast of Iran. Kaveh Kazemi | Getty Images[The stream is slated to start at 5 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]

President Donald Trump is scheduled to host a National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the White House on Monday.

Trump is expected to offer praise for Hispanic and Latino Americans' cultural contributions  a more amicable tone amid a widening rift between himself and leading Hispanic lawmakers.

Days earlier, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham rejected Trump's invitation to the Hispanic Heritage Month event, saying in a letter to the president that "your administration's policies, actions, and rhetoric betray the values upon which it was founded."

Trump has also clashed with Puerto Rican government officials over the most recent death toll from the hurricanes that ravaged the U.S. island territory last year.

Trump tweet

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin-Cruz ripped Trump for suggesting that the death count had been inflated by Democrats to make him "look as bad as possible."

"Simpy put: delusional, paranoid, and unhinged from any sense of reality," Yulin Cruz said in a tweet.European railway manufacturer Alstom has launched what it says is the world's first hydrogen fuel cell train.

In an announcement Sunday, the French business said that the Coradia iLint used fuel cells that turn hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. In terms of speed, the new train can travel up to 140 kilometers per hour.



Two models of the low-noise, zero-emissions train will enter commercial service in Lower Saxony, Germany, today. Fueled via a mobile hydrogen filling station, the trains will run on around 100 kilometers of line between the locations of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervorde and Buxtehude.



"The world's first hydrogen fuel cell train is entering passenger service and is ready for serial production," Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement Sunday.



"The Coradia iLint heralds a new era in emission-free rail transport," Poupart-Lafarge added. "It is an innovation that results from French-German teamwork and exemplifies successful cross-border cooperation."



The European Commission has described hydrogen as an energy carrier with "great potential for clean, efficient power in stationary, portable and transport applications."



It is already being used in vehicles around the world. To give just one example, a fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses is currently in operation in the Scottish city of Aberdeen.



Lower Saxony's minister of Economy and Transport, Bernd Althusmann, said that the Coradia iLint's emission-free drive technology provided "a climate-friendly alternative to conventional diesel trains, particularly on non-electrified lines."

WATCH: You can now buy the world's first flying carBy Trend





Today, Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are at the highest level, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said at a solemn parade marking the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku.

I think there is no other example in the world today for two countries to be so close to each other and support each other, he noted. Our unity is manifested in all spheres. This year alone, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and I we have met six times  twice in Azerbaijan, twice in Turkey and twice in international events. Our meetings are of regular nature, and each of them is of great importance. Our political ties are at the highest level.

We carry out successful economic cooperation, Ilham Aliyev added. Our trade turnover is increasing. Investments amounting to billions of dollars are placed from Azerbaijan into Turkey and from Turkey into Azerbaijan.Hi! I am an Assistant City Editor for the education beat, which means I help with breaking news and all things K-12 or higher education. Any tips or story ideas can be sent to me at hlht46@mail.missouri.edu or in the newsroom at 882-5720.

Follow this search Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up TodayThe Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission formPBD 2019 to link with Kumbh Mela, Republic Day celebrations: Sushma Swaraj

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Uttar Pradesh state government are both gearing up for the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), the diaspora conclave to be held in Varanasi from January 21 to 23, 2019, which will segue into the Kumbh Mela and Republic Day celebrations.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (centre), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (left) and External Affairs Minister of State VK Singh at the launch of the PBD 2019 website. Photo courtesy: MEA

Speaking at the launch of the official website for the event, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that in addition to attending the three-day PBD in Varanasi, the participants will also be taken to Allahabad where the Kumbh Mela will be going on then and then brought to New Delhi for the Republic Day celebrations.

Swaraj said that on January 21, a Youth PBD will be held where Himanshu Gulati, an Indian-origin member of parliament of Norway, will be the chief guest and Kanwaleet Singh Bakshi, also an Indian-origin member of parliament of New Zealand, will be the guest of honour.

On January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the main event with Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth, who is also of Indian-origin, attending as the chief guest.

The event will conclude on January 23 with a valedictory session that will be addressed by President Ram Nath Kovind.

During the session, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman will be conferred on 30 Indian-origin individuals for their exceptional and meritorious contributions in their chosen fields or professions.

"On January 24, we will take the participants to Prayagraj (as Allahabad is also known) for the Kumbh Mela, which has been inscribed on the Unesco's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," Sushma Swaraj said.

Following this, the participants will be brought to New Delhi by special trains to take part in the Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

After being an annual event for 13 consecutive years starting in 2003 at the initiative of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, PBD was turned into a biannual affair after the 2015 edition in Gandhinagar, with the event hosted by various Indian missions across the world in the off years starting from the ASEAN India PBD in Singapore this year.

(From left to right) Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Chief Minister of the Indian state of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal present at the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in Singapore. Photo: Connected to India

After the 2017 edition held in Bengaluru, the External Affairs Ministry has now roped in Uttar Pradesh as the partner state with Varanasi as the host city.

Giving the rationale behind turning PBD into a biannual affair, Sushma Swaraj said that after the 2015 edition, she realised that PBD was not yielding much in terms of results as an annual affair.

"So, I suggested to the Prime Minister that it should be held every two years with the intervening year being used to hold meetings with groups of diaspora members on various issues and he agreed," she said.

Though the earlier editions were three-day affairs ending on January 9, the day Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa; on January 9, 2019, PBD will be observed in Indian missions across the world.

With the launch of the website, registration for PBD 2019 has started effective from September 15 and will continue till November 15 when the process will close.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh said that more participation is expected in the Varanasi event than the last one in Bengaluru.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was also present, recalled his participation in the mini PBD held in Mauritius in 2012 and said that with the 2019 PBD being held in Varanasi, many participants will be able to trace their roots back in India.

The ministry and Indian missions and consulates abroad are engaging with the overseas Indian community regularly through several schemes, initiatives, and dialogue mechanisms. Recently, with an aim to create a pool of Indian researchers, scientists and engineers, the Union government announced several schemes the likes of Global Initiative of Academic Networks, VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research), Ramanujan Fellowship Scheme among them  to attract Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin to contribute to these fields.

Under the Ramanujan Fellowship Scheme of the Department of Science and Technology, 355 fellows have joined various institutes in the country since 2005-06.Greg Hands is the MP for Chelsea and Fulham and a former Minister for London.

As most readers will no doubt be aware, Mayor Sadiq Khan is failing London. Whether it is his consistent talking down of the Capitals future prospects in an increasingly global world, or his inability to manage City Hall effectively, Mr Khans mayoralty has been marked by pessimism and failure.

For me, Shaun Bailey is the perfect antidote to Khans failed leadership. I have been a London MP since 2005 and have known Shaun since 2007, and have worked with him closely. As a member of the London Assembly, Shaun understands in great detail how Sadiq Khan is failing as mayor and scrutinises his poor decision-making on a daily basis. Also, as a youth worker for over 20 years, Shaun has the knowledge and experience to deal with troubled young people and tackle the rising gang violence that concerns so many.

We need someone like Shaun to lead the charge in 2020, because I have no doubt in my mind that London is one of the greatest cities on Earth. The capital deserves a mayor who both wants to embrace the citys future prospects and is able to show the leadership Londoners sorely need.

Khans persistent doom and gloom on the economy is disheartening. The UK job market under a Conservative Government is very healthy and the unemployment rate currently stands at 4 per cent  the lowest level for over 40 years. London is part of this national Conservative success story, itself having increased the total number of jobs to 5.9 million, also the highest on record.

Unfortunately, Khan fails to see the continuing success of the London economy and regularly talks down our future economic prospects. Londoners deserve better than this: they need a true champion and salesperson, both at home and abroad.

But not only is Khan failing to adequately bang the drum for London, which I saw at first hand as Trade and Investment Minister. He is also failing with his core mayoral responsibilities in transport, housing and crime.

Lets take transport, for example. Khan promised to freeze all fares if he became mayor. Even though he has frozen pay-as-you-go fares, Travelcards have increased in price and most commuters are now paying more for their daily journey. This broken promise has not only let Londoners down, it has resulted in TfL developing almost a 1 billion operating deficit from the loss in pay-as-you-go fare revenues. Khans antics have frankly left Londons transport finances in a perilous state.

Putting a roof over Londoners heads is another area in which Khan is failing. The Conservative Government, recognising the need for more housing in London, gave Khan a record 4.82 billion to build 116,000 new affordable homes. So far he has started 12,555 in his first year and is planning to start another 14,000 this year. This puts him significantly behind schedule and means that he will have to start at least 23,000 affordable homes each year just to catch up  something that has never been achieved before.

As a result of Labour incompetence in the Capital, sources revealed last week that the Government are considering by-passing the Mayor all together on housing, to do deals directly with Londons boroughs. Something that may well need to be done, but wouldnt be necessary if Shaun were Mayor.

But perhaps the greatest concern to Londoners is the rise in violence. Knife crime has risen by 50 per cent since Khan became mayor and London has witnessed over 100 murders so far in 2018. In March this year, the murder rate in the Capital was worse than New Yorks for the first time ever.

Khan has over the past two years shown a lack of leadership when it comes to stopping the rising violence. He instead blames the Government for this rise and takes no responsibility for the increase in crime on his watch. This does nothing to reassure concerned Londoners.

In the face of these mounting failures, it is clear that London needs new leadership and that we as a party need a fresh voice in London Conservative politics. For me, Shaun Bailey is that person.

Not only does Shaun have the right experience and background, he has the ideas to take London forward and turn London blue again in 2020. One great example is his plan to put one thousand extra police officers on the streets by cutting waste in City Hall and by embracing new emerging technologies. This is the sort of thinking that will help the police to do their jobs and keep Londoners safe.

Along with Cabinet ministers such as Michael Gove and Liz Truss, Shaun has five London MPs backing him to be our Conservative Mayoral candidate. These London MPs include Nick Hurd, Zac Goldsmith, David Evennett and Chris Philp.

Shaun has my vote and I hope he has yours as well. Pledge your support for Shaun by clicking here.On Saturday, association officers in two target seats interviewed longlisted candidates in order to produce shortlists of three to present to local members at forthcoming selection meetings. ConservativeHome can reveal the resulting shortlists are:

Ipswich (Labour majority: 836)

Cllr Joel Charles: Cllr Charles is Deputy Leader of the Conservative opposition on Harlow council. His past experience includes working Parliamentary Assistant to Julian Brazier MP, managing communications for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and two years working on policy for a national employment and disability charity. He is now Director of Government Relations at Future Care Capital, a health and social care charity. He recently wrote for ConservativeHome about the future of ground campaigning.

Alex Deane: Born and raised in Suffolk, Deane is currently Senior Managing Director of public affairs firm FTI Consulting. He served as Chief of Staff to David Cameron when the latter was Shadow Education Secretary, before spending four years as a barrister. From 2009-2011, Deane served as Director of Big Brother Watch, and he is a Board member of Conservative Way Forward as well as a member of the Management Committee of The Freedom Association (disclosure: alongside the author of this post). He spent six years as a Common Councilman of the City of London Corporation, and campaigned for Ben Gummer in Ipswich in the 2017 General Election. He has written for ConservativeHome on a wide range of subjects, most recently on the need to create more Leave-supporting members of the House of Lords.

Tom Hunt: A former East Cambridgeshire District Councillor, Hunt contested Doncaster Central in the 2017 General Election and stood in the East of England constituency in the 2014 European Elections. He has worked as a Parliament Assistant to Oliver Dowden MP, before running media relations for the Countryside Alliance. Hunt is currently Chief of Staff to James Palmer, the elected mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (a role that required him to give up his council seat). He has written for ConservativeHome on a number of different topics, most recently the electoral impact of the issue of fox hunting.

Warwick and Leamington (Labour majority: 1,206)

Cllr Stuart Anderson: A Herefordshire County Councillor, Anderson is a British Army veteran who served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosovo. Following military service, he spent 12 years in the private security industry, from providing close protection to running a business providing training and personal security around the world. Since 2013 he has worked as the founder and chief executive of his own digital travel safety company. Anderson is also Deputy Chairman (Political) of Hereford and South Herefordhsire

Cllr Charlotte Hodivala: Elected to Birmingham City Council in May of this year, Hodivala also contested Birmingham Perry Barr in the 2017 and 2015 General Elections. Hodivala works as a sales manager in the pharmaceuticals sector, and earlier this year founded Mindsafe, a social media platform aimed at supporting patients with dementia. She is also a former mayor of Sutton Coldfield, and has written for ConservativeHome about the success of localism in the town.

Cllr Jack Rankin: Rankin is Cabinet Member for Economic Development in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and contested Ashton-under-Lyne in last years General Election. Since securing a Masters degree in Mathematics and Physics, he has worked for Centrica in a variety of roles involving analysis of the energy sector. Rankin is also Deputy Chairman of Windsor Conservative Association.

Congratulations to all six candidates for making the cut  the final selection meeting in Warwick and Leamington will take place this Friday, 21st September, while the final in Ipswich will be held next week, on Thursday 27th September.The radical, anti-establishment, change-focused election launch speech drafted for May  but which she never delivered. Full text.

Simon Walters had a fascinating story in Saturdays Daily Mail, drawn from Philip Cowley and Denis Kavanaghs The British General Election of 2017  the latest in the famous series of authoritative guides to British elections, which will be published later this month.

It was about the election launch speech written for Theresa May by Chris Wilkins, then her Director of Strategy, which was jettisoned for one approved by Lynton Crosby, then hired to manage the campaign. Walters did some work on the numbers, pointing out that 

In the Crosby-approved text, strong and stable 14 was used times and Brexit six times  but change wasnt mentioned once.

In the Wilkins-crafted draft, strong was used four times, stable none at all and Brexit three times  while change was used eight times.

The key to the latter, writes Walters, was promises to help the working class and young, boost hospitals, schools and homes, tackle executive pay and privilege, and making Britain fairer.

You must decide for yourself whether the Prime Minister would have won more seats with a continuity manifesto to match the continuity campaignor a change campaign to match the change manifesto. At any rate here, for the first time, is Wilkins draft in full.

  

Three weeks ago at the end of March, I triggered Article 50 to deliver on the will of the British people and begin the process of withdrawing from the European Union.

In that moment I fulfilled the mandate I was given when Her Majesty the Queen invited me to form a new Government in July of last year.

It was the culmination of months of preparation, debate and discussion involving all parties and all corners of the UK.

And as a result, in the next few weeks we will embark on one of the most important negotiations this country has faced for many years.

But it was also the moment for the nation to put the divisions of the past behind us and to come together in the national interest. For as we embark on the negotiations to come, it is essential that we work together as one, negotiate as one, and stand together as one. That is the best way to get the right deal for Britain. That is what is truly in the best interests of our country.

However, in the days and weeks since, it has become clear that there are many who are not willing or not able to rise to this occasion. While the 27 remaining members of the European Union have been clear that this process is bringing them closer together, many here in Westminster still cannot reconcile themselves to the decision that has been made. They want to continue to try and frustrate the process. They want to continue to fight the battles of the past. They want to continue to hold Britain back.

In the weeks since we triggered Article 50, the Labour Party  despite voting to authorise the Government to begin the process  has threatened to vote against the final agreement we reach with the European Union anyway. The Liberal Democrats have said their aim is to grind the business of government to a standstill. The Scottish National Party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals Britains membership of the European Union. And members of the House of Lords have vowed to fight us every step of the way.

The plain fact is that my party has only a small majority in the House of Commons and no majority at all in the House of Lords. And despite months of discussion and debate, the Governments strategy for the negotiations ahead continues to be disputed, in many cases opposed, in Parliament and by other political parties.

That is no basis on which to get the right deal for Britain in the negotiations to come.

Nor is this opposition restricted to the process of taking Britain out of the European Union.

Because of that decision and the Governments determination to deliver on it, these same forces have also pledged to stand in the way of the Governments wider agenda of economic and social reform designed to rebalance Britain in the interests of ordinary working class people.

Yet that agenda is essential. For as I have often said,the referendum was not just a vote to leave the EU, but an instruction to change the way the country works  and the people for whom it works  forever.

It was a call from all those who have been let down, ignored and left behind for too long, to change Britain into a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

And to respond to that cry for change, we need an ambitious programme of economic and social reformon a par with the great eras of progress our country has experienced before.

That means being prepared to do politics differently. Thinking and acting in a whole new way.

It means no longer ignoring or dismissing the concerns of ordinary working people. It meansembracing a new active, responsive politics that puts their interests first.

That is why I have set out the Governments Plan for Britain.

To make sure young people get the education that will set them up to succeed, through thousands of good new school places, including new selective schools and opportunities for proper technical education

To build the new affordable housing Britain needs so that young people get the opportunity to settle down and make a life for themselves in a home of their own

To continue to attract the best global talent and businesses but to take control of immigration so that it truly serves the national interest

To get the economy growing across the whole country through a new modern industrial strategy that will help to attract the high-skilled, high-paid jobs of the future

To crack down on corporate irresponsibility, through changes to executive pay and corporate governanceso that everybody  however large or small  plays by the same rules

And to invest in the infrastructure of our country and the things that bring us together as one nation. Things like the NHS  a vital national institution  that unites us and is there to support us at every stage of our lives.

This is the right Plan for Britain. A plan that will shape the kind of country we want to be as we leave the European Union. A country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

So at this critical time for our country, we face two big tasks  change abroad and change at home. A new national mission for Britain.

And fulfilling this mission will require strong leadership and political will.

Yet it has become clear in recent days that there are many here in Westminster who are unwilling or unable to reconcile themselves to this need for change.

They mourn for what they believe they have lost and continue to look back to the days before the referendum, rather than forward to what we can achieve together as a result.

And rather than coming together in the national interest to back Britains success in the negotiations to come, they are focused on doing all they can to stand in our way.

So we face a critical moment for our country. And at this moment, I believe that it is for you  the people  to have your say. I am clear about the change Britain needs. I am clear that we can get the right deal for Britain abroad. And I am clear that we can also change Britain to get a better deal for ordinary working people here at home.

But to deliver that agenda  and to build that stronger, fairer Britain  I need your support.

That is why tomorrow, I will move a motion in the House of Commons calling for a General Election to be held on 8th June.

And in this election, I will be asking for your support to help me to meet the big challenges of today and tomorrow.

To build a truly Global Britain that is outward looking and embraces the world.

To build a stronger economy where everyone plays by the same rules.

To build a fairer society where success is based on merit, not privilege.

To build a more united nation that works for people the length and breadth of our country, and which strengthens and protects this precious union of nations too.

Last year, when Her Majesty the Queen invited me to form a new Government, the task before us was clear. It was, following the referendum, to bring stability to the country, and to deliver on the will of the British People by beginning the process of withdrawing from the European Union.

Under my leadership, the Government has delivered on that mandate.

Now is the time to seek a mandate for the next stage of our work.

A mandate to allow us to lead the country through the next five years. To deliver my Plan for Brexit  and my broader Plan for Britain.

Because I want to see a Britain that is stronger. A Britain that is fairer. A Britain that is more united than it is today.

A Britain that stands tall in the world. And a Britain that works for ordinary working people.

Because it is only with your support that we can overcome the barriers to progress and those who want to hold Britain back.

We can make a success of Brexit. We can get the right deal for Britain abroad. And we can get a better deal for ordinary working people at home.

That is the Britain I want. That is the Britain we need. And with your support, that is the Britain we can build.By Trend





The liberation of Baku on September 15, 1918 is an extremely important event in the history of the Azerbaijani statehood, department head at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), doctor of philosophy in political sciences, Associate Professor Elshad Mirbashir oglu told Trend.

The scientist noted that at that period, complicated processes were taking place both in the region and in the world.

It was very difficult and even impossible to create an independent state in these conditions, he said. However, despite this, after the resignation of the Transcaucasian Seim (parliament), the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was created. Naturally, existence of a state requires, first of all, the presence of all necessary conditions that would preserve its existence. Among these conditions, the factor of a capital took the central place.

Mirbashir oglu noted that the occupation of Baku questioned the future fate of the newly created ADR.

He added that Baku was of great strategic importance due to its geographical location, trade and economic potential and, most importantly, political weight.

Situated on the Caspian coast, the city was located on the main communication lines of that time, he said.

From this point of view, both the Bolsheviks and the British tried to keep Baku in their hands at all costs, Mirbashir oglu added. Thats because this would make it possible to control all the processes taking place in the Azerbaijani territories, and at the same time created convenient access to Central Asia, which in subsequent years would result in getting serious political and economic dividends.

In his words, against the backdrop of all this, the liberation of Baku from occupation with direct military support of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus led by Nuru Pasha should be regarded as a golden page in the history of the Azerbaijani statehood.

Namely after the liberation of Baku from the occupation, the new state got the opportunity to function in different spheres, the Azerbaijani scientist added.

For example, the adoption of effective steps to create a national army, the formation of the education system, etc. became possible after the government moved to Baku, he said.

The scientist reminded that 100 years have passed since the liberation of Baku from the occupation.

For this time, complicated and contradictory processes have taken place in the world, but historical justice has triumphed, he said. This is reflected in todays friendship and brotherhood between such absolutely independent and powerful states as Azerbaijan and Turkey. These two fraternal countries are once again beside each other.

On September 15, Azerbaijan marks the centenary of Bakus liberation from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation.

On this day in 1918, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, which included the Azerbaijani corps, entered Baku, liberating the city from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation.

The liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance for the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood.

Despite that during 70 years of the Soviet rule this event was purposefully explained in an erroneous context, the Azerbaijani people never forgot the heroism of Turkish soldiers.Steve Brine is Minister for Public Health and Primary Care, and is MP for Winchester.

As the NHS celebrates its 70th birthday, we can look back with pride at its achievements. Perhaps the greatest of these is the increase in life expectancy for people in the UK. A woman born in 1948 had a life expectancy of 70 years, and a man could be expected to live for 65 years, while those ages today stand respectively at over 85 and 82.

This is a fantastic testament to the NHS, but the increase in life expectancy has given rise to other challenges. For example, more than half of 60-year-olds are living with at least one long-term health condition. Future proof solutions are required, to make sure that the NHS continues to support everyone who needs it.

Cancer research, diagnosis and treatment must feature prominently in our plans to deliver a sustainable NHS, since this awful disease accounts for more than a quarter of all deaths in the UK. NHS England is working hard to identify the priorities for the future and gathering the evidence of what already works well. This will enable us to make informed, evidence-based decisions on where we invest resources. I am sure many of you are already working hard to develop your responses to the consultation.

We are starting from a position of strength, however. Cancer survival rates are at their highest ever, and that is down to the dedication and professionalism of NHS staff across the country. Our workforce is undoubtedly our greatest resource and we must ensure it reaches its maximum potential. Last December, Health Education England published its first-ever Cancer Workforce Plan, an important step in helping us to diagnose cancers earlier. Without the right workforce, capacity and skills, we will not achieve our ambition of saving a further 30,000 lives a year by 2020.

And along with the traditional interventions, there is an increasing role for newer technologies in treating cancer, such as Proton Beam Therapy, immunotherapy, and CAR-T therapy to treat childhood leukaemia  announced by Simon Stevens recently as the first of a new wave of personalised NHS cancer treatments. The UK is also a world leader in cutting edge-technology such as whole-genome sequencing that has the power transform healthcare and health research by ushering in an era of personalised medicine.

In 2015, NHS England committed to implementing the recommendations in the cancer strategy on molecular diagnostics, which could mean around 25,000 additional people a year having their cancers genetically tested to identify the most effective treatments. Ultimately, the NHS will be able to deliver personalised medicine to all eligible patients, recognising that each persons cancer and each persons response to treatment may be different. In October, the NHS will launch a new Genomic Medicine Service, which will provide comprehensive and equitable access to genetic and genomic testing for the whole country.

Prevention is also vital. Intervening early and focusing more on stopping or slowing down future ill health can give people extra years of life, reduce premature deaths and mitigate long-term illnesses. We need to recognise and take advantage of the benefits that prevention brings to the economy  a healthier population has less reliance on the NHS, which means precious resources can be focused on those that need them most.

But we still dont diagnose cancer early enough. The hardest cancers to detect are those where early symptoms are similar to those of other, less serious illnesses, meaning patients often visit their GP multiple times before being referred. That is why we are piloting special diagnostic centres as part of the Accelerate, Coordinate and Evaluate (ACE) programme, which are designed specifically to give rapid diagnoses or the all clear. These ACE centres are a perfect example of how we can prevent cancer deaths by ensuring cancer is diagnosed earlier, and the feedback we have received from the pilots on successful diagnoses is very encouraging.

Delivering the high-quality, modern cancer service that we all want will take more than just money. Everyone in the cancer community has a role to play. I trust that together we can lay the foundations for another successful 70 years of the NHS, focusing foremost on preventing illness, and failing that, faster and earlier cancer diagnoses, cutting-edge treatments and a cancer workforce that is the envy of the world.Five years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories.

Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts.

Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters.

To help remedy this, every week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented.

         

Royal Armouries  Chair

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is seeking to appoint an outstanding individual as the next chair of the Royal Armouries, to take the Museum forward as this new critical period in its history. The ideal candidate will have a passion for cultural heritage, a commitment to public service, strong commercial acumen and a successful track record in public service, heritage management, or business. This is a very exciting time for the Royal Armouries, having substantially increased its commercial operations, and now in the process of devising a masterplan to transform the museum brand and its offer at the main museum site in Leeds. The successful candidate will be central to taking the Royal Armouries forward and putting it on a long-term sustainable footing, including through playing a key part in raising funds for the museums ambitious plans and programme.

Time: Four days per month approx.

Remuneration: None.

Closes: 17 September

         

Natural England  Chair

The Government has set out a clear ambition, in our 25 year plan for the environment launched earlier this year to be the first generation that leaves the environment in a better state than we found it. Natural England has a vital role to play in helping achieve this objective; through its responsibility to protect and enhance the natural environment. It is responsible for licensing, incentivising and advising on conservation on land and in the marine environment. Natural England is working with Defra and other delivery partners on EU exit  to secure the opportunity to develop a better approach to protecting and enhancing the natural environment and our farming and fishing industries and to ensure that new policies are implemented effectively. I am looking for an ambitious new Chair for Natural England; a strong and visible leader who is passionate about the environment, has the ability to lead a substantial operational delivery organisation effectively and efficiently with a customer focus, and can respond to new opportunities and priorities and drive change and innovation.

Time: Two days per week.

Remuneration: 546 per diem.

Closes: 20 September

         

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government  Lead Non-Executive Director

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is at the heart of the Prime Ministers objective of making the UK a country that works for everyone. Our objective is to help create great places to live and work right across the country and to back communities to come together and thrive. A key task is to transform the housing market to deliver 300,000 net additional homes a year on average by the mid 2020s. The Department has 1700 people in London and 16 other towns and cities across England; 11 Arms Length Bodies delivering key areas of our agenda on the ground; capital budgets of 9.3 billion in 2018-19, and is responsible for the financial framework for local government worth 45 billion a year in local government spending. To support our work, we are seeking a Lead Non-Executive Director with significant experience of leading complex delivery focused organisations, ideally with expertise in infrastructure, housing or a related sector.

Time: Three days per month.

Remuneration: 20,000 per annum.

Closes: 23 September

         

Historic Royal Palaces  Trustee

The Board of Trustees consists of a Chairperson and eleven Trustees who are appointed by either HM The Queen or the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Once appointed, all Trustees must act in the best interests of the charity. The Board of Trustees is ultimately accountable for the organisation and for ensuring that the Charter aims are met. It delegates authority within agreed limits to the Executive Board and provides oversight, monitoring, support and advocacy. Trustees retain the authority to contribute to and approve strategic and annual operating plans, and other major projects and strategies. The Executive Board, comprising the Chief Executive and eight Directors, is responsible for preparing strategic and operating plans and for the day-to-day operation of the organisation.

Time: One day per month approx.

Remuneration: Reasonable expenses.

Closes: 24 September

         

Office of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner  Commissioner

The role of the role of Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) was established by the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The IASC has a UK-wide remit to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of modern slavery offences and the identification of victims. The role was created to spearhead the UKs fight against modern slavery. Key responsibilities: to work closely with key Government delivery partners to drive a strengthened strategic response in their work to tackle modern slavery and the provision of appropriate support for victims; build positive relationships with and amongst the modern slavery leadership community, including Devolved Administrations, business, academia, civil society, international partners (as well as directly with victims of modern slavery) and facilitate the sharing of good practice in tackling modern slavery

Time: Full time.

Remuneration: 108,000-140,000 per annum.

Closes: 26 September

         

Architects Registration Board  Chair

ARB was established in 1997 by the Architects Act and regulates over 40,000 architects. The Act defines the ARBs role, the primary features of which are: prescribing  or recognising  the qualifications needed to become an architect; keeping the UK Register of Architects; ensuring that architects meet our standards for conduct and practice; investigating complaints about an architects conduct or competence; making sure that only people on our Register offer their services as an architect; and acting as the UKs Competent Authority for architects. The Board has developed a Purpose & Objectives document that informs its approach to ARBs work and sets the strategy for ARB. It identifies ARBs primary purpose as delivering the 1997 Architects Act, and from that Act, two key objectives have been formulated to underpin all of ARBs work.

Time: Approx. 20-30 days per annum.

Remuneration: 400 per diem.

Closes: 30 September

         

Geospatial Commission  Chair

The Government is seeking an outstanding leader to Chair the Commission who can appropriately reflect the views of the open data community, business, and the public bodies providing such data. The Chair will lead a Board of eight Commissioners drawn from the private, public, and third sectors to develop an ambitious, sustainable strategy for UK geospatial data, which will drive investment and innovation and boost the whole UK economy. The Commission will be supported by a Geospatial Unit that will act as the secretariat, develop analysis, and help coordinate delivery of the Commissions recommendations. The establishment of the Commission provides many opportunities as well as challenges, and as such we are seeking a Chair with the ability to make effective strategic decisions quickly, and the energy and enthusiasm to see them through.

Time: One day per week.

Remuneration: 28,000 per annum plus appropriate expenses.

Closes: 01 October

         

London & Continental Railways  Non-Executive Chair

Positioned on the cusp of the public-private sector, LCR has gained an enviable track record of working in partnership with the private sector and other public bodies to deliver large scale, world class regeneration projects enabled by rail infrastructure, most notably at Kings Cross and Stratford, and more recently at Mayfield in Manchester. LCR is forging new relationships across the public and private sectors, and building on its considerable experience is now facilitating development at and around transport hubs and other government assets. Through this approach LCR aims to participate in a range of development and regeneration projects, and strategic partnerships, over the next few years. As such, it needs a world class Chair with excellent skills and experience to help support the Executive team in delivering an ambitious business plan.

Time: Four days per month.

Remuneration: 50,000 per annum.

Closes: 05 October

         

Nuclear Liabilities Financing Assurance Board  Chair and Members

The Nuclear Liabilities Financing Assurance Boards (NLFAB) role is to provide advice on and scrutinise the financing plans of decommissioning and waste management for the UKs new nuclear power plants. The NLFAB will play an important role in the deployment of new nuclear development in the UK. The NLFABs responsibilities will be to provide independent advice to the Secretary of State for BEIS on the suitability of the Funding Arrangements Plan (FAP) element of an operators FDP, and provide advice to BEIS at the following times: submission of the final version of the FDP by the Operator  to inform the Secretary of States decision on whether to approve or modify the FDP submitted; quinquennial reviews of an operators approved FDP; where changes have been proposed to an approved FAP, including advice on modifications proposed by the Secretary of State; and as and when requested by BEIS.

Time: <25 days per annum, subject to change.

Remuneration: 750/550 per diem.

Closes: 07 October

         

Social Work England  Non-Executive Board Members

The Department for Education and the Department of Health & Social Care are looking to appoint two additional, high quality, non-executive members to the Board of Social Work England. Do you have expertise and ability in data technology or audit and risk? If so, wed like to hear from you. In addition to having specific skills in one of these areas, you will have a commitment to equality, inclusion and user engagement; the ability to set strategic direction and work collaboratively as part of a team; and previous experience as a non-executive director. You will be required to think strategically and have the ability to positively and constructively influence decisions at senior Board level. You will also be expected to establish consultative relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders including other regulators, professional associations, training providers and employees, as well the social work profession and users of its services.

Time: <15 days per annum.

Remuneration: 350 per diem plus expenses

Closes: 12 October

         

Big Lottery Fund England  Committee Chair

The Big Lottery Fund is established as a non-departmental public body by an Act of Parliament. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is our sponsor department within government and sets policy directions for our funding in England and across the UK. The Board is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the Fund, as set out in its Strategic Framework, People in the Lead. It operate across all four countries of the UK, with the Board delegating oversight for funding in each country to a committee. A fifth funding committee has oversight of its UK funding. Chairs of the country portfolio committees ensure that funding strategy supports the delivery of the Funds Strategic Framework and each portfolio reports annually to the Board on its performance.

Time: ~10 days per annum.

Remuneration: 24,000 per annum plus reasonable expenses.

Closes: 15 OctoberChloe Westley is the Campaign Manager of the TaxPayers Alliance.

Many people are drawn to work in politics. Some dream of being an MP from the age of five years old; others are brilliantly minded in an area of policy; others still passionate about a cause that they work day in and day out to change others minds about. There are these kinds of people on all sides of politics: well-intentioned, passionate and focused on shaping policy for the better.

But then there is another type of politico. A crueller kind. People who arent too bothered with a cause or with change, but drawn to the idea of working in politics  befriending MPs, activists, civil servants and journalists, so that they can be in the know. Professional gossipers, if you will.

They had a field day last week  calling each other on the phone, messaging in whatsapp groups: have you heard the news? Boris Johnson has had an affair! You know who it was with, dont you: I used to work with her. And so the gossip carries on, until journalists can piece just enough together to make a young womans life hell for a week.

I dont really know Carrie Symonds well; I met her briefly a couple of years ago, and follow her on Twitter. Like many people in Britain, Im aware that politicians have sex lives, and Id like to be spared the details. There are some who argue that this story was in the public interest, because Johnson could one day become Prime Minister. But was it really in the public interest for her name to be dragged through the mud, day after day in the newspapers?

You may say: thats just how politics is. But does it have to be? Does politics have to be an industry that employs and rewards those who enjoy the thrill of a scandal, and are obsessed with showing off how much they are in the know, even if it means hurting someone?

I do think women are held to different standards in politics. Were judged not only on what we do and say, but often also on our relationships (or lack thereof!, our hair, our weight, the clothes we wear, and so on. Men get judged on these things too sometimes, albeit less frequently. As I argued in my previous column, I think people should be judged based on what they say and do  not through the prism of gender.

But there isnt just a problem with misogyny in politics. There is a wider lack of civility and courtesy in in general. Isabel Hardmans new book called Why we get the wrong kind of politician (which I very much hope to take on my next holiday) has sparked a conversation about professional standards. Im not quite sure there is a right or wrong kind of politician, or politico, but I think we could do with fewer professional gossipers.

I have always thought that politics should be about helping people. There are millions of families struggling with the cost of living and of housing right now. There are kids that are stabbing each other on the streets of cities, joining gangs and feeling hopeless about their futures. Two Russian agents have been charged with the murder of a British woman on British soil. There are problems that need solving.

So why do so many in Westminster insist on spending so much of their time talking amongst and about each other? With so many problems to solve  and arguments to be had about how to solve them  youd think there would be a greater sense of urgency to focus efforts on policy.

The public deserve better than a bubble obsessed with itself. Western democracies across the world are facing a growing resentment towards the establishment, and one the reasons for this could be that the gossipy, nasty, duplicitous nature of the political community is putting off authentic and well-intentioned people from getting involved. I completely understand why Ruth Davidson would be put off moving into SW1 , and all of the personal drama that comes with it.

There are some amazing people who work in politics. And I feel lucky to have been able to meet a handful in my time campaigning for Brexit and now for a freer society with the Taxpayers Alliance. But I have noticed that there are some who seem to thrive on drama of affairs and scandals, on the unhappiness of others who are unlucky enough to be caught up in either, and on the idea of being in the know.Net neutrality found itself at another fork in the road over the weekend, with the Texas State House of Representatives considering a bill to make throttling data during emergency situations unlawful.

Specifically, State Representative Bobby Guerras proposed bill lays out that, effective September 1, 2019, mobile Internet service provider(s) may not impair or degrade lawful mobile Internet service access in an area subject to a declared state of disaster.

Having had its fill of recent disasters like Hurricane Harvey, Texas wants to make sure it doesnt suffer the same money grab that California did in the midst of its 2018 firestorm. During the Golden States incendiary ravage, Verizon was heavily criticized when it throttled the data plans of firefighters working at the Santa Clara County fire department.

This throttling has had a significant impact on our ability to provide emergency services, Santa Clara County Fire Chief Anthony Bowden said at the time. Verizon imposed these limitations despite being informed that throttling was actively impeding County Fires ability to provide crisis-response and essential emergency services.

Money over sense?

Reportedly, Bowden's staff approached Verizon to try to remedy the situation. While Verizon confirmed that throttling did occur, it agreed to restore the fire department to essential data speed if -- and only if -- the fire department upgraded to a new plan.

If that situation sounds slightly ridiculous to you, you certainly aren't alone, wrote Techspot. The fire department was frustrated by Verizon's response, to say the least, and sent Verizon account manager Silas Buss a series of hectic emails in a desperate attempt to get the restrictions lifted.

Reports say that Buss finally relented somewhat and offered a $99 plan that would cost the fire department an extra $8 per gigabyte once it reached its 20GB cap. Ars Technica reported the fire department decided that plan was the best fix, but only for the short-term.

Evan Greer, deputy director of the nonprofit advocacy group Fight for the Future, points out that Texas' proposed law could be a good first step towards restoring protections that were overturned by the current Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

"Telecommunications companies like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T hold tremendous power. We saw during the wildfires in California that, without proper oversight, they can abuse this power in ways that not only undermine free speech but also public safety. It's great that states like Texas are pushing for legislation to hold these mega-corporations in check, but it's not a replacement for a functional FCC that is actually doing its job and protecting the public," Greer said in a statement to ConsumerAffairs.

"Congress should act immediately to reverse Ajit Pai's repeal of basic open internet protections, and demand that the FCC engage in proper oversight of internet providers to ensure they don't behave in ways that put people in danger."

Debate over an even internet playing field continues

All of this push-and-pull goes back to net neutrality -- the assumption that internet service providers should treat all transmission of data over the internet equally and not discriminate or charge differently based on user, content, website, platform, application, type of equipment, or method of communication.

In its power to the people stance, California has spared no effort to try to reverse the FCC's controversial decision to roll back Title II net neutrality protections.

However, the states attempts might be an uphill climb. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai claims that net neutrality, as envisioned by California law, hurts consumers. Pai says that under the law, large service providers like Verizon would be prohibited from offering some free data plans that he says allow consumers to stream video and music, exempt from any data limits.

They have proven enormously popular in the marketplace, especially among lower-income Americans, Pai said. But notwithstanding the consumer benefits, this state law bans them.By Trend





An oath taking ceremony has been held for young soldiers at a military unit of the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and family members attended the ceremony.

Chairman of the State Security Service, Lieutenant General Madat Guliyev reported to President, Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva put flowers at a statue of national leader Heydar Aliyev.

Military unit commander reported to the Commander-in-Chief about the preparations for the oath-taking ceremony.

President Ilham Aliyev saluted the personnel.

The combat flag was brought to the square to the accompaniment of the military march.

Then a minute`s silence was observed for servicemen who fell for the Motherland, the state anthem was played.

Young soldiers then swore their oaths.

The Azerbaijani President`s son Heydar Aliyev, who is doing his military service here, was among the young soldiers who took oaths.

Congratulating the personnel, President, Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev said: Dear soldiers, I heartily congratulate you on swearing an oath and wish you success.

The personnel of the military unit marched past the tribune.

Parents of young soldiers met and spoke with President Ilham Aliyev.

Then photos were taken.







The big brands serving the British domestic cruise market: P&O UK, Cunard, Marella Cruises, in addition to Saga Cruises, are all poised to grow amid a bullish future outlook, according to the 2018-2019 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

By 2027, P&O Cruises UK will have welcomed a pair of new ships, for a nine-ship fleet and a total projected market capacity of just under one million passengers. Fellow Carnival Corporation brand Cunard Line will have grown to four queens by then, marking more than 30 percent growth in passenger capacity as well.

TUI-owned Marella Cruises is also on a strong growth trek, welcoming new-to-Marella tonnage on an annual basis recently.

While the Marella fleet is expected to remain at six ships for the foreseeable future, those pieces of hardware swap out to newer and larger ships, with Marella expected to carry just under 500,000 guests by 2020, well up from just under 400,000 this year.

At Saga Cruises, two newbuilds join the British brand in 2019 and 2020 respectively, giving the Saga fleet a modern look, and driving passenger capacity to record levels.

---

About the Annual Report:

The Cruise Industry News Annual Report is the only book of its kind, presenting the worldwide cruise industry through 2027 in 400 pages.

Statistics are independently researched.

See a preview by clicking here.

The report covers everything from new ships on order to supply-and-demand scenarios from 1987 through 2027+. Plus there is a future outlook, complete growth projections for each cruise line, regional market reports, and detailed ship deployment by region and market, covering all the cruise lines.

Order the 2018-2019 edition today.Viking Line has signed on as a three-year main sponsor of the Finnish annual chef and the waiter of the year contests with the ELO Foundation, promoting Finnish food and culture.

The Baltic cruise ferry operator said it joined to highlight the important work and high level of expertise of kitchen and service personnel. Altogether 220 chefs and more than 300 waiters and waitresses work aboard its ships, and the culinary and restaurant experiences are a vital part of the overall cruise experience.

The Chef Waiter of the Year contests benefit the participants by bringing appreciation and visibility to the professions and serve as to further their careers.

Viking plans to link its engagement to having menus designed by the Chef of the Year and drink recommendations by the Waiter of the Year, for example, as well as visits by the reigning champions on select cruises. The ships personnel are also encouraged to participate.

Organized since 1995, the reigning Chef of the Year 2018 is Kalle Tanner and the Waiter of the Year 2018 is Noora Sipila.Ponant has launched its new Winter 2019-2020 brochure featuring 114 cruises and 23 brand new itineraries as the French cruise line expands its fleet and destination offering.

The new destinations on offer include the Yucatan and visits to Mayan sites now listed as World Heritage by Unesco; the treasures of the Red Sea from Egypt to Jordan aboard Le Ponant; and the discovery of the aptly named Vanilla Islands or the Bissagos Islands.

For this new season, Le Bougainville and Le Dumont-dUrville, the latest additions to the fleet will have launched service, bringing the cruise lines total number of vessels to nine.

With 23 Antarctica departures, Ponant is also putting a spotlight on the region.

There is also a new partnership with National Geographic the creator of high-end travel experiences, to offer brand-new expedition cruises to Antarctica, Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, starting in 2019.

Combining unique Ponant itineraries in the most remote parts of the world and the onboard presence of National Geographic Expeditions experts, notably photographers, this program of expedition cruises offers 12 itineraries for the Winter 2019-2020 season, promising a high-quality immersive experience. Learn More.When travelers at Bristol Airport in the U.K. looked at flight information screens over the weekend, they saw a blue screen with white lettering that stated:

OUT OF SERVICE We are sorry for the inconvenience. Our Engineers are currently working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Officials for the U.K.s ninth busiest airport blamed it on a ransomware attack. The airport chose to take the electronic screens that normally direct travelers offline on Friday as a precautionary measure while they worked to contain the problem.

Arrival and departure information was instead posted on whiteboards and announced over the public speaker system over the weekend.

Bristol Airport tweeted about the technical problems with the flight information screens, making it clear that flights were unaffected.

We are currently experiencing technical problems with our flight information screens. Flights are unaffected and details of check-in desks, boarding gates, and arrival/departure times will be made over the public address system. Additional staff are on hand to assist passengers  Bristol Airport (@BristolAirport) September 14, 2018

While airport spokesman James Gore did not specify what ransomware variant hit the airport, he told the BBC that Bristol Airport would not pay the undisclosed ransom demand to get the system working.

We believe there was an online attempt to target part of our administrative systems and that required us to take a number of applications offline as a precautionary measure, including the one that provides our data for flight information screens. That was done to contain the problem and avoid any further impact on more critical systems.

Details of the cyber attack

The flight screens were offline starting Friday morning, all of Saturday, and into the wee hours of Sunday. Gore blamed the long downtime on a cautious approach as IT rebuilt affected systems, but at no point were any safety or security systems impacted or put at risk.

The airport released a statement to the press about the administrative systems being subjected to an on-line criminal attempt. A number of processes, including the application providing data for flight information screens in the terminal, were taken off line purely as a precautionary measure, while the problem was contained and to avoid any further impact.

The plan to use whiteboards, use additional announcements over the speakers, and bring in extra staff to keep passengers informed of flight information was part of an established contingency plan.

Bristol Airport always remains vigilant against all types of hostile on-line activity. As with every event of any type we will monitor and keep under review how to avoid it re-occurring. However, it is important to recognize that security measures already in place ensured minimum disruption to passenger journeys.

As is always the case in cyber attacks that result in computers being replaced by manually writing things down, people took to social media to complain about delays. At roughly 4:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, Bristol Airport tweeted a photo of the restored live flight information on the digital screens. Those restored screens were working in key locations.

The airport followed that up with the following announcement:First County Bank Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Reyno Giallongo Jr. will retire in August, with the banks president and chief operating officer, Robert Granata, set to succeed him, the bank announced Monday.

The 2019 succession will mark the first change in Stamford-based First Countys chief executive position in eight years, with Giallongo having taken the post in 2011. Related to Giallongos retirement, Executive Vice President Willard Miley will replace Granata as president and chief operating officer.

First County would use the next year to transition its internal, external and community partnerships, bank officials said.

We want to ensure our customers and employees that we are taking a strategic approach to our executive leadership plan and have the best in mind for the bank, now and in the future, Giallongo said in a statement. Bob Granata and I have been working closely together to assure a smooth transition of the executive and board leadership of the bank. ... The board and I are confident the succession plan will continue to steer First County Bank successfully now and into the future.

The bank counted about $1.58 billion in assets and the same amount in liabilities and equities at the end of 2017, according to its executive report. Last year, it made $114 million in new business loans and $166 million in new residential loan originations.

First County Advisors, the banks wealth-management division, last year held $388 million in assets under management, reflecting a 60 percent increase in that category in the past four years.

Charitable giving also comprises a significant part of First Countys operations. The banks foundation, of which Giallongo serves as the president, last year awarded 137 grants worth a total of approximately $663,000.

First County operates 16 branches, including eight in Stamford, three in Norwalk, and one each in Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan and Westport.

The Fairfield location, at 1312 Post Road in the towns central business district, represented the most recent opening, launching in February.

Fairfield is a market weve been wanting to get into for quite a long time, but we were never able to find the ideal location until this opportunity popped up, Giallongo said in an interview earlier this year. We like the town in terms of its demographics and it being contiguous to our existing markets in Westport and Norwalk. We thought it was a logical expansion area for us.

The banks main offices are located at 3001 Summer St., on the edge of downtown Stamford.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschottPoint72 Asset Managements founder and CEO has added another job title as the firms management changes continue.

Steven Cohen has taken over as the Stamford-based hedge funds president, succeeding Doug Haynes, who resigned in March, Hearst Connecticut Media has learned. Cohen, a Greenwich resident, will continue to also serve as CEO and co-chief investment officer.

Steve will remain president for the foreseeable future; hes enjoying serving as president, a company spokesman said. There is no search underway for president.

The president position focuses on executing the firms strategic plan, which is chiefly developed by the CEO.

Steve has been extraordinarily successful in building his firm and making money for his investors, said Bruce McGuire, president of the Connecticut Hedge Fund Association. I have to believe that having a guy with his talents in the president role would be beneficial to the firm.

Haynes, who had held the position since Point72s 2014 founding, left a month after he was named as a defendant in lawsuit filed by Point72 Associate Director Lauren Bonner, who alleges systemic gender discrimination in the firm.

Female employees openly shared the view that as long as Haynes served as president, women will be paid less, the complaint said. Women at times earn 50 cents for every dollar made by their male colleagues, according to the lawsuit.

Point72 officials have denied the complaints allegations and not acknowledged any connection between Haynes resignation and the litigation.

A message left seeking comment from Bonners lawyers for this article was not returned.

Point 72 has moved from a family-office structure into hedge fund management after a two-year federal ban linked to 2013 insider-trading violations at Cohens previous firm, SAC Capital Advisors.

The firm has raised about $4 billion in outside capital this year, bringing its total assets under management to approximately $13 billion. The balance comprises assets belonging to Cohen and his family and a select group of Point72 employees.

The institutional investors are voting with their wallets, and the $4 billion number indicates theyre glad to have Steve back in hedge fund management, McGuire said. It doesnt seem like Doug Haynes leaving has set the firm back.

In a March memo to employees, Cohen said the firms transitional period marked a natural point to make way for a new, different type of leader.

Around the same time as Haynes departure, Cohen hired law firm WilmerHale to conduct an independent assessment and provide advice aimed at improving Point72s policies and procedures.

A few weeks after Hayes left, Mike Butler, the firms HR head since 2014, announced his retirement. He plans to serve as a consultant through the fall.

Bonners lawsuit alleges Butler and Point72 Chief Legal Officer Kevin OConnor told an unnamed female employee during compensation negotiations that she was getting too aggressive and emotional, and that she could take the offer or leave the company.

The firm declined to comment this week on the status of the HR head position.

Bonners lawsuit, meanwhile, faces two possible paths.

Based on an order in July by the federal judge overseeing the case, the American Arbitration Association will rule whether arbitration proceedings  a common framework that uses third-party officials to settle employment disputes out of court  should be implement to hear the complaint or remain in the judicial system.

The timeline for the AAAs decision is undecided. Bonners and Point72s lawyers have to update Judge Analisa Torres every 60 days and notify her no later than seven days after the AAA reaches a decision.

Since Bonner filed her lawsuit, Point72 has sought to move the case to arbitration. They argue her allegations fall under the purview of arbitration provisions in her contract.

Bonners lawyers have responded that her claims are instead covered by the federal Equal Pay Act, New York state labor law, New York state human rights law and New York City human rights law.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschottAn offshore wind development company has its sights set on Bridgeport for a new multimillion-dollar project constructing turbines.

Massachusetts-based Vineyard Wind is one of several companies vying for approval by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in response to its request for clean energy proposals. Pending DEEP approval, the company intends to partner with local companies to develop an offshore 800-megawatt wind-turbine facility that would provide power to the state.

We are excited at the idea of creating more than 1,000 jobs and bringing billions in economic benefits to the state with this proposal, and we are equally thrilled to be working with our partners in Bridgeport, said Erich Stephens, chief development officer for Vineyard Wind in a press release.

Vineyard Wind is a joint venture of Connecticut-based utility Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. In an earlier proposal, Vineyard Wind said it would provide energy at a very attractive fixed price.

The companys proposal includes plans to invest $30 million into the project as part of a partnership with McAllister Towing, which operates the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry, and the recently opened Bridgeport Boatworks shipyard.

The investment would go into improving the sites of both companies to accommodate staging and partial assembly of the turbines that would then be shipped to the facility site, which is to sit 14 miles south of Marthas Vineyard.

Vineyard Wind has another, similar project also slated for the area that is undergoing the permitting process. Energy would be transmitted from the site to the mainland via cables buried up to six feet below the sea floor.

In Bridgeport, along with setting up both waterfront sites, a portion of the investment is expected to go toward business and workforce development grants for companies and residents looking to contribute to the project and branch into the offshore wind-energy industry, Stephens said.

City officials are speaking out in support of the plan. It goes in line with the path that Bridgeport has been taking over the last few years of being the focal point of green energy, said Joe Gresko, the citys director of sustainability, citing the citys work with fuel cells, solar panels and a planned thermal loop as examples.

Its a nice way of rounding out our portfolio of renewable energy, he added.

Several members of Bridgeports legislative delegation have sent a letter to DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee in support of the Vineyard Wind project.

Vineyard Wind has committed, if selected, to partner with two Bridgeport-based companies  to support the development of the harborside facilities of these Connecticut companies for use in constructing the Vineyard Wind Project, the delegation wrote. The partnership of these three companies and the resulting private investment in port infrastructure in Bridgeport will provide immediate job opportunities for Connecticut residents during the construction of the port and the Vineyard Wind project, as well as long-term economic development opportunity for Connecticut.

DEEP is expected to make a decision by the end of the year.

Jordan.grice@hearstmediact.comOktoberfest has a long tradition in Munich, but its just getting started at the Bruce Museum. The Greenwich institution plans to hosts its first such celebration, with beer from Paulaner USA and classic German fare from Harlan Haus.

Paulaner has a long history, crafting beer in Bavaria since the 1600s. Its presence will loom large at Munich, as it will at the museum. The food arrives from the Harlan Restaurant Group, which operates Harlan Social in Stamford, Harlan Publick in Norwalk and Harlan Haus, a beer and wurst hall in the historic Peoples Bank Building in Bridgeport.Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.By Trend





President Ilham Aliyev has said projects Azerbaijan is implementing together with Turkey redraw the energy and transport map of Eurasia.

Addressing a solemn parade celebrating the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku from the Dashnak-Bolshevik occupation, President Ilham Aliyev hailed the Turkish-Azerbaijani energy and transport projects. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum oil and gas pipelines, the inauguration of TANAP this year are historic projects. By implementing joint projects, Azerbaijan and Turkey redraw energy and transport map of Eurasia, the President said.

The head of state referred to the launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway in Baku last October, which was attended by the Turkish leader. This railway is a new transport artery. The volume of goods transported through this railway is increasing and will increase. The importance of our countries is growing, the President added.BRIDGEPORT  Perhaps it is the competition.

The city is now home to six charter schools, a half dozen traditional high schools and a smattering of private school choices.

Maybe its reputation. The Bridge Academy Charter School struggled enough on the states standardized achievement test last year to earn probation, even as it manages a 100 percent college acceptance rate for graduating seniors.

Whatever the reason, one of first state-funded charter schools to open has encountered something for the first time in its 21-year history: unfilled seats.

Licensed to accommodate 280 students in grades seven through twelve, enrollment stands at 266.

We have always been able to just do it, said Tim Dutton, the schools founder and director. Call people from our waiting list and fill the spots. This time we are hustling, putting up fliers and sending applications to everyone we know ... Just trying to get the word out best we can.

The school has until Oct. 1 to fill the vacancies before losing $11,250 for each empty seat.

A cut of up to $157,500 from the schools $3.15 million budget would probably mean cutting classroom interventionists and administrative salaries, Dutton said.

John Rodriguez, chair of the Bridges Board of Director, said the schools somewhat lax outreach efforts may be partially to blame.

Until this year, the school didnt even have a Facebook page.

So we have been behind the times, Rodriguez said. Our focus was on making sure kids graduate.

Going forward, he said, all that changes.

Dutton, who was a teacher at Harding High School before he left in 1997 to start Bridge, said the drop off has not been at any one particular grade so he is not sure the brand new Harding on the East End can be blamed. The Bridge is in an aging brick building that once held a parochial school.

When the school started it was on the top floor of a former factory building on Boston Avenue. It was the first charter school in the city. There was no Bridgeport Military Academy or Fairchild Wheeler high schools. No Achievement First, Park City Prep, Great Oaks or Capital Prep Harbor charter schools.

Twenty years ago we were the choice, said Dutton.

The Bridge doesnt have longer days or years. It is not super intensive. It is just small. It also has a special education population  around 18 percent  that is comparable to the city school district.

The school marketed itself as the small school that focused on getting to know its students and getting them into college

It still does.

That is why Veneticia Foster, 16 and a senior, said she came to Bridge as a seventh grader.

I wanted a high school that was not so many kids, said Foster. Central, where she otherwise would have gone, was so big, she added.

Her only complaint all these years has been transportation. A couple of years ago, the city school district switched from school buses to city bus passes for high schools like Bridge.

That became a drawback for a number of families who didnt feel comfortable putting their kids on city buses, Dutton said.

Dutton said it has also not been uncommon for students to leave when their grades slip, thinking the school is too hard.

Christine Menard, 17, left in her junior year for Bassick High School over grades.

It was good life experience, Menard now says. It taught me something about myself.

At Bridge, Menard was used to knowing where her grade point average stood all the time. At Bassick she was never sure. By the end of the year, she said teachers were still learning her name. Half the kids didnt come to school. Those that were there, werent all doing the work.

It was so big, Menard said of Bassick, the citys smallest comprehensive high school.

She said she is happy to be back to her single hallway school.

Deborah Davidson, 17, a senior came to Bridge as a seventh grade, left in her freshman year to attend Bridgeport Military Academy  she wants to go into the marines upon graduation  but has also since returned to Bridge.

Returning, she said, was like coming home.

Dutton said recruitment in Bridgeport is not easy. Unlike New Haven, where there is a single lottery system for schools of choice, it is every school for themselves in Bridgeport.

As for the schools probation, Dutton said student performance has improved. If anything, he said, some students complain the school is too hard.

Going forward, Dutton said the school wont turn away new students after the Oct. 1 cut off as they used to. They will fill the seats, even without additional state support, in hopes of keeping those students in the following year.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeckWhat country has the largest interstate highway system in the world? Hint: Its not the United States.

What country has the most miles of high-speed rail? Hint: Its not France or Japan.

The answer to both questions is: China.

Chinas superhighways, most of them built since 1984, now cover almost twice as many miles as the U.S. interstates. On the rail side, Chinas 15,000 miles of high-speed rail represents nearly two-thirds of all such rail in the world.

Chinas fast trains travel up to 217 mph, linking Beijing to Shanghai (the distance of New York to Chicago) in a five-hour run. Trains each carrying 1,000 passengers depart at 10- to 15-minute intervals. Compare that to Amtraks Acela, running once an hour, carrying 300 passengers at an average of 70 mph.

Sure, China is big. Though measured in square miles, the U.S. is slightly larger. But with a population of 1.34 billion, China is huge compared to the 325 million American residents. That means China has a lot more people to move, and theyre investing accordingly.

China spends more than $300 billion annually on transportation. Compare that to the U.S. Department of Transportations $80 billion annual spending on highways, rail and air transport. No wonder we feel like were living in a third-world country with crumbling roads and obsolete railroads.

But more importantly, China is also investing abroad. Chinese money is being invested in 68 countries to build highways, ports and railroads to take its exports to market on what it sees as a 21st century Silk Road.

Chinaa Belt & Road Initiative has pledged $8 trillion for projects in under-developed countries where it will be able to conduct trade. These destinations account for 70 percent of the worlds population, 55 percent of its GNP, and 75 percent of its energy reserves.

There is already a rail link from China to Europe with daily trains exporting electronics and manufactured goods. After unloading, those trains return to China filled with food. A trip that can take a month by sea now links 35 Chinese cities with several in Europe in just 15 days by rail.

On the high seas, China is also expanding its reach, building a modern fleet of vessels and investing heavily in port operations in Europe and South America. Containers filled with cellphones sail out from Chinese ports and much-needed oil is returned. And where Chinese merchant vessels go, so too will its Navy. While the U.S. fancies itself as policeman to the world, theres no way we can keep up.

The U.S. merchant marine has only 175 American-owned vessels flying our flag while 800 others are registered abroad. The Chinese government-owned COSCO shipping conglomerate owns 1,114 vessels, the fourth-largest fleet in the world. And thats just one company.

President Donald Trump seems headed to an all-out trade war with China, matching them tariff for tariff and tweeting regularly about how unfair the Beijing government has been to us.

Meanwhile, Washington cant even pass a domestic infrastructure spending bill to patch our decrepit roads and rails. To my thinking, were not only getting outspent by China, but clearly out-smarted. Transportation is about trade and China is planning for the future while we wallow in the past.

Jim Cameron is a longtime commuter advocate based in Fairfield County. Contact him at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.comNEW HAVEN  A member of the Goodrich Street Boys, a violent drug gang, admitted he sold drugs and was involved in two city shootings, including walking up to a man who was on the ground and shooting him in the head.

Milton Reese Westley, 20, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate federal racketeering laws during his appearance before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford Monday morning.

He remains in custody.

The charge carries a maximum 20-year prison term. His sentencing date has not been set.

Westley was arrested Aug. 9, 2017, as part of a federal round-up of six members of the Goodrich Street Boys. The suspects were charged in a 13-count federal grand jury indictment listing racketeering, attempted murder, narcotics trafficking and firearm offenses.

The indictment alleges that, between September 2015 and May 2016, the gang members and associates were involved in six gang-related shootings that caused injuries to five individuals.

Westley admitted being involved in two shootings, officials said: on Jan. 23, 2016, one in which Goodrich Street Boys members believed an individual had disrespected them over social media, so gang members fired numerous shots into the individuals New Haven home. Westley filmed himself at the scene while shots were being fired and sent the video to fellow gang members.

More News Feds: 6 alleged members of gang in New Haven indicted

In the second incident, on May 27, 2016, near the Sperry Street and Whalley Avenue intersection, prosecutors said, Westley shot an individual from a distance and then walked up to the downed man and shot him in the head. The victim survived.

Prosecutors said the New Haven Police Departments Shooting Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been investigating about 40 unsolved shootings in New Haven and Hamden. Ballistics show that three firearms were used in 18 shootings committed in or around New Haven in 2016.

Investigators said the firearms were possessed by members and associates of the Goodrich Street Boys who they believe were involved in a number of shootings in 2016, many of them retaliatory against rival gang members.

U.S. Attorney John Bull Durham said the gang prosecution is a part of the Justice Departments Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Longevity.

Project Safe Neighborhoods brings together law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime; Project Longevity is designed to reduce gun violence in Connecticuts major cities through engaging with members of groups that are prone to commit violence, delivering a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about consequences, and an offer to help those who want job training, substance abuse assistance and other assistance.By Trend





Following a solemn parade to mark the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in front of the Maiden Tower.

The heads of state signed the single-valued memorial block and first day cover themed The 100th Anniversary of Caucasian Islamic Army`s Entry to Baku, which commemorated the saint martyrs who fell to the ground for the liberation of Azerbaijan.

Then, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani first lady Mehriban Aliyeva posed for photographs together with parade participants in front of the Maiden Tower.

Residents and guests of Baku welcomed President Ilham Aliyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with great enthusiasm.

Photos were taken.

The heads of state then walked along Baku Boulevard.







GREENWICH  After a day of campaigning throughout Fairfield County, Ned Lamont returned to the place his political career started more than four decades ago to face the voters of his hometown.

In 2006 when I stood up against something I thought was wrong, the war in Iraq, you were there for me, Lamont said, referencing his primary win over former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Lamont was among the guests of honor at the annual picnic hosted by the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. DTC Chairman Tony Turner said attendance at the picnic was an all time high. Well over 300 people attended the event, which drew Democrats, unaffiliated voters and even four Republicans, Turner said.

Even with hundreds of people in the room, those four Republicans clearly drew the focus of the speakers, who included all of the statewide Democratic candidates.

If weve persuaded you, (Secretary of State) Denise (Merrill) would be happy to help you change your ballot, joked Susan Bysiewicz, the democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.

And while much of the conversation from U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, Rep. Jim Himes and the Democratic candidates for statewide office focused on Washington, D.C.  they bashed the Trump administration and opined on the state of democracy in the state and across the country  they all used their time at the podium to speak directly to the local candidates for the state Legislature.

Alex Bergstein, Stephen Meskers and Laura Kostin  you are the key to turning out voters, Blumenthal said. Of course you can win. Especially this year.

Bergstein is running for the state senate, while Meskers and Kostin are vying for seats in the state house.

We need you, Blumenthal said, reminding attendees the he as well as many of his colleagues started their political careers in the state legislature. You go door to door and theres nothing like a face-to-face conversation with a voter.

Murphy, who was the first of the Connecticut delegation to speak and is up for re-election, said democracy is at stake in November.

Right now, democracy itself is on the ballot, he said. I say that because this president is poking and prodding at all of these democratic moments. Hes revving up his base, and Democrats are taking it for granted. He will start making good on all of the threats that have been just threats ... and all of the sudden democracy starts to slip away. Democracy is not an easy thing to hold on to.

Merrill, who is running for a third term, said more than 275,000 people have registered to vote since the November 2016 election, adding that many of them are between 19 and 24 years old.

Like many of you, I was surprised and devastated by the 2016 election, Merrill said. I do not think it is too strong to say our democracy is in peril. In Connecticut this year, the good news is, we have a record number of voters registering.

State Democratic party chairman Nick Balletto said he was stunned by the turnout at campaign events throughout Fairfield County Sunday, especially the Greenwich picnic.

That wasnt done by us, Balletto said. That was done by all of the activists who decided to come out after that terrible November election two years ago. Everybody here is working so hard.

Republicans will descend on Greenwich next weekend, as the Greenwich RTC hosts its annual clambake.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasseltBy Trend





Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue is "sine qua non" for mending relations with Armenia.

Speaking at an event to mark the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku by the Caucasian Islamic Army, Erdogan recalled the 1992 Khojaly massacre that killed hundreds of Azerbaijani citizens.

"Those who cannot explain what happened in Khojaly 26 years ago, the massacre in the Nagorno-Karabakh, and declare the killers heroes, should not give Turkey any kind of history lesson," Erdogan said, referring to Armenia.

Erdogan also added that "those who occupy 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands and prevent over 1 million Azerbaijanis to return to their land should not expect Turkey to open its borders".

Erdogan said Caucasian Islamic Army protected the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in 1918 and laid the foundation to Azerbaijan's independence in 1991.

"Since the early periods of Azerbaijan's independence, Turkey supported the brother country in every way and we will continue to do so," he said.

The Turkish president also highlighted that there are lots of projects to be realized in near future, including Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) projects.

"Turkey is one of the biggest investor countries in Azerbaijan, hopefully Azerbaijan will become too in Turkey soon," Erdogan said.According to the Kremlin, Britons are being whipped up into a ferment of Russophobia.

Specifically, Moscow claims that the main reason for Theresa Mays dogged pursuit of the men who tried to murder the Russian defector Sergei Skripal in Salisbury is that the PM, too, is whipping up Russophobia to distract the public from the incompetence of her own government.

Let me reassure the Kremlin: the risk of the British becoming demented with fear of Russia  which is what Russophobia literally means  diminishes by the day.

For it is increasingly clear that the attempted assassination of Mr Skripal (a British subject) and his daughter Yulia with the nerve agent Novichok has been a litany of ineptitude and bungling from first to last.

It is humour that the British are now turning on Moscow, following the claims of the men, known as Alexander Petrov (right) and Ruslan Boshirov (left), that they had gone to Salisbury in order to gaze at its cathedrals world-famous 123-metre spire

But it is only with last weeks accidentally comic interview on RT (formerly Russia Today) with the two suspects that it is finally dawning on even the slowest learners: it is the British government  at least as manifested in its security services  which knows what it is doing, and the Russian military intelligence operation which is careless and incompetent to the point of farce.

And it is humour  the deadliest of all weapons in a propaganda war  that the British are now turning on Moscow, following the claims of the men, known as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, that they had gone to Salisbury on two successive days (having flown direct from Moscow and then immediately returned) purely in order to gaze at its cathedrals world-famous 123-metre spire.

Comedy

Some created memes lampooning their Salisbury story as the suspects' tourist defence was widely dismissed as rubbish

Of which these supposed fans of the perpendicular Gothic style can show no personal photos (perhaps because the CCTV footage showed them walking from the citys station in precisely the opposite direction towards Sergei Skripals home, which has no spire at all).

Or as one British Twitter account noted: Im just saying I wouldnt be uninterested in a feature-length comedy about two cathedral-loving Russian gays whose dream holiday to Salisbury via Bow turns into a nightmare when theyre accused of carrying out a deadly nerve agent attack.

There are plenty more where that came from.

Some argue that the way this has descended into humour plays into the Kremlins hands by turning attempted state murder into a mere joke.

We should certainly not forget that a British woman, Dawn Sturgess, suffered a horrible death when she sprayed herself with the Novichok which the would-be assassins had contained in a fake Nina Ricci scent bottle and (astonishingly) discarded in a Salisbury park.

But these men  as is becoming increasingly clear  are agents of the GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency whose emblem is a scary-looking pair of giant bat wings encircling a globe.

It is a terrific blow to the mystique of such an organisation that its trained killers should become subjects of ridicule across the world.

We should certainly not forget that a British woman, Dawn Sturgess (pictured), suffered a horrible death when she sprayed herself with the Novichok which the would-be assassins had contained in a fake Nina Ricci scent bottle and (astonishingly) discarded in a Salisbury park

Ah, say others, but their interview last week  licensed by President Putin  was designed to appeal not to an international audience but the Russian people.

In which case, why did they give their interview, dubbed in English, to RT, which like the BBCs World Service is a news channel specifically directed at an international, not a domestic audience?

I felt almost sorry for the editor-in-chief of RT, Margarita Simonyan, who was called upon to interview the musclebound pair of thugs masquerading as connoisseurs of English mediaeval church architecture.

Even she could barely hide her incredulity, and after the interview said that although the men had agreed to send her images of their visit to the cathedral, Im still waiting.

As one British Twitter account noted: Im just saying I wouldnt be uninterested in a feature-length comedy about two cathedral-loving Russian gays whose dream holiday to Salisbury via Bow turns into a nightmare when theyre accused of carrying out a deadly nerve agent attack

For some reason, she forgot to ask them about the Novichok trace found in their London hotel room. In fact, the broadcast was a disaster for RT, given that its purpose (not least over the Skripal affair) was to persuade its viewers to question the credibility of Western governments rather than the Kremlin.

An analysis led by the University of Manchesters Reframing Russia project showed a dramatic change in the make-up of online comments on the RT website following last weeks events.

On one earlier RT video about the affair, 73 per cent of comments posted suggested the whole business was some sort of western conspiracy, with claims such as it is more likely the CIA poisoned the Skripals to place blame on Russia.

Idiots

Almost half the comments were critical of Britain and its allies  and a mere four comments were critical of Russia, Putin or RTs own claims. And on another RT video about the Salisbury poisoning, 95 per cent of the comments were critical of Britain.

But last weeks sensational interview with the supposed art-lovers Petrov and Boshirov marked an abrupt change. As the Reframing Russia team noted: The top 100 liked comments included many from viewers who felt the suspects stories were implausible  You dont say!  and just 16 per cent of the comments were critical of Britain.

One example suffices: Until today I perceived the Skripal story as Britains provocation. But once I saw these two idiots, my view has been shaken.

In other words, RT viewers in their droves were suddenly realising they were being taken for fools. And if it is domestic viewers that Putin is most concerned with, theyre running away from the Kremlin line, too.

As the Moscow-based Levada polling group revealed, since March there has been a 15 per cent swing away from the heavily state-controlled TV and radio towards independent providers (such as on social media), when the Russian people are asked where they turn to find out what is going on.

Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov on Fisherton Road, Salisbury at 13:05hrs on March 4

But dont think it had all been going the Kremlins way up until now. Most obviously, so obvious it is rarely pointed out, the Salisbury operation was a failure. Sergei and Yulia Skripal survived the attack and live to tell the tale.

Also, and clearly unexpected by the Kremlin, the rest of the Western world  including the supposed admirer of Putin, Donald Trump  rallied round the UK and hundreds of Russian diplomats were kicked out.

Now Washington, persuaded that Moscow has broken the Chemical Weapons Convention, is about to launch a further set of sanctions, damaging the already fragile Russian economy.

Pygmy

This is the one big thing to bear in mind: Russia may loom large in physical terms but it is a relative economic pygmy. Its economy is smaller than Italys on at least one internationally accepted measure, and less than half the size of the UKs.

Last year, the Carnegie Moscow Center reported, devastatingly: A substantial part of Russias production capacity is both technologically and functionally obsolete . . . and forecast this would lead the country to economic collapse.

This hopelessness was hilariously manifested last month with the release by the Russian weapons company Kalashnikov of a military robot, dubbed Igorek (little Igor).

But Igorek was not so little: it was 13ft tall and weighed in at 4.5 tonnes. And it remained, on its debut display, totally immobile.

Last week, it emerged that the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft docked at the International Space Station had been losing oxygen (to the great risk of crew members) . . . because it had a hole in it.

Amazingly, Moscow had instructed the Russian crew members to fill the hole with a cloth covered with epoxy. We should see the unfolding Skripal affair in the context of what happened on the Soyuz MS-09 and Igoreks launch.

This vast and proud nation is infested by idiocy at the top  an idiocy which licenses gangsterism as crude and inefficient as a spacecraft with a hole filled in with glue, or a robot that cant move.

All this is, of course, a rich subject for humour. The Kremlin-paid media and its embassy in London have been pretty good at poking fun at the British over the Skripal business.

But this satire war is turning in our favour. And if theres one thing that Putin cant abide, its being laughed at.

Prepare for some toxic fall-out  but in Moscow, not Salisbury.With a big, brave breath Jo Swinson MP  who had earlier told us about her infant son's 'up-the-back poo explosion' nappy problems  hollered that 'the Liberal Democrats have always been optimistic and we are the party of the future!' A sprinkling of geriatric applause.

In front of me a bearded gent, whose plastic bags and papers had been strewn over the floor, pulled himself upright and wheezed, 'Yess!'. Until this moment he had been leaning at an angle of almost 45 degrees, cupping one ear, the better to catch Miss Swinson's tintinnabulations.

'We were too nice,' sighed Miss Swansong. She was not the only one who would come out with this theory about why the Lib Dems  some of whom were swooshing around in ministerial limousines three years ago  are now in seemingly terminal decline. They had been too 'nice' to the Conservatives when they were in Coalition. Ha! Other parties will assure you no one fights dirtier in elections than the yellow peril.

They had been too 'nice' to the Conservatives when they were in Coalition. Ha! Other parties will assure you no one fights dirtier in elections than the yellow peril

Here in Brighton there is a palpable whiff not of ripe nappies (thank goodness) but of autumnal rot. It is as if they know their political days are shortening and the mulberries are furring on the tree. A shiver at dusk. Time to click one bar of the electric fire.

One delegate demanded a special conference in a month to discuss a new movement that might replace this blunted party. Action was needed instantly or all would be lost for good.

If they're gloomy, you can see why: Down to 7 per cent in the opinion polls, almost inaudible in the Commons and on the airwaves, and Brexit hoving into view on the starboard side. The approved formula here is still to say, 'IF Brexit happens', but they struggle to freight the conditional with much self-belief. 'Brexit can be stopped,' claimed Miss Swinson. Perhaps three people gave ragged cheers.

At some point the ghastly, dog-in-a-manger British establishment, across politics and business, is going to have to embrace Brexit's change. The longer they leave it, the more acidic they will find the process.

The day opened with Sir Vince Cable saying, in his hired-grief undertaker's way, that it is 'improbable' he will still be leading the party in 2022. Times are 'uncertain', said Sir Vince.

Jo Swinson attended Parliament with her baby boy Gabriel, who was born on June 29

'Are we too nice?' he asked, taking up Miss Swinson's theme. 'It's a temperamental failure we all have as a party.'

Having said that, he promptly lashed out at Jacob Rees-Mogg for 'crude gutter politics' and 'looking for scapegoats and simple answers to complicated problems'.

Alleged niceness does not preclude crude misrepresentation of perhaps the politest backbencher in parliamentary history. The new Lib Dem slogan, 'Demand better', is written all over the back wall. A few activists  if we can really call these decrepit wafflers active  duly demanded better of their parliamentarians.

In a debate on immigration, a Guildford delegate tore into 'the hypocrisy of Ed Davey' who had 'spent five years' voting for Theresa May's 'hostile environment' immigration checks, but now opposed them.

'Sir' Ed Davey, please. The MP is one of those busy-gaited, puff-chested Lib Dems who did well out of the Coalition years. Same with the party's numerous peers, who were washed into the Lords and are still there, long after the electoral high water, like marine fossils you can find on the flanks of the Malvern Hills.

A large part of Sir Vince's afternoon Q&A session was devoted to the party's future  if it has one.

Sir Vince referred to Monty Python's Life Of Brian and its warring factions among Judean separatists, and said the Lib Dems should consider more co-operation with the Greens, Left-wing Tories and Blairites.

He spoke of 'the narcissism of small differences' that can split broadly like-minded souls.

But then someone suggested that the party could end up being led by Chuka Umunna. 'No!!!!', quavered a chorus of hobbling ancients.The idea that a firm as prestigious and influential as Unilever, with a British heritage dating back to its foundation at Port Sunlight on the Wirral in the late 19th century, should be proposing to leave these shores is a terrible shock.

Unilever is as British as Marmite  one of its big-name products  and 60 per cent of its annual sales of 54billion originate from the UK.

The prospect of the giant moving out of the City became a reality last week when a 200-page prospectus, filled with complex technical detail and legalese, was delivered to investors who will vote on the issue at the end of next month.

Unilever is as British as Marmite  one of its big-name products  and 60 per cent of its annual sales of 54billion originate from the UK

If the Anglo-Dutch behemoth were to leave this country, it would have to quit the FTSE 100 index and, as a result, many of the big pension funds and insurers that look after the retirement funds of every pensioner and future retiree in Britain would be precluded from owning shares in one of our best-managed and most ethical and environmentally-conscious companies.

The rules of many UK pension funds require that they only invest in UK-quoted companies for reasons of prudence, accountability and governance.

Not surprisingly, one of the countrys biggest investors, the insurer Aviva, is rightly crying foul over the idea of Unilevers move  arguing that the firm would no longer be a British company.

Avivas chief investment officer, David Cumming, told the Financial Times: We are not supportive and will vote against it. It doesnt add any value for us and we lose quite a large company from the index. We dont see any justification for the move.

The prospect of the giant moving out of the City became a reality last week when a 200-page prospectus, filled with complex technical detail and legalese, was delivered to investors who will vote on the issue at the end of next month

The reason Unilever wants to rebase in the Netherlands is founded on its bruising experience last year when it was subject of a 110billion takeover bid, which ultimately failed.

In what would have been the second largest corporate deal in history, US giant Kraft Heinz (backed by private equity firms and the support one of the worlds richest men, Warren Buffett) launched an unsolicited bid for the maker of countless household names such as Dove soap and Hellmanns mayonnaise.

Unilevers Dutch chief executive, Paul Polman, a staunch advocate of ethical capitalism, fought off the bid and vowed to protect Unilevers golden heritage from predators.

To try to guarantee this and prevent any future raids, it was felt that the firms Anglo-Dutch structure, with share quotations, boards and headquarters in both Britain and Holland, should be simplified. This, management feels, is best achieved by a switch to Rotterdam.

If the Anglo-Dutch behemoth were to leave this country, it would have to quit the FTSE 100 index and, as a result, many of the big pension funds and insurers that look after the retirement funds of every pensioner and future retiree in Britain would be precluded from owning shares in one of our best-managed and most ethical and environmentally-conscious companies

The intention is that Unilever will follow Royal Dutch Shell and the publishing and media colossus Reed Elsevier (now renamed Relx) which both separately decided to unify their shares under one umbrella while keeping share quotations in London as part of the FTSE 100 index.

But Unilever wants to go one step further by coming out of the FTSE 100, claiming that it has more major Dutch than British investors. The truth is that the British Establishments reaction has been pathetic.

It has shown monumental weakness and done nothing to ensure that Unilever stays here, while the Dutch government has done all in its power to encourage the move.

A juicy carrot offered to Unilever chiefs by the Netherlands is the abolition of a measure that forces companies to pay the tax on dividends distributed to shareholders upfront. This brings the Dutch system into line with the UK, which did the same several years ago as part of a successful effort to simplify our tax structure and make Britain the most attractive location for inward investment from overseas in Europe.

Prince Harry with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) and Paul Polman (left), CEO of Unilever backstage at the Atlantic Council's Annual Awards Dinner Honoring HRH Prince Harry at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC

This tax change may have been the decisive factor for a Dutch-dominated board of directors. But there can be no doubt that their planned move to Rotterdam has been influenced by the Governments woeful recent record at defending British companies against foreign predators.

Its a tragic truth that Britain has been allowed to become the most open market in the world to overseas takeovers  often with disastrous consequences for our national interests.

For example, the 11.5billion takeover of Cadbury by Kraft led to the chocolate giants headquarters closing, its tax domicile switching from Britain to low-tax Switzerland and the unpopular meddling with the size, ingredients and taste of emblematic brands, including the Creme Egg.

Other leading British brands have also been sold off, such as Costa Coffee being taken over by Coca-Cola, a company that has been heavily criticised for tax avoidance.

By contrast, the Dutch authorities are much more protective against foreign takeovers.

Last year, the chemical and paint giant Akzo Nobel (the owner of Britains Dulux brand) defended itself against a hostile bid by garnering the support of works councils, which have a key role in such takeover talks, as well as using provisions in Dutch competition law. Indeed, there is a clear view among analysts and some shareholders that the real purpose of Unilevers proposal to move its domicile is to give itself maximum protection from any future bids for the group or attempts to force it to demerge any of its major brands.

Aside from any other considerations, I am convinced that the decision to migrate from Britain makes no commercial sense.

The fastest growing part of Unilevers diverse business involves beauty brands such as Dove and household products including Persil. There seems to be an insatiable demand for them from emerging economies in Asia and Latin America. The brains behind these best-sellers would remain in the UK because they are expected to make up 75 per cent of global sales, while the teams behind Unilevers ice cream range Ben & Jerrys and lesser products such as Lipton tea will be working in Holland.

Whatever the management thinks, the major restructuring decision to separate the share quotation base and domicile from the home of the companys main business is irrational.

Inevitably, too, there are bound to be profound concerns that the Treasury could lose millions of pounds of corporate taxes from Unilever as a result of a switch to Rotterdam.

Significantly, Holland has a reputation as a home for tax avoidance, with laws that offer a shield from taxation on profits.

Such enticements have lured firms including Starbucks, Google and IBM to set up offices, while the Rolling Stones and U2, too, have taken advantage of Dutch tax shelters.

Of course, there has been a widespread suspicion that Unilevers break from the FTSE 100 is being done as a protective measure in case trading conditions suffer as a result of Brexit.

However, my conversations with Unilever executives do not lead me to think this is a major issue, although it may be preying on the minds of Dutch shareholders and bosses driving the process.

Even so, I am utterly convinced that if Unilever leaves Britain, the company will do itself great damage.

Its shares would be less attractive to both overseas and British investors who value Anglo-Saxon capitalism, the weight of financial expertise in Britain and access to the strongest capital markets in Europe.

With Britains national interest at stake, is it beyond hope that the Government might finally wake up to the huge potential cost to this countrys economy of what would be a calamitous decision for a company as important as Unilever to move its HQ abroad?For those who are fed up of the 9-5 grind, there are a number of weird and wonderful professions on offer that pay just as well - if not better - than a traditional desk job.

Whether it's a lively role like 'mermaiding' or something as simple as sleeping, there truly is a career out there for all Australians - no matter their expertise.

Here FEMAIL looks at some of the weirdest jobs in the country - from professional avocado testers to those paid a tidy sum to 'cuddle', 'mourn' and even date strangers.

For those who are fed up of the 9-5 grind, there are a number of weird and wonderful professions on offer that pay just as well - if not better - than a traditional desk job

Professional Cuddler

Mother-of-three Jessica O'Neill has revealed why she turned the act of embracing people into a lucrative career.

The 34-year-old, from the Gold Coast, runs her own cuddle therapy business where she charges strangers $80 for an hour of hugs.

Her clients, aged between 18 and 85, range from married to unmarried men and women, people with a disability, or are mentally ill or just lonely.

And despite snuggling up close to her clients every day, the cuddle therapist explained how her sessions are strictly non-sexual.

'If sexual energy arises - which I occasionally does - I talk them through it. I tell my clients to let it flow throughout the body so it disperses naturally, and not to suppress or localise it,' she told The Courier Mail.

She said her clients have always been respectful of their cuddle space - and no one has ever tried to do anything that would put her in an uncomfortable position.

After completing an online diploma, she teamed up with her partner Jason to open up their business The Connection Cure on the Gold Coast in March this year.

Mother-of-three Jessica O'Neill has revealed why she turned the act of embracing people into a lucrative career

Hired Avocado Taste Tester

In 2017 the country's first all-avocado pop-up cafe, opened up in Sydney that offered 22 delicious dishes that went above and beyond your daily toast.

Good Fat sold burgers, ice cream and fries made out of the green vegetable and even hired a taste tester to approve of each dish before it made it to the venue.

All meals were tested by Sach Trikha, who won the job a million millennials would supposedly 'give up a house for'.

Sach, 25, was chosen by Good Fat to be the Surry Hills restaurant's 'Head of Avo Control' after proving she was a true avocado aficionado.

The job required Sach - who eats at least one avocado, if not more a day - to taste test the entire menu, which she told Daily Mail Australia 'exceeded expectations'.

Sach also had to make sure the produce was 'spick and span', ensuring that each avocado used was perfectly ripe.

Good Fat sold burgers, ice cream and fries made out of the green vegetable and even hired a taste tester to approve of each dish before it made it to the venue

All meals were tested by Sach Trikha, who won the job a million millennials would supposedly give up a house for

Professional Mermaid

A woman in Perth has the job that all of us once dreamed of - she is a professional mermaid.

Inspired by The Little Mermaid when she was five, Katrin Gray, 32, knew that one day she wanted to be one and little did she know her dream would come true.

'One of the things I enjoy the most is underwater stunt work, especially when there are big sea creatures next to me, such as big manta rays, sharks and dolphins,' she previously told Daily Mail Australia.

'I was crazy enough to be the only person in the world so far to swim with hammerhead sharks and tiger sharks while wearing a mermaid tail.'

Inspired by The Little Mermaid when she was five, Katrin Gray, 32, knew that one day she wanted to be one and little did she know her dream would come true

'One of the things I enjoy the most is underwater stunt work, especially when there are big sea creatures next to me, such as big manta rays, sharks and dolphins,' she previously told Daily Mail Australia

After becoming a scuba instructor and learning how to free dive, she built her first mermaid tail out of neoprene and latex and Mermaid Kat was born.

She has been lucky enough to travel to some beautiful parts of the world for work such as Egypt, the Red Sea and the Bahamas and has been in a photo shoot on a Japanese ship that sunk in the Second World War.

'I knew I didn't want to be a mermaid just for fun, I wanted to work as one and within the first month I had bookings for multiple parties and events,' she said.

While it's not known how much she earns, professional mermaids earn as much as $130,000 per year, depending on their experience.

After becoming a scuba instructor and learning how to free dive, she built her first mermaid tail out of neoprene and latex and Mermaid Kat was born

Paid Dater

Josephine*, a 'Sugar Baby', was 19 when she discovered a website which charges men a subscription fee to bid for dates with women.

She revealed that that she would receive up to $100 per hour to accompany wealthy men on lavish dates and insisted her role as a paid dater was different to 'escorting'.

'I was always upfront with my dates about my "no-sex rule" if they asked. Sometimes they'd cancel, but it didn't matter, there were plenty more who wanted to pay for my company alone,' she told Mamamia.

Josephine was living overseas at the time and was struggling to make ends meet when she met a woman who had discovered a quick way to make money to fund her 'nights out, designer wardrobe, and lavish holidays'.

The idea appealed to her so she set up a profile and watched as the 'requests rolled in'.

She went on 13 dates in total with mostly older businessmen' who didn't expect to have sex, instead showering her with expensive gifts.

Josephine*, a 'Sugar Baby', was 19 when she discovered a website which charges men a subscription fee to bid for dates with women (stock image)

Chief Canine Cuddler and Puppy Party Planner

Previously a doggy daycare centre, Dog City Daycare in Adelaide, advertised for a senior pack leader role - a Monday to Friday position that involved playing with dogs.

'They have to make sure each client has a really positive experience and they leave better for having interacted with us,' director Daniel Spooner told Today Tonight.

As well as dog sitting services, pampered pooches at the Adelaide-based doggy daycare can also celebrate their birthdays.

A designated member of staff handles all puppy party planning duties and is on-hand during the event to make sure things go to according to plan.

As to be expected, party hats and floral leis and birthday cakes are all part of the fun.

Previously a doggy daycare centre, Dog City Daycare in Adelaide, advertised for a senior pack leader role - a Monday to Friday position that involved playing with dogs

Professional Armpit Smeller

Although most people would want to avoid smelling someone's armpits, according to Body + Soul there are people are signing up to be professional armpit smellers.

People are being hired by fragrance and cosmetics companies to test the effectiveness of their perfumes and deodorants.

This requires employees smelling the armpit of those who have just been working out on a treadmill for an hour.

The salary works out to be $71,000 a year, which is a lot more lucrative than other jobs out there.

Although most people would want to avoid smelling someone's armpits, there are people are signing up to be professional armpit smellers

Professional Dog Surfing Instructor

Owner of SUP Dog Oz, Chris de Aboitiz, told Body and Soul previously that he had been training dogs to surf 'unofficially' since 2006 before launching his business.

He eventually ended up with a number of clients and at one stage found himself training 40 dogs and their owners in a park by the beach.

'It is great to see people stay fit and healthy and having fun with their dog mates. My dogs, the dogs I meet and work with are my constant teachers,' he said.

'I love to teach and watch people learn how to give their dog leadership, exercise, structure and be confident to know when and how to reward good dog behaviour.'I

In addition to his in-person sessions he also sells training videos online for $29.95.

Owner of SUP Dog Oz, Chris de Aboitiz, told Body and Soul previously that he had been training dogs to surf 'unofficially' since 2006 before launching his business

He eventually ended up with a number of clients and at one stage found himself training 40 dogs and their owners in a park by the beach

Paid Sleeper

For many people it can be difficult to get out of bed in the morning once the alarm bell rings but there is one job that requires people to stay in bed for days on end.

NASA has been known to hire volunteers to sleep for 70 days in a row so scientists can study the effect of different air pressures on the human body.

For simply sleeping, people are paid $22,000.

This study allows scientists to see how the human body adapts to weightlessness and participants must live, eat, and even shower in the same position.

For many people it can be difficult to get out of bed in the morning once the alarm bell rings but there is one job that requires people to stay in bed for days on end

Rent a Mourner

When people are organising a funeral for a loved one, one fear is that less than the ideal amount of people will turn up.

This is where companies like Rent a Mourner in Essex, recruit mourners to attend funerals where there is expected to be a low turnout.

People are paid $80 a day and all that is required of them is making small talk and feigning sadness at the loss of a stranger.

They also have to get to know the background of the person who has died so they're able to develop a backstory about how they supposedly met them.

'Because so many different kinds of people die, I need to take on a number of different characters,' a mourner told Cracked.

'One time, I needed to learn some archery, because I was supposed to arrive as a deceased archery teacher's former protege - and there was a chance I'd actually have to fire off arrows.'

*Name has been changedA pair of professional dancers treated their wedding guests to an incredible dance floor routine on their big day.

Janelle Ginestra, 29, and William Adams, 30, tied the knot earlier this month in Huntington Beach, California.

During their wedding reception, the bride and groom, who met in October 2009 at a dance rehearsal, showed off their impressive moves during a phenomenal, eight-minute dance number caught on video.

Scroll down for video

Performance: Janelle Ginestra, 29, and William Adams, 30, tied the knot earlier this month in Huntington Beach, California, and treated their guests to a phenomenal dance number

Talent: During their wedding reception, the bride and groom, who met in October 2009 at a dance rehearsal, showed off their impressive moves during an eight-minute dance number

Style: Janelle, who wore a romantic, off-the-shoulder white slit gown for the ceremony, changed into a radically different outfit before taking the dance floor

Janelle, who wore a romantic, off-the-shoulder white slit gown for the ceremony, changed into a radically different outfit before taking the dance floor.

She did so in a white top wrapped around her chest, paired with high-waist matching flare pants.

While she wore her hair down and pulled onto her left shoulder as she and Will exchanged their vows, Janelle kept her locks pulled into a high ponytail before the performance.

Will, meanwhile, wore a black button-down shirt, matching pants, and a white blazer during the ceremony.

He changed into a different pair of pants for the ceremony, donning a more casual model with loose suspenders, and traded his blazer for a denim jacket.

Janelle and Will's choreography retraced the story of their romance and was both humorous and sexy.

Fashion: The bride danced in a white top wrapped around her chest, paired with high-waist flare pants. Her groom went for a denim jacket worn on top of black pants and a matching shirt

Team: Janelle also danced with her bridesmaids to Aretha Franklin's Respect

Expressive: The routine was both humorous and sexy and chronicled both happy and difficult times in the relationship

Talent: Janelle and Will seemed delighted to show off their moves in front of their guests

They included a wide variety of songs in their medley, including Britney Spears' Crazy and Nicki Minaj's Anaconda.

The pair got engaged in May 2017 in front of their friends and family, and planned a beach wedding to celebrate their love.

In addition to dancing with each other, the bride and groom made sure to include their wedding party in their incredible dance number.

Janelle danced to Aretha Franklin's Respect before Will and his groomsmen took the dance floor.

Ultimately, the groom pulled his bride towards him and they finished the number together, dancing in sync.

Look: During the ceremony, Janelle wore an off-the-shoulder slit white gown, while her groom went for a black outfit with a white blazer

Bride: Janelle also wore a veil, which she removed ahead of the energetic dance number

Finishing touches: The bride accessorized with large dangle earrings matching her gown

Milestones: The pair got engaged in May 2017 in front of their friends and family, and planned a beach wedding to celebrate their love

A video of the wedding dance has already been viewed more than 219,000 times on YouTube.

The clip has also garnered more than 400 comments, many of which praised Janelle and Will for their performance.

'Who else couldn't stop smiling throughout the video?' one person wrote.

'This was super theatrical and very entertaining,' someone else commented. 'Congratulations you guys and God bless!'

'That was amazing!' another comment reads. 'Congratulations to you and I really hope you would spend a wonderful life together.'By Trend





Belarusian haulage and earthmoving equipment manufacturer BelAZ will supply 20 dump trucks to Uzbekistan by the end of 2018, BelTA news agency reported.

A cooperation agreement between BelAZ and UzbekHydroEnergo was signed during the Uzbek-Belarusian business and interregional cooperation forum.

This agreement creates a basis for mutually beneficial cooperation, development and strong economic ties.

"Already in 2018, 20 BelAZ-7547 dump trucks with the carrying capacity of 45 tons will be sent to Uzbekhydroenergo," the manufacturer said.

In total in Uzbekistan there are about 1000 units of BelAZ machinery with carrying capacity varying between 30 to 220 tons.

Cooperation between BelAZ and Uzbek mining enterprises has been ongoing since the Soviet times and is mutually beneficial and fruitful. As of 1H2018, Uzbekistan ranked second among the foreign trade partners of the company, in terms of its share in the foreign trade turnover.

BelAZ, the management company of BelAZ Holding, is a career and specialized transport manufacturer which uses innovative technologies.

During the 70-year history of the enterprise, more than 500 different versions of quarry dump trucks and special-purpose vehicles have been produced. Some 146,000 units have been manufactured and supplied to 78 countries.Jade, 31, set up her clothing brand Holland Cooper in 2008. She lives in the Cotswolds with her husband.

After school, I couldnt decide whether to study fashion or agriculture  two very different degrees. But having grown up on a farm in Suffolk, in the end I went to the Royal Agriculture College in Cirencester.

I am so pleased I did, because if I hadnt I might never have created Holland Cooper.

It was while at university, when I was going to all sorts of country shows, that I realised there was a gap in the market for stylish, beautifully made country clothing. We were all wearing the same thing.

Jade Holland Cooper (pictured), 31, set up her clothing brand Holland Cooper in 2008 after she noticed a gap in the market for stylish country clothes. She lives in the Cotswolds with her husband

That was my light-bulb moment. I left university in my second year and, at 21, created my own label. I designed a range of tweed clothing from my mothers old studio (she had her own fashion label) and started selling my collection at horse shows around the country.

It was tough. I was doing around 30 shows a year, travelling with a trailer on the back of my car. In the early stages, I pushed myself too hard.

Once, I drove from a show in Scotland to Norfolk overnight, then realised I wasnt in any fit state to run the stand. I felt broken. It was a valuable lesson.

But doing the shows was a brilliant way to meet the customers and understand what they wanted. It also kept me developing new ideas, because I didnt want to show people the same designs.

I still get a real buzz from selling. Early on, my father said that there are lots of people in fashion and lots of people in business  if you can do both, youre on to a winner. He was right. I love setting targets and watching the business grow.

Last year we opened a franchise in Bicester Village, and we have a flagship store in Edinburgh.

Im proud that Holland Cooper is now the leading UK buyer of British tweed: it is wonderfully versatile to work with. You think of it as a scratchy check, but there are cashmere or merino blends. It really can be lightweight and beautiful.

Of course, there were times when I felt lonely. When I started out, all my friends were at university getting drunk. Yes, I missed parties  but now I can host them.

My only regret is that I didnt start it even younger.Prince Philip showed he's still enjoying his independence in his 97th year, by taking his racing green Land Rover for a spin on the country roads around Balmoral.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who underwent hip surgery earlier this year, looked comfortable as he cornered a bend on the A93 in his off-road car.

Travelling alone, the royal, who's still in the Scottish Highlands on his annual extended summer break, wore his spectacles for the short journey.

Scroll down for video

A bespectacled Prince Philip, 97, takes a corner on the A93 near Balmoral as he enjoys a solo spin out in his racing green Land Rover

The Duke of Edinburgh, who underwent hip surgery earlier this year, quickly got back behind the wheel two weeks after surgery and hasn't looked back. The royal speeds past a motorcyclist on the Scottish country road

The Queen and Prince Philip have been in Balmoral since early summer on their annual extended break on the Scottish Estate

The Duke of Edinburgh is still a frequent driver - of both car and carriage - and was spotted back in the seat of his Land Rover in Windsor, just two weeks after undergoing surgery in June this year.

Now officially retired from public duty, the Prince has clearly been enjoying his summer break in Scotland and was last spotted attending church with the Queen and extended family on August 19th.

Looking sharp and smart in a grey suit with blue tie, Prince Philip made the rare public appearance at Crathie Kirk church in the Queen's royal Bentley.

A slew of royal visitors have been keeping them company over the summer with Zara and Mike Tindall, who welcomed their second daughter Lena on June 18, Camilla and Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex all heading north.

Last seen in public at Crathie Kirk church on August 19th, the prince has enjoyed plenty of royal visitors, most recently, Charles, Camilla and Prince William, who accompanied the Queen to church yesterday

King of the road! Prince Philip looked comfortable in the driving seat, proving his 97 years are no barrier to driving

The Queen, 92, nailed autumnal chic in an orange coat and hat trimmed with feathers as she was driven to Sunday service at Crathie Kirk near her Balmoral estate in Scotland

The monarch was joined by her grandson Prince William on the journey, but there was no sign of his wife the Duchess of Cambridge

And this weekend, it was the turn of Prince William to accompany his grandmother to church.

Joining Charles and Camilla, William looked smart in a dark suit and red tie, but there was no sign of his wife The Duchess of Cambridge, who no doubt had her hands full with their three children, George, Charlotte and Louis.

Her Majesty looked in great spirits yesterday, no doubt delighted to be spending time with her grandson, 36, who joined her in the back of her chauffeur-drive Bentley for the outing to Crathie Kirk.A fashion psychologist has analysed Meghan Markle's sartorial choices - and claims she's striking the perfect balance between her old life and her royal status.

US-based Dawnn Karen, 29, who is a qualified therapist, says the 37-year-old royal is trying to balance her new role as the Duchess of Sussex with being an actress and an African American woman.

She explained that her job is about 'styling from the inside out' and teaching clients to dress to reflect their good moods or improve their bad ones.

Speaking on ITV's Lorraine, Ms Karen - who charges 300 a session - said she was doing an 'excellent job' at 'bridging the gap' between her different identities.

Lorraine viewers took to Twitter to mock the segment, with many refusing to believe that fashion psychology is a real science.

Dawnn Karen, 29, who is a qualified fashion psychologist, said Meghan Markle is trying to 'balance' her new role as the Duchess of Sussex with being an actress and an African American woman. Pictured: Ms Karen on ITV's Lorraine on Monday

Ms Karen said she Meghan is managing the balance of her new roles 'very well' and joked that she want to 'raid her closet'. Pictured: Meghan attends Nelson Mandela Centenary Launch, Southbank Centre, London in July

Ms Karen said everyone should wake up in the morning and decide what mood they are in, which should be reflected in what they wear.

Lorraine Kelly then asked her what she thought about the psychology behind Meghan's outfits.

She said: 'I really believe she's trying to balance her new role and who she is as an American, a woman of colour and an actress. She's doing it very well.

'I have a slogan, styling from the inside out, and bridging the gap between perception and reality and this is all about balancing roles, the internal and the external.'

US-based Dawnn Karen, 29, who is a qualified therapist, has praised Meghan Markle's style since the former actress became the Duchess of Sussex. Pictured: Meghan attends ELLE's 6th Annual Women In Television Dinner in Hollywood in 2016

Lorraine viewers took to Twitter to mock the segment (pictured), with many refusing to believe that fashion psychology is a real science

Ms Karen said Meghan was doing an 'excellent' job at dressing for her new role.

'I'd love to raid her closet,' she quipped.

Her comments were mocked by Lorraine viewers on Twitter, with many not believing that fashion psychology is a real science.

One tweeted: 'Im a bin bag psychologist , I can tell alot from the way you tie the bags and how your mood reflects through that ....oh sorry i thought we were making jobs up , (fashion psychologist) wtf.'

Ms Karen said Meghan was doing an 'excellent' job at dressing for her new role. Pictured left: Meghan at the 100 Days to Peace gala in Westminster earlier this month. Right: The Duchess at a reception with delegates from the Commonwealth Youth Forum in London in April

'Ahhhhh, assumption & speculation.......I get it......' another posted.

A third said: 'I wear what fits and clean. No brain shrink needed for that.'

Before she was royal and a working actress on Suits, Meghan would often wear short hemlines and heavy makeup.

She has now gone for a more conservative style, with mid-length dresses and more natural cosmetics.

Lorraine Kelly said Meghan is 'getting it right' having her own style while also following the royal family's fashion rules. Pictured: Lorraine and Ms Karen on the show

Lorraine agreed with Ms Karen's comments, saying Meghan was following her own style while also following the royal family's strict fashion rules about dressing demurely.

She said: 'It's difficult for her because she's an extremely beautiful, stylish woman but there are a lot of rules, a lot of royal rules.

'She still looks really modern, quite cutting edge, but she's getting it right. I'd love to look like that.'

Ms Karen agreed, saying: 'She's doing an excellent job.'A waitress who was asked if she'd been punched due to her facial birthmark is embracing her appearance a year on from getting married, after worrying she would never find love because she doesn't look 'normal'.

Cassandra Hall, 23, from Laguna Hills, California, was born with a port wine stain birthmark on her lip admits she receives constant stares from strangers.

Casey, as she is better known, has five large birthmarks across her body and a few smaller ones which are dotted around the larger birthmarks.

Cassandra Hall has been mistaken for an abuse victim due to the large port wine stain birthmark on her lower lip but says she has learned to embrace her appearance

The birthmarks on Casey's skin are caused by malformations in the capillaries of the skin, and her enlarged lip is caused by a major vein which ended up being diverted to behind Casey's lower lip.

As she works at the front of house, Casey is often stared at and asked if she has been assaulted or is having an allergic reaction to something when customers see her lip.

However, after marrying the love of her life in August 2017, Casey wants other people to feel comfortable with their birthmarks or any differences as she encourages them to turn their 'disadvantage' into a tool to help others.

'My birthmark is classified as a port wine stain caused by malformities within the blood vessels in the skin,' said Casey.

Casey, as she is better known, married in August 2017 after believing that she would never find love because she didn't feel she looked 'normal'

But after marrying her husband (pictured) Casey says she has learned that there is no 'normal' and wants to encourage others to embrace their differences

'I was told that a major vein somehow got diverted behind my lip and over the years it's grown naturally.

'I was born with my birthmarks, but my lip has always been bigger, and it's grown as I've grown up.

'The birthmark on my skin doesn't hurt, I can't feel it so sometimes I forget that I even have it.

'My lip on the other hand can feel heavy so I'm more aware of it, and when I'm tired or sick it's almost like it gets hard using all of the blood cells to fight against whatever it is I'm feeling.

Casey has five birthmarks in total, the most prominent being on her lip which is caused by malformations in the capillaries

Casey (pictured as a baby) says that her birthmarks didn't impact her growing up as she was in a small town and everyone was familiar with her appearance

'My birthmark didn't affect me growing up because we lived in a small town, so I went to a school with most of the same people for the entire time I was there. Everyone saw me for me and they didn't see my birthmarks.

'If ever I ask someone I've known since school about my birthmark, they usually say that they can't even see it anymore.

'I was still self-conscious while I was growing up though because I just wanted to look like everyone else. What child doesn't want to look and feel normal?

'I never thought I was going to get married because of how I looked, but I proved myself wrong there because there is no normal.

But when she became front of house at a restaurant she admits she was faces with a lot of stares and questions from customers

She admits she doesn't have an issue with children asking questions as they are 'still learning'

'Everyone is unique and special and being different should be what it is to be normal.'

Casey has learnt how to deal with the stares that she gets for her birthmarks and for her lip as it's taken her until very recently to come to terms with her birthmark that she's lived with her entire life.

After learning to embrace her own differences, Casey wants other people not to feel ashamed of their own.

She continued: 'Most of the time I get a lot of stares. If I'm working, I get asked if I was punched and whether I'm having an allergic reaction.

Casey says that she doesn't try to conceal her face but she does wear makeup

'A lot of the time, children ask why my lip is so big or why my face is red. It's fine when children ask because they're still learning and if they see something different then they don't have a filter which I quite like.

'I'd rather be asked what it is directly than have someone think I was physically assaulted and just stare at me.

'My birthmarks will probably never go away and I'm okay with that. It's taken me 20 years to be okay with that fact.

'I want to be able to spread awareness that skin pigmentation is beautiful too and that you shouldn't have to cover it up. You can own it.

'I don't usually try to conceal my birthmarks, but sometimes I like to see if I can make them 'go away'. I know it will never happen, but I use foundation like everyone else.

'Makeup usually weighs too much on my face to be comfortable and I still have pigmentation coming through.

'If you have a birthmark or you look different from everyone else, you aren't alone. You are beautiful and/or handsome. Take your 'disadvantage' and use it as a tool to educate others.

'Be bold and be who you want to be and take risks. People are going to stare anyway so why not give them a reason to stare.'A newlywed has been branded 'Britain's biggest bridezilla' after holding five different wedding ceremonies during which she wore 13 dresses.

Sandra Igwe, who married the same man five times, spent 70,000 in total on her wedding celebrations.

The first two ceremonies were held in Nigeria, at a cost of around 2,500 to each guest - one of whom had to take out a loan in order to attend.

Speaking on This Morning, Sandra said she doesn't feel guilty about expecting people to attend multiple ceremonies, because they should want to be there for her at such a 'significant' time.

She also told how she instructed guests off the dance floor at one ceremony in order to watch her and her new husband dancing, and that those who failed to stick to her dress code were not included in her wedding photos.

But her remarks were slammed by This Morning viewers on Twitter, with some calling her 'greedy' and 'vulgar'.

Sandra Igwe, who married the same man five times, has spent 70,000 on getting married. She doesn't feel guilty about her guests spending thousands, as she thinks they should want to attend. Pictured: Sandra at her fifth and final wedding at Grovesnor House in London

She decided to have so many weddings because she found she wanted so many different things that wouldn't fit into one day. Pictured: Sandra and her husband at their fifth and final wedding at Grovesnor House in London

Mrs Igwe said she'd always dreamed of having the perfect wedding, but found she wanted so many different things that one day simply wasn't enough.

She explained: 'From a young age us girls plan the biggest day of our lives so when the time came I wanted to have the perfect wedding. I thought, ''I want it here, I want it there and there,'' and I thought, ''Why cant I have what I always dreamed of?'

Her first wedding took place in her father's home village in Nigeria, and her second was a huge party in a hotel in Lagos, costing guests 2,500 to attend.

But she doesn't feel guilty for making her loved ones fork out to attend her weddings, saying: 'If you care about somebody, you love them, then why would you not be there for such a significant day in their life? So I don't feel guilty.

Guests had to pay 2.500 each to attend her first two weddings in Nigeria. Pictured: Sandra at her second wedding in Nigeria

Her fourth wedding was the most low key of them all as she had a ceremony at a registry office, but many of her guests to refused attend because they'd been to too many. Pictured: Sandra and her husband and daughter at their registry office ceremony in Coventry

Her first wedding at her father's home village at Nigeria left some of her guests in debt. Pictured: Sandra and her husband after their first wedding in Nigeria

'I would do the same, I have done the same so I think it's fine.'

She told how during the hotel party she kicked her guests off the dancefloor so they could watch her and her new husband dance all night, and she refused to let those who hadn't followed the strict blue and silver colour scheme pose for any of her wedding photos.

Her third wedding was on a beach and she argued with the videographer about the shots he was taking of them, expecting the waves of the sea to be in a perfect position in the background.

For her fourth wedding she had a much more low key ceremony in a registry office in Coventry, and was furious when many of her family and friends refused to attend because they'd been to so many of her celebrations already.

Her third wedding was on abeach and she argued with the videographer because they didn't get the shot she wanted. Pictured: Sandra and her husband after marrying on the beach

Sandra said she got everything she wanted and is thrilled with how her wedding turned out. Pictured: Sandra on ITV's This Morning on Monday

Her last big day was a lavish white wedding at Grosvenor House in London, for which she had 13 bridesmaids and two wedding gowns.

She made her guests learn an elaborate dance routine for the reception, which they ultimately did not perform it because the bride turned up four hours late.

Mrs Igwe says she is thrilled with how her weddings turned out, saying: 'Honestly they were everything I've ever imagined. Before I met my husband I told my friends I'm going to get married in Nigeria in December and I did it. Everything I wanted happened.'

She claimed she has made up with most of the friends and family she fell out with over her bridezilla actions, but refused to say how many she hadn't reconciled with.

Her story was slammed by This Morning viewers on Twitter (pictured), with some calling her 'greedy' and 'vacuous'

Her story was criticised by This Morning viewers, with one tweeting: 'Britain's biggest bridezilla what's wrong with wanting a simple wedding these days.'

'Bridezilla.. Her husband needs a medal...' another posted.

A third posted: 'Wow! Really glad I'm not friends with Bridezilla. It's not the money I'd have to spend it's that she's vile !'

'Just greed and vulgar,' another wrote.Victoria Beckham has admitted she feels 'guilty' as a working mother as she celebrates the 10th birthday of her eponymous fashion label.

The designer, 44, added that her 'kids and David will always come first' on discussing how she juggles work with her family life.

The mother-of-four confessed that she does 'freak out' at times, but said it was 'no different' for her than other working women.

It comes after Victoria showed her new collection at London Fashion Week for the first time on Sunday, where husband David, 43, and children Brooklyn, 19, Romeo, 16, Cruz, 13, and Harper, seven, sat front row.

Victoria Beckham has admitted she feels 'guilty' as a working mother as she celebrates the 10th anniversary of her eponymous fashion label

Speaking to CNBC's Tania Bryer about balancing work and family life, Victoria said: 'You know what it's not easy and everybody says do you ever freak out? Yeah absolutely. Absolutely. We all do.

'Absolutely. We all do. You know when you're a working mum you feel torn, you feel guilty, but you know I just do the best that I can do and my kids and David will always come first.

'But it's no different for me to how it is for other working women. But you know that's why we need to support each other first and foremost.'

Meanwhile, Victoria said she felt 'relieved' following her first catwalk show in London, ten years after she first launched her fashion label.

Victoria said that her 'kids and David will always come first' on discussing how she juggles work with her family life. David, 43, and children Harper, seven, Romeo, 16, Cruz, 13, and Brooklyn, 19, sat front row at her catwalk show in London on Sunday

Victoria was seen giving husband David a kiss as she took her bow following her SS19 catwalk show in London on Sunday

She added that she was 'excited' about coming back to London, adding that it was the first time her parents had seen one of her shows.

'I feel relieved because you know there's only so many times you can rehearse,' she said.

'You know I've been so excited to come back to London and feel part of London Fashion Week.

'To have my family here, my friends here. There are some family members that have never seen what I do, so for everybody to feel included is exciting.'

Victoria (pictured with Vogue editor Edward Enninful and husband David at a party to celebrate her label's 10th birthday) admitted she felt 'relieved' following her first catwalk show in London, ten years after she first launched her fashion label

Victoria was speaking to CNBC's Tania Bryer (above) following her show in London on Sunday

Victoria continued: 'It's really important to have the support of my family. I always love to see them, but also to have you know, my parents, David's family as well, that have never actually seen the show.

'My sister was here with her children that don't know what I do.'

Victoria's Spring/Summer 2019 show on Sunday was met with widespread praise from fashion insiders.

The former Spice Girl celebrated her London debut with a party hosted by Vogue editor Edward Enninful and husband David at Mayfair's Mark's Club, where she was filmed singing and dancing to Spice Up Your Life.A man who has the same name as The Bodyguard star Richard Madden has spent the past three weeks fielding messages from smitten fans on social media.

Newsreader Richard Madden, from East Yorkshire, shares his moniker with the Scottish actor currently playing PC David Budd opposite Keeley Hawes in the BBC political thriller - leading to much confusion among fans.

The hit drama, which comes to an end on September 23, pulled in 6.7 million viewers in the first episode alone, with fans inundating Madden - who coincidentally works for the BBC - with a barrage of tweets.

After one fan mistakenly tagged him in a tweet calling for the actor to be the next 007, Madden replied: 'I'd love to be James Bond although @_richardmadden might be better suited for the job!'

Newsreader Richard Madden (pictured in his studio) has been flooded with tweets intended for the actor who shares the same name and is currently appearing in The Bodyguard

Scottish actor Richard Madden, who shot to fame in Game of Thrones, is winning fans and hearts on Twitter with his portrayal of PC David Budd in the BBC's The Bodyguard (pictured)

And replying to another tweet calling the Renfrewshire-born star 'a stunningly good actor', he quipped: 'Not sure about my acting skills but @_richardmadden was great in Game of Thrones (and I'm sure Bodyguard too but I've not watched it yet!)

When Twitter user Louise Ritchie said she was hoping for a romantic reunion between the two main characters in this weekend's finale, he wrote: 'I'm sure @misskeeleyhawes isn't interested in "snogging" me... she'd prefer @_richardmadden!'

The Radio Lincolnshire employee even appeared on BBC Look North on Monday morning to talk about his experience.

Newsreader Richard Madden has spent the past three weeks patiently fielding tweets from fans of the Scottish Bodyguard star, who shares the same name as him (pictured)

He explained: 'It's led to a little bit of confusion on social media because people are tweeting about the show, copying in my account and thinking that they're getting in touch with him.

'A lot of people have been talking about the show and how amazing it is and how great an actor he is, right through to some people saying that I'm the most beautifulman in the world, and then even suggestions that I could be the next James Bond.

'I'd love to be the next James Bond but I'm fairly certain they're not looking for a journalist from BBC Radio Lincolnshire. But it's all just good fun and certainly makes Sunday night a lot more interesting.'Christmas Day is more than three months away, but some people still can't resist getting into the spirit early.

A Twitter user who visited the Hilton Hotel in Sheffield was stunned to see a giant Christmas tree in the lobby this week.

Baffled at the sight of Christmas baubles when summer is barely behind us, she joked that the hotel 'should be reported to the police' for being too eager to herald the start of the festive season.

The tweet sparked a flurry of other posts from fellow users who have been similarly perplexed at spotting tinsel and Christmas crackers on display in shops across the country.

The Hilton Hotel in Sheffield already has a Christmas tree on display in its lobby, complete with festive red and gold decorations (pictured), despite it being over three months until the big day comes

Mhairi McFarlane received over 10,000 likes and retweets on her post, as she joked that the tree should be 'reported to the police' (pictured)

The artificial tree looks to be at least six foot tall and is covered in festive gold and red decorations.

It was spotted in Sheffield by Mhairi McFarlane, who tweeted a snap of the tree on Friday.

She wrote: 'This, currently in the lobby of the Sheffield Hilton, should be reported to the police.'

A spokesperson for Hilton said: 'We can confirm that there is a Christmas tree at the Hilton Sheffield and that they are getting into the Christmas spirit early!'

The tweet sparked a flurry of other posts from users who have spotted decorations and Christmas displays in shops across the country (pictured). One saw Tesco shelves stacked with Christmas cards and festive chocolates

Mhairi's tweet was liked and retweeted over 10,000 times.

The post has inspired dozens of other Twitter users to complain about the early arrival of Christmas across the country.

One shared a snap of their local Tesco, which showed the supermarket's shelves piled high with Christmas cards and festive chocolate.

Another had visited a branch of Matalan that has already devoted a whole section of the shop to Christmas; complete with decorations, gift bags, tinsel and artificial trees.

Another saw a Matalan branch that had dedicated an entire section of the store to Christmas, complete with tinsel, decorations and gift bags. One person was glad to see their local Co-Op store 'finally' stocked with Christmas products

They tweeted: 'This in @Matalan last week. Call for a boycott of all establishments that pedal this madness in September, October and most of November...? Anyone else in? #christmasisindecember.'

Some 8.6 million Britons have already started their festive shopping, a survey by American Express found.

Almost half (49 per cent) of people start shopping early to pick up presents in the sales, while year-on-year data shows more Britons are getting a head start on shopping - since 2016 an extra 1.1 million people have started shopping with 100 days to go, the study shows.Serena Williams supported Meghan Markle in a kind Instagram post as the duchess unveiled her new cookbook, her first solo project as a royal.

The athlete, 36, shared a photo of the book, titled Together: Our Community Cookbook on Monday morning, along with a message praising Meghan, 37, for the initiative.

Meghan wrote the foreword for the book, appears on its cover, and cooked with members of a community kitchen supporting victims of the Grenfell Tower fire ahead of its release. The fire, which occurred in June 2017 in West London, left 72 dead.

Message: Serena Williams supported Meghan Markle in a kind Instagram post on Monday morning as the duchess unveiled her new cookbook, her first solo project as a royal

Team: Meghan and Serena (pictured left at the US Open in August) have a history of supporting each other. Meghan is pictured right cheering on Serena at Wimbledon in July

'I used to call you Meghan (and I still do) but dear Duchess of Sussex your first project Together a cookbook bringing women of all cultures together. I could not be more excited about it and proud of you,' Serena wrote to Meghan.

'It's beautiful  diversity, inclusivity, coming together in grief or joy  there is just so much love.'

Book: Meghan cooked with members of a community kitchen supporting victims of the Grenfell Tower fire

Serena also changed her Instagram biography to include a link to a video posted on YouTube by the royal family's account. The clip, narrated by Meghan, tells the story of the Hubb Community Kitchen, which started after the Grenfell fire as a way for those affected to connect, cook together, and share recipes.

Meghan and Serena, who became close years before Meghan tied the knot with Prince Harry, are longtime friends.

Serena was among the A-listers who attended the royal wedding in May, and in July this year, the athlete paid tribute to the duchess as she competed in Wimbledon.

'We always had a wonderful friendship,' Serena said of Meghan at the time. 'Every year for a couple years she comes out to Wimbledon, has supported me... Now she's supporting me in a different role but our friendship is still exactly the same. We always have supported each other, just been there for each other through a lot.'

Duo: Serena and Meghan (pictured in 2014) are longtime friends and have a history of supporting each other

Meghan explained in the video shared by Serena that she met the women involved in the community kitchen in January 2018, as she settled to her own new life in London.

Guest: Serena attended the royal wedding in May with her husband Alexis Ohanian

According to one of the women, Meghan came up with the idea for a cookbook after asking why the community kitchen only functioned twice a week, instead of seven days a week  and being told there was a lack of funding.

The duchess has made other secret trips to the center to meet volunteers and learn more about their work.

'I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen,' Meghan said in the video. 'Like these women I'm passionate about food and cooking as a way of strengthening communities.'

An investigation into the fire in June last year is still ongoing, and has prompted revelations that a 'miscommunication' between senior fire officers meant attempts to rescue residents on the highest floors stopped for an hour.

The inquiry has previously been brought to a halt as firefighters burst into tears when recalling the blaze.

Work to finish covering the tower in white sheeting with green hearts was completed in June this year, and it still stands as a memorial to those who died. However, a commission has been announced to enable the Grenfell community to decide the long-term future of the site.

Food: Meghan cooked with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London and was inspired to create a cookbook

Aftermath: The duchess met with women at the Hubb Community Kitchen in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, which occurred in June 2017 in West London and left 72 dead

Connecting: Meghan first visited the kitchen in January and has made a number other private trips to the center to meet volunteers

The Hubb Community Project was created last summer by women seeking somewhere to cook fresh food for their families and friends following the blaze, which engulfed the 24-story social housing block.

Meghan's foreward to community cookbook 'I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together. 'Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy  in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy  something we can all relate to... 'Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive.' Advertisement

Following the blaze  Britain's deadliest fire on domestic premises since the Second World War  the group of friends approached the Al-Manaar centre to ask if they could use the kitchen.

In the new book supported by Meghan, some of the recipes are family favorites and all have been created by the cooks who support not only residents affected by the Grenfell fire but others in the community.

The women of the Hubb Community Kitchen wrote in the introduction: 'Our kitchen has always been a place of good food, love, support and friendship.

'We cook the recipes we've grown up with; there's no stress, and the recipes always work because they have been made so many times  it's proper comfort food Swapping family recipes and moments of laughter gave us a sense of normality and home.

'We named ourselves the Hubb Community Kitchen to celebrate the thing that we all feel every time we meet  "hubb" means "love" in Arabic.'

Deadly: The Grenfell disaster in North Kensington, West London, took place on June 14 last year and claimed the lives of 72 people

The Royal Foundation is administering the transfer of funds from the sale of the book to the Hubb Community Kitchen and related projects.

Meghan is part of The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and she made her first appearance with the organisation in April.

The foundation was launched in 2011 by Prince William and his younger brother Harry  and Meghan officially became its fourth patron after her wedding on May 19.

It had an income of $11.8 million last year, and spent $12.7 million  including $10.9 million on charitable activities, of which $5.6 million was made up of grant funding.

Last week it was revealed that more than 1,200 people traumatized by the Grenfell fire received mental health treatment in the year after the blaze, according to figures from Central and North West London NHS Trust.

Another 126 patients with long-term mental health problems had their conditions worsened by the blaze in North Kensington on June 14 last year, which claimed the lives of 72 people.The Duchess of Sussex has become known for her sleek designer dresses and suits, but photos from her secret trips to a community cookery group have revealed she's a fan of a Breton top for a more low-key look

In her first solo project as a member of the royal family, Meghan, 37, has written the foreword to a new book produced by cooks from the Hubb Community Kitchen, an initiative based near the site of the Grenfell London tower.

Photos released today show that during one cooking session with survivors of the tragedy she donned a casual striped top as she got busy in the kitchen, and the look is also a firm favourite with her sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge.

Karine Laudort, Fashion Expert Commentator, told Femail: 'The Breton is a classic French style which effortlessly chic yet very simple and enables Meghan to channel one of her style icon Audrey Hepburn's best-known looks.

The Duches off Sussex, 37, donned a chic but simple Breton top for a visit to the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London where she joined cooking sessions with survivors of the Grenfell tragedy

Kate's made the Breton top a staple of her casual off-duty wardrobe over the years. Pictured: With Prince George at the Gigaset Charity Polo Match at the Beaufort Polo Club in June 2015 in Tetbury

The Duchess of Cambridge elevated the Breton top with a smart blazer on a visit to a SportsAid Athlete Workshop in London in October 2013 (left). Wearing her favourite stripes while meeting wellwishers after a sailing trip in Auckland Harbour, New Zealand in April 2014

The Duchess of Cambridge wearing a variation on her favourite Breton top during a visit to Heidelberg, Germany where she took part in a boat race in July 2017

'It is smart casual and simple, so very appropriate for such a community oriented gathering.'

The Duchess of Cambridge is also a huge fan of the look and has been spotted wearing a Breton top to sporty royal engagements such as a boat race in Heidelberg

It's also an off-duty look she loves, wearing it to outings such as polo matches.

She's so fond of the simple but chic wardrobe staple, she has multiple variations from brands such as J Crew, Ralph Lauren and Me + Em.

Meghan cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London

Their partnership has resulted in the publications of Together: Our Community Cookbook, which features personal recipes

'Many designers have had a long enduring love of the stripes,' Kay explained.

'Coco Chanel introduced the striped pattern to a nautical inspired collection in 1917, after visiting France.

'This more informal style revolutionised the more fitted styles of the time and became extremely popular because of icons such as James Dean, Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn to name a few.

'The Breton stripe pattern has now created a universal appeal as it is unisex and always channel a Parisian chic and nautical authentic theme which will never fall out of fashion.'

The duchess first visited the kitchen in January and has made a number other private trips to the centre to meet volunteers

The Duchess of Sussex plays with a young girl after cooking with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London

Today's announcement of Meghan's secret visits marks her first solo endeavour as a working royal.

The duchess, who said she 'immediately felt connected' to the kitchen at the Al Manaar cultural centre, first visited in January and has made other trips to the centre to meet volunteers and learn more about their work.

The duchess says in her introduction for Together: Our Community Cookbook: 'I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together.

'Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy - in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy - something we can all relate to.By Trend





Turkmenistan Airlines has been authorized to sign a contract with Boeing to purchase three Boeing 737 MAX 7 aircraft, including one aircraft intended for important flights, the Turkmen president's decree reads.

According to the decree, the new aircraft are to purchased in order to upgrade the air fleet, improve the quality and culture of passenger service and ensure flight safety. The issue was discussed at a government meeting.

Speaking about the importance of the development in the aviation sector, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that there are modern air terminal complexes in all of Turkmen provinces. They provide passengers with the whole range of services and runways capable of taking any model of airplanes.

Turkmenistan Airlines connects the country by air with Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, UK, France, Turkey, UAE, Germany, Thailand, China, India and other countries. The company has been purchasing Boeing airliners for over 20 years for international and domestic flights. Obsolete Soviet-style aircraft were put up for sale. The national air carrier plans to launch flights to Milan (Italy), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Tehran (Iran) and Tbilisi (Georgia).Chrissy Teigen is very much a household name  but as it turns out, the name everyone is saying is wrong.

The 32-year-old star shocked many of her 10.7 million Twitter followers this week when she tweeted that nearly everyone mispronounces her name.

Though most people say it as 'tee-gan,' the correct way to say her last name is actually 'tie-gen'.

Say what? Chrissy Teigen revealed on Twitter that everyone is pronouncing her name wrong, in response to this Twitter user who knows the right way to say it

Whoops! She said it's actually said 'tie-gen,' not 'tee-gan'

That's your name now: She admitted that she gave up on correcting people and it's just stuck

At least one Twitter user knew the truth, writing on Sunday: 'Well we pronounce @chrissyteigen's name wrong all the time.'

Chrissy noticed the tweet, replying: 'word! gave up a long time ago. last name is tie-gen not tee-gen.'

The revelation blew her followers' minds, with many wondering why she hasn't set the record straight before.

Chrissy seemed to indicate that it just got too tiresome, so she gave up.

'I dont correct people, ever. They can call me Janet and I wont. Wrong order? Ill eat it. Taxi going to the wrong airport? Ill change my flight,' she wrote.

Converted: Chrissy even says 'tee-gan' herself these days

See! She shared a video in which she had her mother confirm the right way to say it

Full switch: At this point, she even finds herself correct the people who say it the correct way

When another Twitter user pointed out that Chrissy even says 'Teigen' when she talks about herself on TV, she explained that she's pretty much resigned herself to it at this point.

'I know. I even correct people when they say it correctly. its all v effed up,' she said.

She also posted a video of herself saying it, and asking her mom in the background to confirm that 'tie-gen' was right.

What's more, it seems Chrissy isn't the only superstar whose name everyone says wrong.

The whole thing kicked off when a college student expressed shock that most people don't correctly pronounce Ariana Grande's last name.

No way! While talking about whether or not to take fiance Pete Davidson's last name, Ariana Grande revealed on a last month that her family has always said her last name as 'grann-dee'

She linked to a clip from a Beats 1 interview from August, in which Ariana is talking about whether or not she'll take Pete Davidson's name once they get married.

She says she'll likely hyphenate, and admits she doesn't want to give up Grande, for her grandfather  except she pronounces it not like the Spanish word, but 'grann-dee'.

'My grandpa said Gran-DEE. Gran-DEE was kind of the Americanized version of it, made it more chill,' she said.

'And then my brother was like, we should say Gran-DAY. It's so fun to say it. It's a funny name. I grew up saying Gran-DEE and I think of [my grandpa] and I wish I said Gran-DEE more.'Senior portraits are the time for high school students to put their best self forward one last time before heading into adulthood.

But one Detroit, Michigan high school celebrates an unconventional tradition, in which students trade in stylish outfits and cheesy smiles for full-fledged costumes on senior picture day.

The results of the six-year-long tradition for students at North Farmington High School just keep getting better as seniors showed up ready to pose as prominent figures such as an unimpressed Rihanna, Anne Hathaway's character in The Princess Diaries, The Office cast members, and viral memes.

Hilarious: Seniors from North Farmington High School in Detroit, Michigan, dress up for their ID pictures and the results often go viral - including this one inspired by The Suite Life

On point: Each student in the senior class will choose a popular character, like Mia from The Princess Diaries, or a meme to dress up as for the ID picture

Relatable: After the ID pictures, students took to Twitter to share their hilarious costume ideas

Funny: One senior used a meme for her costume and even made '???' signs for the picture

Every years the results go viral as students post the pictures on Twitter with its own hashtag  this time being #NFID19.

But the pressure is on for incoming seniors to come up with an ID picture idea that trumps those of students from prior years.

Molly Deighton, a senior at North Farmington High School, decided to dress up as Cole Sprouse in Disney's Suite Life of Zach and Cody when the character is going through an existential crisis.

During the scene, Cole Sprouse's character Cody looks ragged and says: 'Yeah I call it my "I have no future so what's the point" look.'

'I chose the scene from suite life because as a kid I loved the show, but I also thought that the quote,' Molly told DailyMail.com.

'The look of that scene was very funny and related to my life about having to grow up and figure out my future with college and what I want to do.'

Although Molly felt pressure to upstage the previous senior classes, she was more focused on the fun experience that she had been looking forward to since freshman year.

Throwback: Dwayne Johnson's 1994 turtleneck picture even made the cut for the senior IDs

Seriously: Many of the students were inspired by particular shows, such as The Office (pictured) and even The Magic School Bus

Inspired: It wouldn't be a student dress-up day without seeing someone as Princess Leia from Star Wars

Clever: Memes were a popular option for many students, including this person who dressed up as rapper Cardi B from when she was younger

The night before picture day, Molly enlisted her sister and best friend to help create the look, which involved her wearing a disheveled wig.

'For me, I just wanted to do something that I thought was funny and what other people thought was funny,' she said.

Sydney Gordon also chose an on-screen character for her costume and went as Mia Thermopolis, played by Anne Hathaway, in The Princess Diaries.

'I first decided to dress up as Mia after the class of 2018 went viral,' Sydney told DailyMail.com.

'I [wanted] a well-known character that expressed my curly and poofy hair.'

She committed to the role as the future Princess of Genovia by shopping at places such as Kohl's, Target and the Salvation Army to recreate the school girl look from the movie.

'It only took me about a day to gather the materials for my costume,' she said.

The tradition holds a special place for all the students who go through the Michigan high school, and Sydney said a majority of her class found ways to partake.

'I would say over 90 per cent of the seniors participated in this,' she said. 'And it was a great way to unite the senior class.'

Fabulous: One high school senior found herself channeling Tiana from Disney cartoon The Princess and The Frog

Amazing: Each senior spent a large amount of time figuring out how they wanted to dress. One person decided to recreate beauty influencer James Charles' makeup look from an event

Positive: With a paintbrush in hand, one student channeled her inner Bob Ross

Relevant: Students who decided to post their pictures online used the hashtag #NFID19 - including this one who channeled Wendy Williams when she fainted live on air

Picture perfect: The photos were shared thousands of times as people reacted to the hilarious tradition, which saw one student dress up as a character from Good Burger

Molly and Sydney were joined by their classmates in a wide range of hilarious costumes, including a Princess Leia lookalike, James Charles-inspired look, and Dwayne Johnson from his viral throwback picture from 1994.

Since the pictures were first posted last Thursday, they have been shared thousands of times as everyone commented on how much they wished their own school had a similar tradition.

'Okay whats up with this high school and all the school pictures being awesome?' One person wrote after seeing an ID picture where a student dressed up as Hagrid from Harry Potter.

Another person explained how their own school tried to incorporate a similar tradition, but it was shutdown by administration.

'Wtf they don't let us do that,' the Twitter user wrote. 'All the seniors wanted to do but they dont let us, only one person got away with it cause technically it was a hat.'

Last year's group of seniors also went viral with creative costumes of their favorite characters, including a convincing Hermione Granger, Clueless' Cher Horowitz, Family Matters' Steve Urkel, and Breakfast at Tiffany's Holly Golightly, who arrived with coffee and croissant in hand.

The junior class at North Farmington High School better bring the creativity next year, because everyone is excited to see what these students will think up for another batch of pictures.

You got it! The seniors found inspiration in popular 90s shows such as Full House, with one dressing up as adorable toddler Michelle Tanner

Ruff! One student found inspiration in the dog filter on Snapchat for her costume

Magical: Another student brought people back to the days of The Magic School Bus with her ID

Popular: Harry Potter characters - including Hagrid - have been done by a number of students over the yearsParents-to-be should not be allowed to use blood tests to find out the sex of their baby at the beginning of a pregnancy, Labour politicians say.

Experts fear more people will have abortions if they find out they are having a girl.

In the UK it is legal to have an abortion until the 24th week of pregnancy, but evidence suggests people find it 'easier' to make the choice in the earlier stages.

In some cultures, particularly from South Asia, families prefer having boys to girls and there are concerns parents will use testing to control the sex of their children.

Currently the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) is used to screen for genetic disorders such as Down's syndrome.

But the DNA test can reveal the baby's gender after around nine weeks and, although the NHS does not share this information, parents can pay to have the test privately for around 170.

Labour's shadow minister for women and equalities, Naz Shah, said the government should enforce restrictions on the practice.

NIPT means parents can find out the gender of their baby as early as nine weeks into a pregnancy, which experts fear could lead to mothers having abortions based on their baby's sex in some communities

A 2017 report by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics discovered websites offer baby gender tests for around 170.

The controversial tests can work out the gender of a baby from about nine weeks into the pregnancy, whereas the NHS does not reveal it until a scan at 18-20 weeks.

The Nuffield Council's report said that there is not much evidence to prove women are having abortions based on their baby's gender.

But it can be hard to tell because they give doctors other reasons, the BBC reported.

It added there is 'a real possibility that permitting NIPT for sex determination in the UK may be encouraging sex selection'.

The early test may make it easier for women to go through with an abortion, one expert suggests, because the foetus could be up to five months old before the NHS reveals its gender.

Professor Tom Shakespeare from the University of East Anglia, said last March: 'We strongly believe there should be a ban on [NIPT's] use to find out the sex of the foetus, as this could lead to sex-selective abortions.

Very few people will decide to have an abortion at that stage of the pregnancy.

But at 10 weeks an abortion is much easier.

The test involves taking a sample of the mother's blood to find the foetus's DNA and examine it for genetic abnormality.

'NIPT screenings should be used for their intended purpose, to screen for serious conditions such as Down's syndrome,' Ms Shah told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme.

'The Government needs to look into this exploitative practice and enforce appropriate restrictions.'

The Nuffield Council said there is no reason for revealing a baby's gender early on in the pregnancy unless it is being used to diagnose a health condition.

A preference for boys has been popular for years in China and India  in China there are 34 million more men than women because parents abort baby girls.

This is partly because men are traditionally the breadwinners of the family so women are considered to be more of a liability.

WHAT IS NIPT AND WHY IS IT CONTROVERSIAL? NIPT stands for non-invasive prenatal testing. The test can be done as early as nine weeks and involves taking a blood sample from a pregnant woman. Doctors can extract fragments of DNA from the foetus which are circulating in the mother's body. The DNA can then be tested to screen for genetic problems which could seriously affect the pregnancy or the health of the mother or baby. It is most commonly used to screen for Down's syndrome, which it can accurately predict (though not 100 per cent certain), so parents can decide whether to proceed with the pregnancy, and to be prepared if they do. NIPT is controversial because it also reveals other information about babies, such as their gender and potentially aspects of their appearance. This, experts worry, could raise the likelihood of parents aborting babies because of undesirable characteristics. Earlier this year, experts raised concerns the testing could lead to a 'genocide' of female babies in countries like China and India, where boys are traditionally preferred. Official reports found India already has 63 million fewer women than it should because families choose to abort female babies, while in China men outnumber women by 34 million for the same reason. Hugh Whittall, director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics told MailOnline in April: 'Revealing the sex of the foetus at such an early stage of pregnancy increases the risk of terminations on the basis of sex taking place. 'Given that there are few benefits to most pregnant women of finding out the sex of the fetus in the first few weeks of pregnancy, we believe that test providers should not be allowed to give out this kind of information.' Advertisement

Labour MP for Slough, Tan Dhesi, added: 'Communities in South Asia have made huge strides in tackling this social evil.

'That's been primarily through legislation, banning gender determination clinics.

'In the UK I think we need to be doing likewise, with regards to the private sector as well.'

Rani Bilkhu works for Jeena International, an organisation working to protect women and children from religious and traditional discrimination.

She says many women face violence or are pressured into abortions because they aren't giving birth to sons.

'No wonder they're resorting to sex-selection abortion because they've got no choice,' she told the BBC.

'They don't want to be homeless, they don't want their marriage to fail  all because they couldn't give birth to a boy.

'Not only do the government not understand there's an issue around sex-selection abortion, but also charities and statutory sectors aren't asking the questions.'

NIPT testing has caused controversy in the past as experts fear it lead to 'designer babies'.

The tests can reveal a baby's gender, its hair or eye colour, and whether it will have any genetic defects such as Down's syndrome.

And campaigners fear more people could be inclined to abort babies which would in the past have been born and lived healthy lives.

Hugh Whittall, director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, previously told MailOnline: 'Many pregnant women and couples find out the sex of their foetus simply so they can prepare for a baby of one sex or the other, or because they are curious.

'However, revealing the sex of the foetus at such an early stage of pregnancy increases the risk of terminations on the basis of sex taking place.

'There is limited evidence about the extent to which sex selective terminations are taking place in the UK, but there is a real possibility that permitting very early tests for sex may encourage sex selection, both among UK residents and through "sex selection tourism".

'Given that there are few benefits to most pregnant women of finding out the sex of the fetus in the first few weeks of pregnancy, we believe that test providers should not be allowed to give out this kind of information.'

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'The pre-natal test is never meant to be used for gender. We will continue to review the evidence.'A 68-year-old woman who was hospitalised with abdominal pain discovered she had been living with two needles in her stomach for 66 years.

Raziye Yildirim, from Izmir in Turkey, went to hospital recently while suffering from pain in her belly.

After doing an X-ray and tests, doctors discovered Ms Yildirim had an abnormal connection between her stomach and the skin, which causes some of the stomach contents to leak.

And the condition had begun more than six decades earlier, when she pushed three two-inch (5cm) needles into her stomach when she was a two-year-old.

One of the needles had been removed by surgeons at the time but two had remained in there unnoticed for her entire life.

Medics managed to remove the remaining needles and Ms Yildirim has since recovered.

Raziye Yildirim, from Izmir in Turkey, went to hospital in the city when she was suffering from abdominal pain and was diagnosed with a condition called enterocutaneous fistula, which creates an abnormal connection between the stomach and the skin

Her condition is thought to have been the result of her pushing two needles into her own stomach when she was a two-year-old in the early 1950s  surgeons removed the needles which had been inside her for 66 years

According to local media, Ms Yildirim was admitted to Ataturk research hospital in Izmir, Turkey's third biggest city, and diagnosed with a condition called enterocutaneous fistula.

The condition, which can be caused by puncture wounds like those a needle would make, causes a connection between the stomach and skin through which contents of the digestive system can leak.

When doctors x-rayed their patient they discovered two foreign objects in her abdomen and looked into her medical history to try and find an explanation.

All parties were shocked to discover Ms Yildirim had two needles in her stomach which had been there since she was two years old  in the early 1950s.

At the time she had an operation during which surgeons removed one needle but apparently left two behind.

The surgeon treating her in 2018, Dr Ahmet Er said: 'We found out that the patient had needles in her body from when she was two years old that were not removed at the time.

'During surgery, we worked on the fistula and removed the foreign objects. There were two needles, each five centimetres long.

Dr Ahmet Er (pictured right, beside his patient Ms Yildirim) and his team made the shocking discovery at Ataturk research hospital that Ms Yildirim's stomach pain was being caused by needles

An x-ray scan revealed Ms Yildirim, now 68, had two 5cm-long needles in her stomach which she had pushed into her body when was just two years old  she said she remembers the incident and that her mother fainted when it happened

Dr Ahmet Er, who carried out the surgey on Ms Yildirim, said it was 'incredible' that the needles had remained in her body for 66 years

'For the time being, her condition is stable and there are no problems. She has started eating and will be released from hospital in three or four days.'

'The most incredible part is that those needles have been there for 66 years.'

Despite being a toddler at the time, Ms Yildirim says she recalls the needle incident, and revealed: 'My uncle had been looking after me and told my mum that I would not stop crying.

'When she checked me over, she saw several needles protruding from my belly.

'She shouted and, somehow, I pushed them further in.

'My mother fainted and my grandparents took me to hospital. One needle was removed at the time, but the others have only come out now. Thank god I am okay.'Household cleaning products may be making children overweight by altering their gut bacteria.

Youngsters are more likely to be overweight at three years old if their mothers clean with chemical-based detergents rather than natural alternatives, a Canadian study found.

This is thought to be due to the chemicals in detergents changing a toddler's gut bacteria, which may leave them less able to regulate their appetite.

Previous research suggests youngsters who spend more time in 'clean environments', such as their homes, rather than attending nursery with other children, are more likely to be overweight.

Chemicals in cleaning products, known as obesogens, are also thought to trigger fat cells to multiply and may even reprogramme other cells to become fat cells.

Cleaning products may make children overweight by altering their gut bacteria (stock)

Researchers from the University of Alberta analysed the faeces of 757 babies aged three-to-four months old to determine their gut bacteria.

The same youngsters were weighed when they were between one and three years old. Their weights were compared against the World Health Organization's recommended BMI scores at different ages.

Their mothers completed questionnaires that asked them how often they used different cleaning products in their homes.

Results, published in the journal CMAJ, suggest the bacteria Lachnospiraceae is 1.3 times more likely to be present in a baby's gut if its mother frequently cleans with disinfectants.

ARE MOTHERS WHO WORK LONGER HOURS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE OBESE CHILDREN? Working women are less likely to have obese children - but only if they are in the office for under 24 hours a week, research suggested in October last year. Yet, youngsters aged between three and four years old are more at-risk of obesity if their mothers work for more than 35 hours a week, a study by the WZB Berlin Social Science Center found. Those aged between eight and 14 are less likely to carry excess weight if their mothers work 35-to-40 hours a week, the research adds. It is unclear why obesity risk varies according to differences in children's ages and their mother's working hours, however, the researchers believe seeing less of their parents may be detrimental for some, while others could benefit from the financial and 'psychological' advantages. The World Health Organization estimates 42 million children around the world are overweight or obese, putting them at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Advertisement

Such infants are also more likely to be overweight by the time they turn three.

Children with lots of Lachnospiraceae are also 1.6 times more likely to have high amounts of the bacteria Ruminococcus, as well as low levels of the bugs Haemophilus and Clostridium.

This is the same bacteria composition that is often seen in eczema and diabetes patients. Clostridium also plays an important role in a person's digestion and immunity.

In contrast, when eco-friendly cleaning products are used, youngsters are more likely to be a healthy weight.

This may be due to such products having less of an impact on a child's gut bacteria or it could that people who use these cleansers lead healthier lifestyles.

Either way, all of the results remained the same even after the scientists took into account factors that can influence a child's gut bacteria, such as if they were breastfed, born via C-section or took antibiotics.

In conclusion, the researchers wrote: 'Antibacterial cleaning products have the capacity to change the environmental microbiome and alter [the] risk for [a] child [being] overweight.'

Lead author Professor Anita Kozyrskyj added future studies should uncover the specific ingredients in cleaning products that may contribute to obesity. She said: 'The inability to do this was a limitation of our study.'No evidence exists to prove that having high levels of bad cholesterol causes heart disease, leading physicians have claimed.

Researchers have warned statins - cholesterol-busting drugs - offer no protection to millions of people and doctors should 'abandon' them.

The findings add fuel to the ever-growing, controversial row over statins, as cardiologists continue to disagree on whether the cheap pills have any benefit.

Experts do agree that for people who already have a high heart risk - particularly those who have already had a heart attack or a stroke - statins are proven lifesavers, slashing the chance of a second attack.

High levels of LDL-C, known as bad cholesterol, has been considered a major cause of heart disease - the world's leading killer - for at least 50 years.

But the new study, based on data of around 1.3 million patients, suggests doling out statins as a main form of treatment for heart disease is of 'doubtful benefit'.

Researchers have warned statins - cholesterol-busting drugs - offer no protection to millions of people and doctors should 'abandon' them

A team of 17 physicians from across the world discovered high LDL-C levels were unrelated to a higher risk of heart disease in the general population.

This also remained true for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic condition that causes them to have abnormal levels of LDL-C.

The study, published in the Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, also found no link between high levels of LDL-C and atherosclerosis.

This is despite medical literature stating fatty deposits that clog arteries - known medically as atherosclerosis - are made up of cholesterol.

And heart attack patients were shown to have lower than normal cholesterol levels of LDL-C.

Professor Sherif Sultan, one of the authors, told The Irish Times the 'strongest finding' was elderly people with high levels of LDL-C live the longest.

Dr Malcolm Kendrick, a GP who works in Macclesfield and author of The Great Cholesterol Con, was one of the researchers involved.

The remaining scientists, who delved into the data of previous trials, hailed from the US, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, France and Japan.

WHAT IS THE ROW OVER STATINS ABOUT? Up to six million adults in Britain currently take statins to lower their cholesterol levels and thereby reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But many doctors and patients are worried about their long-term harms and they have been linked to diabetes, muscular pain and memory loss. Scores are are uneasy with what they describe as the 'overmedicalisation' of the middle-aged, which sees statins doled out 'just in case' patients have heart problems in later life. Supporters on the other hand, including the health watchdog Nice, say the pills should be prescribed more widely to prevent thousands of early deaths. An array of evidence has already shown statins to be very effective at preventing heart attacks and strokes in patients who have already had one. Advertisement

Writing in the journal, they wrote: 'We suggest clinicians should abandon the use of statins and PCSK-9 inhibitors.'

PCSK9 inhibitors are a relatively new class of cholesterol lowering treatments, which studies have shown are just as effective at cutting levels of LDL-C as statins.

Dr Aseem Malhotra, an NHS cardiologist who wasn't involved in the study, told MailOnline the evidence is mounting against the use of statins.

He said: 'Having reviewed the totality of the evidence, in my view the only people that should be offered statins are those with established heart disease risk.'

Dr Malhotra, an avid supporter of ditching statins and eating healthily, added that a 'very small minority of patients' with FH may also benefit from receiving statins.

He said: 'For everyone else, the tens of millions taking the drug worldwide who don't fall into these categories, they should know statins won't help them live one day longer.'

It comes after a major study in the British Medical Journal concluded last week that giving statins to elderly people in good health could be a waste of time.

The Spanish research of 47,000 over-75s found no evidence that statins make any difference to low-risk patients, despite health officials' attempts to get more people taking them.

Up to six million adults in Britain currently take statins to lower their cholesterol levels and thereby reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

But many doctors and patients are worried about the pills' long-term harms and they have been linked to diabetes, muscular pain and memory loss.

Scores are uneasy with what they describe as the 'overmedicalisation' of the middle-aged, which sees statins doled out 'just in case' patients have heart problems in later life.

Supporters on the other hand, including the health watchdog Nice, say the pills should be prescribed more widely to prevent thousands of early deaths.

An array of evidence has already shown statins to be very effective at preventing heart attacks and strokes in patients who have already had one.

Professor Metin Avkiran, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'We have more than twenty years worth of research showing that statins are an effective way of reducing the risk of a heart attack in people at high risk, particularly those whove already suffered a serious cardiovascular event.

'The opinions expressed in this article dont change anything, and patients who have been prescribed statins should continue to take them. If you have any concerns you should talk to your doctor.'A struggling ambulance trust may get patients to share vehicles in a bid to improve response times under a controversial new policy.

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAT), which looks after almost six million people, is one of the slowest at responding to emergencies.

In a desperate attempt to improve its performance statistics and drag it off the bottom of the league table, it implemented the new policy last month.

However, the scandal-hit trust's move has been branded 'crazy', 'desperate' and even a 'mess' by outraged politicians and senior staff.

But the trust defended it and said there are 'rare situations' where it is 'absolutely right' for crews already dealing with a patient to pick another up.

The East of England ambulance trust (EEAT), which looks after almost six million people, is one of the slowest at responding to emergencies

An anonymous senior paramedic at the trust told The Guardian he was 'horrified' when he learned of the policy, implemented in August.

He told the newspaper: 'It's desperate. I've never heard anything like this.' The paramedic added it was unsafe for both patients and staff.

They also warned it leaves responders in a difficult circumstance if they have to choose between which patient receives care, as one may start off stable but suddenly take a turn for the worse.

Norman Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, warned the move felt like 'crisis management' and argued chiefs haven't thoroughly thought about it.

And Labour MEP for East of England, Alex Mayer, said 'what a mess', when asked to comment on the trust's policy by journalists.

The trust said: 'There are rare situations where a crew who are transporting a clinically stable patient may be passing close by to a life threatening category one incident.'

It added: 'In such rare circumstances, it is absolutely right that the crew are contacted to assess if it is clinically safe for the patient on board, if the crew were to stop at the incident and give immediate lifesaving care before the arrival of the next closest ambulance or car.'

HOW QUICK IS YOUR AMBULANCE SERVICE? Official NHS guidance asks for calls considered category one to be answered within eight minutes. The EEAT had an average response time of 8 minutes 10 seconds for those calls in August  the only major trust to breach the recommendations. East Midlands: 7:34 East of England: 8:10 Isle of Wight*: 9:49 London: 6:45 North East: 6:09 North West: 7:53 South Central: 7:08 South East Coast: 7:32 South Western: 7:02 West Midlands: 6:40 Yorkshire: 7:03 Isle of Wight had only 111 incidents, compared to the thousands recorded for all the other trusts. Advertisement

NHS Improvement, which oversees trusts, claimed the trust did not seek its approval of the plan in question.

A spokesperson added that the body will 'continue to work closely' with the trust to allow it to improve services for patients.

EEAT, which covers Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, has been embroiled in a series of scandals over the past few years.

Last month, it attracted fierce criticism for plans to get untrained volunteers and members of the military behind the wheel of ambulances.

The plan was put forward to plug driver shortages but angry members of staff warned it posed a huge risk to patient safety.

In January, it was revealed 40 patients in the East of England ambulance trust's area had died or were seriously harmed because of vehicle delays.

And two years ago it was found the ambulance trust re-employed six senior managers  despite having already handed them nearly 1 million in redundancy payments.

Robert Morton stepped down as chief executive of the trust last month, telling staff it was 'the right time to hand over'. He will quit before the end of the financial year.

NHS ambulance figures for August, the most recent month dataset, showed EEAT was the worst major performer for category one calls.

Official guidance asks for calls considered category one to be answered within eight minutes.

The EEAT had an average response time of 8 minutes 10 seconds for those calls  the only major trust to breach the recommendations.A baby born with four legs and two sets of genitals attracted astounded locals from miles around who came to marvel at what they called a 'miracle of God'.

He was born yesterday in Gorakhpur, a city in the northern Indian region of Uttar Pradesh, some 750 miles (1,200km) south-east of New Delhi.

Born to father Bulhan Nishad, a labourer, and mother Rambha, the unnamed boy will need to be operated on in a hospital in the nearby city of Lucknow.

His rare condition appears to be the result of a parasitic twin, in which part of a conjoined twin which never fully developed remains attached to the baby.

Video footage shows the unnamed baby, which was born with four legs and two sets of genitals, in a hospital in Gorakhpur in northern India

Video taken yesterday showed local people gathering round the baby in awe, as he squirms on a hospital bed.

His mother Rambha was taken to hospital because she was in a lot of pain while giving birth, local media reported, and the parents were 'shocked' to see their baby.

The doctor was also reportedly surprised to see what had happened, and said the boy would need taking to a bigger hospital for treatment.

WHAT IS A PARASITIC TWIN? Parasitic twins occur when a baby is born with the attached tissue of an undeveloped twin who died in the womb. The parasitic twin's tissues are dependent upon the 'host'. Parasitic twins arise when identical twins fail to separate. It is unclear why this occurs, but may be due to a restricted blood supply during pregnancy, which leads to the death and partial absorption of one of the twins. Source: Live Science Advertisement

Despite the shock of the parents and doctors, local people have been fascinated by the baby and reportedly walked miles to get a glimpse, calling him a 'miracle from God'.

Doctors did not reveal what had caused the baby's condition, but it appears to be the result of a parasitic twin.

In this uncommon but complicated situation, the undeveloped parts of a twin may remain fixed to the live baby when it is born.

This often takes the form of extra limbs, as in this case, and usually requires surgery to remove the extra growths.

The excess body parts are reliant on the same heart and lungs as the rest of the baby's appendages, but it is not clear if they can be controlled in the same way.

Although rare  parasitic twins are thought to be a one in a million condition  there have been numerous documented cases of the phenomenon.

The unnamed baby's condition is most likely a result of a parasitic twin, in which the limbs of an undeveloped sibling become part of the living baby's body

Local people reportedly walked for miles to get a look at the baby, which was described as 'a miracle of God'

In a case last year, also in India, a baby born with the same extra legs and penis was going to be killed by his family before he was rescued by surgeons who operated for free.

Born to a 22-year-old mother, the baby's family was planning to throw him in the river because they were so shocked by his deformity.

But Bharat Pal Danda, who ran the hospital in Pindwara in western India, quickly sent an ambulance to collect the mother and child.

He said: I was very shocked when I heard these relatives, who seem extremely orthodox and superstitious, were planning to kill the baby by throwing him into the river. I couldnt sit back and do nothing.'

The baby's extra limbs and intestines were removed and he is thought to have made a good recovery.When Oscar Wilde died, the newspapers were pretty well unanimous that this would be the last they would ever hear of him. Nothing he ever wrote had strength to endure, wrote The Pall Mall Gazette.

Needless to say, Wilde has had the last laugh. The Pall Mall Gazette went under in 1923, but Oscar Wilde is more popular than ever.

This year, Rupert Everett wrote and starred in a film about him, and he is currently the only playwright to have a year-long season in a West End theatre. His life still generates books galore: on his family background, his reading, his tour of America, his early days, his last days and so on. Meanwhile, the Christian name Oscar  once as awkward as Adolf  is the ninth most popular name for a baby boy, ahead of William, James and David.

When Oscar Wilde died, the newspapers were pretty well unanimous that this would be the last they would ever hear of him. Needless to say, Wilde has had the last laugh

The villain has become a hero. As Matthew Sturgis points out in this admirably sane and wonderfully exciting biography, the characteristics that once made Oscar so despised now ensure his celebration. He has appeared as the countercultural rebel, the gay martyr, the victim of British colonial oppression, the proto-modernist, the postmodernist, the precursor of Cool.

His father was an eminent Dublin surgeon, whose own life was also prey to scandal, and his mother a flamboyant poet and translator, from whom Oscar inherited his gift for dramatic overstatement. I want to introduce you to my mother, he said to a college friend, inviting him to his parents house. We have founded a Society for the Suppression of Virtue.

True to form, his parents christened him Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde. Unlike Johnny Cashs Boy Named Sue, he relished its peculiarity, repeating his name to guests, over and over again, at the tender age of two.

He was brought up in a household where ideas were taken up, played with and discarded. Nothing was sacred. At school, he hated games and was uninterested in lessons, but he read voraciously and at phenomenal speed.

Inevitably, at Trinity College, Dublin he found most of his contemporaries boorish. But, over six-foot tall, he was well-equipped to deal with any trouble. When a fellow student sneered at one of his poems, he led out with his right like it was a pile-driver. He followed the surprised bully up with half a dozen crushers and that ended it.

At Oxford University, he became known for his outrageous witticisms. I remember your name, but I forget your face. I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china. They were to last him a lifetime. In his last days, dying in his dreary lodgings, he quipped, My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One of us has to go.

This year, Rupert Everett wrote and starred in a film about Oscar Wilde, called The Happy Prince

Sturgis is deft at conveying what it was like to be in a room with Oscar. He spoke, recalled a contemporary, with one of the most alluring voices I have ever listened to, round and soft, and full of variety and expression. In one of many fascinating little footnotes, we learn that Wilde made a habit of enunciating both letters in double-lettered words such as ad-ding and yel-low. And contrary to his popular image, he engaged in proper conversation, not just holding forth, but listening to people, then illuminating their thoughts with the fireworks of his own wit.

He had a hunger for fame, coupled with an instinct for how to gain it. Asked at Oxford what his ambition was, he replied with sudden seriousness, Ill be a poet, a writer, a dramatist. Somehow or other Ill be famous, and if not famous, Ill be notorious.

With barely a published word to his credit, he rapidly became famous for being famous  an exotic man-about-town, squiring women around art galleries, spouting aphorisms at parties while employing a pair of lavender gloves to lend drama to his gestures. He delighted in undermining the bullish spirit of his age. At a country-house party, he looked a little peaky, and someone asked him if he was unwell. The fact is, I picked a primrose in the wood yesterday, and it was so ill, I have been sitting up with it all night, he replied.

IT'S A FACT Sir William Wilde, Oscars father, was a pioneering eye surgeon in Ireland who also served as Oculist-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria. Advertisement

Such high-campery was soon being lampooned, not least, by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera Patience. Oscar was clever enough to embrace the ridicule, allowing himself to be hired by the impresario DOyly Carte to promote the opera in America. With only one slim, little-read volume of poetry to his name, he arrived in America as a star, boasting to a friend that he employed two secretaries, one to write my autograph and answer the hundreds of letters that come begging for it. Another, whose hair is brown, to send locks of his own hair to the young ladies who write asking for mine; he is rapidly becoming bald.

For a year, he whizzed back and forth across America, delivering lectures everywhere  Macon, Memphis, Milkwaukee, Mobile, Montgomery  though he steadfastly refused to set foot in the town of Griggsville, because the name was so ugly and the inhabitants would not change it.

Success was followed, very sluggishly, by achievement: by the time he was 35, he had still only published a book of poetry and a volume for children, The Happy Prince. But, married to a beautiful, intelligent woman, and with two happy children, his private life seemed perfect. Perhaps too perfect: the intuitive WB Yeats, who visited him at this time, came away thinking that it suggested some deliberate artistic composition.

Of course, his great secret has since become the most famous thing about him. Aged 32, he had been seduced by the 17-year-old Robbie Ross, and before long his thirst for men and boys, most of them still in their teens, had grown reckless and insatiable. As Sturgis points out, the danger was half the excitement: he was reckless of young lives, picking up young men, fast growing bored with them, and then cutting them out of his life.

What the paradox was to me in the sphere of thought, perversity became to me in the sphere of passion, he recalled, after his downfall. It is hard to read the details of these pick-ups without recognising their perversity. For instance, at the age of 39, he befriended a 16-year-old boy at Worthing, inviting him to his little sons birthday party, before putting his hand down his trousers. And what of the teenage Walter Grainger, who he employed as a servant at Goring, took to bed, and then later, in court, described as a peculiarly plain boy who was far too ugly to kiss? It was cruel, and a lie, and it also fatally undermined Wildes case, suggesting that he would have been open to kissing anyone prettier. It is a sign of our times that if these and all the others had been young women rather than young men, Wilde would today be seen not as an icon, but as a predator.

What the paradox was to me in the sphere of thought, perversity became to me in the sphere of passion, Wilde recalled, after his downfall

Most of Wildes biographers have seen him through the prism of his own heightened sense of tragedy. Sturgiss great achievement is to take on board his great flurry of contradictions  celebratory yet self-pitying, indifferent to his wifes agonies yet kind to total strangers, broken by prison yet still capable of day-to-day merriment  while at the same time conjuring him up as a coherent whole.

It was, of course, Lord Alfred Douglas  your loving boy-wife, or your little bitch as he described himself in one letter  who was his nemesis, goading him to take his mad father, The Marquess of Queensberry, to court for, however coarsely, telling the truth. And it was Bosie who ruined Wilde a second time, descending upon him after his release from prison, and dragging him once more into what Wilde called the abyss of ruin.

The mere fact that he wrecked my life makes me love him, explained Wilde, the master of paradox, but also its most captive prisoner.Arctic Monkeys Manchester Arena, touring until September 28

Rating:

Can a band be simultaneously beloved and unpopular? Arctic Monkeys are giving it a go. Their new album, Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, is a flop by their high standards  last week it was languishing at No 49, below its predecessor, AM, which appeared five years ago.

But this British tour is still sold out, and the atmosphere in Manchester is electric.

Arctic Monkey's frontman Alex Turner (above) shows he still has his stage presence and adoring fans as the band kick off their new tour with an electric gig in Manchester

The public have not misjudged Tranquility Base, a lounge-pop concept album, set on the Moon, and aimed at the brain more than the heart.

You wonder how on earth the new songs will fit in with the old favourites, which are faster, warmer, catchier and far more arena-friendly.

The answer is: unexpectedly well. The four Arctic Monkeys bring three sidemen, so even the slighter songs pack a punch. And just five tracks from Tranquility Base are included, as against six from AM.

Despite their last album, Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, being a comparative flop, the tour is sold out and the album's songs mix in unexpectedly well with the band's old favourites

The only thing the new album dominates is the stage design  all modernist plywood. If this is a casino on the Moon, its surprisingly like the Southbank Centre.

Along with his signature sound, Alex Turner has also ditched his quiff, which seems a shame, as one cropped head looks much like another.

But he still has his stage presence and his adoring fans. The moshpit is heaving with beery testosterone, offset by plenty of well-dressed young women.

Turner is boyish, almost bellboyish, in a short grey jacket and maroon drainpipes.

Now 32, he has had to grow up in public: he wrote his greatest hit, I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, when he was just 18.

It still closes the main set and generates the most mayhem, but Do I Wanna Know? and R U Mine? are not far behind.

Turner is too good at being earthy to hang around in space.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

Christine And The Queens Chris Out Friday

Rating:

Its not easy being a French pop star. Charlotte Gainsbourg remains a cult figure but Daft Punk dont even want us to know what they look like, and Plastic Bertrand is Belgian.

But Heloise Letissier, aka Christine And The Queens, may be the real thing.

Charismatic, androgynous and very much her own woman, she came from nowhere four years ago to persuade 220,000 Britons to buy her debut album, Chaleur Humaine. If theres one thing rarer than a French pop star, its a French pop star wondering how to follow a smash hit.

Heloise Letissier, aka Christine And The Queens (above), sold 220,000 thousand copies of her debut album here. But on her new album, only a few songs find her at her fizzing best

When Madonna first saw kd lang, she declared: Ive seen Elvis and shes beautiful.

On that basis, Michael Jackson lives on, and so does Prince, and they are both female and French.

Well, almost. Letissiers take on Eighties pop is crisp, but only a few of these songs find her at her fizzing best.

One is Girlfriend, an elegant homage to Jackson. Another is Whats-Her-Face, a piano ballad showing how Ultravox might have sounded if theyd signed up Annie Lennox.

Elsewhere the words struggle to fit the music, as if Letissier has a dictionary in one hand and a shoehorn in the other.

The French version of Chris is better, even if youre no linguist. Id suggest either seeking that out or waiting for Letissiers tour, in November. She may well moonwalk.

THIS WEEK'S CD RELEASES

By Adam Woods

Suede The Blue Hour Out Friday

Rating:

Having chalked up two good-to-very-good comeback records, Suede head for slightly different pastures, enlisting a symphony orchestra for a vague sort of concept album about something grim happening somewhere. Brett Andersons soaring anguish and the bands spindly outsider-rock are joined by massed choirs, monkish chants and harrowing bits of drama about dead birds

Villagers The Art Of Pretending To Swim Out Friday

Rating:The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has launched the first phase of its Dual Licenses Initiative, which enables companies to both operate in the emirate's free zones and carry out their commercial activities onshore in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.



The new scheme aims to encourage investment and drive economic development across the Emirate.



The first phase of the initiative is open to companies headquartered in Abu Dhabi and based in one of its free zones. Added is currently developing a comprehensive scheme for the second phase of the initiative, which will allow more companies to qualify for a dual license.



The move is aligned with the recent economic initiatives of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Chairman of the Executive Board of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, that include multiple initiatives to improve the ease of doing business in the Emirate and support entrepreneurs, SMEs and the private sector.



Saif Al Hajeri, chairman of The Department of Economic Development - Abu Dhabi, affirmed the department's continuous efforts to improve the ease of doing business in Abu Dhabi. He also noted that this initiative allows companies to expand their work outside the free zones in which they are based, further increasing their contribution to the economy.



"Dual licensing is the latest in a series of initiatives we have launched to support entrepreneurs, SMEs and the private sector, which are all key engines of the economy. In its first phase, the initiative will offer companies more opportunities to do business and grow, such as allowing them to work and partner with other government entities. Companies can apply for a dual license through the Abu Dhabi Business Center and request the service from the counter, he added.



Eligible companies will need to present a non-objection certificate from their free zone, an undertaking that states no ownership of branches located outside the free zone, and a photocopy of the parent company's free-zone license. After the application is submitted, it will be transferred for primary approval. Once approved, the license will be printed upon the payment of the required fees.



The license time-frame depends on the activity. Over 90 per cent are immediate activities and those are completed within 20 minutes. Other activities with a technical nature require approvals from certain entities, and those are completed within 2 to 3 days, in accordance with the service agreement.



Standard license fees apply to dual licenses. The fees depend on several factors, such as the legal form and activities to be pursued. Providing a physical location and a nameplate are excluded from dual licenses. Therefore, the cost of a dual license is 80 per cent less than that of a standard license.  TradeArabia News ServiceCarly Paoli Live At Cadogan Hall Out now

Rating:

Carly Paoli is a winning blend of southern Italy and northern England, which is obvious throughout this appealing recording of her stand-out concert at Londons Cadogan Hall that I reviewed in February.

Italian sunshine is everywhere in her magical accounts of songs created from two of Ennio Morricones most celebrated film scores; Se tu Fossi (Cinema Paradiso) and Nella Fantasia (The Mission).

Oop north provided Paoli with her striking vocal technique, honed over three years at the celebrated Royal Northern College of Music.

Carly Paoli's publicist describes her as The rising star of the commercial classic world, and so she is. She has worked hard to make herself a terrific interpreter of a wide range of music

Sadly there is only one operatic aria here, Dvoraks Song To The Moon from Rusalka.

But what an aria, and what a performance, with Paoli at her best, displaying not only a near flawless technique, but also her fearlessness, with every phrase, however high-lying, confidently launched and effortlessly achieved. Indeed, throughout this varied programme her attractively fast vibrato imparts warmth and colour to everything she sings.

IT'S A FACT Paoli is not the only performer in her family. Her uncle Luigi made over 40 records in Italy, singing folk songs and playing the accordion. Advertisement

For me she is especially successful in a Disney medley, where Some Day My Prince Will Come from Snow White is delivered with winning simplicity, while I Know You, based on the waltz from Tchaikovskys Sleeping Beauty, shows her particular ability with fine classical melodies.

Her publicist describes her as The rising star of the commercial classic world, and so she is. She has worked hard to make herself, at her best, a terrific interpreter of a wide range of music, especially the finest film music.

Just listen to her encore here, Harold Arlens Over The Rainbow from The Wizard Of Oz, and you will immediately recognise what a special talent she is.Brigadiers

1-5 Bloomberg Arcade,

London EC4N 8AR

Rating:

Theres nothing martial about Brigadiers, the new Indian restaurant from the team behind Gymkhana, Sabor, Xu and Bao. Sure, its inspired by the army mess bars of Empire. But forget pink gin and punkah wallahs  this place is modern to its core. The vast TV screens, to sate the sporting urge of a thousand roaring City boys; the mongoose and monkey lights; the Campari spritz bar, with negroni, nitro martini and Old Fashioned on tap; the rare whisky vending machine; the pool room, with its gleaming Texan table, self-serve beer taps and leopard-print carpet. Every detail is exquisitely and expensively wrought, an Indian Art Deco delight of polished marble, lacquered wood and unashamed opulence. Brigadiers is as bold as a Sikh warrior and as handsome as a Bollywood star.

Brigadiers. Every detail is exquisitely and expensively wrought, an Indian Art Deco delight of polished marble, lacquered wood and unashamed opulence

Then theres the food. JKS, the owners, are in many ways pioneers. They take cuisines both familiar (Indian, Spanish) or less well known (Taiwanese, Sri Lankan) and artfully guide them into 21st Century London. As much care is taken with food as it is with design. They create restaurants that never cease to delight, that draw you back, time after time, places with true culinary integrity but a sly sense of fun. Brigadiers is no exception. What could have been a braying, overblown City booze hole turns out to be yet another jewel in the JKS crown.

Ive been there twice now. Once, during the soft launch, where various Esquire hacks were sequestered (rather wisely) in a lavish and lovely private room. Where I think we devoured roast kid goat shoulder, piled into flaky paratha and various steaming biriyanis. In fact, I know we did, as I found pickle-stained notes in my pocket the day after. With scrawled, gushing exhortations as to the brilliance of the cooking. My hangover, on the other hand, was less than pretty.

I return a few weeks later for lunch. Where we pique the appetite with crisp shards of chicken skin, topped with a splodge of minced masala chicken, lime pickle and a blob of sour cream. Its the quintessence of the Friday night curry made posh, where the spices are freshly ground and textures designed to delight. Golden samosas are filled with vinegar-spiked, cardamom scented ox cheek, a glorious take on the vindaloo. Pork scratchings come with a cods roe raita, a very modern surf and turf. Seafood Tellicherry Fry coats prawns, soft shell crab and squid in a thickish, lustily spiced batter. A sharp, punchy tomato chutney ensures things dont get too down and dirty.

Fire is big here. Of course it is. Londons aflame. There are tandoors, charcoal grills, wood ovens and smokers. But like St Leonard and Brat, they know how to control that char. A chicken tikka skewer, succulent and robust, mixes thigh and plump hearts. Equally succulent, lavishly so, is a beautifully blackened double lamb chop, marinated in yogurt, and cooked pink. I gnaw every last scrap from the bone. A whole grilled turbot arrives under a blizzard of dry samphire curry. Its undercooked, so some of the flesh is still bloody, and sticks stubbornly to the bone. Underseasoned too. A rare and uncharacteristic bum note.

Things get back to normal with a beef chuck bone marrow keema, richer than the Nizam of Hyderabad, as majestic as the late Maharani of Jaipur. A vast bone is plonked in its midst, filled with wobbling marrow. Theres an oozing egg and a delicate chilli sigh and it comes with burnished, buttery chilli cheese naan. Up there with Gymkhanas goat keema (with added brains). I could eat this every night. For ever. Just like the Jenga blocks of fried potato, sliced, layered with butter, sat under a heavy weight then deep fried. An Indo-Franco union of the finest kind.

Chargha chicken. We eat so much that were pretty much rolled out of those doors

Like any good restaurant, Brigadiers leaves one craving for more. Well, not immediately. We eat so much that were pretty much rolled out of those doors. But theres a tandoori chicken club sandwich I have my eye on. And a beef shin and bone marrow biryani. And crab seekh kebabs. Oh, and those masala goat chops. And well, you get the gist.

Two visits are only enough to scratch that charred surface. We drink a really decent Riesling Eva Fricke that stands up proudly to the onslaught of spice. And contemplate a post-prandial game of pool. But after a lunch like this, it seems an exertion too far. We wobble off into the City afternoon, sated smiles smeared across our faces.

About 40 per head

What Tom ate this week

Friday

Deliveroo with kids. Decent-ish pork tacos from DF/Mexico

Saturday

Find a half-decent Chinese place in Chinatown: Beijing Dumplings. Excellent. Xiao long bao, plus sesame prawn toast.

Sunday

Neapolitan margherita at LAntica Pizzeria da Michele near Baker Street.

Monday

Dinner of tortilla, chiperones, ancient and endive salad, scallops and prawns at Barrafina in Adelaide Street.There seems to be a day for everything these days. Star Wars Day is May 4, National Dog Day falls on August 26 and International Grenache Day is about to arrive on September 21. Grenache in my view is especially worthy of its own day, thanks to its broad spread, from the workhorse that fleshes out blends, to the bounty of ancient vines that can be as iconic, ethereal and powerful as the sound of Elvis Presley echoing from Mount Rock.

In France alone, Grenache achieves a wild range of wines, from the prestigious potent blends of Chateauneuf-du-Pape to the pale delicacy of Provencal rose. In food terms, this means that Grenache can cover all bases, whether youre planning to devour a steak fit for a T-Rex or nibble on a slenderising salad. It can even be a blast with blue cheese if you pair it with the sweet vin doux naturel wine of Banyuls which, by a miracle, also pairs well with dark chocolate.

Over in Sardinia, Grenache goes by the local name Cannonau, where legend has it the antioxidant-rich compounds in the wine promote heart health and by implication long life. All I can tell you for certain is that paired with a warming stew it feels like the world is smiling at you, even on the drizzliest day.

And thats another thing I love about Grenache  its friendliness. Over in Spain as Garnacha it loves making friends with other grapes, most notably in Rioja, where its often paired with Tempranillo and the other blending grapes to give some spice and ballast.

In Australia, the Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre blends (GSM for short) are worth noting as autumn creeps up on us for some superbly warming bottles, such as Tesco Finest McLaren Vale GSM 2015 (14.5%) 8. The USA also has decent offerings but look to South Africa and Chile for the future, where Im getting a glimpse of immense potential that, for now, remains sensational value for money. But wherever your wine comes from, look for old vine Grenache for a surprising level of elegance and complexity balanced with grin-raising intensity.

Happy days indeed.Left: DRESS, 315. Right: JACKET, 195; TROUSERS, 155, and BAG, 175, Laura Jackson x Rixo, net-a-porter.com and rixo.co.uk

Two of our favourite fashion friends coming together can never be a bad thing. Rixo  the printed silk womenswear brand that the YOU fashion team has championed since designers Henrietta and Orlagh showed us their first range of fabulous dresses three years ago  and Laura Jackson, TV presenter, cookbook author and provider of major style inspo, have collaborated on an utterly desirable new collection to add a bit of oomph to your transitional wardrobe. The full line will be unveiled at Rixos first London Fashion Week presentation on Tuesday and available to buy from Wednesday.

NEED A TREAT?

STEAL This flatters-all dress will be great for a late summer wedding.

DRESS, 40, V by Very, very.co.uk

TREAT Get bored of your handbag easily? Not with Furlas new customisable version of its iconic Metropolis bag with interchangeable flaps.

Bag, 330, Customisable flaps, from 120, both furla.com

What to wear forA LATE SUMMER BREAK

Private Mykonos is available through Passepartout Homes, from 27,300 a week, sleeping up to 30 guests in 13 bedrooms, passepartout-homes.com

If, like me, you cant let go of summer just yet, head to Greece  known for being one of the best places in Europe for late summer sun. If you can get a group together, its worth checking out Private Mykonos, the ultimate luxury villa.

I LOVE! MINT VELVET GOES MINI

From left: DRESS, 39; JUMPER, 32, and SKIRT, 29, mintvelvet.co.uk

Lifestyle and womenswear/loungewear brand Mint Velvet has just launched a childrenswear line. Mintie is for girls aged three to ten and includes some incredibly cute designs, and a few mini-me options that tick the comfortable and functional boxes so necessary for kidswear. The collection has launched online but keep your eyes out for new drops throughout September.

Fashion assistant: Stephanie SofokleousA major Unilever shareholder said it will vote against the company's proposal to shift its headquarters from the UK to Netherlands.

Aviva Investors, which is the ninth biggest shareholder in Unilever with nearly 17million shares, said there is 'no upside' in the move and investors 'may be forced to sell their stock' as a result.

It comes as the Marmite maker, which currently has headquarters in both London and Rotterdam, has called a vote on the plan to scrap its UK legal headquarters and bring the entire company under a single Dutch parent.

HQ vote: Aviva Investors said there was 'no upside' in the move

Chief executive Paul Polman has insisted it will make the company more agile. But the move has caused concern in the UK because Unilever will lose its place on the FTSE 100 index. That would force British funds which track the index to sell their shares in the firm.

David Cummings, chief investment officer for equities at Aviva Investors, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Aside from the fact it is disappointing to see a world-class company like Unilever leave the UK, it also means longstanding UK shareholders may be forced to sell their stock.

'I don't see logically why any UK shareholder would support their decision to go Dutch, because there is no upside only downside.'

Unilever has less than a month to win backing from investors in the UK and the Netherlands as they are set to vote on the plan on October 25 in Rotterdam and October 26 in London.

It will need approval from 50 per cent of its Dutch shareholders and from 75 per cent of its UK shareholders.

A Unilever spokesman said: 'We have engaged extensively with our shareholders and we believe the vast majority are fully supportive of the board's proposal.'

However, more than 10 of the company's top 50 shareholders are said to have expressed concerns about the move, according to reports by the Financial Times.

In March, shareholder Columbia Threadneedle, also raised concerns.

Its head of responsible investment Iain Richards said then: 'They (Unilever) need to do more to convince UK shareholders of the merits of the move.'

The consumer giant, which is also behind Dove soap, Magnum ice creams and Knorr soups, is one of the biggest FTSE 100 companies.

Unilever shares fell 0.5 per cent, or 21p to 4,243p in morning trading.Upscale U.S. fashion label Henri Bendel - known in recent years for its luxury handbags and shoes - will shut down in January after 123 years in business, parent company L Brands has announced.

The Bendel website and all of the label's 23 stores in the United States, including the flagship location on New York's Fifth Avenue, will remain open through the holiday shopping season, L Brands said in a statement.

But from the start of 2019, the parent company said it will put its focus on the group's more profitable labels.

'We are committed to improving performance in the business and increasing shareholder value,' L Brands chairman and CEO Leslie Wexner said in a statement released Thursday.

Shoppers gather outside the Henri Bendel store on Fifth Avenue in New York in this file photo

'As part of that effort, we have decided to stop operating Bendel to improve company profitability and focus on our larger brands that have greater growth potential.'

The closing of the Bendel stores, whose well-heeled customers could be easily spotted in Manhattan thanks to the label's chic brown and white-striped packaging, marks the end of a fashion journey begun in 1895.

That year, Louisiana-born designer Henri Bendel, originally a hatmaker, opened his first shop in New York's Greenwich Village.

The company boasts that Bendel was the first luxury retailer with a store on upper Fifth Avenue - an area that today is home to the world's top brands.

In the 1960s, the company hired Andy Warhol as an in-house illustrator.

Thanks to the wild popularity of the television show Sex and the City, Bendel won over a new generation of fans.

Bendel women will likely stock up on the company's offerings before year's end, with L Brands promising new merchandise during that period.

A woman looks at a Henri Bendel holiday window display in New York. Bendel, which was acquired by L Brands in 1985, is suffering from sluggish sales: it is expected to post an operating loss of $45million for 2018, against revenues of $85million

Bendel, which was acquired by L Brands in 1985, is suffering from sluggish sales: it is expected to post an operating loss of $45million for 2018, against revenues of $85million, the parent company said.

L Brands controls a stable of labels including lingerie shop Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works.

Last year, the group - which operates more than 3,000 stores in the US, Canada and Britain - reported revenue of more than $12billion.

It did not say how many employees would be affected by the closure of Bendel.Mexicans heading into the weekend's Independence Day celebrations were jolted by a brazen shooting by men dressed as mariachi musicians who killed five people and wounded eight in Garibaldi Plaza, an iconic square in the capital where the bands serenade tourists.

The Mexico City prosecutors' office said at least one foreigner was among those wounded in Friday night's attack, which local media said was staged by three gunmen.

Four people died initially and a fifth died of her wounds at a hospital Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

A crime scene worker covers up one of the bodies of victims of a shooting in Garibaldi Plaza, in Mexico City on Friday

The Mexico City prosecutors' office said at least one foreigner was among those wounded in Friday night's attack, which local media said was staged by three gunmen

The news outlet La Silla Rota circulated surveillance video of the alleged assailants wearing traditional embroidered jackets and pants as they fled on motorcycles.

The shooting cast a bloody pall over Independence Day festivities.

Many Mexicans will wear mariachi costumes, a symbol of national pride, on Saturday night to commemorate the launch of the revolt against Spanish rule on Sept. 16, 1810.

It is also the busiest time of year for Garibaldi Plaza, a beloved but seedy square that draws heavily on Mexican folklore.

Lisa Sanchez, director of Mexicans United Against Delinquency, described the shooting as a 'piercing portrait' of Mexico.

Four people died initially and a fifth died of her wounds at a hospital Saturday afternoon, authorities said

The shooting in a crowded public square demonstrates that impunity prevails in the country, she said.

The prosecutors' office said investigators were trying to find those responsible for the attack. Few crimes in Mexico are solved.

On Saturday night, President Enrique Pena Nieto is to shout 'Viva Mexico' - or 'Long Live Mexico' - shortly before midnight from a balcony of the National Palace.

Thousands crowd into Mexico City's central Zocalo square every year to hear the shout, and the celebration usually spills into Garibaldi Plaza.

Business quickly resumed around the square following the shooting.

Videos circulating on social media showed musicians in the plaza playing their music around the time of the shooting, without skipping a beat.

In one video, a man plucking a large harp continues to belt out the Mexican civil war anthem 'La Cucaracha' as dozens of gunshots can be heard in the background.

In another, brass instruments and melancholic voices fill the air as the flashing lights of police vehicles descend on the plaza. Patrons continued to down tequilas and tuck into tacos.

At the Tenampa cantina, which bills itself as having first brought mariachi troupes to the plaza in the 1920s, a manager said it was business as usual Saturday.

'We haven't had any reservations cancelled and we continue to book tables,' he said, asking that his name not be published for fear of retaliation by criminal groups.

Thousands crowd into Mexico City's central Zocalo square every year to hear the shout, and the celebration usually spills into Garibaldi Plaza. The plaza square is seen in the above image on Saturday

Crimes and scams have plagued Garibaldi Plaza for years.

Malcolm X's grandson Malcolm Shabazz was found beaten to death outside a bar there in 2013 after a dispute over a bill.

A Mexican security expert, Alejandro Hope, said the Friday shooting appeared to be a hit by an organized crime group.

Garibaldi Plaza borders the gritty Tepito neighborhood, home to the Union Tepito gang that has been extorting businesses across the capital.

The suspected head of Union Tepito, a man known as 'El Betito,' was arrested in August.

That arrest may have set off a battle for leadership and turf.

A rival gang called the Anti-Union Force is believed to hang around Garibaldi.

Hope said the shooters targeted a specific restaurant on the plaza in what may have been a shakedown for protection money or a hit on rivals.

'It was not random,' he said.An urgent investigation has been launched into why soaring numbers of girls aged as young as four want to change gender  and whether social media is to blame.

Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt has ordered officials to discover the reasons why the number of girls being referred for 'transitioning' treatment has increased by 4,415 per cent.

Psychologists and behavioural experts will explore why  in the words of one source  some girls think that modern life is 'easier to bear' if they become boys.

Official figures show the number of children referred for gender treatment  including hormone injections  has risen from 97 in 2009/10 to 2,519 in 2017/18. But by far the steepest rise has come among girls: up from 40 to 1,806.

An urgent investigation has been launched into why soaring numbers of girls aged as young as four want to change gender like, Alex Bertie who showed his transition on YouTube

Trans boy with 300,000 Youtube followers Alex Bertie built up a following of 300,000 on YouTube during his transitioning from female to male  adding to fears that social media may be influencing young people who want to change sex. Growing up in Dorset, Alex appeared to be a typical tomboy: sporting long blonde hair, but playing with toy cars and video games. As a 13-year-old girl she fell in love with another girl, leading to bullying. Yet it was only at 15 that Alex  now 22  determined to change sex after being sent to an LGBT group called Over the Rainbow. There, the youngster was given information about how to transition on the NHS. He subsequently had sex change hormone therapy with testosterone and an operation to reduce both breasts. In videos he tells his fans that the results of the treatment have been pretty amazing. Advertisement

A total of 45 of the children were aged six or under, with the youngest ones being just four.

Last night, a source in the Government Equalities Office, which handles policies on 'women, sexual orientation and transgender equality', said: 'There has been a substantial increase in the number of individuals assigned female at birth being referred to the NHS. There is evidence that this trend is happening in other countries as well.

Little is known, however, about why this is and what are the long-term impacts.'

Psychologists and behavioural experts will explore why  in the words of one source  some girls think that modern life is 'easier to bear' if they become boys (stock)

Another source said: 'Is it, to put it crudely, that young girls simply think modern life would be easier to bear if they were boys?' Some therapists believe the rise is linked to the same mental health crisis among girls which has led to an epidemic of self-harm, with social media perpetuating hyper-sexualised ideals of what it means to be a woman.

The Mail on Sunday disclosed last month that almost two thirds of children and teenagers who say they want to change sex have been diagnosed with serious mental health disorders before expressing the desire to transition.

A total of 63 per cent have had 'one or more diagnoses of a psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disability' before announcing they wanted to change gender. Almost half had self-harmed and 50 per cent had suffered a traumatic event in their lives, such as being bullied or suffering sexual abuse.

The MoS has revealed the fears of a leading doctor that the health of hundreds of children is being put at risk by sex-change drugs doled out on the NHS.

Official figures show the number of children referred for gender treatment  including hormone injections  has risen from 97 in 2009/10 to 2,519 in 2017/18 (stock)

Dr Lucy Griffin, a consultant psychiatrist at Bristol Royal Infirmary, said she was 'extremely worried' about the long-term effects the medication was having on adolescents.

She warned that medicines being given to teens to help them change gender can render them infertile, cause osteoporosis and result in sexual dysfunction.

The medicines include 'puberty blocker' drugs, which halt the onset of adulthood, and 'cross sex hormones' which start the physical process of changing sex.

Last year 800 children in England who were unhappy being the sex they were born were given puberty blocking injections, including some as young as ten.

The debate comes against the backdrop a row between feminists and transgender activists over whether transgender women  who were born male  should be placed in the same category as biological females.Fugitive Shawn Christy, 27, was last seen in Mansfield, Ohio, on Sunday evening after he crashed a stolen truck and fled the scene on foot. At least seven schools in the area have been closed on Monday as authorities warn he is believed to still be in the area

Several schools in southwest Ohio have been closed Monday as federal authorities hunt for a wanted fugitive who has allegedly threatened President Donald Trump and other elected officials.

US Marshals, the FBI and the US Secret Service have been searching for 27-year-old Shawn Christy for more than two months, claiming he has threatened to use 'full lethal force on any law enforcement officer that tries to detain me'.

The fugitive was last seen on I-71 near Mansfield, Ohio, on Sunday evening when he crashed a truck he'd allegedly stolen from a Pennsylvania business nearly 400 miles away over the weekend.

Ohio State Highway Patrol recovered the white 2002 GMC utility truck with Pennsylvania registration after the crash at around 4.45pm.

Christy had fled the scene on food and is believed to still be in the area.

As a result, at least seven schools in the counties of Richland, Butler and Lucas have canceled classes on Monday, according to Cleveland19.

Christy was last seen at around 4.45pm on Sunday after the crash on I-71. Authorities say he stole the truck from a Pennsylvania business nearly 400 miles away over the weekend

School district superindendent Shelley Hilderbrand tweeted early Monday morning: 'SCHOOL CLOSED MONDAY SEPT 17 - due to manhunt. The District did not want students standing at bus stops for safety reasons.'

The closures applied to three campuses in the Lucas Local School District and two in the Madison Local School District, as well as Madison Adult Education and St Mary's of the Snow Catholic School in Mansfield.

Police have warned all residents in the Mansfield area to use caution and keep their homes and cars locked.

US Marshals issued a statement about Christy on Sunday, saying he had stolen a truck along with food, money and a shotgun the night before from the Skitco Iron Works in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania.

The McAdoo man is believed to have burglarized the same business on September 5.

A federal warrant was issued for Christy's arrest in June after he allegedly threatened a Northhampton County district attorney by writing in a Facebook post: 'I promise I'll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of President Donald J Trump'

A federal warrant was issued June 19 for Christy in relation to Facebook threats against Northampton County's district attorney, alleging that he posted: 'I promise I'll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of President Donald J Trump.'

The self-proclaimed survivalist is also wanted in Pennsylvania on arrest warrants for burglary, probation violation, and failure to appear in court for an aggravated assault case.

Christy's parents said Thursday that he had sent a Facebook message to them saying he 'was slowed down a bit' after he may have broken his knee during a Maryland 'getaway'.

The message ends: 'Stay safe, I have a mission to complete.'

Federal authorities have asked for help for the public, offering a reward of up to $20,000, but warn that Christy should be considered armed and dangerous.

He is described as a white male with a white complexion, short dark-blonde hair and a beard, standing at 5'10" and weighing approximately 160lbs.

Christy has a tattoo of a cross on his right upper arm and speaks with a notable lisp.Sam Young read a verdict letter for the first time Sunday that had been delivered to him following last week's hearing with local church leaders in Houston

A Mormon man who led a campaign criticizing the church's practice of allowing closed-door, one-on-one interviews of youth by lay leaders that sometimes included sexual questions has been kicked out of the faith following a disciplinary hearing.

Sam Young read a verdict letter for the first time Sunday that had been delivered to him following last week's hearing with local church leaders in Houston.

Young and his supporters say the interviews where youths are asked if they're following the law of chastity led to inappropriate conversations and shaming.

Young called his excommunication 'a supreme disappointment' and was emotional at a news conference attended by about 100 of his supporters.

'The whistleblower has been kicked out,' he said.

'But they have no power to excommunicate me from the cause of protecting children and protecting the healing of my friends. For our children's sake, this whistleblower is not going to stop roaring.'

Young called his excommunication 'a supreme disappointment' and was emotional at a news conference attended by about 100 of his supporters. He is seen above in Salt Lake City on Sunday

Young, 65, recently finished a 23-day hunger strike in Salt Lake City near church headquarters to bring attention to his cause.

In March, he organized a protest march of about 1,000 people who walked to church headquarters.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn't comment on disciplinary hearings to respect people's privacy.

While not a lifelong ban, excommunication is a rare move that amounts to the harshest punishment available for a church member.

People show their support for Sam Young as he speaks during a press conference in Salt Lake City on Sunday

A supporter holds a sign during Young's news conference

Young becomes the third high-profile Mormon who led protests about church policy to be excommunicated in recent years.

Kate Kelly, founder of a group pushing for women to be allowed in the religion's lay clergy, was excommunicated in 2014.

John Dehlin, who runs a podcast that allows doubting Mormons to tell their stories, was kicked out in 2015.

In his summons to the disciplinary hearing, church leaders told Young he was facing excommunication because he encouraged others to vote against church leaders and because he organized more than one public action that expressed opposition.

The youth interviews usually happen twice a year starting at 12. One of the questions asked by men who are called bishops deals with sexual activity: 'Do you live the law of chastity?'

Mormonism explained - from why missionaries go door-to-door to its polygamous beliefs Mormonism is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity, founded by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s.

Mormons dedicate large amounts of time and resources to serving in their church, and many young Mormons choose to work full-time as converts, going door-to-door.

Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coffee, tea, and other addictive substances are forbidden.

Sex before marriage and homosexual relationships are also forbidden.

Tattoos and body piercings, except for one pair of earrings on women, are discouraged.

In the 19th century, a minority of Mormons openly practiced plural marriage, a form of religious polygamy.

The center of Mormon cultural influence is in Utah, and North America has more Mormons than any other continent. Advertisement

Young and the Mormons and non-Mormons who back his campaign say the question is unnecessary and inappropriate.

The church changed its policy earlier this year to allow children to bring a parent or adult with them.

Parents were only allowed in a hallway or adjacent room under old rules. Youth can still go in alone if they choose.

In June, the faith, for the first time, posted the list of questions lay leaders are supposed to ask during the interviews.

Mormon leaders say the interviews are an important way for bishops to get to know youth better and determine their religious habits and obedience to God.

Young's ouster means he'll be leaving a religion he's been a member of his entire life.

Mormons usually have tight-knit connections with other people in their congregations, bonds forged by spending worship and social time together.

Excommunicated Mormons and those not in good standing can't go inside temples where members are married and other ordinances such as baptisms for dead relatives are performed.International investments in Bahrain has reached $810 million till now this year, a significant increase from $733 million recorded during the whole of 2017, it has been revealed.

The figures were revealed at a board meeting of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), chaired by Deputy King HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

At the meeting, HRH the Deputy King stressed the importance of securing the kingdoms long-term fiscal stability by balancing fiscal adjustment measures with growth in the wider economy, said a Bahrain News Agency report.

He highlighted that this objective would lead to growth in the kingdom's key sectors, which play a vital role in driving forward sustainable development and ensuring a brighter future for citizens, in line with the vision of HM King Hamad.

In this regard, HRH the Deputy King instructed the swift implementation of initiatives designed to increase Bahrain's competitiveness and facilitate opportunities for citizens.

He noted that Bahrains strong, investment-friendly regulatory system has created an environment conducive to foreign direct investment (FDI) and growth in the entrepreneurship sector.

He also stressed that the kingdom remains committed to strengthening Bahrains regulatory system by incorporating modern technologies and processes, increasing the efficiency of government services for investors and citizens.

He added that the kingdom would continue to engage with investors through events such as Gateway Gulf, which play an important role showcasing investment opportunities in the Kingdom.

Khalid Al Rumaihi, EDB chief executive, presented an update on recent economic developments and outlined the EDBs recent achievements, which include a significant uplift in international investments from $733 million in 2017 to $810 million till now.

Recently released data by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) highlighted that Bahrain achieved the fastest FDI growth rate in the GCC region in 2017.

Al Rumaihi also affirmed that Bahrain was recognised as the top country in the Mena region to invest in by Site Selection magazine. The magazine also included the EDB on the list of Top Investment Promotion Agencies for 2018.

He went on to discuss a number of recently introduced regulatory initiatives from the EDB working in partnership with the public and private sectors, aimed at enhancing the kingdoms business ecosystem.

These initiatives include the Competition Law, Bankruptcy Law, Data Protection Law, Health Insurance Law and the Wage Protection System, which stipulates that payments to private sector employees must take place through personal bank accounts. The EDB also cooperated with the Bahrain Development Bank to launch the $100 Million Al Waha Fund of Funds.

He also highlighted the interest shown by foreign investors in Bahrains business ecosystem during Gateway Gulf. The forum, which was held last May and showcased investments projects worth US$26 billion, brought together over 900 investors and 80 speakers from Bahrain and globally. The event represented a platform to promote Bahrains position as a gateway to investment opportunities both in the kingdom and across the $1.5 trillion GCC Market.Half of voters say immigration is straining public services, and nearly all of them think that MPs lie about the issue, a report reveals today.

Just 15 per cent of people feel the Government has managed immigration competently and fairly, while only 17 per cent trust them to tell the truth about immigration in Britain.

The paper, produced by a project called the National Conversation on Immigration, reveals a shocking level of public mistrust over immigration.

Many of the 20,000 people polled were divided on the issue, believing that immigration brought positive benefits to the country, although they had concerns about pressure on public services.

Half of voters say immigration is straining public services, and nearly all of them think that MPs lie about the issue, a report reveals today

Four out of ten were willing to keep the current EU free movement rules after Brexit if it meant a better deal for British business.

But a third  33 per cent  of respondents felt the UK should not offer a preferential immigration deal to the EU, even if this limited the trade deal that Britain could strike.

Among Leave voters, 53 per cent believe the UK should not offer a preferential immigration deal to the EU, even if business would lose out.

Just 16 per cent of Remain voters agreed. Most of those who were polled said they wanted EU migration to be better managed.

Just 15 per cent of people feel the Government has managed immigration competently and fairly

A majority wanted changes to the rules, and were divided between bringing in caps or quotas for low-skilled migrant workers from the EU and introducing temporary visa regimes. The study was produced by think-tank British Future and anti-racism campaigners Hope Not Hate ahead of a report by the Migration Advisory Committee, to be released tomorrow.

Jill Rutter, director of strategy for British Future and co-author of the report, said: The lack of trust we found in the Government to manage immigration is quite shocking.

Most people are pragmatic and have constructive ideas about the choices we face.

They want a system that manages the pressures to secure the gains of immigration  but right now they dont trust the Government to deliver it.

The ICM poll found that 65 per cent of the public say migrants bring valuable skills to the economy and public services such as the NHS, while 59 per cent believe diversity is good for British culture.

But 52 per cent said public services are under strain as a result of immigration.

The same number believe that migrants are willing to work for less money, putting jobs at risk and lowering wages. Some 61 per cent agree that the Governments performance on migration should be reviewed every year, through an annual migration day in Parliament which should involve consulting members of the public.

People also wanted migrants to integrate, with 61 per cent agreeing with the statement: It is better when migrants commit to stay in Britain, put down roots and integrate.

The report calls for an annual Migration Day in Parliament, where ministers are held accountable for their performances against a three-year immigration strategy  in place of the current net migration target.

It also suggests that the Government should start an official National Conversation on Immigration, run by the Migration Advisory Committee.Pauline Hanson has called on migrants to pass an assimilation test before being granted a permanent visa into Australia.

The One Nation leader told The Australian immigrants from Africa and the Middle East were refusing to respect and live by Australian customs and practices.

Ms Hanson said people from those regions had 'vastly different customs', pointing to the alleged abuse of Centrelink privileges by migrants practicing polygamy.

'It is common for a rich man to take an extra wife, but for each additional wife, a poor man must remain single,' she said.

In 2016 and 2017, Australia issued a total of 40,000 permanent visas to people from sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East.

Over a decade, that added up to 291,975.

Scroll down for video

Pauline Hanson has called on migrants to sit for an assimilation test before being granted a permanent visa into Australia

Ms Hanson singled out Muslims - particularly those who were forced to wear the burqa - for driving issues of 'extremism, gender equality and integration' to the 'centre of the immigration debate'.

'Australian Muslims are a diverse group, but a minority treat their women as second-class citizens, and they also fail to integrate,' she wrote.

The controversial Senator said it was time migrants looking to gain Australian citizenship were tested on their likelihood of assimilating.

'It is time we assess whether applicants are likely to assimilate and work because once a permanent visa is granted, that person only needs to get 12 questions right out of 20 in a multiple choice test to gain citizenship,' she wrote.

'We can do better at selecting immigrants, and the government should be doing more.'

'It is time we assess whether applicants are likely to assimilate and work because once a permanent visa is granted, that person only needs to get 12 questions right out of 20 in a multiple choice test to gain citizenship,' Ms Hanson wrote

On August 17 2017, Ms Hanson made national headlines when she wore a burqa to parliament and called for the Government to ban 'oppressive' full-face coverings

On August 17 2017, Ms Hanson made national headlines when she wore a burqa to parliament and called for the Government to ban 'oppressive' full-face coverings.

'I'm quite happy to remove this, because this is not what should belong in this Parliament,' she told the parliament.

Her appearance was met with laughter and outrage.

'In light of our national security of this nation, will you work to ban the burqa in Australia?' she said.

'There have been 13 foiled national threats against us with terrorism, three that have been successful and Australians have lost their lives.

'Terrorism is a true threat to our country. Many Australians are very much in fear of it.

'A large majority of Australians wish to see the banning of the burqa.'

Ms Hanson said the idea for her burqa stunt was born when Senate President Stephen Parry told her last year that anyone could wear a burqa in Parliament.

'Terrorism is a true threat to our country. Many Australians are very much in fear of it'

On Wednesday, Ms Hanson put forward a motion asking Senators to acknowledge and ban full-face coverings.

'The wearing of full-face coverings, such as burqas and niqabs, has no place in a modern western society,' she said.

'I call on the Federal Government to move immediately to ban any form of full-face covering, such as balaclavas, full-face helmets, burqas and niqabs, in places where identification is necessary and security is an issue.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Pauline Hanson for comment.Michael Gove has called on Eurosceptics to get behind Theresa May's Chequers plan by arguing it can always be adapted after Brexit.

The Environment Secretary said that while the blueprint was 'the right one for now', a future prime minister would have the power to 'alter the relationship'.

Mr Gove's call came as Boris Johnson said: 'We are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.'

In his Daily Telegraph column today, the former Foreign Secretary accuses the European Union of launching an 'attempt to annex Northern Ireland'.

Michael Gove has called on Eurosceptics to get behind Theresa May's Chequers plan by arguing it can always be adapted after Brexit (pictured on the Andrew Marr show)

But last night it was reported that Brussels was preparing to accept a frictionless Irish border using new technology to minimise checks.

Diplomatic notes seen by The Times show the EU is moving towards the idea of goods being tracked using barcodes on shipping containers, to remove the need for physical border infrastructure.

The EU has previously claimed the only feasible option to avoid the return of border controls would be customs checks on goods before they left mainland Britain.

Mrs May has faced resistance from some Brexiteers over the Chequers proposal, which caused the Cabinet resignations of Mr Johnson and David Davis. But Mr Gove, one of the leaders of the Leave campaign, urged fellow Tories to support the plan in order to secure Brexit, rather than risk an impasse in Parliament or a general election.

He admitted that the Chequers proposals forced him to compromise on some of his beliefs, but insisted the most important issue now was ensuring Britain left the EU in 'good order'.

Asked if the plan would be permanent, Mr Gove told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show: 'Yes, but there's one critical thing  a future prime minister could always choose to alter the relationship between Britain and the European Union.

Theresa May (on BBC Panorama) has faced resistance from some Brexiteers over the Chequers proposal, which caused the Cabinet resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis

'But the Chequers approach is the right one for now because we have got to make sure that we respect that vote and take advantage of the opportunities of being outside the European Union.'

He said it will be up to the House of Commons in the future to 'chart this nation's destiny' and decide what to do if Brussels law changes.

As EU leaders prepare to meet to discuss Brexit in Salzburg this week, Mr Gove said the onus was on Brussels to compromise.

He added: 'I've compromised. I've been quite clear that some of the things I argued for in the referendum passionately... as a result of Chequers, I have to qualify one or two of my views. I believe the critical thing is making sure we leave in good order with a deal which safeguards the referendum mandate.'

Mr Gove's remarks come as Tory MPs opposed to the Chequers deal plan to ramp up public opposition with a series of rallies across the country.

One event, organised by pro-Brexit group Leave Means Leave, will take place in Birmingham later this month while the Conservative Party conference is being held in the city.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who has previously put the chances of Britain leaving the EU without a deal at 60-40, said yesterday: 'I do detect that there is a movement from the European Union towards getting a deal.'Cancer patients are facing delays in receiving test results because of staff shortages in hospital laboratories, experts have warned.

Just 3 per cent of laboratories say they have got enough expert medical staff to analyse cell and tissue samples.

Demand has grown significantly for pathology services but the size of the workforce has not kept up, according to a survey by the Royal College of Pathologists.

Demand for pathology services has 'grown significantly' but supply is not rising (stock image)

An approaching retirement crisis, with a quarter of histopathologists [laboratory cancer specialists] aged 55 or over, is set to compound the problem.

Three-quarters of histopathology departments responded to the 2017 survey, with just 3 per cent saying they had enough staff to meet demand.

This would amount to 137 out of 158 departments without enough staff.

Understaffed departments said they were relying on employing locums, outsourcing or staff overtime to meet demand.

The report also warned that a new test for bowel cancer  known as FIT (faecal immunochemical test)  being rolled out in the NHS will increase screening uptake.

Professor Jo Martin, the president of the Royal College of Pathologists, said: The cost of staff shortages across histopathology departments is high for both patients and for our health services.

For patients, it means worrying delays in diagnosis and treatment.

For NHS hospitals, it means spending more resources on locum doctors to fill staffing gaps or outsourcing services.

We estimate this costs 27million each year across the UK health service  money that could be better invested in staff and new diagnostic equipment.

Histopathologists diagnose and study disease by analysing tissue samples, manage cancer treatment and perform autopsies.

The president of the Royal College of Pathologists, said: The cost of staff shortages across histopathology departments is high for both patients and for our health services'

A new NHS screening programme has led to increased workloads, compounded by outdated IT systems, the college said.

The number of cancer cases is projected to rise by more the 40 per cent to about 514,000 new cases a year in 2035, further increasing demand, it added.

The college is calling for more investment, better IT and more funded training places.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: There are hundreds more pathologists in the NHS compared to 2010 and hospitals have reduced spending on temporary agency staff by over half a billion pounds in the last year.

We are listening to staff, encouraging more flexible working and have increased medical training places for home-grown doctors by 25 per cent to ensure the NHS has the workforce it needs for the future.

A quick and easy test for viral infections could reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and hospital admissions, researchers claim.

The test, they say, which gives results in 50 minutes, could save hospitals about 2,000 for every patient not admitted and relieve winter pressures on available beds.

The nasal swab procedure, known as point of care respiratory viral testing, has been trialed at Watford General Hospital since January.

Dr Kay Roy told the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Paris: Hospital admission was avoided in 25 per cent [of cases] and unnecessary antibiotics were avoided in 50 per cent.A man in a wheelchair has been charged with fatally shooting his mother, grandmother and sister Sunday morning at a home in Mississippi's capital city, authorities said.

The Jackson Police Department said in a statement that Maurice Forte, 22, is facing three counts of murder in connection with the deaths.

The victims were identified as Forte's 67-year-old grandmother Eddie Mae Wofford, his 49-year-old mother Miyuki Wofford and his 26-year-old sister Kyisha Wofford.

Police said officers went to a home around 11am after receiving a call about someone being held against their will.

Maurice Forte (pictured) has been charged with three counts of murder in connection with the deaths of his mother, grandmother and sister in a September 16, 2018, shooting in Jackson, Mississippi

When they arrived, they found a man in a wheelchair just outside the home with a firearm near him, according to the statement.

Police said the man, identified as Forte, told them he had shot someone.

In the back of the home, police found three women with multiple gunshot wounds. Each was pronounced dead at the scene.

(L to R) The victims were identified as Forte's 67-year-old grandmother Eddie Mae Wofford, his 49-year-old mother Miyuki Wofford and his 26-year-old sister Kyisha Wofford

Police found the three women with multiple gunshot wounds. Each was pronounced dead at the scene

Police took Forte in for questioning and later charged him.

Authorities did not immediately elaborate on what led up to the shootings.

Forte is being held without bond and is awaiting an initial court appearance, authorities said.

It wasn't immediately known if Forte has a lawyer.An Australian Muslim woman has explained why she supports the idea of banning the burqa in government buildings.

Mina Zaki said security concerns outweighed the 'liberal ideal' of women being 'to wear whatever the hell they like'.

'At the same time, there's a time and a place for everything and government buildings, there are safety risks,' she told Sydney 2GB presenter Ben Fordham on Friday.

Scroll down for video

Muslim woman Mina Zaki has called for a burqa ban and said security concerns outweighed the 'liberal ideal' of women being able to 'wear whatever the hell they like'

Ms Zaki, who is also a member of the Liberal Party, is backing Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi's call to ban Muslim face covering at Centrelink offices and airports.

Beyond security concerns, the Canberra-based writer said the burqa was an affront to the idea of blending in.

'Burqas essentially I'm personally against because I feel that in a Western society, the purpose of a burqa in a non-western society or in a Muslim country like Saudi Arabia, for example, is to detract unwanted attention,' she said.

'In a place like Australia, it does the exact opposite.

'If you see somebody wearing a full covering, you're going to look at them twice.'

Ms Zaki, who is also a member of the Liberal Party, is backing Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi's call to ban Muslim face covering at Centrelink offices and airports

The Canberra-based writer and mother-of-three said there was an inaccurate perception in the community of the Liberal Party being anti-Muslim.

'I'm not the only Muslim member of the Liberal Party. There are quite a few,' she said.

'Generally, when you tell people that you're a member of the Liberal Party, firstly their face changes and then you actually see them walking away, just slowly stepping back.

'Because the Liberal Party is seen, unfortunately, as intolerant towards Muslims and it's not the case at all.'

Ms Zaki, who this year featured on the SBS program Muslims Like Us, said she would like to run for public office with the Liberal Party.

'I will. Not anytime soon but, yes, soon enough,' she said.

Beyond security concerns, the Canberra-based writer said the burqa was an affront to the idea of blending inTerrance Boyd Dixon, 55, was arrested on August 14 and on Thursday was charged with murder

A suspected murderer turned himself into police after he was on the run for a month and hitchhiked his way to his wife to give her a final goodbye.

Terrance Boyd Dixon, 55, is suspected of killing 64-year-old Michael Downie on July 27 in his Concord, California home.

Dixon turned himself in nearly a month later on August 14 and on Thursday he was charged with murder.

Dixon allegedly beat the victim to death with a fire poker in an enraged plot of revenge, as Downie testified against Dixon in a decades-old case that sent him to jail, cops say.

Downie had even told friends he feared that Dixon would come after him for vengeance.

Following the alleged murder, Dixon ran.

He stole Downie's car and sold it in Yolo County, California, then hitchhiked to the small town of Bandon, Oregon where his wife lived according to the East Bay Times.

Cops say he wanted to hug her one last time before turning himself in.

On August 14 his wife phoned police saying Dixon wanted to turn himself in.

Bandon police Chief Bob Webb arrested Dixon outside of the police station that same day.

Dixon is suspected of murdering 64-year-old Michael Downie on July 27 in his Concord, California home on the 1200 block of Pine Creek Way, the street pictured above

Following the alleged murder, Dixon stole his victim's car and sold it then hitchhiked from California to Bandon, Oregon, where his wife lived so he could give her a final goodbye

Dixon was on the run for a month before he turned himself in.

Downie's body was discovered on July 27 by friends checking in at his home on the 1200 block of Pine Creek Way.

Following Downie's murder Dixon was publicly identified as a suspect and a warrant was issued.

Dixon has been charged with murder and is being transported to Contra Costa jail in California.

Dixon has prior convictions for attempted murder and robbery in Nevada, according to the district attorney's office.An 82-year-old paedophile has claimed his victims 'enjoyed and wanted' his sexual advances as he was sentenced to jail for his heinous crimes.

Peter Brian Ashford, from South Auckland, was jailed for twelve years and eight months in the Manukau District Court on Friday, the NZ Herald reported.

Ten victims aged between eight and thirteen were sexually abused during the 50 years of offending.

The disgraced sex offender tried to blame his offences on his first victim, claiming she could have stopped him from years of sexual assault - if she reported him.

Peter Brian Ashford (pictured), from South Auckland, was jailed for twelve years and eight months for more than 50 years of sex offending against vulnerable girls as young as eight

The identities of the girls remain anonymous but all victims were known to the paedophile.

A mixture of Ashford's victims, ranging in age, sat in court as Judge John Bergseng relayed the horrific details of assault.

Ashford was in his early 30s when he first began offending in the 1960s, preying on an eight-year-old in her bed and attempting to rape her on numerous occasions.

No action was taken as the girl's mother didn't believe the allegations.

Ashford's second victim was 13 when she was first abused in the 80s, before three years of continued offending.

For over a decade, Ashford repeatedly sexually abused a group of girls between eight and eleven.

The group offending began in 2006 and continued after his 80th birthday in 2016.

Children were often forced to witness the abuse of other victims and in one instance Ashford lined up five victims and sexually abused them one at a time.

The 82-year-old claimed the children 'enjoyed and wanted' his sexual advances and he blamed his first victim for the years of offending (stock image)

The girls were told they would be punished if they told anyone about the offending they would be rewarded with food or money for submitting to the abuse.

Ashford said the children 'enjoyed and wanted' his sexual advances, Judge Bergseng told the court.

The court heard of Ashford's lack of empathy for his offending, claiming he didn't realise his actions were wrong.

'No victim empathy was present, nor regret or remorse for your actions; you denied causing harm to your victims,' Judge Bergseng said.

'You attributed blame to (the first victim) for not reporting you to the police, because if you had been caught and prosecuted you may not have gone on to offend against other victims.'

Judge Bergseng was forced to tell Ashford to stop starting at his victims during the sentencing, before being moved further away from the victims.

Age was no barrier for Ashford, according to Judge Bergseng, as he continued to sexually abuse children while in his 80s.

Age was no barrier for Ashford, according to Judge Bergseng, as he continued to sexually abuse women while in his 80s

The paedophile planned premeditated offences against vulnerable girls for five decades.

'It may well be that you never walk out of prison,' said Judge Bergseng.

Ashford had earlier pleaded guilty to 27 charges relating to rape and attempted rapes, sexual violations and indecent assaults to girls aged between 8 and 13.

He must serve half of his twelve year and eight month sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Judge Bergseng also ordered Ashford to pay reparation of more than $100,000 to the victims.A woman has slammed a cafe's brunch offering after she ordered avocado toast - only to find she had to make it herself.

Writer Jess McGuire took to social media to vent her frustration at the deconstructed way in which her avocado toast with feta was served at The Kettle Black cafe in south Melbourne.

Posting a picture of her plate, consisting of two plain slices of bread, a block of feta cheese, a slice of lime and an avocado still in its skin, Ms McGuire revealed her $18 DIY meal still grated on her hours after she left the restaurant.

A woman has slammed a cafe's brunch offering after she ordered avocado toast - only to find she had to make it herself

In the post on Instagram, she said: 'I'm not sure you guys will ever fully understand the level of annoyance I felt being handed this alleged 'avocado toast with feta' breakfast that cost $18 today - there goes the dream of a mortgage.'

When she was served the minimalist creation, she said she dryly remarked to the waitress the meal was 'pretty deconstructed isn't it?' - to which she smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

Capping off her seething post, Ms McGuire asked 'what next, being handed an avocado seed and told to farm the land and grow my own crop over several years before returning to the cafe to finally enjoy my breakfast?'

Despite the criticism, The Kettle Black (pictured) has been given positive reviews on Google, with one user saying the cafe had 'delicious food, friendly staff and great coffee'

The Kettle Black in South Melbourne advertise the meal as 'seasonal avocado with citrus, toast and local kelp salt'

Commenters on the Melbourne writer's post were equally incredulous about the cafe's take on the popular brunch dish.

One user remarked she could have bought the ingredients for less and had the meal every day at home.

Another said the woman should have known what she was in for when she ordered avocado on toast.

One user remarked she could have bought the ingredients for less and had the meal every day at home

Another said the woman should have known what she was in for when she ordered avocado on toast.

Some took the opportunity to make light of the situation, posting a picture of their own 'deconstructed' meal consisting of packaged bacon and bread.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, a staff member at The Kettle Black cafe - which describes itself as 'a gourmet cafe in a chic terraced house' - confirmed their avocado was served with the skin on.

They said: 'The conversation about our smashed avocado is long gone and it's really popular with our customers.'

Despite the criticism, The Kettle Black has been given positive reviews on Google, with one user saying the cafe had 'delicious food, friendly staff and great coffee - while another said it was their favourite place to get a coffee in the whole of Melbourne.A promising young attorney who was also the son-in-law of country star Alan Jackson tragically died Wednesday after he fell from dock while assisting a woman onto a boat in Florida.

Samuel Benton Selecman, 28, had been hospitalized for over a week after the incident that took place in the West Palm Beach area. He suffered traumatic head injuries as a result.

The Miami Herald first reported that Selecman slipped and fell from a dock while trying to help a woman onto a boat safely.

Selecman was set to celebrate his first wedding anniversary next month with wife Mattie - who now must prepare for her husband's funeral.

He and his wife lived in Nashville, where he had been appointed an assistant district attorney for the 20th Judicial District of Tennessee in April of last year.

Tragic end: Samuel Benton Selecman passed away age 28 in West Palm Beach on Wednesday, over a week after falling off a boat dock (Selecman and his wife Mattie above in 2017)

Family: He was just weeks away from celebrating his first wedding anniversary with wife Mattie, the daughter of country star Alan Jackson (l to r: Selecman, Mattie, Dani, Denise, and Alexandra Jackson with Alan Jackson)

In addition to his wife, Selecman is survived by parents Mark and Brenda and brother Cole.

Heartbroken loved ones wrote on the country music star's official website: 'The Jackson and Selecman families ask for - and appreciate - prayers during this difficult time.'

District Attorney Glenn Fuynk also paid tribute to the young man in a statement on Thursday.

'The DAs office is thankful for every day that Ben had the opportunity to serve the people of Davidson County,' said Funk.

'Our prayers are with Bens family. He will be truly missed.'

The incident happened in Jupiter, but it is unclear where as the Jackson family sold their property there back in 2012.

Heartbreak: Country star Alan Jackson is pictured giving his daughter Mattie away at the couple's outdoor wedding ceremony last year

No other details have been released at this time and local police and emergency responders have yet to respond to requests for comment.

A visitation for Bens friends and family took place on Sunday while the funeral service will be held Monday.

In lieu of flowers, Selecman's family asked that people consider donating to St. Marys Medical Trauma Center for Brain Trauma Research.Ithmaar Bank and Eazy Financial Services today announced plans to launch the regions first biometric payment network, supported by the Labour Fund Tamkeen, providing a new and more efficient alternative for customers to conduct many of their financial transactions.

When implemented, Ithmaar Bank customers will no longer be required to use their bank cards at ATMs. Instead, they will simply be able to use their fingerprint along with their PIN to process financial transactions. This provides a simpler, more secure way to process financial transactions than ever before. In future, this may also include points of sale.

The new Biometric Payment Network will be available in phases for Ithmaar Bank customers as early as Q1 2019.

Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) chief executive Khalid Al Rumaihi commented: With this announcement, Ithmaar Bank and Eazy Financial Services are truly showcasing Bahrain as a hub for innovation, specifically in the financial services industry. This partnership comes in line with our strategy to encourage innovation that supports high-value job creation in the kingdom. Bahrains forward-thinking regulatory approach provides an attractive environment for FinTech  particularly in areas such as Islamic finance and payments. We look forward to welcoming more home-grown initiatives such as this.

Praising the initiative, Tamkeen chief executive Dr Ebrahim Janahi said: Tamkeens support for the FinTech industry comes as part of our efforts to support enterprises across stages of development and making the private sector a key driver of economic growth. We believe Ithmaar Bank and Eazy are both well ahead of the curve, and this strategic initiative will result in a major positive change in the Kingdoms economy and capital market.

Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) executive director Khalid Hamad said: This very forward-looking partnership is proof that FinTech initiatives are delivering tangible, real-world results  ahead of similar initiatives across the region - while maintaining the overall safety and soundness of the financial system in Bahrain.

The platform, developed by Eazy Financial Services, is built on a powerful Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) one of the most reliable and trusted biometric engines which is deployed and implemented in many countries around the world for both civil and forensic applications. Eazy Financial Services adopts a rigorous Identification Algorithm which has earned the highest honours by several standards organizations and authorities.

Praising the initiative, Tamkeen CEO Dr Ebrahim Janahi said: Tamkeens support for the FinTech industry comes as part of our efforts to support enterprises across stages of development and making the private sector a key driver of economic growth. We believe Ithmaar Bank and Eazy are both well ahead of the curve, and this strategic initiative will result in a major positive change in the Kingdoms economy and capital market.

Ithmaar Bank CEO Ahmed Abdul Rahim said: As part of our digital strategy, we continue to invest heavily in technology that provides our customers a more convenient, simpler and more secure way to conduct their financial transactions. Our customers are tech-savvy and expect friction-less access to banking services - and the introduction of biometrics is another major step that direction. We are leading the financial industry with this new, tangible solution which is a real-time example of how we put innovation and our customers at the forefront of everything we do.

Eazy Financial Services CEO Khaled Al Ahli said: Payments stand out as the single largest driver for the biometrics market. We are driving biometric verification in the region, which is the future of the financial industry.

As a local Bahraini start-up, we are extremely proud to bring a regional first solution from Bahrain, in partnership with a renowned local bank. Going forward, biometrics for financial products and services are expected to represent one-third of the total market for biometric solutions in 2020, he continued.

The agreement is a result of the financial support of Tamkeen, with the backing of the EDB and CBB. - TradeArabia News ServiceIt was seen as a historic mark of progress  the Queen's handshake with former IRA commander Martin McGuinness in 2012.

But for the monarch, it was not a profound gesture of reconciliation following decades of bloodshed.

She simply thought that it would have been awkward if she did not take his hand, according to a new book by Daily Mail features writer Robert Hardman.

The Queen shaking hands with IRA leader Martin McGuinness at the Lyric Theater in Belfast in 2012

The Queen's thoughts were disclosed by David Cameron. He said he had told the Queen that her meeting with the late Mr McGuinness, then Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, had been a great milestone of modern diplomacy.

Mr Cameron, Prime Minister at the time, told the author: 'I think it was the most transformative bit of diplomacy I have seen. It was amazing.'

But in a response that summed up what Mr Hardman refers to as her 'modest, no-nonsense approach', the Queen admitted: 'What was I meant to do? Of course I shook his hand. It would be awkward not to.'

The book, Queen Of The World, also revealed that the monarch was faintly embarrassed by the adulation after shaking hands with the man Mr Hardman described as 'the leader of an organisation that had once been hell-bent on exterminating her entire family'.

'She was, as ever, not sure what all the fuss was about,' Mr Cameron said. Mr McGuinness died last year.

The book also says the Queen's famous speech on her 21st birthday was actually pre-recorded.

Delivered on a tour of South Africa with her parents in 1947, it has the famous line: 'My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family.'

But Mr Hardman asserts that the speech, broadcast on radio, had been recorded in a Zimbabwe hotel room a week earlier to spare her the pressure.A Cambridge high-flier is accused of ripping off taxpayers by up to 2.8million in a green energy scam.

Ehsan Abdi-Jalebi, a leading engineer, is suspected of abusing the Government's rush for renewable power.

The Iranian company director was arrested after 100,000 was found in his luggage for a flight to Tehran.

The cash was allegedly hidden in chocolate gift boxes.

Following his arrest, Abdi-Jalebi lost his fellowship at Churchill College in Cambridge and the National Crime Agency spent 18 months examining his financial history.

Ehsan Abdi-Jalebi (pictured), a leading engineer, is suspected of abusing the Government's rush for renewable power

They found that his company, Wind Technologies, received more than 1.3million in renewable energy grants from the Government and the European Union.

Three linked firms were handed a further 1.5million.

The cash included hand-outs from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Innovate UK, the national innovation agency.

Investigators also examined Abdi-Jalebi's personal bank accounts and trips between the UK and Iran. They found inconsistencies in invoices, bank statements and other papers suggesting money was obtained illegitimately and funnelled off.

Last week Abdi-Jalebi appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in London to face 11 charges of fraud and a further claim of perverting the course of justice. He spoke only to confirm his name, nationality and address before being released on conditional bail.

Outlining the charges, Zara Khan, prosecuting, said Abdi-Jalebi was accused of using a complex web of dozens of false invoices.

These were allegedly used to deceive accountants, public officials and fellow researchers as to what money had been spent by his firms.

Abdi-Jalebi lost his fellowship at Churchill College in Cambridge and the National Crime Agency spent 18 months examining his financial history (stock)

He is suspected of fabricating a report from a consultancy firm to deceive officials at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Abdi-Jalebi is charged with falsifying more than 100 pages of HSBC bank statements for his companies.

Finally, he is accused of committing a 'series of acts' intended to pervert the course of justice. These include tampering with bank transactions and forging signatures on board meeting minutes and letters.

Magistrates ordered him to appear before Isleworth Crown Court next month.

Abdi-Jalebi, who lives in Trumpington, on the outskirts of Cambridge, could not be reached for comment.

Social media posts show him travelling with his family, posing with members of Cambridge University's Persian society and fundraising for victims of an Iranian earthquake.

Cambridge University declined to comment and deleted Abdi-Jalebi's official webpage after an inquiry from this newspaper.

He won international acclaim for his work on wind turbines and set up his technology firm in 2006.Up to 58 per cent duty of the cost of air tickets on return domestic flights goes straight to the Treasury as tax, research has found.

Passengers are charged air passenger duty (APD) on each leg from a UK airport. This is 13 in economy class.

A study calculated the duty as a proportion of 18 fares booked on September 11 for travel on October 16 and 17.

Up to 58 per cent duty of the cost of air tickets on return domestic flights goes straight to the Treasury as tax, research has found

EasyJet return flights for London Stansted to Glasgow and Edinburgh, each costing 45, were the highest at 58 per cent.

Flybe from Southampton to Manchester was 54 per cent of 48, easyJet from Belfast to Edinburgh was 52 per cent of 50 and Flybe from Cardiff to Edinburgh was 46 per cent of 56.

Henk van Klaveren, of campaign group A Fair Tax On Flying, which carried out the research, said: Its a tax on trade and a tax on holidays. We are urging the Chancellor to decisively cut APD in the Budget by at least 50 per cent across all bands of travel.A teenage rapist has admitted to sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl after taking the young relative into a garage to sexually abuse her during a family outing.

The man, who is related to the four-year-old girl, pleaded guilty to the horrific sex act in Queensland's Southport Magistrates Court on Friday.

The court heard how the man had pulled the girl into a garage in January 2017 and asked her if he could play with her private parts, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

The teenager is reported to be a relative of the young girl, and had pulled her away into a garage during a family gathering and asked if he could play with her private parts (stock)

Crown prosecutor Michael Mitchell told the court the 'man put his finger inside the girl and rubbed her private parts for up to a minute.'

The court also heard that the girl had begged with him to stop touching her.

'There were no physical injuries, but she has suffered anxiety and has difficulties trusting men,' Mr Mitchell told the court.

Initially the offender denied his actions towards the girl when he was confronted by her mother and then questioned by family members, before admitting to the assault.

The man underwent a psychological assessment which indicated he may have intellectual difficulties, but he was able to distinguish right from wrong, the publication reported.

The man risks being deported to his home country if he is given a prison sentence.

The matter will return to court on September 21.Detectives believe they have smashed a sophisticated criminal syndicate after seizing more than 4,000 tins of baby formula allegedly stolen from Sydney stores.

The formula, allegedly stolen from Coles and Woolworths supermarkets as well as Chemist Warehouse outlets across the city, was seized along with more than $200,000 cash.

About $125,000 of that money was allegedly found inside a sleeping bag at a home in Sydney's north-west.

Lie Ke (pictured left outside Burwood Local Court on Monday) is accused of being the ringleader of a syndicate that stole baby formula and sold it for inflated prices

The formula, allegedly stolen from Coles and Woolworths supermarkets as well as Chemist Warehouse outlets across the city, was seized along with more than $200,000 cash

Lie Ke appeared in Burwood Local Court on Monday accused of being the ringleader of the syndicate.

The 49-year-old is accused of organising a criminal gang to steal baby formula and other goods from retail shelves and sell them on at inflated prices.

Ke was arrested last month in an operation run by the State Crime Command's Robbery and Serious Crime Squad.

In February, detectives received information from retailers relating to the coordinated theft of baby formula and vitamins across Sydney.

The formula was allegedly being sold out of a shop at Bankstown in Sydney's south-west.

Strike Force Dungv was subsequently established to investigate the theft and distribution of the goods.

Ke (right) was charged with knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group and knowingly participating in a criminal group to assist crime

Searches allegedly located more than 4,000 tins of baby formula, large quantities of vitamins, manuka honey and various other items believed to have been stolen

Following extensive inquiries Ke was arrested with a 53-year-old man in a train station carpark on Lloyd Avenue at Carlingford, in Sydney's north-west, about 10pm on August 22.

Police allege Ke had 20 tins of baby formula in her car.

Ke and the man were taken to Ryde police station while search warrants were executed on two homes in the same street at Carlingford.

Those searches allegedly located more than 4,000 tins of baby formula, large quantities of vitamins, manuka honey and various other items believed to have been stolen.

Police also allegedly found more than $215,000 cash hidden in one of the houses which was seized as being the proceeds of crime.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said at the time: 'The criminal network has on-sold this product and has made a fair profit out of it.'

Police also allegedly found more than $215,000 cash hidden in one of the houses which was seized as being the proceeds of crime

Ke was charged with knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group and knowingly participating in a criminal group to assist crime.

She was also charged with three counts of participating in a criminal group to contribute to criminal activity and recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Ke was granted strict conditional bail while the man was released pending further inquiries.

She will plead not guilty to all charges.

Investigations by Strike Force Dungv are continuing and detectives expect to make more arrests.

Ke's matter was adjourned to Parramatta Local Court on October 2.

Other police units and the New South Wales Crime Commission have been involved in the investigation.Advertisement

Standing proudly to attention in the middle of a damp clearing, five stags gather together in the calm before the annual rut.

But in just a few weeks time, the now-peaceful group of red deer will likely become bitter rivals as they compete in the violent mating season.

Rutting, which takes place between September and November, is often a gripping spectacle as stags lock antlers to battle for females.

As they fight to mate, aggressive stags bellow to signal their dominance and tear up the ground with their antlers to appear bigger.

The five young stags will lock their antlers as they battle for females during rutting season on the Berkeley Castle estate in Gloucestershire.

The serene group were photographed from just 30 metres away on the Berkeley Castle estate in Gloucestershire by Luc Bowker.

The 26-year-old donned camouflage clothing and built a makeshift hide to take the dusk shot.

He said: Initially one of the stags wandered over because I think it detected my smell.

'Then it was joined by the four others who all looked in my direction. Eventually they got bored and wandered off to lie down.

'The stags appear to be younger ones that will be hoping to join the rut if they get the chance. Rutting becomes extremely violent as hinds are usually only fertile for just a day each year.

Stags eye each other up in Galloway Forest Park in Scotland last week

It is believed the "rutting moon" affects the timing of the breeding season for white-tailed deer

Red deer are the largest land-mammal in Britain and are commonly found in the south west of England.

During the rutting months, members of the public are warned to keep their distance from stags and their females.

Berkeley Castle has been owned by the aristocratic Berkeley family since the 12th century, when they were granted the estate by King Henry II.

The head of the family, John Berkeley, who was master of the Berkeley hunt for 24 years, died last November, leaving the land to his son Charles.

The 6,000-acre estate boasts a medieval deer park, as well as wetland areas and farm land.A man that collapsed in a supermarket aisle has become the fifth person suspected to have overdosed on the newest drug craze 'Fantasy' in just three days.

CCTV footage has emerged of a man staggering around a supermarket in Surfers Paradise at around 2am in the morning before collapsing on the floor.

Paramedics attended to the man and rushed him to Gold Coast University Hospital shortly after, where he remains in a critical condition.

The man is believed to be in his 20s and is suspected to have taken the drug 'fantasy'.

'Fantasy' or Gamma-hydroxybutyrate is a depressant drug, also known as 'liquid ecstasy' or 'liquid E'.

Two days earlier, four others were admitted to hospital on grounds that they had allgedly overdosed on the same drug in Queensland's Gold Coast.

Emergency services had been called to Cavill Avenue Hotel at around 2.30am to attend to two unconscious women, and later  at around 8.30am  two men were found, unconscious, at the same location.

The two women and one of the men were taken to Gold Coast University Hospital, while the other man was rushed to intensive care at Robina Hospital.

CCTV footage has emerged of a man staggering around a supermarket in Surfers Paradise at around 2am in the morning before collapsing on the floor

He is suspected to have taken 'Fantasy' or Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a depressant drug that contains sedative and anesthetic properties

Allan Windsor from Queensland Ambulance Services told the Gold Coast Bulletin that the consequences of taking illicit drugs are dire and devastating.

He also stressed the huge number of resources it requires from the community.

'This morning, for example, we had two cars, plus two critical care paramedics, that's four resources, plus myself, that's five,' he said.

'By the time we get to the hospital system...the amount of doctors, nurses, where they could be attending other patients as well.'

Senior police officials told NINE News that they weren't concerned that a particularly 'bad batch' of the drug has been circulated as 'any illegal drugs have the potential to kill'.

However, they are concerned about higher levels of this drug on the street, particularly with schoolies just around the corner.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Queensland Police for further information.Two California students were hospitalized after a 13-year-old boy brought balloons filled with cocaine to his school on Friday.

A group of students discovered the two deflated balloons on the playground and played with them but raised alarm when they started to feel dizzy.

They alerted officials at Carl F. Smith Middle School in Terra Bella at 8:40am.

School officials thought it was flour but called the Tulare County Sheriffs Office as a precaution. Narcotics officers said the powder tested positive for cocaine.

On Friday a 13-year-old boy brought cocaine-filled balloons to Carl F. Smith Middle School in Terra Bella, California. The balloons pictured above

Thirteen students believed to be exposed to the cocaine were tested to see if they were under the influence of the drug, but all tested negative.

Two children were taken to the hospital as a precaution and their parents were notified.

'The deflated balloons, similar to drug bindle packaging, had a white powdery substance inside and outside the packaging,' the Tulare County Sheriffs Office said in a press release.

'The reasons (the students) contacted school staff is they were messing with the balloons and they pulled open the balloons and saw white powdery substance and two students became very dizzy,' Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said.

Thirteen students believed to be exposed to the cocaine were tested on Friday, all of them tested negative for the drug

A K9 officer on the scene pointed deputies to a 13-year-old boy whose shorts tested positive for cocaine. The drug was also found at his home and a search warrant is being written. The child is being interviewed by detectives.

No other evidence of the drugs were found on the campus of Carl F. Smith Middle School which teaches grades six to eight and has 300 pupils.

'Our greatest concern is for the safety of our children. The Sheriff has made phone calls to the Superintendent and the Principal to reassure them that the Department is committed to making sure students are safe both in and out of school,' the Sheriff's office said.

Concerned mother Maricela Madrano told the Times Delta: 'The school should give more attention to the kids. This is scary.'Terrifying footage has captured the moment a crane comes crashing down amid a super typhoon.

Filmed in Tai Kok Tsui, Hong Kong, the video shows Typhoon Mangkhut slamming into the city.

Skyscrapers are seen ravaged by the wild and destructive weather causing a skyscraper to fall from a building.

Terrifying footage has captured the moment a crane comes crashing down amid a super typhoon

Located at the Boundary Street and Tai Kok Tsui Road intersection, the under-construction building is covered in a green sheet.

The crane toppled between 1pm and 2pm after it was seen leaning earlier in the day, according to Coconuts Hong Kong.

The building is understood to be a residential apartment complex with 22 levels and a total of 76 units.

According to a sales brochure, the building was originally anticipated to be completed by the end of October 2019.

Deadly Typhoon Mangkhut initially ripped through northern Philippines, killing over 60 people.

The typhoon has since moved towards southern China where authorities have issued a red alert and 2.4 million people have been relocated.

Mangkhut is the strongest storm 2018 has seen with winds of more than 175 miles per hour smashing through the Philippines.

The gusts weakened to 161 mph when they blew out to the South China Sea, taking aim at southern China and Hong Kong.

Filmed in Tai Kok Tsui, Hong Kong, the video shows Typhoon Mangkhut slamming into the city

The Hong Kong Observatory said Mangkhut would bring heavy downfall and frequent squalls, despite the storm weakening slightly.

Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents to prepare for the worst.

'Because Mangkhut will bring winds and rains of extraordinary speeds, scope and severity, our preparation and response efforts will be greater than in the past,' Mr Lee said.

'Each department must have a sense of crisis, make a comprehensive assessment and plan, and prepare for the worst.'

The super-Typhoon is almost twice the size of Hurricane Florence, which hit the American East Coast with wings of 90mph.

Deadly Typhoon Mangkhut initially ripped through northern Philippines, killing over 60 peopleA major police investigation is underway after an elderly woman's body was discovered in the waters of Lake Daylesford this morning.

Police were called to the popular lake, north-west of Melbourne, around 8am on Monday after the body was found by someone who was going for a walk.

The onlooker made the grim discovery, floating in the water, near the bridge at Bleakly Street, close to the Boathouse Daylesford restaurant.

After police discovered the woman's body, they established the location (pictured) a crime scene and sectioned off the area with police tape

A major police investigation is underway after a woman's body was discovered in the waters of Lake Daylesford (pictured) this morning

Police told Nine News the elderly woman was 90 years old.

It's unclear how the woman died, and how long she was in the water before she was discovered - but she remained there until police arrived around 9am.

After they arrived on the scene, police established the location a crime scene and sectioned off the area with police tape.

Water police are believed to investigating the scene and locals have been asked to avoid the area until further notice, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Police confirmed that the woman's death was not suspicious and are currently preparing a report for the coroner.

Temperatures were close to freezing overnight in the Daylesford area.

More to come.Saudi Real Estate for Infrastructure Company (Binyah) has won a SR1.1-billion ($293 million) infrastructure contract from the kingdom's leading developer Al Akaria Saudi Real Estate (Sreco) for its giant Al Widyan project near capital Riyadh.



As per the dea,l Binyah, a company 60 per cent owned by Sreco, will build roads, landscape and provide water, electricity, communications and irrigation networks, the Saudi company said in a statement.



The scope of work includes development of 80 km of roads, 275 km of power supply cabling, 250 km of telecoms cabling, 100 km of potable water pipework and a 200-km irrigation network, it stated.



Sreco chairman Abdulrahman Almofadhi said: The project under development is a massive undertaking. We are confident that Binyah will deliver the high-quality roads, water networks, electricity networks, sewage networks, power stations and other elements of the project to make it a success."



"Infrastructure delivery under Binyah's contract is expected to generate 2,000 jobs, a large proportion of them for Saudis," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceBlake V. Northway (pictured) was taken into custody on Thursday

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent has been arrested on multiple counts of sodomy for allegedly abusing an underage female relative.

Blake V. Northway, 55, of Medford, Oregon, was taken into custody on Thursday after a joint investigation between the immigration agency and state police, the Oregonian reported.

Northway has been 'relieved of all authority' and will be on leave until the investigation is complete, the Oregon State Police said.

Court documents say Northway is accused of sexually abusing an underage female relative between 2009 and 2013.

Officials said the charges were not related to Northway's work with ICE.

'U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holds its officers to the highest standards of professional conduct and does not tolerate those who violate the law,' ICE spokeswoman Tanya Roman said in a statement, according to the Oregonian.

'ICE will continue to cooperate until this case has been resolved.'

He is in custody at the Jackson County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.Advertisement

It's pretty much anything goes at the insanely popular Defqon.1 music festival  from outlandish outfits and plenty of flesh to bizarre hardcore dance moves.

And while the weird and wonderful is encouraged in all its techno glory, organisers are quick to point out they do not tolerate 'lads' and gangs.

The ban - like its zero tolerance policy on illicit drugs - is to ensure the safety of all who attend the music festival.

It's an event, they say, that pays homage to creativity, freedom and the up-tempo music known as 'hardstyle', which rose to prominence in the Netherlands in the early 1990s.

But after the deaths of two young people at the festival in Sydney's west on Saturday, its future is in serious doubt, with New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian vowing the event will 'never happen again' in the state.

Scroll down for video

More than 30,000 people turned out in Sydney for the Defqon.1 music festival - an event for lovers of the unique music genre 'hardstyle'

It's an event that is supposed to be all about the up-tempo music called 'hardstyle' which rose to popularity in the Netherlands in the early 1990s (Pictured are two revellers at the festival on Saturday)

The hot weather and music pumping at more than 150 beats per minute (bpm) meant skimpy outfits were in order for revellers

Covering all angles: These three eager partygoers posted several photos of themselves before attending the annual festival at Penrith, in Sydney's west

An estimated 30,000 people attended the all-day rave that was headlined by one of the top international DJs in the genre - Headhunterz.

The 33-year-old Dutch solo performer is one of the biggest acts on the scene and a favourite in his home country.

It is there that the genre grew its roots in the 1990s before spreading throughout the rest of the world.

What makes the hardstyle genre unique is its intensity, with the music often sitting above 150 beats per minute (bpm) as opposed to modern house music at around 110bpm.

The up-tempo music led to the birth of a dance style commonly known as 'muzzing' or 'hakken', where revellers throw their arms and kick their legs in frantic fashion in time with the beat.

After growing in popularity in underground nightclubs across Europe it spread to Australia and has established a cult following.

The intensity of the music - combined with the sweltering Spring weather in Sydney over the weekend - resulted in many revellers deciding that less was more when it came to clothing.

Skimpy outfits were the norm for many female partygoers, while thousands of buff blokes opted to go shirtless.

Many ravers (pictured) turned out at the event to see its headliner - one of the top international DJs in the genre - Headhunterz

The festival has a strict 'no lad policy', explicitly banning all 'lads and lad clothing', but encourages people to be creative with their dress sense

Nike TN's (being worn by both women) are deemed acceptable for the event as long as the wearer doesn't classify themselves as a lad or a member of a gang

The festival itself encourages visitors to dress as crazy as possible, claiming to celebrate creativity and freedom.

However when it comes to footwear, the event is rather strict.

Nike Tuned 1's, known as TNs, are deemed acceptable for the event provided the person wearing them doesn't classify themselves as a 'lad'.

'You can wear your favourite dancing shoes and/or outfit, as long as you don't classify as a LAD or gangs,' the Defqon 1 policy states.

The festival website also has a guide for 'rookies' encouraging them to wear 'comfy kicks', not '10 inch stilettos'.

'Nike Air Max is the most preferred shoe amongst experienced Weekend Warriors, but for all the "hipster" folks out there, Doc Martens and other sturdy boots are also worthy contenders,' the website's advice reads.

'We do however recommend that you leave your brand new (or white) kicks at home, because you may find yourself having to surrender them to shoe heaven after a full day of dancing to 150BPM and above!'

Despite skimpy outfits being common, the event wasn't without some hilarious dress-ups.

The festival website also has a guide for 'rookies' encouraging them to wear 'comfy kicks' (as pictured), not '10 inch stilettos'

These two experienced revellers came dressed appropriately for the day, wearing as little as possible to be comfortable in the scorching 30C temperatures

One woman wears fishnet stockings underneath her black mini-shorts and accessoried the ensemble with the colour red

One festival-goer combined a glittery party dress with zombie-like face paint

Whether it was the Bananas in Pyjamas or the Flintstones, Defqon 1 had creative ensembles covered.

Other attendees decorated their outfits with masks, galaxy tights and fluffy legwarmers.

Yakiboy, a health and fitness influencer who hit the headlines after declaring he was a 'Muslim Shia soldier', made an appearance at the festival and was happy to flex for the cameras.

Founded by festival organiser Q-dance, the event first hit Australian shores in 2009 and was formerly held in Chile and the Netherlands.

But the Australian event has been marred with controversy after the deaths of a Sydney man and a Melbourne woman.

Joseph Pham, 23, has been identified as one of the two dead partygoers.

A 21-year-old woman who had travelled up to the event from Victoria also died at the event.

More than 700 other people sought assistance from medical professionals.

Police charged 10 people with drug supply offences, including two girls aged 17 and one man who was allegedly caught with more than 250 grams of MDMA.

One pair decorated themselves in pink for the event. The man took his creativity to the next level with rainbow socks and galaxy tights

Despite the scorching heat, one attendee dressed up as B1 from Bananas in Pyjamas

A group of friends pose together before the festival dressed as characters from the Flintstones

An outraged Gladys Berejiklian vowed to stop the festival being held in 2019, declaring the event 'unsafe'.

'I'm absolutely aghast at what's occurred. I don't want any family to go through the tragedy that some families are waking up to this morning,' the NSW Premier said.

'This is an unsafe event and I'll be doing everything I can to make sure it never happens again.

'I never want to see this event held in Sydney or NSW ever again... Young lives were lost for no reason.'

The premier's social media account was quickly inundated by dozens of calls for new drug strategies, chiefly pill testing.

'How about you engender real change?' one person wrote.

'Drug reform and legalised pill testing. Prohibition has failed and continues to kill.'

Their comments echoed calls from Greens MP David Shoebridge, who called for festivals to introduce pill testing, amnesty bins and other harm minimisation measures.

It is not suggested that anyone shown in this article took illicit drugs at the 2018 Defqon.1 music festivalProtesters marched outside the Dallas Cowboys' stadium to demand the police officer who shot dead Botham Jean be fired and charged with murder.

Some of the demonstrators rolled empty coffins as they marched outside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, ahead of Sunday's Cowboys game to protest recent fatal police shootings.

Jean and O'Shae Terry were both fatally shot by police in North Texas earlier this month.

Attorney Lee Merritt, who represents Jean's family, said protesters are demanding that Dallas police officer Amber Guyger be fired and charged with murder instead of manslaughter for Jean's death.

Guyger, who is white, shot the 26-year-old, who was black and her neighbor, at his apartment on September 6.

Scroll down for video

Demonstrators march around AT&T Stadium ahead of the Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday

Protesters are demanding Dallas police officer Amber Guyger (right) be fired and charged with murder instead of manslaughter for Botham Jean's (left) death

The officer told investigators that she mistook Jean's apartment for her own and thought she was being burglarized.

The protest outside the stadium, where the Cowboys hosted the New York Giants, was the latest since Jean's death.

There also have been demonstrations outside Dallas police headquarters and at a City Council meeting.

The latest protest comes after Jean's mother said her son's name was smeared by reports that police found 10.4 grams of marijuana in his apartment.

Allison Jean said on Friday that she wants to see the toxicology report for off-duty officer Amber Guyger, who said she mistook Botham Jean's apartment for her own and shot him when he did not obey her verbal commands.

Some of the demonstrators rolled empty coffins as they marched outside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

Demonstrators marched in protest of the recent killings of two black men by police in Texas

'I'm calling on the Dallas officials...please come clean. Give me justice for my son because he does not deserve what he got,' she said, reported CNN.

Merritt said a police search warrant request that asked permission to search Jean's apartment for drugs showed that investigators were looking for information that would 'assassinate' Botham Jean's character.

'On the night that he was killed, the Dallas Police Department investigators were interested specifically in finding information that could help assassinate his character,' Merritt said

'Twenty-six years on this earth he lived his life without a blemish.

'It took being murdered by a Dallas police officer for Botham Jean to suddenly become a criminal.'

Attorneys for Jean's family demanded that Guyger be fired at a news conference on Friday.

protesters are demanding that Dallas police officer Amber Guyger be fired and charged with murder instead of manslaughter for Jean's death

Allison Jean, the mother of 26-year-old Botham Jean, said on Friday that her son's name was smeared by reports that police found 10.4 grams of marijuana in his apartment

A police affidavit shows that among other items, officers seized 10.4 grams of marijuana and a marijuana grinder from Jean's apartment.

Allison Jean expressed disgust that on Thursday, as mourners at her son's funeral were remembering him for his religious convictions and kindness, the results of that search of his home were released.

'To have my son smeared in such a way, I think shows that there (are people) who are really nasty, who are really dirty and are going to cover up for the devil Amber Guyger,' she said.

Guyger has been arrested for manslaughter and is out on bond.

Earlier, authorities released a video showing Guyger being booked into jail after she was arrested.

Allison Jean is seen center with her son, Grant, 15 (left) during a prayer service in Dallas on September 9

The video shows Guyger in handcuffs and dressed in an orange jail uniform on Sunday at the Kaufman county jail.

She takes a seat in front of a desk and later leans her head down, bringing her hands to her face.

The local Fox television affiliate, KDFW, was roundly criticized for its initial reporting on the release of the report on the search's findings, drawing scorn from figures across the political spectrum for focusing on the marijuana, tweeting: 'DEVELOPING: Search warrant: Marijuana found in Botham Jean's apartment after deadly shooting.'

On Twitter, the ACLU called the tweet an 'attack on an innocent man'.

A crowd protests in Dallas on Friday night. The local Fox television affiliate, KDFW, was roundly criticized for its initial reporting on the release of the report on the search's findings

Fox News contributor Guy Benson commented on Twitter, 'Irrelevant. 100% irrelevant.'

KDFW, which later updated its story and added more context, declined to comment Friday about its initial coverage of the search affidavit.

At his funeral, Jean was described as an talented and passionate man, who confided to his uncle that he might want to become prime minister of his native Caribbean island country of St. Lucia.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall were among those who attended the hymn-filled funeral.

Rawlings has described Jean as a young professional and man of faith who was 'exactly the sort of citizen we want to have.'A passenger has claimed Singapore Airlines staff lied about a pilot who failed an alcohol test on the morning of an international flight.

The airline was forced to cancel the flight from Melbourne to Wellington in New Zealand on Saturday about 6am.

A passenger, who had travelled all the way from Japan to watch the All Blacks game, vented his frustration and said staff lied about what was wrong with the captain.

A pilot from Singapore Airline (stock image) has been stood down after he allegedly failed an alcohol test on the morning of flying an international flight

'All the communication was that the pilot was 'sick' or 'not in the condition to fly',' Muteki told news.com.au.

'Later, when I spoke to airline staff, they told me the pilot had eaten something bad...That was a clear lie.'

Muteki had initially slammed the airline for the carelessness of the pilot.

'Care to try to explain why your captain (ie most experienced person on the aircraft) of SQ247 waits until boarding time to decide they're too ill/drunk to fly? Will miss the the All Blacks rugby match I bought tickets for,' he tweeted.

'The pilot in question did not pass the test due to having a higher than suitable blood alcohol limit' (stock image)

A spokesman for Singapore Airlines confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they had cancelled the flight due to an 'operating crew member being deemed unfit to fly'.

'The Civil Aviation Safety Authority officials undertook a random drug and alcohol test of all crew prior to them starting their pre-flight checks,' he said.

'The pilot in question did not pass the test due to having a higher than suitable blood alcohol limit.'

The pilot had flown in from Singapore and had a day or two layover in Melbourne prior to the scheduled flight, according to Stuff.

He was stood down, suspended from all duties and has since returned to Singapore, where a full investigation will take place.

'We will also work closely with the Australian and Singaporean authorities to ensure they are supplied the information they require,' the spokesman said.

The flight from Melbourne (pictured) to Wellington and its return flight were cancelled at the last minute on Saturday

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Civil Aviation Safety Authority for further comment.

Stranded passengers took to social media to express their anger.

Some were flying to Wellington for the All Blacks rugby union Test match against South Africa, including one disappointed fan who had travelled from Tokyo.

One person said: 'At least he didn't fly! Better to be down here wishing you were up there, than being up there wishing you were down here.'

Another stranded passenger added: 'Terrible service on your cancelled Melbourne to Wellington flight this morning. No options given to stranded customers except to call your useless booking line! Hotel fees and taxi fares all lost not to mention a day of holiday. Appalling service.'

Another said they were stranded at Melbourne Airport for six hours.

An All Blacks fan had travelled from Japan for the international match in Wellington, which he missed due to cancellation of his flight

Singapore Airlines apologised for the inconvenience caused.

'We sincerely apologise to those affected by the cancellation of these flights. However, the safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority,' the spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

'We have worked with customers whose travel was inconvenienced to find suitable alternate travel arrangements as quickly as possible.'Home borrowers are being warned to brace for bad news with the proportion of houses and units selling for a loss at the highest level in five years, new figures show.

Across Australia, one in 10 homes sold during the June quarter fetched a lower amount than the purchase price, data from real estate data group Core Logic showed.

The proportion of loss-making sales, at 10.2 per cent, was at the highest level since the three months to October 2013, with apartments more likely than houses to burn the seller.

In some Australian capital cities, more than half of all units sold were being offloaded at a loss, with six of the seven mainland capitals seeing a double-digit proportion of apartment owners losing money at sale time.

Home borrowers are being warned to brace for bad news with the proportion of houses (pictured in Perth) and units selling for a loss at the highest level in five years

Across Australia (Melbourne pictured), one in 10 homes sold during the June quarter fetched a lower amount than the purchase price, data from real estate data group Core Logic showed

In Perth, 23.4 per cent of homes sold at a loss, followed by 20.1 per cent in regional Queensland.

Inner-city apartments fared particularly badly, with 53.4 per cent of central business district Perth units selling at a loss during the three months to June 30.

Brisbane's inner-city was also a bad place to invest with 32.4 per cent of units fetching less than the seller had previously paid, compared with 22.3 per cent in Melbourne's inner-city.

In Darwin, a whopping 71.1 per cent of units sold at a loss during the June quarter, a jump from 51.9 per cent during the same period a year earlier.

Core Logic head of research Tim Lawless said houses were a better investment than apartments, with units nine times more likely to sell at a loss in Melbourne than a detached home with a backyard.

'Houses consistently record a higher proportion of resales at a profit than units,' he said.

Apartments outside Sydney are a bad investment with a double-digit percentage of capital city units selling at a loss during the June quarter (Source: Core Logic)

Brisbane's inner-city was a bad place to invest with 32.4 per cent of units selling for less than the seller had previously paid

'This may be attributed to the underlying land value of detached houses, which is a significant part of the overall value.

'But its also because unit markets can be more prone to oversupply than house markets.'

Sydney, however, was the least risky capital city market to buy a unit, with only 3.1 per cent of units in the city and the inner-south selling at a loss, in Australia's most densely populated locality where 71 per cent of dwellings sold are apartments.

Across Australia, 9.4 per cent of capital city properties sold at a loss compared with 11.6 per cent in regional markets.

Investors were more likely to get assaulted financially, too, with 10.1 per cent of them making a loss, compared with 9.8 per cent of owner occupiers, following an Australian Prudential Regulation Authority crackdown on investor loans.

In Darwin, a whopping 71.1 per cent of units sold at a loss during the June quarter, a jump from 51.9 per cent during the same period a year earlier

The dire news about the Australian property market was released on Monday, the night after Sixty Minutes aired SQM Research founder Louis Christopher's prediction that house prices in Australia's biggest markets were in for a massive decline.

'On our numbers, Sydney was effectively over 40 per cent overvalued and Melbourne was overvalued by the same amount,' he told the Nine Network.

Financial analyst Martin North said Australia was facing a 'debt bomb' similar to the United States in 2006 before its property market crashed, sparking the global financial crisis as sub-prime borrowers struggled to keep up with repayments.

'We are uniquely exposed, because as a society and as a government and as a regulatory system - we're all banking on the home price engine to just (keep) giving and giving - but it's not going to,' Mr North said.

'We've got a debt bomb, we've got a debt crisis, and at some point it's going to explode in our face.'

In November 2008, former University of Western Sydney associate professor of economics Steve Keen bet that Australian house prices would fall 40 per cent from their peak, as fears about the global financial crisis engulfed share markets.

Prices in Sydney and Melbourne both peaked in 2017, with median prices of $1.080 million and $834,318.

Fall from falling, after the GFC Sydney home prices surged by 70 per cent in just five years before peaking last year.

Dr Keen agreed to walk 224km from Canberra to top of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mountain for losing a bet on house price falls a decade ago.Deputy Robert Kunze, 41, was shot and killed Sunday outside downtown Wichita

A Kansas sheriff's deputy has been shot and killed while responding to two calls about a suspicious person.

Deputy Robert Kunze, 41, was shot Sunday outside downtown Wichita after he arrived at the scene to investigate a suspicious black truck and spotted a person who matched the description just before 2pm.

The husband and father-of-one approached the suspect, patted him down and found a .40 caliber handgun.

Authorities said the officer put the gun aside and began to handcuff the man when a fight broke out.

Witnesses say shots were exchanged and both of the men were struck.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter, said Kunze's weapon was fired and they are waiting on ballistic information to determine if the suspect's .40 caliber handgun was also fired in the exchange.

Easter said within minutes of Kunze arriving to the scene, he pushed his emergency button to alert dispatch that was in trouble.

Kunze was responding to a suspicious person call when he approached a man and patted him down

Officers are seen investigating the scene of the crime where Kunze and the unnamed suspect were killed

Investigators collect evidence at the scene of a shooting. They are still determining whether the suspect's .40 caliber handgun was fired

Deputies reported that they could hear Kunze saying he had been shot.

A minute after the call, another deputy arrived and found Kunze on the ground along with the suspect.

He moved the gun away, handcuffed the suspect who was lying face down and administered first aid to Kunze.

Both of the men were reported to be unresponsive.

The 12-year veteran was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead just before 3pm.

The suspect died at the scene but details on the cause weren't immediately released.

His name has yet to be released.

Investigators believe the suspect has been involved in three other incidents in the 24 hours leading up to the shooting and had stolen the .40 caliber handgun.

'Robert was a great asset to the sheriff's office,' Easter said at a news conference. 'Robert was an exceptional deputy who was loved by everyone he worked with.'

The 12-year veteran patted the man down when he discovered a .40 caliber gunHis defense attorney held up the knife McDonald was holding at the time of death

Van Dyke is facing first degree murder charge for the 2014 Chicago killing

Prosecutors on Monday showed jurors video of a white Chicago police officer opening fire on Laquan McDonald, dramatically recounting the 16 shots fired into the black teenager and calling the 2014 shooting 'completely unnecessary.'

Jurors saw video of the shooting three times during the first day of Officer Jason Van Dyke's murder trial, including during the prosecution's opening statement.

The recordings show the officer shooting McDonald on October 20, 2014, as the 17-year-old - carrying a small knife in one hand - walks away from officers. Van Dyke's defense lawyer showed the knife in the court room, dramatically motions with the three-inch blade.

'He shot him ... not once, not twice, but three, four, five, six seven, eight - he's only half way done - nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 times in total,' special prosecutor Joseph McMahon told jurors, rapping his knuckles on a lectern each time he said a number.

Jason Van Dyke's lawyer, Daniel Herbert, motions with the 3-inch blade Laquan McDonald carried 2014 night we was killed, during opening statements in the first-degree murder trial for Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke Monday

Special prosecutor Joseph McMahon holds McDonald's knife at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Monday before showing jurors video of Van Dyke shooting the victim

Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke listens before his first-degree murder trial of the 17-year-old black teen

'Not a single shot was necessary or justified,' he said at another point in his opening statement.

But defense attorney Daniel Herbert argued that Van Dyke 'is not a murderer. ... He is a scared police officer who was fearful for his life and the life of others and acted as he was trained to do.'

Herbert also argued that the number of shots fired was irrelevant: 'They didn't charge him with shooting too many times. They charged him with first-degree murder.'

The video's release about a year after the shooting sparked large protests, demanding the police superintendent be fired and police reform.

Herbert painted a picture of McDonald as a crazed teenager who had attacked a truck driver and a squad car and had tried to get into two restaurants. He said McDonald had flicked his folding knife open when Van Dyke pulled up.

McDonald was 'planning to attack' again, Herbert said. 'He's not trying to escape.'

He and McMahon both noted McDonald had the hallucinogenic drug PCP in his system.

But McMahon said Van Dyke didn't know that - or anything else about McDonald - when he opened fire just six seconds after getting out of his squad car.

'What he did see was a black boy walking down a street with a chain link fence with the audacity to ignore the police,' McMahon said.

Laquan McDonald (pictured) was 17-years-old, when he was walking away from officers while armed with a knife. He was shot 16 times by Van Dyke who is claiming self-defense

This undated autopsy diagram provided by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office shows the location of wounds on the body of McDonald who was shot 16 times

Herbert took the prosecutor to task for bringing up race.

'The government wants to you think this is a racial issue,' he told jurors. 'Race had absolutely nothing to do with this.'

Prosecutors have stressed that Van Dyke was the only officer to fire his gun, and the first person to testify was another officer who had pursued McDonald that night.

Officer Joseph McElligott said he got within 15 feet of McDonald, the same distance Van Dyke was when he shot the teen. He also said McDonald stabbed the tire of the squad car his partner was driving and struck the window with the knife.

McElligott never fired his gun, although he did at one point have it drawn. He testified that he thought his partner was protected and that someone was coming with a Taser that could be used to subdue McDonald.

'We were just trying to be patient,' he said.

McElligott was down the street blocking traffic when Van Dyke arrived, and under cross-examination, McElligott said McDonald's later actions had increased the threat level.

Jason Van Dyke, left, arrives for the start of his trial Monday wearing a bullet-proof vest over his clothes

Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct

During later testimony, prosecutors showed side-by-side videos of the shooting from different squad cars and from surveillance cameras at a nearby Dunkin Donuts. At one point, prosecutors stopped the video just as McDonald was shot and then as he lay on the ground.

Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct.

Prosecutors on Monday dropped four counts of first-degree murder, but Van Dyke still faces two first-degree murder counts. Some other officers at the scene have been charged with lying on their reports in what prosecutors say was an effort to cover up what happened to protect Van Dyke.

Earlier Monday, Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan decided against moving the trial from Chicago.

Defense attorneys had argued that extensive publicity since the 2015 release of the video of the shooting makes it impossible to find impartial jurors needed for a fair trial. But attorneys were able to select a jury in less than a week.Police have confirmed they are investigating an incident where a metal object was found inside a banana, after needles were found in Queensland strawberries.

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart confirmed police were actively investigating an incident, but did not give details about where the contaminated banana was found.

It comes after metal needles were found in strawberries in Queensland, and as far away as Perth and New Zealand.

Police have confirmed they are investigating an incident where a metal object was found inside a banana, after needles were found in Queensland strawberries (stock image)

Nervous growers are weighing up their farming futures as the strawberry contamination crisis forces New Zealand's major supermarkets to stop selling the fruit from Australia

Fears over needles secreted in strawberries have now spilled across the Tasman, with both of New Zealand's major food distributors taking the fruit off their shelves

Both Foodstuffs and Countdown (owned by Woolworths) - which between them control nearly the entire New Zealand grocery market

Nervous growers are weighing up their farming futures as the strawberry contamination crisis forces New Zealand's major supermarkets to stop selling the fruit from Australia.

Fears over needles secreted in strawberries have now spilled across the Tasman, with both of New Zealand's major food distributors taking the fruit off their shelves.

Police are investigating after metal pins were found in punnets of fruit in five Australian states.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has also ordered the food safety watchdog to investigate Queensland's handling of the strawberry spiking saga.

He's directed Food Standards Australia New Zealand to investigate whether there are supply chain weaknesses or systemic changes needed.

'At the end of the day, the job is very, very clear. Protect the public and keep them safe,' he told the ABC on Monday.

Both Foodstuffs and Countdown (owned by Woolworths) - which between them control nearly the entire New Zealand grocery market - on Monday announced they had stopped sending out Australian strawberries to their stores.

In separate statements, both said while none of their products had been affected by a major recall in Australia, they wanted to reassure customers.

Countdown said it had stopped ordering any further imports of Australian strawberries, while Foodstuffs had halted distribution.

New Zealand imports the fruit from Australia when it's out of season, from April to September, and both chains say the Kiwi product will be on shelves shortly instead.

Queensland mother Angela Stevenson said she found a metal object while cutting up a piece of the fruit to feed to her 12-month-old baby Koby-Rose

Police are investigating after metal pins were found in punnets of fruit in five Australian states

The announcement comes as needles were found inserted into more strawberries in South Australia and NSW, adding to incidents across the country and prompting fears of copycat behaviour.

Vice-president of the Queensland Strawberry Growers Association, Adrian Schultz, says what started with a single act of 'commercial terrorism' has brought a multi-million-dollar industry to its knees.

'I'm angry for all the associated people, it's the farmers, the people who supply them, the packaging people, the truckies with families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs ... it's far-reaching,' he said.

Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne says he understands why New Zealanders are baulking at Australian strawberries.

He urged authorities to throw the book at whoever was responsible.

The announcement comes as needles were found inserted into more strawberries in South Australia and NSW over the weekend

'I hope we catch them and prosecute them and they spend a lot of time behind bars, because that's what they deserve,' Mr Pyne said.

'They have behaved shockingly badly and they are affecting the strawberry industry in Australia but also now the exports to New Zealand.'

Nationals frontbencher Andrew Broad has blasted the culprits as 'low-life scum'.

Coles and Aldi supermarkets have pulled all strawberries from their shelves, except Western Australia, as a precaution.

Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook Berries have recalled their strawberries nationwide.

A health warning to throw out or cut up strawberries remains in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Queensland mother Angela Stevenson said her nine-year-old son Mason bit into a strawberry with a needle in it, and she found another metal object while cutting up a piece of the fruit to feed to her 12-month-old baby Koby-Rose.

Hoani Hearne, 21, also found a needle inside a strawberry after buying a punnet from Strathpine Centre Woolworths north of Brisbane.

Mr Hearne swallowed part of the needle and had to be taken to hospital after experiencing severe abdominal pain.A court has heard how a 21-year-old Melbourne man allegedly took the drugs ice and valium and drank beer before an off-duty policeman taking part in a charity motorbike ride was killed in a car crash.

Jesse Reid has been charged with culpable driving causing the death of Detective Senior Sergeant Victor Kostiuk, 59, who was struck and killed by a car during a charity motorbike ride in honour of fallen police members.

Reid was driving to Melbourne from Merimbula in southern New South Wales when he found out his girlfriend had gone into labour, and allegedly had been driving at up to 180km/h during the trip.

21-year-old Jesse Reid (left) has been charged with culpable driving causing the death of Detective Senior Sergeant Victor Kostiuk (right) after allegedly hitting the off-duty policeman who was on a memorial ride honouring fallen police members near Orbost in eastern Victoria

Major Collision Investigation Unit Detective Phil Frith told Latrobe Valley Magistrate Court the 21-year-old had stopped to smoke ice and drink beer before getting his friend to blow on an ignition interlock device to get his car to start.

Mr Kostiuk was travelling west along the Princes Highways, near Orbost in Victoria's east on Friday at around 2.20pm when a car veered onto the opposite side of the road and collided with his bike.

The young man had allegedly been travelling at almost 140km/h when he hit the policeman, and his teenage passenger later told police his speed could have been as high as 180 km/h during the trip - according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

As a result of the collision, Mr Kostiuk died at the scene.

The memorial ride was temporarily stopped before its participants - including Mr Kostiuk's son Felix - resumed with a 'determined mood'.

The memorial ride was temporarily stopped before its participants - including Mr Kostiuk's son Felix - resumed with a 'determined mood'

Mr Kostiuk (pictured) was riding with his son just ahead of the Wall to Wall ride to the National Police Memorial in Canberra to honour fallen police members

Mr Kostiuk was a 'well respected' expert in the field of preventing family violence and had also worked in CIU and homicide.

Victoria Police Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said Mr Kostiuk, who had been an officer for about 40 years, was a fantastic member of the organisation, ABC reported.

Mr Kostiuk had recently been made head of the Somerville Family Violence Unit.

Mr Kostiuk had recently been made head of the Somerville Family Violence Unit before the memorial motorcycle ride (pictured)

'He was really chuffed just the other day to have been recently appointed back to the rank of detective senior sergeant, something he was particularly proud of.'

He said the family were 'clearly shattered'.

Police implored road users to take care after a 'tragic, tragic' 24 hours in country Victoria, with four people dead in separate road incidents.A Muslim charity has donated more than 33 tonnes of hay to support drought-stricken Australian farmers.

The Brisbane based charities, Muslim Charitable Foundation and Muslim Aid Australia, along with other partners across the country have donated 30 tonnes of hay to struggling farmers - or 132 bales.

On top of delivering hay bales to farmers, they have also organised food hampers to deliver to the farmers and their family as they struggle financially and battle mental health issues.

The Brisbane based Muslim charities donated a total of 30 tonnes of hay bales (pictured) - 132 hay bales

The charities were able to fill up three trucks - 44 bales (pictured) of hay on each truck

The charities were able to fill up three trucks - 44 bales of hay on each truck - which arrived in Goondiwindi on the NSW-QLD border.

On a Facebook video, one of the organisers Yusuf Khatree, said the money was raised by the Muslim community for farmers across the country.

'We've brought with us three truckloads of 44 bales of hay in each truck,' he said.

'Obviously it's not enough, but hopefully they will distribute it evenly over the next few days so they can feed their animals.

'This is going to help them a long way.'

On top of delivering hay bales to farmers, they have also organised food hampers (pictured) to deliver to the farmers

Organiser Yusuf Khatree, said the money was raised by the Muslim community for farmers across the country

The move comes as all of NSW has been declared drought affected.

The Bureau of Meteorology announced the odds of an El Nino system forming this year are now twice as high as normal.

El Nino events often result in severe droughts, bringing higher temperatures, lower than average rainfall and increased risk of bushfires, with the phenomenon lasting as long as two years.

If an El Nino does form in the latter half of 2018, it could prove catastrophic for parched Australian farmers.

Anyone who would like to donate can do so on the Muslim Aid Australia website.Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) said it has joined hands with leading testing, certification and inspection company TUV SUD, and leading providers of reinsurance, primary insurance and insurance-related risk solutions Munich Re, to create the first set of Hyperloop core safety requirements and certification guidelines along with the first insurance framework for HyperloopTT worldwide systems.



With construction moving forward at different locations around the world, HyperloopTT has reached key milestones on two of the biggest hurdles remaining for the new transportation system: regulation and insurance.



At a private meeting held at TUV SUD's global headquarters in Munich, Germany, several of HyperloopTT's partners and stakeholders, together with government representatives, were introduced to the first set of the new guidelines and products, said the statement from HyperloopTT.



Additionally, a roadmap for joint creation and adoption into a final legal framework for regulating the construction and safe operation of Hyperloop systems was discussed. In attendance were representatives from Ukraine, China, France, and the United States all of whom have existing agreements with HyperloopTT, it added.



Ferdinand Neuwieser, CEO of TUV SUD Industrie Service GmbH, pointed out that the company has been working intensively with HyperloopTT over the past year.



"As a global leader in this field, TUV SUD will contribute to making the innovative technology of Hyperloop reliable and safe. The potential risks for passengers and others will be reduced to a minimum. Furthermore the guideline will form a strong basis for standardization, regulation and certification of Hyperloop systems," he noted.



The final version of the guideline is expected to be published in Q1 2019.



Claudia Hasse, head of special enterprise risks at Munich Re, said: "Last year we told the world that HyperloopTT's system was insurable. We are now able to insure their first commercial projects around the world and are working together to include our services into HyperloopTT's technology licence."



"Hyperloop will change transportation as we know it," said Volodymyr Omelyan, minister of infrastructure of Ukraine. "It is our responsibility to make sure that future technologies are regulated and safe, and today represents the foundation of a safe and reliable commercial Hyperloop system."



"The creation of regulations and legal frameworks are critical components to our ongoing feasibility study between Chicago and Cleveland," said Grace Gallucci, executive director of Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.

"We look forward to continuing to work alongside HyperloopTT and their partners to implement these guidelines and policies into a framework specific to the Great Lakes Hyperloop," he stated.



CEO Dirk Ahlborn said HyperloopTT was the first company to have an insurable commercial system. "We have proven the technology to be feasible at every level and through our work with these partners, stakeholders, and governments we are creating the safest, most secure system possible," he stated.



"In order to bring Hyperloop to reality we have sought out and formed alliances with industry leaders to provide the complete solutions for our systems," said Bibop Gresta, Chairman of HyperloopTT. "Now we invite other nations to join these pioneers," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceA woman has captured the shocking moment a mobile phone burst into flames while charging.

Sunshine Coast woman Elizabeth Hurtford was charging her mum's mobile phone in the kitchen of her home on September 15 when it suddenly caught fire.

Stunned by the sudden explosion, Ms Hurtford grabbed another smartphone and began capturing footage of the smoldering ZTE phone.

Stunned by the sudden explosion, Ms Hurtford grabbed another smartphone and began capturing footage of the smoldering ZTE phone (pictured)

In the video, smoke can be seen billowing from the partially opened phone case with its charred circuit board on display.

The video shows the phone continue to smolder for the entire duration of the video, with thick plumes of smoke coming from underneath the screen.

Following the shocking incident, Ms Hurtford shared the video on her Facebook account.

In the accompanying caption, she wrote: 'Anybody Else Had any Issues with their ZTE phone on the Coast.

'This Happened to My Mums phone this morning whilst on charge in the Kitchen.

'Whilst Im glad it happened in Daylight hours .. It scares me that it happened at all..'

Many people reacted to Ms Hurtford's video post be sharing their comments online (pictured)

She added, when the phone caught on fire it 'sounded like a fire cracker going off then a balloon deflating'.

Many people reacted to the video post be sharing their comments online.

'Omg.. and thats how houses get burnt down holey moley how scary,' one person wrote.

In the video, smoke is seen billowing out from inside the partially opened phone case with its charred circuit board on display (pictured).

'Wow that would of stunk the house out glad no fire was started deff be reporting it to the company,' another person said.

A third person added: 'Very lucky. Battery fires like this can be very explosive. Scary that it happened at all though.'

Ms Hurtford said in a follow-up message she was grateful nobody was hurt.

'The household was awake and I was within reach of the powerpoint to disconnect the charger incase it progressed further,' she wrote.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Ms Hurtford for comment.A nine-year-old girl has died after being hit by a car on a country road on Monday.

Emergency services were called to Cameron Road, McLeans Ridges, near Lismore in northern New South Wales, at 9.30am after the girl was hit by a Hyundai station wagon.

She was treated at the scene, before she was taken to Lismore Base Hospital where she died a short time later.

Police were called to Cameron Road, McLeans Ridges (pictured), 10km east of Lismore, at 9.30am on Monday after a girl was hit by a southbound station wagon

The driver, a 54-year-old man, was also taken to Lismore Base Hospital for mandatory blood and urine tests and to be treated for shock.

Police from Richmond Police District attended and a crime scene was established, which is being examined by forensic police.

Officers from the Crash Investigation Unit are on scene conducting inquiries, with Cameron Road expected to be closed for several hours.

Any witnesses are urged to contact police. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.Two men have ripped off their t-shirts and traded punches in the middle a suburban street in the latest shocking road rage incident to be captured on video.

Footage captured by a passing motorist shows the two men fighting in the middle of John Street at Lidcombe, in Sydney's west, on Monday morning.

After an apparent disagreement, both men step out of their cars at the traffic lights and begin trading a flurry of blows as they stand toe-to-toe.

One brawler is already topless when the video starts before the other man also takes off his singlet seconds later.

Two men have ripped off their t-shirts and traded punches in the middle a suburban street in Lidcombe, western Sydney, in the latest shocking road rage incident to be captured on video

The video shows the younger of the two men throwing some reckless punches before kicking out at the topless man.

In response, he is hit with a flurry of blows, before the two soon begin to grapple.

After the topless man pushes his adversary into the side of a large minivan, they momentarily separate.

But within seconds the pair begin punching at each other again.

After being hit with a number of blows to the head, the younger of the pair steps back and takes off his singlet.

He then points towards the footpath, appearing to indicate to the other man that they should take the fight off the street.

What appears to be the younger of the two men begins by throwing some reckless punches (pictured) before kicking out at the topless man

With one brawler already topless when the video begins, it takes just seconds for the other man to also lose his singlet before continuing to manically throw punches

The younger of the men then picks up his car keys and appears to hop back into his vehicle.

The video soon ends.

New South Wales Police said in a statement that no formal complaint had yet been made.A 35-year-old woman has been charged as an accessory to murder after her brother allegedly fatally shot a 15-year-old in a 'revenge killing'.

The teenager was shot in the head while he slept in his Glenfield, south-west Sydney, home in April 2017.

He was transported to The Children's Hospital in a critical condition, where he later died.

Conrad Craig (pictured, right) was charged with allegedly firing the fatal bullet that killed a 15-year-old

Conrad Craig was charged with allegedly firing the fatal bullet, in an alleged revenge attack for a teenager who was allegedly stabbed to death by the 15-year-old's older brother in 2016, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Investigators from Strike Force Wongala arrested Kimberly Craig, 35, at Riverstone Police Station on Monday morning.

The Doonside woman, who is understood to be the sister of Conrad Craig, was charged with accessory after the fact to murder and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

She was also charged with intent to pervert the course of justice, knowingly participating in criminal group, and drug supply.

Officers allege Ms Craig received and distributed money to assist in the provision of a false affidavit on behalf another person.

They also allege she passed on information about the murder to various people.

Ms Craig was involved in obtaining and preparing prohibited drugs for an inmate at a correctional facility, police allege.

The latest arrest comes after mother-of-two Sophie Massie, 32, pleaded guilty to driving the alleged getaway vehicle, earlier in the month. Massie's car, a white Mazda 3 with personalised numberplates, was captured on CCTV footage (pictured)

The latest arrest comes after mother-of-two Sophie Massie, 32, pleaded guilty to driving the alleged getaway vehicle, earlier in the month.

Massie's car, a white Mazda 3 with personalised numberplates, was captured on CCTV footage.

Ms Craig was expected to appear at Blacktown Local Court today on Monday afternoon.Britain may have missed the real 'novichok assassins' in Salisbury by concentrating on the Russian pair who were widely seen on CCTV, an ex-GRU spy has claimed.

The anonymous retired agent claimed Russian military intelligence uses 'liquidators' to kill enemies - but doubts that the men named as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov are plausible as killers.

They could, however, have been 'watchers' to report on security around the Skripal family home in Salisbury and pass information to the real hit squad which remain unseen to MI5 and the police, he claimed.

Britain may have missed the real 'novichok assassins' in Salisbury by concentrating on the Russian pair who were widely seen on CCTV (pictured), an ex-GRU spy has claimed

Petrov and Boshirov appeared on television to claim that they visited Salisbury as tourists

Petrov and Boshirov used Russian passports to fly to Britain and appear to have engaged in a sex-and-drugs session in their London hotel - as well as being spotted by a host of TV cameras - while on their GRU mission, according to reports.

But the GRU would not have sent assassins to Britain using Russian passports, the ex-agent was quoted as telling newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets today.

Nor would the real 'liquidators' have been so inept at avoiding CCTV cameras.

'Nowadays it is no problem to make a high quality foreign passport for any country,' he boasted.

'If it had been needed to send real liquidators for a serious task, then, for example, a citizen of Latvia and a citizen of the Dominican Republic would have entered the country.

'And when the task was completed, the citizen of Hungary and a citizen of Puerto Rico would have left the country.'

The GRU - which is part of the Russian defence ministry - always had 'strict rules' on assassinating enemies, said the former agent.

'Each liquidation operation is designed in detail,' he explained. 'Several options for escape are worked out.'

Schemes for 'liquidating unlucky liquidators' were also drawn up.

He insisted: 'There is an option that Petrov and Boshirov were not liquidators - but performed some minor task.'

They might have 'kept an eye on the area and passed information to the real liquidators'.

His account is likely to be dismissed by Britain as yet another bid by Moscow to muddy the water amid overwhelming evidence of the links of Petrov and Boshirov to the GRU.

The anonymous retired agent claimed Russian military intelligence uses 'liquidators' to kill enemies - but doubts that the men named as Alexander Petrov (left) and Ruslan Boshirov (right) are plausible as killers

Moscow has already come up with dozens of versions, the British have alleged.

But unusually the former GRU staffer conceded that the Russians use death squads, and might have done so in the Skripal case.

'Of course, such people exist, not only in the Russian secret service but in any other too,' he said.

He also claimed that the pair seen on CCTV may have been replaced by actors for the stilted RT broadcast last week when they went public to deny any involvement.

'The main question about Petrov-Boshirov is not if they are killers or gay tourists,' he said. The main one is if they are really Petrov and Boshirov.

'It might well have been like this: the British secret service located two people and considered them to be liquidators.

'And the Russian authorities quickly found two similar looking guys and "appointed" them Petrov and Boshirov.'

Unimpressed with their performance he said: 'Somebody just did not spend much time searching - and first two suitable guys from the service were taken. They are soldiers and could not disobey the order.'

The pair in Salisbury should have been taught to watch out for CCTV cameras and mask their traces, he said.

'The problem is that in England, as far as I know, the density of such cameras is very high.

'So at the stage of preparation the task had to be different  not to avoid the cameras but to mask well. How to hide traces?

'Well, the first thing is not to make any traces  not to live together (in the same hotel), not to arrive and leave together, not to approach the Skripals' house together.'

Savaging their espionage tradecraft in Salisbury, he said: 'If these two guys (Petrov and Boshirov) really are intelligence officers, if they were truly involved in this attempt to liquidate the Skripals, then it means that (our) whole authority has collapsed. And this is truly horrible.'

The only other option was that they were part of a 'mafia' operation to kill ex-GRU agent Skripal because he had been involved in criminal work, possibly in Spain, he said.Embattled Theresa May was handed a Brexit lifeline today amid claims that the EU is ready to make concessions over the Irish border.

In a potential breakthrough, Brussels is said to be ready to accept that technology can be used to avoid friction between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The move could pave the way for a deal to be done by the end of the year - as long as Mrs May can hold warring Tories together long enough to get it through Parliament.

But the scale of the task she still faces was underlined today when Boris Johnson launched another furious attack on her Brexit plan.

He warned that it would make the decision to leave the EU a 'write off' and put Britain under 'foreign rule' for the first time since 1066.

The intervention drew a stinging response from Downing Street, with the PM's spokesman pointing out that Mr Johnson was in government and hailed her achievement when the Irish border 'backstop' arrangement was struck with the EU in December.

Theresa May (pictured with Malta's PM Joseph Muscat tonight) has faced resistance from some Brexiteers over the Chequers proposal, which caused the Cabinet resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis

Boris Johnson, pictured leaving his Oxfordshire home today, has renewed his assault on the Chequers plan

Theresa May, pictured with Nick Robinson, has told the BBC she is irritated about leadership speculation as she pushes her Brexit deal

As she heads into a potential turbulent conference season, Mrs May used an interview with BBC Panorama to address raging speculation about her own future and where she is taking Britain.

During the in-depth discussion at her country residence, Mrs May:

Dismissed 'irritating' Tory leadership jockeying and insisted she is focused on the country's fate rather than her own.

Warned Brexiteer and Remainer MPs that her Chequers blueprint was the only alternative to 'no deal' and crashing out of the bloc.

Suggested that EU citizens will not be given preferential treatment above nationals from the rest of the world after Brexit.

Promised to be 'bloody difficult' with EU negotiators as she tries to push through an agreement.

Laying down the gauntlet to both Brexiteer and Remainer MPs who have been criticising her approach, Mrs May said if they voted down her deal they would not get a better one.

'When we come to it, I think parliament will vote for a deal because people will see the importance of a deal that maintains a good trading relationship with the EU... but gives us the freedom to take the benefits and opportunities of Brexit,' she said.

'We've been through this negotiation, we get to the point where we've agreed a deal that if parliaments was to say no go back and get a better one, do you really think the European Union is going to give a better deal at that point?'

What is in Theresa May's Brexit blueprint? These are some of the key features of the Chequers plan being pushed by the UK government: A new free trade area in goods, based on a 'common rulebook' of EU regulations necessary. This will require the UK to commit by treaty to match EU rules

'Mobility' rules which will end automatic freedom of movement, but still allow UK and EU citizens to travel without visas for tourism and temporary work. It will also enable businesses to move staff between countries.

Continued UK participation in and funding of European agencies covering areas like chemicals, aviation safety and medicines

A 'facilitated customs arrangement', removing the need for customs checks at UK-EU ports. It would allow differing UK and EU tariffs on goods from elsewhere in the world to be paid at the border, removing the need for rebates in the vast majority of cases. This is designed to avoid the need for a hard Irish border. But in theory it still allows Britain to sign trade deals.

Keeping services - such as banking or legal support - outside of the common rule book, meaning the UK is completely free to set its own regulations. It accepts it will mean less trade in services between the UK and EU.

Continued co-operation on energy and transport, a 'common rulebook' on state aid and commitments to maintain high standards of environmental and workplace protections.

A security deal allowing continued UK participation in Europol and Eurojust, 'co-ordination' of UK and EU policies on foreign affairs, defence and development.

Continued use of the EHIC health insurance card. Advertisement

Mrs May said chilling economic estimates about the consequences of no-deal Brexit were 'not a prediction' and the government would ease any impact.

'What is important is how the Government responds,' she said.

'Under no deal there would be some short-term disruption. It's our job as a Government to make sure that we make a success of no deal, just as we make a success of getting a good deal.'

Asked to complete the sentence, 'Brexit is a good idea because...', Mrs May replied: 'It gives the United Kingdom opportunities as an independent and sovereign state to build a better future for all our people.'

Pushed on whether she believed that, the PM said: 'I believe that our best days are ahead of us.'

Pressed to reassure the Conservative Party she was not determined to go on and on, Mrs May said: 'I get a little bit irritated, but this debate is not about my future, this debate is about the future of the people of the UK and the future of the United Kingdom. That's what I'm focused on and that's what we should all be focused on.'

In the interview, to be broadcast tonight, Mrs May was asked by former BBC political editor Nick Robinson whether she is still the 'bloody difficult woman' referred to by former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke.

She replied that the 'bloody difficult woman' is 'still there', but 'there's a difference between those who think you can only be bloody difficult in public, and those who think actually you bide your time, and you're bloody difficult when the time is right  and when it really matters'.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid used a Cabinet meeting last week to argue for 'shock and awe' tax cuts for business and a bonfire for regulation  in what was seen as his pitch for the top job.

Other potential contenders are expected to use the party's conference this month to set out their stalls.

But International Trade Secretary Liam Fox yesterday said he would back Mrs May if she wanted to fight the next election as party leader.

He told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday: 'I think the Prime Minister is doing a great job in difficult circumstances domestically because of the lack of a majority in the Commons and in the difficult task of this negotiation with the EU.

'Supporting the Prime Minister now is in our national interest.

'Certainly, if she wants to continue on to the next election she will have my support, and I think a British prime minister that delivers a successful Brexit will have the support of the British public.'

Mrs May's position has been boosted by signs the EU is preparing to accept use of technology to avoid the need for new border infrastructure.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured last week) is said to be drafting a new 'protocol' text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks at the Irish border

Michael Gove has called on Eurosceptics to get behind Theresa May's Chequers plan by arguing it can always be adapted after Brexit (pictured on the Andrew Marr show)

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is drafting a new 'protocol' text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks on the Irish border and between Northern Ireland and the UK, according to The Times.

Diplomatic notes seen by the paper state: 'The biggest unsolved problem is Northern Ireland.

'There is a political mobilisation in the UK in this regard. Therefore, we are trying to clarify the EU position.'

How would the new EU plan for the Irish border work after Brexit? Under the new plan from Brussels, goods could be tracked using barcodes on shipping containers under 'trusted-trader' schemes - effectively removing the need for new border infrastructure. The proposals are expected to be circulated in early October after Conservative Party conference. Up to now the EU has insisted that Northern Ireland must stay within its jurisdiction for many customs and single market rules in order to avoid a hard border. But Mrs May has insisted no UK Prime Minister could ever accept a hard border in the Irish Sea that could put the union at risk, and her DUP allies in government are vehemently opposed. Instead, she has suggested a 'facilitated' customs arrangement that would see the whole UK accept EU rules for goods and collect some taxes on behalf of the bloc. The new EU draft could unlock the negotiations as it makes clear that most checks would not take place at any particular border. Sabine Weyand, Mr Barnier's deputy, told ambassadors: 'For the main part, these controls would not have to happen at a border. 'It is to be expected that the reach of the backstop would decrease anyway in case of an agreement about the future relationship.' Brussels is drafting the plan to prevent Scottish nationalists from demanding the same arrangements - a major concern of the UK. However, the solution is still specific to Northern Ireland, rather than covering the whole UK as the government wants. Advertisement

Under the new plan from Brussels, goods could be tracked using barcodes on shipping containers under 'trusted-trader' schemes - effectively removing the need for new border infrastructure.

The proposals are expected to be circulated in early October after Conservative Party conference.

Up to now the EU has insisted that Northern Ireland must stay within its jurisdiction for many customs and single market rules in order to avoid a hard border.

But Mrs May has insisted no UK Prime Minister could ever accept a border in the Irish Sea that could put the union at risk, and her DUP allies in government are vehemently opposed.

Instead, she has suggested a 'facilitated' customs arrangement that would see the whole UK accept EU rules for goods and collect some taxes on behalf of the bloc.

The new EU draft could unlock the negotiations as it makes clear that most checks would not take place at any particular border.

Sabine Weyand, Mr Barnier's deputy, told the ambassadors: 'For the main part, these controls would not have to happen at a border.

'It is to be expected that the reach of the backstop would decrease anyway in case of an agreement about the future relationship.'

Brussels is drafting the plan to prevent Scottish nationalists from demanding the same arrangements - a major concern of the UK.

However, the solution is still specific to Northern Ireland, rather than covering the whole UK as the government wants.

Despite the evidence of a thaw in talks, Mr Johnson warned that Britain is heading full throttle for a 'write-off' Brexit if it continues with Mrs May's 'disastrous' plan.

The backstop deadlock is being used to force the UK into becoming a vassal state and the talks are on course to end in a 'spectacular political car crash', according to the former foreign secretary.

Mr Johnson said the European Union's fallback position for the Irish border would mean Northern Ireland was 'annexed' by Brussels.

Alternative plans set out by Mrs May would 'effectively' keep Britain in the bloc, he added.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove described the PM's divisive Chequers plan as the 'right one for now' and suggested it could be altered by a future leader.

But Mr Johnson said the exit proposals were taking the country in the wrong direction.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said: 'If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash.'

'If we are to get out of this mess, and get the great British motor back on track, then we need to understand the Irish backstop, and how it is being used to coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of Brussels,' he added.

The EU's backstop would leave a border down the Irish sea while the UK's proposal left it 'volunteering' to 'remain effectively in the customs union and large parts of the single market until Brussels says otherwise', Mr Johnson said.

'Both versions of the backstop are disastrous,' he wrote. 'One threatens the union; the other version - and its close cousin, Chequers - keep us effectively in the EU, as humiliated rules takers.

'We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

'We are straining at the gnat of the Irish border problem - in fact we haven't even tried to chew the gnat - and we are swallowing the camel of EU membership in all but name.'

Mr Johnson said that if Chequers was adopted 'it would mean that for the first time since 1066 our leaders were deliberately acquiescing in foreign rule'.

But the PM's spokesman gave the criticism short shrift - suggesting Mr Johnson was engaged in political manoeuvring.

'I think it is worth pointing out that Boris Johnson was a member of the Cabinet which agreed to the December joint report, including the backstop,' the spokesman said.

May hints at no preferential migration rights for EU citizens after Brexit Theresa May today appeared to dismiss the prospect of giving preferential access for EU citizens to the UK. The PM is preparing to unveil a new system for after Brexit - potentially in her Tory conference speech. However, there has been speculation over whether free movement-style arrangements will stay in place in order to ease negotiations with Brussels. Mrs May and Home Secretary Sajid Javid are thought to be arguing for a global system, but Chancellor Philip Hammond is expected to resist. Pushed in her BBC Panorama interview on whether she ruled out giving a special immigration arrangement for EU citizens, Mrs May replied: 'What we will be doing is putting forward a set of rules for people from the European Union and people from outside the European Union.' Advertisement

'At the time he congratulated the prime minister for her determination in securing the deal.

'He remained in government for a full seven months after the joint report was agreed. And he was also a member of the Cabinet sub-committee which agreed the UK's proposed customs backstop.'

Housing minister Kit Malthouse, who served as a deputy mayor of London under Mr Johnson, warned that Eurosceptics had to 'take the win' rather than keep protesting about Chequers.

'We have to be careful, those of us who voted Leave, that we don't become like a football team that is arguing about whether to win 2-0 or 4-0,' he told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour.

'Take the win, get over the line, and deliver what the people wanted.'

But senior Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin backed Mr Johnson's view of the Brexit plans, saying he would prefer no-deal.

He also accused firms like Jaguar Land Rover of 'making up' claims about huge jobs losses and economic chaos.

'No deal would be preferable than the Chequers proposals because we'd instantly be free, we'd save substantially on the payment that the EU wants us to make for the implementation period,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'There'd be some small disruption perhaps to begin with but it'd be in everyone's interests to get everything working as quickly as possible.'

On warnings from Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth, Sir Bernard said: 'I'm afraid I think he's making it up. 'We've had figures made up all the time by the scaremongers in this debate and I'm afraid nobody believes them.'

Former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg accused Mrs May of presenting Britain with a 'con trick' choice on Brexit.

Sir Nick, who is back in the political spotlight on Monday with an address to a meeting at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton, insisted the Prime Minister was offering either a 'fudge or the abyss' on EU exit by claiming the only alternative to her Chequers proposals is a no deal withdrawal.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think it is a deep disservice to our democratic traditions to have a Prime Minister now saying: 'You've got no choices left, it's my fudge or the abyss' - that is not true.

'We always have more choices if only we are prepared to take them.'

Mrs May used her Panorama interview to slap down Mr Johnson for the extraordinary language he has used to criticise her Chequers plan.

In last week's Mail on Sunday, he likened her the proposals to a 'suicide vest around the British constitution'.

Mrs May implied that Mr Johnson's comments, which triggered a political storm, showed he was unfit for the highest office.

'I have to say that that choice of language is completely inappropriate,' she said.

Mrs May has promised to be 'bloody difficult' while negotiating with Brussels - but Boris Johnson has suggested her plan is a car crash

What are the options for the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit? Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker agreed the outline of a divorce deal in December Theresa May and the EU effectively fudged the Irish border issue in the Brexit divorce deal before Christmas. But the commitments to leave the EU customs union, keep a soft border, and avoid divisions within the UK were always going to need reconciling at some stage. Currently 110million journeys take place across the border every year. All sides in the negotiations insist they want to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, but their ideas for how the issues should be solved are very different. If they fail to strike a deal it could mean a hard border on the island - which could potentially put the Good Friday Agreement at risk. The UK blueprint: The PM has made clear her favoured outcome for Brexit is a deep free trade deal with the EU. The UK side initially set out two options for how the border could look. A 'Maximum Facilitation' scheme would have seen a highly streamlined customs arrangement, using a combination of technology and goodwill to minimise the checks on trade. There would be no entry or exit declarations for goods at the border, while 'advanced' IT and trusted trader schemes would remove the need for vehicles to be stopped. The second option was described as a customs partnership, which would see the UK collect tariffs on behalf of the EU - along with its own tariffs for goods heading into the wider British market. At the Chequers Cabinet summit earlier this month, Mrs May pushed through a compromise plan with elements of both. It would see the UK follow a 'common rule book' with the EU on goods and collect some tariffs on behalf of Brussels to avoid border friction. UK courts would also take account of decisions by EU judges. Brexiteers have been incensed by the proposal, which they say makes too many concessions and will prevent Britain doing trade deals elsewhere. Boris Johnson and David Davis quit in protest, threatening to send Mrs May tumbling out of Downing Street. It was also initially dismissed as 'cherry picking' by Eurocrats. The EU blueprint: The divorce deal set out a 'fallback' option under which the UK would maintain 'full alignment' with enough rules of the customs union and single market to prevent a hard border and protect the Good Friday Agreement. The inclusion of this clause, at the demand of Ireland, almost wrecked the deal until Mrs May added a commitment that there would also be full alignment between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. But when the EU translated this option into a legal text they hardened it further to make clear Northern Ireland would be fully within the EU customs union and most single market rules. Mrs May says no Prime Minister could ever agree to such terms, as they would undermine the constitutional integrity of the UK. Under the new plan from Brussels, goods could be tracked using barcodes on shipping containers under 'trusted-trader' schemes - effectively removing the need for new border infrastructure. The new EU draft could unlock the negotiations as it accepts a key element of the UK's about the use of technology, and makes clear that most checks would not take place at any particular border. Brussels is drafting the plan to prevent Scottish nationalists from demanding the same arrangements - a major concern of the UK. However, the solution is still specific to Northern Ireland, rather than covering the whole UK as the government wants. A hard border: Neither side wants a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. But they appear to be locked in a cyclical dispute, with each adamant the other's solutions are impossible to accept. If there is no deal and the UK and EU reverts to basic World Trade Organisation (WTO) relationship, theoretically there would need to be physical border posts with customs checks on vehicles and goods. That could prove catastrophic for the Good Friday Agreement, with fears terrorists would resurface and the cycle of violence escalate. Many Brexiteers have suggested Britain could simply refuse to erect a hard border - and dare the EU to put up their own fences. Advertisement

Watching TV with husband Phillip and shouting out answers to the chase: Behind the scenes documentary shows Theresa May's rather mundane everyday life

As Prime Minister she rarely gets time to put her feet up and watch television.

But a new documentary will reveal how Theresa May and her husband Philip like to watch teatime game show The Chase when they can.

The BBC Panorama programme, to be screened tonight, shows the couple catching up over a cup of tea in front of the television.

A new documentary will reveal how Theresa May and her husband Philip like to watch teatime game show The Chase when they can

The BBC Panorama programme, to be screened tonight, shows the couple catching up over a cup of tea in front of the television

The couple, who celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary earlier this month, met whilst studying at Oxford University

Despite working on papers from her red box, Mrs May, 61, chips in with answers to some of the questions on the ITV quiz show.

The footage was filmed at the Prime Minister's country residence Chequers on Friday afternoon.

Mr May, 60, who had just returned from a business trip to America, is understood to be a fan of quiz shows and also enjoys BBC Two's Eggheads.

The couple, who celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary earlier this month, met whilst studying at Oxford University.

Mrs May has previously credited her husband with helping her through the tragedy of both her parents passing away when she was aged 25, the year after they had married.

Speaking on Desert Island Discs in 2014, she said: 'I had huge support from my husband, and that was very important for me. He was a real rock for me.'

Mr May works as a relationship manager at an investment management company in the City.

Mr May (left) works as a relationship manager at an investment management company in the CityThis is the moment a heroic 83-year-old punter foils a robbery at a bookmakers in Ireland and chases them out of the shop.

Great-grandfather Denis O'Connor fought off the robbers, who were armed with hammers and wearing hoods and balaclavas, at the betting shop in Glanmire, Co Cork.

As the attackers fled the shop Mr O'Connor kicked one of them in the backside on his way out.

The footage of the thwarted raid was caught on CCTV at around 6.30pm on Saturday evening.

At the start of the clip punters are seen watching TV screens while the shop manager, Tim Murphy, sits behind a counter.

Suddenly three attackers burst in, wielding hammers and wearing hooded tracksuits, before one of them leaps on the counter as Mr Murphy tries to flee.

As the attempted robbers threaten Mr Murphy, 83-year-old Mr O'Connor calmly walks around the back and approaches them from behind.

Exploiting their surprise, he wrestles one of the hooded attackers before chasing him back towards the door.

Punters watch screens in the County Cork betting shop before the attempted robbery unfolds

Three men - one of whom carries what could be a gun - burst into the betting shop in Ireland

Meanwhile the manager can be seen struggling with another attacker while the third - who is holding what could be a gun - waits on the other side of the room.

Mr O'Connor then picks up a chair to chase two of the thugs away, before the third gives up trying to overcome Mr Murphy and heads towards the door.

On his way out the great-grandfather gives him a firm kick in the backside.

Mr O'Connor said he 'didn't really think about it' and 'just wanted to help' shop manager Mr Murphy, the Irish Independent reported.

'When I saw them confronting him, I just acted,' he said.

A Twitter user called Gary shared the video online where it has been viewed more than half a million times.

He said: 'Look at this auld lad. Say he was hard as nails in his day! Not a bother to him getting involved.'

Gardai are appealing for information, including any further footage, as they investigate the attempted robbery.

They have asked members of the public who saw a black saloon vehicle, described as either an Audi A4 or a VW Passat, to get in touch.

The 83-year-old great-grandfather appears behind the counter and wrestles one of the men

Mr O'Connor struggles with one of the attackers as he tries to foil the robbery at the shop

Mr O'Connor brandishes a chair to chase the attackers away while Mr Murphy wrestles anotherThe son of a former NYPD detective who allegedly ran a $2million gambling and brothel ring has said he is stunned and ashamed to carry his name.

Ludwig Paz, 51, and his second wife Arelis Peralta, 43, from Queens, New York, were both indicted on Thursday along with seven active duty NYPD officers and 40 other individuals.

Prosecutors say they ran a prostitution ring which consisted of brothels across Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island, and illegal gambling rooms hidden in beauty salons - using the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle full of expensive cars and South American vacations.

Now, Paz's son - Ludwig Paz Jr. - has told the New York Post that news of his father's arrest has made it to Puerto Rico, where he lives.

'It's bad enough that I share a name with him. I play in a band, [and last night] a security guard said something to me about it,' the 28-year-old told the Post.

'A lot of people know. That's his life. I want my life to be clean.'

Ludwig Paz, 51, and his second wife Arelis Peralta (pictured together) from Queens, New York, were both indicted on Thursday for allegedly running and gambling and prostitution ring

The couple are said to have made $2million from the scheme over a year. They are pictured on a tropical vacation

Paz Jr. also said his father always told him that he hoped he would grow up to become a police officer, adding: 'He never gave any sign that he was doing things like that.'

His mother and Paz's first wife Sonia Rodriguez, who also lives in Puerto Rico, also expressed her shock.

'That's not the person I marry,' she said, adding Paz was 'proud to be a cop.'

The allegations against Paz are a far cry from his days as a fresh-faced patrolman on the force, which he joined in 1990 as a beat cop working the 84th Precinct in Brooklyn Heights.

Paz, a native of Ecuador, was often teased over his height as an NYPD rookie.

'He got picked on because he was short, and he didn't look like other Latinos from Puerto Rico or Dominican Republic,' a former supervisor told the New York Post.

'They'd say, 'What, did you work in a pizzeria before this?' So he developed a quick wit. He gave it right back to them. And on the job he was a quick learner.'

After his promotion to detective on the Vice Squad, Paz had ample opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the seedy world of illegal gambling and prostitution.

Paz (above) went through a divorce in 2008 and a former supervisor says he struggled to make ends meet after alimony and child support were deducted from his paychecks

He had at least one child with his wife Sonia when in 2007, she sued him for divorce, court records show.

Paz contested the filing and the divorce got ugly, until a judge ordered him to pay 'medical child support' in a 2008 order finalizing the split.

The city takes automatic deductions for alimony and child support out of paychecks for employees who get divorced, and soon Paz would have seen a big bite out of his income.

Paz struggled to make ends meet, searching for side gigs with little luck. 'He was strapped,' the ex-boss said.

He filed for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in 2009, but ultimately didn't get relief when he missed a deadline to file additional paperwork.

Paz retired from the NYPD in 2010, and it's not clear when he remarried Arelis Peralta.

Paz's second wife Arelis Peralta is seen posing with a Range Rover in this photo taken in Brooklyn just blocks from the police precinct where Paz started his career in 1990

Police were first tipped off to the criminal enterprise in 2015, when someone on the force alerted investigators they suspected that someone involved in illegal activities was in conversations with an insider in the Vice Enforcement Division.

The investigation moved slowly due to the need for absolute secrecy, to prevent corrupt cops from finding out that the operation was under scrutiny.

Prosecutors said that Paz used his inside connections to get a heads up prior to raids on any of the seven brothels he allegedly ran - one of them a filthy apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant furnished with just a mattress and a red light-bulb overhead.

He also subjected potential customers to a screening process he knew would weed out undercovers, making them drop their trousers and be subjected to genital fondling before allowing any transaction, prosecutors said.

Peralta is seen earlier this year on her 43rd birthday on a tropical vacation in Columbia

Peralta frequently jetted off on vacation, according to photos from her social media

Investigators say that Paz gave active duty cops a steep discount at his brothels, in exchange for protection from investigation.

The brothels charged patrons $40 for 15 minutes of sexual activity and $160 an hour.

Arisbel (above) is charged with conspiracy and felony enterprise corruption

Prosecutors say that Paz and Peralta raked in $2 million over the course of 13 months from August 2016 to September 2017.

Proceeds from the enterprise allegedly went to fund a lavish lifestyle for Paz and his wife Peralta over the last several years.

Social media photographs show them on South American vacations and in nightclubs surrounded by bottles of champagne.

Prosecutors say Peralta was in on the scheme, and she faces a charge of enterprise corruption and dozens of felony counts of promoting gambling.

Her two adult daughters, who live with the couple in Ozone Park, were also arrested in the probe.

The daughters, Jarelis Guzman, 22 and Arisbel Guzman, 20, were released without bail.

Court records show Arisbel has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and felony enterprise corruption. It is unclear whether Jarelis has been charged.

Peralta (center) is seen with her two adult daughters, Jarelis and Arisbel, who were also arrested in the police sting on Thursday.

Neighbors say that Peralta and her daughters always had designer clothes and carried designer handbags.

'They had these expensive cars  SUVs and Mercedes  the kids were parking all over the place, blocking driveways,' one neighbor told The Post.

The luxury cars grew so numerous that neighbors complained there was nowhere left to part on the block.

Along with Paz and his wife, seven active duty cops were charged in the ring: Rene Samaniego, 43, Sergeant Carlos Cruz, 41, Giovanny Rojas Acosta, 40, Sergeant Cliff Nieves, 37, Steven Nieves, 32, Giancarlo Raspanti and Sergeant Louis Failla.

In total, however, 49 people were charged.

According to police, Peralta (above) and her husband also operated illegal lottery betting services out of beauty salons

In a statement, NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill assured the public the officers involved would be dealt with quickly and severely.

'These NYPD officers, who swore an oath to uphold ideals greater than themselves, have ruined their own careers and reputations,' O'Neill said.

'More importantly, they have diminished the great work of tens of thousands of other honest and ethical cops.'

Paz faces felony charges of enterprise corruption, promoting prostitution, rewarding official misconduct, bribery of a public servant, hindering prosecution, promoting gambling and misdemeanor counts of conspiracy.

He has pleaded not guilty and is being held on Rikers Island pending bond of $250,000 or $150,000 cash bail.

Paz is next due in court on October 30.An Oxford University Islamic scholar who advised the British government faces a second rape investigation, Swiss prosecutors have announced.

Tariq Ramadan, one of European Islam's best-known figures, was detained in France earlier this year over rape allegations by four women.

Prosecutors in Geneva, Switzerland, have now disclosed that they have opened a rape and sexual misconduct investigation against the married father of four.

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan faces a second rape investigation, this time in Switzerland

Ramadan was previously one of British Foreign Offices Advisory Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

He was a Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University, and was a member of a taskforce set up by Tony Blair after 7/7.

The 56-year-old, who has multiple sclerosis, is being held in a prison hospital in Fresnes, south of Paris.

The Swiss citizen, whose grandfather founded Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood movement, took leave from his post at Oxford University after the first set of allegations surfaced.

Geneva's prosecutor's office spokesman Henri Della Casa said authorities are investigating allegations that Ramadan raped a woman in a Geneva hotel in 2008, according to The Tribune de Geneve newspaper.

'I confirm the opening of an inquiry,' the paper quoted Della Casa as saying, a key step that indicated the authorities believed the allegations merit further investigation.

The accuser lodged her complaint in April.

Ramadan was a Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University (pictured in a file photo). He took leave from his post after the first set of allegations surfaced

'The prosecutors and Geneva police have worked quickly and worked well,' Romain Jordan, the lawyer representing Ramadan's Swiss accuser, told AFP in an email.

He described the decision to open a criminal inquiry as 'a major advance' that 'demonstrates the seriousness of the allegations made by our client.'

Ramadan has not yet been interviewed by Swiss prosecutors, who will now have to travel to France to interview him.

The 56-year-old scholar, a prominent and controversial figure within Islam, has denied any criminal wrongdoing.

On Tuesday, Ramadan will be questioned in the presence of a second accuser, a disabled woman identified as 'Christelle' who claims he raped and beat her in a hotel in the southeastern French city of Lyon in 2009.

Ramadan has denied wrongdoing and is suing one of his accusers for slander.Advertisement

Three million people have been evacuated after a typhoon dubbed the 'king of storms' hit landfall in China having already ravaged Hong Kong and left dozens dead in the Philippines.

Hong Kong began a massive clean-up today after 142 mph Typhoon Mangkhut raked the city, shredding trees and bringing damaging floods.

In the Philippines, where the main island of Luzon was mauled with fierce winds and rain, the death toll rose to 65 overnight as rescuers pulled more bodies from a huge landslide in the mountain town of Itogon. Dozens more are missing amid fears none will be found alive in the rubble.

The landslide buried an emergency shelter which was being used by miners and their families in the town.

Three million people have been evacuated after a deadly typhoon dubbed the 'king of storms' hit landfall in China having already ravaged Hong Kong and left dozens dead in the Philippines. Rescuers are pictured carrying a body from a landslide after the storm lashed Itogon in Benguet province, northern Philippines

Hong Kong began a massive clean-up today (pictured) after 142 mph Typhoon Mangkhut raked the city, shredding trees and bringing damaging floods

After tearing through Luzon and pummelling Hong Kong and Macau, the storm made landfall in mainland China late on Sunday, killing four in Guangdong province, including three hit by falling trees. This was the scene as trees covered a road in Futian District in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province

Paramilitary Police officers try to lift a damaged branch as they clean up a road after super Typhoon Mangkhut smashed into Zhongshan in south China's Guangdong province earlier today

No-one has yet been pulled alive from the rubble and relatives of those buried are taking part in the rescue efforts, the town's mayor Victorio Palangdan told AFP.

National police spokesman Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana said 43 other people are missing, and more than 155,000 people remain in evacuation centres two days after the typhoon struck.

Farms across northern Luzon, which produces much of the nation's rice and corn, were sitting under muddy floodwater, their crops ruined just a month before harvest.

After tearing through Luzon and pummelling Hong Kong and Macau, the storm made landfall in mainland China late on Sunday, killing four in Guangdong province, including three hit by falling trees.

Authorities there said they had evacuated more than three million people and ordered tens of thousands of fishing boats back to port before the arrival of what Chinese media had dubbed the 'King of Storms'.

Aftermath: Bamboo scaffolding was torn down amid 140mph gusts as the typhoon lashed Hong Kong, leaving parts of the city in tatters

Dramatic pictures show a deadly landslide in Itogon. Men used pikes and shovels to dig into the mud since the soaked ground was unstable and limited the use of heavy equipment on site

A police officer rescues a child from a flooded street after Typhoon Mangkhut lashed Lei Yu Mun in Hong Kong on Sunday

Pedestrians were forced to wade through waist-high floodwaters in the streets amid heavy rainfall in Zhongshan, Guangdong province, China

Massive landslides left dozens dead in Itogon in Benguet province, north of Manila in the Philippines. Rescuers have been digging through mud in the desperate hunt for survivors

Mangkhut battered the northern Philippines on Saturday before slamming into southern China on Sunday. It was the most powerful typhoon to hit Hong Kong (pictured) since 1979

Mangkhut weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern China on Monday, leaving death and destruction from Hong Kong to the Philippines. This was the scene after scaffolding came down in Macau during the storm

A fisherman tries to salvage his damaged boat this morning in the aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut after it smashed into Hong Kong

A Philippine mayor says it's highly unlikely any of the 40 to 50 people who are feared buried in a huge mudslide set off by Typhoon Mangkhut can be found alive

Boats and debris are seen washed up on a beach at Deep Water Bay in the aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong

In the high-rise city of Hong Kong, the government described the damage as 'severe and extensive' with more than 300 people injured in Mangkhut, which triggered the maximum 'T10' typhoon alert.

The monumental task of cleaning up the city began as residents, some in suits and ties, struggled to get back to work on roads that remained blocked by felled trees, mud and debris.

Schools were closed, bus services halted, and travel disruption saw commuters piling onto platforms trying to board infrequent trains after trees fell on overhead lines.

Landslides and severe flooding affected some areas, with over 1,500 residents seeking refuge in temporary shelters overnight.

The storm, with gusts of more than 142 mph sent buildings swaying and waters surging into homes and shopping malls in Hong Kong, with some roads waist-deep in water.

Windows in tower blocks and skyscrapers were smashed as people cowered inside.

A Philippine national police report said the death toll as of Monday midday was 65, with 43 people missing and 64 injured after landslides (pictured) caused by the storm. Chinese authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, China's manufacturing hub

In the Philippines, where the main island of Luzon was mauled with fierce winds and rain, the death toll rose to 65 overnight as rescuers pulled more bodies from a huge landslide in the mountain town of Itogon

No-one has yet been pulled alive from the rubble and relatives of those buried are taking part in the rescue efforts, the town's mayor Victorio Palangdan told AFP

In the high-rise city of Hong Kong (pictured today), the government described the damage as 'severe and extensive' with more than 300 people injured in Mangkhut, which triggered the maximum 'T10' typhoon alert

In Guangdong province (pictured), trees fell and some streets had ankle-level flooding. Residents in Yashao village moved debris and branches off the roads for collection by a rubbish truck. A large propaganda billboard was blown down on the side of the road

The shelves were bare in some supermarkets in Nanning city in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region as people rushed to bulk buy supplies with the storm approaching

Vegetables and fruits were sold out at this supermarket in China's Nanning city before the typhoon hit landfall

Only a few items remained in this supermarket as panicked residents rushed to pick up supplies ahead of the storm's arrival in China's Nanning city

In the neighbourhood of Heng Fa Chuen, thousands of rocks and pebbles from the sea covered parkland along the coastline which had been battered by waves. Low-lying fishing villages were also badly affected after seawater swept through.

Streets in the seaside village of Lei Yue Mun were covered in debris and glass as residents picked their way through.

The city's main Victoria Park had become an obstacle course with hundreds of trees down and many completely uprooted.

Emergency teams were sawing apart some of the biggest trees blocking roads and pathways across the city in a clean-up operation that is likely to take days.

In the neighbouring gambling enclave of Macau, all 42 casinos shut down for the first time in its history as the storm approached.

They opened again on Monday but Macau was still in recovery mode after severe flooding hit parts of the city, forcing emergency workers to rescue people from their shops and homes using boats and jetskis.

A rescuer looks at black bags containing the bodies of victims of a huge landslide that struck in the Benguet province of the Philippines during the typhoon

A massive search operation is continuing today in Benguet province where dozens were killed in a landslide. Many more are missing and feared dead

The winds, with gusts of more than 140mph, smashed windows in high rise buildings in Hong Kong. A huge clean-up operation is underway today

The streets were littered with bamboo scaffolding after it came crashing down in to the streets in Hong Kong during the typhoon

The powerful winds ripped trees from the ground in Hong Kong. Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left dozens dead

A man is pictured tethered to a rope in a flooded river as he launches a rescue operation in Tarlac in the Philippines

Mary Anne Barril weeps as she describes the ferocious Super Typhoon Mangkhut in the town of Baggao in the Philippines

Savage gusts caused widespread damage in Hong Kong. A huge clean-up operation is now underway in the city after the storm passed over

Rescuers rest under a make-shift shelter as they continue the hunt for survivors in the rubble after a landslide in Itogon town in the Philippines

In China a huge bouncy castle was blown over while two children were still on it. The accident happened outside the Youa International Plaza shopping complex in Changde, central China

As the storm moved past the enclave Sunday, streets became submerged under water gushing in from the harbour.

On Monday morning, shopkeepers in Macau were hosing down their stores which had been left caked in mud after the flood waters receded.

People were attempting to dry out cupboards and electrical appliances on the streets as police and volunteers helped with the clear-up.

The government and casinos took extra measures ahead of the storm, determined to avoid a repeat of Typhoon Hato which battered Macau last year, killing 12 people and drawing accusations the city was ill-prepared.

In Guangdong province, trees fell and some streets had ankle-level flooding.

Residents in Yashao village moved debris and branches off the roads for collection by a rubbish truck. A large propaganda billboard was blown down on the side of the road.

'I was scared. I didn't dare go out last night. At one point the flooding was this high,' said villager Zhen Jingli, 62, pointing to his waist.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17)  The parents of hazing victim Horacio "Atio" Castillo III have asked the Vatican to look into how the University of Santo Tomas (UST) handled their son's case.

The couple told CNN Philippines their letter was received in late August.

"It's at the house of the Papal Nuncio," said Horacio Castillo, Jr.

"I would guess that the Vatican saw the flow of our theory with regards to the complaint," Carminia Castillo added. "I believe they will look at it. I believe that they will respond positively on our part."

Atio Castillo, a 22-year-old student at the Faculty of Civil Law, died on September 17, 2017 after hazing rites to the Aegis Juris fraternity. Ten initial suspects have been detained in Manila City Jail, but his family is still going after some alumni of the organization who were seen planning a cover-up to the crime in a Facebook chat room.

TIMELINE: The case of Horacio Castillo III

The Castillos first expressed their interest in raising the issue with the Vatican in February this year, as they are dissatisfied with how the school handled the killing. They are even aspiring for a papal audience.

UST is the only university in the Philippines to be conferred with a pontifical title, which means it is under the authority of the Vatican.

The couple suspect UST Law Dean Nilo Divina, who was a member of Aegis Juris, had a hand in the cover up. The dean maintains he was inactive in the organization, and pointed out he was not in the online chat room.

"I felt vindicated because my name was not at all mentioned in the exchange. I was not part of it," Divina told CNN Philippines.

"At the same time... I'm disappointed because of their reaction to [it]," he added, referring to some of his brothers' remarks in the online thread.

Divina also revealed he resigned quietly from the fraternity about six months ago.

The school maintains that it also condemned the hazing and the ten suspects have been expelled.

"We have always maintained that UST is not at fault. It has exercised the diligence required of it under the circumstances. We have banned hazing in all manner or form long before this incident," Divina said.

He added that the university suspended the accreditation of all fraternities and sororities indefinitely. He added that they also cooperated with the police and attended the Senate hearings on the hazing, which resulted in the passage of amendments to the Anti-Hazing Law.

"We'll basically explain our decision  that we have done all that we could under the circumstances," Divina said when asked how the school would react to a possible Vatican probe.

The Castillo family is determined not just to hold the school accountable, but the perpetrators as well. They will be filing criminal charges for obstruction of justice against the lawyers in the chat room.

"A lot of people are saying, 'Saan aabot 'to?' Sinasabi ko: We will never settle," said Mrs. Castillo. "We are here to defend our son... I'll see to it all of you will be brought to justice."Aster DM Healthcare, a leading integrated healthcare services provider in Asia, said that it has entered into a partnership agreement with a leading university hospital in Nigeria.



The partnership with Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) will see the Company setting up centres of excellence across specialties and also a telemedicine unit managed by Aster DM Healthcares internationally certified specialists, majority of whom are from Asters network of 11 hospitals in India.



The announcement came against a wider backdrop of Nigeria scoring poorly among United Nations member-states, ranked 187th among a total 191 countries. Nigerias average expenditure on healthcare stands at $118 (per capita), and this when compared to countries in European Union that spend up to EUR 2797 or $3281, is significantly less.



Furthermore, as far as the doctor-patient ratio is concerned, Nigeria currently stands at 1:2,500, as opposed to a minimum ratio of 1:1000 recommended by WHO. This is largely due to the migration of Nigerian doctors for whom the UK and the US are preferred destinations to seek employment.



Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, said: Our partnership will address the gaps in the healthcare sector in Nigeria which is in urgent need for quality services.



As a result, patients from the country often seek quality healthcare solutions overseas, and India is a recipient of thousands of medical tourists from Nigeria each year. Aster DM Healthcare, guided by our core mission to provide quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible, is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the local population through a spectrum of services provided by our Centres of Excellence.



Aster Centers of Excellence have a reputation of providing quaternary care that are highly specialised. These centres cut across various specialties such as neuroscience, cardiac, orthopaedic, and oncology, among others.



Dr Harish Pillai, CEO of Aster DM Healthcare, India said, The operations and management agreement with ABUAD is expected to further boost the collaboration between India and Nigeria, offering access to high quality healthcare services for thousands of patients in West Africa.



More importantly, our on-the-ground presence will further equip the ABUAD medical staff who in turn will now be able to provide solutions to complex medical issues relating to cardiac, neuroscience, orthopaedic, renal diseases, and cancer care, among others.



Aare Afe Babalola, founder of ABUAD said, This partnership has enabled us to bring quality healthcare at the doorsteps of our people. Now a patient can easily avail advance medical treatment at an affordable rate. We are aware that the healthcare infrastructure of Nigeria is just not enough to cater to the growing demand, hence our aim is to improve the medical facilities which will ultimately reduce the dependency on medical tourism abroad. We are certain that this step will leave a positive impact over our society.



Aster DM Healthcare has also set up a telemedicine unit in ABUAD that essentially provides services such as tele consulting, tele diagnosis and tele management, enabling patients to seek expert advice and virtual treatment from Asters specialists from across the world, including in India.  TradeArabia News ServiceAdvertisement

Thousands have been cut off by rising floodwaters as storm Florence batters North Carolina, bringing the death toll to 20.

Officials plan to airlift food and water to thousands holed up in the coastal city of Wilmington, which has been totally cut off from the rest of the state.

So far more than 400 people have been rescued from the area, which has no power and has been described as an island.

Residents have been waiting for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police are guarding the doors, only letting in 10 people at a time to avoid rushes and overcrowding.

Residents have been waiting for hours outside stores and restaurants in North Carolina for basic necessities like water. Police are guarding the doors, only letting in 10 people at a time

Thousands have been cut off by rising floodwaters as storm Florence battered North Carolina, bringing the death toll to 20. Pictured: Emerald Isle in NC

People wait in line to buy food and supplies at one of the few places open in Wilmington North Carolina after Hurricane Florence traveled through the area Sunday

Chris Craig and Zach Boucher sit on a bench in the flooded waters edge following Hurricane, now tropical storm Florence September in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina

Officials have warned evacuated residents to stay away amid fears of further flash flooding over the next two days. Pictured: Flooding in South Carolina

A tree rests atop a home on Queens Road West in Charlotte, NC on Sunday as heavy rains and wind continued to batter the US

Marcus Dipaola helps five-year-old Ember Kelly off a rescue boat carrying her sisters and mother from rising flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, in Leland, North Carolina

Florence: What is an extra-tropical cyclone? Florence is expected to weaken on Monday before re-intensifying as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone Tuesday and Wednesday Extratropical cyclones have cold air at their core, and derive their energy from the release of potential energy when cold and warm air masses interact. These storms always have one or more fronts connected to them, and can occur over land or ocean. An extratropical cyclone can have winds as weak as a tropical depression, or as strong as a hurricane. Advertisement

Officials have warned evacuated residents to stay away amid fears of further flash flooding over the next two days.

Wilmington has a population of 120,000 but it is not clear how many chose not to leave before the storm hit.

'Do not come here,' New Hanover County Commission Chairman Woody White said.

'Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington...We want you home, but you can't come yet.'

Hurricane Florence, downgraded to a tropical depression, claimed more lives on Sunday, with at least 20 people confirmed dead.

Florence is expected to weaken on Monday before re-intensifying as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone Tuesday and Wednesday, the US National Hurricane Center said on Monday.

The tropical depression continues to produce widespread heavy rains over parts of North Carolina and north-eastern South Carolina into western Virginia and flash flooding will continue over portions of the western mid-Atlantic region, it said.

Florence is located about 145 miles (230 km) west-northwest of Greensboro, North Carolina packing maximum sustained winds of 30 miles per hour.

Dallas Perdue leaves a Lowe's Foods store in Wilmington, N.C., after storm Florence traveled through the area Sunday

The Waffle House outside of downtown Wilmington, NC was open on Sunday as thousands became stranded from the rest of the state

An abandoned car's hazard lights continue to flash as it sits submerged in a rising flood waters during pre-dawn hours after Hurricane Florence struck in Wilmington, North Carolina

A view of a gas station with its roof blown off as Hurricane Florence comes ashore in Wilmington, North Carolina

On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Corrections posted pictures of prisoners preparing sandbags to defend their facilities from flooding

Bryan Stirling, director of the department, chose not to evacuate the inmates from several prisons, with a spokesman saying: 'In the past, its been safer to leave them there.' Pictured: Sandbanks outside a South Carolina prison

'Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina... but we're also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out,' Brock Long of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Sunday on Fox News.

About 70 miles away from Wilmington, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards.

River forecasts showed the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bull's-eye.

On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Corrections posted pictures of prisoners preparing sandbags to defend their facilities from flooding.

Bryan Stirling, director of the department, chose not to evacuate the inmates from several prisons, with a spokesman saying: 'In the past, its been safer to leave them there.'

Cars try to navigate a flooded road leading to Interstate 40 in Castle Hayne, NC, after damage from Hurricane Florence cut off access to Wilmington

Meanwhile, half way around the world, Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left dozens dead.

More than 2.4 million people were evacuated from China's southern Guangdong province ahead of the massive typhoon, the strongest to hit the region in nearly two decades.

In North Carolina, fears of what could be the worst flooding in the state's history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it wasn't clear how many had fled or even could.

President Donald Trump said federal emergency workers, first responders and law enforcement officials were 'working really hard.' As the storm 'begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional!' he declared in a tweet.

The storm's death toll climbed to 20 when authorities said a 3-month-old child was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home in North Carolina. Three people died in weather-related traffic accidents, officials said.

Victor Merlos was overjoyed to find a store open for business in Wilmington since he had about 20 relatives staying at his apartment, which still had power. He spent more than $500 on cereal, eggs, soft drinks and other necessities, plus beer.

'I have everything I need for my whole family,' said Merlos. Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all take-out, with the price of $2 per item.

Kenneth Campbell had donned waterproof waders intending to check out his home in Lumberton , but he didn't bother when he saw the Coast Guard and murky waters in his neighborhood.

'I'm not going to waste my time. I already know,' he said.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

Victor Merlos loads supplies he bought at a Harris Teeter grocery store, one of the few places open in Wilmington, N.C., after storm Florence traveled through the area Sunday

The floodwaters of McAlpine Creek along Randolph Road in Charlotte, N.C., are seen on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018

A man walks along the street with his dog as people return to their houses after the passing of Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina, US September 16, 2018

Motorists drive through floodwaters in Hampstead, N.C. Sunday as Tropical Storm Florence continued to pelt the area with rain and wind

A boat sits in a backyard after the passing of Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina on Sunday

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal feces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters. In past hurricanes, flooding at dozens of farms also left hundreds of thousands of dead hogs, chickens and other decomposing livestock bobbing in floodwaters.

Some stream gauges used to monitor river levels failed when they became submerged, but others showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel were assigned to help relief efforts.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

Near the flooded-out town of New Bern , where about 455 people had to be rescued from the swirling flood waters, water completely surrounded churches, businesses and homes. In the neighboring town of Trenton, downtown streets were turned to creeks full of brown water.

The rain was unrelenting in Cheraw, a town of about 6,000 people in northeastern South Carolina. Streets were flooded and Police Chief Keith Thomas warned people not to drive, but the local food and gas store had customers.

'As you can tell, they're not listening to me,' he said.

On Sunday the death toll from the hurricane-turned-tropical depression climbed to 15 when a 23-year-old man drowned after a pickup truck flipped into a drainage ditch along a flooded road in South Carolina.

Earlier, authorities said two people died from carbon monoxide poisoning after using a generator in their South Carolina home during the storm.

 Slide me  Before and after photos show the floodwater level before on September 14 and after Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina, on September 16, 2018

 Slide me  Within two days floodwater consumed the base of a home in New Bern, North Carolina. Pictured Friday and then Sunday

Members of the North Carolina Task Force urban search and rescue team wade through a flooded neighborhood looking for residents who stayed behind as Florence continues to dump heavy rain in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sunday

A member of the US Coast Guard walks down Mill Creek Road checking houses after tropical depression Florence hit Newport North Carolina Saturday

A man wades across a bridge flooded by Hurricane Florence in Pollocksville, North Carolina, Sunday

A home is seen in floodwaters from Hurricane Florence in Marion, South Carolina Sunday

Members of the Nebraska Task Force 1 urban search and rescue team help load an elderly resident onto a bus as they evacuate an assisted living facility to a church as a precaution against potential flooding Saturday

A home is damaged after a large tree fell on it Sunday in Wilmington, North Carolina. So far, 15 deaths have been reported

A sailboat is shoved up against a house and a collapsed garage Saturday, September 15 after heavy wind and rain from Florence

The North Carolina fatalities also include three who died 'due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways,' the Duplin County Sheriff's Office reported.

Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said 63-year-old Mark Carter King and 61-year-old Debra Collins Rion were killed by breathing in carbon monoxide.

Their bodies were found in a Loris home Saturday afternoon, but they likely died the day before as the heavy rains and winds from former hurricane-turned-Tropical Depression Florence were moving onshore.

Governor Roy Cooper says the storm has 'never been more dangerous' than it is now for areas extending from Fayetteville and Lumberton, across the Sandhills, to the central part of North Carolina and into the mountains.

About 740,000 homes and businesses remained without power in the Carolinas, and utilities said some could be out for weeks.

Sunday's heavy rains have made major roads, including parts of the I-95, impassable.

Roads were quickly submerged on Sunday morning and blocked off by police cars and fire trucks. Some drivers in raised trucks slowly navigated the flooding while others made U-turns and looked for other routes. Smaller country roads were washed over with water as streams and rivers nearby burst their banks, leaving drivers at risk of being trapped.

Rainstorms continued around Florence, Fair Bluff and Lumberton, with residents living near the banks of Lumber and Pee Dee River ordered to evacuate. Tornado warnings were issued from the coastline moving inland.

The roads were fairly busy as drivers attempted to return home to assess damage on areas where areas where evacuation orders were lifted.

Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, but North and South Carolina were in the bull's-eye.

The head of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said officials were still focused on finding and rescuing people.

'We'll get through this. It'll be ugly but we'll get through it,' he told Chuck Todd on NBC's Meet The Press.

Long said: 'Well, unfortunately, the event is still unfolding for the next 48 hours.'

Two people in a canoe paddle through a street that was flooded by Hurricane Florence Saturday north of New Bern, North Carolina

A Corvette sits damaged after a large tree fell on it Sunday in Wilmington, North Carolina

Maggie Belgie of The Cajun Navy carries a child evacuating a flooding trailer community during Hurricane Florence in Lumberton, North Carolina Saturday

A downed tree uprooted by Hurricane Florence lies next to homes in New Bern, North Carolina Saturday

Robert Dolman walks past a Cadillac that has been crushed by a tree Sunday in North Carolina

The next stage of the disaster comes with widespread river flooding, pictured a Coast Guard member Saturday

US Marine Corp aid in evacuating the local populace in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Saturday

Officials on Sunday warned rivers were swelling toward record levels, forecasters now warn, and thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate for fear that the next few days could bring the most destructive round of flooding in North Carolina history.

Stream gauges across the region showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to crest Sunday and Monday at or near record levels: The Little River, the Cape Fear, the Lumber, the Neuse, the Waccamaw and the Pee Dee were all projected to burst their banks, possibly flooding nearby communities.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000

On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump issued a disaster declaration for parts of the state that will make the rebuilding process easier for residents in some counties.

Trump, who plans a visit to the region next week, tweeted his 'deepest sympathies and warmth' to the families and friends of those who had lost their lives.

Saturday afternoon, the White House released a photo of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence receiving a phone briefing on disaster response efforts.

John Rose owns a furniture business with stores less than a mile from the river. Rain-soaked furniture workers helped him quickly empty more than 1,000 mattresses from a warehouse in a low-lying strip mall.

'It's the first time we've ever had to move anything like this,' Rose said. 'If the river rises to the level they say it's going to, then this warehouse is going to be under water.'

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence received an emergency preparedness update call on Hurricane Florence in the Treaty Room of the White House on Saturday

The next stage of the disaster comes with widespread river flooding - which could make history in North Carolina

An updated map from Sunday morning shows Florence's status

Certain areas of North Carolina are experiencing record-breaking major flooding

A Sunday morning map shows the three to five inches of rain in parts of North and South Carolina

A woman leaves a flooded home with her dog in a neighborhood inundated by water in Lumberton on Sunday

A partially submerged car is pictured on a flooded street after Hurricane Florence struck Piney Green, North Carolina Sunday

Albie Lewis, right, a FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer, talks with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper aboard a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft after surveying the damage done by Hurricane Florence on Sunday

On U.S. Route 401 nearby, rain rose in ditches and around unharvested tobacco crops along the road. Ponds had begun to overflow, and creeks passing under the highway churned with muddy, brown water.

Farther along the Cape Fear River, grass and trees lining the banks were partly submerged, still well below a highway bridge crossing it.

'It's hard to believe it's going to get that high,' says Elizabeth Machado, who came to the bridge to check on the river.

Fayetteville's city officials, meanwhile, got help from the Nebraska Task Force One search and rescue team to evacuate 140 residents of an assisted-living facility in Fayetteville to a safer location at a church.

Already, more than two feet of rain has fallen in places, and forecasters are saying there could be an additional 1 feet before Sunday is out.

'I cannot overstate it: Floodwaters are rising, and if you aren't watching for them, you are risking your life,' Gov. Roy Cooper said.

A pickup truck drives on a flooded road past a farm house that is surrounded by flooded fields from tropical storm Florence in Hyde County, North Carolina, Saturday

Resident Joseph Eudi looks at flood debris and storm damage from Hurricane Florence at a home on East Front Street in New Bern, North Carolina, Saturday

Rescue personnel help a flood victim and her animals to dry land from heavy rains from Florence in North Carolina

Officials were warning residents not only to stay off the roads but also to avoid using GPS systems.

'As conditions change, GPS navigation systems are not keeping up with the road closures and are directing people onto roads that are confirmed closed and/or flooded,' the state Transportation Department said on Twitter.

Florence weakened to a tropical depression early Sunday and was crawling west at 8 mph. At 5am, the storm was centered about 20 miles southwest of Columbia, South Carolina. Its winds were down to 35 mph.

In Goldsboro, North Carolina, home of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, roads that frequently flood were already closed Saturday by rushing water.

Dozens of electric repair trucks massed to respond to damage expected to hit central North Carolina as rainwater collected into rivers headed to the coast. Hundreds of thousands of outages have been reported.

A creek that feeds into the Neuse was rushing over a road near Phil Eubanks' home Saturday. Another creek backed up into their basement Friday, but based on past experience Eubanks and his wife think the worst is over for them.

'I didn't sleep last night. It was creeping up those steps' from the basement, said his jittery wife, Ellen. 'It came up. It went down today. I think we're OK.'

Coast Guard FN Tyler Elliott, from Louisville, Kentucky, helps rescue one of ten beagles from a flooded home in Columbus North Carolina Sunday

Members of the Coast Guard help a stranded motorist in the flood waters caused by Hurricane Florence in Lumberton, North Carolina, Sunday

Roger Hedgepeth is assisted along with his dog Bodie by members of the U.S. Coast Guard Sunday

Hedgepeth wears a life jacket and holds his dog Bodie while being moved to higher ground Sunday

A Dillon County rescue crew boat works in a flooded area near a stuck car in Latta, South Carolina, on Sunday

A man is pictured walking through a flooded street after Florence struck Piney Green, North Carolina

On Saturday evening, Duke Energy said heavy rains caused a slope to collapse at a coal ash landfill at a closed power station outside Wilmington, North Carolina. Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said about 2,000 cubic yards (1,530 cubic meters) of ash were displaced at the Sutton Plant and that contaminated storm water likely flowed into the plant's cooling pond.

Sutton was mothballed in 2013 and the company has been excavating ash to remove to safer lined landfills. The ash left behind when coal is burned contains toxic heavy metals, including lead and arsenic.

In New Bern, along the coast, homes were completely surrounded by water, and rescuers used inflatable boats to reach people Saturday.

Kevin Knox and his family were rescued by boat from their flooded brick home with the help of Army Sgt. Johan Mackie, whose team used a phone app to locate people in distress.

'Amazing. They did awesome,' said Knox, who was stranded with seven others.

New Bern spokeswoman Colleen Roberts said 455 people were safely rescued in the town of 30,000 residents. She called damage to thousands of buildings 'heart-wrenching.'

Ernestine Crumpler, 80, is helped by members of the Nebraska Task Force 1 urban search and rescue team as they evacuate an assisted living facility to a church as a precaution against potential flooding the city could see

Resident Alice Tolson steps over storm debris that washed up from the Neuse River at her home on East Front Street in New Bern

Residents of an assisted living facility sit on a bus as they are evacuated Saturday in North Carolina

A 40-foot yacht lies in the yard of a storm-damaged home on East Front Street in New Bern, North Carolina Saturday

The boat washed up with storm surge and debris from Hurricane Florence

Spirits were high, though, at the Trent Park Elementary School in New Bern, where 44-year-old Cathy Yolanda Wright took shelter after being rescued from her flooded home Saturday. Wright, who sings in the choir at Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist, led residents at the shelter in an energetic singalong.

People clapped and shouted, 'Amen!' and 'Thank you, Lord.'

Across the Trent River from New Bern, Jerry and Jan Andrews returned home after evacuating to find carp flopping in their backyard near the porch stairs.

Coast Guard helicopters took off across the street to rescue stranded people from rooftops and swamped cars.

The Marines rescued about 20 civilians from floodwaters near Camp Lejeune, using Humvees and amphibious assault vehicles, the base reported.

The dead included a mother and baby killed by a falling tree in Wilmington, North Carolina. South Carolina recorded its first death from the storm, with officials saying a 61-year-old woman was killed when her car hit a tree that fell across a highway.

Three died in one inland county, Duplin, because of water on roads and flash floods, authorities said. A husband and wife died in a storm-linked house fire, officials said, and an 81-year-old man died after falling while packing to evacuate.

Trenton, North Carolina, is pictured Sunday inundated with floodwaters from FlorenceThe bizarre moment a man robbed a Pizza Hut while holding what appears to be an emoji-style green gun has been caught on camera.

The robbery occurred at a Pizza Hut in Logan, south of Brisbane, on Saturday night.

CCTV footage shows a man, with a dark complexion, approach the store wearing a bucket hat, black long sleeved top, grey shorts and black sneakers.

Scroll down for footage

As he entered, the man flashed a green gun before placing it down the front of his shorts, keeping one hand on the gun at all times.

The man then slid a note over onto the counter and appeared to ask the employees to read it.

Confused at first, the store workers stared in disbelief.

One employee then opened the till and placed cash inside an Uber Eats paper bag.

The footage shows a man, with a dark complexion, walking into the store wearing a bucket hat, black long sleeved top, grey shorts and black sneakers

After sliding a piece of paper over onto the counter, he produces a green gun from behind his back

During the entire incident, the employees never appeared overwhelmed or terrified.

An employee in the kitchen was filmed stacking shelves, none-the-wiser about the robbery that's happening just meters away.

Queensland police have released the CCTV footage in hopes that anyone who recognises the assailant to come forward.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

He then hid the gun in his trousers and produced a paper Uber Eats bag for staff to place the money intoThe remains of Robin Freitag, above, have been found in her back yard

The remains of a loving mom, grandma and friend have tragically been discovered in a fire pit by members of the murdered womans family, who became suspicious after finding her burnt Bible.

Robin Freitag, who would have celebrated her 54th birthday last Saturday, had been missing for more than a month from her Akron home in Ohio.

As a result of her relatives' gruesome discovery, Akron police have charged her live-in-boyfriend, David A. Callaghan, 52, with murder, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.

Freitags relatives had regarded him as a suspect in relation to her disappearance, as she had not been in contact with her daughter, Kim, since July 31.

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Freitags family were searching around her property last Thursday when her cousin, Angela Nottingham, spotted burnt paper, including a piece bearing the word Jahovah.

She posted on Facebook: Not everyone would think that much of that. But I knew if Robin was alive and well, that she would never allow anyone to burn her Bible.

Akron police have charged her live-in-boyfriend, David A. Callaghan (above) with murder, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse

Robin Freitag's remains were uncovered by her family, who conducted their own search of her home in Akron (above) after she had been missing for more than a month in Ohio

After weeks of fruitless searching for their missing relative, the family started digging through ash and loose dirt in the fire pit  a shallow grave in her back yard.

The Summit County Medical Examiner has identified the human remains as those of Martha Robin Freitag, but has not published details of how long her corpse had been in the pit, or how she died.

Callaghan has been arraigned in Akron Municipal Court  however he was already in Summit County Jail on unrelated charges, reports WKYC 3.

Court records dating back to 1989, for crimes committed in Akron, show that Callaghan previously pleaded guilty to offences such as criminal trespass, theft and drug abuse. He has not as yet been offered bail on the murder charge.

Callaghan is scheduled to appear in court today.

In a tribute to the dead woman, one of arrested man's relatives wrote a post directed at the Freitag family on Facebook, posting that they loved her and always will love Robin.

Prior to the discovery of her body, there had been posts on social media, including Facebook, asking people whether they had seen Robin Freitag, as she did not have her mobile phone with her, or a bank card

Since his arrest at the weekend, Callaghan's family have also aired disparaging comments about him on social media.

The family post continued by criticizing David Callaghan as an evil and abusive person. Cold and callous filled with demons.

'He has no regard for human life and labeling him a sociopath would be too nice.

Freitags family told Akron Beacon Journal that she studied the Bible on Sundays with Jehovahs Witnesses, and described her as an intelligent woman who loved her old black Labrador, Sammy, who is now being cared for by relatives.

A GoFundMe page which has been set up to help cover funeral expenses says in a touching tribute: She was a loving mom, grandma, aunt and friend to many.

'She will be greatly missed by all. This unexpected and senseless loss has put a huge burden on her pregnant daughter Kim.

'The family is asking for donations for funeral expenses and travel expenses for immediate out-of-town family.'A girl is fighting for her life after a woman allegedly crashed her car into a family of four while under the influence of alcohol and using her mobile phone.

Two people are in a critical condition in hospital after the crash on Hezlett Road in Kellyville in Sydney's northwest about 9.30pm on Sunday.

Lisa Mottram, 50, was allegedly at more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit and using her mobile phone during the crash that badly injured four pedestrians.

Lisa Mottram, 50, was allegedly at more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit and using her mobile phone during the crash that badly injured four pedestrians

A girl is fighting for her life after a woman - allegedly under the influence of alcohol and using her mobile phone - crashed her car (pictured) into a family of four

She has been charged with seven crimes, including dangerous driving, mid-range drink driving, and misusing a mobile phone.

Ms Mottram, who is the estranged wife of former Parramatta Eels CEO Dennis Fitzgerald, allegedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.113.

CCTV footage showed a white SUV swing around a corner and into a family after a failed attempt to stop the car.

The girl was rushed to the Westmead Children's Hospital after being placed in an induced coma at the scene of the accident, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Police said the four-year-old girl suffered head and internal injuries in the crash and was still in a critical condition.

Her aunt, 55, suffered internal and spinal injuries and was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where her condition was unknown on Monday morning.

The girl's mother, 44, was in a serious condition at Westmead Hospital with facial injuries, a broken arm and a pelvic fracture.

The 45-year-old father was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Two people are in a critical condition in hospital after the crash at Kellyville in Sydney's northwest about 9.30pm on Sunday

Inspector Kate Orr from the crash investigation unit said the family were on holiday from Hong Kong.

Police urged witnesses or anyone who my have dashcam footage of the crash or events leading up to it to come forward.

The driver was granted conditional police bail and will face Parramatta Local Court on October 10.John Phoenix (pictured) from Leigh raped the 12-year-old while she lay unconscious

An internet predator abducted and raped a 12-year-old girl after meeting her on Snapchat.

John Phoenix from Leigh, Greater Manchester, plied the youngster with Jagerbomb at a nightclub until 3am after sending a taxi to pick her up from her family home.

The 30-year-old made the girl perform a 'long, protracted' kiss with his friend during one night at the club and brought her back to his flat in a drunken stupor.

He raped her while she lay unconscious in his bed and she woke up 14 hours later to discover that he had intercourse with her.

Police rescued the victim from Phoenixs flat following a three-day search after her mother reported her missing on the night she was picked up by the cab.

During the hunt, officers had made a public appeal for information about the girls whereabouts and Phoenix spotted a picture of her on social media which confirmed she was 12.

He said is that you? and she said yes - but he then kept her in his flat while he went out with friends.

When he was arrested he claimed he thought the girl was 17. She has since tried to hang herself.

In a statement, the girls mother said: 'This is every parents worst nightmare and I feel like I have failed in my parental duties. I felt so angry when he said that he thought she was 17. I am so worried about her, I have even contemplated sleeping by the front door just in case she tries to leave again.

Phoenix and his friend got the 12-year-old drunk at this club and then he raped her while she was unconscious at the flat

'She is so precious to me and I dont want to hear how she blames herself for what happened and how she wants to die. When I found out what the female did to my daughter as well, I felt sick. I found it hard to comprehend.'

The girl said: 'What happened with John Phoenix will change me forever; I thought he was a friend. Finding out the science results, I couldnt believe it and I was so upset. I will not refer to it as sex, I will refer to it as the mean thing because it was a mean thing to do.

'I was so upset with myself because I didnt think an adult of Johns age would ever do anything like that to a 12-year-old.

'If I dont really know what John wanted then how will I be able to judge anybody else in the future. I feel like I will be in the dark.'

Phoenix was jailed for 14 years after he admitted rape at Bolton Crown Court. He was found guilty of child abduction at an earlier hearing.

His friend Stacey Westwood, 29, admitted sexual assault and was given a four-months jail sentence suspended for two years. She was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for seven years.

The court heard the girls ordeal began on September 21 last year after she met Phoenix on Snapchat and they swapped messages over a two-week period, during which he invited her out for an evening at Cafe Stella club in Leigh.

Prosecuting, Barbara Webster, said: 'He ordered a taxi from her house which then took her to his house. She arrived at his house that evening and Stacey Westwood answered the door. He got changed and they went to Cafe Stella.

'Alcoholic drinks were then bought by him and Stacey Westwood and given to the victim. They left the club around 3am and at this point the victim was very drunk. They went home and went to sleep. She woke at around 5pm and said that her vagina felt sore.

Phoenix was sentenced to 14 years' prison at Bolton Crown Court (pictured) after raping and abducting the girl

'He showed her a picture of her on social media that said she was a missing 12-year-old. He said "is that you?" and she said "yes".

'She stayed with him and they went to Cafe Stella again but then went home and did some Jagerbombs.

'On Saturday September 23, he went out with a friend and she stayed at his apartment and watched TV. He came home at around 4am and then later that morning the police came around and found her at his house.

'She said to the police that she had pain in her vagina but she couldnt recall any sexual activity. The defendant was interviewed under caution and said that he didnt know her age and thought that she was 17.

'He claimed that he didnt have sex with her, but this was found out to be a lie because semen was found in her vagina and this was proven to be his. After the incident, the victim tried to hang herself.'

In mitigation defence lawyer Paul Treble, said: 'The defences case is that he thought that she was over 16. She told a lady that she was over 16 and the defendant thought that she was over 16. She was obviously physically developed and she was served in a nightclub. She wasnt acting as a child of 12 would do.

'The defendant had drank a lot of alcohol and he wasnt putting his mind to her age; he was more concerned about having fun and enjoying himself - he thought that she was older than 12.

But in sentencing Judge Timothy Stead said: 'The girl said to an officer in interview "when he asked my age, I told him I was 12; he said I thought that you were older than that". Its apparent the victim was an unhappy child who had suffered a number of significant misfortunes in her life and she was a troubled child.

'But I am satisfied and I am sure that the defendant did know she was 12. In the course of her evidence, she said this much in her interview with the police.

'She said that she told him her age as 12, her name and what school she went to. He responded that he thought she was older than that. She was abducted by the defendant - she was not kidnapped but she was kept from her parent - not for a few hours but for a few days.

'He sent a taxi to collect her and bring her to his home. She went out and tried to act older than she was - but that is what children of her age do and she cant be blamed for that.

'She went out with him and then stayed at his home that night - where he raped her while she was unconscious. Evidence proved that he did not use contraception. The abduction went on until the police found her on the Sunday morning following the Thursday night.

'Its not just her who is a victim, but her mother is a victim too. She says that this is a parents worst nightmare and I dont believe that is an understatement at all. Great efforts were made to find her and luckily she was found. But the defendant had sexual intercourse with her - it has not been determined how many times though.

'He plied her with alcohol, and its with no thanks to him that she was found. He was using somebody he knew to be a 12 year old for sexual use. He bought alcohol for her and he knew that she was missing on the Friday. There was the use of alcohol to facilitate the offence; a great deal of alcohol to render her unconscious and she has not recollection of the offence at all and this will have only contributed to her anguish.'

Phoenix was also ordered to abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.

After the hearing Det Con Rachel Forsythe from Greater Manchester Police said: 'Phoenixs actions were utterly despicable. He is a predator who plied this young girl with alcohol and raped her knowing full well that she was 12-years old and he had lured her away from her family.

'What this young girl has been through at such a young age is unimaginable, and I would like to commend her incredible bravery in supporting our investigation. My thoughts are also with the girls mother, who experienced every parents worst nightmare when she realised her 12-year-old daughter was missing, and then had the horrifying discovery of what shed gone through at the hands of this disgraceful man.'

An NSPCC spokesperson said: 'Phoenix put a child through an absolutely horrific ordeal, stealing her innocence and forcing her family to live through the nightmare of not knowing where she was.

'His awful actions highlight the sheer scale of grooming and just how easily adults can target children online.

'The NSPCCs Wild West Web campaign is calling for an independent regulator with the power to investigate and fine platforms which dont do enough to catch groomers.'If you haven't been lucky enough to score a free meal during the McDonald's Monopoly sweepstakes, don't fret - there's an easier way.

McDonald's will hand out 200,000 free cheeseburgers across Australia on Tuesday.

In honor of National Cheeseburger Day on September 18, customers can collect a burger over the course of 24 hours, from midnight.

All you have to do is download the 'MyMaccas' app on your phone.

As part of National Cheeseburger Day, McDonald's is giving away 200,000 free cheeseburgers on September 18

If you've already got the app, go to the 'My Rewards' section, where your free burger voucher will be waiting for you to redeem.

McDonald's gave away 100,000 free cheeseburgers last year, but upped the ante this year to 200,000 freebies.

Also, unlike last year, you no-longer have to purchase other products to claim your sandwich.

Cheeseburgers are now available on the all-day menu, so you won't have to wait until 10.30am to claim yours.

The freebies will only be available while stocks last, with one cheeseburger per person the parameters.Data on hundreds of thousands of people is being used to construct 'Minority Report' style computer systems to predict child abuse before it happens.

Councils are developing the 'predictive analytics' programmes to identify families that are at risk and need attention from social services.

Five local authorities - Hackney, Thurrock, Newham, Bristol and Brent - have been using the systems, with at least 377,000 people's data harvested by the tool.

The information that has been collected includes school attendance and exclusion data, housing association repairs, and police records on antisocial behaviour and domestic violence.

Five local authorities - Hackney, Thurrock, Newham, Bristol and Brent - have been using the systems, with at least 377,000 people's data harvested by the tool

It echos the 2002 film 'Minority Report', starring Tom Cruise, in which police use psychic technology to arrest and convict crooks before they commit their crime.

But the new algorithmic profiling could spark concerns over invasion of privacy.

Hackney and Thurrock council have both hired a private company, Xantura, to develop the systems for their children's services teams, The Guardian reports.

Two other councils, Newham and Bristol, have developed their own systems internally. Brent council is developing a system to predict vulnerability to gang exploitation.

The Information Commissioners Office, which regulates the use of personal data by public and private bodies, said it would be contacting councils to ensure they are following data protection laws.

It echos the 2002 film 'Minority Report', starring Tom Cruise (pictured) in which police use psychic technology to arrest and convict crooks before they commit their crime

A spokesperson told The Guardian: 'All organisations have a duty to look after personal information in their care but records involving children  often sensitive personal data  require particularly robust measures.'

Experts say that 'predictive analytics' enable councils to better target their resources so they can act before any tragedies occur.

Richard Selwyn, a civil servant at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, said earlier this year: 'Its not beyond the realms of possibility that one day well know exactly what services or interventions work, who needs our help and how to support them earlier.'

In Thurrock in Essex and and Hackney, east London, the Xantura system operates by running its predictive model against a household in response to warning signs.

These include a child being expelled from school or a report of domestic violence. The information is then passed on to a social worker who looks at the case.

Hackney council said its system had generated 350 risk alerts for families in potential need of attention.

Thurrock said its system generated 300.

Xantura, on its website, says: Childrens Services are facing ongoing pressure to ensure that all children are kept safe from harm and to intervene before crisis occurs.

Xanturas system uses data from multi-agency sources to identify children that are statistically most at risk of maltreatment.Farmers across the country have been forced to dump thousands of strawberries following the ongoing fruit sabotage saga.

Sewing needles have been found in strawberries in every Australian state as growers fear the multi-million dollar 'commercial terrorism.'

Police are continuing their investigations after the metal needles were found in punnets of fruit across the country.

Nervous growers fear a multi-million dollar commercial sabotage due to the scandal.

An image has revealed of truckloads of strawberries being dumped in Western Australia

Farmers across the country have been forced to dump thousands of strawberries

Sewing needles have been found in strawberries in every Australian state as growers fear the multi-million dollar 'commercial terrorism'

Consumers have been asked to take any contaminated product down to their local police station for forensic testing

Head of the Western Australia Strawberry Growers Association, Jamie Michael, has shared images of truckloads of fruit being dumped following the recent Adelaide finding.

South Australia was the fifth Australian state that was implicated in the saga, after a seven-year-old girl noticed the needle after biting into the strawberry.

Two contaminated punnets of Mal's Black Label strawberries have been found in separate towns outside Adelaide, with the latest in Morphett Vale.

'People need to slice their fruit prior to consumption and please contact police immediately if you find any contaminated fruit,' SA Police said on Monday.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said that he wanted to send a message to the public following the ordeal on Monday's The Project.

'I'm going to send a message - on my way home tonight, I'll drop in at the supermarket and buy some strawberries. Obviously clean them and chop them up - but I want to support the sector,' he said.

Another piece of metal was found in a strawberry on Sydney's northern beaches on Monday evening.

The Daily Telegraph reported that police and NSW's Robbery and Serious Crime Squad are investigating the incident after the punnet was bought from a supermarket in Mona Vale.

A recall has been issued for Berry Obsession and Berrylicious strawberries in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria

A woman told police that she found the 1cm long metal shard while cutting the fruit for her son.

She bought two punnets of Donnybrook strawberries via a home delivery service on Wednesday, and found the metal piece on Friday.

The brand of strawberries has been recalled across New South Wales.

Queensland Strawberry Growers Association vice president Adrian Schultz said 'commercial terrorism' was bringing an industry to its knees.

'I'm angry for all the associated people, it's the farmers, the people who supply them, the packaging people, the truckies with families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs ... it's far-reaching,' he said.

The Mal's Black Label strawberries were grown in Western Australia, where a man on Monday reported to the York Police Station in regional WA that he'd found a needle in a punnet of strawberries.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has ordered Food Standards Australia New Zealand to investigate whether there are supply chain weaknesses or systemic changes needed.

'At the end of the day, the job is very, very clear. Protect the public and keep them safe,' he told the ABC on Monday.

Supermarkets are working with their suppliers to investigate the incident

These brands are sold in Coles and Woolworths across Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT

Wholesale strawberry prices have fallen by half to 60 cents per punnet, and Strawberries Australia chair John Calle said that there is 'no point getting up in the morning to pick strawberries below cost'.

Coles and Aldi supermarkets pulled all strawberries from their shelves across the country, except Western Australia, as a precaution over needle contamination fears.

Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook Berries branded fruit have recalled their strawberries nationwide.

On Monday, ALDI Australia confirmed that it will be returning all non-impacted Strawberry brands to stores.

An ALDI Australia spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that over the weekend, the company had worked with strawberry growers and regulatory officials to understand the facts in relation to the needles found in the fruit.

Queensland Police announced they had started an investigation into the contamination of strawberries on Wednesday

Nervous growers fear a multi-million dollar commercial sabotage due to the scandal

'Following information provided by the Queensland State Health Emergency Coordination Centre and the state based Food Safety Authorities, ALDI has decided to return a selection of strawberries back to shelves as soon as the orders can be fulfilled and distributed,' they said.

'The safety of customers has been our leading concern throughout this matter.

'Now that we have processed all the facts and checked with the investigating authorities, our priority is to restore supply to ensure the impact to our primary producers is contained as quickly as possible.'

Where have the contaminated berries been found? September 9 - Brisbane man rushed to hospital after eating punnet of strawberries containing needle September 10 - Woman from Gladstone, Queensland finds needle in strawberry September 12 - 'disgruntled ex-employee' suspected contaminating September 13 - Thin metal object found in Gatton, Queensland Three more punnets found contaminated in Tweed Heads, Taree, Guyra and Maitland Reports of contamination in Victoria September 14 - Chantal Faugeras find needle in punnet in Wingham September 15 - Coles shopper finds contaminated punnet in Engadine, Sydney September 16 - Contamination spreads to South Australia after a pin is found in Mal's Black Label brand. Advertisement

Police are also investigating contamination of fruit sold by Delightful Strawberries, Love Berries and Oasis in stores in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and the ACT.

Earlier this week, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk issued a $100,000 reward over concerns for growers as well as consumers.

New Zealand has since followed suit with banning strawberries from their supermarket shelves.

Both Foodstuffs and Countdown (owned by Woolworths) - which between them control nearly the entire New Zealand grocery market - on Monday announced they had stopped sending out Australian strawberries to their stores.

In separate statements, the stores said while none of their products had been affected by a major recall in Australia, they wanted to reassure customers.

New Zealand imports the fruit from Australia when it's out of season, from April to September, and both chains say the Kiwi product will be on shelves shortly instead.

Nationals frontbencher Andrew Broad blasted the culprits as 'low-life scum'.

Hoani Hearne, 21, also found a needle inside a strawberry (pictured) after buying a punnet from Strathpine Centre Woolworths north of Brisbane on Sunday

Mr Hearne swallowed part of the needle and had to be taken to hospital after experiencing severe abdominal pain

Coles and Aldi supermarkets have pulled all strawberries from their shelves, except Western Australia, as a precaution.

Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook Berries have recalled their strawberries nationwide.

A health warning to throw out or cut up strawberries remains in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Angela Merkel has said she will work with her Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz to secure Europe's borders, in her latest move away from the open-door policy which has sparked a wave of protests in Germany.

The German chancellor met Mr Kurz in Berlin ahead of a crunch EU summit on migration later this week.

Mrs Merkel, who has faced a backlash since she allowed a million refugees into Germany in 2015, agreed to work with African countries to stop the flow of migrants.

She and Mr Kurz also welcomed the European Commission's plans to increase the staff of Europe's border agency to 10,000 people by 2020, DW reported.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and the Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz, right, shake hands before a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin yesterday

Merkel told reporters in Berlin as she and Kurz prepared to sit down for their one-to-one talks that 'migration is, of course, a very important issue.'

They were also expected to discuss Brexit. 'We have the same view that we must do all we can to avoid a hard Brexit,' Kurz said in a statement before the meeting.

The German chancellor opened Germany's doors to more than a million refugees fleeing North Africa in the Middle East at the peak of Europe's refugee crisis in 2015.

Mr Kurz, 32, has taken a hard-line stance on immigration since he came to power last year after striking a deal with the right-wing Freedom Party.

The two clashed in June when Mr Kurz resisted German plans to share migrants out between EU countries.

Mrs Merkel said she would not allow EU countries to say that 'we don't want to participate in European solidarity'.

Austria has sided with countries such as Hungary and Italy - under its new government and interior minister Matteo Salvini - who have pushed to tighten Europe's borders.

Mrs Merkel's immigration policy has sparked a fierce backlash in Germany, as the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made historic gains at last year's election.

Mrs Merkel and Mr Kurz give a press conference in Berlin yesterday. They agreed to tighten Europe's borders ahead of a two-day summit of EU leaders later this week

The issue has flared up again in recent weeks after a German man was allegedly stabbed to death by two Iraqi and Syrian migrants.

His death prompted major protests in Chemnitz, in former East Germany, the part of the country where the AfD is strongest.

Mrs Merkel's interior minister Horst Seehofer has pushed for a tougher immigration policy to prevent the ruling CDU/CSU being outflanked by the AfD.

The Austrian leader next travels to Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

He and Mrs Merkel are set to join other national leaders at the two-day summit starting on Wednesday in Salzburg, Austria.

The border agency, Frontex, said last week the number of people crossing the entire Mediterranean had fallen by 40 per cent from last year.

However the number of migrants crossing the western Mediterranean into Spain more than doubled in the first eight months of this year.

The divergence was due to a sharp drop in people leaving strife-torn Libya for Italy, a main migrant route to Europe in recent years.Advertisement

The Duchess of Sussex made secret trips to a community mosque to cook with Grenfell Tower victims after the horrifying inferno that left 72 dead, it emerged today as she helped to release a new cookbook.

In her first solo project as a member of the royal family, Meghan Markle has written the foreword to the new book produced by cooks from the Hubb Community Kitchen, an initiative based near the site of the West London tower.

The duchess, who said she 'immediately felt connected' to the kitchen at the Al Manaar cultural centre, first visited in January and has made other secret trips to the centre to meet volunteers and learn more about their work.

One of the contributors to the book, Munira Mahmud, 34, told how Meghan donned an apron and mucked in with the cooking, including washing rice.

The duchess says in her introduction for Together: Our Community Cookbook: 'I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together.

Meghan cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London

Their partnership has resulted in the publications of Together: Our Community Cookbook, which features personal recipes

The Duchess of Sussex cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire

The duchess first visited the kitchen in January and has made a number other private trips to the centre to meet volunteers

The Duchess of Sussex plays with a young girl after cooking with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London

One of the contributors to the book said she and her friends had approached Al-Manaar to ask if they could use the kitchen

'Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy - in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy - something we can all relate to.

Meghan's foreward to community cookbook 'I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together. 'Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy - in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy - something we can all relate to... 'Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive.' Advertisement

'Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive.'

It also emerged today that two of the women who worked on the cookbook with Meghan saved the lives of seven people from different families.

MailOnline can reveal Hiwot Dagnachew was on the fifth floor and stopped her two great nieces from perishing in the blaze.

She phoned their mother, who was with them on the 19th floor to warn them about the fire - giving them enough time to get out of the building.

And Munira Mahmud, 34, also manged to escape the burning building, leading the rest of her family - including her husband, his father and their two children to safety.

An inquiry into the fire in June last year is still ongoing, and has prompted revelations that a 'miscommunication' between senior fire officers meant attempts to rescue residents on the highest floors stopped for an hour.

The inquiry, being held at Holborn Bars in London, has previously been brought to a halt as firefighters burst into tears when recalling the blaze.

Meanwhile a series of fraudsters have been jailed for trying to falsely claim they lived in the tower in the wake of the fire.

Some of the recipes are family favourites and all have been created by the cooks who support residents affected by the fire

The Duchess's involvement with the kitchen has resulted in the publication of Together: Our Community Cookbook

Meghan helped put the group in touch with a publisher and her Royal Foundation provided assistance with legal issues

Meghan has written the foreword to the new book produced by cooks from the Hubb Community Kitchen

All proceeds will go back to the Hubb and the book, Together: Our Community Cookbook, will be available in stores this week

Royal reporter Phil Dampier says Meghan's cook book had 'palace approval' but Australia tour will see her on world stage Veteran royal reporter Phil Dampier, author of Royally Suited Harry and Meghan in their Own Words said: 'It's quite unusual to get involved with a project like this in such depth so soon, especially making several visits in secret. But it's certainly not unheard of royals to write forwards to books and support causes like this. 'She would have to be careful not to get too involved in one or two causes and be seen to be personally involved with fund-raising. 'If something went wrong then it could backfire, but I'm sure she has done this with the approval of palace aides, notable the Queen's Assistant Private Secretary Sam Cohen who has been allocated to guide Meghan. 'I think with the big tour to Australia, New Zealand Tonga and Fiji next month Meghan will really arrive on the world stage as a royal and from then on we will see a lot more of her.' Advertisement

Work to finish covering the tower in white sheeting with green hearts was completed in June this year, and it still stands as a memorial to those who died.

However, a commission has been announced to enable the Grenfell community to decide the long-term future of the site.

The Hubb Community Project was created last summer by women seeking somewhere to cook fresh food for their families and friends following the blaze which engulfed the 24-storey social housing block.

Following the blaze - Britain's deadliest fire on domestic premises since the Second World War - the group of friends approached the Al-Manaar centre to ask if they could use the kitchen.

In the new book supported by Meghan, some of the recipes are family favourites and all have been created by the cooks who support not only residents affected by the Grenfell fire but others in the community.

In the introduction, the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen wrote: 'Our kitchen has always been a place of good food, love, support and friendship.

'We cook the recipes we've grown up with; there's no stress, and the recipes always work because they have been made so many times  it's proper comfort food Swapping family recipes and moments of laughter gave us a sense of normality and home.

'We named ourselves the Hubb Community Kitchen to celebrate the thing that we all feel every time we meet  hubb means love in Arabic.'

Meghan helped put the group in touch with a publisher and her Royal Foundation provided assistance with legal and administrative issues.

One of the contributors to the book, Munira Mahmud, 34, said she and her friends had approached Al-Manaar to ask if they could use the kitchen there and the Hubb project arose out of it.

The Duchess of Sussex's support of the book's publication marks her first solo project as a member of the royal family

The dishes described in the book are the women's l recipes from across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa

Some of the recipes included in the book are family favourites and all have been created by the cooks

In the introduction, the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen write that the kitchen 'has always been a place of good food'

The cooks support not only residents affected by the Grenfell fire but others in the community

Royal commentator says Meghan Markle is a 'huge foodie' and predicts Grenfell book will be a 'best seller' Royal commentator Claudia Jospeh said she is 'sure' the new book will be a bestseller. She told Sky News: 'She's a huge foodie and it's a subject close to her heart. She's a foodie foodie, so this is something that's close to her heart  she did this as a teenage in the soup kitchens in LA she went and helped, its not that different to when she was younger. Grenfell is hugely significant for the country. This is a very hands-on way to raise funds for them and to raise their profile. 'We have seen with both Maghan and Kate, everything they wear, everything they do, sells out immediately. I'm sure this cook book will be a a best seller. Advertisement

'Last summer, we were placed in a hotel and I had no kitchen to cook for my family,' Ms Mahmud wrote. 'It was very emotional for me to get in the kitchen. The moment I started cooking I was in tears.

'I didn't know why though. I was just excited to be back in the kitchen again.

'Word started to spread - the mums from my son's school came along and they told their friends, too. Soon there were women from different cultures all cooking, swapping recipes, talking and laughing together.'

The duchess is photographed on the front of the book helping out and Ms Mahmud said the royal had been happy to join in.

'She wore an apron,' she wrote. 'I can't believe I made her wash rice! After we said that we could only use the kitchen twice a week due to funding, she mentioned, 'How about sharing your recipes with other people? And that's how it happened.'

All proceeds will go back to the Hubb and the book will be available from this Thursday.

Baroness Rebuck DBE, chair of Penguin Random House, said: 'We were instantly caught up by the extraordinary vision for this project with the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen.

'Every woman who has contributed a recipe to this book has also contributed a fragment of their lives and memories. Each dish tells a story of culture, family and a sense of home.

'But most of all 'Together' is an homage to life and friendship and we hope it will act as a symbol to all communities and encourage cooking together for life and joy.'

(From left) Hiwot Dagnachew, Aysha Bora, Halima Al-huthaifi, Ahlam Saeid and Munira Mahmud cooking in the kitchen

Intlak Al Saiegh and Ahlam Saeid cook in the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre

Halima Al-huthaifi and Ahlam Saeid enjoy the food in the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London

Halima Al-huthaifi hugs a girl at the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire

The dishes described in the book are the women's own personal recipes from across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

Why is the community kitchen called 'Hubb'? The Hubb Community Kitchen gets its name from the noun hubb (), which means love in Arabic. The women involved with the kitchen said they want to 'celebrate the thing that we all feel every time we meet'. 'Hubb' is a derivative of the verbal root habba (), while the word 'ishq' () also means love in Arabic. Advertisement

The Royal Foundation is administering the transfer of funds from the sale of the book to the Hubb Community Kitchen and related projects.

Royal expert Charlie Jacoby said: 'After the wedding that wowed the world, the Duchess of Sussex is extending the royal brand again.

'The royal family's two most prolific authors are Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, who has written diet books and Prince Charles who backed a Duchy Originals recipe book. Meghan is combining cookery and charity.'

Last week it was revealed that more than 1,200 people traumatised by the Grenfell fire received mental health treatment in the year after the blaze, according to figures from Central and North West London NHS Trust.

Another 126 patients with long-term mental health problems had their conditions worsened by the blaze in North Kensington on June 14 last year, which claimed the lives of 72 people.

The news comes days after the formal opening of the St Charles Health and Wellbeing Centre, where those affected by Grenfell will be treated in new therapy suites.

Also today, the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire continued as a control room supervisor said the decision to tell trapped residents to try and escape the burning block 'should have been made sooner'.

Halima Al-huthaifi and Zahira Ghaswala (left) and Munira Mahmud (right) in the community kitchen in West London

Food on the table in the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London

Meghan has written the foreword to the new book produced by cooks from the Hubb Community Kitchen

The Grenfell disaster in North Kensington, West London, took place on June 14 last year and claimed the lives of 72 people

All proceeds for 'Together: Our Community Cookbook' will go back to the Hubb and the book will be available this week

It took almost two hours before the London Fire Brigade decided to abandon the standard stay-put advice to occupants and ordered a full evacuation. Many of the victims had been advised to remain inside the tower.

Last June, the Queen and her grandson Prince William were met with applause when they dropped in to an emergency shelter in West London days after the blaze to meet the devastated survivors.

The royal visitors met volunteers, local residents and community representatives while visiting the Westway Sports Centre in White City, which became a focal point for efforts to support those affected by the deadly inferno.

Meghan is part of The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and she made her first appearance with the organisation in April.

The foundation was launched in 2011 by Prince William and his younger brother Harry  and Meghan officially became its fourth patron after her wedding on May 19.

It had an income of 9million last year, and spent 9.7million - including 8.3million on charitable activities, of which 4.3million was made up of grant funding.

Together: Our Community Cookbook is published by Ebury Press and will be available for 9.99 in hardback from Thursday by clicking here

What the foreword by HRH The Duchess of Sussex says Extracted from Together: Our Community Cookbook (Ebury Press, 9.99, hbk) Together is more than a cookbook. This is a tale of friendship, and a story of togetherness. It is a homage to the power of cooking as a community, and the recipes that allow us to connect, share and look forward. In January 2018, as I was settling in to my new home of London, it was important to me to get to know organisations working in the local community. I made a quiet trip to Al-Manaar, a mosque close to the Grenfell community. In 2017, I had watched the Grenfell Tower tragedy unfold on the news; I was in Canada at the time, sharing the global sentiment of shock and sympathy for what this community was enduring, while also deeply wanting to help. Fast-forward seven months, and I was set to meet some of the women affected by the fire, at a community kitchen in Al-Manaar. The kitchen was opened after the Grenfell tragedy, offering women who had been displaced and the community around them a space to cook food for their families. Their roles as matriachs united them across their cultures; the kitchen provided an opportunity to cook what they knew and to taste the memory of home, albeit homes some had recently lost. The kitchen buzzes with women of all ages; women who have lived and seen life; laughing, chatting, sharing a cup of tea and a story, while children play on the floor or are rocked to sleep in their strollers. Now I have come to know these women and this place well, here are a few things to note about the community kitchen: It is cosy and brightly lit, with scents of cardamom, curry and ginger dancing through the air

It will take you about fifteen minutes to enter the room, as you will be joyfully greeted by kisses (cheek x 3) by each of the incredible women there

You will find yourself in a melting pot of cultures and personalities, who have roots in Uganda, Iraq, Morocco, India, Russia and at least ten other countries

You should undoubtedly arrive on an empty stomach because upon departure you will have been stuffed to the gills with samosas flecked with cinnamon, chapatis flavoured with carrots and onion, Russian Semolina cake, Persian teas and my very favourite avocado dip that I now make at home

You will feel joyful in their company, and you will leave counting the days until you go back On my first visit, I asked Munira, the resident chef de cuisine (so to speak), how I could help. An apron was quickly wrapped around me, I pushed up my sleeves, and I found myself washing the rice for lunch. Munira's sister-in-law, who had flown in from Egypt after Grenfell to help the family, helped me divide the correct amount of butter and fresh thyme to pour into the pot of rice bubbling away on the stovetop. All the aromas percolating in a kitchen filled with countless languages aflutter, remains one of my most treasured memories from my first visit to the kitchen. I have a lifelong interest in the story of food  where it comes from, why we embrace it and how it brings us together: the universal connection to community through the breaking of bread. Within this kitchen's walls, there exists not only the communal bond of togetherness through sharing food, but also a cultural diversity that creates what I would describe as a passport on a plate: the power of a meal to take you to places you've never been, or transport you right back to where you came from. One of my own favourite meals is collard greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread  a meal I would look forward to throughout my childhood: the smell of yellow onions simmering amongst a slow-cooked pot of greens from my grandma's back garden; the earthy texture of peas; and a golden loaf of cornbread puff-puffing away to a browned peak in the warmth of the oven. This was always eaten on New Year's Day, a tradition steeped in ancestral history where each component has a meaning: the black-eyed peas for prosperity, the greens for wealth, the cornbread for health and nourishment. It wasn't a new year's resolution; it was a wish. It wasn't simply a meal; it was a story. I've spent many years away from my birthplace of Los Angeles and have found that travelling far from home highlights the power of personally meaningful recipes. During my time at university in Chicago I would wait with bated breath to return to LA for the winter break and have a bowl of my mother's gumbo. And while living in Toronto (seven years of being adopted by that beautiful place for work), I embraced poutine and several other Canadian culinary favourites, but the Southern California girl in me always craved fish tacos, and the memory of eating hometown fare infused with a strong Mexican influence. We've all had that experience where you have a bite of food, close your eyes, and taste, remember and even feel the first time you enjoyed it. There is good reason that chicken soup is often credited with healing not just a cold, but the soul. There is something quintessentially restorative about a taste of something meaningful. I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together. Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy  in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture and commune through food, through crisis or joy  something we can all relate to. During my visit I met Zahira, a working mum who oversees much of the coordination at Al-Manaar and whose infectious smile is enough to make you forget any troubles. Upon learning the kitchen was only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays I asked, 'Why isn't this open seven days a week?' Her response: 'Funding.' And now just a few months later, here we are Together. Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive. With the support of dynamic women from all walks of life, we have come together with a united vision to empower other women to share their stories through food. This cookbook is a celebration of life, community and the impact of coming together. Our hope is that within these pages you will find new recipes and family favourites that you can enjoy in your own homes, because these recipes aren't simply meals; they are stories of family, love, of survival and of connection. From a Thanksgiving supper to a Shabbat dinner or a Sunday roast, the meals that bring us together are the meals that allow us to grow, to listen, to engage and to be present. We invite you to do the same, together, in your home, communities and beyond. Great thanks to everyone who made this book possible. And thanks to you, the reader, for supporting the good work of the Hubb Community Kitchen. Now it's time to gather, Together. HRH THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX Advertisement

Gurmit Kaur's Aubergine Masala

It was 1976 and our mother was teaching me and my teenage sisters to cook  passing on her recipes.

I was the best at making aubergine masala, so she allowed me to call it my signature dish  I've made it ever since.

Back home in Uganda, I run a restaurant where I serve this along with other local dishes.

When I'm in London helping my daughter Munira with my grandchildren, I make it for them and for the women at the Community Kitchen.

Serves 4 4 tbsp sunflower oil

2 large aubergines, chopped into 4cm cubes

350g new potatoes, halved

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 dried curry leaves

3 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp ground turmeric

4 vine tomatoes, finely chopped

200ml water

3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander For the rice 600ml water

pinch of salt

300g basmati rice Advertisement

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat.

Add the aubergines and fry, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until well browned.

Tip the aubergines into a large bowl and set aside.

Reduce the heat to mediumhigh and add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan.

Add the potatoes and fry, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Add the fried potatoes to the aubergines and set aside.

Heat a large pan on a mediumhigh heat, add the cumin, mustard and fenugreek seeds and toast until fragrant, 23 minutes.

Then add the remaining oil and, when it is hot, add the onion and curry leaves and fry for 10 minutes until soft and golden.

Add the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric and tomatoes.

Cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juice has evaporated and the mixture is starting to dry out in the pan.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Put the water and salt in a pan and bring to the boil.

Add the rice, reduce the heat slightly, cover and boil for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, keeping the lid firmly on, and set aside for 10 minutes.

Add the fried aubergines and potatoes to the curry pan, along with the water.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the lid and simmer for 510 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add half the chopped coriander and stir through.

Remove the lid from the rice and fluff up with a fork.

Serve alongside the curry, sprinkled with the remaining coriander.

Extracted from Together: Our Community Cookbook (Ebury Press, 9.99, hbk). Photography by Jenny Zarins

Aysha Bora's Kuku Paka - Coconut chicken curry

When I was growing up I hated cooking.

My family is from India and preparing big meals for the extended family was part of our culture, but I used to beg for any job other than cooking. T

hen I got married and moved to Africa and suddenly everything changed  I began calling my mother and asking her for recipes.

She told me: 'Cooking for someone you love is what makes you a good cook.'

This curry is a particular favourite of my family in Tanzania.

Serves 4 1 large chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, excess skin trimmed away

1 large ripe tomato, roughly chopped

1 onion, quartered

15g fresh root ginger, peeled

4 garlic cloves, peeled

6 serrano chillies, stems removed and de-seeded (use fewer if you prefer milder curries)

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 x 400ml tins coconut milk

3 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and halved

juice of  lemon

salt and pepper

10g fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish

rice, chapatis or flatbreads, to serve Advertisement

Score each piece of the chicken in two or three places, slicing about 1cm into the meat.

Put the tomato, onion, ginger, garlic, chillies, cumin, coriander, turmeric and some salt and pepper into a food processor and blend to a rough paste.

Rub one third of the paste all over the chicken, into the cuts and under the skin; reserve the rest of the mixture.

Refrigerate the chicken for at least 1 hour, or up to 5 hours.

Preheat the grill to the highest setting, and line a large baking tin with foil.

In a large pan, melt the coconut oil on a medium heat; add the remaining paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until all of the moisture evaporates. Increase the heat slightly and cook for 35 minutes until the paste is thick and dark.

Add the coconut milk and simmer for 2530 minutes until the sauce is thick.

Meanwhile, put the marinated chicken, skin side up, in the lined baking tin and grill for 15 minutes, until well coloured and charred, then turn the chicken over and grill for another 5 minutes to make sure it is cooked through.

Stir the chicken and any juices into the curry pan, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes until the flavours have combined.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add the boiled eggs and the lemon juice to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve with rice, chapatis or flatbreads.

Extracted from Together: Our Community Cookbook (Ebury Press, 9.99, hbk). Photography by Jenny Zarins

Faizia Hayani Bellili's Caramelised Plum Upside-Down Cake

As soon as I heard about the Kitchen, I volunteered to help, cooking recipes from my homeland, Algeria.

This cake is one my Mum used to make.

She always said plums are an unreliable fruit  they can be quite sour when raw.

This brings out the best in them.

Serves 8 - 10 2 tsp sunflower oil, for greasing

300g granulated sugar

100g unsalted butter,

very soft

 tsp vanilla extract

 tsp salt

8 plums, halved and stoned

40g dark brown soft sugar

2 eggs, beaten

25g cornflour

50g ground almonds

100g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder Advertisement

Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease a 23cm round springform cake tin with the sunflower oil and place on a baking sheet.

For the caramel, put 225g of the granulated sugar into a small, wide, heavy pan on a low heat. Without stirring, let the sugar dissolve completely.

Once liquid, let it gently bubble for 1520 minutes or until it is a deep golden colour.

Add 10g of the butter, half the vanilla extract and the salt, gently swirling the pan to combine the butter as it melts.

Once fully incorporated, immediately remove from the heat and pour the caramel into the prepared cake tin.

Place the plum halves on top, cut side down, nestled tightly together, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining butter together with the remaining granulated sugar and the brown sugar until pale and creamy: this will take 23 minutes using a handheld electric whisk; if you don't have one, use a wooden spoon.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.

Once the eggs are well combined, add the remaining vanilla extract, the cornflour, ground almonds, flour and baking powder to the bowl and fold through with a metal spoon until just combined (taking care not to over-mix), then pour over the plums.

Smooth over the top, then bake for 4045 minutes until cooked through: a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.

Transfer the cake to a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.

To do this, put the serving plate on top of the tin and flip over before releasing the sides of the tin and removing the base. Let the cake cool for a further 5 minutes before slicing.

Extracted from Together: Our Community Cookbook (Ebury Press, 9.99, hbk). Photography by Jenny Zarins

Have you tried any of these three recipes? Show us how they turned out by emailing: pictures@mailonline.co.uk

Revealed: How two women who cooked with Meghan were heroines of Grenfell by saving the lives of seven people from different families before they would have died in flames

BY SARAH WHITE FOR MAILONLINE

Two of the women who worked on a cookbook with Meghan Markle for the victims of Grenfell escaped from the tower inferno in which 72 perished, MailOnline can reveal.

Hiwot Dagnachew was on the fifth floor and saved the lives of her seven and five-year-old great nieces, Yohana and Liva Yohannes, and their mother Ms Mekonnen, 37, by phoning them on the 19th floor to warn them about the fire  giving them enough time to get out of the building.

As they made their way out of the West London disaster, they watched ten of their neighbours retreat back upstairs unable to continue.

Hiwot Dagnachew (left) and Munira Mahmud (right) escaped from the Grenfell Tower inferno

Meanwhile, Munira Mahmud, 34, her husband Mohammed Rasoul, 36, his father Ahmed Abdel-Rasoul, then aged 87, and their two children Mohammed, six, and 20-month-old Zahra Rasoul made their way down the stairs to the bottom of the tower to safety in June last year.

The women are two of the cooks in a new book supported by the Duchess of Sussex in her first solo charity project called Together, Our Community Cookbook, which will be available in stores from Thursday priced at 9.99.

Meghan  who has made secret trips to help the Hubb Community Kitchen volunteers responsible since January this year and has written the foreword  says of the kitchen: 'It's a place for women to laugh, cry and cook together'.

Ms Mekonnen  who has her aunt, one of the cooks Hiwot Dagnachew, to thank for her family surviving the tragedy, has told the Telegraph: 'We were fast asleep and my phone rang  I'm so lucky it wasn't on silent.

The Duchess of Sussex cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London

'My aunt was trying to be calm but she was clearly panicking. She said there were flames outside her window and that we should get out.'

Ms Mahmud made her way down the stairs to the bottom of the tower to safety last year

She told how she put on her dressing gown, grabbed her children, trying to keep them 'calm' whilst in 'complete shock' and ran out into the corridor.

She told how it was 'hard to breathe', as she held Liva, five, under one arm and held Yohana's hand and descended the stairs, while they were 'coughing and the kids were screaming'.

People were getting 'really, really scared' and 'running back up the stairs', leaving her 'tempted to go back but, I just couldn't see myself being locked in the flat on the 19th floor with that fire, so I carried on. The girls were so heavy.'

Just as they were about to open an emergency fire exit a firefighter screamed at them to stop because that side of the building above was on fire.

Ms Mekonnen couldn't even finish her sentence as she wonders aloud: 'If he hadn't I can't believe we are alive.'

Ms Mahmud's husband Mohammed has admitted he often 'thinks back' to that night when it took them all about 15 minutes to get to the bottom floor with his elderly father, telling GetWestLondon: 'I thank God we got out early and we made it.'

He revealed that his wife's best friend and his children's friends passed away, as well as his friend's mother.

He said of his friend: 'Me and him, we had both been in the tower since birth.'

He told how all their closest friends were there and how he 'prays' that they're going to be 'reunited' with them one day.

Meghan poses with women at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London

Ms Mahmud wrote of her involvement with the book: 'Last summer, we were placed in a hotel and I had no kitchen to cook for my family.

'It was very emotional for me to get in the kitchen. The moment I started cooking I was in tears. I didn't know why though. I was just excited to be back in the kitchen again.

'Word started to spread - the mums from my son's school came along and they told their friends, too. Soon there were women from different cultures all cooking, swapping recipes, talking and laughing together.'

She told how Meghan - photographed on the book's front cover helping out - had been happy to pitch in, continuing: 'She wore an apron. I can't believe I made her wash rice!'

After the duchess found out that we could only use the kitchen twice a week due to funding, she mentioned, 'How about sharing your recipes with other people?'

Ms Mahmud added: 'And that's how it happened.'MedLab Media Group (MMG), the Spanish start-up focused on the development of a medical ecosystem based on artificial intelligence (AI), showcased its key products and solutions during its inaugural appearance at the Global Health Exhibition held recently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.



The company's innovative solutions are aimed at supporting the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) growth of the healthcare sector which is expected to reach $150 billion in 2020.



A wide range of products were showcased at the event including a newly developed search engine for medical use based on AI, an encrypted communication system for the healthcare environment and a digital card for medical professionals, said the statement from the company.



MMG's regional expansion plan comes at a time of recent major developments and initiatives in the healthcare sector undertaken by governments in a bid to address regional challenges, said a top official.



"Our objective is to provide to the entire medical community equal opportunities by offering immediate access to information, regardless of geographic location and economic situationm," remarked Oleg Vorontsov, the chief executive at MMG.



"MMG has the ambition to become a world reference in e-health, supported by blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and encrypted communication systems," he stated.



According to him, the Mena region is witnessing rapid transformation and governments are putting a lot of efforts through initiatives and projects to support the demand for quality services in healthcare.



"The sector presents a great opportunity for MMG as it has emerged as one of the most critical sectors for pursuing economic diversification in most of countries in the region. We want to leverage on the opportunity to advance these countries' objectives to further boost the sector and bring innovative and quality services. As we expand in the region, we count on our participation at Healthcare Global in Saudi Arabia to showcase our unique offering to the sector," he added.



Among the products that MMG offers to the doctor of the future is DeepAIMed, an intelligent search engine for medical use, currently available in English and Spanish. The tool is developed with its own state-of-the-art technology based on artificial intelligence and capable of understanding databases of medical texts. The tool is based on graph and hypergraph theory, Kernel theory and natural language processing (NLP).



DeepAIMed is also capable of analyzing scientific texts to track known concepts and relate to each other, generating new concepts.



"Artificial intelligence will truly change the future of medicine. Soon, access to scientific knowledge will undergo profound changes; big data will change the way health professionals work and artificial intelligence will be next method of consultation. This is not science fiction", added Voronstov.-TradeArabia News Service

Advertisement

Animal workers have saved a neglected dog from its alcoholic owner after finding it covered in matted fur in Poland.

The canine was so covered in hair and dirt that it could not move or defecate properly when rescuers found it in the city of Lodz.

It was taken to a shelter where 4lbs of hair were shaved away, cutting the dog's body weight in half.

A mistreated dog covered with 4lbs of matted hair so thick that it couldn't move properly has been rescued from its alcoholic owner in Poland

Police and firefighters saved the animal after concerned locals in the city of Lodz called to report the owner

The dog lost half its body weight when the hair was shaved away and has now been named Farciarz, which means 'lucky' in Polish.

Rescuers have now renamed the dog Farciarz, which means 'lucky' in Polish.

Officers say the dog was left to fend for itself for some time, though other than the matted fur it was uninjured.

Police are continuing to try and track down the owner who is believed to have an alcohol problem.

Cops and firefighters were called to the home after locals saw the mistreated animal and decided to report the owner.

Animal shelter worker Marta Olesinska said: 'The investigation against the owner is underway. Apparently, the man has an alcohol problem.'

Officers are still investigating the dog's owner, who was not at home when the animal was rescued, and say he has an alcohol problem

Animal workers were unable to say exactly how long the dog had been left to fend for itself, but said it was a 'very long time'A knife-wielding man has been shot after he attacked a police officer with a knife in Brussels this morning.

Belgian police shot the attacker in the chest and leg, leaving him seriously wounded, after he refused to drop his knife in Maximilian Park in the north of the capital.

The attacker was a homeless Belgian national 'of Egyptian origin', aged 43. He struck the policeman in the head after police woke a group of men sleeping in the park.

People gather at the scene while Belgian police guards seal off the area on Monday

Police at the entrance of the Park Maximilien in Brussels after an officer was attacked today

Police on the scene in Brussels today after an officer was stabbed by a knife-wielding man

Witnesses have claimed that he panicked and hit one of the police officers on the head with his fist.

When police used pepper spray to overpower him, he took out a knife and slashed towards the head of one of the officers, before another policeman opened fire.

The officer attacked was reportedly 'lightly' injured while the suspect is said to be in a serious condition.

Police said that the full details of the incident, which unfolded around 9.15 this morning, were not yet clear.

A spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutor's office said the incident did not appear to be terror related.

A local resident, who would only identify himself as Aziz, told the Associated Press that he heard at least two shots.

'I heard a gunshot. Then two or three. Then a guy fell down on the ground and the police were shouting "drop the knife, drop the knife", and the guy fell on the ground.'

A group of migrants watch as police guard the scene and TV crews take footage in Brussels

A Belgian police officer stands guard after authorities sealed off the area of the attack today

Police in Brussels today where an officer was attacked in the north of the Belgian capital

A police officer stands outside the park where a knife-wielding attacker was shot this morning

Police officers stand at the entrance of the Park Maximilien in Brussels after the attack today

Officers outside a police van guard the scene after the attacker was shot and injured todayA letter has revealed how Julian Assange applied for a Russian visa two years before resorting to hiding in Ecuador's London Embassy to avoid extradition over rape claims.

The note to the Russian Consulate in London is dated November 30, 2010, shortly after Assange's website WikiLeaks had released a first batch of U.S. State Department files.

'I, Julian Assange, hereby grant full authority to my friend, Israel Shamir, to both drop off and collect my passport, in order to get a visa,' said the letter, which was recently obtained by The Associated Press.

The missive is part of a much larger trove of WikiLeaks emails, chat logs, financial records, secretly recorded footage and other leaked documents.

A letter has revealed how Julian Assange applied for a Russian visa two years before resorting to hiding in Ecuador's London Embassy to avoid extradition over rape claims

The files provide both an intimate look at the radical transparency organization and an early hint of Assange's budding relationship with Moscow.

The ex-hacker's links to the Kremlin would become increasingly salient before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, when the FBI says Russia's military intelligence agency directly supplied WikiLeaks with stolen emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman and other Democratic figures.

Representatives for Assange, who has been barred from internet access at his refuge inside the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, didn't return repeated messages seeking details about the visa bid.

Kristinn Hrafnsson, a sometime-spokesman for the group, declined to comment, calling the AP's story 'rather uninteresting.' The Russian Embassy in London said it didn't discuss the personal details of visa applicants.

WikiLeaks has repeatedly been hit by unauthorized disclosures , but the tens of thousands of files obtained by the AP may be the biggest leak yet.

The AP has confirmed the authenticity of many of the documents by running them by five former WikiLeaks associates or by verifying non-public details such as bank accounts, telephone numbers or airline tickets.

One of the former associates, an ex-employee, identified two of the names that frequently appeared in the documents' metadata, 'Jessica Longley' and 'Jim Evans Mowing,' as pseudonyms assigned to two WikiLeaks laptops.

All five former associates spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, in some cases because they didn't want their past association with WikiLeaks to become public, and in others because they feared legal retaliation or harassment from the group's supporters.

The note to the Russian Consulate in London is dated November 30, 2010, shortly after Assange's website WikiLeaks had released a first batch of U.S. State Department files

Among other things, the documents lay out Assange's campaign to avoid being arrested and extradited to Sweden over allegations that he sexually molested one woman and raped another during a trip to the Scandinavian country in August 2010.

Assange has always denied wrongdoing in the case, which he cast as a prelude to extradition to the U.S.

The Swedish prosecution jeopardized what at the time was WikiLeaks' biggest-ever disclosure: the publication of around 250,000 U.S. State Department cables.

Swedish authorities issued a warrant for his arrest on November 18, just 10 days before the cables exploded across the web, with bombshell revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, American spying at the U.N. and corruption across the Arab world.

Italy's then-foreign minister, Franco Frattini, described the release as the 'Sept. 11 of world diplomacy.' Enraged American politicians demanded that Assange be treated like a terrorist.

Metadata suggests that it was on November 29, the day after the release of the first batch of U.S. State Department files, that the letter to the Russian Consulate was drafted on the Jessica Longley computer.

The AP couldn't confirm whether or when the message was actually delivered, but the choice of Israel Shamir as a go-between was significant.

Assange's involvement with Shamir, a fringe intellectual who once said it was the duty of every Christian and Muslim to deny the Holocaust, would draw indignation when it became public.

Shamir told the AP he was plagued by memory problems and couldn't remember delivering Assange's letter or say whether he eventually got the visa on Assange's behalf.

'I can't possibly exclude that it happened,' Shamir said in a telephone interview. 'I have a very vague memory of those things.'

Shamir's memory appeared sharper during a January, 20, 2011 interview with Russian News Service radio - a Moscow-based station now known as Life Zvuk, or Life Sound. Shamir said he'd personally brokered a Russian visa for Assange, but that it had come too late to rescue him from the sex crimes investigation.

Russia 'would be one of those places where he and his organization would be comfortable operating,' Shamir explained.

Asked if Assange had friends in the Kremlin, Shamir smiled and said: 'Let's hope that's the case.'

Shamir often makes eyebrow-raising claims (in the same interview he said that the U.S. offered Assange $100 million not to publish the cables), but it was true that any visa for Assange would have been moot.

On November 30, 2010 - the date on the letter - Interpol issued a Red Notice seeking Assange's arrest, making any relocation to Russia virtually impossible.

With legal bills mounting, Assange turned himself in on December 7 and his staff's focus turned to getting him out of jail. One WikiLeaks spreadsheet listed names of potential supporters arrayed by wealth and influence; a second one titled 'Get Out of Jail Free' tracked proposed bail donations and pledges for surety.

As they gathered money, Assange's allies also plotted what to do once the WikiLeaks founder was released.

One document showed Guatemalan human rights lawyer Renata Avila floating the idea of jumping bail.

'I will advise him to seek asylum abroad: we already contacted the Ministry of Justice in Brazil, there is a possibility to run out of the country in a Brazilian ship,' Avila told fellow WikiLeaks supporters in a memo. The document said Assange should 'plan to escape and pay the bail money back to his supporters.'

Avila didn't return repeated messages seeking comment. It's not clear whether her idea went anywhere; former Brazilian Justice Minister Eduardo Cardozo, who was serving on then-President-elect Dilma Rousseff's transition team at the time, told the AP that he'd never heard of an Assange asylum request.

Assange would eventually skip bail after exhausting his British legal campaign to block the Swedish extradition effort, darting into the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012.

The move frustrated the sex crimes prosecution, which was dropped last year, but it sparked a standoff that continues to this day, with Assange refusing to leave the embassy unless he is shielded from extradition to the U.S.

Assange's escape left many of his guarantors in the lurch. When a group of them went to court in late 2012 to reduce their bill, the escape plan went unmentioned.

A lawyer for four of Assange's supporters, Henry Blaxland, told the judge that Assange's Ecuadorean asylum stunt caught everyone off guard.

'Nobody could reasonably have foreseen that's what he would do,' Blaxland said.Tobias Ellwood pictured outside the Old Bailey this morning where he is giving evidence at the Westminster terror attack inquest

A hero MP who raced to the aid of a police officer stabbed to death in the Westminster terror attack told today of the moment he realised he could not be saved.

Defence minister Tobias Ellwood described the desperate few minutes he battled to keep PC Keith Palmer alive after he was knifed by Khalid Masood in March last year.

The Tory MP for Bournemouth East choked back tears as he told the inquest that after he passed away he stayed with his body, then 'closed the eyes' and told him 'I'm sorry.'

Mr Ellwood was in Parliament when the terrorist stormed the gates of the Palace of Westminster and launched the fatal attack on PC Palmer.

Despite doctors performing open heart surgery on the stricken officer it quickly became clear PC Palmer would not survive his injuries.

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey today he revealed he told a doctor that he would have to be 'ordered' to stop giving CPR.

Mr Ellwood said: 'A doctor then stated there was nothing more we could do.

'That is when I looked at him and said 'Sir, you are going to have to tell me to stop. You need to order me to stop. You need to make that decision'.

And he said 'Sir, you have done your best, but you need to stop. There is nothing more you can do'.'

He recalled the 'eerie silence' that fell over the Palace of Westminster as it was placed into lockdown after the medics rushed to aid victims on the bridge, leaving him and another person alone with PC Palmer's body.

An inquest heard rescuers desperately battled to save PC Palmer's life as he lay stricken on the floor. Mr Ellwood is pictured, centre

'We both tidied up the body as best we could, closed the eyes and then I said 'I'm sorry',' Mr Ellwood said.

It was very, very silent, it was a strange end to a very traumatic four or five minutes, to be suddenly left alone with just one other person.'

The inquest today also heard from former soldier Anthony Davis, who witnessed the knife attack and saw Masood shot dead by police marksmen.

And mote evidence was heard on the lack of firearms officers in the area. The last time they were at the Carriage Gates was almost an hour before Pc Keith Palmer was attacked.

Mr Ellwood said he first became aware that something was wrong when he heard a 'significant crash' followed by 'screams'.

'These were not screams of pain, they were screams of shock, which is slightly different,' he said.

PC Keith Palmer (pictured left) was one of five people to die at the hands of Khalid Masood (right), 52, in Westminster on March 22 last year

Mr Ellwood then saw two waves of people with 'panic in their eyes' as he made his way to Parliament through the underground passageway.

'They were shouting, 'go, go, go, go' and, 'go back, go back',' he said, before his attention was drawn to the area where Pc Palmer was attacked.

'My first observation was the number of armed officers that were pointing their weapons towards Carriage Gates,' he said.

'I have never seen so many armed officers with their weapons out in the Houses of Parliament.

'Some, I think, were crouching in positions of protection, but all were aiming there weapons towards Carriage Gates.

Mr Ellwood at the scene of the stabbing (left) after he battled to save PC Palmer's life (PC Palmer, right)

'I could see there were two bodies lying in the ground and activity around both of them.

'The nearest one was clearly a police officer with other officers attempting to give him support.'

Mr Ellwood said he stepped forward, making clear who he was to the armed officers, ignoring the risk to his own safety to help administer first aid.

He told how he assessed the officer's wounds before commencing CPR, which he continued after paramedics and doctors from the helicopter ambulance team arrived.

Masood drove along the pavement of Westminster Bridge before running into the grounds of Parliament

Becoming emotional as he recalled the dramatic events when doctors opened Pc Palmer's chest, he said: 'Forgive me, it's sometimes easier to do the helping rather than to talk about it afterwards.'

From Northern Ireland to Bosnia: Tobias Ellwood's five years with the Royal Green Jackets Tobias Ellwood completed his military training at Sandhurst. He joined the Army in 1991, serving with the Royal Green Jackets. During his six years he served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Kuwait, Germany, Gibraltar and Bosnia. He served with astronaut Tim Peake, who served with the Army Air Corps, but went on attachment with the Green Jackets in Northern Ireland in 1992. Mr Ellwood left the Army at the rank of Captain in 1996. He is still a current Army Reservist. Mr Ellwood, pictured in 2015, is still an Army reservist Advertisement

He also told how he ignored fears of a second terror attack as he helped give first aid to a stabbed officer.

Mr Ellwood lost his brother Jon in the Bali bombing in Indonesia in 2002 which claimed 202 lives - 27 of them British.

Jon, a teacher, was in Bali for a conference when he was killed in the second of two blasts that tore through the nightclub area of Kuta.

The former soldier said that despite the risk that Masood may have had a bomb in his abandoned car, his main concern was giving help to the stricken PC.

He said: 'My brother was killed in a secondary attack in Bali... so I was very aware of that.

'I was concerned about what would happen if things were to ratchet up, but my immediate concern was that we had somebody who was clearly badly bleeding and needed assistance.'

During his rampage Masood, 52, killed Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, when he ploughed an SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing Pc Palmer to death at the gates to the Palace of Westminster.

Mr Ellwood also told the hearing that he believes members of the public should 'step forward' in the face of terrorist atrocities.

'I know the official advice is to step back, report it. I find myself countering that somewhat, because if more of us do step forward as we saw in the Manchester attack, London Bridge and Westminster Bridge as well, the message gets through that no terrorist is going to win.'

Mr Ellwood pictured on March 27 last year, next to floral tributes left to the victims of the attack

If the Houses of Parliament become 'a tower of protection', it will 'change the face of what Parliament is about', he said.

Before the attack, there had at times been less firearms protection at the site than he would have liked, the Old Bailey heard, but now 'the level of security we have in place, I'm not sure we could do more.'

If more of us do step forward as we saw in the Manchester attack, London Bridge and Westminster Bridge as well, the message gets through that no terrorist is going to win.' Tobias Ellwood giving evidence today

Dr Antony Hudson, from London's Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, described how he arrived at the Palace of Westminster and was directed to two patients in traumatic cardiac arrest - Pc Palmer and attacker Masood, who had been shot by police.

He went towards the officer because patients with stab wounds have a better chance of being resuscitated, the Old Bailey heard.

Despite giving the 48-year-old a blood transfusion and operating on his open chest as he lay on the ground, there was no way that Pc Palmer could be saved, he said.

Dr Hudson said it would have been 'nearly impossible to return a cardiac output' to a patient in that condition.

Later the inquest heard from Anthony Davis, who had a long career in the British Army,. He had been attending a charity event in his role as a performance coach for GB Boxing when he saw Masood attacking Pc Palmer with two large knives.

He told the inquest he made the decision to step in to help despite seeing officers running away.

'I thought, 'these people need help'. It was basically all kicking off. I jumped over the fence,' he said.

'It was definitely a fight or flight mode. One of the police officers was shouting, 'run, run they've got knives.''

Mr Davis continued: 'I didn't see the actual attack because I jumped over the fence. All the other police had moved out of the way and Keith was the last one at the rear. I could see the attacker behind him chasing.'

He said he then saw an officer he believed to be a police marksman, adding: 'This man ran up to the side of me, put three rounds in him. One was a double tap - two rounds - and another single round after that.'

Mr Davis said he told Pc Palmer 'come on son, stay with us' as he went to his aid.

The officer was breathing and had his eyes open but his pulse was weak, and he was bleeding heavily.

The former soldier described seeing 'blood pooling in between the cobbles' as the extent of Pc Palmer's injuries became clear.

Recalling the moment that doctors decided they could do no more, Mr Davis said: 'It was horrendous. A lot of people started to break down.'

The inquest was also told that the last time any armed officers were at Parliament's Carriage Gates was almost an hour before Pc Keith Palmer was attacked.

The court was played CCTV footage showing the route of two uniformed armed officers who were on patrol in New Palace Yard at the time.

Showing one clip in court, Jonathan Hough QC, counsel to the inquest, said: 'This is the last time, around 1.45pm, before the attack that there were armed officers at Carriage Gates.'

The inquest has previously heard Masood arrived at the gates at 2.41pm before launching the knife attack on Pc Palmer.

At this time, the two armed officers were at the other side of New Palace Yard, the inquest heard.

Dominic Adamson, for Keith Palmer's widow Michelle, told the court that firearms officers were only near Carriage Gates for 14 minutes of the 108 minutes leading up to the attack.

Firearms officer Pc Lee Ashby, who came on duty at around 1.55pm, had not been near the gate at all before the carnage unfolded 45 minutes later, and he and his colleague Pc Nicholas Sanders took one-and-a-half minutes to get to the scene after Masood had been shot by a plainclothes close protection officer.

The hearing continues.

Mother killed on the bridge 'lived and breathed' for her daughters The husband of Aysha Frade said she had been 'cruelly and brutally ripped away from us' A mother-of-two killed in the Westminster terror attack as she walked from work on her way to pick up her children had a smile that was like the sun 'popping out from behind a cloud'. Aysha Frade's husband John told the inquest into her death how the couple met at the gym in 1996, and described how he was immediately struck by her smile. He said Aysha was 'relaxed, fun to be around, laughing and smiling', and greatly valued her family and close friends. She loved her job as a PA at a school and was a devoted mother to her two daughters, the Old Bailey heard. Mr Frade said the couple had plans for a big white wedding in 2006, but the idea was shelved when she became pregnant with their first daughter in 2005. Keen to be married before she gave birth, the couple 'grabbed two strangers from the street' to be witnesses and were married in a 10-minute ceremony. The inquest heard Mrs Frade 'lived and breathed for her daughters', and her husband was in awe of the balance she struck 'between tender care and discipline'. He told the court that she was a loving daughter to her aging mother who she visited every day. Mr Frade went on: 'The truth is that she still doesn't feel like she's gone, her love surrounds us, her aura lights up the paths of life's journey.' He said his wife had been 'cruelly and brutally ripped away from us'. Her sister Michelle also read an emotionally-charged statement to the hearing. She said: 'People cannot understand how this despicable act of futile atrocity has impacted on not only her families' lives but also herself. She will never be able to smile again, see her daughters grow up.' Mrs Grade had said she was worried about the risk of a terror attack when her job relocated near Westminster. Her sister went on: 'Aysha and all the other victims of this tragedy are people and not just statistics or a name that will be forgotten once this inquest is over.' Advertisement

Retired window cleaner was killed on his way back from hospital Leslie Rhodes, pictured in younger life, loved cricket, growing vegetables and music, his family have said A retired window cleaner caught up in the Westminster terror attack was 'placid, quiet and kind', his inquest heard. Pensioner Leslie Rhodes, 75, was on his way back from an appointment at nearby St Thomas's hospital when he was killed. His niece Amanda Rhodes told how the family were 'devastated' and 'incredibly angry' on hearing of his death. She told how Mr Rhodes was born in Battersea, south-west London, as the youngest of three children. 'Everyone loved him. He would do anything to help anyone who needed it,' she said. He loved his job as a window cleaner and would stop and enjoy tea with his customers before his retirement. Ms Rhodes said he had a very private life and, despite his advancing age, continued to climb ladders and ride his bicycle, as well as enjoying cricket, growing tomatoes and listening to music. His favourite Queen song - These Are The Days Of Our Lives - was played at his funeral, the hearing was told. In a statement read out at the Old Bailey, she said: 'Les will be greatly missed by all his family and friends who loved him. May he rest in eternal peace.' Advertisement

Wife pays tribute to her hero husband who died saving her life Mr Cochran was described as a 'rock star' and 'hero' by his family The widow of American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, has paid tribute to her 'hero', who died saving her life. Mr Cochran and his wife Melissa were walking across Westminster Bridge when they were both hit by the rented car being driven by Khalid Masood, 52. At an inquest into his death, Mr Cochran was described as a 'rock star' and 'hero' by those who knew him as pictures of him were displayed on two big screens. He left behind a 'legacy of love and compassion' and spread joy to everyone he met, the Old Bailey heard. Mrs Cochran was too upset to pay tribute to her late husband in person. Her sister Angela Stoll read out a statement on her behalf on what would have been the day after Mr Cochran's 56th birthday. 'He was my best friend, my husband and my everything,' she said. 'I was so lucky to have had 25 wonderful years with the man of my dreams. He made me laugh every single day. I cherish every single memory we made. 'I am forever grateful for the time we had together, allowing me to be the mother to his children and especially his heroic actions on that day, saving my life.' Kurt Cochran and his wife Melissa. She said: 'He was my best friend, my husband and my everything' She described her husband as 'my inspiration, my rock star, and most of all my hero', adding: 'We wish everyone had Kurt's love and compassion for others. 'No words will bring Kurt back or anyone else who has died senselessly in such cowardly attacks on humanity.' Ms Stoll told how Mr Cochran grew up in the Sixties and Seventies when he developed 'a profound love for all music' and played the guitar from a young age, wanting to be a rock star. He never fulfilled his dream, but nurtured musical talent through his recording studio, she said, and the family held a concert instead of a traditional funeral following his death. 'We love you Kurt, more than the moon and stars,' Ms Stoll said tearfully. Advertisement

Romanian tourist had hoped 2017 would be 'the best year of my life' A Romanian tourist killed in the Westminster attack had written that she hoped 2017 would be the best year of her life. Andreea Cristea, 31, died from her injuries after she was thrown into the Thames as she walked across Westminster Bridge with her boyfriend, Andrei Burnaz, on March 22 last year. Her family, some of whom followed proceedings from the British Embassy in Bucharest, paid tribute to Ms Cristea on what would have been her 33rd birthday in an audio recording played in court. She was described as a 'lovely, enchanting and life-loving' woman, who had a thriving interior design business. Architect Andreea Cristea, pictured in London before the horrific terror attack The statement from her family included a note from Ms Cristea, which was written on her final New Year's Eve in which she told of her hopes for the coming year. 'The year 2017 will be the best of my life,' she wrote. She hoped she would be 'happy, cheerful and jovial', have a successful business and buy a new house, which she planned on decorating. 'I will have a wonderful man by my side, who will love and cherish me and with this man I will start a wonderful family,' the note said. Her family said they had been 'hoping for a miracle' when she was in hospital following the attack and told of their 'heartbreakingly sad' loss when she died two weeks later. 'All her dreams were shattered when she went on her final trip to England, London, and she suddenly became the victim of the Westminster terror attacks,' their statement said. 'It is awful and heartbreakingly painful. The pain we felt and feel now cannot be expressed in words.' AdvertisementThe final death toll of storm Florence may not be known for many weeks because of indirect deaths long after it has passed.

The hurricane, which struck the south east on Thursday before being downgraded to a tropical storm, has so far left 17 confirmed fatalities.

But it's common for death tolls in natural disasters to increase weeks and months later because of deaths indirectly caused by the storm.

A partially submerged car is pictured on a flooded street after Hurricane Florence struck Piney Green, North Carolina Sunday

Maggie Belgie of The Cajun Navy carries a child evacuating a flooding trailer community during Hurricane Florence in Lumberton, North Carolina Saturday

Indirect deaths can be caused by infections from contaminated water, electrocutions from downed power lines and failure to receive dialysis because of power outages.

For example, more than six months after Hurricane Irma's catastrophic rampage across the Caribbean and the southeastern US, the number of deaths attributed to the storm increased to 129 - more than twice the amount reported at the end of the storm.

Similarly, it took years for officials to come up with a death toll for Hurricane Katrina which struck in 2005.

That number is still debated today with figures used by disaster agencies varying from around 1,800 by as much as 600 deaths.

The change in the number of dead from Hurricane Maria in 2017 is perhaps the most dramatic.

The toll rose from 64 to a 2,975 after the Puerto Rican governor commissioned university researchers to review the count.

A sailboat is shoved up against a house and a collapsed garage Saturday, September 15 after heavy wind and rain from Florence

Members of the Nebraska Task Force 1 urban search and rescue team help load an elderly resident onto a bus as they evacuate an assisted living facility to a church

Deaths directly linked to a disaster include drownings from a storm surge or being crushed in a wind-toppled building.

'Sometimes we may never know how many deaths really occurred,' said Susan L. Cutter, director of Hazards & Vulnerability Research Institute at University of South Carolina.

On Friday, President Donald Trump falsely accused Democrats of inflating the death toll from Hurricane Maria to make him 'look as bad as possible.'

He said 18 people had been reported dead when he visited the island on October 3, two weeks after the storm hit, though the US territory's official death toll was raised to 34 later that day. After that, it climbed to 64.

'FIFTY TIMES LAST ORIGINAL NUMBER - NO WAY!' he tweeted late Friday.

Unlike tornados that destroy a relatively small area, hurricanes pose challenges in getting a count quickly because of the vast regions that the storms affect, according to disaster experts.

Flooding can mean places are under water for weeks, hiding the dead. Some people may be swept miles away from their homes. People may not be reported missing because friends and neighbors believe they evacuated and decided not to return.

Members of the North Carolina Task Force urban search and rescue team wade through a flooded neighborhood looking for residents who stayed behind as Florence continues to dump heavy rain in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sunday

A member of the US Coast Guard walks down Mill Creek Road checking houses after tropical depression Florence hit Newport North Carolina Saturday

The poor, disabled and elderly are at most risk after a storm hits because they often don't have the means to get out and are unable to get to food, water and medicines. Those are the deaths that commonly are added later.

The poorer the community, the tougher it is to get an accurate account because people are overwhelmed with dealing with the immediate crisis and don't have the resources to document the dead.

Death tolls in some developing countries vary by the tens of thousands because typically it's not known how many people were actually ever living in affected areas.

Trump suggested that in Puerto Rico, many deaths had been added later 'if a person died for any reason, like old age.'

There are discrepancies in how the deaths are recorded but disaster experts say that often causes an undercount. If a drowning on a death certificate does not link it to a storm, it may not be counted.

Puerto Rico's initial count of 64 included only people whose death certificates cited the storm. Outrage from thousands of families who said they had lost loved ones due to post-storm conditions pushed the territory to hire George Washington University to study how many more deaths than usual has occurred after the storm.

The university said it was an estimated 2,975 deaths, a figure that has been roughly corroborated by other, similar studies.

No single government entity is tasked with counting the dead in a natural disaster. Officials rely on everything from media accounts to first responders' reports.

Long before Trump raised the question, there was debate over which deaths to attribute to a disaster.

Chris Craig and Zach Boucher sit on a bench in the flooded waters edge following Hurricane, now tropical storm Florence September in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina

Thousands have been cut off by rising floodwaters as storm Florence battered North Carolina, bringing the death toll to 17. Pictured: Emerald Isle in NC

The direct death toll from Irma stands at 47 across the Caribbean and Southern U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center. An additional 82 deaths - 77 of them in Florida - were indirectly caused by the storm.

The deaths included 14 people who died at a Florida nursing home that lost power and air conditioning. Other deaths were caused by falls during storm preparations, vehicle accidents, carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, chain saw accidents and electrocutions.

It also took years to assess the death toll from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 despite the relative accessibility of the Gulf Coast. About 1,800 died from Katrina, though some agencies still list it at 1,200.

The lesson is that realistic death tolls from storms take a while, said Princeton University hurricane scientist Gabriel Vecchi, who said when he heard about a death toll of only six from Hurricane Maria a year ago, he and his colleagues 'knew that it couldn't be right.'

'You need to be careful on placing too much stake on preliminary numbers,' Vecchi said Saturday. 'This is a disaster area. We don't have a full sense of what goes on until a considerable period later for many obvious reasons.'The Russian military has released what it says is fresh information to back its claim that the missile which downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 came from the arsenals of the Ukrainian army, not from Russia.

All 298 people on board MH17 were killed when the Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by a Soviet-made missile over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014.

The incident happened about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border, in Donetsk, where fighting had been raging for months between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.

Scroll down for video

Chief of the directorate of media service and information of the Russian Defence Ministry, Major-General Igor Konashenkov (R) and head of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Defence Ministry Lieutenant-General Nikolai Parshin (L) attend a news conference, dedicated to the crash of the Boeing 777 plane MH17 downed in eastern Ukraine in 2014

Russian Lt. Gen. Nikolai Parshin during the Russian Ministry of Defence press briefing in Moscow on Monday

At a briefing today, the Russian defence ministry said it was releasing the BUK missile's serial number for the first time and said that it was sent to Ukraine in 1986 and, to its knowledge, had never returned to Russian territory.

The European Union imposed damaging economic sanctions on Russia after MH17 was shot down, blaming Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine who shot down a number of other planes.

The Netherlands and Australia announced in May that they believe the missile was transported to Ukraine from a military unit in the Russian city of Kursk.

Russian MOD presented classified documents which they claimed showed that the missile which downed MH17 was manufactured in the USSR time, passed to Ukraine in 1986 and never got back to Russia

Russia has vehemently denied involvement and has over the years come up with various theories as to the cause of the crash, generally laying the blame on the Ukrainian side.

Lt. Gen. Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Missile and Artillery Directorate at the Russian Defense Ministry, said that the military had studied and declassified archives at the research center outside Moscow where the BUK missiles were produced, after the Dutch investigators displayed parts of the missile and their serial numbers.

According to RIA Novosti state news agency, Parshin said: 'The missile with the serial number 886847379 intended for the BUK missile system on December 29, 1986 was sent by rail transport to military unit number 20152.'

A part of the BUK-TELAR rocket that was fired on the MH17 flight is displayed on a table during the conference of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), in Bunnik on May 24, 2018.

Asked about the possibility that the separatists may have seized the missile system during fighting in 2014, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov conceded that Russia does not have any documents proving otherwise but pointed to the statements of Ukrainian officials who have denied that separatists seized any of their BUKs.

The Joint Investigation Team, set up by nations that lost citizens in the MH17 crash, said in a statement that it has 'taken note' of the new claims from the Russian military.

The investigators said however that they had asked Russia for information regarding the serial numbers before but had not received a reply.

Russian MOD presented classified documents which they claimed showed that the missile was passed to Ukraine in 1986 and never got back to Russia

Russia's MOD released the serial number of the BUK missile which shot down MH17 in July 2014, killing 298 people

Head of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Defence Ministry Lieutenant-General Nikolai Parshin discloses to the news conference 'new evidence' that he says supports Russia's claims that Ukraine shot down MH17 in July 2014

In the weeks prior to the plane crash the separatists bragged on social media about shooting down Ukrainian military aircraft.

On the day that MH17 came down, a rebel commander posted that his troops had shot down a Ukrainian military plane.

He later said his account has been hacked and that the rebels did not shoot down any aircraft that day.

A highly placed rebel admitted to Associated Press that rebels were responsible shortly after the crash.

The rebels believed they were targeting a Ukrainian military plane, the person said.

He did not speculate, however, on a possible role of the Russian military in the attack.

The Russian military did provide material assistance to the rebels, and journalists sighted sophisticated weapons in the separatist-controlled areas that were never in Ukraine's arsenals.

Oleksandr Turchynov, secretary of Ukraine's Security and Defense Council, said that Russia's claim is 'yet another failed fake report that the Kremlin made up in order to cover up their crime that has been proven by the official investigation as well as independent experts.'

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov during a briefing to reveal new details about the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 crash

Documents on display during a briefing by the Russian Defense Ministry to reveal new details about the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 crash

The ministry also said that video footage used by an international commission investigating the incident showing the BUK missile being transported into rebel-held eastern Ukraine was faked.

It cited factors such as the way light fell on the moving vehicle and claimed it is shown driving in reverse.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Monday signed a decree not to extend an official friendship agreement with Russia.Pope Francis has ordered a man accused of sexually abusing minors to be removed from the priesthood, Chilean church authorities said on Saturday.

Reverend Cristian Precht Banados, 77, had already been suspended from priestly duties in 2012 for five years following an investigation into similar allegations.

His defrocking comes amid fresh criticism of the Catholic Church's handling of the countless sexual abuse allegations against members of the clergy since the 1990s.

Pope Francis has formally dismissed a Chilean Priest accused of the sexual abuse of a minor for the first time

In May, all of Chile's 34 bishops submitted their resignations over the sex abuse scandal.

Despite this, Precht's is the first formal dismissal decreed by the Pope.

Once a popular figure in Chile, he headed the church's office in defense of human rights in the 1970s during part of the blood-soaked dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.

In a 2013 statement, he denied 'ever forcing anyone's will, be it an adult or a minor, woman or man.'

Chileans were shocked by the allegations against priest Cristian Precht (pictured left), who protected and saved the lives of thousands of people during the dictatorship of the late General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990)

The pope had ordered an investigation and denounced a 'culture of abuse and cover-up' in Chile's Catholic Church.

And last month, Chilean authorities raided the headquarters of the country's bishop's conference as part of a widespread investigation into sex abuse committed by members of the Marist Brothers order.

The Pope has also summoned representatives of all the world's Catholic bishops to a four-day summit in Rome early next year to discuss how best to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Last month the Pope wrote that 'no effort to beg pardon and seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient'

However, many remain unimpressed by the response of the Church, leading the Pope to beg for forgiveness when he visit Ireland three weeks ago.

Just yesterday a press report in the Netherlands implicated more than half of the countrys senior clerics in covering up sexual assault of children between 1945 and 2010.

The Santiago archbishop's office said the decision to dismiss Precht cannot be appealed.Hong Kong commuters determined not to take a day off clambered over fallen trees and piles of debris today after Typhoon Mangkhut smashed the region.

The workaholic city was battling to get business back on track this morning after 140mph winds ravaged the financial hub.

Some risked injury by climbing over or walking under fallen branches in the streets of Hong Kong and neighbouring Shenzhen city as they attempted to make it into work as normal.

Thousands crammed into stations to try to board infrequent trains after the rail system was slowed by damaged power lines while all buses were cancelled because many roads were blocked by falling trees.

Hong Kong commuters determined not to take a day off clambered over fallen trees and piles of debris today after Typhoon Mangkhut smashed the region

Workers took similar risks in Shenzhen city, south China's Guangdong province in the wake of the storm

Some in south China's Guangdong province risked injury by climbing over or walking under fallen branches in the streets as they attempted to make it into work as normal

Some residents tackled an obstacle course to get to their jobs, climbing over broken branches, uprooted trees and even train tracks.

Schools were closed and a clean-up was in full swing but there was anger that city leader Carrie Lam had not announced an official day off for workers.

When asked why she had not done so, Lam told reporters it was up to employers to make that decision but they must not penalise workers who were late or could not make it.

A picture of a large crowd of commuters squashed in to northern Tai Wai station went viral on social media with the hashtag #thankscarrie.

'There were trees down all over the place, no cars, no buses,' said lawyer David Milligan, who works in Hong Kong's commercial hub of Central.

'I've got my trainers on today because I knew I would be climbing over,' he told AFP.

The storm took dozens of lives in the Philippines. No one was killed in Hong Kong but more than 300 people were injured.

Pedestrians walk through trees uprooted by strong wind caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in Shenzhen city, south China

Many ignored the storm damage and made their way in to work as normal in Shenzhen city this morning

A woman ducks as she walks under a huge fallen tree which crashed down in Shenzhen city

The storm smashed into Hong Kong and Shenzhen city causing trees to crash down into streets

Hong Kong resonated with the sound of saws and drills as workers tried to clear paths and roadways and fix damaged buildings, with many windows blown out in homes, office blocks and hotels, roofs torn off and fixtures including signs and lights hanging loose.

Awestruck workers gathered to take pictures of skyscrapers whose windows had been punched through.

One flight attendant staying with colleagues in a harbourside hotel told AFP they hid in the bathroom to keep safe as windows smashed in their rooms and winds swept away their belongings.

In coastal areas, parkland and roadways were blanketed with rubbish and rocks washed inland after sea levels surged.

In the neighbourhood of Tseung Kwan O, which is packed with tower blocks and was rocked by the typhoon, residents described their terror during the storm.

'I could feel our building swaying when the wind blew. Our family wanted to get down to the lobby but all the lifts were suspended,' said a 62-year-old who gave her name as Mrs Fu.

Mangkhut battered the northern Philippines on Saturday before slamming into southern China on Sunday. It was the most powerful typhoon to hit Hong Kong (pictured) since 1979

Boats and debris are seen washed up on a beach at Deep Water Bay in the aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong

In the low-lying coastal village of Lei Yue Mun, famous for its seafood, residents young and old gingerly navigated rocks, glass, shells and branches.

The village, which is in sight of the city's skyscrapers but remains a low-rise warren of lanes, was pounded by waves that flooded streets and homes.

Many residents were sweeping out muddy water from their houses Monday.

Furniture and appliances had been completely destroyed in the homes of some, including one resident who gave his name as Cheng.

Cheng said he had spent months putting his home back together after Typhoon Hato struck last year.

He told AFP he would prefer to move to a high-rise public housing block but waiting lists were too long.

'I'll deal with this calmly,' he said.

Some village residents said they had no choice but to abandon their homes before the storm hit, but others took the risk of remaining.

'Our place is newly renovated, if we left we would lose everything,' said one resident who gave his name as Mr Ng. He had stayed to make his own flood barriers from wood and sandbags and had scooped out water as it washed in.

Residents said large breakwaters had been installed along the coastline earlier this year to protect against flooding and some homes were given metal flood shields for their doors.

With fears that storms will worsen due to climate change, it is seafront villages like those at Lei Yue Mun that could bear the brunt, said Edward Ng, professor of architecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

'Because of sea levels rising and bigger storms coming, these are the areas that are tremendously vulnerable,' he told AFP.An Adelaide woman has been found guilty of membership of the Islamic State terror group in South Australia's first terrorism trial.

A Supreme Court jury returned their verdict against Zainab Abdirahman-Khalif on Monday after three hours of deliberations.

The 23-year-old and her supporters did not show any emotion as the guilty verdict was handed down.

A Supreme Court jury returned their verdict against Zainab Abdirahman-Khalif (pictured) on Monday after three hours of deliberations

Her lawyer, Bill Boucaut SC, asked for a six-week adjournment to obtain reports before a sentencing hearing, while Justice David Peek said she could be required to give evidence.

Abdirahman-Khalif's supporters, who were present each day of the trial, covered their faces and said they did not wish to speak to waiting media in a fiery exchange outside court.

When asked if they accept the jury's verdict, one responded: 'You ask her yourself, don't ask me... Am I working? Am I getting paid? You get paid, you go and ask,' while another told reporters she was not a terrorist.

Abdirahman-Khalif had pleaded not guilty to membership of a terrorist organisation.

During the trial, the court heard she was stopped by police at Adelaide Airport after she tried to board a plane to Istanbul in July 2016.

Carrying only hand luggage and less than $200 in cash, she told officers she intended to work for an aid organisation and expected her living expenses and the cost of a flight home would be covered.

Abdirahman-Khalif was later released, but arrested at the Port Adelaide TAFE SA campus in May 2017, following a year-long investigation.

Abdirahman-Khalif had pleaded not guilty to membership of a terrorist organisation

In evidence, a counter-terrorism police officer said 127 video files of 'investigative relevance' were found on her phone, and the jury was played a compilation of violent scenes.

The court also heard she had been in communication with three young women and knew about their deadly terror attack on a police station in Kenya before it occurred.

In his closing statements last week, prosecutor Chris Winneke QC said Abdirahman-Khalif had 'wholly embraced the concepts and aligned herself with the ideology of the Islamic State'.

Abdirahman-Khalif's (pictured) supporters, who were present each day of the trial, covered their faces and said they did not wish to speak to waiting media in a fiery exchange outside court

He said she had gone a step further by taking action to become a member of the group.

'She set off to go to Turkey, to engage with terrorists in the view of lending her support to Islamic State,' he said

'In doing so, she became a member of Islamic State.'

Abdirahman-Khalif was remanded in custody to reappear before the court in October. She is expected to appeal the verdict.A large scale search for Jodie Booker (above) has ended with police confirming she has been found safe and well

Royal Marine cadet Jodie Booker, 15, has been found safe and well, following an extensive search after her family reported her missing on Friday.

Fellow Marine cadets also joined in on the search for the missing 15-year-old girl who was reported missing when her mobile phone had died and she had been seen leaving college.

Devon and Cornwall Police expressed their concern saying the girl had never gone missing before and showed no indication of wanting to run away.

Now police have confirmed that Jodie has been found after an extensive search was conducted for her in and around Okehampton, Devon.

Several posters were been put up in the area for Jodie (right) who was described as white, female, 5'2', slim, with long brown hair and was wearing a black Lacoste jacket, red jumper and black skinny jeans

Several posters were put up in the area for Jodie who was described as white, female, 5'2', slim, with long brown hair and was wearing a black Lacoste jacket, red jumper and black skinny jeans.

She attended Okehampton Community College.

Jodie's mother Helen said: 'Her phone died at 10.30 on Friday night, so we are getting worried.

'We moved down from Chesterfield seven weeks ago but I'm sure she wouldn't have travelled back up there - she loves it here.

'There have been possible sightings of her but we're not 100 per cent sure, and there's the possibility a male might be involved but again we're not 100 per cent sure..'

Helen described the fact that Jodie was a marine cadet as 'an issue' as she will know how to camp in the wilds, though it also meant she knows how to look after herself.

Her mum added there were no previous signs of her running away and she hasn't done anything like this before.

A poster asking for help from the public warns people not to approach her as 'she will run away'.

Her sister Rosie posted a message on her Facebook page saying: 'Jodie if you can somehow see this. Mum and dad are not mad at you. No one is. We're just worried sick and miss you greatly.'Airbus has appointed Christian Scherer, 56, as chief commercial officer (CCO), replacing Eric Schulz, who has decided to leave the company for personal reasons.



Scherer will start his new assignment with immediate effect. He will report to Airbus Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tom Enders.



Tom Enders, Airbus CEO, said: With Christian Scherer we see one of our most customer-focused leaders at the commercial helm of Airbus. Over his various assignments I greatly valued his international mind-set, his strategic vision, and tremendous commercial expertise. We regret Eric Schulzs decision. We wish him all the best for his future.



Christian Scherer, CEO of ATR since October 2016, held many senior management positions within the Group. At Airbus, where he started his career in 1984, Christian was head of Contracts, Leasing Markets and deputy head of Sales as well as Head of Strategy and Future Programmes. At Airbus Defence and Space, he headed Marketing & Sales.



Born in Duisburg, Germany, and raised in Toulouse, France, Christian Scherer holds an MBA Degree from the University of Ottawa in international marketing and graduated from the Paris Business School (ESCP).  TradeArabia News ServiceDistressing footage has emerged purporting to show horrific conditions suffered by monkeys at Europe's largest primate research centre.

Activists from Animal Defenders International (ADI) claim to have recorded the film using hidden cameras at Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands.

In the video, stressed monkeys can be seen getting drugged and tattooed so they can be used in experiments.

Animal campaigners have captured shocking video of what they say are conditions suffered by monkeys at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands (pictured, a monkey is tattooed while under sedation)

Video shows the monkeys being sedated for use in experiments but not completely knocked out, so they remain conscious and able to feel (pictured, a monkey has experiments done on its eyes while sedated but conscious)

Campaigners say the primates - mostly macaques - are kept in barren cages before experiments (pictured) which causes significant stress

Campaigners say some were severely injured after their stressed cage-mates lashed out after being unable to cope with their surroundings.

Some were so stressed that they suffered rectal prolapse, the activists said.

While the monkeys were sedated during procedures such as tattooing, they remained conscious and able to feel - though it isn't clear to what extent.

Primates coming round from sedation were left unattended in a groggy state making them vulnerable to injury, ADI said.

When they were no longer of use for experiments monkeys were put down in full view of their cage-mates, causing fear and distress, it is alleged.

ADI said the monkeys were obviously fearful of their captors and what was happening to them.

Jane Goodall, the UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute said: 'The way they are being treated in the video is shocking and inhumane.

'It is my considered opinion that those involved in this kind of research on primates should consider using alternative procedures that do not involve experimentation on intelligent, sentient beings.

'This research should be phased out as soon as possible.'

The primates are obviously afraid of their surroundings and their captors and suffer so much stress they become ill, the activists said (pictured, a struggling monkey is injected with sedative before experiments are carried out)

The footage was captured in March 2017 using a hidden camera and released on September 1, causing public backlash (pictured, workers examine monkeys kept in tiny cages)

A baby macaque recovers from being sedated while unwatched by workers, putting it at risk from injury in its confused state

The Biomedical Primate Research Centre is Europe's largest facility, breeding animals for its own use and other laboratories, collaborating with researchers in the UK and the US.

Latest figures show that it has reportedly more than trebled its primate use, from 95 individuals in 2016 to 317 in 2017.

The facility has 1,600 primates, most of which are macaques kept in breeding groups of 20-40 individuals.

When they are taken to be used in research for diseases they are housed alone in small barren cages. At the end of the experiments they are killed.

The footage was recorded in March 2017 and released on September 1 this year, which is international primate day.

The findings of ADI's investigation has caused outcry, particularly in the Netherlands where there has been widespread media coverage, questions raised in parliament and calls to close down the facility.

The video has also been shown in the European Parliament at a meeting of the Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, where the use of primates and other animals in neuroscience research was discussed.

ADI is calling for the use of primates to be phased out. The European Parliament adopted a resolution promising change 11 years ago, but has never published a timetable for its implementation.

A young macaque is carried by workers so it can be sedated for use in experiments

The macaques are kept in breeding groups of between 20 and 40 individuals, but often become so stressed they lash out and cause severe injuries (pictured, an injured monkey)

Jane Goodall, the UN Messenger of Peace, said experiments on monkeys should be phased out in favour of advanced techniques which can be used on humans

Primates are mainly used to test drugs and typically endure force-feeding or injections of experimental compounds while strapped down in restraint chairs.

Campaigners say that tests in primates and other animals have been shown to produce results which differ from those seen in humans.

Replacing primates with more sophisticated human-based techniques would provide results which are more relevant to people, the activists say.

Jan Creamer, President of Animal Defenders International said: 'Given the known species differences between primates and humans, there can be no scientific or ethical justification for continuing to use primates in this kind of research.

'The move to advanced scientific techniques is good for science and ends the suffering.'

Mail Online contacted Biomedical Primate Research Centre for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.A police force has created a less revealing uniform for Muslim women which is 'designed not to show the female form'.

West Yorkshire Police hopes that the looser fit will result in more ethnic minority recruits.

Many forces already allow female officers to wear the hijab, or headscarf, but the new uniform is believed to be a UK first.

PC Firzana Ahmed (pictured centre, left, at the Muslim Women's Council in Bradford) models the longer, looser fitting tunic for Muslim female officers (pictured, right, the regular uniform)

The new uniform is in stark contrast to this summer uniform worn by this police officer in Bradford

Assistant Chief Constable Angela Williams said: 'For the last month we have been trialling a new uniform for women which is designed not to show the female form.

'This was suggested by a Muslim female officer and was designed by our Clothing Manager in conjunction with the officer.

'The tunic is a looser and longer fit, and has full sleeves. This has been well-received from officers in the force and we have now made further supplies of this uniform for other officers to trial it if they wish.

'I hope this uniform will encourage people from underrepresented groups to consider a career in policing if they had previously been put off joining the force due to the uniform.

Forces such as the Metropolitan Police already allowed the wearing of headscarves (pictured, Pc Helen Lightfoot in East London)

'We are open to suggestions from all communities on how our uniform can be styled to better suit their needs.'

Pc Firzana Ahmed became the first to wear the new kit and says it has brought 'positive feedback from the local community' in Bradford.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel had quizzed police chiefs on Friday about what they were doing to boost the number of black and minority ethnic (BAME) recruits.

Chief Constable Dee Collins said for some women, concerns about the existing uniforms design could be preventing them from signing up.

Panel member Roger Grasby said the force had seen some success in boosting the number of staff who were female, disabled or lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) but 'less so with BAME'.

The percentage has crept up from five per cent in 2015 to 5.6 per cent this year but there are still concerns candidates are being put off.

Miss Collins said: 'Is it a confidence issue? Is it a trust issue? Possibly around things as simple as uniform.'

She had already showed off the new uniform to the Muslim Womens Council in Bradford, she revealed, adding: 'I am absolutely determined we will continue to improve these figures,' she said. 'We need to, we absolutely need to.'Dr Angharad Roberts, pictured, has been spared jail after admitting burgling a hotel and bar and stealing 78 cans of cider

A doctor's life of 'success and achievement' spiralled out of controlled after she turned to drink and drugs after a broken romance, a court heard.

Dr Angharad Roberts, 37, had an impressive academic record and qualified as a nurse before completing a medical degree to become a hospital doctor.

But Cardiff Crown Court heard the breakdown of her relationship with her ex-partner and father of two of her children led her life to 'disintegrate into addiction and crime' as she admitted two counts of burglary.

She raided a bar and hotel with current partner David Potham, 36, and stole a huge haul of cider and carried it off in a wheelie bin while intoxicated.

Prosecuting, Rachel Knight said: 'They took 78 cans of cider with them and put them in wheelie bins to take them away.'

The court heard a mobile phone and a wallet were also taken from the hotel room in Cardiff.

But Judge Neil Bidder QC spared her jail after hearing how Roberts had worked as a dedicated NHS doctor before turning to drink - and said he hoped she could return to work as a medic.

Mitigating, Jonathan Lewis said: 'She was successful in education.

'She qualified as a nurse in 2002 and did a medical degree before becoming a doctor.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Dr Roberts, 37, left, turned to drink and drugs after the breakdown of her relationship with a previous partner. She carried out the burglary with current partner David Potham, right, who was jailed for more than two years

Dr Roberts, left, who has two children with Potham, right, lost her job and her relationship with her other two children due to her substance abuse, the court heard

'She started work at Abergavenny Hospital as a doctor and she was successful. Her relationship broke down when she started to drink.

'She comforted in drink having lost her employment and lost her relationship with her other two children.'

Judge Bidder said he was 'taking a risk' by not sending her to prison.

He told her: 'You have not been struck off the register - it is not inconceivable that, if you turned your life around, maybe you can practice medicine again still.'

Disgraced Roberts told police she 'didn't know what she was doing at the time' of the offences because of her drug use.

The court heard she had admitted using drugs such as heroin and valium and had previously appeared in court for drug offences.

The judge told Dr Roberts, pictured, she had a chance to turn her life back around

Judge Bidder added: 'In my judgement there is still an option that can get you away from drugs.

'It is clear you are a person of capability but your relationship broke down and you turned to drink and you lost employment.

'You have not been struck off the register - it is not inconceivable that, if you turned your life around, maybe you can practice medicine again still.

'I am taking a risk with you.'

Roberts, of Riverside, Cardiff, has been with Potham for around three years and have two children together.

She was given a 47-week suspended jail sentence for two years after admitting burglary.

Potham, who pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and one count of fraud, was sentenced to more than two years in prison.The 14-year-old (pictured) ended up in hospital following the vicious assault which happened at around 9.40pm on Saturday in Denton, Greater Manchester

An autistic teenager on his way to buy a burger from a takeaway was brutally attacked by a gang of men armed with bats.

The 14-year-old ended up in hospital following the vicious assault which happened at around 9.40pm on Saturday in Denton, Greater Manchester.

His father John Horsfall - who asked that his son's name not be published - says the youngster has been left with broken teeth, as well as lacerations on his neck, back and arms.

He was told by witnesses that the teenager was attacked by a group of three or four men who were armed with bats or bars, close to Denton Kebab House on Ashton Road.

It is not known at this stage exactly what happened or why, but John says it has been reported to police and is being investigated.

He is now urging anyone with information to contact GMP.

John explained that he came home from walking the dog to find his son had gone out.

'It's quite normal for him to nip to get a burger, the shop is less than two minutes from our house, so I thought that is where he had gone.

'He knows the people at the kebab shop and they know him.

An autistic teenager on his way to buy a burger from a takeaway was brutally attacked by a gang of men armed with bats in Denton, Greater Manchester, (Pictured: His injuries)

'But a few minutes later he came through the door, covered in blood, screaming. He was in so much pain.

'I called the police and an ambulance and he was taken to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.'

John said his son spent the night undergoing scans and tests to check there was no serious damage.

Thankfully there was none, and he was able to return home the next day.

'He's had a brain scan, a scan on his back and neck and then more xrays the next morning,' he added.

'Luckily everything has come back clear but all his teeth are broken and his has lots of bruises and lacerations on his back which look like they're from a bar.

'I don't know exactly what happened, or why, but whoever did this is callous.

'I just don't understand how someone can beat up a kid so badly with so much force.'

John said that his son has recently been diagnosed with autism and started at a new special school in September.

He will now have to take time off to recover from the attack.

A spokesman for GMP confirmed they were investigating.

They said: 'At 9.45pm on Saturday police received reports of a disturbance in the area of the takeaways on Ashton Road in Denton.

'As a result a 14-year-old boy received injuries. Police enquiries are ongoing.'

Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP on 101.Gina Miller denounced Brexit 'lies' today as she renewed calls for a second referendum at the Liberal Democrat conference.

Despite being the star attraction at the party gathering in Brighton today, the anti-Brexit activist insisted she was not their 'leader in waiting'.

Ms Miller insisted politicians were failing to rise to the challenge of Brexit and lashed 'fascism' on both left and right of British politics.

She called out leading Brexiteers Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and David Davis for failing to offer a workable plan to people who voted Leave.

The activist, who won a Supreme Court challenge against the Government over its Article 50 powers, warned liberals must not be left 'wringing our hands'.

But speaking to reporters after the speech, she strained to distance herself from all parties - including the Lib Dems - and even criticised the 'stop Brexit' and 'People's Vote' slogans calling for a new referendum.

Gina Miller (pictured today in Brighton) denounced Brexit 'lies' today as she renewed calls for a second referendum at the Liberal Democrat conference

Despite being the star attraction at the party gathering in Brighton today (pictured), the anti-Brexit activist insisted she was not their 'leader in waiting'

And she said: 'Our politics has become warped. Suddenly our friends are our enemies, our enemies our friends. Lies have become facts, facts have become lies.

'We will all of us be judged by future generations  by our children and grandchildren  by what we do during the defining weeks and months ahead.'

Recalling war time leaders including Winston Churchill, she suggested modern politicians were not good enough to fundamentally alter the fate of the nation.

Ms Miller insisted: 'Let's be clear, in the debate we had in 2016 about Europe, there was scant idealism. Lies were told.

'Let's be clear, too, that when Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, David Davis and all the others who won that debate, they entered into a contract with the British people to deliver a workable, realistic plan to leave the EU that would work - not just for the millionaires who backed their campaign, but for everyone.

'After all this time, they have failed to come up with such a plan. They've failed to honour the contact.'

But speaking to reporters after the speech (pictured), Ms Miller strained to distance herself from all parties - including the Lib Dems - and even criticised the 'stop Brexit' and 'People's Vote' slogans calling for a new referendum

Ms Miller was greeted by Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton today (pictured)

Insisting she was 'politically independent', Ms Miller told the Lib Dem faithful she was in Brighton to 'cheer them on' as the biggest party demanding a new referendum.

She said: 'It's time for politicians to do the morally and democratically right thing  to let the people decide their own future on the facts  before it is too late.'

In a briefing following her speech - and wearing an 'end the chaos!' badge - Ms Miller said she was asked today how she would encourage people who want to stop Brexit.

But she told journalists: 'I wish you would all stop saying this.

'You know, it's really not helpful. All of you around here, stop saying 'stop Brexit'. It's really not helpful!

'What you should be talking about is the fact we've got 10 weeks to come up with a deal. And if we don't come up with a deal, the government should put it back to the people.'

Theresa May (pictured today in Downing Street) has ruled out calling a second referendum but it has not deterred campaigners

London Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured yesterday on the Marr show) piled pressure on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday by endorsing the proposal, calling for a delay to Brexit to make time for a new vote

Debate over a second referendum will continue throughout the party conference season.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan piled pressure on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday by endorsing the proposal, calling for a delay to Brexit to make time for a new vote.

Theresa May will go to her own conference later this month fighting to persuade her party she has a coherent vision of what Brexit will look like under her leadership.

Brexiteer Tory Theresa Villiers reacted with fury to Mr Khan yesterday, insisting voters just wanted the Government to 'get on with it'.

She told the BBC: 'It is so undemocratic to ask people to vote again just because there is an elite establishment that does not like the answer they were given the first time.

'We have to listen to the result of the referendum and implement it.'

Tory chairman Brandon Lewis said: 'Labour need to rule out trying to delay Brexit. Across the country, Labour politicians are calling for a referendum rerun that would take us all back to square one.

'Today they have gone further and admitted that they want to keep the UK in the EU beyond March 2019 - almost 3 years after the country voted to leave.'This is the moment a father made his children pose for photographs during deadly Typhoon Mangkut as it ripped through Hong Kong.

The two children were ordered to stand side-by-side for snaps in the middle of a windswept road in the Kennedy Town area of the city, which was battered by winds of more than 140mph.

As the storm howled overhead, the youngsters cowered in flimsy rain jackets for the dangerous photo session.

The typhoon had already killed dozens in the Philippines before it slammed into southern China leaving parts of the financial hub in tatters yesterday.

his is the moment a father made his children pose for photographs during deadly Typhoon Mangkut as it ripped through Hong Kong

The two children were ordered to stand side-by-side in the middle of the road in the Kennedy Town area of the city, which was battered by winds of more than 140mph

Shocking footage of the incident was captured by Joseph Anthony, 44, who said: 'I was surprised to see the dad out with the kids that early on.

'I noticed he stopped to take photos of them in the middle of the road as that's what caught my eye to capture some footage.'

After taking pictures of his children, the man led the youngsters on a walk across a street.

The clip shows them battling against powerful gusts and through lashing rain as they walked past a swimming pool complex.

Hong Kong was badly hit by the typhoon with some 300 people injured as it swept through. The government described the damage as 'severe and extensive'.

The monumental task of cleaning up the city began as residents, some in suits and ties, struggled to get back to work on roads that remained blocked by felled trees, mud and debris.

As the storm howled overhead, the youngsters cowered in flimsy rain jackets for the dangerous photo session

After taking pictures of his children, the man led the youngsters on a walk across a street. The clip shows them battling against powerful gusts and through lashing rain as they walked past a swimming pool complex

Bus services were halted and commuters piled onto platforms trying to board infrequent trains after trees fell on overhead power lines. Schools will remain closed through Tuesday.

One resident staying with colleagues in a harbourside hotel told AFP they hid in the bathroom to keep safe as windows smashed in their rooms and winds swept away their belongings.

In coastal areas, parkland and roadways were blanketed with rubbish and rocks washed inland after sea levels surged.Two swimmers drowned in New Jersey while trying to rescue another man who was later saved by police, authorities said.

The men were all swimming in Thornes Creek in Hazlet when one of them started yelling for help at around 2.40pm on Sunday, according to a fourth man who was also swimming, and called 911.

The victims havr been identified as Mark Gorski and Zadius Perry.

Gorski and Perry went to help the swimmer who was struggling, but submerged before help arrived and didn't resurface, the fourth man told the Hazlet Township Police Department.

'#MCSONJ & @sheriffgolden's heartfelt thoughts go out to family members of both swimmers who drowned in [the] creek off the Henry Hudson trail,' the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office tweeted on Sunday.

Mark Gorski (left) and Zadius Perry (right) drowned in Thornes Creek in Hazlet, New Jersey on Sunday while trying to rescue another man who was later saved by police

Police soon found the first swimmer near the water's edge. He was taken to a hospital.

The bodies of Gorski and Perry were found later on Sunday, by divers from the sheriff's office's Meritime Emergency Response Team.

The sheriff's office tweeted that while the outcome was tragic, the victims were located through a combined effort from local emergency responders.

A drone was also used, but divers ultimately had to be brought in after the initial search did not turn up the bodies of Gorski and Perry.

The two men submerged before help arrived and didn't resurface, a fourth man told the Hazlet Township Police Department; Police soon found the first swimmer near the water's edge, but Gorski and Perry did not make it

The bodies of Gorski (shown) and Perry were found later on Sunday, by divers from the sheriff's office's Meritime Emergency Response Team

Authorities have not said whether Gorski and Perry, or the other men, knew one another

Gorski (pictured) was identified first by family, with Perry identified later on Monday

Gorski was identified first by family on Monday, with Perry's name later being released that same day as the second victimin the tragic rescue attempt gone wrong.

Authorities have not said whether the men knew one another.

Other organizations on the scene included Union Beach Police, the West Keansburg and North Centerville Fire Companies, West Keansburg and Union Beach Marine Units, Hazlet, Union Beach and Keyport First Aid Squads, Hazlet, Union Beach and Monmouth County Offices of Emergency Management, Matawan and Middletown Fire Companies, and Brevent Park Fire Marine Unit.

The identities of the 911 caller and the surviving swimmer are not yet known.

The identities of the 911 caller and the surviving swimmer are not yet knownA husband has been brutally hacked to death with a machete in front of his pregnant wife in a suspected honour killing in India.

Pranay Kumar, 24, was leaving a hospital with 23-year-old wife Amrutha Varshini in a village near the city of Hyderabad when he was attacked on September 14.

An unidentified man was filmed on CCTV walking up behind Pranay with a machete before hacking him across the back of the neck as Amrutha watches on.

Pranay Kumar, 24, was murdered in front of his 23-year-old pregnant wife Amrutha Varshini while leaving a hospital near the city of Hyderabad on Friday last week

CCTV captured a man following the couple out of the hospital before delivering two fatal blows to the back of Pranay's neck

The desperate wife could be seen trying to stop the assault as Pranay slumps to the floor, but the man delivers another crushing blow to his head.

The attacker then throws away his machete and walks off as Amrutha runs inside the hospital to summon help for her stricken husband.

Despite medics efforts he succumbed to his injuries a short time afterward.

Police are investigating the attack as an honour killing which they believe was carried out because the pair were from different castes.

Amrutha was from the vaishya caste comprised of farmers and traders while Pranay was a Dalit Christian, also known as an 'untouchable'.

The pair originally married in January, against the wishes of both of their families.

However, Pranay's family had since accepted the union and decided to hold a reception for the two in August.

Pranay married Amrutha back in January against the wishes of both their families because he is from the Dalit - or untouchable - caste, and she is from the higher vaishya caste

Police believe the brutal killing may have been prompted by a wedding video that Amrutha posted on Facebook in recent weeks (pictured)

Officers are now investigating the murder as an honour killing, while Amrutha has told local media that her father and uncle are behind it

Police were alerted to the marriage after the couple invited several officers to the reception and gave the couple a warning.

Nalgonda Srinivas, deputy superintendent of police, said: 'I had my suspicions about [Amrutha's] father and had warned the couple.

'When they held the reception in August, we gave out notices and had deployed a few police officers at the venue so that nothing bad happened.'

It is thought the killing could have been prompted by Amrutha posting a wedding video of the pair on Facebook.

Amrutha has told local media that she believes her father and uncle were behind the attack. Officers are investigating but have yet to make any arrests.

Police say Amrutha's father was questioned in March over the possibility he would use violence to break up the marriage, but insisted he had no plans to do so.The mother of missing Scottish airman Corrie McKeague has marked his 25th birthday by vowing to never stop searching for him.

Nicola Urquhart wished her son a Happy Birthday on Facebook and said she will not rest until he is found.

Mr McKeague went missing exactly two-years-ago after a night out in Bury St Edmunds.

Just weeks later it was revealed his girlfriend was pregnant with their child.

Ms Urquhart wrote on Facebook: 'Happy birthday Corrie, we love you and miss you more than words can describe.

Girlfriend of missing RAF man Corrie McKeague wished her missing boyfriend a happy birthday

'We won't stop trying to find you. We will have the best day we can talking about you, watching and looking at our videos and photos of us all.'

She accompanied the post with a photo of Corrie laughing as he is kissed by her and his brother.

Corrie's girlfriend, April-Louise Oliver, also wished him happy birthday on Facebook, along with photos of them together and of their daughter Ellie-Louise

She wrote: 'Happy birthday my love. I don't even know what to say I'm missing you so much I'll never stop looking for you and that is a promise our Ellie needs you.'

April-Louise Oliver also shared pictures, including one of the daughter her boyfriend Corrie has never met

Corrie vanished after a night out in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk on September 24, 2016, when it is believed he climbed into a waste bin and fell asleep.

Officers spent 137 days trawling through more than 7,000 tonnes of rubbish at the Milton rubbish tip for Corrie but did not find his remains.

In March they announced they announced his disappearance had been moved to the major investigation cold case team and said all evidence pointed to him being in the landfill.

The landfill site in Cambridgeshire is now believed to be his final resting place.

Corrie was last seen in the area of Bury St Edmunds known as the 'horseshoe' where there was a bin lorry collection at around 4.15am to 4.20am.

Police searching an area of a landfill site in Milton, Cambridgeshire, for missing RAF gunner Corrie McKeague

Only one bin was collected from the area that morning. Waste from it was initially taken to a transfer station at Red Lodge and then to the Milton landfill site.

Milton landfill site is around 485,623 square metres and Cell 22 measures 10,000 square metres.

The original 20-week search for Corrie was stopped in July 2017 after nothing was found.

Officers searched through more than 6,500 tonnes of waste during this time, at a cost of 1,291,181.

A further search started on October 23, 2017 and finished in December 2017 at an estimated cost of 240,000.

The police investigation into missing Corrie has cost 2.1million to date, according to a Freedom of Information request ordered by the BBC. It makes the case one of the most expensive undertaken by a police force.These shocking images show the rubbish one woman collected on a British beach over 30 days of summer.

Penny Miners, from Cornwall, was so shocked by the sheer amount of litter she found, that she took a photo of her growing collection every day for a month.

The 61-year-old mother-of-three visited Praa Sands beach, between Helston and Penzance, Cornwall, every day and came armed with her trusty blue bucket.

Penny said that after visiting the beach for 30 days she collected around a ton of rubbish.

Penny Miners, from Cornwall, was so shocked by the sheer amount of litter she found on Praa Sands beach (above) that she took a photo of her growing collection every day for a month

Penny believes most of the rubbish came from holidaymakers, saying: 'The next day, once they'd all gone home, it had stopped'

'It's addictive': Penny explained that she finds picking up bags of rubbish rewarding because there is the possibility it may save an animal's life

She said: 'I wouldn't like to say it was all holidaymakers but on the last Friday of the holiday I removed a load of rubbish.

'The next day, once they'd all gone home, it had stopped. Since then I'm only collecting the odd bit of plastic and fisherman's rope that's been washed on shore.

'After all of those 30 visits, which I started as soon as the children broke up from school, I came away with a bag full every time.

'It's addictive. I can't help it and if just one of those bags of rubbish has saved an animal's life then it's all been worthwhile.'

Penny wrote: 'Only did half of Praa today. Worth it to find the fishing lure which would have killed some poor unsuspecting sea bird. More shoes to add to the one foot shoe stop!!'

'McDonald's, cans, plastic bottles and cider bottles up amongst the rocks, some smashed, barbeque tubs floating around in the water ... Such a shame they hadn't been trained to use a bin, doubt they would do it at home,' Penny wrote over a Cornwall Facebook Group

Penny, who lives at Balwest, near Porthleven, believes that locals are clued up but tourists still need to be educated.

The rubbish Penny collected included swimwear, McDonald's drink containers, rubber gloves and glass bottles.

She added: 'A lot of them said I was doing a good job but a lot of other people were laughing and pointing when I was collecting the rubbish.

'Some even came over and put their litter in my bag.'

On one evening, Penny recorded finding 21 bottle tops, poo bags, an old cassette tape, ropes, rubber, plastic and travel souvenirs

'Take away only memories and leave only footprints': Penny shared these words of advice over the Keeping Cornwall Clean and Tidy Facebook GroupThe Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai has permitted 163 free zone companies to operate in mainland Dubai following an agreement signed earlier this year between DED and the Dubai Free Zones Council.



The memorandum of understanding (MoU) sought to enable free zone entities in Dubai to expand their operations across the emirate, and strengthen Dubais reputation for attracting investments, promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating business development.



Nearly 34,780 free zone companies in Dubai are expected to benefit from the agreement between DED and the Dubai Free Zones Council. Free zone companies in the services sector can apply for a DED permit by producing a no-objection certificate from their respective free zone authority. The service for which the DED permit is sought must not be subject to any other regulator in the emirate and the application must be submitted to DED in the prescribed format.



The DED and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) launched Dubai Blockchain Business Registry as part of Dubai Blockchain Strategy launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the goal of achieving a quantum leap in the efficiency of government transactions.



The project seeks to integrate business registration and licensing thereby creating an efficient and seamless experience that will further simplify the process of starting and running a business anywhere in Dubai. The Registry will be a repository of digitised business licenses and related documents and will ensure regulatory compliance across the business ecosystem in Dubai.



The Dubai Blockchain Business Registry is now being implemented at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated technology park of the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, where licensing information is shared across the blockchain to provide quick and easy access to data.



Free zones that are not linked to the Dubai Blockchain Business Registry yet can register manually through the approved service centres within a period of three months, thus upgrading their services and simplifying their licensing processes. Unifying business registration and licensing date will further enhance the role and relevance of free zones while also rendering overall economic outcomes in Dubai stronger and sustainable.



The Blockchain Business Registry Project reflects the economic strategy of Dubai to advance towards Industry 4.0 and enhance the efficiencies across government transactions. It also aims to integrate best practices and state-of-the-art technologies for improved competitiveness, value added services and customer satisfaction while also achieving increased security of digital data and reduced operational costs.



The Business Registration & Licensing (BRL) sector in DED has also signed an agreement with axs, a subsidiary of Dubai Holding, to license and register free zone companies in TECOM. A smart gateway for integrated services, axs serves as a one-stop shop for TECOM Group entities to fulfil their varied requirements, from business licensing and registration to office space leasing. - TradeArabia News ServiceThe younger brother of New York crime boss John Gotti has been spotted outside his Long Island home following his release from prison.

Gene Gotti served 29 years of a 50-year-long sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Louisiana for running a multi-million-dollar heroin distribution ring and was released last week.

Now aged 71, a picture first published this week by the New York Post depicts a portly, balding man with snow-white hair in a plain, baggy white t-shirt  a far cry from his court appearances during the 1980s, when he had dark hair and wore sharp-looking suits.

Gene Gotti is now a portly, balding man with snow-white hair. He is pictured following his release last week

Gene Gotti is pictured leaving Brooklyn Federal Court in New York, July 27, 1988

Seen outside his Valley Stream, Long Island home in New York, the Post reports that the mob is worried about how his release will impact upon their rackets.

Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that Gene Gotti was entitled to take on a role in the Gambino family, which is now led by Domenico Cefalu, while its street boss is Frank Cali.

The paper was told that his release from jail could bring additional scrutiny of the Gambino activities.

The official said: The Gambinos are running smoothly  gambling, pills, construction unions etc. The last thing they want is someone to put them back in papers and on TV.

Everyone hopes he will be low-key and just make a living, but that is very un-Gotti-like.

According to a story published by New York Daily News over a decade ago, many Gambinos visited Gene Gotti during his incarceration. In March 2007, Gambino capo Salvatore (Fat Sal) Scala was convicted of paying mob tribute to him in prison.

On May 9, 1988, American mobster Gene Gotti, brother of John Gotti, arrives for his own multi-million drug ring heroin trial at federal court, New York City. He was later convicted

Gene Gotti, the younger brother of legendary New York crime boss, John Gotti, has been released from prison after serving just 29 years of his 50-year-long sentence for heroin trafficking. Above is a file photo of him, before he was sent to jail in 1989

Back then, a source told the paper: 'Gene is still treated with considerable respect, and is carried as an unofficial "consigliere" [advisor to the boss]' of the Gambino crime family.

Genes infamous brother, John Gotti, was born in South Bronx in 1940, and went on to become the ruthless boss of the New York-based Gambino crime family.

Nicknamed Teflon Don because he beat various state charges, he was also dubbed 'Dapper Don' for his perfectly tailored suits and flawless hair.

He was sentenced to life in prison in 1992 on charges including murder and racketeering, but died of cancer in 2002.

In 1989, Gene Gotti was ordered behind bars for 50 years for running a multi-million dollar heroin distribution ring.

A few years prior to his sentencing, FBI bugs captured Gene discussing his family's dealings in drugs and hiding illegal cash, where he described his older brother as a 'powerhouse captain'.

Genes infamous brother, John Gotti (pictured in 1990), was born in South Bronx in 1940, and went on to become the ruthless boss of the New York-based Gambino crime family

Gene (right), who is now 71, is pictured above leaving the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse in New York in 1987, two years before he was sentenced to 50 years in prison

Those recordings led to the apprehension of Gene and some of his mob associates in 1983.

Two years later, his brother John rose in the ranks and took over after ordering the December 16, 1985, mob assassination of predecessor 'Big Paul' Castellano. The hit was said to be Dapper Don's attempt to save his brother's life.

The Gotti family  and the life of the Don himself  has recently become the focus of a new biopic, with John Travolta starring as the crime boss. The film pays particular attention to the family relationships among those with the infamous Gotti name.

'I would first of all like to start off this statement saying thank you for your patience. A lot of people have been demanding answers and a response to the recent events surrounding Asia Argentos sexual assault case. Many people believe that because we have been close in each others lives over the past year that perhaps I am affiliated with this incident or being complicit. I am not.



I first met Asia on a red carpet, but its only been the past year through our shared experience of the HW case that we have bonded. Asia was a person who understood my trauma in a way that many others didnt. We were able to talk through them together and champion each others voices. We even got matching dot tattoos! Something I had posted on my IG just about a month ago. Its no secret to anyone that Im a blunt, candid, brazen individual vocally- and I think thats what I really related to Asia the most with. They were edgy, confrontational, and strong willed with very little care about how much others liked or disliked them. Rare things to find in women in this industry or the world.



But then everything changed. In an instant. I received a phone call and series of messages from the being Ive been dating- Rain Dove. They said that they had been texting with Asia and that Asia had revealed that she had indeed slept with Jimmy Bennet. Rain also shared that Asia had stated that shed been receiving unsolicited nudes of Jimmy since he had been 12. Asia mentioned in these texts that she didnt take any action on those images. No reporting to authorities, to the parents, or blocking of Jimmys social media. Not even a simple message Dont send me these images. They are inappropriate. There were a few other details revealed as well that I am not at liberty to mention in this statement as investigators do their job.



Rain Dove said that they were going to go to the police with these texts once we were done speaking no matter what. But that they wanted me to be aware of them so that I may be able to take further actions. I responded with You have to. You must. I wasted no time. It wasnt hard to say or support. What was hard was the shell shock of the realisation that everything the MeToo movement stood for was about to be in jeopardy. An hour after our conversation was finished Rain Dove confirmed that they had turned over the texts and were in conversation with officers. Almost 48 hours later the texts were in the press.



I had introduced Rain Dove to Asia Argento last month, three days after the passing of Anthony Bourdain. I was with Asia to comfort and support her. Rain Dove came to support us both. It was an emotionally chaotic time and Rain Dove suggested we go to Berlin for a couple days to take the mourning out of Asias home and into a neutral space. So we did. While in Berlin Asia had mentioned that she was being extorted for a large sum of money every month by someone who was blackmailing them with a provocative image. No one in the room knew who the extortionist was. Now we know it to be a reference to this case.



Rain Dove continued on communicating with Asia occasionally after meeting her- and their conversations have been their own. I know Rain is a person to whom many high profile entities consult when they are experiencing social pressures because Rain is good at guiding them through the research confrontation, rehabilitation, and solution process. While they are a person who is good at keeping a secret for those dedicated to making things right- they are also justice driven. So it was not a surprise to me that I received that call and the messages from them. Ive referred to Asia in the past as My Ride or Die and said very clearly that their friendship comes first. I know that coming to me with those messages must have been hard for Rain because of that so I commend them for their bravery.



To the people who have checked in with me to see if Im alright- the answer is thank you and Yes. Ill be fine. Its sad to lose a friend connection, but whats even more sad is what happened to Jimmy Bennet. Whether or not the extortion case is true- it wasnt fair and it wasnt right. It is the type of thing I fight against alongside so many. The reason I havent released a statement is because Ive frankly been extremely humbled by this event. I had to take a step back and realise that in my own activism while I fight hard with passion- I need to evolve. In the past I have been occasionally angry. As a victim I was justified in fiery feelings. But I know that those accused are the friends, parents, and family members of other people. There absolutely should be no leeway or tolerance for sexual assault. Hard stop. NONE. Victims also shouldnt be told how they should react or what they should say about their abusers. However as allies to the victim and voyeurs of an event we should find a better way to balance support of the victim with due process for the accused. Ive never claimed to be perfect. This week especially has made me come to terms with the fact that we all have a lot of growing to do, including myself.



At this current moment it may be easy to focus on the drama of the situation. The conspiracy. But the real focus should be on supporting justice. Supporting honesty. And supporting each other. We can not let this moment break the momentum of a movement that has freed so many people. We must use it to allow us to become stronger. More compassionate. More aware. And More organised.



Asia you were my friend. I loved you. Youve spent and risked a lot to stand with the MeToo movement. I really hope you find your way through this process to rehabilitation and betterment. Anyone can be be better- I hope you can be, too. Do the right thing. Be honest. Be fair. Let justice stay its course. Be the person you wish Harvey could have been.'A man who was allegedly caught with drugs in his underwear, at a music festival that saw two people collapse due overdoses, has claimed that he didn't know what he put down his pants.

Douglas George Wood, 33, was allegedly found with 243 grams of MDMA at Defqon. 1 in Penrith, in Sydney's west, on Saturday.

Two young attendees died at the festival over the weekend, and another three were left fighting for their lives after multiple suspected overdoses.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Wood was denied bail in Penrith Local Court on Monday.

A man who was allegedly caught with drugs in his underwear, at a music festival that saw two people collapse due overdoses, has claimed that he didn't know what he put down his pants

He appeared to the court via audio visual link from Amber Laurel prison looking discourages and wiping his eyes.

Police allege the 33-year-old was given a plastic bag by an 'Asian male' before entering the festival grounds.

The male promised Mr Wood that he would 'fix him up' once inside, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Eli Srour told the court that his client intended to fight the charges.

He also said that although the 33-year-old had a 'fair idea' of what was in the bag, he wasn't 100 per cent sure.

'Wilful blindness is not helpful,' Magistrate Daphne Kok replied.

Emergency services were called to Defqon music festival in Penrith, in Sydney's west, at 9pm on Saturday after a man, 23, and woman, 21, collapsed.

The 23-year-old man, Joseph Pham from Edensor Park, had posted information about police sniffer dogs at the music festival weeks before he attended the event that was to claim his life.

Mr Pham posted about the festival on his social media in the lead up to the event.

He shared a post from 'Sniff Off', a group that advocates for no more sniffer dogs, drug legalisation and pill testing, three weeks before his death.

The post discussed the possibility of New South Wales Police forbidding people caught with drugs entry to the venue.

Joseph Pham (pictured), from Edensor Park, was one of four revellers who collapsed at Defqon. 1 music festival in Penrith, in Sydney's west, on Saturday night

On August 15 he posted on social media: 'There's only a month left until Defqon. 1 Australia!

'Hope to see you there!'

The pair were both taken to Nepean Hospital where they died a short time later.

Two other festivalgoers, a 19-year-old man and 26-year-old woman, are fighting for their life after being airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.

Over 700 people at the event sought assistance from medical professionals, while police recorded dozens of drug-related arrests and seizures.

Police allege an additional 13 people attended Nepean Hospital for drug-related issues during and after the festival.

Officers conducted 355 drug searches throughout the day. Of this, a staggering 69 people were allegedly found to be in possession of drugs.

Two young attendees died at the festival over the weekend, and another three were left fighting for their lives after multiple suspected overdoses

Two other festivalgoers, a 19-year-old man and 26-year-old woman, are fighting for their life after being airlifted to hospital in a critical condition

Ten of those people were charged with drug supply offences.

A 22-year-old man from Bankstown was allegedly found with 20 packets of the drug GHB and was charged with attempting to supply an illegal drug.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has vowed to stop the festival amidst scrutiny of productivity of law enforcement and security at the event.

Gladys Berejiklian described the deaths as tragic, and confessed she never wanted the international event to return to Australian shores.

'I never want to see this event held in Sydney or New South Wales ever again  we will do everything we can to shut this down,' ABC reported.

The Sydney International Regatta Centre, which has been the site for the Australian dance party since 2010, announced on Sunday it would no longer host Defqon. 1.The imprisoned son-in-law of a murdered Monaco billionaire has gone on trial today with nine others suspected in the brazen daylight killing of the heiress.

Helene Pastor, 77, was shot dead in Nice on the French Riveria in 2014 in a case prosecutors say bears all the hallmarks of a crime thriller.

On May 6 that year, an unknown gunman with a sawed-off shotgun fired into her car as she left a hospital after visiting her son.

Wojciech Janowski, 64, (left) withdrew his confession to the murder of Helene Pastor, 77, (right) saying he did not understand 'all the nuances' of the French language

Sylvia Janowski, daughter of Helene Pastor, leaves the court room in Aix-en-Provence today

The chauffeur died a few days later and Pastor fell into a coma.

She awoke briefly and was able to tell investigators: 'I'm afraid, I want to see you again because I have more to tell.'

Before she could, she died of her injuries on May 21.

Police quickly identified two men suspected of carrying out what they now believe was a contract killing orchestrated by Wojciech Janowski, 69, Pastor's son-in-law.

After initially admitting to ordering the killing to get his hands on Pastor's estimated 10bn fortune, Janowski later retracted his confession, saying he had misunderstood investigators' questioning.

The suspected killer, Samine Said Ahmed, 28, is also on trial and has denied the charges.

Al Hair Hamadi, 35, is accused of acting as a lookout.

Janowski and Sylvia Pastor (right) have been in a relationship for 28 years and have a teenage daughter

A police officer investigates a car at the site where Helene Pastor and her driver were shot dead

Wojciech Janowski, hides his face as he leaves a police station in Nice, France, after questioning in 2014

Prosecutors say the two men, originally from the African Comoros islands and living in northern Marseille, left behind a multitude of clues.

They were caught on CCTV in Marseille buying mobile phones and boarding a train for Nice, where their DNA traces were found on a bottle left in a hotel room.

They are also seen waiting for Pastor opposite the hospital, having arrived by taxi after unsuccessfully trying to purchase a scooter for their getaway.

'It's the first time we've seen killers use a taxi to reach the scene of a crime - they did everything you're not supposed to do,' a source close the inquiry said.

Pastor had inherited a huge real estate and construction business set up by her Italian grandfather Jean-Baptiste Pastor, a stone mason who moved to Monaco in 1880.

Phone records also implicated several suspected accomplices who will also be on trial in Aix-en-Provence, just outside Marseille.

The hearing is expected to run until October 19.

Forensic experts investigate the car in which Helene Pastor was fatally injured on May 6, 2014

Mrs Pastor has been visiting her son in a hospital in Nice before the shooting

Witnesses said the gunman used a large pump-action shotgun in the hit, in which both Helene Pastor and her chauffeur were killed

Janowski has been married to Pastor's daughter Sylvia, 57, for 28 years, and was a businessman and Poland's honorary consul to Monaco before being stripped of the title following the charge.

A graduate of the University of Cambridge, he headed a nanotechnology firm and an oil business, and was said to be involved in numerous charities in the principality.

But prosecutors say his business ventures were not as successful as he claimed, and he was hoping the inheritance would help him recover even though he already received part of the 500,000 Pastor gave her daughter every month.

The fatal shooting of a billionaire heiress on the idyllic French Riveria led prosecutors to say the case bears all the hallmarks of a crime thriller

A month after the murders, Janowski's personal trainer, 49-year-old Pascal Dauriac, admitted to organising the hit with his brother-in-law.

'Janowski tricked me... He said his mother-in-law was a monster,' Dauriac said.

He also claimed Janowski himself had scouted out the hospital and wanted to have Pastor's son killed too.

Janowski allegedly spent 250,000 to hire contract killers.A sailor who died in one of the greatest tragedies of WWII has spoken again 67 years later after recordings of his voice emerged on eBay.

Robert Terence Grogan was one of 1,415 killed when the HMS Hood was sunk by German warship the Bismarck during the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1941.

Commander Grogan, a Royal Navy sailor, used to record his voice onto vinyl using specialist equipment and mail it back to his family in the UK.

Scroll down for video

Robert Terence Grogan (pictured front, held by nephew Peter Jefferson) perished alongside 1,415 men when HMS Hood was sunk by Nazi warship the Bismarck in 1941

But the recordings, which were played in the home of his nephew Peter Jefferson even after his death, were lost over time.

It was only when a historian found the rare pressings on sale for 20 on eBay that Mr Jefferson, 73, was able to hear his uncle's messages again.

He made an emotional visit to the National Museum of the Royal Navy where the vinyl is now being archived.

The Royal Navy sailor used to record his voice onto vinyl using specialist equipment and mail them back to his family

Mr Jefferson, a former radio announcer for BBC Radio Four, said: 'I found them lurking around the house when I was aged 10 or 11.

'I bought a wind up HMV gramophone and listened to them.

'I had to ask my grandmother about them and she said they were recordings that Terry had made before the war. He was my uncle, my mother's half brother.

'He was all over the place, India, the Middle East - wherever the ship was at the time. They were recorded over a number of years.

'Where we would send an email, people at that time would write letters but he didn't - he recorded his letters.

'He would record what he was doing, what he was seeing, and what he was missing back home.

'It was all before the war, he couldn't have made it through the war because he would have been thrown in the irons I should have thought, for treason.

'It was his diary really.'

Commander Grogan, known as Terry, served on many ships during his naval career, including HMS Emerald between 1934 and 1936, where several of his recordings were made.

But over the years the records became lost, with most of them thrown out by Mr Jefferson's mother Lisa Wells, 91.

Commander Grogan recorded his letters on 12-inch vinyl - and they were played by his nephew Mr Jefferson long after his death

The recordings (pictured) were soon lost - with most of them thrown out by Mr Jefferson's mother Lisa Wells

The sailor's nephew, from Weybridge in Surrey, was contacted by the historian who found the tapes earlier this month after he mentioned his uncle during a radio interview.

Dr Harry Bennett, an associate professor of History at Plymouth University, said: 'If Peter hadn't been so interested in his uncle I wouldn't have found him.

'I bought them on eBay for 20. They were listed as some recordings on HMS Emerald and I thought I would take a punt.

'It could have been the ship's cat howling for all I knew but I thought, 'you never know' - you have to try your luck.

'God bless you, goodbye darling': The recordings made by Terry Grogan throughout his years at sea Some of the recordings made by Terry Grogan during the 1930s: 'Hello dear, here we are again, it is April 17 and we're at dock. Before going any further I'll start where I left off before. On Wednesday last we had the conference, the captain came down from camp for it, and we discussed all the items of the admiralty over here and we got that fixed up and he went back the same night. 'That was on the Wednesday, I don't think there's much to tell you about that really. Oh by the way, I'm doing my talking quietly business again so as not to be heard but I had your letter saying that was alright and the murmurings came out alright so let's hope they're alright now. Terry Grogan (pictured) recorded his letters on vinyl and sent them to his family in Britain 'So we had a game of tennis during the week at the garden club... It's getting abominably hot here now... I finished that report I was telling you about... and that's been forwarded now... 'We came into dock on Monday, that was yesterday, Monday the 15th, I remember it is the 16th today not the 17th as I said before. 'It is absolutely abominable, frightfully hot. It's going to be pretty damnable here during the refit and then I shall be up in camp. I told you I was getting a car for the next five or six weeks, taking it off a chap who just bought one - I'm getting it very cheap for that reason. 'That will make an enormous difference. If you feel inclined to pop out to the garden club in the evening well you could hire a taxi but it's a longish way and it costs a lot and unless you're going for a special reason to play tennis or something it simply isn't worth it, but if you've got your car there and you can just jump into it, it makes all the difference to live here.' 'Well, hello dear. 'Oh I forgot to give my signature tune (three whistles). 'There we are. It's been a long time since I recorded and sent you anything. 'I got back from camp on Tuesday last and I wrote a letter to you just before to catch the mail and so this is the next mail, which I'm sending the record, which is a week after. 'My best love to you all, God bless you, goodbye darling.' Advertisement

'I was surprised, I didn't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that.

'They don't really explain anything. He had a signature opening, it was three whistles and that's how he would open each recording.

'It was basically just a letter, with what he's done and what he's been up to.

'I was trying to research who Terry Grogan was and happened on an interview with Peter when he said Terry was his uncle, and that was that really.

'I was delighted to be able to say to Peter that I had those records - it was very good.'

Once Dr Bennett was certain he had found the sailor's descendant he set about contacting Mr Jefferson to let him know about the records.

To preserve the stories for future generations, the professor arranged to donate them to the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

He added: 'These things are important and deserve to be preserved for the nation and the museum has the skills to preserve them.

'I want these to be available for the public to hear them, they're not just Peter's story but also the story of the Royal Navy.

It was only when a historian found the rare pressings on sale for 20 on eBay that the messages were heard again

The HMS Hood (pictured) was sunk by Hitler's warship Bismarck during the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1941

'It was definitely worthwhile. Where they've been for the past 50 years no one knows.'

Before the records entered the museum's exhibit, Mr Jefferson was given a private viewing.

He said: 'I went down to Portsmouth and went to the attic of the museum and they played them to me.

'It was a shock, I was amazed as you can imagine.

'Harry has kindly transferred them to a memory stick for me, I'm looking forward to listening to them, I haven't heard them for many decades.

'It's rather nostalgic really, for all I knew they were in a landfill somewhere.'

Mr Jefferson was contacted by Dr Harry Bennett, who found the vinyl, after he gave an interview mentioning his late uncle

The sailor recorded his messages using his own personal equipment that he transported with him wherever he went.

Not much is known about the recording equipment, but Mr Jefferson said it would have been an impressive bit of kit for the time.

He said: 'For the time it was very unusual for a privateer to be doing his own recordings, it's a bit of kit he got himself and carried around.

'It was very large and very heavy I should expect.

'I think he probably used it mostly when he was abroad to keep in touch with friends and family.

'I've wondered about it from time to time - I know it was his own personal device, but that's all I know.'Soon-Yi Previn, the wife of Woody Allen, has accused her adoptive mother Mia Farrow of being neglectful, cruel and heartless towards her when she was a child in an interview with New York Magazine, defending the director against allegations that he molested his daughter Dylan Farrow.

Written by Woody Allens friend Daphne Merkin, Soon-Yi Previn gave her first-ever lengthy interview for the article that was sympathetic to the couple who had been embroiled in controversy for a number of reasons through the years.

After Soon-Yis defense of her husband against the allegations of abuse, Dylan Farrow also spoke out and reiterated her claim, while their sibling Ronan Farrow, blasted the magazine for a hit job and sloppy journalism.

Soon-Yi Previn attends the screening of Shrek 2, at the Beekman Theatre, in New York City

Who is Soon-Yi Previn?

Although her date of birth is unconfirmed, Soon-Yi is thought to have been born around October 8, 1970 in South Korea and was adopted by actress Mia Farrow and her husband Andre Previn in following years when she was six-years-old, according to The Famous People.

However, because Mia Farrow had already adopted a number of children from poor countries and the US government only permitted two visas per family for adoption, the process to bring Soon-Yi to America was a struggle, but after encouraging friends with political influence, the bill was changed.

It has also been widely reported that the physical and mental abuse that she endured while in Korea and in the US had left her with learning difficulties and in addition to this, not being able to speak English meant that she found education a struggle.

Despite this, Soon-Yi quickly made progress and was enrolled at New Yorks Marymount School before joining Rider University. She later attended Drew University and earned a Masters degree in special education from Columbia.

Mia Farrow was thrust into the spotlight after her marriage to Frank Sinatra at the age of 21 and she went on to appear in a number of critically acclaimed films including Rosemarys Baby, Follow Me!, The Great Gatsby and Death on the Nile.

She divorced Frank in 1968, blaming the end of the relationship on the age difference and she then started dating the composer Andre Previn, who left his wife Dory after he found out that Mia was pregnant. Mia gave birth to twin sons in 1970 and the couple divorced in 1979.

While she was in a relationship with Woody Allen from 1979 and 1992, she appeared in thirteen of the fourteen films that he made during this time, also starring in The Omen, Be Kind Rewind and Dark Horse. Woody also adopted two of her children: Dylan and Moses Farrow.

The relationship ended in 1992 after Mia found nude photographs of Soon-Yi Previn in Woodys house and they revealed that they were having an affair.

Soon-Yi Previn seen arriving for her last day of class during summer session at Rider College

Woody Allen and Soon Yi-Previn

It has been reported that Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn started dating in 1991, a year before Mia Farrow found the nude photographs of her adopted daughter in her ex-boyfriends house, with Previn also being fired from her job as a camp counselor after speaking to who turned out to be Woody for too long on the phone.

After their relationship became public, Mia Farrow alleged that Woody had sexually assaulted Dylan Farrow during a visit to her house. However, after test results revealed that Dylan had not been assaulted, the charges were dropped and the director went to court to gain custody over his biological son Satchel, who is now known as Ronan.

Woody and Soon-Yi moved in together in 1997 and were married by the end of the year in Venice. They went on to adopt two children, Manzie and Bechet and currently live in Carnegie Hall in Manhattan.

What did Soon-Yi Previn say about Mia Farrow?

Speaking to New York Magazine, Soon-Yi Previn spoke out for the first time against her adoptive mother Mia Farrow and accused her of neglecting her when she was a child. Alongside this, she also defended Woody Allen against Dylan Farrows claims that he had abused her when she was seven.

The article opens describing how Soon-Yi was once seen as a victim, her youth and relative innocence taken advantage of by a powerful, much older man who sucked her into this vortex. Or, alternately, she was a Lolita, a seductress, who wittingly betrayed the Mother Theresa-like figure whod saved her from life in an orphanage.

Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn attend after party for his film To Rome with Love in New York

More than 25 years since the public learned of the affair between Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn, she said: I was never interested in writing a Mommie Dearest, getting even with Mia  none of that. But whats happened to Woody is so upsetting, so unjust.

[Mia] has taken advantage of the #MeToo movement and paraded Dylan as a victim. And a whole new generation is hearing about it when they shouldnt. Soon-Yi then goes on to describe her life in South Korea.

I remember being extremely poor. You know, no furniture, nothing. Just a bare room and a mother, and we had a backyard, kind of with concrete. No trees, no foliage. I spent most of my time in the backyard, I dont know why. And then I decided one day to run away. That this couldnt be for life, that there must be something better out there. I dont know how I came to that realization, but it was miraculous.

Soon-Yi also said that Mia had asked her to make a tape about her past and to detail how she had been the daughter of a prostitute - the request was strange to her, because this is not what she had recalled. I had nowhere to go, so I was running around the streets, going through the garbage looking for food.

And I ate a bar of soap. The soap was the worst-tasting - I could think of it now, it was just disgusting. And then I was looking outside a bakery, you know, because I was starving, and this woman asked if I wanted something to eat.

She bought me something, and she was trying to get information from me about where I lived. I wouldnt answer, so she brought me to the police station and then the police sent me to an orphanage. I liked it there, and then some people came - and I remember hiding under a table - to take me away to a different orphanage.

Woody Allen kisses Soon-Yi Previn during a ride on a gondola in Venice before their wedding

After some time at this second orphanage, she was picked out to be one of the children to be presented to an audience of prospective parents by Farrows emissary, a woman named Connie Boll, who had worked for an organisation called Friends of Children.

Soon-Yi said: I remember the second I laid eyes on her. There was a big excitement and hoopla around her. And she came to me and she threw her arms around me to give me a big hug. Im standing there rigidly, thinking, Who is this woman, and can she get her hands off of me? She didnt ring true or sincere.

Describing her relationship with Mia as like oil and water, Soon-Yi said that Mia had a hierarchy of favourite children and grew to be impatient with her. She tried to teach me the alphabet with those wooden blocks. If I didnt get them right, sometimes shed throw them at me or down on the floor. Who can learn under that pressure?

After describing several incidents where Mia had physically abused Soon-Yi, she said that she regrets that Farrow found the nude pictures, but stated that they were both consenting adults, but conceded that there could be something very Freudian about how the pictures were left out in the open.Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford will go head-to-head in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee next Monday.

The hearing sets up a potential show down on Capitol Hill, the likes of which have not been seen since Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill testified in 1991 after she accused him of sexual harassment. Thomas was ultimately confirmed after a bitter and bruising battle.

But the Kavanaugh-Ford hearing comes more than 25 years later, amid the #metoo movement, and when women have been energized after the election of Donald Trump as president.

Republicans were under heavy political pressure - including some from members of their own party - to hold a public hearing and they finally caved on the issue Monday evening.

Key votes for the GOP - including Sens. Susan Collins, Jeff Flake and Lisa Murkowski - were calling for a delay after Ford publicly identified herself in an explosive Washington Post interview on Sunday.

Republicans can only afford to lose one of of their own should every Democrat vote no on Kavanaugh.

Brett Kavanaugh arrives at White House on Monday morning

Kavanaugh released a new statement denying allegation and said he's willing to testify before Senate again

The hearing date also comes as Kavanaugh is denying he was at the high school party in question where Ford said he attempted to rape her as a friend watched when they were both students in suburban Washington D.C. during the 1980s.

Kavanaugh spoke with Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for about 10 minutes Monday afternoon, where Kavanaugh denied to him that he was at the high school-era party in question, a Hatch aide told NBC News.

Hatch says Kavanaugh is 'honest' and 'straightforward,' and he thinks woman who has brought accusation is 'mixed up.'

Kavanaugh is in the fight for his judicial life as he tries to salvage his Supreme Court nomination. He met withe White House legal team Monday morning, put out a new statement where he offered to speak to the judiciary panel again, and is calling key senators ahead of scheduled Thursday vote on his nomination.

That vote is postponed now in the wake of the hearing date. His nomination was seen as losing momentum after several Republican senators said they wanted to hear what Ford had to say.

A hearing on Monday, September 24, at 10 am would still give the judiciary committee and the full Senate time to vote on Kavanaughs nomination before the Supreme Court starts its new term on Oct. 1.

Hatch past defenses Sen. Orrin Hatch, the senior senator from Utah, also originally defended his former chief of staff Rob Porter against allegations of domestic abuse from his former wives. Hatch told DailyMail.com, which broke the story on Porter, that his former aide turned White House staff secretary was 'kind and considerate towards all.' He later apologized for defending him and wrote letters of apology to Porter's former wives. He was also a stark defender of Justice Clarence Thomas during his 1991 confirmation hearing when he was accused by Anita Hill of sexual harassment. In 2010, when it was revealed Thomas' wife called Hill and asked her to apologize to her husband, Hatch agreed that Hill should do so. 'People have got to understand that Justice Thomas and his wife are good honest people who deserve an apology!' he tweeted at the time. Advertisement

Republican senators have long had the goal of getting Kavanaugh, who is expected to move the high court to the right in his replacement of Justice Anthony Kennedy - who was often a swing vote on social issues - in place in time for the new term.

Meanwhile, the White House issued its third statement of the day on the matter Monday evening, saying Kavanugh is ready to testify at a moment's notice.

'Judge Kavanaugh looks forward to a hearing where he can clear his name of this false allegation. He stands ready to testify tomorrow if the Senate is ready to hear him,' White House spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement.

And a key Republican senator warned Kavanaugh if he lied, he's out.

'Obviously if Judge Kavanaugh has lied about what happened, that would be disqualifying,' Sen. Susan Collins said Monday afternoon on Capitol Hill.

Republicans have a 51-seat majority in the Senate. If all Democrats vote no on Kavanaugh they can only lose one senator.

GOP Sen. Jeff Flake had also expressed doubt about his vote, saying he wants to hear from Ford.

'If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes,' Flake toldPolitico on Sunday.

Democrats have already grilled Kavanaugh once and will likely do so again, particularly honing in on his argument he was not at the party in question.

Hatch told CNN that Kavanaugh told him Ford may be mistaking him for someone else - and that he wasn't even at the party in question.

And a Hatch spokesperson told ABC News of Kavanaugh: 'He told Senator Hatch he was not at a party like the one she describes, and that Dr. Ford, who acknowledged to the Washington Post that she 'did not remember some key details of the incident,' may be mistaking him for someone else.'

Kavanaugh spoke to judiciary committee staff at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, shortly before next week's hearing was announced.

Democratic staff skipped the call in protest. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the panel, had objected to a phone call given on public hearing had been scheduled at that time.

'With only a few hours' notice and over the objections of Ranking Member Feinstein, Judiciary Committee Republicans scheduled a staff-level phone call with Brett Kavanaugh concerning allegations that he sexually assaulted a young woman,' Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee said in a joint statement.

'In view of the enormity and seriousness of these allegations, a staff-only phone call behind closed doors is unacceptable and Democratic staff will not participate. This isn't how things should be done and is in complete violation of how this committee worked in the past.'

Christine Blasey Ford in her Freshman Year at Holton Arms School

'Obviously if Judge Kavanaugh has lied about what happened, that would be disqualifying,' Sen. Susan Collins said

Ford, now a 51-year-old college professor at Palo Alto University, accused Kavanaugh of attacking her and attempting to rape her when she was 15 years old and at a teenage party.

She claims Kavanaugh, who was 17 at the time, held her down on a bed in a locked room while he covered her mouth and tried to force himself on her.

Mark Judge, a classmate of Kavanaugh's who Ford says was in the room when the attack happened, strongly denied witnessing at attempted assault.

'It's just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way,' Judge told The Weekly Standard on Friday.

He added that he had never seen boys 'rough-housing' with his female peers from other schools in ways that might have been interpreted negatively: 'I don't remember any of that stuff going on with girls.'

Judge also did not deny being at the party in question to the New York Times, saying he never saw the incident in question.

'I never saw anything like what was described,' Judge said.

Mark Judge has been identified as Brett Kavanaugh's friend at the incident in question

Christine Blasey (now Ford) in her high school yearbook

Brett Kavanaugh in his high school yearbook

President Donald Trump is also defending his nominee.

He's 'never even had a little blemish on his record,' he said at the White House Monday afternoon.

He has not spoken with Kavanaugh but did say he wants to 'hear everybody out.'

'We want to go through a full process. I have great confidence in the U.S. Senate and in their procedures and what they're doing and I think that's probably what they're going to do. They'll go through a process and hear everybody out. I think it's important. I believe they think it's important,' Trump said.

The president also indicated he'd be fine if there was a delay in moving Kavanaugh's confirmation forward.

'If it takes a little delay it'll take a little delay. It shouldn't certainly be very much,' he said.

'I'm sure it will work out very well,' he added. 'You're talking about an individual who is as high a quality individual as you will ever see.'

Trump noted: 'I think he's very much on track. If they delay a little bit just to make sure everbody's happy  they want to be happy. I can tell you the Republican senators want to be a hundred percent happy themselves. They're doing it very very professionally.'

He also echoed Republican senators in saying Democrats should have brought this up sooner in the process.

'I wish the Democrats could have done this a lot sooner, because they had this information for many months. And they shouldn't have waited til literally the last days. They should have done it a lot sooner. But with all of that being said we want to go through the process. One thing I will say is that as I understand it, Judge Kavanaugh spent quite a bit of time with Senator Feinstein and it wasn't even brought up at that meeting and she had this information. So you would have thought certainly that she would have brought it up at the meeting  not wait til everything's finished and then have to start a process all over again,' he said.

Asked if Kavanaugh offered to withdraw his nomination, Trump scoffed: 'What a ridiculous question.'

President Trump defended his nominee Brett Kavanaugh but said he'd be fine with a delay in the confirmation process

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who will schedule Kavanaugh's vote on the Senate floor, talked about the Senate process rather than the allegations

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who will schedule Kavanaugh's vote on the Senate floor, talked about the Senate process rather than the allegations on Monday afternoon.

He slammed Democrats for bringing it 'forward at the last minute in irregular manner' in remarks on the Senate floor.

He also criticized Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein for keeping it a 'secret until the 11th hour.'

Kavanaugh had said Monday morning he is willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the wake of Ford's public accusations against him, noting that before she identified herself, 'I had no idea who was making this accusation.'

He again denied the charge against him as he desperately works to save his nomination.

'This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone,' Kavanaugh said in a statement provided by the White House.

He was spotted arriving at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Monday morning, shortly after 10 am ET, stepping out of black SUV and going in a side entrance.

He was not meeting with Trump, White House spokesman Raj Shah said.

He is meeting with the White House legal team to prepare for potential interviews or questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee, CNN reported.

Kavanaugh said he 'had no idea' who made the allegation until Ford identified herself Sunday in a bombshell Washington Post interview.

'Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday,' he noted.

He added: 'I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.'

President Donald Trump defended Kavanaugh at the White House on Monday: He's 'never even had a little blemish on his record'

Sen. Orrin Hatch is defending Kavanaugh, seen here meeting with him in July in his Senate office shortly after he was nominated to the Supreme Court

Republican leaders in the Senate hope to have Kavanaugh confirmed by Oct. 1, which is the starting date for the Supreme Court's fall turn.

The party is facing additional pressure from a ticking clock: if Kavanaugh's confirmation vote is delayed until after the election, Democrats could be in control of the Senate.

Additionally Kavanaugh is said to have hired Beth Wilkinson, of the law firm Wilkinson Walsh and Eskovitz, to be his attorney,CNN reported.

However, the White House is in a bit of a catch-22 situation: if they go negative on Ford they could alienate two of the key Republican votes in the Senate - female senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins.

Additionally, they could fire up women, many of whom were angered and motivated in the wake of Trump's election, which could backfire on the party in the midterms.

After Clarence Thomas was confirmed in 1991 - a process which saw him fight off sexual harassment allegations from Anita Hill - a then-record number of Democratic women were elected to the Senate in 1992, in what was dubbed 'The Year of the Woman.'

Ford is willing to testify before the Senate on her allegation that Kavanaugh tried to rape her in high school, her attorney revealed on Monday morning.

'She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth, yes,' her attorney Debra Katz told NBC's 'Today Show' on Monday morning.

Katz, who made the rounds of the morning news shows to talk about the bombshell allegations against Trump's Supreme Court nominee, told 'CBS This Morning' Ford is 'willing to do what she needs to do.'

'My client will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the Senate Judiciary Committee has the full story and the full set of allegations to allow them to make a fully informed decision,' she said. 'She's willing to do what she needs to do.'

Christine Ford's lawyer said she is willing to testify before the Senae

Attorney Debra Katz, who represents Christine Blasey Ford, says her client believes the alleged attack by Brett Kavanaugh was 'attempted rape'

Katz did express concern Ford would be grilled by Republicans if she appears.

'They intend to grill her,' she said on CBS. 'This is not an exercise that is designed to get at the truth. This is an exercise that's designed to terrify somebody that's already been traumatized.'

However, neither Ford nor Katz have heard from any lawmakers.

'We have heard from nobody,' Katz told CNN's 'New Day.'

'We've seen various statements made on television, and statements that are being banded about for political reason, but no one's asked her, no.'

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Ford deserves to be heard but earlier on Monday he was still pushing for phone calls.

'Anyone who comes forward as Dr. Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner,' he said in a statement Monday afternoon.

He noted the 'standard procedure' is 'separate follow up calls with the relevant parties.'

'In this case, that would entail phone calls with at least Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford. Consistent with that practice, I asked Senator Feinstein's office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused. But as a necessary step in evaluating these claims, I'll continue working to set them up,' Grassley noted.

He also took another shot at Feinstein for holding onto the information for so long.

'Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this person's identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week. Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs. The Minority withheld even the anonymous allegations for six weeks, only to later decide that they were serious enough to investigate on the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed,' Grassley said.

He also said Ford's attorney could have approached him on the matter.

'Over my nearly four decades in the Senate I have worked diligently to protect whistleblowers and get to the bottom of any issue. Dr. Ford's attorney could have approached my office, while keeping her client confidential and anonymous, so that these allegations could be thoroughly investigated. Nevertheless, we are working diligently to get to the bottom of these claims,' he said.

The White House also issued a fresh denial on the allegations against Kavanaugh after Katz's morning show blitz to tell Ford's side of the story.

'On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh 'categorically and unequivocally' denied this allegation. This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement,' White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec said in a statement on Monday morning.

The White House has held the same firm line on the allegations against Trump's nominee since reports of a possible #metoo situation involving Kavanaugh surfaced.

In a interview in The Washington Post on Sunday, Ford detailed an alleged attack on her committed by Kavanaugh when the two were high school students in suburban Maryland.

Ford believes the attack was 'attempted rape,' Katz said on 'The Today Show.'

'She clearly considers this an attempted rape,' Katz said of Ford's view on the incident.

'She believes if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped,' Katz added.

Katz offered more details to CNN.

'The reason she thought he might inadvertently kill her is because he had her hand over his mouth and she was having a hard time breathing, and he was so inebriated, and because of that, his inability to take her clothes off, otherwise he would have raped her,' she told 'New Day.'

Ford described to The Washington Post in detail how, when she was at a teenage party in the 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend followed her upstairs when she went to the bathroom and pushed her into a bedroom.

She detailed how Kavanaugh alleged held her down, tried to rip off her swimsuit, and groped her.

She said she escaped when his friend, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them.

'I thought he might inadvertently kill me,' she told the newspaper.

But Katz said her client was not taking a position on whether or not Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination to the high court.

The White House issued a fresh denial from Brett Kavanaugh on the allegation

'She's not taking a position on this. She thinks these allegations bear on his character and his fitness. And the denials, of course, also bear on his character and fitness,' the lawyer said on 'The Today Show.'

She added: 'This is not a politically-motivated action. She was reluctant to come forward. And she was outed after she had made the decision not to come forward.'

Katz said Ford has been threatened.

'She did receive a lot of very vicious, sexually violent e-mails from total changers. Of course, that's extremely unsettling,' she said.

Katz told CNN of Ford: 'She is already getting a lot of hostile threats and recrimination, and that's, of course, quite disturbing and unfortunate.'

And White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Ford should not be insulted and that her allegations should be heard.

'This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored,' Conway said on 'Fox & Friends' Monday morning.

She said both Ford and Kavanaugh should be heard from again.

'Allowing this woman to be heard in sworn testimony, allowing Judge Kavanaugh to be heard in sworn testimony about these specific allegations would be added to the very considerable mountain of evidence and considerations that folks will have when they weigh whether or not to vote for judge Kavanaugh to be on the Supreme Court,' she noted.

'So, let me make very clear. I have spoken with the president. I have spoken with Sen. Graham and others. This woman will be heard,' Conway said.

But, she reminded, Kavanaugh has been through multiple background checks.

'Judge Kavanaugh is a man of character and integrity who has been through six FBI vettings, which can I tell you first hand are significant and thorough. He also has been lauded by women from every different aspect of his life. And this is significant. This is very significant for a man of character and integrity to be spoken about so highly by women who maybe didn't vote for President Trump,' Conway added.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary panel, is under pressure to delay Thursday's vote

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has called for a delay

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, whose vote could make or break Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, is indicating he would vote no on the nominee unless he hears from Christine Blasey Ford

All 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Grassley on Monday asking for Thursday's vote to be postponed and for the FBI to reopen its investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a key vote for the GOP, says the judiciary committee 'might' need to consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh.

'Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion,' Murkowski told CNN late Sunday night.

'This is not something that came up during the hearings. The hearings are now over, and if there is real substance to this, it demands a response. That may be something the committee needs to look into,' she said.

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, whose vote could make or break Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, indicatedhe would vote no on the nominee unless he hears from Ford.

Flake, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would be the key vote on a committee split between 11 Republicans and ten Democrats.

'If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes,' Flake, who is retiring from the Senate this year, told Politico.

'We need to hear from her. And I don't think I'm alone in this,' he said.

If Flake votes no in committee, given the Democratic opposition, it would be a tie-vote and that means Kavanaugh would not have the committee's recommendation to be confirmed.

His nomination could still be brought to a vote to the Senate floor but, given the Republicans 51-seat majority, if Flake votes no again, the GOP cannot lose a single other senator if all Democrats vote no.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called on Grassley to postpone Thursday's vote until the allegations are investigated.

'Senator Grassley must postpone the vote until, at a very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated. For too long, when woman have made serious allegations of abuse, they have been ignored. That cannot happen in this case,' he said in a statement.

'To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court,' he added.

Sen. Susan Collins, a key GOP vote for Brett Kavanaugh's nomination, said she will be 'talking with my colleagues' about whether Thursday's committee vote should go forward

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a key vote for the GOP, says the judiciary committee 'might' need to consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said he was willing to have Ford testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee but he wants it done before Thursday's scheduled vote.

'If (Christine Blasley) Ford wishes to provide information to the committee, I would gladly listen to what she has to say and compare that against all other information we have received about Judge Kavanaugh,' Graham said in a statement on Sunday.

'If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled,' he added.

Republican Sen. Bob Corker made a similar statement to Graham's to Politico, saying a delay 'would be best for all involved, including the nominee.'

Additionally, two of the other key Republican votes in the Senate are women - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins - neither of whom face voters this year and both of whom said they are with holding judgement of Kavanaugh until after his confirmation hearing is concluded.

Collins told CNN Sunday evening that she's 'very surprised' about the Kavanaugh allegation and 'it's an issue that I brought up with him last Friday and he denied' it.

She later said she wants both Kavanaugh and Ford to testify before the judiciary panel.An animal sanctuary has come under heavy fire after it moved premises, leaving a wake of rubbish and squalid conditions behind.

Residents who investigated the baron and rubbish-strewn site described seeing a dead cat, dog bowls full of black stagnant water, flea-infested caravans and abandoned fish tanks.

A petition calling for Didcot Animal Sanctuary's closure has received more than 400 signatures amid claims a 'deceased cat was found on the premises with no water or food left for them'.

But the site in Oxfordshire is relocating to another town six miles away despite the outrage.

Owners David and Julia Vaughan, who insist they have done nothing wrong, contacted police accusing animal activists of stealing their cats.

The filth, chaos and degradation found at the Didcot Animal Sanctuary in Oxfordshire

The sanctuary is home to around 200 animals - including pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, cats, dogs and turkeys.

It was the scene of a serious fire last year which killed sheep and gutted stables.

Mr Vaughan said at the time he thought the sanctuary had been targeted by arsonists.

Local resident Whitney Dawson visited the site on Thursday and said: 'I've never seen anything like it.'

The sanctuary, run by David and Julia Vaughan, is moving to a new location after complaints

The 22-year-old added: 'It was horrendous. There was rubbish everywhere including broken bricks and mouldy food.

'The whole place stank and I had to dump my clothes after leaving one of the caravans because I was covered in fleas.

'Some of the dog bowls were full of black stagnant water and there were a lot of abandoned cages and fish tanks. It was just awful.'

Cats, described as 'feral and scared' were taken away. One was admitted to a vet for examination because its emaciated condition.

Residents described seeing dog bowls full of black stagnant water at the sanctuary

Mr Vaughan denies any wrongdoing and said he reported the site to police - because it was a target of break-ins by animal activists stealing cats.

He said: 'I don't know what's going on.

'They have stolen four of our cats, ransacked the place and cut open a fence.

'We needed to leave the cats on the site until we had a suitable home for them at the new site.

'They have been fed and watered twice-a-day, every day. They are always very friendly with us so I do not recognise what has been said about them.

Inside one of the 'flea infested' caravans, activist Whitney Dawson said she had to dump her clothes after entering

Shocking pictures reveal squalid conditions at the sanctuary facing fierce criticism from locals

'We are doing our best overall. We are on our own and at this 12-14 hours a day.

'We're just here to give a home to animals nobody wants and we wish everyone would leave us alone to get on with our job.'

An animal rescue worker of 15 years, who did not wish to be named, said the sanctuary had 'bitten off more than it could chew'.

He added that the site was 'left in squalor' - and described seeing discarded food and lighter gas.

The rescue worker said: 'They are not equipped to cope at the moment and need to seriously consider downsizing. They should have asked for help far sooner.

The owners of the site deny any wrongdoing and even claim some of their cats were stolen

A rubbish strewn yard at Didcot Animal Sanctuary in Oxfordshire which has come under fire

'This is meant to be a place that is offering refuge and they cannot offer animals what they need at the moment.'

Simon Hartwright, the owner of the Hill Farm site where the animal sanctuary was based, said he expected the site to be fully cleared.

He said: 'It will all be tidy by the spring next year.

'They had to get the animals out first and are coming back to clean up so it's bound to be in a bit of a mess.'

The petition, by Nicole Knight, says: 'Shut down Didcot Animal Sanctuary for good!

'As many of you are aware, the Didcot Animal Sanctuary has now moved over to a site in Wallingford and the premises at Didcot have been left in an outrageous state with rubbish left everywhere which has built up over the years, Cats/Kittens left on site and also a deceased cat was found in the premises with no water or food left for them.

A petition started by Nicole Knight, says: 'Shut down Didcot Animal Sanctuary for good!'

Outdoor mess at the sanctuary which is moving location after fierce complaints from residents

David and Julia Vaughan were blasted in a 1,700 word Facebook post 18 months ago

'On inspection of the site, one Lady went inside one of the caravans and came out covered in fleas, having to dump her clothes and change.

'This is not a safe environment for any animal, with it looking and smelling like a landfill site. The owners of the Sanctuary have now moved over to Wallingford with their animals to start over, we can't let this happen again! WE NEED TO GET THEM SHUT DOWN!'

Eighteen months ago, owners David and Julia Vaughan were blasted for their treatment of animals in a 1,700 word Facebook post.

They were accused of breeding animals, keeping rabbits on straw 'soiled with urine' and feeding them unsuitable food.

The RSPCA said they are 'unable to discuss specific complaints'.

A spokesperson for the welfare charity said: 'We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare.

'Unfortunately we are unable to discuss complaints about specific people and what action may have been taken. We understand how frustrating that is for animals lovers but releasing information could prejudice a future investigation or could lead to us being fined.

'A lot of the time issues will be dealt with by advice and education and it is not always appropriate to publicise this information for legal reasons.'Donald Trump has threatened tariffs on goods from countries who don't make 'fair deals' with America amid a worsening trade war with China.

The President tweeted this morning: 'Tariffs have put the U.S. in a very strong bargaining position, with Billions of Dollars, and Jobs, flowing into our Country - and yet cost increases have thus far been almost unnoticeable. If countries will not make fair deals with us, they will be "Tariffed!" '

He added in another tweet: 'Our Steel Industry is the talk of the World. It has been given new life, and is thriving. Billions of Dollars is being spent on new plants all around the country!'

Donald Trump has threatened to introduce tariffs on goods from countries who don't make 'fair deals' with America amid a worsening trade war with China

It follows reports China is deliberately reducing exports to the US by slowing down customs approvals and stepping up environmental and other inspections.

So far in an ongoing trade war, China has matched new US tariffs on goods.

An official Chinese newspaper called for more aggressive measures to 'make American pain worse' following tariff hikes by both sides on $50billion of each other's goods.

Beijing is considering Washington's invitation last week to revive talks on their fight over Chinese technology policy and plans for state-led development of global champions in robotics and other fields.

American officials say those violate Beijing's market-opening commitments and worry they might erode US industrial leadership.

Speaking Sunday at an economics forum, Lou Jiwei, a former finance minister and chairman of China's sovereign wealth fund, said Beijing should disrupt supply chains of American companies that rely on China's vast manufacturing industries, the website Sina.com reported.

China's 'counterattack strategy needs to restrict exports to the United States as well as (imports of) U.S. goods,' Lou was paraphrased as saying.

'Only knowing the pain of fighting will stop the war and cause (the United States) to negotiate seriously,' said Lou.

There are reports China is reducing exports by slowing down customs approvals and stepping up environmental and other inspections. Pictured: Shanghai

Lou was finance minister through 2016 and serves as chairman of China's 1.9 trillion yuan ($290 billion) National Social Security Fund, which manages assets of government pension plans. He is a former chairman of China's sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corp.

The Chinese government said last week it welcomed Washington's proposal for more talks, though neither side has given any indication it is willing to compromise. Communist leaders see their industry plans as a path to prosperity and global influence.

China wants talks based on 'mutual trust,' said a foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang. He didn't answer directly when asked whether Beijing would back out if U.S. President Donald Trump goes ahead with a proposed tariff hike on $200 billion of Chinese goods.

If an increase goes ahead, 'China will have to take necessary countermeasures,' said Geng at a regular daily briefing.

Chinese authorities have yet to confirm what steps aside from retaliatory tariffs they might take. But they have threatened 'comprehensive measures' as Beijing runs out of imports for penalties due to its lopsided trade balance with the United States.

China wants talks based on 'mutual trust,' said a foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang. Pictured: The Google office in Beijing

Other commentators have suggested Beijing use its holdings of US government debt or target American companies in China.

The Global Times, published by the ruling Communist Party, warned that China sees the technology conflict as a long battle.

'China will choose the most favorable and powerful way to counterattack,' said the newspaper, which is known for its nationalist and confrontational tone. 'We are looking forward to a more beautiful counterattack that will make American pain worse.'

Sina and other outlets did not indicate whether Lou suggested specific products or industries Beijing might target.

Last week, the American Chambers of Commerce in China and in Shanghai reported 52.1 percent of more than 430 companies that responded to a survey said Chinese authorities are subjecting them to 'qualitative measures' including slower customs clearance and increased inspections and bureaucratic procedures.A 21-year-old Melbourne man, who allegedly drove after drinking beer and taking the drugs ice and valium before colliding with an off-duty policeman, was on his way to visit his newborn son, a court has heard.

Jesse Reid has been charged with culpable driving causing the death of Detective Senior Sergeant Victor Kostiuk, 59, who was struck and killed by a car during a charity motorbike ride in honour of fallen police members.

When asked by the magistrate why he should be released on bail Reid, who was not represented, replied 'I'm sorry.'

Scroll down for video

Jesse Reid, 21, (left) has been charged with culpable driving causing the death of Detective Senior Sergeant Victor Kostiuk (right) after allegedly hitting the off-duty policeman who was on a memorial ride honouring fallen police members near Orbost in eastern Victoria

Reid was on his way to visit his newborn son, a court has heard

He was denied bail and is due to appear again on January 23 in Bairnsdale Magistrates Court, with Reid's father agreeing he would be safer behind bars.

His partner gave birth to the couple's first child on the same day as the crash, however, Reid, has not seen his newborn son.

Reid was driving to Melbourne from Merimbula in southern New South Wales when he found out his girlfriend had gone into labour, and allegedly had been driving at up to 180km/h during the trip.

Major Collision Investigation Unit Detective Phil Frith told Latrobe Valley Magistrate Court the 21-year-old had stopped to smoke ice and drink beer before getting his friend to blow on an ignition interlock device to get his car to start.

Mr Kostiuk was travelling west along the Princes Highways, near Orbost in Victoria's east on Friday at around 2.20pm when a car veered onto the opposite side of the road and collided with his bike.

The young man had allegedly been travelling at almost 140km/h when he hit the policeman, and his teenage passenger later told police his speed could have been as high as 180 km/h during the trip - according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

As a result of the collision, Mr Kostiuk died at the scene.

The memorial ride was temporarily stopped before its participants - including Mr Kostiuk's son Felix - resumed with a 'determined mood'.

The memorial ride was temporarily stopped before its participants - including Mr Kostiuk's son Felix - resumed with a 'determined mood'

Mr Kostiuk (pictured) was riding with his son just ahead of the Wall to Wall ride to the National Police Memorial in Canberra to honour fallen police members

Mr Kostiuk was a 'well respected' expert in the field of preventing family violence and had also worked in CIU and homicide.

Victoria Police Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said Mr Kostiuk, who had been an officer for about 40 years, was a fantastic member of the organisation, ABC reported.

Mr Kostiuk had recently been made head of the Somerville Family Violence Unit.

Mr Kostiuk had recently been made head of the Somerville Family Violence Unit before the memorial motorcycle ride (pictured)

'He was really chuffed just the other day to have been recently appointed back to the rank of detective senior sergeant, something he was particularly proud of.'

He said the family were 'clearly shattered'.

Police implored road users to take care after a 'tragic, tragic' 24 hours in country Victoria, with four people dead in separate road incidents.The UAE Space Agency has signed an agreement of funding with Krypto Labs, the Abu Dhabi-based innovation hub and incubator, to facilitate the development and implementation of the GeoTech Innovation Program.



The UAE Space Agency has signed an agreement of funding with Krypto Labs, the Abu Dhabi-based innovation hub and incubator.



As part of the agreement, the UAE Space Agency will facilitate the development and implementation of the GeoTech Innovation Program, which aims to accelerate the growth of three start-ups, enabling them to transform their innovative ideas into commercially viable and scalable market-ready products.



The signing at the UAE Space Agency headquarters and was attended by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falsi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and chairman of the UAE Space Agency.



Dr Mohammed Al Ahbabi, director general of the UAE Space Agency signed the agreement with Dr Saleh Al Hashemi, managing director of Krypto Labs and chief executive officer at Algorythma. Also present for the signing ceremony was a delegation from the UAE Space Agency and a number of executives from Krypto Labs.



Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falsi said: This agreement falls under the Agencys mandate and commitment to support local talents, cultivate their skills and encourage innovation. It is consistent with our strategic objectives to develop the next generation of space sector pioneer, support scientific research and develop local space exploration capabilities.



The Geo Tech Innovation Program includes the selection of high potential innovators and entrepreneurs in three service areas: Urban and Rural Land Management (URM), Disaster and Crisis Management (DCM) and Coastal Border Security (CBS).



An initial online application phase of the program will be published by the end of September 2018 and will be open for six weeks. A judging panel consisting of UAE Space Agency experts, Krypto Labs dedicated professionals and academic specialists will collaborate in the evaluation and selection of received applications. The panel of judges will select up to three winning start-ups who will be awarded the unique opportunity to take part in Krypto Labs unique incubation program.



The Geo Tech Innovation Program will end in a final pitch event, where the winning start-ups will be invited to take the floor and showcase their products. The final event will include a "Made in UAE" exhibition and Capacity Building training workshops, where entrepreneurs who are interested in the program, but not selected among the top three finalists, will engage with business mentors, angel investors, and public and private sector leaders to expand their network, secure funds and adopt first clients.



Dr Al Ahbabi said: Capacity building programs form an important part of our mandate to oversee the continued development of the local space sector, ensuring that it receives sufficient expertise and opportunities for the upcoming generation to capitalize on.



With the space sector poised to contribute to more and more socio-economic development, the Geo Tech Innovation Program will play a significant role in identifying, facilitating and advancing local entrepreneurial efforts in a range of fields related to space. Furthermore, with a focus on youth and our future space pioneers, this initiative will bolster the UAEs position as a competitive international hub for space sector start-ups in a diverse and business-friendly environment.



Dr Saleh Al Hashemi, managing director of Krypto Labs, said: This agreement with the UAE Space Agency is a tribute to our role in embracing entrepreneurs and innovators in various fields, providing them with technology, consulting and smart solutions that help them conduct research and test their ideas and evaluate them according to the highest international standards. We are confident in the ability of this generation to provide creative ideas and solutions to serve the purpose of the Geo Tech Innovation Program.  TradeArabia News ServicePost mortems carried out in the UK on the British couple who died on a Thomas Cook holiday in Egypt have not been able to find out the cause of death, it emerged today.

John and Susan Cooper, from Burnley, Lancashire, died on August 21 while staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Forensic examinations carried out by the authorities in Egypt reported the cause of deaths as being linked to E.coli bacteria, however this was dismissed by the couple's daughter Kelly Ormerod last week.

John and Susan Cooper died in their hotel room while on holiday in Egypt. Authorities in the country put their deaths down to E.coli but post mortems in the UK have been inconclusive

Solicitors acting for the family said on Monday further Home Office post mortems had proven 'inconclusive' but further tests will be carried out.

The statement from Smith Jones solicitors said: 'By way of update, we can confirm that a Home Office post mortem has now been carried out on John and Susan Cooper.

'Unfortunately, notwithstanding the "positive", though contradictory, assertions of the Egyptian authorities, the results of that post mortem were inconclusive, and the pathologist was unable to ascertain the likely cause of death in either case.

'It is understood that further toxicological screening and other relevant tests will now be carried out as a matter of urgency to aid that process.

'An inquest is to be opened on the 18th September and the family are certain that the Coroner will undertake a rigorous investigation of all the circumstances surrounding the deaths to enable answers to be provided.

'Kelly and her family remain committed to establishing the true cause of John and Susan's deaths and holding those responsible to account.

'They look forward to assisting the Coroner in whatever way they can with what they acknowledge will be a difficult and complex task.'

The couple's daughter Kelly says she wants to find out the truth about her parents' deaths

Ms Ormerod, 40, has said she has 'no faith' in the Egyptian authorities, who said their examinations showed Mr Cooper, 69, suffered acute intestinal dysentery caused by E.coli, and Mrs Cooper, a 63-year-old Thomas Cook employee, suffered a complication linked to infection, likely to have been caused by E.coli.

He said the bodies of the couple showed 'no criminal violence' and other tests of air and water at the hotel found nothing unusual.

Thomas Cook's own tests identified a high level of E.coli at the hotel, which would 'explain the raised level of illness reported among guests'.

But the firm said the independent specialists it commissioned to carry out the tests, and Dr Vanya Gant from University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, did not believe the results 'shed any light' on the cause of the Coopers' deaths.

Thomas Cook moved 300 guests out of the hotel 24 hours after the couple died as a precaution.

Inquests into the deaths of the couple are expected to be opened and adjourned at Preston Coroner's Court on Tuesday.A New York bus maintenance worker faces second-degree murder charges for allegedly shooting dead an off-duty corrections officer in a road rage incident.

Gifford Hunter, 30, from Queens works for the city's Metropolitan Transportation Authority and reportedly had two encounters with victim Jonathan Narain, who is believed to be a stranger, before he was shot Friday at 1.45am.

He appeared in court Monday after Narain, 27, was found slumped over the wheel with a gunshot wound to his left temple at the corner of 103rd Avenue and 120th Street in South Richmond Hill, reports NBC New York.

MTA worker Gifford Hunter appeared in court Monday and is believed to have shot Jonathan Narain in the head before speeding off in a motorcycle Friday morning after road rage incident

Narain had worked at the New York prison for two years and was driving to work that morning

Those supporting the Rikers Island correctional officer embraced during the emotional court appearance

The victim's correction officer colleagues appeared out court for Giffords arraignment Monday as Correction Officers Benevolent Association President Elias Husamudeen appeared

He was making his way to work at the Rikers Island prison, where he had worked for two years, when he was killed near his home after stopping for food, reports Pix11.

A surveillance video caught the exchange between Hunter, who rode a motorcycle, and Narain who was gunned down at close range in his car.

'Our victim was in a vehicle, and he was making a U-turn, and that's when the first initial encounter occurred with the motorcyclist,' NYPD Chief of Investigations William Aubry said, reports Spectrum News NY1.

'The second encounter occurred right behind me here, where the motorcyclist pulled up beside the vehicle, and it was short exchange of what we believe was a conversation, very, very short, only seconds, and the shot was fired.'

COBA President Elias Husamudeen spoke publicly outside Queens Courthouse

Co-workers started a Change.org petition to get Narain posthumously promoted before his funeral takes place

On Monday morning the petition already had 3,707 signatures of the 5,000 needed

Hunter was arrested on Sunday after the Correction Officers Benevolent Association (COBA) put out information of a $10,000 for anyone helping them make an arrest and conviction regarding what is being described as a 'senseless murder'.

Hunter was still wearing his MTA hooded top as he did his perp walk.

'This was a cold-hearted and senseless act of violence that will not be tolerated,' Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said.

As well as murder charges, he faces punishment for criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and criminal use of a firearm in the second degree.

He could be sentenced up to 25 years to life behind bars if found guilty.

'We want that our fallen Brother be given the honor; either in Promoting him to Captain as he had already taken the exam,' the Change.org description reads

Officers heard Gifford's attorney say the defendant doesn't own a gun and they have the wrong man, adding that his client doesn't have a criminal record

Officers head back to their vehicle after hearing Gifford is due back in court October 10

But his attorney Ken Finkelman told CBS2 Monday that law enforcement may have the wrong man, noting the defendant doesn't own a firearm and doesn't have a criminal record.

Gifford is due back in court October 10.

The victim's correction officer colleagues appeared in court for Giffords arraignment and have started a Change.org petition to get Narain posthumously promoted before his funeral.

'We want that our fallen Brother be given the honor; either in Promoting him to Captain as he had already taken the exam, or be given the Officer Gold Shield as given to the Elite Officer Units ( i.e, DOI, IG, GI, etc ),' Joseph Travolino, who Narain trained, wrote in the page's description.

On Monday morning the petition already had 3,707 signatures of the 5,000 needed.

Narain was found slumped over the wheel in this car with a gunshot wound to his left temple at 1.45am

Narain's brother Heymant Budhrum, a New York Fire Department worker, joined others at the intersection where he was found unconscious to remember his life on Sunday

Narain, pictured, was fatally wounded in his left temple and his murderer could face up to life in prison

COBA President Elias Husamudeen, said to Pix11: 'The men and women of the COBA are extremely grateful to the NYPD for their relentless efforts in tracking down and arresting the killer of Correction Officer Narain. It's now time for the Queens District Attorney to prosecute this murderer to the fullest extent of the law.'

The victim had plans to meet with his family after his shift that morning.

Narain's brother Heymant Budhrum joined others at the intersection where he was found unconscious to remember his life on Sunday.

'He told me he was going to see me this Friday,' the New York Fire Department worker told CBS2. 'I have no words.

'Jon, I love you bro, I'm always gonna be there for you.'A good Samaritan teen has restored a little faith in humanity by returning a purse he found with $10,000 inside.

California 16-year-old Rhami Zeini told the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office he was driving home from school last week when he noticed a black handbag in the middle of a road.

Zeini retrieved the purse and was looking for identification so he could return it when instead he found $10,000 in cash.

As he stared at more bills than he'd ever seen in his life, the Laguna Blanca High School junior decided to consult his parents before turning the lost item in to the police.

Scroll down for video

Rhami Zeini, 16, was driving home from school in Santa Barbara last week when he spotted a purse in the road that had $10,000 inside. He then graciously turned the lost item in to police

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office posted about Zeini's good deed on Facebook, sharing photos of the massive stack of cash that was later returned to its rightful owner

'To me, I figured this is the right thing to do if I take it and find whoever's purse it was because if the roles were reversed and I had lost something with a significant sum of money inside, I know I would want it back for sure,' Zeini told KCOY.

Deputies returned the purse to its rightful owner - who said she had likely left it on the roof of her car before driving off to go on a hike.

To express her gratitude for Zeini's act of service, the woman rewarded him $100.

The Sheriff's office shared the heartwarming story on its Facebook page, writing: 'In a world where we are bombarded with bad news, we are excited to share a positive story with you.

'Thank you, Rhami, for doing so many things right from observing the purse in the first place, stopping to get it, contacting your parents for help and for turning it in.

Authorities did not indicate why the woman was carrying such a large sum of cash around with her.Advertisement

A 747 airplane that was a main attraction at this year's Burning Man is still in the Nevada desert - two weeks after the festival ended.

The partially reassembled aircraft currently lies abandoned in the Black Rock Desert after being moved about 12 miles from the Burning Man site.

One of the main rules for Burning Man's 80,000 attendees is to 'leave no trace' at the site after the week-long event ends.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Nevada (BLM), who manages Black Rock Desert, said the owners of the 40-foot tall plane need to remove it.

The partially reassembled aircraft currently lies abandoned in Nevada's Black Rock Desert after being moved about 12 miles from the Burning Man site

'It was moved off the event site without BLM authorization. So its legal status is in trespass with unauthorized use,' Rudy Evenson of BLM told the Reno Gazette Journal.

'Bottom line is, we're evaluating options for getting rid of it.'

The BLM said the owners, Big Imagination, will need to apply for a new permit to remove the plane because Burning Man has finished.

All art installations that are part of Burning Man are initially covered with a recreation permit but that expired in the days after the festival ended.

Big Imagination claim they have not abandoned the plane and insist they have a plan to move it to a storage facility nearby.

They issued a statement on their website in a bid to alleviate concerns that their installation could threaten the future of Burning Man given the main principle of leaving no trace.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Nevada (BLM), who manages Black Rock Desert, said the owners of the 40-foot tall plane need to remove it

The plane, pictured above during the Burning Man festival, was used as an open-air nightclub for festivalgoers during the week-long event

'As a collective of 500+ volunteers who have been working on this since 2014 the last thing we would want to do is to leave behind an ecological disaster on the playa or in any way impact Burning Man from getting their permit,' they said.

'We acknowledge that our exodus plan has not gone as expected and we apologize for any undue stress this has caused to the greater burner community, for the Burning Man Org, and especially the BLM with whom we've always sought good relations and whom we are working closely with to resolve this situation as rapidly as possible.

'We are working with the BLM to move the plane into its storage location in a manner that is in compliance with the requisite regulations and also in good stewardship of the land.'

The BLM said there was no road between the playa and the private property where the owners were planning to store the aircraft.

'That's part of the National Conservation Area so you can't build a new road,' Evenson said.

'I think right now everything is on the table as far as removing it. Obviously our preference would be for the vehicle owners to take care of it.'

Pilot Dustin Mosher spotted the abandoned plane while flying his private plane over the area last week.

'Like a mirage, a 747 appeared in the desert,' he wrote alongside a video of the plane.The father of a 26-year-old man who died at Defqon. 1 three years ago has urged the government not to shut down the festival down, but to target drug dealers instead.

Nigel Pauljevic died suddenly after consuming an ecstasy in 2015 while attending the hardcore dance festival with friends.

On Saturday, two more revellers died at the music festival, held in Sydney's west, from suspected drug overdoses - prompting calls from the state government to shut it down.

Despite his own son's passing, Nigel's father, Mita Pauljevic, has pleaded with officials to continue to host the festival.

Scroll down for video

Mita Pauljevic, the father of Nigel (pictured) who died at Defqon.1 in 2015, has urged the government not to shut the festival down but target drug dealers instead

'Don't stop the festival. This is normal for kids to get together. Get rid of the dealers. When these guys commit several murders, it's mass murder. They should get life,' the father of Nigel, told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Joseph Pham, 23, from Sydney, and a 21-year-old Victorian woman, have been identified as the most recent revellers to have died at the music festival. Three more attendees collapsed at the festival on Saturday and remain in hospital.

Following the deaths of Mr Pham and the woman, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would no longer allow the hardstyle festival to be held in Sydney.

Mr Pauljevic said he doesn't want young people to stop enjoying themselves but he wants people outside of festivals to stop people who are selling illicit drugs.

He told the publication: 'They don't give a f*** about your daughters or my sons or anybody. You don't stop the festivals, that's normal for God's sake...

'To lose your son is the worst thing that can happen to a father. Its the last thing on earth I would have expected. When they told me they had to hold me up. I couldn't believe it.'

Mr Pauljevic described his son as kindhearted, as someone who stepped up with a car after another friend dropped out of going to the festival.

Paul Dillon with Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia agreed with Mr Pauljevic's claims that shutting down the festival would not stop the problem.

While Tony Bartone, Australian Medical Association president, said law enforcement could not be the only approach.

He also discussed the introduction of pill-testing at festivals, which was trialled at Canberra festival Groovin' The Moo.

His comment came out after two people, including 23-year-old Joseph Pham (pictured) and a 21-year-old woman, died of a suspected drug overdose at the festival in Penrith on Saturday

The all-ages event had a tent set up by Safety Testing Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE).

A total of 85 pills were tested at the event, and the results left many revellers shocked.

The information was collected by STA-SAFE to help inform future drug policies and police didn't monitor the tent.

At this years Defqon. 1 festival 69 people were allegedly found to be in possession of drugs, and ten were charged with drug supply offences.

Two teenage girls, 17, were charged with supplying after they were allegedly caught carrying 120 capsules internally.Actor Sean Penn has criticized the #MeToo movement, asserting that it has divided men and women and that 'it's too black and white'.

The two-time Oscar winner revealed his feelings toward the movement during an interview at his home - airing on TODAY Monday - with actress Natascha McElhone, his co-star in the new Hulu series 'The First'.

The show, which marks Penn's debut on the small screen, is based in the year 2030 and features a heavily-female cast on a mission to Mars.

Interviewer Natalie Morales brought up the topic of the #MeToo movement by asking McElhone if she felt the use of so many strong female leads - including the actress's own role as 'an unapologetic visionary who oversees the mission' - was inspired by the crusade.

'Yeah, and for me in life, that's not unusual. I don't see that as aberrant,' McElhone said of the use of strong female characters.

'[However] I get that in TV and in a lot of our media, women haven't been depicted in that way, and I find that deeply disturbing.'

Penn disagreed with that assessment, saying: 'I'd like to think that none of it was influenced by what they call the movement of #MeToo.'

Actor Sean Penn criticized the #MeToo movement as being 'too black and white' during an interview alongside actress Natascha McElhone, his co-star in the new Hulu series 'The First'

In the interview with NBC's TODAY airing Monday, Penn claimed the new show's heavy focus on strong female characters had nothing to do with the #MeToo movement over the last year

'The First' is based in the year 2030 and features a heavily-female cast on a mission to Mars. Penn and McElhone are pictured right at an event promoting the new series last week

Penn went on: 'I think it's influenced by the things that are developing in terms of the empowerment of women who've been acknowledging each other and being acknowledged by men.

'This is a movement that was largely shouldered by a kind of receptacle of the salacious.'

Morales quickly prompted the 58-year-old to explain what he meant by 'receptacle of the salacious'.

'Well, we don't know what's a fact in many of the cases,' Penn replied. 'Salacious is as soon as you call something a movement that is really a series of many individual accusers, victims, accusations, some of which are unfounded.

'The spirit of much of what has been the #MeToo movement is to divide men and women.'

Penn elaborated on his criticism of the movement by saying: 'I don't want it to be a trend, and I'm very suspicious of a movement that gets glommed on to in great stridency and rage'

Morales challenged: 'Women would say it's uniting women.'

Penn, who is known for his tendency to avoid media interviews, continued: 'I'm gonna say that women that I talk to, not in front of a camera, that I listen to, of all walks of life, that there's a common sense that is not represented at all in the discussion when it comes to the media discussion of it, the discussion where if Sean Penn says this, so and so's going to attack him for saying this, because of that.

'I don't want it to be a trend, and I'm very suspicious of a movement that gets glommed on to in great stridency and rage and without nuance. And even when people try to discuss it in a nuanced way, the nuance itself is attacked.'

He added: 'I think it's too black and white.

'In most things that are very important, it's really good to just slow down.'

McElhone then tried to provide some context to Penn's commentary, mentioning that the #MeToo movement has been talked about 'a great deal' on the set of 'The First'.

'I think what Sean was maybe alluding to is this sort of bubble of actors or people who are in magazines that have gotten a lot of attention from this,' she said.

'Of course it's terrific that they've put a spotlight on it. But now, it's we need to go to the places where this is happening behind closed doors, and it's not exposed and those voices aren't being heard.'Advertisement

Seven police officers were injured in Ukraine on Monday in clashes with ultranationalists, amid protests over the extradition of a soldier accused by Russia of fighting for ISIS.

Dozens of protesters, mainly from far-right groups in Ukraine, turned out to accuse their government of co-operating with the Kremlin by allowing Timur Tumgoyev - who fought against Russian forces - to be sent to Moscow.

Demonstrators blocked the entrance to the building of the prosecutor general's office with a rubbish bin and set it on fire, and demanded the dismissal of his deputy, who signed permission to extradite Tumgoyev.

They tried to storm the building using stones and pepper spray to get inside but were pushed back by Ukrainian riot police. Police said seven officers were injured.

Riot police clash with protesters from Ukrainian nationalist groups during the demonstration in Kiev on Monday

A rubbish bin catches fire after protesters used it to try to storm inside the building of the prosecutor general's office

Activists of Ukrainian far-right groups clash with riot police in front of the prosecutor general's office on Monday

Tumgoyev, an ethnic Ingush from the Russian Caucasus region, has fought on the side of the Ukrainian government against Russia-backed rebels in the east of the country since November 2017, his fellow soldiers say.

Russia believes he is a militant of the IS jihadist group. Kiev and its Western allies accuse Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border, but Moscow denies the claims.

He had twice asked for refugee status in Ukraine but his requests were turned down. Ukrainian authorities have no offical confirmation of his activities.

More than 10,000 people have been killed since the rebel insurgency broke out in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions in April 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

The protests came as Russia renewed its claim that the missile which downed a Malaysia Airlines flight in 2014 was fired by Kiev's forces.

The Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed outside the rebel stronghold of Donetsk on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 on board, most of them Dutch nationals.

The European Union imposed damaging economic sanctions on Russia afterwards, blaming Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine who shot down a number of other planes.

Russia has denied any responsibility for the shooting-down of the plane and has presented a number of theories pointing the finger at Kiev.

The demonstrators clash with riot police during a demonstration against the extradition of a soldier to Russia

Riot police watch on as demonstrators set a rubbish bin on fire during the protests in the Ukrainian capital on Monday

Three of the protesters come up close with riot police during Monday's demonstration against the soldier's extradition

Riot police wearing helmets move in a line as they attempt to keep order during Monday's protests in UkraineTheresa May today appeared to dismiss the prospect of giving preferential access for EU citizens to the UK.

The PM is preparing to unveil a new immigration system for after Brexit - potentially in her Tory conference speech next month.

There has been speculation over whether free movement-style arrangements will stay in place in order to ease negotiations with Brussels.

However, Mrs May gave her biggest signal yet that she backs a global system - a view also shared by Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

Pushed in her BBC Panorama interview on whether she ruled out giving a special immigration arrangement for EU citizens, Mrs May replied: 'What we will be doing is putting forward a set of rules for people from the European Union and people from outside the European Union.'

Tough new rules could help the PM win over party activists who are deeply unhappy with the PM's Chequers plan for Brexit.

But the scale of the challenge she faces was underlined today when Boris Johnson launched another furious attack.

He warned that Mrs May's blueprint would make the decision to leave the EU a 'write off' and put Britain under 'foreign rule' for the first time since 1066.

In a potential chink of light, the EU is preparing to make concessions on the Irish border, suggesting that technology could be used to minimise checks.

In a Panorama interview aired today, Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street tonight) gave her biggest signal yet that she backs a global system for immigration after Brexit

The proposals are expected to involve ending preferential treatment for EU nationals - an idea backed by Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured left in Downing Street last week). But they could be resisted by Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured right at the Treasury today)

Boris Johnson, pictured leaving his Oxfordshire home today, has renewed his assault on the Chequers plan

The post-Brexit immigration blueprint is likely to be discussed at a Cabinet meeting next week.

However, some Whitehall figures predict that a standoff between ministers could prevent it being announced, with Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark set to resist tight restrictions.

Ministers have been encouraged by signs that EU counterparts are starting to accept that curbs to free movement could be needed.

One Cabinet minister told MailOnline they had recently detected a 'softening' of the position from politicians on the continent, who were concerned about gains by the far-right in elections in Germany and Sweden.

They suggested that the shift could help the UK when it came to bartering with the EU about future immigration arrangements.

Mrs May has previously dismissed the idea of an Australian-style point-based immigration system, which was pushed by many Leave campaigners during the EU referendum.

She has also vowed to stick to her target of slashing net migration below 100,000 a year.

What is in Theresa May's Brexit blueprint? These are some of the key features of the Chequers plan being pushed by the UK government: A new free trade area in goods, based on a 'common rulebook' of EU regulations necessary. This will require the UK to commit by treaty to match EU rules

'Mobility' rules which will end automatic freedom of movement, but still allow UK and EU citizens to travel without visas for tourism and temporary work. It will also enable businesses to move staff between countries.

Continued UK participation in and funding of European agencies covering areas like chemicals, aviation safety and medicines

A 'facilitated customs arrangement', removing the need for customs checks at UK-EU ports. It would allow differing UK and EU tariffs on goods from elsewhere in the world to be paid at the border, removing the need for rebates in the vast majority of cases. This is designed to avoid the need for a hard Irish border. But in theory it still allows Britain to sign trade deals.

Keeping services - such as banking or legal support - outside of the common rule book, meaning the UK is completely free to set its own regulations. It accepts it will mean less trade in services between the UK and EU.

Continued co-operation on energy and transport, a 'common rulebook' on state aid and commitments to maintain high standards of environmental and workplace protections.

A security deal allowing continued UK participation in Europol and Eurojust, 'co-ordination' of UK and EU policies on foreign affairs, defence and development.

Continued use of the EHIC health insurance card. Advertisement

Currently numbers are running at around 270,000 annually, with inflows from outside the EU significantly outstripping those from within the bloc, despite the government having more scope to impose controls.

Laying down the gauntlet to both Brexiteer and Remainer MPs who have been criticising her approach, Mrs May said if they voted down her deal they would not get a better one.

'When we come to it, I think parliament will vote for a deal because people will see the importance of a deal that maintains a good trading relationship with the EU... but gives us the freedom to take the benefits and opportunities of Brexit,' she said.

'We've been through this negotiation, we get to the point where we've agreed a deal that if parliaments was to say no go back and get a better one, do you really think the European Union is going to give a better deal at that point?'

Under the new plan from Brussels, goods could be tracked using barcodes on shipping containers under 'trusted-trader' schemes - effectively removing the need for new border infrastructure.

The proposals are expected to be circulated in early October after Conservative Party conference.

Up to now the EU has insisted that Northern Ireland must stay within its jurisdiction for many customs and single market rules in order to avoid a hard border.

But Mrs May has insisted no UK Prime Minister could ever accept a border in the Irish Sea that could put the union at risk, and her DUP allies in government are vehemently opposed.

Instead, she has suggested a 'facilitated' customs arrangement that would see the whole UK accept EU rules for goods and collect some taxes on behalf of the bloc.

The new EU draft could unlock the negotiations as it makes clear that most checks would not take place at any particular border.

Sabine Weyand, Mr Barnier's deputy, told the ambassadors: 'For the main part, these controls would not have to happen at a border.

'It is to be expected that the reach of the backstop would decrease anyway in case of an agreement about the future relationship.'

Brussels is drafting the plan to prevent Scottish nationalists from demanding the same arrangements - a major concern of the UK.

However, the solution is still specific to Northern Ireland, rather than covering the whole UK as the government wants.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured last week) is said to be drafting a new 'protocol' text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks at the Irish border

Despite the evidence of a thaw in talks, Mr Johnson warned that Britain is heading full throttle for a 'write-off' Brexit if it continues with Mrs May's 'disastrous' plan.

The backstop deadlock is being used to force the UK into becoming a vassal state and the talks are on course to end in a 'spectacular political car crash', according to the former foreign secretary.

Mr Johnson said the European Union's fallback position for the Irish border would mean Northern Ireland was 'annexed' by Brussels.

How would the new EU plan for the Irish border work after Brexit? Under the new plan from Brussels, goods could be tracked using barcodes on shipping containers under 'trusted-trader' schemes - effectively removing the need for new border infrastructure. The proposals are expected to be circulated in early October after Conservative Party conference. Up to now the EU has insisted that Northern Ireland must stay within its jurisdiction for many customs and single market rules in order to avoid a hard border. But Mrs May has insisted no UK Prime Minister could ever accept a hard border in the Irish Sea that could put the union at risk, and her DUP allies in government are vehemently opposed. Instead, she has suggested a 'facilitated' customs arrangement that would see the whole UK accept EU rules for goods and collect some taxes on behalf of the bloc. The new EU draft could unlock the negotiations as it makes clear that most checks would not take place at any particular border. Sabine Weyand, Mr Barnier's deputy, told ambassadors: 'For the main part, these controls would not have to happen at a border. 'It is to be expected that the reach of the backstop would decrease anyway in case of an agreement about the future relationship.' Brussels is drafting the plan to prevent Scottish nationalists from demanding the same arrangements - a major concern of the UK. However, the solution is still specific to Northern Ireland, rather than covering the whole UK as the government wants. Advertisement

Alternative plans set out by Mrs May would 'effectively' keep Britain in the bloc, he added.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove described the PM's divisive Chequers plan as the 'right one for now' and suggested it could be altered by a future leader.

But Mr Johnson said the exit proposals were taking the country in the wrong direction.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said: 'If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash.'

'If we are to get out of this mess, and get the great British motor back on track, then we need to understand the Irish backstop, and how it is being used to coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of Brussels,' he added.

The EU's backstop would leave a border down the Irish sea while the UK's proposal left it 'volunteering' to 'remain effectively in the customs union and large parts of the single market until Brussels says otherwise', Mr Johnson said.

'Both versions of the backstop are disastrous,' he wrote. 'One threatens the union; the other version - and its close cousin, Chequers - keep us effectively in the EU, as humiliated rules takers.

'We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

'We are straining at the gnat of the Irish border problem - in fact we haven't even tried to chew the gnat - and we are swallowing the camel of EU membership in all but name.'

Mr Johnson said that if Chequers was adopted 'it would mean that for the first time since 1066 our leaders were deliberately acquiescing in foreign rule'.

But the PM's spokesman gave the criticism short shrift - suggesting Mr Johnson was engaged in political manoeuvring.

'I think it is worth pointing out that Boris Johnson was a member of the Cabinet which agreed to the December joint report, including the backstop,' the spokesman said.

'At the time he congratulated the prime minister for her determination in securing the deal.'

Cabinet ministers hope that a shift in the mood from EU politicians on free movement rules could help the UK in negotiations. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is pictured left with Michel Barnier in Brussels last monthMalcolm Turnbulls Liberal Party candidate Dave Sharma has been slammed for saying that teachers do not work hard enough and or work a full day, forgetting that they do extra work outside of their time in school.

The former ambassador to Israel was preselected to contest the Wentworth by-election in Turnbulls former seat, despite calls from new Prime Minister Scott Morrison for a woman to be chosen, with Katherine ORegan being his pick.

Liberal Party candidate Dave Sharma has been slammed for saying teachers do not work hard

Taking to Twitter after both ORegan and councillor Mary Lou-Jarvis were eliminated from the voting rounds, Morrison congratulated Sharma, describing him as a quality guy with extensive experience and capability.

He added: Of course I wanted to see more Liberal women in parliament. But I always want to see the best candidate selected. Thats what members rightly decided last night. But who is Dave Sharma?

Who is Dave Sharma?

Born Devanand Sharma in Vancouver, Canada in 1975, more commonly known as Dave, his family moved to Parramatta in Sydney a few years later, he revealed in an interview with The Indian Herald back in 2013, when he was appointed as Australias youngest Ambassador of Indian heritage at age 37.

Sharma said that his grandfather was a Brahmin priest from the Uttar Pradesh region of India who moved to Trinidad in 1908. My father was the youngest of 9 children. My father was born in 1928 in Trinidad and currently lives in Sydney. He however spends time between Trinidad, Australia and Canada.

Dave continued to explain that his father did a Law Degree and he married my mother Diana who was from Sydney in 1964. They met each other in Kings College in University of London, where both of them were studying.

He also said that while a lot of his fathers family went into law, Dave was the first to embark on a career in foreign service. Studying at Turramurra High School, he achieved the highest HSC Tertiary rank of 100 in the entire state of NSW, also being the highest ranked student in NSW Public Schools that year.

After studying law at the University of Cambridge, Dave went back to school to study medicine at the University of Sydney before topping it up with a Masters in International Relations from Deakin University.

Before becoming Australias Ambassador to Israel, Dave served in the Australian diplomatic offices as Counsellor at the Australian Embassy, Third Secretary at the Australian High Commission and as Senior Civilian Adviser with the Peace Monitoring Group.

Dave was also an Adviser to Foreign Minister Alexander Downer from 2004 to 2006 and was a Senior Career Officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), as well Assistant Secretary in the Africa Branch and Acting First Assistant Secretary in the International Division in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Liberal Party candidate for Wentworth Dave Sharma

Following his appointment by Foreign Minister Bob Carr, Dave said that becoming the Ambassador of Israel was a high profile posting as Israel is such an important part of the world for us. We also have a big Jewish community in Australia and have taken a close interest in this relationship.

Indian community is a very successful migrant community in Australia and instead of concentrating on a few professions they should adopt alternate professions as well like Public Policy and join Government at the Federal level and expand their presence in non-traditional areas.

Australia is a very open society and there are positions available for all Australians. There is meritocracy and hard work in Australia is recognised. He moved to Israel with his wife Rachel and their three daughters in 2013.

Dave Sharma Liberal Candidate

Malcolm Turnbulls choice for his Liberal candidate won over the new Prime Minister Scott Morrisons pick, despite calls for a woman to take up the vacant seat in Wentworth. Last week, Dave Sharman beat seven other candidates in the running for the blue ribbon electorate.

Sharma will now face a by-election battle on October 20, but early polls indicate that there will be a big swing against the Liberals, who have never lost Wentworth, which includes Australia's most expensive suburbs of Point Piper and Vaucluse.

This came after Morrison had already had an embarrassing episode earlier on in the day, having posted a video of Question Time edited together with Fatman Scoops song Be Faithful, with the caption: QT was on fire today. Good work, team.

Of course, the tweet was savaged online for the song's inappropriate lyrics ('who f***ing tonight?'), the allusion to Liberal party member's wealth (if you've got a hundred dollar bill put your hands up) and the possible illegality of using parliamentary footage as promotional content.

Morrison removed the post hours later and apologised for using a song thats lyrical content was 'not okay'. In addition to this, Turnbull had been accused of attempting to tear the party that had sacked him apart.

Morrison's preferred candidate Katherine O'Regan, a former deputy mayor of Woollahra, received just 19 votes out of 201 in the first round and came fifth out of eight candidates, despite being the frontrunner.

The other women in the preselection race: Mary-Lou Jarvis, another Woollahra councillor and rheumatologist Maxine Szramka also fared poorly against the male contenders.

Mary-Lou Jarvis (R) is seen at the Liberal Party pre-selection meeting for the seat of Wentworth

To make matters worse, Mr Morrison misspelled his name as David on Twitter, despite his name being Devanand. 'Big congratulations to David Sharma, our new Liberal candidate for Wentworth,' he tweeted before deleting the social media message.

However, Dave Sharma also received backlash after an opinion he penned for The Age in June emerged, resulting in many social media users slamming the candidate for his views.

In the piece, Sharma wrote: 'Most school assets - the buildings and infrastructure - are used only during school hours, or roughly 15 per cent of the time. School employees and teachers are similarly underemployed, working hours closer to three-quarters of a regular full-time job.

'We expect government services to adapt to the tempos and demands of modern life, yet the school system remains stubbornly resistant to even the contemplation of change.

'And in an economy which demands increasingly high levels of skill and education, if we are to maintain our standards of living and way of life, perhaps some of the answer lies simply in more hours of education and learning.'A Greens MP is currently being bullied online after he showed support for the governments controversial 'lock outs'.

Justin Field's Facebook page has been flooded with cruel abuse, memes and even death threats since the New South Wales MP backed the proposal.

'You're a f***ing germ piece of s***we will destroy you at the next election you f***ing germdie you bastard,' one user said on Facebook.

'Prepare to get your legs broken Justin,' wrote another.

State Greens MP Justin Field has been subject to online abuse around his support of the controversial fishing ban

This is just one of the cruel jibes sent to Mr Field on his Facebook page

Mr Field, a Greens MP in the NSW upper house, has also been called a 'grub' and a 'maggot', with one user going as far as saying they hoped he was 'taken out of the equation'.

Mr Field's wife has also been targeted, with users demanding she make him respond to their vile comments.

The backlash began after Mr Field's vocally supported the governments plan to ban recreational fishing in 25 cities along the coast in a bid to help fish stocks recover.

Mr Field responded to the online hate in interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, acknowledging that although he expected debate and a 'certain rough and tumble in politics', people have gone too far.

He claimed that the raised platform of key figures in talk-back radio and print media have deliberately misinformed the public about the proposal.

'I think some politicians, fishing personalities and the media have been spreading deliberate misinformation to drum up fear and anger over the proposal and that has played a role in the level of hate being expressed about the plan,' Mr Field wrote.

Mr Field (pictured), a vocal marine life campaigner, supported the government's plan to ban recreational fishing in 25 cities along the coast

Since the onslaught of comments, the NSW government has back flipped on the plan, just weeks after announcing the proposal.

Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said on Monday they will be not going ahead with the fishing bans, calling the original proposal 'absolutely unacceptable'.

'The Government has now rewarded this appalling behaviour by effectively walking away from a Sydney Marine Park proposal,' Mr Field said on Facebook following the announcement.Zain Group, a leading telecom provider across the Middle East and Africa, is offering full financial and strategic support to three startup initiatives, generated through the companys innovative internal ideas generating e-platform, Zainiac.



Zainiac was originated and introduced in late 2017 by Zain vice-chairman and group CEO, Bader Al-Kharafi, to act as an internal e-platform and community for all Zain Group personnel (Zainers) where ideas are shared, and solutions are created aimed at stimulating creativity within the company. The platform allows Zainers across the group on a bi-annual basis to suggest innovative ideas, share challenges, and collaborate in a bid to achieve common goals.



To date, more than 300 initiatives and project ideas have been submitted with the main aim of the initiative being to promote internal innovation and motivate Zainers to start new businesses, and hopefully become the next unicorns in our region.



The Zainiac platform is an acknowledgement of the huge talent pool assembled within Zain Group, and aims to promote synergies among country operations, leveraging the benefits of crowd-sourcing of new ideas and business models. As part of the initiative, Zain organises workshops with leading global partners and mentors which focus on establishing and fostering startup competencies.



In the first cycle of entrepreneurial ideas submitted to Zainiac, four were short-listed for further development and submitted to Zain Group senior executives to mentor and develop their value proposition and business models. These ideas were then pitched to the vice chairman and group CEO, and three were green-lit to receive the full support and funding from Zain.



Commenting on the selection of the three ideas for commercialisation, Al Kharafi said: This generation of successful innovative ideas will become one of the greatest differentiators between societies that progress into the future. We are very clear in our view that for Zain to remain innovative and competitive, we need to generate ideas from wherever we can find them and seeking them out internally is one of many prudent options we undertake.



Furthermore, Al Kharafi added: We are pleased to have reached this milestone stage in the Zainiac initiative, which gives us a clear indication of the impressive talent and creativity that exists within Zain across our footprint. I would like to thank everyone at Zain for their input into and support of the e-platform as well as for the contribution of ideas, and wholeheartedly congratulate the originators of the three initiatives we are taking forward.



The first innovative initiative to be picked up for further development comes from Ali Zreik from Zains managed operation in Lebanon, touch, and is called Farhetna. It is a concept startup set to help newlyweds and their wedding guests in the collection and payment of money and gifts towards the wedding by utilising the telcos online and offline channels. Through touchs self-care application and offline branches, Farhetna will feature capabilities such as the management of wedding-related activities; browsing of different merchant categories (flowers, venues, catering, photography, etc.); as well as the ability to submit gifts and payments online or through physical locations across Lebanon.



The second initiative to be escalated under Zainiac was devised by Abdullah Dashti in Bahrain and is called FindurSeat. It is a bilingual, web-based educational platform aimed at students in the Middle East to help them search and apply for different academic institutions in an efficient manner. FindurSeat also serves as a hub for finding scholarships within the GCC and will act as the focal point for students to engage with tutors for extra curriculum courses.



The third, Abdullah Abu-Karaki and Talal Al Turk from Jordan submitted the idea - ZGiving - an internal initiative aimed at Zainers and accessible via the companys human resources application, to enable donations towards needy colleagues. Zainers requiring financial support can register on the app and colleagues are able to offer donations in response to the requests for assistance. The plan is for the ZGiving platform being introduced in phases across all operating companies, starting in Jordan. - TradeArabia News ServiceA woman in China has reportedly given her grandson a 'little iron ball' she had found to play for three years - without realising it was actually a live hand grenade.

Police immediately sealed off the residential complex in Suzhou where the family lived, before calling a bomb disposal team, according to a Chinese TV station.

The grandmother told reporters she dug the object out of the ground while planting a tree a few years ago. She said she decided to give it to her grandson as a toy.

Scroll down for video

Police in China's Suzhou city have discovered that a woman unknowingly gave a live grenade (pictured) to her grandson to play as a toy after having found the object by chance

Police came across the grenade by accident on September 9 after dealing with a case in the area, according to Jiangsu News Broadcast.

It is said that the grandmother, known by her surname Zhang, stopped the officers in the residential complex, asking them to identify an item at her home.

Officers were shocked when they saw that the 'iron lump' her grandson had been playing was actually a hand grenade, the report said.

After police officers removed the grenade from Zhang's home, a security guard at the residential complex was seen trying to move the dangerous object and police stopped him instantly, according to Jiangsu TV.

The grandmother (circled) told police she didn't realised the object was so dangerous

Bomb disposal experts were called to the scene to deal with the grenade, which could explode. They put it into an 'anti-explosion container' before sending it to be handled

Shi Shengli, a police officer from the local Songling Police Station, said that the grenade's fuse had gone, but the device could still explode.

After being told of the danger, the grandmother was reportedly shocked.

A clip from Jiangsu News shows her saying to the police: 'The child in my home has been playing with it. How can this be something that can't be played with?'

Bomb disposal experts were called to the scene.

Donning special suits, the experts put the grenade into an 'anti-explosion container' before having it sent to a scrap yard specialised in handling old bombs and bullets to be dealt with, reported Jiangsu TV.Brett Kavanaugh's accuser Christine Blasey Ford is being represented by a top #MeToo lawyer whose presence in the Capitol last week was an early indicator of the political storm that was coming.

Debra Katz is a founding partner of Katz, Marshall & Banks, where she has specialized in whistleblower and sexual harassment cases.

On Monday morning, she was speaking for her client in yet another explosive case, where her client accuses the man nominated to be a Supreme Court Justice of forcing himself upon her, trying to rip her clothes off, and covering her mouth during a party when he was 17 years old.

Attorney Debra Katz, who represents Christine Blasey Ford, says her client believes the alleged attack by Brett Kavanaugh was 'attempted rape'

'She believes that if were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped,' Katz told NBC's 'Today' show Monday a day after Ford went public with her accusations in an interview with the Washington Post.

Katz started her own firm in Washington, D.C. in 1987, just a few years after her client now alleges Kavanaugh attacked her while intoxicated at a party in neighboring Montgomery County, Maryland.

Katz has represented women whose accusations have helped topple powerful men during the tumultuous 'MeToo' movement.

She has represented clients who accused former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman of physical abuse, as well as accusers of former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

According to a recent profile in Washingtonian magazine, which has labeled her one of the top lawyers in her field in the nation's capital, Katz also represented a restaurant manager in celebrity chef Mike Isabella's restaurant empire who claimed she suffered 'extraordinary sex-based hostility and abuse' and reached a settlement.

The White House issued a fresh denial from Brett Kavanaugh on the allegation

Christine Ford's lawyer said she is willing to testify before the Senae

In the case of Schneiderman, Katz represented Manning Barash, one of four women accusers whose claims led to the AG's resignation in May.

Of sexual harassment, she told the magazine: 'It hurts people in such a deep way. It causes them to question their value, it erodes their self-esteem, and it's one of the ultimate indignities that people experience in the workplace.'

Last week, when Ford was still anonymous but the Intercept had reported on the substance of her allegations, Katz was spotted leaving the Capitol around when Judiciary Committee Democrats were huddling.

'There's nothing to say,' she said, she told BuzzFeed.

On Monday, Katz said her client is willing to testify before the Senate on her allegation that Kavanaugh tried to rape her in high school.

Attorney General of New York Eric Schneiderman after women came forward to accuse him of abuse

Katz represented a client who managed a restaurant for a celebrity chef Mike Isabella and claimed 'sex-based hostility.' The suit resulted in a settlement

Christine Blasey (now Ford) and Brett Kavanaugh in their respective high school year books

'She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth, yes,' Katz told NBC's 'Today Show' on Monday morning.

Asked by host Savannah Guthrie whether Ford considered it an attempted rape, she said she did.

'She does. She clearly considers this an attempted rape. She believes if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped.'

But she said her client was taking no decision on political matters, when asked if Kavanaugh should withdraw.

'She's not taking a position on that. She believes that these allegations bear on his character and his fitness. And the denials, of course, also bear on his character and fitness,' She said.

Katz, who made the rounds of the morning news shows to talk about the bombshell allegations, told 'CBS This Morning' Ford is 'willing to do what she needs to do.'

'My client will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the Senate Judiciary Committee has the full story and the full set of allegations to allow them to make a fully informed decision,' she said. 'She's willing to do what she needs to do.'

But Katz said neither Ford nor Katz have heard from any lawmakers.

'We have heard from nobody,' Katz told CNN's 'New Day.'

The White House on Monday issued a fresh denial on the allegations against Kavanaugh.

Katz was quoted in USA Today referencing an increase in women coming forward last year following the Harvey Weinstein saga.

'There's not a lawyer doing the kind of work we do whose phone is not ringing off the hook,' said Katz. 'Women have gotten to a place where it's much safer to stand up to it and employers are more concerned about damage to brand,' she added.A 'corpse' spotted floating in an Austrian river turned out to be an inflatable sex doll (pictured)

A 'corpse' spotted floating in an Austrian river turned out to be an inflatable sex doll.

Concerned passers-by called police when they saw a 'suspicious' object under a bridge in the city of Steyr, northern Austria.

Firefighters were then called in to investigate amid fears a body had been discovered.

Eight firefighters arrived with a rescue vehicle and a barge to recover the suspected corpse.

But on closer inspection the 'body' turned out to be a partially inflated blow-up doll.

Officials soon gave the all clear and the doll was removed from the water to prevent further false alarm calls.

But crews could not resist posing for photos with the item, with the images then widely shared online in the country.

It is not the first time such a discovery has been made.

In neighbouring Germany two years ago, police in Lubeck were called to what seemed a grisly murder on the street.

When they arrived, they found what was feared to be a body wrapped in a blanket with a foot sticking out of the end.

But on closer inspection, they found that the 'corpse' was in fact a sex doll with no head.The best friend of a 26-year-old man who was tragically killed in a shark attack over the weekend has described his desperate attempt to save his life as the victim's grieving aunt reveals she asked him not to go in the water.

Isaac Rocha was with Arthur Medici when the attack happened around 12.30pm on Saturday.

'He was screaming and then I saw, like, a shark tail,' Rocha told CBS.

'And I swam to him as fast as I could in that moment. I dragged him back to the shore and I got a boogie board strap and I kind of tied it around his thigh to try to stop the bleeding.'

Through tears, Marisa Medici, said her nephew, Arthur, loved the water and wanted to be there every day.

Scroll down for video

Best friends: Isaac Rocha (left), the friend of Arthur Medici (right), 26, who was tragically killed in a shark attack on Saturday in Cape Code, has described his desperate attempt to save Arthur's life

Rocha (left) was with Arthur (right) when the attack happened around 12:30pm on Saturday. 'He was screaming and then I saw, like, a shark tail,' Rocha said. 'And I swam to him as fast as I could in that moment'

'Always I asked him, "Don't go. Please, don't go." He'd say, "Aunt, they're not going to bite me. The sharks don't bite me. I'm Superman!" Marisa told the Boston Herald.

'He was always making jokes about himself. And when it happened, I couldn't believe it was him, that it happened to us. There's no words. No words,' she said.

Marisa, 55, said the shark attacked her nephews legs from behind while he and Rocha were about 30 feet from Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet.

His femoral arteries were severed, causing him to bleed to death.

According to Marisa, Rocha and Arthur left on Friday night to head to Cape Cod and headed for the beach Saturday morning.

Marisa told the Herald that 'Isaac was a few meters away from him' when he saw Arthur get knocked off his board and then attacked by the shark.

'He saw something was wrong. And when (Arthur) came up out of the water, he went to him to rescue him and take him to the sand,' she said.

Rocha managed to drag his best friend to shore where Arthur was given CPR under paramedics arrived.

He was then rushed to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis where he died, State Police spokesman David Procopio said in a statement.

Marisa Medici (left), said her nephew, Arthur, loved the water and wanted to be there every day. 'Always I asked him, "Don't go. Please, don't go." He'd say, "Aunt, they're not going to bite me. The sharks don't bite me. I'm Superman!" Marisa said

Arthur was engaged to marry his medical student fiancee (pictured). Her brother, Rocha, was with Arthur when he was attacked

The Cape Cod National Park Service reported that at 12.30pm, Arthur was knocked off his board then attacked by the shark

Arthur was born in Brazil and came to the United States two years ago to attend college at Bunker Hill in Charlestown to be an engineer.

A GoFundMe page set up by his grieving family, and friends stated that the late Medici was 'happily engaged to a smart, kind-hearted medical student with a bright future'.

Loved ones described him as a devout Christian who was humble, kind and always willing to help others.

'He loved life, he was an active member of a Christian church, devoting his life to the Lord. He participated in the praise group of the church in Revere and was very involved in all of the church activities,' the GoFundMe page reads.

'He loved hiking, biking, surfing and various other sports. There was never a bad time for him. He was always joyful and willing to help others, even going as far as feeding the homeless.

'Our lives are are never going to be the same without him. His laughter filled our home and he will be greatly missed by us all.'

The GoFundMe has raised more than $26,000 of its $25,000 goal as of Monday morning.

Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet was closed following the attack. Arthur was rushed to the hospital where he died

Local fisherman and surfer Joe Booth said he was on the shore and witnessed the shark's strike. He said the victim aggressively kicked something behind him then he saw a flicker of a tail in the water

An aerial shot at the beach shows the police rescue after Arthur was fatally attacked

Following the vicious attack, the beach was closed.

Local fisherman and surfer Joe Booth said he was on the shore and witnessed the shark's strike.

He said the victim aggressively kicked something behind him then he saw a flicker of a tail in the water.

'I was that guy on the beach screaming 'Shark, shark!' It was like right out of that movie Jaws. This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here,' Booth told WBUR.

A California surfer on the beach also said he saw Arthur unconscious and heavily bleeding from his right leg.

'I saw that he was bleeding and reached around the back of his leg, and there was nothing there. And there were bone-deep lacerations down by his calf,' he said.

Surfer Andrew Jacobs shared video of dozens of Good Samaritans carrying the victim's body away from the water.

'Pretty sad day at the beach today. Amazing effort by everyone who jumped into action to help this young man out. Prayers to him and his family,' Jacobs captioned his video.

Former lifeguard and witness Hayley Williamson said on Saturday that she was shocked to hear of the attack.

'We've been surfing all morning right here and they were just further down. Right spot, wrong time, I guess,' she told WHDH.

'Today is just keeping everyone out of water. There'll be a determination later about what the town wants to do with the beaches going forward,' Wellfleet Police Lieutenant Michael Hurley said.

The Saturday incident is the state's first shark attack fatality since 1936. This is the second shark attack to take place in Cape Cod this summer.

Police responded to the scene immediately after the attack. CPR was performed on Arthur and he was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead

Newcomb Hollow Beach, where Arthur was swimming, has a sign that reads 'Be Shark Smart', warning swimmers to avoid going near seals and to swim near the shore

On August 15, a 61-year-old New York man was severely injured after fighting off a shark off Truro, Massachusetts, four miles north of where Saturday's attack took place.

He's recovering from his wounds in a Boston hospital.

Newcomb Hollow Beach, where Arthur was boogie boarding, has a sign that reads 'Be Shark Smart' warning swimmers to avoid going near seals and to swim near the shore.

'The inshore waters off Wellfleet are a feeding ground for Great White Sharks. They come to this area to feed on seals. Great White Sharks are predators and should be considered dangerous. Encounters with sharks are rare, but please remain alert,' the sign said.

Wellfleet beach is popular with surfers and was busy on Saturday, even though lifeguards were no longer on watch as the summer season is over.

The attack is being investigated by State Police and the Cape and Islands District Attorney's office.A taxi driver has been left covered in blood after an alleged fight outside of the an airport.

The Melbourne driver was described to 'have blood all over his face' after he clashed with another taxi driver on Monday afternoon.

The Tullamarine taxi rank was crowded with concerned by-standers after the fight.

One witness, Ralph, told 3AW's Tom Elliot he saw a 'Greek driver covered in blood', as well as 'heaps of blood the ground'.

A Melbourne taxi driver has been left covered in blood after an fight outside of the city's airport

Ralph speculated that the two men went head-to-head on the side of the road, and may have been sparked by one man 'jumping the queue'.

'There has been a lot of tension in the industry lately,' Ralph, who is also a taxi driver, said.

'Allegedly an Indian driver punched the guy,' he continued

'I reckon he must have thrown the Greek driver a good one because there was blood all over him,'

The Australian Federal Police confirmed they had responded to a disturbance in the taxi rank area of Melbourne Airport and the matter was ongoing.Advertisement

From the outside its an unremarkable renovation of an already very desirable Victorian semi.

But behind its stained glass windows and period front door lies a property packed with innovations which could represent the future of energy-efficient living.

In fact the stylish five-bedroom house - currently on the market for just under 1million - is so well insulated its developer claims it will have zero energy bills.

Triple-glazed windows and a built-in heat exchange system have removed the necessity for a central heating system, they say, while solar panels on the roof supply its electricity needs.

Woodleigh Villa, in Manchester, is the first passive house to be built in Europe - and its owners will never have to pay an energy bill

The villa, in the trendy Chorlton suburb of Manchester, is described as the first passive house plus house conversion in Europe - the only other is in Brooklyn, New York.

As well as costing little to run, maintenance bills have reputedly been slashed as a result of using super-tough materials.

They include paint made from graphene, a revolutionary carbon-based material developed at nearby Manchester University, to avoid cracking and shield against electromagnetic waves, and copper rainwater goods with a claimed 120-year lifespan.

The 125-year-old townhouse, on the market today, comes with hefty 925,000 price tag - and features five huge bedrooms

The house, which features an open-plan kitchen with top-quality German appliances, has been upgraded to be ecologically-friendly

The Passive house concept originated in Germany and has featured in Channel 4s Grand Designs series.

Usually new-builds, the properties are designed to be almost completely airtight, using a mechanical system to draw in cool air for ventilation coupled with a heat exchanger to maintain a constant temperature of 20C all year round.

Featuring pollen filters to help hay fever sufferers as well as humidity controls, the system is routed through chimney void so it doesnt take up space.

The stunning home is so firmly insulated it doesn't need a central heating system to stay warm - even in the middle of winter

It also has a hidden central ventilation system which uses pollen filters to control the humidity of the stunning Victorian property

The Manchester house, one of a pair built by local developers Ecospheric, aims to go further by generating more electricity than it uses while retaining the period character of a 125-year-old building.

WHAT MAKES THIS HOUSE 'PASSIVE'? :: Insulation throughout the property - much of it made from recycled paper - and an airtight construction means there is no need for central heating. :: Windows are triple-glazed to prevent heat loss as well as reducing noise, and those on the rear extension are sited to keep the house warm in winter. :: Solar panels on the roof help supply more electricity than it needs, with excess energy directed to the hot water tank. :: A mechanical system draws in cool air for ventilation while a heat exchanger maintains a constant temperature of 20c all year round. :: Pollen filters offer relief to hay fever sufferers while humidity controls ensure a comfortable environment whatever the weather. :: The paint is made using ultra-tough graphene while the copper rainwater goods are said to last 120 years. :: Water-saving technology used in the kitchen and bathroom appliances further reduces the environmental impact as well as cutting bills. :: Architectural LED lighting follows the contours of the Victorian ceilings while minimising electricity use. Advertisement

Currently on sale is Woodleigh, a four-storey property featuring open plan living on each floor and high-end specifications throughout.

It features triple-glazed stained glass windows - said to be a first - plus elaborate cornicing, bespoke mosaics and architectural LED lighting.

The bathroom features gold-plated taps and a floor in Tuscan quartz while the kitchen appliances offer the highest level of energy efficiency and water-saving technology.

But it is the insulation - much of it made from recycled paper - and the airtight design which holds the key to its claim of zero energy bills.

One concession to those who fear they may feel the cold is a wood-burning stove situated in the dramatic second sitting area overlooking the landscaped back garden.

With normal usage we expect this house to be making money, and not spending it, Kit Knowles, director of Ecospheric, said.

We hope were learning enough to build homes of the future.

With 85 per cent of our existing housing stock projected to be here still in 2050, Mr Knowles says retrofitting energy-efficient technology to our homes is essential.

It is our only hope, he added.

Woodleigh is currently on the market for 925,000 - conventional properties nearby are valued at under 700,000 - while its neighbour is expected to be retained as a laboratory to show off the technology.

Even the front of the house has had a makeover in this retrofit - adding mint green accents to its traditional red-brick wallTwo of the women who worked on a cookbook with Meghan Markle for the victims of Grenfell escaped from the tower inferno in which 72 perished, MailOnline can reveal.

Hiwot Dagnachew was on the fifth floor and saved the lives of her seven and five-year-old great nieces, Yohana and Liva Yohannes, and their mother Ms Mekonnen, 37, by phoning them on the 19th floor to warn them about the fire  giving them enough time to get out of the building.

As they made their way out of the West London disaster, they watched ten of their neighbours retreat back upstairs unable to continue.

Hiwot Dagnachew (left) and Munira Mahmud (right) escaped from the Grenfell Tower inferno

Meanwhile, Munira Mahmud, 34, her husband Mohammed Rasoul, 36, his father Ahmed Abdel-Rasoul, then aged 87, and their two children Mohammed, six, and 20-month-old Zahra Rasoul made their way down the stairs to the bottom of the tower to safety in June last year.

The women are two of the cooks in a new book supported by the Duchess of Sussex in her first solo charity project called Together, Our Community Cookbook, which will be available in stores from Thursday priced at 9.99.

Meghan  who has made secret trips to help the Hubb Community Kitchen volunteers responsible since January this year and has written the foreword  says of the kitchen: 'It's a place for women to laugh, cry and cook together'.

Ms Mekonnen  who has her aunt, one of the cooks Hiwot Dagnachew, to thank for her family surviving the tragedy, has told the Telegraph: 'We were fast asleep and my phone rang  I'm so lucky it wasn't on silent.

The Duchess of Sussex cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London

'My aunt was trying to be calm but she was clearly panicking. She said there were flames outside her window and that we should get out.'

Ms Mahmud made her way down the stairs to the bottom of the tower to safety last year

She told how she put on her dressing gown, grabbed her children, trying to keep them 'calm' whilst in 'complete shock' and ran out into the corridor.

She told how it was 'hard to breathe', as she held Liva, five, under one arm and held Yohana's hand and descended the stairs, while they were 'coughing and the kids were screaming'.

People were getting 'really, really scared' and 'running back up the stairs', leaving her 'tempted to go back but, I just couldn't see myself being locked in the flat on the 19th floor with that fire, so I carried on. The girls were so heavy.'

Just as they were about to open an emergency fire exit a firefighter screamed at them to stop because that side of the building above was on fire.

Ms Mekonnen couldn't even finish her sentence as she wonders aloud: 'If he hadn't I can't believe we are alive.'

Meghan poses with women at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London

Ms Mahmud's husband Mohammed has admitted he often 'thinks back' to that night when it took them all about 15 minutes to get to the bottom floor with his elderly father, telling GetWestLondon: 'I thank God we got out early and we made it.'

He revealed that his wife's best friend and his children's friends passed away, as well as his friend's mother.

He said of his friend: 'Me and him, we had both been in the tower since birth.'

He told how all their closest friends were there and how he 'prays' that they're going to be 'reunited' with them one day.

Ms Mahmud wrote of her involvement with the book: 'Last summer, we were placed in a hotel and I had no kitchen to cook for my family.

The Grenfell Tower disaster in West London on June 14 last year claimed the lives of 72 people

'It was very emotional for me to get in the kitchen. The moment I started cooking I was in tears. I didn't know why though. I was just excited to be back in the kitchen again.

'Word started to spread - the mums from my son's school came along and they told their friends, too. Soon there were women from different cultures all cooking, swapping recipes, talking and laughing together.'

She told how Meghan - photographed on the book's front cover helping out - had been happy to pitch in, continuing: 'She wore an apron. I can't believe I made her wash rice!'

After the duchess found out that we could only use the kitchen twice a week due to funding, she mentioned, 'How about sharing your recipes with other people?'

Ms Mahmud added: 'And that's how it happened.'News of an air hostess allegedly being fired after her boyfriend proposed to her during a flight she was working on has caused controversy in China.

It is reported that the flight attendant, named by Chinese state media as Xiao Jiao, said 'yes' after her boyfriend of four years suddenly showed up in front of her mid-flight, got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.

The surprise marriage proposal was captured by a viral video.

A video taken by a passenger on May 19 showed Xiao Jiao's boyfriend getting down on one knee before putting a ring on Xiao Jiao's hand. The couple then kissed after she said 'yes'

A TV report on China Central Television Station last week said Xiao Jiao was sacked by China Eastern Airlines because the company thought she had caused chaos among passengers, bringing safety concerns to the flight.

The news has sparked a debate among the Chinese web users, with many accusing the Shanghai-based airlines of being 'too strict'.

However, a spokesperson from China Eastern Airlines told MailOnline that the reports were untrue, insisting that the flight attendant featured in the viral footage was still working for the company.

The airline company said the content of the footage was real and the marriage proposal took place on a plane in May.

After the surprise marriage proposal, the flight attendant spoke to the passengers through the plane's intercom: 'I had never expected that my boyfriend would propose to me during a flight'

The footage in question had already become trending earlier this year.

The surprise marriage proposal took place on a domestic flight from Xi'an to Yinchuan on May 19.

A video released by Chinese viral video platform Pear Video at the time showed a flight attendant from China Eastern Airlines agreed to a man's proposal after he asked her to marry him in front of passengers.

The proposal reportedly took place on a domestic plane by China Eastern Airlines (file photo)

The video then showed the emotional bride-to-be speaking to the passengers through the plane's intercom: 'I had never expected that my boyfriend would propose to me during a flight. Thank you every one for witnessing (the event).'

A woman who claimed to be on the plane told Pear Video that the marriage proposal happened about 30 minutes into the flight. She said all passengers were moved by the scene and applauded to the couple.

She added that another flight attendant explained to the passengers that the boyfriend was one of their co-workers.Advertisement

It is more than seven decades since Korea was divided into North and South at the end of the Second World War - and since then life has become vastly different for those living either side of the border.

While the South has prospered economically under democracy while adopting all the facets of modern life, the North has remained isolated under a communist regime while placing great emphasis on tradition.

Now, the two countries are working on a plan to reunify once again with South Korean President Moon Jae-in due to meet Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang this week for the third round of peace talks this year.

As the leaders attempt to heal the wounds of the past, photographer Ed Jones has captured this fascinating series of images showing the differences and surprising similarities between life in the North and South.

Ri Song Hui, 21 (top), poses at Munsu Water Park in Pyongyang while Kwon Ye Seul, 30, poses at the Carribean Bay water park south of Seoul. The Munsu park was built in 2013 by Kim Jong-un as part of a programme of new investment by a leader who has a soft spot for water slides, as several have been pictured at his private compounds. Caribbean Bay was the world's largest water park when it opened is doors in 1996, and is owned by a private company called Everland

Kim Song Jong, nine (top), poses for a portrait following a dance performance at a Children's Day event in Pyongyang. Yoon Hyerim, 10 (bottom), posing for a portrait following a dance performance at Dongdaemun Design Plaza during Seoul Fashion Week. While North Korea's clothes favour traditional designs, South Korea has adopted more western trends

North Korean shooting instructor Kim Su Ryon (top) poses for a portrait at the Maeri shooting range where she works in Pyongyang. South Korean shooting instructor Lee Chi-yoon (bottom) poses for a portrait at the Mokdong shooting range in Seoul. North and South Korea both have strict gun laws, though weapons training is high in both countries because of mandatory military service for most of their citizens

North Korean student Pak Kum Ryong, 23 (top), poses for a portrait in a public square in Pyongyang. South Korean student Lim Jun-beom, 24 (bottom), poses for a portrait in the Sinchon area of Seoul. North Korea is believed to have around 200 higher education institutions, the most prestigious of which is Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, all of which are free to entrants. Meanwhile the South has many more institutions, but most charge high tuition fees to attend

Choe Un Hwa poses for a portrait at the Munsu Water Park in Pyongyang (top) while lifeguard Kim Young-hoon poses for a portrait at the One Mount water park in Ilsan (bottom). Life for those lucky enough to live in Pyongyang in North Korea is similar to that in many other world capitals, but the country often struggles to provide for those living elsewhere

Hong Kum Ju, 27 (top), poses for a picture at the food factory where she works near the northern North Korean port city of Wonsan. Kim Si-eun, 49 (bottom), poses for a picture at the Spam factory where she works in Jincheon, south of Seoul. While Spam is exported all over the world, North Korean good are strictly prohibited under sanctions for carry out nuclear tests

Student Ri Young Hwa, 19, a volunteer staff member, poses in a computer lab at the Scitech building in Pyongyang. Student Jenni Lim, 21 (bottom), poses at a computer lab at Yonsei University in Seoul. While access to technology in North Korea is strictly controlled by the government, it is known to have relatively advanced computer systems in the capital, having launched several suspected worldwide hacking attempts like WannaCry and the Sony email hack

Farmer Kim Young Guk (top) poses in front of a ginseng field outside the North Korean city of Kaesong. Hwang In-suk (bottom), also a farmer, stands hear the fence of the DMZ - the border between North and South - in his back yard on Gyodong island. Around a quarter of North Korea's population is thought to work in agriculture, though strict bans on food firms selling into the country means it often struggles to feed its. South Korea's trade links mean that only a small number work in producing food, and the rate of farm ownership is decreasing

Choi Hee Ok (top) poses for a portrait at the viewing deck of the landmark Juche Tower in Pyongyang, while Bang Sung-hee poses for a portrait at the viewing deck of the landmark 63 Building in Seoul. Pyongyang and Seoul sit just 120 miles apart across the DMZ and the governments are planning to join their railway networks to encourage tourists to cross the border

Ri Kum Hui (top) poses for the cameras following a military parade in Pyongyang while retired rear-admiral Park Sae-hun (bottom) is seen holding a placard reading 'dispatch tactical nuclear weapons' during a rally demanding the re-deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea to 'cope with the North Korean nuclear threat'. While the Korean War technically ended in 1953, the two countries remain at war having never signed a peace accord

Han Gwang Rim, 34 (top), poses with daughter Su Ryon at a supermarket in Pyongyang. Hong Sung-cho, 35 (bottom), poses with son Hong Jinu, two, at a supermarket in Bundang near Seoul. North Korea's food is sometimes packaged to look like western goods, but in reality it amounts to rations handed out by the government. Meanwhile South Korean buy their food from privately-run supermarkets

Pak Kum Hyang, 29, poses for a portrait at the dental products factory where she works in Pyongyang while Choi Young-sik, 41, poses for a photo at the Spam packing factory where he works in Jincheon. While South Korea is free to export all over the world, China accounts for 90 per cent of North Korea's imports and exports, limiting the size of businesses like this one

Kim Su Hyang, 18 (top), poses at the gas station where she works in Pyongyang, North Korea. Bottom image shows a South Korean petrol pump attendant, who wished not to be named, posing at a gas station near Goyang. Around 50 per cent of South Koreans own vehicles, while ownership is strictly restricted in North Korea to the military, construction industries and those most loyal to the regime

Kim Il Soo (top) poses on his tourist boat on the Taedong river in Pyongyang while Kim Kun Ho, 25 (bottom) poses on his watersports boat on the Han river in Seoul. Tourism to North Korea is limited but the country still attracts several thousand visitors each year, most of whom are limited to seeing Pyongyang. Meanwhile South Korea attracts millions of visitors per year, mostly from ChinaWildlife rehabilitators managed to free five baby squirrels and help bring them back to health after their hairy tails had become tangled up in what can only be described as a 'Gordian Knot'.

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Wisconsin Humane Society had to think creatively to release the cute creatures in a safe way after someone found them bound together and reported the problem.

Working hard not to accidentally snip areas of their tails, rescuers believe they may have saved the squirrels' lives by not injuring the area they need to stay warm and on balance.

Wildlife rehabilitators had a tricky problem to solve when five baby squirrels' hairy tails were tangled up in a 'Gordian Knot'

The rodents were hopelessly entangled with the long-stemmed grasses and strips of plastic their mother used as nest material

Carers anesthetized the scared animals to get them to stop wriggling around

'The tails of these five juvenile Gray Squirrel siblings had become hopelessly entangled with the long-stemmed grasses and strips of plastic their mother used as nest material, and with each other!' they wrote on their Facebook page alongside images of the small rodents.

'A predicament that, without careful and quick intervention, would at the least cost each of these squirrels their very important tail (needed for balance and warmth), and likely their lives.'

The post explained how the task was made trickier as the members of the Sciuridae family were extremely fidgety and scared to be handled.

On top of that, the number of squirrels tied together made the task riskier but the carers were determined to ensure they didn't suffer any more damage to their body tissues after the entanglement took a toll on their blood flow.

'You can imagine how wiggly and unruly (and nippy!) this frightened, distressed ball of squirrelly energy was, so our first step was to anesthetize all five of them at the same time,' they explained.

Just like in the Gordian Knot tale of Alexander the Great, the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Center was unable to make sense of the intricate ties initially.

But unlike one version of the legend where the complicated knot could only be untied by the future ruler of Asia, King Gordius of Phrygia - or else chopped into pieces by Alexander the Great's sword - the animal lovers did not take the easy way out.

It took about 20 minutes to free the young squirrels but they had already suffered damage due to restricted blood flow

They're now all bright-eyed but a couple have a way to go until they are bushy-tailed again

'With that accomplished, we began working on unraveling the "Gordian Knot" (Google it) of tightly tangled tails and nest material. It was impossible to tell whose tail was whose, and we were increasingly concerned because all of them had suffered from varying degrees of tissue damage to their tails caused by circulatory impairment.'

The rarely-seen occurrence is believed to have happened as a result of the mother's nest materials meshing them together.

'Bit by bit we snipped away at the grass-and-plastic knot with scissors, being very careful to make sure we weren't snipping anyone's tail in the process. It took about 20 minutes to free the young squirrels. And soon after they began to recover from anesthesia,' the post continued.

They added that the little creatures are now doing well but some of them have a way to go when it comes to resembling the full-haired tree-climbing and nut-gathering animals we usually see.

'Now, one day later, they are all bright-eyed, and three of the five are "bushy-tailed," but we'll need to monitor all of them for a couple of days to watch for tail necrosis caused by impaired blood flow.'

The story was posted on the center's Facebook page and followers shared it hundreds of times

Despite a happy ending, Facebook followers have fallen in love with the gray squirrels and have been keen for a follow-up on their development.

Nicole Maratovah Czarnecki commented on the social media post: 'Talk about family ties! At least the squirrels are okay now.'

Lindsey Diehl added: 'Hello! Any update on the squirrels' conditions?'

The post has been shared hundreds of times and people have donated a combined $513 so far to help the center care for the squirrels.BMW Group Middle East has appointed Dr Hamid Haqparwar, currently director Sales and Marketing as managing director with effect from October 1.



Before joining BMW Group Middle East Dr Haqparwar was employed as the director Sales and director Sales Channel Development for BMW India. The Middle East is nothing new to him since he already was a sales area manager and the head of Product Management in the region from 2008 to 2012.



In his new role as managing director he will be responsible for driving the BMW Group business and sales forward across 13 markets in the region.



Dr Haqparwar completed his PhD from the University of St Gallen, Switzerland, holds an MBA degree from Western Carolina University in USA and graduated in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim, Germany.



He replaces Johannes Seibert who left BMW AG on July 31.



Hendrik von Kuenheim, senior vice president Region Africa, Russia, Importer Markets Eastern Europe and Middle East said: We are delighted to welcome Dr Hamid Haqparwar in his new role as managing director of BMW Group Middle East. We have every confidence that his in depth knowledge of brand, product and dealer development as well as his sales and marketing expertise will help to further strengthen the BMW and MINI brand in the region.



With his long-standing experience and dedication to the market we are convinced that he will provide valuable guidance and contribution to the continued business success of BMW Group in the region. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Johannes Seibert for the many years of personal commitment at BMW Group Middle East. Under his leadership we have seen record sales in a very challenging environment, he added.  TradeArabia News ServiceA woman has been caught smearing her neighbors' dogs' feces on their doorknob after the animals defecated on her front yard lawn.

Brenda Mullins, 58, was filmed on her neighbor Michael Smith's home surveillance cameras in Detroit, Michigan, walking up to his front door with his chihuahuas' mess in a plastic bag and smearing it on his door knob on Saturday.

She said it was the last straw after having to put up with Smith and his girlfriends' dogs messing her lawn.

When interviewed about her drastic reaction, Mullins defended it.

Scroll down for video

Brenda Mullins, 58, was filmed wiping dog feces on her neighbors' doorknob after their chihuahuas defecated on her lawn in Detroit, Michigan, on Saturday

She told local network WXYZ: 'The dog came and messed in my yard.

'I picked it up and went and put it on her doorknob.

'You didnt want to clean it up here. You will clean it up there.'

She said she had watched the animals relieve themselves in her yard several times.

'I had to do what I had to do. I didnt want to be a vigilante, but I had to do what I had to do.

'I feel like I took it a little further than I wanted to, but what was I supposed to do? I got to prove a point too,' she added.

After smearing the feces on the door knob, she walked away and discarded the bag on her neighbors' front yard porch

Brenda Mullins, left, said she did what she had to do after watching Michael Smith, right, and his girlfriend's dogs relieve themselves on her lawn 'several times'

Smith and his girlfriend have two small chihuahuas. Mullins has filmed them on her lawn before (above)

Smith and his girlfriend Joy Edwards were horrified when they went outside on Saturday and noticed what had been left for them.

'I just dont understand who could do that. Thats disgusting,' Edwards said.

It was only when they watched back their surveillance footage that they learned who was to blame.

They say Mullins never once spoke to them about the dogs before and that they would have tried to find a more civilized solution had she approached them.

'You think she would know better than to do something like this.

'If my dog pooped in her yard. Im sorry, but it wasnt that big of a deal for you to come to my home,' Edwards said.Controversial 'second wave' feminist Germaine Greer left viewers shocked on Monday night after comparing the fear of rape to a fear of huntsman spiders.

Appearing on ABC's Q&A on Monday night, the writer claimed that a rape survivor or victim dictates the amount of trauma they feel following the incident.

The outspoken writer was joined on the panel by journalists Andrew Neil and David Marr, South African author Simone Msimang and People's panellist, Elena Jeffcoat.

Ms Greer was asked by a member of the audience to explain in further detail a quote that was found in her essay, 'On Rape'.

Scroll down for video

Appearing on ABC's Q&A on Monday, Germaine Greer (pictured) claimed that a rape survivor or victim dictates the amount of trauma they feel following the incident

'You say that, and I quote, 'Most rapes don't involve any injury at all'. Are you saying that being violated physically doesn't come with any mental anguish?' Dianne Patane asked.

She began by commenting on her own rape at the age of 19, and said she was an 'idiot' when dealing with the trauma after the incident.

'I was actually sorrier for the man who raped me than I was for myself, because I thought, what has happened to his sexuality?' she said.

'Why has he turned into this mad dog? They will shoot him. They will kill him. They will wipe him out.'

Q&A host, Tony Jones, attempted to re-direct Ms Greer to the question: 'Are you saying that it didn't traumatise you though? That goes to the heart of the question.'

'Well, trauma is something that is dictated really by the sufferer,' the academic began.

'You know, I can't bear huntsman spiders. It is not their fault. It is my fault,' she begins.

Germaine Greer (second from the right) left viewers shocked on Monday night after comparing the fear of rape to a fear of huntsman spiders

Elena Jeffcoat (pictured) said that she didn't know how to respond to Ms Greer's bizarre analogy

'I decided to be frightened of them,' she said.

'It is interesting to me that women are encouraged all the time to be terribly, terribly frightened and nearly always of the wrong thing.'

Ms Jeffcoat, a Maths and Debating teacher from Perth, said that she didn't know how to respond to Ms Greer's bizarre analogy .





'I don't know how I feel about the huntsman analogy for rape and the trauma involved there,' the teacher said.

The rest of the panel didn't seem to have an issue with the comment, but viewers of the show took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the analogy.

'Is Greer comparing sexual assault to a fear of spiders???' one user questioned.

'Do not compare the fear of Huntsman spiders to the experience of rape Germaine Greer! Your thoughtless attitude is pure poison,' another said.

Many viewers agreed on the notion that the analogy was 'disrespectful', with one viewer saying the comment was 'patrionising'.

'Huntsman spiders are amazing. Rapists are not. It's not that difficult,' another user tweeted.

Ms Greer began by commenting on her own rape at 19, and said that she was an 'idiot' when dealing with the trauma after the incidentA woman who ordered a fake pregnancy belly on Amazon during a 'sinister' stalking campaign against her ex-boyfriend sent his clients emails claiming he had raped her, a court heard.

Jessica Nordquist, 25, and former lover Mark Weeks both worked for video advertising company Unruly based in Whitechapel, east London.

They met after Nordquist, described as a solutions engineer for the company, moved from New York to the London office in June last year, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.

Nordquist allegedly launched a harassment campaign against Mr Weeks after they broke up last November.

Nordquist allegedly launched a harassment campaign against Mr Weeks after they broke up last November

She used multiple email accounts to send 'abusive and untrue' emails with rape allegations to her ex's clients from January to March, jurors were told.

She ordered a fake silicon pregnancy belly on Amazon and claimed she had taken an overdose, jurors heard.

Giving evidence Mr Weeks said: 'It was devastating obviously, the posts previously on social media, and there had been threats previously talking about sending messages to my clients.

'I felt for them to be receiving messages like this direct to their emails accounts, there was no way of engaging it.

Ad agency worker Jessica Nordquist ordered a fake pregnancy belly on Amazon during a stalking campaign against her ex, Mark Weeks (right), a court heard

Nordquist is originally from Eagle River in Alaska and went to Northern State University in South Dakota. She had moved to Unruly's London office from New York

'I thought this was doing serious damage to my career and my reputation. You think the worst. You think this is going to be career ending.

'There were so many emails referring to where I was and what I was wearing.'

One of the emails read: 'You just walk in, where have you been all morning I wonder. Why are you still dressed in the dark blue shirt. Why don't you wear anything else.'

Another email, which Mr Weeks was blind copied into and was sent out to clients, read: 'You should know Mark and Unruly, you covered up the most atrocious crime ever. I'll keep telling her story, for justice, I will keep telling the world because they have silenced her.'

Most messages were signed off with 'tick-tock Mark Weeks,' it was said.

Mr Weeks added: 'These allegations were damaging to my personal welfare I am highly anxious, feeling depressed. I don't really know what is coming next.

Nordquist allegedly posted a series of messages online, one of which accused her ex of rape, prosecutors said. She is said to have ordered a fake baby bump, like that pictured, on Amazon

'It felt my whole life was going on hold.'.

Another email to customers said: 'Think twice before looking to Mark and Unruly again.'

Prosecutor Claire Robinson has said the pair started dating in August last year but 'wanted different things' and broke up three months later.

Nordquist, who is originally from Eagle River in Alaska and went to Northern State University in South Dakota, had moved to Unruly's London office from New York.

The pair met at London ad agency Unruly, which is now based in the Whitechapel Building

She also claimed she was eight weeks pregnant with his baby, jurors heard.

They went to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel and Nordquist had an abortion on 13 December.

Nordquist, of Whitechapel, east London, denies two counts stalking, two counts of sending malicious communications and one count of perverting course of justice.

The trial continues.President Donald Trump resisted any temptation to tweet about the boiling controversy over accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Monday  returning to familiar territory of the FBI lovers.

The president about a Fox News report that first aired Sunday that unearthed testimony from former FBI lawyer Lisa Page about the state of the Russia probe in 2017.

Page told Congress investigators couldn't prove collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russians before the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller  which Trump took as an exoneration.

'Lisa Page Testimony- NO EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION BEFORE MUELLER APPOINTMENT,' Trump tweeted Monday morning, referenced FBI lawyer Lisa Page, who exchanged anti-Trump texts with Peter Strzok, a former member of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative team.

He cited Fox News reporter Catherine Herridge. The president then stated: 'Therefore, the case should never have been allowed to be brought. It is a totally illegal Witch Hunt!'

'NO EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION': President Donald Trump tweeted about a Fox News report on former FBI lawyer Lisa Page's testimony, but so far has steered clear of the Kavanaugh controversy

'I think this represents that even as far as May 2017, we still couldn't answer the question,' Page said.

In a follow-up tweet, Trump wrote: 'Immediately after Comey's firing Peter Strzok texted to his lover, Lisa Page 'We need to Open the case we've been waiting on now while Andy (McCabe, also fired) is acting. Page answered, 'We need to lock in (redacted). In a formal chargeable way. Soon.' Wow, a conspiracy caught?' he wrote.

That tweet was included in an Inspector General's report that came out this spring.

Advisers have told Trump, who himself has faced accusations of groping or harassment by more than a dozen women, not to tweet about Kavanaugh's accuser, the New York Times reported.

On Sunday Christine Blasey Ford came forward and told her story about Kavanaugh from decades ago on-the-record to the Washington Post, throwing the nomination into turmoil.

President Donald Trump tweeted about a Fox News report on testimony by former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, but has yet to weigh in online on the new jeopardy for his Supreme Court pick

President Donald Trump fired off tweets about FBI lovers Peter Strzok and Lisa Page Monday

Herridge said on-air Monday that Page testified collusion was still unknown nine months into the f.b.I.'s Russia case when the special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed.

Since his appointment, Mueller's team has secured cooperation and plea deals from Trump players former National Security adviser Michael Flynn, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Manafort deputy Richard Gates and former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos.

Manafort's cooperation agreement, revealed in court Friday, is being seen as a major development in the investigation due to his deep knowledge of the campaign and his own longstanding ties to pro-Moscow figures in Ukraine and ties to oligarchs.

The White House issued a fresh denial from Brett Kavanaugh on the allegation

Paul Manafort, former campaign manager for Donald Trump, reached a cooperation agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to federal crimes on Friday

Page made the revelation during her testimomy in response to a question from Republican Congressman John Ratcliffe , who wanted more information about a May 2017 text where Page and her then-lover FBI agent Peter Strzok discussed the merits of joining Mueller's team.

The House Judiciary and Oversight committees investigating the Justice Department's handling of the Russia investigation and the Hillary Clinton email probes.

'I cannot provide the specifics of a confidential interview,' Ratcliffe told Fox News when asked about the exchange. 'But I can say that Lisa Page left me with the impression, based on her own words, that the lead investigator of the Russian collusion case, Peter Strzok, had found no evidence of collusion after nearly a year.'

The day after Mueller's appointment to the Russia probe on May 17, Strzok and Page discussed whether Strzok should join his team.

Their May 18, 2017, text was highlighted by Inspector General Michael Horowitz in his report about the handling of the Clinton email probe by the FBI and the Justice Department, in which he found no political motivation.

'Who gives a f*ck, one more A(ssistant) D(irector)...(versus) (a)n investigation leading to impeachment?' Strzok texted on May 18, according to the Inspector General's report.

Strzok later writes: 'You and I both know the odds are nothing. If I thought it was likely I'd be there no question. I hesitate in part because of my gut sense and concern there's no big there there.'

The transcript shows Ratcliffe read the text exchange nearly verbatim to Page, and asked her to explain it, specifically if Strzok believed 'the odds were nothing and that he had a concern that there was no big there there regarding any collusion.'

Page said: 'No, I don't think so. I think it's a reflection of us still not knowing...It still existed in the scope of possibility that there would be literally nothing, probably not nothing nothing, as we probably knew more than that by that point. But in the scheme of the possible outcomes, the most serious one obviously being crimes serious enough to warrant impeachment; but on the other scale that, you know, maybe an unwitting person was, in fact, involved in the release of information, but it didn't ultimately touch any senior, you know, people in the administration or on the campaign. And so the text just sort of reflects that spectrum.'

She noted: 'I'm not supposed to talk about the sufficiency of evidence, so that's why I am weighing my words carefully.'

Page continued, according to Fox News: 'Investigations are fluid, right? And so at various times, leads are promising and leads fade away. And so I can't -- I can't answer more his sentiment with respect to this particular text, but certainly at this point the case had been ongoing. We didn't have an answer. That's obvious. And I think we all sort of went back and forth about like what -- what the answer was really going to be.'

Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, which led to Mueller's appointment as special counsel.Advertisement

A second baby has been killed from a falling tree knocked down by Florence and authorities are now searching for a one-year-old boy who was ripped from his mother's arms in floodwaters.

The death toll from Florence rose to 20 after a three-month-old boy was killed when a tree crashed onto his mobile home in North Carolina on Sunday.

Kade Gill was in his Dallas home with his parents when the falling pine tree split the property in two. His parents had to rip out an air-conditioner from a window in order to get the baby out of the home.

The little boy was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Meanwhile, authorities near Charlotte were searching for a one-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters when his mother lost her grip on him after her vehicle was swept off a road.

Three-month-old Kade Gill (left) was killed when a tree fell on his North Carolina home on Sunday and authorities are searching for one-year-old Kaiden Lee-Welch (right) who was swept away by floodwaters when his mother lost her grip on him

Floodwaters from Hurricane Florence inundates homes in Pollocksville, North Carolina on Monday as the death toll rises to 20

Kaiden Lee-Welch was with his mother, Dazia Lee, on their way to visit relatives on Sunday when they drove past barricades on highway 218 in northern Union County.

His mother later told authorities someone had pushed the barricades to the side a little, making her think it was okay to go through.

Her car was swept off the road and pinned against some trees. Lee said she was able to free Kaiden from his car seat and escape but the waters were deep and she lost her grip on her son.

Florence is being blamed for at least 20 deaths in the Carolinas as thousands of residents remain cut off by rising floodwaters.

The remnants of the deadly hurricane brought more misery to the waterlogged Carolinas on Monday with officials warning the worst is yet to come, as heavy rain persisted and swollen rivers posed a growing threat.

Florence, which was downgraded from an earlier category 4 hurricane, was a tropical depression on Monday with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph as it headed through Virginia and toward New England.

The tropical depression continues to produce widespread heavy rains over parts of North Carolina and north-eastern South Carolina into western Virginia with flash flooding expected to continue over portions of the western mid-Atlantic region.

Tens of thousands of houses have been damaged, but for many parts of the Carolinas, 'the worst is yet to come' as river levels rise to historic levels, said Zach Taylor, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Weather Service.

It has dumped up to 40 inches of rain on North Carolina since Thursday.

Customers waited in line at a grocery store in Rocky Point, North Carolina on Sunday as the rain continued to pummel the area

Residents have been waiting for hours outside stores and restaurants in North Carolina for basic necessities like water. Police are guarding the doors, only letting in 10 people at a time

People wait in line to buy food and supplies at one of the few places open in Wilmington, North Carolina, after Hurricane Florence traveled through the area Sunday

Wilmington remains cut off from the rest of North Carolina by still-rising floodwaters and officials plan to airlift food and water to the city of nearly 120,000 people as rescuers elsewhere pull inland residents from homes swamped by swollen rivers.

Residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police guarded the door of one store, and only 10 people were allowed inside at a time.

County commission chairman Woody White said officials were planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city.

'Our roads are flooded,' he said. 'There is no access to Wilmington.'

Victor Merlos was overjoyed to find a store open for business in Wilmington since he had about 20 relatives staying at his apartment, which still had power. He spent more than $500 on cereal, eggs, soft drinks and other necessities, plus beer.

'I have everything I need for my whole family,' said Merlos. Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all takeout, with the price of $2 per item.

Kenneth Campbell had donned waterproof waders intending to check out his home in Lumberton, but he didn't bother when he saw the Coast Guard and murky waters in his neighborhood.

'I'm not going to waste my time. I already know,' he said.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Florence began to slowly recede in Fayetteville, North Carolina (above) on Monday

Rescue personnel paddle through a flooded apartment complex to evacuate residents as flooding continues in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Spring Lake, North Carolina on Monday

A flooded cemetery is seen during heavy rains from Florence in Marion, South Carolina on Sunday

A boat sits in a backyard after the passing of Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina on Sunday

A tree rests atop a home on Queens Road West in Charlotte, NC on Sunday as heavy rains and wind continued to batter the US

About 70 miles away from the coast, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards; river forecasts showed the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

Flooding worries were increasing in West Virginia and Virginia, where power outages also were on the rise.

About 500,000 homes and businesses, mostly in North Carolina, were in the dark.

Florence, which came ashore as a hurricane on Thursday, is expected to weaken again on Monday before re-intensifying on Tuesday and Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Florence was still massive, despite being downgraded. Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bull's-eye.

With the rain and winds headed north, some residents in North and South Carolina started to return to their homes as the sun peeked through the clouds briefly for the first time in days.

The storm killed at least 11 people in North Carolina, including a mother and child hit by a falling tree. Six people died in South Carolina, including four in car accidents and two from carbon monoxide from a portable generator.

Lesha Murphy-Johnson, 41, and her seven-month-old son Adam were trapped inside their home in Wilmington, North Carolina, when a tree fell onto their roof on Friday. Firefighters frantically tried to lift the tree so they could escape, but were unable to do so.

Mark Carter King, 63, and his wife Debra Collins Rion, 61, of Loris, South Carolina, died of carbon monoxide poisoning from running a generator inside their home.

President Donald Trump said federal emergency workers, first responders and law enforcement officials were 'working really hard.' As the storm 'begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional!' he declared in a tweet.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal feces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters. In past hurricanes, flooding at dozens of farms also left hundreds of thousands of dead hogs, chickens and other decomposing livestock bobbing in floodwaters.

Some stream gauges used to monitor river levels failed when they became submerged, but others showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel were assigned to help relief efforts.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

Near the flooded-out town of New Bern , where about 455 people had to be rescued from the swirling flood waters, water completely surrounded churches, businesses and homes. In the neighboring town of Trenton, downtown streets were turned to creeks full of brown water.

The rain was unrelenting in Cheraw, a town of about 6,000 people in northeastern South Carolina. Streets were flooded and Police Chief Keith Thomas warned people not to drive, but the local food and gas store had customers.

'As you can tell, they're not listening to me,' he said.

The victims of Florence's wrath as the death toll rises: At least 20 people have been confirmed dead from Hurricane Florence. The storm killed at least 11 people in North Carolina, including a mother and child hit by a falling tree. Six people died in South Carolina, including four in car accidents and two from carbon monoxide from a portable generator. The first reported Florence-related death came Friday night when a 61-year-old woman crashed into a fallen tree. Amber Dawn Lee of Union, South Carolina, was driving her pick up truck around 9.30pm on the Gaffney Highway. Lee's pickup slammed into the tree - which authorities say was suspended about six feet in the air. The front of the truck was thrown into the air before crashing back down. Lee was pronounced dead at the scene. Lesha Murphy-Johnson, 41, and her seven-month-old son Adam (left) were trapped and killed inside their home in Wilmington, North Carolina after a tree fell onto their roof on Friday. Kade Gill (right) died on Sunday after a tree fell on his home in Dallas, North Carolina Around the same time Friday night, Lesha Murphy-Johnson, 41, and her seven-month-old son Adam were trapped inside their home in Wilmington, North Carolina, after a tree fell onto their roof. Firefighters frantically tried to lift the tree so they could escape, but were unable to do so. Authorities confirmed Sunday that a married South Carolina couple died of carbon monoxide poisoning from running a generator inside. Mark Carter King, 63, and his wife Debra Collins Rion, 61, of Loris, South Carolina, were killed by inhaling carbon monoxide, authorities said. Their bodies were found in their Loris home Saturday afternoon however, police said they likely died the day before as the heavy rains and winds from Florence were moving onshore. Michael Dalton Prince, a 23-year-old father, was riding in an SUV that lost control and flipped on a flooded road in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The driver and another passenger escaped, while Prince was trapped inside and drowned after the truck landed upside down in a flooded ditch. Mark Carter King, 63, and his wife Debra Collins Rion, 61, of South Carolina, (left) were killed by inhaling carbon monoxide. Amber Dawn Lee, 61, was the first reported death from the storm Friday in South Carolina when her truck struck a tree The remaining victims of the Florence's wrath have yet to be identified but include a 78-year-old man who was electrocuted in the rain while trying to connect extension cords for a generator in Lenoir County, North Carolina. Other North Carolina fatalities also include three who died 'due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways,' the Duplin County Sheriff's Office reported. In Kinston, a 77-year-old man was found dead outside of his home, possibly after having been blown over by the wind while checking on his dogs, officials said. A husband and wife died in a Fayetteville, North Carolina, house fire Friday. According to Pender County Emergency Management Director Tom Collins, a woman in Hampstead, North Carolina, died of a heart attack Friday morning. Emergency crews were unable to get to her because of a downed tree in the road after 911 was called to the home. In Wayne County, an 81-year-old man died when he fell and struck his head while packing to evacuate Friday. Michael Dalton Prince (pictured with his child) drowned in South Carolina on Sunday after an SUV he was in flipped into a flooded ditch Advertisement

The floodwaters of McAlpine Creek along Randolph Road in Charlotte, N.C., are seen on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018

Marcus Dipaola helps five-year-old Ember Kelly off a rescue boat carrying her sisters and mother from rising flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, in Leland, North Carolina

Cars try to navigate a flooded road leading to Interstate 40 in Castle Hayne, NC, after damage from Hurricane Florence cut off access to WilmingtonAs New Zealand Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern approaches the end of her first year, her partner has spoken candidly about looking after their three-month-old baby.

The first-time-father and TV presenter Clarke Gayford may not be the first stay-at-home dad but he may be an important one.

Speaking exclusively to Anna Silverman for Grazia he shared his experience of looking after baby Neve while his partner runs the country.

The partner of New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Clarke Gayford, (above) spoke exclusively to Anna Silverman for Grazia. He shared his experience of looking after three-month-old baby Neve while his partner runs the country

He shared his recent experience of attending a recent caucus meeting and handing baby Neve over to his partner to breastfeed

He told the women's magazine that he and Neve can never be too far away from the PM, who is the country's youngest prime minister in 150 years, because she is still breastfeeding.

This even meant being an additional member at her recent caucus meeting in front of all of her Labour MPs and handing Neve over to his partner for her to breastfeed.

He told Grazia: 'I can get Neve to sleep by pushing her around the boardroom. I'm hell-bent on wearing a hole in that carpet because I've done quite a few laps of that table.'

In addition to being inundated with play-date invitations from parents, Mr Gayford opened up about being a first time parent and the responsibilities that come with the life-changing role.

The father spoke about being inundated with play-date invitations from parents and the responsibilities that come with the life-changing role to Grazia Magazine

He told Silverman becoming a father made him realise he was in charge of this little bundle and if he didn't clean behind the baby's ears no one else would.

But it was the breakthrough moments like the cheeky gummy smile in the morning that made the role all the more worthwhile and gave him that all important instant boost.

He explained that choosing to be a stay-at-home father was a 'no-brainer' for him.

He told Silverman: 'It's so much more than a job. I have no doubt I'll look back on it as the best thing I've ever done.'

Receiving support from men far and wide, the PM's partner also shared the enthusiasm he has received from the sporting world too,.

He and the Prime Minister recently met players from New Zealand's All Blacks team after their win against Australia and were met with many wishing to share their own stories about raising children.

Pictured: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (left) with her new-born baby Neve and her partner Clarke Gayford (right) at Auckland City Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand

In New Zealand fathers are currently entitled to 22 weeks paternal leave and this is expected to rise to 26 weeks by July 2020.

The move to increase paternity leave marks a significant step forward for the country.

However the female Prime Minister's journey has been far from an easy ride.

Earlier this month she was subjected to an increasing amount of criticism for costing the taxpayer $80,000 (approx 40,250) after she decided to travel to the pacific islands forum in Nauru separately from her deputy in order to reduce time spent away from her baby, who was 11 weeks at the time.



Prisoners in South Carolina were pictured filling sandbags after officials refused to evacuate them to safety from storm Florence.

The South Carolina Department of Corrections tweeted pictures on Monday of prisoners preparing to defend their facilities from flooding.

Bryan Stirling, director of the department, chose not to move inmates despite prison evacuations in Virginia and North Carolina.

On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Corrections posted pictures of prisoners preparing sandbags to defend their facilities from flooding

Bryan Stirling, director of the department, chose not to evacuate the inmates from several prisons, with a spokesman saying: 'In the past, it's been safer to leave them there.' Pictured: Sandbags outside a South Carolina prison

He said that evacuating thousands of convicts with buses on congested routes would have created a public safety concern.

A spokesman for the department added: 'In the past, it's been safer to leave them there.'

Among the prisons that are not being evacuated are Ridgeland, MacDougall, and Lieber Correctional Institutions.

One inmate told the New Yorker via text from an illegal mobile phone: 'We're all locked down until after the storm.'

He said officers, as is customary for security reasons, are not letting inmates store extra drinking water in bottles or buckets.

Chris Craig and Zach Boucher sit on a bench in the flooded waters edge following Hurricane, now tropical storm Florence September in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina

A tree rests atop a home on Queens Road West in Charlotte, NC on Sunday as heavy rains and wind continued to batter the US

He said a previous flood made water come knee-high, meaning prisoners on the bottom floor of his jail could be in danger.

'I can remember one flood to where the water came knee high,' he wrote. 'Those guys are going to drown if it rains enough.'

Hurricane Florence, downgraded to a tropical depression, claimed more lives on Sunday, with at least 20 people confirmed dead.

Florence is expected to weaken on Monday before re-intensifying as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone Tuesday and Wednesday, the US National Hurricane Center said on Monday.

The tropical depression continues to produce widespread heavy rains over parts of North Carolina and north-eastern South Carolina into western Virginia and flash flooding will continue over portions of the western mid-Atlantic region, it said.

Florence is located about 145 miles (230 km) west-northwest of Greensboro, North Carolina packing maximum sustained winds of 30 miles per hour.



Marcus Dipaola helps five-year-old Ember Kelly off a rescue boat carrying her sisters and mother from rising flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, in Leland, North CarolinaThe 14th suspect in connection to the brutal bodega murder of 15-year-old Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz has been arrested and charged.

Frederick Then, 20, turned himself in Sunday night- less than a week after the NYPD released his photograph in search of the alleged Trinitarios gang member.

Then has been charged with murder, manslaughter, gang assault, conspiracy and criminal possession of a weapon in the killing of the teen who aspired to be a police officer.

He is accused of being involved in the Guzman-Feliz's brutal death which shocked the nation after security cameras captured five members of the Dominican gang dragging the teen out of a Bronx bodega and viciously stabbing him to death with a machete on June 20.

Frederick Then, 20, appeared in court Monday for the killing of Lesandro Guzman-Felix, 15

Then was arraigned in Bronx Supreme Court on murder Monday for the June killing

Then turned himself in to police Sunday night and was arrested and charged with murder, manslaughter, gang assault, conspiracy and criminal possession of a weapon

Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz, an aspiring police officer, was killed in a vicious attack by Trinitarios gang members on June 20

The Dominican gang is believed to have murdered the teen in a case of mistaken identity after confusing him with a man from a rival faction gang who had sex with one of the Trinitarios' girlfriends.

The other 13 members of the group have been charged in relation to the senseless killing with similar charges as Then.

Then reportedly spent time hiding out in New York and Passaic County, New Jersey, for the three months since the teen's death.

Police said he also used several different phones to remain under their radar.

Authorities have not said exactly what role Then played in the killing.

Law enforcement sources told the Daily News last week that police are not just looking for those who physically killed Guzman-Feliz, but for anyone who had anything to do with the attack.

Since Guzman-Feliz's murder, the 14 men arrested are all believed to belong to the Trinitarios.

Suspects (left to right): Jose Taverez, Danel Fernandez, Manuel Rivera, and Jose Muniz

Suspects (left to right): Kevin Alvarez, Elvin Garcia, Santiago Rodriguez and Joniki Martinez

Suspects (left to right): Luis Cabrera Santos, 25, Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion, 26, Diego Suero, 29, and Danilo Payamps Pacheco, 21

Ronald Urena, 29, was the 13th suspect arrested and charged over the murder

This photograph of Frederick Then was released by NYPD officers on Wednesday

Kevin Alvarez, 19; Danel Fernandez, 21; Joniki Martinez Estrella, 24; Jose Tavarez, 21; Danilo Payamps Pacheco, 21; Diego Suero, 29; Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion, 26; and Luis Cabrera Santos, 25, were all charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, second-degree conspiracy, first-degree gang assault, second-degree gang assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Elvin Garcia, 23; Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, 24; Manuel Rivera, 18; and Jose Muniz, 22, were slapped with the above mentioned charges along with first-degree murder, including torture.

Late last month, Ronald Urena, 29, was the 13th suspect charged with murder, manslaughter, gang assault, conspiracy and criminal possession of a weapon.

Police believe Guzman-Feliz was killed in a case of mistaken identity, after members of the Trinitarios gang allegedly pulled him from a bodega in the Bronx and use machetes and knifes to kill himChristine Blasey Ford, the Palo Alto University professor who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of trying to rape her while in high school, said she will testify in public before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Fords attorney Debra Katz told NBCs Today Show the Professor will ensure that the Committee have a full picture of President Donald Trumps pick before they are asked to make the final decision on the nominee.

Alongside the White House issuing denials of the allegations against Kavanaugh, the Judge has also categorically and unequivocally refuted the claims  White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec revealed today. But who is Christina Blasey Ford?

Christine Blasey Ford wrote a letter alleging that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her

Who is Christine Blasey Ford?

Professionally known as Christine Blasey, she garnered media attention after she accused Trumps Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of trying to rape her while they were both of high school age.

As reported by Heavy.com, Christine graduated from the all-girl Holton-Arms School in 1984, located in Bethesda, Maryland and seven miles away from Georgetown Prep, the all-boys school that Kavanaugh attended at the same time.

According to her LinkedIn account, she graduated from the University of North Carolina before earning a Masters in psychology from Pepperdine University, as well as a Masters in Education from Stanford. Christine also earned her Doctorate in Educational Psychology at the University of Southern California.

Christine Blasey Ford is a Professor at Palo Alto University in California, teaching in a consortium with Stanford University and training graduate students in clinical psychology, as reported on Action News Jax.

Having dealt with topics such as depression on an academic level, Christine co-authored a book in 2015 with Helena Chmura Kraemer called How Many Subjects? Statistical Power Analysis in Research. In total, she has co-authored over 50 scientific publications, book chapters and books.

She has also written a number of journals, including 'Does Gender Moderate the Relationship Between Childhood Maltreatment & Adult Depression?', 'Acupuncture: A Promising Treatment for Depression During Pregnancy' and 'Post-traumatic Growth Following the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001'.

Christine seen here in her yearbook photo from the all-girl Holton-Arms School in Maryland

In the article, she and her co-writers wrote: '[Our] findings suggest that there may be a range of traumatic experience most conducive to growth and they also highlight the important contributions of cognitive and coping variables to psychological thriving in short and longer-term periods following traumatic experience.

In another piece, Ford also revealed the effects of meditation with yoga on depressed patients, writing: Results indicate that significantly more meditation group participants experienced a remission [of depression] than did controls at 9month followup.

As well as signing a letter with other professionals in health demanding that Trump stop the separation of families at the US-Mexico border, she told The Washington Post that as a Democrat, she has made contributions to a number of Democratic organisations.

FEC records show she contributed $10 to the Democratic National Committee, $5 to the ActBlue PAC and $27 to Senator Bernie Sanders presidential campaign via ActBlue in 2017. She also contributed $35 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $3.50 to ActBlue in 2014.

Christine married her husband Russell Ford in 2002 at a wedding at Half Moon Bay in California, and according to his LinkedIn, he is a senior director at Zosano Pharma. He also studied at Stanford, graduating with a Masters and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington

Kavanaugh allegations

As reported by the The Washington Post, Christine Blasey Ford alleged that the incident occurred when Kavanaugh and a friend, Mark Judge, brought her up to a bedroom while they were all attending a party. She claimed that Kavanaugh pinned her to the bed, groped her, tried to take her clothes off and put his hand over her mouth when she screamed.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing, she claimed, and revealed she was able to escape when Judge jumped on top of them. Christine then locked herself in the bathroom before running out of the house.

She said: My biggest fear was, do I look like someone just attacked me? [I thought], Im not ever telling anyone this. This is nothing, it didnt happen, and he didnt rape me.

Christine described the alleged incident in more detail in a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Kavanaugh physically pushed me into a bedroom as I was headed for a bathroom up a short stair well from the living room. They locked the door and played loud music precluding any successful attempt to yell for help. Kavanaugh was on top of me while laughing with (Judge), who periodically jumped onto Kavanaugh.

They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state. With Kavanaughs hand over my mouth I feared he may inadvertently kill me. From across the room a very drunken (Judge) said mixed words to Kavanaugh ranging from go for it to stop.

Mark Judge, the other person in the room where the 'sexual assault' took place, seen here

At one point when (Judge) jumped onto the bed the weight on me was substantial. The pile toppled, and the two scrapped with each other. After a few attempts to get away, I was able to take this opportune moment to get up and run across to a hallway bathroom.

I locked the bathroom door behind me. Both loudly stumbled down the stair well at which point other persons at the house were talking with them. I exited the bathroom, ran outside of the house and went home, the letter read.

Christine had not told anyone about the incident until 2012 when she and her husband Russell were in couples therapy and wrote in her letter that while she has not knowingly seen Kavanaugh since the assault, she saw the Judge once and he was extremely uncomfortable seeing me.

Acting on the advice of her attorney Debra Katz, she took a polygraph test in July 2018 and although she decided not to come forward, her identity and story was leaked.

'Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation, she told The Post.

Kavanaugh confirmation

Fords attorney Debra Katz told NBCs Today Show that Christine is willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth. She continued: 'My client will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the Senate Judiciary Committee has the full story and the full set of allegations to allow them to make a fully informed decision.

White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec said in a statement today that, Kavanaugh categorically and unequivocally denied this allegation. This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement.

Attorney Debra Katz, who represents Christine Blasey Ford, says her client is willing to testify

However, Katz said that her client was not taking a position on whether or not Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination to the high court.

She's not taking a position on this. She thinks these allegations bear on his character and his fitness. And the denials, of course, also bear on his character and fitness.'

She added: 'This is not a politically-motivated action. She was reluctant to come forward. And she was outed after she had made the decision not to come forward.' Meanwhile, Kellyanne Conway said Ford should be heard.

'This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored, she said but also reminded Fox & Friends viewers that Kavanaugh has been through multiple background checks.

'Judge Kavanaugh is a man of character and integrity who has been through six FBI vettings, which I can tell you first hand are significant and thorough. He also has been lauded by women from every different aspect of his life.

'And this is significant. This is very significant for a man of character and integrity to be spoken about so highly by women who maybe didn't vote for President Trump,' she added.A dog was rushed to the vet after eating a strawberry filled with five razor blades as the country's strawberry spiking saga continues.

Debra Fox, from the Gold Coast, recently came home to find her beloved Baxter covered in blood and in excruciating pain.

As the bleeding persisted and became uncontrollable, she rushed her French bull-dog cross pug to the vet.

Owner Debra Fox came home to find her beloved Baxter covered in blood and in excruciating pain

It was then the Gold Coast family discovered the French bull-dog cross pug gashes down his throat.

Days later, Ms Fox made the horrifying discovery - someone had thrown a strawberry filled with five razor blades over her fence.

'If he had eaten the strawberry he would have died,' Ms Fox told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'Who would do this to an animal for no reason? Just for fun and to cause pain to an animal?'

Ms Fox made the horrifying discovery - someone had thrown a strawberry filled with five razor blades over her fence

This month, needles and pins have been found inside different brands of strawberries across the country.

Supermarkets have been forced to pull the contaminated brands from their shelves after the suspected sabotage.

Authorities hope a $100,000 reward for information offered by the Queensland government will lead to capture of the strawberry saboteur.

NSW detectives will meet on Monday to share information as they work to figure out the origin of the contamination.

Ms Fox: 'Who would do this to an animal for no reason? Just for fun and to cause pain to an animal?'

The sabotage spread to South Australia at the weekend, with a needle found in a punnet of Mal's Black Label strawberries on Sunday.

Tasmania police are also investigation the possible contamination of a punnet bought at a Woolworths in Hobart.

Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook Berries have recalled their strawberries nationwide.

Police are also investigating contamination of fruit sold by Delightful Strawberries, Love Berries and Oasis in stores in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT.Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain, the authorized agent of Renault in Kuwait, has launched a special campaign entitling users convenient instalments on its popular range - Renault Captur, Renault Duster, and Renault Megane.



Backed by a 10 year warranty and in collaboration with Kuwait Finance and Investment Company, customers are able to enjoy their instalments starting from only KD33 ($108).



The Renault Megane 2018 is equipped with generous space for its occupants i.e. dimensions of 4.63m long and 1.81m wide, and a record wheelbase in its class of 2.71m. Owing to its dynamic styling and advanced features, the new Megane represents the next level in the compact saloon category. It comes with a 1.6-litre engine, 115hp designed to enhance driving enjoyment and reduce fuel consumption.



Reflecting innovation in every touch, the customizable Renault Captur 2018 offers original two-colour paintwork that distinguishes the roof, pillars and mirror casings from the rest of the body. Built as a distinctly modern and functional vehicle with a turbocharged engine, the Captur comes with a lively response, sharp acceleration, and flexibility at all speeds combining driving pleasure with fuel economy, delivering remarkably moderate fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.



Renault Duster comes equipped with four-wheel drive transmission, advanced new media Nav 2.0 multimedia system that entertains and navigates while enabling hands-free Bluetooth calling; along with a cruise control system making driving seamless.  TradeArabia News ServiceA clubber allegedly ploughed his car onto a packed dancefloor in a deliberate attempt to cause 'carnage and death' in revenge for being thrown out by door staff for being drunk, a court heard.

Mohammed Abdul was said to have threatened bouncers he would return and 'shut the place down' as he was being ejected from Blake's nightclub in Gravesend, Kent, for being drunk.

It is alleged that 10 minutes later the 21-year-old drove his Suzuki Vitara at speed down a narrow side alleyway, through closed metal gates and into a marquee area at the rear of the club just before midnight on Saturday, March 17.

Many people had been enjoying a night out awaiting a guest appearance by grime rap artist Giggs and were sent sprawling on impact.

It is alleged that 10 minutes later the 21-year-old drove his Suzuki Vitara at speed down a narrow side alleyway, through closed metal gates and into a marquee area at the rear of the club (pictured)

Among the eight injured either by being struck by the Vitara or in the resulting panic was cameraman Pierre Joseph who was there to film the performance.

He was one of two seriously injured and suffered a fractured shinbone.

The second was 18-year-old Katie Wells who went under the vehicle and suffered a fractured pelvis and bruising to her left arm and legs.

She later recalled hearing 'a massive bang' before being hit by the front passenger side of the Vitara.

Abdul, from Deptford, south east London, was arrested at the scene after being restrained by clubbers and door staff.

On trial at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent, the defendant denies two offences of attempting to murder persons in the vicinity of the nightclub, as well as an alternative charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Forensics at Blake's nightclub. Mohammed Abdul denies two offences of attempting to murder persons in the vicinity of the nightclub

High Court Judge Mr Justice Fancourt was told these three offences are in relation to Abdul's driving in the alleyway and then the marquee itself.

He also denies two charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Joseph and Miss Wells.

However, the jury heard Abdul accepts he was the driver and has admitted two charges of causing serious injury to Mr Joseph and Miss Wells by dangerous driving.

Opening the case today, prosecutor Simon Taylor said: 'This course of action involved using his motor car as a weapon by deliberately driving at a large group of people who were trying to enjoy a night out in Blake's nightclub.

'The manner in which the defendant drove was not short in either duration or distance. It was a determined and indiscriminate effort to cause carnage and death to anyone who was in his way.

'Mercifully, and no thanks to the defendant, death was not caused by his driving but serious injury was.'

Having explained the charges faced by Abdul, the prosecutor added it was the Crown's case he intended to kill.

'The Crown say you can be sure he had a specific intent when he drove in this way and that was an intention to kill,' said Mr Taylor.

'He didn't kill and that is why it is attempted murder...We say there was plainly an intention to kill here.'

CCTV footage played in court captured the dramatic moment the car ploughed past bollards and down the alleyway.

CCTV footage played in court captured the dramatic moment the car ploughed past bollards and down the alleyway at Blake's nightclub (pictured) in Kent

It then paused for nine seconds before careering into unsuspecting revellers on the busy marquee dancefloor.

One doorman later described the car deliberately trying to hit as many people as possible.

Abdul had arrived at the club in Queen Street just before 8.40pm and was escorted out three hours later for his 'apparent intoxication', the jury of seven men and five women heard.

Customers had complained about his 'demeanour and conduct', said the prosecutor.

'In response to being asked to leave, the defendant said words to the effect of 'I'm going to shut you down tonight',' added Mr Taylor.

'The CCTV footage clearly shows that he is very angry while being ejected from the club.

'The defendant did not take this action kindly and was stubbornly refusing to leave and being aggressive to the door staff.'

Abdul was also said to have threatened door staff, saying he would 'Come back and f*** you all up'.

When he returned in his grey and black Vitara and reportedly revving the engine, a doorman realised what was happening and quickly reacted to pull open the driver's door.

But Abdul is alleged to have shouted 'I told you I'd be back' before accelerating at speed and bursting through the gates halfway down the alleyway adjacent to the main building.

Mr Taylor said the 'tight' manoeuvre from the road outside the club and into the alleyway was 'careful and deliberate', demonstrating a 'considered piece of driving'.

Clubbers had to dive for safety, the court heard. One bouncer trying to stop the car hit the windscreen while a young woman who fell to the ground had to roll out of the way as the vehicle drove towards her.

'He made no attempt to stop and as he made his way along the alleyway, a number of customers and door staff had to jump out of the way or were pulled out of the way to avoid being hit,' continued Mr Taylor.

'As the defendant approached the entrance to the marquee he slowed down to a stop.

'Having stopped for around nine seconds, no doubt to make a final decision as to what he was going to do next, the defendant then executed that decision by driving into the marquee and across the dancefloor at considerable speed, hitting a number of people.

'In fact, the defendant travelled for a distance of around five to 10 metres and gave the customers and staff who were in the marquee no time to react.

'As a consequence, some of the occupants of the marquee were hit by the car and thrown onto the bonnet and then onto the floor.'

One woman dislocated her knee as people scrambled out of the way and tried to flee, screaming and shouting in panic.

Abdul then reversed the Vitara several metres before people surrounded it, dragged him from his seat by his hair and restrained him until police arrived.

The court heard he was 'abusive and uncooperative' to both officers and paramedics treating him for his own injuries, and later replied no comment when interviewed.

'In all likelihood he received some injuries from those patrons that he had attempted to mow down and who had intervened to prevent further carnage,' said Mr Taylor.

The court was told the incident was not terror-related.

'The matter has been thoroughly investigated and the Crown's case is that it was not a terrorist event,' said Mr Taylor.

At the end of the prosecution opening, Abdul's barrister Danny Moore said the issue for the jury to decide was whether his behaviour was intentional as alleged, or simply 'utterly reckless'.A 'stunned silence' fell over the London Fire Brigade's control room after calls from trapped Grenfell Tower residents stopped, an inquiry heard.

Angie Gotts, a control room officer based in Stratford, east London, took around 80 999 calls on the night of the fire in June last year.

Grenfell Tower occupants were told to remain inside their flats for nearly two hours after the fire took hold - a decision that is feared to have been fatal.

Mrs Gotts said in a statement to the Grenfell inquiry that she had been reluctant to advise tenants to remain inside a burning building since the deadly Lakanal House fire in Camberwell, London, in 2009.

London Fire Brigade 999 call handler Angie Gotts told the Grenfell Fire Inquiry she took around 80 calls on the incident but a 'stunned silence' descended over the control room when they suddenly stopped

The fire in June 2017, pictured, killed more than 70 people and the inquiry is probing the response to the tragedy and what could have been done to prevent it

The statement said: 'The fallout from it has had a profound effect on me.

'A friend of mine was blamed for the advice she gave to a resident and the advice she gave her was exactly what she was supposed to have done... the blame was all put on her.

'Since then I have not been comfortable with telling people to stay put in their flats.

'I will tell the caller what I can and I will certainly pass all of their details (flat number, floor number, number of people and location) to the firefighters but I will not tell them to stay.'

At a hearing on Monday, she added: 'I just felt terrible inside.'

The 37-year veteran of the LFB described feeling 'useless' as she fielded calls from those without an escape route.

They included a father-of-five who had flames chewing through the walls of his flat.

Mrs Gotts wrote: 'I told him there was nothing I could do and that he was better off with his family.

'I ended the call by saying I would make absolutely sure the crews knew where he was - it was just horrible.'

For hours, hundreds of calls flooded into the control room - prompting other bases around the country to take on some of the workload.

However, the flurry of activity was soon replaced by unnerving quiet.

'There was a lull. That was horrible,' she wrote.

Mrs Gotts, pictured at the inquiry, said she would not tell people to remain in their flats as advised to because of a similar tower block fire in Camberwell in 2010

Referring to the trapped residents who had rung 999, she continued: 'You could not help but think that they had all gone.

'Then relatives started calling and asking about family members. They feared the worst and that was why they were ringing.

'The lack of calls made it eerie in the control room. Someone said, 'What does this mean?' but we all know what it meant.'

Mrs Gotts said she recalled the September 11 terror attacks in New York when her colleague eventually found images of the fire online.

'I remember thinking it reminded me of 9/11 and all the people who were above where the planes hit and could not get out,' the statement said.

'The atmosphere was one of stunned silence.'

Mrs Gotts also recounted a fraught exchange with officials from Kensington and Chelsea Council, the owners of Grenfell Tower.

She tried and failed three times to contact the authority so a building surveyor could be booked in to assess the damage.

The call handler, who has worked for LFB for 37 years, added she 'wished she could have done more' to help those in the tower

'Eventually I managed to get through... and was advised that they could not give an ETA for the surveyor.

'I stressed the importance of someone needing to attend but was again told they could not tell me when someone would be there.

'We even said that they could be collected and driven on blue lights to the scene but still they would not assist nor let me call them directly.'

The council faced heavy criticism over its response to the tragedy.

Mrs Gotts' statement ended: 'I wish I could have done more to help those people. All we could do was pass on the information.

'A few days later we did a scene visit of the tower which completely shocked me - the height of the building and the damage was overwhelming.'Pence speaks on a mobile phone before attending the Republican policy luncheon in DC on September 5

Mike Pence - DENIES IT

Sleuths honed in on the word 'lodestar,' a favorite of the vice president. The op-ed's author described the late Sen. John McCain as 'a lodestar for restoring honor to public life and our national dialogue.'

Others suggested the word, which means the guiding star of a ship, could have been deliberately included to throw journalists off the scent.

This was the verdict of a senior White House official who spoke to Dailymail.com. He said suspicion is not focused on him or anyone in his office following a frank discussion among the VP's senior staff.

Pence has never criticized Trump in public. Writing the op-ed would almost certainly scuttle any future bid for high office. And his communications director has publicly denied it, saying Pence would always sign his own work.

Stephen Ford

If 'lodestar' was not an intentional red herring, others speculated, suspicion could fall on Pence's speechwriter.

But the VP's use of the word dates back to at least 2001. Ford, a youngish rising star in Washington's conservative circles, was in the third grade that year.

Mattis gestures during a press briefing at the Pentagon on May 19, 2017

James Mattis - DENIES IT

The Secretary of Defense, despite being a Trump favorite, has repeatedly sounded at odds with the commander-in-chief while discussing NATO, Russia and military strategy.

During one episode in Bob Woodward's recent book, 'Fear,' Trump questioned the ability of U.S. early warning systems in Alaska to identify a nuclear attack from North Korea.

Mattis is said to have schooled him. 'We're doing this in order to prevent World War III,' he reportedly said.

The Pentagon chief reportedly told colleagues after the incident that Trump had the mental ability of 'a fifth- or sixth-grader.'

Mattis has denied the account, saying in a statement: 'The contemptuous words about the President attributed to me in Woodward's book were never uttered by me or in my presence.'

A Pentagon spokesperson denied he wrote the Times piece. 'It was not his op-ed,' spokesperson Dana White said.

Kelly at the White House on August 20

John Kelly

The White House chief of staff was also quoted in Woodward's book as having called Trump an 'idiot.'

'It's pointless to try to convince him of anything. He's gone off the rails,' he allegedly said.

'We're in Crazytown. I don't even know why any of us are here. This is the worst job I've ever had.'

Kelly denied making the claims, in a statement put out by the White House.

'The idea that I ever called the President is not true, in fact it's exactly the opposite,' he said. 'This is both a pathetic attempt to smear people close to President Trump and distract from his many successes.'

Sessions speaks about immigration and law enforcement at Lackawanna College on June 15, 2018

Jeff Sessions - DENIES IT

The attorney general has a motive to shiv his boss after Trump repeatedly chastized him in public for recusing himself from the Russia investigation.

And he has let loose on Sessions over charges the Department of Justice brought against two sitting Republican members of Congress, complaining the indictments handicapped the incumbents and jeopardized the GOP's ability to retain its majority in the House.

The president also compared Sessions unfavorably to the FBI director he fired, 'Lyin' James Comey,' saying they had become martyrs to the same lawmakers who despised them after resisting orders from the president.

Woodward writes that Sessions called Trump 'mentally retarded,' something that also met a stern denial.

A Justice Department spokesperson denies Sessions wrote the NYT op-ed.

Coats addresses the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on July 19

Dan Coats - DENIES IT

The director of national intelligence has also veered from Trump loyal line.

Told of the president's plan to invite Vladimir Putin to the White House, Coats enraged the president by snarking: 'That is going to be special.'

He later 'clarified' his comments, made during an interview at the Aspen Institute security forum in Colorado, by saying his response 'was in no way meant to be disrespectful or criticize the actions of the president.'

Trump drew heavy criticism from both Republicans and Democrats over his summit with Putin in Helsinki, Finland, where he seemed reluctant to blame Russia for meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Coats put out a statement denying either he or his deputy wrote the piece.

McGahn is interviewed at a conference in Gaylord, Maryland, on February 22

Don McGahn

The White House counsel is planning to leave the White House in the fall, so he may not fear the consequences of exposure as a secret anti-Trumper.

He has also clashed with the president in the past.

This includes declining an order to fire Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the Russia investigation that Trump describes as a 'witch hunt.'

McGahn risked the president's anger by spending 30 hours in interviews with Mueller's team, over three separate occasions.

Melania and Ivanka watch on ahead of the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in Hempstead, New York

Melania or Ivanka? - MELANIA DENIED

The first lady is an unlikely candidate for authorship of the Times essay.

Twitter commenters noted she had already been accused of telegraphing coded messages publicly hinting at opposition to her husband's policies.

This included wearing a jacket saying 'I really don't care, do u?' when visiting shelters for illegal immigrant children.

Melania Trump denied authorship Thursday, saying in a statement: 'To the writer of the oped  you are not protecting this country, you are sabotaging it with your cowardly actions.'

Ivanka Trump has previously said she would work to ensure her voice is heard via her father's policies but has seemingly failed to do so  particularly in the case of family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border, which she 'vehemently' opposed.

Her husband Jared is a senior adviser and also could be involved, but it's a long shot that anyone in Trump's family would sell him out.The moment a cheese factory exploded, sending a man flying into the air, has been caught on camera.

The dramatic incident was captured on CCTV at Maleny Cheese Factory, a popular cafe on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, early on Monday morning.

In the footage, which was released by Queensland police, a man appeared to loiter around the family-owned business shortly before flames erupted from the building.

The man wandered and peered around corners shortly before being thrown into the air by the force of the explosion.

Eight fire crews arrived at 4.15am on Monday and discovered the front of the factory on fire, with an industrial wheelie also engulfed in flames, according to The Courier Mail.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services forensic team said they will continue their investigation into the fire on Tuesday.

Police are interested in talking to the man in the footage and have released the CCTV footage in hopes anyone with any information on the identity of the man will come forward.

Anyone with any information is advised to contact Crime Stoppers.

The CCTV footage shows a man in a white hoodie and light pants loitering around the Melany Cheese Factory property shortly before the explosionA knife-wielding man who was shot and killed by police after a violent standoff at a train station was convicted of stealing $20,000 from a popular hotel three years earlier.

Jesse Kermode was shot by police outside of Ipswich station in Queensland on Sunday afternoon.

The 24-year-old was believed to be causing a 'disturbance' and lunged at police with a knife in front of horrified onlookers.

Jesse Kermode (pictured) was shot by police outside of Ipswich station in Queensland on Sunday afternoon

The 24-year-old was believed to be causing a 'disturbance' and lunged at police with a knife in front of horrified onlookers

The Courier Mail reported that ordeal was caught on CCTV, and saw three 'experienced' male officers open fire once Kermode charged towards them.

In 2015, he held up a popular hotel along with former Gold Coast Seagulls player Anthony 'Chook' Fowler.

Kermode lay outside the door of Goodna's Cecil Hotel, south west of Brisbane, and pretended to be asleep.

As soon as a staff member entered the building, he jumped up and put a fake gun to the worker's back and ordered him to unlock the door.

The hold up saw the pair take cash from the hotel's safe and from the registers behind the bar.

As the employee had a replica gun held to his head, Kermode and Fowler stole almost $20,000.

Fowler, a former rugby league player, worked at the hotel for three years and was hoping to take $100,000 in the robbery.

Kermode (pictured) who was shot and killed by police after a violent standoff at a train station was convicted of stealing $20,000 from a popular hotel three years earlier

However, a change in the safe's combination lead to the pair running away with less money than expected.

Despite his checkered past, the 24-year-old's close loved ones said that he was just misunderstood.

'Jesse was always there for his family and friends no matter what, when it involved helping a friend or family member in need or being there to listen to when no one else would,' a loved one told The Courier-Mail.

'He was loved by family and friends and was an amazing bloke. He'll be dearly missed by all.'

In 2015, Kermode held up a popular hotel along with former Gold Coast Seagulls player Anthony 'Chook' Fowler (pictured)

The Queensland Police Union said the officers responsible for the shooting are being investigated and participated in 'walk-throughs' of the scene on Monday.

President of the union, Ian Leavers, said he spent time talking with the men after the incident and they were visibly shaken by the event.

The officers were wearing body-worn cameras, but are unsure if they were on and working.

Witnesses said that Kermode, who boarded a train to Ipswich before 4.15pm, was harassing commuters and his behaviour escalated once police arrived to the station.National Cheeseburger Day celebrations are nearly here and many burger outlets will be taking part in honouring the iconic food by giving them out for free or at discounted prices.

One chain taking part is McDonalds, which is giving away 200,000 free cheeseburgers across Australia. All customers have to do to collect their free burger is download the MyMaccas app on their phone.

Beginning at midnight, customers can get a free cheeseburger by redeeming the free burger voucher in the My Rewards section of the app. A change from last year means that in 2018, customers dont actually have to buy anything to claim the free burger.

National Cheeseburger Day will see many fast-food establishments offer free cheeseburgers

McDonalds upped the ante on last year when it only offered up 100,000 free cheeseburgers by doubling the amount for the 2018 day.

Over in the US, Wendys also took things to the next level, saying it will celebrate National Cheeseburger Day all the way through to the end of the month.

In fact, Wendys started celebrating the day on September 8, when Wendys mobile app started offering free Daves Single with any purchase. The fast-food restaurant said this offer will refresh every day until September 30.

'In a world full of crazy and sometimes ridiculous national holidays, there is one that is near and dear to Wendy's heart  National Cheeseburger Day, the company said in a statement.

It added: And because one day of hot and juicy burgers is never enough, Wendy's believes you deserve to celebrate through the end of the month.

We're passionate about serving you fresh, never frozen beef. To prove it, we're giving you a free Dave's Single with purchase every single day for the rest of September on our app. Download now for that free good good  Wendy's (@Wendys) September 8, 2018

Boss: We need more app downloads



Us: Give them free food



Boss: Fine. Free Dave's Single with purchase, every single day, for the rest of September.



Us: *tweets this tweet telling you to go get that free food*  Wendys (@Wendys) September 10, 2018

When is National Cheeseburger Day 2018?

National Cheeseburger Day 2018 will take place on Tuesday, September 18.

What is National Cheeseburger Day?

National Cheeseburger Day is the celebration of one of the most iconic and delicious foods of the USA, according to Days of the Year.

On this day, many fast-food establishments such as Wendys and McDonalds celebrate the day by giving out free cheeseburgers.

The very first cheeseburger is thought to have been made at a Los Angeles diner, ODells, which had it on the menu, served with cheese and chili for 25 cents. Another claim is made by Kaelins Restaurant, which says it invented the cheeseburger in 1934.

The trademark for the term cheeseburger was awarded to Louis Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In. However, he didnt enforce the exclusivity rights and the term spread into popular usage.

Other top National Cheeseburger Day deals

BurgerFi will be offering $1 cheeseburgers in-stores as part of its BOGO (buy one get one free) offer.

California and Nevada chain Farmer Boys is offering $1 Big Cheese cheeseburgers throughout September 18.

White Castle is offering a free Cheese slider with any purchase with a coupon that will be valid on the day.

Wayback Burgers who download the Wayback app by Monday, September 17 will receive the a BOGO cheeseburger deal. To sweeten the deal, anyone who downloads the app will get a free classic burger after a first in-app purchase. This deal is not part of the National Cheeseburger Day deal.

Shake Shack is partnering with Quiet Events to host a silent disco in New Yorks Madison Square Park. Everyone who attends will receive a free Shake Shack burger.The mother of a teenage girl who was killed in a horror crash has been found dead just days later.

Natalie Hood was found dead over the weekend after she lost her daughter Casey, 18, in the collision near Canterbury in the early hours of Friday morning.

Mrs Hood had posted a message on Facebook saying 'I just want my little girl back' on Saturday.

Lucy Leadbeater, 27, was also in the Toyota Yaris involved in the crash near the A2 and was rushed to hospital in critical condition, but died yesterday after her life support was switched off.

Natalie Hood (pictured), Casey Hood's mother, was found dead over the weekend just days after Casey died in a car crash

Casey Hood, 18, lost her life at the scene of the crash near Canterbury in the early hours of Friday

Casey Hood was killed in a car crash in the early hours of Friday in Womenswold, Kent.

Police said Casey died at the scene will the other crash victim Lucy Leadbeater was also died on Sunday.

As tributes flooded in over the weekend for her daughter, Natalie Hood revealed she was 'struggling' in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Mrs Hood's body was then found on Sunday.

It is not yet known who driving the car at the time of the crash at about 3.50am on Friday.

Tributes have poured in for Mrs Hood via the Facebook page of her daughter Kellis - who is Casey's twin sister.

One mourner wrote: 'Rip Natalie go look after your baby girl Casey in heaven look down on us and look after.

An emotional Facebook post written by Natalie Hood after her daughter's death said she 'just wanted her back'

Mrs Hood had previously written a tribute to her daughter on Saturday saying she was 'struggling'

'This world is so unfair and cruel take care of each other up there mother & daughter forever, two beautiful angels.'

Another said: 'R.I.P Natalie Hood love you!!! We've got to try remember the good times we all had with her, remember how loving she was how funny and down to earth she was and what a wonderful mum she was!

'Thinking of the family, Kellis Hood and Jasmine and the others I hope you can all find the strength you need to get through this devastating time!

'Fly high Natalie I hope your dancing in the sky with Casey.'

One tribute to both Casey and Natalie said: 'RIP to one of the kindest people I know. Such heartbreaking news.

'You were the life of the party and loved by so many people. You will never be forgotten. May you and your Mum both Rest in Peace.'

Mrs Hood had previously written a tribute to her daughter on Saturday which said: 'Thanks for everybody's kind thoughts prayers and memories casse y (sic) was truly one of a kind and I'm sitting here proper struggling that I will never see here or feel her presence again.'

Friends also paid tribute to Ms Leadbetter on social media.

A photo shared to a GoFundMe page in the wake of her daughter's accident showed Mrs Hood with daughter Casey when she was a child

Lucy Leadbeater, 27, became the second person to die following the horror car crash in Kent on Friday last week

Amanda Aubrey-Killen lead the tributes on Facebook yesterday: 'At 3.36pm today Lucy Leadbeater's parents made the decision to have the life support machine turned off.

'It is with deepest sympathy that there was nothing more the doctors could do.

'Lucy's parents and her son needed time to process this. As you may know Lucy was involved in a car accident early hours yesterday morning.

'Her family and Logan's family are all supporting each other. She will be sadly missed. We will never forget you Lucy.'

On the crash, a spokesman for Kent Police said: 'At 3.48am on Friday, officers were on patrol when their attention was drawn to a Toyota Yaris parked on the A2 slip road towards Adisham Road.

'The vehicle left the scene and the officers subsequently attended Nethersole Road where they found the car had been involved in a collision.

'South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Fire and Rescue Service also attended the scene along with the air ambulance.

'An 18-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene while a second woman was taken to a London hospital in a critical condition.

'Two men were also taken to a local hospital in a stable condition.'The drug ring was headed by Mexican fugitive Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum (pictured), who is one of the most-wanted drug traffickers in the world

A Colombian drug kingpin who participated in a violent ring that used planes, speedboats and submarines to smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars in cocaine faced federal trafficking charges Friday in a Los Angeles courtroom, prosecutors said.

Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva is among nearly four dozen defendants charged in a vast conspiracy to ship tons of cocaine from South America through Mexico to the U.S.

The indictment unsealed Thursday was unique in targeting people throughout the drug distribution chain from the source of where the coke was produced in Colombia to investors in Mexico, transportation coordinators, houses where the drugs were stashed and to large scale distributors in the U.S., federal prosecutors said.

Cuellar-Silva, who was extradited Thursday from Colombia, was a high-ranking member of the drug ring headed by Mexican fugitive Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum, who is one of the most-wanted drug traffickers in the world, prosecutors said.

Chavez-Gastelum and his son, Alonso Jaime Gastelum-Salazar, are also charged in the indictment with two counts of murder in Mexico. One of the victims was tortured and dismembered, and the grisly act was shot on video obtained by investigators, prosecutors said.

'This drug ring has spread death and misery across the Americas and to other parts of the world, which makes this case among the most significant drug trafficking cases ever brought in this district,' U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna said.

Chavez-Gastelum and his son Alonso Jaime Gastelum-Salazar (pictured) are charged in the indictment with two counts of murder in Mexico

Authorities seized more than 7,700 pounds (3,500 kilograms) of cocaine with a street value over $500 million during the three-year investigation.

The seizures included cocaine recovered after a plane was shot down by the Venezuelan military and crashed in the Caribbean, Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Barron said.

Other drugs seized included nearly a ton of cocaine (833 kilograms) floating in bales off the coast of Tumaco, Colombia, and more than 1,500 pounds (700 kilograms) of cocaine and over 60 pounds (30 kilograms) of methamphetamine seized in a Tijuana, Mexico, house.

The indictment charged 47 people in the drug operation. Seven defendants were arrested in the U.S. on Thursday, four were in custody in Thailand and about a half-dozen were facing extradition from Colombia. The others remained at large.

Cuellar-Silva pleaded not guilty and was held in custody, Barron said. A defense lawyer representing him said he had no comment.

If convicted of the charges, Cuellar-Silva and Chavez-Gastelum face up to life in prison, prosecutors said.President Donald Trump's eldest son appeared to mock the sexual assault allegations against his father's nominee for the Supreme Court.

Christine Blasey Ford, a college professor, has come forth with an allegation that Judge Brett Kavanaugh, the president's nominee, assaulted her at a party more than 30 years ago. Kavanaugh denied the charges, releasing a statement Monday that he was willing to speak to a Senate panel to 'refute' the allegation.

Donald Trump Jr. posted an image on Instagram with the caption 'Judge Kavanaugh sexual assault letter found by Dems...'

The photo attached shows a crumpled-up piece of notebook paper with a scribbled message: 'Hi Cindy will you be my girlfriend, Love Bret.'

The note has boxes to check for 'yes' or 'no' and seems to compare Kavanaugh's accuser to a school yard crush.

Trump Jr. also 'liked' a tweet from conservative actor James Woods which compared the accusation to a #MeToo 'lynching.' Woods later deleted the tweet.

Satire: The president's son used Instagram to mock the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, his father's Supreme Court nominee

Statement: Don Jr. linked a tweet using the term 'lynchings' from conservative actor James Woods, who later deleted the message

Trump Jr. has long been the Trump child most in touch with the president's most ardent voters. He seems to relish the button-pushing, asserting or trolling Tweet.

His social media feed has traded in conspiracy theories and hard-line messages about immigration or gun control.

He once circulated a post that compared Syrian refugees to a bowl of Skittles candy that contained some that 'would kill you.'

He's beloved on the right as the swaggering embodiment of the Make America Great Again agenda. And he's embracing his role as a popular emissary for his father, crisscrossing the country on campaign trips, penning op-eds in support of favored candidates and showcasing his new relationship with former Fox News host Kim Guilfoyle.

Trump Jr. has also mirrored his father's combative defiance toward special counsel's Robert Mueller's investigation while downplaying any talk of his own legal exposure stemming from his involvement in a 2016 Trump Tower meeting that's a focus of Mueller's probe into possible links between the president's election campaign and Russia.

Kavanaugh, meanwhile, was seen arriving at the White House late Monday morning. There was no immediate explanation of the reason for his visit. He had been on a smooth confirmation track, but the new allegations have roiled that process.

Opposite sides: Don Jr. is putting himself up against Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when she was 15 and he was 17A World War II heroine who used her harmless appearance to gain the trust of Nazis before executing them has died in The Netherlands, aged 92.

Freddie Oversteegen was born in Haarlem, near Amsterdam on September 6, 1925 and raised by her communist mother.

She was just 14 when she joined the Dutch resistance.

Together with her older sister Truus and their friend Hannie Schaft, she blew up bridges and railway tracks with dynamite, smuggled Jewish children out of concentration camps and executed as many Nazis as she could, using a firearm hidden in the basket of her bike.

Freddie Oversteegen, Dutch resistance fighter who killed Nazis through seduction, has died at 92

The trio had a routine: first approach the Nazi men in bars, and, having successfully seduced them, ask if they wanted to 'go for a stroll' in the forest, where, as Freddie herself put it, they would be 'liquidated'.

'We had to do it,' she told one interviewer. 'It was a necessary evil, killing those who betrayed the good people.' When asked how many people she had killed or helped kill, she demurred: 'One should not ask a soldier any of that.'

Freddie died on September 5 - one day before her 93rd birthday. She was the last surviving member of the Netherlands' most famous female resistance cell, who dedicated their lives to fighting Nazi occupiers and Dutch 'traitors' just outside Amsterdam.

The female members of the Dutch resistance are often overlooked, and it was and still is often thought of as a man's effort.

However, this kind of thinking proved to be a fatal mistake to many Nazi men, who did not recogonise the threat posed by the Oversteegen sisters as they rode their bikes around Haarlem in North Holland, scouting out targets or acting as lookouts for other executions.

Both Oversteegen sisters survived the war. Truus found work as an artist, and was inspired to write a memoir and based on her experiences in the resistance. She died in 2016.

Freddie told Vice that she coped with the traumas of the war 'by getting married and having babies.'

She married Jan Dekker and their three children survive her, as do her four grandchildren.

Freddie survived the war and later married Jan Dekker, with whom she had three children

However, their friend Hannie Schaft, a onetime law student with fiery red hair, was captured and executed by the Nazis just weeks before they surrendered.

In her honour, Truus Oversteegen founded the National Hannie Schaft Foundation in 1996. Freddie served as a board member.

'Schaft became the national icon of female resistance,' said Jeroen Pliester, the foundation's chairman. Her story was taught to Dutch children and retold in a 1981 film, 'The Girl With the Red Hair'.

To the sisters, being in the resistance was a source of pride - they would never regret it - but also of pain.

'It was tragic and very difficult and we cried about it afterwards,' Truus said, about the feeling of having killed somebody. 'We did not feel it suited us  it never suits anybody, unless they are real criminals.

'One loses everything. It poisons the beautiful things in life.'

The Dutch newspaper IJmuider Courant, reported that Freddie once told an interviewer: 'I've shot a gun myself and I've seen them fall. And what is inside us at such a moment? You want to help them get up.'

In recent years, Freddie had suffered from several heart attacks at the nursing home in Driehuis where she lived - about five miles outside Haarlem.A high-level delegation from Bahrain-based Gulf Petrochemical Co (GPIC) recently visited Abu Qir Fertilizers Company, a leader in the field of nitrogen fertilizer industry in Egypt, a media report said.



Chairman Saad Abu Al-Maati, who received the delegation, said the visit comes from the company's keenness to benefit from and provide support and advice in the field through its expertise, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA).



GPIC president Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery said that such visits help develop GPICs operational staff and give it the opportunity to interact with experts overseas while benefiting from their experiences and acquired practices.



The members of the delegation thanked Dr. Jawahery for his continuous efforts to promote and encourage such reciprocal visits. These visits, they said, would increase the experience of employees and introduce them to the practices adopted in other companies.



The Egyptian company currently contributes about 70 per cent of the Countrys production and helps the national economy while assisting in solving important issues facing Egypt, particularly that of food shortages. The company constantly develops its production lines and provides all relevant production requirements. It also sets up new projects through a team of professionals supported by the best international expertise.The world's oldest dolphin in captivity has died aged 58 following 47 years living inside a German Zoo.

Moby, a male Bottlenose dolphin with an unmistakable white marking on his head, died in the Tiergarten zoo in Nuremberg on Sunday.

The dolphin has fathered 13 cubs over the years, four of which are still alive, living in Holland, Spain and Portugal, as part of the European Breeding Program.

Moby was considered the alpha of the pod, with his carers insisting he acted with natural authority towards other bulls in the group.

Moby (pictured), a male Bottlenose dolphin with an unmistakable white marking on his head, died in the Tiergarten zoo in Nuremberg on Sunday

They said that in terms of strength, no other animal would be able to compete with him until he reached the age of 50 where he was no longer able to assert his dominance.

During the last years of his life, Moby socially withdrew from his group and would often be spotted playing by himself, or if he was too tired watch by the sidelines as the others enjoyed themselves.

Moby had a close bond with the nurses who were caring for him, they said he trusted until the end.

The dolphin has fathered 13 cubs over the years, four of which are still alive, living in Holland, Spain and Portugal, as part of the European Breeding Program

He was calm and relaxed during blood tests and while taking medication, which meant a stress-free environment for the nurses.

On Sunday morning Moby did not appear during the food round and the carers immediately noticed his absence.

They acted quickly and took samples for diagnosis, however despite their fast actions Moby's condition worsened and he died within a few hours.

At around the age of 58, Moby was the oldest male dolphin in human custody.The presidents of Russia and Turkey said Monday they had agreed to create a 'demilitarised zone' around Syria's Idlib, in a move aimed at preventing a military assault on the rebel-held province.

'We have decided to create a demilitarised zone some 15 to 20 kilometres deep along the line of contact between the armed opposition and regime troops by October 15 of this year,' President Vladimir Putin said after more than four hours of talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

This would entail a 'withdrawal of all radical fighters' from Idlib including the Al-Nusra Front, Putin said.

Scroll down for video

Putin (right) and Erdogan (left) met on Monday to discuss the situation in rebel-held Idlib, Syria as Russian forces surrounded the town

The two leaders also agreed on the withdrawal of 'heavy weaponry from this zone,' including tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, and rocket launchers belonging to all armed groups, Putin added.

'Control in the demilitarised zone will be organised together with mobile patrol groups of Turkish contingents and contingents of Russian military police,' he said.

By the end of the year, transportation routes between Latakia and Aleppo as well as Latakia and Hama must be restored, Putin added.

Erdogan said the measures would 'prevent a humanitarian crisis.'

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the agreement between Putin and Erdogan meant that no military action would be taken against Idlib, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia-backed forces of the Syrian regime have massed around Idlib province in recent weeks.

That sparked fears of an imminent air and ground attack to retake the last major opposition bastion.

The leaders agreed there would be an exclusion zone around 15 to 20 kilometers deep on the frontline (pictured in black)

Idlib province is the last region in rebel-held Syria not to be taken back in the bitter struggle with government forces

Protests have been staged against the Syrian government's advance on Idlib over fears it could trigger a humanitarian crisis

The meeting was staged after the UN's Syria peace envoy earlier this month called on the Russian and Turkish presidents to urgently speak to each other to help avert a 'bloodbath' in rebel-held Idlib.

Staffan de Mistura appealed to 'President Putin and to President Erdogan, ... to make a telephone call.'

The Kremlin criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's warnings against an expected Syrian government offensive on the province last week.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Russia's position, calling Idlib a 'hornets' nest of terrorists.'

Asked about Trump's tweet, Peskov said such warnings do not consider 'the dangerous and negative potential' of the rebel-held enclave and show that the White House does not have a 'comprehensive approach' to solving the Syria crisis.

Putin and Erdogan meet in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday to attempt a resolution

Erdogan and Putin had been engaged in a tense stand-off as the final battle for Idlib intensifiedSen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Christine Ford deserves to be heard in her accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh but wants to schedule a phone call with her - a move Democrats are sure to reject.

'Anyone who comes forward as Dr. Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner,' he said in a statement Monday afternoon.

He noted the 'standard procedure' is 'separate follow up calls with the relevant parties.'

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary panel, is under pressure to delay Thursday's vote and said Kavanaugh and Ford could be heard from via phone calls

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the committee, is showing her dislike of a plan to hold phone calls with the two

But Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the committee, is showing her dislike of that plan by refusing to cooperate with Grassley.

'In this case, that would entail phone calls with at least Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford. Consistent with that practice, I asked Senator Feinstein's office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused. But as a necessary step in evaluating these claims, I'll continue working to set them up,' Grassley noted.

Kavanaugh is scheduled to speak to committee staff at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, NBC News reported.

Democratic staff are skipping the call in protest.

'With only a few hours' notice and over the objections of Ranking Member Feinstein, Judiciary Committee Republicans scheduled a staff-level phone call with Brett Kavanaugh concerning allegations that he sexually assaulted a young woman,' Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee said in a joint statement.

'In view of the enormity and seriousness of these allegations, a staff-only phone call behind closed doors is unacceptable and Democratic staff will not participate. This isn't how things should be done and is in complete violation of how this committee worked in the past.'

Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a key vote for Kavanaugh, said she still wants both him and Ford to testify and she assumes the staff phone call is a prelude to a public hearing.

'There are an awful lot of questions, inconsistencies, gaps, and that's why to be fair to both, we need to know what happened,' she said Monday afternoon on Capitol Hill. 'That I assume would be the prelude to some sort of hearing.'

I want to have both individuals come before the Senate Judiciary Committee and hear from both,' she noted.

Obviously if Judge Kavanaugh lied, she added, that would be disqualifying.

Both Kavanaugh and Ford have expressed a willingness to speak publicly before the committee, which is scheduled to vote Thursday on President Donald Trump's nominee to the high court.

Additionally all Democrats on the panel wrote Grassley on Monday asking for vote to be postponed until more can be learned about the allegations against Kavanaugh.

And key Republican senators are also sounding alarm bells, saying Ford should be heard.

Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski are indicating they want to know more.

'Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh should both testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee,' Collins tweeted on Monday.

Murkowski says the judiciary committee 'might' need to consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh.

'Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion,' Murkowski told CNN late Sunday night.

Sen. Susan Collins said Ford and Kavanaugh should be heard from

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a key vote for the GOP, says the judiciary committee 'might' need to consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, whose vote could make or break Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, is indicating he would vote no on the nominee unless he hears from Christine Blasey Ford

'This is not something that came up during the hearings. The hearings are now over, and if there is real substance to this, it demands a response. That may be something the committee needs to look into,' she said.

And Sen. Jeff Flake, whose vote could make or break Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, is indicating he would vote no on the nominee unless he hears from Ford.

Flake, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would be the key vote on a committee split between 11 Republicans and ten Democrats.

'If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes,' Flake, who is retiring from the Senate this year, told Politico.

'We need to hear from her. And I don't think I'm alone in this,' he said.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who also sits on the judiciary panel, said he wouldn't mind hearing from Ford although he indicated it could be done before Thursday.

Senators' stance on Kavanaugh vote schedule for Thursday The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. Both Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Ford have expressed their willingness to testify publicly before the panel. Here is where key senators stand on the nomination: Republicans Sen. Jeff Flake, a member of the judiciary panel, wants to hear from Ford: 'If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes,' Flake told Politico. 'We need to hear from her. And I don't think I'm alone in this,' he said. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a key vote for the GOP in a floor vote, says the judiciary committee 'might' need to consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh. 'Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion,' Murkowski told CNN late Sunday night. Sen. Susan Collins, another key GOP vote in a floor fight, wants to hear from them: 'Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh should both testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee,' she tweeted on Monday. Sen. Ted Cruz, who sits on the judiciary panel, called for a public hearing: 'The accuser deserves a full opportunity to tell her story to the judiciary committee and Judge Kavanaugh deserves a full opportunity to defend himself' publicly. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he was willing to have Ford testify before the committee but he wants it done before Thursday's scheduled vote. 'If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled,' he said in a statement Sunday night. Republican Sen. Bob Corker made a similar statement to Graham's to Politico, saying a delay in a vote 'would be best for all involved, including the nominee.' Sen. Roy Blunt also called for a delay in Thursday's vote: 'There are serious allegations that need to be looked at closely by the committee before any action is taken,' he told the Kansas City Star. Sen. Ron Johnson said both Kavanaugh and Ford should be heard from: 'Now the accuser has come forward and apparently she wants to tell her story and I think the Senate Judiciary Committee will certainly listen to her,' he told WTMJ-AM radio. 'And I think it's very appropriate that they do. I think it's also appropriate that they listen to what Brett Kavanaugh has to say as well.' Republicans and the White House are in a bit of a catch-22 situation: if they go negative on Ford they could alienate two of the key Republican votes in the Senate - female senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins - they need for confirmation. Additionally, they could fire up women, many of whom were angered and motivated in the wake of Trump's election, which could backfire on the party in the midterms. Plus the GOP has a 51-seat majority in the Senate. If all Democrats vote no, they can only lose one senator in order to approve Kavanaugh. Democrats The White House was hoping to pick up some Democratic votes - particularly Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota - all of whom voted for Trump's first nominee Neil Gorsuch and who face voters this fall in their home states, which the president carried in the 2016 election. Also worth watching are Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, both of whom are in tough re-election contests in states Trump carried in 2016. Sen. Joe Manchin tweeted he wants to hear from them: 'Professor Christine Blasey Ford deserves to be heard and Judge Kavanaugh deserves a chance to clear his name. Both have said they are willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and I hope they will be given the opportunity to do that as quickly as possible.' Sen. Heidi Heitkamp wants to hear from Ford: 'This is a very serious allegation which should be thoroughly investigated, and it's up to the Senate Judiciary Committee to do just that. Prof. Ford should be given an opportunity to testify before the committee and she is willing to do so.' Sen. Joe Donnelly called for the vote to be postponed: 'The allegations made against Judge Kavanaugh are serious and merit further review. Given the nature of these allegations, and the number of outstanding questions, I believe the Judiciary Committee should hold off on Thursday's scheduled vote.' Sen. Claire McCaskill wants an investigation: 'I am deeply troubled by these allegations. They should be examined thoroughly and fairly by the Judiciary Committee without any artificial timeline.' Sen. Jon Tester said he wants to meet with Kavanaugh: 'I agree with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that we need to get the facts about these serious allegations. I take my Constitutional duty to screen Supreme Court nominees very seriously, and I'll keep trying to get a meeting with Judge Kavanaugh to ask him tough questions about this lifetime appointment.' Advertisement

Kavanaugh on Monday again denied the charge against him as he desperately works to save his nomination, offering to reappear before the panel after his first appearance was fraught with protestors.

'This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone,' Kavanaugh said in a statement provided by the White House.

He said he 'had no idea' who made the allegation until Ford identified herself Sunday in a bombshell Washington Post interview.

'Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday,' he noted.

He added: 'I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.'

Brett Kavanaugh arrives at White House on Monday morning

Kavanaugh released a new statement denying allegation and said he's willing to testify before Senate again

Ford is willing to testify before the Senate on her allegation that Kavanaugh tried to rape her in high school, her attorney revealed on Monday morning.

'She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth, yes,' her attorney Debra Katz told NBC's 'Today Show' on Monday morning.

Katz, who made the rounds of the morning news shows to talk about the bombshell allegations against Trump's Supreme Court nominee, told 'CBS This Morning' Ford is 'willing to do what she needs to do.'

'My client will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the Senate Judiciary Committee has the full story and the full set of allegations to allow them to make a fully informed decision,' she said. 'She's willing to do what she needs to do.'

Kavanaugh and the White House are in overdrive to save his nomination as several GOP senators have said Thursday's scheduled vote in the Judiciary panel should be delayed.

He was spotted arriving at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Monday morning, shortly after 10 am ET, stepping out of black SUV and going in a side entrance.

Republican leaders in the Senate had hoped to have Kavanaugh confirmed by Oct. 1, which is the starting date for the Supreme Court's fall turn.

The party is facing additional pressure from a ticking clock: if Kavanaugh's confirmation vote is delayed until after the election, Democrats could be in control of the Senate.

The nominee is not meeting with Trump this morning, White House spokesman Raj Shah said.

He is meeting with the White House legal team to prepare for potential interviews or questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee, CNN reported.

Additionally Kavanaugh is said to have hired Beth Wilkinson, of the law firm Wilkinson Walsh and Eskovitz, to be his attorney,CNN reported.

However, the White House is in a bit of a catch-22 situation: if they go negative on Ford they could alienate two of the key Republican votes in the Senate - female senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins.

Additionally, they could fire up women, many of whom were angered and motivated in the wake of Trump's election, which could backfire on the party in the midterms.

After Clarence Thomas was confirmed in 1991 - a process which saw him fight off sexual harassment allegations from Anita Hill - a then-record number of Democratic women were elected to the Senate in 1992, in what was dubbed 'The Year of the Woman.'

Christine Ford's lawyer said she is willing to testify before the Senae

Attorney Debra Katz, who represents Christine Blasey Ford, says her client believes the alleged attack by Brett Kavanaugh was 'attempted rape'

Katz also said she heard Republicans 'intend to play hardball' if they get a chance to question Ford.

'They intend to grill her,' she said on CBS. 'This is not an exercise that is designed to get at the truth. This is an exercise that's designed to terrify somebody that's already been traumatized.'

However, neither Ford nor Katz have heard from any lawmakers.

'We have heard from nobody,' Katz told CNN's 'New Day.'

'We've seen various statements made on television, and statements that are being banded about for political reason, but no one's asked her, no.'

Grassley, in his statement on Monday, also took another shot at Feinstein for holding onto the information for so long.

'Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this person's identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week. Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs. The Minority withheld even the anonymous allegations for six weeks, only to later decide that they were serious enough to investigate on the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed,' Grassley said.

He also said Ford's attorney could have approached him on the matter.

'Over my nearly four decades in the Senate I have worked diligently to protect whistleblowers and get to the bottom of any issue. Dr. Ford's attorney could have approached my office, while keeping her client confidential and anonymous, so that these allegations could be thoroughly investigated. Nevertheless, we are working diligently to get to the bottom of these claims,' he said.

The White House also issued a fresh denial on the allegations against Kavanaugh after Katz's morning show blitz.

'On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh 'categorically and unequivocally' denied this allegation. This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement,' White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec said in a statement on Monday morning.

The White House has held the same firm line on the allegations against Trump's nominee since reports of a possible #metoo situation involving Kavanaugh surfaced.

In a interview in The Washington Post on Sunday, Ford detailed an alleged attack on her committed by Kavanaugh when the two were high school students in suburban Maryland.

Ford believes the attack was 'attempted rape,' Katz said on 'The Today Show.'

'She clearly considers this an attempted rape,' Katz said of Ford's view on the incident.

'She believes if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped,' Katz added.

Katz offered more details to CNN.

'The reason she thought he might inadvertently kill her is because he had her hand over his mouth and she was having a hard time breathing, and he was so inebriated, and because of that, his inability to take her clothes off, otherwise he would have raped her,' she told 'New Day.'

Ford described to The Washington Post in detail how, when she was at a teenage party in the 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend followed her upstairs when she went to the bathroom and pushed her into a bedroom.

She detailed how Kavanaugh alleged held her down, tried to rip off her swimsuit, and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

She said she escaped when his friend, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them.

'I thought he might inadvertently kill me,' she told the newspaper.

But Katz said her client was not taking a position on whether or not Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination to the high court.

The White House issued a fresh denial from Brett Kavanaugh on the allegation

Christine Blasey (now Ford) and Brett Kavanaugh in their respective high school year books

'She's not taking a position on this. She thinks these allegations bear on his character and his fitness. And the denials, of course, also bear on his character and fitness,' the lawyer said on 'The Today Show.'

She added: 'This is not a politically-motivated action. She was reluctant to come forward. And she was outed after she had made the decision not to come forward.'

Katz said Ford has been threatened.

'She did receive a lot of very vicious, sexually violent e-mails from total changers. Of course, that's extremely unsettling,' she said.

Katz told CNN of Ford: 'She is already getting a lot of hostile threats and recrimination, and that's, of course, quite disturbing and unfortunate.'

And White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Ford should not be insulted and that her allegations should be heard.

'This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored,' Conway said on 'Fox & Friends' Monday morning.

She said both Ford and Kavanaugh should be heard from again.

'Allowing this woman to be heard in sworn testimony, allowing Judge Kavanaugh to be heard in sworn testimony about these specific allegations would be added to the very considerable mountain of evidence and considerations that folks will have when they weigh whether or not to vote for judge Kavanaugh to be on the Supreme Court,' she noted.

'So, let me make very clear. I have spoken with the president. I have spoken with Sen. Graham and others. This woman will be heard,' Conway said.

But, she reminded, Kavanaugh has been through multiple background checks.

'Judge Kavanaugh is a man of character and integrity who has been through six FBI vettings, which can I tell you first hand are significant and thorough. He also has been lauded by women from every different aspect of his life. And this is significant. This is very significant for a man of character and integrity to be spoken about so highly by women who maybe didn't vote for President Trump,' Conway added.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has called for a delay

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said he's open to having Christine Ford testify

Democrats are trying to delay the committee vote.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has called on Grassley to postpone Thursday's vote until the allegations are investigated.

'Senator Grassley must postpone the vote until, at a very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated. For too long, when woman have made serious allegations of abuse, they have been ignored. That cannot happen in this case,' he said in a statement.

'To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court,' he added.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said he was willing to have Ford testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee but he wants it done before Thursday's scheduled vote.

'If (Christine Blasley) Ford wishes to provide information to the committee, I would gladly listen to what she has to say and compare that against all other information we have received about Judge Kavanaugh,' Graham said in a statement on Sunday.

'If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled,' he added.

Republican Sen. Bob Corker made a similar statement to Graham's to Politico, saying a delay 'would be best for all involved, including the nominee.'This is the dramatic moment 14 tourists leaped into the sea to be rescued after their boat's engine cut out last Saturday afternoon.

The group of ten adults and four children had hired the luxury catamaran last Tuesday for a five day trip around the Andaman sea off the coast of Phuket, Thailand.

They were due to return on Saturday but the vessel was battered by deadly three-metre high waves before suffering a mechanical failure near to Koh Phi Phi island.

The boat had no radio signal in the area but May Day calls were eventually picked up an hour later by the coast guard who sent rescue boats to the area.

Nail-biting footage shows the moment the Spanish tourists had to leap one-by-one into the treacherous sea so they could be pulled to the rescue boat with rubber rings.

Miraculously, all of the group were saved as the rescue comes just two months after dozens of Chinese tourists drowned in the same stretch of ocean when their boat was capsized in rough seas.

Fourteen tourists had to leap into the sea to be rescued after their boat's engine cut out last Saturday afternoon

The group of ten adults and four children were visiting beauty spots in Phuket, Thailand

Police Colonel Anurak Parinyasathirakul, the head of Krabi Marine Police, said the group had hired the boat to view different beauty spots along the coast line.

He added: 'Seven crew members were also on board the boat. They are all safe. They are due to travel back to a hotel in Phuket.'

The boat has since been pulled ashore to be repaired.

National Park boss Woraphot Lomlim said: 'The vessel suffered an engine failure in the sea in the area between Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Island.

'National park staff received a call one hour later for assistance. During the incident the signal was unreachable. Patrol boats and private boats assisted.'

The tourists seen climbing on to a rescue boat were due to return on Saturday but the vessel was battered by deadly three-metre high wavesA newly married woman has accused her father-in-law of raping her after her new family were unhappy with a small dowry.

The victim alleges her elder sister-in-law poisoned her with spiked milk before filming the attack.

The bride, from the city of Ambala in north west India, threatened to report the alleged incident to the police.

When the bride threatened to report the rape to police, the attackers threatened to make the video go viral online. The father in law was reportedly unhappy with the bride's dowry, a gift given to the groom's family for marriage (File Photo)

When she did, both of the accused are alleged to have threatened to make the video go viral online.

The bride filed a complaint with the local police station in Ambala, India on September 12.

She married the son of the accused earlier this year in February.

Her in-laws were not happy with the dowry given to them when she married.

A dowry is when the bride's family gives the groom's family a gift upon marriage.

The system was used in medieval Europe but the practice is said to be common in India's rural communities.

The city of Patiala, in Punjab, India, above, has a population of 40,000 people, where the alleged attackers came from. The bride filed a complaint with the local police station 30 miles away in Ambala, India, last week on September 12 (File Photo)

The alleged attackers lived in city of Patiala, in Punjab, north west India, around 30 miles from the bride's home in Ambala, India.

A police spokesman told The Times of India: "We have registered a case against the father-in-law and sister-in-law under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 376 (punishment for rape), 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) and 498 (enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman) of the Indian Penal Code.

"We have initiated the investigation into this case, but so far no arrests have been made."A man holding a machete was shot dead in Brazil early Sunday morning after he injured two police officers with a machete.

Pedro da Silveira, 49, was involved in a standoff with about five cops, who tried to disarm the suspect.

He refused their orders and lunged at them before he was ultimately shot dead outside a nightclub in the Brazilian city of Chapeco, according to Noticias do Dia.

A total of 10 shots were fired at da Silveira before he died at the scene at about 5.40am local time.

Pedro da Silveira holds a machete with his right hand outside a nightclub in the Brazilian city of Chapeco as cops try to calmly defuse the situation before using force to kill him Sunday

Da Silveira lunged at a cop and struck him in the head with a machete early Sunday morning in Brazil. Da Silveira also managed to cut another police officer's hand

'The military policemen [used all options], including putting their lives at risk, to save the [suspect's] life, without success,' the Military Police of Chapeco said in a statement.

According to G1, the Military Police also said the use of rubber bullets were 'not having the effect' and a stun gun malfunctioned.

Amateur video that have circulated online since the weekend incident show the police officers attempting to calmly diffuse the situation without the use of firepower as onlookers yelled and laughed.

Da Silveira can be seen motioning with his left hand as the machete is dangles at his right side.

He is talking to two police officers, one standing to his right and another directly in front of him on a sidewalk.

Moments later, a third officer is seen joining the discussion, but fails to persuade him to drop the machete.

Police officers draw their weapons as da Silveira threatens them with the machete

A police officer tries to stop da Silveira as he lunges at another cop with a machete

An unidentified man (wearing the white shirt) runs away from the bullets after he unsuccessfully tried to subdue his friend da Silveira, who struck cops with a machete

According to the Brazilian military police, one cop tried to subdue da Silveira with a stun gun.

The video then shows da Silveira relenting and lunging at them in the middle of the street.

The cops then fired rubber bullets at the suspect, who continued to disobey orders to stand down.

Da Silveira then struck one of the policemen in the head when the cop retreated and fell to the ground. He then unsuccessfully managed to use his service weapon to take down da Silveira.

An unidentified person who was with da Silveira also tried to grab a hold of his friend, but da Silveira was able to evade him and delivered a blow to a police officer's hand with the machete.

A couple of more shots were fired, bringing him down to the ground.This is the moment Theresa May's husband shouts out the answer to a question on The Chase about people who are 'saturnine' as they watch TV at Chequers.

Filming on Friday for tonight's special edition of Panorama, Inside No 10: Deal or No Deal, Mrs May, 61, and her husband Philip, 60, sit down to watch the ITV quiz show together.

As the Prime Minister works on papers from her red box, her husband correctly answers the question 'what kind of person would be described as saturnine?'

He shouts out: 'I know this one, I know this one - gloomy!'

Tonight's Panorama reveals how Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip (pictured at Chequers) like to watch teatime game show The Chase

The footage was filmed at the Prime Minister's country residence, where her controversial Brexit plan was thought up in recent weeks.

Mrs May had just returned from a business trip to America at the time and is understood to be a fan of quiz shows - also enjoying BBC Two's Eggheads.

The quiz show moment comes at the end of the 30-minute programme and sees the couple catching up over a cup of tea in front of the TV.

Mr May points out the music used on the show is 'menacing', to which his wife replies: 'I think that's the idea it's to put pressure on the contestant.'

After The Chase has ended he also says how much he likes the chrysanthemums placed in a vase in their front room at Chequers.

But the PM quickly slaps him down, by saying: 'They're not chrysanthemums the're dahlias, you keep calling chrysanthemums dahlias!'

Inside No 10: Deal or No Deal was filmed over the past fortnight and gives an insight into the UK's Brexit negotiations with six months to go until Britain officially leaves the EU.

Tonight's Panorama Inside No 10: Deal or No Deal spoke exclusively to Prime Minister Theresa May about her plans for Brexit, her term as Prime Minister and the Northern Irish border

She discusses her term as Prime Minister, resignations from her Cabinet and the Irish border.

On Boris Johnson's controversial 'suicide vest' comments, she tells the BBC: 'I have to say that choice of language was completely inappropriate.

'As Home Secretary for six years and now as Prime Minister for two years, I can say that using language like that was not right and not language that I would have used.'

The Panorama special shows the PM at home and at work and features interviews with Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and rivals Jacob Rees-Mogg and Anne Soubury MP.

The programme gained exclusive access to Downing Street and her country retreat Chequers

Mrs May is pictured with presenter Nick Robinson and told the BBC programme she is irritated about leadership speculation as she pushes her Brexit dealNew Hampshire police are searching for a man who was caught on video using his toddler to steal prizes from a game at a mall.

Several witnesses filmed the man at The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem on Friday night as he appeared to be shoving his daughter into the prize-dispensing slot of the Key Master machine.

Police say the little girl then reached her small hands up to grab items and pass them out to her dad.

The suspect - who also had a young boy with him - then left the area with the kids and the stolen items.

Police in Salem, New Hampshire, are searching for a man who was caught on video appearing to use his toddler to steal prizes from a Key Master prize machine at a mall

The Salem Police Department posted a video of the young girl going inside the machine's prize-dispensing slot to grab items. The video was pixelated to protect the child's identity

It was unclear what those items were, but Key Master machines are known to be stocked with valuable electronics as well as gift cards.

The Salem Police Department released a video of the crime on Facebook that had been pixelated to protect the children's identities.

They urged anyone with information about the suspect to call Detective Dempsey at 603-890-2343.A shackled woman who was captured on surveillance cameras desperately ringing doorbells after fleeing her home when her boyfriend started sexually abusing her has revealed how she thought she was going to die.

The woman, only identified as Lauren, was caught on CCTV frantically ringing her neighbors' doorbells in Montgomery,Texas, earlier this month in the middle of the night.

Her boyfriend Dennis Ray Collins, 49, fatally shot himself after the footage of Lauren wearing just a t-shirt with shackles on her hands went viral.

The woman, only identified as Lauren, was caught on CCTV frantically ringing her neighbors' doorbells in Montgomery, Texas earlier this month in the middle of the night

Police had released the video in a bid to track the woman down and ensure she was safe.

Lauren's identity was initially kept secret by authorities, but the 32-year-old spoke out about the terrifying ordeal in an interview with Inside Edition set to air Monday night.

Her boyfriend Dennis Ray Collins, 49, fatally shot himself after the footage of Lauren wearing just a t-shirt with shackles on her hands went viral

'I was asleep and awoke to what seemed like a nightmare,' Lauren said, saying her boyfriend was kneeling above her 'stuffing some sort of cloths in my mouth, duct-taping my entire head'.

'I truly felt like when that was happening, like, I was going to die there that night.'

Lauren was identified after Collins' ex-wife recognized her in the surveillance video and called police.

'She was adamant it was the girlfriend in the video,' Montgomery County Sheriff's Department Lt Scott Spencer said. 'She had met her before.'

The ex-wife had said she was worried because Collins had texted her threatening to commit suicide.

Authorities said it was clear that Collins was upset by the video that had circulated widely online.

Officers had to force their way into Collins' home and found him dead from a single gunshot wound in a bedroom.

Police had released the video of Lauren wearing just a t-shirt as she desperately rang doorbells in a bid to track her down and ensure she was safe

Lauren was caught on CCTV frantically ringing her neighbors' doorbells after her boyfriend Dennis Ray Collins sexually abused her

Authorities said Collins admitted to his crimes in a suicide note he left behind.

Collins had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted sexual assault, a felony, in 2000 and was given five years probation.

If Collins was still alive, authorities said he would have faced serious charges including kidnapping, unlawful restraint, and sexual assault.

Despite the traumatizing experience, Lauren said earlier this month that she forgave Collins and still loved him.

'Dennis, I believe in my heart, that's not who he truly is, so it hurts me to see him bashed online,' she told KTRK.

'It is truly difficult to understand the duality that exists within each of us. People would like to paint Dennis or myself as entirely good or entirely evil, light or dark, every human has both of these inside.'

'It is hard to understand how someone who treated me with such kindness is the person I saw that night.'

Lauren's identity was initially kept secret by authorities, but the 32-year-old spoke out about the terrifying ordeal in an interview with Inside Edition set to air Monday nightAdvertisement

The land outside of Troy, Ohio was lush and green for centuries serving as a key example of American heartland. But in 1948 it was transformed into a 10-acre waste site filled with reclaimed lead batteries by the United Scrap Lead Co., which operated until 1980 dumping 32,000 cubic yards of crushed battery cases onto the formerly pristine site, causing battery acid and rinse water to contaminate nearby wells.

That site is among the 400 highly hazardous toxic waste locations found in the country by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1980 and listed as one of the 400,000 Superfund sites that needed to be addressed and cleaned up.

Photographer David T. Hanson traveled to 67 of those toxic sites in 45 states taking aerial photographs while on a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in 1985. Now, 33 years later, Hanson is publishing a book titled Waste Land that showcases the shocking, yet captivating photographs he captured of nineteenth-century mines, smelters, and wood-processing plants to landfills and illicit dumps, large petrochemical complexes, aerospace water-contamination sites, nuclear weapons plants, and nerve gas disposal areas, he explained to DailyMail.com.

Hanson, who has had his work exhibited in numerous museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago, noted that he selected sites that represented the broad spectrum of industries that have transformed our landscape over the past 150 years.

I also thought that it was important to include a variety of sites in terms of the visibility of their environmental hazards, from dramatic mine tailings and waste ponds to sites where the hazards were invisible or concealed beneath vast industrial complexes, he said.

For centuries, the land near Troy, Ohio served as a lush and leafy perfect area showcasing the beauty of America's countryside. Until the United Scrap Lead Co. began crushing lead batteries and dumping it on 32,000 cubic yards on the land from 1948 to 1980. Eventually battery acid and rinse water contaminated water wells nearby causing the Environmental Protection Agency to declare it among the 400 highly hazardous toxic waste locations found in the country. Award-winning photographer David T. Hanson captured the image above showing the shocking site in 1985

Hanson traveled to 67 of those toxic sites in 45 states taking aerial photographs while on a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in 1985. Now, 33 years later Hanson is publishing a book titled Waste Land that showcases the shocking, yet captivating photographs he captured of nineteenth-century mines, smelters, and wood-processing plants to landfills and illicit dumps, large petrochemical complexes, aerospace water-contamination sites, nuclear weapons plants, and nerve gas disposal areas, he explained to DailyMail.com. Pictured above is an image Hanson captured showing six acres next to the Delaware River in Philadelphia that was formerly the Metal Banks Site that processed transformers and oil

Hanson, who has had his work exhibited in numerous museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago, noted that he selected sites that represented the broad spectrum of industries that have transformed our landscape over the past 150 years. Pictured above is a photo captured by Hanson showing Leadville, Colorado called the California Gulch that has been seriously impacted by lead, silver, zinc, copper, and gold mining activities

Hanson captured the image above showing one of three areas in Renton, Washington that was the proposed commercial and residential development known as Port Quendall in 1985. The area was previously an old Reilly Tar & Chemical Co. Refinery established in the early 1900s to receive coal gas residues from the old Seattle Gas Co. plant on Lake Union. It closed in 1970 and during the investigation into the soil in 1983, it was found to contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in concentrations up to 4.8 percent - which is why it was declared toxic by the EPA

Hanson said: I also thought that it was important to include a variety of sites in terms of the visibility of their environmental hazards, from dramatic mine tailings and waste ponds to sites where the hazards were invisible or concealed beneath vast industrial complexes. Pictured above is a photo captured by Hanson showing Anaconda, Montana with copper smelter covering 5,000 acres of land thanks to the Anaconda Co. Smelter which operated from the late 1800s to 1980

The image above that Hanson captured shows 15 acres of contaminated land in Crosby, Texas that was formerly The French Ltd. site that contains heavy metals, phenols, oil, grease, acids and solvents. The area is in the floodplain of the San Jacinto River and has been flooded on several occasions

In photographing the sites (and in my selection of the one photograph that would represent each site), I tried to utilize a range of pictorial approaches to the representation of toxic waste sitesfrom dramatic abstractions to mundane industrial sites, from banal commercial real estate to purely entropic landscapes.

I was particularly interested in the possibilities of investigating abstraction and the social realities that Modernist abstraction repressed.

While traveling for a year to the Superfund hazardous waste sites, Hanson said that he was completely stunned by the enormous environmental devastation that he witnessed across the country.

I quickly realized how much more visible and dramatic the destruction was from an airplane. From a highway one couldnt see industrial waste ponds, hidden from public view, leaking in to local streams and rivers, he explained.

From a country road one couldnt know that a dirt road in the woods led to a midnight dumping site where companies were illegally dumping toxic waste in a backwoods bayou. Seeing the extent of our environmental destruction, day after day, was a very disturbing experience for me.

I felt like I was working in a war zone.

Pictured above is the community of Times Beach, Missouri in 1985. According to Hanson's book, 'in 1972 and again in 1973, the city contracted with a waste oil hauler to spray oil on unpaved roads for dust control. It was later learned that the waste oil contained dioxin. In November and early December 1982, EPA sampled the roads and right-of-ways in Times Beach. Soon afterward, the Meramec River flooded the city. EPA expedited the sample analyses and found dioxin at levels from less than 1 part per billion (ppb) to 127 ppb'

While traveling for a year to the Superfund hazardous waste sites, Hanson said that he was completely stunned by the enormous environmental devastation that he witnessed across the country. Pictured above is Aspen, Colorado where old silver and lead mines were once active from 1879 to 1920. Little mining is conducted now, but the primary concern is the exposure to toxic metals contained in mine wastes, mill tailings and smelter by-products, according to Hanson's book

Hanson decided that after witnessing and photographing the hazardous waste sites that he became involved in creating more public awareness of these issues.

The Stanford University graduate has used his work for decades to promote environmental reform which helped lead the efforts for voters in the state of Montana to pass #I-137 in November 1998 which banned cyanide process open-pit gold and silver mining. It is still the only state in the country to prohibit cyanide heap-leach mining.

Hanson also added that of the 67 sites he photographed in 1985 -1986, very few have been removed from the EPAs Superfund list.

Since 1980, only a small percentage of the total number of sites have been removed from Superfund, while most remain essentially unchanged, pending litigation, funding or environmental studies regarding feasible solutions, he explained.

In reality none of these places will ever be fully reclaimed or returned to their original condition. Their cleanup merely amounts to emergency removal, stabilization, and long-term containment. Often the cleanup entails writing off the primary ecological problems as either insoluble or too expensive to consider.

Many sites present problems for which there are no known solutions; others will require years of complex remedial investigations and feasibility studies. A substantial number of sites for which solutions have been determined remain virtually untouched, awaiting the allocation of necessary clean-up funds.

Many of the individuals and companies responsible for the contamination have used bankruptcy laws or a variety of other legal maneuvers to avoid paying for the cleanup, thus shifting the financial burden to the American taxpayer.

Hanson decided that after witnessing and photographing the hazardous waste sites that he became involved in creating more public awareness of these issues. Pictured above is a portion of the 27.2-acre hazardous site in Bridgeport, New Jersey where the Bridgeport Rental & Oil Services operated from 1969 to 1980. The site holds more than 80 tanks and process vessels, drums, tank trucks and an 11.8-acre unlined lagoon that has 50million gallons of oil, oil-water emulsions, sludge and contaminated water

Pictured above is East Helena, Montana where the Asarco primary lead and zinc smelter has emitted particulates containing metals into the air throughout its history. Hanson also added that of the 67 sites he photographed in 1985 -1986, very few have been removed from the EPAs Superfund list.

Hanson said: Since 1980, only a small percentage of the total number of sites have been removed from Superfund, while most remain essentially unchanged, pending litigation, funding or environmental studies regarding feasible solutions, he explained. In reality none of these places will ever be fully reclaimed or returned to their original condition. Their cleanup merely amounts to emergency removal, stabilization, and long-term containment. Often the cleanup entails writing off the primary ecological problems as either insoluble or too expensive to consider.' Pictured above is six acres in Utica, Michigan where the site contains an incinerator for liquid wastes, various industrial liquids and sludges in two lagoons

Hanson said the problems are getting worse and the EPA is increasing relaxing its regulations on industrial pollution.

He also added that he has grave concerns about the substantive cleanup of Superfund sites as well as the other toxic sites across the country. As an example, Hanson explained that what he considers the most dangerous Superfund site, the U.S. Department of Energys Rocky Flats Plant near Denver in Golden, Colorado, manufactured the plutonium cores for the nuclear and thermonuclear weapons produced in the United States.

In 1996 the DOE estimated that the total cleanup costs for Rocky Flats would be $100 billion. Yet in 2005 the DOE declared that it had completed the cleanup of Rocky Flats for a cost of only $7 billion (although the industrial core of Rocky Flats remains a high-security site whose extensive environmental hazards have not yet been addressed), he explained.

5,600 acres surrounding the weapons plants had been established in 2001 as the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, to be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in spite of the fact that this land had been heavily contaminated with plutonium over the course of forty years from extensive dumping and more than 200 plutonium fires at the plant.

Hanson said the problems are getting worse and the EPA is increasing relaxing its regulations on industrial pollution. Pictured above is the Pocatello, Idaho where Hanson photographed the Union Pacific Railroad Co. site where sludge from its oil/water separation plant was dumped into what appears to be a 150-foot by 40-foot unlined man-made pond

Pictured above in the image Hanson captured is Fresno County, California where the Atlas Asbestos Mine operated from 1963 to 1980 on a 16-acre site about 19miles northwest of Coalingo. The abandoned site consists of the asbestos mine, a processing mill, support buildings, and extensive asbestos tailings. Drainage from the site is directly downslope into White Creek, then into Los Gatos Creek. Los Gatos Creek is a tributary to the Arroyo Pasajero, a flood area along the California Aqueduct, according to Hanson's book

Pictured above in the image Hanson captured is the Martin-Marietta Aluminum Co. produces aluminum on a site covering less than 350 acres in The Dalles, Wasco County, Oregon. Cyanide is present in both the shallow and deep aquifers underlying the site, according to tests conducted by the State and Martin-Marietta. Cyanide appeared in one production well and several monitoring wells, and also in surface run-off and in leachate from a cathode waste pile, according to Hanson's book

Pictured above is Scotlandville, Louisiana where 55 acres of land was used by the Petro-Processors. It was found by the EPA that toxic organic compounds and heavy metals had been released into local waterways, eventually finding their way to the Mississippi River, and were posing a threat to an underground drinking water supply, according to Hanson's book

In 1975-76 a DOE contractor had found 100 billion particles of plutonium per acre on the land that is now a wildlife refuge and is currently about to be opened to the public.

He added that plutonium is radioactive and highly flammable and that believes it to be one of the most toxic substances produced by humans.

Though the images in Hansons book were captured 33 years ago, they are even more relevant today given our growing concerns about energy production, environmental degradation, and climate changeand given the current Administrations broad dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental regulations, and Superfund, he noted.

His book can be purchased beginning September 25 and can be found here.ABB, a global pioneering engineering company, has joined a select group of innovative companies to become a Nobel International Partner.



The partners program operates in collaboration with Stockholm-based Nobel Media, the global outreach arm of the Nobel Foundation  whose annual prizes in physics, chemistry and other scientific fields recognize the worlds most transformative breakthroughs.



As a Nobel International Partner, ABB will bring its deep experience in science, innovation and research, and its commitment to innovation to Nobel Medias global programs  activities that extend the reach of the Nobel Prize to millions of students, decision makers and intellectually curious members of the public around the world.



Nobel and ABB share a deep commitment to innovation and the power of ideas, said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer, and we are inspired by this opportunity to spotlight the groundbreaking work of Nobel Laureates, to celebrate science and discovery and to inspire the next generation of extraordinary pioneers. We look forward to working closely with Nobel and to involving our customers, employees and communities around the world in this exciting partnership.



Nobels outreach programs include inspirational events, digital media and special exhibitions and activities related to the hundreds of Nobel Laureates since the year 1901, and the legacy of Alfred Nobel, the 19th century Swedish chemist, engineer and inventor on whose inspiration and fortune the Nobel prizes were established. The activities in which ABB will participate include the Nobel Prize Dialogues  annual events in world capitals that bring Nobel Laureates, scholars, inventors and other great thinkers together with the public to discuss solutions to some of the worlds most pressing issues.



We believe that, by doing this together  Nobel and ABB  we can get people on a global scale even more engaged and interested in those areas, said Mattias Fyrenius, CEO of Nobel Media. And I think that is important for ABB. That is important for Nobel. And I truly believe that it is important for mankind.



Johan Soderstrom, managing director, ABB Sweden, which was the home of ASEA  the A in ABB before its 1987 merger with Brown Boveri of Switzerland  said the Nobel partnership holds special meaning for the company.



Partnering with one of our countrys most important institutions is a privilege for all of us at ABB. We are excited to explore the events, activities and engagements together with the best scientists in the world, and to strengthen our commitment to the next generation of visionary leaders, he added.



In becoming a Nobel International Partner, ABB joins a select group of other global companies known for their commitment to research, technological innovation, education, sustainable economic growth and social responsibility: 3M, Ericsson, Scania and Volvo Cars.  TradeArabia News ServiceA Tennessee truck driver is taking tips from the biblical story of Noah's Ark by coming to the rescue of animals caught up in the Hurricane Florence flooding.

Tony Alsup, 51, didn't build a boat but instead bought an old school bus in order to pick up as many animals as possible that have been left behind as water levels rise in South Carolina.

So far he has saved the lives of 64 furry friends by taking them to southern Alabama in his bright yellow vehicle, reports Greenville News. Eleven are cats and 53 dogs tagged along for the road trip.

Tennessee truck driver Tony Alsup (right) has saved animals during various hurricanes throughout the United States in the past year

During Hurricane Florence he has helped rehouse 64 pets left behind in floods

The 51-year-old ditched his semi-truck for a $3,200 school bus a year ago

While Alsup himself can't house all the animals, he does all he can to transport them to shelters who do have room elsewhere in the country.

He has rehoused them at Humane Society, Dillon County Animal Shelter, Saint Frances Animal Center and others in South Carolina.

In the meantime the pups and felines have plenty of toys, water and food to keep them occupied in the vehicle where seats have been ripped out to create more room for stacked up kennels.

While many people are heading away from the storm that has so far claimed 17 human lives, Alsup has been praised for going out of his way to brave the rough conditions.

'It's so easy for people to adopt the small pets and the cuties and the cuddly,' Alsup told Greenville News. 'We take on the ones that deserve a chance even though they are big and a little ugly. But I love big dogs, and we find places for them.'

But it's not the first time he has done this; Alsup ditched his semi-truck for the primary colored vehicle a year ago when Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in Texas.

Cats and dogs have toys, water and food to keep them occupied in the vehicle where seats have been ripped out to create room

Alsup has paid for fuel and says he would build a boat to get the animals to safety if need be

After agreeing to carry what he thought was a few pooches away from the danger zone, he forked out $3,200 for a new mode of transportation when he realized the shelter had him down to take a dozen.

Since the misunderstanding he has used his new ride to save lives in Florida's Hurricane Irma, and he has gone to Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria to feed horses.

'You've got to be very careful what you say on social media man,' he laughed. 'But I'm a man of my word. If I give you my word, it's gonna get done.'

As well as looking for new recruits via Facebook, Alsup has an 'EMERGENCY ANIMAL RESCUE SHELTER' sign emblazoned across his ride.

He may not exactly be Noah but Alsup would like to open his own shelter one day and told the Washington Post he would purchase a boat if need be.

Alsup said: 'Animals  especially shelter pets  they always have to take the back seat of the bus. But I'll give them their own bus. If I have to I'll pay for all the fuel, or even a boat, to get these dogs out of there.'President Donald Trump declined to withdraw his Supreme Court appointment of Brett Kavanaugh on Monday and said he would instead allow the Senate to complete its vetting process.

In the face of an allegation that the federal judge sexually assaulted a woman when they were in high school, the president said that Kavanaugh is 'somebody very special,' and 'an outstanding intellect,' while lauding him as 'a high quality individual' and 'one of the finest people' that he or anyone had ever known.

Trump said he hadn't bothered to speak to Kavanaugh since the allegation surfaced and called a question about a potential withdraw 'ridiculous' as reporters queried him on what would happen next.

The president did acknowledge an important political reality, however  that Kavanaugh's nomination was almost certain to be stalled by at least a few days.

'If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay. Shouldn't certainly be very much,' Trump said from the Roosevelt Room of the White House. 'I'm sure it will work out very well.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

President Donald Trump said Monday that he would not withdraw his Supreme Court appointment of Brett Kavanaugh and would instead allow the Senate to complete its vetting process

'If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay. Shouldn't certainly be very much,' Trump said from the Roosevelt Room of the White House. 'I'm sure it will work out very well'

Trump said he believes the Kavanaugh nomination is 'very much on track' to pass but that he wants to 'make sure everybodys happy' when taking the vote.

'Id like to see a complete process. I'd like everybody to be very happy. Most importantly I want the American people to be happy because theyre getting somebody that is great. I want him to go in at the absolute highest level,' the president explained. 'And I think to do that you have to go through this.'

Kavanaugh was at the White House on Monday morning for more than an hour, but he did not meet with the president, the judge's spokesman told DailyMail.com earlier in the day. Trump also confirmed that he had not spoken to Kavanaugh yet as he talked in the afternoon to journalists.

That the president did not confront Kavanaugh himself was the clearest sign yet that he intended to stand by the nominee he had hoped would be confirmed in by the end of this month in order to have him on the bench at the start of the next Supreme Court session.

Trump was aiming to have Kavanaugh at the high court by Oct. 1, which was always a long shot. Democrats had been looking for any reason at all to delay a vote until after they'd heard in November from the electorate.

The allegation against Kavanaugh from Palo Alto University professor Christine Ford, a registered Democrat, and calls from within both political parties and Trump's own White House for both sides to be heard meant that consideration of the nominee would carry over into at least October.

'If they delay a little bit just to make sure everybodys happy  they want to be happy. I can tell you the Republican senators want to be a hundred percent happy themselves. Theyre doing it very very professionally,' the president on Monday said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had already announced that he'd break with precedent and keep the upper chamber in session in the weeks leading into the mid-term elections. Still, the challenge remains for Republicans moving ahead to get Kavanaugh confirmed before the November elections that could result in the GOP falling out of power.

Trump had not commented on the allegation whatsoever prior to the event in the Roosevelt Room, where he was asked on Monday about the charge for the first time.

The president was unusually disciplined in his Twitter use over the weekend as a hurricane ravaged the Carolina coastline. Tweets on Monday took aim at the Department of Justice and opined on tariffs and made no mention of the Kavanaugh.

The president wasn't even raging in private to friends, as he sometimes does, about the audacity of Democrats who knew about the allegation in July and kept it secret until last week.

Sources close to Trump said they hadn't heard from the president on the matter on Monday. A cadre of senior White House officials told DailyMail.com the same thing.

The opaque window into Trump's thinking was a reflection of the shrinking circle of aides and allies the president considers trustworthy following revelations that senior staffers like Omarosa were taping his conversations and other officials like the anonymous New York Times op-ed writer are working against him.

But it also showed just how taken aback the White House was by the 'Me Too' allegations that threatened to destroy Kavanaugh's nomination.

Kavanaugh was at the White House on Monday morning for more than an hour, but he did not meet with the president, the judge's spokesman told DailyMail.com earlier in the day

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, the only White House official to appear in public on Monday aside from the president, said that Ford 'should not be insulted and she should not be ignored' and that the White House backs the approach of Senate Republicans who say that Kavanaugh should also have a chance to be heard.

'Ive spoken to the president. Ive spoken to Senator Graham and others. This woman will be heard. I think the Senate Judiciary Committee will decide how and through which forum. In other words  will it be by telephone, will it be in person,' she said.

Conway said that Kavanaugh 'is a man of character and integrity who has been through six FBI vettings  which I can tell you first hand are significant and thorough.'

She noted that 65 women had backed Kavanaugh in a letter and said: 'He also has been lauded by women from every different aspect of his life, and this is significant.'

'But let me make very clear again for those who want to slice and dice whats being said today on behalf of the president, this woman should not be ignored and should not be insulted. She should be heard,' Conway said on 'Fox & Friends' in an early-morning hit.

Officially, all inquires on Kavanaugh were being directed to his spokesman, Deputy White House Press Secretary Rah Shah, on Monday.

Shah told DailyMail.com in an email that a meeting at the White House was not with Trump. 'Hes here often for meetings,' Shah said without going into detail about whom Kavanaugh spoke to at the White House.

The last-minute revelation that Kavanaugh had been accused of sexual assault by an acquaintance from high school in a July letter that Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein sat on it for weeks shocked and at the same time created an opening for Republicans to salvage the conservative judge's nomination.

For nearly six weeks, Feinstein kept the allegation a secret, supposedly in an attempt to protect the woman making the accusation. It was not until last week that she submitted a redacted inquiry to the FBI that masked the accuser's name.

The woman is now known to be Palo Alto University Professor Christine Ford, who spoke on the record about the alleged incident over the weekend to The Washington Post.

Feinstein neither brought up the July 30, 2018 letter she received from Ford at a private session with Kavanaugh in her Capitol Hill office in late August or in a closed-door session with the nominee and committee members earlier this month.

The president said Monday that the allegation is something that 'should have been brought up long before this,' citing Feinstein's private meeting with Kavanaugh.

He said that the way he heard it, they 'spent quite a bit of time' together and it 'wasnt even brought up at that meeting and she had this information.'

'So you would have thought certainly that she would have brought it up at the meeting  not wait til everythings finished and then have to start a process all over again,' he said. 'But with all of it being said, we want to go through a full process. I have great confidence in the U.S. Senate and in their procedures and what theyre doing and I think thats probably what theyre going to do.'

Trump said it's unfortunate that Democrats that knew about about the allegations kept the information to themselves.

'They had the information in July as I understand it. Thats a long time ago and nobody mentioned it until the other day. You know, its very unfortunate they didnt mention it sooner,' Trump said at the end of an economic event. 'But with all of that being said, it will, I'm sure, work out very well. Youre talking about an individual who is as high a quality individual as you will ever see.'

Sen. Dianne Feinstein's last-minute revelation that Brett Kavanaugh had been accused of sexual assault by an acquaintance from high school in a July letter and she sat on it for weeks has created an opening for Republicans to salvage the conservative judge's nomination

Trump was following the lead of other Republicans, who publicly questioned Feinstein's handling of the allegations and the timing of her letter to the FBI while carefully avoiding comments that would make it sound like they were bashing the judge's accuser.

'She didnt say anything in the confirmation hearing, she didnt say anything in our confidential session with Judge Kavanaugh when the senators and the nominee met privately. And now, after its all over, she produces the letter,' Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said on Fox News Sunday.

Feinstein joined nine other Judiciary Committee Democrats in pushing for a delay on Monday on the panel's Kavanaugh vote, currently scheduled for Thursday.

'As you are aware, Dr. Fords serious allegations were submitted to the FBI for investigation last week. Now that her story is public, it is even more important that we give the Bureau the time it needs to follow up,' the senators told committee chairman Chuck Grassley.

Feinstein doubled down in a tweet that said, 'There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to review this new material. Staff calls aren't the appropriate way to handle this.'

The White House put the decision to the committee on Monday, saying it would respect whatever decision lawmakers make.

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway told reporters that it's 'very disappointing' that the woman who wished to remain anonymous had her identity leaked.

Feinstein similarly said in a statement defending her decision initially to stay silent about the allegations that it was her belief that it was Ford's decision to take the allegations public.

She argued, 'From the outset, I have believed these allegations were extremely serious and bear heavily on Judge Kavanaughs character.

'However, as we have seen over the past few days, they also come at a price for the victim,' she said. 'I hope the attacks and shaming of her will stop and this will be treated with the seriousness it deserves.'

Feinstein greets White House Counsel Don McGahn before her meeting with Supreme Court Justice nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill on August 20, 2018. The Democratic senator could have asked Kavanaugh about the allegations then but chose not to

Feinstein said the committee should wait to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination until it can be investigated by the FBI.

Grassley in a response statement on Monday said he is 'working diligently to get to the bottom of these claims' and the committee 'should continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner.'

'Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this person's identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week. Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs, he said.

'The Minority withheld even the anonymous allegations for six weeks, only to later decide that they were serious enough to investigate on the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed.'

Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat, was also critical of Feinstein on Sunday for keeping the allegation against Kavanaugh a secret for so long.

'I think that it should have been brought up, at least behind closed doors. I mean, it's a really serious allegation,' he said. ;At the same time, it's a very difficult situation, when you have got allegations like this, very sensitive allegations that are important, and you want to respect the wishes of a victim, as well as be fair to the people -- the person that's being accused.'

Jones said that he wished 'someone had talked about it early on' in Kavanaugh's consideration. 'It could have maybe been cleared up,' he said.

Senators from both sides of the aisle have been critical of the way that Feinstein handled the accusation, which she never asked Kavanaugh about, even in private sessions

A White House spokesperson said Thursday as the accusation against the judge surfaced that it was curious that the allegation did not come out 'until the eve of his confirmation' that Feinstein did not raise the prospect of the damaging information until then.

'Throughout 25 years of public service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has thoroughly and repeatedly vetted Judge Kavanaugh, dating back to 1993, for some of the most highly sensitive roles,' said Kerri Kupec. 'He has served in the Office of Independent Counsel, the White House, and on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, all before his nomination earlier this year to serve as Associate Justice on the Supreme Court.'

Ford's letter to Feinstein accused Kavanaugh of assault in no uncertain terms.

'Brett Kavanagh physically and sexually assaulted me during high school,' the letter said.

In the note, dated July 30, Ford lays out her allegation against Kavanaugh, which matched the details she gave in an explosive interview to The Washington Post on Sunday.

Identifying information in the letter is redacted, including the name of Kavanaugh's classmate in the room during the incident, who was later revealed to be Mark Judge.

'I am writing with information relevant in evaluating the current nominee to the Supreme Court,' Ford's letter to Feinstein began, according to CNN, which obtained the letter.

Feinstein is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the panel charged with holding Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing. She is also the senior senator from California, where Ford is a professor at Palo Alto University.

Ford asks the senator for privacy until they can speak in the message that Feinstein kept a secret. She makes it clear in the letter, however, that she wants the information to be used in evaluating the suitability to the high court of Kavanaugh.

The professor's attorney, Debra Katz, told 'CBS This Morning,' that Ford and Feinstein did speak, and Feinstein's staff was regularly in touch.

'She's very satisfied with how Dianne Feinstein handled this allegation. They did come forward and with this letter she said on July 30th she did have a conversation with the senator who made it clear that she thought that these allegations were important and that they were serious. And her staff checked in with us routinely,' Katz said Monday morning.

Christine Blasey Ford's letter to Sen. Feinstein on Brett Kavanaugh has been revealed

In a Sunday statement on the matter, Feinstein indicated that she kept the information on close hold even after the conversations because she believed it was up to Ford to come forward with her story.

Feinstein has been heavily criticized by Republicans for not confirming the existence of the letter until Friday, less than a week before the committee was scheduled to vote on Kavanaugh's lifetime appointment.

Even some Democrats such as Alabama's Jones expressed frustration Feinstein withheld the information from them.

Ford told The Washington Post that she decided in late August not to come forward because she was concerned the publicity would upend her life and wouldn't affect Kavanaugh's confirmation.

'Why suffer through the annihilation if it's not going to matter?' she told the paper.

Ford said she doesn't believe that it was Feinstein who leaked her name to reporters.

Feinstein passed the letter to the FBI with Ford's name redacted. The agency declined to investigate but sent it to the White House, which passed it on to all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

'Upon receipt of the information on the night of September 12, we included it as part of Judge Kavanaugh's background file, as per the standard process,' the FBI said.

Ford claims in the letter that she feared Kavanaugh might kill her during the alleged incident that she says his friend, now known to be Judge, was said to be in on.

'Kavanaugh was on top of me while laughing with REDACTED, who periodically jumped onto Kavanaugh. They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state. With Kavanaugh's hand over my mouth I feared he may inadvertently kill me,' she wrote.

'From across the room a very drunken REDACTED said mixed words to Kavanaugh ranging from "go for it" to "stop,"' she added.

She noted she was upset to discuss the incident but 'felt guilty and compelled as a citizen' to speak.

'It is upsetting to discuss sexual assault and its repercussions, yet I felt guilty and compelled as a citizen about the idea of not saying anything,' she said.

Text of letter Christine Ford wrote to Sen. Feinstein on Kavanaugh

July 30 2018 CONFIDENTIAL Senator Dianne Feinstein Dear Senator Feinstein; I am writing with information relevant in evaluating the current nominee to the Supreme Court. As a constituent, I expect that you will maintain this as confidential until we have further opportunity to speak. Brett Kavanaugh physically and sexually assaulted me during high school in the early 1980's. He conducted these acts with the assistance of REDACTED. Both were one to two years older than me and students at a local private school. The assault occurred in a suburban Maryland area home at a gathering that included me and four others. Kavanaugh physically pushed me into a bedroom as I was headed for a bathroom up a short stair well from the living room. They locked the door and played loud music precluding any successful attempt to yell for help. Kavanaugh was on top of me while laughing with REDACTED, who periodically jumped onto Kavanaugh. They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state. With Kavanaugh's hand over my mouth I feared he may inadvertently kill me. From across the room a very drunken REDACTED said mixed words to Kavanaugh ranging from "go for it" to "stop." At one point when REDACTED jumped onto the bed the weight on me was substantial. The pile toppled, and the two scrapped with each other. After a few attempts to get away, I was able to take this opportune moment to get up and run across to a hallway bathroom. I locked the bathroom door behind me. Both loudly stumbled down the stair well at which point other persons at the house were talking with them. I exited the bathroom, ran outside of the house and went home. I have not knowingly seen Kavanaugh since the assault. I did see REDACTED once at the REDACTED where he was extremely uncomfortable seeing me. I have received medical treatment regarding the assault. On July 6 I notified my local government representative to ask them how to proceed with sharing this information. It is upsetting to discuss sexual assault and its repercussions, yet I felt guilty and compelled as a citizen about the idea of not saying anything. I am available to speak further should you wish to discuss. I am currently REDACTED and will be in REDACTED. In confidence, REDACTED. Advertisement

Ford said she was able to escape when Kavanaugh's classmate at Georgetown Preparatory School, Judge, jumped on top of them and sent them tumbling.

The details in the letter line up with what she told the Washington Post.

'I thought he might inadvertently kill me,' said Ford, now a 51-year-old research psychologist in northern California, to The Washington Post. 'He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.'

She told the newspaper she ran from the room, locked herself in a bathroom until she heard the boys go back downstairs, and then fled the house where the party was taking place.

Ford described the attack as taking place during the summer in the early 1980s, when Kavanaugh and a friend  both 'stumbling drunk,' Ford charges  corralled her into a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County.

In her first public comments on the incident, which came to light last week after Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Feinstein referred a 'letter' describing a sexual assault to the FBI, she described what happened when they were high school students in suburban Maryland.

Brett Kavanaugh in his high school yearbook

Christine Blasey (now Ford) in the 1984 Holton-Arms Yearbook

While his friend watched, Ford recounts to The Post, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding against and attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it.

She said she tried to scream and he put his hand over her mouth.

She told the paper she did not recall all the details after such a long time but she thinks the incident occurred in the summer of 1982, when she was 15 and at the end of her sophomore year at the all-girls Holton-Arms School in Bethesda.

Kavanaugh would have been 17 at the end of his junior year at the all-male Georgetown Prep. He has denied the charges.

He told The New Yorker last week: 'I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.'

Since learning the woman's identity, Kavanaugh has issued a second statement denying the claims. Judge also insists the incident never happened.

'It's just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way,' Judge told The Weekly Standard on Friday before Ford went public.

He added that he had never seen boys 'rough-housing' with his female peers from other schools in ways that might have been interpreted negatively: 'I don't remember any of that stuff going on with girls.'

Ford said there were no parents home when the teenagers gathered at a house in Montgomery County, Md., not far from the Columbia Country Club pool in Chevy Chase, Md., where she spent her summer.

She named two other teenagers who she said were at the party, who did not respond to The Post's inquiries, the paper reported.

She described a small family room where each of them had one beer but claimed that Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge had started drinking earlier and were heavily intoxicated.

She said she left the party to use the bathroom when she was pushed into a bedroom and the alleged attack occurred. Ford said then as she did in the letter that she has not spoken to Kavanaugh since.

The political fallout from the allegations have yet to be determined. Republicans have questioned the timing of the story's release but that was before Ford went public and offered her side of the tale.

Two of the key Republican votes are women - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins - neither of whom face voters this year. Collins said Monday she wants to hear new testimony from Kavanaugh.

The White House was hoping to pick up some Democratic votes - particularly Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota - all of whom voted for Trump's first nominee Neil Gorsuch and who face voters this fall in their home states, which the president carried in the 2016 election.

But before Kavanaugh is brought before the full Senate, he is due to face a vote in the Judiciary committee, which is comprised of 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats.

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, whose vote could make or break Kavanaugh's nomination, is indicating he would vote no on the nominee unless he hears from Ford beforehand.

'If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes,' he told Politico.

Flake told The Washington Post: 'For me, we can't vote until we hear more.'

Kavanaugh could proceed to the Senate floor without a vote in the committee but given Republicans 51-seat majority in the upper chamber, and Flake and Collins' possible no votes, the prospects of the judge's nomination getting through are very slim.

Washington, D.C. writer Mark Judge has been identified as Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's high school friend described in a woman's so-far unsubstantiated letter accusing Kavanaugh of attempting to sexually assault her when they were 17

Judge posted this weathered 1981 photo on Facebook depicting a beach week with his group of high school friends; Brett Kavanaugh is pictured in the back row, second from the right

Party culture: This group photo of students at Georgetown Prep was taken in 1983, the year Kavanaugh graduated; Judge wrote on Facebook that the mustachioed man at the bottom was his gym teacher whose bachelor party  complete with a stripper  was attended by some of the boys. Judge is pictured directly above the teacher

Brett Kavanaugh, third from left, in his high school yearbook

Ford said she didn't tell anyone about the incident until 2012 when she was in couples therapy with her husband.

She gave portions of the therapist's notes to The Post.

The newspaper reports the notes do not mention Kavanaugh by name but say Ford described how she was attacked by students 'from an elitist boys' school' who went on to become 'highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington.'

Additional notes show she described a 'rape attempt' in her late teens.

Her husband Russell Ford said that in therapy sessions, his wife recounted being trapped in a room with two drunken boys, one of whom pinned her to a bed, molested her and prevented her from screaming.

He said she used Kavanaugh's last name and voiced concern that he  then a federal judge  might one day be nominated to the Supreme Court.

The White House sent The Washington Post the same statement Kavanaugh issued last week: 'I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.'

Russell Ford said nominees to the court are subject to a higher standard.

'I think you look to judges to be the arbiters of right and wrong,' Russell Ford said. 'If they don't have a moral code of their own to determine right from wrong, then that's a problem. So I think it's relevant. Supreme Court nominees should be held to a higher standard.'

Brettt Kavanaugh (at right, pictured in his high school yearbook), now a 53-year-old U.S. Supreme Court nominee, was 17 years old at the time a woman alleges he tried to force himself on her sexually  an accusation he flatly denies; the boy behind him is Mark Judge

FBI request: Diane Feinstein has referred a letter she has received to the Justice Department.

Ford retained Debra Katz, a prominent Washington D.C. attorney involved in the #MeToo movement

Ford is a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University who teaches in a consortium with Stanford University. She has been widely published in academic journals.

She said the incident contributed to anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms with which she has struggled.

She contacted the newspaper through a tip line in early July, when Kavanaugh was on President Trump's shortlist of potential nominees to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.

But her story leaked as it was reported Feinstein had the letter and was refusing to share it with her Democratic colleagues.

Ford is a registered Democrat.

In late July, she sent a letter to Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo, her California congresswoman, about the incident. Eshoo passed it to Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the committee that is weighing Kavanaugh's nomination.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on whether or not to move Kavanaugh's nomination forward on Thursday.

Donald Trump made Kavanaugh his second Supreme Court nominee, opening up his life to intense scrutiny from Democrats who want to stymie the president's chances to tilt the court politically to the right

Kavanaugh at the White House in July with his wife and daughters when his nomination was announced

Russell Ford, the husband of Christine Ford

Kavanaugh, from the moment Trump announced his nomination, has stressed he has supported and promoted women.

In his remarks at the White House in July when Trump introduced him as his nominee, Kavanaugh touted his strong record with women throughout his career, noting he's hired a majority of female law clerks and that Elena Kagan, who is now on the Supreme Court, hired him to teach at Harvard.

He has talked about how he's a coach for his daughter's basketball team and had past and present players attend his confirmation hearing.

He had two women - former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and liberal lawyer Lisa Blatt - introduce him to senators at his hearing.

His four days of hearings were continually interrupted by protestors - mostly women - who were worried about his record on abortion rights.

Judiciary Committee Republicans scrambled last week to assemble a glowing open letter from 65 women who knew Kavanaugh during his high school years and say 'he has always been a good person.' The letter was released Friday morning.

'For the entire time we have known Brett Kavanaugh, he has behaved honorably and treated women with respect,' they wrote.

'Through the more than 35 years we have known him, Brett has stood out for his friendship, character, and integrity. In particular, he has always treated women with decency and respect. That was true when he was in high school, and it has remained true to this day.'

Brett Kavanaugh with his wife Ashley and daughters Margaret and Liza at his nomination announcement

Kavanaugh, who now coaches girls basketball, was captain of his high school varsity team (front, center)

Kavanaugh, center, poses for a photograph with his current and former basketball team members he coaches during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday

Two women - former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and liberal lawyer Lisa Blatt along with Sen. Rob Portman - introduced Kavanaugh at his confirmation hearing

Ford hired Debra Katz, a Washington lawyer known for her work on sexual harassment cases, to represent her since realizing her name could become public.

On the advice of Katz, Ford took a lie detector administered by a former FBI agent in early August. The results, which Katz gave to The Post, concluded that Ford was being truthful.Advertisement

Video footage has shown a female security guard at a North Carolina grocery store single-handedly running a tight ship as scores of residents line up to buy basic necessities after floodwaters left the coastal city cut off from the rest of the state.

A clip obtained by DailyMail.com shows Cheika Corso, 38, who has worked at Harris Teeter supermarket in Porters Neck for four years, keeping customers in line outside of the store on Monday.

'We have no ice, no dry ice. Limited batteries: no C's or D's. No propane, no charcoal, we're limited on perishables and no cigarettes! Any questions on that part?' she says to the crowd.

'Second thing is, they are taking all cards and cash. Third thing is, they have on the hot bar, so there might be something up there.

Corso then instructs customers to stay in their place or risk losing their spot on the line.

Footage obtained by DailyMail.com shows security guard Chieka Corso single-handedly keeping scores customers in line as they wait to get into Harris Teeter supermarket in Wilmington, North Carolina

Corso, 38, has worked as a security guard at the store for four years and her shtick has made it so that no cops have been called there, unlike other stores and restaurants in the area

People wait in line to buy food and supplies at one of the few places open in Wilmington North Carolina after Hurricane Florence traveled through the area Sunday

'If you get out of line and you're the only person in that line, you get out, you get to the back. Ain't no more getting back in your spot. That's not gonna happen. OK? So I advise y'all to have another person with you if you need to walk away,' she says.

'No Western Union, no phone cards! They take internet and we don't got it!'

So far, police officers have not been called to the supermarket thanks to Corso's impressive management style.

Cops, however, have been seen guarding the doors at other stores and restaurants in the city in an effort to control the high volume of customers and to prevent looting.

'People have been well-behaved and tell me they appreciate us staying open,' Corso told DailyMai.com.

'They're very worried about their cigarettes, but we already ran out.'

Thousands have been cut off by rising floodwaters as storm Florence batters North Carolina, bringing the death toll to 17.

Officials plan to airlift food and water to thousands holed up in the coastal city of Wilmington, which has been totally cut off from the rest of the state.

So far more than 400 people have been rescued from the area, which has no power and has been described as an island.

Residents have been waiting for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police are guarding the doors, only letting in 10 people at a time to avoid rushes and overcrowding.

Residents have been waiting for hours outside stores and restaurants in North Carolina for basic necessities like water. Police are guarding the doors, only letting in 10 people at a time

Thousands have been cut off by rising floodwaters as storm Florence battered North Carolina, bringing the death toll to 17. Pictured: Emerald Isle in NC

Chris Craig and Zach Boucher sit on a bench in the flooded waters edge following Hurricane, now tropical storm Florence September in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina

Officials have warned evacuated residents to stay away amid fears of further flash flooding over the next two days. Pictured: Flooding in South Carolina

A tree rests atop a home on Queens Road West in Charlotte, NC on Sunday as heavy rains and wind continued to batter the US

Marcus Dipaola helps five-year-old Ember Kelly off a rescue boat carrying her sisters and mother from rising flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, in Leland, North Carolina

Florence: What is an extra-tropical cyclone? Florence is expected to weaken on Monday before re-intensifying as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone Tuesday and Wednesday Extratropical cyclones have cold air at their core, and derive their energy from the release of potential energy when cold and warm air masses interact. These storms always have one or more fronts connected to them, and can occur over land or ocean. An extratropical cyclone can have winds as weak as a tropical depression, or as strong as a hurricane. Advertisement

Officials have warned evacuated residents to stay away amid fears of further flash flooding over the next two days.

Wilmington has a population of 120,000 but it is not clear how many chose not to leave before the storm hit.

'Do not come here,' New Hanover County Commission Chairman Woody White said.

'Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington...We want you home, but you can't come yet.'

Hurricane Florence, downgraded to a tropical depression, claimed more lives on Sunday, with at least 17 people confirmed dead.

Florence is expected to weaken on Monday before re-intensifying as it transitions to an extratropical cyclone Tuesday and Wednesday, the US National Hurricane Center said on Monday.

The tropical depression continues to produce widespread heavy rains over parts of North Carolina and north-eastern South Carolina into western Virginia and flash flooding will continue over portions of the western mid-Atlantic region, it said.

Florence is located about 145 miles (230 km) west-northwest of Greensboro, North Carolina packing maximum sustained winds of 30 miles per hour.

Dallas Perdue leaves a Lowe's Foods store in Wilmington, N.C., after storm Florence traveled through the area Sunday

The Waffle House outside of downtown Wilmington, NC was open on Sunday as thousands became stranded from the rest of the state

An abandoned car's hazard lights continue to flash as it sits submerged in a rising flood waters during pre-dawn hours after Hurricane Florence struck in Wilmington, North Carolina

A view of a gas station with its roof blown off as Hurricane Florence comes ashore in Wilmington, North Carolina

On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Corrections posted pictures of prisoners preparing sandbags to defend their facilities from flooding

Bryan Stirling, director of the department, chose not to evacuate the inmates from several prisons, with a spokesman saying: 'In the past, its been safer to leave them there.' Pictured: Sandbanks outside a South Carolina prison

'Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina... but we're also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out,' Brock Long of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Sunday on Fox News.

About 70 miles away from Wilmington, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards.

River forecasts showed the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bull's-eye.

On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Corrections posted pictures of prisoners preparing sandbags to defend their facilities from flooding.

Bryan Stirling, director of the department, chose not to evacuate the inmates from several prisons, with a spokesman saying: 'In the past, its been safer to leave them there.'

Cars try to navigate a flooded road leading to Interstate 40 in Castle Hayne, NC, after damage from Hurricane Florence cut off access to Wilmington

Meanwhile, half way around the world, Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left dozens dead.

More than 2.4 million people were evacuated from China's southern Guangdong province ahead of the massive typhoon, the strongest to hit the region in nearly two decades.

In North Carolina, fears of what could be the worst flooding in the state's history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it wasn't clear how many had fled or even could.

President Donald Trump said federal emergency workers, first responders and law enforcement officials were 'working really hard.' As the storm 'begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional!' he declared in a tweet.

The storm's death toll climbed to 17 when authorities said a 3-month-old child was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home in North Carolina. Three people died in weather-related traffic accidents, officials said.

Victor Merlos was overjoyed to find a store open for business in Wilmington since he had about 20 relatives staying at his apartment, which still had power. He spent more than $500 on cereal, eggs, soft drinks and other necessities, plus beer.

'I have everything I need for my whole family,' said Merlos. Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all take-out, with the price of $2 per item.

Kenneth Campbell had donned waterproof waders intending to check out his home in Lumberton , but he didn't bother when he saw the Coast Guard and murky waters in his neighborhood.

'I'm not going to waste my time. I already know,' he said.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

Victor Merlos loads supplies he bought at a Harris Teeter grocery store, one of the few places open in Wilmington, N.C., after storm Florence traveled through the area Sunday

The floodwaters of McAlpine Creek along Randolph Road in Charlotte, N.C., are seen on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018

A man walks along the street with his dog as people return to their houses after the passing of Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina, US September 16, 2018

Motorists drive through floodwaters in Hampstead, N.C. Sunday as Tropical Storm Florence continued to pelt the area with rain and wind

A boat sits in a backyard after the passing of Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina on Sunday

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal feces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters. In past hurricanes, flooding at dozens of farms also left hundreds of thousands of dead hogs, chickens and other decomposing livestock bobbing in floodwaters.

Some stream gauges used to monitor river levels failed when they became submerged, but others showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel were assigned to help relief efforts.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

Near the flooded-out town of New Bern , where about 455 people had to be rescued from the swirling flood waters, water completely surrounded churches, businesses and homes. In the neighboring town of Trenton, downtown streets were turned to creeks full of brown water.

The rain was unrelenting in Cheraw, a town of about 6,000 people in northeastern South Carolina. Streets were flooded and Police Chief Keith Thomas warned people not to drive, but the local food and gas store had customers.

'As you can tell, they're not listening to me,' he said.

On Sunday the death toll from the hurricane-turned-tropical depression climbed to 15 when a 23-year-old man drowned after a pickup truck flipped into a drainage ditch along a flooded road in South Carolina.

Earlier, authorities said two people died from carbon monoxide poisoning after using a generator in their South Carolina home during the storm.

 Slide me  Before and after photos show the floodwater level before on September 14 and after Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina, on September 16, 2018

 Slide me  Within two days floodwater consumed the base of a home in New Bern, North Carolina. Pictured Friday and then Sunday

Members of the North Carolina Task Force urban search and rescue team wade through a flooded neighborhood looking for residents who stayed behind as Florence continues to dump heavy rain in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sunday

A member of the US Coast Guard walks down Mill Creek Road checking houses after tropical depression Florence hit Newport North Carolina Saturday

A man wades across a bridge flooded by Hurricane Florence in Pollocksville, North Carolina, Sunday

A home is seen in floodwaters from Hurricane Florence in Marion, South Carolina Sunday

Members of the Nebraska Task Force 1 urban search and rescue team help load an elderly resident onto a bus as they evacuate an assisted living facility to a church as a precaution against potential flooding Saturday

A home is damaged after a large tree fell on it Sunday in Wilmington, North Carolina. So far, 15 deaths have been reported

A sailboat is shoved up against a house and a collapsed garage Saturday, September 15 after heavy wind and rain from Florence

The North Carolina fatalities also include three who died 'due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways,' the Duplin County Sheriff's Office reported.

Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said 63-year-old Mark Carter King and 61-year-old Debra Collins Rion were killed by breathing in carbon monoxide.

Their bodies were found in a Loris home Saturday afternoon, but they likely died the day before as the heavy rains and winds from former hurricane-turned-Tropical Depression Florence were moving onshore.

Governor Roy Cooper says the storm has 'never been more dangerous' than it is now for areas extending from Fayetteville and Lumberton, across the Sandhills, to the central part of North Carolina and into the mountains.

About 740,000 homes and businesses remained without power in the Carolinas, and utilities said some could be out for weeks.

Sunday's heavy rains have made major roads, including parts of the I-95, impassable.

Roads were quickly submerged on Sunday morning and blocked off by police cars and fire trucks. Some drivers in raised trucks slowly navigated the flooding while others made U-turns and looked for other routes. Smaller country roads were washed over with water as streams and rivers nearby burst their banks, leaving drivers at risk of being trapped.

Rainstorms continued around Florence, Fair Bluff and Lumberton, with residents living near the banks of Lumber and Pee Dee River ordered to evacuate. Tornado warnings were issued from the coastline moving inland.

The roads were fairly busy as drivers attempted to return home to assess damage on areas where areas where evacuation orders were lifted.

Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, but North and South Carolina were in the bull's-eye.

The head of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said officials were still focused on finding and rescuing people.

'We'll get through this. It'll be ugly but we'll get through it,' he told Chuck Todd on NBC's Meet The Press.

Long said: 'Well, unfortunately, the event is still unfolding for the next 48 hours.'

Two people in a canoe paddle through a street that was flooded by Hurricane Florence Saturday north of New Bern, North Carolina

A Corvette sits damaged after a large tree fell on it Sunday in Wilmington, North Carolina

Maggie Belgie of The Cajun Navy carries a child evacuating a flooding trailer community during Hurricane Florence in Lumberton, North Carolina Saturday

A downed tree uprooted by Hurricane Florence lies next to homes in New Bern, North Carolina Saturday

Robert Dolman walks past a Cadillac that has been crushed by a tree Sunday in North Carolina

The next stage of the disaster comes with widespread river flooding, pictured a Coast Guard member Saturday

US Marine Corp aid in evacuating the local populace in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Saturday

Officials on Sunday warned rivers were swelling toward record levels, forecasters now warn, and thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate for fear that the next few days could bring the most destructive round of flooding in North Carolina history.

Stream gauges across the region showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to crest Sunday and Monday at or near record levels: The Little River, the Cape Fear, the Lumber, the Neuse, the Waccamaw and the Pee Dee were all projected to burst their banks, possibly flooding nearby communities.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000

On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump issued a disaster declaration for parts of the state that will make the rebuilding process easier for residents in some counties.

Trump, who plans a visit to the region next week, tweeted his 'deepest sympathies and warmth' to the families and friends of those who had lost their lives.

Saturday afternoon, the White House released a photo of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence receiving a phone briefing on disaster response efforts.

John Rose owns a furniture business with stores less than a mile from the river. Rain-soaked furniture workers helped him quickly empty more than 1,000 mattresses from a warehouse in a low-lying strip mall.

'It's the first time we've ever had to move anything like this,' Rose said. 'If the river rises to the level they say it's going to, then this warehouse is going to be under water.'

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence received an emergency preparedness update call on Hurricane Florence in the Treaty Room of the White House on Saturday

The next stage of the disaster comes with widespread river flooding - which could make history in North Carolina

An updated map from Sunday morning shows Florence's status

Certain areas of North Carolina are experiencing record-breaking major flooding

A Sunday morning map shows the three to five inches of rain in parts of North and South Carolina

A woman leaves a flooded home with her dog in a neighborhood inundated by water in Lumberton on Sunday

A partially submerged car is pictured on a flooded street after Hurricane Florence struck Piney Green, North Carolina Sunday

Albie Lewis, right, a FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer, talks with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper aboard a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft after surveying the damage done by Hurricane Florence on Sunday

On U.S. Route 401 nearby, rain rose in ditches and around unharvested tobacco crops along the road. Ponds had begun to overflow, and creeks passing under the highway churned with muddy, brown water.

Farther along the Cape Fear River, grass and trees lining the banks were partly submerged, still well below a highway bridge crossing it.

'It's hard to believe it's going to get that high,' says Elizabeth Machado, who came to the bridge to check on the river.

Fayetteville's city officials, meanwhile, got help from the Nebraska Task Force One search and rescue team to evacuate 140 residents of an assisted-living facility in Fayetteville to a safer location at a church.

Already, more than two feet of rain has fallen in places, and forecasters are saying there could be an additional 1 feet before Sunday is out.

'I cannot overstate it: Floodwaters are rising, and if you aren't watching for them, you are risking your life,' Gov. Roy Cooper said.

A pickup truck drives on a flooded road past a farm house that is surrounded by flooded fields from tropical storm Florence in Hyde County, North Carolina, Saturday

Resident Joseph Eudi looks at flood debris and storm damage from Hurricane Florence at a home on East Front Street in New Bern, North Carolina, Saturday

Rescue personnel help a flood victim and her animals to dry land from heavy rains from Florence in North Carolina

Officials were warning residents not only to stay off the roads but also to avoid using GPS systems.

'As conditions change, GPS navigation systems are not keeping up with the road closures and are directing people onto roads that are confirmed closed and/or flooded,' the state Transportation Department said on Twitter.

Florence weakened to a tropical depression early Sunday and was crawling west at 8 mph. At 5am, the storm was centered about 20 miles southwest of Columbia, South Carolina. Its winds were down to 35 mph.

In Goldsboro, North Carolina, home of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, roads that frequently flood were already closed Saturday by rushing water.

Dozens of electric repair trucks massed to respond to damage expected to hit central North Carolina as rainwater collected into rivers headed to the coast. Hundreds of thousands of outages have been reported.

A creek that feeds into the Neuse was rushing over a road near Phil Eubanks' home Saturday. Another creek backed up into their basement Friday, but based on past experience Eubanks and his wife think the worst is over for them.

'I didn't sleep last night. It was creeping up those steps' from the basement, said his jittery wife, Ellen. 'It came up. It went down today. I think we're OK.'

Coast Guard FN Tyler Elliott, from Louisville, Kentucky, helps rescue one of ten beagles from a flooded home in Columbus North Carolina Sunday

Members of the Coast Guard help a stranded motorist in the flood waters caused by Hurricane Florence in Lumberton, North Carolina, Sunday

Roger Hedgepeth is assisted along with his dog Bodie by members of the U.S. Coast Guard Sunday

Hedgepeth wears a life jacket and holds his dog Bodie while being moved to higher ground Sunday

A Dillon County rescue crew boat works in a flooded area near a stuck car in Latta, South Carolina, on Sunday

A man is pictured walking through a flooded street after Florence struck Piney Green, North Carolina

On Saturday evening, Duke Energy said heavy rains caused a slope to collapse at a coal ash landfill at a closed power station outside Wilmington, North Carolina. Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said about 2,000 cubic yards (1,530 cubic meters) of ash were displaced at the Sutton Plant and that contaminated storm water likely flowed into the plant's cooling pond.

Sutton was mothballed in 2013 and the company has been excavating ash to remove to safer lined landfills. The ash left behind when coal is burned contains toxic heavy metals, including lead and arsenic.

In New Bern, along the coast, homes were completely surrounded by water, and rescuers used inflatable boats to reach people Saturday.

Kevin Knox and his family were rescued by boat from their flooded brick home with the help of Army Sgt. Johan Mackie, whose team used a phone app to locate people in distress.

'Amazing. They did awesome,' said Knox, who was stranded with seven others.

New Bern spokeswoman Colleen Roberts said 455 people were safely rescued in the town of 30,000 residents. She called damage to thousands of buildings 'heart-wrenching.'

Ernestine Crumpler, 80, is helped by members of the Nebraska Task Force 1 urban search and rescue team as they evacuate an assisted living facility to a church as a precaution against potential flooding the city could see

Resident Alice Tolson steps over storm debris that washed up from the Neuse River at her home on East Front Street in New Bern

Residents of an assisted living facility sit on a bus as they are evacuated Saturday in North Carolina

A 40-foot yacht lies in the yard of a storm-damaged home on East Front Street in New Bern, North Carolina Saturday

The boat washed up with storm surge and debris from Hurricane Florence

Spirits were high, though, at the Trent Park Elementary School in New Bern, where 44-year-old Cathy Yolanda Wright took shelter after being rescued from her flooded home Saturday. Wright, who sings in the choir at Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist, led residents at the shelter in an energetic singalong.

People clapped and shouted, 'Amen!' and 'Thank you, Lord.'

Across the Trent River from New Bern, Jerry and Jan Andrews returned home after evacuating to find carp flopping in their backyard near the porch stairs.

Coast Guard helicopters took off across the street to rescue stranded people from rooftops and swamped cars.

The Marines rescued about 20 civilians from floodwaters near Camp Lejeune, using Humvees and amphibious assault vehicles, the base reported.

The dead included a mother and baby killed by a falling tree in Wilmington, North Carolina. South Carolina recorded its first death from the storm, with officials saying a 61-year-old woman was killed when her car hit a tree that fell across a highway.

Three died in one inland county, Duplin, because of water on roads and flash floods, authorities said. A husband and wife died in a storm-linked house fire, officials said, and an 81-year-old man died after falling while packing to evacuate.

Horses are led to higher ground during Tropical Storm Florence in Lumberton, North Carolina

Trenton, North Carolina, is pictured Sunday inundated with floodwaters from FlorenceA hardened criminal with 449 convictions walked free from court even after committing another offence, new figures show.

Despite the appalling record of lawbreaking, the villain was allowed to roam the streets because a judge imposed a fine rather than a prison sentence in 2016.

Ministry of Justice statistics from 2016, the latest available, show burglars, thieves, fraudsters and drug dealers are being spared jail even after being found guilty of repeat offences.

Conservative MP Philip Davies (pictured) used Parliamentary questions to uncover Ministry of Justice statistics from 2016 which reveal hardened criminals being spared jail

Instead of locking the criminals up, judges handed out non-custodial punishment such as community sentences, suspended jail sentences, fines and conditional discharges.

The figures, uncovered by Tory MP Philip Davies using Parliamentary questions, will fuel claims that the courts are handing out the punishments to save money and reduce overcrowding in jails.

The revelations come after an investigation by the Daily Mail exposed how judges are allowing serious offenders to walk free, despite concerns about Wild West Britain.

Mr Davies, a former member of the Commons Justice Select Committee, said the findings were outrageous.

He said: The first role of Government should be to protect the public and that means putting criminals behind bars.

Law-abiding citizens will be shocked that despite being found guilty of in some cases hundreds of the same crimes, these criminals are not behind bars.

It is about time we rebalance the law and prioritise the needs of victims and potential victims.

Mr Davies said: Law-abiding citizens will be shocked that despite being found guilty of in some cases hundreds of the same crimes, these criminals are not behind bars'

Among the examples revealed were a burglar guilty of his 54th break-in given a suspended sentence and a thief with 171 theft offences on his rap sheet walking free from court with no punishment.

A fraudster with 223 previous fraud convictions was handed a fine while a thug who had breached an anti-social behaviour order for the 133rd time was also allowed to walk free.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: The Secretary of State has been clear that serious criminals will continue to face lengthy prison sentences to protect the public and keep communities safe.The mother of a 16-year-old KFC employee recorded the shocking moment two foul-mouthed restaurant workers argued with her after she inquired about her son's paycheck.

Robin Clauthier said she went to the fast-food restaurant located on South Washington Street in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on Wednesday.

Clauthier said her son has worked there for nearly a month and has yet to be paid.

In the video, two employees are seen standing at the front counter yelling at Clauthier, who said she waited for 15 minutes after asking for a manager.

Robin Clauthier (left), of North Dakota, the mother of a 16-year-old KFC employee, recorded the moment two foul-mouthed employees (right) argued with her after she inquired about her son's paycheck

Clauthier said her son has worked at the KFC for nearly a month and has yet to be paid. She said when she asked for an update, the employees refused. This employee was seen pointing her finger at Clauthier during the argument

'Without him knowing, I just figured I would stop in so everybody was on the same page, just ask what exactly was going on,' Clauthier told The Grand Forks Herald.

Clauthier said the employees refused to give her an update.

The furious mother said she shared the video on Facebook because she wanted people to 'see what was going on'.

She said: 'Who hires minors and then allows them to work without the proper paperwork?'

In the video, the two employees are heard telling Clauthier to stop recording them.

But according to Clauthier, much more was said in the exchange of words.

'Not once were they told to stop yelling or cussing as their manager stood right next to me or while we were walking out the door n the one called my daughter a stupid b***h!' Clauthier wrote in the caption of the video on Facebook.

Clauthier said she had to call the cops because one of the employees tried to fight her daughter.

Clauthier's son will not be working at the KFC location (pictured) anymore. The teen will receive a check from the franchise for two days that he's worked in September and another check from KFC's headquarters

Since posting the footage, Clauthier said that the women have also threatened violence against her and her family.

'There were threats going out that she wanted to kill that chick's daughter,' Clauthier said.

Clauthier's son will not be working at the KFC location anymore.

According to the Herald, he will receive a check from the franchise for two days that he's worked in September and another check from KFC's headquarters.

KFC also released a statement that called the behavior of the team members in the video 'unacceptable'.Barack Obama has recalled the moment he was holding his mother-in-law's hand 10 years ago when he learned he was going to become president.

In a video shared by The Obama Foundation on Monday, Obama said his 2008 election win was made more special when he tried to view it from his mother-in-law Marian Shields Robinson's eyes.

'I could tell she just seemed like it wasn't clear how all this had happened,' Obama said of the moment it became clear he was going to win the election.

'I sat next to her and grabbed her hand and we held hands, and just as it was announced that the projections were I was going to win, I said, 'How are you feeling?'.

Barack Obama has recalled the moment he was holding his mother-in-law Marian Shields Robinson's hand 10 years ago (above) when he learned he was going to become president

He said his mother-in-law responded: 'Well, it's just a little overwhelming, isn't it?'

Obama said Shields Robinson 'grew up in a deeply segregated Chicago' and worked as a secretary to allow Michelle and her brother to attend the best schools in the country.

He went on to say that being an African-American she had faced 'barriers' and 'limits' despite her many talents.

Obama said that him winning the election was profound for her.

'For what was true for her was that something she might not have ever imagined possible had happened,' he said.

In a video shared by The Obama Foundation Monday, Obama said his election win was made more special when he tried to view it from his mother-in-law Marian Shields Robinson's eyes

'Her daughter was going to be the next first lady of the United States.'

Obama said understanding his victory from Shields Robinson's perspective 'made it a little more special'.

The Obama Foundation tweeted the video on Monday as part of its oral history project.

'Ten years ago, @BarackObama held his mother-in-laws hand as news broke that hed won the election. As part of our oral history project, he shared his memories from that historic night with us,' the foundation tweeted.

Obama created the non-profit foundation back in 2014.Dakota Meyer is opening up once again about his split with Bristol Palin, revealing that he got a vasectomy and doesn't plan to marry again after their divorce.

Meyer, 30, took to Instagram for a candid Q&A session with his followers, even revealing that he keeps his Medal of Honor dangling from a mounted fish.

But many were more curious about his relationship with Palin after the couple's split made headlines and messages were shared in which she allegedly called him a 'b***h'.

'Do you and Bristol get along since the "D"?' one fan asked, clearly referring to their divorce.

'No, that's why we got the divorce,' Meyer bluntly replied.

Dakota Meyer is opening up once again about his split with Bristol Palin, revealing that he got a vasectomy and that he and his ex-wife no longer get along

Meyer also revealed that he got a vasectomy, saying he wouldn't 'get a reversal' and have more children following his split with Palin

But, Meyer revealed, that won't stop him from appearing on the new season of Teen Mom with his ex-wife.

The Medal of Honor winner, who served as a sniper with the US Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, confirmed he will be on the Teen Mom OG series.

'It's not something I ever wanted to do, I was kind of forced into it,' he admitted in a video clip on his Instagram story.

'But what I'm going to do, after meeting the crew and how incredible they are, I'm going to use the platform to show and shed light on living with PTSD, anxiety, and having a family, and what that looks like and try to help and make the world a better place.'

Palin revealed in a trailer clip for the upcoming Teen Mom series that Meyer's struggle with PTSD was one of the reasons why the couple struggled.

But despite their ongoing tension, Meyer confirmed he will appear on the new Teen Mom OG series with Palin on MTV

Meyer also answered some more lighthearted questions, revealing he keeps his medal of honor mounted on a fish

'My husband Dakota has been struggling with PTSD and it's been hard on our marriage,' she says in the clip.

'We don't know how to co-exist together. I don't want to raise my kids to think that this is what a marriage looks like.'

Meyer told his followers that he has no plans to have any more children following his split with Palin. The couple share daughters Sailor Grace, two, and one-year-old Atlee Bay.

'Nope my girls have all my heart,' he replied to the question 'Would you like more children?'.

'Plus I'm not getting a reversal haha,' he added, revealing he had a vasectomy.

Meyer posted a number of photos with his daughters Sailor, two, and one-year-old Atlee. He also revealed he doesn't see any benefit to getting married again

But Dakota did speak about the future, revealing he plans to stay in Texas for good and watch his kids grow up 'in the greatest country on the face of the planet'

Meyer also said there are no plans to ever get married again, revealing his feelings toward it after one follower asked 'Why are you so against getting married again?'

'What's the benefit to it?' he responded.

But Dakota did speak about the future, revealing he plans to stay in Texas for good and that he wants to grow his hair out for a man bun.

'I'm gonna continue to keep doing great things,' he added. 'Being a great father, watch my kids grow up in the greatest country on the face of the planet.'

'I mean hell, life's looking good from here.'

It's an optimistic outlook from Meyer, who recently revealed that all was not well with Palin.

Earlier this month he shared a text exchange allegedly between Palin and another man in which she repeatedly called him names.

Meyer seemed optimistic about the future after an ugly split with Palin (pictured together during happier times in 2016)

Meyer shared texts he claimed were sent by Palin to a man she had not met in which she questions his receiving the Medal of Honor

'Did your parents like him,' the man asks, seemingly referring to Meyer.

'Obsessed with him,' Palin responded. 'They just knew his background, some war hero, well-spoken.'

'So basically he just puts on a good front,' the man said.

'He's no hero,' Palin agreed. 'He didn't do that s**t. He's a b***h. He doesn't have the guts to do that.

'He tries to act big and bad online but he's really a coward. I can't believe I'm having his kid,' she added.

Meyer shared the grab on his Instagram story with the caption: 'If you're ever married to someone that texts this to another man that she's never met. Divorce her.'

He posted the texts after Palin compared him to biblical giant Goliath and accused him of holding family photos hostage

He posted the texts after Palin compared him to biblical giant Goliath and accused him of holding family photos hostage.

'After nearly a month, and thousands of dollars on attorney fees, I was finally able to get my pictures back from my old house/ex-husband,' wrote Palin.

'If you're facing a Goliath in your life, don't back down.'

Palin then added the hashtag '#worthit.'

Meyer, who served in the Marines for four years, was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama in 2011.

He was given the top award after repeatedly charging into a kill zone during a 2009 ambush in Kunar Province, Afghanistan in search of four of his missing comrades.

He was able to rescue 36 troops and kill eight Taliban attackers despite being shot in the arms. He was not able to save his four fellow Marines, but went back and carried their bodies out.

Meyer, who served in the Marines for four years, was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama in 2011

In his Q&A session Meyer also spoke about his time in the US Marines, saying it was his dream to 'hunt terrorists again'.

He also revealed what his answer is whenever someone asks how many people he killed.

'I just look at them and say not enough,' he replied. 'The war was still going on so obviously I didn't kill enough.'

And when someone asked what his views were on Pakistan, Meyer simply replied with a middle finger emoji.

Palin, 27, revealed that she and Meyer were finally divorced in August, five months after DailyMail.com first broke the news that he filed papers to terminate their marriage in Travis County District Court.

'Are you dating,' asked a fan, to which Palin replied: 'Freshly divorced & single forever lezzbereal (I am not ready to date).'Sally Horner was abducted aged 11 by Frank La Salle in the U.S. in 1948

Shortly before Christmas 70 years ago, a local newspaper in Philadelphia carried a heart-wrenching seasonal article under the headline: An Xmas Tree Glows; A Lonely Mother Waits.

It told the plaintive story of Mrs Ella Horner, a widow whose pretty, fair-haired 11-year-old daughter Sally  the very personification of innocence in her virginal white dress and short socks  had gone missing six months earlier, abducted by a stranger, and not heard of since.

What was even more tragic was that Mrs Horner had actually consented to her daughter going off with this middle-aged man she had never met. Shed been told by Sally that he was the father of one of Sallys school friends and she was going on holiday with them to the seaside.

This was a fabrication  made, as we shall see, by Sally under duress  but Mrs Horner didnt question it. In reality, the man was no such thing. A 50-year-old car mechanic who went by the name of Frank La Salle (one of many aliases), he was a convicted rapist and an unrepentant paedophile who preyed on sub-teen girls for his deviant sexual kicks.

For close on two years from 1948 to 1950, he held Sally captive, driving her from one city to another to stay ahead of the police, telling anyone who inquired that he was her doting, attentive father when the sordid truth was that he was using her as his concubine and satiating his lust on her at every opportunity.

By coincidence, around the same time, a Russian-born professor of literature at elite Cornell University was working on the germ of an idea.

Vladimir Nabokov  gifted, charismatic and already an acknowledged poet and author wanted to explore through a novel about forbidden love the secret life of a man sexually obsessed with a young girl and in such thrall to this nymphet (a word that Nabokov coined) that he would risk all to possess her.

He called the man Humbert Humbert and the 12-year-old girl Dolores  Lolita, for short. The story of their secret, sordid relationship as they journey from motel to motel, posing as father and daughter, would form one of the most electrifying, influential and notorious novels of the 20th century.

Was there an unacknowledged connection between fact and fiction here? Were Sallys experiences in some way a blueprint for Nabokovs creation?

The young girl was told by La Salle (pictured) she had to come with him or she'd be jailed

American crime writer Sarah Weinman believes so and argues her case in a recently published book revealing Sally Horner, as its title declares, as The Real Lolita.

Not that Sally was in any way a temptress in the way Lolita was portrayed  her very name becoming, thanks to Nabokov, a dictionary-defined synonym for a sexually precocious young girl, a pouting under-age siren. Sally was, in fact, an innocent, tricked and coerced into sexual slavery.

One day in her home town of Camden, New Jersey, just across the river from Philadelphia, she was caught in the act of stealing a cheap notebook for school from the local Woolworths.

A fierce-looking man grabbed her, identified himself as an FBI agent and told her gruffly she was under arrest.

She wept, he relented and said he would let her go as long as she promised to report to him from time to time. Otherwise she would be off to jail as a thief. Aged barely 11 and terrified of her mother finding out, she agreed.

A few months later, she ran into him again and fell for the yarn he spun that she would have to accompany him to his police headquarters in Atlantic City, on the coast 60 miles away.

The real life events mimic those in the novel written by Vladimir Nabokov in his classic Lolita (pictured Dominique Swain and Jeremy Irons in the 1997 movie Lolita)

She was to tell her mother she was going there with a school friend for a few days, and her busy mother  who worked long hours as a seamstress after her husbands suicide and was grateful for someone to take her daughter on holiday  foolishly accepted her story at face value.

She even took Sally to the bus station and waved her off, catching just a glimpse of the furtive Frank, but thinking no more of it.

Yet the days turned into weeks and the weeks into more than a month, and Ella realised something was wrong.

There were no phone calls home and her letters to the address she had for Sally were returned to sender. She raised the alarm.

Police went to Atlantic City, traced where they had been staying and quickly identified the man as La Salle. But there was no sign of Sally and the man she apparently now called Daddy. They had disappeared and were on the run.

And when a police search over eight states failed to find them, official interest fell away, leaving Ella to a mournful, lonely Christmas, waiting in vain for her little girl to return.

She told the newspaper that ran her story: Whatever she has done, I can forgive her for it... if I can just have her back again. What Sally was actually doing was whatever diabolical deed La Salle told her she had to do. She was his slave and she lived in abject fear of him.

But to those they met in the neighbourhoods where they lived, she smiled, and they looked every inch the devoted father and daughter. In Baltimore, he got a job and, every day while he was at work, she dutifully went to school and came home in the evening. And said not a word to anyone.

Too scared to defy Daddy or run away, she hid the truth from everyone  even though by now he had gone from kidnapper to child molester and was regularly forcing her to have sex with him.

He still held over her the threat that she could go to jail, and, in the naivety her young age, she believed him. (Similarly, Humbert keeps Lolita in line by warning her she, too, will end up behind bars if she goes to the authorities.)

And whenever La Salle felt the law getting too close, they moved on  to Dallas in Texas and then San Jose in California. They lived in trailer parks, where for a year, Sally played house, socialised with other families, went shopping, even baked cakes. On the surface, nothing was wrong. But one nosy neighbour was unconvinced. Something about the two of them was fishy. They were too close, that little bit too intimate for a healthy father-daughter relationship.

Eventually that neighbour, one Ruth Janisch, got Sally on her own and wheedled the truth out of her. Sally was already beginning to crack: shed confided to a friend at school what her father did to her in secret in bed at night, and the friend told her it was unnatural and immoral and she should stop.

Now she revealed all, confessing to Ruth Janisch that La Salle was not her real father, hed forced her to stay with him for two years and she wanted to go back to her mother. Ruth passed her the telephone and she rang home.

Im in California, she squeaked to the family member who answered. Send the FBI after me, please! Tell mother Im OK and dont worry. I want to come home. Ive been afraid to call before.

And so her ordeal came to an end. La Salle was arrested, protesting even now that Sally really was his daughter. She told police that he was mean, threatened her and also forced her to be intimate with him.

She repeated this in court, and he eventually pleaded guilty to abduction and was sentenced to 35 years in jail. Reunited at last with her mother, Sally and Ella clung to each other, weeping so much they could barely speak.

Back home, they ignored the flashbulbs of the photographers and the shouted questions from reporters and shut the door behind them as they went inside. There would be no more details, no revealing interviews. It was over and best forgotten.

Meanwhile, in Cornell, Nabokov was struggling with his troublesome oeuvre. More than once hed been on the brink of giving up and would have done so had his wife, Vera, not rescued the manuscript from the fire where hed tossed it.

The first half of the book was fine, recounting how the smarmy Humbert insinuated his way into Lolitas life by marrying her mother, while flirting with her and planning her seduction.

The mother was killed off in a fortuitous car accident, leaving him free to pursue the pliable and willing Lolita. His problem now was how to resolve the second half  what happened to the two of them after they became lovers. His solution was to have them go on a libidinous road trip around America, living in cheap hotels and temporary homes and posing as father and daughter  just like La Salle and Sally.

He even has Lolita go to school  again like Sally.

Author Sarah Weinman feels sure that Nabokov followed newspaper reports of the Sally Horner case and used Sallys terrible ordeal to inform the second half of the book that would make him a huge best-seller and a literary superstar.

I believe, she writes, that he would never have fully realised the character of Dolores [Lolita] without knowing of Sallys real-life plight. Nabokov vehemently denied any such major influence on his masterpiece when such a connection was first mooted by an academic.

But he was an arrogant man who liked the conceit that all of his work was totally original, the fruits of his brilliantly vivid imagination, and owed nothing to anyone else.

Yet there is no doubt he knew something of Sally. He even name-checks her in Lolita. In an aside towards the end of his book, he has Humbert ask himself: Had I done to Dolly [another of his pet names for Lolita] perhaps what Frank La Salle, a 50-year-old mechanic, had done to 11-year-old Sally Horner in 1948?

But Weinman believes she was much more than just a passing reference and that Nabokov knew much more about Sallys plight than he ever let on  and all because of a tragic footnote to her story. Back home  and with La Salle safely in prison for the rest of his life  Sally put her terrible ordeal behind her, went back to school, made new friends.

She didnt bother with the therapists and psychiatrists who would be de rigueur today for a girl in her situation, nor did she brood, even though those close to her sometimes saw a melancholy look in her eye as if she was grown-up beyond her years.

School wasnt easy for her. The gossips talked behind her back; boys pestered her about her sexual experiences; the word slut was bandied around. But she was doing well at making a new and happy life for herself.

Until mid-August 1952  two years after her return  when she went for a weekend of fun and sun on a New Jersey beach with a girlfriend. A boy she met there, 20-year-old Edward Baker, was giving her a lift home in his car when it crashed, barrelling into the back of a parked lorry.

He survived. Fifteen-year-old Sally was dead, her skull fractured, her neck snapped.

This tragic ending brought, not surprisingly, a fresh wave of newspaper coverage, including in the New York Times. It undoubtedly caught Nabokovs eye because he scribbled down what had happened on the lined index cards on which he made notes for the book.

For Weinman, this is the clinching evidence that, for all Nabokovs denials, the story of Sally Horner was crucial to the writing of his masterpiece.

Sixteen months after Sallys death, Nabokov completed my enormous, mysterious heart-breaking novel, recording the fact in his diary on December 6, 1953, that it had taken five years of monstrous misgivings and diabolical labours.

But it would be many months more before he found a publishing house daring enough to take on such a troublesome subject. Would-be publishers read the manuscript and shied away from content they thought would be deemed obscene.

Though mild by todays explicit standards, it was far too racy for the times. They feared that, despite its high literary merit, it would be banned as smut  which indeed it was in some countries. It finally found a home with a publisher in France who specialised in books that pushed the boundaries of acceptability and first appeared there in 1955.

It took another three years before a U.S. publisher took the risk and followed suit. It was an instant hit, selling out in days and propelling Nabokov to the very top of the literary tree. The New York Times critic hailed it as one of the funniest and saddest books of the year.

That set the tone. Even now, its most recent reincarnation as a Penguin Classic praises it as hilarious, flamboyant, heart-breaking, a masterpiece of obsession, delusion and lust.

Yet the subject it tackles is no laughing matter  however much literary acclaim the book and its author attract.

Paedophilia is a terrible modern menace. Its dangers cannot be overlooked or softened  and all the more so in our age when incidences have soared out of control via the internet.

Just this month the Home Secretary warned that thousands of youngsters are in danger of being groomed, exploited and blackmailed by sexual predators.

One of the difficulties with Nabokovs novel is that it comes over as morally neutral. Written from the viewpoint of poor, pathetic, self-justifying Humbert, it gives the impression that he is as much the victim as the girl he corrupts.

He feels sorry for himself. He was led on by her. A demon girl encouraged him and he was powerless to stop himself. I was as naive as only a pervert can be, he says plaintively.

Weinman says this left a vacuum for decades of readers to misinterpret Lolita.

It allowed for a culture of teen-temptress vamping that didnt account for the victimisation at the novels core.

Even today, many readers still dont see through Humberts vile perversions, and still blame Lolita for her behaviour, as if she had the will to resist, and chose not to.

Which is why the parallel, true-life story of Sally Horner revealed in Weinmans book is an important corrective. The real Lolita  abducted and abused by Frank La Salle  is a timely reminder that paedophilia is a power game, and one in which the power rests with the predatory adult, never with the exploited child.

Nor should it be taken lightly. As author Sarah Weinman concludes: The abuse that Sally Horner and other girls like her endured should not be subsumed by dazzling prose, no matter how brilliant.

The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman is published by Weidenfield & Nicholson at 16.99.  Sarah Weinman 2018. To order a copy for 13.59, visit www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. P&P is free on orders over 15. Offer valid to September 22, 2018.A homeowner who shot dead a council officer on live television has died after being released from prison last October.

Albert Dryden gunned down Harry Collinson in front of journalists when his illegally-built bungalow was due to be demolished in Butsfield, County Durham in 1991.

Dryden served a life sentence until last year but was released and admitted to a care home after suffering a stroke behind bars.

The killer died at his care home aged 77 in County Durham on Saturday having finally shown remorse for the shooting - according to lifelong friend Alex Watson.

Scroll down for video

Albert Dryden takes aim with his pistol before shooting dead planning officer Harry Collinson on the day his bungalow was set to be demolished in Butsfield, County Durham

Harry Collinson was enforcing the demolition of Dryden's illegally-built bungalow when Dryden drew a First World War gun and shot him dead

Watson, who was leader of the now defunct Derwentside District Council told the Chronicle: 'I saw Albert a few weeks ago. he couldn't talk. The man was dying, he had no life.

'He could nod his head and shake his head. He was frustrated, and very remorseful.

'Despite what people have said he was remorseful. It is just tragic all round. He never got a chance to say he was sorry, but you could see the remorse in his eyes.'

A former steelworker, Dryden had previously been refused parole, because he had shown had no remorse.

Harry Collinson was enforcing the demolition of Dryden's illegally-built bungalow when Dryden drew a First World War gun and shot him dead in front of local media on June 20, 1991.

As well as shooting 46-year-old Mr Collinson, he also wounded police officer Stephen Campbell in the buttock and reporter Tony Belmont in the arm.

The showdown with planning officials of the former Derwentside District Council followed a dispute that had gone on for several years.

Dryden built his bungalow in a hollow, because he wrongly thought he would not need planning permission, which the council refused to grant.

Mr Collinson (right) just before he was shot. His last words were to the TV crew: 'Can you get a shot of this gun?'

People fleeing the scene in terror after Dryden opened fire with his First World War pistol

Albert Dryden ploughed his redundancy money into the one-acre plot of land, which he called Maryland Close, a few miles from the town of Consett.

He put up two greenhouses, a shed, parked a caravan on the land, and built an archway at the gated entrance.

He also hired a digger and scooped out more than 2,000 tonnes of earth from near the fence with the road and built a partly-sunken bungalow in the resulting hole, forming a screening mound around it.

But Dryden, who wanted to spend his time tinkering with American cars, growing vegetables and keeping livestock, did not have planning permission.

Derwentside District Council - abolished in County Durham's local government shake-up two years ago - refused to approve the development in a rural area made up of conventional farms.

The council, which was keen to create an environment conducive to tourism, was also worried the bungalow represented a precedent that would unlock the door to other housing on land where it would not normally be permitted.

Albert Dryden with his pistol after the 1991 killing. 27 years on, he died after being released on prison last October

Dryden lost his planning appeal to keep the bungalow, although the Government inspector who chaired the hearing said some of the other buildings could stay because of the time they had been there.

The wrangle dragged on for several months with the council attempting to reach a compromise that would avoid the need to bulldoze the bungalow.

'If he dies slowly that's good': Harry Collinson's brother on Dryden's release from prison Shortly after Dryden was released from prison in October last year, Harry Collinson's older brother spoke of his disgust over the decision. Roy Collinson slammed Dryden for refusing to show remorse for his actions. 'Personally, I couldn't bloody care less what happens to Albert Dryden,' he said, 'If he dies slowly that's good. I'll be very happy about that.' Mr Collinson said he was shocked after two decades, Dryden was still trying to justify his reasons. 'He never showed one bit of remorse in all the 26 years he has been in prison. 'He still tried to justify his actions for some God-unknown reason.' He added: 'If the police had done their job properly, my brother wouldn't have been killed and Albert Dryden wouldn't have spent all this time in prison.' Advertisement

The last suggestion was that Dryden modify the building and use it for keeping livestock, but he rejected this.

Finally, councillors decided there was no option but demolition, and the date was set for Thursday June 20 1991.

On the day media gathered with Dryden on the land with his friends and supporters.

Dryden had a letter from the Planning Inspectorate, which he had fixed to his gate, indicating no action could be taken until an appeal had been heard.

The letter had given Dryden the belief the council was breaking the law, even though there were no grounds for an appeal.

Harry Collinson came to the gate, looked at the letter and told him it contained nothing to prevent the demolition.

Dryden replied that 'you might not be around to see the outcome of this disaster'.

Mr Collinson told Dryden he could have time to move things out of the building and he moved to a point in the fence where the bulldozer was to come through.

Dryden went to his caravan and picked up a First World War revolver, strode back to the fence and drew the weapon on Mr Collinson, whose last words were to the TV crew: 'Can you get a shot of this gun?'

After initially shooting Collinson, Dryden then leapt the fence and shot him again before turning the weapon on the fleeing group.

He shot down the road at police and journalists hastily fleeing and caused the injuries of several others.

An armed police officer and a bomb disposal officer at the home of Dryden in the aftermath of the 1991 incident

Albert Dryden leaves Consett Magistrates Court the day after he shot dead Derwentside District Council planning officer Harry Collinson

Although he had been hoping to hit the council's solicitor, Mike Dunstan, Dryden instead injured TV reporter Tony Belmont in the arm and PC Stephen Campbell in the backside.

He then returned to where Collinson was lying in a ditch by the perimeter fence and shot him again in the chest and face.

A subsequent search of the property uncovered a large arsenal of weapons including ten handguns, fifteen rifles, three shotguns, and two homemade mortars.

An investigation shortly after the murder revealed Collinson and Dryden had previously enjoyed a friendly relationship, with Collinson regularly visiting him to offer advice.

But Dryden's increasingly threatening behaviour towards council employees was said to have brought the men into conflict.

Dryden had denied murder but was convicted after a trial and jailed for life at Newcastle Crown Court in 1992.

He was denied parole in 2001 after it was felt he showed little evidence of remorse.Advertisement

Rescuers have tragically found the body of a one-year-old boy who was swept to his death from his mother's arms in raging Florence floodwaters in North Carolina.

Kaiden Lee-Welch was with his mother Dazia Lee on their way to visit relatives on Sunday when they drove past barricades on highway 218 in Union County.

His mother later told authorities someone had pushed the barricades to the side a little, making her think it was okay to go through.

Her car was swept off the road and pinned against some trees.

Rescuers have tragically found the body of one-year-old boy Kaiden Lee-Welch on Monday after he was swept to his death from his mother's arms in raging Florence floodwaters in North Carolina a day earlier.

Lee said she was able to free Kaiden from his car seat and escape but the waters were deep and she lost her grip on her son.

Kaiden's mother said she managed to free the little boy from his car seat and escape their car, but the waters were deep and she lost her grip on her son

'I was holding his hand, trying to hold him, trying to pull him up,' she told Fox 46 WJZY.

'I couldn't hold on anymore and he let go.'

Authorities searching for the boy recovered his body on Monday in the floodwaters.

His grieving mother described him as 'the sweetest boy.'

His death brought the Florence fatalities to 20.

A three-month-old boy was also killed Sunday when a tree crashed onto his mobile home in Dallas, North Carolina.

Kade Gill was in his home with his parents when the falling pine tree split the property in two.

His father had to rip out an air-conditioner from a window in order to get the baby out of the home and rescuers had to cut the tree to free his mother Tammy.

The little boy was later pronounced dead in hospital.

His mother said she called her son 'Little Man' and that he was born premature.

'He was a fighter in the beginning. He came five weeks early, survived the NICU 10 days,' she said.

Authorities searching for the boy recovered his body on Monday in the floodwaters

Rescue workers had spent hours looking for the little boy after he was swept away in floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Florence on Sunday

The remnants of the deadly hurricane brought more misery to the waterlogged Carolinas on Monday with officials warning the worst is yet to come, as heavy rain persisted and swollen rivers posed a growing threat.

Florence, which was downgraded from an earlier category 4 hurricane, was a tropical depression on Monday with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph as it headed through Virginia and toward New England.

The tropical depression continues to produce widespread heavy rains over parts of North Carolina and north-eastern South Carolina into western Virginia with flash flooding expected to continue over portions of the western mid-Atlantic region.

Tens of thousands of houses have been damaged, but for many parts of the Carolinas, 'the worst is yet to come' as river levels rise to historic levels, said Zach Taylor, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Weather Service.

It has dumped up to 40 inches of rain on North Carolina since Thursday.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Florence inundates homes in Pollocksville, North Carolina on Monday as the death toll rises to 17

Customers waited in line at a grocery store in Rocky Point, North Carolina on Sunday as the rain continued to pummel the area

Residents have been waiting for hours outside stores and restaurants in North Carolina for basic necessities like water. Police are guarding the doors, only letting in 10 people at a time

People wait in line to buy food and supplies at one of the few places open in Wilmington, North Carolina, after Hurricane Florence traveled through the area Sunday

Wilmington remains cut off from the rest of North Carolina by still-rising floodwaters and officials plan to airlift food and water to the city of nearly 120,000 people as rescuers elsewhere pull inland residents from homes swamped by swollen rivers.

Residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police guarded the door of one store, and only 10 people were allowed inside at a time.

County commission chairman Woody White said officials were planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city.

'Our roads are flooded,' he said. 'There is no access to Wilmington.'

Victor Merlos was overjoyed to find a store open for business in Wilmington since he had about 20 relatives staying at his apartment, which still had power. He spent more than $500 on cereal, eggs, soft drinks and other necessities, plus beer.

'I have everything I need for my whole family,' said Merlos. Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all takeout, with the price of $2 per item.

Kenneth Campbell had donned waterproof waders intending to check out his home in Lumberton, but he didn't bother when he saw the Coast Guard and murky waters in his neighborhood.

'I'm not going to waste my time. I already know,' he said.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Florence began to slowly recede in Fayetteville, North Carolina (above) on Monday

Rescue personnel paddle through a flooded apartment complex to evacuate residents as flooding continues in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Spring Lake, North Carolina on Monday

A flooded cemetery is seen during heavy rains from Florence in Marion, South Carolina on Sunday

A boat sits in a backyard after the passing of Hurricane Florence in New Bern, North Carolina on Sunday

A tree rests atop a home on Queens Road West in Charlotte, NC on Sunday as heavy rains and wind continued to batter the US

About 70 miles away from the coast, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards; river forecasts showed the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

Flooding worries were increasing in West Virginia and Virginia, where power outages also were on the rise.

About 500,000 homes and businesses, mostly in North Carolina, were in the dark.

Florence, which came ashore as a hurricane on Thursday, is expected to weaken again on Monday before re-intensifying on Tuesday and Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Florence was still massive, despite being downgraded. Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bull's-eye.

With the rain and winds headed north, some residents in North and South Carolina started to return to their homes as the sun peeked through the clouds briefly for the first time in days.

The storm killed at least 11 people in North Carolina, including a mother and child hit by a falling tree. Six people died in South Carolina, including four in car accidents and two from carbon monoxide from a portable generator.

Lesha Murphy-Johnson, 41, and her seven-month-old son Adam were trapped inside their home in Wilmington, North Carolina, when a tree fell onto their roof on Friday. Firefighters frantically tried to lift the tree so they could escape, but were unable to do so.

Mark Carter King, 63, and his wife Debra Collins Rion, 61, of Loris, South Carolina, died of carbon monoxide poisoning from running a generator inside their home.

President Donald Trump said federal emergency workers, first responders and law enforcement officials were 'working really hard.' As the storm 'begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional!' he declared in a tweet.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal feces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters. In past hurricanes, flooding at dozens of farms also left hundreds of thousands of dead hogs, chickens and other decomposing livestock bobbing in floodwaters.

Some stream gauges used to monitor river levels failed when they became submerged, but others showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel were assigned to help relief efforts.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

Near the flooded-out town of New Bern , where about 455 people had to be rescued from the swirling flood waters, water completely surrounded churches, businesses and homes. In the neighboring town of Trenton, downtown streets were turned to creeks full of brown water.

The rain was unrelenting in Cheraw, a town of about 6,000 people in northeastern South Carolina. Streets were flooded and Police Chief Keith Thomas warned people not to drive, but the local food and gas store had customers.

'As you can tell, they're not listening to me,' he said.

The victims of Florence's wrath as the death toll rises: At least 20 people have been confirmed dead from Hurricane Florence. The storm killed at least 14 people in North Carolina, including a mother and child hit by a falling tree. Six people died in South Carolina, including four in car accidents and two from carbon monoxide from a portable generator. The first reported Florence-related death came Friday night when a 61-year-old woman crashed into a fallen tree. Amber Dawn Lee of Union, South Carolina, was driving her pick up truck around 9.30pm on the Gaffney Highway. Lee's pickup slammed into the tree - which authorities say was suspended about six feet in the air. The front of the truck was thrown into the air before crashing back down. Lee was pronounced dead at the scene. Lesha Murphy-Johnson, 41, and her seven-month-old son Adam (left) were trapped and killed inside their home in Wilmington, North Carolina after a tree fell onto their roof on Friday. Kade Gill (right) died on Sunday after a tree fell on his home in Dallas, North Carolina Around the same time Friday night, Lesha Murphy-Johnson, 41, and her seven-month-old son Adam were trapped inside their home in Wilmington, North Carolina, after a tree fell onto their roof. Firefighters frantically tried to lift the tree so they could escape, but were unable to do so. Authorities confirmed Sunday that a married South Carolina couple died of carbon monoxide poisoning from running a generator inside. Mark Carter King, 63, and his wife Debra Collins Rion, 61, of Loris, South Carolina, were killed by inhaling carbon monoxide, authorities said. Their bodies were found in their Loris home Saturday afternoon however, police said they likely died the day before as the heavy rains and winds from Florence were moving onshore. Michael Dalton Prince, a 23-year-old father, was riding in an SUV that lost control and flipped on a flooded road in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The driver and another passenger escaped, while Prince was trapped inside and drowned after the truck landed upside down in a flooded ditch. Mark Carter King, 63, and his wife Debra Collins Rion, 61, of South Carolina, (left) were killed by inhaling carbon monoxide. Amber Dawn Lee, 61, was the first reported death from the storm Friday in South Carolina when her truck struck a tree The remaining victims of the Florence's wrath have yet to be identified but include a 78-year-old man who was electrocuted in the rain while trying to connect extension cords for a generator in Lenoir County, North Carolina. Other North Carolina fatalities also include three who died 'due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways,' the Duplin County Sheriff's Office reported. In Kinston, a 77-year-old man was found dead outside of his home, possibly after having been blown over by the wind while checking on his dogs, officials said. A husband and wife died in a Fayetteville, North Carolina, house fire Friday. According to Pender County Emergency Management Director Tom Collins, a woman in Hampstead, North Carolina, died of a heart attack Friday morning. Emergency crews were unable to get to her because of a downed tree in the road after 911 was called to the home. In Wayne County, an 81-year-old man died when he fell and struck his head while packing to evacuate Friday. Michael Dalton Prince (pictured with his child) drowned in South Carolina on Sunday after an SUV he was in flipped into a flooded ditch Advertisement

The floodwaters of McAlpine Creek along Randolph Road in Charlotte, N.C., are seen on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018

Marcus Dipaola helps five-year-old Ember Kelly off a rescue boat carrying her sisters and mother from rising flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, in Leland, North Carolina

Cars try to navigate a flooded road leading to Interstate 40 in Castle Hayne, NC, after damage from Hurricane Florence cut off access to WilmingtonMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17)  Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Monday said he has ordered a stop to all small-scale mining operations in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Cimatu announced the development in a media briefing on Monday with Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque at the Provincial Capitol of La Trinidad, Benguet.

"In view of this current situation in the Cordilleras, to prevent further danger to the lives of small-scale miners, I officially order cease and desist of all illegal small-scale mining operations in the whole of Cordillera Administrative Region," Cimatu said.

"We ask our small-scale miners to cooperate and stop all small-scale mining activities here," he added.

Cimatu said the military and police will be deployed to the region to implement the order, especially in Itogon town in Benguet, where rescuers retrieved at least 35 bodies that were buried in a landslide triggered by Typhoon Ompong. The said municipality is known for its mining activities.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan, meanwhile, said he wants to hold consultations with authorities before the government implements the closure of small-scale mining.

"We should conduct first a technical conference before you will close any small-scale miners. Because the local officials knows very well the situation of our small-scale miners," Palangdan said in the briefing.

"The retrieval search and rescue operations being conducted by the military. We are still conducting, and as the secretary said, we will not stop until we recover all the bodies," the mayor added.

Meanwhile, the Benguet Corporation, which allegedly owns the abandoned mining site, said it previously warned the small-scale miners to vacate the area.

"The persons affected are mostly small-scale miners (SSMs) who have been illegally operating in its Antamok claims. Their unregulated mining activities are without permission of the company," the company wrote in a statement.

"Subsequent warnings, and notices from the company for the SSMs to vacate the area were met with resistance and outright refusal."

Relocation

Following implementation of the order, Cimatu said the next step will be for the miners to relocate, as these sites are considered "very dangerous areas."

"The first phase is to stop (small-scale mining), second stage is to relocate them out of those very dangerous areas because we have issued a geohazard map all over the country. Pinapakita doon yung mga delikado kapag landslide, kasama ito, yung nangyari dito," Cimatu said.

[Translation: It's shown in the map the areas which could be dangerous especially during landslides. And this area, what happened here, is included.]

The secretary also pointed out that majority of the miners in Benguet hail from other provinces, especially from Ifugao. He said authorities are looking at the possibility of transferring them back to their hometowns.

Roque said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will be mobilized for alternative livelihood trainings for the miners who will be affected by the order.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines on Monday urged the government "to take a tougher stance against illegal small-scale mining activities" following the reported casualties.

CNN Philippines Correspondent Ina Andolong and Digital Producer Alyssa Rola contributed to this report.Al Salem Johnson Controls, a leading provider of integrated heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) solutions and equipment, recently organised an industrial refrigeration workshop for its clients engineers and technicians in Jeddah.



This comes in line with an initiative set out by Al Salem Johnson Controls to transfer world-class technical and industrial knowledge and broaden skills of engineers, technicians and consultants working in the HVAC & R sector in Saudi Arabia, said a statement from the company.



The training was aimed at broadening knowledge and developing skills of Al Salem Johnson Controls Industrial Refrigeration clients engineers and technicians, from various industries such as petrochemical, food and beverage, dairy products, power generation, cold stores, hospitals, poultry and ice cream, it stated.



The Sabroe Unisab III Training was completed by 13 participants, under the supervision Lars Pasgaard, Product Manager - Refrigeration Controls at Sabroe Factory, Johnson Controls, Denmark.



Sabroe is a strong brand in the world of industrial refrigeration under Johnson Controls, while the (Unisab III Controller) features 30 years of constant improvements, resulting in utilising one controller that fits all compressor types (140 different types), with strong retrofit program, including competitor compressors.



The workshop covered fundamentals, advantages, benefits, and function of the Sabroe Universal package controller (Unisab III); which is a fully customizable solution to meet different projects cooling requirements, said the statement.



The controller helps monitoring and diagnosis, protection and control combined in one compact integrated unit, it added.-TradeArabia News ServiceAdvertisement

As the Carolinas begin to recover from Hurricane Florence and brace for the inevitable flooding its biblical downpours caused, the extent of the damage is only just starting to become plain.

Florence made landfall on Friday, bringing with her 30 inches of rain in some parts and causing at least 20 deaths including those of two babies.

Streets remain impassable throughout much of the affected region and 500,000 people are still without power.

There are shortages in food and water and the worst of the flooding is still feared as the rain continues despite it being downgraded to a tropical depression.

The damage is expected to cost $22billion and for many, the question of when they will be able to return home remains unanswered.

Here, in a sobering collection of before-and-after photographs, the devastation is clear.

Streets have been replaced with rivers and once towering street lights or business signs now barely remain above water.

 Slide me  A street in Lumberton, North Carolina, is shown before the hurricane and on Sunday September 16 as residents were rescued from the rising flood water. At least 20 people are dead and 500,000 are without power as a result of Florence, the deadliest weather system to have hit the US this year. It was downgraded to a tropical depression on Friday but the worst is not yet over with flood waters expected to rise as the rain continues and people begin to go from emergency mode into rebuilding

 Slide me  A rural street in Newport, North Carolina, is pictured before Florence hit on Friday and afterwards, on Saturday, as a member of the US Coast Guard looked for anyone who was stuck. Authorities have begged residents to stay off the roads until the flood waters recede

 Slide me  In Wilmington, North Carolina, one of the worst affected areas, abandoned cars were left to float in the rising waters on Saturday as residents fled and tried to ride out the worst of the hurricane. It is where the popular series One Tree Hill was filmed. Actors from the show are now appealing for donation from fans to help the town rebuild

 Slide me  This quiet neighborhood in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was almost submerged in water as a result of Florence's downpours. The relief effort has only just begun in the town. One of the largest concerns in Fayetteville was over the Cape Fear River which continued to rise on Monday

 Slide me  Wilmington, a port city with a population of around 115,000, braced for one of the worst its. Part of its town center is shown left, before Florence, and right, on Friday as the flood waters began to creep through its streets and threaten homes and lives

 Slide me  South Front Street in New Bern, North Carolina is shown before Florence and after her. The flood waters were so strong that they uprooted some of the town's iconic bear statues and sent them floating around. The statue on the right was not there before this weekend

 Slide me  The Neuse River in New Bern is shown left and right in just a difference of four hours after Florence hit this weekend. More than 4,300 homes have been destroyed in the small town alone since the hurricane made landfall. Only around 30,000 people live there

 Slide me  In Jacksonville, North Carolina, the flood water jumped over steel fences and swamped rural, wooded areas, prompting panic among residents. The local high school was among properties destroyed by the flood waters. Residents are now waiting for news about when they can resume normal life

 Slide me  In Providence Plantation, a suburb of Charlotte, the rising water is shown left, before the storm hit, and right, on Saturday after a day of solid rainfall. Charlotte is bearing the brunt of the storm with huge power outages remaining. The flooding is still expected to rise

 Slide me  In Bath, North Carolina, a homeowner's pier is sown left, before the storm, and right, what is left of it afterwards. It was all but wiped away by the flood waters. Bath is a small town which sits on the banks of Bath Creek and has direct access to the Pamlico River, putting its residents at greater risk of flooding

 Slide me  A webcam in Oriental is shown on the 12th of September, left, and on Thursday, before the worst of the rain and flooding. It too is a coastal town which is wedged between the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound

 Slide me  A home in Newport, North Carolina, is pictured before Florence hit and right, as its residents escaped in a boat while flood water rose around their property and threatened their livesThe estranged wife of a high-profile footy chief executive was driving drunk and using her mobile phone while driving to buy cigarettes after a night out when she ploughed into a family of four, it has been alleged.

Two people - including a four-year-old girl - are in a critical condition in hospital after a crash on Hezlett Road in Kellyville in Sydney's northwest about 9.30pm on Sunday.

Lisa Mottram, 50, was allegedly at more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit and using her mobile phone during the crash that badly injured four pedestrians.

One minute after getting into her car, Ms Mottram - the estranged wife of former Parrramatta Leagues Club boss Denis Fitzgerald - allegedly hit four tourists with her white SUV.

Scroll down for video

Lisa Mottram, 50, was allegedly at more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit and using her mobile phone during the crash that badly injured four pedestrians

A girl is fighting for her life after a woman - allegedly under the influence of alcohol and using her mobile phone - crashed her car (pictured) into a family of four

The crash happened just 300m from her home.

Ms Mottram, a hairdresser, has been separated from Mr Fitzgerald for almost two years.

After dinner with friends at The Fiddler Hotel in Rouse Hill on Sunday night, it is understood the mother-of-one was driven home.

Timeline to the Kellyville crash Sunday night Lisa Mottram, 51, goes to dinner with a friend at The Fiddler Hotel in Rouse Hill She is then driven home to her apartment on Winning Street in Kellyville 9.30pm After spending time at her house with a friend, she allegedly drove her white SUV to a shopping centre to buy cigarettes 9.31pm Ms Mottram - allegedly drunk behind the wheel and using her phone - crashes her car into four pedestrians A four-year-old girl is placed in a coma at the scene and rushed to hospital Advertisement

She then allegedly left her apartment on Winning Street about 9.30pm to buy cigarettes from a shopping centre, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Ms Mottram has been charged with seven crimes, including dangerous driving, mid-range drink driving, and misusing a mobile phone.

She allegedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.113.

CCTV footage showed a white SUV swing around a corner and into a family after a failed attempt to stop the car.

The girl was rushed to the Westmead Children's Hospital after being placed in an induced coma at the scene of the accident.

Police said the four-year-old girl suffered head and internal injuries in the crash and is still in a critical condition.

Her aunt, 55, suffered internal and spinal injuries and was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where her condition was unknown on Monday morning.

One minute after getting into her car, Ms Mottram (left) - the estranged wife of former Parrramatta Leagues Club boss Denis Fitzgerald (right) - allegedly hit four tourists with her white SUV

The girl's mother, 44, was in a serious condition at Westmead Hospital with facial injuries, a broken arm and a pelvic fracture.

The 45-year-old father was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Inspector Kate Orr from the crash investigation unit said the family were on holiday from Hong Kong.

Police will allege Ms Mottram sent text messages just before the crash, and her phone and car are being forensically examined.

Ms Mottram was devastated by the crash, a neighbour said.

'I saw her this morning and she was in tears... I felt really bad for her,' the neighbour said.

'She was really shocked, she was beside herself. It was a mistake, it shouldn't have happened.'

Ms Mottram was granted conditional police bail and will face Parramatta Local Court on October 10.Judge Brett Kavanaugh's mother issued court rulings from her Maryland courtroom in a property foreclosure case involving the home owned by the parents of Kavanaugh's accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, court documents reveal.

The case dates to 1996, years after the party where Ford claims Kavanaugh  President Donald Trump's pick to serve on the Supreme Court  got on top of her, groping her while covering her mouth in what she alleges was an attempted rape.

Kavanaugh denies the allegation as well as being at the party in question. His mother served as a Maryland Circuit Court judge.

The foreclosure case was circulated online in a tweet by conservative commentator Laura Ingraham, potentially suggesting a motive for for the bombshell accusations that have suddenly threatened Kavanaugh's path to the Supreme Court.

The mother of Brett Kavanaugh rules in a foreclosure case involving the parents of accuser Christine Blasey Ford. His mother, Martha Kavanaugh, was a Maryland Circuit Court judge

But it was not clear from the court record whether the countours of the case would have resulted in ill-feeling on either side. The case resulted in a settlement with a lender, allowing Ford's parents, Ralph and Paula Blasey, to maintain the home. Kavanaugh's mother issued rulings allowing the settlement to go through.

The home is located in the leafy community of River Falls neighborhood of Potomac, Maryland. The case was brought by United Mortgage & Loan Investment Corp.

Kavanaugh's mother, Martha Kavanaugh, oversaw the case in Maryland's circuit court.

She granted a voluntary motion to dismiss the case in January of 1997, state court records reveal. There are no further records on the case after 1997.

Kavanaugh's mother ruled on a foreclosure case involving the parents of Christine Blasey Ford, though the ruling was years after the party where Ford alleges Kavanaugh tried to rape her. Her parents reached a settlement with a lender and kept the home for years

Edward Kavanaugh and Martha Kavanaugh, parents of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, listen as he delivers his opening statement during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, September 4, 2018 in Washington, DC

Martha Kavanaugh issued a ruling in a foreclosure case involving property owned by the parents of Christine Blasey Ford

udge Brett Kavanaugh parents, Martha Kavanaugh (L) and Everett Edward Kavanaugh (C), look on as he testifies during the second day of his US Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing to be an Associate Justice on the US Supreme Court, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, September 5, 2018

The Blaseys sold the home in 2011, according to land records. The case was handled by other judges earlier in the foreclosure process.

Kavanaugh lauded his mother when President Trump nominated him to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy. 'The president introduced me tonight as Judge Kavanaugh -- but to me that title will always belong to my mom,' he said.

The foreclosure proceeding is revealed in court documents in Maryland, and was circulated Monday, a day after Ford was identified as Kavanaugh's accuser

'My introduction to the law came at our dinner table when she practiced her closing arguments,' Kavanaugh said. 'Her trademark line was "use your common sense, what rings true, what rings false." That's good advice for a juror and for a son,' he said.

The White House issued a new statement from Kavanaugh on Monday. 'This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone,' he said.

Kavanaugh has said he is willing to answer questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee, as is Ford.

President Trump called for going 'through the process' and said 'if it takes a little delay, there'll be a little delay.'A two-year-old girl has tragically died after she was hit by an ice cream truck passing through her neighborhood.

Toddler Felicity Noelle Karam was killed in the 'freak accident' where she was hit by the truck in front of her home in Wentzville, Missouri on Sunday.

Felicity reportedly stepped in front of the Cool Times Ice Cream truck just as it was accelerating, according to Wentzville Police Officer Jacob Schmidt.

A two-year-old Missouri girl named Felicity Noelle Karam tragically died on Sunday evening after she was fatally hit by an ice cream truck passing in front of her Wentzville home

She was hit by this Cool Times Ice Cream truck that accelerated as she was crossing in front of it

CPR was performed on Felicity by a nurse neighbor immediately afterwards and she was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Her friends and family describe her as a sweet girl with a big personality, who was one of five girls.

'She was very spunky, always had a smile on her face. She was unique. She was very independent,' Rachel Zeik said of her niece to the St. Louis Dispatch.

Authorities are investigating the accident but said they do not anticipate to file charges.

'We have never had an accident like this and deeply share in this familys pain,' Stan Stanev of Cool Times Ice Cream said in a statement Monday.

The truck driver is also reportedly 'terribly distraught' following the accident.

The accident took place in front of her Wentzville, Missouri home, pictured above

Felicity was described as a sweet girl with a big personality and was one of five sisters, Felicity pictured front center

'The driver of the ice cream truck, which had just served ice cream cones to this family moments before the accident, is terribly distraught. He is a middle-aged gentleman and has been an excellent ice cream truck driver seven or eight seasons,' the statement added.

Felicity's heartbroken parents Lucy and Andy Karam did not wish to comment on the incident.

The tragic accident took place on Sunday around 3.45pm when the ice cream truck stopped across the street from Felicity's home and the little girl along with her siblings and cousins crossed the street to purchase sweets.

The children were accompanied by at least one adult and Felicity was hit when the driver moved forward and hit her.

She was pronounced dead at 4.52pm.

The ice cream driver remained on the scene to cooperate with police that investigated the incident Sunday night. Eventually the truck was towed away.

Felicity's aunt has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for her funeral expenses with donations breaking $21,000 on Monday afternoon.Theresa May has said there can be 'no excuses' for anti-Semitism and slammed 'unacceptable' calls to boycott Israeli goods.

The Prime Minister said criticising the actions of Israel's government could never be an excuse for 'hatred against the Jewish people'.

She told Jewish leaders at the United Jewish Israel Appeal dinner in London today that her Government was the first in the world to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism.

The PM added that 'because of this definition, no-one can plead ignorance or hide behind any kind of excuse'.

Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to Jewish leaders at the United Jewish Israel Appeal charity dinner in London today

Mrs May met chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis at last night's UJIA Dinner in London (pictured)

Her comments come after Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party was forced to adopt the definition - but with a 'a statement which ensures it will not in any way undermine freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians'.

In what appeared to be a message to the Labour leadership, the Prime Minister added: 'Let me be clear: you cannot claim to be tackling racism, if you are not tackling anti-Semitism.'

Mrs May also rejected the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement which has campaigned for bans on the sale of Israeli goods and the withdrawal of funding from firms based there in protest at the treatment of Palestinians.

'There can never be any excuses for boycotts, divestment or sanctions: they are unacceptable and this government will have no truck with those who subscribe to them,' she said.

Mrs May (pictured with guests at last night's event) also rejected the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement which has campaigned for bans on the sale of Israeli goods

The Prime Minister (pictured) said criticising the actions of Israel's government could never be an excuse for 'hatred against the Jewish people'

'Under my leadership the UK will always be a real and trusted partner for Israel, supporting Israel's security and prosperity, not just through our words but also through our actions.'

But she acknowledged the UK had 'some disagreements' with the government of Israel.

'I want to see progress towards a lasting peace - a peace that must be based on a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state,' she said.

'There will need to be courage and vision from each side if we are to have a realistic chance of achieving this goal - including an end to the building of new settlements and an end to Palestinian incitement too.'President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to release a host of documents related to the Russia probe on Monday, including texts between two former FBI officials who talked about stopping his rise to power.

Trump also directed DOJ to declassify pages from a warrant from a secret court that allowed the feds to spy on former campaign adviser Carter Page and all of the interview reports the bureau prepared to go along with it.

The president told Justice to publish reports tied to its interview with DOJ official Bruce Ohr, whose wife Nellie worked at the firm that put together the unverified dossier of dirt on the president, in the sweeping declassification of documents associated with the special counsel investigation.

Ohr is known to have been in contact with the dossier's author, ex-British spy Christopher Steele.

And in a further request, Trump called for the release of text messages relating to the probe that were sent or received by ex-FBI director James Comey, whom the president last year fired.

President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to release a host of documents related to the Russia probe on Monday, including texts between two former FBI officials who talked about stopping his rise to power

The announcement came the same day as Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's nomination ran off the skids following a woman's claim that he and a friend perpetrated a sex attack on her three decades ago.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders made the declaration in a statement distributed to reporters as the president was speaking at Hispanic Heritage Month event.

It read: 'At the request of a number of committees of Congress, and for reasons of transparency, the President has directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice (including the FBI) to provide for the immediate declassification of the following materials: (1) pages 10-12 and 17-34 of the June 2017 application to the FISA court in the matter of Carter W. Page; (2) all FBI reports of interviews with Bruce G. Ohr prepared in connection with the Russia investigation; and (3) all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with all Carter Page FISA applications.

'In addition, President Donald J. Trump has directed the Department of Justice (including the FBI) to publicly release all text messages relating to the Russia investigation, without redaction, of James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr.'

The documents Trump requested were not immediately available.

But a Department of Justice spokesperson said in a Monday evening statement that the document review process had already begun.

'When the President issues such an order, it triggers a declassification review process that is conducted by various agencies within the intelligence community, in conjunction with the White House Counsel, to seek to ensure the safety of America's national security interests,' the person said.

'The Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are already working with the Director of National Intelligence to comply with the President's order.'

It was expected to take days, if not weeks, for DOJ to put together all of the requested materials, especially the Russia texts that Justice will have to sort through and review for each of the named targets.

Trump was expected to demand the release of the documents relating to surveillance of his former foreign policy advisor and a Justice Department official who had contacts with the author of the 'Golden Showers' dossier any day. His inclusion of fired FBI Director James Comey's texts in the request, however, was a surprise

Trump hinted at the action in a morning tweet that mentioned four of the five targets of his declassification announcement

Trump was expected to demand the release of the documents relating to surveillance of Page, his former foreign policy advisor and Ohr, a career Justice Department official who had contacts with the author of the Golden Showers dossier, any day now. His demand that Justice release Comey's texts, on the other hand, was completely unexpected.

Republicans running two key congressional panels have been pushing for the declassification of the surveillance documents and texts between Strzok and former FBI attorney Lisa Page for months, arguing that whey will reveal bias within the criminal justice system that Trump believes taints the Russia probe.

Democrats on those same panels have argued that declassification would be a crass political move in advance of an election.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Intel Committee, accused Trump on Monday of a 'clear abuse' of his presidential power.

Trump said on several occasions that he planned to stay out of it but hinted more recently that he was likely to exercise his authority as the nation's chief executive to guide the affairs of the agency that is supposed to be independent.

Axios reported Trump was expected to take the action last week.

The publication quoted conservative Freedom Caucus chair Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina saying: 'After two years of investigations and accusations from both sides of the aisle about what documents indicate, it is past time for documents to be declassified and let the American people decide for themselves if DOJ and FBI acted properly.'

Trump has railed against Ohr, a career Justice official who ran an organized crime task force, over his contacts with Steele, who wrote the dossier alleging the Russians had compromising material on the president from his time in the private sector.

President Donald Trump is expected to declassify documents related to former Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page and Justice Department official Bruce Ohr

Trump has regularly brought up that Ohr's wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPS, the political intelligence firm that contracted Steele for the dossier.

Ohr and Steele also had communications during the campaign. In emails Steele wrote to Ohr seeking help identifying a contact.

The since-demoted Ohr told lawmakers that Steele told him at a July 2016 breakfast that Russian intelligence believed they had Trump 'over a barrel' with the blackmail documents that he outlined in the unproven dossier.

Their breakfast took place after Kremlin-backed hackers had already stolen Democratic emails as part of Russian directed interference in the presidential election.

Ohr acknowledged to Congress that he didn't tell his superiors about what he learned from Steele.

Trump has demanded repeatedly since that he be fired, and threatened to strip him of his security clearance.

He asked in a July tweet 'how the hell' Ohr was still working at the Justice Department, after including him on a list of officials who could lose their security clearances.

'I think Bruce Ohr is a disgrace,' Trump wrote. 'I suspect I'll be taking it away very quickly. For him to be in the Justice Department and doing what he did, that is a disgrace.'

Bruce Ohr (R), former U.S. associate deputy attorney general, maintained contacts with ex-British intelligence officer Christopher Steele

President Donald Trump has railed against Ohr on Twitter

Trump tweeted about Ohr numerous times in August.

'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 August 20.

Ohr lost his title of associate deputy attorney last December and relinquished leadership of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Republicans have cited his meeting with Steele after the election and his failure to list his wife's work on government disclosure forms as factors that have marred the Russia probe, although there have been no indications he signed off on surveillance warrants or other materials.

Ohr and Steele were both part of an effort to flip Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska to try to secure cooperation against Russian President Vladimir Putin between 2014 and 2016, the New York Times reported early this month. Their work together began before Trump was ever a candidate.

In another point of contention, Democrats have said that information aside from the dossier was used to obtain the FISA warrant to spy on Page, a low-level figure inside the Trump campaign. Their version of events is backed up by a redacted version of the warrant that has already been released by the court.

'After two years of investigations and accusations from both sides of the aisle about what documents indicate, it is past time for documents to be declassified and let the American people decide for themselves if DOJ and FBI acted properly,' said Rep. Mark Meadows, a key Trump ally among House Republicans

Trump and Republicans in Congress maintain that the FBI relied on the Steele dossier to get surveillance on Page and start the Russia probe. FBI officials have testified that the dossier only corroborated information the bureau was already obtaining.

Republicans also want to unseal documents related to surveillance warrants on Page, who an investor who advised Trump's campaign. Page had lived in Russia, traveled to Moscow during the campaign, and had been suspected by U.S. counterintelligence of being a possible Russian agent since 2013.

They applauded him on Monday, with Congressman Matt Gaetz saying in a statement that he and his colleagues in the House had requested those documents for months but 'faced lengthy and unnecessary delays, redactions, and refusals from officials at the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.'

'These documents will reveal to the American people some of the systemic corruption and bias that took place at the highest levels of the DOJ and FBI, including using the tools of our intelligence community for partisan political ends. Full transparency is the best way to ensure that surveillance abuses of this magnitude will never happen again,' Rep. Gaetz said.

Schiff bashed Trump as having clearly engaged in an 'abuse of power' as he took him to task for his decision to 'intervene in a pending law enforcement investigation by ordering the selective release of materials he believes are helpful to his defense team and thinks will advance a false narrative.'

'With respect to some of these materials, I have been previously informed by the FBI and Justice Department that they would consider their release a red line that must not be crossed as they may compromise sources and methods,' he said. 'This is evidently of no consequence to a President who cares nothing about the country and everything about his narrow self-interest.'Mia Farrow has raised 14 children over her lifetime, four biological and ten that she adopted from around the world.

Of those ten adopted children, three have suffered tragic deaths, starting back in 2000 with the passing of Farrow's 21-year-old daughter Tam.

Reports at the time stated that Tam, who was blind and had been adopted by Farrow in February 1992 from Vietnam, had passed away as a result of a heart condition.

That claim was contradicted however earlier this year by Tam's older brother Moses, who alleged that the young girl took her own life after a fight with Farrow.

Scroll down for video

Gone too soon: Three of Mia Farrow's ten adopted children have suffered tragic deaths while two other are estranged from their mother (Thaddeus, who commuted suicide in 2016, with Mia in 2000)

Difficult adjustment: Tam Farrow, adopted in February 1992 from Vietnam at the age of 13 and blind, died at the age of 21 of a reported heart condition (Tam, Thaddeus and Ronan in 1992)

Tragedy: Farrow w. her children (back row L-R) Matthew, Sascha, Soon-Yi; (front row L-R) Daisy, Fletcher, Moses and Lark on their way to New Year's Eve Mass in 1989

'Mia's daughter died from heart failure over the weekend,' said Farrow's spokeswoman Judy Hofflund at the time.

'She had a weak heart. She died of cardiac arrest.'

And that was it, with no other details provided and Hofflund claiming at the time that she had no additional information.

Moses, who is estranged from his mother but remains close to his adopted father, told a far different story in May of this year.

'Most media sources claim my sister Tam died of heart failure at the age of 21. In fact, Tam struggled with depression for much of her life, a situation exacerbated by my mother refusing to get her help, insisting that Tam was just moody,' wrote Moses in a blog about his family.

'One afternoon in 2000, after one final fight with Mia, which ended with my mother leaving the house, Tam committed suicide by overdosing on pills.'

Moses continued: 'My mother would tell others that the drug overdose was accidental, saying that Tam, who was blind, didnt know which pills she was taking. But Tam had both an ironclad memory and sense of spatial recognition. And, of course, blindness didnt impair her ability to count.'

There was one other person who could back up Moses' story according to his post, and that was his brother Thaddeus.

The problem was that Thaddeus had taken his own life with a self-inflicted gun shot just two years prior explained Moses.

'It pains me to recall instances in which I witnessed siblings, some blind or physically disabled, dragged down a flight of stairs to be thrown into a bedroom or a closet, then having the door locked from the outside,' wrote Moses in his post.

'She even shut my brother Thaddeus, paraplegic from polio, in an outdoor shed overnight as punishment for a minor transgression.'

Moses also wrote that his half-sister and stepmother Soon-Yo Previn was a target of this abuse, but managed to endure the Farrow's attacks and find a way out.

'When Soon-Yi was young, Mia once threw a large porcelain centerpiece at her head. Luckily it missed, but the shattered pieces hit her legs. Years later, Mia beat her with a telephone receiver,' wrote Moses.

'Soon-Yis made it clear that her desire was simply to be left alone, which increasingly became the case. Even if her relationship with Woody was unconventional, it allowed her to escape. Others werent so lucky.'

Difficult last days: Lark Farrow, who was closest to Soon-Yi Previn, died of AIDs-related complications in 2008 after having two children (Lark and Farrow above in 1992

Going strong: Moses and Soon-Yi (above with Allen in 2010) are now estranged from Farrow, but the five other adopted children and her four biological kids remain close to the actress

In between the deaths of Tam and Thasseus, Farrow lost her daughter Lark.

She was close to Soon-Yi, who spoke about her adopted sister in her recent New York magazine interview, claiming that the two were treated like 'domestics' by their mother.

'We did the grocery shopping, starting in third grade, for the entire family,' said Previn in her interview.

'Lark and I wrote the list of everything that we needed for the house, we paid for it, we unpacked it. When I went to Ethical Culture, I had to pick up my siblings.'

She went on to say: 'In Connecticut, Lark cooked, and we cleaned the bathrooms, cleared the dishes, washed up, and did the sweeping. When Woody started coming up to Connecticut, I ironed Mias sheets.'

Lark was close to graduation from New York University nursing school when she dropped out and became pregnant with the child of a convicted felon according to a 2013 Vanity Fair piece.

Her sister Daisy got pregnant by the man's brother, whom she eventually married.

Mia and her son Fletcher Previn, who is one of her four biological children, blamed Allen for Lark's death.

'I really do think hes got some blood on his hands,' said Fletcher.

Lark would go one to have a second child before dying in 2008 of AIDs-related complications on Christmas day.

She was the first child Farrow adopted, and the most rebellious by all accounts.

It is unclear what happened to her two daughters after her death, and by all accounts the girls live with neither Mia not Andre Previn.

'My sister Lark was another fatality. She wound up on a path of self-destruction, struggled with addiction, and eventually died in poverty from AIDS-related causes in 2008 at age 35,' wrote Moses.

'For all of us, life under my mothers roof was impossible if you didnt do exactly what you were told, no matter how questionable the demand.'A New York City high school teacher who was accused of receiving a seven-pound shipment of date rape drugs has appeared in court.

Steven E. Rich, 51, appeared in New York Criminal Court on Monday as he faces felony charges of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute, as well as a misdemeanor drug charge.

Rich, a public high school teacher in Harlem, was arrested in February when cops said they found a large amount of Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in his Hell's Kitchen apartment.

Police said that a Customs agent intercepted a package of the drug being mailed to Rich's West 34th Street apartment from an international seller.

Steven Rich, 51, appeared in New York Criminal Court on Tuesday facing felony drug charges

Rich (left) was arrested in February when cops said they found the GHB in his apartment

NYPD cops set up a controlled delivery of the package and executed a search warrant immediately upon handing over the package, cops said.

In addition to the seven pounds of GHB in the shipment, police said they found MDMA, also known as Molly, as well as 30 oxycodone pills.

Investigators said that Rich admitted that he planned to go into the drug-dealing business to supplement his teaching income.

City records show that he has been a public school teacher since 2008, and last year earned $86,185.

Rich had worked as a teacher at the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change in Harlem for the last eight years.

Rich (left and right) has been removed from classroom duties pending the outcome of the case

Rich worked at the Thurgood Marshall Academy high school (pictured) in Harlem since 2008

He has been removed from classroom duties while his criminal case is pending, the Education Department said.

'Mr. Rich's alleged actions betray the trust of students and families, and he was immediately reassigned away from the classroom pending the outcome of the criminal matter,' department spokesman Douglas Cohen told the Daily News.

GHB is odorless and colorless in its liquid form. It may also be synthesized into a powder.

It's a strong sedative that depressed the central nervous system, and its effects are multiplied when consumed in combination with alcohol.

Rich is currently free on his own recognizance and is being represented by the Legal Aide Society.A 7-Eleven customer in New York brazenly dumped her iced coffee on a checkout counter and two employees because she didn't want to pay the price for the beverages.

The bizarre incident was captured on surveillance video on August 30 around 10am at the convenience store located on Montauk Highway in East Patchogue.

The unnamed woman is seen on surveillance standing at the counter as she prepares to check out with two cold coffees and a few other items.

Two men behind the counter are seen speaking with the woman, who is also having a conversation with someone on her cellphone.

A woman dumped iced coffee on a 7-Eleven counter and two employees after she was informed about the price she was required to pay

Two men behind the counter are seen speaking with the woman, who is also having a conversation on her cellphone

Before long, the customer dumps the entire cold drink onto the counter and the two employees

The customer becomes visibly angry while standing at the counter as she argues over the price of the drinks with one of the men.

As the woman continues to yell, the employee seemingly keeps calm.

Before long, the customer removes a couple food items on top of her coffee before she opens the lid.

She then dumps the entire cold drink onto the counter and the two employees.

She is shown shouting something at the two workers before making her way out of the 7-Eleven.

Meanwhile, a young boy, who is seemingly the woman's son, steals the remaining items left on the counter and walks out of the store.

She is shown shouting something at the two workers before making her way out of the 7-Eleven

Here the lady is seen smiling as the two men attempt to clean up the mess

Surveillance showed the woman driving off in a black GMC Yukon with New Jersey license plates.

Roughly $200 worth of cigarettes stored beneath the counter were damaged as a result of the incident.

A phone call for further information by DailyMail.com to the convenience store was not returned Monday evening.

7-Eleven began selling cold brew coffee back in June. According to Convenience Store News, a 16-ounce iced brew coffee currently costs $1.69.

The iced coffee had a limited time price of 99 cents when the product first launched over the summer.The maker of Marmite is facing a fierce backlash over plans to ditch its UK headquarters.

Unilever wants a single legal base in Holland, severing a link with Britain that began in the Victorian era.

But the firm could be defeated by its own shareholders over the plan in a vote next month.

Some of Unilevers biggest investors have said they will oppose the change, which can only pass if it gets 75 per cent support in London.

A photograph of a long line of young women, employees of Lever Brothers, ducking for apples at New Eltham, London in 1935

A little blonde girl sitting on a harbour wall looks through a lifebelt held up by an elderly fisherman, with the slogan 'Lifebuoy Soap For Preservation of Health'. Manufactured by Lever Brothers

Large shareholders have taken the rare step of raising concerns publicly. In private, other big owners of the stock said they intended to defy the plan.

SOAP FIRM THAT CLEANED UP Founded as Lever Brothers soap factory in 1885, Unilever now sells goods in 190 countries to 2.5billion people

The brothers  William and James  built Port Sunlight housing village for workers in Merseyside

The firm merged with Hollands Margarine Unie to create Unilever in 1929

It later bought Birds Eye frozen foods and PG Tips tea  and launched hugely successful products such as Dove and Lynx deodorants

In 2000 Unilever snapped up the owner of Marmite and Hellmanns mayonnaise for 18.5billion  and spent 249million on Ben & Jerrys ice cream Advertisement

A defeat would be a humiliation for Unilevers 10million-a-year chairman Paul Polman, who has staked his reputation on winning the vote and even persuaded Holland to change its tax laws to make the prospect more appealing.

David Cumming, chief investment officer of Aviva Investors, said: Were going to vote against the proposal. It means long-standing UK shareholders may be forced to sell their stock.

City analysts expect the battle to go down to the wire when the vote takes place in October.

Laith Khalaf, of financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Theres grumbling amongst shareholders, and its far from a cert this is going to happen.

Since it was created by the merger of British soap maker Lever Brothers and Dutch firm Margarine Unie in 1929, Unilever has had joint legal headquarters in Rotterdam and London.

Mr Polman wants to axe the UK HQ to make the firm simpler. The move only involves Unilevers legal structures, and no jobs will be affected in the short term. Unilever is listed on both the London and Amsterdam stock exchanges. It expects to win support from more than half of Dutch shareholders.

Rinso washing powder advert from 1952, a brand owned by Unilever

William Hesketh Lever (1851 - 1925), 1st Viscount Leverhulme, circa 1885 made his fortune as a soap manufacturer and founder of Lever Brothers

But it also has to be backed by three-quarters of investors on the London Stock Exchange.

Unilever shares will still be listed in London, but will be axed from the FTSE 100, meaning those who invest in trackers or active funds that only hold shares in FTSE 100 firms will be forced to offload their shares, potentially costing them millions if the move leads to a selling frenzy and prices fall.

Big investor Lindsell Train said it was likely to vote against the plans, adding: Some UK clients... may become forced sellers of Unilever shares at a time and price not of our choosing.

Columbia Threadneedle, one of the ten largest investors, said Unilevers plan discriminates against UK shareholders.

Unilever said the move would let it compete effectively, give greater flexibility for strategic portfolio change and strengthen corporate governance.

It's as British as Marmite. To lose it would be a calamity - and a betrayal by our ministers

Commentary by Alex Brummer For The Daily Mail

The idea that a firm as prestigious and influential as Unilever, with a British heritage dating back to its foundation at Port Sunlight on the Wirral in the late 19th century, should be proposing to leave these shores is a terrible shock.

Unilever is as British as Marmite  one of its big-name products  and 60 per cent of its annual sales of 54billion originate from the UK.

The prospect of the giant moving out of the City became a reality last week when a 200-page prospectus, filled with complex technical detail and legalese, was delivered to investors who will vote on the issue at the end of next month.

Unilever is as British as Marmite  one of its big-name products  and 60 per cent of its annual sales of 54billion originate from the UK

If the Anglo-Dutch behemoth were to leave this country, it would have to quit the FTSE 100 index and, as a result, many of the big pension funds and insurers that look after the retirement funds of every pensioner and future retiree in Britain would be precluded from owning shares in one of our best-managed and most ethical and environmentally-conscious companies.

The rules of many UK pension funds require that they only invest in UK-quoted companies for reasons of prudence, accountability and governance.

Not surprisingly, one of the countrys biggest investors, the insurer Aviva, is rightly crying foul over the idea of Unilevers move  arguing that the firm would no longer be a British company.

Avivas chief investment officer, David Cumming, told the Financial Times: We are not supportive and will vote against it. It doesnt add any value for us and we lose quite a large company from the index. We dont see any justification for the move.

The prospect of the giant moving out of the City became a reality last week when a 200-page prospectus, filled with complex technical detail and legalese, was delivered to investors who will vote on the issue at the end of next month

The reason Unilever wants to rebase in the Netherlands is founded on its bruising experience last year when it was subject of a 110billion takeover bid, which ultimately failed.

In what would have been the second largest corporate deal in history, US giant Kraft Heinz (backed by private equity firms and the support one of the worlds richest men, Warren Buffett) launched an unsolicited bid for the maker of countless household names such as Dove soap and Hellmanns mayonnaise.

Unilevers Dutch chief executive, Paul Polman, a staunch advocate of ethical capitalism, fought off the bid and vowed to protect Unilevers golden heritage from predators.

To try to guarantee this and prevent any future raids, it was felt that the firms Anglo-Dutch structure, with share quotations, boards and headquarters in both Britain and Holland, should be simplified. This, management feels, is best achieved by a switch to Rotterdam.

If the Anglo-Dutch behemoth were to leave this country, it would have to quit the FTSE 100 index and, as a result, many of the big pension funds and insurers that look after the retirement funds of every pensioner and future retiree in Britain would be precluded from owning shares in one of our best-managed and most ethical and environmentally-conscious companies

The intention is that Unilever will follow Royal Dutch Shell and the publishing and media colossus Reed Elsevier (now renamed Relx) which both separately decided to unify their shares under one umbrella while keeping share quotations in London as part of the FTSE 100 index.

But Unilever wants to go one step further by coming out of the FTSE 100, claiming that it has more major Dutch than British investors. The truth is that the British Establishments reaction has been pathetic.

It has shown monumental weakness and done nothing to ensure that Unilever stays here, while the Dutch government has done all in its power to encourage the move.

A juicy carrot offered to Unilever chiefs by the Netherlands is the abolition of a measure that forces companies to pay the tax on dividends distributed to shareholders upfront. This brings the Dutch system into line with the UK, which did the same several years ago as part of a successful effort to simplify our tax structure and make Britain the most attractive location for inward investment from overseas in Europe.

Prince Harry with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) and Paul Polman (left), CEO of Unilever backstage at the Atlantic Council's Annual Awards Dinner Honoring HRH Prince Harry at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC

This tax change may have been the decisive factor for a Dutch-dominated board of directors. But there can be no doubt that their planned move to Rotterdam has been influenced by the Governments woeful recent record at defending British companies against foreign predators.

Its a tragic truth that Britain has been allowed to become the most open market in the world to overseas takeovers  often with disastrous consequences for our national interests.

For example, the 11.5billion takeover of Cadbury by Kraft led to the chocolate giants headquarters closing, its tax domicile switching from Britain to low-tax Switzerland and the unpopular meddling with the size, ingredients and taste of emblematic brands, including the Creme Egg.

Other leading British brands have also been sold off, such as Costa Coffee being taken over by Coca-Cola, a company that has been heavily criticised for tax avoidance.

By contrast, the Dutch authorities are much more protective against foreign takeovers.

Last year, the chemical and paint giant Akzo Nobel (the owner of Britains Dulux brand) defended itself against a hostile bid by garnering the support of works councils, which have a key role in such takeover talks, as well as using provisions in Dutch competition law. Indeed, there is a clear view among analysts and some shareholders that the real purpose of Unilevers proposal to move its domicile is to give itself maximum protection from any future bids for the group or attempts to force it to demerge any of its major brands.

Aside from any other considerations, I am convinced that the decision to migrate from Britain makes no commercial sense.

The fastest growing part of Unilevers diverse business involves beauty brands such as Dove and household products including Persil. There seems to be an insatiable demand for them from emerging economies in Asia and Latin America. The brains behind these best-sellers would remain in the UK because they are expected to make up 75 per cent of global sales, while the teams behind Unilevers ice cream range Ben & Jerrys and lesser products such as Lipton tea will be working in Holland.

Whatever the management thinks, the major restructuring decision to separate the share quotation base and domicile from the home of the companys main business is irrational.

Inevitably, too, there are bound to be profound concerns that the Treasury could lose millions of pounds of corporate taxes from Unilever as a result of a switch to Rotterdam.

Significantly, Holland has a reputation as a home for tax avoidance, with laws that offer a shield from taxation on profits.

Such enticements have lured firms including Starbucks, Google and IBM to set up offices, while the Rolling Stones and U2, too, have taken advantage of Dutch tax shelters.

Of course, there has been a widespread suspicion that Unilevers break from the FTSE 100 is being done as a protective measure in case trading conditions suffer as a result of Brexit.

However, my conversations with Unilever executives do not lead me to think this is a major issue, although it may be preying on the minds of Dutch shareholders and bosses driving the process.

Even so, I am utterly convinced that if Unilever leaves Britain, the company will do itself great damage.

Its shares would be less attractive to both overseas and British investors who value Anglo-Saxon capitalism, the weight of financial expertise in Britain and access to the strongest capital markets in Europe.

With Britains national interest at stake, is it beyond hope that the Government might finally wake up to the huge potential cost to this countrys economy of what would be a calamitous decision for a company as important as Unilever to move its HQ abroad?The UAE Cabinet, chaired by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has adopted a resolution to support the industrial sector by introducing reduced fees of electricity consumption for large, medium and small factories, reported state news agency Wam.



The initiative introduced a reduced tariff for electricity consumption for the industrial sector, while achieving sustainable growth by reducing dependence on non-environmentally friendly sources such as liquid fuels.



Large factories will be supported by reducing the electricity consumption charges by 29 per cent, while the small and medium factories will have reduced fees by 10 per cent to 22 per cent, in addition to waiving the service connection fees for new factories, it stated.



"We launched today an initiative to support the industry sector and to affirm UAEs position on the global map as an attractive investment destination that provides an integrated environment for growth and sustainability," said Sheikh Mohammed while chairing the meeting.



"We are investing in a sustainable industrial sector through the collaboration between different government entities and our goal is to be a successful model for the green economy to preserve our environment for future generations," he added.



The cabinet also approved the launch of the "one-day court" system to provide the fastest and most efficient services to the community.



The "one-day court" will contribute to speeding up the ruling in minor criminal offenses. The initiative also affirms that the UAE is a state of institutions and law, possessing a distinguished judicial system that is based on modern mechanisms and systems.



The UAE cabinet also approved a law to provide special residency-visa privileges for expats retirees over the age of 55 years for a period of five years, with the possibility of renewal, according to specific conditions.



The law, which will be in effect as of 2019, outlines the requirements to qualify for the long-term visa such as having an investment in a property worth Dh2 million, or having financial savings of no less than Dh1 million, or having an active income of no less than Dh20,000 per month, said the report.Burt Reynolds left out his only child from his will before he died.

It has been revealed the legendary actor intentionally did not include his 30-year-old son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.

Reynolds, who passed away from a heart attack on September 6, named his niece Nancy Lee Brown Hess as the executor of his will, which he signed in October 2011.

Hess is now the personal representative of Reynolds' estate and will control his possessions, which have been placed into a trust.

Reynolds, who was 82, only made one mention of Quinton in his will, although it appears to clarify that he has not disinherited his son.

Burt Reynolds intentionally left out his 30-year-old son Quinton Anderson Reynolds (pictured together in 2004) from his will, according to court documents

Reynolds revealed in the will that he was already providing for Quinton (pictured with mom Lori Anderson in 2017) with a trust he created years ago

'I intentionally omit him from this, my Last Will and Testament, as I have provided for him during my lifetime in my Declaration of Trust,' it reads.

The court documents state that Reynolds created a trust for Quinton years ago.

Quinton will reportedly continue to receive money from the trust, which may have been created to avoid estate taxes.

Hess may have been made the executor of the estate so as to avoid any conflict of interest, as Quinton is a beneficiary of the trust.

Reynolds adopted Quinton with his second wife, Loni Anderson, in 1988.

Shortly before his death, Reynolds called Quinton his 'greatest achievement'.

'He's a wonderful young man and is now working as a camera assistant in Hollywood,' Reynolds told Closer Weekly.

'He never asked for any help with his career, he did it all himself, and I'm so proud of him. I love him very much.'

Reynolds (pictured with Quinton in 2005) made his niece Nancy Lee Brown Hess the executor of his estate

Quinton will reportedly continue to receive money from the trust, which may have been created to avoid estate taxes. Reynolds is pictured here in March 2018

Father and son were temporarily estranged during Reynolds' very public and bitter divorce from Anderson, but they became close again in recent years.

Reynolds was married to Anderson, an actress, from 1988 to 1994.

Considered a golden couple in Hollywood, their split shocked many and dominated magazine covers in the early 1990s.

Things took an ugly turn as Reynolds revealed details of the former couple's sex life - or lack thereof - as their divorce became public.

'I don't see how she can be in total shock,' he told Good Morning America at the time.

'If your husband has not touched you in the biblical sense in almost three years, how can you be surprised?'

Reynolds also claimed he caught Anderson cheating on him and said she was an underemployed actress and a bad mother.

In his memoir he claimed Anderson bought 'everything in triplicate' and demanded that she dress 'like a star'.

Reynolds adopted Quinton with his second wife, Loni Anderson, in 1988. They are pictured here together in 1993

Father and son were temporarily estranged during Reynolds very public and bitter divorce from Anderson (pictured together in 1992), but became close again in recent years

'I gave her a platinum American Express card with a $45,000 credit limit,' he wrote. 'She maxed it out in half an hour.'

In 1995 Anderson accused Reynolds of physically abusing her at least a dozen times while he was under the influence of drugs, according to People.

She also claimed he was not timely with his $15,000 child support payments.

In 2015, Reynolds told the magazine that he regretted marrying Anderson and called it a 'really dumb move'.

'I should have known that you don't marry an actress,' he said. 'It wasn't lollipops and roses.'

Although they had an ugly history, Anderson only had nice things to say about Reynolds after his passing.

Reynolds lived out his final years at his Florida estate (above) after his friend bought the property and rented it to him for a low price when the screen legend was struggling financially

'Burt was a wonderful director and actor,' she said in a statement. 'He was a big part of my life for 12 years and Quinton's father for 30 years.'

'We will miss him and his great laugh.'

Reynolds reportedly had a net worth of $5million at the time of his death.

Although he was making $10million a year at the height of his career, the Smokey and the Bandit star had struggled financially for decades.

Reynolds declared bankruptcy in 1996, revealing he was more than $10million in debt.

He lived out his final years at his Florida estate after a friend purchased the property and rented it to him for a low price while the screen legend was struggling.

Reynolds sold his longtime waterfront home in Jupiter the following year to his real estate tycoon friend and neighbor, Charles Modica, in 2015 for $3.3million.

'He was undergoing a lot of stress and strain in his life at that time and I called him and told him I would like to be a part to help him,' Modica told Inside Edition.

Reynolds sold his longtime waterfront home in Jupiter to his real estate tycoon friend and neighbor, Charles Modica (pictured together), in 2015 for $3.3million

At the peak of his career, Reynolds was one of the most bankable actors in the film industry, reeling off a series of box-office smashes until a career downturn in the mid-1980s

Reynolds had bought the property in 1980 for $700,000.

At the peak of his career, Reynolds was one of the most bankable actors in the film industry and a leading male sex symbol of the 1970s.

He reeled off a series of box-office smashes until a career downturn in the mid-1980s.

Reynolds rebounded in 1997 with an Oscar nomination for his supporting role as a porn director in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights - a role Reynolds despised - and won an Emmy for his role in the 1990-1994 television series Evening Shade.

Despite his long history of money problems, Reynolds told Vanity Fair in 2015 that his biggest regret in life was not spending more of it.

'I would have spent more money and had a lot more fun,' he said. 'It's always possible to spend more money.'Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker agreed the outline of a divorce deal in December

Theresa May and the EU effectively fudged the Irish border issue in the Brexit divorce deal before Christmas.

But the commitments to leave the EU customs union, keep a soft border, and avoid divisions within the UK were always going to need reconciling at some stage. Currently 110million journeys take place across the border every year.

All sides in the negotiations insist they want to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, but their ideas for how the issues should be solved are very different.

If they fail to strike a deal it could mean a hard border on the island - which could potentially put the Good Friday Agreement at risk.

The UK blueprint:

The PM has made clear her favoured outcome for Brexit is a deep free trade deal with the EU.

The UK side initially set out two options for how the border could look.

A 'Maximum Facilitation' scheme would have seen a highly streamlined customs arrangement, using a combination of technology and goodwill to minimise the checks on trade.

There would be no entry or exit declarations for goods at the border, while 'advanced' IT and trusted trader schemes would remove the need for vehicles to be stopped.

The second option was described as a customs partnership, which would see the UK collect tariffs on behalf of the EU - along with its own tariffs for goods heading into the wider British market.

At the Chequers Cabinet summit earlier this month, Mrs May pushed through a compromise plan with elements of both.

It would see the UK follow a 'common rule book' with the EU on goods and collect some tariffs on behalf of Brussels to avoid border friction.

UK courts would also take account of decisions by EU judges.

Brexiteers have been incensed by the proposal, which they say makes too many concessions and will prevent Britain doing trade deals elsewhere. Boris Johnson and David Davis quit in protest, threatening to send Mrs May tumbling out of Downing Street.

It was also initially dismissed as 'cherry picking' by Eurocrats.

The EU blueprint:

The divorce deal set out a 'fallback' option under which the UK would maintain 'full alignment' with enough rules of the customs union and single market to prevent a hard border and protect the Good Friday Agreement.

The inclusion of this clause, at the demand of Ireland, almost wrecked the deal until Mrs May added a commitment that there would also be full alignment between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

But when the EU translated this option into a legal text they hardened it further to make clear Northern Ireland would be fully within the EU customs union and most single market rules.

Mrs May says no Prime Minister could ever agree to such terms, as they would undermine the constitutional integrity of the UK.

Under the new plan from Brussels, goods could be tracked using barcodes on shipping containers under 'trusted-trader' schemes - effectively removing the need for new border infrastructure.

The new EU draft could unlock the negotiations as it accepts a key element of the UK's about the use of technology, and makes clear that most checks would not take place at any particular border.

Brussels is drafting the plan to prevent Scottish nationalists from demanding the same arrangements - a major concern of the UK.

However, the solution is still specific to Northern Ireland, rather than covering the whole UK as the government wants.

A hard border:

Neither side wants a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

But they appear to be locked in a cyclical dispute, with each adamant the other's solutions are impossible to accept.

If there is no deal and the UK and EU reverts to basic World Trade Organisation (WTO) relationship, theoretically there would need to be physical border posts with customs checks on vehicles and goods.

That could prove catastrophic for the Good Friday Agreement, with fears terrorists would resurface and the cycle of violence escalate.

Many Brexiteers have suggested Britain could simply refuse to erect a hard border - and dare the EU to put up their own fences.As addictive as heroin and crack, the drug costs just 5 per bag.

Smoking a single Spice joint is akin to smoking up to 100 containing normal cannabis  and addiction can take hold in just three days.

It has left addicts suffering severe psychotic episodes, hallucinations, vomiting and even seizures.

Ministers outlawed possession of the Class B drug, but there is confusion amongst police over whether those caught with it can be arrested.

Officers also say the drug has become more potent since supply shifted from shops to streets.

A global drugs survey found that hospital admissions as a result of taking the herbal substance Spice have increased by over one-third since 2014.

The drug's relative cheapness has also made spice popular among the homeless and in prisons.

In Manchester, police and ambulance chiefs admitted they were struggling to cope with the number of call outs to spice users who were collapsing in the city centre daily. It is estimated that 96 per cent of the city's young homeless are hooked on the drug.

It is also estimated that an ambulance is called to British jails every 42 minutes as a consequence of a spice epidemic in prisons.

Last year, ambulances were called 12,576 times, an increase from 6,677 in 2014, figures from England's ten ambulance services revealed.

Such psychoactive substances have also been linked to a rise in violence against staff and inmates, prisoner blackouts, seizures and heart attacks.

Each call-out costs about 300 so the bill for all incidents per year is over 4million.The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. Both Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Ford have expressed their willingness to testify publicly before the panel.

Here is where key senators stand on the nomination:

Republicans

Sen. Jeff Flake, a member of the judiciary panel, wants to hear from Ford: 'If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes,' Flake told Politico. 'We need to hear from her. And I don't think I'm alone in this,' he said.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a key vote for the GOP in a floor vote, says the judiciary committee 'might' need to consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh. 'Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion,' Murkowski told CNN late Sunday night.

Sen. Susan Collins, another key GOP vote in a floor fight, wants to hear from them: 'Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh should both testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee,' she tweeted on Monday.

Sen. Ted Cruz, who sits on the judiciary panel, called for a public hearing: 'The accuser deserves a full opportunity to tell her story to the judiciary committee and Judge Kavanaugh deserves a full opportunity to defend himself' publicly.

Sen. Lindsey Graham said he was willing to have Ford testify before the committee but he wants it done before Thursday's scheduled vote. 'If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled,' he said in a statement Sunday night.

Republican Sen. Bob Corker made a similar statement to Graham's to Politico, saying a delay in a vote 'would be best for all involved, including the nominee.'

Sen. Roy Blunt also called for a delay in Thursday's vote: 'There are serious allegations that need to be looked at closely by the committee before any action is taken,' he told the Kansas City Star.

Sen. Ron Johnson said both Kavanaugh and Ford should be heard from: 'Now the accuser has come forward and apparently she wants to tell her story and I think the Senate Judiciary Committee will certainly listen to her,' he told WTMJ-AM radio. 'And I think it's very appropriate that they do. I think it's also appropriate that they listen to what Brett Kavanaugh has to say as well.'

Republicans and the White House are in a bit of a catch-22 situation: if they go negative on Ford they could alienate two of the key Republican votes in the Senate - female senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins - they need for confirmation.

Additionally, they could fire up women, many of whom were angered and motivated in the wake of Trump's election, which could backfire on the party in the midterms.

Plus the GOP has a 51-seat majority in the Senate. If all Democrats vote no, they can only lose one senator in order to approve Kavanaugh.

Democrats

The White House was hoping to pick up some Democratic votes - particularly Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota - all of whom voted for Trump's first nominee Neil Gorsuch and who face voters this fall in their home states, which the president carried in the 2016 election.

Also worth watching are Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, both of whom are in tough re-election contests in states Trump carried in 2016.

Sen. Joe Manchin tweeted he wants to hear from them: 'Professor Christine Blasey Ford deserves to be heard and Judge Kavanaugh deserves a chance to clear his name. Both have said they are willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and I hope they will be given the opportunity to do that as quickly as possible.'

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp wants to hear from Ford: 'This is a very serious allegation which should be thoroughly investigated, and it's up to the Senate Judiciary Committee to do just that. Prof. Ford should be given an opportunity to testify before the committee and she is willing to do so.'

Sen. Joe Donnelly called for the vote to be postponed: 'The allegations made against Judge Kavanaugh are serious and merit further review. Given the nature of these allegations, and the number of outstanding questions, I believe the Judiciary Committee should hold off on Thursday's scheduled vote.'

Sen. Claire McCaskill wants an investigation: 'I am deeply troubled by these allegations. They should be examined thoroughly and fairly by the Judiciary Committee without any artificial timeline.'

Sen. Jon Tester said he wants to meet with Kavanaugh: 'I agree with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that we need to get the facts about these serious allegations. I take my Constitutional duty to screen Supreme Court nominees very seriously, and I'll keep trying to get a meeting with Judge Kavanaugh to ask him tough questions about this lifetime appointment.'The first ever all-British radar satellite has been launched into orbit, where it will be used to monitor the world's oceans for any criminal activity.

NovaSar, designed and manufactured by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), based in Guildford, Surrey, was launched into space aboard a rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India at 17:38pm BST (12:38 ET) yesterday.

The radar satellite will take photographs of the oceans around the clock and is even capable of penetrating dense cloud cover to capture images.

This ability makes it ideal for spotting illegal logging in high cloud-covered forests, such as the Amazon.

It will also be used to monitor oil spills and floods, as well as tracking suspicious shipping activity around the world.

UK Science Minister Sam Gyimah said the data from this project will help innovate start-ups, develop apps and 'revolutionise the way we live'.

Scroll down for video

NovaSar (pictured) was designed and manufactured by a Surrey-based firm and was launched on a rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India yesterday

HOW DOES NOVASAR SEE THROUGH CLOUDS? The satellite uses acutely sensitive radar to detect any objects in its observable range. Radar, which stands for Radio detection and ranging, works by sending out a wave which is then detected when it bounces back. The time between the initial burst and when the wave returns is used to create an image that reveals how far away an object is and how big it is. This is much the same way that sight works, light is bounced off an object and into the eye, where it is detected and processed. Radar can be used to see through different materials, in darkness, fog and a variety of different weather conditions. NovaSar will operate at around 3.2 gigahertz. It will be able to provide a resolution of around 6 metres (18 feet) and will be able to cover an area of around 15 - 20 km (9 - 12 miles). Advertisement

NovaSar was backed by a 21 million ($27.5 million) government investment and can take images during the day and night.

Dr Graham Turnock, the UK Space Agency's chief executive, said: 'This exciting new satellite, with its powerful imaging radar system and compact design, has been developed and built in the UK, and will provide a host of benefits for applications including the detection of oil spills, flood monitoring and agriculture.'

The satellite will find any suspicious or criminal activity by using a sensor that can pick up Automatic Identification System (AIS) radio signals.

These are the specific transmissions that large ships have to produce under international law.

Any vessels found tampering with or disabling these broadcasts are likely to be involved in nefarious activities.

If any of these incognito vessels are spotted by NovaSar then they will be reported to the relevant authorities.

'We are very interested in this maritime mode, which is a 400km-plus swath mode,' said Luis Gomes, the chief technology officer at SSTL.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford also launched a second satellite. NovaSar's sister satellite is known as S1-4 and is a high a high-resolution optical satellite.

'It is important to be able to monitor large areas of the ocean - something we don't do at the moment. We all saw with the Malaysian airline crash in the Indian Ocean the difficulty there was in monitoring that vast area. We can do that kind of thing with radar and NovaSar is good for that,' he told BBC News.

The satellite was designed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford, which was also launching a second satellite.

NovaSar's sister satellite is known as S1-4 and is a high-resolution optical satellite.

It is fitted with immensely powerful visual equipment which will allow it to take pictures in high resolution in ordinary light.

The cameras on-board the orbiting device will be capable of discerning objects on Earth's surface as small as 34 inches (87 cm) across.Devastating tsunami waves have battered islands in the most northern part of the UK twice in the last 5,000 years.

That's the finding of geologists who uncovered evidence in sediment layers that 40 foot (13 metre) waves buffeted the Shetland Isles.

Experts now believe British tsunamis happen much more frequently than had been previously thought.

They are now working to identify where the giant waves originated as part of an ongoing Arctic climate change study.

Scientists hope to work out what the likelihood of future underwater landslides might be, given the significant scale of ice melting in the Arctic region.

Scroll down for video

Devastating tsunami waves have battered islands in the northern most part of the UK twice in the last 5,000 years. That's the finding of geologists who uncovered evidence in sediment layers that 40 foot (13 metre) waves buffeted the Shetland Isles

Shetland has been hit by at least two more tsunamis in the past 10,000 years than experts had thought, according to researchers from the University of Dundee.

Researchers were already aware that around 8,200 years ago, the Storegga submarine landslide off the coast of Norway caused a 650 feet (20metre) high tsunami to sweep across Shetland.

Sands found at locations across the isles, mainland Scotland, Norway, the Faroe Isles, and Greenland proved the Storegga tsunami's towering height.

Scientists have now identified sands on Shetland they say prove additional tsunamis hit Shetland 5,000 and 1,500 years ago.

This could prove tsunamis are a more common occurrence than previously thought in the UK.

Dr Sue Dawson of the University of Dundee and Professor Dave Tappin from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) British Geological Survey (BGS) are working to identify what could have caused these tsunamis, using new CT and seismic technology.

Dr Sue Dawson said: 'We found sands aged 5,000 and 1,500 years old at multiple locations in Shetland, up to 40 feet (13m) above sea level.

'These deposits have a similar sediment character as the Storegga event and can therefore be linked to tsunami inundation.

'We are now using a CT scanning machine at the University of Dundee to look at our samples in detail.

'For the first time, we'll have a complete 3D view of the cores we've extracted from the ground and from lochs and seabeds.

'This detail will show us which direction the wave was travelling in, identify the elements present in the sand and much more.

'This will be the first time that such a level of detail has been captured from these prehistoric tsunami events.'

Researchers were already aware that around 8,200 years ago, the Storegga submarine landslide off the coast of Norway caused a 650 feet (20m) high tsunami to sweep across Shetland. This image shows the sedimentary layer studied

Scientists have identified sands on Shetland that they say prove additional tsunamis hit Shetland 5,000 and 1,500 years ago. This image shows a close up CT scan of sediment sample

Experts say they believe that British tsunamis 'happen much more often' than had been previously thought. This image shows a close up CT scan of a sediment sample showing 1,500 year old tsunami sands sandwiched between peat. This section sits 35 cm below the surface

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE STOREGGA UNDERWATER LANDSLIDE? The sea bed can fail when physical conditions change, just as on land, creating an underwater landslide. These mass movements of vast amounts of sediment are called submarine landslides or 'slides'. The sea covers over 70 per cent of the planet and so there are probably many more offshore landslides than there are on land. Submarine landslides can be found even on very low slope angles  as low as 1, and mapping them underwater is difficult and expensive. More than 8,000 years ago a massive submarine landslide occurred off the coast of Norway. It is known as the Storegga Slide, which also resulted in a tsunami reaching the north-east coast of Britain. The area of the Storegga Slide is about the size of Scotland. About 791 cubic mile (3,300 km3) of sediment slid down - often as large blocks, up to a kilometre across. Previous studies have shown that similar events have happened about every 100, 000 years in this area. However, new findings in a University of Dundee study suggest smaller versions may occur much more regularly. Advertisement

Both scientists agree that a submarine landslide, which is an underwater landslide that moves vast amounts of sediment across the seabed, generated the tsunamis that hit Shetland.

While Dr Dawson has been investigating the sand samples, Professor David Tappin has been focusing on the seabed to try to pinpoint where the tsunamis originated.

Professor Tappin from BGS said: 'The younger tsunami sands on Shetland are located quite close together, so we thought the submarine landslide may have originated quite close to the shore.

'BGS's research vessel White Ribbon, which can work in the shallowest waters, was used to carry out seismic surveys of the seabed around Shetland, but we have not yet found conclusive proof of submarine landslides there.

'Identifying landslides on and below the seabed using existing mapping methods is not as straightforward as might be imagined. We plan to test some theoretical models to see if we can reproduce the 1,500 and 5,000 year tsunamis.

'We will be creating a digital elevation model of the coasts of the Shetlands and the surrounding seabed.

Scientists agree that a submarine landslide, which is an underwater landslide that moves vast amounts of sediment across the seabed, generated the tsunamis that hit Shetland. This image shows a core sample taken by researchers

The research is part of the Landslide-Tsunami project, ongoing research that forms a key element of NERC's Arctic Research programme. The project aims to discover what causes enormous submarine landslides. This image shows a cross section of a core sample

'We will then reproduce the landslide movement that will generate the tsunami.

'The numerical model will flood the land and we'll look at the elevation of the sediments to see if they match with what's on Shetland.

'That will take us much closer to finding where the actual tsunamis began.

'Submarine landslides are much more poorly understood than almost all types of natural hazards, such as river floods or storm surges.

'But they can be far larger than any landslide seen on land  the Storegga slide contained 300 times the amount of sediment carried each year by all of the world's rivers combined.

'Submarine landslides can also occur on slopes of just one or two degrees, and we still don't know exactly how they are set in motion, except that earthquakes are considered to be the most common trigger. It is critical that we learn more.'

The research is part of the Landslide-Tsunami project, ongoing research that forms a key element of NERC's Arctic Research programme.

The project aims to discover the cause of these enormous submarine landslides and what the impact of these slides in different locations and of different magnitude would be across the UK.

Shetland has been hit by at least two more tsunamis in the past 10,000 years than experts had thought, according to researchers from the University of Dundee

The sea bed can fail when physical conditions change, just as on land, creating an underwater landslide, This image shows the Basta Voe water inlet on Shetland where there is evidence of an underwater landslide and the sites where tsunami sand samples were taken

The sea covers over 70 per cent of the planet and so there are probably many more offshore landslides than there are on land. Mapping them underwater is difficult and expensive. This image shows the Dury Voe sample site used by the researchersAdvertisement

Elon Musk has unveiled new images of SpaceX's latest rocket ahead of tonight's big announcement regarding the firm's plans to send a tourist around the moon.

The artist's impressions depict a huge rocket with fins on its midsection - a vehicle SpaceX calls the 'Big F***ing Rocket' (BFR), which it plans to launch for the first time by 2022.

The firm has previously said the BFR will carry out its future lunar missions as well as long-distance flights to Mars and beyond.

SpaceX is expected to reveal the name of its first civilian passenger this evening during a media event which will be livestreamed from 5:30pm to 7:00pm ET (22:30 to 00:00 BST).

They will be the 25th person to swing around the moon and the first since America's Apollo missions ended in 1972.

Scroll down for video

Elon Musk has unveiled new images of SpaceX's latest rocket ahead of tonight's big announcement regarding the firm's plans to send a tourist around the moon. Pictured is one of two photos posted by the billionaire on his Twitter account

The event is being held at the headquarters of SpaceX, short for Space Exploration Technologies, in Hawthorne, Los Angeles.

The mission will be 'an important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space', SpaceX said in a tweet announcing the event last week.

As well as new pictures of the BFR, on which SpaceX has remained tight-lipped since its announcement last year, Musk posted a cryptic message about the firm's plans for a mission to Mars.

The hashtag on his next tweet was '#OccupyMars', suggesting SpaceX may release further information about its planned missions to the red planet during Monday's event.

SpaceX first teased its plans to send a tourist to the moon in a cryptic tweet posted September 14.

The trip would use the company's Big F***ing Rocket (BFR), a massive launch vehicle that is being designed to carry people into deep space.

SpaceX is expected to reveal the name of its first civilian passenger this evening during a media event which will be livestreamed from 5:30pm to 7:00pm ET (00:30 to 02:00 BST)

The artist's impressions depict a huge rocket with fins in its midsection - a vehicle SpaceX calls the 'Big F***ing Rocket'

'SpaceX has signed the world's first private passenger to fly around the Moon aboard our BFR launch vehicle - an important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space,' the company said on Twitter.

SpaceX gave no further details, but said more information would follow on Monday.

This is not the first time the California-based company, headed by controversial Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has touted plans to send tourists around the moon.

In February, 2017, SpaceX announced it would send the world's first two space tourists around the moon in late 2018.

That plan called for them to ride on a Dragon crew vehicle, similar to the cargo ships that SpaceX routinely sends loaded with supplies to the International Space Station.

They would have blasted off aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket.

However, the company has remained tight-lipped about those plans in recent months.

The names and identities of those two tourists - and how much they intended to pay - were never revealed.

SpaceX declined a request for more details, but said further information would follow Monday at an event lasting from 5:30pm to 7:00pm ET (00:30 to 02:00 BST).

As well as new pictures of the BFR, Musk posted a cryptic message about the firm's plans for a mission to Mars. The hashtag on his next tweet (left) was '#OccupyMars', suggesting SpaceX may release further information about its red planet plans during Monday's event. SpaceX first hinted at the event in a tweet last week (right)

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SPACEX'S PLANS TO FLY TOURISTS AROUND THE MOON? SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launched for the first time five years later than planned SpaceX has announced it will send a tourist to the moon aboard its upcoming Big F***ing Rocket (BFR). CEO Elon Musk has previously promised the BFR would carry cargo ships to Mars as early as 2022, with manned flights scheduled for 2024. It's an ambitious project - one that could ultimately make or break SpaceX - but Musk's company stands to make billions if it can pull it off. However, Musk has a history of underestimating how long his ambitious projects will take to get off the ground. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, which launched for the first time to great furore in February, undertook its initial test flight five years later than planned. Musk admitted in July 2017: 'It actually ended up being way harder to do Falcon Heavy than we thought. 'Really way, way more difficult than we originally thought. We were pretty naive about that.' The BFR has yet to undergo any engine tests - which typically take place over the course of several months - and that's before the unmanned flight tests SpaceX will need to carry out long before it can safely transport passengers. It is unlikely the rocket will fly tourists until at least the late-2020s. Other space tourism firms, such as Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, are set to launch civilians into space ahead of SpaceX - though these flights will not breach Earth's orbit. Both firms are expected to take tourists into space before 2025. Advertisement

SpaceX announced a new plan to launch a tourist around the moon last week. The trip would use the company's Big F***ing Rocket (BFR), a massive launch vehicle that is being designed to carry people into deep space. Pictured is an artist's impression of the BFR flying around the moon

The BFR is SpaceX's newest rocket, a powerful launch vehicle with 31 engines and the capacity to lift 150 tons into space.

During a speech in Australia last year, Musk said he was hopeful that the BFR would be able to launch and land two cargo ships on Mars by 2022.

'I feel fairly confident that we can complete the ship and launch in about five years,' Musk said.

SpaceX said more information on the mission would follow during an event on September 17. Pictured is an artist's impression of the BFR docked with the International Space Station

The BFR is SpaceX's newest rocket, a super powerful launch vehicle with 31 engines and the capacity to lift 150 tons into space

The top part of the BFR rocket has 40 cabins, which could hold up to six passengers.

The rocket would be partially reusable and capable of flight directly from Earth to the moon using its massive fuel capacity - 1,200 tons of liquid oxygen.

It's an ambitious project - one that could ultimately make or break SpaceX - but Musk's company stands to make billions if it pulls it off.

However, Musk has a long history of underestimating how long his ambitious projects will take to get off the ground.

At nearly 348 feet (106 metres) tall, the BFR (artist's impression) is a truly gigantic spaceship, towering over SpaceX's 229-feet-tall (70 metres) Falcon Heavy rocket

SpaceX says BFR missions to the moon's surface will use the Earth's gravitational pull to whip it around the planet before sling-shotting to the rocky satellite

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, which launched for the first time to great furore in February, was originally scheduled to undertake its initial test flight in 2013.

Musk admitted in July 2017: 'It actually ended up being way harder to do Falcon Heavy than we thought.

'Really way, way more difficult than we originally thought. We were pretty naive about that.'

Billionaire entrepreneur and founder of SpaceX Elon Musk, pictured in September 2017 speaking below a computer generated illustration of his Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), says he wants to enable space travel for 'everyday people'

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (file photo) sparked controversy earlier this month when he smoked marijuana during a live interview in California - where the drug is legal

The BFR has yet to undergo any engine tests - which typically take place over the course of several months - and that's before the unmanned flight tests SpaceX will need to carry out long before it can safely transport passengers.

It is unlikely the rocket will fly tourists until at least the mid-2020s.

Humans have not set foot on the Moon since the final Apollo mission in 1972, capping an era of US national pride.

American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to explore the lunar surface in 1969, a moment seen and heard around the world when Armstrong declared 'one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'

Only 24 people in history have ever been to the Moon.

US President Donald Trump has championed plans to put boots on the Moon again, as NASA works on building a lunar gateway that would serve as a launching point for missions heading even further into deep space, such as asteroids or Mars.

WHAT IS SPACEX'S BFR? The BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) is SpaceX's newest rocket, a super powerful launch vehicle with 31 engines and the capacity to lift 150 tons into space. It has jokingly been called the 'Big F***ing rocket' by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The top part of the BFR rocket has 40 cabins, which could hold up to six passengers. The rocket would be partially reusable and capable of flight directly from Earth to Mars. Once built, Musk believes the rocket could be used for travel on Earth - saying that passengers would be able to get anywhere in under an hour. This image shows the main body tool of SpaceX's BFR (Big F***ing Rocket) next to a Tesla Model 3 saloon. The tool will be used to build the rocket's fuselage The BFR will eventually complete all missions for SpaceX, replacing its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. Musk said in 2017 he was hopeful that the BFR would be able to launch and land at last two cargo ships on Mars by 2022. 'I feel fairly confident that we can complete the ship and launch in about five years,' Musk said. The billionaire plans a manned mission in 2024 and claims other SpaceX's products will be 'cannibalised' to pay for it. The enormous rocket has a fuel tank that can hold 1,200 tons of liquid oxygen. At nearly 348 feet (106 metres) tall, the BFR is a truly gigantic spaceship, towering over the 229-feet-tall (70 metres) Falcon Heavy rocket. The spaceship will take off and land vertically, powered by 37 'raptor' engines, to produce a liftoff thrust of 5,400 tons, lifting a total mass of 4,400 tons. Advertisement

The Big F***ing Rocket (artist's impression) will take off and land vertically, powered by 37 'raptor' engines, to produce a liftoff thrust of 5,400 tons, lifting a total mass of 4,400 tons

SpaceX is a key commercial partner to NASA, and is working on a crew ship that will make its first flight to the orbiting International Space Station next year.

It successful, the company would restore access to space from US soil for the first time since 2011, when the space shuttle program was retired after 30 years.

Boeing is also hard at work on its crew vehicle, with pioneering flights planned for 2019 as well.

SpaceX currently has a $1.6 billion (1.2 billion) contract with NASA to supply the astronauts living at the ISS, via regular cargo trips on its Dragon spaceship, launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested over $1 billion Monday in American electric car manufacturer, Lucid Motors.

That's bad news for Tesla, as it signals that the kingdom may be moving in a different direction, just weeks after CEO Elon Musk claimed the fund would help his own firm go private.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF), which invests on behalf of the Saudi government, said the infusion would go toward launching the Lucid Air electric sedan by 2020.

Sovereign wealth funds are investment funds that are controlled by the government. They can invest globally in stocks, bonds, real estate and other areas.

Shares of Tesla dropped as much as 2 percent on Monday in reaction to the news, before the stock recouped much of its losses in mid-afternoon trading.

Scroll down for video

The Public Investment Fund, which invests on behalf of the Saudi government, said the infusion would go toward launching the Lucid Air electric sedan (pictured) by 2020

The funding will also be used to construct Lucid's factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, jumpstart its retail operations in North America and begin production of the Lucid Air.

'The convergence of new technologies is reshaping the automobile, but the benefits have yet to be truly realized,' Peter Rawlinson, Lucid's chief technology officer, said in a statement.

'This is inhibiting the pace at which sustainable mobility and energy are adopted. At Lucid, we will demonstrate the full potential of the electric connected vehicle in order to push the industry forward.

Prior to joining Lucid in 2013, Rawlinson worked as the lead engineer of the Tesla Model S.

Lucid has struggled to secure the necessary funding to kickstart its electric vehicle plans.

The firm's all-electric Lucid Air will have a range of over 400 miles (640 kilometers). The company already is taking deposits for the vehicle, which they've priced at $52,500.

News of Lucid's investment from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund may be bad news for Elon Musk's Tesla. The CEO recently tweeted the firm had secured funding from the Saudis

WHAT IS SAUDI ARABIA'S SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND? Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, or Public Investment Fund (PIF), is a state-run organization that invests in stocks, bonds, real estate and other areas. The investment vehicle is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud. In recent years, the fund has been trying to diversify its investments away from oil, as part of Saudi Arabia's effort to broaden its economy. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, or Public Investment Fund (PIF), is a state-run organization that invests in real estate, stocks, bonds and other areas. It's chaired by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud (pictured) The fund now aims to raise its assets from $250 billion under management to $400 billion by 2020. It has purchased stakes in ride-hailing giant Uber and Lockheed Martin, pledged to invest in Blackstone and partnered with Japanese investment giant SoftBank to create the SoftBank Vision Fund. The fund also invested $1 billion in Virgin Galactic's Space Ventures unit. In August, it was revealed that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund took a 5 percent stake in Tesla, which may pave the way for a larger stake, or outright buyout, in the future. Advertisement

Lucid plans to make the Air at a factory it's building in Casa Grande, Arizona. The company wants to make up to 130,000 vehicles per year by 2022.

The over $1 billion investment easily dwarfs prior funding for the manufacturer and puts Saudi Arabia clearly in the firm's driver seat.

Three previous venture funding rounds have netted Lucid Motors some $131 million, according to Crunchbase.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund has been working to diversify its investments away from oil and into the rapidly transforming electric-car market.

The Saudi announcement comes after Musk on Aug. 7 tweeted that he had 'funding secured' to take Tesla private. Investors pushed Tesla's shares up 11 percent in a day, boosting its valuation by $6 billion.

A view of one of Tesla's Model S vehicles. Musk has previously said there was 'no question' the Saudi sovereign wealth fund would finance a take-private transaction of the electric carmaker

In a blog post on August 13th, Musk elaborated that there was 'no question' that the Saudis would finance a take-private transaction.

Musk added that the PIF had purchased almost five percent of Tesla stock through public markets.

There are multiple reports that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the disclosure, including asking board members what they knew about Musk's plans.

Experts say regulators likely are investigating if Musk was truthful in the tweet about having the financing set for the deal.

Musk later said the Saudi Public Investment Fund would be investing in the firm, something Saudi officials never commented on.

Then, on August 24th, Musk tweeted that Tesla would remain publicly traded.Scientists believe the targets set by the Paris Climate Agreement may be unobtainable  and could be exceeded much sooner than previously thought.

A new study has looked at the impact thawing permafrost will have on the levels of greenhouse gases emitted into the planet's atmosphere.

The methane and carbon dioxide trapped in the now-disappearing ice is expected to speed up global warming far beyond what previous models predicted.

These reservoirs of warming gases have thus far been unaccounted for when statisticians and scientists have built climate change models.

When the vast amount of carbon dioxide stored in permafrost is introduced into a mathematical model, scientists claim we are much closer to surpassing the long-term target set by the Paris Climate Agreement than previously expected.

Previous estimates suggest Arctic soils lock away billions of tonnes of methane and carbon dioxide - an enormous reservoir of potent greenhouse gas that could cause global temperatures to rocket if released into the atmosphere.

Scroll down for video

Reservoirs of gases in permafrost have previously been unaccounted for when generating predictive methods for climate change and policymakers have focused their efforts on the linear rise in carbon dioxide emissions due to human activity and global temperature (stock)

The new study from scientists at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria explains why the rise in global temperatures means previously year-round frozen soil is melting faster than thought.

Permafrost is soil that has been frozen for at least two years.

As a result of this prolonged cryogenic state, the land stores large amounts of carbon and other nutrients from organic matter.

It represents a 'large carbon reservoir', according to the scientists, which is slowly released into the atmosphere as the permafrost thaws.

Previous research into the make-up of the world's permafrost suggests it contains more than 1,000 billion tonnes of carbon.

Widespread melting of the icy soil could a catastrophic release of billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide and deadly methane into the atmosphere.

These emissions are rarely considered in projections for potential future global warming.

Policymakers have so far focused efforts on the linear rise in carbon dioxide emissions due to human activity and the global temperature.

The new study reveals the flaw in this line of thinking and hopes to bring about a change in environmental legislature.

The Paris Agreement is an international collaboration with almost every nation and state in the world (174 countries and the European Union) to limit global warming to less than 2C (3.6F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F)'.

In June 2017, President Trump announced his intention for the US, the second largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, to withdraw from the agreement.

THE PARIS AGREEMENT: A GLOBAL ACCORD TO LIMIT TEMPERATURE RISES THROUGH CARBON EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, is an international agreement to control and limit climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2C (3.6F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F)'. It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) may be more important than ever, according to previous research which claims 25 per cent of the world could see a significant increase in drier conditions. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: 1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels 2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change 3) Governments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries 4) To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science Source: European Commission Advertisement

The Paris Agreement is an international collaboration with almost every nation and state in the world (174 countries and the European Union )In June 2017, President Trump (pictured) announced his intention for the US, the second largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, to withdraw from the agreement

Dr Thomas Gasser, a researcher with the IIASA Ecosystems Services and Management Programme said: 'Permafrost carbon release from previously frozen organic matter is caused by global warming, and will certainly diminish the budget of CO2 we can emit while staying below a certain level of global warming.

'It is also an irreversible process over the course of a few centuries, and may therefore be considered a "tipping" element of the Earth's carbon-climate system that puts the linear approximation of the emission budget framework to the test.'

The study also shows the effect can become even more significant for overshooting trajectories, which means first exceeding the targeted level, and then going back down to the target.

A further 1C (1.8F) increase (pictured) past Paris Agreement targets could cause a 500% increase in number of record-breaking hot days. Credit:Kurt Hickman/Stanford News Service

THE KEY GOALS OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: 1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels 2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change 3) Goverments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries 4) To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science Source: European Commission Advertisement

The Paris Agreement explicitly acknowledges an overshooting trajectory, peaking first at 'well-below' 2C (3.6F) and then pursuing efforts to get back to 1.5C (2.7F).

But during the overshooting period, rising temperatures will lead to further permafrost carbon thaw, scientists say.

Dr Gasser said: 'Overshooting is a risky strategy and getting back to lower levels after an overshoot will be extremely difficult.

'However, since we are officially on an overshooting trajectory, we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that we may never get back to safer levels of warming.

'Policymakers should understand that there is no elementary proportionality between cumulative CO2 emissions due to human activity and global temperature, as previously believed, and that overshooting may have serious consequences.'

The study was published in Nature Geoscience.Volkswagen is gearing up to take on Tesla in a big way.

The German auto giant said Monday it plans to manufacture 10 million cars that are affordable and all-electric.

It's targeting the launch of worldwide mass production near the end of 2022.

Scroll down for video

Volkswagen will manufacture 10 million cars that are affordable and all-electric. All of them will be based on its modular MEB platform, which includes the 'ID' concept cars (pictured)

The cars will be based on its new modular MEB, or modular electrification kit - the same platform used to develop its futuristic, all-electric concept cars, which were unveiled in March.

VW will build 27 models for four group brands based on the MEB, starting with the Volkswagen 'I.D' concept cars, which will begin rolling off the production line at its plant in Zwickau, Germany, late next year.



After the diesel emissions scandal broke three years ago, VW unveiled an ambitious plan to become a world leader in green transport.

It plans to invest 6 billion euros ($7 billion) in e-car production, of which 1.3 billion will be invested in its German plants at Braunschweig, Salzgitter and Kassel.

'In the first wave alone, around 10 million VW group cars will be based on this platform,' the company's head of electric mobility, Thomas Ulbrich, said in a presentation in Dresden.

The company did not give a timeline for the forecast, but stood by its existing target of selling 3 million units per year by 2025 of the 50 battery-powered group models it plans.

VW will build 27 models based on the MEB, starting with the Volkswagen 'I.D' concept cars, which will begin rolling off the production line at its plant in Zwickau, Germany, late next year

Volkswagen introduced its MEB-based I.D concept cars in March. The lineup includes the I.D Vizzion sedan, I.D hatchback, I.D Crozz SUV and the I.D Buzz Microbus

Volkswagen, like other German auto makers, is pushing into volume production of electric cars as U.S. rival Tesla struggles to scale up manufacturing of its Model 3, its first car to target the mass market.

BMW and Daimler also plan to ramp up e-car output in the coming years.

The VW group, which includes the Skoda, SEAT, Audi and Porsche brands, sold 10.7 million cars last year.

It has ramped up its focus on e-cars in recent years, particularly with the announcement of its lineup of 'I.D' concept cars.

'The I.D will be a milestone in technological development. It will be the first fully connected electric car with full everyday utility that millions of people will be able to afford,' said Christian Senger, head of the firm's E-mobility product line, in a statement.

Volkswagen, like other German auto makers, is pushing into volume production of electric cars as U.S. rival Tesla struggles to scale up manufacturing of its Model 3. Pictured is the I.D Croz

WHAT IS VOLKSWAGEN'S 'I.D. VIZZION?' In addition to the Sedric self-driving bus, Volkswagen also unveiled the I.D. Vizzion concept car at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The firm is calling the I.D. Vizzion a 'smart lounge on wheels.' It's fully electric and autonomous, with no steering wheel, pedals or dashboard. The concept, which is not expected to be available for years, is Volkswagen's vision of the family car of the future. The car recognises its owners, opens the door for them and then adjusts the settings - such as music, temperature and lighting  to adapt to the personal preferences of the passengers. The spacious interior of the car is meant to look and feel more like a lounge. This means that parents can do some work - if their children are well behaved enough to let them - while they are chauffeured to school and then on to the office. Or they can just relax. The car will also be fully electric, meaning it is much better for the environment than diesel or petrol powered cars. Its output is around 300 horsepower with a 413-mile (665km) range. Advertisement

'The car holds the road really well thanks to the flat battery in the floorplan and the space inside is much more generous - we are making substantial with the sense of spaciousness.'





The lineup includes the I.D Vizzion sedan, I.D hatchback, I.D Crozz SUV and I.D Buzz Microbus.





The concept cars aren't expected to materialize for a few years. VW is starting with the I.D Hatchback which is due to be released by around 2020.





The Hatchback wont be in the showrooms until 2030 at the earliest - and as its a concept car, it may not be built at all.Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has announced that the emirate will be hosting the first edition of Belgian Travel Summit (BTS) from December 4 to 9 this year.



The summit will be the first joint congress of the Belgian trade unions of travel agencies at a national Belgium level and will see the attendance of the Association of Flemish Travel Agencies (VVR) and the French speaking Union Professionnelle des Agences de Voyages (UPAV).



The announcement came following RAKTDAs latest European roadshow which headed to the Benelux last week, visiting Luxemburg, Ghent and Rotterdam to meet industry representatives and introduce Ras Al Khaimahs diverse and spectacular beach, desert, mountain and adventure offering.



Benelux is a growing source market for Ras Al Khaimah and combined with other key European markets including Germany, UK, Nordics, Poland and the Czech Republic accounts for a continued increase of international visitor arrivals to the Emirate.



Haitham Mattar, chief executive officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: We have seen significant growth in European Markets, particularly in the first part of this year which was up 28 per cent when compared to the same period in 2017. As we look towards our goal of 1 million visitors by the end of 2018 and 3 million by 2025, its important that we maintain this momentum and as such we are investing in promoting our offer across the European markets. Our incredible experiences such as the worlds longest zipline have helped put Ras Al Khaimah on the world map, but we need to continue to showcase the diversity of the destination to our core audiences in this part of the world.



Our ongoing roadshow programme is a great vehicle to tell the story of the accessible authentic Arabian hospitality and year-round sunshine we offer visitors in Europe and beyond. It is essential to personally connect with travel professionals in our source markets, not only to further develop our partnerships with generalist and specialised tour operators but to give travel advisors at travel agencies real flavour of everything Ras Al Khaimah has to offer our European visitors. - TradeArabia News Service

Microsoft appears to have performed a sharp U-tun over plans to introduce a warning message in Windows 10 to discourage the installation of rival web browsers.

Reports emerged last week the warning message was been trialled in an early beta version of the operating system.

The pop-up appeared when Windows Insider Program users tried to install a browser developed by a third-party firm, including Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox.

The message was an effort to promote Microsoft's own Edge web browser, which comes bundled with its latest operating system.

However, the warning message has now been removed from the beta testing version, according to reports that have emerged from members of the trial group.

Scroll down for video

Microsoft was including a warning that cautioned Windows 10 users to avoid installing browsers from rival companies. The operating system was showing the pictured pop-up warning when you attempt to install

WHAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR PC INTERNET BROWSERS? Google Chrome  67.63 per cent Mozilla Firefox  10.97 per cent Internet Explorer  7.02 per cent Apple Safari  5.13 per cent Microsoft Edge  4.24 per cent Opera  2.48 per cent Source: Statcounter Advertisement

When users with the latest version of the operating system attempted to install third-party web browsers, it would display a pop-up warning.

'You already have Microsoft Edge  the safer, faster browser for Windows 10,' the warning message told trial users.

However, the latest beta build of Windows 10  Insider Preview Build 17760  no longer interrupts the installation of rival browsers, users report.

In a statement at the time, Microsoft said the warning was being tested with users who are part of its 'Insiders' beta initiative.

The warnings did not stop any software being installed.

'The Windows Insider Program enables Microsoft to test different features, functionality and garner feedback before rolling out broadly,' a spokesman said last week.

'Customers remain in control and can choose the browser of their choice.'

Not everyone was happy with the prospect of their decision to use third party browsers  which are far more popular with users than Edge  being questioned.

Writing on Twtitter, Texas based software developer Sean Hoffman said: '@MicrosoftEdge What kind of slimy marketing cesspool c**p is this Microsoft?

'I proceed to launch the Firefox installer and Windows 10 pops this up? If I wanted to use your browser, I would.'

This isn't the first time that the firm has attempted to curtail its customers from using other web browsers.

Last year, Microsoft debuted its streamlined Windows 10 S operating system, which debuted on its Surface laptop, that would not allow users to install a third-party web browsers.

It followed rumours that Microsoft is working on a new subscription model for Windows 10 customers that will allow the company to automatically take care of any glitches.

Not everyone was happy with the prospect of their decision to use third party browsers like Chrome (logo pictured) - which are far more popular with users than Edge - being questioned

The Redmond-based technology company currently pushes-out updates with new features to its Windows 10 users twice a year.

However, users have bemoaned the updates, which have been plagued with errors.

Earlier this year, Microsoft was forced to delay its April 2018 update after beta testers unearthed a serious glitch that caused computers with Intel-branded solid state drives to crash.

When the patched update rolled-out, it contained a glitch that triggered the machine to freeze when users opened up the Google Chrome browser.

To solve the problem, Microsoft is reportedly looking to launch a new feature known as Microsoft Managed Desktop - although no release date has been confirmed.

The system will sell the Windows 10 operating system as a service, where users pay a monthly subscription fee to use the latest version of the software, with any glitches and bugs ironed out immediately by Microsoft.Victims of rape and sexual assault are less likely to report the incident to the police if they were drunk at the time, new research claims.

Scientists found that survivors of sexual assault are also more likely to blame themselves for the crime if they were intoxicated.

Researchers argue this self-blame is often the reason serious incidents of sexual assault and rape go unreported.

Victims of rape and sexual assault are less likely to report the incident to the police if they were drunk at the time, new research claims (stock image)

Researchers from the University of Birmingham conducted a study involving 79 women between the ages of 18 and 32.

Each participant was randomly assigned to drink alcohol or tonic water, before they engaged in a hypothetical rape scenario.

Half of participants got the opposite drink to what they were told, to test how much the mere feeling of being drunk affected results.

The hypothetical rape scenario was presented in writing on a computer screen with accompanying pictures.

Participants also listened, over headphones, to a recording of the scenario text, which was read aloud by a female.

Each woman was told verbally and in writing that they could withdraw from the study at any time.

Scientists found that survivors of sexual assault are also more likely to blame themselves for the crime if they were intoxicated (stock image)

Women who believed they had consumed alcohol rather than a non-alcoholic drink were more likely to blame themselves following the hypothetical rape scenario.

Participants who blamed themselves for the incident also said they would be less willing to report the hypothetical rape to the police.

The study suggests alcohol plays a large role in whether sexual assault victims report the crime to the police.

Study lead author Dr Heather Flowe said: 'It's concerning that women in the study were more likely to blame the hypothetical rape on their behaviour and character if they believed that they had consumed alcohol.

'Even more concerning is that the effects of alcohol on rape reporting in the real world might be even stronger than that found in the present research, given the intense levels of scrutiny that survivors are under in real world cases.

'Further research is needed to better understand the role of alcohol in how victims attribute responsibility for rape, and the implications this has for rape prosecution and survivor recovery.'Samsung's 899 ($1,000) Galaxy Note 9 caught fire inside a woman's purse, according to a new lawsuit.

It comes just two years after the firm was forced to issue a worldwide recall for its Note smartphones due to problems with overheating.

For the first time the supposedly fireproof Galaxy Note 9 has spontaneously caught fire inside a woman's purse, according to the lawsuit.

Samsung has repeatedly claimed its new Note smartphone is not at risk of the same overheating issues that plagued a previous generation of the handset.

Scroll down for video

Samsung's 899 ($1,000) Galaxy Note 9 (pictured) 'caught fire' inside a woman's purse, according to a new lawsuit. It comes just two years after the firm was forced to issue a worldwide recall for its Note devices over overheating problems

'The battery in the Galaxy Note 9 is safer than ever. Users do not have to worry about the batteries anymore,' said CEO Koh Dong-jin ahead of its launch on August 24.

Another executive, Kate Beaumont, director of product planning, said that it would 'absolutely not' catch fire, according to an article by the NY Post.

However, according to new court papers, a brand new Galaxy Note 9 'became extremely hot' while in the purse of real estate agent Diane Chung.

Ms Chung was in an elevator in Bayside in New York City when 'she heard a whistling and screeching sound, and she noticed thick smoke'.

According to the Queens Supreme Court lawsuit, she tried to take the smoking phone out of her bag without burning her fingers.

She says the smoke was so thick she was struggling to see inside the elevator and the device only stopped sizzling when it was plunged into a bucket of water.

Ms Chung is seeking unspecified damages and a restraining order barring the sales of any more Galaxy Notes 9s.

'We have not received any reports of similar incidents involving a Galaxy Note 9 device and we are investigating the matter,' a Samsung spokesman told NY Post.

MailOnline has contacted Samsung for comment.

The electronics maker has been hit with multiple lawsuits following reports that other smartphone models are plagued with similar battery issues, including the Galaxy S6, S7 Edge and Note 5.

Last year cases in three US states claimed that Samsung was aware of the battery issues and fire hazards for years, but opted not to inform its customers.

Approximately 112 Galaxy Note 7 fires were reported worldwide within a month of the smartphone's launch in August 2016.

Five months later, the Samsung announced an official recall of all the 2.5 million devices sold  blaming the incidents on 'irregularly sized batteries'.

Samsung has been hit with multiple lawsuits following reports that other smartphone models are plagued with similar battery issues  including the Galaxy S6, S7 Edge (pictured)

Last year Dale Holzworth from Massachusetts filed a class action lawsuit that claimed the Galaxy S7 Edge he had purchased last year burst into flames while it sat charging in his son's bedroom.

The fire allegedly spread to the bed and the melting parts of the phone burnt holes in the carpet.

'Samsung manufactures and sells smartphones which pose a threat to the safety of consumers,' read the Samsung class action complaint, which was published by TopClassActions.com.

'Samsung recalled the Note 7 while leaving other dangerous products in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the problem is not limited to the Note 7.'

He continued to claim that other Samsung smartphone owners have experienced similar issues since 2011.

Last year Dale Holzworth from Massachusetts filed a class action lawsuit that claimed the Galaxy S7 Edge (pictured) he had purchased last year burst into flames

But despite knowing the risks, the firm proceeded to increase the size of the battery, even though it knew that was the cause behind the fires, Holzworth stated in the complaint.

The lawsuit has also stated that Samsung's solution was to use a 'thermal spreading', which according to the firm, the thermal spreader it designed was 'unlike conventional thermal spread technology'.

'Samsung's team responsible for designing the system further stated that 'due to the spatial limits of smartphones, the cooling system's cooling capacity alone is not enough to cool the device,' explained the plaintiff.

'We need to calculate the amount of electric current and optimize the heat control algorithm to minimize occurring heat.'

'In other words, the new thermal spreader hardware controls the heat more effectively but the software heat-control algorithm must be made compatible to ensure best performance.'The Sunspot Solar Observatory in New Mexico is finally re-opening eleven days after it was abruptly evacuated due to an undisclosed security issue  but, exactly why it was shut down in the first place remains a mystery.

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), which manages the facility, announced that all employees will be allowed to return this week, and residents that had to vacate will be able to come home.

In regards to the closure, AURA has said only that law enforcement was investigating criminal activity at the site.

Theories began to swirl after the observatory shut down on Sept 6 with no explanation, and continued to build after days of radio silence.

Scroll down for video

The Sunspot Solar Observatory in New Mexico is finally re-opening eleven days after it was abruptly evacuated due to an undisclosed security issue  but, exactly why it was shut down in the first place remains a mystery

In the week following the initial evacuation, the public proposed all sorts of explanations, with some even suggesting aliens could be at the root of it all.

Acknowledging the secrecy, AURA said it chose not to release any details due to the investigation.

We recognize that the lack of communications while the facility was vacated was concerning and frustrating for some, AURA said in a statement.

However, our desire to provide additional information had to be balanced against the risk that, if spread at the time, the news would alert the suspect and impede the law enforcement investigation.That was a risk we could not take.

AURA says theyve since determined its safe for staff to return.

As for the investigation itself, AURA hasnt revealed much about the criminal activity suspected to have been taking place at the site.

But, the issue was enough to spark concern that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents.

For this reason, AURA temporarily vacated the facility and ceased science activities at this location, AURA says.

Some people proposed that the facility suffered a leak at its Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope, which relies on a mercury float

The decision to vacate was based on the logistical challenges associated with protecting personnel at such a remote location, and the need for expeditious response to the potential threat.

AURA determined that moving the small number of on-site staff and residents off the mountain was the most prudent and effective action to ensure their safety.

Operations are now starting up again as of Monday September 17  though with amped up security for the time being to cope with the consequent expectation of an unusual number of visitors to the site, prompted by the excitement the shutdown generated.

The ongoing silence from those in charge of the evacuation at Sunspot last week fueled countless theories on the reason behind the observatory's closure.

Among the more down to Earth suggestions, some people have proposed that the facility may have suffered a leak at its Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope, which relies on a mercury float bearing.

But, the team that operates the telescope confirmed last week that there has not been a mercury incident.

The scientists also insisted the mysterious shutdown was not the result of an extraterrestrial encounter.

Secrecy persisted even as local media reported the FBI has showed up to the site, and Blackhawk helicopters were seen circling overhead.

The observatory finally issued a statement on its website and across social media last Thursday, but it did little to quell the excitement, offering no explanation on why the facility was shut down.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory tweeted a link to its statement on Sept 13, exactly a week after the initial shutdown.

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), which manages the facility, announced that all employees will be allowed to return this week, and residents that had to vacate will be able to come home

On Thursday September 6th, AURA made the decision to temporarily close Sunspot, the observatory said in a statement shared on social media.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory continues to work closely with AURA in order to allow for us to reopen as soon as possible.

With the excitement this closure has generated, we hope you will come and visit us when we do reopen, and see for yourself the services we provide for science and public outreach in heliophysics.

Last week, a spokesperson for AURA told the Alamogordo Daily News only that they evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Otero County Sheriff Benny House revealed that even local law enforcement was been kept in the dark, despite being told to stand by.

The FBI is refusing to tell us whats going on, House told Alamogordo Daily News.

Weve got people up there that requested us to standby while they evacuate it. Nobody would really elaborate on any of the circumstances as to why.

BELIEVE IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES? YOU'RE PROBABLY A NARCISSIST, RESEARCHERS SAY People who doubt the moon landings are more likely to be selfish and attention-seeking, according to a 2015 study. Over the course of three online-based studies, researchers at the University of Kent showed strong links between the belief in conspiracy theories and negative psychological traits. Writing in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, the team explained: 'Previous research linked the endorsement of conspiracy theories to low self-esteem.' In the first study, a total of 202 participants completed questionnaires on conspiracy beliefs, asking how strongly they agreed with specific statements, such as whether governments carried out acts of terrorism on their own soil. Alongside this, they were asked to complete a narcissist scale and a self-esteem assessment. The results showed that those people who rated highly on the narcissism scale and who had low self-esteem were more likely to be conspiracy believers. Advertisement

The FBI were up there. What their purpose was nobody will say. But for the FBI to get involved that quick and be so secretive about it, there was a lot of stuff going on up there.

There was a Blackhawk helicopter, a bunch of people around antennas and work crews on towers but nobody would tell us anything.

By of September 11, official had confirmed that the facilities were still closed, and would not be reopened until they were given the green light.

We were told on September 6th that we would be evacuated along with the surrounding area, we were not told why, USPS spokesperson Rod Sturgeon told ABC 7 KVIA. We were just told to be out of the area.'Amazon has opened its first cashierless go Store outside of its Seattle hometown.

The firm today unveiled a new store at 113 S Franklin St in Chicago as it begins to test the radical new concept in more cities.

However, the new store is Amazon's most limited, open only on weekdays from 7am and to 8PM, and offering 'Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks.

Scroll down for video

The plans for the New York store were revealed through a series of job postings spotted by The Information. Pictured, the original store in Seattle.

Earlier this months plans for the firm's first store in New York were revealed.

The Manhattan plans were revealed through a series of job postings spotted by The Information.

The firm has also opened a third location in Seattle, and has previously said it hopes to open stores in Chicago and San Francisco.

'On Thursday night, the internet retailer posted at least four job listings related to an Amazon Go store in the New York area,' The Information said.

'The listings seek candidates for a store manager, an assistant store manager, a learning and development manager, and a training lead associate.'

It comes weeks after Amazon's second Seattle store opened.

The store, the second in Amazon's hometown of Seattle, will be a mile away from the original location near the Seattle Central Library at 920 Fifth Ave., and opened at 7 a.m. today.

HOW DO AMAZON'S GO STORES WORK? In December 2016, Amazon unveiled a convenience store in downtown Seattle that replaced cashiers with technology found in self-driving cars. It opened to the public in January 2018. To start shopping, customers must scan an Amazon Go smartphone app and pass through a gated turnstile. Ready-to-eat lunch items greet shoppers when they enter. Deeper into the store, shoppers can find a small selection of grocery items, including meats and meal kits. An Amazon employee checks IDs in the store's wine and beer section. Amazon's first Go Store opened in Seattle earlier this year and are looking to expand and open stores in Chicago and San Francisco Sleek black cameras monitoring from above and weight sensors in the shelves help Amazon determine exactly what people take. If someone passes back through the gates with an item, his or her associated account is charged. If a shopper puts an item back on the shelf, Amazon removes it from his or her virtual cart. Much of the store will feel familiar to shoppers, aside from the check-out process. Amazon, famous for dynamic pricing online, has printed price tags just as traditional brick-and-mortar stores do. Advertisement

The new store is slightly smaller than the original, at 1,450 square feet, and won't sell alcohol or staples like milk and bread.

It also forgoes an in store kitchen, and will have its fresh food supplied by an Amazon kitchen facility in Seattle.

Gianna Puerini, the Amazon vice president who oversees Go, told the Seattle Times she expects a higher portion of office workers among the clientele compared to the first store.

'The population here is a little different,' Puerini said.

The first store debuted one mile away at the base of Amazon's Day One tower in January, after more than a year of fine-tuning the concept.

Amazon customers scan their smartphones at a turnstile to enter the shop.

Cameras and sensors identify which products customers remove from the shelves and put into their backpack, or shopping trolley.

Since the system is tracking their purchases as they move around the store, customers simply leave when they're finished shopping, with Amazon billing the credit cards on file for any products its cameras identified.

Amazon Go, which is also set to open stores in Chicago and San Francisco, has sent rivals scrambling to prepare for yet another disruption from the online retailer.

It comes after claims Microsoft is working on technology that would eliminate the need for cashiers and checkout lines in supermarkets.

Other rival stores have purportedly tested programs where customers scan and bag each item as they shop, with mixed results.

In the UK, Waitrose already allows customers to scan products customers to scan purchases as they pick them off the shelf.

However, they still need to pay at a till.

For Microsoft, becoming a strategic ally to retailers has resulted in big business.

Amazon customers scan their smartphones at a turnstile to enter. Cameras and sensors identify what they remove from the shelves and Amazon bills their credit cards on file for everything on their person as they leave the store

In addition to developing retail technologies, it ranks second, behind only Amazon, in selling cloud services that are key to running e-commerce sites, for instance.

It is not clear how soon Microsoft would bring an automated checkout service to market, if at all, or whether its technology would be the answer retailers are looking for.

But some see the technology as the next big innovation in shopping, one that Amazon's competitors cannot afford to ignore.

'This is the future of checking out for convenience and grocery stores,' said Gene Munster, head of research at Loup Ventures in Minneapolis.

The venture capital firm estimates the US market for an automated checkout system is worth some $50 billion (37.2 billion).

Microsoft said it 'does not comment on rumours or speculation'.

Walmart and Amazon have declined to comment.

So far, Microsoft's attempt at developing the checkout-free supermarket has largely fallen under its Business AI (Artificial Intelligence) team, one source said.

A group consisting of 10 to 15 people have worked on a slew of retail store technologies, and they have presented their efforts to CEO Satya Nadella, the person said.

MICROSOFT TO TAKE ON AMAZON IN SMART SHOPS It comes after claims Microsoft is working on technology that would eliminate the need for cashiers and checkout lines in supermarkets. The company is looking to challenge Amazon, which has already opened a checkout-free store in Seattle, called Amazon Go, according to people familiar with the matter. Microsoft is working on technology that would eliminate cashiers and checkout lines from stores. The tech firm is looking to challenge Amazon's automated grocery shop, according to six people familiar with the matter (stock image) It is believed Microsoft is developing systems to track what shoppers add to their carts or basket as they move around the supermarket. The Redmond-based software giant has shown sample technology to retailers from around the world and is reportedly in talks with Walmart about a potential collaboration. Advertisement

In a meeting with the team several months ago, Mr Nadella recommended an 'intelligent edge' device that could manage connected gadgets such as cameras on site with minimum data transfers to the cloud, which would cut down on costs, they added.

Making its technology cheap enough so it does not shrink grocers' already thin profit margins is a major challenge for Microsoft, another person said.

Microsoft already showcases the basics for automated checkout at its Retail Experience Centre in Redmond.

It has half a dozen partners, including Redmond-based AVA Retail, that are building their own checkout-free or related services atop Microsoft's cloud, some of the people said.

Sales of partners' services result in cloud revenue for Microsoft, along with insight into the market for new retail technologies.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's internal team, including a computer vision specialist hired from Amazon Go, has worked on attaching cameras to shopping carts to track customers' items.

The secretive team has studied novel ways for smartphones to play a role in the shopping experience, people said.

Still, the industry is playing catch-up to Amazon.

The company spent four years building Amazon Go in secret, before launching an employee-only pilot on its Seattle campus in 2016.

It collected data for almost 14 months before opening its first Seattle store.

Amazon has said it has no plans to introduce checkout-free technology to its Whole Foods Market grocery chain, which it acquired last year.

The company is still hard at work improving the service.

Amazon Vice President Dilip Kumar told Reuters in an interview earlier this year that the company is training computers to identify items or activities with as little information as possible.

'It's a really hard problem,' said Scott Jacobson, managing director of Madrona Venture Group, adding it is 'one that Amazon is uniquely positioned to solve.'Advertisement

NASAs new exoplanet-hunting spacecraft has finally sent back its first official science image, in the first step toward finding new worlds beyond our solar system.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) snapped a photo using its four wide-field cameras on August 7, nearly four months after it blasted off from Cape Canaveral.

Its stunning first light image reveals a look at several celestial features, including the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and the incredibly bright stars Beta Gruis and R Doradus.

Scroll down for video

NASAs new exoplanet-hunting spacecraft has finally sent back its first official science image. In its latest photo, TESS captured stars and objects that includes systems that are home to exoplanets. There are parts of a dozen constellations in the TESS image along with a globular cluster that includes hundreds of thousands of stars

In a sea of stars brimming with new worlds, TESS is casting a wide net and will haul in a bounty of promising planets for further study, said Paul Hertz, astrophysics division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

This first light science image shows the capabilities of TESSs cameras, and shows that the mission will realize its incredible potential in our search for another Earth.

TESS fired its cameras for 30 mins on August 7, capturing a detailed image of the southern sky.

Ahead of its first science images, the spacecraft has been conducting tests over the last few months to verify its ability to observe a broad swath of the sky.

In its latest photo, TESS captured stars and objects that includes systems that are home to exoplanets.

This swatch of the skys southern hemisphere includes more than a dozen stars we know have transiting planets based on previous studies from ground observatories, said George Ricker, TESS principal investigator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research in Cambridge.

There are parts of a dozen constellations in the TESS image, according to NASA, along with a globular cluster that includes hundreds of thousands of stars.

Its stunning first light image reveals a look at several celestial features, including the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and the incredibly bright stars Beta Gruis and R Doradus. TESS fired its cameras for 30 mins on August 7, capturing a detailed image of the southern sky

The $337 million satellite launched on April 18 atop a Falcon 9 rocket on its way toward what scientists have hailed a mission for the ages.

TESS is equipped with four cameras that will allow it to view 85 percent of the entire sky, as it searches exoplanets orbiting stars less than 300 light-years away.

It hasnt quite reached its final orbit yet, but is expected to get there within the next few weeks, thanks in part to a little boost from the moons gravity on May 17.

By studying objects much brighter than the Kepler targets, its hoped TESS could uncover new clues on the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.

In its first year of operation, it will map the 13 sectors that make up the southern sky.

Then, the following year, it will scour the northern sectors.

One of the biggest questions in exoplanet exploration is: If an astronomer finds a planet in a stars habitable zone, will it be interesting from a biologists point of view? said George Ricker, TESS principal investigator at MITs Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.

We expect TESS will discover a number of planets whose atmospheric compositions, which hold potential clues to the presence of life, could be precisely measured by future observers.If you ever plan to travel west in the US, take the highway thats the best, the so-called Mother Road that winds west from Chicago to the Pacific coastal city of Santa Monica. Thats a 2,500-mile journey crossing eight states and three time zones.

Given its scale  and expense  its not an odyssey you do on a whim. My excuse was our 30th wedding anniversary and a pent-up desire, with our three sons having flown the nest, to do more than two weeks poolside.

My knowledge of the road extended only as far as Bobby Troups hit song (You Get Your Kicks On) Route 66, and Cars, the Pixar movie, so Nicola and I put our holiday in the hands of Freedom America (No.1 for America holidays), choosing its self-drive Route 66 package of return fights, accommodation and hire car.

Mesmerising: Route 66 passes through the The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona

With detours, we then clocked up 3,000 miles, stayed in 12 motels and hotels (the distinction is important) and created memories which will stay with us for years.

As the song says, you get your kicks on Route 66 and we had kicks aplenty  only some of them were on the shins, too. Heres what we learned about the iconic route  and how you can avoid getting bruised on your drive of a lifetime.

History of the famous road

The roads origins date back to 1893 and the foundation of Americas National Good Roads Association. The plan for the route was set out in 1925 and it was named Route 66 the following year. It wasnt until 1937 that all the road was surfaced. After the war, the booming economy saw thousands of tourists take to Route 66 on two-week vacations. Growing demand for higher-quality roads meant that, by the mid 1970s, the new interstate highways had replaced large sections of the old road. In 1985, Route 66 ceased to be a federal highway.

Plan your itinerary

Vintage view: Old cars outside a store in the Route 66 town of Seligman (above)

Compare prices, itineraries and the tour companys knowledge of the original route. While operators happily talk about creating a travel itinerary, the reality is youre likely to be directed along the interstate highways to a series of predictable destinations. Ask them to create an itinerary based on the original route, with overnight stops at less familiar but more characterful points.

Pick a good guide book

Packed with stories, places to see and route guidance, Travel Route 66, by Jim Hinckley (Voyageur Press), was an invaluable crammer and an essential guide during it.

Expect the unexpected

Route 66 evolved over many decades, acquiring new sections as circumstances dictated. As a result there are a confusing number of so-called alignments that you can follow. Meanwhile, some sections of the road unexpectedly culminate in a No Entry sign. Fortunately, these tend to be short, so retracing your steps isnt too tiresome.

Nab a navigator

A map of the entire route, which crosses eight states and three time zones

YOUR ROUTE 66 PLAYLIST: TOP SONGS FOR THE TRIP Depeche Mode: Route 66 Definitive US road song with a twist of British eccentricity. Chuck Berry: No Particular Place To Go The king of the road track. The Beatles: Back In The USSR You could insert the Beach Boys here  or you could play Paul McCartneys parody of them instead. Paul Simon: Graceland Mid-1980s road song. The narrator is a divorced dad taking his nine-year-old son to Memphis. Still magical. Talking Heads: Road To Nowhere A phenomenal band at their most exuberant. The lyrics, written in 1985, are all too relevant today. David Bowie: Rebel Rebel Bowies greatest riff will make everyone feel included. Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton: My Shot Families in cars need showtunes. Bruce Springsteen: Cadillac Ranch Of all the Bosss car-related tunes, this is the most fun. Sound choice: Bruce Springsteen George Ezra: Shotgun Anthem so breezy that, even if youre in an M25 tailback, youll still feel the wind in your hair. Advertisement

Remember, touring Route 66 over 15 days with breaks in between means youre often driving more than 250 miles each day, and occasionally more than 300. We wanted to drive the original road so at the start of each day we identified where to join Route 66 on Google Maps on our phones. Then, to ensure we didnt stray too far off, wed input the address of our next hotel. Ignoring Googles instructions to rejoin the interstate highways (occasionally, it guided us along the old road until it could send us to the highway), Nicola would follow the old road on the map, calling out directions. And beware, not all states display Route 66 roadside markers.

Top-up to keep in touch

To extend our two Vodafone call plans (to 4GB monthly data allowance, and unlimited calls and texts) cost us a total of 12 a day. This allowed us to stay in touch with friends and family, and to run Google Maps without worrying about the cost. In the event, using Google Maps consumed just 100mb of data each day. By the end of the month during which we travelled, our typical 72 monthly phone bill for the two phones had hit 262.

Cash in with cheap gas

You can save money by hiring a smaller vehicle but, if you want to drink in the views, an SUV such as a Jeep Cherokee is the perfect choice. Fortunately, the price of fuel in the US (its cost varies from 2 per gallon  about 53p a litre  in the east to around 3.25 in the west) meant that although we averaged just 29mpg over 3,000 miles, the fuel bill came to just 225. The sting in the tail was the one-way surcharge Hertz imposes on cars collected at one location and returned to another.

For our Cherokee, Hertz demanded 760. Check if a similar charge is applied to the tour or rental deal youre considering. Some operators, such as Complete North America, dont impose it.

Meanwhile, our rental package came with extras essential for any Route 66 trip, including unlimited mileage, roadside assistance, loss damage waiver (additional cover that absolves you of financial responsibility for any loss or damage to the vehicle) and state taxes.

Hotel or motel?

After a days driving it is good to arrive at a hotel in the town centre where you can explore, stretch your legs and enjoy dinner.

Unfortunately, to keep the cost of the holiday down, travel companies are more likely to put you up in two-star, budget motels for the majority of your trip, reserving three-star hotels for two-night stays at the beginning and end of it.

Such was the case with Freedom America  and the experience wasnt entirely pleasurable.

For example, immediately on arrival at the Fairfield Inn  our intended home in a run-down, out-of-town district of Albuquerque for two nights  gun shots from a passing car rang out as it sped along the adjacent and very noisy interstate highway that backed on to the car park. Our room was dingy, dirty, and smelt of cigarettes. We fled and treated ourselves to two nights at the modest but infinitely superior DoubleTree in Downtown Albuquerque, at a cost of 175.

Two days before wed fled in similar fashion from the Days Inn outside Oklahoma City, swapping it for the smart AC Hotel in Bricktown, Oklahoma City (128) and the following day, from the Red Roof Inn at Amarillo, decamping to the Embassy-Suites hotel in Downtown Amarillo (138).

Fearing how bad our motel might be at the end of each day caused Nicola, in particular, much anxiety.

Rival company American Sky offers both standard (motels) and superior (hotels) rooms on its Route 66 tour. The upgrade to hotel accommodation adds only about 250 to the cost of the holiday. Its a price well worth paying.

Rev up your holiday: A Route 66 intersection sign in Adrian, Texas

OUR TOP MEMORIES The starting point on Adams Street, Chicago.

Breakfast at the Cozy Dog Drive-in, Springfield, Illinois.

Driving from Springfield, Missouri, to Joplin with its authentic, rural feel.

The ghost settlement of Glenrio, on the Texas/New Mexico state line.

Tracking down Breaking Bad locations in Albuquerque, and El Rancho hotel in Gallup, where the stars stayed when filming the series.

The Petrified Forest National Park, near Holbrook, Arizona.

Exploring Williams, a popular Route 66 town in Arizona.

Eating pancakes at the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Arizona.

The finish on Santa Monica pier. Advertisement

Alternatively, check out specialist Route 66 websites such as driving route66.com packed with recommended motels, including refurbished gems on the old road.

The best drive

Ash Fork to Kingman

There are times when youve no choice but to follow the interstate highways for brief stretches until Route 66 shrugs them off and goes its own way. Where it leaves the I-40 at exit 139 after Ash Fork in Arizona, home to Zettlers Store (serving routers since 1929), is one such moment.

Take it and youre rewarded with not only the longest, uninterrupted section of the old road but also its most memorable.

Smooth and quiet, a lot of the time it rolls straight and level through the vast, green-blue expanse around and above it.

You pass through the old Route 66 town of Seligman first where, if you can beat off the other pilgrims there, you can meet town barber Angel Delgadillo, co-founder, in 1980, of the Arizona Route 66 Association and dubbed the guardian angel of the route.

And then its onwards, the grass turning to desert rock, through Crozier Canyon to the Hualapai Valley, marked by the Hackberry General Store. Crouched against the hillside, its a Route 66 gift shop and experience in one.

If, like us, youre lucky to catch the blues busker strumming in the shade against a backdrop of rusting automobiles, youll swear even the shabbiest Days Inn motel was worth it for this one moment.

From there, its onwards to Kingman to see the magnificent, refurbished El Trovatore motel.Quebec City has a unique place in Canadian history, having been the capital under both French and British rule.

You may be surprised by how distinctively French the architecture and the food remains today, but language wont be a barrier as most people speak excellent English.

If you want to enjoy a slice of its culture, start your journey here...

Day 1 - morning

Majestic: Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac hotel overlooking St Lawrence River

The citys vibrant history is best seen in Old Quebec. This was the capital of New France in the 17th Century before it was captured by the British in 1760.

Historically, it was split into Upper Town and Lower Town  residents of Upper Town had glorious views of the St Lawrence River, while those in Lower Town contended with the reclaimed land that sprawled from the city walls.

A cycle tour of Lower Town is the best way to get a sense of how the city has grown over the centuries. Cyclo Services (cycloservices.net) offer a 2-hour tour. If you prefer to see the area on foot, the most interesting spots are around the Breakneck Steps  the citys oldest stairway. Le Lapin Saute (www.lapinsaute.com) is recommended for lunch.

Afternoon

Take the funicular to Upper Town and youll find yourself at Monument Samuel De Champlain, which offers glorious views of St Lawrence River. Behind you is the majestic hotel Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac but dont stop for too long  youll want to visit the Notre-Dame de Quebec and prison-turned-library Morrin Centre before they close.

Book a table at Bistro Le Sam (bistrolesam.com/en/) and watch the sun go down over supper.

Day 2 - morning

Breathtaking: Montmorency Falls (above) is 99ft higher than Niagara Falls

Hire a car or take a bus to visit nearby Montmorency Falls. It is 99ft higher than Niagara Falls, but you cant get nearly as close to the plunging water unless you take the zipline across.

Theres also a cable car that will carry you up and a bridge that runs parallel to the falls.

Afternoon

For lunch, cross over to Ile de Orleans, an island in the middle of the St Lawrence River. The ever-popular Cassis Monna & Filles (cassismonna.com/en/) offers an array of blackcurrant wines and liqueurs to enjoy with a hearty lunch. Ile de Orleans is well known for its apple products and chocolate and nougat makers.

For dinner, back in Quebec City, take your pick along the bustling Grande Allee E. Popular chain Chez Ashton (chezashton.ca/) has a branch here or try Auberge Louis-Herbert (louishebert.com).Advertisement

The first assembled 777X jetliner has rolled off the Boeing production line at the manufacturer's Everett factory in Washington state.

Pictures show a 'static' 777X in a hangar at the gigantic factory.

This means that this particular 777X isn't destined for the skies but will be used for a year-long series of tests in a nearby building.

Scroll down for video

The first assembled Boeing 777X jetliner has rolled off the production line at the manufacturer's Everett factory in Washington state

Boeing claims that the 777X will be the largest and most efficient twin engine jet in the world, with 12 per cent lower fuel consumption and 10 per cent lower operating costs than the competition.

Its features include folding wing-tips  the 235ft wings are the biggest Boeing has ever made, over 30ft longer than the current model's wingspan  bigger windows and overhead bins compared to the current 777 and 'advanced LED lighting'.

There will be two versions of the 777X - the 777-8 and 777-9, costing $360.5million and $388.7million respectively.

The 777-8 will be able to seat between 350 and 375 passengers and the 777-9 between 400 and 425, depending on the buyer's layout requirements. In comparison the current family of 777s offer capacities of between 300 and 370.

There is also an improvement with range. The 777X can fly for 16,110km (10,010miles), compared to the 777's maximum range of 15,800km (9,817miles).

'After years of hard work it is exciting to see the static airplane come together,' said Danielle Hovington, the Structures Engineering lead who worked on the static airplane. 'This is just the beginning  with testing expected to start in the next few months, the rewarding part of the job is yet to come.'

Although 777X testing has been underway since 2015 in lab environments, wind tunnels and simulations, a full-scale airplane is needed to verify the design strength and the accuracy of the analytical model used during design.

'Static test is our opportunity to verify the design of the structure and load bearing components of the airplane, ensuring the final product is safe for our customers and the flying public,' said Doreen Bingo, Boeing Test & Evaluation 777X Test Program manager. 'Using a full-scale airplane, we'll run various load conditions on the wings, gears, the struts and the fuselage.'

Boeing claims that the 777X will be the largest and most efficient twin engine jet in the world, with 12 per cent lower fuel consumption and 10 per cent lower operating costs than the competition

This is an image of the current standard 777, which has become one of the world's most commercially successful airliners

During previous static testing, wings have been tested at 150 per cent of the designated load, resulting in a wing flexing more than 26 feet.

Testing is scheduled to begin in late 2018 and will run for one year. Flight test airplanes are in production now, with the flight test program to begin in 2019. Deliveries to customers are expected to begin in 2020.

The carriers that have placed orders are All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines.

Boeing told MailOnline Travel: 'The 777X builds on the passenger-preferred and market-leading 777.

'The 777X will include new engines, an all-new composite wing and will leverage technologies from the 787 Dreamliner.

'The 777X family includes the 777-8 and the 777-9  both designed to respond to market needs and customer preferences.

'The 777-8 competes directly with the A350-1000, while the 777-9 is in a class by itself.'The small town of Dildo in Canada unsurprisingly attracts tourists who want to take selfies next to the road sign.

But locals are urging visitors to stay and explore, insisting that theres a lot more to the place than a quirky name.

Those that do explore, say residents, end up loving the place.

The small town of Dildo in Canada unsurprisingly attracts tourists who want to take selfies next to the road sign

The Daily Beast website dispatched a reporter to the settlement, which is home to 1,500 people, and she found herself in a charming seaside spot.

Roger George, one of the five partners behind the Newfoundland towns craft beer company, told her: People may come to Dildo for the name, but when they come they discover its much more than this quirky name.

'Its a beautiful place of hardworking people.'

And Paula McEntegart, who runs the Music and Friends Cafe and Dildo Boat Tours and Adventures, told her that she wants the place to be known as somewhere to throw your worries away and come and just relax.

The question on every visitors lips, of course, is why the town is so named.

Its believed that it originates from the 18th-century name of the wooden peg used to lock oars in position on a traditional boat used by Newfoundland cod fishermen.

There had been a campaign in the 1980s to change the name of the town but residents were keen for it to remain as Dildo and the petition failed.

Now locals even capitalise on the name to encourage tourists to visit, with a festival called Dildo Days, led by mascot Captain Dildo, held every year.

There had been a campaign in the 1980s to change the name of the town, pictured, but residents were keen for it to remain as Dildo and the petition failed

Other attractions include strolling along next to picturesque homes and whale, seabird and iceberg-spotting trips  plus sampling tasty food at the Dildo Dory Grill.

The Daily Beast highly recommends the Dildo Sticky Pudding.

After visiting Dildo, tourists might like to check out some of Canadas other unusually named towns  Come By Chance (an hours drive from Dildo) and Spread Eagle Island.Adara, the data solution for travel brands, has hired former Amnet Global COO and Mediacom Global Client Consulting Partner, Curtis Nishijima to the newly-created role of managing director, EMEA.



Nishijima will be responsible for setting the vision, market development, and operational requirements across Adara EMEA, with business conducted across UK and Ireland, France-Benelux, Dach, Nordics, Southern Europe, and the Middle East.



Throughout the region, he will be leading the strategic direction across Adara's media, data co-op, insights and measurement solutions for top tourism organisations, premier travel brands and other categories complementary to the travel vertical. The new role will give Adara's EMEA offices greater autonomy to set their own strategic direction to drive accelerated growth in this rapidly transforming region.



Nishijima will work alongside Brandon Meyers, chief revenue officer based in Adara's Palo Alto Headquarters, who will continue to lead day-to-day sales for the global division, which specialises in data-driven, customer first business solutions.



Built on the world's richest travel data co-op, Adara offers people-based insights and media solutions for travel companies, agency holding groups and client direct partners. Clients get a value-based understanding of their relationship with their customers, with travel patterns, trends and behaviour from more than 750 million monthly unique traveller profiles across more than 200 of the world's top travel brands.



Layton Han, CEO of Adara, said: "We're thrilled that Curtis has joined our executive team. This is a critical moment in our ongoing growth and Curtis' role is a validation of the importance of ADARA's global growth strategy. His leadership will take us to the next level as we scale the business across the region."



Nishijima brings a unique perspective, having been a veteran on both the media owner and agency side. His global talent around delivering business outcomes for major clients like Burberry, Mondelez, Visit Britain, GSK, Sky and Bose will be hugely valuable when combined with the power of Adara's travel data co-op.



Nishijima added: "I'm very excited to be joining Adara, which I've admired as a skilled digital operator and practitioner over the years. Adara's team is hugely passionate about delivering great solutions and with products which are admired across many categories, both endemic and non-endemic to the travel industry. I see a massive potential across all of Adara's solutions and it's a privilege to be a part of that ongoing growth story. I'm looking forward to being an active contributor to the leadership team as we continue to build on our successes."



In addition to Nishijima's appointment, Adara has also appointed Jonathan Hardy as managing director of APAC. Hardy joined Adara in 2014, having previously worked as sales strategy lead for Microsoft in the region. - TradeArabia News ServiceThis is the shocking moment an airline passenger discovered a cockroach in her seat-back pocket - just moments after being served an in-flight meal.

The large dark red insect was filmed on board a Thai Airways Boeing 777 flying from Hokkaido, Japan, to Bangkok, last month.

The shocked passenger noticed the creepy-crawlie as it walked across the flight safety instructions then disappeared back inside its unlikely home in economy class.

Scroll down for video

The large dark red insect was spotted walking over the safety card in one of the seat pockets. It was filmed on board a flight from Japan to Thailand

The flyer who recorded the insect, who is only known as 'Jane', said that it was only a short leap from her meal during the flight.

She explained: 'A cockroach snuck inside the plane in Bangkok and flew to Hokkaido for free.'

It is believed the bug entered the plane in Thailand, where cockroaches are common.

It was then onboard for the flight to Japan, which has a temperature too cold for the insects, but then flew back again.

It's not known how long the cockroach had been inside the plane but Thai Airways apologised for the incident and claimed the bug had become 'resistant' to insect spray.

It is believed the bug entered the plane in Thailand, where cockroaches are common. It was spotted just after passengers had been served their in-flight meal (right)

Thai Airways director Chalermphol Kaewchinporn has now instructed cleaners to stick their hands into the pockets to check for insects.

He said: 'I assume the cockroach has become resistant to the spray but we've ordered a new pesticide.

'All the planes will be sprayed and cleaners will pay more attention to details and ensure that no scraps of food are left on the plane.'

A statement from the company said the aircraft had since undergone a 'deep clean' in line with its scheduled maintenance.Chris Evans announced earlier this month that he would be leaving the Radio 2 Breakfast Show to rejoin rival station Virgin.

And Zoe Ball has been tipped as his successor, with The Sun reporting on Sunday that she is in 'advanced negotiations' to take over the role.

The publication revealed that the presenter, 47, is expected to sign a contract within a fortnight, which she has seemingly won the role over Sara Cox.

New role: Zoe Ball 'set to take over from Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show as she is chosen for role over Sara Cox' it was reported on Sunday

Zoe currently hosts BBC Radio 2's Saturday afternoon slot, and the move would see her receive a significant pay rise.

But the presenter is said to be figuring out how she will do the job whilst also taking care of her children, who she lives with in Brighton.

Sara had been given Chris' seal of approval, and had been open to the idea of moving from her 10pm slot to his, but it seems she is now the back-up option.

But Zoe seems to have been chosen for her popularity as the host for Strictly Come Dancing's after show It Takes Two.

His replacement: The Sun revealed on Sunday that she is in 'advanced negotiations' to take over the role, and currently hosts BBC Radio 2's Saturday afternoon slot

Second place: Sara (left) had been given Chris' seal of approval, and had been open to the idea of moving from her 10pm slot to his, but it seems she is now the back-up to Zoe

Evans, who is expecting twins in the autumn with his wife, told stunned listeners that he was off to 'start a brand new adventure.'

Just an hour and a half after the shock announcement, it emerged that he will be rejoining Virgin Radio to host the breakfast show.

It is not clear how much money his new contract with Virgin will be worth, but experts predict he could see his salary boosted to somewhere near the 2million mark.

Evans' 1.6million BBC pay packet makes him the second highest earner at the corporation after Gary Lineker.

Pastures new: Evans, who is expecting twins in the autumn with his wife, told stunned listeners that he was off to 'start a brand new adventure' earlier this month

But his salary this year was down on the 2.2million he was paid in the year to April 2017, because he had hosted the newly revamped Top Gear before quitting after one series because of plunging ratings.

Despite the fact that Evans is quitting to join a rival, a Radio 2 insider insisted that he was going with the station's blessing, and they were aware of his plans before the announcement was made.

The insider revealed: 'His decision to go to Virgin is not something we have just heard about. We were aware of it. It is very amicable.

'We support Chris 100%. As Chris stated, he wants to seek new challenges after 13 years at the BBC, and we wish him well.'

Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson said in a tweet that he was 'very excited' he would be returning to Virgin Radio, having previously hosted its breakfast show from 1997 to 2001.Married At First Sight's sixth season only began filming a month ago, and already two brides have quit the show at the last minute.

And Woman's Day reported on Monday that the 'runaway brides' have caused plenty of stress among the show's production team, forcing them to consider bringing back contestants from previous seasons.

'John's return last season was a surprise twist for viewers, and producers didn't want to bring back a past bride or groom,' the source claimed.

Scroll down for video

'They are considering bringing back past contestants': Married At First Sight season six has 'plunged into chaos as producers scramble to find stars after TWO brides pulled out of the show'. Pictured (left to right): The MAFS experts, Mel Schilling, Trisha Stratford and John Aiken

'Although, it's now something they're really considering in the wake of unreliable brides.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment.

One of the women who turned down an opportunity to appear on the show is Michael Turnbull's on-again-off-again girlfriend, Tash Candyce.

The Melbourne real estate agent, whose real name is Natasha Zuanetti, confessed she traded in her shot at fame for a relationship with the former Bachelorette star.

Runaway bride! One of the women who turned down an opportunity to appear on the show is Michael Turnbull's on-again-off-again girlfriend, Tash Candyce (pictured)

'The producers flew me up to Sydney to meet with them... They were going to shoot my backstory this weekend, so Michael had to made a decision fairly quickly!' the 27-year-old told Who magazine last week.

Michael, 37, added: 'I certainly wouldn't deny Natasha an opportunity like MAFS if I wasn't 100 per cent serious. And that was one of the things I had to figure out as well.

'I just needed to make sure that we were serious and that's why we've made the decision to be a couple and that's something I'm really happy about.'

Love over fame! The real estate agent, whose real name is Natasha Zuanetti, confessed she traded in her shot at reality TV fame for a relationship with the former Bachelorette star (right)

Michael and Tash were first romantically linked in May, but split after a short-lived romance.

The Bachelor In Paradise star told Woman's Day earlier this year: 'I am 100 per cent single. Me and Tash did spend some time together after the show.

'We were sort of seeing each other, but we're not any more. It didn't work out. We still talk as friends  it didn't end badly.'

This friendship eventually led to the pair reconciling - and Tash turning down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to appear on Married At First Sight.She balances life as a single mother to five-year-old Trixie with hosting a popular breakfast radio show in Melbourne.

And Fifi Box now has another bundle of joy in her life, after her ex-partner Grant Kenny welcomed his first grandchild.

Touching photos surfaced last week of the 41-year-old meeting little Flynn, the baby son of Grant's daughter Morgan Kenny and her husband Ryan Gruell.

Scroll down for video

Her family is complete! Fifi Box now has another bundle of joy in her life, after her ex-partner Grant Kenny welcomed his first grandchild. Pictured: Fifi bonding with baby Flynn, six months, in an Instagram snap posted last week

Fifi gazed affectionately at Flynn while cuddling him in a photo Morgan shared to Instagram on Wednesday.

'Thanks for cuddles @fifi_box. I had so much fun with you and Trixie and Lizzie, Love Flynn,' Morgan captioned the snap.

In another photo, Flynn was pictured bonding with Fifi and Grant's five-year-old daughter, Beatrix 'Trixie' Belle Box.

Resting in Fifi's lap, the two youngsters posed together in the living room as the blended family enjoyed some bonding time.

Smitten: Touching photos surfaced last week of the 41-year-old meeting little Flynn (centre), the baby son of Grant's daughter Morgan Kenny and her husband Ryan Gruell. Meanwhile, Fifi and Grant's own daughter Trixie (right) also looked delighted to spend time with the infant

Family portrait! Flynn was pictured bonding with Fifi and Grant's five-year-old daughter, Trixie. While they are not siblings, it is likely they will be raised like brother and sister because they are so close in age

While they are not siblings, it is likely Trixie and Flynn will be raised like brother and sister because they are so close in age.

Grant's eldest daughter Morgan welcomed Flynn with husband Ryan Gruell in March.

Fifi and Grant, 55, split in 2012 after a brief romance. A few months later, the radio star gave birth to Trixie.

She did not publicly confirm that Grant was Trixie's father until the child was three years old.

Proud mum: The family snaps were posted to Instagram by Grant's daughter Morgan (pictured)

Fifi and Grant have remained close despite going their separate ways, with Grant regularly visiting his daughter in Melbourne.

Grant was previously married to former competitive swimmer Lisa Curry, with whom he shares three children, Morgan, Jaimi Lee and Jett.

Grant and Lisa married in 1986 and split in 2009, after 23 years together.

It's complicated! Fifi and Grant split in 2012 after a brief romance. A few months later, the radio star gave birth to Trixie (left). She did not publicly confirm that Grant was Trixie's father until the child was three years oldShe has been considered one of the most respected dramatic actors in the world.

But on Sunday, Cate Blanchett, 49, showed she can also let loose and reveal her sassy side when she attended the Los Angeles premiere of The House With A Clock In Its Walls at the TLC Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

The two-time Oscar-winner looked like the life of the party when she hit the red carpet dressed in a stylish black and white checkered suit by Derek Lam.

Glowing: Cate Blanchett, 49, was all smiles when she hit the red carpet for the Hollywood premiere of The House with a Clock in Its Walls at the TLC Chinese Theatre on Sunday

The Blue Jasmine star couldn't hold back that big beaming smile as she strutted like a true movie star on the red carpet.

Her two-piece suit combined a modern feel with a splash of 1970's retro chic with it's flared bell-bottoms that came down to her ankles.

The jacket also oozed 70's style with it's large lapels, yet still kept it's modern vibe.

The Aussie beauty paired the number with open-toed black-strapped heels, and she wore her shoulder-length blond tresses long, with Old Hollywood waves, and a part in the middle.

Sassy: The actress showed her fun and sassy side as she struck some poses on the red carpet

Modern mix: The two-piece Derek Lam suit was a mix of modern and 1970's retro

Back to the future: The number bit off 1970's chic with it's bell-bottoms and wide lapels

Also on hand for all the fun, glitz and glamour: co-stars Jack Black, Kyle MacLachlan, Owen Vaccaro, Lorenza Izzo, Christian Calloway, Renee Elise Goldberry, Colleen Camp, Vanessa Anne Williams and director Eli Roth.

Each star took their turn in the spotlight on the red carpet at the famed Grauman's Theatre.

But being his normal over-the-top self, Black couldn't resist stealing some of the thunder when he hammed it up with the cast and struck a number of distinct and fun poses for fans and photographers.

Movie star: Blanchett plays the role of Florence Zimmerman, a witch who is Jonathan's (Black) neighbor and best friend

The man and his leading lady: The actress posed with the fantasy film's director and Eli Roth

The leading man: Jack Black plays Uncle Jonathan in the fantasy film

Working it: Black stole some of the red carpet thunder with his fun antics

Who's the kid? Black struck a pose with his on-screen nephew Owen Vaccaro

Dapper: Kyle MacLachlan, who plays a sorcerer, rocked a classic two-piece suit

The fantasy film, directed by Eli Roth, is based on the 1973 novel of the same name by John Bellairs.

It tells the story of a 10-year-old orphan named Lewis, played by Owen Vaccaro, who aids his magical Uncle Jonathan (Black) in locating a clock with the power to bring about the end of the world.

The movie is chock full of supernatural curiosities such as hidden monsters, magic windows and rising spirits.

Blanchett plays the role of Florence Zimmerman, a witch who is Jonathan's neighbor and best friend.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls hits theaters in UK and US on September 21.

Making a statement: Co-star Renee Elise Goldsberry stunned in a black mesh gown

Wow factor: Lorenza Izzo showed off her lean physique in a form-fitting velvet number with a plunging neckline

Stylish: Christian Calloway rocked a classic black suit and white dress shirt for the premiere

Owning it: Vanessa Anne Williams looked super-cute in a retro-style black gown

Showing her range: Veteran actress Colleen Camp, who plays the nosy neighbor in the film, showcased her accessories for her red carpet momentBodyguard had reached the penultimate episode of its already pulsating story  making the occasion by, incredibly, stepping up the pace.

Not in terms of dramatic deaths or explosive action admittedly.

In fact the entire sixty minutes passed without a single sniper attack, assassination attempt, suicide mission, or bomb of any kind (for once).

Gripping: Bodyguard had reached the penultimate episode of its already pulsating story  making the occasion by, incredibly, stepping up the pace

Instead it left us reeling after a dizzying bombardment from a more subtle lethal weapon: information.

Obviously we didnt learn who had murdered Julia Montague (the Home Secretary), and why. Or completely clarify whether DS David Budd (her Personal Protection Officer and lover) played any part in the killing/conspiracy.

But otherwise, our understanding of what had (and hadnt) happened raced ahead.

Uncertainty: Obviously we didnt learn who had murdered Julia Montague (the Home Secretary), and why. Or completely clarify whether DS David Budd (her Personal Protection Officer and lover) played any part in the killing/conspiracy

Jed Mercurios trademark ambiguity, duplicity, and doubt began to ebb away, replaced by more straightforward facts than wed had in the previous four episodes combined.

Here are just 18 significant developments we learnt about in Week Five.

1.Julia Montagues funeral had taken place, according to the TV news anyway. But as neither David Budd nor (strangely) the audience actually witnessed it, the conspiracy theory that she isnt really dead continues.

Ambiguity: Julia Montagues funeral had taken place, according to the TV news anyway. But as neither David Budd nor (strangely) the audience actually witnessed it, the conspiracy theory that she isnt really dead continues

2. Either way Mike Travis, Rob Macdonald, and Tahir Mahmood appeared to have been cleared of being involved in her murder. Not intentionally anyway.

3. CCTV pictures showed the bomb had not been in Tahir Mahmoods briefcase after all but planted under the stage. Tahir had triggered the explosion though  but only inadvertently.

4. He had been duped by Montagues political advisor Rob Macdonald and government colleague Mike Travis into walking on to interrupt Montagues speech  to sabotage her bid to oust the Prime Minister not to assassinate her. It was all for the sake of party unity! Macdonald explained to S0-15. And as payback because Montague had rejected his advances...

Not guilty: Either way Mike Travis, Rob Macdonald, and Tahir Mahmood (pictured) appeared to have been cleared of being involved in her murder. Not intentionally anyway

5. Roger Penhaligon was also looking less culpable. The governments Chief Whip (and Montagues ex-husband) had visited her in hospital after the bombing  not out of concern but to search her handbag and briefcase for the tablet MI5 had given her. His motive seemed to be political rather than anything more heinous.

6. David Budd confirmed that the subject of the tablets secret dossier  a man addicted to cocaine, guilty of financial misconduct, and accused of serious sexual assault  was the Prime Minister.

7. The USB stick in David Budds flat had not been planted to frame him but hidden by the bodyguard because it contained his recordings of Julia Montagues clandestine meetings with MI5 boss Stephen Hunter-Dunn and his sinister sidekick Richard Longcross.

Curious: Roger Penhaligon was also looking less culpable. The governments Chief Whip (and Montagues ex-husband) had visited her in hospital after the bombing - not out of concern but to search her handbag and briefcase for the tablet MI5 had given her

8. Longcross was also desperately looking for the tablet, not only tracking Budds movements (in the belief that he had it) but spying on his wife Vicky and even questioning her about it at work.

9. Nadia changed her testimony, admitting to SO-15 that the man who had provided her husband with explosives was not Asian, as she had previously stated, but white. In fact, she confirmed from his photo that it was Richard Longcross!

10. Longcross turned the tables on Budd though when Budds boss told him she had received an extremely serious allegation of unprofessional intimacy between him and Julia Montague.

Controversy: David Budd confirmed that the subject of the tablets secret dossier  a man addicted to cocaine, guilty of financial misconduct, and accused of serious sexual assault  was the Prime Minister

Theres a recording! Chief Supt. Craddock informed Budd, which quickly put an end to his protestations of innocence.

The security service must have bugged the room! Budd pointed out. Whod have thought it eh?

11. Budds pursuit of Longcross was dealt a further setback when he was ordered to hand over his gun, his warrant card, and put on indefinite leave  because of his dalliance with Julia and refusal to have counselling.

12. This was after a police officer had finally noticed Budd had gunshot burns on his head - the result of trying to commit suicide by (unwittingly) firing a blank bullet into his temple. Hes got this head wound and everyones letting him walk around like nothing happened! PC Tom Fenton moaned. Quite.

On the hunt: Longcross was also desperately looking for the tablet, not only tracking Budds movements (in the belief that he had it) but spying on his wife Vicky and even questioning her about it at work

13. Louise Rayburn had also deduced that Budd was not compos mentis  somewhat belatedly considering she was a detective. Nonetheless she still allowed him to take the task of investigating Andy Apstead, who had finally been identified as the sniper who tried to assassinate Julia Montague. Less impressively, SO-15 had yet to recognise the obvious link between Apstead and Budd (that they had served in Afghanistan together).

14. Rayburn revealed that Apsteads pressure group for dissolute ex-soldiers had not been on the official watch list  suggesting the security service had kept it off and that he could have been recruited by them (to eliminate the Home Secretary). A disaffected loner with explosives experience? Talk about the perfect candidate! Budd observed, neglecting to tell Rayburn that he knew him.

15. Budd never got the chance to cover up the connection though  when he was suspended.

Furious he stormed over to Julia Montagues home, broke in (or rather strolled in), and removed the MI5 tablet from the framed photograph of herself and David Cameron that Montague had hidden it in.

Surprise: Nadia changed her testimony, admitting to SO-15 that the man who had provided her husband with explosives was not Asian, as she had previously stated, but white. In fact, she confirmed from his photo that it was Richard Longcross!

16. Earlier we had see Budd was also being followed by the menacing (but handsome) man in the Range Rover whod collected Chanel Dyson after the hapless aide had been fired for spilling coffee on Julia Montague.

17. After an absence of three episodes Chanel returned, feigning to have chanced across Budd in a cafe and getting his mobile number before again departing in the mysterious Range Rover. It appeared Chanel was (amazingly) not her real name when the cafe owner called her Sam  unless Sam was the alias Chanel was using that is.

18. The man in the Range Rover, DS Rayburn told Budd (who had snapped him driving away from the cafe) was Luke Aitkens, a leading figure in organised criminal enterprises.

Surveillance on phone and email activity by the security services would be a big threat to organised crime, Budd realised, referring to the legislation Julia Montague wanted to introduce. Instead everyone focussed on the counter-terrorism aspect, he added, pointed out that they (and we) had spent the whole series suspecting the wrong people.

And whose fault was that eh? Jed Mercurios.She admitted to 'falling out of love' with Lachlan Gillespie long before announcing their marriage split last month.

And during an interview with ABC's Australian Story set to air on Monday night, The Wiggles' Emma Watkins insisted she is still on good terms with her estranged husband.

'A lot of people have said to us that they just can't see how it can be so amicable. But truly, Lachy and I, we just get each other,' said the 28-year-old children's entertainer.

Scroll down for video

'People don't understand how it can be so amicable': The Wiggles' Emma Watkins has insisted she is still on good terms with estranged husband Lachlan Gillespie after admitting she 'fell out of love' during their two-year marriage. Pictured in an Instagram photo shared after their split

Emma told ABC journalist Greg Hassall that, despite the marriage breakdown, the former couple remain supportive of one another.

'Just because we're not romantically together anymore doesn't mean we're not together for the rest of our lives. I feel really lucky to have him supporting me through the whole thing, which sounds bizarre, but this is our life and we are so connected,' she said.

She added that keeping busy throughout the break-up has proved a blessing.

Earlier this month, Emma told The Daily Telegraph that she 'fell out of love' with her husband-of-two-years before they decided to call it quits.

The redhead also confirmed that she was the one who initiated the separation.

'We are not really cranky at each other, we just realised that our situation had changed... probably more from me, than from him,' she said.

Candid: 'A lot of people have said to us that they just can't see how it can be so amicable. But truly, Lachy and I, we just get each other,' the 28-year-old told ABC's Australian Story. Pictured: Emma at the Women of the Future Awards in Sydney on September 5

Emma and Lachlan, 32, announced their shock split on August 3.

They actually broke up earlier this year, with Lachlan moving out of the pair's marital home in Sydney when they commenced a 'trial separation' in February.

Meanwhile, Emma recently said she has no intention of dating again anytime soon.

She told The Daily Telegraph earlier this month: 'I am too busy and too tired to date. We just have our eyes on the tour ahead.'

Australian Story's The Show Must Go On airs Monday at 8pm on the ABCVanessa Hudgens and boyfriend Austin Butler were spotted grabbing coffee in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The 29-year-old actress, best known for her role in Disney's High School Musical, donned a cotton dress and straw hat for the mid-morning outing.

Meanwhile, Butler, 27, was casually clad in blue slacks and a white t-shirt.

Weekend fun: Vanessa Hudgens and boyfriend Austin Butler were spotted grabbing coffee in Los Angeles on Sunday

Hudgens paired her white dress by Daily Sleeper with platform sandals and a straw handbag.

After swinging by Whole Foods for groceries, the couple went home to play chess, according to Instagram.

Vanessa and Austin have been dating since 2011.

Effortlessly chic: The 29-year-old actress, best known for her role in Disney's High School Musical, donned a cotton dress and straw hat for the mid-morning outing

Out and about: Butler, 27, was casually clad in blue slacks and a white t-shirt

In an interview with Access, Hudgens revealed the secret to her seven-year relationship.

'I think communication is key,' she said. 'It's so easy to let things get lost in the shuffle or to push things down. If anything remotely bothers you, you have to talk about it.'

The two actors, who normally deal with long distance, plan on working together 'when the right script comes along.'

Lovebirds: Vanessa and Austin have been dating since 2011

In an interview with Access , Hudgens revealed the secret to her seven-year relationship. 'I think communication is key,' she said. 'It's so easy to let things get lost in the shuffle or to push things down. If anything remotely bothers you, you have to talk about it'

'We love working together,' she told ET. 'We'll do acting classes and intensives where we do scenes together and it's so much fun. I love working with him.'

She went on to gush about The Shannara Chronicles star.

'I feel so special to have him in my life and so lucky to have him by my side. And he feels the same way. He's such a beautiful human being on the inside and especially out.'It recently came to light that his full surname is Caminetti, not Scott Cam like many of his fans thought.

And now the lovable Block host has revealed the heartbreaking reason why his last name was shortened.

Speaking to Beau Ryan and Kyle Sandilands during KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie 'O' Show on Monday, the 55-year-old said his family changed their surname during the war in fear of being discriminated against because of their Italian heritage.

The truth behind Scott Cam's real name: The Block host has revealed the real reason why he shortened his surname Caminetti

'My father's side was Italian, they came here in 1882. They've been here for five to six generations and the name was changed during the war, because we're fisherman,' the carpenter-turned-TV presenter explained.

'Cause the Italians were you know, the enemy during the war so they changed the name of the business to "Cam and Sons" from "Caminetti and Sons."'

'I didn't change it, it was changed before I was born,' he added.

Sad: Speaking to Beau Ryan and Kyle Sandilands during KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie 'O' Show on Monday, the 55-year-old said his family changed their surname during the war in fear of being discriminated against because of their Italian heritage

Scott lightened up the mood later in the interview by asking Beau and Kyle whether he sounded Italian - to which the radio duo responded in laughter due to his strong Australian accent.

The larrikin tradie has been using a shortened version of his full moniker since his career began in 1999 on Backyard Blitz.

The show ran for seven years, before it was cancelled in 2006.

'Cause the Italians were you know, the enemy during the war so they changed the name of the business to 'Cam and Sons' from 'Caminetti and Sons,' Scott exclaimed. Pictured with wife Ann (left)

Scott went on to do more presenting on similar home DIY shows such as Our Place, Domestic Blitz and Renovation Rescue - all produced by Channel Nine.

In 2010, he signed on to host The Block- which has earned him a several Logie award nominations, as well as two wins, including Most Popular Presenter and the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television both in 2014.

Aside from a successful TV career, Scott is also a doting husband to his wife Ann, who has supported him throughout his career.

The couple share three children, son Charlie, 22, and twins Bill and Sarah, 19.He's one of the most sought after international models in the fashion industry.

But Jordan Barrett took some much-needed vacation time over the weekend after his busy New York Fashion Week schedule.

The 22-year-old hunk was seen taking a dip at a beach in Miami on Sunday.

Sun's out, guns out! International 'it' model Jordan Barrett showed off his tanned torso at the beach on Sunday during a trip to party town Miami

The sandy blonde went shirtless, flaunting his impeccably sculpted physique while walking up the sand.

He showcased his bronzed glow in pair of white boardshorts and his deep hue was further accentuated by a gold chain necklace.

Jordan was seen walking up from the beach barefoot, carrying a white towel, his red slides and a matching red bowl hat.

The sandy blonde went shirtless, flaunting his impeccably sculpted physique while walking up the sand.

What a bod! The sandy blonde went shirtless, flaunting his impeccably sculpted physique while walking up the sand

Bronzed ambition: He showcased his bronzed glow in pair of white boardshorts and his deep hue was further accentuated by a gold chain necklace

Bare foot and fancy free: Jordan was seen walking up from the beach barefoot, carrying a white towel, his red slides and a matching red bowl hat

Shortly after changing out of his boardshorts, he was seen leaving the beach on a yellow moped scooter with a friend.

The sun-drenched holiday comes after the model got candid in an interview, saying modelling is far from a man's world.

Speaking to The Courier-Mail last week, Jordan said: 'It is kind of one of the only industries where women are paid more than men.'

In-demand! Jordan is one of the most sought after international models in the fashion industry

Busy boy: The handsome Aussie was spotted attending numerous events at New York Fashion Week last week

Bling: The young star was seen sporting several gold necklaces and bracelets

The fashion 'bad boy' went on to say he believed the pay disparity was 'a good thing and fair'.

Jordan - who hails from Byron Bay on the NSW North Coast - explained his stance: 'Sales in men's and women's products is completely different, it is so obvious and fair that women make more money in modelling.'

'It is basically a women's industry. More women buy make-up, hair products and clothing than men, it is just simply that. Guys aren't generally out there buying tonnes of hair products. Girls buy more clothes than guys.'

Off he goes! Shortly after changing out of his boardshorts, he was seen leaving the beach on a yellow moped scooter with a friend

Gisele Bundchen is the highest paid Victorias Secret model of all time, earning an estimated $44 million in 2015 alone.

According to Forbes, Kendall Jenner earned $17 million in 2016, and is the third-highest paid model in the world.The Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), as part of the Cruise Arabia delegation, is heading to Lisbon, Portugal, this week to participate in SeaTrade Cruise Med, a high-level event set to take place from the September 1920, a report said.



Abu Dhabis participation in this international event is just one in a series of initiatives aimed at further promoting the cruise tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf and positioning Abu Dhabi as the leading cruise destination in the lead-up to the 2018/19 cruise season, said a report in Wam.



Cruise Arabia is an umbrella organisation comprising DCT Abu Dhabi and the tourism authorities of Sharjah and Dubai, Abu Dhabi Ports and Etihad Airways, tasked with promoting cruise tourism in the region.



Bringing together buyers and suppliers for a two-day conference, SeaTrade Cruise Med will welcome more than 26,000 registered attendees, over 160 exhibiting companies from 60 countries and more than 30 cruise line brands, in what has become the cruise industrys epicentre of ideas, products, and services. The Abu Dhabi delegation will include Abu Dhabi Ports and Etihad Airways.



"Through this event, we aim to connect with our key holiday and cruise agents across Europe to establish Abu Dhabi as the stopover destination of choice within their cruise programmes. We look forward to meeting with cruise line operators and educate them about Abu Dhabis offerings which will hopefully increase our number of cruise visitors," the report cited Saeed Abdulla Al Dhaheri, Special Interests tourism manager, at DCT Abu Dhabi, as saying.



Abu Dhabi is working towards becoming the leading cruise destination in the Middle East with over 329,000 cruise tourists visiting the city during the 2017 season. As such, the capital is at the forefront of the Arabian Gulfs ambitions to become the leading international cruise destination. By participating in important events and networking forums, Abu Dhabi aims to attract an increasing number of vessels and passengers by raising awareness of its unmatched product offerings and attractions.



Mario Alovisi, vice president Revenue Management, Itinerary and Transportation at Costa Cruises, said: "Costa Cruises was the first cruise company in the world, together with our sister brand Aida Cruises, to start regular cruises in the Arabian Gulf back in 2006. Since then, Abu Dhabi has always been one of the main destinations for our cruises in the area, both as a transit port and as a home port. During the next winter season Costa Mediterranea will be in Abu Dhabi every Thursday for a two-day overnight call, while in winter 2019/20 we will deploy to Abu Dhabi our flagship Costa Diadema".



Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, cruise terminal manager at Abu Dhabi Ports, said: "Along with our partners, Abu Dhabi Ports has heavily invested in dedicated facilities such as Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal and Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach by offering seamless operations for our passengers.



"Cruise tourism is a core pillar within Abu Dhabis economic diversification strategy. As a key industry player, Abu Dhabi Ports is committed to investing in renowned events such as SeaTrade Cruise Med that further cement Abu Dhabis position as a leading hub for visitors, as well as offers us the platform to highlight the unique offerings and distinguished services available for passengers and vessels. We will continue to support Cruise Arabia in its efforts to promote Abu Dhabi globally."



DCT Abu Dhabis participation at SeaTrade Cruise Global is the first of a series of roadshows that it will participate in this year. It will be followed by SeaTrade Cruise Forum Middle East, the report said.Busy Philipps attended the annual Glamour x Tory Burch Women To Watch lunch on Sunday in Los Angeles.

The 39-year-old actress, best known for her role in Dawson's Creek, looked chic in a floral frock that she paired with sneakers and gold hoop earrings.

She was joined by several of Hollywood's leading ladies including Alison Brie, Chrissy Metz, Gillian Jacobs, and Tracee Ellis Ross.

Boss babe: Busy Philipps attended the annual Glamour x Tory Burch Women To Watch lunch on Sunday in Los Angeles

Philipps' Tory Burch shirtdress, that cost a whopping $348, hit just above the knee to show of her toned legs.

She teamed the colorful ensemble with Tory's $198 sport ruffle sneaker and a slew of bracelets.

The mid-afternoon soiree took place at Tory Burch's flagship store on Rodeo Drive.

'I got to hang with some of my favorite ladies! AND! I got to wear sneakers,' Busy wrote on Instagram.

Dressed to impress: The 39-year-old actress, best known for her role in Dawson's Creek, looked chic in a floral frock that she paired with gold hoop earrings

Ladies who lunch: Busy teamed the colorful ensemble with Tory Burch's $198 sport ruffle sneaker in white

Busy was featured in Glamour's October issue. The I Feel Pretty star talked being her 'authentic' self.

'When social media hit, I loved it, because I felt like I finally had the ability to present my personality to people,' she said. 'It never occurred to me to manufacture myself. It was just me.'

In October, Philipps' late-night talk show, Busy Tonight, will premiere on E!.

'Working on Busy Tonight is exciting and scary, but I think it's okay to be scared every once in a while,' she told the magazine. 'People want more authenticity; I can bring that.'

The mom-of-two added: 'I stayed self-assured in who I was, and now this is my path. And yeah, it's pretty f***ing cool.'William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman held hands during entrances at Showtime's pre-Emmy party in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The 68-year-old actor and 55-year-old actress were both clad in stylish ensembles at the industry gathering at the famed Chateau Marmont.

The Shameless star was clad in a crisp blue suit over a white collared shirt with a yellow tie, rounding out his sharp outfit with black dress shoes.

Scroll below for video

Star time: William H. Macy, 68, and Felicity Huffman, 55, held hands during entrances at Showtime's pre-Emmy party in Los Angeles on Sunday

The Oscar-nominated actor had his shaggy black locks styled to the side and a graying beard at the bash.

Huffman wore a grey checkered pant suit with black heels, and her brown locks parted in the middle with dangling earrings.

The couple, who share daughters Sofia, 18, and Georgia, 16, celebrated their 21st anniversary earlier this month, as they tied the knot September 6, 1997 after more than a decade of on-and-off dating.

Both took to social media earlier this month to commemorate the occasion: Macy wrote, Twenty years ago today I did the best thing I've ever done in my life. I married Felicity Huffman.'

Longtime loves: The couple celebrated their 21st anniversary earlier this month

Streak: Macy's been an Emmy nominee five years running in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category for his role as Frank Gallagher on Showtime's Shameless

Big night: Macy's Shameless co-stars Emma Kenney and Ethan Cutkosky posed for a shot at the iconic Hollywood venue

Huffman wrote, 'You took me home in 1985. You married me in 1997. You give me a thrill every time you walk through the door. Thank you for marrying me 20 years ago today.'

Macy's been an Emmy nominee five years running in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category for his role as Frank Gallagher on Showtime's Shameless.

This year, he's pitted up against a talented field including Donald Glover (Atlanta), Bill Hader (Barry), Ted Danson (The Good Place), Anthony Anderson (black-ish) and Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm).

The 2018 Emmys, hosted by Colin Jost and Michael Che, air Monday on NBC at 5:00 p.m. PDT.He won an Emmy in 2014 for Sherlock but wasn't on hand to collect in person.

But this year, Benedict Cumberbatch is in Los Angeles just in case his name is called at Monday night's award show.

The British actor is nominated for an Emmy in the best actor category at television's biggest night for his role in Showtime's Patrick Melrose.

Nominated: Emmy nominee Benedict Cumberbatch48, and his wife Sophie Hunter, 40, attended a pre-Emmy party hosted by Showtime in Hollywood on Sunday night

Cumberbatch, 42, and his wife Sophie Hunter, 40, attended the premium cable network's pre-awards party at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont Sunday night.

The Doctor Strange star made a statement in a dark blue shiny two-piece suit with matching shoes.

He added a white shirt and a long black tie.

Hunter opted for a sleeveless black dress decorated with white patterns and bows.

She paired the ankle-length number with chunky white heels.

Sartorial elegance: The actor wore a dark blue two-piece suit with white shirt, black tie and blue shoes. Hunter opted for a sleeveless black and white dress with chunky white heels

Wedded bliss: The couple married in 2015 and share two sons - Christopher, three, and Hal, one

Dramatic role: Cumberbatch received his sixth outstanding lead actor Emmy nomination for his role as a drug addicted New Yorker in Showtime's Patrick Melrose

In Patrick Melrose, Cumberbatch played a man who suffered a traumatic and abusive childhood and ends up battling addiction and substance abuse in New York City.

The drama mini series was based on the semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn from the 1980s through early 2000s.

It's the actor's sixth outstanding lead actor Emmy nod - he's been nominated four times for Sherlock, with one win, and once for the British drama series Parade's End.Kyle Sandilands returned to KIIS FM on Monday after a worrying string of absences, revealing to listeners he had been suffering from migraines as a result of sleep apnoea.

And after that morning's broadcast, the 47-year-old radio personality was spotted at one of his favourite Sydney haunts, Kings Cross, with two of his closet friends.

Kyle - who was joined by 'King of the Cross' John Ibrahim and convicted drug trafficker Simon Main - was seen smoking a cigarette despite his recent health woes.

Feeling better? After returning to work at KIIS FM on Monday following a string of sickness-related absences, Kyle Sandilands went out to lunch with friends in Sydney's Kings Cross

The shock jock dressed casually in black trousers and a zip-up hoodie, and appeared to be in relaxed spirits as he went for lunch with his pals.

Meanwhile, nightclub identity John, 48, showed off his muscular physique in a grey top and Simon kept things casual in shorts, Nike sneakers and a blue T-shirt.

It could well be a stressful time for Simon, 47, who is the stepson of entertainer Barry Crocker, as he has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He is alleged to have punched a man driving a Mazda 3 after his Range Rover collided with the smaller vehicle at Rose Bay in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Defiant: Kyle, who was joined by 'King of the Cross' John Ibrahim and convicted drug trafficker Simon Main, was seen smoking a cigarette despite his recent health woes

Urban style: The shock jock dressed casually in black trousers and a zip-up hoodie, and appeared to be in relaxed spirits as he went for lunch with his friends

Colourful pals: Meanwhile, nightclub identity John (centre) showed off his muscular physique in a grey top and Simon (right) kept things casual in shorts, Nike sneakers and a blue T-shirt

Stomping ground: John is closely associated with Kings Cross and its nightclub culture

Simon was not charged until February 13, almost a year after the late afternoon crash in New South Head Rd on March 14, 2017.

Main, who says he suffered an injury in the fracas, has denied the claims and intends to vigorously defend the charge and will claim the alleged victim was in fact the aggressor.

Meanwhile, on Monday's episode of The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Kyle addressed his recent health issues after taking six days off work in the past two weeks.

'For everyone who's kept texting, ringing, showing up unannounced, doing unauthorised newspaper articles... I'm not suicidal. Nothing's wrong with me. I was actually ill!' he said.

Worrying string of absences: On Monday's episode of The Kyle and Jackie O Show, the 47-year-old addressed his recent health issues after taking six days off work in the past two weeks

Illness: 'I've got blood pressure medication. I've got sleep apnoea and I'm a fat thing,' Kyle said

Concerns: Kyle claimed that his health situation was blown out of proportion by his colleagues, who showed up unannounced at his home over the weekend to check up on him

Legal woes: It could well be a stressful time for Simon (left) who is the stepson of entertainer Barry Crocker, as he has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm

'I've got blood pressure medication. I've got sleep apnoea and I'm a fat thing,' he added, explaining his health issues.

'So I get into this cycle of gasping for breath, not getting enough oxygen and getting a migraine. I've got to have tablets, these things happen... I'm on new medication, which I told everyone a couple of weeks ago [would] make me funny for a couple of weeks. But they all forgot about that.'

Kyle also claimed that his situation was blown out of proportion by his colleagues, who showed up unannounced at his home over the weekend to check up on him.

WHAT IS SLEEP APNOEA? Sleep apnoea is an involuntary cessation of breathing that occurs while the patient is asleep. There are three types of sleep apnoea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) for short, is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnoea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer. In most cases the sleeper is unaware of these breath stoppages because they don't trigger a full awakening. Left untreated, sleep apnoea can have serious and life-shortening consequences: high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, automobile accidents caused by falling asleep at the wheel, diabetes, depression, and other ailments. Advertisement

He said: 'Bruno [Bouchet, KIIS FM producer] and Jackie just appeared at my house on Friday at midday. Dinging on the doorbell, apparently. I was at the doctors, I wasn't even there.

'They just appeared without even a text - nothing. Showed up like an intervention!'

Kyle's radio comeback comes after listeners feared the worst when his girlfriend Imogen Anthony, 27, claimed on Friday he was 'extremely sick'.

She wrote on Instagram: 'S**t's f**ked for me sometimes... I'm NOT okay - my family received terrible news yesterday, therefore breaking everyone apart over GODDAMN money. I heard of three deaths last week [and] my partner is extremely sick.'

However, she clarified over the weekend that Kyle was 'alive' and recovering at their $3million Southern Highlands property.

She told her social media followers: 'Kyle is alive, he just needed to get well and on top of it before forcing himself back to work. He will be back chirpy and bright Monday morning.'

In a video posted to Instagram on Saturday from the couple's farm, Kyle was heard sounding rather hoarse and barely audible. It was his first sighting in nearly a week.

The pair were heard briefly discussing the logistics of feeding their pet camel, with Kyle's quiet and croaky voice contrasting with Imogen's clear, booming tone.

Allegations: Simon (left) is alleged to have punched a man driving a Mazda 3 after his Range Rover collided with the smaller vehicle at Rose Bay in Sydney's eastern suburbs

Charges: Simon was not charged until February 13, almost a year after the late afternoon crash in New South Head Rd on March 14, 2017He is known as one of Australia's most treasured television veterans, known for his 30-year stint on Home And Away.

But Ray Meagher, 74, is set to farewell his role as Alf Stewart on the popular soap temporarily, as he pursues a new role in the upcoming 10th anniversary stage production of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert.

'It's a privilege to have a job for 30 years and really enjoy it for that time,' he told New Idea on Monday.

Scroll down for video

'It's a privilege': Home and Away's Ray Meagher, 74, has revealed he will be leaving his 30-year stint as Alf Stewart for a role in musical theatre

Ray is set to portray Bob in the musical, who is a middle-aged mechanic from a small outback town.

'I always think Bob is like Alf on Valium! He's more of a laid-back character than Alf,' he joked to the publication.

Ray has previously starred as Bob in the 2007 Priscilla production in Sydney, London and New Zealand and will be revisiting the role for its Brisbane season.

A knack for dancing! The thespian will be temporarily trading his iconic stint in Summer Bay for a musical gig on the highly-anticipated 10th anniversary celebration tour of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert

Having been born and raised on a sheep and cattle station in Queensland, the actor also explained that he drew inspiration from his own experiences ahead of the upcoming gig.

'I never thought in my wildest dreams I'd ever do a big musical like Priscilla, because singing and dancing are not my forte, but I just love it!' Ray gushed.

The acclaimed star won the Gold Logie Award in 2010 for his enduring role as Alf Stewart.

'I never thought in my wildest dreams I'd ever do a big musical like Priscilla, because singing and dancing are not my forte, but I just love it!' Ray gushed about the role while speaking to New Idea on Monday

He also recently won the gong for Most Popular Male Actor at the 2018 Logies and took the stage to pay a heartfelt tribute to the late actress, Cornelia Frances.

'We are not going to mourn your passing anymore, we are going to celebrate your life. This is the start of it. This is for you,' he said during his speech.

The pair spent close to three decades together filming on Home and Away, beginning back in 1988.

Cornelia played the off-and-on role of Morag Bellingham- who is Alf Stewart's sister on the show.

Legend: The acclaimed star won the Gold Logie Award in 2010 for his enduring role as Alf StewartA little over a week ago, she was involved in a physical altercation with Nicki Minaj, where she ended up with a large welt above her right eye.

But Cardi B didn't look any worse for wear as she headed to her husband's concert in Philadelphia on Friday.

The 25-year-old rapper flaunted her curves in a yellow bodysuit, as she pushed her two-month-old daughter Kulture in a stroller.

Curve-hugging: Cardi B didn't look any worse for wear as she headed to her husband's concert in Philadelphia on Friday

The Bodak Yellow rapper's garment hugged her bountiful derriere as she maid her way through the backstage area.

Cardi sported platinum blonde locks that fell far past her waist, a drastic switch from her dark tresses from just over a week ago.

She added a pair of pointed, nude heels and painted her lips a soft pink.

She posted a photo of the moment to her Instagram account and captioned it, We came to see Poppa Bear.'

Kodak moment: The Bodak Yellow rapper's garment hugged her bountiful derriere as she maid her way through the backstage area

Cardi B got in a fight with Nicki Minaj during a New York Fashion Week party a little over a week ago.

A source told TMZ that the rapper feels 'zero remorse' for the events and that she was simply 'defending her daughter's honour,' after hearing the Anaconda rapper, 35, had been 'talking trash' about her family, sources claimed.

Cardi believes Nicki likes to 'incite people for sport' and was so enraged by her alleged comments that she would throw a shoe at her again.

Back out: The Bodak Yellow rapper's garment hugged her bountiful derriere as she maid her way through the backstage area

'Cardi B wouldn't change a damn thing about her decision to attack Nicki Minaj, in fact, she'd even chuck her shoe again in that same situation,' a source told the site.

'Cardi was simply defending her daughter's honor after hearing Nicki had been talking trash about her family... and she'd still sling her stiletto if she had to do it all over again.'

The insider added: 'Cardi thinks Nicki has some nerve saying she needs an intervention, when Nicki is the one who incites people almost for sport.'The Block's Spence Thomson bravely revealed his battle with depression and anxiety during an emotional episode of the renovation show earlier this month.

Now, the South Australian builder has confessed he lived with depression for years before it was diagnosed.

Speaking to New Idea on Monday, Spence said: 'The problem with depression is that some people don't even realise they have it. I had it for years before I was told I did.'

Scroll down for video

'It can ruin so many lives': The Block's Spence Thomson (pictured) says he 'lived with depression for years before it was diagnosed' and praises his partner, Kerrie Charter for her unwavering support during his battle

'Depression can be debilitating and can ruin so many lives, it's not curable but it can be managed. Talking about your feelings is the first step, it will make you feel so much better,' Spence told the magazine.

Spence delved deeper into his mental health battle and said he's learnt to manage his disorder by seeking professional help from a psychologist.

He also praised his partner, Kerrie Charter, 49, for her unwavering support during an extremely difficult period in their relationship.

'Kerrie was unbelievably supportive and defensive of me when I was struggling to function': Spence (right) also praised his partner, Kerrie Charter, 49, (left) for her unwavering support during an extremely difficult period in their relationship

'Kerrie was unbelievably supportive and defensive of me when I was struggling to function,' Spence revealed.

Earlier this month Spence was moved to tears as he went public with his battle with depression and anxiety during an episode of The Block.

Moments before Spence's tearful admission on the Channel Nine show the couple experienced a heated run-in with host, Scott Cam.

Shock on The Block: Scott Cam (pictured) has a showdown with Kerrie and Spence and threatens to kick them off after they stormed off the show... before Spence is reduced to tears and reveals his battle with depression

Scott decided to have a meeting with Kerrie and Spence to talk about the issue with their clips for their ceiling, which they had to replace.

Scott accused them of using a 'Chinese knockoff' and told them: 'You don't make the rules here.'

He said he was trying to understand the 'situation' and said the pair thought they were being 'stitched up.'

Over it: Kerrie then left the meeting and broke down in tears, saying she wanted to 'move on' from the clips issue

Threatening to kick them off, he added: 'I think you've either got to get with the program or get off the program. You're either on board or not.'

Soon after, Spence went to speak to Foreman Dan to get his advice on how to handle the stress of the show, where he broke down in tears.

Dan - an ex-contestant - told him that at the end of the show, they'll think it was the best experience.

'I've had depression over the years and get a lot of anxiety': Spence (pictured) revealed his battle with anxiety and depression during an emotional piece to camera

Spence then revealed his battle with anxiety and depression during an emotional piece to camera.

'I've had depression over the years and get a lot of anxiety and that sort of stuff and I've been shown coping mechanisms to deal with it...'

'The thoughts that go through your heads are super dark thoughts. It all builds up and then it's like snap, I've got to get out of here.'

He said the stress of the show has been getting to him and so has the lack of sleep.

'Basically you stop thinking. And this happens,' he said as he cried.

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636Hugh Jackman, 49, has been reportedly left devastated upon hearing that his beloved friend and The Greatest Showman co-star is in hospital battling a life-threatening disease.

Sam Humphrey, 24, is set to undergo a high-risk operation after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease - a chronic inflammatory bowel condition - over the last few weeks.

According to reports released by Woman's Day this week, Hugh stood beside his pal following the delivery of the heartbreaking news.

'This will break his heart': This week's Woman's Day magazine reported Hugh Jackman was left devastated by co-star Sam Humphrey's battle for life after critical health scare... after the pair formed a tenacious bond on the set of The Greatest Showman

'Hugh genuinely cares about all the people he worked with on [The Greatest Showman], and he really bonded with Sam in particular. This will break his heart,' an insider told the publication.

Sam's family revealed he will endure the corrective surgery at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles.

According to the magazine, Sam gushed over Hugh earlier this year, exclaiming: 'If it wasn't for him, I don't know whether I would have become an actor...I've always wanted to meet him.

'Hugh genuinely cares about all the people he worked with on [The Greatest Showman], and he really bonded with Sam in particular. This will break his heart,' an insider told Woman's Day

What is Crohn's disease? Crohn's disease, also collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), is a chronic inflammation in the colon, rectum and gastrointestinal tract. The disease can sometimes become so severe that sufferers need to be hospitalised, with some requiring surgery. Advertisement

'He's the nicest guy you'll ever meet...he was like the father of our set, of our film. With him being my mentor, I like to call him my acting dad. He's very sweet.'

The insider also told Woman's Day that Hugh is praying for Sam's speedy recovery.

And the pair's indestructible friendship was earlier revealed when Sam took to Instagram in May to rave over his newfound friend and mentor.

Posting a sweet picture of the two on set while filming the musical, the New Zealand actor penned an emotional caption.

'Hugh Jackman and me just standing around, chilling on set. It's such a great photo, I love it.

He added: 'Side note Hugh is very radiant, majestic and tall; no wonder I always look up to him (just a short joke, double pun!!)

'But seriously he's truly a legend!! Can't wait to work with him again. Love ya.'

'With him being my mentor, I like to call him my acting dad. He's very sweet,' Sam said earlier this year about his friendship with HughElisabeth Moss has had a critically-acclaimed career that's resulted in one hit television show after another.

But on Sunday, the 36-year old actress wore a different hat when she played hostess at the Los Angeles Confidential's Emmy Celebration in West Hollywood.

And it was no coincidence that she is the cover girl for the Fashion + Emmy's Issue of Los Angeles Confidential.

New role: Elisabeth Moss, 36, played hostess at the Los Angeles Confidential Emmys Celebration in West Hollywood on Sunday

Elisabeth lit up the red carpet in a sparkling blue mini-dress by Tommy Hilfiger that showcased her toned and curvy figure.

The flashy number was equal parts sexy and elegant with its leggy cut and spaghetti straps.

She rounded out the ensemble with a pair of black pumps and wore her blonde tresses long and straight with a part slightly to the right.

The Handmaid's Tale actress was joined on the red carpet by castmates Ann Dowd and Kelly Jenrette to celebrate their amazing run of Emmy Awards nominations in 2018.

Double vision: The Handmaid's Tale star is the cover girl for the Fashion + Emmys Issue of Los Angeles Confidential

Having fun: The 36-year old actress got playful during her hostess role

Owning it: Elisabeth stunned in a sparkling blue mini-dress by Tommy Hilfiger that showcased her toned and curvy figure

'20 Emmy nominations... what the actual f**k??!!' she wrote on her Instagram after learning about the total number of Emmy noms the show received in July.

Elisabeth is up for Best Actress in a Drama Series at Monday's Emmy Awards Show in Los Angeles for her role as June Osborne/Offred.

The drama is set in an authoritarian alternate present that has similarities to our far-right present-day politics. Immigrants are blamed for government problems and women are stripped of their basic rights.

'We never intended to copy whats happening in the world, but like most other people, I feel that things on the show are way too close to home, she said in the interview with Los Angeles Confidential. 'Its this sense of Hey, if we dont pay attention, if we stop listening, if we fail to take action against injustice, were getting pretty close to the dystopia we see on-screen.'

Elisabeth is up for Best Actress in a Drama Series at Monday's Emmy Awards Show in Los Angeles for her role as June Osborne/Offred

Making a statement: The Handmaid's Tale was nominated for 20 Emmys in 2018

Season one of The Handmaid's Tale won eight Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama Series.

Personally, Elisabeth won her first two Emmys last year after nine nominations throughout her career.

Her other acclaimed roles include: the spirited first daughter on the West Wing (1999-2006), a driven secretary-turned- ad copy editor on Mad Men (2007-2015) and a determined homicide detective on Top of the Lake (2013, 2017).

Breakout: Elisabeth won her first two Emmys, as actress and producer, for season one of The Handmaid's Tale

Stunning: Kelly Jenrette arrived with beau Melvin Jackson Jr., who is an Emmy nominated actor

Together forever: Ann Dowd and longtime husband Lawrence Arancio were picture perfectEach season, the early episodes of The X Factor regularly show the judges seeing off singing hopefuls whose vocal talents leave much to be desired.

But Louis Tomlinson and Ayda Field were overcome with emotion during Sunday's episode of the talent show, after 24-year-old Dalton Andre Harris told them about his impoverished upbringing in Jamaica before breaking down mid-performance.

And they were so moved by his rendition of the Elton John classic Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word that they rushed to the stage to hug Andre  who travelled from the Caribbean especially to audition  once his performance came to an end.

Scroll down for video

Moved: Louis Tomlinson and Ayda Field rushed onstage to comfort singing hopeful Dalton Andre Harris during Sunday's X Factor, following his emotional performance

Speaking to the judges' panel  which also included Simon Cowell and Ayda's husband Robbie Williams  ahead his audition, Dalton said of his life growing up: 'We were very poor. We had one room that we sectioned into different parts.

'We never had electricity or running water. It was a humble life. Not everyone would want that but it was right for me. Its not a sad story its how I came out of that and how Im triumphant. Im very proud of that.

'This is probably the biggest break Ill ever get. This is single handedly the most important moment of my life.'

Humble: Dalton, who flew over from Jamaica especially for the audition, moved the judges and the audience as he told of his humble beginnings on the Caribbean island

Dalton then performed for the judges and the audience, leaving them impressed with his dulcet tones, before he shed tears at the end of his audition.

Explaining his emotional display, he said: 'Ive been on my own since I was 15, but Ive accepted it. Its not a sad story its just been a lot, its been a long time.'

It was at that point that Ayda and former One Direction star Louis rushed onstage to comfort him, before all four judges revealed that he was through to the next round.

Wow: He wowed with his rendition of the Elton John classic Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, tugging at heart strings as he broke down mid-performance

Hug: Former One Direction star Louis shared a hug with Dalton as he shed tears his audition

The episode included a number of other heartwarming moments, including Simon Cowell's four-year-old son Eric making his surprise debut on the judging panel.

Eric ran up to the star-studded panel to surprise his dad mid-broadcast, sparking excitement among the judges as Simon exclaimed: 'Oh my goodness!'

During the sweet scenes, Simon proudly introduced Eric to Louis for the first time, before the pair shook hands before high-fiving each other.

Simon couldn't resist cuddling his sole offspring, as he sweetly said: 'Give me a kiss. I love you,' before the youngster ran off backstage again wearing headphones.

So cute: Elsewhere on the show, Simon Cowell's adorable son, Eric, stole The X Factor limelight when he made his surprise debut on the judging panel

Surprise: The music mogul, 58, was sitting with his fellow judges when the four-year-old youngster ran up to surprise his dad at workBy TCN News:

Archbishop Joseph Dsouza, the President of the All India Christian Council and the Primate of the Good Shepherd Church of India has been invited to the Second Global Unity Forum meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The two day international summit will be held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia on 25 and 26 October 2018 in which President Joko Widodo and millions of Indonesians will participate to foster the emergence of a truly just and harmonious world order, founded upon respect for the equal rights and dignity of every human being (Gerakan Pemuda Ansor Declaration on Humanitarian Islam, point 31).

Support TwoCircles



The Global Unity Forum is an initiative of millions of moderate and humanitarian Sunni Muslims to distance themselves and take a stand against the radicalised elements of Islam that have resorted to violence and terrorism.

The first international summit of Moderate Islamic Leaders (ISOMIL) was held in 2016 in Jakarta attended by approximately 400 Muslim scholars from 30 nations and organized by the worlds largest Muslim organization called Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). In the first summit the Nahdlatul Ulama board (NU), promulgated a 16-point declaration that identified the salient factors driving Islamist extremism and terror worldwide and called upon people of good will of every faith and nation to join in building a global consensus not to politicize Islam and explicitly affirmed that the NU will strive to consolidate the Global Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah (Sunni Muslim) community, in order to bring about a world in which Islam, and Muslims, are truly beneficent and contribute to the well-being of all humanity

This summit was followed by Humanitarian Islam campaign in 2017 and followed by the Gerakan Pemuda Ansor Declaration on Humanitarian Islam on May 22, 2017.

Archbishop Joseph Dsouza, accepting the invitation stated This kind of unity movements are critically needed around the globe in the face of the radicalisation and politicization of religion. The leadership of the major religions of the world needs to come together to handle the menace of hate propaganda, violence and the deliberate polarisation of society.

He also sated in their press release In the light of recent developments and the mob violence against members of various communities, including moderate and liberal Hindus, India is also in great need of a major unity movement. This needs to be led by moderate and liberal Hindus inviting the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and other faiths to come on the same platform to preserve the wonderful diversity of India. Indias integrity and unity should not be held hostage by divisive religious extremists or left to those who are bent upon a hate filled politicisation of religion.

It will be my honour to represent the best of Indias historic religious pluralistic and tolerant culture.Kirstie Alley has slammed long-standing rumours that her close friend and Look Who's Talking co-star John Travolta is gay.

The actress, who stared on UK reality show Celebrity Big Brother last month, has insisted she knows the actor well enough to know his sexuality, particularly as they were on the verge of an affair during filming for their hit 1989 movie.

Speaking to The Sun, Kirstie, 67, insisted when asked if she thinks her best friend is gay: 'No I don't. I mean, I know him pretty well  and I know the love...'

Best friends: Kirstie Alley has slammed long-standing rumours that her close friend and Look Who's Talking co-star John Travolta is gay (pictured with Travolta's wife Kelly Preston in 2007)

Kirstie previously spoke out on her and John's close relationship during her time in the CBB house, telling her housemates they almost had an affair on the set of Look Who's Talking and its sequel, but she was determined to stay loyal to her then-husband Parker Stevenson.

'He was potential marriage material. I almost ran off and married John,' she gushed of her fellow Scientologist.

'I did love him and still love him,' she reflected. 'And if I hadnt been married I would have gone and married him. And I would have been in an airplane!'

Co-stars: The actress has insisted she knows the actor well enough to know his sexuality, particularly as they were on the verge of an affair during filming for their movies Look Who's Talking and Look Who's Talking Too (pictured in 1990)

Kirstie referred to the fact that the American Crime Story actor notoriously owns a private jet.

Speaking to The Sun, she elaborated: 'John would agree it was mutual that we sort of fell in love with each other.

'I will say it's one of the hardest things I've ever done, the hardest decision I've ever made because I was madly in love with him  we were fun and funny together.

Shutting down rumours: Speaking to The Sun, Kirstie, 67, insisted when asked if she thinks her best friend is gay: 'No I don't. I mean, I know him pretty well  and I know the love...'

'It wasn't a sexual relationship because I'm not going to cheat on my husband. But you know I think there are things that are way worse than sexual relationships, than cheating on someone that way. '

Kirstie explained she even persuaded John's now wife Kelly Preston to make their relationship more serious after Kirstie made the decision to stay married herself.

But when they started shooting Look Who's Talking Too, at which point John and Kelly were married, Kirstie was accused of flirting with John by his wife, which she said forced her to make a decision once and for all.

The actress, who divorced her second husband Stevenson in 1997, is now best friends with both John and Kelly, thanks in part to their mutual beliefs in Scientology.She's one of the most in demand models of the moment.

And Winnie Harlow was naturally in attendance at Victoria Beckham's 10th Anniversary party on Sunday night, hosted at Mark's Club in Mayfair during London Fashion Week.

The catwalk star, 24, ensured she stood out from the crowd in an eye-catching bright yellow coat.

Stylish: Winnie Harlow was naturally in attendance at Victoria Beckham's 10th Anniversary party on Sunday night, hosted at Mark's Club in Mayfair during London Fashion Week

Winnie wore the duster jacket belted at the waist, showing off a glimpse of her figure in a tiny black dress.

She paired her eye-catching yet sophisticated attire with a pair of daring leopard print boots.

Winnie wore her hair down loose in curls and accessorised with glamorous earrings.

Leggy lady: She paired her eye-catching yet sophisticated attire with a pair of daring leopard print boots

Elegant: Winnie wore her hair down loose in curls and accessorised with glamorous earrings.

Victoria was joined by a host of her celebrity friends as she celebrated the 10-year anniversary of her eponymous fashion label.

Only recently, Winnie was announced as a new Victoria's Secret Angel.

After starting her career as a contestant on America's Next Top Model in 2014, the model will now be taking to the coveted Victorias Secret Fashion Show in November.

Party pals: Victoria Beckham was joined by a host of her celebrity friends as she celebrated the 10-year anniversary of her eponymous fashion label

Thigh's the limit! Winnie ensured all eyes were on her in her statement shoes

The exact moment Winnie found out she had earned her wings has been uploaded to Models Daily's Twitter account and it has also been reported she went on to make the official announcement at the IMG VIP Lounge by Principessa Prosecco.

Winnie - who has skin condition vitiligo - also recently discussed the changes in the modelling industry in an interview with ELLE magazine.

She explained: 'There is a big shift happening in the fashion industry in terms of beauty standards, and I feel Im part of that shift.

'I remember on Americas Next Top Model, Tyra Banks asked me if a photographer told me to cover my skin for a shoot, would I do it? I said no. I dont care who it is, or who thinks I should. Im going to stay true to myself.'The Bachelor's Emily Dibden has revealed the secret 'ultimatum' she gave Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' during filming.

Speaking to TV WEEK on Monday, the dance teacher, 24, confessed she confronted the ex-Wallabies star after a group date at the swimming pool.

'I gave him an ultimatum, but it wasn't aired,' Emily told the publication.

Scroll down for video

'It wasn't aired!' The Bachelor's Emily Dibden, 24, (left) reveals the secret 'ultimatum' she gave Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' (right) during filming

'I told him I was there only to find love and if he didn't think I was the right one, he needed to let me go then and there,' Emily told the publication.

The brunette beauty also offered some insights into why she confronted Nick, 30, in the mansion.

She told the publication she struck up the deep and meaningful conversation with the ex-Wallabies star to ascertain 'where she stood'.

According to the magazine, the private chat transpired after Emily won the 'swimming pool bingo' challenge which aired earlier this month.

'I told him I was there only to find love and if he didn't think I was the right one, he needed to let me go then and there': The Bachelor's Emily Dibden (pictured) has revealed the secret 'ultimatum' she gave Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' during filming

Who's that girl? Earlier this month, footage (above) surfaced of Nick, 30, late at night on the streets of Manly, Sydney with a mystery brunette

Emily's comments come after footage surfaced earlier this month of Nick standing on the streets of Manly, Sydney with a mystery brunette late at night.

In a video obtained by Daily Mail Australia earlier this month, Nick was shown standing next to a young woman wearing a skimpy white dress.

While, at first glance, the female looked similar to rumoured winner Brittany Hockley, she appeared several inches shorter and wore uncharacteristically revealing clothing.

The video, which was filmed on Saturday 8 September at around 10pm and posted to Snapchat, was accompanied by the caption: 'So no-one wins. New chick in town'.

'New chick in town': The video, which was filmed on Saturday 8 September at around 10pm, was accompanied by the caption, 'So no-one wins. New chick in town'

The footage was captured by a group of young men in a car, who could be heard laughing in the background while driving past.

In the clip, Nick and woman were caught standing outside Beaches Pizza Bar on Darley Road.

As the car drove past, Nick was seen looking towards the street but did not appear to realise he was being recorded by the men in the vehicle.

A source told Daily Mail Australia: 'We saw him in Manly on Saturday. We were driving past then caught a glimpse of him so went around the block again.

Claims: An onlooker told Daily Mail Australia: 'We saw him in Manly on Saturday... I've been watching The Bachelor and [the woman] was definitely not one of the contestants. She was way too short to be Brittany'. Pictured: Nick and Brittany on The Bachelor

'Someone in the car behind us yelled out at him. He looked pretty relaxed and didn't seem to be trying to hide anything.

'I've been watching The Bachelor and [the woman] was definitely not one of the contestants. She was way too short to be Brittany.

'They didn't kiss or cuddle, but their body language was close. It kind of seemed like they'd been out for dinner and were saying goodbye at the end of the night.'

Close? The source added: 'They didn't kiss or cuddle, but their body language was close. It kind of seemed like they'd been out for dinner and were saying goodbye at the end of a night'. Pictured: Nick on The Bachelor

Nick's manager Josh White said in a statement at the time: 'As you can appreciate, Nick is a well-known public figure and gets stopped by men, women and children in the street multiple times a day and night wanting to chat or take a picture.

'Thanks for reaching out but there will be no further comment.'

On Friday, a source close to production confirmed rumours that Nick had, in fact, split with the show's winner.

The well-placed insider said: 'The Honey Badger's relationship is already over. This is obviously not what we wanted.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network Ten and Nick's manager for comment.

The Bachelor Australia continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Network TenEarlier this year, Bachelor In Paradise star Grant Kemp accused his ex-girlfriend Ali Oetjen of cheating on him.

And on Sunday, the blonde beauty finally broke her silence on the claim, as she prepares to hit screens as Channel Ten's new Bachelorette.

But while 32-year-old Ali accused Grant of using her to stay in the limelight, she didn't explicitly deny his allegations that she had been unfaithful to him.

Why doesn't she just deny it? Speaking with Stellar on Sunday, The Bachelorette's Ali Oetjen accused her ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp of using her to stay relevant  but didn't explicitly refute his bombshell allegations that she cheated on him

'He wants to keep on grabbing those headlines. It speaks volumes for who he is really,' Ali told Stellar magazine on Sunday.

'My major reason for not saying anything is that I don't want to give him any ammunition or any reason to keep coming back in the limelight, which is what he wants,' she added.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ali for comment.

'It speaks volumes for who he is really is': Ali hit out at Grant in her interview with Stellar magazine

Ali and Grant fell for each other on the set of Bachelor In Paradise, which was filmed in Fiji late last year.

In May of this year, however, Grant made sensational allegations to a number of Australian publications, claiming he was cheated on by the blonde bombshell.

Grant said Ali flew to Los Angeles in March to visit him, following their decision to stay together after the Bachelor in Paradise finale.

Case of the ex: After initially making allegations to New Idea magazine that he caught Ali kissing another man, Grant relayed a raunchier version to KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O Show

After initially making allegations to New Idea magazine that he caught Ali kissing another man, Grant relayed a raunchier version to KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

'I had left to go and find my friends,' Grant told the radio show in May.

'I came back inside and [a man] was going down on her on my stairs. So I kicked her out of my house that night.'

Coming soon to screens! Ali is set to hit screens as The Bachelorette later this month

Grant claimed he kicked Ali out of the house but let his friend sleep on the couch because he was apparently unaware that the blonde beauty was in a relationship.

The claims started a string of bad publicity for the starlet, with Channel Ten executives thought to have wanted to replace Ali with Nikki Gogan, according to New Weekly magazine.

It comes as Ali is set to hit screens as The Bachelorette later this month.

Last week, Channel Ten released its first promo for the top rated show, with Ali recreating Marilyn Monroe's scene in the classic film Gentleman Prefer Blondes.Her daughter Sophia, four, started school this month.

And Tamara Ecclestone is making the most of her time with her only child around the classroom, as the pair enjoyed an outing in London over the weekend.

Formula 1 heiress Tamara was dressed casually, sporting an AC/DC t-shirt for the trip.

Mummy and me: Tamara Ecclestone is making the most of her time with daughter Sophia, four, after she started school this month - enjoying an outing in London over the weekend

Tamara, 34, swapped her designer threads for her band tee, teamed with dark skinny jeans and box fresh white trainers.

She tied her long brunette locks into a high ponytail and sported a natural sweep of makeup.

Little Sophia was looking on-trend in her leopard print long-sleeved top, with black trousers and trainers with bright pink and green detail.

Rock star: Formula 1 heiress Tamara was dressed casually, sporting an AC/DC t-shirt for the trip

Sporty: Tamara, 34, swapped her designer threads for her band tee, teamed with skinny jeans

The tot followed her mum to the waiting car after checking out the shops, where doting Tamara made sure both her little girl and her teddy bear were strapped in with their seatbelts.

The outing comes after Tamara revealed Sophia is almost done with breastfeeding.

The daughter of former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone admitted the youngster is almost done with being breastfeed as she starts school.

Casual: She tied her long brunette locks into a high ponytail and sporting a natural sweep of makeup, while keeping comfy in box fresh white trainers

Cute: Little Sophia was looking on-trend in her leopard print long-sleeved top, with black trousers and trainers with bright pink and green detail

But the socialite, 34, said she was feeling emotional about the upcoming changes.

I definitely think its something that [Sophias] almost done with and its phasing out, she told Hello! magazine.

And Im fine about that. Its happened so gradually and Ive been expecting it.

The billionaire heiress and socialite is an outspoken advocate of breastfeeding, and over the years has shared pictures on social media of herself breastfeeding her child while fending off criticism from detractors.

Keeping close: Cheeky Sophia tried her best to get away from her mum as they walked

Helping hand: The mother and daughter were joined by security for the outing

Despite the criticism, Tamara insisted breastfeeding helps her reconnect with her daughter and settles her down at the end of the day.

Its only at bedtime, she explained. Its her bedtime routine. We do bath time, then we read four stories every night, then she has the boob.

She falls asleep. Thats her way, she doesnt have a dummy or a bottle to comfort her.

Doting: Tamara has revealed how emotional she got as Sophia prepared to start school this month

The star previously admitted she is yet to spend a night away from her daughter, who she shares with husband Jay Rutland, has never employed a nanny and lets her sleep in their bed.

The couple recently celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary, and took Sophia along for the evening to continue their co-sleeping.

Speaking in April, she revealed: Its my fifth wedding anniversary soon and Fifis coming. I can see it as a problem when Jay is like get her out of the bed.

Only child: Its crazy how quickly its gone from her being born to now going to school. Nursery went by in a flash,' she commented

Of her daughter getting ready to go to school, she said: Its crazy how quickly its gone from her being born to now going to school. Nursery went by in a flash.

The day she was getting measured for her school uniform I was getting really teary and the lady could tell, and she said: Oh dont worry, all the mums get a bit emotional.

I will definitely cry on the first day of school - not because I dont want her to go, but because Im just so proud of her.

Close: The star previously admitted she is yet to spend a night away from her daughter, who she shares with husband Jay Rutland

Tamara and her husband married in a lavish 7 million wedding in 2013 and welcomed Sophia the following year.

The heiress wed the former banker in front of 150 guests at the French Rivieras most luxurious hotel, the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat near Nice.

She wore a bespoke Vera Wang gown with a 30ft train and crystals on the bodice.

The couples first dance was to a cover of Lionel Richies Endless Love, performed live by Mariah Carey - hired for 2.5 million.Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins has given her first television interview since announcing her shock separation from husband and bandmate, Lachlan Gillespie.

Speaking with Australian Story on Monday night, the 28-year-old revealed that fellow Wiggles Anthony Field and Simon Pryce didn't know of the split until it was leaked in the media early last month.

'The other Wiggles didn't know. I don't really think many people knew about it. Lachie and I still really wanted to work on our relationship, and work through some things together,' Emma candidly told the program.

'He's the only person that really gets me': Emma Watkins told Australian Story on Monday that her Wiggles bandmates DIDN'T know that she and Lachlan Gillespie had split, before hinting that they are 'working on their relationship' (the pair are pictured together on the program)

She further claimed that she and Lachie wanted to hold off announcing their separation until the end of the year, but were contacted by the media after rumours about their marriage.

'It was a mutual decision... I think there was a realisation that romantically, it just wasn't going the way that our friendship was going,' she stated.

Emma added that since she and Lachie confirmed their separation on August 3rd she has been working non-stop, and has not had time to read press reports about the split.

'It was a mutual decision': Emma spoke candidly about her separation from Lachie, saying they had to go public with the news after questions from media

'I think being busy has been very helpful. Now it feels like a bit of a relief. Now it feels like we can still work on that relationship, and we are,' she stated.

It's unclear whether Emma meant that she and Lachie are working on rekindling their marriage, or whether they are working purely on their professional relationship.

Meanwhile, Lachie also appeared on Australian Story, where he also talked about their high-profile separation.

'We're very different, Emma and I': Lachie also appeared on Australian Story where he spoke about their split (Emma and Lachlan are pictured last year)

'We're very different, Emma and I. I think I'm the more romantic one. She's very much down the line and she just... She's got her own way of doing things.'

He added: 'There's not a lot of time in between to spend together outside Wiggles. It has all been all-consuming, and that's been a tricky thing to get right, I suppose.'

The pair also gushed about one another in voice-overs accompanied by a montage in which they played the piano together.

Lachie cooed: 'Emma and I from the very get-go have had such a beautiful connection and I think it's not a fluke that she's the most popular [in The Wiggles]. She does everything with so much love and it's awesome.'

Star of the show! Emma was the subject of ABC's Australian Story on Monday night

Emma then fawned: 'Out of everybody, the only person that really gets me is Lachie. This has been one of the strangest years and it has been tumultuous, but the truth is that Lachie and I love each other and we'll be in each other's lives for the rest of our life. And so I think that makes us feel quite calm.'

Both Emma and Lachie joined The Wiggles in 2013, and began dating just weeks later.

They became engaged in May 2015, and married the following year in a lavish ceremony in Bowral, New South Wales.

The pair shocked their millions of fans on August 3, when they confirmed their separation after just two years of marriage.

Fairytale romance: In May 2015, the couple became engaged after two years of dating

They released a joint statement which 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 first two contestants tipped for the next season of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! Australia have been revealed.

Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan and Rhonda Burchmore are the first stars believed to be heading to the South African jungle, Woman's Day reported on Monday.

The fifth season of the Network Ten show is believed to start filming in January 2019, with hosts Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris both said to be returning.

Scroll down for video

I'm A Celeb Australia first contestants revealed? MAFS' Nasser Sultan and Rhonda Burchmore tipped to 'head to the jungle' for new season (Pictured: hosts Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris)

The publication claims that Rhonda 'confirmed' that she has previously been approached to star on the show twice.

Rhonda, 58, is a veteran entertainer in Australia and has been in the spotlight since her breakthrough role in The Pirmate Movie back in 1982.

Since then she's dabbled with film, TV, stage and music throughout her career.

Pack your bags! Woman's Day claims Rhonda Burchmore 'confirmed' that she has previously been approached to star on the show twice

Nasser hasn't had such a lengthy showbiz career as his potential camp mate.

The 51-year-old reality star only found fame earlier this year as a groom on Married At First Sight's fifth season - but has rarely been out of the spotlight since.

From tackling his trolls and selling selfies on Bondi Beach for $1 to his unique take on beauty blogging and regular interviews on KIIS FM, his profile is constantly rising.

And after previously jumping channels to appear on Network Ten's Trial By Kyle pilot last month, I'm A Celeb could be a natural fit for Nasser.

When approached for comment by Daily Mail Australia, he said: 'I'm not sure how I'd deal with the bugs but I'm open to offers if the producers are reading haha!'

He's back on TV: Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan is also set to appear on the new season this January, the publication claims

His new home? And after previously jumping channels to appear on Network Ten's Trial By Kyle pilot last month, I'm A Celeb could be a natural fit for Nasser

The magazine also claimed that due to 'budget cuts' the upcoming season will be considerably shorter this time round.

The first four seasons of the show has run for an average of 45 days.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network Ten for comment.Sir Paul McCartney has revealed he is calling out President Donald Trump in a song from his latest album Egypt Station.

Speaking to the BBC, the 76-year-old legendary musician said that when he was writing the song Despite Repeated Warnings, he had the politician in mind when singing about 'mad captains.'

Paul also said the song takes aim at those in denial of climate change, which Trump has previously described as a 'hoax.'

Critical: Paul McCartney has revealed he is calling out President Donald Trump in a song from his latest album Egypt Station

In the song, Paul sings lyrics including: 'Despite repeated warnings of dangers up ahead, the captain won't be listening to what's been said,' and 'those who shout the loudest, may not always be the smartest.'

The former Beatle then went onto explain he took inspiration for the song from those directing others into an inevitably disastrous situation.

He said: '[It] basically says, 'occasionally, we've got a mad captain sailing this boat we're all on and he is just going to take us to the iceberg [despite] being warned it's not a cool idea'.''

Opinionated: The music legend told the BBC when he was writing the song Despite Repeated Warnings, he had the politician in mind when singing about 'mad captains'

When asked whether the 'mad captain' was a reference to Trump, he said: 'Well I mean, obviously its Trump.

'But I dont get too involved because theres plenty of them about. Hes not the only one.'

In the early days of his political career, Trump admitted he thought climate change was a 'hoax' created by the Chinese, tweeting in 2012: 'The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.'

Views: Paul also revealed that he was addressing those who ignore the inevitable when it comes to climate change in the song

And it seemed his views had changed very little during an interview with Piers Morgan in January, when he added: 'There is a cooling and there is a heating, and I mean, lookit used to not be climate change. It used to be global warming. Right?

'That wasnt working too well, because it was getting too cold all over the place. The ice caps were going to melt, they were going to be gone by now, but now theyre setting records, so O.K., theyre at a record level.'

Trump also appeared to make light of his opinion of the subject back in December, as he tweeted during a period of bitterly cold Stateside weather: 'Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming.'Actress Malin Akerman stepped out in Los Angeles on the eve of the Emmys on Sunday night, with her British boyfriend Jack Donnelly, putting on a typically glam display.

The Billions star donned a semi-sheer bandage dress with lattice detailing on the bodice.

The nude fabric of the bodice teased the star's frame beneath, with the figure-hugging skirt wrapped tightly around her curves.

Little black dress: Actress Malin Akerman stepped out in Los Angeles on the eve of the Emmys on Sunday night, with her British boyfriend Jack Donnelly, putting on a typically glam display

Night out: The Billions star donned a semi-sheer bandage dress with lattice detailing on the bodice

She added nude and black heels to the look and accessorised with sparkling jewwlery.

She toted a small leather clutch and wore her cropped blonde locks straight and loose around her shoulders.

She displayed a bronzed complexion and added nude touches of make-up to the look.

Jack followed alongside her in a dark suit and an open-collar electric blue shirt.

Pretty: The nude fabric of the bodice teased the star's frame beneath, with the figure-hugging skirt wrapped tightly around her curves

In Billions the actress plays Lara Axelrod who is wife to leading man Bobby (Damian Lewis) a hedge fund king who uses insider trading and bribery to climb the social ladder.

The show is currently filming its fourth season.

Malin and Jack first got together last year, seen for the first time at an event celebrating Ariana Rockefeller's collection of handbags, later seen kissing passionately in public while in Puerto Rico.

The Wanderlust stunner shares Sebastian, her only child, with ex Roberto Zincone, with whom she ended her six-year marriage to in 2013.

Cosy: Jack followed alongside her in a dark suit and an open-collar electric blue shirt

Following the divorce, Malin opened up about the split, revealing her 'roll with the punches' attitude to life.

She told People Magazine: 'You can't control life. I roll with the punches and ultimately it's like, "Where is the opportunity in this?"

'And that's been a nice way to look at it. Like, oh my God, I get to have so much special time with my son now.'

But she added that any new man in her life would have to compete with Sebastian for attention - though Jack does not seem to be doing too badly at the moment.

Malin added: 'It's hard because your heart is so full for your child, the next guy that comes along is going to have a lot of competition!'Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' sister Bernadette appears to have hinted at who may win the The Bachelor in a recent Facebook post.

The blonde, who briefly appeared on the show earlier this season, appears to have publicly thrown her support behind Brooke Blurton, 23, on her Facebook business profile.

After Brooke opened up about her fluid sexuality during last Wednesday's episode of the show, Bernadette gushed over the front-runner in a heartfelt online post.

Scroll down for video

SPOILER ALERT: Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' sister Bernadette drops hint about who may win The Bachelor in recent Facebook post

'You did so well last night,' she wrote, while tagging both Brooke and Nick after the emotional scenes had just aired. 'Both of you should stand proud.'

Nick's sibling then hashtagged 'It's what's on the inside that counts,' 'good people' and 'real people' in the gushing post.

The upload was posted from Bernadette's 'Mummy Sippy Cup' business page, which sells both wine tumblers and slogan beanie hats online, and included a group shot of their family with Brooke on set of the show.

Bernadette hit the headlines last month after it was revealed she'd also added contestant Brittany Hockley as a Facebook friend - and had wished her a 'happy birthday' while interacting with her posts.

'Both of you should stand proud': After Brooke opened up about her fluid sexuality during last Wednesday's episode of the show, Bernadette gushed over the front-runner online while sharing a photograph from her cameo in August

Entrepreneur: The upload was posted from Bernadette's 'Mummy Sippy Cup' business page, which sells both wine tumblers and slogan beanie hats online

Despite Bernadette appearing to hint that Brooke could indeed win the show, her update came just days before Nick was pictured out with an unknown woman.

Footage surfaced recently of Nick late at night on the streets of Manly, Sydney with a mystery brunette, raising questions as to whether he breaks up with the winning woman.

And, according to NW magazine, the contestants are 'furious' the former Wallaby, 30, is already hooking up with random women after 'splitting with the winner.'

'It would be devastating for the girls, who were clearly head over heels for him, to see Nick move on so quickly,' an insider allegedly claimed on Monday.

Which of them will come first? Bernadette hit the headlines last month after it was revealed she'd also added contestant Brittany Hockley as a Facebook friend - and had wished her a 'happy birthday' while interacting with her posts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.The six-year-old son of Real Housewives Of Sydney star Lisa Oldfield has been rushed to hospital.

On Monday, Lisa revealed that her son Bert was injured in a brawl with his older brother Harry, eight.

The 43-year-old took to Instagram to share a snap of her young man on a stretcher before he was driven to a medical facility.

'My poor little guy!' Reality star Lisa Oldfield's son, six, is rushed to hospital in a stretcher after breaking his collarbone in brawl with his eight-year-old brother

He appeared to be in high spirits, wrapped up in blankets and in the back of an ambulance.

The concerned mother wrote in the caption: 'Not again! Harry has broken #badbert's collarbone for a third time! Same bloody one!!! My poor little guy!'

However, Lisa admitted Bert appeared to find humour in the situation.

Recalling her son's conversation with a doctor, Lisa wrote: 'Bert to the Doctor "I suppose my rugby career is f****d?"'

In trouble: Explaining the situation on Instagram, Lisa wrote: 'Not again! Harry has broken #badbert's collarbone for a third time! Same bloody one!!! My poor little guy!'

When a fan questioned if it was Bert who provoked situation, Lisa replied: 'No, not this time. Bert beat him fair and square at Multiplication Snap and Harry just well, snapped.'

'He's in so much trouble,' Lisa, who shares her sons with her husband David, said in reference to her elder son.

Bert's accident comes after she addressed rumours The Real Housewives of Sydney would not be returning to screens for a second season.

What happened? Lisa, who shares her sons with husband David (pictured) explained to a follower that Bert did not provoke his older brother Harry 'just snapped' after a game of Monopoly

Speculation and rumour: Lisa recently addressed rumours The Real Housewives of Sydney would not be returning to screens for a second season. She exclusively told Daily Mail Australia, 'That's not true, it's completely false, that's just speculation'

Lisa exclusively told Daily Mail Australia, 'That's not true, it's completely false, that's just speculation.'

'By no stretch of the imagination have we been told The Real Housewives of Sydney won't be renewed, we have very much been told to sit tight, and asked that we aren't allowed to do anything drastic with our hair or anything like that.'

She continued: 'We are still very much beholds to our contracts, we still have to ask very much to have permission to do anything like I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

'We are always reminded that we are ambassadors for The Real Housewives brand and to not sign up to anything that could affect the brand.'

Season two in the making? She said, 'We have very much been told to sit tight, and asked that we aren't allowed to do anything drastic with our hair or anything like that'. Pictured: RHOS cast



She's one of the current front-runner expected to go far on The Bachelor.

So it's no surprise that Brooke Blurton is doing everything she can to both look, and feel, as good as possible while her celebrity status continues to soar.

In a bid to gain more 'confidence', the 23-year-old recently turned to The Coco Skin Clinic in North Fremantle, WA, for a skin needling treatment.

A winning transformation? The Bachelor's Brooke Blurton undergoes skin needling to feel 'confident and luminous' while makeup-free

Alongside a video of Brooke undergoing the treatment, the clinic wrote on Instagram: 'Skin needling on our girl crush to help reduce the appearance of scarring caused by breakouts.'

'Brooke's aim is to feel confident and luminous, makeup free.'

The clinic also shared a makeup-free selfie of Brooke physically glowing  taken just a few hours after her first treatment.

Glowing: In a bid to feel more 'confident', the 23-year-old recently turned to The Coco Skin Clinic in North Fremantle, WA, for a skin needling treatment

'Skin needling is highly regarded and world leading skin rejuvenation treatment which uses the body's own natural healing ability to firm, plump, brighten skin,' the clinic wrote online

Opening up about the work they're doing to Brooke, the clinic added: 'Skin needling is a highly regarded and world leading skin rejuvenation treatment which uses the body's own natural healing ability to firm, plump, brighten skin.'

'A pink or reddish appearance can be expected to last only 24-48 hours post procedure! We want your experience to be comfortable.

'For minimal discomfort we apply a topical anesthetic to your skin prior to commencing your treatment.'

Who knew! Daily Mail Australia recently revealed that Brooke has always aimed to look her best, having previously competed in a series of bikini and beauty pageants while aged just 18

Daily Mail Australia recently revealed that Brooke has always aimed to look her best, having previously competed in bikini and beauty pageants while aged just 18.

Brooke previously competed in a variety of events, including AFL Angel and Miss Swimsuit USA WA.

The majority of the events took place between 2013 and 2014 in small bars around Western Australia.

Promotional pictures from these events on social media show Brooke proudly posing in her bikini on stage alongside several other stunning competitors.They revealed that they are 'bursting with love' since welcoming their son Theodore earlier this month.

And Vogue Williams, 32, and Spencer Matthews, 29, enjoyed a casual stroll on Sunday with their newborn son and dog Winston.

The beaming Irish presenter looked incredible as she walked around the park in her white blouse, which was nipped in at the waist, with her mother Sandra.

Delight: Vogue Williams, 32, and Spencer Matthews, 29, enjoyed a casual stroll on Sunday with their newborn son and dog Winston

Welcoming her new son less than two weeks ago, Vogue looked effortlessly stylish and donned a pair of black skinny jeans for the outing.

The model-turned-DJ made sure to accessorise her ensemble with two eye-catching necklaces and oversized gold hoop earrings.

She continued her fashionable display by wrapping her golden locks in a leopard print headband and donned a pair of circular shades while she pushed Theodore's pram.

Complementing his other half, Spencer donned a pair of salmon-coloured shorts with a white and green striped rugby top.

Glowing: The beaming Irish presenter looked incredible as she walked around the park in her white blouse, which was nipped in at the waist

Joining them for the outing was Vogue's stylish mother Sandra, who looked chic in her white jeans, long-sleeved top and a blue jumper wrapped around her shoulders.

Their outing comes after they shared the first family photo with their newborn son on the cover of Hello! Magazine.

The happy couple, who welcomed their first child on September 5, have also revealed their son's name for the first time - Theodore Frederick Michael.

Denim days: Welcoming her new son less than two weeks ago, Vogue looked effortlessly stylish and donned a pair of black skinny jeans for the outing

All in the details: The model-turned-DJ made sure to accessorize her ensemble with two eye-catching necklaces and oversized gold hoop earrings

Spot the difference: She continued her fashionable display by wrapping her golden locks in a leopard print headband and donned a pair of circular shades while she pushed Theodore's pram

Vogue also revealed details of the birth, explaining she had been prepped for an emergency cesarean before giving birth naturally.

'We are bursting with love. I honestly feel like he has been here forever, he has just slotted into our lives perfectly,' Vogue gushed to the magazine.

'He is a mini Spencer. I remember seeing lots of dark hair, and thinking, "that's just like his dad". He has his dimples too, and deep blue eyes.'

Of the name, the couple revealed they had simply fallen in love with Theodore after hearing it and despite thinking they would call him Teddy, they have yet to shorten the name.

Walk this way: Complementing his other half, Spencer donned a pair of salmon-coloured shorts with a white and green striped rugby top

Strolling along: The new-parents appeared relaxed for their walk about

Debut: Their outing comes after they shared the first family photo with their newborn son on the cover of Hello! Magazine

Theodore's middle names hold special meaning for the couple as Frederick is after Vogue's late father while Michael is for Spencer's brother who died aged 22 in 1999 after reaching the summit of Mount Everest.

Vogue also discussed her birth, admitting: 'There were a few little hiccups, but it was perfect.

She had been prepped for a c-section with Spencer in a gown by her side before she eventually gave birth naturally.

Support: Joining them for the outing was Vogue's stylish mother Sandra, who looked chic in her white jeans, long-sleeved top and a blue jumper wrapped around her shoulders

Welcome: The happy couple, who welcomed their first child on September 5, have also revealed their son's name for the first time - Theodore Frederick Michael

Prepared: Vogue also revealed details of the birth, explaining she had been prepped for an emergency cesarean before giving birth naturally

The couple - who tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in the Scottish Highlands in June - announced the birth of their 'beautiful and healthy' baby boy earlier this month.

Taking to Instagram, Vogue posted: 'This morning at 3:55am, we welcomed our son into a quiet London hospital... He is beautiful and healthy. We feel truly blessed.'

Vogue shared a heartwarming snap of the tiny tot in a striped babygro, resting her hand gently on the infant's feet.

Meanwhile, former Made In Chelsea star Spencer, 30, chose to announce the news with an arty black and white image of his hand clasping his newborn's, reposting the same message as his wife. Vogue also took to her Instagram stories to write 'I'm so in love'.

'Love': She told the publication: 'We are bursting with love. I honestly feel like he has been here forever, he has just slotted into our lives perfectly'

Namesake: Theodore's middle names hold special meaning for the couple as Frederick is after Vogue's late father while Michael is for Spencer's brother who died aged 22 in 1999 after reaching the summit of Mount Everest

It's been two weeks of mixed emotions for Vogue who joked about feeling like a 'milking cow' as she pumped milk for her little one on Thursday night.

The new mum shared updates on her Instagram Stories, posting a photo of her electric breast pump with the crying laughing emoji and the declaration: 'I'm a milking cow.'

Earlier she posed a selfie of herself cosying up to her baby boy, as she complained about her 'tired stingy eyes.'

And unfortunately for Vogue she didn't get much of a chance to catch up on sleep as by Friday morning she was sharing another bleary-eyed selfie as she asked her followers: 'Will he go back to sleep if I'm reaaallllly quiet.'He tried to take his own life after the Home Secretary he was protecting was blown up by a mystery assassin following several earlier attempts to kill her.

Now it appears that policeman David Budd is injured in another attack in the final episode of BBC1s hit political thriller Bodyguard.

A picture from the episode, due to air next Sunday, shows Budd, played by Richard Madden, looking stunned with a bloodied face while covering himself with a green blanket.

A picture from the episode, due to air next Sunday, shows Budd, played by Richard Madden, looking stunned with a bloodied face while covering himself with a green blanket

Fans are currently in the dark about who killed Home Secretary Julia Montague  or even if she is dead at all.

Earlier in the series, Montague, played by Keeley Hawes, apparently died after being targeted by a bomb during a speech  leaving her lover Budd trying to find her killer. Depressed Budd tried to shoot himself in a failed suicide bid as a funeral for Montague took place in scenes not shown.

Montague's lover Budd was left trying to find her killer after the bombing

Head of the Metropolitan Polices Counter Terrorism Command, Commander Anne Sampson

Sampson, played by Gina McKee, is horrified when Julia threatens to move investigations into recent terror events to the Security Service

Depressed Budd tried to shoot himself in a failed suicide bid after the bombing Julia Montague

Julia Montague apparently died after being targeted by a bomb during a speech

Fans are currently in the dark about who killed Home Secretary Julia Montague

Fans gave their own theories on social media about who may be responsible for the killing, with many suspecting the new partner of Budds estranged wife Vicky. One person wrote that their theory was Julia is still alive, but in hiding. Cant wait for Sunday to find out! The extended final episode airs on September 23 at 9pm.

The penultimate episode last Sunday night attracted Bodyguards biggest audience yet with 8million viewers tuning in  1million up on the previous week, figures show.

Following Sunday night's penultimate episode, the BBC teaser sees Budd caught up in swarm of accusations that he killed the Home Secretary as the evidence against him mounts up.

But that's not all, as Montague made a brief appearance in the clip, seemingly as part of a flashback, that has fans convinced that she's still alive.

Bodyguard: The series finale teaser, which was released on Monday, left fans convinced that Julia Montague is STILL ALIVE as it hinted her return to the show

Fans of the show took to Twitter in their droves to share their theories and to discuss the fact that Julia could still be alive.

One user wrote: '#Bodyguard my prediction for final episode is that Julia is still alive and in a safe house protected by spies. Expect the unexpected. And Keeley will be in series 2 as the PM!'

While another said: 'Who reckons that Julia isnt really dead in The Bodyguard.. #finaltwist'

There were also some rather imaginative suggestions, as one joked: 'The #Bodyguard plot is getting so ridiculous now that my prediction for the finale is that not only is Julia Montague not dead but she is also not the Home Secretary and is going to come back as Lindsey Denton from Line of Duty.'

She's alive! Fans of the show took to Twitter in their droves to share their theories on Twitter, and to discuss the fact that Julia could still be alive

The intense trailer sees Budd get accused of being behind the bomb that killed Home Secretary, and his secret lover, Julia Montague in episode three.

While Head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command Anne Sampson (played by Gina McKee) is heard opening the episode six teaser with the words: 'A woman was murdered, a crime was committed.'

A flashback of Julia before her death flashes up on screen before her replacement Mike Travis (Vincent Franklin) is seen meeting with MI5 head Stephen Hunter-Dunn (Stuart Bowman).

Mike declares: 'Look no further for Julia's assassin' as a bloodied Budd appeared on screen.

Drama: Following Sunday night's penultimate episode, the teaser sees Richard Madden's character David Budd caught up in swarm of accusations that he killed the Home Secretary

Murder: Anne Sampson (played by Gina McKee) is heard opening the episode six teaser with the words: 'A woman was murdered, a crime was committed.'

Warning: Julia's replacement Mike Travis (Vincent Franklin) is seen meeting with MI5 head Stephen Hunter-Dunn (Stuart Bowman)

DS Louise Rayburn (Nina Toussaint-White), an ally of Budd's in the investigation, forlornly telling her colleague Deepak (Ash Tandon) that it has been 'an inside man all along'.

Next, sirens whirl as Budd is seen in a dramatic stand-off with armed police. His boss CG Lorraine Craddock (Pippa Haywood) pleads with him to surrender, over walkie talkie: 'Give yourself up,' she tells him.

A bloodied Bud replies 'It's over,' while his estranged wife Vicky (Sophie Rundle) looks shocked and is held back by police.

Is it Budd? DS Louise Rayburn (Nina Toussaint-White), an ally of Budd's in the investigation, forlornly telling her colleague Deepak (Ash Tandon) that it has been 'an inside man all along'

Chilling: Next, sirens whirl as Budd is seen in a dramatic stand-off with armed police

The trailer ends with a clip of David loading a gun.

The penultimate episode of the Bodyguard left viewers reeling for more after some of the series' biggest questions began to be answered.

In Sunday night's episode of the BBC One drama, the aftermath unravelled of Home Secretary Julia Montague's shock death as police pieced together clues of the puzzle of the BBC drama.

It uncovered that Julia was having secret meetings with the Secret Service about the Prime Minister's sordid past; revealing he'd been accused of sexual assault, battled drug addiction and had committed financial misconduct at an old firm.

Boss: His boss CG Lorraine Craddock (Pippa Haywood) pleads with him to surrender, over walkie talkie: 'Give yourself up,' she tells him

Tense: A bloodied Budd is seen talking with the police during the stand-off

Police discovered the bomb that killed Julia had not been in the suitcase after all but planted underneath the stage and a whole hour of CCTV footage of before the attack had mysteriously gone missing.

Budd realised he and his family were being closely watched by the Secret Service, and the episode ended with him being placed on indefinite leave and his weapons confiscated - leaving him vulnerable to whoever was behind the bomb.

The BBC One series has achieved consolidated viewing figures of 10.4 million for its first episode.

Out: The penultimate episode ended with being placed on indefinite leave and his weapons confiscated - leaving him vulnerable to whoever was behind the bomb

This is the highest launch figure for any new drama across all UK channels since 2006, the corporation said.

The series kicked off on August 26, when it scored the highest overnight audience for a drama launch this year by more than one million viewers.

Sunday night's episode of the BBC One series had an average of eight million tune in, with a peak of 8.3 million, according to overnight ratings.

This was an increase on the previous week's average audience of 6.6 million in overnight ratings.

Bodyguard concludes on BBC One on Sunday at 9pm.She hosted a star-studded party on Sunday evening to celebrate the tenth year of her eponymous fashion label.

And Victoria Beckham was sure to don her famous dark shades the morning after, seen stepping out in a black power suit on Monday as she headed to the post-London Fashion Week breakfast she was hosting.

The Spice Girl had had a particularly busy weekend, having showcased her label's latest collection, before heading to her Dover Street store in West London and then partying the night away - putting on an energetic rendition of Spice Up Your Life for her party guests.

Hard night, Victoria? Mrs Beckham stepped out the morning after her tenth anniversary party having danced energetically to Spice Up Your Life in front of her A-list guests

Giving us everything: The Spice Girl had had a particularly busy weekend, having showcased her label's latest collection, before heading to her Dover Street store in West London and then partying the night away - putting on an energetic rendition of Spice Up Your Life for her party guests

In an Instagram video posted by the woman of the moment, Victoria was seen standing before her adoring guests, singing the iconic Spice Girls track with gusto.

The former pop star had no problem replicating the moves that go with the song - last seen performing them on stage at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

The talented mother-of-four, 44, was also filmed by husband David's sister, Joanne Beckham, as she busted a groove for those at the swanky soiree.

Still looking effortlessly chic after her long day - in a pair of gold embroidered trousers with a flared hem and slit down the centre teamed with a white t-shirt and matching blazer - Posh slammed it to the left and shook it to the right... clearly having a good time.

She's still got it: Posh slammed it to the left and shook it to the right... clearly having a good time

No rest for the wicked: She was still looking effortlessly chic after her long day

Arriba! Victoria wore a pair of gold embroidered trousers with a flared hem and slit down the centre teamed with a white t-shirt and matching blaze

Chicas to the front: Victoria showed that she's still a Spice Girl through-and-through

On Monday morning it was back to business for the fashion icon, as she stepped out looking perfectly poised - if not a little hungover - in a black ensemble.

She wore a blazer over a lacy top, buttoned up tightly, teamed with skin-tight leggings and black killer heels.

She donned a pair of her favoured black shades and swept her locks up behind her head as she strutted to a waiting car.

The designer was driven to Annabel's, at which she hosted a private breakfast and trunk show which included looks from the SS19 collection.

Back to business: On Monday morning the fashion icon stepped out looking perfectly poised - if not a little hungover - in a black ensemble

Sleek: She wore a blazer over a lacy top, buttoned up tightly, teamed with skin-tight leggings and black killer heels

C'est chic: She donned a pair of her favoured black shades and swept her locks up behind her head

At it again: Victoria was sure to showcase her trademark smirk as she strutted to a waiting car

Hostess: She hosted a breakfast event at Annabel's London the following morning

Guests were welcomed into the iconic members' club on Berkeley Square and dined in The Garden, followed by a private viewing of the collection.

Guestlist included the likes of Melissa Odabash, Jackie St Clair, Jenny Halpern Prince, Olivia Buckingham, Jemima Cadbury, Lady Sabrina Percy and Nga Nguyen.

London Fashion Week saw Victoria host her first ever London show celebrating a hugely successful decade in business, having normally showcased her designs at New York Fashion Week.

Busy V: Victoria then headed to her Dover Street store to check on things there

Yummy mummy: Victoria styled her brunette locks into a glossy blow-dried and tousled hairdo, she added a slick of glamorous make-up the evening before

Milestone moment: The talented mother-of-four, 44, was joined by her doting husband David and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful at the star-studded event

Victoria's party turned out to be quite the family turnout after the show with all four children - Brooklyn, 19, Romeo, 16, Cruz, 13 and Harper, seven - in attendance, as well we as her sister, Louise Adams, and sister-in-law, Joanne.

Brooklyn was seen partying late into the evening, while his three siblings were sent home at a sensible hour.

All of Victoria's nearest and dearest celebrity pals flocked to the fashion event with the likes of the Ramsays, David Furnish, Alexa Chung and Liam Payne showing their support.Natalie Bassingthwaighte is headed back to reality TV as the new host of Channel Ten's Changing Rooms reboot.

Filming on the highly-anticipated series is set to start next month, with Natalie due to meet with production this week to start preparing.

Confirming the good news to the Daily Telegraph, the 43-year-old said that she was 'obsessed' with renovation shows and even has a degree in interior design.

She's back! Natalie Bassingthwaighte is headed back to reality TV as the new host of Channel Ten's Changing Rooms reboot

The blonde may not be handling hosting duties alone, with Woman's Day magazine also reporting that reno legend Jamie Durie has got the gig.

Jamie is best known as a former host of both Backyard Blitz and The Block, before heading to the U.S. where he landed a recurring spot on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Natalie is no stranger to reality TV either, having previously hosted The X Factor and starred in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.

Me too! Natalie may not be handling hosting duties alone, with Woman's Day magazine also reporting that reno legend Jamie Durie has got the gig

Channel Ten confirmed that Changing Rooms would return to Aussie screens next year in an official statement from the network's Chief Content Officer, Beverley McGarvey, last week.

'Our new show will capture the essence and appeal of the original format and re-energise it, with strong storylines and more kitchen and bathroom reveals, which are proven favourites with Australian viewers,' she said.

'Created by the people behind such proven hits as MasterChef Australia and Australian Survivor, the new Changing Rooms will be fun, bright, energetic and great family viewing.'

She added: 'Changing Rooms proved that renovation could be more than informative: it could also be full of fun, big characters and tension. We cannot wait to bring our exciting new version to viewers.'

The insanely popular renovation series ran for over 17 seasons in the UK, and then had subsequent spin-offs in both Australia and New Zealand.

It was also revealed that filming will take place in Sydney from late October to mid-December.

The former host of the Australia spin-off was Suzie Wilks, who appeared on all eight seasons of the show, which aired on Channel Nine from 1995-2005.She's having a major moment on screen thanks to the smash hit drama Big Little Lies.

And Nicole Kidman has explained how she chooses roles like that of Celeste Wright, revealing in a candid interview with Marie Claire US October issue that it all comes down to a feeling.

For the cover interview about her career and passions, the actress, 51, shows off her incredible figure in a series of racy looks.

Tease: Nicole Kidman has posed for a stunning new shoot for Marie Claire US

Nicole poses in designer looks for the high fashion shoot. For one shot the actress wears a ruffled brown jacket without a shirt underneath.

Teamed with thigh-high Chloe socks and a statement gold necklace, the Hollywood icon defies her age with her youthful appearance.

Another shot sees Nicole dressed in a sheer lace dress and a furry jacket, striking a sultry pose.

Racy: Nicole poses in designer looks for the high fashion shoot, donning a sheer lace dress for one gorgeous shot

In the accompanying interview, Nicole muses on whether she's ruled by her head or her heart when it comes to work, explaining: 'I always say I'm a pretty even mix, but I'm probably dominated by [my heart]. If you don't come from a feeling place, you just end up with an enormous amount of technique.'

'I have this [brains], but that can be overruled. It fluctuates too. I have a strong sexuality. It's a huge part of who I am and my existence.'

Nicole added that her strong upbringing from her feminist parents has helped shape her mentality, saying: 'We'd get teased in school: "Oh your mom is so radical." At the time we'd roll our eyes and be embarrassed. But my sister and I are both advocates now. It was an incredible gift to be given.'

'I was raised by stoics. It's a philosophy, a way of behaving and being in the world, which I kind of don't have. I have a little bit of it, but I have far more of, like, "Oh my God, how am I going to get through this? I can't get up!"'

Strong: In the accompanying interview, Nicole muses on whether she's ruled by her head or her heart, explaining: 'I have a strong sexuality. It's a huge part of who I am'

'I think once you have children, your resilience is built, and your ability to go, "OK, I can't wallow"'

The actress has plenty in the pipeline, with her two upcoming movies Destroyer and Boy Erased widely acclaimed by critics on the festival circuit and theres already nomination talk ahead of the Hollywood awards season.

Nicole recently hinted filming had wrapped on the hotly anticipated second season of Big Little Lies.

The acclaimed actress won an Emmy and Golden Globe for her performance as an abused wife in the first series.

The mum-of-four has been shooting the new season of the drama series since March alongside Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz and Shailene Woodley.

Centred around a mysterious murder in an affluent seaside town, Meryl Streep will also join the A-list line-up for the new series.Disney has released the second trailer for Mary Poppins Returns, starring Emily Blunt as the iconic title character.

The studio had shared the first trailer back in March, but this trailer offers even more musical magic this time around.

This video features new footage of Blunt as Poppins, Lin-Manuel Miranda as the lamplighter Jack and Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer as the Banks children, Michael and Jane, all grown up.

More fun: The second trailer for Mary Poppins Returns was released on Monday

A gentle landing: Director Rob Marshall revealed last week that Emily Blunt (left) was the only person he thought could re-create the Poppins character, originally portrayed by Julie Andrews (right) in the original 1964 classic Mary Poppins

The trailer opens with Michael and Jane going through some of their old childhood things, including a kite, which Michael's son Georgie (Joel Dawson) is later seen flying with Jack.

As they fly the kite, the clouds literally part and Mary Poppins descends to Earth from the heavens, shocking Michael and Jane with her sudden return.

They even poke fun at how Poppins seemingly hasn't aged a bit, which is met with a curt response from Poppins, telling Michael that he should never discuss a woman's age.

A bubbly return: Blunt takes on an iconic character in the Mary Poppins Returns trailer

Movie magic: This video features new footage of Blunt as Poppins, Lin-Manuel Miranda as the lamplighter Jack and Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer as the Banks children, Michael and Jane, all grown up

The original children: Van Dyke and Andrews with Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber

When Jane asks what has brought her back, Poppins states that she has come to "look over the Banks children" once again, not only Michael and Jane, but also Michael's kids Georgie and Annabel (Pixie Davies).

The Banks family has seen better days, with Michael revealing that they are about to lose their home, while his kids clearly miss their mother who has seemingly passed away.

The trailer also offers a brief glimpse at some of the musical song-and-dance numbers, with music by Marc Shaiman and songs by Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Magical Mary: As they fly the kite, the clouds literally part and Mary Poppins descends to Earth from the heavens, shocking Michael and Jane with her sudden return

Director Rob Marshall revealed last week that Blunt was the only person he thought could re-create the Poppins character, originally portrayed by Julie Andrews in the original 1964 classic Mary Poppins.

The all-star cast of Mary Poppins returns also includes Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Angela Lansbury and original Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke.

Disney will release Mary Poppins returns on December 19, a Wednesday release in the midst of a crowded holiday movie season which includes Mortal Engines and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on December 14 and Aquaman, Bumblebee, Holmes & Watson, Alita: Battle Angel and Welcome to Marwen on December 21.

Move over for Mary: Disney will release Mary Poppins returns on December 19, a Wednesday release in the midst of a crowded holiday movie season

Colorful cast: They even poke fun at how Poppins seemingly hasn't aged a bit, which is met with a curt response from Poppins, telling Michael that he should never discuss a woman's age

Ageless Mary: They even poke fun at how Poppins seemingly hasn't aged a bit, which is met with a curt response from Poppins, telling Michael that he should never discuss a woman's age.

The original Mary Poppins hit theaters in 1964, starring Julie Andrews as the title character and Dick Van Dyke as the chimney sweep Burt.

The story was thrust into the spotlight a few years ago as well when Disney released Saving Mr. Banks, following Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) trying to convince author P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) to adapt her beloved story.

Now a whole new generation can experience the magic of Mary Poppins this Christmas when Mary Poppins Returns hits theaters.

Mary and Jack: The original Mary Poppins hit theaters in 1964, starring Julie Andrews as the title character and Dick Van Dyke as the chimney sweep Burt.

Poppins sings: Blunt belts out a tune in the Mary Poppins Returns trailerIts first series is expected to sweep clean at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, with an astounding number of 14 nominations under its belt.

But on Sunday, the cast of Amazons The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel appeared to have contained their excitement in the effort of continuing to shoot scenes for the shows forthcoming second series.

Rachel Brosnahan, 27, and her co-star Zachary Levi, 37, donned their 50s apparel while channeling their Upper West Side characters in Manhattan, New York.

Excited: The cast of Amazons The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel appeared to have contained their excitement in the effort of continuing to shoot scenes for the shows forthcoming second series

'50s fashion: The actress wore a stunning polka dotted black and white dress underneath her navy trench coat which were paired with black gloves and heels of the same color

The actress wore a stunning black and white patterned dress underneath her navy trench coat which were paired with black gloves and heels of the same color.

Levi looked dapper in his grey suit, with one official photograph showing the Hollywood star lean in for a kiss.

Fans are already speculating as to what Zacharys character will bring to the shows second series.

'Levi will recur in season two of the Rachel Brosnahan series as an eclectic Manhattan doctor who suddenly starts orbiting the Weissman/Maisel world, The Hollywood Reporter teased when describing Zachary's character back in May.

Recurring star? While The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast has been shooting scenes for season two since March, Zachary is currently only listed to appear in one episode

It's unclear whether Zachary will reprise his character later on in the series.

While The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast has been shooting scenes for season two since March, Zachary is currently only listed to appear in one episode.

Rachel, who attends to shooting the show on the east coast, will embrace different weather temperatures when she and her co-stars are expected to attend the Emmy Awards on Monday.

Return: An official release date for season two has yet to be announced

Emmys buzz: It appears as if Amazon is expecting for a similar outcome again

The ceremony, which is to be held at the Microsoft Theatre, sees the Amazon series compete with shows such as Atlanta, Black-ish and Will & Grace in nominated categories including Best Comedy and Lead Actress.

Given that two Golden Globe awards are already under its belt, having won Best Comedy Series and Best Actress in a Comedy Series earlier this year, it appears as if Amazon is expecting for a similar outcome again.

An official release date for season two has yet to be announced.Advertisement

Bachelor nation vet Amanda Stanton seems to be fine with her beau.

The blonde beauty was seen with Bobby Jacobs on the beach in California as she showed off her toned bikini body in a skimpy dark two piece.

The two lovebirds looked very playful with each other as if there was nothing wrong between them, taking time out to kiss, hug and hold hands.

This comes one week after the reality TV siren was arrested for domestic battery in Las Vegas for allegedly hitting Jacobs, who is over a foot taller than she is.

Back on: Amanda Stanton seems to be fine with her beau. The beauty was seen kissing Bobby Jacobs on the beach as she showed off her toned bikini body

Happy days: This comes a week after she was arrested for domestic battery in Las Vegas for allegedly hitting the man

Is it too late to say sorry? The blonde beauty, who came to fame on The Bachelor and Bachelor In Paradise, apologized through her rep to UsWeekly

Soon after she apologized.

The blonde beauty, who came to fame on The Bachelor and Bachelor In Paradise, sent her message out through her rep to UsWeekly.

'Amanda is embarrassed and ashamed this happened and sincerely apologizes to hotel security and the Las Vegas Police Department,' the note began.

It was added: 'Amanda is a gentle, respectful person who has never gotten physical with anyone under any circumstance.

'That evening she had a few drinks at a bachelorette party and when hotel security asked her and Bobby to quiet down, she got a bit rambunctious.

Bad night is all: 'Amanda is embarrassed and ashamed this happened and sincerely apologizes to hotel security and the Las Vegas Police Department,' the note began

A long apology: It was added: 'Amanda is a gentle, respectful person who has never gotten physical with anyone under any circumstance'

'Amanda gave Bobby what she thought was a playful shove; hotel security did their job and reported the incident to the police, who in turn did their job.

'Despite Bobby explaining this was not an ill-intended shove, the police still had to do their job which Amanda completely respects and understands.'

She was at a party at the Wynn Encore when security came to the room after receiving a noise complaint int he early hours of Monday morning, according to TMZ.

No harm: 'Amanda gave Bobby what she thought was a playful shove; hotel security did their job and reported the incident to the police, who in turn did their job,' it was added

All A-OK now: 'Despite Bobby explaining this was not an ill-intended shove, the police still had to do their job which Amanda completely respects and understands,' it was said

Details: She was at a party at the Wynn Encore when security came to the room after receiving a noise complaint int he early hours of Monday morning, according to TMZ

Stanton's mug shot from Las Vegas after she was arrested for domestic battery one week ago

As 6ft 6in Bobby was speaking with security, Amanda, who stands a petite 5ft 3in, tried to intervene and in the process shoved her boyfriend so hard that the guards called the police.

Police officers who arrived on scene arrested her for misdemeanor domestic violence, the website said, adding that it's believed Amanda was 'inebriated.'

She was taken into custody following the 3:15 a.m. incident and later released.

TMZ reported Tuesday that the 26-year-old Californian and her beau are still together and believe someone had slipped 'something' in Amanda's drink at the party.

On Tuesday, Amanda shared a photo of herself and Bobby on board a private jet to her Instagram Story.

Amanda appeared on the Ben Higgins season 20 of ABC's The Bachelor finishing in fourth place. She was also on season 3 of Bachelor In Paradise.

She became engaged to Josh Murray after season 3 of BIP but they called off their engagement in December 2016.

Amanda went on to date Bachelor In Paradise's Robby Hayes but they broke up acrimoniously in September last year.

No strife here: The two lovebirds looked very playful with each other as if there was nothing wrong between them, taking time out to kiss, hug and hold hands

Weathering the storm: It seems the couple are still together following the incident. Amanda shared a photo of herself and Bobby on board a private jet to her Instagram Story Tuesday

Party time: Amanda posted an Instagram photo Sunday showing her in a revealing swimsuit posing next to fellow Bachelor contestant Lauren Bushnell at the Encore Beach Club Sunday

In May, she went public with her romance with Bobby whom she had started dating a couple of months earlier.

They got together, she told E!, after he slid into her DMs.

Bobby, 32, is a pro volleyball player and an entrepreneur.

In August he joined Amanda and her two daughters Kinsley and Charlie for a vacation in Utah.

Getting serious: In August, Bobby, 32, a pro volleyball player and entrepreneur, joined Amanda and her two daughters Kinsley and Charlie for a vacation in UtahThe 100's Marie Avgeropoulos has been charged with felony domestic violence.

The Canada-born actress' charges stem from an August 5 altercation with her boyfriend, during which a man called authorities alleging his girlfriend, 32, hit him amidst a verbal argument, according to TMZ.

'If convicted, she faces up to 4 years in prison,' says the gossip site.

Weepy: The 100's Marie Avgeropoulos has been charged with felony domestic violence. Seen here in her tearful August 2018 mugshot

Marie is set to be arraigned Monday say the L.A. County District Attorney's Office.

When authorities arrived at the scene of the altercation last month, they noted marks on the boyfriend's body.

According to a TMZ insider, Marie's behavior was the result of mixing medication and alcohol earlier in the evening.

The actress's boyfriend is said to have 'begged' the police not to arrest her.

Marie was later released on $50k bail, which her significant other paid for.

Bad combo: According the insider, the 32-year-old's behavior was the result of mixing medication and alcohol earlier in the evening. The star is seen in February 2017 above

Cut throat: Marie plays the tough Octavia Blake on the CW series, above

The source explained that the couple are both Canadian and not familiar with US laws about domestic violence.

Marie plays the tough Octavia Blake on the CW series.

The dystopian series was renewed for a sixth seaon in May and just wrapped up its fifth season earlier this month.Earlier in the year they were announced as the actors taking on the roles of Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Princess Margaret in Netflix's The Crown.

And as season three of the royal drama continues to shoot in the UK, Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter were seen for the first time together on set, filming scenes at Winchester Cathedral.

Both actresses stepped out wearing black coats with fur trim, as well as hats and white pearls, with several outlets claiming they were filming scenes taking place at Winston Churchill's funeral.

Women in black: As season three of The Crown continues to shoot in the UK, Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter were seen for the first time together on set at at Winchester Cathedral

Clad in all-black long coats and hats with purses over their arms, the ladies chatted together as they strolled along arm-in-arm looking forlorn.

Later, as the cameras ceased rolling, the women were seen sharing a laugh together as they milled around on set with extras joining them.

Seasons three and four of the series charts the real-life events of 1964-76 - with Churchill dying in the January 1965.

Churchill's funeral took place at St Paul's Cathedral, however filming for The Crown took place in Winchester.

In character: Olivia Colman looked identical to how the Queen did for Churchill's funeral, dressed in a long black coat with a three strand pearl necklace

The Royal Family at Churchill's funeral: (left -right) Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Prince Charles, Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones

On location: Helena Bonham Carter was dressed in a similar fur-lined coat that resembled the one Princess Margaret wore at the funeral

Change of scenery: Churchill's funeral took place at St Paul's Cathedral, however filming for The Crown took place in Winchester

Between takes: Seasons three and four of the series charts the real-life events of 1964-76 - with Churchill dying in the January 1965

Colman and Bonham Carter's outfits were reminiscent of the garb the Queen and her sister wore to Churchill's burial - suggesting Winchester will double up as St Paul's.

The Queen rarely attended (nor attends) funerals - leaving the list of possibilities minimal.

It was revealed over the weekend that that the famous moment Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, was photographed barbecuing with his daughter Princess Anne will feature in the new season too.

Siblings: Margaret passed away in 2002 [pictured at the Horseguards Parade in 1993]

Who died? Colman and Bonham Carter's outfits were reminiscent of the garb the Queen and her sister wore to Churchill's burial - suggesting Winchester will double up as St Paul's

In mourning? The Queen rarely attended (nor attends) funerals - leaving the list of possibilities minimal

Location location location: The scenes were being shot at Winchester Cathedral

Extra extra: Other actors were spotted on set in costume

Watching on: The set was bustling with activity

In an intimate family moment caught on camera, Prince Philip cooks on a barbecue by the river with his daughter Princess Anne in glorious evening sunlight.

In the Netflix series Tobias Menzies, who plays Philip, wears a dark cardigan while Call The Midwife actress Erin Doherty, as Anne, is in a spotted red and white blouse. A red-coated footman hovers in the background.

The scene, to be broadcast next year, captures the royals in an unguarded moment as they cook after a day of fishing.She made a whirlwind return to Albert Square in March, after two years away.

And EastEnders star Jessie Wallace was seen filming new scenes in central London on Monday.

The Kat Slater actress, 46, wore her trademark leopard print in the form of some baggy trousers and a matching rucksack as she performed the clips.

Red hot! EastEnders star Jessie Wallace was seen filming new scenes in central London on Monday

Her character teamed the look with a busty red top which accentuated her ample assets.

Looking every part the fiery rock chic, Jessie carried a black motorbike helmet and wore a stylish leather jacket to complete her look.

Adding a touch of glamour to her ensemble, the soap star opted for long, cherry red, nails to complement her luscious shirt.

Rock chic: The Kat Slater actress, 46, wore her trademark leopard print in the form of some baggy trousers and a matching rucksack as she performed the clips

Jessie highlighted her striking features with smokey cosmetics, and drew attention to her piercing eyes with lashings of mascara.

Keeping to the Slater style, Jessie heightened the look of her plump lips with a dash of scarlet lipstick.

Jessie returned to Albert Square earlier this year alongside fellow Slater family members and on-off partner Alfie Moon.

Played by Shane Richie, the character made a brief appearance on the long-standing soap in May.

Fierce: Jessie's character opted for a busty red top which accentuated her ample assets

He was revealed to be the secret lover of Hayley Slater and the father of her unborn child, which wont go down well with Jessies character Kat.

Despite not being on EastEnders for quite some time before this year, Jessie and Shane respired their roles for a Kat and Alfie spin-off called Redwater.

Set in Ireland, the show aired last year on the BBC.

The show will remain as canon in the EastEnders universe, with Kat's apparent death at the end of it addressed when Kat turned up at her own funeral.He hit the headlines over the summer when he enjoyed a date with Love Island star Kendall Rae Knight.

But Kem Cetinay seemed to be thoroughly enjoying single life as he partied it up at a five-star hotel in northern Cyprus with his older brother, Izzy, and a group of pals.

The 22-year-old presenter seemed to be in great spirits as he danced and drank with his friends at the Lord's Palace hotel, where he stayed in a 500-a-night suite.

Loving life: Kem Cetinay partied up a storm with brother Izzy and pals at 5-star hotel during their luxury holiday in Cyprus

Kem was spotted partying up a storm with his pals, as he cosied up to a mystery brunette. The pair spent most of the night drinking and dancing together.

The group spent their days guzzling strawberry daiquiris before taking to the beach club cabanas for a spot of R&R.

Kem was set on lapping up the sunshine as he took advantage of riding jet skis and swimming in the sea before partying at the hotel's nightclub Odyssey.

Having a whale of a time: The 22-year-old presenter seemed to be in great spirits as he danced and drank with his friends at the Lord's Palace hotel, where he stayed in a 500-a-night suite

Party: Kem was spotted partying up a storm with his pals, drinking and dancing together

Keeping it casual: The reality star donned a white graphic-print T-shirt and black shorts teamed with Nike trainers

'Kem and the brunette were very cosy in the club. They were drinking and dancing together for most of the night. He didn't seem to mind who saw them,' an onlooker said.

They added: 'Kem was clearly loving the single life - he was the centre of attention with lots of partygoers but particularly caught the eye of one pretty brunette.

'He seemed very interested in her too with the pair flirting outrageously all night.'

Family affair: Kem beamed as he danced and chatted away happily with his brother, Izzy

On the red carpet: The Love Island star later posed with Izzy and a female companion outside the hotel's nightclub Odyssey

Living the high life: The group spent their days guzzling strawberry daiquiris before taking to the beach club cabanas for a spot of R&R

His Cypriot holiday comes after he enjoyed a late night date with Kendall Rae Knight after an appearance on spin-off show Love Island After Sun.

The former hairdresser has insisted they're just friends, revealing they haven't had time to meet up again.

He told the new issue of OK! magazine: Ive only met her once or twice but shes such a lovely girl.'

Luxury: Kem arrived at the luxury northern Cyprus resort with his entourage this week

Sun-soaked: Kem was set on lapping up the sunshine as he took advantage of riding jet skis and swimming in the sea

'Weve both been so busy but we talk all the time. I havent met her enough to know if theres romance, but she is gorgeous. Id have to meet her more to see.

Kem also hit out at his ex-girlfriend Amber Davies for commenting on his date with Kendall.

If I was to have a new relationship Id let Amber know, but I met Kendall for the Love Island podcast and shes just a friend.

'Amber and I havent been together for eight months. Shes had relationships with other people and I just want her to be happy.She celebrated her 42nd birthday earlier this month.

Yet Naomie Harris looked nearly half her age as she headed out for the Emilia Wickstead show during London Fashion Week on Monday.

The Rampage actress had good company on the evening, with fellow actors Ellie Bamber, 21, and Laura Haddock, 33, also attending.

Style: Naomie Harris had good company for the Emilia Wickstead show during London Fashion Week on Monday, with fellow actors Ellie Bamber, 21, and Laura Haddock, 33, also attending

Naomie stunned in an elegant, bright blue, midi-dress, which showcased her toned figure.

Adding that stylish touch to the outfit, the Bond star opted for a white pair of laced shoes along with a matching clutch bag.

Naomie finished off the look with a slick of glossy red lipstick, whilst her raven locks were styled in a sleek side parting.

Stunning: Naomie wore an elegant, bright blue, midi-dress, which showcased her toned figure

Actress Ellie Bamber also went for a bright, colourful theme, and commanded attention in a block-coloured dress.

Showcasing her enviably lean legs, the girlfriend of BBC's Bodyguard star Richard Madden opted for a pleated skirt design for her FROW outfit.

Adding some sparkle to her radiant ensemble, the Nocturnal Animals actress donned a pair of silver peep-toe heels and ALINKA jewellery to complete her look.

Radiant: Actress Ellie Bamber also went for a bright, colourful theme, and commanded attention in a block-coloured dress which she accessorised with ALINKA jewellery

Engaging sight: The British actress caught the eye as she occupied a front ow seat on Monday

Her fiery locks were left flowing freely in delicate curls while Ellie wore a touch of pink lipstick to accentuate her plump lips.

Meanwhile, Laura Haddock sported a sophisticated midi-dress in a simple caramel colour.

Laura, who raises two children with her Hunger Games actor husband Sam Claflin, exuded elegance at the catwalk show.

The blonde beauty wore her hair pulled back in a low bun, keeping her make-up fresh and radiant.

Friends: Laura Haddock was sat FROW with British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith as well as Hannah Redmayne, wife of Fantastic Beasts actor Eddie Redmayne

Naomi's appearance shortly follows the movie star dishing out praise for the positive change in attitude towards race and gender in films during Lorraine.

The Bond star suggested it was all about 'character qualities' in film nowadays, and that she is delighted filmmakers have started to take on 'colourblind casting'.

She said of the industry's progression: 'There are more opportunities now. A lot of time its colourblind casting... what you want from a character is their qualities.

Pals: Naomie Harris and Ellie Bamber sat FROW with their friends as they enjoyed the show

'It doesnt matter what race or gender they are. A lot of roles are written for men and are then changed for females. Its a lot more of an open environment, which I'm loving.'

Her enthusiasm for the industry change stemmed from her acclaimed performance in 2016's Moonlight, where she played a crack addict.

Naomie previously admitted she was reluctant to take on the role as she didn't want to portray negative images of black women.

Yet following the Oscar-winning movie's success, she reasoned: 'After I finished Moonlight, it was a fantastic time in my career. But I suddenly started getting all these offers which were basically to play a character like Paula again. I didnt want to be typecast.'She last appeared onscreen in the 2015 film By The Sea, instead focusing on directing and voice acting roles.

But Angelina Jolie is set to return to the big screen soon, with the actress signing on to star in The Kept, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

According to the trade publication, the film's story 'is set in motion when a woman returns to her isolated homestead to discover that her husband and four children were murdered.'

Only one child, son Caleb, survived the massacre.

According to THR, 'With her 12-year-old by her side, the woman sets out to find those responsible, but the gritty journey in blizzard conditions to a lake town will reveal secrets that will test the bond of mother and son.'

Jolie will also serve as a producer on the film.

Angelina is currently embroiled in a custody battle with estranged husband Brad Pitt, with whom she co-parents their six children.

Along with the twins and Maddox the former couple have son Pax, 14, and daughters Zahara, 13, and Shiloh, 12.

The Maleficent star only recently replaced top divorce attorney Laura Wasser with Samantha Bley Dejean.

A source told People: 'Angelina decided to put Samantha in charge of her case. She put her in the lead a month ago, and over the past month, the case has been fully transitioned to Samantha.

'She has come to rely on Samanthas counsel and thought it best that she take the lead. Angelina remains focused on healing her family. She continues to support the reconciliation of the children with Brad.'

Whilst her spokesperson Mindy Nyby added in a statement: 'Angelina has decided to change counsel to Samantha Bley Dejean, as Samanthas expertise is the protection and best interest of children. Angelina appreciates Lauras cooperation in transitioning the case over the past several weeks.'

It comes after it was revealed that Angelina and Brad have reached an 'interim' custody deal.Advertisement

Her character, Home Secretary Julia Montague, appeared to meet a gruesome end when she was killed by a bomb in the hit drama Bodyguard's penultimate episode on Sunday night.

But Keeley Hawes, 42, escaped the fever that has struck the nation over the explosive BBC One series, as she jetted to Corfu to film the fourth season of ITV drama, The Durrells.

Showing off her sun-kissed glow in a simple slip dress, the British beauty looked worlds away from her stern onscreen role as she shared a warm hug with her The Durrells co-star Alexis Georgoulis and chatted to the cast and crew during a lavish dinner in Kalami last week.

Come here, you! Bodyguard star Keeley Hawes looked sunkissed as she put on a tactile display with her co-star Alexis Georgoulis while filming The Durrells in Corfu

Having clearly built a great rapport during filming, Hawes appeared to be in great spirits as she stood up to greet Alexis by wrapping both arms around him.

The brunette beauty also took the time to chat to her TV son Josh O'Connor on The Durrells, while Keeley plays a widowed mother who moves her children to the Greek island.

They seemed to be having a great time as they chatted away happily and laughed together, with Josh wrapping an affectionate arm around Keeley's shoulders.

The actress certainly turned heads in her dress on the night, which featured a plunging neckline and a stylish low back that made the most of Keeley's glowing tan.

Simply stunning: The British beauty, 42, looked worlds away from her stern onscreen role as she chatted to the cast and crew during a lavish dinner in Kalami last week

Tactile display: Having clearly built a great rapport during filming, Hawes appeared to be in great spirits as she stood up to greet Alexis by wrapping both arms around him

Keeping it casual: Alexis donned a simple blue T-shirt in keeping with the relaxed dinner setting

Keeping her jewellery to a minimum, the Line Of Duty star accessorised with a delicate pendant necklace, a silver watch and several rings.

Styling her glossy raven tresses in tousled waves, Keeley framed her features with a slick of lipgloss and a subtle sweep of mascara.

Keeley recently admitted that she and the cast of The Durrells are now recognised by Corfu's residents after filming three series on the island.

Good pals: The brunette beauty also took the time to chat to her TV son Josh O'Connor on The Durrells, on which Keeley plays a widowed mother who moves her children to the Greek island

Caring: Keeley placed an affectionate hand on Josh's arm when he came over to chat to her during the meal

Loving life: They seemed to be having a great time as they chatted away happily and laughed together, with Josh wrapping an affectionate arm around Keeley's shoulders

Raise a glass everyone! The cast and crew made a toast during the intimate sit-down dinner

Speaking of the stir filming has caused to locals, Hawes said: 'People are always very pleased to see us.

'And now the series has been going for a few years, when people see the production trucks, they know exactly what it is. There's lots of shouts of, 'Oh Mrs Durrell, Mrs Durrell!'

'It's just very nice. Always a really positive thing.' She added: 'Sometimes people have been looking for us.'

Looking good: The actress certainly turned heads in her dress on the night, which featured a plunging neckline and a stylish low back that made the most of Keeley's glowing tan

Chic: Keeping her jewellery to a minimum, the Line Of Duty star accessorised with a delicate pendant necklace, a silver watch and several rings

Glamorous: Styling her glossy raven tresses in tousled waves, Keeley framed her features with a slick of lipgloss and a subtle sweep of mascara

To be a fly on the wall: She appeared to be deep in conversation with a male friend next to her at one point, while Alexis sat on her right

'I went to Corfu Airport to go home for the weekend and was queuing to get on the plane when a lady came up to me with her little girl and said, 'We've been searching for you for 10 days and now we've found you!'

The comedy-drama adaptation of writer and naturalist Gerald Durrell's childhood memoir My Family And Other Animals, and its two sequels, sees Hawes play Gerald's mother Louisa.

She is not the only star of the programme to have noticed an increase in attention on Corfu.

Hit show: Keeley is in Corfu to film the fourth season of The Durrells. Pictured, Daisy Waterstone as Margo Durrell and Keeley as Louisa Durrell

Gripping: The comedy-drama adaptation of writer and naturalist Gerald Durrell's childhood memoir My Family And Other Animals, and its two sequels, sees Hawes play Gerald's mother Louisa

Thrilling: It comes after her character, Home Secretary Julia Montague, appeared to meet a gruesome end when she was killed by a bomb in the hit drama Bodyguard's penultimate episode on Sunday night

The programme has become loved by audiences for its comforting, family-friendly viewing, but Hawes said the new series addresses fascism and dictatorship in its setting of 1930s Greece.

Hawes said: 'It deals with all of these issues ahead of the Second World War. And we're still dealing with them today. It does resonate.'

'The Durrells is not mushy in anyway, ever. The cute stuff is always cut with very sharp humour and observation, so it's never twee.'

Local stars: Keeley recently admitted that she and the cast of The Durrells are now recognised by Corfu's residents after filming three series on the island

Starstruck: She said: 'People are always very pleased to see us. 'And now the series has been going for a few years, when people see the production trucks, they know exactly what it is. There's lots of shouts of, 'Oh Mrs Durrell, Mrs Durrell!'

Big fans: 'It's just very nice. Always a really positive thing.' She added: 'Sometimes people have been looking for us'

She added: 'The Durrells were immigrants to Corfu and were completely welcomed. They had a wonderful time in a period where things were about to become very messy.

'It was a very well-timed thing for them to do. For Gerry to have that childhood and that moment.' The Durrells returns on March 18 at 8pm on ITV.

Meanwhile, Keeley's apparent death in Sunday night's penultimate episode of Bodyguard left fans in uproar.

Dedicated followers are now convinced she's still alive after Julia Montague made a brief appearance in a teaser clip from the finale.

The BBC One series has achieved consolidated viewing figures of 10.4 million for its first episode. This is the highest launch figure for any new drama across all UK channels since 2006, the corporation said.

Hard-hitting: The programme has become loved by audiences for its comforting, family-friendly viewing, but Hawes said the new series addresses fascism and dictatorship in its setting of 1930s Greece

Important context: She added: 'The Durrells were immigrants to Corfu and were completely welcomed. They had a wonderful time in a period where things were about to become very messy'She's one of Britain's most beloved style icons.

And Alexa Chung proved she's still got it, as she showcased her sartorial prowess at the Wall Street Journal event celebrating the publication of On Point on Monday.

Marking 10 years of the magazine, the 34-year-old presenter looked effortlessly chic in a paisley gown, which had a monochrome floral print design.

Chic: Alexa Chung oozed glamour in a black and white floral gown as she arrived at event celebrating 10 years of WSJ on Monday

The brunette beauty stepped out in a pair of stylish heeled boots, which had silver accoutrements across the front for a dazzling touch.

Her chocolate brown locks were styled into waves, and she wore a natural palette of make-up to accentuate her pretty features.

Wearing mismatched nail polish, Alexa completed her look with a chic black handbag which sat loosely on one shoulder.

Stunning: Her chocolate brown locks were styled into waves, and she wore a natural palette of make-up to accentuate her pretty features

Alexa is no stranger to fashion shows, being a model, designer and fashion icon, yet she recently admitted that she often gets 'imposter syndrome', feeling like she doesn't belong, whilst attending the show.

'It's not exclusive to fashion, I've felt it with everything I've done,' Alexa told BBC News.

'Writing for Vogue, that's a huge imposter syndrome. Television, every day before we went live, I'd be like, "am I equipped to do this? I don't know".'

Alexa also recently spoke candidly about her career prospects with Stella magazine, admitting: 'I have absolute prang-outs where I'm worried about the future.'

Stylish: The brunette beauty stepped out in a pair of stylish heeled boots, which had silver accoutrements across the front for a dazzling touch

The multi-talented star didn't specify what leads to her more existential moments, given that her career is flourishing.

Alexa dated Arctic Monkeys rocker Alex Turner from 2007 until 2011.

The witty Brit has also been linked to Alexander Skarsgard, but she did not divulge her current relationship status to Stellar.

The star did admit, however, that she does gravitate towards men in the creative industries, as she said: 'I've found it's easier to date people who are in a similar boat.'She is one of Hollywood's most sought after stars after being propelled into the spotlight in the teen noir drama series, Veronica Mars.

And Kristen Bell stole the spotlight at the 70th annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday evening.

The wife of Dax Shepard, 38, cut an elegant figure in a fitted white satin gown which showcased her slim figure with its square-cut neckline and long sleeves.

Angelic: Kristen Bell looked ethereal in a white full-length gown as she attended the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday night

Kristen looked ethereal in the satin gown, flashing a hint of leg due to its thigh-high slit as she strutted down the red carpet.

The beauty wore her makeup in gentle neutral tones that made the most of her incredible bone structure and accessorised the look with a pair of dazzling diamond earring.

Adding a boost to her height with white strappy sandals, the Veronica Mars star pulled her blonde locks into a sophisticated chignon.

Glamorous: The actress, 38, looked the belle of the ball as she posed up a storm on the red carpet

Classy lady: The gown skimmed over Kristen's trim figure and featured a flattering square neckline

And here are the shoes! The movie and TV icon had on strappy white heels. And her jewelry was a wedding ring from Dax

Like Grace Kelly: The beauty wore her makeup in gentle neutral tones that made the most of her incredible bone structure

Flying solo: Kristen wasn't accompanied by husband and fellow actor, Dax Shepard

Sophisticated: The Frozen star wore her blonde locks in an elegant chignon and sported crystal earrings

Heavenly: Kristen posed up a storm for the cameras as she modelled her sophisticated gown

Her red carpet appearance comes after the actress - who has daughters Lincoln, five, and Delta, three, with husband Dax Shepard - discovered her neighbour was running classes via a local app and joked she's taken a particular interest in his advertisements.

'I've never done naked yoga but I've actually wanted to,' she told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Pals: Bell greeted Sterling K. Brown on the red carpet with a warm smile

They were invited too: Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Natalie Morales also hit the Emmys

No clothes needed: The star wants to do naked yoga, she told Ellen DeGeneres; here she is seen in the 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall

'A dude from my area is advertising his naked yoga class and he always incorporates a picture which I find very odd. He's always doing an inversion.

'When men are doing inversions, it causes you to stare at the picture for a minute to see what's going on.'

The 38-year-old star's Momsplaining With Kristen Bell series on Ellen's EllenTube channel is returning for a second season and Kristen loves to show off the 'messy and gross' aspects of having children.

Up for something new: 'I've never done naked yoga but I've actually wanted to,' she said; seen in 2009

She said: 'It's basically momsplaining through my lens, through the lens of a mother. How moms see things.

'It's not your typical way because the way I see things, they're dirty and they're messy and they're gross and you love them and you hate them and it's all those things. It's also very funny.'

And Kristen was delighted she got to witness a live birth from the 'splash zone' after Martha Trujillo agreed she could be in the delivery room with her.

She wore a lot of bikinis in this film: Bell with Russell Brand in Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Her story: 'A dude from my area is advertising his naked yoga class and he always incorporates a picture which I find very odd. He's always doing an inversion,' she said. 'When men are doing inversions, it causes you to stare at the picture for a minute to see what's going on'

She said: 'I had said to the Momsplaining team, I said, "I want a delivery. I want to be in the delivery room." And they kind of looked at me like, "OK that's very intimate.' And I was like, 'Just try to make it happen. It's Hollywood!"'

A clip from the upcoming series showed Kristen visiting newborn twins and their mother Kimberly Patel, who the Bad Moms star gifted with an ice park for her vagina.

She then told the new parent all the names she has for her own intimate area, including 'Who-ha, Honey pot, Baby cave, Man eater.'

On Ellen's show, the host and her guest reduced both Kimberly and Martha to tears when they presented them with $10,000 per child for their college education.Tom Cruise suited up for take-off to shoot Top Gun: Maverick on Friday, however, according to a report, one of the actors flights over the weekend didn't go as planned.

The 56-year-old jumped back into the cockpit with an actual F-18 fighter pilot, according to TMZ, but the pair had to make an unplanned landing to a Nevada Air Force base after an in-flight technical snafu.

TMZ reported that the 'jet experienced a "flap caution" (think check engine light) mid-air. It made an unscheduled landing in Nevada and the duo jumped on another plane headed for Cali.'

Feeling the need: Tom Cruise was ready for take off on Friday in new set photos from Top Gun: Maverick

Wheels up: The actor suited up to film scenes for the sequel to his 1986 hit film but according to TMZ one flight had to make an unplanned landing

Upgrade: The words 'Top Gun' and 'CAPT PETE MITCHELL "MAVERICK"' were painted on the side of the fighter jet. In the original film Maverick was ranked a LT

Lucky for everyone involved, he mechanical issue wasn't a problem and Cruise got some time to snap pics with fans on the base.

Some of the first photos from the set of Top Gun: Maverick were posted over the weekend at various airports and bases across the south west by fans.

The set photos show Maverick himself wearing a pair of the character's iconic aviator sunglasses with military green coveralls.

The Mission: Impossible star smiled for the camera as he posed with fans who were working on the base where he was filming.

One shot shows an impressive fighter jet with the words 'Capt Pete Mitchell "Maverick"' emblazoned on the side as well as 'Top Gun' written on what looks like a rocket mount.

Flight crew: The actor posed for pictures with crew members who were on the ground at the base

What an honor! The 56-year-old reportedly flew with real life F-18 fighter pilots

Surprise! This shot was taken by a fan at an airport in Arizona after the actor touched down in his jet

Clearly, LT. Mitchell, as was his rank during the first film, has gotten a few promotions over the 30-some years following the first movie's release.

The premise of the film centers around Maverick (played by Tom) training the son of his late best friend and Radar Intercept Officer, Goose, who will be played by Miles Teller.

In addition to the Vanilla Sky actor, the role of Maverick's frenemy Iceman will be reprised by actor Val Kilmer.

Just a few months after preliminary production started in May, it was announced that the film's release will be pushed back by a year.

The fighter flick hits theaters June 26, 2020.

Sequel style: The film will follow the son of Maverick's late best friend Goose, played by Miles Teller as he is trained in flight schoolHeidi Klum was flashing a dazzling diamond ring on Monday evening at the 70th annual Emmy Awards, held inside the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

The veteran supermodel, 45, appeared to be every inch in love as she snuggled up to her boyfriend, Tom Kaulitz, 28, a guitarist with the band Tokio Hotel - as she displayed the stunning ring on her engagement ring.

The two, who were first rumoured to be dating in March before going public in May, cuddled in each other's arms on the carpet and also gave each other loving looks, with the diamond ring catching the eye for all to see.

Scroll down for winners...

Happy lady: Heidi Klum was flashing a dazzling diamond ring on Monday evening at the 70th annual Emmy Awards , held inside the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles

She made no secret of the ring on her wedding finger - yet she coyly insisted the ring was merely a stunning jewel.

When asked on the red carpet if the ring was an engagement jewel she said: 'No! All these are just borrowed. They go with that necklace beautifully... Dont read into anything. Theyre just pretty rings.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Heidi for comment.

Heidi looked her very best in a light pink gown that had several folds not only over the sweetheart neckline but also down the skirt. And there was an elegant tie in front with material coming down her legs.

Her fellow: The veteran supermodel, 45, appeared to be every inch in love as she snuggled up to her boyfriend, Tom Kaulitz, 28, a guitarist with the band Tokio Hotel

It must be love: The two seem to spend every day together as evidenced by her social media

Elegant: Heidi looked her very best in a light pink gown that had several folds not only over the sweetheart neckline but also down the skirt

The dress had a gentle mermaid finish that swept the carpet and helped accentuate the delicate lines of her stunning physique.

Before the Emmys, Heidi treated her fans to a look at her glam session. The leggy model turned America's Got Talent judge shared with her fans a sped-up clip where she was getting ready.

Impressively, the Vogue favorite already had on her diamond necklace which looked to worth over $1m. The siren started out totally makeup free as her glam team got to work.

She knows all the right moves: The former Victoria's Secret darling put her hands on her hips as she gave a half smile

She's a diamond: The stunner was keen to stop tongues wagging at the bash

Diamonds are a girl's best friend! She was also dripping with jewels thanks to her diamond necklace

Glam slam ma'am: Klum was one of the first to share her transformation for Emmy night on Monday

So much to do! She had her hair teased as her makeup artist went to work

Bling it on: Impressively, the Vogue favorite already had on her diamond necklace which looked to worth over $1m

Almost there: First she was slathered in paint to look red carpet ready. She had her eyes, lips and checks carefully attended to. Then next came whipping her long blonde locks into supermodel shape

These locks! Her hair stylist showed off her lovely curls that looked very feminine

MORE on those lips: And she was painted in pink yet again as she looked almost done

Voila! The finish was excellent as the mother of four was flawless with her late summer glam

Le look: Later the Jordache model was seen in a silky gown while laying down

Her love: Klum, 45, made it clear she was with 28-year-old Tokio Hotel guitarist Tom Kaulitz, which has certainly brought her lots of attention due to their 17-year age difference

First the German bombshell was slathered in paint to look red carpet ready. She had her eyes, lips and checks carefully attended to.

Then next came whipping her long blonde locks into supermodel shape.

The finish was excellent as the mother of four was flawless.

She also credited her team: 'Getting ready for the @televisionacad with @lindahaymakeup @hairbylorenzomartin @tombachik.'

Later the Jordache model was seen in a silky gown while laying down on a sofa.Officials remain investigating what killed rapper Mac Miller earlier this month at the age of 26.

Authorities with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, according to TMZ, said they have 'deferred' declaring his acute cause of death pending toxicology results, a process that takes between a month and six weeks.

Miller was pronounced dead at his house in Studio City, California by authorities September 7, with the outlet reporting that officials listed his time of death at 11:51 a.m. PT on his death certificate.

Scroll below for video

Under investigation: Officials in LA County remain probing what killed rapper Mac Miller earlier this month at the age of 26. The late rapper was snapped in Brazil in March

On the document, Miller's occupation was listed as a musician, with his burial slated to be at The Homewood Cemetery in his native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His body has since been released to his family.

According to the outlet, a friend of Miller, whose real name was Malcolm McCormick, contacted 911 from the rapper's Southern California house, with first responders notified of a man suffering from a cardiac arrest.

Police believe someone got rid of the narcotics on the premises prior to their arrival, according to TMZ, as a small amount of white powder was the only evidence they uncovered at what appeared to be the scene of a fatal drug binge.

Authoirities said there were people at the home on both the Thursday evening before Miller's death and Friday he was pronounced dead.

Gone too soon: The rap artist was snapped in NYC in July

Better times: Miller dated pop star Ariana Grande from September 2016 until their split this past May. They were snapped in LA in March

He was last seen alive the Thursday night before his passing, police told the outlet.

Miller dated pop star Ariana Grande from September 2016 until their split this past May.

Miller's family issued a statement in the wake of his passing, calling the late entertainer 'a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans.'An emotional memorial is being held for the two Aboriginal teenagers who drowned in Perth's Swan River after diving in to evade police.

Trisjack Simpson, 17, and Chris Drage, 16, were among five boys police pursued on foot following reports of teenagers jumping fences after a house had been ransacked in Maylands on Monday afternoon.

Four of them ran into the water and two were grabbed by officers but Trisjack and Chris were seen struggling in the middle of the river and did not resurface.

At least 500 mourners attended the memorial at the site where they died on Saturday, the air thick with the smell of burning eucalyptus and rosemary from smoking ceremonies.

They brought flowers, embraced and cried, many draped in Aboriginal flags.

The footpath bore coloured chalk messages such as "God loves Aboriginal people" and "Jesus did not do this but is with us through the pain".

Trisjack's grandfather James Spratt acknowledged some people were angry but said answers would came after the inquest.

It will be treated the same as if the boys were in custody because they were in police presence.

"These two boys should not have died in the way they had," he told the large crowd.

"I can never think how frightened these boys were ... to jump in the river shows me how desperate they were.

"They will always be remembered and cherished."Police have accused a West Australian man of stealing a car with a sleeping toddler inside and ramming into the infant's father when he tried to stop the car driving off.

About 15 minutes after the 27-year-old sped off from the Perth home, he pulled the car over, took the two-year-old boy out and left him on the street.

The incident happened on September 1 and on Saturday WA Police arrested and charged the man with aggravated robbery, stealing and providing false details.

He will appear at Perth Magistrates Court on Sunday.A 37-year-old Australian man accused of stealing a $750,000 luxury boat in Thailand and sailing it to Australia has been arrested in the Northern Territory.

Owen Van Duren is accused of fleeing Thailand, where he had spent time in custody.

He fled after receiving bail and appealing a jail sentence for the brutal assault of two airline hostesses during a Thai Airways flight between Bangkok and Sydney last year.

Van Duren hired the 40-foot catamaran with his brother Shane, 43, of Canberra, on July 8 in Thailand.

The pair are alleged to have removed the tracker for the yacht before travelling more than 4000km to Australia and arriving in Darwin on August 19.

The hire company reported the vessel stolen.

Australian Federal Police and NT Police searched the yacht and seized documents when it arrived.

Van Duren was then extradited to Sydney where he was to also face police charges over the mid-flight assault.

However, Commonwealth prosecutors withdrew their charges with Thai authorities having already jailed him.

He was arrested at 12.30 am on Friday when he landed in Darwin by NT Police at the airport.

He was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a vessel and unlawful possession of property and was due to face a Darwin court on Friday.

Van Duren, who has no fixed Australian address, spent at least six months in jail in Thailand.Prime Minister Scott Morrison is to announce a royal commission into the aged-care sector following appalling cases of abuse of elderly people, it's been reported.

Mr Morrison will announce the inquiry on Sunday, with the decision triggered in part by the Oakden nursing home scandal in South Australia, News Corp Australia reports.

The prime minister could no longer ignore the alarming number of aged-care operators who are "putting lives at risk by flouting the law in pursuit of profits".

The Oakden nursing home for elderly people was shut down last year following a damning report by South Australia's chief psychiatrist highlighting ongoing neglect and mistreatment of residents.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has labelled the Oakden case "one of the greatest disgraces in Australian mental healthcare history".Today's Birthday, September 16: Australian TV and theatre actor Virginia Gay (1981 - ).

With a name like a character from a Doris Day film, Virginia Gay seemed destined to become an actor.

The Australian has received rave reviews for her current turn as the titular character in a revival of Calamity Jane, which won best independent musical and netted Gay a best female performer gong in January at the Sydney Theatre Awards.

Gay, a vocal advocate for women's and gay rights, says the musical is an important text for feminism today.

"People latched onto this woman who takes no shit, who refuses to live by society's standards, who gets all the best songs, who gets the guy and who has this wonderful potential secret romance with a woman too," she told the Sydney Morning Herald in February.

Born in Sydney, Gay was raised by her father, a music historian, while her mother worked full time as a university lecturer in English literature.

"I'm like Dad a lot - we're the social entertainers and love to tell stories," she told the SMH in October. "But we also need our quiet time as well."

Graduating from Newtown High School of Dramatic Arts, Gay went to Sydney University before scoring a place at the West Australian Performing Arts Academy - which boasts alumni including Hugh Jackman and Frances O'Connor.

In her final year Gay auditioned for a part on Aussie medical drama All Saints. She was unsuccessful but impressed the directors who offered her a part upon graduation. She appeared in four seasons of the show from 2006 to 2009.

In 2008 Gay had a lucky escape when she was attacked from behind and punched repeatedly in the head by two teenagers who later that evening murdered 31-year-old chef Daniel Owen.

Gay has never spoken about the incident.

In 2011 she moved to Melbourne to star in TV drama Winners and Losers. An active member on Twitter, Gay regularly live-tweeted episodes and interacted with fans.

She recently turned her hand to directing with the short feature Paper Cuts. The comedic horror, made by an almost all-female crew, made the final 16 selection at Sydney's Tropfest film festival in 2018.

Hollywood is calling for Gay and the actress has been splitting her theatre run with auditions in Los Angeles.

"They tell stories about weirdos and gods and monsters and beautiful outsiders in America," she told the SMH.

"That's what I'm interested in."Police are trying to determine a missing woman's movements since she was last seen after a bag of bones found in inner-Brisbane were identified as her's.

The remains were discovered by a passer-by in long grass near the popular riverside parkland area at the Kangaroo Point cliffs on Monday.

The man who found the remains of the 37-year-old, who cannot be named for cultural reasons, may have known her, police said.

The man and other people have been interviewed by police but no one is in custody.

Police were unable to give the cause of the woman's death.

The woman had been missing since November 27 last year and was last seen at a bank in Greenslopes.

"There were no signs of life past that day," Detective Senior Sergeant Warren Gibbs said.

Police concede her remains could have been at the cliff for months.

They have searched the woman's home at Kangaroo Point, which is described as having fluid occupancy.

Detectives made three public appeals in the search for the woman, the last in March when they said she had no reported mental health issues and her disappearance was out of character.Police are set to retrieve the body of a rock climber who fell 300 metres to his death off a cliff at Mount Barney in Queensland.

The man had been abseiling with another man and a woman when he fell from his rope and went missing on the eastern cliff face, southwest of Brisbane, on Saturday afternoon.

A search and rescue operation was launched about 12.50pm and rescuers airlifted a man and woman, aged in their 30s, just after 5pm.

The body of the 50-year-old Bethania man was found about 5.50pm.

Police will arrange for the man's body to be removed from the area on Sunday and will prepare a report for the coroner.

Preliminary investigations indicate the 50-year-old fell about 300 metres.A 21-year-old man is in custody after a Victorian police officer was hit by a car and killed while taking part in a group ride to commemorate police who died in the line of duty.

Victoria Police say the car was travelling along the Princes Highway near Orbost in the state's east on Friday afternoon when it veered onto the opposite side of the road and struck the policeman's bike.

He died at the scene.

The officer was among 300 riders in the Wall to Wall Ride who set out from the Victoria Police Memorial in St Kilda Road, Melbourne, headed for Merimbula and then on to Canberra on Saturday.

A Botanic Ridge man is in custody charged with one count of culpable driving, police said.

He is due to appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court on Monday.A man has allegedly been caught driving with a blood alcohol level more than five times the legal limit after watching the AFL semi-final at the MCG.

Police noticed the man's Ford Ranger on Dandenong-Frankston Rd at Dandenong South at about 12.20am on Sunday.

Officers believe the 41-year-old driver, who allegedly returned a blood alcohol content reading of 0.252, had earlier watched the semi-final between Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney at the MCG.

The man's vehicle was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $983 and his driver's license was suspended. Police expect to charge him with drink driving.High-profile doctor Kerryn Phelps will stand as an independent in the by-election for the seat left vacant by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

"It's for authentic representation of my community and the country. It's the only reason I'm doing this. And to be a modifying influence on the extreme right-wing agenda," she told the Sunday Telegraph.

Former Australian ambassador to Israel David Sharma has been pre-selected by the Liberal Party to contest the Wentworth by-election, despite new Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying he wanted a woman candidate.Victoria Police officers will be able to issue immediate, indefinite intervention orders in family violence cases, under an opposition election promise.

Currently officers must get approval from supervisors for such orders and then a court date is set, but the order can lapse if no one appears at court for it to be formally kept in place.

The proposed reform would mean any officer ranked senior constable and higher attending a family violence call out could issue an order for the accused perpetrator to stay away and the order would only lapse if it was challenged in court, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy announced on Sunday.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14Bill Shorten has distanced himself from Labor's climate change spokesman's comments about Adani's proposed Carmichael coal mine.

Mark Butler made his thoughts clears about what should happen to the Galilee Basin in Queensland in a video posted to social media on Friday.

"I do not support opening new mines in the Galilee Basin, whether it's by Adani, Clive Palmer or anyone else for that matter. It just doesn't make sense," Mr Butler said.

The opposition leader says there is still plenty of scepticism that the controversial project will ever go ahead, with Adani this week ditching plans to build a new rail line and opting for a cut-price solution.

The move comes in an attempt to get the mega-mine approved and to convince banks to lend to the project.

Australia's big four banks have refused to put up money, forcing the company to look for funding overseas as environmental groups call on government to stop the project in its tracks.

"I think that that is essentially Mark's judgement, that he doesn't think it is going to happen and he doesn't support it," Mr Shorten told ABC's Insiders on Sunday.

"Our policy is that we won't put a single taxpayer dollar into the project.

"I think that a lot of people think that despite all the press releases coming out of Adani, there's more hype than substance.

"If and when we're elected, and that's a big if, of course, we have to get elected, I'll sit down with my cabinet colleagues - we will work on the best science available."

Resources Minister Matt Canavan has been a staunch defender of the proposed mine and has previously pressured Mr Shorten to say where he stands on the project.Scandals and mudslinging abound in modern Victorian politics and neither major party has been immune.

Rorting MPs, secret settlements for questionable planning deals, lobster dinners with alleged mobsters, factional fighting and plenty of insults have been hurled inside and out of parliament.

There is just one sitting week left before the November 24 election, but plenty of parliament's time has been consumed by Labor and the Liberals pulling procedural stunts against each other.

It's "risky politics" says Monash University political scientist Zareh Ghazarian.

"To the outside observer, these things look like games politicians play in parliament at the expense of getting on with the job of making laws, debating laws and governing," Dr Ghazarian told AAP.

"While it may cause some embarrassment to the opposition or the government, the flip side is it may also blow up in the instigator's face, in that people see this and say 'what's going on, why aren't they just getting on with the job we elected them to do?'"

For his part, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy seems aware of the detrimental effect of political navel gazing.

"Victorians are sick to death of politicians focusing on each other, I think they want to focus on solutions," he told reporters, last week.

Both Premier Daniel Andrews and Mr Guy were in ultra-marginal Frankston last Monday, a seat won by Labor thanks to preferences and held by a tiny 0.5 per cent margin.

It sits alongside Mordialloc, Carrum and Bentleigh in the southeast corridor known as the sandbelt where their margins are less than 2.1 per cent.

They're classic swing seats in which bread and butter issues like health, crime, education and transport play well.

Mr Andrews promised a $562 million hospital expansion and Mr Guy pledged protective services officers on train platforms during the day.

The premier has been keen to focus on the many infrastructure projects his government has under way, regularly relying on a refrain about Victorians having a "choice".

"They'll be given a clear choice - people who get things done, a Labor government or going back to the days of cuts and closures," he said on Monday.

But the war is not just being fought in the sandbelt. The inner-city battle between Labor and the Greens could see the smaller party become the kingmakers of the next government.

The Greens have become increasingly popular as gentrification spreads - the safe Labor seat of Northcote fell last year in a by-election that followed the death of MP Fiona Richardson.

Then in the country, former National-turned-independent Russell Northe holds his seat by just 1.8 per cent and will have to fend off competition from the Liberals, Nationals and Labor if he chooses to fight on, while in Ripon, the Liberals hold on by about 600 votes over Labor.

And all the polls indicate it will be a tight race, with 51-49 in favour of Labor on a two-party preferred basis, according to an August poll done for News Corp Australia.

The two major parties have 10 weeks left to show voters what they have to offer and convince them they can provide good government for the next four years.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the mud-and-scandals approach of recent Victorian politics.Lesotho's new premier sworn in vowing unity

Lesotho's new Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili was sworn in on Tuesday, admitting the tiny country faces major challenges after an alleged coup bid last year.

Mosisili, who served as premier from 1998 to 2012, returned to power as head of a fragile coalition government after elections held two years early due to the political instability.

Mosisili's Democratic Congress (DC) has formed an alliance with six smaller parties.

Lesotho Prime Minister-elect Pakalitha Mosisili (L) shakes hands with outgoing Prime Minister Tom Thabane on March 17, 2015 during his inauguration ceremony in Maseru Hlompho Letsielo (AFP)

Lesotho held early elections last month after the collapse of another coalition government led by Motsoahae Thabane.

"I accept this responsibility fully aware of the grave challenges that continue to face our country," Mosisili, 70, said.

"(We) will successfully steer our country out of the political insecurities towards peace, harmony and prosperity," he promised.

Surrounded by South Africa, Lesotho is one of the world's poorest countries.

Its economy is heavily dependent on its neighbour, to whom it exports water and hydroelectric power.

Last August, soldiers attacked Lesotho police headquarters, looting weapons and killing one officer.

Thabane described the violence as a coup attempt fuelled by the opposition and fled to neighbouring South Africa.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) peacekeeping mission has recently started to leave the country, with the last group expected out on Thursday.

South African President Jacob Zuma spoke at the inauguration, saying that the election gave Lesotho a chance to move beyond recent unrest.Cardinal Donald Wuerl has said he plans to travel to Rome in the near future to meet with Pope Francis to discuss his resignation

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington who was blamed for not doing enough to deal with pedophile priests in Pennsylvania, prostrated himself Friday in a sign of repentance at a mass dedicated to victims of abuse.

"Our prayers are for those who were assaulted by serious abuse of the clergy and the further indignity of an inadequate response," said Wuerl, who has said he plans to travel to Rome in the near future to meet with Pope Francis to discuss his resignation.

"We must be prepared to do whatever is needed, including stepping aside. This action on my part is an essential aspect of the healing so that this archdiocesan Church we all love can move forward," he wrote in a letter to the priests of Washington.

A sweeping grand jury report released in August revealed credible allegations against more than 300 predator priests and identified over 1,000 victims of child sex abuse covered up for decades by the Catholic Church in the state of Pennsylvania.

The report is thought to be the most comprehensive to date into abuse in the US church, but while prosecutors have filed charges against two priests, the vast majority of crimes happened too long ago to prosecute under current laws.

In the report, Wuerl, who was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006, is repeatedly cited as one of the church leaders who helped to cover up the scandal, and he has faced numerous calls for his resignation, including from his own clergy.

At the mass on Friday in the US capital, Michael Nugent, who was a victim of abuse by a priest when he was 13 years old, lit a candle with Wuerl.

Nugent said that he was not released from his "hidden secret" until age 55, when someone told him: "It was not your fault."

"You have seen the face of a survivor; everyone who suffered abuse has a face," Wuerl said.

"You must always remember that and never move beyond the need to say, 'I apologize, I am sorry.'"The 70th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles will honor the best in television

Hollywood's A-listers gather Monday to honor the best in television at the Emmy Awards, with record-breaking fantasy epic "Game of Thrones" back in the competition and once again looking to slay its rivals.

But winter could come early for HBO's blood-spattered smash hit if it fails to snare the coveted best drama series prize, with last year's winner "The Handmaid's Tale" hotly tipped to defend its crown.

Both shows have already picked up some Emmys hardware: "Game of Thrones" won seven statuettes in technical categories at last weekend's Creative Arts Emmys, while "The Handmaid's Tale" scooped up three.

And both are likely to add to that haul at Monday's glittering gala in downtown Los Angeles, but the race for the top prize still seems to be a crapshoot, with dark horse pick "The Americans" also in the hunt.

Can "Handmaid" -- Hulu's bleak take on a totalitarian America where women are oppressed, based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel -- again win over voters, especially in the #MeToo era?

Will "The Americans" -- the gripping FX thriller about Soviet sleeper agents in the United States during the Cold War -- finally earn some Emmys love after a critically acclaimed six-season run?

Or will "GoT," the cinematic tale of noble families vying for the Iron Throne, reign supreme once again, on the back of its whopping 22 nominations?

Others in the best drama category include HBO's futuristic western "Westworld," Netflix favorites "The Crown" and retro sci-fi mystery "Stranger Things," and NBC family saga "This is Us."

There are seven nominees this year for the coveted best drama series Emmy, including past winners "Game of Thrones" and "The Handmaid's Tale"

The Television Academy's 22,000-plus members have already cast their ballots for the 70th Primetime Emmys, the small-screen answer to the Oscars -- so it's time for red carpet glamour and heartfelt speeches.

For Robert Thompson, professor of pop culture and television history at Syracuse University in New York, there are no "obvious winners" on the drama side -- but a plethora of innovative, quality comedies.

"As peak TV settles into middle age, half-hour comedies are television's red Corvette," Thompson said -- a shiny new toy for viewers.

With perennial heavy hitter "Veep" out of contention this year, FX's "Atlanta" -- a quirky look at the rap scene in the Georgia capital -- is squaring off with Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs Maisel" for top honors.

"Atlanta" star and creator Donald Glover, a winner last year for best lead comedy actor, is tipped to repeat. Overall, the show earned 16 nominations.

- TV history in making -

In 2016, "Game of Thrones" made history, picking up 12 awards and becoming the most decorated fictional show since the Television Academy first handed out prizes in 1949.

Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau -- shown here at the premiere of HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Season 6 in April 2016 in Hollywood -- is a first-time Emmy nominee this year

With the seven statuettes it won last weekend, "GoT" -- which will return in 2019 for an eighth and final season -- now has 45 Emmys overall.

On Monday, beyond the best drama trophy, cast members Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Peter Dinklage are nominated, along with the show's directors and writers.

Other major contenders include FX's "The Assassination of Gianni Versace," which racked up 18 nominations.

Darren Criss is the favorite to win the star-studded race for best actor in a limited series or movie for his searing portrayal of Versace's killer Andrew Cunanan.

But he faces stiff competition from a clutch of boldface names including Antonio Banderas, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeff Daniels and John Legend, the pop crooner who has already made some history of his own.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Legend and Tim Rice earned EGOT status with their Emmy win for "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" -- each now has an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony

The "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" headliner joined the musical's co-producers Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice as the latest showbiz personalities to earn EGOT status.

Each now has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. Only 12 others have achieved the distinction.

Another bit of Emmys history: streaming giant Netflix ended HBO's 17-year streak of leading the nominations, with 112 to the premium cable network's 108.

After last week's Creative Arts Emmys, HBO has won 17 statuettes to Netflix's 16.

- Politics and ratings -

Another major contender is veteran comedy sketch show "Saturday Night Live," just behind "GoT" with 21 nominations.

Show regulars Michael Che and Colin Jost will host the Emmys at the Microsoft Theater, to be broadcast on NBC, and series creator Lorne Michaels will produce the event for the first time in 30 years.

A look at this year's Emmy nominees

With awards show audiences dwindling in the age of Twitter, can the "SNL" team breathe new life into the format?

"If anyone can do live TV and try to keep the format relevant, I suppose it's Lorne Michaels," Thompson said.

Jost has said he wants the Emmys to be "less political than normal" -- but that seems unlikely only a week after CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves left in a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations.

For Thompson, television's best and brightest "tend to be politically conscious folks" and given that the #MeToo movement erupted after last year's Emmys gala, a few well-placed comments appear inevitable.Maithripala Sirisena spent several hours trying to get through the Sri Lankan embassy in Vienna, an official source said

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena recalled his top envoy to Austria and five other embassy staff for failing to answer his long-distance telephone calls, officials said Saturday.

Ambassador Priyanee Wijesekera was given her marching orders after calls made by Sirisena to the embassy in Vienna last week went "unanswered for several hours," an official source said.

The source declined comment on why Sirisena needed to contact the embassy urgently or why he did not attempt to do so through the Foreign Ministry.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the recall, but did not give a reason.

The Sri Lankan embassy in Austria is also accredited to UN agencies in Vienna as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech republic, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Earlier this week, Sirisena flew into a rage over nuts served aboard the island's national carrier saying they were unfit "even for dogs."

"Returning from Kathmandu, I was served some cashews on board a SriLankan flight, but it was so bad even a dog wouldn't eat it," he said on Monday.

An airline spokesman said it has responded by clearing its stock of cashews -- only served in business class -- and would change its Dubai-based supplier.Ingabire returned from exile in the Netherlands intending to run for president in 2010 as leader of the FDU-Inkingi party

Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was unexpectedly freed from jail on Saturday after President Paul Kagame permitted her early release, alongside two thousand other prisoners.

"I thank the president who gave me this liberation," Ingabire said as she left Mageragere Prison in the capital Kigali. "This is the beginning of the opening of political space in Rwanda, I hope so," she added calling on Kagame "to release other political prisoners."

The surprise release of 2,140 prisoners, including Ingabire and musician Kizito Mihigo, followed a cabinet meeting on Friday at which a presidential order of "mercy" was approved.

Ingabire returned from exile in the Netherlands intending to run for president in 2010 as leader of the FDU-Inkingi party.

However, she was arrested, charged with terrorism and treason and sentenced in 2012 to 10 years in jail after a widely criticised trial.

Ingabire, an ethnic Hutu, was accused of "genocide ideology" and "divisionism" after publicly questioning the government narrative of the 1994 genocide of mostly Tutsi people that killed around 800,000 people.

Rwandan musician Mihigo was arrested in 2015 and jailed for 10 years for conspiring to assassinate the president.

Kagame has been the country's de facto ruler since his rebel army stopped the genocide in 1994 and recently changed the constitution clearing the way for him to rule until 2034.More than 200 Russian soldiers and 30 units of military transport took part in Saturday's simulation of marines capturing a shoreline area at the Klerk military training ground

Russian troops taking part in the country's largest-ever war games on Saturday held drills in the Sea of Japan, despite Tokyo's concerns about a Russian military buildup in the area.

The exercises were part of the Vostok-18, or East-18, war games that kicked off in eastern Russia on September 11 and will run until Monday.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has described the week-long operation, which involves nearly 300,000 soldiers, 36,000 vehicles, 1,000 planes and 80 warships, as Russia's biggest-ever war games.

They are also taking place in eastern Siberia and the far-eastern Pacific region, with Chinese troops involved.

On Saturday, the armed forces simulated marines capturing a shoreline area at the Klerk military training ground on a peninsula in the far eastern Primorye region supported by aviation and artillery.

"What's special about this exercise is that it involves the marines, aviation, warships from the Pacific Fleet, artillery, sappers and other specialists," Major-General Dmitry Kovalenko told journalists.

Japan has raised concerns over Russia's military buildup in the region, particularly on the Kuril Island chain, four of which are claimed by Tokyo in a dispute dating back to World War II that has prevented the two nations from ever signing a peace treaty.

Speaking Thursday as he watched the drill, President Vladimir Putin promised to "further reinforce" the armed forces and supply them with "the latest generation weapons and technical equipment" at a time of rising tension in Moscow's ties with Washington and Brussels.

While Russia insists the war games are long-planned and purely defensive in nature, NATO has said that they are simulating "large-scale conflict."Victoire Ingabire returned from exile to run for president in 2010, however she was arrested, charged with terrorism and treason and sentenced to 10 years in jail. This file picture from April 7, 2010, shows the Rwanda opposition leader at her home in Kigali

Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was unexpectedly freed from jail on Saturday after President Paul Kagame granted her early release, alongside more than 2,000 other prisoners.

"I thank the president who gave me this liberation," Ingabire said as she left Mageragere Prison in the capital Kigali.

"This is the beginning of the opening of political space in Rwanda, I hope so," she said calling on Kagame "to release other political prisoners".

The surprise release of 2,140 prisoners, including Ingabire and musician Kizito Mihigo, followed a cabinet meeting on Friday at which a presidential order of "mercy" was approved.

"The Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame today approved the early release of 2,140 convicts found eligible under relevant provisions of law," a justice minister statement read.

"Among them are Mr Kizito Mihigo and Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, the remainder of whose sentences were commuted by Presidential prerogative following their most recent applications for clemency in June this year."

Ingabire returned from exile in The Netherlands intending to run for president in 2010 as leader of the FDU-Inkingi party.

However, she was arrested, charged with terrorism and treason and sentenced to 10 years in jail during a widely criticised trial.

Ingabire, an ethnic Hutu, was accused of "genocide ideology" and "divisionism" after publicly questioning the government narrative of the 1994 genocide of mostly Tutsi people that killed around 800,000 people.

On appeal, Rwanda's Supreme Court extended her sentence to 15 years.

- Stability and repression -

In November last year, the Arusha-based African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights ruled that Rwanda had violated Ingabire's rights to freedom of speech and adequate defence, prompting calls for a retrial.

Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire gives a thumbs-up sign as she leaves the courtroom at her trial in Kigali, on March 12, 2012

However, Rwanda ignored the ruling.

Members of Ingabire's party -- which has not been permitted to register -- have frequently been arrested during her detention, and human rights groups have accused the military of torturing them.

Rwandan musician Kizito Mihigo was arrested in 2015 and jailed for 10 years for conspiring to assassinate Kagame.

Kagame, the country's de facto ruler since his rebel army stopped the genocide in 1994, recently changed the constitution clearing the way for him to rule until 2034.

Another opposition politician, Diane Rwigara, who sought to challenge for the presidency in 2017, was blocked by the electoral commission and subsequently arrested and charged with treason. Her trial is underway.

Others presidential challengers have been prevented from entering the country, while exiled dissidents have been threatened and sometimes murdered.

Kagame has been praised for bringing stability and economic growth to his tiny nation but often comes under fire for restricting political freedom.

He commonly wins re-election with over 90 percent of the vote.

Although Rwanda is constitutionally a multi-party system there is practically no opposition within the country with most of the recognised parties supporting the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).

However, in parliamentary elections earlier this month the opposition Green Party won two seats, for the first time.The resignation of Nigerian Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun (L) is a blow to President Muhammadu Buhari (R) who is seeking re-election in February

Nigerians on Saturday welcomed the resignation of finance minister Kemi Adeosun, accused of forging a document to avoid compulsory national service, as the opposition called for her to be prosecuted.

The scandal surrounding the key cabinet member was seen as a blow to President Muhammadu Buhari who is seeking re-election in February.

British-born Adeosun, 51, said in a letter to Buhari late Friday she was quitting to protect government integrity.

Appointed in 2015, the minister had come under pressure in recent weeks since independent online newspaper Premium Times accused her of obtaining a fake exemption certificate from the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

Under the scheme introduced in the 1970s to foster unity after a 30-month civil war, graduates under 30 serve the nation for one year.

Adeosun, who studied abroad, did not return to Nigeria until she was 34 and did not serve the mandatory one year.

The main opposition party replaced by Buhari's All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015 said on Saturday the resignation was belated.

Nigerian finance minister Kemi Adeosun (R) sits alongside IMF chief Christine Lagarde (L) in this filer from Abuja, January 5, 2016

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called for her "immediate arrest and prosecution for deserting national service".

The party accused the Buhari administration of "shielding its many fraudulent and corrupt officials" alleging it would now help her evade prosecution.

Lagos lawyer Ebun-olu Adegboruwa told AFP the minister's departure had left "an indelible mark on the integrity and anti-corruption crusade of this government".

He said she wouldn't have resigned without pressure from civil society groups.

- 'Dent' to Buhari's image -

"For four months, the presidency was dilly-dallying on the matter until the civil society groups mounted pressure on her to resign," he said.

"Now that she has admitted that the document was forged, the security agencies should do the needful by arresting and prosecuting her."

Debo Adeniran of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) lobby group said the minister should have quit as soon as the scandal broke.

"She waited until a panel was raised which indicted her. Perhaps she was hoping Buhari would intervene to save her," he said.

Adeniran however commended Adeosun for resigning and appealed to the government to pardon her.

"That she resigned at all means she is a woman of honour and other senior government officials with similar infractions should follow suit," he said.

In Nigeria, it is not common for indicted public officials to resign from their jobs.

Eze Onyekpere of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) saw the alleged forgery as "a dent on the image of President Buhari who has simply left it to drag for so long."

Adeosun is credited with helping Nigeria out of recession, plugging leakages in finances and shoring up foreign reserves.

Buhari, who came to power in 2015 on an anti-graft platform, faces a formidable election challenge next year from an array of PDP candidates, including former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Senate president Bukola Saraki.Cloaked in pre-dawn darkness, the $1 billion, half-ton ICESat-2 launched aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force base in California at 6:02 am (1302 GMT)

NASA's most advanced space laser satellite blasted off Saturday on a mission to track ice loss around the world and improve forecasts of sea level rise as the climate warms.

Cloaked in pre-dawn darkness, the $1 billion, half-ton ICESat-2 launched aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force base in California at 6:02 am (1302 GMT).

"Three, two one, liftoff!" said a launch commentator on NASA television.

"Lifting ICESat-2 on a quest to explore the polar ice sheets of our constantly changing home planet."

The launch marks the first time in nearly a decade that NASA has had a tool in orbit to measure ice sheet surface elevation across the globe.

The preceding mission, ICESat, launched in 2003 and ended in 2009.

A laser in space to measure changes in polar ice

The first ICESat revealed that sea ice was thinning, and ice cover was disappearing from coastal areas in Greenland and Antarctica.

In the intervening nine years, an aircraft mission called Operation IceBridge, has flown over the Arctic and Antarctic, taking height measurements of the changing ice.

But a view from space -- especially with the latest technology -- should be far more precise.

The launch marks the first time in nearly a decade that NASA has had a tool in orbit to measure ice sheet surface elevation across the globe

The new laser will fire 10,000 times in one second, compared to the original ICESat which fired 40 times a second.

Measurements will be taken every 2.3 feet (0.7 meters) along the satellite's path.

"The mission will gather enough data to estimate the annual elevation change in the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets even if it's as slight as four millimeters - the width of a No. 2 pencil," NASA said in a statement.

Importantly, the laser will measure the slope and height of the ice, not just the area it covers.

"One of the things that we are trying to do is, one, characterize the change that is taking place within the ice, and this is going to greatly improve our understanding of that, especially over areas where we don't know how well it is changing right now," said Tom Wagner, cryosphere program scientist at NASA, mentioning the deep interior of Antarctica as one such area of mystery.

The mission is meant to last three years but has enough fuel to continue for 10, if mission managers decide to extend its life.A general view of the Iraqi parliament during a meeting in the capital Baghdad on September 3, 2018

The Iraqi parliament elected the candidate of a pro-Iran list as speaker on Saturday, paving the way for the formation of a government more than four months after legislative polls.

The country has been in political paralysis since the May 12 ballot, but the election of a speaker is expected to solidify new parliamentary alliances.

Iraq has a proportional system aimed at preventing a slide back into dictatorship following the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein.

The lists elected during legislative polls must first form coalitions. The bloc with the most members appoints the prime minister and presides over the formation of the next government.

The pro-Iran bloc led by Hadi al-Ameri's Conquest Alliance -- a coalition of anti-jihadist veterans close to Tehran -- looked positioned to take the lead Saturday after the election of its candidate, Mohammed al-Halbusi.

The new speaker was governor of the Sunni-majority province of Anbar, a key battleground in the war against the Islamic State group, before his election to parliament on a local list in May.

Born in 1981, he will be the youngest speaker of parliament in Iraq's history. His two deputies were expected to be chosen later on Saturday.

During the vote, Halbusi pleaded for "real reforms", particularly after demonstrations last week in the southern oil-rich city of Basra turned deadly as protesters demanded improved public services and railed against corruption.

In Iraq, the speaker of parliament is always Sunni Arab while the prime minister is picked from the country's Shiite majority and the president is a Kurd.

Parliamentary coalitions -- which bring together lists of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds to form the largest group -- must agree on the selection of the three positions.

Halbusi ran against three other candidates, including Vice President Osama al-Nujaifi and former Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi.

Obeidi was backed by the list of outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who said Thursday he would not seek a second term as his political support crumbled over the violence in Basra.

Basra has been at the epicentre of protests that broke out in July in the southern province before spreading to other parts of the country.

Anger in Basra flared earlier this month over a growing health crisis, after more than 30,000 people were hospitalised by pollution in the city's water supply.

Protesters flooded the streets for five days, clashing with security forces and torching the provincial headquarters, the Iranian consulate and the offices of armed groups.

Twelve demonstrators were killed in the clashes, with rights groups accusing security forces of using excessive force.Riot police and security officers at the entrance of Istanbul new airport building site on Saturday

Turkish police on Saturday arrested at least 20 people as they broke up a protest against work-related deaths and poor conditions at the construction site of Istanbul's third airport, touted to be the world's largest airport when completed.

The security forces moved in to break up the protest by dozens of people following a wave of arrests on Friday.

Among those held by police on Saturday was AFP photographer Bulent Kilic who was covering the event. He was released after two hours in custody.

In total some 500 people have been arrested during protests at the site of what is one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's mega development projects, according to Turkey's Revolutionary Unions Confederation (DISK).

Security forces had on Friday dispersed a demonstration by hundreds of workers outside the new airport, which was due to be completed in October, the private DHA news agency reported.

The protesters complained of work-related deaths and accidents as well as poor on-site living and labour conditions.

The opposition daily Cumhuriyet quoted live-in workers complaining about fleas and bed bugs.

The airport construction and operating company, Istanbul Grand Airport, issued a statement saying management had met the workers and pledged to take measures to resolve the issues quickly.

A spokesman for IGA refused further comment on Saturday.

The hashtag supporting the workers, "we are not slaves" (#koledegiliz) was trending strongly in Turkey on Saturday.

A police officer checks the bag of a worker at the entrance to the construction site of Istanbul's new airport after hundreds of workers were detained following protests over work-related deaths and poor conditions

Dozens of security forces, backed by armoured vehicles, controlled access to the site on Saturday, AFP journalists said.

When the first plane landed at IGA in June, Erdogan said the new airport will be the biggest in the world with a first phase capacity of 90 million passengers a year going up to 150 million in 2023.

Some 35,000 people are employed on the project including, 3,000 engineers and administrative staff.

Twenty-seven workers have died at the construction site -- 13 in work-related accidents, the transport minister said during a press visit to the airport last April.

However, several workers, asking not to be named, told AFP on Saturday that the ministry figures were far too low and that accidents were very common at the site.A relative of 12-year-old Palestinian boy Shadi Abdel Aal, who was killed by Israeli forces during a protest at the Israel-Gaza border fence, mourns over his body during his funeral in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza

Hundreds of Palestinians attended the funeral Saturday of a 12-year-old boy killed by Israeli army fire during clashes on the Gaza border.

Shadi Abdel Aal was fatally wounded Friday during demonstrations east of Jabalia in northern Gaza, becoming one of the youngest Palestinians to be killed in months of unrest along the frontier.

Hundreds of family members and friends attended the funeral, with some calling for revenge.

"God burn those that burned my heart and killed my son," said his mother Umm Shadi, who has eight other children.

"What is my son guilty of? He is 12 years old," she added through tears.

She said her son had been going to the protests in recent months but she had been opposed. "I banned him but he was going behind our backs," said the grieving mother.

Mohammed, a 12 year-old friend also from Jabalia refugee camp, said he was with Abdel Aal when he was hit.

"We were throwing stones at the fence," he told AFP, referring to the heavily-guarded Israeli border line.

The friend said Shadi had been hit by a tear gas grenade fired by Israeli soldiers and collapsed instantly.

He was among three Palestinians fatally wounded by Israeli fire on Friday. A total of at least 179 Palestinians have been killed since violent demonstrations began along the border on March 30.

One Israeli soldier has been shot dead by a sniper.

Israel accuses the Gaza Strips Islamist rulers of Hamas of orchestrating the protests and says it is merely protecting its border.

The Jewish state maintains a crippling blockade on Gaza which it says is necessary to isolate Hamas, with whom it has fought three wars since 2008.

Critics say it amounts to collective punishment of the impoverished coastal enclave's two million residents.An Iranian oil facility on the Gulf island of Khark is seen in a file picture taken on March 12, 2017

Oil cartel OPEC has "not much credit" left as some members are turning it into "a tool for the US", a senior Iranian official said in comments published Saturday.

"Saudi Arabia and the UAE are turning OPEC into a tool for the US and consequently the organisation has not much credit left," Iran's OPEC governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebili told the Shana newswire, affiliated to Iran's Oil Ministry.

"It is a fact that OPEC is losing its organisational character and becoming a forum," he added.

In a move heavily opposed by Iran, OPEC and other oil producers including Russia agreed in June to boost crude output by around a million barrels a day, reversing course after supply cuts that had cleared a global glut and boosted prices.

Iran, a founding member of the cartel, had been against the move which came as the country faces renewed US sanctions after Washington's decision to leave the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

The US decision had stoked supply concerns on world markets.

Ardebili also accused Saudi Arabia and Russia of taking the market "hostage" through increased production and said that OPEC's responsibility is to restore market balance, not to boycott its founding members.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged the cartel to raise its production and said that other countries must stop buying oil from Iran or face US sanctions.

Meanwhile, output from Iran has hit its lowest level since July 2016 as top buyers India and China distance themselves from Tehran due to looming US sanctions on November 5, according to the International Energy Agency.Gamal Mubarak, son of Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak, stands at a window of Maadi military hospital in Cairo on May 4, 2015

The two sons of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak were arrested on Saturday for alleged stock manipulation, a judicial source said.

Gamal and Alaa Mubarak are accused along with three other people of failing to notify the stock market of agreements to acquire majority stakes in several banks through front companies.

The accused attended a hearing at a criminal court in Cairo where a judge ordered their arrest, and they will be transferred to custody, the same judicial source said.

The next hearing has been set for October 20.

Alaa Mubarak confirmed his detention in a post on Twitter, voicing hope that "the truth will be revealed one day".

After three decades in power, Hosni Mubarak was deposed during Egypt's 2011 Arab Spring uprising.

Gamal Mubarak had headed a key ruling party committee and was long seen as his father's successor.

Older brother Alaa stayed out of politics but is accused of having amassed a fortune through his father's contacts.

After being arrested in 2011 for a number of alleged crimes, the two sons had several spells in provisional detention. They have been free for the past three years.

Alongside their father, Alaa and Gamal Mubarak were sentenced in May 2015 to three years in jail for diverting more than $11.5 million (10 million euros) in public money to maintain presidential palaces.

Their sentences were covered by time already served.

In March 2017, Hosni Mubarak was acquitted of charges of killing protesters, but he remains under investigation for alleged corruption.Damascus International Airport, shown in 2013, was the target of Israeli missles, according to state news agency SANA

An Israeli missile attack targeted the Syrian capital's airport late Saturday, activating air defences which shot down a number of the projectiles, state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences responded to an Israeli missile attack on Damascus international airport and shot down a number of hostile missiles," a military source said, quoted by SANA.

The agency, without giving any immediate report of casualties or damage, posted footage of the air defences being activated.

In the shaky video, a small, bright explosion is seen in the night sky.

AFP's correspondent in Damascus heard a loud blast, followed by several smaller explosions.

In Jerusalem, the Israeli military declined to comment on the incident.

This month, Israel acknowledged having carried out more than 200 strikes in war-ravaged Syria over the past 18 months, mainly against Iranian targets.

It has also admitted to striking Syria to prevent what it says are deliveries of advanced weaponry to Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, which fights alongside Syrian troops and is an arch-foe of Israel.

Syrian state media last reported Israeli strikes on September 4, when it said its air defences downed several missiles in the coastal province of Tartus and in central Hama.A US Coast Guard member assigned to hurricane duty has been removed after being caught on television making a gesture which some viewers alleged was a white power symbol.

"We are aware of the offensive video on Twitter -- the Coast Guard has identified the member and removed him from the response," the US Coast Guard said on its official Twitter account.

"His actions do not reflect those of the United States Coast Guard," one of the federal agencies responding to Hurricane Florence which has since weakened to a tropical storm and killed at least six people in the southeastern United States.

The incident occurred during an interview on MSNBC with a Coast Guard member discussing Florence.

In the background sat another member, with short hair, who turned toward the camera and moved his right hand alongside his head. His thumb and index finger approached each other while the other fingers were upright.

Twitter users including Jann Gobble, a computer programmer, interpreted it as a racist message.

"Did you all see this guy flash White Power on TV?" Gobble wrote, calling for an investigation.

Racial tensions have intensified in the United States since President Donald Trump assumed office early last year.The Dalai Lama meeting fans and faithful after arriving in Rotterdam on Friday

The Dalai Lama said Saturday that he has known about sexual abuse by Buddhist teachers since the 1990s and that such allegations are "nothing new".

The Tibetan spiritual leader, revered by millions of Buddhists around the world, made the admission during a four-day visit to the Netherlands, where he met on Friday with victims of sexual abuse allegedly committed by Buddhist teachers.

He was responding to a call from a dozen of the victims who had launched a petition asking to meet him during his trip, part of a tour of Europe.

"We found refuge in Buddhism with an open mind and heart, until we were raped in its name," the victims said in their petition.

"I already did know these things, nothing new," the Dalai Lama said in response on Dutch public television NOS late Saturday.

"Twenty-five years ago... someone mentioned about a problem of sexual allegations" at a conference for western Buddhist teachers in Dharamshala, a hill town in northern India, he added.

The Dalai Lama, 83, lives in exile in Dharamshala.

People who commit sexual abuse "don't care about the Buddha's teaching. So now that everything has been made public, people may concern about their shame," he said, speaking in English.

Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa, a representative of the Tibetan spiritual leader in Europe, said Friday that the Dalai Lama "has consistently denounced such irresponsible and unethical behaviour".

Tibetan spiritual leaders are due to meet in Dharamshala in November.

"At that time they should talk about it," the Dalai Lama said in his televised comments Saturday. "I think the religious leaders should pay more attention."Jimmy Carter with Egypt's Anwar Sadat (left) and Israel's Menachem Begin (right) on September 6, 1978 at Camp David

Four decades ago the leaders of Israel and Egypt reached a deal at an epic summit that led to the first peace treaty between the Jewish state and an Arab nation.

The Camp David Accords, thrashed out over days of talks hosted by then US president Jimmy Carter, were signed on September 17, 1978.

Here is a look back at that key moment in history.

- Series of wars -

In 1973, Egypt and Syria launch a surprise attack on Israel with the aim of forcing it to return territory seized from them in 1967.

Egypt makes a significant advance, even though it is eventually repelled.

Menachem Begin (right) and Anwar Sadat on November 20, 1977 in Jerusalem

Empowered, it agrees to attend a peace conference called in December in Geneva under the auspices of the United States and Soviet Union.

It brings Israelis and Arabs together for direct negotiations for the first time. Syrians and Palestinians do not attend, however, and the meeting adjourns.

- First Arab leader in Israel -

On November 9, 1977 Egypt's president Anwar Sadat announces -- to the general surprise of all -- that he is prepared to visit Israel in a bid for peace.

"I am ready to go to the end of the world if this would prevent the wounding, let alone the killing, of a soldier or an officer," he says.

Anwar Sadat (left) and Menachem Begin (right) signing the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in Washington in the presence of Jimmy Carter (centre) on March 26, 1979

After receiving a formal invitation from Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, Sadat arrives in Jerusalem on November 19, making the first visit by an Arab head of state to the Jewish nation.

Sadat shakes hands with his foes in the Israeli leadership and calls for a "just and permanent peace" in the entire region.

But it takes 10 more months of tough diplomatic exchange before further negotiations can take place.

- Agreement at Camp David -

In August 1978, Carter invites Sadat and Begin to meet in the United States.

Their summit gets underway on September 5 at Camp David, the presidential weekend retreat 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Washington, in a forested area with about 20 chalets.

For 13 days the three talk, surrounded by their diplomatic and military advisors, cut off from the rest of the world.

They sketch out and discuss 23 versions of an eventual peace accord, making countless revisions.

The negotiations continue into the night and at times the summit teeters on the edge of breakdown. Carter is in a constant back-and-forth between Sadat and Begin.

Eventually, it all comes together.

- Warm embrace -

Sadat and Begin sign the Camp David Accords on September 17, a determined Carter pushing negotiations until the very last minute. The two foes embrace, stunning the world.

There are two documents: the "Framework for Peace in the Middle East", which outlines the basis of a peace settlement between Israel and its Arab neighbours, and "Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel".

Included are "side letters" confirming that Egypt and Israel remain in disagreement on the status of the holy city of Jerusalem and on the future of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

- From Nobel to assassination -

Other Arab nations are enraged with Egypt, believing that the truce agreed by the military and political heavyweight, also the historical leader of pan-Arabism, has upended the regional balance of power in favour of Israel.

They protest that the deal ignores the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the rights of the Palestinian people.

In November, Sadat and Begin win the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts at Camp David.

In Washington on March 26, 1979, they sign the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty, which sets the terms for Egypt recovering the Sinai from Israel in 1982.

Arab countries slam the treaty as a "separate peace" and a betrayal, and break off relations with Egypt, suspending it from the Arab League.

Sadat, also criticised in his own country, is assassinated in October 1981.

In 1994, Jordan becomes the second Arab nation to normalise ties with Israel.The cost of environmental crime to developing countries is estimated to be more than $70 billion a year

Animal conservation in Africa has suffered several setbacks in recent months prompting experts at an African tourism conference this week in Cape Town to warn about the cost to the travel industry.

"Obviously it's negative," said the African Tourism Association's (ATA) managing director Naledi Khabo, who spoke at the inaugural event organised by Airbnb.

"Whether it's people or animals, you see them being killed or slaughtered in such a terrible manner -- it has a negative impact."

Kenya was thrust into the conservation spotlight when an effort to move endangered black rhinos between national parks, launched with great fanfare in June, left 11 of the animals dead.

"It's very clear it was not managed well by my officers -- and we took action on that," said Kenya's Tourism Minister Najib Balala, who was the public face of the project.

Balala insisted that tourists considering visiting would not be deterred by the incident but industry experts have warned that such setbacks could hurt the continent's appeal.

"It does impact the overall pan-African perception as well, which in turn has a negative impact on tourism," added Khabo.

The cost of environmental crime to developing countries is estimated to be more than $70 billion a year.

Africa is at the epicentre of global poaching and trafficking of many species, with elephants coveted for their ivory tusks and rhinos sought for their horns which are used in traditional Asian medicine.

- 'A very aggressive approach' -

Botswana, which has Africa's largest elephant population, is on the frontline of the battle against the illicit ivory trade.

But it was recently rocked by a report from Elephants Without Borders that a poaching spree had wiped out as many as 90 of the animals.

While the government and some scientists strongly disputed the findings and insisted they were overstated, the damage had already been done.

"What is sad, particularly about the Botswana incident, is that the headlines came out about what happened -- but what we don't understand is why and what next," said travel author Anita Mendiratta.

In South Africa, rangers have been forced to take ever more extreme steps to protect the country's safari endowment alongside an effort to prosecute the criminal bigwigs profiting from the lucrative trade.

Khabo, who speaks for the African tourism industry, praised South Africa's anti-poaching successes which have included three high-profile arrests of kingpins linked to poaching.

Kenyan Tourism Minister Najib Balala admitted that a transfer of endangered black rhinos between national parks had been botched

"It's critical that, on a policy level, the government and the tourism boards take a very aggressive approach and to have truly severe consequences to individuals who are found guilty," she told AFP.

Balala, the Kenyan tourism minister, said his country's anti-poaching efforts were also proving effective.

"The numbers of rhinos in terms of protection has gone up -- over 1,200 rhinos we have in Kenya from almost 300 30 years ago. We have 35,000 elephants, 30 years ago we had only 16,000."

- 'Traveller activism' -

Mendiratta said that effective anti-poaching was increasingly being demanded by tourists.

"When it comes to poaching, when it comes to elephant riding even, travellers are saying 'it's not right'," she said.

"Traveller activism has become an important part of our industry."

Loserian Laizer, who spent nine years as a ranger in Tanzania before joining the Safarisource service which connects travellers directly to safari organisers, said poaching can make wildlife tourism difficult.

Africa is at the epicentre of global poaching and trafficking of many species

In South Africa's Kruger National Park for example, visitors have complained about the noise made by the increasing number of airborne anti-poaching patrols.

"But I can say we are winning the fight against poaching," said Laizer. "There's a big up turn in people understanding we need to protect the wildlife."

Tanzania was working to educate visitors about the perils of poaching and the risks of purchasing ivory and rhino horn products, he said.

Laizer said the threat to wildlife and the impact on the tourism industry did not just come from poaching or conservation blunders.

"A problem is people trying to build many facilities to accommodate the tourists and the impact is we are destroying the environment so we need to control that," he said.Religion remains a powerful social force in South Korea, and the country's biggest spiritual organisations are wealthy and influential

One of the world's largest presbyterian churches has been engulfed by an unholy row after its pastor sought to pass the super-rich South Korean institution into the control of his son.

Religion remains a powerful social force in the South, and the country's biggest spiritual organisations are wealthy and influential.

More than a dozen Seoul megachurches boast luxurious, sprawling buildings, congregations in the tens of thousands, and millions of dollars in annual revenues from worshippers -- some donate as much as 10 percent of their income -- and commercial activities.

Their leaders enjoy status and perks, lucrative posts at church-affiliated foundations, and political heft.

And the biggest of all the presbyterian churches is Myungsung.

When Kim Sam-whan, the founder of Myungsung church, sought to hand leadership down to his son, it set off fire and brimstone

Founded by pastor Kim Sam-whan 40 years ago in a then-marginal neighbourhood in the east of the capital, it now has a large main building with dark twin spires reaching up to the heavens, and 100,000 members.

It operates an evangelical television channel, two hospitals in South Korea and a medical centre in Ethiopia, two schools and a kindergarten, a six-storey conference and wedding venue, and welfare and educational facilities across the country.

But when Kim, 73, sought to pass that worldly empire on to his 45-year-old son Kim Ha-na with his ascension to chief pastor, it set off fire and brimstone.

- Lost Seoul -

Presbyterian churches in South Korea have been compared to chaebols, the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate the economy

Protestantism is South Korea's largest faith, accounting for some 22 percent of the population, followed by Buddhism with 21 percent and Catholicism with seven percent, according to a 2014 survey. About half of the population are non-believers.

The first South Korean megachurch to be inherited by its founder's son was the Chunghyun Presbyterian Church in 1997, and several more followed suit in subsequent years, triggering mounting public criticism.

Comparisons were drawn with the generational successions at the chaebols, the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate the South Korean economy.

In the end the umbrella Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) amended its constitution to ban such hereditary successions in 2013.

Critics of the Myungsung move took the Kims to a church court, but it ruled 8-7 in their favour, finding that as the father had officially retired two years earlier, it was not a direct succession and therefore legitimate.

The move has echoes of how Vladimir Putin served two terms as Russian prime minister before returning to the country's presidency, avoiding restrictions on term limits.

But the decision only fuelled the dispute, with 900 pastors holding a protest meeting, theology students boycotting classes, and news portals flooded with critical comments.

"He considers the church his own asset and he is unable to hand it over to anyone but his own son," read one.

The Kims were trying to "privatise" a church, Kim Ji-chul of Somang, another megachurch, told the protest, calling on them both to resign.

"A pastor is needed for a church but a church is not needed for a pastor," he said. "If this principle is reversed, the church will be corrupted."

- The devil inside -

In response, a PCK general meeting overturned the church court ruling, sacked all 15 judges involved, and decided to review the case from scratch.

Pastor Yu Kyung-jae at Andong Church expects a new PCK court to rule the Myungsung transfer invalid, but said there was "little possibility" the church would cancel the succession, leaving the situation deadlocked.

The elder Kim, Yu said, "does not want to lose his grip on the church and give up influence and material gains".

"We will continue seeing discord and friction around megachurches in this country which have been focusing on material expansion," he predicted.

"You cannot serve both God and Mammon."

Myungsung insists that the son's appointment was appropriate.

"The appointment was made in the most democratic and legitimate manner... and most congregants approved," spokesman Kim Jae-hoon told AFP.

And the founder remains defiant.

"This is not like bequeathing a business but passing on a burden of sacrifice and pain," Kim Sam-whan told followers at a prayer session last week.

Adopting Biblical imagery, he accused his critics and opponents of "trying to kill us by possible means, to stone us to death".

"Devils are attacking us."Instagram and internet sites about travelling around Nigeria are encouraging well-connected, young professionals to get out and discover their country

Tourism in Nigeria is nothing if not earned. It takes eight hours by bus to travel the 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Lagos to Idanre on a road strewn with potholes and other obstacles.

Then there's the negotiations with unscrupulous police officers and a climb of 620 steps in the sticky, tropical heat.

But those who've made the trip say it's worth it just for a selfie in front of the sumptuous Yorubaland hills with Chiamaka Obuekwe, Nigeria's self-styled "Queen of Tours".

"I always wanted to have a picture with her! We've seen so many on her page," said one traveller on the organised weekend, as Chiamaka poses with the 15-strong group of 20 to 35 year-olds, all of them in bright "Social Prefect Tours" T-shirts.

Behind them, the hills stretch out as far as the eye can see, trees rising upwards from the rocks below through a light mist in a scene worthy of "Jurassic Park".

Chiamaka, as everyone calls her, never intended to found a travel agency but the followers of her blog and Instagram account persuaded her to, asking if they could come along.

Since its creation in 2015, Social Prefect Tours has become an institution for well-connected young professionals in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos.

Taking a selfie and capturing the experience to share online is an all-important part of travelling in Nigeria

Chiamaka's Instagram page currently has more than 40,000 followers, whose goal is to post a precious hashtag from across Nigeria in the same way pins were once put on a map.

"This is the Instagram age," she told AFP. "If you didn't take a picture, it's like it never happened. So, it's better you didn't even go there."

- Likes and emojis -

Beyond collecting "likes" and heart emojis, the internet has also helped Nigerians to discover and better understand their own country.

With Nigeria's economy almost exclusively based on oil and gas, tourism development is lacking, even at local level.

There are few wild animals left for safaris and a lack of quality hotels, while inadequate roads make many places hard to reach and entire regions have been devastated by conflict.

Few people are equally going to be enticed by the oil slicks that have polluted beaches in the southern Niger delta region.

Yet Africa's most populous nation has real hidden treasures.

Chiamaka Obuekwe set up a travel agency after followers of her blog and Instagram account persuaded her to, asking if they could come along

"Obudu Mountains, at the Cameroonian border, are just breathtaking," said Lola Daniyan, the 28-year-old head of Unravelling Nigeria.

Her online travel agency, where participants post their photos from trips, is one of those that has lit up social media, making up for a lack of official tourism promotion in the last 30 years.

Daniyan decided to set up her business on a family holiday in London, when she saw hundreds of people flocking to Queen Elizabeth II's official residence, Buckingham Palace.

"I thought, 'Why don't people come to see our royal palaces? We have so many but people don't know about them'," she said.

"Actually, we don't know each other. If you have been in Lagos all your life and you go to Kano (in the north)... it's like, 'wow!'. We don't know about the north, we don't know how they live.

"Travelling makes you humble and empathetic," she added.

Nigeria as a single entity dates back to 1914, when British colonialists brought together their northern and southern protectorates purely for commercial reasons.

Tourism development has been lacking in Nigeria but Africa's most populous nation has real hidden treasures

The West African nation is home to more than 500 ethnic groups and is almost evenly split between a Muslim majority north, and a largely Christian, more prosperous south.

Religious tensions are rarely far from the surface and each side regards the other with suspicion or, in the best case scenario, disdain and indifference.

- 'Thirst for discovery' -

Georgina Duke and Emeka Okocha weren't any of either. They decided to discover their country after spending a large part of their childhood studying abroad.

They took to the road, trusting their own instincts -- and dismissing stereotypes and those who said it couldn't be done -- by founding Nothing To Do in Lagos, an internet platform which lists organised trips and gives tips to solo adventurers.

"We are Nigerians. Nigeria is our country. We can't live in Nigeria and not see it ourselves," said Okocha.

"We want to be part of it, owning our space and fighting social restrictions."

Unravelling Nigeria is among social media initiatives helping make up for a lack of official tourism promotion in the last 30 years

Best friends before being associates, they started from scratch in Lagos in 2014. Duke described it as "a bit like exploring our backyard".

From 2015, they gradually ventured farther afield -- north to Kaduna, west towards Lome in Togo and east to Enugu -- driven by curiosity and a "thirst for discovery". But there were sometimes disappointments.

"Once, we flew to Anambra State for a wedding, and saw that the Ohum caves were just two hours away by road. It looked great so we decided to extend our trip," recalled Okocha.

But he added: "When we got there, people (in the area) said that we should have told them 24 hours in advance that we were coming.

"On which phone number? Well... I don't know!"

Unfortunately for them, not everything was on the internet.Victor Cha, a top US Korea expert, says President Donald Trump (L) needs to adjust his expectations for a denuclearization deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their groundbreaking summit in Singapore

One of the top US experts on North Korea says President Donald Trump should agree to separating talks for a formal peace on the Korean peninsula from the issue of Pyongyang's denuclearization.

In an interview with AFP, Victor Cha, who was Trump's pick for a new ambassador to Seoul last year before the White House changed its mind, said Trump should get on board with the effort by North and South Korea to craft a declaration to end the 68-year official state of war between the two countries when their leaders meet in Pyongyang next week.

"The Chinese will probably support that," said Cha.

"That puts Trump in a very awkward position, because there are three other parties that want a peace declaration, and he's the one who wants the credit, for the Nobel prize."

Doing so would mean Trump backing off his demand that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un first take concrete steps toward giving up his nuclear weapons. But Trump should insist on something concrete in return, Cha said.

"The sequencing issue is not new," he said. "They want a peace declaration and lifting sanctions first, we want steps towards denuclearization first."

"We have to split up the negotiations."

- Demand demilitarization move by North -

Since Trump met with Kim in a groundbreaking summit in Singapore in early June, Washington has rolled together the two issues of denuclearization and an official end to the hostilities that began with the 1950-53 Korean War.

Since then there has been no sign of Pyongyang truly moving on denuclearization, says Cha, now head of Korean issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"We want a declaration (of nuclear facilities), we want verification, we want a timeline.... There is nothing that I've seen that shows North Korea wants to do any of those things."

If North and South Korea do move toward a peace declaration, Cha said, Trump should get something in return for his endorsement.

Cha says that could be a North Korean agreement to pull its artillery back from the heavily militarized border, from where it can easily strike densely populated Seoul.

"If we're going to do a peace declaration, we have to get something, something that's valuable," Cha said.

Trump "might be very tempted to do it, to follow them and then to take control of it, to say 'it was all my idea, this is all going really well,'" he said.

As for denuclearization, Cha is less optimistic that a strong deal can be achieved. Pyongyang wants the US to lift economic sanctions first, and so far is only willing to take modest measures like closing testing sites.

"It's not real denuclearization," said Cha.

He noted recent US intelligence reports that indicate Pyongyang is actually now making more fissile material and more weapons.

"The real question is can we get a good deal, one pretty comprehensive and that is verifiable? That's a much harder question to answer, because I don't think the North Koreans are interested in giving up their weapons."

Trump retains some leverage, he notes: Trump's agreeing to the summit brought Kim out on the world stage.

"Before he was an isolated leader, he was ignored, nobody cared about him," said Cha.

"Is he willing to make a deal because he doesn't wanna go back to being isolated? We don't know."Palestinians protest along the Israel-Gaza border on September 14, 2018 as Israeli forces fire tear gas canisters through smoke from burning tyres

A Palestinian teenager has died after being shot by Israeli forces last month during protests and clashes along the Gaza border, the health ministry in the enclave said.

Saheeb Abu Kashef, 16, died late Saturday after being shot on August 3 east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the ministry.

At least 180 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since protests and clashes erupted along the border on March 30.

One Israeli soldier has been killed since then.

Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, of seeking to use the protests to carry out attacks or infiltrations.

It says its actions are necessary to defend the border.

Palestinians and rights groups say protesters have been shot while posing little threat.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell talks on mobile during a Foreign Affairs minister meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels on July 16th. He announced Thursday that the government had decided to deliver the weapons to Saudi Arabia

Spain's prime minister on Sunday defended his government's controversial decision to go ahead with the delivery of 400 laser-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia, saying it was needed to preserve good ties with the Gulf state.

His Socialist government announced earlier this month that it would block the delivery of the weapons amid concerns that they could harm civilians in Yemen where Saudi Arabi is engaged in a bloody conflict.

But on Thursday Foreign Minister Josep Borrell announced the government had decided to deliver the weapons after all, angering humanitarian groups.

Cancellation of the deal would jeopardise a much larger order for five Corvette warships worth 1.8 billion euros, to be built by Spain's Navantia shipyard in the southern region of Andalusia, with thousands of jobs at stake.

Workers in the region, a stronghold of the ruling Socialist Party, had staged demonstrations pressing for the deal to go ahead.

Asked about the policy reversal during an interview with private television La Sexta, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his government risked "creating the image that it was revising its entire relationship" with Saudi Arabia if it did not deliver the weapons.

"The situation was very complicated. The dilemma the government faced was breaking its commercial, economic and political ties with Saudi Arabia, with the impact this could have in some areas of the country, such as the Bay of Cadiz, or carry out a contract signed by the previous government," he added.

Saudi Arabia, a longtime ally, had already paid 9.2 million euros ($10.7 million) for the bombs under a 2015 contract signed by a previous, conservative administration in Spain.

Apart from the warship deal, Madrid has obtained juicy engineering contracts to build a high-speed railway linking Mecca and Medina, and a metro in Riyadh.

Spain is the fourth largest provider of military equipment and weapons to the Gulf state, according to Amnesty International.

Nearly 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other allies intervened in 2015 after Huthi rebels ousted the government from the capital Sanaa and seized swathes of the country.Myanmar military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing: blacklisted by a Russian social media site

Russian social media site VKontakte (VK) has followed Facebook by banning Myanmar's army chief and a nationalist monk known for stirring up Islamophobia in a country condemned globally for the treatment of its Rohingya Muslims.

Facebook blacklisted Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other top military brass three weeks ago after a damning report by UN investigators called for their prosecution for genocide over the army's brutal crackdown on the Rohingya.

The military head immediately opened up an account on VK, which has a very similar blue and white interface to its Silicon Valley counterpart but is hosted by Myanmar's staunch ally Russia.

He quickly amassed some 37,000 followers but users Monday were greeted with a message that the account had been suspended "due to a violation of the VK terms of service".

VK told AFP that the accounts of Min Aung Hlaing and hardline abbot Wirathu had been "blocked permanently after receiving many complaints from users", adding that it had hired Burmese-speaking moderators to monitor posts.

Wirathu is an influential monk known for his hatred of Islam and the Rohingya in particular.

Facebook disabled his account in January after a string of vitriol targeting the stateless minority.

Last year's army campaign forced some 700,000 Rohingya to flee over the border into Bangladesh, with refugees bringing testimony of widespread murder, rape and arson.

Only a hardcore of military supporters appear to have made the switch to VK from Facebook in the Buddhist-majority country, which only came online recently after half a century of military rule.

Facebook still reigns supreme although it has scrambled in recent months to show it is taking hate speech seriously after coming under fire for its slow response to incendiary posts.

The UN envoy to Myanmar lambasted the world's biggest social network earlier this year, even saying it had morphed into a "beast".

The tech giant, which boasts some 18 million accounts in the country of 51 million people, has admitted it has often been too slow to take down inflammatory posts.

The army chief, who had two Facebook accounts with 1.3 and 2.8 million followers respectively, often used the site to drum up support for the military campaign.

Posts would frequently refer to the Rohingya as "Bengali" to imply they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and feature denials of atrocities during the crackdown.Angolan President Joao Lourenco welcomed Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa to Luanda for the first visit by a leader of the former colonial power in seven years

Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Monday kicked off a two-day trip to Angola designed to improve ties between Luanda and its former colonial master.

The diplomacy marks an effort to move beyond the bitter legacy of Lisbon's rule that ended in 1975 when Portugal withdrew without handing over power and Angola sank into civil war until 2002.

"Portugal and Angola have a long history, the tone of which should be defined by the future and not the past," said Costa as he set off for Luanda.

Angola entered a new era last year when Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled the country with an iron fist from 1979 to 2017, stepped down and was replaced by President Joao Lourenco.

"There's lots we can and should do together in terms of the economic ties between our countries which are already strong," Costa added shortly after arrival, becoming the first Portuguese head of government to visit for seven years.

"Angola has a major challenge to diversify its economy and to increase domestic production, shrinking imports."

Angola is a key trading partner with Portugal, and the third largest recipient of its investments.

A major source of friction was removed in May when a Portuguese court decided that Angola's former vice president Manuel Vicente can be tried in Luanda, rather than in Portugal, on corruption charges.

Costa said both countries should look to better future ties and leave behind the bitter legacy of the colonial era

Lourenco had demanded that the trial take place in his country, "so that relations between Angola and Portugal can return to the level of the recent past".

- Investment plans -

Costa said Angola's efforts to shift its economy away from heavy dependence on oil presented opportunities for Portuguese businesses.

"We've put in place a number of mechanisms so that economic players can invest," he said.

The prime minister will attend a gathering of Portuguese businesses active in Angola as well as visiting the nation's new military history museum.

He will meet Lourenco on Tuesday when the two will sign a slew of agreements that include deals on Angola's debts to Portuguese businesses -- estimated to be in excess of 400 million euros ($470 million).

"From Portugal's side, I don't think we have such intense relations with any other country on any continent as Angola," said Costa who called for greater policing, defence and tax cooperation between the two Lusophone nations.

"Like all intense, passionate relationships, these relations are often also emotional," he said.

Lourenco will visit Lisbon for a return visit in November.

Portugal, battered by the global financial crisis, avoided bankruptcy with a bailout from the European Union, while Angola has become the tenth largest foreign investor in the country.

The visit by Costa, which has been postponed several times, was a "very important step" toward normalising relations, said analyst Alex Vines of Britain's Chatham House think-tank.

President Lourenco has pledged to fight corruption and rebuild the economy of the second-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, which has still not recovered from the plunge in oil prices in 2014.

He has ousted relatives of his predecessor from leadership positions at state institutions and public companies in an effort to stamp his authority on the country and break with his predecessor's checkered past.SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The first inter-Korean summit of 2018, a sunny spectacle in late April, reduced war fears on the peninsula. The second, an emergency one in May, helped ensure a historic meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump came off.

Now, at his third summit with Kim next week in Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in faces his toughest challenge yet: delivering something substantive that goes beyond previous vague statements on denuclearization and helps get U.S.-North Korea talks back on track.

Negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have sputtered in recent weeks, raising doubts about whether Kim is truly willing to relinquish his nuclear arsenal and putting pressure on Moon to broker progress once again.

FILE - In this April 27, 2018 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in raise their hands after signing a joint statement at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea. President Moon faces his toughest challenge yet in his third summit with Kim in Pyongyang, where he will be pressed to deliver substantive agreements beyond the vague aspirational statements on denuclearization that have been repeated in past months. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File)

The result will likely be a crucial indicator of how the larger nuclear negotiations with the United States will proceed. Moon will try to get Kim to express more clearly that he's prepared to abandon his nuclear weapons, which could create momentum for a second Kim-Trump summit.

Whether Moon succeeds, fails or falls somewhere in between, the third inter-Korean summit could help answer a persistent question: When Kim says he supports the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," what does he actually mean?

___

DENUCLEARIZATION DEBATE

Moon heads to Pyongyang on Tuesday facing lingering questions over his claim that Kim, during his conversations with South Korean officials, has privately expressed a genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons and missiles.

The wave of optimism that surrounded the first two inter-Korean summits in April and May and the Singapore meeting between Trump and Kim in June conveniently overlooked disagreements about what exactly Kim had committed to.

"The third summit will bring more clarity to what North Korea means with the complete denuclearization of the peninsula," said Kim Taewoo, former president of Seoul's government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification. "If the North has been negotiating with goodwill all this time, Moon will be able to return with good results. But, regrettably, I see that possibility as low."

He said it will be crucial for Moon to get Kim Jong Un to give a clearer signal that he is willing to accept credible actions toward denuclearization, such as providing a detailed description of North Korea's nuclear program, a key first step toward inspecting and dismantling of it.

At his meetings with Moon and Trump, Kim signed statements pledging the complete denuclearization of the peninsula. But the North for decades has been pushing a concept of denuclearization that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to pursue nuclear development until the United States removes its troops from South Korea and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan.

The differences prompted Trump to cancel Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's planned visit to North Korea last month. After an earlier Pompeo visit, Pyongyang accused Washington of making "unilateral and gangster-like" demands on denuclearization and bristled at the idea that it must take significant steps toward dismantling its nuclear program before a peace treaty is signed or international sanctions are lifted.

Moon, the son of North Korean war refugees, is eager to keep the nuclear diplomacy alive, not just to keep a lid on tensions, but also to advance his ambitious plans for engagement with the North, including joint economic projects and reconnecting inter-Korean roads and railways. These projects are held back by the sanctions against North Korea.

"What the South and North now needs is not just another joint declaration, but finding ways to substantially develop relations," Moon said in a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. "We cannot cease our efforts to mediate and facilitate talks from the middle until dialogue and communication between North Korea and the United States flow smoothly."

___

GETTING IT IN WRITING

The issue of declaring a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War will be high on the agenda in Pyongyang. The fighting stopped with an armistice that has left the peninsula technically at war.

Both Koreas are calling for a declaration by the end of the year, but the U.S. wants to see more concrete steps toward denuclearization first, and some analysts say a declaration could put pressure on the U.S. to withdraw its troops from South Korea.

"With the declaration, North Korea's trying to put itself on equal footing with the United States so it could turn the process into a bilateral arms reduction negotiation between two nuclear states," Kim, the security expert, said. "The process can't have anything to do with a plan to denuclearize unilaterally."

Chung Eui-yong, Moon's national security adviser, met Kim in Pyongyang earlier this month, and said the North Korean leader told him that an end-of-war declaration would not weaken the U.S.-South Korea alliance or lead to a withdrawal of U.S. troops. Chung also said Kim wishes to realize denuclearization before the end of Trump's first term.

Chung conveyed similarly promising comments from Kim after a previous visit in March, when South Korean officials shuttled between Pyongyang and Washington to set up the Trump-Kim meeting.

He said then that Kim had said the North would not need to keep its nuclear weapons if it received a credible security guarantee and that the North Korean leader understood that U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises must continue. The comments were seen as an important departure from North Korea's previous stance.

But Kim has never made similar comments publicly or in writing.

If Moon can't convince Kim to express a commitment to concrete denuclearization steps, he will at least have to get Kim to put the things Chung has said he was told in a written agreement, said Du Hyeogn Cha, a visiting scholar at Seoul's Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

That would provide a starting point for establishing a timeline for denuclearization, reduce concerns over North Korea's intent and make it clearer that the North bears the greater responsibility in the efforts to resolve the nuclear crisis, Cha said.

"The Panmunjom Declaration after the first summit only provided a time limit for the end-of-war declaration, which was the end of 2018; on denuclearization, the statement just said the Koreas would jointly work toward it," Cha said. "A failure to get something more specific out of Kim could cause the diplomatic efforts to lose much of their force."

___

Follow Kim Tong-hyung on Twitter at @KimTongHyung

FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2018, file photo, a TV screen shows images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, center, and U.S. President Donald Trump to advertise upcoming Seoul Defense Dialogue in Seoul, South Korea. President Moon faces his toughest challenge yet in his third summit with Kim in Pyongyang, where he will be pressed to deliver substantive agreements beyond the vague aspirational statements on denuclearization that have been repeated in past months. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

FILE - In this May 26, 2018, file photo, provided by South Korea Presidential Blue House via Yonhap News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in embrace each other after their meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom in North Korea. President Moon faces his toughest challenge yet in his third summit with Kim in Pyongyang, where he will be pressed to deliver substantive agreements beyond the vague aspirational statements on denuclearization that have been repeated in past months. (South Korea Presidential Blue House/Yonhap via AP, File)NEW DELHI (AP) - An Indian court has ruled there is enough evidence to send former U.N. climate chief Rajendra Pachauri to trial on sexual harassment charges in a case filed by a former female colleague in New Delhi.

Ashish Dixit, a lawyer who represented Pachauri before the magistrate on Friday, said there was no case against Pachauri and he will fight the charges during the trial, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Magistrate Charu Gupta set Oct. 20 for pretrial proceedings.

FILE- In this Jan. 21, 2010 file photo, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) head Rajendra Pachauri looks on at a press conference in New Delhi, India. An Indian court ruled on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, there is enough evidence to send India's former U.N. climate chief Pachauri to trial on charges of stalking and sexual harassment in a case filed by a former female colleague in New Delhi. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan, File)

Police registered the case against Pachauri after the 29-year-old female colleague accused him three years ago of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.

"Chuffed to bits. This has not been easy," the woman told reporters after Friday's court session. "This is a big leap towards the truth. I am relieved, and exhausted fighting Pachauri."

Pachauri worked with the woman at The Energy and Resources Institute, or TERI, a New Delhi environmental think tank he had headed for more than three decades.

He has denied the allegations, but resigned from both the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and TERI after the woman's accusations were made public.

If convicted, Pachauri faces a prison sentence of two years.

Apart from the police investigation, TERI's internal complaints committee examined the evidence presented by the woman, questioned some other employees and concluded that the allegations of sexual harassment were valid.

Pachauri had chaired the U.N. climate panel - considered the world's authority on climate science - and accepted the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on its behalf. The panel shared the award with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.Death toll rises to 8 as Florence pours on the rain

NEW BERN, N.C. (AP) - The Marines, the Coast Guard, civilian crews and volunteers used helicopters, boats and heavy-duty vehicles Saturday to rescue scores of people trapped by Florence's shoreline onslaught, even as North Carolina braced for what could be the next stage of the disaster: widespread, catastrophic flooding inland.

The death toll from the hurricane-turned-tropical storm climbed to eight.

A day after blowing ashore with 90 mph (145 kph) winds, Florence practically parked itself over land all day long and poured on the rain. With rivers rising toward record levels, thousands of people were ordered evacuated for fear the next few days could bring the most destructive round of flooding in North Carolina history.

More than 2 feet of rain had fallen in places, and the drenching went on and on, with forecasters saying there could be an additional 1 feet by the end of the weekend.

"I cannot overstate it: Floodwaters are rising, and if you aren't watching for them you are risking your life," Gov. Roy Cooper said.

___

2 storms, Florence and Mangkhut, different as water and wind

WASHINGTON (AP) - Nature expresses its fury in sundry ways. Two deadly storms - Hurricane Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut - roared ashore on the same day, half a world apart, but the way they spread devastation was as different as water and wind.

Storms in the western Pacific generally hit with much higher winds and the people who live in their way are often poorer and more vulnerable, Princeton University hurricane and climate scientist Gabriel Vecchi said Saturday. That will likely determine the type of destruction.

Mangkhut made landfall Friday on the northeastern tip of Luzon island in the Philippines with top-of-the-scale Category 5 winds of 165 mph. Florence had weakened to a Category 1 storm with 90 mph winds by the time it arrived at North Carolina's coast.

Yet a day after landfall the faster-moving Mangkhut was back out over open water - weakened, but headed across the South China Sea toward China. Florence, meanwhile, was still plodding across South Carolina at a pace slower than a normal person walks. By Saturday morning, it had already dumped more than 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain, a record for North Carolina.

Experts say Mangkhut may well end up being the deadlier storm. As of Saturday afternoon, the death count in the Philippines was a bit higher, although still far below that of other storms that have hit the disaster-prone island nation. And with Mangkhut now headed toward the densely populated southeast coast of China, it is likely to cause more death and destruction. But Florence's watery insured damage total will eventually be higher, Ernst Rauch, head of climate research for the world's largest reinsurer Munich Re, told German media.

___

Sheriff: Border Patrol agent suspected of killing 4 women

LAREDO, Texas (AP) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent suspected of killing four women was arrested early Saturday after a fifth woman managed to escape from him and notify authorities, law enforcement officials said, describing the agent as a "serial killer."

Juan David Ortiz, an intel supervisor for the Border Patrol, fled from state troopers and was found hiding in a truck in a hotel parking lot in Laredo at around 2 a.m. Saturday, Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar said at a news conference in the border city about 145 miles (235 kilometers) southwest of San Antonio.

Cuellar said investigators have "very strong evidence" that he is responsible for the deaths of the four women, who are believed to worked as prostitutes.

"We do consider this to be a serial killer," said Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz.

In a statement, Andrew Meehan, assistant commissioner for public affairs for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said his agency's Office of Professional Responsibility, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General are fully cooperating with all investigators.

___

Police: Man dies after shark attack off Cape Cod

WELLFLEET, Mass. (AP) - A man was bitten by a shark Saturday in the water off a Cape Cod beach and died later at a hospital, becoming the state's first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years.

The 26-year-old man from Revere succumbed to his injuries following the attack off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet at around noon, Wellfleet Police Lt. Michael Hurley said.

Joe Booth, a local fisherman and surfer, said he was on shore when he saw the man and his friend boogie boarding when the attack happened.

He said he saw the man aggressively kick something behind him and a flicker of a tail from the water. He realized what was happening when the friend came ashore dragging his injured friend.

"I was that guy on the beach screaming, 'Shark, shark!" Booth said. "It was like right out of that movie Jaws. This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here."

___

Niece: Family won't take in Elizabeth Smart's kidnapper

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Once an accomplished organ player in Salt Lake City, Wanda Barzee became a disturbing figure for members of her own family after she helped in the 2002 kidnapping of then-teenager Elizabeth Smart.

Days before the 72-year-old woman is released from prison, looming fears about whether she remains a threat and calls to keep her off the streets bring up deep-rooted questions about mental-health treatment in the nation's prisons, an expert said.

And details of the crime still horrify Barzee's niece, Tina Mace.

"It just makes you ill. How could anyone do that?" she said.

Her aunt played the organ at her wedding decades ago, before Barzee joined Mitchell as he acted on his so-called revelations from God.

___

Typhoon kills 12 in Philippines, heads to southern China

TUGUEGARAO, Philippines (AP) - Typhoon Mangkhut lashed the northern Philippines with destructive winds and heavy rain that set off landslides and destroyed homes on Saturday, leaving at least 12 people dead, as Hong Kong and other parts of southern China braced for the powerful storm.

The most ferocious typhoon to hit the disaster-prone Philippines this year slammed ashore before dawn in Cagayan province on the northeastern tip of Luzon island, a breadbasket that is also a region of flood-prone rice plains and mountain provinces with a history of deadly landslides.

More than 5 million people were at risk from the storm, which the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center downgraded from a super typhoon. Mangkhut, however, was still punching powerful winds and gusts equivalent to a Category 4 Atlantic hurricane when it hit the Philippines.

China and the Philippines agreed to postpone a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that was to start Sunday due to the typhoon's onslaught, which caused nearly 150 flights, a third of them international, to be canceled and halted sea travel.

Francis Tolentino, an adviser to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, said the 12 died mostly in landslides and houses that got pummeled by the storm's fierce winds and rain. Among the fatalities were an infant and a 2-year-old child who died with their parents after the couple refused to immediately evacuate from their high-risk community in a mountain town in Nueva Vizcaya province, Tolentino said.

___

Former Colorado nuke site opens to public as wildlife refuge

DENVER (AP) - Cyclists and hikers explored a newly opened wildlife refuge at the site of a former nuclear weapons plant in Colorado on Saturday, while a protester in a gas mask brought signs warning about the dangers of plutonium.

With no fanfare, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened the gates of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge on the perimeter of a government factory that made plutonium triggers for nuclear bombs for nearly four decades.

Spread across a rolling, wind-swept plateau 16 miles (26 kilometers) northwest of downtown Denver, the refuge is a rare oasis of tallgrass prairie, with bears, elk, falcons, songbirds and hundreds of other species. The refuge offers sweeping panoramas of the Rocky Mountain foothills and Denver's skyscrapers.

"You get these incredible views," said Jerry Jacka, who spent two hours mountain biking at the refuge Saturday.

Jacka said he was not worried about his safety, despite lawsuits and protests by people who argued the government has not tested the refuge thoroughly enough to make sure people are safe using it.

___

Murder trial of Chicago cop puts troubled force in spotlight

CHICAGO (AP) - In a Chicago courtroom over the coming weeks, the spotlight will focus on one night in 2014, 16 gunshots, a white police officer, the death of a black teenager and an essential question: Murder or self-defense?

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke faces murder charges in the killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, a shooting captured in a silent dashcam video that stirred outrage, upended politics and fueled the city's racial tensions. While the jury trial that begins Monday revolves around the events of Oct. 20, 2014, it also draws fresh attention to the problems a troubled department has wrestled with for decades.

"It's a new chapter but the same theme - police racism, violence and a code of silence," says G. Flint Taylor, a civil rights lawyer and frequent critic of the Chicago police.

The case has already rippled beyond the courtroom, spurring a 13-month U.S. Justice Department probe that resulted in a blistering 2017 report in the final days of the Obama administration. It described a poorly trained police department with a "pervasive cover-up culture" that tolerated racial discrimination and used force almost 10 times more often against black suspects than whites.

Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor, says these problems aren't unique among big city police forces, but they are extreme.

___

AP FACT CHECK: Trump's blustery myths on hurricanes, income

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a stormy week, President Donald Trump blustered and distorted reality, denying massive deaths from a hurricane that scientists believe to be one of the nation's deadliest and blowing out of proportion U.S. economic growth and his role in spurring it.

He's insisting the federal response to Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico last September, was "incredibly successful," even though blackouts there remain common and several forms of federal aid have been slow to arrive compared with past disasters. Independent researchers have estimated the death toll was nearly 3,000 people. Trump is rejecting that work, claiming it's a conspiracy by Democrats and isn't true.

And as the November elections near, Trump is citing record-breaking middle-class income that isn't so and exaggerating progress on his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

At the same time, some of Trump's critics were not entirely immune from hyperbole.

Former President Barack Obama asserted "healthy" economic growth during his administration that is in dispute and a Democratic lawmaker blamed all the estimated deaths from Puerto Rico's hurricane on the Trump administration, as if the storm itself took no one.

___

Russian meddling abroad: Does Putin pull all the strings?

MOSCOW (AP) - As alleged Russian plots, conspiracies and crimes unfold against the West, prosecutors and pundits routinely blame Vladimir Putin or a circle of Kremlin insiders said to be acting on direct orders from the president.

Putin may indeed have involvement in some shadowy schemes, but is he micromanaging every suspected poisoning, computer hack and influence campaign?

Experts say not necessarily. Instead, they say Putin and his entourage may be sending out signals about what he wants, and ambitious officials and individuals scramble to interpret and fulfill them to win his favor.

The motley mix of Russians accused of meddling in U.S. politics seems to illustrate this. Gun activist Maria Butina, who is jailed in Washington on charges that she tried to infiltrate U.S. political organizations as a covert Russian agent, is among those on the margins of power who seemed to seize an opportunity to advance their own interests and potentially please their rulers by manipulating gullible Americans.

It's unclear whether Putin was even aware of Butina's activities. But the initiative - like Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya's efforts to meet with Donald Trump's campaign team, or online trolling credited to "Putin's chef" Yevgeny Prigozhin - dovetailed with the Kremlin's dual goals of destabilizing Western democracy and ending sanctions against Russia.WASHINGTON (AP) - As Trump associates folded one by one over the last year under the pressure of federal investigators, there was always Paul Manafort.

Until suddenly there wasn't.

Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, who for months stood resolute in his innocence and determined to fight charge upon charge even as fellow onetime loyalists caved, reached an extraordinary plea agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller's office on Friday that requires him to assist the Russia investigation and converts him into a potentially vital government cooperator.

This courtroom sketch depicts former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, center, and his defense lawyer Richard Westling, left, before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, seated upper right, at federal court in Washington, Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, as prosecutors Andrew Weissmann, bottom center, and Greg Andres watch. Manafort has pleaded guilty to two federal charges as part of a cooperation deal with prosecutors. The deal requires him to cooperate "fully and truthfully" with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. The charges against Manafort are related to his Ukrainian consulting work, not Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. (Dana Verkouteren via AP)

The deal, struck in Washington just days before Manafort was to have faced a second trial, is tied to Ukrainian political consulting work and unrelated to the Trump campaign.

The question remains what information Manafort, 69, is able to provide about the president, as well as whether the Trump election effort coordinated with Russia.

Manafort's leadership of the campaign at a time when prosecutors say Russian intelligence was working to sway the election, and his involvement in episodes under scrutiny, may make him an especially insightful witness.

Manafort was among the participants in a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting in New York with Russians and Trump's oldest son and son-in-law that was arranged for the campaign to receive derogatory information about Democratic president nominee Hillary Clinton.

He was also a close business associate of a man who U.S. intelligence believes has ties to Russian intelligence. While he was working on the campaign, emails show Manafort discussed providing private briefings for a wealthy Russian businessman close to Vladimir Putin.

"The expectations around Manafort's cooperation are likely at a level beyond anyone else to date who has agreed to cooperate," said Jacob Frenkel, a Washington lawyer not involved in the case. "Whether those expectations will be met is the great unknown."

Manafort had long resisted the idea of cooperating even as prosecutors stacked additional charges against him in Washington and Virginia. Trump had saluted that stance, publicly praising him and suggesting Manafort had been treated worse than gangster Al Capone. Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had suggested a pardon might be a possibility after the investigation was concluded.

Then came Friday's development.

Manafort agreed to provide any information asked of him, testify whenever asked and even work undercover if necessary. The cooperation ensures the investigation will extend far beyond the November elections despite entreaties from the president's lawyers that Mueller bring it to a close.

The agreement makes Manafort the latest associate of Trump, a president known to place a premium on loyalty among subordinates, to admit guilt and work with investigators in hopes of leniency.

Mueller had already secured cooperation from a former Trump national security adviser who lied to the FBI about discussing sanctions with a Russian ambassador; a Trump campaign aide who broached the idea of a meeting with Putin; and another aide who was indicted alongside Manafort but ultimately turned on him. Trump's former personal lawyer has separately pleaded guilty in New York.

Manafort was convicted last month of eight financial crimes in a separate trial in Virginia and faces an estimated seven to 10 years in prison in that case. The two conspiracy counts he admitted to on Friday carry up to five years, though Manafort's sentence will ultimately depend on his cooperation.

"He wanted to make sure that his family was able to remain safe and live a good life. He's accepted responsibility. This is for conduct that dates back many years and everybody should remember that," Manafort attorney Kevin Downing said outside court.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders insisted the Manafort case was unrelated to Trump. Giuliani said he spoke to Trump on Friday about Manafort's plea.

"The president was OK with it," he said. "In a way, it's another indication there is no evidence of collusion. All of these charges predate the time Paul spent with the president. And there's nothing in what he pleaded about collusion."

It's unclear how the deal might affect any Manafort pursuit of a pardon from Trump, though Giuliani told Politico before the deal that a plea without a cooperation agreement wouldn't foreclose the possibility of a pardon.

Under the terms of the deal, Manafort was allowed to plead guilty to just two counts, though the crimes he admitted largely overlap with the conduct alleged in an indictment last year. He abandoned his right to appeal his sentences in Washington and Virginia and agreed to forfeit homes in New York, including a condo in Trump Tower.

But the guilty plea spares Manafort the cost of a weekslong trial that could have added years to the prison time he's already facing following the Virginia guilty verdicts. A jury there found him guilty of filing false tax returns, failing to report foreign bank accounts and bank fraud. Jurors deadlocked on 10 other counts.

Prosecutors on Friday presented new information about allegations they were prepared to reveal at trial, which was to have focused on Manafort's political consulting and lobbying work on behalf of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and the pro-Russian Party of Regions.

That case alleged that Manafort directed a large-scale U.S. lobbying operation for Ukrainian interests but never registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent despite being required to do so under the law, and that he concealed millions of dollars in income for the consulting work from the IRS.

He also failed to disclose his involvement in lobbying efforts made through a group of former European politicians, known as the Hapsburg Group, who pushed policies beneficial to Ukraine, prosecutors said Friday.

In 2013, one of the politicians and his country's prime minister met with then-President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office. Manafort was later sent an email that the politicians had "delivered the message of not letting 'Russians Steal Ukraine from the West.'"

Another allegation revealed Friday concerns Manafort's efforts to peddle stories to discredit Yanukovych's opponent, Yulia Tymoshenko, and undermine U.S. government support for her.

Prosecutors said he spread stories and secretly coordinated with an Israeli government official to publicize the idea that a U.S. Cabinet official was an anti-Semite for supporting Tymoshenko, "who in turn had formed a political alliance with a Ukraine party that espoused anti-Semitic views," court documents said.

"I have someone pushing it on the NY Post. Bada bing bada boom," Manafort wrote to a colleague, prosecutors say.

___

Online: Read the charges against Manafort: http://apne.ws/M1oQRiaCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The torrential rains from Florence will test South Carolina's infrastructure, which failed under historic flooding in 2015.

The devastating 2015 floods contributed to 19 deaths and crippled parts of the capital city, Columbia, for months. The state's infrastructure, weakened by years of neglect, crumbled under the strain of nearly 2 feet (60 centimeters) of rain. Dams burst across the state. Roads washed out and bridges were compromised.

A look at some of South Carolina's existing infrastructural concerns and how Florence could affect them:

FILE-In this Monday, Oct. 10, 2016 file photo, a home sits in flood waters in Nichols, S.C. The residents of a tiny town in South Carolina who rebuilt after an inland flood from a hurricane destroyed 90 percent of the homes two years ago are uneasy as forecasters warn inland flooding from Hurricane Florence's rain could be one of the most dangerous and devastating parts of the storm. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt, File)

DAMS

Given past problems, the thousands of public and private dams across South Carolina are cause for concern. More than 40 dams - many state-owned - failed in the aftermath of 2015's historic flooding, sending water cascading into lower areas.

In some places that year, nearly 2 feet (60 centimeters) of rain fell in a single day. Forecasts are similar for Florence, with National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham warning of "catastrophic rainfall" of up to 40 inches (100 centimeters) in some places before it finally leaves the Carolinas.

In 2015, the bursting and overflowing dams contributed to flooding that covered many parts of Columbia, stranding homeowners and forcing some into recreational boats to rescue neighbors. A year later, Hurricane Matthew caused about 25 more dams to fail and another round of flooding.

After Matthew, South Carolina's environmental agency requested more than $5 million to stabilize or tear down damaged dams and inspect others. State lawmakers also gave the agency $3 million to boost dam safety.

Pete Poore, spokesman for the state Transportation Department, said some roads and bridges in areas involving privately-owned dams still haven't been repaired since 2015, but his agency has to wait for state environmental officials and the owners to reach agreements on the work.

"We can't move until the dam itself is resolved," he said.

Ahead of Florence, environmental officials have urged dam owners to drop water levels in anticipation of the massive amounts of expected rainfall and water flowing into the state from basins in North Carolina.

Tommy Crosby, spokesman for South Carolina's Department of Health and Environmental Control, said inspectors have assessed the safety of more than 250 dams this week so far and urged property owners to clear drainage areas.

ROADS

The condition of South Carolina's roads was of particular concern after the 2015 floods.

Through the years, road improvement and expansion projects were repeatedly put off in part because of concerns about funding. Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled state were hesitant to pass the gasoline tax increase many said was needed to generate money - $1 billion, by some estimates - to fix potholes, expand some roads and repave others.

From 2010 to 2016, officials said, the state paid out $40 million in claims for vehicle damage caused by road problems. In 2016, lawmakers approved a one-time, $400 million infusion, but officials said they'd need an adequate, ongoing stream of road maintenance money to make substantive improvements.

That situation changed in 2017, when the legislature overwhelmingly approved the state's first gas-tax increase in 20 years, increasing roads funding by roughly $600 million annually once fully phased in., Reaching a peak of frustration over roads literally crumbling underneath motorists, lawmakers overrode a veto from Gov. Henry McMaster, who had vowed to oppose any tax increase and called the bill an "act of capitulation." Agency Director Christy Hall told legislators that the tax had already provided her department with $149 million in new money this year.

South Carolina has 42,000 miles of state-maintained roads, according to the state Department of Transportation. Ahead of Florence, Poore told AP the agency began positioning crews of its 3,200 maintenance workers across the state to be ready to fix broken traffic signals, barricade problem areas and do whatever else is needed to make the state's roads safe again.

"If the drainage ditches need to be cleared, they will do that, to mitigate any flooding," Poore said, noting crews will also check road shoulders and safety guardrails for any signs of deterioration.

According to Poore, a handful of roads in Clarendon County, south of Columbia, remain washed out after the 2015 flood.

BRIDGES

Officials are also closely monitoring the state's 8,400 bridges. Near Charleston, officials closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 526 over the Wando River in May after discovering that a support cable that helps hold concrete blocks together had snapped. About 35,000 cars typically use the bridge each day. Commutes that typically take minutes turned into hours as officials partially shut down the bridge to inspect the problem and create a plan to fix it.

The cause of the broken cable wasn't clear, but officials said water had seeped into the structure and led to some corrosion at some point. Repairs were made, and the bridge reopened a month later.

After that debacle, McMaster ordered a review of state records concerning the bridge. He also voiced support for expanding I-526, asking staffers: "How in the world could we evacuate James, Johns and Wadmalaw islands in time if there's a bridge down and a hurricane coming straight at Charleston?" his office told The Post and Courier of Charleston.

McMaster has ordered the evacuation of coastal areas including Charleston as Florence approaches, and no problems related to the bridge have been reported.

Poore said department hydrologists also monitor river levels throughout the state, looking for flooding issues that could affect bridges.

"Just because it stops raining after the event, and the sun comes out, don't assume the roads are good to go," Poore told AP. "We want to know if there any land areas that are going to be flooded, any community where people are living, to make sure they're not cut off or surrounded by water."

___

Reach Kinnard at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. Read her work at https://apnews.com/search/meg%20kinnard .

Water damage is seen in a store along Main Street nearly two years after it was flooded from Hurricane Matthew in Nichols, S.C., Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. Few places in South Carolina are more worried about the possibility of disastrous inland flooding from Hurricane Florence's heavy rain than the town of Nichols. Nichols Mayor Lawson Battle says his town is better prepared this time, but he strongly recommended everyone get out because he can't guarantee it won't flood. (AP Photo/David Goldman)DENVER (AP) - Cyclists and hikers explored a newly opened wildlife refuge at the site of a former nuclear weapons plant in Colorado on Saturday, while a protester in a gas mask brought signs warning about the dangers of plutonium.

With no fanfare, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened the gates of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge on the perimeter of a government factory that made plutonium triggers for nuclear bombs for nearly four decades.

Spread across a rolling, wind-swept plateau 16 miles (26 kilometers) northwest of downtown Denver, the refuge is a rare oasis of tallgrass prairie, with bears, elk, falcons, songbirds and hundreds of other species. The refuge offers sweeping panoramas of the Rocky Mountain foothills and Denver's skyscrapers.

Stephen Parlato wears a gas mask next to his sign warning about the dangers of plutonium at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

"You get these incredible views," said Jerry Jacka, who spent two hours mountain biking at the refuge Saturday.

Jacka said he was not worried about his safety, despite lawsuits and protests by people who argued the government has not tested the refuge thoroughly enough to make sure people are safe using it.

"I don't believe that they're covering up any sort of information about pollutants and radioactive elements and stuff in the soil," Jacka said.

The government built plutonium triggers at Rocky Flats from 1952 to 1989, a history marred by fires, leaks and spills. The plant was shut down after a criminal investigation into environmental violations.

The U.S. Energy Department, which oversaw the plant, said it found 62 pounds (28 kilograms) of plutonium stuck in exhaust ducts of buildings.

Rockwell International, the contractor then operating the plant, was fined $18.5 million after pleading guilty in 1992 to charges that included mishandling chemical and radioactive material.

The weapons complex covered 2 square miles (5 square kilometers) at the center of the site. It was cleaned up at a cost of $7 billion but remains off-limits to the public. The 8-square-mile (21-square-kilometer) buffer zone surrounding the manufacturing site was turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a refuge.

About 10 miles (16 kilometers) of trails are now open at the refuge. Visitors are told to stay on the paths and not wander the grasslands.

State and federal health officials say the site is safe, but some people worry that plutonium particles eluded the cleanup and could be sprinkled over the refuge, where hikers and cyclists could stir them up or track them home. At least seven Denver-area school districts have barred school-sanctioned field trips to refuge.

If inhaled, plutonium can lodge in lung tissue, where it can kill lung cells and cause scarring, which in turn can cause lung disease and cancer, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"You have a situation where you still have plutonium in the soil being disturbed by the wildlife and the weather," said Stephen Parlato, his voice muffled by the gas mask he wore at a refuge trailhead Saturday.

Parlato said the mask had a filter capable of blocking plutonium particles and that he wore it for protection, not for show.

"You even have school districts that have gone on the record to say they do not allow their students to come on trips here. This is an ongoing danger," he said.

Jon Simon, another cyclist who rode the refuge trails Saturday, said he doubted he would develop plutonium-related health problems in his lifetime, but worried that children might be vulnerable.

"I wouldn't want to walk my kid through here every day in the morning for our morning walk or something like that," he said. "But I'm old enough.... That's not what's going to get me."

The opening was in the works for months but was thrown into doubt Friday afternoon when Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who oversees the Fish and Wildlife Service, said he wanted to wait for more information about safety.

An hour later, the Interior Department said a review was complete and the refuge would open.

Department spokeswoman Faith Vander Voort did not respond to an email seeking more information about the review.

___

This story has been corrected to show the amount of plutonium found in the plant ducts was 62 pounds, not 57 pounds.

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP.

Jerry Jacka departs a trailhead on his mountain bike at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

Jon Simon takes a break after about a 2-hour mountain bike ride at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott) (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

A sign marks a trail on the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer drives into the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)As Tropical Storm Florence spins inland, environmental regulators are monitoring more than three dozen toxic waste sites in the storm's path, as well as scores of low-lying water- and sewage-treatment plants at risk of flooding.

The Environmental Protection Agency has identified 41 Superfund sites in threatened parts of the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland and Georgia, including polluted industrial sites, chemical plants, coastal shipyards and military bases.

EPA spokesman John Konkus said the agency is listening for any word of oil or hazardous substance spills from first responders, media reports and state and local emergency command posts. He said federal on-scene coordinators and equipment stand ready to deploy if needed.

Members of the North Carolina National Guard finish stacking sand bags under a highway overpass near the Lumber River which is expected to flood from Hurricane Florence's rain in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Superfund sites are among the nation's most highly polluted places. They often contain contaminated soil and toxic waste at risk of spreading if covered by floodwaters. More than a dozen Superfund sites in the Houston metro area were flooded last year during Hurricane Harvey, with breaches of potentially harmful materials reported at two.

Though it was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane at landfall Friday and later weakened to a tropical storm, Florence remains a massive storm that will dump trillions of gallons of rain on eastern North Carolina before sweeping across South Carolina.

No toxic spills had been reported as of Friday afternoon, but the region's rivers were not expected to crest for days. Forecasters predicted severe flooding for parts of southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina starting Sunday.

The worst natural disaster in North Carolina history was Hurricane Floyd in 1999, which dumped nearly 2 feet (60 centimeters) of rain and flooded a broad swath of the coastal plain, swamping whole towns and dozens of hog farm lagoons containing millions of gallons (liters) of untreated urine and feces.

Florence, a slow-moving system that forecasters say could release more than 3 feet (90 centimeters) of rain in places, could end up being even worse.

Environmental groups said Friday that they were worried that scores of hog lagoons will burst again or be overtopped by flooding, spilling their contents into rivers used as sources of drinking water. Also of concern were more than three dozen coal ash dumps at power plants in the region. The gray ash that remains after coal is burned contains potentially harmful amounts of mercury, arsenic and lead.

Among the Superfund sites most at risk from Florence is Horton Iron and Metal, a former shipbreaking operation and fertilizer manufacturing site in a low-lying floodplain along the Cape Fear River outside Wilmington, North Carolina. The 7.4-acre (3-hectare) site is heavily contaminated with pesticides, asbestos, toxic metals and cancer-causing PCBs.

Upriver along the Cape Fear is Carolina Transformer Co., a 5-acre (2-hectare) Superfund site in Fayetteville that also contains contaminated soil and groundwater contaminated with PCBs.

Forecasts call for the river to crest Monday at Fayetteville at more than 62 feet (19 meters) - nearly 30 feet (9 meters) above flood stage.

In Elizabeth City, the Triangle Pacific Corp. site includes a World War II-era Navy blimp base along the Pasquotank River that was later purchased by a company that manufactured wooden cabinetry. The site is contaminated with toluene, acetone, cadmium and arsenic.

Also of concern is the sprawling Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia and Marine Corps bases at Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point in North Carolina and at Parris Island in South Carolina.

The shipyard near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay dates to 1767 and contains contaminated soil and groundwater from more than two centuries' worth of dumped hazardous chemicals. Hazards at the Marine bases include ground saturated with toxic chemicals, old paint, ash from old trash burn pits and unexploded ordnance.

Nationwide, there are 327 Superfund sites in areas prone to flooding or vulnerable to sea-level rise caused by climate change, according to an Associated Press analysis of flood-zone maps, census data and EPA records. Nearly 2 million Americans live within a mile of the most at-risk sites.

___

Follow Associated Press investigative reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck .

Vehicles drive through water from the White Oak River flooding Highway 24 as Hurricane Florence hit Swansboro N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Tom Copeland)

Debris from Hurricane Florence covers a street in downtown New Bern, N.C., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

In this photo provided by Jordan Guthrie, wind and water from Hurricane Florence damages the highway leading off Harkers Island, N.C. on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (Jordan Guthrie via AP)WASHINGTON (AP) - A warmer world makes for nastier hurricanes. Scientists say they are wetter, possess more energy and intensify faster.

Their storm surges are more destructive because climate change has already made the seas rise. And lately, the storms seem to be stalling more often and thus dumping more rain.

Study after study shows that climate change in general makes hurricanes worse. But determining the role of global warming in a specific storm such as Hurricane Florence or Typhoon Mangkhut is not so simple - at least not without detailed statistical and computer analyses.

Russ Lewis covers his eyes from a gust of wind and a blast of sand as Hurricane Florence approaches Myrtle Beach, S.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

The Associated Press consulted with 17 meteorologists and scientists who study climate change, hurricanes or both. A few experts remain cautious about attributing global warming to a single event, but most of the scientists clearly see the hand of humans in Florence.

Global warming didn't cause Florence, they say. But it makes the system a bigger danger.

"Florence is yet another poster child for the human-supercharged storms that are becoming more common and destructive as the planet warms," said Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the environment school at University of Michigan. He said the risk extends beyond the Atlantic Ocean, such as Typhoon Mangkhut, which hit the Philippines on Friday.

For years, when asked about climate change and specific weather events, scientists would refrain from drawing clear connections. But over the past few years, the new field of attribution studies has allowed researchers to use statistics and computer models to try to calculate how events would be different in a world without human-caused climate change.

A couple of months after Hurricane Harvey, studies found that global warming significantly increased the odds for Harvey's record heavy rains.

"It's a bit like a plot line out of 'Back to the Future,' where you travel back in time to some alternate reality" that is plausible but without humans changing the climate, said University of Exeter climate scientist Peter Stott, one of the pioneers of the field.

A National Academy of Sciences report finds these studies generally credible. One team of scientists tried to do a similar analysis for Florence, but outside experts were wary because it was based on forecasts, not observations, and did not use enough computer simulations.

As the world warms and science advances, scientists get more specific, even without attribution studies. They cite basic physics, the most recent research about storms and past studies and put them together for something like Florence.

"I think we can say that the storm is stronger, wetter and more impactful from a coastal flooding standpoint than it would have been BECAUSE of human-caused warming," Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann wrote in an email. "And we don't need an attribution study to tell us that in my view. We just need the laws of thermodynamics."

Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb looks not just at basic physics but all the peer-reviewed studies that especially link climate change to wetter storms.

"We have solid data across decades of rainfall records to nail the attribution - climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme rainfall events," Cobb said.

Several factors make scientists more confident in pointing the climate-change finger at Florence.

For every degree the air warms, it can hold nearly 4 percent more water (7 percent per degree Celsius) and offer measurably more energy to goose the storm, scientists said.

"The amount of water that comes out of hurricanes is certainly the most robust connection that we have," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate scientist Jim Kossin said.

And to look at Florence specifically, "it's very likely that climate change has warmed the ocean such that the hurricane's intense rainfall is more destructive than without global warming," said Weather Underground Meteorology Director Jeff Masters, a former hurricane hunter.

The warmer air and water also makes storms more intense or stronger, Stott said.

A Kossin study this year showed that tropical cyclones - a category that includes hurricanes and typhoons - are moving slower and even stalling. Kossin said "it's happening a lot more than it used to." Several studies agree that climate change is to blame but differ slightly in their conclusions.

With the emergence of Florence, some place in the U.S. has been drenched because of a stalled hurricane for four years in a row, storm surge expert Hal Needham said.

Kossin and Overpeck also pointed to studies that show storms are intensifying more rapidly than they used to.

Just like in Superstorm Sandy, scientists said it is clear that hurricane storm surge is worsened by sea level rise because the power of 6 to 10 feet of water comes on top of seas that were considerably lower decades ago. An extra 8 inches or so can mean the difference between staying dry or getting damaged, Masters said.

In the Carolinas, natural and temporary climate factors added to the "march upwards" from global warning. Because of that, the seas have risen nearly 5 inches in five years, said Andrea Dutton of the University of Florida.

Meteorologist Ryan Maue of weathermodels.com cautioned that observers should "stick to overall trends around the world and not individual cases."

University of Miami hurricane expert Brian McNoldy said there are too many ever-changing factors that make it hard to blame climate change specifically.

"If you are trying to make climate policy," Maue said Friday, "you don't want to make it on a storm-by-storm basis."

___

Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter: @borenbears . His work can be found here .

___

The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

___

For the latest on Hurricane Florence, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes .

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Florence on the eastern coast of the United States on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (NOAA via AP)

High winds and water surround buildings as Hurricane Florence hits Front Street in downtown Swansboro N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Tom Copeland)NEW BERN, N.C. (AP) - An ominous tweet appeared on a historic North Carolina community's Twitter feed about 2 a.m. Friday.

It came as rivers swelled, tides crested and the rain wouldn't stop. And that's when people found themselves trapped in their homes as the water rose.

"WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU," the tweet said. "You may need to move up to the second story, or to your attic, but WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU."

A rescue team from the North Carolina National Guard 1/120th battalion evacuates a family as the rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence threatens their home in New Bern, N.C., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

More than 360 people had been rescued by midafternoon Friday, hours after then-Hurricane Florence swept through, but another 140 were still waiting for help, city spokeswoman Colleen Roberts told The Associated Press.

Crews from the city and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were working with citizen volunteers to get people to dry ground, Roberts said. There had been no reports of injuries or fatalities, though most of the city was without power and thousands of buildings had been damaged, she said.

Sixty-seven-year-old Sadie Marie Holt was among those rescued Friday.

Holt, who has diabetes and clogged arteries, said she stayed for doctor's appointments that were canceled at the last minute. She tried to row out of her neighborhood Thursday night with a boat that was in her yard after her home began to flood, but had to retreat because of the poor conditions.

"The wind was so hard, the waters were so hard that, trying to get out, we got thrown into trailers. We got thrown into mailboxes. Houses. Trees," Holt said.

The city of about 29,000, which was founded in the early 1700s and was briefly the state capital, is near the North Carolina coast and is bordered on the east and south, respectively, by two rivers. When Florence started battering eastern North Carolina with record rainfall, the Neuse and Trent rivers began to swell - and combined with high tide, made for dangerous flooding.

Residents reached out for help through the night by phone and on social media.

Dawn Baldwin Gibson, 47, a minister and private school founder who lives on a farm closer to the coast in nearby Pamlico County and runs a Facebook page about weather in eastern North Carolina, had evacuated to New Bern to stay with family, thinking it would be a safer spot.

Gibson said Friday that while she and her family were safe, she and her husband had gotten around 75 calls and texts from others asking for help.

"And from that point, we started hearing where people were saying on phone calls, 'I love you,' to their family members because they were not sure they were going to get out of it alive," she said Friday.

Gibson said she thinks some people couldn't afford to evacuate New Bern and others didn't heed evacuation warnings after Florence dropped from a Category 4 to a Category 1. But once New Bern TV news station WCTI evacuated its newsroom Thursday night because of flooding and people began to lose power, the seriousness of the situation began dawning on folks, she said.

Tom Ballance said his wife went to Atlanta and he stayed behind in their New Bern home with their three dogs and a cat. Around 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the electricity went out. By midnight, his rain gauge showed that he'd gotten 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain since midafternoon. He drifted off to sleep. About 40 minutes later, he woke and went to a sun room, where he'd boarded up all the windows except for a small hole. He shone a flashlight through the glass.

"I about jumped out of my skin," he said in a phone interview Friday morning. "These were waves crashing down."

Those waves were coming from the Neuse River, which is about 25 feet (8 meters) away, and downhill, from his house. He made a plan B: If the water reached the house, he'd take the pets upstairs to the second floor.

"The water kept rising and kept rising," he said.

But the water never quite made it to his home. Ballance called the rainfall "biblical," saying he's gotten reports from friends that his downtown seafood restaurant was flooded, just like the rest of the downtown.

The National Weather Service said flash flooding was expected to continue through the rest of Friday in New Bern and surrounding areas. A 24-hour curfew was in effect.

Roberts, the city spokeswoman, said preliminary estimates show about 4,300 residences and 300 commercial buildings had been damaged. She said that count is expected to increase significantly.

___

Associated Press writers Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia; and Martha Waggoner in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. Lush reported from Jacksonville, Florida.

___

For the latest on Florence, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes

.

Rescue team members Sgt. Matt Locke, left, and Sgt. Nick Muhar, right, from the North Carolina National Guard 1/120th battalion, evacuates a family as the rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence threatens their home in New Bern, N.C., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Rescue team member Sgt. Nick Muhar, from the North Carolina National Guard 1/120th battalion, evacuates a young child as the rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence threatens his home in New Bern, N.C., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Rescue team members from the North Carolina National Guard 1/120th battalion go door-to-door as they evacuate residents in an apartment complex threatened by rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence threatens his home in New Bern, N.C., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

A rescue team from the North Carolina National Guard 1/120th battalion evacuates an elderly woman from her apartment as the rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence threatens her home in New Bern, N.C., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Residents at Trent Court Apartments wait out the weather as rising waters get closer to their doors in New Bern, N.C. Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. Hurricane Florence already has inundated coastal streets with ocean water and left tens of thousands without power, and more is to come. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

In this photo released by the City of New Bern, N.C., a bear statue floats in flood waters on South Front street in New Bern, N.C. on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. Hurricane Florence lumbered ashore in North Carolina with howling 90 mph winds and terrifying storm surge early Friday, ripping apart buildings and knocking out power to a half-million homes and businesses as it settled in for what could be a long and extraordinarily destructive drenching. (City of New Bern via AP)

Residents at Trent Court Apartments wait out the weather as rising water gets closer to their doors in New Bern, N.C. Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. Hurricane Florence already has inundated coastal streets with ocean water and left tens of thousands without power, and more is to come. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Debris from Hurricane Florence covers a street in downtown New Bern, N.C., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Jamie Thompson walks through flooded sections of East Front Street near Union Point Park in New Bern, N.C. Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. Hurricane Florence already has inundated coastal streets with ocean water and left tens of thousands without power, and more is to come. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)WASHINGTON (AP) - Insurgent Democratic women running for Congress are pushing the party to rethink its approach to politics if they retake control of Capitol Hill in the fall.

At the annual meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus Friday, black female candidates who prevailed in primaries over established incumbents said it's time for a conversation about how the party is structured. They expressed frustration that the party is tilted against rising politicians - especially those of color - and argued that if Democrats flip the House in November, it would be the result of organization and turnout amount black voters, particularly women.

If that happens, the candidates said, gratitude won't be enough. They want a seat at the leadership table and a role in re-examining how the party works.

FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2018, file photo, Ayanna Pressle speaks at a Massachusetts Democratic Party unity event in Boston. At right is Jay Gonzalez, winner of the Massachusetts Democratic gubernatorial primary. At the annual meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus Sept. 14, black female candidates who prevailed in primaries over established incumbents said it's time for a conversation about how the party is structured. "It is not enough to just talk about a blue wave and Democrats being in the majority," said Pressley. "What matters is who are those Democrats? We have to have a conversation about the guts and the soul of this party." (AP Photo/Bill Sikes, File)

"It is not enough to just talk about a blue wave and Democrats being in the majority," said Ayanna Pressley, the Boston city councilwoman now poised to become Massachusetts' first black congresswoman. "What matters is who are those Democrats? We have to have a conversation about the guts and the soul of this party."

Pressley won her primary last month by 18 points after challenging a 10-term incumbent initially endorsed by the Congressional Black Caucus. Without a Republican challenger in the general election, she appears to have a clear path to Congress. Her comments foreshadow the challenges that lie ahead if Democrats regain control of the House in November. The party will have to reconcile the anti-establishment energy of a diverse set of freshmen with a leadership structure dominated by lawmakers who are mostly white and have held office for decades.

Connecticut House Democratic nominee Jahana Hayes also challenged a state political veteran to win her shot at becoming the state's first black congresswoman. The former National Teacher of the Year told the CBC audience that she lacked support during her primary.

"Everyone said, 'You don't have the network, no one knows you.' I had never run for political office, I had no money," Hayes said. "I'm doing this for the people who don't have a voice."

Since her recent win with 62 percent of the vote, Hayes said, "it's popular to support me now."

After black women "showed up and showed out" this primary season, they are taking their rightful place, said Rep. Terri Sewell, who in 2010 was elected Alabama's first black congresswoman. The Selma Democrat was instrumental in Sen. Doug Jones' special election last winter, when he became the first Democrat to represent Alabama in the Senate in 25 years.

"We've been the backbone of the Democratic Party for a long time and we're finally getting our due," said Sewell. "There were a whole bunch of people he doesn't even know that did a whole bunch of work to help him get there."

Those people were the black women who often work with little or no financial support for infrastructure, she said.

"We need to activate the people on the ground who have been doing this work for free," Sewell said. "They need resources. It's not just about a seat at the table."

LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, agreed, noting that grassroots groups like hers have long filled the gap when the official party apparatus was absent.

"It's our table," said Brown, who galvanized black women to support Jones. "We have to have some really deep conversations about how the landscape has changed."

That also includes addressing priorities within the party, Pressley said.

"I reject the notion that this is about working class white folk and everyone else!" Pressley told the cheering crowd. "I reject the notion that we're going to have an actual debate about if we are the party of jobs and the economy, or of criminal justice reform. I'm not choosing."

Some CBC meeting attendees noted the party has made efforts this cycle. This summer, the Democratic National Committee launched an initiative aimed at black women. After voting overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton in 2016, many black women said they felt ignored or taken for granted by the party. Instead of being looked to as saviors, black women are calling for roles as decision and agenda makers.

This week's gathering of black lawmakers also spotlighted black women's political influence and impact. Much of the CBC agenda was focused squarely on black women and their issues, with black women as panelists, honorees and framers of much of the discussion.

"They're not leading this nation in health care or pay, but when it comes to the democracy of this nation, black women are leading the way, and we need to be talking about those issues and more," said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who along with California Sen. Kamala Harris - the Senate's only black woman - served as the convention's honorary co-chair.

New York Congresswoman Yvette Clark, echoed his sentiments Thursday evening at an awards event honoring CBC women.

"The sisters on the Hill are definitely running things," said Clark, one of 21 women in the caucus.

"When I think about the blue wave hitting and seeing Congresswoman Maxine Waters bring down the gavel, as chair of financial services, I get excited," said Clark, currently the ranking Democrat on the committee. "When I think about Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson bringing down that gavel, as chair of the committee on science and technology, I get excited."

Waikinya Clanton, the DNC's African-American Outreach Chair, encouraged the pressure to change the party dynamic toward black women candidates and voters.

"We need you all's support, whether that comes in the form of criticism or whatever," said Clanton. "One of the reasons I came to the party was because that was valid. I believed that I could only make the change that I needed by being there. All these people who haven't for a long time felt like this was their party, feel like this is their party now because I'm there and I'm doing the work every single day."

___

Whack is The Associated Press' national writer on race and ethnicity. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/emarvelousWASHINGTON (AP) - It was a raucous scene that could have been backstage at a rock concert: camera flashes, fans clamoring for autographs, scowling bodyguards, reporters hungry for a scoop.

But the center of this attention wasn't Beyonce or the Rolling Stones. It was three black gubernatorial candidates who stood side by side in a throng of admirers, soaking up all that love.

If elected, Stacey Abrams of Georgia, Ben Jealous of Maryland and Andrew Gillum of Florida would give America its largest number of black governors ever. That historic possibility was not lost on them, or the black voters who hope to make that history happen, as they shared the stage at the Congressional Black Caucus' annual legislative conference this week.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 file photo, Andrew Gillum and his wife, R. Jai Gillum addresses his supporters after Andrew Gillum won the Democratic primary for governor in Tallahassee, Fla. The history-making gubernatorial runs by Stacey Abrams of Georgia, Gillum of Florida and Ben Jealous of Maryland are turning them into stars nationwide and at the Congressional Black Caucus annual legislative conference. If elected, Abrams, Jealous and Gillum, would give America its largest number of black governors ever. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon, File)

"This moment, and the significance of it, won't seep in for some time from now," said Gillum, mayor of Tallahassee, and at 39 the youngest of the three.

"What this signals is not only the continued evolution of our country but the increasing recognition of diversity, not only of capacity but of backgrounds," said Abrams, 44, later.

Abrams, who could become the nation's first black female governor, is getting the most national attention. But all three were squired around the Washington Convention Center by black politicos who are strategizing ways to help on turnout, campaigning and fundraising.

Jealous, 45, faces the steepest challenge, down in polls against incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. Abrams and Gillum are running for open seats.

After the three spoke together on stage, Jealous listened attentively backstage as Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas laid out plans to help him with voter turnout and fundraising. Gillum, meanwhile, stood nearby shaking hands with other state elected officials and Abrams conducted a media interview.

"I believe what we see in this current electoral cycle is not going to stop," Abrams said. "We have more diversity in the candidates running and in the candidates winning and particularly for women of color. ... I'm proud to be part of a national trend and I think it's a trend that's becoming a permanent one for America."

None of them were heavy favorites in their primaries. Abrams is a longtime state official and former state House leader; Gillum has been a fixture of local Tallahassee politics since his college days; and Jealous is a former head of the NAACP and was a venture capitalist and activist before entering the governor's race last year.

Their historic primary wins - and the national attention it brought - will bring out Democratic voters who might not have voted in a midterm election otherwise, they said. Midterm elections typically draw fewer than half of those eligible to vote.

"I know we have people keep wanting to hedge on these races: 'Oh, you can win in the primary, but what happens in the general?'" Gillum said. "I honestly believe for all three of us, we are the best, and frankly, the most likely of the whole lot we were in to bring the kind of energy necessary in order to win states like ours."

The political trio seem comfortable together and readily quote one another in interviews. They also tease one another, as they did when they turned Abrams' observations about overcoming gender and racial barriers into jokes about their respective skin tones.

"I'm of a very rich brown hue," Abrams said.

"I'm richer," Gillum interrupted. "It's the only thing I'm rich in."

Jealous, who is biracial, smiled, then quipped: "No comment."

The three of them have known one another for many years, Jealous said. He met Abrams when they were both around 20 years old, he said, and they've known Gillum since he was about that same age.

"It's a special joy when you look to your left and look to your right and the people you see are the people you know and the people you trust," Jealous said.

P.B.S. Pinchback of Louisiana was the nation's first black governor during Reconstruction, serving from 1872 to 1873. The next would not come until 1990, when Douglas Wilder would be elected in Virginia. Deval Patrick was elected in 2007 and David Paterson served as New York governor from 2008 to 2010.

There has never been a black female governor in American history.

"What's more important to me is that I'm opening the doors for others who may not have seen themselves in positions of power and leadership, and I can speak for communities that are unseen and unheard," Abrams said.

All of them recognize the change their campaigns represent and what could be a unique place in history if they are all successful.

"It is a wonderful season we are in," said Bernice King, a daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., at a later event honoring black female lawmakers. "I'm excited about the midterm elections, and I know that regardless of what the outcome is that God still has his hands on us."

___

Jesse J. Holland covers race and ethnicity for The Associated Press. Contact him at jholland@ap.org, on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jessejholland or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jessejholland. You can read his stories at AP at http://bit.ly/storiesbyjessejholland.

FILE - In this July 26, 2018 file photo, Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, center, speaks with the media during a campaign stop at the Ironworkers Local 709 apprenticeship shop to announce her "Jobs for Georgia Plan," in Pooler, Ga. The history-making gubernatorial runs by Abrams of Georgia, Andrew Gillum of Florida and Ben Jealous of Maryland are turning them into stars nationwide and at the Congressional Black Caucus annual legislative conference. If elected, Abrams, Jealous and Gillum, would give America its largest number of black governors ever. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File)ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Latest on the discovery of a missing 10-year-old girl's body near her hometown in northwestern Alaska (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

Authorities have arrested a 41-year-old man in connection with the disappearance of a 10-year-old girl whose body was discovered near her hometown.

FILE - This undated file photo that is part of a missing person poster released by Alaska State Troopers shows Ashley Johnson-Barr. Authorities in Alaska say a 10-year-old girl has been found dead Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 more than a week after she was reported missing in a remote Inupiat Eskimo town on Alaska's northwestern coast. Alaska State Troopers said Friday that Ashley Johnson-Barr's remains were found east of Kotzebue. (Alaska State Troopers via AP, File)

FBI spokeswoman Staci Pellessier says in an email that 41-year-old Peter Wilson of Kotzebue is facing charges of making false statements to a federal agent investigating the death of Ashley Johnson-Barr of Kotzbue. Pellessier says Wilson is being transferred to Anchorage.

Alaska State Troopers say Ashley Johnson-Barr's remains were found east of Kotzebue.

The girl was last seen playing with friends at a local park Sept. 6. Her cellphone was later found a half mile from Rainbow Park, in the opposite direction of her home in the community of 3,100 people.

The search included assistance from 17 FBI agents earlier this week.

___

6:37 p.m.

A 10-year-old girl has been found dead Friday, authorities said, more than a week after she was reported missing in a remote Inupiat Eskimo town on Alaska's northwestern coast.

Alaska State Troopers said Ashley Johnson-Barr's remains were found east of Kotzebue.

The girl was last seen playing with friends at a local park Sept. 6. Her cellphone was later found a half mile from Rainbow Park, in the opposite direction of her home in the community of 3,100 people.

The search included assistance from 17 FBI agents earlier this week. Troopers spokesman Jonathon Taylor says five of the agents left Kotzebue Thursday for other assignments.

The Alaska State Troopers are the lead agency in the case. No other information about the discovery of her body was immediately released.KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - At least five army personnel, all crew members of a military helicopter, were killed late Friday when their aircraft crashed and caught fire in western Afghanistan.

Ghafor Ahmad Jawed, Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman, said two pilots, two sharpshooters and an engineer died when their chopper caught fire after an emergency landing in Khaki Safad district in Farah Province.

"The chopper was on its way from Herat to Farah when it crashed, killing five crew members," he said.

Mohammad Naser Mehri, provincial governor's spokesman, said the hard landing was caused by a technical problem and the chopper caught fire because it was loaded with ammunition.

Mehri said he doesn't believe the incident was caused by enemy fire although an investigation is continuing.

The Taliban are in control of most of Farah province, especially Khaki Safad district.

In northern Parwan province, a roadside bomb detonated Saturday near a military vehicle, killing four intelligence service members and a civilian, according to Wahida Shahkar, spokeswoman for the provincial governor.

Shahkar said one military personnel and a civilian were wounded in the blast on the outskirts of Charakar, the provincial capital.

"There was a report of a bomb in a village and when the military personnel rushed to defuse it another roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle causing casualties," she said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents are active in some areas in Parwan and there have been previous attacks against Afghan security forces there.CAIRO (AP) - Khalil Hamra, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer for The Associated Press, is exhibiting his work in a show titled "Why Gaza?" at the 30th annual Visa Pour L'Image photojournalism festival in Perpignan, France. The exhibition runs through Sept. 16.

In 30 photos on display, Hamra shows the resilience of people in his native Gaza, a sliver of land on the Mediterranean Sea that measures just 360 square kilometers (140 square miles).

Gaza's 2 million residents have endured 11 years of border blockade, imposed by neighboring Israel and Egypt after the takeover of the territory by the Islamic militant group Hamas in 2007. Hardships have worsened with each year of the blockade, including power cuts for most of the day, soaring unemployment and a health system on the brink of collapse.

FILE - In this April 20, 2018 file photo, a Palestinian protester hurls stones at Israeli troops during a protest at the Gaza Strip's border with Israel. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)

The festival highlights photojournalism from around the world in exhibits, screenings, lectures and workshops. The event, held in the Mediterranean town of Perpignan near Spain, draws photographers, editors and industry celebrities.

Hamra won the Robert Capa Gold Medal Award in 2009. He shared the 2013 Pulitzer Prize with three Associated Press photographers for his work in Syria.

"Khalil Hamra's work shines a light on the human condition in places most of us will never have the chance to visit," said Maya Alleruzzo, the AP's Middle East regional photo editor. "He often does so at great personal risk."

Hamra joined AP in 2002. He has covered the Arab Spring in Egypt, civil war in Syria and the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Here is a selection of his photos from Gaza.

___

Follow Khalil Hamra on Twitter: https://twitter.com/khalil_hamra?lang=en

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khalilhamra/?hl=en

In this June 8, 2018 photo, Associated Press photojournalist Khalil Hamra smiles for a photograph as he works in Gaza. (AP Photo/Muhammed Dahman)

In this Sept. 5, 2018 photo, Associated Press photojournalist Khalil Hamra speaks to students during his 'Why Gaza?' exhibition at the 30th annual Visa Pour L'Image photo festival in Perpignan, France. (AP Photo/Thomas Hartwell)

In this Sept. 6, 2018 photo, Associated Press photojournalist Khalil Hamra speaks about his work in Gaza, during a presentation moderated by Caroline Laurent Simon, at the 30th annual Visa Pour L'Image photo festival in Perpignan, France. (AP Photo/Thomas Hartwell)

FILE - In this July 8, 2014 file photo, Palestinians try to salvage what they can of their belongings from the rubble of a house destroyed by an overnight Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

In this Aug. 8, 2014 file photo, Palestinians pray beneath the fallen minaret of the Soussi mosque that was hit by Israeli strikes in Gaza City. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

FILE - In this July 26, 2014 file photo, Palestinians salvage what little of their belongings they could from their homes during a 12-hour cease-fire in Gaza City's Shijaiyah neighborhood. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2014 file photo, a Palestinian boy holds an umbrella as he rests in front of the damaged Nada Towers residential neighborhood in the town of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

FILE - In this July 29, 2014 file photo, Israeli forces' flares light up the night sky of Gaza City. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

FILE - In this June 20, 2016 file photo, a Palestinian girl plays in a barrel as her mother bakes bread for a Ramadan dinner at their house in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)

FILE - In this July 31, 2016 photo, Palestinian groom Saed Abu Aser, and his bride, Falasteen, walk into the wedding hall, in Gaza City. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2017 file photo, a Palestinian family warm themselves with a fire outside their makeshift house during a power cut in a poor neighborhood in Khan Younis, the southern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) - A prominent Rwandan opposition leader walked free on Saturday after the government approved the early release of more than 2,100 prisoners with little explanation.

Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza's release surprised many because it is unusual for longtime President Paul Kagame to pardon potential challengers. She quickly urged Kagame to release all other political prisoners.

"The beginning of opening of the political space in Rwanda, I hope so," she told reporters.

FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 5, 2011 file photo, Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire wears handcuffs as she listens to the judge during the her trial in Kigali, Rwanda. Ingabire, one of Rwanda's most prominent opposition leaders, walked free on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 after the government approved the early release of more than 2,100 prisoners with little explanation. (AP Photo/Shant Fabricatorian, File)

Ingabire, head of the FDU-Inkingi opposition party, was arrested in 2010 and found guilty of conspiracy to undermine the government and denying Rwanda's 1994 genocide, charges that she denied. She was sentenced to 15 years.

Human Rights Watch called the charges politically motivated and linked to her criticism of the government ahead of the 2010 presidential election.

A smiling Ingabire thanked the president for her release, saying it means the government has found it can work together with Rwandans of different political views.

When asked about her political future, she said she would announce next steps in the coming days.

Rwanda's government has long been accused by rights groups of suppressing the opposition and having a justice system that lacks independence, which it has denied.

"When prisoners are filing forms requesting a presidential pardon, prisoners charged with genocide denial and conspiracy against the government are not allowed to fill such forms," a prison official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak on behalf of the prison.

Some 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis, were killed by Hutu extremists during the Rwandan genocide, according to the United Nations.

Some objected to Ingabire's release. "Anyone who peddles ... ethnic politics must be told in no uncertain terms that it won't be tolerated. Her release doesn't do that!" Christopher Kayumba, a lecturer at the school of journalism at the National University of Rwanda, said in a Twitter post.

Still detained in Rwanda is Diane Rwigara, who tried to challenge Kagame in last year's election but was disqualified over allegations that she forged some signatures on her nomination papers. She denied it. She later was charged with inciting insurrection.

Critics have said Rwanda's government has been under pressure over Rwigara's arrest and that Ingabire's release was meant to ease it.

In recently concluded parliamentary elections, two opposition parties won two seats each for the first time, a sign that the government could be trying to carry out reforms.

Anne Rwigara, Diane's sister, said Ingabire's release should not blind those who have advocated for free speech and rights for every Rwandan.

"The momentum to fight for rights for every citizen ... must continue," she told the AP.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_AfricaSINGAPORE (AP) - Malaysia's designated prime minister-in-waiting, Anwar Ibrahim, said Saturday that he has no reason to doubt his former political nemesis will hand over the leadership position within two years as planned after sorting out deep-seated issues like corruption.

Anwar and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad put aside their 20-year feud to help their four-party alliance win elections in May, leading to the country's first change of power since independence from Britain in 1957.

Anwar, 70, was convicted of sodomy in 2015 in a case that he said was politically motivated. He was freed and pardoned by the king shortly after the recent elections.

Malaysia's prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim speaks during a session at the Singapore Summit in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Anwar said that he has no reason to doubt his former political nemesis will hand over the leadership position within two years as planned after sorting out deep-seated issues like corruption. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

The alliance had agreed that Mahathir would be prime minister and then hand over the reins to Anwar. On Saturday, Anwar said that contesting a by-election after a lawmaker from his party resigned earlier in the week was "well within the plan" of his eventual succession, but that he was in no rush to take over.

"I think the succession plan is as agreed," Anwar said. "Let Prime Minister Mahathir conduct the affairs of the state. We support him, that's important. And I don't think we should be rushing to it, because he's playing a very critical role for the country."

"The country needs stability and a strong leader now and I want to make sure that he is effective in his position," he added.

Anwar spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the Singapore Summit, which was attended by business leaders and academics from Asia.

He said he has a close relationship with Mahathir and sees no reason to doubt his sincerity, given how he has acted in the four months since the historic electoral victory.

The government has clamped down on corruption by making the country's anti-corruption body accountable to Parliament instead of just the prime minister, Anwar said.

It also has recovered millions from the $4.5 billion that reportedly was misappropriated from the indebted 1MDB Malaysian state investment fund, he added.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is facing seven charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering involving the transfer of 42 million ringgit ($10.2 million) into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of the 1MDB fund.

Mahathir, 93, has endorsed Anwar's move to contest the by-election and said he would not renege on his promise to hand over power, despite not having settled on a date.

A by-election will be held in the southern coastal town of Port Dickson after a lawmaker from Anwar's party resigned to make way for his comeback. The Election Commission will set a date for the vote, which must be held within two months.

Malaysia's prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim speaks during a session at the Singapore Summit in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Anwar said that he has no reason to doubt his former political nemesis will hand over the leadership position within two years as planned after sorting out deep-seated issues like corruption. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)BEIRUT (AP) - U.S.-backed Syrian forces entered an eastern village held by the Islamic State group where intense clashes are ongoing on Saturday, a day after the extremists reportedly killed 20 fighters, the forces and a war monitor said.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said its fighters stormed Bagouz and are close to the center of the village. The forces added that they plan to open another front in the Sousseh area along the Euphrates river to increase pressure on the extremists.

SDF launched with the help of the U.S.-led coalition a wide offensive this week to capture the last pocket held by IS in Syria. The Kurdish-led forces have been among the most effective in the fight against IS in Syria, forcing them out of much of the country's east.

Despite losing most of the territory it held between Iraq and Syria since its peak in 2014, the jihadist IS remains a disruptive force in both countries. Its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, urged his followers to "persevere" in an audio tape attributed to him last month.

The IS-linked Aamaq news agency said the group's gunmen targeted advancing SDF fighters in the Bagouz area with mortar rounds, roadside bombs and sniper fire inflicting many casualties among them.

The SDF commander of the operation in Bagouz, who identified himself as Shergo, said in a video statement that the fighting is intense from both sides and that his fighters now control almost half of the village.

"We will take all this place from ISIS," Shergo said in English, using a different acronym to refer to IS.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS fighters are relying on a network of tunnels in the area and land mines to slow down SDF's offensive. It said that some 100 women and 30 men, including IS fighters, along with their children, surrendered to SDF fighters. The IS gunmen were taken to a tightly secured positions in the area, it added.

The storming of Bagouz came a day after the Observatory said IS gunmen took advantage of a sandstorm and killed 20 SDF fighters in the country's east, wounding others.

Kurdish official Ebrahim Ebrahim also said 20 fighters were killed in an ambush by IS fighters.

SDF said in a statement that only two of its fighters were killed and six others wounded in Friday's clashes.

The Observatory said Saturday that since SDF launched its offensive on the IS-held pocket, including the town of Hajin, 53 extremists have been killed as well as 38 U.S.-backed fighters.

The Observatory said SDF brought in Friday some 1,000 fighters to fortify its positions and boost the forces carrying out the offensive.BAGHDAD (AP) - Amid escalating political wrangling, Iraqi lawmakers elected an Iran-backed Sunni Arab as speaker of parliament on Saturday, the first step in forming a new government four months after national elections.

The 37-year old speaker was supported by the pro-Iran bloc inside parliament, the Building coalition, which is mainly made up of Iran-backed Shiite militiamen - underscoring the growing Iranian influence in the process of forming the country's new government.

During a secret ballot, 169 lawmakers voted for Mohammed al-Halbousi, the former governor of Anbar, and 89 others voted for the former defense minister, Khalid al-Obeidi, lawmaker Ahmed al-Asadi said.

"This is a victory for the Building coalition," prominent Sunni politician Mahmoud al-Mashhadani told The Associated Press after the session. "No one can ignore the Iranian influence in Iraq, it's stronger than the U.S.'s (influence)," al-Mashhadani added.

Early this month, the newly-elected parliament held its first session, but two Shiite-led blocs came into conflict, each claiming to be the largest bloc that should be tasked to form the new government. Namely, they are the Building coalition and the pro-U.S. Reform and Building coalition led by outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and populist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc.

Also Saturday, legislators elected Hassan Karim as the first deputy parliament speaker, according to legislator Dhafer al-Aani. Karim is a member of al-Sadr's bloc.

The parliament has yet to vote for the second deputy parliament speaker, a Kurd. Three members of parliament are running for the seat.

Iran was the among the first countries to congratulate al-Halbousi. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi said in a statement that Tehran "has always supported the democracy, territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Iraq and supports decisions made by the people's representatives."

Qasemi said in the remarks carried by state news agency IRNA that he hoped al-Halbousi's election will be followed by electing a president and prime minister, paving the way to establish a new government in Iraq.

Alarmed by the political wrangling and the bloody protests in the southern city of Basra against poor public services and unemployment, the country's Shiite spiritual leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, called for the appointment of a new face to lead the government. On Friday, al-Abadi said he'll not "cling to power."

Two Shiite politicians from the Reform and Building coalition who attended meetings between political parties to form the government, said Iran played a major role in undermining al-Abadi's efforts to secure a second term. Iran tried to bribe and threaten lawmakers, they said.

Ahead of the parliament first session in Sept. 3, the U.S. brokered a deal to have Kurds join the Reform and Building coalition so that it becomes the larger bloc, the politicians said. Hours ahead of the session, a politician went to residence of the Kurdish diplomatic mission in the Green Zone to collect signatures from Kurdish lawmakers.

"I was surprised when I saw the Iranian ambassador sitting at the restaurant of the Kurdish residence to discourage the Kurdish (lawmakers)," from joining the coalition, one of the politician said. "He left fifteen minutes before the session started."

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief media.

Tehran had previously dispatched its top regional military commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, to Iraq to ensure the pro-U.S. coalition does not threaten its interests in the region.

Baghdad-based political analyst Essam al-Faily said that contributing to Iran's successful sway in Iraq is that it "controls militias that have with influence on the ground. It has influenced even Sunni leaders."

Under an unofficial agreement dating back to 2003, the position of prime minister is reserved for Shiites, the president a Kurd and the parliament speaker a Sunni.

Parliament now has 15 days to elect the president who will task the nominee of the largest bloc to form the government. Political wrangling among the Shiite-led blocs and other factions will likely indefinitely delay the process of naming a prime minister.

___

Associated Press writer Sinan Salaheddin contributed to this report.MOSCOW (AP) - As alleged Russian plots, conspiracies and crimes unfold against the West, prosecutors and pundits routinely blame Vladimir Putin or a circle of Kremlin insiders said to be acting on direct orders from the president.

Putin may indeed have involvement in some shadowy schemes, but is he micromanaging every suspected poisoning, computer hack and influence campaign?

Experts say not necessarily. Instead, they say Putin and his entourage may be sending out signals about what he wants, and ambitious officials and individuals scramble to interpret and fulfill them to win his favor.

FILE In this file photo taken on Monday, May 7, 2018, Vladimir Putin enters to take the oath during his inauguration ceremony as Russia's new president in the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File)

The motley mix of Russians accused of meddling in U.S. politics seems to illustrate this. Gun activist Maria Butina, who is jailed in Washington on charges that she tried to infiltrate U.S. political organizations as a covert Russian agent, is among those on the margins of power who seemed to seize an opportunity to advance their own interests and potentially please their rulers by manipulating gullible Americans.

It's unclear whether Putin was even aware of Butina's activities. But the initiative - like Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya's efforts to meet with Donald Trump's campaign team, or online trolling credited to "Putin's chef" Yevgeny Prigozhin - dovetailed with the Kremlin's dual goals of destabilizing Western democracy and ending sanctions against Russia.

Only Putin can say for sure what strings he pulls. But some projects - such as the attack in Britain with a military-grade nerve agent in March - appear more likely to have his blessing. British authorities say the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was carried out by Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, with a likely green light from the highest levels. Russia vehemently denies any involvement.

"Russia is not as centralized as people sometimes think," said Alexander Baunov of the Carnegie Moscow Center. Incidents of election meddling abroad weren't part of "a single planned event, but separate people and actions" operating loosely under the same anti-Western banner.

Such efforts don't always coalesce. Observers describe rivalries among Kremlin insiders as they jostle for favors or influence. Prigozhin's supposed financing of mercenaries in Syria, for example, is reportedly at odds with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu but helps Russia maintain a foothold in the Middle East.

"Putin's state is like a court," said Mark Galeotti, a Russia security expert at the Institute of International Relations in Prague. "You have the people above making it clear what it is they are looking for, and then you have people below either looking to find ways they can leverage their existing opportunities and contact base to potentially provide value, or look to package what they've already got and sell it to advance their agenda."

THE GUN ACTIVIST

Butina, ordered Monday to remain in a U.S. jail while she awaits trial, seems to be a fringe figure, whose gun activism started in Siberia, far from Russia's decision-making core in Moscow.

As Trump pursued the presidency, she and influential patron Alexander Torshin allegedly used their connections with the National Rifle Association to cultivate a back channel to Republican politics. They tapped a vulnerability on the American right: the growing number of conservatives who don't conform to the Washington establishment's consensus on Russia, said Michael Kofman, head of the Russian program at the CNA think tank in Virginia. Some on the right have shown great affinity for what they see as the unyielding patriotism, faith and imagery of Putin's Russia.

The pair were oddly open about it, using their own identities on social media and advertising their networking successes.

"One of the more remarkable aspects of this case is how not-covert, obvious and self-aggrandizing it really was," Kofman said.

Torshin leveraged his connections as a lawmaker in the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council. The body is "a kind of trading post for different interests. Torshin has been a senior figure mediating between various different interests that come together there for over 10 years. He is a senior behind-the-scenes player," said Tom Adshead of Macro Advisory, a Moscow business consultancy.

However, Torshin's powers were limited. Gun rights legislation that he championed failed miserably in Russia. And while the FBI says the pair developed ties to Russian intelligence, there's no sign Butina and Putin ever met.

THE LAWYER AT TRUMP TOWER

Another Russian alleged to have tried to influence the U.S. election campaign was lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who met with Trump campaign aides in Trump Tower in June 2016, reportedly to offer Moscow's help in defeating Hillary Clinton.

While Veselnitskaya has denied acting on behalf of Russian officialdom, scores of emails and documents shared with The Associated Press show she served as a ghostwriter for top Russian government lawyers and received assistance from senior Interior Ministry personnel in a case involving a key client.

Still, she's not exactly part of Putin's inner circle. Instead, Baunov said, "she's a lady who was trying to advance her own personal career."

The leaked documents suggest Veselnitskaya went to Trump Tower as part of efforts to help her clients try to overturn U.S. sanctions - one of the Kremlin's strategic goals.

"Some people in the Kremlin, in special services, could be aware of the existence of Veselnitskaya and what she was doing," Baunov said. "But that doesn't mean ... everybody asked in conference calls 'how is her project going?'"

THE CHEF AND HIS TROLLS

Proximity to Putin is a key in such initiatives, and one of the most successful was purportedly launched by a player in his court: Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Dubbed "Putin's chef" for his well-connected restaurant and catering business, Prigozhin is considered the driving force in a media empire that includes the Internet Research Agency, the St. Petersburg "troll farm" whose members were indicted by U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller in February for allegedly waging "information warfare" against the United States through social media platforms and internet-based media.

Observers say such projects generally go through layers of officialdom first - vetting by Putin's spokesman, chief of staff, foreign minister, spy service chiefs - who decide when and whether to inform the president himself.

The troll farm was "a proxy body, not a government service," Baunov said. Its activities, including fake Facebook accounts and articles, "were not taken seriously but they were approved, as an attempt to show the West that the web and the internet don't belong only to the West."

The indictment hasn't deterred Prigozhin. The agency still exists; it just moved across town. And its parent company started an English-language site this year called USAReally aimed at American readers, six months before the U.S. midterm elections.

Prigozhin also is the suspected mastermind of a company called Wagner that sends private military contractors to fight in Syria, Ukraine and Africa. Three Russian journalists were killed in July in unclear circumstances while investigating Wagner's activities in Central African Republic.

Prigozhin is among a string of powerful Russian businessmen - sometimes referred to as oligarchs - who have been hit with sanctions or otherwise implicated in investigations into Russia's role in Trump's 2016 election. They deny wrongdoing, but observers suggest they are paying the price for the very proximity to Putin that allowed them to build their fortunes.

THE 'PATRIOTIC' VOLUNTEERS

Among the accusations of foreign interference that have hit closest to Putin are those involving the GRU military intelligence agency: the nerve agent attack in Britain and Mueller's accusations that 12 suspected GRU agents hacked Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.

Military analysts say operations by the GRU follow a strict chain of command that travels up through the military chief of staff, the defense minister and Putin himself.

Putin, however, has suggested that the hackers could be independent operators.

In a possible acknowledgment of the potential value of such outsiders, Putin signed a decree last week making information about freelance agents who help Russia's foreign intelligence services a state secret, according to Russian news agencies.

In the past, only information about regular personnel earned such protection.

Putin's entourage got a glimpse into his thinking when he likened hackers to "artists," saying last year: "If they are patriotic, they contribute in a way they think is right, to fight against those who say bad things about Russia."

___

Angela Charlton reported from Paris. Kate de Pury in Moscow contributed to this report.

FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 20, 2010 file photo, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, shows Russian President Vladimir Putin, around his factory which produces school means, outside St. Petersburg, Russia. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. Proximity to Putin is key in such initiatives, and one of the most successful was purportedly launched by a player in his court: Yevgeny Prigozhin. (Alexei Druzhinin/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Sunday, April 22, 2012, Maria Butina, a gun-rights activist poses for a photo at a shooting range in Moscow, Russia. Experts say President Vladimir Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. Gun activist Maria Butina is one example. Butina is jailed in Washington on charges that she tried to infiltrate U.S. political organizations as a covert Russian agent. (AP Photo/Pavel Ptitsin, File)

FILE - In this file photo taken on Friday, Sept. 7, 2012, Maria Butina walks with Alexander Torshin then a member of the Russian upper house of parliament in Moscow, Russia. Experts say President Vladimir Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. Gun activist Maria Butina is one example. Butina is jailed in Washington on charges that she tried to infiltrate U.S. political organizations as a covert Russian agent. (AP Photo/Pavel Ptitsin, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Wednesday, May 12, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, speaks with Igor Sechin, CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft, at a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia. Experts say President Vladimir Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. (Yuri Kadobnov/ Pool photo via AP, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Monday, July 16, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shake hand at the beginning of a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018, a view of a Business center, believed to be the location of the new "troll farm" in St. Petersburg, Russia. Dubbed Russian President Vladimir Putin's chef for his well-connected restaurant and catering business, Yevgeny Prigozhin is considered the driving force in a media empire that includes the Internet Research Agency, the St. Petersburg "troll farm" whose members were indicted by U.S. special investigator Robert Mueller earlier this year. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu talk during an awards ceremony for troops who fought in Syria, in the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this Sunday, April 22, 2018 file photo, Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump campaign aides in Trump Tower in June 2016, reportedly to offer Moscow's help in defeating Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018 a view of Trump Tower, left, on New York's Fifth Avenue. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. Lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump campaign aides in Trump Tower in June 2016, reportedly to offer Moscow's help in defeating Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, a views of the four-story building known as the "troll farm" in St. Petersburg, Russia. Dubbed Russian President Vladimir Putin's chef for his well-connected restaurant and catering business, Yevgeny Prigozhin is considered the driving force in a media empire that includes the Internet Research Agency, the St. Petersburg "troll farm" whose members were indicted by U.S. special investigator Robert Mueller earlier this year. (AP Photo/Naira Davlashyan, File)

FILE In this file photo taken on Monday, May 7, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a service held by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Krill, right, in the Annunciation Cathedral after Putin's inauguration ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 file photo, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, serves food to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, center, during dinner at Prigozhin's restaurant outside Moscow, Russia. Experts say Putin isn't necessarily dictating every Russian influence campaign abroad. Some accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections appear to be ambitious individuals taking the initiative based on signals from the presidential entourage. Proximity to Putin is a key in such initiatives, and one of the most successful was purportedly launched by a player in his court: Yevgeny Prigozhin. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze, Pool, File)State of the Blog

I'm not keeping up the blog like I used to. Posts will be here and there, as the mood strikes. Most of what I have to say is in my book. Thank you for reading.

ISTANBUL (AP) - A trade union leader says police in Turkey have rounded up hundreds of construction workers at Istanbul's new airport after they staged a protest denouncing poor working conditions.

Arzu Cerkezoglu, head of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey, or DISK, told The Associated Press that more than 500 workers were detained Saturday from their sleeping quarters at the construction site. She said the workers were being questioned at several police stations in Istanbul.

Media reports said police used tear gas at the construction site on Friday to break up a protest by the workers who were demanding better conditions, including improved safety at the site.

Plain clothed police officers and security gather at the entrance of Istanbul new airport construction site in Istanbul, Saturday, Sept.15, 2018. A trade union leader says police in Turkey have rounded up hundreds of construction workers at Istanbul's new airport after they staged a protest denouncing poor working conditions. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

The new airport, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's major construction projects, is scheduled to open on Oct. 29.CAIRO (AP) - Acting on a judge's order, Egyptian police detained the sons of former president Hosni Mubarak on Saturday along with three others in connection with insider trading charges for which the five are on trial, security officials said.

They said the arrests were ordered by judge Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh before he adjourned the case's hearings until Oct. 20. The Mubarak sons - wealthy businessman Alaa and Mubarak's one-time heir apparent Gamal - were taken to a prison south of Cairo after the hearing, according to the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

The detention of the two brothers came as something of a surprise given that the trial has been proceeding without incident. It was not immediately clear if their detention has anything to do with a recent warning to Gamal Mubarak by a newspaper editor close to the government to abandon any political ambitions.

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2013 file photo, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, seated center left, and his two sons, Gamal Mubarak, left, and Alaa Mubarak attend a hearing in a courtroom in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian officials say police have detained the sons of former president Hosni Mubarak in connection with inside trading charges. They said the arrests were ordered Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 by judge Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh before he adjourned the hearings to October 20. (AP Photo/Mohammed al-Law, File)

The two sons and their father were sentenced to three years in prison following their conviction of embezzling funds set aside for the restoration and maintenance of presidential palaces, using the money to upgrade their private residences. The sons were released in 2015 for time served, while Mubarak walked free last year. The trio paid back to the state the money they embezzled.

The three were first detained in April 2011, two months after a popular uprising forced Mubarak to step down after nearly 30 years in power. After a long trial, Mubarak was acquitted of killing protesters during the 18-day uprising against his autocratic rule.

The ongoing insider trading trial centers on the buying by the two brothers of a large number of shares in a local Egyptian bank that they allegedly knew was to become the target of a takeover by an Arab Gulf investor, a move that was virtually certain to dramatically drive up share prices.

One of the five ordered detained on Saturday is investment banker Hassan Heikal, son of Mohamed Heikal, a confidant of Egypt's late nationalist leader Gamal Abdel-Nasser and the author of a series of books giving insider accounts of Egypt's wars and peacemaking with Israel. He died in 2016.

Preventing Gamal from succeeding his father was among the chief motives for the 2011 uprising and the military's subsequent support for the revolt. The years that followed saw most pillars of Mubarak's regime go on trial on corruption or power abuse charges, but almost all of them have since been acquitted or walked free after repaying part or all the funds they had illegally amassed.

But while most Mubarak regime luminaries have since lived quietly on the sidelines, second-string Mubarak loyalists have found their way back to public life under the rule of general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, particularly in parliament, a mostly rubber-stamp chamber packed with government supporters, and the media.

However, Gamal Mubarak's frequent public appearances and the relatively warm reception he has received from members of the public have drawn the ire of el-Sissi's supporters.

Yasser Rizq, possibly the closest newspaper editor to el-Sissi, sternly warned Gamal Mubarak in a May article against harboring political ambitions. He suggested that Mubarak's son may have forged an alliance with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood to run for president when el-Sissi's second, four-year term ends in 2022.

El-Sissi led the military's 2013 ouster of Egypt's first freely elected president - Mohammed Morsi of the Brotherhood - and has since overseen a massive crackdown on his supporters, jailing thousands of them along with secular activists behind the 2011 uprising.

Egypt's constitution prohibits el-Sissi from running for a third term in office, but his supporters have occasionally raised the specter of amending the constitution to allow him to do so or to extend the duration of his term. He won a second term in office this year in an election in which his only opponent was a little-known politician known to be among his staunchest supporters.BERLIN (AP) - Leaders of the conservative party that governs Germany's prosperous southern state of Bavaria urged members Saturday to close ranks ahead of next month's regional elections, in which the Christian Social Union is projected to suffer heavy losses.

"In the next four weeks we need confidence not fear, unity not bickering, commitment not complacency," Horst Seehofer, who heads the center-right CSU, said at a party convention in Munich.

Recent opinion polls predict the CSU could win just 35 percent of the vote on Oct. 14. In 2013, the party received almost 48 percent of votes, allowing it to govern alone.

Bavarian State Governor Markus Soeder, center, waves as he arrives besides German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, right, and Secretary General Markus Blume, left, at a party convention of the German Christian Social Union in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Among the reasons cited for its electoral decline are the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which has campaigned heavily against the influx of migrants in recent years, and a series of gaffes by Seehofer that have driven voters to other mainstream parties.

Earlier this month, Seehofer - who is Germany's interior minister - said the migrant issue was "the mother of all political problems " and backed the embattled head of the country's domestic intelligence agency in a public spat over anti-migrant violence in the eastern city of Chemnitz.

A coalition of more than a dozen groups representing migrants and their descendants in Germany released an open letter Saturday calling for Seehofer either to take a stronger stand against far-right extremism or to resign.

Bavaria's governor, Markus Soeder, said the Christian Social Union's poor showing in pre-election opinion polls could energize the party's supporters, who don't want the state governed by a coalition, as is the norm elsewhere in Germany.

The CSU has largely ruled Bavaria alone for over 60 years, but is part of Chancellor Angela Merkel's three-party coalition that governs at the national level.

"Fight, fight, fight," Soeder told party members at the Munich convention. "It would be a shame to leave Bavaria to the wrong hands."

Bavarian State Governor Markus Soeder, left, talks to German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, right, prior to a party convention of the German Christian Social Union party in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

German Interior Minister and chairman of the German Christian Social Union party Horst Seehofer delivers a speech at a party convention of the CSU in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

German Interior Minister and chairman of the German Christian Social Union party Horst Seehofer delivers a speech at a party convention of the CSU in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)CHICAGO (AP) - In a Chicago courtroom over the coming weeks, the spotlight will focus on one night in 2014, 16 gunshots, a white police officer, the death of a black teenager and an essential question: Murder or self-defense?

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke faces murder charges in the killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, a shooting captured in a silent dashcam video that stirred outrage, upended politics and fueled the city's racial tensions. While the jury trial that begins Monday revolves around the events of Oct. 20, 2014, it also draws fresh attention to the problems a troubled department has wrestled with for decades.

"It's a new chapter but the same theme - police racism, violence and a code of silence," says G. Flint Taylor, a civil rights lawyer and frequent critic of the Chicago police.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015 file photo, Lamon Reccord, right, stares and yells, "Shoot me 16 times," at a Chicago police officer as he and others march through Chicago's Loop, one day after murder charges were brought against police officer Jason Van Dyke in the killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

The case has already rippled beyond the courtroom, spurring a 13-month U.S. Justice Department probe that resulted in a blistering 2017 report in the final days of the Obama administration. It described a poorly trained police department with a "pervasive cover-up culture" that tolerated racial discrimination and used force almost 10 times more often against black suspects than whites.

Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor, says these problems aren't unique among big city police forces, but they are extreme.

"Not that there aren't issues of racism in other police departments. Not that there aren't issues of the problems of officers covering for one another ... and issues with a lack of accountability in other departments, but Chicago is that on steroids," he says.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson acknowledges mistakes have been made, especially in black and Latino neighborhoods, many of them beset by gangs and gun violence that have tormented parts of Chicago in recent years.

"There's been a history in Chicago of the police department treating those particular communities inappropriately. I know that we did," Johnson said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. He ticked off the ways that has played out: a lack of respect, excessive force and "wrongly just having the attitude that young men in those neighborhoods were doing nefarious activities."

Johnson says he has enacted major changes even before the police department faces a massive overhaul under a proposed federal consent decree filed this month in federal court. Among the steps already taken: expanding the use of Tasers, ensuring all patrol officers have body cameras by year's end, simulation training, and making videos available of police-involved shootings within 60 days of when a complaint is filed.

Though the Van Dyke murder charge is extraordinary, police controversies have been an uncomfortable part of Chicago history. Some of the most notorious incidents happened long ago, but they haven't been forgotten.

The department is inextricably linked with the brutal image of an August night a half-century ago, when police officers wielding billy clubs pummeled anti-war protesters during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. A report called it a "police riot."

And the names of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, two Illinois Black Panther Party leaders killed in a 1969 police raid, still resonate in the black community. Reports indicate the police fired up to 99 shots; the Panthers shot once.

More recently, there have been eyebrow-raising police scandals, the exoneration of death row inmates who said they'd been tortured into making false confessions, and misconduct settlements, verdicts and legal fees that have cost the city more than $700 million in the last 15 or so years. The city reached a $5 million settlement with the McDonald family without a lawsuit being filed.

"There's no sense of urgency, no effort ... that would look into what the cause of these cases is and take definitive measures to try to stop this onslaught," says Lori Lightfoot, a former president of the Chicago police board and mayoral candidate. "It's just dissipating taxpayer dollars. It's undermining the legitimacy of the police department."

Johnson says improved training is the best way to reduce these lawsuits by preventing officers from making bad decisions.

But the city faces many more potentially big-dollar cases. In July, 15 men filed separate lawsuits alleging a disgraced former sergeant had framed them. All but one had their drug convictions vacated last year in a mass exoneration; the other had a gun conviction dropped later. And about 20 convictions involving an ex-detective also accused of framing suspects have been tossed. In June, a federal jury awarded more than $17 million to one man who served 21 years for murder before a witness recanted testimony that was allegedly coerced by the officer.

No case is more infamous than that of former Commander Jon Burge, who led a "midnight crew" of rogue detectives accused of torturing more than 100 suspects, mostly black men, from 1972 to 1991, shocking them with cattle prods, smothering them with typewriter covers and shoving guns in their mouths to secure confessions. Burge was fired in 1993 and sentenced to prison in 2011 for lying in a civil case. It was too late to charge him criminally.

"People get mad (and say), 'We don't want Chicago known for Al Capone," says the Rev. Michael Pfleger, an activist priest. "But Al Capone was a gangster on the streets. Jon Burge was a higher-up in the Chicago Police Department. .... That's much more dangerous to me."

In 2015, the city agreed to pay $5.5 million in reparations to 57 Burge victims. Taylor, the lawyer for some of the men, estimates the price tag for all Burge-related cases is about $132 million.

In the last 10 years, 52 officers in a force of 13,000 have been fired for on-the-job misconduct, five for excessive force, according to the department.

What lawyers say connects Burge and many other egregious misconduct cases is a code of silence that allowed abuses to continue for years, even decades.

Futterman, an expert on the Chicago police, calls it an "institutional commitment to denial" that kicks in each time an officer does something wrong.

"It's not just simply staying silent in the face of abuse, but it's lying," he says. "It's crafting an official narrative that denies this happened ... that will be backed up and down (within the department)."

Kevin Graham, president of the Chicago police union, insists that's a myth. "I know of no police officer who's going to cover up for a crime another police officer does," he says.

Van Dyke's partner and two other officers face trial this fall on conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. Prosecutors allege they lied to protect Van Dyke, filing reports that echoed his statement that McDonald was a danger. Two are no longer on the force; Van Dyke was suspended without pay.

Van Dyke contends he shot McDonald 16 times, fearing for his life as the teen swung a knife at him. The video - released 13 months later after a court order - shows McDonald holding a knife at the side of his body, about 15 feet away from Van Dyke, walking away from him and other officers who had responded to a report that McDonald was trying to break into vehicles. The teen had punctured the tire of a squad car.

After the video's release, Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired the police superintendent, Garry McCarthy, who's now running for mayor. Emanuel came under intense criticism for his handling of the case and recently announced he's not seeking a third term, though aides say the shooting wasn't a factor.

Jon Loevy, a lawyer whose firm has won at least $300 million in verdicts and settlements in police cases over 20 years, says policymakers haven't paid enough attention to the damage caused by all these incidents. "Nobody has spent the political capital in the past to reinforce necessary changes," he says. "It wasn't high enough on anybody's list to make the reforms they're finally trying to make now."

The McDonald shooting, he adds, has resonated so much because the video and officer statements reinforce long-held suspicions.

"The net result is there's a trust deficit the police are going to have to work hard to repair, because I think everybody in Chicago aspires to have a better relationship between the department and the community," he says. "But it's a two-way street."

___

Sharon Cohen, a Chicago-based national writer, can be reached at scohen@ap.org or on Twitter at @scohenAP.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015 file photo, police officers line up outside the District 1 central headquarters at 17th and State streets in Chicago, during a protest for 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, who was fatally shot in October 2014. Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in the killing. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

This combination of photos shows Laquan McDonald and former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke. On Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, Van Dyke will go on trial, facing murder charges in the shooting of the 17-year-old. The incident was captured in a dashcam video that led to protests and fueled racial tensions in the city. (Family Photo, Cook County Sheriff's Office via AP)

FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2014 image made from dashcam video provided by the Chicago Police Department, Laquan McDonald, 17, right, walks down the street moments before being fatally shot by Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke in Chicago. (Chicago Police Department via AP, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 26, 1968 file photo, Chicago police officers wielding nightsticks confront a demonstrator on the ground in Grant Park after protesters against the Vietnam War climbed on the statue of Civil War Gen. John Logan. It was one of many protests during the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention. (AP Photo)

FILE - In this July 11, 1972 file photo, State's Attorney Edward V. Hanrahan walks past graffiti on wall of a West Side apartment in Chicago, in which two Black Panther leaders, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, were killed in a police raid on Dec. 4, 1969. Reports indicate the police fired up to 99 shots; the Panthers shot once. (AP Photo)

FILE - In this June, 16, 2006 file photo, Kristin Roberts, left, holds a sign of former Police Commander Jon Burge as she and others stage a protest outside the Cook County courthouse in Chicago, demanding the release of a report on allegations that some Chicago police officers tortured suspects. Burge led a crew of detectives accused of torturing more than 100 suspects, mostly black men, from 1972 to 1991, shocking them with cattle prods, smothering them with typewriter covers and shoving guns in their mouths to secure confessions. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2008 file photo, former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge shields his eyes from the sun as he leaves the federal courthouse after he was released from custody in Tampa, Fla. Burge led a crew of detectives accused of torturing more than 100 suspects, mostly black men, from 1972 to 1991, shocking them with cattle prods, smothering them with typewriter covers and shoving guns in their mouths to secure confessions. Burge was fired in 1993 and sentenced to prison in 2011 for lying in a civil case. It was too late to charge him criminally. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius, File)

FILE - In this Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 file photo, people gather during a "march for justice" demonstration in Chicago in the wake of the release of a police video showing Police Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shooting Laquan McDonald. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune via AP)

FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 13, 2017 file photo, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch speaks during a news conference accompanied by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, left, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago. The U.S. Justice Department issued a scathing report on civil rights abuses by the Chicago Police Department. The report described a department that tolerated racial discrimination and used excessive force. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 file photo, Leonard Gipson, center right, one of 15 convicted men, accompanied by Joshua Tepfer, center left, of the University of Chicago's Exoneration Project, talks to reporters in Chicago, after a judge threw out the convictions of the men who claimed former Police Sgt. Ronald Watts had manufactured evidence that sent them to prison. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)

FILE - In this Friday, June 22, 2018 file photo, Jackie Wilson, flanked by his attorneys G. Flint Taylor, left, and Elliot Slosar, leaves the Cook County Jail in Chicago, after a judge issued a finding that said detectives physically coerced Wilson's confession in the 1982 slaying of two Chicago police officers. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune via AP)GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - There are conflicting reports surrounding the death of a boy at a Gaza border rally that Palestinians initially blamed on Israel.

Israel's military said their evidence shows the 11-year-old was hit by a rock thrown by protesters. Two Gaza rights groups said he died after being struck "with a solid object."

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Shady Abdel-al was killed by Israeli fire. A spokesman said Saturday he died from head wounds, without elaborating.

The ministry removed a baby from their official death toll in May after The Associated Press reported she died from a preexisting medical condition, not from Israeli tear gas as it had claimed.

Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, has led protests since March partially over an Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the territory.JUBA, South Sudan (AP) - The United Nations condemned a "direct attack" on its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan after a government soldier shot and wounded a Nepalese peacekeeper on Saturday.

The shooting came three days after South Sudan's rival sides signed a peace deal to end the five-year civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people.

The South Sudanese soldier fired into the air near a U.N. convoy in the town of Yei before shooting at one of the vehicles, the U.N. statement said, adding that the peacekeepers could not return fire because of the risk of hitting civilians.

The U.N. mission chief, David Shearer, called the attack "unacceptable" and urged South Sudan's government to bring its forces under control. Government troops earlier Saturday fired about 50 shots close to the U.N. base in Yei, the U.N. statement said.

South Sudan military spokesman Lul Ruai Koang told The Associated Press that the government takes responsibility for the shooting and that someone from the national security service, not the regular army, opened fire.

"I want to make it crystal clear it was an individual act and not the SPLA. This doesn't represent the SPLA or national security," he said. The shooter has been arrested, he added.

The attack on the convoy came a day after fighting broke out in Central Equatoria state, the first reported clashes since the peace deal, with the opposition accusing government troops of storming bases in Lainya and Kajo Keji counties. South Sudan's military said the attacks were instigated by opposition forces trying to reclaim territory.

Many international observers have expressed skepticism about the new peace deal signed Wednesday by President Salva Kiir and the head of the armed opposition, Riek Machar. Under the power-sharing arrangement Machar will once again be Kiir's deputy - an arrangement that sparked the civil war in December 2013 when supporters of the two men clashed. An attempt to return Machar to the post in 2016 failed amid fresh fighting.

In his first major statement since the peace deal, Kiir on Saturday acknowledged that many South Sudanese remained skeptical but said "I want to personally assure you that the agreement we have signed has ended the war. ... This government will not let you down."

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_AfricaCINCINNATI (AP) - Police and fire recruits in Cincinnati are being asked about their sexual history as part of an attempt to evaluate character, according to records obtained by The Cincinnati Enquirer.

The police and fire application process in Cincinnati includes questions about applicants' most unusual sex acts and how many times they've had sex outdoors.

"Have you participated in a sexual act in a public place?" Cincinnati police and fire applicants are asked in one questionnaire. "Location(s) and number of times. ... Explain each circumstance."

Local police union president Dan Hils told the Enquirer he supports questions that might indicate recruits' "law-breaking exposure" but doesn't see how questions about lawful, private matters would be relevant.

The city said in a statement that such inquiries are a small component from a comprehensive polygraph test that is used to "gauge a respondent's reactions and responses to difficult questions."

No discrimination lawsuits have been filed about the questions, but they "certainly raise eyebrows," said Mary Turocy, director of public affairs for the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Turocy told the Enquirer that some questions could be problematic depending on the context, but that it boils down to whether they are relevant to the job.

Neighboring communities in southwest Ohio also ask applicants about sexual acts and urges.

Police recruits in West Chester Township are asked whether they've ever been aroused by fire. Township spokeswoman Barb Wilson said it is among the questions used to "determine their character, moral standards and ethical decision-making."

Colerain Township generally limits questions about sexual activity to illegal acts, but includes topics such as infidelity, Police Chief Mark Denney said.

"Our responsibility to the community is to learn everything about someone before handing them our badge," Denney said.

Delhi Township's police recruits are asked whether they've ever posted or transmitted naked or sexual images of themselves. Township administrator Jack Cameron told the Enquirer he thinks questions about recruits' sex lives are important to the screening process.

Cameron said Delhi Township's attorney has reviewed the questions to make sure applicants' rights are not violated.LUMBERTON, N.C. (AP) - She takes a break from hauling rugs and family heirlooms into the attic to look out the front door and watch it rain and rain and rain some more.

Nichole Worley studies the house across the street, abandoned and boarded up, and the creek just behind it that made it that way. It jumped its banks during Hurricane Matthew two years ago, which drowned her neighborhood, one of the poorest communities in one of the poorest counties in North Carolina.

Half of her neighbors never came back. Now she's watching the rain pound down again, terrified the other half may flee and also not return.

Nichole Worley looks out from her home in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, as rains from Hurricane Florence threaten the neighborhood with flooding. Two years ago, Worley's house, and most of the houses around her, took in water up to its eaves during Hurricane Matthew. "I don't think we can stand another one," she says. "I can't do this again." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

"I can't go through this again," she says, wondering what little Lumberton and its 21,000 souls did to deserve all of this and how much more one town can take.

As Hurricane Florence roars across the Carolina coast, her town 70 miles from the sea is once again among those worrying state authorities most.

Forecasters warn rain will pour on them for days and the Lumber River that cuts through the middle of the city will continue to rise and likely spill out again. The flood could be as bad as the one two years ago that inundated entire neighborhoods and major highways. People were rescued from rooftops. Worley's house, and most of those around her, took in water up to the eaves.

"I don't think we can stand another one," she says. "I can't do this again."

Lumberton, once the backbone of America's textile manufacturing economy, has long been battered by a drumbeat of bad news.

First it was the withering of the blue-collar economy that plunged many rural communities like this one into poverty. The largest employer here, a Converse shoe plant that employed 3,000, shuttered. Other factories and mills closed, too. Unemployment rates shot up, and now 70 percent of the county's children live in poverty.

Then came Hurricane Matthew.

"If you would have told me three years ago that there would be a biblical flood in Lumberton, I wouldn't have believed you," says Donnie Douglas, the editor of the local newspaper, the Robesonian. He took doughnuts to a staff meeting a few days ago, telling employees he only brings treats for a once-in-a-lifetime flood. Now he's brought doughnuts twice in two years. "I guess we need to build an ark."

His newspaper on Friday reported the Lumber River was expected to rise to 24 feet by Sunday, far above its flood level and on par with what it reached during Matthew.

"People are tired," Douglas says. "I'm tired. Our community has gotten swatted around."

He points to hopeful signs that this storm might not be as devastating: The river is lower than when the rains came in 2016, so there's optimism it could stay in its banks. Emergency shelters filled up fast, an indication that people might be taking this storm more seriously. National Guard and city employees stacked 5,000 sandbags under an interstate overpass Friday afternoon, near where floodwaters swept into the city in 2016; ordinary civilians braved the rain and wind and falling trees to help.

But even if the city avoids another catastrophe, the threat of it and the days of waiting are causing residents to relive the nightmare, Douglas says. Lumberton is in the Bible Belt, where many believe that God will deliver them only as much as they can handle, and Douglas is certain a second calamity might test that faith for many.

"The county collectively is traumatized by what happened," he says. "And what might be happening again."

Alexis Haggins initially thought she'd stay put in the apartment she shares with two friends in a low-lying area devastated in 2016. The elementary school around the corner was deemed a total loss, shuttered and now sits abandoned. Many of the houses remain vacant and boarded up.

But then she couldn't stop reliving that terrible day when Matthew's floods came. She was driving when all of a sudden the water was up to her windows and the car started drifting. Haggins jumped out and took off on foot. She was beaten by falling limbs and pelting rain. Power lines fell around her, and she was sure she would be electrocuted. The mud sucked off her shoes, so she walked for miles barefoot until her soles were so bruised she could barely stand for days.

On Friday, she felt panic bubbling up. She imagined herself again up to her waist in water, fearing certain death. "If I would have to walk out of this house and into a flood, I would probably just drop to my knees and start crying," she says. "I can't do it again. I can't. I would just give up."

So she and her two roommates, Da-Rosh Wimbush and Shewanna Lewis, started frantically packing for a last-minute evacuation to Charlotte. Lewis, a mother of two toddlers, also lost everything in Matthew. They all moved in together to try to rebuild their lives.

In most disasters, the poor suffer disproportionately, and it is no different here. The neighborhoods struggling to rebuild after Matthew are the same neighborhoods most at risk to flood again. Haggins was barely getting by back then, crashing with friends. After the water receded, she tried to go collect the little she owned from her friends' houses, but they'd all flooded and everything she had in the world was gone.

"I had to start from the bottom again," Haggins says. "And I was already on the bottom so I'm lower than the bottom."

"It was devastating," Lewis agrees. "I can't afford to lose anything else."

The women pack the few possessions that fit in the car, stacking everything else on top of bunkbeds and countertops, and head for Charlotte - praying for the best.

Nearby, Nichole Worley decides at what point she'd be willing to leave: not until the flood reaches the bolts on the wheels of her car in the driveway.

She's watching the rain, and it reminds her of the day two years ago when she finally fled. Her mother had congestive heart failure and was on dialysis; she was panting and choking. The power had been out for days. They realized they couldn't wait any longer, so Worley and her husband put her mother in the car and tried to make it through the flood.

She put her arm out the window and could feel the water around them. They somehow made it across a crumbling bridge to get to the hospital, and just in time. The doctors said her mother could have died in minutes.

"God must have been on our side," she says.

They eventually returned to an unlivable house. Her husband borrowed against his 401(k) to rebuild and replace what they'd lost. Her mother died months later, and now her house is crammed with her mother's things, which she can't bear the thought of losing. So her nieces and nephews, waiting out Florence in her house, help her carry each piece one-by-one to the attic, just in case the water reaches the wheels and they have to go.

Worley and her husband have talked for years about leaving Lumberton. They almost didn't come back after Hurricane Matthew. So many of her neighbors stayed gone, their homes boarded up, that this neighborhood she's known all her life felt suddenly foreign and unfamiliar.

She worries if it floods again, it might just disappear.

So she stood at the door, watching for the water to come.

"The less I see," she says, "the happier I am."

___

Follow Claire Galofaro on Twitter at https://twitter.com/clairegalofaro

___

For the latest on Hurricane Florence, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes

FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2016, file photo, homes and businesses are surrounded by floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew in Lumberton, N.C. The rural town, battered by the collapse of its blue-collar economy and then by Matthew, might also bear the brunt of Hurricane Florence as the river that cuts through the middle of town continues to rise through the weekend. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

Bennie Todd shows how high the Lumber River rose during Hurricane Matthew two years in his backyard in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. Now the town is bracing for another potentially catastrophic flood, as heavy rains from Florence batter the region with rain and the river rises through the weekend. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Nichole Worley and her husband, Milton Johnson, stand in their home in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, as Hurricane Florence threatens the neighborhood with flooding. Their rural town, battered by the collapse of its blue-collar economy and then by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, might also bear the brunt of Florence as the river that cuts through the middle of town continues to rise through the weekend. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Tamara Small passes a vacuum to her uncle, Milton Johnson, as her son, Tylik Miles, helps the family pack belongings in the attic in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, as Hurricane Florence threatens the neighborhood with flooding. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Nichole Worley passes family photos to her husband, Milton Johnson, as they pack belongings into the attic of their home in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, as Hurricane Florence threatens the neighborhood with flooding. Two years after devastating floods brought on by Hurricane Matthew, the town may bear the brunt of Florence. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Nichole Worley, left, talks next to a blanket decorated with an image of her late mother Mary DeLane McBrayer, as her niece Tamara Small, right, and grandsons Elijah, 11, and Josiah, 1, sit in Worley's home in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, as Hurricane Florence threatens the neighborhood with flooding. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A sign with a message regarding Hurricane Florence hangs in a storefront in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. The rural town, battered by the collapse of its blue-collar economy and then by Hurricane Matthew, might also bear the brunt of Florence as the river that cuts through the middle of town continues to rise through the weekend. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Members of the North Carolina National Guard finish stacking sand bags under a highway overpass near the Lumber River, which is expected to flood from Hurricane Florence's rain in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Shewanna Lewis, left, sits in her home with son, Nature, 2, and roommate Da-Rosh Wimbush in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, while waiting for her sister to evacuate them as Hurricane Florence threatens her neighborhood with flooding. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Ahblyssyn Lewis, 4, stands in the kitchen of her home as food and other items are placed high off the floor, in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. Two years after Hurricane Matthew brought devastating floods, the neighborhood is threatened with flooding from Florence's heavy rains as the river that cuts through the middle of town continues to rise. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Shewanna Lewis places belongings on the bed and off the floor in her home in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, as Hurricane Florence threatens her neighborhood with flooding. Two years after Hurricane Matthew flooded the town, the rains from Florence are threatening Lumberton once again. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Homes stand vacant as Hurricane Florence threatens flooding to the neighborhood in Lumberton, N.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. The rural town, battered by the collapse of its blue-collar economy and then by Hurricane Matthew, might also bear the brunt of Florence as the river that cuts through the middle of town continues to rise through the weekend. (AP Photo/David Goldman)KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - The United States special envoy for Ukraine said Saturday that Washington would consider providing more armaments to the country, whose army is fighting with Russia-backed separatist rebels in the east.

U.S. President Donald Trump this year reversed the Obama administration's refusal to provide lethal aid to Ukraine and has sent more than 200 Javelin anti-tank rockets.

Envoy Kurt Volker told reporters in Kiev that Ukraine has improved its defense capabilities in recent years, but "there are still some gaps in those capabilities. And wherever those gaps are, we are prepared to sit down and talk with Ukraine about what their needs are. They can buy things through our foreign military sales."

U.S. special representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker attends the 15th Yalta European Strategy (YES) annual meeting entitled "The next generation of everything" at the Mystetsky Arsenal Art Center in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Volker said the United States is concerned about the expansion of Russian naval operations in the Sea of Azov, which borders Ukraine, Russia and the Russia-annexed Crimean Peninsula.

"We do not accept Russian claims about territory in the waters. We believe the presence of Russian military forces has become a provocative, aggressive step, so we are very concerned about that," he said.

The separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine have long threatened the Azov port of Mariupol; taking the city would be a key step toward their establishing a land corridor between Crimea and Russia.

The U.S. envoy also criticized the elections that separatist leaders have called for November in two eastern regions, saying any voting would be a "completely illegitimate exercise."

He criticized Russia's resistance to full deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine, where the fighting between the separatists and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014.

"Russia is insisting this be negotiated directly with the proxy entities," Volker said, referring to the self-declared separatist governments in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"Russia is, in fact, the decision-maker" in eastern Ukraine, he added..

___

Kate de Pury contributed to this story.HOUSTON (AP) - A Dallas police officer's explanation that she killed a black neighbor who lived above her because she mistook his apartment for her own has been dismissed as implausible and self-serving by his family and their lawyers.

Experts on police training and psychologists, however, are split as to the credibility of Officer Amber Guyger's story about how she came to kill 26-year-old Botham Jean, and that credibility will be key to whether a grand jury will indict Guyger and whether she could persuade a trial jury that the killing was tragic, but justifiable.

Guyger, 30, has been booked on an initial charge of manslaughter in last week's killing of Jean, whose funeral was Thursday , exactly a week after the deadly encounter. Guyger told investigators that she parked on the wrong floor of her building after returning home from work late that night and she mistakenly entered Jean's apartment, which was right above her third-floor unit.

This photo from video released Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, by the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office in Kaufman, Texas, shows Dallas police Officer Amber Guyger getting booked after turning herself in Sunday, Sept. 9 following the fatal shooting of Botham Jean in his own apartment. Guyger was arrested manslaughter and has since been released on bond. (Kaufman County Sheriff's Office Jail via AP)

She said it was dark inside and she thought Jean was a burglar, and that she shot him after he didn't obey her "verbal commands." She said she only realized she wasn't in her own home after she had shot him and turned on the lights.

Lawyers for the Jean family have criticized the handling of the investigation, alleging that Guyger has been given preferential treatment. They have also criticized Guyger's version of events, saying it is meant to portray her actions in the best light.

"Botham Jean is not here to give his version of what happened because he's dead," said one family lawyer, Benjamin Crump.

Some experts who aren't connected to the case say Guyger should have recognized what was really going on and stopped short of using deadly force.

"Law enforcement has no place for fearful officers," said Jameca Woody Falconer, a police psychologist based in St. Louis. "Fearful officers make hasty decisions and bad decisions. In this situation, the officer allowed her fear to influence her decision-making and it cost an innocent man his life."

Falconer said Guyger should have been better trained to de-escalate any conflict with Jean once the two saw each other, and to determine quickly that she was in the wrong apartment.

Others say that even though Guyger was in the wrong apartment, she could have had a reasonable belief that she was defending her life and her property.

"This is a question about her using deadly force and whether you could say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is no reasonable view of what she did," said Eugene O'Donnell, a former police officer and prosecutor who is now a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

O'Donnell said it would require a full investigation to determine all the factors that went into her shooting Jean, and that one or two details could make a difference.

"It's a mistake to dismiss something out of hand simply because ... it appears to be implausible or inexplicable," he said.

Laurence Miller, a police psychologist in Boca Raton, Florida, said that based on the current information available, Guyger appears to have "basically followed the procedure for handling a potential deadly force encounter."

"The main problem is: What was Officer Guyger doing in Jean's apartment in the first place?" Miller said.

G.A. Radvansky, a University of Notre Dame professor who has studied cognition and human memory, said that it was "plausible" that someone could falsely misidentify something familiar.

"In general, the more similar things are, the more likely such confusion can arise," Radvansky said. "That said, these confusions are often resolved quickly."

All of the experts agreed that many more questions would have to be answered before Guyger's credibility could be judged. They include whether Guyger was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, her level of fatigue, any history of emotional or medical problems, or any history she may have had with Jean, though initial reports suggested the two did not know each other. Authorities haven't released the recording of Guyger's 911 call or the results of her toxicology tests.

James Whalen, a defense attorney in Dallas, said the tape of Guyger's call to 911 after shooting Jean will be a critical gauge of her credibility. But how Jean may have responded will also be scrutinized as well, he said.

"He could be having the same reaction: 'Oh my God, somebody's coming in my apartment. I need to go protect myself,'" Whalen said. "He's viewing her as a threat, she's viewing him as a threat, and then we have this big misunderstanding.""Rabbi, is it ever okay not to forgive?"

That question comes my way every year around this season. (I've written about this before.) I find that it is asked most often by women, who may face (as women, and as Jews) a double whammy of cultural messages instructing us to be forgiving even at our own expense. But people across the gender spectrum struggle with this question.

Many of us know the teaching from Rambam (in his Hilchot Teshuvah, "Laws of Repentance / Return") that when someone has wronged another person, the one who committed the wrong must make teshuvah and seek forgiveness, and the one who was wronged is obligated to forgive. "Obligated" is a strong word. Is it ever okay, Jewishly, not to forgive?

Short answer: yes. Yes, Jewishly speaking, there are times when it is ok not to extend forgiveness. Longer answer: when the person who wronged you has not made teshuvah (more in a minute abut what that means, and what is implied therein) not only are you not obligated to forgive them, but one could even make the case that granting forgiveness in that circumstance is forbidden. Because if you were to forgive under that circumstance, without their teshuvah, your forgiveness would give cover to the unethical behavior not only of harming you in the first place, but also of choosing not to make teshuvah.

A reminder: teshuvah, which is often translated as "repentance," comes from the root that means turning or turning-around. Teshuvah is the work of turning oneself around, turning oneself in the right direction again, turning over a new leaf, re/turning to God and to the state of righteousness to which we are all expected to aspire. When we miss the mark in our relationship with God, we can make teshuvah and repair the broken relationship. When we miss the mark in our relationships with each other, we can make teshuvah and (maybe) repair the broken relationship. Repair may not be up to us. But our own teshuvah work is.

Here's Rabbi David J. Blumenthal, in his essay Is Forgiveness Necessary?

If the offender has done teshuvah, and is sincere in his or her repentance, the offended person should offer mechilah; that is, the offended person should forgo the debt of the offender, relinquish his or her claim against the offender. This is not a reconciliation of heart or an embracing of the offender; it is simply reaching the conclusion that the offender no longer owes me anything for whatever it was that he or she did. Mechilah is like a pardon granted to a criminal by the modern state. The crime remains; only the debt is forgiven. The tradition, however, is quite clear that the offended person is not obliged to offer mechilah if the offender is not sincere in his or her repentance and has not taken concrete steps to correct the wrong done... The principle that mechilah ought to be granted only if deserved is the great Jewish "No" to easy forgiveness. It is core to the Jewish view of forgiveness, just as desisting from sin is core to the Jewish view of repentance. Without good grounds, the offended person should not forgo the indebtedness of the sinner; otherwise, the sinner may never truly repent and evil will be perpetuated. And, conversely, if there are good grounds to waive the debt or relinquish the claim, the offended person is morally bound to do so. This is the great Jewish "Yes" to the possibility of repentance for every sinner.

If the person who wronged you has done teshuvah and is sincere in their repentance, then tradition asks you to forgive. But that's a big 'if.' How can you tell if the person's teshuvah is sincere? My own answer relies on a combination of factors. For starters, the person who wronged you has to actually apologize (and I mean a real apology.) Ideally that apology should feel sincere to you. But the person's subsequent actions are of greater importance. Saying sorry isn't enough: they also have to take concrete steps to correct the wrong, and they have to show with their actions and their choices that they have changed.

One rubric says that we can tell if teshuvah is genuine when the person making teshuvah has the opportunity to commit the same misdeed as before, but this time makes a different choice. (That's Rambam again.) Imagine that I harmed you physically by driving over your foot. I would need to not only apologize to you for hurting you, and do what I could to correct the wrong (giving you an aspirin, or perhaps a pair of steel-toed boots?), but also, the next time I was driving my car near where your foot was resting, I'd need to notice your foot, make a conscious choice not to drive over it, and then follow through with that choice.

But if my apology to you felt insincere -- "Whatever, you're overreacting but I'm sorry you're upset" -- you would be under no obligation to forgive me for the harm. And if I didn't do what I could to make up for having driven over your foot, ditto. And if I didn't take steps to ensure that I never drive over your foot again, ditto all the more. (It's a ridiculous example, I realize. I use it because it lets me illustrate the principle I want to communicate, without getting into the kinds of hypotheticals that might evoke or re-activate the interpersonal traumas that bring people to me with these questions about forgiveness in the first place.)

If someone has harmed you -- whether in body, heart, mind, or spirit -- and they come to you seeking forgiveness, you're allowed to take the time you need to discern 1) whether their apology is genuine, and 2) whether they have done all that they could to remedy the damage, and 3) whether they have done the internal work of becoming a person who would no longer harm you in that same way given the opportunity to do so again. If the answer to any of those questions is no -- and kal v'chomer (all the more so) if they don't apologize in the first place -- then you are not obligated to forgive them for harming you.

Emotionally and spiritually, pay attention to what your heart and soul are saying. If your heart and soul resist the idea of forgiving someone, discern whether that resistance is a case of holding on to an old resentment that you'd be better off releasing -- or whether it's a case of healthy self-protection. If offering forgiveness would serve you, then I support that. But Jewish tradition does not require us to re-inscribe the harm done to us by forgiving our abusers. And as Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg notes in her excellent twitter thread on this, the person who needs to repent can do so whether or not the person they harmed forgives.

And on that note... here's a Prayer for those not ready for forgive by my friend and colleague Rabbi Jill Zimmerman.

G'mar chatimah tovah: may we all be sealed for goodness in the year to come.The death toll attributed to Florence stands at 11, including 10 in North Carolina and one in South Carolina. Authorities say some other fatalities were unrelated.

- A husband and wife died in a Fayetteville, North Carolina house fire on Friday, the state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner says.

- A mother and her 8-month-old child were killed when a massive tree crushed their brick house Friday, according to a tweet from Wilmington, North Carolina police.

A fallen tree is shown after it crashed through the home where a woman and her baby were killed in Wilmington, N.C., after Hurricane Florence made landfall Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

- An 81-year-old man died while trying to evacuate Wayne County, North Carolina, on Friday, the state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner says.

- A 78-year-old man was electrocuted in the rain while trying to connect extension cords for a generator, Lenoir County, North Carolina spokesman Bryan Hanks says.

- A 77-year old man died after he went outside to check on his hunting dogs and was blown down, Hanks says..

-Three people died in Duplin County, North Carolina because of "flash flooding and swift water on roadways," the Duplin County Sheriff's Office said on its Facebook page.

-A 61-year-old woman was killed late Friday when the vehicle she was driving struck a tree near the town of Union, South Carolina, Capt. Kelley Hughes of the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.

Authorities say the storm did not cause some other deaths that occurred during Florence in North Carolina: a woman who died of undetermined causes in a shelter, a woman who suffered a heart attack at home during the storm, and a couple whose apparent murder-suicide was investigated during hurricane conditions in Otway.

Rescue workers, police and fire department members wait to remove the bodies of a mother and child who were killed by a falling tree as Hurricane Florence made landfall in Wilmington, N.C. Friday Sept. 14, 2018. The father was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. (Chuck Liddy/The News & Observer via AP)

Police talk outside the home where a woman and her baby were killed by a fallen tree in Wilmington, N.C., after Hurricane Florence made landfall Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)WELLFLEET, Mass. (AP) - A man was bitten by a shark Saturday in the water off a Cape Cod beach and died later at a hospital, becoming the state's first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years.

The man, identified by Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Tara Miltimore as 26-year-old Arthur Medici of Revere, was attacked around noon off Newcomb Hollow Beach, police said.

Joe Booth, a local fisherman and surfer, said he was on shore when he saw the man and his friend boogie boarding when the attack happened.

People look out at the shore after a reported shark attack at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, Mass, on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. A man boogie boarding off the Cape Cod beach was attacked by a shark on Saturday and died later at a hospital, becoming the state's first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years. (AP Photo/Susan Haigh)

He said he saw the man aggressively kick something behind him and a flicker of a tail from the water. He realized what was happening when the friend came ashore dragging his injured friend.

"I was that guy on the beach screaming, 'Shark, shark!" Booth said. "It was like right out of that movie 'Jaws.' This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here."

Booth said others on the beach attempted to make a tourniquet while others frantically called 911.

Hayley Williamson, a Cape Cod resident and former lifeguard who was on the beach at the time, was in disbelief after the man was rushed into an ambulance.

"We've been surfing all morning right here and they were just further down," she said of the two boogie boarders. "Right spot, wrong time, I guess."

Life-saving measures were attempted on the beach before the man was taken to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, where he was pronounced dead, State Police spokesman David Procopio said. The beach on the side of the cape facing the Atlantic Ocean has been closed to swimming.

The family of the victim was notified of the death but his name was not released, Procopio said.

It was the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936, and the second shark attack this season.

A 61-year-old New York man was severely injured Aug. 15 after fighting off a shark off Truro, about 4 miles north of Saturday's attack. He's currently recovering in a Boston hospital.

"Today is just keeping everyone out of water," Wellfleet Police Lt. Michael Hurley said. "There'll be a determination later about what the town wants to do with the beaches going forward."

Beachgoers said the Wellfleet beach is popular with surfers, and with sunny skies and warm temperatures Saturday it was busy, even though the summer season was over and lifeguards were no longer on watch.

There have been frequent shark sightings this summer along the outer Cape, often leading to beach closings. The National Park Service, which manages many of the beaches, said it had closed beaches for at least an hour about 25 times by the end of August this year - more than double the annual average.

A Cape Cod politician said officials who did not take more aggressive action against sharks bore some responsibility for the fatal attack. Barnstable County Commissioner Ron Beaty said he had warned something like this could happen and urged measures to reduce the number of white sharks.

"It is my personal belief that the responsibility for this horrible shark attack rests squarely upon the shoulders of the aforementioned officials for their utter lack of attention and inaction regarding the growing shark problem on Cape Cod of the last few years," he said.

The state's last shark attack fatality was on July 25, 1936, when 16-year-old Joseph Troy Jr. was bitten in waters off Mattapoisett.

Troy, of Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, was visiting an uncle and was swimming about 50 feet offshore when the shark attacked.

__

Associated Press reporter Philip Marcelo contributed from Boston.

Emergency personnel respond to Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, Mass, on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. The Cape Cod Times says rescue crews responded to Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet at around noon Saturday after one person was apparently bitten by a shark. It's not immediately clear the extent of the person's injuries. (Eric Williams/The Cape Cod Times via AP)WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's former chief strategist says he's surprised the #MeToo movement hasn't had more impact on corporate America.

Steve Bannon says he thinks Time's Up is "the single most powerful potential political movement in the world."

Bannon spoke Saturday in New York during an ideas festival sponsored by The Economist. His comments came the same week Les Moonves (MOON'-vehz) stepped down as head of CBS Corp. and the network fired "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager. Both men deny sexual misconduct allegations against them.

President Donald Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon gestures as he speaks during during an ideas festival sponsored by The Economist, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in New York. Bannon said he's surprised the #MeToo movement hasn't had more impact on corporate America. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Asked about Time's Up, Bannon said: "I'm quite shocked that the #MeToo movement hasn't cut through corporate America with a bigger scythe, because I think there's a lot of potential there."

Time's Up is a movement against sexual harassment that Hollywood celebrities created last year.

A protestor with Rise and Resist holds up a sign while President Donald Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon speaks during an ideas festival sponsored by The Economist, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in New York. Bannon said he's surprised the #MeToo movement hasn't had more impact on corporate America. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)HOUSTON (AP) - Two men arrested in the fatal shooting of a North Texas undercover police officer during a bar robbery are expected to face capital murder charges, police said Saturday.

Samuel Mayfield and Timothy Huff remained jailed Saturday on bonds totaling $850,000 for each individual. Each suspect has been charged with 10 counts of aggravated robbery and two counts of criminal attempted capital murder.

Police said that Mayfield and Huff, both 33, and another suspect, Dacion Steptoe, 23, were confronted by Officer Garrett Hull and a team of undercover and uniformed officers after the trio robbed a Fort Worth Bar early Friday morning.

This undated photo provided by the Fort Worth Police Department shows Fort Worth police officer Garrett Hull. Hull, sn undercover officer who was shot during a gun battle between police and a group of robbery suspects outside of a Fort Worth bar that left one suspect dead has died, authorities said Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. ( Fort Worth Police Department via AP)

The 40-year-old officer was shot by Steptoe during a foot chase. Hull was taken to a hospital where he died late Friday night. Steptoe was killed at the scene by another officer who returned fire.

Fort Worth police said Saturday that with Hull's death, authorities expect to upgrade the charges faced by Huff and Mayfield.

Police say one of the attempted capital murder counts each man faces is expected to be upgraded to capital murder. The remaining attempted capital murder charge relates to another officer that police say was shot at by the suspects.

Jail records didn't list attorneys for Huff and Mayfield.

Police said Mayfield, Huff and Steptoe are suspected in 17 robberies in and around Fort Worth in recent months, and that they primarily targeted Latino bars.

Hull is being remembered by police and city officials as a brilliant officer and a great husband and father.

"Our whole department is hurting right now," said Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald.

The police chief said that Hull was an organ donor.

"Over the next few days as candidates are matched up with him, we will see him prolong the lives of other folks that potentially can live a long and prosperous life because of the sacrifice that he made," Fitzgerald said.

Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price called Hull a hero who was "the glue that held his unit together."

Hull, who is survived by a wife and two daughters, had served 17 years with the department.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70SALEM, N.H. (AP) - Police are looking for a man who they say used his toddler to steal prizes out of a vending machine game at a mall in New Hampshire.

Several witnesses recorded video of the crime Friday evening at The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem.

Police say the man had the small girl climb into the bottom of the Key Master where prizes are dropped for winners and reach up and grab various items and hand them to him.

Police say the man, who also had a young boy with him, then left the area with the children and stolen items.

It wasn't clear what the items were, but such games often offer valuable electronics and gift cards.CASTAIC, Calif. (AP) - Los Angeles authorities say a woman accused of firing shots through her door at a senior apartment complex surrendered peacefully after several hours.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Saturday the suspect was arrested and booked hours after the complex was evacuated Friday afternoon.

The events unfolded at the Castaic Lake Senior Village in Castaic, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.

Sheriff's Lt. Leo Bauer says deputies went to the complex to check on the welfare of a woman reported as being "highly disturbed."

The suspect barricaded herself inside the location.

Crisis negotiations team members persuaded her to come out after several hours.

The department did not release her identity.

There were no reported injuries and evacuees were allowed back into their rooms.NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Federal prosecutors in New Orleans say a New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to interference with a flight crew - a charge arising from an October 2017 Southwest Airlines flight.

U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser's Friday news release says 39-year-old Joel Michael Bane entered the plea on Thursday. Prosecutors say Bane was charged in connection with a flight from Chicago to New Orleans. They say Bane intimidated and threatened flight attendants, disobeyed the captain's orders to return to his seat and, after landing, assaulted police officers who escorted him off the plane.

The maximum possible prison sentence is 20 years. However, a plea agreement filed Friday says prosecutors and the defense have agreed that probation would be appropriate. A judge will decide on Dec. 13.TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on the indictment of a man in the kidnapping and killing of two Arizona girls (all times local):

11:50 a.m.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says the man indicted in the kidnapping and killing of two Tucson girls has been held in a Phoenix-area jail for more than a year on burglary and other charges.

Sheriff's Sgt. Bryant Vanegas said 36-year-old Christopher Matthew Clements was booked into jail on April 1, 2017. He had been held on suspicion of burglary, theft and fraudulent schemes.

Vanegas said he did not have information about when Clements might be transferred to southern Arizona to face charges in the murder and kidnapping of 6-year-old Isabel Celis and 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez.

Authorities in Tucson on Saturday announced a grand jury had indicted Clements.

__

10:35 a.m.

Arizona officials say a man has been indicted in the kidnapping and killing of two girls who went missing in 2012 and 2014.

Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said Saturday that 36-year-old Christopher Matthew Clements was indicted a day earlier by a grand jury on murder and kidnapping charges in the deaths of 6-year-old Isabel Celis and 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez.

Isabel Celis went missing from her Tucson home in April 2012 and her body was discovered in rural southern Arizona in March 2017.

Maribel Gonzalez body was discovered in June 2014 in the Avra Valley community near Tucson.

Authorities did not say what prompted Clements' arrest but said he provided information in 2017 that led to the discovery of Celis' remains.

Clements had already been jailed on other charges.

___

This story has been updated to correct that one victim's last name is Gonzalez, not Gomez.CHIATURA, Georgia (AP) - The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura might be the world's scariest way to commute.

Chiatura, with about 20,000 people, is wedged between steep mountains that hold valuable deposits of manganese. The miners who worked to separate the metal from the mountains during the 20th century complained that their steep walk to work was wearying,

In 1954, when Georgia was part of the Soviet Union, authorities built a network of cable cars leading to the mines and some of the housing developments that crawled up the foothills and slopes.

In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, a local man looks through a window of a rusted cable car riding over the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Seventeen of the lines remain in operation, most of them badly aged. The gondolas are battered. Some of the stations where the cars start and end are in semi-ruin, with chunks of masonry missing and their Soviet-era decorations fading.

But if the 64-year-old transit system looks like a wild ride to an outsider, Chiatura's people seem to take the creaking cars and precipitous drops in stride. The sweeping views and creaking equipment get less attention from some regular passengers than what's popping up on smartphones.

In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, a cable car is seen above the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, a Georgian women takes a photo though a cable car's window in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, a view of the gorge from a cable car with a soviet era emergency telephone set and buttons in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, local residents talk to each other as they ride in a cable car in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, local people and a tourist wait at a a cable car station decorated with a graffiti of a Georgian miner in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, people near a cable car's station in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, two Georgian miners walk inside the very old manganese plant after riding a cable car, in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, two cable cars move over an abandoned mine building in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, Anzor, a manganese plant worker who uses a cable car to get to his place of work, is reflected in a mirror as he smokes a cigarette, in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, children play at a broken fountain with rusted parts of a cable car's system next to a cable car station in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, local residents wait to ride a cable car at a its station the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, two cable cars move across two mountains in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, a local man gets out of a cable car at a station in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, a cable car moves between two buildings over a street in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, a cable car travels, in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, an operator takes off his shirt working inside a cable car station in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, a cow walks inside the soviet style dilapidated building of the Palace of Pioneers near a cable car station in the Georgian city of Chiatura, about 200 kilometers ( 125 miles) from Tbilisi, Georgia. The rusted, battered cable cars that hang hundreds of feet above the Georgian city of Chiatura could be one of the world's scariest ways to commute to work or go shopping. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)DENVER (AP) - The Latest on the opening of a wildlife refuge at the site of a former nuclear weapons plant (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

Cyclists and hikers are exploring a newly opened wildlife refuge at the site of a former nuclear weapons plant in Colorado.

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer drives into the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened the gates of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Saturday with no fanfare.

The refuge is on the perimeter of a government factory that made plutonium triggers for nuclear bombs.

A protester in a gas mask brought a sign to the refuge warning about the dangers of plutonium. Other visitors said they were confident the site was safe.

The refuge is on a wind-swept plateau 16 miles (26 kilometers) northwest of downtown Denver.

It's a rare oasis of tallgrass prairie, with bears, elk, falcons, songbirds and hundreds of other species.

The refuge offers sweeping panoramas of the Rocky Mountain foothills and Denver's skyscrapers.

___

12 a.m.

A unique wildlife refuge on the site of a former nuclear weapons plant in Colorado is opening its gates to the public.

Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is scheduled to open Saturday after a confusing day when officials first said they would not open the refuge and then said they would.

The U.S. government made plutonium triggers for nuclear bombs at the site outside Denver. After a $7 billion cleanup, part of the land was turned over to the Interior Department for a refuge.

The opening has been in the works for months. But the plans were upended Friday when Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said he would keep the refuge closed until he could get more information about safety.

An hour later, the department said a review was complete and the refuge would open.

Stephen Parlato wears a gas mask next to his sign warning about the dangers of plutonium at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

FILE - This Aug. 11, 2017, file photo shows a "No Trespassing" sign hanging on a fence surrounding part of the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant near Denver. Rocky Flats was once the site of a plant that made plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. The U.S. Interior Department says it will go ahead with plans to open a wildlife refuge at the site of the former nuclear weapons plant in Colorado, after briefly putting the opening on hold amid concerns about public safety. Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is scheduled to open Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott, File)

Jerry Jacka departs a trailhead on his mountain bike at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

Jon Simon takes a break after about a 2-hour mountain bike ride at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott) (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

A sign marks a trail on the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge outside Denver on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, the first day the refuge was open to the public. The refuge is on the outskirts of a former U.S. government factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott)

FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2017 file photo, visitors approach a former ranch house and barn during a guided hike on the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge near Denver. The U.S. Interior Department says it will go ahead with plans to open a wildlife refuge at the site of a former nuclear weapons plant in Colorado, after briefly putting the opening on hold amid concerns about public safety. Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is scheduled to open Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Dan Elliott, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2005, file photo, deer cross a road striped of its asphalt at the former Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons plant near Golden, Colo. The U.S. Interior Department says it will go ahead with plans to open a wildlife refuge at the site of the former nuclear weapons plant in Colorado, after briefly putting the opening on hold amid concerns about public safety. Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is scheduled to open Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)This week, during talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to sign the peaceful Russian-Japanese treaty by the end of this year without preconditions. Shinzo Abe supported the very idea of establishing de jure peace between Russia and Japan, but the Japanese Foreign Ministry opposed it, stressing that Tokyo has no intention of abandoning its territorial claims to the Kuril Islands. The deputy director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies of Moscow State University, Andrei Karneev, told Vestnik Kavkaza about the prospects of the Russian-Japanese peace treaty.

- In your opinion, why was the peace treaty initiative with Japan voiced now?

- I watched a live broadcast on TV, and I saw that it was the president's response to the Japanese prime minister when he begin to harp on his favourite tune that the peace treaty has not been signed yet, so many years have passed since the Second World War, and it should be signed as soon as possible. And then Putin said that this idea has just come into his head during the Japanese Prime Minister's speech - to sign a peace treaty this year to normalize relations, and then it will be possible to conduct all other negotiations in a more favorable atmosphere. That is, it is not so much an initiative as a witty thought of our president, who reacted to Shinzo Abe's words in such a way. He said that the Japanese call us to new approaches all the time, so here's a new approach: let's conclude a treaty first, and then everything else.

Putin's idea is linked to the fact that the Japanese continue to put the issue of the peace treaty at the forefront, while trying to limit other issues of Russian-Japanese relations to Russia's concession on this issue. Putin in a living and unconventional form showed that, in fact, Japan's position is not very constructive and too dogmatic, because they themselves do not offer anything new. That's how I would interpret his proposal.

- Thus, any assessment of Putin's proposal as a new reversal from the West to the East is hasty?

- There is no connection between the Japanese and the Western agenda. Our relations with the West have deteriorated in 2014 after the sanctions were imposed, though they have been deteriorating long before the Ukrainian events. Putin's words spoken at the Eastern Economic Forum did not imply any concessions to Japan in the sense that we have problems with the West, let's draw closer to Japan right now. On the contrary, Putin's improvisation showed the Japanese colleague's not quite constructive position, it had no anti-Western element. Some of our mass media rushed to announce that the president had introduced a new concept, but these were erroneous interpretations, since they do not correspond to the general policy of our government on the issue of the Kuril Islands and Japan. Putin's words did not create any new situation. By the way, then during free discussion the president offered several similar ideas to Shinzo Abe again, for example, about five-ten year visas.

- Will a peace treaty with Japan bring Russia any political and economic benefits?

- Of course, relations with Japan are very useful to us precisely because Japan can be one of those countries that will actively participate in the economic recovery of Russia's Far Eastern territories. And in this sense it is important that Japan has technologies. On the other hand, about 20 years ago our expectations were not quite realistic that if we agree with Japan, there will be a rain of gold for Russia. These moods were fueled by some publicists, but even then they were in the minority. Japan lost its leadership role in region to China, China is already a much larger economic power than Japan. 20 years ago, Japan was the world's second largest economy behind the U.S., but now it lost its position. Therefore, by the way, any talk that we will immediately get a huge economic effect after making concessions to Tokyo are far from reality. Japan has its own interests.

We must strive to create even more constructive relations with Japan, but we should not hope for miracles and breakthroughs. First of all, we should rely on our own resources and strengths, its competent and effective use, not on some mythical possible investments. Moreover, I want to note that if the Kurile Islands issue is resolved somehow, it is unlikely that Japan will have a great incentive to actively provide economic assistance to our Far East, with the exception of having mutually beneficial ties. They will cooperate with Russia in areas where they will spot profit opportunities, but not much else - and it should be understood with a sense of composure and calm.Many residents who evacuated North Carolina's Outer Banks ahead of Hurricane Florence made their way Saturday back onto the barrier islands, a popular tourist destination spared from the worst of the storm's wrath.

While other parts of the state were suffering catastrophic flooding from a storm that caused at least 11 deaths, county officials and business owners on the low-lying islands reported relatively minimal damage, and there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities.

"We were really blessed on this one," said Matt Paulson, a two-decade resident of coastal North Carolina who owns the First Light restaurant in Corolla.

Oceanfront homes sit over rough surf from tropical storm Florence in Rodanthe NC., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

While the Outer Banks made it past Florence fairly unscathed, scientists say they remain incredibly vulnerable to future storms and climate change. The islands are experiencing some of the fastest rates of sea level rise in the world, nearly an inch a year. That rate is expected to accelerate as the oceans warm, sea water expands, currents weaken and polar ice sheets melt.

"Sooner or later we need to get out of there," Orrin H. Pilkey, a professor emeritus of geology at Duke University, told The Associated Press before the storm hit.

Pilkey said Saturday that's still "absolutely true."

"We cannot hold the shoreline still in the context of a rising sea level," he said. "No possibility."

Forecasts earlier in the week had suggested things could be far worse, and North Carolina's governor issued what he called a first-of-its-kind mandatory evacuation order for all the barrier islands.

On Saturday morning, authorities began allowing residents as well as workers and property owners to begin returning to the northern portion of the islands. Visitors were expected to be allowed entry to the same area beginning Sunday.

"They absolutely have started rolling in," Dare County spokeswoman Dorothy Hester said. Photos the county posted showed some traffic backups as local law enforcement worked to cycle cars through checkpoints.

A preliminary damage assessment showed about a half-million dollars of damage in Dare County, Hester said, a figure she called "quite fortunate."

Further south on Ocracoke Island, power was back up and there were no reports of serious structural damage, Hyde County spokesman Donnie Shumate said.

"Ocracoke is fine. It's just a matter of getting to Ocracoke right now," Shumate said. Ferries weren't yet running to the island that's accessible only by boat or air.

An Associated Press photographer who flew over the Outer Banks in a helicopter Saturday to survey damage observed some houses on stilts that were washed out below but still standing. Many dunes appeared not to have sizeable damage, and harbors were empty, with just a few boats scattered about.

Paulson, the restaurant owner, said the upcoming week is generally a busy one for local businesses. Many visitors to the Outer Banks stay in weekly rentals and generally start their vacations on Saturdays or Sundays.

Rental properties will be open, said Clark Twiddy, president of Duck-based Twiddy Realty, which has more than 1,000 rentals. But vacationers will have problems getting to the coast because of road issues, especially if they travel through eastern North Carolina to get there, Twiddy said.

Susie Fisher, who works at a Food Lion in Southern Shores in accounting and as a cashier, opted not to evacuate. She said that when tourists start returning Sunday morning, she's not sure they'll find what they need.

"The shelves are pretty empty, and we don't expect our first truck until Sunday, maybe, if they can get through," she said.

Twiddy emphasized that while he was glad the Outer Banks were spared from worse destruction, the devastation just went elsewhere.

"I don't want to sound like we're relieved, lucky, or excited," he said. "We're fortunate, but our hearts are in southeastern North Carolina."

___

Rankin reported from Richmond, Virginia, and Waggoner from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press photographer Steve Helber contributed to this report.

___

For the latest on Florence, visit www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes

Construction equipment moves sand around a beachfront home after tropical storm Florence in Buxton NC., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Waves crash over the road over washed by hurricane Florence in Ocracoke, NC., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Oceanfront homes sit over rough surf from tropical storm Florence in Nags Head NC., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Kite Boarder Dimitri Maramenides heads out next to Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, N.C., as Hurricane Florence makes landfall further south on Friday, Sept, 14, 2018. (L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Kite Boarder Dimitri Maramenides heads out next to Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, N.C., as Hurricane Florence makes landfall further south on Friday, Sept, 14, 2018. (L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Heavy surf crashes the dunes at high tide in Nags Head, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018 as Hurricane Florence approaches the east coast. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina must withstand more torrential rains, gusty winds, and river flooding from Tropical Storm Florence next week, but emergency leaders are already working on the recovery.

Nonprofit groups are preparing to serve tens of thousands of meals daily in the most-damaged areas, while state and federal emergency officials are locating temporary housing, including hotel rooms, for storm victims in the weeks or months that they're displaced.

"We are expecting several more days of rain, and our focus now is getting people away from immediate danger," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said as the relenting storm puttered slowly west near the South Carolina border. "And then we will shift into putting our communities back together."

A pickup truck drives on a flooded road past a farm house that is surrounded by flooded fields from tropical storm Florence in Hyde County, NC., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Thousands of the 20,000 people staying in more than 150 shelters this weekend and others waiting it out elsewhere won't be able to return to their homes for good any time soon. Cooper asked displaced residents Saturday to resist the urge to return now and wait until the storm clears out and roads are passable.

Homes have been washed away by storm surge or made unlivable by standing water, fallen trees or other debris. And even if their homes survived intact, hundreds of thousands of utility customers who lack power have limited food options.

The North Carolina Baptist Men's organization planned to begin soon moving kitchen equipment inland, where they expect to prepare 85,000 meals a day when all its feeding operations are up and running. The first units were expected to come online early next week in New Bern and Washington, North Carolina, according to Jack Frazier, the Baptist Men's disaster relief coordinator.

"It's going to be a big operation - very big," Frazier said. The Salvation Army and American Red Cross usually work with the Baptist group by transporting those prepared meals to the hardest-hit areas. Along with other home cleanup and repair work ministries, Frazier said his group works to "basically restore somebody back to where they were as much as we can."

The federal government's approval late Friday of a major disaster declaration in North Carolina means immediate funds can go to help with damage repairs and recovery for eight coastal counties, Cooper said. The number of counties getting this level of help is likely to increase.

State and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials, who have been on the ground in North Carolina for several days, already are talking about temporary housing options, state Division of Emergency Management director Mike Sprayberry said. They are expecting to use FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, which is paid for by both state and federal funds to put displaced residents in hotel rooms.

"What we want to try to do is to minimize the time that people spend in their shelters that they're in right now," Sprayberry said. "We don't need them going back into their areas until they're cleared safe to go."

The program was used in North Carolina after Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. Some people were in hotels for months. In previous hurricanes in North Carolina, residents lived in trailers while they rebuilt or found permanent housing.

The long-term recovery will take years. Although more than $740 million in federal, state and local funds have been spent to address Matthew's damages, state officials are still working to distribute $236 million allocated by the federal government last year to help reimburse or pay for extensive home repairs.

With close to 90 of the state's 100 counties setting up their emergency management offices for this storm, all signs point to an even longer recovery from Florence.

"I'll tell you, this one is so widespread, you're going to have a hard time finding a North Carolinian who is not going to be affected by this storm in some way," Cooper said.

___

For the latest on Hurricane Florence, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes .

Oceanfront homes sit over rough surf from tropical storm Florence in Rodanthe NC., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Youths look over a sailboat that washed ashore near East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Sept. 15, 2018, after Hurricane Florence brought flood damage and storm debris. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)WOBURN, Mass. (AP) - A small plane has crashed in a wooded area north of Boston, killing a couple on board.

The single engine Columbia Aircraft LC41 crashed Saturday at around 11 a.m. in a residential neighborhood in Woburn.

Officials identified the victims as 65-year-old Dr. Michael Graver and 52-year-old Jodi Cohen.

A bystander looks at the wreckage of a single-engine plane behind a home on Minchin Drive, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Woburn, Mass. Officials said Dr. Michael Graver and Jodi Cohen were killed in the crash. The plane had departed from Republic Airport in Farmingdale, N.Y., and was en route to Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass., about four miles from the crash site. (Nicolaus Czarnecki/The Boston Herald via AP)

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan describes Graver was a "very experienced pilot" who co-owned the 2016 plane.

She says the couple departed from Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York, at around 9:30 a.m. and had been heading to Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts.

The airport is about four miles from the crash site.

Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin says the plane fortunately did not hit any homes or injure anyone on the ground.

The National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies are investigating.

Emergency responders gather where a single-engine plane crashed behind a home on Minchin Drive, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Woburn, Mass. Officials said Dr. Michael Graver and Jodi Cohen were killed in the crash. The plane had departed from Republic Airport in Farmingdale, N.Y., and was en route to Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass., about four miles from the crash site. (Nicolaus Czarnecki/The Boston Herald via AP)LAS VEGAS (AP) - President Donald Trump plans a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday night to help boost the campaigns of Republicans running for governor, the Senate and the House.

Trump's campaign announced Friday the rally at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Trump was last in Nevada in June to fundraise and appear with Dean Heller, the only Republican senator seeking re-election in a state Hillary Clinton carried in 2016.

Heller was once critical of Trump and drew his ire in 2017 when he stalled GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He's since mended the relationship and Trump pledged to return to help his campaign.

The president is also expected to try to help the close races of Adam Laxalt for Nevada governor and Danny Tarkanian for Nevada's 3rd House District.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Drivers for the ride-hailing company Uber are frustrated over a glitch that is keeping them from being paid immediately.

The Mercury News of San Jose reports San Francisco-based Uber was still working on Saturday to fix a problem that was reported Friday.

An Uber spokesperson said the company has identified an issue with its "Instant Pay" feature and that drivers will be paid. Instant Pay allows drivers to be paid immediately for rides.

FILE - In this March 15, 2017, file photo, a sign marks a pick-up point for the Uber car service at LaGuardia Airport in New York. Drivers for the ride-hailing company Uber are frustrated over a glitch that is keeping them from being paid immediately. The Mercury News of San Jose reports San Francisco-based Uber was still working on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, to fix a problem that was reported Friday. An Uber spokesperson said the company has identified an issue with a feature that allows drivers to cash out on rides immediately. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

The news organization reports the Uber spokesperson declined further comment. It's not known what caused the issue, when it began or how many drivers were affected.

Meanwhile, frustrated and angry drivers are taking to social media, saying that they don't like working for free or that they need the instant payouts for gas.COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) - Miguel Almiron scored twice in the first 18 minutes and assisted on another goal to help Atlanta United beat the Colorado Rapids 3-0 on Saturday.

Almiron opened the scoring in the 10th minute, settling Julian Gressel's wide cross and finishing with a left-footed shot from inside the upper left corner of the 6-yard box.

Almiron slotted home Josef Martinez's layoff to double the lead in the 18th and sent a long ball forward to Gressel, who crossed it to Hector Villalba for Atlanta's third in the 37th minute.

United (17-5-6) moved two points ahead of the New York Red Bulls in the Supporters' Shield race.

The Rapids (6-16-6) lost their fourth in a row.GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) - A Montana photographer is suing Netflix, alleging the company violated copyright law by using one of his photos without permission to create storm images for the series "Stranger Things" and the movie "How It Ends."

The Great Falls Tribune reported Friday Sean R. Heavey of Glasgow filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Great Falls.

A Netflix attorney has told Heavey in a letter that its images are different from the photo and that the company didn't violate his copyright. The newspaper says the company didn't respond to its request for a comment.

Heavey says he took the photo in Montana in 2010 and registered his copyright that year. It shows a supercell storm cloud.

His lawsuit asks for unspecified damages and legal costs.

___

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.comSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Jerry Brown has announced a sister-state relationship with a German state that furthers strengthens climate and economic ties between the two entities.

Brown signed the agreement on Saturday with the minister-president of Baden-Wurttemberg, a state in southwestern Germany that is the country's third-largest.

The minister-president of the German state is Winfried Kretschmann.

In 2015, California and Baden-Wurttemberg launched the Under2 Coalition, an international climate partnership committed to battling global warming.

The announcement comes on the heels of a global climate summit organized by Brown in San Francisco.

The conference, which attracted thousands of politicians, activists, business leaders and others from around the world, served as a rebuke of President Donald Trump.

Trump announced last year that he was withdrawing from a historic 2015 climate accord reached in Paris.SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The shine is starting to come off South Korean President Moon Jae-in's engagement strategy with the North.

The liberal politician, who reversed nearly a decade of conservative hard-line policy toward North Korea after his election last year, is preparing for a third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un amid growing public skepticism about his approach.

Moon, who goes to Pyongyang on Tuesday, has seen his approval rating fall to 49 percent in a recent Gallup Korea survey, the first time it dipped below 50 percent since he took office in May 2017 promising better ties with North Korea and political reform. Moon's approval rating stood at 83 percent after his first summit with Kim in April.

FILE - In this April 27, 2018 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in raise their hands after signing a joint statement at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea. South Korea's liberal president faces growing skepticism at home about his engagement policy ahead of his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A survey showed nearly half of South Koreans think next week's summit won't find a breakthrough to resolve a troubled nuclear diplomacy. It comes as Moon's approval rating is declining amid economic frustrations. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File)

South Koreans are divided over whether this week's summit in Pyongyang will help break a stalemate over nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea, according to another survey released in early September. By comparison, surveys after the April summit found overwhelming support for Moon from a public fascinated with the historic handshakes, border crossings and other dramatic scenes the two leaders produced after years of rising tensions.

"Our people are beginning to learn that North Korea will not easily give up its nukes, something that many experts had already repeatedly predicted," said Kim Taewoo, former president of the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.

Moon may face increasing difficulties if his summit with Kim in Pyongyang fails to make tangible progress on efforts to get North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons program.

Economic woes such as a lackluster job-market growth and soaring real estate prices are compounding Moon's problems, adding to opposition to his North Korea policy, many experts say.

"If Moon fails to address economic problems, he can't maintain public contentment with his government only with his North Korea policy," said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University. "If the economy gets worse, many people will demand that Moon stop looking to North Korea and start resolving our own economic problems."

Moon knows how important public support is for his North Korea policy. Most major detente projects with North Korea started by his liberal predecessors during a 1998-2008 "Sunshine Era" were suspended after conservatives took power. Moon hasn't been able to revive them because of U.S.-led economic sanctions on North Korea.

Liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun endured withering conservative criticism that their little-strings-attached shipments of aid and cooperation projects with North Korea helped finance the North's weapons program. Moon served as Roh's chief of staff and was in charge of preparations for Roh's 2007 summit with Kim's father, former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

South Korean politics is characterized by a fundamental conservative-liberal divide over how to view North Korea. Liberals consider the North one to reconcile with while conservatives see it more as an enemy state that poses a significant security threat.

Moon's conservative predecessors, Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, faced harsh criticism from liberals that their hard-line stances only led North Korea to carry out more weapons tests and attacks such as two in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans.

Opposition to Moon's North Korea policy was initially weak, partly because the conservatives were in disarray following a corruption scandal that led to the ouster of Park, Moon's predecessor.

A conservative backlash erupted when Kim sent North Korean athletes and top officials to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, including a former spy chief blamed for the 2010 attacks. But any criticism was soon overshadowed by the April summit, which also improved Kim's image in South Korea - in one survey at the time, 78 percent of respondents said they had faith in the North Korean leader.

Now, as nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea stall, conservatives feel vindicated and emboldened.

Professor Lim Eul Chul at South Korea's Kyungnam University said conservatives now "tend to criticize North Korea and distance themselves from the Moon government for their own political gain."

During a Cabinet meeting last week, Moon said he needs not only strong international support but also "nonpartisan backing at home" to help make next week's summit produce a major step toward denuclearization. "Please, lay aside partisan politics in the face of these kinds of important things for Korea," he said.

Moon even asked conservative opposition leaders to travel with him to Pyongyang for the summit, but they rejected the offer immediately.

"Given that North Korea has not taken concrete denuclearization steps even after two inter-Korean summits and one U.S.-North Korea summit, it's overly excessive to ask us to go to Pyongyang," said Yoon Young-seok, a spokesman for the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. "We can't help asking whether the invitation ... is aimed at giving Kim Jong Un a gift."

___

Follow Hyung-jin Kim at www.twitter.com/@hyungjin1972

FILE - In this April 27, 2018 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in cross the border line at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone. South Korea's liberal president faces growing skepticism at home about his engagement policy ahead of his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A survey showed nearly half of South Koreans think next week's summit won't find a breakthrough to resolve a troubled nuclear diplomacy. It comes as Moon's approval rating is declining amid economic frustrations.(Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2018 file photo, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, pose for photographs during the Olympic opening ceremony reception in Pyeongchang, South Korea. South Korea's liberal president faces growing skepticism at home about his engagement policy ahead of his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A survey showed nearly half of South Koreans think next week's summit won't find a breakthrough to resolve a troubled nuclear diplomacy. It comes as Moon's approval rating is declining amid economic frustrations. (Kim Hong-ji/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this June 12, 2018 file photo, President Donald Trump walks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sentosa Island, in Singapore. South Korea's liberal President Moon Jae-in faces growing skepticism at home about his engagement policy ahead of his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A survey showed nearly half of South Koreans think next week's summit won't find a breakthrough to resolve a troubled nuclear diplomacy. It comes as Moon's approval rating is declining amid economic frustrations.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)MIAMI (AP) - Before and after a hurricane, Ace is the place. And Home Depot and Lowe's. And many other hardware and building supply outlets.

Not surprisingly, these companies plan for storms such as Hurricane Florence all year. Much like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, supplies are pre-positioned and trucks loaded and ready to go with everything from batteries to gas cans to tarps to chainsaws.

Here's the thing: the government can only do so much. Most people must fend for themselves at some point, and the local hardware or building supply store is where they go. Not everything is available easily online. Try to buy some drywall that way.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 file photo, Joe Gore, left, and Joshua Adcock prepare for Hurricane Florence as they board up windows on a home in Emerald Isle N.C. Before and after a hurricane, Ace is the place. And Home Depot, Lowe's, and many other hardware and building supply outlets. Not surprisingly, these companies plan for storms such as Hurricane Florence all year. (AP Photo/Tom Copeland, File)

"It's a year-round thing for us," said Margaret Smith, spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Home Depot. "When it's hurricane season, we are operating 24 hours a day."

As Florence bore down on the Southeast coast this week, Ace Hardware manager Tom Roberts watched as an employee finished five of the busiest days they have ever seen in their store in the tiny village of Calabash, North Carolina.

They sold hundreds of gas cans and ran out of generators, but still had bottled water, sand bags and other items, Roberts said.

"We're going to be just as busy with clean up once this thing is gone," he said.

Home Depot and Mooresville, North Carolina-based Lowe's, the two biggest home supply companies, both activated sophisticated emergency command centers that bring together various divisions to work on everything from shipping logistics to ensuring employees in hurricane zones get back on their feet. They have their own meteorologists on duty and are in contact with government agencies.

The key is making sure the right supplies are ready at the right time, said Jennifer Thayer, Lowe's vice president for store operations in North and South Carolina. For example, people might need more gas cans and plywood before a hurricane and more wet/dry vacuum cleaners or tarps for damaged roofs after the storm, she said.

And wind is one thing, while flooding is another in terms of what customers need.

"We plan it out pre-storm. And then we start shifting into post-storm," Thayer said. "We have the ability to put merchandise strategically in the stores. It depends on the event."

Smith said Home Depot has about 1,100 trucks loaded and ready to respond to its stores in the Carolinas and Georgia once Florence passes through. Lowe's says on its website it has shipped some 2,700 truckloads of supplies to the area threatened by Florence.

Both companies plan to open stores in the storm zone as soon as possible.

"Our communities count on us in storm prep and then recovery in a very big way," Smith said.

Many of these chains can also bring in employees from other regions to substitute for those in storm-stricken areas, giving them time to deal with their own personal home damage or other issues from a storm. Sometimes the local workers can get financial assistance.

For example, Smith said Home Depot will often provide grants to help pay for hotels or to fill gaps in insurance coverage for damage to an employee's home. Thayer said Lowe's has an employee relief fund for such circumstances.

"People can request funds to help them if they can't afford to get back on their feet," Thayer said.

In 2017, Home Depot had revenue of more than $100 billion. Lowe's earned about $68 billion. Sales of hurricane-related materials spike before and after storms, but the profit is beside the point, Thayer said.

"At the end of the day, it's about the community, it's about the stores," she said.

_____

Associated Press writer Jeffrey Collins in Calabash, North Carolina, contributed to this story.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 file photo, people line up outside a Home Depot for a new supply of generators and plywood in advance of Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, N.C. "It's a year-round thing for us," said Margaret Smith, spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Home Depot. "When it's hurricane season, we are operating 24 hours a day." (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 file photo, Jim Craig, David Burke and Chris Rayner load generators as people buy supplies at The Home Depot in Wilmington, N.C. "It's a year-round thing for us," said Margaret Smith, spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Home Depot. "When it's hurricane season, we are operating 24 hours a day." (Ken Blevins/The Star-News via AP, File)September 15 marks the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus under the command of Turkish General Nuri Pasha. In mid-September 1918, the capital of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic was liberated from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation and the British invaders. The academic secretary of ANAS National Museum of Azerbaijan History, Ph.D. in history Farhad Jabbarov told Vestnik Kavkaza about the events of those years.

- The day of Baku's liberation by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus is quite widely celebrated in Azerbaijan - they hold a lot of events; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to celebrate the anniversary. Why is this date so important for the history of Azerbaijan?

- I will answer that question by quoting [one of the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic Muhammad Amin] Rasulzadeh. He said that the September 15th is a date as significant for the history of Azerbaijan, as the May 28th, when the independence of the state was declared. After the ADR was created, the state could not actually control the huge industrial, cultural, and economic centers, in particular Baku - the heart of Azerbaijan. In order to consolidate independence, it was necessary to get this city back. First, it is the primordial right of the Azerbaijani people. Second, Baku is a strategic port, a strategic city. Therefore, all the activities of the young ADR, when it declared its independence, were directed, on the one hand, to bring this news to the world community, and on the other, to the liberation of Baku.

If it was not for the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, Baku would not be an Azerbaijani city now. Plans of those forces that ruled in Baku at that time were aimed at tearing the city away from Azerbaijan, subordinating it to Russia. Therefore, the Day of the liberation of Baku is no less important for us than the Day of Independence.

- The Islamic Army of the Caucasus consisted of Azerbaijanis and Ottoman Turks. Were leadership positions held by Turks?

- On the eve of the declaration of independence, Azerbaijan did not actually have a regular army. Considering the previous historical experience, when Azerbaijanis were not called up for mandatory military service, there were very few military personnel. When the Batumi Treaty between the Ottoman Empire and the Transcaucasian republics (Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia) was concluded on June 4, 1918, it included the clause that if Azerbaijan requests military assistance from the Ottoman Empire, then it should be provided. Turkish officer-instructors who arrived in Baku held executive positions, but there was a significant number of Azerbaijanian volunteers in the Islamic Army of the Caucasus. Baku was their ultimate goal, but there were other regions that were controlled by the Bolsheviks as well.

Azerbaijani officers Aliaga Shikhlinsky, Samad bey Mehmandarov and others were part of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus. It was a joint military operation of the Turkish-Azerbaijani forces to liberate Baku, in which the Azerbaijanis took no less part than our Turkish brothers.

- Is it possible to talk about the rise of national self-awareness, that people have risen to defend their homeland?

- Of course. There were the 1918 March events before that, resulting in thousands of casualties among Azerbaijanis not only in Baku, but also in other settlements. Ethnic cleansing was also carried out in Northern Azerbaijan. This caused a negative reaction among the population. People realized that the forces that ruled in Baku are the same ones that killed Azerbaijanis since March 1918. The impulse to free the city from foreign forces was dictated precisely by the rise of national self-consciousness.

- What would have happened if it were not for the Islamic Army of the Caucasus?

- Baku would not be an Azerbaijani city in this case. The power would have been in the hands of the Socialist-Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, Dashnaks. Considering that the Centrocaspian Dictatorship invited the British here, Baku would not be the territory of Azerbaijan both territorially and legally either.

- What was the intelligentsia's reactions to this army? Are there any records?

- Unfortunately, there are few archive materials, but there are memories of how the army entered Baku. A parade was held here. People on a mass scale took to the streets to meet this army as a liberator. A banquet was held in honor of Nuri Pasha and the command of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, he was staying at the house of [Azerbaijani millionaire and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin] Taghiyev.

Our billionaires, patrons financed this army, provided outfit, weapons and products. The position of both ordinary people, the intelligentsia and entrepreneurs was unequivocal - the city should be liberated, and it is necessary to exert maximum efforts to this. Even when the Turkish army left Baku in October 2018, it was accompanied very warmly. Annually, when the anniversary of Baku's liberation was celebrated, articles were written, and this event was rated as a real holiday. Our emigration never forgot this date as well.

- Then why two years later, when the XI Red Army invaded Baku and occupied Azerbaijan, there was no such Turkish-Azerbaijani rallying?

- Big geopolitical changes took place in two years. In 1918 the situation was different, and the Ottoman Empire was not able to provide military assistance to Azerbaijan. In 1920, when Turkey was fighting for its own survival, it was difficult for it to provide assistance. First, Turkey was fighting against foreign aggression. Second, in fact, there were two governments - the Sultan government in Istanbul and the government of the national assembly in Ankara. There were no conditions for Turkey to help Azerbaijan anymore.

- An exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Baku's liberation was opened today at the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan. Does it present the exhibits of the History Museum or others?

- All of them are from our collection! Since 2008, we have held such exhibitions for the 90th anniversary, 95th anniversary, and this year - for the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku. Each time, of course, the concept of the exhibition is changed, being complemented by new exhibits. But weapons, carpets, in particular a carpet made in honor of Turkish officers who came to liberate Baku, documents, photographs are all from the museum's collection. Thus, we try, on the one hand, to demonstrate what we have in our funds, and on the other hand, to tell about our history.

This is already the third exhibition in 2018, which is held within the framework of the 100th anniversary of the ADR. The first one was dedicated to the ADR leaders, the second - to the military case in Azerbaijan, the third - to the liberation of Baku by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus.VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) - Animal rights activists have staged a demonstration in front of Lithuania's parliament to demand a ban on using wild animals in circuses after the reported death of a 6-month-old bear cub.

The demonstrators carried a tiny coffin during a symbolic funeral on Sunday for the cub. Lithuanian news media have reported the bear died in captivity at a local circus during the summer.

Several dozen participants brought teddy bears to the rally.

Protesters carry a symbolic coffin containing a toy bear, during a protest rally near Lithuania parliament in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018. Animal rights activists staged the demonstration in front of Lithuania's parliament to demand a ban on using wild animals in circuses after the reported death of a 6-month-old bear cub. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Activist Agne Klevinyte says Lithuania should stop the "exploitation" of bears, tigers and other animals in circus shows where "wild animals do not belong."

More than 40 countries, including most European Union members, already outlaw the use of wild animals in circuses.

Lithuanian lawmakers are expected to vote on a ban later this year.

Protesters display a symbolic coffin containing a toy bear, during a protest rally near Lithuania parliament in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018. Animal rights activists staged the demonstration in front of Lithuania's parliament to demand a ban on using wild animals in circuses after the reported death of a 6-month-old bear cub. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United States and Russia clashed Monday over enforcing U.N. sanctions against North Korea, with the U.S. ambassador accusing Moscow of "cheating" and Russia's envoy accusing Washington of "political ill-intent."

The acrimonious meeting of the Security Council was called by U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who accused Russia of pressuring independent U.N. experts to alter a report on implementation of sanctions against North Korea that she said contained "evidence of multiple Russian sanctions violations."

The sharp disagreement marked a rare break in what has been a united response by the U.N.'s most powerful body to North Korea's escalating nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

It has unanimously imposed increasingly tough sanctions on Pyongyang that have cut off all North Korean exports, 90 percent of its trade, and disbanded its pool of workers send abroad to earn hard currency.

Haley said Russia's violations are "systematic," including ship-to-ship transfers of banned items, mainly oil but increasingly coal and other goods. She identified the Russian ship Patriot filmed transferring refined petroleum to a North Korean vessel and accused Moscow of trying to cover up violations "whether they're committed by Russia or citizens of other states."

Haley said the United States prevented publication of the "tainted" report that removed allegations against the Russians and demanded the release of the initial version.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia countered that the work of the panel of experts "became increasingly politicized, then became ultimately the hostages to the vision of Washington" and didn't take into account Russia's views.

"Unsurprisingly, therefore, we insisted on having our position reflected in the document," he said, and a compromise on the report was reached among all 15 council members - including the "American delegation" and U.S. "experts."

But Nebenzia said Haley put a hold on the report the following day, so it is the United States that is blocking release of the report and "the ball now is in your court."

The U.S. Mission said later in a statement: "Certainly no U.S. expert agreed - at any point in the process - to Russia's tainted version of the report."

Behind the U.S.-Russia squabble over implementing sanctions are the broader issues of how to achieve denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and when sanctions should be lifted.

The United States has kept up sanctions pressure on the North despite the historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June that dialed down nuclear tensions between the adversaries. That first-ever meeting of leaders from the two countries has been followed by a diplomatic impasse over how to achieve the agreed-upon goal of denuclearization.

The U.S. has said sanctions won't be lifted until that goal is met. South Korean officials who recently met with Kim said he still has faith in Trump's commitment to ending their nations' hostile relations, but is frustrated by questions about his willingness to denuclearize and wants his "goodwill measures" to be met in kind.

Haley told the council that "the difficult, sensitive talks with North Korea are ongoing."

"The Trump-Kim summit has set us on the path toward complete denuclearization," she said. "But we are not there yet. And until we get there, we must not ease the powerful worldwide sanctions that are in place."

Nebenzia countered that "resolving the nuclear issue of the peninsula through just sanctions and pressure on Pyongyang is impossible." He charged that the U.S. is using the Security Council committee monitoring implementation of sanctions "as a sledgehammer to punish (North Korea) for their intransigence."

He cited welcome developments, including the North's suspension of missile and nuclear tests, dismantling of a missile engine test site, opening of a liaison office, and agreeing to a third summit of Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in starting Tuesday.

Noting difficulties in U.S.-North Korea negotiations, Nebenzia stressed that negotiations are "a two-way street."

"It is difficult to come to agreement if you offer nothing in return for your demands," he said.

"What can we expect when Pyongyang is being called upon to unconditionally agree to comply with all of the conditions against a guarantee of empty promises," Nebenzia asked, saying the U.S. has broken promises to Tehran and pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

He called for "confidence-building measures," citing as a possibility the signing of a peace treaty to end the 1950-53 Korean War. Nebenzia said the Security Council also could consider creating temporary exemptions from sanctions to carry out projects promoting inter-Korean cooperation.

Chinese Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu said Beijing remains committed to implementing both sanctions and dialogue.

"Confrontation is a dead end," he said. "Resorting to force will bring nothing but disastrous consequences to the peninsula."

China, which is North Korea's closest ally and is responsible for 90 percent of its trade, believes the Security Council should take action to reverse sanctions "at the appropriate time" in light of Pyongyang's progress to denuclearization.

"This council should stay united, honor its responsibility entrusted by history and push for the denuclearization and lasting peace in northeast Asia," Ma said.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, upper left, addresses the United Nations Security Council, as U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, right, listens at U.N. headquarters, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, left, talks with Japan's Ambassador Koro Bessho in the United Nations Security Council, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)No-fault divorces would be introduced under a planned shake-up of the archaic law governing the end of marriages, the Justice Secretary has announced.

The need for couples to separate or allege fault would be taken away under a proposed change unveiled by David Gauke.

Spouses would also be stripped of any right to contest a divorce application made by their partner, a consultation launched on Saturday has proposed.

David Gauke said the current law was `archaic and in need of change (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Gauke, who had previously publicly called for a less antagonistic system said: Marriage will always be one of our most sacred institutions, but when a relationship ends it cannot be right for the law to create or increase conflict between divorcing couples.

That is why we will remove the archaic requirements to allege fault or show evidence of separation, making the process less acrimonious and helping families look to the future.

Under the current law in England and Wales, unless people can prove there was adultery, unreasonable behaviour or desertion, the only way to obtain a divorce without their spouses agreement is to live apart for five years.

The proposed changes include:

 Making the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage the sole grounds for a divorce

 Removing the need to live apart or provide evidence of a partners misconduct

 A new court notification process that can be triggered by one or both parties

 Removing the opportunity for the other spouse to contest the divorce application

The case of Tini Owens, who was denied a divorce to end her `loveless 40 year marriage to Hugh Owens `generated broader questions about the law, Mr Gauke said (PA)

Pressure for reform intensified after Tini Owens lost a legal battle to divorce Hugh, her her husband of 40 years, in July.

She had told the Supreme Court that it was a loveless relationship and he had behaved unreasonably, arguing she should not reasonably be expected to stay married.

But Mr Owens denied her claims and refused to agree to a divorce, leading the court to rule against her with reluctance.

Lord Wilson said the question for Parliament was whether the law governing entitlement to divorce remained satisfactory.

In the forward to the consultation Mr Gauke said the case had generated broader questions about what the law requires of people going through divorce and what it achieves in practice.

He said the current need to find fault needlessly rakes up the past to justify the legal ending of a relationship that is no longer a beneficial and functioning one and was not in the public interest.

Noting that almost 110,000 couples divorced last year while constrained by a requirement in place for nearly half a century, he added: When a marriage has irretrievably broken down, the law should not frustrate achieving better outcomes, especially for children.

Labour has also backed the introduction of no-fault divorces but shadow justice minister Richard Burgon previously urged the Government to simply change the law rather than undertaking a consultation.

Specialist lawyer Mark Harper, who is based at law firm Hughes Fowler Carruthers, said: It has taken 22 years since the last unworkable no-fault divorce law for the Government to accept the need for further reform.

This will save 65,000 or more divorcing couples each year from having to prove fault to get a divorce, which will mean a better and more amicable start to those proceedings.A mother and baby killed when a tree smashed into their house in North Carolina are among several deaths caused by Florence, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm.

A man electrocuted while plugging in a generator during a heavy rain and another knocked down by wind were among the other casualties reported from the monster storm.

The trees massive size required special equipment from rescuers also battling winds and pelting rain to extricate them. Wilmington Deputy Fire Chief Steve Mason said the victims died at the scene.

The size of the tree is not something you could simply cut with a chainsaw and remove and then quickly extricate, he said. It required a tremendous amount of heavy lifting, airbags and saws.

Neighbour Adam Sparks said he noticed emergency responders arrive at the house across the street right around when his power went out and the storm was intensifying.

It went from zero to 100 real quick, he said. Really all you could do is stay inside and hope for the best.

(Chuck Liddy/The News & Observer via AP)

At first he thought the firefighters were there to help restore electricity, but when he saw police and paramedics arrive he knew it was something much more tragic.

He said he did not know the family well but that the couple had multiple young children.

It was very sad, very tragic.  I couldnt even imagine, he said.

In Kinston, more than an hours drive inland from the coast, Lenoir County spokesman Bryan Hanks said a man was electrocuted as he attempted to connect extension cords outside in the rain.

Flash Flood Warning including Wilmington NC, Lumberton NC, Murraysville NC until 8:00 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/GiaAUqCyB2  NWS Wilmington NC (@NWSWilmingtonNC) September 15, 2018

The body of the 78-year-old man was discovered by family members on Friday morning. Governor Roy Coopers office said he died while plugging in a generator.

Mr Hanks said a fourth person died while checking on his hunting dogs, and authorities believe he was blown over by the wind.

Emergency officials warned residents that the peril had probably not passed, as the storm continued to dump torrential rain.

In Wilmington, the storm tore down numerous trees when its centre tore through the area on Friday morning. Later in the day, trees could be seen on top of roofs, driveways and parked cars.

"You are the heartbeat of North Carolina safety, rescue, and recovery." pic.twitter.com/tzeXarKcs9  Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) September 15, 2018

In the neighbourhood where the mother and child died, resident Frank Hendrickson pointed to a tree that fell next door to him but spared a neighbours house. He said it was a testament to the close calls around the city. He said he had trimmed his own trees before the storm.

While he did not know the family at the centre of the tragedy, it was devastating for him to see bereaved relatives coming to the house after they heard what happened.

Seeing them get out of the car and seeing their emotions was heartbreaking, he said. A little infant dying in the middle of the night while they were sleeping.  It doesnt get any worse.Boris Johnson has urged MPs to focus on chucking Chequers rather than Theresa May, days after Brexiteers met to war-game ways to oust the Prime Minister.

Fevered speculation continues to mount over the former foreign secretarys leadership ambitions and Tory peer Lord Heseltine has predicted Mr Johnson will take the top job.

But Guto Harri, a key former adviser to Mr Johnson, said his former boss was digging his political grave and would be a hugely divisive figure if he succeeded Mrs May.

He said the ex-London mayor was dragging us into a place where we think that we can joke about suicide vests and that we can be sexually incontinent.

Around 50 Tory MPs spent nearly an hour plotting ways to replace Mrs May on Tuesday evening amid continued anger over the Chequers plan for Brexit.

Asked if he had a message for them, Mr Johnson told The Daily Telegraph: Its not about the leadership. Its about the policy.

Its not about changing prime minister. Its about chucking Chequers.

Mr Johnson faced a Tory backlash over his claim that Mrs Mays Brexit strategy had put the UK in a suicide vest and handed the detonator to Brussels.

Lord Heseltine said the slew of recent negative headlines that have dogged Mr Johnson have not done him irreparable harm.

The former deputy prime minister, who has been an outspoken critic of Mr Johnson, told BBC Radio 4s The Week In Westminster: Has he done himself any irreparable harm? Well I dont think he has.

What you have to say to yourself is who the Tory Party membership of the House of Commons is going to choose to send to the activists of the Conservative Party in any leadership campaign.

Whilst there is strong opposition to Boris, I find it difficult to think of two names that they will send that dont include him.

And, if he gets before the activists, my guess is that he will get the nomination.

All that is one thing. But if you then ask a second question. Does that unify the party? Does that solve Brexit? Does it get Britain back into the centre ground.

Those are the key questions about achieving power and my doubts and reservations are very substantial.

Mr Harri, who was Mr Johnsons communications director when he was London mayor, said his former boss was doing enormous damage to himself with his increasingly controversial use of language, which has always been very calculated.

He told the programme: I fear that Boris is digging. Somebody needs to take the spade out of his hand or it looks to me like hes digging his political grave.

Its one thing to deploy humour and charm and intellect and all these things he has in spades which he has done brilliantly in the past, not least his exquisite gift of language.

But at the moment it is being deployed in a really destructive and self-destructive way that I think is doing enormous damage to him as well as to the country.

Lord Heseltine has been a critic of Boris Johnson in the past (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

People always said he shot from the hip and used language loosely or gaffed. It was always very calculated.

It was just calculated in a very, very clever way in the past. Over a period of time, Boris did move from celebrity to statesman and did widen his appeal enormously.

He was a huge unifying figure by the end of my time with him when the Olympics happened in London.

There were people on left and right. He would not have been re-elected in a left leaning city like London if he hadnt appealed to the left.

Now hes gone the other way. Hes become more tribal, and tribal within the tribe, so that he would now be  if he were to become leader  a hugely divisive figure.

And that for somebody who is equipped to be a unifying figure, whos equipped to create a feel-good factor, whos equipped to take us all on whatever journey because he makes it fun, he makes it exciting and he is a true visionary.

Unfortunately he is now dragging us into a place where we think that we can joke about suicide vests and that we can be sexually incontinent.

Mr Johnson has also faced intense newspaper coverage over reports linking him with ex-Tory communications director Carrie Symonds after it was announced he and his wife are to divorce.Pope Francis has paid tribute to a priest who worked to keep youths away from the Mafia and was killed by mobsters during a visit to Sicily.

Francis says he flew to the Mediterranean island on Saturday morning to mark the 25th anniversary of the assassination in a Palermo slum of a martyr priest, the Rev Giuseppe Pino Puglisi  who was beatified in 2013.

The day-long visit to honour a priest who encouraged young people in a poor Palermo neighbourhood to spurn Cosa Nostra comes as the Catholic church is battered by revelations that many priests and bishops sexually abused children or protected abusers.

Pope Francis waves as he leaves at the end of his visit to Piazza Armerina, Sicily (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Pressure is building on Pope Francis to say what he knew about the sexual misconduct of US prelate Theodore McCarrick, who recently was stripped of his cardinals rank by the pope.A restored First World War memorial damaged when an Orange Hall in Co Donegal was destroyed by arsonists has been unveiled in the newly rebuilt property.

A ceremony to mark the opening of the refurbished Newtowncunningham Orange Hall has been held exactly four years on from the blaze that gutted the building.

The memorial tablet dedicated to Donegal Orangemen who died in the 1914-18 conflict was repaired as part of the restoration project. A Bible, which was found among the charred debris, has also been saved and reinstated in the new-look hall.

District Master of Newtowncunningham Orange Lodge Stewart McClean and Grand Master of the Orange Order Edward Stevenson pictured with the restored WW1 memorial (Orange Order/PA)

The project was supported by funding from the Irish Government

Brethren from Newtowncunningham True Blues LOL 1063 were joined at a dedication service by senior Orangemen.

Newtowncunningham Deputy Master, Stewart McClean, said he was delighted with the new building, and extended his thanks to the Dublin government.

The opening of our new hall is a tremendous accomplishment for all those associated with this substantial rebuild, and is a defining and historic moment for our lodge, he said.

The upgraded property has been built for use by the local community and will be utilised not only by the lodge and accordion band, but also a range of groups and organisations in the area. We are confident the hall will be a wonderful asset for east Donegal for generations to come.

A Bible that was found in the charred debris after the 2014 arson attack has been put on display again (Orange Order/PA)

The new hall is larger and better equipped than its predecessor. There are also plans to incorporate a small museum inside the facility.

Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson, officially opened the new building.

It is tremendous to see this community facility rise again from the ashes and fully restored to its former glory, he said.

Its renewed and improved presence is testament to the fortitude and resilience of the Protestant and Orange fraternity in the Donegal area.

The lodge has a proud military heritage, most notably during the Great War, and therefore it is particularly fitting that such a redevelopment occur in this, the centenary year of the Armistice.

The new hall will stand as not only a tribute to those former members, but also in its everyday operation will provide a lasting legacy for future generations.A sailor murdered his wife and deliberately sank their catamaran to inherit her estate and end their marital strife, prosecutors have alleged.

Lewis Bennett, of Poole, Dorset, was smuggling rare stolen coins when he was rescued alone off the coast of Cuba without Isabella Hellmann, the mother of his child.

Prosecutors in the US have for the first time extensively detailed what they believe to be Bennetts motives, after the FBI charged him with murder.

Lewis Bennett, a Briton whose wife mysteriously vanished as the newlyweds sailed off the Cuban coast (Broward Sheriffs Office/PA)

Court papers filed this week also revealed Ms Hellmanns family bugged her condo in Delray Beach, Florida, to listen to Bennetts conversations because they suspected him in her disappearance.

The newlyweds were sailing towards their US home in May last year when Bennett made an SOS call saying the 41-year-old former estate agent was missing and the vessel was sinking.

Prosecutor Benjamin Greenberg asked a Florida judge to admit into evidence conversations with loved ones where Ms Hellmann is said to have discussed rows over a mooted move to Australia, their dire finances and the raising of their daughter.

He argued they show the pair were consistently rowing, adding: With potentially one of the arguments ultimately resulting in the murder of Hellmann.

Hellmanns murder would remove the marital strife from the defendants life, allow the defendant to live his life as he pleased, and would enable him to inherit money from Hellmanns estate, all of which provide strong circumstantial proof that the defendant had a strong motive to murder Hellmann, he continued.

If Ms Hellmann is presumed dead  as Bennett, 41, has requested  he would inherit her condo and the contents of her bank account.

Prosecutors also alleged she may have discovered he was in possession of the gold and silver coins stolen from his former employer in St Maarten, which could have made her an accomplice in the smuggling crime.

This potentially led to an intense argument resulting in Hellmanns murder, Mr Greenberg wrote.

The FBI accused the British-Australian of intentionally scuttling the 37ft vessel and he is serving a seven-month jail term after admitting transporting the coins worth 38,480 dollars (29,450).

Ms Hellmanns body is yet to be found.

Bennett is due to go on trail accused of second degree murder in December.Actor Brian Cox has said the new V&A Dundee will put the city on the map for the first time as the 80.1 million museum officially opened to the public.

The Dundee native flew back from work in Spain to be one of the first through the doors and said it was a very emotional experience.

The first V&A museum anywhere in the world outside London, the building designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma on the banks of the River Tay is the centrepiece of an ongoing 1 billion regeneration of Dundees waterfront.

We've been waiting for this moment for a long time: our first visitors are in.



This is a very special day  pic.twitter.com/VX20ysVkPN  V&A Dundee (@VADundee) September 15, 2018

Mr Cox said: I think we all agree, those of us who are close to the city and who are close to what is going on here, its a very emotional experience.

Especially for me, Ive known the city for many years, I was born here, went to school here and had my first theatre roles here, so to return and see whats happening now  its transformed the city.

It will attract industry and it will attract tourists, its the beginning of hopefully a paradigm shift in Dundee and it will put Dundee on the map for the first time.

Its an amazing experience. Where its situated on the Tay and what Kengo Kuma has done in terms of design  I believe he has said it is his best work.

Mr Cox said he believed Dundee will come to be defined by the museum and having been involved with the project from an early stage, he promised to attend the opening.

Lorraine Kelly was among the first museum visitors (Andrew Milligan/PA)

High-school students were among the first of 3,000 members of the public welcomed into the building on Saturday, which is expect to attract 500,000 visitors a year.

Scott Regan, 17, of the citys St Pauls Academy, said: Its a real privilege being one of the first people in.

Theres so many people from other schools who couldve got the chance to be the first one to step in the V&A. Its really impressive. I cant believe its in Dundee.

He was joined by Shannon Balfour, 17, from Morgan Academy, Dundee, who said it was an amazing experience.

She spoke to Mr Kuma, whose design was chosen from more than 100 entries, and said he is a really great man.

The architecture is amazing and the building inside is just fantastic, she added.

The Scottish Design Galleries feature 300 exhibits drawn from the V&As collections of Scottish design, as well as from museums and private collections across the world.

V&A Dundee director Philip Long said there is a real sense of optimism at the opening.

He said: Its wonderful to see people coming into the museum and really bringing it alive.

A two-day festival to celebrate the opening, headlined by Primal Scream on Friday, is expected to attract up to 20,000 people.Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes that his upcoming visit to Germany will contribute positively to development of bilateral relations.

"We will discuss bilateral relations with Germany in all areas, including political, military, economic and trade," he said. "The fight against terrorism will also be one of the issues," Daily Sabah cited the Turkish president as saying. He added that Berlin, similar to Ankara, takes the fight against terrorism seriously.

"I hope that the visit to Germany after a long time will contribute positively to the period ahead. I am hopeful. I felt this also during phone talks, be it with the German president or be it with the chancellor," Erdogan stressed.

He also said that Turkey's Finance and Treasury Minister Berat Albayrak will also hold a meeting with his German counterpart and that meetings between the Turkish delegation and German companies will also be held as part of the agenda of the visit. Erdogan added that during the visit, activities of the PKK terrorist group and the Gulenist Terror Group (FETO) in Germany will also be discussed.

Turkish president's visit to Germany is expected to be held on September 27-29.Typhoon Mangkhut has lashed the northern Philippines, with powerful winds and rain setting off landslides and destroying homes.

The extreme weather left at least three people dead and six missing, as the storm made its way towards southern China.

The most powerful typhoon to hit the disaster-prone Philippines this year slammed ashore before dawn in Cagayan province on the north-eastern tip of Luzon island, a region of flood-prone rice plains and mountain provinces with a history of deadly landslides.

(PA Graphics)

China and the Philippines agreed to postpone a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that was to start on Sunday due to the onslaught, which caused nearly 150 flights, a third of them international, to be cancelled and halted sea travel.

At least three people died and six others were missing in the mountain city of Baguio after ferocious winds and rain destroyed several houses and set off landslides, which also blocked roads to the popular holiday destination, said the citys mayor, Mauricio Domogan.

Authorities were verifying the drownings of three people, including two children who reportedly died as the typhoon approached.

They were also checking to see what happened to about 70 men who reportedly returned to their coastal village in Cagayan to check on their homes as the typhoon drew closer on Friday, sparking concerns over possible storm surges.

Damage after Typhoon Mangkhut (Aaron Favila/AP)

Mangkhuts sustained winds weakened to 170 105 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 161 mph, after it struck north-westward across Luzon then blew out to the South China Sea, aiming at southern China and Hong Kong, where residents braced for the worst.

With the weather easing, officials warned there was lingering danger.

Its still a life and death situation, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, citing past drownings in swollen rivers in mountain provinces after storms have passed.

Storm warnings remained in 10 northern provinces, including Cagayan, which could still be lashed by devastating winds, forecasters said. Thousands of people in the typhoons path had been evacuated.Storm Florence has battered the eastern US coast with non-stop rain, surging seawater and howling winds.

Some towns have received more than two feet of rain from Florence, and forecasters warned that drenching rains totalling up to three-and-a-half feet of water could trigger epic flooding well inland through early next week.

At least four people have died, and authorities fear the toll will go higher as the tropical storm crawls westwards across South Carolina.

Tropical Storm Florence approaches the Isle of Palms, South Carolina (Mic Smith/AP)

North Carolina Gov Roy Cooper called Florence an uninvited brute that could wipe out entire communities as it grinds its way across land.

The fact is this storm is deadly and we know we are days away from an ending, Gov Cooper said.

"We have brave first responders who are out in the water right now rescuing people. We have had loss of life and we mourn that. I'll tell you, this storm is relentless and excruciating and very slow" North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on #Florence pic.twitter.com/QyiRLeqaEJ  Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) September 15, 2018

With tropical storm-force winds swirling 350 miles wide, Florence continued deluging the Carolinas on Saturday morning after pushing surging seas far ashore.

Rescue crews used boats to carry more than 360 people from rising water in the river town of New Bern, North Carolina, while many of their neighbours awaited help. Dozens more were pulled from a collapsed hotel.

Florence flattened trees, damaged buildings and crumpled roads. The storm knocked out power to nearly 930,000 homes and businesses, and the number could keep rising.

Storm surge already over taking the homes here on the barrier island. #hurricaneflorence #ncwx pic.twitter.com/XWlFmopp8W  Jeff Gammons (@StormVisuals) September 13, 2018

A mother and baby were killed when a tree fell on a house, according to a tweet from Wilmington police.

A 77-year-old man was apparently knocked down by the wind and died after going out to check on his hunting dogs, Lenoir County authorities said. The governors office said a man was electrocuted while trying to connect extension leads in the rain.

Storm surges  the bulge of ocean water pushed ashore by the hurricane  were as high as 10 feet.

Florence peaked at a terrifying Category 4 with top winds of 140 mph over warm ocean water before making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane at 7:15am at Wrightsville Beach, a few miles east of Wilmington and not far from the South Carolina line.

Morehead City, North Carolina, had received 23 inches of rain by Friday night, and forecasters warned on Saturday morning that parts of the Carolinas could get up to 15 inches more.John McDonnell has claimed the financial crises has left Britains economy dangerously unprepared for the fourth industrial revolution.

Speaking ahead of a protest calling for reform of the financial sector outside the Royal Exchange building in London, the shadow chancellor said the revenue generated by the city is being squandered.

He told the Press Association: Im worried that the City of London isnt listening and what we have is a system whereby the productive elements of the economy that are creating wealth is being diverted into property speculation and not addressing the real need and the fundamentals of our economy.

Were facing the fourth industrial revolution and weve got the lowest investment in robots in the G7, and were still not investing in the schools we need.

We need to harness the resources of the finance sector in this country to make sure its invested in long-term, patient, stable investment, and Im not seeing that happen.

He said among his biggest concerns for Britains future were household debt and the fact that wages are still below the level they were in 2010.

However, Mr McDonnell said he welcomed the news that Mark Carney will be remaining in post until the end of January 2020.

He said: I have a good working relationship with Mark Carney, Im glad hes remaining, it will give us the stability and it will enable us then when we go into a government we can work with a banker we have confidence in.

SNP MP Kirsty Blackman addresses the protesters (Jonathan Brady/PA)

He denied that calling for greater regulation sends the message that Labour wants to punish the city for the financial crisis, saying: I think demonstrations like this are sending out the message that what we need is reform in the financial sector and that will provide us with the long-term stability that we need. Unless we address these issues, we are simply storing up problems for the future.

Mr McDonnell said that the possibility of quitting the EU would be disastrous for the economy and that a Labour governments number one priority would be securing a deal.

He said: Consistently now, weve been meeting with business leaders, trade union leaders, representatives from the city, asset managers and bankers, I met with representatives from Goldman Sachs last week, all the messages are the same  Get a deal that protects jobs and the economy, and if they cant, the message is move aside. Well do the negotiations.

In his speech, he renewed Labours 2017 election pledge for a transaction tax between financial institutions and the establishment of strategic investment pot for banks and business leaders to work with government to generate wealth.

Protesters lead the calls for financial reform (Jonathan Brady/PA)

He added that Labour would crack down on legal tax avoidance, saying: In the last general election people accused me of having a magic money tree.

Well, Ive found it  its in the Cayman Islands. Were going to dig it up and bring it here.

He continued: [To banks] the message is this  you will get a decent rate of return but we are not going to be ripped off any more  ripped off by speculation, privatisation, job cuts and exploitation of workers.

The event was organised by pressure group Change Finance and Positive Money, and among the speakers were Zita Holbourne, of civil rights group Barac UK, and Green MEP Molly Scott Cato.

Also among the speakers was SNP MP Kirsty Blackman, who boasted of her partys reforms to welfare, taxation and social housing.

She said: In Scotland, if you look at whats happening, even with one arm behinds its back  because the Scottish Government doesnt have all the power  you can see what a government on the left can actually do.Typhoon Mangkhut has lashed the northern Philippines with destructive winds and heavy rain that set off landslides and destroyed homes on Saturday, leaving at least 12 people dead.

The most ferocious typhoon to hit the disaster-prone Philippines this year slammed ashore before dawn in Cagayan province on the north-eastern tip of Luzon island.

China and the Philippines agreed to postpone a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that was to start on Sunday due to the onslaught, which caused nearly 150 flights  a third of them international  to be cancelled and halted sea travel.

Presidential adviser Francis Tolentino said the 12 died mostly in landslides and houses that got pummelled by the storms fierce winds and rain.

Among the dead were an infant and a two-year-old child who died with their parents after the couple refused to immediately evacuate from their high-risk community in a mountain town in Nueva Vizcaya province, Mr Tolentino said.

A family shares a meal inside a temporary evacuation centre in Tuguegarao city (Aaron Favila/AP)

President Rodrigo Duterte has assigned Mr Tolentino to help co-ordinate disaster response. Mr Tolentino said at least two other people were missing and that the death toll could climb to at least 16 once other casualty reports were verified.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said at least three people died and six others were missing in the mountain city of Baguio after strong winds and rain destroyed several houses and set off landslides, which also blocked roads to the popular vacation destination.

Authorities were verifying the drownings of three people, including two children who reportedly died as the typhoon approached.

About 70 men reportedly returned to their coastal village in Cagayan to check on their homes as the typhoon drew closer Friday, but Mr Tolentino said he had received no report of the men figuring in an accident.

Mangkhuts sustained winds weakened to 105mph, with gusts of up to 160mph, after it sliced north-west across Luzon before blowing out to the South China Sea, aiming at Hong Kong and elsewhere in southern China.

About 87,000 people evacuated from high-risk areas of the Philippines. Mr Tolentino and other officials advised them not to return home until the danger had passed.

A man uses a water container to shield him from rain in Tuguegarao city (Aaron Favila/AP)

Its still a life-and-death situation, defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, citing past drownings in swollen rivers in mountain provinces after storms had passed.

Storm warnings remained in effect in 10 northern provinces, including Cagayan, which could still be lashed by devastating winds, forecasters said. Thousands of people in the typhoons path had been evacuated.

At daybreak in Cagayans capital, Tuguegarao, Associated Press journalists saw a severely damaged public market, its roof ripped apart and wooden stalls and tarpaulin canopies in disarray. Outside a popular shopping centre, debris was scattered everywhere and government workers cleared roads of fallen trees.

Many stores and houses were damaged but most residents remained indoors as occasional gusts sent small pieces of tin sheets and other debris flying dangerously.

The Tuguegarao airport terminal was badly damaged, its roof and glass windows shattered by strong winds that also sent chairs, tables and papers flipping about inside, Mr Lorenzana said.

A government damage assessment was under way except in areas still being battered by winds and rain. Two air force C-130 cargo planes and 10 helicopters were on standby in the capital Manila to help transport rescuers and aid supplies.

More than five million people were at risk from the storm, which the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Centre downgraded from a super typhoon. Mangkhut, however, was still punching powerful winds and gusts equivalent to a Category 4 Atlantic hurricane.Campaigners have called on Nicola Sturgeon to announce plans next month for a second independence referendum.

Several hundred people, many waving saltires, attended the This Time Its Yes rally at George Square organised by Hope Over Fear, compered by former MSP Tommy Sheridan.

The politician, who was jailed for perjury in 2011, told the crowd he wanted the First Minister to use her mandate for a second independence referendum.

Tommy Sheridan urged Nicola Sturgeon to announce plans for a second independence referendum (Andrew Milligan/PA)

In 2016 the Scottish Parliament elections were held and the SNP were quite clear, they sought a mandate for Indyref2 and they won it, he said.

The Scottish Parliament voted to hold Indyref2 in September 2018 or March 2019.

He added: We can go in March next year. Please Nicola, sound the bell. Fire the starting pistol.

Please Nicola Sturgeon, youve done a good job so far, put yourself at the head of this campaign  and on the 7th of October in Glasgows SECC please stand up and ignite the passion across Scotland by announcing loud and clear were going to use the mandate.

Other speakers at the event included Western Isles SNP MP Angus MacNeil and former Scottish cabinet minister Alex Neil.

Mr Neil said: The time has come for us to go out and evangelise how much better life would be if we make our parliament an independent parliament.

He said a very minimum of 55% of independence supporters was needed to ensure winning the second referendum.

I pledge myself, and I hope everyone here pledges themselves, to do everything we need to do in the next month and the next few years, to get Indyref2 and to win Indyref2.

Campaigners had planned to show the film Braveheart at the start of the rally but the screening did not go ahead.

Independence campaign group Saor Alba organised a march to the event and the groups George Kempik said the turnout at the rally had been disapointing, but vowed they would continue.

He said: I have children and grandchildren, and for me this is about them. Ive been fighting for independence since the original referendum for devolution in Scotland in 1979 and nothing Ive seen then has ever changed my mind.

The rallies are just a reminder to everybody. Theyve got to keep happening.

Charles Archibald, 42, from Stirling, attended the rally with his family to show his support for the independence movement.

He said: Its not going to go away, its never going to go away.Sir Vince Cable has faced tough questions from Lib Dem activists over proposals to allow non-MPs to stand for the partys leadership.

The Lib Dem leader was grilled for more than 30 minutes over moves to open up the party and make it easier for non-members to have a say.

Sir Vince was warned by one activist that it is a sign the Lib Dems are taking a step back from being a top flight political party.

Another, speaking at a private meeting on the fringes of the party conference in Brighton, said: We have a tough time already telling people who our leader is now, if we had two leaders, a Westminster leader and a party leader outside, I am concerned that we arent going to effectively be able to communicate with people.

Sir Vince and his wife Rachel Smith arriving in Brighton for the party conference (Gareth Fuller/PA)

But one delegate drew applause for suggesting the party should get a management consultant type of person with a huge personality who connects with the party to lead.

The meeting was billed as a listening exercise for the Lib Dem leadership team to take on board the concerns of members about proposals to open up the party.

In literature circulated at the meeting, seen by the Press Association, the motivation for opening up the leadership was stated as our current parliamentary system is severely damaged, if not broken, and a forward-looking party has to look outside as well as inside.

Speaking after the meeting, Sir Vince insisted he had not been given a dressing down by delegates, telling the Press Association: Not at all, it was actually much, much more positive than it could have been.

I think the balance was very much in favour. The overall sense of the meeting was enthusiastic, and we had strong support from Paddy Ashdown.

Pressed on whether he would drop the idea of a non-MP party leader, Sir Vince said: No, not at all. As far as I could see, a lot of people were keen on the idea. Its not something were pushing, we just want to keep the option open.

We want to widen the talent pool.

Responding to concerns at the meeting, Sir Vince had said: Were mixing things up here, theres a difference between having traditional parliamentary skills which are important and the kind of political skills which enable you to communicate with millions of people.

Im not suggesting for a moment that we switch whenever I step down, whenever it is, to somebody who isnt an MP, but why should we ban it, exclude it for all time and in all places? At least open the minds to the possibility.

Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown came to Sir Vinces defence at the meeting and told activists to go in this direction.

He said: It is up to you to decide how far you take this and in what direction, but I do want to say to you that when Vince advises that I think we should go in this direction, I believe he is right.

I think there is risk, of course there is, but I think there is much more risk in staying as we are.

A consultation on the proposed changes will run until October 14.

Sir Vince listens to speeches at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Later at a party rally, Sir Vince branded US President Donald Trump a racist and was scathing about Prime Minister Theresa May.

He said: We have got Trump in America who is trying to normalise racism, and declaring economic war even on friendly countries.

Sir Vince said the Tories could be plunged into a leadership battle within weeks, or the PM could survive.

We may be stuck with Theresa May continuing with her distinctive style  authoritarian without authority, he added.Pope Francis has appealed to the mafia to renounce their quests for power and money.

Francis was visiting Sicily to honour a priest killed by mob henchmen for trying to protect youths from the clutches of organised crime.

The day-long trip by Francis to the Mediterranean island where the Cosa Nostra is rooted marked the 25th anniversary of the assassination of the Reverend Giuseppe Pino Puglisi.

Only by giving our life do we conquer evil. This is what Don Pino Puglisi teaches: he lived to spread goodness.  Pope Francis (@Pontifex) September 15, 2018

Puglisi was declared a martyr by the Vatican and beatified in 2013, the last formal step before possible sainthood.

Francis paid tribute to the priest, who worked to keep unemployed youths in a poor neighbourhood of Palermo from turning to local Mafia bosses for jobs like pushing drugs.

The papal pilgrimage came amid revelations about priests and bishops who sexually abused children or connived to protect the abusers in various nations.

Tens of thousands of people cheered Francis at an open air Mass held in the late morning at an esplanade along the port citys waterfront.

A large banner carried by young people in the crowd as Francis was driven by in his white popemobile read Lets renew the church.

Pope Francis is driven through the crowd as a large banner reading `Lets renew the church is visible (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pressure is building on Francis to say what he knew about the sexual misconduct of US prelate Theodore McCarrick, who was recently stripped of his cardinals rank by the pope.

Francis drew applause as he told the crowd: If the Mafioso litany is, you dont know who I am, the Christian one is I need you. If the Mafia threat is you will pay me, the Christian prayer is Lord, help me to love.'

Thus I say to the Mafiosi: change, brothers and sisters. Quit thinking about yourselves and your money, Francis continued in his homily.

You know, a funeral shroud doesnt have pockets. You cant take it with you, Francis said of organised crimes ill-gained wealth from drug and arms trafficking, extortion and betting and prostitution rackets.

You give life to others, not take it away. You cant believe in God and hate your brother, take away life with hatred, Francis said.The death of a man whose body was found in a street is being treated as unexplained.

The body of the 42-year-old was discovered in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, in the early hours of Friday.

Police Scotland said they were alerted to the discovery in Medlar Road at around 5.35am that day.

Police are probing a death in Cumbernauld (David Cheskin/PA)

A post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish the cause of death.

A force spokeswoman said: Enquiries are ongoing and the death is being treated as unexplained.A man sustained critical injuries when he was shot in the stomach in north Belfast.

The victim, aged in his 20s, was shot during disturbances in the New Lodge area in the early hours of Saturday.

He also sustained injuries to his face.

The incident occurred in the New Lodge area of north Belfast (PA)

Police said the man was taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition.

Appeal for witnesses after reports a shot was fired in the New Lodge road area of north Belfast around 1.30am today. A man who sustained a gun-shot wound and had facial injuries was taken to hospital for treatment. Anyone with information should contact detectives on 101.  Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) September 15, 2018

Officers have appealed for witnesses to the incident, which occurred at about 1.30am, to come forward.

Councillor JJ Magee condemned the violence.

The people of the New Lodge are concerned that trouble has spilled over into the streets and caused disturbance to local businesses and homes, said the Sinn Fein representative.

There can be no place for guns on our streets.

Details of that attack are still emerging, but I wish the man injured a speedy recovery and clearly this incident could have had even more disastrous consequences.Ministers who campaigned to remain in the EU have been urged to break cover and publicly back a second referendum on Britains membership.

Lib Dem former minister Tom Brake used his party conference speech to blast Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg while calling on remainer Tories to take action.

Mr Brake, who is the partys Brexit spokesman, also told activists how cash earmarked for exit preparations could be used to regenerate towns and cities.

Tom Brake took aim at Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg

"Boris Johnson is a man of many words but no Brexit plan. A man of all mouth and no trousers." @thomasbrake  Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) September 15, 2018

"For Boris there has only been one agenda. The one that puts the blonde bombshell into Number 10" @thomasbrake  Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) September 15, 2018

"Jacob Rees-Mogg's Brexit vision of borders and security checks  chimes with his social vision  taking Britain back to the 1920s." @thomasbrake #LDConf  Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) September 15, 2018

He said: My vision of a better Britain is one that will be delivered by using the real Brexit dividend, the financial dividend liberated by cancelling Brexit, freeing up cash to boost skills, training, education, infrastructure, housing, productivity.

If we secure a final say on the deal, and if the country backs remaining in the EU, we must pledge to use every penny of taxpayers hard earned money, such as the 3 billion earmarked for Brexit, to regenerate the towns, cities and communities in the greatest need.

The money the Government are going to squander on more customs and border officers, building unnecessary infrastructure, duplicating badly the work of European agencies, will instead be used productively investing from Blackpool to Belfast East, Birkenhead to Boston, Banff and Buchan to Bridgend.

Mr Brake, who was mistakenly introduced on stage as the spokesperson for exiting the MP, added: Time is running out for Tory ministers who discretely share their concerns with fellow remainers in other parties, whilst publicly endorsing the Government line.

You have to break cover too, abandon the ministerial limo, hand back your red box.

Put the countrys interests first, as you did two years ago in the EU referendum campaign.Ankara is ready to take joint steps with Moscow against terrorists in Syria's Idlib, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

He said that the most important issue of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 17 will be Idlib.

"Lets all take steps against terror groups among rebels. But one should not be in a position to bomb there on pretext," Hurriyet Daily cited Erdogan as saying.

"We will discuss bilateral issues and particularly the issue of Syria," the Turkish president said, elaborating on a bilateral meeting with Putin in Russia's Sochi.

The Turkish leader said he would discuss the issue of Idlib both on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York and during his visit to Germany.The Foreign Office has been accused of providing very little help to a former British soldier handed a jail sentence in Turkey after fighting Islamic State.

Joe Robinson, 25, was arrested on holiday and accused of fighting the terror group alongside the Peoples Protection Units of Syrian Kurdistan (YPG), which the Turkish state is hostile towards.

Robinson, formerly of Accrington, Lancashire, was left broken by the sentence of seven years and six months in prison, but he reportedly remains on bail there while planning an appeal.

Ex-British soldier Joe Robinson, 25, has been handed a prison sentence in Turkey (PA)

His Bulgarian fiancee Mira Rojkan was also arrested last year, and she has criticised the UK Government for not providing as much support as her ministers have done for her.

Unfortunately for Joe there was very little help from the Foreign Office, Rojkan, who had been studying law in Leeds, told the BBC.

They are interested in the case and are following it, but didnt send any representatives and didnt help nearly as much as the Bulgarian foreign ministry.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said officials are ready to provide Robinson with further assistance, adding: We have been following this case very closely and have raised it with the Turkish authorities.

Robinson has previously admitted fighting IS but went on to deny he acted alongside the Kurdish militia, considered by Turkey as a terror organisation because of its links to the Kurdistan Workers Party which is fighting for autonomy for the region.

The YPG is not a banned group in the UK and Robinson instead insisted he travelled to Syria to provide medical aid.

Rojkan, who is said by Robinsons mother to have been given a suspended sentence for allegedly engaging in terrorist propaganda, said his sentence is not justifiable and is based solely on a political agenda after he criticised the Turkish government on Facebook.

He was very shocked by the news, she told the BBC. Hes very desperate to come home, hes broken. Hes tired and he just wishes to come home as soon as possible.

The Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign praised Robinson for selflessly battling IS, but a statement also struck out at the utterly shameful British Government who washed their hands of Joe.

It said: This is part of a wider policy of UK Government acquiescence to the Turkish regime, one of the worlds worst human rights abusers, in favour of arms sales.

Joe is a hero to all who value peace and freedom against the dark forces of oppression, enslavement, rape and terrorism which IS represent.Simon Yates is set to complete a British grand slam of Grand Tours after extending his lead on the penultimate stage of La Vuelta in Andorra on Saturday.

Yates will join Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas in conquering the sports biggest races in 2018 after he completes Sundays largely processional final stage into Madrid.

Chapeau, Simon!



Yates crosses the line and he has done it! #LaVuelta pic.twitter.com/UrcLropW9b  Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) September 15, 2018

The Bury star made his decisive move with 17km remaining in the stage, breaking the resolve of his nearest challenger Alejandro Valverde and effectively confirming his ascent to the title.

Simon Yates is within touching distance of La Vuelta title (Alvaro Barrientos/AP)

Yates eventually settled for third place in the stage, 23 seconds behind young Spaniard Enric Mas (Quick-Step Floors) who pipped Astanas Miguel Angel Lopez in a sprint finish to move up to second place general classification, one minute and 46 seconds adrift.

The moment @SimonYatess attacked and after coming third across the line, sealed an overall win at the #LaVuelta18? #YatesHeCan 3 Grand Tours, 3 British Winners, 1 stage to go...  https://t.co/pcOJ6MRCsa  British Cycling (@BritishCycling) September 15, 2018

It was a different story for Valverde, however, with the Spaniard clearly struggling up the final climb and ultimately dropping from second to fifth in the overall standings, four minutes and 28 seconds behind.

Valverde had failed to follow Yates when the Briton attacked with 17km remaining, taking Mas with him as they sought to reel in the leading pair of Lopez and Nairo Quintana.

Lopez and Mas ultimately went clear to contest the stage with Yates happy to remain in second place, as Quintana dropped back in a futile attempt to drag his Movistar team-mate Valverde back into the reckoning.Ten people have been rescued following a series of police raids by officers investigating alleged human trafficking.

Police searched eight addresses  seven in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh  on Friday as part of an intelligence-led operation.

Two people, a man aged 29 and a 30-year-old woman, were arrested in connection with the operation.

Two people have been arrested amid raids into alleged human trafficking (David Cheskin/PA)

The Glasgow properties searched were in London Road, Holm Street, Duke Street, Bridge Street and Maukinfauld Road, and two premises in Onslow Drive.

The raid in Edinburgh was at Lochview Court, in the Dumbiedykes area.

Police Scotland said inquiries are ongoing.

Detective Chief Inspector Rory Hamilton, of the forces national human trafficking unit, said it is important for people to be aware that trafficking exists in their communities.

We need the public to be aware of this often-hidden criminality and to report to us if they think someone may be involved in, or be the victim of, trafficking or exploitation, he said.US President Donald Trump has issued a disaster declaration for North Carolina as officials warn the state could experience its most severe flooding ever.

The death toll from the hurricane-turned-tropical storm has climbed to at least five.

A day after Florence blew ashore in North Carolina with 90 mph winds, more than 2ft of rain had fallen in places, with forecasters saying there could be an additional one-and-a-half feet by the end of the weekend.

Rivers and creeks rose towards historic levels, threatening flash flooding that could devastate communities and endanger dams, roads and bridges.

I cannot overstate it: Floodwaters are rising, and if you arent watching for them you are risking your life, the states governor Roy Cooper said.

Rescuers search for people stranded by floodwaters (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

In its initial onslaught along the coast, Florence buckled buildings, deluged entire communities and knocked out power to more than 870,000 homes and businesses.

But the storm was shaping up as a two-part disaster, with the second stage consisting of inland flooding, caused by rainwater working its way into rivers and streams.

The dead included a mother and baby killed when a tree fell on a house in Wilmington, North Carolina. South Carolina recorded its first death from the storm when officials said a 61-year-old woman was killed when her vehicle hit a tree that had fallen across a highway.

Officials in North Carolinas Harnett County, about 90 miles inland, urged residents of about 1,100 homes to evacuate because the Lower Little River was rising toward record levels.

Houses are surrounded by water from Florence (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

In New Bern, along the coast, aerial photos show homes completely surrounded by water, with rescuers using inflatable boats to reach people. More than 360 people have been carried to safety since Thursday night amid rising waters.

With the eye of Florence stalled near the coast, the half of the storm still out over the Atlantic continued to collect warm ocean water and dump it on land.Four people have been killed and nine wounded in a shooting at the Garibaldi Plaza in Mexico.

Mexico Citys prosecutors office said at least one foreigner was among those injured.

Garibaldi Plaza is a popular spot for tourists and is filled with bars, restaurants and mariachi musicians who serenade tourists. Many head to the square for Independence Day celebrations on the eve of September 16.

Local media reports claimed the gunmen were dressed as mariachi musicians (AP Photo/Stringer)

Local media reported late on Friday that assailants were dressed in the traditional mariachi costumes of short embroidered jackets and pants.

Videos circulating on social media showed musicians playing music during and after the shooting.Simon Yates said it is finally sinking in that he is set to complete a British grand slam of Grand Tours in 2018 after extending his lead in the penultimate stage of La Vuelta.

The Bury racer finished third in Andorra on Saturday, and heads into Sundays largely processional final stage into Madrid with a one minute and 46 seconds advantage over the 20th stage winner, Enric Mas.

When it is completed, the Mitchelton-Scott rider will join Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas in a British threesome holding all three of the sports major tour titles at the same time, with Thomas having added the Tour de France to Froomes Giro dItalia.

Simon Yates is within touching distance of La Vuelta title (Alvaro Barrientos/AP)

Chapeau, Simon!



Yates crosses the line and he has done it! #LaVuelta pic.twitter.com/UrcLropW9b  Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) September 15, 2018

Yates told his teams official website: Finally. I think its still sinking in. Im incredibly proud, of the team also. They have carried me through this entire three weeks. Its the first Grand Tour for the team and its just unbelievable.

On the last climb I was OK. I was really at my limit and. I just tried to ride to my own rhythm and thankfully it was enough.

I feel much better now that we have finished. It was a really crazy day. I have got to thank my team because everybody really stepped up, even the big guys who you didnt expect to be there on the climbs.

The moment @SimonYatess attacked and after coming third across the line, sealed an overall win at the #LaVuelta18? #YatesHeCan 3 Grand Tours, 3 British Winners, 1 stage to go...  https://t.co/pcOJ6MRCsa  British Cycling (@BritishCycling) September 15, 2018

The decisive move which all but won Yates the title occurred 17km from the finish, when he launched a break to reel in the leading pair of Mas and Nairo Quintana.

Yates nearest rival Ernesto Valverde, who started the day one minute and 28 seconds adrift, could not match the Briton and fell away, eventually finishing three minutes behind his rival and down in fifth place overall.

As Quintana dropped back in a vain bid to coax something more from his ailing Movistar rival, Mas and Lopez went clear to contest the stage in a sprint finish, with Yates happy to remain alone in third.

Yates would eventually finish 23 seconds behind the top two, with Mas (Quick-Step Floors) just edging his Astana rival on the line.

His win helped lift Mas to second place in the standings  but not close enough to challenge Yates.Labour will vote down any attempts to force the country into a blind Brexit, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The shadow Brexit secretary has warned government counterpart Dominic Raab the Opposition will reject any vague plans put before Parliament.

It comes as Labours London mayor heaped pressure on Jeremy Corbyn by calling for a fresh referendum.

Sadiq Khan said voters should have the final say on what happens next.

In an article for the Observer, he said the UK faces either a bad deal or no deal.

They are both incredibly risky and I dont believe Theresa May has the mandate to gamble so flagrantly with the British economy and peoples livelihoods, he wrote.

Mr Khan said voters now need to be given a new referendum.

This means a public vote on any Brexit deal obtained by the Government, or a vote on a no-deal Brexit if one is not secured, alongside the option of staying in the EU, he wrote.

Mr Corbyn will face intense pressure at Labours autumn conference later this month to back a fresh Brexit poll.

Mrs May, meanwhile, is facing strong opposition to her Chequers blueprint for leaving the EU from hardline Tory Brexiteers.

Theresa May is coming under pressure from hardline Brexiteers in her party (Matt Dunham/PA)

Without support from at least some opposition MPs, the Government is likely to struggle to get any agreement through Parliament.

A loosely-worded deal could be struck that would be able to be sold to all sides.

Sir Keir, however, said the Government must meet its key Brexit tests, which include delivering the exact same benefits as the UK currently has as members of the single market and customs union, to win support from Labour.

In a letter to Mr Raab published by The Sunday Times, he added: But, let me be equally clear: a vague political declaration would not meet those tests. Labour will not  and cannot  vote for a blind Brexit.Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has ruled out ever taking on the partys top job for the sake of her mental health and relationship.

The 39-year-old, who is pregnant with her first child, told how she had self-harmed and had suicidal thoughts when she was younger.

Ms Davidsons personal popularity and electoral success has seen her frequently tipped as a future leader of the UK party.

Ruth Davidson has ruled herself out of ever becoming Conservative leader (Yui Mok/PA)

Tomorrow's front page: Ruth Davidson: I never want to be PM #TomorrowsPaperToday pic.twitter.com/YeJzoUvMAk  The Sunday Times (@thesundaytimes) September 15, 2018

But she explicitly ruled out such a move and dismissed claims she could take a peerage or move south and become an MP as bollocks.

Asked if she would ever run, Ms Davidson told The Sunday Times: No. I value my relationship and my mental health too much for it. I will not be a candidate.

She added: On a human level, the idea that I would have a child in Edinburgh and then immediately go down to London four days a week and leave it up here is offensive, actually offensive to me.

In extracts from Ms Davidsons memoirs, printed by the newspaper, she tells how the suicide of a boy from her home village when she was 17 sent her into a tailspin.

A year later she was diagnosed with clinical depression but the medication gave her desperate, dark, terrible dreams.

I started having suicidal thoughts, she wrote.

Ms Davidson said she is still frightened of going back to the psychological place I once inhabited.

She said she turns to structure, exercise, forward momentum, measurable outcomes when she is feeling anxious.Four people have been killed and nine injured after a shooting in Mexicos Garibaldi Plaza.

Mexicans heading into Independence Day celebrations were shocked by the shooting at the capitals iconic square where mariachi musicians serenade tourists.

The Mexico City prosecutors office said at least one foreigner was among those wounded in Friday nights attack, which local media said was staged by gunmen dressed as mariachi musicians.

Local media reports claimed the gunmen were dressed as mariachi musicians (AP Photo/Stringer)

Mexican news outlet La Silla Rota circulated surveillance video of the alleged assailants wearing traditional embroidered jackets and trousers as they fled on motorcycles.

Many Mexicans wear mariachi costumes on Saturday evening to commemorate the launch of the revolt against Spanish rule on September 16, 1810.

Lisa Sanchez, director of Mexicans United Against Delinquency, described the shooting as a piercing portrait of Mexico.

She said the fact that the shooting happened in a crowded public square demonstrates that impunity prevails in the country.

On Saturday night, President Enrique Pena Nieto is set to shout Viva Mexico  or Long Live Mexico  shortly before midnight from a balcony of the National Palace.

Thousands crowd into Mexico Citys central Zocalo square every year to hear the shout, and the celebration usually spills into Garibaldi Plaza.

Videos circulating on social media showed musicians in the plaza playing their music around the time of the shooting.

In one video, a man plucking a large harp continues to belt out the Mexican civil war anthem La Cucaracha as dozens of gunshots can be heard in the background, though it is not clear the musicians heard them.

In another, brass instruments and melancholic voices fill the air as the flashing lights of police vehicles descend on the plaza.North Carolina is bracing itself for widespread, catastrophic inland flooding caused by tropical storm Florence.

The death toll from the former hurricane has climbed to 11.

With rivers rising towards record levels, thousands of people were ordered to evacuate for fear the next few days could bring the most destructive round of flooding in North Carolina history.

Rescuers have been going from house to house checking for flood victims (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

More than 2ft of rain had fallen in places, and forecasters are saying there could be an additional one-and-a-half feet by the end of the weekend.

I cannot overstate it: Floodwaters are rising, and if you arent watching for them, you are risking your life, governor Roy Cooper said.

As of 5pm local time, Florence was centred about 60 miles west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, inching west at 2mph  not even as fast as a person walking.

Think about this for a moment. The average walking speed is about 3.1mph. #Florence is moving approximately 2mph. As a result of the slow movement, Florence is producing heavy rain and flash floods. Turn Around Dont Drown! #TADD https://t.co/KiHHnhMM4r pic.twitter.com/SgiRcrg0rq  National Weather Service (@NWS) September 15, 2018

Its winds were down to 45 mph. With half of the storm still out over the Atlantic, Florence continued to collect warm ocean water and dump it on land.

In its initial onslaught along the coast, Florence buckled buildings, deluged entire communities and knocked out power to more than 900,000 homes and businesses.

But the storm was shaping up as a two-part disaster, with the second, delayed stage triggered by rainwater working its way into rivers and streams.

The flash flooding could devastate communities and endanger dams, roads and bridges.

#NWS Morehead City Team out for its first storm survey for #Florence. We are measuring evidence of storm surge from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, at Bogue Sound, right at the end of the Atlantic Beach Bridge. #ScienceIsCool #NCwx pic.twitter.com/VO8qYt7dbc  NWS Newport/Morehead (@NWSMoreheadCity) September 15, 2018

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

Officials in nearby Harnett County urged residents of about 1,100 homes to clear out because the Lower Little River was rising towards record levels.

Houses are surrounded by water from Florence (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

The dead included a mother and baby killed when a tree fell on a house in Wilmington, North Carolina. South Carolina recorded its first death from the storm, with officials saying a 61-year-old woman was killed when her car hit a tree that had fallen across a highway.

Three died in one inland county, Duplin, because of water on roads and flash floods, the sheriffs office said. A husband and wife died in a house fire linked to the storm, officials said, and an 81-year-old man died after falling and hitting his head while packing to evacuate.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17)  The House of Representatives on Monday suspended its scheduled plenary debates on the proposed 3.757-trillion 2019 national budget, following disagreements on alleged questionable insertions.

A source with knowledge of the developments said Appropriations Committee Chairperson Karlo Nograles and Majority Leader Rolando "Nonoy" Andaya presented two different committee reports on the General Appropriations Bill during a meeting prior to the slated budget proceedings.

The source said Andaya pointed out the supposed 55-billion insertions in the budget proposal, with the money allocated to the congressional district of 30 to 40 lawmakers favored by former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

The lawmaker said each congressman in the list got about 1 billion to 4 billion for their districts.

Another source, who also refused to be identified, confirmed the same information.

He said Andaya asked Nograles to re-align the funds because Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wants them evenly distributed to all congressmen, especially since some House members received zero budget last year.

The source explained some congressmen questioned the insertions because some of the projects cannot be implemented.

But Nograles refused to re-align the budget, saying Malacanang told him not to do so, the source added.

This resulted in a shouting match between the two House leaders.

It came to a point that the discussion veered towards questioning Nograles' chairmanship.

For his part, Nograles denied that there are insertions in the budget.

Meanwhile, Camarines Sur Representative Luis Ray Villafuerte confirmed Andaya shouted at him and Nograles during the caucus.

"Sinigawan niya ko, minura nya ko, at naghamon sya (He shouted at me, swore at me and challenged me)... He was bullying me, bullying Karlo Nograles saying all these things marami pa syang sinabi na (he said more things that are) bellow the belt tapos hinamon nya ko ng suntukan (then, challenged me to fight). Lumalabas masama po ugali ni Andaya (It's turning out that Andaya has a bad attitude)," Villafuerte said.

Andaya denied the alleged 55-billion insertions and maintained that Nograles is still the chairperson of the committee.

"'Yung nangyari kanina, usapang lalaki yun (What happened earlier was a man-to-man talk). Di naman ako (I'm not) kiss and tell.. wala kaming tinatakot, binu-bully (we don't scare or bully anyone)," Andaya said.

He said the budget plenary debate will start Tuesday morning.More and more countries in Asia and Europe are seeking an alternative to the US dollar, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The spokesman noted that Washington has been undermining trust in what has been the world's main reserve currency over years.

"All of a sudden, the country, which issues the US dollar, starts making steps which are shattering trust in this reserve currency. More and more countries, not only in the East but also in Europe, start mulling ways to minimize their dependence on the US dollar. They suddenly realize: A. it is possible, B. it should be done, and C. save yourself if you can, it should be done as soon as possible," Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary stressed.

Peskov, however, noted that "it is not so easy to replace the system" with a new one, adding that the trend of searching for an alternative to the US dollar was evident.

The idea of a gradual switch to the use of national currencies in bilateral transactions has recently gained momentum in a number of countries in the light of US restrictions against Russia and Iran and subsequent secondary sanctions, Sputnik reported.Scrapping controversial tests for primary one pupils would be deeply irresponsible, Education Secretary John Swinney has said.

He accused opposition politicians, who have been calling for the standardised national assessments to be axed, of being ill-informed and hypocritical in much of their criticism.

The EIS teaching union also wants the tests to be scrapped after some teachers reported the assessments had left some children in tears.

John Swinney has defended controversial testing of primary one pupils (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA)

The Scottish Parliament will vote on the issue on Wednesday and opposition MSPs are expected to defeat the Government, but this would not be legally binding.

We will be bringing forward a debate next week calling for mandatory testing of primary 1 schools pupils to end.



This is a chance for opposition parties to come together to end the SNPs system of P1 tests. pic.twitter.com/w5QAw22nxC  Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) September 13, 2018

Ahead of the vote, Mr Swinney issued his latest defence of the tests, urging MSPs to have a fact-based debate, criticising opposition claims and warning them to avoid putting party politics above childrens education.

I am perfectly happy to have a debate on the merits of standardised assessments which is based on fact, but frankly many of the criticisms from opposition politicians have ranged from ill-informed to hypocritical, he said.

Some opposition politicians are now proposing to scrap P1 assessments.

To do this would be deeply irresponsible, and parents would quite rightly never forgive any politician who puts party politics ahead of the educational interests of their children.

Mr Swinney said all but three of Scotlands 32 local authorities had P1 assessments prior to the national introduction, including councils run by Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives.

For those same parties to suddenly claim that there is an issue with P1 assessments when an SNP Government adopts the policy nationally reeks of political opportunism of the worst order, he added.

While the Scottish Government will happily listen to any constructive suggestions and continue to monitor the implementation of the policy, MSPs from all parties this week should get behind standardised assessments to ensure that teachers have access to the best possible information about the pupils they teach.

Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: The facts are that the Government has tried to say that these tests are an integral part of teaching to assess strengths and weaknesses of individual pupils, and that they also provide comparative data school to school.

They cannot do both, and the Governments own statisticians have told them so.

The facts are that teachers themselves have found them to be a waste of their time, and the time of their pupils.

It is the SNP who are putting the politics of saving face above the interests of our children.

Green education spokesman Ross Greer also accused the SNP of putting party politics ahead of education and claimed they are ignoring evidence on the tests.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said Mr Swinney is refusing to listen after teachers, campaigners and EIS Scotland branded the tests a waste of effort and urged him to change course.

Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman, said current evidence suggests major issues with the tests.There is no negotiation on prioritising student mental health, the universities minister has told vice chancellors across England.

In a letter to university heads, Sam Gyimah has called for greater leadership from the top to help make the issue a key focus.

Writing to them as Freshers Week gets under way, the minister said he was asking for their support in one of the immediate challenges faced by the country and sector.

I want to protect this hugely positive experience for all those starting their new, exciting chapter, he said.

Adding: With the new academic year upon us, Im sure you would agree that good mental health and wellbeing underpins successful participation and attainment.

Collectively, we must prioritise the wellbeing and mental health of our students  there is no negotiation on this.

To make this happen, leadership from the top is essential.

Thanking the institution heads for their role in helping educate the next generation, Mr Gyimah also said a system-wide approach to addressing student mental health and wellbeing was critical.

He said that while the University Mental Health Charter will go live in the next academic year (2019/20), we should be acting now  as institutions and as a society.

Mr Gyimah asked the vice chancellors to engage in the consultation into the charter when it is rolled out early next year.

I want universities to use the build-up to the Charter launch to review what mental health practice is in place and improve areas that are inadequate, he explained.

Universities minister Sam Gyimah has written to university leaders ahead of Freshers Week (PA)

Mr Gyimah signed off the letter by saying: I send you and your staff my very best wishes as you embark on the new term ahead.

And I very much look forward to hearing more on the progress youre making with your pastoral care offer as I continue to meet with institutional leaders in coming months.

Professor Steve West, chairman of Universities UKs mental health in higher education advisory group, said: Universities take seriously their duty of care to these young adults if they get into difficulties.

We are proud of the work done by student support and welfare services around the country.

With Papyrus, we have also recently published guidance to help university leaders prevent student suicides.

He added: With 50% of school leavers now entering higher education, our mentally healthy universities will play a leading role in supporting a generation of young adults to thrive and succeed.

We welcome the ministers focus on this issue and his support for the sector to achieve this transformation.A variety of stories make the front pages on Sunday  from calls for a second Brexit referendum to an interview with the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party.

The Observer leads on the mayor of London Sadiq Khan issuing a call for another public vote on EU membership, saying people should be given the chance to reject a deal that would be bad for the economy.

Mr Khans intervention will put more pressure on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to back another referendum at the partys conference next weekend, the paper adds.

What the papers say - September 16

Ruth Davidson features on the front of the Sunday Times, with the Scottish Tory leader saying she never wants to be prime minister.

Revealing that her teenage years were plagued by self-harm and bouts of depression, she tells the paper that she values her mental health too highly to ever run for the role.

Tomorrow's front page: Ruth Davidson: I never want to be PM #TomorrowsPaperToday pic.twitter.com/YeJzoUvMAk  The Sunday Times (@thesundaytimes) September 15, 2018

Meanwhile, the Independent says a survey found that a majority would now vote for a new centre-ground political movement amid dismay at the main parties.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that the Russian secret services are in crisis over the fallout from the Salisbury poisonings.

The front page of tomorrow's Sunday Telegraph: 'Kremlins spies in crisis over Skripal' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/AmPDTWF1Zf  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 15, 2018

And the Mail on Sunday carries an interview with a prison chaplain, who says Islamic militants hijacked his Bible classes at Brixton Prison and physically assaulted and abused him because of his Christian faith.

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Jihadis hijacked jail Bible classes #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/DLODiot3F5  Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) September 15, 2018

Elsewhere, the Sunday Express reports that the brother of the Manchester Arena terrorist is being offered for sale to the highest bidder by Libyan warlords.

And the Daily Star on Sunday says prisoner Charles Bronson has been branded a chubby cry baby in real life.The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) today amended its order on the Essar Steel, passed by it on september 7, to add the name of senior counsel Darius Khambata, which was left out.

Khambata had represented Resolution Professional of the debt ridden firm Essar Steel in this matter before the appellate tribunal and his name was missing in the final order.

Tribunals direction came after an application was moved to include his name.

In its judgement, passed earlier this month, NCLAT had ruled that Numetals Rs 37,000 crore second-round bid for Essar Steel is valid, but asked rival bidder ArcelorMittal to clear Rs 7,000 crore dues of its previously associated firms within three days to qualify for the acquisition.Ex-Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa says he is positive about his countrys relationship with India and is looking forward to build on this bond through sustained dialogue. By PRASHANT TEWARI

There are a few leaders in contemporary global polity who have successfully changed a war-torn country to a vibrant progressive democracy in their lifetime. Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a charismatic leader, accelerated the pace of development in nationalistic spirit by pushing various infrastructure projects that transformed the growth rate and the GDP of the country from 2009. He served as the sixth President of the island nation from November 19, 2005, to January 9, 2015. A lawyer by profession, he was first elected to the Parliament in 1970 and served as the Prime Minister from April 6, 2004, until his victory in the 2005 presidential election. He was re-elected for a second term on January 27, 2010.

However, due to international and domestic imperatives, he was defeated in his bid for a third term in the 2015 presidential election by Maithripala Sirisena. An ex-aide, Sirisena had been the Minister of Health in Rajapaksas Government and the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) before defecting to the Opposition coalition. Later, Rajapaksa unsuccessfully sought to become the Prime Minister in the 2015 parliamentary election, where the United Peoples Freedom Alliance was defeated. Many had attributed the shocking loss to his authoritarianism, nepotism, poor governance and corruption but the fact of the matter was that the anti-incumbency factor and his strident desire to break new ground was the reason for his defeat. He was, however, elected as the Member of Parliament from Kurunegala district.

In 2005, Rajapaksa reshuffled the Cabinet and took charge of the Defence and Finance portfolios. He extended the term of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Sarath Fonseka, less than a month before he was scheduled to retire. Over the next three and a half years, Fonseka and Rajapaksas brother and the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, led the countrys Armed Forces in their battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), ultimately defeating them and killing their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. It was one of the most gruelling battles that the world has witnessed in recent times. It made Rajapaksa a national hero and an international leader of repute.

The most challenging phase of Rajapaksas political career came after he took over the presidency. A series of mine blasts blamed on the LTTE claimed the lives of many off-duty servicemen and civilians, pushing the country back to the brink of war. However, on May 19, 2009, Rajapaksa delivered a victory address to the Parliament and declared that the country had been liberated from terrorism. It was a near miracle achieved by the Rajapaksa-led team.

After ending the civil war in 2009, Rajapaksas Government is known for undertaking largescale infrastructure projects. Sri Lanka also made it into the high category of the Human Development Index during this time. Initiation, completion, and development of many highways and roads, the Colombo beautification project, the rural infrastructure development projects and so on are some of the several highlights. However, the roadways are known for high costs and are suspected to have been the hotbeds of corruption. A large sum of Chinese loans tripled the countrys foreign debt, creating an economic crisis. But Rajapaksa insisted that under him Sri Lanka experienced rapid economic growth; the GDP growth rate reached over seven per cent.

In a move that was widely seen as solidifying his control over the Supreme Court, Rajapaksa removed the Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake, from office in January 2013, allowing him to appoint an ally and legal adviser, former Attorney-General Mohan Peiris, as Chief Justice.

Domestic imperatives with regard to Tamil Nadu compelled New Delhi to keep an arms distance from Rajapaksa, forcing him to tilt towards China during his second term of presidency. In fact, the Sri Lanka Government offered preferential infra-projects to India but received a lukewarm response from the Indian side. It was alleged that Rajapaksa, during the 2015 presidential campaign and elections, received large payments from the Chinese port construction fund that flowed directly into the campaign and related activities. The perception was created that Rajapaksa had agreed to Chinese terms and was seen as an important ally in Chinas efforts to tilt influence away from India in South Asia. It is after his unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2015 that Rajapaksa adopted a more sceptical China policy, opposing major development projects such as the Southern Economic Development Zone in which China had planned to invest over five billion dollars. He spoke to The Pioneer in an exclusive interview. Excerpts:

Q: The presidential election in 2010 saw the Sri Lankan electorate freely participating after more than two decades of turbulence, unrest, and war; you are responsible for liberating the country from terrorism and set it on the path to peace. What went wrong in 2015?

It was an international conspiracy against my Government that was successfully implemented by certain political opponents to capture power. I will not reveal the names of the countries involved but I will be cautious in the future. Opponents have successfully alienated minority communities from SLFP to facilitate consolidation against us. However, everyone has realised the current bad governance. I am sure the trends of the local elections clearly indicate that SLFP is on its way back to power in the next general elections.

The criticism that can be made out of your political career is that you promoted nepotism, appointing three brothers to run important ministries and assigning other political positions for relatives, regardless of their merit. How would you react to it?

I think the built narrative is completely false. All the position-holders were elected by popular votes in their respective constituencies and all candidates had won the elections by large margins in various elections. If the people like them, how can they be ignored? However, I had appointed Gotabhaya Rajapaksa by executive order because I thought he was the right person to deliver what we wanted at that time. And my stand is vindicated when he displayed tremendous skills to eliminate terrorism during our arm struggle against LTTE.

You won the presidency on a wide-ranging, people-oriented policy as laid out in the Mahinda Chinthana. How satisfying was your experience of governance?

Mahinda Chinthana means good governance for all. We drafted it to incorporate the desires of every section of the society in the political mainstream. Our concept is rooted in the soil; the governance that springs from the bottom of the pyramid. Yes, we have achieved most of our promises but we have to travel miles ahead to fulfill the aspirations of our native people.

Please narrate the experience of dealing with international communities in emergency situations so that other countries battling with terrorism can be inspired by your story.

We knew that wiping out terror would cost tremendous pain and stress but we were determined to live in peace permanently. The main issue was India because Tamil Nadu is an important State for the country and the sentiments were stoked by certain interests against the probable action. We created the TRIOKA plan wherein three high officials of each side were deputed for regular exchange of information to facilitate proper coordination. It worked as it removed the chances of dissemination of wrong information on either side. Finally, we offered a choice between peace and war to the LTTE and they opted for the later. We faced tremendous pressure from all UN organisations, certain pockets of Tamil-influence countries and other local pressure but we were resolute to solve the terror issue. Many European countries and their leaders visited us to mediate in the war but I stuck to my original decision. Today, we are one of the most peaceful democratic countries in the world and I take immense pride to say that I was always right in the conflict that was forced on us by the LTTE.

The remarkable transition from a war-torn country to a peaceful nation was achieved by you in no time. We have seen many Middle Eastern countries going through similar trauma but have ended up as a failed state after the war. How did you achieve this?

We have taken huge risks in the process like releasing 12,000 prisoners in 2009 immediately after the war. It could have gone wrong but we fought the war with a humanitarian approach. We realised that though the people fighting were misguided by vested interests, they remained our own. The defence forces must be commended for the remarkable job in the recent war history worldwide. They cleaned up the landmines in the north within one year after the war to facilitate immediate popular election process. This instilled confidence in the native population reminding them of our humanitarian sentiment and belief in the rule of law. We invested over a billion dollars in the northern part of the country to develop infrastructure and better living conditions for our countrymen so their affection could be reciprocated in the next presidential election of 2010, which I won by huge margins.

How do you assess the present state of the India-Sri Lanka relationship?

All is good but we have to strengthen it further. We have to continue the dialogue with the Indian Government on a regular basis on the economy, fisheries, free trade agreements and so on to build a more focussed mutual relationship. I appreciate the efforts made in the individual capacity by few to improve the bilateral relationship between the two friendly countries. Effort must be made from both G2G and P2P level in consolidating the relationship.In a horrifying incident that has put a big question mark on the safety and security of railway gatemen, three men on a bike severed the hands of a gateman after he refused to open a level-crossing gate in north Delhis Narela area because a train was approaching, railway officials said on Monday.

Gatemen Kundan Pathaks hands were reattached after a major surgery that went on for more than four hours in a hospital in Rohini, said Northern Railway spokesperson Nitin Chowdhury. The 28-year-old, who also received serious injuries to his legs and neck, was attacked around 1 am on Monday while posted at a level- crossing at Delhi-Haryana border. In the incident, the gatemans friend who had come to meet him was also attacked by the assailants.

The victim hails from Bishanpur in Banka district of Bihar and was manning gate number 19 at Safiabad crossing which is adjacent to Narela in the national Capital. Pathaks friend Chandan Kumar Singh, who comes from the same village in Bihar, was with him when three men on a bike came and demanded that the level- crossing gate be opened.

Due to security reasons, Pathak refused as the 18101 Muri Express train was approaching, following which the accused beat him and chopped off his hands with a sharp weapon. Chandan was also injured in the attack, said Tara Chand, Station House Officer (SHO), Government Railway Police (GRP), Sonepat (Haryana).

The SHO said the Muri Express stopped after getting a distress signal and rushed Pathak to a hospital in Sonepat where he received emergency first aid. He was then taken to the Northern Railway Central Hospital in Delhi and finally shifted to Saroj Hospital in Rohini, whereas Chandan has been admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, said the SHO.

Pathaks one hand was almost severed and the other was detached from the forearm and severely mutilated, the official said.

All expenses are being taken care of by the Railways, said the spokesperson, adding that an FIR has been lodged against unknown persons and investigation is going on.

Following the attack, several gatemen and railway staff on Monday around 10 am blocked the Safiabad crossing disrupting Delhi-Chandigarh railway route for a few hours. The protesters demanded railways authorities to install CCTV camera at every crossing and also to reduce working time from 12 hours to 8 hours a day.Opp stakes claim to form a Govt, but BJP leader Ram Lal says Parrikar Govt is stable

The Congress on Monday staked claim to provide an alternative Government in Goa, which is facing political crisis following prolonged illness of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The Congress, which has 16 members in the 40-member State Assembly, submitted a memorandum to Governor Mridula Sinha, urging her not to dissolve the Assembly and instead invite the party to form the Government. The State is being ruled by the BJP-led alliance with the saffron party having 14 MLAs.

While the Congress is in a wait and watch mode, BJP Central unit has sent three senior leaders  Ram Lal, BL Santhosh and Vinay Puranik  to meet the State party leaders and allies to take stock of the political situation.

Kavalekar said the Congress has support of legislators from other parties and can form a Government if given a chance by the Governor. We will prove our majority on the floor of the House, he said.

However, BJP leader Ram Lal said the Goa Government is stable and no demand has been made for a change in the leadership. He stated this after a meeting with party MLAs, former legislators and core committee members. He said the BJPs alliance partners  the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Independents  conveyed that they will agree to any political decision taken by the BJP.

AICC Goa incharge A Chella Kumar said the party High Command is keeping an eye on the development in Panjim, and the State Congress unit is in touch with some local parties even as some of the disgruntled BJP MLAs have reached out to the Congress.

The Congress is ready to provide a stable alternative Government provided other parties are ready to join hands with us by not compromising the interests of the people of Goa, said Kumar, who succeeded Digvijay Singh after the Congress High Command removed him for failing to stake claim to form the Government even though the Congress emerged the single largest party after the 2017 Assembly polls.

Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said the Congress party has submitted a memorandum to the Governor staking claim to form an alternate Government. All the 16 Congress MLAs, led by Kavlekar, went to the Raj Bhavan but could not meet the Governor as she is out of the State.

The party urged the Governor not to consider dissolution of the Assembly, which is a possibility considering internal fighting in the ruling alliance and illness of Parrikar, Kavlekar said.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, its allies Goa Forward Party and MGP have three each. Three Independents and an MLA from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also support the BJP.

The MGP, which is one of the constituents of the NDA Government in Goa with three MLAs, said a common solution on the political situation rising out of the indisposition of the CM has to come from the BJP. This is a coalition Government but the decision (on governance in the absence of Parrikar) has to be taken by the BJP since it is the largest party in the State Government. We are waiting for a common solution, which the BJP will give us, MGP chief Deepak Dhavalikar said.

The solution should be in sync with what the allies have been requesting, he said, adding that his party had not given any specific proposal to the BJP on a change of leadership. Yes, we have told them (the BJP) if they are considering it (change in leadership), then charge should be given to the senior-most Minister. We continue to stick to our demand, Dhavalikar said.

Parrikar, 62, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, is admitted in AIIMS for treatment.

He had just returned from United States after a prolong treatment and remained active for some time. BJP president Amit Shah and many senior party leaders visited Parrikar at the AIIMS. Shah flew to Delhi from Rajasthan and left again for the State after visiting AIIMS.

Sources in the premier hospital said although Parrikar is not critical, he was under observation. He is admitted at the old private ward under Dr Pramod Garg, professor of gastroenterology.For adding new names in the electoral list, 16 lakh forms have been received and after verification of documents these new names would be added.

However, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Madhya Pradesh VL Kanta Rao said that the process would take time.

While talking to media persons, Rao said that Jabalpur District Collector Chhavi Bhardwaj had complained with the CEO regarding an officer of excise department who failed to discharge his duties with diligence during seizure of liquor under the directives of election commission and matter is under consideration.

Providing details of warrant executed, Rao said that 95000 warrants have been executed and 70000 would be executed soon.

To a query, he said that if a candidate is promoted and publicity is done to garner vote in his favor from a platform organised by any political party, the expense would be added to the candidates expenditure for the election.

There is no provision of any penalty if a meeting related to political party is held at government house allotted to public representative at any time, he informed.

People involved in defacement of property would be penalized and continuous action has been taken under the act and would continue to take actions during the course of whole election process in the state.

The three departments Revenue, GAD and Home have been requested to coordinate and inform in cases of transfers of employees and officials.

Use of social media for publicity would be under scanner and expenses incurred will be added to the candidates expenditure for contesting elections.Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to look into the issue of two Indian women who were allegedly forced into prostitution in Malaysia. DCW revealed that they received a complaint from one of the victim's brother expressing her sister's desire to be repatriated to India to her family and her 6 year old son.

The Commission received a complaint that an Indian woman who went to Malaysia in May 2018 to work as a domestic help was forced into prostitution. The girl managed to contact the Malaysian Police and was rescued. She has been kept under the protection of Malaysian Police from where she contacted her brother in India who registered the complaint, DCW spokesperson revealed in their official release.

DCW Member Ms. Vandana Singh wrote a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urging their immediate intervention in the matter. The Ministry has confirmed that both women are kept under police protection at Kuala Lumpur. They are under the Malaysian government's protection order.

DCW has urged MEA to ensure that the survivor's brother and 6 year old son be allowed to meet her and that the MES should facilitate the meeting. Further, DCW has also written to MHA to ensure proper investigation into this human trafficking racket.

DCW Chief Swati Maliwal stated, Delhi is increasingly becoming both source and destination for human trafficking rackets. Such international rackets are running through a deep nexus which needs to be busted. Centre should take immediate steps to ensure that both girls return safely to India and are rehabilitated. Further, they must ensure that no human trafficking rackets operate on Indian land. People behind the trafficking of the two girls should be nabbed and given strong punishment.Chhattisgarh now has 86 Test Practice Centres (TPCs) for competitive examinations in 21 districts with a total of 8067 computers installed at these centres, the Central Government informed on Monday.

The Union Minister for HRD Prakash Javadekar had inaugurated a network of more than 3,400 Test Practice Centres (TPCs) spread across the 622 districts in the country .

A total of 25 Test Practice Centres (TPCs) joined Minister of HRD through Google Hangouts in this inauguration in New Delhi on Monday.

These test centres have been set up to facilitate students appearing in entrance examinations for Higher Education to hold practice sessions to enable them to get used to the changed mode and pattern of examination.

While interacting with Test Practice Centres (TPCs), the Union Minister said that the government is committed to provide quality education with equity, therefore we are launching Test Practice Centres across the country for those students who do not have computers and smart phones. Now no student will suffer due to lack of resources, the Minister added.

He further said that the government has changed the pattern of JEE (Mains) and UGC NET Examination from this year. Now it has become computer based instead of Pen and Paper mode.

The new exam pattern is more Transparent, leak proof, scientific, student friendly and fast. In order to provide facility for practice for the changed pattern, National Testing Agency (NTA) has established Test Practice Centres across the country.

NTA has also launched a practice App through which students can practice on their own on their computers or on smartphones.This is the real revolution in the field of competitive examinations, the Minister explained.

While interacting with students, HRD Minister informed students that now students can access IIT PAL(Professor Assisted Learning) video lecture on SWAYAM Platform for the preparation of JEE. The HRD Minister received overwhelmed response from all 25 Test Practice Centres. Students from various centres appreciated and thanked the government for this particular initiative. Secretary, Higher Education R. Subrahmanyam and DG, NTA Vineet Joshi were also present during the video conference.

In order to bring efficiency, transparency and qualitative difference in competitive examination process for Higher Education, MHRD has set up National Testing Agency (NTA), (www.nta.ac.in) a premier testing organization, to conduct entrance Tests for higher educational Institutions. The NTA has been mandated to conduct JEE (Main), NEET (UG),UGC-NET, CMAT and GPAT examinations.

NTA has established, a network of Test Practice Centres (TPCs) across the country in about 622 districts in 33 States/UTs, so that students of rural areas and others, get an opportunity to practice the Computer Based Test (CBT) before the exam. The TPCs will provide Mock Tests to the candidates of JEE (Main) and UGC-NET examinations.

For setting up TPCs, the NTA has engaged a large number of schools and colleges, that have 30 or more Internet connected PCs/laptops at one location. Depending on the demand, the TPCs function for one shift (02:30 PM  05:30 PM) on all Saturdays and two shifts (11:00 AM  02:00 PM, 02:30 PM  05:30 PM) on Sundays. As on date, more than 3400 TPCs have been setup including 689 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 403 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.Georgia's Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has left for the United States yesterday to hold several official meetings at the White House, according to his press service.

Bakhtadze will be hosted by the National Security Advisor to the US President John Bolton at the White House.

The meeting with the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be held on September 20.

Several meetings with US senators are also planned during the visit. Bakhtadze plans to meet with the Administrator of USAID Mark Green, the President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) Ray Washburne, the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde.

Bakhtadze will deliver a speech to participants of the 73rd General Debate at a session of the UN General Assembly on September 27 and attend the opening ceremony of the session as well, Agenda.ge reported.

The Georgian PM has also been invited to a reception organised by US President Donald Trump and his wife, which will be attended by the heads of governments attending the 73th session.

Meetings with the US business representatives, the Georgian diaspora and students living in New York are also planned during Bakhtadzes visit to the US.The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested an arms dealer who was caught trying to deliver a large consignment of sophisticated pistols to criminals in Delhi. The accused, Kalu Sahu (31), was arrested from Jawaharlal Nehru stadium flyover, police said on Monday.

Information was being received that several gangs are involved in supply of illegal fire arms to the criminals of Delhi and neighbouring cities. In order to cut the supply of illegal arms and ammunitions in Delhi, a drive was conducted and Special Cell busted several interstate arms syndicates. The weapons are primarily being procured from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Western Uttar Pradesh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P S Kushwah stated.

During their interrogation, one Kalu Sahu was found to be involved in illegal fire arms trafficking and supplying arms to the criminals of Delhi and its neighbouring cities, DCP revealed.

A team of Special Cell, led by Inspector Sanjay Gupta and Inspector Rajesh Kumar under the close supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Govind Sharma were arrested the arms peddler after information was received that the accused Kalu Sahu would be coming to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium flyover to deliver a large consignment of illegal pistols to criminals on September 13, DCP stated in the official release.

The accused was arrested at 7:30 pm and 23 sophisticated pistols were recovered from his possession. A case under appropriate sections of the arms act was registered at Special Cell. Efforts are afoot to identify forward and backward linkages of this arms network, DCP revealed.BHEL, Bhopal on Monday celebrated the Vishwakarma Jayanti festival with traditional zeal and fervor. At the same time with the offering of puja, various tableaus were set-up at different blocks of the unit on the theme Digitalisation, Globalization and Modernization; accelerates BHEL to become nations pride, with vision as its sole motto.

On this occasion large number of the employees along with their family members also participated in the puja rituals.

DK Thakur Executive Director BHEL Bhopal, HK Nigam General Manager and President (BHECNIS), Kuldeep Mathur General Manager and Vice-President (BHECNIS), Shri Raghvendra Shukla Additional General Manager (Publicity & Public Relations Department), all general managers along with the members of the jury visited different tableaus installed at various blocks.

Thakur extending best wishes to the employees as well as their family members on Vishwakarma Jayanti, urged the employees to work with full commitment and dedication to clock the target turnover for the current fiscal.

The Jury member of the tableau competition for this year comprised of Vipin Minocha General Manager (MM &CDC), RK Arya General Manager (CMG, PMG & CMS), Vinay Nigam General Manager (WE & MOD) and Neelam Bhogal General Manager (SCR-Engg) whereas the members for the 5S competition were AK Kiyawat General Manager (HSE), MK Shrivastava General Manager (WEX) and P Kesharwani AGM (CPX).

The programme was co-ordinated by Ravindra Aind Secretary (BHECNIS), Clara Toppo Cultural Secretary (BHECNIS) and DK Nidkhere.

In the tableau competition from among the Product category SCR won the First prize, STM the Second prize, TCB the Third and HCM won the special prize while from Services group CIM won the First prize, PRM the Second, HRD-Third, FHX-First Special prize, WEX-Second Special prize and TEM won the consolation prize.Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated the arch bridge at Chinyalisaur in Uttarkashi district besides inaugurating and laying foundation stones of 39 different development projects worth Rs 139.61 crore on Monday. He inaugurated 11 works worth Rs 78.86 crore and laid the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 60.74 crore on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that linking villages of the State with the roads is a priority of the Government. He said that with the construction of arch bridge at Chinyalisaur, the people of Gamri and Pratapnagar in Tehri will get the facility of easier transportation.

He said that the overall development of the State is the top priority of the Government and corruption will not be tolerated.

The Chief Minister, further, said that corrupt deals worth Rs 500 crore have been ascertained with more than 50 people involved in such deals being put behind the bars.

He said that common people are the worst sufferers of corruption and public money gets into the pockets of few people affecting the developmental works. The State Government has started a relentless campaign against corruption in the State, he averred.

Regarding the start of banking facilities in the post offices, he said that remote rural areas will also get banking facilities through post offices with the start of the initiative as post offices have been allowed to do banking activities.

The CM, further, said that Government of India has implemented several developmental projects to make every section of the society a participant in the development process. He said that now the money meant for development is reaching the villages directly.

Besides providing housing to crores of people Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, poor countrymen are directly getting the benefits of different developmental schemes.

Rawat also said that infiltrators will not be tolerated at any cost in the State. Stating that Uttarakhand also has international boundaries, he stressed on the need for keeping a sharp vigil on outsiders.

Referring to the abundance of pine trees in the State, he said that the Government had formulated schemes to utilise it for various purposes with its dry needles to be used for generation of electricity.

Women are being trained to get involved in such ventures. He said that tourism is an important aspect of state economy and has been given the status of industry. He appealed to the tourism entrepreneurs to get benefits offered to them by the department and also through growth centres.

He said that on September 23 Ayushman Bharat Yojana will be launched in which all the families of the State will get free medical facilities.

On this occasion, Chief Minister inaugurated the art faculty building, computer lab building and Shaurya Wall in the Degree College, Chinyalisaur. He also announced the construction of building in Brahmkhal College, start of PG class in Chinyalisaur, making Wi-fi operational in premises and provision of additional computer among other developments.

While addressing the programme, State Minister for Higher Education and Minister in charge of the district, Dhan Singh Rawat expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and said that with the launch of Ayushman Bharat Yojana, all the families of the State will be provided free treatment costing up to Rs five lakh.

He also spoke about measures taken by the Government to enhance the level of higher education in the State.

MP Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah congratulated the people for the development works and said that they should work together for the development of the region. Yamunotri MLA Kedar Singh Rawat also addressed the gathering on the occasion.Despite having lodged a complaint with the police against former Janpad chairpersons husband for threatening school staff and disrupting normal functioning of Government Primary School Kumhariya in Raisen district, no action has been taken till date.

The School head master and villagers have lodged a complaint with the police, Block Education officer and other authorities.

Villagers are angry over the threatening faculties and vandalizing Government Primary School Kumhariya in the month of August.

The victim teacher Santosh Malviya is posted as teacher while the complainant Tarun Kumar Jain is head master at Government Primary School Kumhariya.

A complaint has been lodged with Noorganj police and administration by Jain and villagers. With 19 students from class I to V at Government Primary School Kumhariya arrangements of Mid Day meal was badly managed for past four years when Surajmals wife was Janpad chairperson and after Jain joined the school he found that the Mid Day Meal was of sub-standard quality and opposed; thereafter the arrangement was changed and Panchayat started to arrange for Mid Day Meal. Last month on August 15 the husband of former Janpad chairpersons husband Surajmal Gaur threatened and torn off the schools register when he reached the school along with a dozen of his supporters and man-handled teacher Santosh Malviya who was present at the time of the incident.

He asked for complaint made by CM helpline and asked Malviya to provide the details which he failed to provide as he was not aware of the complaint lodged with the CM helpline.

The villagers and school decided to lodge complaint and informed principal of the school, BO and police station regarding the complaint but till date nothing has been done and soon BO and police would be contacted for collecting information of the complaint.Vishwakarma Jayanti celebrated

Bhopal: Vishwakarma Jayanti was celebrated at Helping Hands Centre run by BHEL Ladies Club with great zeal and fervor. On this occasion Durgesh Kumar Thakur, Executive Director BHEL, Bhopal; Pratibha Thakur; general managers, Vice-President of other centres, members of the club and employees of the centres run by the club. Thakur after offering prayers greeted the gathering on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti.

Regalia: Fancy Dress Competition organised

Bhopal: The talented toddlers of Sagar Public School Gandhi Nagar showcased mesmerizing performances in Regalia -The Fancy Dress Competition organized on 14-15 September, 2018. The toddlers were dressed up on the theme - Circus, Nature aroundus and Fantasy World. It was a treat to the eyes to watch the kids performing in their depicted characters which created a timeless era. The presentation and speaking skills of the toddlers was confident and they connected everyone present in the audience. Various performances were showcased by the children making parents revive their childhood memories.

Rao appointed VC of Barkatullah University

Bhopal: Professor RJ Rao has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Barkatullah University. Chancellor and Governor Anandiben Patel has appointed Professor RJ Rao, Rector of Jiwaji University, Gwalior as Vice-Chancellor of Barkatullah University. He has been appointed as Vice-Chancellor for four years from the date of taking charge. Before RJ Rao, Professor Pramod Verma was the Vice Chancellor of the varsity. But, after eight months of his tenure, Verma resigned from the post.

open varsity charge to DD Agarwal

Bhopal: Governor and Chancellor Anandiben Patel has nominated Secretary to the Governor DD Agarwal with the additional charge of Vice-Chancellor of Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University until further orders or till the appointment of Vice-Chancellor of the University. It may be noted that the Vice-Chancellor of Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University Professor Ravindra R Kanheres appointment was for maximum six months that is till September 17, 2018.

State-of-the-art Medical College dedicated

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will dedicate the state-of-the-art Medical College at Vidisha district headquarters on September 18. A newly-constructed 750-bedded hospital is attached to the Medical College. There are special intensive care units well-equipped with most modern amenities for the treatment of serious patients. Ten doctors will render round the clock services in these units. Permission has been granted to begin a 150 admission capacity Medical College for the Vidisha Medical College by the Medical Council of India.

CM to distribute excellence awards

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will distribute e-governance excellence awards at the Golden Jubilee auditorium, Noronha Academy of Administration at 5 pm on Tuesday. Science and Technology Minister Umashankar Gupta will preside over the programme. Chief Secretary Basant Pratap Singh will be the special guest. E-governance Excellence Awards will be given for the year 2015-17. This year 24 awards will be given in 10 categories.CM greets PM Narendra Modi on his birthday

Shimla: Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 68th birthday. Extending his warm wished on the occasion, he wished Narendra Modi a long and healthy life and expressed hope that under his dynamic leadership, the nation would further march ahead on the path of development and prosperity.

Punjab Vigilance nabs ASI for taking bribe

Chandigarh: Punjab State Vigilance Bureau has nabbed an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) posted at Haibowal Police station Ludhiana red handed while accepting bribe of Rs 3,000. A spokesperson said ASI Gurwinder Singh was nabbed red handed on the complaint of Ketan Chopra of Tarsem Colony in Ludhiana city. The complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the accused ASI was demanding Rs 15,000 to help in a case registered by his sister and the deal was struck at Rs 3,000. After verifying his information, the vigilance team laid a trap and the accused ASI was arrested on the spot taking bribe of Rs 3,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. A case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Ludhiana and further investigation was under progress.

Punjab declares holiday on Sept 19

Chandigarh: Punjab Government has declared public holiday on September 19 to enable the people of the state to exercise their franchise in the zila parishad and panchayat samitis elections. A spokesman said that the government has announced public holiday on September 19 (Wednesday) in all the government offices, Boards/Corporations and educational institutes of the Punjab Government situated in Punjab and Chandigarh.

2,000 quintals of damaged wheat found

Chandigarh: Acting on a tip off, a special team deputed by Commissionerate of Food and Drug Administration, Punjab conducted a raid at Bhagwati Flour Mill at village Alamgir in district Ludhiana. The joint team of Food Safety Officers and Dairy Development officers from Sangrur inspected Bhagwati Agro Products Manufacturing Unit at Ludhiana wherein 2000 quintals of damaged wheat and 1500 quintal of quality wheat along with 800 bags of atta of 10 kg each were found. The damaged wheat had turned black and was emitting foul smell. The same rotten wheat was being fed into the flour mill along with quality wheat.

37 universities participated in Education Fair

Chandigarh: IDP Education India organized USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand education fair at JW Marriott here for students aspiring to pursue higher education abroad. The fair was attended by around 600 students here. The fair spread across 20 cities brought together prominent universities and educational institutes from USA, UK, CANADA & New Zealand under one roof. The fair kick started on September 14 at Jalandhar and will conclude in Nagpur on October 7.

Allahabad Bank Officers' Assn holds Family Day

Chandigarh: On the eve of World Ozone day, Allahabad Bank Officers' Association under the leadership of Sachin Katiyar, State Secretary Haryana And Himachal Unit, organised family day and distributed plants. Various games were organised on the occasion. Rakesh Sahgal, Deputy General Manager inaugurated the event while Rajesh Mundra, Assistant General Manager, Allahabad Bank hosted the event. All participants took oath to save trees and maximise use of official language.

Bank of Maharashtra holds Customer meet

Chandigarh: Bank of Maharashtra, Chandigarh Zone organized a customer meet on the occasion of banks 84th Foundation Day. Zonal Manager R.S Borse welcomed and expressed gratitude to the customers for patronage and support and briefed about the 83 years of relentless journey of the bank and informed about new products and initiatives. Clients and staff members of Chandigarh tricity were present at the celebrations Borse and DZM Praveen Verma also felicitated Garima Gupta , CBSE class 10th topper from Chandigarh to promote girl child education.

Mandi Press Club felicitates PM

Mandi: Mandi Press Club at a special meeting on Monday felicitated Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on his birthday and prayed for his long life. President of the club Ankush Sood said the country had got an honest and dashing Prime Minister who had been striving hard and brightened the image of India among the communities of the world and had waged a war against communal forces and corruption. All member of the club wished long life for the Prime Minister. Veteran journalist Birbal Sharma said during the tenure of Modi the era of scams and scandals was over and the corrupt elements had joined hands to fight against him. Murari Sharma said India for the first time had been recognized as one of the world powersHaryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal on Monday said that we need 27,000 doctors whereas only 13,000 doctors are working in Government and private institutions of the state.

Therefore, medical colleges would be opened in all districts. This would help meet the shortage of doctors in the next ten years, the Chief Minister said while speaking at a mega free health check-up camp organised under Ek Muhim-Ek Lakshya at ITB Foundation Shri Ram Global School in Karnal. He inaugurated the camp by lighting a lamp.

Manohar Lal said that the State Government has set up hospitals, Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres and dispensaries to provide health service to people of the state.

He also called upon the social organisations to come forward to join the governments efforts to make better health services accessible to 2.7 crore people of the state.

He said Today is the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it would be celebrated as Service Week from September 17 to 25.

The State Government has been providing 570 medicines free of cost in government hospitals. Since the number of OPD patients has been increasing assistance of social organisations is needed, he added.Samajwadi Secular Morcha founder Shivpal Singh Yadav unveiled the flag of his outfit on Monday.

The flag has three bands of red, yellow and green along with photographs of Shivpal and Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Soon after its launch, the cars in Shivpals motorcade were seen sporting the new SSM flag on Monday evening.

The SSM also offered a ticket to Mulayam Singh Yadav from his bastion, Mainpuri, for the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Shivpal, who had a long war of attrition with his nephew and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, said, We want Netaji (Mulayam) to contest on our party ticket in the coming general election from Mainpuri seat.

Soon after the launch of SSM, Shivpal had released a list of TV panellists and speakers that included former SP MLA Sharda Pratap Shukla, Shadab Fatima, Nawab Ali Akbar, Deepak Mishra, Sudhir Singh, Professor Dileep Yadav, Abhishek Singh Ashu, Mohammad Farhat Raees Khan and Arvind Yadav. Most of them were either sidelined or shunted out by the SP in the past.

Shivpal. the MLA from Jaswant Nagar, also claimed that many SP leaders were in touch with him and would join the SSM soon.

We will also get the party registered with the Election Commission of India, he said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said in Lucknow that he was confident of stitching a grand opposition alliance to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2019 general election.

Everyone is fed up of the BJP and they want it out of power. I want to assure you that an alliance will happen in UP. Let the time come We are confident of forming an alliance for the 2019 elections. The opposition wants the BJP to be defeated in the next polls, the SP chief said.

His statement came a day after Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said that her party was ready for an alliance only if it was given a respectable number of seats.The following companies are subsidiares of Roper Technologies: 3089554 Nova Scotia ULC, AC Analytical Controls B.V., AC Analytical Controls Holding B.V., AC Analytical Controls Services B.V., Acumen PM LLC, Aderant Canada Company, Aderant Company, Aderant Holdings Inc., Aderant International Holdings Inc., Aderant Legal (UK) Limited, Aderant Legal Holdings (AUS) Pty Ltd, Aderant Legal Holdings (NZ) ULC, Aderant Legal Holdings Inc., Aderant North America Inc., Aderant Parent Holdings Inc., Advanced Sensors Limited, Alpha Holdings of Delaware I LLC, Alpha Holdings of Delaware II LLC, Alpha Technologies B.V., Alpha Technologies GmbH, Alpha Technologies Japan LLC, Alpha Technologies Services LLC, Alpha Technologies U.K., Alpha Technologies s.r.o., Alpha Trust Corporation, Alpha UK Holdings LLC, Amot Controls Corporation, Amot Controls GmbH, Amot/Metrix Investment Company Inc., Amphire Solutions Inc., Amtech Systems (Hong Kong) Limited, Amtech Systems LLC, Amtech World Corporation, Aplifi Inc., Ascension Technology Corporation, Assureweb Limited, Atlantic Health Partners Inc., Avitru LLC, Axium Holdco Inc., C/S Solutions Inc., CBORD Holdings Corp., CIVCO Medical Solutions B.V., Centurion Research Solutions LLC, Civco Holding Inc., Civco Medical Instruments Co. Inc., CliniSys Group, CliniSys Group Limited, Clinisys Scotland Limited, Clinisys Solutions Limited, Cointec Ingenieros y Consultores S.L., Compressor Controls (Beijing) Corporation Ltd., Compressor Controls Corporation B.V., Compressor Controls Corporation Middle East, Compressor Controls Corporation S.r.l., Compressor Controls LLC, Compressor Controls Mauritius Ltd., Compressor Controls Pty Ltd., Compressor Controls Saudi Arabia LLC, ConstructConnect, ConstructConnect Canada Inc., ConstructConnect Inc., Cornell Pump Company, DAT Solutions LLC, DATSolutions Private Limited, DCMH Group Holdings Inc., DCMH Group Holdings LLC, DCMH Holdings Inc., DI Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., DI Dutch Holdings LLC, DI Hong Kong Limited, Dash I Inc., Data Innovations, Data Innovations Canada Ltd., Data Innovations Cooperatief U.A., Data Innovations Europe S.A., Data Innovations LLC, Data Innovations Latin America Ltda, Dawning Technologies LLC, Deltek, Deltek Ajera Inc., Deltek Asia Pacific (HK) Limited, Deltek Australia Pty Ltd., Deltek Danmark A/S, Deltek France SAS, Deltek GB Limited, Deltek GmbH, Deltek Inc., Deltek Nederland B.V., Deltek Netherlands B.V., Deltek Norge AS, Deltek Sverige AB, Deltek Systems (Canada) Inc., Deltek Systems (Colorado) Inc., Deltek Systems (Philippines) Ltd., Deltek WST LLC, Dominion I Inc., Dynamic Instruments Inc., Dynisco Enterprises GmbH, Dynisco Enterprises LLC, Dynisco Europe GmbH, Dynisco Holding GmbH, Dynisco Hong Kong Holdings Limited, Dynisco Instruments LLC, Dynisco Instruments S.a.r.l., Dynisco LLC, Dynisco Parent Inc., Dynisco S.r.l., Dynisco Viatran LLC, Dynisco Viatran (M) Sdn Bhd, Dynisco-Viatran Instrument Sdn Bhd, FMS Purchasing & Services Inc., FSI Holdings Inc., FTI Flow Technology Inc., Fluid Metering Inc., Foodlink Holdings Inc., Foodlink IT India Private Limited, Foundry, Foundry Visionmongers (Ireland) Limited, GeneInsight Inc., Getloaded Corporation, HRsmart Canada Inc., HRsmart Czech Republic, HRsmart France SAS, HRsmart Germany GmbH, HRsmart Inc., HRsmart International, HRsmart International Holdings LLC, HRsmart Mexico, HRsmart SA (Pty) Ltd., HRsmart Talent Management Solutions Europe Limited, HRsmart Ventures LLC, Handshake Software Inc., Hansco Automatisering B.V., Hansen Technologies Corporation, Harbour Holding Corp., Hardy Process Solutions, Horizon Software International LLC, INPUT Inc., IPA Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., ISL Finance SAS, ISL Holding SAS, ISL Scientifique de Laboratorie - ISL S.A.S., IT Canada Holdings LLC, Innovative Product Achievements LLC, Inovonics Corporation, Instill Corporation, IntelliTrans Limited, Intellitrans Canada Ltd., Intellitrans LLC, Intellitrans Sweden AB, Job Access LTDA, K/S Roper Holding, K/S Roper Investments, Laser App Inc., Link Logistics Holding LLC, Loadlink Technologies Corporation, Logitech Limited, MED Professional Services LLC, MEDTEC Inc., MHA Long Term Care Network Inc., MHA Long Term Care Services Inc., MIPS Austria GesmbH, MIPS CZ s.r.o, MIPS Deutschland GmbH, MIPS France Sarl, MIPS Nederland B.V., MIPS Schweiz AG, MIPS Software Iberica SL, MPR Readers Inc., Managed Health Care Associates Inc., Marumoto Struers K.K., Medical Information Professional Systems NV, Medina Acquisition LLC, Metrix Instrument Co. L.P., NDI Europe GmbH, Navigator Group Purchasing Inc., Neptune Technology Group (Canada) Co., Neptune Technology Group Inc., Neptune Technology Group Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Neptune Technology Group Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Neptune Technology Group Services Inc., Nippon Roper K.K., Northern Digital Inc., Off-Campus Advantage LLC, Omega Legal Systems Inc., PAC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PAC Denmark ApS, PAC GmbH, PAC Instruments (Thailand) Company Limited, PAC Instruments Asia PTE. Ltd., PB Bidco Limited, PB Holdco Limited, PB Midco Limited, PB Topco Limited, PGP UK Limited, Petroleum Analyzer Company L.P., Phase Analyzer Company Ltd., PowerPlan, PowerPlan Canada ULC, PowerPlan Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Inc., PowerPlan Intermediate Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Operations ANZ Pty Ltd, PowerPlan Operations Ltd., Project Diamond Intermediate Holdings Corporation, Project Torque Intermediate Holdings Inc., Project Viking Holdings Inc., Project Viking Intermediate LLC, QSC 1208 Limited, QSC 1209 Limited, RF IDeas, RF IDeas Inc., RI Marketing India Private Limited, RIL Holding Limited, RMT Inc., RT Merger Sub Inc., Rebate Tracking Group LLC, Resonant Software Inc., Roda Deaco Valve Inc., Roper Acquisitions Holdings Inc., Roper Brasil Comercio E Promocao De Productos E Servicos LTDA, Roper Canada Holdings LP, Roper Canada UK Limited, Roper Denmark UK Limited, Roper EUR Pte. Ltd., Roper Engineering s.r.o., Roper Europe GmbH, Roper GM Denmark Holdings ApS, Roper Germany GmbH, Roper Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Roper Holdings LLC, Roper Holdings Limited, Roper IH LLC, Roper Industrial Products Investment Company, Roper Industries Denmark ApS, Roper Industries Deutschland GmbH, Roper Industries Inc., Roper Industries Limited, Roper Industries Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Roper Industries Mauritius Ltd., Roper Industries UK Limited, Roper International Holding Inc., Roper International Holding Limited, Roper International Holding SCS, Roper LLC, Roper Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Roper Middle East Ltd., Roper NL1 UK Limited, Roper NL2 UK Limited, Roper Pte. Ltd., Roper Pump Company, Roper Scientific B.V., Roper Scientific SAS, Roper Scot LP, Roper Southeast Asia LLC, Roper Swiss Finance GmbH, Roper UK Investments Limited, Roper UK Ltd., Roper US Finance I LLC, Roper US Finance II LLC, Roper-Mex L.P., Ropintassco 1 LLC, Ropintassco 2 LLC, Ropintassco 3 LLC, Ropintassco 4 LLC, Ropintassco 5 LLC, Ropintassco 6 LLC, Ropintassco 7 LLC, Ropintassco Holdings L.P., SHP Group Holdings Inc., SIRA LLC, Shanghai Roper Industries Trading Co. Ltd., Sinmed Holding International B.V., Societe de Distribution de Logiciels Medicaux, SoftWriters Inc., Softwriters Holdings, Softwriters Holdings Inc., Sohnar Pty Ltd, Star Purchasing Services LLC, Strata Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., Strata Decision Technology LLC, Strata Parallel II Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker 2 Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs Holdings LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs L.L.C., Struers (Shanghai) International Trading Ltd., Struers A/S, Struers GmbH, Struers Inc., Struers Limited, Struers SAS, Student Advantage LLC, Sunquest Europe Limited, Sunquest Holdings Inc., Sunquest Information Systems (Europe) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (India) Private Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (International) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems Inc., Sunquest Information Systems Pty Ltd, TLP Holdings LLC, Technolog Group Limited, Technolog Holdings Ltd., Technolog Limited, Technolog SARL, The CBORD Group Inc., The Foundry Bidco Limited, The Foundry Bidco No.2 Limited, The Foundry Holdco Limited, The Foundry Holdings Limited, The Foundry Intermediate Holdings Limited, The Foundry Midco 3 Limited, The Foundry Midco No 1 Limited, The Foundry Midco No 2 Limited, The Foundry Topco Limited, The Foundry Topco No.2 Limited, The Foundry USCo Inc., The Foundry Visionmongers Ltd., The Tidewater Healthcare Shared Services Group Inc., The Washington Management Group Inc., Torque Acquisition Holdco Inc., Transcore Atlantic Inc., Transcore CNUS Inc., Transcore Holdings Inc., Transcore ITS LLC, Transcore LP, Transcore Nova Scotia Corporation, Transcore Partners LLC, Trinity Integrated Systems Limited, UHF Purchasing Services LLC, Union Square Software (International) Limited, Union Square Software Inc., Union Square Software Limited, Union Square Software Pty, Uson L.P., Uson Limited, Utilitec Limited, Utilitec Services Limited, Utility Data Services Limited, Verathon Holdings (Delaware) Inc., Verathon Inc., Verathon Medical (Australia) Pty Limited, Verathon Medical (Canada) ULC, Verathon Medical (Europe) B.V., Verathon Medical (France) SARL, Verathon Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Verathon Medical (Japan) K.K., Verathon Medical (UK) Ltd., Vertafore, Vertafore Canada Inc., Vertafore Inc., Vertafore India Private Limited, Viastar Services LP, Viatran Corporation, Walter Herzog GmbH, WorkBook APAC Ltd., Workbook Software A/S, Zetec (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zetec France, Zetec Inc., Zetec Korea Inc., Zetec Rental LLC, Zetec Services Inc., iPipeline, iPipeline (TCP) Limited, iPipeline Canada Inc, iPipeline Co. Ltd., iPipeline Holdings Inc, iPipeline Inc, iPipeline Limited, iSqFt Holdings Inc., iSqFt Parent Corporation, iSqFt Sub Inc., iTradeNetwork Inc., and mySBX Corporation.The following companies are subsidiares of Aramark: 1ST & Fresh LLC, AIL Servicos Alimenticios e Participacoes Ltda., AIM Services Co. Ltd., AMP Limited Partnership, ARA Catering and Vending Services Limited, ARA Coffee Club Limited, ARA Coffee System Limited, ARA Food Services Limited, ARA Marketing Services Limited, ARA Offshore Services Limited, ARAMONT Company Ltd., Active Industrial Unif, Alcatraz Hospitality, AmeriPride Services, American Snack & Beverage LLC, Aramark (BVI) Limited, Aramark Airport Services Limited, Aramark American Food Services LLC, Aramark Asia Management LLC, Aramark Aviation Services Limited Partnership, Aramark B.V., Aramark Beverages Limited, Aramark Business & Industry LLC, Aramark Business Center LLC, Aramark Business Dining Services of Texas LLC, Aramark Business Facilities LLC, Aramark CCT Trustees Limited, Aramark Campus LLC, Aramark Canada Ltd., Aramark Canadian Investments Inc., Aramark Capital Asset Services LLC, Aramark Catering Limited, Aramark China Dining Services (Shanghai) Limited, Aramark China Holdings Limited, Aramark Chugach Alaska Services LLC, Aramark Cleaning S.A., Aramark Cleanroom Services (Puerto Rico) Inc., Aramark Cleanroom Services LLC, Aramark Co. Ltd., Aramark Colombia SAS, Aramark Concessions Services Joint Venture, Aramark Confection LLC, Aramark Construction Services Inc., Aramark Construction and Energy Services LLC, Aramark Consumer Discount Company, Aramark Correctional Services LLC, Aramark Defence Services Limited, Aramark Denmark ApS, Aramark Distribution Services Inc., Aramark Educational Group LLC, Aramark Educational Services LLC, Aramark Educational Services of Texas LLC, Aramark Educational Services of Vermont Inc., Aramark Entertainment LLC, Aramark Entertainment Services (Canada) Inc., Aramark Executive Management Services USA Inc., Aramark FHC Business Services LLC, Aramark FHC Campus Services LLC, Aramark FHC Correctional Services LLC, Aramark FHC Healthcare Support Services LLC, Aramark FHC Kansas Inc., Aramark FHC LLC, Aramark FHC Refreshment Services LLC, Aramark FHC School Support Services LLC, Aramark FHC Services LLC, Aramark FHC Sports and Entertainment Services LLC, Aramark FSM LLC, Aramark Facility Services LLC, Aramark Food Service LLC, Aramark Food Service of Texas LLC, Aramark Food and Support Services Group Inc., Aramark Global Group S.a.r.l., Aramark Global Inc., Aramark GmbH, Aramark Gulf Limited, Aramark Gulf Limited Catering Services LLC, Aramark Healthcare Support Services LLC, Aramark Healthcare Support Services of the Virgin Islands Inc., Aramark Healthcare Technologies LLC, Aramark Holding Deutschland GmbH, Aramark Holdings GmbH & Co. KG, Aramark Holdings Ltd., Aramark Industrial Services LLC, Aramark Intermediate HoldCo Corporation, Aramark International Finance S.a.r.l., Aramark International Holdings S.a.r.l., Aramark Inversiones Latinoamericanas Limitada, Aramark Investments Limited, Aramark Ireland Holdings Limited, Aramark Japan Holdings Limited, Aramark Japan LLC, Aramark KSA LLC, Aramark Kazakhstan Ltd., Aramark Lakewood Associates, Aramark Limited, Aramark Management GmbH, Aramark Management LLC, Aramark Management Services Limited Partnership, Aramark Manning Services UK Limited, Aramark Mexico Group, Aramark Mexico S.A. de C.V., Aramark Monclova Manufacturing de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Aramark Monclova Support S.A.de C.V., Aramark Norway SA, Aramark Organizational Services LLC, Aramark Partnership Limited, Aramark Personnel Services, Aramark Peru S.A.C., Aramark Peru Servicios de Intermediacion SRL, Aramark Processing LLC, Aramark Property Services Limited, Aramark Qualified Opportunity Fund, Aramark Quebec Inc., Aramark RBI Inc., Aramark Rail Services LLC, Aramark Receivables LLC, Aramark Refreshment Group, Aramark Refreshment Services LLC, Aramark Refreshment Services of Tampa LLC, Aramark Regional Treasury Europe DAC, Aramark Remote Workplace Services Ltd., Aramark Restaurations GmbH, Aramark S&E/QCF Joint Venture, Aramark S.A., Aramark S.A. de C.V., Aramark S.R.O., Aramark SARL, Aramark SCM Inc., Aramark SM Management Services Inc., Aramark SMMS LLC, Aramark SMMS Real Estate LLC, Aramark School Catering Facility Ltd., Aramark Schools Facilities LLC, Aramark Schools LLC, Aramark Senior Living Services LLC, Aramark Senior Notes Company LLC, Aramark Service Industries (China) Co. Ltd., Aramark Services Inc., Aramark Services SA, Aramark Services of Kansas Inc., Aramark Services of Puerto Rico Inc., Aramark Servicios Industriales S. de R.L. de C.V., Aramark Servicios Integrales S.A., Aramark Servicios Mineros y Remotos Limitada, Aramark Servicios SRL, Aramark Servicios de Catering S.L., Aramark Servicos Alimenticos e Participacoes Ltda., Aramark Sports Facilities LLC, Aramark Sports LLC, Aramark Sports and Entertainment Group LLC, Aramark Sports and Entertainment Services LLC, Aramark Sports and Entertainment Services of Texas LLC, Aramark Sub Investments Limited, Aramark Technical Services North Carolina Inc., Aramark Togwotee LLC, Aramark Trademark Services, Aramark Trustees Limited, Aramark U.S. Offshore Services LLC, Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel Group Inc., Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel LLC, Aramark Uniform Holding de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Aramark Uniform Manufacturing Company, Aramark Uniform Services (Canada) Ltd., Aramark Uniform Services (Matchpoint) LLC, Aramark Uniform Services (Rochester) LLC, Aramark Uniform Services (Supply Chain), Aramark Uniform Services (Syracuse) LLC, Aramark Uniform Services (Texas) LLC, Aramark Uniform Services (West Adams) LLC, Aramark Uniform Services Japan Corporation, Aramark Venue Services Inc., Aramark WTC LLC, Aramark Workplace Solutions (UK) Ltd., Aramark Workplace Solutions Yonetim Hizmetleri Limited Sirketi, Aramark Worldwide Investments Limited, Aramark-Clarksville Club, Aramark-FINCO of Texas LLC, Aramark-Gourmet DPS LLC, Aramark-KWAME of St. Louis LLC, Aramark-SFS Healthcare J.V. L.L.C., Aramark/Dasko Restaurant and Catering Services S.A., Aramark/GM Concessions Joint Venture, Aramark/Giacometti Joint Venture, Aramark/Globetrotters LLC, Aramark/Gourmet HE-1 LLC, Aramark/Gourmet HE-2 LLC, Aramark/HF Company, Aramark/HMS LLC, Aramark/Hart Lyman Entertainment LLC, Aramark/Martin's Stadium Concession Services OPACY Joint Venture, Aramark/QHC LLC, Aramark/SFS Joint Venture, Avendra, Avendra Canada Inc., Avendra Gaming, Avendra Replenishment, Avoca, Avoca Handweavers Designs Limited, Avoca Handweavers Limited, Avoca Handweavers NI Limited, Avoca Handweavers Shops Limited, Avoca Handweavers UK Limited, Beijing Golden Collar Dining Ltd., Boompjes Hotel BV, Brand Coffee Service Inc., BuyEfficient, CDR Mantenimiento Integral S.A., Campbell Catering (Belfast) Ltd., Campbell Catering (N.I.) Ltd., Campbell Catering Holdings Limited, Campbell Catering Limited, Campbell Catering Ltd., Campbell Catering Services, Canadian Linen and Uniform Service Co., Canyonlands Rafting Hospitality LLC, Catering Alliance Limited, Caterwise Food Services Limited, Central Multiservicios S.R.L., Central de Abastecimiento Limitada, Central de Restaurantes Aramark Limitada, Central de Restaurantes Aramark Multiservicios Limitada, Central de Restaurantes S.R.L., Centrapal S.R.L., Centro de Innovacion y Servicio S.A., Cliff House Hospitality, Comertel Educa SLU, Comertel Residencia SLU, Comertel SA, Complete Purchasing Services Inc., Corporate Coffee Systems LLC, Crater Lake Hospitality, D.G. Maren II Inc., Delicious on West Street LLC, Delsac VIII Inc., Distributor JV Limited, Dongguan Best Property Management Co., Doyon/Aramark Denali National Park Concessions Joint Venture, Effective Partnerships Limited, Filterfresh Coffee Service, Filterfresh Coffee Service LLC, Filterfresh Franchise Group LLC, Fine Host Holdings LLC, Food JV Limited, Freedom Ferry Services, GTB Gastro Team Bremen GmbH, Gestion de Alimentacion y Limpieza Colectivadades SLU, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Concessions LLC, Glen Canyon Rafting Hospitality, Glenrye Properties Services Limited, Golden Collar, Good Uncle Services, Gourmet Aramark Services LLC, Guaranty Energy Group 1981, HPSI Purchasing Services LLC, Harrison Conference Associates LLC, Harrison Conference Services of North Carolina LLC, Harry M. Stevens Inc. of New Jersey, Harry M. Stevens Inc. of Penn., Harry M. Stevens LLC, Hunters Catering Partnership Limited, Institutional Processing Services, Instituto ICS S.A., Inversiones Aramark Chile Limitada, Inversiones Centralcorp Limitada, Inversiones Palm Limitada, Inversiones en Aseo y Mantenimiento S.A, Irish Estates (Facilities Management) Limited, L&N Uniform Supply LLC, Lake Tahoe Cruises LLC, Landy Textile Rental Services LLC, Lifeworks Restaurant Group LLC, Lotus Facilities Management, MESA, Masterplan, Medical Equipment Solutions & Applications Sagl (MESA), Mill Mount Weavers Limited, Muir Woods Hospitality, MyAssistant Inc., New Aramark LLC, Nissho Linen, North Rim Hospitality, Old Time Coffee Co., Olympic Peninsula Hospitality LLC, Orange Support Services Limited, Overall Laundry Services Inc., Paradise Hornblower LLC, Pelican Procurement Services Limited, Philadelphia Ballpark Concessions Joint Venture, Prem Hospitality Limited, Premgroup Franchise Services Limited, Premier Management Company (Dublin) Limited, Premier Partnership (Catering) Limited, Quebec Linge Co., ReMedPar, Restaura Inc., Rocky Mountain Hospitality LLC, Rushmore Hospitality LLC, SeamlessWeb, Seguricorp Servicios S.A., South Rim Hospitality LLC, Spokesoft Technologies Limited, Stuart Cabeldu Catering Limited, Sun Office Service Inc., Tarrant County Concessions LLC, The Aramark Foundation, The Original Food Company Limited, Travel Systems LLC, Trinity Hospitality Services GmbH, Trinity Hospitality Services SARL, Trinity Purchasing N.V., Vector Environmental Services Limited, Vector Workplace and Facility Management Limited, Veris Plc, Veris Property Management Limited, Veris UK Limited, WearGuard, Wilderness River Adventures, and Yosemite Hospitality LLC.The 27th International Food Exhibition WorldFood has opened in Moscow at Expocentre. The guests were offered more than 20 events on topics relevant to the food industry.

According to organizers, there have been serious changes in the food sector over the past year. In particular, buyers have become more demanding about products.

The Grand European Express restaurant chef James Reduta told the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza that there is a demand for fresh products in the industry, but not all firms can guarantee good quality on an ongoing basis. "Because of this, we must constantly visit such exhibitions, events, in order to expand the range of our partner firms," the chef said.

According to him, there is intense competition in the market of agricultural products, which is focused on the restaurant business. "Everything depends on the product itself, what it's like. Each country, each city produces its own kinds of products, and everyone seeks to surpass competitors," Reduta said.

He added that the current trend is using the place where the product was produced in its name.

"The more a guest knows about the product, the more interested he will be in trying it. If you write ordinary tomatoes - well, it will be common tomatoes. And if they specify what kind of tomatoes these are, naturally, you want to try it," Reduta said, adding that he liked how the Azerbaijani products were presented at the exhibition.Bausch Health Companies Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets a range of pharmaceutical, medical device, and over-the-counter (OTC) products primarily in the therapeutic areas of eye health, gastroenterology, and dermatology. The company operates through four segments: Bausch + Lomb/International, Salix, Ortho Dermatologics, and Diversified Products. The Bausch + Lomb/International segment offers products with a focus on the vision care, surgical, and consumer and ophthalmology Rx products in the United States; and Solta products, branded and generic pharmaceutical products, OTC products, and medical device products, and Bausch + Lomb products in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. The Salix segment provides gastroenterology products in the United States. The Ortho Dermatologics segment offers dermatological products in the United States; and Solta medical aesthetic devices internationally. The Diversified Products segment provides pharmaceutical products in the areas of neurology and other therapeutic classes, as well as generic and dentistry products in the United States. The company was formerly known as Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. and changed its name to Bausch Health Companies Inc. in July 2018. Bausch Health Companies Inc. is headquartered in Laval, Canada.

Read MoreCantel Medical Corp. provides infection prevention and control products and services for the healthcare market. The company's Medical segment offers automated endoscope reprocessing systems; disinfectants and sterilants; detergents; leak testing and manual cleaning products; storage cabinets and transport systems; manual cleaning products; endoscope process tracking products; other consumables, accessories, and supplies for use in disinfect rigid endoscopes, flexible endoscopes, and other instrumentation; and technical maintenance services. Its Life Sciences segment provides dialysis water purification and bicarbonate mixing systems; hollow fiber filters, and other filtration and separation products; liquid disinfectants and cold sterilization products; dry fog products; room temperature sterilization equipment and services; and clean-room certification and decontamination services for the dialysis and other healthcare, research laboratories, food and beverage, and commercial industrial customers, as well as microbiological testing services. The company's Dental segment offers hand and powered dental instruments, instrument reprocessing and sterility assurance products, towels, bibs, tray liners, sponges, nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation equipment and related single-use disposable nasal masks, face masks, and shields. It also provides hand sanitizers, germicidal wipes, disinfectants, surface disinfectants, waterline treatment products, saliva ejectors, evacuator tips, plastic cups, prophy angles, and prophy paste. The company's Dialysis segment provides hemodialysis concentrates and other ancillary supplies; medical device reprocessing systems; and sterilants and disinfectants. The company sells its products through its direct distribution network in the United States; and directly or under various third-party distribution agreements internationally. Cantel Medical Corp. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Little Falls, New Jersey.

Read More2 hours ago

Roblox Rules The Metaverse, For Now At Least

Roblox Rockets Higher On Users And Engagement Robloxs (NYSE: RBLX) Q3 results prove that it rules the metaverse, at least for now. Up and comer Meta, formerly Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) will surely give the company a run for its money but thats still to come.

Read Article American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.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.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH.United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; and offers modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators, as well as maintenance and repair services. The company's Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation products, solutions, and services for commercial, government, infrastructure, residential, and refrigeration and transportation applications. This segment also offers building services, including audit, design, installation, system integration, repair, maintenance, and monitoring. Its Pratt & Whitney segment supplies aircraft engines for commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets; and provides aftermarket maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as fleet management services. The company's Collins Aerospace Systems segment provides electric power generation, power management, and distribution systems; air data and aircraft sensing systems; engine control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; engine components; environmental control systems; fire and ice detection, and protection systems; propeller systems; engine nacelle systems; aircraft lighting, seating, and cargo systems; actuation and landing systems; space products and subsystems; avionics systems; flight controls, communications, navigation, oxygen, and training systems; food and beverage preparation, and storage and galley systems; and lavatory and wastewater management systems. The company offers its services through manufacturers' representatives, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, retail outlets, and sales representatives, as well as directly to customers. United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut.

Read More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..German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz welcomed plans by European Commission President Jean-Clause Juncker to bolster Frontex staff to 10,000 by 2020.

Although Merkel and Kurz have previously clashed on migration, Austria's chancellor acknowledged that Berlin had adopted a harder line, thanks in large part to German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer.

"There can be no open borders within Europe without proper protection of external EU borders. That's why it is so important to strengthen Frontex," Kurz said in remarks provided to the DPA news agency by his spokesman.

Following the last formal EU leaders' summit in June, the Commission vowed to boost the bloc's border management agency Frontex, and establish migrant processing centers on the European periphery and in North Africa. Those proposals have yet to be translated into policy.

Kurz said he and Merkel agreed that "we have to work out the details of the turning point that we achieved" in June, DW reported.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.AirBoss of America Corp., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets rubber-based products for automotive, heavy commercial, construction and infrastructure, oil and gas, and defense industries in Canada and the United States. The company operates through three segments: Rubber Solutions, AirBoss Defense Group, and Engineered Products. The Rubber Solutions segment is involved in the development and manufacture of custom rubber compounds, calendered and extruded materials, and molded products for use in various applications and industries, including mining, transportation, industrial rubber products, military, automotive, conveyor belting, and oil and gas; and sources chemicals. The AirBoss Defense Group segment develops, manufactures, and sells chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive protective equipment and products for military, first response, and healthcare applications. The Engineered Products segment designs, engineers, manufactures, and sells rubber, synthetic rubber, and rubber-to-metal bonded products that are used to eliminate or control undesired vibration and noise. The company was formerly known as IATCO Industries Inc. and changed its name to AirBoss of America Corp. in April 1994. AirBoss of America Corp. is headquartered in Newmarket, Canada.

Read MoreOn September 17, large-scale operational and tactical exercises with the participation of various service arms and branches of troops, as well as large units and formations of the Azerbaijani army have started in Azerbaijan.

The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan told Vestnik Kavkaza that the exercises are held according to the plan approved by the president of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, under the leadership of the minister of defense, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov.

The exercises, which will last until September 22, are involve more than 20,000 soldiers, more than 200 units of tanks and other armored vehicles, more than 120 artillery missile systems of different calibers, multiple rocket launcher systems and mortars, up to 10 units of fighter and bomber aircraft, up to 20 units of army aircraft for various purposes.

In accordance with the plan of holding large-scale exercises of the Azerbaijani army, the management and movement of troops that have been put on alert are implemented covertly and operatively in line with high demand for their organization. In the course of ongoing exercises, the troops are moving into concentration areas and forming groupings. Combat work has been organized at the command and control posts of the troops.AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes therapeutics for maternal and women's health, and anemia management in the United States. The company markets Feraheme (ferumoxytol), an intravenous iron replacement therapeutic agent for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adult patients who have intolerance to oral iron or have had unsatisfactory response to oral iron, as well as patients who have chronic kidney disease; Makena, a hydroxyprogesterone caproate injection to reduce the risk of preterm birth in women pregnant with a single baby who have a history of singleton spontaneous preterm birth; Intrarosa(prasterone) vaginal insert steroid for the treatment of dyspareunia due to menopause; and Vyleesi (bremelanotide), an auto-injector device for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in pre-menopausal women. Its product candidates also include AMAG-423 (ovine), an antibody fragment, which is in Phase 2b/3a trial for the treatment of severe preeclampsia in pregnant women; and Ciraparantag, an anticoagulant reversal agent that is in planned Phase 2b trial for the treatment of novel oral anticoagulants or low molecular weight heparin. The company sells Feraheme to authorized wholesalers and specialty distributors. The company has license agreements with Endoceutics, Inc., Palatin Technologies, Inc., Velo Bio, LLC, Prasco, LLC, Perosphere Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Antares Pharma, Inc. AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Read More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.

Read MoreTwenty-two people have been hospitalized after a crash involving a charter bus in the Krasnodar Region, an employee of the press service of the regional main directorate of the Russian Interior Ministry said.

"At about 22:30 the driver of a Neoplan bus en route from Anapa to Yaroslavl lost control on a highway in the Leningradsky District and exited to the wood line. Twenty-two people are being taken to hospitals; part of them may be hospitalized after examination," TASS cited the source as saying.

There were about 40 people in the bus. The accident took place on the 47th km of the Staroderevyankovskaya-Leningradskaya-Kislyakovskaya highway.The following companies are subsidiares of BlackRock: Acero Cooperatief U.A., Acero Holdings I B.V., Amethyst Merger Sub LLC, AnalytX Hosting LLC, AnalytX LLC, AnalytX Software LLC, Aperio, Aperio, Aquila Heywood, Asia-Pacific Private Credit Opportunities Fund I (GenPar) Ltd., BAA Holdings LLC, BFM Holdco LLC, BLK (Gallatin) Holdings LLC, BLK SMI LLC, BR Acquisition Mexico S.A. de C.V., BR Jersey International Holdings L.P., Beijing eFront Software Company Limited, BlackRock (Barbados) Finco 1 SRL, BlackRock (Channel Islands) Limited, BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco II Pte. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, BlackRock AP Investment Holdco LLC, BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors LLC, BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte. Limited, BlackRock Alternative Advisors GP Holdings LLC, BlackRock Alternatives Management LLC, BlackRock Argentina Asesorias Ltda., BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG, BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., BlackRock Asset Management Investor Services Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Asset Management UK Limited, BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., BlackRock Brasil Gestora de Investimentos Ltda., BlackRock Cal 1 Investor LLC, BlackRock Canada Holdings LP, BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC, BlackRock Capital Holdings Inc., BlackRock Capital Investment Advisors LLC, BlackRock Capital Management Inc., BlackRock Cayco Limited, BlackRock Cayman 1 LP, BlackRock Cayman Capital Holdings Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 3 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited, BlackRock Cayman Z Limited, BlackRock Channel Islands Holdco Limited, BlackRock Chile Asesorias Limitada, BlackRock Colombia Holdco LLC, BlackRock Colombia Infraestructura S.A.S., BlackRock Colombia SAS, BlackRock Company Secretarial Services (UK) Limited, BlackRock Corporation US Inc., BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc., BlackRock Enterprise Management Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Europe Development Management Limited, BlackRock Execution Services, BlackRock Finance Europe Limited, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., BlackRock Finco LLC, BlackRock Finco UK Ltd., BlackRock First Partner Limited, BlackRock France SAS, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Fund Management Company S.A., BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, BlackRock Funding International Ltd., BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC, BlackRock Germany GmBH, BlackRock Group Limited, BlackRock HK Holdco Limited, BlackRock Holdco 2 Inc., BlackRock Holdco 3 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 4 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 5 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 6 LLC, BlackRock Hungary Kft, BlackRock Index Services LLC, BlackRock Infrastructure Management I LLC, BlackRock Institutional Services Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company National Association, BlackRock International Holdings Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Dublin) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Korea) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Investment Management (Taiwan) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management Ireland Holdings Limited, BlackRock Investment Management LLC, BlackRock Investments LLC, BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd., BlackRock Japan Holdings GK, BlackRock Jersey Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Latin America Holdco LLC, BlackRock Latin American Holdings B.V., BlackRock Life Limited, BlackRock Lux Finco S.a r.l., BlackRock Luxembourg Holdco S.a r.l., BlackRock Mexican Holdco B.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura I S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager S de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Operadora S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, BlackRock Mortgage Ventures LLC, BlackRock Niagara LLC, BlackRock Operations (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., BlackRock Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock PC Holdings LLC, BlackRock Pensions Limited, BlackRock Peru Asesorias S.A., BlackRock Property Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Property France S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Lux S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., BlackRock Realty Advisors Inc., BlackRock Saudi Arabia, BlackRock Scale Holdings LLC, BlackRock Services India Private Limited, BlackRock Singapore III Pte. Ltd., BlackRock Slovakia s.r.o., BlackRock Strategic Investors GP LLC, BlackRock Strategic Investors LP, BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited, BlackRock UK (Alpha) Limited, BlackRock UK (Beta) Limited, BlackRock UK (Delta) LP, BlackRock UK (Gamma) Limited, BlackRock UK (Sigma) Limited, BlackRock UK 2 LLP, BlackRock UK 3 LLP, BlackRock UK 4 LLP, BlackRock UK A LLP, BlackRock UK Holdco 2 Limited, BlackRock UK Holdco Limited, Blackhawk Investment Holding LLC, CIE Automotive, Cachematrix Holdings, Cachematrix Holdings LLC, Cachematrix Integrations Private Limited, Cachematrix Software Solutions LLC, Cachematrix UK Limited, FutureAdvisor Inc., Glass Mountain Pipeline, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Advisors LLC, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure II Advisors LLC, Grosvenor Alternate Partner Limited, Grosvenor Ventures Limited, HLX Financial Holdings LLC, MGPA (Bermuda) Limited, MGPA (Exec) Limited, MGPA Limited, Mercury Carry Company Ltd., Mercury Private Equity MUST 3 (Jersey) Limited, Object Capital Technology Inc., Phoenix Acquisition B.V., Phoenix Acquisitions Holdings LLC, Portfolio Administration & Management Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios Integrales BlackRock Mexico S.A. de C.V., SVOF/MM LLC, St. Albans House Nominees (Jersey) Ltd., State Street Research & Management, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tlali Acero S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Trident Merger LLC, eFront, eFront, eFront (Jersey) Limited, eFront DMLT Holdings LLC, eFront DMLT Holdings S.R.L, eFront DR S.R.L, eFront Do Brasil Solucoes Informaticas Para Sistemas Financeiros Ltda., eFront FZ-LLC, eFront Financial Solutions Inc., eFront GmbH, eFront Holding II SAS, eFront Holdings SAS, eFront Hong Kong Limited, eFront II SAS, eFront Kabushiki Kaisha, eFront Ltd, eFront SAS, eFront Singapore Pte. Ltd, eFront Software Luxembourg S.a r.l., eFront Solutions Financeieres Inc., eFront d.o.o. Beograd, iShares (DE) I Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC.Warships from NATOs 2nd Standing Maritime Group are moving closer to the Syrian coast, according to Western websites monitoring naval activity in the region.

The NATO flotilla cruising off the Syrian coast reportedly consists of a Dutch frigate, the De Ruyter, a Canadian frigate, the Ville de Quebec, and a Greek cruiser, the Elli.

This information was confirmed by the captain of the Dutch frigate in his microblog.

According to earlier reports, a Los Angeles-Class US submarine, the USS Newport News, armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, has entered the Mediterranean Sea to join a US naval task force consisting of two nuclear submarines with cruise missiles on board and two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, the USS Carney and the USS Ross, Sputnik recalls.CEMEX SAB de CV engages in the production, distribution, marketing, and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates. It operates though the following geographical segments: Mexico; United States; Europe; South, Central America and the Caribbean (SCA&C); Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA); and Others. The Europe segment covers United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia, as well as trading activities in Scandinavia, and Finland. The SCA&C segment includes Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Caribbean TCL, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Jamaica, the Caribbean, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The EMEA segment comprises of Egypt, Israel, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates. The Others segment refers to the cement trade maritime operations, information technology solutions business, and other corporate entities as well as other minor subsidiaries with different lines of business. The company was founded by Lorenzo Zambrano Gutierrez in 1906 and is headquartered in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Laboratory Co. of America: 1957285 Ontario Inc. dba Quality Underwriting Services, 2089729 Ontario Inc., 2248848 Ontario Inc., 3065619 Nova Scotia Company, 3257959 Nova Scotia Company, 896988 Ontario Limited, 9279-3280 Quebec Inc., Accupath Diagnostic Laboratories Inc., Alpha Medical Laboratory LLC, Assets of Pathology Inc, Beacon LBS IPA Inc., Beacon Laboratory Benefit Solutions Inc., CannAmm GP Inc., CannAmm Limited Partnership, Center for Disease Detection International, Center for Disease Detection LLC, Centrex Clinical Laboratories Inc., Chiltern, Clearstone Central Laboratories (U.S.) Inc., Clearstone Holdings (International) Ltd., Clipper Holdings Inc., Colorado Coagulation Consultants Inc., Colorado Laboratory Services LLC, Correlagen Diagnostics Inc., Covance Inc., Curalab Inc., Cytometry Associates Inc., Czura Thornton (Hong Kong) Limited, DCL Acquisition Inc., DCL Medical Laboratories LLC (DE), DCL Medical Laboratories LLC (FL), DCL Sub LLC, DIANON Systems Inc., DL Holdings Limited Partnership, Decision Diagnostics L.L.C. (aka DaVinici/Medicorp LLC), Diagnostic Services Inc., DynaLifeDX, Dynacare - Gamma Laboratory Partnership, Dynacare Company, Dynacare G.P. Inc., Dynacare Holdco LLC, Dynacare Laboratories Inc., Dynacare Laboratories Limited Partnership, Dynacare Northwest Inc., Dynacare Realty Inc., DynalifeDX Infrastructure Inc., Endocrine Sciences Inc., Esoterix Genetic Counseling LLC, Esoterix Genetic Laboratories LLC, Esoterix Inc., Execmed Health Services Inc., FirstSource Laboratory Solutions Inc., GDML Medical Laboratories Inc, Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratories GP Inc., Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratory Limited Partnership, HHLA Lab-In-An-Envelope LLC, Health Trans Services Inc., Home Healthcare Laboratory of America LLC, IDX Pathology Inc., Impact Genetics Corp, Impact Genetics Inc., Kaleida LabCorp LLC, Lab Delivery Service of New York City Inc., LabCorp BVBA, LabCorp Belgium Holdings Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (Canada) Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (China) Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (Singapore) Pte., LabCorp Development Company, LabCorp Employer Services Inc., LabCorp Health System Diagnostics LLC, LabCorp Indiana Inc., LabCorp Japan G.K., LabCorp Limited, LabCorp Michigan Inc., LabCorp Nebraska Inc., LabCorp Neon Ltd., LabCorp Neon Switzerland S.a.r.l., LabCorp Specialty Testing Billing Service Inc., LabCorp Specialty Testing Group Inc., LabCorp Staffing Solutions Inc., LabCorp Tennessee LLC, LabCorp UK Holdings Ltd., LabWest Inc., Laboratoire Bio-Medic Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America, Lifecodes Corporation, LipoScience Inc., Litholink Corporation, MEDTOX Scientific Inc., MNG Laboratories, Medical Neurogenitics LLC, Medtox Diagnostics Inc., Medtox Laboratories Inc., Monogram Biosciences Inc., Monogram Biosciences UK Limited, Myriad Autoimmunes Vectra Testing Business, NWT Inc., National Genetics Institute, New Brighton Business Center LLC, New Imaging Diagnostics LLC, New Molecular Diagnostics Ventures LLC, Orchid Cellmark Ltd., Orchid Cellmark ULC, PA Labs Inc., Path Lab Incorporated, Pathology Associates Medical Lab LLC, Pee Dee Pathology Associates Inc., Persys Technology Inc., Pixel by LabCorp, Princeton Diagnostic Laboratories of America Inc., Protedyne Corporation, ReliaGene Technologies Inc., SW/DL LLC, Saint Josephs-PAML LLC, Sequenom Biosciences (India) Pvt. Ltd., Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine LLC, Sequenom Inc, Sequenom Inc., Southern Idaho Regional Laboratory, Tandem Labs Inc., The LabCorp Charitable Foundation, Tri-Cities Laboratory LLC, Viro-Med Laboratories Inc., Visiun, and Yakima Medical Arts Inc..The following companies are subsidiares of Quaker Chemical: AC Products Inc., Applied Surface Concepts Holdings Ltd. , Binol AB, Binol Biosafe OY, Commonwealth Oil Corporation, DA Stuart India Private Limited, DA Stuart Shanghai Co, ECLI Products LLC, EFHCO LLC, Engineered Custom Lubricants, Engineered Custom Lubricants GmbH, Epmar Corporation, G.W. Smith and Sons, GH Holdings Inc., GHG Lubricants Holdings Limited, GHGL London Ltd., GHI Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Global Houghton Ltd., Houghton (Shanghai) Specialty Industrial Fluids Co. Ltd, Houghton Argentina S.A., Houghton Asia Pacific Co. Limited, Houghton Australia Pty. Ltd., Houghton Benelux BV, Houghton CZ s.r.o, Houghton Canada Inc., Houghton Denmark AS, Houghton Deutschland GmbH, Houghton Europe BV, Houghton Holdings Limited, Houghton Iberica S.A. , Houghton International, Houghton International Inc., Houghton Italia S.p.A., Houghton Japan Co. Ltd., Houghton Kimya Sanayi AS, Houghton Magyarorszag Kft, Houghton Mexico S.A. de C.V., Houghton Oil (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd., Houghton Polska Sp. Zo.o., Houghton Romania S.R.L., Houghton S.A.S., Houghton Sverige AB, Houghton Taiwan Co. Limited, Houghton Technical Corp., Houghton Ukraine ToV, Houghton do Brazil Ltda., Houghton plc, Internationale Metall Impragnier GmbH, Lubricor Inc, Lubricor Inc., Lubricor Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Lubricor USA Inc., MIH Acquisition Company LLC, MX Systems International Ltd, Maldaner GmbH, NP Coil Dexter Industries, New Houghton Brazil Inc., Norman Hay Engineering Ltd., QH Chemical Limited, QH Europe BV, QH Holdings Limited, QH International Limited, Quaker (Thailand) Ltd., Quaker Australia Holdings Pty. Limited, Quaker Chemical (Australasia) Pty. Limited, Quaker Chemical (China) Co. Ltd., Quaker Chemical B.V., Quaker Chemical CV, Quaker Chemical Canada Holdings Inc., Quaker Chemical Canada Limited, Quaker Chemical Europe B.V., Quaker Chemical Holdings South Africa (Pty) Limited, Quaker Chemical India Private Limited, Quaker Chemical Industria e Comercio Ltda., Quaker Chemical Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Quaker Chemical Limited, Quaker Chemical MEA FZE, Quaker Chemical Operacoes Ltda., Quaker Chemical Participacoes Ltda., Quaker Chemical S.A., Quaker Chemical S.r.l., Quaker Chemical Services EURL, Quaker Chemical South Africa (Pty.) Limited, Quaker China Holdings B.V., Quaker Denmark ApS, Quaker Houghton (Finco) Ltd., Quaker Houghton Holdings Limited, Quaker Houghton Holdings Ltd., Quaker Houghton International LP, Quaker Houghton Ltd., Quaker International Holdings LLC, Quaker Italia S.r.l., Quaker Russia B.V., Quaker Sales Europe BV, Quaker Shanghai Trading Company Limited, Quaker Spain Holding SLU, Quaker Specialty Chemicals (UK) Limited, SB Decking Inc., SIFCO Applied Surface Concepts (UK) Ltd, SIFCO Applied Surface Concepts LLC, SIFCO Concepts Sarl, SIFCO Concepts Sweden, Sterr & Eder Industrieservice GmbH, Summit Lubricants Inc, Summit Lubricants Inc., Surface Technology (Coventry) Ltd, Surface Technology (Dalian) Co Ltd, Surface Technology (East Kilbride) Ltd., Surface Technology (Leeds) Ltd, Surface Technology Aberdeen Ltd, Surface Technology Australia, Surface Technology Holdings Ltd., TecniQuimia Mexicana, Tecniquimia Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Thai Houghton 1993 Co. Ltd., Ultraseal Asia Limited, Ultraseal Chongqing Limited, Ultraseal Germany GmbH, Ultraseal International Group Ltd, Ultraseal Machinery Dongguan Ltd, Ultraseal Shanghai Limited, Ultraseal USA Inc., Unitek Servicios De Asesoria Especializad S.A de C.V., Verkol S.A.U., Verkol SAU, Wallover Enterprises Inc., Wallover Oil Company Incorporated, Wallover Oil Hamilton Inc., and Wuhan Quaker Technology Co. Ltd.There is not enough analysis data for Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte Sociedad Anonima.

4.4 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte Sociedad Anonima has received 237 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte Sociedad Anonima has received 120 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte Sociedad Anonima has received 66.39% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte Sociedad Anonima and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe EDN will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe EDN will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

Previous

NextThe new school year has started in Georgia on September 17. More than 50 thousand children will start school today.

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili spoke at the 51st public school in central Tbilisi today to voice his kind wishes regarding the new school year.

"The people you will get to know at school will become inseparable parts of your lives. I hope you spend your school years merrily and successfully," Agenda.ge cited the president as saying.

Both Georgian kindergartens and schools began a new academic year today.Oasis Petroleum Inc., an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through Exploration and Production(E&P), and Midstream segments. The E&P segment engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties. The Midstream segment offers midstream services, such as natural gas gathering, compression, processing and, gas lift supply; crude oil gathering, terminaling, and transportation; produced and flowback water gathering, and disposal; and water distribution. As of December 31, 2020, the company had 401,766 net leasehold acres in the Williston Basin; and 24,396 net leasehold acres in the Permian Basin, as well as approximately 152.2 million barrels of oil equivalent of estimated net proved reserves. The company sells its crude oil and natural gas to refiners, marketers, and other purchasers that have access to pipeline and rail facilities. Oasis Petroleum Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Read MoreRussian President Vladimir Putin said opening talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that he wants to discuss problems of the Syrian settlement and try to find solutions to them.

"Our relations are developing dynamically and positively. It can be said about our trade and economic ties, which are growing rapidly. It can be said about our security cooperation, especially within the region, on the international arena in a broad sense of the word," TASS cited him as saying. "There are a lot of problems, some of them being very difficult. I am glad to see you not only to exchange views on the entire range of problems but also to try to find solutions where there are none as of yet," the Russian leader noted.

Welcoming the guest, Putin stressed that their meetings are held rather regularly. He noted that the Turkish presidents latest visit to Russia took place exactly a year ago.

Erdogan, in turn, said that a joint statement on Syria due to be made after his meeting with Putin would bring "new hope" to the region.

"The statement which we will make after the meeting in Sochi will contain new hope for the region," Erdogan said, giving no indication of what would be in the statement.

Ahead of the trip to Russia, Erdogan said Turkeys calls for a ceasefire in Idlib region were bearing fruit after days of relative calm but that more work needed to be done.Guyana Goldfields Inc. provides exploration and production of gold. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of gold mineral properties. The company also owns and operates gold drilling rights. The company was formerly known as Chiboug Copper Company Limited and changed its name to Guyana Goldfields Inc. in January 1995. Guyana Goldfields Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As of August 25, 2020, Guyana Goldfields Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited.

Read MoreiShares MSCI Spain ETF's stock was trading at $22.48 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWP stock has increased by 25.2% and is now trading at $28.14.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.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 Iron Mountain: AB Archyvu Centras, AB Archyvu Sistemos, AB Archyvu Sistemos Estonia Branch, AKTATRADE Iratendezo Selejtezo es Megsemmisito Bt., AS Archivu Serviss, Accutrac Software Inc, Administradora de Informacion Ltda, ArchivesOne, Archyvu sistemos, Ausdoc Group Pty Limited, Ausdoc Holdings Pty Limited, Bonded Services Group, Box Butler, Britannia Data Management Limited, Connected Corporation, Cornerstone Records Management, Crozier Fine Arts, Crozier Philadelphia LLC, Custodia S.O.S. SA, Custodia de Documentos Limitada, Data Outsourcing Centre doo, Data Security Services Pty Limited, DigiGuard, Docu-File Cape Town Proprietary Limited, Docu-File Durban Proprietary Limited, Docu-File JHB Proprietary Limited, DocuTar Iratrendezo es Tarolo Szolgaltato Kft., DocuVault, Docufile (Pty) Ltd, Docufile Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Docufile Lesotho Proprietary Limited, Docufile Services Proprietary Limited, Docugroup Papir Szolgatato Kft., Document Holdings Sweden AB, Docuscan Cape Town Proprietary Limited, Docuscan Proprietary Limited, EAC Invest, Endless Document Storage Services LLC, EvoSwitch, File Express Limited, Fine Paper Recyclers Sydney Pty Ltd, Fontis International GmbH, Fontis International Inc., Fortrust, G4S Secure Data Solutions Colombia, Hays IMS, Horanross Limited, IBEX IM Limited, IBEX Information Management Limited, IG2 Data Security, IMSA Peru SRL, IO.com, Information Storage Consolidation Co, Interfile Participacoes S.A., Intradis SA, Iron Mountain (Deutschland) Service GmbH, Iron Mountain (Espana) Services S.L, Iron Mountain (Gibraltar) Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain (Ireland) Services Limited, Iron Mountain (Nederland) Services BV, Iron Mountain (UK) EES Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain (UK) Limited, Iron Mountain (UK) Services Limited, Iron Mountain A/S, Iron Mountain Acquisition Holdings Pty. Ltd., Iron Mountain Argentina S.A., Iron Mountain Arsivleme Hizmetleri A.S., Iron Mountain Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd, Iron Mountain Australia Group Pty. Ltd., Iron Mountain Australia Group Services Pty. Ltd., Iron Mountain Australia Holdings Inc., Iron Mountain Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd, Iron Mountain Austria Archivierung Gmbh, Iron Mountain BPM International S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain BPM SPRL, Iron Mountain Belgium NV, Iron Mountain CIS LLC, Iron Mountain Canada Operations ULC, Iron Mountain Ceska Republika S.R.O., Iron Mountain Chile S.A., Iron Mountain Chile Servicios S.A., Iron Mountain Colombia S.A.S., Iron Mountain DIMS Limited, Iron Mountain Deutschland GmbH, Iron Mountain Do Brasil Ltda, Iron Mountain EES Holdings Ltd., Iron Mountain EES Sp. z.o.o., Iron Mountain Espana SA, Iron Mountain Europe (Group) Limited, Iron Mountain Europe PLC (fka Iron Mountain Europe Limited), Iron Mountain Finland OY, Iron Mountain France S.A.S., Iron Mountain Fulfillment Services Inc., Iron Mountain Global Holdings Inc., Iron Mountain Global LLC, Iron Mountain Global Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Group (Europe) Limited, Iron Mountain Hellas SA, Iron Mountain Holdings (Europe) Limited, Iron Mountain Holdings (France) SNC, Iron Mountain Incorporated, Iron Mountain India Private Ltd, Iron Mountain Information Management LLC, Iron Mountain Information Management Services Canada Inc., Iron Mountain Information Management Services Inc., Iron Mountain Intellectual Property Management Inc., Iron Mountain International (Holdings) Limited, Iron Mountain International Holdings BV, Iron Mountain International Information Management Co. Ltd., Iron Mountain Ireland Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain Ireland Limited, Iron Mountain Latin America Holdings Sociedad Limitada, Iron Mountain Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Luxembourg Services S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Luxembourg Services S.a.r.l. Schaffhausen Branch, Iron Mountain MDM Limited, Iron Mountain Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi es Szolgaltato Kft., Iron Mountain Management Services GmbH, Iron Mountain Mayflower Limited, Iron Mountain Mexico Holding S. de RL de CV, Iron Mountain Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Iron Mountain Mexico Servicios S. de RL de CV, Iron Mountain Mortgage Finance Holdings LLC, Iron Mountain Mortgage Finance I LLC, Iron Mountain Nederland B.V., Iron Mountain Nederland Holdings B.V., Iron Mountain New Zealand Limited (fka Recall New Zealand Ltd), Iron Mountain Norge AS, Iron Mountain Participations SA, Iron Mountain Peru S.A., Iron Mountain Poland Holdings Ltd, Iron Mountain Polska Services Sp z.o.o., Iron Mountain Polska Sp. z.o.o., Iron Mountain Receivables QRS LLC, Iron Mountain Receivables TRS LLC, Iron Mountain Records Management (Puerto Rico) Inc., Iron Mountain Records Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Iron Mountain SRL, Iron Mountain Secure Shredding Canada, Iron Mountain Secure Shredding Inc., Iron Mountain Services Private Ltd, Iron Mountain Services S.A.S., Iron Mountain Shanghai Co Ltd, Iron Mountain Slovakia s.r.o., Iron Mountain South America S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Southeast Asia Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain Switzerland GmbH, Iron Mountain UK Services (Holdings) Limited, Iron Mountain US Holdings Inc., Iron Mountain Ukraine LLC, Iron Mountain Vietnam Company Limited, Iron Mountain d.o.o. Beograd, Jin Shan Limited, KDM Spectrumdata Pty Ltd, KH Data Capital Development Land LLC, Kestrel Data (Canada) Ltd, Kestrel Data Services Limited, Kestrel Information Management Pty. Ltd., Livevault, Marshgate Morangis S.a.r.l., Mimosa Systems, Mobilshred Inc., Navbharat Archive Xpress Private Limited, Nettlebed Acquisition Corp., Pipax Security S.A., Preferred Media Limited, Prism Integrated Sdn Bhd, Recall, Recall (London) Limited, Recall (Schweiz) AG, Recall (Shanghai) Ltd., Recall A/S, Recall AS, Recall Asia Pte Limited, Recall Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Recall Enterprises (Thailand) Limited, Recall Enterprises Sdn. Bhd., Recall Europe Finance Ltd. (fka Recall Europe Finance Plc), Recall Europe Limited, Recall Finance Limited, Recall Finland OY, Recall France SA, Recall France SA Belgium Branch, Recall France SAS, Recall GQ Limited, Recall Holdings, Recall Holdings Limited, Recall Holdings Sweden AB, Recall Hong Kong Ltd., Recall India Information Management Pvt. Ltd., Recall Information Services SRL, Recall International Pty Limited, Recall Italia SRL, Recall Limited, Recall Overseas Holdings Pty Limited, Recall Shredding Limited, Recall Sweden AB, Recall Taiwan Ltd., Recall Technology Pty. Ltd., Recall Total Information Management India Pvt. Ltd., Recall Total Information Mgt Pte Ltd, Recall do Brasil Ltda, Record Data Limited, Royal Seal S.R.O., Safehouse Information Management Solutions Private Limited, Secur Archiv SA, Secure Paper Services Pty Ltd, Shuttle SRL, Silver Sky Limited, Sispace AG, Startify, Storbox SA, The Coding Company Pty. Ltd., The Imaging Centre Pty Ltd, UAB Confidento, Upper Providence Venture I L.P., Venues Australia Pty Ltd, and Xepa Digital.Director General of Russia's Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities Dmitry Rogozin has discussed the prospects of cooperation for joint creation of space communication satellites with Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Maminin, the press service of the Kazakh Prime Minister said.

The meeting was held in Moscow.

It was noted that during the meeting, the sides exchanged views on topical issues of bilateral cooperation and prospects for further development of the 'Baikonur' complex, as well as discussed the implementation of the joint 'Baiterek' project.

The sides also discussed the issues of development of the city of Baikonur and creating a special economic zone there.Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance and Wealth. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings accounts, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, credit cards, and other financial services to personal and small business customers. The Commercial Banking segment provides lending, transactional banking, working capital management, risk management, and debt capital market services to small and medium-sized entities, corporates, and financial institutions. The Insurance and Wealth segment offers life, home, and car insurance products; and pension, investment, and wealth management products and services. It also provides digital and mobile banking, and telephone services, as well as advisory services for savings, investments, and planning for retirement. The company offers its products and services under the Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, MBNA, Schroders Personal Wealth, Black Horse, Lex Autolease, Birmingham Midshires, LDC, IWeb, and Agricultural Mortgage Corporation brands. Lloyds Banking Group plc was founded in 1695 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreMAXIMUS, Inc. engages in the operation of government and human services programs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Services; U.S. Federal Services; and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers a variety of business process services, and appeals and assessments for state, provincial and national government programs. The U.S. Federal Services segment includes process solutions, program management, as well as system and software development, and maintenance services for various United States federal civilian programs. The Outside the U.S segment comprises of national, state, and county human services agencies with a variety of business process services, and related consulting services for welfare-to-work, child support, higher education institutions, and other human services programs. The company was founded by David V. Mastran in 1975 and is headquartered in Reston, VA.

Read MoreDATA Communications Management Corp., together with its subsidiaries, provides business communication solutions in North America. It provides a range of communication solutions, including multi media campaign management, location-specific marketing, 1:1 marketing, custom loyalty programs execution, and brand management, as well as commercial printing services. The company also offers warehousing and freight services. It serves the financial institutions, insurance, healthcare, lottery and gaming, retailing, not-for-profit, energy, and governmental industries. The company was formerly known as DATA Group Ltd. and changed its name to DATA Communications Management Corp. in July 2016. DATA Communications Management Corp. was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Brampton, Canada.

Read MoreMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17)  As Typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut) left the Philippines in devastation, it moved to bring its wrath to Hong Kong.

The Foreign Affairs Department on Monday said at least two Filipinos were hurt in Hong Kong due to the storm, according to the initial report of the Philippine Consulate General. A Filipino tourist had to undergo leg surgery after she was hit by flying debris. Another Filipino was also hurt by falling debris, but she didn't need hospital treatment. Consul General Morales also reported that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) received calls from Filipino household service workers who sustained minor injuries but needed no hospital treatment.

Thirty-six Filipino tourists were assisted after they were stranded inside their bus, while five Filipino workers were rescued by Hong Kong authorities.

DFA said it will continue to monitor the welfare of the 227,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong and coordinate with authorities.

After pummeling Hong Kong, the world's strongest storm this year continued its path of destruction, reaching mainland China on Sunday afternoon. More than 2.45 million people have been evacuated in China's Guangdong province as Mangkhut made landfall on Sunday, according to Chinese state media.Iran has implemented all its nuclear related commitments within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), since it went into effect, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali-Akbar Salehi said, speaking at the 62nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.

"Ever since that the agreement went into effect in January 2016, Iran, as stipulated in 12 consecutive IAEA reports, has fully complied with the provisions of the deal and implemented all its ensuing nuclear related commitments. This is a simple, undeniable and generally recognized fact," he said.

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) called the American unilateral decision "a blatant breach of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and an open travesty of the fundamental and cherished principles of international law and multilateralism."

Salehi stressed that the U.S. step has placed in serious jeopardy the fate of this valuable and unique science-diplomacy achievement.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..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.Europe and Russia have a long way to go before they bring relations back to normal but there is a need to maintain dialogue with Russia instead of isolating it, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in an interview with the Finnish Helsingin Sanomat newspaper ahead of his visit to Finland.

"No one can be happy about the current state of Germany and Europes relations with Russia," he noted. According to Steinmeier, Russia's activities in eastern Ukraine and Crimea greatly affected relations. "We want to improve relations but we still have a long way to be before we bring them back to normal," he pointed out. "However, Russia remains Europes neighbor and Finland is the country that understands it better than others," TASS cited the German president as saying.

Steinmeier believes that it was not right to isolate Russia. "Those who wish to look not only to the past but to the future as well, need to search for ways to communicate, particularly in hard times," he called on.

The German president also noted that issues related to Russia should be discussed with Russia. "At least, this was what I did last autumn, when I met with President Putin in Russia," he stressed. "These kind of discussions will not improve anything in an instant but I am sure that if we keep silent, risks will grow and no new alternatives will emerge," Steinmeier believes.SPDR S&P Retail ETF's stock was trading at $34.97 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, XRT stock has increased by 191.9% and is now trading at $102.09.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.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.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.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.

Read More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.

Read MoreU.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry explained the United States possible anti-Russian sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

He expressed doubt that any concrete decisions had been made so far, however did not rule out the possibility of introducing such sanctions.

Perry said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper that neither the United States nor Russia would like to reach the escalation point when sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project could be imposed.

"Secretary Perry made clear that while the United States welcomes competition with Russia in energy markets across Europe, Asia and elsewhere, Moscow can no longer use energy as an economic weapon," the U.S. Energy Department said in its statement. "The United States is now in a position to offer these nations an alternative source of supply," CNBC cited the statement as saying

Earlier, Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak expressed concern over U.S. statements on possible sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.Deutsche BArse AG operates as an exchange organization in Europe, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates through seven segments: Eurex (Financial Derivatives), EEX (Commodities), 360T (Foreign Exchange), Xetra (Cash Equities), Clearstream (Post-Trading), IFS (Investment Fund Services), and Qontigo (index and analytics business). The company engages in the electronic trading of derivatives, electricity and gas products, emission rights, and foreign exchange; operating of Eurex Repo over the counter (OTC) trading platform and electronic clearing architecture; and operating as a central counterparty for on-and-off exchange derivatives, repo transactions, and OTC and exchange-traded derivatives. It also operates in the cash market through Xetra, BArse Frankfurt, and Tradegate trading venues; operates as a central counterparty for equities and bonds; and provides listing services. In addition, the company offers custody and settlement services for securities; investment fund services; global securities financing services; and global securities finance and collateral management, as well as secured money, market transaction, and repos and securities lending transaction services. Further, it develops and markets indices, as well as portfolio management and risk analysis software; markets licenses for trading and market signals; provides technology and reporting solutions for external customers; and offers link-up of trading participants. Deutsche BArse AG was founded in 1585 and is headquartered in Eschborn, Germany.

Read MoreVanguard High Dividend Yield ETF's stock was trading at $75.66 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, VYM stock has increased by 45.3% and is now trading at $109.97.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.The Southern pays an annual dividend of $2.64 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 4.18%. 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 93.29%. 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 74.79% next year. This indicates that The Southern will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

View The Southern's dividend history.Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. provides technical, professional, and construction services. The company's Aerospace, Technology, Environmental and Nuclear segment offers scientific, engineering, construction, nuclear, environmental, and technical support services to the aerospace, defense, technical, and automotive industries. Its Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities segment develops/rehabilitates plans for highways, bridges, transit, tunnels, airports, railroads, intermodal facilities, and maritime or port projects; develops or rehabilitates critical water resource systems, water/wastewater conveyance systems, and flood defense projects; and provides engineering design, construction management, design build, and operations and maintenance. This segment also designs and constructs buildings; offers consulting, engineering, procurement, construction management, and delivery services for life sciences clients; and provides services relating to modular construction and other consulting and strategic planning services, as well as offers services in containment, barrier technology, locally controlled environments, building systems automation, off-the-site design, and fabrication of facility modules. The company's Energy, Chemicals and Resources segment offers services relating to onshore and offshore oil and gas production facilities, processing facilities, gathering systems, and transmission pipelines and terminals; feasibility/economic studies, technology evaluation, conceptual engineering, front end loading, detailed engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and commissioning services; and engineering, procurement, and construction solutions. This segment also provides services, such as manufacturing complex, expansions, modifications, and management of plant relocations; construction management and field construction services; and services to operate and maintain facilities. The company was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Read MoreBy Sep. 17, 2018





PADUCAH - A Murder Mystery Dinner on Sept 21 at Paducah's Moose Lodge will benefit the American Cancer Society.In "Win, Lose or Die," watch what happens when America's favorite game show rolls into town looking for local contestants. It's a quiz show like no other as jealousy rears its ugly head and the category Is murder! Everyone is in Jeopardy - even the audience! Buzz in with your answer to the $64,000 question: Who is the killer? It only takes a minute to win it, a minute to lose it, and just seconds to die in this fast paced and funny interactive murder mystery.Doors open at 6 pm and dinner is at 6:30 pm. The show starts at 7 pm.The Moose Lodge is at 185 County Park Road in Paducah.Tickets are $35 each. Call Brandi Curtis for at 270-444-0743 for more information.Advertisement

By The Associated Press

Sep. 14, 2018 | OWENSBORO

By The Associated Press Sep. 14, 2018 | 06:33 AM | OWENSBORO

A former Kentucky police officer has been sentenced to roughly three years in prison for arresting a man who complained about him.



The U.S. Attorney's Office says in a release that former Providence police Sgt. William Dukes Jr. was sentenced after he was convicted this summer of violating the civil rights of the man. Evidence presented at trial showed that Dukes was angered over the complaint and drove to the man's house at 1 a.m.



Evidence says Dukes then shocked the man with a stun gun, sprayed him with pepper spray and punched him in the face.



A jury in July found that Dukes arrested the man while knowing he didn't have probable cause to believe the man had committed any crime.past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)Bengaluru: The falling rupee is badly impacting the healthcare sector with hospitals now finding it harder to import equipment essential for diagnosis and treatment of some serious diseases. With the rupee falling to a new record low of 72.92 to a dollar in early trading on Wednesday, health experts worry that the rising cost borne by hospitals may be passed on to patients, who may end up spending more on their treatment.

Many consumables, implants and high-end equipment like CT, MRI and echo machines, besides surgical equipment in tertiary care are imported. Hospitals that are already paying a 12 to 18 per cent GST on these imports, are now finding their cost even higher with the fall in the rupee, says Dr Manjunath, director of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Research.

Noting that the rupee has fallen by over seven per cent against the US dollar since January, Dr. Shweta, a faculty at the Institute of Health Management Research, warns it will push up medical costs too. About 30 to 40 per cent of a hospital's expenditure is on medical equipment of which 80 per cent is imported and a fourth comes from the US, she observes.

Gadgets used for many common procedures in cardiology and cancer care, orthopaedic implants and consumables used in laboratories are all imported, she points out. Any increase in their costs will be passed on to patients and there is nothing they can do about it, she regrets.

While experts says the hospitals can do nothing but increase their charges for patients to balance their own expenditure in the interest of maintaining quality, patients in India are already forking out a great deal on their treatment. According to an IndiaSpend report, Indians are the sixth biggest out-of-pocket (OOP) health spenders in the low middle income groups of 50 nations and these costs have pushed around 32 to 39 million Indians below the poverty line every year. The worry is that the present fall in the rupee could push more below the poverty line.

Agreeing that the falling rupee will burden hospitals and in turn patients, Dr Sachin Sinha, secretary, Narain Sewa Sansthan, however, says on the positive side, it could lead to a rise in medical tourism with more people from the West arriving in India for treatment.India is pressing for exemption from high duty imposed by the US on certain steel and aluminium products.

New Delhi: The government will further extend the deadline for the imposition of higher customs duties on 29 products, including almond, walnut and pulses, imported from the US, a senior official said Monday.

In June, India decided to impose retaliatory tariffs from August 4. But it was extended by another 45 days till September 18.

"We are still in discussion with the US authorities. The deadline will be extended tonight," the government official said.

The duty hike move by India was in retaliation to the March 9 decision of US President Donald Trump to impose heavy tariffs on imported steel and aluminium items, a move that has sparked fears of a global trade war.

Senior officials of India and the US are in discussions to finalise a kind of trade deal. Both the sides holding two track discussions -- to increase trade in short and medium term, and identify long term trade potentials.

India is pressing for exemption from high duty imposed by the US on certain steel and aluminium products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under their Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), greater market access for its products from sectors, including agriculture, automobile, auto components and engineering.

As many as 3,500 Indian products from sectors such as chemicals and engineering get duty free access to the US market under the GSP, introduced in 1976.

On the other hand, the US is demanding greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, including medical devices.

As part of imposition of higher import duties, New Delhi has notified higher tariffs on several products. While import duty on walnut is to be hiked to 120 per cent from 30 per cent, duty on chickpeas, Bengal gram (chana) and masur dal will be hiked to 70 per cent from 30 per cent.

Levy on lentils will be hiked to 40 per cent from 30 per cent. India had also dragged the US to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism over the imposition of import duties on steel and aluminium.

India exports steel and aluminium products worth about USD 1.5 billion to the US every year. Exports to the US in 2016-17 stood at USD 42.21 billion, while imports were USD 22.3 billion.

Other products which would attract higher duties include boric acid, phosphoric acid, diagnostic reagent, flat rolled products of iron, certain flat rolled products of stainless steel.

India's exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at USD 47.9 billion, while imports were USD 26.7 billion. The trade balance is in favour of India.Mumbai: Actor Kajol said while she is strict with her children, husband Ajay Devgn is the one who spoils them.

The actor said though they play the 'good cop-bad cop' routine in real life, Ajay has realised the importance of setting their kids - daughter Nysa and son Yug - straight.

"I'm a Hitler mother... I'm a bad cop, Ajay's a good cop... But the percentage of the good cop has dropped in him. He has realised that it is necessary to be a bad cop sometimes. That he can't always look at the mother to say 'no'. I'm 30 per cent bad cop, 70 per cent good cop," Kajol said during a session at NDTV's special youth conclave, 'YUVA'.

The actor said parenting does not come with a manual and no amount of training can help a person.

"It's a very much a hands-on job... You have to do an internship with a child... You have to know that you will make mistakes and that others will make mistakes. You'll have to forgive them and yourself. It is one of the most rewarding jobs... To see your children growing up to become good human beings."

Kajol said TV and films have established an image of ideal mother, which many first-timers try to achieve.

"An ideal is there. That a good mother cooks food, does this and does that... She sacrifices her life for their kids. If your child thinks you are a good mother, that's the opinion that matters."

The actor said social media has changed everything and one cannot protect their children from its impact.

"The least you can do is encourage them to be who they are, irrespective of shape, size, colour... That 'you matter, you're loved and you're beautiful inside out."

Kajol said her children never stopped her to go to work.

"Maybe in childhood, they asked 'Why you have to go away?' But today when my daughter says 'I'm so proud of you', I cannot be more proud of myself for having earned that recognition.

"I hope my kids are not affected by my celebrity status. I have tried my best to keep them as normal as possible. I believe they have their head on their shoulders. I think I've done a good job."

The actor said she has never compared her kids with other children and encouraged them to do better.

Asked if Nysa would want to join the industry, how she would help, Kajol said, "She would tell me, I hope. I'd encourage her. I want her to choose for herself - what she wants to do with her life, not what I want her to do."

On the absence of #MeToo in Bollywood, the actor said she would like not just the film industry but all avenues to adopt the movement.

"It's something that needs to be adopted in every industry. It's not the problem of one industry. It's just that Bollywood is in the spotlight that it is expected to speak up. But what happens after you stand up and say that (you faced sexual harassment)? We also need a backup mechanism.

"You don't need to feel ashamed for the behaviour you are subjected to. But #MeToo can't be restricted to Bollywood, not just one section of the society."

Kajol will be next be seen in "Helicopter Eela", in which she plays mother to a college-going child. The film is slated to release October 12.Mumbai: Yash Raj Films' forthcoming Diwali extravaganza Thugs of Hindostan will be the biggest release that Bollywood has ever seen. This mega-action film has achieved a casting coup in the history of Bollywood by bringing together two of the biggest icons of Hindi cinema Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan for the first time.

Today, YRF unveiled the logo of this action entertainer and announced the release date as November 8th, a national holiday.

Watch the video here:

Thugs of Hindostan also stars Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh. It has been directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and promises to deliver a never-seen-before cinematic experience on the big screen this Diwali.For the entire 10-day duration of the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff), a joyous, infectious madness descends upon the city as midnight approaches. Its as if a minute before the clock strikes 12, sweet, cordial Toronto is gripped by an uncontrollable craving for the grotesque, bizarre, absurd, hyper horny, or just blood and gore of an epic level.

Long queues form outside a university theatre, Ryerson, for the 11.59 pm screening of films playing under Tiffs Midnight Madness section. Ryerson has a seating capacity of 1,200 and hardly a seat goes empty.

Tiff bills its 10-film Midnight Madness section as The wild side: midnight screenings of the best in action, horror, shock and fantasy cinema.

Only genre movies make it to Midnight Madness, but genre movies that are stylised and served with a delightfully demented twist.

Over the years the section, which began in 1988, has acquired a sort of cult status for giving B-grade slasher, horror films, heist movies, cannibals, monsters, ghosts, superhero movies, zombies, martial art movies, sci-fi, mental comedies, or films that are plain weird the respect and love they deserve.

Theres high-jinx participation from fans in anticipation of these films thats quite unique. People arrive dressed up as their favourite creepy, crawly, crazy movie characters, and begin to clap, cheer, hum, scream, roar even before the film has begun.

Every gory murder, accompanied with fountains of blood, or a sudden scary scream-out-loud moment is greeted with an applause, a happy reaction. And sometimes, as the end credits rolls, a band arrives to amp-up the festivity.

Often, though, Midnight Madness films are not easy to watch. Viewers have been known to pass out, throw up, have seizures, or just walk out. In 2016, an ambulance had to be called during the screening of Raw, a French-Belgian cannibal film. But legend has it that whenever he is around, Quentin Tarantino doesnt miss any Midnight Madness film.

Reservoir Dogs premiered in the Midnight Madness section in 1992, as did Adam Wingards Blair Witch in 2016, and David Robert Mitchlles It Follows in 2014.

And so, filmmakers celebrate their entry into this gorefest in crazy, fun ways. In 2006, to promote New Zealand director Jonathan Kings Black Sheep, a film about killer zombie livestock, sheep dressed up in bow ties and tiaras walked the red carpet. And this week Sam Levinson, the young director of Assassination Nation, wept tears of joy before presenting his bloody, funny thriller. It was ridiculously comical.

But the highlight of this years Midnight Madness section was writer-director Vasan Balas Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota (The Man Who Feels No Pain) which made history, not just as the first-ever Indian film to play in Tiffs most loved section, but also by winning the People's Choice Award as the section's best film.

Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota, starring Abhimanyu Dassani (actress Bhagyashrees son) as the mard, Surya, who has a congenital insensitivity to pain (CIPA, a genetic disorder), Radhika Madan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Gulshan Devaiah, Loveleen Mishra and Jimit Trivedi celebrates, chuckles at and melds together, at once, the superhero genre, Bollywood of the 1980s, Bruce Lee-Jacki Chans martial arts classics, and the single-tone track suit.

For Bala, whose first film, Peddlers, did not get a theatre release in India despite the fact that it premiered at Cannes critics week in 2012, the standing ovations which followed Mard Ko Dards several screening at Tiff, and the award on Sunday must have been reassuring, overwhelming.

His film, whose title toys with Amitabh Bachchans 1985 Mard, summons many adorable tropes of Bollywood and superhero films  bachpan ke dost, dadaji as teacher-mentor, mothers murder and a haunting chain, limping and one-legged martial arts masters, evil villains  but each one has its own dancing, subversive curlicue that twists and twirls the cliches, making them funny, cool, with oodles of street cred.

The films dialogue, assigned to a very impressive cast who seem to be having fun, are crackling and make you fall in love with the movie. Mahesh Manjrekar brings warmth to the film and roots it, while Gulshan Devaiah's pulpy brilliance gives it punch.

Abhimanyu and Radhika apparently showed no dard while shooting the films fabulous action scenes. One continued despite a broken finger, and the other with many torn ligaments.

Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota is slated for release in India in November. And Im looking forward to watching it again.A while back, the National Award-winning director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan decided to make Indias first space odyssey film  Chanda Mama Door Ke, and he got actors like Sushant Singh Rajput, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and R. Madhavan on board. He even established contact with astronauts and other leading luminaries in the field, but the film ended up being grounded for technical reasons.

Then, Mahesh Mathai and Siddharth Roy Kapoor decided to make a biopic based on the life of Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma, with Aamir Khan and Priyanka Chopra playing the lead roles, but both the actors opted out of the project, leaving the makers in a lurch. Theyve finally managed to rope in Shah Rukh Khan, but the actor wants to focus on his upcoming release, Zero, at the moment.

Meanwhile, theres competition brewing at home for Siddharth. His wife Vidya Balan has been cast in another space film that will likely feature Akshay Kumar and his Airlift heroine Nimrat Kaur. The film will reportedly be bankrolled by Viacom 18 and R. Balki, and it will be directed by Jagan Shakti, who assisted Balki in the making of Pad Man.

The space theme is an interesting trend emerging in Bollywood. This year saw the release of a Tamil space film Tik Tik Tik, and it received a decent response. Critics, however, pointed out that certain scenes in the Jayam Ravi-starrer defied logic, a trade expert says.Veteran director-producer KC Bokadia, who has worked with stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn in the past, is all set to make his K-town debut with a movie titled Rockky.

The film, inspired by Bokadias 1985 Bollywood hit Teri Meherbaniyan, has twin dogs named Rockky and Sheru playing crucial roles, with actor Srikanth playing a cop and Telugu actress Eshanya Maheshwari playing his love interest.

Sitting down for an exclusive chat with DC, the filmmaker, whos known for being the fastest producer to make 50 films, says, I have always been fond of the Tamil film industry because the people here are highly disciplined. I have spent a lot of time in Chennai as a lot of my Hindi films have been shot here. And I am really excited to be directing my first Tamil film.

I have taken the essence of my hit film Teri Meherbaniyan, which featured Jackie Shroff and Poonam Dhillon, for my Tamil debut. While the Hindi version had only one dog, I have used twin dogs as vital characters in this film and Ive also tweaked the script to suit local sensibilities, Bokadia adds.

He confirms that he got all the necessary permissions from the Animal Welfare Board before filming. I submitted my script to the AWB and got the clearance, he says.

Apart from the lead pair and the two dogs, the film also features Nasser and Sayaji Shinde. Renowned musicians Bappi Lahari and Charan have been brought on board for music direction, and Ajmal is handling the cinematography.

A teaser of the film will be launched in a grand manner on October 6, and prominent members of the film industry are expected to attend the event. Its also believed that Bokadia will announce his next Tamil film on the occasion. The filmmaker has already signed actor Vikram Prabhu as well as his father, Prabhu, for forthcoming projects.Buzzing is transmitted from two locations, one near St Petersburg site and a location near Moscow. (Photo: Pixabay)

A mysterious Russian radio station that emits a buzzing sound has sparked a number of conspiracy theories including one which says that the site could be used to launch a nuclear strike.

A dull monotonous buzzing sound emanating from the radio station for the last 50 years has been heard around the world on the short wave frequency 24 hours a day.

A popular prevailing theory is that the buzzer works as a death switch which would launch an automatic nuclear strike if Russia was targeted.

Some have even suggested they are a secret channel with aliens.

While the Kremlin has never spoken out on the buzzing sounds but civilian investigators claimed they traced the transmission to a site near the town of Povarovo, close to Moscow.

The mystery deepened when in 2010 the buzzers broadcast appeared to move to Pskov near the border with Estonia and in recent years The Buzzer now appears to broadcast from two completely different locations.

According to a story published in The Sun, it cited BBC, saying that the buzzing is transmitted from two locations, one near St Petersburg site and a location near Moscow.

While it is thought to belong to the Russian military, that has never been admitted.

Anyone in the world can listen in, simply by tuning a radio to 4625 kHz.

The station was originally identified as UVB-76 and then MDZhB but is commonly known as The Buzzer.

Interestingly, the Buzzer has a number of dedicated enthusiasts and even online fan clubs who speculate about its location and true purpose.

One group even claims to have managed to identify the exact location on Google maps outside St Petersburg.

First detected in 1982, The Buzzer is a relic of the Cold War and one idea that has been put forward is that it is a Dead Hand station.

Dead Hand stations were first set up by the Soviet Union to ensure a retaliation if their leadership was wiped out in a nuclear attack

It will stop broadcasting if Russia comes under nuclear attack and then automatically trigger strikes back.

These come amid reports that Russia has maintained its Dead Hand system.

Another theory is that The Buzzer is sending messages to submarines or to agents.

Code words and numbers are intermittently played amongst the buzzing leading to speculation they could be encrypted.

Other speculations include -- Russia may use the station in moments of crisis, spy network and military forces to standby in certain areas.

However, everyone remains united in the view that exact nature of The Buzzer remains a mystery.

According to a blog post, you can even view these two locations on Google Maps.

One is located in the district of Leningrad Oblast, around 30 miles from St Petersburg while a second broadcasting location has been identified on Google Maps as the 69th Communication Hub at Naro Fominsk.In this undated photograph issued by Kensington Palace on Monday Sept. 17, 2018, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in London.(Photo: AP)

LONDON: Meghan Markle, Britains Duchess of Sussex, has lent her backing to a new charity cookbook to help funds for a community cooking project set up in the wake of Londons Grenfell Tower fire disaster in which killed 71 people.

The Hubb Community Project was created last summer by women seeking somewhere to cook fresh food for their families and friends following the blaze which engulfed the 24-storey social housing block in west London.

The new book, Together: Our Community Cookbook, a collection of 50 recipes from the diverse users of the communal kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, will be used to allow the project to expand and open for up to seven days a week.

I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together, Meghan, who first visited the kitchen in January and has made other private visits since, wrote in a foreword.

Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy  in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy  something we can all relate to.

Meghans support for the project is her first solo venture since becoming a member of Britains royal family after marrying Queen Elizabeths grandson Prince Harry in May.While Sweetie was artificially inseminated last year, she failed to reach full term. Sunshine, on the other hand, has proven 'unreceptive to natural mating.' (Photo: AP)

Staff at Edinburgh Zoo have been warned to not wear hi-vis jackets around their two giant pandas, just in case it puts them off sex.

The Scottish zoo implemented the ban on any potentially-distracting clothing because it could interrupt a romantic moment between Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine).

The giant pandas are on loan from the Bifengxia Giant Panda Base in China until 2021, but they have yet to produce a cub.

While Sweetie was artificially inseminated last year, she failed to reach full term. Sunshine, on the other hand, has proven 'unreceptive to natural mating.'

Edinburgh Zoo, which is the only in the UK to house giant pandas, has also forbidden the use of leaf blowers near the pair.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which operates Edinburgh Zoo, said, Animals can be sensitive to noise, vibrations and anything visual which may be out of the ordinary, such as highvisibility clothing.

The pair, who were the first to set foot in the UK for 17 years, come at a cost of 640,000 per year - and have yet to produce any cubs.

Sweetie successfully gave birth to twins Shen Wei and Bo Si just a year before the pair arrived at Edinburgh Zoo.

The zoo began artificially inseminating Sweetie in 2013, when she fell pregnant, but it is believed she reabsorbed the foetus late term.

A second and third insemination took place in the subsequent years - but again proved unsuccessful.

The move to reduce noise around the pandas comes after it was announced in March that Sweetie and Sunshine will not attempt to breed this year.

Zoo officials told the BBC they wanted to make 'some enhancements to our giant panda enclosure' before attempting future breeding.After being confronted, Menchaca reportedly admitted to lying about having Down syndrome. (Photo: Pixabay)

A 31-year-old man, Paul Anthony Menchaca was arrested at his Arizona home earlier this month after carers complained about him.

Three female carers had responded to adverts allegedly posted on CareLinx, a website designed to help families find help only to be duped by Menchaca into thinking he had Down syndrome and making them change his nappy and bathing him.

One of the carers, who remains anonymous, claims she was told to bathe Menchaca and change his nappy 30 times.

Moreover, on five separate occasions, Menchaca is said to have asked her to clean his genitals more thoroughly.

Once she quit, the next two women also claimed he would become sexually aroused when they bathed him.

It was only when they all followed him back to his parents house that they discovered he did not have Down syndrome.

After being confronted, Menchaca reportedly admitted to lying about having Down syndrome.

Menchacas arrest warrant read, All three victims were paid in cash by [Menchaca] when they picked him up and dropped him off from neutral locations.

Menchaca had been previously employed as a crossing guard for a local school district but had recently quit.

He now faces multiple charges of fraud and sexual abuse. He is expected to appear in court later this month.Woman threatens to delete her Facebook friends if they don't pay for her wedding. (Photo: Pixabay)

Imagine you receive a wedding invitation from friends to attend their special day.

Now imagine they expected you to shell out $3,000 for their destination wedding. Would you do it?

Well, that what one bride-to-be wholeheartedly expected, which is why she was baffled at the number of RSVPs she received.

The anonymous woman, thought to be living in the US, posted a fuming message on Facebook after her friends refused to pay to attend her wedding in Thailand, the Daily Mail reported.

The woman dubbed 'bridezilla' wrote: "At the risk of sounding entitled... I have to vent today."

"When we invited our friends and family to our destination wedding in Thailand, only nine people RSVPs [sic]. Out of 150!!!

"Ok, I get it, paying $3k to share my special day is too much for some for you, I'd pay for yours, but whatever," she went on to say.

To accommodate their guests, the bride and her fiance decided to change their location to Hawaii. While guests could save around $1000 for this plan, they weren't sold on the idea and saw the number of RSVPs decrease.

This added fuel to the fire and the bride went on to say: "When we changed the wedding to be in Hawaii, so it's within everyone's reach, only 7 of your RSVPd???"

Further adding: "It costs less but less of you wanna come? Is that what you think of [D] and me? You can't spare $2k to come share our happiness?"

"This is it guys, you have three days to respond to our evites or we're deleting you off FB and good luck keeping up with our lives then," she warned.

Before concluding her post, she decided to make a snide comment about the gifts purchased from their registry.

"And don't get me started on the registry... Only the cheap stuff is gone, I swear I thought I had better friends," she wrote.

She then threatened to cancel her wedding and elope with her husband-to-be instead.

Her fuming Facebook post soon hit Reddit, which gained a lot of attention and comments.

"At the risk or sounding entitled, your friendship is only worth the amount of money you will spend on me," one person wrote.

Another wrote, "11 likes on the post, no other emotes. That speaks volumes about her circle of friends."According to the police, the victim had visited the societys gym area along with his friend. As Ramesh (name changed) entered the gym, Gautham, the suspect, was using the gym facilities along with his family. (Representional Image)

Bengaluru: A mother of a 20-year-old youth has been making rounds of Hulimavu police station requesting them to show the CCTV footage which captured the assault of her son. The incident had taken place last Monday.

According to the police, the victim had visited the societys gym area along with his friend. As Ramesh (name changed) entered the gym, Gautham, the suspect, was using the gym facilities along with his family.

Soon, an altercation broke out when Gautham objected to the presence of Rameshs friend and it later led to an assault.

The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera.

The victims mother told Deccan Chronicle, At the time of the incident, I wasnt home. I learnt about my son being assaulted by one Gautham only after I returned from work and saw the commotion.

Rameshs friend had visited him on Monday evening. They decided to use the gym. While Ramesh was using the gym facility, his friend was sitting there. Gautham, who was present at the gym, took note of Rameshs friend and asked him to leave. My son told Gautham politely that he isnt using the gym facility. Enraged over the response, Gautham threatened my son with a dumbbell.

The complainant said that after her son left the gym and reached the common areas entrance, Gautham again picked up a quarrel and assaulted him. He hurled blows and kicked Ramesh.

Police said that on hearing noises, other flat residents also came in, which led to the commotion.

By that time, the victims mother also arrived and learnt about the incident, she approached the police station.

We had called the two parties to the police station. The suspect then tendered an apology and the matter was resolved, said a police official privy to the investigation.

Despite CCTV cameras capturing the assault by Gautham, the mother of the victim alleged she was being harassed by the members of the residential building.The girl told her mother that Jeelani gave her a chocolate and took her into a bathroom on the first floor where he removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. (Representional Image)

Hyderabad: The 29-year-old supervisor of Azaan International School, who was officially arrested on Saturday for allegedly raping a four-year-old student, was looking after the primary section and his daily duties included opening gates, filling water and housekeeping.

Speaking to this newspaper, West Zone DCP A.R. Srinivas said that according to the statements of the parents and medical evidence, it was confirmed that the minor girl was sexually assaulted by Mohd Jeelani in the school premises on Friday morning between 8.30 am and 12.30 pm.

The girl told her mother that Jeelani gave her a chocolate and took her into a bathroom on the first floor where he removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. After the girl told her parents about the incident, they took her to Jaya Bhushan Hospital in Mehdipatnam. The doctor examined the girl and advised to shift her to Niloufer Hospital for better treatment, Mr Srinivas said.

The girl had to undergo a surgery and is still under treatment at the hospital.

The Clues Team of Hyderabad city police has examined the crime spot. The police also questioned the girl's parents, the schools headmaster, her class teacher and other staff and recorded their statements.

Based on a complaint filed by the parents, R. Kotesh, sub inspector of Golconda Police station, registered a case under section 376 2(i) (public servant taking advantage of his official position and rapes a woman in his custody) of IPC and relevant sections of PoCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Act of 2012.Bengaluru: A day after Sonal Agrawal mysteriously fell from the balcony of her neighbours flat on the fifth floor of Mantri Alpyne Apartments in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, the police registered a murder case on Monday.

Prima facie, she gained entry into the neighbours house using a stolen key. Once inside, she stole gold articles and foreign currency from their house and hid it in her undergarments. When the neighbours came into the house, she jumped from the balcony to avoid being caught, the police said.

But on Monday, her husband, Dr Avinash Agrawal, a paediatrician at KIMS Hospital, denied that she stole the valuables from the neighbours house. He told the police that it was not a suicide, but his wife was pushed from the fifth floor. Based on his statement, the Rajarajeshwari Nagar police registered a murder complaint, a senior police officer said.

Before leaving the flat, Sonal told her husband that she was going to see the Ganesha idol at Prasads house. After sometime, Avinash went to the ground floor to attend the Ganesha puja organised by the apartment residents. He learnt about Sonals death after security guards raised an alarm. The Flat No. 501, from where Sonal fell belongs to Prasad, a software engineer. We summoned Prasad and his family for questioning on Monday, said DCP (West) Ravi D. Channannavar.

On Sunday, Mr Channannavar and Kengeri Gate ACP Dr S. Prakash visited the spot. Inspector Shiva Reddy is investigating the case.

Neighbours jewellery, foreign currency found on Sonal: Police

What initially appeared to be a suicide has now taken the turn of a theft-cum-murder case. The police found jewellery, house keys and foreign currency belonging to Prasad on Sonals body. Prasad told the police that their flat key was stolen a week ago. On Sunday, Sonal used the same key to gain entry into the house and stole US dollars and jewellery, he said. We did not inform the police about our missing key as we thought our children might have misplaced it. On Sunday, our family had gone to the ground floor to attend the Ganesha festival celebration. We came back home and found the door locked from inside. We knocked, but there was no response. After learning that somebody had jumped from the building, we came down and saw that it was Sonal. We also learnt that she had jumped from our flat. We found our missing key, dollar currency notes and gold jewellery in her innerwear, he told the police.

What happened on Sunday

At the time of the incident, no one was in Flat No. 501. The balcony from where Sonal fell faces the apartments backyard. Gold articles like necklace and bangles were found on Sonals body. She had worn the jewellery. Also, foreign currency and the key was found tucked inside her undergarments, a police officer, who is part of the investigation, said. But her husband Dr Avinash Agrawal denied charges of theft against Sonal, and insisted that she was murdered. When Deccan Chronicle asked police officials whether Sonal had any cases of theft registered against her, they replied in the negative. We spoke to the family and neighbours and found nothing. But she may have jumped out of fear of being caught, they said. There are no CCTV cameras in the corridors, and no one saw Sonal entering the Flat No. 501. The police are verifying the phone call records of Sonal and her husband.

Why did she jump?

A few questions remain unanswered. Why did Sonal leap to her death when she could possibly hide inside the flat? Was anyone inside the flat already and committing the theft? Did he/she see Sonal and pushed her out? Why would Sonal wear stolen jewellery?

Moved in two months ago

Sonal and Dr Avinash Agrawal married in 2015. The couple have a one-year-old son. Sonal hailed from Katghora in Chhattisgarh. The couple moved to Mantri Alpyne Apartment about two months ago. They were staying at Flat No. 505.

A senior police official said that the couple were good friends with Prasads family.The same men committed another robbery in the same premises in 2016.(Representional Image)

Hyderabad: On Tuesday, the principal district and sessions court of Sangareddy will pronounce the quantum of punishment for the four persons convicted in the robbery at Mini Muthoot in RC Puram.

The robbery at the private finance company took place in 2015. The same men committed another robbery in the same premises in 2016.

On February 4, 2015, the gang headed by Lakshaman Narayan Mudhang, Ganesh Pandurang Bhonsle alias Patil, Murugan Subramanyam Pujari alias Subhash Subramanyam Pujari alias Anna and Kumar Pal Trilokchand Shah, and three others entered the Mini Muthoot office at RC Reddy Nagar in RC Puram and stole about 3.95 kg of gold by posing as customers.

Initially it was believed that the robbery was the handiwork of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), but the investigation was futile. On December 28, 2016, the same gang robbed the same office, but this time the gold stolen was 41.5 kg.

The accused impersonated officials of the CBI and entered the Muthoot office pretending they were carrying out a raid.

The Cyberabad police nabbed the gang this time but recovered just 3.7 kg of gold. Questioning of the accused revealed that they had committed the first robbery in 2015.

In 2017 the police filed a charge sheet in the first case and produced 19 witnesses in court. The principal district and sessions court convicted Lakshman, Ganesh, Murugan, and Kumar Pal under Sections 120 -B, 395 and 411 r/w 34 of the IPC. However, it acquitted them of charges under sections 201, 414 r/w 109 IPC and section 25 (B) (a) of the Arms Act on September 14.

The court adjourned the judgement on the quantum of punishment to September 18 (Tuesday), and the accused were ordered to be in judicial remand till then.

RC Puram inspector P. Ramchandra Rao said, The court convicted four persons involved in the robbery in 2015 at Muthoot Finance in RC Puram. The quantum of the punishment will be heard on Tuesday.BHUBANESWAR: A girl of Odishas Jajpur district was allegedly kidnapped by a group of miscreants and gang-raped for 28 days inside a house. The ordeal of the victim didnt end there as she was on Sunday evening thrown into Kharasrota river. The girl managed to swim ashore and reached Routraypur village under Kuakhia police limits in the district, after which she narrated the entire episode before the villagers.

According to the victim, she was abducted by some miscreants on August 20 while she had gone to Madhuban Bazaar to by some stationary items. The kidnappers later confined her inside a house located at a secluded place and gang-raped her, she alleged. On Sunday night, the wrongdoers threw her into Kharasrota river in a bid to kill her.

On being informed by the villagers, police reached the spot and took the girl to the police station, where it came to fore that she had gone missing since August 20 and a complaint in this regard was lodged by her parents. The police, however, denied the gang-rape charge. After investigation, we came to know that the girl was taken by her uncle (husband of fathers sister) without informing her family members. We have detained the man into custody and interrogating him, said inspector Ashis Kumar Sahoo.Most such killings are when the victims are in an inter-caste marriage or inter-caste relationship. (Representional Image)

Visakhapatnam: Not only north India, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are also witnessing honour killings in rural and urban regions. The recent murder of 23-year-old Dalit Peramalla Pranay Kumar in Miryalaguda division of Nalgonda district in Telangana state has once again highlighted honour killings in the Telugu states. Most such killings are when the victims are in an inter-caste marriage or inter-caste relationship. However, most honour killings in both the Telugu states are not reported. Andhra Pradesh topped in honour killings in south India with two incidents in 2016 while Telangana occupied the top place in the southern region with 16 incidents in 2015 as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The union home ministry says that 356 cases of honour killings were reported in the country between 2014 and 2016. Most honour killings were reported in Madhya Pradesh, 18, Uttar Pradesh, 16 and Gujarat, 10 in 2016.

The Home Ministry has advised all states about preventive, remedial and punitive measures to be implemented to address issues related to honour crimes.

On July 24, 2016, 20-year-old K Krishnaveni, a native of Kosigi area in Chittoor district was murdered by her parents as she loved a boy of another caste. Though Krishnaveni was married to her distant relative after family pressure, she was divorced by her husband after he discovered her love affair.

In what appears to be a case of honour killing, 27-year-old pregnant woman Y Vijayalakshmi was brutally murdered by her own family members in Hyderabad in August 2018. Vijayalakshmi fell in love with her neighbour Suresh from another caste, and married him about four years ago. Since her parents were against the marriage, the couple left the city soon after they married. Vijayalakshmi was in the seventh month of pregnancy when she was murdered.

In the past four years, around 25 honour killings have taken place in both the Telugu states and some incidents were not reported, say police officials.

Senior advocate and president for the forum of legal professionals, K Muralidhar said that India does not have a specific law to deal with honour killing, forcing police to charge suspects under IPC Section 302 (murder) whenever honour killings happen or Section 299 (culpable homicide). The Roop Kanwar incident in the country led to the introduction of the Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987. Similarly, government has to introduce a new act to deal with honour killings, he added

There was a recommendation from all stakeholders to bring in a strict law to prevent honour killings in the country, but so far nothing has done by successive governments at the Centre, says activist K Padma.The controversial message sent by one of the arrested duo reads as, "Main shoot karunga Sitharaman ko, kal uska akhiri din hoga. ('I will shoot Sitharaman, tomorrow will be her last day')", police said. (Photo: File)

Pithoragarh: Two persons were arrested Monday after a WhatsApp exchange on a plan to allegedly kill Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while they were apparently drunk, police said as the minister paid a visit to Dharchula town in this district of Uttarakhand.

The police were alerted to the message at 9:30 pm on Sunday.

The two have been booked under section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, Pithoragarh SP Ramchandra Rajguru said.

"We were alerted to the chat (about killing the defence minister) on a WhatsApp group at 9.30 pm on Sunday. We identified two persons between whom the chat was taking place and arrested them Monday morning ahead of the defence minister's arrival here," he said.

The controversial message sent by one of the arrested duo reads as, "Main shoot karunga Sitharaman ko, kal uska akhiri din hoga. ('I will shoot Sitharaman, tomorrow will be her last day')", police said.

It is being probed whether the duo had any criminal background or possessed any arms and ammunition, Rajguru said.

The credentials of the admin of the WhatsApp group are also being looked into, the SP said.

Though the matter is still under investigation, prima facie it appears the duo was chatting in a state of inebriation, the SP said.

The Defence Minister visited Dharchula town Monday to inaugurate a mega medical camp organised by the Army on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. His birthday is being celebrated as 'Seva Diwas'.Actor Mohanlal had asked a journalist what the connection was between the flood relief activities and the nun's issue. (Photo: Twitter | @Mohanlal)

Thiruvananthapuram: Actor Mohanlal Sunday apologised for his emotional reaction to a journalist who had sought his comments on the protests by a group of nuns, demanding the arrest of a Bishop facing rape charges.

In a Facebook post, the actor said his remarks were not intended to hurt any individual, institution or journalism.

"If my reply had hurt the individual who raised the question, please accept my apology considering me as your elder brother," he said.

The incident had happened Saturday when Mohanlal was in Kochi as part of sending flood relief material to the affected regions under the banner of 'ViswaSanthi Foundation', an NGO named after his parents.

When a reporter asked him about his stand on the ongoing nun's protest issue, the emotionally-charged actor had asked "Aren't you ashamed to ask such unnecessary questions while talking about such a good deed?"

Mohanlal had also asked him what the connection was between the flood relief activities and the nun's issue.

In his Facebook clarification, the actor said the 'untimely question' was put to him when he was briefing the media about the flood relief activities by the foundation.

"The question is relevant as it is one of the most discussing issues in the state at present. But I was not in a mood then to reply to that question. As a human being and as a son, I was in a different state of mind at that time. That's why such a reply came from me," he said.

The actor's clarification came after a section of people criticised him on social media for his reply to the ongoing agitation by the nuns in Kochi, seeking justice for the nun.

The nun had accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.In letter to the Pope, Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese, also stated that he will have to spend more time in connection with the case and will also have to travel to Kerala several times. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Jalandhar: Bishop Franco Mulakkal, of the Jalandhar diocese, accused of raping a Kerala nun, has written a letter to the Pope seeking permission to temporarily step down from the responsibilities of the diocese.

In his letter to the Pope on September 16, Bishop Mulakkal mentioned that he is taking this step as he needs time to concentrate on the police case against him following allegations.

He also stated that he will have to spend more time in connection with the case and will also have to travel to Kerala several times.

Amid mounting pressure to initiate action against Bishop Mulakkal, Kottayam Police has summoned him for interrogation over his alleged involvement in raping and having unnatural sex with a Kerala nun repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.

The nun, in her late 40s, has also sought immediate intervention of the Vatican for justice and demanded removal of Bishop Mulakkal.

The nun has questioned why the church was "closing its eyes to the truth" when she had mustered courage to make her case public. She alleged that Bishop Mulakkal was using "political and money power" to "bury" the case against him.

The bishop however, has said there were "several contradictions" in the evidences collected by the police against him. "I leave everything into the hand of God as I await the result of the findings of the team probing the allegation," he said in a note to the diocese. Earlier he had dismissed the nun's allegations as "baseless and concocted", insisting she levelled those as the catholic order had rejected her demand for "favours."

Bishop Mulakkal last week had handed over his administrative responsibility of Jalandhar diocese to a senior priest.HYDERABAD: Asserting that the BJP was the only alternative to the TRS in the state, BJP state president Dr K. Laxman challenged its arch rival MIM to contest from all the 119 seats in the state. Now is the time to liberate political parties like the Congress, TD and the TRS from the clutches of the MIM, which had been ranting on the strength of 10 seats which it got by match-fixing and not by its real strength, he said.

Dr Laxman added that MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had become the high command for TRS president and caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy and the TD state and the people were aware of it.

He said the party was organizing a massive meeting at the Congress stronghold of Huzurnagar, represented by TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, on Monday, Telangana Liberation Day. About 50 constituencies would be covered before the end of October, thereby completing the first phase of electioneering. Dr Laxman said a list of candidates was being worked out and would be announced once the election schedule was published. BJP president Amit Shah would address a meeting at Karimnagar in a fortnight, he added.

Addressing the media on Sunday, he advised MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who took to Twitter to post messages against the BJP, to take up the challenge thrown by the BJP. He said any of the BJP activists was strong enough to defeat MIM leaders, and asked Mr Owaisi to come out of the comfort of benefits drawn from appeasement politics of parties in power.Telangana IT minister K T Rama Rao claimed there were no special favours offered by the Centre to the state, which registered a growth rate of 17.17 per cent. (Photo: File)

Hyderabad: Telangana's IT Minister K T Rama Rao has criticised BJP President Amit Shah for questioning the K Chandrasekhar Rao government's decision to go in for early elections to the assembly.

Addressing party workers in the city on Sunday, Rama Rao, son of Chandrasekhar Rao, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi opted for early polls in Gujarat when he was the chief minister of the state in 2002.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also went for early polls in 2004, he pointed out. "Then what is wrong if the TRS government goes for early polls", K T Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, asked.

He also hit out at claims by Amit Shah over the Centre's contribution towards development of Telangana.

The Telangana IT minister claimed there were no special favours offered by the Centre to the state, which registered a growth rate of 17.17 per cent.

"Telangana has been playing great role in the nation's development and (Amit) Shah must understand that the central government depends on states for pooling revenues," he added.

Rao also accused the BJP of cheating the public both in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and said it has "no moral right" to seek votes from Telugu people.

The BJP leaders in Telangana were making "dubious" claims on winning the elections here, he added.

Also Read: Vote bank politics to continue if TRS wins again: Amit Shah slams KCR

Amit Shah on Saturday had questioned Chandrasekhar Rao for prematurely dissolving the Telangana Assembly and "burdening" the people with expenditure.Hyderabad: The Supreme Court, while restoring the power to arrest suspects in dowry harassment cases, has also ordered measures to restrict the police from making hasty arrests.

The top court has directed the Directors General of Police to ensure that the officer in charge of investigations into complaints filed under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code should be imparted rigorous training with regard to the principles stated by the court relating to arrest.

The Supreme Court in its judgment last week did away with the involvement of family welfare committees constituted by the District Legal Services Authority to deal with cases under Section 498-A, holding that the constitution of such committees and conferring powers on them was not permissible.

Last year, a two-member bench of the Supreme Court in Rajesh Sharma v Union of India held that Family welfare committees should be constituted at every district by the District Legal Services Authority. The complaints of domestic violence under Section 498A IPC are directed to be vetted by the committee first.

These committees were to be constituted from among paralegal volunteers, social workers, retired persons, wives of working officers or other citizens.

These committees were to examine cases under Section 498-A, and submit a report to the District Legal Services Authority in a month. The police could carry out investigations and arrest only on the basis of the report of the committee.

The two-member bench held that in cases where a settlement is reached, it will be open to the District and Sessions Judge or any other senior judicial officer nominated by him in the district to dispose of the proceedings including closing of the criminal case if the dispute primarily relates to matrimonial discord.

Last week, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, while disposing of a petition by an NGO, Social Action for Manav Adhikar, held that the family welfare committee was an extra-judicial authority, which cannot exercise powers and functions of the police and court.

Referring to the power to close the case by the district judge, the bench held that a criminal proceeding which is not compoundable can be quashed by the High Court under Section 482 CrPC. When settlement takes place, then both the parties can file a petition under Section 482 CrPC and the High Court, considering the bonafide of the petition, may quash the same. The power rests with the High Court.

Stating that the directions were contrary to the scheme of Code of Criminal Procedure, the bench held that they had the potential to enter into the legislative field.

The NGO had moved the petition seeking to create a uniform system of monitoring and reviewing incidents of violence against women under Section 498A and rehabilitation of victims and their children at the central, state and district levels.

The bench said, At this stage, we are obligated to state that we are not in agreement with the decision rendered in Rajesh Sharma v Union of India because we are disposed to think that it really curtails the rights of the women who are harassed under Section 498A of the IPC. That apart, prima facie, we perceive that the guidelines may be in the legislative sphere.Nalgonda superintendent of police A.V. Ranganath told this newspaper: I had called Maruthi Rao, warned and counselled him not to harm the young couple. (Representional Image)

Hyderabad: Three days after a 24-year-old Dalit man was killed for an inter-caste marriage, it transpired that the police had warned the main accused, T. Maruthi Rao, the father of the bride, to stay away from the couple.

They had also told P. Pranay Kumar and Amrutha Varshini to be careful.

Nalgonda superintendent of police A.V. Ranganath told this newspaper: I had called Maruthi Rao, warned and counselled him not to harm the young couple. When they went to the DSPs office to give an invitation card, he suggested that they be careful. It is due to police intervention that they installed CCTV cameras around Pranays residence.

He said if the police had received a written complaint or even an oral petition from the couple, they would have been given protection.

Pranays brother Ajay said, I never seen a psycho father like Maruthi Rao. He betrayed his own daughter. It is a pre-planned murder. He said Maruthi Rao should stay in jail. You should be in jail and die there, otherwise people will kill you.

Mr Perumalla Balaswami, Pranays father, said he feared he would be killed because Ms Varshini was taking shelter in his house. He claimed Maruthi Rao had started life as a trader in Miryalaguda and got involved in land grabbing. During the course of settlements, he allegedly made contacts with hired killers.Farooque Khan, a resident of Thoubal district, was lynched by an irate mob early Thursday at Tharoijam area in West Imphal on suspicion that he had stolen a two-wheeler. (Representational Image | PTI)

Imphal: Three days after a 26-year-old man was lynched in Imphal West district on suspicion of being a vehicle lifter, police have suspended a sub-inspector and terminated the services of three other officers.

The purported video of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed that the four police personnel were "present at the spot when the victim was alive and lying unattended", Imphal West SP Jogeshwar Haobijam told news agency PTI.

Farooque Khan, a resident of Thoubal district, was lynched by an irate mob early Thursday at Tharoijam area in West Imphal on suspicion that he had stolen a two-wheeler.

Two others with Khan, who managed to escape, have not been identified so far.

Local people set afire a car believed to have been used by the "two associates" of Ahmed.

"One sub-inspector has been suspended while three personnel of Village Defence Forces were terminated on Sunday as one of the several videos of the incident circulating on social media showed that the four personnel were present at the spot when Khan was lying unattended," Haobijam said.

The episode has triggered sharp condemnations and sit-in protests by various social activists in the area. The Manipur Human Rights Commission took up the case suo-motu and directed the state director general of police to probe the matter and submit a report by September 22.

Five people, including a havaldar attached to the India Reserve Battalion (IRB), have been arrested in connection with the incident so far.

Several purported videos of a bleeding Khan were found doing the rounds on social media, prompting the Cyber Crime Unit to also take action against those who uploaded the clips, the SP said.

"We are still investigating into the incident. Stern action will be taken against everyone involved in the case," he added.Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar assured that the remaining two accused in the case would also be arrested soon. (Photo: ANI)

Karnal (Haryana): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has directed the police to take stringent action against one of the accused who was arrested on Sunday in the alleged gang-rape incident in Rewari.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also spoken to Khattar.

Speaking to the media in Jammu, Rajnath Singh said, "I have spoken to Haryana Chief Minister who has assured me of taking appropriate action in the case."

Last week, 19-year-old college student was allegedly abducted, sedated and gang-raped in Haryana's Narnaul area.

Read: Arrested accused planned rape, called doctor during assault: Haryana police

The FIR registered at Kanina identifies three accused - Pankaj, Manish and Nishu. While Nishu has been arrested, Pankaj, who is a Defence personnel stationed in Rajasthan, and Manish are yet to be arrested.

Addressing the media in Karnal, Khattar assured that the remaining two accused in the case would also be arrested soon. He warned that strict action would be taken if anyone was found harbouring them.

"Police have been directed to take strict action in the case. The other two accused in the case will also be arrested soon. I appeal to the public not to harbour them. Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them," the chief minister said.

On Sunday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in-charge of the case and Nuh Superintendent of Police (SP), Naazneen Bhasin, confirmed that one of the three main accused in the case, along with two aides, was arrested.

SP Bhasin informed that Nishu, one of the three main accused who was found to have allegedly planned the crime, was arrested along with two aides including Deen Dayal, the owner of the tubewell where the incident took place and a doctor, Sanjeev, who allegedly gave first aid to the victim.

Meanwhile, the Medical Superintendent of the Rewari district hospital, Sudarshan Panwar confirmed that the victim's condition is normal and that she is recovering well from the trauma.

Newly appointed Rewari Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Sharma, who was appointed as a replacement for former Rewari SP Rajesh Duggal on Sunday, met with the victim earlier on Monday. He said that her safety and the nabbing of the remaining accused were the two primary objectives right now.

"Safety of victim is one of the main concerns, arresting the remaining accused is another. It doesn't end with the arrest but with conviction of the accused. So securing evidence and ensuring they get convicted through fast track court would be the next step," Sharma said.

Also, Rewari Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said that the family of the victim had requested that no one, without permission, should be allowed to visit them at the hospital. A cabin outside the hospital was being constructed in line with the request where people can meet the family.

"If they (victim's family) want to meet them inside the hospital, they will (be allowed in), otherwise they won't. The family has also said that they are satisfied with the treatment and have given that in writing, so the treatment will continue here," Sharma said.On first day of conclave, 'Bhavishya Ka Bharat -- An RSS Perspective', Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said the event was being organised so that people could understand the organisation. (Photo: Twitter screengrab | @RSSorg)

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological fountainhead of the ruling BJP, began a three-day conclave in the national capital on Monday with an aim to engage with a cross section of people and present its perspective on future of the country.

On the first day of the conclave, "Bhavishya Ka Bharat -- An RSS Perspective", Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said the event was being organised so that people could understand the organisation.

Bhagwat, spoke on a variety of issues, including the freedom movement. "Congress played a big role in freedom movement and gave India many great personalities," he said.

"The work RSS does is incomparable," he added.

Almost all major opposition parties gave the conclave a miss though the RSS had invited them. The venue of the event is Vigyan Bhavan, where usually major government events are held.Life-size cutouts and huge posters describing Gandhi as a devotee of Lord Shiva have come up in the city. In the posters, Rahul Gandhi is seen pouring holy water on Shivalinga. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Bhopal: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched his partys poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, known to be a BJP bastion, with a road show in Bhopal.

Gandhi was received by state Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, at the airport. Thousands of Congress workers and supporters holding the party's flags chanted "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad" as he left the airport.

Life-size cutouts and huge posters describing Gandhi as a devotee of Lord Shiva have also come up in the city. In the posters, Rahul Gandhi is seen pouring holy water on Shivalinga.

After his arrival at the airport, Rahul Gandhi sought the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests.

The Congress chief then embarked on a 15-kilometre-long roadshow in an open vehicle from Lalghati Chowk close to the Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal. He will later address party workers during his day-long visit to the state capital.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Gandhi's roadshow will conclude at Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan, where he will interact with party cadres. Besides, he is going to address a meeting of Congress workers, which is open to the public, before leaving in the evening, state party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

Ahead of the visit, Congress has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing the 48-year-old party chief, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.

Security has been tightened in the city in view of Gandhi's visit, Bhopal Inspector General (IG) of Police Jaideep Prasad said. "We have got an extra force of 1,500 policemen who have already been deputed," he said.

"We are expecting more than one lakh Congress cadres in the state capital," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, a BJP leader said party chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a function in Bhopal on September 25. Earlier, a visit by Shah to Ujjain district on September 12 was put off.

"It was a tentative programme of Shahji that has been postponed as he along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to grace a function on September 25 here," state BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said.

Preparations are underway to make the September 25 event a huge success, Agrawal added.They use the money to buy high-end phones, bikes and fund their holiday trips. Its a way of earning easy money and spending lavishly, police said.

Hyderabad: The strategy of the TS police of keeping repeated offenders under close watch shows that a large number of students are involved in theft of property in Hyderabad.

They use the money to buy high-end phones, bikes and fund their holiday trips. Its a way of earning easy money and spending lavishly, police said.

Ten grams of gold now costs above Rs 30,000, making chain snatching a lucrative crime, said an official from the Commissioners Task Force.

Earlier this year, Cyberabad police booked two 19-year-old students for extorting money from a female friend by threatening to divulge information about her alleged affair. The woman gave them gold ornaments from her house and in total they collected around 12.5 tolas of gold with which they purchased a bike and a guitar.

The police find during interrogation that the money is used to buy luxury items, unknown to their parents.

The unemployed educated youth even take to cyber crimes to earn money holding out false promises of jobs via backdoor entry or by providing an opportunity to go abroad for education," the official said. He added that those who have only managed to get odd jobs, which is not enough to meet their expenses, commit online frauds by either establishing a fake website and company or by luring other fresh graduates with jobs and opportunity.Five activists were arrested in multiple raids across country in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon case in August. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday extended the house arrest of five rights activists, suspected of having Maoist links, till September 19.

While setting September 19 as the final day of hearing of the petition challenging the arrest of rights activists, the apex court said, Every criminal investigation is based on allegations. We have to see whether there is some material.

Earlier, the Centre questioned the way petitioners had directly approached the Supreme Court seeking the release of five rights activists.

Senior lawyer Maninder Singh appearing for Central government said, "They (petitioners) have options to approach the lower court, high courts or even other legal options to seek redressal."

The menace of Maoists and Naxalites is increasing day by day, and it is these accused persons who are responsible for the increasing threat of the anti-social activities, Singh further told the apex court.

Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra observed: We entertained the case on the foundations of liberty. Issues like independent inquiry etc, comes at a later stage.

A petition by historian Romila Thapar and four others has challenged the arrest of the five activists that sparked series of protests from human rights activists. The petition sought the release of all activists who have been arrested during raids in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon case.

The Maharashtra government also told the top court that the accused have been arrested for their involvement in the Bhima-Koregaon case.

Tushar Mehta, senior lawyer appearing for Maharashtra government, said, The accused have not only been arrested for their alleged involvement in the case but they also seem to be disrupting peace in the country.

The Maharashtra government further opposed the petition filed and claimed that the petitioners are neither related to the case nor they have any idea about it.

Those who had filed the petition are neither related to the case nor do they have any idea about it. Also, there are many alleged incriminating documents recovered from accused, Mehta added.

Representing several petitioners, lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the reason behind directly approaching the apex court was to appeal for a court-monitored probe or an investigation by the CBI or the NIA to determine gravity of the case and also to find out who were involved in the Bhima Koregaon violence.

Singhvi also said one of the accused, Varavar Rao, had been acquitted in all 25 cases filed against him. Another accused Vernon Gonsalves was acquitted in 17 cases out of 18 and Arun Ferreira was acquitted in all 11 cases.

He also said no accused person was present in the programme of Yalgar Parishad that day. They were not named in the FIR either.

Maharashtra Police had, on August 28, raided the homes of the prominent activists in several states and arrested at least five of them for suspected Maoist links. Telugu poet Varavara Rao, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Ferreira, lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha were arrested.

The raids were carried out as part of an investigation into an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year, which had later triggered violence at Bhima-Koregaon village in Maharashtra.Hyderabad: While the Congress is stitching together a grand alliance with the Telugu Desam and the CPI to defeat the TRS, the YSRC, the Jana Sena and the CPM are likely to come to the rescue of the ruling party here. In a multi-corner contest, anti-TRS votes will be scattered and this will help the party. The CPM has declined to join the Congress-led alliance and decided to go with the Jana Sena in Telangana state. The Jana Sena has not yet taken a decision on contesting the elections in the state.

Sources said Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan would hold a meeting with the partys political affairs committee on Tuesday or Wednesday to take a decision on contesting in the TS Assembly elections. in the assembly elections.

Mr Kalyan had considered forming an alliance with the CPM, CPI and the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) to contest in the TS elections. The CPI and the TJS joined the Congress-led alliance, leaving the Jana Sena to ponder over contesting or not in the TS elections.

The CPMs Telangana state secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram recently wrote to Mr Kalyan expressing the partys interest in joining hands with the Jana Sena in Telangana state. If the Jana Sena decides against contesting in TS, the CPM, which has a strong cadre in Khammam, Nalgonda and Warangal, will contest on its own.

On January 1, Mr Kalyan met Mr Chandrasekhar Rao for about an hour. He later praised the KCR government stating that Telangana state had become the first in the country to supply free power round the clock to the agriculture sector. On another occasion Mr Kalyan and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao took selfies and posted them on social media, which created a flutter. In this backdrop, the developments on the CPM-Jana Sena front would be interesting.

In the 2014 elections, the YSRC won three Assembly and a Lok Sabha seat from the state while the CPM won one seat to the Assembly. This time the YSRC is planning to contest from about 25 Assembly seats in Khammam, Warangal and Hyderabad districts.The black spot that has been cleaned up on Kanakapura Road near Yelachenahalli on Monday (Image DC)

Bengaluru: Tired of a stretch of Kanakapura Road near Yelachenahalli turning into a garbage dump, area residents have decided to clean up the spot themselves and put up a metal fence to prevent people from dumping garbage there. The entire project will be crowd funded.

We have raised around Rs 1.10 lakh so far. The cleaning will continue for the next three days with the help of the BBMP and an NGO. The fencing will start from September 18, Mr Aleem, a local resident said.

The other residents alleged that shop owners from surrounding areas were throwing garbage at the spot, but the BBMP refused to either clean it up or take action against the violators for the last two years. After the residents wrote a letter, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) directed the BBMP last month to clean up the area, but no steps were taken.

Owners of meat shops threw animal waste here, and there were

packs of dogs feeding on the meat. As the garbage mound grew, leachate started percolating down into the ground, polluting the groundwater sources, they complained.

The dump was close to the BMTC bus-stop and it was difficult for commuters to wait here as the stench was unbearable. One of the residents had to be admitted to a hospital for chikungunya, Mr Aleem said.

After cleaning up the area, the BBMP will take care of it for the next two months and may also install CCTV cameras along with a notice board, warning the violators. Mr Aleem said that the BBMP proposed to put up a green net around the spot, but the residents did not agree, saying it would not last even 24 hours.

After a lot of efforts, we have convinced the BBMP to clean up and cover the place. It costs a little high to fence and beautify the area. Since we are doing it for a stretch of 500 metre, we have estimated the cost to be at least around Rs 1 lakh, he said.HYDERABAD: The BJP and the TD on Monday urged the voters to liberate the State from the clutches of the KCR family. The two parties made the statements at events organised to mark the 70th Telangana Liberation Day by hoisting flags at their respective offices.

Telangana BJP president K. Laxman said that the party would celebrate the Telangana Liberation Day officially next year if it is elected to power. Telangana TD president L. Ramana said the time has come to teach a lesson to the family rule of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao which has conveniently forgotten the promises it made to the people of the state.New Delhi: In an attempt to create stronger public sector banks in the country, the Central government on Monday said three state-owned lenders  Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank  will be merged to create the countrys third largest lender. After the amalgamation of associate banks with SBI, this is first-ever consolidation in the Indian banking sector. The merged entity will have a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, with 10,000 branches and around 85,000 employees.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley said the merger will make the banks stronger and sustainable as well as increase their lending ability. He alleged that banks undertook above-normal lending during 2008-2014 as if there was no tomorrow resulting in huge non-performing assets to the tune of Rs 8.5 lakh crore. This took its toll on the economy, he said.

The move is also expected to revive credit grow-th, which has slowed to multi-decade lows as banks struggle with bad loans. The consolidation will help in creating a strong globally competitive bank with economies of scale, said a finance ministry official. He said no employee will face service condition adverse to his present condition following the proposed merger of PSBs.Prabhu(left), gives Elanchezhian and his astonished just-wedded wife Kanimozhi 5 litres of pertrol, in a can, as a gift on their wedding day. (Photo:DC)

Chennai: With the prices of fuel skyrocketing across the country, a couple from Cuddalore got a unique gift - petrol, on their wedding on Sunday. Given the price of petrol, which has touched Rs 85.15 per litre in Tamil Nadu, and with no apparent indications that the price would be rolled back, the gift appeared to be pricey. A beaming Elanchezhian with his astonished just-wedded wife Kanimozhi, received a can of petrol.

The guest, Prabhu, a student of Nandanam Arts College here and also a member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) who had gifted the newlyweds a can of five-litre petrol, reportedly told the media that this was an effort to create awareness on the rising prices of fuel across the country.

Fuel prices are rising steeply across the country. So, some of Elanchezhians friends and I, decided to gift the couple petrol and alert people about the valuable product, he said.

Elanchezhian and Kanimozhi got married on Sunday morning at Kumaratchi in Cuddalore district. And just as the newly wedded couple greeted guests at a marriage hall, the grooms friends stepped on the stage and without fanfare gave him the petrol in a five litre can as a gift. Amid laughter all around, the man received it, a 39-second video clip telecast by a Tamil news channel showed.

Fuel prices have been steadily rising across the country, especially in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, mostly due to rising global crude oil prices, nearing $80 a barrel, and a weak rupee.

Congress leader and former Union Minister P. Chidambaram took a dig at the BJP governments claim of looking at ways to arrest the hike in fuel prices, tweeting, Government says will not cut fuel prices. BJP president says Centre will soon arrest fuel prices. BJP must have found a crude oil source that will supply crude oil free!Before onset of monsoon, drinking water is always in demand and we will give priority to those who book online for water said a CMWSSB area engineer on condition of annonymity.

Chennai: With threat of water scarcity looming large in parts of the city where there is no piped-water supply, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) officials are yet to decide on increasing the number of water tankers. Residents have urged the metro water board to increase supply of drinking water.

Sources said several areas in the city face drinking water shortage and people, holding pots, are found waiting for tanker lorries. At present, the CMWSSB is operating more than 700 contractual lorries across the city. Going by the present scenario, the number of tankers is not enough to meet the growing demand for drinking water.

We are spending sleepless nights and we need to wait for even two to three days to get water. Unlike in the past, water tankers are not properly operated during day time. Officials operate such lorries at nights, said K. Manikandan, a resident of New Washermenpet.

Similarly, another resident said, We are sometimes forced to buy water. As lorries occasionally arrive, residents fight with each other for water. An area engineer, CMWSSB, on conditions of anonymity said, This is not new. Before onset of monsoon, drinking water is always in demand and we will give priority to those who book online for water.

When contacted, a metro water senior official told DC, As of now, there is no acute water scarcity and we do not plan to increase the fleet of tankers. We supply 630 MLD of water and have enough storage in lakes with other sources from Veeranam lake and two desalination plants.Jaipur: Facing unprecedented financial crunch, the Congress wants people to support it not just with votes but also note in the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan. The young state congress president Sachin Pilot has gone online to generate funds for the partys poll campaign. His crowd funding campaign How you can oust BJP in Rajasthan, has generated Rs 2.47 lakh from 168 supporters in three days. The top individual donation is Rs 25000 while the lowest is Rs 100. There are 74 more days to go.

We have taken a big towards a transparency in political funding. Please help us in Rajasthan Congress crowd funding campaign, Mr. Pilot said in his appeal to citizens. According to him, when the government wins with help of money power it always remains under pressure of capitalists. Only a government formed with help of peoples support can maintain transparency and serve with honesty, he said.

However, the move to seek money from supporters and general public is more of a necessity for the party whose taps from business sources have all but dried up. Having lost power at both the center and in most of the states, the grand old party faces an uphill task for it to build a war chest from traditional route of corporate funding to take on the financial might of the BJP.

Though, Mr Pilot pitches it as the BJPs cash power versus peoples power. He said, What matters to us is money but peoples association. Therefore, we appeal to people to participate to make our crowd funding campaign successful. Earlier, the party had experimented with crowd funding during the assembly elections in Karnataka a couple of months ago.Since the Kapra Lake has turned into a sewage pool and is filled with dirty water, there were awareness campaigns on social media platforms urging people not to immerse their idols in the Kapra Lake. (Representional Image)

Hyderabad: The Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir at Sai Baba Officers Colony in Sainikpuri has not only turned eco-friendly in making a three-feet clay Ganesh idol, but they have also used nature friendly methods in immersing their idol.

Instead of using a lake or a water body and adding to the existing pollution, they chose to immerse the Ganesh idol in a tub of fresh water and distributed that water to the people of the colony to sprinkle as a good omen. Not just the temple authorities, many residents in their houses also used clay Ganesh idols this year and immersed it too in their own homes.

The temple, which usually flaunts a six to seven feet idol, made of Plaster of Paris, used clay for the first time. Sai Baba Mandir Committee, Secretary, Sundar Babu said, Along with the immersion of the idol in the temple premises, we used a clay Ganesh for the first time. This decision received a lot of positive response from the people. Now, we also have a lot of self-satisfaction since we are contributing to the environment, without losing our tradition. The temple also witnessed huge footfall this year comparatively.

Many of the residents have also followed the same method. Since the Kapra Lake has turned into a sewage pool and is filled with dirty water, there were awareness campaigns on social media platforms urging people not to immerse their idols in the Kapra Lake.

Secretary of the Federation of Northeastern Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS), C S Chandrashekar said, As a collective motive, most of our colony members have followed the same method during the festival. Be it the type of idol or the immersion procedure, they maintained eco-friendly methods.Chennai: A walk on the beach and the roaring sea takes you away from the daily monotonous materialistic life. The cool warm waves wash our feet leaving us with a feeling of tranquility. But then if with the same warm wave comes somebodys underwear, a shoe or a flat tyre the picture of serenity vanishes in a poof.

Marina beach and Elliots beach - Tamil Nadus two most popular beaches - is one of so many examples of natures gift spoilt by man-made trash.

Recently, newspapers were flooded with headlines saying No thanks says the sea and spits 2,15,000 kg of trash back at Mumbai. Setting a perfect example of Karma repays, on July 18 mother nature threw up the trash as return gift to the Mumbaiikers, who have for years been chucking just one chips packet or one coke bottle into the sea. High tides pulled tonnes of garbage out of the Arabian Sea and put them on the citys coast.

Down south, Tamil Nadu has some of the most popular beaches that attracts about lakhs of people every year. Both Marina and Elliots beaches boast of its promenade being decked with cafes, restaurants and street food. And yet both beaches are devoid of cleanliness.

However, a few kilometers away from Elliots is another beach with a contrasting picturesque. The Thiruvanmiyur beach vaunts of having a management run not by any corporation but by residents of that area, to battle the ever-escalating garbage. The efforts by residents have lured tourists, who wish to walk barefoot on clean soft sand with no fear of treading on some spoon, fork or corn cobs.

The East Coast Beach Walkers Association, along with Realtos chairperson Chander Swamy, in 2002 launched a mission to keep Thiruvanmiyur beach trash-free. President of the association, A.S.R. Vivekanandan, retired DSP, says, We started the project by collecting Rs 5,000 from each house near Thiruvanmiyur beach. Even the association and Realto contributed some amount in this project.

As part of the project we have restricted car parking near the beach in the evenings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Also we have installed a mike that plays the record of keeping beach clean in both Tamil and English languages. It is played on these three days from 5-8 pm, he said.

On how corporation played its part in the cleanliness campaign, he says, to pick-up daily garbage the association with the Realto engaged around 10-15 people while from the Chennai Corporation there are only two or three people for the job.

The second part of our campaign included keeping food stalls away from the beach. On our repeated request the corporation and the police helped us in limiting the stalls on one street only, said Vivekanandan.

Recently, many organizations from all over the world have come up with ideas that not only can curb the garbage menace but also imbibe into people the responsibility of putting garbage in bins. While a theme park in France has trained a pack of six crows to pick-up litter, closer home, on the eve of World Environment Day the Indian Railways installed PET bottle crushing machine at Vadodara railway station, Gujarat, wherein dropping one empty plastic bottle will earn you money instantly.

Yet on questioning the projects undertaken by the corporation on maintaining beaches, a source in the corporation said, There are no projects specifically but we do clean beaches daily.Hyderabad: TRS chief and caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is preparing to hand over the reins to his son and caretaker IT minister K.T. Rao if the TRS retains power in the Assembly elections. Government watchers say the actions of Mr Rama Rao in the party and government affairs indicate this. Mr Rama Rao plays the role Mr Chandrasekhar Rao did in attacking opposition parties and intervening to resolve dissidence in the party.

The latest statement of Mr Chandrasekhar Raos nephew and irrigation minister T. Harish Rao is also indicative of this intent. Mr Harish Rao said he is ready to work in Mr Rama Raos cabinet. There is a lot of pressure on Mr Chandrasekhar Rao from party MLAs and other leaders to make KTR Chief Minister. Moreover, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao recently announced that after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections he will play a key role in national politics. Shortly thereafter, Mr Rama Rao became more active in party and government affairs. He played a key role in conducting the recent Pragathi Nivedana Sabha at Kongarakalan.

In the last year when BJP president Amit Shah visited Telangana he made serious allegations about the Telangana government and releasing funds to TS by the central government. The CM had reacted strongly to these comments, saying that Mr Shah was lying and indulging in petty politics. Two days ago when Mr Shah again visited Hyderabad, it was Mr Rama Rao who reacted strongly to his adverse comments on the government and made counter claims.

In the recent Kondagattu bus accident where 62 people died, it was Mr Rama Rao who visited the accident site and consoled the families of the victims. What is not clear is whether Mr Rama Rao will be made CM after the assembly elections (if the party retains power) or after the next Lok Sabha elections which are likely to be held in April 2019. If the CM is serious about entering national politics, he may wait till the Lok Sabha elections, observe the political developments in Delhi, and then decide whether to move on and make his son Chief Minister of TS.At around 4:30 pm, the slab gave way, taking down eight people. The villagers acted immediately and tried to save them, in vain. The Anaikattu police were informed along with the Seiyur fire department.

Chennai: Three were killed and five injured in a freak accident when a slab fell into a well in Kancheepuram district on Monday. A crowd of people who had gathered on a stone slab, constructed over 10 years ago, to draw water from a community well fell into it due to excess weight, police sources said.

There was no electricity since rains started lashing Surya Pillayar Kuppam, near Kalkulam in Kanchipuram district and therefore, water could not be supplied to 500 houses in the village.

Residents had complained but decided to draw water from the well after waiting for over 12 hours in vain, police sources said. In the afternoon, the women in the village gathered around the well with their buckets to draw water. The slab, over 10 years old, had remained unused since the motor was installed and had hence weathered, police sources said. Over 20 people stood on the slab to draw water.

At around 4:30 pm, the slab gave way, taking down eight people. The villagers acted immediately and tried to save them, in vain. The Anaikattu police were informed along with the Seiyur fire department. Five people were rescued alive and were sent to the Seiyur Primary Health Centre before being sent to the Chengalpattu government hospital for treatment. They have been identified as M. Nagappan, 50, Mallika, 35, R. Sivagami, 35 and C. Hamsa, 38.

Three others could not be saved as the falling slab hit them, forcing them into the mud. They have been identified as S. Sasikala, 35, C. Mangai, 45 and E. Kamala, 28. The Anaikattu police have registered a case and investigations are on as rescue operations concluded.Bengaluru: Putting to rest speculation that the much awaited cwould be put off for a while due to the ongoing crisis in the Congress party, AICC general secretary, K.C. Venugopal on Sunday declared that the expansion would be carried out as per "our schedule." In response to a question, the AICC general secretary said, We know the anti-dote for the BJPs machinations. Their money game will not work in Karnataka. They want to topple this government using money but let me assure you that we know how to outmanoeuvre them this time.Bengaluru: With more than six MLAs of the Congress going underground amid intense poaching efforts by the BJP, the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition has never looked as fragile as it is now, ironically on a day when former CM Siddaramaiah, to whom the coalition was looking to with hope to defuse the Jarkiholi engineered crisis, returned to Bengaluru after a tour of Europe.

The situation has reportedly reached a flashpoint even after Congress General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, K.C. Venugopal and Siddaramaiah tried to assuage the feelings of the Jarkiholi brothers. The rebels, along with other MLAs, however seem to be determined to go ahead with their plan of action.

Sources in the rebel camp told Deccan Chronicle that a major political development might happen in a couple of days with some MLAs likely to quit the Assembly and join the BJP for some favours. The rebels are also considering another optionpreempt a crisis by resigning from the Assembly, negotiate with the Congress leadership to get what they want and then withdraw their resignations in which case the H.D. Kumaraswamy government may survive for now.

Sources said many Congress leaders, particularly those from North Karnataka, who are not happy with Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar consolidating his position in the party, have lent their tacit support to the Jarkiholi group. These leaders are also sore that they have not benefited in any way even after the Congress came to power with the JD(S), despite being the smaller partner in the coalition, grabbing prized portfolios and ensuring their sway over the functioning of the government. This has apparently emboldened the MLAs to take the rebel activity to a logical end.

Can Siddu douse the blaze?

With the revolt in the ruling Congress, engineered by the Jarkiholi brothers of Belagavi, reaching uncomfortable proportions, Congress legislature party leader, Siddaramaiah who landed in Bengaluru on Sunday after a 12-day Europe tour, was given the onerous task of pacifying the Jarkiholis.

Sources said Siddaramaiah instructed Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and MLA Satish Jarkiholi to fall in line before the high command takes their rebellion seriously. The Jarkiholis have been on the warpath ever since they were humiliated during the PLD Bank polls in Belagavi when another Congress MLA, Laxmi Hebbalkar, considered close to Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar, ensured the selection of her nominees. This issue cropped up during the talks with the brothers asking Siddaramaiah to direct Shivakumar to stop interfering in Belagavi affairs.Kalaburagi: In what can be described as a reply to the Jarkiholi brothers who have expressed their strong resentment over his alleged interference in the affairs of Belagavi, Minister for Water Resources D.K. Shivakumar made it clear that he cannot be restrained from going to Belagavi adding that as a state level leader, he has every right to go to any part of the state wherever issues crop up.

Im not only minister for water resources and medical education, I'm also chairman of the KPCC Prachara Samiti. If any leader of my party in any part of the state seeks my help, it's my duty to go there and help them", he declared during an interaction with the media here.

When pointed out that the present crisis had cropped up due to his 'interference' in Belagavi Congress affairs, Mr Shivakumar candidly admitted that he was in politics to exercise his authority." My responsibility is the entire state. I have even visited Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat and Assam to manage political developments there. It's wrong on the part of the Jarkiholis not to expect me go to their territory (Belagavi). I expect them to come to my area and do politics too. We are friends, what is wrong in it?" he wondered. Asked whether the present crisis would affect the coalition government, he blamed the media for blowing the incident out of proportion. On whether he was ruffled by this crisis he replied in the negative. "Leave politics, many major developments took place. Did I get unnerved at any point of time?Hubballi: Congress MLA Satish Jarkiholi has asserted that he and minister Ramesh Jarkiholi should not be held responsible if a few legislators desert the party to join the BJP. Addressing mediapersons in Belagavi on Sunday, he said it will be the personal decision of these MLAs and the Jarkiholi brothers have no role in it. Stating that he cannot stop such Congressmen from joining the BJP, he said two legislators had quit the party earlier and returned to the party fold later. Reiterating that he and his brother will not quit the Congress, he said they should not be blamed if the JD(S)-Congress coalition government becomes unstable following the defection of a few MLAs from the party. He however ruled out defection of a large number of legislators from the Congress. BJP leaders may be trying to woo Congress legislators by offering money. I don't have much information about Operation Lotus. What can we do if the coalition government collapses after some MLAs leave the party?. There is no threat to the Congre

ss from the Jarkiholi brothers, we will not join any other party. I will go to Bengaluru and will meet co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah if he invites me, Satish Jarkiholi said.VKC members led by their party chief Thol Thirumavalavan stage a flash protest demanding stringent action against a miscreant who hurled his shoe at the statue of Periyar, in Chennai, on Monday. (Photo:DC)

Chennai: Tension prevailed at Simpson junction on arterial Anna Salai in Chennai on Monday after the statue of rationalist leader Periyar was desecrated by a miscreant during his 140th birth anniversary. Similar incident at Dharapuram in Tirupur district in the state also caused some tense moments.

Alert leaders and cadres of VCK, who had gathered to pay floral tributes to Periyar's statue in Simpson junction, managed to nab the miscreant and thus prevented the possible flare up of emotions.

Reports reaching the police headquarters here said, the statue of Periyar was also desecrated at Tirupur where a miscreant had placed a chappal on the statue. In this case, the police intervened on time and removed it. A search is on to nab the culprit.

In Chennai, the incident occurred when VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan arrived to garland the statue. All of a sudden an unidentified man who came on a two-wheeler, hurled his shoe at the statue and shouted slogans. VCK supporters immediately caught hold of him and attacked. However, police present at the spot intervened and took the man into their custody. He was later identified as Jagadesh an advocate from Ekattuthangal, here. He was later arrested.

Protesting against the incident Thirumavalavan and his supporters staged an agitation. They dispersed after police assured to take appropriate action against the culprit. Traffic was affected for about ten minutes as a result of the incident.

Leaders of various po-litical parties, including the ruling AIADMK and the Opposition DMK, condemned the incident and demanded stern action against the troublemaker.

"Insulting the statue of Periyar is akin to insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Amma's (late Jayalalithaa) government will not tolerate such acts. They (the culprits) will be brought to book. Stern action will be taken against them," fisheries minister D. Jayakumar who condemned the incident said and assured that necessary action would be taken on the culprit.

DMK president and leader of the Opposition in Assembly M. K. Stalin strongly condemned the incident and demanded the arrest of the culprit under the National Security Act (NSA). In a statement here, he said, on a day when Periyar's birth anniversary was being observed to pay gratitude for ensuring social justice and self-respect, some narrow minded persons, under the pretext of insulting Periyar, was indulging in barbaric acts to disrupt peace in the State.

Strongly condemning the desecration of Periyar statues at Tirupur and Chennai, Stalin alleged that communal forces were behind such incidents. Demanding tough action against the culprits, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) chief K. Veeramani said Periyar cannot be defamed by hurling footwear at his statue.

Meanwhile, floral tributes were paid to the rationalist leader by the Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam, state ministers and leaders of various political parties on Monday.Kandy: For the first time in the past several decades, a high-level delegation from Sri Lanka is likely to visit Chennai soon to carry the message of peace and collaboration between the people of the island country and the brethren in Tamil Nadu.

Announcing this at the MGR centenary celebration at his birthplace Kandy on Sunday, Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said it was a momentous occasion for the people of the two countries that Tamil Nadu education minister KA Sengottaiyan had brought a large team of experts from various fields, including education, healthcare, hospitality and industry, besides film personalities to relive the MGR saga on screen and in politics.

Let us being a new chapter, a new era, from this visit of Sengottaiyan. It is a great gesture, a warm message you have brought. There are close relations between the Dravidas and the Sinhalese, he said turning to Sengottaiyan seated on the impressive dais.

There are no problems and differences between us that cannot be solved, including the fishermen issue that we realise is a basic livelihood issue. We must not politicise it but must look at it in humanitarian manner, said the Speaker.

I am saying this from my heart. I appeal to all political leaders, let us settle all our differences within our lifetime and leave nothing of that for the future generation, said the Speaker, adding: As an official delegation, we will go Tamil Nadu to convey this personally.

"I told our President and Prime Minister that you all are here. They were so happy. We see this as a wonderful beginning of new possibities. The time has come to give up all our differences and work towards amity", said Speaker Jayasuriya even as the audience of MGR fans, mostly Tamils of Kandy and neighbouring places, besides a sprinkle of the Sinahala top brass, burst into applause.

It seemed that the centenary celebrations for MGR--hailed by fans across the world as Puratchi Thalaivar, the revolutionary leader could well trigger a revolution of a different kind in turning out as a harbinger of hope for peace and collaboration between the Sinhalese and the Tamils, including those in Tamil Nadu.

"MGR is our product, our bhoomiputra. We gifted him to you", said the Speaker, recalling the movie magic that the late Tamil star had spun over even the Sinhala youth in the earlier decades.Over the past year, the Western media, echoed by many in India and some in Pakistan, has conducted an extensive campaign of criticism against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. It has been variously asserted that the project is building roads that are not needed; it will only facilitate Chinas trade and bring little benefit to Pakistan; it will burden Pakistan with enormous foreign debt, and so on.

This campaign gained momentum after US Defence Secretary James Mattis remarked that CPEC would traverse disputed territory (meaning Gilgit- Baltistan) and former US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson questioned the financial structure of projects under Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. US opposition to CPEC seemed to be confirmed when in July the current Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued that an IMF financing programme for Pakistan should not be used to repay Chinese bond holders and banks.

The US stance was interpreted widely as part of its strategic confrontation with China (spanning trade, technology, the South China Sea) and an additional point of pressure to secure Pakistans compliance with American demands on Afghanistan.

The state secretarys remarks redoubled the doubts within the incoming Pakistani government about the wisdom of approaching the IMF to achieve the urgently required stabilisation of Pakistans economy, especially its external imbalances.

CPEC was a major item on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis agenda for his recent visit and talks with the new Pakistani government. Any doubts regarding Pakistans position on CPEC were laid to rest in the public and private assurances conveyed by the prime minister, foreign minister and the COAS to the Chinese foreign minister.

But the Western media has persisted in its campaign. The Financial Times published an article entitled Pakistan rethinks its role in Xis Belt and Road plan, printed the day after the Chinese foreign ministers visit. It quoted purported remarks by Pakistans trade adviser expressing disquiet about the disadvantages of some CPEC agreements which Pakistan intends to renegotiate. The commerce ministry immediately issued a strong rebuttal stating that there was complete unanimity between China and Pakistan on CPECs future direction and affirmed the Pakistani governments commitment to CPEC.

Even after this, the Wall Street Journal offered an article asserting that Pakistan is pressing China to realign the goals of CPEC to take on poverty-alleviating initiatives and build factories.

Meanwhile, Pakistans information minister told the press that during his talks in Islamabad, the US secretary of state had assured that the US will not block an IMF financing programme for Pakistan. This implies a lifting of US objections to the servicing of Chinese debt (which is a fraction of debt to Western financial sources). Rather than being the focus of competition, Pakistan and Afghanistan may be one area where the US and China could cooperate rather than compete.

The US has several tactical and strategic reasons to cooperate with China and support CPEC. First, the US needs Chinas support to realise a political settlement in Afghanistan. The US and China are both working in parallel to improve Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. China can make large investments in Afghanistan. And it can moderate any disruption of a political settlement by Iran, Pakistan and even Russia. Second, the extension of CPEC to Afghanistan would contribute to its connectivity to Central Asia, China and beyond, and foster its development and stability. Moreover, if India joins CPEC (eventually), it will gain access to Afghanistan and Central Asia (which Pakistan has staunchly resisted so far). Third, CPEC is essential for the stabilisation and growth of the Pakistani economy. Chinas assumption of the onus for Pakistans economic stabilisation is not a bad bargain for the US.

These considerations may not be accepted at present by vengeful US generals, intelligence operatives and ideologues, smarting from their failure in Afghanistan. They are better understood by US foreign policy professionals. Indeed, the Obama administration expressed support for CPEC.

The major opposition to CPEC, going forward, will emanate from a chauvinistic Indian regime which sees the sponsorship of terrorism in Balochistan and unrest in Gilgit-Baltistan as a smart strategy to restrain Pakistans support for the Kashmiri freedom struggle. Yet, given the tectonic shifts in strategic alignments in the entire Asian heartland, and the opportunities for an economy-led normalisation across the region, India may be shooting itself in the foot.

By arrangement with DawnBSP supremo Mayawatis demand for a respectable share of seats to contest in Uttar Pradesh in the next Lok Sabha polls appears unrealistic, and if she persists with such tactics, that seems almost delusional, the top dalit leader could be pricing herself out of the market.

Ms Mayawati led the BSP to electoral ignominy in 2017, having won zero seats in 2014, though she had close to a respectable 20 per cent voteshare. That stark reality should caution all parties that, in a multi-cornered contest, going alone can be extremely risky when a strong pole exists  in this case the BJP led by Narendra Modi. (UP CM Yogi Adityanath is likely to be a minor footnote.)

On the other hand, a combination of UPs two strong regional parties, Mayawatis BSP and Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party, could prove invincible. This was shown in the UP byelections a few months ago, when they trounced the BJP.

This has led to the thinking, endorsed by surveys, that if the BSP and SP came together and joined forces with Ajit Singh, the BJP could be reduced to single-digit seats in the countrys largest state. If the Congress, a minor player in UP, was also part of this combine, the division of minority votes could be eliminated and an accretion of some upper caste votes to the Opposition coalition ensured. In such a scenario, even BJP stalwarts could be left high and dry in the UP Lok Sabha polls.

But Ms Mayawati seems to be ignoring this compelling logic in order to get what she deems a respectable number of seats as a part of an anti-BJP coalition. She declared in Lucknow on Sunday that she would fight alone if her share in the coalition was less than half the seats in UP.

It had been thought so far that the BSP-SP coalition in UP, where the BJPs stakes are the highest in the country, was already in the bag, and that Ms Mayawatis party was raising unreasonable demands of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan as a negotiating stance. But after the BSP supremos Sunday remarks, analysts may think an anti-BJP coalition was not a concern for the BSP chief.

Interestingly, Ms Mayawti also led a no-holds-barred attack on dalit militant leader Chandrashekhar Azad, who was released from prison last week and announced rightaway that he would work for the BJPs defeat in the next polls. This puts the former dalit CM and the current charismatic leader of young dalits on opposite sides of the fence.

Will this leave the BSPs 18 per cent voteshare intact in UP at a time of widespread perception among dalits that they were unfairly treated by BJP governments? Ms Mayawati must reflect on this and make her agenda clear.The financial damages awarded to Isro scientist S. Nambi Narayanan over wrongful police action and persecution may mean little considering the years of humiliation he and his family suffered. However, the Rs 50-lakh award by the Supreme Court establishes how dreadfully incompetent the police is and how badly they are directed. The courts directive to form a committee and get to the bottom of it all to fix guilt and act against those responsible for this sordid chapter in the history of an otherwise exemplary space organisation, that even on Sunday put two foreign satellites in orbit successfully to sustain its reputation as a global player. The governments obstinacy in refusing to recognise that the investigators could have been wrong made this espionage episode one of the worst advertisements for the competence of police forces.

A spy scandal would have seemed so intriguing as to go after Nambi Naraynanan and a woman from the Maldives who was visiting Kerala, regardless of whether the facts supported the case being made out. In fact, as Nambi Narayanan said, the technology they claimed he stole from Isro didnt even exist in 1994. Human rights went for a toss as conspiracy theories abounded, and police operations only helped destroy lives. The Kerala police isnt the only force in this elaborate dance of puppets by networks run by politicians and bureaucrats. However, if the case opens up the floodgates for similarly wronged persons to find justice  even if the principle of such compensation is absent in the Indian criminal system  the Isro scientist wouldnt have suffered in vain.A profound crisis of free market capitalism, which has been channeled by angry rightist populists like US President Donald Trump, is hence central to the worsening image of democracy. (Photo: AP)

This year, the International Day of Democracy came and went on Saturday, September 15, with barely a whimper.

It was a sign of the times. The most enlightened form of government is endangered and losing appeal. Democracys moral and practical desirability are under question and scepticism about it is rising to unprecedented levels since the end of the Cold War.

The mood was exactly the opposite during the 1990s. Then, the belief that multi-party democracy and free markets had no credible rivals and that democratic capitalist regimes would be the only game in town was commonplace. Flush with the victory over the Soviet Union and the freeing up of former Communist bloc countries, liberal scholars like Francis Fukuyama hailed the universalisation of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.

But nearly 30 years since Fukuyamas End of History thesis, the teleological liberal vision of a relentless global march to the golden endpoint of democracy and capitalism is facing a dead end. As per Freedom Houses latest ranking, just 39 per cent of the worlds total population (88 out of 195 countries) live in fully free polities.

The year-on-year consecutive decline in global freedom since 2006, which Freedom House is lamenting, can be explained at both macro and micro levels. Among the big systemic shifts, disillusionment with capitalist globalisation and its iniquitous distribution of wealth, income and power is a major factor in loss of public faith in Western-style free market democracies.

The decade-long global economic crisis which wreaked havoc in advanced capitalist democracies from 2008, and the manner in which elected governments in these countries bailed out fat cat bankers while transferring the burden of austerity and welfare state cuts to the middle and working classes, left a bad taste in ordinary peoples mouths.

Extreme economic inequality and insecurity for the have-nots have compounded the anger against the unaccountable democratic order. The association of unjust globalisation with democracy is automatic because the theoretical and practical assumption of liberalism is that democracy is the necessary political counterpart of capitalism.

Joseph Schumpeter wrote in 1942 that modern democracy rose along with capitalism, and in casual connection with it. Robert Dahl reaffirmed at the turn of this century that democracy cannot endure in a country with a predominantly non-market economy. A profound crisis of free market capitalism, which has been channeled by angry rightist populists like US President Donald Trump, is hence central to the worsening image of democracy.

Another key factor causing backsliding, frozen transitions and reversals in democratisation is the relative decline of Western powers vis-a-vis non-Western ones. The triumphalism of liberals in the 1990s derived from supreme self-confidence about the unipolar world order lasting for long. American preponderance was the foundation for the liberal optimism about democracy.

By its existence as a rapidly growing and unchallenged hegemon, the United States was in that period an exemplar of a robust democracy that others wished to follow. With democracy promotion a controversial and integral part of American foreign policy, there were all the more reasons for the liberal juggernaut to be seen as an unstoppable phenomenon.

Fast forward to 2018. China is already the largest economy on the planet by one method of calculating national income. It is demonstrating an alternative pathway to power and prosperity via authoritarian state capitalism. American influence on the developing world, particularly in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, where the bulk of dictatorial regimes persist resiliently, is on the wane.

American retrenchment from global governance under the populist President Donald Trump, contrasted with the foreign policy alacrity and strategic acumen that undemocratic non-Western powers like China and Russia are demonstrating, add to perceptions that Western democracies are spent forces which cannot inspire or compel poor nations to democratise.

As to prominent emerging powers like Brazil, India, Indonesia and South Africa, they are democratic but lack the will and capacity to transform other developing countries into their mirror images. Canada, France and Germany remain committed to liberal democracy, but they cannot individually do the heavy lifting when the US under President Trump has withdrawn from the democratisation arena.

Apart from systemic factors like the passing of unipolarity and the souring of globalisation, there are local and region-specific trends hindering the expansion of democracy.

The Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 promised to usher in a possible fourth wave of democratisation following Samuel Huntingtons thesis of three waves since the 19th century. But barring Tunisia, the democratic revolts in the Middle East have been crushed by a combination of war and terrorist violence unleashed by authoritarian regimes within the region and their foreign backers.

Turkey, which was the one rare democracy among the Muslim-majority nations of that region, has regressed dramatically under the sultanistic despotism of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It is now a classic elected dictatorship that is a member of Nato but blatantly flouts the Western military alliances core tenet of liberal democratic governance.

In Africa, strongmen and one-party states are being buttressed by dubious elections while the African Union is struggling to enforce democracy as an inviolable norm. In Latin America, the degeneration of Leftist democracies into corruption-plagued dysfunctional regimes and outright dictatorships like Venezuela and Nicaragua is occurring amid regional organisations which are paralysed and unable to act in unison to preserve democracy.

In the sub-regions of Asia, military dictatorships, one-man rule and single-party autocracies are flourishing thanks to their mix of economic dynamism, repressive crackdowns on dissent and regional stasis in favour of the authoritarian status quo. Not even the European Union is succeeding in preventing rightist populists in Hungary, Poland and Italy from openly trampling upon liberal democratic values and institutions.

Today, the reaffirmation of national sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs of states and antagonismtoward supranational and multilateral organisations that we are observing is directly connected to the failure of globalisation and it is playing out to the detriment of democracy.

Given these headwinds, can democracy bounce back as a viable universal project? Winston Churchill had quipped that democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried. If illiberal anti-democratic populists enter the portals of power and exhaust themselves through misgovernment, they may also be rejected in electoral cycles to come. If a new balance is found between markets and society by better regulating transnational business conglomerates, democracies may win back their shrinking flock of adherents. And if leading developing nations like India, Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa turn into democratic norm entrepreneurs, the swagger of having democratic champion states may also return to motivate activists and human rights defenders in poor countries who feel abandoned and helpless against oppressive regimes.

Ultimately, democracy can be attained and sustained only when there is a demand for it and it is seen to be delivering the goods for the people in whose name it functions. Almost three decades after the Cold War, the case for democracy has to be revisited and it needs reinvention to become fit for purpose in a world that is polarised, dissatisfied and restless for change.The first generation wont be perfect and therefore, will improve over the time via software updates. (Representative Image: OnePlus 6)

Up until now, OnePlus has been fairly known for its affordable yet high-performance smartphones. They unveiled the OnePlus 6 earlier this year that has proven itself to one of the fastest Android phones in the market. The next device in line in the OnePlus 6T scheduled for a launch within a month. However, OnePlus has something else to please its fans  a smart TV.

In one of their recent blog posts, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has announced that the company is working on a new smart TV that will bring the next generation of connected devices to homes. The smart TV will utilise OnePlus prowess in image and audio, and will adhere to high standards set by OnePlus for its smartphones. Since Pete mentioned 5G connectivity and smarter AI integration, there could be a chance that the smart TV will offer faster connections and will work effortlessly with OnePlus phones, similar to the integration between Apples iOS ecosystem. Presently, the team is calling the product OnePlus TV.

In another interview to Business Insider, Pete said that the TV will be launched in 2019. However, the first generation wont be perfect and therefore, will improve over the time via software updates. It wont be something thats perfect and absolutely complete and revolutionary from the start. The TV will receive updates to make it smarter over the next five years, becoming more connected to your smartphone along the way, said Lau.

It is evident that OnePlus wants to make its presence felt in the smart TV industry after rival Xiaomi forayed into the segment with its range of Mi TVs a few years ago. The smart TV segment offers a lot of opportunities for manufacturers to create new ecosystems of their own and OnePlus is looking to bank high on the trend for its community.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer uses two satellites that detect active fire and burned areas. (Photo: AP)

Wildland firefighters are still the heart and soul of the battle against raging blazes, but a technology boom is playing an increasing role in efforts to snuff out flames.

Todays firefighters count on accurate data from satellites and heat-sensing instruments to chart the size, location and direction of a fire, Sean Triplett, group leader for Geospatial & Resource Information Management at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, told the Elko Daily Free Press

For example, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer uses two satellites that detect active fire and burned areas, then sends geographic information systems on Earth the coordinates of the spots. Firefighters and others have access to this data.

The US Forest Service uses two aircraft fitted with infrared cameras for more precise fire mapping. The aircraft fly at night and at high altitudes.

The US Forest Service is also experimenting with unmanned aircraft.

Triplett sees a need to improve individual communication between firefighters in the future. Firefighters currently rely on radio technology that only allows verbal communication.

The US Forest Service is exploring using iPads to share photos, data, weather and maps with other firefighters on a fire.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has launched across the globe and in our review, we found that the handset is highly addictive. At launch, the handset debuted in three colours but if that was not to your liking, then there is some good news for you. A Silver Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is on the way and will hit various markets across the world.

As per a report by SamMobile, Samsung is preparing to launch the Galaxy Note 9 in this new Silver hue in a host of countries but as of now, there is no word on whether both the 128GB and the 512GB versions will be available.

This new version will be available in Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Open Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Germany, Kenya (Zain), Nigeria, Greece, Israel, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Nordic countries, Peru, Netherlands, Romania, Baltic, Sri Lanka, Mexico (Telcel), Sweden, Canada, Cellular South, France, Hungary, Czech Republic, South Africa, Slovakia and Brazil.

It appears that India is missing from this list. However, with India being a very important market for Samsung, this variation should appear here as well.

Disclaimer: The above report is completely based on online rumours and leaks from the respective sources. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Deccan Chronicle and/or other staff and contributors to this website.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.Members of the North Carolina Task Force urban search and rescue team check cars in a flooded neighborhood looking for residents who stayed behind as Florence continues to dump heavy rain in NC. (Photo: AP)

Wilson/Wilmington: Deadly storm Florence drenched North Carolina with yet more downpours on Sunday, cutting off the city of Wilmington, damaging tens of thousands of homes and threatening worse flooding as rivers fill to bursting point.

The death toll rose to at least 14 from Florence, which crashed into the state as a hurricane on Friday, bringing record rainfall.

It had weakened to a tropical depression by Sunday, but was forecast to drop another 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) of rain in North Carolina, bringing rainfall totals in some inland areas to 15 to 20 inches and over 30 inches (76 cm) closer to the coast, according to the National Hurricane Centre.

"The storm has never been more dangerous than it is now," North Carolina's emergency management office said on Twitter, quoting Governor Roy Cooper.

"Many rivers are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow."

More than 900 people were rescued from rising flood waters and 15,000 remained in shelters in the state, Cooper told a news conference on Sunday.

At least 10 people have died so far in the storm in North Carolina, including a mother and child killed by a falling tree, state officials said.

Four people died in South Carolina, including a woman whose car hit a fallen tree. People who evacuated were eager to return home but officials urged them to stay away.

"Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington," New Hanover County Commission chairman Woody White told a news conference.

"We want you home but you can't come yet."

Fresh evacuations were ordered further inland as rivers crested and spilled out of their banks.

In Fayetteville, a North Carolina city of about 210,000 people some 90 miles (145 km) from the ocean, authorities told thousands of residents near the Cape Fear River and Little River to get out of their homes by Sunday afternoon because of the flood risk.

"The worst is yet to come," Mayor Mitch Colvin told a news conference on Saturday. North Carolina Emergency Management Director Michael Sprayberry said it was too early to estimate how many people in the state would be made homeless by the storm. "Right now, we are thinking that there will tens of thousands of homes that are going to be damaged," he said.

In Leland, a low-lying city north of Wilmington, homes and local businesses were engulfed by water.

Gas stations were abandoned, with many pumps keeled over, and fallen trees cluttered many roads, making them impassable.

The whir of generators could be heard throughout the city, a sound not expected to dim soon as crews work to restore power.

About 756,000 homes and businesses were without power in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.

In Belville, just south of Leland, some shops had power restored on Sunday.

"I thought I'd come out here and see if I could get more fuel, but no luck," said Steve McLean outside a Harris Teeter gasoline station that had electricity, but no gasoline.

"So far we've been holding up pretty well," said McLean, 72, a self-employed heating and air conditioning contractor.

"We'll see how long this lasts."

Five people were arrested for breaking into a Dollar General Store, said the police department in Wilmington, which has imposed a nighttime curfew.

Florence set a record in the state for rain from a hurricane, dumping 33.9 inches (86 cm) in Swansboro, North Carolina.

The previous record was 24 inches (61 cm), set by Hurricane Floyd, which killed 56 people in 1999, said Bryce Link, a meteorologist with private forecasting service DTN Marine Weather.

North Carolina officials warned motorists not to drive on roads in a large area - south of the I-64 and east of the I-73/74 highways - because of hazardous conditions in the southeast of the state.

Swelling rivers and creeks threatened dams and bridges. The flooding could taint waterways with murky coal ash. But so far officials said the state's many lagoons of toxic hog waste had withstood the storm.

By Sunday morning Florence's winds had dropped to about 35 miles per hour (55 km per hour), the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said.

The storm was moving at 10 mph (16 kph), with its centre expected to cross the western Carolinas during Sunday and the Ohio Valley and Northeast United States on Monday and Tuesday.

The White House said President Donald Trump approved making federal funding available in some affected counties.

Trump, who plans to visit the region this week, tweeted his condolences to the families and friends of those who died.

As the United States dealt with Florence, a super typhoon made landfall in China's Guangdong on Sunday after barrelling past Hong Kong and Macau and killing dozens of people in the Philippines.The allegation first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that has been in the possession of Sen Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for some time. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: President Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court was thrust into turmoil Sunday after the woman accusing him of high school-era sexual misconduct told her story publicly for the first time.

Democrats immediately called for a delay in a key committee vote set for this later week and a Republican on the closely divided panel said he's "not comfortable" voting on the nomination without first hearing from the accuser.

The woman, Christine Blasey Ford, told The Washington Post in her first interview that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a Maryland party they attended in the early 1980s, clumsily tried to remove her clothing and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford said. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

Ford, 51 and a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, says she was able to get away after a friend of Kavanaugh's who was in the room jumped on top of them and everyone tumbled.

Kavanaugh, 53 and a federal appeals judge in Washington, on Sunday repeated an earlier denial of Ford's allegation.

"I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time," Kavanaugh said through the White House.

The allegation first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that has been in the possession of Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for some time.

The committee recently concluded four days of public hearings on the nomination and the panel's Republican chairman, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, scheduled a Thursday vote on whether to recommend that the full Senate confirm Kavanaugh for a lifetime appointment to the nation's highest court. Democrats, led by New York Senator Chuck Schumer, immediately called for it to be postponed, though Republicans gave no indication Sunday that they would accede to the calls by Democrats, most of whom already publicly oppose Kavanaugh.

A spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee said late Sunday that Grassley is trying to arrange separate, follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, but just for aides to Grassley and Feinstein, before Thursday's scheduled vote.

Feinstein late Sunday rejected Grassley's plan for phone interviews with Kavanaugh and Ford.

"Staff calls aren't the appropriate way to handle this," Feinstein said.

Senator Jeff Flake, R-Ariz, a committee member, told The Washington Post and Politico in interviews Sunday that he's "not comfortable" voting for Kavanaugh until he learns more about the allegation. Flake is one of 11 Republicans on the committee, whose 10 Democrats all oppose Kavanaugh. A potential "no" vote from Flake would complicate Kavanaugh's prospects.

Feinstein applauded Flake's call to slow things down.

"I agree with Senator Flake that we should delay this week's vote," she said.

"There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to investigate this new material."

Another Republican member, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said he's willing to hear from Ford provided that it's "done immediately" to keep the confirmation process on track.

Critics have accused the GOP of fast-tracking the process to get Kavanaugh on the court by October 1, the first day of the fall term. Senate Republicans, along with the White House, see no need to postpone voting over what they consider uncorroborated and unverifiable accusations, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorised to speak publicly.

In considering their options Sunday, Republicans largely settled on the view that Ford's story alone was not enough to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation. Grassley could invite Ford to testify, likely in closed session before Thursday. Kavanaugh would also probably be asked to appear before senators. The panel would also likely seek testimony from Mark Judge, Kavanaugh's friend and classmate who Ford says jumped on top of her and Kavanaugh. Judge has denied that the incident happened.

Republicans have not settled on the strategy, the person familiar with the situation said, but were weighing options, including doing nothing. Republicans say the allegations have already cast a shadow over Kavanaugh but that it does not appear to be enough to change the votes in the narrowly divided 51-49 Senate.

Key will be the views of Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who did not immediately comment publicly on Sunday.

A spokesman for Grassley said Kavanaugh already went through several days of hearings and has been investigated by the FBI. The White House has accused Feinstein, who revealed the letter's existence late last week, of mounting an "11th hour attempt to delay his confirmation."

The White House has also sought to cast doubt about Ford's allegation by noting that the FBI has repeatedly investigated Kavanaugh since the 1990s for highly sensitive positions he has held, including in the office of independent counsel Ken Starr, at the White House and his current post on the federal appeals court in Washington.

Both Democratic and Republican senators questioned Feinstein's handling of the allegation.

Kavanaugh's nomination has sharply divided an already closely divided Senate, with most Democrats opposing him and most Republicans supporting him.The steady strides that Bhutan is taking to establish itself as a democracy deserves applause. The country voted in the first round of its third general elections on September 15, and nearly 66% of the electorate showed up to exercise their franchise. This is significantly higher than the 55% that voted in the first round of the 2013 general elections. Bhutans democracy is just 10 years old. In this period, democracy has not only taken root but it appears to be flowering in this Himalayan kingdom. The number of political parties has grown. Importantly, the people are using their vote to bring about change. They have voted parties out of power. While it was the monarchy that initiated change in Bhutan a decade ago  the kingdoms transformation from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one was a top-down process  but increasingly, it is the masses who are driving change. At the just-concluded first round of the general election, voters defeated the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. Thus, it will not contest the final round in a month from now.

New Delhi will be concerned by the preliminary result. The PDP government and India stood firmly together to take on China during the Doklam crisis last year. Its ouster will inject a measure of uncertainty in Delhis relations with the new government. The final round will see the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) locking horns with the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT). While the DNTs foreign policy preferences are unclear, the DPT is known to have favoured diplomatic relations with China when it was in power between 2008 and 2013. In 2013, DPT leader and Bhutans then prime minister Jigme Thinley even engaged in secret talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao at Rio. That annoyed Delhi, as the meeting seemed aimed at Bhutan establishing formal diplomatic relations with China. In the subsequent general elections, the DPT was defeated; an outcome that was widely attributed to Delhis withdrawal of fuel subsidies to Bhutan just ahead of the final round of elections.

India and China are engaged in a tussle for influence in Bhutan, which has intensified following the standoff between the armed forces of the two countries at Doklam. And while Delhis apprehensions are understandable, it must resist the temptation to meddle in Bhutans elections as that will set off an avalanche of anti-India sentiment in the country. India should build strong ties with whichever party comes to power and should clarify ahead that it respects the democratic choices of the Bhutanese people. Backing one party or another in the final round could prove counterproductive to Indias interests in Bhutan.CHESTER  Two Chester police officers promoted to sergeant will begin their new assignments today as supervisors of the patrol division.

It was a family affair Wednesday night at City Hall as retired Chester Police Capt. Alan Davis pinned the badge he once wore as a city police sergeant on his stepson, Joshua Dewees, and Lucia Carey pinned her husband, William, with his gold badge as their two children, Ava Jane, and William III, looked on.

Dewees, 36, and Carey, 47, were among 11 patrol officers who took the Civil Service test for the position in August 2017, ranking second and third, respectively. Placing first among the candidates was Matthew Goldschmidt, who was promoted to sergeant last October, according to Chester Police Chief James Nolan IV.

Theyre both well qualified, Nolan said Friday. With these promotions the city moves forward with the recovery plan and restructuring of the Chester Police Department.

Dewees and Carey were hired as patrol officers a little over a year apart; Dewees in January 2006 and Carey in March 2007. Patrol officers can test for the sergeant position after 10 years on the job. City police sergeants earn about $75,000, an estimated 17 percent increase from the patrol officers pay.

In separate interviews last week, both Dewees and Carey briefly looked back on their careers in law enforcement. Both said they are honored to continue to serve the city resident in their new role, and are humbled by the opportunity.

A calling

Last year for Christmas, Careys mother, Judith, gave him a framed picture of a police car and a police officer that he drew when he was in the first grade, and she had saved all these years. Printed under the images are the words: God chose me to be a police officer.

Law enforcement was my calling, said Carey.

The oldest of seven children, Carey grew up in Philadelphia and South Jersey.

I was raised that if you put God first, you will be successful and happy, Carey said.

He is a 1990 graduate of the Valley Forge Military Academy, a 1995 graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, where he earned his associate degree, minoring in anthropology.

He is a graduate of both the Cape May County Police Academy (1997) and Montgomery County Police Academy (2000).

Carey is a decorated combat Marine Corps veteran.

His law enforcement career began as a part-time officer in Marcus Hook, where he worked for a few months before he was hired as a full-time officer in Chester. Prior to his recent promotion, he was assigned to the citys patrol division and served in numerous capacities over the years.

As a member of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, he has worked with the FBI, ATF and DEA in countless investigations, and has assisted in apprehending hundreds of fugitives.

He has been assigned to the Chester Police Narcotics Division, as well as the Delaware County District Attorneys Narcotics Task Force. In addition, hes worked on both the SWAT and dive teams in the city, served as an acting corporal, and worked several stints in the patrol division.

I have a love in my heart for the city, said Carey. This job is all about service  Yes, we do deal with some bad things, but at the end of the day, its a small percentage of what we do.

Carey said all one has to do is read the mission statement for the Chester Police Department to understand.

It reads: The Chester Police Department, as an integral part of the community, is committed to protect the lives, property, and rights of all people: to maintain order; and to enforce the law impartially. The department seeks to provide quality police service in partnership with other members of the community. To fulfill that mission, the department will strive to attain the highest degree of ethical behavior and professional conduct at all times.

Its about the people, the citizens. Its been my experience that their arms and doors are open to us, Carey said. I love my job. I love being a police officer. I care for the people. That is something I carry day in and day out. The only thing the citizens of Chester will get from me is 100 percent.

Under the current leadership of Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland and city Police Commissioner Otis Blair, Carey said, Our police department is becoming more community oriented, and it is paying dividends.

Im just honored to work with great people. I see a lot of changes being made and all for the better, he said. I am blessed.

Thats not to say he hasnt experienced challenges. And he expects there will be more to come.

I believe if you have integrity, do your job honestly and with a caring heart, you are in the right profession, that no obstacle can stop you, he said. Everyone in every profession experiences challenges. How you handle them, I think says a lot.

It was beyond a proud moment for Carey when his wife pinned him with his new badge.

Im honored, he said.

After the meeting, Carey visited his father, who is in hospice care, to share the news.

It made my day, William Carey Sr. told his son.

Dad, it made my day to be able to tell you, the newly promoted sergeant responded.

Lucia Carey shared her pride in her husband on Facebook.

This is extremely well deserved and the residents of Chester could not be luckier to have you along with all of your fellow officers, she posted, along with several photographs. We could not be prouder.

Mixed emotions

When Dewees learned of his promotion, there was never any question about who would be pinning his badge. Davis raised him since the age of 6.

I held it back. I was a mixed bag of emotions, said Dewees, who was also joined at the ceremony by his wife, Katherine, their two children, Nathan and Ava, and his mother, Denise. Dewees oldest son, Tyler, had to work.

It was awesome, Davis said of the honor. In a small way, Im still there on the street.

Davis suffered a career-ending hand injury after being shot numerous times attempting to apprehend several suspects in a stolen vehicle back on March 12, 2016.

Dewees credits his stepfather, as well as his late father, Robin Dewees, with whom he spent weekends growing up, for working as a team to keep him on the straight and narrow. Dewees admitted they had their hands full. Looking back, he said he used to resent Davis discipline, but he grew to appreciate it as he got older.

I get told by my mom that I walk, talk and act like him sometimes, he said, referring to Davis.

It was through watching Davis that he knew he wanted to be a police officer, forgoing his first interest in becoming a meteorologist.

I was always kind of interested. I was the little kid who would see a police car and be fascinated. But seeing him go to work in the uniform every day made my interest grow more, Dewees said. He even dressed as a police officer for Halloween a time or two.

From my teen years forward, this is what I wanted to do, Dewees said.

Growing up in Ridley, Dewees initially thought he would work one day for the Ridley Township Police Department. He is a 2001 graduate of Ridley High School.

When he started working as a security guard at Widener University, he worked closely with Chester police, and set his sights on the police department. At Widener, he worked his way through the ranks to the positions of corporal and sergeant.

He was hired in Chester and sent to the Delaware County Municipal Police Academy.

Most recently, Dewees was assigned as a School Resource Officer in the Juvenile Affairs Division.

Prior, he was assigned as the citys Widener liaison officer, worked in abandoned and towed vehicles, and spent several years on patrol.

I choose to be here because I enjoy helping people, Dewees said. He is also the type of person who looks out for the abandoned animals, having rescued countless dogs, cats and even a lizard, off the streets  both while on the clock and off.

I just dont have it in me to let it go, he said of the animals in need.

As a little boy, he was a hard head. You couldnt tell him not to touch the hot stove. You had to let him touch it, recalled Davis.

Watching his stepson grow as a police officer, Davis ultimately thinks its been a good trait for him to have.

You want a police officer who will work out the issues, not just what people tell him, he said. Not everybody is telling the truth. I want an officer who wants to touch the stove himself.

Regarding the growing anti-cop climate throughout the nation, Dewees said, Being an officer anywhere makes you a target.

In Chester, he said, Residents actually love us and want us here. They may not be quick to approach us out of fear of people thinking they are a snitch. But working in the schools and the community events, there is much more love out there in the city for us than there is hate.

Dewees does not shy away from talking about past experiences, including four lawsuits filed against him between 2007 and 2015, alleging brutality. All were settled by the city.

There were allegations Dewees characterizes as false, and others as overblown.

I was removed from all wrongdoing from every lawsuit, he said. But I am human. I have made mistakes in my career. But those mistakes have led to a positive. Ive learned through my mistakes.

Because of those experiences, Dewees said, There were a few times I thought about quitting  but then I would be on a call and the people would be grateful that I was there.

Those incidents made him changed his mind.

Im glad I did, he said.

When Davis was shot, Dewees was injured off duty. Two weeks to the day before, Dewees was on a call where he ripped a ligament off the bone of his right thumb while wrestling with a suspect.

The area of the shooting bordered the beat I usually worked. More than likely, I would have been standing right next to him when it happened, Dewees said. Part of me wonders what would have happened if I was there. Part of me is thankful that I wasnt.

When Davis officially retired, Dewees requested that he be given his stepfathers badge number 53.

In addition to his gold sergeants badge, Davis also presented his stepson with the collar pins he was wearing when he was shot.

If you would like to wear them, there is a guardian angel that comes with them, Davis told Dewees.

Looking ahead, Dewees said he would love nothing more than to stay in the juvenile division, where there is an opening for a sergeant. But thats not likely since the position will be filled by seniority.

Whatever his assignment, Dewees said he ready and eager.

Nolan said the department will be assigning a sergeant to both the juvenile and traffic divisions. All positions will be posted, bid, and filled in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police.UPPER DARBY  A summary citation conviction of an Upper Darby School Board member for truancy has drawn the ire of a district parent who wants that person to be removed from their position.

Michelle Fitzpatrick said during public comment at the boards regular business meeting on Sept. 11 that she needed to speak to someone privately about a school board member who has been convicted and its been hidden. She never explicitly mentioned for what kind of crime or violation, but she was referring to the guilty verdict handed down last year to newly appointed director Donald Fields for violation of compulsory attendance required of a parent. The conviction of the summary offense came from an April 2016 citation issued by the school district to Fields which resulted in $134 in court fees and costs, according to online records.

Im making sure all board members know that there was a conviction and it needs to be brought to the forefront, said Fitzpatrick, a Republican whose children attended the same elementary school as Fields, a Democrat.

When reached for comment on Sept. 13, Fitzpatrick said she discovered the violation on her own when looking through the public access court records. She admitted that she did not know the background or circumstances that went into the issuing of the truancy citation to Fields, or if it was even his own doing that contributed to the absences.

District policy 204 states that an unexcused absence is one where an absent note is not submitted to the school within three days after a childs absence. After the third occurrence of such an absence a written warning is sent to the parent no more than 10 days after that third time. Further verification by district spokeswoman Dana Spino said the unexecused absences do not have to occur within a set time frame, and they could be spread out throughout the year.

Fields wrote a post on Facebook on Sept. 6 complimenting the ability for parents to email an absence note to schools. In the post he said there medical reasons attributed to one of his children that prompted the numerous absences and adherence to compulsory attendance under an older system that did not allow notes sent in electronically.

Every time he was out sick I would call the school attendance office, Fields wrote. Due to the number of absences and the policy of the school system back then, compliance with the compulsory attendance requirements became an issue. That is the legal term for truancy.

Fields did not elaborate on the absences that warranted the 2016 citation or any personal and private details about his childrens medical conditions.

Though claiming not to know the reasons for the truancy, Fitzpatrick said if it was a medical excuse Fields should have had enough evidence through doctors notes and records at trial to not be found guilty, saying there was something shady about the conviction.

Fitzpatrick is the mother of a child with a 504 plan through the Pennsylvania Department of Education which provides them an equal access to education regardless of disability. That child had missed 30 days of school within one year, but she was not cited for truancy.

If Fields child had a condition that warranted so many absences, she said Fields should have gotten a 504 to cover them.

Parents of children with medical issues have to deal with a variety of challenges, and since no two children are the same, what works for one family will not always work for another, Fields responded. Its important that we keep children out of these adult disagreements.

Fitzpatrick contends that she does not want a child or their illness out in the open, but if you have a citation you should have explained it.

The citation was on appeal in Common Pleas Court before Judge Kathrynann Durham when Fields was contending for the Upper Darby Township Council District 1 seat in 2017. That pending criminal action should have made Fields ineligible for running for that public office and the conviction should have made him ineligible for his school board appointment back in July said Fitzpatrick, who called the former instance voter fraud when Fields signed a candidates affidavit to run for council.

Upper Darby School District Solicitor A. Kyle Berman verified on two different occasions after the meeting that a summary conviction does not prevent a person from holding public office.

Further, Berman wrote in a Sept. 13 email, The School Code contains both the minimum qualifications for a school director and the statutory bases that prevent a person from qualifying. I have never seen someone disqualified simply for being party to a lawsuit.

When asked if Fields should step down, Fitzpatrick said in a Sept. 13 phone call, Absolutely.

I, personally, dont want him representing me.

The conversation about his summary conviction is just the latest event focused on Fields who has been on the board for less than two months.

At a special meeting of the board on July 24 to interview a dozen perspective candidates to fill a vacancy on the board left by Heather Boyd, Fields was approved on a party-line 5-3 vote with his fellow Democrats vouching for him and the remaining Republicans voting for another candidate. The appointment drew intense conversation at the meeting and afterward in Facebook forums about political connections boosting Fields to the position and suppressing diversity by not appointing an engaged community member from the majority black, immigrant-dense Stonehurst section of the township who was also interviewed for the spot.

A few days after his confirmation to the board Fields took his name off a civil appeal against the Upper Darby Township Zoning Hearing Board for approving the redevelopment plans of the Drexeline Shopping Center. Fields and two other township residents are suing the board to reverse its decision in the proposed $120-million renovation plan citing environmental concerns on the four plots of land at Township Line and State roads. Though he wasnt the lead plaintiff, Fields involvement in the case was criticized because any development plans have been ceased pending the outcome of the appeal. A hearing on the suit has not yet been scheduled.

I am not sure if I am receiving any more or less attacks than any other current or previous member of the school board, said Fields. (But) most people agree that attacks that target family and children are strictly off-limits.There is a well-known quote often attributed to American Socialist, Norman Thomas. It goes like this:

The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But, under the name of liberalism, they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation without knowing how it happened.

In Delaware County, and across the country, there is a visible and well-publicized creep toward socialist ideology thats alarming.

Liberals, like Daily Times columnist Jodine Mayberry, often accuse Republicans of fear-mongering when they express concern and distrust of far-left candidates who raise a Socialist flag and extol its virtues.

The reaction was similar from liberals to the post World War II socialist policies directed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) in Eastern European countries.

Republicans do believe that Socialists have very bad ideas. Whether the Socialists ideas scare you is a decision you can make for yourself.

Here in Delaware County there is a candidate on the Democratic ballot for state representative this fall who is a founding member of the local Socialist Party.

Kristin Seale wants to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency that protects our communities from foreign threats and illegal criminal elements.

She wants to provide free health care coverage to illegal immigrants, fight every policy that criminalizes illegal immigrants, and eliminate prisons altogether.

Seales beliefs also include eliminating the charitable, tax-exempt status of churches, synagogues, and other religious organizations.

In a recent message to her supporters, Seale neatly captured her campaign platform: Only direct action and revolution can bring the capitalist system to its knees.

We believe these are very bad ideas, too. Even scary ideas.

Also, review the views of liberal and Socialist congressional candidate, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. In a recent interview, she clarified one of the Socialist Party goals: Overthrow capitalism.

The Socialist plan includes democratizing private businesses, forcing owners to give workers control to the greatest extent possible.

If Socialist politicians  and apologists like Jodine Mayberry  want to try to persuade Americans to vanquish capitalism and adopt an absolute redistributionist economy, that is their prerogative.

We believe that its a very bad idea. Even scary.

Socialists and liberals in America frequently point to Scandinavian countries like Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden to illustrate economic success stories through

Socialist ideology.

Theyre just plain wrong. American economist, Jeffrey Dorfman, debunked this myth for Forbes earlier this year:

To the extent that the left wants to point to an example of successful socialism, not just generous welfare states, the Nordic countries are actually a poor case to cite. Regardless of the perception, the Nordic countries practice mostly free market economics paired with high taxes exchanged for generous government entitlement programs.

In fact, Scandinavian countries are nearly on par with the United States in terms of economic freedom, according to the Fraser Institute. The Socialist system that politicians like Bernie Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, and Kristin Seale support would control the free market, nationalize private industry, and subsidize preferred industries. The Nordic countries they present as a beacon of Socialist pride do none of this.

The United States is a democratic republic. If Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Seale, Mayberry, and every single Socialist in America want to use our democratic process to try to turn hardworking Americans into Socialists, that is their choice.

But you can bet that those of us who know better will double down our efforts to expose hard-working Americans to Socialisms dangers, its foolishness, and its failures.

The facts just might scare you.Sep 17, 2018 | By Thomas

Lockheed Martin Australia and Deakin Universitys Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI) have partnered on a 12-month development program to extended the capability of Lockheed Martins FORTIS Exoskeleton.

The FORTIS is an unpowered, lightweight exoskeleton designed by Lockheed Martin that is able to support tools of up to 16.3 kilograms (36 pounds) and transfer that load from a worker's hands and arms to the ground. The goal is to lighten workers' loads and improve worker safety. Lockheed Martin licensed B-Temia's bionic augmentation technology called Dermoskeleton to incorporate into its exoskeleton program in April 2017.

The IISRI team used biomechanics to test the ergonomic effects of using power tools on the human body by using motion capture obtained from sensors on the arms and shoulders of exoskeleton operators and analyzed by signal processing techniques.

Deakin IISRI researchers also designed and 3D printed new attachments to expand the functionality of the FORTIS Exoskeleton, allowing it to accommodate external loads usually mounted on the back of the human body.

James Heading, business development senior manager, Lockheed Martin Australia, commended the Deakin research team and outlined the inherent challenges associated with exoskeleton research.

Originating from Lockheed Martins exoskeleton research to assist soldiers to carry heavy equipment over long distances, the same principles of how the body works and expends energy were applied to exoskeleton development for use in industrial settings," Heading said.

The technology supporting the exoskeleton may look simple but developing technologies that are a help and not a hindrance is a deceptively difficult engineering task. No two people are the same, so the exoskeleton needs to be designed to adjust and fit any sized person and accommodate different anthropometry, he concluded.

Dr. Hossny, Senior Research Fellow, IISRI at Deakin University, commended the research project, led by Darius Nahavandi as part of his Ph.D. research, for identifying the importance of biomechanic analysis of assistive devices.

The project has accelerated the design-testing loop for designing and tuning exoskeletons, he said. "There is often a trade-off to be considered when adopting assistive devices in theworkplace. While assistive devices help channel the load through the skeletal structure of the exoskeleton, our work optimizes the operators movement so they are able to cope with increased repetition and indirect loads during motions, he explained.

Other IISRI researchers involved in the project were Navid Mohajer, Imali Hettiarachchi and Julie Iskander.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

Maybe you also like:











SALT LAKE CITY  The Thompson Twins Tom Baileys new solo album may be called Science Fiction, but dont think its because the musician is a Trekkie.

I'm absolutely not a science fiction fan, Bailey said in an interview. I dont go to see the movies or read the books or the comics or whatever.

So, why name an album after a popular genre that he doesnt even like? Bailey is ready for that one.

Im a big fan of the idea that you can use futurism to bring a new focus on the present, he said. Science fiction is not about the future its about now.  It allows you to look at now in a different way.

If it sounds like Bailey enjoys the ironic twist of the idea, its because he does.

Im British, so we do irony for breakfast, he quips.

Science Fiction is Baileys first solo album and marks his return to pop music after nearly 30 years of self-imposed exile. Hes touring the U.S. with fellow-'80s icons Boy George, the Culture Club and the B52s, and theyll make a stop on Friday, Sept. 21, at West Valley Citys Maverik Center.

The Thompson Twins (who were neither twins nor named Thompson  rather, they named themselves after the bumbling detectives in the "Tintin" books) topped the charts in the U.S. and U.K. during the 1980s with hits including Hold Me Now, Doctor Doctor, If You Were Here and Lay Your Hands on Me. Band member Joe Leeway left the group in 1986, and the remaining Twins released their last single, Play With Me, in 1992. After the breakup, Bailey and his wife, fellow band member Alannah Currie, moved with their two young sons to Curries native New Zealand.

Bailey may not have remained in the public eye, but he kept busy pursuing creative projects he called labors of love and things that were never going to make money for the record companies. He partnered with an astronomer to encourage education through music in a project called BSP, created a musical experience to bring attention to pollution in the Ganges River with his Holiwater project, experimented with sensory musical experiences with International Observer and produced music for a New Zealand band called Stellar.

Baileys gradual return to pop began in 2014 when he signed on to tour with another '80s pop star, Howard Jones. He described the experience as unexpectedly enjoyable but found that in addition to performing old hits, he wanted to make new music.

I missed the current creative challenge of it," he said. "So, rather than have it be all about nostalgia, I thought the next thing to do is to actually write some new songs.

He began writing and producing new songs on his laptop as he toured and traveled, and the result is Science Fiction, released in July of this year.

Stylistically, the new album picks up where the Twins left off, and '80s fans will appreciate the upbeat vibe and contemplative lyrics of "What Kind of World" along with vintage Bailey wistfulness in ballads like "Blue."

Absent from the pop world after so much time, Bailey describes performing the Twins songs as an emotional reunion."

The '80s audience has now raised their own families and theyre free again to go out and they want to pick up where they left off with some songs they can sing along with, he said.

Sometimes, they even bring their children along to his shows. Poor kids, Bailey said with a laugh, dragged along by a parent. Some of them willingly, I hope.

Parental nostalgia aside, '80s music has a significant number of fans among younger listeners, something that isnt lost on Bailey, one of its creators.

Younger music lovers now have a much wider repertoire at their fingertips  theyve got the entire recorded history of music on the internet, he said. And so, if the '80s is focused upon in any way as one of the things they choose, then it supports the idea that in some way it was a little golden moment of pop music. One of many of course, but it wasnt just trash. Theres something kind of eternal about it which is being found again.

If you go 

What: "The Life Tour" starring Boy George & the Culture Club and the B-52s with special guest Thompson Twins Tom Bailey

When: Friday, Sept. 21, doors at 6 p.m., concert at 7 p.m.

Where: Maverik Center, 3200 S. Decker Lake Dr., West Valley City

How much: $49.50-$149.50

Web: maverikcenter.comSALT LAKE CITY  Utah author Brandon Sanderson wanted to know what would happen if the bad guy won.

What if Frodo (from 'Lord of the Rings') had gotten to the end of the long journey through Mordor and the Dark Lord Sauron said, Hey, thats my ring. Thanks for bringing it back, Sanderson said in an email interview.

I was really intrigued by the idea of a world where the Dark Lord had won, he said.

The concept became the foundation for one of the most influential fantasy series in the last several decades.

'Mistborn' takes place a thousand years after heroes went on that sort of epic journey, but failed, said Sanderson. Now the storys about a gang of thieves who decide theyre going to rob the Dark Lord.

The Mistborn series will eventually consist of as many as 13 books  three trilogies and one tetralogy. The first series, which has a traditional fantasy setting, was completed a decade ago when Sanderson's publisher, Tor Books, released "Mistborn: The Hero of Ages" in October 2008. The second series takes place generations later in a Wild West setting. The third series will take place in a contemporary setting and the fourth series will transition far into the future and mix together fantasy and sci-fi.

The novels have been a hit with fans in large part because of Sandersons unique approach to magic. The Utah author has developed a series of rules for magic in which the focus is not on a mystical hocus pocus in which anything goes, but rather a world in which there are known rules governing the magic.

This unique focus allows readers to sympathize with the books' heroine, Vin, as she moves from situation to situation. Readers are more aware of the dangers she faces when the rules of magic limit her ability to fight or run away and are more inclined to feel anticipation when the rules suggest she is about to experience a new level of magical power.

It grounds us in a sense that this is a world that really could exist, said Devi Pillai, associate publisher at Tor Books, in an email interview. Pillai has admired Sandersons work from those early days.

When Brandons debut novel, Elantris, appeared in 2005, I was an editor at Orbit and I was overcome with jealousy that I hadnt seen this amazing writer first, she said.

Once you fall into his storytelling, you want to stay there forever, she continued. This is what gives his work its profound appeal and its robust staying power.

Sanderson is humbled by the widespread acclaim the series has received over its first decade. He also looks back fondly upon the relative freedom he had as a new author writing Mistborn.

Its very nostalgic for me to remember sitting and working on those books without any real deadlines or pressure, Sanderson said.

There was a nice emotion there where I knew I was a professional, knew that I was getting published and Elantris would be coming out, but also not yet having the chaos that can come with the success I have now, he said.

Success has a way of changing people for the worse, but that doesnt seem to be the case with Sanderson.

If I could tell fans one thing about Brandon, its this: Hes the real deal, said Isaac Stewart, a personal friend of Sanderson and a renowned fantasy book artist in his own right. Hes the kind of person you want your kids emulating. He is one the best people I have ever known.

Stewart believes Sandersons personal attributes contribute to an uplifting tone that sets his books apart.

The trend (in new fantasy novels) seems to have been toward grittier and darker fantasy. Thats not to say theres not a place for fantasy like that, but I do find Brandons hopeful outlook on the world refreshing, Stewart said. Even during the darkest parts of his books, theres usually a light in the darkness that the characters can cling to.

Fans can likely expect a similar theme of hope as Sanderson moves on with the series and its significant changes in the setting.

Im very excited by the idea of exploring the future of the Mistborn world, Sanderson said. I love mixing technology and magic together in interesting ways. I think the next series is going to take some really interesting steps in that direction.

As for how Sandersons work will be viewed when the next books are released as well as how the whole series will hold up in years to come, Stewart places Sanderson among the great writers.

If (J.R.R.) Tolkien was sort of the Shakespeare of fantasy," Stewart said, "I hope that someday Brandon is regarded as the Victor Hugo or Charles Dickens.

I hope readers outside of the fantasy community will also find the value in his stories and feel their lives are better for having read them.SALT LAKE CITY  It's official. Women lead half of Utahs public colleges and universities.

That high-water mark was achieved five months ago when Microsoft executive Astrid Tuminez was selected to be president of Utah Valley University. Today is her first day on the job.

On Friday, Ruth Watkins will be inaugurated as the 16th president of the University of Utah and its first woman president.

Among the eight colleges and universities that comprise the Utah System of Higher Education, two others have women presidents: Noelle E. Cockett, selected president of Utah State University in 2016, and Deneece G. Huftalin, president of Salt Lake Community College since 2014.

Three of the four are the first women to lead their respective institutions, which combined, enroll 70 percent of students who attend state colleges and universities in Utah. Salt Lake Community College has had two women presidents, Huftalin and her predecessor, Cynthia Bioteau, who led the college from 2005-2013.

Perhaps more remarkable is that the percentage of colleges and universities in Utah led by women exceeds the national average.

According to the 2017 American College President Study, "the percentage of women who held the top job at colleges and universities stood at 30 percent in 2016, up just four percentage points from 2011."

Add new Westminster College President Bethami Dobkin to the mix and the percentage of Utah colleges and universities overall remains above the national average. Dobkin is the private college's 19th president and second woman to lead it. Peggy Stock was president from 1995-2002.

Susan Madsen, executive director of the Utah Women and Leadership Project, said the sea change in leadership at Utah colleges and universities will be particularly meaningful to students and young women aspiring to be education leaders themselves.

"You can't be what you can't see," said Madsen, the Orin R. Woodbury professor of Leadership and Ethics at Utah Valley University.

"If you see that someone's there in that leadership role, especially in that top (position), our students will think a bit differently about that," she said.

There are other benefits to leadership of women on college campuses, according to the September 2017 Utah Women and Leadership Project research brief, "The Status of Women Leaders in Utah Education: A 2017 Update."

The brief quotes a 2009 White House project report that says "so much more is at stake than the mere numbers of women who have reached the top. The presence  or absence  of female academic leaders can have far-reaching influences not only on the institutions themselves, but beyond that, on the scope of research and knowledge that affects us all.

"Studies have shown that when prominent female academics are involved in research, for example, it can affect the nature of both the questions that are asked and the findings. Women in senior faculty positions and top-level leadership positions in academia provide male students, faculty and staff an important opportunity to work with talented women  an experience that will prove increasingly valuable."

Beyond the presidency, Madsen said it is also important to examine the leadership "pipeline," which starts with young women attending college and completing college as well as women seeking and attaining campus leadership roles such as cabinet-level positions and becoming academic deans and women who serve as regents and on college and university boards of trustees.

Women comprise 40 percent of all academic dean positions nationwide, according to the Utah Women and Leadership Project brief.

"In Utah, 22.9 percent of academic deans in public institutions and 31.6 percent in private institutions are women. However, there are substantial differences across Utah institutions," the 2017 brief states.

At Westminster, 60 percent of its deans are women. Forty-seven percent of the U.'s deans are female. When the brief was published last fall, Utah Valley University had no academic deans who are women, which appears unchanged according to a campus website. Snow College, which formerly had none, now has one.

The leadership track on college and university campuses is important because "the most common road to the presidency continues to be the traditional route of academic affairs," according to the American College President Study.

That was true for Watkins, who was the U.'s senior vice president of academic affairs when she was selected president of the U.

The same goes for Cockett, who had been executive vice president and provost at USU.

Prior to the current appointments by the State Board of Regents, only three women have been hired as presidents of the state colleges and universities in Utah. The first was Grace Sawyer Jones, president of the College of Eastern Utah from 1997 to 2001. Next was Ann Millner, president of Weber State University from 2002-2012 and now a state senator representing the Ogden area, and Bioteau at SLCC.

Tuminez has, perhaps, taken the most unconventional path to the presidency.

Most recently, she was the regional director for corporate, external and legal affairs in Southeast Asia for Microsoft.

She was previously vice dean of research and assistant dean of executive education at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, where she trained more than 2,000 government officials and private-sector professionals in leadership and organizational change.

She earned a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University, a masters degree from Harvard University, and a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

When Tuminez was named president of UVU in April, she was asked about the significance of four women leading half of the state's colleges and universities.

"We have to be inspired and fearless and then step up when the opportunity comes," she said.OREM  The site of one of the oldest electric plants in the West is generating a new buzz as officials mark the completion of the new Olmsted Hydroelectric Power Plant at the mouth of Provo Canyon.

The $42 million facility is a partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of the Interior and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District and took nearly two years to complete next to the original power plant that first served the area in 1904.

Because hydropower is based on the movement of water, the facility will emit virtually no pollutants.

"This plant will save approximately seven to eight truckloads of coal every day," according to Daryl Devey, of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. "There are no carbon emissions. It's huge for the environment to be able to have hydropower. It was really the first renewable (energy source)."

The facility will officially be dedicated with public tours on Wednesday, though it actually began operation in July, providing electricity to customers across the central Utah region, explained K.C. Shaw, chief engineer for the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. It delivers power to customers in Provo, Lehi, Kaysville, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District and memberts of the Utah Municipal Power Authority.

The Olmsted plant is a run of the river plant, meaning that power production is dependent upon water demands from downstream users and is not changed due to power demands, he said. The power is owned by the federal government and sold through an entity called the Western Area Power Authority, he said.

"Over a year's time, it would (power) about 3,000 homes," he said. The project also allows the water district to access water rights to provide an additional source of water to residents and businesses along the Wasatch Front, he added.

"As long as we continue to generate power, we can then continue to use those water rights," Shaw said. More than 1.25 million people benefit from those water rights in Salt Lake, Utah and Wasatch counties, said Richard Tullis, assistant general manager of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District.

The Olmsted hydro plant is the fourth largest in the state, he noted, making it an important asset to the area.

Using computer-programmed turbines, the new plant will be far more effective than its century-old predecessor, Shaw said.

"The old power plant generated about the same amount of power using four turbines," he explained. "This will generate the same amount of power using two turbines. So (it's) twice as efficient."

The original Olmsted Plant was built in 1904 at the mouth of Provo Canyon and was home to one of two original electrical engineering training programs in the United States, Devey said. The school, called the Telluride Institute, included living quarters, classrooms, a library and a kitchen, he said.

Students were divided into three groups with the first-year students, second-year pupils and the third-year students.

"They lived in the top two floors (of the original living quarters)," Devey said.

He said the plant was developed by Lucien Nunn, who managed the Gold King Mine near Telluride, Colorado, as a way to generate cheap, reliable electricity to mines and mills. He convinced George Westinghouse to develop an alternating current power system allowing Nunn and the Telluride Power Company to begin hydroelectric power generation in Provo Canyon in 1897, Devey said.

"One of Nunn's passions was education," he said. "That's why he built all this so he could train people on the job, educate them and have them come and work for him."

By the end of three years, students were awarded a degree in electrical engineering, he said. The Telluride Institute is still in existence today at Cornell University, he said.

Nunns Station  located at what is now called Nunns Park in Provo Canyon generated alternating current power that was transmitted over 32 miles to the mining town of Mercur, Devey said. It was the first high-voltage, long-distance, alternating current power transmission system in the world at the time, he said.

Because Nunns system was so successful, the demand for power increased quickly, prompting Nunn to move his power station to the mouth of Provo Canyon to take advantage of the increased water drop for greater pressure on the turbines, Shaw said.

The plant was eventually named in honor of Fay Devaux Olmsted, an engineer from Michigan who designed the wooden flume from the Provo River diversion to the new location as well as the generating station, Devey said.

The historic powerhouse, which is on the national registry of historic places, is being preserved and will eventually become a museum on the property, he said. Several movies and television series have been filmed at the historic Olmsted campus, including "Halloween 5," "The Stand," "War Pigs," and "Granite Flats," Shaw noted.

Shaw added that the new facilities include a relined 102-inch pipeline, a rock tunnel lined with an 84-inch steel pipeline, a cliff spillway structure, surge tank, 84-inch buried penstock, a powerhouse with all hydroelectric equipment and connection to the electrical grid that will be housed in new 8,200-square-foot building.SALT LAKE CITY  Heres a look at the news for Sept. 17.

Your morning headlines:

Thousands of Utah County residents were warned they may not return home for two weeks. Read more.

Leaders for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints want the Utah Legislature to legalize medical marijuana by the end of the year. Read more.

BYU jumped into the top 25 with No. 25 ranking after stunning Wisconsin over the weekend. Read more.

Sam Young announced he was excommunicated by local church leaders. Read more.

Our most popular:

InDepth:

Other national headlines:SALT LAKE CITY  Salt Lake police are looking for a man with a violent past in connection with a homicide over the weekend.

Francis Lee Ragsdale, 30, was named a suspect Monday afternoon in the shooting death of 25-year-old David Lawrence Burwell.

The incident began early Saturday when two groups got into a fight at the Wasted Space bar, 342 S. State, according to police. The quarrel continued to the lower level of a parking structure at 55 E. Exchange Place.

In the parking garage, someone pulled out a gun about 12:40 a.m. and fired several shots, according to police. One man was hit and killed. Police have not said whether Burwell was the intended target.

The gunman drove away before officers arrived.

Police say Ragsdale should be considered armed and dangerous. According to court records, he has been charged a couple of times this year with assault in domestic violence related incidents, and was charged last week with threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend if she testified against him in those pending cases.

In 2012, he was convicted to being a restricted person in possession of a gun. In that incident, prosecutors say Ragsdale was involved in a shooting at a Rancheritos restaurant. In 2007, he was convicted in 3rd District Court of theft, a second-degree felony, for a crime he had committed two years earlier when he was 16, according to court records.

Sunday night, investigators announced that they want to question Thalwallkelah Lamar Washington, 38. Police say he may be driving a black 2007 Mercedes Benz with California license plate 7XCP832. As of Monday, police were still looking for Washington.

Detectives are also seeking possible cellphone video of the fatal confrontation.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 801-799-3000.SALT LAKE CITY  Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake said Sunday that he doesnt think the Senate Judiciary Committee should move forward with a vote for Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday until they hear more about sexual assault allegations.

What happened: On Sunday, Christine Blasey Ford came forward to The Washington Post with allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, saying he sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

Details of that allegation came out last week, but Ford came forward with her story Sunday in full.

Senators across the aisle reacted immediately to the news. Democrats called for the judiciary committee to hold off its Thursday vote, The Washington Post reported.

How Flake's involved: Flake, a Republican, was the first GOP senator to call for a pause on the Kavanaugh hearings until the committee hears from his accuser.

Ive made it clear that Im not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explore this further, Flake told The Washington Post.

Why this matters: There are 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee and 10 Democrats, per Bloomberg reporter Laura Litvan. Flake sits on the panel, showing the GOP majority is now in question.

There are 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee and 10 Democrats. A call for a delay by Jeff Flake, a member of the panel, is a big deal. https://t.co/LH7WrCTDop  Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) September 16, 2018

Flake has long been a member of the anti-Trump brigade among Congress members, according to Politico. Now, he holds political leverage that could thwart Trumps push for Kavanaugh to be on the Supreme Court.

I think its too soon to tell, but Flake is the one man with the leverage to do this, GOP strategist Rick Wilson told Politico. With the one-vote margin on the committee, Jeff Flake has the power to stop Kavanaugh, and to humiliate Trump. Revenge is a dish best served cold, as the philosopher once said.

What about Utah?: Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee both sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Hatch said he supports "efforts to begin our due diligence" to deal with the accusations.

"As I said last week, any accuser deserves to be heard," said Hatch, the senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Hatch and Lee ripped the theatrics of the Senate hearing, though, earlier this month.

Read more: Flake recently spoke with the Deseret News about how he would prefer a Democratic president who restored civility over Trump.SALT LAKE CITY  The Utah Attorney General's Office is seeking to seize more than $1 million in assets from pawn shops that were raided by law enforcement during the summer.

On June 19, investigators served search warrants on seven pawn shops along the Wasatch Front simultaneously following numerous complaints that some were acting as fencing operations, or knowingly purchasing stolen goods from people.

The investigation began after Home Depot officials reported to Unified police that they had lost about $60 million due to retail theft over the past five years, according to a statement from Attorney General Sean Reyes' office.

According to the search warrants, undercover officers were able to successfully sell items provided by Home Depot to several pawn shops from March through June. Some of those items were still in their orignal packaging and some still had anti-theft devices on them, the warrants state.

When investigators raided the pawn shops in June, they seized an "overwhelming" amount of property, according to the attorney general's office, ranging from power tools to kitchen appliances to sporting goods.

On Monday, Reyes' office announced it had filed three civil forfeiture complaints.

"The complaints seek to forfeit hundreds of new-in-the-box items that the Attorney Generals Office alleges were stolen from various local retailers and then sold to pawn shops. Agents and detectives also seized currency from the pawn shops which allegedly represent proceeds from the sale of stolen property," the office stated.

The pawn shops that had items seized are Sportsman Fastcash in West Valley City and Salt Lake City; Xtreme Pawn in Kearns, West Jordan, Riverton and Lindon; and Big Dog Pawn & Jewelry in Murray.Draper Fire Department honor guard members Glade Ridd and Rita Larsh raise the U.S. Honor Flag in tribute to fallen Battalion Chief Matt Burchett at Draper City Hall on Monday. Burchett was killed Aug. 13 while fighting the Mendocino Complex Fire in California.

Following a short program, the flag was lowered and displayed in the foyer of City Hall. The U.S. Honor Flag is an American flag that has been used since Sept. 11, 2001, to honor fallen police officers, firefighters and members of the military. The flag has flown over Ground Zero, state capitols, the Pentagon, presidential libraries, state and national memorials, and attended funerals and tributes for Americas fallen heroes killed in the line of duty, including several in Utah.

See the world through the eyes of award-winning photojournalists. Click through the gallery above to view the unique images our visual storytellers captured today. Follow the official Deseret News Instagram account for more photographs and videos from the staff.

Correction: A previous version misspelled the surname of a member of the Draper Fire Department honor guard. She is Rita Larsh, not Larshhe.SALT LAKE CITY  Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Monday the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct is "mistaken" and he believes Kavanaugh is "a very strong, decent man."

Hatch said in an interview with CNN that Kavanaugh told him during a telephone conversation Monday that "he didn't do that and he wasn't at the party" where the incident is alleged to have occurred, so "clearly somebody's mixed up."

The senator said he thinks Kavanaugh's accuser is "mistaken. She's mistaken something that I don't know. I don't know her." Asked if he believes Kavanaugh, Hatch responded, "I sure do."

The senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee considering President Donald Trump's nominee to the high court, Hatch described Kavanaugh as "upset, but he handled it well. He's a very strong, decent man."

Earlier Monday, Hatch had issued a statement saying he supports "efforts to begin our due diligence" to deal with the newly public allegation. "As I said last week, any accuser deserves to be heard."

Both Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist who has accused him of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s when they were in high school, have said they are willing to testify.

The committee is expected to hear from Kavanaugh and Ford on Monday.

Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock said during the senator's call with Kavanaugh, the nominee "continued to categorically deny the allegations" and "also suggested to Sen. Hatch that Dr. Ford may have mistaken someone else for him."

Whitlock said Hatch looks forward to hearing more from Ford "in whatever format" the committee chairman arranges so that senators "can do their due diligence and get to the truth between their conflicting accounts."

Hatch said in his statement he's "deeply disappointed by the way Senate Democrats have so grossly mishandled these accusations thus far. It seems in bad faith to hold this information from Republicans and from the FBI" for more than a month.

He said Democrats are now suggesting "at the final hour that the only path forward is delaying the confirmation to allow the FBI to investigate" and called for the minority party to work with Republicans to keep the confirmation on schedule.

"By working with us to get the facts expeditiously  and by maintaining Chairman (Chuck) Grassley's initial timeline  Democrats can prove that their first priority is the truth, not politics," Hatch said.

He said he stands by Grassley, R-Iowa, in trying to maintain what's known as regular order. Hatch, who's retiring after 42 years in the Senate, has participated in many confirmation hearings for nominees to the high court.

Whitlock said "regular order" required a background call between the committee chairman, the ranking member and potential witnesses before a public hearing could be discussed.

The ranking Democrat on the committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, rejected that plan, saying there's more that senators don't know, according to The Associated Press.

Mitt Romney, the Republican in the race for Hatch's seat, tweeted Sunday that he concurred with a statement issued by Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Judiciary Committee.

Romney later said in a statement he was agreeing with Graham's "position that professor Ford needs to be heard. Her accusation is serious; she deserves to be given a full and respectful opportunity to testify before the Judiciary Committee."

Graham said while he agreed with concerns expressed by the committee about "the substance and process" of the latest allegations, he would "gladly listen" to what Ford has to say and compare it against all other information about Kavanaugh.

The South Carolina senator also said, "If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled." A committee vote had been set for Thursday.

Utah's Democratic Senate candidate, Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, called Ford's allegation "credible and disturbing" and said the Senate vote should be delayed "until a thorough, public and transparent investigation is completed."

Wilson said there is an attempt to make the allegation a partisan issue.

"It takes a lot of courage for a victim of sexual assault to step forward and share their story, especially when it concerns a powerful legal and political figure," she said in a statement.

The concerns expressed by the committee questioning the timing of the allegations and the motives of Democrats in bringing them forward "perpetuates the pattern of shaming a victim," Wilson said.

"This attitude continues to plague our national dialogue around sexual misconduct," she said.

Other members of Utah's congressional delegation also reacted Monday to the situation.

A spokesman for Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah and also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the committee "is scheduled to hear from Judge Kavanaugh and his accuser next Monday. Sen. Lee looks forward to hearing their testimony, Conn Carroll said.

Any accusation of sexual misconduct is very serious  especially when an accusation is against a nominee for a lifetime appointment to the United States Supreme Court," Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, said in a statement.

"I trust the Senate Judiciary Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Grassley, will ensure that the accuser has an opportunity to be heard and that proper steps are taken to get to the truth, Curtis said.

Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, said in a statement, "Allegations of sexual misconduct are extremely serious and deserve close scrutiny," adding she is "disappointed that the Democrats waited until the 11th hour to bring this issue up."

But Love said she is "pleased that both Judge Kavanaugh and Christine Ford are willing to speak with the Senate Judiciary Committee and I believe that the committee should pursue the full story.

Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said in a statement: Christine Blasey Ford deserves to be heard and Judge Kavanaugh should have an opportunity to respond.

A spokesman for Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, Lee Lonsberry, said, "Rep. Bishop trusts that the Senate will do its duty and thoroughly vet Judge Kavanaugh."PROVO  A gun accidentally went off inside a church on Sunday, sending a bullet into a classroom with teenagers, according to police, who noted that fortunately, no one was injured.

The incident happened about 2 p.m. at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 345 E. Foothill Drive, Provo. A 74-year-old man was between the double-glass doors at the church's entrance when a .22-caliber revolver that he was carrying unholstered in his backpack went off, Provo Police Sgt. Nisha King said.

Police say for an unknown reason, the hammer of the gun caught on something in the backpack, causing the gun to fire one round. The shot traveled horizontally at ground level through the wall and into an adjacent classroom where a group of teens were having class, King said.

It was not immediately known if the backpack was being held low to the ground or if the man dropped it, she said.

The man did have a permit for the weapon. No arrests were made, and the Provo city attorney was reviewing the case, King said.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often called the Mormon church, has a policy that prohibits guns in meetinghouses.

"We remind members and visitors to our chapels of the churchs policy on firearms: 'Churches are dedicated for the worship of God and as havens from the cares and concerns of the world. The carrying of lethal weapons, concealed or otherwise, within their walls is inappropriate except as required by officers of the law,'" said church spokesman Eric Hawkins.

He said local church leaders are "reinforcing this principle" with members.

"We are confident that the building and its members are safe," Hawkins said.

He added that the gun owner had been target shooting the day before and forgot about the gun in his backpack when he went to church the next day.

The MormonLeaks website posted an audio recording Sunday that it says is of an unidentified local leader speaking about the shooting to the young women of a ward in the churchs Provo Edgemont North Stake.

There have been some other threats against other individuals in a different ward, and so there is a particular level of precaution that the other ward  has taken. As part of that, it was a mistake because a safety came off a gun and it did discharge, the man says in the recording.

Wed appreciate you not spreading that around because then that could incite the issue that theyre trying to protect against by chatter or social media or otherwise, he said.

Wed rather you not post, Hey a gun went off today at church. That will hit headline news and could even go national and then weve really created a situation that would be hard to control.

Hawkins had no comment about the audio or the alleged threat at the other ward.Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif Unveils The Logo Of Thugs Of Hindustan; Release Date Is Also Out

Yash Raj Films has officially kicked off promotions for what is shaping up to be the studios most ambitious film ever, Thugs of Hindostan. On Monday, they officially released the logo for the film and announced the release date. Starring Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Katrina Kaif, Thugs of Hindostan has officially been slated for a November 8 release.

Starting this week, YRF will release motion pictures for characters, which will lead up to a teaser. With less than two months to go till its release, theyre cutting is closer than usual, considering not even a single image from the film has been released so far.

Touted as Indias answer to Pirates of the Caribbean, the animated logo has similar iconography, with swords and emblems merging into each other to reveal the steely title: Thugs of Hindostan.

Curiously, though, it is not Aamir who has received top billing but Amitabh. Aamir, who has delivered some of Hindi cinemas biggest hits in Dangal, 3 Idiots and PK, said that he was starstruck working opposite Amitabh.

Thugs of Hindostan has been budgeted at approximately Rs 300 crore. Thugs of Hindostan is a big action-adventure film. Theres no message in that. I am playing a character who cannot be trusted at all  [so its the] very opposite of Dangal  Hes a very slippery character. He has no scruples at all  for money he can sell his mother out. Hes like that, Aamir earlier told South China Morning Post about the film.

Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, who also directed Aamir in Dhoom 3, the film has been shot aboard ships, too. Said an insider, Since sea and ships play an integral part in the plot, Aamir as well as (producer) Aditya Chopra were sure that they would go all out to present the biggest spectacle that Hindi cinema has ever witnessed. The films budgets are yet to be ascertained, but the cost for the two ships easily runs into several crores.

Thats how two mammoth ships  weighing two lakh kilos  were built by over 1,000 people, including international designers and ship makers. It took over a year to build these two ships off the coast of Malta (in Europe). Director Vijay Krishna Acharya wanted to go the whole hog in terms of scale and create a huge visual experience. Authenticity and aesthetics have both been kept in mind given the fact that its a period film.Dr. Leroy Blimegger is the Senior Vice President of the Global Services Division at Huawei. Based in Shenzhen, he has worked at the company for 13 years.

Having started in wireless product R&D, Blimegger moved some years ago to services, overseeing the assurance and managed services business, which encompassed customer support, managed services and CEM.

Now Senior Vice President of the Global Services division, Blimegger has overall responsibility for Huaweis global services business. DT Editor James Barton caught up with him recently in Munich, Germany, at the Operations Transformation Forum 2018 to discuss how emerging markets are a core part of Huaweis background, and the importance of this to the vendors corporate ethos.

Customer experience management is one of the main focuses of this event  the idea of a streamlined network that connects the customer more closely to the provider. How do you see this evolving?

In 2011 when we created the assurance and managed services business, mine was the first team to focus on customer experience management. As an industry, we all knew that we were not very customer-centric  we were very network-centric. Carriers and vendors focused on technology; were engineers, we build networks. We knew there were end users out there, but when you start looking at net promoter score and all the things that impact a users decision to keep using a service or even pay more for it, as an industry, it just wasnt on the top of the list. As an industry, we were focused from the inside-out.

To address this Huawei developed a platform called SmartCare, and we started raising the flag, saying we had to put customers at the centre of the business. That is related to the way Huawei does business; we were telling operators that they needed to put customers at the centre of their business, so we started looking at ourselves and asking if we were doing the same. One of our core values is customer centricity  if thats not a tenet of a company then they wont stay in business. We had to really reflect on that and ask if we were serving ourselves or indeed our customers.

This has evolved into how we approach the entire industry and also why we dont just focus on the big players. If you base it on the volume of transactions, most of our transactions still come from emerging markets. Thats where we started our business. Back in 1988, Huawei couldnt even do business in the major cities in China. We were not in Shanghai, Beijing or any of the provincial capitals, because older and better known companies such as Nokia, Motorola, Nortel, Ericsson etc. were there already. Instead, we started to work in the rural areas of China which were the only places open to us at that time.

When we expanded our business out of China, we did the same thing. As an example, when we first went to Russia, we knew we couldnt build a network in Moscow. But, we could start doing business in rural areas where our industry peers werent interested. As our business matured and we became one of the better known companies, we were invited to do business in more and more major cities.

I talk about this with a lot of our customers now, particularly those in emerging markets, because one of their concerns is that Huawei is now the number one in the industry  so why am I important to you? I tell them our original mission statement, to enrich life through communications, doesnt just refer to places that are convenient and high-profit to work. We have a sense of social responsibility to bridge the digital divide, and that is predominantly in emerging markets and other underserved rural areas.

Being an international vendor that grew from a background in emerging markets must carry a lot of significance for operators in these regions  particularly, as you mentioned, since European and North American players werent as interested in these markets. Has the situation effectively reversed now  are western vendors piling in to play catch-up?

Yes  because thats where all the growth is right now. Our platforms are built, weve developed all the relationships with the subcontractors and the communities. Aside from the technology work we do, we make sure were engaged in the community to support the next generation of engineers that could be coming to us  for example by building labs for schools.

However, we have learned more recently that this also carries weight when you come to a developed market and people understand that youre big now, but youre not pretentious  you still remember where your roots are. We will never move away from emerging markets because thats where we started, and frankly thats where they need the most support. Its not an aspiration to move away from these markets  theres no well set up in Africa, but eventually we wont have to do that anymore.

Within Huawei, in order to make sure that our people in Shenzhen know how to make the best decisions, we rotate people from HQ out to the front line, and theyre posted for several years in various places around the world, in various job roles. Everyone is required to work in an emerging market first; if we hire new engineers in China, they go through their probation period and go through all the training, but they wont be heading to Europe first. Its giving them the idea of our grassroots beginnings and the very real challenges still faced, and that they need to understand how to do business in these regions before they can go anywhere else.

Emerging markets are clearly in Huaweis DNA  to the extent that understanding them is part of the corporate ethos, it would seem?

We have teams in Huawei that focus specifically on emerging markets to make sure that when we get engaged in a larger event, or when were doing R&D and considering our roadmaps, we still bear in mind whether operators in Africa will be able to afford our products. We have to maintain that focus to make sure that what we develop can be scaled appropriately so that it works just as well for Safaricom in Kenya as it does for Deutsche Telekom in Germany.

The event we are at now - OTF 2018 - is a great example of this. The focus of this event is operational transformation. Many telecom events only focus on the most up to date technologies, and the fear is that only the more developed markets will find this relevant. We look to make the technology at our events as relevant to operators in emerging markets as those in more developed markets

Right now, the big transformation is getting ready for 5G because its in the pipeline. A lot of the discussions here are about what needs to be done  keeping the customer at the centre, developing use cases based on their expectations and requirements  things that operators should already be focusing on but which are becoming much more critical with 5G.

Operators may not have been customer centric when they had a 2G network, but if they were one of two players theyd have made money anyway. However, if you have to invest billions of dollars and massively change your organisation in order to deploy 5G, but youre still not customer centric, its going to have a much bigger impact than it did for 2G - your return on investment will disappear.

Even though events tend to focus on preparing for the latest technologies, increasing the focus on customers and improving network agility isnt exactly exclusive to 5G. How do you ensure the benefits of the latest technologies are passed on to emerging markets?

Everything we learn about what needs to happen in 5G can still be used as Africa starts deploying 4G. Network slicing is not exclusive to 5G. Customer centricity might be more important the more advanced a network is, but if we learn how to improve operations with automation and AI, all of that can be implemented in a 3G or 4G network too.

In addition Huawei believes it is important to view markets from the customer and end user perspectives. Prior to 2011, our carrier business was our main operation. We did some enterprise work and we had devices, but they were never Huawei-branded. In order to support our main business we needed to start playing in these spaces to make our name known  in the enterprise space to support our B2B business, and in the consumer space to understand better how our end users use their devices and what demands that puts back on the network.

We make handsets that cost around $2,000, but we also make sub-$75 devices that might not have all the bells and whistles of a more expensive device, but still offer excellent quality. We make sure were covering all the different market segments to support our enterprise and carrier customers  because if their customers cant get phones then they have no network business.

Above all, it is important to keep in mind that everywhere was an emerging market at one point.Be it smartphones or laptops, Xiaomi which is also famous as the Apple of China, has been seen launching products that are inspired by the offerings from the Cupertino-based tech giant. Apple recently launched its new generation of smartphones, the iPhone Xr, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The Chinese giant seems to be inspired by Apple once again, and is now selling its own versions of Xr, XS and XS Max in China - but these arent phones.

As per the listing on MI.com in China, Xiaomi is selling bundles of its products with the same moniker that Apple has used for its 2018 line-up of iPhones. These bundles are priced (and named) in the same order as the three new iPhones. So just like the least expensive 2018 iPhone, Xiaomi's Xr package includes the Mi 8 SE smartphone (6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant), a 12.5-inch Mi Notebook Air (8GB RAM / 256GB storage), a Mi Band 3, and a Bluetooth handsfree.

In the Xiaomi XS bundle, the company has swapped the Mi 8 SE with the Mi Mix 2S (8GB RAM + 256GB storage version) smartphone, and the larger 13.3-inch Mi notebook Air. A Mi Band 3 and Bluetooth headset. When it comes to the most expensive bundle, the Xiaomi XS Max bundle, the Chinese company has included the Mi 8 smartphone (6GB RAM + 128GB storage), the Mi notebook Pro (unspecified), the Mi Band 3 and a pair of neckband-style Bluetooth earbuds.

The Xr bundle is priced at Yuan 6,499 (approx Rs. 68,000), which is the cost of the base model of the iPhones variants. Next up is the XS bundle that will cost people Yuan 8,699 (approx Rs 91,500). The price of this bundle is same as that of the iPhone XS 64GB variant. The Xiaomi XS MAx is available for Yuan 9,599 (approx Rs 1,10,000) and is the same as the starting price of iPhone XS Max in the country.

The move is seen as Xiaomis attempt to mock the high prices of the new iPhones that Apple has launched. It may also serve as an indicator for Chinese users that they can get a bunch of Mi-branded gadgets in the same price of an iPhone Xr, the iPhone XS or the iPhone XS Max.Chinese smartphone-maker OnePlus is going to foray into the Smart Television space. The company has announced that it will be developing smart TVs under a new division headed by OnePlus CEO and Founder, Pete Lau. The decision comes as quite a surprise since OnePlus is largely known to be a smartphone-only brand and is fairly young in the electronics industry. However, in its five years of existence, OnePlus has managed to make quite a dent in the smartphone market, especially in India. OnePlus topped Samsung and Apple in the Indian premium smartphone segment for Q2 2018 and was amongst the fastest growing brands globally.

Citing Pete Laus 20 years of experience in the smartphone and Blu-ray player industry, OnePlus said in a press note that the television space is a natural extension for its business. I dream about a time when technology is truly seamless, an effortless part of your life without being the focus. As other consumer electronics have evolved and improved our lives, televisions have remained conventional and cumbersome, said Pete Lau. We bring inherent advantages to the industry, and with this new division, were excited to explore the total connected user experience that can enhance everyday life, he added.

OnePlus Smart TV offering will focus on a total connected user experience and will be developed keeping AI in mind. For most of us, there are four major environments we experience each day: the home, the workplace, the commute, and being on-the-move. The home - perhaps the most important environment experience - is just starting to enjoy the benefits of intelligent connectivity. Something that seems as simple as displaying the photos from your mobile phone to a television is still difficult to achieve. With the development of AI technology, our imagination is endless  and we are looking forward to the future. said Lau.

With its big and bold announcement to enter the highly competitive smart TV space, OnePlus poses a direct threat to Xiaomi. The Mi TVs recently debuted in India, but have already stirred up a demand for affordable flagship televisions in the country. Even in China, Xiaomi became the second largest TV brand in the country, with 550,000 units reportedly shipped in March 2018 alone. OnePlus will also aim to make its smart TVs available with flagship features and pocket-friendly price tags if its current smartphone strategy is anything to go by and this could be a worrying factor for Xiaomi's TV business.

The company did not reveal a set timeframe for the launch of these OnePlus branded smart TVs, but has welcomed suggestions from people for what should be included in these televisions. Given that the announcement has been made, one can expect to see these smart TVs from OnePlus sometime next year.Its been a little over three months since Sony launched its A8F OLED TV in India and if you were planning on picking up a flagship TV this year, you have one more option to chose from. At the end of July, Sony announced its A9F and Z9F Master Series TVs at an event in New York. Today, the Japanese electronics giant launched the A9F in India. The TV is available in two screen sizes  55-inch and 65-inch, priced at Rs 3,99,990 and Rs 5,59,990 respectively. The A8F is still available in 55 and 65-inch models, priced at Rs 2,50,000 approx. and Rs 3,50,000 approx. Sonys original OLED TV the A1 has been phased out.

The biggest change with the A9F is with the chipset powering it. The A8F was powered by the X1 Extreme chipset and the new A9F is powered by the X1 Ultimate chip. The X1 Ultimate is said to be twice as powerful as the X1 Extreme and will bring with it better picture processing along with smaller object based HDR rendering. What this means is that each individual small object is recognised, and the colour, contrast and sharpness is adjusted for each individual object. So, in the past, if there was a bundle of grapes on screen, the bundle was considered as one object to render. Now, with the X1 Ultimate, each individual grape is a separate object that will be rendered. In theory this sounds like fantastic optimisation for HDR implementations. We will however, hold onto our final judgement till we review the TV.

Moving on, Sony has partnered with Netflix for a Netflix Calibrated Mode. So, if you watch Lost in Space, Dark, Stranger Things, DareDevil, or any other Netflix show, in the Netflix Calibrated Mode, from the built in Netflix app, you will see the content in the exact brightness, saturation and contrast as intended by the creator. We couldnt see this mode in action at the launch event, so we will talk more about it when we review the TV.

As far as picture quality of the A9F is concerned, it is too early to draw any conclusions. However, at the event, Sony did show us a side-by-side comparison between the older A1 and the A9F, highlighting the benefits of the X1 Ultimate processor. We also got a quick glimpse of a Blu-ray of Thor Ragnarok and the picture quality looked detailed, colourful and vibrant. We got to see a bunch of standard demo videos which showcases a night city skyline and as youd expect from an OLED TV, the image quality was breathtaking. We will, however, play our set of test files on this TV and talk more about the picture quality in our review. The TV supports 4K along with HDR 10 and Dolby Vision. It will also support 1080p content along with SD. How well the X1 Ultimate chip handles upscaling of non-4K content is also something we will talk about in our review.

A closeup of the subwoofer

Coming to the design, the A9F has the same picture frame stand we saw on the A1 OLED TV. We asked Sony why they went back to the A1's design and the answer we got was that in order to implement the new Acoustic surface Audio+ technology, they needed to resort to this design. The A9F now has three actuators instead of 2, and 2 subwoofers instead of 1, to add more immersion to the sound. The 3 actuators help with dialogue. If you have two speakers, one on either side of the TV, then you can use the TVs speaker as a centre channel. This will work well for those that have a 5.1, 7.1, or any other home theatre setup. At the launch event, Sony did give us a demo of this feature in action. We first saw a clip with the centre channel of a home theatre and after that the centre channel speaker was replaced with the TV. The experience sounded good and Im not sure if this was because of the quality of the centre speaker in the home theatre, but the vocals did sound a little more pronounced when using the TV as the central speaker. We will however, do our best to test this out when we review the A9F.

Back Panel open

Back Panel Closed

The Sony A9F runs on Android TV 8 Oreo out of the box with Google Assistant integration. You dont need the remote to control the TV anymore. You can simply say OK Google, play stranger things on Netflix and it will do just that. You can also say things like OK Google, Switch on the lights and if you have a smart home setup that works with the Google Assistant, then the same will happen. Basically, anything your Google Assistant can do, this TV can do for you. The TV is also compatible with Amazon Alexa which is nice if you have an Alexa-enabled Echo speakers to pair the TV with.

The rest of the features of the TV are pretty much what youd expect. Four HDMI inputs, two USB inputs, the standard array of video inputs and audio outputs. The only bummer is that Sony still gives you only two HDMI ports which are full bandwidth.

Overall, the Sony A9F looks like a promising proposition for those looking to invest in a flagship TV for their home theatre setup. The added benefit of using the TV as a centre channel is nice for home theatre enthusiasts. The hands-free nature of Google Assistant will ensure you arent scurrying around to find the remote and the new Android TV OS promises to be smoother than its predecessor. Two full bandwidth HDMI inputs may be a disappointment for those with more than two compatible devices. We will hold off on our final verdict of the TV till we put it through its paces.Save my User ID and Password

Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site.

Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site.India, Serbia to enhance bilateral cooperation to tap full potential

India and Serbia on Sunday signed agreements on plant protection and quarantine that seeks to enhance trade in fruits, vegetables and processed foods. The two countries also signed a revised air services agreement that aims to promote connectivity boosting bilateral trade and tourism, including direct air link between the two countries.

Marking a revival of the spirit of warmth and cooperation of Marshal Tito-Pandit Nehru years, vice president of India M Venkaiah Naidu addressed a special session of the Parliament of the Republic of Serbia in Belgrade on Saturday. It was in the same hallowed hall of the National Assembly of Serbia that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed world leaders while launching the Non-Alignment Movement along with the veteran leader of Yugoslavia Marshal Tito.

In his hour long address, Naidu fondly recalled the close affinity and shared vision with which leaders of both the countries played a key role in launching the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

He said Relations between the two countries are deeply rooted in history. From the early days of Independent India, both countries laid great emphasis on NAM and contributed much to creation of a new and democratic world order, particularly for the post-colonial third world that challenged the concept of bipolar world. The changes in global geo-politics now again give us an opportunity to work together for mutual benefit and for sharing prosperity with others.

Referring to the International Day of Democracy on Friday, Naidu gave a detailed account of the steady growth and consolidation of parliamentary democracy in India. Over the years, Indian Parliament has evolved as a democratic forum that attentively listens to fascinatingly complex voices from different parts of the vast country and responds to diverse concerns with agility, he said.

Naidu quoted Pandit Nehru from his speech at the same venue in 1961 and said Nehru gave a call for building in our countries societies where freedom is real. Freedom is essential because freedom will give us strength and enable us to build prosperous societies, highlighting the importance of democracy for participatory development.

The vice president said Marshal Tito, one of the three key figures of NAM, was also a household name in India when he (Naidu) was a school student. He received a standing ovation on the conclusion of his address to the law makers of Serbia.

Naidu, who is on an official visit to Serbia, held detailed discussions on a range of bilateral and multilateral issues with President Aleksander Vucic, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia Maja Gojkovic besides addressing a business forum.

During the joint media briefing along with Naidu, President of Serbia Aleksander Vucic complimented the Indian political leadership for stellar economic results. He said India is witnessing exceptional economic progress. We are happy for the country who has been our longtime friend and well wisher. He also thanked India for recognising Serbias territorial integrity. Vucic stressed that Serbia is keen to engage with India on agriculture, pharmacy, IT and generic medicines. He evinced interest in defence cooperation.

During his talks with the top leaders and businessmen of Serbia, Naidu gave a detailed account of the rapid strides being made by India in various fields, including an enabling, predictable and reform oriented financial and investment eco-systems offering mutually beneficial partnerships. Voicing concerns over the menace of terrorism, he called for early finalisation of draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

The vice president noted that both the countries had difficult periods in recent history but have emerged stronger from each of these crises because of the courage to reform. The economic reforms in India and in Serbia in the 1990s have effectively converted some of the major challenges into opportunities he observed.

On the occasion of 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Serbia Post and India Post have released commemorative stamps on renowned Serbian physicist and innovator Nikola Tesla and Swami Vivekananda. Naidu noted that Swami Vivekanandas thoughts and ideas left a deep impression on Teslas works.

Both countries also signed two agreements  one on plant protection and quarantine that seeks to enhance trade in fruits, vegetables and processed foods; and the second, on revised air services agreement that aims at promoting connectivity boosting trade and tourism including direct air link between the two countries.

On his second overseas visit as vice president, Naidu will also visit Malta and Romania before returning home on Friday next week. On his first such visit, Naidu visited the Latin American Countries of Guatemala, Panama and Peru.US may slap tariffs on $200 bn more of Chinese goods, but at 10%

The United States is expected to announce a fresh round of tariff imposts on $200 billion worth of imports from China, although at a reduced rate of 10 per cent, against the 25 per cent imposed at earlier rounds, say reports.

The new levies are proposed on a list of items that include internet technology products and other electronics, printed circuit boards and consumer goods, including Chinese seafood, furniture and lighting products, tires, chemicals, plastics, bicycles and car seats for babies.

US President Donald Trump is likely to announce the fresh round of tariffs today, media reports in the US claimed over the weekend.

The Wall Street Journal said the tariffs could be set lower at around 10 per cent against the 25 per cent indicated earlier by the Trump administration.

While it was unclear if the administration will exempt any of the products that were on the list, which was announced in July, President Trump last week signed the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act of 2018, into law, providing for duty suspensions and reductions for specified chemicals and other items through 31 December 2020.

On Friday, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters had said Trump has been clear that he and his administration will continue to take action to address China's unfair trade practices. We encourage China to address the long-standing concerns raised by the Unites States.

Trump is pushing with tariff imposts even as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's attempts to restart trade talks with China. This, however, seemed to have its impact on tariff levels that now stands reduced to 10 per cent from the 25 per cent proposed earlier.

This will serve both purposes of keeping consumer prices low and giving Beijing more leeway in addressing US concerns.

Trump wants China to cut its $375-billion trade surplus with the United States, end policies aimed at usurping US technologies and intellectual property and roll back subsidies on high-tech industrial products.

The Trump administration has already levied duties on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods following a study on China's intellectual property practices. Simultaneously, the world's two largest economies also appeared to be making progress on addressing trade disputes.

On September 7, Trump warned that he had further tariffs ready to go on $267 billion worth of Chinese imports beyond those that will be targeted this week. If all of the tariffs were invoked, total imports from China facing tariffs would exceed the $505 billion in goods that the United States imported from China last year.

This year, imports from China through July were up nearly 9 per cent from the same period of 2017, according to US Census Bureau data.Hurricane devastated North Carolina now threatened by heavy rains

Heavy downpours damaged tens of thousands of homes and threatened worse flooding as rivers fill to the bursting point after the deadly storm Florence drenched North Carolina, cutting off the coastal city of Wilmington.

The death toll rose to at least 17 after Florence, a onetime hurricane, dumped up to 40 inches (100 cm) of rain on parts of North Carolina since Thursday, and continued to produce widespread heavy rain over much of North Carolina and eastern South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.

The storm has never been more dangerous than it is right now, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told a news conference. Many rivers are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow.

Some rivers were not expected to crest until Monday or Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

Copper said more than 900 people were rescued from rising floodwaters and 15,000 remained in shelters in the state.

Wilmington, a historic coastal city of about 117,000 people on a peninsula between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean was the worst hit where rescues took place on swift boats.

Leland, a low-lying city north of Wilmington, homes and businesses were engulfed by water that rose up to 10 feet (3 metres) over Highway 17, submerging stop signs in what local people called unprecedented flooding.

Rescue crews negotiated downed trees and power lines to reach stranded residents, Mayor Bill Saffo told WHQR radio.

There are no roads ... that are leading into Wilmington that are passable because of the flooding that is taking place now inland, Saffo said.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the area until at least Monday morning and said up to 8 inches (20 cm) more rain could fall in some areas, creating an elevated risk for landslides in Western North Carolina.

Officials urged those who had evacuated to stay away.

Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington, New Hanover County Commission Chairman Woody White told a news conference. We want you home, but you cant come yet.

The sheriffs department and volunteers, including locals and some who came from Texas, rescued stranded residents by boat, extracting families, infants, the elderly and pets.

Gas stations were abandoned and fallen trees made many roads impassable. The whir of generators could be heard throughout the city, a sound not expected to dim soon as crews work to restore power.

More than 641,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.

Florence set a record in the state for rain from a hurricane, surpassing the previous record of 24 inches (61 cm) set by Hurricane Floyd, which killed 56 people in 1999, reports quoting Bryce Link, a meteorologist with private forecasting service DTN Marine Weather, said.

The storm killed at least 11 people in North Carolina, including a mother and child killed by a falling tree, state officials said. Six people died in South Carolina, including four in car accidents and two from carbon monoxide from a portable generator.

South Carolinas governor urged anyone in a flood-prone area to evacuate.

Those rivers in North Carolina that have received heavy rainfall are coming our way, Governor Henry McMaster said during a news conference. They have not even begun (to crest). But they will. And the question is how high will the water be, and we do not know.Typhoon Mangkhut pounds China after killing 64, burying dozens in Philippines

Super Typhoon Mangkhut that struck the Philippines on Saturday killed at least 64 people, the national police said on Sunday, mostly due to landslides and collapsed houses, while two additional deaths reported in China as the typhoon crossed over to China.

Landslides caused by the pounding storm hit two villages in Itogon town in the Philippine mountain province of Benguet. Police Superintendent Pelita Tacio said 34 villagers had died and 36 were missing.

Hundreds of houses have been destroyed and at least 36 people are feared buried under thick mud after Super Typhoon Mangkhut triggered a massive landslide in the country's north.

Rescue workers have been working to retrieve survivors in the mining town of Itogon, in Benguet, where at least 35 people have died, many of whom are thought to be miners and their families.

"As of now, we are still looking for the 36 still missing individuals that are still unverified," CNN quoted Lt Gen Emmanuel Salamat of the Philippines Armed Forces as saying on Monday.

Many of the victims were believed to have sought refuge in a church during the typhoon.

"They were advised to move out because that is a hazardous area during typhoons, it might kill them and it really happened," said Salamat.

Mohammed Abdiker, director of operations and emergencies for the UN Migration Agency, says as many as 50 people could have been buried. Drone images from the scene provided by the agency showed a scar on the mountain where mud appears to have wiped out homes.

Dozens of people from the mining town of Itogon are missing, believed buried by a landslide.

Tuguegarao, home to more than 140,000 people, was directly hit by Typhoon Mangkhut, which made landfall in the province of Cagayan on Saturday morning at 1.40am, packing winds of up to 205 kmph.

The typhoon, which has left a trail of damage across the nations bread basket in the northern Philippines, crossed over to China, where more than 2.4 million people have been evacuated in the southern province of Guangdong by Sunday evening, state media said.

Prepare for the worst, Hong Kong security minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents.

Mangkhut also felled trees, tore scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded some areas of Hong Kong with waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

Casinos on Macau were ordered closed for the first time due to the typhoon. A red alert, the most severe warning, was issued for densely populated southern China, which the national meteorological center said would face a severe test caused by wind and rain.

Flights over the weekend and into Monday were cancelled in Hong Kong and the mainland cities of Shenzhen, Haikou, Sanya, Guangzhou and Zhuhai. All high-speed and some normal rail services in Guangdong and Hainan provinces were also halted, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Co. said.

Landslides caused by the pounding storm hit two villages in Itogon town in the Philippine mountain province of Benguet. Police Superintendent Pelita Tacio said 34 villagers had died and 36 were missing.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan told The Associated Press by phone that at the height of the typhoons onslaught Saturday afternoon, dozens of people, mostly miners and their families, rushed into an old three-story building in the village of Ucab.

The building a former mining bunkhouse that had been transformed into a chapel was obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed. Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened.

They thought they were really safe there, the mayor said Sunday. He expressed sadness that the villagers, many of them poor, had few options to survive in a region where big corporations have profited immensely from gold mines.

The rescue work halted for the night before resuming on Monday morning. Men used pikes and shovels to dig into the mud since the soaked ground was unstable and limited the use of heavy equipment on site.

The typhoon was occurring as tropical weather also was devastating the southern U.S. Florence has dumped historical levels of rain on North Carolina.

Mangkhut made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 p.m. on Sunday, packing wind speeds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour. State television broadcaster CGTN reported that surging waves flooded a seaside hotel in the city of Shenzhen.

The storm shattered glass windows on commercial skyscrapers in Hong Kong, sending sheets of paper pouring out of the buildings, fluttering and spiraling as they headed for the debris-strewn ground, according to videos on social media.Isro launches two British satellites

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Sunday launched two British satellites using its workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from its launch pad at Sriharikota, on the east coast in Andhra Pradesh.

The two satellites, NovaSAR and S1-4 - the first meant for day and night viewing and the other meant for environment monitoring  contracted through Antrix Corporation Limited, Isro's commercial arm, had sought a specific orbit and a night time launch.

Both the satellites together weighed about 889 kg, and the commercial launch was carried out under an arrangement between Surrey Satellite Technologies Limited (SSTL) and Isros commercial arm Antrix Corporation Limited.

Isro used a lighter version of the PSLV for the commercial launch of the two British satellites, which carried no other satellite, including Indian ones.

It is a "fully commercial launch by Isro, India will earn money by this launch," S Somnath, director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thiruvananthapuram, said.

"This is fifth fully commercial launch of PSLV where the whole rocket has been hired by a foreign company", he said. Adding, "PSLV has a very special slot hence foreign companies prefer it because it is highly reliable and India's offers timely launches without much of a waiting period".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the space agency.

Congratulations to our space scientists! ISRO successfully launched PSLV C42, putting two UK satellites in orbit, demonstrating India's prowess in the competitive space business, the prime minister stated in a tweet.

The British satellites are made by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, UK and they together weigh 889 kilograms. NovaSAR satellite has day and night viewing capability for resource mapping, disaster management and ship detection. S1-4 satellite is meant for environment monitoring and urban management.

NovaSar is equipped to track ships in high seas and detect unauthorised boats sailing the seas since each ship is supposed to carry equipment by which it can be identified by security agencies using satellite based tracking systems.

For this launch the PSLV weighs 230 tons at lift off, standing tall at 44.4 meters, and the lightest version of PSLV is being deployed, called 'core alone' version.

Somnath, said this launch also gives the Indian industry a boost. Today 85 per cent of PSLV is made by the industry and Isro wants the industry to take up making the balance 15 per cent as well.

Isro will be launching three more satellites in the near future to provide high-speed bandwidth connectivity to rural areas as part of the government`s Digital India programme, a top Isro official said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters after the successful launch of two UK satellites, Isro Chairman K Sivan said: "Isro will launch three more satellites, which together will provide international level bandwidth speed."

According to Sivan, the satellites are AGSAT 20 (to be launched next year), GSAT 11, and GSAT 29. GSAT 19 has already been launched.

Sivan said that the space agency had planned a series of launches over the next six months.

He said that there will be a rocket launch mission every second week.

Sivan also said earth observation satellites will also be launched in addition to the communication satellites.

He said that the much expected moon mission will happen next January.

"The launch window for Chandrayaan-2 mission is planned between 3 January and 16 February 2019. We are aiming for January 3. We do not expect any delay in the Chandrayaan-2 mission," Sivan said.WHO and AYUSH ministry developing benchmarks for Ayurveda

The World Health Organisation is developing benchmark documents for practice in Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani systems, as part of its global strategy to provide safe, effective and accessible traditional medicine to global community.

Development of these benchmarks documents is included in the Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) between WHO and the ministry of AYUSH. WHO working group meetings for three WHO benchmark documents scheduled 17 -19 September 2018 was inaugurated today at Jaipur.

The three-day programme containing four sessions on each day has been organized by the ministry of AYUSH and coordinated by National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur.

Briefing the media on the AYUSH ministrys activities, secretary, ministry of AYUSH, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, said the National Ayurveda Morbidity Standardised Terminology Engine (NAMSTE) is being actively used for documentation of AYUSH facilities and activities, including recent rehabilitative activities undertaken by AYUSH during the Kerala floods.

He further said the activities undertaken by AYUSH ministry under the governments Ayushman Bharat Scheme and suggested that WHO may also provide assistance in this regard. He requested WHO to also help the ministry of AYUSH in developing country specific modules and applications based programme like M-Yoga and M-Ayurveda etc.

A total of 39 experts, representing 18 countries, 13 experts each from Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani would be reviewing the draft document developed by WHO through consultative process.

The purposes of the meeting are to review, comment and revise as required each of the three zero draft documents prepared by the experts. This is aimed at arriving at an International consensus regarding the structure and content of each of the documents. The documents are expected to provide minimum requirements for qualified practice by practitioners of Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani to provide minimum safety requirement for practicing these and also to serve as a reference to national authorities to establish/ strengthen regulatory standards to ensure qualified practice of such system and patients safety.

Dr Sungchol Kim, regional advisor, Traditional Medicine, WHO, welcomed all the experts and thanked the ministry of AYUSH for financial and logistic support and stressed on the need of integration of traditional medicine system in the conventional medicine system.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, deputy director-general, WHO, stated that traditional medicines are an important integral part of the Universal Health Coverage Program, specially under Sustainable Developmental Goal-3 (SDG-3). She informed that Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Systems have been included in 2nd Traditional Medicine Module of ICD Chapter-11 and Year 2018 is being celebrated as 40th Anniversay Year of Alma Ata Declaration.Blazes of light reveal how plants signal danger long distances

In one video, you can see a hungry caterpillar, first working around a leaf's edges, approaching the base of the leaf and, with one last bite, severing it from the rest of the plant. Within seconds, a blaze of fluorescent light washes over the other leaves, a signal that they should prepare for future attacks by the caterpillar or its kin.

That fluorescent light tracks calcium as it zips across the plant's tissues, providing an electrical and chemical signal of a threat. In more than a dozen videos like this, University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor of Botany Simon Gilroy and his lab reveal how glutamate  an abundant neurotransmitter in animals  activates this wave of calcium when the plant is wounded. The videos provide the best look yet at the communication systems within plants that are normally hidden from view.

The research was published on 14 September in the journal Science. Masatsugu Toyota led the work as a postdoctoral researcher in Gilroy's lab. Gilroy and Toyota, now at Saitama University in Japan, collaborated with researchers from the Japan Science and Technology Agency, Michigan State University and the University of Missouri.

"We know there's this systemic signaling system, and if you wound in one place the rest of the plant triggers its defense responses," says Gilroy. "But we didn't know what was behind this system."

"We do know that if you wound a leaf, you get an electrical charge, and you get a propagation that moves across the plant," Gilroy adds. What triggered that electric charge, and how it moved throughout the plant, were unknown.

But calcium was one candidate. Ubiquitous in cells, calcium often acts as a signal about a changing environment. And because calcium carries a charge, it can also produce an electrical signal. But calcium is ephemeral, spiking and dipping in concentration quickly. The researchers needed a way to see the calcium in real time.

So Toyota developed plants that showed calcium in a whole new light. The plants produce a protein that only fluoresces around calcium, letting the researchers track its presence and concentration. Then came caterpillar bites, scissor cuts and crushing wounds.

In response to each kind of damage, videos show the plants lighting up as calcium flows from the site of damage to other leaves. The signal moved quickly, about one millimeter per second. That's just a fraction of the speed of animal nerve impulses, but it's lightning fast in the plant world  quick enough to spread out to other leaves in just a couple minutes. It took just a few more minutes for defence-related hormone levels to spike in distant leaves. These defence hormones help prepare the plant for future threats by, for example, increasing the levels of noxious chemicals to ward off predators.

Previous research by Swiss scientist Ted Farmer has demonstrated that defence-related electrical signals depended on receptors for glutamate, an amino acid that is a major neurotransmitter in animals and also common in plants. Farmer showed that mutant plants missing glutamate receptors also lost their electrical responses to threats. So Toyota and Gilroy looked at the flow of calcium during wounding in these mutant plants.

"Lo and behold, the mutants that knock out the electrical signaling completely knock out the calcium signaling as well," says Gilroy.

Where normal plants blaze brightly with fluorescent calcium waves during wounding, videos show the mutant plants barely sputtering marginal flashes of light. These results suggest that glutamate spilling out from wound sites triggers the burst in calcium that spreads across the plant.

The study connects decades of research that has revealed how plants, often seen as inert, dynamically respond to threats by preparing distant tissues to deal with future attacks. Glutamate leads to calcium leads to defence hormones and altered growth and biochemistry, all without a nervous system.

Gilroy says that in addition to helping tie all these pieces together, the videos help him visualise the flurry of activity within plants that's normally invisible.

"Without the imaging and seeing it all play out in front of you, it never really got driven home -- man, this stuff is fast!" he says.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17)  President Rodrigo Duterte met with families of the victims of the landslide in Itogon, Benguet.

Special Assistant to the President Bong Go shared photos of the meeting which happened Monday.

Go said families received P45,000 each  P25,000 in cash and P25,000 worth of goods and funeral and burial assistance.

At least 35 people died in a landslide in Itogon Saturday during the height of Typhoon Ompong.

President Rodrigo Duterte also attended a press briefing in Benguet where he highlighted the dangers of mining once again.

Duterte said, "Mining has been operating in this country uncontrolled."

He went on to say the mining industry had a lot of problems, even if the country does earn P70 billion a year from it.

"If you're ready to accept that as a good, as a profit, let us make it simple for the country, but in the end, how much do you lose in the process?" Duterte said.

"That mining thing has contributed a lot of heartaches for Filipinos. It is time for us, particularly the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), General Cimatu, to take a second look at the dangers of open-pit mining," he said.

The President also called out "rich" miners who violate the law, but have yet to be made accountable for their actions.

"Itong mga minero, the rich ones, parang their penchant to just violate the law. Because nobody was ever even arrested. The thing is a... continuous series of violations, they're not arrested. They're just exposed by media -- the enterprising ones -- and they government would just call and investigate, and after that mawala [it goes away]," he said.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the catastrophic landslide was a "wake-up call," which is why he ordered the stoppage of all small-scale mining in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Duterte also relayed his experience while he was still chairperson of the Southern Mindanao regional peace and order council.

"I could not even give you the exact number of people who were killed fighter over the tunnels that they built," he said.

If it were up to him, he said, he would close all mining operations in the country, never mind the financial benefits.

"We have to give Mother Earth a respite from the endless digging," he said.Local Councillor Pearse McGeough has condemned those responsible for the vandalism which took place recently at the Church of Ireland in Castlebellingham.

Cllr McGeough said: there was no rhyme or reason for this. A wire guard was pulled away from the window and several panes of glass were smashed which of course will have to be replaced at a cost, just for the sake of mindless people having a laugh. That is just not good enough.

Cllr McGeough also asked that people respect the fact that Church grounds are sacred. I would ask that people not congregate there at the weekends using the porch entrance as shelter. There have been reports of visiting relatives feeling apprehensive as they come to visit their loved ones in the graveyard due to boisterous and anti-social behaviour around the porch. The porch area often has to be washed down before church services can be held on a Sunday morning.

Cllr McGeough asked if anyone has any knowledge of the vandalism caused at the church to please contact the Gardai in Castlebellingham. This is a good community and we all live together and respect each other. Lets not allow a few mindless people to ruin that.

B2B Lead Generation Service

Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more.

Strong encryption can be a threat to law enforcement and national security, the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand said in a statement issued Sunday.

"The increasing use and sophistication of certain encryption designs present challenges for nations in combating serious crimes and threats to national and global security," maintained the countries, which are known as the "Five Eyes" based on an agreement they entered to cooperate on signal intelligence.

"Many of the same means of encryption that are being used to protect personal, commercial and government information are also being used by criminals, including child sex offenders, terrorists and organized crime groups to frustrate investigations and avoid detection and prosecution," they added.

The statement sets out three principles the nations agreed to abide by when dealing with encryption within their jurisdictions:

Access to lawfully obtained data shall be a mutual responsibility of all stakeholders -- government, carriers, device manufacturers and over-the-top service providers.

All governments should ensure that assistance requested from providers is underpinned by the rule of law and due process protections.

Information and communications technology service providers should voluntarily establish lawful access solutions to their products and services.

Do It or Else

Whether compliance with the lawful access demands of the Five Eyes will be voluntary for long remains to be seen, especially in light of the final paragraph in the statement:

"Should governments continue to encounter impediments to lawful access to information necessary to aid the protection of the citizens of our countries, we may pursue technological, enforcement, legislative or other measures to achieve lawful access solutions."

That language reeks of Australia, noted Nate Cardozo, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation , a digital privacy advocacy group in San Francisco.

For more than a year, Australia has been mulling over legislation aimed at regulating encryption within its borders.

"Australia is looking to lead the charge against security, privacy and technology," Cardozo told TechNewsWorld. "It believes itself to be in a security crisis, and since it doesn't have much hope of getting tech investment, it's more likely to do something to the tech sector."

Good Guys With Bad Encryption

Forcing companies to provide governments access to encrypted data likely will be a losing proposition, both for the governments and the people they're trying to protect.

"Bad guys will just be chased to places where strong encryption is available, and good citizens won't have the opportunity to use the best possible encryption," argued Balakrishnan Dasarathy, information assurance program chair at the University of Maryland University College in Largo, Maryland.

"Good guys will follow the rules and not have all the best technology," he told TechNewsWorld.

Although law enforcement has complained about encryption, the technology has failed to prevent it from getting what it wanted in the past.

"Time and time again law enforcement gets what it needs without backdoors," EFF's Cardozo observed.

"Backdoors make law enforcement's job easier at the cost of all our security," he continued. "Encryption is a magic bullet only if you use it absolutely correctly, which literally no one does."

Backdoors Unnecessary

There is no way to expose data to friendly spy agencies without also risking exposure of this data to not-so-friendly entities, maintained Craig Young, a computer security researcher at Tripwire, a cybersecurity threat detection and prevention company in Portland, Oregon.

"The truth of the matter is that backdoors simply make the process effortless and can enable bulk data collection without individualized suspicion of wrongdoing," he told TechNewsWorld.

"Even without backdoors added into communication protocols, intelligence agencies and law enforcement should generally have other tools at their disposal to gain access to endpoints and thereby circumvent the need to break any encryption," said Young.

"Listening devices, hardware key loggers, and malware can all effectively defeat end-to-end encryption for an individual without adding risk to the general public," he explained.

Encryption is either strong or it is broken, without much of any room for middle ground, Young contended.

Encryption Horse Out of Barn

Backdoors create great risk to the security of data, noted Young.

"Widespread deployment of any backdoor creates tremendous risk if a third party were ever to gain access either through legal channels or reverse engineering," he pointed out.

"Anything you do for the good guys will get into the hands of the bad guys also," said UMUC's Dasarathy. "It's only a matter of time. You're only kidding yourself if you think otherwise."

The Five Eyes' attempt to curb the trend toward encryption may be based on an antiquated notion.

"The cat is very much out of the bag on strong encryption," Tripwire's Young said. "Anyone with an inkling of technology prowess is capable of building their own private communication scheme."

Backdoor keys almost inevitably would fall into the wrong hands, Cardozo suggested. Further they wouldn't enable the good guys to get the bad guys they're after.

Applications with strong encryption would appear online, be downloaded and sideloaded onto phones, he said.

"It takes only the tiniest bit of technical sophistication to install an app, and that's all it will take to get around a backdoor," Cardozo noted.

What's more, "any attacker who is sophisticated enough to recognize a listening device or a physical implant from the NSA is certainly not going to rely on a public communication infrastructure without strong end-to-end encryption," Young noted.

Public Distrust of Government

If the Five Eyes decide to make good on their threat to force the use of backdoors in encrypted products, they may find themselves at odds with a lot of their citizens.

Fewer than half (41 percent) of the 3,000 consumers polled in the U.S., UK and Germany believed laws that provided government access into encrypted personal data would make them safer from terrorists. The survey was conducted last year by Salt Lake City-based Venafi, maker of a platform to protect encryption keys.

Skepticsm of government was high in general, with nearly two-thirds (65 percent) suspecting their governments abused their powers to access the data of citizens. That number was even higher in the United States, where 78 percent of respondents held that belief.

"Giving governments access to encryption will not make us safer from terrorism -- in fact, the opposite is true," said Venafi CEO Jeff Hudson.

"Most people don't trust the government to protect data, and they don't believe the government is effective at fighting cybercrime," he added. "It's ironic that we believe we would be safer if governments were given more power to access private encrypted data, because this will undermine the security of our entire digital economy."

John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John.



B2B Lead Generation Service

Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more.

No one at Oracle will ever be nominated for sainthood, and that's probably OK with them. Over the years the company has developed a bad boy image that in some cases is richly deserved, while in others it has been embellished by events.

Much derives from the brash doings of founder and longtime CEO (now CTO) Larry Ellison who, from all appearances, may be a charter member of the "never explain, never complain" club.

Ellison does what he does, and the outside world might not fully appreciate it but that's fine. You'll never see him getting all mushy and doing an Elon, as Tesla's CEO did in a recent interview with The New York Times. Business is hard? So what? Push on. It can be refreshingly old school.

The Dastardly Software Audit

Oracle's marketplace actions on more than one occasion have served to give the business a black eye that, in retrospect, might not be fully deserved. For example, Oracle's software audit process recently has come under the microscope.

Oracle exercises its contractual right to audit the use of its software at customer locations. When an audit turns up a violation or potential violation of the license agreement, the sides work out a solution that often involves additional license purchases. No one likes this.

The process makes Oracle look bad in the eyes of the public, who think of licensing as supporting one or a few software deployments. However, although the audits are randomized, they often involve customers with hundreds, or even thousands, of licenses spread across far flung empires.

Rimini Street Ruling

The recent ruling in the seemingly never-ending Rimini Street litigation provides a window into how Oracle's public image gets formed. To recap, Rimini Street in 2015 was found guilty of 93 Oracle patent infringements involving its methods of providing competing services to Oracle customers, often at half the cost of the competing Oracle service.

Rimini Street lost on appeal and had to pay Oracle US$46.2 million in prejudgment interest and attorney's fees. Another $27.7 million fine was added shortly after. Earlier this year the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reduced the fines by $50 million.

However, the court last week issued a permanent injunction against Rimini Street and awarded nearly $30 million in attorney's fees to Oracle. Yet that's not the interesting part of this story regarding Oracle's reputation.

There are many people in the industry who already have a fixed idea about Oracle and often it's not a good one. Take a look at the judgment issued by judge Larry Hicks of the Nevada District Court.

Among other things, Hicks wrote that Rimini was able to sell low-cost service contracts because, unlike Oracle, it didn't have the overhead of developing service documentation and diagnostic software and other things relevant to supporting its products.

Rimini didn't have to "expend significant resources in time and money in developing its own competing software," the judge noted. The cost disparity damaged Oracle's reputation, because it "created the impression that Oracle was overcharging for support and eroded the bonds and trust that Oracle has with its customers."

Rimini has been growing and making money, the exact picture of a startup success story. However, Hicks' ruling reminds everyone that "Rimini Street would not have achieved its current market share and exceptional revenue growth without its infringing conduct." That conduct was "conscious disregard" for Oracle's copyrights.

Last Words

There's a lot of litigation in Silicon Valley that doesn't hit your screen. Often parties settle because there's much more money to be made in the tech market than in court. There are many reasons for the litigation, but at least some of it stems from overly broad patents that typically are granted in the early stages of disruptive innovation.

At some point the industry might benefit from refactoring its patents, which has happened in other fields already. Imagine the Wright Brothers or their descendants owning the rights to "flight," so that every time you boarded a plane the airline had to pay something to the heirs.

Flying machines are more than 100 years old at this point, and any patent has long expired. That's how our system of capitalism works. It enables inventors to stand on the shoulders of previous giants to make the world new again. However, this isn't that. Software support focuses on a particular product down to its version, operating system and other factors. It's a product that takes resources and skill to produce, and taking it constitutes a theft.

There's no way a company like Oracle can defend itself from such theft without appearing in the eyes of some as bullying a much smaller competitor. Still, Oracle has a duty to its stakeholders to defend its property rights. This isn't to say that the company doesn't deserve to be sued now and then, and there are certainly other cases now working their way through the courts that I am not offering an opinion on. Quite possibly, though, the company's reputation could benefit from softening its apparent position about complaining and explaining.

Oracle has a big PR organization that seems focused on getting product information out, which is fine. However, the world has changed. It's not enough just to have good or even great products. Today a vendor needs to be seen as doing the right things for the right reasons, too.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network.

Denis Pombriant is a well-known CRM industry analyst, strategist, writer and speaker. His new book, You Can't Buy Customer Loyalty, But You Can Earn It, is now available on Amazon. His 2015 book, Solve for the Customer, is also available there. Email Denis.

For decades, two factors drove the demand for dual-language education: a desire to preserve native languages and recognition that dual-language learning can boost overall achievement for English-language learners. Now, a growing number of states also see bilingualism as key to accessing the global economy, as evidenced by the surging popularity of the seal of biliteracya special recognition for graduates who demonstrate fluency in two or more languages. The popularity of the seal is spurring even more demand for dual-language-education programs.

There is no definitive count of the number of schools that provide dual-language instruction, but new programs are cropping up each year in districts of all sizes. The New York City schools alone have more than 100 dual-language programs, but schools in at least 40 states and the District of Columbia also operate programs. With more new programs undoubtedly in the works, Education Week talked with several regional and national dual-language education experts, who offered insights into what it takes to launch dual-language programs and strengthen existing ones. Here are some excerpts from those conversations, edited for clarity and length:

What resources do you need to start a dual-language program?

Quick Guide to Dual-Language Education Two-Way Immersion: Native English-speakers and native speakers of the target language are taught in the same classroom, with the goal of helping both sets of students become bilingual and biliterate by splitting instruction between the two languages. Total Immersion: Native English-speakers are taught almost exclusively in the target language. Also known as one-way immersion. Partial Immersion: Only a portion of academic subjects are taught in the target language. Developmental Bilingual: English-learners are taught using both English and their first language.

Once a program is well designed and implemented and it has all of its systems of support in place, the additional costs for a dual-language program is not much higher than any other monolingual English program. The issue, though, up front is going to be ... its a very different design, a very different approach to education. You have training costs, you have leadership-development costs, you have resource costs because, of course, now you need materials in the non-English language. That takes a while for districts to reach that capacity where now their budget is going to be able to ... ensure sufficient materials to support instruction in both languages. That takes some time. It depends on where you are in the country as to how much that startup cost will be. Here in New Mexico, we would say that the cost could be ... somewhere between $30,000 and $60,000 per school for the first three years of design and implementation. That would be a starting point.

David Rogers

Executive director, Dual Language Education of New Mexico

Spanish is the most dominant target, or non-English, language offered in dual programs, but districts now offer a broader array of languages to learn. What are some of the challenges districts may encounter with those lesser-taught languages?

There is a level of investment that a district has to make to be able to provide the core materials in those languages, because you just cant go to Vietnam and buy the standard curriculum thats used in schools there, nor could you do that for [Chinese] or any other languages, because it has to be really aligned with [Common Core State Standards]. First of all for us is to figure out, what is our content allocation? What are we going to be teaching in the partner language, versus what are we going to be teaching in English? And then our goal is to try to provide those materials in an equivalent and rigorous way. Sometimes that involves buying materials that are out in the field and adapting those. Sometimes that means developing them ourselves. Sometimes that means translating the English material. Just like any good educational program, you have to invest in the curriculum, the professional development, to make it work well for kids.

Michael Bacon

Director, department of dual language, Portland, Ore., schools

How can schools with dual-language programs emphasize the importance of both languages?

Sometimes what we see is that the [target] language is only represented in the classroom, and that doesnt give the appropriate idea about the dual-language program. When one decides to adopt a dual-language program, both languages should be integral throughout the school, should be present throughout the school. Both in the corridors but also in the meetings, in staff development, etc. Both languages should be present, and it should be obvious. Signs are in both languages, things are happening in both languages, because that also gives students the idea that both languages are valuable. Sometimes school districts dont. Its one of the things that is first noticeable. So, English is typically all over the place and the other language, well, its within the classroom, but hardly anywhere else.

David Nieto

Executive director, BUENO Center for Multicultural Education, University of Colorado, Boulder

When helping districts establish dual-language programs, is there a big misconception that you have to work to dispel early on?

One of the big myths about implementing these programs has to do with the mindset that little children are just open to a second language, that its just easy for them. Its schooling, and so schooling, after a certain point, gets difficult and so we have to have people understand that this is not just an enrichment program or a foreign-language option. This is a complete shift of the childs core program, and its developed so that kids really do become literate in both languages. So its not business as usual with this little overlay called a second language. It has to be redefined so that everyone understands that were going to teach language arts in English, but we also are going to teach language arts in Spanish. So its not 45 minutes a week, its a minimum of half a day, every single day.

Rosa Molina

Executive director, the Association for Two-Way & Dual Language Education, based in Santa Cruz County, Calif.

How can educators, even those working outside of classrooms, support dual-language education?

My push right now, big time, is principals, making sure that our principals, our assistant principals, central-office leaders, all are aware of what dual language is because everybody plays a role in the rollout of dual language. Budget, curriculum, evaluation, policy. You need a leader that understands the whole background on dual language, not just learning in Spanish. Not just learning to read in Spanish. No, everything that it encompasses, what dual language encompasses, which is bilingualism, biliteracy, cultural competence, high academic achievement, through, not in, but through both languages. So you need the leadership. They need to know what to look for when they go into a classroom and do an observation in a room that is dual, which is very rich. What should they be looking at, what should they be paying attention to? How should they be guiding their teachers?

Elena Izquierdo

Associate professor, University of Texas, El Paso

What are some growing pains that schools can expect to encounter after launching dual-language programs?

The number of [language] immersion programs continues to grow across the country, and so the demand [for] having a quality teacher workforce is growing, too. Thats been one of our biggest challenges, to find a pipeline of teachers, qualified teachers. Weve been finding an alternate way to help certify teachers that we need.

Gregory Fulkerson

Director of language-acquisition workgroup, world languages, and dual-language immersion, Delaware Department of Education

Are there other examples of growing pains that schools may not anticipate?

Another perhaps growing pain is districts kind of struggling to realize when they need to add additional people to their staff that they may not have had in place before. Were finding that right around the transition from 2nd grade into 3rd grade, were starting to see districts now start to look for special [education] teachers who have bilingual ability. We want to make sure that every child is successful in an immersion environment, and should that child need special education services, et cetera, we want them to be able to receive those services in the immersion language.

Lynn Fulton-Archer

Education specialist, dual-language immersion, Delaware Department of Education

Developing the World Class Caula Vanadium Graphite Project

Sydney, Sep 17, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Mustang Resources Ltd ( ASX:MUS ) ( FRA:GGY ) ( OTCMKTS:MTTGF ) Presentation: Developing the world class Caula Vanadium Graphite ProjectHighlights:Focused on the mining and exploration of 'New Energy Minerals', critical commodities for the lithium and vanadium battery markets, next generation steel and fire-resistant building materialsMustang is fast-tracking the world-class Caula Vanadium-Graphite project with first cash flows targeted for H2 of 2019Mustang's Caula project hosts a JORC (Measured) vanadium-graphite resource of 22 Mt @ 0.37% V205 (0.2% cut-off) and 13.4% TGC (8% cut-off) for 81,600 tonnes of vanadium pentoxide (180 million pounds) and 2.93 Mt of contained graphiteHigh grade intersections of up to 1.9% V205 and 29% TGCSimple and robust fully integrated processing flowsheet developed to deliver both graphite and vanadium productsHighly experienced board of directors and management team with a proven track record in developing profitable projects in Mozambique and Africa in generalMustang to change its name to 'New Energy Minerals ( ASX:NXE )' (subject to shareholder approval at 2 October 2018 EGM)To view the presentation, please visit:About New Energy Minerals Ltd

New Energy Minerals Ltd (ASX:NXE) (FRA:GGY) is an ASX listed junior mining company, that recently announced the divestment of the Company's Caula vanadium - graphite project and the Montepuez Ruby project in Mozambique.The term Scheduled Caste is at once protective, and morally coercive and socially corroding.

The recent advice by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to the media to refrain from using the word Dalit by implication introduces a moral hierarchy in the use of words. Following the petition submitted by some Buddhists from Nagpur, the government argued that the word Dalit has to be avoided because it is morally offensive and humiliating and the term Scheduled Caste is preferable as it has been given constitutionally.

However, the Constitution has no control on the use of this term on account of it being misused by those belonging to the upper castes and who feel that they face competition from the Scheduled Castes (SCs). This misuse of the term was evident in caste slurs that were levelled at some SC students in a medical college in Delhi. The upper-caste students who did not like the SCs making it to the college were accused of disfiguring the constitutional term, Scheduled Caste, by fracturing it into a crooked and, hence, derogatory term, schaddu. This deformation of the term by the upper castes is deployed as a weapon against the SCs to morally coerce and torment both the actual and potential beneficiaries of the category. Although the term Scheduled Caste is morally coercive, its beneficiaries, in fact, hoarders, take lead to protect it from falling into misuse by upper-caste free-riders by demanding for caste authentication through verification of caste certificates via government mechanisms. The term Scheduled Caste is also morally corroding. Codified into a certificate, the term no doubt works as a gate pass to the opportunity structures, but it also tends to corrode the social solidarity of the oppressed, leading to infighting among the SCs only to prove who among them is an authentic SC.The 377 judgment is a massive step forward, but society has to unlearn gender roles for it to be meaningful.

The Supreme Courts judgment on 6 September 2018, which read down Section 377 to declare that sex in private between consenting adults is legal, is an ode to self-determination of identity. The five-judge bench, in four separate but concurring judgments, has now affirmed that LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) persons are entitled to equal rights under Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21, and other fundamental rights that the Constitution provides its citizens. Section 377 will continue to apply to sex with minors, animals, and to non-consensual sex. This judgment of the apex court overrules its 2013 judgment in Suresh Kumar Koushal and Another v Naz Foundation and Others which had pushed Indias LGBTQ community into more years of indignity by maintaining that non-vaginal penetration between consenting adults falls under the colonial law criminalising carnal intercourse against the order of nature.

The recent judgment has been welcomed by activists and LGBTQ persons, who have admired its insistence on the right to dignity for the identity that one chooses for themselves. The NALSA (National Legal Services Authority v Union of India 2014) judgment has been instrumental in making this possible. The recognition of transgender persons as the third gender showed the way out of gender binaries, emphasising that gender identity is one of the most fundamental aspects of life. Crucially, the judgment defined gender identity as each persons deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth.The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), with funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation, today unveiled one of the field's first suites of online tools to aid surgeons and related medical sub-specialists who care for older people. With the number of older adults undergoing surgery increasing faster than the rate of the population aging itself (1), the new series of nine AGS' Geriatrics Virtual Patient Cases (VPCs) for Surgical and Related Medical Sub-Specialties are geared toward helping the entire healthcare system better understand and respond to the unique care needs of older adults.

"To advance the care we all want as we age, we need to work together to ensure all healthcare professionals have a basic understanding of geriatrics principles," said Thomas Robinson, MD, one of the three leads for the multi-specialty editorial board responsible for the development of the VPCs. "This new set of online tools reflects the partnerships we need to spread learning and transform care."

The VPCs will be available for free through 2020 to the first 1,000 subscribers at GeriatricsCareOnline.org. The Geriatrics VPCs focus on aspects of surgical care unique to older individuals, a growing patient population for all healthcare professionals, including those without formal geriatrics training. Both continuing medical education and Member Boards' Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit are available to those who successfully complete each VPC.

The nine interactive multimedia clinical scenarios explore key challenges and opportunities that health professionals may encounter when working to improve care for older people facing surgery--from the proper management of medications to issues surrounding surgical delirium and the need to document end-of-life care preferences and expectations. The VPCs were developed by a diverse group of content experts that included medical specialists from general surgery, urology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, geriatrics, anesthesiology and emergency medicine.

"In addition to presenting realistic clinical tasks, the Geriatrics VPCs for Surgical and Related Medical Sub-Specialties also offer learners real-time feedback on their choices, alternative solutions, and more," noted Andrew Lee, MD, another co-lead editor for the project. "Opportunities for using the cases to fulfill MOC requirements also are helping to embed tools like these patient cases--and hence geriatrics expertise-- more broadly within the framework of how our health professionals sustain ongoing education."

"Addressing the unique health care requirements in this rapidly growing patient population is an important and evolving public health need," stated Richard E. Hawkins, MD, ABMS President and Chief Executive Officer. "ABMS is pleased to be a partner in developing these educational tools and offering MOC credit to engage Board Certified physicians in learning about the specific needs of geriatric surgical patients."

Co-lead editor Myron Miller, MD, AGSF added: "Proactive health systems know that healthcare's future requires bold approaches that value older adults, address their unique needs, and provide the best care and support possible. Assistance from The John A. Hartford Foundation has enabled diverse partners, such as ABMS and AGS, to ensure that geriatrics expertise can move and grow with us across the continuum of our care."

###

For more information or assistance establishing an account on GeriatricsCareOnline.org, contact GCOinfo@americangeriatrics.org.

About the American Board of Medical Specialties

Established in 1933, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is the leading not-for-profit organization overseeing physician certification in the United States. ABMS establishes the standards its 24 Member Boards use to develop and implement educational and professional evaluation, assessment, and certification of physician specialists. More than 880,000 physicians are certified in one or more of the approved 39 specialties and 86 subspecialties offered by the ABMS Member Boards. For more information about ABMS, visit abms.org or call (312) 436-2600.

About the American Geriatrics Society

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has--for more than 75 years--worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org.

About The John A. Hartford Foundation

The John A. Hartford Foundation, based in New York City, is a private, nonpartisan, national philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. For more than three decades, the organization has been the leader in building a field of experts in aging and testing and replicating innovative approaches to care. The Foundation has three areas of emphasis: creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregivers, and improving serious illness and end-of-life care. Working with its grantees, the Foundation strives to change the status quo and create a society where older adults can continue their vital contributions. For more information, visit johnahartford.org and follow @johnahartford.

(1) Baquero, G.A., & Rich, M.W. (2015). Perioperative care in older adults. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, 12(5), 465-469. doi:10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2015.05.018###

The first nationally representative study since the 1990s to examine mental health among college students of color, led by a Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher, shows significant disparities in treatment across race/ethnicity.

The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that, among college students with clinically significant mental health problems, half of white students received treatment in the past year, compared to one-quarter of African American and Asian students, and one-third of Latinx students.

"There is enormous unmet need for mental health services in college student populations writ large, and students of color represent a disparities population based on even greater unmet mental health needs relative to white students," says lead author Sarah Lipson, assistant professor of health law, policy & management at BUSPH.

The researchers used data from 43,375 undergraduate and graduate students at 60 institutions that participated in the survey-based Healthy Minds Study from 2012 to 2015. The participants included 13,412 students of color, who self-identified as African American, Latinx, Asian/Asian American, Arab/Arab American, or multiracial. Because the largest proportion of international students in the sample were Asian, the researchers also looked separately at international Asian students and Asian American students.

Overall, 42 percent of the students met criteria for a mental health problem, with prevalence ranging from 40 percent among African American students to 53 percent for Arab/Arab American students. Among African American students with a mental health problem, only 21 percent had received a diagnosis, compared with 48 percent of their white peers. White students also had the highest prevalence of treatment, at 46 percent, while Asian/Asian American students had the lowest prevalence of treatment at 23 percent, and international Asian students had an even lower prevalence, at 19 percent.

Asian/Asian American students also had the lowest levels of perceived need for mental health treatment, with only 47 of those with a mental health problem believing they needed help.

Knowledge of mental health resources was lowest for Arab/Arab American students, with only 52 percent reporting that they knew where to go for mental health services, and highest for white students at 70 percent.

African American students reported holding the least stigma about mental health, at 6 percent, while 23 percent of Asian/Asian American students reported these views, and 35 percent of Asian international students.

Lipson says college populations have a special significance for mental health policy, because nearly 75 percent of mental illnesses first appear by the time someone is in their mid-20s. Previous research has linked mental health during the college years not just to degree completion, Lipson says, but also to future personal and economic well-being. Meanwhile, she notes, students of color face many barriers to college persistence and have lower graduation rates than white students. "Understanding and addressing the mental health needs of racially diverse students is essential to supporting their success and creating equity in other dimensions, including persistence and retention," Lipson says.

To that end, the researchers will launch a new component of the Healthy Minds Study in fall 2018, partnering with students and advocacy organizations including Active Minds and The Steve Fund. "The new survey component measures issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion, discrimination, sense of belonging, identity formation, and a range of related topics that we know affect and are affected by mental health," Lipson says. "My hope as a researcher is to collect and disseminate these data in a way that can directly inform practice and policy to reduce the glaring mental health disparities revealed in this paper."

About Boston University School of Public Health:

Boston University School of Public Health, founded in 1976, offers master's- and doctoral-level education in public health. The faculty in six departments (biostatistics; community health sciences; environmental health; epidemiology; global health; and health law, policy & management) conduct policy-changing public health research around the world, with the mission of improving the health of populations--especially the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable--locally, nationally, and internationally.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) SUBMITTED

Sydney, Sep 17, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Lithium Power International Limited ( ASX:LPI )( FRA:24L ) ("LPI" or "the Company") through its JV Company, Minera Salar Blanco ("MSB"), advises that it has submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment Report ("EIA") for the Maricunga Lithium Brine Project (the "Project") to the Chilean Environmental Authority, Servicio de Evaluacion Ambiental ("SEA").Highlights- Major milestone achieved with the submission of the Maricunga Project's Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") to the Chilean Environmental Authority, Servicio de Evaluacion Ambiental ("SEA"), after more than 2 years of preparation.- During the EIA evaluation process, priorities will shift to secure finance for the Project and off-take agreements for the high-purity lithium carbonate output.- The Project will provide significant economic and social benefits for Chile and the Atacama Region. The Company expects to continue working closely with the Chilean authorities and contribute to strengthen the country's position on the global lithium industry.- The EIA submission follows completion of a Resource Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") in 2017 and granting of a Nuclear Commission ("CCHEN") permit in 2018.- The Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") is expected to be finalised and released by the end of 2018 which will continue to demonstrate the outstanding value of the Maricunga Project.The EIA is the culmination of more than two years of exhaustive work. The process involved in-depth data gathering, a variety of environmental and engineering studies and monitoring campaigns carried out by experienced company management and consulting experts, including MWH-Stantec, WorleyParsons and Flo Solutions.The result is a comprehensive 11,400-page document, which includes complete environmental baseline studies, hydrological and hydrogeological modelling, human, archaeological and fauna and flora characterisation, and impact evaluation.The EIA also included a lengthy process of social engagement with the Colla indigenous communities in the area. In addition, significant consultation took place with regional authorities and local organisations, which are all interested parties in the EIA process.The EIA under Chilean law, requires the SEA to provide within 40 days of submission a notification of any major deficiencies. These include, but are not limited to, observations, comments, requests for clarification and/or modification, before advancing to the formal assessment process. Final approval of the EIA is expected to be obtained by the end of 2019 once the SEA has comprehensively reviewed each section of the EIA. The Company would expect to receive a construction sanction decision as early as the first quarter of 2020.The EIA submission follows the JORC Resource Report, NI 43-101 and Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"), which were completed in 2017, as well as the Nuclear Commission ("CCHEN") permit obtained in 2018. These documents demonstrated robust economics for the Project.The Maricunga Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") is being prepared by WorleyParsons and is expected to be finalised and released by the end of December 2018. Remaining activities on reserve modelling, as well as engineering for the production plants being executed by GEA Messo in Germany, are also near completion. This confirms the Maricunga Project as one of the most advanced pre-production lithium brine projects in Chile and in South America.In addition, discussions have commenced with major Chilean and international institutions to finalise a letter of intent during the second half of 2019 for financing the Project. International companies have also approached both LPI and MSB regarding off-take agreements and future participations. Discussions will continue in parallel with the finalisation of the development activities of the Project.MSB's CEO & newly appointed LPI Non-Executive Director, Mr Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro, said:The EIA assessment is an extremely involved and time-consuming process. We took a position to commit to extra studies and comprehensive reviews to ensure that the EIA submitted was of the highest standard possible. The critically important and extremely technically complicated hydrological and hydrogeological modelling has provided us with very positive outcomes, which are documented in the EIA and will also be included in the DFS to be released by the end of the year. Social engagement with the local communities has enabled the Project development to be welcomed in the Maricunga area, and we anticipate positive outcomes from the EIA review process.LPI's Chairman, David Hannon, said:As the majority shareholder in Minera Salar Blanco, LPI is delighted with the quality of the Report produced by MSB's team. LPI's independent discussions with the Company's legal advisors commended the quality of the Report. Completion of a 11,400-page EIA Report of this standard is no small feat and we acknowledge and thank Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro and his team for their diligent work. The submission of the EIA further demonstrates the advanced development and the outstanding value of the Project and constitutes a key step for the Company on its way to become one of the global suppliers for the lithium industry. The submission of the EIA will further attract interested parties to engage in an off-take and funding relationship as we move further ahead in the development of the Project.Contributing Specialist ConsultantsThere are many rigorous technical studies which serve as references to the EIA. These have been conducted by carefully selected and well-known international experts. Lithium Power International Ltd and Minera Salar Blanco S.A are appreciative of the efforts of its internal management team and the following independent consultants who prepared and contributed to the EIA.About Lithium Power International Ltd

Lithium Power International Limited (ASX:LPI) is a pure-play lithium explorer and developer, focusing on developing and fast-tracking to production the high-grade Maricunga lithium brine project in Chile.

LPI has a well-known performing technical team with the experience to take the Maricunga project all the way through the development stages to production.

The regions that LPI is currently focused on are:

1. Maricunga JV (Chile) - Located within the "Lithium Triangle", Maricunga is Chile's highest grade and most advanced lithium project outside the Salar de Atacama. The project lies 170 km northeast of Copiapo and 250 km from the port of Caldera.

2. Pilbara (Western Australia) - LPI has three granted exploration tenements covering 203 km2 in the Pilbara region of northern Western Australia. The largest granted exploration tenement is the Pilgangoora tenement which is 2-3 km west of the Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) and Altura Mining (ASX:AJM) lithium deposits.

3. Greenbushes (Western Australia) - LPI has two granted exploration tenements covering 400 km2 in the Greenbushes area of southern Western Australia. The tenements are adjacent to the world's largest hard rock lithium mine owned and operated by Tianqi/Talison.

4. Centenario (Argentina) - Through its Argentinian subsidiary, Lithium Power holds a total of seven granted tenements in the Centenario lithium brine salar within the Salta province of the Puna Plateau. In total, the seven granted tenements cover an area of 68.46 km2.

With the exception of the Maricunga JV, all tenements are 100% owned by LPI or LPSA (including rights to the Centenario tenements).Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) formally launched its ASEAN presence today at an event held in Singapore.

The announcement coincides with Singapore-headquartered investment company, Temasek, last week becoming the third largest investor in the $232 million CSIRO Innovation Fund, managed by Main Sequence Ventures. The CSIRO Innovation Fund supports new spin-outs, start-ups, and Small and Medium Enterprises engaged in the translation of research generated in the Australian publicly funded research sector, including the CSIRO and universities.

Speaking at a launch event in Singapore last night to celebrate the Australian 'Good Science = Great Business' festival in Singapore, CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said CSIRO would strengthen the bridge between the Australian and ASEAN innovation ecosystems based on new and existing long-term partnerships.

"We're thrilled to be basing our ASEAN presence in Singapore, an innovation beacon in the ASEAN region, and building on our valued partnerships including Nanyang University, the National University of Singapore and A*STAR," Dr Marshall said.

"In a more interconnected world, facing rapid disruption, our regional opportunity is for each country to play to our respective strengths, creating more new value through collaboration than any individual nation could have alone.

"Innovation has become too hard to do alone - it must be a team sport. It will take global collaboration to deliver the real moonshots like transforming human health through precision medicine; or sustainable management of our environment despite unprecedented industrial growth; or our work targeting every single one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

"Temasek's substantial investment in the CSIRO Innovation Fund is testament not just to international confidence in Australia's growing innovation economy and the returns it will deliver, but to the power of science to deliver real solutions to the world's problems."

CSIRO's Director, ASEAN, Ms Liza Noonan, said the Singapore presence would anchor CSIRO's ASEAN program, supported by staff in Vietnam and Indonesia.

"CSIRO is solving the world's greatest challenges through innovative science and technology, and we've been doing that throughout the region for decades," Ms Noonan said.

"CSIRO will build on the strong foundation of our existing partnerships with ASEAN governments, research institutes and business to grow the region's scientific excellence, pathways to market, and collaborative networks, while increasing opportunities for our Australian partners on the world stage.

"CSIRO is looking forward to working with DFAT across the region as a key partner to scale Australian innovation efforts across the region."

CSIRO's work in the region covers a diverse range of projects, including boosting the Vietnamese prawn industry with Novacq feedstock, optimising supply chains through South East Asia with TraNSIT modelling technology, and a number of new partnerships in additive manufacturing, precision medicine, and futures modelling.

Guests at the launch event in Singapore also heard from Australian start-ups including telehealth platform Coviu, biofuel developers Folear, weather-forecasting technology Cloud180CAM, and gut-health diagnostic tool NoisyGuts, all graduates of the ON accelerator program, run by CSIRO, as well as AI healthcare company Maxwell Plus, supported by the CSIRO Innovation Fund, managed by Main Sequence Ventures.

###Scientists use radar to shed light on the massive numbers of migrating birds and how many may not return

Ithaca, NY-- Using cloud computing and data from 143 weather radar stations across the continental United States, Cornell Lab of Ornithology researchers can now estimate how many birds migrate through the U.S. and the toll that winter and these nocturnal journeys take. Their findings are published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

"We've discovered that each autumn, an average of 4 billion birds move south from Canada into the U.S. At the same time, another 4.7 billion birds leave the U.S. over the southern border, heading to the tropics," notes lead author Adriaan Dokter, an Edward W. Rose postdoctoral fellow at the Cornell Lab. "In the spring, 3.5 billion birds cross back into the U.S. from points south, and 2.6 billion birds return to Canada across the northern U.S. border."

In other words, fewer birds return to their breeding grounds after going through fall migration and spending months on their wintering grounds. But the researchers were surprised to find that the migrants arriving across the U.S. southern border had an average return rate of 76 percent during the 5 years of the study (2013 to 2017) and the birds wintering in the U.S. had only an average return rate of 64 percent.

"Contrary to popular thought, birds wintering in the tropics survive the winter better than birds wintering in the U.S.," says Andrew Farnsworth, co-author of the study and leader of the Cornell Lab's aeroecology program. "That's despite the fact that tropical wintering birds migrate three to four times farther than the birds staying in the U.S."

To reach these numbers, the researchers developed complicated algorithms to measure differences in biomass picked up by weather radar--in this case, the total mass of organisms in a given area, minus insects and weather. Migrants crossing the northern border--such as many sparrows, American Robins, and Dark-eyed Juncos--have shorter migrations from breeding grounds in Canada to wintering grounds in the U.S.

Measurements from the southern border captured data on migrants that breed in the U.S. and spend their winters in places such as Central or South America, such as most warblers, orioles, and tanagers. One explanation for the higher mortality among birds wintering in the U.S. may be the number of hazards they face.

"All birds need suitable habitats with enough resources to get them through the winter," notes Ken Rosenberg, co-author and conservation scientist at the Cornell Lab. "Birds wintering in the U.S. may have more habitat disturbances and more buildings to crash into, and they might not be adapted for that."

Another reason for the disparity in migration return rates between short and long-distance migrants may have to do with breeding strategy. Birds wintering in the U.S. have high reproduction rates to offset higher mortality. Tropical wintering species have fewer offspring, but more adults survive through the winter and reproduce the following spring, despite their longer migrations. But it's a strategy that may backfire without conservation efforts in the tropics.

"Longer distance migrants seem to be gambling on having high survival in the tropics, and they're therefore more sensitive to what happens to their wintering grounds," says Dokter. "Even a small decrease in survival due to changes in their tropical habitats might cause a precipitous decline."

###Menlo Park, Calif. -- Over the past three decades, lithium-ion batteries, rechargeable batteries that move lithium ions back and forth to charge and discharge, have enabled smaller devices that juice up faster and last longer.

Now, X-ray experiments at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have revealed that the pathways lithium ions take through a common battery material are more complex than previously thought. The results correct more than two decades worth of assumptions about the material and will help improve battery design, potentially leading to a new generation of lithium-ion batteries.

An international team of researchers, led by William Chueh, a faculty scientist at SLAC's Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Sciences and a Stanford materials science professor, published these findings today in Nature Materials.

"Before, it was kind of like a black box," said Martin Bazant, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and another leader of the study. "You could see that the material worked pretty well and certain additives seemed to help, but you couldn't tell exactly where the lithium ions go in every step of the process. You could only try to develop a theory and work backwards from measurements. With new instruments and measurement techniques, we're starting to have a more rigorous scientific understanding of how these things actually work."

The 'popcorn effect'

Anyone who has ridden in an electric bus, worked with a power tool or used a cordless vacuum has likely reaped the benefits of the battery material they studied, lithium iron phosphate. It can also be used for the start-stop feature in cars with internal combustion engines and storage for wind and solar power in electrical grids. Better understanding of this material and others like it could lead to faster-charging, longer-lasting and more durable batteries. But until recently, researchers could only guess at the mechanisms that allow it to work.

When lithium-ion batteries charge and discharge, the lithium ions flow from a liquid solution into a solid reservoir. But once in the solid, the lithium can rearrange itself, sometimes causing the material to split into two distinct phases, much as oil and water separate when mixed together. This causes what Chueh refers to as a "popcorn effect." The ions clump together into hot spots that end up shortening the battery lifetime.

In this study, researchers used two X-ray techniques to explore the inner workings of lithium-ion batteries. At SLAC's Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) they bounced X-rays off a sample of lithium iron phosphate to reveal its atomic and electronic structure, giving them a sense of how the lithium ions were moving about in the material. At Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS), they used X-ray microscopy to magnify the process, allowing them to map how the concentration of lithium changes over time.

Swimming upstream

Previously, researchers thought that lithium iron phosphate was a one-dimensional conductor, meaning lithium ions are only able to travel in one direction through the bulk of the material, like salmon swimming upstream.

But while sifting through their data, the researchers noticed that lithium was moving in a completely different direction on the surface of the material than one would expect based on previous models. It was as if someone had tossed a leaf onto the surface of the stream and discovered that the water was flowing in a completely different direction than the swimming salmon.

They worked with Saiful Islam, a chemistry professor at the University of Bath, UK, to develop computer models and simulations of the system. Those revealed that lithium ions moved in two additional directions on the surface of the material, making lithium iron phosphate a three-dimensional conductor.

"As it turns out, these extra pathways are problematic for the material, promoting the popcorn-like behavior that leads to its failure," Chueh said. "If lithium can be made to move more slowly on the surface, it will make the battery much more uniform. This is the key to developing higher performance and longer lasting batteries."

A new frontier in battery engineering

Even though lithium iron phosphate has been around for the past two decades, the ability to study it at the nanoscale and during battery operation wasn't possible until just a couple of years ago.

"This explains how such a crucial property of the material has gone unnoticed for so long," said Yiyang Li, who led the experimental work as a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow at Stanford and SLAC. "With new technologies, there are always new and interesting properties to be discovered about materials that make you think about them a little differently."

This work is one of the first papers to come out of a collaboration between Bazant, Chueh and several other scientists as part of a Toyota Research Institute-funded research center that utilizes theory and machine learning to design and interpret advanced experiments.

These most recent findings, Bazant said, create a more complex story that theorists and engineers are going to have to consider in future work.

"It further builds the argument that engineering the surfaces of lithium-ion batteries is really the new frontier," he said. "We have already discovered and developed some of the best bulk materials. And we've seen that lithium-ion batteries are still progressing at a pretty remarkable pace: They keep getting better and better. This research is enabling the steady advancement of a tried technology that actually works. We're building on an important bit of knowledge that can be added to the toolkit of battery engineers as they try to develop better materials."

Spanning different scales

To follow up on this study, the researchers will continue to combine modeling, simulation and experiments to try to understand fundamental questions about battery performance at many different length and time scales with facilities such as SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source, or LCLS, where researchers will be able to probe single ionic hops that happen at timescales as fast as one trillionth of a second.

"One of the roadblocks to developing lithium-ion battery technologies is the huge span of length and time scales involved," Chueh said. "Key processes can happen in a split second or over many years. The path forward requires mapping these processes at lengths that go from meters all the way down to the motion of atoms. At SLAC, we're studying battery materials at all of these scales. Combining that with modeling and experiment is really what made this understanding possible."

###

In addition to SLAC, Stanford, Berkeley Lab, MIT, and the University of Bath, the collaboration includes researchers from the National Institute of Chemistry and the University of Ljubljana, both in Slovenia.

LCLS, SSRL, and ALS are DOE Office of Science user facilities. The theoretical aspect of the work was supported by Toyota Research Institute, among other funding agencies.

SLAC is a multi-program laboratory exploring frontier questions in photon science, astrophysics, particle physics and accelerator research. Located in Menlo Park, California, SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. To learn more, please visit http://www.slac.stanford.edu.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.Paris, France: Babies exposed to higher levels of organochlorine compounds in the womb go on to have worse lung function in childhood, according to new research presented today (Tuesday) at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1].

These compounds, which include the pesticide DDT, as well as electrical insulators and other industrial products, are now banned in most parts of the world. However, because they degrade very slowly, they are still present in the environment and in foods.

Previous research has suggested links between exposure to these chemicals in the womb and parents reporting childhood respiratory diseases such as wheezing, asthma, and chest infections. The new study is the first to show a link with objective measures of lung strength and capacity in relation to low-level exposure to these chemicals.

The researchers behind the study say this finding is important in terms of trying to improve the health of all children through monitoring and controlling harmful substances, but that the effect on individual children's lungs is small.

The study was presented by Dr Maribel Casas, assistant research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, Spain. She explained: "We already have evidence that exposure to environmental chemicals including organochlorine compounds can have an impact on children's health. Even though this group of chemicals were banned in the 1970s, low but detectable levels are still present in pregnant women and in children. That means current populations and future generations are still exposed to these compounds."

Organochlorine compounds are thought to disrupt the hormone system and have been linked to a wide range of conditions including cardiovascular disorders, cancers and low birth weight babies. The main source of exposure is through the foods we eat but foetuses and newborns can be exposed via the placenta and breastfeeding.

Dr Casas and her colleagues studied 1,308 babies who were born in the Valencia, Gipuzkoa, and Sabadell regions of Spain between 2004 and 2008. They measured the levels of seven different organochlorine compounds [2] in the pregnant mother's blood or in blood taken from the umbilical cord.

As the children grew older, they were asked to take part in tests to measure their lung function at the age of four years, and again at seven years. This was done by trained nurses or by paediatric pulmonologists using a spirometer to measure children's lung volume and check for any signs of obstruction in the airways.

In particular, the researchers found that levels of DDE - a chemical formed when DDT breaks down - were linked with poorer lung function in children at both four and seven years old. For example, exposure to maternal concentrations of DDE between 0.23 and 0.50 nanograms per millilitre was associated with a 50-millilitre reduction in how much air children could blow out in one second (FEV1). Among those in the study the average (median) level of DDE was 0.28 nanograms per millilitre.

Dr Casas said: "A reduction of this size in the amount of air a child can blow out would not be considered clinically relevant for a healthy child, but these smaller changes are highly relevant at population level and can be important in children with respiratory conditions.

"To reduce exposure to these chemicals, women of reproductive age can try to moderate consumption of foods with high levels of organochlorine compounds, such as fatty meats and oily fish.

"We know that this group of chemicals can interfere with the body's hormone system and we also know that hormone receptors play an important role in foetal development of the lungs, so this could be the mechanism for a link."

The researchers hope to study the impact of exposure to organochlorine compounds in the womb on older children and teenagers to understand whether this effect persists in the longer term.

Professor Mina Gaga is President of the European Respiratory Society, and Medical Director and Head of the Respiratory Department of Athens Chest Hospital, Greece, and was not involved in the study. She said: "We know organochlorine compounds are still in our environment so it's important that we continue to monitor their levels and try to learn more about their effects. Babies and children are the most susceptible population since their organs are still under development, and damage to the lungs at birth can have a huge impact in later life. A clear link has been demonstrated between low lung function in early adulthood and respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic issues in later life, and ultimately premature death.

"There are other chemicals present in the environment, such as phthalates or phenols for example, that may also have the potential to interfere with children's developing lungs. Studies on these individual compounds, and assessing combination of chemicals, are needed to understand their effects on childhood respiratory and overall health."

###Paris, France: A quick and easy test for viral infections can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and hospital admissions, according to new research presented to the European Respiratory Society International Congress today (Monday). [1]

The test, which takes just 50 minutes to obtain results, could save hospitals around 2,500 per patient not admitted to hospital, would help to relieve winter pressures on available beds, and may help to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance.

Dr Kay Roy, consultant physician in respiratory and general internal medicine at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford, and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield (UK), told the congress: "Initial results on the first 1,075 patients, show the potential of this service. We were able to identify 121 patients who had viral infections, lacked any evidence of bacterial infection, had a normal chest x-ray and only modest indicators of inflammation. Of these, hospital admission was subsequently avoided in 25% and unnecessary antibiotics were avoided in 50%. None of the 30 patients who avoided hospital admission and who were not prescribed antibiotics experienced adverse clinical outcomes, which is reassuring." [2]

Point of care respiratory viral testing (POCT) is a new service that was launched at Watford General Hospital (UK) on 15 January 2018. It is quick and simple to perform; it involves inserting a swab into the patient's nostril to collect a sample of secretions from the back of the nose (1 minute); the sample is prepared and inserted into a compact machine called a FilmArray [3] (3-5 minutes), which analyses the sample and then generates a printout within 43 minutes.

"The whole process from obtaining a sample from the patient's nose to getting a result should take under 50 minutes, which has a potentially enormous impact on quality of care, improving the patient journey by allowing earlier, informed decision-making about patient management," said Dr Roy. "This is the same test and technology as used in our microbiology laboratory, but we have brought the equipment to the patient's bedside. Results from samples sent to the microbiology lab can take more than two days."

Dr Roy presented data from the first 1075 patients between 15 January and 1 May 2018 to the congress. Of these, 61% showed the patients had one or more viruses, of which 56% were influenza and 54% were other viruses, such as rhinovirus, coronavirus, metapneumovirus and adenovirus, which can cause just as many respiratory and other problems as 'flu or a bacterial infection, particularly in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The results of the tests were combined with other important clinical factors, such as chest x-ray findings and lack of evidence of bacterial infection, in 387 patients. From these, 121 patients were identified who were potentially suitable for avoiding hospital admission and antibiotics.

"We found that when patients had point of care respiratory viral testing soon after they were admitted to the emergency department, bed flow improved and fewer bed closures were required due to viral infections. This is extremely valuable during winter bed pressures, especially during an influenza epidemic.

"In the first two weeks of this new service we diagnosed 50 cases of influenza: 22 by testing in the emergency department and 28 after patients were admitted. There were no bed moves in the former group but 14 in the latter, demonstrating that earlier bedside testing in the emergency department improves infection control, thereby avoiding bed and ward closures and reducing the risk of spreading infection to vulnerable groups. Infected patients with POCT-based early diagnosis of influenza can be admitted to appropriately designated beds if admission is required," she said.

The cost of POCT is offset by avoiding, for example, the cost of the microbiology laboratory testing and the cost of admitting patients to hospital beds. "The findings clearly point towards a net cost saving. Each respiratory admission can cost around 2000 (2,500). We could make a significant saving for national health services by avoiding unnecessary admissions in patients who may have otherwise been admitted and given antibiotics while waiting up to two days for results from the lab. Patients in whom antibiotics were avoided also contribute to cost savings, as do the beds and wards which remain open," said Dr Roy.

She is about to start a randomised controlled trial in the community, in which primary care physicians (GPs) will be able to refer patients to a community hub for POCT, with respiratory physicians available to support the GPs.

"The frequent underestimation of the role of viruses in respiratory admissions, both in previously well patients and those with chronic underlying disease such as COPD, has hindered good antimicrobial stewardship," said Dr Roy. "This has sometimes led to other health problems for patients from inappropriate antibiotic use and hospital admission. We hope that quality of patient care can be improved with POCT for respiratory viruses, as well as helping to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance."

Professor Tobias Welte, from Hannover University, Germany, is President-Elect of the European Respiratory Society and was not involved in the study. He said: "As European populations age, there is increasing pressure on the availability of hospital beds. Having to close a ward because a patient has been admitted with a viral infection that could spread to other patients and is not treatable with antibiotics places even more pressure on hospitals, as well as being expensive. The innovative approach described in this presentation could make a significant difference not only to hospitals but also to patients, whose quality of life will be much improved by avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use and admittance to hospital. However, this test will have to be compared to guidelines and recommended best clinical practice to confirm its usefulness."

###

### According to the AMS labelling system, this research is not peer-reviewed, is observational and conducted in people ###

[1] Abstract no: PA2032, "Point of care respiratory viral testing (POCT): A novel service to target appropriate antimicrobial prescription and improve antibiotic stewardship", by Kay Roy et al; "Improving the outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia", poster discussion session, 08.30-10.30 hrs CEST, Monday 17 September, Room 7.2C.

[2] Data have been updated since the time of abstract submission.

[3] FilmArray is made by Biofire, Biomerieux.Boulder, Colo., USA: Tropical storms, with waves reaching up to 10-meters-high, can wallop coral reef islands. As global temperatures increase, some scientists suggest that such storms will become more frequent and intense over the next few decades. Additionally, potential sea level rise is perceived as a threat to the continued existence of these remote, low-lying communities.

Many coral reef islands, or atolls, are created by water moving sand and gravel, piling it up into consecutive ridged layers, "a bit like onions," says Paul Kench, earth scientist and dean of science at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada. However, new research by Kench and colleagues recently published online ahead of print for Geology uncovered a different type of island construction: storm-deposited boulders.

On Tutago island in Tuvalu's Funafuti atoll, giant coral blocks sit on top of a flat reef. Researchers noted the jumble of upended corals didn't grow there, but instead were tumbled onto the site. As storm waves hit the reefs, it's not just fist or head-sized gravel chunks that are moving--Kench says coral boulders, which can be meters in diameter, are getting plucked and hurled into piles, forming the island.

To better understand how storms shaped Tutago, the team collected radiocarbon dates on the piled coral blocks. Within these boulder deposits, they uncovered distinct clusters of ages, revealing that Tutago island formed about 750 years ago, and at least two major storm events occurred about 600 and 350 years ago.

Kench says the 300-year hiatus between these storm events may have given nearby reefs a chance to recover after being plucked by the storm. "For coral to grow to two meters diameter, it may take it a hundred and fifty years," he says. "Island genesis is not only dependent on the storm, it's also dependent on the rate of coral production."

Understanding how Tutago formed can be helpful to other researchers interested in atoll behavior, coral reef regeneration, and ancient storm events. "I think there's certainly purchase in this notion that the islands are archives of storm sequences," says Kench, adding that storm records in the remote ocean can be tough to find.

Storm events have built Tutago up vertically, but that isn't always the case for islands. Kench says that understanding how an increase in storm frequency and intensity might modify atolls--especially whether they add or destroy land--is extremely important to island communities and governments. "It's quite real for some of these communities," he says. "They're dealing with environmental change on a daily basis."

###

FEATURED ARTICLE

Kench, P., McLean, R.F., Owen, S.D., Tuck, M., and Ford, M.R., Storm-deposited coral blocks: A mechanism of island genesis, Tutaga island, Funafuti atoll, Tuvalu: Geology, https://doi.org/10.1130/G45045.1. Contact: Paul Kench, p.kench@auckland.ac.nz.

GEOLOGY articles are online http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/content/early/recent. Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary articles by contacting Kea Giles at the e-mail address above. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to GEOLOGY in articles published. Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.

http://www.geosociety.orgThin-film solar cells made of crystalline silicon are inexpensive and achieve efficiencies of a good 14 percent. However, they could do even better if their shiny surfaces reflected less light. A team led by Prof. Christiane Becker from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) has now patented a sophisticated new solution to this problem

"It is not enough simply to bring more light into the cell," says Christiane Becker. Such surface structures can even ultimately reduce the efficiency by impairing the electronic properties of the material.

The idea that David Eisenhauer worked out as part of his doctorate in Becker's team sounds quite simple, but it requires a completely new approach: to produce a structure that behaves "optically rough" and scatters the light, but at the same time provides a "smooth" surface on which the silicon layer (the most important layer of the solar cell) can grow with virtually no defects.

The procedure consists of several steps: first, the researchers imprint an optimised nanostructure onto a still liquid silicon oxide precursor layer that is then cured with UV light and heat. This creates tiny, regularly arranged cylindrical elevations that are ideal for capturing light. However, the absorbing layer of crystalline silicon cannot grow flawlessly on this rough surface, so these structures have an unfavorable effect on the quality of the solar cell. In order to resolve this conflict, a very thin layer of titanium oxide is spin coated on top of the nanostructure in order to produce a relatively smooth surface on which the actual absorber material can be deposited and crystallized.

The coating has the descriptive name "SMART" for smooth anti-reflective three-dimensional texture. It reduces reflections and brings more light into the absorbing layer without impairing its electronic properties. The procedure is now patented.

Christiane Becker heads a Young Investigator Group at the HZB funded by the BMBF under the NanoMatFutur programme. As part of the BerOSE Joint Lab, she works closely with the Zuse Institute to use computer simulations for understanding the effects of nanostructuring on material properties.

###National poll: 43 percent of parents say their teen has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep; social media and cell phones cited as top reasons

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- It's no secret that many teenagers stay up late to scroll through social media or catch up with friends on phones.

And 56 percent of parents of teens who have sleep troubles believe this use of electronics is hurting their child's shut-eye.

Forty-three percent of parents report that their teen struggles to fall asleep or wakes up and can't get back to sleep, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan. A fourth of these parents say their child experiences occasional sleep problems (one to two nights per week) while 18 percent believe their teen struggles with sleep three or more nights per week.

Not being able to stay off electronics - including social media and cell phones - was the no.1 reason parents cited for sleep disturbance.

Other reasons included irregular sleep schedules due to homework or activities (43 percent), worries about school (31 percent), and concerns about social life (23 percent). Ten percent of parents say their teen's sleep problems are related to a health condition or medication, cited more often by parents of teens who experience frequent sleep problems.

The new report is based on responses from a nationally representative household survey that included responses from 1,018 parents with at least one child 13-18 years old.

"This poll suggests that sleep problems are common among teens and parents believe late-night use of electronics are a main contributor," says poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.

"Teens' hectic schedules and homework load, as well as anxiety about school performance and peer relationships, also are seen by parents as contributing to sleep problems."

Parents polled say they've encouraged their teen to try different strategies at home to help with sleep problems, including limiting caffeine in the evening (54 percent), turning off electronics and cell phones at bedtime (53 percent), having a snack before bed (44 percent), and natural or herbal remedies, such as melatonin (36 percent). A quarter of parents (28 percent) say their teen has tried some type of medication to address sleep problems.

Forty percent of parents of teens with frequent sleep problems, and 22 percent of parents of teens with occasional sleep problems, say they have talked to a doctor about sleep struggles. Parents who have consulted with doctors say the top recommendations from experts included turning off electronics and cell phones at bedtime (72 percent), adhering to a regular sleep schedule (64 percent), limiting caffeine (47 percent), and taking natural remedies (42 percent).

When doctors recommended medication for teens' sleep problems, it was twice as likely to be prescription sleep medication rather than over-the-counter sleep or "nighttime" medicine, parents recalled. Yet parents rated over-the-counter sleep medicine as safer for teens than prescription sleep medicine.

"Parents whose teens continue to have frequent sleep problems, despite following recommendations for healthy sleep hygiene, may want to talk with a health care provider, particularly when considering which type of medication to try," says Clark.

"Inadequate or disrupted sleep can have long-lasting health effects that go beyond moodiness and irritability for teens," Clark adds.

"Sleep-deprived teens may have difficulty concentrating in school and those who drive have an increased risk of auto accidents. Inadequate sleep has also been linked to health problems ranging from obesity to depression.

###The ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial of more than 19,000 participants in Australia and the US is the largest and most comprehensive study to look at whether the many millions of older people around the world who take (100mg) low dose aspirin to preserve good health are deriving any benefit by doing so.

The study found an aspirin-a-day did not prolong life free of disability, or significantly reduce the risk of a first heart attack or stroke among participants - with little difference between the placebo and aspirin groups.

According to principal investigator Professor John McNeil, head of Monash University's Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, the results of the trial will result in a rethinking of global guidelines relating to the use of aspirin to prevent common conditions associated with ageing.

"Despite the fact that aspirin has been around for more than 100 years, we have not known whether healthy older people should take it as a preventive measure to keep them healthy for longer. Aspirin is the most widely used of all preventive drugs and an answer to this question is long overdue. ASPREE has provided this answer, Professor McNeil said.

"These findings will help inform prescribing doctors who have long been uncertain about whether to recommend aspirin to healthy patients who do not have a clear medical reason for doing so."

ASPREE also showed an increase in the number of cases of serious bleeding among the aspirin-takers (3.8%) compared to the placebo group (2.8%). Bleeding is a well-known side effect of aspirin, and is more common in older people.

"It means millions of healthy older people around the world who are taking low dose aspirin without a medical reason, may be doing so unnecessarily, because the study showed no overall benefit to offset the risk of bleeding."

Professor McNeil said all patients should follow the advice of their doctor about their daily use of aspirin. He cautioned that the results do not apply to those with existing conditions such as a previous heart attack, angina or stroke, where aspirin is recommended as a valuable preventive drug.

Professor McNeil added that a small increase in deaths observed in the aspirin group, primarily from cancer, required further investigation as researchers cannot rule out that it may be a chance finding. Other large aspirin studies have suggested that aspirin may prevent cancer over the longer term.

Professor McNeil said aspirin remains a relatively safe medication but more research was needed to investigate the longer-term benefits and risks of its daily use.

The researchers are continuing to follow the health of the participants to determine whether beneficial effects of aspirin, such as cancer prevention, emerge sometime after taking the drug. Researchers will also investigate other opportunities to improve the health of senior citizens. Researchers expect to release more findings from the ASPREE trial in the near future.

Professor Christina Mitchell, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, said Monash University was at the forefront of healthcare improvement underpinned by the quality and scale of our research capabilities in this space.

"Our unique expertise in large-scale community-based prevention trials, coupled with high-level expertise in clinical data-management and biostatistics, places Monash at the forefront of research such as ASPREE, that has the ability to improve the lives of many people," Professor Mitchell said,

ASPREE has set a new paradigm for clinical trials in the elderly and its findings will influence health care guidelines around the world for years to come."

Professor Margaret Gardner AO, President and Vice-Chancellor of Monash, said the University's role in ASPREE reinforces its impressive capability to lead world class research for the benefit of the international community.

"Monash is committed to the conduct of exceptional research that addresses global health priorities," Professor Gardner said.

###

ASPREE was led by Monash University in Australia and the Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research in the USA. It was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH, the Australian National Health and Medical Council, Victorian Cancer Agency and Monash University.

For more information visit http://www.aspree.org.

NOTE TO EDITOR:

ASPREE's findings relate ONLY to healthy older people, aged 70 years, and do not apply to those taking aspirin on medical advice, for example those who have had a heart attack or stroke.

Interviews

Professor John McNeil AM, Principal Investigator of ASPREE

Head of Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

Associate Professor Robyn Woods, Executive Director and Senior Investigator of ASPREE, and Director of the ASPREE Healthy Ageing Biobank.

Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University,

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Media

Monash University

T: +61 3 9903 4840 E: media@monash.eduAn unusual infrared light emission from a nearby neutron star detected by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope could indicate new features never before seen. One possibility is that there is a dusty disk surrounding the neutron star; another is that there is an energetic wind coming off the object and slamming into gas in interstellar space the neutron star is plowing through.

Although neutron stars are generally studied in radio and high-energy emissions, such as X-rays, this study demonstrates that new and interesting information about neutron stars can also be gained by studying them in infrared light, say researchers.

The observation, by a team of researchers at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania; Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey; and the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, could help astronomers better understand the evolution of neutron stars -- the incredibly dense remnants after a massive star explodes as a supernova. Neutron stars are also called pulsars because their very fast rotation (typically fractions of a second, in this case 11 seconds) causes time-variable emission from light-emitting regions.

A paper describing the research and two possible explanations for the unusual finding appears Sept. 17, 2018, in the Astrophysical Journal.

"This particular neutron star belongs to a group of seven nearby X-ray pulsars -- nicknamed 'the Magnificent Seven' -- that are hotter than they ought to be considering their ages and available energy reservoir provided by the loss of rotation energy," said Bettina Posselt, associate research professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Pennsylvania State and the lead author of the paper. "We observed an extended area of infrared emissions around this neutron star -- named RX J0806.4-4123 -- the total size of which translates into about 200 astronomical units (approximately 18 billion miles) at the assumed distance of the pulsar."

This is the first neutron star in which an extended signal has been seen only in infrared light. The researchers suggest two possibilities that could explain the extended infrared signal seen by Hubble. The first is that there is a disk of material -- possibly mostly dust -- surrounding the pulsar.

"One theory is that there could be what is known as a 'fallback disk' of material that coalesced around the neutron star after the supernova," said Posselt. "Such a disk would be composed of matter from the progenitor massive star. Its subsequent interaction with the neutron star could have heated the pulsar and slowed its rotation. If confirmed as a supernova fallback disk, this result could change our general understanding of neutron star evolution."

The second possible explanation for the extended infrared emission from this neutron star is a "pulsar wind nebula."

"A pulsar wind nebula would require that the neutron star exhibits a pulsar wind," said Posselt. "A pulsar wind can be produced when particles are accelerated in the electrical field that is produced by the fast rotation of a neutron star with a strong magnetic field. As the neutron star travels through the interstellar medium at greater than the speed of sound, a shock can form where the interstellar medium and the pulsar wind interact. The shocked particles would then emit synchrotron radiation, causing the extended infrared signal that we see. Typically, pulsar wind nebulae are seen in X-rays and an infrared-only pulsar wind nebula would be very unusual and exciting."

Using NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers will be able to further explore this newly opened discovery space in the infrared to better understand neutron star evolution.

###

In addition to Posselt, the research team included George Pavlov and Kevin Luhman at Pennsylvania State; Unal Ertan and Sirin Caliskan at Sabanci University; and Christina Williams at the University of Arizona. The research was supported by NASA, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, the U.S. National Science Foundation, Pennsylvania State, the Penn State Eberly College of Science, and the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, in Washington, D.C.

Ray Villard

Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland

410-338-4514

villard@stsci.edu

Dr. Samuel J. Sholtis

Penn State Eberly College of Science, Office of Communications, University Park, Pennsylvania

814-865-1390

samsholtis@psu.edu

Heli EM Survey commences at Greenbushes East VMS Project

Perth, Sep 17, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Venus Metals Corporation Limited ( ASX:VMC ) is pleased to announce the commencement of a high-resolution helicopter-borne electromagnetic survey (HEM) using NRG's Xcite(TM) Airborne Electromagnetic System over the southeast of its 100% owned Greenbushes Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Base Metals Project, Western Australia (see Fig. 1 in link below).The HEM Xcite(TM) survey(see note 1) will be flown by New Resolution Geophysics (NRG(TM)) and is expected to be completed in September.Highlights:- Large untested aeromagnetic high within Venus tenements, located along strike of Venture Minerals Limited's recent Thor VMS-style discovery(see note 2) to the southwest.- Anomalous Cu and Zn in soil and a gravity high based on historical company reports(see note 4) coincide with an aeromagnetic high located in the Venus tenement on strike from Venture Minerals' recently announced VMS trend.Venus Metals Managing Director Matthew Hogan comments: "We are extremely confident that the geological setting on the Company's Greenbushes tenement may be conducive to hosting VMS-style base metals mineralization similar to that announced and confirmed by Venture Minerals. Our current geophysical survey is designed to identify potential drill targets in this highly prospective terrain."Project backgroundThe Greenbushes East Project comprises exploration licences 70/4810 and 4814, 100% owned by Venus and located in the Balingup Metamorphic Belt. The tenement area is southeast of Talison Lithium's world-class Greenbushes Lithium-Tantalum mine, and Li-Ta exploration has been the focus of Venus' exploration activities to date.In recent weeks, Venture Minerals Ltd (Venture) released exploration results from its exploration program on ground adjoining that of Venus. Venture reported that drilling had intersected a 17m zone of disseminated, semi- massive and massive sulphides with core samples containing up to 0.3% zinc and 0.2% copper (VMS ASX release 8 August 2018)(see note 2, 3) at its Thor discovery. Currently, Venture Minerals is conducting a Heli-borne EM survey on their tenements directly southwest and abutting Venus ground (VMS ASX release 30 August 2018).The Thor prospect is located along a prominent aeromagnetic trend that extends northeast into Venus' tenement area. On Venus' E70/4810, the aeromagnetic signature shows significant thickening and structural complexity in terrain dominated by quartz-feldsparbiotite gneiss with units of quartz-mica schist, quartzite, banded iron formation and ultramafic rocks.Geochemical data from open file (Wamex) company data(see note 4) shows anomalous Cu and Zn concentrations in surface sample media, and a reported gravity high broadly coincident with the aeromagnetic anomaly. Combined, this information is considered highly promising and warrants further investigation. The use of a high-resolution helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) survey using NRG's Xcite(TM) Airborne Electromagnetic system is an effective and cost-efficient means for exploring Venus' tenements, targeting potential semimassive to massive sulphide bodies that may host copper-zinc mineralization.Bibliography1. NRG Company profile pdf. www.airbornegeophysics.com2. VMS ASX release dated 30 August 2018. Major EM Survey to Commence at the Thor VMS Prospect, Southwest of Western Australia.3. VMS ASX release dated 8 August 2018. Drilling intersects massive sulfides at Thor confirming VMS system, Southwest of Western Australia.4. Amerod Holdings Pty Ltd, 2008. Bridgetown Combined Annual Report C37/2009. Wamex report A79877.Exploration TargetsThe term 'Exploration Target' should not be misunderstood or misconstrued as an estimate of Mineral Resources and Reserves as defined by the JORC Code (2012), and therefore the terms have not been used in this context.To view figures, please visit:About Venus Metals Corporation Limited

Venus Metals Corporation Limited (ASX:VMC) is a West Australian based Company with a focus on gold and base metals exploration. The Company aims to increase shareholder value through targeted exploration success on its projects.

The Company's major gold project is the Youanmi Gold Mine, located 500km north east of Perth. The Youanmi Gold Mine is now jointly owned by Venus Metals (30%) and Rox Resources Limited (70%) (OYG JV); Indicated and Inferred Resources of the mine is 1.7 million ounces of gold.

Exciting new discoveries at the Youanmi Gold Mine have been made at the Grace prospect in footwall granites where very high grades of free milling gold have been intersected, including 25m @34.7g/t Au from 143m (RXRC 287) and 13m @60.49 g/t from 181m (RXRC 239). The Grace Prospect may substantially add to the Youanmi Gold Mine resources.The fewer women in entering class, the less likely they'll stay

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Many women in doctoral degree programs in fields like engineering and physics are in a class of their own - and that's not a good thing.

A new study found that the fewer females who enter a doctoral program at the same time, the less likely any one of them will graduate within six years.

In the worst-case scenario - where there's just one woman in a new class - she is 12 percentage points less likely to graduate within six years than her male classmates, the study found.

However, for each additional 10 percent of women in a new class, that gender gap in on-time graduation rates closes by more than 2 percentage points.

The findings suggest that the "female-friendliness" of doctoral programs may play a key role in the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.

"It has been nearly impossible to quantify the climate for women in male-dominated STEM fields," said Valerie Bostwick, co-author of the study and a post-doctoral researcher in economics at The Ohio State University.

"But our data gave us a unique opportunity to try to measure what it is like for women in STEM. What we found suggests that if there are few or no other women in your incoming class, it can make it more difficult to complete your degree."

Bostwick conducted the research with Bruce Weinberg, professor of economics at Ohio State. Their results will be published Monday, Sept. 17 on the website of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

They used a new data set that previously had not been available to researchers. They linked transcript records from all public universities in Ohio to data from the UMETRICS project, which provides information on students supported by federal research grants.

A key advantage of this data is that it shows when and if students drop out - something that most data sets on graduate students don't show.

"Most datasets are based on students who graduate - they don't see you if you don't get your degree," Bostwick said. "That makes it impossible to find out why students drop out."

This study examined all 2,541 students who enrolled in 33 graduate programs at six Ohio public universities between 2005 and 2016.

Overall, the average incoming class of doctoral programs included about 17 students and was about 38 percent female. But there was wide variation in class sizes and the percentage of female students.

The researchers separated the programs into those that were typically male and typically female. Typically male programs (including chemical engineering, computer science and physics) were those that were less than 38.5 percent female.

In typically male programs, the average number of women who joined a class in any particular year was less than five.

The study shows the importance for women of having a support system of other women in their entering class, Weinberg said.

A woman joining a class that was more male than typical for her doctoral program was about 7 percent less likely to graduate within six years than were her male peers.

"But if there were more women than average in the program, that graduation gap goes away," Weinberg said.

Findings showed that when women dropped out of male-dominated programs, they usually did it in the first year. Women who joined a doctoral class with no other females were 10 percentage points more likely to drop out in that first year.

The researchers looked at two potential reasons why women may be dropping out: research funding and grades.

If female students were less likely to obtain research funding than their male peers, that could be an important reason why they're failing to finish. But the study found no real differences in funding for men and women.

Results did show that women had slightly lower grades than men when they were in male-dominated classes. Women who joined a class with no other females had first-term GPAs that were 0.11 grade points lower than their male peers.

"That's not enough to make a big difference," Bostwick said. "We estimate that grades could not explain more than a quarter of the difference between the number of women and men who graduate within six years."

Bostwick said that if grades or research funding are not the main reason for why women are not completing their STEM degrees, that suggests the reason must be something that can't be directly measured: the academic climate for women.

"We can only speculate about what it is in the climate that is making it more difficult for women," Bostwick said.

"It may be hard to feel like you belong when you don't see other women around you. There may be subtle discrimination. We don't know. But it highlights the fact that women need support, particularly if they are the only ones entering a doctoral class. They need to know about resources that could help them, particularly in that first key year."

###

The research was supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging, the National Institutes of Health's Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research, the National Science Foundation, the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Ewing Marion Kauffman and Alfred P. Sloan foundations.

Contact: Valerie Bostwick, Bostwick.21@osu.edu

Bruce Weinberg, Weinberg.27@osu.edu

Written by Jeff Grabmeier, 614-292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.eduAn unusual infrared emission detected by the Hubble Space Telescope from a nearby neutron star could indicate that the pulsar has features never before seen. The observation, by a team of researchers at Penn State, Sabanci University in Turkey, and the University of Arizona, could help astronomers better understand the evolution of neutron stars--the incredibly dense remnants of massive stars after a supernova. A paper describing the research and two possible explanations for the unusual finding appears September 17, 2018 in the Astrophysical Journal.

"This particular neutron star belongs to a group of seven nearby X-ray pulsars--nicknamed 'the Magnificent Seven'--that are hotter than they ought to be considering their ages and available energy reservoir provided by the loss of rotation energy," said Bettina Posselt, associate research professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State and the lead author of the paper. "We observed an extended area of infrared emissions around this neutron star--named RX J0806.4-4123-- the total size of which translates into about 200 astronomical units (or 2.5 times the orbit of Pluto around the Sun) at the assumed distance of the pulsar."

This is the first neutron star in which an extended emission has been seen only in the infrared. The researchers suggest two possibilities that could explain the extended infrared emission seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. The first is that there is a disk of material--possibly mostly dust--surrounding the pulsar.

"One theory is that there could be what is known as a 'fallback disk' of material that coalesced around the neutron star after the supernova," said Posselt. "Such a disk would be composed of matter from the progenitor massive star. Its subsequent interaction with the neutron star could have heated the pulsar and slowed its rotation. If confirmed as a supernova fallback disk, this result could change our general understanding of neutron star evolution."

The second possible explanation for the extended infrared emission from this neutron star is a "pulsar wind nebula."

"A pulsar wind nebula would require that the neutron star exhibits a pulsar wind," said Posselt. "A pulsar wind can be produced when particles are accelerated in the electric field that is produced by the fast rotation of a neutron star with a strong magnetic field. As the neutron star travels through the interstellar medium at greater than the speed of sound, a shock can form where the interstellar medium and the pulsar wind interact. The shocked particles would then radiate synchrotron emission, causing the extended infrared emission that we see. Typically, pulsar wind nebulae are seen in X-rays and an infrared-only pulsar wind nebula would be very unusual and exciting."

Although neutron stars are generally studied in radio and high-energy emissions, such as X-rays, this study demonstrates that new and interesting information about neutron stars can also be gained by studying them in the infrared. Using the new NASA James Webb Space Telescope, due to launch in 2021, astronomers will be able to further explore this newly opened discovery space in the infrared to better understand neutron star evolution.

###

In addition to Posselt, the research team included George Pavlov, and Kevin Luhman at Penn State; Unal Ertan and Sirin Caliskan at Sabanci University in Instanbul, Turkey; and Christina C. Williams at the University of Arizona. The research was supported by NASA, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, the U.S. National Science Foundation, Penn State, the Penn State Eberly College of Science, and the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium.Condensation heat transfer plays an essential role in the efficiency of various energy-intensive industrial technologies including power generation, energy utilization, water desalination and harvesting, air-conditioning, and thermal management of electronics. It is well known that dropwise condensation on the hydrophobic surface (Fig. 1A), where the frequent roll-off of condensed droplets, e.g. on a vertical surfaces, helps to refresh the surface that is exposed to the vapor, has an order of magnitude higher heat transfer efficiency than that of filmwise condensation on the hydrophilic surfaces (Fig. 1B). Promoting dropwise condensation by surface modification has thus been of great interest since its discovery. However, the long-standing challenge for better condensation heat transfer performance is to improve both droplet growth and surface refreshing. Compared to water-repellent micro/nanostructured materials for self-cleaning, drag reduction, anti-corrosion and anti-fogging, it is extremely challenging to create large-area superhydrophobic surfaces cost-effectively on metals with high thermal conductivity to fulfill both fluid mechanics and thermal requirements.

Metallic micro-networks with interweaving liquid channels, such as copper micro-meshes and micro-foams, have been widely exploited in various industrial applications including oil-water separation and catalyst support medium due to their low cost and good scalability. These copper meshes and foams have also been used to improve liquid wicking capability for high-heat-flux boiling and evaporation heat transfer. However, the systematic study on the fundamental mechanism of vapor condensation on the woven meshes is still lacking. Ronggui Yang and colleagues from the University of Colorado Boulder, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, and Dalian University of Technology, presented a superhydrophobic hierarchical mesh-covered (hi-mesh) surface to enable continuous sucking flow of liquid condensate (Fig. 1C), which sustains enhanced condensation heat transfer performance, under very large surface subcooling. This work, entitled "Sustaining enhanced condensation on hierarchical mesh-covered surfaces", was published in National Science Review (Natl Sci Rev 2018; doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwy098).

In this work, commercially available copper woven meshes are used as the starting materials. The typical structural features of the hi-mesh surfaces are formed by bonding a woven copper mesh onto the plain copper substrate (Fig. 1D). High-density knife-like copper oxide nanostructures are formed on all the exposed surfaces of the substrate and mesh wires (Fig. 1E), which serve as nucleation sites for droplet formation and growth. During vapor condensation, the nucleated droplets on the substrate rapidly grow and coalesce to form a thin liquid film in the interconnected channels between the substrate and woven mesh layer. When small droplets growing on the mesh wires merge with the thin liquid film, they can be efficiently removed by being pulled into the liquid film, accelerating surface refreshing for droplet re-nucleation and growth on the mesh wires. With continuous droplet-to-film coalescence, the interweaving channels can be filled with liquid condensate. Once the liquid film overcomes the Laplace pressure and grows out of the woven mesh layer, the surrounding liquid film can be continuously drawn out in the form of gravity-driven falling droplets, resulting in rapid surface refreshing (Fig. 1F). By coupling the high-performance dropwise condensation on mesh wires and thin liquid film condensation in the interweaving channels, the sucking flow condensation outperforms both filmwise and dropwise condensation heat transfer performance (Fig. 1G).

This work significantly advances the field of condensation heat transfer enhancement including the scalable-manufactured materials, novel liquid removal mechanism, and unprecedented heat transfer enhancement. In particular: 1) a superhydrophobic hi-mesh surface that can be scalably manufactured is fabricated using low-cost commercial meshes; 2) a novel sucking-flow liquid removal mechanism is demonstrated to promote both surface refreshing and droplet growth; 3) Unprecedented condensation heat transfer enhancement is demonstrated over a wide range of surface subcooling, compared to state-of-the-art dropwise condensation on other micro/nanostructured surfaces.

The demonstration of sustaining enhanced condensation on the hi-mesh surfaces is not only of fundamental scientific importance, revealing the novel sucking-flow enhanced liquid removal; it also tackles the long-standing challenge in pushing micro/nanostructured materials into the practical applications. Bridging the gap between the water-repellent surfaces and high-performance phase-change heat transfer processes, such low-cost hi-mesh surfaces are readily available to be deployed at scale for a wide range of energy and water applications including power generation, water harvesting and desalination, air conditioning, and thermal management of electronics.

###

This research received funding from the financial support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

See the article: Rongfu Wen, Shanshan Xu, Dongliang Zhao, Lixin Yang, Xuehu Ma, Wei Liu, Yung-Cheng Lee and Ronggui Yang

Sustaining enhanced condensation on hierarchical mesh-covered surfaces

Natl Sci Rev 2018; doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwy098

https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwy098

The National Science Review is the first comprehensive scholarly journal released in English in China that is aimed at linking the country's rapidly advancing community of scientists with the global frontiers of science and technology. The journal also aims to shine a worldwide spotlight on scientific research advances across China.Long before bacteria had to contend with antibiotic drugs, they had to survive extreme temperatures as Earth warmed and cooled over millennia. Could the adaptations they evolved to temperature -- especially heat -- help explain why certain strains are resistant to certain drugs? A new study by a research team at the University of California-Los Angeles that includes Santa Fe Institute External Professors Pamela Yeh and Van Savage suggests that defenses against extreme temperatures, do, indeed, give E. coli bacteria an advantage in fending off certain drugs.

"Our code name for this paper was 'temperature as drugs.' Because we found that different temperatures had to act as a stressor just as a drug acts as a stressor to a bacterial population," says Yeh. "So it came from a real basic question: Do drugs affect bacteria in some of the same ways that temperature affects bacteria?"

It turns out that the same mechanisms E. coli evolved to deal with temperature endowed it with a built-in defense against drugs. But this advantage only goes so far: while heat-tolerant bacteria may be better able to resist drugs that stress bacteria in the same way high temperatures do, that also makes them more sensitive to drugs that mimic the effect of cold.

The work could help doctors administer antibiotics in a more precise way.

"I think it's an interesting first step, because if we think about how we treat a patient with an infection, depending on where it is, your body has different temperatures at different locations," says Tina Manzhu Kang, a first co-author of the study. "We found some antibiotics work better with lower temperatures. So that's something you might want to consider when deciding on a treatment."

The team is now looking at how other stressors may have affected E. coli. "There have been a number of other stressors that have been there since the beginning of life, such as pressure. We think the bacteria may have also adapted its resistance to these stressors to help deal with more recent forms of stress, like antibiotics," says Mauricio Cruz-Loya, the paper's other first co-author.

###

The paper, "Stressor interaction networks suggest antibiotic resistance co-opted from stress response to temperature," appears in The ISME Journal.UNIST and Ulsan will initiate a research collaboration to develop human organs-on-chips in hoping to reduce the time and cost for new drug discovery.

The UNIST-WRIRM-UniBasel Organ Mimetic Research Center has announced that it has been selected as the 2018 Global Research and Development Center (GRDC) program by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). Jointly promoted by UNIST, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WRIFM) and the University of Basel (UniBasel) in Switzerland, the center aims to study the research field of organ-on-chip models.

The center will receive about KRW 3.3 billion from the government over the next six years and develop organs-on-chips, which will further accelerate new drug development. Ulsan will also contribute KRW 600 million (100 million won per year) to help nurture the regional biomedical industry. In addition, the center will also receive $3.3 million (KRW 3.74 billion) and $2.97 million (KRW 3.36 billion) in funding WRIFM and UniBasel, respectively.

Organs-on-chips are miniature devices that recreate the natural physiological microenvironment of human cells within specific tissues and organs. These devices can help study how drugs interact with specific human organs and have the potential to predict the activity and toxicity of drugs better than using animal models. Each organ-on-a-chip can then be linked to others to investigate systemic drug effects.

"Existing preclinical drug screening, which relies on cultured cells or animal experiments, does not reflect the physiological environment in which human organs work," says Professor Cheol-Min Ghim in the School of Life Sciences at UNIST and Director of the UNIST-WRIRM-UniBasel Organ Mimetic Research Center. "Organs-on-chips show great promise in mimicking human tissues and organs and are a good candidate to overcome the problems of current organs-on-chips, such as time consumption and the ethical dilemma of animal testing.

3D bioprinting technology is also one of the biomimetic technologies that has received much attention, along with organs-on-chips. It uses a variety of cells and biomaterials to create complex 3D structures, similar to that of human tissues and organs.

"By advancing the existing 3D bioprinting technology that can mimic biological systems of human tissues and organs, we may one day be able to realize the development of organs-on-chips with 3D-printed biomimetic blood vessel networks," says Director Ghim. "If we could use that for new drug screening, there will be a major paradigm shift in new drug discovery."

###A research team, affiliated with UNIST has examined the rates of liquid penetration on rough or patterned surfaces, especially those with pores or cavities. Their findings provide important insights into the development of everyday products, including cosmetics, paints, as well as industrial applications, like enhanced oil recovery.

This study has been jointly led by Professor Dong Woog Lee and his research team in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST and a research team in the University of California, Santa Barbara. Published online in the July 19th issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the study identifies five variables that control the cavity-filling (wetting transition) rates, required for liquids to penetrate into the cavities.

In the study, Professor Lee fabricated silicon wafers with cylindrical cavities of different geometries. After immersing them in bulk water, they observed the details of, and the rates associated with, water penetration into the cavities from the bulk, using bright-field and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Cylindrical cavities are like skin pores with narrow entrance and specious interior. The cavity filling generally progresses when bulk water is spread above a hydrophilic, reentrant cavity. As described in "Wetting Transition from the Cassie-Baxter State to Wenzel State", the liquid droplet that sits on top of the textured surface with trapped air underneath will be completely absorbed by the rough surface cavities.

Their findings revealed that the cavity-filling rates are affected by the following variables: (i) the intrinsic contact angle, (ii) the concentration of dissolved air in the bulk water phase, (iii) the liquid volatility that determines the rate of capillary condensation inside the cavities, (iv) the types of surfactants, and (v) the cavity geometry.

"Our results can used in the manufacture of special-purpose cosmetic products," says Professor Lee. "For instance, pore minimizing face primers and facial cleansers that remove sebum need to reduce the amount of dissolved air, so that they can penetrate into the pores quickly."

On the other hand, beauty products, like sunscreens should be designed to protect the skin from harmful sun, while preventing pores clogging. Because, clogged pores hinder the skin's function of breathing or exchange of carbon dioxide and then cause further irritation, pimples, and blemished areas on your skin. In this case, it is better to reduce volatility and increase the amount of dissolved air in the cosmetic products, as opposed to facial cleansers.

"This knowledge of how cavities under bulk water are filled and what variables control the rate of filling can provide insights into the engineering of temporarily or permanently superhydrophobic surfaces, and the designing and manufacturing of various products that are applied to rough, textured, or patterned surfaces," says Professor Lee. "Many of the fundamental insights gained can also be applied to other liquids (e.g., oils), contact angles, and cavities or pores of different dimensions or geometries."

###

This study has been supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Journal Reference

Dongjin Seo et al., "Rates of cavity filling by liquids," PNAS (2018).A new study published today in Nature shows that getting smaller was a key factor contributing to the exceptional evolution of mammals over the last 200 million years.

The origin of modern mammals can be traced back more than 200 million years to the age of dinosaurs. But while dinosaurs evolved to become some of the largest land animals, for the following 150 million years, the ancestors of all modern mammals pursued an entirely different strategy: getting very small.

An international team of scientists from the United Kingdom and the US have used modern computer analysis to take a look at what happened to the skeleton of our tiny mammal ancestors.

Modern mammals are unique in having a lower jaw consisting of just a single bone that bears teeth. In contrast, all other vertebrates possess complex lower jaws formed by at least five or more bones joined together. In the course of evolution, fossils show that the lower jaw of mammalian ancestors became simplified and a new jaw joint was formed, while some of the other bones moved into the middle ear to aid in hearing.

The team's research focussed on the long-standing question of how it was possible to simplify and restructure the lower jaw, while still being able feed and hear. Using X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning of several fossil skulls and lower jaws, the researchers generated digital models which were subjected to different computer simulations.

Their results showed that the small size of the fossil mammals significantly reduced the stresses in the jaw bones when feeding, while still being powerful enough to capture and bite through prey, such as insects.

Dr Stephan Lautenschlager, lead author and lecturer at the University of Birmingham, said: "Our results provide a new explanation of how the mammalian jaw evolved over 200 million years ago. Getting very small appears to have been crucial for our mammalian ancestors. This allowed them to reduce the stresses in the jaw during feeding and made the restructuring of the jaw bones possible."

Professor Emily Rayfield from the University of Bristol who lead the study added: "The evolution of the mammalian jaw joint has perplexed palaeontologists for over 50 years. Using computational methods we can offer explanations to how our mammalian ancestors were able to maintain a working jaw while co-opting bones into a complex sound detection system. Our research is about testing ideas of what makes mammals unique among the animal kingdom, and how this may have come about."

###

The international team of collaborators on this research also includes Dr Pamela Gill (University of Bristol), Professor Zhe-Xi Luo (University of Chicago, USA), and Professor Michael Fagan (University of Hull).

The research was carried out at the University of Bristol and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, UK.

Notes to editors

'The role of miniaturisation in the evolution of the mammalian jaw and middle ear' by Stephan Lautenschlager, Pamela Gill, Zhe-Xi Luo, Michael J. Fagan and Emily Rayfield is published in Nature.

The University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world's top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 6,500 international students from over 150 countries.

The University of Bristol

The University is ranked within the top 10 universities in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2019); it is also ranked among the top five institutions in the UK for its research, according to new analysis of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014; and is the 4th most targeted university by top UK employers. The University is a major force in the economic, social and cultural life of Bristol and the region, but is also a significant player on the world stage. It has over 16,000 undergraduates and nearly 6,000 postgraduate students from more than 100 countries, and its research links span the globe.

Images

Please note: all images are for single use only to illustrate this press release and are not to be archived. Please credit the copyright holder in each case.

IMAGE CAPTION: Life reconstruction of the mammaliaform Morganucodon found in Jurassic sediments of Wales and China. Morganucodon was one of the smallest fossil mammal ancestors with a size of 4-6cm. (Image credit: Bob Nicholls, Paleocreations.com)Covert sensing of objects around a corner may soon become a reality.

Aristide Dogariu, a University of Central Florida Pegasus Professor of Optics and Photonics, and his colleagues published a paper in Nature Communications this month demonstrating how to passively sense an object even when direct vision is impeded.

It's a bit complicated, but the new sensing method the UCF team developed could lends itself to a number of practical applications, including use in defense, surveillance, search and rescue and medicine.

Imagine trying to see something around a corner. This is easily done with mirrors, but imagine that light from the object can only reach the detector after it bounces off a diffusing wall that acts like a shattered mirror. Even though light looks totally dispersed, some of its initial properties do not completely vanish. Dogariu and his colleagues were able to measure subtle similarities in the scattered light, undo the effects of this broken mirror, and get an idea of what lies around the corner.

"The fact that fundamental properties are not completely destroyed when light bounces off a diffuse medium like a wall can be used in so many different ways," says Dogariu. "The question is, how much information you can still recover through this broken mirror-like surface."

When a digital picture is taken, the spatial distribution of light across an object is mapped point by point, pixel by pixel, onto the plane of the camera. However, in its propagation from object to the camera, properties of light can be affected by what the light reflects off of. When it reflects off of a mirror, a clear image can be produced. But when it is reflected off of a shattered mirror, for example, the direction of light is altered and only a distorted version of the image can be seen.

Dogariu and his colleagues have found a way to describe how this measure of similarity between two points, called spatial coherence of light, transfers in a reflection from a diffuse wall. By learning how the light transforms, the researchers can determine where the light came from. Dogariu describes their findings as an aspect of light propagation that has simply been overlooked before. By undoing the effects of the diffusing wall, Dogariu and his colleagues have eliminated the need to control the light that illuminates the target object.

This is the first time that there has been a practical demonstration of passively detecting an object around a corner in this way.

The technique does not recover a complete image but collects more than enough information needed for task oriented surveillance.

"The potential of this technique goes beyond sensing," says George Atia, a professor in EECS and member of a larger UCF team funded under Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Revolutionary Enhancement of Visibility by Exploiting Active Light-fields project that initiated this research. "Based on results of our recent simulations, we envision that non-line-of-sight, passive imaging of complex scenes could be achieved by data fusing that combines spatial coherence with additional intensity information."

Until now, detection of objects around a corner has only been possible by emitting light toward the object and modifying some of its properties, say by sending a pulse of light, the light will bounce off the diffuse wall, onto the object, to the diffuse wall again, and back to the detector. The amount of time the light takes to return to the detector is then used to triangulate the position of the object. The problem with such methods is that the emission of light discloses the intent to see, which can be problematic in covert situations.

The new sensing method is not specific to light. It could be applied for example to infrared or microwaves radiation.

###

The other co-authors on the Nature Communications paper are Mahed Batarseh, Sergey Sukhov, Zhean Chen, Heath Gemar, Roxana Rezvani from UCF.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRL FLORIDA. Founded in 1963 with a commitment to expanding opportunity and demanding excellence, the University of Central Florida develops the talent needed to advance the prosperity and welfare of our society. With more than 66,000 students, UCF is one of the nation's largest universities, offering more than 200 degree programs at its main campus in Orlando and more than a dozen other locations in Central Florida and online. UCF was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the nation's top 25 most innovative universities along with Harvard, Stanford and Duke, and has been described by The Washington Post as "part of a vanguard that is demolishing the popular belief that exclusivity is a virtue in higher education." For more information, visit ucf.edu.ANN ARBOR--As childhood obesity rates rise and physical education offerings dwindle, elementary schools keep searching for ways to incorporate the federally mandated half-hour of physical activity into the school day.

A series of recent University of Michigan studies found that two-minute bursts of in-class exercise breaks increased the amount of daily exercise for elementary children without hurting math performance. More importantly, when incorporated into classrooms across southeast Michigan, teachers found the breaks were doable and didn't disrupt learning.

"What we're showing is that we can give kids an additional 16 minutes of health-enhancing physical activity," said Rebecca Hasson, principal investigator and one of the lead authors.

Hasson, U-M associate professor of kinesiology and nutritional sciences, is the director of the Childhood Disparities Research Laboratory, which collaborated on the five studies with the U-M schools of public health, education, and architecture and urban planning, and Project Healthy Schools, a statewide community-Michigan Medicine collaborative.

While 16 minutes doesn't sound like much, it adds up, Hasson said. Kids are supposed to get an hour of exercise a day--30 minutes of that during school. Most don't.

"Many kids don't have PE every day but they might have recess, and if they get 10 more minutes of activity there, it would meet that school requirement," Hasson said. "This doesn't replace PE, it's a supplement. We're trying to create a culture of health throughout the entire school day, not just in the gym."

The Active Class Space lab studies examined the effect of activity breaks on mood, cognition, appetite and overall physical activity of 39 children in Hasson's lab. A study done in real classrooms tested the feasibility of implementing inPACT (Interrupting Prolonged sitting with ACTivity), the exercise program Hasson and her colleagues developed.

In the lab studies, kids ages 7-11 completed four experiments: eight hours of sitting, interrupted with two-minute low-, moderate- or high-intensity activity breaks, and eight hours of sitting interrupted with two minutes of sedentary screen time.

Findings show that when the sitting was interrupted with high-intensity activity breaks, children maintained their usual activity levels away from the laboratory, thereby burning an additional 150 calories a day without overeating. Unlike adults, children in the study didn't compensate for the increased exercise by sitting around after school or by eating more, Hasson said.

While mood was higher immediately following the screen-time breaks compared to the activity breaks, children reported positive mood during both the sedentary and exercise conditions, and they subsequently rated the activity breaks as more fun.

And, after high-intensity activity, overweight and obese children enjoyed improved moods all day, Hasson said. This suggests children reflected upon the exercise and took more satisfaction in it.

All of the activity breaks elicited the same level of math performance, and when Hasson took the exercise breaks to real classrooms, teachers could do them.

"We got a lot of pushback at first. The fear was that teachers would be overloaded," Hasson said. "Teachers get a lot of stuff thrown at them. Our experience was that teachers were all very positive about exercise. They know it's good for the kids. They were open to the idea but they needed more information on how to do it safely."

U-M's College of Architecture and Urban Planning and School of Education, along with Project Healthy Schools staff, helped design classrooms to accommodate exercise and to safely get kids exercising and then back to class work quickly.

"Teachers were worried it would make kids more rowdy, but 99 percent of kids were back on task within 30 seconds of doing activity breaks," Hasson said. "We even had one teacher who did an activity break in the middle of a math exam--she realized the benefit of getting them up and moving."

Initially, researchers requested that teachers do 10 three-minute breaks, but most teachers averaged between five and six breaks--about 15-18 minutes of activity. Schools in disadvantaged districts didn't complete as many activity breaks as schools in wealthier districts. Hasson is currently working to eliminate this disparity by adding elements of game playing--point scoring, competition, reward system--to increase physical activity enjoyment in the children.

Based on these studies, Hasson said next they'll try five, four-minute activity breaks totaling 20 minutes, and gauge the impact on mood, activity levels, calorie intake and cognition.

###

Study links:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28605263

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0188986

https://journals.humankinetics.com/doi/abs/10.1123/jpah.2016-0552

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29485933

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-tj/Fulltext/2018/09150/Feasibility_of_the_InPACT_Intervention_to_Enhance.1.aspxStudents who witness violence in school at age 13 are at later risk of psycho-social and academic impairment at age 15, according to a new longitudinal study by researchers at Universite de Montreal with colleagues in Belgium and France.

In the study, published today in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Michel Janosz of UdeM's School of Psycho-Education and his international team looked at a stratified cohort of nearly 4,000 Quebec high-school students. The researchers statistically tested the relationship between witnessing school violence in Grade 8 and subsequent antisocial behavior (drug use, delinquency), emotional distress (social anxiety, depressive symptoms), and academic adjustment (school achievement, engagement) in Grade 10. They also compared the relative contribution of differing forms of witnessing school violence and compared them to experiencing violence directly over the long term.

"Previous studies suspected that adolescents who witness violence might be at risk of experiencing post-traumatic psychological problems, but they could not rule out whether the students showing bystander effects were not already having such problems beforehand," said Janosz noted.

"The Quebec cohort was ideal because we had psychological information on the students before witnessing the violence and this really makes a big difference scientifically in terms of rigor," he continued. "There was less interference from confounders and other plausible explanations. Plus, we were able to follow up with the the students a couple of years later - a huge advantage."

Added co-author Linda Pagani, also a professor at the School of Psycho-Education: "There were several take-home messages. First, witnessing school violence in Grade 8 predicted later impairment at Grade 10. Second, bystander effects were very similar to being victimized by violence directly."

Different forms of violence

In their study, the researchers examined different forms of violence. Witnessing major violence (physical assaults, carrying weapons) was associated with later drug use and delinquency. The effect was the same for hidden or veiled violence (theft and vandalism). On the other hand, witnessing minor violence (threats and insults) predicted increases in drug use, social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and decreases in engagement and participation at school.

"Most students reported witnessing violence," said Janosz. "It is clear that approaches to prevention and intervention should include witnesses as well victims and perpetrators and target all forms of school violence. Of course, actively supportive family and community relationships represent important resources for facilitating coping strategies after having been exposed to events associated that inflict psychological or physical harm. These also prevent emotional desensitization to violence which also contributes to aggressive behavior in youth."

He continued: "We believe that after-violence intervention programs would benefit from a population-based approach that encourages and normalizes concern for others and intolerance for disrespect. More importantly, schools should seek to empower bystander students who are not directly involved in acts of school violence, rather than giving them messages to stay uninvolved. Schools need to understand that discouraging student involvement can be interpreted by youth as promoting self-centeredness at the expense of community well-being. Nobody should feel powerless."

###UPDATE 6:32 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018 - At the bottom of this article you can find a video of the debate between Denney and LaMalfa, produced by SCAC-TV, the community access station managed by the Shasta County Arts Council.

ANDERSON, Calif. - Sunday afternoon hundreds of citizens gathered for a forum designed to help people decide who is the best fit for California's 1st district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Republican incumbent Doug LaMalfa is facing Democratic challenger Audrey Denney. They debated and answered questions from the audience in a Shasta County League of Women Voters' debate on Sunday, to a standing room only crowd.

Action News Now reporter Spencer Joseph was at the candidate forum and says the two candidates touched on everything from local issues like the raising of Shasta Dam, to national issues such as health care and immigration.

Joseph said the recent fires were a topic that was touched on again and again by the candidates. They addressed both firefighting funding and the recovery efforts for the Carr, Hirz and Delta Fires.

The forum was civil and even light-hearted, Joseph said.

Prior to the event, the moderator for the League of Women Voters' debate said that they wanted to get more than 400 people out to the event to hear out the candidates.

"We want them to look at each candidate for who they are, what they stand for, where they're going, what they plan to do. We changed the location of the forum just a couple days ago anticipating that we would have more than 400 people. So we can house more than 400 people here [Anderson Union High School Auditorium]."

This was one of two forums to be held for the District 1 House of Representatives race.

The second debate will be held on Sept. 17 in Plumas County at the Graeagle Fire Hall at 7 p.m.Spacecraft and satellites could in future be launched into space without the need for fuel, thanks to a revolutionary new theory.

Dr Mike McCulloch, from the University of Plymouth, first put forward the idea of quantised inertia (QI) - through which he believes light can be converted into thrust - in 2007.

He has now received $1.3million from the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for a four-year study which aims to make the concept a reality.

The QI theory predicts that objects can be pushed by differences in the intensity of so-called Unruh radiation in space, similar to the way in which a ship can be pushed towards a dock because there are more waves hitting it from the seaward side.

The theory has already predicted galaxy rotation without dark matter, and the fact that if a system is accelerated enough - such as a spinning disc or light bouncing between mirrors - the Unruh waves it sees can be influenced by a shield. Therefore, if a damper is placed above the object, it should produce a new kind of upwards thrust.

Chemical rockets are very expensive because of the explosive propellant they need, so this new kind of thruster would be much cheaper and safer as it would only need a source of electrical power to accelerate the core of a thruster.

Dr McCulloch, Lecturer in Geomatics at the University, believes the study could benefit all forms of propulsion and transport, with a potentially transformative impact on space launch systems, aircraft and cars.

He said: "I believe QI could be a real game changer for space science. I have always thought it could be used to convert light into thrust, but it also suggests ways to enhance that thrust. It is hugely exciting to now have the opportunity to test it."

The research is being funded through DARPA's Nascent Light-Matter Interactions (NLM) programme, which aims to improve the fundamental understanding of how to control the interaction of light and engineered materials.

It will see Dr McCulloch collaborating with experimental scientists from the Technische Universitat Dresden in Germany, and the University of Alcala in Spain.

Over the first 18 months, the Plymouth team will seek to develop a fully predictive theoretical model of how matter interacts with light (Unruh radiation) using the quantised inertia model. This will provide a new predictive tool for light-matter interactions.

A series of experiments will then be conducted in Germany and Spain to test whether the thrust is specifically due to quantised inertia, and whether it can be enhanced significantly.

"Ultimately, what this could mean is you would need no propellant to launch a satellite," Dr McCulloch added. "But it would also mean you only need a source of electrical power, for example solar power, to move any craft once it is in space. It has the potential to make interplanetary travel much easier, and interstellar travel possible."

###By focusing on values and activities that transcend themselves, people became more receptive to acting on otherwise-threatening health advice; they also became more active in the weeks that followed

Public health messages often tell people things they don't want to hear: Smokers should stop smoking. Sedentary people need to get moving. Trade your pizza and hot dogs for a salad with lean protein.

For many people, these messages trigger our natural defenses. They make us feel bad about ourselves and our choices, leading our subconscious to reject the healthy encouragement.

However, a new study published in PNAS found that a simple priming exercise in which sedentary people think beyond themselves before viewing health messages can make those messages more effective. Not only did participants' brain activity show that they were more receptive to the messages, but they actually became more physically active in the weeks that followed.

The study involved 220 sedentary adults who were either overweight or obese -- people whose lack of physical activity puts them at increased risk for a variety of negative health outcomes.

"One of the things that gets in the way of people changing their behavior is defensiveness," explains senior author Emily Falk, Associate Professor of Communication, Psychology, and Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication. "When people are reminded that it's better to park the car further away and get in a few more steps, or to get up and move around at work to lower their risk for heart disease, they often come up with reasons why these suggestions might be relevant for somebody else, but not for them."

To combat those defensive feelings, researchers engaged the participants in one of two self-transcendence tasks and compared their responses to those in a non-transcendent control group. Self-transcendence tasks required participants to think about values bigger than themselves -- such as people they loved and cared about -- and did so while the subjects were in an fMRI machine, allowing researchers to see their brain activity in real time.

The first self-transcendence group reflected on things that mattered most to them. If they chose "friends and family," they might be asked to think about times in the future when they might feel close to their friends and family. If they chose "spirituality," they might be asked to think about times when they might connect with God or other sources of higher power.

A second self-transcendence group was asked to make repeated positive wishes for both people they knew and for strangers. These included hopes that your friends would be joyful or that others would be well.

Meanwhile, a control group reflected on their least important values.

Then all the participants viewed blunt health messages that encouraged them to be more active, or explained why their current behaviors put them at risk. For example:

Getting more active will strengthen your muscles. Stronger muscles will make it easier for you to get around and do the things you enjoy for longer.

Make a habit of walking up and down the stairs whenever you can. Avoid taking the elevator as often as possible.

The American Heart Association says sedentary people like you are at serious risk for heart disease. This means more pills and higher risk of sickness and death.

In the month that followed, participants received daily text messages that repeated the experiment in miniature, priming them to think self-transcendent thoughts (or neutral control thoughts) before they received health messages. The also wore fitness trackers to monitor their activity.

Those who had completed either of the self-transcendence tasks were significantly more active in the month that followed, with less time spent being sedentary.

In addition, the researchers found that during the self-transcendence tasks, people showed greater activity in brain regions involved in reward and positive-valuation, when compared to the control group.

"People often report that self-transcendence is an intrinsically rewarding experience," says lead author Yoona Kang, a postdoctoral fellow with the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. "When you are having concerns for others, these can be rewarding moments."

These rewarding feelings, the researchers believe, can lead people to be more open to hearing otherwise-unwelcome health advice.

"If you let people first 'zoom out' and think about the things and people that matter most to them," says Falk, "then they see that their self-concept and self-worth aren't tied to this particular behavior -- in this case, their lack of physical activity."

Kang also points out that allowing people to feel part of something larger than themselves can have positive health effects.

"People are capable of doing things for their loved ones that they'd probably never do for themselves," she says. "The idea of self-transcendence -- caring for others beyond one's own self-interest -- is a potentially powerful source of change."

The researchers are currently testing a phone app for the general public which delivers daily pairs of self-affirming and health messages, like those used in the study. Click here to download the app from the iTunes store.

###

"Effects of Self-Transcendence on Neural Responses to Persuasive Messages and Health Behavior Change" was published today in PNAS. Authors on the paper include Yoona Kang, Nicole Cooper (University of Pennsylvania), Prateekshit Pandey (University of Pennsylvania), Christin Scholz (University of Amsterdam), Matthew Brook O'Donnell (University of Pennsylvania), Matthew Liberman (University of California, Los Angeles), Shelley Taylor (University of California, Los Angeles), Victor Strecher (University of Michigan), Sonya Dal Cin (University of Michigan), Sara Konrath (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis), Thad Polk (University of Michigan), Kenneth Resnicow (University of Michigan), Lawrence An (University of Michigan), and Emily Falk.

This research was supported by NIH/National Cancer Institute Grant 1R01CA180015-01 (P.I. Emily Falk) and NIH New Innovator Award 1DP2DA03515601 (P.I. Emily Falk), as well as funding from the John Templeton Foundation, U.S. Army Research Laboratory under cooperative agreement W911NF-10-2-0022, and HopeLab.A University of Texas at Arlington associate professor has received a state grant that will support hiring mentors to guide and encourage students in the Pathways Program at local GO Centers.

Carla Amaro-Jimenez, associate professor in the College of Education's Department of Curriculum and Instruction and director of the Pathways to College Access and Career Readiness Program, was awarded a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board grant to support the effort.

The 2018-19 Texas College Work-Study Mentorship grant is worth $140,406.

The Pathways Program serves the Arlington, Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Mansfield, Burleson, Everman, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw and Grapevine/Colleyville school districts, and has been in place for nearly 10 years. More than 41,000 students were served in the last seven years. The GO Centers are located on public school campuses and serve as a places to introduce those public school students to what is necessary to pursue a college education.

The program supports college access and career readiness for high school students, parent outreach and early college experiences. Pathways places college students from all classifications and majors in high schools and provides these students with academic tutoring and mentoring, assistance with the application process, and hands-on opportunities to apply for financial aid and scholarships. The mentors also help school counselors promote a college-going culture in as many as 24 local high schools.

"The mentors hired are an invaluable source of information for the students served. Though highly trained on processes and key milestones, the mentors also draw on their own experiences - many of them as the first in their families to go to college - as they guide students and families through the college selection, application and admittance process," Amaro-Jimenez said.

Though the majority of the students served select college as their plan after high school, the mentors also provide support for students who want to look for employment and/or join the Armed Forces.

More than 250 mentors have worked for the Pathways program since its inception, including 27 in the 2017-18 academic year.

Dariela Gonzalez is a GO Center mentor for the Pathways Program.

"Sometimes I will have students come in and freak out because they know what they want to do after high school but have no idea where to start," Gonzalez said. "The program has been really beneficial to students who take advantage of it because it helps them to not be as stressed trying to get all the information needed for post-graduation.

She said the students using the GO Center come from different backgrounds.

"Some, for example, have been told all their life that college is not a possibility, so giving them the information they need to know that college can be a possibility goes to show how the students' lives are impacted by the program."

Gabriel Escobedo, a former GO Center mentor and now a doctoral candidate at Indiana University, spent four years in the Pathways Program.

He has come full circle because as an Arlington Seguin High School student, Escobedo used the GO Center. That exposure peaked his interest in UTA, where he received a 2014 bachelor's degree in anthropology with Honors and Summa Cum Laude.

"During that time I learned more about myself and passed what I knew to the students I served," Escobedo said. "I had access to many resources that I could use to continue my own education. I learned to selflessly help others by working with students. From that I learned to be a role model and strive for success in all its forms so that those who will quickly follow would have a path to walk."

Escobedo had a full college experience at UTA but the GO Center was different. "The GO Center was my other home," Escobedo said. "It was my metropolis where I felt that everyone who entered through that door was someone who could use a hero to help them. The program gave me the cape I needed to fly and lift them up. Over the years I have helped hundreds of students go to college with scholarships. Many of my former students still contact me for aid and some even invited me to their college graduation."

###KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Dr. Barry Rouse, veterinarian and an immunologist in the Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Services at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, has received the American Veterinary Medical Association's Lifetime Excellence in Research Award. The national award is given annually in recognition of outstanding contribution to the veterinary or biomedical professions through basic, applied or clinical research.

When Rouse joined the UT faculty in 1977, there were fewer than 10 viral immunologists in the world, and he was the first one to work with the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) model in mice.

Named a Distinguished Professor in 1994 and a UTIA Institute Professor in 2017, Rouse is world renowned for his immunopathology research discoveries involving HSV-1 and ocular disease. His research has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1978, garnering more than $20 million in funding and producing more than 400 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts.

Passionate about training and developing the next generation of scientists, Rouse has mentored more than 75 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who have enjoyed successful academic careers at places like the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Stanford University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His past and current students identify him as not only tough on them but tough on everybody; he questions the status quo and counts among his hobbies "making people discuss and defend their views."

Rouse is often invited to lecture, deliver keynote addresses and present his scholarly research across the world. He has also won several awards for his research most notable of which was the Alcon award for his contributions to vision research and an award from the Humboldt foundation which supported sabbatical leave in Mainz, Germany. He has been very active in grant reviewing for NIH and other research funders. He is a member of numerous editorial boards and a reviewer for many journals.

A 1965 veterinary graduate of the University of Bristol in England, Rouse also earned a doctoral degree in immunology at the University of Guelph, performed postdoctoral studies at the world renowned Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia, and earned a Doctor of Science degree at the University of Bristol.

###

The Lifetime Excellence in Research Award was presented at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium held at Texas A&M University in August.

One of 30 veterinary colleges in the United States, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine educates students in the art and science of veterinary medicine and related biomedical sciences, promotes scientific research and enhances human and animal well-being.

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrates 50 years of excellence in providing Real. Life. Solutions. through teaching, discovery, and service. ag.tennessee.edu.Lymphatic vessels that clean the brain of harmful material play a crucial role in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests. The vessels appear to carry previously unknown messages from the brain to the immune system that ultimately trigger the disease symptoms. Blocking those messages may offer doctors a new way to treat a potentially devastating condition that affects more than 2 million people.

The discovery comes from the lab of UVA researchers who identified the lymphatic vessels surrounding the brain, vessels that textbooks long insisted did not exist. In an exciting follow-up, the researchers have determined that the vessels play an important role in not only multiple sclerosis but, most likely, many other neuroinflammatory diseases and in dangerous brain infections.

"Our data suggests that there is a signal coming from the brain to the lymph nodes that tells immune cells to get back into the brain, causing the [multiple sclerosis] pathology," said researcher Antoine Louveau, PhD, of UVA's Department of Neuroscience and its Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG). "This is an important proof of principle that exploring the role of these vessels in different neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, is worth it."

Stopping Multiple Sclerosis

The researchers at UVA, led by Jonathan Kipnis, PhD, were able to impede the development of multiple sclerosis in mice by targeting the lymphatic vessels surrounding the brain. They used multiple strategies to block the lymphatics or destroy them with a precision laser. All led to the same outcome: a decrease in the number of destructive immune cells capable of causing paralysis.

"The idea was to prevent more widespread damage to the nervous system," said researcher Jasmin Herz. "If communication of brain inflammation through lymphatic vessels is the root cause of multiple sclerosis, therapies targeting these vessels could be clinically important."

The message from the brain that appears to drive multiple sclerosis remains poorly understood. The researchers can tell the message is being sent, and they can tell what it is instructing the immune system to do, but they don't yet know what mechanism the brain is using to send it. "I think the next step in this specific research is to identify what that signal is. Is it a cellular signal, is it a molecular signal?" Louveau said. "And then to try to target that signal specifically."

The researchers noted that removing the vessels did not stop multiple sclerosis entirely. That suggests there are likely other factors at play - and much more for scientists to explore.

An Important Proof of Principle

UVA's new research offers important insight into the function and role of the lymphatic vessels that connect the brain to the immune system. In most aspects, they work exactly as scientists would expect - just like other lymphatic vessels in the body.

"Meningeal lymphatic vessels are quite small compared to other lymphatics in the body, and we and others wondered if this might limit the amount and size of cargo they can pass through," Herz said. "During inflammation, they did not change in size or complexity much, but what was really exciting to discover [was that] they allowed whole immune cells to traffic through them, and we found the molecular cues for that."

But the lab's recent research also highlights the complexity doctors face when trying to manipulate the vessels to benefit human health. For example, blocking the vessels had a benefit in the multiple sclerosis model, but the lab has also shown that the vessels' healthy function is vital to staving off Alzheimer's disease and preventing the cognitive decline that comes with age.

That means that it's unlikely that stopping MS could be as simple as blocking the flow inside the vessels. It also suggests that there is probably no one treatment approach that will work for every neurological disorder. But the emerging importance of the vessels offers doctors an exciting new avenue for tackling neurological diseases.

"These findings on the role of brain-draining lymphatic vessels in MS, together with our recent work on their role in Alzheimer's disease, demonstrate that the brain and the immune system are closely interacting. When these interactions go out of control, pathologies emerge," said Kipnis, chairman of UVA's Department of Neuroscience and director of the BIG Center. "The idea that we could target major neurological disorders through therapeutic manipulation of peripheral structures, such as lymphatic vessels, is beyond exciting. Through our collaboration with PureTech Health, we hope to bring these laboratory findings to improve patients' lives one day."

Kipnis recently signed a deal with biopharmaceutical company PureTech Health to explore the potential clinical applications of his discoveries.

###

Findings Published

The researchers have published their findings in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Neuroscience. The research team consisted of Louveau, Herz, Maria Nordheim Alme, Andrea Francesca Salvador, Michael Q. Dong, Kenneth E. Viar, Grace Herod, James Knopp, Joshua Setliff, Alexander L. Lupi, Sandro Da Mesquita, Elizabeth L Frost, Alban Gaultier, Tajie H. Harris, Rui Cao, Song Hu, John R. Lukens, Igor Smirnov, Christopher C. Overall, Guillermo Oliver and Kipnis.

The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, grants AG034113, NS096967 and HL073402; the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; the German Research Council; and by a LE&RN Postdoctoral Fellowship Award.

To keep up with the latest medical research news from UVA, subscribe to the Making of Medicine blog at makingofmedicine.virginia.edu.September 14, 2018 - Women receiving silicone breast implants may be at increased risk of several rare adverse outcomes compared to the general population, reports a study in Annals of Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

"We are reporting an analysis of the largest prospective study to date on silicone breast implant safety," comments Mark W. Clemens, MD, and colleagues of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. "We are sharing critical information on complication rates and rare associations with systemic harms. This data gives women important safety information about silicone breast implants to have real expectations and to help them choose what is right for them." Based on an FDA-mandated "postapproval" database, the analysis is the largest study of breast implant outcomes to date.

First Analysis of Data Collected after Re-Approval of Silicone Breast Implants

In the early 1990s, the FDA prohibited the use of silicone breast implants in response to public concerns about health risks including cancer, connective tissue diseases, and autoimmune diseases. Subsequent research found no link between breast implants and these diseases. In 2006, the FDA approved silicone gel-filled implants from two manufacturers (Allergan and Mentor Corp), stipulating that the manufacturers conduct large postapproval studies (LPAS) to monitor long-term health and safety outcomes.

"Despite abundant data collection, and open public access, the LPAS database had not yet been analyzed and reported," according to Dr. Clemens. The researchers analyzed data on nearly 100,000 patients enrolled in the LPAS between 2007 and 2009-10. More than 80,000 patients received silicone implants; the rest received implants filled with sterile saline solution.

Seventy-two percent of the patients underwent primary breast augmentation, 15 percent had revision augmentation, 10 percent had primary breast reconstruction, and three percent had revision reconstruction procedures. The large size of the database enabled researchers to assess the risk of rare adverse outcomes.

Women receiving silicone implants were at increased risk of several rare harms compared to the general population. The elevated risks included three conditions classified as autoimmune or rheumatologic disorders: Sjogren's syndrome, with a risk about eight times higher than in the general population; scleroderma, a seven-fold increase in risk; and rheumatoid arthritis, about a six-fold increase in risk.

"These findings are associations compared to the general population and determining why these associations are observed or any causation requires further study," says Dr. Clemens.

Silicone implants were also associated with a 4.5-fold increase in the risk of stillbirth, but no significant increase in the risk of miscarriage. Risk of melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer, was nearly four times higher in women with silicone implants. There was no significant association with the risk of suicide, which had been suggested by a previous study. The database included just one case of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma - a rare but serious type of cancer previously linked to breast implants.

Compared to saline-filled implants, silicone implants were also linked to a higher risk of some surgical complications. These included capsular contracture (scarring around the implant), which occurred at a rate of 5.0 percent with silicone implants versus 2.8 percent with saline-filled implants. Capsular contracture occurred in 7.2 percent of primary breast augmentation procedures, and was the most common reason for reoperation in this group.

While certain rare harms appeared to be more common in women with silicone implants, absolute rates of these adverse outcomes were low. The researchers emphasize that their results are inconclusive, due to limitations inherent in the use of postapproval databases - including the lack of complete patient information and individual follow-up data.

"To resolve the remaining uncertainty in the evidence base, it is important that this data be analyzed in an unbiased manner," Dr. Clemens and coauthors write. "It remains the plastic surgery community's duty to provide definitive evidence for the risks associated with breast implants."

###

The new study is Published Ahead-of-Print at the Annals of Surgery website. It will publish in print in an upcoming issue of the journal and will be accompanied by editorials from the FDA and two respected authorities in the field of plastic surgery.

Click here to read "US FDA Breast Implant Postapproval Studies: Long-term Outcomes in 99,993 Patients"

DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000002990

About Annals of Surgery

Annals of Surgery, the world's most highly referenced surgery journal, provides the international medical community with information on significant contributions to the advancement of surgical science and practice. Surgeons look to Annals of Surgery first for innovations in practice and technique. Special editorial features include "Advances in Surgical Technique," which provides up-to-the-minute coverage of current clinical issues, and monthly review articles that cover the most current practice concerns. The journal is affiliated with the American Surgical Association and the European Surgical Association.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the health, tax & accounting, finance, risk & compliance, and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer, headquartered in the Netherlands, reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The company serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide.

Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students with advanced clinical decision support, learning and research and clinical intelligence. For more information about our solutions, visit http://healthclarity.wolterskluwer.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth.this news is not availableAfter last Fridays announcement confirming new US tariffs on China, the market fears what could happen next.

Data for the week ahead is quiet for the US, but emerging markets feature heavily.

After stabilization in USD/TRY, the market will look for other currencies to follow.

After an event filled week last week, the calendar is quieter in the sessions to come. President Trump finally confirmed the $200Bn China tariffs last Friday, and while this was widely expected, the market is now nervous as to what China will announce in retaliation.

EURUSD is still range-bound between 1.153 support and 1.172 resistance, which was tested on Friday. If the resistance convincingly breaks, it will trigger a bullish technical pattern with a target of 1.21. The issue is whether there is significant enough news as a catalyst for this degree of rally.

GBPUSD likewise is on the verge of a bullish rally as it holds above 1.3. Yet with so much headline risk around Brexit and Theresa Mays tentative grip on power, will there be enough big buyers to drive prices higher?

Data in the week ahead is less important for the US, which is clearly in a strong economic phase, but there are plenty releases which will tell us about the health of the rest of the world.

Monday September 17

US-Canada trade talks resume today, with Thursday being a deadline for the final report on Sep 30. The $200Bn China tariffs confirmed on Friday could start at any time. The NY Empire State manufacturing index print is at 12:30 (all times GMT), but the only important news of the day is Eurozone CPI, and even this is usually a non-event, as the constituent countries have already reported.

Tuesday September 18

There are no important US releases today. The minor Redbook Index (a proxy for Retail Sales, which was released last week and is itself a proxy for CPI) is released at 13:55. In the EM arena, there are new polls out for the presidential race in Brazil, and a rate decision on HUF from the MNB (Magyar Nemzeti Bank, Hungarys CB). HUF is down 7.89% against USD so far this year, although it is off its lows. Hungarian CPI is also released today. There is a small possibility of some trade dialogue between China and the US at UN meetings held today. North and South Korea start a two day summit. ECB President Draghi speaks at 07:15. The RBA minutes are unlikely to surprise.

Wednesday September 19

Wednesday is this weeks big day for news. In EMs we have South African CPI at 08:00, the Brazilian rate decision at 17:00, and Argentina GDP at 19:00. The reason we watch these during the current EM crisis is contagion theory. Very bad news from any EM country can precipitate severe moves, which in turn can be reflected in other EM currencies. If the contaminated currency then has further bad news and, say, breaks a key support level, a chain reaction can occur. In mainstream markets, again the US is quiet. The key news of the day is UK CPI, although this is muted as the UK rate decision was last week. BoE Chief Economist Haldane speaks in Estonia at 08:00.Privacy Settings

This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit.

NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using.The Spirit (Legacy) Pension Scheme is one of the leading pub retailer and brewers, two final salary schemes. It has secured a 50m bulk annuity with Scottish Widows to cover some of the scheme's pensioners, with the intention of securing further annuities in the future when supported by the scheme's asset strategy and available market pricing. This annuity improved the return on scheme assets while reducing risk. The approach of de-risking in tranches is a growing market trend. As a result, repeat buyers have represented over half of the bulk annuity market in recent years. This transaction was run by Aon using its streamlined process on the market-leading Compass platform, which is designed to maximise insurer participation and enable a quick transaction from a winning bid. The success of this approach was demonstrated in the active involvement of Scottish Widows and other bidders who normally prioritise larger transactions. This transaction included a very clearly defined annuity structure and pre-negotiated contracts provided through Eversheds Sutherland. Aon also provided due diligence advice integrated into the broking process to allow a quick decision.



Iain Urquhart, chairman of the trustees of the Spirit (Legacy) Pension Scheme, said: "The scheme has progressed well on its journey to providing full and permanent benefit security, and reaching this important landmark as part of the wider plan represents good progress." Richard Smothers, Chief Financial Officer at Greene King, added: "I am pleased to take this important step in reducing the risk from our pension arrangements on attractive terms and to the benefit of our scheme members." Dominic Grimley, Risk Settlement adviser at Aon, said: "Careful positioning using Aons Compass platform was a key element in obtaining strong pricing in a busy market and an efficient transaction. The trustees and company reacted quickly to capture a market opportunity, and the Scottish Widows team showed great commitment. Emma Watkins, Director of Individual and Bulk Annuities at Scottish Widows, said: "We are proud that the trustees have chosen to insure members' benefits with us as part of their ongoing de-risking plan. The preparatory work they had done with their advisers and the streamlined auction process allowed the transaction to be implemented smoothly."

About AEA

The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association and the largest in its field. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products and organizations to improve their effectiveness. AEAs mission is to improve evaluation practices and methods worldwide, to increase evaluation use, promote evaluation as a profession and support the contribution of evaluation to the generation of theory and knowledge about effective human action. For more information about AEA, visit www.eval.org.A supplier of bedding to Macy's is under scrutiny in Texas for allegedly misleading consumers about the quality of one of its products.

Sunham Home Fashions markets its four-piece Barrett Collection queen sheet set as having a 1,400-thread count. Yet a third-party test commissioned by the state's Agriculture Department found it has a thread count of 505, "which constitutes a materially false, misleading or deceptive act or practice," the agency said in a July 25 letter.

"TDA has determined the distributor, manufacturer and retailer may have engaged in deceptive acts and practices within the State of Texas," according to the letter sent to Sunham's New York office, Sunham Bedding Ltd., and Macy's, and obtained by Bloomberg.

Thread count is the term for how many threads are in each square inch of material. Broadly speaking, the higher the count, the softer and more pricey the sheets.

Sunham President Jane Bognacki initially said she would speak with a reporter, but then didn't respond to subsequent voicemails or emails. Macy's declined to comment.

Vartest Laboratories conducted the test on the sheet set. The state agency, in its letter, called for the companies involved to either stop selling the sheet set or to accurately repackage it to reflect the correct thread count.

As of Sept. 17, Macy's was still offering the Barrett Collection sheet set, which is made of a cotton and polyester mix. The queen-size set has a list price of $200 on the retailer's website, though a sale and extra discounting brought the price to $55.99. The package back says the set is made in India. Amazon.com Inc. and Bed Bath & Beyond are among other retailers that carry products from closely held Sunham, which was founded in Hong Kong in 1962.

The TDA also recommended that the Texas Attorney General and Federal Trade Commission investigate further and, if they determine deception occurred, "prosecute said actions to the fullest extent of federal and state law."

The state's Agriculture Department can enforce penalties on Texas-based companies, according to spokesman Mark Loeffler. But in situations where a company is based outside of the state, it refers the case to the Attorney General's office and the FTC.

Kayleigh Lovvorn, a spokeswoman with the Texas Attorney General's office, confirmed receipt of the letter, though declined to comment further. A spokesman for the FTC declined to comment.

This isn't the first case of alleged linen fraud. In 2016, Target ended its relationship with textile giant Welspun India after the retailer discovered that 750,000 sheets and pillowcases labeled as Egyptian cotton under the Fieldcrest brand didn't contain any Egyptian cotton and were made from a mix of lower-quality fibers. Target, whose investigators analyzed sheet fibers under microscopes and tracked their supply chain, had been Welspun's second-largest customer, behind Bed Bath & Beyond. Target offered refunds to customers.Cheniere Energy on Monday announced that it has agreed to sell liquefied natural gas to global oil trader Vitol, its latest long-term sales agreement as it ramps up exports from its facilities on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

As part of the flexible 15-year deal, Vitol, based in Switzerland, will purchase about 700,000 metric tons of LNG a year from Chenieres marketing arm. Shipments are expected to begin this year.

Vitol, active in the LNG market since 2005, delivers LNG around the world and maintains gas storage facilities in six European countries.

We believe that LNG has an important role to play in the future energy mix, Vitol CEO Russell Hardy said in a statement.

The deal comes as Europe looks to import more natural gas to help shift its power generation away from coal. U.S. officials have recently called for domestic LNG producers to ramp up exports to the continent, long reliant on Russian natural gas transported via pipeline.

Steven Winberg, assistant secretary of fossil energy, warned last week during a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that Europe was becoming more dependent on Russian natural gas during a tense period for U.S.-Russia relations.

That does not have to be the case, he said. Our nation is endowed with vast supplies of natural gas and production is growing rapidly.

The U.S. is quickly becoming a global player in LNG as companies look to build export terminals amid a boom in natural gas production in West Texas, Appalachia and elsewhere. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has been pushing to expedite its reviews of projects planned for the Gulf Coast and the East Coast.

The agency earlier this month issued regulatory schedules for its environmental review of 12 LNG export facilities, including six in Texas. Among them were Freeport LNGs project in Brazoria County, Sempra Energys Port Arthur project and NextDecade LNGs project in Brownsville.

Cheniere in early 2016 became the first U.S. company to export LNG from its Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana. The company, which now ships to at least 20 foreign markets, is expanding that terminal and building a second one in Corpus Christi.

Virginias Dominion Energy also began exporting LNG from a terminal in Maryland earlier this year.

Other U.S. companies are expected to begin exports next year. Freeport LNG is working to open its Gulf Coast terminal at Quintana Island, and Kinder Morgan is completing an export terminal in Georgia.When you fire up the steel offset smoker and get the fire tamed to optimal conditions for a prolonged cook, dont waste any of the real estate inside the unit. Managing the fire to the ideal temperature is an art that needs to be respected, and $50 worth of wood can burn away quickly.

So get some more good with the wood.

Brisket often takes a good 12 hours or more inside a pit set to 225 degrees. Ribs will take at least three or four, and a full chicken needs at least two. So if you already are committed to spending so much time on the pit, you may as well maximize that time by doubling or tripling up on the food inside it.

RELATED: San Antonio pitmaster makes cooking brisket a nearly 24-hour affair

Now Playing: Here's how to take advantage of long cook times by adding as many items to the pit as possible. Video: San Antonio Express-News

The slow-smoked meat needs company, and you can provide it at minimal cost with items that can round out the meal and add some punch to your pantry. Here are some of my favorite additions every time I start the stick burner with fresh flames:

Almonds: I prefer to get them raw and unsalted, but thats a personal preference. Because of their high fat content (about 45 grams per cup), almonds take in the smoke like a sponge and can be exposed to the heat inside the pit for a really long time. They get hot, but they wont get mushy like a boiled peanut. Simply spread out the almonds on an aerated sheet that allows the smoke to hit as much of the nut as possible, and they will transform into ideal snacking fare after an hour or more. Other nuts (walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans) work well, too, but almonds hold up the best.

I like to make a lot of them at once (at least a pound), thinking thats enough to last days or even weeks  but they tend to be consumed as an appetizer or snack while the meat is cooking.

Corn on the cob: Im always perplexed why barbecue restaurants dont offer corn this way instead of creamed corn, because its an effortless addition to the pit, and its delicious. When in season, you can get up to six ears of corn at the grocery store for $1.

Simply pull back on the husks to remove the silk inside the ears, then pull them back over the corn. Soak the corn in a bucket of cold water for at least an hour, and put the corn on the smoker at the opposite end from the firebox. The corn needs at least an hour, but feel free to forget about it for up to three. The ears will take on a nice, smoky char, and the husks protect the kernels from getting too dehydrated, although they will beg to be buttered.

RELATED: Recipe: Mexican Street Corn-inspired Baby Corn

Potatoes: If Im smoking, you will find a batch of potatoes on my pit every single time. Whether you opt for russets or Yukon golds, potatoes are a natural addition because they require longer cook times and they are impossible to overcook. My process is to give them a good wash, stab them a few times with a fork, paint them with olive oil, liberally coat them with salt, and wrap them in aluminum foil.

After three hours, the potatoes should easily give with a slight press of the finger. They are a hearty side, and you can usually get a 10-pound sack for less than $5.

Salt: Grocery stores sell smoked salt, often upgraded to a premium price. Salt is salt, so there isnt much to it other than physically placing the grains in the smoker and letting them take in the fumes for an hour or more. I like to put a layer of Mortons coarse-ground kosher salt in a pan that allows the grains to get plenty of smoke exposure. The salt will maintain its gritty texture, and will only brown slightly.

Sausage: Whether you opt for beef or pork, sausage links  which often are sold presmoked  are the perfect Robin sidekick to whatever Batman is being featured on the pit. Like the almonds, sausage has a high fat content that makes it nearly impossible to overcook, and you can pile a lot of links into a small amount of smoker space.

I like to use locally made sausage, preferably sold in large, single links. There is some risk of ego-damage to the pitmaster  guests often will point out the quality of my sausage over the ribs, brisket or chicken that was supposed to be the focus of the meal. As long as they walk away happy 

Chuck Blount is a food writer and columnist covering all things grilled and smoked in the San Antonio area. Find his Chuck's Food Shack columns on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com, or read his other coverage on our free site, mySA.com. | cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: @bbqdiverA scientific mission into the secret ocean lair of Californias great white sharks has provided tantalizing clues into a vexing mystery  why the fearsome predators spend winter and spring in what has long appeared to be an empty void in the deep sea.

A boatload of researchers from five scientific institutions visited the middle-of-nowhere spot between Baja California and Hawaii this past spring on a quest to learn more about what draws the big sharks to what has become known as the White Shark Cafe, almost as if they were pulled by some astrological stimulus.

The sharks annual pilgrimage to the mid-Pacific region from the coasts of California and Mexico has baffled scientists for years, not just because it is so far away  it takes a month for the sharks to get there  but because it seemed, on the surface, to be lacking the kind of prey or habitat that the toothy carnivores prefer.

But the researchers made a remarkable discovery. Instead of blank, barren sea, the expedition, led by scientists with Stanford University and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, found a vast community of tiny light-sensitive creatures so tantalizing that the sharks cross the sea en masse to reach them.

The primary lure, scientists believe, is an extraordinary abundance of squid and small fish that migrate up and down in a little understood deep-water portion of ocean known as the mid-water, a region skirting the edge of complete darkness that could provide an immeasurably valuable trove of information about the ocean ecosystem and climate change.

The story of the white shark tells you that this area is vitally important in ways we never knew about, said Salvador Jorgensen, a research scientist for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and one of the expeditions leaders. They are telling us this incredible story about the mid-water, and there is this whole secret life that we need to know about.

The researchers focus, a 160-mile-radius subtropical region about 1,200 nautical miles east of Hawaii, was essentially unknown to science until marine scientist Barbara Block, of Stanford Universitys Hopkins Marine Station, began attaching acoustic pinger tags to white sharks 14 years ago.

Block discovered that the local sharks, known as northeastern Pacific whites, feed on elephant seals and other marine mammals in the so-called Red Triangle, between Monterey Bay, the Farallon Islands and Bodega Head, from about August to December. She also tracked their movements into San Francisco Bay and around Guadalupe Island, in Mexico.

But then, each December, the acoustic tags showed a mass movement out to sea that was as confusing to the researchers as it was surprising.

Block found that the sharks were leaving the food-rich waters along the West Coast to spend spring and most of the summer in a patch of open ocean about the size of Colorado, a place that looked in satellite images like an empty, oceanic Sahara desert.

She named it the White Shark Cafe even though she wasnt sure whether the sharks went there for food or sex.

To find out, Block organized the monthlong expedition in April and May aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institutes research vessel Falkor, which was equipped with high-tech instruments, sail drones and a remotely operated submarine. Last fall, before departure, her team of scientists tracked down 36 local sharks using acoustic signals and fitted them with high-tech satellite monitoring tags with locator beacons programmed to pop off and float to the surface during the cafe expedition.

The scheme worked. The researchers got data from 10 of the 22 tags that floated up and signaled the Falkor that they had detached and were bobbing around ready to be collected, an exercise that Jorgensen called a white shark treasure hunt. The scientists also obtained recorded information on shark movements and behavior over the previous months from six other great whites through radio uplinks. The rest only transmitted their location or were not recovered.

Now Playing: A great white shark was seen chomping on the carcass of a whale on July 19, 2018 by the crew of an AllWater Charter boat. Video: AllWater Charter

The data on the recovered tags documented highly unusual diving behavior at depths scientists had rarely before seen in white sharks.

On the way to the cafe, the sharks made periodic dives 3,000 feet deep, a surprising discovery given that the big fish normally wouldnt be able to stay warm enough to digest food in such cold, pressurized depths. The sharks, researchers found, were using warm circular currents to get down the water column, suggesting they were following prey. Still, it isnt clear what they were eating.

Know your great white sharks Great white sharks, known scientifically as Carcharodon carcharias, are protected under state legislation that makes it illegal to fish for them. The trade in shark parts - mainly jaws and fins - is also illegal internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. They average 15 to 16 feet in length, but can grow much larger. The biggest white shark ever recorded was caught in 1939 and it was 21 feet long and weighed 7,300 pounds. Starting in late summer and fall, an estimated 220 white sharks feed offshore of the Farallon Islands, Ano Nuevo and Drakes Bay, but at least 20 have been documented over the years inside San Francisco Bay, including one seen devouring a seal in 2015 just a few feet off Alcatraz Island. Female sharks typically visit the Gulf of the Farallones in alternate years, suggesting that their migration pattern is tied to a two-year reproductive cycle. DNA testing has shown the sharks off the coast of California are genetically unique compared with other great whites. Researchers tagged 37 great white sharks last year and have given them names including Torpedo, Scargirl, Sicklefin, OrcaFin and ShawShark Redemption. The oldest and longest studied shark is a 16-foot, 3,158-pound great white named Tom Johnson, which was first seen off the Farallon Islands in 1987. The only reported fatal human-shark encounter off San Francisco shores occurred in May 1959, when 18-year-old Albert Kogler Jr. died after he was attacked in roughly 15 feet of water while swimming off Baker Beach. Eleven people have been killed by sharks off the California coast since the first documented attack on a human in Pacific Grove in December, 1952. The body of a probable 12th victim was never found, so he isn't counted. Sources: Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station; Monterey Bay Aquarium; Schmidt Ocean Institute; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. See More Collapse

Once they reached their destination in late winter and early spring, the animals engaged in bounce dives down to 1,400 feet below the surface during the day and 650 feet at night, Jorgensen said.

In April, the male sharks started behaving very differently from the females, moving individually up and down the water in a V-shape as many as 140 times a day, Jorgensen said. The females, on the other hand, continued their previous behavior, diving deep during the day and shallow at night, he said.

The scientists still havent figured out the disparate gender behaviors.

Either they are eating something different or this is related in some way to their mating, Jorgensen said.

Whats clear so far is that, like the hidden community of specialized wildlife in the Sahara, the shark cafe is a swirling mass of tiny phytoplankton, fish, squid and jellies. They move up and down in a soupy layer deep under water, a kind of twilight zone just below where sunlight stops penetrating the ocean depths.

Its the largest migration of animals on Earth  a vertical migration thats timed with the light cycle, Jorgensen said. During the day they go just below where there is light and at night they come up nearer the surface to warmer, more productive waters under the cover of darkness.

Its a surreal deep water world populated by bioluminescent lantern fish and other species that have evolved amazing adaptations to darkness, Jorgensen said.

Scientists in recent years have discovered hundreds of new species in deep water zones like this one. The uniquely abundant mass of fish draws all kinds of predators, like small cookiecutter sharks, which have evolved light-emitting organs called photophores on the underside of their bodies that act, to prey, like invisibility cloaks.

The white sharks arent the only large predators tracking the mid-water creatures. Squid-eating bigeye tuna, blue and mako sharks also frequent the cafe. Jorgensen said these larger fish may be what the white sharks eat, but there isnt any definitive evidence of that.

What weve learned through the progression of our research is that this mid-water layer is extremely important for white sharks, he said. They are swimming in these layers, tracking (prey) day and night. ... Its a game of hide-and-seek.

Scientists say this little understood mid-water zone is a biological laboratory that, with more research, could lead to biomedical breakthroughs and yield clues to how the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide and how species adapt to climate change. There is also concern that it is ripe for exploitation, particularly long-line and drift net fishing.

Triggered by some crypic mechanism, the sharks leave their mid-ocean sanctum during the summer and begin to gather along the coast of California around August.

Block said researchers will not know whether the sharks were feeding, mating or doing both during their time in the White Shark Cafe until the analyses are completed.

We now have a gold mine of data. We have doubled the current 20-year data set on white shark diving behaviors and environmental preferences in just three weeks, Block said. This will help us better understand the persistence of this unique environment and why it attracts such large predators.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @pfimriteBy John Stone After years of secrecy on the matter confirmation has finally come to light that Guardian Bad Science journalist Ben Goldacre is the son of Oxford professor of public health Michael J Goldacre ( HERE ). Prof Goldacre has been director since 1986 of the UK Department Health funded Unit of Healthcare Epidemiology ( HERE ). The family relationship is mentioned in a review of Goldacre juniors Bad Science book in the peer-review journal Medicine, Conflict and Survival (25, p.255-7, 2009)by Dr Ian Fairlie, but there has been a long term lack of candour about the matter. While the reasons for the secrecy remain unknown it is possible that if the relationship, which has never before been mentioned in the mainstream media or scientific publications, had been common knowledge it might have raised questions about the independence of the younger Goldacres views. Goldacre senior was a co-author of a study of the effects of GlaxoSmithKlines notorious Urabe strain version of MMR, Pluserix, after it was suddenly withdrawn from public use in 1992 ( HERE ): the Unit has produced several MMR related studies. Ben Goldacres column which started in 2003 has featured his largely epidemiological approach to health issues, most prominently MMR and autism. Coming apparently from nowhere, journalistically speaking, he was promoted to the role of an opinion leader from the outset. His early article MMR: Never mind the facts won the accolade of the GlaxoSmithKline sponsored Association of British Science Writers award for the best feature article of 2003. The article, however, used flawed epidemiology for which he later offered no defence ( HERE ), as well as including an anonymous attack on Andrew Wakefield by one of Wakefields colleagues. This was just the first of several notable interventions Ben Goldacre in the MMR affair. A stock-in-trade has been his generalised attacks on parents of MMR damaged children. His Bad Science blogsite for a long time offered this intimidatory advice to would-be contributors: ..personal anecdotes about your MMR tragedy will be deleted for your own safety ( HERE ) A fundamental of Ben Goldacres journalistic method is the ad hominem and he always talks across opponents: he can always depend on the greater prominence of his published views and he never answers the many awkward criticisms. The Goldacre dynasty seem to be one of several with on-going connections with the MMR affair:

Indeed, Goldacre was right: the claims were convoluted and tenuous. When the GMC finally brought in its verdict against the three doctors in January 2010 it managed to find them guilty both of conducting the Legal Aid Board protocol in the Lancet study and guilty of not conducting it at the same time. Since the Lancet paper was as Goldacre had stated a a perfectly good small case series report and  an early report as paper itself stated, Wakefield and colleagues were found with remarkable ingenuity to be in innumerable respects in breach of the terms of the protocol which they had reasonably pleaded they were not doing.By this stage, however, Goldacre had dumbed himself down and welcomed the verdict ( HERE ). In retrospect this looks like nothing so much as an elaborate ploy in which the medical and political establishment were giving themselves a policy in case the GMC failed to bring in a guilty verdict. If this had happened the polemical position evolved by Ben Goldacre over seven years, based on dodgy epidemiology, might have provided the main defence for MMR.There have been a number of other key moments when Ben Goldacre has intervened in the MMR debate. In 2005 Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips, alone in the journalistic profession, correctly spied the weakness in the newly published Cochrane review of MMR ( HERE ). While this had been successfully spun to give the impression MMR was safe, the real findings were that after sifting 5000 related studies and reviewing the 31 best the evidence base for MMR safety was largely inadequate, while individually several of the autism studies had come in for scathing criticism, and none of them was strong ( HERE ). Goldacre berated Phillips for knowing nothing about science, but the reality was that she was the only journalist who had taken the trouble to read the small print and dared to say the emperor had no clothes. There is no doubt in this attack that ad hominem prevailed over substantive discussion of the science ( HERE ). There is a dangerous message here from Goldacre of leave it to the scientists, but scientists are human, subject to institutional bullying and manipulation: many will not speak up against the powerful interests, or they speak, as did Cochrane, with forked tongue. Goldacres attack on Phillips sounded plausible, but the problem with the literature that Cochrane reviewed was not that the science was imperfect as Goldacre put it, it was that it was mostly no good whatsoever. And hiding behind a few weasel statements Cochrane had said just that.In 2007 Goldacre led an attack via the Guardian on its sister newspaper the Observer contributing to the dismissal of its editor, Roger Alton. The Observer had published ahead of the GMC hearing against Drs Wakefield, Walker-Smith and Murch an account of a study which showed the autism rate amongst Cambridgeshire schoolchildren to be running at 1 in 58. One of the authors concerned about the seriousness of the situation and delays in publication had leaked an early version of the paper to the newspaper. The story was denied by lead author Simon Baron-Cohen, ridiculed by Goldacre, and the Rwanda massacre denying director of Science Media Centre, Fiona Fox, organised an institutional hanging party against the newspaper. Then, a few months later, when the furore had died down, the article had been removed, the Observer editor sacked, Baron-Cohen gave a presentation at the London IMFAR conference, which showed that story had been correct all along ( HERE ) .It has been a lamentable feature of Ben Goldacres contribution to the public discussion of science in the UK that he has everywhere generated an atmosphere of intolerance in support of his views, and rather than raise the tone of the debate it has encouraged a new kind of scientific infantilism, in which you deride your opponents and defer to authority. The ruthlessness of this power was demonstrated when LBC radio journalist Jeni Barnett questioned the heavy-hand of the MMR lobby. She could not have been proved more right when the station was inundated by protests from Goldacres website, LBC removed the broadcast from its website, and Goldacre arranged for Liberal-Democrat Members of Parliament to organise a motion censuring Barnett: the second signatory inevitably being Evan Harris ( HERE HERE ).A recent development in Ben Goldacres career has been the projection of himself as an arbiter of research ethics. It remains hard to judge the sincerity of his position. While he has recently attacked GSK over the diabetes drug Avandia ( HERE ) this is only after many years of controversy surrounding the product and with the US Food and Drugs Administration about to take action. Only last year he led a hostile campaign against Express journalist, Lucy Johnston, for her reporting of GSKs HPV vaccine Cervarix. ( HERE ). Yet the long term efficacy of the product is still to be demonstrated, and to attack concerns about safety is to prejudice the issue in relation to those who suffer adverse effects. Goldacres angry denunciation is an essence no better than a public relations agenda (on behalf of whom?), and can only prejudice the science. Johnston, on the other hand, was just trying to report.There is not a little irony in the doctor-journalist who sells MMR is Safe T-shirts, mugs and baby-bibs from his website ( HERE ) calling for an end to scientific spin ( HERE ). Did Cochrane say that? No, Cochrane said The design and reporting of safety outcomes in MMR vaccine studies, both pre- and post-marketing is largely inadequate HERE , which is quite different. The calculation apparently would appear to be that we are by now all too stupid or too intimidated to call his bluff.I agree with Ben Goldacre, we need an end to spin and he can start at home: we not only need to know what we are being told, we also need to know why. And we can do with an end to the totalitarian tactics.

John Stone is UK Editor for Age of Autism.



WASHINGTON - No matter what happens, the way Christine Blasey Ford is treated this week will offer a gauge of the extent to which the #MeToo movement has - or has not - truly changed American politics and culture.

Ford's decision to go public on Sunday with her accusation that Judge Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were both in high school throws a wrench in Republican plans to advance his nomination through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday and to confirm him by the end of the month.

But it also sets the stage for a broader test just seven weeks before the midterms of who people will believe when there can be no definitive proof and what kind of behavior - if the allegations are true - will society tolerate in 2018.

Ford's lawyer, Debra Katz, announced Monday morning that her client is willing to come to the Capitol to testify about the allegations. "She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth," Katz said on NBC's "Today" show.

Counselor to President Donald Trump Kellyanne Conway said Ford "should be heard" but that it "should not unduly delay the vote on Judge Kavanaugh." "This woman should not be insulted, and she should not be ignored," Conway said on Fox News.

Ford, a professor of clinical psychology in California, alleges that during a house party in Montgomery County, Maryland, during the early 1980s - when she was 15 and Kavanaugh was 17 - he pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. She said that, when she tried to scream, he put his hand over her mouth.

In an interview with The Washington Post's Emma Brown, Ford said Kavanaugh and a friend who was with him were both "stumbling drunk," and that she was able to escape when the friend jumped on top of them. She said she ran from the room, briefly locked herself in a bathroom and then fled the house. "I thought he might inadvertently kill me," said Ford, 51. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

Kavanaugh "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegation in a statement issued Sunday by the White House. The 53-year-old declined to comment further on any of the specifics.

Many women heard echoes of Clarence Thomas's 1991 confirmation hearing. Anita Hill, also a professor, wanted to stay anonymous but when word leaked out about her identity she decided to come forward two days before the judge's scheduled confirmation vote with allegations that Thomas had sexually harassed her when she worked for him at the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and the Education Department. Thomas vigorously denied the charges, and he was confirmed anyway.

Angry about how Hill was questioned and dismissed by the senators, a record number of women ran for office in 1992 - which became known as the Year of the Woman. Only two women served in the Senate during the Thomas hearings. Four more would be elected the next year. Today there are 23 female senators.

"I was motivated to run for the Senate after watching the truly awful way Anita Hill was treated by an all-male Judiciary Committee interrogating her about the sexual harassment she endured at the hands of now-Justice Clarence Thomas," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the No. 3 in Democratic leadership and one of the 1992 winners, said in a statement. "And though we've certainly made progress since then . . . there's a whole lot that remains the same, and I am already seeing shameful partisan attacks against a woman speaking up about her sexual assault. . . . I urge my colleagues . . . to, above all, treat this survivor with empathy and humanity and make sure that the United States Senate in 2018 doesn't send the signal it sent to millions of women in 1991 who were scared to speak up, afraid to share their stories, and watched on television as someone very much like them was attacked and maligned."

The #MeToo tide has been strong. Two of the most powerful men in television, CBS chief Les Moonves and "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager, lost their jobs just last week because of allegations of sexual misconduct. They joined Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Mark Halperin and so many more.

"Nine members of Congress have lost their jobs over sex-related scandals in the past year,"Amber Phillipstabulated. Among them: Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

In Alabama, one of the reddest states in the country, Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore lost a special election last December after five women said he made sexual advances on them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s. Moore denied any wrongdoing, and his supporters emphasized that the incidents had occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The judiciary has not been spared either. Alex Kozinski retired as a federal appeals court judge late last year after more than a dozen women, including former clerks, law students and a fellow judge, said he had subjected them to a range of sexual misconduct. Kavanaugh clerked for Kozinski in the 1990s, and one of Kozinski's sons clerked for Kavanaugh last summer. Kozinski denied wrongdoing, but stepping down short-circuited a judicial investigation into the allegations. Kavanaugh said during his confirmation hearing earlier this month that he was unaware of Kozinski's alleged misdeeds until they surfaced publicly.

Ford is a professor at Palo Alto University and teaches in a consortium with Stanford University, training graduate students in clinical psychology.

Brock Turner was 19 and a star swimmer at Stanford when two graduate students spotted him on top of an unconscious woman after a fraternity party in 2016. They chased him down, and Turner was convicted by a jury of three felonies, including assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated person.

Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky, 56, sentenced Turner to six months in prison, even after the 23-year-old victim read an emotional 7,000-word statement explaining how the incident traumatized her. Explaining his leniency, Persky pointed to Turner's age, the fact that he and the victim were both drunk and that a harsher sentence could have a "severe" impact on Turner's life.

Turner was released after three months due to good behavior behind bars, which created a political uproar in the area. In June, Persky was removed from office as the result of a recall campaign organized by #MeToo activists who felt the judge let Turner off too easy. It was a high-profile illustration of how social mores have changed in a relatively short time about how sexual misconduct by young men should be treated.

On the other hand, Trump was elected in 2016 just a month after the disclosure of the "Access Hollywood" video, in which he was captured boasting about grabbing women's body parts without their consent. The then GOP nominee chalked it up to nothing more than "locker-room banter."

At least 13 women have publicly come forward with claims that Trump physically touched them inappropriately in some way.

In other ways, society has not changed. Just as in 1991, all 11 Republicans on the Judiciary Committee are still men. (Four of the 10 Democratic members are now women.) A spokesman for committee chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a statement Sunday that it was "disturbing that these uncorroborated allegations from more than 35 years ago, during high school, would surface on the eve of a committee vote. . ."

Grassley's office added that it wanted to arrange follow-up calls on Monday for staffers to interview Kavanaugh and Ford. Democrats said this is insufficient and called for a delay in the vote scheduled for Thursday to allow for a more thorough investigation. "To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a retiring Republican on the committee, called for a delay in the vote until Ford can tell her story. "I've made it clear that I'm not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further," Flake told Sean Sullivan. "For me, we can't vote until we hear more."

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who is also retiring, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has remained undecided, also signaled support for a delay. "The hearings are now over, and if there is real substance to this, it demands a response," Murkowski told CNN. "That may be something the committee needs to look into."

Ford's allegations will take pressure off moderate red state Democrats to vote for Kavanaugh. They now have a straightforward way to explain to their constituents why they won't defect. This means Kavanaugh can only afford to lose two Republican senators.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the ultimate decider about how this will be handled by the Senate, has yet to weigh in. He technically could bring Kavanaugh up for a vote on the floor even if the judge doesn't get approved by the committee.

Here are three questions to consider as the story plays out:

1. Will Trump attack Ford? "Three people close to the White House" told Politico that "they expect the president to go after Kavanaugh's accuser rather than to turn on the judge," just as he did with Roy Moore. "If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried," a lawyer close to the White House told Politico. "We can all be accused of something."

Others will recall the president's defense of former White House staff secretary Rob Porter after both of his ex-wives accused him of physical abuse, allegations Porter denies.

Trump faces an ongoing defamation lawsuit brought by former "Apprentice" contestant Summer Zervos, who claims the president sexually assaulted her in 2007. She sued him in 2017 after he called her a liar for claiming he had groped and forcibly kissed her 10 years prior. Trump says he didn't do it.

2. Beyond Murkowski, what will the Republican women in the Senate do? Most stayed silent on Sunday, including lawmakers who have spoken publicly about facing sexual harassment and assault.

Under fire for her handling of a sexual assault case involving service members under her command, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, announced during her 2014 campaign that she too had faced sexual harassment while in the military. She told Time that she faced unwanted "comments, passes, things like that" directed at her while serving in the Army. "These were some things where I was able to say stop and it simply stopped but there are other circumstances both for women and for men where they don't stop and they may be afraid to report it," she told Time.

3. What impact will this debate have on the midterms? Public polling has shown that 2018 is likely to bring a historic gender gap at the ballot box. The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that 66 percent of female registered voters disapprove of Trump, including 59 percent who disapprove "strongly." Among men, 52 percent disapprove, 45 percent strongly. The 14-point advantage that Democrats have on the generic ballot is driven largely by suburban women. Female voters favor Democrats by 58 percent to 33 percent, a 25-point margin.

These numbers put Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Dean Heller , R-Nev., already vulnerable incumbents up for reelection in November, in a potentially dangerous spot. Cruz, especially, could be in the hot seat. He emphasized during the confirmation hearing earlier this month that he's been friends with Kavanaugh for two decades.

No matter what happens, the complexion of Congress will be very different next year. But widespread backlash could lead to an even bigger crop of new female lawmakers. "Democrats have nominated 182 women for the House this year, according to the Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics, already cresting 40 percent of all House districts and setting a record that shatters the old mark of 120 nominees in 2016 by more than half," Sean Sullivan and Aaron Blake reported last week. "Republicans have 52 women, which is in line with recent elections. But the GOP's share of all female candidates - 22 percent - is the lowest it has been in at least 40 years. . . . As recently as 2010, the GOP had 34 percent of female nominees. . . . Democrats have also set a record of 15 female nominees for the Senate and 12 in gubernatorial races. Republicans have fewer than half in each case."

---

Video Embed Code

Video: Judge Brett Kavanaugh denied committing sexual or physical harassment as an adult when asked by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, on Sept. 5.(The Washington Post)

Embed code:Amanda Idell says when she was 15 she was raped by a stranger. Then she went to her bishop at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

My bishop asked me, Did you enjoy it? Did you orgasm? I considered this a man of God and that maybe I did something wrong to bring it upon myself, recalled Idell, 33, who then lived in Nevada and now lives in San Antonio, adding that she reported the allegation to Las Vegas police.

The shame she felt led her to attempt suicide. Monday marks the 18th anniversary of that attempt. In memory, she recently tattooed two spears over the scar where she had slit her wrist, a darkened spear representing her past and a clear spear pointing out, toward her future.

Now Playing: Isiah Carey interviews Sam Young. Video: Fox 26 Houston

Idells Facebook profile features a photo of her smiling with the words I stand with Sam, referring to Sam Young of Sugar Land, a former bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the owner of Liberty Office Products. She stands with him because he has exposed stories such as her own.

His website, Protect LDS Children, shares hundreds of stories of people like herself who are still struggling with the sexually explicit questions that can arise during private meetings between Mormon youth and their bishops. He has vocally called for an end of private meetings, asking for a second adult to be present.

His activism led church leaders to take disciplinary action. On Sunday afternoon, Young stood in the heart of Salt Lake City, a letter from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in hand. Inside was his fate with the church.

He opened the envelope and read the verdict aloud. He had been excommunicated.

The decision of the council is that you be excommunicated for conduct contrary to the laws and order of the church, Young read to a crowd as the entire event was streamed online. This means that you are no longer a member of the church and do not enjoy any privileges of membership.

When asked for the churchs reaction, spokesperson Eric Hawkins reissued the statement he released two weeks ago, when Young was headed to his excommunication hearing.

Because of the personal nature of Church disciplinary matters and to respect the privacy of those involved, Hawkins wrote, the Church does not provide information about the proceedings.

Youngs stake center in Sugar Land could not be reached for comment.

Natasha Helfer Parker, a Mormon therapist who works with people struggling with their faith, said the churchs decision was a blow to the hundreds of survivors who had shared their stories.

Ive had several survivors reach out to me very distressed, she said. Because in a sense, its a rejection of them as well.

Mormon leadership in March released new rules intended to address sexual abuse after months of protests. The updated policies allowed, but did not require, another adult to be in the room for meetings between church youth and local lay leaders.

Young said changes were not enough.

Janelle Brinton agreed. A former Mormon living in Houston, Brinton is troubled by the churchs stance because she has a niece and two nephews still in the Mormon church. Making the presence of a second adult optional was inadequate, she said, because social pressures prevented a parent from asking to sit in.

The only reason to be present while the bishop is interviewing is if you dont trust him, and that doesnt fly in the Mormon culture, she said. Thats seen as undermining or distrusting the authority of the divine mantle of the bishop.

On Sunday, in front of a crowd gathered at Temple Square, Young read aloud the explanation that accompanied his excommunication. The issue is not that you have concerns or even that you disagree with the churchs guidelines, he read. Rather, it is your persistent, aggressive effort to persuade others of your point of view.

Kent Belliston, who lived in Houston for several years and was present at Youngs Salt Lake City news conference, said afterward that he was not surprised by the churchs decision.

Sam Young challenged the Mormon church to the point where they basically had two choices: change or excommunicate him, he said.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the past has chosen excommunicating high-profile activists rather than changing its policies. In 2014, Kate Kelly of Arizona was excommunicated for founding a Mormon womens group (all members of the Mormon priesthood  and all of the bishops conducting worthiness interviews  are men). Three years ago, John Dehlin of Utah was excommunicated for publicly supporting same-sex marriage and the ordination of women.

After excommunication, former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have 30 days to appeal the decision. Young said he intended to do so.

He also doubled down on his exhortations for reform, warning the church that teenagers were making audio recordings during one-on-one meetings with bishops. He predicted the practice will spread. Many people are fed up. Teenagers have cellphones, he said. Churches will not be able to prevent teenagers from recording.

Bishops, be warned! he said. People are now watching! Children are now recording! Your livelihoods and reputations are at risk. My excommunication is a clear demonstration that the church is not serious about child safety. And they certainly dont give a damn about your safety, either, bishops.

While Young was being excommunicated, his daughter, Amy Breeden, was at church. Its so raw, she said Sunday evening, after learning the news. Weve spent countless hours discussing his intentions, his goals, the costs hes paying emotionally, socially, financially, physically.  His intentions about this are so pure. He wants to protect children  and when children are safe and protected, the church is safe and protected. To see this misunderstanding, and the church doing something that is so hurtful, its devastating.

She had yet to break the news to her own children, something also on Youngs mind. How do you explain to a child that the church is good, but they excommunicated your granddad? he asked.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline Vance, a member of the Mormon church in Houston, said the decision had strengthened her resolve to help others who have been harmed by worthiness interviews.

Since middle school, she said, interview questions about her chastity had caused extreme feelings of shame that she still struggles with at age 31. She believed that sexual urges were Satans influence; unable to repress them, she began thinking there was something seriously wrong with her. All the confusion and the shame drove me to self-harm, she said. I still have plenty of scars from that.

When she first met Young, Vance said, she broke down in ugly tears and cried on his shoulder. He was trying to prevent what happened to me from happening to other people, she said. Hes a hero. Hes our hero.

rebecca.schuetz@chron.com

twitter.com/raschuetzA state high court decision earlier this year has created a dispute among several law enforcement unions in Bexar County over which one will negotiate compensation with commissioners.

The conflict could force an election among union members to decide who takes the lead on collective bargaining, county attorney Edward Schweninger said last week.

Since 2005, the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County has negotiated compensation for its deputies with the county commissioners, Schweninger said.

But in April, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that constables also qualify as police officers and are entitled to collective bargaining.

In the wake of the ruling, the Texas Association of County Employees, which represents deputy constables in precincts 2, 3 and 4, sued the county to begin their own bargaining process. Another union, the Deputy Constables Association of Bexar County, also filed suit.

Representatives from both unions could not be reached for comment.

We have three different associations that currently represent various law enforcement groups within the county and that sets up a dilemma, Schweninger said, since it is only legally required to negotiate with one.

Its not for us to decide who the bargaining agent is, its for the officers, Schweninger said.

The county has now asked the three unions to hold an election to decide who will be the representative. According to county records and officials, there are many more deputy sheriffs than deputy constables.

Theres going to have to be some talks, Juan Contreras, president of the sheriff deputies union, told the commissioners.

Elections are expensive, Contreras said afterward. Whos going to pay for that?

Dylan McGuinness covers county government and local politics for the Express-News. Reach him at dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net and follow him on Twitter at @DylMcGuinness.For the first time in a week, the sun has come out  and so have the mosquitoes.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg is asking locals to work together to limit mosquito breeding, which is somewhat inevitable after heavy rain.

It takes only 24 hours for mosquitoes to hatch, so we really need your help, Nirenberg said in a video posted to Facebook.

RELATED: San Antonio on pace to break rainfall record for September; Edwards Aquifer is swelling

Nirenberg encouraged San Antonians to dump any stagnant water in or outside their houses. He also asked people to report mosquito problems in public areas to the city using the 3-1-1 app.

City crews will be out "in force" in public parks and on other city property to deal with the mosquitoes, Nirenberg said, but he emphasized the need for citizen participation as well.

"Only together, if we work on this, can we prevent the massive breeding of mosquitoes which always takes place after an onslaught of rain like this, and also prevent the mosquito-borne disease from spreading."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance. They can carry a number of diseases, including West Nile.

Click through the slideshow to see what San Antonio have the highest number of mosquito complaints.

S. M. Chavey is a staff writer for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here. | sarah.chavey@express-news.net | 210-250-3122 | Twitter: @smchaveyA super PAC backing the re-election of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas portrays Democratic nominee Beto ORourke, who represents El Paso in the U.S. House, as careless about border security.

A TV ad from the Texans Are PAC that we spotted on Austins Fox 7 Sept. 12, 2018, associates ORourke, who opposes the border-long wall sought by Republicans led by President Donald Trump, with taxpayer-funded benefits for immigrants and "sanctuary cities," a term that usually refers to communities that deter local law officers from asking individuals to share their immigration status.

The ads narrator follows up the mention of ORourkes support for sanctuary cities by saying, about ORourke, "while voting against border armor for Texas sheriffs patrolling the border." The ad also shows these words on screen: "No body armor for Texas sheriffs."

A 2014 House vote

Fine print below the ads mention of sheriffs and body armor helped us start our factual review. It said the claim about denying body armor to border sheriffs ties to an ORourke vote in June 2014 on the "Grayson Amendment."

Separately, we noticed, Cruzs campaign posted a press release in May 2018 mentioning the June 19, 2014, vote on the amendment. In that House-posted vote, ORourke was among 62 members (counting 43 Democrats) to vote for the amendment from then-Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Florida, which was rejected by 355 members (including 145 Democrats).

Cruzs release said "ORourke voted in favor of a bill that would prevent funding for the Defense Departments Excess Personal Property Program." The release said the program had provided law enforcement in the El Paso area with more than $9 million in equipment, including 156 units of body armor for the sheriffs office; 90 night vision units for the local border patrol; helicopters for the city police and border patrol; and other items such as trauma gear, fencing and generators.

Related: Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke agree to three debates starting next week

According to the Defense Logistics Agency, which oversees the program, more than 8,000 federal and state law enforcement agencies participate. "Law enforcement agencies use the equipment in a variety of ways," the agency says. "For instance, four-wheel drive vehicles are used to interrupt drug harvesting, haul away marijuana, patrol streets and conduct surveillance. The 1033 Program also helps with the agencies general equipment needs, such as file cabinets, copiers and fax machines that they need but perhaps are unable to afford."

Our web search for more information about the roll-call vote cited in the Texans Are ad led us to the text of Graysons failed amendment to the Defense Departments appropriations act. That text forbade expenditures toward aircraft, tanks and weaponry provided from the personal property program to local law enforcement--but it made no mention of body armor.

Lets get specific: Graysons amendment said that no funds made available by the act "may be used to transfer aircraft (including unmanned aerial vehicles), armored vehicles, grenade launchers, silencers, toxicological agents (including chemical agents, biological agents, and associated equipment), launch vehicles, guided missiles, ballistic missiles, rockets, torpedoes, bombs, mines, or nuclear weapons (as identified for demilitarization purposes outlined in Department of Defense Manual 4160.28) through the" personal property program.

Via the C-SPAN video archive, we watched Grayson present his proposal, which he said would restrict the Defense Department from militarizing community police agencies. Military weapons, he said, "have no place in our streets regardless of who may be deploying them." Two Republican members spoke in opposition before Graysons proposal was rejected. "We welcome this equipment; its not misused," Rep. Rodney Frelilnghuysen, R-N.J., said.

Texans Are leader notes another House vote

After wed scoured the cited amendment, Jason Johnson, who runs the PAC, told us by email that the proposed restriction indeed extended to denying body armor to border sheriffs. He didnt say how.

Johnson also told us that in June 2014, ORourke voted against an amendment to the 2016 Defense Authorization Act successfully offered by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, "that included border security activities on the list of preferred applications the Defense Department should consider when transferring excess property to other federal agencies."

We turned to the Congressional Record transcript of that debate to learn that for the purposes of border security, McCauls amendment placed the Department of Homeland Security on equal footing with other law-enforcement agencies in access to Defense Department excess equipment.

Related: Ted Cruz: Democrats want Texas to be like California with its 'tofu and silicon and dyed hair'

The transcript shows that neither the amendment nor House floor debate touched on body armor for border sheriffs.

ORourke spoke in opposition to McCaul's amendment, it further shows, by saying DHS already had access to such equipment which, he said, wasnt needed on the border anyway. ORourke said we "do not need to militarize the border" and he said the amendment creates "further anxiety and fear about the border at a time that is not warranted," according to the transcript.

The transcript shows ORourke ultimately requested a record (rather than voice) vote on the amendment. In that roll call vote, ORourke was among 162 Democrats and four Republicans voting "no" while McCaul was among 235 Republicans plus 18 Democrats voting "aye."

Our ruling

Texans Are said ORourke voted against providing body armor to Texas sheriffs patrolling the border.

In 2014, ORourke voted in favor of barring the Defense Department from providing excess aircraft, tanks and military weaponry to local law agencies in general. However, the proposed restriction did not extend to body armor and made no mention of border sheriffs. Contrary to the ad's claim, there was no up-or-down vote on providing body armor to Texas sheriffs patrolling the border.

We rate this claim False.

FALSE  The statement is not accurate. Click here for more on the six PolitiFact ratings and how we select facts to check.RIO BRAVO  The wooden urn holding Melissa Ramirezs ashes waits in her mothers kitchen, part of a small altar that includes a photo of the smiling girl, another of a brother who died years earlier, and a Bible opened to Psalm 91.

Her mother, Maria Cristina Benavides still lives in fear, despite the arrest early Saturday of Border Patrol agent Juan David Ortiz, who is in jail and charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Ramirez and three others. Investigators say he confessed to the killings.

I dont feel secure. Im afraid for my grandchildren. I dont really know who killed Melissa and I dont know if there was more than one, Benavides, 51, said Sunday afternoon.

Teary-eyed and sunburned from collecting donations on a street corner Saturday to pay for her daughters interment, Benavides spoke freely but declined to have her photo taken.

I hurt a lot. All I want is justice. I want that guy to die in jail for taking the life of my daughter, she said, seated in the living room of an aging mobile home under a metal shade.

I last saw her on Aug. 31. She was here with us. They came on Sept. 5th to tell me she was killed, she said.

Outside, Melissas two children, a girl, 7, and a boy, 3, played in the yard, which has a trampoline, a pink clubhouse, various mechanized vehicles and a yipping Chihuahua.

In this bustling border city of around 260,000 residents, where Border Patrol agents are part of the fabric of daily life, the news that one may have become a serial killer was especially jarring.

According to authorities, Ortiz, 35, an intelligence supervisor and 10-year veteran of the agency, confessed to killing four people over a two-week period and getting rid of the bodies in a rural area near U.S. 83 in the northwest part of the county. Ortiz was jailed on $2.5 million bond, according to the Associated Press.

Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz said Saturday that investigators consider this to be a serial killer whose victims were believed to be prostitutes.

Alaniz described how the Customs and Border Patrol intel supervisor continued going to work as usual throughout that time. As law enforcement was looking for the killer  he would be reporting to work every day like normal, he said.

Two of the victims have not yet been identified.

According to the arrest affidavits, all four victims, and a fifth person who escaped and alerted police, were picked up on San Bernardo Avenue in an area north of downtown known for prostitution.

Erika Pena, who authorities said was picked up by Ortiz late Friday, told police she fled from his vehicle after he pulled a pistol on her. Earlier, she said, they had visited his house off Loop 20.

Ortiz was arrested hours later, but not before he picked up and killed two more people, according to the affidavits.

In Rio Bravo, a low-income community south of Laredo where Benavides raised her family, the dramatic news of the serial killings was just filtering out Sunday morning.

I knew Melissa. Everyone knew her, said R. B. Flores, 62, sitting in his wheelchair outside the Rio Bravo Meat Market, where part of the breakfast menu was posted on the bright yellow wall behind him.

Tacos Mananeros. 99 Cents was the heading.

Yesterday we were selling plates of food at the church for the muchacha, for her funeral. And afterward, someone said another girl was killed. We all were shocked, he added.

Benavides said her daughter dropped out high school when she was a junior, never really worked and developed a drug problem. Her mother took custody of her two children.

Ramirez, 29, would come and go from Rio Bravo, sometimes being away for days at a time, her mother said.

She loved music and watching TV with the kids. They would watch cartoons, said Benavides.

She would cook for them when she was here, sometimes all three meals. She didnt like me scolding them. Theyre little, she would tell me, she added.

Ramirez never mentioned Ortiz to her mother.

She always told me about her boyfriends, but she never said she knew a Border Patrol, she said.

Claudine Anne Luera, 42, the other victim who has been identified, grew up in Laredo and was the third of four sisters, and mother of five children.

Her younger sister, Colette Mireles, said Luera had gone from being a stay-at-home single mom caring for her children to living on the streets.

She chose the street life. Its just sad that her habits got the best of her, that life got the best of her, Mireles said.

While the family had always feared that Luera might die of an overdose, the news that she was brutally slain was shocking.

According to the affidavit, she was killed by Ortiz on Sept. 13, after she accused him of being the last person seen with Melissa Ramirez.

She was shot multiple times in the head and left to die.

She didnt deserve that, said her sister.

Staff Writer Diana R. Fuentes contributed to this report.Americans empower our military leaders, with appropriate oversight, to make the best decisions for the men and women under their command. Thats why its troubling to see that lately, some politicians are confused about the technical aspects of military readiness and wind energy.

Heres the reality: The Department of Defense reviews every wind project built near a military base, and no wind project has ever been built over its objections.

The Defense Department has extensive experience working with states and local bases to determine how best to ensure compatibility of wind development and military operations, and leaders have said one-size-fits-all solutions are not effective in protecting DOD or base interests.

In fact, the Department of Defense has established a review process to ensure proposed wind farms wouldnt harm military readiness or operations, including radars, flight operations, research, development, testing, evaluation and training activities.

This clearinghouse process brings together local base commanders (including the National Guard), individual military services and the Department of Defense to evaluate proposed energy projects. If concerns exist, private developers and the military discuss whether they can be mitigated.

The existing evaluation process uses detailed technical information related to each specific base (its assets and missions) and the details of a proposed wind farm (turbine layout, number, height, location, etc.) to understand potential impacts. This approach is more effective at guaranteeing protection of a facilitys missions and capabilities than arbitrary exclusion zones.

In the past, where proposed wind farms were found to be problem, wind developers have paid to upgrade radar systems, moved proposed turbine locations, reduced the sizes of projects or canceled projects altogether to avoid potentially interfering with base operations and mission readiness when necessary.

Wind power can also play an important role in strengthening our military and national security. Theres a prime example right here in Texas: Fort Hood gets around half of its electricity from wind and solar, and securing the bases energy supply was a prime motivator for this move.

For too long, weve taken it for granted that our installations are safe, said Richard Kidd IV, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for strategic integration, speaking about the Fort Hood announcement. We need to take steps now to install power generation on our installations, to connect different technologies and secure the micro grid in a way that can provide energy security to those installations.

Having an energy surety program to couple with this so we can use it anywhere, at any time, is really, really important, said III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General Lt. Gen. Paul Funk II.

Plus, getting more power from renewables saved Fort Hood an estimated $1.5 million in 2017 alone, and its expected wind and solar will save the base millions more in the years ahead.

Lets not also forget that wind energy is a vital economic engine, employing more than 100,000 Americans, and the men and women who serve our country find jobs in wind at a rate 72 percent higher than the average in other industries. Nowhere is this on display more than Texas. Texas leads the country with more than 24,000 wind jobs, many at the 45 in-state factories that build wind-related parts.

The Defense Department has a track record of successfully balancing wind development, and the jobs it brings, with military requirements. The departments practice is to base its decisions on extensive site-specific, science-based analyses conducted by the military services and supported by some of the leading civilian experts in the country.

We believe that practice should continue and that with the current system of oversight, Americas military leaders should be allowed to decide how best to protect their mission.

Bishop Garrison and Sarah E. Hunt are co-founders of Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, a think tank building sustainable politics through inclusive governance. Bishop is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an Operation Iraqi Freedom Army veteran.A Yale University startup unveiled in Naugatuck what it describes as the first production plant of its kind in the world producing fragrances, flavors and cosmetics from renewable ingredients and intermediates, with plans to employ 30 people.

P2 Science begins commercial production in October. Under CEO Neil Burns, the company has raised some $10 million in backing from several investors including the state Connecticut Innovations venture fund. The company was founded by Paul Anastas and Patrick Foley in the Yale University Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, and lists its main office in Woodbridge.China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.

Read MoreThere is not enough analysis data for BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund.

4.7 Community Rank

Outperform Votes BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund has received 84 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund has received 37 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund has received 69.42% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe MPA will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe MPA will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

Previous

NextiShares MSCI Taiwan ETF's stock was trading at $36.70 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWT shares have increased by 77.2% and is now trading at $65.04.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV.

Read MoreiShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF's stock was trading at $25.60 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWU shares have increased by 30.8% and is now trading at $33.48.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.iShares MSCI Canada ETF's stock was trading at $23.42 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWC shares have increased by 69.1% and is now trading at $39.61.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF's stock was trading at $27.57 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWN stock has increased by 92.2% and is now trading at $52.99.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.by Jamie Mellor | Mon, Sep 17th 3:27am EDT

Kyle Schwarber will not go on the trip to Arizona as Maddon decided that he would not subject Schwarber's back to two four-hour flights. Schwarber is expected back as an option for the starting lineup starting Friday. (Bruce Levine on Twitter)WOOSTER, Ohio  The 2018 version of the Wayne County Fair took a community effort  not only from locals but also from a community two counties to the west.

With the threat of flooding in the forecast, and with limited time to act, fair officials made the difficult decision to evacuate several of the livestock species on opening day, which included moving nearly 400 hogs to the Richland County Fairgrounds, in Mansfield.

On Saturday, Sept. 8, Wayne County Fair board members and emergency management personnel realized they had to act. Their latest review of the forecast from the National Weather Service showed as much as 4-6 additional inches of rain could fall through the weekend, and because part of the fair lies in the floodplain, they decided to be proactive.

Alternate plans

Mike Kinney, Wayne County Fair board president, said his staff began discussing alternate plans the day before the fair, which included the possibility of moving the livestock. Multiple counties made offers, including Ashland County, but because their own fair is going on this week, through Sept. 22, it made sense to look elsewhere.

Fortunately, the fair board had some connections with Richland County, and Richland County Fair Board President Jason Snyder happened to be on the Wayne County grounds on opening day, watching the goat show, so he was able to make some calls and help put a plan in place.

With the help of the Richland County Fair board, and Richland Countys OSU Extension, more than 100 people were on hand in a couple of hours, to help get the barns at the Richland County Fair ready to hold swine.

Volunteers worked to put the pens up, and the hogs were moved in, with fresh wood shavings, all in about three hours.

It worked out really good for all of us, said Snyder. These county fairs are all about the kids and giving them a good place to show is what its all about.

Sticking to the schedule

Most of the steer shows were held as usual, but by the end of the day, the steers were shipped to the Creston Livestock Auction barn, where they were held until the end of the fair. Dairy and horse projects were also evacuated, although most were offered the chance to return to the grounds early in the fair.

Judy Villard Overocker, the Richland County OSU Extension director, said Richland County had to use its hog barn, plus portions of the sheep and goat barns, due to the large number of hogs from Wayne County, and because Wayne County houses just one hog to the pen, instead of two.

She said one difference, though, is that hogs were not penned by 4-H club, which meant there was a good chance the exhibitors did not know the exhibitor next to them in the barn. While this may have been a challenge, in some ways, she said it was also an opportunity, because it forced exhibitors out of their comfort zone and to get to know other exhibitors.

They didnt know who was next to them or across the aisle, she said, adding that it was a beautiful thing watching them talk to each other and make new friends.

The shows were held at the same days and times as they would have been in Wayne County  just at an entirely different location.

Making things work

To help accommodate those who could not make the drive to Richland County, the OSU Extension staff worked out a way to livestream the show, so it could be watched from anywhere with Internet access. This helped exhibitors who could not make the 45-minute drive, or who had other fair commitments they needed to keep.

Abbey Werstler, last years Wayne County Fair Queen, said volunteers worked together like a family, both inside and outside of the show barns. Werstler shows goats and is a sophomore at the Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster. She spoke to a group of county ag leaders during a breakfast meeting Sept. 12.

It was the kind of fair week no one hopes to see again, but Snyder said he was glad to know the two counties could pull it off  if they had to.

Giving spirit

If all goes as planned, Wayne County expects to have a new multipurpose and show building constructed by the start of next years fair. On the last day of the fair, board member Ron Grosjean stepped up with a $400,000 donation, helping the fair top its $1.75 million goal.

He could not be reached for comment, but in a Facebook video posted by the fair, it was obvious that he supported the building campaign and that he was emotional about offering his support.

Likewise, Richland County Fair is working on its own building campaign, with plans to construct a new show arena in time for the 2020 fair. A bucket was passed around at the Wayne County Fair, where exhibitors and other fairgoers pitched in some money to help with the Richland County project, as well.

Its not clear how much Wayne County raised for Richland County, but the camaraderie and support was greatly appreciated.

It just couldnt be a nicer situation, said Villard Overocker.The Scottish government has slammed Number 10's recently published Agriculture Bill as "completely failing" in meeting "key tests" for Scottish agriculture.

Defra Secretary Michael Gove's legislation will encourage the industry to deliver a cleaner environment after nearly half a century under EU rules.

The Agriculture Bill sets out how farmers and land managers will in future be paid for public goods, such as better air and water quality and improved soil health.

But Scottish Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing said the legislation "rides roughshod" over the devolved settlement.

And industry leaders highlighted how the interests of Scottish agriculture is best served by Scotland setting its own future policy, so that it "respects and underpins the unique agricultural profile of Scotland".

'Green Brexit'

The Agriculture Bill will put forward a new Environmental Land Management system, which will start from next year.

The UK government will now work together with farmers to trial the new approach. Under the new system, farmers and land managers who provide the greatest environmental benefits will secure the largest rewards, laying the foundations for a 'Green Brexit'.

Mr Gove said the plans would help the British farming industry "move towards a brighter future".

He said: "After nearly 50 years of being tied to burdensome and outdated EU rules, we have an opportunity to deliver a green Brexit.

"This bill will allow us to reward farmers who protect our environment, leaving the countryside in a cleaner, greener and healthier state for future generations.

"Critically, we will also provide the smooth and gradual transition that farmers and land managers need to plan ahead."

'Missed opportunity'

But Mr Ewing said the bill represents a "missed opportunity" for the UK government to deliver on its promises during the referendum, namely that Scottish farmers would continue to receive at least the same level of funding as they currently do in the event of Brexit.

He said: "This bill rides roughshod over the devolved settlement. For example, on compliance with World Trade Organisation rules, the bill could create sweeping unilateral powers that could constrain policy choices in Scotland.

"It is therefore of serious concern that the UK government could impose unwanted policies and rules on Scottish farmers in areas of devolved competency."

However, a UK government spokesman said Scottish ministers can now decide their own policy.

"It is now for Scottish ministers to decide their own policy and either change their position to take advantage of our open offer for them to take Agriculture Bill powers, or pass a separate bill in the Scottish Parliament."

Preserving or enhancing future funding levels for Scottish agriculture remains a "red line issue" for NFU Scotland.

"We are clearly stepping away from previous funding arrangements determined by the CAP," NFU Scotland President, Andrew McCormick said.

"We also want to be reassured that previous commitments on how Scotlands share of the agricultural pot of funding will be determined will be delivered on. That must take the review of convergence funding into consideration."A land-based college which specialises in offering agriculture courses to its students has officially been granted university status.

Hartpury University has been granted university status by the government in a landmark year for the institution, it was announced today (17 September).

Hartpury  formerly University Centre Hartpury  will operate alongside Hartpury College on its 360-hectare campus just outside Gloucester and Cheltenham.

It follows the Privy Councils decision to approve Hartpurys application for university title after a rigorous assessment process.

In a statement, the university said it will continue to be a specialist institution for the needs of the land-based and agricultural sectors.

Hartpury University Vice-Chancellor, Russell Marchant said: Achieving university status has been a strategic ambition for us, for the last six years. It has been an incredible journey and were excited to have finally reached our destination, especially as this year Hartpury College celebrates its 70th anniversary.

University title recognises the quality of the teaching at Hartpury, which is also evidenced by our recent TEF Gold, and the wide range of research projects in our specialist areas of Agriculture, Animal, and Equine and Sport.

Importantly, it also highlights the significant impact we can have on our industries by training the next generation of people who will work in agriculture, sport, equine and animal in the UK and across the globe.

Mr Marchant added: University title allows our graduates to go out into the world of work with a badge that enables employers to recognise the quality of the academic provision is as it should be against other universities.

Hartpury University is home to more than 1,650 students completing degrees as well as higher education diplomas and postgraduate research in Equine, Animal, Agriculture and Veterinary Nursing.A new tool to help dairy farmers battle a major endemic disease of cattle has now been launched.

The tool, developed by AHDB Dairy and the University of Nottingham, aims to help farmers make better decision about mastitis management in their herds.

Mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary gland and udder tissue, and is a major endemic disease of dairy cattle.

It usually occurs as an immune response to bacterial invasion of the teat canal by variety of bacterial sources present on the farm, and can also occur as a result of chemical, mechanical, or thermal injury to the cow's udder.

Mastitis treatment and control is one of the largest costs to the dairy industry in the UK, and is also a significant factor in dairy cow welfare.

However, it is hoped the new tool will give farmers and vets a better understanding of the mastitis patterns in the herd.

Udder health

The Mastitis Pattern Tool identifies problem areas and potential risks to udder health and gives farmers and their veterinary adviser a way of tracking progress in the herd.

Dr Jenny Gibbons, Senior Dairy Scientist at AHDB explained: As an industry, and within dairy businesses we generate an immense amount of data associated with mastitis.

The challenge comes when trying to utilise this data to make informed decisions to combat mastitis within dairy herds.

This tool provides a fully automated method of assessing the predominant mastitis infection patterns present on farm, using somatic cell count (SCC) and clinical mastitis records, she said.

'Effectively track'

The tool produces a mastitis pattern report that allows farmers and vets to assess and prioritise key management areas and potentially detect emerging problems

Professor Martin Green from the University of Nottingham added: In the past, it was difficult to recognise mastitis problems in herds until an outbreak emerged. But the Mastitis Pattern Tool gives you the ability to effectively track the udder health of your herd.

The tool uses cow SCC and clinical mastitis treatment records. Milk recording herds are at an advantage as cow SCC information is readily available.

Using the tool, records are converted and merged into a simple output allowing farmers to assess the patterns of mastitis in the herd.The UK imported 23bn worth of consumable products from around the world further highlighting the UK's declining self-sufficiency, new figures show.

The import data for the first 6 months of 2018 was collected from HM Revenue & Customs and broken down into countries and categories.

Analysis of the 21m tonnes of food imported into Britain from January shows that, for example, 5bn of meat on British shelves comes from overseas.

Primary exporters of chicken, of which Britain received 392m worth, were the Netherlands with 43%, Poland with 17%, and Ireland with 10%.

Britain also imported 425m worth of beef from Ireland and 171m worth of pork from Denmark.

Heavy reliance from Spain

The UK's reliance on European markets has been exposed

Fruit and vegetables wise, Britain imported 5.4bn worth of it in the first six months of 2018, according to the research by Glotechrepairs.co.uk.

This amount of fruit and veg came from all over the world, with almost a fifth (19%) of British fruit and veg imports coming from Spain, 11% being exported from the Netherlands and 5% coming from South Africa.

Figures show that 155m and 115m worth of potatoes came from the Netherlands and Belgium, respectively.

Other highlights from European countries include the 52 million worth of seeds from Romania, the 12 million worth of olives and capers from Greece, and 3000 worth of Liechtenstein wine.

The release of the figures follow news that Britain produced 60% of its own food in 2017, and this rate is in long-term decline.

NFU President Minette Batters has urged the government to put the nations food security at the top of the political agenda following the release of the stagnating figures.Use of antibiotics in UK livestock falls again, report showsCategory Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-CategoryThe makers of Thugs of Hindostan released the logo of the film through a video today. The snippet slides through the cast of the film and mentions the makers and in the end the logo of the films title is revealed.Underlined by two raging swords, the films logo gives a glimpse of the films feel that would be raw and rugged. Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh, Thugs of Hindostan releases on Diwali this year.Pictures from the sets of the film have already created a stir among the audience. Whether it is Katrina, Aamir and Fatima dancing together or Amitabh Bachchans thug avatar, the audience is eager to watch on the big screen this mega film directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya.'Deepika Wants Everything That PeeCee Gets'

Without revealing his/her name, Bollywood Hungama quoted a young filmmaker as saying, "The rivalry between Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone is no secret. For some very strange reason everything that Priyanka gets, Deepika also wants."

'Deepika Has Everything Except Priyanka's International Fame'

The source further added, "We don't know why this should be so. Deepika has as much success and stardom as Priyanka. What she doesn't have is Priyanka 's international fame."

Deepika Upstages Her Arch-rival

The filmmaker concluded as saying, "Now when Priyanka has got herself an American fiancee, Deepika seems to be looking at ways to upstage her arch-rival."

Do you agree with the filmmaker or not? Let us know in the comments section!

Meanwhile, Priyanka Is On A Roll

If we compare the career graph of Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, there's no denying that Deepika is more popular in Bollywood, while Priyanka's last Bollywood film was released in 2016.

Having said that, Priyanka has already carved a niche for herself in Hollywood, while Deepika failed to do so!

Work Front Of Deepika & Priyanka

Ever since Priyanka has backed out from Salman Khan's Bharat, she is constantly in the headlines and Salman is also not leaving any chance to take a dig at her. While on the other side, Deepika hasn't made her next project official, leaving her fans worried!

'Sapna Didi' Is On Hold

The film that Deepika signed post the release of Padmaavat was Vishal Bhardwaj's Sapna Didi. But owing to Irrfan Khan's health condition, the movie was put on hold and there's not much update about the film.

Does All This Make Priyanka Chopra Get An Upper Hand?

Be it personally or professionally, Priyanka is surely in one of the best phases of her life. She will next be seen in The Sky Is Pink, opposite Farhan Akhtar and recently, she also confirmed that she has already started planning for her wedding with Nick Jonas.

On the other side, Deepika hasn't made anything official about her wedding or the next project!Mammootty

Mammootty was one of the first celebrities to arrive at the hospital upon hearing the news of Captain Raju's death. Mammootty and Captain Raju have worked together in a good number of movies. In many of the Mammootty starrers, Captain Raju had played the main antagonist to perfection.

Mohanlal

Much like Mammootty, Mohanlal too has worked with Captain Raju in a good number of movies. In his Facebook note, he has mentioned that the sound of Captain Raju saying to him, "Lalu..Its me Rajuchayan" is still reverberating in his ears.

Prithviraj

While remembering Captain Raju, Prithviraj thanked him for the good memories. He also mentioned that it was a big privilege to have known Captain Raju and to have worked with him.

Nivin Pauly

Young actor Nivin Pauly took to his Facebook page to pen a tribute note to Captain Raju. On his Facebook post, he has mentioned that everyone will fondly remember the character Pavanayi, portrayed by Captain Raju.

Manju Warrier

While remembering Captain Raju, Maju Warrier wrote that though he played the maximum number of negative roles in movies, in his real life, he was a person filled with love and kindness. She has also fondly remembered the experience while working with him in the movie Daya.

Dulquer Salmaan

Young actor Dulquer Salmaan has sent out a heartfelt note remembering Captain Raju. He has mentioned that Captain was a wonderful human being, who was warm and kind.It is an open secret that the dashing Vijay is one of the most successful and charismatic stars in the Tamil film industry today. Fondly called 'Thalapathy', he enjoys a strong fan following thanks to his charming personality, sincere performances, humble nature and gripping screen presence. Over the years, he has starred in quite a few big hits and this has established him as a synonym for success. Now, here is some terrific news for all you Vijay fans out there.

In an exciting development, the makers of his upcoming film Sarkar have revealed that a big announcement about the film is going to be made on Wednesday (September 19, 2018). While they have not revealed any other details, the buzz is that it has something to do with either the teaser or the film's music album. If this is indeed the case, the announcement is going to create a great deal of buzz amongst the movie buffs.

In case you did not know, Sarkar is touted to be a political-thriller and has been directed by AR Murugadoss. In it, Vijay will be seen in the role of a crusader who fights against the corrupt politicians.

Slated to hit the screens this Diwali, Sarkar also features 'Mahanati' fame Keerthy Suresh and Varu Sarathkumar in the lead. The film was originally going to release alongside NGK. However, the Suriya starrer got delayed and the clash was averted.Deepak Thakurs Funny Talks!

# The day starts with Deepak Thakur fascinated by Jacuzzi and talking about the same to his partner Urvashi. His talks would have definitely made viewers smile!

# Meanwhile, Nehha and Srishty discuss about the snoring habits of inmates. On the other hand, Saba asks Jasleen about his love story! Jasleen interfere and clarify that Anup has all the qualities of a good boyfriend and they both are important for each other.

Deepak Feels Low, While Jasleen Consoles Him

# Deepak feels low as he feels he is being ignored by inmates. He will be seen talking to alone in front of his family's photographs! Just then Jasleen enters and tries to console him.

# Jasleen is seen complaining about Saba to Anup, Urvashi and Deepak. She even tells them that there are a few negative people in the house.

Bigg Boss Announces First Task: BB Press Conference

# Now, it is the time that we have all been waiting! Bigg Boss announces the first task. Bigg Boss calls Dipika to the confession room and hands her the letter. She gathers the contestants in the living area and announces about the task and its rules.

# The task is called BB Press Conference, which require one single contestant to challenge a jodi who they think is weaker than them. The other housemates are allowed to cross-question the jodi, who needs to defend themselves stating why they are not weak as compared to the other. Its single vs doubles! The sanchalaks of the task are Hiten Tejwani and Hina Khan.

Srishty Challenges Anup & Jasleen

# First, Srishty Rode challenges Anup and Jasleen saying that they are the weakest jodi on the show and adds that Anup is not fit for the physical tasks. A lot of argument takes place among Jasleen and contestants, as Jasleen doesn't accept Anup is her boyfriend, while Anup agrees that there is love between them!

Srishty (Single) Wins

# As a result, when the contestants are asked to vote for the weakest housemate, Srishty gets 3 votes, while Anup-Jasleen gets 8 votes (Hiten and Hina vote against Srishty). Srishty (single) wins!

Neha Challenges Deepak & Urvashi

# Next, Neha Pendse challenges Deepak and Urvashi, and says that the duo still can't get over excitement of being in the Bigg Boss house. She even adds that Deepak talks a lot and sometimes it is pointless.

Deepak & Urvashi (Jodi) Wins

# Deepak retorts and the housemates are impressed with him and the jodi win as Neha gets maximum votes saying she is weakest!

Saba & Somi Fake A Fight With Shivashish

# At the end of the episode, the Jaipur sisters discuss and say that they are getting bored and need some fun. They decide to fake a fight with Shivashish Mishra to get some footage. Saba asks Shivashish as to why he has kept his footwear in such a way! This doesn't go well with him and they get into a fight. Shivashish even tells Saba that he will slap her!

# Sreesanth and others interfere, while Saba and Shivashish decide to go out and discuss! The housemates later realise that they were faking a fight and get upset with the sisters.

BB Spoiler: Saba & Somi Are Targeted By Housemates

# Precap: In the precap, the housemates get into an argument with the sisters Saba and Somi. The sisters even ask the housemates to tell in front of everyone that what all (work) they did for the day. This doesn't go well with Dipika and she says that she is not bound to answer them!

# Later the task is announced, while Shilpa Shinde and Karan Patel are seen as sanchalaks, while Saba and Somi are seen questioned by the contestants.Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.The PORTICO trial showed that in portopulmonary hypertension patients, the safety of macitentan, including the hepatic safety profile, was consistent with that observed in previous clinical trials

Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson, has announced the results of the first randomized controlled trial in portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH), which showed OPSUMIT (macitentan) significantly improved pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) compared with placebo, meeting the primary endpoint of the study. Presented as a late-breaking oral presentation at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) meeting in France, the PORtopulmonary hypertension Treatment wIth maCitentan a randOmized clinical trial (PORTICO) showed the safety of macitentan in PoPH was consistent with that observed inprevious clinical trials.

PoPH is a subset of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), associated with portal hypertension (increased blood pressure in the portal vein)1 often due to cirrhosis2. PoPH is increasingly recognized and evidence suggests that it is the fourth most common form of PAH3. In many cases, patients with PoPH are only diagnosed as part of an assessment for liver transplantation; however, severe PAH is a contraindication for liver transplant due to poor post-operative prognosis4

"The findings of PORTICO are relevant because if patients with PoPH can be treated to successfully lower pulmonary vascular pressure and resistance, more patients may be eligible for liver transplant as they will potentially have a better prognosis for this surgery," said the lead investigator, Olivier Sitbon, MD, PhD, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the South Paris University. "The fact that the hepatic safety profile of macitentan in patients with PoPH was consistent with that observed in previous trials is particularly reassuring, as PoPH patients are typically excluded from PAH clinical trials on safety grounds."

Data supporting the use of PAH therapies in PoPH are extremely limited and are mostly from single-center, open-label studies5-7. To date, none of the approved PAH treatments have been shown to improve cardiopulmonary hemodynamics in PoPH in a randomized controlled clinical trial.

In the PORTICO trial8, patients were randomized to receive macitentan 10mg (n=43) or placebo (n=42) once daily. After 12 weeks of treatment, macitentan significantly improved PVR (primary endpoint met, 35% reduction vs placebo, p<0.0001), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP; macitentan reduced mPAP by 5.99 mmHg vs placebo, p<0.0001) and cardiac index (macitentan increased cardiac index by 0.52 L/min/m2 vs placebo, p=0.0009)9

There was no significant difference between macitentan and placebo groups in six-minute walk distance (6MWD) or WHO Functional Class (FC). The most common adverse events (macitentan vs placebo) were peripheral edema (25.6 vs 11.9%) and headache (16.3 vs 16.7%)9

OPSUMIT is an orally active endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) that is currently approved in the US and Europe for the treatment of PAH10,11

Notes to the Editor

ABOUT PORTOPULMONARY HYPERTENSION (PoPH)

PoPH is a form of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with portal hypertension with or without underlying chronic liver disease12. However, as cirrhosis is the most common cause of portal hypertension, advanced liver disease is often encountered in patients with PoPH2

The symptoms associated with PoPH are similar, if not identical, to most other forms of PAH. They are non-specific and can range from mild breathlessness and fatigue during normal daily activity to symptoms of right heart failure and severe restrictions on exercise capacity and ultimately, reduced life expectancy4. The diagnosis of PoPH is often only made as part of an assessment for liver transplantation4, which can lead to a significant delay in diagnosis and patient care.

To date, no other approved PAH treatment besides OPSUMIT has demonstrated benefit in PoPH in a dedicated randomized controlled clinical trial.

ABOUT THE PORTICO STUDY9

PORTICO (PORtopulmonary hypertension Treatment wIth maCitentan a randOmized clinical trial) is a Phase IV, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter, parallel-group study to assess the efficacy and safety of macitentan 10 mg in patients with PoPH.

In PORTICO, 85 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PoPH were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two treatment groups (macitentan 10mg or placebo) over a 12-week double-blind treatment period. The study started in June 2015 and was completed in October 2017.

The study met its primary endpoint; after 12 weeks of treatment, there was a significant reduction of 35% in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) for macitentan compared with placebo (geometric mean ratio [95% CI]: 0.65 [0.59, 0.72] p<0.0001).

The study also showed a significant positive effect of macitentan compared with placebo on mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and cardiac index. After 12 weeks of treatment, macitentan significantly improved mPAP (macitentan reduced mPAP by 5.99 mmHg vs placebo, p<0.0001) and cardiac index (macitentan increased cardiac index by 0.52 L/min/m2 vs placebo, p=0.0009). There was no significant difference between groups in change from baseline for six-minute walk distance (6MWD) or WHO Functional Class (FC).

Macitentan was well tolerated in this patient population and safety was in general consistent with the known safety profile for the treatment from previous clinical studies. The most frequently (=10%) reported adverse events (macitentan vs placebo) were peripheral edema (25.6 vs 11.9%) and headache (16.3 vs 16.7%). There was a mean decrease in hemoglobin with macitentan of 1.8 g/dL. No patients discontinued the study due to liver enzyme elevations, and only one patient treated with macitentan experienced alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and/or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) =3x upper limit of normal.

ABOUT OPSUMIT (macitentan)

OPSUMIT, an orally available endothelin receptor antagonist, resulted from a tailored drug discovery process in Actelion's laboratories.

In the US, OPSUMIT is indicated for the treatment of PAH, WHO Group I to delay disease progression11

Disease progression included: death, initiation of intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous prostanoids, or clinical worsening of PAH (decreased 6-minute walk distance, worsened PAH symptoms and need for additional PAH treatment). OPSUMIT also reduced hospitalization for PAH11

In Europe, OPSUMIT is indicated, as monotherapy or in combination, for the long-term treatment of PAH in adult patients of WHO Functional Class (FC) II to III10

The effectiveness of OPSUMIT was established in a long-term study in PAH patients with predominantly WHO FC II-III symptoms treated for an average of two years. Patients were treated with OPSUMIT monotherapy or in combination with PDE5 inhibitors or inhaled prostanoids. Efficacy has been shown in a PAH population including idiopathic and heritable PAH, PAH associated with connective tissue disorders, and PAH associated with corrected simple congenital heart disease10

OPSUMIT is very likely to cause major birth defects. In both the US and Europe, it is contraindicated for use in pregnancy10,11. In Europe, contraindications for OPSUMIT also include patients with severe hepatic impairment and those with elevated aminotransferase levels three times upper limit of normal; it is also not recommended in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Liver enzyme tests should be obtained prior to initiation of OPSUMIT10. Patients should be monitored for signs of hepatic injury and monthly monitoring of ALT and AST is recommended10. In the US, OPSUMIT is distributed under a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS); baseline liver enzymes should be obtained and patients treated with OPSUMIT should be monitored as clinically indicated11

ABOUT ACTELION

In June 2017, Actelion became part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson. Actelion's medicines have helped to expand and strengthen Janssen's portfolio with leading, differentiated in-market medicines and promising late-stage compounds. Janssen has added Pulmonary Hypertension as a therapeutic area of focus to maintain the leadership position Actelion has built in this important disease area. Learn more at www.actelion.com. Follow us at @actelion_com.

ABOUT THE JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES OF JOHNSON JOHNSON

At the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson, we are working to create a world without disease. Transforming lives by finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, treat and cure disease inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science. We are Janssen. We collaborate with the world for the health of everyone in it. Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd is one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson. Learn more atwww.janssen.com. Follow us at www.twitter.com/JanssenUS and www.twitter.com/JanssenGlobal.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding OPSUMIT (macitentan). The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 31 December, 2017, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson Johnson. Neither the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

REFERENCES

1. Krowka MJ, et al. Chest 2012; 141:906-15.

2. Medarov BI, et al. Respir Med 2014; 108:943-54.

3. Humbert M, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2006; 173:1023-30.

4. Galie N, et al. Eur Heart J 2016; 37:67-119.

5. Krowka MJ, et al. Hepatology 1999; 30:641-8.

6. Cartin-Ceba R, et al. Chest 2011; 139:109-14.

7. Savale L, et al. Eur Respir J 2013; 41:96-103.

8. NCT02382016; PORTICO; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

9. Sitbon O, et al. Efficacy and safety of macitentan in portopulmonary hypertension: the PORTICO trial. European Respiratory Society International Congress 2018; OA267.

10. OPSUMIT (macitentan) Summary of Product Characteristics. Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd. February 2018.

11. OPSUMIT (macitentan) full Prescribing Information. Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc. March 2017.

12. Saleemi S. Ann Thorac Med 2010; 5:5-9.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180916005006/en/

Contacts:

Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd,

Media Contact

David Keown

Office: +41 61-565-8980

Cell: +44 7973-824-614

DKeown@its.jnj.com

or

Tina Kitt

Office: +41 61-565-5213

Cell: +41 792-198-643

CKitt@its.jnj.com

or

Investor Contact

Lesley Fishman

Office: +1 732-524-3922

LFishma@its.jnj.com

or

Christopher DelOrefice

Office: +1 732-524-2955

CDeloref@its.jnj.comThe KODAKOne image rights platform will monitor and protect 10+ million images for social media content community Lobster across the web

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 16, 2018) - GLOBAL BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES CORP. (CSE: BLOC, BLOC.CN, BLOC.CNX) (FSE: BWSP) (OTC Pink: BLKCF) ("BLOC" or the "Company"), a lead investor in the KODAKOne platform, is pleased to announce that ICOx Innovations Inc. ("ICOx Innovations"), a company which creates loyalty, reward, gaming, and payment cryptocurrencies for established companies that can benefit and grow their business through blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies, announced on September 10, 2018, that its client, the blockchain-based KODAKOne Image Rights Management Platform and the KODAKCoin cryptocurrency, has struck a partnership with Lobster, an AI and machine learning-driven platform that helps photographers and social media users upload and monetize their photos and videos. Through the partnership, KODAKOne will monitor and protect the 10+ million images and later videos stored in Lobster's database.

KODAKOne, which was created and operated by Ryde Holding (formerly WENN Digital, Inc.), is offering three key services through the agreement: an image recognition algorithm that can analyze billions of images within a fraction of a second; a network of web crawlers that monitor the web; and a post-licensing service that helps owners get compensated for their images that have been used without their consent (or that helps them take those images down). In a two-week test campaign, KODAKOne monitored the use of 10,000 images from Lobster's library across the web and found a significant and material number of hits on average for each image.

"For us, the launch of our partnership with Lobster is a perfect use case for our mission: Giving photographers, artists and the average smartphone user full control of how their images are being used across the web," said Jan Denecke, CEO at Ryde. "Before we launch our platform later this year, we are happy to see that our post licensing and global monitoring service is able to help so many people around the world already."

Lobster's platform licenses photos and videos from Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, Vimeo, YouTube, Dropbox, Google Photos, Verizon Cloud, VKontakte (VK), and Foursquare. Lobster uses AI and machine learning to apply sophisticated tagging, filtering, ranking, and curation to its database. More than 10 million images and videos are directly available, while Lobster has access to billions more upon request.

"We are excited to join forces with KODAKOne in identifying content that is being used across social media without permission," said Olga Egorsheva, CEO of Lobster. "Providing this info to our users and empowering them to offer post-licensing to the (often unintentional) copyright infringers in a positive way will be extremely beneficial."

As a next step, KODAKOne, which is powered by the KODAKCoin cryptocurrency, will register all of Lobster's images on its blockchain. Once this is complete, Lobster will be able to offer monitoring and post-licensing to all its users upon request.

"One of the biggest challenges companies face is developing promising technologies but failing to gain widespread adoption," said Bruce Elliott, President of ICOx Innovations, which helped create and launch KODAKOne. "This partnership with Lobster is one of the first cases of blockchain technology being adopted in the real world to protect rights and compensate creators for their work. With this partnership, KODAKOne is leading the way for big brands to bolster adoption by leveraging the technological innovation taking place within the blockchain and cryptocurrency space."

Under a business services agreement, ICOx Innovations assists Ryde Holding with developing and integrating KODAKOne's blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, as well as strategy and corporate business development offerings relating to KODAKCoin and the KODAKOne platform. Ryde Holding has a brand licensing agreement with the iconic imaging technology company to use the Kodak brand in connection with the KODAKOne platform and KODAKCoin. ICOx Innovations has an equity stake in Ryde Holding.

BLOC also announces that Peter McCague has resigned from the Board of Directors in order to focus his efforts on other business commitments. The Board wishes to thank Mr. McCague for his contributions to the Company and wishes him well with his future endeavors.

On behalf of the Company:

Shidan Gouran, President and CEO

info@globalblockchain.io

For more information, please contact:

IRTH Communications, LLC

ir@globalblockchain.io

800-689-8089

About Global Blockchain Technologies Corp.

The Company provides investors access to a basket of direct and indirect holdings within the blockchain space. BLOC is focused on streamlining the currently arduous, lengthy, and complicated process that interested investors must undergo to gain exposure to the blockchain space, with a view to becoming the first vertically-integrated originator and manager of top tier blockchains.

BLOC is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") and its common shares trade under the ticker symbol "BLOC." Additional information relating to BLOC is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, the CSE at www.theCSE.com, as well as on the Company's website at www.globalblockchain.io

About Ryde Holding, Inc.

Ryde Holding, Inc. (formerly WENN Digital, Inc.), a brand licensee of Eastman Kodak Company, is the creator and operator of the KODAKOne Platform and the KODAKCoin Tokens. Ryde and its advisors are an experienced development and operations team with expertise in proprietary blockchain development, big data, copyright law, AI-enabled image recognition and post-licensing monetization systems. For more information, go to kodakone.com.

About Lobster

Founded in 2013 in London, Lobster is an innovative content marketplace platform that connects brands, agencies, media, and creatives with authentic UGC sourced from ten social media and online archives. Based on a unique blend of new tech, Lobster makes it simple for clients to search, find, and license beautiful photos and videos from a growing global community of creators. For more information, go to https://lobster.media/.

About ICOx Innovations

ICOx Innovations, Inc. provides a platform for the design and creation of crypto economies that solve real-world problems with established organizations. ICOx Innovations provides operational insights intended to benefit and grow its clients' businesses through the use of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. The ICOx Innovations platform is compliance-driven and combines rigorous strategic planning, capital structuring, technical integration and token economics model development, designed to allow its clients to create sustainable economies. The ICOx Innovations team co-founded KODAKOne, a blockchain-based image-rights management platform, and is the co-architect of KODAKCoin, the token that will reward and incentivize the KODAKOne platform users. For more information on ICOx Innovations, go to: www.icoxinnovations.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the Company's goal of streamlining the current arduous, lengthy and complicated process that interested investors need to undergo in order to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency space with a view to becoming the first vertically integrated originator and manager of top-tier blockchains and digital currencies. The Company has no assets and its business plan is purely conceptual in nature and there is no assurance that it will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made, including but not limited to: statements and expectations regarding the ability of the Company to (i) successfully engage senior management with appropriate industry experience and expertise, (ii) gain access to and acquire a basket of cryptocurrency assets and pre-ICO and ICO financings on favourable terms or at all, (iii) successfully create its own tokens and ICO's, and (iv) execute on future M&A opportunities in the cryptocurrency space; receipt of required regulatory approvals; the availability of necessary financing; permitting and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: risks related to changes in cryptocurrency prices; the estimation of personnel and operating costs; general global markets and economic conditions; risks associated with uninsurable risks; risks associated with currency fluctuations; competition faced in securing experienced personnel with appropriate industry experience and expertise; risks associated with changes in the financial auditing and corporate governance standards applicable to cryptocurrencies and ICO's; risks related to potential conflicts of interest; the reliance on key personnel; financing, capitalization and liquidity risks including the risk that the financing necessary to fund continued development of the Company's business plan may not be available on satisfactory terms, or at all; the risk of potential dilution through the issuance of additional common shares of the Company; the risk of litigation. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information set out in this presentation, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.EUROCASTLE INVESTMENT LIMITED







FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

International Administration Group (Guernsey) Limited

Company Administrator

Attn: Mark Woodall

Tel: +44 1481 723450





Share Buyback Programme: Transactions in Week Ten







Guernsey, 15 October 2018 - Eurocastle Investment Limited ("Eurocastle" or the "Company") today announces that between 8 October 2018 and 12 October 2018, as part of the previously announced buyback programme entered into with Liberum Capital Limited (acting as the Company's broker), it bought back 17,703 of its ordinary shares at an average price of 6.58 per ordinary share. These purchases were made pursuant to the authority granted at its Annual General Meeting on 20 June 2018. The purchased shares will all be held as treasury shares.





The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of the Company and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules.





The following transactions have been made under the buyback programme:

Accumulated, most recent announcement Platform code Volume Volume Weighted Average Price Gross Value () 08/10/2018 BATE 133 6.64 883 XLON 2,568 6.63 17,034 CHIX 314 6.63 2,082 TRQX 400 6.64 2,656 Total 3,415 6.63 22,654 09/10/2018 BATE 129 6.66 859 XLON 3,135 6.65 20,834 CHIX 299 6.64 1,985 TRQX 395 6.66 2,631 Total 3,958 6.65 26,309 10/10/2018 BATE 115 6.64 764 XLON 3,177 6.57 20,858 CHIX 273 6.64 1,813 TRQX 213 6.64 1,414 Total 3,778 6.58 24,849 11/10/2018 BATE 111 6.52 724 XLON 3,147 6.51 20,482 CHIX 272 6.52 1,773 TRQX 202 6.52 1,317 Total 3,732 6.51 24,297 12/10/2018 BATE 110 6.54 719 XLON 2,278 6.54 14,888 CHIX 249 6.55 1,630 TRQX 183 6.54 1,197 2,820 6.54 18,434





Following the above transactions:





The total number of ordinary shares of the Company in issue is 66,121,054





The total number of ordinary shares held by Eurocastle in treasury is 18,550,546 (equal to 28.1% of the Company's share capital)





The total number of voting rights exercisable by holders of ordinary shares of the Company is 47,570,508, as voting rights of shares held in treasury are suspended.









ABOUT EUROCASTLE





Eurocastle Investment Limited is a publicly traded closed-ended investment company that focuses on investing in performing and non-performing loans and other real estate related assets primarily in Italy. The Company is Euro denominated and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam under the symbol "ECT". Eurocastle is managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, a leading global investment manager. For more information regarding Eurocastle Investment Limited and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.eurocastleinv.com.







Set out below are all trades completed between 8 October 2018 and 12 October 2018:







Platform code Volume Price Gross Value () 08/10/2018 CHIX 21 6.76 141.96 XLON 320 6.66 2,131.20 XLON 335 6.66 2,231.10 XLON 83 6.66 552.78 XLON 96 6.66 639.36 CHIX 7 6.64 46.48 TRQX 7 6.64 46.48 BATE 133 6.64 883.12 TRQX 393 6.64 2,609.52 XLON 170 6.62 1,125.40 CHIX 121 6.62 801.02 XLON 416 6.62 2,753.92 CHIX 165 6.62 1,092.30 XLON 45 6.62 297.90 XLON 147 6.62 973.14 XLON 105 6.62 695.10 XLON 122 6.62 807.64 XLON 120 6.62 794.40 XLON 491 6.62 3,250.42 XLON 118 6.62 781.16 Total 3,415 6.63 22,654.40 09/10/2018 XLON 260 6.66 1,731.60 TRQX 83 6.66 552.78 BATE 114 6.66 759.24 TRQX 11 6.66 73.26 XLON 160 6.66 1,065.60 TRQX 301 6.66 2,004.66 XLON 441 6.66 2,937.06 XLON 1,924 6.64 12,775.36 XLON 10 6.64 66.40 CHIX 299 6.64 1,985.36 BATE 15 6.64 99.60 XLON 340 6.64 2,257.60 Total 3,958 6.65 26,308.52 10/10/2018 XLON 486 6.64 3,227.04 CHIX 273 6.64 1,812.72 BATE 115 6.64 763.60 TRQX 213 6.64 1,414.32 XLON 136 6.62 900.32 XLON 1,446 6.58 9,514.68 XLON 57 6.58 375.06 XLON 52 6.56 341.12 XLON 1,000 6.50 6,500.00 Total 3,778 6.58 24,848.86 11/10/2018 XLON 147 6.52 958.44 XLON 200 6.52 1,304.00 TRQX 94 6.52 612.88 CHIX 141 6.52 919.32 CHIX 131 6.52 854.12 BATE 4 6.52 26.08 XLON 418 6.52 2,725.36 XLON 276 6.52 1,799.52 BATE 107 6.52 697.64 XLON 306 6.52 1,995.12 TRQX 108 6.52 704.16 XLON 1,457 6.50 9,470.50 XLON 343 6.50 2,229.50 Total 3,732 6.51 24,297 12/10/2018 CHIX 20 6.58 131.60 CHIX 40 6.56 262.40 XLON 279 6.54 1,824.66 XLON 455 6.54 2,975.70 XLON 368 6.54 2,406.72 CHIX 32 6.54 209.28 CHIX 10 6.54 65.40 CHIX 23 6.54 150.42 CHIX 21 6.54 137.34 BATE 109 6.54 712.86 XLON 322 6.54 2,105.88 XLON 332 6.54 2,171.28 BATE 1 6.54 6.54 TRQX 183 6.54 1,196.82 CHIX 103 6.54 673.62 XLON 300 6.52 1,956.00 XLON 114 6.52 743.28 XLON 108 6.52 704.16 Total 2,820 6.54 18,433.96



Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 17, 2018) - Elysee Development Corp. (TSXV: ELC) is pleased to announce that it has agreed to a non-brokered private placement of 4,000,000 common shares at a price of $0.35 cents per share for gross proceeds of $1,400,000. There will be no warrants issued to the placees in conjunction with this placement.

Closing of this private placement is subject to acceptance for filing by the TSX Venture Exchange. All shares issued will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issuance.

Elysee has also agreed to invest US$300,000 in convertible notes of Baker Street Scientific Corp (BakerSCI), a private early stage "big data" analytics company located near Atlanta, Georgia.

Since its inception in 2014, Baker SCI has conceived and developed revolutionary analytics science and technologies ("S&T") with specific novel capabilities that have proven to be unparalleled by other analytics companies' applications. Baker SCI's disruptive S&T lets the data tell its own story to reveal extraordinarily deep context and unknowns in the data.

Baker SCI's S&T's compelling results have repeatedly been shown to be very impactful and valuable across the healthcare, defense, oil & gas, financial services, communications and internet business sectors, resulting in a number of initial contracts that offer significant revenue potential in the immediate future. For more information, please reference www.bakersci.com.

Guido Cloetens, the Chief Executive Officer of Elysee, stated: "This investment in Baker SCI is Elysee's first significant investment in a privately held company. We aim to augment our overall return on investment through increasing our exposure to private equity investments in the future through leveraging existing relationships with experienced and successful private equity investors with whom we have worked in the past".

For more information on Elysee, please visit our website at www.elyseedevelopment.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Stuart Rogers

President

Elysee Development Corp.

Tel: (604) 689-1749

Guido Cloetens

Chairman and CEO

info@elyseedevelopment.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements - This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, oral or written, made by itself or on its behalf, except as required by applicable law.New Investors SVC, Blue Ocean Ventures, Investiere and B-to-V Participated in the Round with ZKB

Luciole Medical AG announced today that it closed a CHF 5.3 million (EUR 4.7 million) Series A financing round. New investor SVC Ltd. (SVC Ltd. for Risk Capital for SMEs, a subsidiary of Credit Suisse), led the round with Blue Ocean Ventures, Investiere and B-to-V as co-investors with significant support from existing shareholder ZKB (Zurcher Kantonalbank). The company will use the funds to initiate commercialization of its minimally-invasive monitoring probe designed to measure blood oxygen levels in the brain, specifically for patients in intensive care units. In addition, the company will apply its platform toward the further development of its non-invasive patch that is designed to measure oxygen saturation and blood flow of brain tissue in patients undergoing surgery.

"This support from seasoned investors is a transformative step that will allow us to accelerate the development of our next-generation brain monitoring platform," commented Dr. Philippe Dro, CEO of Luciole Medical. "Our goal is to commercialize these important clinical tools that enable physicians to rapidly access critical information on the oxygenation status of the brain."

Brain oxygenation and blood flow are critical for brain function. Impaired oxygenation in the brain can rapidly lead to severe consequences such as cognitive decline, speech impairment, paralysis, coma and even death. Measuring these parameters in patients and during surgery is vital for the immediate diagnosis and treatment of the patient. Luciole Medical has developed a platform of next-generation devices to monitor these parameters. The technology measures oxygenated and de-oxygenated hemoglobin content in the brain as well as cerebral blood flow, thus giving precious information on tissue metabolism and brain function. The company has received the CE mark in 2016 for its minimally invasive probe for use in comatose patients following stroke or traumatic brain injury. Luciole Medical's second product, a non-invasive patch, is currently under development and will be used in anesthesia and in other conditions where the brain may be exposed to desaturation.

About Luciole Medical

Luciole Medical AG is developing a unique, next-generation platform of brain monitoring devices to rapidly provide important information allowing the proper diagnostic and monitoring of compromised oxygen supply conditions and complications. The company obtained the CE mark for a minimally invasive probe for ICU and is developing a patch for external measurement of brain oxygenation parameters. The Swiss-based private company is a spin out from the Swiss Polytechnic Institute and the University of Zurich. For more information, visit http://www.luciolemedical.ch

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005243/en/

Contacts:

Luciole Medical:

Dr. Philippe Dro, CEO

Phone: +41 43343 96 04

philippe.dro@luciolemedical.ch

or

Media requests:

Trophic Communications

Gretchen Schweitzer

Phone: +49 89 2388 7730

or

Dr. Jacob Verghese

Phone: +49 173 364 1607

verghese@trophic.euToronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 17, 2018) - Gunpowder Capital Corp. (CSE: GPC) (CSE: GPC.PR.A) (OTCQB: GNPWF) (FSE: YS6N) (the "Corporation") ") announced today the results of the Corporation's Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of Shareholders which was held on September 14th, 2018 at 11:00 am EST at the Corporation's head office in Toronto.

The Corporation is pleased to report that all items that were set out in the Notice of the Meeting were duly passed at the AGM including the appointment of UHY McGovern, Hurley LLP., as the Corporation's Auditor, the approval of the Corporation's current Stock Option plan and the election of the Directors. Each of the nominee Directors recommended by Management, and listed in the Corporation's Information Circular, and Proxy Statement dated July 30th, 2018 were elected as a Director of the Corporation for a term ending at the next Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Out of the 32,643,025 common shares eligible to vote at this year's AGM, proxies were received from the holders of 12,125,339 common shares, representing a voting percentage of 37.1%. The voting results are as follows:

Appointment of Auditors

Votes For Votes Against Abstain Percentage in Favor For 12,122,339 Nil / 0 3,000 99.9%

Approval of Stock Option Plan

Votes For Votes Against Abstain Percentage in Favor For 11,963,540 161,799 0 / NIL 98.6%

Election of Directors

Name of Nominee Votes For Abstain / Against Percentage in Favor For Steve Mlot 12,122,339 3,000 99.9% Dan Collia 11,987,640 137,699 98.9% Frank Kordy 11,895,540 229,799 98.1%

Mr. Frank Kordy stated: "I'm extremely pleased, yet again, by the very strong voter turnout at this year's AGM, as this is the second consecutive year where over 35% of the eligible vote was cast which is an extremely healthy voting turnout for an entity of this size. Once again, the Shareholders of the Corporation have demonstrated that they have a very strong interest in their Corporation and they have demonstrated that they have strong confidence in the current Management team, and confidence in the direction that their Corporation is currently headed in. As stated at the meeting, since implementing our current merchant banking business model and implementing the retirement of the mining business model, we have now generated $2.2M CDN in revenue vs. generating $0 / Nil in revenues as a mining entity. In Q3 of 2017, we posted the first ever quarterly profit in the Corporation's history. We also continue to witness rapid growth with our incoming revenue streams. In 2016 - which was a transitional and restructuring year - we generated $161,916 CDN in revenue for the twelve months ended, and $34,389 CDN in revenue for the six months ended. In 2017, we generated $1,437,107 CDN in revenue for the twelve months ended and $349,373 CDN in revenue for the six months ended. Thus far in 2018, we have generated $643,793 CDN in revenue for the six months ended which represents a 84% increase for the six months ended in 2018 vs. the six months ended in 2017. Both the Board and the Management team of Gunpowder wish to express their 'thanks' to all shareholders for their continued support. The Management team will continue to work hard in advancing the Corporation forward and we will remain focused on increasing the Corporation's asset pool and incoming revenue streams."

For further information please contact:

Mr. Frank Kordy

CEO & Director

Gunpowder Capital Corp.

T: (647) 466-4037

E: frank.kordy@gunpowdercapitalcorp.com

Mr. Paul Haber

CFO

Gunpowder Capital Corp.

T: (416) 363-3833

E: paul.haber@gunpowdercapitalcorp.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward- looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek safe harbor.

- 30 -Apple's XR, XS and XS Max devices bring eSIM Access to the Masses

LONDON, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The eSIM smartphone market is set to reach 420 million units annually by 2022, due to Apple's decision to incorporate the technology into its iPhone XR, XS and XS Max devices, which will accelerate eSIM market growth, according to ABI Research, a market-foresight advisory firm providing strategic guidance on the most compelling transformative technologies.

September 2018 can be considered a significant milestone in the development and deployment of the eSIM, moving the eSIM smartphone market bar from one which was solely occupied by Google and its Pixel 2 device, shipping a few million a year toward, potentially, the hundreds of millions.

Phil Sealy, Principal Analyst, comments that "It was always a case of 'when', not 'if', Apple would extend support of eSIM beyond its smartwatches and select a range of tablets into its smartphone portfolio. With its September 12th announcement of the XR, XS and XS Max range of iPhones, that time has arrived. All three phones include dual-SIM support via a traditional removable SIM card slot, alongside an eSIM. This rollout, however, will exclude the China market, where dual SIM functionality will be delivered via two traditional removable SIM card slots."

Arguably, Apple has now made eSIM integration into smartphones fair game, and all eyes will be looking toward the next set of OEMs who will offer dual-SIM models in their next-generation smartphones.

"Samsung is a clear contender for the next Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) likely to launch an eSIM handset. However, Samsung will likely adopt a tiered approach, integrating the eSIM into its S and Note range first, then expand into its A and C ranges later. Huawei is another, but we should not dismiss other OEMs, including LG and Xiaomi, who both have a range of high-end smartphones, or even other more localized vendors, including OPPO, who are looking to expand beyond China," states Sealy.

The eSIM form-factor is a transformative technology, which will undoubtedly impact the entire SIM value chain, including business models, sales channels, and processes across the smart card, secure IC, Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and OEM vendor landscape. Sealy adds that "this will mark the beginning of a significant required change in the SIM card hardware value chain, where the current leading vendors, including Gemalto, IDEMIA, G&D, and Valid will begin to see revenue shift from their respective traditional hardware supply businesses toward supporting platforms and services, including secure OTA management, subscription, and lifecycle management.

However, it must be noted that traditional SIM card is not going to disappear anytime soon, and Apple's new range of iPhones is a testament to this fact, given its dual-SIM functionality.

Sealy concludes that "today the market is not ready to completely embrace the eSIM for a number of reasons, and notably this is due to lack of MNO eSIM readiness. OEMs will need to remain mindful of this to continue supporting their respective global client base until all MNOs are ready to make the switch full time."

These findings are from ABI Research's eSIM and The Consumer Market report. This report is part of the company's Digital Security research service, which includes research, data, and Executive Foresights.

About ABI Research

ABI Research provides strategic guidance for visionaries needing market foresight on the most compelling transformative technologies, which reshape workforces, identify holes in a market, create new business models and drive new revenue streams. ABI's own research visionaries take stances early on those technologies, publishing groundbreaking studies often years ahead of other technology advisory firms. ABI analysts deliver their conclusions and recommendations in easily and quickly absorbed formats to ensure proper context. Our analysts strategically guide visionaries to take action now and inspire their business to realize a bigger picture. For more information about ABI Research's forecasting, consulting and teardown services, visionaries can contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific or visit www.abiresearch.com.

Contact Info:





Global

Deborah Petrara Christopher Leary Tel: +1.516.624.2558 Tel: +1.516.624.2544 pr@abiresearch.com pr@abiresearch.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/276887/abi_research_logo.jpgNOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION TO ANY U.S. PERSON OR IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (EACH AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED) OR IN OR INTO CANADA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Ipsos successfully launches an inaugural 300 million bond issue

Paris, 17 September 2018 - Ipsos successfully launched a 300m, 7-year (due in September 2025) inaugural bond issue, with an annual coupon of 2.875%.

The success of this transaction, for an unrated issuer, illustrates investors' confidence in Ipsos' group strategy and credit profile. The bond offering will allow Ipsos to extend its maturity profile compared to existing financing instruments and further diversify its debt investor base.

The proceeds of the offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including the refinancing of certain existing indebtedness.

The settlement of the offering is expected to take place on September 21, 2018, once the prospectus has received the visa of the French Financial Market Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers, AMF).

The notes will then be admitted to trading on Euronext Paris.

Credit Agricole CIB, HSBC and Societe Generale are acting as Joint Global Coordinators, and Commerzbank and Natixis are acting as Passive Bookrunners.

Disclaimer

This press release is for information purposes only and is not an offer to sell or subscribe securities or a solicitation of an order to purchase or subscribe securities in any jurisdiction. The securities mentioned in this press release were not and will not be offered through a public offering.

This press release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities in the United States of America or any other jurisdiction. These securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America unless they are registered or exempt from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Ipsos does not intend to register any of the securities mentioned in this announcement in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States.

This press release is an advertisement and is not a prospectus as required under Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (the "Directive"). A prospectus will be prepared and made available to the public, in compliance with the Directive, as part of admitting the bonds to trading on the Euronext regulated market Paris.

This press release does not constitute an offer of securities in France or in any other country. The bonds are the subject of a private placement in France with (i) persons providing investment management services to third parties and/or (ii) qualified investors other than individuals acting for their own account, as defined, and in accordance with Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the Monetary and Financial Code, and outside France. No prospectus related to the placement of the bonds has been approved by a competent authority of a European Economic Area Member State.

The dissemination of this press release in any country where such dissemination could constitute a violation of applicable legislation is prohibited.

GAME CHANGERS



 Game Changers  is the Ipsos signature.





At Ipsos we are passionately curious about people, markets, brands and society.

We make our changing world easier and faster to navigate and inspire clients to make smarter decisions.

We deliver with security, simplicity, speed and substance. We are Game Changers. Ipsos is listed on Eurolist - NYSE-Euronext.

The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index

and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD). ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP

www.ipsos.com (http://www.ipsos.com)

Ipsos successfully launches an inaugural 300 million bond issue (http://hugin.info/143536/R/2216524/865735.pdf)



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: IPSOS via Globenewswire

Regulatory News:

Korian (the "Company") (Paris:KORI), the European leader in care and support services for the elderly, announced today the launch of a tap issue of undated unsubordinated unsecured bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares (Obligations Duree Indeterminee option de Remboursement en Numeraire et/ou en Actions Nouvelles et/ou Existantes ODIRNANE) (the "New Bonds"), without preferential subscription rights, for a nominal amount of approximately 60 million.

The issue of the New Bonds aims at refinancing the non-listed hybrid bonds issued in June 2017 for an amount of 60 million.

The New Bonds are to be issued on the same terms (save for the issue price) as the approximately 240 million undated unsubordinated unsecured bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares (ODIRNANE) issued by Korian on July 3rd, 2017 (the "Existing Bonds") and, as soon as the settlement date of the New Bonds, shall be fully assimilated to the Existing Bonds and fungible (together, the "Bonds

The New Bonds will be offered at a price between 40.90 and 41.20 (including accrued interests which are equal to 0.22 per Bond).

The final price is expected to be determined today on September 17th, 2018.

The settlement and delivery date of the New Bonds is expected to take place on September 21st, 2018.

Conversion/Exchange rights

The holders of the Bonds (the "Bondholders") are granted a conversion/exchange right of the Bonds into new and/or existing Korian's shares with an initial conversion/exchange ratio of one share per Bond, subject to future potential adjustments (current ratio of 1.021 share par Bond since June 21st, 2018).

The Bondholders may exercise their conversion/exchange right at any time from the issue date (inclusive) until the 18th trading day (exclusive) preceding the first of the two following dates: January 1st, 2023, or, as the case may be, the date set for any early redemption.

Upon exercise of their conversion/exchange right, the Bondholders will receive, at the option of the Company, either an amount in cash, or a combination of cash and new and/or existing Korian shares, or only new and/or existing shares.

The number of new and/or existing shares to be delivered to the Bondholders, as the case may be, will depend on the conversion/exchange ratio of the Bonds, which will be adjusted in certain customary cases for this type of securities, including in case of any dividend payment by the Company.

For illustrative purpose, considering a total nominal amount of approximately 60 million represented by 1,492,166 Bonds and a nominal value of 40.21 per Bond, maximum dilution would represent 1.9% of the outstanding share capital, should the Company decide to exclusively deliver new shares upon conversion.

Placement and offer

The New Bonds will be offered via an accelerated bookbuilding process through a private placement in France and/or outside France (excluding the United States of America, Canada, Australia and Japan). This placement will be conducted in accordance with Article L.411-2 II of the French Monetary and Financial Code (Code monetaire et financier), as per the authorization granted by the Company's extraordinary general meeting held on June 14th, 2018 (17th resolution),

An application will be made for admission of the New Bonds to trading on the open market ("Euronext Access") of Euronext in Paris with effect as from the settlement date.

In connection with the offering, the Company will agree to a lock-up undertaking ending 90 calendar days following the issue date of the New Bonds, subject to certain exceptions.

Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank is acting as Sole Global Coordinator, Joint Lead Manager and Joint Bookrunner. Societe Generale is acting as Joint Lead Manager and Joint Bookrunner.

Public information

The offering of the New Bonds is not subject to a prospectus approved by the French Financial Market Authority (Autorite des marches financiers) (the "AMF"). Detailed information about Korian, including its business, results, perspectives and related risk factors are described in the Company's reference document filed with the AMF on April 26th, 2018 under number D.18-0411, which is available together with all the press releases and other regulated information about the Company, on the Company's website (www.korian.com).

Korian draws the public's attention to the risk factors presented on pages 46 to 54 of the French version of the Company's reference document.

This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for or to sell securities and the offering of the New Bonds is not a public offering in any jurisdiction including France.

ABOUT KORIAN

Korian, the expert in providing care and support services for seniors, with 740 facilities, operates Europe's largest network of long-term care nursing homes, specialised clinics, assisted-living facilities, home care and hospital home care services. The Korian group has the capacity to accommodate around 75,000 beds in four countries (France, Germany, Belgium and Italy) and employs around 49,000 people.

For more information, please visit our website at www.korian.com

Korian has been listed on Euronext Paris Compartment A since November 2006 and is a component of the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Health Care, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid Small and MSCI Global Small Cap

Euronext Ticker: KORI ISIN: FR0010386334 - Reuters: KORI.PA Bloomberg: KORI FP

Bonds ticker: KORAE ISIN: FR0013266087 Bloomberg: AO1537189 Corp

DISCLAIMER

This press release and the information contains herein do not, and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an offer to the public, an offer to subscribe or designed to solicit interest for purposes of an offer to the public in any jurisdiction, including France.

The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a breach of applicable law. Accordingly, persons physically located in those countries, in which this press release is distributed or published, must inform themselves about and comply with such laws or regulations.

No communication or information relating to the issuance by Korian of the New Bonds may be transmitted to the public in a country where there is a registration obligation or where an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country in which such registration or approval would be required. The issuance or the subscription of the New Bonds may be subject to specific legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; none of Korian and Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank or Societe Generale assumes any liability in connection with the breach by any person of such restrictions.

This press release is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 4 November 2003 as amended, as implemented in each member state of the European Economic Area (the "Prospectus Directive

The New Bonds will be offered only by way of a private placement in France and outside France (excluding the United States of America, Canada, Australia and Japan) to persons referred to in Article L.411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code Monetaire et Financier), without an offer to the public in any country (including France).

This press release does not constitute a recommendation on the issuance of the New Bonds. The value of the New Bonds is subject to fluctuation. Potential investors are advised to seek their own financial advisors to evaluate if buying the New Bonds is adequate with their needs.

Prohibition of sales to European Economic Area Retail Investors

No action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make available any New Bonds to any Retail Investor in the European Economic Area (EEA

For these purposes:

(a) the expression "Retail Investor" means a person who belongs to one (or several) of the following categories:

(i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II"); or

(ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC (as amended, the "Insurance Mediation Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or

(iii) a person other than a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive(as amended).

(b) the expression "offer" includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Bonds to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the New Bonds.

Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the New Bonds or otherwise making them available to Retail Investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the New Bonds or otherwise making them available to any Retail Investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPS Regulation.

France

The New Bonds have not been and will not be offered or sold or cause to be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Any offer or sale of the New Bonds and distribution of any offering material relating to the New Bonds have been and will be made in France only to (a) persons providing investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers), and/or (b) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) or a limited circle of investors provided that such investors act for their own account, as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L. 411-2 and D.411-1 of the French monetary and financial code (Code Monetaire et Financier

United Kingdom

This press release is addressed only (i) to persons located outside the United Kingdom, (ii) to investment professionals as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"), (iii) to people designated by Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the Order or (iv) to any other person to whom this press release could be addressed pursuant to applicable law (the persons mentioned in paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) all deemed relevant persons ("Relevant Persons"). The New Bonds and, if applicable, the Korian's shares to be delivered upon exercise of the conversion/exchange right (the "Securities") are intended only for Relevant Persons and any invitation, offer of contract related to the subscription, tender, or acquisition of the Securities may be addressed and/or concluded only with Relevant Persons. All persons other than Relevant Persons must abstain from using or relying on this document and all information contained therein.

This press release is not a prospectus which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authority for the purposes of Section 85 of the Order.

United States of America

This press release may not be published, distributed or transmitted in the United States of America (including its territories and dependencies, any State of the United States of America and the district of Columbia). This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase the New Bonds or any other financial securities in the United States of America. The New Bonds and, if applicable, the Korian's shares to be delivered upon exercise of the conversion/exchange right, have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the law of any state of the United States of America and may not be offered or sold in the United States of America, except in accordance with an exemption from, or a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act or the law of the above states. The New Bonds will be offered or sold only outside of the United States of America in offshore transactions, in accordance with Regulation S of the Securities Act. Korian does not intend to register all or any portion of the proposed offering in the United States of America or to conduct a public offering in the United States of America.

Canada, Australia and Japan

The New Bonds have not been offered or sold and may not be offered, sold or purchased in Canada, Australia or Japan. The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in Canada, Australia or Japan.

Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and Societe Generale are acting on behalf of Korian exclusively in connection with the issuance of the New Bonds and will not regard any other person as their client nor will they be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to any of their clients or for providing advice in connection with any other share of bond offering or regarding the content of this press release or any transaction, arrangement or other matters referred to herein.

Target market of ODIRNANE for the purposes of MIFID II: professional clients, eligible counterparties ("ECPs") and Retail Investors are targeted (all channels for distribution included). However, the New Bonds will not be offered or sold to Retail Investors for the purposes of this offering.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO

THE NEW BONDS WILL BE OFFERED ONLY BY WAY OF A PRIVATE PLACEMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS. THE NEW BONDS MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO RETAIL INVESTORS (AS DEFINED HEREAFTER). NO KEY INFORMATION DOCUMENT UNDER PRIIPS REGULATION HAS BEEN AND WILL BE PREPARED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005576/en/

Contacts:

Korian

Nadine COULM, +33 (0)1 55 37 53 55

VP Investor Relations Financing

nadine.coulm@korian.comBank of America Corporation (the "Corporation") filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on September 17, 2018, announcing that notice was delivered to the holders of the Trust Securities (as defined below) that, on October 18, 2018 (the "Liquidation Date"), Merrill Lynch Capital Trust I and Countrywide Capital III (each, a "Trust" and collectively, the "Trusts") will be liquidated, and the series of junior subordinated notes listed in the table below (the "Notes") currently held by the Property Trustee of each Trust will be distributed pro rata to the holders of the series of trust preferred securities listed in the table below (the "Trust Preferred Securities") and the trust common securities (the "Trust Common Securities" and together with the Trust Preferred Securities, the "Trust Securities") issued by that Trust, all in accordance with the trust agreement relating to each Trust and the applicable indenture pursuant to which the Notes were issued (the "Liquidation").

The following table sets forth information concerning each series of Notes that will be distributed to holders of the corresponding Trust Preferred Securities on the Liquidation Date.

Notes to be Distributed Trust Preferred Securities to be Exchanged Income Capital Obligations NotesSM initially due December 15, 2066 of Bank of America Corporation (as successor to Merrill Lynch Co., Inc.) (the "Merrill Notes") (CUSIP No. 060505179) Merrill Lynch Capital Trust I Trust Preferred Securities ("Merrill Trust Preferred Securities") (CUSIP No. 590199204) (NYSE: MER PrK) 8.05% Junior Subordinated Debentures due June 15, 2027 of Bank of America Corporation (as successor obligor to Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. by express assumption) and related guarantee (the "Countrywide Notes") (CUSIP No. 06051GHP7) Countrywide Capital III Subordinated Capital Income Securities, Series B (the "Countrywide Capital Securities") (CUSIP No. 22237AAB2)

On the Liquidation Date, each $25 in liquidation amount of Merrill Trust Preferred Securities will be exchanged for $25 principal amount of Merrill Notes, and each $1,000 in liquidation amount of Countrywide Capital Securities will be exchanged for $1,000 principal amount of Countrywide Notes. Following the Liquidation, the Notes will remain subject to the provisions of the applicable existing indenture pursuant to which the Notes were issued, as amended to date.

No action by the holders of the Trust Preferred Securities is required in order to effect the distribution of the Notes in exchange for the Trust Preferred Securities. The exchange of the Trust Preferred Securities for the Notes will be effected by the property trustee of each Trust and the trustee under the applicable indenture pursuant to which the Notes were issued, through the facilities and following the procedures of The Depository Trust Company.

On December 17, 2018, the next business day following the scheduled interest payment date of December 15, 2018, holders of each series of Notes will receive an interest payment in an amount equal to the distribution that would have accrued on the Trust Securities as if the Liquidation had not occurred.

The Corporation intends to apply to have the Merrill Notes listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") under the symbol MER PrK, which is the same symbol used for the Merrill Trust Preferred Securities, but there is no guarantee that the Corporation will be able to list the Merrill Notes. If approved for listing, the Corporation expects trading of the Merrill Notes on the NYSE to commence within 30 days after the Liquidation Date.

Bank of America Corporation makes available all of its SEC filings on its website: http://investor.bankofamerica.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=71595&p=irol-irhome.

The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. These materials may be obtained electronically by accessing the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. A copy of the document will also be available on the National Storage Mechanism's website at: http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005806/en/

Contacts:

Bank of America Corporation

Amanda D. Daniel, +1 980-388-5923

North Carolina Certified ParalegalRegulatory News:

Pershing Square, L.P. ("PSLP") today has established a non-discretionary trading plan to sell a portion of its common stock in The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE:HHC) over a period of time that will end no later than November 30, 2018, in accordance with guidelines specified under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"). None of the other Pershing Square funds are participating in the program as their HHC position is appropriately sized.

PSLP is selling shares in HHC for portfolio management purposes only. These sales do not represent a change in Pershing Square's view that HHC remains an attractive long-term investment. Pershing Square continues to believe that HHC is substantially undervalued at its current share price.

The 10b5-1 program provides that PSLP will sell up to 875,000 shares at prices at or above $125 per share, and will be limited to a maximum of 9.8% of each trading day's volume.

Assuming the 10b5-1 program is completed on or before its end date of November 30, 2018, it is expected that in total, the Pershing Square funds will beneficially own 3.1% of HHC. In addition, Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd., Pershing Square International, Ltd. and Pershing Square II L.P. will continue to own total return swaps on 4,229,933 million shares, or 9.8% of HHC. Assuming the 10b5-1 program is completed, the Pershing Square funds will then have total economic exposure, including common stock and total return swaps, of 12.9% of HHC.

In accordance with Section 16 of the 1934 Act, within two days of each day's execution under the 10b5-1 program, Pershing Square will disclose that day's trading in a Form 4 filing with the SEC. The initial Form 4 filing, in addition to potential sales under this program, will disclose the sale of a portion of a total return swap held by Pershing Square International Ltd., which was not part of the 10b5-1 program.

About Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.

Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. ("Pershing Square"), based in New York City, is a SEC-registered investment advisor to investment funds.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005813/en/

Contacts:

Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.

Fran McGill, 212-909-2455

McGill@persq.comAir India, which has been in the red for long, had a debt burden of Rs 48,000 crore at the end of March 2017.

New Delhi: The government plans to soon initiate the strategic sale process for at least four subsidiaries of loss-making Air India, including Airline Allied Services Ltd (AASL) and Hotel Corporation of India (HCI), according to officials.

Besides, plans are on the anvil for selling the headquarter building of Air India in the national capital as well as various other land assets and buildings of the airline in different parts of the country.

The government has prepared a list of the airline's assets that could be hived off as part of the strategic sale plan for Air India and its subsidiaries, officials said.

According to them, the disinvestment process is likely to be initiated soon for four Air India subsidiaries AASL, HCI, Air India Air Transport Service Ltd (AIATSL) and Air India Engineering Service Ltd (AIESL).

While AASL, under the name Alliance Air, provides regional air connectivity, HCI owns and operates two hotels in Delhi and Srinagar, among others.

AIATSL provides ground handling and cargo handling services. AIESL is mainly into maintenance, repair and overhaul of engines.

Apart from the headquarters building, other assets proposed to be sold include Air India properties in Mumbai and Delhi.

Officials said the government also plans to sell various art works and artefacts.

In June, a ministerial panel chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley deferred the strategic sale of the government's 76 per cent stake in Air India. Instead, it was decided that the government would look at sale of assets and subsidiaries of the national carrier to reduce the debt burden.

Air India, which has been in the red for long, had a debt burden of Rs 48,000 crore at the end of March 2017.

The government had originally proposed to offload 76 percent equity share capital of the national carrier as well as transfer the management control to private players. However, the offer failed to attract any bidder when the deadline for initial bids closed on 31 May.

The national airline is staying afloat on a bailout package extended by the previous UPA regime in 2012 and the government is also looking at ways to infuse more funds into the carrier.

For the current fiscal, the government expects to raise Rs 80,000 crore from strategic as well as minority stake sales in public sector enterprises.

So far this fiscal, the government has raised over Rs 9,220 crore by divesting stakes in state-owned companies.

Last year, the government had mopped up over Rs 1.03 lakh crore from PSU disinvestment. This was aided by country's oldest gas producer ONGC's Rs 36,915 crore acquisition of government-owned fuel retailer Hindustan Petroleum.The treatment for bitcoins would be ideal if the government were to legalise the trading of these currencies.

Virtual currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Monroe find themselves in a grey area in India. In December 2017, the Indian government cracked down on the cryptocurrency market. Earlier this year, in a move that could attract huge tax gains, taxmen issued notices to over five lakh individuals dealing in cryptocurrency. Representatives of Indias top seven bitcoin exchanges including Unocoin, Zebpay, BtcxIndia and CoinSecure approached the Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR) because there is little clarity on their very existence.

In April 2018 the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) placed a ban on banks from dealing with organisations related to cryptocurrencies. The government, too, has issued periodic warnings about the perils of doing business on virtual currencies. But so far regulators have refrained from according them a legal or illegal status.

The first piece of clarity came in February this year from the direct taxes department. According to them, not paying taxes on any assets attracts penalty, and a proposal has been drafted. This proposal includes some important tax impositions on cryptocurrency trading.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and customs is mulling over a proposal that will further be put before the GST Council.

Key points of the proposal

Cryptocurrency 'mining' will be treated as a supply of service since it generates cryptocurrency and involves rewards and transaction fees. Tax will be collected from the miner on transaction fees or reward. If the value of the reward exceeds Rs. 20 lakh, individual miners will need to register themselves under the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The proposal also considers 'wallets' storing keys taxable. Wallet service providers should be registered under GST.

Cryptocurrency exchanges need to register and pay tax on their earning.

Trading may attract 18 percent GST

Buying and selling of cryptocurrencies will be considered under the category of supply of goods. Other related facilitating transactions will be counted under services and these would include supply, transfer, storage, accounting, among others

The transaction value in rupees or the equivalent of any freely convertible foreign currency will be used to determine the value of cryptocurrency

In a scenario where both buyer and seller are in India, a transaction would be treated, as a supply of software and the buyers location will be the place of supply

For transfer and sale, the location of the registered person will be the place of supply. However, in a scenario where sale has to be made to non-registered persons, the location of the supplier would be considered as the place of supply

Integrated GST would be applicable for transactions conducted beyond the Indian territory and would be considered as import or export of goods. IGST will be levied on cross-border supplies.

Currency or not

While many developed economies recognise cryptocurrencies as legal tender, there are many countries where bitcoin is not explicitly legal or illegal but where a banking ban on them is in place. Among these is Vietnam, which allows trading in cryptocurrencies, but does not recognise them as a payment tool.

In India, the Foreign Exchange Management (FEMA) Act, 1999 [Sec.2 (h)] defines currency to involve currency notes, postal notes, postal orders, money orders, cheques, drafts, travellers cheques, letters of credit, bills of exchange and promissory notes, credit cards or such other similar instruments, as notified by the RBI. So can cryptocurrency be considered currency within the existing definitions?

Although the RBI has not notified bitcoin as legal tender, the fact that bitcoin is an accepted mode of payment is pertinent. Therefore, in principle, the RBI should recognize it as currency, and not as goods. The digital asset in the country could be classified under the category of 'intangible goods', at par with other software systems with separate laws introduced to prevent and penalize criminal use of cryptocurrencies. (As the CBITC posits, the decision of the panel to levy GST on digital currencies could also be useful in regulating digital currencies.)

Taxation could be made simpler if cryptocurrencies were treated as goods, and actions of bitcoin exchanges on behalf of customers were considered services. In sum, this new proposal would change the way virtual currency is being handled in India.

Bitcoin global scenario

The bitcoin dealing differs a lot depending from country to country. The United States of America treats bitcoin as an asset, which can be in the nature of a fixed asset, or an inventory asset. The United Kingdom, on the other hand treats it as a private currency. Australia has a case-to-case treatment for bitcoins, ranging from a traded asset to an investment, with different treatment to the related services of mining or trade facilitation. Singapore recognizes bitcoin as a valid currency, while Japan treats bitcoin as commodities.

Bitcoin Indian scenario

The RBI has asked its own regulated entities (such as banks) to stop providing service to individuals or business entities dealing in cryptocurrencies for fiat (INR) on and off-ramps. This prohibits from buying/selling cryptocurrencies for INR through banks.

Despite all limitations, India ranks among the top 5 countries of the world, from the perspective of share of currency held (although these cannot be traded currently) which is at 44 percent of the worlds share.

Given the uncertainties related to bitcoin, and the relatively nascent state of its development one thing is clear  bitcoin is going to take time to be widely accepted as a currency or means of exchange in India. This will lead to the typical reaction of such exchanges shifting base outside India, and eventual losses of huge potential tax revenues.

The treatment for bitcoins would be ideal if the government were to legalise the trading of these currencies. The currencies should be treated as current assets, and GST should be charged on the margins that bitcoin exchanges charge their users. This will ensure that the trading of the currencies is regulated, as well as adding to tax revenues for the government.

(The write is Product Manager - GST India, Avalara Technologies Pvt. Ltd.)FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's transport minister is in talks with carmakers about how much money they should offer customers to exchange old diesel models for new cars, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's transport minister is in talks with carmakers about how much money they should offer customers to exchange old diesel models for new cars, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported.

Andreas Scheuer was quoted as saying that German carmakers should offer owners of older diesel-fuelled cars attractive incentives to replace them, but added that no state money would be offered.

"The government is not a car dealer," he told the newspaper's Monday edition, according to extracts of the interview released by the newspaper on Sunday.

Germany's existing or planned local environmental rules could see 1.3 million older diesel cars banned from several cities soon, Funke Mediengruppe reported on Sunday, citing government papers.

While car owners should be given attractive incentives, retrofits should only be applied when they make technical and economic sense, Scheuer said.

The car industry has lobbied against equipping old diesel models with extra emissions control technology because that could cost billions of euros.

According to Scheuer, 3.1 million diesel cars with the Euro-4 emission standard and 3.5 million Euro-5 diesels cannot be retrofitted, adding that for other cars the fix would cost at least 3,000 euros ($3,488) each.

The minister has been tasked by Chancellor Angela Merkel to come up with a solution to make older diesel cars cleaner and to avoid large-scale bans on diesel cars.

($1 = 0.8600 euros)

(Reporting by Arno Schuetze; Editing by Susan Fenton)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.BERLIN (Reuters) - Governments cannot completely prevent a repeat of events like the 2008 global financial crisis even though regulations have been tightened since the collapse of Lehman Brothers a decade ago, Germany's top central banker told Bild newspaper. Bundesbank President Jen Weidmann said German banks were not only victims of the 2008 financial crisis, but many institutions had also taken on more risk than they could ultimately carry

BERLIN (Reuters) - Governments cannot completely prevent a repeat of events like the 2008 global financial crisis even though regulations have been tightened since the collapse of Lehman Brothers a decade ago, Germany's top central banker told Bild newspaper.

Bundesbank President Jen Weidmann said German banks were not only victims of the 2008 financial crisis, but many institutions had also taken on more risk than they could ultimately carry.

Regulations had been tightened since then, but it would be "an illusion" to think that governments could completely avert such crises, he said.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Susan Fenton)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Docprime.com, the latest healthcare venture by Policybazaar Group, Monday said it has received an initial internal funding of $50 million (about Rs 362 crore) from the parent company.

New Delhi: Docprime.com, the latest healthcare venture by Policybazaar Group, on Monday said it has received an initial internal funding of $50 million (about Rs 362 crore) from the parent company.

Docprime.com, which allows users to book appointments with doctors and labs through its platform, has partnered up with 14,000 doctors and 5,000 diagnostic labs. It aims to expand its network to 1.50 lakh doctors and 20,000 labs across over 100 cities.

While docprime.com allows users to book appointments in Delhi-NCR, it also plans to make the facility available across all major cities, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai, the company said in a statement.

"We intend to use the capital in providing seamless user experience and bringing innovation in the healthcare space. Our focus is to make the services more customer-friendly driven by transparency, trust, and sustainability," docprime.com CEO Ashish Gupta said.

He added that the company is bringing in innovation through the use of various new-age technology tools like artificial intelligence (AI), data science and deep analytics.

"Healthcare sector has a lot of untapped potential and currently, the services are not affordable and accessible for all. With rising out-of-pocket expenses, there's a need to provide quality healthcare at competitive prices that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere," Yashish Dahiya, CEO and co-founder of Policybazaar Group of Companies, said.

It also plans to bring in an OPD subscription-based product, which will cover unlimited consultations and diagnostic tests. The company is targeting 1 million free medical consultations by March 2019 and up to 5 million by March 2020.

Earlier this year, Policybazaar had received a $238 million funding, led by Japan's SoftBank Group and its existing investors.In case of the Walmart-Flipkart deal, the withholding tax pertains to the capital gains made by the shareholders of Flipkart.

New Delhi: US retail giant Walmart paid Rs 7,439 crore tax on payments it made to buy-out shares of 10 major shareholders of Flipkart but has not yet done so for another 34 who exited the Indian e-commerce company in the $16 billion deal, tax officials said.

As many as 44 shareholders of Flipkart, including significant ones like SoftBank, Naspers, venture fund Accel Partners and eBay, had sold their holdings to Walmart.

Walmart on 7 September, the last date for depositing taxes with the Indian authorities, paid Rs 7,439 crore withholding tax on payments made to 10 shareholders of Flipkart.

"Of the 44 shareholders in Flipkart who have sold shares, Walmart has deposited taxes for only 10 funds and entities. We have asked Walmart to explain the rationale followed while deducting or not deducting taxes from the shareholders. They have been asked to give a case to case explanation," a tax department official said.

Withholding tax, or retention tax, is an income tax to be paid to the government by the payer of the income rather than the recipient of the income. The tax is withheld or deducted from the income due to the recipient.

In case of the Walmart-Flipkart deal, the withholding tax pertains to the capital gains made by the shareholders of Flipkart.

Responding to an e-mail query by PTI, a Walmart spokesperson said: "We take our legal obligations seriously, including paying taxes to governments where we operate."

"Following our Flipkart investment, we have completed our tax withholding obligations under the guidance of the Indian tax authorities. We will continue to work with authorities to respond to their queries," the spokesperson said without elaborating.

Industry sources said Walmart may have followed the withholding tax provision for small investors in not deducting tax on payments made to them.

Flipkart shareholders can broadly be divided into three categories -- foreign investors whose holding is more than 5 percent, foreign investors with holding less than 5 percent and Indian residents.

Walmart is legally not required to withhold tax on payments made to foreign shareholders with a stake of less than 5 percent and no right to management, they said.

Nangia Advisors LLP Managing Partner Rakesh Nangia said I-T Act's Section 9(1)(i) read with Explanation 5 and 6, that is the Indirect Transfer Provisions, impose capital gain tax liability on the foreign shareholder holding shares in Flipkart Singapore.

However, Explanation 7 to Section 9(1)(i) carves out the applicability of Explanation 5 to small investors holding no right of management or control of such company and holding less than 5 percent of the voting power/ share capital/ interest of the company that directly or indirectly owns the assets situated in India.

"It is imperative to note that Walmart's liability to withhold tax arises only if the underlying capital gain is liable to tax in the hands of the shareholder under the provisions of the Act read with the relevant tax treaty.

Accordingly, there is a possibility that some of the shareholders fall within the ambit of Explanation 7, thereby absolving Walmart of any liability to withhold tax at source," Nangia said.

Certain shareholders of Flipkart had last month approached the tax department seeking exemption from levy of the taxes. Their application is still being studied by the I-T department.

"We are still studying the exemption application filed by some shareholders of Flipkart. We have not yet decided on granting or not granting exemption or lower tax rate for them," the official said.

The Income Tax law provides for a buyer to seek withholding tax certificate from authorities after providing details of the transaction and make a case for availing lower or nil tax rates. The tax rate could be lower in case the non-resident seller invokes the provision of the double tax avoidance agreement.

US retail giant Walmart Inc had on 7 September said it has complied with the tax obligations of its $16 billion acquisition of India's largest online retailer Flipkart but did not say the quantum of taxes it paid.

Walmart Inc had completed the acquisition of 77 percent stake in Flipkart for about $16 billion in mid-August. As per the provisions of the I-T law, Walmart had to deduct withholding tax on payments made to sellers and deposit it with the Indian authorities on the seventh day of the subsequent month, which in this case is September 7.

As per domestic tax law, long-term capital gains tax is levied at 20 percent for shares sold by foreign investors after 24 months of purchase.

However, the I-T law also provides for a taxpayer to pay taxes at a lower or nil rate if he is eligible to claim the benefits under the double taxation avoidance agreement between India and the country from where the investment was routed.After talks with Transport minister Yunus Khan failed, the employees of Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) have called for a one day strike.

Jaipur: Over 4, 500 buses remained off the roads in Rajasthan on Monday as state transport corporation employees went on a strike over various demands, including implementation of the seventh pay panel's recommendations.

Unions have called for a one-day strike, but it can be extended, Rajasthan Roadways Workers' Union, general secretary, Kishan Singh Rathore, told PTI. "There are 4,716 buses with the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC). This includes nearly 1,000 buses that are on contract, and most of them are not operating. This one-day call may be extended," he said.

Rathore said the unions held a meeting with Transport Minister Yunus Khan on Sunday, but it failed and the strike began at midnight. Our main demands are that our salary should be as per the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations, there must be new recruitment in the corporation and new buses be purchased, he said.

Commuters across Rajasthan faced hardship due to the strike.

Rathore claimed that about 10 lakh people use RSRTC buses everyday.AIADMK MLAs contributed their one month salary totalling more than Rs 1.13 crore towards relief works in flood-ravaged Kerala.

Chennai: Legislators of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Monday contributed their one month salary totalling more than Rs 1.13 crore towards relief works in flood-ravaged Kerala.

Those who contributed their month's salary included Speaker P Dhanapal, Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, besides the lone nominated member, among others, an official release said.

Dhanapal presented Demand Drafts (DDs) for a total sum of Rs 1,13,20,000 to the chief minister to be sent to the Kerala government for helping the flood-ravaged state, it said. AIADMK has a total of 117 members, including the speaker, in the 234-member Assembly.

The House also has one nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community.Since the formation of Telangana in 2014, there have been seen 19 incidents of caste-based killings, according to the CPM-affiliated Inter-caste Marriages Federation.

India has changed. Only last September, the Arya Vysya Sangham in Hyderabad boasted about how a member of their community  Mahatma Gandhi  led the freedom movement. Today another member of the Vysya community, Maruthi Rao, considered both financially affluent and politically influential, stands accused of hiring an assassin to kill his son-in-law because the boy hailed from the Scheduled Caste community. The apostle of non-violence would have flinched.

On Friday, Pranay, a Dalit youth was killed by a hired assassin in Miryalguda town in Telangana, 140 km from Hyderabad. His fault was to fall in love with Amrutha Varshini, who belongs to the Vysya community, a forward caste. The scene of the crime was a hospital where the assailant attacked the 23-year-old with a machete, killing him on the spot even as Amrutha recoiled with horror. Amrutha has accused her father Maruthi Rao of being the brain behind the alleged case of the honour killing.

Pranay and Amrutha who were in love since their school days married six months ago. Amrutha's family was not happy with her decision. Amrutha is five months pregnant now and she says her father had been putting pressure to undergo an abortion.

It is eerie how Miryalaguda is Udumalpet revisited. In March 2016, Sankar, a Dalit engineer who had married Kausalya from the Thevar community, a caste deemed superior to his, was killed by assailants at a busy marketplace in Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu. The murder took place in Kausalya's presence and was also caught on CCTV. The hired assassins were engaged by Kausalya's father who was awarded the death sentence by a Tiruppur court in December last year.

Since the formation of Telangana in 2014, there have been seen 19 incidents of caste-based killings, according to the CPM-affiliated Inter-caste Marriages Federation.

"Such a high number in a small state like Telangana shows that inter-caste marriages are not considered a social responsibility. When there is social disparity coupled with financial disparity, it turns into a lethal combination," says T Skylab Babu, president of the federation.

In March 2017, 28-year-old Dalit youth Manthani Madhukar in Peddapalli district was allegedly killed by family members of the upper caste girl he was in love with. Dalit groups claim it was passed off as a case of suicide because the girl's family was politically well-connected.

Two months later, 23-year-old Amboji Naresh, a Dalit who had married his childhood friend Swathi from the Reddy community was allegedly killed by his father-in-law. His body was then burnt in the fields in Nalgonda district and parts were thrown into the Musi river. Naresh's family bemoaned that they did not even have his body to perform the last rites, all they got were some charred remains.

Political scientist Kancha Ilaiah says that since bifurcation, the feudal mindset has only asserted itself weakening the progressive movements and made Dalits into soft targets.

"K Chandrasekhar Rao attended NT Rama Rao's son's funeral and even allotted land for his samadhi in Hyderabad, even though the late Harikrishna was anti-Telangana. Here neither KCR nor his son KT Rama Rao has visited the victim's family. KTR only put out a tweet, probably under pressure. What signal does it send?" asks Ilaiah.

The TRS officially is not willing to say anything on record on the tragedy beyond KTR's tweet where he said, "Dismayed and anguished on how deep-rooted casteism still is. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will be punished and justice will prevail."

There is also the view that KCR has not gone beyond rendering lip service to the Dalit cause. Not only did he not fulfill his promise of appointing a Dalit chief minister, he consciously stayed away from the Rohith Vemula controversy at the Hyderabad University, which other opposition parties described as "a case of institutional murder".

In July last year, in KTR's Sircilla constituency, eight Dalits were detained for allegedly torching a sand-laden truck after an accident. The police reportedly subjected them to third-degree torture and abused them with casteist slurs.

What the TRS government has not been able to do is to dispel the notion that the system is on the side of the socially dominant caste. In the Miryalaguda incident, Maruthi Rao is said to be close to TRS MLA Vemula Veeresham and had reportedly sought his help to get Pranay out of Amrutha's life. This despite Veeresham being a Dalit himself.

"The MLA is a Dalit but he is a puppet in the hands of the upper castes," says M Anjanayelu, social activist.

"The social conflict is increasing and the larger problem is that the state and police are seen to be on the side of the upper castes. If only they had acted promptly when they knew there was a threat to Pranay's life from Amrutha's family."

Veeresham has denied knowing Amrutha and Pranay saying "I saw their faces for the first time on television.'' But Amrutha has named Veeresham, saying she suspects his involvement.

Dalit activists complain that the chief minister's silence only emboldens more people to indulge in such brutal and pre-planned violence.

"The chief minister should have come out and said this is unacceptable. He has remained indifferent to it. When the prime minister keeps quiet over incidents of cow vigilantism or lynching, we condemn him. We should also condemn KCR when he chooses to be silent," says Ilaiah.

On paper, the Government of India and Telangana promote inter-caste marriages, providing financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 50,000 for every such couple. A report in The Hindu mentions that 210 couples in Telangana applied under the scheme in 2017. But not all of them get the financial help as a recommendation letter from the local MLA, MP or district magistrate is mandatory.Speaking at a three-day conclave, 'Bhavishya Ka Bharat  An RSS Perspective', Bhagwat said that the event was being held so that people could understand the organisation.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday hailed the work done by the organisation as "incomparable" and claimed that people targetted the outfit out of fear because of its increasing power.

"Its (RSS) work gets advertised automatically when its power increases. And when its work gets popular, then people try to learn more about it. And then few people target Sangh out of fear of its increasing power which is quite natural.

"This programme has been organised for people to understand the RSS because today, it has emerged as a power in the country which is felt by the world," he said.

Bhagwat also addressed the debates surrounding the role of the organisation. "Debates and discussions should take place but for the debate, reality should be known," he said. "The work of Sangh is unique and beyond comparison. And thus from known to unknown, it is impossible to understand Sangh."

He said that because RSS had a unique identity, it gets popular amongst people and its workers do not run to advertise its work. "We do not remote control (our workers). Our only concern is that they do not commit mistakes. Our 'Samanvay Baithak' is held just to remind them of their values that they need to adhere to while working in your area," he siad.

Remembering RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, Bhagwat called him a "born patriot". Bhagwat said that KB Hedgewar had been a part of the Congress, and was a senior leader in the Vidarbha region, who had taken part in the non-cooperation movement. "Hegdewar believed that as a society we have forgotten our values, Hindutva binds is together. This was and is a Hindu Rashtra... RSS was formed to unite Hindu society," said Bhagwat.



Bhagwat further noted the contributions of Congress in the pre-independence era, and said, "Congress played a big role in freedom movement and gave India many great personalities."

The event  which will conclude on Wednesday  is being held at Vigyan Bhavan, where major government events are usually conducted. Almost all major Opposition parties gave the conclave a miss, though the RSS had invited them.

Reacting to Bhagwat's remark on Congress, party leader Salman Anees Soz took a dig on Twitter saying that the world wanted to know more about RSS' "love for Nazism and fascism".

The world knows about the role of Congress in the freedom movement. It is the RSS the world wants to know more about. For example, that inconvenient part about love for Nazism & Fascism. https://t.co/zxZgR051Oh https://t.co/JWR7TdKmge  Salman Anees Soz (@SalmanSoz) September 17, 2018

With inputs from agenciesWith the central theme of 'Hindutva', the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will hold a three-day lecture series in New Delhi starting Monday. In the last few days, The event has already garnered publicity over its invite list.

With the central theme of 'Hindutva', the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is all set for a three-day lecture series in New Delhi starting Monday. In the past few days, the event has already garnered publicity over its invite list. It brought back memories from the humdrum created when former president Pranab Mukherjee was invited by the RSS in June this year to address the closing ceremony of the Tritiya Varsha Sangh Shiksha Varg, an RSS event to mark the conclusion of a three-year training camp for swayamsevaks in Nagpur.

The programme, titled 'Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective', is slated to be attended by dignitaries including religious leaders, actors, sportspersons, industrialists and envoys of various countries. An official list of invitees hasn't been released by the RSS. The highlight will be talks to be delivered on all three days by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, presenting the Sangh's view on various contemporary issues of national importance. According to a report in the NDTV, the Ayodhya issue will be one of the key areas that will be discussed at the three-day RSS outreach in Delhi.

However, all eyes are set on Wednesday when Bhagwat will take questions from the special invitees in an hour-and-a-half long Q&A segment.

The RSS, founded in 1925 and the ideological fountainhead of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), explained why the close-knit group was inviting others to an event unprecedented in nature.

"RSS is being criticised by one and all, especially by the opposition," an RSS spokesman told IANS. "This event is to present our view, how we see the issues which the opposition has been using to target us and the government."

RSS chief spokesperson Arun Kumar: "Today, Bharat (India) is moving ahead towards regaining her special and unique position in the world. The RSS is realising that there is a growing eagerness amongst larger sections of the society including the intellectuals and the youth to know and understand the RSS perspective on various issues,"

The event follows Bhagwat's address at a recent second World Hindu Congress in Chicago where the RSS chief urged Hindus to unite. The RSS calls itself a non-political group but critics say it controls the BJP and influences its policies.

Drama over invitations: 'What invite', ask Opposition leaders

Opposition leaders, including Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, CPM's Sitaram Yechury and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will not be attending the event. While Akhilesh has made his decision known, the CPM said Yechury was travelling and in any case they had no invite from the RSS.

Senior functionaries of the RSS have said a list of about 500 dignitaries was prepared for the event. The list has not been made public.

The Congress, too, mocked the event. "RSS and BJP have been spreading this fake news for a while regarding sending invites as if it was some kind of a medal of honour," party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters. "No such invite has been received by the Congress party and it is not a medal of honour. Their inherently hate-filled agenda is known to one and all."

"The list includes the names of religious leaders, film actors, sportspersons, media personalities, retired judges and former chiefs of the armed forces. The invitations are being sent to all these dignitaries," another Sangh functionary involved in the process of sending the invitations told PTI.

The RSS had indicated that it would invite Rahul, Yechury and the leaders of all the political outfits.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi told reporters that since the RSS represents Hindu nationalism, he would never accept any invitation from it to participate in any event held by the organisation. Owaisi said RSS stood for Hindu nationalism. "It is an organisation which believes in Indian nationalism. I will never do this stupidity and mistake of what Pranab Mukherjee did...," PTI quoted Owaisi as saying.

With inputs from agenciesThe Supreme Court is hearing a plea seeking the immediate release of the five activists arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case.

The Supreme Court Monday said on Monday that it may order an investigation a Special Investigation Team if it found that evidence against five activists  arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case  was "cooked up". The top court made the statement as it extended the house arrests of the activists till Wednesday, 19 September, and scheduled the next hearing for the same day.

Teams of the Pune Police had raided the homes of activists Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha on 29 August, claiming that statements made at an event they had attended on 31 December had triggered the violence in Bhima Koregaon on New Year's Day. They have been under house arrest since their homes were raided and they were briefly detained.

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to examine the evidence gathered by the Maharashtra Police in the investigation against the activists to decide whether there is any substance to them and whether the inquiry should continue or be quashed.

"First of all we must have a look at the material. If we find that the material is cooked up, we will set up SIT. ... How can we adjudicate against them (Maharashtra Police) without hearing them and looking at the material. We will see the materials of the agency.

"Every criminal investigation is based on allegations, and we have to see whether there is some material (to the evidence)," the bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, and comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, said.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Maharashtra government, said the court should make it clear that after the adjudication from the apex court, the arrested accused cannot avail remedies simultaneously on similar issues at other judicial fora.

Mehta also argued that there was enough evidence to indicate that these activists were involved in criminal acts, reported Live Law.

Along with ASG Maninder Singh, Mehta strongly objected to the petition on the grounds of locus, reported Bar and Bench. Singh said that the problem of Naxalism is widespread and also questioned the petitioners about why they chose to approach the Supreme Court directly without exploring alternative remedies first, reported Live Law.

Mehta's statement was in reference to the petition in the Supreme Court filed by historian Romila Thapar, economists Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain, sociology professor Satish Deshpandey and human rights lawyer Maja Daruwala. Through the plea, they have sought an independent investigation into the arrests of the five activists and their immediate release.

Senior advocated Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the petitioners, said that they are seeking an independent inquiry in the case, pointing out that the Supreme Court has the authority to order an independent probe under its monitoring. Singhvi also questioned why the FIR against the activists did not mention any charges related to an alleged plot to assassinate the prime minister despite several reports on the matter, and why the National Investigation Agency or the Central Intelligence Bureau are not investigating the case if such serious charges were reported.

"What we have been hearing that there is a possible attempt to eliminate the prime minister. The FIRs and others do not talk about assassination plot," Singhvi said.

He said after the top court's observation asking Maharashtra Police not to speak to media about the probe, the "spreading of lies has subsided" but not stopped.

"Canard has been spread about criminal past of some of the activists," he said and gave details about the status of the matters against some of them.

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra indicated that the issue of an independent investigation may be left for lower courts to decide, while the activists continue to remain under house arrest.

Prominent Telugu poet Varavara Rao was arrested from Hyderabad, while activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Farreira were arrested from Mumbai. Trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj was taken into custody from Faridabad in Haryana, and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha was arrested from New Delhi.

The Maharashtra Police had arrested them in connection with an FIR lodged after the Elgar Parishad event on 31 December, which they claim triggered the violence in Bhima Koregaon village the next day.

With inputs from agenciesBishop Franco Mulakkal, accused in the Kerala nun rape case, on Sunday wrote to the Pope asking to be allowed to step down from his responsibilities at the Diocese of Jalandhar until the case reaches a conclusion.

ANI reported that the diocese said that Mulakkal "needed time to fight the case", and that he has "expressed willingness to absolve himself from the responsibilities". The statement said, "He (Mulakkal) has handed over a letter to the representative of the Pope."

On Saturday, a group of nuns in Kerala had staged a protest demanding Mulakkal's arrest. Speaking to the media, one of the five nuns who along with hundreds of people are protesting said, "We will not rest and we will not be happy till he is questioned and arrested."

Earlier on Saturday, Mulakkal stepped down from his position in the church amid growing outrage over lack of action against him.

Mulakkal also released a statement seeking prayers for himself, the nun and her supporters and said that perhaps only a divine intervention could bring out the truth now. He said that he was ready for a death sentence even if he was found one percent guilty.

He had earlier refused to step down from his post. "I will not step down because that is what those behind the allegations want, why should I play into their hands."

With inputs from agenciesCBI has already filed a charge sheet against Mallya in 2017 in connection with a separate case related to Rs 900 crore pending loan given by IDBI bank in which senior officials of the bank were allegedly involved

New Delhi: Many senior bank officials who had dealt with loans given to liquor baron Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines may be named as accused in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet which is likely to be filed within a month, sources said.

This would be first charge sheet in the case pertaining to loans of over Rs 6,000 crore given to Kingfisher by a consortium of 17 banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) which alone had an exposure of Rs 1,600 crore.

The agency has already filed a charge sheet against Mallya in 2017 in connection with a separate case related to Rs 900 crore pending loan given by IDBI bank in which senior officials of the bank were allegedly involved.

The CBI had registered two cases against Mallya related to the IDBI loans in 2015 and consortium loan in 2016.

Refusing to give names of the officials, the sources said the first phase of probe into loans given by a consortium of banks is almost complete and the charge sheet may be filed within a month while keeping the investigation open.

"Both serving and retired senior officials of the banks including SBI who had handled Kingfisher Airlines loans may be named as accused in the charge sheet as the agency has gathered enough evidence against them on misuse of official position," they said.

"The top brass of erstwhile Kingfisher airlines including Mallya, its CFO A Raghunathan and other former senior executives will also be named as accused in the case," they said.

They said the agency is also looking into the role of Finance Ministry officials who could have influenced the decision of the bankers but their role is still be evaluated.

"During the probe, the agency has gathered enough evidence to show that Mallya allegedly diverted the loan funds from the purpose for which they were given," they said.

According to sources, The agency in its FIR has alleged that SBI and its consortium banks had advanced various credit facilities to Kingfisher Airlines Limited during the period between 2005 and 2010.

"During 2009-10, the company failed to meet its repayment commitments to the bank from which it had availed the credit facilities and Kingfisher Airlines did not keep its account with the consortium banks regular which became NPA," the FIR states.

The consortium banks, therefore, recalled the credit facilities and also invoked corporate guarantee of UBHL and personal guarantee of Mallya, it alleged.

"Mallya deliberately did not repay the amount, outstanding dues payable by Kingfisher Airlines to consortium of banks," the sources said.

It is alleged that there was a conspiracy among group companies promoter and unknown others to cheat the lenders. SBI has an exposure of Rs 1,600 crore to the airline. Out of this, the bankers, which recalled the loan in February 2013, could recover only around Rs 1,100 crore after selling pledged shares of UB Group companies.

Other banks that have exposure to the airline include Punjab National Bank and IDBI Bank (Rs 800 crore each), Bank of India (Rs 650 crore), Bank of Baroda (Rs 550 crore), Central Bank of India (Rs 410 crore).The nuns may have to face all sorts of difficulties because they are out protesting, says former nun Mary Chandy.

Editor's note: This is multi-part series that investigates sexual abuse in the church and the institutions that it runs. The articles that follow rely on interviews with victims, abusers, those accused of abuse, church elders, parish members and state officials to examine the role of the three institutions that are critical to the issue: The Church, the community, and the State.

In 2012, Sister Mary Chandy, who was part of the congregation of the Daughters of Presentation of Mary in Chevayur, Calicut published her autobiography titled Nanma Niranjavale Swasthi. This book revealed details of the authors experiences in the 45 years she spent in the Catholic convent, which included accounts of sexual abuse and misuse of power.

Today, a 72-year-old Mary Chandy runs a children's home for around 40 children in Pulppally, situated in Wayanad district of Kerala. In an exclusive interview to Firstpost, Chandy talks about the lives of those within the institution she was once part of, the struggles they face and about the ongoing public battle being waged by five nuns against an alleged sexual offender.

Chandy doesnt want to speak too much about her book. The nuns she was close to have expired and nobody from the institution came to meet her after she left the Church, she says. But Sister Chandy feels that the protest being led by the nuns should have happened sooner, as these things have been happening for years.

When did you feel like writing the book?

I didnt 'feel' like writing the book. People came to me. I spoke to them. Later, whatever I said was compiled into a book. It was difficult for me to write it myself. But major details are missing from the book. They didnt include many things I told. I spoke more about my life experiences, but they reduced it to some of my convent life experiences.

What are the things which were missed out from the book?

There are a lot of things. There is no point in talking about that. It is difficult to keep such things in ones memory too. I am poor. I dont have money. I am more worried about that.

Sister Jesme also wrote a similar book about experiences of nuns inside the congregation.

Sister Jesme left the convent, which is true. But when she wrote, she didnt write everything. For her, money was a priority. For me, money is not a priority. I want to work for others. I am not worried about making money. So, it is difficult for me to compare these two books. She made money out of this and then left the convent.

When nuns join the Church, all their property, like land, joins Churchs property. But the Church ensures that this property will not be given back if the nun decides to leave the Church. They make us sign a contract. From then on, we are left with no option to claim anything even though we deserve it. No proof of these transfers will be there.

Isnt that unconstitutional?

Yes. Constitutional rights and laws dont apply to us. There is no right left to question. They will include it in the contract, that this cant be questioned. Even if you question this before becoming a nun, you have no right to claim your property. That is how it works in the Church.

These days not many young men and women join the Church to become priests or nuns. So, they are being provided with a good sum of money. Once you join the Church there will be counselling, this was not there before. No personal or closed interactions happened. These days there are counselling sessions, between a priest and a nun, for students, etc. During the counselling, all the untoward things that can happen to a person, happen. If anybody opposes this, his or her case is gone. Even boys who enter the seminary to learn, who would be 15 or 16, do not know much things about the world. They come in contact with the priests in the seminary, once they reach class 12. These boys routinely get sexually exploited by the higher authorities, by priests. Not all of them would be in a position to oppose it, most of them may not be courageous enough to resist the exploitation. If they speak out, they will be threatened that their family will be wiped out. That is the threat. Nobody will speak out of this fear.

Now, these nuns are protesting against a bishop at Ernakulam. They should have stepped out and spoken much earlier. They should have opposed it from the beginning. Mar Papa (the Pope) who sits in Rome has never done much about these incidents. He cant do things because he is too old, he never opposed these priests, he will just agree to whatever the priests say. He will not even make the reasons for not opposing clear. We cant blame everyone for this. There are good priests as well. But they are also counted as bad. They cant do anything about that. They will have to suffer all this and live.

These protests by the nuns are happening for the first time. They may have to face all sorts of difficulties because they are out protesting. People like PC George dont know what really happens in a nuns life. George is an elected MLA. If it was Georges daughter or sister who is sexually assaulted, would George make the same statements? Will he watch it? Will he succumb to the threats by the priests and the Church? He wont do that. He only cares about money and power. That is how petty he is.

Why cant the government move even a little finger against Bishop Franco? Why is he still free? George is Francos close aide. That is it. We know who George is and what he does. Nothing new in it.

CPM MLA PK Sasi is facing a sexual abuse complaint. A woman who had worked with him filed this complaint. They tried to hide the complaint but it didnt work. No mass protest happened from inside the party against Sasi. But the nuns came out to protest. How do you see that?

Be it any political party, if any member commits a crime, the party will try to hide it and protect the one who committed the crime.

Then what does the dignity of a woman mean?

Only those women who have divinity inside can oppose such things. This also includes a majority of those who say there is no God. Those with deep-rooted faith can fight any injustice in the world. Faith is a strong thing. It is powerful. A patient can survive any disease if that person has some amount of faith in the doctor. Not just medicine is going to help. Gods hand is important. A Christian is the follower of Christ. In the modern world, the numbers of believers are bigger. But they just chant prayers. This is applicable to Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. These Christians, once they get out of the church after prayers would be talking about several other things like sexually fantasizing over male and female bodies, about youngsters, etc. and then, they go back to their convents and seminaries.

Nuns are restricted from talking to each other. Those who face any mental stress cant open up about it to another nun. That has been my experience.

Why is it so?

I dont know why. I have asked the same question. They couldnt answer me. Women cant talk to each other inside. When I was part of the Church, I was restricted from talking to other women. If I talk to a nun more than three times, I would be warned. I was not allowed to meet two nuns who were on their death bed. I wanted to meet them but I couldnt. This was at Sulthan Battery SH Convent. I questioned them, they told me they cant talk. They were very close to me. That is how it works.

I still feel that these nuns should have come out a bit earlier. Maybe it is too late now.

But dont you think they took time because past generations couldn't come out and protest? Isnt that what makes the nuns protest historic?

That is the cruelty these nuns had to go through. If a higher authority had warned an abusive priest before, no other priest would dare to do the same thing to a nun. These priests take it for granted. They continue to exploit. They live thinking that they will be protected by the Church. The churches have turned into business centres. Kerala was an exception. If this continues, even churches in Kerala will too be turned into business centres. If this protest cant make any difference, there is no meaning in anything.



A nuns dead body was found inside a well a day after the protest started. How do you view this?

They say she committed suicide by cutting her vein. How could she cut her vein, then walk through her room, then walk to the well to jump in? If she had walked through her room, wouldnt her blood be found in the room? Who forced the family to say that she had mental issues, even before the news about it came out and a discussion ensued? The church is behind this, they may have threatened her family. Nobody in the family would be spared if they speak the truth. This has been happening for long. Let us not forget Sister Abhayas case. (On 27 March, 1992, the body of Sr. Abhaya was found in a well within the premises of St Pius Convent in Kottayam).The truth was silenced with money.

What happened to Jomon Puthenpurakkal? How many times have they tried to kill him? He is still alive. I dont know where he is now. For the past two years, I have no information about him. He had come here to meet me. Those who stand by the side of truth will suffer forever. The Catholic Church was behind the murder of Sister Abhaya. If the cardinal and those above him had stood by the side of truth, the case wouldnt have turned into what it is now.

I am also completely against Confession. I am against confessing to a priest. For 45 years, I had been asking people not to confess at Church. But I was blamed for saying that. They asked me how dare you question nuns? How dare you question priests?

When I wrote the book, priests with their advocates came to meet me here and told me that I all I did was cook. Yes, I was a nun who cooked. But being a nun also means staying a virgin. One fails if one fails to keep their virginity.

Isnt it ironical that the very idea of being a nun is being violated inside the church itself?

I have been asking the same question from my earlier days as a nun. I didnt get an answer to that.

What do you think will happen to the relationship between nuns and the church?

The church will not get many women willing to join as nuns. They cant expect men to stay till they attain priesthood. They will get very few and this few will get fed up by the system and leave.

The money they spend on luxuries for a day can be used to feed my children. Their one-day expenses make up the cost of a days meals for all my children. While we struggle to survive, those in the church will have a spread of dishes with wine. I have cried for nights thinking over how I will feed my children some meat on Christmas. When I approached a few nuns for help with this orphanage, one of them kicked my leg. I didn't fall down luckily.

When I started Shanti Sadan, the priests opposed saying an orphanage cant be run by an ex-nun, it is supposed to be run by priests and nuns. If they say that on my face, I might accept it. But they are running a hate campaign against me. They gave pastoral letters against me in churches at Kannur, Thamarasshery, Mananthavady and so on. The church socially boycotted me. Did I print fake currency? Or was I running a brothel here? Did I sell drugs? Why couldnt they come to talk to me instead of spreading hatred? Arch Bishop Alanchery was sent from Rome to talk to me. Alanchery didnt even enter this region. Right now, I have nothing else to think of except these children.

Also Read

Church and sexual abuse: Catholics, State have been silent for too long; Kerala rape must cause Vatican to act

The author is a freelance journalist from Kerala.Five nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus have been on protest for over 10 days against the rape of one of their own, a 44-year-old nun who was no less than a former Mother-General

Editor's note: This is the first in a multi-part series that investigates sexual abuse in the church and the institutions that it runs. The articles that follow rely on interviews with victims, abusers, those accused of abuse, church elders, parish members and state officials to examine the role of the three institutions that are critical to the issue: The Church, the community, and the State.

Whenever there is a report of sexual abuse that comes to light in the media, everyone sits up and gets outraged. It is fashionable to fantasise cutting off and/or pouring acid over the private parts of male perpetrators and predators. Calls to hang them and skin them alive become hashtags and trends on social media. Once we have done that enough times in our heads, we feel we have addressed the issues and quietly go about our everyday lives.

That is why the case of the five nuns, who have come out in protest and made themselves vulnerable to a highly self-opinionated and judgemental public, is a watershed moment with no parallel hitherto anywhere in the world. At a time when sexual misconduct by the clergy has rocked the Catholic Church in the US and elsewhere around the world, and the packed closets of decades of abuse have been tumbling out, India is seeing its own closet moment.

Five nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus have been on protest for over 10 days against the rape of one of their own, a 44-year-old nun who was no less than a former Mother-General. This means that she was not a fledgling novice, but was someone with power and authority within her order. The complainant says that she was raped 13 times between 2014 and 2016 by Bishop Franco Mulakkal in his room, whenever he visited the order during that period. The order to which the nuns belong comes under his direct authority. Her oral complaints to her Mother Superior and written complaints to others in the hierarchy did not have any redressal.

So, she filed a 114-page police complaint in June this year. The police had summoned the bishop for questioning only once since the complaint, and no action other than that has been taken against him. The power structures both within and outside the Church have been quick to condemn the nun who lodged the complaint and remarkably threw their weight behind the accused bishop in being neutral to be "read" as taking his side.

All the above information is in the public domain.

The issue having been highlighted has become a topic of national debate on a wide variety of platforms. Although the matter has been under the spotlight, what is more remarkable, and not entirely surprising is the silence of the wider public on the matter. The reasons are many. For whom do the alarm bells ring? None. Over the years, the reporting on sexual violence and abuse has been something that we have grown to hear about with increasing frequency from all quarters. We have heard of rapes on the streets, in moving buses, cabs, during communal clashes, against Dalit and Adivasi communities perpetrated by a higher caste, gangrape, child rapes, rapes of orphans in State-run shelters, academic institutions, gay rapes, incestuous rapes, marital rapes, custodial rapes, rapes in institutions for persons with disability and so on.

The rape of a nun did not exactly create outrage for the larger public. It just expanded the territory of the crime. In fact, very few such reports ever cause public outrage and resultant swift action by the authorities. In the case of the repeated rape of the nun, unfortunately more people are inclined to take the case of the bishop rather than the nun. The reasons are many. The alleged assaults happened a few years back. Once is rape, but 13 times? Why did she go to his room? How could a Man of God do such a thing?

According to a 2005 report, there were 17.3 million Catholics in India, and the vast majority of them have been silent. The only people making some noise are a few feminist movements. The reasons for the silence are many. Many are of the view that it is an internal matter for the Church to clean its dirty linen. People of faith within the Church believe that retribution will come from above, so it is alright to let the bishop go scot-free at the moment. He will be ultimately punished if guilty.

Some people would like to hush up the matter or stay silent, biding time until this blows over and dies a death of amnesia in the public arena. For them, this tragic episode  even if untrue  hurts the reputation of the Church, which is already under a cloud of several issues, corruption being chief among them. The Church is slowly but surely losing its place of prominence as a moral authority. The rape incidents does little to help its image. Self-preservation always trumps efforts to administer justice. Every time.

Politically too, there is resistance on the part of the State to intervene, due to vote bank concerns. Or so it is believed. But the reasons may be more complex than that. Men will defend other men even when they are separated by ideology, party, colour or race. Power will come to the rescue of power in order to keep the status quo. Have we not seen politicians of every hue always taking the side of evil corporations and powerful banks? MLA PC George calling for a virginity test of all the protesting nuns is a classical example of how men of power will shield other men in power. The police force is predominantly men and therefore, its reluctance to act.

Sexual abuse whether within the Church or outside of it should concern us all. The power dynamics that create and perpetuate the crime are universal. Inequality is the solid rock upon which the structures of society are built, and the Church is not exempt from it. Rape is just a manifestation of this inequality. Unless the Church and the society of which it is a part address the structural gender inequality at all levels, we will continue to hear incidents more brazen than these from all sides.

There are three kinds of sexual harassment: Gender-based, unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion  all of which are widely prevalent. One leads to the next in a vicious cycle of violence. While the cultural narrative focuses on rape, most of us will not even register or protest an act of gender-based harassment which is far more prevalent. They occur every day in every space. A missed opportunity, a slight, an insult, a humiliation are far too common to report. How many times have woman lost out on a promotion, equal wages, learning opportunities or been asked questions on their competence, simply because of their gender?

How often are women asked to make the coffee or clear the plates in an office space? That is no big deal. Often women have to work harder to prove their competence. Their work and contribution often goes unrecognised. They have to try harder to get approvals from their superiors for even trivial things that men get effortlessly. Because of the power differential, women learn to suffer in silence. Women are conditioned to put up with, ignore or minimise such harassment. Research from all over the world accumulated over 30 years shows that sexual harassment and abuse is more likely to occur in environments that are male-dominated and where hierarchical relationships exist in the institution.

The Church is a classic example of a predominant, if not all-male, leadership with a strict hierarchy where women are vastly outnumbered within its power structure. The nuns are isolated from the world outside by design. The culture of the Church is tinged with misogyny and male privilege. A report in Women Church World, dated March 2018, published in conjunction with the Vatican newspaper LOsservatore Romano, published the testimony of a nun identified as only Sister Cecile, which is very revealing.

She said that the generous service and obedience of nuns led to them being exploited and underappreciated. She described how nuns were often chosen to provide the domestic services of cooking, cleaning and laundering for cardinals, bishops, parishes and other church structures with little or no financial compensation to their religious orders, no contractual arrangements and no formal work schedules  the sort lay people would have. This according to her and other sisters who were interviewed leads to situations marked by ambiguity and often great injustice.

A lack of recognition or respect is also a problem, as their work is considered less valuable or appreciated than that of consecrated men. In the report, a Sister Marie asked how a priest can let a religious woman serve him his meal at a table and then let her eat alone in the kitchen once he has been served. They remarked how religious women and nuns almost always end up as the domestic workers for the consecrated men. A Sister Paule stated that assignments do not always take advantage of a womans qualification, explaining that there were sisters with doctorate degrees in theology, who were assigned cooking and cleaning jobs without explanation.

Sisters often keep quiet and say they are happy due to their vows of poverty, obedience and loyalty to their order, but experience great confusion and deep discouragement. Interestingly, most priests do not take a vow of poverty. Not only do the priests wield more power but also considerable wealth within its institutions. It is obvious that the male hierarchy and patriarchy is at the root of the problem.

For all the faltering progress that most institutions have made over the past century with regard to gender parity within its ranks, the Church has been the last to catch up. Mary Magdalene was a close friend of Jesus', and Phoebe was a leader of the early church, but we are yet to see a woman cardinal in more than 2,000 years of the history of the Catholic Church. The wings that have begun to flutter in Kerala are sooner or later bound to create repercussions in the Vatican.

Also Read

Church and sexual abuse: Pope has never done much about these incidents, says ex-nun Mary Chandy

The author is a paediatrician and a public health expert. She is also part of the Indian Christian Women's Movement (ICWM).Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala demanded action against the Dubey and said, 'The arrogance of the ilk of BJP leaders like Nishikant Dubey are habitual offenders.

Jalandhar: The Congress party on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a video of Godda Member of Parliament (MP) Nishikant Dubey, letting a party worker wash his feet surfaced on media.

The BJP MP drew flak after the party worker, Pawan washed the parliamentarian's feet and drank the used water thereafter.

#WATCH BJP worker washes feet of BJP Godda MP Nishikant Dubey and drinks that water, at an event in Jharkhand's Godda (16.09.18) pic.twitter.com/J2YwazQDhg  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

Speaking to ANI over the incident, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala demanded action against the Dubey and said, "The arrogance of the ilk of BJP leaders like Nishikant Dubey who are habitual offenders of insulting others, of breaking the tradition and of self-prophesying a God-like status for themselves, is now out in open."

"Has the arrogance of BJP leaders reached such a zenith that now they want their Karyakartas and common people to wash their feet and drink that water? Is it even humane in the 21st century?," he added.

Raising question over the culture and ethics of the BJP, Surjewala said, "Is this the culture and ethics of the BJP that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah speak about? Will they take action against Dubey.

If they will not take action then it will be proved that it is with active support and connivance of Prime Minister and BJP president that such elements like Nishikant Dubey continue to profess inhumane and insulting practices in today's world."

The incident took place on Sunday when the MP visited Kanhavara village of his constituency to announce the construction of a bridge.A large number of people, including leaders of Dalit organisations, attended the funeral of Pranay Kumar, who was brutally murdered by his father-in-law, who belonged to another caste.

Hyderabad: A Dalit man who was hacked to death in a case of honour killing on Friday in Telangana's Miryalguda town was cremated on Sunday.

A large number of people, including leaders of Dalit organisations, attended the funeral of Pranay Kumar, who was brutally murdered by his father-in-law, who belonged to another caste.

Pranay's wife Amrutha Varshini, his parents and other family members participated in the funeral held at a church in Miryalguda in Nalgonda district, about 150 km from Hyderabad.

The funeral procession began after Pranay's brother arrived from Ukraine. The 23-year-old man was hacked to death by a hired killer when he was coming out of hospital with Amrutha after a regular pregnancy check-up.

The couple had married six months ago despite strong opposition from Amrutha's parents.

The murder has evoked public outrage. The town on Saturday observed shutdown on a call by Dalit groups. Telangana's IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday condemned Pranay's murder. He said the murder came as a rude shock. "Dismayed and anguished on how deep rooted casteism is," he tweeted.

Rama Rao, who is son of Chief Minister K Chandrahekhar Rao, promised that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be punished.

Police have arrested Amrutha's father Maruthi Rao, his brother Shravan Kumar and three others in the sensational case. Police said they were still on the lookout for the killer.

Maruthi Rao allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh to the hired killer. He reportedly told police that 'honour' is more important for him than his daughter. Calling her father a devil, Amrutha vowed never to go back to him. She said she would live with Pranay's parents.Ashok Kumar Sharma, on Monday visited the Rewari gangrape survivor's family at the Rewari district hospital and said that the family had requested that no one be allowed to visit them without permission.

Rewari Deputy Commissioner, Ashok Kumar Sharma, on Monday visited the Rewari gangrape survivor's family at the Rewari district hospital and said that the family had requested that no one be allowed to visit them without permission. "We are making a cabin outside where people will meet the family," he said.

ANI reported that Sharma said that the 19-year-old girl's family will decide whether they want to meet visitors. About the treatment the girl is getting at the hospital, Sharma said that the "treatment will continue".

"They've said they are satisfied with the treatment and gave that in writing, so the treatment will continue here," Sharma said.

On Sunday, the Haryana Police arrested three people, including one of the main accused, in connection with the alleged gangrape Haryana's Mahendragarh district, while the hunt to nab the other two suspects is ongoing.

According to sources, the accused will be produced in the Kanina court on Monday.

Among the arrested is one of the three key accused, identified as Nishu, Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief and Nuh SP, Nazneen Bhasin told reporters in Rewari. Bhasin also said that it was Nishu who planned the crime.

Bhasin also visited the woman on Saturday and said her condition is stable. She added that the 19-year-old's medical report confirmed rape.

With inputs from agencies and 101 ReportersIndian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, while addressing the media on Sunday stated that countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be inclined to India because of geography. He also claimed that Nepal's ties with China is 'temporary'.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat, while addressing the media on Sunday, said that countries like Nepal and Bhutan cannot delink themselves from India as they are more inclined towards India because of the geography. He also cautioned the countries taking aid from China stating that these ties are "temporary". He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation- Field Training Military Exercise, also known as BIMSTEC-MILEX 18.

While replying to a question regarding Nepal's growing proximity with China, Rawat said, They cannot delink themselves from India. Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be naturally inclined to India because of the geography. Geography favours their inclination towards India and not towards China.

Rawat also cautioned Nepal about China, stating that these ties are temporary, warning them that nothing comes for free, reported The Times of India. "Any country looking for its economic growth is bound to explore bilateral or multilateral ways of cooperation. China has got money and they are splurging it. But the countries taking such aid will soon realise that nothing comes for free. All these ties are temporary and are bound to change as per the change in the global socio-economic scenario," said Rawat.

To clarify, Rawat gave the example of US-Pakistan relations, The best example of this is the US-Pakistan relations as it has not remained the same what it used to be 70 years ago. As such, we dont need to worry about these temporary alliances. We need to make our country economically strong, he said.

He added that everyone looks for economic gains. China is an emerging competitor. Everything is about economics. They are also looking for market and we are also looking for the same market and there is competition. So, whoever performs better will win the race, he said.

Replying to a query on whether the issue of illegal immigration would be added to the BIMSTEC discussion in future, the general said it was not a new phenomenon.

"Migration always happens from an economically weaker nation to a stronger nation. Therefore, equal growth is important. This phenomenon is not going to end unless there is equitable and good distribution of growth," said Rawat.

Earlier, Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, while addressing the press at the military function, said that Nepal had participated by way of sending observers. "In all the previous summits they (Nepal) have participated. This time it was a military exercise and this is the same period when their command changed (new general taking over as CoAS of the Nepal Army)," Bhamre said. "They (Nepal) have sent their observers so there was participation from them. We need not look at any other angle," the minister said.

This year, only five of the seven members countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan, participated in the exercise with the aim to increase cooperation between member countries to fight terrorism.

With inputs from agenciesUnion Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday visited AIIMS to inquire about the health of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday visited AIIMS to inquire about the health of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer.

"Also spoke to the doctors who are supervising his treatment. I pray for his good health and quick recovery," Rajnath Singh tweeted.

On Sunday, a three-member team of central observers of the ruling BJP arrived in Goa to take stock of the political situation in view of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's indisposition, even as the Congress said it is watching the developments.

Some media reports have suggested that the BJP is exploring alternatives for the chief minister's position in Goa till Parrikar gets well.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sent its national general secretaries BL Santhosh and Ram Lal and Goa in-charge Vijay Puranik to assess the situation in the state, where the party came to power with the support of regional outfits and Independents.

"They will be holding a series of meetings on Sunday and Monday with BJP leaders and also the alliance partners  the Goa Forward Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Independents," BJP state chief Vinay Tendulkar told reporters.

Parrikar, 62, was on Saturday admitted at the All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for treatment and examination. He has been in and out of hospitals in the US, Mumbai and Goa since February.IIT Kanpur's hesitation to act against professors accused of harassing Dalit colleague exposes deep caste fissures

What is striking is that the four accused have claimed their actions were to uphold the high standards of the IIT.

Sandip Roy September 17, 2018 17:26:12 IST

The aerospace department of one of Indias premier educational institutions has been experiencing quite a bit of turbulence all year and its effect is being felt far beyond the department. Subrahmanyam Saderla joined the aerospace department of IIT Kanpur in January this year. By April, IIT Kanpur had to set up a fact-finding committee to probe his charge that as a Dalit man he faced what could only be described as high-level ragging in the university that left him feeling ridiculed, harassed and undignified. The case went up to the SC/ST Commission in Delhi. The commission ordered an enquiry but the accused professors got a stay on that order from the Allahabad High Court. That court ordered the IIT Board of Governors to set up its own enquiry. That one-man commission headed by retired judge Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqi deposed all concerned, allowed the accused to cross-examine all deponents, ordered email chains and documents to be dug up. He has turned in his report which Firstpost has accessed. It is damning. All four professors named have been found guilty and the report agrees that an undercurrent was initiated to undermine (Saderlas) knowledge, working and selection". Emails were sent alleging procedural lapses in his selection. He was humiliated in a seminar. An email was sent to all the IIT senators questioning his academic credentials. He was dissed at a dinner party. The report says the four professors have shown clear intent to tarnish the image of IIT and should not be permitted to teach the future generation, not even in primary schools. Thats quite a slap in the face for CS Upadhyay, Sanjay Mittal, Ishan Sharma and Rajiv Shekhar.

The report details the charges against each. Shekhar sent an email titled the Ten-Year Curse Strikes Again questioning Saderlas academic credentials. Siddiqi says since Shekhar knew that statutory norms had been followed in his selection, this letter was a clear example of serious misconduct by publicly humiliating a person belonging to the reserved category. Siddiqi notes the aggressive contemptuous tone of the letter was a blot on the name of someone teaching at such a prime institution.

Mittal and Upadhyay were found guilty of the gravest misconduct of highest degree. Mittal had allegedly said at a departmental get-together that Saderlas hire had meant the departmental standards were going down. Sharma was accused of ridiculing Saderla at an academic seminar. Siddiqi writes his examination revealed that Sharma was actually satisfied with Saderlas replies, submitted no complaint after the seminar, but still said if you are right I have been teaching wrong for the last ten years just to make Saderla the laughing stock of the room. The defence had said there was no specific casteist remark made but the report brushes that aside saying that was not the point. The point was a jibe was made in the presence of students to publicly embarrass, humiliate and insult Saderla enough to make him not join the institution. Even if he did join, a student present at that seminar might never respect the professor. In fact, there was a charge that a PhD student shouted obscenities at Saderla when he was having tea at the hostel. Eventually, it created such a noxious atmosphere, says the report, that Saderla became the object of gossip not only among the professors but among students, hawkers and security guards at IIT. This will ultimately ruin the atmosphere of IIT, writes Siddiqi.

What is striking is that while the four have claimed their actions were to uphold the high standards of the IIT, the Siddiqi report says not only did they defame Saderla but they ended up forming a caucus which was boldly, shamelessly, arrogantly, imprudently and in a brazen manner challenging their own employer and creating chaos within IIT. Siddiqi says media reports quoting the officials make it clear they are neither repentant nor distressed about what has transpired. Thus a suggestion at an IIT meeting that the four professors should just tender an apology to defuse the crisis was pointless since they were arguing that they had committed no wrong in the first place.

Section 3 of Act 33 or the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities ) Act is clear. It lists various kinds of atrocities from dumping excreta in the neighbourhood, stripping and parading someone naked, wrongfully occupying land belonging to an SC/ST person, but it also says if anyone intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view they shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine.

These delinquent officials are digging their own grave, writes Siddiqi but the question now is whether the IIT has the will to follow through. A board meeting was called on 6 September where some tried to reject the judges report or at least downplay it. Pressure was mounted on Saderla to back down. The chairman at the board meeting decided that only punitive action would be taken for service rule violation rather than the SC/ST Act violations. But the National Commission of Scheduled Castes summoned the director of IIT and the victim on 10 September, insisted on seeing the judges report and gave the director an ultimatum to file an FIR against the named professors now that two committees have found the harassers guilty or else face possible punishment for neglect of duties as public servant under the same SC Act. They gave him fifteen days to do it. A week has elapsed since that directive. The clock is ticking.All these tourists were bound for Yumthang valley in North Sikkim. Medical help was extended to the people facing problems before the airlifting began, the statement said.

New Delhi: Over 100 tourists, including a pregnant woman, who were stranded in North Sikkim due to incessant rains and landslides were evacuated by the security forces Sunday.

The evacuation exercise was carried out jointly by the Trishakti Corps of the Army and the Indian Air Force.Given Indias rising population, wealth and accordingly, water use per capita, by 2030, Indias overall water use could easily double.

Editor's note: This is part 3 in an ongoing series on India's water crisis. Also read parts one and two.

Undoubtedly, the water situation of India, which asks about a fifth of the worlds population to survive on less than 1/30th of the worlds water, is precarious.

This is now. What about the future? Indias population is growing, getting wealthier, and  oh yes  the climate happens to be changing. The water crisis will worsen, if we neglect the management of our water. Let us see how.

Climate change will play havoc with Indias water supply

Floods and Storms

As the climate warms, the water cycle changes. This begins with hotter airs ability to hold more water vapour  thats a law of physics. This results in more powerful storms, like the type we have witnessed in the past decade.

Moreover, scientists from the Indian Meteorological Department have shown that the number of days on which it rains has been coming down, which makes extreme rainfall events, such as the heavy downpours of the nature that helped create the Chennai flood of 2015, more likely. This intense rainfall also translates to a greater fraction of the rainfall running off, rather than percolating into the ground, unless, of course, there is a water body (like the ones we delight in building over) to capture the runoff from an area, store it, and allow it to percolate into the ground.

The Niti Aayogs Composite Water Management report has remained mum on the effects of climate change on Indias water, reasoning perhaps, we are in a bad enough situation as it is. But as we shall see in later pieces, we may just need that extra motivation that a warming climate provides to manage our water.

Sea level rise and salt water intrusion

Another aspect by which water and climate change intersect is by rising sea levels first. In the long run, land is lost to the sea. We make the sea level rise worse by making our land sink. Land sinks as we pump out groundwater, and Indian coastal cities are masters at doing this. To give some perspective, global sea level rise was about 1.7 mm per year between 19012010, while the land subsidence (or sinking) rate was about 13 mm per year in Kolkata! But more relevant to Indias coastal cities, some of which are reliant on groundwater for their drinking needs, is the salt water intrusion into groundwater reserves. As we pump out groundwater, it makes it easier for the saltwater to push in. This makes the supply of potable, or drinkable, water for coastal cities go down.

Moreover, storm surges become more deadly as seas rise. One paper published in Nature Climate Change puts global risks from coastal flooding at upwards of $1 trillion (yes, you read that right) per year if (expensive) adaptation measures are not taken. This water needs to be managed as well.

Changing rainfall patterns  Geographical variability and temporal volatility

How climate change affects (and will affect) the Indian monsoon is a trillion-dollar question. There is no doubt that a warmer climate will change it  but how? There is robust research to show that since 1951, most of India has seen monsoon rainfall decrease.

There are papers that use models to predict that, in future, while the overall monsoon rainfall will increase, it is likely that the variability between monsoon seasons is also likely to increase. This means, going forward, rather than having close to normal monsoons, we will have more volatile rainfall, characterised by flooded cities and states, or parched fields both increasing both in severity and in frequency. The geographical variability is also set to increase: A vulnerability atlas compiled by the Central Research Institute of Dryland Agriculture shows, among other things, that June rainfall will likely decrease in northwest and peninsular India in 2021-2050 relative to 1961-1990. This has direct implications for farmers on crop choice and planting practises, as well as on government food procurement practises. Many districts have reduced their resilience by overexploiting their groundwater.

Some parts of peninsular India and a few districts in the dry northwest are predicted to have lower annual rainfall by 2021-2050, which requires rethinking of water sources of major cities such as Chennai and Bengaluru. A point to note: Many of these predictions are based on models which are more reliable on a global scale, rather than on a district scale. More research is required to fine tune these models, because building resilience in such a diverse country works best on data at hyperlocal levels.

Moreover, rising temperatures mean a greater fraction of any water in reservoirs or lakes will be lost to evaporation, leaving less to feed cities and farms.

Demand is going up

While supply is getting kooky (to use the appropriate, technical word), demand will only rise.

India is getting wealthier. Between 2013-2017, Indias GDP per capita grew by about 6 percent per year. This means, in about 12 years, the wealth of an average Indian will double (Aside: there are problems in using GDP per capita as a measure of wealth, but it will do for a first cut). Now, let us see if water use and wealth are correlated. For this, let us take water withdrawal per person and plot it against the GDP per person. Since agriculture use is qualitatively and significantly different from residential or industrial use, let us check whether these two measures correlate for lower middle-income countries who have a high share of agricultural use in their overall water use (i.e., above 85 percent).

With this data, we can reasonably conclude that Indias water use per capita will rise as it develops economically. This intuitively makes sense  wealthier households often have access to more plentiful and convenient water sources and thus use more water (bathing using a shower rather than with a bucket) for personal and household hygiene. Wealth also often translates to a higher consumption of animal products, which tend to guzzle far more water than their plant-derived counterparts. Given Indias rising population, wealth and accordingly, water use per capita, by 2030, Indias overall water use could easily double.

Coping

Can this rising demand be managed?

In those parts of India where volatility and rainfall both increase, one way to cope is to build inventory or water storage. But as we saw last time, India ranks poorly in its storage availability and Indian cities have decimated their storage. Our data on water storage is outdated, and probably an overestimate as well, given silt, encroachments etc. which will reduce the amount of functional storage we have.

In those areas that are projected to receive less rainfall going forward, for farmers, the obvious answer is by widening access to irrigation. But over half of Indias agricultural area is rainfed. States also vary widely in how well their farmers are irrigated:

For cities located in areas with falling water availability (higher evaporation, less rainfall), water management is key  pricing water, measuring it, adding new sources of supply etc. All well and good, but if it was so easy, why havent we done it until now? Lack of awareness is part of it, which is why we will go into specific solutions to coping with rising demand and volatile or falling supply (and there are plenty of success stories) in subsequent articles. But personally, I believe our real problem lies elsewhere. Which is where we go to next.

The writer is the founder of the Sundaram Climate Institute, cleantech angel investor and author of The Climate Solution - India's Climate Crisis and What We Can Do About It published by Hachette. Follow her work on her website; on Twitter; or write to her at cc@climaction.netThe case is in connection with alleged irregularities in allotment of a contract to a private company for the maintenance of IRCTC hotels located in Ranchi and Puri when Lalu was heading the Railway Ministry from 2004 to 2009.

New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Monday reserved its summon orders for Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam case.

Special Judge A Bhardwaj said that the court needed more time to go through documents filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The court had on 11 September fixed 17 September as the date for deciding whether to take cognizance of the charge sheet, filed by the ED against former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu and Rabri, and their son and former Deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav in connection with the 2006 IRCTC hotels tender scam.

On 31 August, a court had granted bail to Rabri, Tejashwi and others in a money laundering case related to the scam. The RJD chief's bail was, however, was pending and was not granted as he could not appear before the court.

The case is in connection with alleged irregularities in allotment of a contract to a private company for the maintenance of IRCTC hotels located in Ranchi and Puri when Lalu was heading the Railway Ministry from 2004 to 2009.

The prosecution report stated that a conspiracy was hatched in pursuance of which two hotels of Indian railways, were first transferred to the IRCTC and were later given on lease to Patna-based Sujata hotel Pvt. Ltd for maintenance and upkeep.In an effort to reduce public grievance over rising fuel prices, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy announced on Monday that the state government will reduce the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 2.

In an effort to reduce public grievance over rising fuel prices, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy announced on Monday that the state government will reduce the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 2. Speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, the chief minister said, "Today, we are taking a decision that we are going to reduce Rs 2 on both petrol and diesel."

Karnataka is the latest non-BJP state government to reduce the fuel price after West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh announced cuts in the last week. BJP-ruled Rajasthan was the first state to announce a 4 percent reduction in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel on 9 September. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government said it was working on proposals to reduce the fuel prices.

Fuel prices across the country have been skyrocketing with petrol being sold at Rs 81.63 per litre, and diesel at Rs 73.54 per litre in New Delhi on Friday. Mumbai continued to be the worst affected by rising fuel prices, with petrol retailing at a staggering Rs 89.01 per litre and diesel at Rs 78.07 per litre.

On 10 September, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that both petrol and diesel prices will be reduced by Rs 2. The new rates came into effect on Tuesday. Mentioning that the state will lose Rs 1,120 crores due to the reduction, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) blamed the Centre for the price hike.

"The central government has been imposing a heavy burden on people by steeply increasing the prices of petrol and diesel despite heavy income in the form of various levies and dividends. Though the state is faced with a deficit budget, we have decided to reduce the tax and ease the burden on people, The Indian Express quoted him as saying.

On Tuesday, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced a cut in state tax for petrol and diesel, bringing down their prices by Re 1. Slamming the central government over its inability to control fuel prices, the TMC leader said the government is harassing the people of the country.

"The central government has caused this mismanagement. They have increased the central cess nine times. States do not enjoy any percentage of the central cess. Yet the Centre will not reduce it," The Times of India quoted her as saying.

A combination of a dip in rupee value against the US dollar and rise in crude oil prices has led to a spike in pump prices since mid-August. Petrol price has since risen by Rs 4.20 per litre and diesel by Rs 4.53 - the most in any one-month period since the daily revision in fuel prices was introduced in June last year.

The Union government has been facing flak in the past few weeks for not implementing stringent measures to curb prices.

Last week, the Congress and 21 other regional and national parties observed a 'Bharat Bandh' on account of the consistent rise in fuel prices and urged the government to take necessary steps to reduce citizens' woes. However, the Centre has maintained that external factors, including a rise in international crude oil prices, are influencing domestic fuel prices.

According to a FactChecker report, since the BJP-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office on 26 May, 2014, petrol prices have increased 10 percent from Rs 73.6 on 1 June, 2014, to Rs 80.73 on 10 September, 2018; diesel prices 26 percent from Rs 57.84 to Rs 72.83.

With inputs from PTIIn the 20 months since demonetisation, the Madhya Pradesh Police has seized fake notes worth Rs 1.29 crore in both new and old currency notes.

Bhopal: On 8 November, 2016, the Union government announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would no longer be legal tender. The Centre claimed that the move would diminish the size of the shadow economy by rooting out black money and counterfeit currency used to fund illicit activities, including terrorism.

However, the move to curb the circulation of fake notes seems to have been ineffective in Madhya Pradesh, as the state has seen a 300 percent spike in the counterfeit currency it has seized since demonetisation. In the past 20 months, the Madhya Pradesh Police has seized fake notes worth Rs 1.29 crore in both new and old currency notes.

According to the data provided by the Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force, in around 40 cases of fake rupee notes till August 2018, various state police agencies have seized Rs 1.29 crore in counterfeit currency. Interestingly, in 2015 and 2016, the police seized much lower amounts in fake notes  Rs 31.73 lakh and Rs 10.76 lakh, respectively. A sum of the two figures, Rs 42.5 lakh, shows that after demonetisation, there was a threefold jump in the counterfeit currency seized in Madhya Pradesh.

Miscreants have been making a mockery of the Union government and Reserve Bank of India's claim that the new currency notes are equipped with latest security features that cannot be faked. They have been printing the new notes at a run-of-the-mill photo studio with the help of high-quality papers, colour printers, photocopy machines and glitter pens.

Of the Rs 1.29 crore counterfeit currency seized, Rs 29 lakh are fakes of the newly-issued notes in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000. The remaining counterfeit currency worth Rs 1 crore  printed in the denominations of the old notes  were seized by the Indore Police a month ago.

On 18 August, the Indore Police had arrested three people carrying Rs 1 crore in counterfeit denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. While being interrogated, the accused revealed that they had brought the notes from Aurangabad, though they were procured from a trader in Surat.

In the last 20 months, the Bhopal Crime Branch alone unearthed six to seven fake currency cases, in which the offenders were using photocopies of the notes in one case. The Crime Branch got a major lead on an inter-state racket of fake currency notes being printed. The case was later transferred to Special Task Force (STF).

It is the Crime Branch and other police agencies that mostly deal with cases of fake notes. However, if they get any major leads on inter-state or international connections in a case, they transfer it to STF for it to carry out an in-depth investigation.

The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of the Bhopal Crime Branch, Rashmi Mishra, said: "There has been no difference in cases of fake currency notes post demonetisation. Although, they (fake currency rackets) photocopy new notes of small denominations and circulate them widely in rural areas, where people don't know much about fake notes."

She added that the rural population gets fooled easily as here, people are under the impression that the RBI and Government of India are changing the old notes, and that the fake ones they see are really the newly-issued currency.

Data of number of cases and amount of fake currency notes seized Year No. of cases Total amount (in Rupees) 2015 32 31,73,750 2016 20 10,76,220 2017 23 20,45,710 2018(15 August) 10 7,89,610

(The data excludes Rs 1 crore seized by the Indore Police on 18 August, 2018)

Modus operandi

There are two types of fake currency  printed and photocopied  but the punishment for the two are no different. As much as 80 to 85 percent of fake currency cases are of photocopied notes, while cases of printed counterfeit notes and inter-state smuggling make up 15 percent of the lot.

While being interrogated by the police, an accused admitted that they use hi-tech scanners, photocopy machines, colour printers and glitter pens to give their product a real look and feel. They buy good quality paper, scan the notes and print them using the best colour printers after perfecting them using Photoshop. They then make copies of their finished product using the latest photocopy machine. As the final touch, they use glitter pens to add the security thread (the lines that run along the centre of currency notes).

Recalling one such case, ASP Mishra said: "In one case, the accused were photocopying new notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 at a photo studio in Bhopal using high-quality papers and colour printers. They circulated the fake notes in rural areas, mostly at petrol pumps at midnight. Whenever anyone asked them about the authenticity of the notes, they claimed they were the new notes issued by the Government of India after demonetisation."

"Acting on a tip off, we had caught a gang of four with fake notes worthRs 2 lakh," she added.

Inter-state and international connections

Unlike photocopying, printing fake currency is as hard as crushing iron with your teeth. According to the police, there have been no cases of fake notes being printed in the state. These, according to police findings, enter Madhya Pradesh through inter-state channels.

"High-quality printed notes enter Madhya Pradesh through West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, where printing of illegal currency notes are rampant. The rackets are mostly connected to international groups," a senior official of the Madhya Pradesh STF said, requesting anonymity.

Printing and photocopying are quite different. It takes too much effort, time and money to print fake notes, but these are much closer in look to the originals than photocopied currency.

"Last year, the Bhopal Crime Branch had busted a case of fake currency notes with links to an inter-state fake currency gang active in West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha," the STF official said. "In some cases, we found links with groups in Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, but not Pakistan, though further investigations are on."

However, the official rejected the claim that demonetisation had anything to do with the spike in the number of counterfeit currency cases in Madhya Pradesh. "The note ban has nothing to do with counterfeit currency. Both are different issues," he asserted.

Cases of inter-state circulation of fake notes are not exclusive to Madhya Pradesh post demonetisation. Counterfeit currency worth Rs 21.54 crore has been seized countrywide since the note ban was enforced.

On 7 February, in response to a question raised in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir informed the House that agencies had confiscated counterfeit currency to the tune of Rs 21.54 crore since demonetisation. He had said that information from security and intelligence agencies indicated that Pakistan was involved in manufacturing and smuggling the fake currency into India.

However, there is no documentary evidence of counterfeit notes of Pakistani origin being seized since the Centre demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

If caught for the crime, the police book the accused under sections 467 (forgery), 471 (using a forged document as genuine), 489 (B) (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit notes), 489 (C) (possession of forged or counterfeit currency) and others of the Indian Penal Code.

The Additional Director General of the Madhya Pradesh STF, SW Naqvi, refused to comment on the issue of fake currency note rackets in the state.All the residents of the 10-storey building in Ahmedabad were evacuated by the fire department personnel after the blaze engulfed its ground floor.

Ahmedabad: A massive fire gutted shops located on the ground floor of a multi-storey commercial-cum-residential building in Ahmedabad. Residents of the structure were safely evacuated, an official said.

No casualty was reported, he said.

All the residents of the 10-storey building were evacuated by the fire department personnel after the blaze engulfed its ground floor which housed several shops, said additional chief fire officer Rajesh Bhatt.

The blaze started from a shop dealing in tyre remolding and sale at around 2 pm, and quickly spread to other shops on the ground floor, he said.

The inferno at 'Sreeji Towers' caused massive fumes which reached the top of the building located in Vastrapur locality, Bhatt said.

"A fire broke out in the commercial establishment located on the ground floor of a ten-storey building. A total of 12 fire tenders were pressed into service...The fire turned massive with fumes reaching till the top of the building," he said.

All the residents were safely evacuated by the fire department personnel, he said.

It took several hours to put out the fire, whose cause will be ascertained by a forensic team, Bhatt said.

The place, where the fire broke out, is packed with tyres and has the same entry and exit point. Luckily, the flames were doused without any fatality or injury, he said.The mother of the CBSE topper who was raped by three men in Haryana's Rewari has shown grace and dignity under great duress and returned the Rs two lakh given to her as initial compensation

The mother of the CBSE topper who was raped by three men in Haryana's Rewari has shown grace and dignity under great duress and returned the Rs two lakh given to her as initial compensation or relief or whatever you want to call it.

"I don't want your money, I want you to ensure that the culprits are brought to book," was the message.

Some officials came yesterday to give me a compensation cheque. I am returning it today, as we want justice & not money. It has now been 5 days & none of the accused have been arrested till now: Mother of Rewari gangrape victim #Haryana pic.twitter.com/fRYGuTP7oj  ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2018

This is not to say the government should not provide aid or counselling or every possible kind of support, but this mother has set a higher standard for the authorities and made them all more accountable. From the police to political opportunists to every parent in India who worries about her daughter coming home safely every day, she has said, "Money does not cut it."

All too often, this disbursal of funds has the tinge of hush money or a payoff about it. It becomes a milestone in the slowing of the investigation based on the unspoken sentiment of 'ab paise toh le liye na'. Or in other words, you have taken the money, so stop beating on my door.

Which parent would put a price on the safety of their child?

Certainly not a bundle of notes. But buyoffs occur, so let's not be naive.

What happens is the family is often intimidated into accepting these sums and warned of consequences if it does not.

It is here that this precedent from Rewari becomes important. The message to the government is that if you do give aid, do it quietly and without public announcement. Make it entirely separate from the speed of the ongoing probe or the impact this action has in strengthening the VIP connections of the accused. Ensure that justice is swift.

One can only hope this trend of not taking money in the instant aftermath of such brutality becomes the norm and victims of all types of human savagery stand up like this brave woman and say, No! It has a very salutary affect not because it blocks a convenient escape route paved with piety and self-interest, but because it places tangible pressure on the collective authority to do the right thing for the right reasons.Nirmala Sitharaman has clearly indicated that India will not allow its time-tested defence and security ties with Russia to be impacted by the US sanctions.

New Delhi: Ahead of Russian president Vladimir Putin's India visit next month, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has clearly indicated that India will not allow its time-tested defence and security ties with Russia to be impacted by the US sanctions on military transactions with Moscow.

She also said negotiations on the S-400 missile deal with Russia are almost complete, hinting that India is on course to finalise it soon.

"India has maintained its sovereignty as regards to its relationship with countries. We shall maintain it in all earnestness," she told PTI.

Sitharaman was replying to a question on whether the US sanctions on military transactions with Russia will hit New Delhi's strategic and defence ties with one of its closest partners.

Putin is scheduled to visit India early next month to hold the annual India-Russia summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which both sides are likely to deliberate on ways to further strengthen strategic ties.

Russia has been one of India's key suppliers of arms and ammunition. After years of negotiations, both countries are on the verge of inking a Rs 40,000 crore deal to procure S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems for the Indian Air Force.

There was some uncertainty over the deal in the wake of the US military sanctions against Russia under the stringent CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) law for its annexation of Crimea.

However, India has already conveyed to the US that it will go ahead with the procurement of the air defence systems despite Washington's sanctions, official sources said. The issue figured during the first edition of two-plus-two talks between India and the US on 6 September.

There have been mounting concerns in India over the US sanctions against Russian defence majors, including Rosoboronexport, as billions of dollars of military purchases may be impacted because of the punitive measure.

CAATSA mandates the Donald Trump administration to punish entities engaging in significant transaction with the defence or intelligence establishment of Russia.

India wants to procure the long-range missile systems to tighten its air defence mechanism, particularly along the nearly 4,000-kilometre-long China-India border.

In 2016, India and Russia signed an agreement on the 'Triumf' interceptor-based missile system which can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 kilometre. S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.

China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system and Moscow has already started delivery of unknown number of the S-400 missile systems to Beijing.

The S-400 is an upgraded version of the S-300 systems. The missile system, manufactured by Almaz-Antey, has been in service in Russia since 2007.This is not the first time that the Tamil icon's statue was vandalised. In March 2018, unidentified persons had damaged Periyars statue

A statue of Tamil icon and rationalist leader EV Ramasamy, famously known as Periyar, was found to have been vandalised by unidentified miscreants on Monday, with a pair of slippers kept on top of it. The statue is located in Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu.

Police are investigating the incident, which occurred on Periyar's 139th birth anniversary.

According to CNN News18, another incident was reported in Chennai involving an advocate, identified as Jagadeesan, who allegedly hurled a shoe at the social reformers statue on Mount Road, leading to a scuffle. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party workers nabbed the lawyer and handed him over to the Chennai Police for questioning.

This is not the first time that the Tamil icon's statue was vandalised. In March 2018, unidentified persons had damaged Periyars statue in Tamil Nadus Vellore district.

This incident had occured hours after Tamil Nadu BJP leader H Raja said that Periyar would meet a fate similar to Lenin, whose statue had been pulled down in Agartala.

Fisheries minister D Jayakumar reacted to the vandalism, saying that the Tamil Nadu government will take strong action against miscreants who were responsible for the vandalisation of the statue.

DMK president MK Stalin also condemned the vandalism and demanded that the miscreants be arrested under the National Security Act.

With inputs from ANIUnion minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said he wants to withdraw two 'inappropriate' words 'begging bowl' from his speech, in which he had favoured educational institutes to seek support from their alumni, besides government help.

New Delhi: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said he wants to withdraw two "inappropriate" words "begging bowl" from his speech, in which he had favoured educational institutes to seek support from their alumni, besides government help.

The Union human resource development minister said he wanted to withdraw the words, claiming that they were "inadvertently" used during his speech at a school in Pune on Friday.

He was quoted in various news reports as saying, "It is former students of an institute, who give back to their educational institutes, however, there are some schools which keep approaching the government with a bowl seeking help."

"My speech has been misinterpreted. The government is investing in education on a big scale and budgetary provisions have been increased by 70 percent in last four years. At the same time the alumni also needs to contribute for development of schools and colleges," Javadekar said.

"This is the practice worldwide. I didn't mean to say that the government will not help, I just meant that alumni should come forward to help besides the government support. I also want to withdraw two inappropriate words 'begging bowl' which were inadvertently used during my speech," he said in a statement.

According to the reports, the minister had said, "Worldwide, who runs educational institutes? It is the former students. Who runs universities worldwide? It is the alumni who have excelled in their respective fields."

"Such students give back to their educational institutes. This same attitude has been cultivated by Jnana Prabhodhini among its students over the years, and because of the contribution of its former students, the institute is successfully running for the last 50 years," he had said, while speaking at a function organised in New Delhi by the Jnana Prabhodini School.

Javadekar had said that there were, however, some schools which keep approaching the government with a "bowl" seeking help while the real help (alumni) is with them itself.

"It is the responsibility of former students to get associated with their schools or colleges and contribute for its betterment. It is also important for a school or college to cultivate that attitude in its students," the minister had said.

He also told the gathering about the efforts his ministry was taking to reduce the weight of school bags by 50 percent.

"Efforts are being taken to reduce the weight of the school bags by 50 percent so that students get more time for extra-curricular activities," Javadekar had said.With his roadshow in Madhya Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi kicked off the Congress party's campaign ahead of the Assembly elections later this year.

Bhopal: Holding a 15-kilometre roadshow in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday called demonetisation the "biggest scam" of the Narendra Modi government to convert black money into white.

Rahul held the four-hour-long roadshow after performing a puja and taking blessings from 11 priests.

Travelling in a bus, the 48-year-old leader criss-crossed several areas of Bhopal, passing through the roads that were decorated and had Congress banners, like the ones describing him as a 'Shiv bhakt' (a devotee of Lord Shiva).

The roadshow was the virtual launch of the Congress campaign for the Assembly polls slated for later this year, in which his party has the tough task of dislodging the BJP, which has been ruling Madhya Pradesh for the past 15 years.

Thousands of Congress workers and local residents flanked the roads and jostled to catch a glimpse of Rahul, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, including Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath and state party's campaign panel chairperson Jyotiraditya Scindia.

En route, he had a brief halt to have tea and samosa at a roadside stall near Sadar Manzil. He also posed for a selfie with the tea stall owner and his staff, Congress MLA from Indore Jitu Patwari said.

After the roadshow, Gandhi addressed a public meeting, during which he attacked the Modi government over demonetisation, GST, the Rafale fighter jet deal and farm loan waivers.

"Demonetisation was the biggest scam that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken in four years, which the Congress had not done in the last 70 years," the Congress leader said at the BHEL Dusshera Maidan.

Modi had, on 8 November, 2016, announced demonetisation, under which the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes existing then were scrapped with immediate effect.

"The scam was aimed at taking out money from the small traders to put into the pockets of 15 richest persons of the country," Rahul alleged.

He asked the gathering, "Have you seen people like Vijay Mallya or Anil Ambani standing in queues after demonetisation? Only the honest people of the country stood in the queues."

Rahul claimed that the BJP-led government has waived loans worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore which was the NPA of 15 big industries. He questioned why the loans of farmers, who "have borrowed just Rs 5,000", could not be waived.

"Those who took loans in lakhs and crores were called as 'Non-Performing Assets', but when a farmer fails to pay Rs 5,000 loan, you call him a defaulter," Rahul said.

"When the Congress comes to power in the country, it will waive all farmers' loans. The Congress had already done so by waiving Rs 70,000 crore loans taken by peasants earlier," he said.

Describing the Goods and Services Tax as the 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Rahul alleged that it, too, was an attempt to take out money from the small traders for putting into the pocket of 15 richest persons of India.

Referring to the Rafale fighter jet deal, the Congress president claimed that the prime minister had failed to see in his (Rahul's) eye when he "questioned" him in the Lok Sabha on the issue.

"When I was raising the Rafale deal issue in Parliament, I asked Modiji why his government purchased these planes for Rs 1,600 crore instead of Rs 700 crore," Rahul said. "I was looking into Modiji's eyes. But he was looking right, left, up and down and never established an eye contact on the issue."

He also said that if the Congress comes to power, it will ensure that mobile phones and other items will be manufactured in the state under the 'Made-in-Madhya Pradesh' and 'Made- in-Bhopal' tags to generate jobs for the youth.

Before hopping on to a bus for the roadshow, Rahul performed a puja and took blessings from 11 Hindu priests amid chanting of mantras.

His roadshow, after passing through the main streets of Bhopal, concluded at the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan around 5 pm.

A large number of security personnel were deployed along the route of Rahul's roadshow. Besides the regular police force, an additional 1,500 policemen manned the streets of Bhopal, police officials said.

Security personnel were seen having a tough time in ensuring a smooth passage for Rahul's vehicle amid the crowded roads.

Earlier, Rahul was received at the airport by Nath and Scindia, among others. As he stepped out of the airport, scores of Congress workers holding the party flag chanted "Rahul Gandhi zindabad".

The Congress president recently returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar. As part of the pilgrimage, devotees undertake an arduous journey to Mount Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.Congress president Rahul Gandhi will on Monday launch his party's campaign in the poll bound Madhya Pradesh, known to be a BJP bastion, from Bhopal

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will on Monday launch his party's campaign in the poll bound Madhya Pradesh, known to be a BJP bastion, from Bhopal, where posters have come up describing him as a devotee of Lord Shiva.

He will take part in a roadshow and also address party workers during his day-long visit to the state capital.

Rahul will arrive at Bhopal airport by an aircraft at around noon on Monday. At 1 pm, he will then begin on a 15-kilometer-long roadshow from Lalghati Chowk, located close to the airport, after seeking the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests, state party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi told PTI on Sunday.

Rahul's roadshow, in which he will ride an open vehicle, will conclude at Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan, where he will interact with party cadres, he added. Rahul will spend an hour and a half, from 4 pm to 5.30 pm with the party workers, and leave for Delhi at 6.30 pm.

"A T-shape ramp has been constructed near the stage from where Rahul is going to take questions from party workers and interact with them," Chaturvedi said.

Besides, he is going to address a meeting of Congress workers, which is open to public, before leaving in the evening, he added. "We are upbeat as our leader is coming to launch the election campaign," Chaturvedi said.

Ahead of the visit, the main opposition party has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing the 48-year-old Congress chief, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.

As part of the pilgrimage, devotees undertake an arduous journey to Mount Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.

Security has been tightened in the city in view of Rahul's visit, Bhopal Inspector General (IG) of Police Jaideep Prasad said.

"We have got an extra force of 1,500 policemen who have already been deputed," he said. Asked about the possibility of protests during the Rahul's visit, Prasad said they have not yet received any inputs in this regard.

"All steps are being taken to maintain law and order. I am personally monitoring the security arrangements and the routes Rahul is going to pass through," he said.

Congress workers are arriving in Bhopal from all over the state to welcome the party chief and take part in the meeting. "We are expecting more than one lakh Congress cadres in the state capital," a police officer said.

Meanwhile a BJP leader said party chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a function in Bhopal on 25 September. Earlier, a visit by Shah to Ujjain district on 12 September was put off.

"It was a tentative programme of Shahji that has been postponed as he along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to grace a function on 25 September," state BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said.

Preparations are underway to make the 25 September event a huge success. So the 12 September event was put off, he added. Asked whether Shah had deferred his Ujjain visit to avoid the ire of upper caste organisations, Agrawal replied in the negative.

On 6 September, some upper caste groups called for a 'Bharat Bandh' against Parliament approving amendments in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after some of its provisions were read down by the Supreme Court.

Four days ahead of the bandh, members of an anti-quota organisation had allegedly hurled a slipper at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during a public meeting in Sidhi district and showed him black flags.The Supreme Court on Monday directed the victims' families in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to amend their petitions of not releasing the convicts, and file fresh petitions after three weeks.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the victims' families in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to amend their petitions of not releasing the convicts, and file fresh petitions after three weeks.

In May 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber, during an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

The attack also left 14 other people killed, whose kin have been opposing the release of the convicts after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK)-led Tamil Nadu government recommended to get them out of prison.

The families had recently sought a meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohitto persuade him to not give his consent to the state government's recommendation.

On Saturday, Governor Purohit refuted reports that a recommendation from the state government has been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs."It is clarified that no reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs in the matter. The case is a complex one and involves the examination of legal, administrative and Constitutional issues," a press release from the Raj Bhavan stated.

Meanwhile, AIADMK leader, D Jayakumar urged the Governor to accept the recommendation, saying that the state cabinet's decision to recommend the release of the convicts reflected the will of the people of the state.

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet, led by chief minister EK Palaniswami, had on 9 September recommended the release of all the seven convicts, Nalini, Perarivalan, Murugan, Santhan, Robert Pious, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, who are serving life terms and have been in jail for the last 27 years, to Governor Banwarilal Purohit.Rajnath Singh's appeal came after the two major regional parties announced that they would not take part in the elections.

Jammu: Home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday appealed to political parties to participate in the forthcoming panchayat and urban local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir, in the wake of the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announcing a boycott of the elections.

Singh's appeal came after the two major regional parties  the NC and the PDP  announced that they would not take part in the elections as the Centre has not cleared its stand on Article 35A of the Constitution. "I would like to appeal that all the political parties should participate in the political process. This will provide an opportunity to them to interact with the people," Singh said at a press conference.

Article 35A was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order and accords special rights and privileges to the Jammu and Kashmir citizens. The Article, which denies property rights to a woman who marries a person from outside the state, has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the matter is still under consideration.

To a question, the home minister said India has made all efforts to improve its relations with Pakistan and cited the impromptu visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to that country to buttress his point. "But we cannot change the behaviour of Pakistan. They will have to understand how to behave with a neighbour," he said.

Earlier, Singh inaugurated two smart fence pilot projects along the India-Pakistan border. "Border security is our top most priority. I am happy to inaugurate two pilot projects under Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS). "We have already identified vulnerable areas and gaps on all borders," he said.

Singh said the government was working towards upgrading border infrastructure, and more than 600 kilometres roads have been constructed in border areas and hundreds of border out posts have been built. "Initially the CIBMS project will be implemented to cover gaps in the physical fencing on the border. Subsequently, these technological solution will be implemented on the entire border," he said.On Sunday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in-charge of the case and Nuh Superintendent of Police (SP), Naazneen Bhasin, confirmed that one of the three main accused in Rewari gangrape, along with two aides, was arrested

Karnal (Haryana) : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has directed the police to take stringent action against one of the accused who was arrested on Sunday in the alleged gangrape of a 19-year-old girl in Rewari.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also spoken to Khattar. Speaking to the media in Jammu, Singh said, "I have spoken to Haryana chief minister who has assured me of taking appropriate action in the case."

Last week a girl was allegedly abducted, drugged and gang-raped in Haryana's Narnaul area. The FIR registered at Kanina identifies three accused - Pankaj, Manish and Nishu. While Nishu has been arrested, Pankaj, who is a Defence personnel stationed in Rajasthan, and Manish are yet to be arrested.

Addressing the media in Karnal, Khattar assured that the remaining two accused in the case would also be arrested soon. He warned that strict action would be taken if anyone was found harbouring them. "Police have been directed to take strict action in the case. The other two accused will also be arrested soon. I appeal to the public not to harbour them. Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them," the chief minister said.

On Sunday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in-charge of the case and Nuh Superintendent of Police (SP), Naazneen Bhasin, confirmed that one of the three main accused in the case, along with two aides, was arrested.

SP Bhasin informed that Nishu, one of the three main accused who was found to have allegedly planned the crime, was arrested along with two aides including Deen Dayal, the owner of the tubewell where the incident took place and a doctor, Sanjeev, who allegedly gave first aid to the victim.

Meanwhile, the Medical Superintendent of the Rewari district hospital, Sudarshan Panwar confirmed that the victim's condition is normal and that she is recovering well from the trauma.

Newly appointed Rewari Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Sharma, who was appointed as a replacement for former Rewari SP Rajesh Duggal on Sunday, met with the victim earlier on Monday and said that her safety and the nabbing of the remaining accused were the two primary objectives right now.

"Safety of victim is one of the main concerns, arresting the remaining accused is another. It doesn't end with the arrest but with conviction of the accused. So securing evidence and ensuring they get convicted through fast track court would be the next step," Sharma said.

Also, Rewari Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said that the family of the victim had requested that no one, without permission, should be allowed to visit them at the hospital. A cabin outside the hospital was being constructed in line with the request where people can meet the family.

"If they (victim's family) want to meet them inside the hospital, they will (be allowed in), otherwise they won't. The family has also said that they are satisfied with the treatment and have given that in writing, so the treatment will continue here," Sharma said.Manufacturers of Saridon, Piriton and Dart had challenged the Centre's move to ban the drugs claiming that their composition could put people consuming them at risk.

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the sale of Saridon, Piriton and Dart for the time being after hearing a petition filed by the drug manufacturers. This comes just days after the Ministry of Health banned the manufacture for sale or distribution of 328 fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs, including Saridon. The bench held that the stay on the Centre's notification will remain till it decided on the matter, according to NDTV.

Manufacturers challenged the government's decision to ban the drugs and, according to The Economic Times, argued that they have been making these combinations since before 1988. The companies also said that since the Supreme Court had earlier exempted 15 such combination drugs from the ban, the same exemptions should be extended to them, as well, the report quoted lawyers as saying.

FDCs are two or more drugs combined in a fixed ratio into a single dose. In its notification, the government had said: "The Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) recommended, amongst other things, that there is no therapeutic justification for the ingredients contained in 328 FDCs, and that these FDCs may involve risk to human beings."

The All India Drug Action Network had hailed the Centre's decision and its convener Dr Gopal Dabade said the government has made the right decision, as the drugs "were indeed harmful" and "not prescribed in the textbooks of medicine".

In March 2016, the Centre had prohibited the manufacture, sale and distribution of 349 FDCs, but this was contested by the affected manufacturers in high courts and the Supreme Court.

Complying with the December 2017 Supreme Court judgment, the DTAB examined the matter and, in its report to the Centre, recommended prohibiting the FDCs, saying there was no therapeutic justification for the ingredients in the drugs, and that they could put people consuming them at risk.

Earlier, an expert committee appointed by the Centre, too, had made similar observations.

Considering the recommendations of DTAB and the expert committee, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through a gazette notification, prohibited the FDCs.

With inputs from agenciesThe Supreme Court will soon pronounce its verdict on a batch of petitions that have sought the reconsideration of a 2006 judgment, wherein the court laid down that the state government is not bound to provide for reservation in promotions for SC/ST members

The Supreme Court will soon pronounce its verdict on a batch of petitions that have sought the reconsideration of a 2006 judgment in M Nagaraj versus Union of India, wherein the court laid down that the state government is not bound to provide for reservation in promotions for members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs). The court in Nagaraj further laid down criteria for the state governments to permit caste-based reservation in promotions including the collection of quantifiable data to show backwardness of the class and that the class is inadequately represented in public employment.

In Nagaraj, the apex court also held that both creamy layer and the 50 percent ceiling limit would apply to caste-based reservation in promotions and that the state should not extend the reservation indefinitely.

In the current petition, the Supreme Court will rule on the question of whether a seven-judge bench should review the judgment in Nagaraj. If the petition is allowed by the court, the issues that would be considered by the seven-judge bench include whether there is the presumption of backwardness with respect to SCs/STs thereby necessitating that there should be reservation even at the stage of promotion and whether the concept of the creamy layer, similar to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), should be extended to SCs/STs.

Provisions in the Constitution of India dealing with reservation for backward classes

Article 16(1) lays down equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of employments/appointment in any government office.

Under Article 16(4), the state can provide for reservation of appointments/posts for any backward class which in the opinion of the state is not adequately represented in a government service.

Article 16(4A) inserted vide constitutional amendments in 1995 and 2001 permits the state to make reservation in promotion (with consequential seniority) in favour of SCs/STs where the state feels that such classes are not adequately represented in the government services. Article 16(4A) was held to be an enabling provision in Nagaraj with its implementation subject to the fulfilment of the criteria of showing backwardness and inadequate representation.

Article 335 is given in Part XVI of the Constitution that relates to special provisions relating to certain classes. Under Article 335, the government shall take into account the claims of SCs/STs and the maintenance of efficiency of administration when making appointments to government services.

Judicial precedents on this issue

The higher courts have followed the Supreme Court judgment in Nagaraj.

In January 2011, the Allahabad High Court, while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Uttar Pradesh governments decision to provide caste based reservation in promotion quashed the reservations on grounds that the state government must abide by the law laid down in the Nagaraj case. This was subsequently upheld by the apex court in April 2012. The policy was rolled back by the Uttar Pradesh government shortly before the Supreme Courts judgment when a new political party (namely, the Samajwadi Party) came to power.

In November 2014, the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Rajbir Singh versus State of Haryana, quashed a 2006 reservation policy of the Haryana government with retrospective effect on the grounds that the policy contravened the law laid down in Nagaraj as the reservation policy by the Haryana government provided for 20 percent reservation in promotion for Supreme Court candidates in government jobs without showing any quantifiable data on backwardness.

In May 2015, the Patna High Court quashed reservation in promotions for SCs/STs in government services on grounds that the Bihar government had not furnished data to justify caste-based promotions and that the requirement of overall administrative efficiency due to the reservations (a criterion under Article 335 of the Constitution and emphasised in the Nagaraj case) was not fulfilled.

In April 2016, the Madhya Pradesh HC quashed promotions of SCs/STs in government services as they were made in violation of the Nagaraj judgment.

In March 2016, a division bench of the Supreme Court reiterated that the state is not obliged to provide reservation in promotion to SCs/STs while dismissing a petition to issue directions to the Uttar Pradesh government to collect necessary quantitative data regarding the representation of SCs/STs in government services for grant of caste-based reservation in promotions.

The current petition

In November 2017, on the basis of petitions filed by several state governments and SC/ST employees associations, the Supreme Court agreed that a five-judge bench should examine whether a seven-judge bench should be set up to examine the Supreme Court' judgment in the Nagaraj case. The main contention of the petitioners is that the test of backwardness and the creamy layer concept should not be applied in the case of SCs/STs when making a provision for reservation in promotions. The respondents, comprising those opposed to reservation in promotions, argue that the presumption of backwardness of SCs/STs disappears once they join government services. In case of affluent SCs/STs, it is incongruous to treat further generations as backward, a point that was also raised by the Supreme Court when it proposed applying the creamy layer test to SCs/STs as well.

A reconsideration of Nagaraj is problematic for two reasons: Firstly, as pointed out by the petitioners, the judgment in Nagaraj has effectively caused any caste-based promotion policy to be incapable of being implemented because no government has taken the initiative to collect data on the representation of SCs/STs in government services. This is therefore, a case of non-implementation rather than unconstitutionality of the criteria laid down in Nagaraj. Accordingly, the appropriate relief in this case would be for the SC to direct the Central and state governments to carry out regular surveys and collect data so that any policy which provides for reservation in promotions can be implemented instead of being automatically struck down as unconstitutional in the absence of any quantifiable data.

Secondly, the petitioners claim that the criteria laid down in Nagaraj is unconstitutional as no such criteria is provided in Article 16(4) or in any other constitutional provision relating to affirmative action. This claim can be countered on grounds that equality under the Constitution is to be understood as substantive equality and not formal equality. Substantive equality implies that there should be real equality and is often used to justify treating unequals unequally. In the same way that substantive equality is used to justify affirmative action between two candidates (one from the reserved category and another from the general category) who are otherwise equally placed, substantive equality should operate to prohibit caste-based promotion in government services as two seemingly unequal candidates (from the reserved and the unreserved categories) are at a level-footing once they join the government services.

The Nagaraj criteria is mindful of this difference between formal and substantive equality. At the very least, the concept of substantive equality should be applied to filter out creamy layer candidates from any caste-based reservation scheme, doing otherwise would result in reverse discrimination of the kind feared by the Supreme Court in the Nagaraj verdict.

The author holds a Master of Law (LLM) degree from the University of CambridgeGaurav Pramanik had cited an incident where a manager in Tech Mahindra allegedly made 'sweeping generalisations and stereotyping of someone's sexuality.'

I wanted justice. I did not think that Richa Gautam would be sacked from her job. However, by taking action after my complaint on Twitter, Tech Mahindra has vindicated my stand, said 32-year-old Gaurav Probir Pramanik, a former employee of the firm, in a telephonic conversation with Firstpost.

The IT major had faced criticism after Pramanik went public on Twitter with the charges against his former team leader. He had cited a 2015 incident where the manager concerned, during an address in a training room, allegedly made "sweeping generalisations and stereotyping of someone's sexuality." He also accused the manager of making "mocking judgments" on how his purported "effeminate" nature had affected his work.

Pramanik alleged he was forced to quit after the manager spoke harsh words against his mother.

Tech Mahindra has sacked Gautam, according to a tweet by the IT major. The firm said this was done after an investigation was carried out in the matter. The concerned employee has been separated from the employment of the company with immediate effect," Tech Mahindra said in a tweet late on Saturday.

When contacted, Tech Mahindra said that another person has replaced the employee in question.

Pramanik, who is now on a sabbatical from work, said that he was "pleasantly surprised" by the quick action taken by the IT major. I did not expect Tech Mahindra to act so fast, he said.

Pramanik said that he had mentioned the reasons for quitting the firm in his exit letter. But he recalled from his own experience of having worked in the HR department that exit letters are not taken seriously by any firm.

You are on your way out. And the grounds on which you are leaving do not really matter to the firm, he said, adding that he wished his experience would push major organisations to ponder over similar such incidents, and conduct investigations if any allegation is made.

If an employee who has quit makes allegations out of vengeance, such accusations should be dismissed. But they must be investigated, he said.

Most corporate companies in India are quick to adopt various policies at the workplace, such as those pertaining to whistleblowers, maternity benefits or gender parity. However, Pramanik said that not many employees are aware of what these policies entail.

These policies run into several pages and are full of legalese, which employees are often loath to read through. I think organisations should explain these things in a manner that employees are empowered, he said.

He rues that he had no higher-ups at Tech Mahindra whom he could have approached seeking redressal for the harassment that he faced. The harassment was from someone who was in charge of ensuring that it did not happen at the workplace. I could not go any higher as the lady in question was the higher-up, he said.

He hopes that Gautam would "reform" herself. I hope she ponders over her actions and understands the gravity of what she has done, he said.For the first time, government primary school students in Uttar Pradesh will have to attend school on Vishwakarma Puja on Monday, which was declared as a holiday in the previous years.

For the first time, government primary school students in Uttar Pradesh will have to attend school on Vishwakarma Puja on Monday, which was declared as a holiday in the previous years.

Vishwakarma Puja, which is celebrated on 17 September ever year, marks the birth anniversary of Hindu god Lord Vishwakarma, who is known as the 'architect of gods'.

In a letter, Uttar Pradesh's Basic Shiksha Parishad secretary, Ruby Singh, asked all education officers to ensure schools remain open on Monday and hold programmes to educate children about the teachings of Vishwakarma.

According to The Times of India, last year, schools in the state remained open on 17 September, due to a pulse polio campaign, despite it being a Sunday. The Yogi Adityanath-led government increased the number of restricted holidays from 16 to 30 this year with Vishwakarma Puja as one of them.

The Vishwakarma Puja was always an off day for schools until this year. Celebrations will take place for the first time," the report quoted an official as saying.

It is believed that Lord Vishwakarma built palaces, weapons and buildings for the gods. He is known as the God of Vastu Shastra, the First Engineer, the Engineer of the Gods and the God of Machines'. On this day, workers such as architects, carpenters, engineers, artists, mechanics and factory workers take a break from their jobs and clean up the machines, tools, equipment etc. in their offices and factories, as per News18.

The festival is primarily celebrated in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar, Tripura, and Odisha.Days after Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the party will construct 'Ram Path' in Madhya Pradesh if voted to power, the BJP has dared him to announce support in Parliament to the construction of a Ram temple.

New Delhi: Days after Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the party will construct "Ram Path" in Madhya Pradesh if voted to power, the BJP has dared him to announce support in Parliament to the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

BJP national vice-president Prabhat Jha told PTI Bhasha the Congress' love for Lord Ram is just for the sake of elections.

"Digvijay Singh is himself a member of the Rajya Sabha and senior leader of the Congress. Instead of talking about non-issues, he should promise support in Parliament to the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya," he said.

Jha said the Ram temple issue is sub-judice and the court will decide on it, but Muslims and Hindus can also resolve the matter mutually.

He said the government has started work on the Ramayan Circuit project, estimated to come up at a cost of Rs 266 crore.

The government plans to develop Ramayana-based tourist centres as part of the Ramayana Circuit. It is one of 13 circuits the Tourism Ministry is planning to develop as part of its Swadesh Darshan Scheme.The Uttar Pradesh BJP mocked Mayawati after she said the BSP was not opposed to forging alliances as long as her party for a 'respectable seat share'.

Lucknow: The BJP on Sunday sought to know from whom BSP chief Mayawati was expecting "respect" vis-a-vis her statement that her party will ally with any group as long as BSP gets a "respectable share of seats".

"Is she expecting respect from those who had shattered her pride and dignity in the infamous 1995 Guest House case?" asked media co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh BJP Rakesh Tripathi. Recalling the incident from over two decades ago, Tripathi said it was BJP MLA Brahm Dutt Dwivedi who had come to Mayawati's rescue.

"Today, Mayawati is expecting respect from those who had shown scant respect to her in the past. This shows how nervous she is and that her voter base has eroded," Tripathi said.

Earlier on Sunday, Mayawati had said, "The efforts of Opposition parties will be to stop the BJP from coming to power at any cost. For this talks of forging an alliance is also going on. Our party is not against the alliance, but our stand is very clear. That is, we will ally with a political party only if we get respectable share of seats. Or else, our party feels it is better to contest elections alone."

On the BSP chief's statement that the BJP is not leaving any stone unturned to derive mileage from the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP media co-ordinator said: "Mayawati has honoured so many great and eminent personalities by constructing their statues in Lucknow. I fail to understand why is she having any problem if the BJP is holding various programmes in honour and memory of Atalji."

Tripathi said: "Mayawati has been treating Dalits as her vote bank. The BJP on the other hand has worked to increase the bank balance of the Dalits. She is visualising that her bank is being virtually robbed. Hence, she is worried.16:13 (ist)

Congress had written to governor last week against dissolution of Assembly

Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar in a letter to the Governor last week warned her against dissolution of the House, seeking an opportunity for the Congress to form a government.

The Congress is the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly with 16 MLAs, while the BJP, which has 14 MLAs, is supported by three members each of Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a Nationalist Congress Party legislator and three independent MLAs.

What queers the pitch in the number game, however, is the health conditions of three BJP MLAs. While Parrikar is severely afflicted by cancer, Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza is currently taking treatment for cancer in New York and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar, who suffered from a brain stroke some months back, is bed-ridden at his private residence near Panaji.

IANSThe Congress in Gujarat will organise a farmers' rally and 'gherao' of the state Assembly in Gandhinagar to demand a complete farm loan waiver.

Ahmedabad: The Congress in Gujarat will organise a farmers' rally and 'gherao' of the state Assembly in Gandhinagar to demand a complete farm loan waiver on the first day of the two-day monsoon session beginning Tuesday.

Farmers from across the state will join the 'Khedut Akrosh rally', which will be organised by the Congress at Satyagrah Chhavni in the state capital Tuesday to press for their main demand  a complete waiver of crop loans.

It will be followed by 'gherao' (to lay siege) of the Vidhan Sabha complex by agriculturists in support of their slew of demands, the main Opposition party said Monday.

The two programmes are being organised on the day the two-day Assembly session begins because the short session will give the Opposition party little time to raise the issues of farmers in the House, Congress leaders Amit Chavda and Paresh Dhanani said at a joint press conference.

The other demands of farmers include adequate minimum support price (MSP) for their produce, providing good quality fertilisers and seeds at reasonable rate, improved supply of water and electricity, scrapping of recently-conducted land survey based on satellite images which has many "discrepancies", they said.

Dhanani accused the BJP government of ignoring farmers and working only for industrialists.

"Farmers in the state, especially marginal farmers, are financially strained due to anti-farmer policies of the BJP government which has ruled the state for 22 years but only worked to appease industrialists," the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly said.

"The government has betrayed farmers by going back on promises made to them before the elections. Crop insurance schemes and satellite land surveys have only benefited private parties.

"Farmers are under loan burden while the government has failed to give them relief in terms of higher MSPs, cheaper and good quality fertilisers and seeds, better supply of electricity and water, among other measures," he said.

Chavda said agriculturists have approached the government repeatedly with their set of demands, but the BJP administration has turned a deaf ear to their pleas for relief.

"The rally and Assembly gherao programme organised by Congress is a way to vent their anger and frustration towards the BJP government," the state Congress president said.

Chavda said the two-day assembly session called on 18-19 September is insufficient for the Opposition party to raise the issues affecting the public, including farmers.

"The government has deliberately kept the Assembly session short so that it does not have to face inconvenient questions (from Opposition).

"The rally and gherao are ways to raise farmer issues before the government. We will continue to fight for farmers until our demands are met," Chavda added.Make no mistake, these results stand as proof of the fact that Indias best-known Central university will not vindicate the saffron politics of hate and fear anytime soon.

As the final returns from this years Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) elections came in, it once again became apparent why the current political dispensation, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Sangh, and their student affiliates in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have always been so obsessively mindful of this campus. They are, after all, not used to being challenged with such infectious assertion and solidarity elsewhere.

The ABVP, despite its signature attempts to sabotage the counting process through violence and hooliganism, lost all the central panel seats to the Left Unity (a coalition of four left parties) by large margins. The Right-wing student party even lost significant chunks of votes from the Sciences schools, which are considered to be its core constituencies. The margins of loss were less than consoling: the ABVP president candidate, Lalit Pandey, lost to his Left Unity counterpart, N Sai Balaji, by a daunting 1,179 votes.

As the leads began to trickle in, JNU students got their first glimpse of what Delhi University is thoroughly familiar with: SUV politics. Multiple first-person accounts accused ABVP cadres, including former JNUSU joint secretary Saurabh Sharma, of bringing in vehicles filled with goons armed with sticks and rods into the campus when the leads began to pour in. Even on Monday, the newly-elected president, Balaji, accused Sharma and his gang of violently assaulting students inside the campus. Sharma, however, accused the left parties of attacking ABVP cadres.

]

Look how in the morning in front of Periyar the entire crowd ran towards ABVP activists to beat them up and the phone was also snatched in which video recording was being done. @HMOIndia@DelhiPolice @rajnathsingh#LeftistGunde #RedTerrorInJNU

Is this not mob lynching? pic.twitter.com/HZnlFLavPQ  Saurabh Sharma JNU (@SaurabhJNU) September 17, 2018

Clearly, the party is struggling to stomach its inglorious defeat. To compensate, it is out to intimidate the student community and political opponents with punches, kicks, sticks, and stones. But, unfortunately for them, JNU isnt any other university: the rejoinder has already come in the form of a stunning democratic mandate against the Sanghs politics of fear. No amount of violent coercion can overturn that.

Make no mistake, these results stand as proof of the fact that Indias best-known Central university will not vindicate the saffron politics of hate and fear anytime soon, despite the most systematic of efforts at subversion. In an otherwise national playfield where the BJP-Sangh might be winning elections block after block despite its patently communal and propagandist agendas, here is an island of collective dissent that remains steadfastly assertive of its rich democratic tradition.

JNU has seen a lot after the BJP government came to power in 2014. From receiving a police battalion in its doorstep for the first time since 1983 to falling at the short end of the administrations relentless attacks on the universitys traditions, JNUites have had an unprecedented four years under the current regimes shadows. These results, thus, are nothing short of a victory mile for all those who care about keeping India's university campuses free from ideological homogenisation and administrative hegemony.

The signalling takes an even more loaded significance in light of the upcoming national election in 2019: Modi Hawa or Modi tsunami, JNU does not care and stands resolutely against BJP and its divisive, sentimental politics. The mood of the nation is coalescing fast, and opinions are being frozen. In such a situation, a massive mandate against the saffron coterie by young, educated people in Indias capital city is something that the ruling party can only overlook to its own peril.

The JNUSU results should also be read in a broader context of other recent campus elections, including the historic victory in Panjab University by 22-year old Kanupriya who belongs to the Left-leaning Students for Society (SFS), and the ABVPs damning losses in Uttarakhands Garhwal University and Gurukul Kangri University. Notably, these are familiar territories for the right-wing party, which now finds itself decisively challenged and floundering for mandates.

Together, these new trends tell us that the saffron cheerleaders might have taken India's young minds for granted too soon; that no amount of intimidation, coercion, slandering, and misinformation can finish off opposing ideological persuasions so easily; that the project of intellectual homogenisation is a total non-starter in a democratically vibrant country like India.

However, the Left parties in JNU, too, cannot take their student constituencies for granted. In a situation where the ABVP has come only second, the Left alliance cannot afford to project even the slightest hint of disunity. More importantly, it must create agendas and platforms that are fully inclusive and mindful of differing persuasions, rather than propagating an only benign version of the ABVPs sectarian, divisive politics. This is particularly so given the upward trajectory of identity-based student parties, like the BAPSA. Even the NOTA constituency, which clocked at a significant 1,148 votes this time (only slightly lower than last year), must be a beacon of warning to the left parties.

Further, as much as national political issues are important (especially because of the fast approaching national election), the winning alliance needs to bring the focus back to core student welfare. As student parties, their foremost priority is to ensure that the student communitys needs and grievances are duly addressed. More crucially, the dominant Left parties, rather than hegemonizing the space for dissent, must ensure that ordinary students are given greater agency in movements and protests. In short, they need to render JNUs campus politics more participatory and deliberative than it was ever before.

In a situation otherwise, belligerent groups like the ABVP are bound to invalidate it to the point of transforming it into a passive, heavily technocratic college campus that only claps, not questions; that cheers, not demonstrate. That would be incredibly tragic for JNU -- the last hope for a truly democratic, liberal university space in the midst of an authoritarian, anti-intellectual swamp.'A person who could not keep his family as a unit, how will he cooperate with his 'bua' (aunt),' he said in an apparent reference to Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday mocked Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav over efforts to unite the Opposition, saying he could not even keep his family together.

"A person who could not keep his family as a unit, how will he cooperate with his 'bua' (aunt)," he said in an apparent reference to Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati.

Akhilesh Yadav has in the past referred to the BSP leader as 'bua'.

Maurya was addressing a meeting of the 'Yadav samaj' organised by the party's OBC Morcha.

"Akhilesh Yadav ran government for five years. But, what example did he present?" Mr Maurya said.

"He snatched the chair and post of party president, which was held by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, and also misbehaved with uncle Shivpal Yadav," he added.

Maurya said, be it the 2014 Lok Sabha elections or Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2017, without the support of 'Yaduvanshis' (Yadavs), the BJP could not have won.

"And without the Yaduvanshis, we will not be able to register victory in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Hence, it is my appeal that 'Lotus' should bloom at the booths dominated by Yaduvanshis," he said.

The deputy chief minister also said that the BJP is aiming to win 74 of the 80 seats of the state in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Maurya said, "The upcoming election will be an election to make India the number one country in the world, and for this everyone has to unite and give the reins of power to Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

"I am sure that 'Yaduvansh' will support Modiji in 2019," he said.

In a tweet, Maurya also said Yadavs are not with "opportunists" and are with "nationalism and developmentalism".

"The victory of the BJP in Yadav-dominated polling booths in 2014-2017 is an indicator that members of the community in Uttar Pradesh are not with avsarwaadiya (opportunists), but are with rashtrawaad (nationalism) and vikaswaad (developmentalism)," he said.

Later speaking to reporters, Maurya said, "I can say with confidence that the performance of the BJP in the state can be easily seen and experienced, and hence the BJP is getting support from all sections of the society."

He added, "I have no hesitation in saying that in Uttar Pradesh the wave of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP is much stronger as compared to the country."The most important factor that will influence the outcome of alliance-building initiatives will be Mayawatis actual actions, rather than public pronouncements.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has not exactly nailed her colours to the mast of a grand alliance against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the series of impending elections set to culminate in those for the Lok Sabha next year, but what she has said does provide cause for quiet optimism among those who would like to see the back of the current regime.

What Mayawati has said is not, as a matter of fact, radically new. It is a reiteration of her position that the BSP is open to an anti-BJP alliance but only on respectable terms. What is significant about this iteration, however, is the timing, with elections to three states  Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan  just around the corner. Negotiations with regard to opposition unity have already gathered pace, which is precisely what makes Mayawatis statement, made on Sunday, significant, especially since observers believe, with good reason, that the outcome of this round of Assembly elections will have a decisive bearing on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

What Mayawati has said is, first, that her sole aim is to prevent Prime Minister Narendra Modi from returning to power. She has also signalled that she is open to an inclusive opposition alliance to achieve this objective. But the rider is that her party has to be given a respectable number of seats.

It is hardly surprising or particularly significant, however, that Mayawati would like to keep her bargaining power intact. No one would seriously expect leaders of political parties to commit to an alliance without doing this. The devil, therefore, will lie in the detail. And the most relevant details, in this case, are the positions taken by the other relevant parties. It has been reported that the Congress leadership, led by party president Rahul Gandhi, is anxious to secure as many alliances as possible. It is not difficult to imagine that the party will go a fair distance to accommodate Mayawati.

Samajwadi Party (SP) boss Akhilesh Yadav has also made it clear that he is keen to keep as many allies as possible on board. Principal among them will, of course, be the BSP. He has said quite unequivocally that he is willing to take two steps backwards to accommodate the alliance partner.

It appears, then, that the most important factor that will influence the outcome of alliance-building initiatives will be Mayawatis actual actions, rather than public pronouncements, which we all know are swathed in layers of ambiguity. The dangers of reading too much into what Mayawati says is especially high given her often unilateral ways.

Let us take, as example, her initial demands. It has been reported that Mayawati wants 30 of the 90 seats in Chhattisgarh, 100 of the 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh and 70 of the 200 seats in Rajasthan for starters. For 2019, she has reportedly laid claim to 40 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Her tally in the Assembly elections five years ago was one in Chhattisgarh, four in Madhya Pradesh and two in Rajasthan. In 2014, she failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh. It goes without saying, thus, that this ambitious charter is a bargaining position.

That is not the point, however. Two things are important in this context: the first is how reasonable Mayawati will be when she sits down with Congress leaders to sort out seat-sharing details for the Assembly elections, which are almost upon us; the second is how accommodating Congress leaders will be. We will discuss the Uttar Pradesh negotiations in a bit because the multi-party situation there offers a different dynamic.

In an ideal world, the two sides would be guided by the principle of winnability to maximise seats for the alliance, but in a far from the perfect world that almost never happens. The surreal seat-sharing deal between the SP and the Congress in the 2017 elections in Uttar Pradesh, in which the latter was given an insane number of completely unwinnable seats in a last-minute deal, is a classic example of this.

Having allowed matters to drift, thus necessitating eleventh-hour negotiations yet again, the Congress, as the senior partner, will not be in the best of bargaining positions in any of the three states. But the central leadership will have to impress upon state satraps that they will have to accept negotiated positions, assuming these emerge at all, in the interests of a larger opposition unity, with the 2019 elections in mind.

This enterprise will not necessarily be an easy one. Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot has already indicated that he is not interested in an alliance with the BSP. But the Congress cannot afford a cherry-picking approach. Though obstacles in the way of alliances in all three states are formidable, it is possible that Mayawati will be reasonable about what constitutes a respectable number of seats, given her compulsions in Uttar Pradesh.

That state remains at the heart of both the project of opposition unity and BJPs ongoing Hindutva push and programme of electoral engineering. Clearly, Mayawati does not expect that she will get 40 out of 80 seats. Even if the SP agrees to a fifty-fifty split, other partners, mainly the Congress and Ajit Singhs Rashtriya Lok Dal, will have to be accommodated. It would be absurd to expect that Akhilesh would agree to accommodate them solely out of his quota. Again, in an ideal world winnability and the need to bring as many caste agglomerations into the fold would have been the basis for talks. But in an imperfect world, Mayawati might push for more than her share of winnable seats in a more plural setting. There are indications that Mayawati and Yadav might do a deal in which the Congress would be squeezed. If that happens, the Congress can hardly protest too vocally given that its footprint in the state can barely be seen. All opposition leaders must also remember to keep the Bhim Army in the loop, especially after the BJP was forced to release its leader, Chandrashekhar Yadav or Ravana. The Bhim Army is a potent force and could play an important role in consolidating Dalit votes against the BJP. Opposition leaders will, however, have to convince Mayawati, notwithstanding the snub she delivered to Ravana on Sunday, that he is an ally rather than a threat to her pre-eminent position as the Dalit voice of Uttar Pradesh and India.

The next couple of weeks will show how things are likely to pan out. But it does now appear that if all opposition leaders, especially Mayawati, demonstrate a bare minimum of reasonableness and good faith, the prospects of unity are very real, despite the mountains that will have to be climbed.JD(U)'s Prashant Kishor has in the past worked with the Bharatiya Janata Party, JD(U) and Congress on several electoral campaigns.

It is no surprise that the words 'master election strategist' often preface the latest JD(U) entrant Prashant Kishor's name. Known for running some of the most successful political campaigns in recent times, it is Kishor who steered Prime Minister Narendra Modi to victory in the 2012 Gujarat Assembly polls and, the more significant, 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

On Sunday, Kishor formally joined the Janata Dal (United) at a party meeting in Patna, setting off murmurs among the party that Bihar chief minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar saw him as his "political successor".

Kishor, who recently said that he would not campaign for anyone in the 2019 elections, has in the past worked with the Bharatiya Janata Party, JD(U) and Congress on several electoral campaigns.

Born in 1977, Kishor, a public health expert, spent eight years working at the United Nations before joining political parties to help with their campaigns. He is the former head of Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG), which was later reformulated to Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC). His work with BJP during the 2014 general elections earned him the tag of being the "most trusted strategist in the Narendra Modi organisation," according to The Indian Express.

Here is a brief look at his journey across the various parties so far:

Bharatiya Janata Party

Kishor's work with the BJP has been successful so far. After leading the saffron party, led by Modi, to a victory in the 2012 Gujarat Assembly election, he and his team at CAG took up the mantle of laying the ground to replicate Modi's win in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

If in retrospect, one hails Modi's use of social media to expand his voter base, the credit goes to Kishor. Influenced by former US president Barack Obama's use of social media and communication strategies during his presidential campaigns, the election strategist sought to bring in number crunchers, communication experts, media planners, technology, and surveyors to build the campaign, reported Outlook.

It was Kishor's team that came up with 'Chai pe charcha', simultaneous projection of Modi's speeches through hologram technology etc. However, several members of the BJP and RSS, including Amit Shah, felt Kishor's and his CAG did not play a significant role in BJP's victory, and that BJP's victory was more to the brand Modi had already created for himself.

This led to Kishor's departure. It is believed he told Modi, "When two brothers fail to get along, it is better for one of them to leave," as per the Outlook report.

JD(U)

A year later, Kishor and his IPAC team landed in Bihar, this time to tackle the 2015 Bihar Assembly election for Nitish Kumar.

A native of Bihar, Kishor helped Kumar secure a third consecutive term in the state, defeating the BJP-led NDA. The saffron party failed even after Modi addressed nearly 31 election rallies in the state, according to India Today.

Substituting Modi's Chai pe charcha with Parcha pe charcha for Kumar's campaign, Kishor sought feedback from people on the government's performance over the previous decade.

Kishor and his team came up with the campaign slogan "Bihar Mein Bahar Ho, Nitish Kumar Ho" and used vibrant colours of red and yellow on posters to people's attention. He also devised the Har Ghar Dastak (Knock on every door) campaign to help party workers establish a closer connect with the masses, as per a NDTV report.

Some of the other initiatives that were undertaken were GPS enabled bicycles and deployment of women to campaign from door-to-door.

As JD(U) won the elections that year, the BJP had to begrudgingly accept that while their party leaders were relentlessly criss-crossing Bihar and giving speeches, Kishor's resourceful campaign had helped cut through the fluff and connected with the people.

Congress

In 2016, Kishor moved to Congress in Punjab to help Captain Amarinder Singh win the state Assembly polls. His electioneering machinery worked the magic again as Congress received a historic win.

Kishor's team introduced the 'Coffee with Captain' campaign, along with 'Punjab da Captain' revolving around Singh. Party leaders said he organised interactions of college students with Singh and appointed local 'kaptans' for the campaign. The Congress ended up bagging 77 seats in the 117-seat Assembly.

Based on this success, he was roped in to run the campaign in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. However, this time, he failed to influence and replicate Congress' victory in Punjab.

YSR Congress Party

At present, Kishor is working on the campaign for YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls in 2019, reported The Indian Express. He has been working with Jaganmohan Reddy since last year.Raghubar Das said his government has submitted to the Union home ministry that many 'Bangladeshi infiltrators' live in Jharkhand and they should be deported.

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has said his government has proposed to the Centre to update the citizens' list in Jharkhand, on the lines of Assam NRC exercise, to identify all Bangladeshis living in the state illegally and deport them "one by one".

In an interaction with mediapersons at his residence, Das said his government has submitted to the Union home ministry that many "Bangladeshi infiltrators" are living in Jharkhand and they should be deported after updating the National Register of Citizens in the state.

"The BJP has a clear cut opinion on this. We have to look for every Bangladeshi and send them out of the country one by one," he said.

The chief minister alleged that "Bangladeshi infiltrators" have "snatched" jobs from local tribals.

"In Godda, Sahebganj and Pakur districts (Bangladeshis live)... In Ranchi too, we have Bangladeshis. They are present in my Jamshedpur too. They have snatched the jobs of our tribals and labourers...So, I am of the opinion, so has been the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh, that we should oust Bangladeshi infiltrators from the country," Das said.

Referring to the Assam NRC revision, he said the Jharkhand government has informed the Union home ministry about this and submitted to them that in Jharkhand too, there are many "Bangladeshi infiltrators".

Sunil Kumar Barnwal, the principal secretary to the chief minister, said, "In Pakur district, almost 50 percent population (are Bangladeshis living there illegally). They are also present in Godda and Sahebganj."

Asked if such Bangladeshis residing in India were getting "political patronage", Das said, "The Congress indulged in politics of vote banks and division for 60 years. Now, under Modi ji, we are engaging in politics of uniting people, and politics of development."

Das also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the state to launch the health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat on 23 September and will also lay foundation stones for two medical colleges  one each in Chaibasa and Kodarma.Posters and cutouts of Congress president Rahul Gandhi pouring water over a Shiva ling lined the roads of Bhopal on Monday ahead of the leader's scheduled visit to Madhya Pradesh.

Posters and cutouts of Congress president Rahul Gandhi pouring water over a Shiva ling lined the roads of Bhopal on Monday ahead of the leader's scheduled visit to Madhya Pradesh. Known to be a bastion for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led state is scheduled for its Assembly election later this year. Rahul is set to officially launch the election campaign in the state.

Posters by cadre have described Congress chief as a Shiva devotee. That apart, Rahul is expected to visit Hindu temples, take blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests before beginning a 15-kilometer-long roadshow, also called the Sankalp Yatra, from Lalghati Chowk, located close to the Bhopal airport.

Madhya Pradesh: Posters and cutouts of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders seen in Bhopal ahead of his roadshow in the city today pic.twitter.com/3sjkEkgd55  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

According to reports, Rahul is planning to campaign extensively in all election-bound states with special focus on one-on-one interactions. According to News18, a nine-member core committee has chalked out Congress' key strategy ahead of upcoming polls. The idea is focus on propagating Narendra Modi government's failures on economic grounds. Apart from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram have their scheduled Assembly election later this year.

Reports have said that Rahul will arrive in Bhopal at around 1 pm in the afternoon and is most likely to address party workers at 4 pm. Rahul's roadshow, in which he will ride an open vehicle, will conclude at Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan, where he will interact with party cadres, he added. Rahul will spend an hour and a half, from 4 pm to 5.30 pm with the party workers, and leave for Delhi at 6.30 pm.

"A T-shape ramp has been constructed near the stage from where Rahul is going to take questions from party workers and interact with them," state party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi told PTI. The Congress chief is going to address a meeting of Congress workers, which is open to public, before leaving in the evening, he added. "We are upbeat as our leader is coming to launch the election campaign," Chaturvedi said.

Ahead of the visit, the main Opposition party has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing the 48-year-old Congress chief, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.

Ahead of Rahul's arrival, security has been tightened in the city, Bhopal Inspector General (IG) of Police Jaideep Prasad told PTI. "We have got an extra force of 1,500 policemen who have already been deputed," he said.

Asked about the possibility of protests during Rahul's visit, Prasad said they had not received any information in this regard. "All steps are being taken to maintain law and order. I am personally monitoring the security arrangements and the routes Rahul Gandhi is going to pass through," he said.

Congress workers are arriving from all over Madhya Pradesh to welcome the party chief and take part in the meeting. "We are expecting more than one lakh Congress cadres in the state capital," a police officer said.

Meanwhile a BJP leader said party chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a function in Bhopal on 25 September. Earlier, a visit by Amit Shah to Ujjain on 12 September was called off.

"It was a tentative programme of Shahji that has been postponed as he along with Modi is going to grace a function on 25 September here," state BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said.

With inputs from PTIThe alliance would only benefit the BJP, the Sena claimed, alleging that the move by the BBM chief, who is the grandson of late Dr BR Ambedkar, is akin to betraying people of his own community.

Mumbai: Terming the proposed pre-poll alliance between the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Prakash Ambedkar-led Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) as "bogus", the Shiv Sena said Monday that such a political move is not a good omen.

The alliance would only benefit the BJP, the Sena claimed, alleging that the move by the BBM chief, who is the grandson of late Dr BR Ambedkar, is akin to betraying people of his own community.

"The political alliance of Owaisi and Ambedkar is only for someone's defeat and is a well-planned strategy," it said, without naming any party.

Leaders of the AIMIM and the BBM had said on Saturday that both parties will forge an alliance for the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls in 2019.

Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the Hyderabad-headquartered AIMIM, had said that preliminary talks held between the two parties yielded positive results.

"The proposed political alliance of the AIMIM and Prakash Ambedkar's front of scheduled castes is not a good omen," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.

Till now, both were carrying out activities behind the curtains in support of the BJP, but now they will come out openly to help the saffron party, said the Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.

It said instead of openly joining hands with the BJP, they have chosen to set up a new front, which has nothing to do with the line of thinking of late Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.

"Babasaheb fought against the wrong, unjust traditions of Hindu religion but he never joined hands with radical Muslim groups. He even rejected an offer to convert to Islam," the Marathi publication said.

The AIMIM is a "corrupt version" of the Muslim League, it alleged, adding that it is involved in Muslim vote bank politics.

"One Owaisi brother had allegedly remarked that 25 crore Muslims could easily overpower Hindus in this country. The grandson of late Babasaheb Ambedkar joining hands with such people is like betraying people of his own community," it said.

"However, any rational Muslim or a scheduled caste youth will not fall for such a bogus alliance," it added.

Alleging that Owaisi's language propagates "anarchism", the Sena asked Prakash Ambedkar to clarify if he is comfortable with it.

"If someone construes that BBM's joining hands with Owaisi would lead to instigating the scheduled caste youth and fuel riots in the state, then what answer does Prakash Ambedkar have for it?" it sought to know.

Most of the scheduled caste community outfits are already affiliated to some mainstream political party. The leaders are more interested in their self-growth than helping the community, the Sena said.

"The schedule castes are already divided into several factions, such as Athawale, Kawade, Gavai and Ambedkar. Instead of these factions floating their own front, Prakash Ambedkar is joining hands with the AIMIM," it said, wondering if such a move will be accepted to the scheduled caste youth.If ex-Mizoram Congress leader R Lalzirliana joins the Mizo National Front, it would be similar to when Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the BJP in Assam.

With hardly a few months left before the Assembly elections in Mizoram, the Congress-ruled state seems to be heading the Assam way.

The Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Monday afternoon expelled its vice-president and state Home Affairs Minister R Lalzirliana for alleged "anti-party activities". The move has exposed the brewing dissension within the party in Mizoram and the inefficiency of the Congress leadership to redress an ongoing feud.

Issuing a notice on Monday afternoon, the chairperson of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the MPCC, C Lalpianthanga expelled Lalzirliana.

"It's an unfortunate incident ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Mizoram. The decision has been made by the disciplinary committee of the Mizoram PCC. The committee had issued a show cause notice to Lalzirliana a week ago and asked for his explanation," Luizinho Faleiro, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and party in-charge for the northeastern states (excluding Assam), told Firstpost.

Lalzirliana's office also confirmed the news to Firstpost.

Following his expulsion, if Lalzirliana  one of the most popular and powerful leaders in the Mizoram Congress  finally joins the Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), it would be similar to what happened in Assam, when Himanta Biswa Sarma left the Congress to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In 2015, Sarma, a former minister in Tarun Gogoi's cabinet and a popular Congress leader, quit the party following differences with Gogoi. In a letter to the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he had severely criticised the then Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and the leadership in Assam, alleging whimsical attitudes and apathy towards redressing issues.

According to sources in the Mizoram Congress, there has been an ongoing conflict between Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla, who is also the PCC president, and Lalzirliana, and the party leadership had shown no interest in resolving the dispute.

"It was due to the complete apathy of the AICC that never bothered to resolve the issue. The triggering factor was the long-pending demand by Lalzirliana to provide Saitual in his Tawi constituency the status of a district. Right from Rahul Gandhi to Chief Minister Thanhawla and PCC leaders, they had promised the district status, but later the chief minister went back on it. The Congress leadership never bothered to resolve this issue by calling the top leaders to Delhi," a source in the party said.

The tension was at its peak when the state home minister tendered his resignation on 14 September. In his resignation letter, Lalzirliana mentioned that he was stepping down from the post in protest against the unfulfilled promise on Saitual.

Lalzirliana has been elected from his constituency for four consecutive terms since 1998.

"Rahul Gandhi, during a campaign in Saitual as the Congress vice-president, had promised in the presence of the chief minister that if the Congress came to power, Lalzirliana's demand for a separate district would be fulfilled. But unfortunately, it wasn't. Thanhawla prevented it. This has given a message to the people of Mizoram that even Rahulji can't do anything against the chief minsiter's diktat," the party source added.

Meanwhile, the MNF, in its poll campaign, has reportedly said that it will provide full district status to Saitual if it forms the government in Mizoram.

A section within the Mizoram Congress feels that the sacking of Congress loyalist Lalzirliana is an "act of Hara-kiri" by the party as this decision will eventually revive MNF's fortune.

The sources added that the Congress top leadership does not want to disturb the existing situation in Mizoram, which also speaks of the party's inefficiency and inaptitude, given how it allowed the local leadership to commit a blunder.

"The Mizoram Congress will ultimately fulfil Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi's dream of making India a 'Congress-Mukt Bharat' by its own actions, which is very unfortunate. Lalzirliana is a very popular leader, and this fact didn't go down well with the PCC president. On the pretext of financial constraints, he prevented our vice-president's demand, dubbing it an 'anti-party activity'. The disciplinary committee simply followed Thanhawla's directive and expelled Lalzirliana," a senior office-bearer in the MPCC told Firstpost on condition of anonymity.Indo-Asian News Service

As Apple refreshed its luxury iPhone line-up last week, Manu Jain who is vice president, Xiaomi Global, and managing director, Xiaomi India, tweeted: "Choose wisely  MI (Xiaomi) or EMI".

Choose wisely - MI or EMI This is hilarious @iKunaal https://t.co/oejwWRiKJq  Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) September 15, 2018

Jain reacted to a follower who mentioned that one has to shell out Rs 12,075 a month as zero-cost EMI for a period of one year to own the 512 GB variant of iPhone XS Max that will come for a mind-boggling Rs 1,44,900 in India.

Apple this month announced two other new models. The iPhone XS with 512 GB storage model will cost Rs 1,34,900 and the cheapest of the lot, the iPhone XR, has a starting price (64 GB) of Rs 76,900 in India.

The message from the $1 trillion company is loud and clear: Come what may, either own a new iPhone with a higher price tag or adjust with older and discounted models.

Here is the truth: Apple shipped 63 million iPhone X's (now discontinued) till August this year. According to Counterpoint Research, iPhone X is on track to become the most successful revenue and profit-generating iPhone ever.

These 63 million-odd consumers are set to upgrade to new "luxury" iPhones  down payment or via EMI route  so the global smartphone powerhouse is safe here.

India contributed to just one per cent of the total iPhone X shipments till August. In 2017, Apple sold nearly 3.2 million iPhones in India and the company does not appear to be either in a panic or aggressive mode to change the status quo at the moment.

The company is also not in a mood to compete with Xiaomi or other Chinese brands but aims to keep its brand image and aspirational value intact, say experts.

"Apple remains a luxury brand and this has been their overall strategy for years. India is not on the list of top 10 global markets for them when it comes to new iPhone launches. The company has a strong loyal base globally who will buy its devices despite the hefty price tag," Jaipal Singh, associate research manager, Client Devices, IDC India, told IANS.

"For the Indian market, Apple will never compete with Chinese brands by lowering prices of new iPhones," Singh added.

According to Tarun Pathak, associate director, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems at Counterpoint Research, hardcore Apple users would be willing to shell out the hefty price because owning a new Apple device is a status symbol for them.

"However, that section is still small. We believe that Apple strategy in India should be to sell more iPhones rather than new iPhones. Given the stickiness of the iOS ecosystem, these older iPhone users are likely to upgrade to iPhone only," Pathak told IANS.

This is exactly what Apple has done. The company has slashed prices of older iPhones for the Indian consumers who want to upgrade to iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and even iPhone X.

Apple has discontinued the "super premium" iPhone X that actually did quite well despite low sale predictions.

The Cupertino-based company has also bid goodbye to iPhone SE  its least expensive model which was being assembled in India and the iPhone 6s  marking the end of iPhones with headphone jacks.

According to Pathak, the fact is that aspirational user audience is more in number than hardcore iPhone users in India. So there can be an uptick in Apple numbers driven by cheaper older generation iPhones.

Depending on the quarter, the older generation iPhones capture somewhat half to two-third of Apple's total sales in India.

"As custom duty continues to have impact on iPhone prices and making new iPhones is costlier, the price cut and subsequent promotions of older generation iPhones can increase iPhone sales in India. iPhone 7 can be the new iPhone 6 for Apple in the country," noted Pathak.

(Also Read: Old-gen iPhones to drive volumes in India, as iPhone XR, XS and XS Max chase value)

Since Apple does not manufacture or assemble its products in India, the price will always be on the higher side.

"What Apple can do for the Indian market is to open experiences centres, the way Samsung and OnePlus have done, to pull more Android users towards its ecosystem. A bigger retail presence will help Apple gain more share in the price-sensitive Indian market," Singh emphasised.

Apple is currently going through an overhaul under Michel Coulomb, the new head of the India operations who took over from Sanjay Kaul in December last year.

The iPhone maker is also seeking tax relief and other incentives from the government to begin assembling more handsets in the country and its proposal to set up a manufacturing unit is reportedly being evaluated.

According to Pathak, new iPhones can still be a good upgrade for users in India which have skipped the previous iPhone generations but the company will never lower the prices for new iPhones.

In a nutshell, CEO Tim Cook has clearly told India that Apple is the Ferrari in the world of smartphones and to own that exclusiveness, shell out extra  cash down or EMI  as others are doing.Indo-Asian News Service

The CBI has written to UK-based Cambridge Analytica and Global Science Research (GSR) and US-based Facebook, seeking information in connection with its probe into allegedly illegally obtaining social networking site data of Indians, sources said on Monday.

According to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources, the agency has written to the Cambridge Analytica's New York City office, GSR office in UK and Facebook's US office.

The agency's moves comes in the wake of a "Preliminary Enquiry (PE)" it registered against the firms after receiving a reference from the Centre to start a probe into the matter on August 8.

The CBI got the reference from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in July, to investigate the role of Cambridge Analytica.

Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on July 26 had also told Parliament that the government has ordered the CBI to probe and find out if the British company had violated Indian laws.

Cambridge Analytica  a company owned by the hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer  declared bankruptcy this year following allegations that it used personal information harvested from 87 million Facebook accounts to help Donald Trump win the 2016 US presidential election.

The firm is accused of mining personal information without authorisation in early 2014, to build a system that could profile individual US voters, in order to target them with personalised political advertisements.Reuters

Tesla Incs Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk on Sunday acknowledged that the electric carmakers problems have now shifted to delivery logistics from production delays, the latest speed bump in its efforts to achieve profitability.

Sorry, weve gone from production hell to delivery logistics hell, but this problem is far more tractable. Were making rapid progress. Should be solved shortly, Musk said in a tweet in response to a customer complaint on delivery delay.

The 47-year-old billionaire who earlier this month faced investor ire over smoking marijuana on a live web show, has indicated in the past that Teslas customers may face a longer response time because of a significant increase in vehicle delivery volume in North America.

Teslas ability to deliver on production targets has weighed on its stock in the past, and the company has been working to iron out production bumps after failing to meet production targets for its Model 3 sedans.

The company said in August that it expects to build a total of up to 55,000 Model 3s in the third quarter.

Musk said last week the company would eliminate some color options for its electric cars to streamline production.Reuters

EU antitrust regulators will decide by 19 October whether to clear US software giant Microsofts $7.5 billion acquisition of privately held coding website GitHub.

Microsoft, which wants to acquire the firm to reinforce its cloud computing business against rival Amazon, requested European Union approval for the deal last Friday, a filing on the European Commission website showed on Monday.

The EU competition enforcer can either give the green light with or without demanding concessions, or it can open a full-scale investigation if it has serious concerns.

GitHub, the worlds largest code host with more than 28 million developers using its platform, is Microsofts largest takeover since the company bought LinkedIn for $26 billion in 2016.

Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella has tried to assuage users worries that GitHub might favour Microsoft products over competitors after the deal, saying GitHub would continue to be an open platform that works with all public clouds.tech2 News Staff

The Google Pixel 2 was announced in three colours, black, white and blue and with just a few weeks left before Google launches the Google Pixel 3, a report seems to suggest that the new Pixel will arrive in three colours as well. But theyre not the same as last year.

As per a report by 9To5Google, a new Coming Soon website was created by Google as a part of its Japanese website with an outline of the Pixel with a G logo on it. Clicking on the G logo happens to change the colour of the phone, revealing a white, black and a mint variant of the new phone.

The interactive also reveals the accents on the buttons. The white and mint colour variants will likely feature teal accents which would set them apart from previous editions of the phone.

This will be the first time that we are expected to see a mint coloured variant of the Pixel, though Google does seem to like the colour a fair bit. We saw teal accents on the buttons of the Kinda Blue variant of the Pixel 2 last year and considering a lot of people liked it, it doesnt come across as very surprising.

Google is expected to host its Made by Google event on 9 October which is when we will see the Mountain View giant launch the new Pixel phone.tech2 News Staff

Samsung's upcoming flagship smartphone, Samsung Galaxy S10 was recently rumoured to come with an in-display fingerprint sensor that is said to be provided by Qualcomm.

The phone is rumoured to be the first to support the third-gen ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. Now it would seem that the phone could also be coming with an in-display front camera as shown in Imgur. In simple words, the front camera is expected to be placed beneath the display.

Would love to see that In-Display Pop-Up camera in Galaxy S10 (via https://t.co/soJiFz10Ox) pic.twitter.com/k2XbadG19v  Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) September 17, 2018

Also, a report in Sammobile stated that the Samsung's mobile business CEO Koh Dong-Jin is to have spoken to Chinese media earlier this week who mentioned that there might be "very significant" design changes for the Galaxy S10 and the phone might be offered in "amazing" colours. According to a tweet by Ice Universe, the S10 might include colour options such as black, white, green, silver and pink. If both the fingerprint scanner and front camera are expected to be placed in-display then the display is likely to come with thin bezels, giving more display size which has been claimed through previous leaks as well. According to a tweet by Ben Geskin when the selfie camera is in use, the display pixel which is placed above the camera sensor is said to turn transparent to allow passage of light.

Display pixels become transparent around camera, giving it ability to let the light in and take a picture. I hope this will be possible in near future. pic.twitter.com/PqH1q8xcN3  Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) September 17, 2018

The phone's variant is also said to appear with a five-camera setup with three rear cameras and dual selfie-camera. According to the report in Techno Buffalo, the Korean company is expected to release three different variants.

All these three devices are expected to feature a 12 MP wide-angle lens and a 16 MP super wide-angle lens. One of the three devices called the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is said to feature a third 13 MP telephoto lens.

One the variants is also supposed to fall within the budget-friendly zone.

The three variants are claimed to come with a 5.8-inch display for the cheaper model, a 6.1-inch display for the supposed S10 model and a 6.4-inch display for the alleged plus model.

There is still no news about when the phone might be unveiled, but we certainly will be updated by the rumours being churned in the rumour mill.tech2 News Staff

Looks like the ghost of Samsung Note 7 continues to give nightmares to the South Korean giant. Yes. You guessed it right! The recently launched Samsung Galaxy Note 9 reportedly went up in flames inside a woman's purse in the US.

As per a report by the New York Post, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9yes the very Note 9 which was launched amid much fanfare kept in a woman's purse burned persistently for a long time until it was dropped into a bucket of water.

Reportedly, Diane Chung, a real estate agent in Long Island was in an elevator of a building when her phone turned extremely hot while she was using the phone. Like any careful person, she stopped using it and dropped the phone in her purse. Soon, reportedly, she heard a whistling and screeching sound, and she noticed thick smoke."

While still alone in the elevator, she kept her purse on the floor and took out her smoking Samsung Note 9. She alleges that there was thick smoke in the elevator.

Caught in a lift with a burning Samsung Note 9, she panicked an pressed random elevator buttons to get out of the lift. Once she was out, she kicked the phone out of the elevator.

The Samsung Note 9, surprisingly did not cease to burn, until a person took the phone and dropped it into a bucket of water.

In a lawsuit filed against the Samsung, she claims that all her belongings in the purse were damaged. She intends to receive claims for all the damages, which are unspecified. She also wants the sale of Samsung Note 9 phones to barred.

Samsung reportedly said that it is for the first time they have heard about this incident, and would further investigate the matter.

It has been barely a month since the Galaxy Note 9 was launched. DJ Koh, in an interview to The Korean Herald, had said that that the new offering would work smoothly, and there would be no problems regarding the battery.tech2 News Staff

This weekend, India successfully launched into orbit two British earth observation satellites, NovaSAR and S1-4. Following the launch, ISRO Chief K Sivan spoke about series of launches that are lined up for the following months, and Chandryaan 2 is one of them.

"Chandrayaan-2 is planned for a window from 3 January to 16 February 2019, that we are targeting. It can happen anytime during that window. But we are aiming for the beginning of the window, 3 January," said Sivan while addressing the media, according to various reports.

The lunar mission comes over a decade after India went up to the lunar orbit in November 2008 with the launch of Chandrayaan-1 onboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket from the spaceport in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota.

Chandrayaan-2, which weighs 3,890-kg, will be launched onboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-3. It will orbit around the moon and study its lunar conditions to collect data on its topography, mineralogy and exosphere.

When ISRO was questioned about the certifying agency for the rocket that would carry Indian astronauts, Sivan said that ISRO would be the certifying agency. He added that the norms for certification will be drawn with the help of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation; and that ISRO would like to get the expertise of other countries in this regard.

This is the first time that India will have a rover landing on the moon nearly 50 years after American astronaut Neil Armstrong walked on the eerie lunar surface in 1969.

ISRO will launch three more satellites to provide high-speed bandwidth connectivity to rural areas as part of the government's Digital India programme.Pakistan has been feeling the pressure since early this year, when the FATF approved its nomination for terror monitoring, followed by grey-listing it in June.

It's bad news on the financial front again, not to mention on tolerance to terrorism.

Pakistan's free ride in terms of international indulgence on the subject of its support to extremist groups seems to be fast running out, with a body of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) having declared its dissatisfaction with the country's efforts to curb money laundering and terror financing. The pressure on Pakistan has been steadily rising since early this year, when the FATF first approved Pakistan's nomination for monitoring, followed by grey-listing it in June, ignoring Islamabad's protests.

The Asia-Pacific Policy Group (APPG) on Money Laundering, which is the body considering Pakistan's case among several others, is an inter-governmental authority set up in 1997 with just 13 members. It has since grown to nearly thrice its original membership.

Notably, 11 members of the APPG are also part of the larger FATF, which includes China, and India. The FATF itself was set up by the G-7 countries and is predicated towards implementing various resolutions of the United Nations against funding of terrorism and financial transactions that assist nuclear/missile proliferation.

The APPG itself originated as a secretariat of the FATF, even though it is now a far wider body. It is supported by eight other similar groups called the 'FATF-style Regional Bodies' that are spread across the globe, as well as major financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and an array of other institutions like the UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. That's a lot of people covering a lot of ground, which would make it a bad idea to get afoul of this group.

As is now common knowledge, the FATF has had its eye on Pakistan for sometime, giving the country due warning that its conduct could come under severe scrutiny and result in an eventual "black listing" if it did not mend its ways. During this time, the government of Pakistan changed, but nothing much else did. The bureaucracy that should have stirred itself to avert this catastrophe  for a black-listing by this financial top dog is nothing less for a country already in the grip of an economic crisis  continued on its lackadaisical way, also allowing, among other things, a dreaded terrorist group to compete in the general elections. That the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) did not win a substantial number of seats is more due to the good sense of the Pakistani people, rather than that of their overlords.

The crux of the problem, as identified by the APPG and indeed, just about every one else who despairs of Pakistan, is just who Islamabad regards as a terrorist. This is not just simply a matter of opinion of the Security Forces or the state. It is a hard legal requirement. And thats where the problem lies. In April, the Anti Terrorism Act 1997 was amended through a Presidential Ordinance that simply added the words listed under the United Nations Security Council Act (1948) into the relevant section of the Act which provides the legal basis for proscriptions. Simply put, the amended law now said that any group proscribed by the UNSC would be similarly banned in Pakistan.

The truth on the ground is entirely different. Till date, the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (NACTA) of Pakistan, which is supposedly the central body meant to act against terrorism, lists the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its charitable front, Falah-e-Insaniyat, as under watch, even though both groups are listed as terrorist organisations in the UN Security Council's list of proscribed organisations/individuals. Hafeez Saeed is on that list too, but that did not stop the LeT from contesting the elections, a very expensive game indeed, as any Indian political party will tell you.

Is the Pakistani State incapable of preventing such activity by terrorist groups ? No, it is not. It does very well in eliminating and bombing groups like the Balochistan Liberation Front, scarcely allowing a whisper of its activities to get into the mainstream press. No, the Pakistani State is very capable when it wants to be.

The fact that the LeT and other such people  the Pakistani media ruefully noted that there were 139 Pakistanis on the UN terror list  are able to access and distribute money across the country is the crux of what the FATF is concerned with. Take examples from a publication by the FATF itself: Its yearly report for 2018, titled "Methods and Trends of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing", lists several means, including human trafficking, as a way that terrorists use to raise funds. Pakistan has been on the tier -2 watch list of the US State Department for several years due, in part, to the fact that its investigative agencies simply do not have the manpower.

Besides the age-old system of hawala transactions, the FATF publication noted the new trend of using bitcoins. An instance of convoluted dealings is an individual who owns businesses as diverse as of auto parts, general order suppliers, commission agents, dry fruits, flour and oil, coal, chromites and steel works, among several others. Yet, another was a benami account to route high volume of funds. None of this is unusual to Pakistan.

India, too, has its share of hawala businesses and shady transactions. The difference is that these have nothing to do with terrorism or its propagation, except where funds come into and through Kashmir, originating  once again  from Pakistan.

As the FATF gears up to further review Pakistan's actions on the ground, the heat is on. By January 2019, Pakistan will have to publish a list of individuals and entities classified as "terrorist". This is really the first step. Once this list is published, all State agencies have the grounds to take further steps according to their respective mandates. The State Bank, for instance, can get cracking on all accounts that are related to the JuD and its proxies. The Federal Investigation Agency can then, technically, haul in Hafeez Saeed like a sack of coal since his name is the most prominent one on all listings. That's going to take some doing.

The FATF soap opera is about to begin. Watch out for some imaginative wriggling out by the Inter-Services Intelligence.By Robert Hetz and Sonya Dowsett MADRID (Reuters) - Talks between the European Union and Britain on Brexit are being conducted in a spirit of 'good cooperation', Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator on the issue, said on Monday. Barnier spoke before meeting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in Madrid to discuss the state of negotiations on Britain's departure from the EU. 'We continue working in a spirit of good cooperation,' Barnier told reporters as he left the Foreign Ministry.

By Robert Hetz and Sonya Dowsett

MADRID (Reuters) - Talks between the European Union and Britain on Brexit are being conducted in a spirit of "good cooperation", Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator on the issue, said on Monday.

Barnier spoke before meeting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in Madrid to discuss the state of negotiations on Britain's departure from the EU.

"We continue working in a spirit of good cooperation," Barnier told reporters as he left the Foreign Ministry.

Despite Barnier's upbeat mood, there is, so far, no full exit agreement and some rebels in British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party have threatened to vote down a deal if she clinches one with the EU.

Barnier also discussed the matter of Gibraltar, a British territory on Spain's southern coast which will leave the EU along with the UK on March 29 next year.

Although Gibraltar is not part of the EU customs union, businesses fear regulation of the border could become more rigid following Britain's exit from the EU, with detrimental effects for the thriving economy of the tiny territory.

In a statement on Monday evening, the Spanish government reiterated on Monday evening that Gibraltar should not become "the latest hurdle to close the Brexit negotiations".

"Spain's prime minister and the EU's chief Brexit negotiator agreed to maintain the current timetable that foresees finalising the Brexit negotiations before the European (Union) summit in October," the statement said.

Former Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis told Reuters in an interview in April that Spain hoped to reach a bilateral agreement with Britain over Gibraltar before October.

A major obstacle facing Britain as it negotiates its exit from the EU, including the single market and customs union, is future arrangements for the border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.

But Brexit also raises problems for Gibraltar, whose economy relies on workers crossing the border with Spain.

Bilateral talks between London and Madrid regarding Gibraltar have been underway since the beginning of the year, with teams of Spanish and British civil servants meeting in encounters arranged in both countries.

Talks have touched on a possible joint use of Gibraltar airport and more comprehensive sharing of fiscal data between Britain and Spain for Gibraltar residents to prevent tax avoidance.

(Additional reporting by Jesus Aguado; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Moon will fly to the North Korean capital on Tuesday for his third summit with Kim in the latest stage of a diplomatic thaw on the peninsula, although progress has stalled in denuclearisation talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

Seoul: Denuclearisation will be high on South Korean President Moon Jae-in's agenda when he meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang this week, Moon's office said Monday.

Moon will fly to the North Korean capital on Tuesday for his third summit with Kim in the latest stage of a diplomatic thaw on the peninsula, although progress has stalled in denuclearisation talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

"We will push for North Korea's advanced denuclearisation and a reciprocal measure from the US by swiftly reviving sincere dialogue aimed at establishing new, peaceful relations," Moon's chief of staff Im Jong-seok told reporters. Moon, who met Kim twice this year, was instrumental in brokering the historic Singapore summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim in June, when Kim backed denuclearisation of the "Korean peninsula".

But no details were agreed and Washington and Pyongyang have sparred since over what that means and how it will be achieved. The US is pressing for the North's "final, fully verified denuclearisation", while Pyongyang has condemned demands for it to give up its weapons unilaterally as "gangster-like".

Im said the South Korean leader will try to close the gap between the US and the North by playing the role of a mediator. "Through various meetings and phone calls, President Moon has a better understanding of what the US is thinking than Chairman Kim," he said.

Moon will become the third South Korean leader to visit Pyongyang and will hold at least two meetings with Kim, who may make a rare appearance at the airport to welcome his guests, the chief of staff said.

He is also scheduled to attend a concert and visit key sites in the North's capital with his delegation, which includes tycoons Lee Jae-yong  the heir to the Samsung group  and the vice chairman of Hyundai Motor. Moon has been pushing inter-Korean economic co-operation but several South Korean newspapers urged caution Monday, with the Korea Herald calling the businessmen's presence on the trip "untimely".

"It is better to postpone economic projects involving the North until after negotiations to remove its nuclear program make substantial progress," it said in an editorial. And investment in the North was "fraught with risks and uncertainty", it added.

Other issues on Moon's agenda will be improving inter-Korean tiesand easing military tensions on the peninsula, which the South said could lay the ground for declaring a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. That suggested a declaration  which Pyongyang has been pressing for strongly  was unlikely during Moon's trip.JEDDAH (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace agreement in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the second peace deal reached since July between the once warring African countries.

JEDDAH (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace agreement in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the second peace deal reached since July between the once warring African countries.

The Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders signed a "joint declaration of peace and friendship" on July 9, normalizing ties between the longtime foes who waged war against each other between 1998 and 2000.

Further details of Sunday's peace agreement signed in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and announced in a statement by the Saudi government were not immediately available.

The agreement will contribute to strengthening security and stability in the region at large, said Saudi Arabias Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Twitter.

Abiy and Afwerki signed the agreement in the presence of Saudi Arabia's King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders "expressed their appreciation" to King Salman and the crown prince for their support of the peace deal, the statement said.

It is not clear what role, if any, Saudi Arabia played in brokering the peace agreement reached two months ago.

Gulf neighbour the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said it helped bring the countries together. Reuters has reported that the UAE has privately taken credit for the deal.

The Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders travelled to the UAE weeks after signing the historic July agreement to jointly meet with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

(Writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.'Receive them, help them, educate them... but ultimately they should develop their own country,' Dalai Lama said.

Stockholm: The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said on Wednesday that "Europe belongs to the Europeans" and that refugees should return to their native countries to rebuild them.

Speaking at a conference in Sweden's third-largest city of Malmo, home to a large immigrant population, the Dalai Lama -- who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 -- said Europe was "morally responsible" for helping "a refugee really facing danger against their life".

"Receive them, help them, educate them... but ultimately they should develop their own country," said the 83-year-old Tibetan who fled the capital Lhasa in fear of his life after China poured troops into the region to crush an uprising.

"I think Europe belongs to the Europeans," he said, adding they should make clear to refugees that "they ultimately should rebuild their own country".

Revered by millions of Buddhists around the world, and regarded by his many supporters as a visionary in the vein of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama was speaking three days after the far-right populist party Sweden Democrats made gains in the country's general election on Sunday.

The anti-immigration party came in third, behind Prime Minister Stefan Lofven's Social Democrats and the opposition conservative Moderates in the Nordic nation which in 2015 took in the highest number of asylum seekers per capita in Europe.By Anna Mehler Paperny and Ernest Scheyder WILSON/WILMINGTON, N.C. (Reuters) - Florence drenched North Carolina with yet more rain on Sunday and officials warned residents that 'the worst is yet to come' from a storm that has killed at least 14 people, as rivers inland were likely to flood. Florence, which crashed into the state as a hurricane on Friday, had weakened to a tropical depression by Sunday morning but was forecast to drop another 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) of rain in North Carolina, bringing rainfall totals in some inland areas to 15 to 20 inches and even more in some places, according to the National Hurricane Center.

By Anna Mehler Paperny and Ernest Scheyder

WILSON/WILMINGTON, N.C. (Reuters) - Florence drenched North Carolina with yet more rain on Sunday and officials warned residents that "the worst is yet to come" from a storm that has killed at least 14 people, as rivers inland were likely to flood.

Florence, which crashed into the state as a hurricane on Friday, had weakened to a tropical depression by Sunday morning but was forecast to drop another 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) of rain in North Carolina, bringing rainfall totals in some inland areas to 15 to 20 inches and even more in some places, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The most rain so far from Florence was 33.9 inches (86 cm) in Swansboro, North Carolina, a new record for a single hurricane in the state. The previous record was 24 inches (61 cm), set by Hurricane Floyd, which killed 56 people in 1999, said Bryce Link, a meteorologist with private forecasting service DTN Marine Weather.

In North Carolina, more than 900 people were rescued from rising flood waters and 15,000 remained in shelters, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told a news conference on Sunday.

At least 10 people have died so far in the storm in North Carolina, including a mother and child killed by a falling tree, state officials said. Four people died in South Carolina, including a woman whose car hit a fallen tree.

In Fayetteville, a North Carolina city of about 210,000 people some 90 miles (145 km) inland, authorities told thousands of residents near the Cape Fear River and Little River to get out of their homes by Sunday afternoon because of the flood risk.

"If you are refusing to leave during this mandatory evacuation, you need to do things like notify your legal next of kin because the loss of life is very, very possible," Mayor Mitch Colvin said at a news conference on Saturday.

"The worst is yet to come," he added.

In Leland, a low-lying city north of Wilmington, homes and local businesses were engulfed by water on Sunday.

Gas stations were abandoned, with many pumps keeled over, and trees cluttered many roads, making them impassable. The whir of generators could be heard throughout the city, a sound not expected to dim soon as crews work to restore power.

About 756,000 homes and businesses were without power on Sunday in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.

Five people were arrested for breaking into a Dollar General Store, said the police department in Wilmington, which has imposed a nighttime curfew.

'CATASTROPHIC' STORM

"This is still a catastrophic, life threatening storm," said Zack Taylor, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center.

"It has already dumped 20 to 30 inches of rain on parts of the Carolinas with more to come," he said. "And many of the rivers will see prolonged flooding, some not cresting for a few days."

North Carolina officials warned motorists not to drive on roads in a large area - south of the I-64 and east of the I-73/74 highways - as the entire southeast corner of the state had hazardous conditions. Dams and bridges were in peril as rivers and creeks swelled.

The flooding could taint waterways with murky coal ash and toxic hog waste.

By Sunday morning the storm's winds had dropped to about 35 miles per hour (55 km per hour), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The storm had picked up some pace and was moving at 10 mph (16 kph), up from 6 mph. Its center was expected to move across the western Carolinas during Sunday and over the Ohio Valley and Northeast United States on Monday and Tuesday.

The White House said President Donald Trump approved making federal funding available in some affected counties.

Trump, who plans to visit the region this week and he tweeted his "deepest sympathies and warmth" to the families and friends of those who died.

As the United States dealt with Florence, a super typhoon made landfall in China's Guangdong on Sunday after barreling past Hong Kong and Macau and killing dozens of people in the Philippines.

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny and Ernest Scheyder; Additional reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Jessica Resnick-Ault in New York and Makini Brice in Washington; Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Frances Kerry)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.OTTAWA (Reuters) - A legislator from Canada's ruling Liberals unexpectedly defected to the main opposition party on Monday, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a year before the next federal election. Leona Alleslev, a backbench member of Parliament from the greater Toronto region, told reporters that she had joined the Conservatives because she was concerned about the government's handling of the economy.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A legislator from Canada's ruling Liberals unexpectedly defected to the main opposition party on Monday, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a year before the next federal election.

Leona Alleslev, a backbench member of Parliament from the greater Toronto region, told reporters that she had joined the Conservatives because she was concerned about the government's handling of the economy.

Critics say Trudeau, who now enjoys a majority of just 12 seats in the House of Commons, has mishandled talks on NAFTA - the trade agreement with the United States and Mexico currently being renegotiated - put up obstacles to major energy projects, and is running up too much debt. The next election is set for October 2019.

"This is something that is allowed for in our system, obviously. I wish her well in her decision," Trudeau told reporters shortly after the announcement.

The defection was the first from the Liberal ranks since Trudeau took power after an October 2015 election, when Alleslev overturned a large Conservative majority in her parliamentary constituency to win by around 1,100 votes.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.The Maritime Self Defense Force submarine Kuroshio conducted a naval exercise on Thursday with other Japanese warships in the South China Sea, including the Kaga helicopter carrier, which is on a two-month tour of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

Tokyo: A Japanese submarine joined a naval drill in the South China Sea for the first time, the Ministry of Defence said on Monday, in an escalation of Japanese activity in the disputed waterway claimed by China and others.

The Maritime Self Defense Force submarine Kuroshio conducted a naval exercise on Thursday with other Japanese warships in the South China Sea, including the Kaga helicopter carrier, which is on a two-month tour of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

She said it was the first time a Japanese submarine had conducted drills there, confirming an earlier report in the Asahi newspaper.

The exercise, which involved the submarine trying to evade detection, was conducted away from island bases constructed by China to push its claims in the strategic sea. However, it could still anger Beijing because submarines represent a greater potential menace to shipping than surface vessels.

It came after a British Royal Navy amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion, sailed close to islands claimed by China in the South China Sea late last month to exercise freedom of navigation rights.

Britains first such operation prompted a strong protest from China, which sent aircraft and a naval vessel to meet the British ship.

The US Navy has conducted similar operations in the South China Sea. Washington has said it would like to see more countries challenge Beijing in the South China Sea, through which some $3 trillion of shipborne trade passes each year.

Foreign aircraft and vessels in the region are routinely challenged by Chinese naval ships and monitoring stations on the fortified islands, sources have said previously. Beijing insists its intentions in the South China Sea are peaceful.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have territorial claims in the area.

In a separate announcement, the defense ministry said the Kuroshio, with a crew of 80, would make a five-day port visit to Vietnams strategic naval base at Cam Ranh Bay from Monday.Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is making efforts to extend his parole.

Lahore: Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is making efforts to extend his parole, which will end on Monday, to allow him to mourn the death of his wife Begum Kulsoom till a ceremony that is held on the 40th day after the demise, according to a media report.

Kulsoom died last Tuesday in a London hospital after a year-long battle with throat cancer. She was laid to rest on Friday at the Sharif family's Jati Umra residence next to the graves of her father-in-law Mian Sharif and brother-in-law Abbas Sharif.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law M Safdar, are currently serving jail terms in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after being convicted by an accountability court in a corruption case in July, have been released on parole for three-days for Kulsoom's funeral.

The Punjab home department extended the parole for additional five days. The Sharifs had been sent to the jail two months ago in the corruption case related to their purchase of properties in London.

PML (N) president Shahbaz Sharif has been making efforts to get another extension in their parole till Begum Kulsoom's chehlum (ceremony that is held on the 40th day after the demise), Dawn news quoted sources as saying.

Asked about the party leadership's efforts to seek extension in the parole of the three, former speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq told media that the Sharif family could announce a decision on the matter. "Earlier, Nawaz Sharif had not sought parole. I hope the government itself will extend their parole on humanitarian grounds," he added.Idlib is held by an array of rebels. The most powerful is Tahrir al-Sham, an amalgamation of Islamist groups dominated by the former Nusra Front - an al Qaeda affiliate until 2016.

Sochi, Russia: Russian and Turkish troops are to enforce a new demilitarized zone in Syria's Idlib region from which "radical" rebels will be required to withdraw by the middle of next month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart.

Russia, the biggest outside backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his fight against rebels, has been preparing for an offensive on the city of Idlib, which is controlled by rebels and now home to about 3 million people.

But after Putin's talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has opposed a military operation against the rebels in Idlib, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told reporters there would not now be an offensive.

Erdogan, who had feared another cross-border exodus of Syrian refugees to join the 3.5 million already in Turkey, said the deal would allow opposition supporters to stay where they were, and avert a humanitarian crisis.

Putin told a joint news conference with Erdogan: "We agreed that by Oct. 15 (we will) create along the contact line between the armed opposition and government troops a demilitarized zone of a depth of 15-20 km, with the withdrawal from there of radically-minded rebels, including al-Nusra."

Turkish and Russian monitors

"By Octover 10, at the suggestion of the Turkish president, (we agreed) on the withdrawal from that zone of the heavy weapons, tanks, rockets systems and mortars of all opposition groups," Putin said, with Erdogan standing alongside him.

"The demilitarized zone will be monitored by mobile patrol groups of Turkish units and units of Russian military police."

Neither Putin not Erdogan explained how they planned to differentiate "radically-minded" rebels from other anti-Assad groups. It was also not immediately clear how much of the city of Idlib fell within the zone.

Idlib is held by an array of rebels. The most powerful is Tahrir al-Sham, an amalgamation of Islamist groups dominated by the former Nusra Front - an al Qaeda affiliate until 2016.

Other Islamists, and groups fighting as the Free Syrian Army banner, are now gathered with Turkish backing under the banner of the "National Front for Liberation".

"With this agreement we have precluded experiencing a large humanitarian crisis in Idlib," Erdogan told reporters at the news conference with Putin.

"The opposition will continue to remain in the areas where they are. In return, we will ensure that the radical groups, which we will determine with Russia, will not operate in the area under discussion," he said.

Preventing provocation

"Russia will surely take necessary precautions to ensure the Idlib de-escalation zone is not attacked. Together we will ensure the detection and the prevention of provocation by third parties and violations of the agreement."

Ahead of the trip to Russia, Erdogan had said Turkey's calls for a ceasefire in Idlib region were bearing fruit after days of relative calm but that more work needed to be done.

Putin this month publicly rebuffed a proposal from Erdogan for a ceasefire there when the two met along with Iran's president for a three-way summit in Tehran.

Syria's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, speaking earlier on Monday, said the Assad government was determined to drive the Nusra Front, which he described as a terrorist organisation, from Idlib.

"Our government wants to give priority to reconciliation and to give all necessary measures in order to ensure safe corridors, and to secure the lives of civilians and to provide the basic needs of civilians in cooperation with UN humanitarian agencies," Ambassador Hussam Edin Aala told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia confirmed one cholera case and said three others were suspected in an area bordering Yemen, where an epidemic has killed more than 2,000 people, Saudi state TV said, citing a health ministry official. The report late on Sunday said the patients, identified only as non-Saudis, were receiving care at al-Mauwassem General Hospital in Jizan, about 1,000 km (620 miles) southwest of the capital, Riyadh

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia confirmed one cholera case and said three others were suspected in an area bordering Yemen, where an epidemic has killed more than 2,000 people, Saudi state TV said, citing a health ministry official.

The report late on Sunday said the patients, identified only as non-Saudis, were receiving care at al-Mauwassem General Hospital in Jizan, about 1,000 km (620 miles) southwest of the capital, Riyadh.

It was unclear if the outbreak was linked to Yemen or to last month's Muslim haj pilgrimage, which draws some two million foreigners each year, raising the risk of the spread of infectious disease.

Saudi Arabia reported five cases of cholera in 2017, all of which were imported, and there was no further spread, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO said on Monday the origin of the current cases was not yet known but the outbreak was not expected to spread given Saudi Arabia's infrastructure.

"Infectious diseases have no borders, and cholera is no different," spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told Reuters.

"Saudi Arabia has extensive measures in place to manage health issues during the haj, and has been able to prevent outbreaks by making sure that pilgrims to the haj have adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities."

The incubation period for cholera, which spreads through ingestion of faecal matter and causes acute watery diarrhoea, is a matter of hours. Once symptoms start, it can kill within hours unless the patient receives treatment.

The WHO has rolled out an emergency treatment programme, based on the vestiges of Yemens shattered health system, to try to catch new cases early and stop the explosive spread of the disease.

Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabeeah said last month that the haj had passed without any outbreak of disease.

(Reporting by Stephen Kalin; Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva; Editing by Peter Cooney and Andrew Roche)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Thousands of protesters assembled in Nicaragua's capital, Managua to demand President Daniel Ortega's resignation.

Managua: Thousands of demonstrators marched Sunday through Nicaragua's capital Managua to demand the resignation of President Daniel Ortega and the liberation of hundreds detained during months of deadly government repression.

Whole families  including young children and the elderly  took part in the so-called "Rescuing the Homeland" march, many sounding noisy vuvuzelas, waving Nicaraguan flags and shouting slogans as they made their way through the streets.

Months of turmoil in the Central American country has left more than 300 people dead, according to rights groups.

The march, called by opposition groups, began in the northeast of the capital, monitored by hundreds of riot police.

Some of the marchers shouted "murderers" as they passed in front of police cordons blocking streets. "We want Ortega to leave because he has done so much damage to Nicaragua," one of the demonstrators, Javier Franco, 49, told AFP. "He has to go, whether he wants to or not. We want the elections to be brought forward," said Mario Jiminez, another demonstrator.

Nicaragua's descent into chaos was triggered on 18 April when relatively small protests against now-scrapped social security reforms were met with a government crackdown, backed by armed paramilitaries.

Catholic Church-brokered peace talks broke down in June after Ortega rejected a key opposition demand to step down and bring forward presidential elections.Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota [The Man Who Feels No Pain] by Vasan Bala is a quirky action film that just won the People's Choice Prize for Best Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota [The Man Who Feels No Pain] by Vasan Bala is a quirky action film that just won the People's Choice Prize for Best Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival. Midnight Madness, a quite popular programme at TIFF, showcases the best of the very kitschy, horror and action flicks at 11.59 pm every day of the festival. MKDNH was, incidentally, the first Indian film to be featured in this section.

Taking off from his debut crime thriller Peddlers, which also premiered at TIFF in 2012, MKDNH is Balas tribute to the action films of the 1980s, and is a bona fide homage to Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Jackie Chan, Buster Keaton, Mithun Chakraborty, Stephen Chow, Bruce Lee, and every other action star who graced our VHS tapes and livened up our otherwise dull pre-cable TV sets and childhoods.

Abhimanyu Dassani, Maine Pyaar Kiya star Bhagyashrees son, makes his debut as Surya who is born with a superhero-like condition: he feels no pain at all! Like the potboilers Bala is paying tribute to, MKDNH has every ingredient that went on to make an 80s blockbuster: love, action, revenge and an underlying tragedy that pervades through everything the hero does. Bala, who started his career assisting Anurag Kashyap, ticks every box in the 80s cliches list but also does an excellent job of making sure that his references are not too specific, so that the film goes down equally well with international audiences and just about anyone else who did not grow up watching these films.

Most importantly, he redoes the toxic masculinity that was inherent in 80s action flicks and delights the audience with a heroine (debutant Radhika Madan), who is neither a damsel in distress nor a fetishised and highly sexualised Ann Oakley-like dominatrix.

Firstpost caught up with Bala just before the premiere of MKDNH for a chat on this delightful film.

Why did you choose this particular genre and this particular decade? Was it to pay a tribute?

This was a particularly escapist time in the world of cinema but this is also the cinema I grew up watching; so its natural I was drawn to it and wanted to re-discover it through the film and explore the form. The stories that I see around me are the stories I say through the film, its just that I am saying them through a format that is different from the prevalent contemporary formats.

The story you say is very 80s, how did you transpose that for an audience which is watching the film in 2018?

I think stories are immortal and the more things change, the more they remain the same. We are dealing with the same problems that we dealt with years ago. With social media, we end up thinking that there are more people talking about social issues but people were always talking about their societies, telling stories about them but they were not heard as widely. So I think those stories need to come back because they were talking about the same things and not much has changed.

What do you think was the one radical thing about 80s cinema?

What I really love about the films, the so-called B films, is that they were saying a lot of taboo-ed things under the garb of being B films, that couldnt be said aloud by the apparent A films. No one was paying them much attention so they could get away with saying a lot of things, evading moral policing and censorship. There was ambition, there were zero resources and there were genius filmmakers who were constantly looking for ways in which the extreme ambition could be married to the extreme lack of resources and complete lack of craft. Every time the resources went down, the innovations got crazier. In spite of all this, I think the form was never taken seriously.

Can you talk a bit more about that?

If you take a Malayalam soft porn film, you think of exploitation of female actors. But if you take a film like Last Tango in Paris, exploitation is not the first thing you think of even though Maria Schneider says she felt raped by Marlon Brando! The Malayalam soft porn actor like Shakeela was perhaps way more liberated, treating her profession like any other job and living a far more independent life underlined by adult sexual consent. Generally, B movies dont get their due. First Blood (Rambo) was talking about the same things as Taxi Driver but the former will never be seen as an artistic achievement. George Lucas and Martin Scorsese are essentially coming from the same milieu and, because of their mastery over their craft, became subsequent masters of cinema. For me, cinema begins from action movies  even Edison was shooting bodybuilders and clowns! Its been a great tradition and not enough homages have been paid to it.

Do you think it takes a special kind of talent to make a good B movie?

Oh yes! You are always walking on thin ice, the film is waiting for you to screw up because you are working with so little. That is the challenge and the excitement. By default, you dont feel the gravity of what you are making because of the form but you are making statements constantly; MKDNH is talking about an alcoholic father, domestic abuse and a society where a naughty kid is a problem but abuse is alright.

You take a dialogue like Mard ko dard nahin hota [A man does not feel pain], an epitome of Bollywood masculinity, and then turn it on its head with a very interesting female character

Yes, Supri is actually the most fulfilled character in the film. The problem with the ingrained patriarchal modes of filmmaking is that we end up writing our female characters to be like men. The whole point is to celebrate the woman that you are: you fight, you cry, you are weak and you are strong. None of these things make you inferior. Vulnerability and pain are very human qualities, so the job of dismantling patriarchy really lies in encouraging that line of thinking in male and female characters alike. As a human being, you should go through that spectrum and not just stare into the camera and look all intense just because youre a man.

How did you go about casting for the film? None of the actors are people who grew up watching 80s action films.

Abhimanyu went through a rigorous one and half months of auditions, through which he was acquainted with the ethos of these films, and very strict physical training sessions. There were exhaustive workshops where I put all the potential actors together, constantly observed their expressions and reactions, and then finally cast the people who reacted in ways closest to the characters. It is easier to work with newer actors because their calendars are freer and they are more open to trying newer things. It was also easier to make them believe in the world of 80s action films because they came in with no preconceived notions.

How was working with Mahesh Manjrekar, and directing him?

He was my only choice for the role! The great thing about him is that he came to the sets as an actor. Since he did not feel the pressure of being a director on set, there was a curiosity and an energy that he brought to the sets, which was fantastic! He just had to come and have a ball. He was really a revelation.

What are your expectations from the films release in India?

Its firstly a huge thing that a film like this gets made and released! Watching an action-comedy is necessarily a community-driven activity where you have to watch a film like this with a theatre full of strangers, you cant watch it on your little screen in your bedroom. So I am glad that we are at a point where a small film like this is releasing. A big part of the audience will be from the generation for whom this film will serve as a childhood nostalgia but even younger people will hopefully enjoy it for the comedy and the action. I think it speaks to everyone; its not a gory aesthetic so I dont see too many people being turned off. I am not promoting violence here; when I watched Bruce Lee as a kid, I didnt want to beat up my friends but just wanted to learn kungfu. I want kids to feel that again.Hong Kong residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for occasional gales. Bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were canceled at the city's airport, one of the world's busiest. The South China Morning Post said Hong Kong's hospitals had to use backup power due to outages caused by the storm.

Hong Kong: Mangkhut weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern China on Monday, leaving death and destruction from Hong Kong to the Philippines.

The storm was still affecting southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday.

Mangkhut earlier lashed the Philippines, sparking landslides and building collapses that killed at least 65 people, with another 43 missing. Authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, China's manufacturing hub.

As of Monday morning Mangkhut was on track to pass over the Guangxi regional capital of Nanning and move toward the border with tourism powerhouse Yunnan province.

The Hong Kong Observatory reported Mangkhut was the most powerful cyclone to hit the city since 1979, packing maximum sustained gusts of 195 kilometers per hour (121 mph).

Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that caused landslides feared to have buried dozens.

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern China's Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the typhoon, state media said. "Prepare for the worst," Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents.

That warning followed Mangkhut's devastating march through the northern Philippines on Saturday with sustained winds of 205 kilometers (127 miles) per hour. Landslides caused by the pounding storm hit two villages in Itogon town in the mountain province of Benguet.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan told The Associated Press by phone that at the height of the typhoon's onslaught Saturday afternoon, dozens of people, mostly miners and their families, rushed into an old three-story building in the village of Ucab.

The building  a former mining bunkhouse that had been transformed into a chapel  was obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed. Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened.

"They thought they were really safe there," the mayor said Sunday. He expressed sadness that the villagers, many of them poor, had few options to survive in a region where big corporations have profited immensely from gold mines.

The rescue work halted for the night before resuming Monday morning. Men used pikes and shovels to dig into the mud since the soaked ground was unstable and limited the use of heavy equipment on site.

The typhoon was occurring as tropical weather also was devastating the southern US Florence has dumped historical levels of rain on North Carolina.

Mangkhut made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 p.m. Sunday, packing wind speeds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour. State television broadcaster CGTN reported that surging waves flooded a seaside hotel in the city of Shenzhen.

The storm shattered glass windows on commercial skyscrapers in Hong Kong, sending sheets of paper pouring out of the buildings, fluttering and spiraling as they headed for the debris-strewn ground, according to videos on social media.

Mangkhut also felled trees, tore scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded some areas of Hong Kong with waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

Casinos on Macau were ordered closed for the first time due to the typhoon.Jim Mattis told reporters travelling with him to Skopje that there is 'no doubt' that Moscow has been funding pro-Russian groups in order to defeat the referendum on a name change later this month.

Skopje (Macedonia): Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Macedonia on Monday, condemning Russian efforts to use its money and influence to build opposition to an upcoming vote that could pave the way for the country to join NATO  a move Moscow opposes.

Mattis told reporters travelling with him to Skopje that there is "no doubt" that Moscow has been funding pro-Russian groups in order to defeat the referendum on a name change later this month.

"They have transferred money and they're also conducting broader influence campaigns," Mattis said.

"We ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds."

Macedonians will vote 30 September on whether to approve the new name of North Macedonia is an effort to placate Greece, which has for years blocked Macedonia's path to NATO and the European Union.

But any progress toward NATO membership by the Balkan nation is strongly opposed by Russia, which doesn't want the alliance to expand to areas formerly under Moscow's influence.

Mattis is the latest in a string of international leaders visiting Macedonia to voice support for the referendum, and he's the most senior US official to go there.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz have all visited and made public endorsements of the name change, saying it's critical in order for the country to join NATO, after years of waiting.

Mattis said that he and other NATO allies "say right up front in open press what we think.

We're not passing money to people behind the scenes, we're not putting together parties that we control or try to control."

Russia has already been called out for trying to influence the vote.

In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of supplying funds to protest groups who were opposing the name change deal. Russia denounced the expulsions as unjustified.

Greece, a member of NATO, has for years vetoed attempts by Macedonia to join NATO, complaining about the country's name ever since Yugoslavia broke up in the early 1990s. Greece argues that the name implies a territorial claim against the northern Greek region of Macedonia and its ancient heritage.

NATO leaders in July formally invited Macedonia to begin membership talks on the condition that it wouldn't become effective until the name change was implemented.

But there is widespread concern about Russian impact on the vote.

"There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organisations," said Laura Cooper, the deputy assistant defense secretary for Russia and the region.

She said she couldn't give specifics about the pay-offs, but said the US is aware of financial support that Moscow has given to pro-Russian individuals and groups that are working to undermine the referendum.

Russia, she said, is "swooping in now with disinformation and other forms of malign influence to try to change the minds of the Macedonian people."

As examples, she cited efforts to convince people that the vote isn't relevant and isn't the last step for NATO admission.

Evelyn Farkas, an expert on the region who is a fellow with the Atlantic Council and a former Defense Department adviser, said Mattis' visit to the tiny nation could help sow support for the name change.

"I think Mattis could make or break this thing by delivering a strong message to the opposition which has been grudgingly quiet, that they need to come out in full-throated support, because they're not going to get another chance later," said Farkas. "He can tell them this is their last chance."

Farkas, who was recently in Macedonia, also said the visit reaffirms America's commitment to the region and the need for stability there.

According to Cooper, the US has given Macedonia about $5 million in security assistance annually since 1991, and the total US aid since then has been about $750 million.

Mattis plans to meet with Macedonia's President Gjorge Ivanov, center-left Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska.

The main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party and Ivanov have said Macedonia's goal is to join NATO and the EU, but that they oppose the deal with Greece, warning it will damage the country's national interests.

Mattis said he believes the Macedonian peoples' lives can be changed with added economic opportunities and security, and it's important to have those options available. He said he will take that message to Ivanov.

Polls indicate Macedonians will likely back the deal, but it's not clear if turnout will meet the required 50 percent for the vote to be valid.

The agreement with Greece was signed in June, and requires changes to the Macedonian Constitution.

The final step for NATO admission is ratification by Greece's parliament, which would vote only after Macedonia completes all necessary procedures.The UN World Health Organization, which has sent experts and epidemiologists to Zimbabwe to organize a vaccination campaign, describes cholera as 'an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae'

Harare: Zimbabwe's ongoing cholera outbreak has killed 30 people and has spread to the country's second-largest city Bulawayo, according to figures given by Health Minister Obadiah Moyo.

Moyo said two people died over the weekend and that control measures were in place while water and medical supplies were being brought to affected areas, Efe news reported.

Over 5,400 cases of cholera have been reported since the outbreak was first detected on 6 September in the suburbs of the capital.

"Zimbabwe's fourth cholera outbreak in the last 15 years was caused when community water wells in the capital were contaminated with raw sewage from a leaking sewer pipe," according to officials from Harare's municipal council.

On 11 September, the Zimbabwean government declared a health emergency in the capital after 20 people died and 2,000 became infected.

The human rights organisation Amnesty International's Executive Director in Zimbabwe, Jessica Pwiti, blamed the government for the most recent cholera crisis.

"The current cholera epidemic is a terrible consequence of Zimbabwe's failure to invest in and manage both its basic water and sanitation infrastructure and its health care system," Pwiti said in a statement.

The UN World Health Organization, which has sent experts and epidemiologists to Zimbabwe to organize a vaccination campaign, describes cholera as "an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae".

The current crisis is the deadliest since Zimbabwe's worst cholera outbreak from 2008 to 2009, when over 4,000 people died and 90,000 people were infected.Samsung is reportedly working on a smartphone; the Galaxy A that might be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. The company recently confirmed that it will be launching a smartphone with four rear cameras. It is also possible that Samsung could price the phone slightly lesser than its current flagships.

However, details about the so-called smartphone are scarce at the moment but our educated guess suggests an 18.5:9 tall SUPER AMOLED display with reduced top and bottom bezels, improved dual-rear cameras. Moving on, the high-end processor might be accompanied with 4/6GB RAM with 64/128GB storage options. It is also possible that the phone might run on Android 9.0 Pie, but it wouldnt be surprising to see Android 8.1 Oreo come pre-installed.

At this moment, it is unclear when Samsung is aiming to launch or introduce the Galaxy A series phone with Snapdragon 845 since rumors also suggest a slim down variant of Galaxy A with Snapdragon 710. So, it is better to wait until we hear more details come our way. The company recently sent out invites for the launch of the new Galaxy smartphone which is said to pack four rear cameras.

SourceChevrolet parent General Motors (NYSE:GM) offers a generous dividend yield of 4.4% these days. That juicy payout keeps investors coming back for more, even if the stock itself isn't exactly conquering Wall Street.

So we asked a few Motley Fool contributors to share some alternatives to GM's attractive dividend yields. Read on to see why our panelists recommended Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI), National Grid (NYSE:NGG), and AT&T (NYSE:T).

A 6% yield

Tim Green (AT&T): Major telecom companies are usually big dividend payers, and AT&T is no exception. Thanks to a slump in the stock price this year, shares of AT&T now yield about 6%. That's well above the dividend yield GM offers.

Investing in AT&T doesn't come without risks. With the market for smartphones mostly saturated in the U.S., competition for subscribers among the major wireless carriers will probably keep a lid on pricing, and a full-blown price war could ding AT&T's bottom line. AT&T also took on a boatload of debt to fund its acquisition of Time Warner. That will help the company diversify and cross-sell products and services, but dividend investors should always be wary of rising debt loads.

The good news is that the barrier to entry into AT&T's core wireless business is astronomically high. That should ensure plenty of free cash flow generation in the coming years, even as the company continues to invest in its business.

AT&T has produced $19.8 billion of free cash flow over the past 12 months, compared with $12.2 billion paid out as dividends. That leaves a decent margin of safety for dividend investors, although they shouldn't expect much more than sluggish dividend growth. Still, a 6% yield coupled with dividend growth of around 2% annually makes AT&T an attractive dividend stock.

Boring stocks can be beautiful, too

Anders Bylund (Pitney Bowes): This is not a classic Dividend Aristocrat, nor an exciting growth investment. As a maker of postage meters and mail service equipment, Pitney Bowes runs a low-margin business model with stable sales and shrinking earnings. Look up "boring business" in a dictionary, and you'll see Pitney Bowes' logo as the definition.

But Pitney Bowes remains an effective cash machine, turning 8% of its annual revenue into free cash flow. And the company may not be in the habit of boosting its payouts all that often, but the dividend yield stands at a generous 11.5% today, and I'd be downright shocked if Pitney Bowes decided to reduce its dividend payouts anytime soon.

On top of the muscular dividend yield, Pitney Bowes also serves as an interesting turnaround play. Mail and shipment services will never be seen as rocket fuel for investors, but those services actually offer a convincing case for long-term stability thanks to the global rise of e-commerce retailing. Online purchases of physical goods don't really work if you take away the shipping function, so Pitney Bowes has established partnerships with e-commerce giants such as eBay and Amazon.com in recent years. Expect those deals to grow in importance over the years, and Pitney Bowes might start reporting revenue growth again in the mid-2020s.

I know, I know -- this dividend yield rests on a plunging share price, and my proposed turnaround idea will take many years to materialize. This isn't the perfect dividend play for everyone. But if you're OK with taking the very long view, you get to enjoy that beefy yield until Pitney Bowes finally finds some traction for its internet-based plans.

Just make sure to reinvest the payouts into more stock at ultra-cheap share prices along the way. Today, Pitney Bowes is trading at 6.7 times trailing earnings and 0.4 times trailing sales. It wouldn't take much of a rebound to unlock far higher valuation multiples -- just a gentle and very achievable return to long-term stability.

Steady growth, big yield, cheap price

Brian Feroldi (National Grid): Utilities are a natural fit for income investors because they're monopolies that sell a product that remains in demand in all economic conditions. However, utilities that produce their own power have to deal with huge swings in energy commodity prices, which can hinder their earnings power during periods of soaring prices.

That's what makes National Grid such an attractive long-term investment. Though the company is a utility, it doesn't actually produce power; instead, it owns the distribution and transmission pipes that connect power producers and consumers in the U.S. and UK. By sidestepping the risks associated with producing power, the company enjoys extremely stable demand and earns highly predictable returns on its assets. In turn, the company passes along the bulk of its profits back to investors in the form of a meaty dividend, which currently yields about 5.8%.

While National Grid's business is as rock-solid as they come, the company's stock has been trending lower for the past two years. The decline could be caused by the company's decision to sell a portion of its natural gas distribution business in the UK that acts as a drag on the company's revenue and profits. Currency movements have also been wreaking havoc on the company's results. However, if you look beyond the headlines, you can see that the company is producing steady growth and continues to project 5% to 7% growth over the long term.

If you're an income investor, that's an attractive total return proposition.What happened?

Shares of NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO), a premium electric vehicle manufacturer often called the Tesla of China, were down nearly 11% as of 11:30 a.m. EDT on Monday as tariff concerns continue to heat up.

So what

NIO wasn't alone in its Monday decline. Many e-commerce names and Chinese tech companies were being hit after reports indicated President Trump plans to proceed with $200 billion in additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Reports also indicated China might pull out of trade negotiations if the tariffs are finalized.

Now what

It's been a wild ride for NIO investors, as the company went public only a week ago and surged 76% higher Thursday from its $6.26 IPO price. Investors should expect volatility as a possible 10% duty on as much as $200 billion in Chinese goods could be finalized early this week, making a diplomatic breakthrough less likely in the near term, especially if China pulls out of the talks as retaliation.

But for all the ups and downs caused by trade concerns, investors would also be wise to focus on the long-term thesis for owning NIO shares: It's a premium electric vehicle maker that is positioned to thrive as China, and the rest of the world, drives toward a future of electrified fleets.Cousins Subs Funds Two Wisconsin Nonprofits

$6,000 Donation Supports Youth Health & Wellness Initiatives Statewide

September 17, 2018 // Franchising.com // MILWAUKEE - Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation awards $6,000 in grants to two Wisconsin-based nonprofits - Cedar Springs Church and Reach-A-Child, Inc.

A $2,000 grant was awarded to Cedar Springs Church based in Slinger, Wisconsin to cover the cost of 2019 registration for underprivileged children who would like to attend Cedar Springs Outdoor Adventure Day Camp.

Cedar Springs Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides an opportunity for children to experience an exciting week of summer camp while surrounded by our loving, caring and supportive staff, said Pat Quinn, co-director at Cedar Springs Outdoor Adventure Day Camp. The camp is provided at no cost to children living in high-poverty areas of Wisconsin, allowing us to serve more children. We are so excited that Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation shares our vision of helping make the world a better place by giving young people access to positive experiences.

A $4,000 grant was also awarded to Reach-A-Child, Inc. operating out of Madison, Wisconsin to support its Milwaukee Fire Department Program, which will allow 38 fire department vehicles to carry a reach bag  a durable backpack filled with new, vetted childrens books along with a number of drawstring backpacks. Upon arriving at a crisis scene, firefighters first take children to a safe place and then together, read one of the books found in the reach bag. The child then keeps both the book and drawstring backpack.

This grant assures that all vehicles in the Milwaukee Fire Department will receive new childrens books and drawstring backpacks to comfort 380 children who are traumatized as a result of a house fire, car accident or other crisis, said Curtis Fuszard, executive director at Reach-A-Child, Inc. This gift from the Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation is directed toward the largest Fire Department in the state of Wisconsin and by extension, the largest geographic area of children.

Each grant is funded through the Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization established in 2013. The Make It Better Foundation aims to improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities Cousins Subs serves and addresses three areas of interest that are vital to any community: health and wellness, hunger and youth education. Since its inception, the Make It Better Foundation has awarded more than $320,000 to nonprofit organizations throughout the state of Wisconsin.

For more than 46 years, Cousins Subs has been rooted in its mission to believe in better - both in the quality of food we serve and in the communities we support, said Justin McCoy, director on Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation board. By funding statewide nonprofit organizations that align with our Foundations three pillars, were able to carry on our legacy of giving.

Interested nonprofit and community organizations can visit cousinssubs.com/foundation to find out more information on eligibility and how to apply.

About Cousins Subs

Wisconsin-based Cousins Subs, a family-owned, fast casual sub shop established in 1972 by Bill Specht and his cousin, is driven by the mission to Believe in Better  both in the quality of food it serves and in the communities it supports. Cousins Subs and its franchisees operate more than 100 sub sandwich shops throughout Wisconsin, providing guests with quality deli fresh and made to order grilled subs using only the freshest ingredients on its signature bread baked daily. For more information, visit www.cousinssubs.com. You can also find Cousins Subs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media Contact:

Carolyn Guenther

carolyn.guenther@cousinssubs.com

D: 262.250.2802

SOURCE Cousins Subs

###

Comments:

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

DisqusRussos New York Pizzeria Set To Open Seventh Dubai Location In October

New York-style pizzeria and Italian restaurant concept offers franchise opportunities; looking to continue growth in Middle East, Europe and Asia.

September 17, 2018 // Franchising.com // DUBAI, UAE  Russos New York Pizzeria, the only authentic New York-style, Italian restaurant and pizzeria franchise concept, is set to open its seventh location in Dubai in October. The restaurant located in the Springs Souk shopping centre will feature the restaurants updated casual dining layout that includes an open-kitchen concept and pizza chef station for guests to watch Russos chefs prepare their hand-tossed pizzas and homemade meals fresh from scratch. The new design also allows the convenience for guests to choose take-out or delivery.

We are excited to offer Dubai families, friends and business associates a seventh location for authentic New York-style pizzeria and Italian, said Anthony Russo, Founder and CEO, Russos New York Pizzeria. Blending the simplicity of a pizzeria with the freshness of an upscale Italian restaurant, we deliver a chef-driven dining experience in a fast-casual setting that is unlike any other restaurant in the UAE.

Following the family mantra If it isnt fresh, dont serve it! Russos delivers an expansive menu that blends generations of family recipes with fresh, seasonal ingredients and authentic Italian imports like Pecorino Romano cheese from Emilia Romagna, Italy; aged-balsamic vinegar from a centuries-old vineyard in Italy; and extra virgin olive oil from Partanna, Italy.

Russos is passionate about menu innovation. The restaurant is proud to introduce new menu items that are perfectly crafted to showcase fresh, high-quality ingredients, highlighting Chef Russos commitment to imaginative new tastes. New pizza and gourmet pasta menu items include the Truffle Mushroom pizza, Italian Meat Lovers pizza, Spicy Chicken Alfredo, Homemade Lasagna, and a great selection of gluten free menu items. Chef Anthony has perfected the Dubai menu to adapt to Middle East favorites and will feature fresh, local seafood, Halal meats, risotto and saffron, truffle mushroom soup, eggplant pizza, gnocchi pasta and Mediterranean-influenced dips and spreads.

Russos New York Pizzeria is looking to increase growth internationally, specifically in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

There is a huge appetite for our brand and together with our talented franchise partners we are accelerating our global growth, said Russo. The franchise opportunity is proving to be lucrative for our current international franchisees and we are excited for their continued success.

Russos Restaurants offers a rare franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs interested in proven brands that are entirely chef created, chef inspired, and chef driven. Russos New York Pizzeria is the only authentic New York-style, Italian restaurant and pizzeria franchise concept. Beyond consumer convenience, Russos is leading the fast-casual Italian dining category by creating a business model that offers:

A smaller footprint (120  350 square meters) for less overhead

A low-cost entry into the restaurant business with an initial investment starting around $395,000 USD in select markets

Visit Chef Anthony Russo at The Hotel Show Dubai trade show September 16  18 at the Dubai World Trade Centre to learn more about franchise development in the Middle East. The company will be represented at Stand DF51 in Hall 2. On September 17 from 3:30 p.m.  6:00 p.m., Chef Anthony Russo will be in the Chefs Culinary section conducting a cooking demo of Russo New York Pizzerias Italian favorites.

About Russos Restaurants

Russos Restaurants is a national and international franchisor of the casual dining brand Russos New York Pizzeria. Based in Houston, Russos Restaurants is composed of a mix of corporate and franchised locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Florida. Russos has entered international markets as well, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates. Chef Anthony Russo created Russos Restaurants by applying his unique, family recipes featuring New York-style pizza, handcrafted pasta dishes, calzones, salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts. At its heart, Russos Restaurants reflects Chef Anthonys commitment to his New York roots where food and family come first.

Media Contacts:

Lisa Spence

Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations

713-224-9115

lisa@dpwpr.com

Meghan Bailey

Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations

713-224-9115

Meghan@dpwpr.com

Molly McMurtry

Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations

713-224-9115

molly@dpwpr.com

SOURCE Russos Restaurants

###

Add to Request List Added Request Information

Comments:

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

DisqusGalveston, TX (77553)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 77F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 68F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.Police investigators need to be whiter than white in deciding if whiter than white is racist

Is whiter than white racist? Moreover, does saying whiter than white make you a racist? A senior Scotland Yard policeman who used the phrase whiter than white in an internal briefing to colleagues is being investigated. Surprisingly, the copper was not being sarcastic when he said police carrying out inquiries needed to be whiter than white. He did not tap his nose. But someone didnt like it. They complained to the Met. And the Met being scalding hot on all kinds of thought crimes, passed it onto the police watchdog for investigation.

The senior copper is now on restricted duties while the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigates the matter. It can take anything up to 12 months. They should then investigate why Star Wars baddies are on the Dark Side, how Labour whitewashed its antisemitism and how Snow White was a bigot.

The IOPC states: I can confirm that as part of Operation Embley into allegations of serious corruption and malpractice within the Directorate of Professional Standards a notice of investigation has been served on an officer informing them we are investigating the alleged use of language deliberately intended to offend and that had racist undertones. A notice is issued to inform an officer at the earliest opportunity following an allegation and to safeguard their interests. It in no way indicates that misconduct proceedings will take place.

Operation Embley is being called the largest police corruption inquiry since Operation Countryman in the late 1970s, which wanted it so that the Met catches more crooks than it employs.

The Times explains:

Three Met whistleblowers have approached the IOPC to allege that the unit, known as the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), has shielded police officers who faced allegations of child abuse, grooming, fraud, physical assault, racism  and, in the case of one police officer, intentionally driving a motorcycle into a member of the public. Senior Met sources said the DPS had long been suspected of covering up corruption in an attempt to protect colleagues and prevent reputational damage to the force. The investigation, codenamed Operation Embley, will attempt to bring successful prosecutions in the murkiest area of policing, popularised in the BBC drama Line of Duty.

If we trust no-one and everyone is a suspect, are we pulling up an armchair and wondering why the whiter than white case is news now, when the investigation began in June? Is the aim to present us with the most absurd case and thereby ridicule the whole thing? If it is like Jed Mercurios Line of Duty, whose writing the script..?

Anorak

Posted: 17th, September 2018 | In: News Comment | TrackBack | PermalinkWelcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.Two people have died and a further two people remain in hospital in a critical condition following a dance music festival, Defqon.1 in Sydney.

The 23-year-old man and 21-year-old woman collapsed at Defqon.1 festival in Penrith about 9pm on Saturday, and were rushed to Napean Hospital. Medical staff were unable to save them and they died a short time after.

A 26-year-old woman was also rushed to the hospital where she remains in a critical condition. A 19-year-old man from was airlifted to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition and remains in intensive care.

Emergency services attending the Sydney International Regatta Centre responded to multiple reports of suspected drug overdoses.

Police have been told an additional 13 people attended Nepean Hospital for treatment for drug-related issues, while as many as 700 people sought assistance from medical staff on-site.

This is largely concerning considering the severity of the consequences involved, and the sheer size of people affected in this incident.

10 people have since been charged with drug supply offences since.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those families affected.



7 News / Newshub.(ANSA) - Rome, September 17 - A new aqueduct is to give Rome water security for the next 100 years, Mayor Virgina Raggi and ACEA water company told a press conference Monday.

The new pipeline will entail doubling the current Peschiera aqueduct which currently supplies the Italian capital with 80% of its water, they said.

The project, which was first mooted 20 years ago, will hopefully get under way in the spring of 2020, ACEA CEO Stefano Donnarumma said.

"From that moment it will take at least four years to build the aqueduct," he said.

Rome was forced to briefly turn off its 'nasoni' street fountains because of a water sh0rtage this summer.

New security flaw discovered; targets modern PCs and Macs News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Data on your computer or laptop could be at risk.

F-Secure, a security firm has discovered a new firmware security flaw that affects the modern PCs and Macs. This security flaw is said to subject the data in modern computers at risk. Consultants from F-Secure have discovered a weakness in the modern computers that allow hackers steal encryption keys and other sensitive data. And, they warn the PC vendors as well as users that the current security measures cannot protect the data in the lost or stolen laptops.

F-Secure Principal Security Consultant Olle Segerdahl says that attackers need physical access to the computer to exploit the weakness. But once the access is obtained, the adversary can attack the device successfully in less than 5 minutes.

He further adds that organizations are not prepared to protect themselves from the attacker with access to a company computer. And when a security issue is found in devices from major PC makers like the weakness recently found, you need to assume that a lot of companies have a weak link in their security. But they aren't aware of the same or prepared to handle it.

Cold boot attack

This security flaw lets attackers with the physical access to a PC perform a cold boot attack, which is known since 2008. Cold boot attacks involve rebooting the computer following a proper shutdown process and recovering the data that is briefly accessible in the RAM once the power is lost. The modern-day laptops overwrite the RAM to prevent such attacks. However, the team has discovered a way to disable the overwrite process and carry out the cold boot attack.

Though this process takes extra steps as compared to the cold boot attack, it is claimed to be effective to steal data from the modern laptops. This type of threat is relevant in scenarios where the laptops are stolen or obtained illicitly. Cold boot attacks can be performed by booting a special program off a USB stick.

He further notes that this attack work against the laptops used by companies so there is no reliable way for the companies to know if their data is safe even if a computer is missing. As 99% of the company laptops will have access credentials to the corporate networks, the hackers get a reliable way to compromise the corporate targets. And, there is no easy fix for this issue leaving the companies to address it on their own.

Companies should be prepared

As an immediate fix is not likely, he recommends that companies prepare to face these attacks. One such way is to configure the laptops to shut down or hibernate automatically instead of using the sleep mode. Also, it is important to educate the employees who travel about the cold boot attacks. And, the IT department should have a response plan to deal with the issue of stolen laptops.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow NotificationsHungary: Orbans Fidesz mantains strong lead Support for opposition parties very weak

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 14 SET - Viktor Orban's Fidesz party mantains a very strong lead over opposition parties in Hungary, a new survey has revealed.



According to a poll of the Szazadveg Institute, if national elections were held today the ruling Fidesz- Christian Democrat (KDNP) will get the support of 53% of decided voters, while the second most voted party, Jobbik, will get only 14% of votes. The Socialist party-Parbeszed alliance is currently supported by 13% of decided voters, the Democratic Coalition (DK) by 7% and the Green LMP by 5%.



Taking into account not only decided voters by the whole electorate, 36% of Hungarians would vote for Fidesz-KDNP today, 8% for Jobbik, 7% for Socialist-Pabeszed alliance, 4% for DK and 3% for LMP, while 35% of voters said that they are undecided.



(ANSA).

Upcoming Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone to use Snapdragon 845 SoC News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu A feature-rich Galaxy A smartphone is in the works, suggests report.

Samsung had once dominated the Android smartphone market across the world. However, the situation changed with the entry of many Chinese smartphone manufacturers into the global market. Now, Samsung is trying to revive the lost market presence by announcing feature-rich mid-range smartphones.

Lately, Samsung confirmed that it will launch mid-range smartphones with the latest flagship features. Going by the same, the company recently teased that it will host an event on October 11 to unveil a product. From the teaser highlighting the tagine 4x fun, it is likely that the company might launch a camera at the event next month.

Fresh information from a Twitter-based tipster MMDJ_ hints that Samsung is prepping a new Galaxy A series smartphone with the flagship Snapdragon 845 chipset. Though the other details of this smartphone remain unknown for now, it looks like it will be priced relatively lesser than the recent flagship devices from the company. Presumably, Samsung could be working on a direct rival to the recently launched Apple iPhone XR.

Expected specifications

Besides this, the device in the question is expected to arrive with a tall 18.5:9 AMOLED Infinity Display. The display is expected to be surrounded by thin bezels at the top, bottom and sides as seen in the recent offerings from the company.

Given the preference on cameras, we can expect the upcoming Galaxy A smartphone to arrive with dual rear cameras. Also, the powerful processor used by the current generation Samsung flagship models is expected to be paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage space.

As the Android 9 Pie is official, we can expect the device to ship with the latest OS out-of-the-box. But it won't be a surprise to see the upcoming device run the dated Android 8.1 Oreo with support for Android Pie upgrade in the future.

Is it the Galaxy A10?

Well, as of now, there is no further information regarding this upcoming smartphone from the stable of Samsung. We can get to know further details only when the device is confirmed to be in the making. Already, there are reports that the Galaxy A9 Pro with Snapdragon 710 is in the making, so this one could be dubbed the Galaxy A10.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow NotificationsXiaomi Mi 8 Fingerprint edition to be unveiled on September 19 News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Xiaomi has interesting announcements for September 19.

We already know that the Mi 8 Youth edition is all set to be launched on September 19 at an event in Chengdu. Now, Xiaomi has come up with a teaser suggesting that another device will also be launched at the event. Well, it is speculated to the Mi 8 Fingerprint edition. In a different teaser, the company revealed that the Fingerprint edition of the flagship Mi 8 will arrive in a Gold color variant.

Notably, the Mi 8 Youth edition is already up for reservations in the company's home market China. Interested buyers can prebook one from the online stores to get their hands on the smartphone before the others. An earlier teaser did reveal that the Youth edition will be launched in gradient color variants but there is no clue if the Fingerprint edition will also come in such colors. In addition to these, Xiaomi had also teased that it will launch limited edition NFC bracelets with these smartphones.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Youth and Fingerprint edition specifications

Going by the previous reports, the Mi 8 Youth will arrive with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC paired with 6GB/8GB RAM. The device is expected to be launched in Black and Gold color options. It is believed to flaunt a 6.26-inch display with a FHD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 19:9. We can expect the device to arrive in multiple storage variants, a dual camera module with two 12MP sensors, a 24MP selfie camera, MIUI topped with Android Oreo or Android Pie and a 3250mAh battery.

On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Fingerprint edition is also believed to arrive with similar specifications but it could arrive with a different design and colors. This smartphone is expected to be priced starting 1999 yuan (approx. Rs. 21,000). However, there is no word if these devices will be launched in the global markets as the Mi 8 series is yet to go global.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow NotificationsSkripal Poisoning 'Suspects' Have Nothing to Do With Putin - Kremlin

Sputnik News

17:08 16.09.2018(updated 18:00 16.09.2018)

On September 13, RT released an interview with Petrov and Boshirov, in which they denied any involvement in the Skripal case. The men stressed that they have no connection to the Russian military intelligence service (GRU) and were simply visiting Salisbury as tourists.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russian nationals Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov have no links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Neither Petrov nor Boshirov have anything to do with Putin," Peskov told the TV channel Russia 1 in an interview, released on Sunday.

He also noted that the Russian president's remark on Petrov and Boshirov was not prepared in advance.

"What the president said was indeed his decision. We did not expect it, we were not aware of that," the spokesman added.

Earlier in the week, Putin told the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok that Russian authorities had identified the two people suspected by London of the poisoning in Salisbury and urged them to appear and talk to the media.

The clash over the Salisbury case between Moscow and London escalated after UK law enforcement claimed it had identified two Russian nationals behind the poisoning of former Russian intelligence service officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

British Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russian military intelligence of organizing the attack, while Moscow has rejected the claims, stating that the photos and names of the suspects do not prove Russia's involvement in the attack.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Xi, Maduro agree to promote Sino-Venezuelan ties to higher level

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:02, September 16, 2018

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro held talks in Beijing on Friday, agreeing to promote bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.

Xi welcomed the tenth visit of Maduro to China, expressing appreciation of Maduro's high value of the development of bilateral ties and firm support for China-Venezuela cooperation.

"China always views and develops Sino-Venezuelan ties from a strategic and long-term perspective," said Xi.

In the face of new circumstances and new challenges, China and Venezuela should jointly deepen friendly mutual trust, promote mutually beneficial cooperation in an innovative way, continue to advance common development, and drive China-Venezuela ties to a new height to better benefit the two peoples, Xi said.

The two sides should cement political mutual trust, maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, and integrate their bilateral friendship in all aspects of cooperation between the two countries, he said.

China appreciates Venezuela's understanding and support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns, said Xi, noting that China will continue to support the Venezuelan government's efforts in seeking stable development and a development path suited to its national conditions, and China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Venezuela on governance.

China and Venezuela should improve and innovate pragmatic cooperation, said Xi, calling on the two sides to take the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on building the Belt and Road as an opportunity, to forge ahead the synergy and implementation of bilateral cooperation consensus, enhance the independent development capability of Venezuela, and promote the sustainable development of cooperation between the two countries.

The Chinese president called for r people-to-people and regional exchanges, to consolidate the social foundation for bilateral friendship.

"The two sides should strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, continue to intensify communication within such international and regional organizations as the United Nations, participate together in the reform and construction of the global governance system, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries," said Xi.

Xi said that China has always promoted cooperation with Latin American countries on the basis of the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and common development, and is willing to promote the building of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum and the steady development of China-Latin America ties.

Maduro said the two peoples enjoyed a long-term friendship. Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral ties had withstood various tests and become increasingly solid and fruitful.

The fact that the two sides reached consensus on expanding cooperation in a wide range of fields during his visit fully demonstrated that the bilateral cooperation is comprehensive and compatible with Venezuela's economic recovery, growth and prosperity program, he said.

The Venezuelan side appreciated China's long-standing understanding and support, said Maduro, expecting to learn more about China's successful experience in reform, opening up, and governance.

Venezuela is willing to actively participate in the construction of the Belt and Road, explore effective financing methods, strengthen cooperation in such areas as energy and production capacity, and expand people-to-people exchanges, said Maduro.

Maduro said he highly agrees with Xi's concept of advocating to build a community with a shared future for humanity, adding that Venezuela will work with China to safeguard multilateralism.

He also expressed firm support for the development of the China-CELAC Forum, saying Venezuela will make positive efforts to enhance China-Latin America cooperation.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperative documents, including an MOU on jointly promoting the Belt and Road Initiative.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Saudi-led airstrike on radio station kills 4 in Yemen's Hudaydah province

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 05:51PM

At least four people have been killed after a Saudi-led airstrike hit a radio station in Yemen's western province of Hudaydah, a report says.

Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah satellite television network reported on Sunday that at least four employees of the al-Maraweah radio station had lost their lives after warplanes of the Saudi-led military coalition hit its building earlier in the day.

The airstrike was conducted as officials of the United Nations engaged in a shuttle diplomacy to arrange a resumption of peace talks between the warring sides, the Houthi Ansarullah movement and the so-called government of former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Saudi Arabia and some of its allies, including the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan, launched a brutal war, code-named Operation Decisive Storm, against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Hadi and crush the Ansarullah movement, which plays a significant role in aiding the Yemeni army in defending the impoverished country against the invading coalition.

The movement has been running state affairs in the absence of an effective administration since the onset of the imposed war.

The imposed war initially consisted of a bombing campaign, but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground forces to Yemen. Some 15,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression.

Backed by Saudi-led airstrikes, Emirati forces and militants loyal to Hadi launched the Hudaydah offensive on June 13 despite international warnings that it would compound the impoverished nation's humanitarian crisis as the country traditionally imported 90 percent of its food, mainly through the port.

The coalition of aggressors has, however, failed to make any major gains in the face of stiff resistance from Houthi fighters and their allied forces.

The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. The United Nations has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger.

Several Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Yemeni forces shoot down Saudi spy drone in Jizan

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 05:04PM

Yemeni air defense units have shot down a Saudi reconnaissance drone in flight over a border area in the kingdom's southwestern province of Jizan.

Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah satellite television network, citing military sources, reported that the drone was shot down over the province's Jarah valley on Sunday.

Yemeni forces also managed to shoot down another Saudi spy drone in Jabal al-Doud area of the same troubled province on Saturday evening.

Nearly two dozen spy drones have been shot down since the Saudi war on the impoverished country began over three years ago.

Separately, Yemeni army forces, supported by allied fighters from Popular Committees, thwarted an infiltration attempt by killing and injuring many Saudi mercenaries in the violence-hit border region. They also destroyed a Saudi military vehicle and seized some ammunition.

Saudi Arabia and some of its allies, including the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan, launched a brutal war, code-named Operation Decisive Storm, against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, Yemen's former president and a staunch ally of Riyadh, and crush the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The movement, which is a significant aid to the Yemeni army in defending the country against the invading forces, has been running state affairs in the absence of an effective administration during the past three years.

The imposed war initially consisted of a bombing campaign but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground forces into Yemen.

Some 15,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression.

The Saudi-led aggression has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. The United Nations has already said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger.

Several Western countries, the United States and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





UN urges Israel not to proceed with demolition of Palestinian village in West Bank

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 01:42PM

The United Nations has expressed its deep concern at the intention of Israeli authorities to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem al-Quds, stressing that such measures are in violation of the international law.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov made the remarks in a statement on Sunday, urging Tel Aviv to stop displacing "a community of 181 people, over half of which are children."

Earlier this month, the Israeli High Court approved plans for the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar village and evacuation of its residents. It could be razed within the coming days. Israeli officials allege that Palestinian structures there have been built without the relevant building permits and pose a threat to residents because of their proximity to a highway.

Critics, on the other hand, maintain that building permits are nearly impossible to obtain for Palestinians in Israeli-controlled areas of the West Bank and the demolition is meant to clear the way for new settlements.

Mladenov called on Israeli authorities not to proceed with the demolition and to "cease efforts to relocate Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank."

He concluded that "such actions are contrary to international law and could undermine the chances for the establishment of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state."

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority has also submitted a new complaint over the Israeli "war crime" against Khan al-Ahmar village at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The controversial decision to demolish the village, which will leave more than 35 Palestinian families displaced, also drew condemnations from abroad.

On Friday, the European Parliament passed a resolution, warning that Israel's decision to destroy Khan al-Ahmar village would constitute a grave violation of international law and threaten peace efforts with the Palestinians.

The institution, in a 320 to 277 vote on Thursday, passed a resolution against Israel that called for monetary compensation for financial losses should Khan al-Ahmar be demolished.

About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built illegally since the 1967 occupation of the Palestinian lands.

Emboldened by US President Donald Trump's all-out support, Israel has in recent months stepped up its settlement construction activities in the occupied territories in defiance of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334.

The resolution, approved in December 2016, states that Israel's establishment of "settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Palestinians say will not succumb to US 'blackmail'

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 06:55AM

The Palestinian Authority has hit out at the US administration's "blind bias towards false perceptions" in the Middle East, accusing Washington of following a policy of blackmail.

The US administration recently adopted a series of punitive measures against Palestinians, blocking money to millions of refugees in the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip.

"The American perception of matters reflects an irresponsible policy that will lead to a destructive void and pose a real danger to the international legal system," Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said Saturday.

The official took aim at US presidential adviser Jared Kushner, saying his claims that the punitive measures would not hurt chances for a peace deal in the Middle East showed his ignorance.

Kushner told The New York Times on Friday that President Donald Trump had actually improved the chances for peace by blocking the aid and stripping away "false realities" in the occupied territories.

Kushner also defended Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as the so-called capital of Israel and relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the extremely sensitive city.

"There were too many false realities that were created  that people worship  that I think needed to be changed," Kushner said.

"All we're doing is dealing with things as we see them and not being scared out of doing the right thing. I think, as a result, you have a much higher chance of actually achieving a real peace," he added.

Abu Rudeineh said Kushner's statements "stem from ignorance of the reality of the conflict" between Israel and the Palestinians who are pushing for an independent state with Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.

"The statements are also an attempt at deception and falsification of the special history of al-Quds and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. The US administration's positions have poisoned Palestinian-American relations," he added.

Abu Rudeineh said that there can be no peace without a Palestinian state, with East al-Quds becoming its capital on the basis of UN and Arab summit resolutions about the Middle East conflict.

The spokesman said Washington's efforts to deny the historic and religious truths of the Palestinian people will place the region in a windward, but that Palestinians are determined to thwart "all conspiracies."

Palestinians, Abu Rudeineh said, will "not succumb to pressure or sanctions or any policy of blackmail."

The Palestinian Authority Foreign Ministry also hit out at Kushner and US Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, saying they were "wasting their time in writing short 'idiotic statements' on social media that illustrate their total ignorance" of Palestinians and the conflict.

The ministry said what the US administration needs now is to intervene and stop Israel from demolishing the Bedouin shantytown of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank.

"We believe that neither Kushner nor Greenblatt would have the guts to take such a step because that would contravene with their hostile positions towards the rights of our people," the ministry said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Zaev: Macedonians Must Accept Name Change Or Face 'Isolation'

RFE/RL September 16, 2018

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says citizens must either agree to accept a new name for the country or face a future of "instability" and "isolation."

In an interview with the AFP news agency published on September 16, Zaev urged Macedonians to vote yes in the referendum to decide on whether to rename the country the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

The referendum is scheduled for September 30 and follows an agreement with neighboring Greece to end a decades-long dispute over the country's name.

The name dispute between Skopje and Athens dates back to 1991, when Macedonia peacefully broke away from Yugoslavia, declaring its independence under the name Republic of Macedonia.

Greece has objected to the name Macedonia, saying it implies territorial claims on the northern Greek region with the same name.

Because of Greek objections, Macedonia was admitted to the UN under a provisional name, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

Greece, an EU and NATO member, has also cited the dispute to veto Macedonia's bid to join the two organizations.

Pro-European Zaev faces opposition to the name change, mainly from nationalists among the country's 2.1 million people.

The referendum will ask, "Are you for EU and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?"

A poll conducted in July by the U.S.-financed Center for Insights in Survey Research found 57 percent supported the change.

"I am so strongly convinced that the referendum will succeed that I'm not even looking into other options," Zaev told AFP.

U.S. and European leaders have encouraged Macedonians to vote for the new name, seeing it as a way to firmly establish the country within the Western sphere and prevent Russia from making further inroads.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will embark on September 16 on a trip to Skopje to "show U.S. support for Macedonia during NATO accession and continued U.S. commitment to peace and security in the region," according to the Defense Department.

Speaking to reporters on September 11, Mattis said he was concerned about alleged acts of "mischief" by Russia to try to block Macedonia's path to NATO membership.

Moscow denies claims of interference but opposes NATO expansion eastward.

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote to his Macedonian counterpart, Gjorge Ivanov, on September 6 saying, "The agreement and Macedonia's membership in NATO will bolster security, stability, and prosperity throughout the entire region."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also called on Macedonians to vote in favor of a name change, saying on September 8 that "this is a historic chance that a generation has only once."

"Don't stay at home: Seize the democratic opportunity to say what you think about the future of your country," she added.

Zaev said, meanwhile, that the Russians "told me that they have nothing against Macedonia's accession to the EU but that they are opposed to NATO integration."

With reporting by AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/macedonia-zaev-name-change -eu-nato-greece-russia/29492318.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





ISTANBUL - Turkey will increase its troops in northern Cyprus, but will not build a new military base there, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday.

Erdogan was responding to a question on rumours about a new base to be built on the northern part of the island, which has been divided in two since 1974, when the Turkish military invaded following a pro-Greek coup.

"We don't need a base," Erdogan said, adding that it only takes "a few minutes" to reach the Mediterranean from Turkey.

There are an estimated 35,000 Turkish soldiers currently on the island.

Erdogan did not specify how many soldiers would be sent to increase Turkey's military presence there.

'Real Possibility': Poland Seeks Permanent US Military Base  Minister

Sputnik News

17:59 16.09.2018

Since Poland joined NATO in 1999, its leaders have sought closer security ties with the United States military.

Poland is ready to pony up as much as $2 billion for the deployment of a permanent US military base in the country, according to the country's defense ministry.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaschak outlined the prospect during a visit to Washington.

According to him, negotiations are underway on possible supplies of US arms to Poland. Expansion of military cooperation will also be discussed when the Polish and US presidents, Andrzej Duda and Donald Trump, meet in Washington on Tuesday.

Experts note that in its desire to get the status of "America's main ally in Europe," Warsaw is ready to give up its military sovereignty and even finance the creation of a US base, despite the serious economic problems the country is now grappling with.

During a meeting on Friday with congressmen, including the chairman the House Armed Services Committee, William Thornberry, Blaschak said that the US military presence on NATO's eastern flank contributes to the strengthening of security not only of Poland, but the region as a whole.

"We are pleased that representatives of the Congress and the US administration expressed support for the strengthening of US presence in Poland, although this process requires a lot of coordination," he noted.

He mentioned "a real possibility" of a US military base appearing in Poland on a permanent basis and added that Warsaw is ready to pony up as much as $2 billion for its construction.

Warsaw consistently supports the expansion of the US military presence in Poland, which currently hosts a US tank brigade, deployed on a rotational basis, and a 1,000-strong NATO multinational battalion.

The US military base would be set up near Bydgoszcz or Torun, due to their proximity to the naval base and port in Gdynia.

Warsaw justifies the need for a permanent US military presence in the country by the "growing threat from Russia."

Until now, US officials have been cautious about the prospects of deploying an American military base in Poland.

Toeing Washington's Line

In an interview with RT, the director of the International Institute of New States, Alexei Martynov said that Warsaw is ready to invest a considerable amount in the construction of the military base, while Poland has found itself in dire economic straits and is getting subsidies from the European Union.

"A poor population, neck-deep in debt, sluggish industry, etc. And still, the Polish leaders from the Law and Justice party, the parliamentary majority representing the very same party and President Duda, do not want to solve the problems facing the country. All they want is to toe Washington's line," Martynov said.

"Poland is giving up its military sovereignty, which is part of state sovereignty," he added.

Andrei Koshkin, a military political scientist and head of the Department of Political Science and Sociology at the Plekhanov Economic University in Moscow, said that Poland constantly invites US troops into its territory, including the transfer of military equipment and the holding of exercises.

"Poland is at the forefront of countries who would like to actively interact with the US in the military sphere. Moreover, Poland constantly makes its territory available for US troop deployments," Koshkin said.

He added that neither Warsaw nor Washington make any secret of the fact that such military activity is aimed at "containing Russian aggression."

In this regard, Moscow is compelled to adequately defend itself.

"The Polish people are becoming hostage to US adventurism. Both Polish society and the current leadership need to know that creating such [military bases] they immediately become the target of a neutralizing strike by Russia," Koshkin warned.

In an interview with Sputnik, Konrad Renkas, a Polish political analyst and vice-chairman of the Zmiana party, described this as yet another aggressive gesture against Russia and against any attempts to ease tensions between Europe and the Russian Federation.

"As many times before, Poland is used as a useful idiot for the war hawks in Washington just to provoke a Russian reaction and of course to make any possibility of improving relations between especially Europe and Russia completely impossible. It is, of course, not in Polish interests, it's only in the interests of the war hawks in Washington," Renkas said.

"And it is a very, very big threat to peace in the world, especially in Central Europe, in the region of Ukraine and, of course, the Baltic States," he added.

NATO has been significantly increasing its presence in Eastern Europe after the eruption of the Ukrainian crisis in 2014, using alleged Russian interference in the Ukrainian internal affairs as a pretext.

Moscow has repeatedly voiced its protests against NATO's military buildup, saying that the move will undermine regional stability and result in a new arms race.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





'Wind of hope' blowing through Horn of Africa says UN chief, as Ethiopia and Eritrea sign historic peace accord

16 September 2018 - There is a powerful wind of hope blowing across the Horn of Africa region, said UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday, in Saudi Arabia to witness the signing of a peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, ending decades of simmering conflict.

Saudi Arabia facilitated the agreement, and in a message on Twitter, the Foreign Ministry said that the accord, signed in Jeddah "is a historic milestone for the peoples of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and will contribute to strengthening security and stability in the region at large".

"The signature of the peace agreement between the President of Eritrea and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia is indeed a historic event," said the Secretary-General, speaking at a press conference following the signing in Saudi Arabia's second-largest city, on the Red Sea coast, with Foreign Minister Adel Aljubeir.

We have seen a conflict that has lasted for decades, ending, and that has a very important meaning in a world where we see, unfortunately, so many conflicts multiplying, and lasting forever - UN chief, Antonio Guterres

"We have seen a conflict that has lasted for decades, ending, and that has a very important meaning in a world where we see, unfortunately, so many conflicts multiplying, and lasting forever," added Mr. Guterres.

He expressed his "deep appreciation" for the role played by Saudi Arabia, before paying tribute "on one hand to the courage, the vision, the wisdom of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia - who has had the capacity to overcome enormous resistance from the past and open a new chapter in the history of his country - and also the way the President of Eritrea has promptly responded to his peace initiatives."

The thaw in relations between the neighbouring countries, who fought a bloody, unresolved war in the late 1990s, began in earnest in June, when Ethiopia's newly-elected leader, Abiy Ahmed, made peace overtures to his counterpart, which have now come to fruition.

Seizing on the implications for the whole region, Mr. Guterres said that the agreement meant that "there is a wind of hope blowing in the Horn of Africa. It is not only the peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea  it is the fact that tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we will have, here in Saudi Arabia, the President of Djibouti and the President of Eritrea  two countries that have also been at odds with each other."

According to news reports, Eritrea and Djibouti announced on Friday that they would also normalize diplomatic relations with each other following a falling out on the border, in 2008, which left several dead and resulted in prisoners being taken on both sides.

The UN chief also noted the peace agreement between the President and his former Vice President in South Sudan, that was signed on Thursday  in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa - as another indicator of real diplomatic movement across the Horn of Africa and its borders.

"I want to say that this window of hope is enormously important in a world where, unfortunately, hope has been very scarce," added the Secretary-General.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





UNICEF: Education a Major Casualty of Yemen's War

By Lisa Schlein September 16, 2018

The school year in Yemen is officially underway. But, the U.N. children's fund reports the country's ongoing civil war is keeping millions of children out of the classroom.

More than three years of fighting between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels is having a devastating impact on children's health and well-being. The U.N. reports more than 11 million children or 80 percent of the country's children are dependent upon humanitarian aid.

Another major casualty of the war is children's education. The U.N. children's fund says the education sector is on the brink of collapse because of conflict, political divisions and chronic underdevelopment.

As a consequence, UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac said around two million children are not going to school this year. Furthermore, he said nearly four million primary school children soon may not be able to get an education because of a severe shortage of teachers.

"About 67 percent of public school teachers  and this is across the country  have not been paid for nearly two years. Many have looked for other work to survive or are only teaching a few subjects. So, obviously, the quality of education is at stake. Children are not getting their full lessons due to the absence of their teachers. Even when schools are functioning, the schools' days and years are shortened."

Yemen also suffers from a shortage of learning facilities. UNICEF reports more than 2,500 schools have been damaged or destroyed by the war. Many schools also are being used as shelters for displaced people and some have been taken over by armed groups.

The agency warns children who are out of school run many dangers. It notes boys are at risk of being used as child soldiers. It estimates more than 2,600 children have been recruited by all armed groups.

UNICEF says girls are likely to be married off at an early age. A 2016 survey finds close to three quarters of women in Yemen have been married before the age of 18, and 44.5 percent before the age of 15.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Mass Exodus Underway From Cameroon's English-Speaking Regions

By Moki Edwin Kindzeka September 16, 2018

People fleeing the violence in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon are going through systematic searches before being allowed to enter the French-speaking regions of the central African state after the government claimed fighters were trying to enter with weapons.

It is very busy here at the Mile 17 bus station in the English speaking Southwestern town of Buea, where at least 30 transport buses leave daily for either the French-speaking town of Douala, or Cameroon's capital city, Yaounde. Many people remain at the station, some with their mattresses, dresses and kitchen utensils, expecting more buses to arrive and transport them.

Gabriel Mbinkar, an official of a bus agency says they have doubled fares from $8 to $16 because their vehicles return from the French-speaking towns empty, since many people are fleeing English-speaking towns and villages and no one is coming in.

"As you will see behind me passengers are there, waiting for vehicles, the vehicles that were there this morning are already gone and we are trying to see what is available if it can get these people by the latter hours of the day so that they can go out in order for people not to fall into trouble," said Mbinkar.

Among those leaving is businesswoman Philomena Maloke. She says the military searched her luggage and that of her two-month-old daughter at least seven times between Kumba, her town of origin and Buea where she arrived Saturday to continue to Yaounde.

"It is a pity that it is happening here in our country," she said.

Bernard Okalia Bilai, governor of the English-speaking Southwest region of Cameroon visited the Mile 17 motor park Saturday to plead with people to stop the mass exodus.

He says people are running away because of threats from separatist fighters to disrupt the October 7 presidential election, and because of rumors the military is planning raids against the armed separatists that invaded many towns in the region.

"There is fake news that the army will attack, will launch an attack, no, the army is not launching attacks," said Bilai. "The army are there to protect the population and their property. Those who are abandoning their homes, you can see here, we have beds, furniture, no, where are they going. No, we want them to stay at home."

The governor of Cameroon's English-speaking Northwest, Deben Tchoffo, says thousands are also leaving his region. He says the military has seized weapons some suspected fighters were hiding in their luggage as they left for French-speaking towns. Tchoffo says he is making an appeal for every one travelling to verify their luggage to make sure traffickers are not hiding weapons in their bags.

"I will like to launch an appeal here to ask them to collaborate with security services. To denounce those that are threatening them to the security services, so that together, we fight to bring back the situation back to normalcy," he said.

Unrest began in Cameroon in November 2016 when English speaking teachers and lawyers demonstrated against the overbearing use of the French language. Separatists took over and started demanding the independence of the English speaking from the French-speaking regions of the bilingual country.

The separatists have on social media insisted that they will disrupt Cameroon's October 7 presidential election in the English-speaking regions. They say they are an independent nation called Ambazonia and will not allow such an election in their land. The government is assuring the people of security.

The United Nations reports that 300 people including 130 policemen and the military have been killed, hundreds of thousands have fled for their lives to the bushes and towns in the French-speaking regions. At least 20,000 have crossed over to Nigeria.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Trump Claims Russia Campaign Probe Illegal

By Ken Bredemeier September 16, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Sunday, without evidence, that the ongoing criminal investigation into his 2016 campaign's links to Russia is "not allowed under the law."

In a Twitter comment, the U.S. leader called the probe by special counsel Robert Mueller "illegal" and said it "continues in search of a crime." But Mueller was appointed by the Department of Justice and judges have ruled that his investigation is being conducted legally.

As he often does, Trump denied there was collusion with Russia, except by his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He described Mueller's legal team as "17 angry Democrats ... looking at anything they can find. Very unfair and BAD for the country."

But Trump did not comment on the latest development in Mueller's 16-month investigation, Friday's guilty plea by former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort to corruption charges and a declaration by prosecutors that Manafort is already cooperating with them about what he knows about the Trump campaign.

The 69-year-old Manafort, a longtime Washington lobbyist, has now been convicted in an August trial of eight tax and bank fraud charges in a Virginia court and pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges in nearby Washington.

In the most recent case, prosecutors agreed to drop other charges stemming from his lobbying efforts for one-time Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych that predated his five-month tenure working for Trump's campaign in mid-2016 in exchange for him answering "fully, truthfully, completely and forthrightly" questions about "any and all matters" Mueller's team is investigating.

But what Manafort might have to offer Mueller about the Trump campaign is not publicly unknown, although prosecutors only dropped some charges against Manafort after hearing in advance what he had to say.

Manafort played a role in one key event Mueller is investigating, a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York, the then-candidate's campaign headquarters. Manafort attended a meeting set up by Trump's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., with a lawyer said to be a Russian government attorney willing to provide incriminating information about Clinton. The younger Trump said no such information was provided and President Trump has said he was unaware of the meeting at the time it was scheduled.

After Manafort's guilty plea, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said in a first statement, "Once again an investigation has concluded with a plea having nothing to do with President Trump or the Trump campaign. The reason: The president did nothing wrong and Paul Manafort will tell the truth."

But minutes later, Giuliani issued a revised statement omitting the assessment that "Paul Manafort will tell the truth."

After Manafort was convicted in the August case, Trump said he had "such respect for a brave man: because "he refused to 'break' -- make up stories in order to get a 'deal.'"

"I feel very badly for Paul Manafort and his wonderful family," Trump said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Northern Command Provides DoD Hurricane Support Update

Sept. 16, 2018

From a U.S. Northern Command News Release

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- U.S. Northern Command provided an update last night as to the Defense Department support to Federal Emergency Management Agency along with state and local responders in the wake of Hurricane Florence's landfall.

In a release, Northcom said DoD has assigned 13,470 personnel to support hurricane relief efforts. The specific numbers continue to change as individuals respond to the area, officials said. Northcom serves as the overall synchronizer of all DoD support to FEMA.

-- Active duty: 5,400

-- National Guard: 7,857

-- Army Corps of Engineers: 121

-- Defense Logistics Agency: 92

DoD also deployed 1,286 military assets to establish air and ground transportation and search and rescue capabilities. They are:

-- Rotary wing aircraft: 100

-- Fixed wing aircraft: 16

-- High-water vehicles: 1,154

-- Swift-water boats: 14

-- Navy amphibious ships: 2

The Defense Department authorizes local commanders to execute lifesaving actions to assist their local communities without waiting for orders. This is called local response authority.

On Sept. 14, upon request from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., provided shelter for displaced people around New Bern, N.C. In less than three hours, 209 people arrived by bus and were sheltered.

At the request of city officials in Onslow, N.C., Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune sent two Humvees and two amphibious assault vehicles to assist in the rescue of about 20 stranded people near Piney Green road in Jacksonville. The Marines then transported the personnel to the Piney Green Volunteer Fire Department for follow on transfer to Onslow County shelters.

Additionally, Camp Lejeune dispatched12 high-water vehicles at the request of Onslow city officials to support transport of state rescue personnel in the Onslow area.\

The military services will perform accountability, damage assessments, recovery and preparation of forces for follow-on support at all of the installations in the affected areas. The DoD stands ready for assistance requests, the release said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Sends Reply Message to President Xi Jinping

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, sent a reply message to Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and president of the People's Republic of China, on Saturday.

Kim Jong Un in the message expressed deep thanks to Xi Jinping for sending his warm congratulations and heartfelt best wishes on the occasion of the 70th founding anniversary of the DPRK.

The message said that Xi Jinping dispatched Li Zhanshu, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, as a special envoy on his part, and a Chinese party and sent the Chinese party and government delegation to the celebrations for the 70th founding anniversary of the DPRK, which was a sure sign of special friendly feelings of Xi Jinping, Chinese party, government and people to Kim Jong Un and the party, government and people of the DPRK.

The message noted that the DPRK-China friendship personally formed and developed by the leaders of the elder generation of the two countries is now under fresh development to meet the requirements of the new era.

Kim Jong Un in the message stated that he would proactively strive with Xi Jinping to further boost the close relations of friendship, unity and cooperation between the two parties and two peoples.

He sincerely wished the Chinese people bigger success in the building of socialism with the Chinese characteristics in the new times under the wise guidance of the Communist Party of China with Xi Jinping as the core. -0-

(2018.09.16)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Germany hints at long-term military presence in Mideast

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 05:54AM

Germany, a member of the US-led coalition which has been bombarding the Middle East, says it will not reject a possible longer-term deployment of German troops to the region.

Asked on Saturday about the need for a strategic base in the Middle East, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen replied that she could not "rule the idea out."

"First we must bring this deployment to a successful end. I don't want to rule the idea out, let me put it this way," she said during a visit to the Azraq air base in Jordan.

The base hosts some 300 German troops operating as part of the US-led coalition that has been carrying out airstrikes on what are said to be Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria since 2014.

The air raids have done little to dislodge the terrorist group, but rather claimed many civilian lives and inflicted damage on the countries' infrastructure.

Reports say German special forces are present in northern Syria aiding the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). They are also providing training and weapons to Kurdish Peshmerga militants in Iraq.

The US also mulls a long-term military presence in Syria. US special representative for Syria James Jeffrey announced recently that American forces would remain in the country, adding that it "means we're not in a hurry to pull out."

Earlier this month, American marines held eight days of unprecedented military exercises with US-backed militants near a military base in the town of al-Tanf in southeastern Syria.

The US illegally built the military outpost in early 2016 under the pretext of fighting Daesh terrorists, but it has declared a 55 km-radius "deconfliction zone" off-limits to others, providing a safe haven for at least 50,000 militants and their families in the Rukban camp that lies within it.

Earlier this month, Berlin said that it was in talks with Washington and other allies about a possible involvement in airstrikes on Syria if pro-Damascus forces allegedly used chemical weapons.

Germany did not join the US, Britain and France in their April 14 missile strike against sites and research facilities near Damascus and Homs.

On Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that Berlin could not just reject military intervention out of hand, saying, "It cannot be the German position to simply say 'No', no matter what happens in the world."

In recent weeks, Syria and Russia have warned of Takfiri terrorists' ploy to conduct another false-flag chemical attack to give the US and its allies a pretext to target the government.

Syria surrendered its entire chemical stockpile in 2013 to a mission led by the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the UN.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





German Defense Minister Calls for Longer Mandate for Its Military in Iraq

Sputnik News

20:54 16.09.2018

German troops are currently tasked with training the Middle Eastern country's military, as well as the Kurdish Peshmerga, to counter the remnants of terrorist forces.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has urged for a long-term mandate for the country's troops deployed in Iraq, Deutsche Welle reported. She justified the move by saying that despite the fact that Daesh* has suffered significant defeat in Iraq, it still has an "ideological foothold."

"The fight against IS has left behind deep wounds and scars in the country. It takes patience for these scars to heal and for Iraq to become strong," she said.

The current mandate for German troops' stay in Iraq, issued by the country's parliament, the Bundestag, expires on October 31. It is expected to be prolonged, but the idea faces backlash from members of the Social Democratic Party, who are a part of the ruling coalition along with Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Party and Seehofer's Christian Democratic Union.

German forces in Iraq are tasked with training the country's troops in logistics, paramedic training and defusing explosive devices. Also, roughly 150 German soldiers are tasked with training Kurdish forces  the Peshmerga.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS, IS, Islamic State) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Enemy seeking to create frustration between people, armed forces

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Ahwaz, Sept 16, IRNA -- Deputy commander of the Iranian Army's ground force, said that the enemy is looking for creating despair and disillusion between the armed forces and the honorable nation of Iran, but it will undoubtedly be defeated in this direction.

Brigadier General Nozar Nemati in a ceremony at the regional southwest army headquarters in Ahvaz on Sunday, added that 'the enemy has come with all its powers and is pursuing the goals that were not achieved during the imposed war era'.

He said, 'The enemy, by changing its instrument and creating a psychological warfare, has sought to fulfill its sinister goals, but has so far failed.'

The Deputy commander of Iranian ground force of the army said, 'We never deny that there are some problems in the army, but these problems have not been sufficiently serious to cause any problems.'

'Resistance against enemy plots have been the element of Iranian success, and especially the armed forces, which we hope will be able to defeat the enemy in the future by relying on internal capabilities and resistance.', he noted.

He said, 'Some countries in the region have gone under American domination and other Western countries to not pay the price'

Nemati stated, 'Improving combat readiness in the armed forces is one of our main missions, and if we neglect this way, we will give the enemy the opportunity to influence '.

9455**2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Jordan receives 50 million euros to support education Syrian refugees and local students to benefit from donation

(ANSAmed) - AMMAN, SEPTEMBER 17 - Jordan has received up to 51 million euros from international donors to support education sector and allow integration of more Syrian refugees in local schools, officials said today.



Around 130,000 children would be able to have better access to education, while the fund would also provide source to hire more teachers, purchase laboratory equipment, refurbish some schools and build new ones, said the ministry of education.



"The support will help Jordan give educational support to refugee students as part of its humanitarian role," minister of Education Azmi Mahafza was quoted by Petra news agency as saying.



The government also plans to reach out to Syrian refugees scattered in rural areas without being able to have access to education. The ministry said it will also seek additional funding as the education sector has been suffering from increased pressure on its infrastructure while the international community remains well behind its commitment that it pledged during London conference. The EU and some of its member states, Norway, the UK, US, Australia among others have contributed to the new round of funding, said Petra news agency. (ANSAmed).



John Kerry's spokesman defends his meetings with Zarif

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Sept 16, IRNA -- Former US Secretary of State John Kerry, rejecting US President Donald Trump's government criticism, emphasized that his visits to foreign officials are not strange, and there is no problem.

Kerry is in contact with his former counterparts all over the world, as all former foreign ministers do, and no secret of the current government has been hidden, spokesman of John Kerry said in a statement.

Kerry's spokesman added that there is nothing strange in meeting former diplomats with foreign counterparts, let alone being unscrupulous or inappropriate. What is unpardonable is that the State Department's podium is stolen for political shows.

Kerry played an important role in the nuclear deal of the previous US government; an agreement that Trump had created chaos by announcing to US withdrawal.

Last week at a radio talk, Kerry said he had met with Iran's Foreign Minister three or four times since he left the state department to discuss Iran's nuclear program and other issues.

Trump accused the former secretary of state of having 'illegal meetings.'

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who criticized Kerry's move to meet Iranian officials, said that these do not fit the current foreign policy of the current president.

In response to the question that John Kerry has said that the current US government policy is changing Iran's regime, the US Secretary of State replied in contradictory and interventionist statements, 'No, it's not our policy, we repeated it repeatedly, we support the people of Iran to have the government they want.'

9455**2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Iran to increase uranium enrichment if EU fails to secure Iran's interests: FM

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:04, September 16, 2018

TEHRAN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran would increase uranium enrichment if the European Union (EU) fails to implement its obligations following the U.S. withdrawal from the Iranian landmark nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday.

"The Europeans and the other signatories must act in order to compensate for the effects of the U.S. sanctions," Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV.

He downplayed the possibility of Iran's withdrawal from the nuclear deal, but cautioned the EU partners that Iran might act if they fail to secure Iran's interests in the deal.

"Oil and banks" are the "litmus test," he said, alluding to the EU pledges to help Tehran in the face of U.S. re-imposition of sanctions on Iran's oil exports and banking transactions.

European parties need to decide whether being ready to follow their words, Zarif said, adding that "they should also decide if they want to submit to U.S. pressure."

Iran and six world powers, namely Russia, Britain, China, France, the United States and Germany, struck a landmark agreement over Iran's nuclear program in 2015, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

However, U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal on May 8 and re-impose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Iran.

Iran has held several rounds of talks with France, Britain and Germany to revive the blocking statute, a 1996 regulation that prohibits EU companies and courts from complying with foreign sanctions laws.

Iran has incessantly urged Europe to take "practical and tangible measures" to protect Iranian interests since the U.S. pullout.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Army commander says no danger threatening Iran

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 09:37AM

The commander of the Iranian Army's ground forces says nothing threatens the Islamic Republic, but the Armed Forces are ready to deliver the enemies a "strong blow on the mouth."

"I assure the Iranian people that no danger threatens the country, and that the country is not on the brink of war," Brigadier General Kioumars Haydari said in the western Hamadan Province on Sunday, IRNA reported.

"This, of course, does not mean neglecting the principle of readiness because, as stated by the commander-in-chief and Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei], the Armed Forces must always feel themselves in the trenches," he added.

Haydari hailed the Army's defensive and combat readiness, saying it had reached such a level that "those claiming hostility with Iran have now resorted to non-military machinations."

"The change in the methods of the enemies to confront Iran stems from the presence, persistence and, in particular, the realization of the principle of standing on their own feet in the Armed Forces," he said.

The Army's ground forces, he said, produce 100 percent of their defense equipment or use the equipment produced by the Ministry of Defense and other armed forces, adding they do not have any reliance on foreign countries.

"Given that we have achieved this position, we can give the enemies a strong blow on the mouth," he said.

"The Iranian Army resolutely announces that it is ready, along with other Armed Forces, to seal the fate of any threat in the shortest possible time," the commander added.

On Thursday, a top commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said a US war against Iran was no longer a possibility because Washington lacked the political means and international support to launch a new military campaign.

Washington knows that "it will be on the losing side if it ever starts a war with Iran," Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the IRGC's second-in-command, said.

"The US military is incapable of engaging us in a battle and the American economy wouldn't be able to support the war either," Salami added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Pakistan PM to Offer Citizenship to Afghans Born in Pakistan

By Ayaz Gul September 16, 2018

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an unprecedented announcement Sunday, pledged to offer Pakistani citizenship to hundreds of thousands of Afghans born to refugee families his country has been hosting for decades.

The United Nations refugee agency and local officials say there are 2.7 million Afghans, including 1.5 million registered as refugees, in Pakistan. The displaced families have fled decades of conflict, ethnic and religious persecution, poverty and economic hardships in turmoil-hit Afghanistan.

"Afghans whose children have been raised and born in Pakistan will be granted citizenship inshallah (God willing) because this is the established practice in countries around the world. You get an American passport if you are born in America," said Khan, who took office last month.

"Then why can't we do it here. We continue to subject these people to unfair treatment," the Pakistani prime minister said at a public event in the southern port city of Karachi Sunday night.

U.N. surveys suggest that around 60 percent of Afghan refugees were either born in Pakistan or were minors when their parents migrated to Pakistan. War-shattered Afghanistan is therefore alien to most of these young people who are already part of the local economy in different ways.

This group of refugees, officials say, are reluctant to go back to Afghanistan where security conditions have deteriorated in the wake of the stalemated war between U.S.-backed Afghan security forces and the Taliban insurgency.

Khan noted in his nationally televised remarks that without Pakistani national identification cards and passports, the refugees have been unable to find decent legal jobs or get a quality education in local institutions.

These people, the prime minister said, will eventually be forced to indulge in criminal activities, posing security issues for areas like Karachi, the country's largest city and commercial hub. Afghans are a significant portion of the nearly 20 million residents in Karachi.

"They are humans. How come we have deprived them and have not arranged for offering them national identification card and passport for 30 years, 40 years," Khan lamented.

The Pakistani leader explained that since he is also directly overseeing the federal Interior Ministry, which is responsible for granting passports and identification cards, he will instruct his staff to make efforts without further delay to offer Pakistani nationality to the people "who have come from Afghanistan and whose children are raised and born in here."

Khan spoke a day after his Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, visited Afghanistan, where he discussed among other issues the fate of the registered Afghan refugees who have until December 31, 2018, to stay in Pakistan legally.

An official statement issued after Qureshi's daylong trip to Kabul said that in his meetings with Afghan leaders, the foreign minister "underlined the need for dignified, sustainable repatriation of Afghan refugees to their homeland through a gradual and time-bound plan."

Pakistani authorities have lately complained that Taliban insurgents waging attacks inside Afghanistan have been using the refugee communities as hiding places. Both countries accuse each other of supporting militant attacks against their respective soils. The allegations are at the center of bilateral political tensions.

In a meeting last week with visiting U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, Khan assured him that his government will not force Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





South Korea president to take business tycoons to North

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 09:45AM

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will be taking several business tycoons  including Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong  with him to North Korea for a planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

President Moon's office said on Sunday that the corporate officials will be accompanying him on his trip to North Korea on Tuesday for a three-day summit with Kim, their third meeting this year.

The delegation of about 200 people accompanying Moon will include top government officials, including the South Korean intelligence chief, foreign minister, and defense minister, as well as prominent business people, including Lee and the heads of the SK and LG groups, among others.

Lee, 49, who is the de facto leader of the Samsung group  the world's largest maker of smartphones  served one year before being freed from jail in February over his involvement in the payment of bribes to former president Park Geun-hye. His release came after an appellate court handed him a suspended sentence.

Kim Yong-hwan, vice-chairman of Hyundai Motor Group  whose founder was a refugee from the North  will also be among the delegates North-bound.

Hyun Jeong-eun, chairwoman of the separate Hyundai Group, which pioneered many cross-border economic projects, will also be accompanying President Moon.

Hyun had met Kim's father, Kim Jong-il, several times. She was among the first South Koreans to meet the younger Kim when he assumed power following his father's death in 2011.

Earlier, delegations from the two Koreas met to discuss the details of the upcoming summit.

The two Koreas fought a war in the early 1950s. It ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. Ever since, the two countries were on a near-constant war footing. But Kim initiated a rapprochement with South Korea in January, and soon met with Moon  first in April and then in May.

The two Koreas have since been advancing their relations.

Kim has declared an intention to bring economic prosperity to his country, long subjected to harsh international sanctions.

Some reports say President Moon's summit may also be aimed at jump-starting stalled diplomacy between North Korea and the United States over the denuclearization of the former.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Seoul Sends Considerable Team to DPRK as Prep for Moon-Kim Summit Underway

Sputnik News

07:36 16.09.2018

TOKYO (Sputnik) - The intra-Korean summit will be held in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang on September 18-20. The South Korean president is expected to use a direct flight to travel to Pyongyang.

A group of 93 South Korean officials, journalists and technical staff left for North Korea on Sunday to prepare the upcoming summit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-unn and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, the Yonhap news agency reported. The South Korean delegation used a land route to get to North Korea, with as many as 19 buses being used for their trip.

The first meeting of the two leaders was held at the Panmunjom truce village on April 27. Less than in a month the two counterparts met once again. The forthcoming meeting is expected to be devoted to the issues relating to the implementation of the declaration signed at Panmunjom.

On Friday, Seoul and Pyongyang opened a liaison office in the city of Kaesong, located just north of the border between two countries.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula has significantly improved within the last several months, with Kim having held two rounds of talks with Moon and a top-level summit with US President Trump in Singapore.

During the talks with Trump Kim pledged to ensure denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

According to the joint declaration signed by Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, Pyongyang and Seoul agreed to adopt practical measures to connect railways on the peninsula.

As the first step of this process, the countries will connect and modernize railways and roads on the eastern transportation corridor, as well as between Seoul and North Korea's city of Sinuiju.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Russian Tu-160 Performs 9 Hour Flight Passing Over North Pole

Sputnik News

21:38 16.09.2018

The giant supersonic strategic bomber with variable-sweep wings is the biggest and heaviest in its class in the world. It is capable of flying 12,300 km without mid-air refueling.

Russian TV Channel Zvezda released captivating footage of mid-air refueling of a 110 ton Tu-160 (NATO reporting name: Blackjack) supersonic jet nicknamed "White Swan" for its white color and incredibly large variable-sweep wings, with their span measuring 55.7 meters. Although the titanic bomber jet is capable of covering thousands of kilometers, its nine hour flight from the Russian city of Saratov to Anadyr, the easternmost town in Russia, via the north pole required some refueling.

After successfully finishing the lengthy flight, which included a combat task as part of the military drills, the pilot commented on a journalist's question about how hard it is to spend nine hours in a flight jump-suit. According to the veteran pilot, it isn't entirely comfortable, but noted that it is an acceptable tradeoff for the protection the suit provides  it not only protects from hypothermia, but also has built-in floating balloons, designed to save the pilot from drowning in the cold waters of a sea or an ocean.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Russia to Conduct Large-Scale Military Exercises Every Five Years - Minister

Sputnik News

17:11 16.09.2018(updated 17:13 16.09.2018)

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY (Sputnik) - Russia plans to conduct large-scale military exercises twice a decade, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in an interview.

"We give the main outline of what we are going to hold next year, the only thing that does not fall into this plan are surprise inspections. Naturally, we planned these exercises, and we plan to hold them every five years," Shoigu told the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

He noted that the Vostok-2018 drills had been planned in 2017 when the schedule of major events for 2018 was approved by the supreme commander-in-chief, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We need some intermediate points of reference. By saying we, I mean the supreme commander-in-chief, because investing such funds in the rearmament of the army and the fleet, we must understand and see where we are going and whether everything is all right here," the minister said.

The state armament program is designed for a 10-year period, but events showing combat readiness of the army should be conducted more often.

The Vostok-2018 drills are the largest exercise held in Russia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The exercises involve nearly 300,000 servicemen, 36,000 vehicles, up to 80 ships and support vessels, and over a thousand aircraft. The drills began on September 11 and will last until Monday.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Terrorists carry chlorine canisters to Idlib village for false-flag attack: Russia

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 05:00PM

The Russian Defense Ministry says it has reliable evidence showing that militants have already transported a number of canisters containing chlorine to a village in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib to stage a false-flag chemical attack and frame Damascus.

Syria's official news agency, SANA, on Sunday cited a statement by Lieutenant General Vladimir Savchenko, a spokesman of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria, a part of the Russian Defense Ministry, saying the chlorine-filled canisters were transported to the southwest village of Bsanqul in the militant-held province.

Savchenko added that the highly poisonous cargo had been delivered to members of the so-called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, which is a coalition of different factions of terror outfits, largely composed of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.

This is the latest warning from the Russian military on a chemical "provocation" in the making by Idlib-based militants and their allies in an attempt to accuse the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against its people.

On Wednesday, it said the Western-backed White Helmets "aid group", which stands accused of working with Takfiri militants, had shot videos intended to be used in framing the Syrian government. Earlier, the Russian military had reported that toxic chemicals had been delivered to Idlib, saying that the so-called "aid group" had carried out the delivery.

Syrian army troops are preparing to launch a full-scale military operation against different factions of militants that have practically held hostage the inhabitants of Idlib for a long time.

Both Syria and Russia, a close ally of the Arab country, have already submitted proofs and evidence to the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) showing that terrorists in Idlib are preparing to set up another false-flag chemical attack to frame Damascus and pave the way for the US-led coalition to attack Syrian government troops.

Washington has accused the Syrian government of attacking civilians with chemical weapons in previous operations, including in Douma near capital Damascus and in Khan Shaykhun in Idlib. Syrian authorities have strongly denied any involvement in either case, saying the attacks had been carried out by militants to slow Syria's progress in the fight against terror.

Damascus and Moscow have warned that the US, along with Britain and France, is gearing up for a new military attack against Syria as the army prepares for the liberation of Idlib.

On April 14, the US, Britain and France launched a coordinated missile strike against sites and research facilities near Damascus and Homs, with the purported goal of undermining the Syrian government's capability to produce chemicals.

The missile attack came one week after an alleged gas attack hit Douma, just as the Syrian army was about to win the battle against the militants there.

The Arab country surrendered its entire chemical stockpile in 2013 to a mission led by the OPCW and the UN.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Syrians voting in first local council elections in 7 years

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 08:47AM

Syrians have begun voting in the country's first local elections since 2011 in a sign of returning security and normalcy after years of fighting with foreign-backed militants.

Polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) on Sunday and will close at 7:00 p.m. local time (1600 GMT).

More than 40,000 candidates are vying for 18,478 seats across all provinces, Syria's official SANA news agency reported.

"Voting centers opened for citizens to cast their ballots to elect their representatives in the local administrative councils," the report said.

State television broadcast footage of voters in the cities of Damascus, Tartus and Latakia taking part in the elections.

The local councils operate at the municipal level, and newly elected representatives are expected to have more responsibilities as regards the country's reconstruction process.

The elections are being held at a time when Syrian army troops and allied fighters control some two-thirds of the country following the recent advances in southern areas and Damascus suburbs.

The Syrian army is now preparing for the liberation of Idlib Province, the last major terrorist bastion in the Arab country.

Syria has the backing of Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement in its bid to rid the strategic province, bordering Turkey, of terrorists.

Idlib hosts several militant groups backed by Turkey and other foreign parties  especially Western states, Israel and their regional allies.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Trenta asks for clarification on Saudi arms

(ANSAmed) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 17 - Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta on Monday asked for clarification on Italian arms recently sold to Saudi Arabia.



Trenta said that if the exports breached a 1990 law, she would request "that the exports be immediately stopped, and the relevant contracts cancelled".



She stressed that the contracts had been "signed and carried forward by the previous government".



Trenta thanked the media for highlighting the possible breaches.(ANSAmed).



Mainland urges Taiwan to stop intelligence, sabotage activities

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:06, September 16, 2018

A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Sunday urged Taiwan to immediately stop infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland.

"Taiwan authorities must avoid any further damage to the increasingly complicated and intense cross-Strait relations," said An Fengshan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, in response to media inquiries.

Taiwan's intelligence agencies have significantly increased their steal of intelligence, infiltration and sabotage activities targeting the mainland for a certain period of time, An said, citing related authorities.

The mainland's security organs have launched a special campaign to crack down on these activities by Taiwan, he added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Wanted PKK terrorist killed in Turkish airstrike in northern Iraq

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 16, 2018 03:55PM

Turkish fighter jets have killed a prominent member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group during a counter-terrorism operation in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

Turkish Armed Forces, in a statement published on its official Twitter page on Sunday, said Murat Akdogan, better known by the nom de guerre Ali Gever, was "neutralized" during an airstrike against a militant hideout in the Avasin-Basyan region on September 14.

The statement added that Akdogan was on the orange category of the terror blacklist.

The Turkish military generally uses the term "neutralize" to signify that the militants were killed, captured or surrendered.

On August 22, Gumushane Provincial Governor Okay Memis said high-ranking PKK militant Baris Oner, better known by the nom de guerre Turk Tarik, had been found dead in the Kurtun district of Turkey's northern province following an offensive conducted at around 6 a.m. local time (0300 GMT).

PKK militants regularly clash with Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of Turkey attached to northern Iraq.

Turkey, along with the European Union and the United States, has declared the PKK a terrorist group and banned it. The militant group has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984.

A shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.

Over the past few months, Turkish ground and air forces have been carrying out operations against PKK positions in the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

More than 40,000 people have been killed during the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the autonomy-seeking militant group.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





Turkey Sends Huge Military Convoys to Idlib as Damascus' Op Looms  Reports

Sputnik News

09:17 16.09.2018(updated 12:31 16.09.2018)

Even though the Turkish defense minister warned against a military solution, Ankara sent reinforcement troops to the last remaining terrorist stronghold in Syria, Idlib province, on Friday.

The Turkish army has sent 15 vehicles, including 6 tanks, carrying weapons and munitions, to the Syrian province of Idlib through the Kfar Lusin border-crossing, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday.

The vehicles reportedly moved towards the Turkish observation point in the Shir Magar area of Shashabo Mountain in the western countryside of Hama and the convoy was then split into two parts, with one leaving at the Shir Magar observation point and the other one heading towards the Ishtabraq observation point.

Ankara has not yet commented on the reports.

Earlier this week, the same monitoring group said that Ankara had dispatched convoys of troops to beef up its presence in Idlib ahead of the Syrian government's looming offensive on the militant-held enclave. The convoys of Turkish forces also entered Idlib from the Kfar Lusin crossing and continued moving to some of the twelve Turkish observation points along the province border.

The reinforcements came notwithstanding Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar's warnings that a military operation in Idlib would drag the province toward a humanitarian catastrophe.

"We are working with Russia, Iran and other allies to bring peace and stability and to stop a humanitarian tragedy," Anadolu News Agency cited him as saying.

Under the de-escalation agreement reached with Russia and Iran last year in Astana, the Turkish military has set up twelve observation points that surround Idlib, with the last one being established in May. The agreement seeks to freeze the lines of conflict, effectively making Ankara the guarantor of peace in the province.

Earlier this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal, in which he suggested that "the world would bear responsibility" for not acting to halt the Idlib offensive and the humanitarian catastrophe that would inevitably follow the operation.

"All members of the international community must understand their responsibilities as the assault on Idlib looms. The consequences of inaction are immense," Erdogan said.

The Syrian government has regained control over vast swathes of territory following the seven years of armed conflict with terrorist groups and opposition forces and is now planning a large-scale military operation in Idlib to liberate the area from the remaining militants.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address





TUNIS - The premier of the Libyan national unity government, Fayez Al Sarrak, as head of the army and interim defense minister, has announced the creation of a joint force for Tripoli's security.

''The joint force for the resolution of conflicts and extension of security'', which will be led by the general of the western military region, Osama Al-Juwaili, is formed by three light infantry battalions of the central and western region and by the anti-terrorism force, as well as interior ministry units.

Its main task will be to safeguard the security of citizens and their property, as well as monitor the situation so the ceasefire between conflicting militias in Tripoli and nearby is respected.

''The leaders of brigades that join the force will need to be military officers and must use the necessary arms to establish security'', added the statement of the presidential council. The force will reportedly intervene between rival militias, provide protection to units monitoring the ceasefire and identify conflicting sides, offering communication between militias to avoid further clashes.

Sarraj had also announced the creation of an investigative commission to verify the condition of detainees at the Mitiga airport managed by special deterrence forces, Rada.

The commission will be led by Issa Faitouri, a member of the office of the prosecutor general, by chief Mohammed Hammouda, and a representative of the Superior Council of Magistrates.

This follows the publication of a report by a panel of United Nations experts on September 5 that reported grave violations of human rights on people detained in Mitiga between 2015 and April 2018.

OTRANTO - ANSA news agency received one of two 2018 Mediterranean Caravel journalism prizes at the 10th Journalists of the Mediterranean Festival in Otranto for its newswire Infomigrants, a multi-language service for migrants.

The main Italian newswire service produces Infomigrants through ANSAmed, together with France Media Monde and Deutsche Welle.

ANSA Deputy Editor and Infomigrants coordinator Stefano Polli received the award for Infomigrants, while the other Caravel prize went to Paolo Messa, founder of Formiche magazine. Infomigrants is published in four languages - English, French, Arabic and Pashtun - and aims to give accurate information to migrants and refugees trying to reach Europe, in countries of origin, transit countries, and arrival countries.

The newswire offers stories on political, economic, and cultural relationships between Europe and southern Mediterranean countries, the Middle East, and Africa.

Migrants and refugees are often unaware and without defences in the face of the false information given to them by human traffickers.

These smugglers force thousands of people to undertake journeys without any preparation or knowledge, journeys filled with extreme hardships and inhumane abuses.

The Journalists of the Mediterranean Festival is organised by the Terra del Mediterraneo Association, in partnership with the City of Otranto, the Region of Puglia, the University of Bari Aldo Moro, and the Consular Corps of Puglia, Basilicata and Molise.

The winner for reporting was Alessio Lasta of channel La7 with "Dreaming France - The Snow Route of Migrants in the Alps".Mideast: 'tire school' village, U.S. professor released

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, SEPTEMBER 17 - Israel has released a 66-year-old American professor, Frank Romano, who was arrested a few days ago for trying to stop the Israeli demolition of Khan el-Ahmar, the Bedouin village east of Jerusalem where the so-called 'tire school' build by an Italian NGO is located.



The Israeli Supreme Court has recently rejected a final appeal by residents against the demolition of the village, which is considered illegal. The forced eviction of residents appears to be imminent. According to attorney Gaby Lasky, Romano was released yesterday. Images posted online showed the man again in Khan el-Ahmar among villagers.



The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has meanwhile urged several international institutions to put pressure on Israel not to go forward with the demolition. According to the PNA, the eviction of Palestinians from the area could stop the realization of the two-State solution. (ANSAmed)A Thursday night fire at the Green River Solid Waste Transfer Station resulted in facility being closed for an unknown amount of time and the city scrambling to find a way to provide temporary services.

Around 10:30 p.m., the Green River Fire Department responded to the transfer station.

Fire chief Mike Nomis said once they arrived at the scene and could tell there was a fire inside, they forced themselves into the building through one of the buildings doors. The fire department had three engines and three command vehicles at the scene to put out the initial fire, which took about 30 minutes.

City Administrator Reed Clevenger said one of the bins that people dump garbage in caught fire.

We dont know how, Clevenger said.

Nomis said because the fire was in a large dumpster it took them a while to make sure the fire was completely out.

The fire was so hot, internal damage to the building occurred, including damage to the vents, doors, signs and insulation, Clevenger said.

Its not as bad as we thought it was going to be, he said.

By 4 a.m., the fire department was able to leave the scene, but an investigator returned Friday to see if they could determine the cause of the fire.

Its still under investigation, Nomis said. We dont know what caused it.

Public works director Mark Westenskow said the facility was closed Friday through Monday, but by Tuesday Wyoming Waste Services brought temporary bins for solid waste disposal to the station.

Westenskow said these bins will remain outside of the station until the building can be repaired. Even though there will be containers available for residents to dump their garbage, they will only be able to accept loads that can be unloaded by hand.

The bigger loads will just have to go to the landfill in Rock Springs until the transfer station is functioning again. As to when that might be, Westenskow wasnt sure. It all depends on how long it takes for the insurance agency can process the claim and the building be repaired.

Clevenger said hes hoping the fire department can determine what caused the fire so they can educate residents about what can and cannot be thrown away at the transfer station.

Nomis estimated that damage to the structure was between $25,000 to $30,000.

Clevenger wanted residents to know that this will not impact the residential or business pick ups they receive from Wyoming Waste Services.Green River Councilman Allan D. Wilson was going to ask the court for a change of venue for his upcoming trial, but when the hearing started he withdrew the motion.

Wilson is charged with one felony count of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, which allegedly took place in Lincoln County and one felony count of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, which allegedly took place in Sweetwater County. Both cases will be tried at the same time in Sweetwater County.

Wilson appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Nena James at an change of venue hearing Monday afternoon.

Upon entering the courtroom, Judge James said, Ive been advised that you are withdrawing your motion for change of venue at this time.

Wilsons attorney Nathan Jeppsen said his client was.

Judge James said shes willing to do whatever is appropriate to make sure Wilson gets a fair trail in Sweetwater County. She told both Jeppsen and Sweetwater County deputy attorney Lora Cooper that they could submit their jury questionnaires to her.

I think we can address what we need to address as long as its done in a timely manner, Judge James said.

Jeppsen then asked for the trial date to be changed from October to Jan. 7.

We were anticipating the change of venue would be changed on this, Jeppsen said.

Jeppsen said he hadnt obtained an expert witness yet because he was anticipating the trials venue to be changed.

I was not convinced that a change of venue was necessary, Judge James said.

Judge James said she was willing to change the venue, but Jeppsen wanted to choose where to have the trial. Judge James was referring to a conversation between her and the two attorneys in the judges chamber prior to the hearing where they discussed where to hold the change of venue.

According to the change of venue motion filed by Wilson, they wanted the trial to take place in Sublette County. Judge James disagreed.

I think there can be a fair trial here in Sweetwater County. Weve tried a lot of high profile cases here, Judge James said.

As for the trial date change, Judge James said she would allow the change. A jury trial is now scheduled to take place Jan. 7, 2018.

However, she told both Cooper and Jeppsen they must meet their deadlines and she will be sending out jury instructions sooner than other cases.Erdogan says Turkey to increase soldiers in northern Cyprus Says new base not needed, Turkey is just minutes away

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 17 - Turkey will increase its troops in northern Cyprus, but will not build a new military base there, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday.



Erdogan was responding to a question on rumours about a new base to be built on the northern part of the island, which has been divided in two since 1974, when the Turkish military invaded following a pro-Greek coup.



"We don't need a base," Erdogan said, adding that it only takes "a few minutes" to reach the Mediterranean from Turkey.



There are an estimated 35,000 Turkish soldiers currently on the island.



Erdogan did not specify how many soldiers would be sent to increase Turkey's military presence there.(ANSAmed).



Fico has talks on Regeni with Sisi I'm here because probe has stalled says Lower House Speaker

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 17 - Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico said Monday that he had talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Khalil el-Sisi about the torture and murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni. "There was only one item on the agenda of my meeting with the president and that was the question of Giulio Regeni," Fico said. "I came because we have reached a stall". Regeni, who was researching Cairo street hawker unions for his Cambridge University, is suspected by Italian prosecutors to have been killed in early 2016 by elements in the Egyptian security apparatus - a charge Egypt rejects.



"I think my message in coming here is clear," Fico said.



"Cooperation, stabilization of the area and of Libya are all undoubtedly important but we want steps forward on the Giulio Regeni case rapidly, not in biblical periods of time". (ANSAmed).



PARIS - Austrian Chancellor and current EU rotating president Sebastian Kurz announced Austria will organise an EU-Africa summit to be held in December, during a meeting in Paris on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Just three days prior to the EU informal summit on migration, Kurz said his country wants to concentrate on economic development in Africa and hopes France will support the Africa summit.

Kurz said Austria supports the proposal by EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to add 10,000 border guards to the EU border agency Frontex by 2020.

He said European countries on the frontline for migrant arrivals, such as Italy, need European solidarity, but they also must accept European aid for managing migrant arrivals.

Macron, meanwhile, said he supports improved border controls through strengthening Frontex and an improved dialogue between countries of origin and transit.

He called for a "policy of deportation" for irregular migrants who do not have the right to asylum.

"We must fight illegal immigration by securing our external borders," Macron said.

GREENWICH  With three races for the state legislature on the ballot in November, Greenwich voters will have a choice on their hands no matter where they live.

The League of Women Voters of Greenwich has announced two debates for Oct. 10 to help voters learn about candidates vying to represent them.

Both debates will take place inside the main meeting room at Town Hall: one between incumbent State Sen. L. Scott Frantz, R-36, and his Democratic challenger Alexandra Bergstein beginning at 7 p.m.; the other, at approximately 7:45 p.m., covering the 150th and 151st State House District races.

The second debate will have all four of the candidates taking part. In the 150th District, incumbent Republican State Rep. Michael Bocchino is running against Democrat Stephen Meskers, and in the 151st District, incumbent Republican State Rep. Fred Camillo is in a race with Democrat Laura Kostin.

The second debate is set to last until 9 p.m. according to the league.

It is a first for me as I have always debated my opponents in one-on-one settings, Camillo said. So, while it will be interesting to have two other candidates up there, I am confident that records and visions relevant to our jobs will be focused on, and not distractions like we are seeing in other races and like we saw in 2016. The voters deserve to hear the issues we deal with here in our state, our records, our visions and our firsthand knowledge of those issues.

Kostin, a first-time candidate and a member of Greenwichs Representative Town Meeting, said participants have not been given much information about the format, but she hopes the public arrives focused on issues.

Obviously I hope there is a large turnout for the event and I hope people will be engaged on the issues even though it is not a presidential year where everyone is pretty attuned and it trickles down to the other races, Kostin said. This will be a chance to show my plans for the state and where I stand on issues like the economy and transportation. I hope the league will record it and that more people will be able to see it.

Bocchino said he is hopeful the format will allow for ample time for quality debate at such a critical time in the state.

Debates are always important during elections, Bocchino said. Voters need to be well informed regarding the issues that directly face our state and not be distracted by issues that have very little effect on the situation here in Connecticut.

Meskers, also a first-time candidate and member of the RTM, said a lot of the people who attend devates have already decided on which candidate they support. He is hoping undecided voters can attend and get to know the the candidates and hear about the issues.

Its so important for the voters to know who is representing them so they can trust them to make the right and sane decisions, Meskers said. This format should work because the issues cut across all the districts in this state and it will highlight the differences between the parties and the candidates.

Members of the public are invited to attend the Oct. 10 debate but seating is limited.

The 36th State Senate District includes all of Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan. Frantz and Bergstein are to meet twice more, once at a debate in New Canaan on Oct. 22 and also at a candidate forum in North Stamford on Oct. 16.

I very much look forward to the upcoming debates and welcome my opponent to the race, Frantz said. Debates are always important in getting the message out to folks either directly or indirectly and in highlighting the differences in candidate positions on the issues.

Bergstein said it would be a great chance for the voters to learn their views and see first-hand the difference between the candidates.

Ive spoken with thousands of voters, Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated, and they are united in their concern for Connecticuts fiscal health and the encroachments on our rights and values from the Trump administration, Bergstein said.

Members of the public will have the chance to submit written questions for the candidates to answer. Each question will be reviewed by the leagues bipartisan screening committee for relevance to the race and to avoid duplication with other questions.

The league will publish its voters guide online on Oct. 15, and a print version of the guide will be available in the Nov. 1 edition of Greenwich Time.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.comRif protest leader Zefzafi finalist for Sakharov prize Moroccan activist serving 20-year prison sentence

(ANSAmed) - RABAT, SEPTEMBER 17 - Nasser Zefzafi, who led protests in northern Morocco, is among the candidates for the 2018 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. A group of European MPs nominated the founder of the Hirak movement as an advocate of rights for the people living in Rif, traditionally the country's most rebellious region. Zefzafi was also among the finalists for the 2017 prize, when protests were still going strong in that part of Morocco.



He led a revolt that began in October 2016, after a fish seller was crushed to death by a rubbish truck that was destroying his confiscated merchandise.



Indignation over the fishmonger's death was high across Morocco, but especially in the province of Al Hoceima, which was the focus of numerous development projects that never came to fruition.



An estimated 400 activists and protesters were arrested between 2016 and 2017.



Following Zefzafi's sentencing on June 26, which many judged to be too harsh, new demonstrations broke out across the country.



On August 21 during the Festival of Sacrifice, King Mohammed VI pardoned 184 of those convicted, but Zefzafi was not among those granted a pardon.(ANSAmed).



This is a great American success story about two childhood friends who had a vision, then realized their goals by implementing old-fashioned hard work and persistence with amazing business strategies.

Ashley Morris fell in love with a cheesesteak from Capriotti's Sandwich Shop while in college at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). Morris worked his way up from bank teller to a top-performing broker at Wells Fargo, and by 23, he was one of the youngest portfolio managers with a successful and thriving book of business.

But, he couldnt stop thinking about those amazing cheesesteaks.

Morris kept telling his buddy and college roommate, Jason Smylie, about the shop. Then, Smylie also fell in love with Capriottis. The roommates even broke the lease on their apartment just so they could move within walking distance. Morris realized that his passion was the sandwich shop, not the banking business.

Morris and Smylie watched Capriottis Sandwiches start to grow as a franchise model, and they couldnt wait to jump in. They purchased their first franchise in 2005 and built out their very own store. Soon after, they bought an existing store and then built out their third new location. At that time the system had 36 locations mostly in Nevada and Delaware.

Related: How These Franchisees Keep Their Young Workforce Motivated

After a few years as successful store operators, Morris and Smylie decided that they wanted to take Capriottis to the next level. They purchased the franchisor in 2008. At the time of the purchase, Capriottis Sandwich Shop had 40 stores in seven states. The system had very little infrastructure, a very basic operation manual and a need for some new systems and strategies.

Morris and Smylie invested internally for the first five years to build out their systems, technologies and especially the leadership team, to prepare the brand for growth. During this phase Morris, said they read all of the business books they could get their hands on. They especially found impactful strategies in Traction by Gino Wickman. He said they implemented these strategies at both the franchisor and franchisee levels and this helped them transform their company.

Morris, now 37, mentioned in an interview that he and Smylie are committed to bringing younger blood into the franchise business. They have been presenting to UNLV entrepreneur classes for the past five years, and they understand the importance of recruiting millennial franchise operators and employees to grow.

The company currently has 35 corporate employees and 200 store-level staff working in 10 corporate stores.

I asked Morris about Capriotti's secret to hiring. He said it focuses on building the best company culture and the strong culture attracts the best talent. They challenge team members to make sure they align with the company values. He said, It is simple really, we communicate our culture and values with passion and choose the team members that are the best fit.

Related: 30 Questions You Should Ask Before You Invest in a Franchise

Morris and Smylie have been friends since they were eight years old, and now they work together to build Capriottis Sandwiches across the country. Morris is the CEO, focusing on the overall company strategy, and Smylie handles the day-to-day operations as the company president. Many people have warned them that mixing friendship with business is a recipe for disaster, but they have figured out how to have a strong working relationship and still maintain their friendship.

I asked Morris to share the secret to keeping their friendship and partnership alive. He said they follow a few rules to avoid problems. The first is to have very clear rules, roles and responsibilities. This reduces misunderstandings and keeps expectations in check. The next is a good lesson for all partners. He said you have to have a tiebreaker. The old 50/50 model creates stalemates that can stop forward progress. Lastly, they have an exit plan.

Capriottis Sandwiches now has over 100 units and more than 100 other units in development. Their goal is to have 500 profitable, open units by 2025.

Related:

These Roommates Changed Their Lives for a Sandwich -- and Built a Franchise Empire

Want to Buy a Franchise? Here's Your Step By Step Guide

How You Can Avoid Being a Victim of Franchise Fraud



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedSTAMFORD  In just one year, Candace Owens has exploded from a novice Youtube vlogger to a rising conservative voice on college campuses and Fox News, earning praise from Kanye West and a meeting with President Donald Trump.

Owens, who is African American, has built her national media presence praising Trump as the best president for Black America and dismissing the Black Lives Matter movement, as a group pretending to be oppressed.

She opposes abortion and advocates for the end of welfare, although she says she has family on it. She decries police brutality as a myth invented by Democrats to manipulate black minds on Twitter, where she takes her message directly to the people.

A big part of my mission is exposing the media for what it is, which is just a massive propaganda machine, she said last week.

As communications director for the national conservative group Turning Point USA, Owens, 29, commands the spotlight  not for the first time.

In 2007, Owens, a senior at Stamford High School, made headlines for a very different reason: she was the victim of an alleged racial hate crime, which, peripherally, involved the son of Democrat Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, then-mayor of Stamford.

The incident set off a chain of events that, she said, eventually sparked her political ideology. Two years ago, Owens wouldnt even have called herself a conservative.

Early media glare

The voicemails left on Owenss phone by four boys in a car altered her life, Owens says.

They started off by telling me that they were going to kill me just because I was black, Owens wrote in a 2016 op-ed published in Hearst Connecticut Media. They warned me that if they found me at home, they were going to unload a bullet into the back of my head.

Owens told the principal and the story spread quickly to state and national media, especially when Malloy acknowledged that his son was in the car.

The NAACP held press conferences with Owens. Police and FBI investigated the incident and one seventeen-year-old boy, who Owens says was a friend of hers, was arrested.

Owenss family sued the Stamford Board of Education for failing to protect her and won a $37,500 settlement.

If I was a leftist or if I was a true Democrat, I would relish in victimhood. I would love that. I would say Im black, Im a woman, I cant do anything and its all your fault. That situation in high school would be the pinnacle of my life, she said. But I hated it. I cowed away from it. It ate me alive because I felt there was permanence in what was said about me.

In response to Owenss experience in high school, she decided to launch an anti-cyberbullying website - essentially a searchable database of offensive speech found on social media. She launched a Kickstarter to fund the effort and received a flood of criticism in response. She somehow jumped to the conclusion that liberals posing as Trump supporters online were behind the attacks because they did not want her to unmask them, Owens said.

This experience was Owenss red pill - or conservative awakening, a la The Matrix.

She devoted the next year to re-educating herself. She read works by Ann Coulter, Milo Yiannopoulos, Ben Carson and Thomas Sowell.

She dropped out of the University of Rhode Island in her junior year, and went on to educate herself. She read works by Ann Coulter, Milo Yiannopoulos, Ben Carson and Thomas Sowell.

Now 29, no one would dare mistake Owens for a victim.

In her first Youtube video posted in August 2017, Owens came out as a conservative.

In the parody video, Owenss parents - played by Owens - are accepting when she says she is a lesbian (she is not), but appalled that she is a conservative. In real life, Owens and her parents did not have a sit-down about her new ideology, Owens said.

I was not surprised, said Robert Owens, Candaces father who now lives in Arizona. We don't agree on some issues, which I care not to mention, but I will say I support her in bringing both sides to the table; Democrats should not assume they have our vote because we are African Americans and Republicans should not ignore African Americans because they assume we are going to vote Democrat.

A knack for controversy

She followed her first videos with others controversially titled I dont care about Charlottesville, the KKK or White Supremacy, How to escape the Democrat Plantation and Nobody Likes Feminism: thats what happened, Hillary.

Owens was quickly tapped by Turning Point USA, which promotes conservatism on college campuses, to be their director of urban engagement. She was soon promoted to communications director, and has made more than 20 appearances on Fox News and MSNBC.

In April 2018, rapper Kanye West tweeted I love the way Candace Owens thinks, boosting her profile higher. In May, Trump tweeted she was having a big impact on politics and represents an ever expanding group of very smart thinkers.

Owens had a 20-minute meeting with the president in the Oval Office later that month. They discussed prison reform, she said.

There is something about Kanye and there is something about Candace and there is something about President Trump that connects us, she said.

Promoting conservatism around the country, Owens rarely has time for stops in Connecticut, which called a light blue state. In an interview in the Greenwich home of a woman she met at a conservative conference, Owens peered out the window and wondered if the rain would cancel her flights to Arizona and Illinois the next day.

Owens, who will publish an autobiography next year, still keeps in touch with some of her teachers and friends from Stamford High, she said. Still not everyone embraces her new politics, she knows.

Scot Esdaile, president of the Connecticut NAACP who helped Owens in Stamford in 2007, declined to comment on her political evolution, except to say: It's a sad situation, and I will continue to pray for her and her family!

But in an April interview with the website mic.com, Esdaile was far more critical of Owens.

Its the same type of thing [Supreme Court Justice] Clarence Thomas did, he said. [Thomas] reaped all the benefits of affirmative action and then tried to roll over on it. Its that kind of mentality and disrespect.

Owens, who now lives in Philadelphia, shrugs her shoulders at the local reaction.

You cant be a prophet in your own town, she said, paraphrasing the Bible.Samsung is celebrating ten years of Galaxy S flagships next year and the company is planning a new anniversary smartphone to mark the occassion. At first, we heard about a trio of new phones with up to three cameras at the rear, and later we had a confirmation from DJ Koh, the Mobile Division CEO that none of them would be foldable - this will be an entirely different smartphone.

The mobile chief has now added a few more details to the picture, saying that the Galaxy S10 will arrive with a significant change in appearance and there will be more intriguing color options.

The source does not reveal much more, but he is credible enough to trust him. If the Galaxy S10 will indeed have a new look, it means the edge-to-edge Infinity Display with curved edges will go away and make room for something even more impressive (hopefully).

Rumors about Samsung flagships arriving with fingerprint scanners under the OLED have been surfacing for the last two-three years, but now the info looks plausible, given that even midrangers sporting the tech are available.

Latest info from Korean sources is the biometric scanning technology would replace the Iris Scanner and might bring 3D face recognition to complement the fingerprint.

Speaking of colors, Samsung Galaxy S9 was first introduced in Black, Blue, Gray, and Lilac Purple, but later was joined by Burgundy Red and Sunrise Gold. Metallic Copper arrived with the Galaxy Note9, and we can wholeheartedly hope for a Forest Green shade or a gradient option that is now so popular across Chinese manufacturers.

Source (in Chinese)Xiaomi's sub-brand Huami unveiled a new round smartwatch  the Amazfit Verge. It promises 5 days of battery life with continuous heart rate tracking and even occasional GPS use (GLONASS is supported too). Theres NFC as well, which can be used as a bus pass and with AliPay in China

The watch is built around a 1.3 AMOLED display (360 x 360px) covered with Gorilla Glass 3. The body measures 12.6mm thick and weighs 46g. It is IP68 waterproof, which is okay for showering with the watch, but not for swimming.



NFC for payments and bus passes  Heart rate and exercise tracking

The Amazfit Verge runs a proprietary OS, despite its capable hardware  dual core processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB storage (1.9GB user available).

Theres a built-in microphone and a loudspeaker so you can use the watch to accept incoming calls on your phone. Theres also the Xiao digital assistant, which can answer your questions.



Loudspeaker for calls and asking the Xiao assistant  Three color options

This Amazfit watch also integrates with the Mijia ecosystem of smart home gadgets: you can control the Yi lights, wall sockets, air conditioners, smart robots and rice cookers.

The Huami Amazfit Verge will be available in three colors starting today. You can find it on JD.com and Tmall for CNY 800 ($115/100).

Source (in Chinese)Published on 2018/09/16 | Source

"My Only One" came in first during its first weekend.

Advertisement

According to Nielsen Korea nationwide, KBS 2TV drama "My Only One" rated 22.8% and 25.6% for its second two episodes.

This is 1.6% and 1.3% more than the previous episodes of 21.2% and 24.3%.

Kim Do-ran (UEE) was shocked to hear the secret of her birth and ran out of the house. Kim Dong-cheol (Lee Doo-il) chased after her and was killed by a motorcycle. Kim Dong-cheol's death made So Yang-ja (Im Ye-jin) angry and Kim Do-ran was kicked out of the house.

MBC "Wealthy Son" rated 5.1%, 8.8%, 8.6% and 9.9%.A county board and audience members talked about an issue that has arisen several times in county meetings in the last year-and-a-half  public involvement in county meetings.

In a nearly two-hour meeting last week, the Hill County Park Board and audience members spent more time talking about how to discuss and vote on matters than it did on actual agenda item discussions and votes.

Audience member Blanche Kellam told the board that when she bought a cabin in Beaver Creek Park, she started coming to park board meetings. She said that, as a seven-year member of the Chinook Public School Board, she learned something about how public meetings should be conducted.

I was truly shocked at the lack of structure and proper procedure during the (park board) meetings, Kellam said.

She added that people just want the board to act in the public interest and to allow public participation, not to take aim at any particular board member.

Its not that were here to pick on anybody, she said.

Issues of public information and public meeting procedures have arisen several times in the past year.

The Great Northern Fair Board last year voted to hire a fairgrounds manager without notifying the public it was going to vote. After an article was published saying that it violated Montana open meeting laws, the board scheduled the issue on a published agenda and voted again.

Earlier this year, the Hill County Commission discussed or held votes on several issues including eliminating the fairgrounds manager and revising the staffing at the Hill County Attorneys Office, the Hill County Justice of the Peace Office and the Hill County Treasurers Office without listing those specific issues on its agenda. The commission said general listings in its business meeting like Resolutions and Employment Review covered those items.

In recent weeks, the commission has started sending listings of specific items in its weekly business meetings to the Havre Daily News to be published in the meeting agenda.

Conflicts of interest

In last weeks Park Board meeting, the board discussion started with an agenda item requested by board member and Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson, for Lou Hagener to discuss conflicts of interest on the board.

Hagener told the board that although he has been bringing up the issue of potential conflicts of interest to the board, he is being singled out on the issue when many people have concerns about it.

He said Hill County has a truly unique resource in the 10,000 acre Beaver Creek Park in the Bear Paw Mountains and it needs to be managed for the benefit of the park and the county residents.

I am frustrated and disappointed with the park board and commissioners as many county citizens are, Hagener said. A lot of people wont speak up because they dont know how, fear reprisal, and believe the process is rigged and pre-decided.

Hagener said some board members wont talk to members of the public who have concerns or comments, wont do the research needed and dont act in the best interests of the park.

What do you expect? Hagener asked.

He thanked board members who are listening, reading, returning calls and emails, are doing the research and are willing to meet people.

He said he makes no apologies to board members who have not acted in the interests of the park and have gone so far as to hurt our park to the benefit of the select few.

Hagener said that under Montana Code Annotated, it is illegal to have conflict of interest for members of the board, although Todd Hanson did submit a letter with some ideas how to work around the conflicts in specific instances.

It is still illegal, Hagener said.

He added that the park board needs to act in the interests of the park every time. If anyone is acting in their own interests or for the benefit of someone else instead of in the interests of the park, they should not be on the board.

The example that managed grazing could be used to help the ecology of the park, but any suggestion to change how grazing is handled is immediately quashed.

He said the same is true of haying  every year haying done on the park increases damage to the land, but suggestions to change it are ignored.

He said while managed grazing could be a good tool to help the ecology, as it stands now it is a good tool to spread weeds.

Audience member Lowell Alcock said an example of conflict of interest was when board member Tony Reum, who was acting as chair during the May board meeting, made a motion  when under parliamentary rules chairs do not make a motion  that hay rates should not be as high as recommended by a committee.

Alcock said the issue was not on the agenda, so should not have been discussed at all, the chair should not have made a motion and a rancher should not have made a motion on grazing rates.

Board member and Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean said the issue of grazing rates had been on the previous months agenda and had been tabled until the May meeting.

Alcock said the same thing happened in this months meeting when the board voted on using Hill County Conservation District funds given to the board for East Fork Fire expenses when spending those funds was not on the agenda.

McLean said discussion of the conservation district funds was on the agenda for this months meeting.

Alcock had earlier told the board, when it discussed adding an item to the agenda, that it was not supposed to discuss or vote on items that were not on the published agenda and that members of the public were not aware of.

Board Chair Steve Mariani said the board wants to work to resolve these issues.

I think were trying to move in a right direction, he said.

Mariani said that, as Hanson wrote in his letter, this issue arises many times in Montana. He said he, as a cabin owner, is willing to abstain on any vote involving cabins. He said he has discussed that with board members and ranchers Reum and Larry Kinsella, if they were willing to do the same on grazing issues.

Board protecting itself

Kellam said that should be the case in any conflict of interest, for the public interest and for the board itself. She listed a case where a school board allowed a vote with conflict of interest and that vote was taken to the Supreme Court, which overturned the board decision.

Its not a pick-on thing, its a law and its a law there to protect the citizens with the right to speak and to protect the board in future litigation, she said.

She said the issue of following public meeting procedures is needed to allow people to participate in the procedure.

It appears to me that some of us who speak up have become persona non grata with the individuals on the park board, she said. This is very disheartening to me because I personally come to the meetings to be informed and, at times, to offer an opinion; most often in hopes of being helpful but at times because I truly disagree with the board.

That being said, I sincerely hope that we can move forward, agreeing and disagreeing while respecting each others opinions and work together to do what is best for all who use the parks in Hill County, she added.

Kellam also addressed an item on the agenda raised by Peterson. Peterson had sent letters to the Beaver Creek Park cabin owners and to the Friends of Beaver Creek Park saying they should follow state public meeting requirements.

Kellam said because the cabin owners, as per their lease with the park, do not have any regulatory authority and are not supported by or expending public funds  the definition under Montana Law as to what bodies the law applies to  they are not required to follow Montanas open meeting laws.

Rose Cloninger, one of the cabin owners who was at the board meeting, asked Peterson why he wanted the group to follow the public meeting laws.

He said he wants to sometimes attend their meetings, and has gone to some when no one showed up.

Cloninger said the group meets the last Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Havre High School library and anyone is welcome to attend. She said sometimes the group doesnt meet in the winter, and she sends out notice if that is true.

Several people on the board and in the audience talked about using committees, which the board has created, to address issues.

Board member Renelle Braaten said, as she has in the past, the board needs to create a natural resources committee and said last week it should make Hagener the chair of that committee.

Hagener said the board already has created committees that have done some excellent work.

So lets let it work and respect their work and stop thumbing our noses at them, he said. If we spend as much time cooperating and trying to fix problems and resolve issues and create the future we need and want instead of arguing and trying to get our own way  things would work.

We need to stop politics and move to looking after our parks and the whole of the citizens, Hagener added. If we dont, we are no better than our U.S. Congress and demonstrating that local government is no better than higher government control and may even be worse.Scholarships available

Press release

The Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras has invited all Montana musicians, ages 13 to 22 who play any of the standard orchestral instruments, to apply for its biennial Young Artists Competition, to be held Saturday, Jan. 12, in Bozeman.

Applications for the MASO Young Artists Competition can be downloaded from the MASO website at http://www.montanasymphonies.org and must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, Nov. 21, for this statewide competition.

The MASO Young Artists Competition has a great tradition of identifying and presenting some of the most talented musicians in our state, said Gordon Johnson, coordinator of the Young Artists Competition. Its a tremendous opportunity for young musicians to participate in the thrill of competition and to ultimately have the chance to play with a professional symphony orchestra. Its the opportunity of a lifetime  I strongly encourage all the young artists to apply.

In addition to an opportunity to perform with a Montana symphony orchestra, winners of each division win a cash scholarship: junior, ages 13-15, $450; senior, age 16 through high school graduate, $650; and college, post high school through age 22, $1,000. Participating orchestras include the Glacier Symphony, Billings Symphony, Bozeman Symphony, Butte Symphony, Great Falls Symphony and Helena Symphony.

Once jurors have screened the applications, finalists are invited to perform in person Jan. 12 on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman. The public is invited to watch the musicians compete.

The Young Artists Competition, which recognizes and nurtures talented young Montana musicians, is made possible, in part, through a legislative grant from Montanas Cultural Trust and grants from the Montana Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information on the MASO Young Artists Competition, call the Competition Coordinator at 406-788-4395.

The Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras was formed in 1981 by steering committee composed of representatives from six symphonies, from Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula. Glacier Symphony and Chorale from Kalispell joined in 1984 followed by Miles City Community Orchestra in 1985. MASOs mission is to promote, encourage and assist in the maintenance and development of quality musical programs throughout the state of Montana.

MASO is a statewide coalition of seven orchestras, each with up to four members on the board of directors which meets at least two times each year. A separate planning meeting of music directors from each symphony also takes place once every year. An associate membership level provides some benefits for small orchestras, but does not require attendance at meetings.

Since its inception, MASO has established a number of mission-related programs to promote the exchange of ideas and resources among its member organizations and to encourage and develop music programs, careers and education services.After college, Mike turned down a six-figure job at Microsoft to work as an engineer alongside Elon Musk, helping him build his first internet company, Zip2. From there, Mikes successes grew and grew  culminating in his foray into the world of employee benefits.

We picked his brains over what he believes the future of perks will look like.

I envision a future where health is highly personalized and focused on always-on prevention, he told us. We spend $4 trillion on healthcare, but just a fraction of that goes towards preventative care and the health insurance industry is stuck in the stone age, comprised of one-size-fits-none options; according to The Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey 2016, these models, established in a post-WWII era, will satisfy less than 20% of people by 2025.

Netflix, iTunes, Google alerts - in a world where we can individualize every aspect of our lives, it stands to reason well want to personalize our benefits plans. Mike thinks companies should be offering an experience that really supports proactive wellness by placing the control in the hands of the employee.

The benefits experience has changed because of the flexibility, personalization, and always-on trends we are used to seeing as consumers, he continued.A Ryanair passenger travelling from Ibiza to Madrid recorded the incident on camera and immediately informed airline staff.

The baggage handler, who started working at the airport only three days prior, admitted to taking the item  a red speaker that belonged to a teenage boy. The item was returned to the owner.

I was very grateful because I had bought it for my sons birthday, the mother of the teenage boy told the press.

The airport worker has been dismissed from his job and now awaits trial over the alleged theft.

While stories of lost or stolen luggage are rampant and most major airports have their own share of horror stories, airline companies say they do not have official statistics on airport baggage theft since most cases go unreported.Peter Brazil (39) already had 271 convictions when he carried out the theft in west Dublin.. Stock photo: Niall Carson/PA

A man who stole 31 gas cylinders from a filling station has been jailed for nine months.

Peter Brazil (39) already had 271 convictions when he carried out the theft in west Dublin.

He was also fined 500 and banned from driving for two years for dangerous driving in a separate incident.

Father-of-two Brazil, of Oatfield Drive, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to both charges.

Blanchardstown District Court heard he drove into the forecourt at Texaco, Ninth Lock Road, last December 4.

He took 31 gas cylinders worth 1,085 and left with them, but was later identified.

When he was questioned by gardai he made no admissions.

In another incident in Clondalkin, gardai saw the accused driving down a road in the opposite direction.

Speed

They stopped him and were speaking to him when he took off at excess speed, the court heard.

He crossed the white line, causing other cars to move out of the way, and sped over speed ramps and through red lights at a junction.

He abandoned the vehicle in a housing estate.

The court heard Brazil had 271 convictions, 198 of which were for motoring offences and 41 for theft.

He had "never had a chance in life" and had been a chronic drug user from the age of 13, his barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin said.

He had lost both his parents two years ago within three weeks of each other at Christmas time.

Judge David McHugh made the nine-month sentence consecutive to a jail term Brazil was already serving.

He said he believed a consecutive term was appropriate.Wayne Locke is charged with assault and criminal damage

A man smashed the front door and window of his partner's home and injured her by slapping her on the head, it has been alleged.

Wayne Locke (37) had the case against him adjourned when he appeared before Blanchardstown District Court.

Mr Locke, of Ramilies Road, Ballyfermot, is charged with assault causing harm to a woman and criminal damage.

The offences are alleged to have happened at a house it St John's Crescent, Clondalkin, last May 19.

In the case of the damage that was allegedly caused, Gda Patrick Fallon said the value was below the 7,000 threshold.

Judge McHugh asked for an outline of the allegations so he could consider whether to accept jurisdiction.

Gda Fallon said he went to the address after receiving a 999 call on the night in question.

Smashed

When gardai got there, they saw the front window and door had been smashed and a woman at the address complained she had been assaulted by the accused, with whom she was living.

Judge McHugh asked the garda if he had any information about the injuries sustained by the woman, allegedly at the accused's hands.

The garda said there was no medical report in court.

Judge McHugh asked him what the extent of the injuries were, according to the prosecution.

"It was a slap to the head," the officer said.

Judge McHugh said he was accepting jurisdiction to deal with the case at district court level, based on what he had heard in evidence.

He ordered disclosure of prosecution statements to the defence and adjourned the case until a date to be set next month.

The defendant, who has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges, did not address the court during the brief hearing.

Judge McHugh remanded him in custody on continuing bail.Mr Gannon, of Clondalkin, is charged with the possession of cocaine for saleor supply. (stock photo)

Prosecutors have been given more time to prepare their case against a man charged in connection with a 1.4m drugs haul in west Dublin.

James Gannon (31), who is facing cocaine and cannabis dealing charges, had the case against him further adjourned at Blanchardstown District Court.

Mr Gannon, of St Mark's Drive, Clondalkin, is charged with the poss- ession of cocaine for sale or supply at Lidl, Bally- owen Castle, Lucan, last March 22.

Bail

The accused is also charged with possession of cannabis with intent to sell or supply at Citywest Storage, Tallaght, on the same date, as well as related charges of simple possession of both drugs.

The case was before the court for the directions of the DPP.

A garda said the directions were not available yet and asked Judge David McHugh for an adjournment.

Judge McHugh put the case back to December 6 and remanded the defendant on continuing bail.

The accused has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges.The son of prison officer Brian Stack, who was murdered by the IRA, has said Sinn Fein's presidential candidate is unsuitable to represent Ireland on the international stage after she disagreed with describing IRA atrocities as terrorist attacks.

Ireland South MEP Liadh Ni Riada was unveiled yesterday as Sinn Fein's candidate.

Following the announcement, she promptly refused to take questions from the media gathered for her campaign launch.

Austin Stack's father died in hospital 18 months after he was shot in the neck by members of the Provisional IRA in 1983.

Mr Stack said the MEP's remarks about IRA atrocities and her membership of Sinn Fein made her entirely unsuitable for the role of president.

Ms Ni Riada previously caused controversy when she declined to call the IRA terrorists during an interview with Hot Press magazine.

She made headlines last year after saying she was "uncomfortable" with using the word terrorism to describe IRA atrocities such as Bloody Friday, the Warrington bomb and the Birmingham pub bombings.

Speaking last night, Mr Stack urged people to challenge Ms Ni Riada on the campaign.

"My dad was shot in the back of the head in a Dublin street," he said. "It can only be termed as terrorism. He wasn't involved in any conflict."

Mr Stack stressed that Ms Ni Riada's position and Sinn Fein's political ideology conflict with the role of president.

"If she wants to be president, she has to be commander-in-chief of the armed forces," Mr Stack said.

"Sinn Fein are opposed to the use of the Special Criminal Court in the Republic.

"She's unsuitable to represent the country on an international stage.

Challenge

"She's entitled to run, but I would call on all right-thinking people to challenge her on the hustings. I certainly have no difficulties challenging her personally."

Speaking at her campaign launch, which was attended by Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Ms Ni Riada said she will celebrate employers who pay fair wages.

She also said she would, if necessary, use the presidential powers to address the Oireachtas, and pledged to be an "energetic president" and that she would reach out to the Irish diaspora.ThIs is the first picture of gangland killer Brian Kenny as he enjoys a taste of freedom during a visit to Tallaght Hospital.

Kenny, who has repeatedly applied for parole in the hope of being released, was jailed for life for the murder of Jonathan O'Reilly in 2004.

He was pictured by the Sunday World as he was taken to Tallaght Hospital in handcuffs for a scheduled appointment last week.

He spent a number of hours there and smiled and joked as he was led back to prison.

Kenny, who is under investigation for a sinister attack on a young man, and his accomplice Thomas Hinchon have served 13 years of their life sentences.

They were banged up after evidence was given by state witness Joseph O'Callaghan.

The families of victim Mr O'Reilly and Mr O'Callaghan - who was forced on to the Witness Protection Programme and now lives outside Ireland - have strongly objected to their bids for freedom.

Some years ago, the Irish Prison Service found itself at the centre of a huge controversy when it emerged that psycho Kenny had been given preferential treatment behind bars and had been allowed out on a number of visits to his family in Co Louth. Despite being granted day release, neither his victim's family nor Mr O'Callaghan were informed.

Burn

Kenny and Hinchon got life sentences in 2005, and both were also found guilty of threatening to kill Mr O'Callaghan.

The teenager was living with Kenny and his partner at the time of the murder.

He told a court that the pair arrived back at Kenny's Finglas home and told him they had shot Mr O'Reilly (25) outside Cloverhill Prison.

He said Kenny then asked him to bury the gun and burn the clothes that he and Hinchon had worn.

During the trial, Mr Justice Michael Peart said the murder was "as cold, calculated and premeditated a slaying of a young man as can be imagined".

The Central Criminal Court heard Mr O'Reilly was shot outside the prison as he sat in a car.

A motorbike pulled up and a number of shots were fired.

Kenny modelled himself on TV gangster Tony Soprano, according to his former partner Rita Harling, who wrote a book that was published after he was jailed.All gave some; some gave all. Here's how to honor veterans this yearIn all the blather from politicians and media personalities following Israels indecisive election, it is possible to see two ideas that might provide a map to the countrys future.

One is the equalizing of the burdens between the haredim and the rest of us. Prominent in the explanation of Yair Lapids 19 Knesset seat victory are the mass demonstrations that occurred during the summer of 2011. That was hardly a united movement. Chants and signs demanded too great a variety of injustices to be corrected.

What was clear, however, was that there were few if any haredim among the marchers. Lapids campaign, especially since the election, has emphasized the injustice of the haredi freedom from military or national service, as well as the substantial sums going to a population that is not working and paying taxes.

The haredim are not living high on the hog. The payments made to families via several sources, not all of them transparent, provide a bare minimum, in crowded, unaesthetic neighborhoods, small flats, and lots of children. In total, however, a lot of money goes to a growing population that is arrogant in claiming to preserve the society through prayer and the study of archaic texts that do not hold the keys to current problems.

The other idea has been given a boost by two individuals of high prestige, well placed in the military and Likud establishments. One is General Yaakov Amidror, currently serving as National Security Adviser, who went public with the warning that construction in West Bank settlements is losing Israel the support of its most important friends.

Its impossible to explain the issue of settlement construction anyplace in the world. . . . Its impossible to explain this matter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel or even to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Construction in the settlements has become a diplomatic problem and is causing Israel to lose support even among its friends in the West.

Such comments have not ended Amidrors career. Currently he is engaged, along with Americans, in arranging the upcoming visit of President Obama. Prime Minister Netanyahu has chosen to confirm that Amidror said something like the media is reporting, without extensive comment.

On the same wave is Dan Meridor, a second generation member of the Likud elite, at various times Knesset Member and holder of ministerial portfolios. He is widely respected for his thoughtful opinions despite having lost a seat in the Knesset due to the right wing onslaught in the primaries that also unseated other Likud moderates. Meridor has come out against further construction in the West Bank, outside of the major settlement blocs. He would continue building in neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and in settlements that Israel is bound to maintain, but cease further construction in the scattered settlements that are least defensible politically, and provide no tangible benefits to Israel.

Meridor is far from certain that his idea will produce any response from the Palestinians. He is doubtful that a Netanyahu government will offer Abbas anything moreor even as muchas Abbas rejected in 2009. He also suggests that the Palestinians may not be willing to accept anything an Israeli government can offer. His eyes are on international politics beyond the Palestinians, and what Israel should do in order to support a reasonable and defensible strategy in the presence of Arab hostility.

Neither the Lapid nor the Amidror-Meridor ideas may survive the current maneuvering toward an Israeli government. If Netanyahu chooses the easy road of coalescing with the haredim and enough hangers-on to give him a bare majority, the secular middle of Israel can forget about equalizing the burdens between the haredim and themselves. And if Netanyahu includes Jewish Home in his coalition, Israelis concerned about an international initiative can forget about a moderate settlement policy.

On the other hand, Netanyahu is a four-star politician, skilled in finding the wind and sailing accordingly. Among the reasonable guesses is a large government with Lapid, Jewish Home and the haredim, but with commitments to reducing the benefits of the haredim and making an effort at talking with the Palestinians. It is possible to see an implementation of something that Amidror and Meridor could sell to Europeans and Americans.

And if not, one can imagine pressure building, Lapid on the outside making an issue of the haredim, along with international pressure against settlements that combine to increase the tension on Netanyahu and shorten the life of his government. Lapid has threatened that he will be the next prime minister if he must serve as leader of the opposition.

Likudniks have ridiculed him as a freshman politician who has jumped higher than his pupik. So far Lapid appears to be holding firm to his demands that the price of joining the government is serious action to reduce the benefits of the haredim. He would be a formidable annoyance if not in the government. Netanyahu wants him on the inside. Perhaps Bibi is thinking of LBJs comment about a problematic antagonist (J. Edgar Hoover), Its probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.

Netanyahu also wants the haredim inside his tent, for pretty much the same reason.

There is no simple solution either for the haredim or the Palestinians. Even an aggressive effort could not bring the haredim into the economic mainstream in less than a generation. Most of the men have no education that would help them find productive employment. Most of those over the age of 30 already have lots of kids and may be too set in their routines to expect serious training for secular employment. Too great and too quick a reduction in their benefits could cost more in the budget supplements necessary for welfare and the police than is saved from direct payments to the haredim and their academies.

Also a possibility, and consistent with Netanyahus skills and previous practice, is to include all of the above in his tent, on the basis of promises that he keeps in small part, if at all. If that happens, and Lapid quits in frustration part way through the governments tenure, he will have tarnished his reputation and join the substantial club of promising Israeli centrists who tried, failed, and retired early from any aspiration to leadership.

There are lots of possibilities. A wise observer should avoid predictions.

Ira Sharkansky is professor emeritus, Department of Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.2015 was the last year that Temple B'nai Brith families were allowed to use bread at the traditional tashlich ceremony at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse in Somerville, Mass.

SOMERVILLE, Mass. (JTA)-On the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz led her congregation on a walk to the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse on the Mystic River for tashlich, a centuries-old ritual when Jews symbolically discard their sins from the past year into a moving body of water.

But instead of the customary bits of stale bread, breadcrumbs or even bits of matzah saved from last Passover, congregants tossed small pebbles.

Members of Temple B'nai Brith, a non-affiliated congregation in this Boston suburb with historic ties to the Conservative movement, have likely been tossing bits of bread into the Mystic during tashlich for well over a century.

The congregation, which has been this reporter's Jewish home for more than a quarter-century, was founded in 1904 by immigrants from Eastern Europe who settled in Somerville's Winter Hill neighborhood, less than one mile uphill from the river.

The recent shift in the tashlich practice from bread to pebbles follows the city's new environmentally friendly rules that no longer allow bread to be tossed into the river, a measure to protect river wildlife and address other concerns.

"Yes, our congregation is environmentally conscious and this was an appealing reason [to change] something we care about on a social justice level," Jacobowitz said.

The challenge of creating an environmentally friendly tashlich is emerging beyond this city. An article in Reform Judaism magazine last year highlighted newer practices, including one congregation in Ontario using untreated wood chips instead of bread.

Whatever they use, congregants aren't meant to think that the ritual is a substitute for the hard work of teshuvah, or repentance, which extends from Rosh Hashanah (it starts this year on Sunday night) to Yom Kippur (Sept. 18-19).

In Somerville, the subject was first raised three years ago when its Parks and Recreation Department notified the synagogue that tossing bread violated guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency and local efforts to protect the environment. The city said feeding wildlife is harmful to their nutrition, leads to poor water quality and disrupts the ecosystem.

In addition to the potential harm to birds, feeding animals brought "an unintended invitation for animals around the boathouse, including issues with geese on the docks," Jill Lathan, the Parks and Recreation director, wrote in a recent email to JTA.

At the time, efforts to clean up the river from decades of relentless pollution from industry, development and storm drainage were paying off. In 2017, the river scored an A-minus for water quality from the EPA, up from a D 11 years earlier. The success story was the result of years of collaboration between Somerville and other local communities, the EPA, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the nonprofit Mystic River Watershed Association.

The 7-mile-long Mystic River flows through 22 towns just north and west of Boston. From Somerville, it goes downstream through the Amelia Earhart dam through Everett, Charlestown and into Boston Harbor.

The appropriately named Blessing of the Bay boathouse where Temple B'nai Brith holds tashlich services is named after a 17th-century wooden ship, the first oceangoing vessel built in Massachusetts, according to the Mystic River Association.

In September 2015, before the start of the High Holidays, the city granted a one-year waiver to the synagogue, acknowledging its longstanding tradition of using bread during the tashlich ceremony. The congregation assured the city that it would educate members about the issue and evaluate environmentally acceptable options ranging from birdseed to earthworms to small pebbles.

After some rabbinical consideration, Jacobowitz concluded that for tashlich, small pebbles had greater resonance than birdseed. Pebbles will sink to the bottom of the river, an echo of the last verses of the prophet Micah (7:19), that is the textual basis for the tashlich ritual, she explained: "God will take us back in love; God will cover up our iniquities. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

The change brought mixed emotions.

"There was a bit of communal grief," acknowledged Jacobowitz, who was ordained in 2010 at the pluralistic Hebrew College rabbinical school.

Many people had a strong attachment to the bread tossing, she said, and a few synagogue members have a tradition of saving bits of matzah from Passover for tashlich.

"There was this element of planning" long in advance, the rabbi said.

In a touch of irony, Jacobowitz pointed out that in her native Israel, bread is not used during tashlich. She said Israelis more commonly stroll to the sea or other body of water and turn their empty pockets inside-out, reflecting the idea that "you are not bringing your sins with you" into the new year.

As a resident of Somerville, Jacobowitz said the environmental improvements along the river in the past few years are noteworthy.

"It's lovely. The water is better," she said. Sometimes she visits the area to think about her High Holiday sermons and "I see that it is being transformed."

Amid the challenge to create an environmentally friendly tashlich, Jacobowitz has created a new tradition for Temple B'nai Brith's younger tashlich-goers: She brings a bed sheet to the river and invites them to write something that they are sorry for and hope to change in the new year. They use pens with ink that dissolves after 24 hours. She returns the sheet to the synagogue on Yom Kippur and the kids see that their regrets have disappeared.

"From the perspective of modeling what we want to see in the world, I do feel proud of our community for taking that step, especially in the [High Holiday] season when we are thinking of how we can do better in the world," Jacobowitz said.

After much reflection, the rabbi has concluded that "This is not about bread versus pebbles," but rather about exchanging a ritual that has content with another that is just as compelling. Over time, she anticipates the newer ritual will take hold in a meaningful way.

"It's about replacing the spiritual experience with another practice that will feel equally spiritual," she said.He was loved and respected...

I wrote briefly about the late Senator John McCain in last week's column when I first heard about his passing. (I write well in advance of publication). What I want to add is that he was a true hero and I want him to be remembered in history as Winston Churchill, Presidents Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, etc., are remembered. I want my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, etc., to learn about him. Though a life-long Republican, I still admired his service to our country and his honesty. I want him never to be forgotten.

Also, never to be forgotten by my family...

Cousin Alan Feinberg who died in the collapse of one of the Twin Towers in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He was a firefighter, a devoted husband, wonderful father and a hero!

A country full of Nazis and infidels?...

I read this recently in the World Jewish Congress (WJC) digest High Holiday edition:

"Ninety percent of Argentinian Jewish leaders, and 65 percent of Latin American Jewish leaders overall, fear their community could be targeted in another terrorist attack, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the Latin American Jewish Congress, a WJC affiliate.

Argentina has already suffered two terrorist attacks: in 1992 on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, which killed 29 and injured 242, and in 1994 on the AMIA Jewish Center in Buenos Aires, which killed 84 and injured more than 300."

And in spite of that disturbing news, I think I should bring you greetings from Ambassador RONALD S. LAUDER, president of WJC.

He wishes everyone "L'Shanah Tovah." And adds, "May the New Year bring you and your loved ones happiness, health and peace."

That is his wish for all the Jewish people around the world and he is hoping for a much better year as this one was marked by too much tragedy, violence, fear and continued uncertainty for the global Jewish community.

A Jewish Pavilion Mensch...

A real mensch, JASON MENDELSOHN is a Jewish Pavilion board member who has done a remarkable job in spreading the word about all the good the Pavilion does.

Raised in Altamonte Springs with his brother and twin sisters, and married for almost 22 years to RONNI (who also grew up in the area... they met as kids at Temple Israel!)

Jason is a tireless "Ambassador" for the Pavilion's mission and accomplishments. "I love the concept of the Pavilion," said Jason. "It's volunteers giving of their time to care for people who otherwise could be forgotten. They bring these seniors the Jewish experience."

Jason will be honored at the Jewish Pavilion's Gems & Jeans 2018 Gala on Oct. 28 at the Hilton Orlando North along with outgoing board president and longtime board member and volunteer, PAUL STENZLER.

Come celebrate their achievements and help support the Jewish Pavilion by attending the Gala.

Phone 407-678-9363 or go to for more information.

Wiggle and Giggle...

(I can't help it. That's the way I walk!)

On Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018 from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., there will be a free concert for babies, toddlers, young children, and their families. It is called "Wiggle and Giggle." It is sponsored by the Jewish Academy of Orlando and will be held at the Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando, 851, N. Maitland Avenue, Maitland, FL 32751

Please contact KAREN DUNCAN at 407-645-0923 for details.

(Babies, toddlers, young children? What about old ladies?????)

JCC 39ers Meet & Mingle Mondays...

On Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. in the Maitland JCC in the Senior Lounge, there will be daily exercise for seniors presented by BRENDA BOYD.

(Oooh, that sounds more like it, especially because they follow the exercise with tasty refreshments and social time. All 39ers and JCC members are welcome. (The chocolate cake is mine!)

A nice surprise!...

The other day in the mail I received a terrific magazine that I had never seen nor heard of before. It's called "Challah Connection" and it's filled with High Holiday ideas and gifts, etc.

Alan Feinberg

You can receive one too. Just phone 866-242-5524 or on the internet, go to .

One for the road...

Shlomo and Moshe are out hunting in the woods of New Jersey when Moshe suddenly collapses. Shlomo rushes over to him but he doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are all glazed. Shlomo is in a panic. He takes out his phone, calls emergency services and shouts, "Help, please help me. My friend Moshe is dead! What on earth should I do?"

The operator tells Shlomo, "Sir, please calm down. I can help you. First of all, let's make sure he's really dead."

After a short silence, the operator hears a shot. Then Shlomo gets back on the phone, "OK, now what?"NCLAT had ruled that Numetal's Rs 37,000 crore second-round bid for Essar Steel is valid.

The apex is scheduled to hear the matter on September 18.

New Delhi: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) today amended its order on the Essar Steel, passed by it on september 7, to add the name of senior counsel Darius Khambata, which was left out.

Khambata had represented Resolution Professional of the debt ridden firm Essar Steel in this matter before the appellate tribunal and his name was missing in the final order. Tribunal's direction came after an application was moved to include his name.

In its judgement, passed earlier this month, NCLAT had ruled that Numetal's Rs 37,000 crore second-round bid for Essar Steel is valid, but asked rival bidder ArcelorMittal to clear Rs 7,000 crore dues of its previously associated firms within three days to qualify for the acquisition.

World's largest steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal and Russia's VTB Capital-backed Numetal are in race to acquire debt ridden Essar Steel, which is being auctioned by its lenders to recover their Rs 49,000 crore defaulted loans.

The order of NCLAT is now challenged before the Supreme Court by both bidder Numetal and ArcelorMittal seperately. The apex is scheduled to hear the matter on September 18.More than 40 years ago a small group of Christians, under the leadership of Pastor Ken Garrison, chose to step away from traditional Baptist practices and began to learn about the biblical feasts found in Leviticus, and to be a support to Israel by following the calling to comfort His people.

Over the years, Fellowship Church in Winter Springs, has led Passover seders to teach fellow Christians about how Christian beliefs tie into the celebration that the Jewish people have observed for more than 2,000 years. Church members, now under the leadership of Pastor Roger Diaz, observe Shabbat and hold services on Friday nights as well as on Sunday-the first day of the week.

There are sprinklings of churches across the country that observe the festivals in part, coming away from staunch Christian traditions. Organizations such as Christians United for Israel and the International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem have enlightened Christians about the importance of supporting Israel; and at Sukkot, millions of Christians flood Jerusalem to celebrate the feast.

This year, Fellowship Church will present the Feast of Tabernacles in a unique way in order to teach Christians the significance of Sukkot. The church members will erect a nearly-full-sized model of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25, and running through Saturday, Sept. 29, tours of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness will be led by two men of the congregation dressed as Aaron the high priest. Elder Larry Dorcik, dressed as Moses, will give introductions.

Explaining the purpose of the tours, Dorcik said, "The purpose of this program is to first, be biblical. Fellowship church serves the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and we make no distinction between Torah, prophets and the Christian gospels and letters. Our position and actions are based on whole biblical truth, not long-standing church teachings, doctrine or structure. G-d has shown His great plan of redemption for the whole earth through all of the biblical writings. Jesus, Paul and the early church observed all of G-d's festivals and we count it as a joyful service to G-d to observe them as well."

In addition to the tours, Fellowship will offer a wide range of activities: a special Friday evening service followed by an outdoor celebration complete with food, fellowship around a campfire and camping; a special brunch on Saturday followed by tabernacle tours and other Sukkot-themed activities, ending with a special dinner, procession and worship service.

Why does Fellowship want to do this? "We want to share the truth and joy of celebrating G-d's festivals with other local churches and the Jewish community," Dorcik stated, explaining that there is a real need, in the church at large, "to recapture our Hebraic roots and allign ourselves with G-dly, biblical principles."

Dorcik explained that through this Sukkot festival the church will draw closer to G-d and learn to properly identify with the people of Israel and local Jewish communities so that His great purposes will be fulfilled.

Although Fellowship Church's Sukkot 2018 is geared toward teaching Christians about the festival, this event is open to everyone.

Reservations are required for the camp-out, Saturday brunch, dinner buffet and celebration in the Tent of David. For information about costs, please call the church office at 407-699-1011.Each year for the High Holidays, the plaintive, soul-stirring sound of the shofar rings out in synagogues all over the world, and congregants are moved by that ancient tie to their ancestors. For the past several years, Jewish Pavilion volunteer Susie Stone has made sure that Jews in area senior living facilities are not left out.

In many Jewish homes, a shofar is proudly displayed on a shelf or mantle, more an object of Judaica than an instrument used during High Holiday prayer. Maybe once or twice a family member picks it up and tries to get a sound from it. It isn't easy to do, and most people soon give up. Then it goes back to its place, moving only when it's time to dust.

Stone had a shofar like that in her Longwood home, a long and gracefully twisted kudu horn from the Yemenite tradition. Many years ago, she had asked Cantor Allan Robuck of Congregation Ohev Shalom to bring her back a shofar from a trip to Israel and was surprised and pleased by the beauty of the one he chose.

Stone gave her new shofar a place of prominence in her home for all to see. And there it sat for years. Then one day about seven years ago, for reasons she can't quite explain, Stone picked up the shofar and tried to get a sound from it. To her amazement, a sound came out, much like the soulful shofar sounds she knew so well from decades of High Holiday services.

"I could never play an instrument in my whole life other than a little bit of piano," Stone recalled. "I said, 'Wow! I can do this!'" So she got out her High Holidays prayer book and started practicing the various calls: Tekiah! Teruah! Shevarim! And the extended blast of Tekiah Gedolah!

Then she showed her new skill to Mark, her husband of 46 years, and to others. "I was astounded, because Mark tried to do it and he couldn't do it, and I tried giving it to my friends and nobody could do it," said Stone, "And I said, 'This is easy! There's nothing to it!'"

Stone knew that she could use her newfound skill to do some good in the world. She had been volunteering with the Jewish Pavilion since Mark's parents moved to Westchester of Winter Park Assisted Living in 2010. She joined the Friends of the Jewish Pavilion soon after, so she was well aware that the Pavilion hosts High Holidays events in about 30 Orlando-area senior living facilities and is always in need of volunteers who have the rare skill of shofar blowing.

Now, depending on scheduling, Stone blows shofar at four to six Jewish Pavilion High Holiday events every year. Most of the Jewish residents she serves have no other opportunity to observe the holidays and hear the sound of the shofar.

"It brings tears to a lot of people's eyes," Stone said. It is especially moving to see the reactions of seniors who may be ailing or memory-impaired. "It brings them a touch, knowing that the High Holidays are here, and it's something that they remember."

Stone, an Orlando resident since 1984, volunteers year round at Westchester and several other facilities the Pavilion serves. She has an upbeat and warm presence and quickly wins the hearts of the people she meets, and the seniors look forward to her visits.

As a Friends of the Pavilion member Stone has co-chaired several Pavilion galas, and she and Mark have been past gala honorees. The couple is originally from Baltimore, Md., where they met when Susie was on Thanksgiving break as a student at University of Maryland.

Her father-in-law, Sy Stone, passed away several years ago, but her mother-in-law, Sylvia Stone, is still at Westchester and is nearing 92. Stone makes sure that she brings her shofar each year to the Pavilion's High Holiday celebration at Westchester so Sylvia has an opportunity to hear its sounds.

Said Stone, "I can remember my mother-in-law, when she first heard it, I saw tears coming out of her eyes. To me, to do that, and touch them, and bring that happiness to them for the High Holidays, it's pure joy."

Volunteers-with and without shofar-blowing skills-are always needed during the Jewish Pavilion's busy High Holiday season. And your generous donation will help the Pavilion make the holidays special for Jewish seniors in living facilities. For more information, call the Jewish Pavilion at 407-678-9369 or go online at JewishPavilion.org.WASHINGTON (JTA)-Princeton Lyman, the Jewish American diplomat who played a critical role in organizing Operation Moses, the stunning 1984 airlift of Ethiopian Jews, has died at 82.

Lyman died Friday at his home in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring, Maryland, the Washington Post reported. He died of lung cancer.

The Post obituary celebrated the role of Lyman in helping to midwife the transition in South Africa from apartheid to democracy in the early 1990s when he was the U.S. ambassador to the country. Lyman had the trust of F. W. DeKlerk, the last apartheid president of the country, and Nelson Mandela, who led the African National Congress.

But he also played a critical behind-the-scenes role a decade earlier, when he was deputy assistant secretary of state for Africa, in organizing the airlift from Sudan to Israel of thousands of Ethiopian Jews who had fled their famine-ravished country only to face indifference and starvation in Sudan.

In a 1999 oral history for the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, Lyman said he was one of only two U.S. diplomats who was fully apprised of the operation, involving secret flights from Sudan to Israel. He helped coordinate logistics between Israel and Sudan, which did not have diplomatic relations, and strove to keep at bay Ethiopian Jewry advocacy groups in the United States who were scrambling for information, as well as the media.

"We had to keep the press quiet," he said in 1999. "The Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal all had the story. Peter Jennings at ABC had the story. I had to go to every single one of them to beg them to sit on the story. I told them that if the operation were to go public, the Ethiopians would be in serious danger. I must say that every one of the media outlets suppressed the information they had; I don't think that today that would be possible."

It was an Israeli official, Arieh Dulzin, the chairman of the Jewish Agency, who revealed the operation at a press conference, and it was Israeli media that made it public.

"Unfortunately, the Israeli media was not so disciplined" as the U.S. media, Lyman said. Once the word was out in Israel, a Washington Jewish newspaper reported the story-ignoring Lyman's pleas-and the U.S. media felt free to publish. Sudan suspended the operation after 9,000 Jews had arrived, leaving 500 stranded. Vice President George H.W. Bush then got involved.

Bush "went to Khartoum to see [Sudanese President Gaafar] Nimeiri and to tell him that we wanted the last few hundred Ethiopians taken out," Lyman said. "Nimeiri agreed, but it too was to be a secret operation. So American C-130s were to fly from Europe to the Sudan, take them on board, fly them up through the Red Sea, avoiding Egyptian radar, and deliver them to Israel. That was done. It was a magnificent operation which I monitored from the Pentagon 'war room' listening to the radio broadcasts as the planes landed and took off."

In a 2007 account of the rescue, "Blacks, Jews and Other Heroes," Howard Lenhoff said other U.S. officials eagerly seized credit for the operation. "Lyman remained silent," Lenhoff reported. "Always the consummate professional, Princeton Lyman is an unsung hero of the Ethiopian Jews."

Lyman was born in 1935 to immigrant Jewish parents from Lithuania. Asked to explain his unusual first name, he explained in 1999 that he had brothers named Yale, Harvard and Stanford.

"I guess it was an extraordinary example of immigrant parents determined that their children would go to universities," he said. "Of course, being very practical, we all ended up in the University of California, not the expensive schools we were named after."

He added: "My brother Elliott, who was the only son not named for a university, indeed did not go to college."

Lyman was married for 50 years to the former Helen Ermann, who died in 2008. He is survived by his second wife, Lois Hobson, and three daughters, Tova Brinn of Israel, and Sheri Laigle and Lori Bruun, both of Maryland.The Atlanta-based Center for Israel Education and the Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel invite Jewish 10th- and 11th-graders to apply to attend the Teen Israel Leadership Institute during the weekend of Oct. 26 to 28.

The institute will feature a series of learning activities to expand students' knowledge and understanding of Israel and Zionism while they experience Jewish life on a college campus (Emory University) and forge friendships with peers from across the country.

The inaugural Teen Israel Leadership Institute was held in April and drew 24 Jewish teens from nine states plus Israel. The students learned about Israeli history, politics, innovation and culture, the Israeli-Arab conflict, and Zionism. They participated in Shabbat services and had Friday dinner at the Emory Hillel house. They visited the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. They discussed what Israel means to them and had a "Chopped"-style food competition with hummus.

Aliza Reinstein, 17, of Potomac, Md., now a senior at Wootton High School, said the hummus competition was her favorite part of a weekend that enriched her understanding of modern Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Hearing from both sides and different perspectives was one of the best things I got out of the program," she said, praising the impartial presentations and adding that the civil rights center provided an "overall human perspective."

Perhaps most important, the institute showed students how to apply their knowledge to the benefit of their home communities. The teens at the October retreat will work on educational projects they can bring back to their schools, synagogues or other organizations.

The cost of $100 for the three-day program includes double-occupancy lodging and kosher food. Travel subsidies of up to $200 are available.

The institute is part of a year-old, national CIE initiative to provide more impactful education on Israel to Jewish teens. Leading the program are CIE President and ISMI Director Ken Stein, who has taught the modern Middle East at Emory since 1977; CIE Vice President Rich Walter, a former director of Hebrew high schools in New Haven, Connecticut, and Providence, Rhode Island, who was the New England regional director of March of the Living for a decade; and Steve Kerbel, an educational consultant in the Washington area who spent 14 years as a synagogue education director.

Partners in the institute include Emory Hillel and the North American Association of Community & Congregational Hebrew High Schools. A grant from the Legacy Heritage Fund is supporting the program.

The deadline to apply for the institute is Oct. 1. Each applicant must describe a proposed Israel learning project-a course, a teen program for Yom HaAtzmaut, a film series, a website-and include a letter of support from a rabbi, an educator or another person who can explain why the student would be a good fit for the program.

More information and the online application can be found at israeled.org/teens.

"Everyone should apply," Aliza said. "I got so many awesome experiences out of it. It was amazing."

Find more comments from institute participants and their parents at israeled.org/educators/youth-and-teen-israel-enrichment-programs/youth-program-comments.Israels Channel 10 News published a report on Tuesday based on comments from a senior Fatah official demonstrating Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas intense hostility toward any potential deal between Israel and the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.

According to the report, the Fatah official told Channel 10 that Abbas was furious with the Egyptians for mediating the agreement, which the PA chief referred to as treachery and defiance against the leadership.

The official also claimed that Abbas acknowledged that the supposed reconciliation process between his party and Hamas was disintegrating.

Abbas apparently made his position on the ceasefire clear, commenting An agreement between Hamas and Israel, over my dead body!

Among Abbas complaints with regard to any future agreement involving Hamas is the illegitimacy of the terror groups rule over the Gaza Strip, which was achieved via a violent coup through which the PA was ousted from the coastal enclave.

Regardless of Abbas comments, senior Hamas officials claimed that the ceasefire agreement could be concluded in the near future, after a break in negotiations due to the Eid al-Adha holiday.

With Hamas officials issuing statements regarding the terror groups intention to maintain its arsenal and militaristic capabilities, and their contention that prisoner exchanges would be addressed separately, the ultimate fate of the ceasefire remains to be seen.(JNS)-For five months now, since March 2018, Israeli communities bordering Gaza have sustained ongoing terrorism and arson from hundreds of rockets and incendiary devices, causing constant stress and chaos for the 50,000 people who call this region home. Residential and commercial damage, along with some 10,000 acres of land, including forests and agricultural plots, have been destroyed.

Just as the worst seemed to be over, this month more than 200 rockets struck the Eshkol and Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Councils-a vast area sharing 37 miles of border with the Gaza Strip, also known as the "Gaza Envelope." There was no mistaking that families and children were being targeted, as rockets landed within feet of the new JNF playground in Sderot, an Israeli town located less than a mile from Gaza that has been in the crosshairs for decades.

Jews from around the world have been sending prayers and thoughts to the families living amid the terror. But for Jewish National Fund-USA, the escalation of violence prompted a call to action.

"What can we do for these kids, right now?" asked JNF CEO Russell F. Robinson. In the span of a few hours, JNF took action by declaring a Yom Kef, or "day of fun," for children in the Gaza-area communities.

Except that wasn't enough. JNF decided to turn one day of fun into two weeks, providing a much-needed respite for these kids-a chance just have fun, as all children should during their summer vacation.

Mobilizing its network of partners across Israel, more than 1,000 children and parents from the Gaza Envelope were bused to Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem to kick off the events. A renowned historical site, the area boasts sprawling green lawns and a built-in recreational campus.

'It's just such a gift to us'

"This summer has been especially challenging," said Einat Eliyashir, a mother of three from Moshav Yesha. "To go out from the Gaza Envelope, suddenly these concerns fade away. It warms our hearts to know that there are so many JNF supporters who are thinking about us and helping us to have such an incredible day of fun for the whole family. I don't have enough words to explain how much this means to us."

For Eliyashir's 11-year-old daughter, Meitar, this break made all the difference in the world.

"This summer has been a little scary," she said. "This is our summer vacation, and if I want to go outside to play, I always have to be close to the bomb shelters.

"It is so important to all of us to be able to get out and have fun during our summer break, and it is amazing that there are people who care about us to give us this opportunity and understand our situation," continued Meitar. "It is so much fun to be able to come to a safe place and enjoy ourselves for a day."

Clowns, balloons, games, climbing walls, obstacle courses, zip lines, live music, food and drink, and many other activities served as a way to relieve the stress these families face. Kids were also offered a VIP tour through the site by Israel Defense Forces' veteran soldiers who fought in the Ammunition Hill battle during the 1967 Six-Day War.

With their faces covered in face paint and hands grasping balloon animals, the children had time to be ... children.

"It's fun to come out to a place like this," said Shay Sagiv, one of the girls from Kibbutz Sufa. "I've known about donors supporting us in the past, but not like this. It's just such a gift to us to have a day like today."

Gal Beinart, a mom from Moshav Sde Nitzan, explained that she has four boys between 5 and 14, and moved to the region 12 years ago for its strong sense of community. "The only thing is that life can be stressful," she acknowledges, "but we are so lucky to be out here on this beautiful day with our boys, and participating in all the activities and sports."

Her 12-year old son, Roi, said, "Our summer has been fun, but there were a lot of alarms and bombs that have made it very difficult. We appreciated being able to come out to places like this to just have fun. This feels normal, and it's awesome."

Maayan Nochomovitz, a mother from Moshav Ein Hasof, said it's not good for the kids "to hear the rockets all the time and to run for the shelters. The kids always ask if they are able to go outside or what to do in an emergency; it's not an easy situation at all."

Amid stories of what the families endured back home, the smiles on so many faces didn't go unnoticed by the executives, staff and volunteers managing the event.

"This right here is the spirit of the Jewish people, of the Jewish nation," said Eric Michaelson, JNF chief Israel officer, as he looked across the field packed with children. "In good times and bad, we are there to stand with and support them."On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump told Jewish leaders that the Palestinians would not receive any more aid from the U.S., unless they made a deal with Israel.

Trump made the remarks during a conference call placed in anticipation of the Jewish New Year in which the president communicated with a number of American Jewish leaders.

Trumps remarks arrive on the heels of his administrations decision to cut funds both to the Palestinians dedicated UN agency, UNRWA, and direct aid to the Palestinians. To that end, Trump noted during the conference call that the funding would only be reinstated if the Palestinians reach an agreement with the Jewish state.

What I will tell you is I stopped massive amounts of money that we were paying to the Palestinians and the Palestinian leaders, Trump said in a recording of the call aired by Israels Channel 10.

The United States was paying them tremendous amounts of money. And I say, Youll get money, but were not paying until you make a deal. If you dont make a deal, were not paying, Trump explained in the recording.

In response to a question posed by legal expert and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, Trump responded, I dont think its disrespectful at all to use aid as a tool to incentivize the Palestinians to negotiate. I think its disrespectful when people dont come to the table, he added, according to a transcript published by Jewish Insider.

When Dershowitz asked if the Jewish community should feel optimistic that [Trump] could help bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict that we all pray for all the time, Trump replied, I think the answer to that is a very strong yes. I really do believe we are going to make a deal. I hope so. It would be a great thing to do.

On a personal note, Trump added, I am a very proud father of a Jewish daughter, Ivanka, in addition to referring to the calls host, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, a senior adviser.Recently, JTA reported that a Reform congregation won a legal battle to build a synagogue building in the central Israeli city of Hod Hasharon, a wealthy city located several miles north of Tel Aviv. Former Orlando resident Lori Stein Erlich and her Israeli husband, Moshe Erlich, are members of this congregation.

Back in 2014, the Erlichs visited the Heritage office to share their vision of having a building for their Reform/Conservative congregation, Kehilat Yonatan (see the article titled "They have come-it's time to build" in the Sept. 26, 2014 issue of Heritage). The couple was in town visiting Lori's parents, Arnold and Nira Stein. The trip wasn't meant to become a fund raising campaign. However, after talking with Rabbi Steven Engel, they decided to share their community's need for a building.

After four years, the Lod District Court ordered the municipality of Hod Hasharon to halt delays on the project and to allow the synagogue to build on the parcel of land initially allocate to it in 2013 after repeated requests for a parcel of land on which to build the synagogue and education center.

"The Court ruled in our favour! The Judge (an Orthodox Jew himself) criticized the mayor and the town council. In his ruling he stated: 'I am saddened by the behavior of the town's representatives, including that of the mayor, who tried to avoid fulfilling their duty, primarily that of behaving decently,'" stated a congregant on Kehilat Yonatan's website.

The court also ordered the municipality to pay about $8,500 in legal fees to the synagogue.

Kehilat Yonatan was founded in 2001 as an independent Progressive congregation. It is named after the son of its spiritual leader, Rabbi Michael Boyden, who moved with his family to Israel from England in 1985. Israel Defense Forces paratrooper Yonatan Boyden was killed in 1993 in southern Lebanon.

The congregation was represented by the Israel Religious Action Center, the Israel advocacy arm of the Reform movement. It alleged that the project had been subjected to excessive red tape because it involved the Reform movement, according to Haaretz. It first submitted a request for land for a synagogue building 15 years ago.

Hundreds of area residents attend High Holiday services at the synagogue and thousands attend lectures and other programs throughout the year, Haaretz reported.

"We provide a home for thousands of Jews who want to develop a modern Jewish lifestyle in a country crying out for religious pluralism and alternatives. Our educational campus, unlike any other in the area, attracts Israelis not only from Hod Hasharon but from all over the region. Through our creative approach we have been successful in connecting old and young, families and singles with their heritage," the congregation says on its website. It says that it has raised $1 million of the $2 million needed to build and furnish the 13,000 square-foot synagogue.

Christine DeSouza contributed to this article.As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Temple Israel will be having a special Shabbat service, "Sisterhood & Sharsheret: Empowering Jewish Women," on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 9:30 a.m. in the Rein Sanctuary.

According to its mission statement, "Sharsheret is a national not-for-profit organization supporting young Jewish women and their families facing breast cancer. Our mission is to offer a community of support to women, of all Jewish backgrounds, diagnosed with breast cancer or at increased genetic risk, by fostering culturally-relevant individualized connections with networks of peers, health professionals, and related resources."

The special service will feature guest speaker and survivor Geanne Share. Temple Israel's Sisterhood will be donating proceeds to Sharsheret from the sales of an original "Pink Shabbat" T-shirt, which can be purchased for $10 online at http://www.tiflorida.org/pink-shabbat-t-shirts/ or by calling 407-647-3055.

Shirts can be picked up at the Temple Israel office, 50 S. Moss Road in Winter Springs, from Wednesday, Oct. 3 to Friday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Temple Israel hopes the greater community will come together for this special Shabbat and show support by wearing the shirts at the service. More information on Sharsheret is available at http://www.sharsheret.org.(JNS)Perhaps more than any other issue in the Middle East today, the situation in Gaza under the control of Hamasa designated foreign terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel and aspiring to the genocide of world Jewryis one of the greatest obstacles to regional peace, security and prosperity.

Since Israels unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, and after Hamas brutally seized control from its Palestinian rival Fatah in 2007, conditions for residents have dramatically worsened. Hamas has stolen vast amounts of money, humanitarian goods and building supplies designed to aid Gaza and repurposed them for weapons like rockets, terror tunnels and kite bombs that Hamas has used to terrorize Israeli civilians, and burn lands, nature preserves and forests.

Rightly so, current proposals from the White House focus on Gaza First. U.S. President Donald Trumps senior adviser Jared Kushner, special envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman wrote a July 19 op-ed in The Washington Post, condemning Hamas for needlessly prolonging the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and calling for Hamass leadership to renounce terrorism or relinquish control of Gaza.

Hamas responded to the White House: Hamas (which is the Islamic Resistance Movement) ramped up its terror attacks, launching hundreds of rockets at Israel from Gaza, many of which landed in or near kindergartens, summer camps and homes in southern Israel. Yet the world focused on Israels response rather than Hamas terror. Little attention was paid to the plight of those living in Gaza or Israel, who are subjected to Hamass reign of terror. The world must stop treating Hamas, which uses residents of Gaza, including children, as human shields, differently than it treats other terrorists. No country would tolerate hundreds of rockets being launched into its sovereign territory. Israeli families were again forced to huddle in bomb shelters, an unacceptable and unconscionable condition ignored by the world media.

Although Hamas and Israel have agreed on a one-year ceasefire that will allow humanitarian relief to flow into Gaza, the question must be asked: Will Hamas use the money and aid for the people of Gaza, or will they continue syphoning resources to rebuild their arsenal for their next round of terror launchings against the Israeli people? It must be remembered that Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the continued rejection of Israel as a member of the family of nations.

In spite of these factors, the Jewish state appears ready to begrudgingly accept Hamas as the de facto leaders of Gaza, but only as long as Hamas terrorism can be constrained.

The Kushner, Greenblatt and Friedman op-ed called for Hamas to stand down and for the Palestinian Authority to resume control over the administration of Gaza. Gaza needs a governing body dedicated to a better future. It is questionable if the P.A. can, or even has the will, to do so.

At the United Nations, UNRWA, which utilizes bloated numbers to classify Palestinian refugees, has failed in its educational responsibilities, and can no longer be vested or trusted with the authority to monitor education to ensure the children of Gaza are taught a hate-free curriculum.

It is essential to establish a terror-free government for Gaza that can assume responsibility for education while helping create jobs and providing welfare to those who are desperately in need, giving the people of Gaza the chance for a new future. Israel can be an important ally to a terror-free Gaza by sharing its desert conversion technologynot only to make the desert bloom, but also to ensure a 24/7 flow of stable electricity, gas, clean water, irrigation and economic development.

Moreover, as Gaza is located on the Mediterranean between Israel and Egypt with its southern border adjacent to Egypts sparsely populated Sinai Peninsula, parts of the Sinai could be leased or acquired from Egypt to alleviate the population density in the coastal strip. This land could be used for new construction of housing and community institutions for the people of Gaza as a terror-free government works to rebuild Gazas crumbling infrastructure. Justly compensating and supporting Egypt, while ensuring that radicals do not expand into that country, is crucial to enabling the international community to begin rebuilding neighborhoods and perhaps even a New Gaza City as they work towards helping Gaza become governable, democratic, free and no longer a terror threat to any of its neighbors.

Expanding Gaza into the Sinai and establishing a government supported by democratic countriesfree of Hamas terror and controlcould help push Gaza into being part of the solution in truly establishing a terror-free region and achieving a durable peace, stability and economic development.

Richard D. Heideman is senior counsel of Heideman Nudelman & Kalik, P.C., which represents American Victims of Terror; author of The Hague Odyssey: Israels Struggle for Security on the Front Lines of Terror and Her Battle for Justice at the United Nations; and is president of the American Zionist Movement. The opinions expressed in this article are his own and not attributable to any organization.Direct tax collections grew a paltry 4.2 per cent on year to Rs 1.54 lakh crore in April-June.

In last fiscal (2017-18), direct tax collection increased over 18 per cent to Rs 10.03 lakh crore.

New Delhi: CBDT Chairman Sushil Chandra Monday expressed confidence in exceeding Rs 11.5 lakh crore direct tax collection target in current fiscal.

In 2018-19 budget, the government had projected a 14.3 per cent rise in direct tax collections to Rs 11.5 lakh crore.

We certainly hope to cross the Rs 11.5 lakh crore direct tax collection target for the current fiscal, Chandra told reporters.

However, Controller General of Accounts data shows, the direct tax collections grew a paltry 4.2 per cent on year to Rs 1.54 lakh crore in April-June. Chandra said total tax refund so far in the current financial year stands at about Rs 95,000 crore.

This year, the government conducted a special drive during June 1-30 to expeditiously clear pending direct tax refunds. Over 99 per cent of all refund claims pending as of June 30 had been processed and disbursed, a finance ministry statement had said earlier.

In last fiscal (2017-18), direct tax collection increased over 18 per cent to Rs 10.03 lakh crore. Chandra said the government has received close to Rs 7,500 crore on account of Flipkart-Walmart deal. Walmart Inc had completed the acquisition of 77 per cent stake in Flipkart for about USD 16 billion in mid-August.

Following the deal, it had to withhold taxes as per Indian laws while making payments to shareholders of Flipkart. Withholding tax, or retention tax, is an income tax to be paid to the government by the payer of the income rather than by the recipient of the income.

The tax is withheld or deducted from the income due to the recipient. As per domestic tax law, long-term capital gains tax is levied at 20 per cent for shares sold by foreign investors after 24 months of purchase.

However, the I-T law also provides for a taxpayer to pay taxes at a lower or nil rate if he is eligible to claim the benefits under the double taxation avoidance agreement between India and the country from where the investment was routed.(JNS)With the Trump Administration reportedly planning various steps against UNRWAthe U.N. aid agency devoted solely to Palestinian refugeesIsraeli defense officials have leaped to UNRWAs defense. A rapid cutback of U.S. funding would create a vacuum in basic services, especially in Gaza, that Hamas might fill, and could even spark violence, they warned.

But their argument is wrong on at least three counts. First, U.S. cutbacks wont actually cause a financial crisis. Second, forcing Hamas to provide basic services in UNRWAs stead would be a plus, not a minus. Third, their policy would sacrifice long-term strategic interests for minuscule tactical gains.

As Ive written before, Id support plunging UNRWA into financial crisis, since that might force it to reform. But Washington cant cut its donations much more than it already hasfrom $360 million last year to just $60 million this year. And judging by the results, it hasnt caused a crisis at all.

Admittedly, you wouldnt guess this from listening to UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Kraehenbuehl or from reading the numerous media reports that uncritically parrot his claims. Kraehenbuehl has repeatedly said the organization faces its worst crisis ever, a genuinely existential danger. He even threatened not to open UNRWA schools this year, though he later backtracked.

But in real life, the agency has laid off 113 workers in Gaza, 154 in the West Bank and around 100 in Jordanabout 370 in total. If that sounds like a lot, then you havent read UNRWAs website, which proudly declares the agency one of the largest United Nations programs, with over 30,000 personnel. In short, these extensive cutbacks, as one media report termed them, total a little more than 1 percent of UNRWAs enormous staff. Thats not something most organizations would label a crisis.

Moreover, UNRWA wouldnt have any crisis at all if it werent outrageously overstaffed. It has almost three times as many employees as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, though the latter agency, which cares for all non-Palestinian refugees and displaced people worldwide, serves 12 times as many people. In other words, UNRWA has one employee for every 167 refugees, while UNHCR has one for every 5,200.

Nor would UNRWA have any problem if it didnt endlessly expand its refugee rolls by including every refugees descendent for all eternity, even though most arent refugees at all, since theyre either citizens of other countries or residents of the West Bank and Gaza, which the United Nations itself deems the State of Palestine. The agency doesnt even bother delisting many who are dead. In short, it has many ways to cut costs without causing a crisis.

Defense officials second fallacy is that Hamas providing services in UNRWAs stead would somehow be bad. In reality, if Hamas had to provide services to the people it governs, it would have less money to spend on its endless military build-up, which would improve Israels security.

Thats exactly what happened last year, when the Palestinian Authority, which had previously financed all civilian services in Hamas-run Gaza not provided by UNRWA, stopped doing so. For the first time, Hamas had to pay for civilian needs like fuel for Gazas only power plant out of its own pocket. Consequently, according to Israeli intelligence, it slashed its annual military budget from $200 million in 2014 (the year of the last Hamas-Israel war) to $50 million last year. Even $70 million in military aid from Iran, then still flush with cash from the 2015 nuclear deal, couldnt make up that shortfall.

UNRWA cutbacks would force Hamas to spend even more on civilian needs in order to preserve its rule in Gaza. And that would further reduce its ability to invest in rockets and cross-border tunnels.

Granted, Hamas-run schools and summer camps would indoctrinate children in anti-Israel propaganda. But so do UNRWA-run schools and summer camps. UNRWA textbooks teach that Jews have no right even to pre-1967 Israel, that all Jewish holy sites are actually Muslim, that Molotov cocktail attacks on Jewish civilians are a barbecue party. UNRWA summer camps teach that even pre-1967 Israel belongs to the Palestinians, and they should seek to liberate it through force of arms. Thus on this score, Israel would be no worse off than it is now.

The final fallacy is defense officials desire to postpone conflict at any cost. Obviously, preventing war is usually desirable. But war with Hamas isnt an existential threat, and in any case, virtually all Israeli analysts consider it inevitable at some point.

The refugee crisis, in contrast, remains a potentially existential threat. Should the Palestinians ever succeed in mobilizing international support behind their demand that all 5 million refugees relocate to Israel, this would eradicate the Jewish state.

Hence Israel has a major interest in defusing this crisis by taking most of these refugees off the rollswhere, as noted, they dont belong in any caseand permanently shuttering UNRWA, whose main mission in life is to endlessly expand those rolls. Since no previous U.S. administration has ever been willing to address this issue, Israel would be foolish not to take advantage of the Trump administrations apparent desire to do so, even at the price of war with Hamas.

But thats especially true given that defense officials think war will happen anyway. They merely seek to postpone it so that Israel can finish building its anti-tunnel barrier. And for a few months (or even years) of delay and the minor tactical advantage of an anti-tunnel barrier, theyre willing to sacrifice an existential Israeli interest.

Its foolish beyond belief. But unfortunately, its not surprising. As Einat Wilf and Adi Schwartz argue in a new book, the defense establishment has been UNRWAs top lobbyist for decades.

All this merely proves a point Ive made before: Military men are good at solving militarily problems, but theyre no better than anyone else, and often worse, at understanding political problems. Yet their facade of expertise often cows politicians into deferring to them.

Lets hope Israels current government resists this temptation and takes full advantage of the Trump administrations plan. Its an opportunity that may not recur for a very long time.

Evelyn Gordon is a journalist and commentator living in Israel.(JNS)A demonstration last month in Washington consisting of two-dozen right-wing extremists set the world on its head. The event on the anniversary of last years Charlottesville rally by neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan was a pathetic flop, but it still generated massive coverage from the mainstream media. Many pundits, especially those from the Jewish community, urged us not to be deceived by the proof of their insignificance. After a year-and-a-half of touting the notion that the radical right was gaining influence, nothing could be allowed to distract from the narrative that these extremists posed a genuine threat to the American Jewish community.

But many of the same people barely noticed when one of the countrys leading anti-Semites was on stage at the nationally televised funeral service for music legend Aretha Franklin.

The honoring of the Nation of Islams Louis Farrakhan in this fashion generated virtually no coverage in the mainstream media. The fact that a man who leads an extremist hate group with a mass followingand who has spewed hate against Jews throughout his careersat on the stage as cameras rolled largely escaped notice on the networks that either broadcast the service/concert or played excerpts later. Nor was there much commentary about why former President Bill Clinton thought there was nothing wrong with sharing the stage and shaking hands with Farrakhan, who was seated alongside Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, two prominent political activists with their own histories of anti-Jewish incitement.

Many loved Franklin, and the event served as a feast for music lovers of a variety of genres. But the fact that few thought it odd or inappropriate for Farrakhan to be there next to music stars and political luminaries was more than just a misjudgment by the organizers and a bizarre faux pas on the part of President Clinton. It illustrates the double standards about anti-Semitism in this country, as well as the foolish complacency about certain kinds of Jew-hatred by those who sound the alarm about far more insignificant threats because their partisan loyalties blinds them to other problems.

The torchlight parade of right-wing extremists in Charlottesville chanting anti-Semitic slogans last year deeply frightened Jews and seemed straight out of our nightmares from the Nazi past. But as deplorable as that event, which led to the death of a counter-demonstrator, wound up being, it was still a mistake to treat the extremists as if they were a mass movement that represented a significant trend in American politics or culture. President Trump erred greatly with his ambivalent reaction when he conflated those who opposed the removal of Confederate statues with Nazis. But the idea that their views had any influence in his administration or that we are living in the moral equivalent of the last days of the Weimar Republic was an absurd and profoundly mistaken analysis of events.

Yet while so many Jews, as well as much of the mainstream media, are straining to connect the dots between Trump and hatemongers that have no real connection, open Jew-hatred from another far more popular and potent source doesnt seem to bother the same people very much.

Unlike the Nazis and the Klan, Farrakhans Nation of Islam is not an isolated or tiny band of nutcases. It has a mass following in the African-American community that, when you count his many sympathizers, may number in the hundreds of thousands.

Moreover, as the Franklin funeral demonstrated, Farrakhans fans are notas is the case with the alt-rightisolated. Their leader is feted and applauded by members of Congress, the leaders of the anti-Trump resistance Womens March group and other sectors of society, and treated as a celebrity by many in the arts. A documentary about Farrakhan that was made by his son and which celebrated him as an amateur musician included appearances by many prominent musicians, including Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder, both of whom sang at the service for Franklin.

When a man who speaks about the synagogue of satan and who routinely spews hate against Jews is treated as not merely a celebrity but one worthy of honor, there is something seriously wrong about American society. Normalizing or excusing hate diminishes everyone. That applies not just to Clinton, who should have known better, but for every artist who consented to appear with him on the same stage.

Farrakhan is no different from former KKK leader David Duke, except for the fact that he has many more followers. Still, you dont need much of an imagination to know what the reaction would be (and rightly so) from the same media that ignored Farrakhan at the Franklin funeral if Duke were embraced by prominent figures in another music genre or wound up sharing the stage with a former president. The outrage would be immense and immediate, as well as completely justified.

Anti-Semitism of any kind is not to be ignored. But the fact that so many prominent cultural and political figures, including the mainstream media, failed the Farrakhan test while going overboard about marginal figures on the right illustrates a serious problem with our thinking about the issue.

Ours is a time when Farrakhan is treated as a legitimate leader, and anti-Semitism disguised as anti-Zionism and hate for Israel has become an endemic problem on American college campuses. It is also starting to be tolerated by some on the left wing of our political spectrum. Yet mainstream media talking heads and many in the Jewish community still prefer to obsess about a tiny right-wing movement with no influence because they think they can establish a false connection to Trump. We can and should oppose hate whether it comes from the right, the left or a minority community. But inflating one threat while ignoring another far more important one is not merely foolish, its a dangerous game whose potential consequences shouldnt be underestimated.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNSJewish News Syndicate. Follow him on Twitter at: @jonathans_tobin.However, TMC MP Dibyendu Adhikari claimed that the attack was result of saffron party's internal fight.

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh's car came under attack on Monday in East Midnapore district, where he arrived in the morning to attend a meeting. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Kolkata: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh's car came under attack on Monday in East Midnapore district, where he arrived in the morning with a contingent of 10-12 cars to attend a meeting, a police officer said.

Ghosh claimed that the attack at Contai in East Midnapore was the "handiwork" of Trinamool Congress workers, a charge denied by the ruling party.

The police officer, however, said the miscreants behind the attack were yet to be identified.

"Ghosh was shown black flags while entering the venue of a party meeting near Contai central bus stand. The miscreants also broke the window panes of the state BJP president's car," the officer said.

He, however, clarified that the situation was under control and Ghosh's meet underway as per schedule. "Policemen have been deployed in huge numbers in the area and we are looking into the situation, trying to identify the miscreants," the officer added.

The state BJP chief, on his part, said three of his partymen have received injuries in the attack. "The TMC workers broke the window panes of my car and damaged 15 motorbikes that were a part of the contingent accompanying me. Three of our workers have received serious injuries in the attack", he alleged.

The BJP leader also said that he had faced similar attacks on earlier occasions. "We are prepared for it. We know they will anything to stop the BJP. This is the kind of situation we have been facing in Bengal," he said.

Ghosh alleged that local TMC MP Dibyendu Adhikari and police officers were present at the spot when his car was attacked by the miscreants. Adhikari, however, refuted the allegations and said he was nowhere near the site of the incident.

"I was passing through the area when I came to know that Ghosh was shown black flags by his own partymen. The attack was the result of the saffron party's internal fight," he claimed. The TMC has never stopped the BJP from holding any meeting anywhere in the state, the MP said.

"It was unfortunate that the BJP president made such allegations," he added.At least 23 Pakistani citizens living on long-term visas (LTV) in Dehradun were found possessing voter ID cards and ration cards, during a covert drive by local intelligence unit (LIU) of Dehradun police . Police have sent a report to district administration for action.

The Pakistani citizens caught during the drive are Pakistani Sindhi Hindus who have been living legally in Dehradun on LTV since past many years. Although they have been living legally on long-term visas, they are not supposed to acquire ration cards and voter ID cards. At present, there are about 275 such Pakistani citizens in Dehradun with their population mainly concentrated in Raipur, Patel Nagar, Dharampur and Vasant Vihar localities.

The Pakistani citizens were nabbed during a drive by LIU of Dehradun police to find if they are holding any official documents illegally. During the drive, 12 were found to have voter-id cards while 11 were found with ration cards, said deputy inspector general, Garhwal range, Ajay Rautela.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONA 37-year-old man died of asphyxiation while cleaning a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) sewer in a residential neighbourhood in west Delhis Dabri on Friday evening, police said. According to them, the man, Anil, a labourer was lowered in a 20 foot deep sewer by a weak rope tied to his waist which snapped midway.

He died just six days after his four-month-old son succumbed to pneumonia.

Satbir Kala, a local resident, privately hired Anil for cleaning the sewar line and had allegedly ignored warnings that the rope being used for the labourers safety was weak and could snap.

Police said no other safety apparatus was provided to Anil for the manual scavenging work which is banned by law. The rope provided by Satbir was weak and he got the work done in the evening around 7.30pm, which is an unsafe time, Anto Alphonse, deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka), said.

According to a DJB spokesperson, the work of laying the sewer line in the neighbourhood was going on and the incident happened while Satbir was trying to illegally connect the drain to his three storey building.

On Sunday, the DCP said Satbir would be arrested soon. Satbir got himself hospitalised claiming that the incident had increased his blood pressure. But he has been discharged today (Sunday) and we will be arresting him soon, the DCP said.

Satbir was initially booked under section 304 A (causing death due to negligence) but police have now added section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code as well as sections of The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act. If convicted for section 304, Satbir could land in jail for 10 years.

The deceased, Anil, lived with his wife Rani and three children  aged 11, 7 and 3  in a rented room in Dabri Extension. My husband aspired for a decent job but cleaning was all he knew, said Rani, sitting with her three children at a crematorium as she waited for help with the last rites.

Ramesh, a 65-year-old private contractor, said he and Anil were hired by Satbir around 7pm Friday to clean the sewer. Satbir asked me to lower Anil into the sewer but I told him that the rope he had brought along was weak and could break. I also warned him that it could lead to an accident as the sewer was deep and filled with poisonous gases, Ramesh said in his statement to the police. But Satbir told me that he had already paid Anil and asked me to go ahead with it. He ignored my repeated warnings, tied a rope around Anils waist and lowered him into the drain, Ramesh alleged.

The rope snapped immediately, sending Anil deep into the drain, claimed Ramesh. Satbir tried to rescue him but failed. He then called the police, he said.

Raja Walia, a neighbour and an eyewitness, said the circumference of the manhole was barely 70 centimetres , making rescue difficult. It took more than 90 minutes to fish out his body, he saidSeveral recent developments suggest the Bimstec grouping is moving forward with a newfound sense of purpose. A little more than a fortnight after the summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) in Kathmandu on August 30-31, top officials of its seven members are meeting in Bangkok to frame an ambitious rail, road, sea and air connectivity master plan. This meeting follows the first military exercise in India by five members of the grouping that focused on counter-terror operations and hostage rescue. Such a flurry of activities is a clear reflection of Indias strategic move to throw its weight behind Bimstec as the preferred forum for regional cooperation that bolsters its Act East policy. Some have even uncharitably described Bimstec as Saarc minus Pakistan, a reference to the way in which tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad have often resulted in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) running aground.

However, one mustnt lose sight of the fact that Bimstec  which groups together Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand  is a body whose members have diverse interests and stakes in other regional groupings. Thailand, for instance, is a key player of Asean, though that grouping is seen as complementary to Bimstec. And despite the fresh momentum imparted by the recent summit in Kathmandu  only the fourth since Bimstec was formed in 1997  Nepals decision to pull out of the war game in Pune after committing to it struck a discordant note. The connectivity master plan was finalised after more than a decade of discussions  an indication of how slowly things can move within Bimstec. However, it provides the framework for seamless linkages between the member states that can foster more inclusive growth. For India, the connectivity master plan dovetails with its Act East and Neighbourhood First policies and could lead to great benefits for its under-developed northeastern states. It also allows India to conveniently sidestep the difficulty of engaging with Pakistan for trade, especially when the bilateral relationship is bedevilled by problems such as terrorism that appear insurmountable for now.

The Bimstec region, which has a population of 1.5 billion and a combined GDP of $2.7 trillion, has witnessed sluggish growth of intra-region trade. While the countries around the Bay of Bengal are part of one of the fastest growing economic regions, trade among them accounts for only 5% of all trade in the region. Even the implementation of the connectivity master plan will take a long time. India, and the other members of the Bimstec, must be prepared for the long haul.Myanmars civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, facing unprecedented criticism for her governments handling of the Rohingya refugee crisis in her nation, has finally conceded that the situation in Rakhine state could have been better handled. This, however, will be cold comfort for the more than 700,000 Rohingya who fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh to escape a crackdown by the Myanmar Army  a campaign so brutal that United Nations rights officials have described it as nothing short of ethnic cleansing. A recent report by the United Nations Human Rights Council even recommended that Myanmars top generals be investigated and prosecuted for genocide in Rakhine state. Report after report by rights activists and journalists has documented extrajudicial killings and rapes by Myanmarese troops and the destruction of complete villages in Rakhine, with most estimates putting the death toll in last years bloodshed at 10,000. Ms Suu Kyi rarely speaks at public events about the situation in Rakhine, or accepts questions from the media about the Rohingya refugees, or even utters the word Rohingya. Even in her latest remarks on the issue at an international forum in Hanoi, Ms Suu Kyi sought to imply that her civilian government wields only 75% of the power in a power-sharing arrangement with the military, but it is hard to square her remarks with her reputation as the person who almost single-handedly took on Myanmars junta and paved the way for democratic reforms that culminated with the 2015 elections, which was swept by her party.

Even more damning was Ms Suu Kyis defence of the jailing of two Reuters reporters  Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo  last week for, as she put it, breaking the Official Secrets Act. Most rights groups and journalists bodies believe the two reporters were given seven-year jail terms for their role in exposing the massacre of 10 Rohingya men at Inn Din village in Rakhine last year. During the long years of house arrest, Ms Suu Kyi had depended on the media to get her message out to the world, with journalists bravely defying the diktats of the junta to help her be heard. For the same person to now try to defend the indefensible is truly incomprehensible.

In the speech delivered on Ms Suu Kyis behalf by her son when she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, she had said she was accepting the award in the name of all the people of Burma. Clearly, as the de facto civilian leader of Myanmar today, Ms Suu Kyi no longer has the interests and rights of all the people of her country at heart.The Supreme Court on Monday said it would look into the evidence against five activists arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence this January before taking a decision on setting up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter, even as the Centre opposed the courts intention to entertain the petition in the first place.

Activists Vara Vara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navalakha were arrested from different cities during simultaneous raids by the Maharashtra police on August 28 for allegedly having links with banned Maoist organisations.

The petitioners before the top court  historian Romila Thapar, Devki Jain, Prabhat Patnaik, Satish Deshpande and Maya Daruwala  have contended that the arrests were an attempt to muzzle dissent. The Maharashtra police have refuted the allegations, saying there is sufficient evidence to prove the criminal involvement of the five activists.

The SC placed the five under house arrest on August 29, and extended its interim order to September 19 after the hearing remained inconclusive Monday.

Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for the Centre, asked the bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to desist from dealing with the petition. Singh said that Naxalism is a serious problem and not restricted to Maharashtra alone. Entertaining the petition would set a dangerous precedent, he added.

On being pressed by the petitioners lawyer, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, to order an independent probe into the incident and arrests, the CJI said: As far as your liberty is concerned, we are very serious. We have protected you. For the rest, we will have to look into the material.

The CJI added: First of all, we have to examine the material placed before us. If we find that the material is cooked up, we will order an SIT or quash the case.

Before the court began hearing Singhvi, additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta raised objection to the maintainability of the petition and said criminal law did not permit a third party to intervene, and that the petitioners did not have any locus standi in the matter. He said the court must look into the evidence the state police has gathered against the activists. He also said the arrested activists had already invoked the jurisdiction of appropriate courts, who should be left to deal with the matter.

Mehta was supported by Singh, who questioned the propriety of the procedure followed by the petitioners. He said the issues should have been dealt by the lower courts, and not the Supreme Court, since the matter is still under investigation.

The Maharashtra police say the arrests were part of a probe into an event called Elgar Parishad in Pune on December 31, 2017, when various activists and Dalit organisations came together. The next day, violence broke out at Bhima-Koregaon, about 40 km from Pune, as tens of thousands of Dalits celebrated the 200th anniversary of an 1818 war between the British army, manned mainly by Dalits, and the states Peshwa rulers. The activists maintain the arrests were made on trumped-up charges.

On August 29, when the Supreme Court first ordered that the activists be kept under house arrest, rather than in the police or the judicial custody, it questioned the police action and observed: Dissent is the safety valve of democracy... the pressure cooker will burst if you dont allow the safety valves.Congress president Rahul Gandhi has landed in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, where he will hold a 10-km roadshow today to launch his partys campaign for assembly elections due soon. Ahead of the mega rally, the Congress sparred with the ruling BJP over posters that have been put up greeting Gandhi as a Shiv bhakt or devotee of Lord Shiva.

The Congress president is just back from a Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage to honour Lord Shiva.

The BJP alleged that calling Rahul Gandhi a Shiv bhakt is part of a soft Hindutva agenda ahead of elections due by November. Madhya Pradesh has been ruled by the BJP for the last 15 years; the Congress lost power in 2003.

        -      |  - 1:30  -   |



 4  BHEL         



-      | #CongressSankalpYatra  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 17, 2018

Whenever there are elections in any part of the country Rahul Gandhi starts visiting temples. His first visit to Madhya Pradesh after his journey to Kailash Mansarovar on Monday has a stamp of his soft Hindutva agenda on it but people of Madhya Pradesh are wise enough to understand the design behind his so called pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar and his being dubbed as a Shiv bhakt, state BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said.

The Congress Shobha Oza shot back, For the Gandhi family religion is a personal matter. They dont use it for votes unlike the BJP which has been using the Hindutva card and the name of Lord Ram for decades just for the sake of votes. BJP is frustrated over Rahul jis visit to Madhya Pradesh, hence its attack on him.

Rahul Gandhis road show will begin at the Lal Ghati square. he will travel in a bus to Dussehra Maidan, BHEL, via the collectorate, Royal Market, Peer Gate, VIP Road circle, Polytechnic square, Roshanpura, Apex Bank square, Board office square and Kasturba Nagar square. He will frequently stop to be greeted by party workers.

From 4 to 5.30 pm, Gandhi will interact with party office-bearers from across the state at the Dussehra Maidan, BHEL.

Congress workers and leaders are excited over their national presidents visit. About 15000 party office-bearers from across the state will gather to listen to Rahul ji and have interaction with him. His visit is going to energise the party workers and leaders to get rid of the misrule of corrupt BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, Oza saidAn army jawan shot his two colleagues dead before committing suicide in Dharamshala military station in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, police said on Monday.

A soldier of 18 Sikh Regiment ran amok in the early hours on Monday shooting two of his colleagues dead before killing himself, said Kangra assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Badri Singh.

The incident took place at around 2.15 am inside the cantonment, he added.

According to the information, 21-year-old Sepoy Jasbir Singh fired at Havildar Hardeep Singh, 45, and Naik Harpal Singh, 35, with his INSAS rifle before shooting self.

Jasbir was a native of village Rajgarh of Barnala, while Hardeep was from village Marhana, district Tarn Taran, and Harpal from village Thundi, district Gurdaspur in Punjab.

Jasbir had joined the army a year-and-a-half ago while Hardeep and Harpal have completed 23 and 18 years in service, respectively. Circumstances in which Jasbir took the drastic step are yet to be ascertained, said the ASP. A case under Section 302 has been registered at the McLeodganj police station. We are investigating all possible angles to find out the exact reason, said Badri, adding Jasbir fired 10 rounds on his colleagues.

He said a team of forensic experts from Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) Dharamshala visited crime spot and collected samples.

Commanding Officer (CO) of 18 Sikh Regiment at Dharamshala cantonment Navdeep Brar said prima facie it seems that Jasbir, after coming back from the duty, had an argument with the other two soldiers and in a fit of rage he shot them and later himself. Jasbir was on sentry duty in the cantonment mess.

Army has ordered court of inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, bodies of the deceased soldiers have been sent to Dr Rajendera Prasad Government Medical College Tanda.

It is the first fratricide incident in the 18 Sikh Regiment.The RJD says that crime graph started climbing after the JD(U) returned to the NDA fold and formed a government with the BJP in July 2017.

Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar returned to power in 2015 on the plank of good governance but his government has, of late, come under sharp criticism over rising crime graph and incidents of mob lynching.

With less than a year left for 2019 general elections, the Opposition parties have been hinting at using the lawlessness in the state as a poll agenda. According to RJDs Tejashwi Yadav, Rising crime is an indication that Nitish Kumars good governance policy has failed. There is an atmosphere of chaos in the state. Incidents of rape, murder, kidnapping, loot, and mob lynching are on the rise in Bihar.

Under pressure from the Opposition, the chief minister has been regularly reviewing law and order situation and directing strict action against criminals.

The RJD says that crime graph started climbing after the JD(U) returned to the NDA fold and formed a government with the BJP in July 2017.

The latest statistics show the situation of lawlessness in Bihar. Nitish Kumar has been silent over the issue,Tejashwi Yadav said in a tweet.

The figures also reveal that cognizable crime between August 2017 and July 2018 went up by 15 per cent. In the last one year, police registered 2.31 lakh criminal cases of which 2,722 were murders and 1,278 rapes. In August alone, 284 cases of murder were registered.

Between November 2015 and July 2017  the period when JD(U) was part of the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar, the number of registered cases was below two lakh. During this period, around 2,400 murders and 1,000 rape cases were reported.

Political observers claim that Nitish Kumars foremost agenda was to end Jungle Raj in Bihar when he came to power for the first time in 2005. Several criminals were arrested and later convicted and sent to jails which resulted in a massive electoral loss to the RJD.

JD(U) leaders here claim that it was Nitish Kumars clean image and good governance policy that kept the RJD and the Congress out of Bihar for almost a decade.

In 2013, however, Nitish Kumar decided to quit the NDA and form an alliance with RJD in Bihar. In 2015 assembly elections JD (U) became part of Grand Secular Alliance and formed a government with RJD and Congress party.

The alliance, however, did not last long as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar dumped the Mahagathbandhan and formed a government with BJP in 2017 on grounds that his Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadavs name had figured in the FIR registered by CBI in connection with the Benami land deals. The scenario changed in March when communal violence broke out in several districts. Delay in action against people involved in instigating tension was also used as a political tool against Nitish Kumar.

The Opposition parties demanded chief minister Nitish Kumars resignation on moral grounds after incidents of mob lynching increased. A week earlier, three incidents of mob lynching rocked the state. In one of these cases, a person named Rupesh Jha was killed by an unruly mob in Sitamarhi after a van driver said that he stole money from him. The police booked 150 people.Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday launched a three-day outreach by introducing his organisation as unique, incomparable, and saying that the effort was to share the idea of RSS with everyone.

Bhagwat said the RSS is a democratic organisation that does not wield the remote control over any of its offshoots, nor does it aspire for domination, seen as an oblique reference to the oppositions charge that the organisation micromanages the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to a star-studded audience at Delhis Vigyan Bhawan that included religious leaders, film stars, sportspersons, industrialists and even envoys from different countries, the RSS chief said he was here to engage...to present facts...not convince people.

The Sangh chief in his lecture, which lasted a little over an hour, also used the occasion to reiterate the Sanghs role in the freedom struggle.

He wove the RSSs contribution to the struggle for Independence in the story that he narrated about the founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and his motivation for starting the Sangh. Oppositions parties have often accused the RSS of not having participated in the freedom struggle, a charge the organisation has repeatedly rejected.

Amid buzz that the RSS reached out to opposition leaders too, the Congress said its president Rahul Gandhi was not invited. Left party CPI-M too said that no invitation was received by its general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Amar Singh

The programme is called Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective. Bhagwat is to speak on all three days, presenting the Sanghs view on various contemporary issues of national importance, the RSS has said. He will also interact with the audience.

The event follows Bhagwats address at a recent second World Hindu Congress in Chicago where the RSS chief urged Hindus to unite.

Sangh leaders explained why the RSS, founded in 1925 and the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made an unprecedented move to invite so many people from outside the organisation.

The RSS is being criticised by one and all, especially by the opposition, an RSS spokesman told news agency IANS, adding, This event is to present our view, how we see the issues which the opposition has been using to target us and the government.

RSS chief spokesperson Arun Kumar said, Today, Bharat (India) is moving ahead towards regaining her special and unique position in the world. The RSS is realising that there is a growing eagerness amongst larger sections of the society including the intellectuals and the youth to know and understand the RSS perspective on various issues,

The focus will be on presenting Hindutva as an encompassing idea that does not differentiate on the basis of religion or caste, said one RSS functionary, not wishing to be named. The RSS wants to shift the focus from the political definition of Hindutva to a more philosophical one. The RSS is not anti-anyone or anything, he said.

Bhagwats comments about Hindutva have in the past fuelled controversy.

In 2017, the Opposition parsed his statement that Hindustan (India) is a Hindu nation... Hindutva is the identity of our nation... (Hinduism) that can incorporate others (religions) in itself. Although the RSS immediately clarified that the Hindutva which Bhagwat referred to did not mean Hinduism but Hindu-ness, the comment gave the Opposition ammunition to dub the RSS divisive.

The RSS outreach will see the organisation follow up the lecture series with more meetings across the country with individuals drawn from a cross-section of society.

.An elderly auto driver was allegedly assaulted by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Chennai on Sunday night as he questioned party state president Tamilisai Soundararajan over the increasing fuel rates.

As Soundararajan was addressing media in Saidapet on Sunday night, the auto driver named Kathir, standing behind her, asked her why fuel prices were rising.

Sister, why the fuel prices are increasing regularly? he asked her.

However, Soundararajan did not respond and continued to address the press.

As Kathir persisted, some BJP workers pushed him away and allegedly assaulted him.

#WATCH Saidapet(Chennai): BJP leader V Kalidass pushes and hits an auto rickshaw driver who asked Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Tamilisai Soundararajan about petrol price hike (16.9.18) pic.twitter.com/5SRH60sb23  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

Speaking about the incident, the auto driver said they assaulted him for just asking a question.

I just expressed my stress due to the increasing fuel prices. I did not have any intention to hurt the BJP leader. However, they beat me up, Kathir told media.

While BJP workers alleged that Kathir was drunk, Soundararajan claimed that the auto driver was not assaulted.

BJP workers did not assault him. If anyone attacked him, it is condemnable, she said.BJP Delhi president Manoj Tiwari on Sunday broke the sealed lock of a house in Gukulpur village of north-east Delhi, saying he was protesting against municipal officials pick-and-choose policy of acting against properties allegedly flouting building rules.

Only one house in the lane, which I visited on Sunday, was sealed by the authorities. Why were others spared? This is corruption. Officials are sealing properties according to their whims and fancies. This should stop, Tiwari said.

I have broken the seal of a house in Gokulpuri and I will not stop here. I will go to every locality where illegal sealing is being done. I have taken a pledge; I will not tolerate any pick and choose action. This (sealing) is facilitating corruption. Municipal officials are indulging in corruption in the name of sealing by the monitoring committee, Tiwari said about the house reportedly sealed by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on the basis of the order of the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.

#WATCH: Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari break sealed lock of a house in Gokalpur area of Delhi. He says 'If there are 1000 houses there then why was only one sealed? I oppose this pick and choose system so I broke the sealed lock.' (16.09.2018) pic.twitter.com/hMn6YlP3aG  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

He said there were 5,000 houses in Gokulpur village, but only 200 were served notices.

KJ Rao, a member of the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, said he was not aware of the matter. However, he maintained, the committee will apprise the Supreme Court of the incident. If it has happened, it is clearly a contempt of court, which mandates three months imprisonment. We will report the matter to the court, he said.

Ranbir Singh, commissioner, EDMC, could not be reached for a comment despite repeated attempts.

Tiwaris action led to a political slugfest, with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal taking to Twitter to blame the BJP for the sealing. He said the party is befooling people on the issue.

Retweeting a video of a news channel in which Tiwari was allegedly seen breaking the lock, Kejriwal posted, They seal themselves in the morning and break locks in the evening. Do they feel people are fools? After note-banning and GST, the BJP has ruined Delhi with the sealing.

Senior Delhi Congress leader and former Delhi minister Haroon Yusuf also said Tiwari is playing politics over sealing.

Who is he trying to fool? His partyBJPis in charge of the municipal corporations for 11 years. Had they been so serious about the issue, they would have found a solution by now and prevented the sealing. They are just playing dirty political game, he said.Cleanliness campaigns, a special yajna, cutting of cakes and distribution of sweets by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers marked the 68th birthday celebrations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Monday.

PM Modi also reached the city in the evening to spend the day with 300 children from schools and slums.

All the intersections were decorated across the city, while BJP workers visited slums to celebrate the occasion with children.

BJP workers also cleaned 68 locations including slum areas, intersections, parks and streets in the city. Vice-president of BJPs Kashi region unit Dharmendra Singh led the cleanliness campaign in Nadesar area.

Students of Agrasen Girls Post-Graduate College carried out a cleanliness drive on the college premises and cut the cake. The college management organised a tea party for the students.

A cake weighing 68 kilograms was cut at Azad Park in Lahurabir area. UP minister Neelkanth Tiwari and other party leaders took part in the celebrations. Muslim women also prayed for long life for the prime minister.

Students of Panini Kanya Mahavidyalaya performed yajna in 68 kunds (altars).

College principal Nandita Shastri said: PM Modi has done commendable work by promoting girl education. Girls performed yajna and prayed for long life for the PM.

BJPs Kashi region president Mahesh Chandra Srivastava and the intellectuals wings regional coordinator Sunil Mishra organised a yajna at Ahilyabai ghat. Amid chanting of Vedic hymns, Tiwari and BJP members offered 108 litres of kesar water and milk to the Ganga.

Coordinator of Hindu Yuva Vahini (Varanasi region) Ambarish Singh Bhola and others planted saplings in a government school.The alliance between the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana could be a prelude to the two parties joining hands in Andhra Pradesh, according to two party functionaries familiar with the developments.

A Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh said on Sunday that the tie-up in Telangana has brightened the chances of an alliance between the two parties in the other Telugu-speaking state as well. The only way to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the national level is if all the like-minded secular parties unite against the communal forces, said the leader on the condition of anonymity.

Wary of having any truck with the YSR Congress Party, the Congress on its own is not in a position to form the government in Andhra Pradesh where the hold of the grand old party has weakened significantly after the bifurcation of the state in 2014.

The assessment within the Congress, another senior functionary said, is that the YSR Congress Party chief, YS Jaganmohan Reddy, might go with the BJP and there is also no chance of any reconciliation between the TDP and former ally BJP.

Jana Sena Party founder Pawan Kalyan is also an important player in the states politics, and has dismissed talk of being a part of any grouping. In this scenario, the two functionaries said the Congress feels that an alliance with the TDP could be a formidable one for both the assembly and the Lok Sabha elections.

Officially, the Congress has maintained that it will go it alone and not have any tie-up with the TDP in Andhra Pradesh.

Both Congress general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh, Oommen Chandy, and state chief, N Raghuveera Reddy, have ruled out an alliance with any political party, although with a caveat that the final decision rests with the high command.

For its part, the state Congress has kept up its attack on both the TDP and the BJP over the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments failure to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh as per the commitments under the AP Reorganisation Act of 2014.

But a series of recent moves by both the TDP and the Congress has triggered speculation of the two coming together for the first time in Andhra.

It started in March with the decision of Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to quit the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.This was followed by the Congress extending support to the TDPs no-confidence notion against the government in the Lok Sabha. The TDP reciprocated the gesture by backing the Congress candidate in the elections to the Rajya Sabha deputy chairpersons post.

The TDP also supported the Congresss nationwide shutdown call against rising fuel prices on September 10.

Political experts argue that an alliance with the TDP will be a win-win situation for the Congress, especially after its complete decimation in the 2014 assembly and Lok Sabha elections. It failed to open its account in the state assembly as well as the Lok Sabha.

The Congress has nothing to lose and rather stands to gain if it strikes a seat-sharing deal with the TDP. In 2014, the Congress was buried in Andhra Pradesh due to bifurcation and hasnt recovered yet. Much depends on how many seats the TDP allocates to the Congress, said Hyderabad-based political analyst, C Narasimha Rao.

TDP leaders have maintained silence on the issue, insisting that a final call on the alliance in Andhra Pradesh will be taken by Naidu.

Now, all eyes are on Congress president Rahul Gandhis day-long visit to Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, and whether the steps up the attack on Naidu or makes overtures to the TDP.

Apart from addressing a public meeting and interacting with students at Kurnool, Gandhi will unveil a statue of late Damodara Sanjivayya, the first Dalit to be a chief minister of any state in the country. The Congress chief will also pay tributes at the memorial of former chief minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy.A Delhi court on Monday summoned Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav as accused in IRCTC money laundering case.

The court was hearing a case related to alleged irregularities in granting operational contract of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Arun Bharadwaj took cognisance of the chargesheet and directed all the accused to be present before it on October 6.

The court also issued production warrant against Lalu considering the fact that he is currently lodged in a Ranchi jail after being convicted in a fodder scam case.

In August, the Enforcement Directorate filed its first chargesheet against Lalu, Rabri Devi and Tejashwi in the case.

The agency said Lalu and IRCTC officials allegedly misused their position for granting sub-lease of the rights of two railway hotels at Puri and Ranchi to Ms Sujata Hotel Pvt. Ltd. owned by Kochhars.

In lieu of the hotels sub-lease, 358 decimal of prime plot of land in Patna was transferred to Ms Delight Marketing Company Pvt Ltd (a company owned by family of PC Gupta who is a close associate of lalu and an MP from RJD) in February 2005 at a rate which was much less than the then prevailing circle rates, the chargesheet said.

(with inputs by PTI)Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar is undergoing his existing course of treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and is not in critical condition, doctors said Monday.

Parrikar, who was admitted to the private ward at AIIMS on Saturday afternoon, is not undergoing any procedures, according to doctors from the hospital. Dr Pramod Garg, professor of gastroenterology, is in charge of his case.

He has been kept under observation and his previous course of treatment is being followed. He is not critical, said a doctor on condition of anonymity.

BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister Vijay Goel visited Parrikar at AIIMS on Monday while Union health minister JP Nadda is likely to visit him in the evening. Shah, who reached the hospital around noon, spoke to doctors treating Parrikar at length about his condition.

Parrikar, who had returned to Goa on September 6 after his third visit to the United States for the treatment of his pancreatic ailment, was again admitted to a private hospital in Goa last Thursday. On Saturday, he had been flown to Delhi after a conversation with the Amit Shah the day before.

The chief minister had first been hospitalised in February, reportedly for a case of food poisoning. He was taken to Mumbai, where he went for a routine health check-up according to the state government and was kept under observation for mild pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas.

Parrikar had presented the states financial statement on February 23, the same day he was discharged but had to be readmitted to hospital two days later.The Opposition Congress staked claim to form a government in Goa on Monday, demanding the dismissal of the ruling alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a time when chief minister Manohar Parrikar is undergoing treatment in New Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Chandrakant Kavlekar, the Congress legislature party chief, said in a letter to the governor that Parrikar was unable to function and governance has come to a standstill, even as the BJP sent three senior leaders to assess the political situation in the state and stressed there was no threat to its government.

We submitted two memorandums (to the governors office) and requested that (the)?situation to undergo election within 18 months shouldnt arise If the current government is not capable to function, we should be given the chance, said Kavlekar.

He, however, did not elaborate how his party hoped to get to the halfway mark in the states assembly.

With 16 of the 40 seats in the assembly, the Congress is the states single-largest party. But the BJP, which has 14 seats, stitched an alliance with regional players Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which have three seats each, after the elections last year.

The coalition received the support of three independent members of the House, and formed the government.

The other seat is held by the Nationalist Congress Party, a Congress ally.

The Congresss move came amidst concerns over the health of 62-year-old Parrikar, who has visited the United States thrice in seven months for treatment. He is suffering from a pancreatic ailment.

Two other leaders in the government  urban development minister Francis DSouza and power minister Pandurang Madkaikar  are also undergoing treatment for other ailments and conditions.

Such an impasse cannot be allowed to permeate. The government should be dismissed and we should be given an opportunity, Kavlekar said in one of the letters submitted to governor Mridula Sinhas office.

Speaking to news agency Press Trust of India, Kavlekar said, The party urged the governor not to consider dissolution of the state legislative assembly, which is a possibility considering internal fighting in the ruling alliance and the illness of Parrikar.

He said the Congress has the support of legislators from other parties and can form the government, if given a chance. We will prove our majority on the floor of the House.

But on paper, the BJP still has the numbers. Even with the support of the lone NCP?legislator, the Congress will not be able to reach the majority mark of 21, if there are no defections in the ruling alliance.

The BJP said its government is not facing any threat. Nothing is going to happen. The government is strong and has the full majority. There are no problems between the government and allies, Ram Lal, one of the three leaders sent to the state, said before he returned to Delhi.

Ram Lal and two other central leaders  BL Santhosh and Vinay Puranik  arrived in Goa on Sunday, a day after Parrikar was flown to Delhi for treatment.

The central observers, who held meetings with legislators and allies, will brief the leadership about the ground situation and possible options. After that, the party is likely take a call on its course of action.

On Sunday, GFP supremo Vijai Sardesai led a team of six legislators, including three independents, to meet the BJP observers. We are equally responsible for the stability of this government because we have created this. It is our baby, Sardesai said after the meeting, indicating the GFPs support for the BJP.

In the 2017 assembly elections, the Congress did not field candidates in two of the seven seats contested by the GFP, in a move that was seen as a tactical support to the new party. With the BJP suggesting Parrikar (then a Union minister) as the CM, the GFP eventually supported the BJP alliance.

The MGP, another BJP ally, ruled out speculation over its merger with the national party. The rumours have no meaning. I reiterate this: the MGP is a very old party. There will be no merger at any cost, MGP president Deepak Dhavalikar said.

BJP leaders said party MLAs and ally MGP want Parrikar to remain the chief minister, though the GFP and the three Independents have demanded a permanent solution.

Cleofato Coutinho, a political analyst, said the move to approach the governor could be a pressure tactic by the Congress.

As far the governor is concerned, there is no constitutional deadlock. They (Congress) are also entitled to pressure tactics. They have also to be careful because last time (in 2017) they did not go to the governor (after the election results) and that was used against them. This time they are trying to be doubly sure and they are not accused of sleeping over this.

In 2017, the Congress was pilloried for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory after it sat on the opportunity to form a government in the state.

Parrikar was first hospitalised on February 14. He has visited the US for treatment in the recent past; most recently on August 30. He returned on September 6 but had to be admitted to a Goa hospital soon after. He has since been moved to the Capital.

In Delhi, BJP president Amit Shah and other senior party leaders visited Parrikar in AIIMS on Monday.

The CM is at the old private ward and is not undergoing any procedures, according to doctors at the hospital. He has been admitted under Dr Pramod Garg, a professor of gastroenterology , who specialises in pancreatic diseases.

He has been kept under observation and his previous course of treatment is being followed. He is not critical, said a doctor on condition of anonymity.

(With inputs from HTC in Delhi)Less than two days after a US envoy said Pakistan had indicated it could consider opening its routes for trade between Afghanistan and India, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made it clear that no such proposal was on the table.

Pakistan has not agreed to consider Afghanistan-India trade through our land, Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Foreign Office.

Islamabads refusal to allow the transportation of Indian goods through its territory has become a sticking point in the implementation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement. Afghan trucks carrying goods to the border trade post at Wagah would return empty as they barred from transporting Indian products.

India has attempted to get around this problem through the development of Chabahar port in Iran, through which it has shipped items such as wheat to Afghanistan. India has also started directed cargo flights between several Afghan and Indian cities.

The US ambassador to Afghanistan, John Bass, told the Indian media last week that Islamabad had indicated to Kabul its willingness to discuss trade between India and Afghanistan through its land routes.

This had happened after an increase in Afghan exports to India through cargo flights and the growing economic ties between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, Bass said. A couple of months ago, the Pakistan government expressed its willingness to start talking with its Afghan counterpart on parameters to enabling trade between India and Afghanistan through Pakistan, he added.

A political settlement in Afghanistan is in Pakistans long-term interest and increased trade and connectivity through Afghanistan would be missed opportunities if Islamabad remains focused on perpetuating the status quo, Bass was quoted as saying.

Qureshi, currently on his first visit to Kabul after assuming office, said on Sunday that Pakistan had waived regulatory duty on imports from Afghanistan. Afghan exports to Pakistan recorded an increase of 118% in 2018 and Islamabad will fast-track steps such as standardisation and automation of custom procedures, he added.

Qureshi and his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani decided to convene meetings of the Joint Economic Commission and bilateral transit trade coordination authority.Two days after the Union minister for human resource development (HRD) Prakash Javadekar was caught in a controversy for a comment on government fund allocation to educational institutes, the minister on Sunday, released an official clarification. Javadekar, had on Friday during a school function in Pune, made a statement that educational institutes should utilise alumni associations for financial support instead of coming to the government with a begging bowl.

In response to the questions raised over his comment, Javadekar, said, Two days ago, there was a misunderstanding regarding a comment I made at a school function in Pune. My statement about the government expenditure on education was misinterpreted. I did not mean that the government will not spend on education and that only the former students should spend on it. The government continues to focus largely on education and will increase the same in the coming future. The current Modi government has been showing this positive trend for the last four years, with almost 70 per cent of its spending towards education. This shows that we want to continue expenditure towards education. But, at the same time, what I wanted to imply is that the alumni should largely contribute to its alma mater, and the educational institutions should strengthen their alumni base.

But, having said that, I also realise that the use of the term, begging bowl was wrong, and so I take it back, he added.

During an event at a city school, Jnana Prabhodini Prashala (School), Javadekar had said, Schools like Jnana Prabodhini have rightly utilised their strong alumni base, and other institutions should take their example and strengthen their alumni associations for industry experience and funds, instead of coming to the government with a bowl seeking help.

He had argued that the alumni, who have excelled in their respective fields, serve as important source of funds and industry experience, valuable for the school or institutions academic and infrastructural betterment.Goa Congress submitted a letter before the Raj Bhavan but there has not been a meeting between the Governor and them.

Goa Congress, along with its 14 MLAs, staked claim to form govt in the state. They submitted a letter before the Raj Bhavan but there has not been a meeting between the Governor and them. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Panaji: Goa's main opposition, the Congress, has staked claim to form an alternative government in the state while BJPs present Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar battles poor health in AIIMS.

The Congress, which has 16 members in the 40-member state Assembly, submitted a memorandum to Governor Mridula Sinha, urging her not to dissolve the Assembly and instead invite the party to form the government, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

Sinha is, however, out of the state and will be back on Tuesday.

The move came at a time when the BJP highcommand has sent three senior leaders -- Ram Lal, B L Santhosh and Vinay Puranik -- to meet the state party leaders and allies to take stock of the political situation.

It seems the BJP central team failed to make any headway into an alternative for the ailing Parrikar. They met former Goa party lawmakers in the morning but no clear picture emerged on a new leadership.

BJP leader Ram Lal said the BJP government in Goa was stable and that no demand had been made for a change in leadership. He said the BJP's alliance partners -- the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Independents -- conveyed that they will agree to any political decision taken by the saffron party

Congress Legislature Party chief Chandrakant Kavlekar said as the single largest party, the Congress should have been given the first chance to stake claim. See how the government functions today. Government hotey huey bhi na ke barabar jai. We have the numbers, so we are staking claim. The Governor will be here tomorrow. We shall request him, Kavlekar said.

He also said in the two memorandums submitted, the party has said there cannot be fresh polls within 18 months of the present government formation. People elected us for five years. If the present government is not capable of functioning, we should be given a chance. We will do it, Kavlekar said.

All the 16 Congress MLAs, led by Kavlekar, went to the Raj Bhavan on Monday morning.

The party urged the governor not to consider dissolution of the state Legislative Assembly, which is a possibility considering internal fighting in the ruling alliance and the illness of Parrikar, Kavlekar told PTI.

He said the Congress has support of legislators from other parties and can form the government, if given a chance by governor.

"We will prove our majority on the floor of the House," he said.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, its allies Goa Forward Party and MGP have three each. Three Independents and an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party also support the BJP. Congress, which emerged as the single largest party with 16 MLAs, was outmaneuvered by the BJP in government formation last March.

Parrikar, 62, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, is currently admitted in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for treatment.India does not discriminate against tourists based on their sexual orientation and everyone is welcome to the country, tourism minister KJ Alphons said on Monday.

The minister was responding to a question about the governments view on promoting LGBT tourism in the country in the backdrop of Supreme Court decriminalising homosexuality and Thailand promoting itself as a safe destination for the community.

Our tourism is for all. We do not discriminate against sexual preferences of anyone. Everybody is welcome here, absolutely everyone. We believe in tourism for all, Alphons told newspersons at the launch of the India Tourism Mart.

The minister, however, had initially refused to answer the question, terming it as irrelevant. Later, he addressed it.

On September 6, the Supreme Court ruled that gay sex between consenting adults is not a crime saying sexual orientation is natural and people have no control over it.

Thailand held the very first LGBT Travel Symposium in June to promote the country as a safe and inclusive destination for same-sex couples.The Indian Air Force (IAF) has come up with major plans for Andhra Pradesh to make it a strategic base.

Prime among them are IAFs plans to set up a major helicopter training facility at Donakonda in Prakasam district.

The other plans put forth before the AP government are establishing a drone manufacturing facility in Anantapur district, a cyber security centre in Amaravati and making Rajahmundry and Vijayawada airports asset positioning bases, top bureaucratic sources said.

On our part, we have constituted a task team to coordinate with the IAF on these projects. A preliminary ground survey has also been done to identify suitable locations and we have asked the IAF to submit detailed project reports, a top bureaucrat involved in the process told PTI.

The IAF, as part of its strategy to strengthen vigil along the east coast, has proposed the use of existing civilian airports at Rajahmundry and Vijayawada for positioning its assets  fighter and other aircraft.

IAF currently has a base at Arakkonam near Chennai, while the Navy has INS Dega in Visakhapatnam.

In view of the growing strategic importance of the east coast and China moving fast, the IAF intends to strengthen its presence in the region. Setting up asset positioning bases in AP is part of the strategy, the bureaucrat privy to the deliberations said on condition of anonymity.

Also, IAF helicopters and other aircrafts that could be used for rescue and relief operations in case of natural calamities would be positioned at these bases.

The IAF top brass has already held at least three rounds of talks with chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and discussed the projects.

Last week, IAF Southern Command chief air marshal B Suresh and his team held talks with the chief minister and came up with a fresh proposal to develop Air Force Enclaves at different locations in the state.

The state government initially offered 2,700 acres of land at Donakonda, along the abandoned World War-II airstrip, for the proposed helicopter training facility.

Subsequently, the IAF told the state government that it required less extent of land and, accordingly 1200 acres has been identified for the project.

About 300 acre of this parcel of land will be given to Airports Authority of India for civilian aircraft operations and the rest to the IAF for the helicopter training facility, a senior bureaucrat in the revenue department said.

The IAF intends to set up the drone manufacturing facility in Anantapur district since it is close to the Yelahanka Air Base near Bengaluru. The project cost and other details are being worked out.

Meanwhile, the IAF has sought land at Suryalanka in Guntur district to expand the existing Air Force Station. It has also sought allotment of land in Nellore and Bhogapuram (where an international civilian airport is proposed) for the Air Force Enclaves.

The chief minister directed Infrastructure and Investments Principal Secretary Ajay Jain to coordinate with the IAF on this.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)An Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) constable is among the five people arrested by Manipur police for the alleged lynching of Mohammad Farooque Khan on suspicion of being a two-wheeler thief last Thursday. Khans funeral was held on Monday in Lilong Haoreibi village of Thoubal district after the state government assured action against those responsible for his death.

Khan, 27, was brutally thrashed by a mob in Tharoijam in Imphal West district on Thursday on suspicion of stealing a two-wheeler.

Police said two others with Khan had managed to escape. They are still in hiding, said Jogeschandra Haobijam, Superintendent of Police, Imphal West. Police said IRB constable Girani Singh was among those seen in a video thrashing Khan and two others, who managed to escape the mob fury.

Six other accused are absconding. We are on the hunt for others, said Haobijam. We have taken action against four police personnel as well, he said.

Four Manipur policemen, including a sub-inspector, have been suspended after videos of the incident showed their presence at the scene of the crime while the mob thrashed Khan brutally with sticks and kicked the almost lifeless body around.

Khans family and locals had refused to bury him till action was taken against the accused.An army jawan shot two colleagues dead before committing suicide in Dharamshala cantonment in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, police said on Monday.

A soldier of 18 Sikh Regiment ran amok in the early hours on Monday shooting two of his colleagues dead before killing himself, said Kangra Additional Superitendent of Police Badri Singh. The incident took place at around 2.15 am inside the cantonment, he added.

According to the information, 21-year-old Sepoy Jasbir Singh fired at Havildar Hardeep Singh (43) and Naik Harpal Singh (35) with his INSAS Rifle before shooting self.

Jasbir was a native of village Rajgarh of Barnala, while Hardeep was from village Marhana, district Tarn Taran, and Harpal from village Thundi, district Gurdaspur in Punjab.

Jasbir had joined the army a year-and-a-half ago, while Hardeep and Harpal have completed 23 and 18 years in service, respectively. Circumstances in which Jasbir took the drastic step are yet to be ascertained, said the Additional SP.

A case under Section 302 has been registered at McLeodganj police station. We are investigating all possible angles to find out the exact reason, said Badri Singh, adding Jasbir fired nine rounds on his colleagues.

He said a team of forensic experts from Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) Dharamsala visited crime spot and collected samples.

Commanding Officer (CO) of 18 Sikh Regiment at Dharamshala cantonment Navdeep Brar said, prima facie, it seems that Jasbir Singh, after coming back coming from duty, had an argument with the other two soldiers and in a fit of rage he shot them and later himself.

Jasbir was on sentry duty in the cantonment mess. The Army has ordered court of inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, bodies of the deceased soldiers have been sent to Dr Rajendera Prasad Government Medical College Tanda. Earlier, in the morning, officers of district police and army intelligence rushed to the spot after receiving the information.Franco Mulakkal, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, who is accused of raping a nun, wrote a letter to Pope Francis on Sunday expressing his desire to step aside temporarily.

I request you to relieve me from the administration of the Diocese in the background of the courts opinion, Bishop Mulakkal stated in his letter.

In June, a 43-year-old nun, also a mother superior, had complained to the police that Mullakkal had raped her 13 times between 2014 and 2016. The nun is a member of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation based in Punjab which runs two convents in Kerala.

The Missionaries of Jesus nuns have been protesting past several days in Kochi demanding the arrest of the Bishop. From a small protest by five nuns, it has virtually grown into a movement over the past week with nuns and priests from various churches joining in.

Father Peter, Bishops official spokesperson said the evidence against Bishop Mulakkal was inadequate .

Bishop decided on his own to make his request to Holy Father, so that the truth may be established. He (Bishop) is confident that his request will be accepted by Vatican, he said.

The development came a day after Bishop has appointed vicar general Mathew Kokkandam to administer the Diocese as is the normal practice.

On Friday, Bishop received official summons served by the Jalandhar police on behalf of Vaikom (Kerala) deputy superintendent of police (DSP) K Subhash, who is heading the investigation in the case.

The Jalandhar commissioner of police (CP) Praveen Sinha received the summons from the Kerala police to serve them to the Bishop, asking him to appear before them for the investigation on September 19.Catholic nuns in Kerala have decided to intensify their agitation unless Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mullakkal who is accused of raping a nun is arrested immediately.

The Bishop is to appear before the Kerala police for questioning on Wednesday.

The nuns have been on a dharna in Kochi for the last 10 days seeking action against the bishop while other activists are on a relay hunger strike in the nuns support. On Monday, the victims sister will join the relay hunger strike and many activists will stage dharnas in other district head quarters.

Professor MN Karassery, a Muslim reformer and writer will join a dharna in Kozhikode and Dr P Geetha, a rights activists will be among the protesters in Thrissur.

As support for their stir continued to pour in from different quarters including the laity, the nuns have decided to step up their agitation.

We will continue our struggle till the bishop is arrested. It is a struggle for justice. Despite intense pressure and intimidation we will continue it till its logical end. Nobody heard our cries and we were forced to the streets by church authorities and police, said Sister Anupama who is leading the stir.

Meanwhile, Father Augustine Vattolly, convener of the Save Our Sisters Action Council filed a complaint with the Kochi police commissioner on Sunday seeking immediate action against those in Missionaries of Charity congregation for releasing a photograph of the victim.

It is shame they are using all means to intimidate the victim again. It is a punishable offence under Section 22A of the Indian Penal Code, he said.

Last week, Kerala law-maker P C George had called the victim a prostitute and questioned her delay in filing a case against the Bishop.

The case hit the headlines after the 43-year-old nun belonging to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation alleged that the Bishop had sexually assaulted her after summoning her on the pretext of discussing an important issue in 2014 and continued to rape her for two more years. Last week she released a seven-page letter she had written to the Vatican Ambassador in India narrating how her plight was overlooked by church authorities who came down heavily on her for calling the accused a predator.

Bishop Mulakkal has denied all accusations and has claimed he has been implicated after he took some action against her. On Saturday, he appointed his deputy, vicar general Mathew Kokkandam, to administer the Jalandhar Diocese, a day after receiving summons from the Kerala police to join the investigation.Fire erupted again in Kolkatas Bagri market Monday morning more than 30 hours after it broke and a night-long operation to extinguish the blaze.

A massive fire on Sunday completely gutted more than 400 shops in Bagri Market, a six-storeyed building at Kolkatas trading hub of Burabazar, just two months after it received clearance from the state fire services department.

Flames and black smoke were seen billowing from a part of the third floor on Monday morning even as shop owners tried to salvage some of their goods after the building had been gutted in a fire that began early Sunday morning.

Weve reached from ground to top floor and have succeeded in containing fire but due to presence of chemical there, its difficult to contain pockets of fire inside. Now 35 fire tenders and 250 firemen are here and operation is going on continuously, news agency ANI quoted a fire department official as saying.

Cracks have appeared at several places in the building triggering apprehensions of a possible collapse.

Fire services department director general Jag Mohan said on Sunday that many of the 400 plus shops in the six-storeyed building were packed with inflammable items such as cosmetics, deodorants, chemicals, plastic packaging materials that fuelled the flames.

The government repeatedly urged the market authorities for safety measures. If they heeded the administration, the disaster could have been avoided, said Trinamool secretary general and education minister Partha Chatterjee, who is heading the government in the absence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee who left the country on a 12-day Europe trip on Sunday morning.

Opposition leaders criticised the government for issuing conditional fire certificates despite the market authorities not complying with the instructions. Left leader in the state Assembly Sujan Chakrabarty said that it should probed why the building was given fire clearance despite not having proper fire safety measures.

If there is any foul play, the persons concerned should be probed and punished, he said.

The fire brought back memories of Nandaram Market (another standalone building like Bagri Market) that caught fire in January 2008. As many as 42 fire engines were pressed to battle the blaze that continued for days and destroyed thousands of shops.Talks by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat are the highlight of a three-day lecture series to held by the organisation in New Delhis Vigyan Bhawan starting Monday evening.

Hindutva is the central theme and the key issues that will be taken up will also include Ayodhya and cow protection. The RSS expects a high-profile audience including religious leaders, film stars, sportspersons, industrialists and even envoys from different countries at the event.

Amid buzz that the RSS reached out to opposition leaders too, the Congress said its president Rahul Gandhi was not invited. CPI-M too said that no invitation was received by its general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Here are the highlights:Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Ayushman Bharat scheme on September 23 in Ranchi, followed by the nationwide launch of his governments flagship health insurance programme that aims to provide Rs 5 lakh hospitalisation cover to up to 107.4 million poor and vulnerable families. How prepared is India for the rollout? Union health minister JP Nadda tells Sanchita Sharma why he is confident about the programme being on track, and how the remaining challenges will be overcome.

How ready are the states for the Ayushman Bharat launch on September 23?

Weve come a long way since the scheme was announced in the Union Budget on February 1. In February itself, we held consultations with states to discuss their concerns, how they wanted to get involved, their level of involvement, what they wanted from this scheme, et cetera. We next had consultations with stakeholders and the DGHS (director general of health services) office was asked to identify secondary and tertiary care procedures (offered free under Ayushman Bharat). In March, we got the approval of the cabinet very fast.

Is it the fastest approval for a health programme in India?

Yes, we got it on March 20. We next established the National Health Agency (NHA) and asked for state health agencies to be formed. By June, 19 states came on board and we started working jointly.

The programme gives health insurance coverage to 107.4 million families and more than 550 million people. As it will be digital, paperless and cashless, we have got the best in the field of IT on board. There are three financing models  insurance model, trust model and hybrid model and 19 states have chosen a trust model.

What is the level of preparation in the states?

The letters with individual QR codes are being printed and will start getting distributed. Around 10,000 Arogya Mitras from empanelled hospitals are being trained by the National Skill Development Corporation to act as an interface between patients and hospitals. Individual beneficiaries will take letters with QR codes to an Arogya Mitra at the hospital to get a card with the names of all the family members. Around 80% of the identification process in rural areas and 70% in urban areas are complete. This week, ANMs (auxiliary nurse midwife, a village-level health worker) will start distributing the letters.

Doctors can prescribe 1,350 procedures and packages and, after a patient is admitted, treated and feedback taken, the payment will be done within 15 days of the patient being discharged.

Do the beneficiaries fully understand the benefits?

Things are still unfolding. Only when the letters reach the beneficiaries will they understand and react. The common service centres  around 300,000 are being set up  will tell every individual whether they are on the list or not, and then people will go to Arogya Mitras. Thats when the discussions will start.

What about approval for medical emergencies?

In a medical emergency, you can get pre-approval for procedures. If the approval doesnt come in half an hour, it is deemed to be approved.

How will you prevent and detect fraud?

There are 94 types of automatic checks in the digital system that will set off alarms if it detects aberrant data. There will be social audits. We will also learn as we go forward.

What about data privacy?

Data security of international standards has been maintained. We did not have SOPs (standard operating procedures) for it in India, so we have adopted international SOPs as our own. This is the first time such data security systems are being used in India.

Are you saying my data with the Ayushman Bharat system will be safer than with a corporate private hospital?

Private hospitals follow security, but they dont have standardised data protection procedures.

How many hospitals have applied for empanelment?

We have more than 10,000 applications.

Its not enough to treat 107.4 million families...

No, but its a start. The IMA (Indian Medical Association) has signed an MoU  it is on board. Other hospitals will come on board.

Why are you so confident?

Its a Rs 5 lakh cover for 55 crore people! The whole scenario will change because of the numbers that will come to get treated. Today (September 11) Tamil Nadu signed, Karnataka is coming on board the day after tomorrow (September 13). Kerala is still dealing with the floods. Punjab is going to come, Telangana is on board.

Are Delhi and Odisha resisting because of upcoming state elections?

They know their minds best, but I will appeal to them time and again (to come on board). Today (September 11) I appealed to Delhi again. People should get the benefits. I also said this to Naveen Patnaik ji.

Tamil Nadu has a scheme where higher grade hospitals have higher packages.

We also have gradation  a hospital and a nursing home cant have the same payment system. As services improve, the packages go up accordingly. Ayushman Bharat is applicable for district hospitals and above. It is for lifesaving procedures in hospitals with the capacity to do it.

What about primary healthcare, screening and referrals?

We have projected to have 150,000 health and wellness centres by 2020. There is a road map. At this point, 2,500-plus are ready, and by the end of the year, we will cross 10,000. Next year, well add 40,000 and keep scaling it up. The reason why it is 10,000 to 15,000 initially is because manpower is being trained. Once we have trained staff and more trainers, we will scale up.

What is the expected budget after a full rollout?

Its an open-ended budget. Im reiterating that the Prime Ministers priority is to see change on the ground. Ill give you one example. The PM came up with a programme called Pradhan Mantri Dialysis Yojana. Where was the budget? But in the first year, ?900 crore was provided for it. In the same way, the National Health Agency (NHA) will get the money because the payments have to be done within 15 days. We have to give penalty if the payment is delayed beyond 15 days.

How much will the penalty be?

It will be according to the rates. The NHA will decide, but all payments have to be made within 15 days, so budget is no issue.

Does this mean Indias public health spending will increase next year?

It will increase after this. You see, when health coverage expands so much, it will automatically go up.

By how much do you expect it to go up next year?

As needed. The way it works is, we write to the finance department and we get it. The finance minister has openly said that whatever you need for it, youll be getting it.

How often does the PM take review meetings? What does he discuss?

Every week. All details, all presentations are discussed  how will it be rolled out, what are the systems being used.

What is the biggest challenge?

We need to strengthen IT to roll out a programme on such a big scale.

Why do several beneficiaries still do not know about Ayushman Bharat.

That is going to happen only when they get letters, not before that.

What is the delay?

The data has to be absolutely correct. People spell their names in different ways. Prakash may be spelt Parkash or Prakash. Balvinder may be spelt Balvindra. We have to get the right person, and IT has to catch that and use that QR code to also include the family members.

How will the eight EAG (empowered action group) states with the weakest health infrastructure and human resources meet supply-demand gaps?

They are working very hard. Once you have the common man with Rs 5 lakh support for treatment, hospitals will come up. And with hospitals, doctors will come.

The changes will happen in tier-two and tier-three cities, where more hospitals will open.

Doctors, who work in large hospitals, will become mobile and visit different hospitals in other towns on different dates and days. They will visit, operate, and come back.

There is portability. Where there are no hospitals, people will go to other places for surgeries, like they are doing today.

But today they dont have money; tomorrow they will have money.

And when the money stays in hospitals, they will use it to consolidate and develop infrastructure and capacity.

How will you ensure there is an uninterrupted supply of drugs?

The free drugs and diagnostics supply chain is being made more robust. We are using IT-enabled systems to monitor medicines stocks in community health centres (CHC), primary health centres (PHC) and sub-centres to ensure stocks dont run out. Under free drugs and diagnostics, around 50 types of drugs and five tests are being done at PHCs, more than 100 drugs are available at CHCs, and more than 600 drugs at district hospitals. It will all be digitally managed. The Centre has assisted states with more than ?16,000 crore over four years for drugs and diagnostics.

How will patients grievances be redressed?

Complaints can be made online and offline to the state health agency and within 15 days, they need to submit the report.

Is Ayushman Bharat a step towards universal health cover?

It is a major step towards it.

On the one hand, it takes care of the secondary and tertiary health of the poor, vulnerable and marginalised, and on the other, it offers universal health screening of cervix cancer, breast cancer, oral cancer, hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis and diabetes. Then we have free drugs and diagnostic facilities for all. When universal screening begins, it becomes universal health coverage. We are on track.No practicing lawyer will help any of the accused in the CBSE topper gangrape case, a mahapanchayat of 25 villages in Haryanas Rewari ruled on Monday.

The mahapanchayat held in Kosli town has also written to Haryana governor Satyadev Naryana Arya seeking strict action against accused.

Earlier on Monday, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar warned that strict action will be taken against those who help the two absconding accused in the gangrape case, where a CBSE topper was allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted by three men, including an armyman.

Police have been directed to take strict action in the case. The other two accused in the case will also be arrested soon. Appeal to the public to not harbour them. Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them, he said.

Of the three main accused, Nishu was arrested on Sunday while two others, including an armyman, are absconding. Pankaj, the accused armyman who was on leave when the crime took place, was supposed to re-join his duty on Saturday but he didnt return, the investigators said. The third accused Manish is also missing.

The owner of the borewell room in Mahendragarh, where the crime took place, and a medical practitioner have also been arrested.The ultras barged into the house of Mukhtar Ahmad Malik at Churath in Kulgam and shot at him from a close range, police said.

Police said, Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, a soldier in the Territorial Army, died on the spot. (Representational Image)

Srinagar: Militants on Monday shot dead a Territorial Army soldier in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The ultras barged into the house of Mukhtar Ahmad Malik at Churath in Kulgam and shot at him from a close range, a police official said.

The official said Malik, a soldier in the Territorial Army, died on the spot.

Further details are awaited.Former chief minister and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi is seen as a potential kingmaker ahead of the assembly polls due this year in the state. He spoke to Aurangzeb Naqshbandi about the elections, the JCC, and whether his party would harm the prospects of the Congress, which he quit in 2016. Edited excerpts:

What prompted you to form your party?

I have no complaints against the Congress. I was not feeling sidelined or suffocated. I was not dissatisfied either. But I still left it because I felt that this is the last phase of my life and I must devote that to Chhattisgarh. That is why I have formed a regional party, which is different from a national party. Both the Congress and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) are national parties and their decisions are taken in Delhi. My decisions are being taken in Raipur and I do not have to ask anybody. I felt that only a regional party can do justice to Chhattisgarh.

Why do regional parties such as yours emerge from the Congress from time to time?

The regional satraps are not encouraged by the party. There is perhaps a fear factor that they will grow too big. That is why in every state, we see top leaders being ignored and the second rung leadership propped up. That is why there is a lack of leadership and dissatisfaction. This is perhaps the reason why regional parties have sprung up from the Congress.

Have you shut your doors to the Congress?

Our aims are different and we cannot merge.

Will you join hands post elections?

I am hopeful of forming a government on my own and there will be no need to have an alliance with anybody.

What ails the Congress in Chhattisgarh?

They do not have a face and a leader. They have been in Opposition for 15 years and should have taken the issues to their logical end. They have not agitated or acted as an effective opposition. That is why the Congress is weak.

Will your party divide the anti-BJP votes and help chief minister Raman Singh win another term?

There is strong anti-incumbency against the BJP. People are fed up after 15 years and they want a change. The BJP has no chance... I am contesting against him (Raman Singh) from Rajnandgaon. If I was to help the BJP, I would not be contesting against him. Raman Singh had filed serious cases against me and my son. A murder case was registered against me. But the judiciary came to my rescue. A case of robbery was also filed. I had gone to a temple and they alleged I had committed robbery and snatched a garland of gold, R10,000 and a camera. That also did not stand the judicial scrutiny. So, if I was helping Raman Singh, he would not file such cases against me.

I will not cut into anti-BJP votes. I will take away BJP votes. my main opponent is the BJP because it is in government and they have a lot of money.

What are your key election issues?

There is rampant corruption. Unemployment has peaked There are about two million unemployed youth in Chhattisgarh. Farmers are not getting the MSP (minimum support price) to their satisfaction. They have huge debts and are committing suicides. Womens safety is another issue. But the major problem relates to Maoism. The southern part of our state is affected and there is no solution in sight. Raman Singh does not know how to deal with Maoism. Bullet for a bullet is no solution. There should be socio-economic development and some positive initiatives.

Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi a factor and will his campaign help the BJP in defeating the anti-incumbency?

Modi is not a factor in Chhattisgarh. Our tribals are not aware of Modi magic and that is why it would not work here. And in the recent times, the Modi factor has come down substantially and faded nationally.Pakistan wants peaceful relations with India on the basis of mutual co-existence, new President Arif Alvi said on Monday, but raked up the Kashmir issue in his first address to the joint session of Parliament, saying Kashmiris have a right to self-determination.

Alvi pledged support for the people of Kashmir and said that Pakistan will make efforts at every level to resolve the issue according to the UN resolutions.

Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament to mark the beginning of the new parliamentary year, he reaffirmed Pakistans moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people.

He stressed that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute is essential to have an enduring relationship between Pakistan and India. Blame game brings no solution to any dispute, he said.

The President said that denying the Kashmiris the right of self-determination is condemnable and urged the international community to play its role.

He also said it was important to resolve and improve ties between India and Pakistan, and emphasised that Pakistan desired peaceful and good neighborly relations with India on the basis of mutual co-existence.

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 in India by Pakistan-based groups in 2016.

Pakistan wanted cordial relations with all countries particularly, the neighbors and Muslim countries, Alvi said.

The opposition parties led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz staged a walk out as the president began his speech. The joint session was the first formal session of the National Assembly (NA), the lower house of Parliament.

The president has to address a joint session of Parliament at the beginning of the first session of the NA to start the parliamentary year, according to the Constitution. The session was scheduled on September 13 but postponed for September 17 due to the demise of former first lady Kulsoom Nawaz.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate his 68th birthday in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi with 300 children, including 200 from primary schools and the remaining from slum areas, on Monday.

During his two-day stay in Varanasi, the PM will address a rally on the amphitheatre ground of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on Tuesday and gift development schemes worth Rs 650 crore to his parliamentary constituency.

UP minister Neelkanth Tiwari said the PM would reach Varanasi at about 4 pm on Monday.

He will visit a government primary school in Naraur where he will inspect Room to Read library and interact with about 200 children, Tiwari said, adding that under the Room to Read project, a library each had been set up in 538 government primary schools across Varanasi.

Children will present birthday cards to the PM who will offer sweets to them.

The PM will have a night stay at Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) guest house where he will meet about 70 children of slum areas. The children are being taught by a group of 10 students of the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth (MGKV), he added.

The minister said as it would be the PMs 68th birthday celebration, cakes, each weighing 68 kilograms, would be cut at 68 locations.

Special prayers will be offered in 68 temples to pray for long life of the PM. About a thousand earthen lamps each will be lit at 90 locations. Party leaders and workers will visit government primary schools to celebrate the occasion with children, Tiwari said.

Meanwhile, all major intersections across the city have been decorated beautifully. Sanitation drive is being carried out at 68 locations, including slum areas.

An official in the district administration, who did not wish to be named, said security had been beefed up in the city and at least 12,000 personnel had been deployed for the PMs security.

The PM will offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the evening.

Tiwari and other BJP office-bearers, along with 5,000 schoolchildren will watch a film Chalo Jeetein Hain at Harsewanand Public school.

In the night, the PM may take a tour of Varanasi and also call on a few BJP office-bearers.

Tiwari said the PM would gift development schemes worth about Rs 600 crore to his parliamentary constituency on Tuesday morning. He will dedicate projects worth over Rs 400 crore to the people and lay the foundation of schemes worth Rs 200 crore, he added.

The major projects to be dedicated to the people include IPDS underground cabling work in Old Kashi (Rs 362 crore), electrification of 3,722 villages (Rs 84.61 crore), installation of meters (Rs 9.9 crore), Nagepur (PMs adopted village) potable water project (Rs 2.74 crore) and two power substations (Rs 5 crore) and Atal Incubation Centre.

After being awarded by the Niti Ayog, the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has developed the Atal Incubation Centre. It would serve aspiring entrepreneurs in nurturing their ideas, providing test bed for the incubatees. It would help in capacity building, scale up and assist in getting resources and promote the culture of innovation, Tiwari said.

He added that the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (Rs 38 crore) and Centre for Vedic Sciences (Rs 35 crore) were among the projects whose foundation would be laid on Tuesday.

Tiwari said the PM would also provide 260 electric wheels to potters to promote pottery.

BJP president of Kashi region Mahesh Srivastava said the PMs birthday would be celebrated as Anand Utsav. It is a matter of joy that PM Modi is coming to Kashi to celebrate his birthday, he added.

Room to Read project communication head Sanjay Singh said the PM would interact with 11 children in the library and meet other students present in the school.

Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Jai Singh said all preparations for the PMs visit had been completed.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Combined Commanders Conference on September 28, the second anniversary of 2016s surgical strikes against terror pods in Pakistani territory by Indian forces.

The conference will be held at the Jodhpur Air Force Station and focus on operational preparedness, the need for jointmanship (the military term for integrated planning and operation of the three services) and theatre commands (or unified commands) for better response.

South Block officials said on condition of anonymity that the annual conference will be on September 27 and 28 with Prime Minister Modi likely to be briefed about the meeting by senior defence ministry officials on Tuesday when he returns from Varanasi.

It is at this meeting that the programme will be finalised, they added. The Combined Commanders Conference will be attended by the three Chiefs with Admiral Sunil Lanba and Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa returning from US after an official and personal visit respectively much before the high level deliberations.

While the agenda of the conference is classified, PM Modi is expected to review operational preparedness as well as drill into the three forces the need for jointmanship in view of limited military resources. Even though the need for jointmanship has come up time and again after the Kargil war, analysts say the three services tend to operate in silos with no one willing to part with their turf.

The Air Force, since its western commander virtually fought it out with the then vice army chief way back in 2002, has always believed in its strategic role rather than a supportive one. Indeed, such is the turf war that the recently created Integrated Defence Staffs role is primarily humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The defence ministry has been an advocate of restructuring the defence procurement process with involvement of the three services limited to qualitative requirements and trial, and a separate procurement body responsible for the acquisition. However, recommendations of panel set-up by former defence minister Manohar Parrikar in 2016, under former Director General (Acquisitions) Vivek Rai, were literally dumped as the forces want more role in acquisitions.

PM Modi and the combined commanders will also delve into restructuring the three services into theatre commands for better utilisation of resources and faster response in times of hostilities. While national security planners believe that future wars will be fought by stand-off weapons and debilitating the enemy by crippling critical infrastructure through cyber-attacks, the Indian military is finding it very difficult to move from its colonial legacy - a mindset still skewed towards traditional warfare.Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said his party will not allow scam accused to flee the country, as liquor baron Vijay Mallya and diamantaire Nirav Modi did, while referring to Vyapam and e-tendering scams in Madhya Pradesh.

Gandhi said the Vyapam (Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board) scam had damaged the education system and employment. He said as many as 50 people linked to the scam have been killed.

Gandhi spoke about the scam related to allegations of impersonation for admissions to higher education institutions at the end of a three-hour long roadshow in Bhopal to launch the Congress election campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

Gandhi said that like Vyapam, everybody in Madhya Pradesh knows well who benefitted from e-tendering scam related to alleged manipulation of State Electronic Development Corporations nine tenders worth Rs 3,000 crore. The tenders were later cancelled following a probe.

When the Congress comes to power, we will not allow Vyapam or e-tendering scam thieves to leave the country like the present government allowed Vijay Mallya, Gandhi said, while addressing the party workers at Dussehra Maidan.

He said the Congress would win the assembly polls and form a government that would be of the people first and then of the party workers. Whether he is a chief minister or a minister, if his door does not open for the party workers, he will not remain the chief minister or minister even for 15 minutes.

He said those who join the Congress for tickets will not be entertained. They would have to work with the party for a few years and then we would think about tickets for them, he said.

He referred to the farmers issues and said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre was for 15-20 industrialists and blamed them for non-performing assets (NPA) worth over Rs 12 lakh crore.

He said last year the government waived Rs 1.5 lakh crore loans of industrialists. Gandhi claimed Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi were not thieves in the governments eyes. He added but if a farmer does not repay a loan of Rs 5,000, he is called a thief.

Farmers, be prepared, your loans are going to be waived after the Congress forms its government at the Centre. Whatever economists say, I will waive their loans. We have done it before too by waiving farmers loans of Rs 70,000 crore, said Gandhi.

State BJP spokesman Rajneesh Agrawal said Gandhi conveniently overlooked the fact that the NPA during the previous Congress-led government rose to Rs 52 lakh crore. It was the Congress regime during which Madhya Pradesh became and remained a BIMARU state. He should speak on this.

Gandhi reiterated his charges against PM Narendra Modi on the Rafale deal. He said the PM was unable to answer why the aircraft, which was being purchased for Rs 526 crore by the Congress government, was bought for Rs 1,600 crore.

Gandhi accused finance minister Arun Jaitley of not informing the Central Bureau of Investigation or the Enforcement Directorate about Mallya plans to flee the country. Jaitley has denied the allegation.

Earlier, Gandhi held a roadshow for about 13 kilometres where he addressed the party workers. He had a cup of tea at a tea stall on the way.

Sociologist SN Chaudhary said Gandhi should not behave like an absentee landlord if he really wants the Congress to regain power. A visit of a day or two will not help the party. He should spend much time here and tour the length of the state to connect to people. However, there was enthusiasm seen among party workers on his visit on Monday.Opposition parties skipped an outreach effort by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, during which the organisation denied that it wielded the governments remote control, and sought to establish that it did play a role in Indias freedom movement.

RSS is a democratic organisation that does not aspire for domination, the organisations head Mohan Bhagwat said on Monday on Day 1 of a three-day lecture series, called Bharat of Future: An RSS Perspective, by him, a first-of-its-kind outreach by the organisation.

The Sangh chief also said that the organisation believes in engagement and not alienation of any political thought. This is seen as a reiteration of an earlier statement of Bhagwat in April that the organisation does not believe in Congress-mukt (Congress-free) India, unlike the BJP, for which this is a central political objective. Bhagwat also praised the role of the (Indian National) Congress of that era in Indias freedom struggle.

The lecture was attended by actors, including Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Manisha Koirala, former bureaucrats such as Kanwal Sibal and HS Brahma, and foreign dignitaries from countries such as the United States, Sweden and Germany, among others. In all, around 1,200 people attended the two-hour session at the capitals Vigyan Bhavan.

Union ministers, including Hardeep Puri, Arjun Meghwal, KJ Alphons and RK Singh, were present at the event. Rajya Sabha MP and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and former Biju Janata Dal MP BJ Panda were also in attendance.

While the intent of the speech on day one was to familiarize the audience with the RSS, Bhagwat used the platform to send out several messages. The key messages were that the Sangh: is not divisive; does not treat the Opposition as a pariah; and functions as a democratic set up that allows its affiliates room to take decision, but within the prescribed disciplinary configuration.

The Samavya baithak (coordination meeting between the RSS and its affiliates including the BJP) is not for drafting a common policyits exchange of ideas, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a former RSS swayamasevak (volunteer), and the Opposition often accuses the government of toeing the Sanghs line on critical issues including the education policy.

Volunteers of the Sangh are present in different areas, and they all have the freedom to work, Bhagwat said. The only concern of the Sangh is that they should not make any mistakes There are no curbs on swayamsevak; they are free to act based on the values imparted by us, he added.

Bhagwat also used the occasion to reiterate the Sanghs role in the freedom struggle. He wove the RSSs contribution to the struggle for Independence in the story that he narrated about the founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and his motivation for starting the Sangh.

The Oppositions parties have often accused the RSS of not having participated in the freedom struggle, a charge the organisation has vehemently refuted.

The Sangh chief also clarified the organisations view on political differences and diversity. There is no reason for worry about diversity [in ideologies], these should be celebrated and taken along... he said, adding that while one must stick to their ideology, they should accord respect to the others.

While he did not take any names, the Sangh chief took a dig at the opposition that has been critical of its ideology. My aim is not to convince you. I will only tell what isIt will be adequate for us if further discussions are based on knowledge of the Sangh, he said, implying that people have been criticizing the organisation without any knowledge of its tenets. Congress President Rahul Gandhi most recentlly, and controversially, compared RSS to Egypts Muslim Brotherhood.

He also said the organisation is run entirely on the donations by swayamsevasks and not on funds from outside.

The Opposition parties were conspicuous by their absence at the event. RSS had reached out to the Opposition to attend the lecture series, but leaders of parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Left parties chose to stay away. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said the party had not received an invite to attend the series. But an RSS functionary said, We sent out invitations to all major political parties, the leaders should check.The Supreme Court on Monday extended the house arrest of five rights activists arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case till September 19 and fixed plea by historian Romila Thapar and four others for final hearing on the same day.

The Central government also wants to produce the case diary and other evidence on that day.

Earlier in the day, the Centre told the top court that it should not have entertained the petition filed against the arrest of lawyer and trade unionist Sudha Bhardwaj, Telugu poet P Varavara Rao, activist Gautam Navlakha, and lawyers Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves for suspected Maoist links.

The Centre said the magistrate concerned should have been looking into the grievance of the five activists, if any, against the arrest rather than the countrys top court.

Several people including historian Romila Thapar had filed a petition in the Supreme Court last month challenging the August 28 arrests of lawyer and trade unionist Sudha Bhardwaj, Telugu poet P Varavara Rao, activist Gautam Navlakha, and lawyers Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves.

She had alleged the arrests were aimed at muzzling dissent.

The top court had ordered the police to place the activists under house arrest rather than send them to jail till further orders.

Pune Police had claimed that the arrest of the five activists was part of a probe into a conclave called Elgar Parishad in Pune on December 31, 2017, when activists and Dalit organisations came together and conspired to trigger violence the next day in Bhima Koregaon, where Hinduta activists and Dalits clashed.A 45-year-old army man, who was home to mourn the death of his teenage son, was killed by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district on Monday.

Police said that a group of militants barged into the house of Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, of the Territorial Army, in Kashmirs Shurat Kulgam and opened fire.

Malik was at home... He was shot in his head and died before reaching the hospital, said a police officer.

The slain man was posted in Srinagar and was on leave.

An army official said that Maliks 18-year-old son died three days back on September 15. Malik was killed when he was in mourning, the official said.

A villager living near the family in Kulgam said that the son of Malik was injured in a car accident earlier this month and was in ICU at a hospital before succumbing.

He said that the attackers had come in a car posing as journalists to meet Malik. They pretended shooting his video in his house using a mobile phone and shot him, the villager said.

The locals also stated that Malik used to be a member of pro-government militia group called Ikhwan which was working as a counter-insurgency force in 1990s. Malik, like many of Ikhwan men, was eventually absorbed into the Territorial Army, the villager said.

Ikhwan has been notorious in Kashmir for its alleged human rights violations.

The killing triggered anger against journalists and prompted locals to disrupt the local reporters from covering the funeral of Malik.

This is second killing of a local army man in Jammu and Kashmir in past three months. In June, army man Aurangzeb was abducted from a private vehicle when he was going home for Eid in Shopian. His body was recovered from a Pulwama village.

Meanwhile, life was affected in many parts of Kashmir as separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik asked people to observe a shutdown against the killings of five militants and a civilian in Kulgam district on Saturday.

Shops and businesses were closed in Srinagar while movement of public transport has been partially affected. Schools were also closed while attendance in government offices was thin.Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday reiterated that an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will be formed in Uttar Pradesh to defeat the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

His comment came a day after BSP chief Mayawati said she was ready to join an anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance if her party gets a respectable share of seats or otherwise fight alone while he had called on opposition parties to ally to defeat the BJP in the state in order to prevent it coming back to power at the Centre.

Now, the people of the country want change, and all eyes are on Uttar Pradesh because UPs verdict will be the countrys verdict. The BJP is jittery. It has damaged the country both economically and socially. It has left the social fabric in tatters, Yadav said at the SP headquarters in Lucknow during an event to mark Vishwakarma Jayanti. The All India Vishwakarma Shilpkaar Mahasabha organised the programme.

The poor did not get anything under the BJP government, he said, adding prices had escalated, and demonetisation and the Goods and Service Tax (GST) caused the economy to crash.

Its time to show the BJP the door. We will form an alliance to oust the BJP, said the former UP chief minister, who had on several occasions expressed willingness to make any sacrifice for the success of an anti-BJP alliance.

Praising the Vishwakarma community, he said: Lord Vishwakarma is another form of Lord Brahma (the creator of the world in the Hindu pantheon) and is known for architecture. Several eminent inventors and several leaders have been from the Vishwakarma community.

Seeking the communitys support, he said it must take the socialist route to progress.The Uttar Pradesh Police has been ordered to ensure the safety of a woman who was attacked with acid last week for refusing to accept triple talaq and undergo nikah halala.

The senior superintendent of police of Bulandshahr would be held liable for the safety and security of Shabnam Rani, the Supreme Court said on Monday.

She is one of the petitioners in the nikah-halala and polygamy case in the Supreme Court

On Friday, the Supreme Court had sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government on a plea by Shabnam who was attacked with acid on Thursday by her brother-in-law for refusing to undergo nikah halala with him.

The attack took place while she was on her way to file a complaint after being allegedly assaulted by her in-laws on Wednesday.

After the attack, she approached the apex court for security and medical treatment. She had earlier approached the top court after her husband gave her triple talaq one and a half years after their marriage.

She has been living with her in-laws in Bulandshahr despite the talaq.

In August 2017, the Supreme Court in a landmark verdict banned triple talaq, a controversial Islamic practice of instant divorce as arbitrary and unconstitutional.

A batch of pleas have been pending before the apex court challenging the practice of polygamy, nikah halala, nikah mutah (temporary marriage among Shias) and nikah misyar (short-term marriage among Sunnis) on the grounds that these were violative of the Constitutions Articles 14, 15 and 21.

Under nikah halala, if a Muslim woman, after divorce by her husband three times on different instances, wants to go back to him, she has to marry another person and then divorce the second husband to get re-married to her first husband.Congress sources said that Mr Raje now genuinely sees a bigger threat in the young PCC chief than old warhorse Mr Gehlot.

Jaipur: State Congress president Sachin Pilot has taken chief minister Vasundhara Rajes recent criticism with a pinch of salt. She called him a novice in politics who is unfamiliar with Rajasthans culture but for the young Congress leader the chief ministers compulsion to take note of him itself shows his growing significance in the poll-bound state.

Till recently, Ms Raje never directly reacted to Mr Pilots remarks, notwithstanding his constant attacks and success in one by-election after another. Her guns were always trained at former chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

However, now Mr Raje has turned her focus on Mr Pilot - a recognition of the young leaders growing clout in state politics who, as chief campaigner of the Congress, is trying to dethrone the chief minister.

Mr Pilot has already shown maturity saying that he would not comment on her because she was older to him but in political arena he is capable of tackling her, which he is already doing by making it a contest between a royal and a commoner in his speeches.

Ms Rajes response should make Mr Pilot happy because it indicates two things: one, she now recognises him as main the challenger. Second, she is bereft of any issue to attack him.

Interestingly, her attention shifted to Mr Pilot despite a recent survey in which she was tied with Mr Gehlot (35 per cent) as popular choice for the chief ministers post while the young PCC chief (8 per cent) was way behind them.

Congress sources said that Mr Raje now genuinely sees a bigger threat in the young PCC chief than old warhorse Mr Gehlot. There are many compelling reasons for her to believe this.

Mr Pilots Sankalp Rallies being held in different parts of the state to counter her Gaurav Yatra have been drawing huge crowd. The Congress seems to have found in him a perfect answer to counter charisma of Ms Raje who till now enjoyed huge fan following among young and women voters.

There will be 18 lakh first-time voters this time, in addition 60 lakh voters between 18 and 24 years of age and another 1.10 crore between 25 and 34 years. At 41, Mr Pilot is much younger to Vasundhara Raje who is 65.

Apart from the age advantage, the young PCC chiefs charm offensive is further boosted by good looks and a Wharton degree. He is popular among young voters.

Besides, he can also give Ms Raje a run for her money in oratory and theatrics, something Mr Gehlot was always found wanting in.

If Ms Raje can put on local attire and dance with local women, he can effortlessly tie turban, touch feet of elderly, sit on a cot and sip tea in a glass on a roadside dhaba.

BJP insiders said that Ms Rajes attack on Mr Pilot could also be a strategy for winning over supporters of Mr Gehlot, who has always felt threatened by the growing stature of Mr Pilot.

Ms Rajes move to criticise Mr Pilot may also be an attempt to woo Meena and Mali voters who are traditionally perceived to be opposed to Gurjars  a community to which Mr Pilot belongs.External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has reprimanded Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for his conduct in Pakistan and politicising the Kartarpur corridor issue, persons familiar with the development said. Swaraj met Sidhu on Monday. According to a person aware of the meeting, Swaraj conveyed to the Congress minister that his conduct in Pakistan was not appreciated.

Sidhu drew flak for hugging Pakistan army chief and for his statements on the Sikh pilgrimage issue. Sidhu was the only Indian politician who had attended Imran Khans swearing-in as Prime Minister.

Swaraj pointed out that his statements on Sikh pilgrimage and the Kartarpur corridor unnecessarily politicised an important issue that had to be handled carefully.

Sidhu had claimed that Pakistan had allowed direct access to Sikh pilgrims to the historic Kartarpur sahib gurudwara across the border on the occasion of Guru Nanak Devs 550th birth anniversary. The Shiromani Akali Dal,the BJPs alliance partner, had dismissed the claim.BJP president Amit Shah on Monday asked party workers in poll-bound Rajasthan to think about Bharat Mata and Lotus when they campaign, prompting opposition party Congress to ask whether he has lost faith in the states Vasundhara Raje government.

Addressing BJP workers at an event in the industrial city of Bhilwara, Shah asked them to work hard at the booth level, saying elections cannot be won only through achievements of the government and it was an election of party workers rather than just of any minister or chief minister.

At the same time, the BJP chief also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Vasundhara Raje are working as double engines to lead the country and the state, respectively, and every party worker should visit door-to-door to highlight the work done by the two leaders.

He also highlighted several achievements of the Modi government at the Centre, listing surgical strike against Pakistan, increase in minimum support price for farm produce and vaccination scheme among others.

Exuding confidence in party workers, Shah said that it was not an election of any minister or chief minister but it was an election of party workers and the BJP.

Party workers should think only about the party symbol Lotus and Bharat Mata (Mother India) when they campaign, he said at the Shakti Kendra Sammelan event.

Reacting to his speech, Rajasthan Congress Chief Sachin Pilot said the saffron party head has lost faith in five-year tenure of Raje government in the state as he was seeking votes in the name of Bharat Mata and the BJP.

Shah also hit out at the Congress on issues of NRC (National Register of Citizens in Assam) and surgical strike. He said the Mahagathbandhan, or the grand alliance, that the Opposition is talking about will not be able to defeat the BJP.

Shah will address Shakti Kendra Sammelan in Nagaur and Udaipur on Tuesday. The BJP president is interacting with party workers at various places through this event. Since July, this is Shahs third visit to the state where assembly elections are scheduled to take place later this year.

At another event in Bhilwara, Shah celebrated Modis birthday with differently-abled children and said the prime ministers life was dedicated people of the country, its pride and its development.

Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, Chief Minister Raje and the state Congress leaders Pilot and Ashok Gehlot also extended greetings to prime minister Modi on his birthday.

An overall development of the country has taken place in your leadership. India is moving ahead on the path of development. Your thought and trust among people for you gave a positive direction to the nation, Singh said in his message to the prime minister.

Raje said India is once again figuring among the forward nations of the world under Modis energetic leadership and He has created a wave of a new hope in every Indians mind through his excellent thoughts.

Pilot and Gehlot tweeted their birthday greetings for the prime minister.Actor Mohanlal Sunday apologised for his emotional reaction to a journalist who had sought his comments on the protests by a group of nuns, demanding the arrest of a Bishop facing rape charges.

In a Facebook post, the Vanaprastham actor said his remarks were not intended to hurt any individual, institution or journalism.

If my reply had hurt the individual who raised the question, please accept my apology considering me as your elder brother, he said.

The incident had happened Saturday when Mohanlal was in Kochi as part of sending flood relief material to the affected regions under the banner of ViswaSanthi Foundation, an NGO named after his parents.

When a reporter asked him about his stand on the ongoing nuns protest issue, the emotionally-charged actor had asked Arent you ashamed to ask such unnecessary questions while talking about such a good deed?

Mohanlal had also asked him what the connection was between the flood relief activities and the nuns issue.

In his Facebook clarification, the actor said the untimely question was put to him when he was briefing the media about the flood relief activities by the foundation.

The question is relevant as it is one of the most discussing issues in the state at present. But I was not in a mood then to reply to that question. As a human being and as a son, I was in a different state of mind at that time. Thats why such a reply came from me, he said.

The actors clarification came after a section of people criticised him on social media for his reply to the ongoing agitation by the nuns in Kochi, seeking justice for the victim.

The nun had accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.

The bishop had, however, dismissed the allegations as baseless and concocted, insisting she levelled those as the catholic order had rejected her demand for favours.

Mulakkal, facing a probe after the nun accused him of rape, on Saturday handed over administrative charge of the Jalandhar diocese to a senior priest.Candidates appearing in a competitive examination held for clerical posts in the Gandhinagar civic body Sunday were asked a question related to Patidar leader Hardik Patel.

The 25-year-old Patel quota spearhead ended his 19-day-long fast Wednesday which was undertaken to demand reservation for his community and loan waiver for the farmers of Gujarat. The question was related to his hunger strike.

The multiple choice question was: Which political leader offered water to Hardik Patel who recently sat on fast?

The four choices offered to candidates were: Sharad Yadav, Shatrughan Sinha, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Vijay Rupani.

The right answer is Sharad Yadav, a former Union minister and ex-chief of the JD(U).

Hardik Patel started his fast on August 25 and shunned water from September 6. On September 7, the 14th day of his fast, he was shifted to a private hospital here after his health deteriorated.

The next day (September 8), he was offered water by Yadav in the hospital. The Patidar leader continued his fast after being discharged from the hospital on September 9 and ended his hunger strike on September 12.

Several political leaders visited Hardik Patel when he was sitting on the indefinite fast at his residence near here.

While Yadav offered water to Hardik Patel, Sinha, a dissident BJP MP, also visited the Patidar leader to express support.

Asked how and why Hardik Patel featured in the competitive examination paper, Gandhinagar Mayor Pravinbhai Patel said he had no idea.

He said elected representatives of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation were not part of the examination process.

The Gujarat Technological University was outsourced the task of conducting the examination and no elected representative of the civic body was involved in any way, said Pravinbhai Patel.

Hardik Patel launched his hunger strike in support of two demands -- quota in jobs and education for his community members under the OBC category and loan waiver for the farmers of Gujarat.

Later, he added a third demand -- the release of his aide Alpesh Katheria, arrested on sedition charge.

However, there were no talks between him and the Gujarat government over the demands.The state government directed police officials to destroy all seized liquor stored in different police stations and other godowns by September 30. They were also directed to ensure that in future any consignment of illegal liquor recovered during raids across the state should be destroyed within 15 days of seizure.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar gave this instruction at a review meeting on prohibition, in Patna on Saturday. Senior excise, state police and home department officials were present at the meeting.

Referring to regular seizure of illegal liquor, the CM said administration should be alert in checking the source of liquor smuggling, adding that alcohol was being brought illegally from Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and some other states. The source of illegal liquor flow in the state must be identified so that those involved in bootlegging and smuggling could be brought to book, the CM said.

On reports that illegal liquor was being transported to different districts by the river route, Kumar directed the SPs of Vaisali, Saran and Patna to hold coordination meetings and strengthen river police stations so that the clandestine trade could be checked.

The accountability of river police stations should be fixed so that smuggling of liquor though this route is stopped, he said.

The chief minister also instructed officials to keep a close watch on people who were earlier engaged in liquor trade like distributors, retailers and vendors.

Besides, the CM asked officials to intensify campaign for prohibition to mark the 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2. He told them, especially the DMs and SPs, to hold meetings and review the implementation of liquor ban in their respective districts fortnightly and take action against policemen who fail to implement it in their area.Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be inclined towards India because of geography, said Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat on Sunday.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the concluding ceremony of the Bay of Bengal initiative for multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation (Bimstec) field military training exercise in Pune.

Nepal skipped the joint military exercise and is likely to participate in a military exercise with China soon, however, General Rawat said that the alliance with China is a temporary thing. Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be inclined to India because of geography. Geography favours inclination towards India and as far as alliance (with China) is concerned, it is a temporary thing, he said.

Giving the example of Pakistan and the US, the general claimed that such ties were temporary and bound to change along with the scenario at the global level. The best example of this is the relation between America and Pakistan. It is not the same as what it used to be 70-years ago. Therefore, we need not be bothered about all these issues. We need to concentrate on how to keep our country strong, he said.

Rawat said the leadership in India believes in developing relations with its neighbours. We are a bigger country and if we take the lead, everybody will follow suit. That is why we stepped into organising the military exercise, he said.

On the issue, minister of state for defence Shubhash Bhamre, said, This was a phase where there was a change in command in Nepal and hence, they only sent in observers. We should not look at it in any other way.

Replying to a query on whether the issue of illegal immigration would be added to the Bimstec discussion in future, the general said it was not a new phenomenon.

Migration always happens from an economically weaker nation to a stronger nation. Therefore, equal growth is important. This phenomenon is not going to end unless there is equitable and good distribution of growth, said Rawat.Strict implementation of the high court order pertaining to noise pollution has mandal workers and sound system owners up in arms. While the police have filed four cases against Ganesh mandals for violating the noise pollution levels prescribed under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000 in Mundhwa, several groups of loud speaker business owners and Ganpati mandal heads from the city raised their voice against the Bombay high court decision to put a blanket ban on loud speakers this Ganeshotsav. The groups of protesters arrived at the Jhansi Rani Laxmibai chowk in Shivajinagar for the protest, but ran into trouble with the local police.

We have (recently) issued an order under Section 36 of the Bombay Police Act. I have been moving around the city and saw that the noise-levels are much less and under control. In many cases, we have seized mixers (music), loud-speakers and sound systems, said Ravindra Sengaonkar, additional commissioner of police (south).

Sengaonkar made it clear that police will follow the law about noise pollution in its totality and will not allow wall of speakers, often seen during the immersion procession. We will act against mandals and sound system owners if they violate the order.

This year, an association of sound system providers from Mumbai approached the Bombay high court against the police action. The association had sought clarification on what the rules and court orders in the issue concerned were. The petitioners had implied that there was no ban at all in place.

However, during the hearing, the government pleader claimed that a Bombay high court order from August 16, 2016, was in place and effect.

All authorities concerned shall ensure that a loudspeaker or a public address system shall not be used except after obtaining written permission from the authority contemplated by the Noise Pollution Rules in accordance with Sub Rule (1) of Rule 5 in addition to the licence required to be obtained under the Rules, if any, framed under the Maharashtra Police Act of 1951, the order from August 16, 2016, read.

The authority will have to also consider of immediately issuing an order of suspension of licence/permission granted to use loudspeaker or public address system, the order from August 16, 2016, further read.

The mandals and sound system owners, however, are protesting about the move saying there is no clarity from the police. The local police in our areas have not said anything to us yet, but the court (HC) order will put us out of business and livelihood. The mandals have already paid huge amounts to sound system providers. The government should listen to both the sides and then come to a decision, said Pravin Dongre of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav, Pune, who was leading the protest.

He claimed that lakhs of rupees had already exchanged hands through business between mandals and sound system providers.

A case was registered against our mandal last year even after following all the rules. We have no objection to the time limit, but saying that the sound systems should not be run at all is not fair, said Kiran Adkar of Aranyeshwar Akhil Taware colony Mandal which has been operational for the past 43 years, according to him.

Ravindra Kirve, head of Jogwadada Talim Mandal, which has been around for 74 years, seconded Adkar's opinion. While his mandal has had no cases against them, he said that they have recently paid for the lights and speakers. However, there has been no communication from the local police, he said.

During the Ganpati festival last year, the police had filed cases against several mandals and sound system providers for causing noise pollution.The Union health secretary, Preeti Sudan, has rejected the proposal by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) regarding capping the number of patients examined at the hospital. The institute administration is now planning to take the agenda in the next governing body meeting, likely to be held towards the end of this year.

One of the issues taken up at the meeting held three weeks ago with the health secretary in New Delhi was that the number of patients at the PGIMER had been increasing at a fast rate, whereas the staff and infrastructure were remaining the same, said Dr Jagat Ram, director, PGIMER.

The patient load was over 25.5 lakh in 2016, whereas it increased by around 1.3 lakh in 2017. With the hospital emergency and out-patient department (OPDs) bursting at the seams, we had asked the health secretary for a cap on the patient being examined at the PGIMER, Dr Ram said.

Although the meeting officers cited an example of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, where there is an option of referring back the patients, the health secretary was not convinced. She said the patients referred from the AIIMS can go to Safdarjung hospital, but patients referred from the PGIMER have nowhere to go to, Dr Ram said.

The proposal had come amid a constant demand from some of the faculty members that there should be a cap on the patient load, and now the authorities are planning to take the issue as a separate agenda in front of the governing body of the PGIMER.

34% jump in patients in last 5 years

As per the hospital data, a total of 26.8 lakh patients visited the OPD of the PGIMER in 2017. The figure was 20 lakh in 2013, which is a jump of 33.79% over the five years.

Out of the which the 26.8 lakh patients last year, the highest number of patients - 9.9 lakh - were from Punjab, which is almost double that of the patients from Chandigarh and Haryana, which was 5.4 lakh and 5.1 lakh, respectively.

The fourth in line was the number of patients from Himachal Pradesh - 3.2 lakh - and other states including north-eastern states, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir accounted for 3 lakh patients.

In the annual report 2016-17, PGIMER director has said the patient load over the years has been increasing exponentially and now it is becoming unimaginable.

From the annual number of 1.25 lakh outpatients and 3,328 admissions in 1963-64, the number of patients has gone up to 25.5 lakh outpatients and 89,584 admissions in 2016-17.Seven Vietnamese have died and five are in a coma after taking drugs at an electronic dance music festival in Hanoi late Sunday, officials said, as authorities scrambled to trace the substance.

The victims, all Vietnamese, tested positive for an unspecified drug prompting officials to ban all EDM festivals in the capital in the wake of the fatal incident, which has shocked the conservative city.

Police investigators are trying to figure out what type of drug that was, deputy director of Hanoi police Nguyen Van Vien told reporters Monday.

Officials said the dead were all in their 20s, while the five people in a coma are between 18 and 30 years old.

The sick are being treated in intensive care at two Hanoi hospitals.

If the deaths are confirmed as drug-related it could be one of the worst mass deaths at a music festival linked to narcotics in recent memory anywhere in the world.

Sunday nights Trip To The Moon festival was hosted by Vietnam Electronic Weekend in Hanois upscale West Lake, a neighbourhood popular among expats, teachers and youth for its nightlife and club scene.

Hundreds joined the event which sprawled across three stages and included EDM big hitters Yellow Claw and Headhunterz on the line-up, according to the online flyer for the event.

Investigators are trying to confirm who brought the drugs into the venue and said all events of its kind would be banned in the capital pending the probe.

The incident yesterday... was very painful. It was a great loss, said Tran Xuan Ha, deputy head of Hanoi governments propaganda department said.

Tickets to the event cost between $21 and $135 in a country which has joined Asias multi-million-dollar fixation on EDM.

Most ravers are found in the cosmopolitan and more free-wheeling southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City.

But the EDM party scene has gained popularity in the capital of the communist nation, as has drug use among young people.

It was the third Vietnam Electronic Weekend festival held in the country and was slated to be the biggest yet, according to state media.

Shocked Hanoians took to the internet Monday after the deaths.

A warning message for those young ones who have been so irresponsible for their own (lives), reader Nam Huynh wrote on VNExpress.

There are some 220,000 registered drug users in Vietnam, according to official figures.

In the past, most users were hooked on opium and heroin, though strong synthetics such as ICE and E are becoming increasingly popular, especially among Vietnams partying youth.

The synthetic substances largely come into Vietnam through porous borders from the notorious Golden Triangle drug producing zone -- comprised of lawless parts of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand -- though some high-profile busts in recent years in Vietnam have uncovered domestic labs.

On Saturday evening, two Australians died of suspected drug overdoses at an electronic music festival in Sydney, according to national broadcaster ABC.PM Narendra Modi will celebrate his birthday in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi where he will interact with school children.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'good health and happiness'. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Today is Prime Minister Narendra Modis 68th and Twitter is all abuzz with wishes and greetings pouring in for him.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter and wished the Prime Minister good health and happiness.

"Happy Birthday to our PM, Narendra Modi ji! Wishing him good health and happiness always. @narendramodi," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

The Congress chiefs wish to PM Modi is right above last tweet on September 15, where he accused the Prime Minister over the Vijay Mallya case, alleging that the PMs blue-eyed boy in the CBI weakened the lookout notice against the fugitive business tycoon and allowed him to escape the country.

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been constantly accusing the Centre for its policies, also wished the Prime Minister on his 68th birthday.

Mamata Banerjee, who is currently on a 13-day official tour to Europe, tweeted: Birthaday greetings to Prime Minister @narendramodiji.

In Tamil Nadu, the BJP celebrated PM Modi's 68th birthday by gifting gold rings to babies born today.

Also Read: PM Modi's 68th birthday: Tamil Nadu BJP gifts gold rings to babies born today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate his birthday in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi where he will interact with school children.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, BJP national president Amit Shah were among the first to greet PM Modi on his birthday today.Prime minister Theresa May used an interview to mark the six-month countdown to Brexit to convey her irritation at speculation in her party about her future, while London mayor Sadiq Khan called for another referendum on EU membership.

Uncertainty has mounted as official and other assessments predict adverse impact on daily life in the United Kingdom if London and Brussels fail to reach a deal on their future relationship. Any such deal can also be potentially voted down by the UK parliament.

The UK is due to leave the European Union on March 29, 2019, after decades of being a frontline member that influenced and contributed significantly to the bloc. The close 2016 vote to leave the EU, however, has divided the country down the middle.

Speaking to BBC in a special interview to be telecast on Monday, May criticised her former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who has been attacking her Brexit plan outlined in Chequers since resigning in July.

Johnsons description of her so-called Chequers plan as a suicide vest and handing over the detonator to Brussels, May said, was completely inappropriateI was home secretary for six years, and as prime minister for two years now I think using language like that was not right and its not language I would have used. May faces an uneasy time during the forthcoming annual party conference, with several party MPs and others openly discussing her position as leader and prime minister.

May faces an uneasy time during the forthcoming annual party conference, with several party MPs and others openly discussing her position as leader and prime minister.

On the continuing speculation, she said: I get a little bit irritated but this debate is not about my future. This debate is about the future of the people of the UK and the future of the United Kingdom. Thats what Im focused on and thats what we should all be focused on.

Its ensuring that we get that good deal from the European Union which is good for people in the UK, wherever they live in the UK, thats whats important for us.

As business continues to deal with uncertainty over its ability to operate across the EU after Brexit, London mayor Khan wrote in The Observer that the country needs another referendum, since a bad deal would adversely affect the economy.

According to the Labour mayor, since there is little time left to negotiate, now only two outcomes are possible: a bad deal for the UK or no deal at all, which would be even worse. They are both incredibly risky and I dont believe Theresa May has the mandate to gamble so flagrantly with the British economy and peoples livelihoods.

There is no alternative than to give people a chance to stay in the EU, he wrote. People didnt vote to leave the EU to make themselves poorer, to watch their businesses suffer, to have NHS wards understaffed, to see the police preparing for civil unrest or for our national security to be put at risk.Pakistans new premier Imran Khan has vowed to give citizenship to some Afghan refugees and Bengali immigrants, officials confirmed on Monday, granting rights to many who have lived in the country for decades.

Pakistan, one of the worlds largest refugee-hosting nations, is home to roughly 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, some of whom have lived in the country since fleeing the Soviet invasion of 1979.

There are also roughly a quarter of a million Bengalis, many of whom arrived during Pakistans civil war in 1971, when East Pakistan broke away to declare independence and become Bangladesh.

Khan, who visited Karachi on Sunday, told a fundraising dinner that his government would take steps to grant nationality to those who had been there longest.

The first thing I will do going back (to Islamabad), God willing, is that we will get those people from Bangladesh, who are perhaps living here for more than 40 years and their children have grown older, issued passports and national identity cards, he said, according to footage of the dinner seen by AFP.

And those Afghans whose children have grown older here, who were born in Pakistan, they would also be issued the passports and ID cards, he continued. When you are born in America, you get the American passport. It is the practice in every country in the world, so why not here? How cruel it is for them.

However, he also noted that Bengali immigrants and Afghan refugees have created an underclass in Karachi that has helped fuel street crime in the megacity of more than 20 million people.

Officials confirmed Khans comments on Monday and said a draft policy would have to be prepared for cabinet before legislation could be written and debated in parliament.

Pakistanis have long viewed Afghan refugees in particular suspiciously, with police accusing them of harassment and extortion. Many say they have overstayed their welcome.

In 2016, a wave of forced repatriations sparked fears of a humanitarian crisis, with Human Rights Watch issuing a scathing report describing Pakistans coercive approach. It accused the government of arbitrary detentions and other violations.

The United Nations refugee agency welcomed Khans announcement on Monday. We will continue to work closely with the Government of Pakistan on this issue in the coming weeks, spokesman Qaiser Khan Afridi told AFP.Days after pulling out of the Bimstec joint military exercise in India at the last minute, the Nepal Army on Monday began its second wargame with the Chinese military at Chengdu.

The Sagarmatha Friendship-2 military exercise in Chinas Sichuan province will last 10 days. Both sides have fielded a platoon for the drill that will focus on counter-terrorism and disaster management.

Amid widespread criticism, Nepal pulled out of the first Bimstec military exercise, which concluded in Pune on Sunday. Observers in New Delhi said Nepals decision not to participate amounted to a diplomatic loss for India.

Three officials familiar with developments in Kathmandu said Nepals absence at the Bimstec military exercise was due to a procedural failure on the part of both Nepal and India.

Indias unilateral decision and announcement about conducting the drill was responsible for Nepals cancellation, but it was our procedure lapse too, one official said.

After Nepals said it would not join the exercise in Pune, foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali said the proposal for the joint drill did not come up at any level at the Bimstec Summit in Kathmandu during August 30-31. In view of its close security ties with India, Nepal sent an observer for the drill.

If India had circulated the proposal through the Dhaka-based Bimstec Secretariat to member states, none of them would have skipped the drill like Nepal and Thailand did, the official said.

The Nepal Army, which received the proposal from the Indian side, did not consult other stakeholders such as the Prime Ministers Office, the foreign minister or the cabinet. On our side it was purely a procedure lapse and a lack of coordination among state agencies, the official added.

With sections of the media describing the Bimstec drill as an effort to show up China and isolate Pakistan, commentators and editorials in Nepal urged the government not to take part in any exercise that could jeopardise Nepals ties with other nations and turn Bimstec into a military bloc.

When it became public that the Nepal Army had not consulted even the defence ministry prior to the Bimstec Summit, it caused embarrassment for us. If the army had consulted others before the controversy erupted in Kathmandu, the matter could have been discussed at the top political level and sorted out in time, a second official said.

The third official said the Indian medias coverage of the Bimstec exercise did not go down well in Kathmandu. At a time when Saarc is not moving, comments in the Indian media on the Bimstec military drill triggered a controversy, especially since Nepal is the chair of both regional organizations, the official said.Typhoon Mangkhut barrelled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the northern Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left at least 64 people dead and dozens more feared buried in a landslide.

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern Chinas Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the massive typhoon and nearly 50,000 fishing boats were called back to port, state media reported.

The gambling enclave of Macau closed casinos for the first time and the Hong Kong Observatory warned people to stay away from the Victoria Harbour landmark, where storm surges battered the sandbag-reinforced waterfront.

Hong Kongs RTHK broadcaster cited experts as saying Mangkhut was expected to be the strongest typhoon to hit the city in decades.

The Hong Kong Observatory issued its strongest storm warning for 10 hours on Sunday, just slightly shorter than the record time of 11 hours set by Typhoon York in 1999, the South China Morning Post reported.

The storm made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 p m, packing wind speeds of 162 kilometres per hour. State television broadcaster CGTN reported that surging waves flooded a seaside hotel in the city of Shenzhen.

Groceries flew off the shelves of supermarkets in the provincial capital of Guangzhou as residents stocked up in anticipation of being confined at home by the typhoon, Chinas official Xinhua News Agency said.

Authorities in southern China issued a red alert, the most severe warning, as the national meteorological center said the densely populated region would face a severe test caused by wind and rain and urged officials to prepare for possible disasters.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled. All high-speed and some normal rail services in Guangdong and Hainan provinces were also halted, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Co. said.

In Hong Kong, a video posted online by residents showed the top corner of an old building break and fall off, while in another video, a tall building swayed as strong winds blew.

The storm also broke windows, felled trees, tore bamboo scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded areas with sometimes waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

The paper said the heavy rains brought storm surges of 3 metres around Hong Kong.

Hong Kong security minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents to prepare for the worst.

Because Mangkhut will bring winds and rains of extraordinary speeds, scope and severity, our preparation and response efforts will be greater than in the past, Lee said.

Each department must have a sense of crisis, make a comprehensive assessment and plan, and prepare for the worst. Hong Kongs Cathay Pacific said all of its flights would be canceled between 2:30 am Sunday and 4 am Monday.

The city of Shenzhen also canceled all flights between Sunday and early Monday morning. Hainan Airlines canceled 234 flights in the cities of Haikou, Sanya, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai scheduled over the weekend.

In Macau, next door to Hong Kong, casinos were ordered to close from 11 pm Saturday, the first time such action was taken in the city, the South China Morning Post reported.

Macau suffered catastrophic flooding during Typhoon Hato last year, leading to accusations of corruption and incompetence at its meteorological office.

In Macaus inner harbour district, the water level reached 1.5 meters on Sunday and was expected to rise further. The district was one of the most affected by floods from Typhoon Hato, which left 10 people dead.

In the northern Philippines, Mangkhut made landfall Saturday on the northeastern tip of Luzon island with sustained winds of 205 kilometres per hour and gusts of 255 kph.

Dozens of people, mostly small-scale miners and their families, were feared to have been trapped by a landslide in the far-flung village of Ucab in Itogon town in the northern Philippines Benguet province, Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said by phone on Sunday.

Palangdan said three villagers who nearly got buried by the huge pile of mud and rocks told authorities they saw residents rush into an old three-story building, a former mining bunkhouse that has been transformed into a chapel, at the height of the typhoons onslaught Saturday afternoon.

That was not an authorized evacuation center, Palangdan said, but expressed sadness that the villagers, many of them poor miners, had few options to survive in a region where big corporations have profited immensely from gold mines.

Police superintendent Pelita Tacio said 34 villagers had died and 36 remained missing in the landslides in Ucab and another village in Itogon town.

Rescuers were scrambling to pull out the body of a victim from the mound of mud and rocks in Ucab before Tacio left the area Sunday.

Its very sad. I could hear villagers wailing in their homes near the site of the accident, Tacio said by phone.

Rescuers were hampered by rain and mud, and the search and rescue operation was suspended at nightfall and will resume at daybreak Monday, Palangdan said.

Police and their vehicles could not immediately reach the landside-hit area because the ground was unstable and soaked from the heavy rains, regional police chief Rolando Nana told the ABS-CBN TV network.

Overall, at least 64 people have died in typhoon incidents in the northern Philippines, mostly from landslides and collapsed houses, according to the national police.

Forty-five other people were missing and 33 were injured in the storm.A London judges ruling in businessman Vijay Mallyas extradition case on December 10 may or may not be on the lines expected in New Delhi, but the case itself has changed for the better Indias ability to produce paperwork that holds up in British courts.

In previous extradition cases, bundles of poorly written first information reports (FIRs) and documents  many hand-written  used to arrive from India. Many were either unintelligible or of poor evidential quality, resulting in Indias cases invariably falling through in courts.

Officials closely associated with the Mallya case say it has been a learning exercise for ministries, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other agencies.

For the first time, there was joined-up thinking and much attention to detail in various quarters in New Delhi and London.

One joint secretary in a key ministry was removed when there was a delay in producing a vital document that was to be submitted to the Westminster Magistrates Court. From the time when Indian bureaucracy was known for delays, the Mallya case has evidently brought about a change of approach.

The CBI, which faced criticism last year in the extradition case of a couple wanted for bank fraud, responded very well this time, mainly due to the focus on the case by special director Rakesh Asthana. Deputy high commissioner Dinesh Patnaik steered the case from London until June, when he moved to New Delhi.

Mallyas case has been a learning exercise for us. We sat with lawyers of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to understand what is expected, in what form, in what kind of language, and we delivered, a senior official involved with the case said.

We started anticipating what the judge might ask, and prepared or provided paperwork before it was sought, such as sovereign assurances on no-death-sentence, human rights issues and prisons. No one had acted with such alacrity in the past, he added.

The better quality of documents included a change of language in the sovereign assurances - from verbose, bureaucratic generalities to specific commitments, while officials made efforts to ensure better videos of the Mumbai jail where Mallya is to be held, if extradited.

India submitted thousands of pages of documents that needed to be carted in trolleys. Mallyas team produced a similar number of documents.

Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who called the case a jigsaw puzzle, said it was blindingly obvious from the documents that banks had not followed their own rules while lending to Mallyas companies.

Another official said: The exercise has been good for us. A template has been created, now there is capacity to deal with other cases in the shape, form and language that is expected in British courts. It was very important for officials from Delhi to attend every Mallya hearing and understand the technicalities involved.

Since poor prison conditions was one of the key issues raised in previous extradition cases, barrack number 12 of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai was quickly identified as meeting the required standards, and all materials related to it were expeditiously organised and submitted.

Besides Indias better preparation, another highlight of the Mallya case has been the ways in which the media figured inside and outside the court.

Mallya used the opportunity provided by live television to often present his version of the narrative.

At every hearing, a media scrum would gather outside the court when Mallya arrived, again during lunch break when he would step out, and then as he left the court. On some occasions, he appeared pensive and tense, but mostly he seemed to enjoy the attention.

Inside the court, the media came under sharp focus. News reports were often mentioned to make points, while concerns were raised over media trials allegedly influencing the judiciary in India.

Martin Lau, a law expert and Mallyas witness, said: There is increasing concern in India about media trials. There has been a proliferation of television channels, panel discussions with powerful TV commentators. They are liable to influence all aspects of trial. There is intense media interest in India in this case.

Academic Lawrence Saez, also a witness for Mallya, admitted a substantial part of his criticism of the CBI was based on press reports: India has an established democracy and a free press. Many newspapers are prestigious. They follow the British model of fairness, some are replicas of The Times of London. They can be trusted, unlike the press in countries such as China.

There is a competitive news market. Inaccuracies would be pointed out by rival newspapers. Communication between the government is accessed by journalists in India as in other countries, through informal networks of individuals or leaks, he said.

In one of the first hearings, Mallyas lawyer asked Arbuthnot for a direction that media personnel be barricaded outside the court to prevent his client being accosted every time he entered or left the court. However, she said she was not sure if she had the power to do so.Appointment

17 September 2018

Singapore-headquartered hospitality company, Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG), has appointed Ms Chan Bee Hong as Senior Vice-President, Finance.

As part of PPHG's corporate leadership team, Bee Hong will be heading its finance and information technology functions. Bee Hong brings over 20 years of finance experience in the hotel industry and was previously Vice President, Finance and Corporate Services as well as Vice President, Operations for Singapore and Thailand for the Furama Hotel Group.

Bee Hong, who started her career with Coopers & Lybrand, ventured into the hospitality industry in 1995 with her first role at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore as Senior Chief Accountant. Subsequent progressions saw her taking up roles including Financial Controller for Rasa Sentosa Resort, Singapore and what was formerly Traders Hotel Singapore.

Lothar Nessmann, Chief Executive Officer, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, said, "We're very happy to welcome Bee Hong to our leadership team. Finance is a critical function especially for an asset owner and management company like PPHG, and she is a wonderful addition to the team for her experience and competence in her field. More than that, Bee Hong stands out for her warmth and sincerity and walks the talk when it comes to living PPHG's core values. She is a shining example of our female leadership and we are very pleased to have her on the team as we continue growing as a company. I am confident that Bee Hong will do well in her new role and energise, inspire and grow her team."

Over the next three years, PPHG will unveil several stunning new builds including Pan Pacific London (2020), Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Jakarta (2020), Pan Pacific Nha Trang Resort (2021), PARKROYAL Jakarta and PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Jakarta (2022) as well as two additional resorts in Melaka (2019) and Langkawi (2020).Babies born today on PM Modi's birthday are being gifted gold rings at a hospital in Chennai.

Chennai: As the BJP is celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 68th birthday, the party in Tamil Nadu is gifting gold rings to babies born today.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief and gynaecologist Tamilisai Soundararajan gifted gold rings to babies born at a government hospital.

(Photo: Twitter | @DrTamilisaiBJP)

BJP Tamil Nadu took to Twitter to wish the Prime Minister saying, "Happy birthday to the world's most powerful and popular leader."

Happy birthday to the world's most powerful and popular leader

Thiru @narendramodi

May God give him with good health and strength to fulfil his vision of transforming India into a strong, developed and progressive Nation #HappyBDayPMModi #TamilNaduCelebratesModi pic.twitter.com/2V6YT4UJzM  BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) September 17, 2018

Political parties in Tamil Nadu are known for giving out expensive items to mark the key events. In February, the AIADMK marked the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, by presenting gold rings to seven babies born on that day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is spending his birthday at his constituency at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh where he is scheduled to offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and later watch a film "Chalo Jeete Hain" inspired by his life along with a few school children.Appointment

17 September 2018

Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based, private hotel investment, ownership and management company, today appointed Cody Feaster as regional vice president of operations. In his new role, Feaster will oversee the management of a portion of HVMG's portfolio of 44 owned and operated hotels under the Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG brands, throughout the United States.

"In his two decades of hospitality experience, Cody has excelled in all facets of leadership and hotel operations, from executing on conversion and acquisition strategies, to repositioning assets, to helping associates achieve their highest potential," said Richard Jones, HVMG's SVP and Chief Operating Officer. "Cody has earned a reputation as a confident decision maker who brings out the best in the people with whom he supports. He is sure to be an invaluable resource at both the corporate level and in the field as HVMG continues its aggressive growth strategy."

Most recently, Feaster served as regional vice president at White Lodging where he had responsibility and oversaw 18 hotels. Prior to that, he held a number of increasingly more responsible positions with Hyatt Hotels culminating in regional vice president where he directed the operations and sales for a 12-hotel portfolio. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Northern Arizona University. Additionally, he studied at Les Roches Culinary Academy in Bluche, Switzerland, as well as the Hanzehogeschool in Groningen, Netherlands. He was the recipient of the first ever Hotel/GM of the year for Hyatt Place Hotels in 2008In the first citywide hotel strike Chicago has experienced, 26 hotels are without housekeepers, doormen, cooks, bartenders, and attendants. The strike began on Friday, September 7 with 25 hotels, and the following Monday workers at Cambria Hotel walked out on their shifts to join the strike.

Excerpt from Curbed Chicago

In the first citywide hotel strike Chicago has experienced, 26 hotels are without housekeepers, doormen, cooks, bartenders, and attendants. The strike began on Friday, September 7 with 25 hotels, and the following Monday workers at Cambria Hotel walked out on their shifts to join the strike.

Why did workers go on strike?

After about a week of negotiations, a strike was called to secure health insurance for hotel staff that is laid off in winter when business is slower. Employees say theyve had enough of management eliminating positions in the winter and piling more work on the staff thats left.

...I still need my diabetes medication when Im laid off. Nobody should lose their health benefits just because its cold out. Full-time jobs should have year-round benefits, said Q. Rivers, a house attendant at the Palmer House Hilton in a statement. They work us like dogs when its busy and then kick us to the curb in the winter.

What is the solution?

Three parent companies manage the bulk of hotels involvedHilton Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, and Marriott International. Ideally, one of these companies would come to an agreement with the union creating an example for others to follow, according to the Tribune.

Click here to read complete article at Curbed Chicago.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceJet Aviation today announced it has formed a new region for Asia-Pacific (APAC) and appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations APAC, effective immediately. The company also appointed David Best, current VP Business Development, as its new SVP Strategic Global Growth (SGG), effective December 1. Best succeeds Johannes Turzer, who is retiring from this role at the end of January 2019.

Jet Aviation today announced it has formed a new region for Asia-Pacific (APAC) and appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations APAC, effective immediately. The company also appointed David Best, current VP Business Development, as its new SVP Strategic Global Growth (SGG), effective December 1. Best succeeds Johannes Turzer, who is retiring from this role at the end of January 2019.

To help the company capture the value of Hawker Pacific and pursue interests and ambitions in support of its vision, Jet Aviation has formed a new region in Asia-Pacific (APAC) to which it has appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations. Reckling joins the leadership team, reporting directly to Jet Aviation President, Rob Smith, and will oversee the company's business activities throughout the region. The new APAC region has 21 locations and more than 1,100 employees.

Reckling joined Hawker Pacific as CFO in 2008, having held senior financial, commercial and managerial roles with various public companies in the UK and Australia. A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Town and is a graduate of the Executive Program for Growing Business at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

"Joe has a strong background in mergers and acquisitions and post-acquisition business integration," adds Smith. "I'm very pleased to welcome him to the leadership team and am confident he will continue to expand and strengthen our service offerings in Asia-Pacific to exceed customer demand."

Best joined Turzer's SGG team as VP Business Development in April 2017 and has been largely responsible for the successful acquisition and integration of Hawker Pacific to date. Prior to joining Jet, he founded and led a global aviation and business consultancy company and held senior positions with BBA Aviation Asia Pacific and Signature Flight Support. Best serves as Board of Governor of the Asian Business Aviation Association and sits on the Governing Board of the International Business Aviation Council. He is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, where he earned his MBA and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Turzer began his career with Jet Aviation in Dusseldorf in 1976 as an Avionics Engineer. In 1978, he left the company to take on various managerial roles in the Industry until 1999. In 2000, Turzer returned to Jet Aviation as VP and GM of our Germany operations. He later assumed further responsibilities for London Biggin Hill and was also instrumental in establishing Jet Aviation's Moscow Vnukovo presence in late 2007. In 2011, Turzer took leadership of our maintenance operation in Basel, and is credited for successfully overcoming considerable market challenges before assuming his current role as SVP SGG in 2017.

"David has lived and worked in Europe, Asia and the USA throughout his business career," says Smith. "He brings to his new role deep knowledge and expertise in all aspects of strategy, corporate growth, acquisitions and business aviation infrastructure. Please join me in thanking Johannes for his significant contribution to Jet, and in wishing David continued success as SVP SGG."

Best also joins the company's leadership team, reporting to Smith. Turzer will relocate to his home in Dusseldorf, Germany in mid-December, and serve in an advisory capacity as GM Germany effective February 1, 2019.

Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE :GD ), was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceWe'll be getting White Bronco any day now, but before that arrives Action Bronson will drop off a few teasers along the way.

As promised, Bam Bam has used a painting he created himself to serve as the cover of his White Bronco project, uploading the official rendering by way of social media as he also announced that he'll be releasing a new single on Friday (September 21st) ahead of Bronco.

"WHITE BRONCO COMING SOON. Artwork by me. NEW SONG FRIDAY," wrote the "Fuck, That's Delicious" host in a tweet Saturday morning.

The new project will be Bronson's first independent project since signing on with Vice in 2012. The last indy release we got from the Queens emcee was the Statik Selektah collaboration Well Done. Last year marked the arrival of his Blue Chips 7000 effort via VICE. It was a project that presented a few delays from the label according to Action Bronson, which could possibly point to the circumstances surrounding this forthcoming drop.

When first announcing that White Bronco would be on the way, Bronson also hinted at a possible tour to accompany the effort, writing that his knee was doing better."

SO YOU KNOW ILL BE IN A CITY NEAR YOU SOON," he added.Comedic duo Desus & Mero 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 they discussed sneaker culture in the Bronx, their favorite Jordans, and never repeating an outfit on their show "Desus & Mero."

The Bodega Boys also weighed in on the Air Jordan 16 "foreskin," LeBron James' signature sneaker line and Nike's recent Colin Kaepernick ad, as well as the boycotters who were cutting the swoosh logo off of their gear. Additionally, the duo gave their take on Yeezys, Air Force 1s and Nike Foamposites, which Mero describes as the sneaker equivalent of Timbs: "Like if you see a dude in Foams, it's like yo this dude got several felonies."

At the end of their visit to Stadium Goods, Desus & Mero walked out with $3989.18 worth of merch including the Acronym x Nike Air Presto, "South Beach" Nike LeBron 9, "Cactus Jack" Air Jordan 4s and Nigel Sylvester's Air Jordan 1 collab.

Check out the full episode in the video embedded below.When Wale tweeted about his flight delays, he was just trying to joke about the situation and laugh it off. He remarked that his flight was canceled for the fifth time in ten days, which sounds like an absolute nightmare. Especially when you consider that most of Wale's income is likely from touring, the cancellations may have major implications for the artist. The artist just released his Free Lunch EP and he joked that he would try walking to L.A. since it just wasn't in the cards for him to fly there. Finally, he made it onto a plane but came across another issue: two flight attendants who he accuses of being "racist."

The race situation doesn't exactly get described in detail but the situation itself is a little baffling. The D.C. rapper tweeted American Airlines, being polite about his frustration over the flight delay and signing off with "I love u guys." He was a little less kind after being mistreated aboard the plane, claiming that two employees threatened to call the police on him because he was "not supposed to be in first class." Wale provided the attendant's names and even came through with receipts, showing that he was absolutely meant to be seated at 4F in the First Class section. Requesting to be kept in the loop on what happens with Megumi and Don, the so-called "racist" employees, it's now up to American Airlines to figure out what went wrong.

The airline has tweeted back at the performer to let him know that they would be responding to his direct message, noting that "Discrimination has no place at American Airlines."

https://twitter.com/_/status/1041486642022952961

https://twitter.com/_/status/1041592347476148224

https://twitter.com/_/status/1041592347497181184

https://twitter.com/_/status/1041593812597055488

2 1 of 2 Cliff Owen, FRE / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 2 KCNA VIA KNS, Contributor / AFP/Getty Images Show More Show Less



WASHINGTON - Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Monday the threat of nuclear attack was shrinking globally, citing a tentative agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to end that nation's nuclear weapons program.

"Together, we are making strides toward our shared goals. While much work remains, the collective efforts of [International Atomic Energy Agency] member states are reducing the threat of nuclear war and nuclear terrorism," Perry said at an IAEA conference in Vienna. "I have confidence that [Kim] will honor our agreement, and, equally important, our handshake."Citing financial losses, Maba Pan-Asian Diner in Midtown has closed, chef/owner Wayne Nguyen said Monday.

The modern Vietnamese restaurant at 510 Gray, which enjoyed a cult fan base and glowing reviews from critics, served its last meals Saturday night.

"Maba has depleted all its funds," Nguyen said. "In the end, there were challenges we could not overcome."

THREE-STAR REVIEW: Alison Cook reviews Maba Pan-Asian Diner, only on HoustonChronicle.com

One of the chief challenges, he said, was insufficient parking at the strip mall where the restaurant opened in December 2016. Lack of parking meant there weren't enough customers coming through the door. "We were not hitting our numbers. I think we never hit our numbers in that space," Nguyen said, adding that there were days when the restaurant first opened that sales were a mere $300 a day.

Now Playing: Chronicle critic Alison Cook compiles the best dining the city has to offer. Video: Houston Chronicle

But the restaurant found its fans, including the Chronicle's restaurant critic Alison Cook, who placed Maba at No. 11 in her Top 100 list last year. She called Nguyen "the brightest new star on Houston's culinary scene."

"Nguyen's ingredients are first-rate," she wrote. "His ideas are witty and intelligent. The execution  over which he presides like a sharp-eyed hawk  is impeccable. And the prices are startlingly affordable, with most prices hovering near the $10 mark."

Nguyen said that the nights when Maba was operating at full throttle with a packed house, the experience was exhilarating.

"For me, it was akin to when I was in my early 20 and I rode a motorcycle and took it to 120 miles an hour. There's no feeling like it. When I'm in the kitchen cooking, it feels the same way," he said.

But the financial stress and long hours took its toll, he said. "It took a toll on my family," he said. "I don't know how many parents' nights I missed at my daughter's school. I'm going to see if I can make up for lost time."

Nguyen said he has no immediate plans to get back into the restaurant business. In fact, it might be years, he said. First things first: He said he's going to enjoy 48 hours of sleep and then take his wife, Tammy, on vacation.

On the restaurant's Facebook page, Nguyen wrote: "Maba was created to provide high-quality Asian cuisine at an affordable price. Although we had a tremendous increase in support since our grand opening in December 2016, it saddens us to say that it was not enough to keep our doors open. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our patrons and to all those who have supported Maba Pan-Asian Diner. It was a huge privilege to have served you."

He added Monday that he wanted to thank his staff, his customers, and his family for Maba's nearly two-year run.



Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.PICK OF THE WEEK

2016 Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano

Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with four scores of at least 9. Cherry and cola notes  well balanced, layered. Very good. My score: 9. Loved the tannins and array of bright-red-fruit flavors.

Varietal/blend: 100 percent sangiovese (called prognolo gentile in the Montepulciano neighborhood of Tuscany). Alcohol: 13.5 percent.

Winery/vineyards/winemaking: The estate, founded in 1961 by Dino Carletti, is on the slopes below Montepulciano. Carlettis son, Federico, returned from northern Italy in 1980 to help his father produce a wine of his own, choosing the name Poliziano because he loved the work of the regions famous poet, Angelo Ambrogini, who was known as Il Poliziano. The estate today covers some 500 acres, and only grapes grown on the property are used in both the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and this excellent value-priced Rosso.

Winemaker notes: Young, fruity and full-bodied.

About our recommendations Eight to 12 tasters, a mix of industry professionals and knowledgeable consumers, convene once a month to sample 40 to 50 wines with Dale Robertson, the Chronicle's wine columnist. The grape varietals are identified, but the labels are covered. A 10-point scale is used, with a taster's score of 8.5 or higher considered a recommendation. The quality score is the average of the tasters' scores. The value score and, hence, the overall score are determined by Robertson once a wine has been selected to receive a recommendation. Value is based on the price listed. See More Collapse

Pairings: Roasted meats that are grilled rare, cured sausages, hard cheeses. Pastas in tomato-based sauce.

Price: $17.99 at Specs

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

2016 Colinas de Uruguay Tannat

Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with two scores of 9 or higher. Blackberries. My score: 9. Tannic but tasty. The varietal, from which the word tannin may be derived, thrives in Uruguays terroir, which this wine expresses perfectly. Alcohol: 13.5 percent.

Price: $10.99 at Specs

2015 Murrietas Well The Spur

Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with five scores of 9 or higher. Big, well-structured wine. My score: 9.2 Fruity and well balanced. In the Livermore Valley, its one of Californias oldest wineries. The wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (48 percent), petite sirah (20), merlot (18), petit verdot (8) and cab franc (6) sourced from the winerys own vineyards. Alcohol: 14.5 percent.

Price: $22.99 at wine.com

2014 J. Lohr Cuvee Pau

Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with four scores of at least 9. Jammy red and black fruit, cedar. My score: 8.9 Inky color. Vanilla and blackberries. Intense. Pau references Pauillac, the famed Left Bank appellation of Bordeaux. This Paso Robles wine is 68 percent cab, 14 percent malbec, 11 percent petit verdot and 7 percent merlot. Alcohol: 14.5 percent.

Price: $45.46 special order from Specs

2016 Duchman Family Vineyards Vermentino

Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with four scores of 9. Lemon zest, dried herbs. My score: 9. Citrusy sipper with nice minerality. The grapes for this consistently high-scoring and widely available Texas white are grown by the Bingham family on its High Plains property southwest of Lubbock. Alcohol: 13.8 percent.

Price: $14.99 at Specs

DOUBLE GOLD

Nearly 140 wines in this years Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo International Wine Competition earned double-gold status, signifying that every judge on the tasting panel deemed them worthy of a gold medal. Well be featuring one bi-weekly for the rest of the year.

2015 Becker Vineyards Raven Red

Texas Class Champion/New World Bordeaux Blend ($39-$55)

Varietal/blend: Malbec (50 percent), petit verdot (21), cabernet sauvignon (15), merlot (8) and syrah (6). Alcohol: 13.8 percent.

Winery/vineyards/winemaker: The fruit is all from Hill Country vineyards. Winemaker Jon Leahy aged the wine for 22 months in a blend of French and American oak. It was one of four Becker offerings to earn double-gold status in this years judging.

Winemaker notes: Highly concentrated body as well as good tannic structure.  The spicy quality of the malbec displays itself as an almost brown spice  think allspice and nutmeg. Notes of violet accent the blend in addition to the red fruit florals. The petite verdot notes of rose and scented geranium come in complete complement to the spicy quality of the malbec. The finish on the back palate seems to linger with light notes of rose and pepper. Pair with rich beef, roast wild game, pork and veal.

Price: $53.43 at SpecsDuring his day-long visit, Rahul will embark on 15-km-long roadshow after taking blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests.

Life-size cutouts and huge posters describing Gandhi as a devotee of Lord Shiva have come up in the city. In the posters, Rahul Gandhi is seen pouring holy water on Shivalinga. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Bhopal: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched his partys poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, known to be a BJP bastion, with a road show in Bhopal.

Gandhi was received by state Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, at the airport. Thousands of Congress workers and supporters holding the party's flags chanted "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad" as he left the airport.

Life-size cutouts and huge posters describing Gandhi as a devotee of Lord Shiva have also come up in the city. In the posters, Rahul Gandhi is seen pouring holy water on Shivalinga.

After his arrival at the airport, Rahul Gandhi sought the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests.

The Congress chief then embarked on a 15-kilometre-long roadshow in an open vehicle from Lalghati Chowk close to the Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal. He will later address party workers during his day-long visit to the state capital.

Gandhi's roadshow will conclude at Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan, where he will interact with party cadres. Besides, he is going to address a meeting of Congress workers, which is open to the public, before leaving in the evening, state party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

Ahead of the visit, Congress has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing the 48-year-old party chief, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Security has been tightened in the city in view of Gandhi's visit, Bhopal Inspector General (IG) of Police Jaideep Prasad said. "We have got an extra force of 1,500 policemen who have already been deputed," he said.

"We are expecting more than one lakh Congress cadres in the state capital," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, a BJP leader said party chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a function in Bhopal on September 25. Earlier, a visit by Shah to Ujjain district on September 12 was put off.

"It was a tentative programme of Shahji that has been postponed as he along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to grace a function on September 25 here," state BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said.

Preparations are underway to make the September 25 event a huge success, Agrawal added.Local officials are still tracking Hurricane Harveys effect on sales tax revenue after the storm impacted thousands of businesses in the Lake Houston area.

A decline in sales tax revenue is especially important for the city of Humble, whose budget is funded more by sales tax revenue  including large retail centers, such as Deerbrook Mall and the Townsen Boulevard development with Main Event and Costco  than property taxes.

In the immediate months following Harvey we saw a precipitous decline in sales tax revenue, Humble City Manager Jason Stuebe said.

In August and September 2017, Humble witnessed only a 2 percent decline and a decrease of 2.67 percent year-over-year, respectively.

However, the city was down more than 11 percent year-over-year in October and in November sales tax revenue was down another 6 percent.

In December of 2017 we started to see the turnaround  between the holidays, people getting their lives back together, and businesses returning  we were up 7.9 percent for the month and that trend has continued throughout the rest of the fiscal year to present, Stuebe said.

Lake Houston Area Economic Development Partnership President Mark Mitchell said sales tax numbers dropped as families tried to piece their lives back together during the first few months after Harvey.

If your home was flooded and you had no other family in the immediate area, then you were actually staying with either parents or in-laws or cousins while theyre doing the remediation of their homes. So its kind of a chicken and egg (issue). We lost businesses and we lost individuals as a result of the hurrricane so that really depressed the retail sales in the area for several months, Mitchell said.

Stuebe said out of the 64 commercial properties that were impacted by flooding within the city of Humbles boundaries only seven have permanently closed.

However, Mitchell said about 3,300 businesses across the Lake Houston area filled out applications with the Small Business Association stating that they were physically or economically affected across the Lake Houston area.

We know at least that many businesses felt compelled to go through the (SBA) process and we know at least 350 businesses received some type of flood waters into their stores and thats just us within the context of the chamber, Mitchell said.

Mitchell said in the Lake Houston area there are 7,500 identified businesses.

I wouldnt be surprised at all if 10 or 20 percent of that make up in some way shape or form a retail and maybe a little higher percentage, Mitchell said.

From Fiscal Year 2016 to Fiscal Year 2017 Humbles sales tax revenue dropped from $13.6 million to $13.2 million. Stuebe mentioned the Fiscal Year 2018 budget looks like it will be above their budgeted $13 million in estimated sales tax revenues, possibly hitting $14 million.

Based on the most current data we have, we are already seeing a sales tax revenue increase of 3.45 percent year-over-year, which is a very good thing to not only see that we are returning to where we were but in fact headed towards a more positive position, Stuebe said.

Mitchell said as businesses such as Best Buy, Target and Kohls made a comeback in the community sales tax revenue started to increase.

The positive note of all of this is the significant majority of those businesses have come back within the context of our retail base and the Hwy. 59 corridor, Mitchell said. Kingwood as well. In the Kingwood area youve seen a significant number of new establishments taking up that space that was actually brand new space and now its occupied with new retailers, which is a very positive side.

While some businesses saw a decline due to harvey, others noticed a boon.

Hallmark Mitigation & Construction Owner John Hallmark said his business opened in December 2016 and was located on Townsen Boulevard. He had to relocate his business to his residence since his office got some mold.

Hallmark has not moved back to his office since then due to mold and is currently looking for another location to re-establish his building.

Business, rather than depleting, was on the rise since many of businesses and residences in the area needed repairs and reconstruction.

This business has only been in operation for a year and nine months. Our first year we made $600,000 and this year were about to come close to double, $1.2 million, Hallmark said.

Hallmark said business started slowing down in the last month.

Its been mostly reconstruction obviously. Mitigation is typically the first week after a flood and then its just reconstruction and weve been pretty steady until the last month and now were finally starting to chase work again. Until then its just been all coming our way and we didnt have to chase.

According to Stuebe Fiscal Year 2018 could possibly be one of their strongest fiscal years ever due to the recent trends in sales tax revenue.

Obviously, we remain a retail hub for northeast Harris County but as you know, many folks who lost their homes are still in the process of rebuilding. So, have we returned to business as usual or is this an artificial bubble driven by the thousands of families and businesses in the area refinishing their homes and businesses? Thats what we will need to monitor in the months and years ahead, Stuebe said.

With the City of Humbles financial health becoming better than ever, city officials are still monitoring and looking to diversifying their retail industry.

I would say we are cautiously bull-ish on our local economy and future right now, which speaks to the resilience of our community. But that doesnt mean we can take our foot off the gas pedal, Stuebe said. We will need to continue to attract new development and redevelopment and also continue the push to get long term regional solutions to our flooding problem because our primary fear will remain What if it happens again?After NASA sank more than four years and $100 million into a lunar rover just to cancel it earlier this year, officials quelled concerns from the scientific community by saying it would be scrapped for parts to use in the future.

But that may no longer be the case.

A lot of good work was done on [the rover] and we want to see what it would take to complete those, said Steven Clarke, NASAs deputy associate administrator for exploration. But there may be some good commercial ideas that do the same science that [the lunar rover] was going to do.

The rover, known as Resource Prospector, was being built by NASA to find water on the moon. But then the space agency abruptly shuttered the project in April after more than four years of work, saying it would rely on commercial companies for future robotic missions to the lunar surface.

UNCERTAINTY: Three major NASA projects in limbo because of delays, cancellations

Now, NASA is asking for bids from companies for those missions. The winners, announced in December and under contract for 10 years, will be tasked with launching instruments and scientific experiments to the moon.

In theory, those instruments would be Resource Prospectors  such as its ice drill, a system to search for hydrogen below the lunar surface, and a tool to quantify water extracted from the moon. But later this month, NASA also is asking for bids for instruments and scientific experiments that would hitch a ride on those landers.

Resource Prospectors instruments may never leave a NASA facility, let alone Earths atmosphere.

It all depends on if [the instruments] are viable still, and if its still cost effective, as well, Clarke said.

HUNTING FOR WATER: NASA's lunar rover could enable deep-space exploration

NASA will choose those projects in February, at which point they will be matched up with the landers for a launch to the moon's surface. Contract missions are expected to begin as soon as 2019, but NASA plans a first delivery to the surface no later than Dec. 31, 2021.

Resource Prospector was slated to fly in 2022 or 2023.

NASA also plans to develop projects to fly on the landers. But in this scenario, the space agency would act as a customer paying a company for services.

Once we have [the companies] on contract, we can issue a task order to them and we negotiate a final price, Clarke said. Were going to be buying rides to the moon.

This allows NASA to focus its funds and expertise on further human exploration, he added.

Were looking to partner more [with commercial industry] instead of doing all the design in house, Clarke said. If the government can buy services versus create that same capability within the government  then NASA can put more resources toward advanced development of systems needed for habitation on the moon and human missions to Mars.

SHIFTING FOCUS: Most employees working on recently canceled lunar rover will be 'reassigned'

Increased commercialization of space has been a key talking point of President Donald Trumps administration as he pushes for a return to the moon as a stepping stone for a mission to Mars.

For example, Trump has called for the agency to transition activity on the station to commercial companies, ending federal funding by 2025. This push follows one started in 2014  prior to Trump's presidency  in which SpaceX and Boeing will become the first commercial companies to send crews to the International Space Station, eliminating our dependence on Russia to ferry astronauts to and from the orbiting laboratory.

GOING COMMERCIAL: NASA names first 9 astronauts to fly on commercial vehicles by Boeing, SpaceX

The commercial crew program has faced numerous setbacks and delays, and many oppose Trumps plan for the space station, saying companies likely wont be ready to take on the fiscal responsibilities that come along with the station. Just in fiscal year 2017, NASA spent $1.45 billion on the space station  and that doesnt count costs to transport astronauts and supplies there.

With this lunar lander strategy, Clarke said NASA is trying to jump start the commercial industry to provide landing services on the moon.

Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.Chasing Orion: This is the fifth in a series of stories leading up to the April 2019 launch of Orions launch abort system, which is managed by NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston.

When NASA launches the Orion spacecraft to the moon in the coming years, the fate of the four-person crew  for a short while, anyway  depends on four large bolts.

These bolts will automatically explode if the systems detect a problem with the rocket in the seconds after launch, separating the crew module from the boosters so those on board can escape a fiery death.

But before humans strap into the spacecraft, NASA must design and test this escape mechanism (known as the launch abort system) on a mockup module, a simplified version of the real Orion. And this month, personnel at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston are getting ready to install those bolts on this mockup, the next step in their year-long design process leading up to the April 2019 test.

Were just chugging along, project manager Jon Olansen said.

On that day in April, the mockup capsule will launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., fulfilling its only purpose before sinking to the bottom of the ocean: testing the primary safety feature for the spacecraft that will take humans back to the moon for the first time in 50 years.

Personnel at the Houston center have been working on the module since March, where they outfitted it with flight computers, communication systems and about 800 data sensors. They also put it through flight simulations, as well as weight and center of gravity testing because it must have the exact same measurements as the real Orion when humans are on board. Earlier this month, the mockup crew module returned to Johnson from NASAs Ohio-based Glenn Research Center, where it underwent four days of acoustic tests designed to ensure the capsule is structurally sound.

It passed with flying colors, Olansen said, so now the Houston center will attach the crew module to the separation ring  this is where the four large bolts come in  which connects the module to the rocket booster and allows it to separate from the rocket if necessary.

Those four bolts are the only thing connecting the crew module to the booster, Olansen said. When you blow those four bolts, thats how the crew module separates from the rest of launch system.

The Orion spacecraft has been in various stages of design for nearly two decades, its destination oscillating between the moon and Mars depending on White House leadership. A return to the moon is a top priority for President Donald Trumps administration and his $19.9 billion proposed budget for the next fiscal year tasks NASA with launching an unmanned Orion flight by 2021, followed by a launch of Americans around the moon in 2023.

The simplified module will not be reused once the test is complete. Additional capsules for the unmanned and crewed missions are under construction elsewhere. The Space Launch System  the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built that will send Orion to space  as well as the ground systems for launch, also are being developed simultaneously.

From start to finish, the abort system test is expected to account for only $256 million of the programs more than $11 billion budget, according to NASA.

Johnson personnel also are designing Orions cockpit and flight software, spacesuits and parachutes. Just this week, Johnson successfully completed the last parachute test at the U.S. Armys Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Johnson is home to the nations astronaut corps, where human space flight research and training take place. It also is home to the International Space Stations mission operations and the Orion program.

Olansen expects personnel to begin bolting the separation ring to the crew module around Sept. 24, he said, and then it will take about two weeks to link the crew module computer systems to those in the separation ring. Once thats complete, Johnson personnel will run the capsule and its attachment through a battery of tests to ensure everything is working properly.

Its the last step before Olansen ships it off to NASAs Florida-based Kennedy Space Center in November, where it will stay until the launch in April.

A good portion of the team is going to be at KSC from December until the launch in April, he said.

alex.stuckey@chron.com

twitter.com/alexdstuckeyA NASA official said this week that the space agency expects to leave footprints on the moon again in the late 2020s, nearly 60 years after we last touched the surface.

That may seem like a long time away, but Steven Clarke, NASA's deputy associate administrator for exploration, said Tuesday the plan is to have science and human exploration work together, with an eye on a future mission to Mars. Clarke presented the agency's plans for lunar missions Tuesday at a meeting of the Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science of National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine's Space Studies Board. The meeting is being held in California.

"We want to build on our extensive past experience," Clarke said. The U.S.'s last trip to the moon was in December 1972 with Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans and Harrison Schmitt.

Since taking office last year, President Donald Trump has pushed for the U.S. to return to the moon as a stepping stone toward Mars.

On the human side of things, Trump's $19.9 billion proposed budget for the next fiscal year tasks NASA with launching an uncrewed Orion flight by 2021, followed by a launch of Americans around the moon in 2023. It also would set aside $504.2 million in the coming year to begin working on the foundation on a $2.7 billion Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway  basically a mini-space station orbiting the moon where astronauts could live and work.

Clarke said the gateway should be fully functional by 2026. Human missions to the lunar surface are expected to come soon after.

But NASA's lunar exploration plan also includes robotic missions. Though the agency earlier this year abruptly canceled a lunar rover that was just a few years away from rocketing to the moon in search of water, it has asked commercial companies to submit their plans for new robotic missions.

NASA will select companies in December, Clarke said, and he expects those missions will begin in 2019 or 2020.

"We're looking at how this feeds forward to a Mars exploration mission -- not just a robotic mission, but human exploration as well," Clarke told the committee.

Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.The Russians will wait to release any details about the origin of the air leak-causing hole on the International Space Station until their investigation is complete, they now say, because of "speculations circulating in the media" that it was drilled in space -- speculation they started last week.

Russian officials initially thought the air leak-causing hole, discovered Aug. 30 in their Soyuz spacecraft attached to the station, was the result of space debris. But they later said it likely was the result of sloppy drill work, either here or in space.

"It is a matter of honor," Roscosmos state space corporation head Dmitry Rogozin said last week, "...to find the one responsible for that, to find out whether it was an accidental defect or a deliberate spoilage and where it was done  either on Earth or in space."

The comments drew backlash from NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, who currently is living on the station. On Monday, he told ABC News that it was "a shame and somewhat embarrassing that anybody is wasting any time talking about something that the crew was involved in."

CONFIDENCE: NASA astronaut headed to International Space Station confident Russia will figure out source of hole

"I can unequivocally say that the crew had nothing to do with this," Feustel continued.

After a Wednesday teleconference with Rogozin, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine agreed with the Russian's decision to hold back information until the investigation is complete, a Thursday news release stated. The Russian investigation, expected to be done by mid-September, will look at how the hole occurred, whether it was intentional and if other Soyuz modules currently in development also have defects.

Bridenstine and Rogozin "affirmed the necessity of further close interaction between NASA and Roscosmos technical teams in identifying and eliminating cause of the leak, as well as continuation of normal ISS operations and NASA's ongoing support of the Roscosmos-led Soyuz investigation," the news release stated. "They acknowledged the entire crew is dedicated to the safe operation of the station and all docked spacecraft to ensure mission success."

DEFIANCE: NASA astronaut says hole in the International Space Station did not happen on orbit

Russia's Soyuz spacecraft has been the only way to ferry astronauts to and from the station since 2011, when the space shuttle program was shuttered. The compromised part of the Soyuz does not return to Earth and the patch astronauts put in last month is holding.

It's not yet clear how the hole discovery will impact the next Soyuz flight, scheduled for Oct. 11, which will be carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague.

Bridenstine and Rogozin plan to meet face-to-face Oct. 10 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan -- where the Soyuz is launched -- ahead of Hague's flight.

Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.The alleged marginalisation of Singh in the show has not gone down well in his camp.

Bhopal: Hoardings dotting the BHEL ground here, where AICC president Rahul Gandhi sounded the poll bugle for the Congress in election-bound Madhya Pradesh by addressing party men on Monday, did not find pictures of former chief minister Digvijay Singh, raising eyebrows in the political circle here.

Senior Congress leaders such as Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia figured prominently in the hoardings and posters erected at BHELs Dussehra ground to hail Mr Gandhi for his first visit to Bhopal after taking over as the party chief.

However, Congress veteran Mr Singh could not find place in any of the hoardings and banners displayed there, although, he shared dais with Mr Gandhi and other senior leaders of the party on the occasion.

The 12-km route from the airport to the BHEL ground covered by Mr Gandhi during his roadshow had also been lined up with posters, banners and hoardings of the party welcoming the Congress president. However, pictures of Mr Nath and Mr Scindia dominated the publicity materials.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took a jibe at Mr Singh for being neglected in the show, saying, Mr Digvijay Singh is like my elder brother. His pictures were not found in the Congress posters and hoardings. It is intriguing.

The alleged marginalisation of Mr Singh in the show has not gone down well in his camp.

Mr Singh is striving hard to unite the party... But, the party leadership chose to ignore him. This does not augur well for the unity of the party ahead of the year-end Assembly elections, an aide of Mr Singh said requesting anonymity.Is Brett M. Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination in danger now that a woman has publicly accused him of sexually assaulting her when the two were at a high school party decades ago? Maybe.

That's not something we were willing to say at the end of last week. Then, the allegations were anonymous, taking shape in a mysterious letter that a top Senate Democrat referred to the FBI, and then in outlines of reporting in the New Yorker that Kavanaugh forced himself on a woman when he was in high school.

That changed Sunday, when Christine Blasey Ford came forward as the accuser, telling The Washington Post's Emma Brown her story:

"One summer in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend - both 'stumbling drunk,' Ford alleges - corralled her into a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County.

"While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth.

"'I thought he might inadvertently kill me,' said Ford, now a 51-year-old research psychologist in northern California. 'He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.'"

As far as tracing decades-old sexual harassment allegations go, Ford's story is remarkably credible. Ford is speaking on the record about her experience. She passed a polygraph test, the results of which The Post reviewed. She told other people about the alleged attack years before Kavanaugh was a Supreme Court nominee. She allowed her records from a therapy session about it to be reviewed by The Post. She says she didn't want to come forward and decided to do so only after her story was leaked to news outlets.

Ford's story is enough for at least one Republican senator who had been counted as a "yes" on Kavanaugh to call for a pause on his nomination, which was expected to sail through the Republican-controlled Senate in the next few weeks.

Sean Sullivan tweeted "NEWS: Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) tells me in an intv he that doesn't think the Judiciary Cmte should move ahead with its Thursday vote on Kavanaugh until they hear more from Christine Blasey Ford. 'For me, we can't vote until we hear more.'"

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., sits on the committee that was expected to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination to move to the full Senate this week, and the committee is split just enough that he could stall it. (Although the full Senate could still act without a positive committee vote.)

Earlier Sunday, before Ford's story was public, a swing Democratic vote, Sen. Doug Jones, Ala., told CNN that he didn't think the nomination process would be stalled unless the accuser came forward. "You're not going to be able to really test it unless somebody comes forward with more information," he said. Now, she has.

During his conformation hearings earlier this month, Kavanaugh denied under oath that he had ever committed sexual harassment. He also denied the assault allegations through a statement from the White House before Ford put her name to them. (He has not commented now that Ford has gone public.)

For Kavanaugh, there are a few reasons this allegation could be particularly damaging. From the moment he became President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, he sought to present himself as a champion of women.

He introduced himself to the nation by talking about his mom, a teacher-turned-prosecutor-turned judge. His daughters were by his side. In his confirmation hearing, he and others talked at length about how he elevates women as law clerks. After the allegations came last week, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee shared a letter from 65 women who said they knew Kavanaugh during high school and defended his character.

This is happening at a moment when the nation is perhaps the most sensitive it has ever been to such allegations, and society is taking them more seriously. Nine members of Congress have lost their jobs over sex-related scandals in the past year. It feels like a long way from 1991, when Anita Hill went through the wringer for testifying that Clarence Thomas, now a Supreme Court justice, had sexually harassed her.

So Kavanaugh's nomination could be in trouble, even with a Republican Senate that badly wants to put him on the court quickly. But the dam isn't breaking yet.

Republicans control a majority in the Senate and thus can approve his nomination with a majority of votes.

A lot is also on the line politically for Republicans right now, and they're under a tight timeline. By putting Kavanaugh on the court to replace retired justice Anthony M. Kennedy, they can firm up the court's conservative majority just weeks before midterm elections where their congressional majorities could be at stake.

The longer this nomination is held up, the longer the allegations could simmer, and the more trouble Kavanaugh could be in. It's likely that starting from scratch wouldn't get them a nominee on the court before the midterm elections, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that Democrats could take back the Senate in November.

To try to proceed as planned with voting on his nomination this week, Kavanaugh's supporters are already coalescing around a central talking point: Why now? A Republican spokesman for the committee questioned the timing of the allegations, saying in a statement: "It raises a lot of questions about Democrats' tactics and motives to bring this to the rest of the committee's attention only now rather than during these many steps along the way."

When Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., shared the letter of Ford's allegations with the FBI last week, it felt a little like a last-ditch effort by Democrats to do what they could not with votes: derail Kavanaugh's nomination. Feinstein has said she was protecting the woman's request for privacy. And the letter, with Ford's name redacted, was also included in the background report on Kavanaugh available to all senators on the Judiciary Committee, The Post now reports.

It's also worth noting that the "why now?" argument hasn't proven particularly resonant these days. It's something Roy Moore tried in a Senate race in Alabama in 2017 after The Post reported on allegations of his alleged sexual misconduct; he lost what should have been an extremely winnable race for Republicans.

So will Kavanaugh's nomination be in trouble now that Ford is speaking out? We don't know. That it's even a question is a significant turn of events from just a few days ago, before Ford spoke out.Do you hear that giant sucking sound going up U.S. 290?

Its the sound of our state government in Austin slurping up your local school taxes.

Last week, the Texas Education Agency projected that the state will spend $3.5 billion less in general revenue funds on education over the next couple of years.

Thats because the local property tax revenues are expected to go through the roof  rising by about 6.8 percent each year. As property tax revenues rise, the state cuts its share of school funding. More of the tax burden is left on the shoulders of homeowners and businesses.

Or, to put it bluntly: You pay billions more in property taxes so that the state can pay billions less and your local school district ends up with the same amount of money.

That doesnt seem fair, but its what the state planned. The biennial budget was balanced on the presumption of a nearly 14 percent hike in property taxes.

Texas needs to reverse the flow on the school funding pipeline and start sending more state dollars down to local school districts.

Considering how important education is to Texas future, and how much voters hate the inexplicable rise in property taxes year after year, you would think state leaders would be laser focused on fixing our school finance system.

Unfortunately, theyre acting more like the kids in the classrooms back row who would rather goof off than pay attention to their work.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced earlier this month that he wants to pass an amendment to the Texas Constitution that would ban the possibility of an income tax. Thats a bit like saying hes going to spend July preparing for the next major blizzard in Brownsville. Texas doesnt have an income tax, but we do have a broken property tax system.

At the Christian Values Summit in The Woodlands this week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick chose to relitigate his infamous bathroom bill  the last thing Texas needs.

Its not as if Texas is wanting for ideas on how to fix our school funding system. In meetings with the Houston Chronicle editorial board, several House Republicans discussed the idea of the state growing its share of the public school budget and giving local districts the flexibility to lower their property tax rates.

Mike Collier, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, has proposed closing the so-called Equal and Uniform loophole that unfairly shifts the tax burden from commercial properties onto homeowners.

We could list other fixes, but the state Legislature has to pass them and the governor has to sign them. Abbott and Patrick showed little interest during the last session.

When it comes to funding schools, its about time Texans learned our lesson: If we want new ideas, were going to need new leaders.Thirty years ago in December, the modern exchange of scholars between the U.S. and China began. Since then, Chinese academics have become the most prolific global contributors to publications in physical sciences, engineering and math. Recent attempts by the U.S. to curtail academic collaboration are unlikely to change this trend.

For decades, China's growth was driven by shifting workers from agriculture to manufacturing. As the country started to approach the so-called Lewis turning point, when such shifts no longer raise overall productivity, the government made an increasingly concerted effort to build the scientific base to provide another vector for growth. The results of those efforts are showing up in both the rankings of Chinese universities (11 of the top 100 globally) and in scholarly output.

Qingnan Xie of Nanjing University of Science & Technology and Richard Freeman of Harvard University have studied China's contribution to global scientific output. They document a rapid expansion between 2000 and 2016, as the Chinese share of global publications in physical sciences, engineering and math quadrupled. By 2016, the Chinese share exceeded that of the U.S.

Furthermore, the authors argue that these metrics  which are based on the addresses of the authors  understate China's impact. The data don't count papers written by Chinese researchers located in other countries with addresses outside China and exclude most papers written in Chinese publications. The researchers adjusted for both factors and conclude that Chinese academics now account for more than one-third of global publications in these scientific fields.

The quality of Chinese research is also improving, though it currently remains below that of U.S. academics. A recent analysis suggests that, measured not just by numbers of papers but also by citations from other academics, Chinese scholars could become the global leaders in the near future. Similarly, Xie and Freeman examine authorship of publications in Nature and Science, arguably the two most prestigious scientific journals. They find that in 2016, 20 percent of the authors were Chinese  more than twice the share in 2000.

At the same time, this dramatic expansion in scientific scholarship has raised serious concerns, including whether the Chinese government exerts excessive influence over both Chinese students and professors in the U.S. A related concern is whether the deep ties between Chinese and U.S. academics facilitates too much technology transfer and even academic espionage.

Perhaps partly in response to these concerns, the U.S. government has recently begun tightening the rules for obtaining study or work visas. The scientific community has reacted with alarm, arguing that the scientific process requires open collaboration and that individual episodes of espionage or other inappropriate behavior should be dealt with through criminal prosecution or academic expulsion rather than blanket restrictions.

Although many Chinese students seem undeterred by the visa restrictions, over time the impact is likely to deter foreign study at U.S. universities. Students from China represent almost a third of the foreign students at U.S. institutions, and some American colleges are already feeling the financial impact of diminished overall foreign interest.

Whatever the other costs or benefits of the restrictions, and I believe there are more of the former than of the latter, they seem unlikely to alter in any significant way the global rise of China as an academic power. We may not want to admit it yet, but the rise of China to the top ranks of global scientific achievement is now a historical fact.

Orszag is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a vice chairman of investment banking at Lazard. He was director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2009 to 2010, and director of the Congressional Budget Office from 2007 to 2008.Hispanics in the United States have always been paradoxical  both ultra-invested in their heritage yet proudly all-American; more law-abiding in the immigrant stages of life in the U.S. yet more likely to brush with the police in subsequent generations.

Another paradox is that no matter how demonized or discriminated against, Latinos continue to be more likely than the general U.S. public to believe in the promise of the American dream.

For 77 percent of Hispanics, compared with 62 percent of the total U.S. population, its an article of faith that hard work will pay off and a similar proportion believe that each successive generation will better off than the one before it, according to the Pew Research Center.

But the optimism is colored by realism  74 percent of Latinos said attaining the American dream is difficult for people like them.

And if we look at the generally assumed best path to socioeconomic mobility  i.e., a college education  that particular calculation is spot on.

By all accounts, Hispanics are underrepresented on college campuses. And even the academic stars struggle: Latinos with high SAT/ACT test scores have similar rates of college enrollment to whites, but only 63 percent of them complete a degree or other credential compared to 78 percent of white students with similar test scores, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (Georgetown CEW), an independent, nonprofit research and policy institute.

Its tough. About one-third of Latino college students are the first in their family to go to college. And three years after first enrolling, 33 percent of first-generation Latino students had left school without earning a credential, compared with 26 percent of students whose parents had attended some college and only 14 percent of students whose parents earned a bachelors degree, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Money is an issue, obviously, since parental lack of a college degree is highly correlated with low household income. But theres also no worn path to follow, leaving many first-timers without the benefit of family members who could show them the ropes of higher ed.

It gets worse.

There are 14 million working students enrolled in school, and about 6 million (43 percent) are low-income. Of these low-income students, 47 percent are first-generation college-goers, and 25 percent are Latino, according to the Georgetown CEW.

These students are more likely to be enrolled in certificate programs and attend two-year community colleges or for-profit colleges than higher-income working students.

And all of this leads to low-income working students being less likely to earn a credential overall.

Even the ones who somehow manage to complete their studies sometimes find that the light at the end of a tunnel is an oncoming train.

You wont be a bit surprised to learn that Hispanic (and black) adults who graduate college owing money on student loans have a significantly lower net worth at age 30 than students who didnt borrow to pay for college.

According to a study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, student loans hamper low-income student graduates ability to convert their hard-won educations into wealth for longer than previously thought. In fact, they have $11,780 less in financial assets and nearly $39,600 less in nonfinancial assets than their peers by age 30, researchers found.

Alleviating this low-income, first-generation Latino encumbrance to social mobility will require two things.

First, we need to recognize that its nearly impossible to work your way through college like people in earlier generations did  the average price of an undergraduate degree has risen roughly 161 percent from $39,643 in 1987 to $103,616 in 2016.

Second, these students of color wholl be the first in their family to attend college need more scholarships, fellowships, grants, lower-interest loans and other financial supports, including counseling.

Dont think theres nothing in it for you.

The Georgetown CEW estimates that the U.S. takes an annual hit of about $400 billion in lost wages, plus costs of lost productivity, because every year approximately 500,000 students who are in the top half of their class simply dont complete college.

A well-educated populace ready to fill high-tech jobs and other positions that require higher education helps businesses, surrounding communities and nearly everyone else. Ultimately, we all benefit when disadvantaged young people are enabled to reach their potential  its really a little piece of the American dream for all of us.

Cepedas email address is estherjcepeda@washpost.com, or follow her on Twitter: @estherjcepeda.Space exploration in the 21st century offers the possibility to reach new frontiers, from developing a lunar gateway for deep space travel, returning American astronauts to the surface of the Moon and eventually putting humans on Mars.

With NASA preparing to return crewed astronaut launches to the United States for the first time since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 and return astronauts to deep space for the first time since the end of the Apollo program in 1972, we are on the cusp of an exciting new era in human spaceflight and exploration.

As we prepare to launch new crewed spacecraft over the next years, we need to honor the lessons learned from the tragedies of Apollo I, Challenger and Columbia. To successfully reach these next milestones in exploration, it is critical that core safety priorities continue to protect American astronauts and avoid unnecessary risks beyond those inherent to all launches and spaceflight.

I spent much of my career developing and supporting the Apollo program that landed NASA astronauts on the Moon for the first time. The experiences our engineers learned on the first Apollo launches shaped the steps in place today to ensure the safety of the entire team and success of the program.

Apollo I would have been the first manned flight, with astronauts Virgil Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chafee onboard. That 1967 mission was supposed to be simple  fly the vehicle, fire the Module Engine and return to Earth.

During the second attempt to run the plugs out test with 100 percent oxygen in the command module, we held the crew in their position for several hours, trying to improve static filled communications. I was monitoring the test sitting beside the command module when a crew member reported a fire in the vehicle. I took two steps toward the white room when I heard the crew members alarm before the space craft erupted. The fire was quickly contained, but not before losing three astronauts.

I was the first launch crew member to enter the spacecraft after removing the crew to try to determine if there was an obvious cause for the fire. After months of investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board, one specific cause could not be identified.

Thankfully, we learned from the disaster that day. Over the years and subsequent missions, our procedures changed, methods got better and we improved the process to put jpeople in space. NASA human spaceflight programs carefully incorporated these lessons throughout their safety requirements and the talented men and women throughout the agency work hard to make spaceflight as safe as possible for astronauts.

Its concerning to learn that some of the newer private space ventures launching today dont appreciate the same safety standards we learned to emphasize on Apollo. Elon Musks SpaceX, for example, announced he intends to save time and money by fueling their Falcon 9 rockets after the astronauts board.

This load and go process allows SpaceX to inject more fuel without the cost or expertise necessary to build a larger rocket, but it may come at a heavy price. Musk already lost one unmanned rocket to this risky technique. I suppose for Musk, inexperience is replacing the abundant safety protocols drilled into us after witnessing the Apollo I disaster. Astronaut safety is NASAs number one priority on any space mission. There is no reason it should not be for private space travel, but commercial space companies like SpaceX play by different rules.

Most Americans would be surprised to learn that special interests in Washington representing commercial space companies have forbidden the Department of Transportation, which licenses commercial launch and reentry, from developing any human spaceflight safety standards for passengers.

This shortsighted legislative restriction means that billionaires profit and cant be held accountable for injury or death of their passengers  even though we have decades of lessons learned from NASA to prevent potential incidents.

We owe it to future astronauts to remain diligent with our innovations and not blindly rush while possibly revisiting the mistakes made decades ago. Congress and the administration should overturn these shortsighted restrictions on commercial spaceflight safety standards, and NASA must ensure before they put an astronaut on a commercial spacecraft that it lives up to the strict standards we have learned over the last 60 years of spaceflight.

Hagar worked as a spacecraft operator on the launch team for every Apollo mission.He was also found guilty of forcing them to work long hours, refusing to provide time off or issue payslips and exploiting the employee/employer relationship.

Singh was convicted of 13 charges of aiding and abetting employees to breach conditions of their temporary visas, a charge of providing false or misleading information to an immigration officer and seven charges of obtaining by deception.

One employee was forced to work seven days a week without sick leave, holiday pay, overtime or days in lieu for public holidays worked, amounting to serious breaches of the Holidays Act and Minimum Wage Act.

He was also found to encourage employees on student visas to work more than the 20 hours a week their visas allowed, yet failed to pay them for more than 20 hours a week.

A number of the Indian migrants on work visas who he employed were only ever paid for 40 hours work a week despite working between 45-60 hours regularly.Industrial robots found in most factories today dont always possess the intelligence to decipher what are routine tasks and what are extraordinary situations that endanger human life.

In short, under extreme circumstances, industrial robots have the potential to turn into a killing machine.

As tech startup Veo Robotics demonstrates, workplace accidents involving heavy machinery arent caused by too much intelligence being built into these machines  but by the lack of it.

Veo is hoping to build safer, more sophisticated robots that humans can stand close to and interact with even as the machines pummel away in their task.



The Massachusetts-based companys collaborative robots  or cobots  aim to minimize the risk of workplace accidents by giving machines the ability to see the space they are working in.The NC and PDP had earlier announced their decisions to stay away from these elections on the plea that the situation on the ground was not conducive

Srinagar: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday urged all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to participate wholeheartedly in the coming urban and rural local bodies polls, saying this would give them a chance to blend together with the people.

Speaking to reporters in Jammu, Mr Singh said: I would like to appeal that all political parties participate in the political process. This will provide an opportunity to them to interact with the people.

Earlier Monday, the CPI(M) announced its decision to boycott the polls keeping in view the situation in the state. The CPI(M) criticised the government for going ahead with holding the panchayat and municipal polls across J&K despite the boycott by the states two biggest parties  the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party. In a statement, it said: The decision to go ahead with these polls shows the arrogance of the BJP-led government at the Centre.

It said the representatives of mainstream political parties had raised some issues, including linking these elections by both Central and state governments with the petitions against Article 35A pending in the Supreme Court. It was wrong on behalf of the government to use the polls as a reason to seek deferment of the Article 35A case in the Supreme Court. The mainstream political parties had also urged the Centre to clear its stand over Article 35A before announcing the ULB and panchayat elections, the partys statement said, adding the prevailing situation in Kashmir was a reason for the mainstream parties to seek deferral of the polls.

The CPI*M) said there were voices emerging in Kashmir that said when the Centre was not ready to deal with the mainstream leaders, how could it talk to the voices of dissent. It said while it wanted to strengthen democratic institutions, in view the prevailing situation in the state it had decided not to participate in these polls.

The NC and PDP had earlier announced their decisions to stay away from these elections on the plea that the situation on the ground was not conducive. While the NC, the states oldest political party, also said it may also boycott the state Assembly and Lok Sabha polls unless and until the Centre clears its position vis-a-vis Article 35A of the Constitution in and outside the courts, its arch-rival PDP cited the situation on the ground created by what it alleged was the governments linking these polls with Article 35A case and apprehension among the people for its decision to boycott the elections.

The Congress is, so far, undecided on its participation in these elections. Replying to a question, the home minister said India had made all efforts to improve its ties with Pakistan and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an impromptu visit to the neighbouring country for this purpose. Then he added: But we cannot change the behaviour of Pakistan. They will have to understand how to behave with a neighbour.Typhoon pounds south China after killing 64 in Philippines

September 16,2018 | Source: AP

Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the northern Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left at least 64 people dead and dozens more feared buried in a landslide.



More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern China's Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the massive typhoon and nearly 50,000 fishing boats were called back to port, state media reported.



The gambling enclave of Macau closed casinos for the first time and the Hong Kong Observatory warned people to stay away from the Victoria Harbour landmark, where storm surges battered the sandbag-reinforced waterfront.



Hong Kong's RTHK broadcaster cited experts as saying Mangkhut was expected to be the strongest typhoon to hit the city in decades. The Hong Kong Observatory issued its strongest storm warning for 10 hours on Sunday, just slightly shorter than the record time of 11 hours set by Typhoon York in 1999, the South China Morning Post reported.



The storm made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 p.m., packing wind speeds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour. State television broadcaster CGTN reported that surging waves flooded a seaside hotel in the city of Shenzhen.





Groceries flew off the shelves of supermarkets in the provincial capital of Guangzhou as residents stocked up in anticipation of being confined at home by the typhoon, China's official Xinhua News Agency said.



Authorities in southern China issued a red alert, the most severe warning, as the national meteorological center said the densely populated region would face a "severe test caused by wind and rain" and urged officials to prepare for possible disasters.



Hundreds of flights were canceled. All high-speed and some normal rail services in Guangdong and Hainan provinces were also halted, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Co. said.



In Hong Kong, a video posted online by residents showed the top corner of an old building break and fall off, while in another video, a tall building swayed as strong winds blew.



The storm also broke windows, felled trees, tore bamboo scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded areas with sometimes waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.



The paper said the heavy rains brought storm surges of 3 meters (10 feet) around Hong Kong.



Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents to prepare for the worst.



"Because Mangkhut will bring winds and rains of extraordinary speeds, scope and severity, our preparation and response efforts will be greater than in the past," Lee said. "Each department must have a sense of crisis, make a comprehensive assessment and plan, and prepare for the worst."

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific said all of its flights would be canceled between 2:30 a.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday. The city of Shenzhen also canceled all flights between Sunday and early Monday morning. Hainan Airlines canceled 234 flights in the cities of Haikou, Sanya, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai scheduled over the weekend.



In Macau, next door to Hong Kong, casinos were ordered to close from 11 p.m. Saturday, the first time such action was taken in the city, the South China Morning Post reported. Macau suffered catastrophic flooding during Typhoon Hato last year, leading to accusations of corruption and incompetence at its meteorological office.





In Macau's inner harbor district, the water level reached 1.5 meters (5 feet) on Sunday and was expected to rise further. The district was one of the most affected by floods from Typhoon Hato, which left 10 people dead.



In the northern Philippines, Mangkhut made landfall Saturday on the northeastern tip of Luzon island with sustained winds of 205 kilometers (127 miles) per hour and gusts of 255 kph (158 mph).



Dozens of people, mostly small-scale miners and their families, were feared to have been trapped by a landslide in the far-flung village of Ucab in Itogon town in the northern Philippines' Benguet province, Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said by phone on Sunday.

 2018 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.How climate change is driving global hunger

by Shane Savitsky

September 16,2018 | Source: Axios

The number of undernourished people around the globe increased to nearly 821 million in 2017, the third straight year of growth and the highest figure since 2009, according to a new report from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.



Why it matters: Along with conflict and instability, this rise in global hunger is driven increasingly by climate change and related extreme weather events, putting some of the world's most vulnerable citizens at even greater risk.



-- Food insecurity was found to be significantly worse in countries where people are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, especially when they don't have systems in place to counter the effects of climate shocks.



-- "It is shocking that, after a prolonged decline, this is the third consecutive year of rising hunger. The inescapable fact is that climate change is now leaving people around the world without enough to eat," Robin Willoughby, head of food and climate policy at Oxfam GB, told The Guardian.



The big picture: Climate change has the potential to erode the gains made toward fighting global hunger over the past decade  which were largely due to political stability, economic growth and greater social protections in the developing world  as extreme weather kicks off more and more societal crises around the world. Some specific weather trends are triggering the worst climate shocks on food stores:



-- Higher temperatures  and spikes in temperature anomalies  can affect crop yields.

-- Severe droughts and floods linked to climate change have both seen an uptick in recent years  most notably, flood-related disasters spiked 65% in the last quarter-century.

-- Changes in seasonality, especially in the developing world, throw off rainfall patterns and growing seasons.



Of the 51 countries that faced food crises in 2017, 34 had climate shocks, per the UN report. The food security threat deepened in the 14 countries that simultaneously faced conflict and regional instability in addition to climate shocks.



-- Yemen, where 22 million out of 27 million citizens are in need of humanitarian assistance, perhaps best represents this horror. Already one of the world's poorest countries, Yemen faces the combination of an ongoing civil war and serious famine that led UN Ambassador Nikki Haley to remark "no one should ever have to live the way the people of Yemen are living."



The bottom line: Without significant action to address climate change, some of the world's most vulnerable citizens may face increasing risk from global hunger, which was on a marked downward trend just 5 years ago  and the UN had hoped to eliminate fully by 2030.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.Fish shortage sparks conflict on Uganda's Great Lakes

September 15,2018 | Source: Gulf Times

Ugandan navy speedboats sliced through murky Lake Edward towards a fleet of wooden canoes carrying illegal fishermen from the Democratic Republic of Congo, hightailing it back to their own waters.



Stop the boat, hands up, surrender any weapons, yelled Lieutenant Deogratius Kato as the soldiers surrounded a motorised canoe after a 20-minute chase, pointing guns at two terrified fishermen.



The rest of the boats escaped to the safety of Congolese waters, leaving a trail of fishing nets in the water, some tight mesh drift nets that trap everything, including juvenile fish and feeding birds.



Kampala has stepped up patrols in recent months to crack down on illegal fishing on Lakes Edward and Albert, straddling Uganda and Congo.



The missions have led to the arrest of hundreds of Congolese fishermen and sent tensions soaring between the two countries whose armed forces engaged in deadly clashes on Lake Edward  the smallest of the Great Lakes of eastern Africa  in July.



Both lakes lie mostly in Congolese territory where uncontrolled fishing has depleted stocks driving fishermen into Ugandan waters where officials are now clamping down on overfishing.



Since we started our campaign against illegal fishing, we have seen fish stocks increase on our side, hence the influx of fishermen from the Congo, said Brigadier Michael Nyarwa, head of Ugandas navy.



The lakes are home to catfish, tilapia and Nile perch, which are consumed locally and exported.



Landlocked Ugandas fishing industry accounts for 3% of GDP and employs more than 700,000 people, according to official figures. Worldwide, overfishing in lakes and oceans is upending delicate ecosystems, but also impacting the livelihoods of millions.

It has led to bloodshed in Uganda and Congo. In July, their armed forces clashed on Lake Edward, where Ugandas small navy deployed in April, leaving two Ugandan soldiers and three civilians dead.



Kato claimed Congolese troops, ambushed us in a civilian boat.

We think they did it to intimidate and threaten our operation, which he said is preventing hungry, ill-disciplined soldiers from stealing fish and engaging in piracy on the lake.



Likewise, a Congolese fishing association has accused Ugandan troops of arbitrarily arresting fishermen and shaking them down for money. In the latest incident, Ugandan authorities this week denied killing four Congolese fishermen whose bound and bullet-riddled bodies were found floating in Lake Edward.



According to Lieutenant Colonel James Nuwagaba, a commander of the Lake Edward operation, the first 200 fishermen who were arrested pleaded guilty and were released, but some of those that we pardoned and sent back, returned to our waters.



Uganda has taken a tougher stance since, with nearly 100 Congolese arrested, charged and imprisoned for up to four years.



The two men taken into custody last month during the operation witnessed by AFP were in their mid-50s. Father of seven, Luka Kasereka, said he was just looking for fish. Our side there is no fish. Its over, he said.



He and Paluku Kavutsu pleaded guilty at a magistrates court and were sentenced to four years in prison for illegal entry into Uganda, illegal fishing and use of illegal nets.



Kato said the biggest challenges are Kinshasas failure to co-operate and the threat of armed Congolese rebels who regularly seize fishermen and their equipment for ransom. The war over the ever-scarcer resources of the regions lakes is spreading.



To the south, Rwandan and Congolese fishermen are plying the waters of Lake Kivu to feed fast-growing populations on both shores. But competition need not be deadly, nor damaging, said Egide Nkuranga, a Rwandan environmentalist.



Countries that share water resources have to come up with common agreements that protect the resources and also help replenish overexploited stocks, he said.



The region risks depletion of some fish species, and local fishermen need to be trained and sensitised on the protection of endangered fish species.



Back on Lake Edward, tentative talks are underway, a Ugandan military source said, aimed at resolving issues of illegal fishing, migration and piracy in a bid to end the bloodshed.

 All Rights Reserved  Gulf Times

Theme(s): Fisheries Resources.NovaSAR: UK radar satellite launches to track illegal shipping activity

by Jonathan Amos

September 16,2018 | Source: BBC News

The first all-British radar satellite has launched to orbit on an Indian rocket.



Called NovaSAR, it has the ability to take pictures of the surface of the Earth in every kind of weather, day or night.



The spacecraft will assume a number of roles but its designers specifically want to see if it can help monitor suspicious shipping activity.



Lift-off from the Satish Dhawan spaceport occurred at 17:38 BST.



NovaSAR was joined on its rocket by a high-resolution optical satellite - that is, an imager that sees in ordinary light.



Known as S1-4, this spacecraft will discern objects on the ground as small as 87cm across. Both it and NovaSAR were manufactured by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited of Guildford.



UK engineers have long had expertise in space radar but their technology has previously always gone on broader missions, such as those for the European Space Agency. NovaSAR, which has the distinctive shape of a cheesegrater, is uniquely British, however.



Its radar instrument was developed for SSTL by Airbus in Portsmouth. The mission incorporates low-cost, miniaturised components and will aim to demonstrate a more affordable approach to radar imaging.



It will operate in a number of modes for applications that include the detection of oil spills, flood and forestry monitoring, disaster response, and crop assessment.



But perhaps its most interesting role will be in maritime observation.



The satellite is equipped with a receiver that can pick up Automatic Identification System (AIS) radio signals. These are the positional transmissions that large ships are obliged to broadcast under international law.



Vessels that tamper with or disable these messages very often are engaged in smuggling or illegal fishing activity. If such ships appear in NovaSAR's pictures, they will be reported to the authorities.



"We are very interested in this maritime mode, which is a 400km-plus swath mode," said Luis Gomes, the chief technology officer at SSTL.



"It is important to be able to monitor large areas of the ocean - something we don't do at the moment. We all saw with the Malaysian airline crash in the Indian Ocean the difficulty there was in monitoring that vast area. We can do that kind of thing with radar and NovaSAR is good for that," he told BBC News.



The NovaSAR project was initiated inside SSTL in 2008/9. Back then the idea of a radar satellite that measured 3m by 1m was regarded as something of a breakthrough because, up that point, such spacecraft had been big, power-hungry beasts that cost a lot of money.



It is a little unfortunate therefore that the programme got delayed because in the meantime others have also managed to package radar systems into small volumes. The Finnish start-up Iceye has a platform flying now that is the size of a suitcase. And an American company called Capella is promising a radar satellite that is not much bigger than a shoebox.



But radar expert Martin Cohen from Airbus is unperturbed by these developments.



"NovaSAR is still a step change, certainly for Airbus in terms of what you can do for a particular amount of money. But while we've been waiting for a launch, we haven't stood still," he said. "We've done lots of work on the next generation.



"NovaSAR is just the first in a family of instruments that will offer different capabilities, such as finer resolutions and other parameters; and we will be putting those capabilities on smaller spacecraft than NovaSAR."



The satellite, as presently configured, will operate in the S-band (3.2 gigahertz), giving a best resolution of 6m with a swath width of 15-20km. Future variants will go to the higher-frequency X-band and sense features on the ground as small as a metre across, and less.



The Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) was programmed to put NovaSAR and S1-4 into an orbit that is 580km above the Earth.



SI-4 will be taking pictures of China for Twenty First Century Aerospace Technology (21AT). This company, based in Beijing, will use the data in the Asian nation to help with urban planning, working out crop yields, pollution monitoring and doing biodiversity assessments, among many other applications.

 2018 BBC

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.Global Fishery Forum on fishing vessel safety

by Shailaja A. Lakshm

September 14,2018 | Source: MarineLink

Fishing is one of the worlds most dangerous occupations. Literally thousands of fishers lose their lives at sea each year.



An international treaty addressing safety in the fishing industry (the Cape Town Agreement) has been developed and adopted through International Maritime Organization (IMO) but is not yet in force because it lacks sufficient ratification at national level.



As part of a major global effort to encourage ratification and implementation of the Cape Town Agreement, IMO and The Pew Charitable Trusts organised a roundtable event during the Global Fishery Forum in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation (13 September).



IMOs Cape Town Agreement on fishing vessel safety provides a solid platform for improving fishers safety at sea and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by facilitating better control of fishing vessel safety by flag, port and coastal States. It currently has 10 Contracting States, but needs 22 for entry into force, along with a required number of aggregate fishing vessels.



Panellists at the roundtable highlighted the need for a global, fishing vessel safety agreement to be in force. Participants confirmed that the Cape Town Agreement would make a significant contribution to safety in the fishing industry, and could also support the FAOs 2009 Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA).



The Russian fishing industry supported Russias ratification of the Cape Town Agreement, and it was agreed that a roadmap to ratification and implementation would be developed.



The roundtable, entitled "Course for 2050: The safety of fishermen and fishing vessels" was organized in cooperation with the Russian Federation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).



It was attended by representatives of IMO, FAO, the Russian Federations Ministry of Transport and Federal Agency for Fisheries, The Pew Charitable Trusts and the fishing industry. IMO was represented by Mikhail Gappoev.



The Cape Town Agreement is one of four important treaties for the fishing sector which are aimed at achieving higher levels of safety and better compliance and enforcement.



These are IMOs 2012 Cape Town Agreement (not yet in force); IMOs STCW-F Convention on training of fishers (which entered into force in 2012); ILOs Work in Fishing Convention 2007 (Convention No. 188) (in force since November 2017); and FAOs Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA), 2009 (entered into force in 2016).



IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has highlighted the need for effective communication between fisheries and transport ministries in order to achieve ratification of the Cape Town Agreement.

 1996-2018 Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.

Theme(s): Others.



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.The CJI told the counsel We entertained the case on the foundations of liberty, which is sacrosanct.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that it would examine the materials submitted by the Maharashtra government in the arrest of the five human rights activists on September 19, and that if prima facie ground is established against their involvement, it would set up a special investigation team for a probe.

Chief Justice Dipak Misra, heading a three-judge bench, made this oral observation when senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the five activists, insisted on a probe by a SIT or a court-monitored probe into their arrest on August 28 for their alleged role in the Bhima-Koregaon violence.

The CJI told the counsel We entertained the case on the foundations of liberty, which is sacrosanct. Issues like independent inquiry etc, can come at a later stage. If the material relied on by the Pune Police are found to be cooked up, then we may even quash the charges against them.

The Chief Justice said, The court cannot be expected to make up its mind unless it saw all the material evidence against the activists. First of all, we must have a look at the material. If we see the material and find it is cooked up, we will definitely order the setting up of an SIT... the debate here has to be whether the Criminal Procedure Code was violated. Wherever this court has appointed SIT, there has been grave violation.

The bench, which included Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, was hearing petitions filed by Dr. Romila Thapar and others, challenging the arrest of the five activists. On August 29, the court had directed that they be kept under `house arrest and it has been extended till September 19, when it would examine the materials. The bench posted the matter for a final hearing on Wednesday and asked the parties to submit a brief note on the propositions of law that has to be decided in this case.

The five activists, Varavara Rao, Sudha Bhardwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Gautam Navlakha were taken into custody from different parts of the country. At one stage the CJI suggested that the activists, who had filed petitions in high courts, could pursue their remedy and till then the house arrest could be continued. But Dr. Singhvi insisted that the apex court should first hear the petitioners and then decide. Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for the Centre, had told the court at the outset that the problem of naxalism has gripped the country and questioned the apex court for entertaining the petition at the behest of third parties.

He ASG had said, I (Centre) have come here because the problem of naxalism is not confined to one state, but affects the entire nation. I have come here considering the overall situation in the country. The menace of maoists and naxalites is increasing day by day, and it is these accused persons who are responsible for the increasing threat of anti-social activities.

Mr. Singh asked the court why the petitioners decided to move the Supreme Court directly. Is it that the police are not properly investigating the case against the accused under the Cr.P.C, or is it that the lower courts are not dealing with the case. What is the grievance that has made them flout basic procedure and move the Supreme Court directly?The pair, who were the first to set foot in the UK for 17 years, come at a cost of 640,000 per year - and have yet to produce any cubs.

While Sweetie was artificially inseminated last year, she failed to reach full term. Sunshine, on the other hand, has proven 'unreceptive to natural mating.' (Photo: Pixabay)

Staff at Edinburgh Zoo have been warned to not wear hi-vis jackets around their two giant pandas, just in case it puts them off sex.

The Scottish zoo implemented the ban on any potentially-distracting clothing because it could interrupt a romantic moment between Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine).

The giant pandas are on loan from the Bifengxia Giant Panda Base in China until 2021, but they have yet to produce a cub.

While Sweetie was artificially inseminated last year, she failed to reach full term. Sunshine, on the other hand, has proven 'unreceptive to natural mating.'

Edinburgh Zoo, which is the only in the UK to house giant pandas, has also forbidden the use of leaf blowers near the pair.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which operates Edinburgh Zoo, said, Animals can be sensitive to noise, vibrations and anything visual which may be out of the ordinary, such as highvisibility clothing.

The pair, who were the first to set foot in the UK for 17 years, come at a cost of 640,000 per year - and have yet to produce any cubs.

Sweetie successfully gave birth to twins Shen Wei and Bo Si just a year before the pair arrived at Edinburgh Zoo.

The zoo began artificially inseminating Sweetie in 2013, when she fell pregnant, but it is believed she reabsorbed the foetus late term.

A second and third insemination took place in the subsequent years - but again proved unsuccessful.

The move to reduce noise around the pandas comes after it was announced in March that Sweetie and Sunshine will not attempt to breed this year.

Zoo officials told the BBC they wanted to make 'some enhancements to our giant panda enclosure' before attempting future breeding.Imperial Valley News Center

San Diego Humane Society Emergency Response Team Deploys to North Carolina

San Diego, California - San Diego Humane Societys Emergency Response Team will load up to depart for Charlotte, North Carolina today. In a collaborative effort with Humane Society of the United States, the SDHS Emergency Response Team will be on the front lines helping animals impacted by Hurricane Florence.

The team is FEMA-certified and trained in swift water rescues of large and small animals.

San Diego Humane Societys scope of social responsibility goes beyond adopting animals. We offer programs that strengthen the human-animal bond, prevent cruelty and neglect, provide medical care, educate the community and serve as a safety net for all pet families. Serving San Diego County since 1880, San Diego Humane Society has campuses located in Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego. For more information; please visit sdhumane.org.Imperial Valley News Center

San Diego Zoo Global Dives into the Publishing World with First-of-its-kind San Diego Zoo Global Press Division

San Diego, California - A crowd of more than 200 cheered as San Diego Zoo Global President/CEO Douglas G. Myers this week announced the launch of the organizations new publishing divisionSan Diego Zoo Global Press. The division, one of the few zoological publishing subsidiaries in the world, is dedicated to creating and distributing a new line of books for readers of all ages and backgrounds, designed to share conservation success stories, provide insight into San Diego Zoo Globals past, present and future, and inspire multiple generations to care about the natural world and conservation.

Our goal for San Diego Zoo Global Press is to ignite a passion for wildlife in children and adults when they read the books, said Myers. With more than 100 years of stories to share, we hope our books will motivate people to care about animals and our environment, and encourage them to take an active role in the fight to end extinction.

To kick off this unique endeavor, San Diego Zoo Global Press has published a trio of fascinating childrens books this year as part of the San Diego Zoo Kids Hope and Inspiration Series. These booksKarens Heart: The True Story of a Brave Baby Orangutan, Fabulous Floyd: The True Story of a Flamingo Who Never Gave Up and Ruuxa & Raina: A Cheetah and Dogs True Story of Friendship and Miraclestell heartwarming tales about struggles that all of these animals faced early in their lives, and how dedicated animal care staff provided lifesaving treatments that afforded the animals the opportunity to thrive. Also included in the first round of published titles are a series of books geared toward adults, covering both business and conservation-related subjectsincluding

The Call: The Strategic Plan that Empowered San Diego Zoo Global to Lead the Fight Against Extinction, by Beth Branning, and Upside-Down Leadership:

A Zoo Veterinarians Journey to Becoming a Servant Leader, by Don Janssen, DVM

San Diego Zoo Global is partnering with specialty publisher Southwestern Publishing Group, which oversees the production and distribution of each book. The books are currently being sold in retail stores at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and online at ShopZoo.com. In late Fall, books and stuffed animals will be sold through other zoos, children's hospitals and specialty retailers associated with San Diego Zoo Global programs. For the holidays, the books will be available through traditional book retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

San Diego Zoo Global Press is in its infancy, with our first five books published in 2018, but we have a multitude of books in the works that will debut in 2019 and beyond, said Georgeanne Irvine, director of corporate publishing for San Diego Zoo Global and author of the first three books in the Hope and Inspiration Series. Our plan calls for books that cover a wide range of subjects, from children's nonfiction, illustrated, and board books to engaging conservation memoirs and biographies, behind-the-scenes stories and leadership books.

Irvine said 2019 will be a big year for the San Diego Zoo Global Press, as six books will debutincluding The Remarkable Rise of Belle Benchley, which tells the fascinating story of the worlds first female zoo director, and the many struggles she faced leading the young San Diego Zoo in a male-dominated society.

San Diego Zoo Global Press is off to a great start and is on track to create a multitude of books every year, for both children and adults, said Irvine.

Bringing species back from the brink of extinction is the goal of San Diego Zoo Global. As a leader in conservation, the work of San Diego Zoo Global includes on-site wildlife conservation efforts (representing both plants and animals) at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, as well as international field programs on six continents. The work of these entities is inspiring children through the San Diego Zoo Kids network, reaching out through the internet and in childrens hospitals nationwide. The work of San Diego Zoo Global is made possible by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and is supported in part by the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global.Historian claims sexist Victorian policemen unfairly labelled the working class women who were murdered.

The Ripper killed his victims in Whitechapel, east London, between September and November 1888, but his identity has never been discovered.

A historian has now claimed that Jack the Ripper's murder victims may not have been prostitutes.

Dr Hallie Ruevenhold argues that sexist attitudes of policemen at the time and researcher during the years since the murders have led to inaccurate beliefs about the women who were brutally killed.

The historian, who is writing a history of the five known victims - Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly - said the women had working-class jobs as servants and laundry maids.

The Ripper killed his victims in Whitechapel, east London, between September and November 1888, but his identity has never been discovered.

According to Dr Rubenhold, the Ripper targeted poor working class women such as servants and laundry maids - contrary to the long-held belief that his victims were sex workers.

Dr Rubenhold believed the victims have been dehumanised for 130 years.

Talking to The Sunday Telegraph, she said, "We glorify the Ripper, we have a whole industry based around Jack the Ripper, a fascination with him, an unsolved murder mystery going on for 130 years.

She went on to add that while people have fixated on the Ripper, no one ever really thought about the women, who they were when they were killed.

Dr Rubenhold says at least three of the women were not prostitutes - and says there is no evidence those who had previously been paid for sex were soliciting when they were murdered.

The historian found that one of the women was living in the residence of a friend of the Prince of Wales - before moving to a rehabilitation centre for alcoholism.

Another victim moved to London from Sweden in search of a better life and spent most of her time running a coffee shop in Poplar with her husband.

While for decades numerous enthusiasts have tried to solve the mystery of the Ripper's identity. Rubenhold says that people have never questioned 19th century orthodoxy - the world in which they were killed was a world in which women were disrespected and treated as second-class citizens.

"They were poor, working-class women - one of them was more middle-class actually - they got married and had children, they were mothers and they were wives, she says, adding, When they fell on hard times they worked in laundry, they worked as servants  but the accepted narrative is that all five were prostitutes and that he was a prostitute killer.

These are five women who have been completely dehumanised for 130 years by our culture. We need to redress the balance".Three vacancies on the Rendering Industry Advisory Board announced

Sacramento, California - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch (MPES) announces three vacancies on the Rendering Industry Advisory Board (RIAB). RIAB makes recommendations to CDFAs Secretary on all matters pertaining to the MPES Rendering Program, including:

Adoption, modification, and repeal of regulations and procedures

Procedures for employment, training, supervision, and compensation of inspectors and other personnel

Rate and collection of license fees and penalties

Acquisition and use of equipment

Posting and noticing changes in bylaws, general procedures, or orders

All matters pertaining to Food and Agricultural Code Division 9, Part 3, Chapter 5, including, but not limited to, the inspection and enforcement program, annual budget, necessary fees to provide adequate services, and regulations required to accomplish the purposes of the chapter.

The vacancies are for industry members and the term is for 36 months. Applicants for the industry member must be affiliated with a licensed renderer, collection center, dead animal hauler, or registered transporter of inedible kitchen grease. Members of the board receive no compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for transportation to and from meetings and for per diem expenses for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses. Applicants interested in being considered for RIAB appointment should send a resume by October 1, 2018 to:

Laura Barlow, Program Manager

Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch

1220 N Street

Sacramento, California 95814

Additional information is available on the MPES web page at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/mpes/index.html. You may also contact Paula Batarseh, Branch Chief, Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety at (916) 900-5004.California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS) Advisory Board vacancy

Sacramento, California - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), announces one vacancy on the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS) Advisory Board. The CAHFS Advisory Board makes recommendations to CDFA and the University of California on matters pertaining to the operations of the CAHFS laboratory system.

The board consists of representatives of the livestock and poultry industries and practicing veterinarians who utilize the laboratory services.



Members serve for two-year terms and receive no compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred while attending board meetings.



Individuals interested in being considered for the CAHFS Advisory Board appointment should send a resume by September 28, 2018 to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Health and Food Safety Services, 1220 N Street, Sacramento, California 95814, Attention: Robyn Ypema.



For additional information, visit the CAHFS web page at: http://cahfs.ucdavis.edu/ or contact: Dr. Annette Jones, Director, Animal Health and Food Safety Services at (916) 900-5000.Canadian Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Running Telemarketing Scheme that Bilked 60,000+ Victims

Los Angeles, California - The owner of a Canadian telemarketing operation  who was extradited to the United States last year after more than 10 years of litigation in Canada  was sentenced last Monday, to 135 months in federal prison for orchestrating a telemarketing scheme that falsely promised credit card fraud protection and defrauded at least 60,000 primarily elderly victims out of more than $18 million.

Mark Eldon Wilson, 57, of Vancouver, British Columbia, was sentenced by United States District Judge S. James Otero.

As he imposed the sentence, Judge Otero noted that the criminal conduct was egregious both in scope and in terms of targeting elderly victims, who suffered both financial and emotional harm resulting from the fraud.

Following a five-day trial in March, a federal jury convicted Wilson of seven counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud for having orchestrated a fraudulent cross-border telemarketing scheme that targeted American victims.

The evidence at trial showed that Wilson operated the fraudulent scheme through various companies  including OPCO International Inc. and American Fraud Watch Services  and that he directed his telemarketers to mislead victims into believing they were affiliated with the victims credit card companies. As part of the sales pitch, telemarketers falsely suggested to victims that they were vulnerable to credit card fraud and would be held liable for fraudulent charges on their cards. They sold the victims a non-existent credit card protection service for approximately $300 that purportedly would be in effect for 10 years, and they falsely promised a 100 percent money-back guarantee. In many instances, even when the victims did not authorize payment for these purported services, Wilsons companies charged victims credit cards for the full amount of the protection service fee, even though victims were told the fee was as little as $3 per month.

In reality, Wilson and his companies were not associated with the victims credit card companies, the credit card companies would not actually hold victims liable for charges arising from fraud, and Wilsons companies did not provide the promised credit-card-monitoring and protection services.

Between 1998 and 2001, Wilson and his telemarketers solicited over $18 million from more than 60,000 victims in 37 different states, including a number of victims in Southern California. Wilson then converted the victims money to his own personal use, using a portion of the fraud proceeds to fund his businesses and a portion to fund his own lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of different luxury boats, a fleet of cars used by himself and various employees of his businesses, setting up an offshore bank account in the South Pacific to house a portion of his fraud proceeds, and travelling periodically to Las Vegas to gamble and meet with other telemarketers at luxury hotels, according to court documents filed by prosecutors.

This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Federal Trade Commission. The Justice Departments Office of International Affairs and the Department of Justice  Canada provided invaluable assistance to ensure Wilson was compelled to answer the charges through a lengthy extradition process.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul Stern of the Major Frauds section, and Assistant United States Attorneys Roger Hsieh and Joseph Woodring of the General Crimes section.Congressman Juan Vargas to Announce his U.S. Service Academy & ROTC Fair

Calexico, California - Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-51) will have a press conference Monday, September 17th from 10AM  11AM at Calexico High School, located at 1030 Encinas Avenue, Calexico, CA 92231, where he will be formally inviting Imperial Valley residents to attend his U.S. Service Academy & ROTC Fair. Students, parents and guardians, and educators will learn more about all the opportunities service academies have to offer. Academies include the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Vargas represents Californias 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and Californias entire US/Mexico border. Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his second term in Congress. He represented the 40th California State Senate District from 2010-2012, the 79th California State Assembly District from 2000  2006 and served on the San Diego City Council from 1993  2000.Governor Brown Signs Sister State Agreement with Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany

San Francisco, California - Hours after convening the worlds climate leaders in San Francisco this week, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. Saturday joined Baden-Wurttemberg Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann to sign an agreement establishing a sister state relationship between California and Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, pledging to further strengthen climate, energy and economic ties and collaborate on areas including urban infrastructure, technology and scientific research.

The German connection is alive and well in California, said Governor Brown. The fact that this little Under2 Coalition has grown shows you that from small beginnings we get very large outcomes, as long as we keep persevering.

Governor Brown and Minister-President Kretschmann sign sister state agreement.

The agreement builds upon more than three years of significant collaboration between California and Baden-Wurttemberg. In 2015, California and Baden-Wurttemberg partnered to launch the Under2 Coalition, a historic international climate partnership of states, provinces and countries committed to limiting the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius. With new members added at the Summit, this coalition includes 222 jurisdictions on 6 continents, representing more than 1.3 billion people and $34 trillion in GDP  equivalent to 17 percent of the global population and 43 percent of the global economy.This story is about a new store in New York that seems to have the dumbest business model anyone has ever come up with.

Unless, perhaps, its totally brilliant. More on that in a second.

The store sells Dirty Lemon, which is a drink that became an Instagram sensation, or else an Instagram account that decided to launch a drink. Either way, its allegedly highly popular among Gen Z and Millennials, and it sells (to this point only over the Internet) for as much as $65 for a six-bottle case.

Now, theyve opened a store in New Yorks Tribeca neighborhood, where its getting lots of attention for the simple reason that its 100 percent unstaffed.

Meaning: no clerks, no cashiers. Nobody to make you to pay for the product.

Its like Amazon Go, if Amazon didnt have any technology or any way to make money.

Of course, its not advertised exactly like that. Technically, youre supposed to take whatever you want off the shelf, then text the company, get a link back, and manually enter your credit card.

Yeah, sure. Dirty Lemon does use a similar text-heavy process for online orders, but at least there you have to pay before they ship.

In person, even if people have good intentions, and would never, ever shoplift under normal circumstances, they're looking at a multi-step payment process that takes a few minutes at least to complete.

Were an incredibly impatient society. This just seems like a recipe for basically giving the product away.

Wait a minute.

I couldnt help but notice how much press this otherwise totally unremarkable shop has gotten. There are probably hundreds of similar new stores across New York City each week that open without even a whimper.

Heck, I never would have heard of this-;except that The New York Times, CNBC, and many others wrote about its bizarre business model.

Which makes me wonder: Could it be that Dirty Lemon literally does not care at all whether you pay for its product in the store?

At a $10.83 price tag, thats about 68 cents per ounce for a product where the biggest listed ingredients are filtered water and fruit juice. They've got to be making an utterly insane margin, so theres very little loss on each pilfered bottle.

"When asked how much money Dirty Lemon was willing to lose to theft," reported the Times, its CEO, Zak Normandin, "demurred, noting that the company would write down any losses as sampling costs."

Moreover, Dirty Lemon chose a location for its new store thats within walking distance of some of the most powerful digital media brands in the country.

Coincidence? Hmmm. Could it be that this drink company that grew almost 100 percent based on social media marketing opened a store that was intended not to make money, but just to create an even bigger media buzz?

So, I reached out to Dirty Lemon this weekend to ask them that question even more directly-;along with how many bottles theyve sold, and how many have actually been paid for.

As of this writing, I havent heard back. But Im going to go out a limb for now and call it.Amazon is making it easier for small business to stand out on its website.

The company launched "Amazon Storefronts," on Monday, an online store featuring only products from U.S. mid-size businesses. The store features a curated collection of products and deals from around 20,000 businesses from all 50 U.S. states. Located on Amazon's homepage and at www.amazon.com/storefronts, the online store features more than 25 product categories, such as Back to School, Halloween, and Home.

To promote the new site, Amazon will air its first-ever national TV commercial featuring real Amazon vendors, part of a nationwide advertising campaign. The company already made the one-minute commercial available online. Amazon Storefronts will also post "Storefront of the Week" video interviews with business owners, plus company profile stories entitled "Meet the Business Owner." The website currently features a video on Michigan-based soap company The Little Flower Soap Co. and a profile of Ayah Bdeir, founder of coding toy company littleBits.Capriccio Sangria was the drink of the summer. Didn't get to try it? You weren't the only one--the fruity wine punch has been selling out in stores across the United States since it suddenly went viral in May of this year.

Thanks to an onslaught of social-media posts--quickly lapped up by the press--demand soared for the 13.9 percent alcohol beverage. Fans quickly dubbed Capriccio "the next Four Loko," referring to the canned drink mixing alcohol and caffeine that gained popularity in 2010. The hype drew hordes of mystified customers across the country to their local liquor stores, hoping to track down the elusive sangria in its signature fruity packaging. Often, to no avail.

I've called 12 different liquor stores in the last hour looking for that Capriccio Bubbly Sangria. They told me the entire city is looking for it because it sold out so quickly. Y'all work fast --  . ? ? (@lunairium) May 14, 2018



So my friends and i went to 2 diff Sam's Club to find that stupid Capriccio bubbly sangria drink smh could not find it -- Aamna (@aaamnaye) May 15, 2018

"People have been calling and coming," says Leo Kiteishvili, the general manager of East Houston Wine & Liquor in New York City. "We always listen to what people ask for, and when we have more than two people asking for the same thing, we flag it and try to get it in."

Kiteishvili quickly jumped on the Capriccio trend and ordered around 100 cases in June. All of it sold out within a month. When he tried to order more, the wholesaler ran out. "This sangria has resurrected the category," he explains.

Capriccio isn't a new product--the sparkling sangria has been on store shelves since 2015. However, in the three months since Capriccio stormed the internet, the company behind it, Florida Caribbean Distillers, an Auburndale, Florida-based distillery owned by Alberto de la Cruz and his family since 1943, has seen its sales fly over $1 million in grocery retail alone. That's a 370 percent growth rate over the period, eclipsing that of other Sangria brands, says the distillery's national sales director, Dave Steiner. (The de la Cruz family did not wish to comment for this article.) While the drink still lags well behind the category leader Carlo Rossi, which the Chicago-based market researcher IRI says booked more than $5 million in grocery-store sales over roughly the same three-month period, the rapid rise of Capriccio is a case study in the making of a hit product.

The Making of an overnight success.

The origins of Capriccio precede its boom in popularity by four years. After digging into consumer data, Florida Caribbean Distillers discovered in 2014 that sangria and sparkling wine were outpacing other categories, says Steiner. "So we thought, why not combine those two categories and bring to market something that hadn't been done before?"

And indeed they did. The sparkling, 100 percent natural sangria resonated with taste buds during its 2015 launch in a handful of markets across the Southeast and Northeast. Striking up deals with two major retail chains--Meijer in the Midwest and Publix in the Southeast--business was moving nicely for the product, but it wasn't quite booming.

"We just needed a bit of an accelerator," says Steiner. And in May of this year, they got just that. A few tweets from customers, and the drink's reputation spread like wildfire. The company's planned social-media campaign took a backseat to the distillery's scramble to meet production demands. "It was definitely a production challenge," Steiner says.

NO MORE FOUR LOKO STORIES ITS GON BE CAPRICCIO STORIES THIS SUMMER https://t.co/Ko4Z7Dowdy -- QUEEN OF LIES (@gucciihucci) May 13, 2018



I had two Friday and woke up the next morning on the kitchen floor with a chicken tender in my hand -- CHUN SEC (@secret_tate) May 14, 2018

Harnessing the momentum.

So, why did this product specifically go viral? And how, if at all, can the consumer reception be replicated?

Steiner likes to think people are simply responding to good quality. "The fact that it is a 100 percent natural product made of premium fruit juices" really resonates with customers, he explains. Though he admits social media played a role: "Without social media, it certainly may have gotten to where it is, but it would've taken a lot longer."

It's great marketing, pure and simple, says Brandy Rand, the U.S. president of The IWSR, a supplier of data and market intelligence on the worldwide drinks industry. "Its popularity is likely due to the combination of several factors to appeal to a broad consumer audience," she says. One of which is the higher alcohol by volume than traditional wine--an explanation for the dramatic consumer reactions on social media.

Rand adds that it also builds on the popularity of alcoholic seltzers and sparkling wine. "It essentially rolled several appealing attributes into one product."

And while the company isn't endorsing the Four Loko comparison--that formerly caffeinated alcoholic beverage was banned in several states when legal and ethical concerns materialized over its marketing practices--it is seizing the momentum. Florida Caribbean Distillers is rolling out a range of new products starting in September. There's a white sangria launching this month, and it's toying with the idea of a single serving bottle. Most important, the product that started it all is back in stock.If you are a leader, one thing keeping you up at night should be that things are keeping you up at night.

Sleep deprivation has a deleterious effect on almost every aspect of leadership, from charisma and management to decision-making and ethics, according to Christopher Barnes, a professor at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business. "Problem-solving and creativity are two of the big ones that get hit," Barnes says. "People struggle with self-control. They are likely to chase high levels of risk and start to ignore the potential for loss."

The result is that a whole lot of people who shouldn't even be operating heavy machinery are operating complex organizations. That's not good for employees, shareholders, or the leaders themselves, who endanger their reputations along with employee morale and productivity.

Elon Musk thrust entrepreneurial wakefulness into the news in August when he copped to working 120-hour weeks and using Ambien. Richard Branson gets five or six hours a night; ditto Jack Dorsey. Such people boast they don't need much sleep. But "almost everyone who says that is fooling himself," Barnes says. A tiny portion of the population carries a genetic mutation that reduces the toll sleeplessness takes on cognition. The rest get so accustomed to functioning at reduced capacity "that it becomes your new normal," Barnes says. "You measure your performance against that rather than how you would be after a good night's sleep."

The cost to charisma

Most entrepreneurs recognize that sleep deprivation dulls their problem-solving and decision-making skills. Such deficits, if necessary, can often be addressed by a strong, better-rested executive team. But in a startup, the main thing founders have to sell is themselves. And sleeplessness degrades their ability to express the charisma and passion that lure investors, employees, and customers to their track-record-less ventures.

In experiments conducted by Barnes and several colleagues, leaders who slept poorly were less able than well-rested counterparts to muster the kind of positivity required to inspire the troops. Their speeches, consequently, received lower charisma ratings from third-party observers. Charisma is related to passion: The entrepreneur's most valuable resource also gets lost in the drowsy fog. That hurts leaders not just with employees but also with investors, who in some contexts are influenced by passion. "It is reasonable to expect that if you give that pitch after a short night of sleep you have just lowered your odds of getting funding," Barnes says.

Fatigue also takes a toll on physical features. Research shows that when people interact with the sleep-deprived, they pay attention to droopy eyelids and mouth corners, pale skin and fine lines. Facial features are crucial to human interaction. Consequently, such distortions may have a negative social impact.

Nutshelled: Lack of sleep makes leaders look and sound bad. "People don't think, 'Wow, that guy must be working hard to be so tired,'" Barnes says. "Instead what they see is, 'This person is not especially articulate. They are not looking very smart. They are not looking very charismatic.' You are just much less impressive when you are sleep-deprived."

Sleep-deprived leaders also are more likely to act unethically, because their self-control is on mute. "Unethical behavior usually means you are facing a temptation," says Barnes, whose research shows that people may behave more or less ethically depending how much sleep they got the night before. "If you cannot exercise self-control, then you cannot overcome that temptation."

A bad role model

Sleeplessness inflicts what is arguably the greatest damage on employee relationships and company culture. Leadership experts distinguish between traits of good and bad bosses. But, in fact, one person can be both. "We overestimate how much niceness is due to personality traits and underestimate how much of it is due to dynamic moods and sleep and [changing] workloads," Barnes says. Most people can minimize how often they act like jerks, "but when you are sleep-deprived that proportion of time grows."

Barnes's research shows that sleep-deprived leaders are less patient and more antagonistic to staff. They destroy relationships. And, because their insight is dulled, they have no idea they are doing it.

Founders also have unparalleled opportunities to influence culture for good or for ill by modeling behavior. Leaders who burn the midnight oil and then fire up the Keurig four hours later create followers who sleep less (by about 25 minutes) and also less well than employees of more balanced bosses, Barnes's research finds. Those zombified hordes--like their leaders--log long days doing suboptimal work.

Creating a culture that respects sleep begins with language. "I would encourage leaders to talk about sleep as a restorative thing that will make everyone more effective," Barnes says. In such environments, late-night outreach is unacceptable. "If you need to write an email at 3 a.m., then put a delayed delivery on it so it won't go out to your employees until 8 a.m.," he says. "Then you are not setting them a bad example."

Designating a space for naps is a good idea, although hard to pull off in square-footage-challenged startups. Open floor plans further complicate matters. Barnes points out that while napping at one's desk in view of everyone would be frowned upon in the United States, in Japan it is considered a sign of dedication. "The inference is that it is probably because of all the hours you have worked," he says.

Grabbing catnaps at home is easier. Barnes favors flextime and telework options "that let people optimize their work schedule to their own circadian process." He also urges leaders to be aware of their biases around flexible schedules. Research shows that when employees set their own hours, "those who start their days early get rated as having higher conscientiousness and job performance than those who stay late," Barnes says. "Even if they work the same number of hours and the quality of work is the same."

Strategic sleep deprivation

For leaders grappling with their own exhaustion, Barnes reiterates conventional wisdom about keeping regular bedtimes and eschewing alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in the hours before sleep. Devices can cause trouble, because the light from screens suppresses production of melatonin, the chemical that promotes sleep. Also, devices deliver new to-do items and upsetting news. You can buy glasses that filter the light. But they do nothing to repel the digital sticks that threaten to stir up your mental beehive.

Barnes also recommends mindfulness meditations, which do quiet those bees. Recently, he has had success with online cognitive behavioral therapy tools that battle insomnia.

For entrepreneurs and other leaders who view sleep, in Musk's words, as not an option, Barnes suggests deploying deprivation strategically. Every night, the leader decides how much she will sleep. In the maelstrom of a growing business, every night she makes her default option as little as possible. Instead, Barnes says, the leader should identify times when she needs to be her sharpest: those days when she will pitch to investors or make a major decision or address a town hall. Leading up to those occasions, she should increase her sleep time, trading work for sleep. When less is at stake, she can always trade it back.Have you been watching the terrifying images of Hurricane Florence battering the East Coast and the even bigger Typhoon Mangkhut slamming Southest Asia? Assuming you're out of harm's way yourself, if you're like many people, you may feel the urge to do something--anything--to help. That's a great instinct, and indeed the millions of people affected by these two giant storms will depending on the kindness of strangers for a long time to come--just as any of us would if our own homes were in the path of a natural disaster on this scale.

But, it turns out, there are good ways and bad ways to help people during a crisis. In fact, some things people do with the best intentions actually do more harm than good. Here are a few things relief workers on the ground wish more people knew about how to help people after a storm or other event.

1. Don't send items--even useful ones--to a faraway site.

A helpful video by CBS News explains exactly what's wrong with sending items, even apparently useful items such as clothing, toys, or even bottled water, to people who've lost everything. For one thing, with thousands of people responding and sending what they can, relief workers wind up with large amounts of donations at the disaster site. Those donations need to be stored somewhere. The need to store a large number of items is always a challenge, as you know if you've ever downsized from a large home to a smaller one. It can be a real nightmare in a locale where a natural disaster has destroyed many buildings and rendered more inaccessible, and where whatever safe space is available is already filled with people evacuated from their homes. (More than 2 million people have been evacuated in Guangdong Province, China, alone.)

Beyond being a challenge to store, items such as clothing can be a problem in themselves. After a hurricane hit Honduras, a plane carrying relief supplies was unable to land because of clothing donations--inexplicably including winter coats--piled up on the airport runway. In Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami, a huge pile of clothing arrived. Overburdened relief workers couldn't sort it, and lying there on the beach in the heat, it quickly became a health hazard in a place and time when people's health was already challenged. Eventually, local officials had no choice but to pour gasoline on the clothing and set fire to it. For reasons like these, relief workers sometimes refer to the arrival of clothing or toys--such as the 67,000 teddy bears that arrived in Newtown, Connecticut after the Sandy Hook shootings--as "the second disaster."

2. Donations of money are always best.

For lots of reasons, a donation of cash is nearly always better than a donation of clothing or other supplies. Relief workers or agencies can buy what they need, when they need it, in manageable quantities, and near the disaster site. By buying from local businesses, they can give the local economy a much-needed boost. On top of that, after a high-profile disaster such as Florence or Mangkhut, there are nearly always businesses or other organizations offering to match cash donations so that your money can double its power to help.

Even without matching, your money usually goes farther if you donate it as cash than if you spend it on items to send to a disaster site. For example, kindly Americans sent about 100,000 liters of bottled water to help people out in West Africa, at an estimated cost (for both water and shipping) of about $3 a liter, or a total $300,000. That was enough to serve 40,000 people with no access to clean water for one day.

But local relief workers, using water purification kits, could have supplied that same quantity of water for only $300. If the people who sent the water had sent the money they spent instead, they could have helped people for 100 days instead of just one.

It's important, of course, to be choosy about the organizations you give donations to. Scam charities inevitably pop up after any disaster, so check into any charity before you send money. Charity Navigator is one way to find such information as how long a charity has been operating and how much of the donations it receives go to its charitable work, as compared with how much its spends on administrative expenses and fundraising--and how much its highest-paid executives earn.

3. Find ways to make it personal.

Many people choose to give items instead of money after a disaster because it feels less impersonal. But there are ways to feel a personal connection with disaster victims without sending them your cast-off clothes or pallets of bottled water. For example, rather than send your clothes and cast off toys to a disaster-stricken area, use them as the core of a yard sale to raise money for victims and invite other people to donate items to the sale, then send the money you make selling these items. (If you have items to donate because you don't want them anymore and you don't want to have a yard sale, then give those items to a charity near you instead.)Criminal proceedings were launched in March 2017 on suspicion of political espionage.

Swiss prosecutors are investigating whether Russian agents tried to hack the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Office of the Attorney General said on Saturday, broadening the scope of alleged espionage against institutions in Switzerland.

Criminal proceedings were launched in March 2017 on suspicion of political espionage, the OAG said in a statement.

As part of these proceedings the OAG, in cooperation with the Federal Intelligence Service, was able to identify two individuals, it said.

The aforementioned criminal proceedings ...refer to criminal proceedings being conducted by the OAG due to a cyber-attack against the World Anti-Doping Agency, it added.

The OAG said the individuals concerned were the same pair identified by the Swiss intelligence service which on Friday said it had foiled a Russian plot targeting a Swiss laboratory used to test nerve agents such as Novichok.

The OAG said it would give no further information on the case, which it has not revealed until now.

Swiss media on Saturday said the WADA offices and International Olympic Committee in Lausanne had both been targeted.

Both organisations in recent years have been investigating widespread doping of Russian athletes, which has led to dozens of competitors being banned and the country being barred from international events.

The Tages-Anzeiger newspaper reported that Russian agents travelled to a meeting of the IOC, while the Russian military intelligence agency was suspected of carrying out the hacking attack on WADA.

The Russian Embassy in Bern on Saturday described the reports on the alleged WADA hacking as fairy tales, and an attempt to derail the reinstatement of Russias own anti-doping authority.

It is noteworthy that these publications, which include adjectives like suspected and presumably has appeared immediately after the World Anti-Doping Agency Compliance Review Committee issued a recommendation to lift the suspension of the Russian Anti Doping agency, the embassy said in a statement.

It is hard to avoid the impression thats why the latest the latest fairy tales about Russian hackers attacking WADA were so necessary right now.

On Friday, WADAs independent Compliance Review Committee recommended the reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) when WADAs executive committee meets next on Sept. 20.

Both WADA and the IOC were unavailable for immediate comment on Saturday.

On Friday a Swiss and a Dutch newspaper reported that authorities from Britain, the Netherlands and Switzerland had teamed up in an operation which resulted in the Netherlands expelling two suspected Russian spies in March.

Citing unnamed sources, the Tages-Anzeiger and NRC Handelsblad reported that the suspected agents were heading for the Spiez laboratory near Bern which analyses chemical and biological weapons, including nerve agent Novichok.

Britain says Moscow used Novichok to try to kill former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the English city of Salisbury in early March and last week charged two Russian men in absentia with attempted murder.

(Source)Yuk Foo, the lead single from Wolf Alices second album, Visions of a Life, is two minutes and 13 seconds of unbridled rage. Over a siren-like guitar riff and screeching feedback, frontwoman Ellie Rowsell declares, You bore me! You bore me to death. As each line passes, her voice crescendos to a primal scream. I wanna f*** all the people I meet. F*** all my friends and all the people in the street. It is grubby, frantic and hugely cathartic. So the question is ...How much do I want to f*** all my friends? interrupts Rowsell with a cackle.

The band are huddled round the table of a pub near Londons Kings Cross. The barman suggests beers all round, but its 11.30am  Who do you think we are?!  so were sharing some water. While preparing for this interview, I was told that Rowsell, despite being the face of the band, will be reticent  that Ill have to coax her out of her shell. Ive had to do no such thing.

The trouble with that song, she says, pushing up the sleeves of a flimsy white t-shirt, is that people take everything she sings literally. I think it happens a lot more when youre a woman, says bassist Theo Ellis. What you say is heralded as fact. Because a girl said she wants to f*** all her friends, it means shes promiscuous.

But then I wasnt making it up, explains Rowsell with a shrug. Obviously I dont want to sleep with all my friends, but it came from a real place. The song is about being full of rage, and you exaggerate things massively when youre in that kind of state. Besides, she says, there aren't enough songs about how you feel about your friends. Friendships far more complicated than a romantic relationship, isnt it?

Putting the song out as a lead single was the bravest thing we did on that record, says drummer Joel Amey  and it was a decision that proved divisive. Wolf Alice are hardly strangers to potent, abrasive guitars, but for those who associated them with shimmering dream-pop songs like Bros, from their 2015 debut album My Love is Cool, it felt jarring. Everyone was like, Oh you think youre hardcore now youve said f*** 10 times? recalls Rowsell. She couldnt help but notice a double standard. Why are bands like Black Flag allowed to write a song about drinking beer, and theyre cult and amazing, and then you write this song thats supposed to be a burst of anger, and everyones like, Thats so lame.

Wolf Alice's anger can be very focused. They, along with musicians such as Roger Waters and Brian Eno, as well as writers, theatre directors, filmmakers, signed a letter calling for a boycott of Eurovision 2019 hosted by Israel. I ask them why. Guitarist Joff Oddie points to the moment when Israelis started shooting and killing people in their tens and hundreds... We agreed years ago that we wouldnt go there, but this was about agreeing that we would make it public. Its been the worst period of violence since the bombings in Gaza in 2014, so [for us] it was just a big kick up the arse to say, look, we do support this.

Rowsell continues: If you say you're not gonna go to Israel, then lots of people ask you why you're going to other countries where you don't believe in their government's actions. People ask, Why do you go to America? Does that mean you support Trump? And I can see why [they] think that's hypocritical, but you wont do anything if you think like that. Everywheres f****d, and in terms of the cultural boycott of Israel, thats what the Palestinian people have asked for.

Musically, too, Wolf Alice show a willingness to put everything on the line. Each track on Visions of a Life confirms they are one of the most innovative, uninhibited guitar bands around, punching their way out of whatever box anyone tries to put them in. Second single, Dont Delete the Kisses is iridescent and contemplative, while the syncopated strut of the third, Beautifully Unconventional, written from the perspective of Christian Slater's character in the 1988 film Heathers, shows their poise and wit. Its acquired them a fiercely loyal fan-base since they broke out with their debut EP, Blush, in 2013. By the end of that year, the buzz around them had grown so loud that BBC 6 Music declared them the most blogged-about band of the year. My Love is Cool, released two years later, was certified Gold.

These days, Wolf Alice are just happy to still be in the conversation. When they discovered that Visions of a Life had been shortlisted for this years Mercury Prize  the second time theyve achieved this honour  they cried. Everyones always like, Thats a once in a lifetime opportunity, says Ellis, fiddling with the safety pin in his ear, so for it to happen again  it makes us feel like were a proper band.

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

It means more [than the first nomination], in a way, agrees Rowsell, who was herself a judge for the Mercury Prize the past two years. You feel less important when youre putting out your second album, so you hope that people arent bored of you.

What do they make of the rest of the list, which includes Florence + The Machines High as Hope, Nadine Shahs Holiday Destination and Arctic Monkeys Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino? Theres loads of omissions, says Amey, but thats the way it is.

The first time we were nominated, I knew hardly anyone on this list, says Rowsell. This time, my nan probably knows half of them. It feels a bit more mainstream, with a few exceptions. I was ready for Shame or Lets Eat Grandma But theres Nadine Shah, whos new to me.

Ellis, though, sees the sheer number of omissions as a positive thing. If there werent albums that hadnt been acknowledged, if these were the only options, it would be concerning. But if everyones saying there are loads of other albums, musics in a good shape.

There are plenty who would disagree with him though  particularly when it comes to rock music. Wolf Alice, in fact, are often held up as the saviours of a dying genre. That word saviours a bit weird, squirms Rowsell  but she does have one bugbear when it comes to the way guitar music is going. When Im at festivals and Im watching bands, a lot of it is very performance-based, but not in regards to playing. A lot of its on [backing] track, basically. When you do watch a band that are actually playing their parts, thats so fun to watch. Thats something I hope comes back. Its really hard, its expensive, but that could be saved by less expensive rehearsal rooms and higher fees.

Festival fees, agrees Amey, are pretty pitiful. Its mad that you pay a band the same as you pay a DJ. Not to be rude to DJs but like, one person turning up with a USB stick probably gets the same as six people with techs and stuff.

In Wolf Alices view, a lack of money, not talent, is the main reason there are fewer guitar bands around these days. I think its hard to be in a standard guitar band now, says Rowsell, because, in London at least, its so expensive to find a place where four people are allowed to make loads of noise, where theyve got all the equipment thats needed to make heavy music. Whereas you can sit at home and make really amazing synth sounds and incredible drum beats, and make it sound professional in your room.

When everyone talks about how theres not many guitar bands, says Ellis, if you look at the way the world is, and the climate, its difficult to have 24-hour access to equipment and stuff like that. How accessible is 7,000 amps, and electricity, and saving up to get into a studio?

Rowsell has been thinking, recently, about a question a fan asked her. They said, I dont have any money, but how can I make the sound that you guys make, with all your pedals, without any money? Its like you cant! But thats so unfair!

When the band first started, they only had an acoustic guitar. Later, they graduated to electric open mics at which the venues, such as Camdens Purple Turtle, would provide the equipment. I cant imagine that happening now, says Rowsell. But you make your sound with what youve got. You get your style from what you dont have sometimes.

Its important to do that, says Ellis. If you have everything, where the f*** do you start?

Wolf Alice play shows in Manchester and London this December; see wolfalice.co.uk for detailsGrowing up in a French mountain village near Lourdes, Roland Mouret was expected to become a butcher like his father.

But, soon after the country boy absconded to the city, his arduous and often unlikely journey into fashion began.

Mouret attended fashion school in Paris, but eventually dropped out to work as a model, artistic director and stylist before moving to London. And, it was here that he launched his very own label at London Fashion Week 1998.

The designer quickly forged a signature for himself, translating his reverence for the female form into garments that oozed sex appeal.

His 2015 Galaxy dress was created to fit the curving female figure anf became near ubiquitous among A-listers.

The catwalk show was held at the National Theatre on London's Southbank (Reuters)

This is a designer that loves women and, in return, they love him back.

Over the years, he has become synonymous with body-oriented, high-octane magnetism but it was clear this season that Mouret has become conscious of how women are expected to, and want to, look especially in the wake of #metoo.

Recommended London Fashion Week SS19 day three best moments

Sex was still at the crux his spring/summer 2019 offering, but this time round the sweeping influence came from the 1974 first softcore porn film Emmanuelle, with its subtext that spoke for women to unapologetically own their sexuality.

Ultimately, this translated to a collection that had a more relaxed vibe while simultaneously remaining true to the brands signature.

Recommended The best and wildest street style from London Fashion Week

Suggestive details like button-down pencil skirts, shoulder baring dresses, thigh-high slits and ultra-plunging necklines meant that women who go to him for Galaxy glamour werent disappointed, while freedom was afforded through loose silhouettes, soft tailoring and graphic prints.

Mouret also joined forces with feminist artist Judy Chicago this season, who explored the shift in gender equality and the female form through a series of brooches, necklaces and badges that were decorated with slogans which read Woman Up.

Further redefining the expectations of how women should look, Mourets cast of models were more diverse than ever before. Most notably, this seasons line-up included Sophia Hadjipanteli  Instagrams favourite uni-browed model.

Ever evolving to relate to the modern woman, Mouret has once again managed to curate a collection of garments that, while thematic, are technically sound, a delight to look at and even more of a pleasure to wear.Heres a good dinner party question for wine lovers: after the big players of Spain, Italy, France and the US, which is the fifth-biggest wine producing country in the world? Well, its not, as might be suspected, somewhere else in Europe or the New World. It is China, with an annual production of around 1.7 million tonnes, which is about half that of the US, but still more than what we might think of as bulk producers such as Chile and Australia, whose wines have such a massive presence on our supermarket shelves. In fact, wine has been made in parts of China since very ancient times  although modern industrial production dates largely from the early 20th century  and more than 90 per cent of Chinese wine is consumed internally.

You can now also follow on your question to your guests with a bottle of Chinese wine, which, equally surprisingly, is available on your local supermarket shelf at Sainsburys.

The Changyu Noble Dragon Cabernet Gernischt (10 Sainsburys) is made mainly from cabernet gernischt, with some cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc in the north-eastern coastal region of Yantai, where around 40 per cent of Chinas wine production is based. Gernischt, grown in China since the 19th century, was originally believed to be a relation of cabernet franc, but more recent analysis has matched it exactly with Chiles Carmenere. The wine itself is rich, dark and chewy, with a rustic edge  and if you like Bordeaux style cabernet sauvignon based blends, you will certainly enjoy this with roast meats. The style should come as no surprise, since the Chinese have been hoovering up vast amounts of Bordeaux for many years now. Traditional merchants Berry Brothers and Rudd, who believe the quality of Chinese wine will eventually equal that of Bordeaux, also have a selection of Chinese wines: The Moser Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (29.95 bbr.com) is another Bordeaux clone, but bigger and beefier and really well made, because it was created with the help of well-known Austrian wine maker Lenz Moser in the region of Ningxia, south west of Bejing, which he believes compares to Mendoza in Argentina.

But it isnt all about meaty reds. The Changyu Noble Dragon Riesling (10 Sainsburys) is a terrific iteration of the grape: on the right side of dry, with lovely pear and apple flavours, while the Changyu Golden Valley Ice Wine (29 bbr.com) is pitch perfect dessert wine, with the grapes frozen when ripe, as opposed to botrytised (affected by a beneficial fungus), this is fresh, pure and as clean on the palate as, well, an ice cube. Made from the vidal blanc grape, of which more later. Do not, however, be tempted to match any of these wines with your Chinese takeway  they deserve better than that.

What other wines can we find from unusual origins, that might make a change from our Kiwi sauvignons or red Riojas? Bulgaria and Georgia  like much of central and eastern Europe  have long traditions of making wine, not a lot of which has found its way to western Europe, due to a combination of both politics and quality  nor was it exactly high quality when it did. But now we can find cutting-edge wines such as the Orange Gewurztraminer Rossidi 2016 (19 winebuyers.com) made in the Eastern Thracian valley of Bulgaria, from a grape mostly associated with off dry German whites. This is a natural wine with 30 days of skin contact, no added sulphites etc; although not officially classed as organic, its the next best thing. Dry, with very intense and spicy flavours of quince and almonds; an acquired taste, certainly, but you might find you grow to love it, with cured meats and hard cheeses.

Georgia, as it now well known, is where some of the very earliest archaeological evidence of winemaking has been discovered. Now the tradition of using buried clay amphora to ferment the wine has been revived with fabulous results, such as the Tblvino Qvevris (10 marksandspencer.com) another quince-flavoured skin contact orange wine made from the indigenous Rkatsiteli grape but much more gentle and less challenging than the Bulgarian, so suitable as an aperitif or with seafood canapes. Both should be drunk chilled.

Israel, in contrast to its neighbour Lebanon, is not normally known as a winemaking country, but with an annual production of only 5,000 tonnes, its still a lot more than the UKs 425 tonnes. Again, winemaking of course dates back to ancient times, although it was expanded in the late 19th century by the investment of Baron Edmond du Rothschild, of Bordeauxs Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. Most winemaking is for internal consumption but is no longer focused entirely on bulk kosher wines and there are now a number of smaller newer wineries. Recanati dates from 2000 and most of its grapes are hand-picked, including this wine from the Judean Hills: the Recanati Shiraz, Petit Syrah, Carignan (11 marksandspencers.com) is a full-bodied, rich and spicy red and will appeal to anyone who likes such rustic blends from the south of France  a fine match for any Mediterranean-style foods.

Another country whose wines you will not find easily in the UK is Canada, which has a substantial winemaking industry, spread around the southern parts of this vast country and largely consumed domestically or in the US. It is mostly known for ice-wines, which compete well with dessert wines from all over the world and, like the Chinese ice-wine above, are made with frozen sweet vidal blanc grapes  a hybrid developed specifically for cold climates. For a brilliant example from one of the top producers from the Niagara region, try the apricot and lychee flavoured Pillitteri Estates Carretto Vidal Ice Wine (12.99 laithwaites.co.uk) with any rich puddings.

On the western side, the spectacular Okanagan Valley, which runs for 120 miles north to south in British Colombia, is Canadas oldest and biggest wine region. It prides itself on being the most northern area in the world for serious wine making, with a large range of styles and wine varieties, helped by many microclimates. About halfway down is the small, biodynamic Okanagan Crush Pad winery, which makes a range of very individual varietal wines on soils they describe as volcanic vomit. You can find their wines at Red Squirrel Wines, including the Haywire Free Form Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (35 redsquirrelwine.com) made with natural yeasts, no sulphites, five months skin contact and unfiltered, this is an almost savoury sauvignon, with muted tropical fruit and a rich depth of flavour very different any other sauvignon blanc you might have encountered. Not cheap of course, but an extraordinary wine from an extraordinary place. And like all these bottles, demonstrates the amazing diversity of wine-making around the world; think about that the next time you are tempted by a bog standard branded wine on your supermarket shelves.The Second World War marked the start of a wave which saw thousands of people from all over the world make their way to the UK in search of a fresh start.

This movement of mass immigration transformed the country into the hub of multiculturalism that it is today.

As a result, the prevalence of certain surnames in Britain has risen dramatically since 1939, as revealed by research conducted by Ancestry.co.uk.

The researchers used the 1939 England and Wales Register to explore how surnames from countries including Poland, Spain, China and India made their way to the UK during the wartime period.

They then compared the extent to which these surnames have continued to endure in Britain over the past 80 years.

In 1939, there were only 60 people registered in Britain with the surname Patel.

Cut to 2018, and there are now more than 100,000 people in the country with that surname.

 Danny Dyer on Who Do You Think You Are: The best bits

In 1939 there were only seven people in the country with the surname Hussain, which has now risen to more than 50,000.

The beginning of the war saw many people from Poland come to the UK as they fled the Nazi regime in Europe.

This led to various Polish surnames, including Wisniewski, Nowak and Kaminski, appearing for the first time in the country in 1939 and increasing in number over the years.

Other surnames on the list that have proliferated since the Second World War include Miah, Wang, Nowak, Sanchez and Hernandez.

Russell James, a family history and DNA expert at Ancestry, explains how the war sparked a surge in immigration which led to Britain becoming the diverse country that we recognise today.

This research shows how much of the diversity we know and value began during the war period, he says.

Many of these names may have travelled here from the British Empire or as refugees during the war.

We hope that this research will inspire many to discover how their grandparents and great-grandparents came to be here and will remind their descendants of the part that the war played in shaping the Britain we now live in.

A study led by the University of the West of England in Bristol calculated how many people with the aforementioned surnames are currently living in the UK.Unilever could see its plans to move to a single headquarters in the Netherlands rejected by shareholders, after one of its biggest investors said it would vote against the proposal.

Aviva, which owns 1.4 per cent of the consumer goods giant, said it was not convinced by the logic of the shift from dual bases in London and Rotterdam. Other big institutional investors have also expressed concern about the plans.

Unilever, which produces a host of household brands including Marmite, Dove and Lipton, needs to secure the votes of 75 per cent of its UK shareholders and half of Dutch shareholders in polls next month, or the deal will be blocked.

Unilever has been listed on the FTSE 100 since the index was launched in 1984 and is one of its largest companies, with a value of around 124bn.

It claims the move to a single Dutch base will save money and allow it to be more flexible. But scrapping its UK headquarters would also mean it could no longer be part of the FTSE, the indexs compiler confirmed on Friday. Many funds that track the FTSE would be forced to sell their Unilever shares.

David Cumming, chief investment officer for equities at Aviva Investors, told the BBCs Today programme: Aside from the fact it is disappointing to see a world class company like Unilever leave the UK, it also means long-standing UK shareholders may be forced to sell their stock.

I dont see logically why any UK shareholder would support their decision to go Dutch, because there is no upside only downside.

Columbia Threadneedle Investments said last week in a statement: We continue to agree that restructuring Unilever makes sense, but are still of the view that Unilevers approach discriminates against UK shareholders.

Unilevers third largest investor, Lindsell Train, has said the company could face additional tax risks in the Netherlands.The Sunspot Solar Observatory, which has been at the centre of an alien conspiracy for weeks, has finally explained its mysterious shutdown.

Earlier this month, the New Mexico facility was raided by FBI agents who descended from blackhawk helicopters before evacuating the facility and shutting it down. It has been closed ever since.

Many conspiracy theorists had speculated that the observatory had been shut down because it had seen something it shouldn't: proof of alien life, for instance, or solar activity that suggested the sun could pose a threat to life on Earth. With very little information coming from the FBI or other officials, it was difficult to dispute that speculation.

Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427  more commonly known as WR 124  and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead  sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later  having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region

Now it is returning to its usual operations and AURA  the astronomy research organisation that helps run the facility  has attempted to explain the closure. It still leaves a whole host of questions, since it did not explain the threat in any detail at all, but appeared to rule out the more extravagant and extraterrestrial theories.

"AURA has been cooperating with an on-going law enforcement investigation of criminal activity that occurred at Sacramento Peak," it said, in reference to the hill where part of the observatory is located. "During this time, we became concerned that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents. For this reason, AURA temporarily vacated the facility and ceased science activities at this location."

Recommended Alien theories swirl as FBI mysteriously evacuates space observatory

It said that the unexplained threat was enough to force it to evacuate staff, because they couldn't be protected otherwise.

"The decision to vacate was based on the logistical challenges associated with protecting personnel at such a remote location, and the need for expeditious response to the potential threat," it continued. "AURA determined that moving the small number of on-site staff and residents off the mountain was the most prudent and effective action to ensure their safety."

Astronomers at the facility will now be able to go back to their work, and people kicked out of their homes during the shutdown will be allowed to return. But there will continue to be substantial amounts of security as that return happens, it said.

"Given the significant amount of publicity the temporary closure has generated, and the consequent expectation of an unusual number of visitors to the site, we are temporarily engaging a security service while the facility returns to a normal working environment."

And it also made clear that it was aware the silence and mystery around events had helped add to that speculation. But it said that it had no other choice.

"We recognise that the lack of communications while the facility was vacated was concerning and frustrating for some. However, our desire to provide additional information had to be balanced against the risk that, if spread at the time, the news would alert the suspect and impede the law enforcement investigation. That was a risk we could not take."Humans are wired to forgive people, according to a major new study.

We need to be able to let people off when they behave badly, because they might be helpful to us in the future, the authors of the new research suggested. The same is not true when people behave well, the researchers found.

The flexibility we have in our approach to people who hurt us or others might be able to explain why people find themselves staying in bad relationships.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

The brain forms social impressions in a way that can enable forgiveness, said Yale psychologist Molly Crockett, senior author of the paper. Because people sometimes behave badly by accident, we need to be able to update bad impressions that turn out to be mistaken. Otherwise, we might end relationships prematurely and miss out on the many benefits of social connection.

To carry out the study, researchers conducted a range of experiments aimed at understanding how people judge others. More than 1,500 people watched two strangers who faced a dilemma: should they continue inflicting electric shocks on a person in exchange for money. The good person refused the deal and the bad one accepted.

Subjects were then asked what they thought of those people and their moral character, and how sure they were about those feelings.

The researchers found that the subjects very quickly decided that the character who refused the money was good, and said they were sure about it. But they were far less confident that the bad stranger was really bad.

And they seemed quick to change their mind. If they saw the bad person do something good, for instance, theyd very quickly change their view  until they saw their next transgression.

That in turn could help explain why people stay in bad relationships, for instance, as well as casting light on the human condition.

We think our findings reveal a basic predisposition towards giving others, even strangers, the benefit of the doubt, said Crockett. The human mind is built for maintaining social relationships, even when partners sometimes behave badly.

The same research could eventually shed light on problems such as psychiatric disorders that make this kind of thinking difficult.

The ability to accurately form impressions of others character is crucial for the development and maintenance of healthy relationships, said Jenifer Siegel, an Oxford doctoral student and lead author of the paper. We have developed new tools for measuring impression formation, which could help improve our understanding of relational dysfunction.An MP who tried to save PC Keith Palmers life after the Westminster attack has said members of the public should step forward during terrorist atrocities.

Tobias Ellwood, a defence minister and former soldier, told the Old Bailey how he ran towards the scene as people ran screaming in March last year.

I know the official advice is to step back, report it, Mr Ellwood told the inquests into the deaths of Khalid Masoods five victims.

I find myself countering that somewhat, because if more of us do step forward as we saw in the Manchester attack, London Bridge and Westminster Bridge as well, the message gets through that no terrorist is going to win.

Mr Ellwood said he would have been behind Masood as he launched the attack if he had taken his usual route to parliament.

I know I would have stepped forward and I regret not having the opportunity to do so, he added.

Police advise members of the public to run, hide, tell in the event of a terror attack in Britain, in contrast to the US protocol of run, hide, fight.

Run to a place of safety, reads advice from National Counterterrorism Policing Network. It is better to hide than to confront.

 CCTV of Kurt and Melissa Cochran moments before Westminster attack released by police

A senior counterterrorism police officer previously told The Independent that have-a-go heroes could inadvertently hinder the response to attacks, making it more difficult for armed officers to identify threats and know who to shoot.

A National Police Chiefs Council spokesperson said: The core advice will always remain the same: in the event of a gun or knife terror attack  run, hide, tell.

However, if someone is in immediate danger and their life is being threatened we would never criticise their actions if instinct takes over and they feel the need to fight back, or step in to try and assist an injured person.

Recommended Westminster attacker sent jihadi manifesto minutes before attack

The Westminster inquests will examine the security arrangements at Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament, police training and body armour, and what security services knew of Masood.

The court heard there was no permanent post for firearms officers at Carriage Gates entrance when the attack took place, and that those assigned to guard the palace yard were on mobile patrol.

PC Palmer was armed only with CS spray and a truncheon as he guarded the entrance, with distressing footage played to the inquest showing him falling to the ground as he backed away from Masood and being stabbed multiple times.

He managed to get up and run a short distance when the terrorist was briefly distracted by his colleagues, but collapsed and died at the scene.

Mr Ellwood was among the people who performed first aid on the Metropolitan Police officer, with a photograph showing the MP giving CPR with blood on his face.

The former soldier told the inquests that he feared Masood may have left a bomb in his crashed car as he ran towards parliament, after his own brother was killed in a secondary attack during the 2002 Bali bombings.

In pictures: Westminster attack Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Westminster attack In pictures: Westminster attack An air ambulance lands after gunfire sounds were heard close to the Palace of Westminster in London PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack MPs wait until the situation is under control in Westminster. 'The alleged assailant was shot by armed police,' David Lidington, leader of the House of Commons, told the house. BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Crowds gather in Westminster after shooting incident, which police are treating as terror attack BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Police were also called to an incident on Westminster Bridge nearby AP In pictures: Westminster attack Early reports indicate the car, which mounted the pavement on Westminster Bridge and mowed into around a dozen people, was the same vehicle which then rammed into the railings of the Palace of Westminster, just around the corner Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack Security sources described the suspected assailant as a middle-aged Asian man, who is understood to have left the car before attacking a police officer with a seven-to-eight inch knife PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack Police have asked people to avoid the immediate area to allow emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident AP In pictures: Westminster attack One woman has died and a number of others, including the police officer, have been hurt, according to a junior doctor at St Thomas' Hospital Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack At least three gun shots were heard by those inside Westminster, and proceedings in the House of Commons have been suspended AP

Mr Ellwood first became aware that something was wrong when he heard a significant crash followed by screams before waves of people started running through underground passageways away from parliament.

They were shouting, go, go, go, go and go back, go back, he said

I was concerned about what would happen if things were to ratchet up, but my immediate concern was that we had somebody who was clearly badly bleeding and needed assistance.

The minister described seeing several armed police officer pointing their weapons towards Carriage Gates and two men on the ground  PC Palmer and Masood.

Recommended Police officer killed in Westminster attack honoured for bravery

Mr Ellwood said he stepped forward, making clear who he was to the armed officers.

I said, Im medically trained, can I help? I recall one of them saying, tell us what to do, he added.

Immediately I started going through the drills to provide the necessary first aid support to the officer.

The MP said PC Palmer had lost a lot of blood and appeared pale, but had a pulse although his wounds, particularly one underneath his left arm, were significant.

He had lost a huge amount of blood, he added. Eventually his heart stopped as did his breathing, and thats when I commenced CPR.

Mr Ellwood said there was a sense of relief when paramedics and doctors from the air ambulance arrived.

Becoming emotional as he recalled medics opening PC Palmers chest to perform emergency surgery, he said: Forgive me, its sometimes easier to do the helping rather than to talk about it afterwards.

Former soldier Tobias Ellwood, now a defence minister, is widely respected among police for his attempts to help PC Keith Palmer (Getty Images)

When it became clear that the officer would not survive, Mr Ellwood told a doctor present: Youre going to have to order me to stop.

Sir, youve done your best but you do need to stop, the medic replied.

He described the eerie silence after PC Palmer was pronounced dead at 3.15pm and Westminster remained on lockdown.

We both covered the body as best we could, closed the eyes and I said: Im sorry, he recalled.

It was very, very silent, it was a very strange end to a very traumatic four or five minutes, to suddenly be left completely alone with just one other person.

Dr Antony Hudson, from the London Air Ambulance, said he arrived to find PC Palmer in cardiac arrest.

Despite giving the 48-year-old a blood transfusion and operating on his open chest as he lay on the ground, he said it was impossible to return a cardiac output.

Masood targeted PC Palmer after killing Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, when he ploughed an SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.

The 52-year-old crashed the car into railings surrounding the Houses of Parliament and then ran round the boundary into Carriage Gates, threatening members of the public as they fled.

Plain clothed close protection officers were the first armed police to respond to the attack, shooting Masood in the chest when he refused to drop his knives.

Mr Ellwood told the Old Bailey that before the attack, there had at times been less firearms protection at the site than he would have liked, but now the level of security we have in place, Im not sure we could do more.

The Westminster incident was the first attack claimed by Isis in the UK, being followed by four more terror incidents over the coming months.

An inquest into Masoods death will be held at a later date  separately from those of his victims.

Additional reporting by PABoris Johnson has been mocked for saying Theresa May's Brexit strategy would usher in "foreign rule" for the first time since the Battle of Hastings, as he continued his push to kill off her Chequers plan.

The ex-foreign secretary described Ms May's proposals as a "constitutional abomination" and claimed "for the first time since 1066, our leaders were deliberately acquiescing in foreign rule".

Mr Johnson said Irish border proposals would force the UK into becoming a "vassal state" and the talks were on course to end in a "spectacular political car crash", in an article in The Telegraph.

It comes as the prime minister upped her efforts to sell the Chequers blueprint to her party, saying MPs would have to choose between her deal Brexit or no deal at all.

Mr Johnson has thrown his weight behind the rival proposals by the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG), led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, where physical checks could be done away from the border, without keeping the UK or Northern Ireland tied to EU customs rules.

He said: "The EU's backstop would leave a border down the Irish sea while the UK's proposal left it "volunteering" to "remain effectively in the customs union and large parts of the single market until Brussels says otherwise.

"Both versions of the backstop are disastrous," he wrote. "One threatens the union; the other version - and its close cousin, Chequers - keep us effectively in the EU, as humiliated rules takers.

"We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

"We are straining at the gnat of the Irish border problem - in fact we haven't even tried to chew the gnat - and we are swallowing the camel of EU membership in all but name."

Labour MP Virendra Sharma, who supports Best for Britain campaign, said Mr Johnson was "Britain's best-know charlatan" and dismissed the comparison to the Norman conquest.

He said: "Chequers is trash - but Johnson neglects to mention how he failed to provide any kind of realistic alternative.

"He would prefer to see chaos on the Irish border than someone else bagging his splash.

"His 1066 reference isn't too far off though. Brexit is like taking an arrow in the eye, and the Brexiteers' constant equivocating won't help. We need a people's vote with the option to stay to sort this out."

In an interview to mark the six-month countdown to Brexit, Ms May told the BBC: "I believe we'll get a good deal, we'll bring that back from the EU negotiations, put that to parliament.

"I think the alternative to that will be not having a deal because a) I don't think the negotiations will have that deal, and b) we're leaving on March 29 2019."

She said the counter-proposal to her Chequers plan is "still a hard border" and her plan was the only way that does not "carve up the United Kingdom".

Ms May said there needs to be "friction-free" movement of goods across the Irish border, without customs or regulatory checks between the UK and EU, after Brexit.

She said that the counter-proposal will not "solve the issue of no hard border by having a hard border 20km inside Ireland".

"The people of Northern Ireland deserve to be listened to in these negotiations by the UK government, as do people elsewhere in this country," she said.

"I want to ensure that as we go forward we have that strong union... Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. They don't want a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

"The only proposal that's been put forward that delivers on them not having a hard border and ensures that we don't carve up the United Kingdom, is the Chequers plan."

The prime minister said forecasts linked to a no-deal Brexit are "not a prediction", adding: "What is important is how the government responds.

"Under no deal there would be some short-term disruption. It's our job as a government to make sure that we make a success of no deal, just as we make a success of getting a good deal."

Former Lib Dem deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg dismissed her claims that there were no other options on the table apart from Chequers or a no-deal Brexit.

"Of all the con tricks we have been subject to in this whole sorry Brexit saga - from the lies in the referendum to the so-called virtues of what is nothing more than an inelegant fudge in Chequers - I think the worst is now to come," he told Today.

"We're now going to be told: 'It's my way or no way' - it's either the Chequers fudge or a sort of cataclysmic cliff edge.

Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Show all 14 1 /14 Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Internal divisions in the Conservative Party have exploded into a bitter public row over Boris Johnsons disgusting criticism of Theresa May. Some senior Tories furiously denounced the former foreign secretary after he accused the prime minister of having wrapped a suicide vest around Britain Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Sajid Javid, Home secretary Sajid Javid, the home secretary, rebuked his former cabinet colleague and said: I think there are much better ways to articulate your differences. He told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show that the public wanted politicians to use measured language BBC/PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide But other MPs leapt to Mr Johnsons defence, as dividing lines ahead of a possible leadership contest begin to take shape. The Uxbridge MP has repeatedly criticised Ms Mays Chequers plan and used a newspaper article on Sunday to suggest it amounted to wrapping a suicide vest around the British constitution. His latest salvo at the prime minister prompted immediate condemnation, with one minister publicly vowing to end Mr Johnsons career over the matter PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alan Duncan, Foreign minister Alan Duncan, a foreign minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team for two years, wrote on Twitter: For Boris to say the PMs view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. Im sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isnt now, I will make sure it is later. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide James Brokenshire, Housing secretary Housing secretary James Brokenshire added his voice to the criticism, calling Mr Johnsons comments wrong He said: I think he is wrong on this...I think the tone that he has used isnt right and I think that we just need to be very focused on actually moving forward with the Chequers plan. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Zac Goldsmith But as Tory hostilities spilled over into open public warfare, Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith, an ally of Mr Johnson, hit back at Mr Duncan. He wrote: There are a number of possible motives behind this tweet, but given its author, we can be certain principles arent one of them. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Jacob Rees-Mogg Senior Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told The Independent he thought Mr Johnsons suicide belt accusation was little more than a characteristically colourful catchphrase. He added: I agree with the sentiment. The criticism of Boriss wording merely serves to highlight his point. It means more people hear of Boriss criticism of Chequers and many will agree with him. Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Nadine Dorries Nadine Dorries, another Brexit supporter, said Mr Johnsons opponents were terrified of his popular appeal, adding: Dont underestimate the vitriol thatll be directed towards Boris today. He delivered the Leave vote, Remainers and wannabe future PMs hate him. If Mr Johnson became leader and prime minister he would deliver a clean and prosperous Brexit, she said Rex Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Andrew Bridgen Andrew Bridgen said Ms May was to blame for her leadership problems. Asked if Mr Johnson had put a bomb under her leadership, Mr Bridgen said: I think that Theresa May did that herself when she put forward the Chequers proposals without consulting widely prior to that. Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Steve Baker, former Brexit minister Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, warned Ms May the Conservatives faced a "catastrophic split" if she did not jettison her Chequers plan. Mr Baker, who quit the government in July over the scheme, said: When negotiating, the prime minister needs to demonstrate her intent and also her power to deliver. "If we come out of conference with her hoping to get Chequers through on the back of Labour votes, I think the EU negotiators would probably understand that if that were done, the Tory party would suffer the catastrophic split which thus far we have managed to avoid. But he insisted he did not want a change in the Conservative leadership, saying Brexiteers did not want to be in a position of conflict with our own prime minister Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Tom Tugendhat The deep divisions on the Tory benches were laid bare as Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee and is a possible leadership rival to Mr Johnson, also hit out at the former foreign secretary. Recalling how he encountered a suicide bomber in Afghanistan during his time in the army, Mr Tugendhat told Mr Johnson to grow up. He said: A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died in horrific pain. Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isnt happy. PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alistair Burt Alistair Burt, another Foreign Office minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team, said: Im stunned at the nature of this attack. There is no justification for such an outrageous, inappropriate and hurtful analogy. If we dont stop his extraordinary use of language over Brexit, our country might never heal. Again, I say, enough. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide It comes amid that Ms Mays former aides drew up a dossier on Mr Johnsons sexual encounters with the aim of undermining his leadership prospects. The document was compiled in 2016, when the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP was seen as the main rival to Ms May in her bid to enter No 10. Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquaters (CCHQ) both denied having leaked the 4,000 word memo after it was circulated around Westminster AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Mr Johnson confirmed that his 25-year marriage to wife Marina had ended AP

"The idea that the only thing this country should accept is a fudge or the abyss is not only, I think, an insult to the intelligence of British voters, but it's simply not true."

Meanwhile, reports emerged that EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is drafting a new "protocol" text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks at the Irish border.

Diplomatic papers seen by The Times said: "The biggest unsolved problem is Northern Ireland.

"There is a political mobilisation in the UK in this regard. Therefore, we are trying to clarify the EU position."Downing Street has admitted that a future parliament could be free to unpick Theresa Mays Brexit deal after Britain has left the European Union.

Her spokesman responded to comments from prominent Brexiteer Michael Gove, who said a future prime minister could still alter Britains relationship with the EU after Brexit.

The prime minister is facing intense pressure to ditch her Chequers blueprint, which former foreign secretary Boris Johnson compared to a spectacular political car crash, as part of a concerted push by hardline Brexiteers to persuade Ms May to change course.

Mr Gove, the environment secretary, offered muted support for the plan on Sunday, saying it is the right one for now but it could be altered by a future prime minister.

Asked about his comments, Ms Mays official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: The secretary of state was simply setting out a matter of fact, which is that no parliament can bind the hands of its successors.

The deal we are pursuing is a deal that we believe is in the best interests of the UK and of the European Union.

Pressed on whether it was a permanent deal, the spokesman said: As I said, one parliament cannot bind the hands of a successor.

Mr Gove, a key player in the Leave campaign, admitted that he had compromised on some beliefs to accept the Chequers plan during an interview on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show.

Asked if the plan for Brexit was a temporary or permanent solution, Mr Gove replied: I think its the right solution for our country to leave the European Union on the basis of what weve negotiated, and I think its absolutely right because we would be outside the single market, we would be outside the customs union.

Pressed again, he added: No, I think its the right answer. But, theres one critical thing, a future prime minister could always choose to alter the relationship between Britain and the European Union, but the Chequers approach is the right one for now as weve got to make sure we respect that vote and take advantage of the opportunities of being outside the EU.

The prime minister has stepped up her efforts to sell the Chequers plan to her mutinous backbenchers, saying that MPs will have to choose between her plan or a chaotic no-deal exit from the bloc.

In an interview to mark the six-month countdown to Brexit, Ms May told the BBC: I believe well get a good deal, well bring that back from the EU negotiations, put that to parliament.

Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Show all 14 1 /14 Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Internal divisions in the Conservative Party have exploded into a bitter public row over Boris Johnsons disgusting criticism of Theresa May. Some senior Tories furiously denounced the former foreign secretary after he accused the prime minister of having wrapped a suicide vest around Britain Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Sajid Javid, Home secretary Sajid Javid, the home secretary, rebuked his former cabinet colleague and said: I think there are much better ways to articulate your differences. He told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show that the public wanted politicians to use measured language BBC/PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide But other MPs leapt to Mr Johnsons defence, as dividing lines ahead of a possible leadership contest begin to take shape. The Uxbridge MP has repeatedly criticised Ms Mays Chequers plan and used a newspaper article on Sunday to suggest it amounted to wrapping a suicide vest around the British constitution. His latest salvo at the prime minister prompted immediate condemnation, with one minister publicly vowing to end Mr Johnsons career over the matter PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alan Duncan, Foreign minister Alan Duncan, a foreign minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team for two years, wrote on Twitter: For Boris to say the PMs view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. Im sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isnt now, I will make sure it is later. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide James Brokenshire, Housing secretary Housing secretary James Brokenshire added his voice to the criticism, calling Mr Johnsons comments wrong He said: I think he is wrong on this...I think the tone that he has used isnt right and I think that we just need to be very focused on actually moving forward with the Chequers plan. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Zac Goldsmith But as Tory hostilities spilled over into open public warfare, Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith, an ally of Mr Johnson, hit back at Mr Duncan. He wrote: There are a number of possible motives behind this tweet, but given its author, we can be certain principles arent one of them. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Jacob Rees-Mogg Senior Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told The Independent he thought Mr Johnsons suicide belt accusation was little more than a characteristically colourful catchphrase. He added: I agree with the sentiment. The criticism of Boriss wording merely serves to highlight his point. It means more people hear of Boriss criticism of Chequers and many will agree with him. Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Nadine Dorries Nadine Dorries, another Brexit supporter, said Mr Johnsons opponents were terrified of his popular appeal, adding: Dont underestimate the vitriol thatll be directed towards Boris today. He delivered the Leave vote, Remainers and wannabe future PMs hate him. If Mr Johnson became leader and prime minister he would deliver a clean and prosperous Brexit, she said Rex Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Andrew Bridgen Andrew Bridgen said Ms May was to blame for her leadership problems. Asked if Mr Johnson had put a bomb under her leadership, Mr Bridgen said: I think that Theresa May did that herself when she put forward the Chequers proposals without consulting widely prior to that. Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Steve Baker, former Brexit minister Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, warned Ms May the Conservatives faced a "catastrophic split" if she did not jettison her Chequers plan. Mr Baker, who quit the government in July over the scheme, said: When negotiating, the prime minister needs to demonstrate her intent and also her power to deliver. "If we come out of conference with her hoping to get Chequers through on the back of Labour votes, I think the EU negotiators would probably understand that if that were done, the Tory party would suffer the catastrophic split which thus far we have managed to avoid. But he insisted he did not want a change in the Conservative leadership, saying Brexiteers did not want to be in a position of conflict with our own prime minister Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Tom Tugendhat The deep divisions on the Tory benches were laid bare as Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee and is a possible leadership rival to Mr Johnson, also hit out at the former foreign secretary. Recalling how he encountered a suicide bomber in Afghanistan during his time in the army, Mr Tugendhat told Mr Johnson to grow up. He said: A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died in horrific pain. Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isnt happy. PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alistair Burt Alistair Burt, another Foreign Office minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team, said: Im stunned at the nature of this attack. There is no justification for such an outrageous, inappropriate and hurtful analogy. If we dont stop his extraordinary use of language over Brexit, our country might never heal. Again, I say, enough. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide It comes amid that Ms Mays former aides drew up a dossier on Mr Johnsons sexual encounters with the aim of undermining his leadership prospects. The document was compiled in 2016, when the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP was seen as the main rival to Ms May in her bid to enter No 10. Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquaters (CCHQ) both denied having leaked the 4,000 word memo after it was circulated around Westminster AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Mr Johnson confirmed that his 25-year marriage to wife Marina had ended AP

I think the alternative to that will be not having a deal because a) I dont think the negotiations will have that deal, and b) were leaving on 29 March 2019.

She still faces plenty of opposition over her strategy from senior Tories, including ex-Brexit secretary David Davis, who is expected to join Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Mogg at a series of rallies organised by the pro-Brexit campaign group Leave Means Leave.by Vladimir Rozanskij

The Patriarchate led by Kirill has begun to redevelop the centre of Sergiyev Posad, a city that is home to Russias most important monastery. The goal of the project is to build an "open-air church of almost 20 hectares.

Moscow (AsiaNews)  The BBC Russian Service has recently reported that the Moscow Patriarchate plans to redevelop the centre of Sergiyev Posad, a city where Russias important monastery is located: the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius.

The plan of what has been dubbed the Russian Vatican has taken on a particular symbolic value at a time when Orthodoxy is in the grips of controversy over the possible recognition of autocephaly for the Ukrainian Church by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. With its new plan, the Russian Orthodox Church appears to want be the bastion of the "true faith" even in relation its Eastern brethren, taking to an extreme the medieval prophecy of Moscow as the Third Rome.

The Sergiyev Posad project takes on particular significance also vis-a-vis the countrys domestic problems such as the violent street protests that broke out on 9 September against the Putin regime, with police attacking young people.

The protests inspired by opposition leader Alexei Navalny were aimed at the electoral farce that saw the re-election of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin with 74 per cent of the votes, but with a turnout of just above 20 per cent. In the 2013 election, when a majority of voters participated, Navalny ran against Sobyanin, taking almost 20 per cent of the vote with Putins ally getting a slight majority in what was the most successful opposition campaign since the current came into being 20 years ago.

Protests against local elections have also taken place also in many other cities, with many young people turning up in the streets, joining workers fighting the countrys new pension law.

Against this background, the grand project to build an "Orthodox Vatican" sounds doubly provocative. The monastery, which survived the Soviet regime in part thanks to the sacrifices of many martyrs, is already as big as it was before the Bolshevik revolution. It has three churches, including the one that houses the relics of St Sergius of Radonezh, a destination for non-stop pilgrimages from all over Russia, the great monastery and the residence of the archimandrite (which under the Communists was the See of the Patriarch), as well as a museum, library, a seminary building and the Faculty of Theology.

In the new proposal, the entire city centre (home to almost 100,000 inhabitants) would become an open-air church covering almost twenty hectares, an area that includes the existing town hall, two hotels, a shopping mall, a market, an amusement park and some residential buildings, all of which would be razed to the ground to make room for new Church buildings. In their stead, a new library would be built, as well as new administrative offices, a youth centre, a convention centre and a media centre with all the most advanced means of communication.

The plan aims at "wiping away the citys Soviet legacy", which defiles the citys sacredness. Under the Bolsheviks, Sergiyev Posad was renamed Zagorsk in honour of a famous revolutionary. Now it would become the "spiritual capital of Orthodoxy", not only of the Russian Orthodox Church, but of the universal Orthodox community, given the "betrayal" by the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Moreover, according to the Russian Church, the actual situation of the "Turkish Patriarch", as Ecumenical Patriarch is called in Russia, shows its insignificance, since he is restrained by the neo-Ottoman Islamic regime that has made him a captive in the small church of the Fanar in Istanbul.

Contracts for Sergiyev Posad's redevelopment were inked a year ago, and construction should start shortly, at least with respect to the buildings that surround the Trinity Lavra. A statement by President Putin's press office said that the matter is a "local administrative issue, which does not require the intervention of the central government or the president".

On 10 September, Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) said that he was "the head of the freest Church in the whole history of Russia", that he is not the subject of any political interference, suggesting perhaps that he also feels unrestrained by the rest of the Orthodoxy or any higher authority.Divisions have emerged at the top of the Liberal Democrats over its record in the coalition government, as Sir Nick Clegg said the party cannot go around "licking" its wounds.

Despite a plea from Jo Swinson  one of the favourites to be the next leader  to "own the failures" of the party's time in government, the former deputy prime minister said he "emphatically" believed he made the right decisions in office.

In her address to the party delegates gathered in Brighton for the autumn conference, the deputy leader said the party should have done more to stop Theresa May's hostile approach to immigration and to prevent the introduction of the "punishing" bedroom tax.

The party had been "too nice", she said, and had agreed to compromises in its power-sharing agreement with David Cameron that "sucked".

But when asked about Ms Swinson's remarks at a fringe event in Brighton, Sir Nick said he was "proud" of his record in government, adding "you can't go around constantly licking your wounds".

"I don't actually agree on this occasion with Jo," he said.

He said it was not because of any "naivety" about the coalition government, but claimed there is currently a left-wing "narrative" that has been hung around the neck of the Lib Dems that was "false".

"The narrative is you entered into government, you sold your soul, and then you basically just merrily went along with savage, ideological, uncompromising approach to austerity which deliberately penalised the poor. It is simply not true," he said to an applause from delegates.

He continued: "One of the golden rules of politics is don't say stuff that reinforces your opponents narrative  not by the way that it was a blemish free government, of course not; all governments do good stuff, bad stuff, make mistakes and so on."

He said any reasonable person to look at the 2010-15 period  in light of the 2008 financial crash and "the unforgivable failure of Labour to properly regulate the banks"  would see the coalition government "stood out as a relatively stable, moderate government".

"We have to be proud of that," he added, claiming that he and others reined in "massively" the Conservatives' plans for spending cuts.

Sir Nick said: "Was I comfortable about, should anyone be comfortable about, all the decision you take in a government in which you are a part of  of course not. But you can't go around constantly, licking your wounds nine years after you got into government, saying, well, we don't like this or that.

"What is the country going to think? They want to hear whether we broadly think we made the right decisions and I emphatically, emphatically think we did."

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

During the fringe event, Sir Clegg also told delegates that he cannot be the British Macron  referring to the French president Emmanuel Macron's En Marche movement, which was founded in 2016 as a new pro-EU party and swept to victory the following year.

"I'd love to think some sort of British Macron would come charging over the horizon and save us all from Brexit," he said.

"But the secret to these breakthrough characters is precisely that they arrive relatively unencumbered by baggage."

Sir Nick suggested his history as a former deputy prime minister would rule him out of a Macron-style comeback. "I can't pretend that you can suddenly shed all that baggage and have a completely fresh start," he said.Philip Hammond has warned that a no-deal Brexit threatens to set Britain back 10 years, in his starkest warning yet about the damage to the economy.

Embarrassingly for Theresa May, the comments came after she claimed our best days are ahead of us  even while insisting that crashing out of the EU without an agreement remains an option.

But the Chancellor said that striking a deal was essential to lock in the economic progress that we have made repairing the economy since the great crash a decade ago.

Recommended Remaining in EU better for UK economy than any kind of Brexit says IMF

As we leave the EU we must secure a close and enduring partnership with our European neighbours and we must heed the clear warnings of the IMF [International Monetary Fund] and others of the significant costs not reaching a deal with the EU will have for British jobs and British prosperity, he said.

Despite the contingency actions we are taking, leaving without a deal would put at risk the substantial progress the British people have made over the last 10 years.

Ms Mays spokesman gave a frosty response to Mr Hammonds latest warning, saying: The prime minister said very clearly that our best days are ahead of us and we will have plans to succeed whatever the scenario.

John McDonnell, Labours Shadow Chancellor, urged Mr Hammond to speak up and make clear to the prime minister that he would not accept a no-deal Brexit.

I call on the Chancellor to show some leadership and make it clear to his colleagues that he will not accept a no deal Brexit and the damage it risks doing to jobs, wages and living standards in this country, he said.

Mr Hammond was responding to an annual report by the IMF which warned that Britain would be worse off under every possible post-Brexit option.

People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 /30 People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Rex People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young girl joins in the march PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal An EU flag is draped across the statue of Winston Chruchill in Parliament Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Vince Cable MP, Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, Tony Robinson and Caroline Lucas MP join with crowds PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal People gather in Trafalgar Square REUTERS People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Tony Robinson PA People's Vote march  demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march REUTERS

Whatever the deal is will not be as good as it is at the moment, said Christine Lagarde, the IMFs managing director.

Let me be clear, compared with todays smooth single market, all the likely Brexit scenarios will have costs for the economy and to a lesser extent as well for the EU.

The larger the impediments to trade in the new relationship, the costlier it will be, she said. This should be fairly obvious - but it seems that sometimes it is not.

In his speech, Mr Hammond insisted he was confident that the UK and the EU would reach an agreement this autumn, adding: A no-deal scenario remains unlikely but it is not impossible.

However, his comments are certain to enrage pro-Brexit Tories who have already accused him of trying to recreate the so-called project fear campaign during the Brexit referendum.

Mr Hammond has stood by Treasury predictions that a no-deal Brexit will deliver a 7.7 per cent hit to GDP and blow an 80bn hole in the public finances.

The Treasury has also calculated a Canada-style free trade agreement would cut growth cut by 5 per cent over 15 years, while staying inside the EU single market would reduce output by 2 per cent.

Controversially, No 10 has suggested MPs will be denied a full analysis of the damage from crashing out when the meaningful vote on any deal Ms May strikes takes place.A bubonic plague epidemic could break out in Madagascar if the country doesn't get a grip on the disease's spread, according to public health experts.

Last year the island nation off Africa's east coast recorded 256 cases and 60 deaths from the plague. An annual October surge is caused by hot, humid weather attracting fleas which spread the disease from rats to humans.

The deadly bacteria Yersinia pestis primarily affects wild rodents, spread by fleas. It wiped out at least a third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages, but is now very rare. But according to the BBC, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Pasteur Institute said Madagascar's dirty, overcrowded prisons are a suitable breeding ground for the disease.

Christophe Rogier, of the Pasteur Institute, which fights pandemics in poorer countries, said: "If the plague gets into prisons there could be a sort of atomic explosion of plague within the town. The prison walls will never prevent the plague from getting out and invading the rest of the town."

Africa accounts for more than nine out of ten bubonic plague cases worldwide. The World Health Organisation says the last major bubonic plague outbreak was in Peru in 2010. Then, 12 people were infected.Constitution Day recognises the nations adoption of the US Constitution in 1787, with the annual event marked by politicians across the country.

Twenty-eight states across the US have adopted resolutions throughout the years calling for a constitutional convention, recognised under Article V, which gives states the power to consider amending the constitution.

In the age of Donald Trump, which has focused attention on the power of the executive and its relationship with Congress, there is renewed talk of the power of Article V.

On 17 September in 1787, 39 delegates signed the historic document which is now widely reported as one of the worlds oldest functioning written Constitutions.

The constitutions implications have had wide-ranging effects on Americans since its inception over two centuries ago  with perhaps the creation of the electoral college being one of the most discussed and disputed in modern US politics.

With issues of voting rights, racial discrimination, prison labour and womens rights at stake, the US Constitution has served as both a source for significant protections and critique.

When was Constitution Day established as a national observance?

Constitution Day was established in the US by Congress in 2004.

The act mandates that all educational institutions receiving funds from the government provide educational programmes about the Constitution on that day should it fall on a weekday (if it falls on a weekend it must be observed on a preceding or following week).

Who signed the Constitution in 1787?

Although 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787, only 39 delegates actually signed the Constitution. The convention was held at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, now known as Independence Hall.

 Donald Trump firing Robert Mueller 'could provoke constitutional crisis', warns senator

What is Article V?

Article V of the constitution states in part:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution

According to Article V, 34 states could instigate a constitutional convention with 38 states, or three-fourths of the states, needed to ratify an amendment.

Twenty-eight states have so far called for a convention on a balanced budget amendment. There has not been a constitutional convention since the original one in 1787.

Who are the supporters and opponents of a convention of the states?

The Convention of States Project (COS) project, launched in 2013, has pushed forward efforts to encourage lawmakers in all 50 states to adopt legislation to call a convention under Article V with the mission to: bring power back to the states and the people the site states.

Republican former South Carolina senator, Jim DeMint, joined COS as a senior advisor last year.

The call for convention of the states has a conservative backing, with proponents and organisations including Jeb Bush, John Kasich and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Case of the anti-gay preachers set to test US Constitution to the limit Show all 2 1 /2 Case of the anti-gay preachers set to test US Constitution to the limit Case of the anti-gay preachers set to test US Constitution to the limit 466803.bin AP Case of the anti-gay preachers set to test US Constitution to the limit 466821.bin AP

But some liberal-leaning groups have also backed the call; Wolf-PAC, a nonpartisan volunteer network, has pushed for an Article V convention with campaign finance law reform in mind.

Opponents of the measure have expressed concerns that such a convention would lead to a so-called runaway convention, in which rogue delegates hijack the agenda.

In an interview with Vox in 2017, Hillary Clinton called an Article V convention disastrous.

Theres a big move for change coming from the right that I think would be disastrous for our country, she said. They want radical, pull-em-up-by-the-roots change, they want to have a constitutional convention to rewrite our Constitution to make it friendlier to business, to inject religious and ideological elements.Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel has expressed support for same-sex marriage ahead of a vote that could cement the right for LGBT+ couples to marry in the countrys constitution.

"The approach of recognising marriage between two people, without limitations, responds to a problem of eliminating all types of discrimination in society, Mr Diaz-Canel told television station Telesur of the constitutional change.

The amendment is part of the country's proposed new constitution, which has been approved by parliament and will head to a national referendum next year. The new constitution would change the definition of marriage from the "voluntary union of a man and a woman to a union between "two people. It would also prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual identity.

Recommended Cuba to recognise private property and free market for first time

We've been going through a massive thought evolution and many taboos have been broken," Mr Diaz-Canel said.

A key advocate for the constitutional change is Mariela Castro, the daughter of former Cuban president Raul Castro, who Mr Diaz-Canel replaced in April.

Ms Castro is the director of the Cuban National Centre for Sex Education in Havana, and a prominent LGBT+ rights activist. She announced in May that she would be advocating for a same-sex marriage provision in the new constitution.

Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Show all 20 1 /20 Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man rides his modified bicycle past a vintage American car in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A taxi sits parked by Ancon Beach waiting for returning bathers in Trinidad Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Afrocuban carnival group "Los componedores de batea" performing in the streets of La Habana Vieja Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Pastel colours for an ice-cream place and a vintage American car in Cienfuegos after sunset Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man on the phone in a bookshop in Old Havana (Habana Vieja) selling books and displaying propaganda poster of the Cuban Revolution Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Street Musicians in Santiago De Cuba Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man works to repair his classic American car after it broke down along the Prado, a wide avenue that runs from Parque Central to the Malecon seafront highway, in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Members of the 'Ladies in White,' a group founded by the partners and relatives of jailed dissidents that regularly protests against the Cuban government, demonstrate on the streets of Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Street vegetables vendor in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba The sun setting through the palm trees and creates long shadows on the pool deck at this resort in Cuba Varadero Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba General view of a street in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A girls plays on a street in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Girls walk past graffiti art along the Paseo de Marti, the wide boulevard that runs through the heart of the historic Old Havana neighborhood in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A woman smokes her Havana cigar Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man harvests tobacco leaves for drying at a tobacco drying house on a co-op plantation in Pinar del Rio Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Men play chess on a street in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Locals take part in a gay parade in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Scene of the Memories Paraiso Azul resort in Santa Maria Key Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Beach on the Bay of Pigs, Zapata Peninsula Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Divers swimming above coral reef in Caribbean Sea Rex

The change would make Cuba one of the most liberal countries in the Americas when it comes to LGBT+ rights  a major shift from just decades ago. In the 1960s and 70s, Fidel Castros new government forced many homosexuals into labour camps  something for which the former president later apologised. Cuba only outlawed homosexuality in 1979, though parts of its penal code still outlaw "publicly manifested" homosexuality.

While some LGBT+ rights advocates have praised Cubas growing acceptance, others note there is more to be done.

As important as gay marriage would be for LGBTQ people on the island, human rights comes first, Heriberto Sosa, president of Miami-based Unity Coalition/Coalicion Unida, told NBC when Ms Castro announced her support for the constitutional change.

If she really wants to help Cuba, she should fight for freedom of speech, freedom to vote and the welfare of all Cubans, he said.Officials are planning to airlift supplies to Wilmington, a city of nearly 120,000 people, after still-rising floodwaters from Storm Florence cut if off from the rest of North Carolina.

At least 17 people have been killed, including a mother and three month old baby who died when a tree fell on their mobile home, as the tropical depression continues to move across the Carolinas.

Residents of Wilmington, the eighth largest city in North Carolina, spent hours on Sunday waiting outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities including clean water.

Police guarded the door of one shop, allowing only 10 people in at a time.

Recommended Mother and baby killed by tree as Florence claims first victims

Authorities are planning to fly food and water into the coastal city, according to county commission chairman Woody White.

"Our roads are flooded," he said. "There is no access to Wilmington."

Radar imagery shows parts of Storm Florence extending across six states, with North and South Carolina at its centre.

Other states are in the storm's path, even though it has been downgraded from a hurricane.

"Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina but we're also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out," Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said during an appearance on Fox News.

Recommended Hurricane Florence rips American flag to pieces

Residents near North Carolina's Lumber River were forced to step directly from their homes and into boats, as water surrounded them.

State officials also have environmental concerns to grapple with as regulators monitor the threat from large poultry and pig farms located in low lying areas.

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal waste that could pose a pollution threat if breached by floodwaters.

The flooding could become the worst in North Carolina's history and concerned officials have ordered tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.

It is unknown how many people have left the region or how many were able to flee in time.

Associated Press contributed to this reportAt least 20 people have been killed in the Carolinas as storm Florence continues to dump huge amounts of rain, and in some cases has brought tornadoes to the region.

Two tornadoes reportedly touched down in North Carolina on Monday morning, as the region experienced heavy rainfall following the landfall of Hurricane Florence last week. Officials warned that more twisters could form imminently.

Tropical Depression Florence is still considered a dangerous storm even though it has been downgraded from its previous status as a hurricane, and officials in the Carolinas have been warning residents of potentially historic flooding as rain continues to hit the region. The death toll rose to 20 after police in Union County, North Carolina, announced that they had recovered the body of an elderly man in flood waters.

Recommended Storm Florence floods cut off Wilmington from North Carolina

With the death toll rising, North Carolina governor Roy Cooper warned residents during a news conference that Florence has never been more dangerous than it is right now.

Wherever you live in North Carolina, be alert for sudden flooding, he said of the conditions, which saw widespread power outages over the weekend.

The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings in Monday, after the two confirmed tornadoes hit the area, dealing major damage to at least one home, and minor damage to another.

The heavy rains have forced officials in the Carolinas to issue mandatory evacuation notices, especially near rivers and in flood zones where the downpour has slowly brought the water level higher over the weekend.

Florence was downgraded into a tropical depression on Sunday, after having made landfall in North Carolina on Friday with 90 mph winds. The storm essentially stopped moving after making landfall, instead swirling above the US and dropping major rains in the region.

That rainfall forced officials to order the evacuation of thousands of people, as the rivers rose towards record levels across the region.

 Volunteer rescues six dogs in Hurricane Florence aftermath

Soon after the storm made landfall, rescue workers began to receive calls and requests for help, with hundreds of people reporting they were stuck amid flooding in communities near the coast of North Carolina.

The rainfall is expected to raise the level of the Cape Fear river to a crest above the flood levels that were brought by Hurricane Matthew in 2016.A US border patrol agent accused of murdering four women in Texas killed his last two victims in the five hours leading up to his arrest, according to court papers.

Juan David Ortiz, 35, was identified as a suspect in the early hours of Saturday morning after another woman managed to escape from his Dodge truck and alert authorities in the city of Laredo.

She told officers how a man she knew as "David" had picked her up and taken her back to his home, where they discussed the recent murder of her friend  the first victim, Melissa Ramirez.

The conversation continued as they left the house and drove out towards the city limits.

Then, while they were at a petrol station, Mr Ortiz pulled out a pistol, pointed at her and grabbed hold of her shirt.

The woman, named in the affidavit as Erika Pena, said she pulled off her top, jumped out of the truck and ran to a state trooper who was refuelling at a nearby pump.

Texas Rangers identified Mr Ortiz's home and issued an alert with a description of his vehicle just after midnight on Saturday 15 September.

The truck was spotted an hour later at another petrol station, but Mr Ortiz ran off towards a nearby hotel.

At 2.30am he was found hiding in the bed of a truck at the hotel parking garage.

During questioning he confessed to not only attacking Erika Pena but also murdering Melissa Ramirez and three other women between 3 and 15 September, according to reports.

According to Mr Ortiz, he picked up Ms Ramirez, a 29-year-old mother-of-two, along San Bernardo Avenue, a street lined with shops selling goods imported from Mexico.

He told investigators he shot her in the head after they stopped on Highway 255 outside the city limits. Ms Ramirez's body was found the next day, 4 September.

Her mother, Maria Cristina Benavides, told the Laredo Morning Times her daughter was "always smiling".

I hurt a lot," she added. "All I want is justice. I want that guy to die in jail for taking the life of my daughter."

On 13 September, Mr Ortiz picked up 42-year-old mother-of-five Claudine Ann Luera on San Bernardo and drove her out to the same motorway.

He said he shot Ms Luera when she accused him of being the last person to have seen Ms Ramirez, and got out of his truck. She was found seriously injured off the same highway on Thursday morning and died in hospital the same day.

"She was a happy-go-lucky person growing up," said Ms Luera's sister, Colette Mireles. "She chose the street life. Its just sad that her habits got the best of her, that life got the best of her."

After Erika Pena escaped on the night of 14 September, Mr Ortiz went on to kill two more women in the five hours before his capture.

He told investigators he picked up an unknown woman and took her to Interstate 35 outside Laredo before shooting her several times in the head, according to the affidavit.

Mr Ortiz then returned to the city and picked up a transgender woman before taking her to gravel pits near the same highway.

"The manner in which they were killed is similar in all the cases from the evidence," said Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz.

"Its interesting that he would be observing and watching as law enforcement was looking for the killer, that he would be reporting to work every day like normal.

"In our opinion he is the sole person responsible for this horrific serial killing spree."

The Most Notorious Serial Killers Show all 20 1 /20 The Most Notorious Serial Killers The Most Notorious Serial Killers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were found guilty of murder, in the sensational 'Bodies of the Moor' trial. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment. Getty The Most Notorious Serial Killers Harold Shipman Shipman was convicted of murdering 15 of his elderly patients in Hyde, Greater Manchester but an inquiry later concluded he probably murdered 250 people over the course of his career as a GP. Getty The Most Notorious Serial Killers Ted Bundy Ted Bundy confessed to killing 30 young women and girls across the US in the 1970s. He was executed by electric chair in 1989. AP The Most Notorious Serial Killers Fred and Rosemary West Serial killers Fred and Rosemary West who committed at least 12 murders between 1967 and 1987 in Gloucestershire. PA The Most Notorious Serial Killers Charles Manson Charles Manson, a hippie cult leader, orchestrated the murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others in Los Angeles during the summer of 1969. Rex The Most Notorious Serial Killers Andrei Chikatilo Notorious Ukrainian cannibalistic serial killer Andrei Chikatilo who was charged with the murders of 53 people. Getty Images The Most Notorious Serial Killers Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper murdered female prostitutes who lived and worked in the East End of London. Their throats were cut prior to internal organs being removed from the bodies. The killer was never caught. Getty Images The Most Notorious Serial Killers Beverley Allitt Nurse, Beverley Allitt, murdered four children and injured others during her time at the children's ward at Grantham and Kesteven Hospital, Lincolnshire in 1991. PA The Most Notorious Serial Killers Edmund Kemper Kemper murdered his paternal grandparents aged 15 and was sent to a maximum-security facility that housed mentally ill convicts. However, was released after convincing the psychiatrists that he had been rehabilitated aged 21. He went on to murder several women, including his mother in the 1970s, where he engaged in necrophilia after the killings. Bettmann Archive/Getty The Most Notorious Serial Killers Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Dahmer confessed to murders of 17 men lured to his apartment. He kept the skulls of his victims after eating parts of some of them. Channel 4 The Most Notorious Serial Killers Gary Ridgway Gary Ridgway received 48 life sentences, with out the possibility of parole, for killing 48 women in the Green River Killer serial murder case. Getty Images The Most Notorious Serial Killers Peter Sutcliffe Peter Sutcliffe, became known as the Yorkshire Ripper after he murdered 13 women between 1975 and 1980. Most of his victims were prostitutes. Express Newspapers/Getty The Most Notorious Serial Killers The Zodiac Killer The Zodiac Killer murdered several victims between the 1960s and 70s. He sent a series of letters to the local press in Northern California which included cryptograms to help solve the murders. The killer's identity remains unknown. The Most Notorious Serial Killers Joanna Dennehy Joanna Dennehy stabbed three men to death and attempted to murder another two people during the 'Peterborough ditch murders'. She carried out the crime over a 10-day period in 2013. PA The Most Notorious Serial Killers Tsutomu Miyazaki Tsutomu Miyazaki who was sentenced to death in 1997 after carrying out the gruesome killings of four young girls. He abducted, killed and indulged in sexual activities with their corpses, as well as keeping body parts of the victims and sending postcards to their families describing the murders. AFP/Getty Images The Most Notorious Serial Killers Aileen Wuornos Aileen Wuornos murdered six men whilst she was working as a prostitute. She shot them all at point-blank range between 1989 and 1990. Getty Images The Most Notorious Serial Killers Dennis Nilsen Nilsen, the 'Muswell Hill Murderer', is a serial killer and necrophiliac. He murdered at least 12 men between 1978 and 1983. PA The Most Notorious Serial Killers John Wayne Gacy John Wayne Gacy sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and men between 1972 and 1978. Rex Features The Most Notorious Serial Killers Dennis Rader Dennis Rader, 'the BTK murderer', killed 10 times between 1974 and 1991. His first victims were all from one family. The pattern of systematic torture, lead him to be called the Bind, Tie, Kill (BTK) murderer. Getty Images The Most Notorious Serial Killers Mary Ann Cotton Mary Ann Cotton was believed to have had as many as 21 victims. She is thought to have used arsenic to poison and kill three of her four husbands, possibly as many as eight of her own children, seven stepchildren, her mother, a lover and an inconvenient friend. She was hung on March 24, 1873, after being found guilty of murdering her stepson. Rex Features

Mr Alaniz told the Daily Beast Mr Ortiz appeared to have "hunted" women on the street before taken them to rural areas and "executing them with a handgun".

Mr Ortiz was a Navy veteran who had worked as a supervisor for Customs and Border Protection for ten years.

He specialised in narcotics and human trafficking and was at one point in charge of patrolling Insterstate 35, according to court documents.

Earlier this year another border patrol agent, Ronald Anthony Burgos-Aviles, 29, was accused of murdering his 27-year-old lover and their one-year-old child.

Two others agents in the Laredo sector were arrested in April. David Villarreal, 32, was accused of sexually assaulting a woman while Luis Enrique Aranda, 24, was alleged to have pawned his government-issued night vision equipment.

Texas congressman Henry Cuellar said he had spoken to the Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection about the recruitment of border patrol agents.

"We have agreed to work together on the hiring and professionalism of border patrol agents.

"We spoke about how more steps need to be taken to make certain that people who want to become border patrol agents receive the appropriate psychological screening to ensure that no person who is capable of these type of actions is allowed to join or remain in the ranks."

Mr Ortiz has been charged with four counts of murder as well as aggravated assault and unlawful restraint and is being held in jail on a $2.5m (1.9m) bond.

Additional reporting by Associated PressDonald Trumps Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is to testify at a public hearing on Monday, alongside the woman who has accused him of sexual assault when they were teenagers.

They will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to Republican Party chairman Chuck Grassley, who said the hearing will give these allegations a full airing.

Mr Kavanaugh denies assaulting the woman. White House officials have described the allegations as false and said Mr Kavanaugh looks forward to a hearing where he can clear his name.

The process of confirming Mr Kavanaugh has been thrown into disarray after, the woman, Christine Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, spoke publicly of the alleged sexual assault in an interview with the Washington Post.

On Monday, amid calls from Democrats to postpone a vote scheduled by the Senate Judiciary Committee for Thursday, Ms Fords lawyer said she was prepared testify in public before the committee.

Appearing on CBS, Debra Katz, a lawyer for Ms Ford, said "she is willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure the committee had the full story. Shes willing to do what she needs to do, shes willing to hopefully tell her story in a manner that is a fair proceeding," she said.

Unfortunately, what were already hearing this morning is that the Republicans intend to play hard ball, they intend to grill her.

Mr Kavanaugh, whose nomination is due to be voted on by the committee and passed to the full senate for confirmation on Thursday, has denied the allegations levelled against him. Last week, when the allegations were first made but before his accuser identified herself, Mr Kavanaugh issued a statement denying the claims: I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.

On Monday, Mr Kavanaugh issued a second statement and said he was also prepared to answer questions on the matter.

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday," he said

I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Later on Monday, Mr Trump told reporters it was unfortunate the allegations against Mr Kavanaugh were not raised sooner. He said he believed nomination remained "very much on track" and that he wanted the senate to complete the process. He said Mr Kavanaugh was one of the "great intellects". "I want to see a complete process. Most of all, I want the American people to be happy." Asked if he was considering withdrawing Mr Kavanaugh's nomination, he said it was a "ridiculous" question.

The allegations against Mr Kavanaugh first emerged late last week, when Democrats in the Senate revealed they had referred a complaint involving Mr Kavanaugh to the FBI for investigation. The complaint came from a woman who accused Mr Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct when they were both in high school, more than 30 years ago.

 Supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh snubs handshake from father of slain Parkland student

Republican Chuck Grassley, chairman of the senate committee, said: Anyone who comes forward as Dr Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner.

The standard procedure for updates to any nominees background investigation file is to conduct separate follow-up calls with relevant parties. In this case, that would entail phone calls with at least Judge Kavanaugh and Dr Ford Consistent with that practice, I asked Senator Feinsteins office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused.

Ms Ford had contacted the Democrats in the summer before the confirmation process for the US Appeals Court judge had begun. In a letter to her local congresswoman, Anna Eshoo, she wrote that she had been a victim of sexual misconduct by Mr Kavanaugh in the 1980s, when he was student at Georgetown Preparatory School, in Bethesda, Maryland, and she was attending a nearby high school.

In the letter, the woman claimed that at a party, Mr Kavanaugh and a friend, who she said had both been drinking heavily, held her down on a bed and tried to force himself on her. She also claimed the young men had turned up the music to drown out any noise.

Brett Kavanaugh physically and sexually assaulted me during high school in the early 1980s. He conducted these acts with the assistance of [REDACTED]. Both were one to two years older than me and students at a local private school, she wrote.

In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Show all 21 1 /21 In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images

Kavanaugh was on top of me while laughing with [REDACTED], who periodically jumped onto Kavanaugh. They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state. With Kavanaughs hand over my mouth I feared he may inadvertently kill me. From across the room a very drunken [REDACTED] said mixed words to Kavanaugh ranging from 'go for it' to 'stop'.

I have received medical treatment regarding the assault. On July 6 I notified my local government representative to ask them how to proceed with sharing this information. It is upsetting to discuss sexual assault and its repercussions, yet I felt guilty and compelled as a citizen about the idea of not saying anything.

Over the weekend, the woman  whose letter was passed to Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democratic member of the committee  identified herself in an interview with the Washington Post.

Ms Ford told the newspaper she had not spoken in detail of the alleged incident until 2012, when she was in couples therapy with her husband. The therapists notes, portions of which were provided by Ms Ford and reviewed by the Post, did not mention Mr Kavanaugh by name but said she reported she was attacked by students from an elitist boys school who went on to become highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington.

Her husband, Russell Ford, said that in the 2012 sessions she had talked about being trapped in a room with two drunken boys, one of whom pinned her to a bed, molested her and prevented her from screaming. He said he recalled that his wife used Mr Kavanaughs last name and voiced concern that the judge might one day be nominated to the Supreme Court.

Senator Feinstein raised the Kavanaugh accusations with the committee last week (Getty)

The newspaper said Ms Ford had contacted it through a tip line some moths ago, but had not wanted to be identified. She took a polygraph test administered by a former FBI agent in early August, it said.

She engaged Ms Katz, a Washington lawyer known for her work on sexual harassment cases, who advised her to undergo the polygraph test, which she did last month. It said she was telling the truth.

As the accusations gathered steam, Senate judiciary committee chairman Charles Grassley, a Republican, released a letter from 65 women who said they knew Mr Kavanaugh when he attended high school in North Bethesda.

Through the more than 35 years we have known him, Brett has stood out for his friendship, character, and integrity, the women wrote. In particular, he has always treated women with decency and respect. That was true when he was in high school, and it has remained true to this day.

Like those women, the second young man said to have been present also denied that Ms Fords accusations were true. Its just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way, he said.

It was amid these denials, the Post said, that Ms Ford decided to identify herself as the person who said she was assaulted.

These are all the ills that I was trying to avoid, she said. Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.

Longterm watchers of the Supreme Court say the claims by Ms Ford echo the allegations of sexual harassment that were made against nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991 by Anita Hill, who worked under Mr Thomas at the US Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Ms Hill was called to give televised testimony before the committee, and told senators: He spoke about acts that he had seen in pornographic films involving such matters as women having sex with animals and films showing group sex or rape scenes ... On several occasions, Thomas told me graphically of his own sexual prowess.

Mr Thomas, who had been nominated by George HW Bush, was eventually confirmed by the full senate in a narrow vote  52 to 48. He remains a justice on the court and would be a colleague of Mr Kavanaugh if he is confirmed.The top Democrat in the House of Representatives had called on Speaker Paul Ryan to hold a vote on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), calling it shocking and shameful that he has so far refused to do so.

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urged Mr Ryan on Monday to hold a vote on the bill, which would extend the landmark legislation another five years, while expanding on some of its existing protections.

Ms Pelosi also pushed back on plans to include a short-term reauthorisation in a larger spending bill, calling it an abdication of our responsibilities to women in our country.

We urge Republicans to end their assault on the rights and safety of women, and immediately begin working with Democrats to pass the VAWA Reauthorization Act swiftly and on a bipartisan basis, she wrote in a letter to Mr Ryan.

A spokeswoman for Mr Ryan responded by saying that an extension was necessary to prevent a lapse in the programme while Congress works towards a larger agreement.

We are confident our Democratic colleagues will join us in ensuring that doesnt happen, spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in a statement to The Independent.

Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures London Women's rights demonstrators hold placards and shout slogans during the Time's Up rally at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street in London. Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures London The Time's Up initiative was launched at the start of January 2018 as a response to the #MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein scandal. AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Berlin Women's March in Berlin. EPA Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures London The Time's Up Women's March marks the one year anniversary of the first Women's March in London and in 2018 it is inspired by the Time's Up movement against sexual abuse. Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Paris Women hold a banner reading "still feminist" with the Eiffel tower in background on the Trocadero esplanade in Paris. AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures London Protesters hold up placards at the Women's March in central London. Rex Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Paris A demonstator hold signs on the Trocadero esplanade in Paris during a women's march organised as part of global protests. AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures London Chanting Times Up in the cold rain - On the anniversary of the Women's March on London. Rex Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York Thousands of people gather holding protest signs on Central Park West. EPA Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York Demonstrators take part in the Women's March in Manhattan Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Chicago A woman holds a sign during the Second Annual Womens March in Chicago AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York People gather near Central Park before the beginning of the Women's March in New York Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Washington Supporters gather during the Women's March in Washington AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York The crowd lines up near Central Park Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Chicago Demostrators attend the Second Annual Womens March in Chicago AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York Thousands hold signs and rally while attending the Womens March in New York Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York People gather near Central Park before the beginning of the Women's March in New York Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Washington People participate in the second annual Women's March in Washington Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York People hold signs up during the women's march Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Philadelphia Oscar Janicki, 6, participates in the Second Annual Women's March in Philadelphia Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Philadelphia Crowds gather to participate in the Second Annual Women's March in Philadelphia Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Washington People participate in the second annual Women's March in Washington Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York Women pose as they attend the second annual National Womens March in New York City AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Washington People participate in the second annual Women's March in Washington Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York People gather prior to the second annual National Womens March in New York City AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York People take part in the Women's March in Manhattan Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York People gather the second annual National Womens March AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Washington People participate in the Second Annual Women's March in Washington Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Rome A woman holds a banner reading "Womwn united will never be defeated" during Rome Resists demonstration part of the Women's March in downtown. AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Rome Italian actress Asia Argento (3rdL) attends the Rome Resists demonstration part of the Women's March in downtown Rome. AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Rome The Women's March Rome, designed to show solidarity for the protection of civil and social rights, women's rights and the environment included Italian actress Asia Argento, one of the first women to accuse US film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault. AFP/Getty Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Zurich A US citizen holds a poster on the anniversary of the inauguration of President Trump apologising to the world on behalf of her country, in Zurich, Switzerland. A year after millions of people took to the streets across the US and countries around the world, women's marches are being held in lots of cities this weekend. EPA Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures New York People take part in the Women's March in Manhattan Reuters Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Rome A woman holds a banner reading "The rising of the women means rising of us all" during Rome Resists demonstration. AFP/Getty Images Women's March 2018 across the world: in pictures Rome A woman lifts her fist while holding a banner reading "Hear our voice" during Rome Resists demonstration. AFP/Getty

If congress fails to act, the decades-old domestic violence bill will expire on 30 September. The legislation  which strengthened sentences for sex crimes and provided more funding for victims services  has generally been reauthorized without issue since its introduction in 1994.

But the latest version of the bill contains some controversial additions, and has so far secured only Democratic cosponsors. The new legislation would strengthen protections for domestic violence victims who use housing grants, increase funding for rape crisis centres, and give law enforcement more power to take firearms from domestic abusers, among other things.

 Women's Aid release advert showcasing extent of domestic violence

Republican Representative Elise Stefanik filed legislation last week that would extend the current act for six months, in order to give Congress more time to negotiate the changes. Ms Stefanik was one of nearly 50 House Republicans who signed on to a letter to Mr Ryan last week asking for a vote on VAWA.

This landmark legislation has drastically improved our nations response to these crimes and has contributed to the overall declining rates of domestic abuse since its enactment, the representatives wrote.

This is not a partisan issue, they added. VAWA has been continually reauthorised on a bipartisan basis in Congress. We must act now to maintain and strengthen this critical law.At the 62nd IAEA International Conference, Msgr. Gallagher appreciates the efforts of the UN body with regards Iran and North Korea. We need a total ban on nuclear weapons, against "uncontrolled release of radioactive materials directly into the environment" and in order not to deviate from the "real priorities of suffering humanity". A "task force" on climate change and the launch of strategies for cancer treatment.

Vienna (AsiaNews) - The Holy See supports the initiatives of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in the "prevention of nuclear proliferation" and in the "promotion of nuclear disarmament", in trying to safeguard the health of people, the environment and lift people out of poverty. This is what Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, said in his address during the 62nd International Conference of the IAEA, held in the Austrian capital.

Msgr. Gallagher praised the IAEA's commitment to Iran, as an indispensable component for assessing whether all nuclear material is being used for peaceful purposes, and thus contributes to greater peace and security in the Middle East". And he stressed the need to enter into dialogue with North Korea on its nuclear program, which "threatens the integrity of the non-proliferation regime", making it clear that "there is no military solution to this threat".

The Holy See, like many countries in the world, wants "the total ban on nuclear tests". These, he said, "involve the substantial and uncontrolled release of radioactive materials directly into the environment. They have resulted in the largest cumulative dose of man-made radiation unleashed thus far upon populations and the global environment". "For this - he said - we support nuclear weapons as weapons of mass destruction and environmental".

Beyond the environment, nuclear escalation undermines the poverty of nations. Citing Pope Francis, Msgr. Gallagher reiterated that the arms race, not just nuclear weapons and their modernization "represents a considerable expense for nations. As a result, the real priorities facing our human family, such as the fight against poverty, the promotion of peace, the undertaking of educational, ecological and healthcare projects, and the development of human rights, are relegated to second place".

For this reason, the Vatican secretary expressed appreciation for some developments in the IAEA's commitment to setting up an "interdepartmental task force on climate change" and "in developing strategies for the Action Program for Cancer Therapy (Pact)".

"The Holy See - he concluded - recalls the urgent need for a modern global ethic of responsibility, solidarity and cooperative security, which must replace the old ways of thinking that have so often been driven by self-interest and distrust. We must recognize that our own peace and security depends ultimately on the peace and security of others ".Hillary Clinton has launched a fresh attack on President Donald Trump, claiming American democracy is in crisis under his presidency  though not because of it.

In a recently released afterward to What Happened  Ms Clintons memoir chronicling her 2016 loss to Mr Trump  the former Democratic candidate claims the president has sunk far below the already-low bar he set for himself in his ugly campaign.

The administrations malevolence may be constrained on some fronts  for now  by its incompetence, she writes in the afterward, published on Monday in the Atlantic. But our democratic institutions and traditions are under siege. We need to do everything we can to fight back.

Recommended Texas set to eliminate Hillary Clinton from required state curriculum

Among other things, Ms Clinton claims the president has assailed American democracy by attacking the rule of law, waging a war on truth and reason, and undermining national unity with his racially charged statements.

As evidence, she cites his policies  like the forced separation of migrant families at the border  and his statements, like his claim that some attendees at a white supremacist rally were very fine people.

 Hillary Clinton mocks President Trump with a Russian hat during her speech at Yale University

But Ms Clinton blames this assault on our democracy not on Mr Trump, but on members of his party. Right-wing billionaires, she writes, have spread misinformation and paranoia, while Republican politicians have demonised Democrats and demeaned the government.

Whether it was abusing the filibuster and stealing a Supreme Court seat, gerrymandering congressional districts to disenfranchise African Americans, or muzzling government climate scientists, Republicans were undermining American democracy long before Trump made it to the Oval Office, she writes.

Mr Trump has launched his own share of criticism at his former campaign rival since the election, referring to her frequently as Crooked Hillary and urging his Justice Department to investigate her for colluding with Russia, among other alleged crimes.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Ms Clintons editorial.

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

Ms Clintons essay comes as members of both parties seek to mobilise voters for the November midterm elections. Along with publishing the afterward, Ms Clinton has headlined events with Democratic Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Kamala Harris, and is is reportedly scheduled to host three Democratic National Committee fundraisers in the coming months.

Former President Barack Obama has also stepped back into the ring, delivering a searing assessment of Mr Trump in a speech at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign earlier this month  the first time he criticised the president by name since the 2016 election.

Mr Obama also turned his comments on the president into a larger critique of his party, claiming Republicans were part of a backlash to progress taking place in America.

It did not start with Donald Trump  he is a symptom, not the cause. He is just capitalising on resentment that politicians have fanning for years, Mr Obama said.Sri Lanka's $1.4bn (1.07bn) Port City development has elicited parallels to numerous major urban centres. At 665 acres, the project is about the same size as central London, but its design resembles that of cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Dubai.

A decade ago, the idea of a Sri Lankan city that rivalled the world's leading financial hubs seemed implausible. From 1983 to 2009, the nation was ravaged by a brutal civil war between its military and an insurgent group called the Tamil Tigers.

By the end of the conflict, hundreds of thousands of civilians had been killed and the city had spent more than $200bn (153bn) on war costs.

Less than 10 years later, the nation has devised a plan for bringing jobs and economic opportunity to its capital city, Colombo. The most populous city in Sri Lanka, Colombo has about 750,000 residents in its urban core.

Through the development of a new metropolis inside the capital, officials estimate that Colombo could eventually double in size.

Though the concept of Port City originated in 2004, its plans were delayed by the war. Sri Lanka went on to see an influx of Chinese investment, which the country put towards major infrastructure improvements.

The partnership ran into trouble when Sri Lanka had difficulty repaying its debt, however, while China was accused of using its investments to wield political influence.

In 2014, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe suspended the Port City project, citing concerns about damage to the coastline. This angered the project's investor, China Communications Construction Company, which claimed to be losing $380,000 (290,000) a day while the development was in limbo.

By 2016, the plan was back in motion with a new set of environmental protections.

According to the site's developer, China Harbour Engineering Company, the project is still on track to complete its reclamation efforts and the first phase of infrastructure by 2020. Port City is set to be finished in 2041, at which point its costs could reach $15bn (11.5bn).

Here's what it might look like in the future.

To build the city, developers are using dredgers to gather up sand from the bottom of the ocean.

Drone footage of the project's four dredgers (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

China Harbour Engineering Company plans to add 65 million cubic metres (about 17 billion gallons) of sand along the shore.

Environmental groups have raised concerns about the destruction of aquatic life, which could damage the livelihood of local fishermen. But developers contend that dredging won't pose a threat.

Drone footage of the project's four dredgers (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

China Harbour Engineering Company recently obtained a permit allowing it to dredge 5 kilometres from the coastline and only at depths at or below 15 meters. The organisation is also prohibited from dredging in areas near reef habitats or fishing grounds.

To account for the economic cost to local fishermen, the company has set aside nearly $7m (5.3m) to be distributed among fishing associations over three years.

Developers have completed more than 90 per cent of their reclamation efforts, putting them on track to finish by June 2019.

Drone footage of Colombo (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

The project has received a $1.4bn (1.1bn) investment, but the sand alone could cost more than double that amount.

Aerial rendering of Port City (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

Colombo's Centre for Environmental Justice estimates that the development will require about 100 million cubic meters of sand, worth about $3.2bn.

The financial district features high-quality office space, a shopping plaza, and a cultural park.

Rendering of Colombo International Financial Centre (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

A central park borders the main canal, providing space for outdoor recreation and events.

Rendering of Port City (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

The development calls for 110 acres of public parks and 300 acres for recreation and water sports.

Building heights decrease in the direction of prevailing winds and waterfronts, allowing for increased air circulation within the city.

Rendering of Port City (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

The city is designed specifically for residential and commercial use  no industrial activities are allowed.

Rendering of Port City (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

Development officials say other planned projects in Sri Lanka will satisfy the need for industrial space.

Transit developments and walkways are meant to connect residents to local landmarks like Galle Face Beach, Beira Lake, and Viharamahadevi Park.

Rendering of Port City (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

The new city is expected to host about 80,000 residents and 250,000 daily commuters.

Rendering of Port City (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

It could be also be governed by its own legal system.

Rendering of Port City (CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd)

The system is still being discussed and will require approval from Sri Lanka's parliament and council of ministers.

Business InsiderAuthorities say at least 69 people have died after Typhoon Mangkhut left a trail of destruction in its wake from the Philippines to Hong Kong.

Meteorologists at the Hong Kong Observatory said the storm was the most powerful to hit the city since 1979, with sustained gusts of wind recorded at 121mph.

In the Philippines, flooding and landslides were the main causes of death as the toll rose to 65, with 43 injured. In China, four people were killed by either falling trees or building materials in the southern province of Guangdong.

Recommended Elevator shaft falls from building as Mangkhut Typhoon hits Hong Kong

On Monday, Mangkhut weakened to a tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern provinces. It remains on track to pass over the Guangxi regional capital of Nanning and make its way towards the popular tourist destination of Yunnan.

Hong Kong security minister John Lee Ka-chiu had warned residents on Sunday to prepare for the worst as the eye of the storm passed close by.

People were told to stay away from the coastline, while bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were cancelled at the citys busy international airport.

The South China Morning Post said Hong Kong's hospitals had to use backup power due to outages caused by the storm.

Glass windows shattered on commercial skyscrapers, the newspaper reported, while the storm tore scaffolding from buildings under construction and flooded some areas with waist-high water. Officials said more than 200 people were injured.

Resident Elaine Wong said she could feel her high-rise building moving in the storm. "It swayed for quite a long time, at least two hours," she told the Reuters news agency. "It made me feel so dizzy."

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

By Sunday evening, more than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in China's Guangdong province. In the territory of Macau, the famous casinos were ordered to close due to a typhoon for the first time in history.

But it was the northern Philippines that appeared to have come off worst. Wind speeds were recorded there at up to 127mph, and landslides hit two villages in the mountain province of Benguet.

Most of those reported missing were feared buried in a single incident near the town of Itogon, where dozens of gold miners and their families sought shelter from the storm in an old three-storey chapel.

The building was obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed. Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened.

Men used pikes and shovels to dig into the mud looking for survivors, with heavy equipment unable to reach the site. The rescue work was paused overnight and resumed on Monday morning.

"They thought they were really safe there," the mayor of Itogon told the Associated Press. He said there were fears the death toll could rise to more than 100.Seven people have died of suspected drug overdoses at a music festival in Vietnam.

Five others were in comas following the event, according to the state-run Capital Police newspaper.

The music festival was attended by thousands of people and was held in a water park near Hanoi's city centre.

Police seized suspected drug substances at the scene.

The newspaper wrote that all the people who overdosed had tested positive for drugs but did not identify which substances were used.

Local officials and police officers were not available to comment on Monday.

Government data suggests that Vietnam has 220,000 drug addicts with police records.

Around 1,600 people die each year in the country from a drug overdose.

Heroin and methamphetamine are the most commonly used substances in Vietnam, with authorities noting a recent rise in the use of the latter drug.

Associated Press contributed to this reportRussia and Turkey have forged a surprise deal which they claim will stave off an offensive to retake Syrias last remaining opposition stronghold, agreeing to establish a demilitarised zone between government and rebel forces and joint patrols to enforce the compromise.

Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, said the compromise would prevent the loss of civilian lives in Syrias northwest Idlib province.

With this memorandum of understanding, I believe we have prevented a major humanitarian crisis in Idlib, Mr Erdogan said in a statement.

Mr Putin, the primary patron of the Syrian government of president Bashar al-Assad, said the agreement sets up a mechanism for ridding Idlib of extremist rebel fighters, some of who were inspired by al-Qaeda. Russia and Turkey reiterated their commitment to continue anti-terrorism efforts in Syria in any of its forms or manifestations, he said, according to the Tass news agency.

Syria has been mired in an intense civil war for seven years. Mr Assad has turned the war around with the help of Iranian-organised ground forces and Russian air power. The Sochi deal further delays a much-anticipated offensive by the Syrian regime and allied Iranian-backed militias as well as Russian warplanes to retake Idlib, which has been in rebel hands for years.

The deal calls for a 15km to 20km demilitarised zone to be established by 15 October between opposition forces and government-controlled areas clear of what Mr Putin described as radically inclined fighters, especially those belonging to the former al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, now called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Show all 13 1 /13 Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian protester waves a flag of the opposition as during a protest against the regime and its ally Russia, in the rebel-held town of Maaret al-Numan in the north of Idlib province AFP/Getty Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Syrian rebel fighters from the recently-formed "National Liberation Front" stand guard over a trench as rebels prepare defensive positions in anticipation for an upcoming government forces offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Syrian rebel fighters pile-up sandbags AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian rebel fighter looks through an embrasure in a make-shift bunker AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Syrian rebel fighters walk through a trench AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian protester waves a flag of the opposition AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian rebel fighter stands guard over a trench AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images

By 10 October, all heavy weaponry including tanks, Katyusha rocket systems, and mortars will be removed from this area, according to the deal as described by Mr Putin. Joint units of Turkish military and Russian military police will patrol the buffer zone, and transport links cut off by the war will be restored by the end of the year.

Experts pointed out that the deal could easily collapse, as have previous such Syria settlements.

In the past Russia has struck numerous deals with Turkey and the rebel forces it supports to de-escalate the situation in Syria, only to slowly allow such compromises in places like Aleppo or the eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus to collapse, often using the excuse that extremists on the other side were not included in the deal, or that rebels were violating its terms.

 Airstrikes in in Idlib, northwestern Syria

Unfortunately, the track records of all the participants really prepare us to expect the worst, said Thanassis Cambanis, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, a New York think tank. Around Aleppo and Ghouta there were various ceasefires. The gaping hole is that terrorists are all fair game. Putin has endorsed a lot of truces, and then Russia proceeded to bomb groups it defines as terrorists that it says werent part of the deal.

This truce might be different. Mr Putins own credibility is at stake, having made the deal in a high-profile summit with Mr Erdogan. Turkey and Russia are increasingly becoming trade and diplomatic partners. Russia is building Turkeys first nuclear reactor.

The Kremlin also sees the strains between Turkey and western countries as an opportunity to divide and weaken the Nato alliance, to which Turkey provides the second largest number of troops.

But Iran, its allied militias, and the Assad government also are wild cards. In recent months it has become clear to analysts and diplomats that Russia exercise is minimal if any control over the actions of the various ground forces upholding Mr Assads rule, including Iraqi Shia militias that have on occasion even fought against Syrian forces over turf.

On Monday, Mr Putin said he would get Damascus to endorse the Sochi deal. In general, the Syrian leadership supports this approach, he said. We will hold additional consultations with the Syrian authorities soon.

The estimated thousands of hardcore jihadi fighters in Idlib pose another threat to the Sochi deal. Unlike international extremist groups, they mostly have no aspirations beyond defeating Assad in Syria, so have nowhere else to go, and will likely decide they do not wish to leave the buffer zone. They are also some of Syrias fiercest fighters, battle-hardened over years of gruelling warfare.

Theres no reason that HTS or other groups are going to go home because two foreign powers decided they didnt want to see a massacre, said Mr Cambanis.Russia and Turkey say they have agreed to create a buffer zone in Syrias northern Idlib province to separate government forces and rebel fighters.

Idlib is the last bastion of anti-government rebels, with fears growing in recent weeks about the likelihood of a devastating offensive by government forces.

President Vladimir Putin said the demilitarised zone will be established by 15 October, while Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said there will now be no new military operation against Syrias Idlib by Syrian government forces and their allies.

I believe that with this agreement we prevented a humanitarian crisis in Idlib, Mr Erdogan said.

Recommended UN documents more chemical weapon use by Assad forces

Russia, the biggest outside backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the countrys seven-year civil war, has been preparing for an offensive on Idlib, a city that is controlled by rebels and is home to about three million people.

But after Mr Putins talks with Turkish President Erdogan, who has opposed a military operation in Idlib, it has been agreed was that all heavy weapons be withdrawn from the buffer zone, and that what he called radically-minded Islamist fighters, would have to pull out of the zone.

The zone, he said, would be between 15km and 25km (9 to 12 miles) wide and would be patrolled by mobile units of Turkish and Russian troops.

Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Show all 13 1 /13 Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian protester waves a flag of the opposition as during a protest against the regime and its ally Russia, in the rebel-held town of Maaret al-Numan in the north of Idlib province AFP/Getty Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Syrian rebel fighters from the recently-formed "National Liberation Front" stand guard over a trench as rebels prepare defensive positions in anticipation for an upcoming government forces offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Syrian rebel fighters pile-up sandbags AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian rebel fighter looks through an embrasure in a make-shift bunker AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive Syrian rebel fighters walk through a trench AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian protester waves a flag of the opposition AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive A Syrian rebel fighter stands guard over a trench AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images Fears for 3m people in rebel-held Idlib ahead of regime offensive AFP/Getty Images

It was not immediately clear if the demilitarised zone incorporated the city of Idlib itself; if it did, that would require that some of the rebels pull out of the city.

Ahead of the trip to Russia, Mr Erdogan had said Turkeys calls for a ceasefire in Idlib region were bearing fruit after days of relative calm but that more work needed to be done.

 Syrian Army convoy heads to Idlib frontline for as forces gather for battle against militants

Mr Putin publicly rebuffed a proposal from Mr Erdogan for a ceasefire there when the two met along with Irans president for a three-way summit in Tehran earlier this month.

Syrias ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, speaking earlier on Monday, said the Assad government was determined to drive Islamist fighters, including Jabhat al-Nusra , which he described as a terrorist organisation, from Idlib.

Our government wants to give priority to reconciliation and to give all necessary measures in order to ensure safe corridors, and to secure the lives of civilians and to provide the basic needs of civilians in cooperation with UN humanitarian agencies, Ambassador Hussam Edin Aala told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

ReutersNikki Haley has accused Russia of cheating and helping North Korea skirt strict United Nations placed on them for their nuclear development activities.

The US ambassador to the UN was speaking at a Security Council meeting when she made the accusation in light of signs Pyongyang was still developing its nuclear weapons programme.

Russia and China had also requested an easing of sanctions on North Korea as an inducement for halting weapons development and maintenance.

"Its violations are not one-offs. They are systematic. The United States has evidence of consistent and wide-ranging Russian violations, Ms Haley said.

Ms Haley cited the 12 June summit between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore as a sign of progress but said the talks were difficult, sensitive and need time to work.

The Trump-Kim summit has set us on the path towards complete denuclearisation. But we are not there yet. And until we get there, we must not ease the powerful worldwide sanctions that are in place, she said.

 Trump says media coverage of his North Korea summit 'almost treasonous'

The alleged violations include ship-to-ship transfers of oil, coal, and other goods.

Since 2006, the UN has placed increasingly more strict bans or caps on the import and export of any textiles, seafood, petrol, and financial services.

Ms Haley also accused Moscow of not only looking the other way while its citizens and companies engage in activities banned by sanctions but also of trying to cover up sanctions violations "whether they're committed by Russia or citizens of other states.

She claimed a report authored by an independent party, detailing sanctions violations, had been tainted by Russia and the US has stopped publication of it.

Ms Haley said: "Russia must cease its violations of North Korea sanctions. It must end its concerted effort to cover up evidence of sanctions violations."

Ms Haley did not accuse China of the same alleged violations, however.

North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Show all 18 1 /18 North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Participants wave flowers AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (R) waves with China's Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Li Zhanshu (L) from a balcony AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Airplanes forming the number 70 fly in formation and fire flares AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean performers dance EPA North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean military officers applaud near portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean tanks roll past AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers take part AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers march AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Participants march during a mass rally on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary A girl reacts during a parade AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, reacts as he chats with China's third highest ranking official, Li Zhanshu AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary People carry flags in front of statues of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung (L) and late leader Kim Jong Il Reuters North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Performers take part in a concert at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean artillery roll past AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Students perform Reuters North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Soldiers march during a military parade Reuters North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Participants wave flowers AFP/Getty

Chinese ambassador to the UN Ma Zhaoxu said the country implements sanctions on North Korea and warned that confronting Pyongyang would be a "dead end."

"Resorting to force will bring nothing but disastrous consequences," Mr Ma told the council.

The US-Russia disagreement is not new in the Security Council, particularly on matters concerning North Korea and Syria.

Ms Haley said the council can no longer...take Russias word that it shares this objective of complete denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula, as was thought before on previous unanimous votes to impose sanctions.

Russia must now demonstrate by its deeds that it shares our objectives, Ms Haley said.

Last week, the White House reported having received a letter from Mr Kim regarding a potential second meeting with Mr Trump.

Details have not yet been made public, but White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it was warm and positive.

Ms Sanders pointed to a recent military parade held in Pyongyang as a sign of good faith in the denuclearisation talks because it did not feature any long-range missiles as Mr Kim has had before, adding it was a continued commitment to focus on denuclearisation of the peninsula.

The president was criticised for the lack of concrete agreements to come out of the Singapore summit.Ryanair will train up to 450 new pilots over the next five years as part of a new training partnership with a Cork-based international flight school.

The pilots will train for 16 months intensively at the school, which the budget airline is running in conjunction with Corks Atlantic Flight Training Academy to support further growth across Europe. The budget airline, Europes largest, added that it would hire up to 1,000 pilots a year over the next five years.

This new Ryanair-AFTA programme will provide the airline with a steady pipeline of talented and professional pilots from around Europe to meet the needs of our growing network, said Ryanairs head of crew training captain Andy OShea. The partnership will also create 50 jobs.

In Cork, Irish politician Simon Coveney said he hoped the newly qualified pilots would fly on the new Cork routes. He added: To the 450 trainees who will launch their careers from here, I wish you every success.

It comes as Ryanair is targeting 20 per cent growth in Cork traffic, and 1.1m passengers through Cork Airport next year. It has just launched its summer 2019 schedule from Cork, with four new routes to Budapest, London Luton, Malta and Poznan in Poland out of 16 routes in total.

The pilot training initiative comes as Ryanair is battling strike action from pilots and cabin crew across Europe. On 12 September, German pilots and cabin crew called for a 24-hour walkout amid a row over working condition and pay, causing 150 out of 400 scheduled flights to and from Germany to be cancelled.

Another co-ordinated strike is due to take place on 28 September after unions from Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium confirmed the walkout.Over the last week I have been meeting senior diplomats from across Europe, taking in the views of countries large and small, from east to west, to get a sense of where the EU27  sitting across the negotiating table from the UK  think we are heading, and what they expect in the next three, crucial months.

They are clear: dont expect any surprises at Salzburg, where leaders of the member states of the EU  the European Council  will gather for an informal summit on Wednesday. There will be no change in the EUs position, and the guidelines they have given to their chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, are unlikely to move much, if at all.

However, there is recognition Theresa May faces a massive challenge getting any deal through the House of Commons, and that she has very limited room for manoeuvre. The EU27 are also conscious the summit takes place shortly before the Conservative Party conference and they do not want to give the Brexit elite, led by Boris Johnson, any ammunition against May.

The conductor of the orchestra of European leaders well see in Mozarts home town is president of the EU Council, Donald Tusk. The 32-year-old chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz, will be providing the venue where yet another symphony in the Brexit drama will play out.

The first movement of the symphony the orchestra will perform during their tour of Salzburg takes place on Wednesday evening, at the Felsenreitschule theatre, where leaders will meet for an informal dinner. Interestingly, the theatre was one of the locations for The Sound of Music  it is the place from where the Von Trapp family fled the Nazis for Switzerland. How ironic that the main topic of discussion will be migration.

The second movement in the Salzburg symphony will be performed on Thursday morning, when the orchestra gathers at the Mozarteum University for a working session to discuss internal security issues including police and judicial cooperation and cybersecurity. That will be followed by the final movement  a working lunch where May will have to pack her violin and leave so the others can look at the score on the state of Brexit talks and the next steps in the negotiation.

We can expect lots of positive, uplifting tunes from Salzburg about progress being made and good prospects for an agreement later this autumn: the language will all be positive, Ive been told.

If there is to be any change in the EUs position, it is likely to come at the formal summit of EU leaders from 18 to 19 October in Brussels, or at a further summit around the 15 to 16 November. In particular, a change in the EU27s position is only likely if Paris and Berlin decide their interest in wrapping up the issue by the end of the year demands more flexibility.

Despite attempts to divide them, the EU27 speak with one voice and illustrate a degree of collective responsibility that has undoubtedly strengthened their position. There is quiet satisfaction their discipline in keeping to the same message since negotiations began  a tactic which eludes the Tory cabinet  and their determination not to give the Brexit-supporting parts of the British media fodder to claim the UK is being bullied by the EU, have been successful. To the extent negotiations are going badly, it is clear from the polls who the British people hold responsible for the chaos: the UK government, not EU belligerence.

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

There is sadness the UK establishment, which they used to look on with envy for its ability to maintain stability and common sense at home while maintaining standing abroad, appears to have lost its bearings.

One diplomat of a medium-sized country told me a nation they used to regard as strong and stable now has a politics that is in chaos. As a proud, patriotic Brit, perhaps the most painful thing to hear was the judgement of one ambassador that you are exposing your weaknesses to the outside world on a daily basis. That is a damning indictment of Mays regime.

Several countries politicians tell me the unfolding disaster which is Brexit has led to a material reduction in support for the idea of leaving the EU in their countries. Just as claims by Brexiters a deal will be the easiest ... in human history  as international trade secretary Liam Fox put it  have turned to dust, so have claims by populists of the right and left in other countries, that exiting the EU provides easy answers to their problems.

Brexit has illustrated in technicolour to the peoples of other EU nations how complex the process of leaving is whilst highlighting the huge benefits which come with EU membership, and which only become evident when you are in the process of giving them up.

A good example is Denmark, which joined the EU in the same year as the UK. I have Danish family and I know from occasional visits to Copenhagen there is a strong strain of Euroscepticism in the country. But the most recent poll carried out by the European Commissions Eurobarometer shows a record level of support for the institution in Denmark, with 84 per cent of respondents believing EU membership advantageous.

The outstanding issue which still needs to be resolved is that of the Irish border. You could argue it is both the strongest and weakest part of the EUs negotiating position. But as ever, Brexiters ignore the domestic politics of other EU countries. It may well be the case a no-deal Brexit leads to a hard border but if so, the Irish government will be able to lay the blame elsewhere  no Irish government could sign a deal which in the view of its people could precipitate a return to violence.

Few think the talks will be sufficiently advanced to finalise a deal in October, so the consensus view among those involved in negotiations is that a special meeting of the EU Council will be convened in mid-November to finalise a deal. If a way forward can be found on the Irish border, there almost certainly will be a draft Withdrawal Agreement reached there which will be sent to the House of Commons and the European Parliament for ratification.

If not, there is an expectation the issue will be dealt with and concluded at the EU Council meeting in mid-December. Senior diplomats are adamant the process will not be allowed to carry on into January because of the desire to get this issue off the table before European election campaigns start in earnest at the beginning of next year. The EU27 do not want Brexit to be a European election issue.

One message is unchanged since I first wrote about the EU27s take on the negotiations: the door is open to the UK to change its mind. If we seek an extension to the Article 50 process to allow for a Peoples Vote on the final deal, there will be unanimous agreement to grant it their side of the table.

How true to life is Bodyguard?

Seemingly everyone is gripped by the BBCs Bodyguard drama. The first episode garnered a 41 per cent audience share, with more than 10 million viewers, according to the BBC. Since then it has been getting similar figures.

This is not surprising  it is superb television. But the question everyone is asking is: how true to life is all of this?

I have never been assigned the personal protection given senior cabinet ministers in sensitive roles, so am not in a position to pass judgement, though I do come into contact with those who have. That said, you do see police protection officers around parliament. The day-to-day depiction of what they do does not seem too far off reality. Ive only ever seen them do the job with the highest degree of professionalism and you can see how constantly alert they are. When one sees them  indeed all the security staff  around Westminster, one is hugely grateful they do the work they do, so our democracy can function, particularly given the terror threat we face. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

Chuka Umunna is Labour MP for StreathamI happened to be standing around a yard away from Nigel Farage at 11pm on 23 June 2016 when he stared down the barrel of a large bank of television cameras, admitted that he expected defeat and then added, Win or lose this battle tonight, we will win this war. We will get our country back.

It was clear then that Remain had won but that the Brexit question, far from being over, was about to get far nastier and far more shameful than it had ever been, even in the disgraceful weeks that had just been and gone.

A few hours later, of course, everything had changed. Now Leave had won, and it was immediately clear that the coming years would be an even more unedifying spectacle, as Brexiteers, having lied their way to referendum victory, would soon be in government, reaping their own hateful whirlwind when they failed to deliver on their promises.

What was not foreseen though, at least not by me, is that when the Brexiteers failed at peace they would simply revert to war. When they lost in victory, they would fight the battles of defeat. And this is the most grotesque spectacle of all.

Monday mornings in Westminster now have a familiar feel to them. Boris Johnson has written some transparently ridiculous rubbish in his Daily Telegraph column, and at 11am, the prime ministers official spokesperson goes to their morning briefing with Westminsters journalists and explains why it is transparently ridiculous rubbish.

This Monday morning, as a pleasing incidental note to the usual Johnson concerto of lies, entered Bernard Jenkin. If you live more than half a mile away from Big Ben, his is a name you will almost certainly have never heard before, which is not to say that his interjection is not worth writing down.

Last week, the boss of Jaguar Land Rover told Theresa May, at a conference on zero-emission vehicles, that a no-deal Brexit would cost his firm 1.2bn and lead to thousands of job losses. The business of car assembly relies on the frictionless passage of goods through Dover, and is one of the first things that is likely to go wrong in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Does Bernard Jenkin not care if it does go wrong?

Traditionally, when the bosses of UK car companies speak up about how terrible Brexit will be for their industry, someone like Owen Paterson pops up to tell them that, actually, theyll be able to get cheaper car parts from thousands of miles away in South America, because he knows more about it all than they do.

Arguably Jenkin should be applauded for managing to go one better. Now we know that, in fact, the boss of Jaguar Land Rover is just making this stuff up.

In the run-up to the referendum, virtually everything Jenkin and his acolytes said has now been shown to be lies. There would definitely be a free trade deal, because German car manufacturers would bring down Angela Merkel if she didnt make sure they could sell us our cars. Nigel Farage actually said that. What happened in the end was that German car manufacturers lobbied Angela Merkel to preserve the single market at all costs, which was far more important than any potential loss of access to Britain.

They were all found out to be hopeless, months, if not years, ago. That they are now reduced to popping up on the radio to claim that a car manufacturer is telling lies: well, as you might have heard at playgroup years ago, the level down to which Jenkin and co have dragged us all, it tells you far more about them than about anything else.

Which brings us conveniently on to Johnsons latest column. The Chequers agreement, we now know, would mark the first time anyone in Britain has acquiesced with a foreign power since 1066. Obviously this is historical rubbish, written by a man who lost his first job at The Times for writing historical rubbish (he was fired for making up quotes supposedly from a historian), and has since written a biography of Winston Churchill which has been widely attacked and discredited.

The column itself pertains to the much discussed potential backstop for the Northern Irish border problem. As the prime ministers spokesperson painfully pointed out, the problem Johnson rails again was agreed by the cabinet in December, during which time he was foreign secretary.

Having spent two years in government as the worst holder of high office in living memory, in my view, the fact that Johnson is back firing out ridiculous newspaper columns and still hopes to return to high office tells you everything you need know about the man.

Two years ago, I attended Johnsons first major press conference as foreign secretary. He was with US secretary of state John Kerry: Kerry and the entire rest of the room winced as a US reporter went through some of Johnsons greatest hits from his column-writing days, including describing Hillary Clinton as a sadistic nurse on a psychiatric ward, and the usual old racist stuff about African piccaninnies with watermelon smiles.

Johnson offered a defence with which I had some sympathy. That he had been a journalist for decades, and that it is hardly surprising there would be some embarrassing bits to be found in the whole body of his journalism.

I happen to think it is true that the lives of politicians should not always be judged as if they had been politicians from birth. In your earlier life you have a right to say and act in a different way to how you should when you have the dignity of your nation invested in you.

Since then, however, Boris Johnson has failed to achieve anything at all in high office, and so has returned to writing incendiary embarrassing columns as a way to propel himself back in to the centre of things yet again, from where his own recent words and actions can do nothing beyond embarrass him and all of us.

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

Losing your job for telling lies about history would be enough, for most people, not to do it again. For most people, feeling the burn of embarrassment from your own past columns would be enough, if you aim for high office once more, to not return to writing them again.

But on rare occasions, in rare people, it can be too overwhelming to resist. Johnson, having inhabited high office and come up thousands of leagues short, really does seem to imagine it must be the world at fault in some way, and that the only thing to do is carry on as normal, and give the planet time enough to right itself and realise it was wrong.

The really depressing thing is that he might yet be right.by Peter Tran

In the capital, Mgr Marek Zaleski held talks with government representatives and met bishops, priests, religious and faithful in the archdiocese. "It is my responsibility to 'guarantee' the bond of communion among bishops, between bishops and priests, between bishops and the community of God, and between the Vietnamese clergy and the Holy Father".

Hanoi (AsiaNews)  The Vietnamese Church welcomed with joy and gratitude the first pastoral visit of Archbishop Marek Zalewski (pictured), the new nuncio to Singapore and non-resident representative of the Holy See in Vietnam.

On 21 May, Pope Francis chose the Polish prelate as successor to Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, who ended his term last year.

Mgr Zalewski was in Hanoi between 9 and 15 September. In the capital, he held official talks with government representatives and met with bishops, priests, religious and faithful in the archdiocese.

On the afternoon of 10 September, the Archbishop presented the Letter of Appointment of the Holy See to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He then had a first meeting with Hanois Catholic community.

In the meeting hall of the Archbishop's Office, Mgr Zalewski met with diocesan priests engaged in an annual training course. The prelate shared with them a personal testimony on the relationship and communion between priests and bishops, priests and laity.

The following day, Mgr Zalewski met the faithful during a solemn Mass celebrated in a packed S. Joseph's Cathedral. The service enabled him to meet with representatives of ten suffragan dioceses, located in the north of the country and on the border with China.

Card Peter Nguyen Van Nhon, Archbishop of Hanoi, led the celebration and presented Mgr Girellis successor. "We are very pleased to meet and listen to our Archbishop Marek Zalewski, he said. We are happy and grateful for his appointment, a sign of the communion of the Church of Vietnam with the Holy See and the Holy Father, Pope Francis, as well as of the love the pontiff gives us and our country."

During the homily, Mgr Zalewski thanked the faithful for their participation and Pope Francis for sending him to your beloved country (at nuoc than yeu cua anh chi em).

Speaking of his position, the Archbishop said that "the mission of the Pontifical representative is always linked to the mission of the Apostle Saint Peter. This is the mission of the Holy Father."

"It is my responsibility in Vietnam 'to guarantee' the bond of communion among the bishops, between bishops and priests, between bishops and the community of God, and between the Vietnamese clergy and the Bishop of Rome, the Holy Father.

Another mission is to ensure the unity (su hi np nhat) of the local Church with the Holy Father, in addition to the unity with the civil authorities in Singapore and in Vietnam," Mgr Zalewski said.We must assume that one of the reasons Theresa May agreed to let a BBC camera crew follow her around for a fortnight in the middle of the white heat of the ongoing Brexit wildfire is that she might manage to come across as something vaguely resembling a normal human being.

And as she and husband Philip sat in their sitting room, staring at ITVs The Chase with the kind of unsettled intensity traditionally only seen in science fiction movies at the point of first encounter with extraterrestrial life, it is fair to surmise the panic whirring behind her eyes was not because she definitely knew but just couldnt remember the capital of Burkina Faso, but rather it was the suddenly certain knowledge that this high risk, low gain gamble wasnt going to pay off.

Not now, anyway, not after your husband has tried to cut through a silence as icy as the Arctic winter by pointing at some chrysanthemums and saying, I like those chrysanthemums. And then you tell him, Actually theyre dahlias. And then it turns out that actually, this is a common conversational trope in the private May quarters because Philip replies: Haha, why do I keep getting chrysanthemums wrong?

Brave would be who criticised a couple well into their fourth decade of marriage for being found a touch wanting in the small talk department, but the question is whether all of us are paying the price. It is hard to watch two grown adults in their sixties pointing nervously at a jar of chrysanthemums, sorry dahlias, and not recall that on a walking holiday not that long ago, the pair of them, might just have decided to call a general election for want of anything else to talk about. Guys, its not just the chrysanthemums you keep getting wrong. Lol.

Elsewhere, in BBC Panoramas Deal or No Deal special, the usual Brexiteer psychopathic tropes were reassuringly present. David Davis popped up to blame Theresa May for blinking first in the negotiations, and feared she might blink again. Davis, of course, would never have blinked, so if youre looking for someone who will gladly chain themselves to a train track and absolutely definitely not blink as his own impending doom approaches then Davis is your man. Though why you would be looking for such a man is not immediately clear.

And on the train theme, there all of a sudden was Daviss replacement, little Dominic Raab, who generously did his bit in the ratings battle, deploying a surprisingly lifelike Grant Mitchell impression, luring back in the large viewing demographic which might not have realised EastEnders had finished fifteen minutes ago.

I have just about stopped laughing now, but sitting on the Eurostar with a full camera crew standing in the aisle, he really did point his finger at the BBCs Nick Robinson, and say he was too busy for all the media nonsense.

Rarely can a puffed up little politician have puffed up his own little balloon then punctured it himself in so few seconds. Call in the media, then tell the media how busy and important for the media, as I am dealing with this huge needless crisis that I caused myself. Raab makes David Brent look like a statesman.

All of this was just stock footage to cut around the shows central purpose, which was a long sit down interview with Theresa May, and if the Prime Minister is working as hard on Brexit as her own gag reflex did during her toe curling chat with Nick Robinson then surely nothing can go wrong.

At times, she seemed to imagine that if she just swallowed hard enough and fast enough the questions Nick Robinson was toxifying the atmosphere around her with might somehow be sucked away. At others, she knew the words she herself would have to contribute would only make things worse, and they left her throat like that cloud of death ants that were once sucked out of bad guys by that twelve foot tall convict in The Green Mile.

How did she feel, as prime minister, when the governor of the Bank of England had come into cabinet and told them that house prices could drop by a third, not because of a war, or a crisis, but because of a political decision?

Well Nick, well, well surely the real question is why do I look like I have just eaten an entire packet of Jacobs Cream Crackers in a single mouthful and am doing my level best to keep it a secret?

At one point, Nick Robinson had the audacity to ask her if no-deal Brexit would be the end of her, and this, she said: This is why I get a little bit irritated. It is not about my future. It is about the future of the UK.

Poor Theresa eh? Its not as if she, then one of the countrys most senior politicians, went to live in a cave during the referendum campaign of 2016 and somehow ended up as prime minister. Now she has to suffer the injustice of someone daring to ask her if shes given any thought to how all this might work out for her?

All of which means there is barely even time to mention Jacob Rees-Mogg popping up to do an impression of Dirty Harry, telling Theresa May to go ahead punk and make his day.

His day, by the way, is the one that looms in a few months time, when he and his hard Brexiteers might be asked if they have the courage to vote down Theresa Mays Brexit deal and hand the country a no-deal Brexit instead. Its a funny kind of courage, having the balls to push everyone the country under the bus while you sit back entirely insulated from the consequences. But this much at least was clear, theyre definitely brave enough to do it.Brendan Howlin said the goal of 14 seats was realistic (Brian Lawless/PA)

Brendan Howlin has vowed to stay put as Labour leader, insisting the partys recovery is a slow build.

Mr Howlin said robust questioning he faced from colleagues at the partys think-in on Sunday evening was normal and healthy.

We are not a party where people are bussed in to act as clapometers for the leader, he said.

On the second day of the internal gathering in Drogheda, Mr Howlin said the party was on course to double its current seven Dail seats in the next general election.

Labour suffered an electoral meltdown in 2016, losing 30 seats as voters passed a damning judgment on its time as Fine Gaels junior government coalition partner.

In an interview with RTE, Mr Howlin rejected any suggestion the party, which is sitting at around 6% in opinion polls, could face wipe-out in the next poll.

We went into government in the most difficult of circumstances and we explained that to people in 2011 and the Labour Party has always put the country first, others have put party first, he said.

The party leader said the goal of 14 seats was realistic.

I think thats absolutely achievable  our build is a slow buildBrendan Howlin

I think thats absolutely achievable  our build is a slow build, he said.

I never believed, I said it from day one, that it would suddenly be transformative because we have to win back people who are thinking they want the sort of Ireland that the Labour Party stands for.

Mr Howlin was critical of Fine Gael and Fianna Fails plans to address Irelands housing problems, but said he did not support those demonstrators venting their frustration by occupying derelict properties.

Its a manifestation of a terrible wrong, I dont think its a solution, he said.

I dont think it is something I would be associated with, I dont think the Labour Party would go down that route.

I understand the motivation of it, but its not the solution. The Labour Party is about providing solutions, not protest.

Asked of the potential for joining forces with the Greens and Social Democrats to re-enter government as a part of a coalition of the left, Mr Howlin suggested the party might currently be more effective from the opposition benches.

We obviously have a free hand in opposition, he said, explaining that his party was not wedded to a coalition partner that does not share its view point.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are parties that fundamentally agree with the market solving problems, we believe in the state solving problems for ordinary people.Downing Street has slapped down Boris Johnson after he warned that Britain was heading for a "spectacular political car-crash" if the UK Government stuck to Theresa May's plans for Brexit.

The former British foreign secretary's warning came as Mrs May gave one of her most positive forecasts yet for Britain's future after Brexit, telling the BBC: "I believe that our best days are ahead of us."

Asked in an interview for Panorama, asked why she thought Brexit would be good for Britain, she replied: "It gives the United Kingdom opportunities as an independent and sovereign state to build a better future for all our people."

But Mr Johnson warned that, unless Mrs May's Chequers plan was dropped, Britain was "heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit".

Requirements for a "backstop" arrangement at the Irish border, contained in December's agreement between Mrs May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, would leave the UK a "vassal state" of the EU, the former foreign secretary warned.

In his regular column for the Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson claimed that he and others had been "taken in" over the EU's fallback option, having been privately assured at the time that it would never be invoked.

But Number 10 pointed out that Mr Johnson had himself signed up to the joint report agreed by Mrs May and Mr Juncker, including the backstop provision, and had remained in government for a further seven months afterwards.

The British Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Boris Johnson was a member of the cabinet which agreed to the December joint report, including the backstop.

"At the time, he congratulated the Prime Minister for her determination in securing the deal.

"He remained in Government for a full seven months after the joint report was agreed. He was also a member of the cabinet sub-committee which agreed the UK's proposed customs backstop."

Expand Close Boris Johnson Photo: PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Boris Johnson Photo: PA

Although she is signed up to the principle of a backstop if no better arrangement can be agreed, Mrs May has robustly rejected the version put forward by Brussels, which would see Northern Ireland remain within the EU customs area and effectively draw a customs border down the Irish Sea.

However, Mr Johnson denounced alternative plans set out by Mrs May as a "constitutional abomination" which would leave Britain as a "humiliated rules-taker".

Mr Johnson has backed proposals by the pro-Brexit European Research Group that physical checks can be done away from the border, without keeping the UK or Northern Ireland tied to EU customs rules.

And it has been reported that the EU is preparing to accept use of technology to avoid the need for new border infrastructure.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson said: "If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash."

"If we are to get out of this mess, and get the great British motor back on track, then we need to understand the Irish backstop, and how it is being used to coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of Brussels," he added.

The EU's backstop would leave a border down the Irish sea while the UK's proposal left it "volunteering" to "remain effectively in the customs union and large parts of the single market until Brussels says otherwise", Mr Johnson said.

"Both versions of the backstop are disastrous," he wrote.

"One threatens the union; the other version, and its close cousin, Chequers, keep us effectively in the EU, as humiliated rules takers.

"We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

"We are straining at the gnat of the Irish border problem, in fact we haven't even tried to chew the gnat, and we are swallowing the camel of EU membership in all but name."

Speaking to Panorama, Mrs May said there needs to be "friction-free" movement of goods across the Irish border, without customs or regulatory checks between the UK and EU, after Brexit.

"The only proposal that's been put forward that delivers on them not having a hard border and ensures that we don't carve up the United Kingdom, is the Chequers plan," she said.

Mrs May also said she believes Parliament will vote for a deal to maintain a good trading relationship with the EU and co-operation on other matters.

But she cast doubt on whether the EU would offer a better deal if MPs rejected it, adding: "I believe we'll get a good deal, we'll bring that back from the EU negotiations, put that to Parliament.

"I think the alternative to that will be not having a deal because a) I don't think the negotiations will have that deal, and b) we're leaving on March 29 2019."

Mrs May stepped up efforts to win backing for the Chequers plan ahead of a gathering of EU leaders in Salzburg on Wednesday and Thursday.

She welcomed Malta's prime minister Joseph Muscat to Downing Street for talks ahead of the summit.

And Number 10 posted a video lasting almost seven minutes on social media in which the Prime Minister set out her plan.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is drafting a new "protocol" text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks at the Irish border, according to The Times.

Diplomatic notes seen by the paper state: "The biggest unsolved problem is Northern Ireland.

"There is a political mobilisation in the UK in this regard. Therefore, we are trying to clarify the EU position."Warning: Simon Coveney said Mrs May will have to deliver on promises. Photo: Mark Condren

Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said Theresa May will need to deliver on her Border commitments to secure a Brexit deal, as the UK prime minister said her Chequers plan was the only proposal on the table to deliver a soft Border.

Mrs May told the BBC that the proposal was the only one that would avoid a hard Border on the island of Ireland.

"The people of Northern Ireland deserve to be listened to in these negotiations by the UK government as people elsewhere in this country," she said.

"I want to ensure that as we go forward we have that strong union, that Northern Ireland, it is part of the United Kingdom and it's important that we deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.

"They don't want a hard Border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The only proposal that has been put forward that delivers on them not having that hard Border and ensures that we don't carve up the United Kingdom is the Chequers plan," she added.

The Chequers plan has caused a split within the Tory party and has also faced criticism from the EU over so-called "cherry-picking" of the single market and an apparent attempt to divide its four freedoms of goods, services, labour and capital.

Expand Close Tea and sympathy: Theresa May and her husband Philip during filming of a BBC Panorama show. Photo: Jeff Overs/BBC Panorama/BBC/PA Wire / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Tea and sympathy: Theresa May and her husband Philip during filming of a BBC Panorama show. Photo: Jeff Overs/BBC Panorama/BBC/PA Wire

Its publication in July, however, was widely welcomed by those at the negotiating table as a sign that at least the UK had an agreed position from which it could begin serious negotiations.

But Mr Coveney warned that the Chequers deal does not negate earlier commitments made by Mrs May.

"Brexit negotiations are ongoing and there are positive signs but, for there to be an agreement, the prime minister will need to deliver on her December and March commitments of no hard Border, no physical infrastructure, and no related checks or controls," he told the Irish Independent.

Mrs May's Chequers blueprint has also faced criticism from hard Brexiteers who this week will launch a 'Chuck Chequers' campaign with a series of rallies and newspaper advertisements.

Conservatives including David Davis and Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, and Labour's Kate Hoey, are expected to attend the Leave Means Leave events.

Later this week, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will meet EU leaders in Salzburg where an unofficial Brexit summit is expected to take place.

However, there will be no official movement on the proposals on the table.

A poll carried out by BBC radio has found that some eight out of 10 British voters think the exit negotiations have been handled badly by the UK government.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday called for a second referendum.

But the UK's International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, who had previously downplayed Britain's chances of securing a deal, said Brussels had made "reassuring noises" in recent weeks in the negotiations. He added that the Chequers plan was a "reasonable, constructive way forward" in the talks.Brexit will be "a total write-off" unless British Prime Minister Theresa May rips up "disastrous" plans for the Irish Border before she heads to a crucial EU summit this week, according to Boris Johnson.

The former UK foreign secretary says the EU's "backstop" proposal for Northern Ireland would mean it was "annexed" by Brussels, while Mrs May's alternative solution would keep the whole of the UK "effectively" in the EU.

Mr Johnson says ministers are "straining at the gnat" of the Border problem while "swallowing the camel of EU membership in all but name".

Mrs May will attend a two-day EU summit that starts on Wednesday in Salzburg, Austria, where she hopes to make a breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations by selling her Chequers plan directly to fellow leaders.

But even if she manages to convince the other 27 EU leaders to accept Chequers, she must then win the backing of parliament for any deal based on her controversial plan.

Writing in today's 'Daily Telegraph,' Mr Johnson says: "If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash

"If we are to get out of this mess, and get the great British motor back on track, then we need to understand the Irish backstop, and how it is being used to coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of Brussels."

He argues that the EU's "backstop" for Northern Ireland - the arrangement that will be put into place in the absence of any other agreement over the Irish Border - "is little short of an attempt to annex Northern Ireland" because it would keep it within the EU customs union and large parts of its single market.

Mrs May has said no British prime minister could ever accept such a plan, as it would mean a customs border down the Irish Sea, threatening the union of the United Kingdom.

Her alternative is to keep the whole of the UK "effectively in the customs union" and abiding by rules set down in Brussels and enforced by the European Court of Justice, Mr Johnson says.

"If Chequers were adopted," he suggests, "it would mean that for the first time since 1066 our leaders were deliberately acquiescing in foreign rule".

"Both versions of the backstop are disastrous... we need to challenge the assumptions of both, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit."

Last week, the DUP backed a proposal put forward by the group of Tory Eurosceptics led by Jacob Rees-Mogg. They argue that a combination of trusted trader schemes, self-assessment and point-of-sale customs checks can avoid the need for a hard Border. ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]With just over six months to go until Britain leaves the EU, where do you stand with your pension and Brexit  and should you take steps to safeguard it?

Brexit has become a huge headache for the 120,000 Irish residents with British pensions. As some of these pensions could be among the most vulnerable to the UK's departure from the EU, many are concerned that Brexit could eat into their pension. Even those with Irish private pensions could be impacted - if those pensions are heavily exposed to British investments.

So with just over six months to go until Britain leaves, where do you stand with your pension and Brexit - and should you take steps to safeguard it?

UK private pensions

There are concerns that insurers will no longer be able to pay British pensions into Irish bank accounts after Brexit - unless a deal is done on future banking arrangements. This followed a warning by the Association of British Insurers earlier this summer that it could be illegal to pay pensions to retired British expatriates living in the EU - if those pensions were being paid into overseas bank accounts. This issue has arisen because under current insurance contracts, insurers can pay British pensions to an individual in any EU country. There is confusion therefore as to how those pensions would be paid to people living outside Britain - once Britain leaves the EU.

It is largely only those who are being - or who will be - paid a British private pension directly by an insurer who could get caught out by this anomaly, according to Jerry Moriarty, chief executive of the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF). "So if you are relying on an annuity from an insurer [from a British pension] for your retirement income, or if you were self-employed in Britain and took out a personal pension there at that time, this could be an issue," said Moriarty. "However, if you are being paid your pension directly by a pension scheme, it may not be a problem as you may still get your pension paid directly by the scheme after Brexit." So for example, if you are being paid a British private pension by a scheme run by an old British employer of yours, that pension might still get paid into your bank account after Brexit because the pension is being paid by the scheme or employer - rather than by an insurer.

Don't make any assumptions either way though. Should you have a British private pension, ask your pension provider if - and how - you will get paid your pension after Brexit.

"Legally, the provider will owe you the money - so it will have to come up with some way of getting the money to you," said Moriarty.

It is unclear exactly how Brexit will play out - and if a UK bank account will be needed for payment of some British pensions after Brexit goes through. However, should you have to open a UK bank account to get paid your British pension, you should be able to do so through the UK operations of AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank.

British State pension

The 120,000 or so Irish people who receive a British State pension should continue to get paid that pension after Brexit - due to a deal struck by the British Government last year on the State pensions of British expatriates, according to Moriarty. That deal should cover Irish residents who are entitled to a British State pension after previously working in the UK. "This issue [in relation to payment of British pensions into overseas accounts] has only arisen in the context of insurance contracts and shouldn't impact in any way on State pensions," said Moriarty.

Pensions transfers

Many Irish people have built up considerable work service - and company pensions - in the UK. These pensions are often frozen once the individual returns to Ireland - and become accessible in retirement. The big question for many of these people is whether or not they should transfer their frozen British company pension to Ireland ahead of Brexit - or leave it where it is.

"We have had quite a number of discussions with clients recently regarding the transfer of pension benefits to Ireland from the UK," said Oliver O'Connor, director of financial counselling with Grant Thornton. "I don't believe that there is one answer that suits the majority however. The first thing for many is to understand what they hold from their UK employment - and to understand their options around the benefit. Where the pension fund is performing, some opt to leave it where it is and review again in due course. Others have decided to repatriate the funds in an effort to simplify their finances and have full clarity on their ultimate [retirement] benefits."

Should you have a British company pension which you will rely heavily on in your retirement, get independent financial advice about what you should do with that pension.

Before transferring a defined benefit scheme from Britain to Ireland, understand the transfer value (the amount of cash you will get for your pension), advised Peter Feighan, director of Davy Pensioneer Trustees. "You should also understand the costs involved in the transfer," said Feighan. "Seek UK-regulated advice before accepting any transfer value. Remember, if you accept a transfer value, you're giving up a defined benefit pension in return for a capital sum. Weigh up the pros and cons of that before making any decision."

Understand the tax implications of a transfer too - and be aware that a transfer may not be as straightforward as you expect it to be.

"It has become harder to transfer British pensions to Ireland in recent years because of changes in UK tax rules," said Moriarty. "There are not as many options as there were before."

Should you wish to transfer your British pension to Ireland, you could transfer it into a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (Qrops). Understand the rules and restrictions around such a transfer though - as well as the pros and cons of using a Qrops.

Should you decide against transferring your British company pension to Ireland and to leave it in Britain instead, keep up-to-date on the value of your British pension - and on any issues likely to affect that pension in the future. "Contact your British pension provider, understand clearly what your pension is invested in, when your pension benefits become payable, what you'll be paid - and how," said Feighan. "When the time comes for you to get paid your pension, get tax advice about the tax treatment of that pension."

Regardless of whether you wish to transfer your British pension to Ireland or not, resume contact with your British pension provider - if you have lost touch with it. "Make sure you have a clear communication channel with your British pension provider," said Feighan.

Irish pensions

Those with Irish private pensions could see their pension income hit by Brexit - if their pension fund has a lot of exposure to British stock markets and assets.

Should you have an Irish private pension, find out how heavily invested it is in British assets - and if you need to take steps to protect that pension. Should your pension have a lot of exposure to sterling investments, ask your pension manager what it's doing to protect it against Brexit.

Don't allow Brexit to completely put you off sterling investments though - particularly if that investment is performing well. "If it's the right asset and it's generating a return for you and likely to deliver a sound retirement income for you, it's probably appropriate to make that investment - irrespective of whether the UK remains in the EU or not - as long as you understand, and are comfortable with, the currency risk," said Feighan.

Don't panic

Only time will tell exactly how Brexit will play out - and what kind of impact, if any, it will have on your pension.

Don't assume that Brexit will hit your pension hard - do your research and find out where you stand but don't make rash, and possibly wrong, decisions.

"Your [British] pension provider should be getting in touch with you if there's an issue," said Moriarty. "If your provider hasn't got in touch, ask it to suggest how you will continue to get your pension after Brexit. Don't panic unnecessarily."

How to open a UK bank account

BANK OF IRELAND:

Bank of Ireland has an operation in Northern Ireland and it is possible to open an account there without having a Northern Irish or British address. You do not have to be a customer of Bank of Ireland in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) to open an account with the Northern Irish branch. However, you must provide a copy of your bank statements for the last three months if youre not an existing Bank of Ireland customer. As is the case when opening an account anywhere, proof of address and identification is required. You do not need to travel to Northern Ireland to open the account  as long as you can provide certified copies of photographic identification. Visitbankofirelanduk.com/personal/current-account for more details.

AIB & FIRST TRUST:

You can open a UK account through AIBs Northern Ireland arm  First Trust Bank. You do not need a Northern Irish or British address to open a current account with First Trust Bank. You can open an account there by visiting a First Trust branch in Northern Ireland and providing the necessary documentation  or by posting your application. For personal accounts, the First Trust Bank opening account pack and letter outlining the requirements can be posted to applicants for completion and returned by post  or via an AIB branch in RoI, said a spokesman for AIB. Photo ID, proof of address and any other documentation required could be verified by a member of staff in an AIB branch in RoI. For more details, visit firsttrustbank.co.uk/our-products/current-accounts/classic-account

ULSTER BANK & RBS:

As Ulster Bank is owned by the British bank, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), it is possible to open a British bank account with this group without travelling to the UK. A customer residing in the RoI can open an account with Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland, RBS and NatWest, said a spokeswoman for Ulster Bank. The customer can obtain the application online and send documents through the post. For more details, visit digital.ulsterbank.co.uk/personal/current-accounts/eu-residents-hub.html

BRITISH-BASED BANKS:

Aside from going through an Irish-based bank with a UK operation, it can be difficult to open an account with a British bank  particularly if you dont have a British address or residence. You often need to be physically in the UK too  to be able to open an account there, said Jerry Moriarty, CEO of the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF).

Some UK-based banks offer tailored products for non-UK residents who wish to access UK bank accounts while continuing to reside outside the country, according to UK Finance, which represents the British finance and banking industry.

[British] financial service providers are required to meet strict regulations and Government-approved guidance when opening an account for a new customer including verifying customer ID and other details, said a spokesman for UK Finance.

Remember, any difficulties in relation to payment of British pensions into Irish banking accounts after Brexit may be ironed out by the time Britain leaves the EU.The price of everyday necessities including bread, milk, cheese and eggs imported from the UK will soar by up to 46pc in a worst-case scenario. Photo: PA

Shoppers are facing a 19 hike in the cost of their weekly supermarket spend as prices will shoot up in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The price of everyday necessities including bread, milk, cheese and eggs imported from the UK will soar by up to 46pc in a worst-case scenario.

A two-litre carton of milk would surge from 1.70 to 2.48, while a large white sliced pan is estimated to increase from 1.28 to 1.66 if tariffs and costly customs checks are imposed in the event of a hard Border.

A basket of goods compiled by the Irish Independent that includes a variety of common household items currently costs 115.62.

But it would rise to 134.92 - 19.30 higher - for a shopper who buys a lot of British goods, if supermarket chains and shops are hit by big tariffs.

A pack of 20 cigarettes imported from Britain would rise from 12.05 to 12.29, a pint of lager from 4.93 to 4.98, and ground coffee from 4.99 to 5.99.

Expand Close Bord Bias Shane Hamill / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Bord Bias Shane Hamill

The prices are based on an Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) study that predicts a 30pc hike in the cost of bread and cereal.

It also forecasts a 24pc rise in the price of meat and a massive 46pc hike in milk, cheese and egg prices if the UK has to fall back on World Trade Organisation tariffs.

Sugar, jam and chocolate would rise by 27pc, fish and seafood by 17pc, and vegetables by 5pc.

Bord Bia overseas trade manager Shane Hamill said prices may rise "as a result of complexities in the supply chain".

He said these may include customs compliance and tariffs, but said Irish manufacturers are taking action.

Companies could reformulate products by including new, cheaper ingredients or changing the size of a product but keeping the price the same, in order maintain current prices, he said.

Co-author of the ESRI study Professor Edgar Morgenroth predicted that Irish consumers will feel the full force of food and drink price hikes in the immediate aftermath of a no-deal Brexit.

He said those shopping at supermarkets with a greater share of UK-made products would be most affected compared with those that import less from the UK.

"Initially, the consumer will take a hit and gradually that will improve as we move and reinstate trade patterns," he said.

"Over time, the supply chain will adjust and people will get used to other products that might not come from the UK that might be cheaper.

"But initially, we don't have those."

However, Prof Morgenroth said this situation could create opportunities for Irish and other EU firms to replace UK wholesalers and producers.

"It looks to me that we could easily end up with a no-deal Brexit," he said.

"It's a stupid place to be. I don't think we should be in such a situation. It's down to the British government not getting its act together. It accepted the backstop in December, but continues to insist on a stance that is incompatible with it.

"It is talking out of both sides of its mouth."

He said poorer households would be most affected as they spend more on the type of goods that would be affected by a hard Brexit.

Mr Hamill said there is currently no indication of what tariff codes the UK government may charge on food and drink imports from the EU in the event there is no withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU.

He added that Irish food and drinks manufacturers are ahead of the curve in responding to this danger and are preparing for a hard Brexit.

Bord Bia's Brexit barometer survey shows most are confident about managing customs processes, he said, while 32pc have assessed the potential impact on sales to the UK.

"British retailers are lobbying hard through the British Retail Consortium to maintain as much of the current trading relationship as possible," he Mr Hamill.

He said 79pc of its members' food imports are from the EU and retailers want to maintain the prices and quality of food UK consumers have become accustomed to.A trade deal meant to give European cheesemakers more access to the Canadian market is falling short of its promise in its first full year, government data show, frustrating the European industry, which blames a year-old Ottawa quota system.

Under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union, Canada agreed to more than double tariff-free imports of cheese over five years, starting in September 2017. The new imports will eventually represent about 4pc of the Canadian cheese market.

Small quotas for 2017 were filled, but more than eight months into 2018, only 36pc of the high-quality cheese quota has been used.

European imports under quotas that predate CETA are on track for the year, suggesting something about the new quotas, which are allocated differently, is limiting imports. Many of the old quotas are held by specialist importers, which are largely shut out of the new system.

Frustration with the system could be a warning sign to the United States, which is demanding greater access to Canadas sheltered dairy industry in a revised North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada is willing to make concessions, Reuters reported on Tuesday, although it is unclear what proposals are on the table.

We were hoping and expecting to significantly increase our Canadian sales, said Attilio Zanetti, whose Italy-based company Zanetti exports to Canada. I would not recommend Canadas CETA cheese tariff rate quota scheme to the Americans. My advice would be Buyer Beware.

Expand Close FILE PHOTO: Cheese makers prepare curds for Parmesan cheese at 4 Madonne Caseificio dell'Emilia dairy cooperative in Modena, Italy, February 16 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp FILE PHOTO: Cheese makers prepare curds for Parmesan cheese at 4 Madonne Caseificio dell'Emilia dairy cooperative in Modena, Italy, February 16 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo

The European Commission said it is monitoring the issue, although it is too early to determine what is behind the trend. It requested that a Sept. 19 meeting with Canadian officials include a discussion of the management of the quotas.

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada said it expects usage to rise in the months ahead, especially between Thanksgiving and New Year: The time required to establish business links can impact the timing of import and utilization.

QUOTAS VS TARIFFS

Even so, lawyer James McIlroy, who represents importers through the International Cheese Council of Canada, expects that U.S. NAFTA negotiators will push for an end to Canadian tariffs, not import quotas.

The Americans will not settle for that, he said. Theyve seen what happened to the Europeans.

Under the CETA deal, which was a major concession from a country where dairy processing is worth C$15.2 billion ($11.7 billion) annually, Canada set aside half of the new quota for Canadian cheesemakers, an indirect support as they face new competition. The rest went to Canadian retailers and distributors based on their market share, including sales of Canadian cheese.

From the start, the European dairy industry argued that Canadian cheesemakers would use their quota to limit competition by importing selectively or not at all. But refusing to import could backfire for Canadian companies, as they could lose the right to import in future under the terms of the CETA quota system.

Expand Close FILE PHOTO: Worker carries fresh Parmesan wheel off storehouse shelf a 4 Madonne Caseificio dell'Emilia dairy cooperative in Modena, Italy, February 16, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp FILE PHOTO: Worker carries fresh Parmesan wheel off storehouse shelf a 4 Madonne Caseificio dell'Emilia dairy cooperative in Modena, Italy, February 16, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo

Major Canadian dairy companies, including Saputo Inc and Agropur hold quotas. But in a break from the past, Canada also divided quotas between many companies, allocating 60pc to small firms. That fragmentation has made it difficult to import profitably, especially this year, according to quota holders, as allocations start small and rise each year.

Alberta-based retailer and pork producer Sunterra Group, a new quota holder, will use all its quota to import nearly four tonnes of parmesan from Italy this year, Sunterra President Ray Price said. But it was a challenge to ship so little, since cheese is transported in 18 tonne containers. Price would rather buy four times more.

If youre a small organization, I can see where people would say, Ill do it next time, he said.

Two small import quota holders, a retailer and a cheesemaker, said they had been struggling to use their quota profitably. Both were preparing to transfer it to a distributor.

In a statement, the Dairy Processors Association of Canada, which represents large and small cheesemakers but not the smallest artisanal producers, said its members have had no issues filling quotas.

The associations President Mathieu Frigon said any future quotas should go to those who will suffer losses from trade agreements.

If the Europeans feel short-changed in terms of market access, it is because of who the government gave the CETA TRQs (tariff rate quotas) to and how they manage their business, he said.Farmers have also been asked to report any suspicious movements around garages or sheds where the stolen vehicles might be stored. (Stock picture)

A new system which stamps homeowners' Eircodes on to their possessions has resulted in a dramatic drop in burglaries and thefts in areas where it has been piloted by gardai.

Now officers are planning to extend the scheme, while the PSNI is also looking at introducing it in Northern Ireland.

The two police forces are working together to combat a cross-Border gang believed to be responsible for a spate of thefts of Toyota Landcruisers since the start of the year.

Officers say some of the organisers are based in south Armagh but the criminal gang has a network operating on both sides of the Border, to carry out the thefts and dispose of the stolen goods.

Gardai in Co Meath are investigating the theft of 15 Land Cruisers in their division since June, while others have been stolen in the Border counties in both jurisdictions.

The gang have been focusing on Land Cruisers in particular, because of a huge demand for parts on the black market.

The vehicles are being stolen and then stored in garages and sheds to establish if tracker devices have been fitted to them.

The thieves wait for several days and then send off the vehicles to be broken down for parts. The gang usually disposes of the parts in the North if the vehicles have been stolen here, and vice versa, according to officers.

In several robberies, the gangs have broken the lock on the door of a house or cut a hole in a window to gain access to the keys to the vehicle.

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has backed up gardai in their appeal to farmers and rural dwellers to be more careful about where they leave their keys, to lock up their vehicles every night, and to close all farm and house gates, while using CCTV as a further deterrent.

Farmers have also been asked to report any suspicious movements around garages or sheds where the stolen vehicles might be stored.

The new property marking initiative, using Eircodes on a stamp, was introduced in the Carrickmacross and Monaghan Garda districts in June last year in an effort to counter the theft of farmyard tools and garden equipment.

The initiative resulted in a massive drop in thefts and burglaries in those districts during the pilot period, compared to elsewhere in the Cavan-Monaghan division.

Other Garda districts are now examining the pilot scheme, while PSNI officers have travelled across the Border for demonstrations and are planning to use it in the North.

In the past, the failure of owners to properly mark their goods has meant the vast majority of stolen property recovered by the gardai could not be returned to owners because of the lack of definite identification.

Measures to tackle burglaries and thefts have been raised by gardai with local representatives and community leaders at a series of joint policing committees (JPCs) around the country in recent months.

The JPC in Monaghan gave its full support to gardai after being briefed by Det Supt Alan Cunningham and other local officers.

At a meeting of the Mayo joint policing committee in Ballina last week, the head of the Criminal Assets Bureau, Det Chief Supt Pat Clavin, set out how the agency supported crime reduction initiatives including the seizure of assets belonging to suspected members of roving burglary and theft gangs.by Nirmala Carvalho

Msgr Franco Mulakkal would entrust the diocese of Jalandar (in Punjab) to the vicar's leadership. On September 19, he will be interrogated by the police in Kerala. Secretary of the Episcopal Conference denies the request for resignation by Card. Oswald Gracias.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  The bishop of Jalandar (in Punjab), Msgr. Franco Mulakkal, who stands accused of raping a nun has written a letter to Pope Francis asking to be temporarily relieved of his episcopal ministry. Yesterday Fr. Peter Kavumpuram, head of public relations in the diocese, issued a note stating that the prelate's decision was taken following the observations of the Kerala High Court. The judges established that the lack of adequate evidence to arrest the bishop "indicates his innocence".

The document states that Msgr. Mulakkal decided in full autonomy to write to the pontiff, expressing his desire to take a step back in the administration of the diocese, unlike previous claims. The text in English reads that he is confident that his request will be accepted".

As a "praxis", in a letter dated September 13, the bishop said he wanted to entrust the diocese located in the State of Punjab to the vicar general. Msgr. Mulakkal, home to the headquarters of the Missionaries of Jesus, the congregation of which the 43-year-old sister is a member. The latter reported that in 2014 the bishop raped after calling her [in private] with the excuse to discuss important issues. The nun spoke about being raped 13 times in the next two years.

Bishop Mulakkal strongly rejected the accusations, and claims that the nun is acting in revenge. In fact, the bishop had threatened an investigation against her after discovering a relationship with a married man.

The High Court of Kerala rejected the hypothesis of the arrest warrant. "Let the police interrogate him again - said the judges - we will open the hearings after all this". The police in Kerala called the bishop to testify on September 19; the court, will hear the case on the 24th.

Meanwhile, Msgr. Theodore Mascarenhas, secretary general of the Indian Bishops' Conference (CBCI), speaking on behalf of all the bishops expressed "anxiety about the developments of the accusations against the bishop of Jalandar".

Responding to those who have complained about the ecclesiastical hierarchy "silence" on the case, he adds that "the Cbci has no jurisdiction over individual bishops".

Finally, he denied some comments attributed to Card. Oswald Gracias, president of the CBCI, that he asked the bishop to resign. Rumors had been leaked in recent days by the spokesman of the archdiocese of Mumbai (led by Cardinal Gracias). "The spokesman's comments - says Msgr. Mascarenhas - are personal, and as such they must be considered ".Last month, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) determined that the dismissal of a Luas driver who had engaged in "moonlighting" was fair in circumstances where he was found to be engaging in unauthorised external employment. But what is moonlighting and what's wrong with it?

The term 'moonlighting' is used to describe additional employment, taken on by an employee in addition to his/her primary source of employment. A variety of problems can arise, the most serious of which can be grouped as follows:

1. Safety risks: The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 requires employers and employees to take reasonable care of those present at a workplace. Depending on the nature of an employee's job, the safety of workers, clients and even the general public may be placed at risk by overworked employees suffering from fatigue-induced concentration lapses.

Not only could excessive working hours lead to serious safety incidents, but employers could be found to be in breach of their safety duties in circumstances where they failed to properly manage an employee's working hours and rest periods.

2. Inadequate rest periods: The Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 provides that employees are entitled to minimum daily and weekly rest periods.

Where an employee is working full time with one employer and working a second job with another employer it is unlikely that the employee is satisfying the requisite rest periods. Case law of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has established that the provision of rest periods is rendered meaningless if employers are not obliged to take steps to ensure that employees benefit from minimum rest periods. In this jurisdiction the Labour Court has accepted Irish legislation imposes a positive duty on employers to ensure that, not only are opportunities available to take minimum rest periods, but that they are actually observed.

3. Poor performance: Excessive work hours can also affect an employee's ability to adequately perform his/her ordinary duties. Fatigue from inadequate rest breaks may lead to mistakes, poor communication, decreases in productivity and changes in behaviour.

How is moonlighting regulated?

There is no specific legislation regulating moonlighting; it is simply a contractual issue. For example, where a contract of employment prohibits an employee from working for another employer, a failure to abide by the contractual term may amount to misconduct that can be dealt with as a disciplinary matter.

In circumstances where there is no express contractual term concerning outside work, there may be an implied term not to compete with an employer. However, there is no general duty on employees, outside contract law, not to undertake other work when not working for the employer.

What does case law say?

The issue of moonlighting has arisen in the context of unfair dismissal claims brought by employees who were dismissed when they were found to be engaging in outside work.

Whether this type of dismissal will be deemed to be fair will depend on whether the moonlighting constitutes misconduct to justify dismissal.

In last month's WRC decision, the employee's contract of employment contained a clause that expressly prohibited the employee from working other than for his employer without authorisation. The adjudication officer (AO) hearing this case had regard for an employer's regulatory obligations to "monitor and prevent driver fatigue, primarily through enforcement of its rest periods". In noting the question was "whether the decision to dismiss is within the range of reasonable responses of a reasonable employer to the conduct," the AO found that it was.

In an earlier decision by the Employment Appeals Tribunal - which previously dealt with these claims - the dismissal of an employee who was found to be moonlighting was held to be unfair in circumstances where there was no condition of employment which required that he work only for the respondent.

What can my business do to prevent moonlighting?

In the absence of legislation, the prevention of moonlighting is best managed by the use of carefully drafted contracts of employment and ancillary policy documentation.

Daily and weekly rest periods should also be brought to the attention of employees, as should any safety policies imposing duties on employees to be mindful of their own safety and that of those around them.DEPENDING on ones perspective, US President Donald Trump has either started several trade wars or has engaged in a long overdue defence of Americas economic interests which for decades had been abused by foreign trade partners.

This has included engaging in disputes with China over the massive US trade deficit and Chinas trade practices, Mexico and Canada over Nafta, European allies and much of the rest of the world over cars, steel and aluminium, and the World Trade Organisation over its rules for policing trade disputes.

Overwhelmingly US companies have denounced the tariffs against imports of thousands of products they need from China, as well as car parts, steel and aluminium they use from other global trade partners.

Yet, when the curtain is pulled back, many of the employees of those same companies  especially in the states that elected him  are willing to give President Trump the benefit of the doubt.

This is an interesting dichotomy. As individuals they seem to agree that something needed to be done.

They echo Trumps claim that for years the United States has been taken advantage of in the trade arena, resulting in a trade deficit and unequal market access for its businesses abroad.

They realise the US economy is booming, and if there ever was a good time to wage a trade war, maybe this is it.

After all, the US business sector now seems to have that cushion to absorb some pain of retaliation from countries targeted by Trumps policies.

This viewpoint would be in line with the quote from senior administration officials early on in the presidency that they were willing to let some shrimp rot on the dock to achieve the trade balance they were after.

The key question is whether the structure of the US tariffs and renegotiations will inflict disproportionate damage on the US economy, for minimal gain. In other words, has Trump taken a too heavy

handed approach?

So far these extreme trade measures have not boomeranged against the Trump administration. The polling data for the President remains stable  albeit not stellar.

The November mid-term Congressional elections may serve as a good barometer on Trump Trade. The economy keeps humming along and it may take months, if not years, to see a noticeable impact of these policies.

But Mr Trump appears steadfast that he can win this war, particularly against China which appears to be his primary target.

China may not be able to keep up in the pricey global game of chicken with the US  in 2017, Chinas exports to the US were valued at $505bn compared to $130bn worth of US exports to China.

[Chinas] economys weak, their currency is weak, people are leaving the country. Dont underestimate President Trumps determination to follow through said US National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow last month.

Countries in the EU are facing 10pc-25pc tariffs on exports of cars, car parts, steel and aluminium to the US.

What can Irish producers and exporters of these products do to mitigate the impact of the tariffs?

First, ideally they should be coordinating with their US customers (or affiliates) who may already be taking mitigating steps.

After all, it is the US importer of record that pays the tariff. Hence, the following measures could be explored by both sides.

The first option would be to seek an exclusion request from the tariffs.

The US Department of Commerce has set forth processes to request that specific products be excluded from the tariffs.

These processes offer companies an opportunity to explain how and why their products are critical to the US economy and may not be readily sourced elsewhere.

Another option would be through a change in the products customs classification.

US courts have affirmed that US Customs and Border Protection can only levy tariffs on the condition of goods as imported.

This has allowed goods to be imported in unfinished or embellished forms at lower duties by legally taking advantage of classification provisions carrying a lower or free rate of duty.

This option may be applicable in the case of cars or car parts.

Finally, another approach would be to lower the dutiable value of the product upon importation to the United States through so-called first sale valuation.

In this scenario, US importers pay duty on the price that a trading company pays the manufacturer instead of the higher price the importer pays the trading company.

While the tariffs would still apply in this case, their impact would be less severe because the dutiable value would be significantly lower.Ryanair has flatly ruled out any entry to the long-haul or North American market despite the scheduled delivery of 135 extended range Boeing jets.

The budget airline has hailed its new Boeing 737 Max as "a game-changer" due to its extended range, greater fuel economy and extra seating capacity.

Ryanair is now awaiting delivery of 135 of the airliners from Boeing at an estimated cost of 110m each.

However, Ryanair marketing director Kenny Jacobs has ruled out the high-tech aircraft being used as part of a long-rumoured entry by the airline onto the transatlantic market.

Instead, Ryanair said its strategy will now be looking to extend its existing European operations farther into north Africa, the Middle East and eastern Europe.

"We don't have any plans to go long haul.

"Yes, the Max aircraft are larger - we will have 197 seats on them as opposed to 189 on the current fleet [Boeing 737-800s]," Mr Jacobs said. "You can optimise the flying from places like Edinburgh and Glasgow to Lanzarote."

"If you look at the network we now have, we are flying to Jordan, Israel, north Africa and the Ukraine," he added.

"So the network is expanding a bit, but we don't have any plans to do long-haul flying."

Ryanair placed an order for the Boeing 737 Max aircraft back in 2014 and the first aircraft in the 135-plane order are due for delivery early next year.

Ryanair is one of the world's biggest operators of the Boeing 737, with almost 450 in its fleet.

In contrast, Ryanair's rivals such as EasyJet and Wizz have focused on an Airbus fleet.'While aware of the health risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption, the time-honoured view that everything is okay in moderation still strikes me as reasonable.' Stock photo: Getty

Restoring VAT in the hospitality sector to the standard 13.5pc rate could do lasting damage to the growing pub food trade, affecting jobs across the country, the two main publicans' groups say.

The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) - representing Dublin pubs - and the Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI), that represents pubs outside the capital, have jointly called on the Government to retain the 9pc VAT rate in Budget 2019.

The VAT applied to the hospitality sector was cut to 9pc from the standard 13.5pc in 2011, to help the industry cope with the impact of the financial crash.

Over the summer, the Department of Finance published a review of the special rate that pointed to the likelihood of the tax break being scrapped. The review concluded, in essence, that the special rate achieved its original objectives. Officials also noted that the hotel and restaurant sectors had returned to profitability and concerns about price rises and a loss of competitiveness.

However, publicans are now arguing ahead of the Budget that the rate should be retained, noting uncertainty in the market.

"By increasing taxes on food the Government would be taking an unnecessary gamble, which would damage competitiveness in the pub sector," they said. Both the LVA and the VFI also highlighted the high levels of excise taxes applied to alcoholic drinks - with the industry seeking a reduction in rates.Debt: one in five of those with a mortgage expects to be still paying off the home loan when they cease working. Stock Image

Large numbers of cash-strapped householders expect to be still paying off their mortgages in retirement.

A third of people are also concerned about having enough money to live on when they give up work, according to research into pensions commissioned by Zurich Life.

The survey found that one in five of those with a mortgage is so heavily indebted they expect to be still paying off the home loan when they cease working.

An even higher proportion of renters have given up on dreaming of owning their own home.

Some four out of 10 people expect to be forever renters, according to the survey carried out by iReach Insights for Zurich.

A third of people are concerned about having enough money to live on when they retire.

Less than half of all workers have an occupational or private pension to supplement their State pension.

The research found that more women than men are facing into retirement without a pension.

And a third of those who do not have a pension say they have no intention of ever setting one up.

The State is planning to put a new auto-enrolment pension in place, one which will see those who do not have an occupational pension automatically enrolled into one.

But it won't be introduced until 2022, as the start date has been delayed a number of times.

The scheme will see workers contributing up to 6pc of their wages, with that amount matched by employers. The State will contribute 1 for every 3 put in by workers.

The State has been considering a pension plan for low and middle-income earners for 21 years now.

Zurich's head of retail distribution and propositions Jonathan Daly said his company's research found that 31pc of Irish people were very concerned about having enough money in retirement.

This proved that there was a significant cohort of Irish people who felt they should be contributing more for their later years, he said.

"Starting a pension is one of the smartest decisions you can make and the best way to ensure the lifestyle you want in retirement is to take ownership of it now, so that hopefully by the time you retire you'll have built up a substantial pension pot."

Over half of workers believe they should be personally responsible for looking after their retirement fund.

This compares with around a third of people who believe the responsibility should sit with the Government, and a further 18pc who believe that employers should be accountable, according to the survey.

Mr Daly said Zurich welcomed the publication last month by the Government of proposals on how the auto-enrolment system might work.

But he added: "However, auto-enrolment will not come into effect until 2022 at the earliest, so people should start planning for their retirement today by talking to a financial broker."

For those who plan to set up a pension in the future, just 12pc expect to do so in the next year, with most looking at one to five years.A JOINT venture between the ESB and Vodafone aims to make Cork the broadband capital of Ireland.

The vow came as SIRO revealed that 60 million of its 450 million broadband investment will be in Cork.

Under the investment, the firm created by the ESB and Vodafone will roll-out its broadband network to 85,000 homes and businesses in Cork thanks to the 60 million investment in broadband infrastructure.

This will ensure towns such as Midleton, Carrigtwohill, Blarney, Tower and Charleville get access to the most powerful broadband possible.

SIRO's overall investment aims to offer Irelands first 100pc fibre-to-the-building broadband network.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney said the investment is vital to underpinning job creation and the ongoing economic expansion of Cork and the south west region.

SIRO's nationwide investment aims to offer high speed broadband to 185,000 premises around Ireland.

The firm has partnered with Huawei as its Cork build partner.

SIRO chief executive Sean Atkinson said the investment is a landmark event.

"While Cork is traditionally seen as the second capital of Ireland, this will firmly establish it as the broadband capital of Ireland," he said.

"Our gigabit connectivity will put Cork on a par with such cities as Hong Kong and Tokyo."

"Cork city is ideally placed to leverage this with in excess of one million square foot of office space due to come on stream over the next year, with rental prices less than half the price of equivalent space in Dublin on average and a 23pc lower cost of living."China will not be content to only play defence in an escalating trade war with the United States, a widely read Chinese tabloid warned, as President Donald Trump was expected to announce new tariffs on $200bn in Chinese goods as early as today.

Beijing may also decline to participate in proposed trade talks with Washington later this month if the Trump administration goes ahead with the additional tariffs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing Chinese officials.

The Journal report quoted one senior Chinese advisory official saying China would not negotiate "with a gun pointed to its head."

The United States and China have already levied duties on $50bn worth of each other's goods in an intensifying row that has jolted global financial markets in the past few months.

Last week, the US Treasury Department invited senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He for more talks on the tariff dispute, though scepticism remained high among trade observers on both sides over the prospects of a breakthrough.

A senior administration official told Reuters over the weekend that Trump is likely to announce the new tariffs as early as Monday.

"It is nothing new for the US to try to escalate tensions so as to exploit more gains at the negotiating table," the Global Times, which is published by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily, wrote in an editorial on Monday.

"We are looking forward to a more beautiful counter-attack and will keep increasing the pain felt by the US," the Chinese-language column said.

Besides retaliating with tariffs, China could also restrict export of goods, raw materials and components core to US manufacturing supply chains, former finance minister Lou Jiwei told a Beijing forum on Sunday, according to an attendee.

Lou is chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund.

The person who attended the event and is familiar with the White House's thinking said such a move would likely attract sharp retaliation from Washington, which has studied its own limits on exporting key technologies to China.

"Lou Jiwei's approach would feed the most hawkish sentiments in the US government," the person said, declining to be identified given the sensitivity of the matter.

China has said it would retaliate to trade war escalation with tariffs of its own as well as qualitative measures, which it has not specified but are perceived within the US business community as likely to include increased customs and regulatory scrutiny.

Trump has demanded that China cut its $375bn trade surplus with the United States, end policies aimed at acquiring US technologies and intellectual property, and roll back high-tech industrial subsidies.

Repeated Chinese vows to reform what critics have argued is one of the world's most restricted markets among major economies have in recent years triggered "promise fatigue" among foreign business groups that viewed changes as piecemeal.

Trump has said he will no longer allow China to take advantage of the United States on trade, though opposition to escalating tariffs has swelled in recent weeks within US business circles.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, known as a moderate Republican and a former computer executive, told Reuters on a trip to China that the anxiety and uncertainty around tariffs risked limiting Chinese investment in the United States.

"If you don't know what the rules are or how it's going to operate, you are going to be fairly hesitant about making that investment," said Snyder, who was in China to promote his state's industries, including autonomous vehicle technology.

There was likely to be a "lagging effect" from US trade disputes with China, Canada and Mexico that could undercut the positive impacts of Trump's tax cuts, he said.

"I would encourage the national governments to resolve it as quickly as possible, because it's a concern for all."Actress Cate Blanchett poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Suspiria' at the 75th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

The word from the interviewers who go before me is that Cate Blanchett and Jack Black are in great form.

When I get to them, Cate is eating chocolate and needs to stand up for a while, Jack wants to know how to spell my name, has Cate ever been to Dublin, and, if she had Guinness there, because it tastes better. He wants to know if I have ever heard of Marlay Park because he played there. "I did not have a 'high five' with Bono but I did stay in his hotel, by the river there, what's that street where all the music is? Bible?" Temple Bar? "Temple, not Bible, of course!"

Cate has not only been to Dublin, but spent time filming there, she played our late colleague Veronica Guerin in Joel Schumacher's moving film. "I had this very strange moment," she says, describing how research for a role as a psychic two years before she ever heard of Veronica, led her to visit a psychic to learn how to use the cards.

"The psychic told me, 'You're going to play a writer, short hair, she dies before her time, she's got some foreign sounding name, Guavin, something like that and you're going to have two bodyguards'."

She says she forgot about it until over two years later and the day they were filming Veronica's murder. "The Gilligan case had been reopened and they were worried about security on set and I turned around covered in blood, with my short hair and there were two bodyguards and I thought 'Oh my God, this feels really familiar. Oh my God, this is what the psychic said' it was really creepy." We all agree, and Cate continues, "Speaking of creepy."

"Nice segue!" Jack nods in approval. "She's always getting us back on track, this one."

Expand Close Cate Blanchett in Veronica Guerin / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Cate Blanchett in Veronica Guerin

The track we're back on is the film they're in London to talk about, The House with a Clock in its Walls. Set in the 1950s, it tells the story of 10-year-old Lewis who, upon the death of his parents, goes to live with his Uncle Jonathan (Black). Jonathan lives in an old house where pictures move and a clock can be heard ticking, and he and his neighbour Mrs Zimmermann (Blanchett) bicker amiably, initially hiding the darker secret behind the clock's meaning, namely that it is the result of an evil spell to turn back time. Jovial and bickering though they may be, Jonathan and Mrs Zimmermann are, in fact, trying to save humanity from extinction.

The film's stars see their target audience being aged nine and above, "The same people who saw ET, Gremlins, The Goonies," says Cate, adding: "A lot of children's films are denuded of genuine danger and lean to the sentimental, rather than sentiment and I think that this film is kind of moving back in that direction." She says that her nine-year-old son was on set with her and loved it, "Then I saw it with my 14 year old and my 16 year old and they also really enjoyed it." She adds that the psychic in Savannah also predicted she would have four children, one of them adopted. After their sons Dashiell, Roman and Ignatius, she and her husband of 21 years, playwright Andrew Upton, adopted a baby daughter, Edith, in February 2015.

Many of her films were not suitable for her children to see, but Jack's kids have been able to see lots of his films. "Except my kids don't want to see me. 'Oh Dad, you're so embarrassing'."

Jack was in school with his wife, artist and musician Tanya Haden, but it wasn't until they met at a party 15 years later that romance happened. Their two sons, Samuel and Thomas, are 10 and 12 now. "They're gonna come around, eventually, some day they're gonna say, 'You're not so bad, you know, you can hang out with us'."

Video of the Day

The characters in the film bicker all the time, but it is clear there is a lot of love. And the actors who play them seem to get along well too, she slags his shoes, "Is that dog poop on the soles?" "No, it's camouflage!" and they are each full of praise for each other's work.

Have they ever had to work with people they didn't like? "I don't think so," says Cate: "But I did a movie with someone who really hated me. She was horrible to me." She acts out a scenario where the person in question would organise nights out in front of her and entirely exclude her, "right to my face!" It was early in her career is all that she will say. "I'm sure people hate me all the time, Jack is unhateable, I'm annoying."

Has Jack ever had to work with someone he hated? "Not until now. And so far it's just been horrible," he deadpans. Cate asks if I have ever had to work with someone I didn't like. Journalism can be rather ego-based I tell her, "Is that why journalists are often really mean?" she asks. And Black is back, "I just thought of one where I did an interview with someone that I really didn't like. But I can't talk about it," he says, "because it might reveal who I'm thinking of. Next question!"

This is the way they are, back and forth, his every word jocular, she more, but not entirely, serious. They both come across as clever, informed, confident. They are both 49 and come from different, but similar, backgrounds. Jack is a native of California, his parents were both space satellite engineers, his mother worked on the Hubble telescope.

Expand Close Cate Blanchett arriving at the world premiere of The House with a Clock in Its Walls at Westfield in White City, London / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Cate Blanchett arriving at the world premiere of The House with a Clock in Its Walls at Westfield in White City, London

He went to a private school designed to help children who struggled in traditional educational backgrounds and overcame a teenage drug problem, learning to love drama in school, going on briefly to UCLA. He has worked almost exclusively in comedy roles but says it wasn't a conscious choice, "I don't have any real preference, it's just when you read the script, you respond to it or you don't, so I guess I respond to comedies more often."

Cate was born in Melbourne to an Australian mother and American father. Her dad died when she was 10 and her mother changed career to put her three children through private schools. Not initially an actor, Cate studied economics and fine art before dropping out to travel. In Egypt she got her first acting role, almost by accident, and the bug bit, although she never saw herself as a film actress. Her earlier roles were often very serious, the lighter stuff coming in as her career has progressed. In the flesh she is extraordinary looking. She's perhaps 5ft 7in, slender but not skinny, elegant, and with virtually no makeup and big heavy blacked-rimmed glasses, her face is still strikingly beautiful. I wonder if you're very beautiful, do you feel you have to work harder to be taken seriously?

She almost looks surprised, "I have no idea. It's not my problem."

Jack? "If you're very beautiful, do you want to be taken seriously? I'm going to say yes," even deader pan.

Cate comes back with an answer, "As an actress, I never even thought I'd make a movie, I was working in theatre and I was not that girl to be making movies. I was the weird thing in the corner of the room that no one knew what to do with." She says she was quite happy working in theatre, she still does, but when given the chance to make a film she took it. That led to a three-picture deal in Australia ("which basically means they get you cheap.") After one period drama she wondered, "I didn't necessarily want to do the same role wearing different corsets and so I chose to make a film that John Cusack was doing about air traffic controllers, Pushing Tin. I thought I'd get to do something different. I wasn't trying to get anyone to take me seriously, I was just trying different things out. And often when your name is up there in lights you don't get to experiment, I just like trying little things out."

The House with the Clock in its Walls is one such thing. And it is based on one of 10 books. "I've signed up for the ten-ology," Jack jokes, "Are you on for all 10, Cate?" "They've not had that conversation with me," she responds, "I think I'm on trial. I would totally sign up for the ten-ology but you can't go in with a game plan that big, you just have to make the first one and see what happens."

The House With a Clock in its Walls opens September 21.Irish universities say they must be freed from the grinding levers of State control if they are to compete with the best in Europe.

The call has come as the countrys seven universities launched a joint Charter, their first ever, in which they commit to transforming capability and performance across the sector.

But, they say want a matching commitment from the Government to tackle higher education funding issue and to give them more autonomy over running their day-to-day business.

The Irish Universities Association (IUA), Irelands Future Talent - A Charter for Irish Universities, identifies six objectives  covering a spectrum from funding and governance to research and enrolling more students with disabilities - commits to delivering a fit for purpose university system for the evolving demands of society

According to the IUA, its target is to enable the system to become the best in Europe by 2026, thereby achieving the Governments ambitions for the national education sector,

It includes calls for a definitive decision on a sustainable funding model for higher education to prevent risks to our economic competitiveness.

Calling on the Government to get real on the funding issue, IUA director Jim Miley claimed too many politicians were hiding behind the fig leaf of the option they dont like .

The seven universities are also seeking greater independence to run their own affairs, in areas such as staffing levels and pay, a flexibility they say is essential if they are to compete with the best in Europe.

Mr Miley said they required a transformation of how university education is controlled including freeing universities from the grinding levers of State to allow them innovate and grow.

While they wanted a more flexible operating structure and the removal of restrictive measures in relation to employment, that would be matched on the universities side by strong governance and accountability, he said.

According to the Charter, internationally the most successful universities are those with greatest levels of independence.

The six-point plan also includes a commitment to digital learning, in partnership with the Government, more engagement with industry on research  backed by more public investment - and increasing the output of PhD graduates.

The universities pledge to expand the numbers of students with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds, to do more with communities and to support a programme of staff development.

Mr Miley said universities worldwide were transforming and the IUA Charter was designed to move Irish universities to the forefront of that change by jointly committing to a range of measures that better support students, staff and research and that will deliver in the national interest.

This is a mission-critical initiative for the combined universities. The political community now needs to step up to the challenge and match the ambition and commitment demonstrated by the universities, he said.

University College Cork president Professor Patrick OShea, who is chair of the IUA, said Ireland had long extolled the virtue of its indigenous talent, nurtured by the education system, but a decade of under-investment by the State, the demographic bulge and a dynamic, competitive international education environment forces us all to confront stark realities.

He said it was incumbent on the State, on universities and on society to implement initiatives to develop and fully realise our national talent. The time for talking is over. The time for change has come.

Prof OShea said the importance of the Charter was that it underpinned a commitment to substantial change.

It calls out the challenges. It identifies solutions. It puts meat on the bones of the Governments ambition. As a society, we must commit to and enable this change. This Charter captures our commitment and it is now incumbent on the Government to meet the challenge, he saidFormer cancer sufferer Stephen Fegan says the recession saved his life.

The Corkman, who was finding it tough to find work as a brick layer as the construction industry collapsed, used his free time to have a hernia operation which he had been putting off.

While in hospital he asked the doctors to check a lump on the side of his neck.

The lump, the size of a jelly bean, was subsequently removed but was found to be cancerous. Stephen then began a course of aggressive cancer treatment during which he had to get blood transfusions and lost three and a half stone. It was two years before he felt better.

Speaking at the launch of Mouth Cancer Awareness Day 2018 he said; Ive been clear for nine years now, but I get checked every six months. It was the hernia that got me into hospital. As my wife says, the recession saved my life. Id advise anyone out there with concerns to go for a check-up as soon as possible. The earlier its caught the better.

He was speaking ahead of Mouth Cancer Awareness Day, which takes place on Wednesday.

The Irish Mens Sheds Association is involved in raising awareness of the disease, and will also be running a social media campaign in order to target men over the age of 50 as they are one of the high-risk groups for mouth cancer.

Around 700 people are diagnosed with head and neck cancer are detected in Ireland each year, with 100 or more deaths, thats almost two people every week.

Although not as well-known as other cancers, mouth cancer kills more Irish people than skin melanoma.

Dr Eleanor OSullivan, Senior Lecturer, Oral Surgery, Cork University Dental School & Hospital, who was one of the team who treated Stephen, says its important that people are aware of the disease and the symptoms.

This years campaign is putting a particular emphasis on men who have not attended their local dentist for a while. Were encouraging them to attend their dentist or doctor if they have any concerns and to have regular dental check-ups even if they have no remaining natural teeth.

Dentists have volunteered to give talks to Shedders in up to 20 Mens Sheds around the country on various dates during the month of September which is excellent and we hope many more will happen in subsequent months.

This is a great opportunity to meet local men in the community and to share the message with them about the signs, symptoms, risk factors and the importance of early detection and the dentists role in this she said.

Edel Byrne, Health and Wellbeing Manager with the Irish Mens Sheds Association said they were delighted to be associated with this initiative.

While mouth cancer is a very detectable disease, its not widely known that its the sixth most common cancer in men worldwide. Raising awareness is key and we will be encouraging our members to attend their local shed meeting where a dentist will give advice and talk to members about mouth cancer.

Mens Sheds promotes better mental and physical health for our members through our Sheds for Life initiative, and this latest initiative fits perfectly with that she said.

According to the National Cancer Registry in Ireland, approximately 50pc of all mouth cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

This can result in more complex treatment with a greater impact on quality of life and overall survival. Overall less than 50pc of patients diagnosed with mouth head and neck cancer survive more than five years.

Dr Kieran OConnor, President of the Irish Dental Association says the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer may include a sore or ulcer in the mouth that does not heal within 3 weeks.

If you smoke and drink the chances of you getting oral cancer are up to 40 times greater. However, the lack of risk factors does not preclude oral cancer diagnosis. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is also associated with certain types of mouth, head and neck cancer. Whatever the cause, the key point to remember is that early detection saves lives.

Other signs are white or red patches inside the mouth, a lump in the mouth or neck or a persistent sore throat or hoarseness. If you or someone you know hasnt visited the dentist in a long time, we would urge you to get it checked out. Everyone who has a medical card is entitled to a free examination annually while most other people will be covered under the PRSI scheme Dr OConnor said.Columba McVeigh was 19 when he was abducted. Photo: Pacemaker

Dympna Kerr, sister of missing Columba McVeigh, speaking to families at the ceremony at Farmleigh yesterday

The sister of a teenager murdered and secretly buried by the IRA has said she is praying for her family's torment to end.

It comes as a new search for the remains of Columba McVeigh begins today - on the anniversary of his father's death.

The 19-year-old, from Donaghmore in Co Tyrone, was abducted while working in Dublin in 1975.

Despite numerous searches his body has never been found.

The latest is taking place at Bragan Bog near Emyvale in Co Monaghan, a few miles from the border.

Mr McVeigh's sister Dympna Kerr said her family desperately needed closure.

Expand Close Oliver McVeigh, with a picture of his brother Columba in the background, has called for a meeting with Sinn Fein leaders to discuss the Disappeared / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Oliver McVeigh, with a picture of his brother Columba in the background, has called for a meeting with Sinn Fein leaders to discuss the Disappeared

"It's 21 years ago today that dad died, not knowing where Columba was buried," she said.

"As every year passes we ask: 'For how much longer must this go on?' I can only hope and pray that the torment will end."

Mr McVeigh is one of the so-called Disappeared, people abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. The remains of 13 have been recovered but three have not been found: Mr McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac.

Mr McVeigh was 19 when he disappeared in November 1975.

Expand Close Columba McVeigh was one of the Disappeared (Family Handout/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Columba McVeigh was one of the Disappeared (Family Handout/PA)

The IRA alleged he confessed to being an Army agent with instructions to infiltrate the terror group, a claim denied by his family.

Mr McVeigh's mother Vera campaigned tirelessly for the return of his body. She died in 2007 aged 82 without finding out what happened her son.

In 1999 the British and Irish Governments established the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) to gain confidential information about the location of the missing bodies.

Four searches have been carried out at Bragan Bog since 1999, initially by the Garda and subsequently by the ICLVR. The most recent ended in September 2013.

Mrs Kerr visited the scene earlier this year. She added: "For years I couldn't bring myself to stand on that bog where we were eventually told that Columba was buried.

"I went to it earlier this year and it's a bleak and desolate place and I cannot bear the thought that Columba is out there when he should be beside our mum and dad.

"Knowing that the ICLVR will do everything they possibly can to bring Columba home and also knowing that we have the thoughts and prayers of the other families of the Disappeared gives me the strength to face the coming days and weeks."

Mr McVeigh's brother Oliver said the family feel cautiously positive about the new search, but admitted they had learned not to build expectations.

"It is hard to get your hopes up, you just hope that something is found this time," he said.

"We have been in this position four times before, we have learned not to expect too much too soon."

Geoff Knupfer, the ICLVR's lead forensic investigator, believes Mr McVeigh's remains are buried at Bragan.

He said it had taken multiple searches to find the remains of other Disappeared victims.

"We remain convinced that Columba was buried in Bragan Bog and over the last five years since the last unsuccessful search we have been working to refine the search area," he added.

"That is what often has to be done when we are searching for a body that has been buried somewhere in a vast expanse of bog over 40 years ago.

"That's what happened in the search for Brendan Megraw, whose remains we found in October 2014 in Oristown Bog, Meath, around 15 years after searching commenced. And we were close to the burial place of Seamus Ruddy in an earlier search before we recovered his remains in France in May last year.

"But 'close' is not good enough.The fact that we are back on Bragan Bog for a fresh search does not mean that anyone who has information about where Columba is buried should assume that it is no longer relevant".

The ICLVR can be contacted by telephone: 00800 5558 5500 (International: +353 1 602 8655); e-mail at Secretary@iclvr.ie; or by post to: ICLVR PO Box 10827.William Dunlop and his partner Janine arrive at the Adelaide Motorcycle Awards in Belfast in 2014. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 17/1/2014.

William Dunlop's partner Janine Brolly has announced the birth of the couple's second daughter.

The baby was born on Saturday afternoon, September 15, but has not yet been named. The new addition is a younger sister to two-year-old Ella.

Janine confirmed the news on Facebook on Monday afternoon: "We welcomed our second little girl into the world on Saturday afternoon. She has the most amazing big sister and there is no question that Daddy would have been besotted. Name still to be decided but we are just all settling into life together at home.

"Grateful for two precious girls who are keeping my heart beating."

William was killed just over two months ago in a collision in practice at the Skerries 100 road races in Co Dublin on July 7.

William, son of the late Robert and nephew of the legendary Joey, was making his return to the sport after pulling out of this year's Isle of Man TT to be with Janine during her pregnancy.

Janine has previously spoken about what an "incredible" father and partner William was.

Shortly after his death, se wrote in an emotional statement on his official website: "William raced because it was his passion, woven deep within his DNA, but he was allowed to live his life doing that passion professionally thanks to his supporters. Thank you for that unfaltering support.

"Finally, to those who have been so outstandingly generous to Ella and I, well, thank you just isnt anywhere near enough, but please know how much I truly appreciate it. You have shown such incredible compassion.

"One day I will be able to share the incredible memories and achievements with both our children, I will also be able to share the little mundane private memories that made up our family life  all of them are equally as important. They will always know how special Daddy was and how much he loves them  William was a tremendous sportsman, but where he really shone brightest was as a father. I promise that they will always know that.

"I miss him more than words can possibly say, but am so thankful I will always have part of William with me, forever.

"I would give anything for one more day."Sean McCusker aims to use the smartphone to kick-start the revival of postcards.

AN IRISH entrepreneur has devised a remarkable new 'app' which aims to rescue the beloved holiday postcard from oblivion.

Sean McCusker aims to use the smartphone - blamed by postal services worldwide for the decimation of the postcard industry over the past decade - to help kick-start the revival of holiday and celebratory postcards.

Sean is masterminding PostASelfie.ie - which uses smartphones and modern technology to allow users to transform their own cherished photographs into a personalised postcard.

"We came up with the idea of a simple-to-use app which combines the magic of a personal photograph with the enduring smile that people get when they receive a postcard from a friend, loved one or neighbour," Sean said.

The PostASelfie App was developed by Storm Technologies on the Microsoft Azure Cloud. It allows users to easily create and share magical moments, with just a few clicks, straight from their phone.

The app is currently available for Android phone users and will be available via the Apple platform from December 1.

It uses secure payment systems such as Stripe - which allows a person to transform a stunning holiday photo into a personalised postcard which can be mailed in a process lasting just a few seconds.

The concept has already been endorsed by hotel, restaurant and tourism operators who see it as a major way of promoting such attractions as the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East.

RTE travel presenter Peadar King said he loved the concept.

One morning I got a postcard from Sean and it came via this app," he said. "It was of the Pollock Holes and it simply said 'before the swim.' I realised that the app that Sean was talking to me about was an altogether different instrument. That the coldness of the technology was superseded by a personal touch.

"That it was delivered by human hands. That it passed through a number of human hands before it reached me. And like my father, I turned the card round, looked at the photo and having read it stuck it on the fridge. And its still there  a reminder of the sea, a reminder of a place, a childhood."

Opposition Communications Spokesman Timmy Dooley said it was a great example of how a high tech project can operate from a rural area.

The app development firm is based in Kilkee, Co Clare and is one of the first new tech start-ups in the west Clare area.

Postal officials also hope the app will catch on.

Smartphones have been blamed for the virtual decimation of the postcard industry worldwide.

One study revealed that just 16pc of people now send postcards while on a foreign holiday - compared to 80pc in the 1970s.

Incredibly, 45pc of people admitted they have never sent a postcard while on holiday with more than 90pc of people aged under 24 years saying they use social media or texts to update people at home about their holiday experiences.

Around 36pc of people said they opted not to send postcards because it was too difficult to find stamps or post boxes while overseas.

However, PostASelfie eliminates the posting issues involved - and one education official said it will also play a vital role in promoting literacy.

Agnes Hehir of St. Josephs Community College said: It will encourage the younger generations to return to the art of letter-writing and sending postcards. Its always nice to get something other than bills in the post and the younger people have never experienced that.Go on, go on, go on: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar gets a cuppa from young fundraiser Lucy Greene ahead of the 26th year of Irelands Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice, supported by Bewleys, which takes place this Thursday. The event aims to raise 2m for local hospice and homecare services nationwide to meet with growing demands for the services. Those who cant attend a coffee morning can text COFFEE to 50300 and donate 4. Photo: Leon Farrell

New mothers and fathers will each get two extra weeks off work to spend with their baby as part of reforms in Budget 2019.

The extra parental leave, which will be paid for the first time, is expected to run along the same lines as maternity benefit, which is a State payment of 240 a week.

The scheme will offer two weeks for both a mother and father, which must be taken in the first year of a child's life. It is not transferable between parents - meaning both must use their own allocation or lose out.

A source close to Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said it will help parents struggling with childcare before a child's first birthday.

The leave will be in addition to the 26 weeks of maternity leave, two weeks of paternity leave, 18 weeks of unpaid parental leave that must be taken before the child's eighth birthday. The Irish Independent understands the final details are being thrashed out to ensure the eligibility criteria is sound and will encompass as many people as possible.

Sources expect it will not be available until late 2019 at the earliest. As it stands, it is planned to roll out the scheme along the same lines of maternity and paternity leave but will be a separate payment. This means it will need its own IT system and will therefore take time to develop.

The childcare subsidy scheme previously unveiled by the Government also ran into similar issues which led to the scheme being delayed.

The cost to the Exchequer of the scheme will depend on the uptake of it, but it is estimated that it will cost around 10m a year. The take-up of the two weeks' paid paternity leave available to new fathers is currently at about 65pc, which costs around 6m a year.

"Parents tell us that they struggle to get childcare or a creche before a child turns one so this is a start to bridge that gap," a senior source said.

The scheme will not be mandatory, however it is hoped that the take-up will be improved by the fact that the leave is non-transferable between mothers and fathers.

Introducing paid parental leave has been a key promise of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar since his election as leader of Fine Gael.

Currently, parents can avail of up to 18 weeks' unpaid parental leave until a child is eight, or 16 years old if the child has a long-term illness.

However, there is no obligation on employers to pay an employee during this time.

A bill allowing for up to six months unpaid leave, proposed by the Social Democrats, was not opposed by the Government earlier this year.

Meanwhile, a second bill which would allow for the 26 week maternity leave entitlement to be shared between parents, proposed by Fianna Fail, is due to be debated when the Dail returns.

In addition to introducing the parental leave, Ms Doherty looks set to introduce widespread increases to social protection payments including the State pension and Carer's Allowance.

Mr Varadkar told a recent gathering of business people that the Government will this year seek to fully reverse the cuts to social welfare payments made during the recession and exceed them in some places.

Separately, fears that promises of a tax windfall for middle-income families under plans to raise the threshold at which people begin paying the higher rate of tax are not at risk due to a serious overrun in the health budget.

A row emerged at Cabinet last week over an expected 600m overrun in Department of Health spending, sparking warnings from Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe that the overspend will affect the Budget demands of ministers.

However, the Mr Donohoe moved to reassure people that the Government's plans will not be blown off course, telling the Irish Independent: "The provision of additional funding for health will not undermine our planning for Budget 2019.

"I am confident that there will be tax and social welfare improvements included in this year's Budget."

He will continue to hold negotiations with his Cabinet colleagues as the Budget approaches.

Independent Alliance ministers conceded at a recent meeting that their proposed 'granny grant' - a payment of 1,000 to grandparents who mind their grandchildren - "was not a runner".Challenge: Alan Kelly effectively called for Brendan Howlin to step down during the summer. Photo: Tom Burke

Rebel Labour Party TD Alan Kelly rounded on his parliamentary colleagues at a contentious private meeting of the party which heard sharp criticism of its performance.

The Tipperary TD sparked a leadership debate during the summer when he effectively called for Brendan Howlin to step aside, citing a failure to "turn the ship around" in the past two years.

Mr Howlin opened the party's think-in in Drogheda, Co Louth, with a call for a debate on the party's leadership but resisted a suggestion he should step aside.

In his address to those gathered - which included councillors, TDs and senators - Mr Kelly told those present the performance of the parliamentary party was not satisfactory.

He said each member of the parliamentary party needed to be appearing in the media more often and that they represent the entire party. He said that things needed to change immediately.

He also cited a need for better organisation in rural areas.

Expand Close Open: Labour leader Brendan Howlin defended his time in charge. Photo: Frank McGrath / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Open: Labour leader Brendan Howlin defended his time in charge. Photo: Frank McGrath

Mr Kelly said the party needs to connect with working families again and to demonstrate how they were going to "change their lives".

Ahead of the private address, Mr Kelly said it would be inappropriate for him to call on his party leader to resign.

"Those issues are a matter for internal discussions, but I would never do anything like that. I don't think that is an appropriate way to behave in the first place," he said.

"What I said then and what I am saying now is as a party we need to refocus ourselves as regards to the direction of the party, back to the issues of working people.

"I think the most important part of the discussion is how we are going to do that, to get better traction with the public. Who is leading the party is secondary to making sure the party is going in the right direction."

The behind-closed-doors meeting heard from a number of people dissatisfied with the performance of the party under the current leadership.

One party representative told the meeting that they were knocking on doors and hearing the message from voters that the party had let them down and were "traitors".

The meeting was originally scheduled to last for two hours but ran over this considerably.

Speaking ahead of the heated debate, Mr Howlin said: "The Labour Party is a very open and democratic party. Everyone's views are welcome.

"I said it would be a characteristic of my leadership from the start to be open and inclusive.

"The notion that changing someone's name tag would change things fundamentally, I never believed that.

"We have had more or less the same opinion poll rating in the two elections since 2014. What is required is for us to spell out solutions to people's problems.

"Every member of the party wants the party to thrive. I respect everybody's view.

"From the day I was elected, I know there were some people who would have preferred someone else within the party but we made those decisions.

"We are a small crew of people now who must work together."

Mr Howlin said the party fared well in the referendum on the Eighth Amendment, since he took over at the helm.

He said the party needed to "reconnect with people" but that he believed the party would make gains in seat numbers.

"There are 24 really quality candidates in the fray. All of them have a really good chance at getting elected," he said.Kevin Sharkey has withdrawn himself from the 2018 presidential race.

The artist released a statement on his official Twitter page this morning, writing that he will now focus on a new Aras-themed art collection and a new single on iTunes.

He also endorsed fellow Aras hopeful Gemma O'Doherty.

In his statement, Mr Sharkey wrote; "Kevin Sharkey is out."

He said; "I am leaving the circus, Farce, that has become the presidential Race to focus on my new collection of paintings, 'The Presidential Collection 2018'. My new exhibition opens 6pm Friday, 21st September 2018 (Culture Night) at the Basement Gallery.

"Paintings include 'The Power of Corruption', 'Crooked Councilors' and 'Bribes are Us' [sic]."

Official Press Release

Kevin Sharkey is Out of The presidential Race/Farce 2018 pic.twitter.com/7I6zFKJAX2  Kevin Sharkey for President (@votesharkey2018) September 16, 2018

Mr Sharkey said he is also "looking forward" to the release of his first single which will be available on iTunes from October 1.

He said he is withdrawing from the race "due to the corruption of the local councils all over Ireland."

He said he would like to thank the several councils and councillors who promised him his votes, and endorsed Aras hopeful Gemma O'Doherty.

"She is a woman of huge integrity and is currently bravely shining a light on the rampant corruption that is destroying our beautiful country and democracy," he wrote.Protesters outside the previously occupied building in North Frederick Street during the Take Back the City Rally. Photo: Tony Gavin

Organisers of the 'Take Back the City' protests have vowed they will not be stopped by forced ejection from vacant buildings and will simply move on to new targets in the capital.

"There's a buffet of vacant properties in Dublin and we will have a feast if we need to," said a spokesman for the group.

Dramatic scenes of balaclava-clad men smashing their way into a house in North Frederick Street has galvanised support for the protesters, the leader of the protests claimed. "The eviction has actually emboldened us, emboldened our spirit," the spokesman said.

A dilapidated Georgian house in Belvedere Place, a few metres from Mountjoy Square, is the new outpost of Take Back The City. The bleak 170-year-old property was unoccupied when invaded last weekend.

The group say their aim is to draw attention to the existence of large numbers of empty buildings at a time of a housing emergency.

Their 'direct action' was to highlight the need for the Government to take effective action "to end the misery" of homelessness, they say.

The grey-bricked terraced property is the new focal point of the protest. Placards declaring 'We will not be silenced' and 'Evict Eoghan Murphy' were fastened to the front.

A knock on the blue front door by the Sunday Independent was greeted by muffled voices. Young adult voices said they would not open the door. They said a spokesman would make contact by telephone.

The spokesman phoned to say he would only be identified as Aaron, a 32-year-old single man who says he has a full-time job in a Dublin restaurant and lives in rented accommodation.

"We're a mass movement of concerned citizens who are sick and tired of the lack of political will from the Government to fix the housing crisis and we are taking direct action," he claimed.

"We see the actions of the Government have been that the private sector will fix all of the housing crisis. We see that as unsustainable. We have a moral responsibility to take action."

The protesters say they consist of 18 different groups under the umbrella of Take Back The City. They also claim that no political parties or political groupings are allowed to join which they say helps retain unity.

Each group has two votes and all decisions are made democratically, according to the group.

The groups include the Dublin Renters' Union; the Take Back Trinity students group; Dublin Central Housing Action; Migrants and Ethnic-minorities for Reproductive Justice; the Anti-Racism Network; Dublin West Housing Action; North Dublin Bay Housing Crisis Community and others.

"We have no leaders. Being a grassroots movement has helped keep us together," the spokesman said.

Members of charities that help the homeless are among the individuals who bring food to the occupiers.

The dramatic North Frederick Street eviction of the occupiers by masked men, in the presence of gardai wearing hoods over their faces, caused "public disgust", he said.

He claimed it resulted in the number of Facebook followers of Take Back the City jumping from around 4,000 followers to more than 12,000 within 24 hours.

"After the balaclava incident, we received 173 new applications from people wanting to join us as volunteers," said the spokesman.

As Belvedere Place is the third property to be occupied, the growing movement has refined its tactics.

The spokesman said: "We are organised. When people arrive into a house, they sign a roll. There are different teams in the house. There's the media team. There's the maintenance team to look after the house and clean up.

"There's a community outreach team who organise flyers and leafleting the local community. The community are the most important thing because they are who we're actually fighting for.

"And there's a security team."

It would be wrong to think of the occupiers as unemployed or homeless as most of them have full-time jobs or are students at various colleges, he added.

None of the occupiers were living in the building so they were not squatters, he insisted. They were part of a roster of "political occupiers" working on the front-line of homeless action, he added.

There are a number of prominent social justice lawyers sympathetic to their cause who have been helping the group.

Once a High Court injunction is issued, people within the occupation are prepared to be arrested, he said.

"The laws exist and we have a moral responsibility to take the action because people are dying on our streets and people are being engulfed in misery and are not living a life.

"As long as that exists, we have a moral responsibility to take direct action. The key thing is the moral responsibility."

He said Nelson Mandela broke laws and became a hero. He also cited the example of Austin Currie in Northern Ireland in the 1960s who took part in the occupation of properties to highlight injustice.

"So for that reason alone, we will struggle on and, if necessary, we will break the law," he said.

He added that people in Ireland were "de-sensitised to the social ills created by the current economic system".

He said he was not among the eight protesters in the North Frederick St house when the masked men broke through the door. The protesters, who ran from the house, were peaceful community workers who, he claimed, were terrorised by the masked men, he said. The activists were removed from the property at 34 North Frederick St, as they had been defying a court order by remaining in the building for several weeks.

None of the protesters who occupied the North Frederick Street property were arrested. Five members of a crowd outside the property were arrested.

One garda was assaulted and "subjected to racist comment", according to gardai.

The group's demands are:

 All the houses occupied by the group should be compulsorily purchased by the city council and brought into public ownership to provide housing for the community;

 All land and buildings vacant for long periods should be brought into public ownership and housing created;

 No one should have to spend more than 20pc of their income on rent.

The spokesman added: "This is a housing emergency. Fine Gael have no political will. That's why we are breaking into houses. We don't want to break into houses."The fact that new Irish mothers and fathers will each get two extra weeks of parental leave will lead to better psychological outcomes for families, according to a psychologist.

The extra parental leave, which will be paid for the first time, is expected to run along the same lines as maternity benefit, which is a State payment of 240 a week.

The scheme will offer two weeks for both a mother and father, which must be taken in the first year of a child's life. It is not transferable between parents - meaning both must use their own allocation or lose out.

Clinical psychotherapist and author Joanna Fortune told Independent.ie: Children benefit both emotionally and cognitively from extended time with their parents as babies.

Research from Warwick and Munich Universities released earlier this year cites significant educational benefits later on where babies had extended time with their parents, Ms Fortune explained.

Children want and need time with their parents; they will soak up every minute we can give them.

Read More

I don't intend this to evoke any additional parental guilt but to support any call for extended paid parental leave to help children and parents My book 15 Minute Parenting highlights what parents can do with and give to their children through 15 minutes of mindful play a day when this is often as much time as they have.

But she added: The first four months of a baby's life is often referred to as the fourth trimester because in this time the baby does not yet fully realise that they are a separate being to their mother, she said.

Babies learn that they are loveable by how their parents interact with them, Ms Fortune said.

They believe that they are still one and the same and as such when she looks at her baby with love, baby doesn't see "mum" but sees themselves reflected back through her i.e. they see in her gaze that they are loveable.

This is very important to developing a secure and healthy attachment base and what we call a psychological sense of self.

She added: Beyond these months baby's begin to look outside of mum and seek out others in their attachment circle who look at them and make them feel this same way.

Both parents are of vital importance to the baby in the early months of life. Babies are developing their attachment patterns and sense of self from these early months right up to 2-3 years old. The longer paid parental leave can be available to families the better the psychological outcomes for children will be.

Meanwhile, David Joyce, Equality officer at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions described the move as a welcome development.

"It's clearly a welcome development that there will be extra paid leave to help them reconcile work and family life.

I know it's a first step and they probably do plan to extend it as the years go by. It's quite a modest step but a welcome step nonetheless.

He added: The more choice families have the better. Up to now, there's been very little choice. Automatically in the past it's been the mother who takes the time out."Children who take paracetamol during their first two years of life may be at a higher risk of developing asthma by the age of 18, especially if they have a particular genetic make-up, a study has found.

Research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Paris showed the link between paracetamol use and asthma seemed strongest in those who had a particular variant of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene, GSTP1.

But the study authors stressed that the findings showed only that there was an association between paracetamol and asthma - not that paracetamol caused the lung condition.

Paracetamol is recommended by medics to treat most kinds of childhood ailments, including headache, stomach ache, ear ache, and cold symptoms. It can also be used to reduce fever. The leading child-friendly brand is Calpol.

The research, carried out at the University of Melbourne, Australia, looked at 620 children who had been followed from birth to 18 years old as part of the Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study.

They had been recruited to the study before they were born because they were considered to be potentially at high risk of developing an allergy-related disease as they had at least one family member (mother, father or sibling) with a self-reported allergic disease (asthma, eczema, hay fever or a severe food allergy).

After their birth, a research nurse rang the family every four weeks for the first 15 months, and then at 18 months and at two-years-old to ask how many days in the previous weeks had the child taken paracetamol.

When the children were 18-years-old they gave a blood or saliva sample, which was tested for variants of the GST genes: GSTT1, GSTM1 and GSTP1.

They were also assessed for asthma.Helen Rochford-Brennan's diary is a mine of information. For example, recently, during the course of one month, she travelled to Dublin on numerous occasions. She also spent time in London, Paris, Switzerland and Brussels. Not bad for a woman in her 60s - a woman who also happens to have Alzheimer's disease.

So how on earth does someone with this particular form of dementia manage the day-to-day minutiae of life, let alone negotiate international airports to attend high-level conferences? The answer: with organisation and support. The practicalities and philosophies of this concept represent the newly emerging face of disability, which states that if disabilities are well managed and supported by the community, those living with them can continue to lead productive and meaningful lives. Helen is living proof that this is possible.

Helen, who is from Co Sligo, began her working life in the post office, but following a visit to her sister in the US, she decided to emigrate, and spent over a decade living in Ohio and Kentucky. She did so well professionally that she progressed to branch manager for her company.

While on a trip back to her ancestral home in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, Helen met businessman Sean Brennan, who was visiting from London. An instant attraction led the couple to marry, and they settled in the UK. Four years later, their son, Martin, was born. When he was nine, the Brennans decided to relocate to Ireland. "He was an only child, while I was one of nine," Helen explains. "So his cousins here were many."

Very soon after their move to Ireland, Helen realised there was a lack of infrastructure, especially in relation to travel, in the western region, so she committed herself to campaigning with the Tubbercurry Chamber of Commerce, the Western Development Commission and West On Track. Helen also ran a successful B&B and restaurant business, and, with a friend, established an English-language school for Spanish students.

When she was 52, she enrolled at university to study community development and theology. That led to nine years managing a national disability services organisation.

Currently, Helen advocates for the rights of people living with dementia, particularly those with Alzheimer's. She does this in her capacity as a European representative, but it's her personal experience of Alzheimer's that gives her voice such intense clarity.

Things began to tilt out of kilter when she was just 57 years old. "I'd always been a great organiser," she explains. "But then came a time when I couldn't organise myself at work at all. My son or my husband would ask me to do something for them, and I would completely forget."

Initially, Helen managed to hide the cracks by becoming a mistress of disguise. "People with Alzheimer's get very good at covering up [their mistakes] and that really confuses people," she explains. It took years to get a formal diagnosis of Alzheimer's.

"One doctor would say yes, it was Alzheimer's; another would say no, that I was forgetful because I was doing too much as a mother, businesswoman and campaigner," Helen says, adding, "I was finally diagnosed in 2012 when I was 61. I don't remember how I told my husband and son, but I do remember the terrible pain of it. There are still no services for people like me, although there are some services for people who are more advanced."

Helen gave up her job long before she ever got the official diagnosis, and that still grieves her. She believes she should have been advised to ask for a job that was less stressful. Instead, she went into a deep decline and hardly spoke to anyone for 10 months. Fortunately, a geriatrician, recognising that Helen urgently needed social and intellectual stimulation, advised her to join the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI). And that proved to be a lifesaver.

Helen then signed up for a joint research initiative involving Trinity College and the ASI, and, later, the Irish Dementia Working Group, into developing and implementing interventions for people in the early stages of dementia. That proved to be the catalyst for much more. After that, Helen threw herself wholeheartedly into any initiative that was likely to provide a better understanding of what it means to live with a disability; any initiative that was likely to bring about change; and any initiative that would ultimately result in better living conditions for people with disabilities, especially those living with dementia.

To this end, Helen has been a "guinea pig" in many research projects, here and abroad. She attends conferences around the world, she gives talks, and listens to talks. She contributes to papers, she appears in other people's books and she loves every second of this new life of hers.

Currently, she is chairperson of the European Working Group of People with Dementia, and is the group's nominee to the Board of Alzheimer Europe; she is a former chair of the Irish Dementia Working Group, which is supported by the ASI.

So, how does she manage? "I keep two diaries near me at all the time. I also have white boards, and make lists of things to do and reminders. When I am in Ireland, I stick to a routine: get up; go walking - it clears my head; check my emails; then housework," Helen explains. "I work closely with the team at ASI if I have to make a speech on behalf of the Irish Dementia Working Group; otherwise, I liaise with Alzheimer Europe.

"When I am preparing for a meeting, I have to read and re-read the agenda and the notes, hoping against hope that I'll remember some of it."

When she's travelling, Helen has lists of things to take, including chargers, shoes and glasses. She negotiates the complexities of modern travel thanks to Carmel Geoghegan, who voluntarily accompanies her to the European Parliament and other seats of international governance. Helen also gets a lot of support from Alzheimer Europe. "They do amazing research work and make my travels possible," she says.

And what advice does she have for someone facing a diagnosis of dementia? "It's a different life, but it's still a good life. Don't be afraid to say you have a problem," she says. "Just because I have a cognitive impairment, doesn't mean I can't function. I've gone from thinking my life was over, to a place that I could never have dreamed of. Because of Alzheimer's, I've addressed royalty, governments, the European Parliament, world health organisations and global pharma companies.

"My message is this: please do not lose your voice to dementia."

For more information, contact the Alzheimer National Helpline run by ASI, tel: (1800) 341-341, see alzheimer.ie, or email: helpline@alzheimer.ieRetired architect and interior designer Kenneth Edwards was on safari in Africa when he became aware of a large black patch in his vision. The father-of-three from Dun Laoghaire, who is also a qualified psychologist, had enjoyed the holiday with his wife, but noticed something wrong before his return to Ireland.

"I had just washed my hair and was drying it in front of a mirror. I must have closed my left eye for a moment because I was suddenly aware of a large black patch on the right eye. That was my first realization that I had a problem."

This was 2010, and on his return to Ireland the adventurous Dubliner, who was then aged 80, consulted his GP and was sent to the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital for tests.

Kenneth quickly learned that he had age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that causes the gradual loss of sight as a result of blurring or loss of central vision.

AMD is "almost an inevitable part of ageing if you live long enough," says eye specialist Dr Mark Cahill, who emphasises that early detection is critical to treating the condition.

Around 100,000 people in Ireland have AMD according to the National Council for Blindness in Ireland, and some 7,000 more are diagnosed every year with the condition, which was in an advanced state in Kenneth's right eye and was also present in his left.

Doctors immediately began a series of specialised injections. However, they were unable to save the right eye and shortly afterwards, Kenneth completely lost the sight in that eye.

"They had also discovered macular degeneration in the left eye but it was not nearly so far advanced," says Kenneth, now aged 87 and a grand-father of seven children.

He has received injections into his left eye every six weeks for several years, and a few months ago these were increased to every four weeks.

"The injections certainly helped to stop the degeneration. They did not cure it, but they held it and it is only now, after about eight years, that it has degenerated a little more."

Over that period, he says, he has been able to lead a normal life and can still drive.

AMD is a chronic disease which often occurs as a result of the deterioration of the macula, a yellow pigmented structure at the back of the eye that is responsible for our detailed colour vision.

The severity of the disease depends on each person and on how quickly it is detected. AMD cannot be cured, and in many cases sight cannot be restored after it is lost.

However, treatment is available, says Dr Cahill, a retinal specialist based in both the Beacon and Royal Victoria Eye and Ear hospitals, but he warns, early detection is crucial. Regular eye checks are important, and although many people experience no symptoms, there can be warning signs.

The most common age for macular degeneration is between 70 and 90 years, according Dr Cahill - but the condition can begin after the age of 50. Generally however, he says, the core group of those affected are generally over the age of 75.

"We ask people to be alert for reduced vision. They can check for this by focusing on something simple and familiar, one eye at a time."

Another key symptom, he explains is the onset of visual distortion, which is where straight lines appear to be wavy.

"People may notice this while driving, doing needlework, crosswords or they may notice that something that should be straight, like the side of a door, has a bend or a kink in it."

"Distortion is a key early symptom of macular degeneration. If I had to pick one thing to warn people about it is the visual distortion," he says.

Like Kenneth, some people may experience a 'black spot' in the centre of their vision which can be a symptom of a type of macular degeneration.

"If you experience distortion or you get a black spot that you cannot see through in the centre of your vision, these are signs that you need to seek appropriate help," he emphasises.

There are two forms of AMD, early and late. In early AMD, the signs that the retina is being damaged are only visible to an optometrist or eye doctor. At this stage the damage does not affect sight, and people are unaware they have the condition, something which underlines the importance of regular eye examinations to detect AMD in its early stages.

In some people, the condition progresses to late AMD, where loss of vision occurs. There are dry and wet forms of late AMD. The dry form of the disease is more common and less severe, Dr Cahill explains. "Nine out of 10 macular degeneration cases are dry. Those who have it take supplements, and are usually fine.

"Occasionally people can get very severe dry macular degeneration which can cause vision loss, but this is not as common."

Wet AMD, which was present in both of Kenneth Edwards' eyes and affected his ability to see colours, is less common, but more severe and vision degenerates more rapidly - here, blood vessels grow under the macula which bleed and leak fluid, which causes the central vision to become damaged or distorted.

About one in ten people with dry macular degeneration will develop wet macular degeneration, says Dr Cahill.

Wet AMD occurs when tiny blood vessels grow under the macula and leak, which causes permanent vision loss if it goes untreated.

"Generally speaking when you begin treatment, you will have three injections a month apart. This is followed a month later by tests to determine whether the injections are working. At that point a decision will be made as to how often you will need injections - it may be every month or it may be at longer intervals.

"Injections are generally needed for the rest of your life. In nine out of 10 cases they stabilise the vision. In seven out of 10 cases the vision will improve and in four out of 10 cases, vision will improve significantly."

The key thing to understand, he emphasises, is that if you have a 90pc chance of stabilising the damage caused by wet macular degeneration, the sooner you start treatment the better.

"It all comes down to noticing something is wrong and seeking appropriate help. Without intervention by injection, people will lose their central vision over a six to 12 month period," he warns.

AMD Awareness Week stars today. Throughout the week an open-top bus will offer free AMD eye tests to people over the age of 50 in Dublin, and mobile clinics will also travel the rest of the country.

I happened to rub my right eye with my hand and noticed that I could not read what was on the screen with the left eye

Three years ago, while watching TV, Christine O'Flynn (75) realised there was a problem with the vision in her left eye.

The Rathgar-based mother of three adult children who had always had excellent eyesight, suddenly found a problem reading text on the screen.

"I was watching TV and there were subtitles on the screen. I happened to rub my right eye with my hand and noticed that I could not read what was on the screen with the left eye - the letters were all jumbled.

"I then covered my left eye with my hand, and found that I could read the text perfectly well with my right eye. My AMD therefore, came to light by pure accident."

The next day she visited her optician, even though her two year eye-check was not due for another six months. Tests showed there was an issue:

"An appointment was made for me with an AMD specialist, whom I saw within a week.

"I was told I had Wet AMD in the left eye and Dry AMD in the right. I was put on a course of injections into the left eye immediately and I have been going every month for the past three years.

"I get a test every three months to check the condition of the eye. The right eye with the Dry AMD has not deteriorated and it is also checked every three months and they are happy with it.

"Because it was caught early I have not been significantly affected.

"I'm still driving, reading and watching TV," she says, adding that she still travels regularly, both to the UK and further afield.

"My specialist has advised me to eat a lot of fruit and green vegetables and to take a food supplement, and my eyesight is as good as it was.

"I know of people in my age group whose sight has been affected by AMD. Some have even lost their sight and I think it's because they may not have been diagnosed in time or even noticed it in time.

"If you have an issue with eyesight, you may not know what is wrong, but you should assume there is a problem and get it checked out."San Miniato is halfway between Pisa and Florence, says Anna Dottori, our walking guide. The emperor built the tower here so the other towns would recognise his power and authority. At night, you can see the lights of Pisa, Lucca and Florence.

Were standing at a panoramic point, in the town of San Miniato in Tuscany, hearing about ancient power struggles while enjoying views over green hills, olive and cypress groves, and a clock tower. The town is along the Via Francigena, the path that led pilgrims from Canterbury, England to Rome in the middle ages, passing through France, Switzerland and Italy, much of it through Tuscany. If youve heard of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, this is its lesser known  and arguably more beautiful  cousin.

The Via Francigena route dates back to the 6th century and Archbishop of Canterbury Sigeric wrote an account of travelling the route in 990. During the Middle Ages, it was a main road to Rome for both pilgrims and goods, where overnight rest stops were set up at monasteries and churches in main towns, many which still welcome Via Francigena pilgrims to this day.

Some of the 1,700km route was forgotten over the centuries, but in recent years, a programme to recover the Italian part, clear the trail and map the route has led to a whole new generation of pilgrims.

Expand Close Yvonne's group on the Via Francigena / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Yvonne's group on the Via Francigena

Read More

Taken with the idea of walking some of the trail over a few days, and seeing Tuscany at a slow pace, I sign up for a group walking trip  a taster of the long-distance walk. After what seem like Everest-type preparations the night and morning before our start  with everyone preparing snacks and protein bars, filling water bottles, checking gear, packing sun cream, blister pads and spare socks, checking the forecast, public transport and the taxi and cafe situation we set off.

Our first day is long  walking from San Miniato to Gambassi Terme, around 24km. Its hot  some 28C, and despite the snacks and fancy gear (Im in brand new trail shoes), were not the hardy bunch we look and some of us skip the first 5km while others skip the first 10km  worried about lasting the full 24km in the heat.

We ease into it, starting where the trail leaves the main road and turns into a white gravel track leading to a typical Tuscan scene. There are low, rolling hills all around, dotted with olive groves and patches of cypress trees. In the distance, a beige path curves up around a green hill to a golden-yellow farmhouse with a red tiled roof.

As we walk through the Elsa Valley, the trail becomes greener with trees lining our path. We pass more farmhouses and along an avenue of cypress trees, watching butterflies flit between the flowers along the way. Its quiet along the trail, save for birds and insects.

Expand Close On the Via Francigena / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp On the Via Francigena

As we walk, we chat, getting to know each other and hearing each others stories. Some of the group have done parts of the Camino de Santiago, others walk or hike at weekends. Were all ages and everyone has a different reason for coming; there are people travelling alone, a couple who came to walk the trail years earlier but couldnt due to an injury, and four pals that met on the Spanish Camino and decided to do another trail. The woman who gets our immediate respect is Mary, who has walked the entire Camino.

At the small church at Coiano, benches and a water fountain mark the ideal stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, the trail opens out from a tree-lined path to open countryside and we can see across the wheat fields to distant valleys, with olive groves and tiny villages dotted in the hills. Haystacks sit in perfect rows under a blue sky with white puffy clouds as we pass up and down the gentle inclines.

Its beautiful, but as legs tire and heat kicks in, much of my last hour is spend wondering if were nearly there. When the guide says theres 5km to go, Ive no idea how long it will take and try to do walking speed calculations in my head. We finally reach the end of the trail at the top of a hill which curves up around a vineyard.

The next day is an easier walk to San Gimignano, a beautiful 13.5km trek. We stop for a rest at the monastery at Pieve di Cellole, a quiet space with beautiful views of valleys and distant vineyards. Our next stage is 11km to Colle Val DElsa, a town divided into upper and lower sections, the older upper part dating back to medieval times.

Expand Close Walking the Via Francigena / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Walking the Via Francigena

The scenery on the Via Francigena is fascinating, and stories discovered along the way tell of the routes rich history and long pilgrim tradition. In the walled city of Lucca, where we stay the first night, I hear of an Irish priest called Frediano who stopped on his way back from Rome in the 6th century and stayed on, becoming bishop for 28 years  the Basilica of St Frediano is named after him.

Read More

Relics were an important feature on the path, and Luccas cathedral is home to the Volto Santo (holy face), a crucifix thought at the time to have been the first image created of Christ, carved by Nicodemus. The cross became a must-stop on the pilgrimage  the church even has holes in the back door so that pilgrims could pray to the cross when it was closed.

At San Gimiano, famous for its medieval towers, there were nine hospitals for pilgrims to stop at in Sigerics time. Monteriggioni is a walled castle with a tiny village inside  including a fun museum where visitors can try medieval clothing and hold weapons, and three hostels which welcome pilgrims. At nearby Abbadia a Isola, where an old abbey once sat on a small island surrounded by marsh, various hostels also hosted pilgrims on their way to Rome. You can still stay there today.

The final stop on this section of the trail is Siena, where the pilgrims would walk along the long, narrow Via Camolli and traders would sell them silk and spices.

Pilgrims were not always poor  for some, they just wanted to reach Rome once in their life. For me though, walking even a tiny part of the Via Francigena is a rich experience I will always treasure.

Take Three: Travel Tips

Storytime

Learn the routes story at the Via Francigena museum in Lucca (viafrancigenaentrypoint.eu/en). Dont miss the superb video installation in its basement vaults.

Bedtime

Spend the night at a traditional hostel like The Contessa Ava dei Lambardi hostel (+39 0577 300000) in Abbadia a Isola. It has welcomed pilgrims since the middle ages.

Swim time

Swim in a thermal pool. Tuscany is full of healing thermal springs  take a dip where the Via Francigena trail passes Le Caldane near Colle di Val.

What to pack

To avoid blisters, correctly fitting shoes are vital. Great Outdoors (greatoutdoors.ie) does a proper fitting service and gear list, and will explain why even the right socks make a difference. Bring a reusable water bottle to fill at fountains and plenty of sun cream and snacks.

Get there

Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies from Dublin to Pisa three times a week between May and September. For more information on the Via Francigena see viefrancigene.org. For more on Tuscany, see visittuscany.com.

How to do it

A self-guided tour walking around 130km of the Via Francigena from Lucca to Siena starts at 835pps including seven nights B&B, five dinners, luggage transfers, route notes and a pilgrim passport with Camino Ways (caminoways.com or francigenaways.com). Prices exclude flights. Guided group tours start at 680pps.

Read more:Cathal shows me a photo on his phone. It looks like a loin of bacon. But wait a minute there are toes attached!

The Co Roscommon teacher has just finished six days walking the Portuguese Camino, as it turns out - much of it bravely, but in agony. On closer inspection, that dark pink loin of bacon turns out to be the badly blistered ball of his foot.

Cathal and I are comparing notes over a reviving beer in one of Santiago de Compostela's many cosy tapas bars. I've followed the same route - the second phase of the Portuguese Camino, or Camino Portugues. Our small group finished the 118km stretch blister-free, hiking the Way of St James in just five days - walking, on average, 20km each day. Travelling separately, Cathal and his partner Siobhan, from Tuam, Co Galway, are on their honeymoon and like us started from Valenca in Portugal.

Read More

The full stretch begins in Oporto and takes two weeks. Some hardcore pilgrims depart from Lisbon, which takes a month. Siobhan jokes that her new husband has only himself to blame for the blisters. He committed the ultimate sin "of wearing wrong, unbroken-in footwear and not preparing properly even though he considers himself pretty fit", she says. It's a valuable lesson for the would-be Camino pilgrim.

Our own Camino-without-tears for small groups is geared for inexperienced long-distance walkers, multi-generational families and nervous, middle-aged newbies like us. Tour leader Henry, who manages Irish-based walking tour operator, Customised Walking Trips, has undertaken Caminos for many years and "understands the needs of walkers," as he puts it.

The magic words "support vehicle" catch my eye. That, along with common-sense guidelines for preparing in advance, comfortable hotel or B&B accommodation on (or close to) each day's route, and daily luggage transfers are our deciders. "The support vehicle will always be near the route so you can be taken off it, your blisters or other ailments can be treated so you're back walking in comfort next day," Henry promised.

Expand Close Views on the lesser known Camino Portugues / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Views on the lesser known Camino Portugues

True to his word, at a crossroads or cafe usually no more than six or seven kilometres apart, he would show up in his blue T-shirt and shorts, a welcome sight monitoring progress and the state of our, so far, blister-free feet.

While the famous French Way, or Camino Frances, is the most-walked of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, this Portuguese route is fast catching up and praised by walkers we meet as "much quieter with far fewer public roads and highways to have to trudge on". Over 90pc of our route, marked by the familiar scallop shell tiles, milestones and yellow arrows pointing towards Santiago, follows a Roman highway.

As we walk, we cross ancient stone bridges and pass churches, shrines and elaborately carved water fountains in forgotten hamlets. We overnight in lovely, quaint towns like Pontevedra and catch glimpses of Galicia's scenic coastal inlets.

Relief from the hot July sun is found in the shade of forests, which often dip down into dappled glades that have streams to cool sweaty feet. The route is also well-served by cafes for regular rests. There's limited walking along busy roads, except for a terrifying short stretch before the approach to the town of Arcade in Spain, where we have to scurry like rabbits out of the path of ever-advancing traffic.

Expand Close Isabel Conway on the Portuguese Camino / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Isabel Conway on the Portuguese Camino

Another benefit is that you become a bona fide pilgrim entitled to the ultimate Camino souvenir, the Compostela (certificate) by starting in Valenca on the second phase of the Portuguese Camino, whereas the original Camino Frances takes a month to complete and is usually done in phases, over a few years.

Irishman John Brierley, author of several outstanding Camino guidebooks, says that no Camino is more significant and soulful than this. It was along this route, as Brierley points out in his invaluable A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugues, that St James, who was later martyred, first preached to the pagan populace.

Read More

And it was on this self-same 'Way' that his body made its last journey - "one that came to be known and loved all over the world as Santiago de Compostela".

Setting off from the outskirts of Valenca and walking a tough 24km on day one, passing the border dividing Portugal from Spain, the rhythm of the route soon catches hold of our small group. In the medieval town of Tui, there's an imposing cathedral where the universal greeting of 'Buen Camino' unites walkers of all nationalities taking on a memorable challenge.

It's a personal odyssey some of us will yearn to repeat - hopefully without those bacon-like blisters.

Don't miss

The Camino Portugues is the fastest-growing of the nine Camino routes to Santiago from all over Europe. John Brierley's definitive guide includes route descriptions, sights, accommodation etc. See caminoguides.com

Get there

Isabel travelled with small group specialist customisedwalkingtrips.com.

In 2019, prices start from 425 for one week or 625 for two on the Portuguese Camino (ex. flights). B&B accommodation, daily luggage transfers, guidance and support vehicle are included. See also caminoways.com for camino packages and itineraries.

Read more:It's the world's greatest walk. But at times, particularly in peak summer months along the final 100km of the French Way, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's the world's most crowded.

Walkers are flocking to the Camino de Santiago, and we are no exception.

In 2007, 1,090 Irish pilgrims received certificates from the Pilgrims' Office in Santiago. In 2017, it was 6,643. And that's just those who finished their Caminos in the city.

I'm not surprised. Travel is on an upswing, and word is well and truly out on the Camino's transformative effect on walkers of all abilities and creeds. The French Way is now a well-trodden tourist path, chosen by over 60pc of all pilgrims.

The good news is that you can dodge those crowds. Skip the peak months of June to September, for example, and you'll find quieter paths and fewer snorers in hostels (though the weather is more variable). Or you could look beyond the Camino Frances entirely - which is where this week's travel special comes in.

Did you know you can take a Camino in Italy? Yvonne Gordon does that on the Via Francigena. Or that one in five pilgrims start their journeys in Portugal (Isabel Conway joins them on the Portuguese Camino).

What about Galicia's new Lighthouse Way, a 200km coastal route connecting farm tracks and fishermen's paths? Or the Camino de Invierno, so off-radar that only 555 pilgrims took it en route to collecting their Compostela certificates in Santiago last year?

Killer caminos branch out like veins over the Iberian Peninsula... and beyond, as Nicola Brady outlines in her round-up of alternative camino routes.

Before you go, it's worth checking in with specialist tour operators who know the ins and outs of these less-travelled routes - Irish-based companies like Camino Ways (caminoways.com), for instance, or guides like Magic Hill Holidays (magichillholidays.com) or Michael Grainger (michaelgraingercaminowalking.com). Touch base with the Camino Society Ireland (caminosociety.com) too, a voluntary society founded by returned pilgrims who wanted to "give something back".

Finally, why not take a look at pilgrim routes here at home - for Camino training or their own sake. Did you know you can get an Irish Pilgrim's Passport by completing 125km on five flagship routes including Tochar Phadraig and St. Kevin's Way (pilgrimpath.ie)? Or that a 'Celtic Camino' initiative allows you to count 25km on an Irish trail towards the 100km required to collect a Compostela in Santiago?

Go n-eiri an bothar leat!

Read more:I surf like an abandoned fridge. This fact has never interfered with my love of the sport. The spray of salty air; the tingly sensation of sun-licked skin; the excruciating excitement. Surfing sends my brain's algorithm wild. It's love like no other.

The northern coast of Portugal boasts excellent surf schools, with special consideration for beginners and family lessons. The more serious surfers head south to monster swells. There are various choices, both north and south, depending on your budget and propensity to tan. Here's what we've been up to...

If it's bikini weather you want, head south. I've recently returned from a cheap, impromptu overnight with girlfriends. We landed at Faro by 9am one Saturday, hired a car in the arrivals hall then dawdled through national parks and secret beaches along the Algarve. The roads are well signposted so the task of finding somewhere to eat is a delightfully serendipitous affair. It all just seems to tumble into place.

We shared the cost of a very basic hostel. Off-peak season meant that the rooms were half empty and really cheap (if a little dreary). Had we more time and foresight, we would have booked the boho chic Casa Mae (www.casa-mae.com) in the walled town of Lagos. Casa Mae is a small, affordable boutique hotel with eight-foot windows, ornate balconies, potted olive trees and terracotta tiles. And while Lagos is admittedly a one-hour drive from Faro airport, you can pack some audio books for the journey to sweeten the pilgrimage.

This part of Portugal is one of the most Instagrammable, nestled within miles of sandy beaches and with a bracing Atlantic breeze to give your beachy curls a good workout. Of course there's also the tipi option and yoga combo with Surf Algarve (www.surfalgarve.com) who run retreats on the more secluded southern beaches such as Odeceixe. And for women travelling solo, check out Gutsy Girls (www.gutsygirls.co.uk) specialising in surf and paddleboarding holidays south of Portugal for the mnasome.

While Saturday was marked for exploring and eating, Sunday was for surfing. The last flight from Faro to Dublin is late Sunday night, facilitating a full day of gallivanting. We checked out of our budget hostel by 10am and threw our luggage into the boot of our rental car. On to the beach! Our surf camp cost us 45 for the day. Blissed off our face, we all agreed it was a decidedly delicious way to spend a weekend.

Expand Close Martinhals fabulous pastels de nata / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Martinhals fabulous pastels de nata

That was a great trip. However, unscheduled excursions s are to children what ceiling fans are to budgies. Planning to take my two younglings Marty (six) and Benjamin (eight) on a surfing adventure, I knew I needed a back-up plan in case the promise of waves caved in. We found it with Martinhal.

Travelling to Lisbon's coast last month, a plume of fog and drizzle greeted us. I behaved like a vampire in a tanning salon. My eldest swiftly noted "we're going to get wet anyway, mum". The child is a genius. He already caught the surf bug with Elvis and Taighe on Carrownisky Strand in the west of Ireland one soaking wet summer day (www.surfmayo.com). And now, every time it rains, he thinks it's perfect surfing conditions. I was not about to correct him.

We had plotted this surf holiday a number of months ago, and a little water from the sky was not about to hijack our happiness. This is the most salient point about our holiday experience. Had we gone for a fly 'n' flop holiday, there would have been little else to do or see through sheets of rain. In good weather, everywhere looks great. Mass tourist spots are miserable and deeply unlovely during bouts of bad weather. Let me help you save a lot of money, time and patience. Go north.

What the Algarve lacks, Lisbon makes up for with its cultural ammo - heritage tours, museums, historical palaces, vineyard walks, mountaineering, canoeing and even city excursions for kids around Lisbon centre. Martinhal Family Hotels have two Lisbon properties - one city centre in the old town, and one on the coast in Cascais, very close to the Unesco World Heritage hotspot village of Sintra.

We took the coastal punt, knowing we could jump on a train and ramble into Lisbon if the weather was too soft to surf. Or take a hotel shuttle to the foothills of Sintra with its brightly painted castles and pastel palaces.

We didn't need to organise any surfing details at Martinhal - in fact, we didn't need to organise anything. My brain took a holiday too. All adventures were booked at reception with the charming and entertaining staff. It was as if our weekend was taken over by Gilbert & Sullivan.

Expand Close Benjamin learning to surf / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Benjamin learning to surf

Holidaying with children is like having a convoy of ill-trained but affectionate puppies. Martinhal understand this - that's why they have a special children's concierge. (Not, I hasten to add, for kids to contact themselves). Want a daily activity schedule? Need a potty or loo step? A bottle warmer? Swag of swimming nappies? Sanity? Their kids' concierge canters to the rescue like salve to a rash. It is all part of the experience, at no extra cost.

Expand Close Susan Jane and Marty dip their toes in the Atlantic at Cascais / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Susan Jane and Marty dip their toes in the Atlantic at Cascais

We surfed - just as Benjamin wanted - on the rainy days. Children have an incomprehensible knack for nailing a sport faster than immediately. The instructor must have thought I was the final fart of a disinherited race, his face supplying the phrase his mouth could not. My body was in holiday mode, and I floated along the foamy waves on my stomach. My youngest preferred to build sandcastles and watch from the shoreline. I, naturally, hovered between both boys trying to win mum-of-the-year award. Again.

We're going back for the October mid-term, and can barely contain our giddy squeals. Summer holidays are often twice or three times the price of off-peak season. That's why we like to keep our adventures for school mid-terms and long weekends - our euro goes a lot further. Plus, we get to monopolise the hotel staff and surfing instructor. It's like lording over our own demesne. What more could you ask of a holiday?

Getting there

Ryanair has flights from Dublin to Faro. Luxe family options include Martinhal Sagres with half-board packages from 109 per adult per night. Budget options closer to Faro airport include Tipi Valley yoga and surf combo, 95 per night (www.surfshanti.com) while Casa Mae starts at 95 per person sharing (www.casa-mae.com)

Aer Lingus flies direct to Lisbon from Cork and Dublin. Martinhal Hotel in Cascais offers complementary airport transfer as well as organising all your surfing needs. Family rooms, from 240 per room per night, include breakfast buffet and complementary daytime childcare (www.martinhal.com)DEEPAK CHOPRA: Prolific speaker and author is followed by millions of people around the world seeking spiritual enlightenment. Picture: Getty

One of the world's leading spiritual thinkers, Deepak Chopra, has told the people of Ireland to forgive the Catholic Church for the sake of their own peace of mind. Mr Chopra, who as a young boy was taught by Irish Christian Brothers, said it would be part of the nation's healing.

His words come after the recent visit here by Pope Francis caused the country to question its future relationship with the Catholic Church.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Mr Chopra said: "Despite all the mishaps in the church that have occurred, let us not forget that the church has also done some amazing things. It has carried out humanitarian work and brought a lot of alleviation to human suffering, especially in impoverished countries.

"But like any other institution, the church is made of human beings and human beings are not infallible. They have both the divine, the diabolical, the sacred and the profane. So let's be a little more tolerant, less judgmental, while we seek justice for those who were abused."

He also said: "Let's have measured forgiveness because when forgiveness occurs, healing occurs. You don't forgive necessarily because the other person deserves forgiveness - you forgive because you deserve peace.

"And that's the most important thing that we need right now if we collectively want to embark on a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world. We need to expand our awareness and dream together."

The prolific speaker and author of 85 books - 25 of which hit The New York Times best-seller list - is followed by millions of people around the world seeking spiritual enlightenment. He has been lauded by Oprah and is seen by many as a spiritual thinker for the millennial age. His daily meditation videos are watched by millions as part of a trend towards meditation practice.

A 2009 survey found that 72pc of US millennials (18- to 29-year-olds) say they're spiritual but not religious.

The phrase is now so prevalent that it has been likened to a movement. It has even given rise to its own acronym ("I'm SBNR").

Mr Chopra also advised the young of Ireland to keep asking 'the big questions' in life. He said even if you don't identify as being religious, it was "still very important to be spiritually aware and that means being aware of your inner-most self. To constantly ask yourself: 'Who am I?' 'What do I want?' 'What is my purpose?' 'What am I grateful for?' 'How can I find that part of me which is also part of the divine?'

On his relationship with Ireland, he said he has been visiting for 30 years. "I feel very close to the Irish people. I did go to an Irish Christian Brothers school so I have a lot of deep connections with the Irish people."

Speaking about the malaise in a younger generation, he said: "I think the world is in turmoil because of social and economic justice because of war, terrorism, eco-destruction, climate change.

"This is a time of turbulence but also a time for transformation, so hang in there and let's all collectively work towards a more joyful and healthier and aspirational world."

Mr Chopra once wrote of his education: "In India I was educated as a boy by Irish Christian Brothers, because my parents believed that their schools were the best. The Christian Brothers were gentle propagandists. We boys accepted them as friends, but we also knew that our teachers would be delighted if we converted to Catholicism."

He added: "I was inspired by Jesus, even as I went through several turbulent phases later in life, from idealist to agnostic, before adopting scientific medicine as my faith, and eventually becoming what I'd call a practising idealist."

Mr Chopra was a speaker at the Pendulum Summit in New York last week.A British diver who helped rescue youth football players trapped in a cave in Thailand is suing Tesla chief Elon Musk.

Vernon Unsworth claims Mr Musk falsely accused him on Twitter of being a paedophile.

The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles federal court seeks more than 75,000 dollars (57,000) in damages and a court order stopping Mr Musk from making further allegations.

Mr Musk called the Briton a pedo in a tweet to his 22.5 million followers after Mr Unsworth criticised him in a July 13 television interview with CNN about the rescue.

Expand Close Vernon Unsworth with his partner Woranan Ratrawiphukkun (Sakchai Lalit/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Vernon Unsworth with his partner Woranan Ratrawiphukkun (Sakchai Lalit/AP)

The Tesla boss and SpaceX engineers built a small submarine and shipped it to Thailand to help with the rescue, but the device was not used, and Mr Unsworth called it a PR stunt.

Mr Musk later accused Mr Unsworth of moving to Thailand to be with a bride who was about 12 years old.

The lawsuit alleges that Mr Musk, apparently angered by Mr Unsworths remarks, began a campaign to destroy his reputation by publishing false and heinous accusations of criminality against him to the public.

In a series of tweets on July 15, Mr Musk, who personally delivered the submarine to the cave, wrote that he never saw Mr Unsworth and challenged him to show a video of the final rescue.

Sorry pedo guy, you really did ask for it, he tweeted. Later on Twitter, Mr Musk wrote: Bet ya a signed dollar its true.

He later deleted the tweets and apologised after being criticised by shareholders, the lawsuit alleged, stating in a tweet that his words were spoken in anger and that the sub was built out of kindness according to specifications from the dive team leader.

But on August 28, Mr Musk tweeted again, writing: You dont think its strange he hasnt sued me? He was offered free legal services.

Mr Unsworth is not a paedophile. Mr Unsworth has never engaged in an act of paedophilia. Mr Unsworth is not a child rapistLawsuit filed by Vernon Unsworth

The lawsuit says that with the tweet, Mr Musk sought to tell the average reader that Mr Unsworths failure to sue at the time was evidence that he was a paedophile.

Two days after the August 28 tweet, Mr Musk emailed a BuzzFeed News reporter, suggesting the reporter investigate Mr Unsworth and stop defending child rapists, according to the lawsuit, which is 65 pages with exhibits.

Hes an old, single white guy from England whos been travelling or living in Thailand for 30 to 40 years, Mr Musk wrote, adding that Mr Unsworth moved in Thailand for a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time, according to the lawsuit.

Then in a second email to BuzzFeed, he accused Mr Unsworth of being a liar and said he was not on the cave dive team.

Mr Unsworth is not a paedophile. Mr Unsworth has never engaged in an act of paedophilia. Mr Unsworth is not a child rapist, the lawsuit said, adding that Mr Unsworth has never been married to a minor.

He has a significant other in Thailand, a 40-year-old woman with whom he shares a house, according to the lawsuit. He started going to Thailand in 2011, where he explored and mapped caves, the documents said.

The lawsuit explains Mr Unsworths role in the rescue, saying that on June 23, when the youngsters became trapped, several Thai officials called and asked him to go to the cave as soon as possible. He was the first foreign rescuer to arrive.

He recommended that the Thai government seek help from divers in the UK, and called friend and fellow diver Rob Harper.

Mr Harper, who had just returned from exploring Thai caves with Mr Unsworth, took two other divers, John Volanthen and Rick Stanton, to help with the rescue.

The boys, aged 11-16, were reached on July 2 by Mr Volanthen and Mr Stanton, according to the lawsuit.

Together with Mr Unsworth, Mr Harper, Mr Volanthen, and Mr Stanton put together the dive portion of the rescue plan that ultimately saved the boys, the lawsuit said.

It conceded that Mr Unsworth was not involved in the final planning stages of the rescue because he did not have enough experience to make the dive.Pope Francis shows a crucifix yesterday during the Angelus noon prayer he delivers from the window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Photo: AP

Pope Francis had a surprise for the 35,000 people in St Peter's Square - tiny crucifixes.

Speaking to pilgrims, tourists and Romans yesterday, Francis quipped that because the crucifixes were a gift, they'd need to be wary of unscrupulous types asking them to pay for it.

Those distributing the crucifixes included the Pope's official almsgiver, Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, as well as nuns, refugees and some of Rome's poor. Francis later treated the volunteers handing out the gifts to a sandwich.

He told the crowd the crucifix was "the sign of God's love".A huge trove of WikiLeaks records shows the websites founder Julian Assange sought a Russian visa as his troubles mounted.

He had just pulled off one of the biggest scoops in journalistic history, laying American diplomacy bare, but technology firms were cutting ties to his website, cable news pundits were calling for his head and a Swedish sex crime case was threatening to put him behind bars.

At that stage in 2010 the Australian wrote to the Russian Consulate in London.

I, Julian Assange, hereby grant full authority to my friend, Israel Shamir, to both drop off and collect my passport, in order to get a visa, said the letter, obtained exclusively by the Associated Press.

Expand Close Julian Assange on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London (Dominic Lipinski/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Julian Assange on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The November 30 2010 letter is part of a much larger set of WikiLeaks emails, chat logs, financial records, secretly recorded footage and other documents leaked to the AP.

The files provide an intimate look at the radical transparency organisation and an early hint of Mr Assanges budding relationship with Moscow.

The ex-hackers links to the Kremlin would become increasingly salient before the 2016 US presidential election, when the FBI says Russias military intelligence agency directly supplied WikiLeaks with stolen emails from Hillary Clintons campaign chairman and other Democratic figures.

In a statement posted to Twitter, WikiLeaks said Mr Assange never applied for the visa or wrote the letter, naming a former associate of his as the alleged source of the document.

Mr. Assange did not apply for such a visa at any time or author the document. The source is document fabricator & paid FBI informant Sigurdur Thordarson who was sentenced to prison for fabricating docs impersonating Assange, multiple frauds & pedophilllia. https://t.co/xzMfhctFx4  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) September 17, 2018

WikiLeaks has repeatedly been hit by unauthorised disclosures, but the tens of thousands of files obtained by the AP may be the biggest leak yet.

The AP has confirmed the authenticity of many of the documents by running them by five former WikiLeaks associates or by verifying non-public details such as bank accounts, telephone numbers or airline tickets.

One of the former associates, an ex-employee, identified two of the names that frequently appeared in the documents metadata  Jessica Longley and Jim Evans Mowing  as pseudonyms assigned to two WikiLeaks laptops.

All five former associates spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, in some cases because they did not want their past association with WikiLeaks to become public, and in others because they feared legal retaliation or harassment from the groups supporters.

Among other things, the documents lay out Mr Assanges campaign to avoid being arrested and extradited to Sweden over allegations that he sexually molested one woman and raped another during a trip to the country in August 2010.

He has always denied wrongdoing in the case, which he cast as a prelude to extradition to the US.

The Swedish prosecution jeopardised what at the time was WikiLeaks biggest disclosure: the publication of around 250,000 US State Department cables.

Swedish authorities issued a warrant for his arrest on November 18, 10 days before the cables exploded across the web, with bombshell revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, American spying at the UN and corruption across the Arab world.

Italys then-foreign minister, Franco Frattini, described the release as the September 11 of world diplomacy. Enraged American politicians demanded Mr Assange be treated like a terrorist.

Metadata suggests it was on November 29, the day after the release of the first batch of US State Department files, that the letter to the Russian Consulate was drafted on the Jessica Longley computer.

The AP could not confirm whether or when the message was delivered, but the choice of Mr Shamir as a go-between was significant.

Mr Assanges involvement with Mr Shamir, a fringe intellectual who once said it was the duty of every Christian and Muslim to deny the Holocaust, would draw indignation when it became public.

Mr Shamir told the AP he was plagued by memory problems and could not remember delivering the letter or say whether he eventually got the visa.

I cant possibly exclude that it happened, he said in a telephone interview. I have a very vague memory of those things.

His memory appeared sharper during a January 20 2011 interview with Russian News Service radio  a Moscow-based station now known as Life Zvuk, or Life Sound.

He said he had personally brokered a Russian visa for Mr Assange, but that it had come too late to rescue him from the sex crimes investigation.

Russia would be one of those places where he and his organisation would be comfortable operating, he said. Asked if Mr Assange had friends in the Kremlin, he smiled and said: Lets hope thats the case.A man takes pictures against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut on the waterfront of Victoria Harbour Hong Kong (Vincent Yu/AP)

Mangkhut weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern China on Monday, leaving death and destruction from Hong Kong to the Philippines.

The storm was still affecting southern Chinas coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday.

Hong Kong residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for occasional gales.

Bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were cancelled at the citys airport, one of the worlds busiest.

The South China Morning Post said Hong Kongs hospitals had to use back-up power due to outages caused by the storm.

Expand Close A fallen tree caused by typhoon Mangkhut lies at a street in Hong Kong (Vincent Yu/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A fallen tree caused by typhoon Mangkhut lies at a street in Hong Kong (Vincent Yu/AP)

Philippine and Chinese authorities said the death toll from a typhoon has risen to at least 69 with dozens missing.

A Philippine national police report said the latest death toll was 65, with 43 people missing and 64 injured. Chinese authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, Chinas manufacturing hub.

Many of the missing in the Philippines are gold miners and their families feared buried in a landslide after seeking shelter in a bunkhouse-turned-chapel in a village in Benguet province.

As of Monday morning Mangkhut was on track to pass over the Guangxi regional capital of Nanning and move toward the border with tourism powerhouse Yunnan province.

The Hong Kong Observatory reported Mangkhut was the most powerful cyclone to hit the city since 1979, packing maximum sustained gusts of 121 mph.

Expand Close Rescuers work on the site where victims were believed to have been buried by a landslide after Typhoon Mangkhut barrelled across the northern Philippines (Aaron Favila/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Rescuers work on the site where victims were believed to have been buried by a landslide after Typhoon Mangkhut barrelled across the northern Philippines (Aaron Favila/AP)

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern Chinas Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the typhoon, state media said.

Prepare for the worst, Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents.

That warning followed Mangkhuts devastating march through the northern Philippines on Saturday with sustained winds of 127 miles per hour.

Landslides caused by the pounding storm hit two villages in Itogon town in the mountain province of Benguet.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said that at the height of the typhoons onslaught on Saturday afternoon, dozens of people, mostly miners and their families, rushed into an old three-storey building in the village of Ucab.

The building  a former mining bunkhouse that had been transformed into a chapel  was obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed. Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened.

Palangdan said Monday that of the 50 feared buried there was a 99% (chance) that they really are all dead.

Palangdan said rescuers have dug out 11 bodies from a muddy mound covering the former bunkhouse.

They laughed at our policemen. They insisted. They were resisting when our police tried to pull them away. What can we do? he said.

Expand Close Broken glass from windows caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong (Vincent Yu/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Broken glass from windows caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong (Vincent Yu/AP)

Men used pikes and shovels to dig into the mud since the soaked ground was unstable and limited the use of heavy equipment on site.

Mangkhut also shattered glass windows on commercial skyscrapers, felled trees, tore scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded some areas of Hong Kong with waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

Casinos on Macau were ordered closed for the first time due to the typhoon.A bullet hole and bloodied clothing at the scene. Photo: Getty Images

A Palestinian assailant has fatally stabbed a well-known Israeli activist outside a busy mall in the West Bank.

A Palestinian assailant has fatally stabbed a well-known Israeli activist outside a busy mall in the West Bank.

The victim was identified as Ari Fuld, a US-born activist who was well-known in the local settler community and an outspoken Israel advocate on social media platforms.

The military said the attacker arrived at the mall near a junction in the southern West Bank, close to the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, and stabbed Mr Fuld before fleeing.

Video footage showed Mr Fuld giving chase and firing at his assailant before collapsing. Other civilians shot the attacker, whom Israeli media identified as a 17-year-old from a nearby Palestinian village. His condition was unclear last night.

Mr Fuld was a 45-year-old father of four.

He was known for his hard-line nationalist ideology and strong support for the militaryTexas police on Saturday arrested a veteran U.S. Border Patrol agent, who is suspected of killing four women within the past two weeks and kidnapping a fifth.

Juan David Ortiz, a 35-year-old who has worked for the Border Patrol for a decade, was found hiding in a Laredo parking lot after a woman he allegedly abducted was able to escape and alert law enforcement, officials said.

"We feel that our efforts have gathered strong evidence against this killer. Our community is safe from this killer," Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar said in a statement.

Ortiz was charged late on Saturday with four counts of murder, aggravated assault and unlawful restraint, Webb County, Texas District Attorney Isidro Alaniz said in a tweet.

It was unclear if Ortiz had an attorney or if bond was set.

The four victims' names were not immediately disclosed. Local media in Laredo, 150 miles (240 km) southwest of San Antonio, said they had been working as prostitutes.

The bodies of two of the women were discovered this month along Interstate 35 in rural northwest Webb County, the Laredo Morning Times reported, while the third and fourth were found in the same area this weekend.

A senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official, Andrew Meehan, said in a statement the agency was cooperating fully with the investigators.

While it was not agency policy to comment on the details of an ongoing investigation, Meehan said, criminal conduct by CBP employees is not, and will not be, tolerated.

"Our sincerest condolences go out to the victims' family and friends," Meehan added.The woman who accused Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault yesterday came forward to identify herself, saying she "thought he might inadvertently kill me".

Christine Blasey Ford, now a high-ranking research psychologist, initially wrote a letter to a senior Democrat detailing the circumstances of an alleged attack carried out by Brett Kavanaugh, the US president's choice for Supreme Court judge, who is just days from being confirmed in the post.

She claims that Mr Kavanaugh pinned her down on a bed at a high school party when she was just 15 and he was 17.

Ms Ford claims that he was "stumbling drunk" and tried to remove her clothes.

When she tried to scream, she alleges he put his hand over her mouth as his friend watched.

She claims she escaped from under him when his friend jumped on top of the bed and all three fell to the floor.

She says she ran from the room, briefly locked herself in a bathroom and then fled the house in Maryland where the party was taking place.

Ms Ford, who is now 51, works at Palo Alto University in California.

Yesterday, she gave her on-the-record account for the first time to 'The Washington Post'.

"I think it derailed me substantially for four or five years," Ms Ford said of the alleged incident which she had described as a "rape attempt" during a therapy session in 2012.

"He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

She said she had grappled with her sense of duty for weeks over whether to come forward and identify herself, aware she may face a backlash and was unlikely to derail his nomination, which was expected to be confirmed this week.

"Why suffer through the annihilation if it's not going to matter," she said. "Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation."

Mr Kavanaugh has strenuously denied her accusations.

"I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation," he said in a statement. "I did not do this back in high school or at any time." ( Daily Telegraph, London)Russian President Vladimir Putin says a demilitarised zone to separate Syrian forces and rebels in the Idlib region will be established by October 15.

Mr Putin made the announcement after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He said the zone will be patrolled both by Turkish forces and Russian military police.

Expand Close Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Idlib is the last bastion of Syrias rebels and concern has been high that a government assault on the city and its surroundings would be catastrophic for civilians.

Turkey has opposed such an assault.

Mr Putin said that the zone would be between nine and 12 miles wide between the two factions.Access has been restored into the city of Wilmington, which had previously been cut off by floods from former Hurricane Florence, North Carolinas top transportation official said.

Department of Transportation secretary James Trogdon said there is one major accessible route into the city of nearly 120,000 people.

Emergency workers were delivering truckloads of food and water to Wilmington as helicopters and boats pulled people from homes swamped by swollen rivers.

Expand Close A car drives through floodwaters in Wilmington (Chuck Burton/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A car drives through floodwaters in Wilmington (Chuck Burton/AP)

The deadly storm still had abundant rain and top winds around 25mph, and forecasters said it was expected to gradually pick up forward speed and complete a big turn towards the north east, which is in for as much as 6in of rain.

Flooding worries increased in West Virginia and Virginia, where roads were closed and power outages were on the rise. About 500,000 homes and businesses were in the dark.

In some places, the rain stopped after Florence moved on, and the sun peeked through, but North Carolina governor Roy Cooper urged residents evacuated from the hardest-hit areas to stay away because of closed roads and flooding.

Theres too much going on, he told a news conference.

.@NC_Governor Cooper: This is an epic storm that is still continuing; the rivers are still rising; some have not seen the worst flooding. This is a monumental disaster for NC that affects many of our people; already 17 have died, hope there is not another life lost #FlorenceNC  NC Emergency Management (@NCEmergency) September 17, 2018

The death toll climbed to at least 21 as authorities found the body of a one-year-old boy who was swept away after his mother drove into floodwaters and lost her grip on him while trying to get back to dry land, and an 88-year-old mans car was swept off a road by floodwaters.

Florence was still massive, despite being downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone from a once-fearsome Category 4 hurricane.

Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bullseye.

We continue to emphasize this danger. The rains may have ended across most of North Carolina, but rivers will continue to rise. https://t.co/uG70rN2Uuy  National Weather Service (@NWS) September 17, 2018

North Carolina emergency response officials tweeted that 23 truckloads of military meals and bottled water were delivered overnight to Wilmington, the states eighth-largest city.

One route into the city was reopened by midday on Monday, officials said.

Residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for water and other basic necessities.

County commission chairman Woody White said officials were planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city, located on a peninsula with the rising Cape Fear River to the west and more water to the east.

There is a Moderate Risk for excessive rainfall and flash flooding from Virginia to New York today due to the remnants of Florence. https://t.co/VyWINDk3xP pic.twitter.com/rJGS3hbaBn  National Weather Service (@NWS) September 17, 2018

Fears of what could be the worst flooding in the states history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, although it was not clear how many had fled or even could.

North Carolina environmental regulators said several open-air manure pits at pig farms had failed and were spilling pollution.

The Department of Environmental Quality said the earthen dam at one lagoon in Duplin County had been breached. There were also seven reports of lagoon levels going over their tops or being inundated in Jones and Pender counties. State investigators will visit the sites when conditions allow.

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal faeces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters.President Donald Trumps nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court has been thrust into turmoil after the woman accusing him of high school-era sexual misconduct told her story publicly for the first time.

Democrats immediately called for a delay in a key committee vote set for this later week and a Republican on the closely divided panel said he was not comfortable voting on the nomination without first hearing from the accuser.

Christine Blasey Ford discussed her accusation in an interview with The Washington Post.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, she told the paper. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Ms Ford, 51, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, said she was able to get away after a friend of Kavanaughs who was in the room jumped on top of them and everyone tumbled.

Expand Close President Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee (Alex Brandon/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp President Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee (Alex Brandon/AP)

Mr Kavanaugh, 53 and a federal appeals judge in Washington, on Sunday repeated an earlier denial of Ms Fords allegation.

I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time, Mr Kavanaugh said through the White House.

The allegation first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that has been in the possession of Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for some time.

The committee recently concluded four days of public hearings on the nomination and the panels Republican chairman, Chuck Grassley, scheduled a Thursday vote on whether to recommend that the full Senate confirm Mr Kavanaugh for a lifetime appointment to the nations highest court.

Democrats, led by New York Senator Chuck Schumer, immediately called for it to be postponed, though Republicans gave no indication on Sunday that they would accede to the calls by Democrats, most of whom already publicly oppose Mr Kavanaugh.

A spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee said late on Sunday that Mr Grassley is trying to arrange separate, follow-up calls with Mr Kavanaugh and Ms Ford, but just for aides to Mr Grassley and Ms Feinstein, before Thursdays scheduled vote.

But Senator Jeff Flake, a committee member, told The Washington Post and Politico in interviews on Sunday that he is not comfortable voting for Mr Kavanaugh until he learns more about the allegation.

Mr Flake is one of 11 Republicans on the committee, whose 10 Democrats all oppose Mr Kavanaugh. A potential no vote from Mr Flake would complicate Mr Kavanaughs prospects.

Another Republican member, Senator Lindsey Graham, said he is willing to hear from Ms Ford provided that it is done immediately to keep the confirmation process on track.

My statement on Judge Kavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/QGz3uUyzC9  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 16, 2018

Critics have accused the Republican Party of fast-tracking the process to get Mr Kavanaugh on the court by October 1, the first day of the autumn term.

Mr Grassley could invite Ms Ford to testify, likely in closed session before Thursday.

Mr Kavanaugh would also probably be asked to appear before senators. The panel would also likely seek testimony from Mark Judge, Kavanaughs friend and classmate who Ms Ford says jumped on top of her and Kavanaugh.

Mr Judge has denied that the incident happened.

A spokesman for Mr Grassley said Mr Kavanaugh already went through several days of hearings and has been investigated by the FBI.

The White House has accused Ms Feinstein, who revealed the letters existence late last week, of mounting an 11th hour attempt to delay his confirmation.

The White House said that the FBI has repeatedly investigated Mr Kavanaugh since the 1990s for highly sensitive positions he has held, including in the office of independent counsel Ken Starr, at the White House and his current post on the federal appeals court in Washington.

Ms Feinstein on Sunday called on the FBI to investigate Ms Fords story before the Senate moves forward on this nominee.

Mr Kavanaugh attended a private school for boys in Maryland while Ms Ford attended a nearby school.

Sixty-five women who knew Mr Kavanagh in high school defended him in a separate letter, circulated by Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, as someone who always treated women with decency and respect.Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor is slated to appear in Ayan Mukerji's directorial Brahmastra. The team has finally wrapped up the shoot in Bulgaria.

No sooner they wrapped their shoot Pooja Kapur who is the Ambassador of India to Bulgaria and Macedonia uploaded a picture of the team and captioned, "Bidding adieu to the charming and talented cast & crew of #Brahmastra. Bulgaria will miss you! #ranbirkapoor #ayanmukerji @aliaa08.."

Featured Video

While the crew was done with the first schedule, the team went on to complete the second schedule which consisted of an action sequence.

During an interview with Times of India, Marijke Desouza said "The equipment needed for this shoot is available in just six countries in the world. We have flown it down to Bulgaria from Germany. Prior to the arrival of our guests, we were rehearsing some stunts with this equipment which involves lots of safety measures,"

However, even after the release of the film's first look not much is known about the plot or the storyline. During a media interaction, Ranbir gave a glimpse of information. He said, "It is a romantic-fairytale in a supernatural format.

The film is slated to release on 15th August 2019.

Credits- PinkvillaAnother tribe has won federal approval to offer ball and dice games in Oklahoma.

This time it's the Comanche Nation . Approval of the tribe's amended Class III gaming compact is being published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.

"The compact amendments authorize the tribes to engage in certain additional class III gaming activities, provide for the application of existing revenue sharing agreements to the additional forms of class III gaming, and designate how the State will distribute revenue sharing funds," the document reads.

The tribe joins 13 others whose compacts were previously approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs . The first agreements went into effect on August 17 and craps and roulette games went live at a number of casinos that weekend.

The new games were approved at the state level in April on the expectation that they will generate more revenues. The expansion was key issue as public school teachers staged a walkout to demand more funding for schools, pay and benefits.

State lawmakers who pushed for the change anticipate an additional $22 million next year. That's on top of the revenues that tribes already share as part of their federally-approved Class III gaming compacts.

According to the Oklahoma Gaming Compliance Unit's latest report , tribes shared $113.9 million in fiscal year 2017. That was an increase of 1.44 percent from the prior year.

Since 2004, when voters approved Class III gaming , tribes have shared more than $1.25 billion with the state.

The Comanche Nation offers gaming at five locations in Oklahoma.

Forthcoming Federal Register Notice

Federal Register Notices

Join the Conversation

Related StoriesThirty years after the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act , some tribes are still waiting to benefit from the $32 billion and growing industry.

Included are a handful based in Maine. Their efforts to open casinos have long been hampered by state officials, who believe federal land claim settlements prevent the tribes from offering slot machines, card games and related offerings.

But the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians might finally be getting some help on the issue. At the direction of the Maine House, the Supreme Judicial Court has been asked to answer an important question affecting the tribe's inherent rights.

"Does the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, 480 U.S. 202 (1987) allow the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, a federally recognized Indian tribe, to conduct gambling on tribal trust land without permission to do so from the State?"

That question, as laid out in House Order 72 reads:

House Order 72 was sponsored by State Rep. Henry John Bear , who is a citizen of the Houlton Band. The bill passed by a vote of 70 to 54 on August 30.

Save the Date! The National Indian Gaming Commission will mark the 30th anniversary of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Regulatory Act at an event in Washington, D.C., on October 16, 2018.

Originally, Bear pushed for passage a broader bill that would have asked the Supreme Judicial Court to determine whether all "federally recognized Indian tribes" in Maine could engage in gaming on their homelands. But House Order 58 was killed in vote in April.

We need jobs. We want to pay our own way, Bear said during debate at the time, The Bangor Daily News reported. Thats the simple response to the question to us of why do you want to do it? Why do you want gaming?

According to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians , tribes possess the inherent authority to legalize and regulate gaming on their own lands. A year after the decision, Congress enacted IGRA to provide a national framework for dealing with casinos in Indian Country.

The provisions of any Federal law enacted after October 10, 1980, for the benefit of Indians, Indian nations, or tribes or bands of Indians, which would affect or preempt the application of the laws of the State of Maine, including application of the laws of the State to lands owned by or held in trust for Indians, or Indian nations, tribes, or bands of Indians, as provided in this subchapter and the Maine Implementing Act, shall not apply within the State of Maine, unless such provision of such subsequently enacted Federal law is specifically made applicable within the State of Maine.

The Houlton Band, however, falls under a land claim settlement which appears to bar the tribe from following IGRA -- or any other federal Indian law -- unless Congress specifically says so. The long and complicated passage from the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act follows:

The state's interpretation of the language has prompted some tribes to ask the Maine Legislature for the approval to offer more than just bingo games. Lawmakers have repeatedly refused to take action.

Some tribes also have asked voters to authorize gaming projects. Those efforts also have failed even as voters have approved two non-Indian casinos in the state

It's not clear when the Maine Supreme Judicial Court will answer the gaming question. No one responded when The Associated Press asked for comment on the issue.

Read More on the Story

Join the Conversation

Related StoriesIndians are finding it hard to figure if the petrol price cut of 1 paisa was a mere comic relief.

Petrol and diesel prices were revised today by just 1 paisa a litre each after state-owned oil companies blamed a clerical error for previously announcing a cut of up to 60 paise on petrol to Rs 77.83 a litre.

The news of the 1 paisa dip led to hilarious memes on Twitter take a look:

#1

Government to citizens, after reducing petrol prices by 60 paise pic.twitter.com/ka0kPUQ9o5  Bollywood Gandu (@BollywoodGandu) 30 May 2018

#2

Indians calculating what to do with the money theyll save after the heavy cut of 1 paisa in Petrol and Diesel prices pic.twitter.com/sI3joyBzXZ  Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) 30 May 2018



#3

Glad to reduce the fuel prices by massive 1 paisa per ltr. I request my fellow countrymen to invest the savings in real estate to buy 5 bhk flat.  Narendra Modi (@Troll_Modi) 30 May 2018



#4

Ek hafte baad result aaya hota to I would have been the topper ~ Petrol#CBSE10Thresult  The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) 29 May 2018



#5

After the marvellous one paise cut in petrol prices, the 56 inch chest has shown it's metal......

all my thoughts are rushing towards what all I can buy, house, car, chopper, etc etc from this"ek Paisa".#ekpaisekekimattumkyajano  Deepika Sihag (@Deepika_Sihag) 30 May 2018



#6

1. When you realise petrol prices have dropped

2. By 1 PAISA pic.twitter.com/iIs6KORRcO  Appurv Gupta-GuptaJi (@appurv_gupta) 30 May 2018



#7

#8

Modi Ji addressing Nation after Petrol and Diesel prices went down by full "one paisa/L" #BharatBachao

pic.twitter.com/WmTbzIcPhh  Md Asif Khan (@imMAK02) 30 May 2018



#9

When I see someone saying "full tank kardo" at petrol pump. pic.twitter.com/k37TUfx27O  Bade Chote (@badechote) 30 May 2018



#10

Petrol, Petrol, Petrol

Earlier, petrol price was Rs 75 per litre!

Even if we use 1 litre petrol/day,

Rs 75 * 30 days = Rs 2250

Now, petrol price is Rs 80/L

So, 80 * 30 = 2400

2400 - 2250 = 150

So,

Should we make

Pappu a PM to save Rs 150/month?

Kaho Dil Se,

MODI JI PHIR SE  Mahesh Vikram Hegde (@mvmeet) 30 May 2018

#11

Before petrol prices drop: The Walking Dead.

After petrol prices drop by 1 paisa: Still Walking Dead.  Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) 30 May 2018

According to the revised prices published, one litre of petrol retailed at Rs 78.42 in Delhi; Rs 81.05 in Kolkata; Rs 86.23 in Mumbai; and Rs 81.42 in Chennai, all implying a 1 paisa cut from yesterdays prices.A senior citizen who had e-shopped from a fashion portal last month did not think twice before parting with money when he got a call purportedly from a company representative with a tempting offer.

He also gave away his Aadhaar details and OTP only to find out later that he had been duped of Rs 11,000. A cheating case has been registered at MIDC police station.

The sexagenarian is a Bandra resident. On Saturday, he was at his son's office in Andheri when he got a call. "The caller said he was a representative of Jabong. He was aware of an Adidas shoe purchase that I had made from the e-commerce portal with details of the date of shopping and amount.

afp/representational image

I had no reason to not trust him. He then made an offer that if I made a fresh purchase of Rs 11,000 from the fashion portal, I'd get an expensive gift. I asked him to send me details.

He texted me a list of five expensive products of which I could choose one gift," the senior citizen said. He selected an iPhone7 from the portal and sent a screenshot of the product to the caller.

"I got a call again and was told to pay for my fresh purchase only through the digital wallet, PayTM. The caller said I would get a 40% cashback if I did so. I paid Rs 11,000 but there was no cashback.

For an hour thereafter, the caller kept me on phone. My Aadhaar number was sought to send me the iPhone7. I shared it and also the OTP I got on phone," the senior citizen said.

reuters/representational image

The phone calls wouldn't cease until evening. "The caller wanted me to pay Rs 10,000 more as GST on the iPhone7. This time, I got in touch with the customer care on phone. But the executive said no such offer existed. When I asked how the conman procured details of my purchase on Jabong, the executive said their system might have been hacked," the senior citizen said.

He complained to PayTM and demanded a refund. In an email, PayTM said the money transfer was approved as Aadhaar and OTP details were shared. The money had gone to an Allahabad Bank account in Bengal and could not be refunded.About a kilometre into the road which leads to Laddhewala in Muzaffarnagar city, a dirty signpost welcomes visitors to this small, nondescript locality.

The lanes soon start getting narrower, about four-foot-wide, between rows of concrete houses. In one sleepy corner of an alleyway, cramped between two buildings, is a solitary temple left behind by its Hindu households sometime in the early 1990s, post the Babri Masjid demolition.

Twenty six years later, this shrine is still maintained by its Muslim neighbours, who clean it daily, whitewash it every Diwali and protect it from squatters and stray animals.

toi

Meharbaan Ali, 60, a resident of Muslim-dominated Laddhewala, still remembers the days when the Hindu families had left the area in the aftermath of communal clashes. Jitender Kumar was one of my closest friends. I tried to stop him from leaving, despite the tension. But he left nevertheless, along with many other families, with the promise that they would be back some day. Since then, residents here have been taking care of the temple, said the elderly man.

There are around 35 Muslim families living in the locality currently and many of them, like Ali, are hopeful of the return of their Hindu neighbours. Locals said that around 20 Hindu households were living here at that time and the temple was built sometime around 1970.

The shrine is regularly cleaned and its walls periodically painted. We want them to come back and take control of it, said Zaheer Ahmad, another local resident.

Nadeem Khan, a former local municipal ward member, said, Locals pool in money ahead of Diwali every year to get it whitewashed. They make it a point to keep it clean every day.

The temple, however, does not have an idol. There used to be one before 1992. When the families left, they took away the idol with them too, added Ahmad, who lives next to the shrine.

The temple today is looked after by residents Gulzar Siddiqui, Pappu Bhai, Kayyuam Ahmed, Naushad, Zahid Ahmed, and Maksood Ahmed. No Hindu family lives here but if we let anyone damage their place of worship, they will lose confidence in us. We do not want that to happen which is why we look after the shrine, said Siddiqui.

TOI had earlier reported how a 59-year-old Hindu mason in Muzaffarnagars Nanheda village has been taking care of the lone 120-year-old mosque there. The village, located around 40km from the district headquarters, does not have a single Muslim family.While the rest of the country was getting ready to fall asleep last night, some of India's best minds were busy shooting off a rocket into space.

That's right. At the launchpad of Sriharikota, ISRO successfully launched a PSLV C-42 rocket into space, installing two UK satellites around earth's orbit.

On the shoulders of its trusty Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-42 or PSLV C-42, ISRO conducted a full commercial launch after several years, as both the satellites were from UK -- and there was no ISRO satellite in the mix.

Weighing 230 tonnes and standing tall at 44.4 metres, the PSLV rocket carrying two British satellites -- NovaSAR and S1-4 -- together weighing 889 kg lifted off from Sriharikota at 10:08 pm.

In just 17 minutes and 45 seconds the PSLV rocket installed both satellites in a sun-synchronous orbit 583 km above earth. This was PSLV's 44th successful launch, and third such feat by ISRO this year.

Congratulations to our space scientists! ISRO successfully launched PSLV C42, putting two UK satellites in orbit, demonstrating India's prowess in the competitive space business. @isro  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 16, 2018

ISRO Chairman K Sivan lauded the space scientists for the successful mission, while also announcing that ISRO will launch 10 satellite missions and eight launch vehicle missions over the next six months. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated ISRO scientists for the successful launch of the UK satellites last night.

With last night's launch of the two UK satellites, Antrix -- ISRO's commercial arm -- is expected to earn over Rs 200 crores. There's a total of Rs 980 crore of commercial launch revenue to be made till March 2020, as well.Attending a friend's wedding is one of the most fun and anticipated events in a person's life. However, what happens when you receive a wedding invitation from them to be present on their special day, but also expect you to shell out $3,000 for their destination wedding.

An anonymous bride-to-be, dubbed as 'bridezilla', actually expected her friends to pay the amount, but was baffled after looking at the number of RSVPs.

Unsplash

The Daily Mail reported that the woman who is thought to be living in the US, posted a rant on Facebook after her friends refused to pay to attend her destination wedding in Thailand.

She wrote "At the risk of sounding entitled... I have to vent today "When we invited our friends and family to our destination wedding in Thailand, only nine people RSVPs [sic]. Out of 150!!!"

Here is the post that went viral on social media

To accommodate their guests, the bride and her fiance decided to change their location to Hawaii. While guests could save around $1000 for this plan, they weren't sold on the idea and saw the number of RSVPs decrease. This added fuel to the fire and the bride went on to say: "When we changed the wedding to be in Hawaii, so it's within everyone's reach, only 7 of your RSVPd???"

Her post gained attention on Reddit where people commented, "At the risk or sounding entitled, your friendship is only worth the amount of money you will spend on me." Another wrote, "11 likes on the post, no other emotes. That speaks volumes about her circle of friends."If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.

SubmitThen head of the U.N.s climate science panel, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri speaks during a climate conference in Paris, Nov. 5, 2014. A court in India has ruled there is enough evidence against Pachauri to send him to trial on charges of sexual harassment. (Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)National Federation of Indian Women activists protest the brutal Rewari, Haryana, gang-rape in New Delhi, Sept. 17. A 19-year-old student was drugged and gang-raped on her way to a test-prep course in Haryana Sept. 12. (IANS photo)Heavy Police Presence at Global Climate Action Summit September 13, Two Arrested by R. Stevens text, Terry Scussel photos

Sunday Sep 16th, 2018 7:21 PM

Photos of police pushing protesters and detaining two demonstrators in front of the entrance to the Global Action Climate Summit on September 13 in San Francisco. Photos may be reproduced by not-for-profit organizations, please credit Terry Scussel.

Several hundred protesters filled streets near the Global Climate Action Summit, blocking entrances to the Moscone Center conference hall on September 13.



Two people were arrested. Demonstrators took over the street which substantially disrupted entrance into the GCAS venue.



The action was led by and in solidarity with indigenous and frontline communities protecting the earth. The Global Climate Action Summit, hosted by Governor Brown, was designed to celebrate climate achievements and encourage more action. However, because Governor Brown continues to protect billion-dollar dirty oil corporations that actively seek to undermine the necessary change, demonstrators brought their protest to the forefront of the event.Gold and Crude battle off session lows Blue Line Futures - 32 minutes ago Actionable fundamental and technical landscape for Crude, Gold, Silver and more . . .

Digesting Gains, Where is the Floor? Blue Line Futures - 37 minutes ago Actionable fundamental and technical landscape on ES, NQ, YM, RTY and more . . .

Elliott Wave View: GATO Should Extend Higher ElliottWave-Forecast - Tue Nov 9, 9:43AM CST Gatos Silver, Inc (GATO) engages in the exploration, development & production of the precious metals. It primarily explores the Silver Ores including Zinc, Lead, Copper & Gold Ores. It's flagship asses... GATO : 13.16 (+2.41%)

WASDE USDA & API Reports On Tap. The Corn & Ethanol Report 11/09/2021 The PRICE Futures Group - Tue Nov 9, 9:17AM CST We start off the day with NFIB Business Optimism Index (Oct) at 5;00 A.M., Fed Bullard Speech at 6:50 A.M., PPI MoM & YoY (Oct) and Core PPI MoM & YoY (Oct) at 7:30 A.M., Redbook YoY (06/Nov) at 7:55 A.M.,...

Grains: To Whom it May Concern Barchart - Tue Nov 9, 8:46AM CST While I will always view USDA Supply and Demand reports with a cynical eye, I do have concerns heading into Tuesday's nonsense given recent noncommercial activity in grains. ZCPAUS.CM : 5.3668 (+0.57%) ZSPAUS.CM : 11.7301 (+2.15%)Find out the emerging trends shaping the future of insurance, how to enhance customer experience using artificial intelligence and chatbots, how to personalise customer experience with technology, how to improve your business and build a workforce of tomorrow, and how to build an insurance/insurtech ecosystem to leverage the best of both worlds to deliver outcomes.

See the full program and list of speakers here.

The day will be chaired by Angus Kench, vice president of claims  Asia-Pacific, Liberty International Underwriters and national president, AILA, who will bring his considerable industry experience to facilitating the discussions.

It will conclude with a Tech Den competition where start-ups will pitch their latest solutions to a panel of independent judges to win a $20k marketing campaign with Insurance Business.

The popular Insurtech Summit sold out in 2018 - well before the event - so readers should get in early. To make the decision easier, Insurance Business is offering our valued readers access to discounted pre-launch registration pricing of $495. For a limited time only, email [email protected] with your details and the number of tickets you wish to purchase to access this offer.

The Insurtech Summit will be held at the Westin Sydney on February 28. More details at http://www.ibinsurtechsummit.com.

Register now for the Insurtech Summit 2019Residents of the towns were asked to evacuate as local fire departments rushed to control the resulting flames. Utility lines were also disabled as officials and Columbia Gas worked to ascertain the nature of the explosions.

The state fire marshals office suspected that a possible gas line over-pressurization may have occurred, causing the blasts  a notion that the National Transportation Safety Board has recently confirmed after discovering a section of pipe owned by Columbia Gas burst after too much natural gas was pumped.

Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) vice-president Frank OBrien told The Boston Globe that insurers were fielding calls on claims related to the disaster just hours after the incident.

This is the type of event that people buy insurance for, OBrien remarked. Through no fault of your own, you come home and your house is gone.

OBrien and other insurance experts have recommended a number of tips for affected homeowners to follow:

Do not return to your property until local and state officials have declared your property safe. We may have a property damage claim, OBrien said. We sure as heck dont want a life insurance claim.

Reach out to your insurance agent as soon as possible. American Insurance Association associate general counsel Jim Whittle added that homeowners should not panic if they lose any documents in the fire  they should not delay their claims and should contact their insurers regardless. Whittle also said that renters should ask their landlords about the insurance provider of their properties.

Insurers will need information, but do not worry about having to have all the documents ready following a fire. Generally speaking, the companies understand this is a stressful time, OBrien explained. Many people are not even going to have their policy number available. We get that.

Try to limit further damage to the property; consider covering the damaged area with tarp.

Save receipts, even for non-home repair expenses such as hotel costs. Document, document, document, OBrien urged.

Using your phones camera, take pictures and document the damage to your property.

Beware of fly by night contractors. Take your time and be sure you have completely vetted your contractor, suggested Florida State University professor of risk management and insurance Lynne McChristian, adding that homeowners should use a licensed contractor with a good reputation.

Related stories:

US tariffs on auto parts could lead to higher auto insurance - report

P&C insurance industry revenue soarsDuring PartnerRes first 25 years as a reinsurer, everything has changed and nothing has changed. From its roots as a pure catastrophe player, PartnerRe has dramatically evolvedor diversifiedover the years.

PartnerRe was one of the new breed of catastrophe reinsurers that set up in Bermuda after Hurricane Andrew in 1993. Today, its property-catastrophe business represents up to 5 percent of net premium, while life and health reinsurance is close to 25 percent of premium, affirmed Emmanuel Clarke, president and CEO of PartnerRe Ltd. and CEO Specialty. (See related article for Clarkes leadership lessons.)

In the early days of PartnerRes existence, property-cat premiums provided profitable returns in the double digits, Clarke recalled. But with the influx of traditional and alternative capital, and a large number of competitors, the margins have been compressed and profits are lower, he said.

While cat reinsurance used to be one of the biggest contributors to earnings for the reinsurance industry, now its a commodity, one class out of many, Clarke said. PartnerRes major profit contributors are and will continue to be generated from classes where there are more barriers to entry, where its more difficult to jump into the market, particularly for alternative capital players.

Clarke described markets with higher barriers to entry as areas where tremendous expertise is needed, where there is product complexity, both in terms of structures and duration, and, as a result, there are fewer players. In such markets, PartnerRes expertise gets paid for its value proposition, and thats where we like to play, he said.

He pointed to property or motor excess-of-loss treaty business in Europe or Asia-Pacific as a market where 70 to 100 companies are writing business. If you do some longevity business in the U.K., if you write some cyber business in the U.S. or if you do some agricultural business in other parts of the world, then youre down to a handful or a dozen players. That makes a huge difference, he said.

Todays customers look for support for their growth with customized solutions, he said. Theyre not looking for standard, one-size-fits-all solutions.

Clarke said its life, specialty and property/casualty teams are quite decentralized and theres a lot of empowerment of the teams to actually identify opportunities within each unit.

Within its specialty team, there are four units: agriculture; aviation; financial risk; and property, marine and energy. Each one of these four units are constantly on the lookout for new forms of risk, emerging risk or risk that has seen some dislocation, and where it is a good time to enter, he said. We entered the U.S. mortgage space in 2013. At that time, we were one of four companies sharing the business, and the returns were pretty high. I think today there are 40 reinsurers competing for the business.

Being the first one, among the first ones, definitely gets rewarded. To be the first one, you need to have teams of experts who are empowered, and you need to have a very agile and nimble way of working so that you can make these decisions to go big in some classes fairly quickly, he said.

Clarke said PartnerRe is growing faster in life than in non-life reinsurance because we are seeing opportunities. We have a good platform we can leverage.

Last year, PartnerRe acquired a Canadian life reinsurance company called Aurigen Capital, which is helping PartnerRe penetrate the North American market. Because were a small player in life, theres an enormous amount of potential growth for us stemming from that business, Clarke said. In June, the company acquired Claim Analytics, a Canada-based provider of predictive modeling solutions to the life insurance industry in North America.

In September 2017, PartnerRe announced a strategic cooperation agreement with RemitRadar, a London-based money transfer specialist, to capitalize on RemitRadars money transfer ecosystem, web presence and social media channels, including artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies, to develop digital insurance solutions for PartnerRes clients in new and existing markets. With this arrangement, PartnerRe is providing its insurance clients access to a new distribution channel, Clarke explained.

Another partnership was formed in February 2018 with Farmers Edge, which provides precision farming, or real-time field data for farmers and their insurers. It makes the insurance product to farmers much more attractive, much more interesting, by combining the data and the technology to insurance and reinsurance products, Clarke explained.

Its enabling us to leverage technology, bring it to our insurer clients and get people who were not insured before to buy insurance going forwardthereby helping to close the protection gap.

Private Ownership

Clarke strongly believes that PartnerRes ability to be nimble in a competitive market has been enhanced by its 2016 acquisition by EXOR, the Italian investment company and owner of Fiat Chrysler.

Reinsurance is a volatile business. We take away volatility from our clients, and we put it on our balance sheet. That model lends itself well to private ownership, where you actually focus more on long-term value creation than you do on accounting mechanics over the next quarter, he said.

A private ownership model can nurture and support client relationships over long periods of time, Clarke said. Our clients know that we are backed by [an] owner who will be around for many years to come [that] has the appetite for reinsurance as a volatility-transfer business.

Another benefit: A private company can operate with a simpler model  its lighter, leaner, quicker, with more efficient governance, compliance and reporting than a public company. It helps us be nimbler than some larger public company peers.

Pure-Play Reinsurer

Although PartnerRe wrote a limited amount of professional indemnity insurance between 2013 and 2016, it decided to exit that business in 2016 when it was purchased by EXOR, returning to its roots as a pure-play reinsurer.

We dont do direct insurance. So as a company that only writes reinsurance, we can focus 100 percent on creating reinsurance solutions for our clients that will help them to manage their volatility, optimize their capital or innovate for growth, Clarke said. Our view is that you cant be both a partner and a competitor. Our focus on reinsurance business gives us the ability to serve our clients unreservedly, without competing with them.

Clarke added: Weve seen a number of our competitors actually moving away from reinsurance to get into insurance as a form of diversification of distribution channels. We dont think this is a good recipe for success.

He said theres a great future for professional reinsurers because demand and opportunities are going to rise, despite the competition and abundant capacity.

The reinsurance winners will be those that help their clients to succeed through reinsurance solutions that both leverage their capital and expertise, while harnessing new forms of capital and technology.

In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, expanding risks such as pandemic risk, driven by globalization, and emerging risks such as cyber, driven by the rapid pace of technological advancements, mean that reinsurers are better placed as the ultimate holders of risk, he said.

It will be increasingly important to have strong reinsurers at the end of the risk chain. The key to success for PartnerRe  and its customers  is to respond quickly to the evolving risk landscape, Clarke said.

The winning reinsurance model is one that is dedicated to helping insurance companies succeed. For that, you need to embrace and harness data and technology, Clarke added. PartnerRes new Claim Analytics helps life insurers study, model and detect fraud in disability claims.

Clarke said his biggest challenge as CEO is keeping on top of the constant evolution within the business  about how you make your company better and better every day.

This means keeping in mind that what has worked in the past may not work in the future, and then constantly steering the company to where its value proposition is rewarded. Reinsurers need to constantly adapt and anticipate our clients needs, he said.

Without customer centricity, you can lose touch with the benefits your products provide, he said. Thats why a big part of his role is meeting clients. I really enjoy doing this, and I always take a lot away from our client meetings in terms of whats on their minds, what their concerns are  and what strategies they are pursuing. This helps us understand that what we provide is in sync with their agenda.

Culture of Innovation

Its also the CEOs job to foster a culture of initiative and innovation, Clarke said. If you have a culture of initiative, you will have innovation. I dont believe in ivory tower research and development (R&D) teams who sit in a corner, unconnected to the business owners. Innovation has to come from people who lead the business.

The responsibility of leadership is to set the conditions, so that people will feel safe and encouraged to actually take some measured risk, he said.

The reason for such innovations, and for partnerships like Remit and Farmers Edge, is to grow where new opportunities exist, and to pull back when competition gets too intense.

Clarke is pleased with the progress the company has made growing its specialty book and contracting its cat book, which proved to be the right call and explains our outperformance in 2017.

In 2017, a year of big catastrophes around the world and probably the costliest year on record when it comes to cat losses, we had one of the best results out of all the reinsurance companies, with a combined ratio of 103 percent, he said. It was a significant achievement.

PartnerRe has done a lot to establish its vision, conjure a strategy, bring in new talent and improve efficiencies. Theres been more change during the past two years inside PartnerRe than theres been during the past 10. PartnerRe began as an answer to a need, as a pure cat reinsurer in 1993, when ceding companies were clamoring for capacity.

Todays clients still need cat capacity to smooth volatility, but Clarke said they also want long-term reinsurance partners These partners would help provide customized solutions and help customers grow their business by developing products in new and old markets.

With such customer focus, PartnerRe will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in another 25 years, he said.

Topics Mergers Excess Surplus InsurTech Reinsurance Agribusiness PropertyThere will soon be a new specialty insurance site that promises to quicken and simplify transactions for U.S. insurance brokers who are serving small and medium sized businesses.

Vindati, a New York-based managing general agency (MGA), will be offering brokers across the country a way to access specialty products and market analytics through either traditional or digital channels.

Vindati is focused on delighting the broker as the customer like never before, said Hugh Burgess, CEO of Vindati, and a former executive with Allianz.

The platform is backed by Innovisk Capital Partners in which Willis Towers Watson is a majority investor.

The vindati.com website is not yet running but is expected to be soon.

Vindatis first products will be contractors equipment, builders risk and farm/ranchowners packages. It is planning to later add commercial auto, motor truck cargo and warehouse legal.

The founders say the platform will be open to any broker in the U.S.  traditional or digital  that is looking for a better way to transact business. Brokers can bypass old technology and data to quote an entire portfolio of insurance clients instantaneously.

This is a really important shift, Burgess told Insurance Journal. Servicing large businesses is increasingly complex, which requires a personal touch, but for small business, the trend is simple, tech-driven automation  which is exactly what we set out to create.

Brokers may choose how to connect and place business with Vindati  either through emailed ACORD forms, digital broker channels such as Ask Kodiak, or directly on the Vindati shopping platform.

Whichever way a broker connects, Vindati promises instant customizable and bindable quotes as well as proposals and policies on demand.

Burgess says that Vindati is bringing together the best combination of insurance and technology expertise, along with distribution channel and data and analytical experts, to uncomplicate processes and deliver outstanding user experiences.

The backer, London-based Innovisk, was launched in June as a limited liability partnership with a plan to seed a number of start-up underwriters in personal and specialty commercial lines business. David Thomas is CEO of Innovisk. He is a former executive with Willis and was CEO of London-based Acapalla, a venture with Pembroke.

Innovisk already has several underwriting partners including New York-based program manager Freberg Environmental and Florida-based Vertus in the U.S. and PFLA and Aqueous in the UK.

Technology and data are fundamentally reshaping the value chain in insurance and bringing risk closer to capital, said Thomas. Historically the industry has often been costly, and inflexible data flows tend to be poor. New solutions and new thinking are required.

Willis Towers Watson is a majority investor in Innovisk. Carl Hess, head of Investment, Risk and Reinsurance, Willis Towers Watson, said his firm sees tremendous change in the industry value chain driven by technology and data and views Innovisk as an opportunity to take on a role in that shift as an arms-length investor.

The Vindati company name is derived from the Italian words Vincente (winning) and Dati (data). As defined in Hindi, Vindati also means to find. Finding winning data: thats what Vindati says it does for its broker customers.

Technology and data are fundamentally reshaping the value chain in insurance and bringing risk closer to capital.

Topics Agencies USA Excess Surplus TechFlorida businesses could see another significant rate decrease in workers compensation rates next year if Florida regulators approve the latest filing from the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI).

But the trend of lower rates may not last for long as two-year-old Florida Supreme Court decisions begin to catch up with insurer loss experience.

NCCI, the licensed rating organization authorized to make rate filings on behalf of workers compensation insurance companies in Florida, has filed for a statewide decrease of 13.4 percent with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, which is now reviewing the filing. The new rates would become effective Jan. 1, 2019.

If approved, it would be the third decrease in workers compensation rates since two 2016 Florida Supreme Court decisions initially spurred a 2017 increase of 14.5 percent.

NCCI said in its 2019 filing summary that the rate filing is based on experience data as of year-end 2017 from policy years 2015 and 2016, which show continued significant improvement in loss experience, and before the cases Castellanos v. Next Door Company and Westphal v. City of St. Petersburg were decided by the Florida Supreme Court. Those decisions created panic in the workers compensation space because they undid a primary cost-reduction component of reforms passed by Florida lawmakers in 2003.

In the Castellanos decision, the states high court found the states mandatory attorney fee schedule unconstitutional as a violation of due process under both the Florida and United States Constitutions. In the Westphal decision, the court found the 104-week statutory limitation on temporary total disability benefits unconstitutional because it said it causes a statutory gap in benefits. The court reinstated a previous 260-week limitation.

In 2016, [the Supreme Court decisions] resulted in changes to the Florida workers compensation landscape, NCCI said. However, the favorable loss experience in policy years 2015 and 2016 has more than offset the combined cost increases that have emerged from those court decisions.

NCCI said 50 percent of the data analyzed for the 2019 rate filing relates to policies that became effective after the Castellanos and Westphal decisions, and these decisions are now exerting upward pressure on system costs, and will continue to influence Florida workers compensation rates.

The 2017 policy year will be the first full year since Castellanos, but NCCI said the full effects of that decision will not materialize for several years to come.

NCCI said the workers compensation reforms passed in 2003, namely the caps on attorney fees that were instituted and found unconstitutional in 2016 by the Florida Supreme Court, had led to a 60 percent reduction in rates by 2015.

Emerging Impact of Court Decisions

OIR requested when it approved a 9.5 percent rate decrease in Nov. 2017 that NCCI include an assessment of the emerging impact of the Castellanos decision on Floridas workers comp marketplace as part of its 2019 filing. NCCI said in doing so, it reviewed insurance company feedback, the change in claimant attorney fees, and the change in loss experience that has occurred since the Castellanos decision.

To date, observed system changes in each of these areas are directionally consistent with NCCIs initial assessment of how the Castellanos decision would impact the Florida marketplace, NCCI said.

Most insurers said they experienced claim cost increases since the Castellanos decision, NCCI said.

Some insurers reported that litigated claims now represent a relatively larger portion of their book of business, and companies are adjusting their case reserves because of Castellanos.

For claimant attorney fees, NCCI reported that data from the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings showed a 13 percent increase in the ratio of claimant attorney fees to benefit and settlement amounts in 2014 and 2015, a 15 percent increase in 2016, and a 19 percent increase in 2017. NCCI said through June 2018, claimant attorney fees represent almost 22 percent of benefit and settlement amounts.

Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis said the potential significant rate decrease was welcome, but noted: We must keep a vigilant eye on Floridas workers compensation insurance marketplace to make certain we dont return to the age of skyrocketing rates.

Logan McFaddin, regional manager of the Property Casualty Insurers Association (PCI), said the NCCI data does not include the lingering impact of the Castellanos decision, which will not materialize for a few more years.

Topics Trends Florida Workers' Compensation Pricing TrendsTexas Workers Compensation Commissioner Cassie Brown has turned in the keys to a secure warehouse that the Division of Workers Compensation (DWC) has used since 1992 to store injured employee claims. The 24,000-square-foot building that housed rows and rows of floor to ceiling racks, filled to the brim with claim files, now sits empty.

Two years ago, DWC began a massive project to digitize injured employee claims files going back 26 years. The project saves DWC $300,000 a year in storage costs, improves data security, and makes it faster and easier to fulfill records requests from the public. Until now, as many as two million claim files were only available on paper.

From the very beginning, the goal was to use new ideas and approaches to improve customer service while reducing costs, Brown said in the agencys announcement. This project has done both.

All of DWCs individual claims files are now available digitally.

Topics Texas Claims Workers' CompensationA new natural gas leak was discovered in the Boston area just two days after a series of pipeline explosions killed one person, injured more than 25 and prompted Massachusetts to declare a state of emergency.

The latest leak was confirmed just before 11 a.m. local time (Saturday, Sept. 15) and firefighters were preventing people from walking in the area, the local CBS Television affiliate reported. Eversource Energy said the breach was unrelated to the recovery and restoration work it was appointed to carry out by Governor Charlie Baker.

Bakers selection of the New England utility was a rebuke to NiSource Inc., which owns the pipeline system that erupted and was criticized by Baker for an inadequate response to the Thursday blasts.

We heard one thing, and something else happened, Baker said during a media briefing. Declaring a state of emergency gave the state authority to decide who would oversee the response, he said.

NiSource spokesman Ken Stammen said he couldnt provide any details on Saturdays leak. During a Saturday afternoon media briefing, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said a pressure surge on the pipelines preceded the blasts, confirming earlier accounts by local law enforcement.

Steve Bryant, president of NiSources Columbia Gas unit, apologized for Thursdays incident, saying it was the sort of thing that a gas distribution company hopes never happens. He rejected Bakers accusation that the company didnt respond quickly enough.

Theres no one else who could have acted on this more rapidly than we did, Bryant said.

NiSource lost 12 percent of its value on Friday for the deepest collapse in 16 years.

Columbia Gas has had seven violations totaling $100,000 since 2010, according to an email from Peter Lorenz, communications director for Massachusettss Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The violations included inadequate gas standards, improper pressure testing and failing to follow procedures and federal pipeline safety regulations.

The blasts erupted Thursday afternoon in the towns of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. Massachusetts State Police reported 39 incidents.

Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera blasted Columbias response in a news conference Friday, saying the company was the last to act and accused the company of not wanting to foot the bill.

Leonel Rondon, an 18-year-old from Lawrence, died after an explosion sent a chimney crashing into his car, the Associated Press reported. Thirteen people were treated at Lawrence General Hospital for injuries, officials said.

One person remained in critical condition and was transported to a Boston trauma center, officials said during a press conference. Another was in serious condition, they said.

Columbia said in a statement that crews would visit each of the 8,600 affected customers to shut off gas meters and carry out safety inspections. Bryant said every home would be visited by the end of the weekend. As of 6 a.m. Saturday, crews had shut off 4,536 meters and it is anticipated that all would be shut by the end of the day, Eversource said in a tweet.

Since 2007, units of NiSource have had at least five explosions on pipeline networks, in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Louisiana, according to news reports.

Aging Infrastructure

National Grid Plc, which operates the electric utility in the area, was asked to shut power to all of Lawrence, North Andover and pockets of Andover, spokeswoman Christine Milligan said. The supply cuts were affecting almost 15,000 customers as of 1 p.m., National Grid said on its website.

In April, Columbia Gas filed a petition with the states Department of Public Utilities to increase annual revenues by $24.1 million in part to help the company replace aging infrastructure. All three towns were listed as areas where neighborhood lines would be replaced, the utility said on its website Thursday.

Replacing leak-prone infrastructure is a leading priority, the utility said in April. However, it will take a number of years to eliminate the aging pipe from the gas distribution system.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics MassachusettsThe Professional Insurance Agents of New York (PIANY) has elected Jamie A. Ferris as president at a meeting of the associations board of directors at PIANY headquarters in Glenmont, N.Y.

Ferris is president of P.W. Wood & Son Inc. in Ithaca, N.Y.

As an active member of PIANY, Ferris served as president-elect in 2017 to 2018, vice president in 2014 to 2017 and as secretary in 2013 to 2014. He currently is vice president of the Government Affairs and Nominations Committees and is a member of the Executive/Budget & Finance and Benefits & Services Committees. Ferris also is a member of the Glenmont National Alliance Committee and is vice chairperson of the associations Southern Tier Advisory Council.

PIANY is a trade association representing professional, independent insurance agencies, brokerages and their employees throughout the state.

Source: Professional Insurance Agents of New York

Topics Agencies New YorkGermanys Volkswagen is in talks with other carmakers to set common standards for self-driving vehicle technology, Automotive News reported on Friday.

The Volkswagen Group is discussing the initiative with more than 15 potential partners, according to the report, which cited an anonymous company executive. It did not identify any of the other companies involved.

Carmakers, suppliers and technology companies are already investing more than 55 billion euros ($64 billion) globally in autonomous driving, consulting firm AlixPartners estimates.

Manufacturers including BMW have indicated they would welcome common standards on aspects of self-driving cars including the configuration of their sensors.

By pooling such blueprints, they could hope to reduce costs as well as their individual accident liabilities in relation to shared technological choices.

Contacted by Reuters, a Volkswagen spokesman declined to comment on the Automotive News report, but added: We always look for partnerships.

($1 = 0.8551 euros) (Reporting by Jan Schwartz and Laurence Frost; Editing by Mark Potter)

Topics Auto Autonomous VehiclesAn Australian unit of German insurer Allianz SE sold travel insurance that misleadingly promised unlimited emergency medical cover wherever people were even though the policies had limits on both cost and location, a misconduct inquiry heard on Monday.

The Royal Commission, which can recommend criminal prosecutions and tougher regulations, is now investigating the insurance industry. It has already found widespread wrong-doing in the consumer credit, rural lending, small business banking and pension sectors.

The inquiry heard that Allianzs website led people to believe the firm offered unlimited cover for emergency medical services overseas, when in fact the cover had a A$1,000 ($715) limit, and that cover applied wherever they traveled, when there were restrictions on locations covered.

Under questioning, Allianzs general manager of retail distribution Michael Winter, said it had misled clients who purchased travel insurance products through its website.

The policies had been sold on Allianzs website since December 2015 and, even though the firms solicitors raised concerns about the advertising claims at that time, were only removed earlier this year.

Documents submitted at the inquiry showed Allianz declined a suggestion by its solicitors to spend up to A$30,000 in a thorough review of the whole website.

This is demonstrative, I want to put to you, of Allianz not prioritizing compliance, and compliance with the law, said Rowena Orr, a lawyer assisting the inquiry, and Winter agreed.

At Allianz, its more important to protect the bottom line than to stop misleading your customers, Orr said.

In this instance, yes, Winter said. I dont think its more important to protect the bottom line. I think it should absolutely be more important to protect the customer.

Allianz told the corporate regulator in August that it had sold over 2 million travel insurance policies during the period from December 2015 till June 2018, including about 10 percent through direct sales. It told the inquiry on Monday it had not yet contacted affected customers about any remediation.

Earlier, Australias biggest listed wealth manager AMP Ltd said it had charged life insurance premiums to dead customers even after concerns over the practice were raised by a staff member.

AMPs disclosures heaped further pressure on one of the countrys biggest financial institutions which previously revealed it had charged thousands of customers for financial advice it never gave, then doctored a supposedly independent report to the corporate regulator about it.

AMP is not the only major Australian company to admit to charging dead client accounts. Commonwealth Bank of Australia and National Australia Bank Ltd, the nations No.1 and No.4 lenders, have told the inquiry they engaged in similar practices.

AMPs shares finished 1.9 percent higher on Monday in a broader market that gained 0.3 percent. But they are down about 30 percent since evidence of poor business practices began to emerge in April.

The insurance sector is loosely regulated in Australia with no formal regulator. Australias regulators have come in for criticism at the inquiry and are under pressure to demonstrate they are reining in the finance sector amid daily revelations of misconduct by firms.

Later this week, the inquiry will explore whether the insurance industrys largely self-regulatory regime should continue.

($1 = 1.3976 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Paulina Duran; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Topics Allianz AustraliaAn unprecedented legal move by MGM Resorts International to sue surviving victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting took another unusual turn last week when the casino-operator offered to make $500 charitable donations in the name of each person who waives or has their lawyer accept legal notice of the lawsuits.

The move is part of MGMs attempt to have a federal judge hear the cases and declare that the casino-operator has no liability for the mass shooting at one of its properties under a law enacted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The law limits damages against entities that implement security measures approved by federal officials.

MGM has insisted its lawsuits, which dont demand money, are meant to avoid years of costly litigation.

The mass shooting occurred Oct. 1 at an outdoor music festival when a high-stakes gambler opened fire from the Mandalay Bay casino-resort, killing 58 people and injuring more than 800 others attending the show.

The company sued more than 1,900 people in July and has been working to notify the defendants.

MGM says it would rather make the donations to charities supporting survivors or families of slain victims than spend the money to pay people to serve the legal notices.

The money spent on personal service of process _ up to $250 per person _ could be better directed to do some affirmative good, MGMs attorneys wrote in the letter shared with The Associated Press.

If the offers are not accepted, we will personally serve the complaints courteously and respectfully, MGM spokeswoman Debra DeShong said.

Attorneys representing some of the victims did not immediately return messages seeking comment. They have until Friday to notify MGM of a decision.

The defendants in the lawsuits are people who previously sued the company and voluntarily dismissed their claims and those who have threatened to sue.

MGM has cited a 2002 federal law that limits liability when a company or group uses services certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The company argues that the security vendor for the outdoor venue in Las Vegas was federally certified at the time of the attack.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics LawsuitsApple Inc.s new watch is the latest proof: Big Tech is trying to remake health care in its own image.

The device, introduced at a splashy launch event this week, can call for help after a fall. It can monitor heartbeats for dangerous conditions. It can do an electrocardiogram, a test that monitors for a common abnormal heart rhythm and is usually done by a doctor.

For the iPhone maker, its the boldest foray so far into personal health. Apple has already pushed the use of its mobile devices for health tracking and medical research, and recently added a feature that can connect to some hospital medical-records systems.

With iPhones and other mobile devices in the hands of more people than ever, the stakes couldnt be higher. Tech giants such as Apple, Amazon.com Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Google have to figure out, now that they are among the biggest companies in the world with some of the worlds most ubiquitous brands, how to get even bigger.

The business of keeping people well is a logical frontier. Health care accounts for about 18 percent of U.S. economic output and still often relies on antiquated tools like fax machines, making it an enticing opening for tech behemoths looking for new terrain to conquer.

Already, the companies are in deep. Apple is tracking vital signs. Amazon bought its way into the pharmacy business while joining with two powerful partners to remake worker health coverage. Google parent Alphabet Inc. wants to help make you live longer.

There are reasons for skepticism. Apples new pulse-monitoring tools could trigger false positives and panics, some analysts worry. Amazon and its partners hired a famous surgeon CEO for their worker health plan, but building it out could take years.

Still, the companies are moving ahead at breakneck speed. It can be hard to keep track of developments. Heres where things stand:

Amazon has its tentacles everywhere. Its working on the employee-health venture with JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Earlier this year, it paid $1 billion for online pharmacy PillPack after months of speculation about its plans to shake up the prescription-drug business.

Meanwhile, hospitals, doctors and dentists offices have helped propel Amazon Business to $10 billion in annual sales. The unit sells everything from latex gloves and patient bed liners to specialized dental tools and medical devices. Customers include more than half of the 100 biggest hospital networks in the country, the company said Wednesday.

Amazon Web Services, the cloud-computing division, offers tools that can be used to move from paper to electronic medical records and help genomics researchers store and analyze vast amounts of data. Cloud computing lets customers ramp up processing power for trials and modeling only when they need it, allowing them to conduct tests more cost-effectively.

Googles parent company made a $375 million investment in the health-insurance startup Oscar Health this year. Alphabet has two distinct health-focused companies that are big and established enough to have their own CEOs (though just how big isnt clear, as Alphabet doesnt report their revenue).

One, called Calico, has a team of biologists, doctors and drug developers that are focused on understanding the process of aging, with the very Silicon Valley goal of extending life spans. The second, Verily, is working on new ways to collect and use health data, such as a contact lens that monitors glucose levels. DeepMind, Googles main artificial-intelligence company, also has a significant health-care division.

Additionally, Google has special cloud storage, email and file-sharing products that are HIPAA-compliant. Google Fit is a suite of tools for Android phones that developers can use to build health-tracking apps, just like Apple Health. And dont forget the core search product. The company has been working to improve Dr. Google ever since people typed what does a heart attack feel like? into their browsers. Google now has a special team of doctors who help make sure results for common questions offer accurate information.

After Microsoft axed a fitness band and sold an earlier health-software group to General Electric Co., the software giant is trying to sell hospitals, drugmakers and doctors software, cloud processing and artificial-intelligence services for more personalized medical care.

The company has demonstrated speech- and language-recognition software for a triage bot and unveiled tools for monitoring whether a patient sticks with a treatment plan that work with rivals fitness trackers. Microsofts Azure cloud-computing service is working with St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital to harness the processing muscle of the cloud for computing-intensive genetic analysis.

Microsofts research labs are also looking into how to use machine learning to better target cancer therapies and to detect cancers or other potentially fatal medical conditions earlier.

Ride-hailing unicorns Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. are also seeking a slice of the health-care pie. The companies say being able to summon a car for patients makes them more likely to show up for appointments.

Beyond big tech, General Electric, the old-school manufacturer of lightbulbs and jet engines, is a major player in the medical-device space. Its health-care arm, which is expected to be spun off into a stand-alone company, makes everything from cloud-connected MRI scanners to artificial-intelligence software to wireless fetal monitors.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics InsurTech Tech AmazonHomeowners insurance companies are faring rather well when it comes to customer satisfaction. Consultants at J.D Power think the carriers investments in improved digital channels and bundled products that combine are paying off the highest levels of customer satisfaction in the history of their study.

However, whether insurers can maintain these high levels of customer satisfaction will continue to be tested by the growing crop of insurtech start-ups capitalizing on digital-only offerings, according to the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Home Insurance Study.

Despite experiencing record property losses due to severe hurricanes, floods and fires, home insurers have managed to win the hearts and minds of their customers through superior service and access to information, said Robert Lajdziak, business consultant for the North American Insurance Practice at J.D. Power. But insurers should note that the preference for digital channel interaction has notably increased for several years, across all types of interactions and all generations of customers. That evolving consumer preference could provide an opening for digital-native insurtech companies.

According to an earlier J.D. Power survey, one-in-five consumers say they would use Amazon or Google for their home insurance. most of those who took the survey (80 percent) already have insurance with a large national carrier.

Both Google and Amazon have been previously pegged as potential insurance market entrants. Amazon is reported to be feeling out Europes top insurance firms to see if they would contribute to a U.K. price comparison website for as-of-yet unnamed products.

While all of that may be an ongoing challenge, right now the survey shows record-high customer satisfaction. Overall customer satisfaction scores have reached an all-time high of 818 (on a 1,000-point scale) among homeowners (+10 points from 2017) and 839 among renters (+5 from 2017). J.D. Power says this is driven by an increase in the proportion of customers who bundle policies and improvements in digital interaction channels.

The report also says there is a growing consumer preference for doing business digitally. Preference for using digital channels for interaction has increased significantly from 2017, across a wide range of interaction types ranging from payment verification and billing inquiries to policy renewals and price quotes. While the increased digital preference is evident in all generational groups of home insurance customers, it is most preferred by Gen Y1 and Gen Z homeowners.

Bundling remains a winner, according to the survey. Customers who have multiple policies with a single home insurer have higher satisfaction and are more likely to advocate on behalf of their carrier. Overall satisfaction among customers with six or more bundled insurance products averages 863, which is 111 points higher than among those who have just one home insurance product. Likewise, the average Net Promoter Score2 among customers with six or more bundled products is 58, which is 52 points higher than among those who only have one home insurance product.

J.D. Power says auto insurance represents bundling opportunity: While products related to the home, such as secondary residence insurance, umbrella policies, and valuable possessions insurance, are frequently bundled with home insurance policies, auto insurance remains an outlier. Presently, 20% of home insurance customers who also have auto insurance do not bundle their auto policy with a home policy, representing a growth opportunity for home insurers.

The U.S. Home Insurance Study examines overall customer satisfaction with two distinct personal insurance product lines: homeowners and renters. Satisfaction in the homeowners and renters insurance segments is measured by examining five factors: interaction; policy offerings; price; billing process and policy information; and claims. The study is based on responses from 14,122 homeowners and renters via online interviews conducted in June-July 2018.

Related:

Topics Carriers InsurTech Tech HomeownersTexas Mutual Insurance Company, a policyholder-owned company, recently awarded a dividend of $1,060,313 to the Lone Star Auto Dealers Association (LSADA) safety group, which includes franchised auto, truck, RV, boat and motorcycle dealerships.

This years dividend from Texas Mutual brings the total dividend payout for LSADA to more than $9 million.

Since 1999, Texas Mutual has distributed nearly $219 million in dividends to qualifying safety groups. Many group members also qualify for individual policyholder dividends from Texas Mutual based largely on their companies loss ratios. In total, the company has paid $2.5 billion to policyholders across the state.

The dividends, which are based on performance and therefore arent guaranteed, depend on the group members dedication to making safety a priority in their businesses as well as keeping the groups loss ratio low. Additionally, dividends must comply with Texas Department of Insurance regulations.

In addition to potential dividends, safety group members receive discounts on their workers compensation premiums and have exclusive access to free workplace safety materials that are relevant to their industry. Texas Mutual offers more than 2,000 free safety resources, including 200 e-Learning online modules, to help keep their workers safe.

Source: Texas Mutual

Topics Texas AutoThe South Carolina Department of Insurance has issued two Hurricane Florence-related notices to all property and casualty insurers doing business in the state.

SCDOI Director Ray Farmer issued an emergency regulation Friday designed to protect insurance consumers as they recover from Hurricane Florence, according to a statement from SCDOI.

The emergency regulation imposes a 60-day moratorium on cancellations for nonpayment of premiums and on nonrenewals for insureds directly impacted by Hurricane Florence. The 60-day moratorium began Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 and ends Nov. 13, 2018.

This emergency regulation will help South Carolinians by giving them some extra time to focus on their family and immediate needs before worrying about insurance notices or paperwork, said Farmer.

Concurrent with the regulations issuance, Farmer also issued Emergency Order 2018-EO-001 ordering persons licensed or authorized to transact the business of insurance in South Carolina to comply with the requirements of Emergency Regulation 69-79. The emergency regulation provides a number of other protections for consumers, including:

Requiring insurers to consider exceptions to proof of loss deadlines and contract or underwriting requirements for those insureds directly impacted by Hurricane Florence.

Prohibiting insurers from canceling or nonrenewing policies solely because of claims resulting from Hurricane Florence.

Suspending late payment, reinstatement, or insufficient funds fees along with any other fee, penalty, or interest charge resulting from an insureds temporary inability to submit premium payments for those insureds directly impacted by Hurricane Florence.

Allowing insureds to request a duplicate copy of their policy at no additional cost.

Permitting claims payments to be made via prepaid debit card or electronic transfer provided certain conditions are met.

Requiring one early or replacement prescription refill.

For purposes of this regulation, an insured directly impacted by Hurricane Florence means the insured has experienced emergency conditions that make it difficult for the insured to timely act or respond to insurance notices, documentation requests or timely pay premiums.

On Sept. 13, South Carolina Director of Insurance Ray Farmer sent a notice to all property and casualty insurance companies authorized to do business in the state, including eligible surplus lines insurers and companies that write private/and or excess flood insurance coverage.

requiring to respond to a data call for claims relating to Hurricane Florence for South Carolina policies. The first report is due Oct. 1, 2018 for claims reported as of Sept. 26, 2018. Reports will be required weekly until April 8, 2019.

Data must be submitted at the zip code level, with a breakdown of claims data by zip code and the name of the corresponding city or town for each zip code provided. A copy of the data call spreadsheet template and instructions can be downloaded from the SCDOI website.

Farmer previously issued a bulletin allowing carriers to initiate an emergency adjuster process. That means temporary non-resident adjusters can assist with handling claims in the state in the aftermath of the storm.

Source: SCDOI

Related:

Topics Carriers Catastrophe Natural Disasters Legislation Claims Agribusiness Hurricane South Carolina Data DrivenMonday, Sept. 17, 2018, 9:55 am  Record-setting, still-rising floods covering much of eastern North Carolina are preventing companies, regulators and environmental groups from making a comprehensive assessment of damage from Hurricane Florence.

On Monday, bucketing rains and tornado warnings continued to bedevil both Carolinas as the storm moves northeast, while many rivers are still days from cresting. North Carolina will be dealing with flooding for at least two weeks, said Wylie Quillian, a National Weather Service hydrologist.

At least 17 people were killed in the storm, according to Associated Press, and almost a half-million homes and businesses are without power. Florences remnants were about 125 miles (200 kilometers) west-southwest of Roanoke, Virginia, at 5 a.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The coastal city of Wilmington was cut off by the disaster  officials are planning to bring in hospital and other emergency personnel by air  and hundreds of search-and-rescue boats cruised inundated streets in the states sodden east Sunday. About 496,037 homes and businesses from Virginia to South Carolina were without electricity early Monday as a result of the storm, according to utility websites.

Questions Abound

Officials dont yet know the full effect of the hurricane on the regions massive industrial agriculture complexes, or how long it will take to restore power. They dont know the extent of any environmental damage from a Duke Energy Corp. coal-ash spill and a wastewater discharge in Wilmington. Nor is it clear whether efforts to drain waste-processing facilities for North Carolinas hog farms succeeded before rainfall that reached 40 inches in places.

Theres a lot of damage in the hardest hit areas, David Fountain, Duke Energy Corp.s North Carolina president, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. Its really going to take a while for the floodwaters to recede so that we can get in and conduct our damage assessment.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation advised motorists not to travel through the state because several stretches of Interstate 95 and Interstate 40 are flooded.

The storm also affected rails. Nine locomotives and five rail cars derailed from a CSX Corp. train near Lilesville about 6 p.m. Sunday. The two-person crew operating the 125-car train was treated for minor injuries, and diesel fuel and motor oil leaked from the locomotives, CSX said. The cause is being investigated.

North Carolina had more than 1,000 search-and-rescue personnel out and more than 2,000 boats and 36 helicopters were either deployed or available to help stranded residents, Michael Sprayberry, the states director of emergency management, said Sunday on ABCs This Week.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said the death toll could rise alongside the angry waters.

The dead range in age from 7 months to 81 years. Five were killed when their vehicles lost control on flooded roads, a mother and her baby died when a tree fell on their Wilmington home and a couple perished from carbon-monoxide poisoning after using a generator inside their coastal South Carolina home as the storm lashed the region.

The storm, now a tropical depression, is expected to accelerate Tuesday. Parts of the Mid-Atlantic as far north as southern New York and New England are set to receive additional rainfall, and a few tornadoes are possible in the region stretching from northeastern South Carolina to southern Pennsylvania on Monday.

Rainfall totals for southeast North Carolina will probably be close to 40 inches (102 centimeters) and 20 inches elsewhere in the region. More than 30 rivers in North Carolina have flooded and at least 15 are at major flooding level, according to the Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network website.

Florence is expected to cause about $22 billion in economic losses based on new model estimates, said Chuck Watson, a disaster modeler for Enki Research in Savannah, Georgia. Typically, a storm Florences size would cause about $12 billion in losses.

Florence is still trying to crack the top 10 U.S. storms, and with all the post-storm flooding might well make it, Watson said.

Flooded Farms

The states 4,000 hog lagoons are holding out, even though huge swaths of farmland in the states eastern corner are under water, Governor Roy Cooper said. The lined earthen pits that hold waste had been a major environmental concern as the flood waters rose.

We are closely monitoring hog lagoons, and we havent had any reports of issues, Cooper said in a briefing Sunday.

However, some experts cast doubt. The counties most severely affected are major farming areas, with some barely above sea level, said Professor Mark Sobsey of the environmental sciences department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality plans to try early this week to inspect the damaged Duke Energy landfill in Wilmington near the Cape Fear River, spokeswoman Megan Thorpe said. A breach spilled about 2,000 cubic yards of coal ash  enough to fill about two-thirds of an Olympic-sized pool  which can carry arsenic, mercury, lead and selenium.

Dukes Fountain said the company is confident most material was contained and in the safety of the public and the environment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has received unverified reports of wastewater releases from sewer-main breaches and other systems, but cant conduct its own assessment yet, the agency said Sunday. In Wilmington, an estimated 5.25 million gallons of partially treated wastewater spilled into the Cape Fear from a treatment plant when two generators failed Friday.

Still Rising

Waterkeeper Alliance, an environmental watchdog group, hopes to conduct an aerial survey to assess waterways for toxic spills from lagoons. More than 60 swine operations house more than 235,000 hogs that generate almost 202 million gallons of waste per year within the coastal floodplain, according to the group.

South Carolina is waiting for the deluge to drift downstream from its northern neighbor. The water is coming our way, McMaster said in a briefing Sunday.

The question is, how high will the water be, and we just do not know, he said.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Flood Agribusiness North Carolina Pollution South CarolinaSeptember 17, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) A Canaccord Genuity report provided an update on the Idaho project.

In a Sept. 11 research note, analyst Eric Zaunscherb with Canaccord Genuity reported that eCobalt Solutions Inc. (ECS:TSX; ECSIF:OTCQX; ECO:FSE) successfully finished pilot-scale metallurgical testing for its Idaho cobalt project and intends to release the optimized feasibility study results by the end of this month. "These results could be an important milestone for eCobalt and a catalyst for its share price," he added.

After eCobalt releases the findings, Zaunscherb explained, it will ship samples from the pilot plant to prospects for potential offtake agreements, finalize terms and agreements with them as part of a project financing package and come to a production decision.

The analyst noted that eCobalt's stock price has "suffered since the beginning of the year." He attributed this in part to depressed "sentiment around the battery materials theme" and delays in the feasibility study process. The latter were caused by the decision of eCobalt's management team during the study to change the type of cobalt to be produced at Idaho, to a low-arsenic cobalt copper concentrate instead of cobalt sulphate heptahydrate.

Zaunscherb purported that the battery materials space should gain favor toward year-end, when "electric vehicle sales penetration ticks up and newly constructed battery manufacturing capacity comes online, complete with start-up restocking."

Canaccord Genuity maintains its Speculative Buy rating and CA$0.90 per share target price on eCobalt Solutions, whose stock is trading now at around CA$0.81 per share.

Disclosure:

1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

2) The following company mentioned in this article is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports: eCobalt Solutions. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees.

3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article.

Disclosures from Canaccord Genuity, eCobalt Solutions Inc., Flash Update, September 11, 2018

Analyst Certification: Each authoring analyst of Canaccord Genuity whose name appears on the front page of this research hereby certifies that (i) the recommendations and opinions expressed in this research accurately reflect the authoring analysts personal, independent and objective views about any and all of the designated investments or relevant issuers discussed herein that are within such authoring analysts coverage universe and (ii) no part of the authoring analysts compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the authoring analyst in the research.

Analysts employed outside the US are not registered as research analysts with FINRA. These analysts may not be associated persons of Canaccord Genuity Inc. and therefore may not be subject to the FINRA Rule 2241 and NYSE Rule 472 restrictions on communications with a subject company, public appearances and trading securities held by a research analyst account.

Required Company-Specific Disclosures (as of date of this publication):

eCobalt Solutions Inc. currently is, or in the past 12 months was, a client of Canaccord Genuity or its affiliated companies. During this period, Canaccord Genuity or its affiliated companies provided investment banking services to eCobalt Solutions Inc.

In the past 12 months, Canaccord Genuity or its affiliated companies have received compensation for Investment Banking services from eCobalt Solutions Inc.

Canaccord Genuity or one or more of its affiliated companies intend to seek or expect to receive compensation for Investment Banking services from eCobalt Solutions Inc. in the next three months.

Disclosures are available here.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.aspYour lunchtime bulletin.

GET INFORMED ...

IRELAND: Kevin Sharkey has pulled out of the race to become the next President of Ireland. Internationally-acclaimed guitarist Jimmy Smyth has also backed out of the presidential race due to health reasons.

IRELAND: The manager of a bookies in Cork which was raided by three armed men on Saturday has described the heroics of a pensioner who fought off them off.

IRELAND: Met Eireann is warning that several parts of the country could be hit by flooding today as Storm Helene makes its way towards Ireland.

IRELAND: Britain is heading full throttle for a total write-off of Brexit if it continues with Theresa Mays disastrous plans for the Irish border, Boris Johnson has claimed.

WORLD: Officials in the US plan to airlift food and water to a city of nearly 120,000 people as rescuers elsewhere pull inland residents from homes threatened by swollen rivers.

VIEWS: Looking back on events 25 years ago, when the Oslo Accords were struck on the White House lawn, it is hard to avoid a painful memory.

BUSINESS: Cork's most iconic landmarks will turn red this week to mark the launch of 'We are Cork'.

SPORT: There were red faces at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport following Sanita Puspures win yesterday morning in Bulgaria  a press statement issued on behalf of Minister Shane Ross addressed the new world champion by the name Dominant Puspure.

... SOME DISTRACTION

SHOWBIZ: Having just completed a small run of intimate, sold-out shows last week, Hozier has announced five concert dates across Ireland as part of his European tour.

VIRAL: A primary school teacher from Cork has been crowned as Miss Ireland for 2018.

FEATURE: Jennifer Rock gives us her top tips for winter skin in this exclusive extract from her new book The Skin Commandments.Your morning bulletin.

GET INFORMED ...

Met Eireann is warning that several parts of the country could be hit by flooding today as Storm Helene makes its way towards Ireland.

IRELAND: More than one-in-five farmers have said the impact of climate change could lead them to quitting the farm.

IRELAND: Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has insisted new homes built by the State will cost well below the 320,000 affordable level he has described previously.

IRELAND: A retired senior army officer has taken aim at the Government for failing to respect the loyalty of the Defence Forces.

WORLD: A Republican on the US Senate Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham, has said he is willing to hear from the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while in high school.

VIEWS: As the Dail returns, the Irish Examiner political team examines the issues that will dominate the headlines inside and outside of Leinster House

BUSINESS: On October 9, Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe will allocate a budget package of 3.4bn. However, as things stand with 2.6bn of that already having been committed to various expenditure measures, what we can expect from the Budget with 800m in play?

SPORT: Cork manager Ephie Fitzgerald and captain Ciara OSullivan felt the manner in which they were written off coming into yesterdays final was both disrespectful and hurtful.

... SOME DISTRACTION

SHOWBIZ: Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews have called their baby boy Theodore.

CULTURE: Australian duo Mama Kin Spender are enlisting the help of a local choir for their trip to West Cork this week.

FEATURE: Aileen C. OReilly ponders the rise of motivational superiority online.By Padraig Hoare

Cork will become the broadband capital of Ireland that will assist the region to compete with anywhere in Europe following a 60m investment that will reach 75,000 premises.

Siro, a joint venture between the ESB and Vodafone, said the 60m would bring the Republics fastest broadband available to over 75,000 homes and businesses in Cork city and towns.

The city centre and suburbs will be joined by Little Island and Ballincollig, as well as Midleton, Carrigtwohill, Blarney, Tower and Charleville as the new gigabit towns.

Chinese giant Huawei has been appointed as build partner for 65,000 homes and businesses in the city, with TLI Group servicing 10,000 premises in the five towns.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney told members of Cork Chamber on hand for the launch of the service, which will begin later this year, that it was the job of the Government not to allow the urban-rural divide anymore.

He said county towns in Cork would have a whole new chapter and that without high-speed broadband, it was as debilitating as having no proper roads.

Cork was more economically resilient than ever before, Mr Coveney said, and the 60m investment would help the region compete with anywhere in Europe.

This will give Cork businesses a head start against their peers both at home and internationally, as well as giving homes access to the latest innovative digital services, he said.

Chief executive of Siro, Sean Atkinson, said the 60m investment would firmly establish Cork as the broadband capital of Ireland.

Our gigabit connectivity will complement Corks rich technology heritage and put it on a par with international cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Cork City is ideally placed to leverage this with in excess of one million square foot of office space due to come on-stream over the next year, with rental prices less than half the price of equivalent space in Dublin on average; a 23% lower cost of living; and a talented workforce with half of the Cork population under 35 years of age, he said.

Cork Chamber president Bill OConnell said given the strong growth of sectors such as global financial services, fintech, ICT, SaaS and cyber security in Cork, it is absolutely essential that business is supported by the best quality connectivity.

We have the lowest latency transatlantic connection in Europe, new connections to mainland Europe in planning and now the local connectivity to match. It builds further resilience for an economy increasingly driven by data.Denis O'Connor has been hailed as a hero both at home and abroad thanks to his heroics on Saturday during an armed raid at a Cork bookies.

The great-grandfather fought off raiders armed with hammers and what looked like a gun who entered the Bar One Racing bookmakers in Glanmire.

Dramatic CCTV footage from the incident shows Mr O'Connor taking on one of the men and then kicking him on the rear as the balaclava-wearing raider fled the shop.

The story has been making headlines in Ireland and today it has been picked up by news outlets online in the UK, Russia and even Australia.

Sky News went with the line: "Great-grandfather, 83, fights off armed robbers at bookies in Ireland".

Great-grandfather, 83, fights off armed robbers at bookies in Ireland https://t.co/12sap4Vpp8  Sky News (@SkyNews) September 17, 2018

Elsewhere across the Irish Sea, UK newspapers Metro and the Daily Star.

Metro led with: "Great-grandfather, 84, fights off three armed robbers kicking one up the backside", while the Daily Star said: "Hero pensioner, 84, dishes out INSTANT karma after gun-wielding thugs storm bookies".

The latter also said that Mr O'Connor should be given a medal for his efforts.

Further afield, the news has spread to Russia and Australia, with Russia Today and the site punters.com both featuring the story.

Picking up on an article from the Irish Examiner, RT said: "Hard as nails!: Heroic 84yo Irish great-grandad fights off shotgun-wielding raiders".

In case you missed it...



Get a load of this absolute weapon: https://t.co/0mbSw6FWZ7  Punters.com.au (@Punters) September 17, 2018

Digital DeskBy Lynn Kelleher

Irish bloggers caught flouting advertising rules will be named and shamed by the State watchdog under a new zero-tolerance policy.

The chief executive of the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland, Orla Twomey, said it has spent years educating social media stars that they need to disclose when they have been paid to post about a product.

She also confirmed the widely held belief that celebrities get bombarded with free gifts.

When it comes to influencers on sites like Instagram and Twitter, Ms Twomey said the same rules apply to them as traditional media. Consumers should know when they are being advertised. Weve been trying to reach out to the blogging community to ensure they realise that where there is payment and control, it makes it a marketing communication and it must be flagged as such.

Payment can be compensation in kind, benefits in kind, trips away, anything which has an intrinsic value.

Up until now, she said, the authority has been working on educating social media influencers about the standards, but it is set to take a tougher approach.

We feel that everybody knows. From now we wont take it at face value, Im sorry I made a mistake. We dont fine people but what we do is name and shame. Our complaints committee would issue adjudication.

Our experience is brands dont like to be at the wrong end of an adjudication and neither will bloggers because its about reputation.

In Vogue, My Sponsored Life, presenter Vogue Williams tells how she has access to a special site for famous influencers where she can order goods without paying for anything.

Its like online shopping but you are not paying for anything. You are just clicking on things you want that brands have offered up for you because of your social media.

The Dublin mum, who has 83,000 Twitter followers and 343,000 Instagram followers, also confirms how gifts regularly arrive at her door and admits she loves the perks of being a celebrity.

Ms Williams also says the worlds biggest social media family, the Kardashians, do influence her.

Everything Kim puts up, Im like I need to buy that, and I dont know why.

The documentary also features notorious blogger Paul Stenson, who runs the White Moose Cafe in Dublin, and whose viral outbursts range from barring vegans who question his menu to outing a blogger looking for a free stay.

He reveals how a recent poll found 70% of the people who visit the cafe were influenced by Snapchat while his famous Bloggergate had a reach of 800m which would have cost him 8.4m in advertising fees.

- Vogue, My Sponsored Life airs on Wednesday, September 19, at 9.30pm, on RTE2.Alcohol Action Ireland is calling on TDs to consider peoples health rather than the interests of the alcohol industry.

The group want thirteen TDs to withdraw their proposed amendments to the Public Health Alcohol Bill, ahead of its final stages on Wednesday.

They say that they are advancing the business interests of the alcohol industry rather than the wellbeing of their constituents.

Eunan McKinney from Alcohol Action Ireland says that it needs to be finalised.

"This bill has now been in the offing for over a thousand days and it's very close to being completed," he said.

"What the TDs are endeavouring to do is simply delay, by instruments of the alcohol industry, by putting down a set of new amendments and we're asking for them not to be accepted."

However, the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland has welcomed the amendments made by TDs.

Patricia Callan, Director of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland says that more consideration of the changes is needed.

"We're delighted that there's now cross-party support for amendments which are designed to remove the fact that the Bill now contains a proposal to put a cancer warning on labels and advertising in pubs and on websites relating to alcohol," she said.

"That would be the first time in the world that has been done and it hasn't been given a due regulatory impact analysis, it hasn't looked at the scientific evidence and we are obviously very worried that a home grown, fantastic exporting business will be destroyed if that was to go ahead."

Digital DeskCork Chamber wants to see budget measures that will deliver housing in the region and on key quality of life issues to help employers attract and retain talent.

In its pre-budget submission, the business group which represents 1,200 companies employing some 100,000 people, said delivery of housing was one of the top priorities identified in a recent survey of its members.

Others include delivery of more affordable rental accommodation, better public transport and improved supports for working parents.

The Chamber submission also highlights the opportunity for Budget 2019 to improve the competitiveness of Irish business through tax reforms at a time of increasing international protectionism.

It specifically recommends that the Government ease the tax burden on middle income earners, ensure tax equity between PAYE workers and the self-employed, and reduce Capital Gains tax to stimulate more investment and indigenous innovation.

The Chambers director of public affairs, Thomas Mc Hugh, said they spent the summer asking businesses across Cork for their opinions.

The feedback is clear: the supply of housing is now a real concern for business of all sizes and sectors with knock-on impacts on wage demands and the ability to attract and retain talent, he said.

The economy is performing well. New student accommodation is coming on stream as are new office developments.

Yet, we need delivery of new urban apartments suited for both families and young professionals.If Budget 2019 delivers one thing only, it should be measures to increase the supply of accommodation in our city and town centres.

The pre-budget submission also emphasises the potential for increasing public transport and sustainable commuting in Cork: Only 8.5% of commuters in Cork City and suburbs use public transport to get to and from work, Mr McHugh said.New parents are in line for an extra two weeks of paid leave as part of Budget 2019.

The extra leave will run alongside current maternity and paternity benefits, according to the Irish Independent.

It is understood the leave is non-transferable between parents and must be taken in the first year of a child's life.

Katherine Zappone would not confirm if the rumours are true but said it is something she supports.

"It's a story that surfaced today. It's always been in the mix," she said.

"It's an important initiative as we move forward and certainly towards the end of November, I will be launching our first ever ten-year national early years strategy.

"As part of our growth in terms of national early years strategy, what happens in the first year is critical."

Frances Byrne Head of Advocacy with Early Childhood Ireland says they welcome the proposals but there needs to be more pay and more time off.

"Parents get, in the case of the mothers at the moment, for six months, in the case of the dads, for two weeks, 235 a week," she said.

"That's a big drop in salary. We need to be moving towards 66% of salary and building up towards that year that the Government has committed to."

Digital DeskA suitable aftercare place for the girl returning to Ireland from a secure unit in the UK was only identified at the eighth time of asking and just four days before her 18th birthday.

The case is among 30 included in the latest volume issued by the Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP), with the difficulties in securing suitable placements for children who need therapeutic support evident among the cases.

New aftercare legislation came into force on September 1 last year, making it a legal obligation for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency (CFA) to prepare, review, and update aftercare plans for children in care.

Yet in the case of the girl who had been in care since infancy and required ongoing supports in accommodation, health, and education, and family support  no plan was in place as the clock ticked down to her 18th birthday.

In the case notes, published today, the judge hearing the case remarks: I see no pleasure in putting pressure week in and week out on the CFA, this is not the role of the court.

It is effectively Groundhog Day in here every week in relation to these placements, at some stage it is going to take an incident of the serious nature envisaged as the degree of frustration escalates. This case is another case which clearly could have devastating effects, it is nearly the eve of her 18th birthday.

He added: There is no point in putting [young people] in secure care if there is nowhere for them to go afterwards.

In another case, video-link evidence was given in a High Court hearing regarding the progress and future of a 17-year-old teenager in a UK psychiatric therapeutic hospital.

The teenager, who would soon turn 18, had spent six years in total in secure care and his onward care package required the giving of extensive medical and psychiatric evidence so that a suitable step-down placement could be identified.

Out-of-State placements have been criticised, including by Government-appointed Special Rapporteur on Children, Geoffrey Shannon, but Tusla has said that while it is actively hoping to become less reliant on these placements, in a small number of cases Ireland cannot provide the specialised services that some young people require.

In another case included in the latest volume, a nine-year-old boy with complex needs had five placement moves in 13 days.

The social work team involved told the court that there was an incredible dearth of foster care and residential placements in the country.

Other issues to emerge in the reports are drug and alcohol abuse, learning disabilities, and mental health issues among the parents in child care cases, and in a small number of cases, sexual abuse, which often take years to wend their way through the courts.

Two cases involved families from other EU countries, where they had faced child protection proceedings, including one where the parents fled to Ireland with a young baby when care proceedings may have been instigated in the UK. The two cases ended up being considered by both the District Court and the High Court simultaneously.

This volume is the first to be published under a new agreement between the CCLRP and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

- childlawproject.ieBy Joe Leogue

The manager of a Cork bookmakers said he was inspired to tackle armed raiders when he saw his octogenarian customer leap to his aid.

Tim Murphy, manager of Bar One Racing in Glanmire, revealed that the trio of would-be burglars were demanding that he empty the contents of the safe before 83-year-old great-grandfather Denis OConnor chased them off on Saturday evening.

Footage of the incident went viral over the weekend, and Mr Murphy told The Neil Prendeville Show on Corks Red FM that the attempted raid was intimidating.

When you see the footage, its kind of shocking, but it was the noise that was actually incredible, he said. They were just roaring, and they bashed the hammers a few times and it was just shocking for most of it.

Ive worked in the bookies for a long time and Ive been expecting to happen at some stage, but when it actually happens its a total shock.

They wanted the safe money, they werent interested in the fivers and tenners in the till, they were shouting we want the safe, we want the safe.

One of the raiders carried what appears to be a gun. While he did not see the weapon close up, Mr Murphy said his review of the footage leads him to believe the gun was real.

That gun wasnt pointed at me at any stage, it was just the hammer fellas that came to me, but it looks quite real in the footage, he said. We have good hi-def footage, and I wouldnt know guns, but it looks quite real in the footage.

Mr Murphy said it was Mr OConnors intervention that inspired him to fight back against the raiders. He knew Mr OConnor prior to the incident, and knew he exercised regularly to keep fit.

I was just being threatened by the two fellas with the hammers, but then Denis tackled one of them so I said I just have to tackle this fella now as well, he said.

I remember Denis just shouting youre cowards, youre total cowards. Denis is a total hero. When I saw him take one of them on he inspired me.

He just came to my aid, he wasnt looking after the bookies, he was looking after me... I could never thank him enough.

He said the raiders wore balaclavas and hoodies, were in their very early 20s or possibly late teens, and fled the scene in what he thinks may be an Audi A4 which sped off in the direction of Watergrasshill.

However, the have-a-go hero grandad can be seen in the footage giving one of the raiders a parting shot as he fled the building.

He tripped him first, then booted him up the arse  it was fantastic, Mr Murphy said.

Mr Murphy said the owner of the bookies brought both himself and Mr OConnor out to lunch yesterday in recognition of their efforts.

- Anyone who has any information about the raid is asked to contact Mayfield Garda Station at 021-4558510 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.Labour TD Alan Kelly has said it would be inappropriate to call on his party leader, Brendan Howlin, to resign, despite appearing to do so on radio last month.

Mr Kelly said he did not directly call for Mr Howlin to resign at the partys think-in in Drogheda.

The party has endured a turbulent summer during which more than a dozen councillors joined forces calling on Mr Howlin to stand aside.

However, he did stop short of saying he would be happy to see Mr Howlin lead the party into the next election.

Last month, on his local radio station, Mr Kelly expressed a clear desire for a change, saying he backed up criticisms made of Mr Howlin by some party councillors.

In Drogheda, speaking to reporters, Mr Kelly rowed back somewhat on critical comments he made of Mr Howlin in a TippFM interview.

Mr Howlin, at the time, rejected calls to meet with councillors who were seeking his resignation, saying he would deal with them at this think-in.

The party held a closed session during which Mr Howlins leadership was discussed.

Mr Kelly said: The meeting was to facilitate the councillors who made a request for the meeting.

Asked had he called for Mr Howlin to resign face to face, Mr Kelly said: No I havent, of course I havent.

Asked would he do so over the course of the two-day think-in, Mr Kelly replied: Of course I wont.

Those issues are a matter for internal discussions, but I would never do anything like that. I dont think that is an appropriate way to behave in the first place, he said.

What I said then and what I am saying now is, as a party, we need to refocus ourselves as regards to the direction of the party, back to the issues of working people.

I think the most important part of the discussion is how we are going to do that, to get better traction with the public. Who is leading the party is secondary to making sure the party is going in the right direction.

Mr Kelly has stood isolated from his parliamentary party colleagues, all of whom have backed Mr Howlin to remain on as leader.A plucky pensioner has been hailed as a local hero after fighting off armed raiders who tried to rob his local bookies in Glanmire in Cork on Saturday.

The grandfather, who is in his early 80s and lives locally, can be seen in CCTV footage of the incident which was posted online.

The incident occurred when three armed and masked men burst into the Bar One Racing bookmakers at the Hazelwood Centre in Glanmire at around 6.30pm on Saturday evening.

Two of the raiders were carrying hammers and proceeded to jump the counter and attack the shops only staff member, while a third man carrying what appears to be a shotgun held up the customers.

However, while two of the customers willingly did not resist the robbery, the older gentleman went to the aid of the staff member and fought the raiders head on.

As the staff member was being attacked by the two men wielding hammers, the older man went behind the counter where both he and the staff member grappled with the would-be thieves.

The older man succeeded in chasing off two of the raiders, including the man with the shotgun.

He even administered a kick to one of the attackers as he made his escape.

The bravery of both the staff member and the punter meant that the raiders left empty-handed in a waiting black car.

The customer, who declined to be named, said that when he saw the raiders enter the shop he thought it was a joke.

However, he decided to intervene when he saw that the staff member was being attacked.

Bar One Racing confirmed the robbery occurred in the Glanmire shop but did not comment further on the matter.

Local councillor Ger Keohane said that the lack of a dedicated Garda station in Glanmire meant the area was a soft target for criminals.

The footage shows you that this is what people have to do to defend themselves and what they have, said Mr Keohane.

People like these criminals know that there is no Garda station in Glanmire and that everything is run out of Mayfield.

People know its open country after Glanmire if they can get away with it, he said.

Mr Keohane praised the actions of the customer and staff member in fighting off three armed and masked raiders.

Fair play to both of them. You can see from the footage that the actions of the customer drove the staff member on to tackle the men also.

Both of them showed huge bravery, he said.

Gardai and detectives in the Mayfield district are now investigating the incident and are seeking the publics assistance in tracking down the three male raiders.

They are specifically looking for information or witness sightings of the three suspects in the Riverstown, Glanmire area between 6pm and 7pm on Saturday.

They are also seeking any mobile phone or dashcam footage and any witness sightings of suspicious activity by a black saloon vehicle (Audi A4 or VW Passat) in the area in the same period of Saturday evening.

- Anyone with any information is asked to contact Mayfield Garda Station at 021-4558510 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has insisted new homes built by the State will cost well below the 320,000 affordable level he has described previously.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Murphy was lambasted by Opposition spokespeople for giving away public lands to allow private developers make profits from them.

Mr Murphy said his new Land Development Agency will allow homes to be offered at close to 200,000, depending on location, as the State in many cases will be the developer.

Mr Murphy said his new agency will take time to establish itself but insisted it is a workable scheme to address the countrys housing supply shortage.

We are the developer, we are bringing forward public land for homes. In some places, 50% of houses built will be sold at market value. There will be up to 30% discount on the others, he said.

However, the Opposition was not convinced.

Speaking on RTEs The Week in Politics, Fianna Fails housing spokesman Darragh OBrien criticised Mr Murphy and the Government for not building any social houses since 2011.

He criticised the plan which will see private developers being granted permission to build on public land. It should be public or social housing. We have no affordable housing scheme and havent had one since 2011, he said.

Mr OBrien added that for people to be able to afford a home worth 320,000, they would need to be earning 90,000 a year and most people do not.

Labours Jan OSullivan, a former housing minister, said there is a major malfunction between Mr Murphys department and local councils, which is resulting in slow delivery of badly-needed social houses.

She likened allowing public lands to be used by private developers to flogging off the family silver.

Roscommon Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice accused Mr Murphy of publishing inaccurate figures in relation to the progress being made. Meanwhile, Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has called on Mr Murphy to expand proposed regulations on Airbnb to all short-term let websites operating in Ireland.

Reports of landlords moving to alternative short term let websites ahead of plans to regulate providers such as Airbnb are worrying but unsurprising. This trend has been seen in other cities such as London which is why my proposal is to legislate for all short-term lets, he said.

I am calling on the minister to include all short-term let websites operating in Ireland in his recommendations.Alice Maher was inspired by a carving of a manacled mermaid in an Irish abbey.

She tells Ellie OByrne how it fed into themes around the female condition for her new exhibition at the Crawford.

Hans Christian Andersens version of The Little Mermaid is a lot darker and bloodier than the sanitised version served up by Disney.

Falling in love with her human prince, Andersens mermaid enters a pact with a sea witch that requires her to cut out her tongue.

She spends the rest of her short life ashore, robbed of her voice, unable to explain herself to her true love or to express the agonies she endures to walk on land.

Alice Maher was reminded of the tale while visiting her native county of Tipperary while in the process of arranging her latest exhibition, Vox Materia; she stumbled upon a curious 12th century relief of a landlocked mermaid in Kilcooley Abbey.

This mermaid had a manacle around her tail, so she was tied to the wall, Maher recalls, sitting within view of the wood prints shes been hanging for the opening of Vox Materia in the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork.

She was holding her mirror and comb, but her face was quite grotesque, almost like a Sheela-na-Gig.

Re-reading Andersens Little Mermaid while pondering her curious discovery, Maher was struck by the allegorical nature of the tale.

I got really interested in what the female has had to do throughout history in order to belong to the human race, or just to be an equal, she says.

It seemed to me that a lot of it was actually to give up her voice. And Ive always been interested in the loss of voice.

Mermaids, sphinxes, chimeras, medusa: myths of female hybrids are common.

They come from a past where the female body was othered, represented as mysterious and possibly dangerous, Maher believes.

In her work, she seeks to reclaim them.

And shes done so for decades, approaching the female form with compassion and playful humour.

Mermaid-like motifs have appeared in her work before now.

There are no scaly tails or sea-shell bras to be seen in Vox Materia, though.

Taking the mermaid myth as a starting point, Maher used her own body to take her concept further: working from silhouettes of photos of herself contorted into different positions, she created the hand-painted wood relief prints that form a third of the exhibition.

The two other elements of the show are a video installation and a procession of small sculptures displayed in a long glass cabinet.

Maher launches animatedly into an explanation of the processes she used to produce this cabinet of curiosities.

She squeezed softened wax in her hands, dropped the resulting forms into icy water, and took them to a foundry to be moulded and cast in bronze before being patinated.

I wanted to get fleshy colours, close to coral or bodily organs, she says with visceral relish, gazing down at her creations.

They have a lot of different references that people pick out themselves, but they have an internal body thing, as though your body has somehow extruded them.

Material world

Mahers endless curiosity about materials, so evident when she talks, has been a feature of her career in visual art.

Snail shells, nettles, hair, ice, bees: all have been used to create sculptures, two-dimensional works and installation pieces.

The third element in the exhibition is Cassandras Necklace, her 2012 short film based on a script by Anne Enright and featuring the actress Charlie Murphy, who would go on to star in Love/Hate.

Charlie Murphy

It was produced for a retrospective at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, before her current cycle of work, yet again theres the familiar theme of female agency and female voice.

Vox Materia represents a double home-coming for Maher, first exhibited in Thurles, close to where she grew up and now in the Crawford, in the very rooms in which she first learned to draw while in her 20s.

Once a part of the old art school, they are now exhibition rooms.

The 62-year-old gazes around, points out where high windows used to illuminate her evening classes; shes happy to be back.

Space and the history of a space is very important to me and I dont ever see a space as neutral, she says. Theres always something left over.

Repeal campaign

Having lived in Cork, Belfast and Dublin, Maher has lived and worked in Mayo for the past decade.

One of several prominent artists to have been involved in the Repeal The 8th campaign, she held banner-making workshops at her studio for protests in the lead up to the referendum and participated in the day of testimonies held in Dublins Project Arts Centre, where artists, writers and performers read true stories of women who had abortions.

Perhaps more than any other referendum campaign in Irish history, artists voices were prominent in the lead-up to the abortion referendum.

Artists are citizens and so it really concerned them as people and as productive women, Maher says.

But as an artist, you also stand back from society too. You see how its developing: thats your job in a way.

"It wasnt unusual for me to step into a campaign, but that campaign was just so relevant.

Did she canvas? She smiles.

Im too vociferous to canvas, she says. You have to be very calm.

From the same-sex marriage referendum to the abortion referendum to the recent underwhelming turn-out for the papal visit, theres an unmistakeable societal shift away from the Catholic Church afoot in Ireland.

Maher doesnt mince her words about her welcome for this shift.

They enslaved, brutalised and sold Irish people, she says.

Until they look at themselves and admit that, I wont have much respect for them. People are thinking deeply about what has been found out about the collusion of church and state in the past 100 years.

Real ordinary people have stood up and said no, this is wrong, this is not the way we want to be. Thats really welcome.

Something to say

Its a stance intrinsically linked to her feminism and her art, she says: Since about 1990 Ive been trying to position the female at the centre of the work as a thinking, autonomous figure, not just a model.

"Because thats how most of us had experienced it through culture. That the female was just a figure to be projected onto.

Its the struggle for a female voice that Maher has grappled with throughout her career, and in this epoch of her life she says things are no different.

Every facet of society is ageist as well as sexist, she says.

Western society always privileges youth over maturity. But I think nows the time to find your voice: your audibility instead of your visibility. What you have to say should be valued.

So has she well and truly found her voice, then?

She shrugs, smiles: As an artist? The struggle goes on. I think it only ends when you stop breathing. Youre always trying to distil it.

When you start out young its like, blech  she mimes vomiting  everything comes out: the kitchen sink. And then you refine it.

Alice Mahers Vox Materia runs until November 24 in the Modern Galleries and Screening Room at the Crawford Art Gallery, Emmet Place, Cork[rating]4[/rating]

The chapel of a former hospice might seem an appropriate venue for a group whose music has been described as a mix of Irish and Nordic folk traditions, with a nod to contemporary classical.

Its a combination that promises a night of sombre and overly-serious appreciation. Not so. For one thing, the deconsecrated setting might still have its altar intact, but it is warm and welcoming. Griffith Colleges hosting of several gigs for the inaugural Quiet Lights mini-festival in Cork is a welcome addition to the citys roster of venues.

More importantly, the trio providing the music fill the air with sounds that were always interesting, and regularly magical. Yes, theres a drawing from the well of obvious influences, but Slow Moving Clouds bypass any associations with the dodgier side of fusion by melding those styles into something quite original.

Dublin fiddler Danny Diamond provides the more distinctly Irish sounds; Aki from Finland is on nyckelharpa (looks like a big fiddle, but is closely related to a hurdy-gurdy); and between them on cello sits Kevin Murphy, from Monkstown, Co Cork, occasionally unleashing a strange falsetto.

Close your eyes and just as you imagine youre sitting in a seisiun in stone-floored bar, youre dragged off to a frozen lake in the far north, and back again through a Louisiana swamp or the set of a gothic drama.

Standout on the night is Swansong / Starfall, one of several pieces developed from the groups soundtracking of the widely-acclaimed Loch na hEala dance show, a contemporary take on Swan Lake.

That track also provides the title for the groups second album, about to be released via the People platform, the musician-focused brainchild of Aaron Dessner of The National and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). Their relationship with the Clouds was fostered at 2017s Sounds From A Safe Harbour festival in Cork.

The tunes tonight are short enough that they dont test you too much, and the lighthearted banter between the musicians further adds to the atmosphere. A hugely enjoyable night from an act occupying a unique space in the Irish music scene.

Des ODriscoll

Starfall is released on Sept 21Aileen C. OReilly ponders the rise of motivational superiority online.

I love nothing better than being inspired by a good ol motivational post.

Sitting on the bus, headphones blaring dance music at tinnitus-inducing levels and Im being told Nothing changes until you change  everything changes once you do.

Suddenly Im all Xena Princess Warrior wielding a sword on my unicorn, giving the death stare to the challenges I face and just getting stuff done.

Motivational quotes of this sort have helped me through quite a lot of difficult situations where whinging in a corner on my knees seemed like the only other option.

Truth be told, I have chats with myself every morning (no  not in the mirror) to hype myself up when my inner princess just cant be arsed to take her face out of her cereal bowl and put her big girl pants on.

Because lets face it  there is nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of being motivated.

Its fantastic, exhilarating, positively giddifying  youre focused and youre able to deal with problems because you have a goal.

Life is good... and then I slowly noticed another kind of self help post cropping up on my Facebook feed  the Im perfect as I am and dont have to explain my life to anyone post.

I started to pay attention and over the course of two days, the frequency increased.

You gotta do this for YOU. This isnt about anybody else. Live for YOU. Honour YOU. Dont lose sight of that.

A tiger doesnt lose sleep over the opinion of sheep.

When you have a million dollar vision dont surround yourself with 1 cent minds.

Cue unbidden images of disenchanted teenagers wielding guns and striding into their local school and all of a sudden I was feeling totally weirded out not motivated  as if I was being drip-fed some form of cult-like supremacy as opposed to back-slapping encouragement.

Feeling distinctly uncomfortable I looked around the people on the bus and wondered who the so-called 1 cent minds were that I should be actively avoiding.

But then again why in the name of Facebook was I surprised? Since its inception, the social media platform has become the font of narcissism.

By 2019, it is estimated that there will be around 2.77 billion social media users around the globe, up from 2.46 billion in 2017. Social network penetration worldwide is ever-increasing.

These pop-up or suggested posts may appear innocent initially - they certainly did to me  but a steady drip feed of them coinciding with an individuals off day could foster the idea that your own needs are all you should be concerned with  and dammit youre entitled, arent you?

Psychotherapist Anna Milleri (Areamentis Psychotherapy) believes we are deluded if we think its OK to start believing we are actually superior to those around us who we perceive to be standing in the way of our happiness.

Yes, it is an unfortunate fact that we live in an increasingly narcissistic world but it is delusional to think that its all about me, me, me  even if that is where social media is leading society.

There is a very fine line between promoting the idea of happiness and freedom as a positive concept and presenting happiness as a self-sufficient ideal which entails a disregard for others in order that you may achieve your own dreams, wants and desires.

The fact is we are social creatures  we need healthy relationships with those around us in order to be happy and healthy. Its a well-documented fact that our relationships are a huge indicator of just how happy we are.

Obviously, at the other extreme, we do not need to be overwhelmed by other people and feel that their needs and wants must come at the expense of our own. Society is about balancing these needs and ensuring that people feel valued and respected  not superior."

Andrea Mcveigh, a social media manager who works out of Belfast and London is only too aware of the narcissistic climate in which social media is thriving.

Basically, yes, its swimming in a sea of me," she admits, my needs, my ambitions, my selfies, how I look, what I want and F*** the rest of you.

And yet perversely the flip side of this is that we are all judging ourselves against the unattainable standards that we are being bombarded with on that very same platform.

Social media is a shop window, and the brand people are selling is themselves, so its hard to see anything changing for the better, McVeigh continues.

The only people who remember a pre-social media era are now about 40 years and older, and most younger people dont even see anything wrong with celebrating and centering on themselves on Facebook, YouTube or Twitter.

When I was young, kids wanted to be nurses or firefighters.

"Now statistics show that 75% of children want to be YouTube stars, to basically be famous for being themselves, not because they have any particular skills.

Mcveighs suggested solution is quite a simple one.

General studies type classes in schools from an early age would help, allowing kids to analyse how and why social media works and understand that, while it might be an important part of their lives, theres a whole other life outside of their smartphones too.

One cant help but be reminded of Rentons updated eulogy on modern life in Trainspotting 2.

Choose life. Choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and hope that someone, somewhere cares

The filtered, idealistic yellow brick road social media is enticing us down means that less and less of us do.Looking back on events 25 years ago, when the Oslo Accords were struck on the White House lawn, it is hard to avoid a painful memory, writes Tony Walker

I was watching from a sickbed in Jerusalem when Bill Clinton stood between Israels Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for that famous handshake on the White House lawn.

At that moment, I was recovering from plastic surgery carried out by a skilled Israeli surgeon and necessitated by a bullet wound inflicted by the Israeli Defence Forces. (I had been caught in crossfire while covering a demonstration in the West Bank by stone-throwing Palestinian youths.)

That scar  like a tattoo  is a reminder of a time when it seemed just possible Arabs and Jews, Israelis and Palestinians could bring themselves to reach an historic compromise.

All these years later, prospects of real progress towards peace, or as American president Donald Trump puts it, the deal of the century, seems further away than ever.

As a correspondent in the Middle East for a decade (1984-1993) and as co-author of a biography of Arafat, I had an understandable interest in the outcome of the Oslo process.

In hours of conversations with members of the Palestine Liberation Organisations historical leadership, I had tracked the PLOs faltering progression from outright rejection of Israels right to exist to acceptance implicit in the Oslo Accords.

Throughout that process of interviewing and cross-referencing with Israeli sources, I had hoped an honourable divorce could be achieved between decades-long adversaries. Like many, I was disappointed.

In 1993, the so-called Oslo Accords, negotiated in secret outside the Norwegian capital, resulted in mutual recognition of Israel and the PLO. This enabled the beginning of face-to-face peace negotiations.

A devastating event

Two years after the historic events at the White House, and by then correspondent in Beijing, I witnessed another episode of lasting and, as it turned out, tragic consequences for the Middle East.

On November 4, 1995, Rabin was assassinated while attending a political rally in Tel Aviv by a Jewish fanatic opposed to compromise with the Palestinians.

That devastating moment brought to power for the first time the current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has distinguished himself by his unwillingness to engage meaningfully with the Palestinians through four US administrations: those of Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, and now Trump.

Some argue the Palestinians and their enfeebled leadership bear significant responsibility for peace process paralysis. That viewpoint is valid, up to a point. But it is also the case that Netanyahus replacement of Rabin stifled momentum.

Under Trump, Netanyahu finds himself under no pressure to concede ground in negotiations, or even negotiate at all. Indeed, the administration seems intent on further marginalising a Palestinian national movement, even as settlement construction in the occupied areas continues apace.

US President Donald Trump, here with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has promised the deal of the century in the Middle East, but the details have not yet been made clear. AAP/ Olivier Douliery/pool

On the eve of the accords, there were 110,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. That number has grown to 430,000 today. In 2017, those numbers grew by 20% more than the average for previous years.

The Trump administrations decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem without making a distinction between Jewish West or Arab East Jerusalem could hardly have been more antagonistic.

By taking this action, and not making it clear that East Jerusalem as a future capital of a putative Palestinian state would not be compromised, the administration has thumbed its nose at legitimate Palestinian aspirations.

The administrations follow-up moves to strip funding for the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNWRA) and assistance to Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem have further soured the atmosphere.

UNWRA is responsible for the livelihoods of thousands of Palestinian refugees in camps in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. These are the ongoing casualties of Israels 1948 War of Independence against the Arabs.

In this context, it is interesting to note that Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and Middle East envoy, has urged that refugee status be denied Palestinians and their offspring displaced by the war of 1948.

In that year, two-thirds, or about 750,000 residents of what had been Palestine under a British mandate became refugees.

Against this background and years of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, including two major wars  the Six-Day War of 1967 and Yom Kippur War of 1973  the two sides had in 1993 reached what was then described as an historic compromise.

Hopes dashed

What needs to be understood about Oslo is that its two documents, signed by Rabin and Arafat, did not go further than mutual recognition of Israel and the PLO in the first, and, in the second, a declaration of principles laying down an agenda for the negotiation of Palestinian self-government in the occupied territories.

What Oslo did not do was provide a detailed road-map for final status negotiations, which were to be completed within five years. This would deal with the vexed issues of refugees, Jerusalem, demilitarisation of the Palestinian areas in the event of a two-state settlement, and anything but an implied acknowledgement of territorial compromise, including land swaps, that would be needed to bring about a lasting agreement.

Writing in the Journal of Palestine Studies in 1994, Oxford professor Avi Shlaim described the White House handshake as:

one of the most momentous events in the 20th-century history of the Middle East. In one stunning move, the two leaders redrew the geopolitical map of the entire region.

Now emeritus professor, Shlaims own hopes, along with those of many others, that genuine compromise was possible, have been dashed.

Referring to the recent passage through the Knesset of a basic law that declares Israel to be the nation-state of the Jewish people, Shlaim recently observed:

This law stands in complete contradiction to the 1948 declaration of independence, which recognizes the full equality of all the states citizens without distinction of religion, race or sex Netanyahu has radically reconfigured Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, rather than a Jewish and a democratic state. As long as the government that introduced this law stays in power, any voluntary agreement between Israel and the Palestinians will remain largely a pipe dream.

Martin Indyk, now en route to the Council on Foreign Relations from the Brookings Institution, shared Shlaims hopes of an historic turning point in the annals of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

As Clintons National Security Council adviser on the Middle East, Indyk was responsible for the 1993 arrangements on the White House South Lawn. He writes:

The handshake was meant to signify the moment when Israeli and Palestinian leaders decided to begin the process of ending their bloody conflict and resolving their differences at the negotiating table.

Two decades later, in 2014, the funeral rites were pronounced on the Oslo Process after then Secretary of State John Kerry had done all he could to revive it against Netanyahus obduracy. Oslo had, in any case, been on life support since Rabins assassination.

"Then, in Indyks words, along came Trump with "the Deal of the Century. Indyk writes:

His plan has yet to be revealed but its purpose appears clear  to legitimize the status quo and call it peace. Trump has already attempted to arbitrate every one of the final status issues in Israels favor: no capital in East Jerusalem for the Palestinians; no right of return for Palestinian refugees; no evacuation of outlying settlements; no 67 lines; no end of occupation; and no Palestinian state Over 25 years, in shifting roles from witness to midwife, to arbiter, the United States has sadly failed to help Israelis and Palestinians make peace, leaving them for the time being in what has essentially been a frozen conflict.

However, as history shows, frozen conflicts dont remain frozen forever. They tend to erupt when least expected.

Twenty-five years ago, I shared a bloody hospital casualty station  not unlike a scene from M.A.S.H.  with more than a dozen wounded Palestinians. Some of them would not recover from terrible wounds inflicted by live ammunition.

I asked myself then, as I do now: whats the point of it all?

This article was written by Tony Walker of La Trobe University and was originally published on The Conversation Read the original article here.The Scally Report into the CervicalCheck scandal has again highlighted the need for genuine apologies in cases of medical error, argues Mary-Elizabeth Tumelty.

An apology, in the context of errors in the provision of healthcare, is not a novel concept, and the benefits should not be underestimated.

Research has found that where a sincere and meaningful apology is provided, anger and emotional upset is likely to subside.

In contrast, where an apology is not given, the injured party is likely to feel further aggrieved.

Guidelines designed to enable and encourage apologies can be found in both the HSE National Guidelines on Open Disclosure (2013) and the Irish Medical Council Guidelines on Professional Conduct (2016).

Legislation has also been drafted, and when commenced will allow for an apology to be given without it constituting an admission of liability.

Despite this, the experience of many of those harmed by medical errors and/or omissions, including those involved in the CervicalCheck scandal, illustrates a significant gap between policy and practice.

The Scally Report highlights that many women only pursued legal action due to frustration with the system, and to seek more than just a financial settlement.

One of the main outcomes sought by those involved is for someone who was involved to say they are sorry, and mean it.

Similar to the findings of the Scally Report, my research with patient support groups and barristers found that patients desire apologies which are sincere, and delivered by the physician, in a timely manner.

That desire is unsurprising, given the focus on harm in these cases, and to many of us, this is nothing out of the ordinary.

We are taught from an early age to apologise when we have done something wrong.

It is an intrinsic characteristic of human behaviour, and an apology, offered by the injurer, is and should be, a natural response to someone who has suffered harm.

Stephen Teap, Dr Gabriel Scally and Lorraine Walsh

However, as recent experiences have illustrated, this human attribute does not always translate in the wake of a medical error.

The discourse surrounding the CervicalCheck cases and the findings of the Scally Report highlights issues with the provision of apologies.

Despite the guidance provided by both the HSE and the Irish Medical Council in relation to apologies, the experience of patients indicates that such policies are having minimal impact on practice.

As Dr Scally surmised, at present, the HSEs policy and its practice is deeply contradictory and unsatisfactory.

Similarly, my research found that the provision of an apology following a medical error or omission was scarce, and in the context of medical negligence litigation, apologies are unlikely to occur or be provided to a patient-plaintiff, unless specifically requested and agreed upon as part of a settlement.

My research also revealed issues with the format and delivery of apologies, when given.

The findings indicated that in cases where apologies are offered, they are typically delivered by the organisation, indemnifier, or their legal representatives, rather than the medical professional(s) who was involved with the treatment of the patient.

Additionally, the apology is generally drafted by a legal practitioner, usually a junior barrister, and offered only when the case has been resolved  which frequently is a number of years after the error or omission causing the harm has taken place.

Such formulaic apologies can make for awkward communications, and given the delay in offering an apology, can often appear insincere.

The need for a genuine apology, offered by individual physicians, has been recently acknowledged by both Dr Scally and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

We thank Dr Scally and his team for carrying out a thorough inquiry and producing a robust report. (12k documents examined, hundreds of interviews, labs visited and examined) The Government accepts the findings and recommendations. #ScallyReport  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) September 12, 2018

It is well accepted that an apology should come from the person with the moral authority to make it, rather than through a representative.

When given by the wrongdoer, the apology is more likely to be accepted and perceived as genuine.

While it is understandable that doctors may not wish to apologise and therefore admit liability when it remains unclear if there was an error, it is to be regretted that there are also significant delays in providing an apology (if given at all), even in cases where issues surrounding liability do not exist.

However, such concerns should be eradicated when the legislation protecting apologies in this context is commenced.

Although the provisions for apologies in the professional guidelines, and the introduction of protective legislation is a positive step in the direction of reforming the current landscape, gaps between policy and implementation remain.

Given the power of an apology to diffuse anger and allow healing to commence, it is unfortunate, that in 2018, we still appear incapable of providing more humanising solutions to real and tangible harm.

It is hoped that the experiences of those harmed, including those affected by the CervicalCheck scandal, will serve as an impetus for change in the defensive culture that appears to exist in the current medical negligence dynamic.

Dr Mary-Elizabeth Tumelty is a lecturer in law, University College CorkFrom the Archive The Strange Birds Behind the '88 Coup

Snr-Gen. Saw Maung (left), military intelligence chief Gen. Khin Nyunt (center) and Snr-Gen. Than Shwe.

Thirty years ago Tuesday, a coup detat saw the government of General Ne Win toppled and replaced by General Saw Maung and his deputy General Than Shwe  the man who would go on to orchestrate Myanmars transition to quasi-civilian rule. In this story, first published in the September 2013 edition of The Irrawaddy magazine, founder Aung Zaw looks at some of the colorful characters in the halls of power at the time.

Retired Gen. Kyaw Win is a keen observer. These days, he devotes whats left of his failing eyesight to his two passions: photography and bird-watching. But in the past, when he served as number two in Myanmars once dreaded spy agency, he was regularly witness to far more intriguing things.

In April 1992, when Gen. Saw Maung, the leader of the military regime formed in 1988 to restore order after crushing pro-democracy protests in a bloody coup, was informed by then military intelligence chief and junta Secretary One Gen. Khin Nyunt that he had been permitted to retire due to health reasons, Kyaw Win was there.

Dont abandon us, the visibly shaken Saw Maung said to Khin Nyunt, fearing that he and his family were about to be placed under house arrest.

Long before Saw Maung lost his hold on power, he seemed to be losing his grip on reality. Kyaw Win recalled how Myanmars top general once started engaging in a conversation with a Buddha image at a famous shrine in Upper Myanmar. After that, he began declaring himself the reincarnation of the 11th century warrior-king Kyansittha and claimed he could see into the future.

He didnt sleep at all, Kyaw Win said of his former boss, who was clearly suffering from a nervous breakdown and had become dangerously paranoid (on one occasion, Kyaw Win said, the senior general brandished his revolver at some soldiers who had come to welcome him and his wife to a reception).

At one point, then Col. Kyaw Win saw Saw Maung summon regional commanders based in northern Myanmar to Mandalay to demand to know if they still supported him.

In fact, Saw Maung owed his powerful position to Gen. Ne Win, the dictator who had been forced to step down after massive protests calling for his ouster took place around the country. Saw Maung, who was then serving as commander in chief of the armed forces, was called to the former dictators residence along with his deputy Gen. Than Shwe and Ne Wins trusted spy chief Khin Nyunt. Their orders were to stage a coup.

After the military seized power on Sept. 18, 1988, Saw Maung triumphantly declared that he had saved the nation, but the sullen Than Shwe didnt utter a word.

From the beginning, Than Shwe was aloof from the other members of the junta, preferring the company of loyal subordinates. Among them was Kyaw Win, who had served under the taciturn general in Shan State in the early 1980s, and stayed close to him throughout the remainder of his military career.

During all their years together, however, Than Shwe never discussed politics with Kyaw Win. But in a sign that even early on he did not trust Khin Nyunt, he assigned Kyaw Win to act as the spy chiefs deputy.

Reporting back on Khin Nyunts words and actions was not difficult: All of the top leaders slept at the War Office from 1988 until the capital was moved to Naypyitaw in 2005. Kyaw Win and other trusted aides would often massage Than Shwe in his bed until he fell asleep. The powerful general also liked listening to their gossip and jokes, and sometimes, even after it seemed that he had already drifted off to sleep, he would laugh out loud at some amusing anecdote the officers were sharing among themselves.

Kyaw Win also knew that his boss had a deep-seated distrust of intellectuals and didnt like having educated people around him. Despite being a graduate of Yangon University, however, Kyaw Win seemed to have won his trust.

Another thing he knew about Than Shwe was that he regarded Myanmar, a nation wedged between the worlds two most populous countries, India and China, as uniquely vulnerable. For this reason, he believed that it needed a special military budget to build a strong army and acquire nuclear weapons. With money from state-owned enterprises and the sale of natural gas, he moved the capital to central Myanmar and built tunnels and launched a nascent nuclear weapons program.

Meanwhile, Khin Nyunt and his feared Military Intelligence were busy running torture chambers and chasing after dissidents. This part of their operation was sanctioned by Than Shwe; but the dossiers they were collecting on corruption within the regime apparently wasnt.

In the early days, Than Shwe was regarded as quite clean. But from around the early 2000s, several ministers and powerful generals had begun seeking favors. Usually, they just paid visits to his home, where they could count on a friendly welcome if they came bearing gifts for his family. This has been called kitchen politicscurrying favor with Myanmars top family through the back door.

Kyaw Wins disapproval of this development made him and other aides who believed it was part of their job to keep the businessmen at bay less than popular with Than Shwes wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and other close relatives. But the senior leader continued to entrust him with important missions, such as maintaining contacts with intelligence agencies in neighboring countries and acting as a messenger between himself and opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was then under house arrest. His most important duty, however, was to continue monitoring Khin Nyunt.

Once regarded as a natural successor to Than Shwe, the spy chief never imagined that he would one day be removed from power, despite warnings from his subordinates that he was vulnerable to just such a fate.

The trouble came as powerful generals and commanders in the armys infantry units learned that they were secretly being investigated. Infantry and intelligence units were always at loggerheads, and it became clear that Khin Nyunts intelligence unit was building a state within a state. For years, Than Shwe was urged to put the spy chief in his placesomething he had probably wanted to do all along.

Of course, Kyaw Win played a role in Khin Nyunts downfall, making sure that all of his reports on his immediate superior reached his real boss via Gen. Shwe Mann, the current speaker of Myanmars Lower House of Parliament, who was then the joint chief of staff of army, navy and air force and the third most powerful member of the junta.

To neutralize Khin Nyunt, Than Shwe appointed him prime minister and asked him to hand his duties as spy chief over to Myint Swe, one of Than Shwes loyal subordinates and now chief minister of Yangon Region.

But Khin Nyunt refused to play along, and later, Than Shwe learned that he had threatened at a cabinet meeting to expose corruption among military commanders and ministers.

In the end, Than Shwe didnt have to do a thing. Do what you have to do, he said, and soon the problem was taken care of. The infantry commanders, who had a plan in place and had long waited to hear these words, moved swiftly. They arrested Khin Nyunt and threw everyone close to him into prison. Within hours, Khin Nyunts spy network was dismantled.

That was in October 2004. When Khin Nyunt, who had been summoned to the office of the juntas number two Gen. Maung Aye shortly after getting off a plane in Yangon, was told to go home, he replied sarcastically that he was delighted to do so. He knew he had no choice: All of the other senior junta membersexcept Than Shwewere there. He was escorted back to his home, and after years as one of Myanmars most feared men, he became just another prisoner of one of the worlds most repressive regimes.

Although Than Shwe left the dirty business of dealing with Khin Nyunt to his subordinates, he was in full control of what came after. He reinforced his own power base, locked up more dissidents, and pushed ahead with drafting a constitution that would cement the militarys role in Myanmar politics. Finally, after holding a rigged election in 2010 that delivered a landslide victory to the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), he stepped out of the limelight and remains comfortably retired in his fortress-like mansion in Naypyitaw.

During his tenure as Myanmars supreme leader, Than Shwe also placed Ne Win under house arrest. Unlike Khin Nyunt, Than Shwe was not close to the former dictator. After Saw Maung, who died of heart failure in 1997, was forced to step down, Than Shwe never bothered to visit the mastermind behind the 1988 coup. Perhaps he had hated him all along.

Khin Nyunt, once dubbed Myanmars prince of evil by the foreign media, was released from house arrest in early 2012, and now lives as a private citizen. When asked to account for some of the things he did when he was still in power, he insists he was just following orders. Those orders came, of course, from Than Shwe.

Kyaw Win witnessed all of this and more. Now more interested in his avian friends, however, he says he has nothing to say about the current role, if any, of his former boss in Myanmars political affairs. But for those of us who have watched Than Shwe eliminate his rivals one by one over the past two decades, its difficult to imagine that he isnt still keeping an eagle eye on everything from his safe, secluded perch, ready to swoop down on anyone who threatens his talon-like hold on power.Entertainment European Film Festival to Bring More Real Life and Love to the Screens

A scene from Golden Globe Award-winning German film 'In the Fade' directed by the Fatih Akin which will be one of the films screened at the 27th European Film Festival which will run from September 21 to 30 at Nay Pyi Taw Cinema and Goethe Institute in Yangon.

YANGONMyanmars oldest international film event, the European Film Festival will be held for the 27th year on September 21 to 30 at Yangons oldie-but-goodie Nay Pyi Taw Cinema and the newly-renovated Goethe Institute.

The festival is organized by the European Union in Myanmar in collaboration with Goethe Institute Myanmar for all film lovers in Yangon and it aims to promote cultural exchange between Myanmar and Europe while showcasing the diversity of European films.

The festival will showcase a total of seventeen contemporary films, each from a different country, including three non-member countries of the European Union, Norway, Switzerland and Israel.

Kristian Schmidt, Ambassador of the European Union to Myanmar, said European films have their own, special nature and they are often ironic, unexpected, and seldom heroic. That is what makes their stories so interesting and the films relevant to everyone.

He added, The film festival will screen 17 different cultures from a total 17 countries with their own languages. We hope that the audiences will get in touch with our cultural differences, we all have a shared humanity.

The film festival drew more than 10,000 visitors last year and the team hopes to see even more attendees this year.

In 1990, the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization was making transformations and changes. I was one of the team members and we made a policy to collaborate with international film organizations and make more movements and learn techniques so we were able to bring the European Film Festival to Myanmar from that time until now, said Daw Swe Zin Htike, one of Myanmars award-winning actresses and a member of the official censorship board.

Films from Hollywood are commercial and they focus on entertaining people but films from Europe are mostly art-house films which show more about peoples lives and feelings. Myanmar people are not very familiar with art-house films. That is one of the main reasons for bringing the European Film Festival to Myanmar, she said.

All the films for the festival have to be submitted to an official censorship board comprised of members of the Ministry of Information and the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization, in order to get permission to be screened at Nay Pyi Taw Cinema.

We didnt cut any scenes from the films but in some cases which are not relevant to local people, we covered the subjects, said Daw Swe Zin Htike.

The films to be screened at the Goethe Institute do not need to be submitted to the censorship board and audiences will be able to see the uncensored versions.

The French film Django will be the opening film this year and it will be screened on Friday, September 21 at Nay Pyi Taw Cinema. It is based on the extraordinary life of jazz legend Django Reinhardt.

Most of the European films are focusing on portraying the emotions of people so audiences might get bored in the first few scenes but it gets more and more exciting later on, said Franz Xaver Augustin, Director of the Goethe Institute Myanmar.

Another interesting film in the lineup is the Austrian film Egon SchieleDeath and the Maiden which is about a famous painter Egon Schiele who challenged social conventions with his art and lifestyle.

The Golden Globe Award-winning German film In the Fade is also the must-watch one. Between 2000 and 2007 nine migrants were murdered in different Germany cities, most of them of Turkish descent. In the Fade is not specifically based on one of these murders but has its own plot in Hamburg.

Another interesting film with an LGBT-theme is Boys, from the Netherlands. The film shows the struggle teenagers have with their feelings, identity confusion and acceptance and is also a beautiful love story of two boys.

The festival will also showcase the documentary film about Grammy Award Winning Jazz artist Amy Winehouse who died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts award-winning director Asif Kapadia shows the heart-breaking journey of the young British Artist with extensive unseen footage.

All films are shown in their original language with English subtitles and tickets for the films are free but given on a first-come-first-serve basis at both venues one hour to 15 minutes before the scheduled screening.

For the full screening schedule, check their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/europeanfilmfestival.yangon.Burma KNU Concerned Group Backs Call for Military Leaders to Face ICC

Naw Zipporah Sein attends a meeting of ethnic armed groups in Panghsang, headquarters of the United Wa State Army, on the China-Myanmar border. / Supplied

CHIANG MAI, Thailand  The KNU Concerned Group, led by the former vice chairperson of the Karen National Union, has endorsed the report of the independent International Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar (IFFM) and its recommendations, including that Myanmar be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states.

Minority ethnic groups including Kachin and Karen civil society organizations and the Taang National Liberation Army have voiced support for the call by the United Nations Security Council to refer Myanmar to the ICC since the IFFMs report  which was released on Aug. 27  was submitted to the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council this month.

The pattern of crimes committed against the ethnic Karen and other ethnic populations are part of the Myanmar Tatmadaws strategy to terrorize, subjugate and ethnic cleanse, as happened to the Rohingya people in Rakhine state, the KNU Concerned Groups statement released on Sept. 14 reads.

Naw Zipporah Sein, the head of the KNU Concerned Group, said, We have been suffering from the same pattern of human rights violations in the past, and at present, by the Tatmadaw. The perpetrators and violators are from the same institution, regardless of the time and region.

In the past, the Karen have lacked this kind of international support, including calls for the referral of Myanmar to the ICC. Naw Zipporah Sein said, I support it because the incidents cited in the report are similar to what happened to us.

Her groups statement adds that the Tatmadaws widespread and systematic violations, including crimes against humanity and war crimes have been committed against the ethnic Karen, Kachin, Shan, Karenni and others for decades. It cites their own experiences of having thousands of villages burnt down; hundreds of thousands of orchards and areas of farmland destroyed; thousands of peopleincluding children and the elderlykilled; hundreds of women raped and killed; and many hundreds of thousands of people uprooted from their homes and displaced.

Since 2017 the KNU Concerned Group has analyzed current political trends and frequently shared its opinions with the public. Naw Zipporah Sein said the group comprises former KNU Central Committee members, adding that none of them has a current political role in the KNU.

She told The Irrawaddy, The military controls everything, including the peace negotiations, and the military also commits these crimes. If they are willing to change, they must prove it.

While the KNUs top leadership has had a very close relationship with the chief of the Tatmadaw (or Myanmar military), the group has been engaged in frequent clashes this year with Tatmadaw troops, particularly in Papun district, in the area controlled by the KNUs Brigade Five.

The KNU Central Committee denies any affiliation with the KNU Concerned Group.

This is the opinion of a group of people who use the KNU name and it is a typical move, said Padoh Saw Hla Tun, a secretary of the KNU.

We have no comment, as they currently do not hold any leadership position in the KNU, he said.Burma Leader of Hpa-an Prison Break Shot by Police, Died in Hospital

The front entrance of the prison where the escape occurred in Hpa-an Township, Karen State. / Nyan Soe Win / The Irrawaddy

Of 41 prisoners who escaped from Hpa-an Prison on Sunday morning, 14 have been recaptured, according to reports from police in the city of Hpa-an, the capital of Karen State.

We cooperated with other friendship organizations including community leaders to arrest the escaped prisoners. We were able to arrest 14 people before 7 p.m., said a report posted on the Hpa-an Township Police Facebook page on Sunday night.

The inmates of Hpa-an Prison, located in Taungkalay Village, were clearing bushes inside the prison grounds on Sunday morning. Some of the prisoners beat a truck driver, a member of the prison staff, who intended to load rubbish and cleared vegetation on the truck to be taken outside. Police reports say he was wounded in the attack and is receiving treatment in hospital.

The prisoners were able to drive out of the prison as soon as they seized the truck. They drove about 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) outside the village and ran into nearby jungle and other villages to hide.

Among the escapees, a number of them are serving long sentences, according to the police. The recaptured prisoners are serving sentences of six months to 13 years.

Meanwhile, police have requested that the public cooperates with them for the arrest of the escapees who are still on the run or in hiding. The police have published photos of the escaped prisoners online and have asked the public to inform them if they are seen.

The police have launched a search party and deployed a number of police vehicles in a major search operation launched yesterday in the area around Hpa-an Township, with Police Colonel Aung Myat Moe leading the operation.

Inmate Kyaw Main Hla, who lead the prison break, was shot yesterday during the police search operation and died later in hospital in Hpa-an. He had been serving a life sentence at the time of the escape.

He was wounded and died in the hospital, said U Kyin Naing, a local police officer who participating in the manhunt.

U Kyin Naing said the police are still searching for the other escaped prisoners in the jungles around the nearby villages.

We are investigating where they are hiding, he said.

The Myanmar Army, the local police force and the Karen Border Guard Force are meanwhile working together in the joint search operation to locate and recapture the escaped prisoners. Police are publishing ongoing reports on the manhunt operations online.Burma Military Chief's Russian Social Media Account Removed, Reappears

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing's blocked VK page as seen on Monday (left), and his new VK page.

YANGON  Just over two weeks after Myanmars military chief had found a new propaganda platform on VKontakte (VK), Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing was removed from Russias most popular social media network over the weekend.

It was the second time the countrys top military leader was banned from a social networking site.

In late August, US-based social media giant Facebook announced that it had deleted the pages and accounts of 20 organizations and individuals  including Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing  that committed or enabled serious human rights abuses in [Myanmar]. The networks statement followed on the heels of a report by the UNs human rights office that found those Facebook accounts and pages had contributed to human rights abuses, especially to last years Rohingya crisis in northern Rakhine State.

The senior-general migrated to VK less than 48 hours after his Facebook account was shut down.

His new page, named Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, was blocked on Saturday night. Visitors were greeted by a short message that said This page has been blocked due to violation of the VK terms of service but provided no further explanation.

Minutes later, however, a new VK page appeared under the same name with the military chiefs picture, but with none of the old posts. The first post on the new page was dated Saturday and was about his meeting with military officers in Kalaw Township, Shan State. On Monday, the new page had some 4,600 followers.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaings Facebook page had been relatively active and up to date compared with the pages of many of Myanmars politicians and government agencies, including the Presidents Office and the State Counselors Office. It posted information about the militarys chief activities and important statements in real time. When the senior general met a foreign dignitary about the Rohingya crisis, the page posted a lengthy defense of the militarys activities in Rakhine.Burma Thousands Protest Woman's Abduction by Armed Group in Shan State

People join a protest against the TNLA's abduction of Nang Mo Hom in Namhkam Township, Shan State, on Monday. / Sai Thein Shwe / Facebook

MANDALAY  Thousands of people protested in Shan State on Monday to demand that the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) release an ethnic Shan woman the armed group abducted last month.

About 10,000 locals walking down the main road of Namhkam Township carrying banners and photos of Nang Mo Hom and shouted slogans urging the TNLA to release her immediately.

Even though there are calls from her relatives, locals and the NRPC [National Reconciliation and Peace Center], the TNLA shows no sign of releasing her. So weve gathered to express our feelings, said Namhkam resident Nang Thin Thin Aye, one of the demonstrators.

Mondays protest was the second in Namhkam calling for Nang Mo Homs release this month.

Its not only for her release. We want to show that we are living in fear, that we dont know who is going to be kidnapped next and put on trial under their [the TNLAs] laws, Nang Thin Thin Aye said. We just want the TNLA to release her. If she really broke the law, let her face trial in an official court, not theirs.

Protesters said Nang Mo Homs abduction has also fueled misconceptions between the areas ethnic Shan and Taang communities and that they wanted to stem any mistrust,

Another reason we want the TNLA to act immediately is to ease tensions between ethnic Shan and Taang people, who have lived peacefully in the past. If they release her now, there will be no tension and everything will be ok, Nang Thin Thin Aye said.

Nang Mo Hom, a mother of three, was abducted from her home in Namhkam Township on Aug. 17 at gunpoint by five TNLA soldiers. She has been held incommunicado since and her condition is unknown.

The Youth Network of Namhkam issued a statement following the abduction condemning the TNLA and demanding the womans release. It claims the TNLA had accused Nang Mo Hom of informing on two of its members who attempted to collect taxes in the area and were later shot and detained by the Myanmar army. Nang Mo Homs family denies that she was an informant.

The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), a local political party, also called for her immediate released and wrote to the NRPC asking it to intervene.

On Sept. 10 the NRPC called for the immediate release of Nang Mo Hom. It said the abduction was unlawful and harmed the national peace process.

Earlier this month, the TNLA said Nang Mo Hom was on trial by the armed group for allegedly obstructing its troops from performing their duties, in violation of TNLA laws. It did not elaborate.Monday, September 17th, 2018 (2:46 pm) - Score 2,666

On the list of things that telecoms engineers dread finding, unexploded bombs from World War II must surely feature right at the top. Such munitions are potentially very unstable and the heavy bombing campaigns of the past mean that even today people are still discovering them across the UK.

In the past people dug trenches to hide from bombs but today were digging much smaller ones in order to deploy new fibre optic (FTTP / FTTC) broadband ISP cables. This is precisely what Openreach (BT) Supervisor, Russell Keil, was doing in the rural Lincolnshire village of West Pinchbeck when their trench digging machine (Ditch Witch) suddenly unearthed a mysterious object (pictured top).

Sadly the object wasnt a harmless piece of old metal pipework and instead turned out to be an unexploded two-inch mortar from WWII (even though it looks more like a grease gun), although Russell and his team didnt know that at the time.

Supervisor Russell Keil said: I was using a Ditch Witch to dig a trench when it turned over what I thought was an obsolete joint. I knew something wasnt quite right so took a closer look and thats when I realised it looked very much like a bomb from an online simulation game I play in my spare time. I couldnt believe it was a bomb and wondered about calling the police because I didnt want to waste their time. But Im glad I did. It was also a relief when I got home that evening and got the call to say that the mortar had been fully tested for chemicals and hazardous substances and fortunately we had nothing to worry about. My advice to anyone in the same situation is trust your gut and call 999.

Interestingly the two-inch mortar was traditionally more of an infantry weapon used by allied troops (youd drop the mortar bomb down a metal cylinder  angled in the direction of travel  and then it would shoot upwards towards its target.. hopefully), which to us suggests that it might have been left behind accidentally (any history buffs have an opinion?). The Nazis had a different looking system and munition.

The good news is that Russell and his team were able to resume work shortly after the bomb disposal squad had done their wonderful job to make the area safe again. The regional Onlincolnshire project is currently working toward ensuring that 97% of premises in Lincolnshire can access a superfast broadband (24Mbps+) network by December 2019 (details).A court in the US has agreed that Washington-based DNS research tools provider DomainTools violated the NZ Domain Name Commission's terms of use.

Late last week, New Zealands Domain Name Commission won a motion for preliminary injunction in a US lawsuit against the company DomainTools. The court judgment can be seen here

Earlier this year, the Domain Name Commission updated its terms of use to mandate that a privacy option be offered for all .nz domain name holders that are not in trade. This meant that people could withhold their address and phone number from publicly appearing in the online registration data search. More than 20,000 domain names have already taken up the privacy option.

The New Zealand Domain Name Commission has asserted that "DomainTools is a digital intelligence-gathering company in the US and has been scraping registration data from New Zealands Domain Name Commission for many years. This mass collection of data breaches the Commissions terms of use and exposes details of domain name holders who choose to have their details kept private. This is because DomainTools makes available historic records which show the now withheld information."

Commissioner Brent Carey, said: "Winning this lawsuit is good news for .nz domain name holders and their privacy.

"The ruling allows the Commission to continue balancing online accountability with respect for individual privacy. The ruling temporarily puts to an end to DomainTools bulk harvesting of .nz domain holders personal information and selling that data for a profit.

"This is a step in the right direction to ensure that any person or company looking to build a business on domain name data, in violation of our Terms of Use, cant do so."

The Domain Name Commissions statement added that "Managers of other countries domain name systems across the world will want to pay attention to the judgment. This may raise confidence to fight their own cases should DomainTools be breaching their terms of use."

Of some amusement, during court proceedings DomainTools argued that this lawsuit may cause an avalanche of litigation as other registries attempt to protect the privacy of their registrants, Judge Lasnik stated that they may be correct.

Carey added, "We look forward to presenting our full case to the Court, as we seek to permanently prevent DomainTools from ever building a secondary .nz database offshore and outside the control of the Domain Name Commission."

During the hearing, DomainTools requested more than US$3.5 million in bond to compensate for reworking their database files to ensure that .nz data is not provided to its customers. However, in a significant mark-down, the judge ruled that a nominal bond of only US$1000 was required.Last year, human resources firm PageUp People was reported to be considering a listing on the Australian Stock Exchange. But given this year's massive data breach and the subsequent fallout, it would probably be a safe bet that the company has put those plans in cold storage.

A recent survey may convince PageUp to push any ASX listing out even further: the CompariTech Web portal, which looked at companies listed on the NYSE that suffered and publicly disclosed breaches of a million records or more in the last three years, found that such breaches had a long-term effect on stock prices.

PageUp announced the breach on 6 June but is yet to provide a comprehensive statement as to how the breach occurred and the extent of damage. Some information was published on 19 June; additional details were published on an undated Web page which was not linked from anywhere on the company's website.

The HR outfit has no media contact details listed on its website. It has apparently contracted the local branch of the world's biggest PR company, Edelman, to provide advice post-breach but the latter company does not appear to have much of a clue in this regard either: Edelman itself, both on its US and Australian websites, has only a Web form for contact.

After the breach, PageUp hired security firm Hivint to assist it with incident response co-ordination and security outfit Klein & Co to do the forensics needed. Yet three months and three weeks from the date 23 May was given as the date when the infiltration was noticed  no details have been made public.

PageUp counts among its clients the Commonwealth Bank. the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Telstra, NAB, Coles, Aldi, Medibank, Australia Post, Target, Reserve Bank of Australia, Officeworks, Kmart, Linfox, AMP, Asahi, Sony, Newcrest, the University of Tasmania and Lindt.

The information provided to clients is vague at best; the Federal Treasury put it this way: "PageUp cannot confirm exactly what information has been accessed."

And then, "PageUp has informed us that the type of personal information that may have been accessed includes:

"Contact details including name, email address, physical address, and telephone numbers;

"Biographical details including gender, date of birth, nationality, and whether the applicant was a local resident at the time of the application;

"Employment details at the time of the application, including employment status, company and title; and

"Referee details.

"PageUp has advised it is confident that other personal information including resumes, financial information, Australian tax file numbers, employee performance reports and employment contracts were not affected in this incident. Password data for applicants was protected using industry best practice techniques."

So how can the company state it is unable to confirm what has been exfiltrated and then go into detail about what has, and has not, been stolen?

There are many other organisations, much smaller in size and with not even 1% of the resources of PageUp  the company turned over $31 million in 2015-16  who have suffered breaches and provided detailed information to the public at large in a fraction of the time that PageUp has maintained a stony silence.

Take the case of the Gentoo Linux project: the GitHub mirror of the project was broken into in June. Just a week later, the project, a community effort, published a full and detailed report of how the break-in had happened and what the project admins had done to deal with the situation.

There was no effort at security through obscurity; there was, instead, full disclosure. No big security firms were hired by the Gentoo admins; they were competent enough to investigate themselves and issue a technically comprehensible report for all to see. But then users are Gentoo's lifeblood; without them, there would be no project.

British Airways is the latest big name to suffer a breach; the company's online booking site was compromised between 21 August and 5 September. The breach was reported in the media on 7 September. Of course, there are much stricter requirements for breach notification in the UK, with companies being given 72 hours to fess up. There are additional rules protecting customers under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, which the country will have to comply with until it makes a formal exit from the EU in March next year.

BA has plenty of media contacts listed and responded to iTWire's media queries within a day or two.

A third example where disclosure was observed scrupulously was the Debian GNU/Linux project. In 2007, the servers were broken into and developer Wichert Akkerman posted a full report to keep all users informed. Debian is a much bigger community effort than Gentoo and has more than a thousand developers.

A fourth example was when the Debian project released a version of OpenSSL with a serious vulnerability unwittingly created by one of its own developers, it made no bones about it and made a full public confession.

And a fifth example of full disclosure was the breach of Czech cyber security company Avast which resulted in malware being implanted in CCleaner, a popular application that allows Windows users to perform routine maintenance on their systems and has been downloaded more than two billion times. Avast provided report after report as facts came to light

The Australian data breach law, which came into effect on 22 February, appears to have no requirements for disclosure in order that the public will be fully informed. But then, as cyber law expert Helaine Leggat told iTWire, "from a trust and company risk/reputation point of view, one would think that PageUp People would want to communicate more frequently. (I recommend Crisis Communications Policies, among other things)".

It remains to be seen whether PageUp People will come clean about the breach and close the chapter on what has been a PR disaster. But I wouldn't advise anyone to hold their breath on that score.German multinational security software company Avira says the EternalBlue exploit, leaked from the NSA by the Shadow Brokers, is still being used to exploit a larger number of unpatched Windows computers that can be exploited.

The company said it had found about 300,000 computers with this problem and its researchers were deactivating the vulnerable SMB1 protocol on about 14,000 computers every day.

The typical target was a cracked variant of Windows which had not been patched against the exploit, the company said in a blog post.

EternalBlue is used to exploit a weakness in Microsoft's Server Message Block protocol. Once a target has been broken into, it is possible to run code on the affected machine.

This is not the first time that a security company has pointed out that this exploit is still in wide use; in May, the Slovakian security firm ESETEternalBlue was still posing a threat to both patched and unpatched systems.

In 2017, both the WannaCry and NotPetya ransomware both used this exploit to create havoc on a global scale.

Avira senior virus analyst Mikel Echevarria-Lizarrag said: "There are still significant numbers of repeatedly infected machines more than a year after the big WannaCry and Petya attacks.

"Our research has linked this to Windows machines that havent been updated against the NSA EternalBlue exploit and are an open target for malware.

He said the reason behind repeated infections was that machines were running cracked activation software which meant they would not be able to update Windows.

"It also means that they did not receive the March 2018 emergency patch from Microsoft for this vulnerability."

Echevarria-Lizarrag said the solution was to turn off the SMB1 protocol entirely. We decided to deactivate it on the machines that have the endless infection loop and where the related windows patches had not been installed.

Once the SMB1 protocol is deactivated, we dont see the same machines affected again and again with this problem.Konica Minolta is partnering with collaborative mobile robots manufacturer, Mobile Industrial Robots, in a move it says will bring bring a greater level of automation to its clients in Australia.

Martin Keetels, national manager of Robotics and Innovation, Konica Minolta, said, With Australian businesses requiring greater efficiency to remain competitive in the region, and globally clients are beginning to demand robotic technology, robotics will be a growth and productivity engine of Australias future economy.

Innovation and automation have a significant role to play in manufacturing and distribution environments in Australia. Konica Minolta is excited to bring another level of automation to its customers.

With more than 150 service engineers in-house and the equivalent number in the channel that can potentially service robots, Konica Minolta is in a unique position to prepare our clients for the workplace of the future.

The partnership between Konica Minoltas and MiR was made official during a recent visit by Keetels to MiRs headquarters in Odense, Denmark.

Keetels said, I was incredibly impressed by the calibre of MiRs management team and the market-leading robots. Its a great combination to find in a partner and we are excited by what the future holds.

Konica Minolta is committed to continued investment in this space, through partnerships and by developing internal resources to deliver the best outcomes for its customers. Konica Minoltas role is to work with robotics companies to support their growth by harnessing its capabilities of distribution, services, and maintenance while our partners continue designing, manufacturing, and supplying the robots.

Konica Minoltas robotics capability is just beginning with MiR with many opportunities to extend across different industries and applications in the future.India's Department of Telecommunications has barred Chinese telecommunications providers Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation from participating in trials for developing 5G use cases in the country, the Economic Times has reported.

The newspaper quoted telecommunications secretary Aruna Sundararajan as saying: "We have written to Cisco, Samsung, Ericsson and Nokia, and telecom service providers to partner with us to start 5G technology-based trials, and have got [a] positive response from them."

But a Huawei spokesperson in India appeared to indicate that the company's absence from these trials did not mean it would be excluded altogether from a role in India's 5G networks.

"We are in regular touch with DoT and concerned government officials. The Indian Government has always supported Huawei and has been appreciative of our path-breaking technologies and solutions," the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

The Indian announcement came a week or so after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis met Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi for a so-called India-US 2+2 Dialogue.

During that meeting, a bilateral agreement, known as Communications, Compatibility, Security Agreement, was signed to usher in closer military and intelligence co-operation. Talks between Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval and Mattis and Pompeo were held in Washington DC last Friday.

Washington appears to have been the driving force behind the ban on Huawei and ZTE in Australia. An announcement in August by Acting Home Affairs Minister Scott Morrison and Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said that the two companies would not be allowed to play any role in the 5G network rollout.

The US Government has placed strictures on the use of equipment from both Huawei and ZTE, alleging that the two firms would help China spy on the US. Both companies have denied any involvement in such activities.

At the time of the ban by Canberra, a Huawei spokesperson told iTWire: "This is an extremely disappointing result for consumers. Huawei is a world leader in 5G and has safely and securely delivered wireless technology in Australia for close to 15 years."

Earlier this month, there was a report that claimed Japan would also take a similar route to that which Australia has, and ban the two companies on ground of security.

In response to that, Huawei said that after contacting the company's office in Japan, and finding there was no ban planned, the conclusion reached was that, "Some conservative newspaper wrote an unsubstantiated story."

South Korea has also given Huawei the cold shoulder, according to a Yonhap report. Seoul has chosen its own giant Samsung Electronics, Sweden's Ericsson and Finnish firm Nokia to develop the equipment needed for its 5G network.

Sundararajan told reporters, "we have excluded Huawei from these trials", when asked if the company had not been invited due to security reasons.

"We are going to set up [a] core group in the department to push this (trials) further, so that by early next year, we would be able to demonstrate 5G use cases in India, she said.

As of now, we are at par with all major economies and have set up a high-level task force, which in its report has given the recommendations for the spectrum, standards, skills and early rollouts."

The ET said Huawei had been witnessing a fall in revenue due to the extent of consolidation in the Indian telecommunications market, and was staring at a fall of about 40% in 2018.

Huawei had stopped manufacturing equipment in India as a result and was importing what it needed, the report claimed, adding that the company's revenue was likely to be between US$700 million to US$800 million (RS 4740 crore to RS 5415 crore, a crore being 10 million) this year, after a haul of US$1.2 billion in 2017.

iTWire has contacted Huawei for comment.A former software engineer at Google claims he was taken off a project to write code to censor news articles in China in 2006 when he refused to do so.

In a series of tweets, Vijay Boyapati said Google had found someone else to do the job after he objected. He added that since Google always retained the emails of old employees who had left, "these details should be able to be corroborated if necessary".

During the years from 2006 to 2010, Google had a search engine operating in China. The company pulled out of the country after its servers were hacked.

Boyapati's revelation comes in the wake of news that Google has plans to return to China and operate a censored search engine once again.

Since this is getting some attention, I want to explain what happened in more detail.



At the time Google was censoring Web results, but this was widely known. It was a conscious decision: being in China and censoring was better for the Chinese people than not being there at all.  Vijay Boyapati (@real_vijay) September 16, 2018

The news about the China planon 1 August. Subsequently, there have been reports aboutamong Google employees over the project, which is codenamed Dragonfly.

A letter circulated about the "urgent moral and ethical issues" surrounding the project is said to have been sent around inside the company.

There have also been reports that managers at the company were trying to shut down access to any material connected to the project. Another report said that engineers had used search queries from a Chinese Web directory service owned by Google to develop blacklists for the censored search engine.

Boyapati said: "At the time, Google was censoring Web results, but this was widely known. It was a conscious decision: being in China and censoring was better for the Chinese people than not being there at all.

"Or at least that was the rationalisation. It was not widely known that Google intended to censor news in China. So I got up at an engineering 'all hands' meeting (few hundred people) and complained about what we were going to do. Ironically, I got some applause for this."

He said nothing came of his complaint right away. He then emailed then chief executive Eric Schmidt to complain. "He referred my complaint to Alan Eustace who was a senior vice-president of engineering at the time. Nothing came of it and the policy of censoring went ahead."

Boyapati added: "It was only a while later that [Google co-founder] Sergey Brin pressed for Google to leave China. His childhood experience growing up in the Soviet Union under an oppressive regime obviously influenced his thinking on this.

"It's a more than a little ironic to see a recent video of Googlers in open anguish at [2016 Democratic presidential contender] Hillary Clinton losing the recent US election, while simultaneously working to aid an oppressive regime overseas," Boyapati said, referring to a video published by the right-wing website Breitbart recently.

The video, of one of the weekly meetings that are known as TGIFs  or Thank God It's Friday meetings  was used by Breitbart to highlight exactly how much those who run Google are anti-Trump.

Since The Intercept's first report, on 1 August, Google has made no public statement about the project, though it has been asked for a statement on more than a dozen occasions.

iTWire has sought comment from Google about Boyapati's claims and the whole plan to return to China.This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.IWU to Host First International Day of Peace Conference

Sept. 17, 2018

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.  Illinois Wesleyan University will recognize the International Day of Peace with the inaugural International Day of Peace Conference from Friday, Sept. 21 through Saturday, Sept. 22. The events will take place throughout The Ames Library, the Hansen Student Center and the Memorial Center.

Observed each year on Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace among all nations and people. Featuring film screenings, live performances and panels over the course of two days, Josie Blumberg 19  an IWU Peace Fellow and founder of the conference  said the purpose is to discuss the challenges and approaches to achieving peace in different environments of conflict.

The International Day of Peace Conference is really an amazing opportunity to hear firsthand about peace efforts in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and to engage with peace activists, Blumberg said. I hope the conference will show students that no matter what they study, their field of interest is important in helping countries reconstruct themselves and find peace.

The events, which will also feature activists from Asia, the Middle East and Africa who work in the field of peacebuilding, will provide participants with the opportunity to hear about different approaches to peace taken by countries around the world, Blumberg added.

As a Peace Fellow, Blumberg has conducted and presented extensive research in the areas of conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Her interest in understanding the different forms of peacebuilding has led her to work within the nonprofit sector with organizations that support exchange programs between countries, including the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, Japan, and a nonprofit organization in Washington D.C.

As a Peace Fellow, I believe it is especially critical to understand the field of peacebuilding, considering the number of countries within different contexts trying to bring about peace in our world today, Blumberg said. Not only are countries trying to bring about the cessation of violence, but they are also striving to rebuild their country while addressing political, economic, and social issues.

The conference is hosted by the Peace Fellows, and the Anthropology, History and Political Science Departments. Events will begin on Friday, Sept. 21 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Davidson Room of the Memorial Center with a viewing of The Grandchildren of Hiroshima, by Mirei Tashiro. Following the screening is a performance by Tatsushi Amano, titled Living with the Father, in the Beckman Auditorium of The Ames Library from 4-6 p.m. A dinner and panel discussing, Lessons from the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict and Japan, will then follow from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Turfler Room of the Memorial Center.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, a panel of activists will speak on Understanding the Complexities of Peacebuilding in the Hansen Student Center from 1-3 p.m. A meet and greet with the panelists will precede the event from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Hansen.

By Vi Kakares 20The law and the complaint suit are the latest salvos in the ongoing dispute between the commission on one side, and on the other the New York Shipping Association and the International Longshoremens Association, over the commissions role at the port. Both sides contend that they are trying to correct problems that can hinder the smooth operation of the port and therefore the cost-efficient flow of shippers cargo.Reddit Email 641 Shares

(TeleSur)  Investigative journalist Bob Woodwards new book claims that Trump hired Mattis as Defense Secretary for proposing a war of annihilation against the Islamic Group in Syria.

Journalist Bob Woodwards new White House tell-all book Fear: Trump in the White House revealed that the current U.S. Secretary of Defense Norman James Mattis was offered his position because of his stance on Islamic State Groups in Syria. Mattis, in a meeting with the president, said to him that there should be no hold-back on the Syrian war as the Islamic State Group has to be annihilated.

Later in November, Trump invited Mattis, 66, to Bedminster. Mattiss quiet presence was imposing. We have to take care of ISIS, Trump emphasized. The Islamic State had grown out of the remains of al Qaeda in Iraq and expanded brutally into Syria with the ambition of establishing and ruling as a caliphate. Trump had promised to defeat ISIS in the campaign, and the threat was growing, Woodward says in the book.

Mattis looked directly at Trump. We need to change what we are doing, he said. It cant be a war of attrition, It must be a war of annihilation. Trump loved the concept. Perfect. He offered Mattis the job, though they agreed not to announce it right away, says the current best-selling book.

After excerpts of the book were published before its release, the Pentagon released a statement on Mattis behalf saying that this book is a work of uniquely Washington brand of fiction.

But if one has to look into his history of commenting on issues, one wouldnt disregard the claims of the book as a work of pure imagination.

The presidents mad dog Mattis reportedly said that it is fun to kill Afghanis. In fact, as the Secretary of Defense, he pushed Trump to continue the U.S. war on Afghanistan. As per the book, on one occasion he even threatened the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer with sending him to Afghanistan if he does not stop calling him regarding an appearance on TV.

One of his more controversial and disturbing quotes were Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.

Mattis controversial stand on defense and policy issues made him a favorite of President Trump and both shared a good bond over the past two years. However, since the release of the book and controversy surrounding it, things have soured between the two, as reported by Business Insider. Trump might even try to replace him post-midterm elections.

In fact, for Trump, the mad dog metamorphosed into moderate dog as Mattis has used checks and balances on the president. The book has thrown a light on possible reasons for the souring relation between the two. Apparently, Mattis has not given into the presidents every whim. As per the book, he also said that Trump has an understanding of a fifth- or sixth-grader.

Even though both the White House and Pentagon vehemently opposed all the revelations made in the book, the damage has been done. Once hired for being mad dog with bloodlust, Mattis proved to be moderate for the U.S. President and his policies.

-

Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

CBS News from Sep 8: U.S. to keep military presence in SyriaReddit Email 219 Shares

Washington (AFP)  The Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington ceased operations on Thursday following a demand by the United States to shut down but expressed hope the closure would be short-lived.

State Department officials on Monday ordered the office shuttered, in a bid to pressure the Palestinians to enter peace talks with Israel.

It was the latest point of tension between the administration of President Donald Trump and the Palestinians, who cut off contact with Washington after Trump recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israels capital in December.

Today is the deadline for closure, Husam Zomlot, who headed the Palestine Liberation Organization mission, said in a Facebook video addressed to the great people of America.

The closure came on the 25th anniversary of the Oslo accords, the first agreements between the rival Israelis and Palestinians which promised to end decades of deadly conflict, but which are now deadlocked and tarnished by soured relations.

Zomlot on Thursday denounced the unfortunate and vindictive US move to close the Palestinian mission.

It was unsurprising to us the Trump administration gave us only two choices: either we lose our relationship with the administration or we lose our rights as a nation, he said.

Our president, leadership and the people of Palestine opted for our rights.

Zomlot said the Palestinians were extremely saddened by the current state of affairs.

Addressing the millions upon millions of Americans who remain friends of Palestine, he hoped that may we soon return to continue to be a symbol and a reflection of the historic relationship between the Palestinian and the American people.

Prior to ordering the missions closure, the United States cut more than $200 million in aid to the Palestinians and canceled its support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

The move to not grant the mission its normal six-month renewal came after Palestinian leaders allegedly breached the arrangement by calling for Israeli officials to be prosecuted at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Palestinian leaders say Trumps White House is blatantly biased in favor of Israel and is seeking to blackmail them into accepting its terms.

Under Trump, the United States is further away than ever from playing its traditional role as mediator in the long-simmering Middle East peace process.

But Trump, a foreign policy novice, promised upon taking office to help broker the ultimate deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

Wait until the peace plan is released, and when its released, please read it cover to cover and judge the plan on its merits  not on rumors, not on speculation, not on news reports, but on whats in it, one of the US negotiators, Jason Greenblatt, said Thursday on Twitter.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, however, that the administration is not ready to unveil the plan but remains optimistic.

There needs to be a different kind of approach. Nothing has worked so were trying a different approach, she said.

Featured Photo: AFP/File / SAUL LOEB. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) office in Washington has now ceased operations, under an order from the US State Department.Reddit Email 364 Shares

New York (Tomdispatch.com )  Once upon a time, there was a little-known energy company called Enron. In its 16-year life, it went from being dubbed Americas most innovative company by Fortune Magazine to being the poster child of American corporate deceit. Using a classic recipe for book-cooking, Enron ended up in bankruptcy with jail time for those involved. Its shareholders lost $74 billion in the four years leading up to its bankruptcy in 2001.

A decade ago, the flameout of my former employer, Lehman Brothers, the global financial firm, proved far more devastating, contributing as it did to a series of events that ignited a global financial meltdown. Americans lost an estimated $12.8 trillion in the havoc.

Despite the differing scales of those disasters, there was a common thread: both companies used financial tricks to make themselves appear so much healthier than they actually were. They both faked the numbers, thanks to off-the-books or offshore mechanisms and eluded investigations until they collapsed.

Now, heres a question for you as we head for the November midterm elections, sure to be seen as a referendum on the president: Could Donald Trump be a one-man version of either Enron or Lehman Brothers, someone who cooked the books until, well, he imploded?

Since weve never seen his tax returns, right now we really dont know. What we do know is that hes been dodging bullets ever since the Justice Department accused him of violating the Fair Housing Act in his operation of 39 buildings in New York City in 1973. Unlike famed 1920s mob boss Al Capone, he may never get done in by something as simple as tax evasion, but time will tell.

Rest assured of one thing though: he wont go down easily, even if he is already the subject of multiple investigations and a plethora of legal slings and arrows. Of course, his methods should be familiar. As President Calvin Coolidge so famously put it, the business of America is business. And the business of business is to circumvent or avoid the heat until, of course, it cant.

The Safe

So far, Treasury Secretary and former Trump national campaign finance chairman Steven Mnuchin has remained out of the legal fray thats sweeping away some of his fellow campaign associates. Certainly, he and his wife have grandiose tastes. And, yes, his claim that his hedge fund, Dune Capital Management, used offshore tax havens only for his clients, not to help him evade taxes himself, represents a stretch of the imagination. Other than that, however, there seems little else to investigate  for now. Still, as Treasury secretary he does oversee a federal agency that means the world to Donald Trump, the Internal Revenue Service, which just happens to be located across a courtyard from the Trump International Hotel on Washingtons Pennsylvania Avenue.

As it happens, the IRS in the Trump era still doesnt have a commissioner, only an acting head. What it may have, National Enquirer-style, is genuine presidential secrets in the form of Donald Trumps elusive tax returns. Last fall, outgoing IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said that there were plans to relocate them to a shiny new safe where they would evidently remain.

In 2016, Trump became the first candidate since President Richard Nixon not to disclose his tax returns. During the campaign, he insisted that those returns were undergoing an IRS audit and that he would not release them until it was completed. (No one at the IRS has ever confirmed that being audited in any way prohibits the release of tax information.) The presidents pledge to do so remains unfulfilled and last year counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway noted that the White House was not going to release his tax returns, adding  undoubtedly thinking about his base  people didnt care.

On April 17, 2018, the White House announced that the president would defer even filing his 2017 tax returns until this October. As every president since Nixon has undergone a mandatory audit while in office, count on American taxpayers hearing the same excuse for the rest of his term, even if Congress were to decide to invoke a 1924 IRS provision to view them.

Still, Conway may have a point when it comes to the public. After all, tax dodging is as American as fireworks on the Fourth of July. According to one study, every year the U.S. loses $400 billion in unpaid taxes, much of it hidden in offshore tax havens.

Yet the financial disclosures that The Donald did make during election campaign 2016 indicate that there are more than 500 companies in over two dozen countries, mostly with few to no employees or real offices, that feature him as their president. Lets face it, someone like Trump would only create a business universe of such Wall Street-esque complexity if he wanted to hide something. He was likely trying to evade taxes, shield himself and his family from financial accountability, or hide the dubious health of parts of his business empire. As a colleague of mine at Bear Stearns once put it, when tax-haven companies pile up like dirty laundry, theres a high likelihood that their uses arent completely clean.

Now, lets consider what we know of Donald Trumps financial adventures, taxes and all. Its quite a story and, even though it already feels like forever, its only beginning to be told.

The Trump Organization

Atop the non-White House branch of the Trump dynasty is the Trump Organization. To comply with federal conflict-of-interest requirements, The Donald officially turned over that companys reins to his sons, Eric and Donald Jr. For all the obvious reasons, he was supposed to distance himself from his global business while running the country.

Only that didnt happen and not just because every diplomat and lobbyist in town started to frequent his money-making new hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue. Now, according to the New York Times, the Manhattan district attorneys office is considering pressing criminal charges against the Trump Organization and two of its senior officials because the presidents lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid off an adult film actress and a former Playboy model to keep their carnal knowledge to themselves before the election.

Though Cohen effectively gave Stormy Daniels $130,000 and Karen McDougal $150,000 to keep them quiet, the Trump Organization then paid Cohen even more, $420,000, funds it didnt categorize as a reimbursement for expenses, but as a retainer. In its internal paperwork, it then termed that sum as legal expenses.

The D.A.s office is evidently focusing its investigation on how the Trump Organization classified that payment of $420,000, in part for the funds Cohen raised from the equity in his home to calm the Stormy (so to speak). Most people take out home equity loans to build a garage or pay down some debt. Not Cohen. Its a situation that could become far thornier for Trump. As Cohen already knew, Trump couldnt possibly wield his pardon power to absolve his former lawyer, since it only applies to those convicted of federal charges, not state ones.

And thats bad news for the president. As Lanny Davis, Cohens lawyer, put it, If those payments were a crime for Michael Cohen, then why wouldnt they be a crime for Donald Trump?

The bigger question is: What else is there? Those two payoffs may, after all, just represent the beginning of the woes facing both the Trump Organization and the Trump Foundation, which has been the umbrella outfit for businesses that have incurred charges of lobbying violations (not disclosing payment to a local newspaper to promote favorable casino legislation) and gaming law violations. His organization has also been accused of misleading investors, engaging in currency-transaction-reporting crimes, and improperly accounting for money used to buy betting chips, among a myriad of other transgressions. To speculate on overarching corporate fraud would not exactly be a stretch.

Unlike his casinos, the Trump Organization has not (yet) gone bankrupt, nor  were it to do so  is it in a class with Enron or Lehman Brothers. Yet it does have something in common with both of them: piles of money secreted in places designed to hide its origins, uses, and possibly end-users. The question some authority may pursue someday is: If Donald Trump was willing to be a part of a scheme to hide money paid to former lovers, wouldnt he do the same for his businesses?

The Trump Foundation

Questions about Trumps charity, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, have abounded since campaign 2016. They prompted New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood to file a lawsuit on June 14th against the foundation, also naming its board of directors, including his sons and his daughter Ivanka. It cites a pattern of persistent illegal conduct occurring over more than a decade, that includes extensive unlawful political coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing transactions to benefit Mr. Trumps personal and business interests, and violations of basic legal obligations for non-profit foundations.

As the New York Times reported, The lawsuit accused the charity and members of Mr. Trumps family of sweeping violations of campaign finance laws, self-dealing, and illegal coordination with Mr. Trumps presidential campaign. It also alleged that for four years  2007, 2012, 2013, and 2014  Trump himself placed his John Hancock below incorrect statements on the foundations tax returns.

The main issue in question: Did the Trump Foundation use any of its funds to benefit The Donald or any of his businesses directly? Underwood thinks so. Asshe pointed out, it was little more than a checkbook for payments from Mr. Trump or his businesses to nonprofits, regardless of their purpose or legality. Otherwise it seems to have employed no one and, according to the lawsuit, its board of directors has not met since 1999.

Because Trump ran all of his enterprises, he was also personally responsible for signing their tax returns. His charitable foundation was no exception. Were he found to have knowingly provided false information on its tax returns, he could someday face perjury charges.

On August 31st, the foundations lawyers fought back, filing papers of their own, calling the lawsuit, as the New York Times put it, a political attack motivated by the former attorney generals record of antipathy against Mr. Trump. They were referring to Eric Schneiderman, who had actually resigned the previous May  consider this an irony under the circumstances  after being accused of sexual assault by former girlfriends.

The New York state court system has, in fact, emerged as a vital force in the pushback against the president and his financial shenanigans. As Zephyr Teachout, recent Democratic candidate for New York attorney general, pointed out, it is one of the most important legal offices in the entire country to both resist and present an alternative to what is happening at the federal level. And indeed it had begun fulfilling that responsibility with The Donald long before the Mueller investigation was even launched.

In 2013, Schneiderman filed a civil suit against Trump University, calling it a sham institution that engaged in repeated fraudulent behavior. In 2016, Trump finally settled that case in court, agreeing to a $25 million payment to its former students  something that (though we dont, of course, have the tax returns to confirm this) probably also proved to be a tax write-off for him.

These days, the New York attorney generals office could essentially create a branch only for matters Trumpian. So far, it has brought more than 100 legal or administrative actions against the president and congressional Republicans since he took office.

Still, dont sell the foundation short. It did, in the end, find a way to work for the greater good  of Donald Trump. He and his wife, Melania, for instance, used the charity to purchase a now infamous six-foot portrait of himself for $20,000  and true to form, according to the Washington Post, even that purchase could turn out to be a tax violation. Such self-dealing is considered illegal. Of course, were talking about someone who used $258,000 from the foundation to pay off legal settlements that involved his for-profit businesses. That seems like the definition of self-dealing.

The Trump Team

The president swears that he has an uncanny ability to size someone up in a few seconds, based on attitude, confidence, and a handshake  that, in other words, just as theres the art of the deal, so, too, theres the art of choosing those who will represent him, stand by him, and take bullets for him, his White House, and his business enterprises. And for a while, he did indeed seem to be a champion when it came to surrounding himself with people who had a special knack for hiding money, tax documents, and secret payoffs from public view.

These days  think of them as the era of attrition for Donald Trump  that landscape looks a lot emptier and less inviting.

On August 21st, his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was convicted in Virginia of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. (On September 14th, he would make a deal with Robert Mueller and plead guilty to two counts of conspiracy.) On that same August day, Trumps personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, also pled guilty to eight different federal crimes in the Manhattan U.S. attorneys office, including  yep  tax evasion.

Three days later, prosecutors in the Cohen investigation granted immunity to the Trump Organizations chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg. A loyal employee of the Trump family for more than four decades, he had also served as treasurer for the Donald J. Trump Foundation. If anyone other than the president and his children knows the financial and tax secrets of the Trump empire, its him. And now, he may be ready to talk. Lurking in his future testimony could be yet another catalyst in a coming Trump tax debacle.

And dont forget David Pecker, CEO of American Media, the company that publishes the National Enquirer. Pecker bought and buried stories for The Donald for what seems like forever. He, too, now has an immunity deal in the federal investigation of Cohen (and so Trump), evidently in return for providing information on the presidents hush-money deals to bury various exploits that he came to find unpalatable.

The question is this: Did Trump know of Cohens hush-money payments? Cohen has certainly indicated that he did and Pecker seems to have told federal prosecutors a similar story. As Cohen said in court of Pecker, I and the CEO of a media company, at the request of the candidate, worked together to keep the public in the dark about such payments and Trumps involvement in them.

The presidents former lawyer faces up to 65 years in prison. Thats enough time to make him consider what other tales he might be able to tell in return for a lighter sentence, including possibly exposing various tax avoidance techniques he and his former client cooked up.

And dont think that Cohen, Pecker, and Weisselberg are going to be the last figures to come forward with such stories as the Trump team begins to come unglued.

In the cases of Enron and Lehman Brothers, both companies unraveled after multiple shell games imploded. Enrons losses were being hidden in multiple offshore entities. In the case of Lehman Brothers, staggeringly over-valued assets were being pledged to borrow yet more money to buy similar assets. In both cases, rigged games were being played in the shadows, while vital information went undisclosed to the public  until it was way too late.

Donald Trumps equivalent shell games still largely remain to be revealed. They may simply involve hiding money trails to evade taxes or to secretly buy political power and business influence. There is, as yet, no way of knowing. One thing is clear, however: the only way to begin to get answers is to see the presidents tax returns, audited or not. Isnt it time to open that safe?

Nomi Prins is a TomDispatch regular. Her latest book is Collusion: How Central Bankers Rigged the World (Nation Books). Of her six other books, the most recent is All the Presidents Bankers: The Hidden Alliances That Drive American Power. She is a former Wall Street executive. Special thanks go to researcher Craig Wilson for his superb work on this piece.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, Beverly Gologorskys novel Every Body Has a Story and Tom Engelhardts A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoys In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, and John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands.

Copyright 2018 Nomi Prins

Via Tomdispatch.com .



Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

Craig Unger: Donald Trump Is A Russian Asset In The White House | The Beat With Ari Melber | MSNBCAuxico also has 3 agreements with private property owners in Guainia

MONTREAL, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auxico Resources Canada Inc. (CSE: AUAG) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the government of the Department of Guainia in eastern Colombia to produce gold and other minerals.

Under the terms of the MOU, both parties agree to work together to set up operations for the production of gold and other minerals in Guainia, which will be managed by Auxico. These other minerals include, but are not limited to, coltan, which is a combination of tantalite and niobium. According to a report from the Servicio Geologico de Colombia (the Geological Service of Colombia, a governmental agency), there is potentially 1 billion metric tonnes of coltan reserves in Colombia, with most of this concentrated in three departments: Guainia, Vichada and Vaupes.1

For its part, the Guainia government agrees to contribute the following:

Property on which the mineral production will take place;

Physical security of the mineral production operations;

Liaison with local miners who will supply ore to the Auxico mineral production operations.

For its part, Auxico agrees to contribute the following:

Environmentally friendly technology that will not rely upon mercury or cyanide for gold production;

Financing and construction of mineral producing operations in Guainia; and

Management of the export and sale of gold and other minerals.

In Colombia, much of the current mineral production is unlicensed and outside of any regulatory framework. Auxico intends to work in partnership with local miners and the government to produce gold and other minerals in a legal and regulated framework.

In addition, current unlicensed mineral production (specifically gold) is often occurring with the use of mercury, which is having a significant negative impact on the environment. Auxicos operations will not use mercury, in compliance with the 2013 United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury, thereby having a positive environmental impact in Guainia.

Auxico and the Government of Guainia agree to work together in partnership in this regard and to share the profits of Auxicos mineral production operations in Guainia, with 75% of net profits going to Auxico and 25% going to the Government of Guainia. Both parties agree to negotiate and conclude definitive agreements as quickly as possible.

Agreements with Private Property Owners in Guainia

Auxico would also like to inform shareholders that the Company has signed three agreements with private property owners in the Department of Guainia, covering a total of 25 concessions in this department. These agreements are separate from that signed with the Government of Guainia mentioned above.

Under the terms of the agreements, Auxico has 120 days to conduct due diligence on the properties. If the due diligence is successful, the parties agree to enter into a formal joint venture in which net profits will be split on a 70%-30% basis, in favour of Auxico.

Auxico will be required to provide 100% of the capital required for any mineral production on these properties. Auxico will also have the ability to purchase 50% of the private property owners interest (15% of the 30% interest), the details of which will be formalized in the joint venture agreement.

Auxico presently has geologists in the Department of Guainia on one of these properties, gathering samples and conducting technical due diligence.

Coltan Sampling Results from Colombia (as announced in Auxicos news release of July 10, 2018)

The following are selected results from samples that were sent to Auxico from property owners in Colombia, as outlined in the Companys news release of July 10, 2018.

Sample % Ta % Nb C - M-8355_2 1.03 3.78 C - M-8355_12 35.66 7.57 C - M-8246_7 35.15 39.63 C - M-8246_8 31.14 36.99

Disclaimer: The samples described above were all selected by the Property owner. These samples were shipped to a laboratory in Quebec selected by Auxico. It is the opinion of the Qualified Person that an independent grid sampling program be established with proper control and chain of custody, and therefore the values presented above are not in compliance with NI 43-101. Because the chain of custody cannot be independently established from the above sample the Company cautions the reader as to the reliability of the samples and the results thereof. The Company and the QP do not take any responsibility for the values presented in this press release and are being referred to for general information purposes only, and to demonstrate the potential that these properties hold.

Qualified Person

This news release was reviewed and approved by Joel Scodnick, P.Geo., an independent consultant to Auxico, in his capacity as a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Auxico Resources Canada Inc.

Auxico Resources Canada Inc. (Auxico) is a Canadian company that was founded in 2014 and based in Montreal. Auxico is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Colombia and Mexico.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 signed 

Mark Billings

President, Auxico Resources Canada Inc.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cell: +1 514 296 1641

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.

1 Please note that these estimates are not in compliance with National Instrument 43-101. They are presented for information purposes only.TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSXV: GG; OTCQB:GGGOF) is pleased to announce that the Company has satisfied the majority of the various conditions precedent required under its previously announced US$5,000,000 secured loan facility with Barak Fund SPC Limited. The remaining substantive conditions precedent to the effectiveness of the loan agreement are for the Company to raise a minimum of US$2,000,000 of equity, and the execution and delivery of a three year offtake agreement, which is well advanced and should be completed by the end of September. The proceeds of the loan facility and of the equity issue will allow the company to restart the Galaxy mine.

Accordingly, the Company is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the Private Placement) of up to 54,000,000 units (the Units) at a price of C$0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$2,700,000. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a Common Share) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.05 for a period of 24 months from the date of closing. The expiry date of the Warrants can be accelerated by the Company to the date that is 10 business days after the date where the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is higher than C$0.20 for 10 consecutive trading days, provided such trading days occur four months and one day after the issuance of the Warrants.

Galane Gold expects to complete the Private Placement on or about September 24, 2018.

Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: It is exciting to think that we are now very close to the recommencement of operations at Galaxy. A mine that has historically produced over 1.2 million ounces and was where gold was first commercially mined in South Africa.(1)

With completion of the funding expected by the end of September we are aiming to be in production by the end of the first quarter of 2019.(2) Steady state annual production is targeted to be on average 25,000 ounces of gold at cash cost per ounce of less than US$800.(3)(4)

The total capital cost to restart operations is forecast to be approximately US$5 million which includes the upgrading of the crush, mill and float circuits to 30,000 tonnes per annum and development required to restart underground mining at the Galaxy and Princeton ore bodies. The remaining funds available will cover working capital costs to be incurred on recommencement of mining and processing. This represents only the first step of our resurrection of the Galaxy mine and we will shortly commence a study with the aim being to double production and lower the all in cost as a result of increased economies of scale.(2)

Pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Common Shares and Warrants comprising the Units, and the Common Shares underlying the Warrants, will be subject to a hold period until four months and one day after closing. The Private Placement remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

It is expected that certain insiders of the Company may participate in the Private Placement. Any issuance of Units to insiders pursuant to the Private Placement would be considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company intends to rely upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(b) of MI 61-101.

Notes: (1) Information regarding the quantity of gold produced historically should not be relied upon as a predictor of future results. (2) This is forward-looking information and is based on a number of assumptions. See "Cautionary Notes". (3) Based on a technical report entitled A Technical Report on the Galaxy Gold Mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa which was issued January 4, 2016 with an effective date of September 1, 2015 (the Galaxy Technical Report), and was prepared by Minxcon (Pty) Ltd and approved by Daniel van Heerden, B Eng (Min.), MCom (Bus. Admin.), Pr. Eng., FSAIMM, AMMSA, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The Galaxy Technical Report satisfies the requirements to be a pre-feasibility study. (4) Operating cash cost is a non-GAAP measure. Refer to Supplemental Information to Managements Discussion and Analysis in the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 for reconciliation to measures reported in the Companys financial statements.

About Galane Gold

Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSXV under the symbol GG and on the OTCQB under the symbol GGGOF. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates.

Cautionary Notes

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements, including timing for first production at Galaxy and increasing capacity at the processing plant. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.

Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development, plant expansion and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Charles Byron Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM., MGSSA and Chief Geologist for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Neither the TSXV nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information please contact:

Nick Brodie

CEO, Galane Gold Ltd.

+ 44 7905089878

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.GalaneGold.comVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 17, 2018 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX-V: SKE, OTCQX: SKREF) (''Skeena'' or the ''Company'') is pleased to announce a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), for the Eskay Creek Project, which has been reviewed and validated by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. This MRE was derived from 7,583 historical surface and underground diamond drill holes totalling 651,332 metres. Drilling data from the Company's recently initiated and ongoing Phase I metallurgical and infill drilling program is not included in this MRE. The effective date of this MRE is September 18, 2018 and a technical report will be filed on the Company's website and SEDAR within 45 days of this disclosure. For additional Eskay Creek maps & figures please view the Company's website.

Pit Constrained Resources

The pit constrained Indicated resource includes 207,000 gold equivalent ounces within 1.09 million tonnes at an average gold equivalent grade of 5.9 g/t. The pit constrained Inferred resource includes 589,000 ounces within 4.26 million tonnes at an average gold equivalent grade of 4.3 g/t.

Table 1: Indicated and Inferred pit constrained resources reported at a 1.0 g/t AuEQ cut-off grade.

GRADE AUEQ OUNCES CONTAINED OUNCES TONNES AUEQ AU AG AU AG ZONE (000) G/T G/T G/T OZ (000) OZ (000) OZ (000) INDICATED 21A 1,088 5.9 4.9 72 207 173 2,533 INFERRED 21A 2,809 4.6 3.8 63 418 342 5,653 22 1,452 3.7 2.5 89 171 116 4,151 TOTAL INDICATED 1,088 5.9 4.9 72 207 173 2,533 TOTAL INFERRED 4,261 4.3 3.3 72 589 458 9,805

Underground Resources

The underground Indicated resource estimate includes 814,000 gold equivalent ounces within 2.51 million tonnes at an average gold equivalent grade of 10.1 g/t. The underground Inferred resource estimate includes 261,000 ounces within 0.81 million tonnes at an average gold equivalent grade of 10.0 g/t.

Table 2: Indicated and Inferred underground resources reported at a 5.5 g/t AuEQ cut-off grade.

GRADE AUEQ OUNCES CONTAINED OUNCES TONNES AUEQ AU AG AU AG ZONE (000) G/T G/T G/T OZ (000) OZ (000) OZ (000) INDICATED 21C 674 9.6 7.5 154 207 163 3,335 21B 338 12.1 8.6 263 132 94 2,855 21BE 246 10.1 6.8 247 80 53 1,954 21E 41 10.8 6.3 337 14 8 441 HW 522 10.2 6.2 295 171 105 4,957 NEX 510 9.6 6.8 209 158 112 3,432 PUMPHOUSE 72 7.9 6.1 140 18 14 323 109 111 9.5 9.4 12 34 34 42 TOTAL INDICATED 2,513 10.1 7.2 215 814 582 17,340 INFERRED 21C 44 7.2 6.7 38 10 10 55 21B 262 10.5 7.8 206 89 66 1,738 21BE 114 15.3 9.5 431 56 35 1,573 21E 53 8.5 4.6 292 14 8 495 HW 87 8.4 5.0 256 24 14 718 NEX 220 8.5 6.8 130 61 48 922 PUMPHOUSE 30 7.8 6.6 92 8 6 88 109 2 7.4 7.3 8 0.4 0.4 0.4 TOTAL INFERRED 812 10.0 7.2 214 261 187 5,590

Walter Coles, Skeena's President and CEO commented, ''This initial resource estimate validates our thesis that there are substantial amounts of potentially economic mineralization left at Eskay Creek below the cut-off grades used by historical operators of the mine. As this resource estimate has been optimized for gold and silver, future resource estimates will also include base metal credits. In addition, we believe the property has exciting exploration upside for both precious and base metals at depth.''

Paul Geddes, Vice President of Exploration and Resource Development further adds, ''The Mineral Resource Estimate at Eskay Creek demonstrates excellent grade continuity and precious metal tenor. Also, the methodology of applying the understanding of geology and mineralization controls into the rigorous estimation process make this estimate very robust such that it can accurately inform future economic analyses and optimizations. Underground resources occur immediately adjacent to or within 100 metres of existing underground infrastructure and although all historical drift and fill stopes have been backfilled, we elected to exclude any potential resources that occur within three metres of any historical development.''

Table 3: Pit constrained and underground sensitivities to AuEQ (g/t) cut-off grade.

AUEQ COG (G/T) TONNES (000) AUEQ (G/T) AU (G/T) AG (G/T) AUEQ OUNCES (000) AU OUNCES (000) AG OUNCES (000) INDICATED CATEGORY PIT CONSTRAINED > 0.75 1,167 5.6 4.7 68 209 175 2,568 > 1.00 1,088 5.9 4.9 72 207 173 2,533 > 1.25 1,005 6.3 5.3 77 204 171 2,482 UNDERGROUND > 4.00 4,008 8.1 5.9 162 1,038 758 20,878 > 4.50 3,414 8.7 6.3 181 957 693 19,872 > 5.00 2,923 9.4 6.8 198 883 635 18,576 > 5.50 2,513 10.1 7.2 215 814 582 17,339 > 6.00 2,171 10.7 7.7 232 750 534 16,192 INFERRED CATEGORY PIT CONSTRAINED > 0.75 4,866 3.9 3.0 64 606 473 10,026 > 1.00 4,261 4.3 3.3 72 589 458 9,805 > 1.25 3,731 4.8 3.7 79 570 443 9,519 UNDERGROUND > 4.00 1,682 7.4 5.4 142 398 291 7,702 > 4.50 1,262 8.2 6.0 166 333 243 6,736 > 5.00 1,004 9.1 6.6 189 294 212 6,115 > 5.50 812 10.0 7.2 214 261 187 5,590 > 6.00 661 11.0 7.8 242 233 165 5,133

Eskay Creek Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate Notes:

The mineral resources disclosed in this press release were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (''CIM'') standards on mineral resources and reserves definitions, and guidelines prepared by the CIM standing committee on reserve definitions and adopted by the CIM council.

Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources estimated will be converted into mineral reserves.

As defined by NI 43101, the Independent and Qualified Person for the Eskay Creek MRE is Sheila Ulansky P.Geo., of SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. who has reviewed and validated the Eskay Creek MRE. The effective date of the MRE is September 18, 2018.

Resources are reported in-situ and undiluted for both pit constrained and underground scenarios and are considered to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction.

In accordance with NI 43-101 recommendations, the number of metric tonnes was rounded to the nearest thousand. Any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects.

Mineralization occurring within three metres of historical underground workings is not included in this MRE.

Metal prices used for the AuEQ calculation are US$1,275 per ounce of gold, and US$17.00 per ounce of silver. AuEQ = Au (g/t) + [Ag (g/t)/75].

Metallurgical recoveries of 80% AuEQ were utilized in the determination of cut-off grades for underground resources.

The calculated pit constrained cut-off grade was determined to be 0.7 g/t AuEQ and the underground cut-off grade was determined to be 4.1 g/t AuEQ. Cut-off grades must be re-evaluated considering prevailing market conditions (including gold prices, exchange rates and costs).

At the request of the Company, the pit constrained resources are reported at a higher cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t AuEQ and underground resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 5.5 g/t AuEQ.

Block tonnage was estimated from volumes using a bulk density formula that was applied using interpolated lead, zinc, copper and antimony grades. This density formula was derived from the historic operator based on comparisons between actual measurements and analysis at the Eskay Creek Mine. SG = (Pb + Zn + Cu + Sb) x 0.03491 + 2.67 (where all metals are reported in percent).

Ten mineralization domains were created to constrain the estimate - two pit constrained domains and eight underground domains.

Each stratiform massive sulphide domain was defined by individual wireframes created in Leapfrog GeoTM (Seequent) software using geologically realistic numeric interpolants within major fault blocks. Mineralization domains were created using a 40-50% probability of a nominal combined precious and base metal cut-off grade being greater than 0.9 to 1.0 g/t AuEQ depending on the domain. Each domain was modified or reassessed individually to consider presiding mineralization features.

Although domaining was initially constrained using a combination of Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, and Zn, the primary metals considered for this resource estimate are Au and Ag.

High grade capping was performed on each domain using raw assay data before applying 1 metre composites within hard-domain boundaries and using equally distributed composite tails. Gold capping values ranged from 30 to 350 g/t and silver capping values ranged from 200 to 15,000 g/t.

Gold and silver variograms were used to determine the spatial relationship of the variables over distance.

Search orientations were created using the dynamic anisotropy function in Vulcan software using a single surface which mimicked the local lithological units.

Ordinary Kriging (OK) was used for the estimation of gold and silver in all domains, except for the 22 and 21E Zones where an Inverse Distance Squared (ID2) interpolation was selected because too few samples to were available to derive meaningful variograms.

Resources were estimated using Maptek Vulcan 10.1.5 software from drill hole sampling in a model using a parent block size of 3 x 3 x 2 metres and sub-block size of 1 x 1 x 1 metres.

The mineral resources were estimated using three passes with increasing search radii based on variogram ranges.

Estimation ranges varied between 35 to 60 metres and 30 to 60 metres for gold and silver respectively, depending on the domain.

Indicated and Inferred resources were categorized during gold interpolation Passes 1 and 2 respectively.

The Indicated category (Pass 1) is defined by blocks interpolated using a minimum of 5 holes and a maximum distance of 30 metres to a drill hole showing reasonable geological and grade continuity. In areas where blocks were interpolated during Pass 1 but continuity is insufficient or blocks were isolated, the blocks were reclassified to Inferred on a visual basis.

Inferred resources (Pass 2) were interpolated using a minimum of 3 holes and a maximum distance to a drill hole composite of 60 metres. Due to the lower drill hole density in the 22 and 21E Zones, a minimum of 2 holes were required.

A final third pass using three times the variogram range was used to infill any un-estimated blocks. These blocks are uncategorized and are neither Inferred nor Indicated resources.

Estimates use metric units (metres, tonnes and g/t). Metal contents are presented in troy ounces (metric tonne x grade / 31.10348).

Neither the Company, nor SRK, is aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issue that could materially affect this mineral resource estimate.

The abundance and significance of As, Hg and Sb are unknown but currently under evaluation.

The quantity and grade of reported Inferred mineral resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to re-define these Inferred mineral resources as Indicated mineral resources. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to the Indicated mineral resources category.

Table 4: Pit constrained scenario assumptions for determining cut-off grades with reasonable prospects of economic extraction.

INPUT PARAMETERS VALUE UNIT PIT WALL ANGLES 45 DEGREES REFERENCE MINING COST $ 2.00 US DOLLARS PER TONNE MINED MINING RECOVERY 95 PERCENT MINING DILUTION 5 PERCENT PROCESSING COST $ 15.00 US DOLLARS PER TONNE PROCESSED GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATION $ 5.75 US DOLLARS PER TONNE PROCESSED PROCESS RECOVERY AU 80% PERCENT PROCESS RECOVERY AG 90% PERCENT SELL PRICE AU $ 1,250.00 US DOLLARS PER OUNCE SELL PRICE AG $ 17.00 US DOLLARS PER OUNCE SELL COST $ 30.00 US DOLLARS PER OUNCE COMBINED STRIP RATIO 2.9:1 UNITLESS

Table 5: Underground scenario assumptions for determining cut-off grades with reasonable prospects of economic extraction.

INPUT PARAMETERS VALUE UNIT REFERENCE MINING COST $ 79.25 US DOLLARS PER TONNE MINED PROCESSING COST $ 15.00 US DOLLARS PER TONNE MILLED GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATION $ 5.75 US DOLLARS PER TONNE MILLED PROCESS RECOVERY AU 80% PERCENT PROCESS RECOVERY AG 90% PERCENT SELL PRICE AU $ 1,275.00 US DOLLARS PER OUNCE SELL PRICE AG $ 17.00 US DOLLARS PER OUNCE SELL COST AU $ 30.00 US DOLLARS PER OUNCE

Eskay Creek Mineralization

The Eskay Creek deposits represent a precious and base metal-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit, hosted in volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Lower to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group. Mineralization is contained in several stratiform, disseminated and stock work vein zones that display a variety of textural and mineralogical characteristics. The bulk of the mineralization is hosted in the 21B zone, a tabular stratiform lens that consists of well-bedded, clastically reworked sulfides and sulfosalts interbedded with unmineralized, carbonaceous argillite. In addition to extremely high precious metal grades, Eskay Creek is distinguished from conventional VMS deposits by its association with elements of the epithermal suite' (Sb-Hg-As), sulfosalt-rich mineralogy, and the dominance of clastic sulfides and sulfosalts.

Qualified Persons

The Independent and Qualified Person for the Eskay Creek MRE is Sheila Ulansky P.Geo., of SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. (Vancouver), who has reviewed, validated and approved the Eskay Creek MRE as well as the technical disclosure in this release. In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo. Vice President Exploration and Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has validated and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting its activities on its various exploration projects

About Skeena

Skeena Resources Limited is a junior Canadian mining exploration company focused on developing prospective precious and base metal properties in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company's primary activities are the exploration and development of the past-producing Snip mine and the recently optioned Eskay Creek mine. In addition, the Company has completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment on the GJ copper-gold porphyry project.

Walter Coles Jr.

President & CEO

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

Certain statements made, and information contained herein may constitute ''forward looking information'' and ''forward looking statements'' within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as ''anticipates,'' ''believes,'' ''targets,'' ''estimates,'' ''plans,'' ''expects,'' ''may,'' ''will,'' ''could'' or ''would''. Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Appendix: Eskay Creek Deposit Total Indicated and Inferred Resources.Shortly after his arrival, Karim Khan throws a spanner in the works. A recent statement by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court that his Afghanistan probe will not prioritise alleged crimes by United States troops or its allies in that country, has laid bare the divisions between those who think the court should []

By Janet Anderson, our correspondent in The HagueDallas, Texas, United States, 09/15/2018 / Story.KISSPR.com /

Botham Jean, a 26-year-old unarmed black Caribbean man, was shot to death in his Dallas apartment on September 6, 2018, by a white female off-duty Dallas Police Officer named Amber Guyger. Mr. Jean was in his apartment doing nothing wrong. The case has gained national attention because of the unusual explanation by Ms. Guyger. She claims that she mistakenly thought Mr. Jeans apartment was hers, and she mistakenly believed he was a burglar in her apartment.

There is no question that Mr. Jeans death was horribly tragic and never should have happened. Everyone agrees about that. There is extreme disagreement, however, about the facts of the case and what should happen to the officer. Much of the disagreement has been fueled by rumors circulating on social media. Escalating the disagreement are well-meaning, but uninformed people, offering their opinions on social media, plus the emotions and distrust that have culminated because of other incidents around the country involving the shootings of unarmed black men.

I believe that the responses of law enforcement so far have been appropriate. Ms. Guyger has been arrested for manslaughter, but she has not been formally charged by indictment yet. A formal charge is likely in the coming weeks. The charge will be based on the evidence available to the Dallas County District Attorneys Office and their view of what is appropriate in light of the evidence.

At this point, investigators with the Texas Rangers are collecting evidence and presenting it to the DAs Office for review. There is a lot to collect and review, including physical evidence from Mr. Jeans apartment, physical evidence from Ms. Guygers car and apartment, blood and toxicology evidence from both Mr. Jean and Ms. Guyger, their cell phone records and data, their text messages, their emails, their Internet searches, and interviewing and possibly re-interviewing, numerous witnesses who may have seen or heard something relevant. Collecting and carefully analyzing all of this evidence will take time.

To learn more about this story click the link https://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-criminal-lawyers-perspective-dallas-cop-amber-guyger-story/

source: https://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-criminal-lawyers-perspective-dallas-cop-amber-guyger-story/

Social Media Tags:Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer, Dallas Criminal Defense Attorney, John Helms, Amber Guyger, Dallas Police Department, Dallas Manslaughter Case

Source: Story.KISSPR.com

Release ID: 12089

It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email PrintExtramural research funding and invention disclosures set university record in fiscal year 2018

Monday, Sept. 17, 2018



The research funding landscape is more competitive than ever, but Kansas State University researchers garnered a record amount of extramural funding in fiscal year 2018. The total amount of funding for K-State research from federal, state, local and industry sources has increased 25 percent in the last three fiscal years. | Download this graphic as JPG or PDF.





MANHATTAN  Kansas State University researchers just had a record-setting year.



In fiscal year 2018  from July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018  the universitys researchers obtained 1,567 grants and industry contracts for a total of $161,576,562 in extramural funding. In the last three years, the funding total has increased 25 percent.



Extramural funds come from federal funding agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, as well as state, area, and local governments and private foundations. Industry agreements and philanthropy also provide support for research.



"These figures show how hard our researchers across the university are working to fund their explorations," said Peter Dorhout, Kansas State University vice president for research. "Researchers face stiff competition for these funds. They have to write the best proposals and do the best work to obtain funding, and Im proud of their achievements."



According to the full report from fiscal year 2018, the university garnered an increasingly diverse portfolio of funding awards. Awards from the NSF increased nearly 59 percent over the previous fiscal year, and awards from HHS, which includes NIH, increased by 34 percent.



Kansas State University also succeeded in attracting industry-funded projects, adding 291 new projects this year.



"We have a reputation as an excellent partner, and we have seen continued growth in both funded projects and master research agreements with companies," Dorhout said.



Master research agreements allow projects to progress quickly when a company identifies research needs. New agreements in fiscal year 2018 included General Mills, Deere and Company, Compass Minerals, Topcon Agriculture, Seaboard Foods, Sensient Technologies, Purina Animal Nutrition, Schlumberger and Indigo Ag.



Another bright spot in fiscal year 2018 was technology transfer, or movement of intellectual property that results from research, scholarly and creative activity and discovery efforts of faculty from university offices and labs into the marketplace. Researchers disclose inventions as a first step in protecting intellectual property and exploring whether an innovation could be patented. The Kansas State University Research Foundation received a record number of invention disclosures for the fourth-straight year, partially owing to the success of first-time inventors.



"We received 93 new invention disclosures  the previous record was 73  and among those 93 disclosures were 65 K-Staters who were named as contributors for the first time," said Chris Brandt, president and CEO of the university's research foundation.



Technology transfer from the university, also known as commercialization, accelerates the delivery of research results to the public. It also results in increased licensing revenue for faculty and the university, which signed 105 commercial agreements that brought in more than $825,000 in new revenue and a total of more than $2.8 million in fiscal year 2018.



"Strong licensing revenue not only helps fund university advancement, but it also serves as an indicator of how significantly K-State creativity and innovation advances the lives of all Americans," said Kent Glasscock, president of the Kansas State University Institute for Commercialization.



Dorhout expects to see continued growth in the coming years. He said maintaining a vital research enterprise doesnt just help researchers but also supports other aspects of the universitys land-grant mission.



"Kansas State University strives for excellence in teaching, research, and outreach," Dorhout said. "Research excellence feeds teaching and outreach excellence, because when we have the best, most current knowledge, our students and citizens benefit," Dorhout said.



Find out more about Kansas State University research at k-state.edu/research or k-state.edu/influence-tomorrow.





1K Shares Share

As a mom to two little girls, I understand the lure of online forums. With so many accessible tools  including Google, Instagram, and online support groups like Facebook groups  before a parent brings their child to the doctor, they will inevitably first post their inquiry online.

They post a picture: Whats this rash?

Or theyll write: My baby has had a fever of 135-degrees! Do I need to take her to the pediatrician or can she, just like,  sleep it off?

The most amusing part of the exchange is inevitably the answers received:

Oh my niece had that, and she put some tea tree oil, and it went away in 63 seconds. You gotta count.

A rash like that means they broke their wrist.

My baby has had a fever that high, and we put her in a cool bath. And it came right down!

It appears that anyone with access to Google, WebMD or, sometimes, even a quick PubMed search, believes they can be a doctor.

If the parent is truly lucky, they may receive a helpful response such as: Go to your pediatrician and stop taking medical advice from the internet. But lets be honest, these comments are a rare find.

While its normal for parents to reach out on social media for support, the problem with exchanging dubious medical advice is the serious danger of misinformation. People can place their children in real hazard  not out of malice or ill intent, but because they did not realize that what the advice they received was dangerous instead of helpful.

As a mother of two toddlers, I understand the draw of social media-based support  both professionally and personally. I am an active member of many Facebook groups that provide a unique platform for support and education, including groups with membership based upon profession, family, geography, and hobbies.

But as a fourth-year medical student planning to specialize in pediatrics, I also understand the real danger of Dr. Google. As long as I can remember, Ive wanted to be a pediatrician. Following every recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics is simply a daily interest of mine (yes, Im in a Facebook group for that, too).

So when I began medical school, I was ecstatic to embrace the role of a physician. Family members and friends starting asking me questions from day one of my first semester, and most of my responses were  ummm  the Krebs Cycle?

Joking aside, even as I become closer and closer to actually becoming a physician, I am still mindful to remind well-meaning friends to Ask the expert. Go ask your pediatrician.

Yes, evidenced-based medicine is hard to come by and requires a commitment to medical education and training. And thats why until I have my pediatrics residency diploma, Ill hold off on answering those questions about my neighbors kids cold. Because being a mom doesnt make me an expert on kids health.

A diploma does.

Shari Hirsch is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com96 Shares Share

The process of setting up a new pain management clinic has allowed me to critically consider the role of patient intake forms, an area that has traditionally been ignored by technological advances and institutional innovation.

Health care must empower patients to conveniently complete intake forms digitally  whether at home, en-route to our clinics, or in our waiting rooms. When done correctly, the forms can greatly enhance the patient experience by empowering our patients and improving our workflows.

Intake forms are inconvenient for patients

My perspective on intake forms was underscored this year when I became a patient of a clinic at a top-10 ranked hospital by US News & World Report. Prior to my visit, the clinic emailed me a poorly scanned eleven-page patient questionnaire with instructions to print and complete the form prior to my visit. Like many, I lacked immediate access to a printer.

After showing up to my appointment without the form, I was expected to complete it in the clinics lobby. As a returning patient of this health system, most of the information asked was already available in the electronic health record (EHR). Did they really need to ask me about my city of birth again? What is already known in the EHR should populate onto our forms so that patients are only asked about information that needs updating.

Many patients with complicated medical histories travel between clinics with stacks of medical records and medication bottles, attempting to transfer their data through analog processes in an increasingly digital world. They are then asked the same questions again and again by their nurses and providers once in the examination room. Patient fatigue from this repetitive process can lead to incomplete and neglected intake forms.

Intake forms are difficult to understand

Another issue is the inability of most systems to provide documents that are understood by our diverse patient populations.

There should be functionality to see video-based explanations of the information that they are being asked. Intake forms often include consents about critical issues such as financial burden and data privacy, but are worded in language that many patients dont understand.

This problem is exacerbated for those who do not speak English as a first language. Ensuring that our patients understand these forms will help them achieve greater autonomy.

Intake forms are not used effectively by providers

Paper forms are often lost or filed immediately so that they are never seen by physicians. Redundancy is a theme, with clinics requiring nurses to ask many of the same questions and then type the same information into the EHR.

This is a waste of time and resources. Every time there is an intermediary between what the patient wants to communicate and the physician  such as a nurse transcribing handwritten forms into the EHR  there is room for error. I can think of many instances when crucial medical information that was disclosed by patients on their forms was lost when being translated into the EHR.

These forms also cause significant delays, so providers sometimes ask their patients to leave forms blank. Delays could be reduced by allowing patients to complete or update their forms digitally prior to their visits.

What these forms can mean when done correctly

As a physician, I believe that the intake form is more than simply a formality. At its core, the information serves as an impartial baseline of the patients chief complaint. It helps guide us during the intake process, identify crucial medical information such as allergies, and even gives the provider a chance to investigate the patients pertinent history prior to entering the examination room. These forms can also help health systems promote preventative health, with screening tools that have already been validated for conditions such as breast cancer and depression.

The forms can further improve patient care by obtaining routine medical information before the visit so that providers can spend their time conducting a tailored examination and discussing potential treatment options. Providers can even pull the responses from digital intake forms into their medical notes to auto-populate the chief complaint and symptoms.

In a pain practice such as mine, these forms play a particularly important role since they help guide the patient interview which can sometimes be complicated by complex psychosocial factors. In past pain practices, I have often found the information asked by these forms inadequate. We need to use predictive analytics so that a patient with facial pain is not asked primarily about back pain.

Existing solutions and the future

There are a few medical technology companies tackling these issues by using digital forms accessible from any computer, tablet or phone, so that our patients can fill out this information in their own time and native language. The forms employ predictive follow up questions and synchronize with the EHR so that patients are prompted to complete only information that needs updating. Some of these companies even provide educational content to give patients context on the questions that they are being asked and the consents that they are signing.

I have seen first hand how competitive the health care landscape can be. These technologies can save our providers valuable time, and through predictive analysis and reduced human error greatly increase patient outcomes and satisfaction. I plan to provide the best patient experience possible by starting at the very first encounter  through the intake process.

Koorosh Joshua Elihu is an anesthesiologist and founder, SureConsent.

Image credit: Shutterstock.comJack & Jill will host a walk in Castlecomer Discovery Park on the 7th October to raise funds for home nursing and respite for sick children. The Up the Hill for Jack & Jill fundraiser 2018 runs from 7th to 14th October, and involves six hill walking events across Ireland. The campaign has recently been supported by Leinster and Ireland rugby star Sean OBrien.

The walks will take place across the country on Sunday 7th October in Coomhola Ballylickey Cork, Croaghlin Maas Rock Killybegs Donegal, Castlecomer Discovery Park Kilkenny, Slievenamon in Tipperary, Hill of Uisneach Westmeath and Carrigbyrne Hill in Wexford.

However, there is also a Do It Yourself option available for fundraisers. This allows people to create their own local Up the Hill mini event during the first week in October. The Do It Yourself (DIY) option is open for people to identify their own hill or challenge, which could be organising a group of family and friends to walk up a big or small hill locally, getting on the treadmill in the gym or undertaking whatever hill is meaningful to them.

This year includes the charitys first ever awareness week, with the aim of building awareness and understanding about the work the charity does in communities all over the country and the hill that Jack & Jill families climb every day caring for their child. A full programme of activities and events are planned with more details over the coming weeks and during #jackandjillweek.

Registration is now open HERE for Up the Hill for Jack & Jill at a cost of 16.Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.16Stuff reports:

When British investigators first identified two Russian suspects as suspected nerve agent attackers, Kremlin officials said the names meant nothing to them.

Then, days later, President Vladimir Putin vouched for them as just ordinary guys and anything but would-be hit men.

Now, the two men have appeared on Russian TV in an bizarre interview that included their denials  but also indirect questions about their sexual preferences, awkward stares and accounts of the weather in the quaint English town of Salisbury in early March 2017. 

In Thursdays interview (Friday NZ time) with the Kremlin-funded RT channel, the suspects, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, said they were simply tourists catching the sights in Salisbury about the same time as the attack.Liam Hehir writes:

Nigel Farage, former leader of Britains UKIP, came to this country recently. His presence was, unsurprisingly, the subject of protests. One of the protestors was Golriz Ghahraman, a Green Party MP. According to Newstalk ZB, her reason for speaking out was that its really important that we stand here and say: we are against race hate, we are against religious division, and we stand with minorities.

So the Greens think speakers who pick on minorities and do religious division should be deplatformed. Well Liam gives an example of someone they have missed:

In 2003 put out a flyer called Whose Country Is it Anyway?

In 2004 said New Zealand was being dragged into the status of an Asian colony

In 2005 did a press release entitled New Zealand  the Last Asian Colony

Demanded a referendum on same sex marriage in 2012, a stance Tony Abbott was condemned for

Had a colleague blaming a sorry pack of misogynist troglodytes from Wogistan

Launched his 2014 election campaign saying As they say in Beijing, two Wongs dont make a white,

Signed a poster of alt-right mascot Pepe the Frog

Attacked a NZ herald story as it was written by two Asian immigrant reporters.

So will Green MPs be picketing the next time this MP is invited to speak?

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

Reddit

Pinterest



Print

Tumblr



Mexico Submits Alfonso Cuaron's 'Roma' for 2019 Oscar

No surprise here, but Mexico just selected Oscar winner Alfonso Cuaron's Roma from Netflix as its official submission for the Foreign Language Film Oscar.

After its launch in the fall festival space, Roma has been on fire, collecting the Golden Lion at Venice. Cuaron's memoir to his homeland reportedly also played in a cinema down in Mexico City during August to qualify. Netflix is working to give Roma a theatrical release in Dolby Atmos, the format the director prefers. Deadline heard that qualifying theatrical run will start December 14 in select cities.

Much like how Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon received love throughout all Oscar categories outside of foreign language, it would come as no surprise to see the same here for Roma.

Cuaron produced, wrote, directed and shot the black-and-white pic about his memories growing up in Mexico City. In 2014, he became the first Mexico-born filmmaker to win the Oscar in the directing category for his sci-fi opus, Gravity.

To see the full list of 2019 Foreign Language Film Oscar submissions, visit deadline.com.PrEP Program Officially Launched in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Thursday, September 13, 2018 was a historic day in Puerto Vallarta. It was on this day that the UN's PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) pilot program was officially launched in the Banderas Bay area and inaugurated at the S.E.T.A.C. LGBTQ Wellness Center in Colonia Versalles.

The day started with a press conference at City Hall, where Arie Hoekman, who represents the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Mexico, and Mexican health authorities explained the pilot program, which is targeted toward HIV-negative individuals that are part of high-risk groups.





"PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, (brand name Truvada) is a preventive treatment for people that are not HIV carriers, but have contact with the virus," Dr. Andrea Gonzalez, the director of the HIV Prevention and Attention Center (CONDESA) in Mexico City explained. "People whose partners live with HIV, sex workers, or couples that choose not to use condoms as a preventive measure, can prevent HIV transmission by taking an antiretroviral medication on a daily basis."

According to Arie Hoekman, the UN agency has been allotted a grant of more than $26 million to spend on the pilot project that's slated to continue in Latin America through 2020. A total of 7,500 at-risk people in Mexico, Brazil and Peru will be enrolled in the program, which is expected to save the three countries a total of $20 million in HIV treatment costs. "Several studies have confirmed that PrEP is almost 100% successful at preventing HIV transmission," he added.

Dr Galileo Vazquez Guardarrama, the Medical Supervisor of the ImPrEP project in Mexico, said that, with three thousand free treatments to be distributed to people in four Mexican cities who are at risk of being infected with HIV, such as men that have sex with other men, transsexuals and serodiscordant couples (where one is HIV positive and the other one is not), this program could significantly help reduce new infections in Mexico.

Dr. Ariel Campos, of Jalisco's State Council for AIDS Prevention (COESIDA), said that SETAC will serve 300 people in its PrEP program in Puerto Vallarta. After initial HIV and sexually transmitted disease tests, clients will be given a one-month supply of Truvada, which requires daily dosing. After the first month, participants will be re-tested and then put on a three-month schedule and receive a three-month supply of Truvada.

According to Paco Arjona, who oversees the PrEP program in Puerto Vallarta as director of the S.E.T.A.C. LGBTQ Wellness Center, the PrEP pilot program actually began in Puerto Vallarta during the first week of July with patient intake interviews performed by Dr. Javier Mauricio Renteria Salazar, a Guadalajara University general practitioner and surgeon. Renteria is in charge of the PrEP program at the SETAC medical office where, in addition to this powerful HIV prevention tool, PrEP participants receive pre-treatment medical and STD tests, counseling, and condoms as part of the free program.

In July, 110 people had already signed up to get PrEP in Puerto Vallarta, Arjona said. He added that about 80 percent of those who signed up early for the program were Mexican, the rest were from the U.S. and Canada, as well as migrants from Venezuela and Columbia.

Presently, PrEP is an expensive treatment because the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) only allows acquiring the medication from a single pharmaceutical company, Gilead Sciences, which is donating the drug for the pilot program. However, the patent will expire in the near future, which will allow access to less expensive medications. PrEP aside, the most effective method for sexually active people to prevent HIV transmission is to use a condom, which are available, free of charge, at SETAC, a non-profit organization devoted to reducing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections through education, detection and prevention.Seoul [South Korea], Sept 17 (ANI): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed his willingness to bolster its relations with China while thanking the Chinese President Xi Jinping for sending an envoy to attend the regime's 70th founding anniversary last week.

Citing Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim expressed his "deep gratitude" on Xi's message and said that his government wishes to strengthen its ties with the Chinese leadership.

Commenting on Li Zhanshu, a special envoy sent by Xi to attend the military parade in Pyongyang, the North Korean leader underscored that it made him and the citizens of the country feel more affectionate to the Chinese people.

"I will join hands with President Xi Jinping to work actively to further develop the relations and friendship and continue close cooperations," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

Kim added that the bilateral ties based on the foundation laid by the previous leaders of both countries "have been developing according to the needs of the new era", according to him.

Li, who also met with the North Korean leader separately, handed him a personal letter from Xi.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), the Chinese president said, "China and North Korea, through the three past summits with Kim, opened a new chapter in the development of bilateral relations. (I) want to develop North Korea-China relations more quickly by implementing the two sides' common understanding."

Kim has visited China three times this year, twice to Beijing and once to the northeastern city of Dalian, meeting Xi on all the three occasions. The two leaders held talks on bilateral ties and denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Did you know that an inconspicuous crease on the earlobe could point to a serious health condition? A doctor from Maharashtras rural hinterlands has drawn an association with the diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) or Franks sign and an increased incidence of coronary heart diseases. According to The Times of India, Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar from Mahad, Maharashtra studied patients suffering from diabetes and hypertension to conclude that 508 of the 888 studied were suffering from ischemic heart disease. So instead of subjecting them to a battery of tests, the doctor takes a closer look at his patients.

Dr Bawaskar is a well-known name in the medical field and has gained international fame for his work on snake bites and scorpion sting. He observes that the DELC could serve as a marker for doctors to identify ischemic heart disease.

The theory, however, isnt new. The crease and its correlation with cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease were first mentioned by Sanders T Frank in 1973, after whom the crease is named. It's been observed to be a sign of coronary artery disease and has been a subject of much controversy ever since the theory was first put forth. 8 Surprising Facts about Heart Diseases in Women.

Large population has shown an association of the Frank's sign with an increased risk of ischaemic heart disease and myocardial infarctions. It could also be an independent risk factor that may predict the severity of many coronary artery diseases. Worlds Smallest Heart Pump That Supports Failing Heart Used For The First Time In India.

In 2017, a study in the American Journal of Medicine stated that the Franks sign was present in 190 of the 241 (78.8 percent) of the patients who were hospitalised with an acute stroke. A total of 153 patients in the study suffered from transient ischemic attacks and 88 had cerebrovascular accidents. Among those, 112 patients (73.2 percent) who suffered from ischemic attacks and 78 patients (88.6 percent) had Franks sign.

A case-controlled study published in 2017 in the journal Cureus showed a positive correlation between DELC and coronary artery disease. The study also saw a connection between the crease and hypertension and diabetes.

Dr Bawaskars findings have been compiled in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. His study also shows a link between the height of the individual and heart diseases. Dr Bawaskar told TOI that most Caucasians are more than 180cms in height and have bigger blood vessels that lower the incidence of heart diseases.

The Indians, on the other hand, are shorter and have smaller thinner blood vessels, which increases the chances of coronary heart diseases. He says, In this study, we noted that men with mean height of 166.4cm and women with a mean height of 151.1cm are more prone to coronary heart diseases if they have an ear crease.

Dr Altaf Patel, the former professor from Grant Medical College told TOI that the crease is found in older individuals above the age of 50. He adds that crease forms when the fat tissues in the lobes curl up. The use of the crease as a diagnostic tool to detect cardiovascular diseases is controversial nevertheless.

(Reference: A Myth Still Needs to be Clarified: A Case Report of the Frank's Sign; Frank's sign: a coronary artery disease predictor; Diagonal Earlobe Crease as a Significant Marker for Coronary Artery Disease: A Case-control Study; Franks sign: a potential predictor of cardiovascular disease)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 16, 2018 11:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Recently, in a horrific incident, sewing needles have been discovered hidden in the strawberries found in Australia. This as created a fear in Australia while the investigations have already started to find out the culprit of this horrendous crime, as per reports by BBC. It has been reported that contaminated punnets of strawberries are present on six states and territories. Reports further say that it is called a 'vicious crime' by a minister.

The needle contaminated strawberries were eaten by a man who was later taken to the hospital. Various big brands have recalled their berries and have asked New Zealand's biggest grocers have ceased the selling of strawberries from Australia as a precautionary move. However, no suspect has been found yet and the state government of Queensland has also offered a reward of A$ 100,000 for information related to this crime. Brands like Berry Licious, Berry Obsession, Love Berry, Delightful Strawberries Donnybrook Berries and Oasis have been caught up in the scare. Countdown and Foodstuffs- two of the largest food distributors have stopped importing Australian strawberries.

Health officials have adviced the people to not eat strawberries directly instead eat it after cutting it. This case may negatively affect the people growing strawberries and also affect their sales. BBC reports say that the Queensland Strawberry Growers' Association believes that a 'disgruntled employee' may have placed the needles.

Queensland Strawberries confirmed on their Facebook page of the cases of contamination of strawberries.

Another post by Joshua provides the first-hand information of the case. The post says, 'Just posting this as a warning to anyone that has bought strawberries (Berry Obsessions) from Woolworths recently. Driving up to the coast when Hoani van Dorp bites through a strawberry and swallows half a sewing needle. We then checked the other strawberries and found another sewing needle lodged inside one of them. We are now at the ER because he subsequently started experiencing severe abdominal pain. Just being a helpful member of the community and making sure your children dont have to endure what we have had to experience today. Please make your family and friends aware.' Take a look.

Another update on the Queensland Strawberries page says, 'Following several incidents of tampering with strawberry punnets sold in supermarkets this week, Queensland Strawberry Growers Association is working with government departments and police who are investigating the matter. It appears the punnets of strawberries were interfered with between the time they were packed and the time they were purchased. Retailers have subsequently removed from sale all stock identified as having potential risk.'

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2018 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Sep 17, 2018, 12:37pm ET

Lucid Motors lands $1B investment from Saudi Arabia

The move follows a failed push by Elon Musk to take Tesla private with help from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

Confirming recent rumors, Lucid Motors has landed a $1 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

The funds will help the startup achieve its goal of launching an electric vehicle by 2020, paying for further engineering development necessary to begin production in Arizona.

"This investment in the electric vehicle industry, which is currently experiencing rapid growth and growth, is an added value to the Fund's portfolio, which aims to achieve long-term, growing returns," the Public Investment Fund said.

The announcement comes just weeks after Saudi Arabia increased its stake in Tesla and was identified as the potential key investor in Elon Musk's failed plan to take the company private.

Lucid revealed its concept in 2016 and followed up with a prototype early last year. It is expected to cost around $60,000, if the company can avoid the type of troubles that plagued failed startup Faraday Future.Spied: Chevy's mid-engine Corvette grabs air

Sep 17, 2018, 11:43am ET

The mid-engine Corvette is set to make its global debut next year.

Chevrolet is taking its Corvette nameplate to the extreme with a new mid-engine model, and today our spy photographers caught a test driver pushing a prototype of the new 'Vette to the extreme on Germany's Nurburgring.

We don't know too much about the mid-engine Corvette at this point, but it's clearly powerful enough to defy the laws of gravity. While piloting the upcoming Corvette around the Nurburgring, one test drive managed to send the mid-engine supercar soaring through the air.

It's unclear if the mid-engine Corvette will be branded as the C8, but it should make its debut sometime next year as a 2020 model. The C8, or whatever it ends up being called, won't be a direct replacement for the current C7, but rather a halo product for the Corvette nameplate. The C7 will serve as the entry point for the Corvette lineup until 2022, at which point it's expected to be replaced by a new front-engine, rear-drive model.

Initial reports suggested the mid-engine Corvette would be powered by a new twin-turbocharged V8 engine, but now Chevy's 6.2L LT1 V8 has been tipped as the car's most likely powertrain. A dual-clutch automatic is likely to be the only transmission on offer.

Chevrolet has trademarked the name 'E-Ray,' so it's also possible that a plug-in or even pure-electric version of the Corvette is in the works.

It remains unknown where and when Chevy plans to unveil its mid-engine Corvette, but the 2019 Detroit auto show seems like a safe bet.Another round of indictments in the sexual assault scandal at New Jersey's only women's prison accuses one corrections officer -- who has already been charged with sexual assault -- with helping a fellow guard sexually abuse two inmates.

The indictments handed down Thursday in Hunterdon County say that Ronald Coleman, 39, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania sexually assaulted one inmate between August and October of 2015 and another between January and May of 2016.

In both cases, his coworker, Brian Y. Ambroise, 33, of Union, allowed the women into a "secure area for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with Ronald Coleman," the grand jurors' indictment said.

Under state law, any sexual contact between inmates and staff is a crime because prisoners cannot legally consent.

Ambroise and Coleman are among the seven employees from the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility who have been charged with sexually abusing inmates. Four have been convicted.

After a 2017 NJ Advance Media investigation uncovered a pattern of sexual exploitation and assault in the prison, county prosecutors and the Attorney General's Office launched separate investigations, and state lawmakers have proposed a third probe by a special commission. A civil rights probe is also being conducted by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark.

At least 11 lawsuits have been filed related to the abuses, including two class action suits.

This is the third round of indictments for Ambroise, who worked as a corrections officer at the facility for three years before his arrest in October of 2016. He was scheduled to go to trial on the first charges last fall when a grand jury indicted him for a second time after investigators identified a second inmate he allegedly abused behind bars, according to authorities. Ambroise is accused of sexually assaulting two women in 2015 and 2016.

His attorney, James Wronko, said Ambroise maintains his innocence on all the charges. In regards to the accusation that he helped Coleman, Wronko said this wasn't a case where Ambroise felt he had to obey an order from Coleman because he was a senior corrections officer. He just didn't know that anything illicit was going on, Wronko said.

"He never knowingly did anything to allow Coleman to engage in any inappropriate activities, assuming [Coleman] did," Wronko said.

He said Ambroise is scheduled to go to trial next month on sexual assault charges. He has been suspended without pay since his arrest in October of 2016, according to the Department of Corrections.

It was not immediately clear who is representing Coleman.

The 17-year employee is accused of having sexual relationships with three inmates, according to the prosecutor's office. He is no longer employed by the Department of Corrections, a spokesman said.

Both men were indicted on five counts of official misconduct and two counts each of conspiracy to commit sexual assault and pattern of official misconduct. Coleman was also indicted on three counts of sexual assault in the second degree, the prosecutor's office said.

Inquiries to the Department of Corrections about their employment statuses were not returned Friday.

"The Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office will continue to fairly and aggressively investigate all suspected violations of our criminal code, with priority given to crimes of this nature," Prosecutor Anthony Kearns said in a statement Friday. "Justice demands we do so, regardless of who the victim is and no matter who the perpetrator."

Ambroise also faces a federal civil rights lawsuit by an inmate claiming she was abused by him, and a second officer, Jason Mays, and was punished for reporting the abuse.

Mays, 46, was convicted at trial in May of charges related to the sexual abuse of two inmates. His 16-year sentence, handed down in July, is the stiffest yet in the sexual assault scandal at the prison.

Three other employees have pleaded guilty to official misconduct charges instead of going to trial. Under the plea deals, they will not have to register as sex offenders, and one has already received parole, according to public records.

In addition to Coleman and Ambroise, corrections officer Joel Mercado, 38, of Lyndhurst, is also awaiting trial. He is accused of having a sexual relationship with two inmates, authorities said.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsParents of children in the Roman Catholic Church and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy are suing Pennsylvania's eight dioceses and their bishops to compel them to release information about allegations.

The lawsuit filed Monday in Pittsburgh comes a month after a statewide grand jury report detailed sexual abuse allegations against more than 300 priests over decades in six dioceses.

Nearly three dozen of those accused priests worked in the Diocese of Allentown, which administers to all Catholics in the Lehigh Valley.

The lawsuit alleges the dioceses haven't met their obligations to report child sexual abusers under state law.

An attorney for the two lead plaintiffs says the lawsuit does not seek any money, but instead asks for greater public transparency for parents about abuse allegations.

The Diocese of Allentown defended its record of transparency in a statement issued after Monday's lawsuit was publicized.

"The Diocese of Allentown has reported to law enforcement every allegation of clergy sexual abuse of which it is aware, and the Diocese published a list of all Diocesan Priests against whom there have been credible allegations of abuse of minors," the statement says.

Several spokespeople for other dioceses say they cannot comment until they have seen the lawsuit. Messages left for several dioceses were not immediately returned Monday.The man seen on camera performing lewd acts on a woman in a Hoboken bar is believed to be a law enforcement officer in Pennsylvania, according to the bar's lawyer.

The Hub launched an investigation after explicit videos of the incident went viral on social media early last week, prompting the city to close the bar, attorney Jeffrey Garrigan said in a statement.

"It is believed that the male is employed by the State of Pennsylvania as a law enforcement officer and it is our sincere hope that arrests are imminent for their lewd conduct which has seriously harmed our reputation," Garrigan said in the statement.

Although the man in the video has not been identified, his occupation was confirmed through accounts of people in the bar that night, Garrigan said, adding that the man repeatedly identified himself as a police officer to employees when asked to leave the bar.

The attorney also said that the investigation has identified the woman.

The bar's investigation into the incident has been conducted using witness testimonies, videos and photographs of the incident and social media posts. Garrigan said.

In the wake of the incident, Hoboken's Alcoholic Beverage Control board has lodged 15 complaints against The Hub's liquor licensee, Teak On The Hudson LLC. Those charges are scheduled to be heard on Oct. 25. Until then, the bar remains closed.

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla is pushing for the bar's liquor license to be revoked.

Garrigan said the bar has been in contact with Hoboken police.

Garrigan said he would not rule out the possibility of the bar taking civil action against the couple.

Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Just three out of seven Presidential hopefuls turned up to Laois County Council on Monday September 17 to ask for nominations.

The council was holding a special meeting to hear out pitches from any candidates seeking nominations to be the President of Ireland.

One candidate, businessman Sean Gallagher, was nominated for votes last week, in order that he could be voted for nomination as a candidate on the day of the Portlaoise meeting. Rules decree that nominations must be given three days before councillors vote.

Mr Gallagher had been backed by the seven Fianna Fail councillors.

However by the time the postponed meeting happened, Mr Gallagher had already won the four nominations he needed from other county council.

He came anyway, with his wife Trish, and encouraged councillors to nominate another candidate.

If elected President I will be a president for all the people of this island who want me as president, and a friend to everyone else," he said.

He also announced that he would not be putting up any plastic election signs for the campaign.

"Ireland is changing, I believe Ireland needs a fresh approach. I am not seeking to be Michael D Higgin's replacement, I am seeking to be his successor," he said.

Next was Sarah Louise Mulligan, 36, a Dubliner dressed in green white and gold. She described herself as a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, pro-life, anti elder abuse, and a supporter of US President Donald Trump.

I like to see the positives in people, he is a good person stopping the slaughter of babies, she said.

Ms Mulligan said she would give her wages to pregnant women in poverty to prevent abortion, and for houses for homeless.

There would be no fear of me sleeping in 3,000 a night hotels, and no child would sleep in a Garda station during my presidency, she said.

Candidate Gemma O'Doherty spoke last, and the journalist said she believes there is a breakdown between politicians and citizens because the public feel their rights were not upheld, including the right to housing and clean water.

I want to give them hope. Our tiny population of 4.7m is small enough that we can fix things. We can't influence Brexit, we can't do anything about Trump, all we can do is focus on Ireland, she said.

The no-show candidates were Marie Goretti Moylan, John Groarke, Peter Casey and Colin O'Dwyer.

Following the meeting, the Fianna Fail group formally withdrew their nomination of Sean Gallagher because it was not needed.

No candidate was nominated by Laois County Council.The lack of tourist trail signage for Athy on main roads was raised at this months municipal district meeting which was held earliler today.

Chair Aoife Breslin tabled a motion that the council call on Transport Infrastructure Ireland to ereft adequate signage indicating the tourism and heritage attractions in Athy and surrounding areas on the M9 and N78 junction.

It was agreed that Athy has a lot to offer the visitor in terms of tourism and hertiage and the product needs to be improved to showcase all that is on offer.

Tourism is very important for Athy, said Cllr Aoife Breslin. We have spoken about this before. We need to put a plan together.

The new town manager for Athy Niall Morrisey agreed adding that areas such as Emily Square and the Shackelton school and Museum could all be advertised on the signage.

We have a lot to offer, he said adding that the motorway signage should reflect this.

Ill take it up with the relevant bodies.Met Eireann has issued a Status Yellow rainfall warning for Leitrim, Donegal, Galway, Mayo and Sligo.

Heavy rain is forecast at times this afternoon and tonight, with falls of 25 to 40 mm expected and a risk of local flooding.

The Status Yellow warning is valid from today Monday at 1pm to Tuesday at 5am.

Meanwhile AA Ireland is warning motorists to exercise additional caution in the coming days as large amounts of rainfall are expected as the remnants of tropical Storm Helene pass over Ireland.

AA Ireland is calling on drivers in the affected counties to adapt their driving to suit the weather conditions and to be on the lookout for vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians as visibility could be reduced during heavy rain.

The expectation with this storm, according to Met Eireann, is that we will have a large volume of rainfall in quite a short space of time meaning that the risk of flooding in the affected areas is quite high, Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs stated.

When you combine this with the lengthy, mostly dry spell of weather weve had recently motorists can expect roads in the affected areas to be significantly more slippery meaning that slowing down and slowing extra distance between yourself and other road users, especially vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians, will be vital.

Driving in heavy rain is something that motorists across the country are well practiced in and ultimately it does not appear that Helene will bring weather conditions anywhere near as serious as what parts of the country saw last year with Ophelia. That said, however, we cant get complacent where road safety is concerned so its important that motorists adapt their driving to the conditions, he concluded.LifeStyle

The best Lifestyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel Lifestyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Shaynna Blaze and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand.A BITTERSWEET moment is how a Mass of Thanksgiving in Bruff was described as it signalled the end of a 162-year presence of the FCJ community in the town.

When I use the word bittersweet to describe this moment  it is with great sadness that we are all gathered here to say this farewell to the parish community of Bruff, Grange and Meanus, said Brid Liston, FCJ Area Leader, FCJ Sisters in Europe.

The nostalgic celebrations began with a Mass of Thanksgiving for the 162 years of FCJ presence and ministry from 1856 to 2018. David Sheehan, Chairperson of the Pastoral Council, welcomed the concelebrants: Fathers John Daly, Jim Costello, Paddy Donovan and Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy. Mr Sheehan thanked the sisters for their years of ministry and shared some personal memories of the FCJs with the congregation.

The history of the FCJ community in Bruff offers a fascinating account of life between 1856 and 2018.

In its own way, it is reflective of the life of the wider community and the culture of Irish society over a century and a half of her history as depicted in publications produced for the 150th anniversary and for the closing of the secondary school, Brid explained.

In the region of 200 people gathered in The Kennedy Rooms of the old FCJ convent on Saturday last, following the Thanksgiving Mass, including many FCJ sisters, formers pupils, former staff members and parents. They heard how the first group of sisters who arrived to the town in 1856 took up residence in Crawfords Lane, where Dean Cussens mother lived. Sisters started to work immediately in the primary school which had begun some years earlier. A few girls came as boarders almost immediately and soon they had to rent another building on the main street. The interest and demand for education was so great that Dean Cussen with the help of the parishioners and money sent by our foundress Madame dHouet purchased the land on the left bank of the Morning Star River, Brid continued.

In the 20th and 21st Centuries, FCJ sisters and their colleagues provided the benefits of a well-balanced and all rounded education for the young women and men of the area and those further afield who came as boarders to the school.

Speaking on behalf of many past pupils of the school Brid said school life in Bruff was happy, life-giving and filled with companionship.

Sisters Mary Breen, Veronica Carey and Geraldine Lennon, you are the FCJ Sisters who have lived here in recent years in companionship with our Sisters in Limerick. We know this is not an easy time for you but be assured of our prayer and support as you pack your cases and head for new pastures in the city. I know our Companions in Mission, friends, neighbours and colleagues, and FCJ Sisters have been a great help to you as you face these moments of letting go and looking to a new future in Limerick Brid said of the Sisters who have relocated to Laurel Hill in the city.

Reference was also made to former pupils who have gone on to do greater things than we could ever have imagined

Three former students were part of the first team to win an All-Ireland hurling final for Limerick after 45 years, said Brid.

Life is fragile and a single moment is enough to change everything, she continued. We all need each other, we all need to watch out for each other. It is over to you now.PARAMEDICS and ambulance service personnel have been called to the scene of over 500 heroin overdoses in Limerick since 2016, the Leader can reveal.

In 2016, there were 268 incidents of opioid overdose that required emergency care, followed by 230 incidents in 2017, according to HSE figures received under freedom of information.

In most incidents of heroin overdose attended by the National Ambulance Service, the life-saving naloxone drug is administered at the scene to stabilise the casualty.

In a recent Limerick Leader report, naloxone was used to save two lives over one weekend in an emergency situation. And while there are no official HSE figures yet for 2018, it is understood that the number of overdoses requiring paramedic treatment has exceeded 500 since 2016.

But there has been a positive shift in Limericks heroin culture in recent years, thanks to united effort by medical experts, outreach workers and the HSE, each rolling out support services to prevent, understand and respond to overdose.

According to figures released by the HSE, there are 254 registered users of Limericks methadone treatment, most of whom avail of the service on Mungret Street.

A large cohort of GPs at the service prescribe naloxone to 114 clients, 24 of whom have been prescribed additional kits in order to respond to peer overdoses.

Before late 2017, there was only one GP in the whole Mid-West region who could prescribe the wonder drug, and that was Limerick city GP Dr Patrick ODonnell, who is also a researcher at University of Limericks Graduate Entry Medical School.

One of the first ever doctors in Ireland to prescribe naloxone, Dr ODonnell (pictured above) is one of the leading voices in ensuring the drugs availability so that more lives can be saved in Limerick.

When naloxone was first piloted in Limerick under a HSE initiative, Dr ODonnell said that they were adamant here that we wanted to be at the forefront.

Working with the drug over the past three years, Dr ODonnell said that it is crucial and very important.

Part of it is that I meet people who have overdosed, who have had naloxone administered to them. And whatever about the research and the book side of it, when you meet people who have overdosed when they were at a low ebb, you meet them afterwards, you are debriefing and discussing, and the only reason why they are here is because they were saved with naloxone. They were using to try and block and forget, and youre meeting them months or weeks later, and youre thinking: That person is here because of this medication, he told this newspaper.

However, only those who are at risk can be prescribed the drug. This means that doctors, family members and vital outreach workers cannot carry the drug and administer it if they come across a heroin overdose.

The law at the minute is very narrow. Its black and white. It says that youre at risk of an overdose, so I can give you naloxone, but practically if you overdose youre not going to be able to give yourself naloxone. Anybody is allowed to do the training, but the only person who is allowed to get it is someone who is at risk of an overdose. The law needs to be changed so that anybody who has done the training can get the medication in their name.

Dr ODonnell echoed this call at a public meeting on drug decriminalisation at the Hunt Museum led by the Ana Liffey Drug Project, Hot Press magazine and the London School of Economics.

Sinead Carey, project manager at Novas, also expressed concern over the restrictive law on naloxone.

Novas which specialises in housing, health and recovery implemented a unique peer support programme, called Topple three years ago.

Ms Carey (pictured above) works at McGarry House, a short-stay facility for single men and women in city, where they developed the course to respond to Limericks heroin scourge.

Introduced after a year of interagency research, Ms Carey said that the programme has been a success. We have found its working well in terms of cutting down on the number of overdoses in our service, she said at a meeting at City Hall last week.

At the time, the HSE had announced Limerick as the pilot city for naloxone and that was then incorporated into the Topple programme.

The programme consists of debunking overdose myths, recognising signs and symptoms of overdose, and learning how to have conversations with peers about overdose. Service users also learn crucial skills such as CPR, communication with an ambulance, recovery position and administering naloxone.

In the first three months after the first Topple graduates, there were no overdoses in McGarry House and the newly-qualified peer workers carried out 87 preventative measures during that time.

Rachel ODonoghue is the team leader at the Mid-West branch of the Ana Liffey Project on Steamboat Quay. Her team reaches out to those who do not have access to mainstream services, through street outreach, homeless services, drop-in clinics and one-to-one work.

Like Dr ODonnell and Ms Carey, she has been calling for a prescription-free naloxone initiative, in lieu of the current restrictions.

One unique feature at Ana Liffey is their text alert system, where they inform clients of street outreach times, drug awareness information, and if there is a potentially dangerous substance on the streets.

A few people will tell us if they have had overdoses lately. I think theres a batch going around thats stronger than usual. They are great at sharing this information and they dont want to see their friends or other drug users suffering from an overdose.

Rory Keane, who works at the HSE Mid-West drug and alcohol service, says there has been a positive response to naloxone among service users and the community.

Metropolitan mayor, Cllr Daniel Butler, who is a drug education worker, commended the agencies involved in tackling the problem.

In Limerick we are very fortunate to have many agencies addressing the issues of drug use across our city and county. Issues relating to drugs are complex and broad in nature and so it requires a multi agency approach and significant collaboration.

Thankfully in Limerick we are seeing that collaboration and the results are proving how worthwhile it is said the city councillor.

- This interview is part of a wider feature in which Fintan Walsh investigates the heroin scourge through the lens of gardai, gangs, healthcare and addicts. See the Limerick Leader broadsheet for more, in shops nowA VOTE to build over 40 social houses near the North Circular Road in Limerick city is on a knife-edge ahead of a crunch meeting in City Hall this Monday morning.

All eyes will be on what Fine Gael's five councillors decide to do, with Fianna Fail expected to vote against the plans, but Sinn Fein, Labour and Solidarity to back the scheme at this months metropolitan meeting.

With at least seven votes in favour of the development and six against, the council arithmetic dictates that it will fall to Fine Gael's members to swing the vote in favour or against - with 11 needed to cross the white line.

There has been huge opposition to the proposals to build 43 residential units on green space to the left of the Condell Road, with 53 objections, including from An Taisce and many local residents, who cite the location of the planned development and proposed ghettoisation among their fears.

It's understood there is a divide in Fine Gael over the plans, with the party meeting late on Sunday night.

Their northside councillor Michael Hourigan insists there will be a united front, saying: We are a party and we make decisions by that.

Its very controversial locally for me, living so close to it. But Im in favour of social housing. The reality is we have 3,000 people looking for houses  so we must be responsible. But we also must be very conscious of people in situ in the area, he added.

However, Fianna Fail councillor Kieran OHanlon  who will run in City North next summer  will be voting against the plans, and its understood his colleagues will follow suit.

Most objectors were willing to accept a mixture of social and affordable. They werent opposed to the whole project. But the people living out there are going to be isolated if this goes ahead, he said.

However, Sinn Fein councillor Seighin O Ceallaigh said: We shouldnt do anything but vote for this.

He pointed out with four other housing projects to be decided, councillors could end up approving over 100 units.

Northside independent members Frankie Daly and John Gilligan said they were undecided ahead of the meeting, which kicks off at 9.45am at council headquarters in Merchants Quay.THERE will only be one Limerick Rose every two years from 2019, under a new revamped selection process for the Rose of Tralee.

The changes in the competition would see half of the regions showcasing a Rose each year, and have been made to ensure that every Rose enjoys the ultimate positive experience.

Roses representing Kerry, Cork and Dublin will continue to be selected every year.

Every other centre would select a Rose bi-annually, and 32 Roses will be hosted in Tralee each year. It means that every Rose would reach the TV final and take part in the full schedule of events.

For a Rose, the festival entails a host of events, including parades, gala functions, the televised Rose selection nights, a Rose Tour and more.

The new move means that every Limerick Rose will make it as far as the televised final. Up until last year, Limerick had gone 10 years without being represented in the televised selection.

Moving from the Regional Festival (staged from 2004 to 2015) to bringing all our Roses directly to the Rose of Tralee International Festival for the past three years has been generally very positively received, said the Executive Chair of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Anthony OGara.

There is one challenging aspect to the new format that does not sit well with any of us and that we want to address, the selection of 32 Roses from 66 for the TV Selection. Regardless of how sensitively we handle that, it is not in keeping with our ethos or our tradition, he said.

Our focus is to celebrate and respect the passion and emotion, and indeed the time and financial investment that every Rose, her family and Rose Centre invest with us.

The Rose of Tralee family has grown extensively since 2004 with 40 new centres and a rejuvenated brand. Rose Centres are at the core of the Festival. The commitment and passion from the Centre coordinators have helped to make it the great event that it is, and help the organisers to achieve their mission to celebrate exceptional young Irish women, foster friendships and connect Irish communities.

Our remit is to deliver a festival that respects commitment and participation appropriately and that of each Rose. Even though the new structure will reduce income, we will find a means of overcoming this financial challenge for the International Festival.

We appreciate that the change to the format is significant, but on balance we believe it will be a positive development that will enhance our festival and protect its long-term future, said Mr OGara.

Meanwhile, the search is already on for the 2019 Rose of Tralee, the festivals 60th anniversary. The next Limerick Rose is now guaranteed to make it to the televised final selection process.

Applications can be submitted via www.roseoftralee.ie/apply.A WOMAN who falsely claimed she was driving a car which left the scene of a Limerick road collision has been jailed for nine months.

Leanne Delaney, aged 25, of no fixed abode, was prosecuted under the Road Traffic Act relating to an incident at Sarsfield Bridge on July 31, 2017.

Sergeant John Moloney, prosecuting, told Limerick District Court that three vehicles were involved in the collision, including one which was owned by the defendant.

That car, he said, failed to remain at the scene and was gone by the time gardai arrived.

He told Judge Mary Cashin that when subsequently interviewed about the incident Ms Delaney claimed that she was driving the car herself.

However, he said this was not true as gardai were satisfied the driver was a male and that there was no insurance in place at the time.

Judge Cashin was told there were no serious injuries as a result of the collision but that a number of the cars sustained minor damage.

Ms Delaney never identified the driver who fled the scene and he was never prosecuted in relation to what happened.

Solicitor Tom Kiely said his client, who also pleaded guilty to a number of theft and minor drugs offences, has a history of chronic addiction.

He said the mother-of-three young children managed to get clean a number of years ago after she completed a residential detox programme.

However, she relapsed sometime later after she became homeless.

She spiralled out of control, he said adding that she had hit rock bottom around that time.

Judge Cashin was told the defendant is now on a methadone programme and that she is linked in with a number of addiction services and State agencies.

Imposing sentence, the judge commented that she was concerned that Ms Delaney has spent almost four years of her life in custody  both as a juvenile and since she turned 18.

In the circumstances, she imposed a number of prison sentences totalling nine months.

The longest sentence of six months was imposed in relation to an incident on June 14, 2017.

On that date a flick knife was seized from the defendant after she was stopped and searched by gardai under drugs legislation.PLANS FOR more than 100 new social houses were approved by councillors in the Metropolitan District of Limerick this Monday.

Limerick City and County Council has welcomed the decision by the councillors to approve its plans to build 102 new homes for families across Limerick.

At a meeting of the Metro District this Monday, five new social houses were approved on Lower Careys Road, 11 were approved in Thomondgate and both Clonmacken on the Condell Road and Sycamore Avenue in Rathbane look set for 43 new units.

The developments on Lower Careys Road, Kileely Road and in Rathbane were agreed on unanimously, while the Clonmacken development on the Condell Road was passed 14 to 6 in favour.

Plans for the developments will now be advanced to the tender stage.

The agreement to progress 102 homes this Monday comes just days after contracts were signed with PBC Building Contractors to start construction on a new seven home development on a long time vacant site at Kilmurry Court, Garryowen.

Work is due to begin later this month on the development, which is designed by local firm Healy Partners Architects and is expected to last around a year.Pope Francis is one of the most controversial Popes ever. His views on church reform, climate change, poverty and divorce have made him right in the media spotlight. So Francis has never been one to break away from crisis and debate.

But Francis is not without his critics. He has been lauded by some Catholics as he sees himself as a reformer of his predecessors, denounced by others as a danger to the continuity of Catholic tradition and sloth by some progressive changes to the church's stance on controversial issues like divorce and LGBTQ rights, as well as having failed to contend with the seriousness of the church's long-term sex abuse scandal. Here are six things Pope Francis wants you to know.

Trust Has Been Broken and it Needs to Be Addressed

Scandal, legalism and exclusion have made many people distrust the church. At a time when the Catholic Church is under scrutiny and scrutiny, the Pope is trying to address. Francis had said that this is going to happen.

Young People Should Not Be Silenced

Pope Francis urges young Catholics. Drawing on biblical parallels, Francis urged the young people to be manipulated in the crowd.

"The temptation to silence young people has always existed," Francis said.

"There are many ways to silence young people and make them invisible. Many ways to anesthetize them, to make them keep quiet, ask nothing, question nothing. Flat and dreary, petty and plaintive," he said.

"It is up to you not to keep quiet. Even If They keep quiet, if They are older people and leaders, some, keep quiet, I'll wait for you, will you cry out?"

It's Time for a Shake Up

While Francis has been slaughtered for a long time, he has been trying to change the church's structure and leadership. Until Pope Francis, few Popes had been big change agents. He is holding bishops for more accountable for sex abuse in the church. He approved the creation of a Vatican tribunal for judging bishops accused of covering or failing to act in cases of child sexual abuse by priests.

Diversity is Important

Francis is a big proponent of inclusivity. Throughout the paper, Pope Francis has been appointed to become "princes of the church." Bishops from Mali, Laos, El Salvador and Pope Francis thus overturned the tradition of choosing bishops who are in charge of prestigious dioceses or Vatican departments as cardinals. His new system disrupted the tradition and opened the door to more clergymen to become cardinals. He thus replaced Traditionalists with Moderates as the Church Prepared for Important.

Love is Important

Just six months into his papacy, Pope Francis sent shockwaves through the church when he was "grown up" with certain hot button issues. Those who are poor and marginalized are those who do not. His vision for an inclusive church was a contrast from his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who envisioned a smaller, purer church.

This is a pivotal moment

We are living in a time of many wars, Francis said.

"The call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometime gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive and dynamic, "he said.

Pope Francis' words come as a reality to many of us, especially with all that is right now in the world. We often do good things in part because it's good for us. Some of the things we do are not pleasurable or rewarding at first, but paying attention to our pleasure. When we do, it makes us more like Jesus. When we are aware of our own pleasure and God's pleasure, we can only make better disciple to others. Jesus said, "By this, all men will know you are disciples: if you love one another" (John 13:35). Love is at the heart of discipleship. We can not love others without the desire to love. This is the Will of God.

From the moment Pope Francis took his challenging position, he introduced a different style of leadership. His pastoral style of leadership was Catholics had longed for in the church. His admirers like him because of his love for everyone, rich and poor alike. At this very difficult period in the Catholic Church, it is more imperative than ever that he really pushes for radical change. The future of the church depends on it.Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, European Commissioner Phil Hogan and Agriculture Minister Petre Daea

The swine fever epidemics in Romania has an impact on neighbouring countries, on EU trade in pigs and markets, European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan said during a visit to Bucharest.

The European official explained that one of the topics was to identify the red areas and calibrate them so that the epidemics could be controlled:

I am very pleased by the level of cooperation between the Government and the EC, and we have analysed today how we can help more with veterinary assistance and surveillance measures, which will involve a support within the EC along with Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis (on Health and Food Safety  editors note).

The most important thing is to stop the spread of the disease. We discussed today with the Minister about the red areas, to see the right focus on relevant areas and I shall report to the relevant Commissioner, Andriukaitis.

Romania has a problem with what is called PPA regionalization. Hence the differences between the maps communicated by the European Commission and the map from ANSVSA.

In Romania, the outbreak is limited to an administrative-territorial unit, while in the European practice the red zone, with special measures, is established within a range from the outbreak.

It is only in the latest proposals of the National Expert Group that the depopulation around farms within a range of at least 10 km around the agricultural holdings affected by the virus is recommended, with the prohibition to rear pigs in households within this perimeter over a certain period, which has not been established yet.

Now, for instance, in case of two villages located next to each another, special measures are imposed only where the outbreak has been identified, even though the distance from the outbreak to the next village is only one kilometer.

The European Commissioner refers to these logical recalibrations of red areas, in order to obtain results in combating PPAs.

Phil Hogan does not guarantee that EU aid will be granted

Commissioner Hogan also referred to a possible EU financial support, but he did not make any clear statement in this respect:

The Minister has recently notified me on the intention to obtain the EC assistance to provide financial support for helping farmers in this difficult situation in case they have to stop production because of the swine fever program implementation.

We have discussed the possible solutions today if any financial aid would be possible for the affected farmers.

Former European Commissioner Dacian Ciolos recently explained that a possible settlement of a share of compensations paid to households and farms, from European money, will depend exactly on Romanias compliance with biosecurity measures. There is a risk for Bucharest to be refused the European funds, as it has not put in place the minimum necessary measures to combat PPAs.

75% of pigs reared in EU households, in Romania

The fulminating development of the PPA in Romania poses a threat to the whole Europe, especially as it is the country with the largest number of households where pigs are reared, and households are the places that are the least compliant with the rules on preventing the spread of the swine fever.

This large number of households having pigs was the cause of a large number of cases identified in a very short time, Phil Hogan explained:

We are all working to solve this very difficult situation. 75% of the pigs reared in the backyard, in the EU, are in Romania. ()

The fact that we have a significant level of disease detected over the past few months, 800 farms, is a clear indication that the control is implemented.

Of course, there are a large number of disease cases in such a short time. In the short term, we must stop the spread of the disease.

It has an impact on neighbouring countries, on the EU trade in pigs, on the markets and we need to help farmers take the necessary safety measures.

Last year, 4.406 million pigs were registered in Romania and the total number in the EU was over 150 million.

PPA, unstoppable  76 new outbreaks within a week, more than 230,000 pigs already killed

According to the latest data provided by the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA), communicated on Thursday, September 13:

African swine fever extends in 207 localities from 12 counties

there are a total of 898 outbreaks (of which 13 in industrial commercial pig holdings, one in a slaughterhouse owned by a farm and one in a type A commercial holding)

57 wild boar cases



Aboneaza-te la newsletter aici. Iti multumim ca citesti cursdeguvernare.

The situation on September 6:

PPA confirmed in 11 counties, in 190 localities

a total of 826 outbreaks (11 of which in industrial commercial holdings, one in a slaughterhouse owned by a farm and one in a type A commercial holding)

46 wild boar cases.

By comparing the EU notifications, the situation in Romania is disastrous  94 new outbreaks have occurred during the last week across Europe, out of which:The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, is offering a free online course entitled, Civil Society and African Media Policy in the Digital Age.

 Olena? Bolotova via 123RF

How to identify the core elements of the principles of freedom of expression, media freedom, and access to information.

The policy and practical components required by a democratic media ecosystem.

Regulatory and other measures that build media pluralism and diversity.

The mechanisms of self-regulation, co-regulation, statutory regulation and regulatory independence in democratic media ecosystems.

How to identify the practical and policy dimensions introduced by online media, online expression, and online information access.

Strategies for effective civil society engagement with policy and practice in support of democratic Africa media ecosystems.

The Wits LINK Centre and WitsX are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the first offering of the free, six-week, online course, which will begin on 10 October 2018. This free-of-charge MOOC (massive open online course), available on the edX platform, aims to empower civil society actors  including advocacy coalition members, NGO/CBO representatives, union members, journalists, editors, researchers, academics and post-secondary students  to work in support of free, pluralistic and independent African media.The course will also be of value to media owners, government policymakers, Parliamentarians and regulators working towards media sector reform.The course has been developed to honour and sustain the legacy of South African media freedom and freedom of expression activist # Jeanette Minnie , who passed away in November 2016. Minnie devoted her professional life to ensuring robust civil society engagement with African media policy.In the Reporters Without Borders 2018 World Press Freedom Index , which evaluates 180 countries, only eight African countries are ranked among the top 50 nations in terms of media freedom: Ghana (23), Namibia (26), South Africa (28), Cape Verde (29), Burkina Faso (41), Botswana (48), Comoros (49), and Senegal (50).Meanwhile, four African countries are ranked among the 10 worst for media freedom: Equatorial Guinea (171), Djibouti (173), Sudan (174), and Eritrea (179). This course provides participants with the knowledge necessary to work towards more African countries becoming favourable media-freedom environments.In the course, participants engage with:Participants can take the course, including participation in its discussion forums, assignments and assessments, free of charge.Participants who want to also receive a Verified Certificate of Achievement for the course, endorsed by edX and Wits University, pay USD49.The course instructors are Prof Justine Limpitlaw, Wits LINK Centre; Paula Fray, frayintermedia; Zoe Titus, Namibia Media Trust; Dr Sarah Chiumbu, University of Johannesburg; Koketso Moeti, Amandla.mobi; and Dr Chris Armstrong, Wits LINK Centre.Course content was developed by the instructors with support from an international Advisory Committee and frayintermedia . Funding for course research, development, piloting and marketing was provided by Bertha Foundation , Namibia Media Trust (NMT) and fesmedia Africa .A new uncertainty principle holds that quantum objects can be at two temperatures at once, which is similar to the famous Schrodinger's cat thought experiment, in which a cat in a box with a radioactive element can be both alive and dead.

The famous thought experiment known as Schrodinger's cat implies that a cat in a box can be both dead and alive at the same time  a bizarre phenomenon that is a consequence of quantum mechanics.

Now, physicists at the University of Exeter in England have found that a similar state of limbo may exist for temperatures: Objects can be two temperatures at the same time at the quantum level. This weird quantum paradox is the first completely new quantum uncertainty relation to be formulated in decades.

Heisenberg's other principle

In 1927, German physicist Werner Heisenberg postulated that the more precisely you measure a quantum particle's position, the less precisely you can know its momentum, and vice versa  a rule that would become the now-famous Heisenberg uncertainty principle. [Twisted Physics: 7 Mind-Blowing Findings]

The new quantum uncertainty, which states that the more precisely you know temperature, the less you can say about energy, and vice versa, has big implications for nanoscience, which studies incredibly tiny objects smaller than a nanometer. This principle will change how scientists measure the temperature of extremely small things such as quantum dots, small semiconductors or single cells, the researchers said in the new study, which was published in June in the journal Nature Communications.

In the 1930s, Heisenberg and Danish physicist Niels Bohr established an uncertainty relation between energy and temperature on the nonquantum scale. The idea was that, if you wanted to know the exact temperature of an object, the best and most precise scientific way to do that would be to immerse it in a "reservoir"  say, a tub of water, or a fridge full of cold air  with a known temperature, and allow the object to slowly become that temperature. This is called thermal equilibrium.

However, that thermal equilibrium is maintained by the object and the reservoir constantly exchanging energy. The energy in your object therefore goes up and down by infinitesimal amounts, making it impossible to define precisely. On the flip side, if you wanted to know the precise energy in your object, you would have to isolate it so that it could not come into contact with, and exchange energy with, anything. But if you isolated it, you would not be able to precisely measure its temperature using a reservoir. This limitation makes the temperature uncertain.

Things get weirder when you go to the quantum scale.

A new uncertainty relation

Even if a typical thermometer has an energy that goes up and down slightly, that energy can still be known to within a small range. This is not true at all on the quantum level, the new research showed, and its all due to Schrodinger's cat. That thought experiment proposed a theoretical cat in a box with a poison that could be activated by the decay of a radioactive particle. According to the laws of quantum mechanics, the particle could have decayed and not decayed at the same time, meaning that until the box was opened, the cat would be both dead and alive at the same time  a phenomenon known as superposition.

The researchers used math and theory to predict exactly how such superposition affects the measurement of the temperature of quantum objects. [Wacky Physics: The Coolest Little Particles in Nature]

"In the quantum case, a quantum thermometer ... will be in a superposition of energy states simultaneously,"Harry Miller, one of the physicists at the University of Exeter who developed the new principle, told Live Science. "What we find is that because the thermometer no longer has a well-defined energy and is actually in a combination of different states at once, that this actually contributes to the uncertainty in the temperature that we can measure."

In our world, a thermometer may tell us an object is between 31 and 32 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 0.5 and zero degrees Celsius). In the quantum world, a thermometer may tell us an object is both those temperatures at the same time. The new uncertainty principle accounts for that quantum weirdness.

Interactions between objects at the quantum scale can create superpositions, and also create energy. The old uncertainty relation ignored these effects, because it doesn't matter for nonquantum objects. But it matters a lot when you're trying to measure the temperature of a quantum dot, and this new uncertainty relation makes up a theoretical framework to take these interactions into account.

The new paper could help anyone who's designing an experiment to measure temperature changes in objects below the nanometer scale, Miller said. "Our result is going to tell them exactly how to accurately design their probes and tell them how to account for the additional quantum uncertainty that you get."

Originally published on Live Science.The 2018 Cape Town International Film Market and Festival (CTIFMF) will screen 61 short films across 10 programmes at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town from 10-19 October 2018.

Short films are an integral part of the CTIFMF and festival director Leon van der Merwe has always recognised the importance of this genre. Short films are a necessity to keeping the entire film industry healthy. They fulfil two irrefutable roles, firstly, they allow up and coming talent the chance to get noticed and refine their style, and secondly, they also help to encourage creativity and originality that includes new ways of telling stories, says Van der Merwe.The time has come for movie lovers everywhere to support short films. To start with, they should go and watch these films at the festival and other short film festivals. The industry needs to lobby the cinemas to get short films back into movie theatres. Short films could be shown prior to a feature film as it used to be the case years ago. This would not only justify audiences choosing to watch them but would also help justify local cinemas ticket prices, he continues.Amongst the films are 17 South African shorts that include award-winning director Reabetswe Moetis Mma Moeketsi, that stars Keketso Semoko known for her role as Ma Agnes on Isidingo. She is a domestic worker from rural Lesotho working for a suburban family in Johannesburg. Her son, Moeketsi, is an illegal miner at the North West mine. In the wake of the wage strike, Moeketsis phone is off and he is nowhere to be found.

Mma Moeketsi Trailer A from Reabetswe Moeti on Vimeo.

Directed by Imran Hamduly, Fatima tells the story of a young woman who defies her family's wish to enter an arranged marriage and suffers a tragic consequence. Masqerading: To Hell and Back is Sofia de Fays bittersweet tale of a letter written by a 58-year-old Sandra Dee to her best friend Samantha Fox, celebrating their complicated 30-year friendship. The letter takes us on a funny and poignant journey through their shared memories, Sandra Dee reminisces about their struggle to survive the Apartheid regime and the adventures and misfortune that befell them because of their skin colour and their transgender identity.Another notable film is Cast Iron Cant Be Weldeda shortset in rural South Africa during the 1970s and directed by Buks Rossouw. A farmer transporting a broken cast iron stove learns something about humanity from a hitchhiking schoolboy - but only after dropping him off.

Masquerading: To Hell and Back Promo from Sofia De Fay on Vimeo.

Shorts from Zimbabwe, Spain, Brazil, Austria, Belgium, Australia, the USA, China, Egypt, and Denmark amongst other countries will also be screened throughout the festival.The full schedules and ticketing information may be found on the CTIFMFwebsite www.filmfestival.capetownQ: I have been a resident of Clifton Park since the Spring of 1971. I've witnessed the growth of population, commercial endeavours and more importantly  traffic.

I am against the idea of a roundabout at the intersection of Vischer Ferry Road/Route 146/Route 146A.

I'm thinking that the NYS Transportation Department's road engineers must have looked at this intersection some years ago, or if more recently, with blinders on and at night.

Traffic has increased significantly over the years along this corridor. In current times, both eastbound and westbound traffic along Route 146 can be seen as bumper to bumper almost throughout the day, at least from Nott Road and from just about Route 9, with a significant uptick in really slow traffic during school days.

The problem is really too many vehicles trying to use the same limited space on roadways that need improvement with outdated and badly coordinated traffic signals.

Possible cures: impose tolls for traffic using the Route 146 corridor. That should shunt to other heavily used alternate east/west roadways.

Rather than a roundabout, reconfigure the roadways by adding more lanes for appropriate left, straight-ahead and right turning lanes.

Install better, more modern traffic control signals that are better metered/timed to coordinate with the traffic flow that varies during the day.

More Information Hot spots What to watch for this week: The Northway (I-87), between Malta and Saratoga Springs: The Crescent Avenue and East High street bridges are now open, but be on alert for off-peak lane closures underneath the bridges between Exit 12 (Malta) and Exit 14 (Saratoga Springs) as final bridge construction work continues. Hamburg Street, Rotterdam: Traffic open in both directions. Watch for flaggers and alternating traffic during continuing roadwork eastbound (Route 146). Michigan Avenue bridge, Schenectady: Left turns prohibited onto I-890. Detour by turning right onto eastbound or westbound I-890, then loop around at next exit. Columbia Street (routes 9 and 20) over South Street and railroad tracks, Rensselaer and East Greenbush: Reduced to two lanes through the fall for a rehabilitation project. Watch for lane shifts. Detour for tractor-trailers arriving from Route 9J over the Dunn Memorial Bridge to I-787 northbound, then I-90 eastbound to Exit 9, south on Route 4, and back to routes 9 and 20. Route 7, Brunswick: Watch for lane shifts, flaggers and workers between Leonard Avenue in Sycaway and Route 278 in Brunswick Center for work on ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps. County Route 9, West Berne: Bridge construction and rehabilitation will close the intersection of Dutch Settlement Road and County Route 9 through Thanksgiving. While repairs are made to the approach of the bridge over Fox Creek, a detour will run 16 miles along Rickard Hill Road and state routes 30 and 443. Thacher Park Road (Route 157): Closed through Nov. 27 to replace two culverts near the Thacher Park Visitors Center and Paint Mine Picnic Area. Posted detour to accommodate large trucks includes routes 157, 85 and 85A through Voorheesville, Route 156 through Altamont and then back to Route 157. I-87, from Route 378 in Menands to Tibbits Avenue in Green Island: Night paving work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly through the end of October. Motorists should watch for single lane closures and ramp closures with signed detours. Route 67, Ballston Spa and Malta: Night paving work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. between State Farm Boulevard in Malta and Route 50 in Ballston Spa. Traffic will be reduced to a single alternating lane controlled by flaggers through early October. Route 144 (Main Street), Coeymans: Watch for a single alternating lane of traffic controlled by flaggers, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., for pavement work between James Drive and Westerlo Street. See More Collapse

I can see that the intersection is going to be rebuilt. My hope is that it's rebuilt without a roundabout in a way that more efficiently will handle the traffic.

And think about the next big traffic headache situation  Route 146 from Maxwell Road to Old Plank Road/Plank Road just east of Route 9 adjacent to Lowe's. You'll need a bridge engineer or someone with complex fly-over design experience to solve this mess.

 Al Alexander, Clifton Park

A: I hate to burst your bubble, Al, but the New York State Department of Transportation is indeed planning to construct a roundabout at this intersection.

Plans for a modern, two-lane roundabout are in the works. According to the DOT, the project will improve safety for motorists and pedestrians while reducing traffic delays and improving traffic flow through the busy intersection at routes 146 and 146A in Clifton Park.

The proposed project will also install a new, multi-use path along eastbound Route 146 west of the intersection, connecting two existing multi-use paths.

You can speak during a public open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, at the Clifton Park Senior Center, located at 6 Clifton Park Common Court. The preliminary project design will be presented and redesign plans will be discussed.

Following public input, the DOT anticipates completing design work this winter, with construction to begin in the spring.Community leaders said Sunday that they were shocked, dumbfounded and concerned upon hearing that a Border Patrol agent, Juan David Ortiz, had been accused of killing four people in Webb County.

Sister Rosemary Welsh, executive director of Casa de Misericordia, which runs a shelter for battered women, said she believes Ortiz's alleged acts are unimaginable.

"I think to take the life of another person is horrible," Welsh said. "Who do they think they are to be able to take the life of another person? Deprive that person of their lives and that person's family. What could possibly be on that person's mind? I'm dumbfounded."

READ ALSO: $2.5M bond set for Border Patrol agent accused of killing four

Laredo City Councilwoman Nelly Vielma, speaking as an attorney and a private citizen, said femicide is a hate crime that will not be tolerated in the community.

"We trust that justice will be served in that the DA's office will be prosecuting these crimes to the fullest extent of the law," she said. "My sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims, they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of the circumstances, every life is precious and we need to acknowledge that we have a community problem with drug addiction."

Vielma also asked that residents refrain from making disparaging remarks about the victims.

"Their families and children are mourning their loss and don't need any further insults to their loved ones on social media," she said.

Cecilia Beltran is the director and founder of Grupo Amor, a local nonprofit dedicated to providing support and information to the community about domestic violence.

READ ALSO: Relatives mourn the loss of victims slain in Laredo by what police call a serial killer

"We are against what is happening," Beltran said. "It is wrong. We, as citizens, should be able to trust in those given the task of protecting the community and they are committing deplorable acts. An agent supposedly hired and screened by a government agency and then they commit these crimes makes it difficult for the community to trust them."

Grupo Amor has seen this type of pattern with female victims of violence, Beltran said.

"People that function that way have some type of damage," she added. "Maybe a mother was abusive. We believe that people who do violence against women have some type of problem with a woman and maybe even their mother."

Grupo Amor offers assistance to the community by connecting people to the different resources around the community, Beltran said. They have counseling services and support groups available and they offer community assistance like food and clothes, she added.

Beltran asks the community to speak up if they feel they are in danger.

"Any person that feels they are in danger, don't keep quiet," she said. "Look for ways to communicate and get help. No person should stay quiet if they are in danger. Ask for help. Call us. Connect with us. We are here for you."

Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina said Sunday that he's grateful for the county's law enforcement -- Sheriff Martin Cuellar and District Attorney Alaniz in particular -- who worked on this case.

READ ALSO: Arrest affidavit details murders of Laredo 'serial killer'

He also expressed condolences for the families of the victims and the alleged perpetrator, calling the situation a sad state.

Considering that local Border Patrol agents have been accused of several serious crimes in the community over the last six months, Tijerina said he would hate to stigmatize the whole sector.

"Any time you have the number of personnel they have, any department with those large numbers, things come up," he said. "This individual that did this heinous crime for our community, he obviously had some issues. It's hard to predict when something like this happens."

Tijerina again thanked local law enforcement for their work, which attests what happens when they work together.

"My family and I have a peace of mind that this man can never do anything so ugly again," Tijerina said.

Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz said the Laredo Sector Border Patrol does a lot of good in the community when it comes to enforcement and community involvement.

"But obviously, there's a flaw now. Two incidents have occurred and you can establish at least the beginning of a pattern here of these individuals that are hired and have now killed multiple people," Saenz said.

He said he believes Border Patrol should re-evaluate recruitment methods and psychological testing. Such testing should be conducted when agents get hired, but it should be done again at some point in their career, he said.

"It is stressful job, but people react differently to these difficult situations that they confront. All of us need to feel safe, especially with the people that we trust," Saenz said. "We put a higher trust in law enforcement individuals.

"It's very obvious to me that something is not right here. We all need to feel safe, especially with the people in the frontline who protect us and defend us."

Saenz said people in Laredo feel saddened and disappointed, and to some degree, apprehensive of people wearing a uniform and a badge allegedly committing these "atrocious acts."

"Mental illness exists. Supervisors and other people within the ranks ought to re-evaluate or test them periodically every two, three, four years just to see if they're still functioning in a rational way," Saenz said.

He added, "These are, we presumed, anomalies ... But in this particular sector .. when you have two committing multiple murders, atrocious murders, it begs the question, what's going on and why can't we detect or identify these people when they're hired or maybe throughout the process of their employment. There ought to be tools there to bring them out, to help them or at least detect these anomalies."

Vielma said she understands that "there are a few bad apples in every profession" but urged all law enforcement agencies to "implement a more thorough psychological assessment and background check, taking into account the FBI profiling data."

"For example, did you know that serial killers are fascinated by authority and seek law enforcement, security or military employment, as was the case of Ted Bundy, the Hillside Stranglers and John Gacy?" she said. "Does your background check include looking at 'the triad' warning signs of psychopathic behavior such as animal torture, juvenile pyromania and prolonged bed-wetting?

"Deviant behaviors may have their roots in an unusual relationship with their mothers, child abuse, etc."

Vielma added, "It is unfortunate that our city has made national news for behavior unbecoming of an officer, but what are we doing to prevent and intervene? In memory of all these innocent victims ... I urge you to make an action/intervention plan. Law enforcement, drug treatment and rehabilitation entities, CPS, programs dealing with at-risk children and adolescent, parents and teachers, we need all of you to step up to the plate and educate, treat, intervene and prevent not only the pathological behaviors, but also the roots of the problems leading up to drug addiction.

"Many of these issues start with a dysfunctional family, substance abuse, domestic violence, etc. We need to provide meaningful resources, treatment and intervention early on to support the family unit and avoid the cycle of poverty, substance abuse, re-incarceration. My prayers for the families of the victims and for our city to act for a brighter future."

LMT staff writers Cesar G. Rodriguez and Julia Wallace contributed to this report.Your companys logo is the visual figurehead of your brand, so its important to get it right. Whether intentional or not, every detail of your logo will influence people who see it. That's why nothing should be arbitrary.

Related: Expert Explains What Makes the Best Logos So Good

In fact, its in your best interest to make sure that every logo design choice is intentional and communicates the message you want to convey, because thoughtless design choices lead to misleading or confusing logos.

Worse, thoughtless choices can lead to logos that dont say anything at all.

What follows is a deeper look at the psychology of logo design, in terms of fonts, shapes, lines, colors and composition -- and how these elements affect your logo's influence on customers' purchasing decisions.

The psychology of fonts

Fonts have a psychological impact on people. The emotion they generate is directly tied to the shape of the letters and our psychological response to those shapes. So, how do you know which font style will work best for your business?

The Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL) at Wichita State University ran a study that examined the traits people associate with varying fonts. Among the people surveyed, traditional fonts including Arial or Times New Roman were categorized as stable and mature, but were also considered unimaginative and conformist.

In contrast, fonts described as youthful and casual fonts -- like Comic Sans -- were considered happy and casual.

Most important in anyone's font decision is certainty that the company name is legible and readable. Youd be surprised how many logos weve seen that are unreadable. And, really, how can you remember a business if you dont know the name of that business?

The psychology of shapes in logo design

All logos -- whether they include an icon and text, an icon only, or even just text -- have a shape. The three major categories -- geometric, abstract and organic -- all come prepackaged with their own psychological associations.

Geometric shapes

Geometric shapes look man-made. Mathematically precise squares, perfect circles and Isosceles triangles dont tend to appear in nature. So, using these shapes communicates a sense of order and power. The various types:

Related: Why Small Businesses Need Strong Logos

Squares and rectangles convey stability, reliability, strength, order and predictability. Think of the bricks used to build sturdy, stable buildings. If you want your logo to communicate strength and reliability, consider incorporating squares or rectangles.

Circles are never-ending. So, they may be the right choice if you want to make consumers think of harmony, unity, eternity or timelessness. Curves are also considered feminine; and, as such, circles communicate softness, gentility and femininity.

Triangles are a directional shape. As a result, they change meaning depending on how they are positioned. When right side up, triangles convey power, stability and upward momentum. Inverted triangles suggest instability or downward momentum. And, triangles pointing to the side convey movement and direction based on where the triangles point is facing.

Abstract or symbolic shapes

Symbols are simplified shapes that represent something specific in a culture. And, because symbols have clear, common meanings, they are relied upon heavily as a visual language.

Stars can convey patriotism or religion or even "show business" and "Hollywood " depending on how they are used.

Hearts can be used to communicate love, relationships and marriage, while broken hearts represent break-ups, divorce and sadness.

Arrows, meanwhile, suggest a direction, movement and travel. These are commonly used in businesses that ship and deliver goods. FedEx and Amazon are examples of logos that use these symbols well. The arrow in the FedEx logo is subtle and created from negative space -- an unexpected surprise. Amazons logo features an arrow that serves triple duty signifying a package being delivered, the company's range of products (from A to Z) and the recipients resulting smile.

Organic shapes

Organic shapes include the shapes of organic items occurring in nature (rocks, leaves, tree bark, amoebas, water ripples, etc.). This category also encompasses any irregular non-symbolic shape, even if it's not inspired by nature. When utilizing organic shapes, keep these guidelines in mind:

Natural shapes like leaves, grasses, representations of water, and trees tend to have a soothing effect on the viewer. This is why they often appear in logos for spas and holistic medical businesses.

Shapes with jagged angles may create feelings of anxiety, while shapes with soft curves make them feel more relaxed.

Shapes that dont resemble anything recognizable are open to the viewers interpretation. This means that you will need to work harder to communicate a specific message through other design elements and branding choices.

The psychology of lines

Lines divide space. They create definition and form. They communicate direction. Lines tell us where to stand and where to drive. But, beyond their practical function, they can also communicate a great deal aesthetically. In fact, geometric line art logos are popular in logo design trends this year.

Thin lines, in particular, are delicate and may appear fragile. They communicate elegance and femininity. They can also imply frailty, weakness or flexibility. Alternately, thick lines suggest strength and rigidity. They appear more traditionally masculine than thin lines. Thick, bold lines are used to draw focus and create emphasis where they appear.

Straight lines imply order, structure and predictability. They may also be perceived as rigid or harsh. Curved lines, on the other hand, offer more energy and dynamism.

Then there's positioning: The position of your line in space impacts the psychological effect that the line creates.

Horizontal lines run parallel to the horizon. As a result, they contain the least visual energy of all line positions. They feel comfortable and safe.

Vertical lines run perpendicular to the horizon. They appear to rise straight up from the earth, filling them with the potential visual energy to tip or fall. Vertical lines draw the eye upward. And, as such, they are often used in religious iconography to draw focus upward to the heavens.

Diagonal lines suggest movement and action. Diagonal lines can be positioned anywhere between horizontal and vertical. This makes them very expressive and the least stable of all the line positions.

Smooth lines are clean, calming and restful. Depending on their context, they can convey confidence, fluidity or ease.

Jagged and zig-zagging lines are filled with tension. These dynamic lines change direction quickly, communicate erratic movement, and irregularity. They can suggest excitement or anxiety, confusion or danger.

The psychology of colors

Color contributes the strongest emotional trigger in your logo design repertoire because colors are strongly linked to emotions in the human psyche. Whether our interpretation of colors is hardwired into our brains or is due to cultural influence -- or a combination of the two -- there is a generally accepted language of color.

Its also important to bear in mind that how you mix your colors in a single design also has psychological implications for your viewers. For instance:

A multitude of bright colors appears youthful, childlike, or full of energy.

Black and white is a classically elegant combination that implies maturity and sophistication.

Monochromatic schemes allow you to embrace more vibrant colors while maintaining a softer, more unified feel.

Combining neutrals with an accent color allows you to take advantage of the emotional influence of a strong, bright color without the childlike implications.

Choose your colors wisely to elicit appropriate brand-appropriate emotions. Your color choices should always embody the personality of the brand.

The psychology of composition

Fonts, shapes, lines, and colors are the building blocks for a great logo design. But dont forget that how you compose those elements also impacts how the logo is perceived and the message it sends. Here are some important considerations to think through when you choose a logo design:

Size denotes importance. The larger an object is the more focus it draws and the more important it seems.

Western audiences read from left to right. So, things appearing on the left side of the logo will be viewed first and perceived as the most important.

Loosely spaced items surrounded by negative space look more restful than items that are closely spaced. If you choose to emphasize negative space, be careful not to leave too much or the logo may lack coherence.

Scattered or irregular placement suggests playfulness, chaos or rebellion, while orderly, symmetrical arrangements communicate formality, stability, and conformity.

Layering items together creates visual relationships, so be mindful of how you combine shapes and lines.

Related: 5 Secrets for Making Your Logo Stand Out

Overall, every detail of your companys logo will influence people who see that logo. You can communicate a lot -- and do it efficiently and effectively -- if you understand your brand and make informed, thoughtful choices regarding fonts, colors, shapes, lines and composition.

Related:

How Your Company's Logo Influences Purchase Decisions

4 Logo-Design Options to Boost Your Startup's or Small Business's Marketing Campaign

Make a Name for Yourself: 4 Expert Tips for Choosing a Name and Trademark



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedThe organization in charge of the New Mexico solar observatory that was mysteriously evacuated and shuttered for more than a week attributed the closure to a threat posed by a suspect in a criminal investigation and said the facility will reopen Monday.

In a statement Sunday, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy said employees will return to work after "recent developments in the investigation" convinced officials that there was no risk to the staff.

The association also for the first time provided some details about why the observatory had to be closed, saying in a statement that officials had been cooperating with an inquiry of criminal activity in the area and "became concerned that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents."

The sudden evacuation of the National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico, on Sept. 6 had spawned online speculation, fueled by authorities' reluctance to provide any information about why the facility was closed.

The local sheriff and those tasked with guarding the observatory after the closure said that even they had been kept in the dark. FBI agents - who were on the scene during the evacuation - declined to say anything. Internet sleuths wondered whether researchers had spotted something extraterrestrial, or whether the solar telescope at the site had possibly been hacked to spy on a nearby missile testing range.

Roswell, New Mexico - where the 1947 crash of a flying object sparked so much interest that the city is now home to a UFO museum - is only about a 2 1/2-hour drive from the observatory.

The association's statement did not offer details about the nature of the criminal investigation, the suspect or the developments that led officials to conclude that there was no longer a risk. The association said it was working with a security service, in part because it expected more visitors in light of the mysterious closure. The site is normally open to the public.

"We recognize that the lack of communications while the facility was vacated was concerning and frustrating for some," the association said. "However, our desire to provide additional information had to be balanced against the risk that, if spread at the time, the news would alert the suspect and impede the law enforcement investigation. That was a risk we could not take."

FBI spokespeople in New Mexico and Washington and a spokeswoman for the association did not return messages seeking comment Sunday night. Otero County Sheriff Benny House said Sunday evening that he had not been told why the facility was closed, and was not aware of an investigation in the area or a person who might pose a threat.

"I know absolutely nothing about what they're talking about. They have not talked to us," House said. "If there's a threat, I think I should know. I'm pretty disappointed."

The National Solar Observatory sits at more than 9,000 feet in the Lincoln National Forest in the southern part of New Mexico, and it is part of a larger astronomy facility on the site. The association's statement said the closure was based in part on "logistical challenges associated with protecting personnel at such a remote location." The adjacent Apache Point Observatory, a collection of telescopes about half a mile away, continued to operate as normal, though, even as the Sunspot facility remained closed.A rebel group in Ethiopia said it will demand a referendum on self-determination for the country's troubled, gas-rich Somali region during landmark peace talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

The plan by the Ogaden National Liberation Front, which has staged a low-level insurgency in Ethiopia's east for more than three decades, comes as Abiy invites once-banned opponents to take part in elections. The demands may aggravate a scramble for the region's energy resources, including natural gas reserves the government estimates will eventually earn it $7 billion a year.

At stake are an estimated 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Ogaden Basin, where exports are due to begin 2021 via a pipeline to neighboring Djibouti. A unit of China Poly Group has also started testing oil deposits.

"We want to achieve self-determination recognized by international law under the current Ethiopian constitution," Ahmed Yassin Abdi, the ONLF's foreign secretary, said by phone from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. "We want our people to have a right to decide." He said his group has no preconditions for the talks. The region's new president expressed support for greater autonomy.

Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous country after Nigeria, is a federation designed to give autonomy to its dozens of ethnic groups. The ONLF has long maintained that the Somali regional state, which it calls the Ogaden and borders war-torn Somalia, hasn't been properly represented by the federal government.

Ethiopia's constitution enshrines the rights of people with "a large measure" of common culture, customs, language, identity and "psychological makeup" in an "identifiable, predominantly contiguous territory" to seek self-determination and even establish their own states.

The ONLF's long-term goal is self-determination and if they "cease to fight for this right, they'll no longer be considered as representing the people," Juweira Ali, a doctoral candidate at the University of Westminster whose research includes the issue, said by email from London. "Perhaps ONLF will seek some form of guarantee on their quest for self-determination outside of the constitution as they approach the negotiating table shortly."

The ONLF, which took up arms in 1984 and has been an intermittent threat to regional authorities, declared a cease-fire at a July meeting of its leaders in Eritrea, pending what Ahmed calls an unspecified "comprehensive political settlement."

Its largest attack was in April 2007 on a site in the Somali region -- operated by China's Zhongyuan Petroleum Exploration Bureau -- where it killed nine Chinese workers and 65 Ethiopians. Ahmed said that was justified because the then-government sought to produce gas "without consent of our people."

While he wouldn't disclose the number of armed fighters the ONLF has, the figure is thought to be significantly diminished from a decade ago.

A special police force in the Somali region has been notorious for its alleged counter-insurgency tactics, with accusations it jailed and tortured people suspected of having ONLF sympathies. Since the regional president, based in the local city of Jijiga, was ousted by federal forces in August, authorities and the group haven't clashed, according both to Ahmed and the new state president, Mustafa Omer.

"There are some areas where we agree," Mustafa said in an interview in the national capital, Addis Ababa. "Yes, we want more autonomy for our region, genuine self-rule."

While the cease-fire predates Mustafa's rule as a response to Ethiopia's recent sweeping reforms, the ONLF is supporting the new president because "he can make a difference in clearing the system and creating a new political environment," Ahmed said. "We have agreed to work together to seek more rights for the Somali people."

Abdiwasa Abdillahi Bade, an assistant professor of political science at Addis Ababa University, doesn't see "a clear vision and objective" from the group. "Before we talk about self-determination, we have to establish who is ONLF and who represents ONLF," Abdiwasa said.

Mustafa said regional authorities are letting the ONLF mobilize grassroots support and he'll help arrange its formal talks with Abiy's government in the coming weeks. The president welcomed the possibility of the ONLF taking part in federal elections slated for 2020.

Ahmed said the ONLF will discuss the possibility of its disarmament with the government, and, should the negotiations face difficulty, Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed offered support in the talks during a Sept. 5 meeting in the Eritrean capital, Asmara. Once a deal is reached, the ONLF may compete in elections, he said.

"We need to have a negotiation -- agreement on a comprehensive political settlement, and peace in the Ogaden -- then oil companies can come and explore," Ahmed said.ISTANBUL - Russia and Turkey appeared Monday to avert a potential crisis in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, announcing they would establish a "demilitarized zone" to separate rebels from Syrian government troops and head off an all-out battle.

The announcement, at a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, comes after weeks of speculation that an offensive on Syria's last major opposition enclave would prompt a full-scale humanitarian disaster.

Idlib, in northwest Syria, borders Turkey and is home to thousands of rebel fighters and about 3 million civilians, the United Nations says. Aid organizations said they feared an assault by Syrian and Russian forces could cause widespread carnage and displace tens of thousands of people.

"The people of Idlib will rest easier tonight knowing that they are less likely to face an impending assault," Lorraine Bramwell, Syria country director for the International Rescue Committee, said in a statement Monday. "This could be a win for diplomacy, and that's what Syria needs more of to solve this crisis."

The precise details of the agreement between Turkey and Russia were not publicly spelled out Monday. But Putin said that a zone nine miles to 12 miles long would be carved out ahead of an Oct. 15 deadline. The zone, both leaders said, would be purged of heavy weapons and more extreme elements of the insurgency, including al-Qaeda-linked militants. It also would be patrolled by Turkish and Russian forces.

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been killed since an uprising began there in 2011, fracturing the country and drawing in world powers. Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has helped quell the rebellion. Turkey, in turn, has backed elements of the opposition.

Putin said the plan announced Monday has the support of the Syrian government.

"The territory controlled by the Syrian opposition must be demilitarized," Erdogan told reporters in the Russian town of Sochi, where the two leaders met.

"But together with Russia, we will put our efforts into clearing those territories of radical elements," he said.

Hours after the announcement of the agreement, missiles suspected to have been fired by Israel struck a Syrian state-owned factory in the nearby province of Latakia, an Assad stronghold that hosts Russia's main military base in Syria, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA.

Videos posted on social media showed several large explosions, and SANA said the target was a facility called Technical Industries. Syrian air defenses intercepted some of the "hostile missiles," which were fired from the sea, the agency said.

If confirmed, it would be the second Israeli strike in two days against Syrian targets, following an attack overnight Saturday against a warehouse at Damascus airport. Although Israel refuses to confirm or deny most of the scores of attacks it is suspected to have carried out in Syria, its leaders have maintained that Israel reserves the right to strike at will to deter the expansion of Iran and the militant group Hezbollah in Syria and neighboring Lebanon.

Idlib is strategically important for both Russia and Turkey. The former wants to eliminate Syria's opposition, help the government retake territory and convince European and other powers to help reconstruct the country. The latter needs a foothold in Syria to ensure its place at the negotiating table, as the United Nations and Syria's allies decide the country's future. Turkey also wants to prevent a destabilizing influx of refugees into its territory, especially the introduction of militants.

Still, it was unclear how Turkey and Russia would persuade rebel fighters to retreat and give up their heavy weaponry. Syria's rebels despise Russia for its support for Assad, who has been in power since his father, Hafez al-Assad, died in 2000.

The plan also seems to require that Turkey make efforts to eliminate or isolate hardcore Islamist militants. Beginning last year, Turkey deployed troops and military equipment to Idlib, which had been designated one of several "de-escalation zones" by Russia, Iran and Turkey. The other three zones have since been retaken by Syrian government forces.

But Turkey, which maintains 12 observation posts in Idlib, has avoided a direct confrontation with the extremists, many of which belong to a former al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Turkey has instead created an alternative umbrella organization - the National Liberation Front - for rebel fighters in the enclave. Turkish officials hope to peel away some of the rank-and-file Islamist militants to join the more moderate NLF, analysts say.

"A head-on attack against [Hayat Tahrir al-Sham] now or later would likely destabilize northwest [Syria], prompt a bloody and maybe inconclusive fight, and potentially set off retaliatory attacks inside Turkey," said Sam Heller, a senior analyst on nonstate armed groups at the International Crisis Group in Brussels.

"This is why the Turks are pushing so hard for something that approximates the status quo," he said, adding that Turkey might give "safe exit" to some of the more hardcore radicals. "They're in an extremely difficult position," he said.

But even as Turkey appeared to be boxed in, some analysts said that Erdogan had in fact been bolstered by support from Europe and the United States. Europe, which also fears another migration crisis, joined the Trump administration in pledging a harsh response to the use of chemical weapons by government forces in Idlib. The United States recently walked back an announcement that it would withdraw troops from Syria before the end of the year.

Instead, U.S. forces will remain to push back against Iran in Syria, the State Department's new Syria envoy, James Jeffrey, said this month.

The fact that Russia has agreed to at least delay the offensive "counts as a success for Turkey," said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "Not because of Turkey but because of a shift in U.S. policy that says the United States is staying in Syria."

"That gives Turkey room to breathe," he said, despite recent tensions in U.S.-Turkish relations. For now, it "saves Turkey from a potential crisis that would involve a large number of refugees. It might also lead Erdogan to look more favorably at his relationship with the United States."Treadwells blacksmith shop in Wellsford.

Blacksmith and wheelwright Joseph Treadwell, his wife Elizabeth and two sons, Joseph Jnr and Walter, sailed to New Zealand aboard the clipper ship, Invererne, and arrived in Auckland in January 1875. Also on Invererne were Elizabeths brother, Levi, his wife and small daughter. They already had family in Port Albert, John and Emma Legge, who had emigrated as Albertlanders.

Joseph was allotted 208 acres of land in Tauhoa, which he named Kauri Peak. He had two bullock teams and was contracted to remove kauri logs from the bush there. Joseph also had to provide meals and beds for the men working for him. In March 1878, Elizabeth died of enteritis, leaving behind four small children. The youngest, Percival, was only three months old. Percy was taken in and brought up by John and Emma Legge. Clara Buckton, daughter of local settler Joseph Isherwood Buckton, came to take care of the household. In 1883, she became Josephs second wife. Together they had eight children.

After Kauri Peak was sold to James Gibbs in 1885, the Treadwells moved to Port Albert where Joseph set up a blacksmith, wheelwright and undertaking shop. After some years, the family moved to what is now School Road, Wellsford, where he built another smithy, close to their homestead, known as The White House. Joseph Jnr also worked at the blacksmiths shop.

Clara died in 1927, aged 65. In his later years, Joseph lived with his daughter Jane. He walked more than a mile to work at his smithy most days until well into his 90s. Joseph died in Janes home in 1938 at the age of 94. His shop and forge were still used on the frontage of the new Wellsford District High School block until 1940, at which point Joe Treadwell Jnr vacated the premises and it was demolished.

The Albertland 2019 Heritage Calendar includes a 1909 photograph of the Treadwell family wedding group at The White House in Wellsford.

Lyn Johnston, Albertland Museum

www.albertland.co.nzRed Beach Methodist church is extending an invitation to all creatures great and small when it holds a Blessing of the Animals this month.

The event is on September 30, which is the closest Sunday to October 4  the feast day of patron saint of animals, St Francis of Assisi.

This is the third animal blessing service that the church has held. The whole service is focused on animals, including the singing of hymns such as All Creatures Great and Small, and each pet receives a personal blessing.

Reverend Robyn Allen-Goudge says more than 20 different breeds of dog were brought along to last years service, as well as goldfish, budgies and rabbits.

The animals need to be on a lead, or in a box or container.

Happily, we have not had any toileting accidents but we are well prepared if this happens, Robyn says. Because the church is a neutral space, we have also not had any territory disputes between pets. In fact, the animals have all been very well-behaved and seem to enjoy the loving attention.

People who have shy pets, such as cats, are welcome to bring a photo or symbol of their pet for blessing and children can bring their favourite stuffed toy animal. Some people bring a picture or representation of a wild or endangered animal that they care about.

The morning tea that follows the service includes water and animal treats for the pets.

The service is on at Red Beach Methodist Church, 76 Red Beach Rd, from 9.30am.A Wellsford teenager was part of a two-girl duo that became overall grand champions for TeenAg 2017, beating all the boys and mixed teams by a record 50 points.

Cara Doggett, 17, of Wellsford, and Grace Moscrip, 15, of Kamo, travelled to Fielding for the competition to represent the northern region.

They were up against 13 other regional final winners from around the country in the grand final.

Both girls attend Whangarei Girls High School and dubbed their team WGHS Farming Chicks.

They were confronted with a battery of exercises to severely test their practical and theoretical farming skills.

These included construction of a fence, dealing with a simulated cow calving, controlling a combine harvester, building a planter box, making a scarecrow, soil testing, weed management, animal health and farm safety.

They also had to deliver a speech to judges on the topic How to get young people involved in agriculture.

Cara says the farm safety proved especially challenging with the girls having to quickly make the right safety decisions for riding a motorbike, using a chainsaw and handling chemicals.

She says her farming skills have benefitted enormously from being responsible for managing her own stud on her familys farm in Wellsford.

Apart from that, she says being a good farmer requires passion, determination and perseverance.

Caras mum, Vanessa Corry, who is the business manager for Farmlands in Wellsford, says watching the girls managing a combine harvester was especially nerve wracking  it was a brand new $500,000 machine.

But the girls succeeded with flying colours, coming first in the practical modules, first in the speech competition and second in the theoretical exam.

The win earned them TeenAg 2017 trophies and $1000 in cash and gift vouchers.

The TeenAg competition is run by New Zealand Young Farmers in conjunction with the Young Farmer of the Year contest.

The annual competition started in 2011 and aims to promote a positive picture of agriculture and agricultural careers from an early age.Anyone keen to have a go at printmaking should head to Snells Beach next month, when a delayed community art workshop will be held over two days, on Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13.

Printing Without a Press will teach people how to make coloured prints using a contemporary approach to traditional Japanese woodcut techniques. It was originally scheduled to take place in July, but had to be postponed due to illness.

Participants will be encouraged to make multi-layered woodblocks with designs based on their personal stories and relating to the local environment.

The workshop is suitable for artists and non-artists alike, and teachers and senior students are also welcome.

It is being run by artists and experienced tutors Gayle Forster and Elena Nikolaeva, both from Mangawhai, with funding from Auckland Councils Creative Communities Scheme. Their aim is to bring Rodney communities together, first at the art workshop itself, and then later with displays of resulting artworks in venues throughout the region.

Printing Without a Press costs $30 for one day or $45 for both, and all materials are provided. It will take place at the Mahurangi Community Centre in Hamatana Road between 10am and 3pm each day.

Info and bookings: enikonzealand@gmail.com or gaylepaerata@gmail.comWhen Pablo Rabe and David Thomson, directors of Pronto Automotive, have put a lot of energy into training their staff, the last thing they want to do is lose them.

So rather than see them disappear when they have become highly skilled, they open a new shop and let them manage it.

In this way, Pablo and David have branched out from Devonport and opened shops in Hobsonville, Beach Haven and, most recently, at Matakana.

Thats proved a boon for Matakana branch manager Andy Murdoch. Not only has he received a promotion, he no longer has to make the daily commute to Devonport from Wellsford.

Pablo and David say taking care of staff not only helps with retention, but also keeps staff enthusiastic about the job.

And that enthusiasm is reflected in their work and their customer service, Pablo says.

That level of service is bolstered by ensuring Pronto workshops have the latest diagnostic equipment, which is constantly being upgraded and updated.

Pronto services all makes and models of vehicle, and repairs and replaces tyres as necessary. The company is especially adept at servicing European brands, notably Volkswagen, Audi and BMW.

Pablo and David say a number of regular customers come from Matakana, and will no doubt be relieved that they no longer have to trek down to Devonport to benefit from Pronto expertise.

Apart from making good business sense, Pablo and David were also eager to open in Matakana for personal reasons. They have long been fans of the region.

Pablo learned to surf at Tawharanui and Pakiri, and finds surfing the perfect way to wind down after work.

The plan is to move to Matakana myself one day. I love the vibe, I love the people and I love being close to good surf, Pablo says.Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com

Columnists Press ReleasesCrime, Business & Finance, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: September 17 2018

Some scammers attempt to steal personal information from those seeking to make a donation, or set up fake GoFundMe campaigns to solicit money.

New York, NY - Sept. 17, 2018 - Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood issued an alert reminding New Yorkers to consider consulting the offices charitable giving tips before making a donation to support organizations assisting the victims of Hurricane Florence or any natural disasters.

Following Hurricanes Harvey and Irma last year, reports indicated that some scammers were using links to purported charitable organizations as a phishing attempt to steal personal information from those seeking to make a donation, or to set up fake GoFundMe campaigns to solicit money.

New Yorkers are always generous when it comes to supporting relief efforts, said Attorney General Underwood. Unfortunately, we know that scammers will try to exploit donors good will in order to line their own pockets. I urge New Yorkers to protect themselves from being ripped off by following our charitable giving tips.

The Attorney General offers the following tips for those seeking to contribute to relief efforts:

Take Time To Research The Organization. Make sure you are familiar with the organization, its mission, and its effectiveness before giving. Always ask for information in writing  be wary if an organization will not provide information about charitable programs and finances upon request. Any legitimate organization will be happy to send you information. Check the Attorney Generals website  www.charitiesnys.com  to ensure that the organization is registered with the Charities Bureau, and to learn more about its mission and finances.

Know Where Your Money Will Go. Find out from the charity what it will do with your money. Review the charitys financial reports for information about how it spends donations. If you have been contacted by a telemarketer, review Pennies for Charity , the New York Attorney Generals annual report of fundraising campaigns in New York, to see how much is spent on fundraising and how much has been kept by the charity. Ask specifically how the charity plans to use your donation, including the services and organizations your donation will support. Ask if the charity already has worked in the affected local area or has relationships with any local relief organizations. Also, ask what the charity plans to do with any excess donations. Avoid charities that make emotional appeals but are vague in answering your questions. Be wary if an organization will not provide written information about its charitable programs and finances upon request. Any legitimate organization will be glad to send you this information.

Give to Established Charities. Donate to organizations you are familiar with, or that have experience assisting in disaster relief. Get information about charities that pop up solely in response to a disaster or those with unfamiliar names.

Be Cautious With Telephone Solicitations. Telephone calls asking for donations to charity are often made by a professional fundraiser who is required to register with the Charities Bureau. Remember  you can always hang up. If you choose not to end the call, ask whether the telemarketer is registered, how much of your donation will go to charity, and how much the telemarketer is being paid. Many telemarketers receive most of the money they raise. Giving directly to a charity avoids those costs.

Check Before You Text A Contribution. Check the charitys website or call the charity to confirm it has authorized contributions to be made via text message. One thing to keep in mind is that donations via text messaging may not reach the charity until after your phone bill is paid. It may be faster to contribute directly to the charity.

Check Before Donating to an Online Giving Site. Make sure your contribution to campaigns set up by individuals on sites such as GoFundMe or CrowdRise will go to charity and not to the person raising the funds. Dont contribute unless you know the person.

Dont Respond to Unsolicited Spam Emails. These formats are usually not associated with legitimate charities. Check the Department of Homeland Securitys tips, such as Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks, that are posted here

Never Give Cash. Give your contribution by credit card or a check made payable to the charity.

Be Careful About Personal Information. Avoid giving credit card or personal information over the phone or by text message. In all cases, make sure you are familiar with the organization and check to see that the fundraising campaign is legitimate before donating.

Report Suspicious Organizations. If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its work or that a scam is taking place, please contact the Attorney Generals Charities Bureau at charities.complaints@ag.ny.gov or 212-416-8401. The following additional websites also contain helpful information to evaluate charities:Local News, Business & Finance, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: September 17 2018

The Huntington Sanctuary Project provides crisis intervention, hotline services, individual, group, and family counseling.

Huntington, NY - Sept. 17, 2018 - Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci thanked New York State Senator John Flanagan for securing $10,000 in State aid to help support the Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci thanked New York State Senator John Flanagan for securing $10,000 in State aid to help support the Huntington Sanctuary Project, which serves at-risk youth in the Town.

The Town thanks Senator Flanagan for his ongoing support, said Supervisor Lupinacci. More at-risk kids will now be able to access much-needed services from the Sanctuary Project, which can produce life-changing results.

The Huntington Sanctuary Project is essential in providing young people in our area with much-needed assistance when they are at their most vulnerable and when they may have no one else to turn to. I applaud the Huntington Youth Bureau and Supervisor Lupinacci for being there for these young men and women and am glad to help them continue their important mission with this program, stated Senator Flanagan.

As part of the Towns Youth Bureau, the Huntington Sanctuary Project provides crisis intervention, hotline services, individual, group, and family counseling, parenting groups, independent living programs and short-term emergency housing for at-risk youth, ages 12-21, in the Town of Huntington.

The $10,000 in state aid will offset the cost of operating expenses such as program supplies, educational materials, and the hotline.

Sanctuary Project has been serving youth since 1978. All services are free of charge, confidential, and open to Huntington township residents.Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: September 17 2018

Evan Lieberman of Dix Hills was pulled over for speeding and allegedly discovered with drugs, cops say.

State Police report that arrest of Evan Lieberman of Dix Hills for drug possession.

Islip, NY - Sept. 17, 2018 - On Sunday September 16th, 2018 at approximately 12:46 a.m. Troopers pulled over a vehicle for speeding on the Sagtikos Parkway southbound near exit 3 in the On Sunday September 16th, 2018 at approximately 12:46 a.m. Troopers pulled over a vehicle for speeding on the Sagtikos Parkway southbound near exit 3 in the Town of Islip

Investigation revealed the driver, Evan Lieberman of Dix Hills, New York, was in possession of marijuana and cocaine.

Lieberman was charged with Unlawful Possession of Marihuana (Violation) and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 5th (Felony) Lieberman was held for morning arraignment on Monday, September 17th in Suffolk County First District Court.School & Education, Local News, Arts & Culture, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: September 17 2018

The ceremony was held on the grounds of the William Floyd Estate, the ancestral home of William Floyd.

Mastic Beach, NY - Sept. 17, 2018 - The William Floyd Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) recently held their pinning ceremony in which the slate of cadet officers is named for the 2018-19 school year. The ceremony was held on the grounds of the William Floyd Estate, the ancestral home of William Floyd, a Revolutionary War general and one of only 56 men to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Under the leadership of Senior Naval Science Instructor Commander Jay Tweed (USN/Ret.) and Senior Chief Dwight Becherer (USN/Ret.), the nine new cadet leaders recited the Cadet Creed as they gathered around the flagpole at the Old Mastic House. Commander Tweed preached the importance of honor, courage and commitment  core values that the Navy lives by. The commitment to academic and physical prowess to meet the high standards of a cadet officer was also discussed.

The new cadet officers have the experience to meet the challenges they now face as they already have two to three years of naval science studies, academic excellence and extracurricular activities, said Commander Tweed. Under the leadership of Commander Tweed and Senior Chief Becherer, the cadets are ready to meet those high expectations.

Congratulations to the new cadet officers: Samantha Badzo, Alexander Beere, Kelly Bohling, Joseph Cortes, Humberto Diaz, Rasheed Rhames, Michael Russitano, Xander Shirley and Savannah Smith.

In addition to regular classroom instruction, NJROTC cadets participate in a number of extracurricular activities throughout the school year and during summer months that are designed to stimulate learning by hands-on experiences and to reinforce the programs curriculum. Cadet extracurricular activities include community service projects, attending drill meets, academic competitions, visits to naval installations and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) training.The parishioners and pastor of St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church have been enjoying their new church in Clinton Township since spring.

This Sunday, however, when the church bell rang in the tower, it was visitors and clergy from around the country who gathered for its official Dedication Mass.

During his sermon A. Elias Zaidan, bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, who traveled from Los Angeles, encouraged the crowd to be a community that welcomes everyone and without judgement.

Lets be inspired by St. Sharbel and show our faith on a daily basis, said the bishop during the ceremonial opening of what is Michigans largest Maronite Catholic Church.

I am very delighted with our new home, said Chorbishop Alfred Badawi, pastor of St. Sharbels since 2012.

The church was located in Warren but found property on Hayes Road to accommodate new construction plans and its flourishing flock  many of whom reside in Macomb Township.

The church must follow the people. No matter how far they go. It must reach out to them, Badawi said, prior to the event. It was the right decision and the best time to do it.

Also present for the official ceremony was Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.

Congratulations to Chorbishop Badawi and the Maronite Community of St. Sharbel as they celebrate the dedication of a new Church. May this place be a place of encounter with Christ, of growth in holiness, and of witness to others of the power of Jesus, said Vigneron in a tweet following the Dedication Mass.

READ MORE

St. Sharbels architect worked to create a spiritual feeling not just a lookJoan Baez will bring her final tour to Northampton.

Baez has announced a show at the John M. Greene Hall on the campus of Smith College.

The show will take place on April 28 at 8 p.m.

Baez released "Whistle Down the Wind" on March 2 through Bobolink / Razor & Tie Records and was recently inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame.

Tickets for the show are available through the promoter's website at dspshows.com.

Baez performed two shows over the weekend at the Wang Theatre in Boston.SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has reported that MGM Springfield, which opened its resort casino on Aug. 24, generated $9,456,976.90 in gross gaming revenue in the month of August.

The MGM Springfield slots generated $7,347,491.15 in revenues and the table games generated $2,109,485.75, the Gaming Commission reported.

Of that amount, $2,364,244.23 was generated in taxes, the commission said.

MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis praised the opening figures for the $960 million resort.

"While these gaming revenue figures represent less than eight days of operations in August, they demonstrate MGM Springfield's tremendously successful opening week, when we welcomed more than 150,000 visitors over our first weekend alone," Mathis said. "We are pleased our efforts to design a resort to complement Downtown Springfield is being so enthusiastically received."

MGM Springfield "continues to experience good visitor volumes" throughout the resort and at its events, Mathis said.

The casino was also open for two testing days before officially opening, in which gaming was permitted, as was the case during a VIP celebration on Aug. 23, the night before the grand opening.

The Gaming Commission also reported that the Plainridge Park Casino, operated by Penn National Gaming, generated $15,380,183.28 in gross gaming revenue in August, all related to slots. Plainridge is a slots-only facility located in Plainville.



The Plainridge facility generated $7,536,289.81 in tax revenue in August, the commission said. The Plainridge slots parlor opened in June of 2015.



When combined, both Plainridge and MGM Springfield generated approximately $24.8 million in gaming revenues and total taxes and assessments of $9.9 million, the commission said.



MGM Springfield, as a Category 1 resort casino, is taxed on 25 percent of its gross gaming revenue and those revenues are allocated to several specific state funds as determined by state law.

Under its Host Community Agreement, MGM pays the city approximately $17.6 million annually in lieu of taxes. Those payments began this fiscal year.

Plainridge, a Category 2 slots facility, is taxed on 49 percent of its gross gaming revenue, with 82 percent paid to local aid and 18 percent allocated to the Race Horse Development Fund, the commission said.

To date, the state has collected approximately $259.546,160.10 in total taxes and assessments from Plainridge and MGM Springfield since the openings of their gaming facilities.Boston Police are investigating after a man in his late 20s was shot multiple times and killed in Roxbury Saturday night.

Police said they were called to 500 Blue Hill Ave. at about 8:10 p.m. on Saturday. When they arrived a man, who police believe was in his late 20s, was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Anyone with information is asked to call Boston Police Homicide Detectives at 617-343-4470.

Police have not released the victim's identity.The Encore Boston Harbor casino will donate $100,000 to help victims of the the gas explosions that ripped through Lawrence, Andover and North Andover last week.

Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox, whose company owns the $2.5 billion Everett casino project, said the company also plans to host job fairs in Greater Lawrence, officer citizenship and English-as-a-second language classes to residents and reserve 25 scholarships to the company's casino dealer school for Greater Lawrence residents.

"Our corporate family is comprised of more than 25,000 individuals of all cultures and backgrounds who genuinely care about the communities where we live and work in," Maddox said in a statement. "Several members of the Encore Boston team live in the Merrimack Valley, and two of our managers were born and raised in Lawrence and still have connections there, so this hits close to home. We have to remember that during tough times, we need to step up and make a difference."

Maddox announced the donation at the opening ceremony for the company's Greater Boston Gaming Career Institute at Cambridge College in Charlestown.

Explosions and fires erupted across Andover, North Andover and Lawrence Thursday afternoon, sparking a massive emergency response, injuring more than two dozen people and killing 18-year-old Lawrence resident Leonel Rondon. An over-pressurized gas line is believed to be linked to the incident.

The disaster led to multiple 10-alarm fires and more than 150 calls for emergency service from residents. While most residents of affected houses have been allowed to return home, about two dozen families were permanently displaced.

Encore Boston Harbor is the largest private single-phase development in the history of Massachusetts and will include a 29-story hotel, an expansive gaming floor, 13 restaurants, a spa and a ballroom.Local and state officials will meet with state agencies and non-profit organizations Monday morning to discuss recovery efforts in the Merrimack Valley.

Explosions and fires broke out in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover Thursdau, killing one, injuring 25 and displacing thousands of people.

Preliminary investigations show the explosions appear to be set off by over-pressurization in the homes' gas lines, serviced by Columbia Gas.

Nearly all residents displaced were allowed to return home Sunday. Power was restored to roughly 15,000 residents in the Merrimack Valley while gas restoration is expected to take weeks. Residents are asked to avoid using gas appliances and lighting matches and candles.

"This is not a short-term restoration effort," President of Eversource Energy Bill Quinlan said Friday. "We have a huge task ahead of us."

Eversource was appointed project manager of the recovery efforts following what state and local officials have called an ineffective response by Columbia Gas.

Columbia Gas was "simply inadequately prepared to take the steps necessary to manage relief efforts," Gov. Charlie Baker said, while Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera had stronger words for the energy company.

Baker and Rivera will meet with state agencies and non-profits Monday to discuss recovery efforts.

State agencies and organizations will include, according to the governor's office: the American Red Cross, MassHousing, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Children and Families, the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council and the Essex County Community Foundation.Governor Charlie Baker and the leaders of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover announced plans for a new foundation to provide relief for the businesses and individuals impacted by gas line failures.

The news comes four days after multiple gas explosions and roughly 60-80 structure fires rocked the three communities. Some homes were partially ruined, and some were completely decimated.

"We've been saying this isn't a gas problem, this isn't an electricity problem, or an infrastructure problem, but this, what we have is actually a human problem," Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said Monday at a press conference live-streamed by Boston 25.

Since Thursday, some people have been allowed to return to their homes, but still do not have gas power. It is unclear how long it will take before all families and businesses can return to their property, or in the case of others, how they will piece together what little is left and move forward.

Gov. Baker, Mayor Rivera, Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan and North Andover Town Manager Andrew Maylo held a press conference on Monday to announce plans for a new foundation that would serve as an "umbrella" for the non-profit organizations and agencies currently contributing to the relief effort for those impacted by the fires and gas line failures.

"For many people this is going to take a while and it's going to create some real hardships for them," Baker said.

The foundation has already received contributions from corporations and businesses, such as a $100,000 donation from the Encore Boston Harbor casino. Baker said he expects there will be "millions of dollars" in the relief fund, based on what he and others have heard.

It is unclear exactly how or when the foundation will begin to operate, but the governor and community leaders described a system that will require an application process for those who were impacted by the gas line failures.

There has been an outpouring of donations and support for the impacted communities, and officials like Baker described wanting a "mechanism in place that is nimble enough to deal with the day-to-day reality" that victims of these incidents will face.

"We want to be able to translate the generosity of individuals and corporations...into meaningful response to the people who are victims," North Andover Town Manager Maylo said.

The Lawrence Emergency Fund is currently helping some impacted residents, but Rivera said the city charity created nine years ago for victims of fires and natural disasters was not built to facilitate such a large-scale relief effort.

"As soon as this other fund is up and running, it's going to switch over," Rivera said, warning that he and others were not "bait and switching" residents.

"We're making sure the infrastructure is appropriate for the funds coming in," Rivera added.

Though the new foundation will be largely based on donations and other forms of relief, Baker said that in his opinion, Columbia Gas would be ultimately have to pay up for any infrastructure issues with gas lines that the company operates.

"I fully expect in the end, Columbia is going to be expected to and will anticipate that the infrastructure issues are going to be on them," Baker said.

"But there are a whole bunch of very significant issues associated with how people actually get from here to there and the losses that they incur as a result of that that need to be dealt with," the governor added.

A preliminary investigation has shown the explosions appear to be set off by over-pressurization in the homes' gas lines, serviced by Columbia Gas.

Members of the National Transportation Safety Board, a federal, independent investigate agency, have arrived in the Merrimack Valley to conduct what Baker said will be an "in-depth study" into how the failures happened and who can be held accountable.

Baker said that as of Monday, 4,500 gas customers have started to get their power back on: but, these were customers whose gas was shut off "out of an abundance of caution," and are not a part of the 8,570 gas meters that were shut off and are still undergoing safety inspections.

Properties impacted by the gas failures face a lengthy rebuild period, officials said. The thousands without gas must wait for damage and safety assessments, and many will too have to wait for repair and restoration of essential appliances, like stoves and furnaces.

Columbia Gas could not answer in-person resident demands over the weekend, but Baker said he was reassured that the company had more people "on the ground" on Monday to deal with the flood of questions coming in.A man was gunned down Saturday night on a street in Roxbury, police said.

In a release posted on the department's Facebook page, Boston police indicated the victim, thought to be in his late-20s, suffered "multiple" gunshot wounds before he was discovered by police in the area of 500 Blue Hills Ave. at about 8:10 p.m.

The victim was transported to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Detectives are actively investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Homicide Detectives at 617-343-4470. Anonymous tips can be texted to police by texting the word "tip" to CRIME or 27463. Phone callers can anonymously contact police by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS.SPRINGFIELD -- Playing some of his father's most recognized songs Tito Puente Jr. thrilled the crowd gathered on Main Street for the 2018 Springfield Puerto Rican Parade on Sunday.

"So happy to be here in Springfield, Massachusetts celebrating the Puerto Rican Parade on this beautiful day," said Puente, the son of legendary musician, composer and producer Tito Puente. "This was a bit of a lat minute surprise for you all and we are so happy to be here."

The parade made its way down Main Street starting at the corner of Wason and Main streets in the city's North End neighborhood and ending on Boland Way in downtown.

This year's parade theme was !Puerto Rico Vive! in honor of those on the island and those who relocated to the mainland after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017.

"This is five years in the making," said Lucila J. Santana, chairwoman of the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee, a younger generation of Latinos who took over organizing the parade in 2014. "We had great weather, a wonderful crowd and now we get ready for next year."

This year the parade featured a Grand Marshal and seven ambassadors, all of which marched in the parade with their families.The family of Jafet Robles marched in honor of the community leader who was killed in 2017 and was named Community Ambassador of the parade posthumously.

The parade featured musical performances from Puentes and Grupo Mania and Grupo Karis, well-known Puerto Rican merengue bands.

"The parade has just ended with over three hours of music, dancing and culture. It was an amazing day," said Victoria Ann Rodriguez, a member of the parade committee. "We are super thrilled that so many people came out on this beautiful day enjoy all of the hard work we put into it and we can't wait until next year."SPRINGFIELD-- Thousands descended upon Springfield on Sunday as the 2018 Puerto Rican parade celebrated the island's rich culture with a procession that stretched from the North End of the city to downtown.

This year, the parade featured a Grand Marshal and seven ambassadors, all of which marched in the parade with their families.

The family of Jafet Robles marched in honor of the community leader who was killed in 2017 and was named Community Ambassador of the parade posthumously.

The parade featured musical performances from Puentes and Grupo Mania and Grupo Karis, well-known Puerto Rican merengue bands.

See photos from the event above, and read the whole story at the link below.SPRINGFIELD - Springfield District Court Judge Charles W. Groce III on Monday afternoon ruled Devon Williams, the 27-year-old city man accused in an unprovoked assault on an MGM Springfield casino patron, is too dangerous to be released under any conditions.

State Assistant Attorney General Colleen Monroe, who is prosecuting the case, gave a detailed argument saying Williams is the suspect in other assaults the same day.

"He was going around the city assaulting random individuals," she said.

She said it appears there were six victims allegedly assaulted by Williams, all in unprovoked attacks in different parts of the city. Williams has yet to be charged in those assaults.

When the case was first called for a dangerousness hearing Monday morning Springfield District Court Judge Patrick Sabbs ordered a mental competency exam for Williams at the request of Williams' lawyer.

Defense lawyer Gregory Teran told Sabbs he has serious concerns about Williams' competency, and asked the judge to order the exam. It was reported back to the courtroom that competency is not an issue for Williams.

Williams pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court on Sept. 10 to assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot) in connection with the Sept. 9 assault. He is accused of punching and kicking the 55-year-old victim.

The man, from Hampton Bay, New York, was at the casino with his girlfriend.

Springfield Police and Massachusetts State Police said the assault around 4:40 p.m. on Sept. 9 was random and unprovoked.

The victim was treated at Baystate Medical Center for serious injuries that included a broken jaw and right and left eye orbital fractures.

Police arrested Williams at his Chestnut Street apartment within two hours of the assault.

Groce said this case is one in which having a defendant held for 120 days without right to bail is perhaps most appropriate of all that come before the court on dangerousness hearings.SPRINGFIELD -- A district court judge on Monday ordered a mental competency exam for Devon Williams, the 27-year-old city man accused in an unprovoked assault on an MGM Springfield casino patron.

Defense lawyer Gregory Teran told Springfield District Court Judge Patrick Sabbs he has serious concerns about Williams' competency, and asked the judge to order the exam.

The exam will be done by the court mental health clinic, and will determine if Williams' is competent to stand trial and aid in his own defense. It was not clear if the exam would be done Monday.

Williams pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court on Sept. 10 to assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot) in connection with the Sept. 9 assault. He is accused of punching and kicking the 55-year-old victim.

The man, from Hampton Bay, New York, was at the casino with his girlfriend.

Springfield Police and Massachusetts State Police said the assault around 4:40 p.m. on Sept. 9 was random and unprovoked.

The victim was treated at Baystate Medical Center for serious injuries that included a broken jaw and right and left eye orbital fractures.

Police arrested Williams at his Chestnut Street apartment within two hours of the assault.

State Assistant Attorney General Colleen Monroe is prosecuting the case.SPRINGFIELD -- Springfield District Court Judge Charles W. Groce III said it was easy to decide that Devon Williams -- accused of attacking an MGM Springfield patron during a string of alleged assaults around the city on Sept. 9 -- should remain in custody.

"The Commonwealth's evidence has demonstrated by the clear and convincing standard a series of terrifying, arbitrary, random and unprovoked acts of extreme assaultive violence," Groce said Monday at a dangerousness hearing for Williams, 27. "It is likely only by the grace of God that this gentleman at the casino did not lose his life as a result of the actions that are attributed to Mr. Williams."

In ordering Williams held for 120 days, Groce found there are no conditions that could guarantee community safety if Williams were released on bail.

Williams pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court on Sept. 10 to charges of assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot). He is accused of punching and kicking the 55-year-old victim from Hampton Bay, New York, who was at the casino with his girlfriend.

State Assistant Attorney General Colleen Monroe, who is prosecuting the case, said Williams is the suspect in several other assaults.

State Assistant Attorney General Colleen Monroe, who is prosecuting the case, said Williams is a suspect in six other attacks -- all unprovoked, in different parts of the city.

"He was going around the city assaulting random individuals," she said.

Williams has not been charged in those cases.



Monroe said all the assaults happened without "any reason that could explain the defendant's conduct."



Monroe said casino surveillance video showed Williams in his car following the victim as the man walked outside the casino. Williams pulled over, left his car and followed the victim inside, she said.



Groce watched a video of the casino assault on a laptop. Monroe said police reports included specific allegations, but seeing the incident helped show the gravity of the case.



Several of the other reported victims identified Williams as their assailant, Monroe said. None of the men knew him.



Like the casino assault victim, the other men were "minding their own business" when Williams either punched them in the face, the back of the head or the side of the face, she said.



Monroe said when Williams was brought into the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow, he punched another inmate in the face for no reason.

Defense lawyer Gregory Teran said earlier on Monday that he had serious concerns about Williams' competency, and asked the judge to order a mental health exam. That exam determined Williams was competent to face the dangerousness hearing.

Teran asked for more time to come up with conditions that might allow for Williams to be held while awaiting trial but treated for mental health issues.

Groce did not postpone his decision.

Teran said Williams is a lifelong resident of Springfield who has lived here most of his life with a few short periods in Jamaica. He said Williams, who has significant mental health issues, has children and is supported by his mother.

Family and friends were shocked to hear the allegation against Williams in connection with the casino incident, Teran said.

The victim of the casino assault was treated at Baystate Medical Center for serious injuries that included a broken jaw and right and left eye orbital fractures.

A bindover hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16, but the case could be indicted and moved to Hampden Superior Court before that hearing.

Williams, who served a state prison sentence for a 2012 stabbing, is also accused in an Aug. 19 domestic violence incident, Monroe said. His girlfriend said he strangled her and threatened to kill her and himself if she called police. Williams sent the woman a video of him stalking her, Monroe said.Massachusetts State Police have identified the woman killed in a crash on Interstate 91 early Sunday morning as 64-year-old Sheila Scanlon.

The woman was driving on the off-ramp from Interstate-291 West that connects to Interstate-91 when she struck a concrete barrier on the passenger side of her 2003 Ford Taurus. The car spun around and struck a second concrete barrier on Interstate-91 South, police said.

The woman was ejected from the vehicle and died of her injuries, police said.

The crash happened at about 1 a.m. Sunday, forcing the temporary closure of the Interstate-291 ramp and Interstate-91 South at Exit 7. The roads were closed for about 90 minutes while police investigated and cleared the crash.

Trooper Matthew Greaney conducted the preliminary investigation. The cause of the crash continues to be examined with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, Crime Scene Services Section and the Hampden District Attorney's Office.

AMR Ambulance, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Massachusetts Department of Transportation assisted at the scene, police said.CHICOPEE -- A medical marijuana facility that began operating last month at 1247 East Main St. will hold a grand opening with a cake in the parking lot at 11 a.m. Friday, an official said Monday.

The public is invited to the Mass Alternative Care Inc. event but interior tours of the facility are unavailable, said Ronald P. Campurciani, the former West Springfield police chief, who is a security consultant for the company.

Only employees, authorized visitors and clients with medical marijuana identification cards are permitted inside, he said.

"Now that there's actual product in there, we can't give tours of the facility," he said.

Chicopee Mayor Richard J. Kos and members of the City Council are scheduled to attend, he said.

The facility will employ 35 full- and part-time employees, company officials said at a presentation in July.

The company has a license from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to run a medical marijuana dispensary. The firm also has obtained a special permit and a zone change from the Planning Board and City Council.

Mass Alternative Care also is pursuing a license from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission to operate a recreational marijuana business at the same location, they said.

The plan is for the company to produce and dispense over 25 different kinds of marijuana products, from edibles to capsules, they said.

Four thousand pounds of marijuana will be produced at the site a year in a facility that will include six plant flowering rooms, they said.

The company did $6 million in renovations to the facility that formerly was the Chicopee Engineering Associates building, officials said.

Kevin Collins Sr. is CEO of Mass Alternative Care Inc.; Vincent Cardillo, who has experience in three dental practice management companies, is the chief financial officer; Christopher Mayle, executive director of Advanced Grow Labs New York LLC, is the chief operating officer; and Campurciani, security chief, according to the July presentation.NORTHAMPTON - The Police Department is notifying residents that a new Level 3 sex offender has moved into the community.

Paul D. Chandler, 60, is living at a bus stop at 99 Main St. with a secondary address of 35 North Main St., police said.

Chandler is described as white, 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing about 270 pounds. His hair is gray and his eyes are brown.

He was convicted in 1995 and was sentenced to three to five years in jail for rape of a child and indecent assault and battery of a child.

The Level 3 offenders are those most likely to re-offend and are required to register with local police every year. None of the Level 3 offenders are wanted by police. It is also illegal to harass an offender, police said.SPRINGFIELD - A pretrial hearing is slated for Tuesday in Hampden Superior Court for Gary Schara, the suspect in the 1992 killing of Lisa Ziegert in Agawam.

Schara, 48, of West Springfield, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, kidnapping and aggravated rape. He was arrested in September 2017.

Ziegert, 24, was a teacher's assistant in Agawam Middle School when she was abducted from her second job at the Brittany's Card & Gift Shoppe on Walnut Street Extension on April 15, 1992. Her body was found four days later in a wooded area off Route 75 in Agawam.

The Westfield State University graduate had been raped and stabbed, police said.



Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said last year that his office built on investigators' past efforts with new advances in DNA technology and more detective work that led local and state police to Schara's door on Sept. 14, 2017.

Police told his roommate they were interested in speaking with Schara, who was on a short list of suspects from whom police were seeking DNA samples, investigators have said.

Schara agreed to talk with police the following day, but instead attempted suicide, leaving a hand-written confession, according to Gulluni.

Police took Schara into custody at a Connecticut hospital.SPRINGFIELD -- Local, city and state leaders joined early education advocates, and others Monday to officially break ground on Educare Springfield, a nationally recognized school model that is among just 24 of its kind in the country.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and project leaders gathered at a construction site on Hickory Street to celebrate the project's groundbreaking and reflect on the seven years of work that went in to bringing the nearly $14 million facility to the city.

John Davis, a trustee of The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation which helped lead the effort to bring Educare to Springfield, said the new school will provide "an incredible opportunity for Springfield's youngest citizens.

"Educare Springfield: It's here," he said. "This is a clear demonstration that we are investing in the education of the children beginning at birth."

Polito praised local leaders and partners for their "incredible" work in attracting Educare to Springfield, particularly to a part of the city ravaged by the 2011 tornado.

"What you're doing is rebuilding this neighborhood. Because these are children who are born here, literally, starting their education here and then being part -- eventually, the hope is -- of the workforce that will then become employed here in this neighborhood or nearby," she said. "And then lay their own roots and create the next generation of talent, of leaders -- really bringing this city forward to where we all know it could be."

Polito said it's "quite an honor" to partner with the city on effort.

Sarno welcomed Educare to Springfield, calling the project a "win-win opportunity" for the city.

"Educare is a significant investment here in the city of Springfield and it's another public and private partnership, with everybody working together for the same goal for our children," he said. "Giving them this foundation is going to allow them and their families to be able to avoid poverty, to avoid public safety issues -- you just can't put a price tag on that."

Mary Walachy, executive director of the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, said while officials had walked away from the project at one point out of cost concerns, they received $9.6 million in funding from an anonymous, out-of-state donor.

The project also received about $3.5 million in New Markets Tax Credits, a $1 million Early Education and Out of School Time grant and a $1 million MassWorks grant for public infrastructure work, as well as private and corporate support, Walachy said.

In addition to money raised for the project, she noted that officials have set aside $7 million for an endowment to support the school's operating expenses.

"At the end of the day, what matters is what happens in this building. What matters is that we make good on our promise to the children that you were able to see today and their families, and many others who will be in this building," she said. "This is going to be Head Start on steroids."

Educare Springfield, which is slated to open in late 2019 on land provided by Springfield College adjacent to Brookings School, will offer local students an early education model that aims to narrow the achievement gap for children living in poverty. It will provide a full-day and full-year program for up to 141 children from birth to age five each year.

The Educare model incorporates embedded and ongoing professional development of teachers, intensive family engagement and high quality teaching practices, as well as uses data to advance student outcomes.

Educare, a national collaboration between the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Ounce of Prevention Fund and other public-private partnerships across the country, has 23 schools located in 15 states and the District of Columbia.Ronald Tarentino Jr. was a man with a charitable spirit, someone always looking for a way to help.

Beyond just his job as a police officer, Tarentino tried to give back in other ways. Every year, he would get people in the neighborhood to go outside and clean up together, recalled his friend and fellow Auburn police officer, Paul Lombardi.

Tarentino had a way with animals, too.

There was one time Tarentino rushed to help an injured hawk. He donned gloves, set on saving the animal, Lombardi recalled with a laugh.

Another time, Tarentino was working a detail when a blue jay landed on his arm and decided to stay there for a little while, Trisha Tarentino, Ron's widow, remembered.

"I was cracking up," Trisha said. "I was like, I think the bird thought you were a tree."

It's that kind of care and motivation to give back that friends and family of Tarentino want to promote with a non-profit organization in his memory.

"Ron was that type of guy, he was always helping people," Lombardi said. "It's not a cliche. He was the greatest guy."

For about a year now, Trisha Tarentino, Lombardi and other family and friends have been getting the Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. Charitable Fund off the ground.

With a mission statement of "Acts of kindness, acts of generosity, service to the community," the fund raises money to offer high school scholarships to students who display a commitment to their community, support law enforcement and military families, and help alleviate the physical and emotional burden of people in the community who suffer from a serious illness, injury or are just in a time of need.

The fund also works with local school districts to promote acts of kindness, teaching children how to show kindness even if it's as simple as sitting with someone at lunchtime.

The group has held smaller fundraising events like road races and has contributed financially or hands-on to organizations like Cops for Kids with Cancer and Project New Hope, but now, it is preparing for its biggest fundraising event yet: a first annual gala.

When Tarentino was fatally shot on the morning of May 22, 2016, during a traffic stop in Auburn, his death sent shockwaves of grief through Massachusetts, from the police force in Auburn, to Leicester, where Tarentino lived and previously served as an officer, and to his hometown of Tewksbury.

It also set off a wave of helping hands. A countless number of people reached out to the Tarentino family in the aftermath of the officer's death, offering money and compassion.

"Right off the bat, we were all overwhelmed," Trisha Tarentino said. "We were all just so inspired by all the kindness that people had showed us."

The Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. Charitable Fund Gala will be at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Saturday, Nov. 10. It is the first of what organizers plan to be an annual event.

The 21-plus event starts at 6 p.m. and cocktail attire is requested. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by emailing catherine@tarentinocharitablefund.org.

"It's really an opportunity for us to get together and have fun while doing something good," Trisha Tarentino said.

Guests will be able to try their luck at roulette, blackjack and poker for prizes. The night will have guest speakers including Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

"It's personal to us," Trisha Tarentino said. "It means so much to us to be able to help."

When the members of the Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. Charitable Fund help someone in need, they like to have a personal touch and be out in the community.

On Sept. 11, the group was out with volunteers at Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund 10th annual Day of Service event in Boston. They put together 500 care packages for military personnel overseas and another 500 backpacks for local veterans in need.

It's those types of events the fund will be able to support with money raised at the gala.

Trisha Tarentino said she hopes the gala will give people in the community a chance to learn about the mission of the Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. Charitable Fund and get excited about the cause.

"All of us go through a tough circumstance in our life," Trisha Tarentino said. "Our family, we were able to come out of our tragedy and say, 'wow, look at how many good people there are."Lori Trahan will be the next Democratic nominee for Congress from the 3rd Congressional District.

Dan Koh conceded Monday afternoon.

With results from just one town still outstanding in the recount, and the recount expected to wrap up by Monday evening, Trahan led Koh by 143 votes.

To think of how far weve come, and what weve built, makes me more grateful than I will ever be able to express. Thank you  I am forever in your debt, and I hope our friendships last a lifetime. Lets Go. #MA3 #MApoli pic.twitter.com/gdfELtw6Qv  Dan Koh (@dank) September 17, 2018

Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin announced just before 4:30 p.m. that the recount was complete and Trahan had officially won the election. Trahan won by 145 votes, earning 18,580 votes to Koh's 18,435.

In a speech accepting the nomination Monday evening, Trahan pivoted to the general election. "We have a well-financed, Republican opponent who looks forward to being another voice, another vote for this President and his divisive agenda," Trahan said, according to her prepared remarks.

Trahan said she is optimistic that change will come to Washington, and she referred to herself as part of a "new breed of leaders" "who will stand up for working class families, seniors and women, and root out the corruptive influence of corporate money and special interests."

Trahan spent a decade working as chief of staff to former U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan. She also started a business consulting firm.

Trahan emerged from a competitive 10-person Democratic primary with an initial 122-vote lead over Koh, a former Boston City Hall aide. Koh called for a recount.

In the Nov. 6 general election, Trahan will face Republican Rick Green, the CEO of an online auto parts business and founder of the fiscally conservative advocacy group, Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.

Green, in a statement, congratulated Koh and Trahan. "As we finally turn to November, I look forward to discussing the issues that matter most to the residents of this district," Green said.

The winner will replace U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, who decided not to run for another term.

The 3rd District covers Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill and other cities and towns in the Merrimack Valley.

This story was updated with Galvin's confirmation of the vote, Green's comment and Trahan's comment.The lawyer for the woman who said Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh held her down and tried to rape her when they were both in high school says her client is willing to testify before Congress, CNN reports.

Christine Blasey Ford, a professor in California, sent a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, of California, saying that when she was a teenager Kavanaugh pushed her into a bedroom, groped her, tried to remove her clothes, and covered her mouth when she tried to scream. Ford says Kavanaugh tried to rape her, and she feared for her life.

Kavanaugh denies the allegations.

Ford is the author of a private letter sent to California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein alleging that during a high school party in 1982, Kavanaugh pushed her into a bedroom, tried to remove her clothes and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. Kavanaugh said in a statement that he "unequivocally" denies the allegation.

Ford initially wanted to remain anonymous, but on Sunday came forward in an article published in the Washington Post.

"Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation," Ford told the Post.

Ford said she never told anyone about the incident until she was in couples' therapy with her husband in 2012. Her husband, Russell Ford, confirmed this, along with notes from her therapist shared with the Post.

Debra Katz, who is representing Ford, said on CNN's "New Day" Monday morning that Ford would be willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth," Katz told CNN.

President Donald Trump picked Kavanaugh to replace Anthony Kennedy, who announced his retirement earlier this year.A corrections officer at the MCI-Norfolk state prison will serve three months of home confinement and two years of probation for a scheme to smuggle opiods to an inmate.

51-year-old William Holts pleaded guilty to a federal drug conspiracy charge in July as part of a plea deal that allowed him to avoid incarceration after sentencing.

Holts will pay a fine of $2,000, the Office of U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a news release. He has already forfeited $1,250 in cash and a 2006 Infiniti M35 luxury sedan.

The federal investigation into Holts' illicit drug business began in February 2018, when a captain from the Massachusetts Department of Corrections warned the FBI of an ongoing scheme to smuggle contraband into MCI-Norfolk, a medium security state prison.

"Intelligence gathered at that time revealed that MCI-Norfolk Corrections Officer William Holts has been smuggling contraband into MCINorfolk for the last six months," FBI Special Agent Lisa Crandall wrote in a court affidavit. "Holts is known to smuggle street clothes, to include gloves and shorts, microchips, and watches into MCI-Norfolk to provide to an inmate in his unit."

Holts' smuggling went beyond household items. An inmate working as a confidential informant told the DOC that Holts had asked another inmate about the going price for strips of the opioid suboxone, and had said that he was willing to smuggle in "anything except needles and heroin."

While in the outside world suboxone is typically prescribed to help addicts quit heroin, in prison it is valuable contraband, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. It is distributed in dissolvable strips that are easily concealed behind envelope seams and stamps.

Investigators found that Holts offered to smuggle more than 100 suboxone strips into the prison for $2,000 in cash, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.The recount in the Democratic primary for Congress in Massachusetts' 3rd District will be completed Monday, Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin said.

Lori Trahan remains in the lead.

Galvin said at a press conference that he has an "absolute obligation" under federal law to make absentee ballots available to overseas and military voters by Saturday, which will be 45 days before the Nov. 6 general election.

"I expect to complete and fulfill that obligation," Galvin said.

Trahan is in a tight race with Dan Koh to become the Democratic 3rd District congressional nominee.

When the initial results were counted, Trahan edged out Koh by 122 votes, 18,527 to 18,405.

Although Trahan declared victory, Koh asked for a recount.

As of Monday at noon, only five of the 37 communities had not completed the recount, and Trahan had widened her lead to 142 votes.

Trahan spent a decade working as chief of staff to former U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, and also started a business consulting firm.

Koh was chief of staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

In the general election, the winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Rick Green, the CEO of an online auto parts business and founder of the fiscally conservative advocacy group, Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.

After U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas announced last year that she would not run for reelection, politicians jumped at the chance to run for an open seat in Congress, resulting in a 10-candidate Democratic primary.

By Monday morning, most of the towns that concluded their recounts saw changes of no more than one to three votes. In Lawrence, Koh picked up one vote and Trahan picked up two. A couple of communities had larger swings, with Trahan losing 20 votes in Dracut and gaining 15 vote in Chelmsford.

In Lowell, however, Trahan picked up 72 votes while Koh picked up 27.

Galvin's office oversaw the recounts in Lawrence and Lowell, rather than local election officials.

In Lawrence, Galvin cited the departure of the city's only experienced elections specialist, leading to inadequate staffing.

In Lowell, Galvin said administrative errors in the processing of ballots and the tallying of primary results led him to take control of the recount.

Galvin said his concerns in Lowell are about "administrative problems" related to things like record-keeping and not about improper voting.

Galvin said the reason for the larger numbers of changed vote totals in Lowell is that blank votes became actual votes. For example, if someone circled their chosen candidate rather than filling in the oval next to the candidate's name, that would be counted as a vote during a hand recount, even though the automatic machine would not pick it up. Galvin said some voters were confused by the large number of candidates on the ballot, so they started to mark one place, then corrected themselves and marked another name.

"The objective of a recount is to effectuate voters' intent," Galvin said. "If intent can be reasonably determined, you have to give it credit."

The recount continued over the weekend in Andover and Lawrence, despite massive gas fires there last week. The only change was the move to a new location in Lawrence, to a school that was not affected by power outages.

The 3rd District covers Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill and other cities and towns in the Merrimack Valley.

Galvin could not say yet how much the recount will cost.Lucinda Fisher's son is in maximum security prison.

Under new regulations that went into effect in March, her son is only allowed to put five people on his list of approved visitors. He can update the list every six months.

"I have a huge family, my son has siblings," Fisher said.

Fisher looked at Department of Correction officials at a public hearing in Boston on Thursday. "Can either of you pick five people you deal with on a regular basis for six months?" she asked. "Can you narrow it down to five? Can Governor Baker narrow it down to five?"

The new policies, Fisher said, seem to be "geared toward breaking the families, breaking the inmates."

The Department of Correction's new visiting procedures were launched earlier this year, spurring outrage among prisoners, family members and their advocates - and prompting four separate lawsuits, which are pending.

The advocates say the new visitation policies make it harder for inmates to maintain relationships with their families and friends and make it less likely they will be able to successfully reintegrate into the community.

"The evidence supports that efforts should be made to make visitation more open and more accessible wherever possible," said Jesse White, staff attorney for Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts. "Over the last year, DOC has been moving in the wrong direction on visitation, substantially restricting and reducing visitation without any rational basis."

According to Prisoners' Legal Services, Massachusetts is now one of the most restrictive states in the country with regard to visitation.

Until March, state prisoners could have an unlimited number of visitors during set visiting days and hours. Under the new rules, they are restricted to a list of five to 10 visitors, depending on their security classification. The list can be updated twice a year. Prisoners can apply for exceptions to the cap only if every person on their list is immediate family and they want to add another immediate family member.

Visitors must undergo a preauthorization process.

No more than two adults can visit a prisoner at one time. Each visitor can only receive approval to visit one prisoner in the system unless the second one is an immediate family member.

The Department of Correction says the rules are meant to prevent the smuggling of contraband, including drugs.

"The Department of Correction is committed to protecting the safety of inmates, staff, and the public while offering inmates diverse opportunities to benefit from re-entry programs that increase their chances for post-release success," said department spokesman Jason Dobson. "In response to an increase in drug and contraband-related incidents involving visitors, the Department has implemented new visiting procedures and uses dogs trained to passively detect drugs as tools to address this problem."

But inmates and their advocates say the policies make it harder for inmates to maintain a support system in the the community.

Four lawsuits have been filed, in Middlesex, Suffolk and Worcester counties, by inmates challenging the policies.

Among the plaintiffs:

Mary Todd, 68, is serving a life sentence in a medium security prison. She has 13 children, 38 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, and wants permission to have more than eight visitors.

John Stote put his ill mother on his visitor's list. But she has not yet been approved, and he worries she will die before she can visit him.

Vincent Rivera has family in New York and Philadelphia, so it is difficult to know who will be able to visit him and who should be included on his list. He did not submit any names in time, so he must wait several months to update his list and get any visits.

Rashard Brown put his girlfriend on his list, so he is unable to exceed the cap to let his entire immediate family visit. He had to leave his sister off his list.

Kenneth Sequin reached his cap with his siblings and in-laws, so had to leave off his friend who visited him monthly for 23 years.

Lawsuits are challenging the caps, the infrequent list updates, the restriction on how many visitors someone can visit and the preauthorization process.

"Plaintiffs contend that these provisions are arbitrary, capricious and an exaggerated response to the DOC's purported concerns about preventing visitors from introducing drugs into the facility," attorneys from Prisoners' Legal Services wrote in one of the lawsuits.

At a recent hearing, called to take testimony on regulations relating to dog searches of visitors, officials from the Department of Correction instead heard complaint after complaint about the new visitation rules - even though the department had held hearings before implementing those rules.

Michael Carey runs community programs for ex-offenders to help them re-enter society, and also visits inmates before they are released. He was visiting two inmates, but is now restricted to one. He often encourages friends and family to visit prisoners, but he said now visitors are "immediately faced with barriers" since lists are only updated every six months.

Prisoners, he said, "have had to make very difficult choices between family members and friends, many of whom don't live in the area and only come a couple of times a year."

Karen Pulido, a former corrections officer whose adult son is in prison serving a life sentence, said families testified against the new rules previously, and they went into effect anyway. "It seems our comments go unnoticed since families of inmates and inmates are the only ones affected by any changes," Pulido said.

"We understand and fully appreciate the need for security measures to prevent the introduction of illegal items, but I don't see how these changes prevent such things from happening," Pulido said.

Pulido added, "Regular visits and communication are the only way to foster and nurture family bonds and community connections. It's the only way to facilitate a healthy return to the community."

Mary Valerio, whose husband is in prison, said, "What has struck me most about the prisons is the absence of any humanity. To the DOC the men are only numbers, but to us they are our husbands, fathers, brothers, sons and family members."

Valerio said family members "are your partners in their successful re-entry, not your enemy," and visitation should be expanded, not reduced, to lower recidivism rates.

Don Perry, who spent 18 years in prison, said his daughter was born three days after he got to prison in Walpole. As his daughter grew up, he had the opportunity to see her on family days, where they could play in the prison yard. "That visit was instrumental in helping me maintain my relationship with my daughter, family and community. It helped contribute overall to my rehabilitation," Perry said.

Perry read a letter from a prisoner who asked the state to reconsider the policy.

The man wrote that he has no family in New England and his visitors travel from out of state unexpectedly whenever they are able. "The new visiting policy will eliminate this from ever happening," the man wrote.

Several people also spoke out against the use of dogs to search visitors, saying it could discourage visitors who are afraid of or allergic to dogs, and it creates a more frightening atmosphere for visitors, including children.

Caroline Bays, a Watertown town councilor who visits a friend of a friend in solitary confinement, said the vast majority of drugs are not being smuggled in by visitors. With dog searches, she said, "Visits will plummet, families will suffer and drugs will continue to make their way into prison as you focus on the wrong people."The RMV told auditor Suzanne Bump in April that a finding in Bump's audit was inaccurate -- and that the RMV did not actually issue 1,905 licenses to dead people, Registrar Erin Deveney told the Massachusetts Department of Transportation board on Monday.

Since Bump made headlines earlier this month with her claim that the RMV was licensing dead people, state transportation officials have been pushing back strongly against the claim.

Deveney sent a letter to Bump last week explaining how the RMV determined that the people Bump claimed were dead were actually alive.

Bump responded, in a letter to Deveney, that her office stands by the audit. "The accuracy of an audit relies on the data that is provided and the level of cooperation of an auditee," Bump wrote. "Our audit was based on data provided by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. As such, we stand by the findings of the audit."

But Deveney said the RMV gave Bump enough information to know that the findings were wrong.

At the MassDOT board meeting, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said she remains "adamantly convinced the audit was inaccurate."

Deveney reiterated her explanation for why Bump was wrong. Deveney said after the audit was published, department officials went through around half the list and found photos of the individuals both before and after the date Bump's office said they had died.

"Also included were people MassDOT staff knew personally and could vouch for the fact that these people fortunately had not died on the date the auditor's office referenced," Deveney said.

Deveney said, as she explained in the letter, that the auditor arrived at her list using data that included incorrect Social Security numbers. She said Bump had enough information at the time to know that. The audit itself includes a response from the RMV, in which RMV officials said they reviewed 105 of the suspect names and determined that all of them were alive.

"The headline they'd been using that we were licensing dead people was factually inaccurate," Deveney said.

The only comment from board members came from Betsy Taylor who said that speaking as a member of the state's retirement board, she knows that determining when someone dies "is more difficult to determine than most of us would expect."State officials said Monday they will wait until the National Transportation Safety Board releases its investigative report on the Merrimack Valley gas explosions before deciding if any additional state hearings or oversight are warranted.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, said one of his first reactions was to immediately call for hearings.

But on second thought, he said, he realized there are federal government investigators already on the ground.

"I think it's best we wait at this time to see what some of the initial findings may be, and from that maybe that's something we might be able to build upon or learn from in terms of what we should be looking at as well," DeLeo said.

NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the federal investigations typically take 12 to 24 months, but a preliminary cause of the incident will come sooner.

Gov. Charlie Baker said the NTSB report "becomes for all intents and purposes the guidepost for all the issues around fines and penalties and everything."

Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said right now state officials are focused on monitoring the situation and gathering information.

"When the time comes, we can take a look at whether an oversight hearing is appropriate and have a better refinement of what the focus of the oversight hearing might be... to look at these issues, to ensure and to work towards this never happening again," Spilka said.Turnout exceeded 1 million in the Sept. 4 state primary, despite it being held the day after Labor Day, Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin said Monday.

Galvin said 721,000 voters cast Democratic ballots and 280,000 voters cast Republican ballots. An additional 2,000 to 3,000 voters voted Libertarian.

That number is far higher than the 700,000 turnout that Galvin predicted before the primary.

"I was wrong to question my own indicators," Galvin said at a press conference Monday.

Before the primary, many political observers -- including Galvin's opponent in the Democratic primary, Josh Zakim -- had predicted low turnout due to the timing of holding an election the Tuesday after Labor Day.

But that was not the case.

Turnout in 2018 far exceeded turnout four years ago, when 556,000 people cast Democratic ballots and 165,000 voted Republican in the state primary.

This year included tight races in some parts of the state, including a 10-way Democratic race for the 3rd District congressional seat, which is now in a recount, and the 7th District congressional race where Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano.

There were Democratic and Republican primaries for governor, a Republican race for their nomination for U.S. Senate and a high-profile Democratic fight for Suffolk County District Attorney.

"Clearly there's a high level of interest in elections," Galvin said.

Galvin predicted that turnout will similarly be high in the November general election.

"Everyone anticipates a very significant midterm election nationally and a significant election in Massachusetts," Galvin said.

With seven weeks to go before the Nov. 6 election, Galvin said his office is kicking off a voter registration drive, and staff will be working with outside groups and doing direct outreach in places like the Big E.

Voter information guides will be mailed to voters beginning Wednesday. The guides include information about the ballot questions and will be available in multiple languages, in big type and online.

Ballots will be printed by Saturday for military and overseas voters. Regular absentee ballots will be available at city and town halls by Oct. 15. Early voting will run from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2.Report Description

This report analyzes the global asthma inhaler device market by device type (metered-dose inhaler, mdi with a spacer, dry-powder inhaler), by technology (manually operated, digitally operated), by end-user (hospitals, research institutes); it also studies the top manufacturers in the market.

The global asthma inhaler device market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 5.2% during the forecast period.

The major players in global asthma inhaler device market include:

GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (U.K)

Merck & Co., Inc. (US)

3M (US)

Aristopharma Ltd. (Bangladesh)

SRS PHARMACEUTICALS PVT. LTD. (India)

Intas Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (India)

Others

The market revenue and share have been analyzed with respect to the following regions and countries:

Americas

North America

U.S.

Canada

South America

Europe

Western Europe

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

U.K.

Rest of Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Asia Pacific

Japan

China

India

Australia

Republic of Korea

Rest of Asia Pacific

The Middle East & Africa

United Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia

Oman

Kuwait

Qatar

Rest of The Middle East & Africa

Request Sample Report at https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3403762-global-asthma-inhaler-device-market-research-report-forecast-to-2022

On the basis of device type, the global asthma inhaler device market has been categorized into the following segments:

Metered-Dose Inhaler

Mdi With A Spacer

Dry-Powder Inhaler

On the basis of technology, the global asthma inhaler device market has been categorized into the following segments:

Manually Operated

Digitally Operated

On the basis of end users, the global asthma inhaler device market has been categorized into the following segments:

Hospital

Research Institutes

Research Methodology

The analysis is conducted by industry experts who offer insight into industry structure, market segmentation, technology assessment, competitive landscape (CL), and market penetration, as well as on emerging trends. Besides primary interviews (~80%) and secondary research (~20%), their analysis is based on years of professional expertise in their respective industries. Our analysts also predict where the market will be headed in the next five to 10 years, by analyzing historical trends and current market positions. Furthermore, the varying trends of segments and categories in different regions are estimated based on primary and secondary research.

Both the top-down and bottom-up approaches were used to estimate and validate the size of the market and to estimate the size of various other dependent sub-markets. The key players in the market were identified through secondary research, and their market contributions in the respective regions were determined through primary and secondary research. This entire process included the study of the annual and financial reports of the top market players and extensive interviews for key insights with industry leaders such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and marketing executives. All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns were determined using secondary sources and verified through primary sources. All the possible parameters that affect the market covered in this research study have been accounted for, viewed in extensive detail, verified through primary research, and analyzed to arrive at the final quantitative and qualitative data. This data has been consolidated, and detailed inputs and analysis added before being presented in this report.

Table of Content

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis

Chapter 6. Global Asthma Inhaler Device Market, By Device Type

Chapter 7. Global Asthma Inhaler Device Market, By Technology

Chapter 8. Global Asthma Inhaler Device Market, By End-User

Chapter 9. Global Asthma Inhaler Device Market, By Region

Chapter 10 Company Landscape

Chapter 11 Company Profiles

About Us:

Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.

Contact Us:

NORAH TRENT

sales@wiseguyreports.com

Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US)

Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissue at the ends of bones wears down. Increasing age is the major factor for the cause of the disease. Market Research Future, a firm which specializes in market reports related to the healthcare sector among others, recently forecasted in its report on Global Osteoarthritis Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023 that the market will demonstrate a steady CAGR of 7.3% while achieving million dollar growth readily in the forecast period.

Get PDF Sample Copy of This Premium Report Visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1609

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis which generally affects the hands, knee, hip and spines. It can causes pain, swelling, and reduced motion in the joints. Geriatric population and over-weighted individuals are at higher risks of osteoarthritis. Factors like growing geriatric population, rising prevalence of the osteoarthritis and increasing per capita healthcare expenditure will drive the market growth during the forecast period. In 2015, according to the National Institutes of Health, the American geriatric population is expected to nearly double from 48 million in 2015 to 88 million by 2050. Moreover, 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. However, low per capita income in the developing countries and side effects of the treatment procedures will restrain the market growth during the forecast period

Owing to the increasing number of the people suffering from osteoarthritis many companies are involved in the manufacturing and introduction of the better and effective treatment and diagnostic options. A number of diagnostic treatment such as imaging (X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and bone scan), joint fluid analysis and others are available. However these are not that effective thus, many private and government organizations are providing support to the manufacturer for the development of the new and advanced devices.

Latest Industry Updates

Being a competitive market, a number of different manufacturer are focusing on the product launch, and acquisition for the market development. Some of the latest development in the market are- May 2017 Ablynx, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Belgium, announced the completion of a preclinical package for a novel nanobody, ALX-1141 for the treatment of the osteoarthritis. Merck will now be responsible for further clinical development of the molecule. Jul 2017, Kolon Pharmaceutical got the approval for the Worlds first cell and gene therapy for knee osteoarthritis in Korea. Aug 2016, Bioventus, a global leader in orthobiologic solutions launched GELSYN-3, a three-injection hyaluronic acid (HA) product for pain relief associated with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Key Players for Global Osteoarthritis Market A number of industries are working in the development and production of osteoarthritis products. It is found out that the market players have adopted the organic strategy of development of better and cost-effective products, and acquisition. The companies are aiming to capture a considerable share of the market segment as early as possible, due to continuously increasing competition. In order to gain the customer attention the companies have launched innovate products. The key players profiled in osteoarthritis are Abbott. (U.S.), Novartis AG (Europe), Pfizer Inc. (U.S.), Eli Lilly and Company. (U.S.), ABIOGEN PHARMA S.p.A (Europe), Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (U.S.), TissueGene Inc. (U.S.), Ampio Pharmaceuticals Inc. (U.S.), Regeneron (U.S.), and others.

Regional Analysis of Global Osteoarthritis Market

America dominates the Global Osteoarthritis Market owing to a well-developed healthcare sector and huge patient population for osteoarthritis. Apart from this, changing lifestyle and increasing healthcare expenditure have boosted the growth of the market in America

Europe is the second largest Osteoarthritis Market, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Availability of funds for research, huge patient population, increasing healthcare expenditures, well-developed healthcare sector and government support for research & development are projected to drive the market growth during the forecasted period.

Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in Global the market due to the presence of a huge patient population, continuously developing economies like India and China, and presence of huge opportunity in the market. According to Indian Brand Equity Foundation in 2017, the Indian healthcare sector is one of the fastest growing industries and is expected to advance at a CAGR of 22.87% during the review period to reach USD 280 billion by 2020.

On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa holds the least share in the Global Osteoarthritis Market due to presence of poor economy, especially, in African region. Majority of the market of this region is held by the Middle East due to the well-developed healthcare sector and huge healthcare expenditure by the presence of economies like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Qatar.

Do You Have Any Query? Ask to Our Experts https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1609

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

Contact Us:

Market Research Future

Hadapsar, Pune  411028

Maharashtra, India

Phone: +1 646 845 9312by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, September 17, 2018

Marketers are spending a lot on data, although privacy rules are being put into place worldwide. The United States will close 2018 with the distinction of being the largest data market, contributing $12.3 billion to the $20.6 billion worldwide estimate. In comparison, Europe will reach a mere $3.2 billion this year.

OnAudience.com -- the data arm of the Cloud Technologies Group, which focuses on data analytics -- released a report titled Global Data Market Size 2017-2019, which highlights the growth rate of worldwide data purchases in 23 markets. The data suggests the U.S. will retain its No. 1 position in 2018, reaching $15 billion by next year.

The UK data market will take the title of the second-largest data market by 2019, with a value of $2.4 billion. China follows with a data value in 2019 of more than $2.4 billion.

The report also includes estimates of display and programmatic ad spending between 2017 and 2019. It forecasts that globally, marketers will spend $26 billion on data in 2019 -- up from nearly $21 billion in 2018 and $15 billion in 2017.

advertisement advertisement

Despite the introduction of GDPR in Europe and other privacy data controls being put in place in California, the amount that marketers will spend on data globally from now through 2019 will grow by double digits in nearly all countries analyzed, per the report.

The study attributes the increase in the amount spent on data partly to display and programmatic advertising. Both rely heavily on data. The analysis estimates that globally, marketers will spend $75 billion on programmatic ads and nearly $121 billion on display ad in 2018. In 2019, those numbers will increase to nearly $90 billion and $137 billion, respectively.

The U.S. programmatic market takes the spot as the largest globally. Marketers will spend $39.1 billion dollars on programmatic ads in 2018, which is more than half of a programmatic ad spending worldwide, according to the data.

The report values the programmatic market in the U.S. at $45.7 million by 2018, up from $39 million in 2018.

The programmatic market in the UK is the largest in Europe, with a value of $5.7 billion in 2018 -- up 16.8% compared with the prior year.Romania climbed last year on the penultimate position among the EU member states in terms of the productivity of resources in the economy, after Bulgaria, according to data released by Eurostat.

The score of the duel between European laggards has changed from 0.73 euro/kg  0.64 euro/kg in favour of our neighbours from the south of the Danube in 2016, to 0.75 euro/kg  0.71 euro/kg for us, in 2017.

However, with only 0.75 euro/kg of raw material used in 2017, we were at a considerable distance from countries like the Netherlands (3.96 euro/kg), the UK (3.56 euro/kg), Italy (3.38 euro/kg) or Spain (3.16 euro/kg). And we remain somewhere at less than half compared to former socialist countries in Central Europe.

Beyond the structure of the economy, more or less based on services, the resource productivity indicator shows the capability to use raw materials as efficiently as possible.

That depends on the product nomenclature as well as on the technologies used, and the influences are seen in labour productivity and environmental pollution. That, with direct consequences in a faster or a slower development as well as more or less sustainable.

*

The productivity of a countrys resources is measured by dividing its GDP by domestic consumption of materials (from domestic production plus the balance between imported and exported raw materials). On the level of resource productivity, the European hierarchy looks significantly different from the standard of living situation, with the UK, Italy and Spain occupying dominant positions, at a great distance from the rest of the platoon and with the northern countries Denmark, Sweden and Finland at the bottom of the ranking.

Productivity growth rhythm in recent years and European updated ranking

The champion in terms of resource using since in 2005 was Spain, which has achieved a very strong improvement (+168%) of this economic indicator and has climbed from the mediocrity level to the top of the European list.

It was followed by Ireland (+156%), which went from a similar level to Hungary and Poland and came close to Germany, Belgium and France.

*

Evolution of resource productivity in EU countries between 2005 -2017 (euro/kg)

Country

The Netherlands

UK

Italy

Spain

Luxembourg

France

Belgium

Germany

Ireland

Malta

Croatia

Slovenia

Austria

Slovakia

The Czech Republic

Greece

Denmark

Sweden

Hungary

Portugal

Lithuania

Cyprus

Poland

Finland

Latvia

Estonia

Romania

Bulgaria

*

Resource productivity went down in Romania between 2005 and 2008, that is, just in the boom years (only the Greek economy has experienced a decline in this indicator, with the exception of the conjuncture evolution in Belgium, positioned on an entirely different level).

Later recovery has brought us improvement values similar to the group of Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Bulgaria (Estonia has a situation similar to the unpleasant surprise of Sweden, now overcome at this chapter NOT only by several states from the former Eastern bloc but also by the neighbouring Denmark, which recovered a significant gap).

Eurostat data shows in our case a development model with highly extensive and less intensive features built with more focus on technology consumption and resource use. Hence an important cause of a still relatively low added value of production processes and a potential cause of stagnation in the future at a development level of 70% -80% of the EU average.

Interestingly, including in terms of geographic grouping, the improvement in the resource productivity indicator was roughly double in the group formed by Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary compared to the above-mentioned group of which we are part. Hence the major objective gap, with Romania competing with Bulgaria to cross a symbolic threshold of 1 euro/kg, reached by countries that are heading to 2 euro/kg since 2005.



Aboneaza-te la newsletter aici. Iti multumim ca citesti cursdeguvernare.

This is a positioning that represents an early warning.

Beyond the economic results, which are quite good in terms of quantity, we should be more careful about the quality of growth. Here we are somewhat weaker in terms of real convergence with the EU economies and we are likely to get into a mediocrity blockage of the Portuguese type.by Larissa Faw , September 17, 2018

Content talent collective Psyop is acquiring Content & Co to add branded content development to its existing commercial direction, production, animation, ideation, AR, and technology services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"It's not about 'full-service,' but rather 'focused service,'" says Todd Mueller, co-founder/director, Psyop. "Our focus is on developing the creative and narratives for clients, as well having world-class talent at the ready to go out and make it.

Under the agreement, Content & Co founder/president Stuart McLean will remain in charge of the company, which will continue to operate in its current offices. Content & Cos existing talent relationships  which include first-look deals with top Hollywood showrunners from both scripted and unscripted television  will now become part of Psyop as the agency folds these opportunities into its offering.

In addition, as part of its strategic refocusing, Psyop is officially joining forces with its sister company Blacklist, to consolidate both agencies executive leadership and sales teams. Although both brands will continue to exist as separate entities, Psyop will become the roster of individuals, whereas Blacklist has become the roster of directors and studio partners, creating an international network with hubs in New York and Los Angeles, as well as studio partners in Canada, the UK, Europe, and South America.

advertisement advertisement

Psyop also recently announced the closing of a minority purchase in Golden Wolf, the London-based production company that will combine Golden Wolf's expertise in 2D talent with that of Psyops 3D skills to produce visual content.

As brands look to find ways to get closer to makers, we want to position Psyop as the only creative source that they need," says Todd Mueller, co-founder/director, Psyop. "By bringing the best talent to the table, well operate with the speed, efficiency, and explosive creativity that our customers require to produce highly engaging cost-effective content.by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, September 17, 2018

Quicken Loans has selected Interpublic Groups UM to be its new media agency (for both planning and buying) after a review that began in January, the client confirmed today.

The company spent about $325 million on measured media in the U.S. last year down from more than $400 million in 2016, according to Kantar Media.

Our marketing team has played a major role in Quicken Loans becoming the largest lender in America within the last year, stated Jay Farner, Quicken Loans CEO. Partnering with Universal McCann will give us additional capabilities and the experience of a global media partner as we continue to grow our brand and market share.

advertisement advertisement

UM is also expanding its Detroit market operations with plans to open a new office in downtown Detroit where its new client is headquartered. The agency will initially house 40 employees in the new office at the First National Bank building with plans to expand to a staff of 150 when the new office space is completed in 2019.

The agency already has an office in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham; its biggest client there is Fiat Chrysler.

UM will service both the Quicken Loans and Rocket Mortgage brands effective immediately. It will work with Quickens in-house marketing team which does much of the creative work for its Quicken and Rocket brands. The client had previously worked with a number of different media shops.

The media review followed the appointment of Casey Hurbis as the firms chief marketing officer in 2016.

We were excited to learn that UM was looking to expand and open a new location in Detroit at same time we were searching for a new media partner, Hurbis stated. The timing was perfect and allows us to not only have a partner with unmatched expertise, but someone we can also call a neighbor.

Quicken has been based in downtown Detroit since 2010. The firm says it closed more than $400 billion in Mortgage loans from 2013 through 2017.by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, September 17, 2018

TripAdvisor announced that later this year it will relaunch its app as a connected travel community with improved search and social features. The update, which should help rid the site of fake reviews and recommendations, will move the company from serving as a travel source to a social network with search features based on trusted accounts that allow travelers to research information, find content, and book hotels from within the app.

Most recently, TripAdvisor had been fighting the Italian company PromoSalento in court for posting fake reviews. The owner of the company received a nine-month jail sentence and a $9,300 fine for providing hotel and restaurant reviews for a fee. TripAdvisor detailed the steps it took to prosecute the business owner.

advertisement advertisement

The update -- which aims to make content easy to discover -- supports about 45 million unique monthly users, 630 million reviews and opinions and more than 310 new contributions posted each minute. But with content partnerships such as one the with National Geographic, the company hopes to increase the numbers.

National Geographic wants to connect with the travel community, so it partnered with TripAdvisor early in the beta to produce content that travelers want to read and see.

Were going social and getting personal, said Steve Kaufer, TripAdvisor chief executive officer, during a press conference Monday.

The site has become known for being a platform to search and discover content, where people post photos, but the latest version aims to become a site for professional content creators at brands or social media influencers looking to connect with people who have a high propensity to travel.

The platform is in beta and should be live by the end of the year, Kaufer said.

Travel Feed, one of the new features built on machine learning in the latest version of the app, expands the travel community and allows users to easily see the updates from brands, friends and travel experts they choose, including information such as the best sushi restaurant or the most convenient hotel in Barcelona.

Factored into the content and experience, data collected from machine learning signals such as whether the traveler is in the planning stages or on the trip.

Building a personal travel network allows users to save information on events and experiences to highlight a profile page to share experiences. It also enables travelers to save vacation tips on destinations and share them personally with anyone they choose.

The update also makes searching on the platform easier, finding true friends through profiles and other clues. The new version provides follow support so users can find recommendations from people and brands they trust and may not know, as well as publishers like Popsugar, Travel Channel, Travel Babble, and National Geographic.

Trips, another new feature in the platform, allows users to save content on destinations and share it privately as an itinerary or publicly to friends, rather than sending a text message or email with links.by Sara Guaglione , September 17, 2018

magazine has announced several hires, promotions and new assignments as it transitions to new ownership.

As we previously reported, the newsweekly announced late Sunday that it has been acquired by Salesforce founder and CEO, Marc Benioff.

Benioff and his wife Lynne are paying $190 million to buy Time from Meredith Corp., which acquired parent Time Inc. for $1.8 billion last year.

The deal is expected to close within 30 days.

Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal  who will remain editor as the publication changes hands  sent a letter to staff Friday, announcing seven new staffers, seven new promotions and new assignments.

advertisement advertisement

Time readership was up 45% in the first six months of 2018, compared to the same period last year, he wrote.

The magazine is on target for nearly 2 billion video streams on Time.com this year, including a new record of 17 million streams on Time.com in July.

Judy Berman is joining Time as television critic, while Anny Kim is being promoted to copy chief at Time. Gina Martinez is joining as a reporter on the news desk. Annabel Gutterman and Kat Moon join as associate audience engagement editors.

The magazine is expanding to new assignments in Asia and the Middle East, with various promotions: Feliz Solomon becomes senior editor in the Hong Kong bureau, Charlie Campbell becomes East Asia correspondent and Joseph Hincks becomes Middle East correspondent.

Jamie Ducharme and Abigail Abrams are being promoted to staff writers, while Abby Vesoulis is now a reporter based in Time's D.C. bureau.

According to The Wall Street Journal (citing Alliance for Audited Media and comScore numbers), which first reported the news, Time cuts its circulation to 2.3 million for the six-month period ended June 30, down from 3 million in the same period last year.

Time.coms audience grew to 31.7 million multiplatform unique visitors in July 2018, up from nearly 27.4 million in 2015.by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, September 17, 2018

Weight-loss marketer Roca Labs engaged in an unfair practice by attempting to stifle reviews by consumers, a federal judge has ruled.

"Because defendants admittedly suppressed negative information about the products and because ... the absence of negative information could make a consumer more inclined to purchase Roca Labs products, the court finds that defendants practices have caused or were likely to cause substantial injury to consumers," U.S. District Court Judge Mary Scriven in Tampa, Florida said in a ruling issued Friday.

The ruling comes in a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission in 2015, when the agency alleged that Roca Labs engaged in a host of deceptive and unfair marketing practices, including attempting to stifle bad reviews. The FTC argued that the attempted suppression was likely to leave consumers with an overly favorable impression of Roca Labs' products.

advertisement advertisement

Roca Labs, which touts its weight-loss products as more effective than gastric bypass surgery, allegedly said in a prior version of its sales terms that any negative online reviews would be considered defamatory. The company also told consumers that they would be subject to $100,000 in damages for posting reviews, according to the FTC. Roca Labs followed up on its threats by suing at least four customers, according to the FTC.

The FTC has prosecuted other companies over their social media practices, but the complaint against Roca Labs appeared to mark the first time the agency claimed that suppressing commentary is in itself an unfair practice. The complaint against Roca Labs also includes other allegations, including that the company didn't disclose that it paid users to post positive reviews, and that it violated consumers' privacy by disclosing their personal health information in court filings and other documents.

After the FTC sued Roca Labs, Congress passed the Consumer Review Fairness Act. That law invalidate standardized terms of service that restrict consumers' ability to post reviews. Since that law took effect, the FTC sued another company -- the Minneapolis-based business Sellers Playbook (which hawked a system for selling products on Amazon) -- for allegedly attempting to stifle bad reviews.

Roca Labs raised several arguments in its defense, including that its practices didn't cause "tangible" injuries to consumers. Scriven rejected the company's stance, writing that the review-suppression effort harmed consumers, or were likely to do so. "The record demonstrates that some consumers paid hundreds of dollars for the Roca Labs products and unsuccessfully sought refunds because of defendants practice of issuing threats under the guise of enforcing the gag clause," she wrote.

Scriven also found in the FTC's favor on its other claims against the company. She delayed ruling on how much Roca Labs must pay in damages, writing that she needs additional information from the FTC about refunds for consumers.by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, September 17, 2018

Amazon has launched an internal investigation partially based on a report in The Wall Street Journal that claimed employees allegedly sold data and accepted bribes from independent merchants.

Reviews -- good or bad -- can determine the sequence in which a company appears on a webpage in search query results. Google and other search engines have long relied on reviews to determine rank on a page.

Amazon's probe, intended to plug data leaks and bribes of employees, focuses on deleting negative reviews and other scams from appearing on its website -- as well as gaining access to internal sales information. The WSJ quoted a price of about $300 to delete a bad review.

advertisement advertisement

Most of this occurred in China, per the report. In exchange for payments ranging from about $80 to more than $2,000, brokers for Amazon employees in Shenzhen are offering internal sales metrics and reviewers email addresses, as well as a service to delete negative reviews and restore banned Amazon accounts, the people said, the WSJ reports.

Employees and merchants could face criminal and/or legal penalties, per the report. There are policies and systems in place to detect and prevent this type of action, but it is not always easy to do.

Fake reviews have always been a major issue for brands, marketplaces and websites, but recently companies are taking legal action against possible perpetrators.

Imposed by a court in Lecce, Italy, the owner of a small company that offered wrote fake reviews on TripAdvisor could get jail time.

The buying or selling of fake reviews  known as paid review fraud  is not only dishonest, but also illegal in many countries, wrote TripAdvisor in a blog post that details the action taken by the company to stop review fraud.

The investigation began in 2015, when TripAdvisors fraud detection team identified the small business called PromoSalento, which offered to write fake reviews for hospitality businesses to boost their profile on TripAdvisor.

TripAdvisor's investigation applied advanced digital forensics to identify and analyze links between PromoSalento and attempted submissions to its site. The analysis identified and then either blocked or removed more than 1,000 attempts by PromoSalento to submit reviews to the TripAdvisor site on hundreds of different properties.by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, September 18, 2018

Google is facing new scrutiny on Capitol Hill over allegations that YouTube gathers personal information from children younger than 13.

"It has come to our attention that the data collection practices of YouTube ... may not be in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act," David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska) said Monday in a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

That law requires requires website operators to obtain parental consent before knowingly collecting a host of information from children younger than 13 -- including geolocation data, unique device identifiers, mobile telephone numbers and persistent identifiers.

The lawmakers add that they became aware of the allegations after a coalition of 23 advocacy groups -- including the Center for Digital Democracy, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Electronic Privacy Information Center and Public Citizen -- filed a complaint with the FTC.

advertisement advertisement

The terms of service for YouTube.com state that the service is not intended for children younger than 13. Instead, Google offers a child-focused video site, "YouTube Kids," which does not allow behaviorally targeted ads.

But the advocates argued to the FTC that more children watch clips on YouTube's main site than the specialized YouTube Kids. The complaint references a Common Sense survey that asked parents whether their children under the age of 18 watch videos on YouTube, and if so, on which of the company's services. Forty-four percent of the parents said their children use the general YouTube.com site.

"There is no reason to think that YouTube treats information collected from children any differently than that collected from other users," the complaint states. "Since YouTube collects personal information from all viewers (e.g., IP addresses, device information, geo-location and persistent identifiers) ... without first giving notice and obtaining parental consent, it is not in compliance with COPPA."

Cicilline and Fortenberry are asking Google to answer a host of questions, including why YouTube has channels that "are clearly child-directed," yet it doesn't attempt to prevent users younger than 13 from viewing videos on YouTube.com.

The lawmakers also ask whether Google's algorithms consider the ages of pre-teen users when making recommendations or targeting ads.

Cicilline and Fortenberry have given the company until October 17 to respond to their questions.

A company spokesperson said Monday that YouTube "is not for children," and that the company had "invested significantly in the creation of the YouTube Kids app to offer an alternative specifically designed for children."

"We appreciate all efforts to protect families and children online and look forward to working with members of Congress to answer their questions, the spokesperson said.

Google's YouTube is also facing a class-action complaint over children's privacy. That matter, brought by South Carolina resident Lashay Manigault-Johnson and her child, is pending in U.S. District Court in Charleston.Many people who get ear infections are interested in finding natural remedies to treat them. Some find that certain essential oils can help, including tea tree oil and oregano oil. Infection of the ear, also called otitis, occurs most often in children, but it can also affect adults. Ear infections can be challenging to treat. Essential oils are concentrated liquids that contain extracts of plants from around the world. The manufacturers of these oils often use steaming to separate the natural oils from the rest of the plant. Essential oils are suitable either for inhaling or for diluting and applying topically. It is vital never to ingest an essential oil. Researchers have discovered that some essential oils have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which may make them beneficial in treating infections. In this article, we look at the best essential oils to try for ear infections, how to use them, and other natural remedies. We also consider whether or not essential oils are effective and safe to use.

How can essential oils treat ear infections? Share on Pinterest Essential oils with antibacterial properties may help treat ear infections. Some people find that essential oils can help reduce the symptoms of an ear infection, which typically include pain, swelling, and ear discharge. Some essential oils have antibacterial or antiviral properties that may allow them to kill bacteria and help fight off an ear infection. Other essential oils may prevent viruses from reproducing. However, there has been no high-quality research into whether or not essential oils are an effective treatment. Proof of how well they work is generally limited to anecdotal evidence.

Best essential oils for ear infections Some diluted essential oils may help fight off ear infections when people use them as ear drops or rub them around the ear. However, there is minimal high-quality, up-to-date evidence that any particular oil is beneficial. Based on the existing evidence, we look at some of the best essential oils that people can try for ear infections: Lamigex ear drops A small-scale 2014 clinical trial compared the effects of standard ciprofloxacin ear infection drops with a mixture containing the following essential oils: clove oil, Syzygium aromaticum

lavender oil, Lavandula angustifolia

herb-Robert oil, Geranium robertianum The participants received 3 drops every 12 hours over the course of a week. The researchers found that this mixture, named Lamigex, was as effective as the ciprofloxacin ear drops. Both treatments improved symptoms of tenderness, itchiness, and discharge. Tea tree oil Tea tree oil contains an antibacterial substance called terpinen-4-ol. A review study from 2006 concluded that tea tree oil has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Additional evidence for the antibacterial effects of tea tree oil comes from a 2014 review study, which concluded that tea tree oil may be effective in treating acne, possibly because it kills the bacteria that cause this condition. However, the researchers say that more research is necessary to validate these findings. Doctors need more evidence on the effectiveness of tea tree oil before they can recommend it as a treatment option for bacterial ear infections. Oregano oil Mexican oregano oil, or Lippia graveolens, may also help with ear infections. A study from 2011 included in vitro tests of oregano oil, which showed that it had antiviral capabilities. These effects are primarily due to a component in the oil called carvacrol. However, this study does not prove that the oil would be effective against ear infections. The researchers state that further research is necessary to determine how effective this oil is. Basil oil Basil oil, or Ocimum basilicum, is another essential oil that could possibly help with ear infections. A study from 2005 found that basil oil was effective in treating ear infections in rats. Researchers used rats with infections from either Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae bacteria. The results indicated that basil oil led to more significant improvements in rats with both types of infection compared to a placebo. Other oils There are several other oils that various websites and manufacturers promote. Researchers have carried out studies on some of these oils. However, in most cases, there is no evidence to substantiate the claims that they will help with ear infections. Some other oils that people have tried or recommended for ear infections include: garlic oil

peppermint oil

mustard oil

thyme oil

How to use essential oils Share on Pinterest It is important to use a carrier oil to dilute the essential oil. Essential oils require the use of carrier oils to dilute them. People should use a teaspoon of carrier oil for every 12 drops of essential oil. Examples of carrier oils include: coconut oil

olive oil

jojoba oil Learn more about carrier oils here. People can use a few different techniques to apply essential oils to the ear: Use an oil mixture to clean the outside of the ear . This should remove any bacteria or other infectious material. An oil with anti-inflammatory effects, such as tea tree oil, could reduce swelling in the outer part of the ear.

. This should remove any bacteria or other infectious material. An oil with anti-inflammatory effects, such as tea tree oil, could reduce swelling in the outer part of the ear. Soak a cotton ball in essential oil . Place the cotton ball on the opening to the ear and let the oil slowly seep into the ear. Do not place the cotton ball inside the ear.

. Place the cotton ball on the opening to the ear and let the oil slowly seep into the ear. Do not place the cotton ball inside the ear. Warm a few drops of essential oil and olive oil. Place the drops directly into the ear. This method can help break up ear wax and allow the oil to reach deeper parts of the ear. Avoid using too much oil as this can clog the ear. When warming up essential oils, it is vital not to make them too hot because the delicate structures in the ear are sensitive to heat. It is also crucial for people to ensure that they will not have an allergic reaction or be sensitive to the oil. It is possible to test this by dabbing a tiny amount of the oil onto a small area of skin. If the skin does not react after a few hours, it should be safe to use the oil. The skin inside the ear may be more sensitive than other areas, so people should continue to monitor the skin for any signs of irritation.

Are essential oils safe to use for ear infections? Essential oils are natural, plant-based substances. However, this does not necessarily mean that all essential oils are safe for everyone to use. People should consider that: Some oils can irritate the skin, especially with direct application. Even mixing the oil with another oil may not be enough to prevent irritation.

Anyone with an allergy to a particular plant should avoid contact with its oil.

It can be dangerous to put anything into the ear if the eardrum has ruptured. A doctor can advise on the best course of action to take if this has occurred.

Essential oils can be toxic if a person ingests them. People should talk to a doctor before using any new medication, especially when they are pregnant, breastfeeding, or using essential oils to treat infections in children and babies.

Other natural remedies for ear infections Share on Pinterest Consult a doctor if an ear infection lasts longer than 2 weeks. Ear infections do not usually require treatment. They will often go away on their own within 2 weeks. Pain and swelling often resolve within a few days. In addition to or instead of essential oils, people can try the following natural remedies for an infection of the ear: Applying a warm compress to the ear . A warm compress is a damp towel or cloth that is slightly above body temperature. Warm compresses can help reduce swelling.

. A warm compress is a damp towel or cloth that is slightly above body temperature. Warm compresses can help reduce swelling. Using olive oil. Placing a few drops of olive oil into the ear canal may help break up ear wax and potentially reduce pain as a result.The amount of testosterone in a persons body can vary throughout their life. An individuals testosterone levels depend on age, sex, and health. Generally, males have much higher levels of testosterone in their bodies than females. Testosterone is a hormone known as an androgen. Although people know it primarily as a male sex hormone, females also need certain levels of testosterone. In females, most testosterone converts into the sex hormone estradiol. In males, the testes produce testosterone, while the ovaries produce testosterone in females. The adrenal glands also produce small amounts of testosterone in both sexes. Testosterone in males is important for: development during puberty

sperm creation

strengthening of muscles and bones

cognitive health and function

heart health

sex drive Testosterone in females is essential for: maintaining levels of other hormones

sex drive and fertility

making new blood cells

cognitive health and function

heart health

strengthening muscles and bones There is a link between low testosterone and sex drive and fertility across the sex spectrum.

Typical testosterone levels by age and gender Share on Pinterest Thomas Barwick/Getty Images The following tables show typical levels of total testosterone in children and adolescents. Doctors measure testosterone in nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). Typical total testosterone levels in children and adolescents Age Male (in ng/dl) Female (in ng/dl) 710 years old 1.80 to 5.68 2.69 to 10.29 1317 years old 208.08 to 496.58 16.72 to 31.55 Typical total testosterone levels in adults Testosterone levels change throughout a persons lifetime. Below are typical total testosterone levels in males and females. Age Male (in ng/dl) Female (in ng/dl) 19 years and older 265923 1570 Doctors may also measure testosterone alongside Tanner staging . The Tanner scale tracks the visual development of children during puberty according to five fixed stages rather than a persons specific age. Because hormone levels change rapidly during puberty and development can occur at different ages for different people, the Tanner scale is a more accurate way to judge changes during puberty than using age.

Low testosterone levels A testosterone deficiency in the womb can affect the development of a male fetus. It can also affect puberty and may slow or stop a persons growth or development. Hormone levels change for people of all sexes as they age. Females experience a more dramatic change in hormones, with levels falling until they reach menopause, while males experience a more gradual change in hormone levels. Testosterone levels decrease naturally with age in both sexes. In males, lower testosterone levels can lead to: hair loss

a reduction in muscle tone

more fragile skin

a reduced sex drive

mood disturbances

memory or concentration problems Low testosterone levels in females can lead to: irregular or missed periods

low sex drive

vaginal dryness

osteoporosis, or reduced bone density

fertility issues

High testosterone levels High testosterone levels are unusual in adult males, while children with high testosterone levels may have a growth spurt or start puberty early. High testosterone in all sexes can cause infertility, obesity, and in some cases, metabolic disorders. Polycystic ovary syndrome Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects females. It occurs when the ovaries produce too much testosterone. Symptoms include: irregular or no periods

oily skin

acne

increased hair growth on the face, back, or chest It is not clear what causes PCOS, but researchers believe a combination of genes and environment may be responsible. Steroid use Anabolic steroids have similar properties to testosterone, and some people use them to build muscle or gain weight. However, steroids can affect testosterone levels in both males and females. Excessive steroid use can raise testosterone levels in the blood, causing a persons body to stop producing testosterone. In males, this testosterone excess can also decrease the amount of sperm the body makes, which may lead to infertility or loss of sex drive. For females, steroids can cause a deeper voice, baldness, irregular periods, and infertility. People of all sexes may also experience hair growth on the face and body, greasy skin, and a range of other symptoms.

Testing and diagnosis Anyone who suspects their testosterone levels are high or low should speak to their doctor or undergo testing. To diagnose low or high testosterone, a healthcare professional will ask about a persons medical history and perform a physical examination and order tests. In males, a doctor might: discuss any use of steroids or opiates

talk about a persons development at puberty

measure their body mass index and waist size

check the hair for any pattern baldness

check the size of the testicles and prostate gland In females, a healthcare professional will usually need to check or ask questions about: menstruation

acne or skin conditions

body or facial hair

muscle bulk For adolescents, a doctor will look for signs of puberty. Total testosterone level test The total testosterone level test is a blood test. The best time to have the test is in the morning when testosterone levels in the blood are usually highest. However, these levels vary throughout the day, so some people may need a retest to confirm the result.Women with rheumatoid arthritis often notice changes in their symptoms during pregnancy. Many women with this condition have fewer symptoms when they are pregnant, but some may experience a flare during this period. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term disease that primarily affects the joints, causing them to swell, stiffen, lose function, and ache. People can have RA in any joint, but it most commonly affects the wrists and fingers. RA affects more women than men and often develops before menopause. Doctors may need to adjust a womans RA treatment during pregnancy to continue to manage flares without causing any harm to the developing fetus. In this article, learn about how RA and pregnancy can affect each other, the potential risks of being pregnant with RA, and what to expect after birth.

How does RA affect pregnancy? Share on Pinterest Blasius Erlinger/Getty Images One study found the rate of pregnancy loss in women with RA to be 17 percent. The researchers note that this rate is comparable to that of the general population, which is 1122 percent. However, pregnant women with RA may have an increased risk of the following complications: Preeclampsia: According to a Taiwanese study, women with RA have an increased risk of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that causes high blood pressure and an excess of protein in the urine. It can also occur after childbirth.

According to a Taiwanese study, women with RA have an increased risk of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that causes high blood pressure and an excess of protein in the urine. It can also occur after childbirth. Premature delivery: According to some research, pregnant women with RA may be more likely than those without the disease to give birth prematurely. A study of 440 pregnant women with RA showed that women with more severe symptoms of this condition had a higher risk of premature delivery.

According to some research, pregnant women with RA may be more likely than those without the disease to give birth prematurely. A of 440 pregnant women with RA showed that women with more severe symptoms of this condition had a higher risk of premature delivery. Low birth weight: A study from 2009 found that women with more severe RA had a higher likelihood of having underweight babies. Women with RA who get pregnant may experience symptoms that are common to both pregnancy and RA. Sometimes it can be challenging to distinguish which of the conditions is causing the symptoms. These symptoms may include fatigue, shortness of breath, swollen hands and feet, numbness or pain in the hands, and joint pain, particularly in the lower back and hips.

Can symptoms improve during pregnancy? During pregnancy, changes take place in the immune system to prepare the body to nurture the developing fetus. Approximately 50 percent of women with RA experience fewer RA symptoms during pregnancy, which doctors refer to as low disease activity. Joint swelling and pain usually improve during the second trimester of pregnancy. Around 2040 percent of women with RA have few or no symptoms of the disease by the third trimester. However, 20 percent of women have severe or worse RA symptoms during pregnancy and may require medical treatment.

Risks Women with RA can have successful pregnancies and deliver healthy babies. However, delivery may be more difficult in cases where RA affects a womans hips or lumbar spine. Although the risks for the woman and the baby are low, women with RA who wish to conceive should speak to a doctor before trying to get pregnant. Some RA medications may affect the pregnancy or the fetus. The doctor may recommend that a woman stops or replaces some medications before trying to get pregnant or as soon as she discovers that she is pregnant.

RA and fertility Women with RA may have more difficulty conceiving than women without the condition. This may be due to the effects of RA, the use of some RA medications, or both. As a result, it is vital for women with RA who wish to conceive to speak with their doctor about the medications that they are using and the best time to try to get pregnant. The doctor may recommend aiming to time a pregnancy with a period of remission and stopping certain medications to increase the chance of conceiving.

What to expect after birth Many women with RA will experience a flare shortly after birth, often within 3 months. If this occurs, it is best to speak with a doctor about which medications are safe to use to manage the symptoms. Doctors usually also encourage breastfeeding, as this offers many benefits for both the woman and the infant. They may recommend medications that are safe for the baby or will not pass into the breast milk.To mark the birthday of our country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we did the only thing we could  celebrate his achievements.

He has turned 68 today  that's almost thrice my age  so obviously he's been here a long, long time and has so many things to be proud of.

So, here's a list of some of the cool things he's done. Actually, the things only he can do:

1. Became the most important name in every Indian household with his achievements as Prime Minister.

2. Turned every person's world upside down overnight with demonetisation.

3. Sold tea at a point in his life, but did not let that hold him back from achieving his dreams.

4. Wore a suit with his name on it worth Rs. 1 crore.

 Twitter

5. Walked out of a Karan Thapar interview.

6. Took off on a seaplane to Mehsana, where he offered prayers at a temple, before flying back to Ahmedabad.

7. Strengthened Indo-U.S ties by becoming BFF with US President Donald Trump.

8. Then made Donald Trump jealous after becoming BFF with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 Twitter

9. Visited a whopping 58 countries.

10. Being the first Indian PM to click selfies, and actually know what a selfie is.

 Twitter

11. Made 'mitron' replace 'bro'.

12. Made Yoga a global phenomenon.

13. Went viral with just one video doing Yoga.

 Twitter

14. Gifted 200 cows to the people of Rwanda.

15. Complained about his party's lawmakers not responding to his morning messages on the NaMo app.

16. Attended a Bollywood party, which was Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli's reception.

17. Has hugged practically every political leader in the world

 Twitter

18. Had the best transformation from a chaiwala to the Prime Minister of India.

19. Gave a colourful revamp to our currency.

20. Made wearing creative hats a fashion statement.

 Twitter

21. Started the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' which gave us hope for a cleaner India.

22. Even with so many things he has to do, he has a radio show called 'Mann Ki Baat'.

23. Launched the 'Make In India' scheme.

24. Two words  'Digital India'.

25. Made 'BetiBachao, BetiPadao' one of the most common phrases in the country.

26. One of the most socially active Prime Ministers that India has ever had.Multiple students were hospitalized Friday after a 13-year-old boy brought balloons full of cocaine to a Central Valley middle school, according to the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.

At first, after students discovered the two balloons on the playground at Carl F. Smith Middle School in Terra Bella on Friday morning, school officials thought the substance inside was flour and intended to wash it down the drain  but they called 911 as a precaution, and law enforcement advised them to wait, Sheriff's Lt. Kevin Kemmerling told the Visalia Times Delta.

ALSO: Cops say man faked Down Syndrome and hired women to bathe him

"The deflated balloons, similar to drug bindle packaging, had a white powdery substance inside and outside the packaging," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Narcotics officers from the Tulare Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team later determined that the mysterious powder was, in fact, cocaine.

Traces of the drug were later found on the boy's shorts and at his home after a canine search, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The school was searched by deputies, a narcotics K9 and a drone; no evidence of additional drugs was found.

CRIME: Man charged with killing two Arizona girls who went missing

The scene at Carl F. Smith Middle School was a hectic one Friday as panicked parents flooded campus and tried to make sure their children were safe, the Times Delta reported.

Thirteen students were exposed to the drugs, with two being transported 9 miles north to Sierra View Medical Center in nearby Porterville with complaints of dizziness, officials said.

The medical transport was only a precaution, and the parents of all affected students have been notified, the Sheriff's Office said.

"The school should give more attention to the kids," Maricela Madrano, whose daughter attends the school, told the Times Delta. "This is scary."

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on TwitterEAST HAMPTON  Another day, another budget referendum.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the middle school gymnasium Wednesday as town officials try again to the pass the general government, or town, budget.

Two previous efforts, one in May and the other in June, failed with the size of the no vote increasing dramatically from the first vote  when it lost by four votes  to the second, when it failed by 170 votes.

The revised $14.95 million general government budget contains funding for all non-education government spending as well as funding for capital improvements (one-time so-called big ticket items) and debt service, the interest on previously approved bonded debt.

The double failure to pass the town budget stands in stark contrast to the ease with which the $30 million education budget was passed on the first try.

The reasons why the general government spending proposal has failed are mixed.

Some residents, angered by a reduction in the increase in the education budget were determined to punish town officials for that decision, which was made by the Board of Finance and then approved by the Town Council.

Other residents simply do not want to pay higher taxes.

There also are a number of residents who have called for reducing the size of the town staff.

Several residents have taken to social media to call for scaling back the number of employees and, as can occur in the age of social media, to denigrate town employees.

That is yet another reflection of a general anger at government on the local state and federal across the country, Town Manager Michael Maniscalco said Monday.

State law prohibits town officials from campaigning for a particular outcome.

Maniscalco limited himself to urging residents to turn out to vote. Every vote counts and every persons opinion is valuable.

Some of the messages on social media have gotten some our employees really upset, Maniscalco said.

The town has been under a hiring freeze since last spring.

Were very, very lean, Maniscalco said. Were short on staff. Were down eight people.

Thats going to impact services, he said, noting, We are one person down in the Highway Department.

As a result, Im worried about plowing our roads in a timely manner so people can get to work and kids can get to school.

Meanwhile, Maniscalco said he has also stopped all training and participation in seminars. And we may have to go further than that.

The town has a coveted Triple-A bond rating.

Our credit rating as of today has not changed, Director of Finance Jeffrey M. Jylkka said in an email Monday.

However, At some point, the inability to pass a complete budget may impact our rating, he added.

The town had a list of infrastructure repair projects they intended to undertake during the summer.

But with the budget not having been approved, Weve lost the whole summer season, Maniscalco said.

That troubles him, because it is symptomatic of a long-standing problem in town.

For decades the town didnt address our infrastructure needs, he said.

Then, in 2012, as he arrived in town to take over as manager, Maniscalco said the town was finally moved to deal with a long-term road repair project.

That resulted in repairs to 20 percent of the roads in town.

With the developing trade wars and the imposition of tariffs on imported steel, construction officials say the cost of steel is expected to rise by a minimum of 10 percent at the beginning of 2019.

Councilors spoke recently of stockpiling steel for the new Town Hall / Police Department building in an effort to lessen that impact.

But even without the increased tariffs, there are other demands on steel that are driving up its cost.

New York is in the midst of developing the train yards west of the site of the old Penn Station.

The Hudson Yards development is, its promoters say, the larger private real estate project in U.S. history.

Crews are at work creating 18 million square feet of retail and residential properties on the 28-acre site. Work is scheduled to be completed in 2024, according to www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com.AUSTIN, Texas -- For nearly eight years, accused serial killer Juan David Ortiz served as a corpsman in the Navy at installations in Texas and California, according to his service record.

Ortiz, 35, was arrested Saturday and charged with murdering four women in Laredo, Texas, where he has worked as a Border Patrol agent for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He is now in Webb County Jail with a bond of more than $2.5 million, according to online jail records.

He enlisted in July 2001, and after six months of training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill., and Navy Medicine Training Support Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., according to information from the Navy Personnel Command.

A few months later, Ortiz was sent to the 1st Marine Division Detachment at Twentynine Palms, Calif., where he spent the next three years. While this unit was involved in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Ortiz's released service ribbons do not indicate that he participated. If he deployed on a temporary assignment, it likely would not be included in his releasable service assignments.

In April 2005, Ortiz was sent to Navy Element, Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute Detachment at Fort Sam Houston for three years. This institute trains Army, Navy and Air Force professionals in trauma care, burn care, joint medical operations, disaster preparedness, humanitarian assistance and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear preparation and response.

Ortiz spent his final year in the Navy at the Fort Sam Houston's Navy Medical Training Support Center. It is the administrative arm of the Navy's medical programs in the San Antonio area.

He left the Navy in May 2009 at the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class. His awards and decorations include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal and the Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon.NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- The U.S. Air Force says it needs 386 squadrons to maintain current operations and to train and prepare for growing future threats from adversaries such as Russia and China, its top civilian official announced Monday.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said the service intends to grow by a total of more than 70 squadrons, as follows:

5 additional bomber squadrons

7 more fighter squadrons

7 additional space squadrons

14 more tanker squadrons

7 special operations squadrons

9 nine combat search-and-rescue squadrons

22 squadrons that conduct command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

2 remotely piloted aircraft squadrons

1 more airlift squadron

"We aren't naive about how long it will take us to build the support and budget required for the force we need. It is a choice," Wilson told audiences here during the annual Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference outside Washington, D.C.

"To face the world as it is, with a rapidly innovating adversary, the Air Force we need should have about 25 percent more operational squadrons in the 2025 to 2030 timeframe than the Air Force we have," she said.

Related content:

Todd Harrison, director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said achieving the 25 percent increase will be a large feat, and will depend heavily on what types of aircraft are needed to sustain the Air Force's new goals.

"Right now the Air Force spends about $53 [billion] per year on aircraft operations, training, and recruiting," Harrison tweeted during Wilson's speech. "Increasing the number of squadrons by [roughly] 24 [percent] would probably add another $13 [billion] per year in these operating costs."

The service said earlier this year it was not only redrawing its aviation roadmap to reassess how many fighter aircraft, and potentially other aircraft, it needs to sustain the future fight, but also how many airmen would be part of these operations.

The boost would also enhance the readiness levels the Air Force has slowly been building up in the last few years, following a string of budget cuts and continuing resolutions that capped funding at prior-year levels.

"The Air Force is more ready for major combat operations today than we were two years ago," Wilson said. "We're moving the whole force to higher levels of readiness with actions that will play out over several years, but there are also steps that are making a difference right now."

'Faster, Smarter' Among Growing Threats

Although airmen are consistently upgrading and updating techniques to execute its cyber and nuclear missions, she said the service does not plan to add additional squadrons in these fields.

"In a post World War II-era, we stayed strong, we stayed engaged. And America drove forward in its technical edge in air and space power, never ceding a scrap of technical know-how to our adversaries," Wilson said. "American values backed by American and allied power made the world a more peaceful and prosperous place. ... But our dominance as a global power is not a birthright."

The service currently has 312 operation squadrons, but remains shy of the 386 it needs, Wilson said.

"Three hundred and twelve operational squadrons is not enough. It takes all of us to get that combat power ready and able to fight. A fist is nothing without the weight of the body behind it," she said.

Wilson cited growing threats from Russia and China, which the Pentagon in its National Defense Strategy has pinpointed as near-peer threats the U.S. military may someday go up against in a high-end fight. Their innovative ways in electronic warfare, hypersonics and testing have given the Defense Department reason to prototype and experiment faster, she said.

Russia's recent exercise -- its largest in four decades -- brought 300,000 troops and 1,000 aircraft together. China, meanwhile, recently declared its first aircraft carrier combat-ready, she said.

As a result, "We are buying things faster and smarter," Wilson said. "Over the past six months, Air Force acquisitions has stripped 56 years out of planned schedules in our acquisition portfolio."

She added, "While the Air Force is driving forward, restoring the readiness and lethality of the force, buying things faster and smarter and strengthening our space forces -- in the end, the most important thing we have is people. And the ideas our airmen have to make things better."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.China's Sub Force Is Growing More Powerful. This Is What the US Navy Needs to Do to Stay Ahead

The Navy needs new and innovative antisubmarine warfare platforms to defend against Chinas stealthy and potent long-range...What if the next great military pilot has yet to step into an airplane?

As services like the U.S. Air Force look to increase their pilot ranks and stopgap losses, officials should remember that the future of aviation rests with the next generation, the "Generation Zers" and beyond, according to a former Air Force general.

What the aviation world needs to absorb that talent is more opportunity, said retired Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, a former F-15 Eagle pilot who led Air Combat Command between 2014 and 2017. "On a big scale, the challenge is getting people excited about aviation."

Carlisle, who retired from the service last year and is now president and chief executive officer of the National Defense Industrial Association, recently sat down with Military.com to talk about his perspective on the Air Force's challenges -- from pilot retention and training -- to new aircraft ideas such as the F-15X fighter concept.

"It's expensive to get people a private pilot's license. It's expensive to get people excited about it ... and then making it available for people," he said, stressing the service needs to pull from more diverse communities. "It's important to do that."

Carlisle discussed how the Air Force is progressing with pilot initiatives, where it can do better, and how additional cockpits play a role in boosting the ranks. His comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q. What's the Air Force doing at a grass-roots level to recruit the next wave of pilots?

A. There's a couple of things [the U.S.] is doing in that effort. We're working with the junior ROTC programs throughout the country -- all services -- to help generate a flight academy [of sorts], where, through donations and through money raising and universities, we can take junior ROTC high school students during the summer and send them out to aviation-accredited universities to go through an orientation, and potentially ... get all the way to private pilot licensing. It's called Flight Academy. And then pair that with Civil Air Patrol ... and the hope is, by sponsoring that kind of work, we can get more people into ROTC, the academies, or aviation-accredited universities.

Q. What is the Air Force doing better with technology to attract new or potential recruits?

A. [Within the Flight Academy], the Air Force has something called ... virtual flight, where you tie gaming to flying. And get kids interested and understand their aptitude at the high school and early college level ... A strength we have to take advantage of is that [this] gets the opportunities to a more diverse population ... to a broader swath of people interested in flying. Because many of them never have the opportunity, but they have huge aptitude to do this. And the idea that we could recruit those kind of folks and increase the diversity in the pilot force is another big draw.

Q. Is this like the Air Force's idea to create a game and identify potential recruits?

A. No. What [Air Education and Training Command commander] Lt. Gen. [Steven] Kwast is doing, is talking about, is that the gaming and flying combination, where we give these games out ... it's all anonymous. Where [the Air Force] sends a note back, 'Hey, you have an aptitude to fly airplanes ... and if you're interested call this number.' "

Q. Has the Air Force seen any progress from these programs, or is there enough data to evaluate if this is working?

A. These are very, very new initiatives. So we don't have anything [concrete yet]. But we have to do everything we can at this point.

Q. Do you believe initiatives like Pilot Training Next (in which trainees accelerate training with increased simulator time) could change how the Air Force trains its pilots?

A. It's absolutely critical ... It's taken a year to go through pilot training for decades. Decades. And if you think about how much we've learned in training and simulation and in augmented reality and in gaming, we know for a fact there's ways we can do this quicker and more efficiently. It's about ... how do we get more people through the training pipeline quicker?

Q. Why is training and retention the choke point for the service's pilot shortage process?

A. The big problem for the Air Force is the ability to train them, and then retain and experience them. So we need more pilot training bases ... and what [AETC leaders] will tell you is, we are reaching the max of our production capacity in pilot training. It's a resource right now we don't have. We're trying to buy T-X, we've had some problems with T-6 [Texan II], so that's a challenge. It's mainly the fighter world where the training is limited. And then we have to experience them and retain them. We drew down tons of airplanes in the Air Force -- too many.

And now trying to go back up, we don't have the cockpits to experience people. We don't have the cockpits to bring in more young guys and, at the same time, for the retaining [portion], we are burning them out because the deployment schedules are horrendous. They, and their families more importantly, have a hard time [with the high operational tempo schedules].

Q. What do you think would be the sustainable amount of combat-coded squadrons for what the Air Force is trying to achieve?

A. The easy answer to that is, 'To do what?' The question isn't, 'How much do you need?' It's, 'What us do you want us to do?'... Given the National Defense Strategy, whatever [the] paradigm is, [the question] is, 'How many squadrons do you need to be combat ready to go fight in the Far East, Korean Peninsula, South China Sea, as well as the Middle East, an Iran scenario, and then still maintain air superiority and training at home?'

Those numbers are dependent on how you want to do that. Right now, all the analysis will tell you that the Air Force needs ... 60 active-duty fighter squadrons. We also have to maintain the ... Guard and Reserve. We need to make sure they have the same equipment, the newest as the active, make sure they train like the active ... and make sure that they're operational [and ready when we work together] in normal ops tempo day-to-day.

Q. Would it make sense to procure light attack aircraft to help boost the cockpits and squadron numbers?

A. It's a great idea. It gives you capability, it's ... low cost to sustain and maintain. It gives folks a chance to fly, and so that's a very positive thing. And you can get capacity with light attack. As long we're engaged in the Middle East, which we are, as long as we're engaged in conflicts where the air defense capability is less-than-advanced, then a light attack makes sense.

The question becomes, as capability proliferates around the world, as [our] adversaries get better and better, light attack becomes less and less usable. And combatant commanders ultimately are going to tell us what they want to come do the missions they're asking us to do. ... It has great utility and opportunity. And what [Air Combat Commander] Gen. [Mike] Holmes and [Air Force Chief of Staff] Gen. [David] Goldfein are doing makes tons of sense. But there is a downside. Is it usable in the future threat environments?

Q. What about additional or modified fourth-generation fighters, such as the proposed F-15X?

A. I think we have to evaluate and look at them all. I think the fourth-plus-gen, the Super Hornets, the F-15X, that has utility too. That's numbers. And those now are getting [to the point] where they can do certainly the broader spectrum of conflict up to Syria and Iran and things like that. They're very capable. The question I have is, what is the difference between an F-15X cost and sustainment cost -- it can't just be procurement cost -- or the Super Hornet cost [versus] an F-35? Because an F-35 [Joint Strike Fighter] has more capability, it has stealth attributes, it has a fused sensor suite that's incredible. So that's a discussion. And of course, the future of penetrating counter-air, the next generation of being able to do counter-air at a high, high threat environment [like a] South China Sea [scenario], what's the cost of that? And what's the cost, and what's the sustainment of that? All of these things we have to have ... due diligence. [Based on the National Defense Strategy], we have to design the force structure ... based on what we're asked to do.

Q. As the Air Force looks to buy newer planes, even if it's fourth-generation technology, why can't the procurement and acquisition strategy match the speed that the service needs these planes? Can a plane like F-15X change that?

A. We've done it in the past. We did it back in the day with MQ-1 [Predator drones], which was an RQ-1 when it started. That was an incredibly rapid development. We did it with the F-117 [Nighthawk]. So we can do it. We just need authorities and the will [and] policy and go ahead and do it. And that will is there. We need more cockpits, as I've said. And I'm a big believer in how do we get more faster? And the Navy certainly believes in the Super Hornet. This very well could be the F-15X [initiative].

I'm an F-15 guy, so I'm a little bit biased. But what Boeing has done with the F-15X is pretty impressive. I got to fly the F-15SG in Singapore, which is the modern version. It's a little bit behind the F-15X, but that ... airplane is unbelievable. The avionics suite. Sustainability. The ordnance load. We've learned so much from [the F-15 overall] and were able to upgrade it with [new] capability and [better] sustainment over time. ... It's very impressive.

Q. On that same topic, does it make sense to retire F-15C/D models in favor of F-15X for the U.S. alert mission?

A. The study has to be done. The F-22 [Raptor] sitting alert [as part of the mission now] doesn't make a lot of sense. Even F-35s sitting alert doesn't make a lot of sense. But I think the F-15X and F-35 are getting closer and closer in cost point. Because the F-35 cost is coming down. F-15X may be cheaper, but when you upgrade that airplane, they're getting closer together. If I was king for a day, I would buy some of those new, fourth-gen-plus airplanes, and I think they would be great for air defense alert. I think they'd be great for surge capacity to go if we had a [larger-scale operation], and they would certainly be more than capable to rotate through the current missions that we have downrange.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.In an earlier post this year, I mentioned that most of the returns from my fun trading account are due to buying weed/cannabis stocks in the very early days. When I made the purchase a new Prime Minister was elected, and it felt like he would really push for the legalization of cannabis in Canada.

In hindsight, it was a great move (my largest percentage winner thus far), but on the other hand, it was a relatively small amount so it didnt make a large dent in the net worth. I often imagine what it would be like if I had better conviction on cannabis stocks at the time and backed up the truck  however, I digress!

Weed Stock Sky High Valuations

The recent boom in cannabis stocks has resulted in lofty valuations (shall I say bubble?). In this case, investors/speculators have high expectations for cannabis sales once it is fully legalized in October. All the hype and market drama has resulted in a number of reader emails about weed stocks, so I thought I would put together a post on the largest weed stocks in Canada.

Although most of the big players have sales right now, they are very low relative to their market capitalization (what the stock market thinks the company is worth). As a result, investors/speculators are buying based on future sales. Some factors that are considered is the amount of square footage (or future square footage) that is available to grow cannabis.

Another big factor that has given a big push to the industry is the alcohol industry teaming up with weed companies to produce new adult beverages. Constellation Brands, the company that makes Corona, recently added to their position in Canopy Growth (the largest cannabis company in Canada). Constellation now owns 38% of Canopy with the option to purchase another large portion that would give it greater than 50% ownership. The last purchase gave Canopy about $5B to play with the side benefit of giving the whole cannabis sector a vote of confidence.

The Largest Cannabis Players

Canada has sprinted out of the gates as a leader in the industry on a global scale. Here are the largest weed stocks in Canada. This data below is taken from MorningStar and New Cannabis Ventures.

Company Symbol (TSX) Market Cap Quarterly Sales (June 2018) Capacity (sq ft) Canopy Growth Corp. WEED $13.9B $25.9M 2.5M (5.7M expected) Aurora Cannabis Inc. ACB $8.3B $16.1M 0.9M (1.9M expected) Aphria Inc. APH $4.5B $12.1M ~1M Cronos Group Inc. CRON $2.47B $3.4M 0.286M (1.1M expected) The Green Organic Dutchman TGOD $1.8B $0 (0.970M expected) HEXO Corp HEXO $1.4B $1.2M 0.310M (1.3M expected) CannTrust Holdings Inc. TRST $1.2B $9.1M 0.310M (1.36M expected) OrganiGram Holdings Inc. OGI $0.87B $3.7M 0.480M (0.530M expected)

While I think that valuations are lofty, bubbles can last much longer than people expect, so there is a possibility that these stocks simply keep going up with the hype. If you arent interested in buying individual stocks, but interested in owning the whole sector, you can buy an index ETF that holds most of the positions that I mentioned above.

The ETF is the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index (ticker: HMMJ; MER: 0.75%) that holds a mix of US and Canadian weed stocks. The top 10 holdings make up almost 80% of the ETF:

Aurora Cannabis Inc. Canopy Growth Corp. Aphria Inc. Gw Pharmaceuticals PLC. Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. Cronos Group Inc. Green Organic Dutchman HLDGS. Hexo Corp. Canntrust Holdings Inc. Organigram Holdings Inc.

Discover Canadas Best Discount Brokers And save up on stock and ETF purchases! Canadas Best Stock Brokers

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, fun and exciting stocks like the ones in the cannabis sector are for the risk takers, should be just that, for fun. If you have the risk tolerance, then it should be a smaller portion of your portfolio rather than core positions. If you want to play the sector, then trading HMMJ may be a decent bet rather than doing the analysis on all the individual players.

Are you invested in any marijuana stocks? If so, which ones are your favorite and why?

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. I hold positions in some of the stocks mentioned.How to use the mindat.org media viewer

Click/touch this help panel to close it.

Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image)

Controls - all media types

Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device.

Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen.

< and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys.

< and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys.

> in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys.

? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key.

Other keyboard shortcuts:

1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons

Scalebar

If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular.

Controls - Video

Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key.

Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation)

Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys.

The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types.

The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control.

Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images

If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways:

- without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method

- with stereoscope

- with anaglyph glasses.

- on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system)

For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D

To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them.

Controls - photo comparison mode

If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu.

Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder.

Summary of all keyboard shortcutsFord is issuing a recall for some select 2018 Edge and Lincoln MKX SUVs in North America so it can replace the door striker bolts in all four doors.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker reports in a news release that the recall is for 555 new Edge and MKX models due to the risk the bolts could be 5 millimeters shorter than required. The problem stems from the fact that the shorter bolts could allow the doors to fly open in the event of a crash, which could increase the risk of injury.

Ford says it is not aware of any injuries are incidents related to the recall. Affected Edge and MKX SUVs were built at the Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada between July 27 and 31 of this year.

In all, 503 of the recalled vehicles are in the U.S., 51 in Canada and one is in Mexico. Once owners are notified, dealers will replace the door striker bolts in all four doors for free.

To search active recalls, use the NHTSA's website to search your 17-character VIN at this link. VIN numbers are typically located under the driver's side windshield, or along the inside of the doors behind the seat or under the steering wheel. To sign up for NHTSA safety alerts for a specific vehicle, sign up at this link.ANN ARBOR, MI - Nurses at the University of Michigan have voted to authorize a work stoppage of up to three days to protest what they describe as "ongoing and continuous violations" of their workplace rights, the University of Michigan Professional Nurses Council announced Monday, Sept. 17.

The vote took place during meetings among the UMPNC's 5,700 nurses at Michigan Medicine over the past week. According to the UMPNC, around 94 percent of the 4,000 nurses casting ballots voted in favor of a work stoppage.

No date has been set for a possible work stoppage. If nurse leaders determine a stoppage is necessary, they will give the University at least 10 days advance notice to plan for patient needs.

A work stoppage is not the goal for the union, UMPNC/Michigan Nurses Association Chairwoman Katie Oppenheim said.

"Our goal is a fair agreement which respects nurses and guarantees safe staffing. The university can remedy this situation immediately, by stopping their unfair labor practices and bargaining in good faith," Oppenheim said in a news release.

Last week, the UMPNC took legal action against the university before the Michigan Employment Relations Commission and in federal court.

The UMPNC filed a lawsuit against the university in U.S District Court, stating that university officials are violating the U.S. Constitution by prohibiting nurses from exercising their right to free speech as expressed on T-shirts, buttons and through other means in the workplace.

The lawsuit states that prior to 2018, the University "did not censor, punish or otherwise direct the (Michigan Nurses Association)-represented nurses to remove any red apparel - the color of the MNA - while working in patient care areas," regardless of the message printed on the apparel.

Nurses have been threatened, however, with discipline for wearing apparel which supports their union, according to the lawsuit.

The UMPNC continues to negotiate a new contract with Michigan Medicine officials after its contract deadline expired on June 30. Negotiations for the new contract began in January.

Key issues like retirement cutbacks, increased health care costs and guaranteed staffing levels remain unresolved for the two sides to reach a deal, Oppenheim said last week.

The health system is confident all of its efforts during negotiations have been consistent with the First Amendment and putting patients first, Michigan Medicine Spokeswoman Mary Masson said last week.

On the bargaining front, Michigan Medicine has offered the nurses a compensation package that includes competitive across-the-board increases of at least 3 percent and a competitive paid maternal/parental leave program that includes six weeks of paid leave for physiological recovery from birth of a child and six weeks of paid parental leave to employees after a birth, adoption or foster care and guardianship, Masson said.

Michigan Medicine's nurse-to-patient ratios are in the top 2 percent of all hospitals in the country, Masson said.

Since UMPNC announced it was seeking the vote, Masson noted Michigan Medicine leaders have been developing a comprehensive continuity of operations plan in place in the event of a strike.

This would include hiring and training temporary nurses to replace absent employees, deferring and rescheduling select procedures and making staff scheduling adjustments as needed, Masson said.

"Strikes are illegal for public employees in the state of Michigan," Masson said. "If an employee goes on strike, the employee is not paid for the time out on strike."

"Because it is illegal for public employees to strike, Michigan Medicine will take legal action to avoid a strike," Masson said. "We remain ready to continue bargaining with the UMPNC and are eager to resolve the contract negotiations."ANN ARBOR, MI - A man charged for having a gun in connection with a March incident involving supporters and opponents of white nationalist Richard Spencer has pleaded guilty.

Jonathan Kolanowski pleaded guilty, Aug. 30, to one felony count of carrying a concealed weapon, court records show.

The charge stems from a road rage incident that occurred March 4 in Pittsfield Township while Kolanowski was driving people to the Spencer event at Michigan State University, which was to take place the next morning.

Kolanowski called police that day to report a vehicle was chasing him from Livingston County to Washtenaw County's Pittsfield Township.

A representative from Great Lakes Antifa, an anti-fascist activist organization, told The Ann Arbor News previously that members of their group ran into Kolanowski with a group of friends at a Staples store at 2601 Jackson Ave. in Ann Arbor earlier in the evening March 4.

They claim Kolanowski drove his SUV at one of the activist's vehicles and they began chasing him.

When officers arrived on the scene on Washtenaw Avenue, they found two vehicles pulled over. People in the second car told police Kolanowski had pulled out a pistol and waved it at them to scare them off, police said previously.

Police searched his vehicle and found a handgun registered to him.

Kolanowski had a concealed pistol license, but it was suspended in December 2017 due to a pending domestic violence case in Macomb County, records show.

He told police he did not know his concealed pistol license was suspended when he was arrested.

During his preliminary examination, it was shown the notice was delivered to his previous home around the time he moved from that address.

The court did not believe Kolanowski's claim that he did not receive the notice, arguing that forwarding mail from an old address to a new one is part of the moving process, records show.

Kolanowski is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 4 before Washtenaw County Trial Judge Darlene O'Brien. He is currently free on $2,000 bond.

Spencer's appearance at Michigan State University, March 5, resulted in 25 people being arrested, according to MSU police. Thirteen of the arrests were for felony charges, including resisting and obstructing police officers and carrying a concealed weapon.KIMBALL TWP, MI - A pilot told air traffic control he had just lost power in one of his engines and could not see the airport moments before he died in a Sept. 5 plane crash in St. Clair County.

Canadian Stephan Maisonneuve, 51, of Ottawa, Ontario, was the lone occupant in the 1981 Cessna Model 340 twin-engine airplane when he was killed in the crash just before midnight.

He had been cleared to land on Runway 22 at St. Clair County International Airport at 11:42 p.m., but told air traffic control three minutes later that he had just his right engine, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary crash report.

When Maisonneuve was asked if he could still make the landing, he responded "Gonna work on it," according to the report.

The wind was calm and visibility was 10 miles or greater with moderate rain and scattered clouds at 5,000 and 7,000 feet, the report said.

Two minutes later, he radioed to say that he did not see any lights and could not see the airport, the report said.

Air traffic control was unable to contact Maisonneuve on the radio two minutes later.

He crashed near Yager and Wadhams roads in Kimball Township, the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office previously said.

Investigators searched the airport property and were later able to find the crashed plane a quarter-mile west of Runway 4, next to softball fields, the sheriff's office previously office said.

Maisonneuve crashed into the field a little more than a half mile from the departure end of Runway 22, according to the report.

The right propeller separated from the engine and remained stuck in the ground, while one of the left propeller blades snapped off and also was embedded in the ground, the NTSB report said.

Investigators said the nose, instrument panel and cockpit were crushed aft and there was some post-impact fire damage, the report said.

The tail of the plane was separated from the fuselage, according to the report.GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Teresa Weatherall Neal's seven year tenure as superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools has been marked by several significant improvements and changes.

Neal, 59, talking to MLive/The Grand Rapids Press prior to announcing her upcoming retirement Monday, Sept. 17, said she is proud of all of her accomplishments.

"None of this could have happened without the hard work, passion, commitment, and dedication of every individual and organization working with and for our students, teachers, parents, schools, and the district as a whole,'' said Neal, who is retiring, effective July 1, after seven years on the job.

These are 10 of the significant items she is proud of:

Designation as a Promise Zone

The designation has begun a process in which students who graduate from any high school within district boundaries - traditional public, charter or private - could get a scholarship to attend at least a two-year community college tuition free and possibly four-year institution support.

Neal announced Sept. 4 that Grand Rapids was approved as one of the 15 Michigan Promise Zones.

The Promise Zone designation is meant to provide students who graduate from any high school within the boundaries - traditional public, charter or private -- a scholarship to attend at least a two-year community college tuition free and possibly a four-year institution.

Under the Promise Zone legislation, if the qualifying school district or local government can raise enough in private donations, the entity can keep half the annual growth in their state education taxes to help pay for scholarships.

Changing culture/community perception

Neal said changing the organization's culture was the most difficult leadership challenge but necessary to achieve her goals.

She said the culture was one that wasn't focused on the mission, didn't support diversity of thought, and had low expectations, noting she had to get rid of some staff.

"I came in focused on culture, collaboration, academic achievement, day-to-day operations and stability," she said.

"I've worked to create a culture where everyone gets a voice, expectations are high and we value the children that parents and grandparents have allowed us to serve."

Neal said changing community perception of the district meant getting the community to see their students as assets and recognize the fate of the city and schools are intertwined. Internally, she said district staff and leadership had to understand it needed the community's help to transform.

Passing $175 million school bond

In 2015, GRPS passed a 25-year, $175 million school improvement bond. Business and community leaders say that was largely due to belief in Neal's leadership.

More than $150 million was slated for building construction, including the makeover of the four comprehensive high schools. The district is spending $10 million on technology and $10 million on security district-wide.

The bond added about 2.1 mills to property tax bills, increasing annual taxes for the owner of a $100,000 home by $103.50.

Expanded School Choice

Offering parents more choice has been an integral part of Neal's Transformation Plan. She said she has been strategic and intentional about opening new schools and expanding others to retain and attract families.

The innovative Museum School, which opened in 2015, is the school that has received the most attention. The middle school program is in the Public Museum and the high school, which just launched with ninth-graders, at the old Public Museum, which houses more than 250,000 archives.

In 2016, the Museum High School was among 10 programs in the nation to win a Super School contest and win $10 million for rethinking high school from the XQ: The Super School Project.

In 2017, Neal opened a third Montessori program on the Southeast Side, Ridgemoor Park Montessori. She also expanded the popular K-8 school, C.A. Frost Environmental Science Academy, into a high school.

GRPS plans to open a new $20 million high school in 2020 on the Southwest Side in hopes of keeping students from fleeing for the closer Wyoming schools. The high school will complement the K-8 English/Spanish immersion program at Southwest Community Campus.

Increased graduation rates

The overall graduation rate for students attending Grand Rapids Public Schools has increased to 67 percent, according to the state.

When Neal took over leading the district, the rate was 44.56 percent.

Statewide the graduation rate is 80 percent. GRPS' overall rate includes its alternative programs, but there are a few GRPS highs schools above the state average, including City High/Middle (98.6), Innovation Central (91.4 percent) and University Preparatory Academy (93.4).

Union and Ottawa Hills are the comprehensive schools still below the state average at 78.3 percent and 65.2 percent, respectively.

Chronic Absenteeism

This school year, all Kent County schools are engaged in a school attendance campaign: Strive for Less Than 5!

The Kent ISD saw the success Grand Rapids schools had with the campaign and thought the other 19 districts should embrace lobbying for students to miss less than five days of school this year. The goal is to ensure that fewer students fall behind academically.

GRPS launched its campaign in 2013. The district had a 36.4 percent rate of chronic absenteeism, but it steadily dropped and in 2017-18 was down to 13.7 percent.

Chronic absenteeism is missing 10 percent (18 days) or more during the school year.

Parent University

Neal said her Transformation Plan is also about engaging parents in the effort to help their child reach their full potential.

In 2013, she launched Michigan's first Parent University. Parents are able to attend free classes that cover four categories: Effective Parenting, Personal Growth and Development, Navigating the Educational System, and Health and Wellness.

The programs, which vary in size and scope, are not common everywhere in the United States, existing only in some states, including Massachusetts, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and California.

Public -Private Partnerships

Neal is often referred to as having a collaborative spirit. She has fostered public-private partnerships designed to offer students and parents more school choices and opportunities for improving student achievement.

From Spectrum Health to Rockford Construction and Grand Rapids Community College to Grand Valley State and Ferris State, the district has numerous business and higher education partners, as well as a slew of foundations supporting a host of initiatives.

For example, it has a partnership with Grand Rapids Community Foundation for the Challenge Scholars program. The program is more than about giving families money to pay for college, but preparing and guiding teenagers through the transition from high school to college for a successful career and life.

Early/Middle College

Last school year, Grand Rapids launched an early/middle college program at Ottawa Hills High School with 29 students. Students can earn their high school diploma and an associate's degree from Grand Rapids Community College by committing to a fifth year of high school.

High school students taking college or university courses has increased in the district.

Restorative Justice

Grand Rapids embraced restorative practices or exercise a few years ago. The state recommends that schools consider using the practices to build a positive classroom environment and reduce suspensions and expulsions.

Restorative practices range from student discussion circles -- to more intensive efforts such as mediation conferences where students who have been victimized meet with their offender in an attempt to solve conflicts and mend broken relationships.UPDATE: Police say lockout lifted, suspect arrested by Grand Rapids police.

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The middle school and high school are under partial lockdown Monday, Sept. 17, after a threat against a student.

Authorities were told that a suspect had made unspecified threats.

East Grand Rapids police Chief Mark Herald said police do not believe that the suspect who allegedly made the threats is near the schools.

He said the schools went into a partial lockdown as a precaution. East Grand Rapids police officers are also at both schools.

The schools have notified parents and guardians about the lockdown.

East Grand Rapids police are working with Grand Rapids police to find the suspect. Police asked anyone with information to call East Grand Rapids Public Safety at 949-7010.GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A candidate for Michigan's lieutenant governor says the accident that caused her family's house to burn involved a brulee torch and cardboard.

Lisa Posthumus Lyons, the Republican running mate in the gubernatorial campaign, spoke about the fire Monday, Sept. 17, eight days since her family watched their home burn down at 7815 Alden Nash Ave. SE in Alto.

Posthumus Lyons said one of her children had been practicing making creme brulee designs on a piece of cardboard with a brulee torch on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 9, inside the attached garage. She said the material wasn't on fire when it was thrown in the garbage, but a fire started and the windy conditions allowed it to spread quickly.

"Accidents happen and it could have happened to anyone," she said. "I just want them to know that. There's nothing my children could do to make me love them any less."

In addition to carrying out her responsibilities as Kent County clerk, and helping Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette run their gubernatorial campaign, she's been busy helping her family prepare for a new start.

"Just a little juggling, that's all," she said during a campaign-endorsement event in downtown Grand Rapids. "It's very daunting as we go forward and deal with the loss of our home and how we pick up those pieces and rebuild but we have everything that matters. We have love, we have support and we have each other."

The latter point of that message is one she's tried to repeat to her four children, especially one whose mistake, coupled with "the right conditions," started the fire.

By the time Bowne Township firefighters reached the scene, the two-story home was engulfed in flames. They took a defensive approach to fight the fire, with help from Lowell and Caledonia firefighters.

Michigan State Police investigators said last week they found nothing suspicious about the fire, which was believed to have been started accidentally.

On Monday, Posthumus Lyons said the investigator told her that the investigation was concluded. MLive/The Grand Rapids Press left a message Monday with State Police investigators seeking additional information from them.

The fire destroyed everything in Posthumus Lyons' childhood home, and displaced the family of six. Since then, she said her family has been staying with her in-laws.

They plan to move into a temporary rental house this week as they seek their next long-term residence.

"We lost everything but really we didn't," she said. "We have nothing, but my family and I have everything. We were able to get out of the house safe and secure, and this community, family, friends, complete strangers -- the outpouring of love and support and assistance has been more overwhelming than actually having to watch my house burn to the ground."

The family quickly made it out of the house with their two dogs, but their cat was missing. When Posthumus Lyons went back to check out what was left of the house two days later, she said the cat had returned and was on what was left of her daughter's bed.

On Monday, she answered questions about the fire's aftermath and her campaign during a press conference at the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. The chamber announced its endorsement of Schuette and Posthumus Lyons in the race for Michigan's next governor and lieutenant governor.

"There's an election and 50 days from now the polls are open and that election is coming whether my house is there or not," Posthumus Lyons said. "My priority has been to make sure my kids have everything they need between school supplies and clothes and just so they can get back to school and make sure they feel loved and secure.

"I also want to make sure they have a state that's going to work for them ... This campaign is very important to the future of my kids and I continue to focus on that as well, in addition to serving the people of Kent County."

Gretchen Whitmer and her running mate, Garlin Gilchrist II, make up the Democratic ticket in the gubernatorial race.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Posthumus Lyons' father, Dick Posthumus, served as lieutenant governor under former Michigan governor John Engler.Teresa Weatherall Neal (Andrew Schmidt | submitted by GRPS)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal announced Monday, Sept. 17, that she is retiring, effective July 1, after seven years on the job.

Neal, 59, said she plans to spend more time with her husband and family, and pursue interests that have not been possible with the seven-day-a-week schedule required to achieve district goals.

Throughout her tenure, Neal has driven significant change from expanding school choice and public-private partnerships to increasing the graduation rates. The high-poverty district is Michigan's fifth largest with approximately 16,600 students.

"We are not where we want to be, but we are absolutely better off than where we were, and we are on the right path," Neal told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press about the timing of her departure, prior the press conference at Gerald R. Ford Academic Center.

"I am looking forward to my next chapter, but I am staying in Grand Rapids and will continue to support and advocate for all children.''

Neal said the recent death of her sister, Barbara, was a factor in her decision to retire.

A tearful Neal said she wants the staff and community to celebrate what's been accomplished so they can continue to grow stronger for GRPS children and ensure their success. She said that is important to her as she makes this transition.

Voters will choose five school board members from seven candidates Nov. 6. The nine-member board will begin the process of finding a new superintendent in January, after the swearing-in ceremony.

"When I became your superintendent, you supported me and amazed me with your strength and courage. I ask that you continue to show this same spirit as a new superintendent takes the helm, so we can continue our legacy of commitment to a stable, strong, vibrant urban school district and community," Neal said, in a Monday letter to the community.

The board of education gave Neal a rating of highly effective and extended her contract earlier this year. Her base salary, as part of the contract extension, is $199,980.

She said she will work with the school board and the next superintendent to ensure a smooth, stable and successful leadership transition.

"On behalf of the Grand Rapids Board of Education, I want to express heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal for her leadership and her 44 years of service (various positions) to the students, parents, staff and our community," school board President Wendy Falb said.

"She hit the ground running day one, and within just a few months, the board, the district, and this entire community knew we had a special kind of leader who was ready, willing, and able to transform Grand Rapids Public Schools.''

Falb said Neal engaged and reunited the community around a transformative vision and plan to stabilize the district and improve academic outcomes for all students, bringing renewed confidence in the district which has contributed greatly to the vitality of our city.

To achieve true, systemic change, Neal said you need consistency in leadership and that's why she has stayed longer than originally intended.

"I really just wanted to stabilize the district and put us back on the right track," she said. "I never expected it would take this long, but under the umbrella of the Transformation Plan, we had so many different areas that we needed to focus on.

"I think GRPS is in a good place now and ready to fly. We can continue to go deeper and make more significant gains academically and that's what we should focus on."

The Transformation Plan, now in Phase III, was Neal's bold initiative approved by the school board her first year in December 2012.

The plan included closing 10 buildings in 2013 to right-size, expanding school choice, eliminating ineffective programs, replicating programs impacting achievement, talent recruitment, and investing for stability and growth.

"From the beginning, I realized there were many areas where our district needed to transform," Neal said about leading strategic planning meetings and listening to stakeholders to develop the plan.

"We consistently and effectively implemented this plan, and as a result, I am proud to say we have accomplished great things. GRPS is now gaining state and national attention for our success story."

Neal said none of things she accomplished could have happened without "the hard work, passion, commitment and dedication of every individual and organization working with and for our students, teachers, parents, schools and district as a whole."

After a stint as interim, Neal was appointed to the job in August 2012, replacing Bernard Taylor. She previously served as Assistant Superintendent of Community and Student Affairs for seven years.

Neal, who has received highly effective evaluations, has been with GRPS 44 years. She started out as a student worker while in high school and later became a receptionist and secretary, before steadily rising through the administrative ranks.

She said her institutional and community knowledge have been extremely helpful in creating the blueprint for her Transformation Plan.

"Since kindergarten at Madison Park Elementary, I have had a love for this district," she said.

"Having spent most of my life with GRPS, it has become like family to me. It is family to me. I have a special place in my heart for the GRPS children, families, staff and community, and I always will."

Neal said of all her accomplishments, "the icing on the cake" was GRPS' recent designation as one of 15 Michigan Promise Zones. She said it is a "game-changing" gift that will affect generations.

The designation has begun a process in which students who graduate from any high school within district boundaries - traditional public, charter or private - could get a scholarship to attend at least a two-year community college tuition free and possibly four-year institution support.GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Did you lose your dog? He or she might be on Facebook.

Kent County Animal Shelter officials are now posting photos of lost dogs they've received onto their Facebook page in a drive to reunite them with their owners.

Not all dogs taken in will immediately be posted to Facebook, so it's still a good idea to check in person at the county facility located at 740 Fuller Ave. NE.

Proof of ownership is required to reclaim the lost pet.

The idea of using social media to broadcast lost animals at the shelter is something area rescue groups have long asked for.

"I'm thrilled," said Julie Steffen, founder of Mosh Pit Rescue. "This is the change we've been wanting to see and pushing for for so long. If this continues, this will lead to more owners being reunited with their pets."

The lost-dog initiative started Friday, Sept. 14, nine days after MLive/The Grand Rapids Press published a story about the shelter's relatively high euthanasia rate.

The practice, which started Friday, Sept. 14, is likely permanent, according to Steve Kelso, spokesperson for the Kent County Health Department, which oversees the shelter.

Kelso said there's been positive feedback so far.

Some of the "lost dog" posts have received hundreds of Facebook shares, and at least one dog has since been reunited with its owner.

Kelso said photos will be posted only during open hours, which are Monday through Friday between 9:30 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Steffen said she hopes the shelter does post photos over the weekend, as it will relieve owners knowing their dog is safe.

During the weekend and outside of weekday hours, owners can't retrieve their dogs.

The change comes after a turbulent week at the shelter. At the start of the week, the shelter director, Carly Luttmann, resigned. Her last day is Sept. 21.

Her resignation came six days after MLive published a story about the shelter's euthanasia rate, has been among the highest in the state for the last five years.

In 2017, shelter staff euthanized two out of every five animals it took in, or 39 percent, state records show. The state average that year for all open admission shelters was 14 percent, according to non-profit Michigan Pet Fund Alliance.

Luttmann previously said the majority of animals euthanized were aggressive dogs and feral cats, but animal advocates argued shelter staff likely weren't doing enough to save dogs and cats with treatable behavioral and medical issues because of the high kill rate.

Health department officials declined to say why Luttmann resigned but said she wasn't pressured out. Luttmann's resignation letter, which MLive secured through a Freedom of Information Act request, does not give a reason for her resignation.

Kelso said putting photos of strays on their Facebook page has been long in the works, with discussions dating back at least five months ago.

Last Monday, animal advocates met with Luttmann's boss, Environmental Health Division Director Sara Simmonds, to discuss better practices at the shelter, such as weekend adoption times and posting photos of captured stray animals online.GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Parents and community partners reacted Monday to news that Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neall will retire, effective July 1.

After seven years at the helm with some notable accomplishments, Neal said Monday, Sept. 17, she would be retiring to spend more time with her family and pursue some special interests.

"Her departure will be deeply felt by this community,'' said Nancy Haynes, who has three children at GRPS' C. A. Frost Environmental Science Academy.

"She has been an authentic, effective leader. She was the right person at the right time to step in and re-instill faith in the district and change its direction.''

Haynes said she was impressed with Neal from the start in 2012, when she embarked on a listening tour and responded positively to parent and community concerns.

City Commissioner Senita Lenear, former school board president, said Neal has a collaborative spirit and her strong relationships with parents and other community stakeholders has been instrumental in her success.

She said Neal has tremendous insight having worked for the district for 44 years, including as assistant superintendent for Community and Student Affairs.

"The city of Grand Rapids will be forever changed because Teresa Weatherall Neal was the Grand Rapids superintendent,'' said Lenear, noting she wasn't just a blip on the radar, but has made a real, substantial difference for families.

For example, she cited her securing a Michigan Promise Zone designation and being able to provide graduates within the district's boundaries scholarships to attend community college tuition free and possibly support at a four-year institution.

Seven Kent ISD school districts have new superintendents this school year: East Grand Rapids, Cedar Springs, Comstock Park, Sparta, Wyoming, Caledonia, and Thornapple Kellogg.

"I think Superintendent Neal has had an impact and got some things done, but there is still a lot more to do,'' said Mary Bouwense, president of the Grand Rapids Education Association or the teachers union.

Looking ahead, Bouwense said she hopes the next superintendent, unlike Neal, has classroom experience because it is invaluable perspective.

Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas said Neal has been a great university partner on initiatives aimed at graduating more students ready for college, career and life.

"She moved Grand Rapids Public Schools from woe to wow!'' he said, about Neal being student-centered.

"She did that on the strength of her own character. "She had the right perspective to make a difference and she did it with competency combined with her character.''

Bert Bleke, a former GRPS Superintendent who promoted Neal to assistant superintendent, was first to urge the school board to drop the interim and hire Neal in 2012.

"I think people have to realize she's been an invaluable member of the school system for some time,'' he said.

"If you look back at what she's done, it's very, very impressive. She has shown a tremendous amount of courage, and the significant changes she's made will stand the test of time.''

The average tenure of urban superintendents is about 18 months and three to five years for suburban leaders, according to Michael Washburn, education consultant, formal superintendent of Forest Hills.

"With the growth of Schools of Choice and charter schools, it is miraculous Superintendent Neal has been able to stem the tide of declining enrollment,'' he said, noting both a change in district culture and the expansion of theme schools.

"I think the culture of the district now is such that people are really seeing quality and that's because of her leadership.''

Rockford Superintendent Michael Shibler said Neal was able turnaround the district. He said she is an exemplary superintendent and someone with her leadership skills will be difficult for the school board to replace.

Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said Neal provided "incredible leadership'' to the district and the entire community.

"Her passion, vision and hard work have made a dramatic impact in the lives of our children, our families and our city,'' she said.

"We are grateful for her commitment to collaboration as we work together as a community to improve the quality of life for all of our residents."GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A jury has been seated in the retrial of Robin Root whose first-degree murder conviction in the 2007 killing of businesswoman Janna Kelly was overturned by the state Court of Appeals.

The trial began Monday, Sept. 17, before Kent County Circuit Judge Joseph Rossi.

Opening statements are this afternoon with witness testimony beginning Tuesday morning.

Root, 55, was granted a new trial after an appeals panel said she should have been advised of Miranda rights against self-incrimination during parts of police questioning when she was in effect in custody.

The appeals court said that some of her statements should have been suppressed but others - given after she was read her rights - will be permitted at this second trial.

The appeals panel, citing a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, said: "Because Miranda warnings may inhibit persons from giving information, this Court has determined that they need be administered only after the person is taken into 'custody' or his freedom has otherwise been significantly restrained. Unfortunately, the task of defining 'custody' is a slippery one, and 'policemen investigating serious crimes (cannot realistically be expected to) make no errors whatsoever."

Kelley, 60, of Grand Rapids, was co-owner of an insurance company when she was reported missing Dec. 4, 2007. Her body was found three months later in a Grand Haven Township field.

Her clothes were removed and her body had been set on fire. Police say there was evidence of duct tape on her mouth and limbs.

Root had been evicted from a duplex Kelly owned and owed back rent.

Blood found on the victim's car and jacket belonged to Root. But the DNA sample she provided investigators after the killing was not immediately sent for analysis.

For seven years, Root denied having anything to do with the killing.

She later told police that Kelly's death was an accident. She said she pushed Kelly to the ground at the victim's house, put duct tape over her mouth and put her into the trunk of the victim's Acura.

She left Kelly overnight after parking the car in the street. The overnight temperature dropped to 19 degrees.

Lee Fisher, an Ottawa County assistant prosecutor who has worked with sheriff's detectives and Grand Rapids police, tried the original case and is handling the retrial.

Attorney David Dodge, who worked to suppress his client's statements, continues to represent Root.

The prosecutor contends Root strangled Kelly. A medical examiner was a homicide victim of unspecified means.

Fisher sought to challenge the Court of Appeals' ruling over Root's statements but the state Supreme Court declined to review the case.SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Pilots had to abort a Delta flight bound for Detroit right before takeoff after one of its engines blew. The flight was carrying numerous Detroit Lions journalists leaving San Francisco.

FOX 2's Jennifer Hammond tells MLive that fellow FOX 2 sports anchor and radio voice of the Lions Dan Miller was among those on the plane, along with his radio partner and Lions legend Lomas Brown.

"Settling in for a snooze on the Red eye back from SFO and we blew an engine taxiing on take off," Hammond wrote on Twitter. "This is a first for me in all my years traveling. Scary AF!" Hammond told us the crew did a good job of keeping passengers informed and getting them on a new plane in about a couple of hours.

FOX 2 photojournalist Jeff Holloway posted video of the incident shot by John Bondegard, director of new media for the Lions.

Confirmed engine fire and shut down. DL1658 pic.twitter.com/xn5tozFsjO  Jeff Holloway (@JeffHoll88) September 17, 2018

The Boeing 767 was carrying 229 passengers. Also on board, according to their Twitter posts, DetroitLions.com reporters Mike O'Hara and Tori Petry. "Scary moment when the engine goes up in smoke just before the end of the runway as you're taking off. Happy to be home!" said Petry.

"I'd be all for a regulation requiring airlines to identify planes that had serious mechanical problems, and followup with a report on what repairs have been made before putting it back in service. Just a thought," said O'Hara.

A Delta spokesperson said "the crew of Delta flight 1658 from San Francisco to Detroit elected to suspend the takeoff out of an abundance of caution due to an indication of an issue with one of the Boeing 757's engines."

After the incident, the plane returned the terminal. Passengers were put on another plane shortly after and returned home safely. No one was hurt.

MORE LIONS COVERAGE FROM MLIVE:

Lions fans sick and tired of all the missed opportunities

Lions grades after loss to 49ersBATON ROUGE, LA -- A former Louisiana State Police cadet accused of sending nude photographs of a former U.S. Army worker in a blackmail attempt was recently arrested in Michigan.

Jimmy M. Kassis, 26, of Thibodaux, had been wanted by Louisiana State Police investigators since a warrant for his arrest was issued on Aug. 6, but they found out shortly after that he had fled the state.

Police officers in Michigan's Van Buren Township arrested Kasiss on Aug. 31 and he was extradited to Louisiana with the assistance of Michigan State Police on Sept. 14. He has been booked into the Lafourche Parish prison for the outstanding warrant.

The investigation into Kassis began on June 5 when the LSP were contacted by the United States Army about an ongoing investigation into the then-recruit. Kassis was immediately terminated by the LSP at that time.

The U.S. Army investigation revealed that Kassis, formerly employed by the Army, allegedly mailed nude images of the victim to the victim's U.S. Army general.

He was also allegedly in the process of sending the same images to the victim's supervisor at a separate place of employment to blackmail the victim, according to a news release.

Investigators with Louisiana State Police also obtained and executed search warrants on Kassis' cell phone and residence. Several electronic devices were seized and forensically examined. He was charged with non-consensual disclosure of a private image on Aug. 6.LANSING, MI - Democratic candidate for governor Gretchen Whitmer has toured the state touting her plan to "fix the damn roads," but been less vocal about a key component of her plan that could end up charging Michiganders more.

The mechanics of Whitmer's proposal include establishing the "Rebuild Michigan Bank," an entity that can provide low-interest loans and fund road and other infrastructure projects throughout the state. She wants to fund it with $3 billion in the first year -- $2 billion in state money that will leverage another $1 billion from federal sources.

The rub is how to get money into that fund, something she leaves open-ended in the plan and critics say means she plans to raise taxes.

Whitmer defends the possibility that Michiganders could have to pay more.

"We are all paying. We're paying a road tax every time we fix our windshields or replace our tires. And we're paying the worst kind of tax, because it's not actually fixing the problem," she said.

But the idea that taxes could pop up draws criticism from people including her general election opponent, Bill Schuette.

"Raising taxes is what the Democrats, that is what they first want to do. This infrastructure bank simply, the only way it can be filled is with billions and billions of taxes. And that's their plan," Schuette said.

But others say bringing in new revenue through something like taxes is the only way to solve the problem.

Michigan roads in a rut

It's no secret Michigan roads are a bumpy ride, and it certainly hasn't escaped Whitmer's notice. She tweeted some untraditional campaign statistics in July; on the campaign trail, her team has gotten 13 flat tires and 12 broken windshields.

The legislature took a stab at solving the problem in 2015, passing a long-term road funding package that hiked the gas tax and registration fees but also relied on an increased dedication of general fund from the state legislature. When fully implemented that legislation puts an extra $1.2 billion toward roads starting in 2021.

But that level of funding doesn't solve Michigan's road problem. A recent report from the Michigan Transportation Asset Management council found that between 2014 and 2017, 16.6 percent of the roads' conditions improved while 19.9 percent declined, meaning more roads are getting worse than are getting better.

The 21st Century Infrastructure Commission established by Gov. Rick Snyder found in a 2016 report the state would need to invest an additional $2.2 billion per year to get 95 percent of interstates, 85 percent of state highways and 85 percent of local roads in good or fair condition.

Al Pscholka, a former Republican lawmaker from Southwest Michigan who chaired the House Appropriations Committee and later served as the state budget director under Snyder before leaving for the private sector, said the state's road needs are obvious.

"It's the paying for part that's difficult. I mean from a policy standpoint I think everybody agrees we need to do a better job and take care of not only our roads and bridges but our other infrastructure as well," he said.

How Whitmer's plan works

Whitmer's plan is to get $2 billion of state funding into the infrastructure bank straight away. The bank would be able to issue low-interest loans, among other things, to help fund projects across the state.

Whitmer's first preference is to get the money through what her written plans describe as "user fees." Asked if that could include something like registration fee or gas tax increases, she left the door open.

"Possibly. I took a lot of votes when I was in the legislature and I reserve the right to incorporate any of those as a part of the solution, here," Whitmer said.

One of the most notable votes she took was on a plan that passed the Senate in 2014 but failed in the House. It would have taxed gas on the wholesale level, more than doubling the state's then 19 cents per gallon fuel tax.

Whitmer was out of the legislature by 2015, when the legislature did increase the fuel tax by a smaller amount as part of its $1.2 billion road funding package. But increasing the gas tax again, or increasing the already-increased registration fees, could end up being part of her plan.

She acknowledges that politically, raising new revenue might not be feasible. She has a backup plan.

"If the legislature is not strong enough to take those votes and to work with me to get it passed, then I will work with stakeholders to go to the ballot and pass the bond," Whitmer said.

Bonding is the state equivalent of putting a big charge on a credit card. You get the money you need immediately, and then pay it off over time.

Jay Rising, a former state treasurer who served under former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, helped Whitmer draft the plan. He said in one key way bonding makes a lot of sense.

If Michigan raises user fees like fuel taxes and registration fees right now and paves a road that's going to last 20 years, they've paid for the next generation of road users. If that road gets paved with bond money, he said, Michiganders are paying down that bond in small increments in the state budget over a time period that tracks more closely with the road's lifespan.

He said the idea behind the bank was to help prioritize projects and leverage money on a statewide scale.

"You'd have to look at those projects and say how, for the first time, can we comprehensively address the infrastructure in a way where it puts the money where it's needed most. Obviously, transportation is one of those things," Rising said.

And with the $2 billion in state contributions in hand, he thinks the state will be in a position to leverage $1 billion of federal money.

It's not as if right now Michigan is leaving any federal road money on the table.

"Matching all available federal aid was once a problem, but even in the past, we always found ways to never leave it on the table. With the implementation of the 2015 package, this has largely solved the federal matching issue, at least for now," said Department of Technology Management and Budget spokesman Kurt Weiss.

But by being able to pursue new projects that qualified for federal matching funds, "there would be another $1 billion you could leverage in federal sources," Rising said.

Fixing roads is popular, but tax increases aren't

For budget stalwarts like Pscholka, Whitmer's plan is good in that it looks for a consistent revenue stream from outside the existing state budget. The money isn't available within the existing state budget, he said.

"We do have to generate more money for roads, and you're going to have to raise some fees and taxes and some revenue, I believe, in order to do it," Pscholka said.

But bringing the public along on that idea has historically been difficult. In an AAA survey released earlier this year, Michigan residents agreed the roads were bad. Only 2 percent rated the state's roads as "very good" or "excellent."

But the survey also found people - 60 percent - were not willing to pay more in fees or taxes to fix the roads.

And when the public isn't there, a lot of politicians can't get there either.

Schuette's road plan, as he outlined it in an August interview, included looking within the existing state budget for more possible funding, asking the federal government for more money, auditing the Michigan Department of Transportation and investing $250 million in savings he thinks will result from the repeal of prevailing wage.

Bill Gelineau, the Libertarian candidate for governor, is releasing his road plan in two weeks. But the basics include taking out bonds and paying for them with targeted reductions, mainly from reducing the prison population and de-funding specific programs within the Michigan Strategic Fund, he said.

Michigan State University Economist Charles Ballard said how to talk about new revenue was a common financial conundrum political candidates and officeholders.

"...we tend in many of these public policy discussions to talk about doing things without saying where the money was coming from, or talk about cutting taxes without saying what spending is going to be cut," Ballard said.

Since 2015, Michigan lawmakers have passed one-time cash infusions for roads but not made any further push to raise new revenue.

Whitmer's not shouting about the potential for a tax increase, but it's what makes her plan unique. Asked about the possibility that her plan would raise taxes, something Schuette has been vocal about, Whitmer shot back at her opponent.

"My plan is a real, genuine solution. And I'm the only candidate for governor that's put one on the table," Whitmer said.

Note: This story has been edited to reflect Whitmer's plan includes drawing down $1 billion in federal money.KALAMO TWP., MI - Two men were killed and two others seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon in Eaton County.

Earl Richard Miller of Hastings and Eugene Dale Miller of Vermontville were killed Sept. 15, in the crash at the intersection of W. Five Point Highway and N. Bradley Road, west of Eaton Rapids, according to a statement from the Eaton County Sheriff's Office.

The men along with one passenger were traveling west in a brown car at about 1:44 p.m. on W. Five Point Highway when a blue SUV traveling north on N. Bradley Road ran a stop sign at the intersection and collided with them, police said.

Both vehicles came to a stop in the yard of a residence on the northwest side of the intersection, police said.

The passenger in the car was flown to a Lansing-area hospital to be treated for major injuries, police said.

The driver of the SUV, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was taken by ambulance to a Lansing-area hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The area was closed off for more than four hours while police investigated the scene.

Eaton Area EMS and the Charlotte Fire Department assisted at the scene.KALAMAZOO, MI -- Protesters at the Bronson Park encampment are being fed meals prepared in unsanitary conditions, said Kalamazoo County Health Officer Jim Rutherford.

Rutherford and Environmental Health Director Vern Johnson visited the camp, now entering its fifth week, Monday evening, Sept. 17. They noted a lack of sanitation facilities, poor storage and insufficient refrigeration of food items at the camp, all issues that will be evaluated by county and state health departments.

Health inspectors planned to return to the park to explain what needs to change to meet standards. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is determining if the encampment should be considered an illegal campground or auxiliary shelter, and could shut down food services at the protest.

"It's just not a good solution long-term," Rutherford said. "I get what (protesters) are trying to do here, but from a public health perspective it's concerning."

Rutherford said he's worried about the potential of a food-borne illness outbreak in the camp, especially among children and people with a compromised immune system. Protesters are able to make individual meals, but a person trained and licensed in food preparation is needed to feed the larger group.

The Bronson Park encampment had just under 100 tents as of Monday evening. Kalamazoo City Manager Jim Ritsema maintains that the demonstration violates local ordinances, but is allowing it to remain, albeit under threat of eventually being shut down.

"I can't ignore this, as a public health officer," Rutherford said. "It's difficult for a family of five to keep sanitary conditions in a camp site without running water for very long. When you're talking 100-plus (people) with a variety of different food sources coming in, in 80-90 degree weather, it gets challenging."

Food and water is kept in boxes or several coolers under a pavilion tent. Meals are prepared on makeshift counters and dishes are washed in containers at the site.

Commissioner Shannon Sykes Nehring, who has publicly endorsed the protest, said First Congregational Church has offered the use of its kitchen to the encampment.

Paula Hill, a Portage nurse and activist, started helping protesters organize the food area after county officials left. She helped run kitchens during protests at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota.

Hill has been actively coming to the Bronson Park camp to organize donations, run a first aid tent and provide general assistance. She said people have received first aid for diarrhea, malnutrition and dehydration.

"They don't have enough ice, they don't have refrigerators, they're just trying to make due with what they have," Hill said. "I'm down here trying to say 'what do we have, how do we make that work and what do we need?'"

Hill is working on developing a schedule so residents trained in food preparation can volunteer to cook meals. Donations of food items have been coming in from local churches and residents.

While Hill was organizing dry goods in a tent near the kitchen area, a woman dropped off a wad of cash. Hill said it would go to purchase bleach, something Johnson said the camp needed.

"My focus is to help everybody achieve their goals to achieve long-term housing and be warm, safe and fed," Hill said. "Those are basic human necessities that everyone needs."

Patrick White, a member of the protest group, answered questions while health officials inspected the camp. White, a former Taco Bell employee, said he took over the kitchen to improve its conditions.

Last Friday, Rutherford told social service providers, local officials and leaders of the protest group that he can't "turn a blind eye" to the situation. He has visited the camp three times since it started on Aug. 19.Jerome Oday II

KALAMAZOO, MI -- A Kalamazoo man was arraigned Monday on a charge of murder in a fatal shooting at a liquor store early Saturday.

Jerome Oday II, 27, faces a charge of open murder, two charges of felony firearm, one charge of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.

Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety detectives say Oday shot and killed 23-year-old Tykarri Shaheed Lucas of Benton Harbor at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at J & B Discount Liquor at 110 W. Stockbridge Ave.

Lucas was shot inside the store after an altercation, according to police.

Police found Oday later that day at a home in the 2900 block of West Avenue SW in Wyoming. He was arrested without incident and turned over to Kalamazoo detectives.

If convicted of murder, Oday faces up to life in prison.

Oday appeared via video for an arraignment Monday from the Kalamazoo County Jail. He told Kalamazoo County District Court Judge Christopher T. Haenicke he planned to hire a lawyer. Haenicke denied bond.

Oday was arraigned on bench warrants for two other cases Monday, one for driving with a suspended license and one for possession of marijuana. He was held in contempt on both cases and sentenced to three days in jail with credit for three days served.

Oday is due back in court for a preliminary examination Oct. 3.KALAMAZOO, MI -- The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is asking for the public's help to find a missing man.

Robert E. Sumney, 74, of Colon, was last seen around 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 17, as he was leaving Bronson Methodist Hospital, KDPS said in a news release.

Sumney told others he planned on driving to Minnesota. He has not been seen since.

Sumney is described at 6 feet 2 inches tall with a medium build, wavy grey hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a beige shirt, black jeans and black shoes.

Sumney was last seen driving his white 2015 Buick Verano with Michigan registration DXZ3579.

Sumney suffers from dementia and is easily confused, according to police. He may become agitated when confused and is known to possess a handgun.

Anyone with information on Sumney's whereabouts can call KDPS at (269) 337-8994 or Silent Observer at (269) 343-2100.As interest in cannabis and marijuana continues to grow across the U.S., beverage giant Coca-Cola is reportedly in talks to develop a cannabis infused beverage, according to BBN Bloomberg in Canada.

The beverages would be infused with the cannabidiol - also known as CBD - to give drinkers relief from cramping, pain and inflammation without the psychoactive side effects that smoking or ingesting marijuana can give you.

Coca-Cola is reportedly very deep into talks with Vancouver-based Aurora Cannabis Inc. to develop the drink, but neither side was willing to confirm the ongoing talks.

A spokesman for Coca-Cola declined comment but did tell Bloomberg "along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world. The space is evolving quickly. No decisions have been made at this time."

Interest in cannabis infused products has increased significantly in the last few years as legalized marijuana has been approved in a handful of states and in Canada. In Michigan, voters will take to the polls in November to vote on a proposal to legalize marijuana in the state.NASA's planet-hunting telescope -- the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite -- is officially hunting for and studying planets outside of our solar system, as it recently sent its first batch of science images home.

The U.S. space agency says Monday, Sept. 17 in a news release TESS' initial science orbits consisted of making a detailed image of our southern sky, and "first light" views of stars and solar systems known to contain exoplanets.

"The images include parts of a dozen constellations, from Capricornus to Pictor, and both the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the galaxies nearest to our own," NASA says in the release. "The small bright dot above the Small Magellanic Cloud is a globular cluster -- a spherical collection of hundreds of thousands of stars -- called NGC 104, also known as 47 Tucanae because of its location in the southern constellation Toucana, the Toucan.

"Two stars, Beta Gruis and R Doradus, are so bright they saturate an entire column of pixels on the detectors of TESS's second and fourth cameras, creating long spikes of light."

NASA says the mission will last for two years, and that TESS will use its four unique wide-field cameras to map 85 percent of the sky.

--

NASA launched the "first-of-its-kind mission" back in April of this year, and it will fly in an orbit that "completes two circuits around Earth every time the Moon orbits once." The space agency says this unique orbit will allow the satellite's cameras to monitor each patch of sky continuously for as long as a month at a time.

While TESS is an additional attempt to add more exoplanet candidates to its database, NASA's Kepler space telescope has observed more than 300,000 stars and found more than 4,000 exoplanet candidates since it launched in 2009.

"TESS's target stars are 30 to 300 light-years away and about 30 to 100 times brighter than Kepler's targets, which are 300 to 3,000 light-years away," the space agency says in the release. "The brightness of TESS' targets make them ideal candidates for follow-up study with spectroscopy, the study of how matter and light interact."

--

The satellite's camera were designed and built by MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and Kavil Institute, and are able to monitor large portions of the sky as it searches for exoplanets passing in front of stars. This is called a transit, and causes a decrease in the star's brightness.

NASA says TESS will spend the next two years monitoring 26 sectors for 27 days each, which will cover the aforementioned 85 percent of the sky.

"In a sea of stars brimming with new worlds, TESS is casting a wide net and will haul in a bounty of promising planets for further study," Paul Hertz, astrophysics division director at NASA, said in the release.

"This first light science image shows the capabilities of TESS' cameras, and shows that the mission will realize its incredible potential in our search for another Earth."

.@NASA_TESS's Post-Launch Assessment Review (PLAR) was successful today! This @NASA review evaluated readiness of the spacecraft systems to proceed with routine operations. TESS is performing great on orbit and continues to send back exoplanet science data for further analysis! pic.twitter.com/J48DobVkE7  NASA_TESS (@NASA_TESS) September 14, 2018

Looking ahead to where TESS will point next? Find the @NASA_TESS observation calendar and target lists on our website! https://t.co/MwIPs6Ccps  TESS at MIT (@TESSatMIT) August 27, 2018Question: Regarding my posts about the terrible perversion of Torah and halacha that Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky has engineered with his prod...

Important!! email - yadmoshe@gmail.comHumble beginnings | The Elon Musk-led company was not always about launching powerful rockets into space, they first started out in the satellite business. (Image: Reuters)

Plans to make humans a multi-planetary species | In 2002, when Elon Musk started Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), the company's primary aim was to revolutionise space technology and enable the colonisation of Mars. (Image: SpaceX)

NASA's contract with SpaceX | NASA gave SpaceX a contract for building spacecrafts that are safe, reliable and cost-effective to carry astronauts to and from International Space Station (ISS) through a public-private approach. With its reusable cargo spacecraft, Dragon, the company will send six astronauts to ISS between 2019 and 2024. The contract is reportedly worth $2.6 billion. (Image: SpaceX)

An ode to 'Star Wars' | The company's first rocket, Falcon 1 was named after Musk's favourite sci-fi movie Star Wars' Millennium Falcon. (Image: SpaceX)

Making space a private affair | In 2010, SpaceX became the first private company to successfully launch, orbit, and return a spacecraft to Earth. (Image: SpaceX)

Building from scratch | To keep control on quality and price, nearly 80 percent of the company's rocket parts are manufactured in-house. A study conducted by the US Air Force and NASA found that the cost of building Falcon 9, which is around $440 million, is a third of what it would cost NASA to build the same spacecraft. (Image: SpaceX)

Blast from the past | In June 2015, SpaceX launched a Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 on a resupply mission to the ISS. However, in just 2 minutes and 19 seconds into the flight, the spacecraft exploded due to loss of helium pressure. Luckily, no human was on board. After 18 successful launches, this was the first spacecraft by SpaceX that failed. (Image: Reuters - representational only)

Apart from rockets SpaceX also sells dreams | SpaceX has a 12-week University Internship Program. The company claims that the year-round program is an "unparalleled opportunity to play a direct role in transforming space exploration and helping us realize the next evolution of humanity as a multi-planetary species". The interns form an integral part of the team working across all engineering functions and business operations. (Image: Reuters)

The Marvel connect | The 2010 American superhero film, Iron Man 2 was shot at SpaceX's factory in Hawthorne, California. Director Jon Favreau said that Robert Downey Jr's portrayal of the tech-forward Tony Stark was inspired by Elon Musk, who played a cameo in the movie. (Image: Reuters)live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 



A day before the Supreme Court is slated to take up Numetal's application, the VTB Bank-led consortium has raised the stakes, alleging that loan defaults by firms owned by Vinod Mittal and Pramod Mittal renders ArcelorMittal - owned by their brother Lakshmi Mittal - ineligible to bid for Essar Steel



Numetal made the allegations in a letter addressed to the resolution professional overseeing the auction, and State Bank of India , the lead bank in the Committee of Creditors. The letter, dated September 17, was signed by CS Verma, the former Chairman of SAIL , who had joined the Numetal consortium.

Numetal had approached the Supreme Court against NCLAT's order giving ArcelorMittal three days to pay off dues of Uttam Galva Steels and KSS Petron, companies in which the Lakshmi Mittal company had significant stakes.

The court is already hearing an application from ArcelorMittal, which had moved against NCLAT's decision asking it to clear the dues, even as it cleared the bid of Numetal.

Both the companies, along with Vedanta, are the three bidders in the second round of the auction.

Numetal's letter

Numetal's letter comes after ArcelorMittal's own mail to the resolution professional came to light, alleging that Vedanta Ltd - the third bidder in Essar Steel - was ineligible to bid due to alleged environmental and human rights lapses. ArcelorMittal later backtracked from its comments.

Numetal's five-page letter lists the firms owned by Vinod and Pramod Mittal, and asks the resolution professional, Satish Kumar Gupta, and SBI to confirm if certain "facts" pertaining to these companies have been disclosed by ArcelorMittal.

The "facts" relate to Gontermann Pipes, Ispat Profiles, Chhatisgarh Energy, Balasore Alloys and GPI Textiles, all companies owned by the Mittal family.

Allegations range from outstanding debt (Rs 2,000 crore in case of Ispat Profiles) to whether Lakshmi Mittal was a promoter, director of shareholder in any of these companies, most of which - the letter notes - have been declared non-performing assets.

"In light of the aforesaid facts or all other facts which may be relevant for determination of eligibility of AM (ArcelorMittal), please confirm if AM has made adequate disclosures and given an affidavit regarding their eligibility and how have these issues been examined by RP and the CoC for determining the eligibility of AM under various sub-sections of Section 29A of the Code.

"This information is urgently required, preferably by tomorrow, i.e. 18.09.2018, for the hearing before the Honble Supreme Court of India on 18.09.2018," Verma wrote in the letter.

ArcelorMittal responded to the letter, and said: "There is no absolutely no connection between ArcelorMittals eligibility and the businesses of Mr Mittals brothers.

"As previously acknowledged by the resolution professional, this has no relevance to the eligibility or ability of ArcelorMittal to participate in the resolution process for Essar Steel. It is in fact a tiresome and trivial attempt to distract from the central fact that ArcelorMittal is the most credible owner of Essar Steel and that we have the most compelling offer on the table for all stakeholders, particularly financial creditors."

Though ArcelorMittal is yet to clear the dues, even though it has reiterated its commitment to do so, it has raised its bid for Essar Steel to Rs 42,000 crore, higher than Numetal's bid of Rs 37,000 crore.live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

With a delay in bankruptcy proceedings increasing costs, banks have intensified efforts to sell non-performing loans to asset reconstruction companies (ARCs).

Top lenders including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of India and Bank of Baroda are aggressively pushing to sell assets stuck in bankruptcy courts.

There have been delays in the resolution of a large number of cases at various National Company Law Tribunals (NCLTs) forcing banks to increase provisions, and losing out on interest income.

Once the bankruptcy application is admitted at any NCLT, creditors have to forgo the interest accruals.

We are going for fire sale now, almost Rs 10,000 crore is up on sale. We will also look at putting up Rs 1,500 crore of Essar Steel. Price discovery is over, so it would not be wise to wait now. We are ready to sell whatever we get on a cash-basis. As the process can get delayed and we do not even get an interest on it, said a senior executive at one of the banks.

Another senior public sector banker said, We ought to start making recoveries to boost our profits. Banks cannot be sitting on NPAs (non-performing assets) and wait for the insolvency process as it keeps getting delayed.

The sale process also comes after the Supreme Court asked banks to not proceed with the insolvency process for assets in the power, shipping, textile and sugar sectors.

In the first quarter of 2018-19, the state-owned banks cumulatively made a total recovery of Rs 36,551 crore, almost half of the entire 2017-18. As a large share of this recovery was contributed by the sale of Bhushan Steel under insolvency, and because the rest of the resolution processes are stuck, banks are worried about the recoveries going forward.

Banks are also bleeding with heavy losses in their quarterly financial results, though an improvement was seen in the first quarter of 2018-19. Losses declined from Rs 62,682 crore in Q4 2017-18 stood, to Rs 16,617 crore in the April to June period.

SBI has now put up Essar Steels exposure of Rs 12,000 crore on sale after it withdrew last week. Apart from that, Rohit Ferro Tech (Rs 1,320 crore), Indian Steel Corporation (Rs 929 crore) Bilt Graphic Paper Products (Rs 270 crore), Jai Balaji Industries (Rs 859 crore) and Sona Alloys (Rs 649 crore) among others, are up for sale to ARCs, according to a notice on its website.

Most of the offers are on at least 50 percent cash basis and these accounts are either facing insolvency or are in the process of being admitted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

In June, Bank of Baroda had moved to sell its Rs 1,200-crore exposure in Essar Steel to Hong Kong-based loan and bond trading firm SC Lowy. It is now planning to sell its exposure of about Rs 300-400 crore to Bhushan Power.

Punjab National Bank has put nearly two dozen non-performing accounts (NPAs) on sale to recover over Rs 1,320 crore.

Since September 12, Bank of India has put on sale its NPAs including exposures to Essar Steel, Bhushan Power and Alok Industries, amounting to Rs 10,000 crore.

All three accounts, part of the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) first list of 12 large NPAs to be referred to the insolvency courts, remain unresolved over a year since the list was issued amid several rounds of litigation.

So far, of the 12 cases, resolutions have reached a final closure only in the cases of Bhushan Steel, Electrosteel Steels and Monnet Ispat & Energy.

Essar Steel tangle

Currently, Essar Steel has attracted bids that are almost 90 percent of the loan amount. The bids are led by ArcelorMittal, which has offered Rs 42,000 crore. The company is now fighting a case in the Supreme Court on its eligibility aspect. The asset has undergone several rounds of litigations since last year in August when it was filed in the NCLT.

A senior official from Bank of India said this delay for Essar Steel is worrisome as the liquidation date is approaching on October 11.

Indian Overseas Bank had earlier sold its Rs 1,600 crore-loan exposure in Essar Steel to Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction company.

As on September 10, Edelweiss ARC accounted for Rs 14,666 crore of the Rs 49,394-crore worth claims of all Essar Steels financial creditors put together.

Yes, the offers on sale by banks have substantially increased. Most bankers are apprehensive about the way the resolution process is progressing. They are also under pressure to clean up their books. Yet, it remains to be seen how much will be sold by them as the pricing mismatch still remains, said the chairman of an ARC.S Srinivasan is not a usual entrepreneur. You can call him an activist entrepreneur. Srinivasan runs a pharma company and at the same time, raises his voice against industry practices he deems are harmful for customers.

The recent ban on 329 fixed-dose combination drugs by the government citing lack of therapeutic justification, came as a vindication for efforts by him and the All India Drug Action Network, to promote rational use of medicines in the country.

Srinivasan and his team at AIDAN have been working as a pressure group to bring curtains down on hundreds of irrational FDCs that have no scientific basis, and only serve the commercial interests of pharma companies and a section of doctors. This they have done through advocacy, and since 2003, through legal methods as a petitioner in the Supreme Court.

An FDC is a cocktail of two or more active drug ingredients in a medicine.

The government ban mostly covered drug cocktails for treating cold and cough, antibiotics, painkillers, anti-depressants, diabetic drugs, among others with sales of around Rs 1,040 crore accounting 0.8 percent of the total Indian pharmaceutical market in the year ended August 2018, according to pharmaceutical market research firm AIOCD.

The ban will hit several popular brands, including Piramal's pain medication brand Saridon, MacLeods' antifungal cream Panderm Plus, Lupin's anti-diabetes tablet Gluconorm PG, and antibiotic Taxim AZ of Alkem.

Another 15 (mostly) cold and cough brands managed to escape the ban, as the court felt they had been in existence for a long time: before even 1988. These are said to be worth over Rs 75o crore including brands such as Abbott's Phensedyl Cough Linctus, Griffon's Grilinctus, Ciplas Cofdex, Nocold and Bromolin, Glenmarks Ascoril C, Intas' Despol and Reckitt Benckiser's D-Cold Total.

The Supreme Court, however, left it open to the government to carry out a fresh inquiry into the safety of these 15 pre-1988 FDCs if it so chose to ban them.

The decision has made an impact. Moneycontrol has learned that drug makers like Pfizer and MacLeods Pharmaceuticals have started reformulating their products to ensure compliance. While a top executive of a large drug maker who didn't want to be named said his company has reviewed its respiratory portfolio and decided to drop some of the products falling under the ban.

Emails seeking comments written to Piramal, Cipla and Lupin remained unanswered at the time of publishing this article. DG Shah, Secretary General of industry body Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) declined to comment.

S Srinivasan, Founder of Locost and Co-Convenor of AIDAN

Srinivasan, 66, graduated from IIT Kharagpur and IIM Bangalore, and studied epidemiology at John Hopkins University.

Those impeccable academic credentials would have put him in charge of a large pharmaceutical company with billions of dollars in revenue but Srinivasan chose a different path.

He co-founded a not-for-profit pharmaceutical firm called Low Cost Standard Therapeutics (Locost) based in Vadodara, along with a group of like-minded people, many of whom were doctors practising community medicine in remote rural areas.

Srinivasan says Locost makes just enough money to sustain itself and pay salaries to its employees, and shuns the "nonsense" of FDCs and other unhealthy marketing practices.

Srinivasan adds that Locost gave him a locus standi about the issues related drugs and regulation in the country.

He says the laxity of drug regulators, greed of pharma companies and commercial interests of some doctors over the years have led to the proliferation of irrational and unscientific FDCs.

Along with like-minded individuals that included Gopal Dabade, a surgeon and health activist, Srinivasan set up AIDAN in 1982. It was a year later that he founded Locost, which is run by a trust.

"WHO and all standard pharmacology textbooks don't generally recommend combination drugs, except in 25 cases. In those cases too they have solid reasons and circumstances that are desirable for allowing such FDCs," Srinivasan says.

While those 25 cases are restricted to specific diseases like HIV, hepatitis-C, malaria and tuberculosis, in India, estimates say that least one in two medications sold will be some kind of a combination drug.

FDC's proliferation

There are many reasons, including to gain market, bypass price controls and lack of regulatory oversight.

For instance, a common analgesic paracetamol is added with anti-histamine levocitirizen; nasal decongestant phenylephrine and stimulant caffeine in a single pill and is sold as a complete solution for cold. Here the drug maker is capturing the market for four drugs.

In addition, this combination will also bypass price control as it is considered as a new drug. This drug isn't tested and may not even have necessary market approvals.

"The truth is that a paracetamol is a paracetamol. There are 100-200 players competing in paracetamol. To capture a slice of the market, companies started adding others ingredients and gave it names such as plus or advance," Srinivasan says.

The Kokate Committee, which was constituted has reviewed around 6220 FDCs, and found 963 as irrational and 1629 needed further expert deliberation. It recommended 344 FDCs for the ban.

Srinivas points to several problems with combination drugs including lack of data available on drug-drug interaction, different half lives of the ingredients and side-effects.

While quality testing of a single drug is well established, a combination is still complex. In addition, there is the risk of drug resistance in cases of antibiotic combinations. The problem is compounded by the fact that India doesn't have robust pharmcovigilance or a system to monitor adverse reaction of drugs.

Srinivasan alleges that some large MNC drugmakers who were not allowed to market these combinations in their home markets take the liberty in India to market such drugs.

Background: No easy case

In an attempt to weed out irrational drug combinations from the Indian market, in March 2016 the government banned 344 FDCs, estimated to have impacted around 6,000 brands.

The ban was imposed after a six-member expert committee led by Prof Chandrakant Kokate declared them unsafe for human health.

Pharmaceutical companies hit back.

The drug makers immediately challenged the governments ban. The Delhi high court was flooded by some 450 petitions seeking relief from the ban.

The ban was challenged by drug companies on grounds that the government action was unilateral and didn't give them sufficient hearing before it went ahead with the prohibition notification. They also argued that the government had failed to consult statutory authorities like the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) for the ban.

"The court was providing a stay (on the ban) like it was distributing biscuits," Srinivasan says.

The government then moved the Supreme Court to club all FDC drugs ban cases for hearing.

AIDAN pleaded the case supporting a ban, and helped the government build a strong case.

Srinivasan says the government's additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain put up a 'brilliant show,' not getting intimidated by a battery of eminent lawyers and reputed law firms engaged by pharma companies.

The apex court in its order in December last year clarified that for the exercise of powers under Section 26 (A) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the DTAB need not be mandatorily consulted by the government in order to be convinced of reasons for banning a medicine.

However, to the disappointment of the petitioners supporting the ban, the court still insisted that the government constitute an expert body to review the banned FDC drugs before taking further action. The court gave six months for the process.

A sub-committee of DTAB, headed by Nilima Kshirsagar, the Chair in Clinical Pharmacology of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Mumbai, was formed to undertake a fresh review of the banned FDCs to verify their safety, efficacy and therapeutic justification.

The Kshirsagar committee once again recommended the ban. For Srinivasan and AIDAN, it was a sweet moment.

Two decades of wait

AIDAN first filed PILs way back in 2003 against irrational combinations.

In 2007, the government ordered states to withdraw 294 combinations that were in the market without the approval of the central government. Drug companies and industry associations used legal means to push back the governments order.

But it was the 59th report on the functioning of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare that gave a huge boost to the fight, says Srinivasan.

The 31-member Standing Committee chaired by Brijesh Pathak had half a dozen doctors and a dentist. The report was tabled was tabled before Parliament in May 2012, and devoted considerable space to FDCs.

The lawmakers observed in the report that manufacturing licenses for a large number of FDCs were being issued by the State Drug Authorities, without prior approval of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), in violation of rules.

The committee also noted that multiple FDCs, which are available in India had been rejected by the drug regulators in Europe, North America, and Australia, while for many others never had marketing approval applications submitted outside India

It found out cases of apparent nexus that exists between drug manufacturers and many experts whose opinion matters in the decision-making process at the CDSCO.

Pointing to one case, the standing committee noted: "Nothing can be more outrageous than clinical trial approval given to the Fixed Dose Combination of aceclofenac with drotaverine which is not permitted in any developed country of North America, Europe or Australia."

"In this case, vide his letter number 12-298/06-DC dated 12-2-2007, an official of CDSCO advised the manufacturer, Themis Medicare Ltd. not only to select experts but get their opinions and deliver them to the office of DCGI. No wonder that many experts gave letters of recommendation in identical language apparently drafted by the interested drug manufacturer," the committee report noted.

The report put pressure on the government to act with civil society, courts and MPs starting to ask questions on the action taken.

The report of Standing Committee ultimately led to constitution of Kokate Committee.

But Srinivasan says AIDAN's job is not over yet. The body wants to fight till all irrational FDCs are taken out of the market.With 160 deals, IT and ITES was the busiest sector followed by manufacturing and healthcare (47). The banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) space was third, recording 41 deals. Let's take a look at the biggest mergers and acquisitions in India this year. (Representative image)

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

The central government has announced the proposal to merge three public sector lenders - Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank.

The combined lending entity will be India's third largest globally competitive bank, said Rajeev Kumar, Secretary - Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance in a media address on September 17.

According to the government's estimates, Net non-performing asset (NNPA) ratio of the combined entity will be at 5.71 percent, which will be significantly better than PSB average (12.13 percent). Also, Capital Adequacy Ratio (CRAR) will be at 12.25 percent, which will be "significantly" above the regulatory norm of 10.875 percent.

"Stronger amalgamated bank will be better positioned to tap capital markets," said the statement.

During April-June quarter, Dena Bank reported gross non-performing asset (GNPA) of 22.69 percent of total advances while net NPA (NNPA) was 11.04 percent; Vijaya Bank's GNPA was 6.19 percent and NNPA 4.10 percent. Bank of Baroda's GNPA was 12.46 percent and NNPA was 5.4 percent.

At the end of March 2018, total NPAs in the banking sector was approximately Rs 10 lakh crore.

The proposal will now need to be passed by the boards of individual banks. The banks' boards will shortly meet and take up the decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after Kumar's statements.

Jaitley added, "While making this suggestion we have borne in mind that we don't have the amalgamation of weak banks...the amalgamated entity's lending ability will be higher."

The announcement to merge the three banks was made after the latest meeting on alternative mechanism. The meetings were initiated last year to consider consolidation in the banking sector.

The Modi government had announced the consolidation of public sector banks in 2016 owing to mounting non-performing assets. The plan was to cut down the number of PSBs by half from 21 to about 10-12 banks.

After the process, Dena Bank, which is under the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework, is expected to function as a regular bank.

"Dena bank would no longer be covered under PCA after amalgamation," said Bank of Baroda Managing Director, PS Jayakumar.

He said the process of amalgamation could take four to six months to complete.

Banks under PCA are prohibited from fresh lending, paying dividends and distributing profits. They are also required to keep an eye on provisioning on bad loans.

"The envisaged amalgamation will be the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India with a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, making it Indias third-largest bank," said a statement released by the ministry.

Until the amalgamation process is complete, the three banks will continue to work as independent banks, Rajeev Kumar said.

Jaitley pointed out the decision to merge these banks was the third step in the entire process of banking consolidation. "First we merged the State Bank of India with its five subsidiaries and then the life insurance corporation proposed to take over IDBI Bank... This is the third step now," he said.

He said the government considered the "capacity to subsume a relatively weaker bank into a merged entity" as the "principal factor" before selecting the three banks.

"One of the banks is under PCA. Therefore, we want to save all these banks. We want to ensure that the merged entity is stronger entity... We dont want a merger of weak banks... Subsequent to this merger, the sustainable lending ability will be far higher. This amalgamated entity will increase banking operations, Jaitley said. The merged bank will be "stronger, sustainable, greater banking operations and will have a better lending capacity," he added.

Reacting to the announcement, Ashvin Parekh, Managing Partner at Ashvin Parekh Advisory Services said, I think this is a bold move. The synergies are only on paper. Good amount of efforts will be required by the banks to make the synergies work.

Parekh said the merger process, if approved, will take at least 3-4 quarters to complete and given the quality of loan book and NPA being an issue for all banks, the merger will be a challenging task.

A former Bank of Baroda chairman said, With the changing technology, clearly there is no need for more banks in the country given they are in the same business. I am happy with the selection of the banks as both Bank of Baroda and Vijaya Bank are relatively stronger banks. The weaker Dena Bank has a culture similar to Bank of Baroda, which can have some more business in the southern part of India.Pakistan has refuted media reports that it has expressed readiness to talk on the restoration of the India-Afghanistan trade route using its land.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi rejected the reports after US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass was quoted as saying by an Indian newspaper that Pakistan had approached Afghanistan earlier this year and indicated its willingness to resume trade between Afghanistan and India through its land.

"Pakistan has not agreed to consider Afghanistan-India trade through our land," Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

Pakistan does not allow India to use the land route for trading with Afghanistan, arguing that "technical and strategic" issues connected to transit trade should be resolved first.

Bass was quoted as saying by the Indian daily that "A couple of months ago, for the first time the Pakistani government expressed a willingness to start talks with its Afghan counterparts for parameters to enabling trade between India and Afghanistan through Pakistan."

Bass reportedly said that a political settlement in Afghanistan was in Pakistan's long-term interest.

"Increased trade in both directions, increased connectivity through central and south Asia through Afghanistan those are all missed opportunities if Pakistan has its sole focus on perpetuating the status quo, he said.

The US ambassador said that Indian firms had been investing heavily in Afghanistan's growth. Increased trade, connectivity through Central and South Asia through Afghanistan were all missed opportunities as a result of the prevalence of status quo.Salil Parekh

Infosys is looking at inorganic growth through acquisitions, in spite of the controversies surrounding its buyout of Israeli software firm Panaya, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salil Parekh told a leading business daily.

In an interview with the Business Standard, Parekh said that the mergers and acquisitions team at India's second largest software exporter was 'shortlisting 15-20 companies'. It expects to close a few of those deals over the next 12-24 months, Parekh said.

Infosys has a clear idea of where it wants to grow, and would acquire entities that are agreeable to the company, its board and market, Parekh told the newspaper.

Parekh further said there was "huge appetite" for cloud-based, software-as-a-service, data analytics, user experience, cybersecurity and Internet of Things (IoT) based companies.

Infosys has, after Parekh's joining in January, made two acquisitions -- US-based creative and consumer insights agency Wongdoody and more recently Fluido, a Salesforce advisor and consulting partner in Nordics.

It has also partnered with Australian Open and formed a joint venture with Temasek, the global investment company headquartered in Singapore.

In April, the IT firm said it would hive off Kallidus, Skava and Panaya, and look for potential buyers by March 2019. All three were acquisitions made under previous CEO Vishal Sikka.

The sale of Panaya was mired in controversy after a whistleblower claimed the deal was overvalued and alleged that former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Rajiv Bansal was given an unusually high severance package as hush money since he was not in favour of the acquisition.

Parekh told the newspaper that issues of corporate governance were becoming a thing of the past and that Infosys was returning to a "stable phase" under non-executive chairman of the Board and co-founder Nandan Nilekani.

Corporate governance was the thorny issue that eventually led to his predecessor's exit from the company.IPO

An initial public offering (IPO), a route for raising funds from the market, is the first sale of shares by a company to the public, institutional investors and HNIs.

After the initial share sale, the company is no longer privately held. It becomes a public listed company with shares that are traded on a stock exchange.

In August, 11 companies approached markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with IPO proposals, and are estimated to raise more than Rs 7,000 crore.

So far in 2018, about 21 IPOs have raised a total of about Rs 28,000 crore.

What are the alternatives to an IPO?

A company can choose to remain private and raise funds from angel investors and venture capitalists.

Approaching private equity (PE) is also an option that companies frequently consider.

Why does a company file for an IPO?

There are several advantages of a company choosing to change its status from a privately-held to a public-listed company.

#To raise funds from a wider pool of investors

#Facilitate mergers & acquisitions

#Gain visibility

#Provide an exit for early investors

There are also a few cons of a company becoming a listed company.

The company will have to make their financial statements and accounts open to the public, and comply with market regulations.

The company will also have to bear more costs for accounting, marketing, and legal issues & services.

What makes a company eligible for an IPO?

For listing on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) or the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), a company has to have a minimum paid-up capital of Rs 10 crore. Also, the post-issue market capitalisation should not be less than Rs 25 crore.

Among other requirements, there has to be at least three years track record of either - applicant seeking listing; or the promoters/promoting company, according to the NSE website.

Terms associated with IPOs

Price Band and Fixed Price IPO: A price band is the range of the price at which the stock can be issued for the first time.

Some companies decide to fix the issue price for their initial share sale, making it a fixed price IPO.

Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP): This is the document that gets circulated to the public after SEBI gives an IPO the green signal.

The document contains details of the initial share offer and crucial details about the company such as financial information and risks associated with the business.

Undersubscription and Oversubscription: An IPO is undersubscribed if the bids received are less than the number of shares offered. Oversubscription happens when the bids exceed the number of shares on offer.

Green Shoe Option: This is an option for over-allotment, included in the underwriting agreement. This allows the issuer to release additional shares in the event of oversubscription.

What is the process of filing for an IPO?

#Appoint a merchant banker

A merchant banker, or Book Running Lead Manager (BRLM) underwrites the companys shares, buying all or some of the IPO shares and selling them to the public.

A merchant banker helps the company with the IPO process, assisting with the due diligence, DRHP and IPO roadshow.

The underwriters bear the risk of the transaction.

#File for the IPO and get SEBI nod

In India, companies have to file for an IPO with SEBI. The application needs to include the documents listed for the IPO Vetting Process, which includes the DRHP, details of the promoters and the company's annual reports.

The initial listing fees is Rs 50,000 and the subsequent annual listing fees will depend on the paid-up share capital of the company.

#Prepare the DRHP

#Market the IPO: This is typically done through advertisements to raise awareness about the company's offering. The process is also called the IPO roadshow.

#Fixing the price band and book building: Once the price band has been decided, the merchant banker or underwriter of the share offer decides the IPO price.

For three days, the company's shares are open to the public for subscription.

#Listing Day: The company begins trading on the stock exchange at a listed price, which is based on market demand for the issue.Asian Paints Ltd

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Paint companies including Asian Paints and Kansai Nerolac Paints were down 1-2 percent despite research house Citi remained positive on revenue growth prospects of Indian paints industry.

Weak rupee and price hardening of raw materials are the major negatives.

It think that paint companies would take price hikes in October/November.

The companies could see downside risks to earnings if cost push sustains or price hikes are delayed, it feels.

Mazhar Mohammad of Chartviewindia.in has maintained buy on Asian Paints with a target of Rs 1390 in the short term.

At 14:40 hrs Asian Paints was quoting at Rs 1,305, down Rs 26, or 1.95 percent and Kansai Nerolac Paints was quoting at Rs 473.50, down Rs 7.50, or 1.56 percent on the BSE.

Posted by Rakesh PatilNSE Building_

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

The 2008 financial crisis, which led to the destruction of wealth not just in India but across the globe, left many in hope of price recovery. Globally, stock markets lost $37 trillion in market value.

In India, the S&P BSE Sensex crashed 60 percent from the peak while foreign investors (FIIs) sold and exited resulting in capital outflows of over $12 billion leading to INR depreciation of nearly 25 percent.

Indian market bottomed out in October 2008 and has since then rallied over 400 percent, while there are many stocks which have given 10,000-50,000% returns since then.

But, there are nearly 500 stocks on the BSE which are still trading below 2008 valuations. Many stocks in the banking space have faced the heat which includes Bank of India, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Allahabad Bank, Andhra Bank, Corporation Bank, and Union Bank of India, according to data compiled from AceEquity.

Other prominent stocks which are trading below 2008 price level are Reliance Capital, NMDC, SAIL, Hindustan Copper, McNally Bharat, HCL Infosystems, BF Utilities, Asian Hotels, Zuari Global, Aban Offshore, and BGR Energy, etc. among others.

Investors who are still stuck with stocks which are trading below 2008 valuations should reconsider their decision. Because post-2008 crisis bulls took charge and pushed the index to record highs while at the company level we saw massive unlocking of value.

If stocks are still trading below 2008 levels it could be due to internal reasons as all the external factors are taken care of, suggest experts.

HOPE is a kind of biasness that actually halts an investor or trader's capability to take out good returns. It is one of those crucial psychological barriers that is very important to come. Even on a flipside, there is a holding of an investor that is since 2008 then it comes under the biases of being anchored to information or data that is no more relevant, Mustafa Nadeem, CEO, Epic Research told Moneycontrol.

Why? Because the bullish rally we have seen in last 10 years has been one of the best bullish rallies in last few decades that is not just isolated to EM or DM but rather widespread. If there is any company that is even below 2008 levels it is purely the internal factor that is inside the organization that may be Management, Vision, Business Model or a debt that is too high to Service. Classic Examples are Suzlon, JP Associates etc, he said.

We have collated a sample of 40 stocks which are trading below 2008 price level:

When to buy & sell?

The decision to make a buy or a sell decision is very tough especially when everything is falling. Analysts recall their experience of 2008 crisis which nothing less than shocking.

My personal experience during that time was that every trade taken in favor of bears was making money fast. Towards the end as we came closer to 2000 (Nifty), even with options it was dangerous to c/f positions overnight, so restricted our trades to intraday, Shubham Agarwal, CEO & Head of Research at Quantsapp Private Limited told Moneycontrol.

One thing became very clear during that time though. Do not stand on the track when the train is coming through. The biggest learning of taking trades only in favor of trend came out of the final move in this period, he said.

The days of the Lehman crisis were amongst the most painful days experienced by investors in the past decade. Many investors were unable to suffer the pain of losses in their portfolios and exited their holdings as the sell-off intensified.

The worst mistakes were made by investors that sold into the bad news, only to watch markets roar back in 2009. So, one key lesson that investors need to ponder is a methodology that enables them to sidestep the meaningful pain that is encountered during sell-offs, Sunil Sharma, Chief Investment Officer, Sanctum Wealth Management.

There are a few different approaches, and one will make sense to an investor based on their investment and risk preferences. Time and again, buy and hold in India has proven to be an extremely profitable decision, he said. Sharma further added that Buy and Hold makes sense, if youre buying quality at a reasonable price.Hyderabad Industries (HIL), the building material solutions provider, reported a strong quarterly performance in Q1 FY19. Topline growth was driven by volume growth across multiple product lines. The bottomline benefitted from improvement in gross margin. It benefitted from the introduction of Goods & Services Tax (GST). The management expects growth momentum to continue going forward as the company is consistently expanding its product portfolio to cater to the growing demand of the building materials industry.

Revenue for the quarter gone by increased 23 percent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 496 crore. Operating profit grew 32 percent YoY to Rs 84 crore in Q1 FY19. Operating margin expanded 16.9 percent as it benefitted from lower inventory, which offset higher brand development-related expenditure. Profit after tax (PAT) came in higher at Rs 52 crore in comparison to Rs 37 crore in the same quarter last year.

Q1 is traditionally the peak season for roofing solutions as sales pick-up ahead of the monsoon. Sales growth of 14 percent in this segment was aided by 8 percent volume growth in asbestos cement sheets.

Building solutions sales jumped 37 percent during Q1. Autoclaved Aerated Concrete blocks, which suffered on account of demonetisation and GST rollout, recorded a volume growth of 12 percent. Similarly, board and panel volumes jumped over 20 percent during Q1.

While blocks and panels plant capacities are running near optimum utilisation (90 percent), the same for panels is nearing 80 percent of capacity.

Roofing sheets, the major revenue and profit contributor for the company, has witnessed stagnation in sales in recent years. To cater to growing demand in infrastructure and construction, the company is gradually expanding capacities across product lines and diversifying its revenue stream by launching new products.

The company has recently launched Charminar Fortune (asbestos-free roofing product) to cater to the requirements of institutional customers. The initial response for this product has been very good and HIL expects Charminar to have a substantial financial impact from H2 FY19.

Earlier this year, the company started commercial production of SWR (soil, waste and rain) and pressure pipes at Faridabad (Haryana). The new 5,000 tonne U-PVC (un-plasticized polyvinyl chloride) and C-PVC pipe (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) plant at Golan (Gujarat) will start contributing to topline and bottomline from Q2 onwards. Capacity expansion of 7,000 tonne in this product line is being planned at Thimmapur (Telangana). This will propel the total pipe capacity to 30,000 tonne.

HIL has acquired Germany-based Parador Holdings for an enterprise value of 82.8 million euro. Parador designs, manufactures and distributes flooring solutions to customers across 65 countries. The company has 2 manufacturing facilities located in Germany and Austria.

The cash consideration for the acquisition is 72.3 million euro and will be used to repay loans of 19.3 million euro. The balance amount will be paid to existing shareholders.

The company is funding the acquisition through a combination of equity and debt. Around 40 percent of total debt (Rs 350 crore or 42 million euro) is being financed from Europe and the balance 60 percent is being availed through Indian banks. The blended cost of borrowing will be around 5 percent due to low interest costs prevailing in Europe.

In terms of financials, Parador reported sales of around 142.2 million euro in 2017 and generated an operating profit of 10.7 million euro. The management expects the acquisition to be EPS (earnings per share) accretive and the consolidated debt-to-equity ratio to be around one times after completion of this transaction.

On the demand front, we expect the company to benefit from a normal monsoon, rationalisation in GST rates (from 28 percent to 18 percent) and pick-up in the rural economy.

For HIL, growth in topline will primarily be aided by new product lines (plumbing, pipes and putty). The recent acquisition of Parador will further expand its product and geographic footprint and position it as an integrated building solutions provider. HILs association with Chennai Super Kings during the IPL season as a sponsoring partner has improved its brand image and visibility. On the cost front, the margin will continue to gain from economies of scale, but prices of raw materials (cement and fly ash) needs to be monitored closely.

The stock price has witnessed a near 40 percent rally in the last two months and current valuations (around 19 times FY19 price-to-earnings and 13 times FY19 enterprise value-to-earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and appreciation (EV/EBITDA) appears a little stretched for entry from a near term perspective. We therefore advise long term investors to keep this stock on radar and accumulate this stock on a correction.

Follow @Sach_Pallive bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Jamna Auto Industries (JAI), a leading spring manufacturer and supplier to commercial vehicles (CV) majors, has posted a strong growth in net sales and profit-after-tax (PAT) in Q1 FY19. Despite the significant rise in raw material (RM) prices, it posted operating margin expansion on year-on-year (YoY) basis.

With marquee clientele in its kitty and strong financials, the company is well placed and deserves investor attention. Recent correction in the stock has made valuations attractive for the long term.

In Q1 FY19, the company posted a 107.1 percent YoY growth in net revenue. It was supported by strong growth emanating from medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) segment and low base of last year ahead of implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Despite the significant rise in raw material prices, the company posted an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin expansion of 216 basis points and 146.9 percent growth in EBITDA. Margin expansion was led by operating leverage and lower operating and employee costs. Profit-after-tax (PAT) witnessed a significant YoY growth of 129.9 percent.

Key growth drivers

JAI has a dominant position in CV springs and commands around 69 percent market share as of Q1 FY19-end. The company supplies to whos who of the industry.The management continues to focus on R&D to continue to be ahead of the curve. In fact, it is the only company with a spring R&D centre in India. The company is investing to upgrade its information technology infrastructure, which is to be implemented across the company.

JAI gets its technical competence from its technical association with US-based Ridwell Corporation, a global leader in design and manufacturing of air suspensions and lift axles. It has also signed a technology transfer pact with Tinsley Bridge, UK.

After regulatory challenges, starting with demonetisation, followed by Bharat Stage IV implementation and GST-led disruption, CV demand has increased sharply. In FY18, it witnessed domestic volume growth of 19.9 percent versus 14.2 percent growth for the overall industry.

Despite the new axle load norms, momentum in CV demand continues. JAI, being the largest player in supplying suspension springs to CV, would continue to gain from the upcycle in this segment.

The company is likely to remain unaffected by the electric vehicle disruption going forward as the products it manufactures are immune to the adoption of EVs.JAL also has strong presence in aftermarket (15-18 percent market share) in India. Post-GST, the company has been witnessing strong demand in aftermarket led by a shift from unorganised to organised player due to lower price differential. It is now aggressively expanding its distribution network to touch its 30-35 percent market share target in the next couple of years.In an efforts to de-risk its dependence on a single product, the management continues to add new products to its kitty. Currently, it has four new products - stabiliser bar, u bolt, z spring, and trailer suspension -under development.There is an increasing adoption of parabolic leaf springs by major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) given the need for lighter products ahead of BS VI adoption. This augurs well for JAI as it has greater dominance in that space, with over 90 percent market share.In terms of capacity, JAI is the second-largest manufacturer across the globe with an installed capacity of 240,000 units across 9 manufacturing units. The management plans to open 2 more plants to service additional demand. The company has 2 upcoming plants, 1 each in Indore and Adityapur.The recent correction in the stock has made valuations attractive. The stock is currently trading at 19.9 and 16.2 times FY19 and FY20 projected earnings, respectively. We advise investors to buy the stock with an eye on the long term.

Follow @NitinAgrawal65In a major blow to vehicle owners, petrol prices crossed Rs 82 per litre mark in Delhi with a jump of 15 paise per litre today. The revised price for a litre of petrol was recorded at Rs 82.06 in the national capital on September 17.

Diesel also continued its upward march and increased by six paise to reach Rs 73.78 per litre today, according to a price notification issued by state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

IN PICS | Petrol prices at a record high in India: Check how much it costs around the world

The fuel prices were higher in Mumbai where the petrol and diesel are marching towards the Rs 90 per litre and Rs 79 per litre marks, respectively. Petrol in Mumbai now costs Rs 89.44/litre, up 15 paise/litre from September 16, when the price was Rs 89.29/litre.

The hike in the price of a litre of diesel was seven paise in Mumbai on September 17. Diesel now costs Rs 78.33/litre in the city.

Petrol & Diesel Rates Yesterday Petrol Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 110 110 View more Diesel Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 94 94 View more Show

The hike was slightly higher in Chennai, as compared to Mumbai and Delhi. The increase in petrol price was 16 paise/litre in the city, reaching a new high of Rs 85.31/litre. Diesel is priced at Rs 78/litre after recording an increase of six paise.

Another metropolitan city Kolkata followed the other cities. The revised prices were Rs 83.91/litre up 15 paise and Rs 75.63/litre up six paise for petrol and diesel, respectively.

Fuel prices have been on a rise since mid-August, rising almost every day due to a combination of a depreciation in rupee against the US dollar and the rise in global crude oil prices.

Rising fuel prices of the fuel have drawn criticism from the Congress and other opposition parties, who recently called for a nationwide shutdown to protest against it.

On September 16, the Congress took a dig at the BJP government over rising prices of petrol and diesel, saying they were headed towards a century and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be congratulated for it.

Yoga guru Ramdev has also cautioned that price rise across the country, if not controlled soon, may prove costly for the Modi government in the next general elections.The Western bench of the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) has so far heard 300 cases on incomplete real estate projects since its first hearing a fortnight ago.

It now plans to appoint an adjudicating officer to decide on compensation matters and a reconciliation officer to resolve cases through amicable out-of-court settlements as in the case of MahaRERA, a senior UP RERA member told Moneycontrol.

We have so far received 3,340 complaints pertaining to 722 projects in Uttar Pradesh. As many as 70 percent of projects are from Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. Majority of complaints are with regard to non-delivery of projects and commitment not met by builders. Homebuyers either want delivery of homes along with interest penalty or have given up hope and want their money back with interest, says Balwinder Kumar, member UP RERA bench.

UP has two benches  one in Greater Noida and the other in Lucknow. Hearings are being held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays have been reserved for interactions with Noida, Greater Noida and other agencies for negotiations. The Greater Noida bench started work on September 4.

Uttar Pradesh has 2,449 projects registered in the state, out of which 1,240 ongoing projects are in NCR and 1,209 outside of NCR.

Our first priority is to ensure that home buyers get their homes. In cases where there is scope to revive projects and complete them, we may appoint a reconciliation officer, who may be a retired officer, a reputed lawyer or a bureaucrat. He may be called upon to arrive at an amicable resolution between two parties out of the ambit of RERA first as it happens under MahaRERA, he says.

In case the process fails, then UP RERA will pass appropriate orders, he says.

An adjudicating officer may also be appointed soon. He may be a retired district judge who may be called upon to hear cases and pass orders with regard to compensation, says Kumar.

He points out the authority is also within its powers to issue orders with regard to penalty interest. If the promoter does not pay the money to buyers, the authority can issue a recovery certificate to the concerned district magistrate who can then take steps to recover the amount from the concerned builder by either selling his assets or through liquidation, he says.

The Western UP bench has been hearing matters since September 4. While one bench has heard cases pertaining to Earth Infrastructure, the other has heard the Supertech case.

We will be passing orders within the stipulated time period of 60 days. In case of the Earth Infrastructure matter, since the promoters are in jail, we may have to pass an ex-parte order in favour of homebuyers, he says.

The bench is not in favour of taking up cases that are currently being heard in the Supreme Court. We are not taking cases being heard in the Supreme Court, especially if there are specific directions that have been issued by the apex court. Even if there are no specific directions but it has been seized of the matter, we are not taking up the matter, says Kumar.

Many projects have been delayed due to lack of last mile funding. The Greater Noida Authority is also deliberating to make the project settlement policy simple so that more people can benefit under the policy. RERA would also try and facilitate and ensure more people benefit from such policy measures, he says.

UP RERA also plans to take up quality issues separately. We also intend checking the quality of housing projects that are registered under RERA, he says.

With regard to grievances against past projects that are not registered with RERA, Kumar says that the priority of UP RERA is to first ensure that all pending cases of registered projects be heard at least once. Where a completion certificate has been issued then our policy as of now is that we are not taking up those projects.Online home design and furnishing startup, HomeLane which is currently present across top cities, plans to expand to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in 2020, to benefit from the rise in construction in smaller towns, according to a top executive of the company.

"By 2020, I am thinking of probably looking at Tier 2 and 3 (cities)," said Srikanth Iyer, Co-founder, and Chief Executive Officer, HomeLane told Moneycontrol at the launch of its first experience centre in Gurgaon.

The company is planning to have a hub at a central location and eventually distribute products to small cities.

"I am interested in building something for the common man and the middle class in India. The idea is not only to (cater to customers) in Tier 1 but also in Tier 2-3 markets," said Iyer.

HomeLane which now has eight experience centres in the country plans to invest Rs 9 crore only in Delhi NCR in next six months to open new centres in Noida, South Delhi and Faridabad.

The plan is to capture 7-10 percent of the market over the next 3 years. Other players in the furniture space include firms like Mumbai-based Pepperfry and Bangalore-based UrbanLadder. While Pepperfry last raised Rs 250 crore from the US-based financial services firm, State Street Global Advisors, Urban Ladder raised over Rs 77 crore from investors such as Kalaari Capital, SAIF Partners, Sequoia Capital and Steadview Capital in March in an internal round.

HomeLane on the other hand, last raised Rs 24 crore from Brand Capital in June as an extension to its previous $10 million funding round led by Accel Partners, last year.

HomeLane offers a virtual design platform from where customers can select things like the design of a modular kitchen, a wardrobe or other home design products. Once the order is placed, the designers from HomeLane help the customers in getting the furniture customised and installed in their houses. The company claims to be delivering the products within 45 days. The price of products ranges between Rs 1-6 lakh.

The experience centre launched in Gurgaon will help the customers to touch and feel the products while a dedicated designer will help them to personalise it for themselves.

HomeLane also has its in-house software called SpaceCraft. It helps the customer and designer to view their design online along with the quotation of it.live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Here are the stocks that are in news today:

Reliance Industries: Subsidiary Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL) purchased an additional stake of 3.10 percent equity holding in Genesis Colors (GCL) for a consideration of Rs 8.39 crore, taking its total stake in GCL to 19.63 percent. The aggregate equity shareholding of RRVL and Reliance Brands in GCL stands at 69.10 percent.

Infosys to acquire Fluido, the largest salesforce consulting partner in Nordics

Century Textiles & Industries: Board has appointed RK Dalmia as a Whole-time Director of the company for a period of three years; Snehal Shah has been appointed as a Chief Financial Officer of the company in place of RK Dalmia.

IRCON International IPO opens for subscription. The company offers 99.05 lakh shares at a price of Rs 470-475 per share

Shri Bajrang Power and Ispat files DRHP with SEBI, to raise Rs 500 cr via IPO

MEP Infrastructure Developers: Toll Tax Department extended period of suspension of collection of toll tax from any of the specified commercial vehicle till September 30, 2018 owing to pending of completion of installation of Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) work. The settlement of claims, if any, will be dealt as per the provisions of the Contract Agreement executed with the authority.

Sadhana Nitrochem's board meeting on September 24 to consider stock split

Bank of India looks to raise Rs 1,000 cr from sale of non-core assets

Gammon Infrastructure Projects: Patna Buxar Highways (PBHL), erstwhile a wholly owned non-material unlisted subsidiary of the company which was sold on March 31, 2016 with the company's rights to future claims pending under arbitration, has received an amount of Rs 14.70 crore on September 14, 2018 from the National Highways Authority of India in compliance of the order passed by the Delhi High Court.

Tantia Constructions: M L Agarwala resigned from the board of company.

NBCC clarified on SC appoints NBCC to construct stalled projects of Amrapali Group that the company has not received any such order from the SC as on date

Uday Jewellery Industries: Company has started export of its speciality jewellery and has completed its first export.

Hindalco to seek shareholders' approval for Rs 6,000 cr NCDs

Arihant Superstructure - New project undertaken under development management model at Panvel

Modern Steels: As the company's Account is NPA with Punjab National Bank, company will settle the dues to PNB by paying Rs 30 crore.

Gammon India: The Court of Monza, Italy has declared the bankruptcy of the company's step down subsidiary 'SAE Powerlines S.r.l' (which is held through ATSL Holdings BV).

Voltas JV Voltbek partners with Future Supply Chain

Alok Industries: State Bank of India has withdrawn the nomination of Atanu sen from the board of directors of the company.

Wipro Gallagher Solutions and Mercury Network to jointly offer loan appraisal management platform

Dynemic Products: Company has received an environment clearance for its unit III project located at Dahej in Bharuch.

Yes Bank's Capital Raising Committee approved issue of 30,420 Rated, Listed, Non-Convertible, Redeemable, Unsecured, BASEL III compliant Tier 2 Bonds, worth of Rs 3,042 crore

Update on lawsuit filed by Copart Inc against Sparta Consulting, KPIT Infosystems & KPIT TechPost the jury verdict, both Sparta and Copart raised several issues for the CourtSparta's net liability has been reduced from approximately $16M to approximately $8M

The ruling on other issues is still awaited, Sparta would have a further right to appeal the Court's Order

Vikas Granaries: Company has planned to manufacture proppants and mining of granite and fractured debris near Jodhpur. It has given on contract 200 bighas land for mining to remove fractured debris from the ground upto 10 meters depth for a sum of Rs 29.81 crore. These revenues would be accrued during second and third quarters of FY 2019. The remaining land of approximately 100 bighas would be given for mining of fractured debris in times ahead. The estimated value of these debris is about Rs 14.90 crore.

TCI Express: ICRA reaffirmed its credit rating in respect of the company's commercial paper programme.

Kirloskar Pneumatic fixed September 27 as its share-split record date

Corporation Bank revised Marginal Cost of Funds Based Lending Rate (MCLR) w.e.f. 15.09.2018.

RCF clarified on news that company has put a proposal to GOI for post facto cabinet approval for transfer of the land

Also TDR certificates already received and likely to be received in future

Sterlite Technologies to double its optical fibre cable solutions capacity to meet global demand for network densification

Kwality - QIP issue opened on Sept 14

OBC - ICRA revised rating for upper Tier II bonds to ICRA A- from ICRA A+ and rating for lower tier II to ICRA A+ from ICRA AA-Ahead of a possible battle for market share in the online grocery space with Walmart-owned Flipkart and Amazon, BigBasket and Grofers have revived merger talks, according to a Mint report.

Investors Alibaba Group and SoftBank Group have joined hands for the same, the report said. The proposal involves BigBasket acquiring its rival.

If the deal is sealed, the merged company could raise $250 million from Alibaba Group, while Masayoshi Son-led SoftBank could infuse additional capital, the report said.

While talks with BigBasket are in early stages, Grofers continues to scout for new investors, the report stated.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story.

After a failed attempt at venturing into the online groceries space in 2016, Flipkart in August launched a service under the moniker Supermart. The company launched Supermart in Bengaluru and plans to expand the service to other metros by the year-end. The e-tailer will invest $264 million in the service over the next three years.

Following suit, Amazon set-up 15 fulfilment centres in India to assist in delivery of groceries. Flipkart too has set-up a 1.50 lakh square foot centre in Bengaluru. The e-tailer has also employed a delivery fleet for groceries.

In May, Amazon India re-branded its 'Amazon Now' service to 'Prime Now' and invested in a chill chain for products like fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy to consolidate its position in the segment against rivals BigBasket and Grofers.

Prime Now, an app-only service, is available to customers in Bengaluru, Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad.Gauri Kamath

The Union Ministry of Health has finally banned over 300 fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), which are two or more drugs combined in specific ratios. They have been ordered off the market as more than one set of experts  appointed by the government to study them  found that they had no therapeutic rationale to exist and could actually be risky to consume.

While FDCs per se are not bad, this ban is about the ones that lack scientific evidence to prove safety and efficacy. The growth of such 'irrational' FDCs in India is the outcome of a weak regulatory system unable to deal with the ill-effects of business opportunism.

The situation was in the making for years. A decade of multiple attempts by the central office of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to weed out irrational FDCs were either blocked by industry players in court or ignored by state drug regulators who share oversight of the drug industry with the Centre and approved several of these FDCs. An outmoded law and the central regulator's tardy and inconsistent approach did not help matters. Let me take these one at a time.

First, states liberally approved FDCs with scant evidence. A drug that is to be launched in the country for the first time secures the DCGI approval after providing the required safety and efficacy data. This first drug becomes a "reference" product and subsequent manufacturers of the drug have to demonstrate equivalence to this reference product for the DCGI approval.

However, once a drug has been on the market for four years, a company wanting to make such a product need only secure a manufacturing licence from a state food and drug administration. The states read this to mean that if each of the constituent drugs of an FDC had been approved by the DCGI, their combination was not "new". As a result, a plethora of FDCs, unsupported by sufficient evidence but licensed by states, flooded the Indian market. By the time the DCGI took note, the problem had gotten out of hand. When it tried reining the states in, it was initially rebuffed. Its demand for data found little traction.

Second, the law did not keep pace. Even as the market was seeing more of these launches, a framework to guide the approval of FDCs was absent. For instance, as scientific publication The Lancet reported in 2015, the DCGI had approved 41 combinations of the diabetes drug metformin with other drugs without publishing the justification for these approvals.

Third, pharma companies were known to use FDCs for business reasons. Initially, they were a means to escape price control (adding an ingredient to skirt price control norms) and later, a tool to differentiate in a market overrun with me-too drugs. For instance, by the late nineties it was clear that since India was a signatory to the intellectual property treaty of the World Trade Organization, India's companies could no longer make patented drugs by a different process after 2005.

The homegrown industry went overboard launching every pre-2005 drug it could find in order to beef up for the drought that would eventually come. In such a crowded market, FDCs helped gain doctor interest. The MNCs followed to beat them at their own game. And since there was no robust post-market surveillance/pharmacovigilance system in place, any adverse effects were probably never caught. So high were the stakes that in 2007, the DCGI had to suspend plans to ban hundreds of FDCs as the industry sued and obtained a stay.

This is not to state that companies didn't launch rational FDCs for patient benefit. They did. But even those that were being called into question in the scientific community and by the central regulator continued to be sold in India. Repeated calls for data to let them stay on market fell on deaf ears. Finally, in 2016, when the government ordered a sweeping ban on 344 FDCs after commissioning a study by experts, the industry objected in court on grounds of procedure. But when it came to data, they were unable to convince a different expert panel, this one directed to be set up by the Supreme Court, thus leading to the current ban.

Now, India does have a FDC-specific procedure, though only since 2011. States are being pressured to act. Earlier this year, Uttarakhand banned FDCs not approved by the Centre after joint raids on factories showed the extent of the problem. The industry has also begun phasing out such FDCs though the extent is not known.

No doubt, in the case of the 300-plus FDCs under review, the office of the DCGI has prevailed, but in the most inefficient way possible. It has let the problem get out of hand, then fought the industry in more than one court, constituted two different committees to weigh in on the issue and culminated with a relatively small, but valuable, number of drugs from its 2016 list still awaiting further study. In the interim, it has drawn global criticism for its lax attitude towards safety.

And the problem isn't over. It continues to pressure states to withdraw FDCs that it hasn't approved. The threat of lawsuits still looms; at the time of writing, a pharma company had reportedly petitioned the Delhi High Court against the ban on one of its brands. Given the lack of a rigorous track-and-trace system, it is also going to be challenging to ensure that the ban is enforced.

The lesson, therefore, to be learnt from the FDC fiasco is this: India needs a strengthened, co-ordinated drug regulatory system, a proactive regulator with teeth, an updated and robust law, and an industry that is made to feel the consequences of crossing it.LOWER MAKEFIELD - The township said thank you to its veterans on Saturday with a flag-waving, patriotic parade down Edgewood Road and a ceremony at Veterans Square that included the unveiling of a new bronze plaque and commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. All along the parade route, applause filled the air as veterans proudly marched and...Gautam Adani; $25.2 billion

Accusing the Modi government of promoting crony capitalism, the Congress asked it to come clean by appointing a special counsel in the Bombay High Court in a case of alleged over-invoicing of coal imports by industrialist Gautam Adani-led group.

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh also alleged that the Gujarat government has accepted the recommendations of a three-member panel to raise the cost of power purchased from three private entities including Essar, Tatas and Adanis that will cost Rs 1.30 lakh crore in the next 30 years.

At a press conference, Ramesh alleged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has tried to save industrialist Gautam Adani whenever a probe is launched against him and cited a Rs 6,500-crore alleged scam relating to the purchase of power appliances.

He asked Modi whether his government would appoint a special counsel to defend the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for accepting its Letters Rogatory (LRs) to seek information on the alleged Rs 29,000-crore scam in over-invoicing of coal imports from Singapore.

Adani group, which has earlier denied these allegations, had moved the Bombay High Court last month seeking to quash LRs -- issued to agencies abroad to seek information or assistance -- issued by the DRI in 2016 in the case.

In March 2016, the DRI had initiated probe against some Adani Group firms for alleged overvaluation of coal imports from Indonesia between 2011 and 2015.

DRI issued LRs to Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong authorities seeking their help to access documents lying with overseas branches of three state-owned banks relating to the transactions under probe.

Ramesh also said the prime minister gave the slogan of "minimum government, maximum governance" but it seems the same has changed to "munaafe ka nijikaran, ghaate ka rashtriyakaran" (privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses), after it allowed increase in power rates.

He said this hike in rate of power purchased from private companies would put an additional burden of Rs 18,000 crore on banks who have given loans to those firms and power consumers who would have to pay more.

Ramesh said the documents required to prove the Rs 29,000-crore coal scam are with Singapore branch of the SBI.

He claimed the Finance Ministry wrote to the then SBI CMD Arundhati Bhattacharya in 2016 that the DRI has been investigating the matter and wanted the documents, but she later cited Singapore laws to reject the request.

Ramesh further claimed Adani subsequently filed a petition in a Singapore court requesting to deny the Government of India the documents desired by it.

After his petition was turned down by the Singapore court, Adani has now filed a case in the Bombay High Court requesting rejecting of the LRs, the Congress leader said.

Stating that the hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday, Ramesh said the biggest legal luminaries will come to defend the case in favour of Adani and it was the most opportune moment for Modi to prove his "real intentions" by appointing a special counsel to defend the cause of the DRI.

Ramesh claimed the DRI has already requested for appointment of a special counsel but the finance ministry has not yet taken a decision on it.Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's India visit next month, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has clearly indicated that India will not allow its time-tested defence and security ties with Russia to be impacted by the US sanctions on military transactions with Moscow.

She also said negotiations on the S-400 missile deal with Russia are almost complete, hinting that India is on course to finalise it soon. "India has maintained its sovereignty as regards to its relationship with countries. We shall maintain it in all earnestness," she said.

Sitharaman was replying to a question on whether the US sanctions on military transactions with Russia will hit New Delhi's strategic and defence ties with one of its closest partners.

Putin is scheduled to visit India early next month to hold the annual India-Russia summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which both sides are likely to deliberate on ways to further strengthen strategic ties. Russia has been one of India's key suppliers of arms and ammunition.

After years of negotiations, both countries are on the verge of inking a Rs 40,000 crore deal to procure S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems for the Indian Air Force.

There was some uncertainty over the deal in the wake of the US military sanctions against Russia under the stringent CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) law for its annexation of Crimea. However, India has already conveyed to the US that it will go ahead with the procurement of the air defence systems despite Washington's sanctions, official sources said.

The issue figured during the first edition of two-plus-two talks between India and the US on September 6.

There have been mounting concerns in India over the US sanctions against Russian defence majors, including Rosoboronexport, as billions of dollars of military purchases may be impacted because of the punitive measure.

CAATSA mandates the Donald Trump administration to punish entities engaging in significant transaction with the defence or intelligence establishment of Russia.

India wants to procure the long-range missile systems to tighten its air defence mechanism, particularly along the nearly 4,000-km-long Sino-India border.

In 2016, India and Russia signed an agreement on the 'Triumf' interceptor-based missile system which can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km.

S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system and Moscow has already started delivery of unknown number of the S-400 missile systems to Beijing.

The S-400 is an upgraded version of the S-300 systems. The missile system, manufactured by Almaz-Antey, has been in service in Russia since 2007.Karti Chidambaram

Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted to him by the court for travel abroad, using it to protract investigations, Enforcement Directorate informed the Supreme Court in a response.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud fixed for September 18 the plea of Karti seeking its nod to travel to the United Kingdom.

Karti has been facing criminal cases being investigated by the ED and the CBI.

One of the cases relates to FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds of Rs 305 crore when his father was the finance minister.

ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, has filed its response alleging that Karti, who is also facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis and money laundering matters, has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted by court in allowing him to travel abroad and has been using the same to protract the investigation in the case.

The ED said the liberty granted to him by the apex court is "blatantly and brazenly hampering, subverting, jeopardising and protracting" the investigation pending against him in the Aircel Maxis Case, which the agency has to complete in six months.

The agency also said: "The Petitioner/applicant (Karti) during this period of 6 months has remained unavailable for investigation for a total number of 51 days due to his foreign visits.

The reply filed by Rajeev Sharma, Deputy Director of ED, said: "Whenever he was confronted with the documents, he showed his irritation, sometimes anger and then conveniently avoided to answer the questions on one pretext or the other."

Karti has also failed to provide the documents required during investigations as per schedule and in the circumstances, an effective investigation can take place only during his custodial integration, the agency said.

The apex court had on July 23 allowed Karti to visit the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America from July 23 to 31, making it clear that he has to abide by the conditions imposed by it in an earlier similar order.

The bench had said that Karti will have to surrender his passport with the ED when he returns from his visit.Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

On the eve of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Sunday took a swipe at him claiming the former did not know how chillies grew in a field.

Chouhan was speaking at a public rally in Narsinghgarh area near here.

Gandhi will arrive in Bhopal Monday and embark on a 15-kilometre road show from Lalghati Chowk to the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Dussehra Maidan.

"The leader who does not know how chillies grow in a field- whether upside down or the other way round is showing concern about farmers and farming," Chouhan said Sunday.

"Rahulji, your government gave loans to farmers at a high rate of 18 per cent (in Madhya Pradesh). We are disbursing loans to farmers at zero per cent," he added.

The MP CM said that the BJP governments at the Centre and here had vowed to make farmers prosperous and had, so far, transferred Rs 32,701 crore to them through various beneficial schemes.Navjot Singh Sidhu

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and urged her to help initiate dialogue with Pakistan on the opening up of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor.

Union minister and Akali leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, however, claimed that Swaraj "reprimanded" Sidhu for "messing up" the issue of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor dialogue and accused him of "misusing" the political clearance granted to him in visiting Pakistan recently to attend Imran Khan's swearing-in as prime minister there.

"External Affairs Minister (Swaraj) reprimands Navjot Sidhu for messing up Kartarpur Sahib corridor dialogue and misusing political clearance granted for private visit by hugging military Chief responsible for killing our soldiers," Badal said.

Sources said Sidhu met Swaraj along with another senior Congress leader and a former Rajya Sabha MP to discuss the issue with her.

Sidhu had courted controversy by hugging Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and claimed that he did so as Bajwa told him that the Pakistan government was working out opening of the Kartarpur corrdidor for Sikh pilgrims from Indian state of Punjab.Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat - January 2018

Top Opposition leaders are unlikely to attend the three-day lecture series organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Delhi, according to a report by News18.

The lecture series, which will be addressed by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on the theme 'Future of Bharat: An RSS perspective', will begin on September 17 at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital.

Bhagwat will interact with the audience comprising of prominent citizens, representatives from industries, media and other sectors and envoys from different countries.

Report had earlier suggested that the organisers would invite heads of all national political parties with a request to attend the lecture series along with four to five other party members. This included Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Such reports were denied by opposition parties. Congress called the reports of Rahul Gandhi being invited as "fake news".

Asked about the invitation, Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "RSS and BJP have been spreading this fake news for a while regarding sending invites as if it was some kind of a medal of honour."

"No such invite has been received by the Congress party and it is not a medal of honour. Their inherently hate-filled agenda is known to one and all," Surjewala added.

Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav also denied being invited. Yechury said he was travelling and that they had not recieved an invitation from from the RSS.

On day one, Bhagwat will speak about the Sanghs organisation, ideology, vision, activities and programmes. On the second day, Bhagwat will express his views on various contemporary issues of national significance, including reservation, communalism and Hindutva. Bhagwat is expected to take questions from the audience during the event.Prashant Kishor (left) with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

The Janata Dal (United) said Sunday that talks on seat sharing among alliance partners in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls are in the final stages and will be announced soon.

The JD(U) has mounted pressure on alliance partner BJP for giving it a "respectable number of seats" under the NDA umbrella, which also comprises Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP and Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP.

"Our national president (Nitish Kumar) today made it clear at the state executive committee meeting here that talks on seat sharing for the Lok Sabha polls are in final stages.

"The announcement will be made soon at the top level," JD(U) national general secretary and and Rajya Sabha member Ram Chandra Prasad Singh told reporters.

The state executive committee meeting, which was convened to strengthen the party's organisational structure in view of the 2019 polls, was attended by Bihar ministers, district presidents, office bearers, and members of the committee.

Kumar gave necessary directions to office-bearers to strengthen the party right from the panchayat level ahead of the general elections next year.

In his address, the JD(U) chief and Bihar chief minister said his party is not "caste-based", but a "work-based" party.

Kumar said his party's workers must realise their potential and asserted that the JD (U)'s strength will increase in the Lok Sabha polls.

He also said the party would return to power with a thumping majority in the state assembly elections, a release issued by the JD(U) said.

The meeting, which lasted for four hours, was attended by national general secretary K C Tyagi and poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who joined the JD(U) Sunday, and was seated next to Kumar.

Asked whether Kishor will be inducted in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, the expansion of which is on the cards, Ram Chandra Prasad Singh said "It is the prerogative of the chief minister as to when the cabinet expansion will take place and what will be its size."

On the issue of reservation for upper castes, he said the criteria for giving reservation is based on social and educational backwardness in the Constitution and unless this criteria is changed, it (giving upper castes quota on economic basis) will not sustain the judicial scrutiny.

Singh said the party would facilitate training programmes for its 80,000 booth level agents in due course besides holding political conferences at district levels in coordination with party's 30 cells.rahul gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday embarked on a roadshow to kick-off the party's campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh after seeking the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests. Polls in the BJP-ruled state are scheduled this year-end.

Gandhi was received by state Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, at the airport here.

Thousands of Congress workers and supporters holding the party's flags chanted "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad" as he left the airport.

The Congress chief then headed to embark on a 15-km-long roadshow from Lalghati Chowk, located close to the airport, after seeking the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests, state Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

Gandhi's roadshow, in which he will ride an open vehicle, will conclude at the Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd's Dussehra Maidan, where he will interact with party cadres this evening, Chaturvedi said.

"A T-shape ramp has been constructed near the stage from where Gandhi is going to take questions from party workers during his interaction with them," he said.

Besides, he is going to address a meeting of Congress workers, which is open to public, before leaving in the evening, Chaturvedi added.

"We are upbeat as our leader is in the city to launch the election campaign," he said.

The main opposition party has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing the 48-year-old Congress chief, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.

As part of the pilgrimage, devotees undertake an arduous journey to Mount Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.

Heavy security has been deployed in areas from where Gandhi is going to pass. Besides the regular police force, an additional 1,500 policemen are manning the streets of Bhopal.

Thousands of Congressmen from across the state have gathered in the state capital to catch a glimpse of their leader and meet him.BJP national president Amit Shah

Telangana's IT Minister K T Rama Rao has criticised BJP President Amit Shah for questioning the K Chandrasekhar Rao government's decision to go in for early elections to the assembly.

Addressing party workers here Sunday, Rama Rao, son of Chandrasekhar Rao, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi opted for early polls in Gujarat when he was the chief minister of the state in 2002.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also went for early polls in 2004, he pointed out. "Then what is wrong if the TRS government goes for early polls", Rao, popularly known as KTR, asked.

He also hit out at claims by Shah over the Centre's contribution towards development of Telangana.

The Telangana IT minister claimed there were no special favours offered by the Centre to the state, which registered a growth rate of 17.17 percent.

"Telangana has been playing great role in the nation's development and Shah must understand that the central government depends on states for pooling revenues," he added.

Rao also accused the BJP of cheating the public both in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and said it has "no moral right" to seek votes from Telugu people.

The BJP leaders in Telangana were making "dubious" claims on winning the elections here, he added.

Shah had Saturday questioned Chandrasekhar Rao for prematurely dissolving the Telangana Assembly and "burdening" the people with expenditure.September 17, 2018 / 07:18 PM IST

JUST IN | The CBI has taken over the investigation from the Mumbai Police in a case involving the hacking of a Union Bank of India Nostro account with Citi Bank , New York City. The case involved an attempt to divert $30.01 million (Rs 201 crore) to a SIinoPac bank account, belonging to unknown people in Hong Kong in July 2016.Scania -Low demand forced Volkswagen Group company Scania to shut down its bus body building in India in 2018. The company competed against Volvo in the premium bus space. Its trucks division however continues to operate (Image: Scania)

All of a sudden, a strong lobby appears to be emerging advocating the use of 20 percent ethanol in petrol for use by automobiles. The argument favouring the use of ethanol is that it is cheaper than petrol, good for reducing fuel import bills, and gives a higher price to sugarcane growers.

All the three assumptions are fallacious.

Trying to push such a policy might hurt automobile manufacturers far more than they would like to state at the moment.

The proposal for blending petrol with ethanol (another word for industrial alcohol) gains volume each time India faces a glut in sugar production. One of the arguments is that the use of ethanol will allow for excess sugarcane to be used for producing ethanol. This way sugar prices will stabilise. It does not take into account the years when sugar production is low. As Table 1 (above) shows, there have been years when India has been a net importer of sugar. Building a fuel policy on an uncertain crop is foolhardy.

Petrol & Diesel Rates Yesterday Petrol Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 110 110 View more Diesel Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 94 94 View more Show

Another argument is that sugar production in India will continue to grow if it can benefit from the sale of ethanol as a vehicle fuel. But should it be allowed to grow? This is because sugarcane is a water-intensive crop. While it is okay for the crop to grow in Uttar Pradesh which has perennial rivers, thats not the case in Maharashtra which does not have enough water. The industry uses up groundwater resources as well, which harms the entire state.

As the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) pointed out in March, out of the 2017-18 production estimated at 29.5 million tonnes, UP is expected to produce 10.5 million tonnes, Maharashtra 10.13 million tonnes and Karnataka 3.5 million tonnes. The output of sugarcane in Maharashtra must be brought down, which is possible if water consumption is priced. Maharashtras politically powerful sugar producers have ensured that the rest of the state does not get the water (read here and here).

Only 20 percent of the states cultivable land is irrigated compared to 67 percent in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Thus, the sugar industry in Maharashtra has become a parasite, which causes farm distress. Therefore, diversification into ethanol is risky.

The use of ethanol as an alternative fuel works for countries such as Brazil with its abundance of water and a low population density. India, on the other hand, is water-stressed and has a much higher population density. Brazils population density (people per square kilometre) is 25, while Indias is 412  thus, comparing India and Brazil just does not make sense.

Sugar factories havent always been fair to the farmers. Table 2 (above) shows the payment arrears to farmers over the years. With the political and financial support they get from the government, factories should be paying farmers upfront. This is especially important because a farmer can sell his produce only to a specific factory. In other words, sugar producers, and not the farmer, has the upper hand.

Also, there are good reasons to believe that the demand for ethanol is only to enhance the profit sugar barons already make, but off the sugar books.

Below are five points highlighting why the push for ethanol is not as good as it sounds.

One, to say that ethanol is cheaper than petrol both products need to be placed on a level field. Ethanol costs must be compared with the price of petrol in the international market. If the same duties and taxes imposed on petrol are imposed on ethanol, chances are that the latter will be almost as expensive as the former. Add the cost of water that goes into cultivating sugarcane (it is free at the moment), take way the minimum support price it enjoys, and add taxes too (because agricultural income applicable for sugarcane is tax-free) to have a more realistic comparison between the two.

Two, a disruption in automobile technology is already underway. The government is working towards phasing out vehicles powered by hydrocarbons and wants to usher in electric vehicles (EVs). Given this, its not fair to ask the industry to modify its technology to use ethanol in the phase between hydrocarbons and Evs.

Three, to save fuel import bills, the sugarcane industry, as well as the rest of the agro industry, should be persuaded to convert all agro waste into methane, which can be used as a fuel similar to CNG. Even back-of-the-envelope calculations show that Indias potential for methane generation could be worth over Rs 18 lakh crore (or Rs 18 trillion) a year.

This is without including agro-waste, which could make the value swell three times more. During 2017-18, India imported petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) worth Rs 5.89 lakh crore. Juxtapose this against Rs 18 lakh crore. Promoting methane generation makes more sense than promoting ethanol as a vehicle fuel.

Four, the fortunes of ethanol are linked with alcohol. The price difference between industrial alcohol and that which is used in potable liquor is at least 1:10 and this could go up to 1:100 if taxes and duties on alcohol are included. This is one reason why states do not want this to come under the central levy of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The illegal diversion of industrial alcohol into potable alcohol means slush money for both the sugar barons and their political friends. Creating another official outlet for alcohol-use as vehicle fuel could result in one more channel for generating slush funds. That is another reason why the creation of this mechanism is not good for either the industry or the country.

Finally, a report by Narendra Mohan, director of the National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, shows (in page 5 and 6), the revenue through sale of molasses, bagasse and press-mud. Incomes from alcohol have been kept out. It is the classic example of privatisation of profit and socialization of losses.

The government bails out the industry because its incomes from traditional sources are inadequate. But it does not account for incomes not registered on the sugar industrys books. Bagasse could be used for methane generation. But the sugar industry shows the lowest return on this by-product, by showing its use for burning. The lucrative parts of sugarcane derivatives are kept aside for private consumption.

Clearly, the sugar industry remains a bitter pill for the nation to swallow. This current push for ethanol will adversely affect the interests of Maharashtras farmers and the economic health of India.

Ethanol is obviously a red herring for other interests and objectives.A view of landslide caused at the height of Typhoon Mangkhut that buried people at a mining camp in Itogon, Benguet in the Philippines, September 16, 2018. REUTERS/Harley Palangchao - RC13A8657B80

Typhoon Mangkhut, the year's most powerful tropical storm to hit the Chinese mainland, barrelled into the coast of Guangdong province killing at least four persons and forcing evacuation of over 3.11 million people in the southern region after leaving a trail of death and destruction from the Philippines to Hong Kong.

Mangkhut landed at 5 p.m. on Sunday on the coast of Jiangmen City in Guangdong province, packing winds up to 162 km per hour, according to the provincial meteorological station.

Three people were killed by falling trees in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, while another person died from collapsing construction materials in the city of Dongguan, Guangdong's disaster relief authorities said.

More than 3.11 million people had been relocated and over 49,000 fishing boats were called back to port in the province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.

Work has been suspended at more than 29,000 construction sites and 640 tourist spots were closed.

The airports of Guangzhou and Shenzhen. All high-speed train services and some normal-speed rail services have been suspended in Guangdong and Hainan provinces.

The storm was still raging across southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday, the report said.

Mangkhut made landfall in western Guangdong on Sunday afternoon before moving into neighbouring Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, bringing with it torrential rains and gales.

Though the worst appears to have passed for Guangdong province, local meteorological authorities warned residents to remain alert for floods and landslides in Guangxi.

Mangkhut earlier lashed the Philippines, sparking landslides and building collapses that killed at least 65 people, with another 43 missing.

Hong Kong was also buffeted by fierce winds that tore off roofs, downed trees and caused cranes perched atop half-built skyscrapers to swing ominously. However, there were no reported deaths in Hong Kong, a city well prepared for tropical cyclones.Deadly storm Florence drenched North Carolina with more downpours on Sunday, cutting off the coastal city of Wilmington, damaging tens of thousands of homes and threatening worse flooding as rivers fill to the bursting point.

The death toll rose to at least 16.

Florence, a onetime hurricane that weakened to a tropical depression by Sunday, dumped up to 40 inches (100 cm) of rain on parts of North Carolina since Thursday, and continued to produce widespread heavy rain over much of North Carolina and eastern South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.

"The storm has never been more dangerous than it is right now," North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told a news conference. Many rivers "are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow."

Some rivers were not expected to crest until Monday or Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

More than 900 people were rescued from rising floodwaters and 15,000 remained in shelters in the state, Cooper said.

Many of those rescues took place on swift boats in Wilmington, a historic coastal city of about 117,000 people on a peninsula between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean.

Rescue crews negotiated downed trees and power lines to reach stranded residents, Mayor Bill Saffo told WHQR radio.

"There are no roads ... that are leading into Wilmington that are passable because of the flooding that is taking place now inland," Saffo said.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the area until at least Monday morning.

Officials urged those who had evacuated to stay away.

"Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington," New Hanover County Commission Chairman Woody White told a news conference. "We want you home, but you can't come yet."

In Leland, a low-lying city north of Wilmington, homes and businesses were engulfed by water that rose up to 10 feet (3 metres) over Highway 17, submerging stop signs in what local people called unprecedented flooding.

The sheriff's department and volunteers, including locals and some who came from Texas, rescued stranded residents by boat, extracting families, infants, the elderly and pets.

Gas stations were abandoned and fallen trees made many roads impassable. The whir of generators could be heard throughout the city, a sound not expected to dim soon as crews work to restore power.

In New Bern, a riverfront city near North Carolina's coast, Bryan Moore and his nephew Logan did exactly what authorities warned against: they left their homes to go swimming in the floodwaters after having spent days at home without electricity or running water.

"We were stir-crazy from being inside so long," Moore said. "Feels great. The water's really cool. ... We're just having a good old time out here, enjoying the weather."

More than 641,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.

Florence set a record in the state for rain from a hurricane, surpassing the previous record of 24 inches (61 cm) set by Hurricane Floyd, which killed 56 people in 1999, said Bryce Link, a meteorologist with private forecasting service DTN Marine Weather.

The storm killed at least 10 people in North Carolina, including a mother and child killed by a falling tree, state officials said. Six people died in South Carolina, including four in car accidents and two from carbon monoxide from a portable generator.

South Carolina's governor urged anyone in a flood-prone area to evacuate.

"Those rivers in North Carolina that have received heavy rainfall are coming our way," Governor Henry McMaster said during a news conference. "They have not even begun (to crest). But they will. And the question is how high will the water be, and we do not know."

By Sunday afternoon, Florence's winds had dropped to about 35 miles per hour (55 kph), the National Hurricane Center said, with some weakening forecast over the next 24 hours before intensifying once again as an extratropical low-pressure center.The center of the storm was just west of Raleigh, the state capital, and moving north at 14 mph (22 kph), the hurricane center said.

It was expected to accelerate to the north on Sunday night and then turn eastward across southern New England on Tuesday.President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh rejected as "completely false" the sexual assault allegation levelled against him by a woman, saying he was ready to testify before a Senate committee to "defend my integrity".

Kavanaugh's nomination plunged into chaos after Christine Blasey Ford on September 16 told 'The Washington Post' that she was subjected to a sexual assault by the Supreme Court nominee in high school in the early 1980s.

In the interview, Ford alleged that a drunk Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a party and forced himself on her.

He "groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it," said the 51-year-old clinical psychologist at Palo Alto University in California.

Kavanaugh, 53, has denied the allegation and said i had never happened.

"This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes - to her or to anyone," Kavanaugh said.

"Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday," he said in his first response to the allegation that could jeopardise his nomination.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity," Kavanaugh said.

The White House has said that it stands by Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh has "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegations, the White House said in a statement.

It also said that Ford should testify on oath before a Senate Committee.

"This woman should not be insulted and should not be ignored," White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told Fox News in an interview.

Dabra Katz, attorney for Ford, told another news channel that she was willing to testify before a Senate panel and to tell her story in public.

"The answer is yes", Katz told CNN when asked if she was willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, adding that no one has asked her so far about it.

Kavanaugh attended a private school for boys in Maryland while Ford attended a nearby school.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on nomination of Kavanaugh on Thursday.

This new development, combined with two key Republicans calling to pause the confirmation process in light of Ford's accusation and willingness to come forward, signals peril for Kavanaugh's nomination that was unthinkable a week ago.

On Sunday, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called on Republicans to "postpone the vote until, at a very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated".

Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate. Two Republican defections, along with unanimous opposition from the Democratic caucus, would sink Kavanaugh.The recent political storm over Vijay Mallya is unlikely to abate soon. But going after Mr Mallya alone would be a classic case of missing the wood for the trees.

One striking element continues to elude everyones attention. Could Mr Mallya or anyone else allegedly pull off such a heist without the connivance of the famous ABC: auditors, bankers, consultants (co-conspirators).

Funds diversion of Rs2,100 crore during 2010 and 2013 from United Spirits Ltd (USL), the flagship company of UB group owned by Mr Mallya, was detected as far back as in 2014 by a forensic team of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), UK.

Interestingly, PwC were the auditors of USL till 2010-11. Thereafter the audit was done for some time by Walker, Chandiok & Co, a member firm of Grant Thornton and then by BSR Raut & Co who finally raised some red flags.

Apparently, the alleged diversion Rs2,100 crore was not was not significant enough to catch the attention of the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA). In an earlier article , I had reported that MCA has launched prosecution against partners of PwC in nine companies. Surprisingly, the name of USL does not appear in the list, although that of Religare, a recent entrant to this not so illustrious club, does. (Read: Was the Minister given Incomplete Information Relating to PwC?

MCA alone is not the indulgent one. The Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAI) will beat it hands down any day.

Dr Kirit Somaiya, member of Parliament (MP), wrote a letter on 21 March 2016 insisting that ICAI, MCA, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and bankers should initiate strong action against PwC who were acting as facilitators to the promoters and scamsters in various scams such as Global Trust Bank (GTB) scam, Satyam scam, Vijay Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and UB scam.

Displaying admirable alacrity, the president of the ICAI, replied on the very same day to the MP saying that they are seized of the matter in the USL case. ICAIs bluff to the MP was exposed by an RTI query by this author. Three months later, ICAI did not even know the names of the auditors of USL, let alone investigate their role. ICAIs response also exposed that Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)s recommendations for action against PwC in the GTB scam had been pending for implementation for the last fourteen years.

GTB, and USL are not the only cases languishing with ICAI whose top management is deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Only last year, prime minister Narendra Modi had lambasted its poor track record; there has been action in only 25 cases over the past decade, and 1,400 cases are pending.

Giving tough competition to ICAI is CBI. Recent media reports suggest that it is only now that CBI has started looking at the role of some senior finance ministry officials in the decade-old scam.

Bankers, on their part, have been guilty of little due diligence: inflated cost of capital equipment through over invoicing is hardly checked, poor monitoring of loans post disbursal, ever-greening of loans to avoid recognition of losses and extension of loans to well-connected promoters, despite a history of defaults.

These views have been endorsed by no less than Raghuram Rajan, former governor of RBI, who did not mince words on the role of the bankers while recently presenting his views on the non-performing assets (NPAs) problem to the estimates committee of Parliament under the chairmanship of Murli Manohar Joshi.

Importantly, bankers should not be allowed to go scot-free even if there was political interference. Excuse of political pressure, even if established, is an extremely dangerous theory to propagate. Every junior, irrespective of the field, would then get away citing directions from his superiors.

Shouldnt deterrent and time-bound action be taken against all those who connived in the fraud? The harsh reality is that, despite the obvious staring in our face, hardly anything will change on the ground. As Mr Rajan also lamented, the system has been singularly ineffective in bringing even a single high profile fraudster to book. As a result, fraud is not discouraged.

The only practical solution therefore lies in daily chanting of the mantra called GSTCGod save this country!Investors of the Heera Islamic Business Group, better known as Heera Gold, are coming out in the open to protest delayed payments following a financial crunch faced by this Ponzi company. Last week, over a 100 victims of Heera Gold held public protests in Hyderabad along with victims and investors from other parts of India.

The protests were led by Shahbaz Ahmed Khan, who told Moneylife that over 200 investor victims have filed complaint against Heera Gold and its founder Dr Aalima Shaikh Nowhera (Nowhera Shaikh).

Every day, I am receiving calls from panicky victims of Heera Gold from across the country seeking my help in recovering their investment. There are many who had invested more than Rs1 crore in Heera Gold and are now facing difficulties. They are neither receiving interest nor getting the principal amount back. Mr Khan claims the Heera Group and Dr Shaikh have filed around 17 cases against me, including defamation. I heard that they have got an injunction from the City Civil Court against me to prevent me from posting messages to highlight plight of victims on Facebook and other platforms. However, I am filing a writ petition against the injunction.

He also alleges that due to the powerful political links of Dr Shaikh, the police are not investigating the matter or taking action against Heera Gold. He says, Police are asking investors/victims of Heera Gold to go to the court claiming that this is a civil matter.

However, a senior official from the crime branch, Hyderabad, who does not want to be named, refuted all the allegations made by Mr Khan about lack of investigation. He says, So far, only one first information report (FIR) had been filed. That was also filed in 2012 and based on that we are investigating the matter. However, not many victims are coming forward to give any statement or evidence. Last week, there was one FIR registered at the Banjara Hills Police station and it is about to be transferred to the crime branch. Once we receive it, we will investigate the matter so as to take it to the right legal course.

Mr Khan, however, presents another version. He claims that there are 200 investor victims, who are ready to record a statement before the police. However, when somebody files a complaint, he or she is offered refund of their money by Dr Shaikh. Mr Khan says that many victims are now ready to file a statement.

Earlier, in July this year, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) told Moneylife that activities of Heera Gold, are in the nature of Ponzi or multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme.

Replying to an email sent by Moneylife with videos of panicky investors, the market regulators Hyderabad office wrote to say, "Upon examination into the matter, it was found that the activities of Heera Group are in the nature of Ponzi Scheme. Further, the nature of activities of Heera Group was also discussed in the meetings of State Level Co-ordination Committees (SLCC) of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which are headed by Chief Secretaries of the respective states. It was decided in the meetings of SLCC that the activities of Heera Group appear to be beyond the regulatory ambit of SEBI and RBI and the case would be taken up for investigation by relevant authorities such as CID-EOW, and Serious Frauds Office of India (SFIO). Accordingly, SEBI had already referred the case to CID-EOW, Enforcement Directorate, Commissioner of Police-Hyderabad."

In August 2012, Asaduddin Owaisi, member of parliament (MP) from Hyderabad, had registered a case against Dr Shaikh for cheating a large number of local investors from his constituency. The Hyderabad Police are investigating this case.

On 10 September 2018, Farzanaunissa Mohammad Khaja filed an FIR under Section 406, 420 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 5 of the Telangana Deposit of Financial Establishments Act, in Bajara Hills Police Station at Hyderabad. Ms Khaja has alleged in the FIR that her husband had invested Rs25 lakh in Heera Retail Hyderabad Pvt Ltd, but the company has refused to return her money. This FIR is most likely to be transferred to the Crime Branch for investigation.

This controversial and shadowy group has specifically targeted the Muslim community with the promise of high returns and constant references to Allah to project itself as a devout and god-fearing organisation. The panic among investors over the past weeks is due to delays in making payments and a change in the payout dates.

In 2017, Dr Shaikh, CEO of Heera Gold formed the All India Mahila Empowerment Party under the banner of justice for humanity. This party even contested 221 out of the 225 seats in the recently concluded Karnataka Assembly elections with a 'diamond as its symbol. It is rumoured to have lost large sums of money. This and other rumours have triggered panic among people who want their money back.

Investigations and information by a premier government agency, perused by Moneylife, claim that Heera Gold is involved in hawala activities. The note lists various actions against the group. For instance, on 17 May 2014, the Hyderabad Police apprehended six accused, while Heera Group promoter, Dr Shaikh was named an absconding accused. Subsequently, on 21 May 2014, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched Heera Group premises and seized documents pertaining to the illegal transfer of money through hawala.

The Heera group began its operations in 2010 and since then, claims to have created 25 legal entities. Of these, only 10 were found to be registered on Registrar of Companies (ROC), Hyderabad and only four are found to have filed their balance-sheets (FY12-13), which are being analysed. It is not registered under Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act (FCRA), says a government source.

A large number of PAN, TIN and other state-level registration numbers are shown on its website and are under ED and State Police investigation. These 10 companies have two sisters as Directors, namely, Dr Shaikh and Mubarak Jahan Shaikh. The third director (in only three companies) is another woman named Khamar Jahan Shaikh.

The group claims to operate through over 19 companies in various business sectors, like gold trading, trading, textiles, jewellery, mineral water, granite, tours and travels, developers, electronics, Hajj and Umrah services among others. Heera Group claims to have its offices in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Canada, China and Hong Kong. It markets itself as a trader in gold products and gold dust.

You may also want to readThe Australian Federal Court had accepted claim filed by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on assets of PACL Ltd (erstwhile Pearls) in that country. The Australian Federal Court also stated that as per three orders passed by Supreme Court of India, SEBI Act, SEBI Regulations, the Indian market regulator has full right, interest, power and authority to seek relief in Australia in the PACL case.

After observing that the money mobilised by PACL from investors was utilised for acquiring certain assets in Australia, as directed by Justice RM Lodha Committee, SEBI had filed a claim petition in the Federal Court of Australia seeking repatriation of the assets or the proceeds thereof on behalf of all the investors in PACL.

In its order issued on 23 July 2018 , the Federal Court appointed Steven Staatz as receiver for the Sanctuary Cover Properties. He is directed to pay, deposit or transfer balance of the Sanctuary Cove proceeds to the trust account of McCullough Robertson Lawyers.

Last year, the Australian Court had directed to deposit balance of the monies in the trust account of McCullough Robertson Lawyers and any interest on these proceeds. On 27 January 2017, the trust account received A$87.37 million.

The Federal Court also appointed Jane Clare McDonald as Referee for conducting an enquiry and assessment of the amount incurred by Sunanda Balkrishna Kadam, who on behalf of PACL investors had filed a class action suit there. Ms McDonald asked to contact SEBI or communications concerning SEBI securing the Fund in Australia, including preliminary research into SEBIs entitlement to maintain a claim on behalf of Investors generally. As per the Court order, Ms McDonald, the referee was expected to submit her report by 17 September 2018.

Last week the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against PACL (erstwhile Pearls) and its chief Nirmal Singh Bhangoo in connection with a Ponzi scam involving over Rs49,100 crore, which was collected allegedly by two companies from 5.5 crore investors.

Apart from Bhangoo, who is in judicial custody, his three colleagues and other persons have also been named in the ED chargesheet filed in a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED, which started the probe after lodging an first information report (FIR) in 2015 based on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s case, had in January attached Australia-based assets of the Pearls Group and Bhangoo worth Rs472 crore.

In 2016, a report from The Australian had exposed the Australian connection of PACL and Bhangoo. This was published by Moneylife ( Read: PACL Scam: The Australian connection ). The report said, in Australia, Bhangoo and several of his family members teamed up with Gold Coast property developers Paul Brinsmead and Peter Madrers. The two Australians had operated the company Resort Corp, which developed large tracts of coastal land in the Tweed Shire in northern NSW before its group of 14 companies collapsed in March 2009, owing about $300 million, it said.

The CBI had arrested Bhangoo and his three colleagues in 2016 following allegations that they collected funds from investors in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and other states through ponzi schemes, in the name of real estate projects.

In the same year, SEBI, as part of its recovery proceedings, attached all bank and demat accounts, mutual fund portfolios of PACL and it eight directors and promoters. In a release, SEBI said, the recovery proceedings have been initiated for their failure to comply with its order issued on 22 August 2014 directing, PACL and its directors and promoters to wind up the schemes, and refund Rs49,100 crore to the investors within three months from the date of the order. This amount is excluding further interest and all costs, charges and expenses incurred in the recovery proceedings.

Earlier in July this year, market regulator SEBI had said that PACL had increased its offer to Rs23,000 from Rs20,000 to buy own properties. Due to this, the Justice RM Lodha Committee appointed by the Supreme Court had decided to invite final counter or revised proposals from interested parties.

The Lodha Committee is supervising the Supreme Court ordered process of selling PACL's assets across the country and refunding Rs49,100 crore collected from over 56 crore investors.

Bhangoo, his companies PACL and Pearls Golden Forest Ltd (PGFL), as well as his lakhs of commission agents were accused of cheating 5.5 crore investors on the pretext of sale and development of agriculture land.

The companies made false allotments of land to investors. However, the companies never owned any land in their own name.

Bhangoo and his companies promised the investors that allotment would be done on their investment between 90 and 270 days and if not, handsome returns would be paid.

The mobilisation of funds by PACL goes back prior to 1997. Upon receipt of a complaint, SEBI on 30 November 1999 and 10 December 1999 issued letters asking PACL to comply with the provisions of the collective investment scheme (CIS) Regulations.

PACL challenged these letters before the High Court of Rajasthan in December 1999, claiming that its scheme does not fall under the definition of CIS as defined under the CIS Regulation and SEBI Act. PACL also challenged the constitutional validity of the CIS Regulations.

The Rajasthan High Court on 28 November 2003, held that PACL's schemes were not CIS as defined under Section 11AA of the SEBI Act. The HC also quashed SEBI's letters issued to PACL.

SEBI filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the order of Rajasthan HC. The SC on 25 February 2013, while allowing the appeal upheld the constitutional validity of CIS Regulations, and directed SEBI to investigate the matter and take appropriate actions.

After conducting an inquiry, SEBI on 22 August 2014, issued an order directing PACL, its promoters and directors to wind up all the existing CIS and refund the monies collected by the company to investors as per the terms of offer within a period of three months from the date of the Order.

PACL filed an appeal before the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), which was dismissed on 12 August 2015. The SAT directed PACL and its promoters-directors to refund the money within three months. Since the company and its promoters-directors failed to refund the money to the investors as per the directions of SEBI and SAT, the market regulator said it has initiated the recovery proceedings.The Ministry of Commerce and Investment (MCI) in Saudi Arabia, while continuing to pursue 'illegal' QNet marketing activity, has raided meeting places of the controversial multi-level marketing (MLM) company.

In a release issued on Saturday , MCI says, ... (the Ministry) inspection teams monitored and detected a QNet group in Najran, holding meetings at one of the hotels in the Southern Region. MCI judicial control officers, in cooperation with the security authorities, started the necessary investigation and then raiding the site, and detecting the involved person. It turns out that every hour QNet representative has a meeting with one group, and he tries to convince the attendants with the prohibited QNet marketing activity. QNet documents were also collected and seized, containing the participant's data, telephone numbers and schedules of QNet marketing activity. Accordingly, the defendant was referred to the public prosecution for taking the legal procedures against him.

QNet marketing activity aims to mislead and deceive dealers and clients with quick profit. Therefore, they try to raise money illegally by claiming that they are investing such money. This kind of activity is considered illegal because it depends on deceiving, cheating, fraud and manipulation, the Ministry says. QNet marketing activity aims to mislead and deceive dealers and clients with quick profit. Therefore, they try to raise money illegally by claiming that they are investing such money. This kind of activity is considered illegal because it depends on deceiving, cheating, fraud and manipulation, the Ministry says.

Under a resolution, MCI has banned QNet marketing activity in Saudi Arabia. This includes prevention of QNet or Pyramid marketing, and also the prevention of making advertisement or promotion for such activity by any means. This is in addition to the Ministerial Decree issued by the Ministry of Interior, which stipulates that the financial fraud issues are considered crimes punishable by arrest.

As reported by Moneylife , the strict action by Saudi Arabia, has made QNet to cancel V-Con, its high-profile, flagship annual event that was scheduled to be held in Dubai between 8th to 12th September. The company did not give any reason for the sudden cancellation of V-Con, but thousands of independent representatives (IRs) or agents, who were set to go to Dubai are seeking a refund the $350 each that they have paid to attend the event as well as their air tickets.

On 1 September 2018, the Ministry of Commerce & Investment in Saudi Arabia had issued a warning against QNet saying that its activities are prohibited in the country. After investigation, it (MCI) had arrested a group of four persons one from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a Saudi citizen and two Saudi women. The defendants were involved in the coordination and making the necessary arrangements for QNet activities, such as reserving hotel halls and sending invitations to clients to attend the training on QNet marketing activities. Upon raiding the site, MCI inspectors found 20 members of both sexes attending the training, as per the invitation given to them by the four organizers. It has been found out that the attendants have paid more than Saudi Riyal (SR)200,000 in cash or as a remittance to the organizers' bank accounts. This is beside paying SR30 for each attendant, MCI had said in a release.

You may also want to readH+H has officially opened its upgraded aircrete factory, giving it the capability to produce enough extra Celcon Blocks to build 5,000 houses a year.

The multi-million-pound upgrade  which happened in just four months  represents a huge vote of confidence in the UK by its Danish owners, and makes the factory the most advanced and efficient of its kind in Europe.

H+H employees joined customers, politicians  including housing minister James Brokenshire  and representatives of the German company that made the new machinery at the official opening on Friday. Local MP Tom Tugendhat unveiled a plaque before visitors were given a guided tour of the factory at Borough Green.

One of three factories in the UK owned by H+H, Borough Green opened its doors in 1992. The company decided to update it in 2016 and, in December of that year, began to ramp up production of Celcon Blocks ready for it shutting down.

Borough Green shut down on 21 December 2017 and the new equipment began to be installed on 2 January 2018. The first cake of aircrete was produced in the new factory on 13 March 2018, and the factory was fully operational on Friday.

Specialist project planner VA Consulting was brought in to help to plan and deliver the project, while German manufacturer WEHRHAHN designed, built and helped to install all of the new equipment.

Speaking at the factory on Friday, Calum Forsyth, Managing Director of H+H UK, said the official opening was a real landmark in the history of H+H in the UK.

The housebuilding market was volatile, which made long-term decision-making about investment difficult. We are delighted that the board shares our positive view of the sector and is prepared to commit to this site, he added.

He thanked everyone involved in the project, and paid tribute to the exceptional work of the 71-strong Borough Green team.

Its rare to find a project of this scale that runs to time and within budget. This is one of those rare occasions, and we have a sense of achievement and pride.

Tugendhat said it was a fantastic day and welcomed H+Hs commitment to the factory, the local community and the UK as a whole.

Were not simply talking about jobs in the local area, were talking about the ability of people across the country to buy homes, to settle, to create communities, where they didnt have the chance before. Im very, very pleased that H+H have decided to invest here, he said.COMUNICAT DE PRESA PRIVIND LANSAREA PROIECTULUI DOTAREA UNITATILOR DE INVATAMANT DIN COMUNA COROD, JUDETUL GALATI CU ECHIPAMENTE ELECTRONICE COMUNA COROD, cu sediul in judetul Galati, localitatea Corod, str. Stefan cel Mare nr. 258, telefon 0236.8 ...

Armata SUA intentioneaza sa testeze un tun laser de 300 de kilowati. Va fi cea mai puternica arma de acest tip. In loc sa doboare drone mici, ar putea fi folosit pentru a angaja si a distruge cu precizie rachetele, avioanele si elicopterele din aprop ...

Consiliul Uniunii Europene a dat unda verde, astazi, 09 noiembrie 2021, pentru norme mai stricte si mai cuprinzatoare privind taxarea rutiera (Directiva privind eurovinieta) pentru a stimula desfasurarea de operatiuni de transport mai nepoluante si m ...Consumul de alcool constituie unul dintre principalii factori de imbolnavire si deces pe plan mondial, cel mai sigur mod de eliminare a riscurilor fiind evitarea totala a alcoolului, conform unui studiu efectuat pentru revista The Lancet, citat de Mediafax.

"La nivel mondial, consumul de alcool a fost in 2016 al saptelea factor de risc atat pentru decese, cat si din punctul de vedere al incapacitatii generate de boala. (...) La categoria de varsta 15-49 de ani, consumul de alcool era in 2016 principalul factor de risc, la nivel global, cu o rata a mortalitatii de 3,8% in randul femeilor si de 12,2% in randul barbatilor", arata studiul.

"Consumul de alcool reprezinta un factor principal de risc de imbolnavire pe plan global si genereaza substantial pierderea sanatatii. Am descoperit ca riscul mortalitatii si producerii cancerului creste proportional cu intensificarea consumului de alcool, iar nivelul de consum care minimizeaza pierderea sanatatii este zero. Aceste rezultate sugereaza ca politicile privind controlul asupra consumului de alcool trebuie revizuite la nivel global, fiind necesar sa se concentreze pe eforturile de reducere a consumului de pentru toate categoriile de cetateni", afirma autorii studiului, finantat de Fundatia Bill & Melinda Gates.

Conform studiului, consumul de alcool este asociat cu producerea a 60 de boli cronice si acute. In 2016, 32,5% din populatia lumii consuma alcool, adica 2,4 miliarde de oameni (1,5 miliarde de barbati si 0,9 miliarde de femei). Principalii factori care pot provoca decesul din cauza consumului de alcool sunt tuberculoza, accidentele rutiere si autovatamarea.

"Consumul de alcool constituie unul din principalii factori de imbolnavire pe plan global si este responsabil de aproape 10% din decesele produse in categoria de varsta 15-49 de ani; in lipsa masurilor, alcoolul genereaza efecte grave pentru sanatatea populatiei. Opinia raspandita despre efecte pozitive ale consumului de alcool trebuie revizuita, mai ales in contextul in care noile metode si analize releva legaturi de cauzalitate intre consumul de alcool, mortalitate si dizabilitati. Rezultatele noastre arata ca cel mai sigur nivel de consum de alcool este zero. (...) Politicile care se concentreaza pe reducerea consumului de alcool vor avea cea mai mare eficienta in reducerea riscurilor de imbolnavire", subliniaza autorii studiului.It's understood Perry's time in hospital was due to having been experiencing severe abdominal pain due to a ruptured bowel.

News of the 49-year-old's recent health concern broke last month when a rep for the actor told People that he "recently underwent surgery in a Los Angeles hospital to repair a gastrointestinal perforation. He is grateful for the concern and asks for continued privacy as he heals."

There are a number of different causes including appendicitis, diverticulitis, gallstones, or Crohn's disease.

On Sept. 17, the Belarusian Telegraph Agency reported that Belarus Potash Co., or BPC, agreed to sell potash to China at $290 per metric ton during the 2018-19 potash year through June 2019. The agreement represents a $60 per metric ton increase over 2017-18 potash contract prices. Last month, BPC agreed to the same $290 per metric ton price with India. The market reacted favorably to the latest news, sending potash producer shares up 3%-5% at the time of writing.

We continue to forecast that potash prices will average $300 per metric ton over the next year, up from $270 in 2018, as new supply delays from K+S (SDF) and EuroChem and lower production from K+S and SQM (SQM) will support prices into next year. With our outlook unchanged, we maintain our narrow-moat Nutrien (NTR) fair estimates of $65 per share and CAD 85 per share. Similarly, we maintain our fair value estimates of $35 per share for no-moat Mosaic (MOS) , EUR 18 per share for no-moat K+S, and $55 per share for narrow-moat SQM.

Of the potash producers we cover, Nutrien appears the most undervalued due to our potash outlook, trading around 11% below our fair value estimate. Going forward, Nutrien should benefit from higher prices and lower unit productions costs, as a result of shifting production to lower-cost potash mines and reducing back-office expenses after the merger between PotashCorp and Agrium that created Nutrien. We also view SQM as undervalued, but our outlook is largely due to our lithium forecast, which is a bigger driver for SQM than potash.Arroyo conspired with others to apply for two HELOCs from two banks using a New York residential property as collateral. The applications did not disclose that the property was already subject to senior liens that had not yet been recorded and that the property was already offered as collateral to another bank. Additionally, the equity in the property was far less than the amount of the HELOC loans that Arroyo and others applied for.

Eventually, the victim banks issued loans of more than $500,000. Portions of the proceeds were distributed to Arroyo and his co-conspirators. Eventually, the two HELOC loans went into default.

Popoteur was a client of Arroyo and another broker. He conspired with the brokers to apply for three HELOCs from multiple banks using a New Jersey property as collateral using false information about senior liens on the property, Popoteurs income, and the propertys value.

The victim banks eventually issued loans to Popoteur in excess of $495,000. He disbursed portions of the proceeds to the real estate brokers and others. In 2014, Popoteur defaulted on all three HELOC loans.Oil capped recent gains as international supply concerns were overshadowed by a looming demand drop.

Futures advanced as much as 1.1 percent in New York on Monday. Iranian exports of crude and a key byproduct plunged to a 2 1/2-year low as looming U.S. sanctions curbed purchases from the Islamic Republic, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. At the same time, American refiners are about to undertake seasonal mechanical work that requires some equipment to be idled, curtailing crude processing.

"It feels like the market is a little hesitant," said Michael Loewen, a commodities strategist at Scotiabank in Toronto. "It doesn't feel like there is a ton of bullish enthusiasm in the energy sector."

The U.S. benchmark crude has dipped about 1 percent this month as an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China imperiled demand growth. Oil markets have see-sawed as trade-war gloom was tempered by supply threats from Iran, Venezuela and other major producing nations.

West Texas Intermediate for October delivery was little changed at $69.04 a barrel at 11:20 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Total volume traded was about 21 percent below the 100-day average.

Brent for November settlement climbed 68 cents to $78.77 on the ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude traded at a $9.47 premium to WTI for the same month.

A measure of oil market volatility rose to the highest level since mid-July.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell as much as 0.4 percent on Monday.

Meanwhile, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih met in Moscow Saturday and confirmed their "commitment to stability in the market and readiness to react quickly to changes in market conditions."

The historic supply deal between Saudi Arabia, Russia and other major producers reached in late 2016 needs to be made permanent, Mohammad Barkindo, OPEC secretary-general, said Sunday in Dubai.

Some other key oil-market figures, news and events:

Gasoline futures added 1.1 percent to $1.9909 a gallon.

Russia increased oil production in the first half of September to 11.33 million barrels a day, Interfax reported.

Companies, regulators and environmental groups are waiting for record floods to recede in the southeast U.S. so they can make a comprehensive assessment of damage from Hurricane Florence.

Abu Dhabi is pushing ahead with an initial public offering for Spanish oil company Cia Espanola de Petroleos SAU, in what could be the largest such deal in a decade.

--With assistance from Heesu Lee, Grant Smith and Julian Lee.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.Bernard Okalia Bilai was at the Buea bus station last Saturday to debunk rumours of military assault in the Region report CT.

ADS

After two sequential communiques to the public, Bernard Okalia Bilai, Governor of the South West Region, was personally at the Buea Mile 17 bus station on September 15, 2018, to sensitise panic-stricken passengers, drivers, bus owners and park boys on the dangers of massive exodus triggered by rumours of an imminent military assault and restriction of movement in the Region.



Stepping into the bus station by midday, Governor Okalia Bilai was shocked at the thousands of people apparently stranded without ready buses to board, tons of luggage and households displayed on the ground and the physical depression worn in the faces of those seeking for bus tickets to move out of the Region. Some fluent speaking passengers told the Governor that gun bullets had pierced through the walls of many houses along the road and in the quarters and villages.



Others spoke of avoiding remaining alone in localities where everyone else had moved out. Yet, one eloquent and bold lady-traveller told the Governor that the social media had announced an imminent military assault in the South West Region and that a greater deployment of troops was already being observed around.



As such, the panicstricken population of the Region, notably from Buea, Kumba, Limbe, Mamfe, Muyuka and Nguti were drifting to safer ground outside the Region and especially to Douala, Nkongsamba, Yaounde and other neighbouring francophone areas.



In a fatherly response, the Governor reminded the travellers of the dangers of abandoning their homes to thieves, quitting their businesses for misery and moving into strange towns without adequate means of survival.



Okalia Bilai urged the drivers and bus owners to sensitise those itching to migrate about the baseless rumours of military assault and the risks involved in desperate movements.



The chief executive of the Region urged the population of the South West to remain calm in their homes, send children to school and trust that the Security Forces would protect their lives and property. He wondered how children would go to school when they are carried up and down in unfounded panic.



In the past two weeks, the Buea bus station called Mile 17 Park, has witnessed an unprecedented movement of persons emptying out of the South West Region due to the on-going Anglophone crisis that inflamed in November 2016. Recent social media gossips carried announcements of a full scale war between the separatists groups and the regular forces.



NkezeBill Magness knows that with Texas heat comes Texas-sized-levels of air conditioning; His job is to keep the lights on across the state, even when record power demand on the hottest summer strains power supplies and tests the power grid.

Magness is the CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which manages about 90 percent of the Texas power grid on which 25 million customers depend. ERCOT, contending wit the lowest power reserves in years was tested vigorously this summer as power consumpton broke multiple records in July, topping out on July 19 when 73,259 megawatts were consumed between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. That was more than 1,000 megawatts higher than the previous record set the previous afternoon.

A megawatt can power roughly 200 Texas homes during peak use, according to ERCOT.

Magness recently spoke with reporter Rye Druzin. Edited excerpts follow.

Q: Can you explain to ordinary Texans the history of whats changed in the states energy market?

Quick facts on Bill Magness What's your morning routine: When I wake up in the morning, I find my phone. I've got screens that I look at every morning that are reports that I get overnight about how we're doing, because that often shapes how the day's going to go. I just check in and see how we're doing on the system. After that, I usually exercise unless I'm feeling lazy. Then during the school year, I take my new middle schooler and drop her off at middle school before I head to work. What book are you reading right now: "Energy: A Human History," by Richard Rhodes What is your passion or hobby outside of work: Biking Do you have a favorite restaurant in Austin?: Torchy's Tacos First job where you earned an actual paycheck: I did grounds keeping at the Port Commission of Orange County, Texas. If you had to pick a different career in an entirely different industry, what would it be: I wish I knew how to write software and be good at that. We have an entirely new language that's driving so much of what we do today in the economy, and I don't speak it. See More Collapse

A: Traditionally, utilities serve an area. They did everything for you from provide the bill to your house, all the way to run the generating plants, to stringing the wires. The Legislature in Texas saw reason, outside the areas of the municipal utilities and the cooperatives that have existed for a long time, to restructure that market.

Really what it did was open up opportunities for new investment in the generation of power, whether thats natural gas, nuclear, coal, solar, wind. Those opportunities were opened up through deregulation. So in cities where there is competition, you have choices of any number of electric providers with different deals that appeal to you. Then the poles and wires, the transmission of electricity was maintained as a regulated service by the public utility commission.

Q: So, what is ERCOT then?

A: The way that we manage the grid is sort of like air traffic control. I kind of look at it as making sure all the planes stay in the air. For electricity, supply and demand have to be in very close balance at all times.

Q: How did the portion of Texas grid that ERCOT manages handle this summer?

A: We knew that the reserves that we had to work with were tighter than they had been for the few years prior.We really put an emphasis inside ERCOT and in our relationships with the market participants on performance.

There were also a lot of days when the wind production was high when we needed it. So the various types of generation came through.

Q: Did ERCOT dodge a bullet this summer?

A: I think the industry operated effectively, performed very well, and we had certainly some very hot, pretty extreme weather periods. Its probably going to go down as one of the hottest summers on record, but it wasnt hot everywhere all at once for a really long time. Part of it is sort of an operations mentality that the bullets coming at you every day from somewhere.

Q: Demand has grown across the state with more population coming in, massive petrochemical complexes being built along the coast, and oil and gas activity consuming even more power out in West Texas. Can ERCOT cope with this continued growth?

A: Were going to have to manage it. The challenge is keeping up with that growth. The kind of load growth were seeing can be pretty explosive, like the West Texas. We call them lumpy loads because they come in big chunks and need to be served all at once.

The way the ERCOT market is structured and set up is to respond to market demand. As we see this increasing demand, we see new generation come on.

Weve added a lot of generation. A lot of its wind, but over the history of restructuring in Texas, weve added thousands of megawatts of gas, wind, coal  in one period we were adding a lot of coal  that market opportunitys there as you see the demand increase. The question is, as policymakers look at it, Have we set the right framework to bring the supply that we need to meet that demand that we expect to have? Thatll determine what we see.

rdruzin@express-news.net

twitter.com/druz_journoTaps sounded throughout downtown Midland on Sept. 15 as firefighters, police officers and tactical support teams filed into the Wilco Building for the second annual Tall City 911 Memorial Stair Climb. The first responders started at the Bank of America building and marched to the Wilco building behind the music of a bagpiper playing Taps.

Once inside, the first responders started climbing the 22 flights of stairs in honor of their comrades who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Once they reached the top floor, the first responders took the elevators down and started climbing again. They climbed the 22-story building five times to represent the 110 floors of the World Trade Center.The Texas Department of Public Safety has increased the reward for information in a local "cold case."

DPS is offering up to $6,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the case of Kristy Lynn Booth, if the tip is received within the next month, according to a press release.LAREDO  A 10-year Border Patrol agent accused of killing four people and trying to kill a fifth in less than two weeks was arrested early Saturday after he ran from Texas troopers who confronted him at a gas station in the central part of this border city.

Juan David Ortiz, 35, was behind bars in Webb County Jail, charged with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated assault and one count of unlawful restraint.

He was found hiding in the parking garage of a hotel just off Interstate 35 about 2 a.m., officers said. He was arrested without incident.

RELATED: Laredo Border Patrol agent pleads not guilty in double homicide case, judge issues gag order

"The county, the city can rest assured we have the serial killer in custody," Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar said at an impromptu news conference.

According to affidavits released late Saturday, the woman he is alleged to have kidnapped and tried to kill escaped Friday night and helped authorities find Ortiz.

All four victims were found in the same general rural area near U.S. 83 in the northwest part of Webb County. All four were shot in the head; one was a transgender woman. District Attorney Isidro Alaniz said all had worked as prostitutes.

The first victim was Melissa Ramirez, 29, the mother of two. Her body was found Sept. 4 in the 300 block of Jefferies Road near the intersection of Texas 255, also known as Camino Colombia Road. An affidavit stated that Ortiz said he killed her Sept. 3.

The second victim was Claudine Anne Luera, 42.

A mother of five, she was found barely alive at about 7 a.m. Thursday near mile marker 436 of Texas 255, about a half-mile east of U.S. 83. She died at a hospital later that day.

Friday, the affidavit stated, Ortiz picked up Erika Pena.

When they stopped at a gas station, she began talking about Ramirez. Ortiz told investigators that he pulled out a pistol and pointed it at her. They struggled inside his truck and she ran out, making it to another gas station where she found a Department of Public Safety trooper and asked for help.

After Ortiz was in custody, he gave investigators a statement detailing the shootings, the affidavit said.

After Pena ran away, Ortiz told investigators, he picked up two people whose names werent released  the affidavit identified them as Jane Doe and John Doe. He killed both.

He picked up Jane Doe on San Bernardo Avenue, drove out of the city limits and told her to get out of the car at the Webb County Interchange Overpass, at mile marker 20 on I-35. He shot her multiple times in the head and left her body there, the affidavit stated.

RELATED: Undocumented immigrant fatally shot by Border Patrol agent near Laredo

Ortiz then picked up John Doe, also on San Bernardo Avenue, and again left the city limits, stopping near mile marker 15 on I-35. The affidavit said he told the man to get out of his truck, shot him once in the back of his head, and left his body behind the gravel pits at the mile marker.

Jane Does body was found Friday night; the body of John Doe was found after Ortiz told officers where to look, the affidavit said.

In a statement, Andrew Meehan, assistant commissioner for public affairs for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said his agencys Office of Professional Responsibility, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Homeland Security Departments Office of the Inspector General were fully cooperating with all investigators.

Our sincerest condolences go out to the victims family and friends. While it is CBP policy to not comment on the details of an ongoing investigation, criminal action by our employees is not, and will not be tolerated, Meehan said.

He referred questions about the investigation to authorities in Webb County and to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Ramirezs mother, Maria Cristina Benavides, said her daughter, a native Laredoan, had been caught up in drugs. Benavides had custody of her daughters two children, a 7-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy, at the family home in Rio Bravo, and her daughter stayed with them several days a week.

She was always smiling, Benavides said. She loved her children and when she was here, she took good care of them.

Lueras sister, Colette Mireles, said she also had been addicted to drugs and had been living on the streets for the past five years. Family members had custody of her five children.

READ ALSO: LPD: Border Patrol agent arrested after pawning government-issued night goggles

She was a happy-go-lucky person growing up, Mireles said, adding that her older sister had a contagious laugh, and always was free-spirited.

Sadly, she was an addict, Mireles said. Her life took another turn.

At least three other Border Patrol agents have been arrested in Laredo this year.

In April, Border Patrol agent David Villarreal, 32, was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman, tampering with physical evidence and official oppression. An arrest affidavit alleged that he threatened to deport the woman if she did not have sex with him. He told Laredo police that the sex was consensual, the affidavit stated. He said the woman had become affectionate toward him.

Villarreal remains on suspension without pay, the Border Patrol said.

On April 9, supervisory Border Patrol agent Ronald Anthony Burgos-Aviles, 29, was accused of killing his alleged 27-year-old lover and the couples 1-year-old child.

Police initially said the bodies of a woman and child were found in the brush by Bristol Road and Allen Drive, near Father Charles McNaboe Park, on April 9.

The Border Patrol agent who reported that he had found the womans body, Burgos-Aviles, later was found to have known her and was identified as the main suspect, authorities said.

He was indicted on two counts of capital murder June 27. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Burgos-Aviles has been suspended indefinitely without pay.

Also in April, agent Luis Enrique Aranda, 24, was arrested in the pawning of his government-issued night vision equipment after he reported it as stolen to his supervisors.

He was served with an arrest warrant in Eagle Pass, charging him with state jail felony theft, punishable by up to two years behind bars and a $10,000 fine.

District Attorney Alaniz noted Saturday that Laredo is not the sleepy town that we all grew up in.

This is the type of crime consistent with bigger cities, he said. Laredo is a big city. We are seeing more and more serious crimes. It can happen. People need to be careful. We need to look out for each other, report suspicious vehicles and suspicious behaviors.

Staff Writers Maria Salas, Danny Zaragoza and Diana R. Fuentes and the Associated Press contributed to this report.Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.| BY Ricki Green |

DrinkWise and the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) will today launch a campaign via Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, encouraging parents to reflect on the way they drink in front of their children.

The campaign will raise awareness about parental role modelling, with research continuing to highlight that parents have the greatest impact on shaping their childrens attitude to alcohol and future drinking behaviour.

The DrinkWise in front of your kids messages will feature on more than 600 outdoor signs nationwide as part of a campaign valued at approximately $1 million. The campaign follows research, conducted by Quantum in mid-2018, showing one-in-five parents dont think their current drinking behaviour will influence how their children drink in the future.

DrinkWise CEO Simon Strahan says the intent of this campaign is to urge parents and caregivers to reflect on the way they might be drinking in front of their children.

Says Strahan: The Children can inherit more than your looks line taps into a well-known truth  that we can not only end up looking like our parents, but often end up behaving like them as well. It serves as a reminder that parents need to be positive role models, particularly if alcohol is present.

Our research shows that 20% of parents do not seem to recognise that kids are forming their attitudes towards alcohol long before they start drinking.

DrinkWise hopes that its partnership with OMA will bring awareness to the importance of parental responsibility when it comes to childrens exposure to alcohol.

Father of three teens, Andrew Daddo agrees that the stats are cause for concern.

Says Daddo: I dont think our behaviour with alcohol is something that we, as parents, recognise as having an immediate impact on our kids. It is clear that our behaviour impacts them so its our responsibility to acknowledge this and ensure that were exhibiting positive role modelling behaviours.

CEO of OMA, Charmaine Moldrich believes the power of influence is a meaningful responsibility.

Says Moldrich: Outdoor advertising is a perfect platform to start a national dialogue around critical issues such as this, which is why OMA members across Australia are donating advertising space. With 93% of the population seeing our messages, we are keenly aware of our responsibility to the community to support initiatives which influence healthy habits and strong families.

We understand that a key influence of underage drinking is parents and peers. We hope that the partnership between DrinkWise and OMA will start a conversation that brings awareness to the impact of individual behaviour to enable strong, healthy communities in the future.

The DrinkWise in front of your kids campaign will run from 17 September to 1 October 2018 around Australia.

Production company: Photoplay

Photographer  Troy GoodallMCHENRY (AP)  The Chicago Worlds Fair of 1933 to 1934 planted a city of possibility on 424 acres of Chicagos shoreline near the museum campus. As they strolled through the fair, dubbed A Century of Progress, attendees could marvel at modern architecture, dream cars, a German zeppelin, homes of tomorrow and even a Midget City.

The Midway was filled with pop-up nightclubs featuring performances by future greats such as Judy Garland. Amid the nightlife scene was famed burlesque dancer Sally Rand. Right next door, whilst Rand performed her famous fan dance, for 25 cents, behind a pane of glass, onlookers could view premature babies resting in a new contraption, the incubator.

The brainchild of Martin A. Couney, a pioneer in the field of neonatology, the incubator was meant to provide a controlled environment for the care and protection of fledgling babies. While skepticism remains in regard to his credentials as a trained medical professional, Couneys incubators offered a life-saving option for premature babies, who at the time, were not seen as medical priorities.

Fraternal premature twins Jean and Jane Harbaugh were lucky enough to be given the necessary attention by Couney as one of his incubator babies, giving both girls originally weighing less than 4 pounds a fighting chance.

Now, they are 84 and the McHenry County residents - Jean Harrison of Algonquin and Jane Umbarger of McHenry - are featured in a new book from New York-based author Dawn Raffel, The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies.

The twins were born in 1934. During the Great Depression, their parents, Gerald and Grace Harbaugh, had to find other means of medical care for what ended up to be their daughter, plus one surprise.

Couneys staff, free of charge, cared for incubator babies. An aunt of the twins was a nurse at the now closed Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago and through connections was able to get the girls into the exhibit.

Mom and dad didnt even know they were having twins, Umbarger said. Jean was born first and then I was born and when they brought me out to show my dad, he said, Please dont go in there to get another one! 

Their older sister, Geraldine, wasnt exactly thrilled with the extra addition, either.

My sister was it for 4 years, Harrison said. When my mother and father took her to see us and she looked at us, she said but why do we gotta have two? 

Now, Jean Harrison and Jane Umbarger, the 84-year-olds can be seen as a bit of a credit to Couneys experiment, which was heavily criticized and disregarded by the medical field of his time.

I think it cost 25 cents to come see us. It looked like we were in little cook stoves. At that time, the thinking was, if youre premature, let nature take its course. In the same way, if you were old, dont try to save them. Which now Im getting to that second part, Harrison joked.

The women did not know about their involvement in the Worlds Fair until they were around 12 years old, as the subject was not spoken about often in the home. The family was not aware their participation in the project was any big deal. It wasnt until 1953 when, being the close twin sisters they are, the two had a double wedding day, which ended up including some unexpected guests.

We were really surprised, Umbarger said. Our announcement ended up in papers across the country and some people just showed up. I think mom and dad were surprised, too, when these people showed up at our wedding that we didnt even know but they had seen us in the incubators, so they wanted to see us grown up.

The two settled into married life and children and at 40-years-old, they made yet another discovery at an expo in Elk Grove Village. The two were shocked when they came to find out they were actually on display in the fairs midway among the performers instead of the science building.

Our parents told us we were in the incubators and that my father would bring breast milk for us every morning because he worked at First National Bank in Chicago, thats all we were told, Harrison said. We just assumed we were in the science building because it sounds like it would be seen as a big science project.

What was thought to be Couneys science project, which has even been referred to by some as a freak show, is now a staple of neonatal units throughout the world.

Raffel released her latest book on July 31, including Harrison and Umbargers story.

I would like to give Dr. Couney credit for what he did and start a discussion for how we make decisions about which lives we value and how we use technology to save lives, Raffel said. It took 40 years to get incubators into hospitals. Saving the lives of these preemies was not the priority and we still make these decisions about whose lives we save.

This is Raffels fifth book, which is a diversion from the typical writing style and subject matter of her previous works.

I just became obsessed with this story, Raffel said. I discovered it when I was doing research on the Worlds Fair. I saw an image of an incubator exhibition and I thought it was so strange and it just stuck with me. That led me down a four-year rabbit hole. I dont have a personal connection to preemies, but I thought the story was so strange and interesting that it had to be told.

Harrison and Umbarger said they are forever grateful for Dr. Couney and they hope this book will clear his name and present him as the caring and wonderful person he was to want to save all of these babies.

What he did to save all those babies was just out of this world and thank God for him, Umbarger said. Without him, we may not even be here. Who knows?

Harrison and Umbarger said they hope they will be able to one day find a fellow incubator baby who was at the Chicago Worlds Fair. They have not yet been successful in their search.

When asked what the future might bring, Umbargers husband, Jim, joked that he looks forward to having the Northwest Herald come back and do a follow-up on the two ladies when they turn 90, to which the ladies laughed.

For now, the two said they are enjoying each day and appreciating all they have to look back on.

I love memories. I dont care if I forget what I did yesterday, just dont let me forget the good old days, Harrison said, with Umbarger nodding in agreement.| BY Ricki Green |

303 MullenLowe, Perth has launched a new campaign for WAs only local customer-owned bank, P&N Bank.

The campaign marks the next phase of the brands successful Power of & platform  setting out to further demonstrate how P&N Banks customer-owned model and collective philosophy benefits its customers day in, day out.

Says John Linton, planning director, 303 MullenLowe: The Royal Commission has placed a spotlight on the ethics and integrity of the big banks. Its an incredibly important time for people to know that there are legitimate alternatives like P&N out there who are set up to represent and benefit their customers, rather than shareholders.

Says Kelly Fryer, manager brand and marketing, P&N Bank: We set 303 MullenLowe a challenging brief to not only extend our stronger together brand territory but to also articulate a number of rational reasons to bank with P&N across a range of executions.

We think they did a fantastic job in creating everything we set out to achieve. We absolutely love the visual of a group of people coming together to lift and support an individual which is exactly what P&Ns customer-owned model represents.

Across video and out-of-home, the campaign uses a simple visual metaphor to communicate how P&N Banks membership works together for the benefit of each individual.

Says Richard Berney, executive creative director, 303MullenLowe: Its hard to fault the original concept of mutual banking. A community pools their money, so that when individuals need a boost  its there. P&N are customer-owned so they are one of the few banks that are still true to this model  and that became our big idea. Our customers are literally lifted up by their community.

P&N Bank

General Manager, Member Experience: Anna Pearce

Manager Brand and Marketing: Kelly Fryer

Brand and Campaign Manager: Priscilla Pedersen

Digital Media and Campaign Manager: Alan Bayliss

303 MullenLowe

Executive Creative Director: Richard Berney

Art Director: Bianca Galan-Dwyer

Producer: Rozanne Fretz

Strategy: Derry Simpson and John Linton

Senior Account Director: Krista Song

Business Manager: Eloise Cribb

Production Company: Beautiful Pictures

Director: Emma Tomelty

Producer: Kate Downie

DOP: Patrick OSullivanVIRGINIA  The Virginia District 64 school board is scheduled to meet in regular session at 7 p.m. today at 651 S. Morgan St.

Among the items on the agenda are:A longtime downtown Jacksonville bar location is now an antiques store.

The former Firewater bar site at 226 E. State St. opened Sept. 8 as Market House, a shop which sells antique furniture, tools, books, dishware, enamelware and record players, among a long list of other objects.

It was my late mothers dream to have an antiques store, said Toby Little of Jacksonville, co-owner and co-operator of Market House and former operator of Firewater. My dad has one booth at the South Jax Antique Mall, but he has an overabundance of antiques and collectibles, which led us to open this business for him to showcase his treasures.

Little said his parents  Ercil and Betty Little  used to take him to estate auctions and sales all over central Illinois.

I didnt even know there were Saturday morning cartoons until I was older because we were always going to Saturday morning auctions, he said. That antique bug will bite you. You cant grow up in a house filled with antiques without being somewhat interested in them.

Little plans to carry antiques and collectibles from the Jacksonville area. His inventory has included such things as a Jacksonville High School marching band drum and a coffee container and dairy crate, both from former Jacksonville businesses.

He also plans to expand the Market House into an adjoining room once that space is renovated.

Market House is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Greg Olson can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1224, or on Twitter @JCNews_Greg.A new bar and music venue are scheduled to open on the downtown Jacksonville square in less than two weeks.

Mary Weinant of White Hall will open Kinleys Bar at 39 S. Central Park, the former location of On the Rox bar, on Sept. 28.

I wanted to open a bar in downtown Jacksonville because I felt there was a need for a place where people could enjoy live music, dance and have a good time, Weinant said. I will offer several of my own signature drinks that Ive come up with that you wont find in central Illinois.

Weinants signature drinks include Kinleys Kup, a fruity frozen cocktail; Gentle Giant, a 30-ounce yard glass of rum and other ingredients; and Kinleys Koktail, a vodka-based pouch drink.

I chose the name Kinley for the bar and some of my drinks because I have Great Danes and my first Great Dane was named Kinley, Weinant said. I figured this was a way to carry on Kinleys name.

Weinant is no stranger to the bar business. She and her husband, Larry Weinant, owned and operated Karma Klub in Roodhouse for a few years in the early 2000s.

I like talking to people, love good, live music, and Im looking forward to opening Kinleys, Weinant said.

She plans to have live bands one Saturday night every month and disc jockeys and karaoke every Thursday and Friday night.

Kinleys Bar will be open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Greg Olson can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1224, or on Twitter @JCNews_Greg.A federal court has sided with Attorney General Lisa Madigan in a lawsuit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos challenging the U.S. Department of Educations plan to abandon federal protections for students cheated by for-profit schools.

The federal court opinion called DeVos actions unlawful and ordered an immediate hearing in Washington, D.C., to determine remedies.The promise of cheap, fertile land and a new start in life must have been on the mind of Samuel Gates as he guided his keelboat from Ohio toward Illinois in 1817.

Accompanying the 32-year-old Gates were his wife, Susanna, their four young daughters, Harriet, Eunice, Phebe and Susanna, and an unknown family. Mrs. Gates, the former Susanna Emerson, was a cousin of the famous essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The westward adventure took the Gateses and their companions down the Ohio River, which was then a primary route of travel for many pioneers, and then up the Mississippi River to the west side of what is now Calhoun County.

Although he had lived in southern Ohio most of his life, Gates had moved across country a couple of times before. He was a sixth-generation American and a member of a family that had helped settle several New England states.

Gates was born in Maine, spent about two years in Virginia (in what is now West Virginia), and then settled with his family in Washington County, Ohio, where the Gateses are listed among the early settlers. So he knew something about starting from scratch as he landed in Illinois, a year before it achieved statehood.

The Gateses established their first Illinois home in a hilly, wooded area northwest of what is now Kampsville in fall 1817. In a search for more productive land, Gates again moved his family in 1819, settling across the Illinois River in what is now Jersey County.

Little is known about the Gates familys life in the Illinois River valley. It is recorded that Gates bought land there in 1821 from the federal government for $1.25 an acre, and that is where his daughters attended a log cabin school with a dirt floor and bark-covered benches, according to a history of Greene and Jersey counties.

After moving across the river, Mrs. Gates gave birth to three sons, Stephen, Daniel and James, and a daughter, Miriam. Daniel Gates died at the age of 10 months.

The Gateses moved again in 1823, when they bought land in Bluffdale Township in Greene County, a short distance north of present-day Eldred. There, the family settled into a log cabin beneath the bluffs, where they lived for several years and quite possibly where Mrs. Gates died in 1828.

The Illinois River valley in those days was home to a few Indians and an abundance of wildlife no longer found there; black bears and wolves lived in the hills and hollows near the Gates cabin.

Gates last move came when he and his seven children took residence in a two-story stone house he completed about 1830. It was located on the western edge of his farm in the river bottom. The house was undoubtedly one of the finest in the area when it was completed.

One of the Gates girls who lived in that house for a short time was Phebe, who, at the age of 17, married Jacob Strawn, a 32-year-old widower from rural Jacksonville who later became one of the best-known cattle raisers in the country.

Gates remarried in 1836, and the farm and stone house remained in his family after his death about five years later. The property was sold around the time of the Civil War, and the Gates family moved again.

Today, Samuel Gates rests beneath a tall marble gravestone in a small cemetery within sight of his old stone home, two of the only tangible reminders of the life of an Illinois pioneer.

Much of the information for this story was provided by Margaret Bellatti of Jacksonville, a descendant of Samuel and Susanna Emerson Gates.

This Way We Were story was first published Aug. 13, 2001.| BY Lynchy |

The 4A Creative Awards is a Taiwan advertising awards show that is recognized as the most iconic local award on creativity.

It is co-organized by 4A member companies and takes charge of the promotion of the awards by turns every year. This year, ADK took on this task and for the first time invited 8 international heavyweight creative gurus and 7 Taiwanese creatives to jointly serve as the final judges.

In order to encourage Taiwanese creative people to participate, the creative team launched a series of Any Time is Big Idea Time poster, telling everyone: International creative gurus knows that big ideas can happen at any times! Not limited in the office. No matter where your big ideas come up with, as long as it is brilliant enough, come to enter the 4A Creative Award to impress the gurus, let them cheer for you!

In addition, ADK also specially invited Taiwanese famous artist, Kyo Chen to collaborate for the illustration. His skillful brushstroke and ingenious style have greatly contributed to this series posters.

The final judging and the creative forum is going to be held in September18-20, and the awards ceremony will be held on the evening of September 21.12 nabbed for abuse of 20 women over ...| BY Kim Shaw |

United Media Solution (UMS), New Zealands leading Chinese digital marketing agency, has been appointed by New Zealand Avocado, to create and manage its digital marketing presence in China.

New Zealand Avocado, the body which represents the countrys avocado growers, has appointed UMS to build awareness of the brand and products in the China market as part of an overarching strategy to quadruple sales of NZ avacados to $280m and title productivity by 2023.

New Zealand Avocado was granted access to the Chinese market in January 2018 and will look to leverage this government approved market access to generate greater awareness for avocados from New Zealand.

UMS will be tasked with creating a brand story for avocados from New Zealand in China and implementing digital marketing activities to promote the 2018-19 export season. The activity will include social media management, events and media and influencer engagement.

Says Jessica Miao, chief executive officer, UMS: We are delighted to be working with New Zealand Avocado to help them grow their brand and boost sales in China. Chinese consumers have a real appetite for New Zealand produce and we are confident that we can help NZ Avocados to connect with a vibrant community of fans.

Says Jen Scoular, chief executive officer, NZ Avocado: NZ Avocado reviewed proposals from eight different agencies to help us gather insights on avocado consumers in China, tailor the New Zealand avocado category story for these consumers and deliver our first promotions campaign in China. UMS were our first pick of these agencies as they have a clear understanding of the New Zealand proposition, they have a personnel presence in both New Zealand and China, and have delivered successful outcomes for other New Zealand F&B products through digital and social media campaigns.

We have been impressed by the practical advice we have received to help us protect our branded resources and retain ownership of audiences we acquire through social media promotions in China.

The new business appointment is the latest in a string of new business wins for UMS across its New Zealand and Australian offices, including NZ Apple brand Rockit, Australasian skincare brand DUIT and Australian luxury fashion retailer Harrolds. The agency reported a strong performance in the first half of 2018 as the export to China in Australia and New Zealand continue to experience robust growth.

Says Miao: These new business wins cap off a strong period of growth for our business across our New Zealand and Australian offices, and demonstrate the booming market for companies looking to connect with Chinese consumers.President Donald Trump View Photos

President Trump proclaimed September 17th as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. It is also Constitution Week.

Trump was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here is his Presidential Proclamation:

On this day and during this week, we celebrate the signing of our Constitution, which has proved that Government established by the people through reflection and deliberate choice can thrive and endure, rather than devolve into chaos and upheaval. Our Nation began with the honorable determination, as James Madison put it, to rest all our political experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government. We recognize the Constitutions role in securing for our country the blessings of liberty; we salute the service members, statesmen, and citizens who have defended it; and we commit ourselves to the active citizenship that self-government requires.

The Framers established a strong Federal Government able to provide the energy and stability its people require while simultaneously limiting its reach and reserving all powers not expressly assigned to the Federal Government to the States and the people. When the Federal Government acts, it must do so with accountability. We are a Nation of laws, and laws must be enacted by the peoples elected representatives. The Constitution ensures that the Government acts only with the consent of the governed, as expressed by the representatives responsible to them. That vital safeguard is lost when obscure and unaccountable regulators impose unforeseen mandates on the American people or twist the plain meaning of statutes to regulate without authority from the Congress. Our constitutional system will be of little avail to the people, Madison said, when the law is little known, and less fixed.

In my Inaugural Address, I promised to return power to the American people. As President, I have instructed my Cabinet and all agency officials to regulate only when, and how, authorized by duly enacted statute. I have also instructed agencies to eliminate regulations that are ineffective, that fail to address real-world problems, that are needlessly burdensome, and that prevent Americans from designing their own innovative solutions. I call on Federal agencies to make room for States and local communities, for religious and civic organizations, and for individual Americans to address problems with the ingenuity and determination that make our country great.

On this day and during this week, I once again call on all citizens to reflect on the original public meaning of our Constitution. And I call on Government officials to be mindful that laws must be clear and intelligible, and enacted through an open, constitutional process so that the American people can hold their Government accountable.

The Congress, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36 U.S.C. 106), designated September 17 as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and by joint resolution of August 2, 1956 (36 U.S.C. 108), requested that the President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as Constitution Week.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 17, 2018, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and September 17, 2018, through September 23, 2018, as Constitution Week. On this day and during this week, we celebrate the citizens and the Constitution that have made America the greatest Nation this world has ever known. In doing so, we recommit ourselves to the enduring principles of the Constitution and thereby secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.Highway 108 Project - Before and After View Photos

Long Barn, CA  Caltrans is touting the completion of its first project in Tuolumne County that was funded by the new SB 1 gas tax revenue.

Caltrans spent $2.2-million to replace four lanes of pavement between Lyons Reservoir and Long Barn. Caltrans Director Laurie Berman says, The completion of this project will benefit residents in the Long Barn area, as well as travelers and the businesses in that region that rely on tourism dollars to bolster their local economy. Were just scratching the surface on these initial SB 1 projects.

Local Caltrans District 10 Director Dennis Agar adds, These mountain highway projects are critical because these roads are the lifeline for communities like Long Barn, Pinecrest, Twain Harte and others.

Caltrans notes that the stretch of Highway 108 near Long Barn sees an average of 3,100 vehicles per day. George Reed Construction was the hired contractor for the project and it took about one and half months to complete.

SB 1 was approved in 2017 and included an increase in the gas tax and vehicle licensing fees. It has been contentious legislation, and Californians will vote on a ballot measure in November whether to repeal it.(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump defended Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh amid allegations of sexual assault but suggested hed be open to postponing a confirmation vote.

"If it takes a little delay, itll take a little delay," Trump told reporters at the White House Monday, adding that he hadnt spoken to Kavanaugh that day. The president also said Kavanaugh is one of "the finest people Ive ever known." Trump dismissed a question about whether Kavanaugh offered to withdraw.

Kavanaugh and the woman who made the accusation, Christine Blasey Ford, have said theyre willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee as Republicans debate how to handle the allegations that threaten to derail his confirmation. The nomination is scheduled for a Thursday vote by the panel, but a growing number of Republicans suggested Monday the vote may need to be delayed.

Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of Senate GOP leadership, said, "These are serious allegations that need to be looked at closely by the committee before any other action is taken.

Senator Susan Collins, a pivotal GOP vote, told reporters that Kavanaugh "emphatically denied" the allegation when she spoke with him by phone on Friday. Before making a judgment, she said, she wants to see "testimony under oath with a lot of questions asked of both of them."

"Obviously, if Judge Kavanaugh has lied about what happened, that would be disqualifying," said Collins of Maine. The senator said she was told that Judiciary Committee Republicans would meet Monday to decide what to do.

Kavanaugh said Monday hes willing to talk to the Judiciary Committee in any forum to "defend my integrity."

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes -- to her or to anyone," Kavanaugh said in a statement issued by the White House. "Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday." Kavanaugh visited the White House for a meeting Monday morning, said a White House official who didnt give further details.

The allegation puts heavy pressure on moderate senators who must decide whether to vote for Kavanaugh at the risk of angering the Me Too movement. That growing backlash against men facing claims of sexually abusing women has already forced the resignations of top executives and some lawmakers. Collins and fellow GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska havent said whether theyll vote to confirm Kavanaugh, nor have a handful of Democrats from states that backed Trump in 2016.

Its also a significant challenge for Republicans who are struggling to win suburban womens votes in the Nov. 6 election that will decide control of the U.S. House and Senate.

Prospects for a swift confirmation were put in doubt amid calls from key GOP senators and Democrats for an investigation. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, in a floor speech, backed Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassleys strategy of having staff interview Kavanaugh and Ford instead of holding a public hearing.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said the GOP needs to call Ford before the committee, adding, What are they afraid of? Are they afraid she might be persuasive?

Ford, a California university professor, is willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth, her attorney, Debra Katz, told NBCs Today show. Katz told CNN in a separate interview that Ford hasnt been contacted yet by the committee.

GOP Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, a senior Judiciary Committee member and strong backer of Kavanaugh, said he spoke Monday with the nominee, who insisted that he was innocent and that he wasnt at the party where he is accused of attacking Ford. Hatch said the matter must be investigated.

Even if Fords claim turned out to be true, "I think it would be hard for senators not to consider who he is today, Hatch said. "He has denied this and I feel bad that this happened to him.

Grassley of Iowa said in a statement Monday hes working "to get to the bottom of these claims by setting up phone calls with Ford and Kavanaugh, an option top committee Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California has rejected as inadequate. Grassley blamed Democrats for not previously disclosing the claim by Ford, who had sought to remain anonymous before ultimately agreeing to be publicly identified.

Grassley didnt say whether Thursdays committee vote will go forward. Republicans are aiming for full Senate confirmation before the Supreme Court term begins Oct. 1.

The Washington Post published a detailed account from the accuser on Sunday. Days earlier Kavanaugh had seemed on track for quick approval.

The administration is gearing up for a counteroffensive, a White House official said. The Trump team plans to try to discredit the charges for surfacing late in the confirmation process and to question the credibility of the accuser because she didnt tell anybody about the incident at the time, the official said.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters Monday that the accusers allegations should be heard by the Senate.

She should not be insulted, she should not be ignored, she should testify under oath and she should do it on Capitol Hill, Conway said. But thats up to the Senate Judiciary Committee, they should decide the forum. And Judge Kavanaugh should also testify to these 36-year-old allegations."

Murkowski told CNN Monday that shes open to a delay in the committee vote. If there are more questions that need to be asked and answered, then I think it would be appropriate for that time, she told the network.

Rape Attempt

The Post identified Ford, a 51-year-old research psychologist and professor at Palo Alto University in California, as the woman whose accusation surfaced last week and raised the first serious doubts about Kavanaughs confirmation. The newspaper quoted Fords detailed description of the incident, and said it also viewed notes from a 2013 therapy session in which she had called it a rape attempt.

The White House on Friday released a statement from Kavanaugh in which the nominee said, I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.

The controversy comes 27 years after the bruising confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who was accused of sexually harassing attorney Anita Hill at two federal jobs, including when he chaired the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that handles harassment and discrimination issues. Thomas was confirmed on a 52-48 vote.

Roe v. Wade

Sundays development threatens what would be a major win for Trumps White House and McConnell as they seek to give a strong rightward tilt to the federal judiciary.

Republicans 51-49 control of the Senate means they need no Democratic support to confirm Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh could provide the fifth vote to overturn the Roe v. Wade abortion-rights decision. He called Roe an important precedent during his Senate Judiciary confirmation hearing but refused to say whether the ruling was correct.

Kavanaughs potential impact on the abortion debate is a risk to the GOPs already lackluster standing with women, and the sexual assault allegation could make things worse. Female voters preferred Democratic candidates over Republican ones by 54 percent to 33 percent, while 62 percent of women disapproved of Trumps job performance, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll in July.

The Post quoted Ford as saying Kavanaugh and a friend were stumbling drunk when they took her into a bedroom during a party in a house in the Maryland suburbs of Washington. Kavanaugh pinned her to the bed and groped her through her clothes, grinding his body against hers and trying to pull off her clothes, the Post quoted Ford as saying. She said that when she tried to scream, he put his hand over her mouth. She said she believed the attack occurred in 1982.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, the Post quoted Ford as saying. She said Kavanaughs friend, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them, sending them tumbling, and she was able to escape, the newspaper reported. She said she went home and didnt tell anyone until she and her husband were in couples therapy in 2012.

The Weekly Standard quoted Judge on Friday as saying no such incident ever occurred.

Serious and Credible

The Post said it viewed notes from that session and an individual therapy session the following year. The paper said the 2013 notes showed that Ford described a rape attempt in her late teens. Her husband, Russell Ford, told the newspaper that when she described the incident in the 2012 session, she used Kavanaughs last name and said she was concerned he might eventually be nominated to the Supreme Court. He has been a federal appeals court judge since 2006.

Ford and Katz, her lawyer, didnt return calls seeking comment.

(Updates with Collins, McConnell, Schumer comments starting in fifth paragraph.)

--With assistance from Ben Brody, Terrence Dopp, Justin Sink, Laura Curtis, Shannon Pettypiece and Erik Wasson.

To contact the reporters on this story: Laura Litvan in Washington at llitvan@bloomberg.net;Toluse Olorunnipa in Washington at tolorunnipa@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Laurie Asseo, Justin Blum

2018 Bloomberg L.P.Royal Dutch Shell said Monday it's implementing stricter targets on methane emissions to help reduce its carbon footprint and its impact on global warming.

Shell said it now aims to maintain methane emissions intensity below 0.2 percent by 2025 for all of the oil and gas assets it operates. The effort is part of Shell's broader goal to cut its net carbon footprint on all of its products in half by 2050.

Shell's efforts will focus largely on oil and gas production, as well as pipelines, by deploying infrared cameras and other advanced technology to scan for emissions and leaks, as well as replacing equipment that's known to allow for more methane emissions.

Shell and other energy supermajors in recent years have begun a pivot away from crude oil and toward more cleaner-burning natural gas.

Natural gas produces far less carbon dioxide than coal and oil and is considered a bridge fuel that the world can rely on until renewable energy sources like wind and solar power become more widespread and affordable. But methane emissions  from gas wells to pipeline leaks  have long been considered the Achilles' heel of natural gas. Methane has 80 times the global warming effects of carbon dioxide, although its impacts don't last as long in the atmosphere.

"This is an industry wide issue, and we need to fix this fast. We must get a much more accurate understanding of how much we are emitting," said Maarten Wetselaar, Shell's integrated gas and new energies director.

Mark Radka, head of the United Nations' energy and climate branch, said the Shell commitment should send signals to the broader industry.

"Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, but it has a relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere. That means reducing methane emissions brings immediate climate benefits, buying some time while we work out longer term solutions," Radka said.

The Shell news comes after a study this summer found that annual methane emission rates from energy companies are about 60 percent more than what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports.

RELATED: Major methane study complicates plans of oil and gas industry

The projected 13 million metric tons of methane emitted each year is the equivalent of about $2 billion in lost natural gas  enough to fuel about 10 million homes.

Most of the previously unreported emissions come from infrequent malfunctions at oil and gas wells that release large amounts of methane into the air without detection for prolonged periods of time.

Already, some of the nation's biggest oil and gas companies are moving to curb methane emissions. Last fall, for instance, Exxon Mobil, the nation's largest natural gas producer, said it would stem its methane emissions from its U.S. onshore activities. In May, it pledged a broader effort to reduce methane emissions by 15 percent worldwide by 2020.

The oil and gas sector is the largest source of U.S. methane emissions, according to the Energy Department. Surging gas production from shale drilling and hydraulic fracturing, called fracking, has increased methane emissions through much of the past 10 to 15 years.Manoush Zomorodis eyes used to glaze over when she heard someone bring up blockchain. Now she talks about it all the time as the host of ZigZag, a podcast that will go into its second season next month.

Zomorodi, the former host of the WNYC technology podcast Note to Self, created ZigZag with Jen Poyant, who was the executive producer of the WNYC show. It is the first of what the two hope will be many podcasts from the production house they formed this year in partnership with Civil Media, a new company built on blockchain technology.

ZigZag chronicles their journey as they try to understand blockchain technology and its possible implications for journalism. And because they are living the very topic they are reporting on, the podcast is also about what it means to be working mothers who are trying to make a go of it as entrepreneurs as they stake their financial and professional stability on Civils success.

Through the first 12-episode season, which concluded last month, Zomorodi became an expert in explaining the much-hyped but still arcane digital ledger to lay listeners.

If I, as a tech journalist, roll my eyes when I hear about blockchain, somebody is not doing a good job explaining this stuff, she said. Thats where the opportunity is  for two women, two moms, who are going out on their own, who have to understand blockchain. Theres your entryway to a podcast.

They named the podcast ZigZag because they knew it would wend its digressive way from blockchain to entrepreneurship to their personal lives and back again.

We zigzag around, but all these issues are intertwined, Poyant said, and if you are patient enough to stick with us through the narrative of the first season, you will start to realize how intertwined they are.

Zomorodi, 45, and Poyant, 39, left WNYC in April, months after the station, owned by New York Public Radio, had cut ties with its longtime hosts John Hockenberry, Leonard Lopate and Jonathan Schwartz. The men departed after multiple station employees accused them of harassment.

The women liked the idea of owning their own work  and the #MeToo accusations that swirled through the station caused them to see their former workplace in a new light.

Rebecca Traister wrote this beautiful line in her New York magazine article at the time, which was like, you look down and suddenly we can see all the scaffolding that were standing on, Zomorodi said. And it really felt like that for me.

Civil, a New York startup that aims to help start 100 new journalism outlets by the end of the year, gave Zomorodi and Poyant grant money that came partly in the form of dollars and partly in the companys own cryptocurrency, CVL tokens, which will go on sale on Tuesday.

Zomorodi and Poyant, who worked together for almost three years before starting the new venture, described themselves as creative soul mates.

We can kind of read each others minds, Poyant said.

Poyant is a single mother with a 7-year-old son; Zomorodi has two children, 11 and 8, and is married to Josh Robin, a political reporter for NY1. The podcast does not shy away from going into how hard it is to be a working parent.

All of our kids are struggling a little bit right now, with the amount of work time that we are taking for ourselves, often in front of them, Poyant said in Episode 3. Theres a level of guilt that you feel when youre sitting on a computer and the kids are like, Mom, Mom, Mom, and youre like, I told you I had to work. Go away. Theres definitely a sense of like, Is this kid going to, like, remember this as neglect one day?

Zomorodi often records segments for the podcast on the fly. During a trip to upstate New York, she sat with a blanket over her head to record herself while her children were jumping on a trampoline.

Its a juggle, and its exhausting, she said.

Zomorodi got serious about explaining blockchain in the second episode of ZigZag, and she did it with the help of a Schoolhouse Rock-style jingle sung by musician and podcaster Martin Zaltz Austwick.

Between the hosts quick descriptions of the technologys three basic principles, Austwick strummed a guitar and sang: Bitcoin is blockchains baby/ Transactions, trading, taking care of business on the blockchain/ All my friends are computers and were working together on the blockchain.

While the ditty made the digital ledger sound almost cute, Civil, with its reliance on cryptocurrency, is not without risks. And because their podcast documents the entry of Zomorodi and Poyant into the blockchain world, they often end up reporting on the company that is their main partner.

Its super weird, in that its a situation that Ive never been in before, Zomorodi said.

Matthew Iles, chief executive of Civil, said he did not mind having Zomorodi and Poyant report on the company.

Were a startup figuring a lot of stuff out day to day, he said. But were also a company thats founded on transparency and openness, and we want to demonstrate that we trust our partners and that we are open to scrutiny and that we are committed to editorial independence.A man was arrested and a victim was hospitalized with major injuries Sunday after an attempted homicide with a machete or similar knife, Fremont police said.

At 11 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a 911 call from a woman who said a family member had been attacked by a man with a machete on the 3000 block of Rockett Drive in Fremont.As a licensed professional counselor in Monte Vista, Ceasar Garza recognized the need for a cafe to meet the breakfast and lunch needs of busy professionals in the neighborhood. So he opened one of his own.

Luz Mia Restaurante opened its doors last week, a modest 30-seat cafe serving breakfast tacos, chilaquiles plates, carne guisada, fajitas, enchiladas and daily American-style lunch specials from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Garza plans to add dinner hours four or five months down the road.

Garza said the cafe, adjacent to his McCullough Center for Mental Health, is a tribute to his mother, Maria Espinoza Cuellar, affectionately known as Maria de la Luz.

RELATED: Review: Grace, grease and greatness at Garcias Mexican Food

On the menu: A trio of breakfast tacos proved that Luz Mia has the soul and price points of a neighborhood taqueria, with well-executed combinations of potato and egg ($1.85), bean and cheese ($1.60) and wiener and egg ($1.75). The key? Thick, handmade flour tortillas with fresh bakery fluff, bounce and sunspot toasting.

A plate of chilaquiles brought together eggs, pico de gallo and fried tortilla pieces broiled until a layer of cheese melted and began to form a crust. Served with fried potatoes, refried beans and two fresh tortillas, it was a solid value at $6.50. For $2.95, add big, tender chunks of carne guisada in lightly salted brown gravy.

Thoughts of lunch led to a carne asada a la mexicana taco ($3.25) packed so full of seared steak and sauteed pico de gallo that it needed a plate of its own, served on a sturdy, pliable handmade corn tortilla.

Fans of the classic Ro-Tel/Velveeta model of chile con queso will appreciate Luz Mias version ($5.99), and the cafe makes its own spicy jalapeno verde and mild tomato red salsas.

RELATED: Review: Boudros on the River Walk is showing its age

And for a shop less than 10 days old, Luz Mia turned out a properly old-school Mexican Plate ($8.25) with rice, beans, fresh tortillas, a beef taco in a freshly fried shell and two enchiladas with good cheddar in a tomato-chile gravy.

The restaurant will rotate American-style specials to see what works best, from hamburger steak with mushroom gravy to chicken-fried steak to burgers, Garza said. A guacamole burger ($8.99 with thin-cut homefries) made a strong case to join the main menu, with a tall patty of fresh seasoned beef on a broad sesame bun with creamy guacamole as radiantly green as the potted tropicals on the sidewalk.

Location: 138 E. Mistletoe Ave., 210-612-5626, Facebook: Luz Mia Restaurante

Hours: 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Breakfast served until 10:30.

Mike Sutter is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic. Read more of his stories on mysanantonio.com and ExpressNews.com, our subscriber site. | msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking | Instagram: @fedmanwalkingCohoes

When I was a cub reporter working in Biddeford, Maine, a politician I covered taught me a valuable lesson.

This guy was a powerful figure in that small mill city, a former mayor, and he was often dishonest. But he spoke with such force and conviction that his lies didn't matter. People believed him. He was that good.

Heck, I usually knew when he was being dishonest, but I would catch myself nodding along as he delivered long and vehement monologues. There's something within us that wants to believe people who really seem as though they are telling the truth. That's how demagogues gain power.

But just because a person seems as though he or she is speaking honestly doesn't mean that's the case, and it's a mistake to allow someone's apparent conviction to outweigh other evidence.

That brings me to Shawn Morse, who on Monday gave an extraordinary press conference designed to address the domestic violence allegations that have dogged him for nearly a year.

It was vintage Morse. The mayor of Cohoes was combative at times and emotional at others. He said he has been treated unfairly by this newspaper. He said he will not resign. Most importantly, he said there is no truth to the allegations.

"I've never laid my hands on my kids even when I punished my kids," Morse said. "I've never laid a hand on any woman in my life."

More Information Contact columnist Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse

Morse has many supporters in Cohoes, and I will not be surprised if many of them became more convinced of his innocence after watching his performance. I would not be surprised if many who have never stepped foot in Cohoes feel the same way. Nobody in local politics speaks with more force and conviction.

But to fully believe Morse, you have to ignore way too much.

A former girlfriend says Morse repeatedly physically abused her in the 1990s. Assemblyman John McDonald, a former Cohoes mayor, says he saw Morse grab a different girl by the hair and drag her from Marra's Pharmacy in the city's downtown.

"There's no question who it was," McDonald told me unequivocally in December. "There's no question that it happened."

There's more, sadly. Much more.

In an affidavit obtained by the Times Union, Morse's wife, Brenda, accused her estranged husband of assaulting her throughout their 19-year marriage. Brenda Morse also called 911 last November to report that the mayor grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the ground during an argument.

She filed a new complaint on Friday accusing Shawn Morse of grabbing her and spitting at her outside the Denny's on Wolf Road.

There are also child protective services reports with allegations that Morse regularly used physical violence against his younger daughter, now 16. He pulled her hair, threw her to the ground, choked her and punched her in the head, the reports say.

This is serious and alarming stuff, and when Morse was pressed on it all Monday, his response was that all his accusers are lying. He's asking us to take his word over theirs.

That's tough to do. In fact, it would require serious gullibility.

I won't get into all the details here, but Morse used the press conference to say, essentially, that his family has been wrecked by drug abuse and mental illness. Much of what he said was difficult to hear because it was so deeply personal. Morse even played a recording of a recent argument he'd had with his wife.

"These are hurtful, heart-wrenching things to share," Morse said, calling himself "a broken man with a broken family."

There is a political component to this, of course, given that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for Morse's resignation in response to a Times Union story with new and troubling details of alleged abuse.

Cuomo, as the top Democrat in the state, was not wrong to call out a member of his party. But the governor's involvement also risked overshadowing new details in the allegations against Morse and may allow many to ignore them.

To listen to Morse, the former chairman of the Albany County Legislature, he is being treated unfairly only because he's in politics. "If I were not the mayor of a city working every day to improve other people's lives, nobody would care," he said.

That ignores how Morse seems to have benefited from controlling the police department called to investigate him. And it ignores that elected office comes with higher standards and special responsibility.

There is, after all, the real likelihood that Morse's continuing saga will hurt his city. Still, the mayor insisted he's not going anywhere, saying only Cohoes voters have the right to eject him from office.

And he said it with all the force and conviction a person could muster.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchillDANBURY  An artificial intelligence program that can diagnose Lyme disease with 90 percent accuracy based solely on a photo of a rash is being developed here in Danbury.

The program is already winning national recognition, not just for its success but for its designer  Khushi Parikh, who is only 14 years old and just started her freshman year at Danbury High School.

Parikhs project was named a national semi-finalist in the 2018 Broadcom MASTERS, making her one of the top 300 students nationwide competing in the program by the Society for Science & the Public.

She will find out Tuesday if she makes it to the round of 30 national finalists who will compete fin Washington D.C. in October.

Artificial intelligence is all around us, Parikh said. Machines were originally created to make human life easier, so thats what I wanted to do with my project  something for social benefit. Specifically, I wanted to help with Lyme disease because its such a big deal in Connecticut.

The project began a year ago when Parikh was an eighth grade student at Westside Middle School Academy and preparing for the schools intensive physical and life sciences project.

She had taken an online course in the Python computer programming language over the summer between her seventh and eighth grade years and saw an opportunity to use that to develop an artificial intelligence program and apply it to a public health program.

With Lymes origins in Connecticut and 95 percent of cases coming from the Northeast, she decided to teach a neural network to spot Lyme disease based on the skin rash it often leads to, but that can be difficult to diagnose.

Even though only 70 percent of people get the rash, there is a clear connection between misinterpreting the rash and misdiagnosing it as something else and then being on the wrong cycle of medication, she said. The point is to make the doctors life easier so they can focus on the blood tests and making those more accurate.

Parikhs network needed images of Lyme rashes to learn, so she turned to Dr. Neeta Connally, a Western Connecticut State University biology professor and director of the Tickborne Disease Prevention Laboratory.

They were able to feed the program 100 images and it can now distinguish between Lyme, eczema, minor rashes and clear skin but it still needs more photos become even more accurate, Parikh said.

Westside Principal Frank Labanca said the project was one of, if not the best, projects the school has produced and we dont do volcanoes at Westside; we dont do plants under colored lights, he said.

Parikh and nine other classmates competed at the state level in the spring. Her project won the states physical sciences category  but it wasnt the only project with an amazing level of sophistication for a middle school student.

Classmates Timothy Chen won the engineering category for his project studying the rotation speeds and efficiencies of wind turbine blades, and Paloma Lenz won in biotechnology for her study on how certain minerals could absorb pollutants in storm-water runoff if installed in street drains to filter the water before it goes to a watershed.

Superintendent Sal Pascarella and members of the school board honored Parikh at their meeting last week. Now shes on to juggling both the DHS swim and robotics teams.

I think she really embraces working independently on something thats really interesting to her, Labanca said. Shes really developed the skills necessary to manage the project and work with adult mentors, meet deadlines and she exemplifies what we want in a student.

zach.murdock@hearstmediact.comThree of the four victims who were allegedly killed by a Border Patrol agent in Webb County have now been identified.

On Monday, authorities said Humberto Ortiz, 28, was among the four sex workers killed by the agent over a two-week period. Ortiz was a transgender woman, according to the Webb County district attorney.

The agent, Juan David Ortiz, 35, remains behind bars on four counts of murder in the deaths of the women. Authorities said he confessed to the killings.

According to arrest affidavits, Ortiz would pick up the victims on San Bernardo Avenue, drive them outside city limits and shoot them in the head. He was not on duty and wore civilian clothes during the killings.

The first victim, Melissa Ramirez, 29, was killed Sept. 3. The second, Claudine Anne Luera, 42, was killed Sept. 13.

The Webb County Sheriff's Office said during a news conference Monday afternoon that investigators believe Ortiz targeted the victims because of their profession.

Ortiz was arrested after a woman, Erika Pena, escaped from his vehicle Friday night. She told investigators that she fled from his vehicle after he pulled a pistol on her. Earlier, she said, they had visited his house off Loop 20 after he had picked her up on San Bernardo.

READ ALSO: $2.5M bond set for Border Patrol agent accused of killing four

Ortiz was detained hours later at Hotel Ava, 800 Garden St., but not before he allegedly picked up and killed Humberto Ortiz and another woman, whose identity has not yet been released. Webb County Sheriff's Office Chief Fred Garza said during Monday's news conference that Ortiz tried to "commit suicide by cop" by intentionally holding his cellphone in a way that made it look like he had a gun.

However, he was detained without incident.

Authorities said they found an arsenal of weapons during a search of Ortiz's home in the 200 block of Oak Bur Drive, located in an upscale neighborhood off Loop 20 in Laredo. Garza said Ortiz may have collected the weapons in preparation for a confrontation with law enforcement.

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost, who attended the news conference, said Ortiz has been placed on unpaid suspension

He had been employed by the agency for 10 years. Before his job with Border Patrol, he spent almost eight years in the U.S. Navy. A biography of Ortiz released Monday says that he enlisted in the Navy in July 2001 and served until May 2009. He was listed as a hospital corpsman, second class.

READ ALSO: 'I'm dumbfounded:' Border Patrol agent's alleged killings stun city leaders, officials

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A petition calling for the release of convicted murderer Miguel Angel Martinez has garnered hundreds of signatures.

Martinez, a native Laredoan, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison for his role in a 1991 crime that shocked the Gateway City. Nearly 28 years later, people from around the world are rooting for his parole following the release of the Netflix docuseries, "I am a Killer."

A show that drudges up the United States' most shocking crimes, the audience is introduced to Laredo's infamous "triple ax murders" in episode four.

As the episode commences, a lingering question is left in the air, "Was justice served?"

For Ricki Moore, 29, of Pennsylvania, her answer is "no."

To learn more about the "triple ax murders" and Miguel Angel Martinez click here.

Moore created a petition to free Martinez on change.org a couple of weeks ago after watching Martinez' episode. As of Thursday afternoon, the petition has received over 700 signatures worldwide, including many signatures coming from Laredoans, Moore said.

"I was like, I have to do something to help him. When I watched the other episodes, I saw a couple of (inmates) that fit the title. They would interview the inmate and the guy would be like, 'yeah, I killed him.' Martinez' was not black and white," Moore said.

Martinez was at the scene of the crime, but according to his report and that of the most active participant, Miguel Angel Venegas, his role was small. According to Venegas and Martinez, Venegas killed all three victims.

Moore said she has been in contact with Martinez. When Martinez first found out about the petition, Moore was told that he became really emotional.

"He thought people would see (the episode) and go about their lives," Moore said.

Martinez has since given Moore permission to advocate for him and speak on his behalf.

Corresponding by letters, Moore recalls asking Martinez if there was anything he would like her to share with people.

READ ALSO: How Laredo's 'La Barbie' became the top-ranking leader of a Mexican drug cartel

"He said, 'I want people to know if I was given the opportunity to parole, I would be an asset to the community and affect it positively.' He just wants the chance to live a good life," Moore said.

During his 27-year prison stint, Martinez has earned a bachelor of science in business and two associate of art degrees, according to a website created by his family.

Mariah Graves, Martinez' girlfriend, said he has also completed a number of reformative 12-step and 18-step programs including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, a faith-based program and a program focused on financial and personal responsibility.

In one particular program, Martinez met with victims of crimes, giving him the opportunity to hear victims' perspectives and to learn from his past behaviors, Graves said.

"He has changed and grown as a person immensely while he's been incarcerated. I believe he would make an excellent candidate for parole if he was given the opportunity," Graves said in a statement to LMTonline.com.

Things have come to light in the last 20 years that have caused normal, rational and sensitive people to question the fairness of treatment and the proportionality of punishment to those involved in the case."

Graves said she hopes that for anyone who has heard about Martinez, they will take the time to review his case and see the injustice that was done to him.

"I'm not saying he hasn't made mistakes or bad decisions. I do believe that he has served his time, though. He has proven himself. I want other people to see that as well," Graves said.

Martinez has an upcoming parole hearing and Moore is urging for people to get involved in his release, sign the petition and write letters on his behalf to the parole board.

"I just want (people) to know that he would just like to be given the opportunity to be free and live a good life," Moore said.

For more information on Martinez and the petition, click here.

JeriLynn Thorpe is a digital reporter for the Laredo Morning Times. Read more of her stories on LMTonline.com | jerilynn.thorpe@lmtonline.comSept. 8

At 9:31 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby, in regard to a walk-in report of a theft.

Sept. 9

At 3:41 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling northbound in the 5900 block of Buffalo Speedway at a high rate of speed. A traffic stop was conducted in the 3100 block of Quenby and after further investigation; the driver was arrested for suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated with open container.

At 8:53 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby, in regard to a report of found property.

An officer was dispatched to the Harris County Inmate Processing Center facility to pick up a prisoner in custody with outstanding West University Place warrants. The prisoner (Adrianne Sells-Carrillo) was transferred to the West University Jail facility and booked without incident.

Sept. 11

At 4:21 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to a theft that had already occurred.

Sept. 12

An officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 6400 block of Weslayan with expired registration. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving While License Invalid.

At 9:16 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 2900 block of Plumb in regard to a report of criminal mischief that had already occurred.

An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby to speak with a complainant in regards to a fraud report.

Sept. 13

At 3:05 a.m., officers were dispatched to a car alarm sounding in the 2600 block of Centenary. The reportee advised he noticed a vehicle in the roadway in front of his house with two males running away. Several minutes later, a vehicle matching that description was observed in the 2700 block of Pemberton and Annapolis. A traffic stop was conducted and one of the vehicles occupants exited and fled the scene on foot. The driver and one other occupant who remained in the vehicle were found to be in possession of stolen property resulting from the burglaries. The driver (Deaundre Thomas) was ultimately arrested for Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information. The passenger was arrested for open warrants.

Sept. 14

An Officer was dispatched to the 5300 block of Kirby in reference to a vehicle burglary that had already occurred.WASHINGTON - Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the woman who has accused him of sexually assaulting her decades ago will testify publicly before the Senate next Monday, setting up a potentially dramatic and politically perilous hearing that could determine the fate of his nomination.

Republicans, including President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., remained defiant as they scrambled to protect Kavanaugh's nomination in the wake of the allegation by Christine Blasey Ford, who told The Washington Post in an interview published Sunday that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back, groped her and put his hand over her mouth at a house party in the early 1980s.

But by the end of the day, Senate Republicans had delayed a committee vote planned for Thursday and abandoned tentative plans for the matter to be handled behind closed doors amid growing calls by members of both parties for Kavanaugh and Ford to testify publicly under oath, injecting uncertainty into the nomination.

The White House said in a statement that Kavanaugh "looks forward to a hearing where he can clear his name of this false allegation" and stands poised to testify as soon as the Senate is ready to hear him.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said that his staff had contacted Ford to hear her account and held a follow-up call with Kavanaugh Monday afternoon but that Democrats had declined to participate.

"However, to provide ample transparency, we will hold a public hearing Monday to give these recent allegations a full airing," he said.

Trump on Monday defended Kavanaugh, praising him as "one of the finest people that anybody has known" and signaling that he supports a proposed hearing on the allegations.

"We want to go through a full process," Trump told reporters at an event on workforce development. He added that the Senate will "go through a process and hear everybody out."

He called Kavanaugh "somebody very special" who "never even had a little blemish on his record." And he criticized Democrats, who he said should have "done this a lot sooner because they had this information for many months."

"If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay," Trump said of the confirmation process. "It will, I'm sure, work out very well."

Trump's comments marked his first public response after The Post reported Sunday on Ford's accusation against Kavanaugh.

An attorney for Ford said Monday that Ford is willing to testify about the allegations before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In an article published Sunday, Ford told The Washington Post that one summer in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend - both "stumbling drunk," Ford alleges - corralled her in a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County, Maryland.

While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth.

Kavanaugh on Monday issued a fresh denial of the allegations, which have roiled his confirmation process. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a member of the committee, said that Kavanaugh told him in a conversation Monday that he was not present at the party in question.

"If I recall it correctly, he wasn't even there," Hatch said. "I believe him. He's a person of immense integrity. I've known him for a long time, he's always been straightforward, honest, truthful, and a very, very decent man."

Ford has never said where and when the party occurred.

Democrats are insisting that the FBI handle the matter by reopening Kavanaugh's background investigation rather having committee staff make calls.

"In view of the enormity and seriousness of these allegations, a staff-only phone call behind closed doors is unacceptable and Democratic staff will not participate. This isn't how things should be done and is in complete violation of how this committee has worked in the past," Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats said in their statement.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also called for the FBI to investigate.

"Republicans and their staff cannot investigate these allegations. They've already said they're not true," he said in remarks on the Senate floor.

"The double standard - the twisting of this body into a cruel, nasty partisanship, unprecedented in a feverish desire to fill the bench with people that the other side agrees with - it's one of the lowest points I have seen in my years here," Schumer said.

His remarks came shortly after McConnell took to the floor to blast Democrats for not raising Ford's accusation earlier in the process.

"But now - now, at the 11th hour, with committee votes on schedule after Democrats have spent weeks and weeks searching for any possible reason that the nomination should be delayed - now, now, they choose to introduce this allegation," McConnell said.

The offer from Ford's attorney prompted a growing number of calls from senators - including moderates in both parties whose votes are key to Kavanaugh's fate - to hold another hearing at which both Ford and Kavanaugh could testify publicly.

Debra Katz, a lawyer for Ford, shared her client's willingness to testify during a round of television interviews on Monday morning.

"She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth," Katz said on NBC's "Today" show when asked whether her client would speak publicly about Trump's Supreme Court nominee.

Kavanaugh said Monday he is willing to talk to the committee in any way it "deems appropriate."

"I have never done anything like what the accuser describes - to her or to anyone," he said in a statement. "Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday."

Underscoring the uncertainty Kavanaugh faces, four senators considered swing votes on the nomination issued statements Monday calling for a thorough review of the allegations by Ford, a professor in California.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, tweeted that "Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh should both testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee."

Three red-state Democrats, Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, also called for hearings.

"Given the nature of these allegations, and the number of outstanding questions, I believe the Judiciary Committee should hold off on Thursday's scheduled vote," Donnelly said.

Heitkamp said it "takes courage for any woman to speak up about sexual assault, and we need to respect Prof. Ford by listening to her and hearing her story."

Manchin, meanwhile, said Ford "deserves to be heard," and Kavanaugh "deserves a chance to clear his name" during a hearing.

"I hope they will be given the opportunity to do that as quickly as possible," Manchin said.

Kavanaugh was at the White House on Monday morning, but according to a senior official, he did not meet with Trump. The official said Kavanaugh has been coming to the White House "often" for meetings during the confirmation process.

Many GOP activists stood firmly by Kavanaugh amid the firestorm and prepared for a drawn-out battle over his nomination.

The Judicial Crisis Network, a conservative group that has been a major proponent of Republican nominees to the high court, said on Monday that it would launch a $1.5 million advertising blitz to support him, featuring a longtime friend of the federal judge who would speak to his character.

"We are not going to allow a last-minute smear campaign destroy a good and decent man who has an unblemished personal record," an adviser to the Judicial Crisis Network said in a statement.

During the NBC interview, Katz characterized Kavanaugh's actions as "attempted rape," adding that her client feels "that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped."

Ford is "not taking a position" on whether Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination, Katz said. "She believes that these allegations obviously bear on his character and his fitness, and the denials of course bear on his character and fitness."

Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee, Republicans who are retiring at the end of this term, have joined Democrats in urging a delay in the vote until the committee hears from Ford.

Amid the uproar, Republicans continued to express anger Monday that Ford's allegations did not surface until after Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings.

Feinstein received a letter from Ford in July in which Ford asked to remain anonymous. Ford has said she decided to come forward only when her name began leaking out.

In a statement, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said that the Judiciary Committee should handle the allegation through its normal process, which begins with follow-up calls.

"That Democrats have so egregiously mishandled this up until now is no excuse for us to do the same," said Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber. "If Democrats reject the committee handling this swiftly and in a bipartisan way through regular order, then it's clear that their only intention is to smear Judge Kavanaugh and derail his nomination."

---

The Washington Post's Robert Costa, Sean Sullivan and Gabriel Pogrung contributed to this report.

---

Video Embed Code

Video: California professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward after a confidential letter was leaked alleging Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were both in high school, and is now willing to testify publicly.(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Embed code:Illinois constitution says lawmakers cant be arrested on their way to and from Springfield. State law also protects lawyers, judges and others going to and from court.

Many state constitutions say lawmakers are immune from arrest when performing their official duties, harkening back to English laws that forbade the king from detaining members of parliament. Illinois law goes further. It says legislators, judges, attorneys, clerks, sheriffs and other court officers shall be privileged from arrest on their way to and from their official duties.

It extends the privilege to others including attorneys and judges, said governmental attorney Joe Kanefield, partner with Ballard Spahr.

Kanefield said history has shown the need for the protection but problems crop up when its abused.

Lawmaker immunity can also apply to their staffers in certain situations, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. Referring to the protection for courthouse staff, professor Chris Mooney of the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public affairs said laws like this typically come from reactions to specific incidents.

Im wondering what happened that led to this, he said. Another way that this happens is a state will appropriate the language from somebody else.

The law was enacted in 1963.

The issue of legislative immunity often comes up in stories about lawmakers claiming immunity when caught speeding.

In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order clarifying that speeding constituted a breach of the peace and that made the immunity clause inapplicable. This came after a lawmaker there was pulled over for excessive speeding, boasted about it on camera, and then was released without a ticket.

Former Illinois state Rep. Monroe Flinn, D-Cahokia, tested this provision after being ticketed for doing 84 mph on Interstate 55, which at the time had a 55 mph limit. An appellate court ruled in 1977 that Flinn, who died in 2005, wasnt immune from speeding, deeming it a breach of peace.

The Washington State Police stand down when they see their legislators speed by them on their way to Olympia, saying theyre immune to noncriminal traffic tickets during the legislative session.

There is a long history of lawmakers hurrying back and forth between Springfield and their homes, Mooney said. It matters if somebody takes advantage of it.HARTFORD  A 24-year-old New Haven man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, officials said in a release.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Adrian Belle was a passenger in a vehicle on March 18 that was stopped by New Haven police officers. When the officers asked Belle to step out of the vehicle, he reached into the center console, exited the vehicle and then began to flee on foot, according to the release from the U.S. attorneys office. Officers observed Belle throw an object during the pursuit.Courtesy photo / San Francisco Police Dept.

Update: Police said Dennis Dixon, the missing boy, has been located and is well.

San Francisco police are asking for the publics help in finding an 11-year-old boy who left his home on Sunday and hasnt been seen since.WASHINGTON - The White House on Sunday stood by Brett M. Kavanaugh after a woman publicly accused him of sexual assault decades ago, an allegation that triggered the most concrete signs yet of Republican resistance to President Trump's Supreme Court nominee.

With the nomination suddenly in doubt, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was working to arrange follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who said he assaulted her when the two were in high school.

Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee, two Republicans who are retiring at year's end, joined Democrats in urging a delay in the vote until the committee hears from Ford. The panel is scheduled to vote Thursday afternoon on Kavanaugh's nomination.

The Washington Post published a story Sunday afternoon that included an interview with Ford. The report marked the first time her identity had been revealed publicly and her first public comments about the allegation.

Ford told The Post that one summer in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend - both "stumbling drunk," Ford alleges - corralled her in a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in Montgomery County, Maryland.

While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth.

Kavanaugh "categorically and unequivocally" denied the accusation in a statement, and the White House maintained on Sunday that it is not withdrawing its nomination. The developments marked the latest chapter of a contentious battle over Trump's nominee that has grown increasingly divisive as it approaches its final stages.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Flake said that Ford "must be heard" before a committee vote.

"I've made it clear that I'm not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further," said Flake, who is one of the committee's 21 members. Republicans hold an 11-to-10 majority on the panel, and Flake's opposition to a vote could stall the nomination.

Flake would not specify what form the communication with Ford should take or how he would vote. But he emphasized the significance of the allegations.

"For me, we can't vote until we hear more," he said.

In a statement, Corker said a delay "would be best for all involved, including the nominee. If she does want to be heard, she should do so promptly." Senate Republicans hold a 51-49 majority, and cannot afford the loss of two or more senators voting for Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Judiciary Committee spokesman Taylor Foy said in a statement that "given the late addendum to the background file and revelations of Dr. Ford's identity, Chairman Grassley is actively working to set up such follow-up calls with Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford ahead of Thursday's scheduled vote."

Republicans reached out to Democrats on Sunday to try to schedule separate calls for Monday with Kavanaugh and Ford. But Democrats had not agreed, officials familiar with the back-and-forth said, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., demanded that the FBI reopen its background investigation of Kavanaugh, 53.

Garrett Ventry, another spokesman for committee Republicans, said in response: "Democrats have chosen once again to call for delay."

The allegation injects uncertainty into the prospects for Trump's second nominee for the court, roils the midterm elections - which have seen a record number of women seek elected office - and carries high-stakes implications for the court.

If the White House withdrew the nomination or Kavanaugh bowed out, the Senate would not have enough time to confirm a justice before the new court session begins Oct. 1, leaving it with eight justices. The court operated with eight justices for almost a year after the February 2016 death of Antonin Scalia and Republicans' subsequent refusal to consider Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama's pick.

Any new nominee may have to wait until after the midterm elections, with increasing signs that Democrats could capture the Senate majority. Senate Republicans had argued that the position of red-state Democrats on Kavanaugh would be a factor in their reelection - an issue that would be moot if the nomination is scuttled.

Republicans face a potential backlash from female voters, especially suburban women, if they press ahead despite the allegation. In 1991, outrage over the Senate confirmation of Clarence Thomas despite allegations of sexual misconduct from his former colleague Anita Hill was among the factors that led to the election of dozens of female candidates.

Twenty-seven years later, the Senate is considering another Supreme Court nominee in the #MeToo era, which has seen a wave of allegations that have cost many prominent men in business, the media and Congress their jobs.

Earlier Sunday, Republicans had signaled that they planned to try to confirm Kavanaugh by the end of the month.

Foy issued a statement vouching for Kavanaugh's integrity and saying it was "disturbing that these uncorroborated allegations from more than 35 years ago, during high school, would surface on the eve of a committee vote after Democrats sat on them since July."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he agreed with the committee's concerns about the "substance and process" regarding Ford's allegation - although he said he would "gladly" listen to her if she wanted to talk to lawmakers.

"If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled," Graham, a member of the committee, said Sunday afternoon.

Senate Democrats in leadership and on the committee swiftly called for a delay.

"To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement.

In a tweet after The Post's report, Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., said it was "a very brave step" by Ford to come forward.

"It is more important than ever to hit the pause button on Kavanaugh's confirmation vote until we can fully investigate these serious and disturbing allegations. We cannot rush to move forward under this cloud," said Jones, a potentially key swing vote who has not announced whether he will support Kavanaugh's nomination.

A representative for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., did not comment.

Hours before The Post's report was published Sunday, a centrist Democratic senator and two of his Republican colleagues argued that the allegation against Kavanaugh - which at that point Ford had not confirmed publicly - should have been raised sooner in the Senate and predicted that it would not prevent the chamber from moving forward with Kavanaugh's nomination.

In televised interviews, Jones, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and John Neely Kennedy, R-La., expressed concerns that a letter outlining the allegation that Feinstein received was not shared with fellow lawmakers earlier in Kavanaugh's nomination process.

Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that now that Ford has shared her story, "it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee."

The FBI doesn't plan to investigate the allegation as a criminal matter, but Feinstein wants the bureau to review it as part of Kavanaugh's background check, a spokesman said.

Feinstein also wrote an op-ed published in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday formalizing her opposition to Kavanaugh's nomination and briefly referencing her decision to share the letter's contents with the FBI.

Many Democratic senators have declared their opposition to Kavanaugh, but not a single Republican has publicly opposed him.

The two most closely watched Republican senators are Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, moderates who favor abortion rights and have broken ranks with their party in the past, including during the failed Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act last year.

Neither has said how she plans to vote on Kavanaugh. Representatives for the two senators did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday.Sept. 16, 1958: Effective October 1 commercial electricity users in Plainview will be billed on he basis of two rates instead of sixteen.

--The First National Bank of Lockney announces that they have reached an agreement with the Lockney American Legion, Landrum Post No. 141, whereby they will purchase the American Legion Home and grounds, located on North Main Street.The Plainview Area Retired School Personnel Association (PARSPA) held its first 2018-19 meeting at the Plainview Adult Activity Center.

H. T. Sanchez, superintendent of Plainview ISD, was introduced as guest speaker. He announced that PISD had an enrollment of 5,200 students and that the District had earned in the past year a rating of 87.2--which is outstanding for this area. He added that this was higher than Lubbock Cooper. While his audience waited expectantly to hear what his plans were to build on this rating, Sanchez responded, "My first job priority is not to mess that up."

Sanchez mentioned several roles he plays at PISD: "Not only am I the Superintendent but I come to you as a dad of a sixth-grade daughter and of a third-grade son. I'm also the husband of Mary, employed with our system as "Family and Community Engagement Specialist."

Because Sanchez visits all schools in the District, he has earned a special title from the students he encounters at the front door: "Here comes " 'a man in a suit.' "

Sanchez expressed his excitement in working with Wayland University's teacher-training program. As WBU teachers enter the workforce, PISD hopes to give them their first job. As graduates from Plainview, the area, state, and beyond, PISD will have teachers who will bring with them traditional values and excellent teacher training from the local University.

"We will encourage our students at all levels to continue their education beyond high school, whether it's trade schools, the military, or to a university. Many times our local high school student is the first in his/her family to go to college," Sanchez continued. He hopes to increase that level of "choice beyond high school."

Sanchez included another item in his "to do" list as Superintendent: To initiate a building program that matches PISD's excellent school rating. He hopes to initiate a study to determine physical needs on the campus, such as improved library facilities, improved classroom space and technology, and other needs coming from the study.

"It's the school that identifies the city," Sanchez stressed. "The teachers are delivering. Now we must concentrate on the physical aspects of our campus." He added that when a family contemplates on moving to a new city, their primary interest usually is the school system--how will it serve their family?"

Sanchez concluded his address by reminding his audience, "If you can read, thank a teacher!"

Co-Presidents Linda Murphree and Terry Miller presided over the meeting. Larry May led the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas flags.

Miller recognized Beth Finley who was responsible for the raffle benefiting the book and scholarship funds. Beth presented scented candle gifts from KanDel's to the winners. Janie Martin was thanked for providing frig-door-appropriate "reminder cards for the year's meetings." Pam Kendall, "Information and Protective Services" Committee Chair, provided a list of essential emergency items each family should have for the home and car.

Miller reported that our Retired Personnel Unit donated 14 children's books ("The Soda Bottle School") to elementary libraries in Floydada, Lockney, Hale Center, Plainview, and to the Unger Memorial Library in Plainview.

Murphree reported on our unit giving four $50 gift certificates to beginning teachers at area secondary campuses. This monetary gift helps with providing teaching material at the beginning of school, usually borne by the individual teacher. Murphree and Miller shared their enthusiasm in describing their experiences in hand-delivering the certificates rather than mailing. Tears of joy were exchanged from both giver and recipient as they met at the four campuses.

Miller and Murphree also attended the Plainview High School Convocation where they handed out retired teachers' brochures, listing benefits available to retired teachers as well as benefits in belonging to the LOCAL retired teachers' organization. Perhaps their recruitment efforts were visible this month in the Unit's having its largest luncheon attendance of 48, with seven new members: Joyce McCormick, Brenda McDonough, Linda Watson, Linda Webb, Melody Miller, and Walter and Sharon Wright.

Miller listed two major concerns facing our local Unit: Legislative Concerns (What's happening in Austin?) and Health Care Concerns (Rising Costs). One of today's speakers will address those issues.LAREDO - The desperate hunt for Juan David Ortiz, the veteran Border Patrol agent charged with murdering four Laredo sex workers, began shortly after 9 p.m. Friday when one of his would-be victims jumped from his truck and ran.

It ended five hours later, a few blocks from where it began, when a sheriffs SWAT team found an unarmed Ortiz hiding in the back of a pickup truck on the third level of a motel garage.

In the hours between, police say, Ortiz killed two people and went to his home just off Loop 20 to prepare himself for a shootout with police.

He had numerous weapons. He was loading up all his weapons, thinking that the DPS (Department of Public Safety) was going to confront him there. Thank God, it didnt happen, said Federico Garza, chief deputy of the Webb County Sheriffs Office.

Investigators said Ortiz fled after Erika Pena escaped shirtless from his truck and ran to a nearby DPS trooper. He had taken her to his house Friday night, where she questioned him about the Sept. 3 death of Melissa Ramirez, who was 29. The criminal complaint said Ortiz became nervous and Pena vomited in his yard before he drove away with her.

Inexplicably, early Saturday Ortiz returned again to San Bernardo Avenue, where he had already picked up Pena and two other sex workers that night.

At about 1 a.m. Saturday he was spotted by police, but evaded arrest and ran, prompting an intense search.

When he was found about 2:30 a.m. in the parking garage, he attempted to trick the deputies into shooting him, Garza said.

He was trying to commit suicide-by-cop. He was trying to use his phone like a weapon, but it didnt happen, he added.

In a press conference Monday at the sheriffs office, local and federal officials explained what they know so far about the case.

They also anguished over how an unremarkable senior Border Patrol agent suddenly went rogue, becoming an alleged serial killer who took his victims out of town and shot them in the head.

Other victims of the alleged killing spree were Claudine Ann Luera, 42, who was killed on Sept. 13, and Humberto Ortiz, 28, one of the two people killed Friday night. The other one remains unidentified.

We are trying to get into the mind of this killer, to figure out why he did this, said Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz.

We know he carried out these crimes in a cold, calloused fashion, added the district attorney, who said Ortiz had apparently gained the confidence of his victims, all sex workers, from prior contacts.

There appears to have been a history between Ortiz and this community  a community that is vulnerable, defenseless and has no voice, he said.

In confessing to the crimes, Ortiz also revealed a hostility toward the prostitutes who are found nightly along a tattered stretch of San Bernardo Avenue, north of downtown.

I know he mentioned a dislike for the community. Whatever the anger was, we dont know, Garza added.

Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost, who came from Washington, D.C. to consult with her agents, said the killings were committed by just one rogue individual in her agency, which is one of the largest federal law enforcement arms in the country, with 20,000 officers.

Im here to support my men and women, on whom it obviously has had an extreme impact. Im sickened and saddened by the events that occurred, she said.

Provost pushed back against questions from reporters that suggested the rapid growth of the Border Patrol in recent years has resulted in unqualified candidates becoming agents.

There has been no lowering of standards. We do extensive background checks, she said.

Officials emphasized that Ortiz, who is being held on a $2.5 million bond, did not commit the crimes he is accused of while on duty, in uniform or using a federal vehicle. It was unclear if his service weapon was used in the killings.

Ortiz, 35, joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Laredo in 2009 after serving in the Navy. He rose to the level of a supervisory intelligence agent. Along the away he earned a masters degree from St. Marys University in San Antonio.

County records show that Ortiz, who is married, took out a $240,000 mortgage with his wife, Daniella, in December for their home in an upper middle-class neighborhood on Laredos west side. Officials have not released any information about his wife.

The previously owned a home in San Antonio from 2007 until 2015.

His personnel file revealed only one minor infraction, an official said Monday.

Alaniz said Ortiz may face a capital murder charge when all the facts are known.

According to a research by the Project on Governmental Oversight, Customs and Border Protection has had a chronic problem with corruption, with at least 13 employees arrested since Donald Trump became president.

Among the recent charges are bribery, theft, drug smuggling and misuse of top-secret government data, according to the review, which was based on government documents released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Going back to 2004, more than 200 CBP employees have been charged with corruption. More than 120 of those accused resigned, and another 54 were removed by the government.

The study also disclosed crimes of violence by CBP employees including rape and murder.

Many of the problems arose after a massive expansion that began soon after the CBP was created in 2003. With President Trump now vowing to add another 5,000 border agents, critics worry that a rise in corruption may follow.It has been almost a year since Hurricane Maria ravaged my beautiful island of Puerto Rico and her sister islands of Vieques and Culebra. In the midst of all the devastation, the suffering, the deaths, our people have not lost their hospitality, hope or sense of community.

The islands are still in need of help and will be for many years, but Puerto Ricans are resilient, neighbors helping neighbors, all for one and one for all. And let me tell you, if you go anywhere to bring relief supplies, set up water filtration systems or help with rebuilding roofs and structures, you will be welcomed with a big smile, a hug and a loud, Hola! You will be offered a chair and a cafecito. People who are in dire need of help, who lack commodities you and I take for granted, are not only grateful but offer the little they have.

And this is why I must address the comments made by President Donald Trump regarding Maria and its aftermath. They have hurt me deeply.

Telling the governor of Puerto Rico in October that he should feel proud that only 16 people had died was cruel; comparing Maria to Katrina, which he said was a real catastrophe where thousands died, was the epitome of insensitivity.

Saying, I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack. Thats fine, weve saved a lot of lives was heartless.

As we now know, according to a reputable study, almost 3,000 Puerto Ricans have died after Maria. This is 40 percent more deaths than with Katrina. Is this a real catastrophe now?

Last week, after being asked about Puerto Rico specifically, the president said, Puerto Rico was an incredible unsung success and one of the best jobs thats ever been done. So, almost 3,000 dead, people with blue tarps instead of roofs a year after Maria, water filtration systems still needed in many areas  this is an unsung success?

He attributed the increased estimate of dead to a Democratic conspiracy and also said: I think the hardest one that weve had to face so far is Puerto Rico, because of the island nature.

Yes, we all know Puerto Rico is an island, and so is Haiti, where relief efforts after the devastating earthquake of 2010 were mobilized the next morning.

Maria and that earthquake cannot be compared as far as disasters go, but the mission to Haiti is an example of how quickly relief efforts can be mobilized.

And it is not just Puerto Rico and Vieques and Culebra. Lets not forget that Hurricane Irma first decimated the U.S. Virgin Islands.

As for preparedness for Hurricane Florence, President Trump said: Were as ready as anybody has ever been and that unlike Puerto Rico, the states in the path of Florence have very strong power companies.

Lets kick the victims while theyre down. This was offensive.

We can discuss when, how and why one organization or federal agency did or did not do this or that. We can discuss Puerto Ricos poor infrastructure and problems with the electric grid. We can discuss logistics all we want. We can discuss the perceptions of aid from people inside and outside the island. We can discuss the timing and the results of the aid received. We can discuss the involvement of local government versus federal government. What is not up to discussion is that what happened in Puerto Rico is a real catastrophe, and empathy for fellow American citizens that have been impacted in such a horrendous manner will go a long way.

I am not blaming President Trump for the damage caused by Maria, but I am incensed, outraged, offended and saddened by the presidents words. Sad that my island paradise, the pearl of the Caribbean, and her inhabitants have been disrespected, that the suffering that is still going on is touted as a success  as a win.

It is not too much to ask our president that when fellow Americans have suffered and continue to suffer, he stand up and listen. Words do matter. Admitting things could have been better would not have made him look weak; on the contrary, it would have made him look like a leader who can show compassion and who really cares about his fellow Americans.

Ada Montalvo of San Antonio is a member of the Puerto Rican Heritage Society.Should an unaccountable United Nations court, created by a treaty to which the United States is not a signatory and that the Senate has not ratified, be allowed to investigate, try and imprison American citizens?

Unfortunately, this is no longer a theoretical question. In November, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, or ICC, at The Hague, Fatou Bensouda, announced she was seeking a formal investigation into alleged war crimes committed by U.S. military forces and CIA officers in Afghanistan.

Bensouda  a Gambian lawyer who is answerable to no government or institution  claims unbridled power to investigate, charge and prosecute American citizens, no matter what the U.S. government says. A pretrial chamber of the court, made up of judges from Hungary, France and Benin, reportedly will approve her request in the coming days.

Who gave these foreign magistrates the right to try U.S. citizens, whose government never assented to the courts jurisdiction through our own democratic institutions? No one. And, yet, they are preparing to exercise this supranational power for the first time.

That will not happen if the Trump administration has anything to say about it. In a speech last week to the Federalist Society, National Security Adviser John Bolton delivered a stark warning to the ICC: If the court comes after us  this administration will fight back to protect American constitutionalism, our sovereignty, and our citizens. No committee of foreign nations will tell us how to govern ourselves and defend our freedom.

Should the court act against U.S. citizens, Bolton said, the United States will bar ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the country, sanction their funds in the U.S. financial system and prosecute them in the American criminal-justice system.

I know something about the ICC, because I was present at its creation. In 1998, as a staff member for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I attended the Rome conference where the treaty was negotiated. The committees chairman, Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., warned that unless checks were placed on the ICC prosecutors unfettered discretion to prosecute U.S. citizens  including a U.N. Security Council screen that would permit the United States to veto cases going forward  the Rome treaty would be dead on arrival in the Senate.

When those protections were rejected, Helms introduced the American Servicemembers Protection Act to bar U.S. cooperation with the ICC and to punish the court for any efforts to prosecute Americans. The measure was approved in 2002 by a bipartisan 75-19 vote. So not only has the Senate not ratified the ICC treaty, it has explicitly authorized the president to use all means necessary  including military force  to shield American citizens from ICC prosecution.

We were told back then that all of this was unnecessary and that the idea a rogue ICC prosecutor would ever go after Americans was ridiculous. The court would focus on grievous human-rights abuses by the worlds tyrants, not on democracies with robust and transparent legal systems capable of policing their own citizens. That was a lie.

Not only is the ICC threatening Americans, it has our democratic ally, Israel, in its cross hairs. In 2015, Bensouda opened a preliminary investigation of Israel for actions defending itself against Palestinian terrorist attacks in the West Bank and Gaza  despite the fact that the court has no jurisdiction because Israel is not a party to the treaty, and because Palestinian territories cannot be a state party to the treaty considering they are not a state. In May, the Palestinian Authoritys foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki, traveled to The Hague to hand over a criminal referral against Israel and to urge the court to indict and prosecute Israeli officials.

The ICC is not just a threat to U.S. citizens and our democratic allies  it is a hindrance to democratic change.

Since the end of the Cold War, almost every peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy has involved some form of amnesty. The existence of the ICC makes it more difficult to convince dictators to step down, because the option of safety in exile has effectively been eliminated. Without a credible guarantee that they will remain unmolested abroad, dictators may well decide they are better off holed up in their palaces. The lesson to tyrants such as Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro, Nicaraguas Daniel Ortega or Irans ayatollahs is clear: If the people rise up, it is safer to fire on the crowds than to flee.

By taking on the ICC, the Trump administration is not just protecting U.S. citizens and American sovereignty  it is striking a blow for democracy across the world.As a mayoral candidate, Ron Nirenberg often spoke about the need for a meaningful transit plan in San Antonio.

And as a mayor, Nirenberg has pledged to make that transit plan a reality. It was the keystone of his state of the city address in April. At that time, he announced the creation of ConnectSA, a nonprofit with plenty of local heavy hitters tasked with creating a plan.

After many months, this community has no clarity about routes, modes of transit and local funding options. Far from reality, a viable transit plan appears illusory and politically quixotic. What is the plan? How will it be funded? How would it make San Antonio a more mobile and economically competitive community?

We realize the mayor has a full plate campaigning against the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Associations proposed charter amendments. Those proposals have grave implications for the city in terms of its bond rating, economic growth and ability to attract and retain top talent. The upcoming November election should be the mayors focus.

But transit is his signature issue and a promise he has made for voters. As such, its parameters should be disclosed as soon as possible.

From the outside looking in, San Antonio appears no closer to a transit plan than in April or when Nirenberg was elected as mayor more than a year ago. Case in point, confusion and disagreement among city and county officials during meetings this summer about whether sales tax revenue dedicated for Edwards Aquifer protection and greenway trails could be shifted to transit.

Maybe thats a mechanism for transit, and maybe it is not.

We are less concerned about any particular funding source, and more interested in hearing that there is one. Is the mayor interested in shifting existing funding or trying to sell voters on a transit fee? How much revenue would be generated, and what could be built?

If a transit vote is really going to happen in 2019, as Nirenberg has asserted, then the clock is ticking. We would welcome a vote as soon as possible, but if the timeline must be pushed back because of these proposed charter changes, the mayor should simply own up to that. A vote in 2020 has its merits in terms of the likely electorate, and we would rather see a credible and sound plan than something that is rushed.

We get it. The proposed charter changes have sucked the air out of the room. Beyond this, transit has languished and been underfunded in this community for decades. Its never been a priority, and somehow Nirenberg needs to make it one. But lets not lose sight of this unique moment. One defined by innovation.

Exciting developments abound in transit in big and small ways: self-driving vehicles, so-called trackless trains that serve the same purpose as light rail, but at a fraction of the cost; e-scooters, e-bikes and ride share are all potential tools to serve the first and last miles of transit.

Transit is also a keystone in addressing environmental and growth concerns.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently declared the city in non-attainment for ozone, a distinction that only highlights the significance of improving public transit and reducing emissions.

This is also one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Bexar County is expected to have 1 million more residents by 2040. Residents who will need to get to work and school. Residents who will run errands. Residents who will need mobility.

Building more roads will be necessary, but experts have said roads alone will not be enough. Alternatives that take vehicles off our roads, but still move people quickly and efficiently will be necessary.

To not address mobility is to invite congestion and missed opportunity in the future. If we want to be economically competitive, San Antonio residents will need to quickly get to and from major employers, universities and the airport regardless of traffic conditions.

Thats not happening now during rush hour. It will be worse in the future without some fundamental change in transit. But before change comes, there has to be a plan for voters to consider. ConnectSA better pick up the pace. The mayors signature plan deserves more attention and clearer direction. This is too important to become stalled.Nissan has announced a recall of about 166,000 vehicles in North America due to a problem with the ignition switch that can cause the vehicle to shut off while driving.

Details of the Nissan Recall

According to reports, on certain vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition system, a spring in the ignition switch could wear and break, allowing the ignition key to inadvertently move from the on position to the accessory (ACC) position while driving. If this happens, the engine could shut off, increasing the risk for crashes, and the airbag system could also lose power, leaving the driver unprotected in the event of a crash.

Transport Canada has not disclosed any information regarding crashes, injuries, or fatalities associated with the problem. Nissans statement for the U.S. market said it is not aware of any incidents caused by the issue.

The automaker urges all drivers affected by this recall to remove all objects, such as additional keys or keychains, from the ignition key ring in order to lessen their chances of experiencing these problems.

Vehicles Included in the Recall

The recall includes about 153,000 vehicles in the United States and 13,000 in Canada. The following vehicles are affected:

United States:

2017 & 2018 Juke

2017 & 2018 Frontier

2017 & 2018 Sentra

2017 & 2018 Versa

2017 & 2018 Versa Note

2017 & 2018 Mirca

2017 & 2018 NV

2017 & 2018 NV200

2017 & 2018 Taxi

Canada:

2017 & 2018 Frontier

2017 & 2018 Micra

2017 & 2018 Versa Note

2017 Sentra

2017 NV200

2017 NV1500

2017 NV2500

2017 NV3500

Nissan says that drivers will be notified in September. To fix the issue, dealers will inspect the lot number of the ignition switches and replace it with a new one if necessary.

Contact an Experienced Vehicle Defect Attorney

Drivers have enough to worry about while traversing the roadways on a daily basis. When a person gets behind the wheel of a car, there is a reasonable expectation that the car is going to perform in a matter that would not put the operator's life in jeopardy. Unfortunately there are hundreds of vehicle recalls each year due to manufacturer defects, from the tires to the ignition switches, that can cause catastrophic injuries and in some cases death. If you or a loved one have been injured due to a defective part in a vehicle, contact Thomas J. Henry.

Our experienced defective vehicle lawyers have handled a multitude of injury claims caused by recalled vehicles. We continue to handle cases involving faulty and dangerous GM ignition switches and Takata airbags. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free legal consultation  our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. 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.Four years ago, a Nebraska man suffered symptoms that left him paralyzed and with damaged hearing from West Nile Virus. The man is claiming that the paralysis and hearing loss are due to a doctors quick dismissal of his symptoms.

Details of the Alleged Misdiagnoses

Dave Shemek had applied bug spray before mowing his lawn, but he was still able to get bitten. He believes quick treatment would have prevented symptoms becoming so severe.

Shemek went to the doctor after his neighbor was diagnosed with West Nile Virus. The doctor dismissed him, saying oh God no, 8,000 to 1 you dont have West although his blood was never tested.

If caught early enough, West Nile Virus can be cured with high enough doses of antibiotics.

Unfortunately for Shemek, ten days after the initial visit to the doctor, he was hospitalized with a 102-degree fever and later diagnosed with West Nile Virus.

The virus cannot be prevented with vaccines or antiviral treatments, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In rare cases, the virus can lead to inflammation in the spinal cord or brain. The CDC said those who are infected can take over-the-counter pain medication or fever reducers, with the severest of patients requiring hospitalization and supportive care.

The piling medical bills, and inability to work, has left Shemeck penniless. Despite the ordeal, he is determined to walk again.

Medical Error Statistics

An estimated 210,000  400,000 deaths each year are associated with medical errors ( British Medical Journal )

) Only heart disease (614,348) and cancer (591,699) claim more lives each year in the United States than medical errors Medical errors cause more deaths each year than unintentional injuries, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention )

The total medical malpractice payout amount for 2016 in the United States was $3.84 billion (Diederich Healthcare)

Contact an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured due to a medical error, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our firm has a proven track record of winning large cases for severely injured clients for more than 25 years. Thomas J. Henry has the experienced medical malpractice lawyers and the legal and financial resources necessary to properly develop your case. Our dedication and determination is reflected in the record-breaking results we have helped our clients achieve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review  attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. 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.MP for Nyanga South, and past minister of ICT and Cyber security, Hon Supa Mandiwanzira has scoffed at online reports alleging that he is on the run and skipped the country, fearing prosecution.

Some social media posts have gone on to allege that the minister has been apprehended at the Zambian border post while tying to flee the long arm of the law.

Speaking to TechnoMag during a telephone conversation, Mandiwanzira said that he also learning on social media that he has been arrested.

Im actually in Zimbabwe and flying out of the country late this this afternoon, i will be back in good time for the official opening of parliament by HE the president said Supa.

The minister could however not be drawn to details of where he was flying out to, but had indicated that he is willfully making a personal visit out of the country and will be back soon.

 TechnoMag

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsPresident Emmerson Mnangagwa has thrown a lifeline to his fellow comrades-in-arms whom he dropped from his Cabinet more than a week ago by giving them plum jobs at the Zanu PF headquarters, complete with perks similar to those enjoyed by his ministers.

This publication can report that during a politburo meeting held at the ruling partys main office in Harare on Monday, Mnangagwa promised to give a golden parachute to those left out of his Cabinet.

Instead of leaving them out in the cold, these would be given full time employment at the so-called Shake-Shake Building, where they are expected to work towards the rejuvenation of Zanu PF, while also playing an oversight role on government.

As part of their perks, the Zanu PF functionaries are tipped to get top-of-the-range vehicles similar to those given to Cabinet ministers, a driver, an aide, a monthly salary and other featherbeddings that cement their superior status to full Cabinet ministers.

While addressing the media after the ad hoc politburo meeting, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the decision to employ full time party bigwigs was meant to ensure that the ruling party remains strong while those in Cabinet focus on government issues.

The politburo has reassigned some comrades to work full time at the party headquarters to ensure that the party continues to function smoothly as others concentrate on government business, Khaya Moyo said.

Mnangagwas Cabinet is noticeably free of the majority of old guard that had dominated government for decades.

The more familiar names from former president Robert Mugabes era that could not make the grade includes Obert Mpofu, Patrick Chinamasa, Khaya Moyo, Josaya Hungwe, David Parirenyatwa and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

Zanu PF honchos such as Mpofu (secretary for administration), Khaya Moyo, Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (legal secretary), Mumbengegwi (secretary for foreign affairs), Christopher Mushohwe, Douglas Mahiya (Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesperson) and Lewis Mathuthu (youth league deputy secretary) will now work full time at the party, joining national political commissar, Engelbert Rugeje.

An admirer of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Mnangagwa seems to be taking a leaf from the nearly century old East Asian party founded by Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao.

CCP has inspired most liberation movements on the African continent, including South Africas ruling African National Congress which adopted a similar model at Luthuli House.

In China, the CCP leads the work of government although it remains distinct from government.

An elite membership-driven organisation about 48 million members  which is less than five percent of Chinas total population  CCP employs party members on a part-time basis.

At the apex of the CCP is the national party organisation headed by a standing committee of its politburo, the politburo, and the central committee, which are served by a secretariat and other departments.

At provincial, municipal, and county levels there are similar leadership bodies and staff offices.

Every agency of CCPs national, provincial, and county governments has within it a party committee.

Although some members of these party oversight bodies play two roles, as both government and party officials, these bodies are clearly defined as part of the CCP.

While liberation movements in Africa admire the CCP model, they remain torn between their former colonial masters in the western world who would want them to embrace democracy, and the Leninist political system does not measure up to the western values.

Zanu PF insiders told the Daily News on Sunday that the ruling party was banking on donations extended to it by well-wishers in the run-up to the July 30 polls to fund the bureaucracy.

They said Zanu PF still has more than $15 million remaining in its coffers after running a well-funded campaign that exposed its rivals poverty.

While Zanu PF owns a number of businesses, these have been haemorrhaging owing to the difficult operating environment.

On their own, these businesses are unable to fund the partys operations.

Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said the deployment of deadwood at the Zanu PF headquarters, also known as the Shake-Shake Building because of its resemblance to Delta Beverages Chibuku Shake Shake  a type of sorghum beer sold in cartons  was a clear testimony that deep down Mnangagwa was still a student of patronage which kept his predecessor in power for 37 years.

This shows that the issue is complex and taking these out from government was just a facade, a veneer of a transformed Cabinet while underneath the old form holds, said Saungweme.

With party-State conflation, there is no doubt that these guys will be paid from the public purse. This may also weaken the party as the old guys have no new ideas for the party, but a weak Zanu PF is good for the country.

Professor of World Politics at the London School of Oriental and African Studies Stephen Chan said there was a danger that such a setup would create confusion as the party might end up meddling in government and thus creating confusion.

Chan said Zimbabwe must avoid creating a dominant party state, where the ruling party will begin to direct the government, especially if there are parallel portfolios in the party.

This happened in Kenneth Kaundas Zambia and governmental decision-making was always ponderous and ineffectual as a result, he said.

He said if the bigwigs are going to occupy parallel positions to the Cabinet positions, this would be a bad omen for efficient and transparent public administration.

If they are doing something else, that is not something of great concern to the general public, although it might be to other party members who might see a bloated party headquarters as not addressing their needs, said Chan.

Namibia-based scholar and researcher Admire Mare said the new Zanu PF style was just another method the ruling party is using to loot the State.

Zanu PF has transplanted the Chinese Communist Party of the two centred cabinet systemone based at the HQ and the national one which does the national duty. We have the latent and manifest cabinet system essentially. This tells us that Zanu PF is planning to entrench its rule for a long time to come. They are already planning for future elections and the rejuvenation of the party, said Mare.

 DailyNews

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsAll is not well with former Zimbabwe first lady, Grace Mugabes health, amid top secret disclosures last night from government insiders and a foreign medical practitioner, that her battle with an appendectomy operation in 2015 in Singapore is failing, and that it could be a matter of days before she loses the fight, Spotlight Zimbabwe, has been told.

There are also local online media reports that Grace and her husband former president, Robert Mugabe, were flown out of the country yesterday on a State chartered plane back to Singapore for medical attention, as both of them are in dire health conditions. Speculation was rife that Mugabes life is in danger, but it turns out that Grace is the one fighting for her life.

Three years ago, Grace spent several weeks in Singapore, reportedly for an operation to remove her appendix, yet the private Zimbabwe Independent newspaper, citing family sources, said she actually had surgery for colon cancer.

Colon cancer is a very dangerous ailment, which claimed the life of the countrys former prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, in February this year. Tsvangirai died in a South African hospital at the age of 65.

The truth is not being openly told, said the doctor based in Hong Kong. Mrs Mugabe is very ill, her days are numbered. She was told back in 2014 by her specialists that she had little time left. The people of Zimbabwe might be shocked to witness Mugabe burying his wife. You are a christian nation, and this is the time your prayers are needed for your first lady.

Other government informants in the capital said the former first lady was strong and had been putting up a brave face all along, but she is in pain. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is footing the former first couples medical bills, and has directed that their air travel arrangements to their Singapore doctors be upgraded.

 Spotlight

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsSeveral African billionaires are added to the list of the richest people in the world by Forbes and other magazines every year, and Nigerians are also present in this selection. Find out the top 10 richest people in Nigeria this year. Some of them are in the Forbes ranking, and others are not, but they are all wealthy and successful.

Top 10 richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: canva.com (modified by author)

Source: UGC

Of course, worldwide rankings created by different organizations might not include all the richest people from every country. Every year, the ranking of the richest people changes. Some make more money, while others lose money due to different reasons. Who are the top 10 richest people in Nigeria in 2021? Find out now.

Who are the top 10 richest persons in Nigeria?

Three well-known Nigerian billionaires are on the top of our ranking of the top 10 richest person in Nigeria. The first three names are ranked as the wealthiest by Forbes, and the number 1 is also the richest black person on the planet; a spot he has held on to for some years now.

10. Fifi Ekanem Ejindu - $850 million

Fifi Ekanem has her own individual style described as neo-traditional and has won many awards for her talent. Construction is not the only industry Fifi loves. She also dabbles in oil and gas as well as real estate. Her net worth is estimated to be $850 million.

Fifi Ekanem Ejindu is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @Fifi Ejindu

Source: UGC

9. Hajia Bola Shagaya - $950 million

Nigeria has many incredible women who earn millions of dollars and develop different industries and spheres of life. Haija Bola Shagaya loves fashion and supports art; she is a wife, mother and business tycoon. She has been a member of the board of Unity Bank for many years in a row. Bola's net worth is $950 million.

Hajia Bola is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @tybellofanpage

Source: UGC

8. Jim James Ovia - $980 million

Who doesnt know Zenith Bank? The financial organization is one of the top banks in the country, and it was founded by Jim Ovia. Being one of the richest men in the country, he is also a member of numerous interesting organizations (both governmental and NGOs). Ovia's current net worth is estimated to be $980 million.

7. Orji Uzor Kalu - $1 billion

He had even more money in the past but lost much of his wealth because of the drop in prices in real estate and oil. Kalu's current net worth is estimated to be $ 1 billion.

Orji Kalu is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @myigberetv

Source: UGC

6. Folorunsho Alakija - $1 billion

Nigerian women also know how to make huge money. Folorunsho Alakija is amazing in different industries. She has businesses in printing, oil, and fashion. She is the worlds eighth wealthiest black person on the globe in 2021, according to Forbes, and is the richest woman in Nigeria. Her current net worth is over $ 1 billion.

Folorunso Alakija is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @Folorunso Alakija

Source: UGC

5. Pascal Uzoma Dozie -$1.1 billion

This is the business brain behind different successful Nigerian entities such as Diamond Bank, Kunoch Limited and others. He is also the chairman at MTN Nigeria. His net worth is currently estimated to be $1.1 billion.

Pascal Dozie is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @RomeBusinessSchoolNigeria

Source: UGC

4. Jimoh Ibrahim - $1.1 billion

This list of African billionaires includes Jimoh Ibrahim, the CEO of Global Fleet Group who made his fortune in oil and gas, insurance, real estate, hospitality, and other industries. He is well known in Nigeria and outside the country. Ibrahim's net worth is about $1.1 billion.

Jimoh Ibrahim is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @blackboxnigeria360

Source: UGC

3. Femi Otedola - $1.8 billion

Femi is the controlling shareholder in a company known as Forte Oil. The company was initially a BP subsidiary and owns more than 500 fuel stations across Nigeria. Femi's net worth is estimated to be $1.8 billion. Femi Otedola is a well-known philanthropist.

Femi Otedola is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @horliqsent

Source: UGC

2. Mike Adenuga - $7.2 billion

Mike Adenuga is well known outside Nigeria thanks to his Globacom company. He won the Companion of the Star of Ghana which is prestigious and amazing. He was awarded this title because of his large investments in the West African country. Adenuga's current net worth according to Forbes is $7.2 billion.

Mike Adenuga is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @Mike Adenuga

Source: UGC

1. Aliko Dangote $9.9 billion

This name is famous not only in Nigeria but all over the globe. Aliko Dangote is a world renowned cement and sugar tycoon; he is the chairmen of Dangote Group. Dangote is philanthropist and a close friend of world known philanthropist and former richest man in the world, Bill Gates. Dangote is on the top of our list because he is the worlds richest black man in 2021 and the richest man in Nigeria.

Aliko Dangote is among the richest people in Nigeria in 2021. Photo: @AlikoDangote

Source: UGC

The tycoon's net worth is currently $9.9. billion according to Forbes.

Nigeria's economy is evidently among the most vibrant economies in Africa. The sheer number of wealthy people in the country speaks volumes about this. Entrepreneurs like Alakija, Dangote and Adenuga have kept their place on the list of Africa's wealthiest people for many years. Who fascinated you most in this list of the top 10 richest people in Nigeria in 2021?

READ ALSO: Top 20 richest players in the world in 2021 and their net worth

Legit.ng posted an article about the 20 richest players in the world in 2021. A career in soccer is lucrative. The sport is full of the wealthiest people in the world. There are many successful athletes whose earnings are truly impressive, thanks to their talent. So, who is the richest footballer in the world? How much is he worth? Read the answers in the article.

Source: Legit.ngThis time we want to tell you about Atlantic Hall school fees. This place is known as one of the most prestigious institutions to receive secondary school education in Nigeria.

Photo: atlantic-hall.net

Source: UGC

Atlantic hall school fees for 2018

Atlantic Hall is in the list of the most expensive private schools in Nigeria. The students of this school are expected to pay:

New Students - N3,592,750

Old Students - N3,042,750

Transfer Students - N3,642, 750

This is information from the official website of the institution. These Atlantic hall fees for tuition include the costs of educational materials, a number of curriculum trips, co-curricular activities, and meals. Feea for uniform is excluded from the total of fees.

Fees are charged before each session

Students will only be admitted into hostels only after the settlement of all outstanding fees

Photo: edu247.blogspot.com

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Top secondary schools in Nigeria and their fees

The institution provides 10% and 15% discount on tuition and boarding fees

Entrance fees and school fees online can be paid online.

Parents may purchase application form on the official website of the institution. The application form costs N15, 000. Parents should submit the application form together with the childs birth certificate. See also: Best private schools in Abuja.

Here you can see that there are four options of payment:

Naira MasterCard

Visa Naira Card

Interswitch Verve Card

Bank Transfer

Photo: loadedvilla.com.ng

Source: UGC

Atlantic Hall school was established in 1989. The institution itself is full boarding co-educational secondary school that is situated in Poka, Epe, near the Atlantic Ocean.

Atlantic hall school is equipped with modern education facilities, medical center, sporting facilities, swimming pools, and laboratories.On weekends, students have are entertained with different social activities including film shows, concerts, and dances.See also: Top 10 best schools in Nigeria in 2018.

The school has a capacity of about 600 students. There are also such programs as vocational education, science education, school of art and farming.

READ ALSO: Most expensive secondary schools in Nigeria

Source: Atlantic Hall fees

Source: Legit.ng- Yussuff Lasun has denied reports that he has dumped the All progressives Congress (APC)

- Lasun who is the deputy speaker, House of Representatives, says the news is the hand work of his political enemies

- Lasun Irepodun/Olorunda/Orolu/Osogbo federal constituency in the National Assembly

The deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yussuff Lasun, on Sunday, September 16, denied reports going the round that he has dumped the All progressives Congress (APC).

It would be recalled that a pro-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) group in the House, under the auspices of Parliamentary Democrats Group (PDG), had described Lasuns defection to PDP as a forgone issue.

READ ALSO: You are courageous - PDP tells Dogara as he returns to party

The PDG spokesman, Rep Timothy Golu (PDP- Plateau), while reacting to the alleged plan to remove Mr Yakubu Dogara as speaker, following his alleged defection to the party, had said in a statement that a principal officer, including many other members had signified interest to join the bandwagon.

As it is now, not only Speaker Yakubu Dogara, we have many other members, including a principal officer, who have signified interest to join the bandwagon. So we can effectively say that on resumption, Dogara will be presiding over a House with PDP in majority, Golu had said.

Lasun, who represents Irepodun/Olorunda/Orolu/Osogbo federal constituency in the National Assembly, described the reports as the handiwork of his political detractors.

He spoke in a statement made available by his chief press secretary, Mr Wole Oladimeji, in Abuja.

The statement read: The defection story of deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff to PDP is highly misleading and highly uncalled for.

Deputy speaker has said it repeatedly that he is a progressive to the core and remains in APC.

It is the machinations of his political detractors, who are hell bent in maligning his political image that are spreading the rumour.

A silence does not mean that he has left the party, the rumour recently being spread is by his political detractors.

Corroborating Oladimejis statement, the chairman, house committee on media and public affairs, Abulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa), said that there was no truth in the reports.

He said it was another ploy by the opposition members to destabilise the ranks of the ruling party in the House and urged Nigerians to discard the report.

There was nothing like that. I am telling you authoritatively that the deputy speaker did not defect. He has not defected and he will not defect.

I dont know what those spreading this rumour wants to gain, but this is a mere wish that wont come true. The deputy speaker has said it severally, at different fora that he belonged here and will never contemplate leaving the party.

He is a committed man, he has been tested severally and found to be a man of his words.

Lasun is a member of APC, that, I am telling you authoritatively, he said.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the seven governorship aspirants in the forthcoming 2019 general election on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara, have called for direct primaries.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

The call was made during a joint rally organised by the supporters of the aspirants in Gusau on Sunday. September 18.

In his remarks, Alhaji Mamuda Shikafi, a former governor of the state and one of the aspirants, said that the rally was organised to draw the attention of the party at the national level to the issue of imposition of candidates.

Nigeria Latest News: Not Too Young to Run Pay a Visit to APC and PDP | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- The governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, says Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state was instrumental to Goodluck Jonathan's emergence as acting president

- He says after the death of Yar'adua, he was approached by Dickson to work out the process of Jonathan's emergence

- Tambuwal says it is not today Dickson has been working to stabilise the country

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has said Goodluck Jonathan became acting president due to the actions of some people including Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state.

Recall that Jonathan became acting president in 2010 following the death of his principal, Umar Musa Yar'adua.

The Cable reports that Tambuwal paid a condolence visit to commiserate with Dickson on Sunday, September 16, over the death of the latter's mother.

Tambuwal said he was approached by Dickson after Yar'adua's death to work out the process of Jonathan's emergence.

READ ALSO: Alleged N7.6bn fraud: Kalu denies jumping bail, says he is away for surgery

He said: God has elevated you to become attorney general of Bayelsa, then a member of the National Assembly and now governor of Bayelsa state. And even in the National Assembly, you played several major roles that helped to stabilize this great country.

I remember very well when we had to collaborate with you and work with you to ensure that our dear brother and leader, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was made the acting president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

To those of you who may not be aware, my brother and friend approached me being the leader of the northwest to say my brother, we have to do this in the national interest and I agreed with him. And both of us agreed and drafted that resolution that made Goodluck Jonathan the acting president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

So it is not today that my brother Dickson and I have been working to stabilise this country. You are a great son of the country, you are a great son of this community, you are a great son of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state said he never hated former president Goodluck Jonathan but only opposed some of his policies that were unfriendly to the progress of the country.

According to him, he disagreed with Jonathan because of some of the policies adopted by his administration.

Will you vote Goodluck Jonathan if he joins 2019 race? - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng News- The police command in Lagos have arrested two suspects who were reportedly involved in the killing of an Austria returnee, Michael Chinedu

- The suspects, Olakunle Ogunyemi and Anthony Bello, collaborated in killing Chinedu during a fight that ensued from an argument over a match

- In his confession, Bello told newsmen that he stabbed the deceased in self-defence during the fight

The police command in Lagos have arrested two suspects, Olakunle Ogunyemi (31 years) and Anthony Bello for killing an Austrian returnee, Michael Chinedu, in 2016 at the Iba Housing Estate, following a fight that ensued from an argument.

Chinedu was reportedly stabbed to death during the fight. He came home for his traditional marriage that year and went to the pitch to watch a friendly match on a fateful day, The Nation reports.

READ ALSO: Senator defects again just few weeks after leaving APC for PDP

During the match, Ogunyemi, also known as Pedro, and the late victim, had an argument that led to a fight.

Noticing that Chinedu was prevailing, Bello reportedly intervened and stabbed him in the chest with a knife, upon which he and Ogunyemi fled the scene, leaving Chinedu to die in a hospital a week later from the injury.

However, it was only on Thursday, September 13, that some Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) operatives apprehended the suspects at their hideout in Iba.

Bello confessed to newsmen that he stabbed the deceased in self-defence. He said: I went to play ball at the pitch when I heard uproar. On reaching the scene, I saw a man engaged in scuffle with Pedro (Ogunyemi).

"In my attempt to intervene, the man slapped me. He left Pedro and faced me. He hit me on the ground twice and used a tyre rim to hit me. In defence, I rushed to an orange seller where I collected a knife and stabbed him on the shoulder.

I managed to escape from the scene and went into hiding, when I heard he was dead. In my hideout, I turned a new leaf and got married. I thought the case had died down since it has been long it happened. I was at home with my wife and child when the police came with Pedro to arrest me.

Ogunyemi, who confessed to being a cultist, said he joined Aiye when he was 17. Ogunyemi said he was discussing with a friend, Lexi, when the deceased came and rudely interrupted them.

He said: He came and said I should free Lexi, so that they could leave the field. I pretended not to have heard him and continued the discussion with Lexi. He repeated it again and I asked who he was and where he was from. This degenerated into quarrel before Bello came.

I did not know how the deceased died but all I could remember was seeing him on the ground because other boys at the field took me to a corner to pacify me and also prevented me from going where the fight was going on.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

As they thought, I would join in the fight. I later left Lagos for Ghana to hide for fear of being arrested over the death of the man. I stayed there for sometime before I returned to Nigeria, only to be arrested.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria police force said on Monday, April 23, that it had arrested three suspects in connection with the killing of a policeman that guarded the Abuja farm house of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

Legit.ng gathered that the deputy force spokesman, Aremu Adeniran, stated this during his briefing to journalists on the arrest in Abuja.

Lagos Police Commissioner Parades Suspected Criminals (Nigeria News) | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Governorship candidate of APC in Osun state, Gboyega Oyetola, has said that alliance of opposite against him would not stop his victory

- He said opposition would not pose any threat to his governorship ambition

- Oyetola noted that electorate would decide who will govern them on Saturday, September 22

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Osun state, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, has declared that the alliance of opposition against him would not stop him from winning the poll.

In an interview with Punch, Oyetola said that though coalition, alliance and merger are part of the antics of power struggle in a democracy, it would not be a threat to his governorship ambition.

Legit.ng gathered that sovereignty rests with the people, adding that electorate are the ultimate judge who will, on Saturday, September 22, decide who gets their mandate.

READ ALSO: We will vote against your choice if you endorse Ambode for second term - APC leaders threaten Tinubu

He said: "Coalition, alliance and merger are part of the antics of power struggle in a democracy. But obviously that is and can never be a threat to my ambition. Sovereignty rests with the people.

"They are the ultimate judge who will, on Saturday, September 22, decide who gets their mandate. The people are sufficiently knowledgeable and conscious of what they want. The APC has served them transparently and inclusively in the last eight years.

"The people want continuity of good governance. They want their children to continue to eat free and nourishing food in schools. They know that we value education. They want to continue to enjoy soft loan for business, and they know we are the ones that can serve them better.

"They know such alliance is a mere conspiracy to impose people with little or no capacity to provide the required leadership. They know we are not pretenders. Im confident that come Saturday, September 22, the good people of Osun state will return the APC government to the Government House.

"Let me remind you that in 2014, when they were together, the APC defeated them. Now they have gone to different parties, this will make it easier to defeat them. Even if they all come together again, the APC will still defeat them.

Asked why the APC waited for the election time before the party started distributing N100,000 Trademoni to petty traders in the state, Oyetola said that the gesture was part of President Muhammadu Buhari's promises to the electorate in 2015.

"This is one of the promises of President Muhammadu Buhari when he was campaigning and Osun was not the only state where the money was given to traders. This is a means of empowering the poor traders and I think it should be commended.

"It has nothing to do with the Osun election and people should desist from fabricating lies to discredit the good programme of the people.

"The latest Paris Club refund was released to the state and the governor added over N3bn to it to pay workers. Are we going to tell them to vote for us before collecting their money? What we paid to them are their entitlements.

"They were not bribed and nobody should see it as a strategy to sway voters. Vote buying is not just criminal, its ungodly; its reducing and ridiculing our people", he said.

Speaking on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s plans to bar voters from carrying cameras and telephones into polling cubicles in order to prevent them from snapping and using the picture ballot to collect money, Oyetola said for Nigeria's democracy to survive, people must reject vote buying and consciously educate them against it.

He said: "For this democracy to survive, we must reject vote buying and consciously educate our people against it.

"I will not only support INECs decision to bar voters from carrying phones to the polling cubicles, Im in support of everything legally possible to stop the albatross of our elections called vote buying. Sections 124 and 125 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) already criminalises vote buying and selling, all thoughtful Nigerians, who believe in democratic governance, must join hands to make it work."

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, called on the federal government to fish out and prosecute those who killed a former attorney general of the federation, Chief Bola Ige.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola Interview: 'State of Osun' is correct (Exclusive ) | - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Media boss Linda Ikeji welcomes bouncing baby boy

- The media mogul welcomed her baby boy in Atlanta on Monday, September 17

- It was gathered that the blogger delivered her baby two days to her birthday

Legit.ng had earlier reported that popular Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji welcomed her baby on Monday, September 17, two days to her own birthday, Wednesday, September 19.

Linda has taken to social media to show off her newborn son which she refers to as Baby J. She was seen cradling her newborn baby boy in new photos shared on her Instagram page.

The excited new mother shared the cute photos on her Instagram page, moments after announcing his arrival. Despite looking a bit tired in the photos, it could still be seen that the new mother is excited by the smile on her face.

READ ALSO: Linda Ikeji shares inspirational message as she shows off baby bump (photos)

Nigerians were excited to hear the news of the baby's arrival and many of her fans have swooped to the social media platform to congratulate her.

It seemed like the whole of Nigeria went on the pregnancy journey with the media mogul. She was fond of sharing every step of the pregnancy on social media, from baby item shopping to dance exercise.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News

Her sister Laura Ikeji who is also excited for the new addition to the family, shared a photo of herself cradling the newborn baby.

She wrote: "Hello lil J. aunty loves u, oh btw u re in our family now get ready for a billion pictures."

PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group

Linda Ikeji: Why I'm Pregnant But Not Married | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit NigeriaThe English Language paper earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 22, has been postponed by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Legit.ng gathered that this was revealed by the examination body on its Twitter handle @waecdirect, after a candidate made enquiry if truly the examination had been postponed.

In response to the candidate's tweet, WAEC tweeted: "English Language papers will be written on September 29, 2018. Please, go to our registration site (registration.waecdirect.org) and download the timetable.

READ ALSO: Gridlock paralyses vehicular movement on Lagos-Abeokuta expressway

See tweet below:

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that an investigation by a newspaper revealed how some candidates sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) perfected the art of getting cheap grades through some websites which obtain questions before the start of exams.

The newspaper reported that some of the result-peddling websites include: Naijaclass.com, Examcrown.com, Examsort.com, Waecexpo.com and Guruslodge.com.

The findings revealed that while some of the sites demand telephone recharge cards to send a link to the answers of the exam and N800 for direct answers to phones, others demand N800 to send the answers directly to candidates phones.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Also previously reported by Legit.ng was that the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad arrested four suspects in Ondo, Edo and Osun states for selling leaked WASSCE May/June, 2018 examination question papers on websites and Whatsapps platforms.

The arrested suspects were Samuel Kayode, 28-year-old from Ondo state; Adebayo Ifeoluwa, 17-year-old from Osun state; and Alayande Ahmed and Elusode Festus, 20 years from Edo state.

Meet 15 Year-Old Nigerian Wizkid Who Made 9 As in his WAEC | on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Former Nigeria's ambassador, Folake Marcus-Bello, has reacted to Kemi Adeosun's resignation

- Adeosun, who was Nigeria's minister of finance, on Friday, September 14, resigned her appointment over NYSC forgery scandal

- Marcus-Bello, however, said called on the federal government to probe the alleged scandal

Nigerias former ambassador to Zambia, Folake Marcus-Bello, has reacted to the resignation of the former minister of finance, describing forgery as a crime.

Channels TV reports that Marcus-Bello stated this on Monday, September 17, during an appearance on Sunrise Daily in Lagos few days after Adeosun tendered her resignation letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.

READ ALSO: We will vote against your choice if you endorse Ambode for second term - APC leaders threaten Tinubu

Legit.ng gathered that Adeosuns decision to quit the current administration follows a report by an online media organisation, Premium Times, that she allegedly forged her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

But the former ambassador criticised the forgery, calling for a probe into the reported scandal.

This is a forgery, this is a crime. I hope some investigations will go on and she will find a way to resolve this. It has to be resolved.

Although the former ambassador exonerated the former minister of having links to criminal activities, she, however, maintained that the alleged certificate forgery caught Adeosun.

She is not a criminal person. She is caught in this web of not knowing. We appeal that this is properly investigated. We appeal that nobody is protected just as she wasnt protected and we hope that everybody pays the price, she added.

The former ambassador emphasised on the importance of the National Youths Service Corps.

She stated: The law says if you graduate before 30, you have to serve. There is no two way about it, its very clear. The confusion comes with people who graduated outside of this country mainly. They believe that once you come back after 30, you are excluded from youth corps, oh no.

Let us imagine Mr. X graduates at 29 and stays abroad till he is 80. And he comes back here seeking to work anywhere whether private or public sector, he will do NYSC.

"I just want to make this clear because a lot of young people have asked. When something happens, it is the lessons that we take away that are important.

She also praised the former minister for her contributions to nation building through some reforms in Nigerias financial sector.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the resignation of Kemi Adeosun as minister of finance and acceptance of same by President Muhammadu Buhari is an action of honour, strength, character and integrity.

Yekini Nabena, the APC acting national publicity secretary, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, September 16, in Abuja.

What Should President Buhari do to Adeosun Over Alleged Certificate Forgery? | - on Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitAlthough there is particularly nothing new under the sun, some events still do not fail to dazzle when heard by people. One of such incidents recently happened in Uganda where a snake arrested a man and exposed him to the wrath of the law.

The said man had only just executed a robbery in Kyenjojo, a district in the western region of Uganda. The individual stole a new mattress in the morning of that day.

But as he set to hasten his pace and avoid being caught, he was attacked by a snake that took the liberty to crawl to its neck and wound itself there neatly.

Befuddled, the man abandoned all sense of escape and cried for help. Several people who heard his cry came to his rescue. However, no one had the boldness to attempt freeing the man who could not help but hang his head in shame of his living burden.

Ugandan thief with snake coiling around his neck Photo: Ugandan thief/Facebook Source: Facebook

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: See how soldiers treated thief after being caught (photo)

In order to prevent the man from dying from the choke, a native herbalist was called who was said to exert all effort to save the mans neck but all to no avail.

The mysterious event was reported and posted by an Ugandan community on Facebook. The post was captioned with these words: "Today morning in Kyenjojo District, a big snake caught a man who stole a mattress it's on his neck rolling."

The post was, however, restricted to public viewership.

PAY ATTENTION: More Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App

Legit.ng is yet to assert the present position of the thief but one thing is certain, karma has a way of taking a ride or a crawl where justice is not readily available.

PAY ATTENTION: Daily relationship gist and gossips on Africa Love Aid

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported the news of a man who was caught while stealing a phone right in front of the owner.

"If you want me to steal, I will steal" man tells government | Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitChantelle Deacon

Terry Fox would have been 60 years old this year, which made this year's annual run even more special.

On Sunday, communities across Canada continued to support Terry Fox and his vision to find a cure for cancer.

Thousands of people came together across the Okanagan to support the cause. Vernon celebrated their 38th Terry Fox Run.

"With what Terry Fox started way back with his legacy it was never forgotten," said Coreen Jenner, organizer. "Myself being a breast cancer survivor and going through all of that as well it's just close to my heart. It's just something that we have to keep doing and keep alive."

Every year Terry Fox Runs are held in over 9,000 communities across Canada with the goal of raising funds for cancer research.

Most families have been touched by cancer in one way or another, says Jenner.

"I've been one of the lucky ones that have caught mine in time but I do have the scars and I remember the 'what if?'," said Liz Dickson, organizer, adding that cancer research has come far since Terry Fox passed away.

"So many advances are happening with money that is being raised for cancer research," she said. "It allows the experts and the specialists to push the envelope a little bit more in finding a cure."

To date, over $750 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run.- Bukola Saraki, the Senate president, wants Nigerians to stop voting with sentiments if they want a better country

- Saraki reminds Nigerians that no country ever developed through luck and that nobody can give what he does not have

- He promises to end the constant killings in the Nigeria

The president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Monday, September 17, urged Nigerians to vote leaders not according to sentiments, but their capacity and vision to bring about the needed change in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Saraki, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, made the statement in Lagos while addressing party members.

Legit.ng understands that the visit to the party secretariat was in continuation of his nationwide tour of state chapters to garner support for his aspiration.

READ ALSO: Senator defects again just few weeks after leaving APC for PDP

Saraki, accompanied on the visit by Senator Dino Melaye; a former minister, Alhaji Muhammed Wakil; and former governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Idris Wada and Doyin Okupe, said that great nations, including the Asian Tigers, were built by visionary leadership.

He said Nigeria would be better if entrusted in capable hands.

We should stop using sentiments to vote for our leaders because a man cannot give what he does not have.

Most of us here read about great countries including the Asian Tigers; all their achievements do not happen by chance or luck.

They happened because there are visionary leaderships in those countries.

So, it is time for Nigerians to vote for leaders who have the capacity, the courage, and knows what he wants to do for his people, he said.

The Senate president said he was seeking to lead the country out of the need to serve and deliver the dividends of democracy.

He said he had the capacity, the experience and the youthfulness to turn the country around.

He added that he was the best and the only sure one to deliver out of all the presidential aspirants across the parties.

Saraki also decried the killings in parts of the country and other challenges in the country, saying it was the responsibility of all citizens to address them and promised to make the issues history, if elected to lead the country.

Concerning restructuring, Saraki said there was the need for powers to devolve to the states to make them more viable.

He said the over-concentration of powers in the centre had stifled the development of the other federating units.

The Senate president expressed concerns that most aspirants who promised restructuring could not deliver, saying only somebody who could pursue the right legislative action and has the political sagacity could implement it.

A lot of people come and tell you here that they can do restructuring.

Restructuring is not one thing only a president can do, because it requires laws to be changed.

Implementing restructuring requires somebody with the political sagacity to carry people along with him to the destination, he said while urging party members to congratulate themselves in advance, promising to do his best to ensure PDP wins Lagos for the first time.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Melaye, who also spoke at the event, told the party members that Saraki remained the best out of the aspirants seeking to lead Nigeria.

Addressing party members in Yoruba, the senator described the APC government as a failure and urged delegates to support the aspiration of Saraki.

Okupe similarly appealed for support for Saraki, saying he was the best man for the job.

The PDP secretary in the state, Prince Muiz Dosunmu, commended Saraki, saying the chapter aligned with his vision to reposition the country.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Former military ruler, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, backed the presidential ambition of Senate president.

Babangida on Sunday, September 16, said that Saraki was well prepared to be the president of Nigeria, the Nation reports.

Election 2019: President Buhari Proves He is Fit to Run in 2019 | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper- The Lagos state House of Assembly has postponed its scheduled resumption

- The Assembly postponed its resumption earlier scheduled for Monday, September 17 to Monday, October 8

- The clerk of the House said that the chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, would be able to provide the reason for the postponement

The Lagos state House of Assembly on Monday, September 17, postponed its resumption earlier scheduled for Monday, September 17 to Monday, October 8.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Assembly had on July 10 adjourned to September 17 to enable members to go on their annual recess.

During the period, the House hosted the Conference of South West Speakers and Conference of Speakers of Nigeria between August 3 and August 5 in Lagos.

READ ALSO: High court sends 2 former gang members of Evans to 41 years in prison

NAN reports that the conference elected new executive at its 2018 Second Quarter Conference and the Speaker of the Lagos Assembly emerged as its new chairman.

Speaking to NAN on phone about the postponement, Azeez Sanni, the Clerk of the House, said that the House would now resume on October 8.

Sanni said: There is a publication to that effect (to the postponement of resumption). The House will resume on October 8."

On the reason for the postponement, the clerk said that the chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, would be able to provide the reason.

A message sent to the phone line of Tejuosho was not replied.

NAN correspondent who monitored the atmosphere in the House, revealed that only few lawmakers came to the office.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Legit.ng previously reported that members of Benue state House of Assembly on Friday, July 27, scaled the high perimeter fence surrounding the Assembly Complex and jumped into the premises in an attempt to hold a parliamentary session.

The impeached speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange (APC Ushongo ) and his successor, Titus Ubah, (APC Kyaan) were at the premises, both laying claim to the post of speaker.

Supporters of both sides forced their way into the premises through the high wall.

News Nigeria Today: Will Senators, Lawmakers Defection from APC Change Power in 2019? | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng- Ita Enang, an aide to Muhammadu Buhari, discloses that the president has approved the dualisation of a major road linking some states in the south

- Enang says the entire people of the south south have declared their support for President Buhari ahead of 2019

- He notes that the president has treated Akwa Ibom fairly in terms of appointments

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, September 17, approved the dualisation of the road linking Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State and Aba in Abia state, according a disclosure by Senator Ita Enang.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Senator Ita Enang, the senior special assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly matters (Senate), made the revelation in an interview with journalists at the Aso Rock Villa.

Enang and Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC Akwa Ibom North-West) led a delegation of the All Progressives Congress(APC) from the state on a courtesy visit to Buhari.

READ ALSO: Senator defects again just few weeks after leaving APC for PDP

Two things the president has done for us today; approving that the road between Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom state and Aba in Abia state be dualised.

The second is that the road from Oron to Calabar, that is the 5th section of the East-West road is going to be awarded and completed; and that is under the Forum on China-African cooperation funding window.

It runs into hundreds of billions; and runs through the sea and it is to link the entire south south.

With these two and all others which have been awarded, the entire people of Akwa Ibom state and south south have declared that they will support the government of president Buhari and APC.

We have no doubt that the entirety of south south and south east will be collapsing into APC led by Akwa Ibom, he said.

According to him, the delegation comprises politicians of repute in Akwa Ibom state who have come to show solidarity with Buhari.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Enang said that the number of people that had left PDP and crossed over to APC ranging from former legislators, governors, deputy governors, members of the House of Assembly was indicative that the people of the state had pitched tent with Buhari.

He said that aside roads, the president had also favourably treated the state in terms of appointments.

Legit.ng earlier reported how the sum of N47 billion been approved for three road projects by the federal government.

The development was disclosed at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, April 11, by the minister of works, power and housing, Babatunde Fashola.

Nigeria Breaking News: Kogi Flood Sacks Residents from Their Homes | Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitBy Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Readers, this is a travel day for me, so talk amongst yourselves!

* * *

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 (PP):

Readers, Im running a bit short on plants. Probably a little soon for fall foliage, or wrapping up the garden, but Im sure you can find something! How about a project you completed over the summer?

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click the hat!



To give more, click on the arrow heads to the right of the amount.

Donate $25 $50 $75 $100

If you hate PayPal  even though you can use a credit card or debit card on PayPal  you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check.CalPERS should be trying to get a refund from search firm Heidrick & Struggles for failing to vet Marcie Frosts educational claims during the CEO hiring process. They should also try to claw back any fees they have paid to public relations firms for advice given in the losing battle of shoring up Frosts deservedly damaged reputation.

CalPERS best course of action was to try to ignore the controversy and hope it would blow over.

But CalPERS and Frost are finding out the hard way that the more they try to spin Frosts lies, the more it does to call attention to her years of documentable falsehoods. And given that theres no credible way for her to talk her way out of lies that go back to Washington, the more she and CalPERS try to splain their way out of this, the worse they make matters, particularly since its also become all too obvious that their story keeps changing.

As well discuss below, CalPERS press strategy backfired in a big way when it used its favored mouthpiece, Adam Ashton of the Sacramento Bee, to run not one but two stories last week defending Frost. It turns out that CalPERS favored ruse, to misdirect the public into thinking the issue isnt that Frost lied repeatedly over many years, but that she was only a high school graduate, is damaging the boards already tarnished credibility. The second story was even more of an own goal, by making Frost and the board look like union pawns. The Sacramento Bee stories then led the Associated Press to run a not-helpful piece.

With media friends like this, who needs enemies?

Let us not forget that Frost herself is the source of these misrepresentations, and as a result influential insiders like former CalPERS board designee Terry McGuire are calling for the board to fire Frost. CalPERS has conceded she attended The Evergreen State College for only 2 quarters in 2010, and has not disputed what official Evergreen sources told us, that she never enrolled in a degree program and was a mere special student:

From a Washington form filed under penalty of perjury as part of her appointment to head Washingtons Department of Retirement Services in 2013:

Frost also represented on a SecuriCheck form she provided to CalPERS in 2016 that she had last attended Evergreen in 2014, and was not degreed yet, which indicates she was working on a degree:

And on her LinkedIn:

Frost never took any business or management courses. She took only an experiential writing class.

And these arent the only falsehoods we found on Frosts resumes, but the educational misrepresentations are the ones that have attracted media attention.

It was already odd to see the Sacramento Bee run its first piece on Marcie Frosts resume misrepresentations last week, since there hadnt been any coverage in major California papers. The biggest US outlet to take notice so far, Bloomberg, had published its piece before the Labor Day weekend.

Ashton did an impressive job of misleading his readers on behalf of CalPERS and Frost. Scroll upwards to see the image where Frost, in her own handwriting, said shed last studied at Evergreen in 2014, which was patently false, and managed to achieve the impressive feat of making a second lie in this small space by depicting herself as not degreed yet when she had never enrolled in a degree program at Evergreen. Frost clearly wanted readers to think she was working on an advanced degree when she wasnt.

How did Ashton distort this clear cut lie in his article? Look at his opening paragraph:

Marcie Frost did not claim to have a college degree when she applied to lead the California Public Employees Retirement System in 2016. She emphasized it in blue ink, writing not degreed yet in a box that asked about her education.

Rather a different picture than you get if you read the posts, which starting with their headlines, make clear that the issue is Frosts misrepresentations, which as we documented, go beyond her flagrantly overstating her educational status.

Being a mere high school graduate versus being well along on an undergraduate degree (which would have to have been the case for her to be enrolled in a masters degree program, as she repeatedly claimed) are two different kettles of fish. Not only was at least one board member Henry Jones under the impression that Frost was on the verge of getting a college degree, but so to was reporter John Gittelsohn of Bloomberg, who went so far as to call Evergreen regularly to ask if Frost had yet been awarded a degree.

Ashton also presents Frosts eye-popping remark that she told the board and a headhunting firm that she was interested in pursuing degrees at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington as if that were the same as the repeated claims on CalPERS website that she was actually enrolled in a dual bachelors/masters degree program at Evergreen, when no such program has ever existed. So we are to believe that Heidrick & Struggles fabricated the existence of this program all on its own?

The comments on Ashtons first article, despite the considerable amount of real estate devoted to board defenses of Frost, show that the effort to falsely depict the issue as being that Frost is only a high school graduate, as opposed to the fact that she lied during and after she was hired about being enrolled in not just a bachelors but even a masters degree program, which at Evergreen requires taking courses regularly to retain ones enrolled status, is backfiring. When you take out Ashtons comments and ones of readers name-calling each other, roughly half were critical of CalPERS or Frost.

Ashtons second story, about how California unions are backing Frost, elicited a higher level of negative comments about Frost and CalPERS. The article showcased a letter by David Low, the head Governmental Affairs for the California School Employees Association, which defended Frost by comparing her to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. That elicited remarks like:

Dan Kelly

Comparisons to Steve Jobs and Bill gates have no relevance; they were/are visionary business people, who drove new paradigms and developed new industries. But, did she misrepresent her qualifications here or in Washington State? Gregg Franks

Frosty aint no bill gatesshe worked the Evergreen connection and she plays the union card.board wants a stooge, not a CEO

Lows intellectual dishonesty is also noteworthy. His letter refers only to our third post on Frosts shoddy resume and does not acknowledge the existence of our earlier posts on her misrepresentations. The third post described not simply that her resume was rife with errors, but more important, that it listed remarkably few accomplishments and made her sound like a seat-warmer rather than a seasoned executive. Low pointedly avoids the real issue, of Frosts misrepresentaions before and after being hired by CalPERS, including clearly having committed perjury on her gubernatorial questionnaire in Washington in 2013.

In further proof that CalPERS is losing the public relations war, the Associated Press did a short re-report of the Ashton article, titled, CEO of Californias $350B pension fund has no degree (see a very short version here and a somewhat less short version here). It didnt help that the Associated Press story hoisted this quote from the Sacramento Bee:

We are surprised. You just assume in todays market if youre going to be CEO of the nations largest retirement system that youd have some kind of degree, Tim Behrens, president of California State Retirees, told the newspaper.

So if it was all out in the open that Frost was only a high school graduate, why was Behrens surprised?

Lets step back and review what these stories say about CalPERS media strategy.

First, the more press traction this story gets, the worse it is for Frost. So the fact that the Ashton story led the Associated Press to pick up the story, which has run on California local station websites and may also have been picked up by smaller California papers, is the last thing CalPERS wants.

Second, even though the substance of the short article hews to the CalPERS This is about her degree spin, as opposed to about Frost having lied, the focus on Frost being only a high school graduate isnt helping her much. Look at how Behrens was taken aback. Recall that virtually all white collar jobs in the California government require a college degree, as is true of most municipalities. Jobs that involve handling or overseeing funds typically require even more qualifications. Readers in and around Sacramento who know state employees tell me that there is a lot of unhappiness and concern about why and how Frost got the job.

How can Frost come to work every day knowing the staff of 2900 people sees that she lied? Or is she a pathological liar like Elizabeth Holmes, who kept playing the victim card even as the FDA was shutting down virtually all of her business and exposing her as a fraud? And will this board perform as badly as the Theranosdid and keep backing Frost when it is becoming increasingly evident that shes losing more credibility with every passing day?By Fay Bound Alberti. Originally published at Aeon

Contemporary notion of loneliness stems from cultural and economic transformations that have taken place in the modern West

God, but life is loneliness, declared the writer Sylvia Plath in her private journals. Despite all the grins and smiles we exchange, she says, despite all the opiates we take:

when at last you find someone to whom you feel you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter  they are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the small cramped dark inside you so long.

By the 21st century, loneliness has become ubiquitous. Commentators call it an epidemic, a condition akin to leprosy, and a silent plague of civilisation. In 2018, the United Kingdom went so far as to appoint a Minister for Loneliness. Yet loneliness is not a universal condition; nor is it a purely visceral, internal experience. It is less a single emotion and more a complex cluster of feelings, composed of anger, grief, fear, anxiety, sadness and shame. It also has social and political dimensions, shifting through time according ideas about the self, God and the natural world. Loneliness, in other words, has a history.

The term loneliness first crops up in English around 1800. Before then, the closest word was oneliness, simply the state of being alone. As with solitude  from the Latin solus which meant alone  oneliness was not coloured by any suggestion of emotional lack. Solitude or oneliness was not unhealthy or undesirable, but rather a necessary space for reflection with God, or with ones deepest thoughts. Since God was always nearby, a person was never truly alone. Skip forward a century or two, however, and the use of loneliness  burdened with associations of emptiness and the absence of social connection  has well and truly surpassed oneliness. What happened?

The contemporary notion of loneliness stems from cultural and economic transformations that have taken place in the modern West. Industrialisation, the growth of the consumer economy, the declining influence of religion and the popularity of evolutionary biology all served to emphasise that the individualwas what mattered  not traditional, paternalistic visions of a society in which everyone had a place.

In the 19th century, political philosophers used Charles Darwins theories about the survival of the fittest to justify the pursuit of individual wealth to Victorians. Scientific medicine, with its emphasis on brain-centred emotions and experiences, and the classification of the body into normal and abnormal states, underlined this shift. The four humours (phlegmatic, sanguine, choleric, melancholic) that had dominated Western medicine for 2,000 years and made people into types, fell away in favour of a new model of health dependent on the physical, individual body.

In the 20th century, the new sciences of the mind  especially psychiatry and psychology  took centre-stage in defining the healthy and unhealthy emotions an individual should experience. Carl Jung was the first to identify introvert and extravert personalities (to use the original spelling) in his Psychological Types (1921). Introversion became associated with neuroticism and loneliness, while extroversion was linked to sociability, gregariousness and self-reliance. In the US, these ideas took on special significance as they were linked to individual qualities associated with self-improvement, independence and the go-getting American dream.

The negative associations of introversion help to explain why loneliness now carries such social stigma. Lonely people seldom want to admit they are lonely. While loneliness can create empathy, lonely people have also been subjects of contempt; those with strong social networks often avoid the lonely. It is almost as though loneliness were contagious, like the diseases with which it is now compared. When we use the language of a modern epidemic, we contribute to a moral panic about loneliness that can aggravate the underlying problem. Presuming that loneliness is a widespread but fundamentally individual affliction will make it nearly impossible to address.

For centuries, writers have recognised the relationship between mental health and belonging to a community. Serving society was another way to serve the individual  because, as the poet Alexander Pope put it in hispoem AnEssay on Man (1734): True self-love and social are the same. Its not surprising, then, to find that loneliness serves a physiological and social function, as the late neuroscientist John Cacioppo argued: like hunger, it signals a threat to our wellbeing, born of exclusion from our group or tribe.

No man is an island, wrote the poet John Donne in a similar spirit, in Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions(1624)  nor woman either, for each one formed a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less  any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind . For some of us, Donnes remarks take on special poignancy in light of the UKs departure from Europe, or the narcissism of Donald Trumps US presidency. They also return us to medical metaphors: Donnes references to the body politic being destroyed is reminiscent of modern loneliness as a physical affliction, a plague of modernity.

We urgently need a more nuanced appraisal of who is lonely, when and why. Loneliness is lamented by politicians because it is expensive, especially for an ageing population. People who are lonely are more likely to develop illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and depression, and 50 per cent more likely to die prematurely than non-lonely counterparts. But there is nothing inevitable about being old and alone  even in the UK and the US where, unlike much of Europe, there isnt a history of inter-familial care of the aged. Loneliness and economic individualism are connected.

Until the 1830s in the UK, elderly people were cared for by neighbours, friends and family, as well as by the parish. But then Parliament passed the New Poor Law, a reform that abolished financial aid for people except the aged and infirm, restricting that help to those in workhouses, and considered poverty relief to be loans that were administered via a bureaucratic, impersonal process. The rise of city living and the breakdown of local communities, as well as the grouping of the needy together in purpose-built buildings, produced more isolated, elderly people. It is likely, given their histories, that individualistic countries (including the UK, South Africa, the US, Germany and Australia) might experience loneliness differently to collectivist countries (such as Japan, China, Korea, Guatemala, Argentina and Brazil). Loneliness, then, is experienced differently across place as well as time.

None of this is meant to sentimentalise communal living or suggest that there was no social isolation prior to the Victorian period. Rather, my claim is that human emotions are inseparable from their social, economic and ideological contexts. The righteous anger of the morally affronted, for instance, would be impossible without a belief in right and wrong, and personal accountability. Likewise, loneliness can exist only in a world where the individual is conceived as separate from, rather than part of, the social fabric. Its clear that the rise of individualism corroded social and communal ties, and led to a language of loneliness that didnt exist prior to around 1800.

Where once philosophers asked what it took to live a meaningful life, the cultural focus has shifted to questions about individual choice, desire and accomplishment. It is no coincidence that the term individualism was first used (and was a pejorative term) in the 1830s, at the same time that loneliness was in the ascendant. If loneliness i sa modern epidemic, then its causes are also modern  and an awareness of its history just might be what saves us.The new LaGuardia Airport will be one of the biggest American infrastructure projects of recent times. The catch? They must keep the existing airport 100% operational without descending into chaos and delays?

Thursdays from 8:30pm AEDT.Tipperary dairy farmers, John and Marguerite Ryan, were spending upwards of 500 a month on electricity alone.

Milking 130 cows twice daily, washing out milking machines and lighting the parlour were major drains on power on the family farm at Gortnahoe near Thurles.

My father and I were at an energy expo in Kilkenny and in a moment of madness, I inquired about the system. Tom Foley from Solar Electric came to visit us at the farm and confirmed that our roof and electrical layout was ideal for a solar PV installation and battery storage solution. I hadnt gone out that day to buy anything. But today, Ive 36 Solar PV panels on the roof of the milking parlour and theyre working away all summer.

The team at 3 Counties Energy Agency (3CEA) did all the grant paperwork and independently acted as our trusted advisor to validate the technical performance of the equipment proposed. 3CEA found out very quickly for me that Id qualify for a 30% grant from The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

My last electricity bill included part of the time when the panels werent up so it was hard to compare the benefits. Im expecting that my next bill will be almost halved. The expected pay-back time is just 5 to 6 years.

The Solar Electric lads had the panels up in a day, the wiring, installing the Sonnen storage batteries and other bits took about a day and a half and there was absolutely no interruption to work or life on the farm. Any surplus electricity generated can also power our home so its definitely a win/win for us, a delighted John Ryan said.

The Ryans knew that going green made sense. They already have an air to water heat pump in their house and Johns father uses solar panels to heat the water in his home. We will know more when the analysis comes back and the next bill pops into the letterbox. But Im confident that it was a very good investment.

3CEA Engineer, Shane Faulkner, said they expect more family farms and other farm enterprises will follow in the footsteps of John and Marguerite Ryan and their J+M Dairies business and invest in 9kWp Solar PV and innovative Sonnen Battery systems to supplement their on-site energy usage under the SEAI Better Energy Communities Programme 2018.

3CEA and Solar Electric will both be exhibiting at the upcoming Energy Now Expo at Kilkennys Cillin Hill on October 24 and 25. 3CEA Manager, Paddy Phelan, has also been working with IFA county office to look at the possibility of more farmers getting involved to secure more savings in CO2 and energy for the 3 counties region.

J+M Dairies targets were to reduce energy costs, guard against energy price increases, reduce their carbon footprint and set an example for all similar businesses. With the financial grant support offered by SEAI, this made the project feasible with an expected payback period of 6 years.

With a lifetime expectance of 25 years, this made the proposal very attractive. With the system installed over a few days, there was limited disruption to the farm during this time. Solar Electric from Wexford were the specialist installation company and provide turnkey PV and battery storage solutions to various market sectors since 2012.

Given the size of the system, planning permission was not required, reducing the timelines involved and allowing J+M Dairies to realise the benefits of the system quicker, and just in time for the great weather this summer.

As BEC Co-Ordinator, 3CEA guided J+M Dairies throughout the process to allow for drawdown of their 30% grant. We also arranged for third party, independent quality inspections on the work and will analyse the actual savings from the system after a year in operation, Faulkner concluded giving confidence as an independent energy expert to the Ryans.Fine Gael General Election Candidate Garret Ahearn along with Councillor Michael Murphy will host a Brexit meeting with Tanaiste Simon Coveney in the Minella Hotel, Clonmel next Monday night, 24th September at 7:30pm.

Brexit will bring changes and challenges across all sectors of Tipperary from small to medium size businesses, Multinationals and Agriculture. This is an open invitation to all those sectors that are planning and preparing for Brexit.

Mr Ahearn said  Brexit has long been one of the most talked-about subjects in Ireland. We are now in the final stage of negotiations and on 29 March 2019 the UK will formally leave the EU.

It is important that businesses in Tipperary plan and prepare for Brexit and the change it will bring. Irelands negotiating team face a crucial few months as we head towards the deadline for agreeing a Brexit deal with the UK. This is a fantastic opportunity for people in Tipperary to hear from the person leading that team and air your concerns and questions.

Cllr Michael Murphy, who is also head of the Irish Delegation on the EU Committee of the Regions, said  "Brexit poses an unprecedented economic, social, political and diplomatic challenge for Ireland. It's so important that we prepare, that we do all we can to minimise the impact of Brexit.

Monday's seminar is about creating further awareness around the challenges, providing information on the supports available at local and national level and of course hearing from the Minister himself who is at the very heart of the negotiations."

The Government has put in place a number of supports to help businesses, of all shapes and sizes and across all sectors of the economy, to prepare for Brexit.

Dedicated measures were announced in Budget 2018 and over 450m have already been allocated in business supports, including a 300m Brexit Loan Scheme for Business and a 25m Brexit Response Loan Scheme for the agri-food sector.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney stated that preparing for Brexit is a priority in the Action Plan for Jobs 2018.

We have established a Rainy Day Fund to help manage any economic shocks, and revised our enterprise policy Enterprise 2025 Renewed. We are opening 13 new diplomatic missions as part of Global Ireland 2025, which will contribute to helping our exporters find new markets.

As well as addressing the challenge of Brexit, our trade and investment strategy Ireland Connected has at its core our ongoing commitment to the EU and access to a Single Market of 27 Member States with 450 million people post Brexit, as well as access to a further 53 markets under EU Free Trade Agreements.

The Meeting takes place next Monday night 24th September at 7:30pm in the Minella Hotel Clonmel and all are very welcome. Further information for businesses and citizens who are concerned about Brexit is always available and updated at dfa.ie/brexit.A daily protest outside Tipperary Co. Council's Civic Offices over plans to ban cars from Clonmel's St Patrick's Cemetery moved to the cemeterys gates today (Monday) after council workers started work on installing barriers to stop vehicles entering.

Members of the Friends and Families of St Patrick's Cemetery Group have vowed to sleep in the cemetery overnight if necessary to stop any further work on installing the controversial barriers.

A group of about 20 members of the campaign group, some holding placards declaring "Keep Barriers Out of St Patrick's Cemetery" are currently protesting at the entrance to the Cemetery on Clonmel's Waterford Road. The protest began around lunchtime.

The campaigners were nearing the end of their daily two-hour long morning protest outside the Council offices in Clonmel town centre when word reached them that council staff had started marking out where to erect the barriers at the cemetery.

Anne Marie Whelan of the Friends & Families of St Patrick's Cemetery Group said the Council staff stopped this work when the protesters arrived.

She criticised the Council for starting work on installing the barriers before a delegation from the Group had an opportunity to argue their case against banning cars from the cemetery at Wednesday's meeting of Clonmel Borough District councillors.

"People are willing to sleep here tonight to stop the work going ahead," she declared.

Clonmel Sinn Fein Cllr Catherine Carey, who took part in the protest, said she was appalled that the Council has completely overlooked the Friends & Families of St Patrick's Cemetery Group's petition opposing the ban signed by more than 5000 Clonmel people.

The Nationalist has contacted Tipperary Co. Council for a response and is awaiting a reply.Photo: Contributed A June thunderstorm in West Kelowna.

Rain and winds are working their way up the valley Sunday evening.

Penticton saw gusts up to 52 kilometres per hour Sunday afternoon, followed by precipitation. Kelowna soon saw the same storm system with even more power, measuring 63 kilometre per hour winds at Kelowna airport at 3:12 p.m., according to Environment Canada.

"It's a result of tropical pressure moving through the region," said Louis Kohanyi, meteorologist with Environment Canada. "There's a chance of thunderstorm as well. For Kelowna, and Penticton."

Kohanyi said the winds are going to ease early this evening, though the southern half of the valley can expect large gusts in the meantime.

Milder weather will return, though.

"The weather is going to improve tomorrow, it's going to be cloudy, looking at a mix of sun and cloud," Kohanyi said.On Tuesday, 18 September 2018, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, the Honourable Rose Gottemoeller will meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, H.E. Mr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo.

There will be no media opportunity.

Still images will be available on the NATO website after the event.

Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @Gottemoeller)The NATO Deputy Secretary General, the Honourable Rose Gottemoeller, will travel to London on Tuesday, 18 September 2018.

During her visit, Ms. Gottemoeller will have a meeting with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, the Right Honourable Patricia Scotland QC.

The Deputy Secretary General will also deliver a keynote address to Commonwealth Diplomats followed by a Q&A session.

Follow the Deputy Secretary General on Twitter (@Gottemoeller). Also follow us at (@NATOPress).Catholic Church sexual abuse survivors from the Bay Area will head to the state capital Monday, focused on calling California's attorney general to launch a statewide investigation into the alleged abuse.

The victims want a statewide probe similar to the one recently concluded in Pennsylvania and are also clamoring for local law enforcement and prosecutors to be more aggressive when it comes to dealing with the cases.

Members of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) claim the number of priests accused of harming children is far higher than currently reported.

"We just want to protect kids," SNAP member Dan McNevin said. "And the way to do that is to actually open up these files and really sort out who did what to whom when. And to do that, you've got to publish the names, publish what they did so that parents and advocates can look out for these children."

Last week, the bishop of the Diocese of San Jose announced he will release a list of the names and the status of every priest who has been found to be credibly accused of abusing minors within the diocese.Members of an East San Jose community came together Sunday and called for the restoration of a mural that was recently painted over.

The mural depicting Latino historical figures was completed in November 1985, and more than three decades later on Mexican Independence Day, dozens of people gathered in the parking lot off Story Road thats become a flashpoint for the community.

NBC Bay Area

It was a poignant day as activists such as Jose Valle spoke near the wall where the beloved Mural de la Raza once stood. It was recently painted over, causing outrage, and its still unclear who removed it.

Members of the community signed a document addressed to the building owners and the city of San Jose, demanding change, including restoration of the mural.

"We want equitable funding and resources to help maintain, restore and paint more murals, more Chicano murals in San Jose," Valle said.

Artist Jose Meza Velasquez designed and painted the mural on the wall of the former Payless Shoe Source.

"I want to say thank you to the community because its a big surprise for me," Velasquez said. "The community, theyre telling us to restore it. I dont know if we can, because we need permission."

Organizers say they have received support from the city, and they have sent a clear message: That piece of history must be protected.

"We have a long road ahead," Valle said.Federal authorities say a man accused of threatening President Donald Trump and other law enforcement officials is being sought in Ohio, where he is believed to have abandoned a truck that was stolen early Sunday from a northeastern Pennsylvania business.

U.S. Marshals, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service have been searching for 27-year-old Shawn Christy of McAdoo for more than two months, saying he has threatened to use "full lethal force on any law enforcement officer that tries to detain me."

State police in Luzerne County said the truck was reported stolen at 12:30 a.m. Sunday from the Skitco Iron Works in Hazle Township, from which Christy is believed to have stolen food, money and a shotgun.

"Federal agents are considering Christy a suspect in this vehicle theft because Christy is believed to have burglarized the same business on Sept. 5th and was known to still be in the immediate area," the U.S. Marshals said in a statement Sunday.

The truck was found abandoned around 5 p.m. Sunday on Interstate 71 in the Mansfield area of northern Ohio.

A federal warrant was issued June 19 for Christy in relation to Facebook threats against Northampton County's district attorney, alleging that he posted "I promise I'll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of President Donald J. Trump."

Christy is also wanted in Pennsylvania on arrest warrants for burglary, probation violation, and failure to appear for an aggravated assault case.

The Maple Shade, New Jersey native's parents said Thursday that Christy sent a Facebook message to them saying he "was slowed down a bit" after he may have broken his knee during a Maryland "getaway." The message ends: "Stay safe, I have a mission to complete."

Federal authorities have asked for help for the public, offering a reward of up to $20,000, but warn that Christy should be considered armed and dangerous.

This is not Christys first threat against a public official, according to investigators. In 2012, he and his father pleaded guilty to harassing Sarah Palin and her attorneys by phone in 2011 after an Alaska magistrate issued restraining orders against Shawn Christy on behalf of Palin. In one message, Christy allegedly threatened to come to Alaska and rape one of Palins attorneys.

Christy has also attempted to attack local officials. He was charged with aggravated assault in March of last year after police say he swung a large stick at McAdoo Mayor Stephen Holly, according to court documents. He is also accused of making terroristic threats and bomb threats in 2017.What to Know Residents have been cleared to return home after the gas explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, but some remain in shelters.

The gas company turned away dozens of frustrated customers Sunday who waited hours in line to file claims with them.

Evidence shows that the deadly gas explosions were linked to overpressure in pipes owned by Columbia Gas.

While most of the families affected by the Boston-area deadly gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley have been given the OK to return home, some remain in shelters that were meant to be temporary.

"I'm just happy that I have a roof over my head," Nicole Hodgkins said. "Me and my son were able to get out of Lawrence safe."

Arlington Middle School in Lawrence remains open for the families whose homes were destroyed in the tragedy on Thursday. Electricity is back in most households affected by the explosions, but it could take weeks for gas to be restored.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced Monday that he and officials from Lawrence, Andover and North Andover are working to set up the Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund to help those affected by the explosions. The hope is to have it up and running by the end of the week.

"For many people, the gas explosions of the past few days created a whole series of short-term dislocations and calamities," he said. "There are a whole bunch of other things associated with not having gas power that become significant issues for them. For many people, this is going to take a while and this is going to create some real hardships for them."

"This isn't a gas problem, this isn't an electricity problem or an infrastructure problem," Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera added. "This is a human problem."

Baker said the fund will be focused on helping those who need housing, food or other items not directly related to the work Columbia Gas is doing. He said the nonprofit will be situated within the Essex County Community Foundation. Information on the application process is expected to be released in the coming days.

The investigation into what caused the explosions is partially focused on pressure sensors that were connected to a gas line that was being taken out of service shortly before the blasts, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday.

NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the sensors can signal for gas pressure to be increased if the pressure gets too low. He said investigators will try to determine whether those sensors played any role in Thursday's explosions and fires.

"We found evidence from an evidentiary dig ... that pressure sensors were attached to a gas line that was being placed out of service and being capped off on Thursday," Sumwalt said.

Dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged, a teenager was killed and 25 were injured in the series of gas-fueled explosions and fires in Lawrence, North Andover and Andover. Thousands were forced to leave their homes.

"It's evident to me and to all of us that the Merrimack Valley and the residents of our state are being as supportive as they can be and as kind as they can be to one another during this most difficult time," Baker said Sunday. "We still have a very long way to go but we're very happy that people can return to their homes this morning."

Schools in Lawrence were closed Friday and Monday because of the gas situation, but are scheduled to reopen Tuesday. Andover and North Andover schools reopened Monday after being closed Friday.

Sumwalt said officials will be looking at how local Columbia Gas officials responded to a "pressure increase" in the Lawrence area that was detected at the company's pipeline control center in Columbus, Ohio, prior to the explosions and fires.

He said there is no evidence the explosions were intentional.

Columbia Gas on Sunday turned away hundreds of Lawrence residents who wanted to make damage claims because it couldn't handle the deluge, The Boston Globe reported. The company told residents, many of whom waited for several hours, to come back Monday.

"I am tired. I am frustrated," Renata Rena, who waiting in line with her 3-year-old daughter, told the newspaper.

"We don't know what's going on, what's gonna happen," Luz Ramos, another woman waiting in line, said.

She's been staying in a shelter since the fires. She says she wasn't even able to grab her purse when she evacuated from her home.

"I was running with all of my family. No money for many days," she said.

She waited in line, hoping to get a gift certificate for food. She got a red ticket, which means she'll have to come back Tuesday.

"I feel bad, I just feel bad," Stephanie Pena said.

She came to file a claim and got a blue ticket Sunday, which means she'll get to go in Monday and file her claim. She'll be able to speak to an adjuster about what she lost in the loss of power and evacuation.

"Whoever is here and waiting... they should get their help. There's a reason why they're here," she said.

Pena was given the all clear to go home, but she still feels uneasy about it.

"I think I was sleeping with one eye open and the other one closed. I'm like I hope nothing goes on or anything," she said.

Those who waited in line on Sunday were given blue tickets to file claims with the company on Monday. Customers were given gift certificates for food.

Hundreds more customers who did not receive blue tickets lined up on Monday to file claims with Columbia Gas. Those 750 customers were given red tickets and ordered to return Tuesday.

Customers who filed claims were able to report food, medicine, property and work hours. A single person household received a $100 gift card for the week for food while a family of four or under was given $200. Households with more than four family members were given $300.

People can file a claim without waiting in line and can opt to do so over the phone or online. However, those who do not file claims in person will not receive gift certificates. Customers can file a claim by calling 1-800-590-5571.

Claims can also be filed at 1 Market St. in Lawrence from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Joe Hamrock, chief executive of Columbia Gas' parent company, NiSource, said Sunday that the company is taking full responsibility for what happened and is implementing a service restoration plan. He said the devastation and tragedy caused by the explosions are heartbreaking.

"We're in this for the long run," Hamrock said. "We know this has damaged the confidence and trust in our company and what we do. Our full commitment is restoring that trust and that confidence."

Officials said gas company technicians will turn all of the meters back on after safety inspections of the entire system are complete - a process expected to take several weeks. They warned residents not to turn the meters back on themselves, not to turn on gas appliances until service is restored, and to call 911 and evacuate their homes if they smell gas.

Editor's Note: At one point Monday evening, the Andover Police Department said that a second victim, a resident of that town, had died after the explosions. Minutes later, police said that was a mistake and that a second person had not died.A person was killed and six others were injured, including four firefighters, in an extra-alarm fire Sunday morning at a condominium in northwest suburban Des Plaines.

Firefighters responded at 7:42 a.m. to the blaze in the 9300 block of Landings Lane, according to the North Maine Fire Protection District and the Cook County medical examiners office.

Firefighters battling the blaze at its source on the sixth floor were eventually met with heavy fire conditions and had to back out of the building, the fire protection district said. Crews then fought the fire from the exterior of the building to allow firefighters to go back inside. During the response, firefighters were able to rescue two residents who were trapped on their balconies.

An unresponsive person was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge and pronounced dead at 9:02 a.m., authorities said. The persons identity hasnt been released.

Large fire impacted a condo building in Des Plaines displacing 35 units and impacting approximately 55 adults / 13 children. Red Cross volunteers are in clubhouse helping residents. Encourage impacted residents to come to clubhouse or call dispatch line 1 (877) 597-0747 for help. pic.twitter.com/nKMqdRJVb4  American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois (@ChicagoRedCross) September 16, 2018

Two other people were also taken to hospitals, the fire protection district said. Their conditions werent immediately known.

In addition, four firefighters were rushed to hospitals in unknown conditons after suffering heat exhaustion and minor injuries, the fire protection district said.

The condominium was ultimately deemed uninhabitable by the Cook County Building and Zoning Department, the fire protection district said. American Red Cross volunteers arrived on the scene to assist residents who were affected by the fire, which impacted about 35 units and several families.

Anyone who needs assistance should call the Chicago & Northern IL Red Cross at (312) 729-6258.Photo: RCMP Amber alert issued for Emma O'Keeffe seen in photograph.

UPDATE: 9:20 p.m.

Police say abducted Emma O'Keeffe is potentially in danger.

"I think any six-year-old that was taken against their will is definitely a risk," RCMP Corporal Rob King said. "This girl, given her medical conditions, is at higher risk."

RCMP said the vehicle was taken Sunday at around 5 p.m. after the girl's mother left it running and went into a business in the strip mall.

The girl was secured in a child seat in the back of the SUV and police said they don't believe she would be able to get out of the vehicle herself.

The suspect is believed to be driving a dark grey 2010, Mercedes Benz GL350 Bluetec SUV with Saskatchewan license plate 897 HMX.

Police said it's a case of an abduction by a stranger and there is no indication a family member is involved.

"This is a stolen SUV with a child in the back seat," King said. "This is not a parental abduction."

UPDATE: 8:45 p.m.

The mother of a six-year-old girl who has been abducted in North Battleford has put out a plea on Facebook for her daughter's safe return.

In a public post, Alison O'Keeffe thanks the public for their support so far, and begs them to stay vigilant in searching for her daughter, who suffers from epilepsy and autism, is non-verbal and is unable to walk.

"Thank you for driving searching for Emma. Please keep looking, search your properties, yards and outbuildings, even by foot. She would not know to seek help and will not respond to her name being called. She wont even know to walk along the side of the road," O'Keeffe wrote.

"We need all the help we can get with her special needs, it makes it even more difficult. Please, please get her home."

An Amber Alert for six-year-old Emma has now been extended to Alberta and Manitoba. The car in which the child was taken is believed to have half a tank of gas.

If you have information about this child, call 911 or 1-877-SOAMBER or 1-877-762-6237 or e-mail [email protected]

ORIGINAL: 6:35 p.m.

RCMP in Saskatchewan have issued an Amber Alert for a six-year-old girl who they say was abducted outside a strip mall in North Battleford.

Police say Emma O'Keeffe is Caucasian, three-feet-six-inches tall, and weighs 44 pounds.

They say she suffers from epilepsy and autism, and is non-verbal and unable to walk.

She has brown, jaw-length hair and was last seen wearing a navy-blue, long sleeve T-shirt, black jeans, pink socks, no shoes, and was wearing a diaper.

Police say the suspect is believed to be driving a dark grey 2010, Mercedes Benz GL350 Bluetec SUV with Saskatchewan license plate 897 HMX.

There is no description of the suspect at this time and police say they don't know what direction the vehicle was headed.

RCMP Cpl. Rob King says it happened at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday near 11204 Railway Avenue.

King says there is no indication a family member is involved. If you have information about this child, call 911 or 1-877-SOAMBER or 1-877-762-6237 or e-mail [email protected]One man died and six others were wounded between midnight and 11:45 p.m. Saturday in shootings across the city.

The first person shot walked into Rush Medical Center shortly after midnight, according to Chicago police.

The 24-year-old told officers he was a passenger in a vehicle when he heard gunshots and felt that he was shot, police said. He was transferred to Stroger Hospital a block away and his condition was stabilized.

A 16-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting Saturday morning in the West Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side, police said.

He walked in to St. Bernard Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right thigh after being shot at 7:52 a.m., police said. The boy told officers a shooter in a dark car drove by and fired multiple shots at him.

His condition had stabilized at the hospital, police said.

Nearly 12 hours later, a man was shot after asking someone he didnt know for a ride Saturday night in the Roseland neighborhood on the Far South Side.

The 43-year-old heard shots and realized he had been struck in the thigh while riding in the strangers vehicle, about 7 p.m. in the 9900 block of South Michigan, according to Chicago police.

He walked in to Rush University Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his thigh, police said. His condition had stabilized.

Police said the only homicide unfolded at 8:34 p.m., when a man was fatally shot in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side.

The 39-year-old was leaning into a parked vehicle when someone in a gray car fired shots at 8:34 p.m. in the 5400 block of South May, according to Chicago police.

He was shot multiple times in his body and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The Cook County Medical Examiners Office did not immediately confirm the death.

Another 16-year-old boy was shot at 8:53 p.m. in the Albany Park neighborhood on the North Side.

He was shot in his lower body at 8:53 p.m. in the 4800 block of North Central Park, according to Chicago police. He was taken to St. Francis Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.

At 10:59 p.m., a man was shot in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.

The 44-year-old was walking toward a car when he was shot at 10:59 p.m. in the 6600 block of South Wolcott, according to Chicago police.

He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital where he was in good condition, police said.

Police said witnesses told officers that two males fired shots and then fled the scene.

The last shooting occurred at 11:44 p.m. in the Little Village neighborhood on the West Side.

An 18-year-old man was shot by someone standing outside a dark vehicle in the 3300 block of West Cermak, according to Chicago police.

He was taken with a gunshot wound in his leg to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition stabilized, police said.

On Friday, 16 people were shot, three were killed.What to Know Van Dyke is charged with murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old McDonald nearly four years ago

The Chicago police officer was captured on dashcam video shooting McDonald 16 times the night of Oct. 20, 2014, on the city's Southwest Side

Van Dyke entered a plea of not guilty

Follow along live from the courtroom above and below.

Opening statements had just begun when the widely circulated dashcam video showing the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald was played in court for jurors Monday, marking the start of the highly anticipated murder trial of Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke.

"From the time [Van Dyke] gets out [of the squad car], six seconds later, he starts to shoot," special prosecutor Joseph McMahon told the 12 jurors and five alternates. "For the next 12 and a half seconds, he continues to pull his trigger over and over until his whole clip is emptied on Laquan McDonald."

Van Dyke is charged with murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old McDonald nearly four years ago.

The Chicago police officer was captured on dashcam video shooting McDonald 16 times the night of Oct. 20, 2014, on the city's Southwest Side. He was charged with six counts of first-degree murder in November 2015, and 16 counts of aggravated battery in March 2017.

Van Dyke entered a plea of not guilty.

Van Dyke's attorneys maintain the Chicago officer has been wrongly charged, saying he was acting within the law when he shot the teen, who at the time was an armed felon fleeing a crime scene.

"What the evidence is going to show in this case is that Jason Van Dyke is not a murderer, he was a scared police officer who acted within his training," said attorney Dan Herbert.

Herbert told the jury McDonald was high on PCP at the time of the shooting, and that his actions forced Van Dyke to respond.

"This story shows an out-of-control individual who didn't care about anyone," Herbert said. "He was on a wild rampage through the city."

In total, eight witnesses were called to testify on the first day of the trial, including two Chicago police officers at the scene that night.

Just before opening statements began, the judge denied a motion to move the trial to a new location. Judge Vincent Gaughan said he has "faith in the citizens of Cook County."

Van Dyke's defense team had previously filed motions aiming to move the trial outside of Cook County due to extensive news coverage of the shooting, a topic the larger-than-usual pool of 200 potential jurors were questioned on.

3:30 p.m.: Day 1 of the Jason Van Dyke trial is complete. The governement called 8 witnesses to testify today, including 2 CPD officers who were on the scene that night. Testimony continues at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

3:25 p.m.: During cross examination, defense attorneys point out dash cam video that shows Officer Fontaine was still in her squad car when Laquan McDonald was shot. Attorneys ask So you didnt see any of that shooting? Fontaine answered I dont remember."

3:20 p.m.: CPD Officer Dora Fontaine, who was on the scene that night, testifies when they pulled up Laquan McDonald was walking southbound swaying a knife back and forth She also testified she heard verbal commands for him to drop the knife.

2 p.m.: The 5th witness of the day is a retired CPD Officer who retrieved audio and video from CPD squad car cameras. He testified that not one of the five squad cars on the scene the night Laquan McDonald was shot, had audio of the shooting.

12:43 p.m.: Under cross examination, defense attorney Randy Rucker asks Officer McElligott You cant shoot at him while hes running towards Burger King. There were vehicles there?

Officer McElligott responds: Wouldnt be smart."

12:24 p.m.: Prosecutors: Why didnt you fire your weapon?

Officer McElligott: Trying to buy time to get a taser. He didnt make a move towards me. I felt my partner was protected.

12:09 p.m.: CPD Officer Joseph McElligott, the first to encounter Laquan McDonald, was asked if Laquan threatened him. He held it (the knife) out, but he didnt say anything verbally. The prosecutor responded, The question was, did he threaten you? No," he answered.

11:31 a.m.: New witness called. Its the CPD dispatch officer who took the first 911 call regarding Laquan McDonald on October 20, 2014.

11:22 a.m.: First witness is called to testify in Jason Van Dyke murder trial. Its Laquan McDonalds great aunt, Carnissa Hunter.

11:21 a.m.: Defense: Governmet called Laquan McDonald a black boy. Jason is obviously white. Government wants you to think its more inflammatory. A race issue... What this is, is an improper charge.

Its a tragedy, not a murder. Thats what the evidence will show."

11:08 a.m.: Defense: They (state prosecutors) make a big deal about 16 shots, but an officer with average skills can fire 5-6 shots in 1 second 

11 a.m.: Dan Herbert says Laquan McDonald was an out-of-control teen who didnt care about anybody. That the video doesnt tell the whole story. They (state prosecutors) want you to go in for the final two minutes of a two-hour movie."

10:50 a.m.: Defense Attorney Dan Herbert begins his opening statement by telling jury Jason Van Dykes day, on Oct 20, 2014, started like any other day... But (Jason) didnt know at the time, his life would change forever

10:39 a.m.: Just 15 minutes into opening statements, state prosecutor, Joseph McMahon plays the dashcam video of Laquan McDonald being shot 16 times, for the jury.

10:25 a.m.: Prosecutor Joseph McMahon tells jurors in opening statements that Jason Van Dyke was charged because not a single shot was necessary or justified."

10:05 a.m.: Opening statements in Jason Van Dyke trial will begin after a short break.

9:57 a.m.: Another defense motion, to keep out testimony that no other officer fired their weapon at Laquan Mcdonald that night, was also denied

9:52 a.m.: Defense attorneys tried to have any testimony about Jason Van Dyke reloading his weapon during the 16 shots, kept from the jury. Judge Gaughan denied that motion too.

9:42 a.m.: /BREAKING/ Judge Gaughan denies the change of venue motion. I have faith in the citizens of Cook County.

9:39 a.m.: While arguing for a Change of Venue, defense attorney Dan Herbert says Van Dyke has no chance of presumption of innocence. Hes starting 20 yards behind the starting line... Thats not fair. Defies logic.

9:31 a.m.: Another attempt to have the Jason Van Dyke jury dismissed by the defense was denied.

8:47 a.m.: The 12 member jury, eight females and four males, have arrived at the George Leighton Criminal Courthouse, for the start of the Jason Van Dyke murder trial. First order of business will be to swear in juror no. 12 and the fivealternates. Then a ruling on the Change of Motion motion.The prognosis for President Donald Trump and his party was grim.

In a post-Labor Day briefing at the White House, a top Republican pollster told senior staff that the determining factor in the election wouldn't be the improving economy or the steady increase in job creation. It would be how voters feel about Trump. And the majority of the electorate, including a sizable percentage of Republican-leaning voters, doesn't feel good about the president, according to a presentation from pollster Neil Newhouse that spanned dozens of pages.

Newhouse's briefing came amid a darkening mood among Republican officials as the November election nears. Party leaders were already worried that a surge in enthusiasm among Democrats and disdain for Trump by moderate Republicans would put the House out of reach. But some Republicans now fear their Senate majority is also in peril  a scenario that was unthinkable a few months ago given the favorable Senate map for the GOP.

"For Republican candidates to win in swing states, they need all of the voters who support President Trump, plus a chunk of those who do not," said Whit Ayres, a GOP pollster. "That is threading a very narrow strategic needle."

Operatives in both parties say Republicans still have the edge in the fight for control of the Senate. But GOP officials are increasingly worried that nominees in conservative-leaning states like Missouri and Indiana are underperforming, while races in Tennessee and Texas that should be slam-dunks for Republicans are close.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell raised an alarm last week, warning that each of the competitive Senate races would be "like a knife fight in an alley."

Some of the public fretting among Republicans appears to be strategic, as party officials try to motivate both voters and donors. Many moderate Republican voters "don't believe there is anything at stake in this election," according to the documents Newhouse presented to White House officials. He attributed that belief in part to a disregard for public polling, given that most surveys showed Democrat Hillary Clinton defeating Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

Newhouse and the White House would not comment on the early September meeting. The Associated Press obtained a copy of Newhouse's presentation, and two Republicans with knowledge of the briefing discussed the details on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly.

At the White House, anxiety over the midterms has been on the rise for months as polls increasingly show a challenging environment for the GOP and heightened Democratic enthusiasm. The sheer number of competitive races in both the House and Senate is stretching cash reserves and forcing tough calculations about where to deploy resources and surrogates. And there are growing fears that the coalition of voters that delivered Trump to the White House will not come out for midterms.

Even if those voters do show up in large numbers, Republicans could still come up short. The polling presented to White House officials, which was commissioned by the Republican National Committee, showed that Trump's loyal supporters make up about one-quarter of the electorate. Another quarter is comprised of Republicans who like Trump's policies but not the president himself and do not appear motivated to back GOP candidates. And roughly half of expected midterm voters are Democrats who are energized by their opposition to the president.

White House aides say Trump is getting regular briefings on the political landscape and is aware of the increasingly grim polling, even though he's predicted a "red wave" for Republicans on Twitter and at campaign rallies. Aides say Trump's sober briefings from GOP officials are sometimes offset by the frequent conversations he has with a cadre of outside advisers who paint a sunnier picture of the electoral landscape and remind the president of his upset victory in 2016.

The paradox for Republicans is that most Americans are largely satisfied with the economy, according to numerous surveys. But the party has struggled to keep the economy centered at the center of the election debate. Trump keeps thrusting other issues to the forefront, including his frustration with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and his intense anger with unflattering portrayals of his presidency in a book by journalist Bob Woodward and an anonymous editorial from a senior administration official that was published in the New York Times. He stunned some backers Thursday when he disputed the death toll in Puerto Rico from last year's Hurricane Maria, just as another storm was barreling toward the East Coast.

Newhouse told White House officials that Trump could appeal to moderates and independents by emphasizing that a Democratic majority would be outside the mainstream on issues like abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and government-funded health care. Other Republican strategists have offered candidates similar advice.

Karl Rove, who served as chief political strategist to President George W. Bush, said that if Republicans cast their Democratic rivals as soft on immigration or in favor of high-dollar government spending on health care, "that's a toxic mix to the soft Republicans and Republican-leaning independents."

In his most recent campaign appearances, Trump soft-peddled his predictions for a Republican wave and warned supporters that a Democratic congressional majority would have consequences. But he focused less on the policy implications of Democrats regaining control of Congress and more on the impact on his presidency, including the prospect of impeachment.

"If it does happen, it's your fault, because you didn't go out to vote," Trump said of the prospect of getting impeached. "You didn't go out to vote  that's the only way it could happen."While air travel is resuming from the southeastern United States, passengers are still dealing with major delays and canceled flights.

But things are starting to return to normal and those who had been down south during the storm said they are relieved to be home.

Joanna Duclos and her husband arrived at Bradley International Airport after staying in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina during the storm.

Rainy and windy a little bit, but nothing like we expected. We were riding the storm out. Fortunately, we lucked out, said Duclos.

[NATL]Florence in Photos: Long Recovery Ahead for Carolinas From Record Flooding

The Ducloses jumped on the first non-stop flight from Myrtle Beach to Hartford as Spirit Airlines resumed operations on Sunday.

That airline, along with others, had shut down in Myrtle Beach for three days due to Florence.

We were supposed to fly back (Saturday). Our flight got cancelled, so we rescheduled for (Sunday) and there were just a handful on our plane, said Duclos.

Also headed to Connecticut were a lot of weary travelers from Charlotte, North Carolina who dealt with long flight delays on Sunday.

Charlotte is just some power outages and a lot of rain, little bit of wind. Mostly rain and flooding, said Mark Kury of Charlotte.

Kury has family living in hard-hit Wilmington.

They actually cant get back, so Wilmington is without power and flooding pretty bad. So my brother, my brothers girlfriend and girlfriends mother are staying with me since Wednesday night right before the storm hit, said Kury.

Many are realizing that the effects of Florence wont be over anytime soon.

Its going to be a lot of flooding in low-lying areas. So its a lot of flash flood warnings, said Kury.Southington police have arrested a man who is accused of leaving a child alone in a McDonalds restaurant and they said he was found with heroin and cocaine and appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

Officers responded to the to McDonalds on Queen Street Sunday after receiving a report that a man was there with a child who appeared to be around 6 years old and the adult appeared to be under the influence of drugs, according to police.

Police said the man had left the child alone at a table and went and sat in his vehicle.

As police investigated, they found 29-year-old Wallace Hart, of Manchester, with heroin and cocaine, according to a news release from police.

He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and risk of injury to a minor.

Police have not identified the relationship between Hart and the child to protect the childs identity.

A relative was called and responded to take the child.At age 90, Burt Bacharach hasn't lost faith in the power of music.

The celebrated songwriter has collaborated with fellow Grammy winner Rudy Perez on Live to See Another Day, an emotional ballad inspired by the Parkland massacre and other school shootings.

Bacharach told The Associated Press during a recent telephone interview that the new song was about love and keeping our kids safe.

Vocals are handled by two Florida teens, Haven Star and Angie Green.

Proceeds will be donated to the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, an anti-gun violence organization. It is based in Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman killed 20 schoolchildren at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.Is there a mold problem at East Hartford High School? Some teachers and students are worried mold is making them sick.

It was teachers who contacted NBC Connecticut anonymously, afraid of punishment for speaking out. They told us students and staff have been ill and complaining to school officials of respiratory symptoms related to humidity and mold exposure.

The school district handed over a new air quality report, they say was done by an outside environmental agency clearing them of mold issues in any classroom. Monday, NBC Connecticut learned at least one classroom is closed right now because of this very issue.

Kevin Arzola is a senior at East Hartford High School. That looks not good, in all my years here havent seen that!

But other students and staff from inside East Hartford High School shared photos of moldy keyboards, ceiling tiles and pictures of more mold on equipment and in the hallways. They say the pictures were taken in the last three weeks. Arzola saw a handful of students taking precaution on Monday.

Arzola told NBC Connecticut, people (students) have been wearing masks, like Ive seen 4 people telling me theres mold in the classroom and theyre not allowed to teach in there, so they have to teach in the library.

That first floor classroom, room number 102, according to district officials, was closed Friday because of mold, and kept closed Monday as a precaution, even after the mold was disinfected and removed. Junior Makyia Bryant says shes seen the fungus and is worried for her health.

Theres mold thats been growing in the classes and right now Im sick and dont know if its because of the mold, but teachers have been calling out sick because of the mold, she said.

This memo from Principal Matthew Ryan to parents acknowledges surface mold and mildew growth because of the oppressive humidity in recent weeks, that custodial staff has worked hard he says to address, which this concerned dad is happy to hear.

"My daughter, she has sinus problems and her sinus problems might be worse due to mold, said Thomas Blade.

In the same letter, Principal Ryan also references an air quality testing report of 10 classrooms, offices, the library and two loading docks outside that the district had done on September 10.

Ryan telling parents we are pleased to see that none of the classrooms tested had counts higher than outdoor control samples and as such, there is no air quality issues for students or staff.

If they dont think its dangerous, actually not dangerous I feel like theyve done a fine job, but if its actually harming people they should do better, Junior Bryant added.

According to that same report by TRC Solutions in Windsor, their only issue was with House 11, the office for 11th grade students. It cited higher concentrations of aspergillus:penicillium fungal spores, ten times more than what was found by the loading docks tested outside that same day.

Bryant admits that's concerning, I feel like school needs to do better with that.

The superintendent's office notes there have been no complaints near that 11th grade office.

"House 11 is an office area which had an reading of one type of spores greater than the outside sample. Ironically, there were no complaints from this area, it was chosen for the test as a "control" area. TRC's advice to us was to just inspect the area to make sure there was not a source present. The space was thoroughly inspected and no source found. It is a ground level space which gets its fresh air from a vent right near a mulched landscape bed, and this may have led to a higher reading at that point in time. In aggregate, the spore count was well below action level, and again there were no complaints from that area," the superintendent's office said.

The superintendent of schools did not respond to NBC Connecticut's requests to interview on camera.

The principal and director of facilities met with staff on Monday.

There are no federal or state standards for acceptable or hazardous levels of spore counts. The most recent air quality report submitted to the state in 2016, marked all checkboxes off as good.

Members of the school board, including chairman Bryan Hall did not respond for comment, neither did the teacher's union representative Annie Irvine.What to Know A 14th suspect has been arrested in the June 20 death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as "Junior"

Frederick Then, 20, turned himself in to police in the machete attack on Guzman-Feliz outside a Bronx bodega, which was caught on camera

The killing captivated the nation for its caught-on-camera brutality and the apparent mistaken identity of the victim

A 14th suspect was arrested Sunday in the caught-on-camera machete killing of a 15-year-old boy outside a bodega in the Bronx in June.

Frederick Then, 20, turned himself in to police in the June 20 killing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz, which captivated the nation for its brutality and the apparent mistaken identity of the victim.

Then was charged with murder, manslaughter, two counts of gang assault, conspiracy and criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty to murder charges in a court appearance on Monday. He was ordered held without bail and is due back in court Oct. 25.

As Then was walked outside by police, he told reporters: "I'm innocent."

Video shows the teen being dragged outside the bodega and attacked by a gang of five men who stabbed him with knives and hacked him with a machete as he struggled to defend himself.

The boy was slashed in the neck and died after running to a hospital three blocks away. Thirteen other suspects have been arrested in the teen's death; all are alleged gang members.

Guzman-Feliz had been part of the NYPD's Explorers program, a group for youths interested in a law enforcement career. The New York City Police Foundation announced it planned to set up a scholarship in his name.

Authorities say they do not believe Guzman-Feliz was affiliated with any gang.

It wasn't immediately clear whether Then had an attorney.Demonstrators marched outside AT&T Stadium, where the Cowboys hosted the Giants Sunday night, rolling two caskets to protest the police shooting deaths of Botham Jean in Dallas and O'Shae Terry in Arlington.

Terry was shot by an Arlington police officer Sept. 1 after he attempted to flee during a traffic stop and Jean was shot Sept. 6 by Dallas police officer Amber Guyger who said she mistook him for a burglar after she mistakenly entered Jean's apartment.

Lee Merritt, who represented the families of both men, demanded that the Dallas Police Department identify and discipline officers who leaked information a search warrant return about Botham Jean's shooting to the media. The search warrant indicated officers found marijuana, but it's unclear who it belonged to.

Merritt said the protest was also to draw attention to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' policy on players protesting during the national anthem.

"We come with an invitation to Jerry Jones, to Dak Prescott, to the entire Cowboys organization to join us in the fight for justice. To ensure these tragedies do not continue to befall our community," Rev. Michael Waters said.

"Let us know that you're not just concerned with making money off of black bodies, but you're concerned about the safety of all black bodies," pastor Frederick Haynes said. "Because, guess what? We are Americans as well."

Demonstrators also called for the Dallas Police Department to fire Guyger and for the officer to face a murder charge. Guyger is currently on administrative leave and faces a manslaughter charge in Jean's death.

"It was murder because if the roles had been reversed and Botham had come into her apartment and killed her, he would be in jail right now and charged with capital murder," Haynes said. "We are saying there is not justice at all if there is not justice for all."

Fans looked on as the group of around 100 demonstrators walked around AT&T Stadium with the two coffins. Demonstrators walked quietly and carried signs that said "Black Lives Matter."

Some fans said they were confused by the demonstrations. Some expressed support.

"Racism has been a problem in this country way too long, it's time we did something about it," said Nathan Barrett who was attending the game. His friend, Jacob Gragg, took off his hat as the caskets went by.

At least one fan could be heard saying, "No politics" as the group went by.

Others told NBC 5 they did not want to be quoted by name, but insisted the demonstration wasn't appropriate after Fort Worth police officer Garrett Hull died in the line of duty.

"I was married to a police officer for 20 years. We respect police officers, the good ones. But there are some problems and we have to draw attention to it," said demonstrator Leattress Anderson.

Police in Arlington did not try to stop the pastor's group from protesting. Officers on bicycles rode alongside protesters and helped stopped traffic as the group approached the stadium.

Arlington police said officers made nine arrests after a separate group of protesters blocked traffic on Collins Street and Randoll Mill Drive.

Police said that group would not move despite repeated warnings from officers.Alanna Kelly

UPDATE: 11:15 a.m.

More search and rescue crews will be flying over an area north of Kamloops in search of a missing plane on Monday.

A total of four Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft and eight Civil Air Search and Rescue Association will be in the sky honing their search around Blue River.

Lt. Navy Tony Wright said this new focus is based on the pilots flight plan, cell phone tower data mixed and radar data.

The pilot that is missing did file a flight plan, he said.

Little information is known about the male pilot and his one passenger. The two were on board a white, two-passenger, single-engine, private plane called a Van RV-6 plane.

The small aircraft took off from Edmonton, Alta., and was on route to Chilliwack, B.C., but was reported overdue to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre at 2 p.m. on September 14.

Monday marks day four in the search for the aircraft and weather has posed a challenge for crews searching along Highway 5 between Clearwater and Valemount.

CASARA pilots started bright and early on Monday and search coordinator Chuck Henderson said it was a busy morning briefing and tasking aircraft.

Wright says the reason they are searching the northern area is because CASARA pilots conducted a thorough search of the southern area, which has been socked in with clouds.

It is pretty normal for this time of year to have low ceiling, low visibility, he said. "It does present a challenge, but as long as it is safe and we have some visibility we are going to continue to search.

Henderson said there is low-mid cloud and that it is impeding visibility a bit, but it is dryer than Sunday.

Highway 5 valley is quite wide and fairly easy to search, but once you get up on top of the mountain it gets more difficult, he said.

Pilots will fly 1,000 feet above the ground and look out one mile on each side of the plane today. Once that is complete on their assigned areas they will then drop to 500 feet and look out half a mile.

It gets quite intense, he added.

CASARA pilots and aircraft from Williams Lake, Vernon, Penticton, Kelowna and Kamloops have joined the search.

Henderson said that the longer the search goes on the more worrisome it gets, but said they never give up hope.

ORIGINAL: 5 a.m.

Monday marks day four in the search for a missing small white plane that vanished after it took off from Edmonton.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre was alerted Friday at 2 p.m. that a plane was expected to land in Chilliwack, B.C., from Edmonton, Alta., but never arrived at the final destination.

Officials still believe the two people on board are alive and that is why multiple people and 10 aircraft are searching for the small two-passenger, single-engine private Van RV-6 plane.

Civil Air Search and Rescue Association search coordinator told Castanet News weather hampered part of the search on Sunday.

Bit of a weather problem, there is thunderstorms moving in, but we had a good morning, said Chuck Henderson.

We were basically working between Merritt and Barriere, he said.

The search area is difficult with a mix of little and big mountains, as Henderson described, and involves lots of rolling hills and deep valleys.

CASARA and the Royal Canadian Air Force are expected to start the fourth day of searching around 8 a.m. on Monday.

Sundays search focused on a corridor along Highway 5 between Valemount and Clearwater.

Lt. Tony Wright said crews did a good search of the southern area on Saturday.

Unfortunately we had to shut down that southern portion on Sunday because of weather, said Wright.

Little is known about the two people onboard other than the pilot is a man, but it is believed they are still alive.

We wouldnt be searching if we didnt believe there was a chance of survivability, said Wright.

Castanet News will continue to update this story as it evolves.

Alanna KellyA senior South Korean official on Monday played down the chance that this week's inter-Korean summit will result in major progress in efforts to rid North Korea of its nuclear program.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in flies to Pyongyang on Tuesday for his third summit of the year with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok told reporters the leaders plan to meet twice during Moon's three-day trip.

Im said it's "difficult to have any optimistic outlook" for progress on denuclearization during those talks, adding that progress will depend on how candid the discussions are. Still, Im said he expects the summit to produce "meaningful" agreements on ways to ease a decades-long military standoff between the rivals. He did not elaborate.

Moon's trip comes as global diplomatic efforts to rid North Korea of its nuclear program have stalled and questions have been raised about how serious Kim is about following through with his vague commitments to denuclearize. Moon has said he hopes he can help restart talks between Washington and Pyongyang, which peaked in June with a historic summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.

North Korea has long maintained that's its nuclear program is aimed at coping with what it calls U.S. military threats. As such, in exchange for giving up its nuclear program it has been seeking the withdrawal of the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and a peace treaty with the United States to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War. It also wants the lifting of U.S.-led sanctions.

North Korea has taken some steps, like dismantling its nuclear and rocket-engine testing sites, but U.S. officials have said the North must take more serious disarmament steps before receiving outside concessions.

Im, who is in charge of Seoul preparations for the summit, said he was confidant that the talks would yield agreements that "fundamentally remove the danger of armed clashes and ease fears of war" between the two Koreas. He said he expects the agreements would help promote chances for the signing of a peace treaty that formally ends the Korean War.

Military officials have in recent months discussed the possibility of disarming a jointly controlled area at their shared border village, removing front-line guard posts and halting hostile acts along their sea boundary.

The Koreas' 248-kilometer (155-mile) -long border is the world's most heavily fortified, with hundreds of thousands of troops stationed along a border laced with mines, barbed wire fences and anti-tank traps. The navies of the Koreas also fought several bloody skirmishes off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula.

Moon will also take a group of business tycoons such as Samsung scion Lee Jae-yong to Pyongyang. Some experts say Moon is preparing for the resumption of inter-Korean economic cooperation projects after diplomacy eventually yields results. Currently, all major joint economic projects between the Koreas remain stalled because of U.S.-led sanctions.The candidates for California governor have agreed to a debate, but only on the radio.

Republican John Cox and Democrat Gavin Newsom will square off Oct. 8 on San Francisco public radio station KQED, the station reported Monday.

It's the only forum both candidates have agreed to after months of back and forth and will be the first time they've shared a platform since a pre-primary debate in San Jose in May.

The debate will be a crucial opportunity for Cox, who has trailed Newsom in polls and fundraising, to get his message out or try to trip up Newsom ahead of the Nov. 6 election.

The debate will broadcast at 10 a.m. during KQED's public affairs show, "Forum."

It will follow the show's typical format without strict time limits or rules, the station reported. It will be offered to other stations around the state for live or recorded broadcast.

Cox and Newsom agreed to meet after months of back and forth over when and where to debate, with each candidate rejecting forums accepted by the other. For a while it appeared they would not debate at all.

Newsom agreed to a CNN debate but Cox sought to limit discussion to specific California-focused topics.

Cox agreed to other debates sponsored by California media outlets that Newsom rejected.What to Know The Citrus County Sheriffs Office posted the advisory Sunday morning, saying the flyer with a ICE logo has been circulating.

A Florida sheriffs department is warning residents that a flyer offering a reward for anyone who turns in an undocumented immigrant is fake.

The Citrus County Sheriffs Office posted the advisory Sunday morning, saying the flyer with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement logo along with one for CrimeStoppers has been circulating through both Florida and Texas.

The flyer reads Report an undocumented alien (legally challenged resident) and if they are arrested you will receive $100.00 along with the ICE phone number and the words IWILDEPORTU.

Officials from the county north of Tampa said neither they nor the local Homeland Security / ICE chapter produced the flyers.What to Know Firefighters responded to multiple cars ablaze at a huge shopping center in Brooklyn; it's not clear what caused the seven-alarm inferno

Twenty-one people, 18 of them firefighters, were hurt; all of the victims are expected to be OK

Kings Plaza has more than 120 stores, including Macy's, Best Buy, Sears, H&M, Michael Kors, Express and Foot Locker

UPDATE: Mystery Swirls Around Motive of Young Alleged NYC Arsonist



Police have arrested a man in connection to a seven-alarm inferno that tore through a multi-level parking garage at Brooklyn's Kings Plaza Shopping Center Monday, enveloping the entire area in thick smoke, engulfing more than 100 vehicles and leaving nearly two dozen people hurt.



Police say they've arrested Avon Stephens, 23, on an arson charge in the fire at a parking garage at the mall on Avenue U and Flatbush Avenue. A motive wasn't clear, and details on an attorney for Stephens weren't immediately available.

The fire call came in shortly before 9 a.m. Monday, and the blaze quickly escalated from a two-alarm to a four-alarm fire, then became a six-alarm inferno within an hour. By 11:15 a.m., it was a seven-alarm blaze. It was under control by noon.



Twenty-one people, 18 of them firefighters, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, mostly related to smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion. Four of the victims were taken to hospitals. Fire officials warned the patient total would likely rise.



[[493480181, C]]

A law enforcement source said 137 cars were damaged, and 70 of them were burned to their shells, many of them Mercedes.

AP

The garage holds about 4,000 spaces and fire officials said 120 cars are normally stored there by a car dealership. There were some explosions from car tires burning; officials said there is no risk of collapse.

Citizen app video showed smoke spewing from the garage as bystanders crowded near emergency vehicles, seeking shelter from the shroud of smoke.

More than a half-dozen MTA bus lines were running with delays in the area because of the FDNY activity. The department said more than 200 of its members responded.



A mall spokesperson said to avoid the area until further notice. The plaza was closed, though officials said the fire did not extend to any stores.

[NATL]Florence in Photos: Long Recovery Ahead for Carolinas From Record Flooding

Kings Plaza has more than 120 stores, including Macy's, Best Buy, Sears, H&M, Michael Kors, Express and Foot Locker.

In 2013, it became the subject of a controversial order that temporarily banned people younger than 18 without the presence of an adult after hundreds of teens attacked patrons and vandalized the shopping center, forcing it to shut down.



No one was ultimately charged in that fray, nor was anyone hurt.

[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and MoreWhat to Know A man boogie boarding off a Cape Cod beach was attacked by a shark and died, becoming the state's first deadly shark attack in 80 years

A driver crashed into a gas station in New Jersey, sparking a fire that consumed the building and several cars

A New York man who shares the same last name as a pop-star says he can't get a Facebook account

Monday, Sept. 17, 2018

Happy Monday! It will stay dry for much of the day today, but those remnants of Florence will begin to push in late, setting the stage for an ugly Tuesday. Highs will reach the low 80s. As always, get the latest forecast at nbcnewyork.com/weather.

1. Man Dies After Shark Attack in Mass; 1st for State in 80 Years

A man boogie boarding off a Cape Cod beach was attacked by a shark and died later at a hospital, becoming the state's first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years.

Arthur Medici, 26, of Revere, succumbed to his injuries following the attack in the waters off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet just after noon, Wellfleet Police Lt. Michael Hurley said.

Police say Medici was attacked while at the beach with his family. Witnesses at the scene told officers that Medici and another male were in the water about 30 yards off the beach boogie boarding when the attack occurred. They say Medici was wearing a wetsuit and flippers.

Read more here.

2. New Jersey Gas Station Bursts Into Flames After Crash

A driver crashed into a gas station in Bergen County, sparking a fire that consumed the building and several cars.

The woman was driving north on Franklin Turnpike when she lost control of the car, plowed over a gas pump and then crashed into the Delta gas station, said Ramsey Police Chief Brian Gurney.

The woman suffered only minor injuries. The only employee at the gas station at that time had stepped away for a bathroom break.

Read more here.

3. Man With Bieber as Last Name Says He Can't Get Facebook Account

A New York man who shares the same last name as a pop-star says he can't get a Facebook account.

Andrew Bieber was blocked from his account five years ago and he thinks it's because the website thought he was impersonating a celebrity.

Bieber sent his ID as proof, but he said he never heard back from the company.

Read more here.

For the latest entertainment news and things to do, tune in to New York Live, Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. on NBC 4 New York.What to Know Arthur Medici died after being attacked by a shark off Cape Cod; 26-year-old victim was pronounced dead at Cape Cod Hospital.

The shark attack happened around noon Saturday just off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet.

The attack is the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936.

A man boogie boarding off a Cape Cod beach was attacked by a shark on Saturday and died later at a hospital, becoming the state's first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years.

Our redesigned local news and weather app is live! Download it for iOS or Android  and sign up for alerts.

Arthur Medici, 26, of Revere, succumbed to his injuries following the attack in the waters off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet just after noon, Wellfleet Police Lt. Michael Hurley said.

Police say Medici was attacked while at the beach with his family. Witnesses at the scene told officers that Medici and another male were in the water about 30 yards off the beach boogie boarding when the attack occured. They say Medici was wearing a wetsuit and flippers.

A man boogie boarding off a Cape Cod beach was attacked by a shark on Saturday and died later at a hospital, becoming the states first shark attack fatality in more than 80 years.

Joe Booth, a local fisherman and surfer, said he was on shore when he saw Medici and his friend boogie boarding when the attack happened.

He said he saw Medici aggressively kick something behind him and a flicker of a tail from the water. He realized what was happening when the friend came ashore dragging his injured friend.

"All of a sudden somebody yelled 'shark, shark!' and we noticed a big crowd at the end of the beach," Tony Sherwell said.

Booth said, "I was that guy on the beach screaming, 'Shark! Shark!' It was like right out of that movie 'Jaws.' This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here.''

Julian Swistak said people started running down the beach, wrapping Medici's legs in their towels.

"There was a lot of blood," Rich Littauer said. "A lot of blood."

From Cape Cod to Revere, people are expressing their sympathies to Arthur Medicis family; and experts are discussing sharks after the 26-year-old man was killed in a shark attack on Saturday.

Booth said others on the beach attempted to make a tourniquet using a boogie board cord while others frantically called 911.

CPR was in progress on the beach when emergency personnel responded, at which time they took over.

A group of people, including first responders, carried Medici down the beach to the parking lot, giving him chest compressions on the way to the ambulance.

Hayley Williamson, a Cape Cod resident and former lifeguard who was on the beach at the time, was in disbelief after Medici was rushed in an ambulance.

"We've been surfing all morning right here and they were just further down,'' she said of the two boogie boarders. "Right spot, wrong time, I guess.''

Life-saving measures were attempted on the beach before Medici was taken to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, where he was pronounced dead, State Police spokesman David Procopio said. The beach has been closed to swimming.

The town of Wellfleet issued a statement Saturday night, saying they are "heartbroken by this tragedy," and they send their sympathies to Medici's family and friends.

"We share the grief and pain you feel," Select Board Chair Janet Reinhart and Town Administrator Dan Hoort said in the statement. "We are grateful to the family, friends, beach staff, public and first responders who worked so valiantly to save his life. Everyone who lives in and visits Wellfleet is part of the Wellfleet community. Today we lost a member of our community and we grieve his passing."

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy also offered their condolences to Medici's family on Twitter.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy offers our most sincere condolences to the family of the victim, and all who witnessed or are affected by todays tragic incident.  Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (@A_WhiteShark) September 15, 2018

The attack is the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936, and the second shark attack this season.

A 61-year-old New York man was severely injured Aug. 15 after fighting off a shark off Truro, about 4 miles north of Saturday's attack. He's currently recovering in a Boston hospital.

The man who was attacked by a shark off the coast of Cape Cod explains how he escaped from the animals jaws.

There were 53 unprovoked shark attacks in the U.S. in 2017, but none were fatal, according to the International Shark Attack File. On average, there are only six deaths around the world each year from unprovoked shark attacks.

"Today is just keeping everyone out of water,'' Hurley said. "There'll be a determination later about what the town wants to do with the beaches going forward.''

Beachgoers said the Wellfleet beach is popular with surfers, and with sunny skies and warm temperatures Saturday it was busy, even though the summer season was over and lifeguards were no longer on watch following Labor Day.

"As you can see, there is signage that is posted here at the beach just advising people that there are sharks in the water and the potential of them being out there," Lt. Hurley said.

"It's just crazy," Swistak said. "I come to this beach all the time so it's scary and a little sad."

There have been frequent shark sightings this summer along the outer Cape, often leading to beach closings. The National Park Service, which manages many of the picturesque beaches where white sharks tend to congregate, said it closed beaches for at least an hour about 25 times this year, more than double the annual average.

The harbormaster in Orleans, Massachusetts, issued a firm warning about shark activity Thursday, August 30, 2018.

A Cape Cod politician said officials who did not more aggressive action against sharks bore some responsibility for the fatal attack. Barnstable County Commissioner Ron Beaty said he had warned something like this could happen and urged measures to reduce the number of white sharks.

"It is my personal belief that the responsibility for this horrible shark attack rests squarely upon the shoulders of the aforementioned officials for their utter lack of attention and inaction regarding the growing shark problem on Cape Cod of the last few years,'' he said.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Cape and Island District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police.

The state's last shark attack fatality was on July 25, 1936, when 16-year-old Joseph Troy Jr. was bitten in waters off Mattapoisett.

Troy, of Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, was visiting an uncle and was swimming about 50 feet offshore when the shark attacked.President Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court was thrust into turmoil Sunday after the woman accusing him of high school-era sexual misconduct told her story publicly for the first time. Democrats immediately called for a delay in a key committee vote set for this later week and a Republican on the closely divided panel said he's "not comfortable" voting on the nomination without first hearing from the accuser.

The woman, Christine Blasey Ford, told The Washington Post in her first interview that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a Maryland party they attended in the early 1980s, clumsily tried to remove her clothing and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford said. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

Ford, 51 and a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, says she was able to get away after a friend of Kavanaugh's who was in the room jumped on top of them and everyone tumbled.

Kavanaugh, 53 and a federal appeals judge in Washington, on Sunday repeated an earlier denial of Ford's allegation.

"I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time," Kavanaugh said through the White House.

"Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement," White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec said.

The allegation first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that has been in the possession of Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for some time.

The committee recently concluded four days of public hearings on the nomination and the panel's Republican chairman, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, scheduled a Thursday vote on whether to recommend that the full Senate confirm Kavanaugh for a lifetime appointment to the nation's highest court.

Democrats, led by New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, immediately called for it to be postponed, though Republicans gave no indication Sunday that they would accede to the calls by Democrats, most of whom already publicly oppose Kavanaugh.

A spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee said late Sunday that Grassley is trying to arrange separate, follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, but just for aides to Grassley and Feinstein, before Thursday's scheduled vote.

Feinstein late Sunday rejected Grassley's plan for phone interviews with Kavanaugh and Ford.

"Staff calls aren't the appropriate way to handle this," Feinstein said.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a committee member, told The Washington Post and Politico in interviews Sunday that he's "not comfortable" voting for Kavanaugh until he learns more about the allegation. Flake is one of 11 Republicans on the committee, whose 10 Democrats all oppose Kavanaugh. A potential "no" vote from Flake would complicate Kavanaugh's prospects.

Feinstein applauded Flake's call to slow things down.

"I agree with Senator Flake that we should delay this week's vote," she said. "There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to investigate this new material."

Another Republican member, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said he's willing to hear from Ford provided that it's "done immediately" to keep the confirmation process on track. Critics have accused the GOP of fast-tracking the process to get Kavanaugh on the court by Oct. 1, the first day of the fall term.

Senate Republicans, along with the White House, see no need to postpone voting over what they consider uncorroborated and unverifiable accusations, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.

In considering their options Sunday, Republicans largely settled on the view that Ford's story alone was not enough to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Grassley could invite Ford to testify, likely in closed session before Thursday. Kavanaugh would also probably be asked to appear before senators. The panel would also likely seek testimony from Mark Judge, Kavanaugh's friend and classmate who Ford says jumped on top of her and Kavanaugh. Judge has denied that the incident happened.

Republicans have not settled on the strategy, the person familiar with the situation said, but were weighing options, including doing nothing.

Republicans say the allegations have already cast a shadow over Kavanaugh but that it does not appear to be enough to change the votes in the narrowly divided 51-49 Senate. Key will be the views of Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who did not immediately comment publicly Sunday.

A spokesman for Grassley said Kavanaugh already went through several days of hearings and has been investigated by the FBI.

The White House has accused Feinstein, who revealed the letter's existence late last week, of mounting an "11th hour attempt to delay his confirmation." The White House has also sought to cast doubt about Ford's allegation by noting that the FBI has repeatedly investigated Kavanaugh since the 1990s for highly sensitive positions he has held, including in the office of independent counsel Ken Starr, at the White House and his current post on the federal appeals court in Washington.

Both Democratic and Republican senators questioned Feinstein's handling of the allegation. Feinstein on Sunday called on the FBI to investigate Ford's story "before the Senate moves forward on this nominee."

Kavanaugh's nomination has sharply divided an already closely divided Senate, with most Democrats opposing him and most Republicans supporting him.

But the allegations of sexual misconduct, particularly coming amid the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, coupled with Ford's emergence could complicate matters, especially as key Republican senators, including Collins and Murkowski, are under enormous pressure from outside groups who want them to oppose Kavanaugh on grounds that as a justice he could vote to undercut the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion in the U.S.

Ford told the Post that Kavanaugh and a friend  both "stumbling drunk," she says  corralled her into a bedroom during a house party in Maryland in the early 1980s when she was around 15 and Kavanaugh was around 17. She says Kavanaugh groped her over her clothes, grinded his body against hers and tried to take off her one-piece swimsuit and the outfit she wore over it.

Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream, she says, and escaped when Judge jumped on them.

In the interview, Ford says she never revealed what had happened to her until 2012, when she and her husband sought couples therapy.

Portions of her therapist's notes, which Ford provided to the Post, do not mention Kavanaugh by name but say Ford reported being attacked by students "from an elitist boys' school" who went on to become "highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington."

Kavanaugh attended a private school for boys, Georgetown Prep in Maryland while Ford attended a nearby school.

Ford's husband, Russell Ford, also told the newspaper that his wife described during therapy being trapped in a room with two drunken boys and that one of them had pinned her to a bed, molested her and tried to prevent from screaming. He said he recalled his wife using Kavanaugh's last name and expressing concern that Kavanaugh  then a federal judge  might someday be nominated to the Supreme Court.

The therapist's notes say four boys were involved, but Ford says that was an error by the therapist. Ford says four boys were at the party, but only two boys were in the room at the time.

Ford had contacted the Post through a tip line in early July after it had become clear that Kavanaugh was on Trump's shortlist to fill a vacancy but before the Republican president nominated him, the newspaper said.

A registered Democrat, Ford contacted her representative in Congress, Democrat Anna Eshoo, around the same time. In late July, Ford sent a letter through Eshoo's office to Feinstein. Feinstein said she notified federal investigators about the letter, and the FBI confirmed it has included the information in Kavanaugh's background file, which all senators can read.

Sixty-five women who knew Kavanagh in high school defended him in a separate letter, circulated by Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, as someone who "always treated women with decency and respect." The effort around the pro-Kavanaugh letter began to take shape after his confirmation hearings earlier this month when rumors began to circulate, according to a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to comment publicly. The signatures on the letter came together in about 24 hours, the person said.

Ford told the Post she changed her mind about coming forward after watching portions of her story come out without her permission. She said if anyone was going to tell her story, she wanted to be the one to tell it.

Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.What to Know Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman, pleaded guilty Friday to two conspiracy counts

In his plea deal, he agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller in the Russia investigation

The White House quickly said the developments had nothing to do with the 2016 presidential campaign

President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort agreed Friday to cooperate with the special counsel's Trump-Russia investigation as he pleaded guilty to federal crimes and avoided a second trial that could have exposed him to more time in prison.

The deal gives special counsel Robert Mueller a key cooperator who steered the Trump election effort for a pivotal stretch of the 2016 presidential campaign. The result also ensures the investigation will extend far beyond the November congressional elections despite entreaties from the president's lawyers that Mueller bring it to a close.

It is unclear what information Manafort is prepared to offer investigators about the president or that could aid Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. But his involvement in key episodes under scrutiny, and his leadership of the campaign at a time when prosecutors say Russian intelligence was working to sway the election, may make him an especially valuable witness.

The agreement makes Manafort the latest associate of Trump, a president known to place a premium on loyalty among subordinates, to admit guilt and work with investigators in hopes of leniency.

Manafort had long resisted the idea of cooperating even as prosecutors stacked additional charges against him in Washington and Virginia. Trump had saluted that stance, publicly praising him and suggesting Manafort had been treated worse than gangster Al Capone. Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had suggested a pardon might be a possibility after the investigation was concluded.

Then came Friday's extraordinary development when Manafort agreed to provide any information asked of him, testify whenever asked and even work undercover if necessary.

Mueller has already secured cooperation from a former national security adviser who lied to the FBI about discussing sanctions with a Russian ambassador, a campaign aide who broached the idea of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin; and another aide who was indicted alongside Manafort but ultimately turned on him. Trump's former personal lawyer has separately pleaded guilty in New York.

Friday's deal, to charges in Washington tied to Ukrainian political consulting work but unrelated to the campaign, was struck just days before Manafort was to stand trial for a second time.

He was convicted last month of eight financial crimes in a separate trial in Virginia and faces seven to 10 years in prison in that case. The two conspiracy counts he admitted to on Friday carry up to five years, though Manafort's sentence will ultimately depend on his cooperation.

"He wanted to make sure that his family was able to remain safe and live a good life. He's accepted responsibility. This is for conduct that dates back many years and everybody should remember that," Manafort attorney Kevin Downing said outside court.

The agreement doesn't specify what if anything prosecutors hope to receive about Trump, but Manafort could be well-positioned to provide key insight for investigators working to establish whether the campaign coordinated with Russia.

He was among the participants, for instance, in a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians and Trump's oldest son and son-in-law that was arranged for the campaign to receive derogatory information about Democrat Hillary Clinton. He was also a close business associate of a man who U.S. intelligence believes has ties to Russian intelligence. And while he was working on the campaign, emails show Manafort discussed providing private briefings for a wealthy Russian businessman close to Putin.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders insisted the Manafort case was unrelated to Trump. Giuliani said he spoke to Trump on Friday about Manafort's plea.

"The president was OK with it," he said. "In a way, it's another indication there is no evidence of collusion. All of these charges predate the time Paul spent with the president. And there's nothing in what he pleaded about collusion."

It's unclear how the deal might affect any Manafort pursuit of a pardon from Trump, though Giuliani told Politico before the deal that a plea without a cooperation agreement wouldn't foreclose the possibility of a pardon.

In a prepared statement shortly after Manafort's plea, Giuliani also emphasized itl has nothing to do with Trump or his campaign, saying, "The reason: the President did nothing wrong and Paul Manafort will tell the truth."

Shortly after releasing that statement, Giuliani reissued it without the line "and Paul Manafort will tell the truth."

Though the president's legal team would not comment on the record about the change in the statement, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News the change occurred because an older version of the statement was initially sent out. The source added that Trump's legal team believes Manafort will tell the truth.

Under the terms of the deal, Manafort was allowed to plead guilty to just two counts, though the crimes he admitted largely cover the same conduct alleged in an indictment last year. He abandoned his right to appeal his conviction in Virginia and agreed to forfeit homes in New York, including a condo in Trump Tower.

But the guilty plea also spares Manafort the cost of a weekslong trial that could have added years to the prison time he's already facing following the Virginia guilty verdicts. A jury there found him guilty of tax evasion, failing to report foreign bank accounts and bank fraud. Jurors deadlocked on 10 other counts.

Prosecutors on Friday presented new information about allegations they were prepared to present at trial, which was to have focused on Manafort's political consulting and lobbying work on behalf of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and the pro-Russian Party of Regions.

That case alleged that Manafort directed a large-scale U.S. lobbying operation for Ukrainian interests but never registered as a foreign agent despite being required to do so under the law, and that he concealed millions of dollars in income from the IRS.

He also failed to disclose his involvement in lobbying efforts made through a group of former European politicians, known as the Hapsburg Group, who pushed policies beneficial to Ukraine, the allegations said.

In 2013, one of the politicians and his country's prime minister met with then-President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office. Manafort was later sent an email that the politicians had "delivered the message of not letting 'Russians Steal Ukraine from the West.'"

Another allegation revealed Friday concerns Manafort's efforts to peddle stories to discredit Yanukovych's opponent, Yulia Tymoshenko.

Prosecutors said he spread stories and secretly coordinated with an Israeli government official to publicize the idea that a U.S. Cabinet official was an anti-Semite for supporting Tymoshenko, who had formed an alliance with a Ukrainian political party that had shared anti-Semitic views.

"I have someone pushing it on the NY Post. Bada bing bada boom," Manafort wrote to a colleague, court documents said.Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Macedonia on Monday, condemning Russian efforts to use its money and influence to build opposition to an upcoming vote that could pave the way for the country to join NATO, a move Moscow opposes.

Mattis told reporters traveling with him to Skopje that there is "no doubt" that Moscow has been funding pro-Russian groups to defeat the referendum on a name change later this month.

"They have transferred money, and they're also conducting broader influence campaigns," Mattis said. "We ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds."

Macedonians will vote Sept. 30 on whether to approve the new name of North Macedonia in an effort to placate Greece, which has for years blocked Macedonia's path to NATO and the European Union. But any progress toward NATO membership by the Balkan nation is strongly opposed by Russia, which doesn't want the alliance to expand to areas formerly under Moscow's influence.

Speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Mattis made no mention of Russia but announced that the U.S. plans to expand its cybersecurity cooperation with Macedonia "to thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens our democracies."

Zaev predicted that Macedonians will vote in favor of the name change and thus the move into NATO.

"There is no other alternative for the Republic of Macedonia than the integration into NATO and the EU," he said.

Macedonia's main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party repeated its position on Monday that "the agreement with Greece is the worst deal signed in the Macedonia's history."

And a pro-Russian small oppositional party, Unique Macedonia, strongly criticized Mattis' remarks on Moscow's efforts to use money to influence the opposition to defeat the referendum.

"For which Russian influence and which Russian money is speaking Jim Mattis when Macedonia is for 27 years a hostage to the pernicious influence of NATO and millions of euros from CIA payed to buy Macedonian authorities to serve them faithfully," the party press release issued on Monday said.

Mattis is the latest in a string of international leaders visiting Macedonia to voice support for the referendum, and he's the most senior U.S. official to visit. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, German chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz have visited and made public endorsements of the name change, saying it's critical in order for the country to join NATO after years of waiting.

Mattis said that he and other NATO allies "say right up front in open press what we think. We're not passing money to people behind the scenes, we're not putting together parties that we control or try to control."

Russia has already been called out for trying to influence the vote. In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of supplying funds to protest groups who were opposing the name change deal. Russia denounced the expulsions as unjustified.

Greece, a member of NATO, has for years vetoed attempts by Macedonia to join NATO, complaining about the country's name since Yugoslavia broke up in the early 1990s. Greece argues that the name implies a territorial claim against the northern Greek region of Macedonia and its ancient heritage.

NATO leaders in July formally invited Macedonia to begin membership talks on the condition that it wouldn't become effective until the name change was implemented.

But there is widespread concern about Russian impact on the vote.

"There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organizations," said Laura Cooper, the deputy assistant defense secretary for Russia and the region.

She said she couldn't give specifics about the payoffs but said the U.S. is aware of financial support that Moscow has given to pro-Russian people and groups that are working to undermine the referendum.

Evelyn Farkas, an expert on the region who is a fellow with the Atlantic Council and a former Defense Department adviser, said Mattis' visit to the tiny nation could help sow support for the name change.

"I think Mattis could make or break this thing by delivering a strong message to the opposition, which has been grudgingly quiet, that they need to come out in full-throated support, because they're not going to get another chance later," Farkas said. "He can tell them this is their last chance."

According to Cooper, the U.S. has given Macedonia about $5 million in security assistance annually since 1991, and the total U.S. aid since then has been about $750 million.

Mattis also met with Macedonia President Gjorge Ivanov and Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska. He said that he believes the Macedonian peoples' lives can be changed with added economic opportunities and security and that it's important to have those options available.

The referendum vote is non-binding, and polls indicate Macedonians will likely back the deal. But even if the turnout is below the required 50 percent, if most of the people vote "yes" it will give parliament and the government a mandate to proceed.

The agreement with Greece was signed in June and requires changes to the Macedonian Constitution. The final step for NATO admission is ratification by Greece's parliament, which would vote only after Macedonia completes all necessary procedures.

Associated Press writer Konstantin Testorides contributed to this report.Photo: The Canadian Press

Nearly two years out of the White House, former President Barack Obama is facing another political test.

To the delight of many Democrats, he's stepped back into the fray that former presidents often try to avoid, campaigning for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterms and blasting the political culture of the Trump era. He attracted a large, adoring crowd this past week in Ohio and will be in Pennsylvania on Friday campaigning for Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.

But Obama's return poses challenges for both the former president and his party. For one, Obama has struggled to turn admiration for him into votes when he's not on the ballot. Democrats lost significant ground in the 2010 and 2014 midterms and his enthusiastic campaigning for Hillary Clinton didn't carry her across the finish line in 2016. Perhaps more importantly, Obama's public re-entry into politics could serve as a motivating factor for Republicans, potentially handing the GOP a gift at a time when they face an uphill battle to maintain their grip on Congress.

"This is perfect for us," said Rep. Lou Barletta, the Republican challenging Casey for the Senate seat. "It will energize Republicans as a reminder."

The former president will also "energize those blue-collar Democrats who worried about their jobs under Obama and went out to vote for Donald Trump," Barletta added.

For their part, Democrats say an Obama visit is a huge boon. Massive crowds give candidates and the party a chance to organize, update contact lists, motivate new donors and boost volunteerism.

Michael Halle, the campaign manager for Richard Cordray, the Democratic candidate for governor in Ohio, said Obama's visit sent a message about the stakes of the race, which could have implications for redistricting and voting rights in the future.

"First and foremost, it's important for the people who live in Ohio," he said. "But secondly, there are also significant national implications, and I think the (former) president weighed those in making the decision."

An aide to the former president said Obama is aware that he does not have a strong record of aiding Democrats in midterm elections and that his presence can have the effect of galvanizing Republican voters. The aide said Obama would take a strategic approach to the midterm races and pointed to the light footprint that the former president kept earlier in his post-presidency. That's when he recorded a get-out-the-vote robocall for Democrat Doug Jones, rather than travel to Alabama to appear with Jones ahead of his upset Senate victory. The aide cast the decision as an example of how Obama could still lend his voice in a part of the country where he is less popular.

The aide lacked authorization to discuss publicly Obama's thinking and spoke on condition of anonymity.The head of the U.S. Department of Education spoke about free speech and answered students questions at a Constitution Day student town hall event in Old City Philadelphia.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos delivered remarks and took questions from middle, high school and college students in the audience Monday morning at the National Constitution Center.

DeVos specifically focused her remarks on what she called a "civic sickness" of blocking free speech on college campuses. Some of the questions she faced included how she balances her job with her personal life and President Trump's use of Twitter.

DeVos said some university administrators are trying to shield students from ideas they "subjectively decide" are offensive. She said that part of the problem is that as a nation "we have abandoned truth" and that many see truth as a personal point of view.

She urged students to approach others with respect and to engage with those who have differing views.

Monday marks the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787. The museum is offering free admission Monday to celebrate the monumental date.

DeVos appearance came days after a court ruled that the education department's move to freeze an Obama-era policy meant to boost protections for students defrauded by for-profit schools known as borrower defense was "arbitrary and capricious." That decision dealt a severe blow to DeVos' efforts to ease regulations on the for-profit college industry.Parents of children in the Roman Catholic Church and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy filed a lawsuit Monday against Pennsylvania's eight dioceses and their bishops asking a judge to compel them to release information about abuse allegations.

The lawsuit filed Monday in Pittsburgh comes a month after a statewide grand jury report detailed sexual abuse allegations against more than 300 priests over decades in six of the state's dioceses. The lawsuit alleges the dioceses haven't met their obligations to report child sexual abusers under state law.

Benjamin Sweet, an attorney for the lead plaintiffs in the case said they are not seeking money, but instead are asking for public transparency about allegations. Many victims who came forward to talk to the grand jury fall outside the statute of limitations to file a civil personal injury lawsuit. The lawsuit filed Monday doesn't seek damages and doesn't represent solely victims of abuse, so Sweet said it isn't prohibited by any statute of limitations.

"From our perspective this is completely about disclosure and coming clean and allowing these predator priests to be named. The concealment of these priests is a continuing slap in the face to these survivors. It's a continuing slap in the face to the parents who trust these churches and institutions to educate these children," he said.

The lawsuit asks for injunctive relief to compel the dioceses to be better mandated reporters for child sexual abuse allegations. It also asks to compel the dioceses to release all information they had given to the grand jury to the public and to provide a mechanism for reporters to review records to make sure their allegations exist, are accurate and have been sent to the proper law enforcement or government officials.

Spokespeople for several of the state's dioceses said they could not comment on the lawsuit since they had not seen it. Messages left at several other dioceses Monday were not immediately returned.

Spokesmen for the Greensburg, Pittsburgh and Allentown dioceses reiterated their written responses to the grand jury report, saying all allegations of abuse of minors are reported to law enforcement.

"At the Diocese of Greensburg, any and every allegation, regardless of credibility, is immediately called in to Pennsylvania ChildLine and reported to the appropriate district attorney, whether the allegation is minutes old or 70 years old," Greensburg Dioceses spokesman Jerry Zufelt said.

The lawsuit, however, contends that the 20 names of clergy that are still redacted in the grand jury report, along with the fact it says only 10 of the 300 priests named in the report are registered sex offenders under the federal Megan's Law, lead parents and survivors to believe the dioceses still have not been transparent.

Clergy abuse survivor Ryan O'Connor one of the lead plaintiffs in the case realized years after his abuse that he needed his faith to be able to heal. His children attend Catholic school, but O'Connor said he would be lying if he said he trusted all of the priests they come into contact with.

"This is not about money or seeking damages. This is about transparency; this is about honesty. This is about letting parents know that we are going to take care of this. This is about the church saying we are going to get rid of these bad operators and we are going to no longer protect them," O'Connor said. "This is about protecting my kids, their classmates and every child who steps foot into a Catholic school or into mass as an altar server."What to Know Florence was still massive, despite being downgraded to a tropical depression from a once-fearsome Category 4 hurricane

North Carolina's eighth-largest city was cut off by floodwaters, which were still rising Monday

State regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms in low-lying, flood-prone areas

Throwing a lifeline to a city surrounded by floodwaters, emergency crews delivered food and water to Wilmington on Monday as rescuers picked up more people stranded by Hurricane Florence and the storm's remnants took aim at the densely populated Northeast.

The death toll from Florence rose to at least 32, and crews elsewhere used helicopters and boats to rescue people trapped by still-rising rivers.

"Thank you," a frazzled, shirtless Willie Schubert mouthed to members of a Coast Guard helicopter crew who plucked him and his dog Lucky from atop a house encircled by water in Pollocksville. It was not clear how long he had been stranded.

A day earlier, Wilmington's entire population of 120,000 people was cut off by flooding. By midday Monday, authorities reopened a single unidentified road into the town, which stands on a peninsula. But it wasn't clear if that the route would remain open as the Cape Fear River kept swelling. And officials did not say when other roads might be clear.

In some places, the rain finally stopped, and the sun peeked through, but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned that dangerously high water would persist for days. He urged residents who were evacuated from the hardest-hit areas to stay away because of closed roads and catastrophic flooding that submerged entire communities.

"There's too much going on," he told a news conference.

About two dozen truckloads of military MREs and bottled water were delivered overnight to Wilmington, the state's eighth-largest city, officials said.

The chairman of New Hanover County's commissioners, Woody White, said three centers would open by Tuesday morning to begin distributing essentials to residents.

"Things are getting better slowly, and we thank God for that," White said.

Mayor Bill Saffo said he was working with the governor's office to get more fuel into Wilmington.

"At this time, things are moving as well as can be in the city," he said.

Crews have conducted about 700 rescues in New Hanover County, where more than 60 percent of homes and businesses were without power, authorities said.

Compounding problems, downed power lines and broken trees crisscrossed many roads in Wilmington three days after Florence made landfall. The smell of broken pine trees wafted through damaged neighborhoods.

At the White House, President Donald Trump said almost 20,000 military personnel and federal workers were deployed to help with the aftermath.

"We will do whatever it takes to keep the American people safe," Trump said.

Preliminary statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed Florence had the fourth-highest rainfall total of any hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since 1950, with 35.94 inches (91.2 centimeters) at Elizabethtown, North Carolina. Harvey's total of 60.58 inches (60.5 centimeters) last year in Texas is No. 1.

Desperate for gas to run a generator at home, Nick Monroe waited in a half-mile-long (more than half-kilometer) line at a Speedway station even though the pumps were wrapped in plastic. His power went off Thursday before Florence hit the coast, but he couldn't recall exactly when.

"It's all kind of a blur," Monroe said.

At another gas station, a long line of vehicles followed a tanker truck that pulled in with 8,800 gallons (33,000 liters) of fuel.

Downgraded from a tropical depression, the deadly storm still had abundant rain and top winds around 25 mph (35 kph). Forecasters said it was expected to continue toward the Northeast, which is in for as much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain, before the system moves offshore again.

Flooding worries increased in Virginia, where roads were closed and power outages were on the rise. In all, about 420,000 homes and businesses in three states were in the dark. Most of the outages were in North Carolina.

The death toll climbed by three as authorities found the body of a 1-year-old boy who was swept away after his mother drove into floodwaters and lost her grip on him while trying to get back to dry land. Elsewhere in North Carolina, an 88-year-old man died after his car was swept away. Authorities in Virginia said one person was dead after an apparent tornado.

Florence, once a fearsome Category 4 hurricane, was still massive. Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states.

Fears of what could be the worst flooding in the state's history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it was not clear how many had fled or even could.

Emergency officials had difficulty keeping up with the scope of the spreading disaster. In Lumberton, where the Lumber River inundated homes, Fire Chief John Paul Ivey couldn't even count how many calls authorities had received about people needing to be rescued.

"We've been going so hard and fast we don't have a number yet," he said.

AP writers Jonathan Drew, Gary Robertson and Jay Reeves contributed to this report.A warmer world makes for nastier hurricanes. Scientists say they are wetter, possess more energy and intensify faster.

Their storm surges are more destructive because climate change has already made the seas rise. And lately, the storms seem to be stalling more often and thus dumping more rain.

Study after study shows that climate change in general makes hurricanes worse. But determining the role of global warming in a specific storm such as Hurricane Florence or Typhoon Mangkhut is not so simple  at least not without detailed statistical and computer analyses.

The Associated Press consulted with 17 meteorologists and scientists who study climate change, hurricanes or both. A few experts remain cautious about attributing global warming to a single event, but most of the scientists clearly see the hand of humans in Florence.

Global warming didn't cause Florence, they say. But it makes the system a bigger danger.

"Florence is yet another poster child for the human-supercharged storms that are becoming more common and destructive as the planet warms," said Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the environment school at University of Michigan. He said the risk extends beyond the Atlantic Ocean, such as Typhoon Mangkhut, which hit the Philippines on Friday.

For years, when asked about climate change and specific weather events, scientists would refrain from drawing clear connections. But over the past few years, the new field of attribution studies has allowed researchers to use statistics and computer models to try to calculate how events would be different in a world without human-caused climate change.

A couple of months after Hurricane Harvey, studies found that global warming significantly increased the odds for Harvey's record heavy rains.

"It's a bit like a plot line out of 'Back to the Future,' where you travel back in time to some alternate reality" that is plausible but without humans changing the climate, said University of Exeter climate scientist Peter Stott, one of the pioneers of the field.

A National Academy of Sciences report finds these studies generally credible. One team of scientists tried to do a similar analysis for Florence, but outside experts were wary because it was based on forecasts, not observations, and did not use enough computer simulations.

As the world warms and science advances, scientists get more specific, even without attribution studies. They cite basic physics, the most recent research about storms and past studies and put them together for something like Florence.

"I think we can say that the storm is stronger, wetter and more impactful from a coastal flooding standpoint than it would have been BECAUSE of human-caused warming," Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann wrote in an email. "And we don't need an attribution study to tell us that in my view. We just need the laws of thermodynamics."

Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb looks not just at basic physics but all the peer-reviewed studies that especially link climate change to wetter storms.

"We have solid data across decades of rainfall records to nail the attribution  climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme rainfall events," Cobb said.

Several factors make scientists more confident in pointing the climate-change finger at Florence.

For every degree the air warms, it can hold nearly 4 percent more water (7 percent per degree Celsius) and offer measurably more energy to goose the storm, scientists said.

"The amount of water that comes out of hurricanes is certainly the most robust connection that we have," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate scientist Jim Kossin said.

And to look at Florence specifically, "it's very likely that climate change has warmed the ocean such that the hurricane's intense rainfall is more destructive than without global warming," said Weather Underground Meteorology Director Jeff Masters, a former hurricane hunter.

The warmer air and water also makes storms more intense or stronger, Stott said.

A Kossin study this year showed that tropical cyclones  a category that includes hurricanes and typhoons  are moving slower and even stalling. Kossin said "it's happening a lot more than it used to." Several studies agree that climate change is to blame but differ slightly in their conclusions.

With the emergence of Florence, some place in the U.S. has been drenched because of a stalled hurricane for four years in a row, storm surge expert Hal Needham said.

Kossin and Overpeck also pointed to studies that show storms are intensifying more rapidly than they used to.

Just like in Superstorm Sandy, scientists said it is clear that hurricane storm surge is worsened by sea level rise because the power of 6 to 10 feet of water comes on top of seas that were considerably lower decades ago. An extra 8 inches or so can mean the difference between staying dry or getting damaged, Masters said.

In the Carolinas, natural and temporary climate factors added to the "march upwards" from global warning. Because of that, the seas have risen nearly 5 inches in five years, said Andrea Dutton of the University of Florida.

Meteorologist Ryan Maue of weathermodels.com cautioned that observers should "stick to overall trends around the world and not individual cases."

University of Miami hurricane expert Brian McNoldy said there are too many ever-changing factors that make it hard to blame climate change specifically.

"If you are trying to make climate policy," Maue said Friday, "you don't want to make it on a storm-by-storm basis."A new California law signed Friday by Gov. Jerry Brown ensures access to counseling, hormone treatment and surgery for transgender foster youth.

The bill will empower transgender foster youth to live authentically and simply be themselves, said Democratic Assemblyman Todd Gloria of San Diego, the laws sponsor.

Such treatment would be covered by Medi-Cal, the states health insurance program for low-income Californians and those in foster care.

All Medi-Cal recipients already have access to hormone and surgical treatments if they are deemed medically necessary. But the law more clearly states gender affirming health and mental health care as a right for foster youth and allows them involvement in developing their case plans.

The socially conservative California Family Foundation said such treatment is dangerous. Michael Laidlaw, an endocrinologist for Sutter Health, testified against the bill earlier this year.

Doctors and psychologists have absolutely no way of diagnosing with certainty who is a true trans child and who has gender dysphoria confusion, he said.

The American Psychological Association says many children who experience gender dysphoria do not continue it into adulthood.

Several dozen LGBT, childrens rights and health care groups backed the legislation.

Gloria spokesman Nick Serrano said caseworkers, special advocates and health care providers would be closely involved in the counseling and treatment process for foster youth.

Foster youth older than 12 may consent to mental health counseling and treatment under California law, while medical and surgical care requires consent from a foster youths parent, social worker, licensed caregiver, a judge or, in some cases, the youth, according to the law.

California is the first state to explicitly affirm the right to such treatment for foster youth, said Glorias spokesman, Nick Serrano.

No young Californian should be denied gender-affirming health care simply because of who they are, Rick Zbur, executive director for Equality California, said in a statement. Our transgender and gender nonconforming youth in foster care will now have life-saving  and historic  protections.

The state Department of Health Care Services must develop guidelines and best practices by Jan. 1, 2020.Julian Assange had just pulled off one of the biggest scoops in journalistic history, splaying the innards of American diplomacy across the web. But technology firms were cutting ties to his website, WikiLeaks, cable news pundits were calling for his head and a Swedish sex crime case was threatening to put him behind bars.

Caught in a vise, the silver-haired Australian wrote to the Russian Consulate in London.

"I, Julian Assange, hereby grant full authority to my friend, Israel Shamir, to both drop off and collect my passport, in order to get a visa," said the letter, which was obtained exclusively by The Associated Press.

The Nov. 30, 2010 missive is part of a much larger trove of WikiLeaks emails, chat logs, financial records, secretly recorded footage and other documents leaked to The Associated Press. The files provide both an intimate look at the radical transparency organization and an early hint of Assange's budding relationship with Moscow.

The ex-hacker's links to the Kremlin would become increasingly salient before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, when the FBI says Russia's military intelligence agency directly supplied WikiLeaks with stolen emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman and other Democratic figures.

In a statement posted to Twitter, WikiLeaks said Assange never applied for the visa or authored the letter, identifying a former associate of his as the source of the document. WikiLeaks did not return a follow-up email seeking clarification on whether Shamir applied on his behalf, or whether a lawyer or someone else at WikiLeaks might have drafted the letter. The Russian Embassy in London said it didn't discuss the personal details of visa applicants.

WikiLeaks has repeatedly been hit by unauthorized disclosures , but the tens of thousands of files obtained by the AP may be the biggest leak yet.

The AP has confirmed the authenticity of many of the documents by running them by five former WikiLeaks associates or by verifying non-public details such as bank accounts, telephone numbers or airline tickets.

One of the former associates, an ex-employee, identified two of the names that frequently appeared in the documents' metadata, "Jessica Longley" and "Jim Evans Mowing," as pseudonyms assigned to two WikiLeaks laptops.

All five former associates spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, in some cases because they didn't want their past association with WikiLeaks to become public, and in others because they feared legal retaliation or harassment from the group's supporters.

Among other things, the documents lay out Assange's campaign to avoid being arrested and extradited to Sweden over allegations that he sexually molested one woman and raped another during a trip to the Scandinavian country in August 2010.

Assange has always denied wrongdoing in the case, which he cast as a prelude to extradition to the U.S. The Swedish prosecution jeopardized what at the time was WikiLeaks' biggest-ever disclosure: the publication of around 250,000 U.S. State Department cables. Swedish authorities issued a warrant for his arrest on Nov. 18, just 10 days before the cables exploded across the web, with bombshell revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, American spying at the U.N. and corruption across the Arab world.

Italy's then-foreign minister, Franco Frattini, described the release as the "Sept. 11 of world diplomacy." Enraged American politicians demanded that Assange be treated like a terrorist.

Metadata suggests that it was on Nov. 29, the day after the release of the first batch of U.S. State Department files, that the letter to the Russian Consulate was drafted on the Jessica Longley computer.

The AP couldn't confirm whether or when the message was actually delivered, but the choice of Israel Shamir as a go-between was significant. Assange's involvement with Shamir, a fringe intellectual who once said it was the duty of every Christian and Muslim to deny the Holocaust, would draw indignation when it became public.

Shamir told the AP he was plagued by memory problems and couldn't remember delivering Assange's letter or say whether he eventually got the visa on Assange's behalf.

"I can't possibly exclude that it happened," Shamir said in a telephone interview. "I have a very vague memory of those things."

Shamir's memory appeared sharper during a January, 20, 2011 interview with Russian News Service radio  a Moscow-based station now known as Life Zvuk, or Life Sound. Shamir said he'd personally brokered a Russian visa for Assange, but that it had come too late to rescue him from the sex crimes investigation.

Russia "would be one of those places where he and his organization would be comfortable operating," Shamir explained. Asked if Assange had friends in the Kremlin, Shamir smiled and said: "Let's hope that's the case."

Shamir often makes eyebrow-raising claims (in the same interview he said that the U.S. offered Assange $100 million not to publish the cables), but it was true that any visa for Assange would have been moot.

On Nov. 30, 2010  the date on the letter  Interpol issued a Red Notice seeking Assange's arrest, making any relocation to Russia virtually impossible. With legal bills mounting, Assange turned himself in on Dec. 7 and his staff's focus turned to getting him out of jail. One WikiLeaks spreadsheet listed names of potential supporters arrayed by wealth and influence; a second one titled "Get Out of Jail Free" tracked proposed bail donations and pledges for surety.

As they gathered money, Assange's allies also plotted what to do once the WikiLeaks founder was released.

One document showed Guatemalan human rights lawyer Renata Avila floating the idea of jumping bail.

"I will advise him to seek asylum abroad: we already contacted the Ministry of Justice in Brazil, there is a possibility to run out of the country in a Brazilian ship," Avila told fellow WikiLeaks supporters in a memo. The document said Assange should "plan to escape and pay the bail money back to his supporters."

Avila didn't return repeated messages seeking comment. It's not clear whether her idea went anywhere; former Brazilian Justice Minister Eduardo Cardozo, who was serving on then-President-elect Dilma Rousseff's transition team at the time, told the AP that he'd never heard of an Assange asylum request.

Assange would eventually skip bail after exhausting his British legal campaign to block the Swedish extradition effort, darting into the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012. The move frustrated the sex crimes prosecution, which was dropped last year, but it sparked a standoff that continues to this day, with Assange refusing to leave the embassy unless he is shielded from extradition to the U.S.

Assange's escape left many of his guarantors in the lurch. When a group of them went to court in late 2012 to reduce their bill, the escape plan went unmentioned.

A lawyer for four of Assange's supporters, Henry Blaxland, told the judge that Assange's Ecuadorean asylum stunt caught everyone off guard.

"Nobody could reasonably have foreseen that's what he would do," Blaxland said.

Varya Kudryavtseva and Mauricio Savarese contributed to this report.A man shot four members of his family, killing two and injuring another two, before killing himself in a Washington, D.C. suburb, police say.

Sang Yeon Kim, 48, and Andy Kim, 10, died after they were shot in their own home in the Colesville area of Montgomery County, county police said. An 11-year-old girl and 22-year-old woman have serious injuries.

The shooter was Yong Mun Kim, police said. He shot and killed his wife and son, and wounded his daughter and adult stepdaughter. Then, he killed himself.

Officers were called to the 100 block of Amberleigh Drive just after midnight Monday for a report of multiple people shot inside a home. The caller was the 22-year-old woman.

When they officers arrived, they found the five people.

Police believe Kim planned the attack amid marital trouble. He left the names and phone numbers of relatives for police to call, officials said.

People who knew the alleged shooter were unnerved.

"Never in a million years would I ever fathom that something like this would happen. Not with him," former neighbor Jim Greene said.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information for police is asked to call 240-773-5050. Callers may remain anonymous.

To find resources for domestic violence victims, visit NBC Washington's Safe at Home page.D.C.-area organizations are calling for clothes, blood donations and more after Florence devastated the Carolinas with flooding and damage.

See below for a list of organizations and how to help.

The Humane Rescue Alliance says it is preparing its Northeast D.C. shelter to take in pets displaced during Florence and urged people to adopt the dogs and cats it currently has.

"Dogs and cats adopted...will make room for animals in dire need," HRA said on Facebook. The shelter also asked for donations to help save animals from affected areas.

Another D.C. shelter, Lucky Dog, rescued animals from the Carolina coast and 40 dogs and four cats were adopted at its PetSmart event in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Sunday. Check here for more information on how to adopt with Lucky Dog.

The nonprofit BRAWS: Bringing Resources to Aid Women's Shelters is seeking donations for women affected by Florence. The items included new bras, underwear and unopened boxes of women's hygiene products. Collection centers are located in Alexandria, Clifton, Centreville and Vienna, Virginia.

Soles4Souls, an organization that provides relief around the world, is asking its D.C. and Virginia branch to donate clothing and shoes. Donation centers are located in Northern Virginia.

The Red Cross said they are accepting monetary donations to provide shelter to evacuees escaping the storm across six states. In addition to the Red Cross' relief of supplies and shelter, the organization urged those in unaffected areas to donate blood to counter the loss of 4,200 uncollected donations from the 140 blood drives cancelled because of the storm, according to their site.

Donations can be made at any Red Cross location in D.C., Maryland or Virginia.A woman was airlifted to a hospital with burns after her vape pen exploded in Northern Virginia on Saturday, officials say.

The woman was sitting in a car outside a vape shop in Herndon when the device exploded about 3:30 p.m., a representative of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said.

She was airlifted to a burn center after the incident in the 700 block of Grant Street, near a shopping center.

Additional information on her condition and what caused the explosion was not available immediately.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration warns that vape explosions are rare but dangerous. Go here to see safety tips if you do vape.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.Photo: The Canadian Press Woody Allen, right, and Soon-Yi Previn arrive for the premiere of "Another Year," at the 63rd international film festival, in Cannes, southern France.

Soon-Yi Previn, the wife of Woody Allen and the estranged adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, defended her husband against what she contends is unfair treatment in the #MeToo era and attacked her adoptive mother in her first public comments about the relationships in decades.

New York magazine posted on its website Sunday night an in-depth article about Previn in which she talks of a troubled relationship with her mother and tells how she fell in love in 1992 with Allen, who was Farrow's boyfriend at the time.

The 47-year-old said she and her mother clashed soon after Farrow adopted her and that her mother many times treated her like a maid. She denies being manipulated into a relationship by Allen.

Previn told the magazine that she decided to speak out now because Dylan Farrow, who is an adopted daughter of Allen, is, in her view, unfairly accusing her husband of sexual abusing her when she was a child.

"I was never interested in writing a 'Mommie Dearest,' getting even with Mia  none of that," Previn told the magazine. "But what's happened to Woody is so upsetting, so unjust. (Mia) has taken advantage of the #MeToo movement and paraded Dylan as a victim. And a whole new generation is hearing about it when they shouldn't."

She also said of Farrow: "Mia wasn't maternal to me from the get-go."

An email sent to Mia Farrow's agent Sunday night was not immediately returned.

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual abuse, but Dylan Farrow has commented extensively on her allegations that Allen abused her in 1992 when she was 7-years-old. Allen was investigated but wasn't charged, and he has long denied inappropriately touching Farrow. In a statement in January after Dylan Farrow's allegations resurfaced, Allen reiterated his denial and accused her and her family of using the Time's Up movement "to repeat this discredited allegation."

In separate statements posted on Twitter Sunday night, Dylan Farrow and Ronan Farrow say their mother is a good parent and that the New York magazine article is inaccurate and unfair. Dylan Farrow also noted that the New York magazine piece's author, Daphne Merkin, calls herself a longtime friend of Allen's.

The director, who faced a wave of backlash earlier this year including several prominent actors vowing not to work with him again, is also quoted in the New York magazine piece. "I am a pariah," Merkin quotes the director as saying during a lunch. "People think that I was Soon-Yi's father, that I raped and married my underaged, retarded daughter."Philippine officials say the death toll from Typhoon Mangkhut has risen to 28, mostly due to landslides in northern mountain provinces.

Police Director General Oscar Albayalde told The Associated Press that 20 had died in the Cordillera region, four in Nueva Vizcaya province and another outside of the two regions, as the typhoon battered the rice-growing and mountain area on Saturday. Three more deaths have been reported in northeastern Cagayan province, where the typhoon made landfall.

On Sunday morning, Mangkhut is barreling toward densely populated southern China and Hong Kong, where authorities raised the highest storm warnings and moved nearly half a million people to shelter from seven cities.

The strongest storm so far this year in the world sliced across the northern tip of Luzon Island on Saturday, a breadbasket that is also a region of flood-prone rice plains and mountain provinces with a history of deadly landslides. More than 5 million people were in the path of the typhoon, equivalent to a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane when it hit the Philippines. It currently packed sustained winds of 155 kilometers (96 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 190 kph (118 mph).

China and the Philippines agreed to postpone a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that was to start Sunday due to the typhoon's onslaught, which caused nearly 150 flights, a third of them international, to be canceled and halted sea travel.

The Hong Kong Observatory said although Mangkhut had weakened slightly, its extensive, intense rainbands were bringing heavy downfall and frequent squalls. Storm surge of about 3  meters (9.8 feet) or above is expected at the city's waterfront Victoria Harbour, the observatory said, appealing on the public to avoid the shoreline.

Francis Tolentino, an adviser to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, said many died mostly in landslides and houses that got pummeled by the storm's fierce winds and rain. Among the fatalities were an infant and a 2-year-old child who died with their parents after the couple refused to immediately evacuate from their high-risk community in a mountain town in Nueva Vizcaya province, Tolentino said.

"They can't decide for themselves where to go," he said of the children, expressing frustration that the tragedy was not prevented.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said at least three people died and six others were missing in his mountain city of Baguio after strong winds and rain destroyed several houses and set off landslides, which also blocked roads to the popular vacation destination. It was not immediately clear whether the deaths and missing cited by Domogan had been included in Tolentino's count.

Authorities were verifying the drownings of three people, including two children. About 70 men reportedly returned to their coastal village in Cagayan to check on their homes as the storm drew closer Friday, but Tolentino said he had received no reports of the men figuring in an accident.

About 87,000 people had evacuated from high-risk areas of the Philippines. Tolentino and other officials advised them not to return home until the lingering danger had passed.

In Cagayan's capital, Tuguegarao, where the typhoon made landfall, Associated Press journalists saw a severely damaged public market, its roof ripped apart and wooden stalls and tarpaulin canopies in disarray. Outside a popular shopping mall, debris was scattered everywhere and government workers cleared roads of fallen trees. Many stores and houses were damaged but most residents remained indoors as occasional gusts sent small pieces of tin sheets and other debris flying dangerously.

The Tuguegarao airport terminal also was damaged, its roof and glass windows shattered by strong winds.

The typhoon struck at the start of the rice and corn harvesting season in Cagayan, a major agricultural producer, prompting farmers to scramble to save what they could of their crops, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said.

In Hong Kong, Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents to prepare for the worst.

Cathay Pacific said all of its flights would be canceled between 2:30 a.m. local time on Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday.

"Because Mangkhut will bring winds and rains of extraordinary speeds, scope and severity, our preparation and response efforts will be greater than in the past," Lee said. "Each department must have a sense of crisis, make a comprehensive assessment and plan, and prepare for the worst."

In nearby Fujian province in China, 51,000 people were evacuated from fishing boats and around 11,000 vessels returned to port on Saturday morning.

China's National Meteorological Center issued an alert saying Mangkhut would make landfall somewhere on the coast in Guangdong province on Sunday afternoon or evening.

Ferry services in the Qiongzhou Strait in southern China were halted on Saturday and helicopters and tugboats were dispatched to Guangdong to transfer offshore workers to safety and warn ships about the typhoon, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Mangkhut, the Thai word for mangosteen fruit, is the 15th storm this year to batter the Philippines, which is hit by about 20 a year and is considered one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattened villages, swept ships inland and displaced more than 5 million in the central Philippines.

Associated Press writers Jim Gomez and Gillian Wong contributed to this report.A man was arrested at a Northern Virginia grocery store after he was seen pulling down his pants and rubbing produce items on his buttocks, police say.

The suspect then put the items back on the shelves, a loss prevention employee at the store told authorities, according to Manassas City Police.

Officers responded to the Giant grocery store at 10100 Dumfries Road in Manassas shortly after 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Officers arrested Manassas resident Michael Dwayne Johnson, 27, at the store.

The store had to destroy several pallets of produce after the incident, police said.

Johnson is facing charges of indecent exposure and destruction of property. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney.

A police spokesperson did not have information on what type of produce Johnson allegedly defiled, although she said a police report mentioned it was fruit.

A Giant store manager said he was unable to speak about the incident.A sunset vigil was held Sunday night for the victim of a rare fatal shark attack Saturday in Wellfleet.

Arthur Medici, 26, was killed Saturday in the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts in 80 years. He was an engineering student at Bunker Hill Community College.

Following the tragedy, the beach remained officially off limits to swimmers on Sunday. Truro Police also announced that ocean-side beaches in that town would also be closed until further notice. Sunday afternoon, officials patrolling by airplane spotted a shark off a beach in Eastham and closed swimming for one hour.

Medici was on a boogie board when the attack occurred, just about 30 yards off shore. Attempts were made to revive him but were unsuccessful.

Joe Booth, a local fisherman and surfer, said he was on shore when he saw Medici and his friend boogie boarding when the attack happened.

He said he saw Medici aggressively kick something behind him and a flicker of a tail from the water. He realized what was happening when the friend came ashore dragging his injured friend.

"All of a sudden somebody yelled 'shark, shark!' and we noticed a big crowd at the end of the beach," Tony Sherwell said.

Booth said, "I was that guy on the beach screaming, 'Shark! Shark!' It was like right out of that movie 'Jaws.' This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here.''

Julian Swistak said people started running down the beach, wrapping Medici's legs in their towels.

"There was a lot of blood," Rich Littauer said. "A lot of blood."

Booth said others on the beach attempted to make a tourniquet using a boogie board cord while others frantically called 911.

CPR was in progress on the beach when emergency personnel responded, at which time they took over.

A group of people, including first responders, carried Medici down the beach to the parking lot, giving him chest compressions on the way to the ambulance.

Hayley Williamson, a Cape Cod resident and former lifeguard who was on the beach at the time, was in disbelief after Medici was rushed in an ambulance.

"We've been surfing all morning right here and they were just further down,'' she said of the two boogie boarders. "Right spot, wrong time, I guess.''

Life-saving measures were attempted on the beach before Medici was taken to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, where he was pronounced dead, State Police spokesman David Procopio said. The beach has been closed to swimming.

The town of Wellfleet issued a statement Saturday night, saying they are "heartbroken by this tragedy," and they send their sympathies to Medici's family and friends.

"We share the grief and pain you feel," Select Board Chair Janet Reinhart and Town Administrator Dan Hoort said in the statement. "We are grateful to the family, friends, beach staff, public and first responders who worked so valiantly to save his life. Everyone who lives in and visits Wellfleet is part of the Wellfleet community. Today we lost a member of our community and we grieve his passing."

In a tweet this morning, U.S. Rep. Bill Keating said he would convene meetings with the National Park Service, along with state and local officials, on how to address the shark issues. He sent condolences to the Medici's family.

Brian Carlstrom, a superintendent with the National Park Service, recommended people read and heed advisories posted atbeaches.

"Do not swim near seals; swim close to shore where feet can touch the bottom; swim, paddle, and kayak in groups; do not swim alone at dawn or dusk; avoid isolation; and limit splashing and do not wear shiny jewelry," he urged in an online statement.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy offered their condolences to Medici's family on Twitter.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy offers our most sincere condolences to the family of the victim, and all who witnessed or are affected by todays tragic incident.  Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (@A_WhiteShark) September 15, 2018

The attack is the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936, and the second shark attack this season.

A 61-year-old New York man was severely injured Aug. 15 after fighting off a shark off Truro, about 4 miles north of Saturday's attack. He's currently recovering in a Boston hospital.

The man who was attacked by a shark off the coast of Cape Cod explains how he escaped from the animals jaws.

There were 53 unprovoked shark attacks in the U.S. in 2017, but none were fatal, according to the International Shark Attack File. On average, there are only six deaths around the world each year from unprovoked shark attacks.

"Today is just keeping everyone out of water,'' Hurley said. "There'll be a determination later about what the town wants to do with the beaches going forward.''

Beachgoers said the Wellfleet beach is popular with surfers, and with sunny skies and warm temperatures Saturday it was busy, even though the summer season was over and lifeguards were no longer on watch following Labor Day.

"As you can see, there is signage that is posted here at the beach just advising people that there are sharks in the water and the potential of them being out there," Lt. Hurley said.

"It's just crazy," Swistak said. "I come to this beach all the time so it's scary and a little sad."

There have been frequent shark sightings this summer along the outer Cape, often leading to beach closings. The National Park Service, which manages many of the picturesque beaches where white sharks tend to congregate, said it closed beaches for at least an hour about 25 times this year, more than double the annual average.

The harbormaster in Orleans, Massachusetts, issued a firm warning about shark activity Thursday, August 30, 2018.

A Cape Cod politician said officials who did not more aggressive action against sharks bore some responsibility for the fatal attack. Barnstable County Commissioner Ron Beaty said he had warned something like this could happen and urged measures to reduce the number of white sharks.

"It is my personal belief that the responsibility for this horrible shark attack rests squarely upon the shoulders of the aforementioned officials for their utter lack of attention and inaction regarding the growing shark problem on Cape Cod of the last few years,'' he said.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Cape and Island District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police.

The state's last shark attack fatality was on July 25, 1936, when 16-year-old Joseph Troy Jr. was bitten in waters off Mattapoisett.

Troy, of Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, was visiting an uncle and was swimming about 50 feet offshore when the shark attacked.A Massachusetts man and his two young children faced danger on Sunday when a boat they were thrown from began to circle them in the Essex River.

The driver of the small boat made a quick turn, which caused a 7-year-old child to be launched into the water, the Essex Police Department said. After the operator overcorrected the steering, the father and his 3-year-old child were also thrown from the vessel and landed in the river.

During the incident, the motor remained on and caused the boat to circle around the family, officials said.

Another family nearby witnessed the potentially perilous incident and called 911 before they rescued the father and his two children. The victims were then rushed to Essex Town Landing.

An Assistant Harbormaster was able to stop the unmanned boat, which unfortunately struck the Harbormaster vessel. The unoccupied boat was towed to Essex Town Landing, where officials will conduct an investigation.

"We are very grateful for the quick thinking and decisive actions of the rescuers who pulled the three victims out of the water so quickly before they could have been struck by the moving unmanned vessel," Essex police said in a statement.The controversy around Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh is being watched closely in Maine, where Republican Sen. Susan Collins says she is still undecided on her vote.

In an interview with CNN Sunday, Collins said she didn't know if she believed accuser Christine Blasey Ford.

"I don't know enough to make a judgment at this point," Collins said to CNN.

By Monday, Collins was tweeting that both Ford and Kavanaugh should testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Independent Sen. Angus King has already come out against Kavanaugh's nomination and said Monday that he hopes the allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted his high school classmate will cause a delay in the proceedings.

"I think the big picture on this nomination is that there is no rush, no deadline," said King. "An extra two to three weeks to get to the bottom of this serious allegation is reasonable."

While Maine conservatives are urging Collins to vote "yes" on Kavanaugh, activists opposed to his nomination are continuing to apply pressure.

"The work will not stop until the confirmation has been stopped," said Marie Follayttar, Executive Director of Mainers For Accountable Leadership.

MFAL plans to phone bank this week, asking Mainers to donate to an online campaign that would support a candidate running against Collins. More than one million dollars has been raised so far, and the money will only be donated if Collins votes to confirm Kavanaugh.

"If she votes for Kavanaugh, we will work to defeat her," said Follayttar.

Another group, the Maine People's Alliance, has organized protests and demonstrations against Kavanaugh. MPA Co-Director Amy Halsted said people have been opposed to the SCOTUS nominee for his positions on abortion, healthcare, and the environment  and these recent assault allegations are "just another reason why."

"The ground swell of grassroots energy among Mainers, and particularly among Maine women, has been unlike anything I've seen in almost 20 years of doing this work in Maine," said Halsted.

Collins said Sunday this political pressure will not factor into her final decision on Kavanaugh. She said she is close to making a decision on his nomination.

Collins said she asked Kavanaugh about the sexual assault allegation, and he was "emphatic in his denial."Editors of the student newspaper at Burlington High School are welcoming an invitation from the Vermont city's school district to participate in designing new policies around student journalism after young reporters said they were censored last week.

"We are excited to work with them to create a new policy, for sure," Jenna Peterson, one of the co-editors of The Register, said of district and school administrators.

The student paper broke big news last week when it published a list of professional misconduct charges against a guidance counselor levied by Vermont's education agency.

The state allegations against Mario Macias included claims of incompetence, falsifying student records and mistreatment of co-workers.

Macias denies the allegations and has been placed on administrative leave from Burlington High School pending the resolution of the case.

The school's interim principal, Noel Green, initially called for the article's removal, though.

According to a school district spokesman, Green believed he was well within his authority to do so under Vermont's "New Voices" law.

That law aims to ensure free speech and press protections in public schools.

The district spokesman said Green considered the law at great length and determined the students' revelation was "substantially disrupting the ability of the school to perform its educational mission," which is listed as an exception to the New Voices law in state statute.

At a sometimes fiery school board meeting last week, one parent even likened the handling of the article to President Donald Trump's complaints about news coverage he doesn't like.

"Deflect, deny, suppress or undermine the media," mom Rita Markley said Thursday night of the actions of removing the post. "That mirrors all too closely what's happening in Washington right now. But it's heartbreaking to see this occurring here in Burlington."

The district issued a statement over the weekend saying all previous policies about articles in the student newspaper are no longer in effect.

"We definitely appreciated that statement," Julia Shannon-Grillo, another of The Register's co-editors, said Monday.

The students' original report is back up after mainstream media attention on the case.

The district said attention from area newspapers and radio and television stations meant The Register's post was no longer the sole source of school disruption, so the post could be republished online.

Additionally, the district is now pledging to work with the student paper, First Amendment experts, and others on designing new policies that jive with Vermont's New Voices law.

"Standing up for our Constitutional right is incredibly important," Shannon-Grillo said Monday, reacting to the announcement over the weekend of a student-centered policy-making process.

The Vermont Press Association and New England First Amendment Coalition said in a joint statement that this "can be a 'teachable moment,' not only for Burlington School officials, but students, educators and school board members across the state."

The co-editors of The Register promised to keep covering this issue, as well as the situation in the guidance department, and anything else happening in their school.A Revere, Massachusetts building charred in a 5-alarm blaze Sunday remains unsafe for tenants to return, according to officials.

Gilmer Santos had just returned from church when the fire started.

"The alarm sounded but when I came out I saw the fourth floor, some smoking. But I said, 'Oh, today's a fire, we need to get out."

Mariano Fernandez was also home when the fire broke out.

"The smoke is like, 'Boom.' Very strong. I couldn't breathe," he said.

He said he lost everything in the fire.

"We lost everything we have inside: paper, money, documentation."

Three cats, Chai, Blue and Della, are still missing.

"Everything in there is replacable, except the cats," said Janna Comeau, the cats' owner.

People displaced by the fire either spent the night at the home of family or friends or the Comfort Inn.

Comeau said she's still not sure if she'll be allowed to return to her third-floor condo.

"We're looking for a furnished apartment to rent for a while until we can figure out something better than that. Mostly we just want to get the cats back," she said.

Officials said the structure may be a total loss.

At least 100 residents were left homeless after the fire forced them to flee their condos around 2 p.m. at 10 Franklin Avenue.

A temporary shelter at Revere High School was opened by the Red Cross, but residents are searching for their next move.

"Im looking at a total loss," Zouhair Mouty said. "Im afraid -- Where am I going to sleep tonight, and whats going to happen tomorrow?"

The fire was reported around 2 p.m. at 10 Franklin Avenue, where a 35-unit building houses dozens of families. Fire crews battled the blaze for approximately eight hours before they got it under control around 10 p.m.

Firefighters were able to escape the burning building before there was a partial roof collapse. No injuries were reported, but four firefighters were treated for exhaustion and smoke inhalation. They're all expected to be OK.

Fire crews will conduct an assessment to see if the structure is stable enough for an investigation. Although the cause of the fire remains under investigation, some believe the fire started on the fourth floor.

The blaze does not seem suspicious, officials said.Authorities in Maine are still searching for an inmate who escaped from prison Thursday evening.

The search remains focused in the wooded area behind Mountain View Correctional Facility in Charleston, Maine.

Department of Corrections Commissioner Joseph Fitzpatrick said 65-year-old Arnold Nash was last seen around 8:20 p.m. Thursday in the minimum security unit at the Mountain View Correction Facility. Authorities said they believe he is still somewhere in the Charleston area and was last seen wearing blue jeans and a light blue shirt.

It's been reported that Nash has escaped from behind bars several times before, first when he was in his 20s and again in 1981. His second escape led authorities on a 22-day chase, which is still known as one of Maine's most extensive manhunts.

Officials said Nash should not be approached if seen and anyone with information is asked to contact local police.

Nash was serving a 45-year sentence for robbery and murder. He began serving his sentence on May 29, 1992 and was scheduled for release next year.Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh said Monday he was willing to speak to a Senate panel to "refute" an allegation he sexually assaulted a woman while in high school, after his accuser said via her attorney that she was ready to testify in public.

Kavanaugh released a new statement calling the allegation "completely false" and saying he "had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself" on Sunday to The Washington Post.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity," Kavanaugh said.

Kavanaugh, meanwhile, was seen arriving at the White House late Monday morning. There was no immediate explanation of the reason for his visit.

He had been on a smooth confirmation track, but the new allegations have roiled that process. Republican senators have expressed concern over a woman's private-turned-public allegation that a drunken Kavanaugh groped her and tried to take off her clothes at a party when they were teenagers.

Debra S. Katz, the attorney for the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, said her client considered the incident to be an attempted rape.

"She believes that if were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped," Katz told NBC's "Today."

Kavanaugh, 53, "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegations when they came out anonymously last week.

"This has not changed," said White House spokesman Kerri Kupec on Monday. "Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement."

Still, White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway said of Ford: "She should not be insulted. She should not be ignored. She should testify under oath and she should do it on Capitol Hill."

Conway, who said she had discussed the situation with President Donald Trump, said that both Ford and Kavanaugh should testify, but made clear it was up to the Judiciary Committee. She said Sen. Lindsey Graham had told her it could happen as soon as Tuesday and the White House will "respect the process."

Stressing that Kavanaugh had already testified and undergone FBI background checks, Conway said: "I think you have to weigh this testimonial evidence from Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh along with the considerable body of evidence that is already there about the judge's temperament and qualifications and character."

In morning television interviews, Katz said her client was willing to tell her story in public to the Judiciary panel, although no lawmakers or their aides had yet contacted her. Katz also denied that Ford, a Democrat, is politically motivated.

"No one in their right mind regardless of their motives would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of violation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go though. ... She was quite reluctant to come forward."

Initially the sexual misconduct allegation was conveyed in a private letter, without revealing Ford's name. With a name and disturbing details, the accusation raised the prospect of congressional Republicans defending Trump's nominee ahead of midterm elections featuring an unprecedented number of female candidates and informed in part by the #MeToo movement.

Ford told the Post that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a Maryland party in the early 1980s, clumsily tried to remove her clothing and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

She said Kavanaugh and a friend  both "stumbling drunk," she says  corralled her in a bedroom when she was around 15 and Kavanaugh was around 17. She says Kavanaugh groped her over her clothes, grinded his body against hers and tried to take off her one-piece swimsuit and the outfit she wore over it. Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream, she says, and escaped when the friend, Mark Judge, jumped on them.

Kavanaugh attended a private school for boys in Maryland while Ford attended a nearby school.

A split over the nomination seemed to be emerging among the GOP.

The GOP-controlled Judiciary Committee has previously scheduled a Thursday vote on whether to recommend approval of Kavanaugh's nomination in the full Senate. Critics have already accused the GOP of fast-tracking the process to get Kavanaugh on the court by Oct. 1, the first day of the fall term.

Democrats called for a delay in the vote, and two committee Republicans  all 11 on the GOP side are men  Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said they wanted to hear more from Ford. Flake went as far as to say he was "not comfortable" voting for Kavanaugh for the time being.

A potential "no" vote from Flake would complicate the judge's prospects. A Republican not on the committee, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, said the vote should be postponed until the committee heard from Ford. Contacted Sunday by CNN, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, wouldn't say if the vote should be postponed.

A committee spokesman said late Sunday that its chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, was trying to arrange separate, follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, but just for aides to Grassley and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., before Thursday's scheduled vote.

The allegation against Kavanaugh first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that had been for some time in the possession of Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and one of its four female members. On Sunday, The Washington Post published an interview with Ford.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," said Ford, 51, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

In the interview, Ford says she never revealed what had happened to her until 2012, when she and her husband sought couples therapy. Ford's husband, Russell Ford, said he recalled his wife using Kavanaugh's last name and expressing concern that Kavanaugh  then a federal judge  might someday be nominated to the Supreme Court.

Senate Republicans, along with the White House, see no need to postpone voting over what they consider uncorroborated and unverifiable accusations, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.

In considering their options Sunday, Republicans largely settled on the view that Ford's story alone was not enough to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation.Transit police say a level 3 sex offender was arrested thanks to the help of the MBTA community.

On Sunday, police issued a photo depicting a man of interest relative to an incident of assault and battery onboard a Green Line trolley at the Reservoir Station in Brookline, Massachusetts at approximately 4 p.m. on Aug. 26.

According to police, as a direct result of numerous tips from members of the MBTA community, Transit Police detectives arrested Tyler Grace, 36, of Winthrop Monday morning.

Grace is set to be arraigned in Brookline District Court on Monday.Norwich Christian charity donates ex-prison survival kit Norwich Christian charity donates ex-prison survival kit

This year a Norfolk-based Christian charity has issued urban survival packs to 65 ex-offenders being released from HMP Norwich with no fixed abode. As winter approaches they are appealing for donations of survival kit items.

The Christian charity, Loving by Giving, works with HMP Norwich to provide urban survival kits to ex-offenders being released from prison with no fixed abode. The backpacks contain 15 essential items for life on the streets including a sleeping bag, water bottle and supermarket voucher.



Alison Wernham, Project Co-ordinator for Loving by Giving, said: As the evenings draw in and the hot summer begins to fade, thoughts begin to turn to winter. At Loving by Giving we are keen to ensure the stock of items for the urban survival packs is maintained especially as the demand for them will increase over the winter.



Backpacks have now been issued to 65 offenders being released from HMP Norwich with no fixed abode. Over the last six months the charity has been actively involved with developing links with the prison and Visitor Services run by Spurgeons Childrens Charity."



Loving by Giving is a charity that works to relieve poverty and change peoples lives practically. As well as being a charity, there is also a Loving is Giving church which meets in West Costessey Hall on the Queens Hill Estate in Costessey.



Loving By Giving is continuing to look for churches, organisations and individuals who are willing to donate items or would consider having a collection bin where items could be donated.



Items that the charity are appealing for include:

Toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, hand towel, shaving foam, safety razors

Cereal bars, notepad and pen, refillable water bottle, 5 supermarket voucher

Mens waterproof jacket, warm hat, socks and gloves

Sleeping bags

Financial donations.

backpacks@lovingbygiving.comHarts Hill Road closed in April

THE main road connecting Bucklebury to Thatcham is to open ahead of schedule  after being closed for five months.

Harts Hill Road closed in April to allow Thames Water to replace a water main pipe safely.

The works, from the junction with Floral Way to Briff Lane, were scheduled to last until October 1 and led some residents to criticise the companys management, asking if that length of time was necessary.

Thames Water said this week that the road will re-open from Upper Bucklebury to Floral Way from 10am on Monday, September 17.

However, the company is planning to close Harts Hill Road at Roundfields, on Broad Lane, earlier than originally planned  on the same day, for five days.

This is to allow for final connections at the top of the hill to be completed.

Traffic lights will be in place at the new pumping station site towards the bottom of the hill and current diversion signs will be removed and new diversion signs put in place.

Work on the new water booster station will be completed early next year and tested. It will then be put into service and the current water booster station will be decommissioned.Local company 'wants to offer one of the best bowling and gaming experiences in the UK'

THE bowling alley in Thatcham is set for a complete refurbishment after being purchased by a local company.

BDZ Investments has acquired the MFA Bowl and softplay business at the Newbury Leisure Centre in Lower Way with immediate effect.

The Newbury-based holding company, which celebrated 35 years of trading this year, wants to offer one of the best bowling and gaming experiences in the UK when the centre re-opens under the new name of Lakeside Superbowl on Friday, October 19.

CEO of BDZ Bob Rae said: The Lakeside Superbowl venue has almost been a heritage site in the town for all of us who have brought up children in and around Newbury.

We would like to remodel and enhance the facility for the current generation.

We want to refurbish all the bowling and soft-play facilities and hopefully install a new sensory area to help autistic children.

We will be enhancing all the gaming facilities to the latest offerings, including VR system games.

We will also utilise the extensive function room facilities for both live music and as a party venue.

The BDZ group, based in Oxford House, is a holding company with interests in 15 different businesses, including Hogan Music and Academy (a registered childrens charity), and local restaurants Arigato and Wau.

BDZ said that the refurbished centre will include sushi and Malaysian food, as well as pizzas and burgers.

Staff recruitment, site modification, landscaping and rebranding by BDZs creative agency Boomerang Creative, are already underway and the company said it was looking forward to the re-launch with great anticipation.NEW MILFORD The Weatinoge Heritage Land Trusts annual Fall Celebration has grown each year its been held, organizers said, and Saturday was no different.

Hundreds of families flocked to Smyrski Farms 220-acre preserve for a day of hay rides, childrens activities, live music and  a fan favorite  hot air balloon rides.

The free event is the Land Trusts way of allowing the community to learn about its work at the farm, which is typically closed to the public throughout the year, and the other 10,000 acres of land it protects throughout the area.

We protect 4,000 acres in the town of New Milford alone and here at Smyrski Farm youre sort of in the heart of our protected lands, said Catherine Rawson, Weatinoges executive director. Its also just a terrific day for children and families and a way to thank our members and the community.

The farm, which the land trust leases to farmers, includes historic barns, trails and over a mile of the West Aspetuck River.

Saturdays celebration, the fifth year the event has been held, attracted both returning families and newcomers to the celebration.

The Bennett family, who had just moved to New Milford, said they thought the event would be good chance to meet their new neighbors. They were most excited to see the birds of prey show that was planned for later in the day and paint pumpkins, a new activity this year.

Kirsten Lean and her 6-year-old son, Curtis Mangar, who were returning to the festival for the fourth time said they arrived early to ensure they got a chance to ride the hot air balloon.

They were excited to check out the hay ride and other activities next, Lean said.

Theres more festivities this year which is super exciting, she said. Wed be here all day (if we could).

aquinn@newstimes.comPhoto: The Canadian Press The federal government is looking at getting a former Supreme Court justice to help guide a renewed consultation with Indigenous communities on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

A senior federal source says the Liberals are considering hiring a former top judge to guide a renewed consultation with Indigenous communities on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

The Federal Court of Appeal last month quashed the approval given to the project, saying the consultation with Indigenous communities wasn't good enough and criticizing the lack of attention paid to the environmental impact of increased tanker traffic off the coast of British Columbia.

The Liberals are still considering whether to appeal the decision, but are looking at how they can do what the court said was lacking in order to get the pipeline work back underway.

An official close to the plan says that includes possibly hiring a former senior judge, possibly a retired Supreme Court of Canada justice, to advise on what would constitute meaningful consultation with Indigenous communities to satisfy the conditions of the court.

The Liberals intend to announce the next steps before the end of September.

The government wants to have the pipeline's fate decided within the next six to eight months before the next federal election and also before Alberta's provincial election in May.A large study led by Australian researchers has found that taking Aspirin tablets regularly to does not really prolong life or reduce the risk of a first heart attack or stroke. Low-dose aspirin or around 100 mg of aspirin is taken regularly by millions of people around the globe to prevent the first heart attack or stroke and also to prolong life and ensure better health. This study refutes that advice.

The team of researchers included over 19000 healthy individuals over the age of 70 who were taking 100 mg of aspirin daily in their study. They noted that despite this habit, life was not prolonged for these individuals and also the risk of getting a heart attack or a stroke for the first time was not reduced. The study titled ASPREE (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial, appeared in the latest issue of the journal New England Journal of Medicine.

Image Credit: Goksi/ Shutterstock

According to the lead researcher Professor John McNeil head of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine at Monash University, this was a seven year study and proves that there is no medical reason to continue taking aspirin prophylactically. We found there was no evidence that aspirin did healthy people any good in terms of living longer, remaining free of disability for longer, or preventing cardiovascular disease, he explained. Regular intake of this drug on the other hand tended to raise the risk of side effects, some of which could become serious and life-threatening, said the researchers. Professor McNeil explained that with age the blood vessel walls tend to get thinner and more fragile. Aspirin intake is associated with increased bleeding tendencies. As the blood vessel walls weaken, the risk of bleeding due to aspirin intake rises, he said. The study also compared people who took aspirin with those who did not and the incidence of dementia. They noted that aspirin does not protect individuals from dementia.

Each of the participants was advised to take 100 milligrams of aspirin daily or a placebo pill. They were ten followed up for the next 4.7 years on an average. Results showed that those on aspirin did not have a longer disability-free survival. This measure looks at the length of a healthy lifespan. Professor McNeil said disability-free survival measures how long it took for people to remain healthy without having a permanent physical disability or developing dementia, or the time people spent in healthy state. On the other hand the regular dose of aspirin failed to reduce the risk of getting heart disease and significantly raised the risk of major bleeding episodes that could even lead to strokes (risk of bleeding being 3.8 percent among those on aspirin compared to 2.8 percent among those on placebo).

The team explains that this is a study looking at people over 70 who were taking aspirin to prevent the first attack and did not include those individuals who were taking aspirin after their first heart attack or stroke on medical advice to prevent a second attack. Those on the pills on medical advice were not assessed in this study. According to the Heart Foundation recommendations as well, people without coronary heart disease do not need to take daily aspirin. People aged over 45 with no known coronary heart disease will benefit most from a healthy lifestyle and seeing their doctor for risk assessments such as blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels, said a spokesperson from the Heart Foundation.

Professor McNeil said, These findings will help inform prescribing doctors who have long been uncertain about whether to recommend aspirin to healthy patients who do not have a clear medical reason for doing so.A quick and easy test for viral infections can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and hospital admissions, according to new research presented to the European Respiratory Society International Congress today (Monday).

The test, which takes just 50 minutes to obtain results, could save hospitals around 2,500 per patient not admitted to hospital, would help to relieve winter pressures on available beds, and may help to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance.

Dr Kay Roy, consultant physician in respiratory and general internal medicine at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford, and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield (UK), told the congress: "Initial results on the first 1,075 patients, show the potential of this service. We were able to identify 121 patients who had viral infections, lacked any evidence of bacterial infection, had a normal chest x-ray and only modest indicators of inflammation. Of these, hospital admission was subsequently avoided in 25% and unnecessary antibiotics were avoided in 50%. None of the 30 patients who avoided hospital admission and who were not prescribed antibiotics experienced adverse clinical outcomes, which is reassuring."

Point of care respiratory viral testing (POCT) is a new service that was launched at Watford General Hospital (UK) on 15 January 2018. It is quick and simple to perform; it involves inserting a swab into the patient's nostril to collect a sample of secretions from the back of the nose (1 minute); the sample is prepared and inserted into a compact machine called a FilmArray (3-5 minutes), which analyses the sample and then generates a printout within 43 minutes.

"The whole process from obtaining a sample from the patient's nose to getting a result should take under 50 minutes, which has a potentially enormous impact on quality of care, improving the patient journey by allowing earlier, informed decision-making about patient management," said Dr Roy. "This is the same test and technology as used in our microbiology laboratory, but we have brought the equipment to the patient's bedside. Results from samples sent to the microbiology lab can take more than two days."

Dr Roy presented data from the first 1075 patients between 15 January and 1 May 2018 to the congress. Of these, 61% showed the patients had one or more viruses, of which 56% were influenza and 54% were other viruses, such as rhinovirus, coronavirus, metapneumovirus and adenovirus, which can cause just as many respiratory and other problems as 'flu or a bacterial infection, particularly in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The results of the tests were combined with other important clinical factors, such as chest x-ray findings and lack of evidence of bacterial infection, in 387 patients. From these, 121 patients were identified who were potentially suitable for avoiding hospital admission and antibiotics.

"We found that when patients had point of care respiratory viral testing soon after they were admitted to the emergency department, bed flow improved and fewer bed closures were required due to viral infections. This is extremely valuable during winter bed pressures, especially during an influenza epidemic.

"In the first two weeks of this new service we diagnosed 50 cases of influenza: 22 by testing in the emergency department and 28 after patients were admitted. There were no bed moves in the former group but 14 in the latter, demonstrating that earlier bedside testing in the emergency department improves infection control, thereby avoiding bed and ward closures and reducing the risk of spreading infection to vulnerable groups. Infected patients with POCT-based early diagnosis of influenza can be admitted to appropriately designated beds if admission is required," she said.

The cost of POCT is offset by avoiding, for example, the cost of the microbiology laboratory testing and the cost of admitting patients to hospital beds. "The findings clearly point towards a net cost saving. Each respiratory admission can cost around 2000 (2,500). We could make a significant saving for national health services by avoiding unnecessary admissions in patients who may have otherwise been admitted and given antibiotics while waiting up to two days for results from the lab. Patients in whom antibiotics were avoided also contribute to cost savings, as do the beds and wards which remain open," said Dr Roy.

She is about to start a randomised controlled trial in the community, in which primary care physicians (GPs) will be able to refer patients to a community hub for POCT, with respiratory physicians available to support the GPs.

"The frequent underestimation of the role of viruses in respiratory admissions, both in previously well patients and those with chronic underlying disease such as COPD, has hindered good antimicrobial stewardship," said Dr Roy. "This has sometimes led to other health problems for patients from inappropriate antibiotic use and hospital admission. We hope that quality of patient care can be improved with POCT for respiratory viruses, as well as helping to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance."

Professor Tobias Welte, from Hannover University, Germany, is President-Elect of the European Respiratory Society and was not involved in the study. He said: "As European populations age, there is increasing pressure on the availability of hospital beds. Having to close a ward because a patient has been admitted with a viral infection that could spread to other patients and is not treatable with antibiotics places even more pressure on hospitals, as well as being expensive. The innovative approach described in this presentation could make a significant difference not only to hospitals but also to patients, whose quality of life will be much improved by avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use and admittance to hospital. However, this test will haveto be compared to guidelines and recommended best clinical practice to confirm its usefulness."Intersex people are born with chromosomal, hormonal and/or anatomic variations that deviate from what is typically defined as male and female. In much of the world, current medical practice focuses on irreversible cosmetic genital surgery so that minors conform to a specific gender. However, these procedures can leave long-term physical problems and psychological scars.

The EU-funded INTERSEXIONS project investigated the medical, legal and social practices adopted in cases of intersex variations, with a focus on Italy. It addressed how medical practices and guidelines have changed over time, as well as their consequences on people's lives.

Key results include a series of recommendations for Italian policymakers and the medical community aimed at protecting the human rights of intersex people; and a map of intersex organizations as a resource for those affected.

"In the medical community, nationally and internationally, some serious doubts about current clinical protocols have been expressed but those who speak out publicly are very few," says lead INTERSEXIONS researcher Michela Balocchi of the University of Verona in Italy.

New guidelines for policymakers

A number of key points emerged from Balocchi's research, such as the gap between current medical practices, their effects on intersex individuals and families, and what intersex activists and patients' organisations ask for in terms of healthcare and human rights. In particular, the international intersex movement has advocated against unnecessary, non-consensual surgery and pharmacological treatments.

Balocchi has drawn up guidelines and recommendations for European policymakers covering intersex issues, and is proposing new bioethical guidelines for Italian regions to prevent unnecessary genital surgery.

One of her long-term goals is to create a national scientific observatory on intersex issues. This would be composed of researchers and advocates, intersex and not, with the aim of monitoring the situation in Italy and elsewhere, as well as promoting research and disseminating scientific information.

Global map of intersex groups

Intersex individuals and families do not have enough information and peer support, according to Balocchi. Therefore, she decided to create a global map of intersex organisations.

"This map is the first one of its kind," says Balocchi. "It's a work in progress, so I will continue to update it when necessary, especially because of the vitality with which, in recent years, new organisations are emerging."

The interactive map can be found on the project's website  www.intersexionsproject.eu. It classifies groups on the basis of their membership and aims, and forms part of a strategy to build networks between research centres, intersex organisations and politicians, at both national and international levels.

Multi-disciplinary research

Balocchi's research covered areas as diverse as sociology, biomedicine, anthropology, politics, law, bioethics and human rights. It involved both qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative focus included in-depth narrative interviews with intersex people, parents of intersex children, medical and mental health professionals, feminists and LGBTQ activists.

Balocchi notes a huge lack of quantitative data on intersex variations and the numerous medical treatments that intersex people receive, attributing this to concealment or denial of the phenomenon itself. As part of her research, she analysed 20-years' worth of data related to individuals with intersex variations from hospitals in Tuscany. This data was important for producing the new guidelines on intersex issues for Italian policymakers.Patients with severe traumatic brain injury treated at Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, recover to functional independence more often than before. At the same time, the proportions of elderly patients and patients treated conservatively have increased. The study found no specific reason to explain the observed improvement in outcomes; the results are accounted for by improvements in performance and effectiveness throughout the treatment chain, researchers say.

According to a recent study by researchers from Helsinki University Hospital (HUH), patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) recover to functional independence more often than before. The study also observed a marked increase in the proportions of elderly patients and patients treated without surgery during the study period.

Patients with severe TBI face poor prognoses; approximately half dies or are left with permanent disabilities. Accordingly, in the past two decades there has been numerous pharmaceutical studies that have aimed at improving outcomes after severe TBI. Unfortunately, all studies have ended with negative results. Moreover, these efforts have been simultaneous with an epidemiological shift towards more elderly TBI patients whose treatment is often complicated by chronic comorbidities.

"These circumstances encouraged us to investigate whether patient outcomes have improved during the past two decades", says Dr. Jari Siironen, chief physician of the neurosurgical intensive care unit at Helsinki University Hospital and one of the principal investigators of the research group.

The researchers analysed patient records and imaging studies of more than 3,000 patients treated at the HUH neurosurgical intensive care unit due to a TBI during 1999-2015.

There was no significant change in mortality over the course of the study period, but outcomes improved in those who survived.

"The results demonstrate a considerable increase in the likelihood of recovery to functional independence during the study period", says BM Matias Lindfors, the lead author of the study.

The study also observed notable increases in the proportions of elderly patients and patients treated without surgery. Interestingly, outcomes improved most in those treated without surgery.

"The results indicate that certain patients can be successfully treated by conservative means", says Dr. Rahul Raj, adding:

"Intracranial surgery performed on critically ill patients is associated with significant risks, and these risks may sometimes outweigh potential benefits, particularly in the case of elderly patients."

The study found no specific reason to explain the observed improvement in outcomes. "The results are accounted for by improvements in performance and effectiveness throughout the treatment chain, from pre-hospital emergency care to rehabilitative services", Raj says.

A considerable proportion of patients who have sustained a severe TBI may recover seemingly well and still suffer from significant cognitive and emotional defects, limiting re-employment and everyday life.

"Regaining functional independence does not necessarily equal full recovery. More research into other aspects of recovery are needed to further develop the rehabilitation of TBI patients based on each patient's individual needs ", Lindfors says.

TBI is a major cause of mortality and long-term disability worldwide, and a leading cause of death in young Finnish adults. In the western world, ageing populations are increasing the number of TBIs, while low- and middle-income countries grapple with TBIs caused by road traffic accidents. The WHO has predicted that TBIs will become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality within the upcoming years.

Source: http://www.hus.fi/Back in 2009, a group of Israeli researchers identified a herd of Awassi sheep suffering from "day blindness". As its name implies, these sheep were blind during the day (in bright light) but could see at night, in low-light conditions.

As published in Human Gene Therapy, a team led by Hebrew University of Jerusalem Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Professor Ron Ofri, Professor Eyal Banin of Hadassah Medical Center and Professor Elisha Gootwine of the Volcani Agricultural Research Organization, found that these sheep suffered from a genetic mutation that causes "hereditary achromatopsia," the scientific term for day blindness. Achromatopsia is prevalent in human beings, as well. However, due to its hereditary nature, the rate of this disorder fluctuates from population to population, being more prevalent in places with a high rate of marriages between relatives. In Jerusalem, for example, day blindness affects 1 in every 5,000 people.

Prof. Ofri and his colleagues began gene therapy trials for the "day blind" sheep, with the help of Professor W.W. Hauswirth of the University of Florida. Affected sheep were injected with a virus that carried a normal copy of the missing gene. It was a success; the treated sheep were regained their day vision, while those not treated remained visually impaired.

Based on these promising findings, the FDA has approved clinical trials for human patients and several U.S. medical centers have already begun using this therapy to treat patients with achromatopsia. Recently, Israel's Ministry of Health approved human clinical trials in Israel. They will begin later this year at Hadassah Medical Center. "Less than ten years after we first discovered the vision-impaired herd, we began human clinical trials. This marks a wonderful feat in ovine-to-human and research-to-cure efforts", shared Professor Ofri.

Most promisingly, the oldest surviving sheep from the original study still have daytime vision thanks to a single dose of gene therapy administered to them six years ago.Bottom Line: An analysis of hospital visits in California shows trends in injuries inflicted by law enforcement officers in the line of duty and how those injuries were associated with the race and ethnicity of individuals they encountered.

Why The Research Is Interesting: Public concern about the use of police force has heightened but not much data are available about the resulting injuries.

What and When: 92,386 hospital visits in California from 2005 to 2015 were identified as resulting from "legal intervention injuries" (defined in injury codes as being inflicted by police or other law enforcement agents in the course of arresting, attempting to arrest, suppressing disturbances, maintaining order or other legal action)

What (Study Measures and Outcomes): All visits with injury codes classified as legal intervention injuries in men ages 14 to 64; the study analyzed trends in injury rates and disparities across racial and ethnic groups.

How (Study Design): This was an observational study. Researchers were not intervening for purposes of the study and cannot control all the natural differences that could explain the study findings.

Authors: Renee Y. Hsia, M.D., M.Sc., of the University of California, San Francisco, and coauthors

Results: Rates of injuries inflicted by law enforcement officers increased from 2005 to 2009 but declined through 2015, and black individuals were at greatest risk of these injuries per capita. The proportion of these injuries involving firearms, such as shootings by police, declined. In addition, an increasing proportion of emergency department visits associated with legal intervention injuries were associated with co-occuring behavioral health diagnoses.

Study Limitations: Results could have been affected by changes in hospital coding practices; there could be differences across race and ethnicity in reporting to clinicians that police inflicted the injury; and the study cannot determine in instances where force was used whether it was excessive.Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in Saskatoon on Wednesday, September 12, 2018.

A video posted online shows Prime Minister Justin Trudeau telling chiefs he is upset about how time was managed in a recent meeting with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.

Trudeau met with the Saskatchewan chiefs when he was in Saskatoon for the Liberal Party's annual caucus retreat last week.

In the video which is around four minutes long, Trudeau says the plan was to meet with about eight people for an hour-long meeting.

But many other people showed up and there wasn't time for everyone to speak.

Trudeau told FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron  "I am really, really upset"  and said the meeting is not in the spirit of reconciliation.

The Prime Minister's Office says in a statement that Trudeau was unable to get through all the issues put forward in the meeting but looks forward to connecting with First Nations leaders in Saskatchewan in the future.

The FSIN says they are aware of the video and are preparing a response.Photo: wikimedia commons

A Mexican national accused of smuggling several kilograms of methamphetamine across the border near Osoyoos earlier this month had his bail hearing adjourned Monday so a Spanish-speaking lawyer could be found for him.

Armando Esparza-Ochoa appeared in Penticton court with the help of a translator, facing three charges alleged to have occurred Sept. 1; unlawfully importing methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and failing to enter Canada at a customs office.

When asked by the judge if he had a lawyer, he said he wouldnt have the money to pay for one and was not informed of legal-aid.

In response to being asked if he would like to seek out a public defender, Esparza-Ochoa replied No. It's better if you just sentence me.

Given the significant jail term facing Esparza-Ochoa, federal Crown prosecutor Ashleigh Wilson said she wasnt comfortable accepting a plea until he had spoken with a lawyer.

A legal-aid worker called into the courtroom by the judge confirmed that Esparza-Ochoa has qualified for the service, but they have been having trouble tracking down a Spanish-speaking lawyer. Legal-aid has been in talks with the Language Bureau in Vancouver, she said, but are awaiting a response.

The matter was adjourned to Sept. 26 for more time to track down a lawyer for Esparza-Ochoa.

Outside the courtroom Wilson would not specify the exact quantity of methamphetamine allegedly seized from Esparza-Ochoa, only saying it was in the several kilogram range.Wellington : The New Zealand government on Monday announced an extension of its military training deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as a renewal of three peacekeeping missions in the Middle East and Africa.

"The decision to deploy defence force personnel overseas is one of the hardest for any government to take, especially when these deployments are to challenging and dangerous environments," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement cited by Xinhua news agency.

The Iraq deployment will be extended till June 2019 and the Afghanistan deployment will be extended till September 2019. This allows New Zealand to fulfil its current commitment to both missions, Ardern said.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) was first deployed to Iraq in April 2015. "This is a non-combat training mission aimed at upskilling the Iraqi security forces to counter the threat posed by the Islamic State. Up to 143 personnel were currently deployed on this mission," Ardern said.

The government extended the deployment of 11 NZDF trainers at the Afghanistan National Army Officer Academy for 12 months. NZDF trainers were first deployed to the academy in 2013, Ardern added.

The three peacekeeping missions will be to the UN Mission in South Sudan, the UN Truce Supervision Organization in the Golan Heights and Lebanon and the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.

"The government has decided to continue with our current commitments to three peacekeeping missions in the Middle East and Africa, where we have an established presence and proven track record," said New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters.Sorry!

This content is not available in your region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Photo: Crimestoppers

A convicted South Okanagan drug dealer is back behind bars after skipping her sentencing hearing more than three years ago.

Laurie-Ann Williams, 52, was convicted in 2015 of seven counts of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

She, however, failed to show up for her sentencing hearing on May 25, 2015 and had not been seen since, until her arrest Sept. 6 in Edson, Alberta.

She appeared in Penticton court briefly Monday, but her case was adjourned until Tuesday so she could consult her lawyer.

Prior to her 2015 conviction, Williams was found guilty in 2007 for four trafficking charges related to a massive drug bust in Oliver, that saw 12 ounces of cocaine, firearms, stolen property and $35,000 recovered.Liberty Power plans to dispute a possible $1.5 million penalty and a six-month ban on enrolling new electricity customers in Connecticut, as the state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority conducts an ongoing investigation into what PURA has described as ongoing enrollment of customers without permission, back billing and other tactics.

In a statement provided the website Energy Choice Matters, Liberty Power indicated it will seek a hearing as allowed under PURA rules to demonstrate actions it has taken to create a strong, transparent sales quality program in the companys words, among other steps. To date this year, PURA has registered a half-dozen complaints by Connecticut residents of Liberty Power enrolling them without their consent.Local residents are heading to the Carolinas as the states grapple with massive flooding and evacuations in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

Joyce Burns, of Bethel, is among about 3,000 Red Cross volunteers sent to head shelters and support people affected by last weeks storm.

A retired social worker at the Park Avenue School in Danbury, Burns is part of a team that will provide mental health care to victims.

She arrived in Columbia, S.C. Sunday and expects Tuesday to go to a shelter in Myrtle Beach, one of the areas hit hardest by the hurricane. For the next two weeks, she will try to help the residents process what they have experienced.

Its a very stressful situation because there is so much loss involved, Burns said. It's not just loss of property, but its loss of where you live.

Meanwhile, Arthur Hopkins, a New Milford resident, arrived last Tuesday in South Carolina, where he set up a shelter for Red Cross staff at a church function hall and one for residents at a high school in St. Matthews in Calhoun County.

You meet some great people, he said. Theyre so thankful for the Red Cross.

At the height of the storm, about 50 people were in the shelter Hopkins managed, but he said Calhoun County was lucky. The area saw only heavy rain and wind.

North Carolina was hit much harder, with 90 mph winds destroying buildings and flooding forcing residents to evacuate their homes.

At least 20 people in North and South Carolina have died because of the hurricane.

Before the storm hit, 10 soldiers from the Connecticut National Guard flew to Tennessee to assist.

The guardsmen have brought thousands of pounds of equipment to first responders in various towns that have been completely cut off by flooding, Major Mike Petersen said.

We are extremely proud of the hard work they are doing, and our thoughts and prayers remain with those continuing to be affected by Hurricane Florence, Petersen said.

Meanwhile, Americares, a relief organization, sent 1,400 first aid kits and 800 hygiene kits from its Stamford distribution center to North Carolina on Saturday. A team from the organization was also in Raleigh, N.C. over the weekend to pack supplies for a shelter housing 200 people in Clayton, N.C.

The shelter Hopkins managed closed Sunday because residents were able to go back into their homes, so he was given the day off Monday. Instead of resting, he headed north to Lancaster County, where the damage was worse than in St. Matthews.

I dont want to sit around, Hopkins said.

In Lancaster County, Hopkins went to various neighborhoods to help the Red Cross assess damage, so case workers could help residents get financial help. He said he has seen trees on homes and flooding, but that many residents have not needed to evacuate.

Most of them have elected to stay in their homes, he said. The loss of power was only temporary.

Hopkins has managed shelters locally, including one at Brookfield High School during the May storm, and volunteered during last years wildfires in California, Hurricane Harvey in Texas and flooding in Baton Rouge.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, a newspaper said Monday, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters.

Submarine Kuroshio on Thursday joined three Japanese warships in waters just southwest of the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal, the Asahi Shimbun said.



China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which USD 5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, despite competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Tensions have been high over the Scarborough Shoal since it was seized from Manila by Beijing in 2012.

The newspaper said the submarine exercises were Tokyo's first in the South China Sea.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force carried out a "practical" anti-submarine drill, including an exercise to spot enemy submarines with sonar devices, Asahi said, quoting unnamed Japanese government sources.

The sources said it was a legitimate naval exercise in neutral waters, with rights of access secured under international law. Following the drill, the Japanese submarine plans to make a port call on

Monday at Cam Ranh, central Vietnam, in a bid to display Tokyo's defence cooperation with Hanoi, Asahi said.

It will be the first call by a submarine at the strategically important port since the Second World War, it added.

The disputed South China Sea contains vital global shipping routes and what are believed to be significant oil and natural gas deposits.

China has engaged in years of land-reclamation efforts on reefs it controls in the region, and built both civilian and military facilities in the contested area.

Earlier this month, Beijing lashed out at Britain for sending a warship close to the disputed islands -- one of a series of "freedom of navigation" operations carried out in recent times by the US and its allies as a signal to Beijing of their right to access the disputed waters.

Immediate confirmation of the Asahi Shimbun report was not available.

-PTINEWTOWN - The community center under construction behind Town Hall on the Fairfield Hills campus is nine months away from opening day, but its not too soon for Newtowners to start picturing themselves in the new facility.

Thats according to town officials such as Matt Ariniello, the community center director, who plan to update Newtowners during a Tuesday night public meeting about the first of its kind in town.

We keep telling people that the community center is more than bricks and mortar, Ariniello said of the 35,000-square-foot building, inspired by a $15 million gift from General Electric following the Sandy Hook massacre. This is about the lives that are going to be impacted.

To that end, Ariniello will begin giving tours in October of the building, in the hope of showing as many people as possible its possibilities.

Our multipurpose space will be able to house 250 people, and well have a recreational activity pool and a six-lane lap pool, and a lot of other program space available, Ariniello said. Well also have central gathering spaces for residents for social interaction.

Newtowners who sign up for the Wednesday morning tours will have to use their imagination, since all there is to the community center today is the walls and the rough roof work. Call the Recreation Department at 203-270-4340 for details.

At the same time, parallel construction work is on schedule for a $3 million senior center wing, attached to the community center, which will share building resources but have its own facilities and staff.

The construction progress comes five years after GE surprised a devastated Newtown with a $15 million gift to be spent on something for the whole town, which did not already exist.

The community center is conceived to be more than a building. Similar to the new Sandy Hook School, which opened in 2016, and plans for the Sandy Hook memorial, the hope is that the community center will be a place where Newtown can find new sources of healing and recover its hope.

I think we will be well-positioned by the time the community center opens to meet the expectations of a center that speaks to all demographics of the community, said Dan Rosenthal, Newtowns first selectman. I do think they will hit the ball out of the park when it opens.

The goal is to have the building sealed before cold weather sets in, so workers can continue the interior construction during winter, Rosenthal said.

The community center and the senior center are part of a larger vision for the towns 185-acre Fairfield Hills campus to become the cultural, civic and commercial center of town.

Newtowners can receive updates about the construction time table and the latest details about programs being developed at a 7:30 p.m. Community Center Committee meeting on Tuesday at 3 Main St.

This community center is another patch in the quilt of our town, Ariniello said.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342The USA produced 70% of the oil in the world in WW2. 20% of the oil was produced by the Soviet Union.

The British did not surrender and used its navy to blockade Germanys oil imports. Germany imported 60% of its oil in 1939.

In 1941, Germany only had 18% of the oil it had in peacetime.

Germany had about two months of oil in June, 1941 which forced the attempt to capture Russian oil in the Caucasus.

Romania supplied Germany with roughly 13 million barrels of oil per year between 1941 and 1943. Germanys peak oil production (in 1944) amounted to about 12 million barrels of oil per year. OIl from all sources, including synthetic (the majority) reached a peak of 71 million barrels per year. Germany peak oil requirements for normal operations amounted closer to 95 million barrels short by 20  25 million barrels.

The caucusus produced 220 million barrels of oil per year. Maikop produced 19 million barrels annually, Grozny 32 million barrels, and Baku 170 million barrels  Germany only needed to restore 10% of these fields capacity to cover its needs.

Oil was decisive for air power

There were constant fuel shortages for Germany and shortages of aviation fuel. The US and Britain had higher octane fuel which enabled planes that were 15% faster.

There is a 31 page paper on oil in WW2.

Air Command and Staff college: Turning Point: A History of German Petroleum in WW2 and its lesson for the role of oil in modern air warfare. Shawn P. Keller, Major, USAF AY11 Spring Independent Elective Advisor: Dr. Michael May

The Luftwaffe itself carried out blending of aviation gasoline, and of particular interest to them was the high-grade oil that could only be produced through the hydrogenation method rather than F-T. By January 1941, Germany had stocks of aviation fuel totaling 219.5 million gallons, of which ninety-percent was a product of the synthetic fuel industry.

By the end of 1941 aviation fuel reserves were down to 91 million gallons. Although synthetic production increased substantially in 1943 into early 1944 and boosted aviation fuel reserves, quantities never come close to the January 1941 figures. German supply would not be able to keep up with Luftwaffe demand for the rest of the war.

By most standards, Germanys synthetic fuel was a technological wonder, and equal in quality and performance to fuel refined from oil. This was particularly true of German diesel and motor gas. Development of high-performance aviation fuel proved to be the one exception. By the 1930s, standard aviation gasoline had an octane rating of 75-80.

A breakthrough in gasoline technology occurred in the United States in 1935 that made it technically possible to produce aviation gas of up to 100 octane. By 1939, both the U.S. Army Air Corps and the RAF were using this higher-octane gasoline, allowing them to develop more powerful engines such as the Rolls Royce Merlin. The net result was that U.S. and British aircraft were now able to fly 15 percent faster, increased their long-range bomber distance by 1,500 miles, and lifted altitude ceilings by 10,000 feet.

Late in the war when German engineers were working feverishly to develop aircraft engines that could compete with the newer and faster Allied fighters. Unfortunately for Germany, Allied assaults against the synthetic fuel plants had already made production of higher-octane fuel virtually impossible. Germany never obtained aviation fuel equal in quality to the Allied air forces, and Luftwaffe aircraft development suffered greatly for it.

India and China today are more dependent upon oil

China imports 70% of its oil and India imports 87% of its oil. They mostly get the oil from the middle east which could easily be blocked with a naval blockade. The US has the stronger Navy and could apply such a blockade against China.

China is importing 9 million barrels per day.

China produces a little less than 4 million barrels of oil per day.

India produces 750,000 barrels of oil per day.

India imports 5 million barrels of oil per day.

China imports most of its oil from the middle east. If there was a conflict where China face a naval blockade then China would be cut off from most oil just as Germany was in WW2.

India also mostly imports oil from the middle east.

Unlike WW2, China can use long-range missiles to hit Saudi Arabia and US oil refineries and infrastructure to force oil shortages for everyone. They could also hit GPS satellites to reduce the effectiveness of US precision warfare.

China economy is more vulnerable to disruption.Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, Director General of ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said that Bajwa will hold talks with the Chinese leaders, including his counterpart.

"COAS arrived at Beijing, China on three days official visit. During the visit COAS will interact with various Chinese leaders including his counterpart," Ghafoor tweeted.

In a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing in Rawalpindi last week, Bajwa had reiterated that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the economic future of Pakistan.

A statement on the official Twitter account of the Pakistan Government had read, "Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has reiterated that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is economic future of #Pakistan and its security will never be compromised. He was talking to Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing in Rawalpindi."

A report from the UK-based Financial Times had earlier surfaced which said that the Imran Khan-led government was mulling to review the agreements under the CPEC project.

Top officials of the Pakistan government had also said that the administration would be looking to review the deals of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and renegotiate the trade pact signed with Beijing a decade ago.

(ANI)Escalating global trade tensions are giving Chinese fruit stalls a little more of an international flavor.

Fruit distributor Sunmoon Food Co. is shipping navel oranges from Egypt, kiwis from Italy and apples from Poland into China for the first time ever. The produce will fill the gap created when the Asian nation slapped tariffs on U.S. fruit as part of the escalating trade war between the Xi Jinping and Donald Trump administrations.

With turnover of $45 million, Singapore-based Sunmoon is a minnow compared with fruit giants like Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., which had revenue of $4.1 billion last year. But the new business it's doing in China underscores how the tariff tit-for-tat between the world's two biggest economies is reshaping global trade flows. China imported $6.2 billion worth of fresh and dried fruit and nuts last year, up nearly ten-fold from 2015, according to customs data.

"Like with any trade war or political upheaval, there will always be certain re-balancing along the markets," Gary Loh, Sunmoon's chief executive officer, said in an interview. "Companies like ours can take advantage of this and introduce new products into new markets."

China's Ministry of Commerce in April levied a 15 percent import tariff on U.S. fruits and nuts, and in July added an additional 25 percent duty. The taxes were in retaliation against American tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods. President Trump is seeking to pressure the Asian nation into reducing its trade surplus with his country.

Fruits and nuts are a relatively small part of the overall picture, comprising just $488 million of $130 billion total American exports to China, according to U.S. Census trade data. The Chinese market is one of the fastest growing in the world, though, and U.S. farmers will now find it that much more difficult to make potentially lasting connections there, according to Richard Owen, vice president of global membership and engagement at the Washington, D.C.-based Produce Marketers Association.

Sunmoon counts China as its largest sales market, where it can reach 900 million mouths through its partnership with Shanghai Yiguo E-commerce Co., an Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. affiliate that owns more than half of the company.

It has benefited from the trade war by leveraging its network of suppliers in 18 countries and more than 15,000 wholesalers, supermarket chains and stores, mostly in China and Southeast Asia, Loh said. Sunmoon shares rose 4.6 percent to close at 4.6 Singapore cents on the Singapore Exchange Monday, the biggest gain in a month.

When China raised tariffs on U.S. goods, Sunmoon shipped navel oranges from a packaging house in the suburbs of Cairo to its warehouses in Shanghai. It's also testing out oranges from Israel, Morocco and Spain in the Chinese market with the possibility of increasing shipments next year if the tariffs are still in place.

While U.S. growers will be hurt initially by being blocked from China, the massive increase in demand from the country will be a long-term benefit for all producers regardless of trade issues, Rabobank analysts including Roland Fumasi said in a recent research note.

Loh sees the same dynamics at play. Sunmoon took advantage of cherry tariffs to buy bushels of the fruit from Wenatchee, Washington, and ship them for the first time to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

"It gives Southeast Asian countries a chance to see new varieties that previously they would not see in their market," Loh said.NEW HAVEN  A Darien doctor accused of running a pill mill out of the Family Health Urgent Care facility in Norwalk pleaded guilty Monday to health care fraud and money laundering.

Dr. Ramil Mansourov, 49, of Tokeneke Road, appeared before Senior U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton. She set sentencing to Dec. 5.

Federal authorities said Mansourov billed Medicaid nearly $5 million for home, office and nursing home visits that never occurred. He transferred some of the stolen money to a Swiss bank account and used the money for personal purposes, authorities said.

A co-defendant, Dr. Bharat Patel of Devine Place, Milford, pleaded guilty in June to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute narcotics and distributing narcotics and health care fraud.

Mansourov faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced.

He is also expected to be ordered to forfeit $50,000 for providing narcotic painkillers to patients who did not medically need them and in some instances allegedly resold them.

The incidents occurred between 2012 and 2017 and involved at least 900 prescriptions of oxycodone/hydrocodone.

The pair was indicted as part of a nationwide probe into the over-prescription of narcotic pain-killers and health care fraud which charged 115 doctors, nurses and medical professionals and involved $1.3 billion in false billings.

Patel had owned the Norwalk clinic until 2012 when he sold it to Mansourov but continued to work there. Addicts allegedly described the clinic to federal agents as The Candy Shop, court documents charge.

Patel was arrested and his home and office searched on July 12, 2017, by federal agents. Mansourov allegedly fled to Montreal where he was apprehended the following day by Canada Border Services agents on an immigration charge.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale has a 12-minute black and white video which shows a cooperating witness sliding three $100 bills to Patel in March 2017 after telling the doctor to write him several prescriptions for narcotics with specific dates.

Prosecutors said the two doctors have been participating providers with Medicare and the Connecticut Medicaid Program. Beginning about 2013, the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration received information that the pair were writing prescriptions for controlled substances outside the scope of legitimate medical practice.

The prosecution accuses Patel of providing prescriptions for narcotics to patients he knew were addicted or had been arrested for distributing or possessing controlled substances. One was a known Norwalk drug dealer who was convicted and sentenced to prison in 2014. Following his release, the dealer obtained over 1,000 oxycodone pills prescribed by Patel from March 11, 2016, to Dec. 24, 2016.

On numerous occasions Patel provided prescriptions to patients, even non-patients for cash, according to investigators. They charged that when Patel was unavailable, Mansourov wrote the prescriptions. In 2014, Patel is accused of depositing more than $50,000 in cash into his or his wifes bank accounts.NEW HAVEN  Award-winning actor Paul Giamatti, a city native, on Saturday night did what many local folks and others do: had apizza at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana on Wooster Street.

According to a release, Giamatti, as local a product as Pepes (Giamatti graduated from the Foote School in New Haven, Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Yale College (89) and the Yale School of Drama) dined on a white clam pizza and a pie with sausage and mushrooms.

In addition to other roles, Giamatti has played Ben Bernacke in Too Big To Fail; John Adams in a television miniseries for which he won an Emmy; Harvey Pekar, an underground comic book writer, in American Splendor; and other characters. His films include Win-Win, Barneys Version and Ironclad, the story of Englands 13th-century King John.

Giamatti, the son of former Yale University President A. Bartlett Giamatti, has not been a stranger to the Elm City amid his Hollywood success, returning here to act in local productions, as well as to accept accolades. In 2011, for instance, he was here to accept the first Louis, an award bestowed by Morys, the legendary club in the heart of Yale, to recognize an accomplished graduate of the university. (The Louis, is named for Louie Linder, the first proprietor of the century-plus Morys).

Before the 2017 ceremony at Morys, Giamatti was interviewed by Catherine Sheehy, chairwoman of dramaturgy and dramatic criticism at the Yale School of Drama before scores of Giamatti fans at the theater where he had performed as an undergraduate. Read about that event here.

Giamatti drew rave reviews in the city when he was here in 2013 to play in Yale Reps Hamlet (it sold out), and that year he also gave the 2nd annual Maynard Mack Lecture at Yale.

During this visit to accept the award at Morys, Giamatti noted he used to eat there with his dad.

He bitched about the food all the time, Giamatti said, drawing laughter from an audience that gathered that day afternoon at the Yale University Theater for an open conversation with the actor.

Giamatti was born in New Haven in 1967.LUMBERTON, N.C. - It's the mailboxes you really have to watch for when you are boating through suburbia.

Many are just under the surface of the opaque brown water as the Coast Guard motored through Mayfair, a comfortable neighborhood far from the ocean but too close to the Lumber River.

At the corner of Wellington and Berkley Streets, Dan Paz, a boatswain's mate, stepped from a skiff into thigh-high water onto a home's submerged stoop. "Welcome Y'all," read the sign hanging from the front-door knocker, the water lapping up to nearly touch it.

No answer.

"He might have gotten out, I don't remember what kind of car he had," Ryan Abshear, the boatswain's mate piloting the 16-foot boat, called up to Paz in the bow after scanning the submerged driveway.

A satellite dish poked just above the water's surface at the corner of the house, like a submarine's periscope. The boat's handheld radio came on with word that a second Coast Guard "punt team" had picked up a person who wanted to leave an inundated home a few streets up.

"Uber service," Paz said.

For many in this flooded neighborhood, Monday was a time for those on higher ground to get used to living a life circumscribed by water, a condition many had endured during Hurricane Matthew two years ago - but not to the same extent. For others, it was time to flee for the few patches of dry ground left in this city of 22,000 people about 20 miles from the South Carolina border.

What was once Hurricane Florence has been plodding across North Carolina, turning cities into islands, and in some cases, neighborhoods into islands within those islands. The new landscape has pressed the Coast Guard, operating here many miles from the coast, into a combination of search and rescue service, FedEx and pet whisperer.

The three teams that fanned out through Mayfair on Monday morning brought out worried young families, who did not believe the spill water from the Lumber River would reach quite as high as it has in recent days.

They also delivered medicine that needed to be refrigerated from one house to another with a generator, several flooded streets away. They transported a lady's dog from her swamped home to a neighbor's dry backyard.

They freed up a boat, still secured on its driveway trailer, and delivered it to a nearby friend with permission to use it. They chauffeured a man tasked with watching over his neighbor's houses to each of them so he could open the higher windows to air them out.

"Just watch your wakes out there," said Master Chief John Mitchell, who runs the unit based in Huntington, W.Va. "Some of the houses that may not be flooded will be if you fly by them."

Abshear and Paz headed straight down Wellington Road after pushing off from the staging area at Mayfair's entrance, itself cut off to the roads around it by high water.

There was a stranger along - the sun - after days of storm. The humidity was stifling, made worse by the heavy rubber waders required for walking around in contaminated water.

After pulling up to the front doors of several houses along Wellington, Abshear grounded the flat-bottom skiff where the submerged street rose gradually to dry land.

Most everybody had declined the Coast Guard's invitation for a ride out, even Joy Bukowy, whose home at 3150 Wellington Road had flooded in the back and seemed well-within risk of the still-predicted, one-foot-at-least rise of the Lumber. Her sedan sat stuck in her front yard, soaked and unable to start.

"We've kept an eye on it," said Bukowy, who has lived in the two-story colonial for nearly 25 years. "Of course, all you can do is hope, and it really didn't get bad here until last night."

Many who live in Mayfair are elderly - grandparents who raised their kids in the brick and clapboard houses with tidy front yards and have now paid off decades-long mortgages. In recent years, a good number of the homes have been renovated, their owners taking advantage of mortgage-free budgets to invest in improvements.

Florence drowned those plans. Many do not have the flood insurance to make the improved homes whole again and they are not leaving them now.

Paz knocked on the door at 3170 Wellington Road. Brent Lamb, dressed in a tank top and shorts, answered.

"We're taking people who want to go out of here," Paz told him.

"I got me and my wife and three kids," Lamb responded, asking how much time they would have to get ready.

"Five minutes?" said Paz, a 10-year Coast Guard veteran originally from Snellville, Ga. "I couldn't really tell you when we might come back if you don't go now."

Lamb ducked inside the two-story gray house with black shutters to begin getting the family ready: his wife, Julie; his 4-year-old daughter Laci; and his one-year-old twins Lucas and Olivia.

Dixie, the family pug, went unmentioned but not unforgotten.

Paz walked back to the skiff to get a handful of life jackets.

The Lamb family had been staying with Julie's parents, Rusty and Lori Lindsey, who have lived in the house for three decades. Before Florence struck, the Lambs worried that their own home, across Interstate 95 in the Tanglewood development, would be hardest hit. So they moved in for the storm.

Their house was only lightly touched by the hurricane, and it now even has power. But Rusty and Lori, both vital and healthy, would not join the mini-exodus.

"I mean, they told us during Matthew that that was a once-in-a-lifetime storm - and that was two years ago," said Lori Lindsey, laughing as she did.

Rusty picked up windfall from their tall front-yard pines with a wheelbarrow, oblivious to the thick heat. Lori played with the babies and Laci, who wanted her family to either stay with "G-G and G-Da" or have them come along.

Paz returned with the lifevests.

"Look, I forgot to mention we have a dog, too," Brent Lamb told him.

"That's fine," Paz said. "We can't leave the family dog."

The lifejacket fittings were a bit rocky.

Olivia - no problem. Lori Lindsey snapped a snug yellow vest around the baby, who never even dropped her pacifier.

"The little banana," Lori cooed. "She just doesn't want to leave her G-G."

Lucas - no, not going to happen. After some thrashing around, Paz said it was fine if Brent wanted to hold him in the boat. And Laci - grudgingly, and eager to get it off.

The family set off for the short walk to the skiff, Julie holding Laci's hand.

"I want them to come," Laci said.

"I know," Julie said. "And when G-G and G-Da get some sense, they will join us."

Abshear and Paz took the family to the staging area in two shifts. Laci and Brent, who works for the county sheriff's department, waited for the second ride, Laci's pink sparkly sandals sinking in the mud.

"I called work yesterday and told them, 'If you want me to come in, you're going to have to come and get me,'" Brent Lamb said. "I'll probably go into work right away now."

The skiff returned. Brent stepped in, and Paz handed him Laci, who clutched his left leg with fear. The boat tilted when Paz entered, and Laci gave a small gasp.

"Great, you scared her," Abshear told Paz.

Abshear turned the boat and began cruising toward the far shore. Then, a shout from behind. It was Rusty, standing on the lawn, holding high a mesh bag full of sippy cups.

Abshear swung the boat back around.

"Got to have the sippy cups," Paz said.NEW HAVEN  Mayor Toni N. Harp is recommending the appointment of a new chief administrative officer, after the resignation of Michael Carter last Friday.

On the Board of Alders agenda as a communication is a Harp recommendation that Sean Matteson, who was the chief of staff to former Mayor John DeStefano Jr., take up the CAO role. The appointment would be effective Sept. 24 with an annual salary of $125,000. He lives in Hamden, but with the approval of the appointment, he would be required to move to New Haven within six months.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to pay a one-day visit to Russia's Sochi city on Monday and is expected to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

In a statement issued by the Turkish presidential office, apart from the one-on-one talks between Erdogan and Putin, delegation-level talks also comprising Turkish and Russian officials will take place, Anadolu News Agency reported.

Various issues such as bilateral relations, economy and energy, regional and global issues, particularly the situation in Syria is expected to be discussed between the Turkish and Russian presidents.

Last week, a trilateral summit was held in Tehran, wherein the presidents of Iran, Turkey and Russia had participated. The leaders had called for a ceasefire in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, the site of various missile attacks, that has claimed hundreds of lives in the past few months, the report said.

The Syrian military forces have recently announced plans to launch a major offensive to drive out the terrorists from the region.

In November last year, the first trilateral summit between Russia, Iran and Turkey was held in Sochi to discuss the progress made in the Astana peace talks and de-escalation zones in Syria. A second meeting was held in Ankara in April this year.

(ANI)A 50-year-old South Jersey man was found dead in his apartment on Saturday morning in what is being investigated as a homicide, authorities said.

Mark Randolph had blunt force trauma to his neck when Gloucester Township police arrived at the Hilltop Court Apartment complex on Black Horse Pike around 1:30 a.m. after getting a 911 call, a spokeswoman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information is asked to call Camden County Prosecutor's Office Detective Chris Sarson at 856-225-8640 or Gloucester Township Police Det. Brian Farrell at 856-228-4500.

Tips can also be sent by email.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.HARRISON -- An Essex County man was shot dead Sunday morning, while a second man who was shot in the face went to a local hospital after robbing a pedestrian of his bicycle at gunpoint, authorities said.

Just before 4:30 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to the area of Harrison Avenue and Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard on a report of a pedestrian struck by a car -- just a block away from the police department, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.

Officers found the body of Shadi Miles, 31, of Newark next to a GMC Yukon that had crashed into a nearby pole. He had been shot in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 4:55 a.m., Suarez said.

It is unclear if Miles was shot before or after the crash. The cause and manner of his death are pending an investigating by the state Regional Medical Examiner's Office.

Authorities meanwhile determined that a second individual in the vehicle had also been shot.

The man, later identified as Joseph Bossie, 19, of East Orange, fled the SUV after the crash, pistol-whipped a person he came across in the area, and robbed him of his bicycle, Suarez said.

Bossie then brought himself to University Hospital in Newark, where he was treated for gunshot wounds to his face and a lower extremity, Suarez added.

Bossie was charged with armed robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon, authorities said.

Additional details of the shooting were not immediately available. Harrison Mayor James Fife did not return a call seeking comment on the homicide.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Homicide Unit is actively investigating this case with assistance from the Harrison Police Department. Anyone with information is asked to contact the HCPO at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip. All information will be kept confidential.

Miles' death is the 13th homicide in Hudson County this year and the first in the West Hudson community since 2011.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.JERSEY CITY -- A 20-year-old man has been charged with murdering a Bayonne resident who was shot multiple times in Jersey City earlier this month, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced Monday.

A warrant for the arrest of Jahmir Thomas of Jersey City charging him with murdering 23-year-old Eric Crocker was issued on Friday. Thomas was arrested without incident on Saturday on Eastern Parkway in Jersey City, Suarez said.

On Sept. 4, 2018 at about 5:55 p.m. Jersey City police responding to a report of shots being fired at Lembeck and Ocean avenues found Crocker with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. He was pronounced dead around 6:30 p.m. at Jersey City Medical Center, Suarez said.

The state Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Newark performed an autopsy and determined Crocker died of the gunshot wounds. The manner of his death was deemed to be a homicide, said Suarez, who provided no information on a possible motive for the shooting.

The state has moved to detain Thomas through the course of his prosecution and he is scheduled to make his first court appearance on the charges at a detention hearing Wednesday at 9 a.m.

The hearing will be before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. Thomas also faces weapons charges related to a handgun.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office investigation into the fatal shooting is ongoing and is being conducted with the assistance of the Jersey City Police Department, Suarez added.

Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide detectives at (201) 915- 1345 or leave an anonymous tip at: www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/.

All information provided will remain confidential.JERSEY CITY -- The Union City man charged with stabbing a woman to death in March may seek an insanity defense.

Kevin Cortes, 26, is accused of stabbing Giselle Bravo, 20, on March 23 inside a New York Avenue apartment in Union City where he lived, officials said.

At a status hearing Monday morning, Cortes' lawyer, Frederick Donne, told Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mark Nelson that he intends to have Cortes undergo psychological evaluation to determine if he is competent to stand trial and if he was sane at the time of the homicide.

Cortes sat at the defense table and said nothing during the hearing which was attended by several of Bravo's family members in the Hudson County Administration Building.

Officers who responded to the scene on the morning of the homicide found Bravo suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 5:30 a.m.

Officers took Cortes into custody after finding him in the building holding a knife. He was taken to Palisades Medical Center for evaluation and remained hospitalized until he was turned over to Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Unit detectives just over week later, an official said.

Also at the hearing, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Hernandez said he and Dunne have had very preliminary discussions on what a possible plea deal could entail.

Cortes faces 30 years to life in state prison if convicted of murder. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

The psychological evaluation may take some time to schedule and complete. Nelson set Nov. 13 for the next status hearing in the matter.

Hernandez added that initial discovery has been handed over by the state, including the autopsy report.JERSEY CITY  Sentencing was pushed back Friday for a 21-year-old Jersey City man facing up to 10 years in prison for leaving the scene of a crash that claimed the lives of two teens on the city's Western Slope last year.

Rashaun Bell, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty to two counts of leaving the scene of the Oct. 18, 2017 crash in the area of Terrace Avenue and Leonard Street in which Elionel Jimenez, 15, and Alexander Rosas Flores, 16, suffered fatal injuries.

Bell is now scheduled to be sentenced on Oct.19 by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Patrick Arre in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.

The boys were riding a single bicycle down two steep sections of Leonard Street when they crossed Terrace Avenue onto the Secaucus Road ramp of Route 1&9 North and were struck by the car driven by Bell.

Jimenez was pronounced dead at the scene on the Secaucus Road ramp. Rosas Flores was thrown over the 8-foot divider and fell about 30 feet down to Route 1&9. He was pronounced dead the next day at the Jersey City Medical Center.

Bell's heavily damaged car was found empty a short distance from the collision.

At a previous hearing, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Lynne Seborowski said Bell's girlfriend, Denasia Felder, 20, was a passenger in the car and she worked to hide Bell's identity from investigators. A second woman in the car gave Bell up and he surrendered two days after the crash.

Felder pleaded guilty to two counts of hindering Bell's apprehension and has been sentenced to five years probation.

The reason for the adjournment of Bell's sentencing was not immediately available.A fire damaged a barn in Delaware Township on Saturday.

The fire was reported just after 5:45 p.m. at a property off Locktown Sergeantsville Road.

The fire was upgraded to a second alarm with the Tanker Task Force South assisting in bringing water to extinguish the blaze, according to those at the scene. Locktown Sergeantsville Road was closed between Pavillce and Reading roads. The fire was declared out at 7:40 p.m.

Responding were the Delaware Township Police, Sergeantsville Fire Company, Kingwood Fire Company, West Amwell Fire Company, Lambertville Fire Company, Raritan Township Fire Company, Amwell Valley Fire Company, Quakertown Fire Company, Milford Fire Company, Hunterdon County Fire and EMS Coordinators, Lambertville-New Hope Rescue Squad, Flemington-Raritan Rescue Squad, paramedics form Hunterdon Medical Center and the New Jersey State Fire Marshal's Office.Pioneering New Jersey chef David Drake was recently named executive chef at The Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren. Drake, who has been called "a kitchen superstar" by The New York Times, has received enthusiastic reviews by critics statewide. His career in New Jersey began at The Frog and The Peach. He also has worked at the Ryland Inn, Stage House and Restaurant David Drake. With this recent announcement, Drake signals his return to the fine-dining scene.

August in Provence, wrote author Peter Mayle, is a time to lie low, seek shade, move slowly. A lethal month to be toying with wine and food.

So too in New Jersey.

Months ago, in early spring, I had coffee in Millburn with Chef David Drake. He had several announcements, which he mentioned casually - his daughter's upcoming graduation from Emerson, his son's obsession with LeBron James, his new job as executive chef at Stone House.

In mid-August, I received an invitation from Jeanne and Frank Cretella to an insider event welcoming Chef Drake to the Landmark Hospitality family. The Cretellas have built an empire as memory-makers, hosting weddings, banquets and ornate Sweet 16 parties at properties throughout the state.

The Cretellas, in a testimonial to functional art, live in a Frank Lloyd Wright house on Staten Island. In 2011, they bought the Ryland Inn, a sorry relic overrun by weeds and spiders, and set about making it profitable. Along the way, they introduced a shift in the Landmark philosophy, hiring not anonymous banquet directors but instead prominent chefs, who today host pasta-making classes and intimate chef's tasting dinners.

The Stone House is in Warren, which is far away, or should be far away, because Warren surely is in the middle of nowhere. Yet all of us, even the guest from Jersey City, arrive sooner than we expect, as if Warren had been right there all along. Along Route 22, the sun is angry, pulsing, another traffic hazard. We emerge from our cars relieved, smack against a wall of heat.

Inside, the stone walls shush everyone, and the tasting room is pleasant and cool. To our right, we have a view of the kitchen, a hive of workers, deliberate, patient, in charge, nothing like the frenzy we know from television. To our left is a view of the patio, where a fire dances in a brightly colored pizza oven, fueled by an orderly pile of firewood, enough to last a Vermont winter. The patio is crowded, animated, as if it weren't 90 degrees, as if the night air were not thick as drink. From inside, it seems a movie.

Our dinner is introduced gently, an egg and an oyster, songs of birth. A slow-cooked yolk is wrapped in a fried zucchini flower. It sits alongside a lone Sloop Point, from Barnegat Bay, which is briny, balanced, meaty. Maddy Cretella, daughter of the owners and with hair the brash merlot color of Jersey defiance, approves. "That oyster is sick."

David Drake's tomato dome.

The first course, a tomato dome, is placed in unison at the table. Drake, the son and grandson of architects, created the tomato dome in 2002. The dome is a curiosity, stirring conversations. Why is it so charming? Is it the tomato slices themselves, so slender and uniform? The modest sheen of oil? The vinegary spark of macerated strawberries? The musk of bleu cheese? The seductive crunch of pecans? The perfect temperature? Each bite is somehow a surprise. The wine is equally complex and charming, from one of Germany's most historic estates, Schloss Johannisberg.

Mayle, author of "A Year in Provence" was skilled at celebrating the three-hour meals of France, where the talk centered on nothing but what was in the glass and on the plate. "The world and its problems can be dealt with later on, but for the moment, la bouffe takes priority and contentment hangs in the air."

At Landmark, Thomas McAteer, director of hospitality, has based his career on the scrutiny of a three-hour meal. At Drake's dinner, he makes an announcement. "This is the first I've had strawberries and tomatoes at the same time."

The chef rolls his eyes. "What?" He waves away the comment. "Of course. It's New Jersey. Only in Jersey."

McAteer, tall, crisp, worldly, wears a tailored jacket, the grey color of dissipating fog. He has worked decades with the masters, and he entertains the table with his imitation of Jean-Louis Palladin, a fearless chef known for working with two cigarettes in his mouth, a chef who punctuated his kitchen with shrieks of French profanity.

McAteer's voice carries, everyone is rapt. His accent and impeccable elocution prompt an inquiry: Where did you grow up? "I grew up in Edinburgh," he says, pausing with the skill of an actor. "Actually I grew up about three years ago." The guests, loosened by wine, swell with laughter. McAteer now lives in Princeton on a horse farm. "It's like living in the South of France."

The dinner continues with leisure. A seared Barnegat scallop, plump, sweet and quivery, is served with summer succotash, corn pudding and brown butter emulsion. A square of pork belly, cloudy and squishy and voluminous with fat, is livened by a spark of kimchee. This dish is smoky and sweet and sour and is paired, with unexpected whimsy, with a 2005 Bollinger Champagne Rose, also sweet and tart and voluminous. The pairing, by sommelier Jeff Straub, is flirtatious, brilliantly fun, a coup de maitre.

The Stone House foie gras.

The Hudson Valley foie gras is a triumph, seared crisp on one side, a miniature crisscross of score marks, a center of silk. It's served with a peanut crumble and a tomato jam, itself gloriously sweet and gloriously acidic, a reminder why the argument remains always relevant, whether the tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. Drake is mischievous as he announces the foie gras, selling it as peanut butter and jelly. The foie gras is nothing like peanut butter and jelly, and yet he has us, because it is.

Drake has been obsessed with foie gras since his 20s; a girlfriend's birthday gift was "The Escoffier Cookbook," with, as she noted in her inscription, enough foie gras recipes to keep him up nights. Yet Drake, a child with strict rules about this food, a child who wouldn't allow his cereal to touch his milk, still understands when a guest might need to be coaxed.

Indeed, one guest confesses that he's never had foie gras, that he is ethically opposed. With the plate in front of him, he continues his philosophic debate. "The duck is already dead. It would be a waste." He takes a forkful, tentatively, then with gusto, a wistful finish. I tell him this foie gras would forever be his best foie gras, as if his first car had been a Porsche.

When the lamb saddle is served, everyone stops talking. The lamb is from Niman Ranch, seared just enough beyond rare, resting gently on a swoosh of harissa puree. It is divine. When the cheese course arrives, the murmuring begins again, as if we had just learned of cheese. Coffee is robust.

The dinner is a departure from everything else going on in the state, yet it feels like home. It is elegant, not precious. It expresses, with subtlety and refinement, the education of a chef. Drake, I have learned, is always seeking.

Afterward, the compliments flow as easily as the wine. Drake smiles, and remains as matter-of-fact as he was at the coffeeshop in Millburn. "We try," he says. Then he tells us that the recession actually was a good thing, that losing his namesake restaurant actually was a good thing, that he had become complacent. In the years since, he's been searching for the right fit.

"I was needed here, and I needed to be here."

We linger. The restaurant itself has closed, everyone else gone. The staff leads us out, guiding the path with flashlights. Our cars are lined up, purring, ready, and the valet crew thankfully has set the air conditioning full blast.

The next morning, I oversleep. September weather has arrived. An overnight storm has cleansed the air. The temperature has dropped 20 degrees, and my limelight hydrangeas have begun their seasonal blush, a provocative evolution the color of a 2005 Bollinger Rose.

Teresa Politano is an author, adjunct professor and award-winning journalist. She is working on "Single-Handed," a book that reveals the story of David Drake, who lost a hand in a fireworks explosion at age 14 and went on to became a professional chef.Holmdel volunteer wins international award in dog photography competition



The Kennel Club in London recently announced the winners of its annual Dog Photographer of the Year competition with Sonya Kolb of Holmdel selected as the winner of the competition's "Rescue Dog" category.





The award comes with a PS500 prize for the charity of the winner's choice. Kolb has chosen to donate the money to the Monmouth County SPCA, where she has been taking photos for seven years.



The dog in Kolb's winning photograph is rescue dog Cooper, whose family adopted him after their first rescue dog tragically died before they had even brought him home.



"I am extremely grateful to have won the Rescue category in the Dog Photographer of the Year competition," said Kolb. "I can remember every second of this photo shoot as if it were yesterday. This image reveals what is so important in life - our emotional connections with others. Dogs fulfill our deepest emotional needs, giving us so freely an abundance of love, comfort and joy. I love creating images that spread happiness and connect us heart to heart, hand to paw, with our most positive emotions."



Monica van der Maden from the Netherlands was chosen overall winner of the competition with an image of Noa the Great Dane which placed first in the "Oldies" category. The other first place category winners were:



Elinor Roizman, Israel, "Dogs at Play";

Klaus Dyber, Germany, "Puppy";

Carol Durrant, the UK, "Portrait";

Tracy Kidd, the UK, "Dogs at Work";

Joana Matos, Portugal, "Man's Best Friend";

Dean Mortimer, the UK, "Assistance Dogs";

Tamara Kedves, Hungary, "I Love Dogs Because...";

Mariah Mobley (age 11), United States, "Young Pup Photographer"



All of the winning images plus the photos that placed second and third for each category will be on display at the Kennel Club in London from through Oct. 5. To view all the winning images, go to dogphotographeroftheyear.org.uk.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.Motorists in Brick would be able to eat a fried chicken, egg and cheese bagel sandwich and get gas at the same time, under a plan for a new Royal Farms convenience store and canopied gas station approved this week.

The Maryland-based convenience chain, which touts its "world famous fried chicken" along with the price of a gallon of gas, is expanding into New Jersey, with a total of six stores so far, including one approved Wednesday by the Brick Township Board of Adjustment, said Tara Paxton, the township's assistant planner.

Royal Farms, which has close to 200 stores mostly in Maryland and Delaware, was granted approval for a store and canopied gas pumps at the intersection of state Routes 70 and 88 and Olden Road, Paxton said.

Because the lot fronts on a state-controlled intersection, Paxton said the township approval was conditioned on a permit being granted by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, where an application by the company is pending.

If approved by the DOT, the Brick location would be what Royal Farms said was its first location on the Jersey shore, Paxton said. Company officials did not indicate when they hoped the new store would be completed.

The local lawyer representing Baltimore-based Royal Farms before the zoning board, John Jackson, and a corporate spokesman for the company, Ed Stronski, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.

Royal Fams opened its first New Jersey store last November in Magnolia. Other stores have opened in Bellmawr, Gloucester City and East Greenwich.

Construction of the Royal Farms in Brick would also mark the return of gasoline sales at the busy intersection, which was occupied for about a decade by an outdoor store known as the Jersey Paddler, which closed last year after having been a local source for rental canoes and scout uniforms.

Paxton said there were "many" convenience stores in Brick, a 32-square-mile township of about 75,000 residents in the northeaster corner of Ocean County. But Mayor John Ducey welcomed the arrival of Royal Farms as indication of the township's strong economy and a new place to eat, get gas, or both.

"I'm happy that a pretty well-known company has decided to open up in Brick," Ducey said. And while he's never tasted Royal Farms' chicken, he added, "I'm always looking forward to new restaurants."

Motorists in Brick could get one of these and gas at the latest Royal Farms location in New Jersey, pending state approval.

In approving the application, Paxton said the board granted a total of 13 bulk variances from physical requirements under the township code, for things like the type and maximum height of Royal Farms' signs and the dimensions of its lot.

For example, Royal Farms hoped to erect a pair of 29-foot-tall pylon, or pole, signs despite the township height limit of 15 feet. A compromise resulted in approval of signs 25 feet high on the lot's Route 70 side, and 20 feet by Route 88.

In return for the variances, Paxton said Royal Farms agreed to additional landscaping, curb cuts and other measures to enhance the look and drainage of the property, which will actually be leased to Royal Farms by the owners of the Jersey Paddler, who still operate their outdoor business on Facebook.

The approval also stipulates that the entrance from Olden Road be right-turn only, though motorists will be able to exit in both directions.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on FacebookOfficials on Monday identified the 44-year-old man who died swimming in rough seas at the Jersey Shore over the weekend.

As his wife and young son watched from the beach, emergency crews tried to rescue Amajeets Parmar from the ocean in Seaside Heights on Saturday night, but he could not be revived, authorities said.

The man's wife told investigators the New Brunswick family was visiting the boardwalk for a day trip when her husband said he wanted to go for a swim, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Sukhpreet Parmar reported that she opted to stay on the beach with her son, saying it was too cold for a swim. Instead, the mother and child went shopping nearby while Amajeets Parmar went into the water.

First responders rushed to a report that a man was struck by a wave and needed help off Fremont Avenue shortly after 7 p.m., according to Seaside Heights police. Three officers went into the water in an attempt to rescue Parmar, who was spotted about 30 yards from the beach.

Facing strong rip currents, the officers were soon joined by a water rescue team, police said.

A cause and manner of death was not yet available, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor's office. Parmar knew how to swim and had no reported medical conditions.

In an interview with the Asbury Park Press, Seaside Heights police Chief Thomas Boyd said a rough wave may have caused the fatal injury.

The Jersey Shore experienced powerful rip currents and rough surf over the weekend from Tropical Storm Florence. Authorities in Long Beach warned people to stay out of the ocean due to a "high risk of rip currents" in the area Saturday.

Lifeguards work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends through Sept. 30 in Seaside Heights.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Sen. Cory Booker's big moment in the national spotlight during the Kavanaugh hearings is still raising questions, as Republicans threaten to censure him for breaking Senate confidentiality rules, and he says, "Bring it on."

Chief among them: Was this a principled fight, or was he grandstanding?

Mostly, it was a principled fight -- although there may have been some showboating too. After all, he is a politician.

This fight centered on emails about racial profiling that were declared confidential by the Senate, in the political war over whether to confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.

In the past, there's been bipartisan agreement to designate certain documents confidential during judicial nominations, because they reveal personal information like Social Security numbers, or sensitive topics.

But here, the designation has been broadly and unilaterally applied to thousands of documents by Republicans on the judiciary committee, in partnership with the personal attorney of George W. Bush, Bill Burck.

He also happens to be a close friend and former deputy of Kavanaugh, the nominee.

Burck only took charge of this process because the National Archives, which typically does this vetting, needed until the end of October to review all the documents. Republicans want to confirm their nominee before the midterm elections.

This is what prompted Booker's indignation, echoed by his Democratic colleagues. These emails should never have been confidential in the first place. They date back to Kavanaugh's time in the George W. Bush administration and contained no national security secrets or sensitive information.

Which brings us to Booker's so-called "Spartacus" flap. It actually began the night of Wed., Sept. 5, when he broke Senate rules by quoting from a Kavanaugh email that was at the time designated confidential.

The email showed that in a discussion about racial profiling in airports after 9-11, Kavanaugh said that he opposed racial profiling in the long run, although he seemed open to it in the "interim."

Booker was chastised for his rule-breaking, but this didn't get a lot of public attention until the next day, Thursday, when he was admonished again by Republicans and even threatened with expulsion.

Here's where it gets muddy. When Sen. John Cornyn of Texas went on the attack, Booker defiantly vowed to release more confidential emails. What he didn't say is that some of the emails, including those on racial profiling, had already been cleared for release.

Booker's office was notified of that at 4 a.m. Thursday, so it's odd that he didn't concede that his demand had already been at least partially met. Was this conflict serving his political interests by making him the face of the opposition to Kavanaugh?

And why didn't Republicans acknowledge the release either? Were they grandstanding, too?

Booker's office says he didn't know about the 4 a.m. release, which, if true, is a mistake by his own staff.

There was likely some stagecraft on both sides. Cornyn accused Booker of puffing himself up for a future presidential run, and overreacted to this relatively minor rule breach ("Committee confidential" is one of the lowest possible forms of government classification.)

Booker made a show of his willingness to flout the rules. He has since been mocked for his remark that this is the closest he'll ever come to an "I am Spartacus" moment. It's not the first time he's laid on the rhetorical flourish.

But he had good reason to make a fuss about the unfair process on confidentiality. The real absurdity here is Republican secrecy. And Booker was right to rebel.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said the Senate Judiciary Committee should delay its planned vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, calling sexual assault allegations against him "serious, credible, and deeply troubling."

Former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman, a Republican, also called for a delay Monday morning.

Booker, a member of the panel, called for the delay after Christine Blasey Ford, a research professor now living in California, told the Washington Post that Kavanaugh assaulted her when both were high school students in Maryland. Booker already has announced he would vote against Kavanaugh.

"At a bare minimum, this week's scheduled committee vote on Judge Kavanaugh's lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court must be postponed until this matter is fully and thoroughly investigated," said Booker, D-N.J.

"It takes enormous courage to come forward publicly as Ms. Ford has," he said. "The Senate owes it to her and every survivor of sexual trauma to listen to her story and gather all of the facts before moving forward with this nomination."

Whitman, a Republican who served in the Bush administration and is a sharp critic of President Donald Trump, called for a delay in a tweet.

.@ChuckGrassely should delay vote on #KavanaughConfirmation until the committee has time to hear from both Kavanaugh and his accuser. The country deserves no less as does #SCOTUS.  Gov Christie Whitman (@GovCTW) September 17, 2018

Kavanaugh fought back Monday in a statement released by the White House.

"This is a completely false allegation," Kavanaugh said. "I have never done anything like what the accuser describes -- to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity," he said.

The allegations could derail Republican plans to have the Judiciary Committee approve Kavanaugh on Thursday, part of their effort to put him on the Supreme Court before the new term begins next month.

Republicans hold a one-vote edge on the panel, but one of their members, U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., told the Post that he was "not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further."

Ford's lawyer, Debra Katz, said she would be willing to testify before the Judiciary Committee. "She's willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth," Katz said Monday on NBC's "Today."

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Donald Trump, said Monday that the allegations "should not unduly delay the vote" on Kavanaugh's nomination.

At the same time, "this woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored," Conway said on the Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends."

The committee, breaking with precedent, has sought to confirm Kavanaugh without waiting for the National Archives to review documents related to his tenure in the White House under President George W. Bush.

To speed up the process, the committee has allowed Bush's lawyer, Bill Burck, to unilaterally decide which papers can be released. Burck also has represented Trump's administration figures.

Booker defied Burck and committee Republicans by posting documents initially placed off-limits, though his requests to make some of them available to the public were approved before he released them.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.Gov. Phil Murphy vowed on the campaign trail last year to eliminate the controversial PARCC exam as soon as he took office.

That didn't happen. And now his administration's plan to at least begin phasing the test out has some state lawmakers saying:"Not so fast."

Last week, the state Board of Education delayed a vote on Murphy's plans to eliminate four of the six exams and loosen graduation requirements. Board members cited concern over a lack of research and data on the issue.

Then, lawmakers held a joint legislative hearing Monday on the proposal, with a handful voicing concern about what the changes to the test -- officially known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exam -- mean for students in the state's public schools.

"My concern is that rolling back the PARCC test basically to the federal minimum standards is not going to continue to move New Jersey and New Jersey students in the right direction," said state Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt, D-Camden, chairwoman of the Assembly's education committee.

Listen to NJ.com on Alexa or via a daily podcast

State Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, noted that while the state school board has the ultimate say and lawmakers can't unilaterally stop the changes, the goal is to "draw greater attention to what's happening."

"This can't be done in a vacuum," Ruiz, D-Essex, chairwoman of the Senate's education committee, told NJ Advance Media after the hearing. "It's got to be done super-responsibly and thoughtfully."

Ruiz said during the hearing she wants "empirical data" showing the tests should end.

"If we move entirely away from (assessments) in the high school years, what kind of data will we be getting to our families, and to our teachers and to our principals, to make sure there is a remediation plan that protects that child?" she asked Murphy's state education commissioner, Lamont Repollet, who testified at the hearing.

Repollet said schools can use regular tests, grades, and performance reports to gauge students' progress.

He also stressed to lawmakers Monday that he and his staff visited all 21 counties in recent months to hear from residents and others about the proposal.

And he insisted the changes are needed to help lessen the burden caused by the tests on students.

"We feel they've been tested enough," Repollet said. "It gets to a point: When are we going to start preparing them for life after high school?"

"We're not changing graduation," he said at another point. "We're not changing high-stakes standards we have. All we're asking is to reduce the number of assessments, and that's what we hear from the field."

Some political insiders privately wondered whether this was the latest episode in ongoing disagreements between Murphy and the state's top legislator, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a fellow Democrat.

After all, the state's largest teachers union, the New Jersey Education Association, backs Murphy's changes. Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and the NJEA have long feuded, with the union spending millions of dollars last year in an unsuccessful bid to oust the Senate president.

NJEA president Marie Blistan stood by Murphy's plan Monday.

"PARCC is so disconnected from the realities of the classroom and the multitude of factors that contribute to student growth, that it simply cannot gauge any progress made within a single classroom across a given academic school year," Blistan said in a statement.

Sweeney denied that politics are involved.

"It's not politics at all," he told NJ Advance Media. "Sen. Ruiz and I both strongly believe in proper testing for our young people to make sure they're learning. It's not about a test -- it's about learning."

"The administration making the changes they made to make PARCC almost toothless in the process was insulting," Sweeney added.

The administration of Murphy's Republican predecessor, Chris Christie, implemented PARCC in 2015.

Ever since, it's been slammed by many parents and educators as being too confusing and taking too much time.

In proposing the changes this summer, Murphy's administration said a replacement could be in place by the 2020-2021 school year.

The recent hubbub over the plan could all be for naught. The state school board could vote on whether to implement Murphy's changes as soon as Oct. 3.

Alyana Alfaro, a Murphy spokeswoman, said last week that the governor "believes that New Jersey's students and educators will benefit from transitioning away from high-stakes testing that values teaching to the test over comprehensive learning."

"Governor Murphy hopes that the State School Board will carefully review the administration's recommendations and act to move New Jersey's schools forward," Alfaro added.

But Ruiz said she will take what was said at Monday's hearing and do a "deep dive" on the issue. Hopefully, she said, the board will hold off on voting to allow for even "further discussion" on the matter.

"Further discussion to me to come up with a final plan doesn't happen in the next few weeks," she said.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Adam Clark contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday he has reached a deal with New Jersey public worker unions over changes to their health care that he says will save taxpayers $500 million over the next two years.

The agreement marks progress in efforts to reduce the cost of health care for some 600,000 employees of the state, local governments and school districts across the New Jersey. And it's another show by Murphy, a Democrat, that he wants to work with the public-sector unions that clashed with his predecessor, Republican Chris Christie.

"I thank New Jersey's educators and public employees for coming to the table in good faith to negotiate ways to provide high-quality health care at the lowest possible cost," Murphy said in a statement.

"As I've said from day one, I believe in the power of collective bargaining and negotiating in good faith with our workforce," the rookie governor continued. "Today's agreement is a testament that this approach works -- for the State of New Jersey, for workers, and for our taxpayers."

Christie had enacted big changes to employee pension and health care benefits early in his tenure and pushed for additional reforms throughout his two terms.

One proposed change, moving retired school employees to Medicare Advantage, rankled the state's largest public union, the New Jersey Education Association.

Murphy found success here where Christie couldn't.

The NJEA has, as part of the plan alterations announced Monday, agreed to that change.

The committee overseeing school employees' health care benefits voted to move retirees from traditional Medicare supplements to Medicare advantage, which the administration says will save $162 million next year and $110 million in 2020.

Christie's administration and the NJEA had battled over this proposal. NJEA representatives to the health care committee accused Christie of refusing to fill a vacant seat on the committee and taking advantage of that imbalance to push through Medicare Advantage.

The NJEA representatives refused to attend meetings and create a quorum, so the committee could not vote, and the governor took the NJEA to court to force their attendance. The two sides eventually agreed to an information-only meeting on Medicare Advantage.

The committee also voted Monday to offer a new health care plan with no copays for in-network primary care physicians and specialists with mandatory generics.

NJEA President Marie Blistan said in a statement these changes are "a great example of the win-win outcomes we can achieve when labor is viewed as a partner in progress and not an opponent."

"Providing affordable, high-quality healthcare for working people is one of the greatest challenges facing our state, and one of the most important things we must achieve," she continued.

The administration said it expects premiums for employees enrolled in this plan to be 14 percent lower.

All told, the agreement by the school employees and a similar committee overseeing health benefits for state workers should save taxpayers $274 million in 2019 and $222 million in 2020, according to the administration.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who has called for an overhaul of employee pension and health care benefits, said the changes agreed to by Murphy and the NJEA are a "small step."

And Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. likewise characterized the announced savings as "modest."

"I'm really glad to see they've done a few things they should have done two years ago," Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said. "But I congratulate the governor for finally getting them to come to the table and take this small step."

Pension and health care are among the state's fastest growing expenses, and Sweeney said, "There's a lot more than can be done."

His proposals include shifting school, state and local government employees to less expensive health care plans -- from those deemed platinum under the Affordable Care Act to those considered gold -- and requiring workers to paying a share of their premium in retirement.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus.New Jersey could soon add boardwalks -- and other outdoor public places -- to the list of places where you can't legally light up.

Only months after Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law banning smoking at the state's public beaches, a pair of state lawmakers want to extend the ban even further.

That would include prohibiting lighting up at boardwalks, amusement parks, cemeteries, racetracks, sporting facilities, recreational areas, marinas, historic sites, and natural areas.

Listen to NJ.com on Alexa or via a daily podcast

State Sen. Shirley Turner, D-Mercer, and state Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, D-Burlington, are pushing companion bills (S2908/A4423) in the New Jersey Legislature.

Turner told radio station New Jersey 101.5-FM that she got the idea after visiting Seaside Heights this summer.

"There were people smoking on the boardwalks down there, and I thought that was rather offensive because I was there with my family, my children and grandchildren," Turner told the station.

"People should be protected no matter where they are, indoors or outdoors, enjoying the recreational facilities of our state," she added.

New Jersey banned smoking in restaurants and bars in 2006. In July, Murphy signed legislation extending the law to include public beaches and state parks -- though 15 percent of a local beach can still have designated smoking areas.

Under that law -- which takes effect in January -- violators will be fined $250 for a first office, $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 for each offense after that.

For the new bill to become law, both houses of the Democrat-controlled Legislature -- the Senate and Assembly -- would have to pass it and Murphy, a Democrat, would have to sign it.

Many boardwalks, sporting facilities, and other venues already ban smoking. But this measure would make it a statewide prohibition.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.Authorities this weekend arrested a man in connection to a stabbing that occurred at Big Daddy's Bar in the Marigny Saturday morning, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

A preliminary police report Monday morning (Sept. 17) stated officers responded to the stabbing at 6:34 a.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of Royal Street (map). The report stated Jovon Bell, 38, was in a verbal altercation with a 25-year-old man.

Police said the dispute became physical as Bell stabbed the younger man "multiple times with a knife." Officers eventually arrived at the scene to apprehend Bell, the police said. Authorities also said the younger man was transported to a hospital via emergency first responders.

Court records said that the verbal argument was "regarding women."

NOPD Officer Jarred Turner wrote that surveillance video showed the younger man push Bell "across the room" and on top of a table, and the younger man was "on top of Mr. Bell who was laying across the table." Bell then pulled a knife from his waistband and stabbed the man multiple times in the arm, back and upper shoulder, court records said. A witness gave a similar description of events, Turner wrote.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

A witness at the scene told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Sunday that she tried to jump in the middle of the fight to break it up, though she didn't realize Bell was armed.

The witness said the man later identified as Bell ran away after he and the younger man stopped fighting. However, she said Bell eventually returned to the scene "with his hands in the air admitting his guilt."

Bell was booked into jail in Orleans Parish on one count of aggravated second degree battery at 4:35 p.m. Saturday, according to arrest records. He is currently behind bars on a $10,000 bond.

UPDATE: This story was updated Monday evening with further details from court records.State regulators on Monday (Sept. 17) got rid of a rule that limited the number of patients Louisiana doctors can recommend medical marijuana to.

The Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners met Monday to consider changing several rules that currently place restrictions on patient access to medical marijuana. That included a patient limit rule that prevented Louisiana doctors licensed under the state's medical marijuana program from recommending the drug to more than 100 people at a time.

In addition to lifting the patient cap, the board agreed to remove a restriction that would have required patients to see their doctor every 90 days in order to renew their order for medical cannabis.

Dr. Victor Chou, one of the first doctors in Louisiana to receive a license to recommend medical marijuana, told the board he met the patient cap just two weeks after opening his clinic in Baton Rouge.

"I have a waiting list of 700 patients," he said.

Patient advocates in favor of Louisiana's medical marijuana program were concerned the current rules place overly severe limitations on patients who simply want access to all treatment options.

Jacob Irving, a patient advocate who has severe muscle spasticity from cerebral palsy, told the board that he "had been down the traditional medical route." He acknowledged some, including a few members of the state board, have expressed concern over the lack of research on how medical marijuana can be used to treat different medical conditions.

"I understand there is not a lot of data, but I am trying to exercise my statutorily granted rights," Irving said. "These are limitations that are being placed between myself and my physician. Having to go in every 90 days, as a young professional, is inconvenient for me."

Dr. Vincent Culotta, the executive director of the LSBME, said there are currently 47 physicians in the state who have been licensed to recommend medical marijuana. By law, doctors are technically not allowed to "prescribe" marijuana, because it remains a controlled Schedule I substance and is not considered a medicine under federal law.

Debate over the limitations of the state medical marijuana law came to a head this spring when the list of debilitating medical conditions that qualify for medical marijuana was expanded to 16 total. Despite the expansion, only about 4,700 people in Louisiana would have been able to access medical marijuana under the old law, which both limited the number doctors who could recommend medical marijuana as well as the number of patients each of those doctors could treat.

A 2016 study by the Marijuana Policy Group noted the treatment of just chronic pain, one of the conditions added to the list, could increase the patient base in Louisiana by 37,343 to about 105,000 total.

The previous 100-patient limit was based on guidelines for doctors who work with patients on Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction.

"These rules were tightly constructed in this area," LSBME board member Dr. Philip Bergeron said, before suggesting the board should look at either lifting the cap to 300 to 500 patients or removing it entirely.

Dr. Roderick Clark, vice-president of the LSBME, said the Suboxone rule didn't corollate with medical marijuana.

"If we are going to treat this as a drug or medication, then the physician should be responsible to treat that patient responsibly within his scope of practice," Clark said.

The board was also asked to lift a rule that requires families of pediatric patients seeking medical marijuana to treat extreme physical symptoms resulting from an autism spectrum disorder to see a pediatric subspecialist.

Parents and guardians of children who live with high-functioning autism fought hard to have autism spectrum disorders, or ASD, included among the 16 debilitating medical conditions that now qualify for medical cannabis. Children with high-functioning autism can experience adverse behavioral issues, including self-harming behavior. While ASD was added to list, the new law included an amendment with the pediatric subspecialist requirement.

Darilyn Schieffler, 68, was one of the first people to arrive at the meeting on Monday. Schieffler, a grandmother of three children with autism, said that she had reached out to 10 to 15 doctors licensed to recommend medical marijuana in Louisiana. None were accepting pediatric patients.

"There is new research that these kids can be helped with medical marijuana," Schieffler told the board. "These kids need help. There are a lot of them out there who are not being controlled with the medications."

Parents made a request to the board that they look into the issue for their next meeting in October.

--

Maria Clark writes about immigration, health, doctors, patients and health care in Louisiana for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com . Or follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1 .

Viewed of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.New trade talks between the two governments are tentatively scheduled between Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, and Liu He, a Chinese vice premier, later this month in Washington. Stephen A. Schwarzman, Blackstones chief, has been playing a critical role in organizing them, say people familiar with the talks, who asked for anonymity because the process is sensitive.

But the Chinese have indicated that they will pull out of the talks if Mr. Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on another $200 billion in Chinese goods, according to a person familiar with the matter. Mr. Trump has told advisers that he wants to move ahead with the new round of tariffs and an announcement could come as early as this week, another person familiar with the discussions said.

That continues a frustrating trend for Americas financial titans: Even as they win tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks from the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress, they appear to be able to do little to stop the trade war.

Whats really surprising is that the connections that used to work, the formula that used to work, just dont work at this point, said Marshall W. Meyer, an emeritus professor of management at the Wharton School of Business.

Wall Street has long gambled that helping China would pay off. China has been slow to open its vast but tightly controlled financial markets, and Wall Street banks hope to get more business advising Chinese companies on acquisitions in the United States, lending money and selling financial services. Pressure from the Trump administration is now bearing fruit as China has begun to open its financial markets to foreign banks.She passed a polygraph test administered by a former F.B.I. agent, and her therapist provided The Washington Post with notes reflecting that Ms. Ford described the alleged incident in 2012. But her case is far from ironclad.

For example, she cant remember or remains uncertain about many key details (including the year of the alleged incident); she told nobody contemporaneously (unlike many other alleged victims of sexual assault); and both Mr. Kavanaugh and his friend deny it. There is, as far as we know, no physical evidence. Its a true she said, he said  or, rather, they said, since two people deny this incident ever happened.

But Ms. Ford should at least be heard, and not just because the #MeToo movement has made the importance of hearing out victims of alleged sexual misconduct even more obvious than it already was. The alleged perpetrator and witness should be heard from as well, and everyone involved should be placed under oath and subjected to aggressive questioning. (At least three Republican senators  Jeff Flake of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bob Corker of Tennessee  have expressed interest in hearing more about Ms. Ford's account, but there's no consensus yet on the preferred process.)Finally, there is policy. Democrats have indeed moved somewhat to the left over the last few decades, on both social and economic issues. As Lawrence Summers, the former Treasury secretary (and no lefty revolutionary), likes to say, the last 15 years should have nudged open-minded people to the political left: The free market isnt delivering healthy increases in living standards for most Americans. In response, Democrats are focusing less on Bill Clintons old themes, like personal and fiscal responsibility, and more on using the government to help people.

But think about what a truly left-wing agenda would look like: Top tax rates of 70 percent (which we had as recently as 1980) or higher. A generous universal basic income. The elimination of employer-provided health insurance, with a system more like Britains. These ideas remain limited to the margins. None is likely to happen even if Democrats sweep the elections of 2020.

Im not suggesting that the party has completely avoided Trump overreaction. In our polarized era, Democrats do sometimes confuse its progressive base with the country as a whole. They are to the left of the American public on immigration policy, for instance.

For the most part, though, the Democratic agenda remains decidedly center-left: Raise taxes on the rich, and use the money to help the middle class and poor. Protect civil rights. Expand educational access. Regulate Wall Street, and fight climate change. Expand health insurance using the current system. And compromise with Republicans when necessary.

The radical agenda is the Republican agenda: Make climate change worse, unlike almost every other conservative party in the world. Aggravate inequality. Sabotage health-insurance markets. Run up the deficit. Steal a Supreme Court seat. Keep dark-skinned citizens from voting. Protect Trumps lawlessness.

If you consider yourself a moderate  whether you lean slightly right or slightly left  your choice in this years midterms is clear.

And if you consider yourself a leftist, I understand you are probably frustrated that the Democrats wont go further. But look at the big picture. The Democratic Party may not have moved nearly as much as you would like, but the party has moved. It has adjusted its agenda in response to soaring inequality and stagnant living standards.

The one mistake no voter should make is pretending that the two parties are just different versions of the same thing.

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTopinion), join the Facebook political discussion group, Voting While Female, and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter.To the Editor:

Re The Catholic Church Is Sick With Sex (column, Sept. 3):

Timothy Egans call to meaningfully address both the plot to undo the progressive Pope Francis and, most important, to upend the churchs endless, writhing battle with sex is long overdue. Alas, the column will probably never be read by the pope, the Curia or anyone who can actually cause change in the church.

The distinction between this ecclesiastical crisis and all those that have preceded it is that the activities covered up and ignored by the church hierarchy are criminal assaults on defenseless children and seminarians that have real effects, not just on the body of the church, but on civil society as a whole.

These crimes are so pervasive and systemic that they must be eliminated, root and branch, from our body politic. It is painful to witness what the faithful go through to beg the church hierarchy to do something meaningful that addresses these crimes while not daring to touch the third rails of priestly celibacy and an all-male priesthood.

Mr. Egan finally lays it on the line. All Americans, Catholic and non-Catholic, are duty bound to demand that a hidebound Catholic hierarchy listen and take action.This constant state of chaos and anxiety has been exhausting and nearly unbearable, but it is all coming to a head in November when the defiant, the resisters, the never-Trumpers, will get to have their voices heard in a way that reaches beyond protests and rallies.

It will be the rest of Americas first chance at the polls to show just how unacceptable and repulsive we view Trump and his Republican enablers in Congress. It will be the first time for people to shift power away from him and his cronies and toward people willing to hold him accountable.

And it looks like people are champing at the bit for the chance. There has been extraordinarily high voter turnout in primary races across the country, including in New York, Michigan, Arizona, Vermont and Iowa.

Last month, the Minnesota secretary of state, Steve Simon, tweeted after that states primary:

Minnesota, you crushed it last night! With 100% Reporting: 902,119 people voted in the primary; the highest number of primary voters since 1982. Overall turnout was approximately 22.7%; the highest turnout percentage in a primary since 1994. Amazing!

Most of that energy is coming from people opposed to Trump and his corrupt administration, thereby benefiting Democrats.

Trumps already low approval rating has taken a hit in recent weeks with Muellers investigation making steady progress: the guilty plea and now apparent cooperation of Michael Cohen, Trumps longtime lawyer; the plea and cooperation of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort; the explosive new book by Bob Woodward and the damning anonymous op-ed written by an administration official and published in The New York Times.

This is the worst possible scenario for the president and his party less than two months from Election Day.Thats a useful tension to the extent that it makes an audience question its own place in history. If we are not part of a resistance to whatever injustices our era dreams up, will future journalists be able to say we too were lap dogs and apologists?

But the universality and airiness of that argument means that there is little dramatic shape to The Emperor. Stating and restating the same proposition for 70 minutes, albeit in different voices, it comes off as a well-meaning stunt.

Mr. Teevan tries to address this problem by altering stories left dangling in the original to give them the appearance of emotional resolution. Urinating Lulu, for instance, abandoned by Kapuscinski on page 5, reappears at the end of the play for a final moment of pathos. The tale of the minister of informations son, a student drawn into the revolution by the painful inconvenience and troubling deformity of thinking, is likewise brought to a conclusion not mentioned in the book, let alone in history.

That son is played by Temesgen Zeleke, a native of Addis Ababa. In his brief scenes of conflict with Ms. Hunter as his father, we finally get a three-dimensional feeling of conflict instead of a cartoon diagram. The play could use more dramatization like that  and less of the mod internationalism and bizarre audience participation with which the director, Walter Meierjohann, has attempted to vary the tone.

In any case, Im not sure that having Mr. Zeleke spend most of the play sitting at the back of the stage, providing the keening voice of the people in Amharic and playing an Ethiopian lyre, is a wise way to deploy a black actor in a story about Africans.

Ms. Hunter, born to Greek parents in New York, was raised in England. Contrary to social media rumors, she has never worn makeup to darken her skin in The Emperor. (The play, a coproduction with three European theaters, had its debut in 2016.) She doesnt need to; her acting is more than sufficient to handle the job of embodying Ethiopian men.

Whether she ought to be doing it is a separate question. As good as she is, I can think of lots of black actors  Nilaja Sun, Sarah Jones and Anna Deavere Smith come immediately to mind  who are at least as nimble.

Still, I dont think anyone could have gotten more out of The Emperor than Ms. Hunter does. That the story is meant to be universal provides the perfect excuse for a performer of any race to take on the challenge. Unfortunately, at least as staged so coolly here, it also makes the challenge less worth it.CHICAGO  When Elon Musk agreed this summer to build a futuristic tunnel to Chicagos busiest airport on his own dime, many Chicagoans voiced doubt.

The idea sounded fanciful: Electric pods hurtling under the city at 150 miles per hour. And experts questioned whether Musks company could dig a 17-mile tunnel in a few years.

Then Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the tunnels main supporter, stunned Chicago this month by announcing that he would not run for a third term, casting more doubt over the projects future. A few days later, Mr. Musk, the chief executive of the electric-car maker Tesla, came under scrutiny for apparently smoking marijuana during an interview. The episode followed a summer of turmoil that led to the resignation of the companys chief accounting officer and raised questions over Mr. Musks emotional state.

Mr. Emanuel and Mr. Musk insist the project is moving forward and technically feasible, but some transportation experts say it is unlikely to happen, and if it does, will take longer than promised. Even if Mr. Musks engineers can dig a tunnel faster than other companies, his pod system, which the entire project is based on, is still a work in progress.The backlash over the ad was immediate To rebuild trust, corporations in trouble follow a familiar script. I am deeply sorry. This was a major breach of trust. One written nearly 40 years ago, when a deadly crisis gripped America. The first to buy was the first to die. Tylenol changed the crisis landscape. But have all the lessons been learned? Anger is boiling over on social media with the hashtag #boycott. I was 8 years old and my mom had just gotten back from the maternity ward, went to the grocery store and bought Tylenol from the grocery store, that was doctors orders. And the next thing I knew I just saw my mom go out on a stretcher from my upstairs window and that was the last that I saw her. Mary Reiners Tylenol had been inexplicably spiked with poison. Three people are dead and another is in critical condition tonight. One of the victims took the pills he bought to his home. His brother and sister-in-law were so upset by his death that they went back to the house and took some Tylenol from the same bottle. As the death toll hit seven, the terrifying randomness of the poisonings shocked the nation. That bizarre mystery of Tylenol laced with cyanide still has not been solved tonight. Investigators say they are searching for, quote, a madman. People were terrorized. They didnt know what product they had in their home that could possibly be lethal if they ingested it. Scared, really, that something, somebody could have tampered with some of the other products. Cyanide-contaminated Tylenol... We had police riding around with their bullhorns yelling, Throw out your Tylenol. Flush it down the toilet. Do not take any Tylenol until further notice. People were checking themselves into the E.R. thinking theyd been poisoned. I was just nervous for the baby. It was absolute chaos. Flush it all down the commode, O.K.? There is no single person or even a group of single persons that stand out above the rest at this point in time. We had no clues as to the motivation, except the taking of human life. It made no sense, there was no clear and intended victim, but just anyone  anyone who happened to have the misfortune to buy a bottle of Tylenol. Police are looking for disgruntled employees, angry customers, anybody with a grudge against the stores or Tylenol. Police are even checking stock transactions to see whether someone was trying to push down the value of Johnson & Johnson stock. This was not a cockroach-in-a-box kind of an issue. People had lost their lives. That really created that vulnerability, that sense of risk, that sense of threat that I think really scared a lot of people, and justifiably. Alan Hilburg worked for Johnson & Johnsons outside public relations firm, one that was increasingly focused on a new type of business: crisis management. I remember asking lots of questions. The conversation was, Well, we need to recall. O.K. Do we recall from the store? Do we recall from the city? Do we recall from the region? All the bottles of Extra Strength capsules were removed Friday as part of the nationwide recall. Now, not only is Extra Strength Tylenol off the shelves, Tylenol commercials are off the air. The race is on for Tylenols competitors. They didnt worry about the money. They didnt worry about the impact on the company. They stopped shipment, ordered all their distribution chains to pull it back in so that we could figure out what was going on. And that sticks out in my mind. It was not a negotiation or discussion. In fact, they stepped forward and volunteered it. Some analysts predict the Tylenol brand name will disappear within a year. We concluded we were never going to be judged by what caused the problem. We were always going to be judged on how we responded to it. Meanwhile, the criminal investigation seemed stuck in first gear. The 130-man, multimillion-dollar investigation, according to sources, hasnt lifted a promising fingerprint. We did receive hundreds, indeed, thousands of tips. And would investigate and run down every single one of those tips. A stolen car with Tylenol in it. The body of a man found with Tylenol in a coat pocket. The reports of a Tylenol shoplifter. We got there, we said, Now, where did you get this information? and she says, I have a magic pen and it made me write these things out and I told you about it. Hundreds of leads to the cyanide killer but most of them bum and bizarre. Then, there was a new development: an extortion letter threatening to do it again. Authorities today stepped up their search for the man accused of demanding a million dollars from the makers of Tylenol to prevent further murders. The extortion letter when received was an obvious point of interest to the law enforcement authorities. James Lewis is said to have made that demand... He maintained as many as 20 aliases and described himself variously as a salesman, computer specialist, importer and freelance writer. We were trying to determine whether or not the person that sent the letter was indeed the one that had put the cyanide in all the capsules, or whether it was just some lookalike or screwball taking advantage. Common sense would tell you this is an important thing that we are looking at. As the police searched for Lewis, Johnson & Johnson grappled with a $100 million recall and the future of one of its most lucrative brands. The question became, How do we regain trust? It wasnt in the efficacy of the medicine. Tylenol works. Trust was lost in the packaging, because the packaging had enabled the poison, the cyanide, to be entered into the medicine. Six weeks to the day since the Tylenol murder story broke, Johnson & Johnson held a news conference in New York to reintroduce Tylenol. Tylenol capsules... It had the cotton ball, it had aluminum over the top, it had a child-proof cap, it had plastic over the child-proof cap. Those levels of safety became the levels of trust. I think theyre going the extra mile to make it sure that its consumer safe. Tylenol, the so-called eighth victim, of this tragedy is continuing to recover. A business turnaround one analyst calls the greatest comeback since Lazarus. Packaging now had become a competitive advantage. Everything from food products to pharmaceuticals were favorably affected. If I take the cap off the milk carton  you have to stick your finger in there, and grab the ring, and pull the ring out, along with the seal  I think of Tylenol still to this day. Today, although crisis management has become a multibillion-dollar industry, Hilburg says many companies seem to miss an important lesson: come clean with the public right away. Were seeing too many examples of companies, whether its Volkswagen or Wells Fargo or Equifax, where situations actually exacerbate simply because they forgot the lesson that youre going to not be judged by what caused the crisis but by how you respond. J & J has... Johnson & Johnson has also stumbled since the Tylenol case. In 2010, it faced a public backlash after a series of drug recalls, including one the company conducted without letting regulators or consumers know. Mr. Chairman, I know that we let the public down. The single most important metric of a companys value is trust. And thats what crises threaten. They threaten trust. Faced with worldwide outrage over these images showing a passenger forcibly removed from a plane, United Airlines C.E.O. issued his third apology on Tuesday. You said you were sorry. Where are you going from here? Thats how Im going to judge whether I trust you or not. Almost 40 years after the Tylenol murders, the case remains unsolved. While Lewis served 12 years in prison for the attempted extortion of Johnson & Johnson, he has long denied any involvement in the tampering and no one has ever been charged with the deadly crime. Lewis made himself a suspect because he tried to shake down money with the implication being that he had done it and would do it again. But we had several other suspects, none of which would answer the question of why, and there was no direct link as to the indiscriminate taking of life. The investigation continues... There was no evidence to pin it on anybody at that time, and there still hasnt been any evidence to pin it on anyone. So, thats where this all stands. Its the perfect crime.Even one of Mr. Trumps frequent defenders, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, indicated on Sunday he was worried that the president might have been manipulated.

Are they playing us? I dont know, Mr. Graham said on CBSs Face the Nation. If theyre playing Trump, were going to be in a world of hurt, because hes going to have no options left. This is the last, best chance for peace right here.

The White House argues that significant progress has been made. Mr. Trumps press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, has cited the fact that Mr. Kims last missile and nuclear tests were 10 months ago, and insisted that is a sign of Mr. Kims willingness to deal.

It certainly is a constraint on his program: As long as the North conducts no tests, it cannot demonstrate that it has designed a warhead that can survive the huge stresses it would undergo in flight. That leaves ambiguity about whether it can actually strike American cities.

Still, nuclear production continues unabated, satellite photographs and other evidence suggest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not persuaded the North Koreans to turn over an inventory of their major nuclear facilities and materials, much less declare how many weapons they possess. While Mr. Kim has blown up entrances to a nuclear test site and appeared to start dismantling a test stand for missile engines, he has not allowed in any inspectors to determine whether the actions were simply for show.

Mr. Kim has said a peace declaration that formally ends the Korean War must be a first step, and Mr. Moon has privately urged the United States to provide that assurance. The North Korean leader believes that Mr. Trump committed to such a declaration on the way to a more formal peace treaty. But both Mr. Pompeo and John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, have said progress toward denuclearization must come first.

Mr. Kims strategy now appears to be simple: Mimic Pakistan, which conducted a major nuclear test in 1998 and deflected demands for years that it give up its weapons. Pakistan has largely succeeded. It has a substantial arsenal, and when Mr. Pompeo visited Islamabad recently, there was little public discussion of Pakistans nuclear arsenal.Harold Holzer has devoted much of his life to a guy who died more than 80 years before he was born. More specifically, he has spent much of his time fixating on this mans face  his face in paintings, in photographs, sculpted out of plaster.

Granted, Abraham Lincoln isnt just any guy. But Mr. Holzer, a historian and former Democratic operative in New York, found Lincoln fascinating enough to write or edit 52 books about him, with two more in the works.

In his office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Mr. Holzer, 69, boasts 10 feet of shelving that exclusively holds Lincoln books bearing his name. Thats a few feet longer than the 16th president himself if he were lying down  with the top hat on.

And Mr. Holzer didnt take a break from his Lincoln obsession on weekends. Often, he would drive with his wife to small towns in Pennsylvania or Massachusetts, where they would wake up early to rummage through flea markets, looking for Lincoln memorabilia that people didnt realize was valuable.PHILADELPHIA  Bill Cosbys wife on Monday stepped up her campaign against the judge who presided over her husbands criminal trial, asking a state board to investigate the judge because he failed to disclose a feud with a former district attorney who was a key witness in the case.

Camille O. Cosby said Pennsylvanias Judicial Conduct Board should investigate Judge Steven T. ONeill because his ruling, she contends, reflected his long-running conflict with the former district attorney, Bruce Castor.

Judge ONeill allowed Mr. Cosbys trial to proceed after ruling that prosecutors were not bound by a decision made years earlier by Mr. Castor, who had said the case lacked evidence. He had testified at a 2016 pretrial hearing about his pledge not to prosecute Mr. Cosby, but Judge ONeill found it was not binding on the current Montgomery County district attorney, Kevin R. Steele.

The request to the board came only a week before Mr. Cosby is to be sentenced by Judge ONeill for his conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He was convicted in April of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former staff member at Temple University, his alma mater.Watch the Primetime Emmys on NBC, and stay up for IFCs counterprogram, An Emmy for Megan.

Whats on TV

THE 70TH PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS 8 p.m. on NBC. The Saturday Night Live Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che host this years ceremony. Theres plenty to look out for: Will Game of Thrones, which leads with 22 nominations, beat The Handmaids Tale for best drama? With Julia Louis-Dreyfus out of the running, who will take home the best-actress comedy award? And will Sean Spicer make another surprise appearance? If you have yet to catch up on the races, read our roundup on the most anticipated outcomes.

SACRED SITES 8 p.m. on Smithsonian. This second season finale explores how, in the aftermath of Germanys defeat in World War I, the Nazi party spread myths to prove that Aryans  their term for white Christian Europeans  descended from the mythological land of Atlantis. Led by Heinrich Himmler, one of the chief orchestrators of the Holocaust, a team of archaeologists set out to investigate ancient sites and dubiously claim their link to the so-called Aryans.

ELEMENTARY 10 p.m. on CBS. A murder investigation puts the yin-and-yang partnership between Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) and Joan (Lucy Liu) to the test in this sixth season finale.Her transformation is just the latest in a trilogy overflowing with them. As an artist, Feiffer himself cant be pinned down, like the dancers he loved to draw in his Pulitzer Prize-winning strip for The Village Voice. At 89, hes been famous since approximately forever. While still a teenager, he apprenticed for a fellow Jew from the Bronx, the pioneering cartoonist Will Eisner, and was soon writing the breakneck adventures of Eisners masked crime-stopper known as the Spirit. After a stint in the Army, he mordantly dissected the anxieties of the liberal mind for The Voice, in a run that outlasted the Cold War. And even if youve never consciously read him before, youve been Feiffered if you ever devoured Norton Justers The Phantom Tollbooth as a kid, or watched Jack Nicholson fall apart in the acid bath of Carnal Knowledge. Feiffer illustrated the former, and wrote the latters screenplay. (It was composed at Yaddo, he tells us in his 2010 memoir, at the same time Philip Roth was writing Portnoys Complaint there.)

Kill My Mother (2014), Feiffers first long-form graphic novel, swung for the fences. It tracked the fates of two families, entwined by chance: the three tall women comprising the Hughes sisters, and the widowed Elsie Hannigan and her spitfire daughter, Annie. Using a moody, silver-screen palette and characters who sometimes appeared sculpted from wire, the story nodded to the hard-boiled tradition, but the books gonzo climax is more farce than noir: a set piece involving a U.S.O. show run amok, with a gender-bending twist so good it fooled me twice. The crisper prequel, Cousin Joseph (2016), revealed the double life of the upstanding cop Sam Hannigan, Annies absent father, circa 1931. The shadowy title figure, a staunch right-winger, used bribery and thugs to get movie producers  all Jewish  to abort titles that make a mockery of the America that you and I are fighting for, as he ranted to one of his prized goons.But, as Lisa Margonellis mesmerizing book makes clear, we have got termites all wrong. For a start these white ants arent ants at all but cockroaches that evolution has shrunk, blinded and turned surprisingly social (all of which does little for their public relations). An inconvenient insect, the termite bucks basic biological rules and thumbs its nose at science as much as it does homeowners. But this mystery makes termites fascinating to Margonelli and a motley crew of multidisciplinary scientists all trying to crack the termite code and put it to good use.

Explore the New York Times Book Review Want to keep up with the latest and greatest in books? This is a good place to start. Learn what you should be reading this fall: Our collection of reviews on books coming out this season includes biographies, novels, memoirs and more. See whats new in October: Among this months new titles are novels by Jonathan Franzen, a history of Black cinema and a biography by Katie Couric. Nominate a book: The New York Times Book Review has just turned 125. That got us wondering: What is the best book that was published during that time? Listen to our podcast: Featuring conversations with leading figures in the literary world, from Colson Whitehead to Leila Slimani, the Book Review Podcast helps you delve deeper into your favorite books.



To Margonelli, termites arent just anticapitalist anarchists, they are the poster bug for the 21st century  a little guide to really big ideas. Underbug charts her eight-year obsession with the tiny beasts, a journey that takes her around the globe from Massachusetts to Namibia. She embeds herself with microbial biologists looking to the termites gut for clues about how to process wood into ethanol and solve the worlds fuel problems; roboticists trying to decipher the simple algorithm that allows the termite to build the equivalent of a skyscraper without a complex brain to guide it; and ecologists trying to harness the termites eco-engineering powers to regenerate land devastated by mining.

Image

Margonelli turns cutting-edge science into rich narrative by plunging deep into the termites world  a move that requires a certain cognitive shift. Watching termites, she explains, requires that you turn your internal excitement meter down to just about zero. Margonelli, like the researchers she encounters, attempts to free herself from the shackles of human perception and enter the social insect psyche. It is a meditative state that allows her to ponder how innocent innovations can transform into destructive technologies, as well as the nature of individuality and the limits of human understanding. Early naturalists peered into hives and mounds and simply saw a reflection of their own monarchies or socialist utopian dreams. But the great danger of seeing insects anthropomorphically is that it obscures their true bugginess, which is the key to unlocking their bio-secrets.

This isnt just a brilliant book about bugs. For almost a decade, Margonelli scrutinized the scientists and their work with the same forensic gaze they themselves applied to the insects. The result is a rare longitudinal insight into the slippery nature of scientific progress. It was boring, risky, lonely, cerebral. And where termites were concerned undeniably trippy. Watching an experiment in which termites are fed fluorescent water becomes a decadent, Day-Glo, Warholian scene: eusociality as some kind of incestuous insect rave.These physicians include Cooley and his rival, Michael DeBakey, whose design Cooley supposedly stole. That artificial heart was an unwieldy honeydew melon-size piece of plastic that pumped blood using compressed air. Cooleys protege, Bud Frazier, continued the work of refining artificial hearts, eventually championing a design in which the device doesnt pump so much as continually whir. A patient with such a device would have no pulse, but would nevertheless be alive.

Image

If you come to Ticker expecting a story about the triumph of man over nature, though, you will be disappointed. The Food and Drug Administration has yet to approve a permanent artificial heart. Government funding agencies have become more interested in preventing heart disease than replacing diseased hearts with machines. St. Lukes hospital and its affiliated Texas Heart Institute, where Cooley and Frazier did so much of their artificial heart research, have also lost their luster in recent years. A recent Houston Chronicle and ProPublica report (too recent for Swartz to address in her book) focused on Fraziers role at St. Lukes, accusing him of a tendency to put research before his patients interests. A former colleague even recalled hiding patients from Frazier.

Even without these newest revelations, Swartz does observe how the world has changed for her band of daring heart surgeons. Debacles like the Dalkon Shield brought F.D.A. scrutiny. Famous cases like Cooleys rogue artificial heart implantation and Baby Fae (an infant who got a baboon heart) made the public wonder about doctors experimenting on patients for their own glory. Swartz mentions all this, but her narrow focus hampers any real exploration of the ethical limits of innovation. In casting Cooley, Frazier and other artificial heart evangelists as her protagonists, she has readers follow them beating long odds and proving naysayers wrong. They emerge as heroes, if slightly flawed ones.

The most riveting chapter in Ticker leaves Texas for Utah, the site of the first successful artificial heart in 1982  successful being a relative word. The patient, Barney Clark, lived 112 days, during which time he suffered seizures, brain damage, renal failure, pneumonia, gout, swollen testicles and ulcer. At one point, he asked to be allowed to die.

Clarks story momentarily flips the perspective from the doctor to the patient. Other patients come and go in Ticker, and I found myself wishing to know more about how they felt about their experimental surgeries. (The widow of the man who received Cooleys stolen artificial heart, for example, later filed a medical malpractice suit  a fact Swartz glosses over in a paragraph.) Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, will name the first passenger signed up for a round-the-moon trip on a yet-to-be-built rocket, rendering above. You can watch the live announcement here this morning. And two investors betting against Tesla spoke with The Times to explain why they believe Mr. Musks other company is headed for trouble.

 Amazon is investigating claims that sellers on its platform bribed employees to share confidential sales data and delete negative product reviews, after reportedly being tipped off about the practice in China.

 Time magazine is about to have new owners: Marc Benioff, chief executive of Salesforce, and his wife will buy it for $190 million in cash. I didnt realize two weeks ago I was going to buy Time, he told The Times in a text message.

 U.S. stocks were down. Heres a snapshot of global markets.2. The rescues continue in the Carolinas, which faces massive flooding even as the remnants of Hurricane Florence move out of the area. Above, a scene in Dillon, S.C.

At least 23 people have been killed amid record-setting rainfall. Water levels are unlikely to fully recede for days. These animated maps and satellite images show the storms impact.

The Philippines grappled with the aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut. Emergency workers pulled 40 bodies from the wreckage of a gold miners bunkhouse after a landslide. The countrys unofficial death toll stands at 66, though that number is expected to rise, and at least four died in China.Get the DealBook newsletter to make sense of major business and policy headlines  and the power-brokers who shape them.

__________

Shares of some of Americas consumer goods companies and tech giants could be hit this week by Washingtons escalating trade battle with Beijing  and Apple may be particularly vulnerable.

The news: President Trump is expected to unveil tariffs of around 10 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods as soon as Monday. The levies are expected to affect a broad range of consumer goods, from furniture to Apple Watches. Some Chinese officials advising the government in Beijing have proposed restrictions on the sale of materials and equipment that are important for American manufacturers, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources. Those officials specifically said that such curbs could affect Apple, though they didnt explain how.

Back story: Apple has warned that the tariffs could hurt sales of its devices, including Apple Watches and HomePod speakers. In a letter to the United States trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, sent earlier this month, the company wrote: Because all tariffs ultimately show up as a tax on U.S. consumers, they will increase the cost of Apple products that our customers have come to rely on in their daily lives.Good Monday. Want this in your inbox every morning? Sign up here.

Top business donors break from the G.O.P.

Seth Klarman of the hedge fund Baupost Group was the biggest Republican donor in New England. Now, hes donating millions to Democrats to help them take back Congress. Such is the rate of his giving that, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, he could end up giving more to Democratic candidates than George Soros does over this election cycle.

Les Wexner, chief executive of L Brands and one of the biggest Republican donors in the Midwest, is also withdrawing his support of the party. I wont support this nonsense, the Columbus Dispatch quoted him as saying.

President Trump and his policies have alarmed many traditional conservative backers, but many others remain quiet, satisfied with tax cuts and the appointment of conservative judges. Mr. Klarman told Bari Weiss of the NYTs editorial pages that those points dont make up for Mr. Trumps failings:The days of dragging suitcases to and through the airport may be numbered.

Consider the experience of Manolo Almagro, a managing partner at Q Division, a retail technology consultancy based in Austin, on a flight last fall from London to Copenhagen.

Mr. Almagro made a reservation a day before his flight with AirPortr, a remote baggage pickup service that began serving London and environs in 2016. About seven hours before his flight, a company representative arrived at his hotel with a hand-held scale and asked to see his passport. Mr. Almagro said measuring and securing the bag in the lobby took about 10 minutes. He was notified when the bag reached Heathrow Airport and again when it was loaded onto the plane.

It was peace of mind not to lug it on public transportation, said Mr. Almagro, who paid the equivalent of about $38 for the service. As a frequent traveler, he paid no separate airline baggage fee. He was reunited with the bag at Copenhagen Airport.

AirPortrs service is but one variation of remote baggage check-in, a service that attests to what air travel has become: navigating a series of bottlenecks.For the past year, Elon Musk has waged a bitter war of words with short-sellers, the investors who are betting billions of dollars that Tesla will fail.

On Twitter and in interviews, he has called them haters and jerks who know little about electric cars. He has accused them of spreading false information and amplifying negative news about Tesla in hopes of dragging down its stock price. Their goal, in Mr. Musks view, is nothing less than Teslas destruction.

George Noble doesnt fit that description. Manager of his own hedge fund, Noble Capital Advisors, he rarely comments on Tesla in public or on Twitter, and he comes with an impressive pedigree. He has been following and investing in car companies for nearly 40 years, having started his career an auto analyst and then a rising fund manager at Fidelity in the 1980s.

Im not one of these individuals with superficial knowledge whos tweeting garbage on Twitter, said Mr. Noble, 61. Ive followed this industry a long, long time. Im not a bomb-throwing hack.Where do you currently reside?

San Francisco, CA.

Where and when was your first puzzle published?

I made word games and trivia puzzles for Games Magazine and about 50  100 puzzles for TV Guide back in the 1980s.

When was your first New York Times crossword published?

2001, I think. [It was actually the June 12, 2000 puzzle.  D.A.]

How did you get into puzzling? What is your first memory of solving?

I remember loving jigsaw puzzles, all board games and I was a child chess champion. I loved cryptograms and thought about cracking codes for the C.I.A. when I was about ten. I would sit with my dad on Sundays and do The New York Times crossword puzzle with him.

What made you decide to try your hand at making a crossword puzzle?

Made one for a friends birthday, I think. Took an already existing grid and put in HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH LIEDER, which Im just now realizing is asymmetric!



I had written for game shows and had won a motor home on Wheel of Fortune. I was also doing standup and super into playing with words in many, many forms. Crosswords give me a special satisfaction.

Why do you do this to yourself?

Love coming up with themes whenever I notice any word play at all, but its usually something to do with cliches like USE IT OR LOSE IT, or movie titles.It was this ginormous green spectacle that came on a tray, at least 12 inches tall, and it was very intense, Ms. Chung recalled. I was shocked how it kept its shape despite having all this syrup.

She compared the texture of perfect kakigori to flower petals  not quite powder and not quite grain  making it distinct from other kinds of shave ice. Its a simple thing thats really hard to execute, Ms. Chung said.

Stonemill serves a traditional kakigori, ujikintoki, doused with matcha syrup and finished with a touch of sweet red bean paste. Every day, the restaurants pastry chef, Mikiko Yui, makes coffee jelly and soft mochi to garnish it. The cafe will keep the dessert on the menu through early October.

Cha-an Teahouse has been serving ujikintoki and other kinds of kakigori in New York for more than a decade. Ms. Uematsu drew from her own experience with the sweet as well as her training as a chef to develop the white peach kakigori made from poached fruit and decorated with chewy, housemade peach gummies, cut into the shapes of stars and hearts.

As he prepared to open the David Chang restaurant Majordomo in Los Angeles in January, the chef de cuisine, Marc Johnson, learned about shave-ice culture through local Korean and Taiwanese shops (cultures which also have rich histories of shave ice) as well as a popular Instagram account run by Margaret Lam.

Shed go to these kakigori competitions and jams where people would just get together and show off their craft, said Mr. Johnson, who does not employ a pastry chef and was eager to figure out the technique.

He found that the more delicate the shavings, the faster they melted. Kakigori makers often press the ice very gently with their hands, giving it a distinct rounded shape; but if packed too firmly, those soft, feathery crystals can freeze together as hard, wet clumps.Nothings gone forever, Emily Blunt sings in the new trailer for Mary Poppins Returns. Indeed, the sequel seems poised to capture the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious magic of the original, as it features brightly colored old-fashioned animation mixed with upbeat live-action musical numbers.

Ms. Blunt steps into Julie Andrewss timeless role as the titular nanny who drops into the lives of the children of the now-grown Michael and Jane Banks (Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer), via a kite, naturally. Lin-Manuel Miranda plays Jack, a lamplighter character reminiscent of Dick Van Dykes chimney sweep, Bert, but based on the footage shown so far, the Hamilton masterminds British accent seems slightly more believable.

Mr. Van Dyke can also be seen, defying his age in a dance number and playing a different role as the son of a banker. Other notable faces glimpsed in the trailer include Angela Lansbury, a veteran of the Disney musicals Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Beauty and the Beast; and Meryl Streep, who plays Mary Poppinss quirky cousin, Topsy.

Directed by Rob Marshall, who helmed the Oscar-winning musical Chicago, Mary Poppins Returns lands in theaters on December 19th.In one scenario, Mr. Collins would have run for a vacancy in the Town of Eden, but had to establish residency there before the general election. (Residents there subsequently held a protest, holding signs that included, Collins is a swamp monster.)

As a three-term congressman, Mr. Collins is not a senior member on Capitol Hill, but he gained notoriety in 2016 after he became the first member of Congress to endorse Donald J. Trump.

Last month, federal prosecutors charged Mr. Collins, who sits on the board of Innate Immunotherapeutics, a drug company based in Australia, with providing inside information to his son and others that the company had failed a crucial drug test. His son, his sons fiancee and his sons father-in-law all sold shares.

Mr. Collins has proclaimed his innocence and said he had willingly spoken with two F.B.I. agents in April to clear his name when they knocked on his door at 6 a.m., according to the lone television interview he has done since his indictment, with WIVB in Buffalo.

As it turns out, they dont read you your rights, they dont tell you you could have an attorney, they dont tell you while youre there, Mr. Collins said in the interview last week.

I shared everything from A-to-Z, he added. And then at the end of it all, they said, Oh by the way, we have a subpoena for you.

Mr. Collins had said last month that he would fill out the remaining few months of his term but that it was in the best interest of the constituents of the 27th Congressional District for him to suspend his re-election campaign.The first time David Grupper was laid off from his job as an art director he was 58. It was 2013 and it took six months  and hundreds of resumes  to land another position as a manager of publications and marketing for the American Civil Liberties Union. A year later, he was laid off again.

Fed up, Mr. Grupper decided to try something new: being his own boss.

He teamed up with a friend, David Klein, to start a Brooklyn-based company, Point Made Animation, with $2,000 in savings. Today, they produce education and training videos for a dozen clients, including education technology companies and a consortium of community colleges in California. The risks have paid off, he said. Im making money doing what I love to do.

The only drawback? He may never retire  and he has company.

A growing number of New Yorkers are starting businesses in their 50s and 60s, even as their colleagues are easing into retirement. They are crafting specialty foods like toffee  Oprah Winfrey is a fan  vegetarian dog treats and organic tempeh, a meat alternative traditionally made from soy beans.

One former executive at Lehman Brothers, who lost a chunk of her retirement savings when the firm collapsed, has since parlayed her corporate skills and experience into a recruiting service for financial and real estate companies. A speech therapist whose job was eliminated decided to help immigrants communicate better.On Thursday, an unauthorized person on the tracks in Brooklyn wreaked havoc on the A line. Power was turned off on the tracks in both directions for half an hour while the police searched for the man.

People who deliberately go onto the tracks can be charged with criminal trespass, a misdemeanor.

The incidents are also disturbing for subway workers and other riders who witness a gruesome death or injury. Its unbelievably traumatic for the train crew, Mr. Byford said.

There have been a series of heartbreaking cases, including a woman who jumped onto the tracks with her 2-month-old baby this summer. But there have also been bizarre episodes  a woman strolling down outdoor tracks in Brooklyn last year, confounding other riders  and reports of frustrated riders escaping from stalled trains.

With a system that runs around the clock and no barrier standing between riders and the tracks, it is impossible to keep people from ending up where they should not be. But subway riders might not realize how perilous the tracks can be. They could be electrocuted by the third rail, a steel column that carries a wallop of 600 volts of electricity. It is also difficult to pull yourself back onto the platform once you are on the tracks.

Dont even think about it, Mr. Byford said. If you drop something, let us know. Do not go on the tracks under any circumstances.

One solution that has been discussed for at least a decade is platform doors. London, for example, has glass walls lining some platforms to prevent people and objects from falling onto the tracks. But they are expensive, and officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the subway, have said that installing them across the system could cost more than $1 billion.

In June, Mr. Byford postponed a platform door trial at the Third Avenue station on the L line in Manhattan, instead choosing to spend the money on installing elevators at a different station. Mr. Byford said he understood the benefits of platform doors, but they were not a cheap, quick or easy fix. He instead wants to prioritize improving accessibility for wheelchair users.A few hundred years ago, I would have been a court jester, he told The Plain Dealer of Cleveland in 2007. His primary intent, Mr. Abel often said, was to give people a kick in the intellect.

His best-known kicks included Yetta Bronstein, the phantom Jewish grandmother from the Bronx who ran for president in 1964 and at least once afterward on a platform that included fluoridation, national Bingo tournaments and the installation of truth serum in congressional drinking fountains. (Vote for Yetta and things will get betta, read a slogan for the campaign, which attracted a small coterie of actual supporters.)

Never seen in person, Yetta was voiced by Mr. Abels wife, Jeanne, in a spate of telephone and radio interviews.

Then there was Omars School for Beggars, a New York City institution founded amid the recession of the 1970s, which claimed to teach the nouveau poor the gentle art of panhandling. Omar (a black-hooded Mr. Abel) and his pupils (friends of Mr. Abel) were the subject of credulous coverage by many news outlets, including The Miami Herald and New York magazine.

There was the putative winner of the New York State Lotto jackpot in 1990, who was billed as a cosmetologist from Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., but who in reality was an actress; she poured champagne by the gallon in a hired Manhattan hotel suite and threw dollar bills from the window as the news media salivated. $35 MILLION AND SHES SINGLE, the front page of The New York Post crowed the next day.

There were also the Topless String Quartet, with which, Mr. Abel said, an unsuspecting Frank Sinatra wanted to book a recording session; the Ku Klux Klan Symphony Orchestra, which, he said, the failed presidential candidate and former Klan grand wizard David Duke briefly accepted an invitation to conduct; Females for Felons, a group of Junior Leaguers who selflessly donated sex to the incarcerated; the mass fainting of audience members during a live broadcast of The Phil Donahue Show; his discovery (he posed as a former White House employee) of the missing 18 minutes from the Watergate tapes; Euthanasia Cruises (For people who wanted to expire in luxury, Mr. Abels website recounted); Citizens Against Breastfeeding, which argued that exposure to the naughty nipple in infancy caused a plethora of problems later on; and a great many others.

To some observers, Mr. Abels antics were a Rabelaisian delight. To others, especially members of the news media who had been taken in, they were an unalloyed menace. But as Mr. Abel well knew, his relationship with the media in general, and the broadcast media in particular, was utterly synergistic, for they needed him as much as he did them.The new China was not the same as before, he once said in an interview. People wanted to see a pure stage free of superstition with characters that actually made sense.

With the onset of the repressive Cultural Revolution in 1966, however, radicalized youth sought to root out all remnants of Chinas ancient feudal culture, and that included pingshu. Mr. Shan was labeled a counterrevolutionary and sent to do manual labor in a village in northeastern China.

In his memoir, published in 2011, he called those years of persecution his lifes greatest suffering.

With the collapse of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, Mr. Shan set out to revive his pingshu career. Many Chinese were hungry for something other than bland, party-approved propaganda, and it was against this backdrop that he leapt at the opportunity to record a pingshu radio broadcast.

He soon discovered that performing on radio was vastly different from doing so in teahouses. There were no props, no reactions from the audience to guide him  just Mr. Shan and the microphone in a recording studio.

So for his first radio performance, an abridged version of the historical novel The Romance of Sui and Tang Dynasties, Mr. Shan used the studios three recording technicians as his audience and adjusted his performance based on their reactions.

The performance had its premiere in 1980 on Chinese New Year, and more than 100 million Chinese were estimated to have tuned in during the 56 hours over which it was broadcast. It was the beginning of a dramatic second act both for Mr. Shan and for pingshu in the Peoples Republic of China. He was soon a household name across the country.

MOSUL, Iraq  As the calamitous civil war next door in Syria grinds on toward a final battle in Idlib, with an unthinkably tragic end in sight, its worth taking a look farther east, at this shattered Iraqi city. Today, Mosul stands as a measure of how difficult recovery can be in this part of the world, even after the gunfire stops.

Here, more than a year after the formal end of fighting that drove out the Islamic States fighters, the path to recovery runs literally through a three-dimensional minefield with the dangers of war still present everywhere.

Explosive hazards implanted by the Islamic State, too dangerous and numerous to deactivate, still strew destruction, allowing the terrorist group to continue fighting in absentia and on the cheap. Their strategy has been, in a word, shrewd: Retreat from Mosul only after making life unlivable by making infrastructure all but impossible to fix.

So this remains a city of debris, nearly seven million tons worth, much of it concealing improvised explosive devices  I.E.D.s  and conventional ammunition that failed to detonate. Yes, an international team of experts is working to defuse both types of ordnance . But real security is still distant, given the slow pace at which we can clear the hazards with minimal funding and too few experts. So, the terror planted here by terrorists continues to stifle the economy and society in Iraqs second city.Activists in Maine opposed to the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court are trying to put pressure on Susan Collins, the states Republican senator. If Collins votes for Kavanaugh, they say, they will donate substantial sums to her opponent in the next election.

Whatever you think of Kavanaugh, this is surely a legitimate tactic: Donors and activists try to influence politicians votes all the time, often by warning of adverse electoral consequences if the politicians make what the activists consider the wrong choice. Last year, for example, major Republican donors openly threatened to withhold contributions unless the party gave them a big tax cut.

But now Collins, other Republicans and conservative activists are describing the pressure over Kavanaugh as bribery, extortion and blackmail. And some of those claiming that normal political activism is somehow illegitimate are the very same big donors who warned Republicans to pass tax cuts or else.BOZEMAN, Mont.  The S unday morning after Senator John McCain died, the Meet the Press credits rolled over a photo of the deceased sitting next to former Senator John Kerry. Mr. McCain, the Republican P.O.W., famously joined forces with Mr. Kerry, the Democrat and onetime spokesman for Vietnam Veterans Against the War, to help President Bill Clinton normalize relations with Vietnam. The photo made me wonder if were running out of government officials who might help quibbling Americans normalize relations with one another.

Gloomy, I flipped channels and paused at chipper hayseeds crooning a familiar line: If the gophers in the pasture are even worse than last year, Montana Ag Live, where are you? Oh, goody  a rerun of Montana Ag Live, a show that makes me both proud and amused to pay my taxes. There was the retired plant sciences professor Don Mathre introducing one of the panelists, the insect diagnostician Laurie Kerzicnik. Shes going to answer your bug questions tonight, he said. Another panelist, Jane Mangold, was described as an invasive plants specialist who always brings cookies. Her obvious sweet nature will fall away discussing the threat posed by yellow star thistle. We have to remain vigilant, she warned.

Filmed at KUSM on the Bozeman campus of Montana State University, my alma mater, Montana PBS has broadcast Montana Ag Live across the state since 1994. Its the kind of low-budget, low-key call-in show a viewer might watch to unwind from the razzle-dazzle of C-Span 2. With its expert panel answering callers questions about the science of everyday life, the show embodies the curious culture of a land grant university town, which is simultaneously wholesome and cerebral.

The adversaries on this show are not sparring partisans. In fact, a recent episode covered ranchers partnerships with conservation groups. The common enemies are bacteria or noxious weeds. (Not lichen on trees though  thats generally fine.) Man versus insect is also a common theme that is likely to require more and more airtime; Science magazine warned last month that ravenous insects may be coming for our crops in a warming world. In the meantime, Dr. Kerzicnik comforted a viewer from Helena whose house is infested with elm seed bugs: You are not alone. She said to vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.Kavanaugh denies the allegation unequivocally; on Monday he said hes willing to rebut it before the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Judge, who wrote a memoir of his teenage alcoholism, has veered between denying the incident and saying he doesnt recall it.) But its a sign of how credible Blasey seems that, since this story broke, much of the public debate has been less about whether her accusations are true than whether they are relevant.

Some conservatives  though not just conservatives  insist that it is unfair to judge a middle-aged man for things he did as a kid. On Fox News, the former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer pondered the weight of high school misbehavior. Should that deny us chances later in life? he asked. Even for Supreme Court job, a presidency of the United States, or you name it?

Such arguments would be more convincing if people on the right werent so selective in their indulgence. Donald Trump called for the death penalty for the Central Park Five, who were 14 to 16 years old when they were arrested. (Theyve since been proven innocent.) Children are regularly put on sex offender registries, sometimes for their entire lives, for conduct less serious than what Kavanaugh is accused of. In a sour irony, some legal experts think Kavanaughs confirmation could imperil Miller v. Alabama, a 2012 decision banning life sentences without parole for most teenage convicts.

Anyway, this is no longer just about what Kavanaugh might have done 36 years ago. We need to determine, as best we can, if hes lying now. The Judiciary Committee will be able to begin trying to do that at a public hearing next Monday  called by the committee's head, Charles Grassley, under pressure from some members of his own party.

Senators should also demand that Kavanaughs old friend Judge, who grew up to become a right-wing writer, testify, though Kavanaugh would surely prefer other character witnesses. (Oh for the days when President George W. Bush gave his wife, Laura, a loving but firm pat on the backside in public, Judge once wrote. The man knew who was boss.)As the insurgent left wing of the Democratic Party captures headlines and wins votes, many of its supporters are coalescing around a growing set of policy priorities: universal health care, higher taxes on the rich, the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But when it comes to matters of war and peace and to Americas place in the world, the left is either silent or confused.

In the 2016 Democratic presidential primary campaign, Bernie Sanders did not make foreign policy a focus. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently dismissed questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict by claiming she was not the expert on geopolitics on this issue. And as other candidates across the United States scramble to get votes from self-declared socialists by, say, supporting single-payer health care, few feel the need to appeal to the left on foreign policy.

To be fair, there are good reasons leftists havent grappled much with foreign policy. For one, there are few decision makers from whom they can learn: Since the early days of the Cold War, foreign policymaking has been dominated by a bipartisan commitment to militarism and American hegemony; those who depart from the consensus view have largely been kept out of the State Department, the Pentagon and other parts of the government. At the same time, the left itself lacks institutions dedicated to developing foreign policy ideas. While Republicans and moderate Democrats have a host of think tanks pushing interventionism, no corporation or billionaire has yet decided to fund a left-wing foreign policy think tank to which politicians could turn for advice.Barry Viuker

Mamaroneck, N.Y.

To the Editor:

This new information about Brett Kavanaughs alleged attempted sexual assault is important and must be investigated before a vote on his confirmation takes place. Ill admit that even I thought, good heavens, it was so long ago and he was a kid. But then I acknowledged that my own escape from an attempted sexual assault my first year of college still leaves me traumatized at age 68.

And I know in my bones that the boy who tried to rape me cant have grown into a good man. Because a good man cant ever have been a boy who thought that overpowering a girl because he could was his due. The fact is, bullies are always bullies, even if they grow up and go underground. There is no way Id want to see that boy given a lifelong appointment to wield power over others.

Jeane Weigel

Truchas, N.M.

To the Editor:

There are many reasons to be concerned about the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh for a position on the Supreme Court, but something he may have done as an intoxicated 17-year-old at a party with his classmates isnt one of them. Indeed, the very body on which Judge Kavanaugh would serve, if confirmed, has ruled repeatedly during the past 13 years that people under the age of 18 should not be held to the same standards of criminal responsibility as adults, because teenagers are impulsive, susceptible to peer influence and still capable of change .

Few of us would want to be judged in adulthood on the basis of isolated incidents in which we were involved (or accused of having been involved) as teenagers. I sure wouldnt.

Laurence Steinberg

Philadelphia

The writer is a professor of psychology at Temple University and the author of a book on the adolescent brain, Age of Opportunity.Are President Trumps advisers checking his worst impulses? From trade to NATO, weve been assured that the adults in the White House are working quietly to prevent the president from following through on his often erratic foreign policy proclamations.

In fact, many of those advisers are leaving their own mark on American international relations by amplifying the presidents instincts or, in some cases, using the opportunity to advance their own radical agendas. While we focus on the presidents latest utterances, they have been fundamentally altering the direction of United States foreign policy, from one based on cooperation and leadership to one rooted in punishment and domination.

Nowhere is this more clear than in Americas Middle East policy. Last week John Bolton, President Trumps national security adviser, announced the closing of the Palestine Liberation Organizations office in Washington; the administration also revoked the visas for the organizations envoy and his family.

Mr. Bolton suggested that the Palestinians needed to be punished, for both their readiness to refer Israeli construction in occupied territory to the International Criminal Court and their reluctance to engage with the Trump administrations peace efforts.The couple met in 2012 at Barrys Bootcamp in TriBeCa, where Ms. LanghamSchwartz was working as a manager (many Rockettes who live in the city year-round teach fitness and dance classes during their off-season). Mr. Schwartz was a regular at the 8:20 a.m. class and often stopped to chat after working out.

$8,595 | hudson Yards, Manhattan

Heather LanghamSchwartz, 38, and Nicholas Schwartz, 35

Rent: One month free brings it to $7,878 a month.

Occupations: Rockette, dance and fitness teacher; corporate lawyer

Requiring study: The apartment came with a stack of manuals on how to operate the high-end appliances and electronics systems. After a year of practice, the couple say they seem to have mastered them all.

Their friends: Couldnt be more different, said Ms. LanghamSchwartz. Which is nice. The whole Radio City world is fun, but he brings me back down to earth.

The buildings amenities: Are a regular destination. Its nice when the weather is bad and you dont want to go anywhere, said Ms. LanghamSchwartz. Its like a spa.

When she told him it was her last day at the fitness studio, he invited her and a colleague to his buildings rooftop for drinks that evening. I was about ready to move back to Arizona when I met Nick, said Ms. LanghamSchwartz, who was living in a no-frills Harlem one-bedroom at the time. During her first few years with the Rockettes (she joined in 2009), she would go back to her home state during the off-season to resume her frugal life. About six months after meeting Mr. Schwartz, she gave up her lease and moved into his TriBeCa apartment.

Moving in there, I felt spoiled. Moving in here, I felt very, very spoiled, she said of One Hudson Yards. She loves the washer and dryer in the apartment, the huge walk-in closets and the deep soaking tub. And from behind their sound-dampening windows, theyve both enjoyed watching the construction of the Shed, the cross-disciplinary arts center rising directly outside.

As plague swept through Europe in the mid-1300s, wiping out more than a third of the regions population, a glacier in the Alps was recording the upheaval of medieval society.

While tens of millions of people were dying, pollen from the plants, trees and crops growing in Western Europe were being swept up by the winds and carried toward the Alps.

They became trapped in snowflakes and fell onto the regions highest mountain, the Monte Rosa massif . Over time, the snow flattened into ever-growing layers of ice, storing a blow-by-blow record of regional environmental change.

Centuries later, the crop pollens trapped in the ice reveal the collapse of agriculture associated with the pandemic, as bad weather led to poor harvests and fields lay fallow because there was no one left to work them.What they share, beyond the possession of remarkable traits, is that their DNA is included among thousands of patents owned by BASF, which calls itself the largest chemical producer in the world. The German company has acquired nearly half of the 13,000 patents derived from 862 marine organisms genetic sequences, according to a study published in June.

Whether a single private entity should be able to set the direction of how the genes of so many living things are used was a piece of a broader debate at the United Nations this month. There, delegates from across the world were discussing the development of a global legal framework for genetic resources in the high seas, a vast realm outside any one nations control.Elon Musk on Monday evening introduced Yusaku Maezawa, founder of the online Japanese clothing company Zozo, as his first customer for a voyage around the moon aboard a SpaceX rocket.

Finally, I can tell you that I choose to go the moon, Mr. Maezawa shouted.

Mr. Maezawas intent to follow in the contrails of American astronauts, who first looped the moon in 1968 aboard the Apollo 8 mission, was announced at an event at the companys headquarters in the Los Angeles area. The expensive trip would cost at least tens of millions of dollars, if not a couple of hundred million, and when it would occur was not yet announced. Neither Mr. Musk nor Mr. Maezawa would disclose the price.

Mr. Maezawa is to ride a yet-to-be-built rocket known as the B.F.R. on a journey that would take four to five days. The rocket would not be ready for the trip until 2023, Mr. Musk said, and would cost from $2 billion to $10 billion to develop. He added that Mr. Maezawas ticket would make a meaningful contribution to the projects completion.LONDON  In a cavernous former Royal Mail warehouse south of the Thames, where luxury developments were built in anticipation of an influx of foreign money that never materialized, and after a long buildup of teasers  a new, Pop-tastic Peter Saville logo; a $390 limited drop T-shirt; Beyonce in bespoke wear at her recent concert in Houston  Riccardo Tisci, the chief creative officer of Burberry, finally unveiled his first collection for the brand. There was not a single celebrity in the audience.

But still, the earth began to move.

Actually, thats not true (though it was fun to write). It was the ceiling, as metal slats drew back to let the sunshine in. Fashion has never been afraid to embrace a somewhat obvious metaphor.

And what did the light illuminate?Marc Benioff, the chief executive of the software company Salesforce, and his wife, Lynne, said on Sunday that they had agreed to buy Time magazine from Meredith Corporation for $190 million in cash.

Mr. Benioff answered several questions about the deal by text message on Sunday night. Lightly edited excerpts follow.

Q. This would be faster over the phone.

A. Hard to believe but  I am in a massage. (Mr. Benioff texts a cartoon image of a man under a towel with cucumbers on his eyes.)

Image The spa day Bitmoji that Mr. Benioff sent along.

Where did you get the idea of buying Time?

I have been speaking with the C.E.O. of Meredith since he bought Time Inc. about all of his assets.Ms. Halls mission is to bring Akagera back to life. An electric fence put up around the park to keep poachers away is monitored by a canine unit and 80 rangers. Rangers also work on building back trust with the local community. Years ago, members of the community poisoned 300 lions because they were killing cattle, said Theogen Gashagava, one of the rangers who walks the parks perimeters. Now if they find an animal in their backyard, they know to call the park. Park headquarters feature s a high-tech lab full of computer screens and tracking equipment staffed by locals.

For lodging, the park contains one flavorless hotel, Akagera Game Lodge, with a baboon problem  I spilled my coffee in fright when a surprise guest jumped onto my balcony  but a better choice is Ruzizi Tented Lodge, run by African Parks. Rustic cabins are linked by elevated wooden walkways over papyrus swamps, lending a treehouse vibe to the place. The showcase is a crescent-shaped patio built out over the edge of Lake Ihema, which happens to be a popular hang spot for a pack of hippopotamus. While guests nibble on pastries and fruit in the morning, the hippos heave into each other in the water, occasionally smashing their tusks together to create a startling clacking sound in early morning tussles.

Headed north from Ruzizi, an Akagera game drive is also a five- to seven-hour highlight reel of gorgeous east African landscapes: open plains, scraggly highlands and the swampy waters of Africas largest protected wetlands.

At the north end of the park, the Karenge Bush Camp brings lucky visitors into even closer  if more rustic  proximity with Akageras natural surroundings . The camp consists of a small grouping of six glamping-style tents (housing a maximum of 12 visitors), set out on a bluff overlooking a valley pixelated by packs of antelopes and zebras. At night, guests gather in camp chairs around a fire; leopards sometimes drop by to visit.

The biggest draw of Akagera, though, might be a major new milestone the park recently hit. Today, Akagera is one of a select number of parks with the Big Five: lions, leopards, Cape buffalo, elephants and rhinoceros. Though that term comes from hunting culture, it is now the crowning achievement of many safari-going tourists. Lions were reintroduced to Akagera in 2015, and in 2017 the introduction of 18 critically endangered Eastern black rhinos  rhinos shipped up from South Africa by African Parks  granted the once-ravaged Akagera that new Big Five designation.

Although I did not spot a black rhino, other members of the Big Five appeared without much fanfare: A lunchtime picnic was interrupted by a passing family of elephants, and a night drive was slowed by a leopard, who sniffed our car and then flopped down by the side of the road to bathe herself.

But the thing that might bring the most tourists is not the night drive, or the bush camp, or even the Big Five. Rather, its the fact that Akagera is only a two-and-a-half hour drive from Kigali, Rwandas capital. Visitors wont need to hire a driver with a 4WD, they wont need to buy a plane ticket for a puddle-hopper and theres not even much of a need to book a hotel room if you dont want to; Akagera could be a long day trip.

Day-trippers, though, would be missing out on the company of hippos at breakfast.

Shannon Sims was a 2018 African Great Lakes Reporting Fellow with the International Women's Media Foundation.These results suggest bundled payments are a win-win, said Ezekiel Emanuel, a co-author of the study. They save payers like Medicare money and encourage hospitals and physicians to be more efficient in the delivery of care.

But Robert Berenson, a fellow at the Urban Institute, urges some caution. Studying one kind of procedure doesnt tell you much about the rest of health care, he said. A lot of health care is not like knee and hip replacements.

Michael Chernew, a Harvard health economist, agreed. Bundles can certainly be a helpful tool in fostering greater efficiency in our health care system, he said. But the findings for hip and knee replacements may not generalize to other types of care.

Christine Yee, a health economist with the Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center at the Boston Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, has studied Medicares previous efforts and summarized studies about them. (I and several others were also involved in compiling that summary.) Medicare has tried bundled payments in one form or another for more than three decades, Ms. Yee said. They tend to save money, and when post-acute care is included in the bundle, use of those kinds of services often goes down.

One limitation shared by all of these studies is that they are voluntary: No hospital is required to participate. Nor are they randomized into the new payment system (treatment) or business as usual (control). Therefore we cant be certain that apparent savings are real. Maybe hospitals that joined the bundled payment programs are more efficient (or can more easily become so) than the ones that didnt.

Another new study in JAMA examines a mandatory, randomized trial of bundled payments. On April 1, 2016, Medicare randomly assigned 75 markets to be subject to bundled payments for knee and hip replacements and 121 markets to business as usual. This policy experiment, known as the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement program, will continue for five years. The JAMA study analyzed just the first year of data.

In this first look at the data, we examined post-acute care because it is an area where there is concern about overuse, said Amy Finkelstein, an M.I.T. health economist and an author of the study. In addition, prior work suggested that its a type of care that hospitals can often avoid.Good morning.

(Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.)

With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, campaigns are moving into high gear: rallies, speeches, white papers, bus trips and television advertisements. Oh, and debates. Except, perhaps, in the two highest-profile statewide races in California: governor and U.S. Senate.

After weeks of negotiation, the candidates in those races have yet to agree on any televised debates. Instead, there is the inevitable back and forth about who is to blame for this deadlock.

Debates can be an effective way to compare candidates, particularly as they field questions from independent panelists and one another.

The fact that none have been scheduled in the governors race is, in part, the result of the overwhelming majority Democrats have in the state. Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor and the Democratic candidate, has in most polls a substantial lead over his Republican opponent, John Cox, a business executive. From a political perspective, he has little incentive for a debate that would give the little-known Mr. Cox attention and stature. And even the most experienced candidates can make a mistake in a debate; why take a chance?Great white sharks, which can be up to 20 feet long, do not hunt humans but may mistake them for prey because they are about the same size as seals and other marine mammals, experts said.

Pretty much every shark bite is an accident, said Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Its mistaken identity.

The chance of being bitten by a shark is statistically low. Last year, there were 88 unprovoked shark attacks worldwide, including five fatalities, according to the programs International Shark Attack File. The United States, with its long coastlines and busy beaches, has historically had the most attacks  overwhelmingly in Florida  followed by Australia, South Africa and Brazil.

Experts say a new risk area is emerging in Massachusetts, where a thriving marine life population is colliding with tourists in ways not seen in almost a century, since a teenage boy was fatally bitten while swimming in 1936.

The state, which has had just a handful of attacks since the 1800s, has now had at least two in a matter of weeks. Another man was bitten off Cape Cod last month near Longnook Beach in Truro, but he fought off the shark and survived.I mean, we knew  they said that this storm was coming. But I blew it off, I swear I did. I would say, Oh, you know, weve heard this before. And then a tree fell through my apartment. So I felt it real stupid after saying that. It breaks my heart. Its really heartbreaking because I dont really have a home to go to now. I have keys and my rent is paid, but I dont have a home. This is whats left of Douglas Smallwoods home after Hurricane Florence ripped through Wilmington, N.C. So weve come back here. You can see that this tree here, it hit the roof of this building and it just plummeted to my apartment. My apartment means a lot to me because I worked very hard to get it. You know, I saved up a lot of money. I stayed with my sister for a little while  was prepared to start a new home. I always say, I have a great apartment. Its in the back. Its quiet. But when youre dealing with a hurricane, I was really concerned about these trees and  its just real sad. Douglas just moved into this apartment two months ago. When he heard about the hurricane, he quickly evacuated to his sisters house in the northwest of the city. But he wasnt the only one who was hit hard. The entire city of Wilmington was affected. Record rainfall and wind damage downed trees and flooded neighborhoods, isolating many of Wilmingtons roughly 119,000 residents. Local and out-of-state firefighters rushed to rescue more than 450 stranded people from flash floods here. The waters have now receded, but there are still more flash flood warnings, and the river may crest again. Weve got a lot of trees that are down on houses, around their driveways. We can also tell where theres been quite a bit of flooding up into the yards and even up to the houses. A lot of these areas where were pulling people out of, theyve lived there for 20, 25 years. Theyve never seen it that high  and they were always told it would never get that high there, but obviously it did. And even as the sun started to peek back in the coastal city, thousands of people are still without power or stranded by floodwaters. For residents like Douglas, that means cleanup wont begin for another few days. When you actually see the damage thats done to the inside, its mind-boggling. Oh, the trees right there. Thats the tree, right there. So it fell in, right here on top, caved the window structure in, completely broke it. For now, without renters insurance and more flood warnings on the way, the hard work for Douglas is just beginning. And nothing else in here really I want to look at. This is all just demolished  all of my picture frames. So, farewell apartment. Ill see ya. I probably wont be back in here no time soon.Though he has received a heros welcome from Democrats for his role in the midterms, Mr. Bloomberg is plainly an uncomfortable match for a progressive coalition passionately animated by concern for economic inequality and the civil rights of women and minorities.

In the interview Friday  his first extended comments on his thinking about a 2020 presidential run  Mr. Bloomberg expressed stubbornly contrary views on those fronts. He criticized liberal Democrats attitude toward big business, endorsing certain financial regulations but singling out a proposal by Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to break up Wall Street banks as wrongheaded. He also defended his mayoral administrations policy of stopping people on the street to search them for guns, a police tactic that predominantly affected black and Latino men, as a necessary expedient against crime.

And while Mr. Bloomberg expressed concern about allegations of sexual misconduct that have arisen in the last year, he also voiced doubt about some of them and said only a court could determine their veracity. He gave as an example Charlie Rose, the disgraced television anchor who for years broadcast his eponymous talk show from the offices of Mr. Bloombergs company.

The stuff I read about is disgraceful  I dont know how true all of it is, Mr. Bloomberg said of the #MeToo movement. Raising Mr. Rose unprompted, he said: We never had a complaint, whatsoever, and when I read some of the stuff, I was surprised, I will say. But I never saw anything and we have no record, weve checked very carefully.

Mr. Bloomberg said the media industry was guilty of not standing up against sexual misconduct sooner, but declined to say whether he believed the allegations against Mr. Rose. Let the court system decide, he said, while acknowledging that the claims involving Mr. Rose might never be adjudicated in a legal proceeding.Questions about his travel have followed Mr. Long for days, as he sought to project confidence in the Trump administrations response to the slow-moving storm. On Sunday, Mr. Long pushed back on reports that Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of homeland security, had asked him to step down because of his travel.

Let me go ahead and clear up all the news: Secretary Nielsen has never asked me to resign, Mr. Long said on NBCs Meet the Press. We have a very functional and professional relationship. We talk every day. We are both totally focused on Florence.

He argued that the use of agency vehicles was appropriate given his very critical and important role to make sure this government works on the nations worst day through continuity in government.

These vehicles are designed to provide secure communications and the program was actually developed in 2008  it ran for me the same way its run for anybody else, he said. And you know, its my understanding that maybe some policies were not developed around these vehicles.

Mr. Gowdy gave Mr. Long until Oct. 1 to produce relevant documents, and an aide said that Mr. Gowdy would wait until that date to proceed with other potential investigative actions.

Mr. Gowdy, who is retiring at the end of the year, has used his gavel selectively since taking over the Oversight Committee last year. But he considers excessive spending, particularly on executive branch travel, to be an issue of concern. He previously studied official travel taken by Scott Pruitt, the former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. And amid a rash of reports last fall about Trump administration officials use of private planes, Mr. Gowdy and Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the committees top Democrat, jointly investigated travel by senior officials across the federal government.

Mr. Cummings said Monday that he supported an investigation but called on Republicans to simultaneously open an inquiry into the federal response to last years deadly hurricanes in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Committee Democrats issued a report this month accusing the Republicans of blocking a credible investigation.

If Chairman Gowdy wants to do an investigation of FEMA, the priority should be on helping the people of Puerto Rico after the devastating hurricanes last year and ensuring that they are not treated like second-class citizens, he said. The committee should investigate the administrators use of government vehicles, but the more urgent focus right now should be on obtaining documents from the White House regarding its response to the hurricanes that  so far  the committee has refused to even request.With the midterms fast approaching, Hillary Clinton has written a scathing critique of President Trump that accused him of disregarding the law and weakening the social fabric of the country, imploring voters to do everything we can to fight back and mobilize massive turnout in November.

When Mr. Trump prevailed over Mrs. Clinton in the 2016 election, she had told her supporters that they owed him an open mind and the chance to lead, she recalled in the essay, which was posted by The Atlantic on Sunday.

I hoped that my fears for our future were overblown, she wrote. They were not.

And right now, our democracy is in crisis, she added, saying she does not use the word crisis lightly.

The essay was adapted from the new afterword in the paperback edition of her 2017 memoir, What Happened, which is being released on Tuesday. In the piece, she listed despicable things inflicted by the president and his cronies and ticked off five main fronts to what she calls the assault on our democracy.WASHINGTON  At his confirmation hearings this month, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh singled out a 1992 Supreme Court decision, saying it was central to any discussion of the power of precedent. But at the Supreme Court itself, the decision has gone missing.

The decision, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reaffirmed Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark that established a constitutional right to abortion. But Casey did more than that. It included a detailed framework for what courts must consider when they are asked to overrule a precedent.

The Casey decision was precedent on precedent, Judge Kavanaugh said at the hearings. He used that phrase a lot.

So you might have thought that the Supreme Court would have discussed or at least cited Casey before overruling major precedents. But in a 5-to-4 decision in June that overturned a 41-year-old decision about public unions, Casey went unmentioned  an absence that offered a glimpse of one possible path to overturning Roe.When you looked at that horrible woman last night, you said   President Trump has long favored a take-no-prisoners approach against women who accuse men of sexual misconduct and abuse. The stories are total fiction. That was Trump in 2016 after multiple women leveled allegations against him. Here was Trump back in 1998, applauding then- President Bill Clinton for standing tall in the face of allegations. This guy has got to be the toughest guy to take the kind of abuse that hes taking. Heres what he had to say about one of Clintons accusers, Paula Jones. Paula Jones is a loser. Now comes an accusation of sexual assault against Trumps Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh. We want to get to the bottom of everything. We want everybody to be able to speak up and to speak out. Trumps usual ferocity is missing. Look, if she shows up, and makes a credible showing, thatll be very interesting and well have to make a decision, but, I can only say this: he is such an outstanding man, very hard for me to imagine that anything happened. One theory is that this softer approach is designed to avoid inflaming the public. Is this all politics? I dont want to say that. Whatever the reason, it stands in stark contrast to his other defenses of allegedly abusive men. A look at his past statements shows a man whos quick to defend other men. The president vouched for Rob Porter, a former White House aide who was accused of physical and verbal abuse by two ex-wives. Porter denied the allegations. He says hes innocent, and I think you have to remember that. Trump also defended Roy Moore, the former Republican Alabama Senate candidate. Moore is accused of sexual misconduct against teenage girls. Well, he denies it. Look. He denies it. I mean, if you look at what is really going on and you look at all the things that have happened over the last 48 hours, he totally denies it. President Trump then campaigned for Moore, who eventually lost. So get out and vote for Roy Moore. Five women received settlements after making harassment claims against Fox News host Bill OReilly. He was later forced off the network. OReilly denied the allegations. Hes a person I know well. He is a good person, adding, I think he shouldnt have settled. I dont think Bill did anything wrong. In 2016, a reporter accused Trumps former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, of grabbing and bruising her arm at a campaign rally. A lot of people are looking and saying, How can anybody be charged? He was  she was actually, if you look at her, in my book and according to a lot of people, shes grabbing at me, and hes acting as an intermediary and trying to block her from doing that. When Trump has come out against men accused of sexual misconduct, they tend to be political rivals. He slammed former Senator Al Franken, a Democrat, after a photo surfaced of him appearing to grope a woman. The Al Frankenstein picture is really bad. Speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures two, three, four, five and six? Trump also criticized Harvey Weinstein, a major Democratic Party donor, after allegations that he engaged in rampant sexual harassment and abuse. Ive known Harvey Weinstein for a long time. Im not at all surprised to see it. Meanwhile, even as he holds his fire against Kavanaughs accuser, Trump has another target for his attacks: the Democrats. Why didnt the Democrats bring it up then? Because they obstruct and because they resist. Thats the name of their campaign against me. They just resist and they just obstruct.Under ranked choice voting, which applies only when more than two candidates are competing, voters list candidates in order of preference; if no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the candidate in last place is eliminated, those votes are redistributed, and the ballots can be recounted immediately until someone does.

Australia, Ireland and several American cities, including Cambridge, Mass., have used ranked choice voting for years. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences uses it to pick the Oscar for best picture.

[Read more here about how ranked choice voting works in practice.]

In June, the state of Maine became the first to use it statewide in its primaries for governor and other offices. In November, Maine will become the first state to use it in general elections for Congress. Ranked choice voting may be on the ballot for voters in New York City to consider in 2019, and several other cities are poised to use it in coming elections in states as varied as Utah, New Mexico, Minnesota and California.

In Massachusetts, Ms. Trahan squeaked to a lead in the Sept. 4 primary in an unwieldy field of 10 candidates. Most conceded. But one, Dan Koh, the extremely well-funded former chief of staff to Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, came within 122 votes of Ms. Trahan, a tiny fraction of all 89,000 ballots cast. Ms. Trahan claimed victory, but Mr. Koh refused to concede.

He then requested a recount, a process that ended Monday. After all 37 municipalities had recounted their ballots, Ms. Trahan had won 18,580 votes, or 145 more than Mr. Koh. She was declared the winner with 20.9 percent of the 88,823 votes cast.Prosecutors do not normally seek to sentence cooperators who might need to testify in future trials. Typically the government asks that someone in this situation be sentenced only after he has testified and completed all the acts of cooperation, said Jonathan Biran, a former federal prosecutor in Maryland.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers asked for a sentencing date of Nov. 28 or later.

What information Mr. Flynn provided Mr. Mueller is unknown. For more than a year, Mr. Mueller has been investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether any of Mr. Trumps associates coordinated with Russian operatives. Mr. Flynn admitted repeatedly lying to investigators about his dealings with Russia and his lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government.

Lying to the F.B.I. carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, but court documents indicate that Mr. Flynn faces a likely sentence of no more than six months in prison. Samuel W. Buell, a Duke University law professor and former federal prosecutor, said it remained unclear why Mr. Flynn, a decorated former general, received such a lenient plea deal.

It doesnt look like a situation where he came in and blew open the Russia investigation and hell become the star witness, Mr. Buell said.

Mr. Trump said he fired Mr. Flynn for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Mr. Kislyak. Mr. Flynn was also under F.B.I. investigation at the time. Soon after the firing, Mr. Trump met privately with the F.B.I. director at the time, James B. Comey, and asked him to shut down that investigation, according to Mr. Comey. Mr. Trump denies that.Ted Cruzs Senate re-election campaign has been sending voters in Texas a fund-raising letter in an envelope labeled summons enclosed, drawing criticism from some who called it misleading and raising questions about whether such a practice was legal. It is.

That is according to Myles Martin, a spokesman for the Federal Election Commission, who said the salient question was whether a mailing contains a disclaimer saying that it came from a political campaign. And this one did.

Aside from that, he said in an email, the F.E.C.s regulations dont speak to how candidates may choose to word particular solicitations to potential contributors.

Mr. Cruz is locked in an unexpectedly tight race against Representative Beto ORourke, a Democrat from El Paso, in a traditionally conservative state. Earlier this month, a top adviser to President Trump, Mick Mulvaney, the federal budget director, told a gathering of donors he believed it was possible Mr. Cruz might not win re-election because he is not likable.This years refugee ceiling reflects the substantial increase in the number of individuals seeking asylum in our country, leading to a massive backlog of outstanding asylum cases and greater public expense, he added.

Mr. Pompeo said refugees had to be weighed against a backlog of 800,000 asylum seekers who are awaiting a decision by immigration authorities about whether they qualify as in need of protection under United States law and will be granted status to remain.

But he vastly overstated the numbers, while making a linkage between two groups of immigrants that are not the same and are processed differently. As of the end of June, the Department of Homeland Security reported just under 320,000 people who had claimed asylum  meaning they had passed an interview conducted to verify that they met the credible fear threshold to be considered  and were awaiting a decision from the department about whether they could stay.

About 730,000 additional immigrants were waiting for their cases to be resolved by immigration courts, according to the Justice Department, including people who had asked for asylum after being apprehended. But that number also included people in deportation or other immigration proceedings. Those are not all humanitarian protection cases, as Mr. Pompeo described them; some may never be granted asylum and some will be removed from the United States.

Immigrant and advocates condemned the cuts to the refugee program, calling it a callous decision that would also undermine American national security and foreign policy priorities.

Nazanin Ash, the vice president for policy and advocacy at the International Rescue Committee, accused the Trump administration of piling on after attacks on the American asylum system, failing to protect unaccompanied minors at the border and withdrawing temporary protected status for Haitians, Salvadorans, Hondurans and others.

This was an opportunity for the administration to show its humanitarian heart, Ms. Ash said.

In justifying its policy intention, the administration has pitted those seeking asylum against refugees, she said. The administration has the resources it needs to effectively administer both programs, as historic admissions levels prove.WASHINGTON  President Trump is building a wall of tariffs around the domestic economy, attempting to protect American jobs by limiting imports. But a tire factory that opened last year in Richburg, S.C., offers a reminder that globalization is hard to stop.

In 2009, American tire makers persuaded the Obama administration to impose tariffs on Chinese tires, and imports of tires from China fell sharply. But Chinese companies did not stop making tires in response to the tariffs  they simply moved production to other places, including to the United States.

Giti, one of the largest tire makers in China, built the South Carolina factory to make low-cost tires for Walmart. Two other Chinese tire companies are building plants in the neighboring states of Georgia and North Carolina, and a fourth Chinese company acquired a tire factory in Georgia this year.

Mr. Trump on Monday said the United States would begin imposing tariffs on another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods on Sept. 24, on top of the $50 billion worth of products he previously taxed. The new tariffs hit many of the consumer products that Americans use every day, like food, clothing and electronics, and the president threatened to go even further, saying he is prepared to tax all Chinese imports if Beijing retaliates.Dr. Sbitany said that since he started talking about the new option, known as prepectoral breast reconstruction, he has been besieged by patients who have had submuscular implants for five, 10 or 15 years and want the reconstruction done over. Artificial breast implants are the most common method of breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

When patients want them replaced, Dr. Sbitany said, he removes the old implants, places the pectoralis major muscle back down where it used to be and inserts new implants on top of the muscle, using biological mesh to cover and support them under the skin.

There is no question that putting the implant below the muscle causes increased rates of pain and chronic discomfort with any physical activity  not in every woman, but in a consistent number of patients, said Dr. Sbitany, who operated on Dr. Cohan earlier this year. He is the author of a new study, to be published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery early next year, looking at outcomes for women who had prepectoral breast reconstruction followed by radiation therapy.

One downside of the new procedure is the high cost of acellular dermal matrix products, which may not be covered by insurance. One doctor estimated the extra material needed to do the new implant could double the cost of the reconstruction surgery.

Dr. Sbitany acknowledged the material can be costly, but noted that the new reconstruction method can be done in one operation, at the same time as the mastectomy, instead of dragging out for months and requiring a second surgery. Patients are often able to manage with much less pain medication, he said.

Another concern about the new approach is that women who need treatment with radiation therapy could potentially experience more infections and other complications since the implants are closer to the skin.

Radiation and reconstruction are not good friends, noted Dr. Marisa Weiss, a radiation oncologist who founded the website breastcancer.org. Over all, one in three women who have breast reconstruction after mastectomy experience a complication within the next two years.In Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria and on the entire continent, streets become rivers during the rainy season as sewage channels and drainage systems are overwhelmed during downpours. The phenomenon is repeated across numerous communities in West Africa, where traffic and business come to a standstill for hours or days, waiting for the streets to drain. Sometimes the flooding becomes deadly.

Last year, hundreds of people were killed in a mudslide in Freetown, Sierra Leone, along a hillside where residents of the booming city had cleared forests to build homes. Victims were buried alive in their houses and vehicles. Environmental groups and local organizations had been warning for years that the development was risky.

In Nigeria, local television stations reported that more than 100 communities had flooded and broadcast images of muddy waters reaching the rooftops of clusters of homes. Some people died when flooding caused their homes to collapse, according to Agence France-Presse.

Local leaders in some areas were advising residents to evacuate. Officials in Anambra State set up 28 camps for fleeing residents. Thousands of people fled their homes in Cross River State, officials there said, noting that many of them lived in swampy areas or along waterways. Farmland was flooded in other states, wiping away crops before they could be harvested.BEIJING  China has accused intelligence agencies in Taiwan of targeting mainland students on the island, drawing accusations of hypocrisy from Taipei as it investigates possible espionage by Beijing.

The accusations against Taiwan were first made on Saturday by the state broadcaster China Central Television, and at least six other news outlets followed with reports on Sunday and Monday. They included The Global Times, a nationalist tabloid owned by the Communist Partys official newspaper.

The reports cited cases from as far back as 2011, and said that in addition to students, a hotel employee and a driver for a travel agency had been targeted to provide information.

The news reports come at a time of increased Chinese pressure on Taiwan, which Chinas communist government has never ruled but claims as part of its territory. Taiwan is scheduled to hold local elections in November, which will weigh reactions to the first two years of President Tsai Ing-wens leadership.Out of about 4.7 million guest nights by international visitors in Stockholm County in 2016, Chinese nationals accounted for 117,476, a 74 percent rise from 2011, according to data published by the Stockholm Business Region, a company owned by the city of Stockholm. Most stayed in hotels, but 7,392 stayed in hostels.

Given all that, the Chinese Embassys charge of brutal abuse leveled against the Swedish police was clearly a diplomatic shot across the bow. The embassy also said it was deeply appalled and angered by what happened and strongly condemns the behavior of the Swedish police.

We urged the Swedish government to conduct thorough and immediate investigation, and respond to the Chinese citizens requests for punishment, apology and compensation in time, it added. We cannot understand why the Swedish side has not given us any feedback.

Linn Duvhammar, a spokeswoman for Swedens Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acknowledged the request by the Chinese Embassy but said the case had been handled by the responsible authority, referring to the police.

A spokesman for the police in Stockholm, Lars Bystrom, said Monday, We have nothing more to say in this case.

Karl Jigland, a press officer for the Swedish Prosecution Authority, said on Monday that the Public Prosecution Office determined that the police had not committed a criminal offense during the incident at the Generator hostel, and decided on Sept. 7 not to open a preliminary investigation.

The prosecutors office did not consider whether the police officers actions were the best way to handle a situation, he said, adding that such questions were handled by the police themselves. But Mr. Bystrom, the police spokesman, said no such investigation was being conducted in this case.The United States ambassador to the United Nations accused Russia on Monday of actively working to undermine the enforcement of sanctions aimed at curtailing North Koreas nuclear weapons program.

The ambassador, Nikki R. Haley, said Russia had blocked recent United Nations action aimed at strengthening controls over chemical and biological weapons technology and had resisted efforts to prevent North Koreas development of intercontinental missiles.

The United States also has photographic evidence, Ms. Haley said, of Russian vessels, including one named the Patriot, linking up with North Korean tankers on the high seas and illegally loading them with refined petroleum.

Ms. Haley made the accusations at a United Nations Security Council session that she had scheduled. She is the 15-member Councils president for September.SEOUL, South Korea  President Moon Jae-in of South Korea arrived in Pyongyang Tuesday for his third summit with Kim Jong-un, North Koreas leader, to work toward a common goal: fashioning a political statement this year declaring the end of the Korean War.

Such a declaration, although not a legally binding treaty, could carry far-reaching repercussions, helping North Korea escalate its campaign for the withdrawal of American troops from the South, analysts said. For that and other reasons, the United States has strong reservations about such a breakthrough.

A smiling Mr. Kim hugged Mr. Moon after he stepped off his plane in the Pyongyang International Airport. As the two leaders later moved to their cars after inspecting a military honor guard, a crowd of North Koreans shouted hurrah! while fervently waving plastic flowers and Korea-is-one flags that showed an undivided Korean Peninsula. They then took an open convertible through the city, happily waving to throngs lined up along the route chanting reunification of the fatherland!

The 1950-53 war has never been formally ended with a peace treaty. Instead, it was halted with a truce after three years of combat between American-led United Nations forces defending the South and the Communist troops of North Korea and China. That leaves the divided Korean Peninsula still technically at war, although fighting ended 65 years ago.Hong Kong is a city well prepared for typhoons, with a detailed warning system that alerts residents to the severity of any approaching storm so that they know how  and how quickly  to respond.

But when Typhoon Mangkhut battered the city with 100 miles-per-hour wind gusts on Sunday, its intensity took many Hong Kongers by surprise.

The local news media said the Hong Kong Observatory had labeled Mangkhut the most intense storm to hit the city, a major financial hub, since records began in 1946.

On Monday, December 28, 2015 9:17 PM, Mr Godwin Emefiele < wanglei@guodadrugstores.com > wrote:



Attention:Beneficiary



Sir,



ALIVE OR DEAD



In the course of our General Auditing and Account revision of the last quarter of the year 2015 ending within few days from now, we discovered that the Bank Accounts belonging to some Benefactors have been changed and their addresses changed for receiving their ATM CARDS on the basis that the owners have died some time last year or have given out an authorization note of change of data. After the investigations however, it was revealed that there are Foreigners who are collaborating with Retired Staffs of our commercial banks here i.e UBA, Zenith Bank, Eco Bank E.T.C to make these changes illegally without the knowledge of the Bonafide Benefactors and one traced to your own change is this Mr. Rick Jones who said you are dead, hence they have forwarded some documents of funeral service held for you so as to divert your fund. They have also forwarded this bank account below as the new account that will receive this money.



Bank: Hang Seng Bank

Bank Address: 83 Des Veoux Road, Central - Hong Kong

Account Name: Rick Jones

Account Number: 235-325172-882

Bank Code: 024

Swift Code: HASEHKHH



But we wanted to confirm if actually this is true and hence decided to write to your email address which after 2 days from now and there is no response, we will then know that you are dead indeed and go on with the Delivery Method, because it was decided that it has to be through cash Transmission method via diplomatic delivery means. If proved otherwise by you that you did not die, please forward to us all the related Benefactors particulars including your Telephone number, contact address. These details from you will help to assist us reach a conclusion that you are not dead. Anything contrary to this claim will help us charge this man to court and prosecute him while your fund will be delivered to you immediately via diplomatic delivery means without any further delay. You have to get back to us on time for us to commence legal proceedings against Mr. Rick Jones and his accomplices.



You can call for immediate accreditation, if truly you are alive.



Yours Faithfully.



Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

Governor

Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN)

Direct-line: 234 90 36197078

On Tuesday, December 29, 2015 1:43 AM, Godwin Emefiele < godwinemefiele696@gmail.com > wrote:



Dear



Thanks to your urgent response, if what you are saying is the truth you need to comply with the instructions/directive on my previous mail to you copy of the extract below



"If proved otherwise by you that you did not die, please forward to us all the related Benefactors particulars including your Telephone number, contact address. These details from you will help to assist us reach a conclusion that you are not dead."



Anything contrary to this claim will help us charge this man to court and prosecute him while your fund will be delivered to you immediately via diplomatic delivery means without any further delay. You have to get back to us on time for us to commence legal proceedings against Mr. Rick Jones and his accomplices.



You can call for immediate accreditation, if truly you are alive.



Yours Faithfully.



Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

Governor

Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN)

On Monday, February 5, 2018 7:52 AM, "MR,GODWIN EMEFIELE" < ambassador_frank.edward78@yahoo.com > wrote:





Attn: Beneficiary



This is to notify you that your over due inheritance funds has been

gazette to be released via the key telex transfer (KTT) -direct wire

transfer to you or through any of our correspondent apex bank

nominated by the senate committee for foreign over due fund transfer.

Meanwhile, a woman came to my office few days ago with a letter,

claiming to be your true representative.



There are a lot of people who are interested in confiscating your fund

into their personal account because they know too well that you can't

be able to come to Benin Republic to claim your USD10,150.000.00 Approved

payment. This person Mrs.Joyce C. Newton came to the Central Bank Head

office yesterday, with some vital documents saying that you sent her

to come and get your approved TEN MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY

THOUSAND US DOLLARS (USD10,150.000.00), reason she said because you

can't fly down to Benin Republic your self because of your ill-health and

business schedules.



The Federal House of Senate together with the President Federal

Republic of Benin Republic and the authorized paying bank i.e the Central

Bank of Benin Republic has gone through the approval papers tendered by your

Representative and found out that they are all correct and proves that

you are truly the one that sent her to get your fund. Right now, why

your fund has not yet been transferred to the account presented by

your partner is because "The $75 Transfer Fee" as requested by the

bank has not yet been settled off, If I may ask why will you send

someone to come and get your fund for you without given her the fee

for the Transfer of your approved fund? do you think that the Federal

Government of Benin Republic will be foolish enough to release this fund to

your representative without first checking if truly you have paid for

the International Transfer Charge because I can remember very clearly

that when I first contacted you about your fund approved.



Therefore,You are hereby advice to kindly go ahead and make sure that

you send the needed fee of $75usd through Western Union Money Transfer

Or Money Gram/ Ria Money transfer to proof that you are truly the rightfully

beneficiary of this Approved Fund and get back to me with the Payment Details

today before we close office.



RECIEVER'S NAME: ADAMS ADE

ADDRESS: LAGOS-Benin Republic

TEXT QUESTION: IN GOD

TEST ANSWER: WE TRUST

AMOUNT EXPECTING:$75USD ONLY.

MTCN/REF NUMBER:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

SENDER'S NAME:



Why I am telling you this is because this woman ( Joyce C. Newton )

will be stranded here in Benin Republic because we are not releasing any dime

to her without you first sending the Transfer Fee to her. She came to

my office this morning and told me that she has tried calling you line

severally and you are not picking her calls and she has dropped voice

messages to you which you have not answered, She also said that she

wanted to e-mail you but because she has no internet access she can't

do that so this is why I said since I have your e-mail address,I

decided to e-mail you but I never told her that I have contacted you

through e-mail.



Below are the information she provided on where you want your fund to

be transferred, so we want you to confirm the information and also

send her the requested Transfer fee because without it, the transfer

into this account will not work out.



Claims name: Joyce C. Newton

Bank name: Chase bank Arizona, USA.

Account number: 7503809428.

Routing number: 374650



Please, do reconfirm to this office, as a matter of urgency if this

woman is from you. You are requested to fill and send this

information's for verification purposes so that your fund valid USD10,

150.000.00 (Ten Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United State

Dollars) will be remitted into the account your representative

provided once she get to settle off the Transfer Fee requested by the

transferring bank (Central Bank of Benin Republic)



Information needed from you for verification is as follows as the true

beneficiary of this fund.



1. Your Full names:

2. Your full address:

3. Your Direct Mobile/telephone:

4. Age:

5. Sex and Marital Statues

6. Your occupation:

7. Banking/Account Details

8. Your valid passport for identification



As soon as the above informations has been provided by you, Kindly

find the below authorized paying bank (Central Bank of Benin Republic) and

the rightful person to pay you, contact him so that he can verify and

make immediate records into your payment file for he will commence

with all necessary procedures in other to remit this money into the

account. The President Republic of Benin Republic, the Federal Ministry of

Finance (FMF) executive board of directors and the senate committee

for foreign over due inheritance fund have approved and accredited the

Central Bank of Benin Republic (International Apex bank) with the office of

the director, international remittance/foreign operations,to handle

and transfer all foreign inheritance funds this final quarter payment

of the fiscal year 2018.



Name: REV JOHN PAUL

Director, Transfer/Payments Dept.

Central Bank of Benin Republic



Email: okwul4r@yahoo.com

However, the above mentioned office shall proceed to issue all

payments details to Mrs. White if he do not hear from you within the

next three working days from today.



Best Regards,

MR,GODWIN EMEFIELE

GOVERNOR,CENTRAL BANK OF Benin Republic

On Saturday, March 17, 2018 7:27 AM, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA < mrpaulrochers11@yahoo.com > wrote:









CENTRAL BANK REMITTANCE UNIT,

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT,

CADASTRAL ZONE, ABUJA,

FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY,

CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/013,

Swift Code: BPH KPL PK,

A/C#: 329606=101244=169=678

PHONE : Phone : Call +234-(0)9071-8576-81

FOREIGN REMITTANCE

Our Ref: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/11



INSTRUCTION / WARNING FROM CENTRAL BANK.



This is to bring to your notice from the Central Bank Remittance

Department that your outstanding contractual payment which was suspended by

the Nigerian government there by stopping the TELEX TRANSFER DEPARTMENT to

pause the transfer of your contract fund to your nominated bank account. As

a result of this development

verification conducted by the Finance Ministry in conjunction with the Debt

Verification Panel on your contract case file has been endorsed for payment

awaiting your confirmations.



In view of several efforts already made by us to contact you for the

following reasons based on the new account submitted to this office on your

behalf:



(1) My Office desks have just received a sworn affidavit from Mr.RAINER

HESSE of Germany to re-route your payment into a new bank account number as

stated VACAP Federal Credit Union, 1700 Robin Hood Road, Richmond, VA

23220. Account number 32501. of Mr. RAINER HESSE.



The sum of $25,000,000.00 ( Twenty Five Million US Dollars) (2) Please,

confirm to our office if you have instructed Mr. RAINER HESSE of GERMANY to

appoint an attorney/agent on your behalf thereby asking that he receive

cash call remittance on your behalf.



(3) It have come to our notice that you are being contacted by unauthorized

individuals with respect to your contract payment but unfortunately this

office is not aware of your unofficial dealings and warned that it is at

your own risk.



(4) Please, also confirm if you have authorized Mr. RAINER HESSE to change

your banking particulars to the following particulars stated below: VACAP

Federal Credit Union, 1700 Robin Hood Road, Richmond, VA 23220. Account

number 3250163 Also re-confirm your Contract Number, Contract Amount,

Private Telephone and Fax number, your e-mail address, Office or home

address so that we can cross-check it with our

file records.



We have decided to contact you for re-verification because we suspected

that Mr. RAINER HESSE is trying to divert your money through the sworn

affidavit into a new different bank account. You are advised to get back

to this office within 7days from today.





Reply me on this Email- Mrgodwin290@gmail.com



Sincerely,



Gov. Mr.Godwin Emefiele



Central Bank Of Nigeria



+234-(0)9071-857-681

On Friday, May 4, 2018 1:11 AM, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA < p.office3328@yahoo.com > wrote:









CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA,

OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE,

566 TO 599 VICTORIA ISLAND,

LAGOS NIGERIA.



Dear beneficiary,





This is very urgent and an urgent attention is needed.



In our office sometime last month, One Mr. John T. Kehoe of 1200

Fitch Way, Sacramento, Ca. 95864 filed an application contrary to your

Pending fund transfer. The above mentioned person visited this Bank yesterday with a power of attorney given in his favor by your good self, granting him the benefit to process and claim your inheritance of $15,000,000.00(Fifteen Million United States Dollars Only) for personal reasons.



He further Stated that the online account be terminated while the fund should be wired to his Bank account with Bank of America, Routing Number 121000358.Our office have ask Mr. John T. Kehoe return back to the Bank within 48hours to enable us have a personal confirmation from you being hitherto the beneficiary.



1. Did you instruct one Mr. John T. Kehoe of 1200 Fitch way, Sacramento, Ca. 95864, to claim and receive the payment on your behalf?

2. Did you sign any 'Deed of Assignment' in his favor thereby making him the current beneficiary?



We are sorry to have delayed your instruction in giving out this fund since we must adhere to the procedures of this honorable bank by making sure this request is verified and confirmed by the beneficiary and his existing attorney.



Your confirmation to the above will be appreciated. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best Regards



Yours sincerely



OFFICIALLY SIGNED.

MR. GODWIN EMEFIELE.

Executive Governor

Central Bank of Nigeria

Email: centralbankplc.gov.ng@aol.co.uk

On Thursday, August 16, 2018 2:34 PM, CBN Governor Godwin E. < 55gie@mocha.ocn.ne.jp > wrote:





FROM THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR,

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)

GOVERNOR GODWIN EMEFIELE





This is to inform you that your delivery man has arrived with your inheritance cash trunk box value $8.3 million dollars in SEATTLE-TACOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, WASHINGTON as their transit. I want you to know that you have 24 hours to call him now with this line (206) 216 0388 or email ( agentcharlesbrown27@gmail.com ), then ask to speak to the diplomatic deliveryman in person of Mr. Charles Brown in the United States. Let us know if you are still interested to get your trunk box delivered to you today? As he has been waiting to hear from you to enable him get to your home address without missing his way.

For your information, the deliveryman with your package is not aware of the content of the trunk box for security purpose. Please do not tell him to avoid running away with your funds. On no account should you let him know about the content of the consignment to avoid evil intention. Most importantly you are advised to send your full data to him, which include (1)your Full Name, (2)Current Residential Address,(3) Direct Cell Number, and A copy of any identity card to verify that you are the right receiver to avoid mistakes, and bear in mind that you have to clear the trunks once the delivery man arrive the Airport.



Note that you must call me as soon as you receive this email for more discussion, Also reconfirm your full current address and valid phone number to the Delivery officer via his above email address once you receive this email to enable him deliver your cash consignment box to your house without any further delay or mistake. You are advised not to waste his time at the airport, so that he would not be stranded in any way because he will return if he finds out that you are not doing anything to get him over to your house.



CONGRATULATIONS.

GODWIN EMEFIELE,

NEW EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR,

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

CELL: +2347054872327

On Wednesday, August 22, 2018 10:36 PM, Central bank of Nigeria < wkem71@yahoo.com > wrote:









CENTRAL BANK REMITTANCE UNIT,

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT,

CADASTRAL ZONE, ABUJA,

FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY,

CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/013,

Swift Code: BPH KPL PK,

A/C#: 329606=101244=169=678

PHONE : Phone : +234 07018979693

FOREIGN REMITTANCE

Our Ref: CBN/IRD/CBX/021/11







INSTRUCTION/WARNING FROM CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA



This is to bring to your notice from the Central Bank Remittance Department that your outstanding contractual payment which was suspended by the Nigerian government there by stopping the TELEX TRANSFER DEPARTMENT to pause the transfer of your contract fund to your nominated bank account. As a result of this development verification conducted by the Finance Ministry in conjunction with the Debt Verification Panel on your contract case file has been endorsed for payment awaiting your confirmations.



In view of several efforts already made by us to contact you for the following reasons based on the new account submitted to this office on your behalf:



(1) My Office desks have just received a sworn affidavit from Mr.RAINER HESSE ? of Germany to re-route your payment into a new bank account number as stated VACAP Federal Credit Union, 1700 Robin Hood Road, Richmond, VA 23220. Account number 32501. of Mr.RAINER HESSE ?.



The sum of 27 Million US Dollars ( Twenty Seven Million US Dollars) (2)Please, confirm to our office if you have instructed Mr.RAINER HESSE ?of GERMANY to appoint an attorney/agent on your behalf thereby asking that he receive cash call remittance on your behalf.



(3) It have come to our notice that you are being contacted by unauthorized individuals with respect to your contract payment but unfortunately this office is not aware of your unofficial dealings and warned that it is at your own risk.



(4) Please, also confirm if you have authorized Mr.RAINER HESSE ? to change your banking particulars to the following particulars stated below: VACAP Federal Credit Union, 1700 Robin Hood Road, Richmond, VA 23220. Account number 3250163 Also re-confirm your Contract Number,Contract Amount, Private Telephone and Fax number, your e-mail address, Office or home address so that we can cross-check it with our file records.





Reply back on ( centralbenkofnigeria300@gmail.com ) with your full information. Note that your payment files will be returned to the IMF within 72 hours if we did not hear from you, this was the instruction given to us by the IMF. We will start the transfer as soon as we received your information.

We have decided to contact you for re-verification because we suspected that Mrs.RENAE MOORE? is trying to divert your money through the sworn affidavit into a new different bank account. You are advised to get back to this office within 7 days from today.





Best Regards

Mr.Godwin Emefiele



E_Mail: centralbenkofnigeria300@gmail.com Executive Governor Central Bank of Nigeria

Phone : +234 07018979693

On Monday, September 10, 2018 5:40 AM, Godwin Emefiele < godwinemefiele696@gmail.com > wrote:



Why did you abandon your payment because of ordinary $345 only?? it beats my imagination. Nevertheless, i sincerely hope that all is well with you??

Kind Regards Mr. Godwin Emefiele Governor C.B.N +2349036197078

On Saturday, September 15, 2018 4:57 AM, Godwin Emefiele < godwinemefiele696@gmail.com > wrote:





I have giving you my identifications what else do you want, the ball is in your court now, you do the needful From: Central Bank Of Nigeria centralnigerias@aol.com

Sent: Thu, Sep 20, 2018 2:31 pm

Subject: YOUR FUND APPROVED PAYMENT OF $27,000,000



From The Desk of Dr.Godwin Emefiele CEO, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Tinubu Sqare,P.M.B.12194,Lagos Island,Lagos,Nigeria. Fund Approved Payment Verification. Our ref. :CBN/IRD/CBX/021/2014 Phone: +234-9034799144 Attention : Transaction In Progress Updates Acknowledged your email , Be Informed That All The Document Are Interlocked With Us In This Bank But Before We Proceed By This Transfer Of Your Fund We Are Going To Get An Approval From The Presidential Office So Kindly Get Back With Respond By Sending The Required Information Below : Name : Address : Next of kin: Phone: Status : Age: Occupation: Driver's license: The Information Is Required From You For Quick Processing Of Your Fund Because We Want To Know We Are Dealing With Right Owner Of This Mail. Thank You For Reconfirming To Your Name This Is Number One Prove I Just In Our Payment File And See Really You Are Right About Your Name Thanks Once More Thank You For Your Understanding As I Look Forward To Read From You. Await Your Urgency In Reply I Look Forward To Read From You . Thanks and God Bless, Dr. Godwin Emefiele. Central Bank Governor You Can Reach me On this Line +234-9034799144 For inquiry you can call my lane line +234-00979517087 If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more....The whir of choppers and the buzz of chain saws were all that was heard on Monday near the mining town of Itogon as workers looking for bodies dug through the mud using shovels and their bare hands  the ground too wet for heavy machinery.

Francis Tolentino, a senior adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte, estimated that nationwide 5.7 million people had been affected by the storm, which hit the country at the height of its powers, with wind speeds topping 150 miles per hour.

The authorities said the prospectors, some of whom are believed to be children, were working illegally at the mine site, which was shut down in the 1990s amid concerns of environmental degradation.

After Benguet Corp., the company that previously operated the mine, halted operations, thousands of individuals flocked to the site, known as Antamok, to work the tunnels started by the company.

Before Ompong came, I asked them to leave, Victorio Palangdan, the mayor of Itogon, said of the miners, using Typhoon Mangkhuts local name. He said the workers at the camp told him that they had permission from Benguet Corp. to work the abandoned mine, a claim the company denied.

By some estimates, as many as 400,000 small-scale miners operate throughout the Philippines, digging in areas where such activity is outlawed and using banned toxic substances, including mercury, to process their finds.

Mr. Duterte inspected part of the disaster area on Sunday, and met with top officials in Tuguegarao City for a televised briefing on the damage and the recovery effort.

I share the grief of those who lost their loved ones, the president said.

At least 4 dead in ChinaAdvice continues to be eat strawberries, but cut them up and have a look first, the police in Queensland State said in a Facebook post.

But a steady stream of news stories has stoked concern. On Sunday, a 7-year-old girl in South Australia bit into a strawberry with a needle but was unharmed. On Monday, a man in Western Australia discovered a needle in a strawberry when he cut into it. Earlier this month 21-year-old Queensland man had to rush to a hospital after swallowing part of a sewing needle.

It wasnt a pleasant surprise, the man, Hoani Hearne, told 9 News last week.

On Monday, the police in Queensland said that a 62-year-old woman had contaminated a banana with a metal object, but they did not believe she was connected to the other attacks. It was the first such incident that involved a different type of fruit.

By Tuesday, a woman in Sydney found a needle in a third type of fruit, a Pink Lady apple purchased from a Woolworths supermarket, according to local news media. The New South Wales Police called the tampering disipicable, and said they were investigating.

The strawberry industry has scrambled to regain consumer confidence, with one farm showing off a metal detector it said every case of strawberries would pass through. At least six brands have recalled their berries.AMSTERDAM  The International Criminal Court on Monday sentenced Jean-Pierre Bemba, a former Congolese vice president who was acquitted of war crimes in June, to a 300,000 euro fine for witness tampering.

Mr. Bemba, who has been barred from running in the presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo because of the conviction for witness tampering, was also sentenced to 12 months in prison, but that was reduced to zero because of time already served.

Future accused persons can look at Mr. Bembas conviction as a cautionary example as to what consequences obstructing the administration of justice can have, said Judge Bertram Schmitt. Mr. Bembas acquittal in the main case should have been the end of his exposure to the court, yet he continues to have the specter of this institution hanging over him.

The acquittal of Mr. Bemba on war crimes charges, which came on appeal, came as a surprise and raised the prospect he could return to Congo and re-enter politics. A final decision is expected Wednesday on whether the witness tampering conviction, for which he must pay the equivalent of $350,000, makes him ineligible to run.WARSAW  When President Trump visited Warsaw in the summer of 2017, the Polish government was busy setting up a transformation of the nations judicial system in ways that critics found deeply troubling and undemocratic.

Opponents of the overhauls hoped that Mr. Trump would use his visit to urge the government to change course. He did not. Instead, greeted by cheering throngs  many bused in from rural villages where the governing partys support runs deepest  he warned of the dangers of radical Islamic terrorism and the creep of government bureaucracy.

It seems to me it was a green light to push ahead with the radical reforms, said Adam Bodnar, the Polish ombudsman, a state entity that protects civil liberties.

Now, as President Andrzej Duda sets off for his first official visit to the White House on Tuesday, the project to reshape the courts is nearly complete after a purge of the Supreme Court through the forced retirements of one-third of the justices.MOSCOW  Russias defense minister said on Monday that Syria would refrain from launching an offensive on Idlib Province, the last major rebel stronghold, after the presidents of Russia and Turkey agreed to establish a demilitarized zone there to avert a potentially catastrophic military confrontation.

The announcement by the two presidents, who support opposite sides in Syrias civil war, appeared at least to delay what had been forecast to be a bloody assault on Idlib by the forces and allies of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, which include Russia and Iran.

Fears of a looming attack on Idlib have been building in recent weeks as a triumphal Mr. Assad, once written off by Western powers and other enemies, has reclaimed most of the country and geared up for a final military push to rout his armed antagonists.

Syria has been in the grip of a brutal conflict since 2011, when a peaceful uprising against Mr. Assads autocratic rule morphed into a horrific civil war that, marked by chemical attacks and allegations of war crimes, has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half the population.For the past seven years, a family from Taiwans Chiayi county had only been able to access their kitchen with rubber boots on or risk getting electrocuted. Even turning on the faucet with their bare hands was a risky affair as current could be running through it.

The man of the house, known only as Mr. He, was recently featured in a short news segment on the bizarre phenomenon affecting his household. Seeing him getting ready to enter his kitchen, one would assume that hes dealing with a flooded room, but in fact the rubber boots he always puts on are supposed to protect him from the electricity running through the kitchen. Every time he touches the metal walls of the kitchen, or even the water faucet with his bare hand, He claims to get an electrical shock. To avoid that, he always operates the faucet with a soup spoon equipped with a wooden handle.

Mr. He told reporters that in the last few years he had the electrical installation in his house replaced, and consulted several electricians, but no one could offer him a solution, or even an explanation. He and his family, didnt dare touch the metallic walls and roof of the kitchen, even though they could have used some cleaning, for fear of getting electrocuted.

Recently, an electrical engineer spent several days inspecting the kitchen and finally figured out the problem. After checking that all the electrical wires were in good condition, the engineer cut off all power to the house but after using his electrical multimeter on the metallic wall of the kitchen, he noticed that it was still electrically charged. Having figured out that there was a hidden electricity source, it didnt take long for the engineer to identify it.

Looking at the house from a distance, it was easy to see that a Chunghwa Telecom cable from a nearby wooden electrical post was resting on the metallic roof of Mr. Hes kitchen, and upon further inspection, the engineer found that the insulation had been damaged and the cable was in direct contact with the roof. Since no grounding had been installed in the kitchen, and most of it was made of metal, its no wonder that current flowed freely through the whole place.



Hes family is obviously relieved that they will finally be able to use their kitchen without having to wear rubber boots and avoid touching metallic surfaces, but its hard to believe they had to put up with that for seven years.

via EBCPycnandra acuminata is a rare tree native to the shrinking rainforests of New Caledonia that has the rare ability to collect large quantities of nickel from the ground. Its blue-green sap reportedly contains up to 25% nickel.

Trees, or plants in general for that matter, and heavy metals like nickel and zinc dont really go well together, and thats what makes Pycnandra acuminata and a few other rare tress species known as hyperaccumulators so special. They have somehow evolved to suck out normally toxic levels of heavy metals from the soil and store it in their stems, leaves and seeds. Unfortunately, heavy deforestation in New Caledonia has put this remarkable tree on the list of endangered trees before scientists could even figure out how and why it can tolerate such high quantities of nickel in its latex-like sap.

Photo: video screengrab

Scientists originally discovered hyperaccumulators in the 1970s, and so far over 65 such plants have been identified in New Caledonia, 59 in Turkey, and a few others in countries like Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. However, scientists are convinced that many more remain to be discovered. This capacity to store large quantities of heavy metals has been studied by various biological sciences, from molecular biology to physiology and biochemistry, and while much has been learnt about the hyperaccumulation and hypertolerance of zinc and cadmium by some plants, nickel hyperaccumulation mechanisms remain a mystery.

The evolution of hyperaccumulators like Pycnandra acuminata is believed to have occurred over millions of years, but scientists have yet to identify a universal mechanism of nickel uptake and storage, although some initial investigation has been carried out. The reason why such plants have evolved the way they have is also up for debate.



The elemental herbivory protection theory is the most popular among scientists. It proposes that the unusually elevated concentration of nickel protects the plant from leaf-chewing insects and other herbivores, and studies have shown that hyperaccumulated nickel is indeed toxic to most herbivore insects, although some have developed a high tolerance to it.

But there are other theories being thrown around in scientific circles, like the one according to which the nickel has anti-fungal effects which protect the tree from various infections, or the one that proposes that the heavy metal reduces the germination and growth of other competing plants nearby through leaf litter deposition. However, there is still much we dont know about this type of hyperaccumulators, and at this stage, these are all just theories.



One thing that has been proven, is the capacity of hyperaccumulators like Pycnandra acuminata to clean soil with a build-up of toxic material caused by human activity, through a process called phytomining. There is also clear potential for phytomining of heavy materials like nickel in soils that are subeconomic for conventional mining. Such applications already exist for hyperaccumulators of selenium, thallium and manganese.

Unfortunately, hyperaccumulators are currently in a dire situation, and Pycnandra acuminata is a clear example of this. Due to heavy deforestation, this tree species only exists in fragmented forest patches surrounded by maquis, with probably fewer than several hundred individuals left. With destructive human activity in the New Caledonia continuing, the fate of this metal-bleeding tree and many other species native to this area hangs in the balance.



Sources: New Phytologist, BBC

Ronn Torossian

Another CBS News official is in hot water over allegations of sexual impropriety. Jeff Fager, a top executive for 60 Minutes, was fired by the network based on reports that he groped women at parties and tolerated an abusive workplace.

Strangely, though, CBS president David Rhodes told the media that Fagers firing wasnt directly related to those allegations. Instead, Rhodes claimed Fager had been fired for violating company policy by allegedly threatening a subordinate. Fager, according to CBS, sent a text message to a reporter working on a story about him to be careful with her reporting of the allegations against him. According to CBS, it was the threat implied in this communication  and not the allegations themselves  that got Fager fired.

While this may be just cause for his firing, most onlookers dont believe Fagers fate was sealed by the text. Instead, theyre pointing to what has now become a few CBS officials recently forced out over allegations of sexual misconduct at work. In each instance, CBS has acted to do its best to protect the brand and distance itself from the accused as well as the implication that the network is a hotbed of sexually abusive culture.

When popular anchor Charlie Rose was dropped from the network last November, the company insisted he had his own show that he owned and produced, and that the alleged bad behavior occurred under those auspices and not on CBS watch. When now-former CEO Leslie Moonves was initially accused of certain misconduct, CBS stuck with their top executive, saying more investigations needed to be conducted before any conclusions should be made.

Now, though, its going to be tougher for CBS to avoid the reputation as a network that looked the other way when sexual misconduct was being perpetrated by some of its biggest, most influential names. Sure, there are extenuating circumstances and important details, but what the public is seeing  over and over and over again  is a network with top stars and executives not only turning a blind eye toward harassment, but being blamed for perpetrating this inappropriate behavior.

That emerging narrative and solidifying perception could very well be why CBS moved quickly to fire Fager after waiting to address the allegations against Moonves. The narrative around their situation was shifting out of their control, and the only way to gain back any momentum was to act. Fager gave them that opportunity when he sent a message to CBS News reporter Jericka Duncan that definitely crossed the line:

There are people who lost their jobs trying to harm me and if you pass on these damaging claims without your own reporting to back them up that will become a serious problem 

That message allowed CBS to take decisive action while effectively buying back some of the moral high ground the company sacrificed responding to the Rose and Moonves situations.

***

Ronn Torossian is CEO of leading PR agency 5WPR.

Martin Sorrell

The Financial Times today published an online apology to former WPP chief Martin Sorrell for including him in a Sept. 14 article that was headlined, "Disgraced chief executives reap benefits while investors suffer."

That article, which has been deleted from the FT's site, "inaccurately described the circumstances in which Sir Martin Sorrell resigned from WPP," said the FT.

"Further, we wish to make clear that Sir Martin was not alleged to have engaged in conduct comparable to that of the other former chief executives referred to in the article.

"He has never been accused of the serious wrongdoing with which other individuals in the article have been accused or associated, and has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to his departure from WPP," it said.

The British paper apologized to Sorrell "for any distress caused to him and his family."Katie Myler

Katie Myler, a Burson-Marsteller alum who was previously senior media advisor to former U.K. Labour Party head Ed Miliband, has joined Glover Park Group, where shes been named a managing director in the government affairs firms strategic communications practice.

Myler joins GPG from fellow WPP unit Burson-Marsteller, where she served as global practice managing director and was based in the PR giants London and New York offices.

Previously, she served in the British Government as special advisor to both the Home Secretary and the UK Department of Health.

At GPG, Myler will provide crisis, strategic and media counsel. Shell be stationed in the agencys New York office.

Waheed Hassan

Investor relations firm The Blueshirt Group has launched a new corporate governance advisory and activism defense practice.

The Next Fifteen unit said this new practice would further the agencys ability to counsel its publicly-traded clients on corporate governance issues and help them identify vulnerabilities and proactively prepare for potential activist engagement.

Activism risk is significant for companies of all sizes, Blueshirt managing partner Lisa Laukkanen told ODwyers. With over $150 billion of assets under management, activist investors continue to exert pressure on companies as reflected in the increasing number of campaigns.

The new practice will be led by Waheed Hassan, who has been appointed managing director. Hassan joins Blueshirt from governance consulting and proxy solicitation firm Alliance Advisors, where he served as managing director. He was previously M&A and proxy contest research manager at Institutional Shareholder Services. Prior to that, he was a financial analyst at Capital One and also served as a senior research analyst with Indosuez W.I. Carr Securities, UBS Warburg and Merrill Lynch affiliate Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari.

Blueshirt Group, which caters primarily to technology clients, now represents approximately a third of U.S.-based tech-related IPOs. The San Francisco-based agency, which was founded in 1999 by Morgen-Walke Associates alumni, maintains additional operations in New York, Beijing and Stockholm.

Next Fifteen Communications acquired Blueshirt in 2010.The National Q Mark Awards 2018 nominations have been announced and representing Offaly this year is OCallaghans Centra in Ferbane.

The nomination means that O'Callaghan's is in the top 6.75% of all audits completed by the EIQA on the island of Ireland. This is a very special year for the Q Mark Awards as the EIQA celebrate 50 years.

The coveted Q Mark is awarded only to companies who achieve the highest standards of quality and excellence. The Q Mark awards celebrate the success of businesses over a range of sectors that review 100% of their processes and procedures 100% of the time so that they continually operate best practice standards.

The National Q Mark Awards, sponsored by eTravel and Virgin Atlantic, will take place on Friday the 28th of September at The Clayton Hotel in Dublin 4. The impressive black-tie ceremony will be hosted by inimitable broadcaster Jonathan Healy.

With more than 450 people and 135 companies battling it out for the 27 prestigious Q Mark Awards, it is no surprise that The National Q Mark Awards continue to be known as The Oscars of Business Excellence A National Q Mark Award is the highest accolade an Irish business can achieve, given both the intense competition and the exacting standards required.

Speaking at the announcement Irene Collins, Managing Director of EIQA said Q Mark certification empowers companies to reach far beyond regulatory requirements. It measures customer satisfaction, leadership, growth, it recognises effective and efficient use of resources and has continuous improvement at the heart of every programme."

"With our origins stretching back 50 years, our expert auditors and assessors are dedicated to helping our customers make their products and services even better for their customers. Reaching the finals is great recognition for the teams behind every company that has been nominated  its about inspiring Excellence and Celebrating Success," she added.

EIQA (Excellence Ireland Quality Association) has been the Irish National Quality Association since 1968. They currently audit the standards of thousands of organisations and businesses both in Ireland and Internationally. EIQA is known as the Guardian of The Q Mark which identifies its various certifications, namely: The Q Mark for Hygiene & Food Safety, The Q Mark for Quality Management Systems, The Q Mark for Nursing Homes, The Q Mark for Leisure Centres, The Q Mark for Accessibility (ABLE)

Only businesses that achieve the highest scores at audit are shortlisted in their relevant category. Once shortlisted, all companies must complete a very detailed submission document. This submission document is then presented to an expert panel of independent judges from the areas of Food Safety, Employment Law, Academia, Business & Quality to name but a few. See www.eiqa.ie for details.

Best of luck to O'Callaghan's on the night!"Imagine finding your 3-year-old son covered in his own blood and sweating profusely suddenly one morning. The next thing we know he is being pierced by countless needles, screaming in pain as he fights blood cancer. I have left everything behind, quit my job and travelled 1800 km to Chennai's Apollo hospital so he can receive proper treatment. I cannot give up now," says Avijit's father.

Archana and her husband lived a happy life back in Kolkata with their son. Avijit was to begin his preschool soon. They had taken care of everything, his uniforms, his school bag and his crayons. But fate frowned upon them. They noticed that he had started losing a lot of weight.

"On a hot summer day, he refused to get out of the bed saying he was feeling cold. He held on tightly to his blanket. We realized that he was shivering and that he had a high fever. Next morning, we woke up to see his pillow stained with specks of blood. That was the first of several nosebleeds that were about to follow. His pillows were almost always drenched in sweat. He would toss and turn in discomfort throughout the night. We started to panic," says Avijit's father.

Over time, Avijit refused to eat anything and constantly complained of a stomach ache. His parents took him to the nearest hospital in Kolkata, where the doctor prescribed some medicines. The medicines didn't seem to be doing anything as the fever remained even after a whole week.

Avjit's father continues, "We took him to a local doctor in Kolkata, who asked us to do a blood test for Avijit. My son wouldn't stop crying and held me tight throughout the blood test. His platelet count was dangerously low. We were told that he needed more blood. As time passed by, nobody in the state-owned hospital were able to guide us properly nor were we told about what his exact medical condition was. To add to that, Avijit ended up getting a lot of infections due to the unsanitary conditions in the hospital."

Finally, they were advised to take to take him to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. It was an 1800-km-long journey from Kolkata. They were ready to do whatever it took if it meant that their son could get better. On admitting him to the hospital, he was made to take a few blood tests and they found that he had leukaemia, the blood cancer. His cells were dying rapidly and only chemotherapy could save him now.

"We had no option but to start chemotherapy immediately. It will cost Rs. 15 Lakh total. We have already spent around Rs 2 Lakh for his medication and medical tests so far. We realized that travelling to and fro would be impractical. So now we have temporarily shifted our base to Chennai and have rented a small room near the hospital. It is a new city and I don't know the language, finding a job has been proving tough but I am trying my level best to get one," Avijit's father said.

The family is still struggling to pay back the loans that they have borrowed, with the interest piling up, month after month. In a new city, they are all by themselves.

How Can You Help

Avijit is braving through blood cancer. He can only be saved with the help of chemotherapy. They are in a new city and don't have anywhere else to go. Your contribution will give them a chance to save their son's life. You can also help them by sharing this story with your friends and family, or anyone else who might be able to help!7th Pay Commission latest news: Why govt may change its mind after September 19

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 17: The time is ticking and with no good news relating to the 7th Pay Commissions lakhs of employees are all set to hit the streets.

Official sources tell OneIndia that the entire issue has been put on hold and there is no chance of any announcement relating to the 7th Pay Commission anytime soon.

When asked if the issue is dead, the official however denied the same and only added that the time is not conducive now. When asked about the major protest by the Central Government employees, the official added that their demands would be taken into consideration.

Also Read | 7th Pay Commission latest news and updates: Smiles in this troubled state

The CG employees have been demanding a hike of Rs 26,000 as opposed to the Rs 18,000 what the pay panel had recommended. Analysts say that it would not be right to say that the issue is dead. It is just taking longer than what was expected.

The hopes of the employees was dashed when the government officially said in the Rajya Sabha that there were no discussions regarding the 7th Pay Commission. While this had dashed the hopes of the CG employees, a statement by Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley had raised their hopes slightly. The CG employees are clinging on to his assurance that all aspects and grievances would be looked into.

At a recent meeting, it was even said that the government would consider the issue relating to the 7th Pay Commission after looking into the financial implications. Sources say that even if a decision were to be made, the hike of Rs 21,000 would be set into motion. However the demand of Rs 26,000 would be difficult to implement, given the current condition.

In the wake of this, the CG employees have decided to begin their protest from September 19 onwards. Wednesday would be observed as All India Protest Day.

"As decided by the NJCA, the affiliates are directed to hold mass rallies/demonstrations protesting against Government failure to implement its assurances on revision of minimum wage, improvement of fitment formula and abolition of National Pension System (NPS). Other pending issues related to railway employees may also be highlighted during protest actions. Affiliates may take note that "September 2018" should be treated as PROTEST MONTH by organising different forms of protest actions at all levels i.e. Depots, Establishments, Workshops, Major Stations etc."

"All India Protest Day" should be observed on 19th September 2018 and on the said date the affiliates should mobilise employees in large number along with those of Central Government Employees Organisations and hold massive rallies/demonstrations. The members of INDWF and FNPO should also be made part of agitation wherever possible," a resolution read.

The protests are likely to intensify and would be held across the country. There would be at least 50 lakh persons participating in this protest. Looking at the scale of the protests, there is a good chance that the government would act sooner on the issue and give into the demands of the CG employees regarding the 7th Pay Commission.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 8:31 [IST]SC orders free treatment, security for nikah halala petitioner

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered security and medical treatment for the Muslim woman who was attacked by her in-law for approaching the court challenging polygamy and nikah halala among Muslim women.

The court said that the attack on the woman took place in Bulandhshahr in Uttar Pradesh. The court directed the UP government to provide her free medical treatment, security and also consider the grant of compensation.

Further the court said that since there are a bunch of Muslim women petitioners who challenged nikah halala and polygamy, they should approach the jurisdictional police station for security, if they feared any threat to them.

Anti-triple talaq and nikah halala-activist Shabnam Rani was reportedly attacked with acid in UP's Bulandshahr on 13 September, while she was on her way to register a police complaint after she was allegedly assaulted at her in-law's house a day earlier. She was taken to a hospital and her condition was reported to be stable.

The reports stated that Shabnam's husband had earlier allegedly divorced her by the means of triple talaq and was forcing her to perform nikah halala with her brother-in-law in order to remarry her.

Shabnam Rani came into the spotlight when she moved a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the practice of nikah halala. She had also accused her husband of divorcing her via triple talaq, and alleged that he forced her to marry his brother.

Nikah halala is a controversial custom that demands a divorced Muslim woman to marry another man and consummate the marriage in order to remarry her previous husband.

The Supreme Court had earlier issued a notice to the Union of India and the UP government following the attack.Diwali 2021: How to perform Lakshmi puja at home, puja samagri, vidhi and shubh muhurat

All eyes's on RSS lecture series today, Opposition parties to skip event

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will be holding a three-day lecture series around the central theme of Hindutva.

The programme, titled 'Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective, is slated to be attended by dignitaries, including religious leaders, film stars, sportspersons, industrialists and envoys from different countries.

The highlight of the event is likely to be talks delivered on all three days by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, presenting the Sangh's view on various contemporary issues.

Also Read | Mohan Bhagwat calls for unity among Hindus, says wild dogs can destroy lone Lion

The event representing "all shades of opinions" would discuss the kind of India the RSS envisages in the 21st century.

The RSS has understandably sent invites to almost all the senior political leaders. Diplomats of around 60 counties are understood to be in the list of invitees.

Reportedly, But Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will not be attending the event.

The meeting is taking place amid the controversial comments made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi during his recent foreign tours over the role of Nagpur outfit and its hold over the ruling BJP.

Calling the reports of RSS opening its doors to outsiders "fake news", the Congress said it has not received any invitation from the RSS for its President Rahul Gandhi. In any case, it is "not a medal of honour as their inherently divisive, sectarian and hate-filled agenda is known to one and all," party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 10:52 [IST]All parties in Karnataka up their guard as talk of coalition collapsing becomes stronger

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Bengaluru, Sep 17: With the coalition in Karnataka looking shaky all parties have upped their guard. The BJP has summoned all its MLAs to the state capital.

The move comes in the wake of the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition accusing the BJP of trying to engineer a split and topple the government. The BJP has however said that it is not meddling with the government and added that the coalition will collapse on its own.

The latest issue that is threatening the coalition is the banner of revolt raised by the Jarkiholi brothers of Belagavi. Sources say that they are in touch with the BJP as well.

Meanwhile the Congress and the JD(S) is wooing their MLAs with lucrative posts. Further Siddaramaiah, the former chief minister of Karnataka who returned from his Europe trip has already held a series of meetings with the Congress legislators.

Also Read | Karnataka: More than what meets the eye in the Jarkiholi-Laxmi Hebbalkar fight

For now Siddaramaiah has managed to prevail over them and asked them to stay calm. However it may be recalled that prior to leaving for Europe, Siddaramaiah had let the cat among the pigeons by stating that there is a good chance he may become CM again.

The problem for the Congress is that at least 15 of its MLAs are shaky and appear to be ready to jump the fence. With the numbers extremely crucial, the BJP has decided to cart its MLAs to a resort. The Congress and JD(S) too are trying hard to poach BJP MLAs.

Meanwhile the BJP's top brass has asked its state unit to adopt a wait and watch game. The BJP wants the government to collapse on its own and not be seen as the one responsible for the collapse.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 16:46 [IST]Row erupts after BJP leader says Baniyas, Brahmins are in his pocket

INC means I Need Commission: BJP hits out at Congress after Rafale report

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey invokes Krishna after worker washes his feet, drinks soiled water

India

oi-Deepika S

Ranchi, Sep 17: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey landed in a controversy after a video of a party worker in Jharkhand, washing his feet and drinking that dirty water went viral.

In the video, a local BJP worker, Pawan Shah, is seen washing the feet of the Godda MP amid claps and loud cheers of 'Pawan bhai zindabad'.

Pawan was first seen washing the feet of Dubey, then wiping them with a piece of cloth and later drinking the soiled water from the pan which he had used to store the water.

Dubey later shared the pictures on Facebook, saying he would like to reciprocate the gesture for Pawan Shah if given a chance.

#WATCH BJP worker washes feet of BJP Godda MP Nishikant Dubey and drinks that water, at an event in Jharkhand's Godda (16.09.18) pic.twitter.com/J2YwazQDhg  ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018

However, defended himself saying Pawan washed and drank the water out of respect for him. In a post on Facebook, he said that one day he will wash-drink the feet of a BJP worker like Pawan.

"If a worker is expressing gratitude by washing my feet, what's the big deal? Washing feet of a guest is a custom in Jharkhand... why to give it a political touch?" he asked.

"Is washing feet of your guest wrong? Ask your ancestors. In Mahabharat, Krishnaji had also washed the feet. I am ashed of such mentality," he added in his post.

"One day I will get an opportunity to wash-drink the feet water of a worker like Pawan. Today I am living a public life because of people like him," he said in his post further.Danny Murray, along with his wife Dr. Debbie Murray and the Voices of Lee, with Wacker officials. Front row, from left, Dr. and Mrs. Tobias Brandis, president of Wacker Polysilicon; Dr. and Mrs. Dieter Gilles, site manager Wacker Burghausen; Dr. and Mrs. Rudolph Staudgil, CEO Wacker Chemie; Dr. Debbie Murray; Danny Murray; Mary Beth Hudson and her husband, Rocky Hudson. Klaus Millrath, director Communication/Information Burghausen site, is directly behind Brandis.

Voices of Lee has returned from Germany where the acapella group was honored to perform for Wacker Corporation in Munich.

Voices first performance took place in the Wacker Belegschafthaus Hall to a standing-room-only crowd of over 1,100 people.

The crowds exuberance was breathtaking, said Danny Murray, director of Voices of Lee. When we sang, they cheered us on. The concert ended with three encores.

Voices also performed at the Wacker Headquarters in Munich. We got to meet the wonderful employees of Wacker and perform a special concert for them, said Mr. Murray. It was an unforgettable experience.

Aside from performing, the group was treated to sight-seeing in Salzburg, Austria, and Altoetting, and was taken on a boat cruise on Lake Chiemsee, visiting the island and the castle Herrenchiemsee (New Palace). They were also given a tour of the Burghausen Castle, the longest castle in the world, once occupied by the Duke of Germany.

According to Mr. Murray, Wacker CEO Dr. Rudolf Staudgil remarked kindly about Voices visit and the special relationship Wacker has with the United States.



Dr. Staudgil first heard the Voices of Lee in 2011 at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wacker plant in Charleston and was reintroduced to the group at the plants dedication and grand opening in 2016. It was at the dedication that Dr. Staudgil determined to bring Voices of Lee to Germany.

CEO and site manager for Wacker Tennessee Mary Beth Hudson introduced the group in Germany, saying, This was a long-range goal come true!BJP plans to collect caste data at every booth in the country

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked its booth workers to collect data about the presence of different castes in a particular booth and prepare a proper list that how many votes of a particular caste are there on a particular booth. They have been issued a form in which caste wise information has to be collected as soon as possible so the next strategy could be devised.

Information sought by the party as form issued by the party, it has to get data about the social equation at every booth across the country. The party wants data about every caste on every both. Name of the caste and total number of votes of that particular caste on one booth. The party has asked its workers to start collecting these data. The party sources said that the booth committee has told its workers to collect these date and that will be sent to the state party office for further action. They have already started collecting these information.

Also Read | BJP's 21-member booth committee to have five bikers and five members with smart phone

Sources said that it will also have the role in deciding that who would be campaigning in select areas however for distribution of ticket many other factors will be taken into considerations. The party sources said that once these data are collected they would be contacted by the party workers. There are around 1.60 lakh booth in Uttar Pradesh and similarly other state too have booths as per the size of the state. So every state will prepare such date so people can be contacted by people familiar with them.

Also Read | BJP issues a 24-point programme; RSS, temples and beneficiaries to be reached out

Sources said that this will help devising the new strategy of the pary which is under tremendous pressure vis-e-vis caste equations especially after SC/ST Act was passed in Parliament. The party has also asked to make 10 Other Backward Classes and 10 SC/ST new members on every booths.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 11:12 [IST]Confident of forging 2019 alliance: Akhilesh Yadav

India

oi-Deepika S

Lucknow, Sep 17: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav is confident of stitching a grand opposition alliance to challenge the BJP for 2019 general elections.

"Everyone is fed up of BJP and they want it out of power. I want to assure you that alliance will happen in UP. Let the time come... We are confident of forming an alliance for 2019 elections. The opposition wants the BJP to be defeated in the next general elections," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

The statement came a day after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said her party is ready for an alliance only if it gets "respectable" number of seats, else her party will go solo in the upcoming elections.

Elusive grand alliance in UP?

BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday said her party will join the front only if it gets a "respectable share" of seats. "Otherwise, we will go alone," she said.

"Our party is not against the alliance, but our stand is very clear that we will ally with a political party only if we get a respectable share of seats. Otherwise, our party feels it better to contest the elections alone," she said.

The Congress has the biggest responsibility and it should show a big heart by taking everyone along. It should hold discussions with all opposition parties, he said.

The opposition will choose its leader after the Lok Sabha polls and it should set aside differences to achieve the larger goal of ousting the BJP, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

"We will choose our leader (of the grand alliance) after the elections. We have to stop the BJP. If we can stop the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, we can stop them in all of India," Yadav said at the NDTV Yuva conclave.

Also Read | Yogi Adityanath takes dig at Akhilesh, calls him 'Aurangzeb' for betraying his father

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Samajwadi Party lost in Uttar Pradesh because the RSS misled people, but people have now seen through them.

He said the faith of opposition parties has been shaken.

"Not just our parties, but to save the country we have to stay away from the RSS. RSS creates a divide between us based on religion, caste. That is why I am against them," he said.

The BJP's plan was to keep the youth fighting among themselves over religion and caste so that they do not ask for jobs and income, Akhilesh Yadav said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 13:42 [IST]'Stick to party's official stance on Article 370': Congress after Digvijay Singh's remarks spark controversy

Declare support for Ram Temple, BJP dares Congress

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 17: Days after Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the party will construct "Ram Path" in Madhya Pradesh if voted to power, the BJP has dared him to announce support in Parliament to the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

BJP national vice-president Prabhat Jha told PTI Bhasha the Congress' love for Lord Ram is just for the sake of elections.

"Digvijay Singh is himself a member of the Rajya Sabha and senior leader of the Congress. Instead of talking about non-issues, he should promise support in Parliament to the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya," he said.

Also Read | Ram Mandir construction will begin before 2019 polls, says former BJP MP

Jha said the Ram temple issue is sub-judice and the court will decide on it, but Muslims and Hindus can also resolve the matter mutually.

He said the government has started work on the Ramayan Circuit project, estimated to come up at a cost of Rs 266 crore.

The government plans to develop Ramayana-based tourist centres as part of the Ramayana Circuit. It is one of 13 circuits the Tourism Ministry is planning to develop as part of its Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 9:21 [IST]Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank and Bank of Baroda to be merged

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Union Government has decided to merge three PSU banks - Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank and Bank of Baroda. The newly merged entity would be the third largest bank of the country, said Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar.

The government had earlier asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to prepare a list of candidates for the merger among 21 government banks as it seeks to strengthen a banking system laden with bad debt.

To allay the fears and speculations of the employees of these banks, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "No employee will face any service conditions which are adverse in nature. The best of the service conditions will apply to all of them."

A prime reason for creating large banks is to address the toxic loan issue. Over the past three years, banks have seen a large chunk of their loan books turning sour, while demand for fresh loans has remained low. As a result, the share of bad loans as a percentage to total loans has been rising.

The government had merged five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank with SBI on April 1, 2017, to catapulte the country's largest lender to among the top 50 banks in the world.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 18:46 [IST]Bhima Koregaon: Centre says arrests justified, SC to examine evidence

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Supreme Court has agreed to go through the material and evidence collected against the activists arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence.

Earlier in the court additional solicitor general Maninder Singh said that the problem of naxalism has spread throughout the country and that is why he decided to intervene.

Further hearing on the matter would continue on September 19.

The court is hearing a petition that challenged the arrest of several activists in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence. The police said that these persons were naxalite sympathisers. The court had recently ordered that these persons be placed under house arrest.

Singh during the course of submissions sought to question the decision of the activists to approach the SC directly. What is the problem with the competent courts below that they had decided to approach the SC, he asked.

Senior advocate Tushar Mehta appearing for the Maharashtra government opposed the petition and said that those who had filed the plea are neither related to the case nor do they have any idea about it. He also said that there are incriminating documents recovered from the accused.

Mehta also added that the accused persons were arrested not just for their role in the case, but they also were planing on disrupting peace in the country.

Mehta went on to add that this case was not just about dissent. This concerns serious offences. The court may not be convinced, but the evidence from laptops, computers and hard disks will show what the evidence is, Mehta also submitted.

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said that they had entertained the petition on the foundations of liberty. Issues such as independent inquiry etc comes later. Let the accused seek relief below. Meanwhile our interim order on house arrest may continue.

Also Read | Arrested activists were part of Maoist fronts says police

The CJI also added that they would not get into any extreme propagation. We will have to look into whether the issue concerned CrPC or Article 32 of the Constitution, Justice Misra also said.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi appearing for the petitioners said that there is a canard being spread that they have a criminal past. He said that in the case of Varavara Rao there were 25 cases and in all of them he was either acquitted or the cases have been withdrawn. In the case of Gonsalves, there were 18 cases of which he has been acquitted in 17, while one appeal is pending.

In the case of Ferriera there were 10 cases and he has been acquitted in all of the,. In the case of the remaining accused there are no cases at all, Singhvi also submitted.Islamisation of Assam and why Pakistan wants to make it a crowded terror market

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 17: The arrest of Qamer uz Zaman, a Hizbul Mujahideen operative originally hailing from Assam has led investigators to probe a pan-India network of the outfit.

Zaman was arrested at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, where he was suspected to have plotted a bomb blast at a temple. However further investigation led the arrest of three more operatives of the Hizbul from Hojai in Assam.

All the arrested persons worked together and were in the process of recruiting more persons. These persons were given as little as Rs 30,000 to undertake a recruitment drive in Assam, which is volatile considering the large number of radical Islamic groups that operate over there.

Assam has a crowded terror market:

Assam has over the years become a hub for radical Islamic groups. Several terror groups prefer this state as it shares a long international border with Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan.

The big groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Tayiba have worked in this state and it gets its local support from several radical outfits that operate in Assam.

Hizbul's pan India ambition and why it never lost sight of Uttar Pradesh

For instance there are groups such as the Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam, Muslim Liberation Tigers of Assam, People's United Liberation Front and the Islamic Liberation Army of Assam which operate here.

These local groups have strong networks both within the state as well along the border areas. They have flouted the weak borders and brought in several thousands of illegal immigrants into the state. Bringing in the illegal immigrants has served their purpose on several fronts. A few political parties have over the years used them as a vote bank while the others have been embedded into the terror network.

The missing cases:

With these arrests the Assam police are now checking into a long list of missing persons. Zaman had left his home in 2012 and began working at a garment shop in Kashmir. Following that he went missing and his family had even lodged a missing complaint.

Hizbul's tentacles in Assam widens as another operative is nabbed

Police sources tell OneIndia that this is not an isolated case. Many have gone missing after leaving Assam for work. Such cases have been reported from Kashmir and also the Middle East. The police suspect that most of these persons may have joined the ranks of terror.

Intelligence Bureau officials say that those boys from Assam who have gone missing and have joined terror groups will be sent back to their home state over a period of time. Their brief would be to further the activities of groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Hizbul Mujahideen in Assam, which has over the years become a happy hunting ground for terrorists.

Warning bells:

The IB has said that security agencies would have to tread very carefully in the days to come. There has to be constant monitoring of those persons whose names are missing in the NRC.

Such persons would be very vulnerable and could be picked up easily by terror groups. The IB warns that several local terror groups have already been instructed to rope in such persons and form a formidable force in Assam.

Big terror attack on major temple in UP foiled

Terror groups based out of Kashmir and Pakistan have already sent out signals to their partners in Assam and other northeastern states to launch a fresh recruitment drive. These groups have been using the Rohingya Muslims and the NRC issue to boost up the recruitments in a big manner.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 12:14 [IST]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

Karnataka government cuts Petrol, Diesel prices by Rs 2/litre

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Bengaluru, Sep 17: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday announced slashing of fuel prices, reduced Rs 2 cess cut on both petrol and diesel. After Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka too has intervened to lower duties.

Fuel prices have been rising on a near-daily basis across the country. In Mumbai, petrol prices have inched closer to Rs 90 per litre.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was the first to reduce taxes on Sunday. The BJP-ruled state reduced VAT on petrol from 30% to 26% and on diesel from 22% to 18%. As a result, the prices of both fuels has declined by Rs 2.5 per litre.

The very next day, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu followed in Raje's footsteps to reduce fuel prices by Rs 2 a litre.

And, it was Mamata Banerjee's turn. Prices of petrol and diesel was reduced by Re 1 per litre in West Bengal.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections next year and assembly elections in several states, pressure is now building up on other state governments to cut fuel prices.

The rising fuel prices have become political, with the Opposition launching an all-out attack targeting the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. The government, for its part, has blamed international factors for the rising prices.

Prices are the steepest in Maharashtra and the lowest in Andaman and Nicobar islands due to variations in the central excise duty, state taxes and transportation costs.Modi interacting with school children

"As students, it is vital to ask questions. Never feel afraid to ask questions. It is a key aspect of learning," Modi said while interacting with young students of a school at Narur near Varanasi.

Modi also said students must give importance to sports, asking them to go out and play since it is essential.

Modi encourages children to ask questions

"It is important to learn various skills, this will help you forever. I came to your school on the special day of Vishwakarmajayanti. My greetings to everyone on this special day," he told the students.

Earlier, the students welcomed him enthusiastically saying "Swagatam PM."

Modi offers prayer at Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Later, the Prime Minister met students of Kashi Vidyapeeth and children assisted by them on the premises of Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW).

The Prime Minister also offered prayers at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple on the occasion of his birthday.

Modi visits Manduadih railway station in Varanasi

He also visitedManduadih railway station in Varanasi. As the PM waved at his supporters there, they shouted 'Modi Modi'.

Tomorrow, Modi will inaugurate or lay the foundation of various development projects, cumulatively worth more than Rs 500 crore, according to a statement by the prime minister's office (PMO). The event will be held at the amphitheatre of Banaras Hindu University (BHU).IAF officer arrested on rape charges in Coimbatore, sent to judicial custody

Narendra Dabholkar murder case: Sharad Kalaskar sent to judicial custody till Sep 29

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, Sep 17: A Mumbai sessions court on Monday sent Sharad Kalaskar, suspect in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case in 2013, into judicial custody till September 29.

Accused Andure was nabbed by the police from Aurangabad after a tip-off from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Kalaskar was also remanded into ATS custody until Monday.

Kalaskar was arrested in August by the Maharashtra ATS in connection with the seizure of arms and ammunition from different parts of the state. Kalaskar and three other accused in the arms haul case - Vaibhav Raut, Sudhanwa Gondhalekar and Shrikant Pangarkar were produced before Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Padalkar after their police remand ended.

Also Read | Accused in Gauri Lankesh case conspired to kill Dabholkar too: CBI

Dabholkar, the founder of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), was shot dead on 20 August, 2013 by bike-borne assailants, while he was returning home from a morning walk.

The ATS had earlier claimed the arms haul accused were suspected right-wing activists who were planning to trigger blasts at various places in Maharashtra. Kalaskar's alleged role in Dabholkar's killing came to light during his interrogation by the ATS in the arms seizure case. The ATS passed on the relevant information to the CBI, which is probing Dabholkar's killing since 2014.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 13:04 [IST]Narendra Modi's 68th birthday: PM to interact with schoolchildren in Varanasi

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Sep 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi today to celebrate his 68th birthday with schoolchildren.

The Prime Minister, who will stay in Varanasi for two days i.e Sep 17 and 18, will also offer prayers at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple during his visit and address a public gathering.

On his 68th birthday, the prime minister will watch a 32-minute film called "Chalo Jeete Hain" with schoolchildren.

He is also likely to inaugurate several development projects worth crores of rupees, district officials said. Modi will inaugurate or lay the foundation of various development projects, cumulatively worth more than Rs 500 crore, according to a statement by the prime minister's office (PMO). The event will be held at the amphitheatre of Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

This is the last birthday of Modi before the general elections and the BJP wants to send a message in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh through the prime ministers' visit.No Odd-Even for two-wheelers in Delhi, SC stays NGT order

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed NGT order directing that odd-even vehicle rotation scheme be implemented for two-wheelers in New Delhi.

The decision came after the Delhi government expressed its inability to accommodate 68 lakh people in public transport.

A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Dipak Gupta was told by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A N S Nadkarni, appearing for Delhi government that it would be impossible to accommodate people in public transport if odd-even scheme is made applicable for two-wheelers also.

Nadkarni said there were around 68 lakh two-wheelers in Delhi and they were seeking exemption for two-wheelers. He said the NGT had passed an order on December 15 last year in this regard and they were complying with all directions but want exemption for two-wheelers in the odd-even scheme.

In November last year, the NGT had cleared the deck for implementation for the odd-even vehicular scheme as a measure for combatting alarming levels of air pollution.

The tribunal, however, did away with the exemption granted to women, two-wheelers and government servants under the scheme.

The tribunal had also directed Delhi to ensure that diesel vehicles that are more than 10 years old are removed from city roads without any delay. It also said the city should not gift infected lungs to its children.

The policy mandates that private vehicles ply on the basis of the last number of their licence plates odd numbered cars on odd dates and even-numbered ones on even dates and has been enforced in Delhi twice earlier: from January 1 to 15 and April 15 to 30.Rahul to address a public rally in Kurnool in Andhra on September 18

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Sep 17: In view of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections coming closer in Andhra Pradesh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be addressing a rally in Kurnool district of the state on September 18. He is likely to take up the issue of farmer's suicide and special status of the state.

Gandhi will not only be addressing a rally in Kurnool district of the state but will have several other engagements as well. He will be visiting former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh Damodaram Sanjivayya at Pedapadu who was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from January 11, 1960 to March 12, 1962 but died at the age of 51 on May 8, 1972.

The Congress president will be interacting with students at Kurnool. He will also be visiting the house of former Union minister Late Kotia Vijayabhaskar Reddy before addressing the public meeting.

Sources said that the Congress president will be talking about various issues including special status for Andhra Pradesh and injustice meted out to the state by the Centre by not implementing provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act.

The party is preparing a comprehensive development plan for the state and Rahul may elaborate on it. Other issues like farmer suicides, unemployment and Rafale scam may also figure in his speech and his visit will rejuvenate party cadre to work hard for the next elections.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 21:13 [IST]Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: SC asks victim families to file fresh petitions

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the families of the victims in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to amend their petitions and file fresh petitions after three weeks.

The victim families have been urging the government to not release the convicts in the case.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit denied Saturday reports in a section of the media that he had forwarded to the Centre the state government's recommendation to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The Governor said a decision on the issue would be taken in a "just and fair manner" in accordance with the Constitution. "A section of media has been reporting that in the matter of the release of the convicted prisoners undergoing life imprisonment for involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, a reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India," a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan said.

Request to free Rajiv Gandhi's assassins not sent to Centre: Governor

Also, some television channels have been holding debates on this "assumption", it said. "It is clarified that no reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs in the matter. The case is a complex one and involves the examination of legal, administrative and constitutional issues," the statement by Joint Director-Public Relations of the Raj Bhavan, said.

On September 9, the Tamil Nadu Cabinet had recommended the release of all the seven Rajiv case convicts, including Nalini and her husband Sriharan alias Murugan. All the seven prisoners have been in jail since 1991.

Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a blast at an election rally in Sriperumbudur near here on May 21, 1991. Fourteen others, including Dhanu, the assassin, were also killed.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 11:54 [IST]Rewari gangrape case: CM Khattar warns of strict action against those who shield the accused

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Chandigarh, Sep 17: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday warned that strict action will be taken against those who help the accused in the Rewari ganagrape case, where a CBSE topper was allegedly drugged and assaulted.

"Police have been directed to take strict action in the case. The other two accused in the case will also be arrested soon. Appeal to the public to not harbour them. Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them," Khattar said on Rewari gangrape case.

The Special Investigation Team, which has been probing the case, on Sunday arrested the prime accused Nishu Phogat.

On Sunday, the SIT of Haryana Police also arrested practitioner doctor, Sanjeev Sharma, who had attended the woman and owner of the house where the girl was gangraped. The police, according to the reports, suspect that the two knew about the gangrape but did not take any action or inform the police.

The owner of the property told the police that the accused had taken keys to the room on the day of the crime. Accused Nishu Phogat had even called the doctor when the 19-year-old victim's condition deteriorated. After attending the victim, Sharma had even told the accused that she could die if she isn't treated immediately as her blood pressure was extremely low.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 14:49 [IST]Kannur University: Controversial syllabus of VD Savarkar, MS Golwalkar will not be taught now

"RSS is still being misunderstood", says Mohan Bhagwat

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Sep 17: Asserting that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been relentlessly working towards nation building, Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday said that the "RSS is still being misunderstood".

Speaking on the first day of the three-day RSS event titled 'Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective', Bhagwat said no organisation can be compared with RSS.

"Sangh has a unique job and there is no parameter to compare. Our workers keep doing their work and people try to know what the organisation is when it gains popularity. We chose this time and platform to inform about the RSS," he said.

We do not force anyone to understand us. Work of sangh is unique, he said, adding, "It is impossible to understand RSS without understanding Hegdewar."

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat heaped praise on Sangh workers for their relentless work towards social welfare. He also claimed that even after all these years, the RSS continues to be misunderstood.

"There should be a cordial atmosphere for discussion," he said.

Bhagwat recalled incidents from Sangh's founder Hegdewar's life and explained to the audience the latter's commitment towards India. He praised Congress' role in the freedom movement and said, "Congress played a big role in the freedom movement and gave India many great personalities."

He said RSS was formed to unite Hindu society, but that is not meant to oppose anyone.

"RSS is an open organisation, every swayamsevak has equal opportunity to give his opinion," he added.

A host of people from Bollywood were seen at the event, such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Manisha Koirala, Anu Malik, Ravi Kisen, Bhagyashree, Annu Kapoor among others

Several eminent personalities from different wakes of life are part of the session being addressed by Bhagwat.

The highlight of the event will be on Wednesday when RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will devote an hour-and-a-half taking questions from the special invitees.

Reports say that other issues like agriculture, rural healthcare and economy would be equally important parts of the discussions that have been split into three days.

[All eyes's on RSS lecture series today, Opposition parties to skip event]

The event representing "all shades of opinions" would discuss the kind of India the RSS envisages in the 21st century. The RSS has understandably sent invites to almost all the senior political leaders. Diplomats of around 60 counties are understood to be in the list of invitees. Reportedly, But Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will not be attending the event.Lawyer without brief is like Tendulkar without his bat on cricket ground: SC

SC allows sale of Saridon for now

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Supreme Court has allowed the sale of Saridon and two other drugs for now. It may be recalled that the Union Health Ministry had banned the sale and distribution of 328 fixed dose combination of drugs.

For now the sale of the drugs has been allowed, following an appeal filed by the companies. Further hearing on the matter would continue.

Among those drugs that were banned were painkiller Saridon, combination diabetes drug Gluconorm, antibiotic Lupidiclox and Taxim AZ which is an antibacterial cream.

The government had banned 344 FDCs on March 10 2016, but the same was contested by the manufacturers. On December 15 2017, the Supreme Court had asked for the matter to be examined by the Drug Technical Advisory Board.

Also Read | Access to essential medicines a problem in India, says a study

The board concluded in its report that there was no therapeutic justification for the ingredients in the FDCs and these could be a risk to the people. The board went on to recommend a ban.

In the case of the six other FDCs, the board recommended restricted manufacture and sale subject to certain conditions. The SC on the other hand ruled that the government could not use the board to prohibit 15 of the 344 drugs in the original list as they have been manufactured in India since before 1988. Due to this several popular syrups, painkillers and cold medication with sales amounting to over Rs 740 annually were exempted. The court however told the ministry it could still look into the safety of these 15 drugs by initiating fresh investigation, if it wanted to ban them.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 13:57 [IST]After months of closure due to COVID-19, schools reopen in Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Kerala

Semesters in Tamil Nadu education institutions to be conducted in Physical mode

Depression soon, heavy showers likely in several regions of TN; Puducherry

Tamil Nadu BJP leader H Raja gets contempt notice for calling Cops Anti-Hindu

India

oi-Deepika S

Chennai, Sep 17: The Madras High Court registered a suo moto case contempt against BJP national secretary H Raja in the case of using abusive language against police and judiciary High Court during Ganesh idol emersion procession, reported ANI.

The bench, comprising of Justices CT Selvam and Nirmal Kumar, asked Raja to appear before the court in person in four weeks' time.

As a video of Raja angrily arguing with policemen went viral in the social media, opposition DMK Sunday demanded action against him while the AIADMK government deprecated the BJP leader's remarks.

Raja, known for stirring controversies by his remarks, Saturday engaged in a verbal duel with the policemen in Meiyypuram village calling the force as "anti-Hindu" and "highly corrupt."

His outbursts came after police declined permission for taking out the idol procession through a particular route citing "a court order."

Raja, however, refused to accept the police contention and spoke against the order.

DMK organising secretary R S Barathi, in a tweet on Sunday demanded the Tamil Nadu government to take legal action against Raja for his remarks against the policemen and judiciary.

Senior Minister D Jayakumar deprecated the outburst against police said the government was considering taking action and holding consultations with legal experts.

He also expressed hope that the court would take action on its own against Raja for his remarks against the judiciary.

The BJP leader has been embroiled in several controversies in the past over his remarks on various issues.

In March this year, a row erupted over Raja's remarks indicating that statues of rationalist leader E V Ramasamy "Periyar" could be the next to be pulled down after a Lenin statue was razed in Tripura.

He, however, sought to blame his Facebook administrator for the gaffe and expressed regret over the comments.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 16:40 [IST]Telangana elections: Karimnagar not impressed by Yogi Adityanath, BJP down to 1 from 5

Telangana elections: Teachers set to take on political bigwigs in 61 seats

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Hyderabad, Sep 17: The threat of NOTA looms large over the Telangana assembly elections. The private teachers would use the forthcoming elections to get their demands met.

They have demanding payment of salary during the summer vacation, provident fund benefits, employee state insurance among other benefits.

There are nearly three lakh teachers in the private schools. Shabir Ali, the president of the Telangana Private Teachers Forum says that they have a strong presence in at least 61 constituencies.

Also Read | Telangana elections: With 70 lakh discrepancies in voter's list, will the poll be fair?

Ali said that if their demands are not met then they would opt for NOTA. They also do not rule out the possibility of fielding their own candidates in all the 61 constituencies.

The decision to opt for NOTA or field their own candidates was taken because none of the political parties had offered support to their cause. With this decision, they are hopeful that their voices would be heard.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 15:57 [IST]Telangana polls: KCR way ahead, but can he take the Cong-TDP combine lightly?

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Hyderabad, Sep 17: The Telangana assembly was dissolved early and K Chandrashekhar Rao decided to take the plunge soon in what analysts describe as a well calculated move.

Initial surveys clearly show that KCR and his TRS are clearly at an advantage. KCR for now has everything going for him and going by the mood of the people, it appears as though the elections for him would be easy pickings.

For the TRS, the primary opponent is the Congress. KCR would however not take the Congress lightly considering the fact that the party would be fighting the polls alongside the Telugu Desam Party.

Also Read | Telangana: Mahakutami shapes up to take on KCR, but will it be a 2009 repeat?

Back in 2014, when the state of Telangana was formed after Congress led UPA at the Centre gave the nod, the people of the state had said that the first choice of government would be given to the TRS. They felt that it was the TRS that led the movement and hence the first chance should be given to them. There were many who had said that in the next election they would give the Congress a chance.

With the emotive issue of Telangana state besides him, KCR led the TRS to victory in 2014 with 63 seats and 34.3 per cent of the popular votes.

Advantage KCR:

Four years have passed and a lot has changed. Over the years, KCR has consolidated himself further in the state. He has emerged as a stronger and more charismatic leader. This year too he would flaunt the emotional and regional card. In fact post the dissolution of the Assembly he had said the people of the state must not become slaves of Delhi.

The other advantage for the TRS is that it is clear about its chief ministerial candidate. The same cannot be said about the Congress-TDP combine.

KCR is also popular for the work he has done in the new state. He had a massive challenge on hand when the new state was formed. He has delivered on the power front and brought the state out of a crisis.

Also Read | Telangana Mahakutami: Why has the CPI-M stayed away from TDP-Congress

Further he has doled out several schemes, bettered ease of doing business in the state. His main focus has also been on the farmer friendly schemes. Most importantly he has managed to check the law and order situation. As the state was formed, there was a threat of attacks on non-Telangana residents. Further he has also managed to keep in check communal elements and also the naxalites.

However he has been targeted on giving too much importance to his family (son and daughter). His failure of increasing reservation for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes to 12 per cent has been a major weapon that the opposition has used against him.

State of Congress:

This is a do or die election for the Congress. In 2014, the party won just 21 out of the 119 despite the party in the Centre giving the nod for the creation of the state. However the Congress would take solace out of the fact that it had polled 25 per cent votes in 2014.

What has daunted the Congress the most in Telangana is the absence of a strong leader or a CM face. The party would go after the votes of the Dalits, Backward Classes, tribals and minorities. Further it would also bank heavily on the Nehru-Gandhi family for star power during the elections.

Although in 2014, the people backed KCR, there are people who still say that without Sonia 'amma' the creation of a separate state would not have been possible.

Although a major player in the state, the party realised that it would need a trick with the TDP to perform well in the elections. The alliance with the TDP made sense for the Congress as it would help it rope in the Reddy votes to a large extent.

The TDP factor:

In 2014, the TDP won, 15 seats and polled 14.7 per cent of the votes. The TDP does enjoy the support among the Andhra settlers. The big question is whether these persons would back the TDP this time too.

The possibility that it swing a considerable number of these votes with the help of the Congress cannot be ruled out. In a bid to counter the TDP, the TRS would go all out and label it a pro-Andhra party. The anti-Andhra sentiment in Telangana still runs strong and the TRS would do anything to exploit that.

The AIMM:

The Asaduddin Owaisi led AIMM is a key player in certain pockets and more importantly Hyderabad. The party enjoys a strong clout among the Muslims. In 2014, the party won seven assembly seats and had a vote per cent age of 3.8.

The party is very strong on the ground especially in Hyderabad and connects well with the masses. It would have no problem in retaining the seven seats. The AIMM would however look to bag three more seats in the city, which are currently held by the TRS and BJP.

BJP:

There have been mixed signals where the BJP is concerned. The TRS staging a walk out during the no confidence vote and then backing the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman elections were all signals that the two parties would come together in Telangana.

BJP president, Amit Shah was however critical of the TRS during his recent election rally. While the BJP would fight the battle alone in Telangana, there appears to be an understanding with the TRS that the party would not go all out against KCR. This is an understanding in the context of the 2019 polls and is also part of the BJP's southern strategy.

In case the BJP does fall short, it could well get outside support from the TRS. In the 2014 polls, the BJP had won 5 seats, all from Hyderabad and polled 7 per cent of the votes.

While the battle lines look clear, the top political parties would also keep a close watch on the likes of the YSR Congress Party, CPI, CPI (M), Jana Sena and Telangana Jana Samiti. These parties could upset the calculations of the big-wigs. However for now, it is KCR and his TRS which has the upper hand.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 9:36 [IST]Gone too soon: From Puneeth Rajkumar to Sidharth Shukla, untimely deaths leave family and fans stunned

Bengaluru: Uber driver falls asleep during trip, passenger drives himself home

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Bengaluru, Sep 17: An Uber driver allegedly fell asleep while on a trip from Kempegowda International Airport to his home on Sep 10, forcing the passenger to take over the wheel.

The passenger tweeted a picture of himself in the driving seat, with the driver passed out in the passenger seat, sharing the incident online with Uber.

@Uber_India, the ride back from Bangalore airport was not quite what I expected. The driver was drunk and drowsy. I had to pull the car over to the side and I drove all the way home. Pic with the driver in the rider seat passed out.

You need to fix this @Uber , @Uber_Support pic.twitter.com/G7LB0caeTM  Surya Oruganti (@suryaoruganti) September 9, 2018

Taking to Twitter, the passenger said,''@Uber_India, the ride back from Bangalore airport was not quite what I expected. The driver was drunk and drowsy. I had to pull the car over to the side and I drove all the way home. Pic with the driver in the rider seat passed out. You need to fix this @Uber , @Uber_Support.''

Uber responded to the post - ''This is concerning, Surya. Please share your registered email ID and phone number through which you have requested this trip so that our safety team can get in touch with you at the earliest.''

He later tweeted saying that the Uber safety team responded to his complaints and stated that passengers should not drive the cabs due to safety issues.

This is one of the latest incidents that have come to light, following a number of complaints by riders to private cab services, such as Uber and Ola, in which drivers have violated rules or misbehaved with passengers.US pulled out of Afghanistan as it was losing to Taliban: Former Afghan envoy

10 Afghan security personnel killed in Taliban attack

International

pti-PTI

Kabul, Sep 17: The Taliban on Monday attacked Afghan police and military bases, killing at least 10 members of the security forces, Afghan officials said. In northwestern Badghis province, five officers were killed, including Abdul Hakim, the police commander of a reserve unit, in an attack that took place near the provincial capital of Qala-i-Now.

Jamshid Shahabi, spokesman for the Badghis governor, said around 22 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded during the gunbattle there. And in northern Baghlan province, the Taliban launched attacks against a joined army and police base, killing three army and two police officers, said Gen. Ekramuddin Serih, the provincial police chief.

Serih said that four other members of the security forces were wounded in the attack, which took place in the Baghlani Markazi district. "The base is under the control of the Afghan security forces now and reinforcements have also been sent to the district," he said.

The police chief added that at least 20 Taliban were killed and wounded in the fighting. The insurgents issued no statements on these attacks and no group immediately claimed responsibility but both Shahabi and Serih blamed the Taliban, who have a strong presence in both provinces and often attack on Afghan security forces.

PTIAmazon Great Indian Festival 2021: Use 'diamonds' to get cashback offer on your orders, here is how

Are Amazon employees selling customer details to China?

International

oi-Pushyarag Shetty

San Francisco, Sep 17: Amazon, the American electronic commerce giant has confirmed that it has begun investigating the allegations that its staffs sold confidential customer data to third party companies particularly in China.

It was recently alleged that employees of the e-retailer sell internal data and other confidential information -- usually through intermediaries -- to merchants who sell their goods on the US giant's website.

On Amazon, customers can buy products sold directly by the company along with goods from many other merchants. The practice under investigation is a violation of company policy. It is particularly present in China. The intermediaries in Shenzhen working for group employees and selling information on sales volumes for payments ranging from 80 to more than 2,000 dollars.

The statement released by Amazon spokesperson reads as, ""We have zero tolerance for abuse of our systems and if we find bad actors who have engaged in this behaviour, we will take swift action against them, including terminating their selling accounts, deleting reviews, withholding funds, and taking legal action." It also said that the company is "conducting a thorough investigation of these claims.'

Amazon employs approximately 560,000 people worldwide.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 12:08 [IST]New superbug on a killing spree in South Africa; 6 newborns already dead

International

pti-PTI

Johannesburg, Sep 17: An outbreak of the Klebsiella pneumonia superbug that killed six newborns at a government hospital in Johannesburg has forced medics to close the facility's neo-natal and maternity wards. The Thelle Mogoerane hospital in the eastern Johannesburg township of Vosloorus has been in the grip of the antibiotic resistant bacteria since July 11.

"We can no longer admit babies here," said Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in a media briefing on Sunday (Sep 16). The affected patients are being transferred to another government hospital as well as the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, which opened in Johannesburg 18 months ago, he added.

The health minister said overcrowding undermined the facility's infection control measures. He said neonatal wards in Gauteng province, which includes the financial hub Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, were at 132 percent capacity on average. The province has huge numbers of patients from neighbouring countries including Zimbabwe who travel to South Africa in search of better quality care.

PTITheresa May irritated with talk of leadership change

International

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

London, Sep 17: British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she was "irritated" by speculation about a leadership contest as she slammed former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, seen as her most likely challenger.

The centre-right Conservative Party's leader said she was focused on securing a Brexit deal rather than her own future, in a BBC television interview marking the six-month countdown to Britain's departure from the European Union.

May blasted Johnson for using "completely inappropriate" language when he described her Brexit blueprint as putting Britain in a "suicide vest".

Also Read | For Brexit jibe, personal life, Boris Johnson comes under fire

Asked about her plans to stay in the job, she said: "I get a little bit irritated but this debate is not about my future -- this debate is about the future of the people of the UK and the future of the United Kingdom.

"That's what I'm focused on and that's what we should all be focused on."

The leader added it was important to ensure "we get that good deal from the European Union which is good for people in the UK, wherever they live in the UK".

Johnson, who quit the Cabinet over May's proposals to keep Britain close to the EU on trade, is the bookmakers' favourite to succeed May, ahead of interior minister Sajid Javid, eurosceptic backbench leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, environment minister Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

May's Conservative minority government contains a sizeable bloc of hardcore Brexiteers headed by Rees-Mogg and would likely need the support of the left-wing main opposition Labour Party, or a chunk of their MPs, to get her Brexit proposals through parliament.

Also Read | Brexit: Cornered Theresa May looks to North-east England to mobilise support for Chequers plan

Keir Starmer, Labour's Brexit spokesman, said any EU deal must meet Labour's key Brexit tests, which include delivering the "exact same benefits" as Britain currently has inside the single market and customs union, to win their support.

In a letter published by The Sunday Times, he said they also could not back a loosely worded agreement: "A vague political declaration would not meet those tests. Labour will not -- and cannot -- vote for a blind Brexit."

Meanwhile London Mayor Sadiq Khan added his weight to calls for a second Brexit referendum on the outcome of Britain's EU departure negotiations.

Writing in The Observer newspaper, he said Britain faces either a bad Brexit deal or no deal.

"They are both incredibly risky and I don't believe Theresa May has the mandate to gamble so flagrantly with the British economy and people's livelihoods," he wrote.

The Labour politician said voters need to be given a new referendum.

"This means a public vote on any Brexit deal obtained by the government, or a vote on a no-deal Brexit if one is not secured, alongside the option of staying in the EU," he wrote.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 10:01 [IST]Delhi: 2 arrested for trying to abduct woman

New Delhi

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 17: Two men were arrested for allegedly trying to abduct a woman in north Dwarka, police said Sunday.

The accused, Sabal Kumar (34) and Ikramuddeen (25), are farmers by profession. They received a call about the incident on September 14, they said.

In her complaint to police, the victim alleged since a few days, she was frequently receiving calls on her mobile phone from an unknown number and the accused used to pressure her to meet him, a senior police officer said.

Also Read | Woman tries to abduct partner from 'Previous Birth'

Fed up of his calls, the victim's husband told her to meet the accused and assured her that he would accompany her when she goes to meet him, the officer said.

As per the plan, the victim came to meet him alone on a scooter while her husband followed her, he said.

The accused along with his associate came to Dwarka in a car to meet the victim and he forcibly pulled her in the back seat of the car and abducted her, he added.

She started shouting. On learning that her husband was following them, they threw her out of the car and fled the spot, the officer said.

Based on the victim's complaint, a case was registered and raids were conducted at the suspected hideouts. Subsequently, the two accused were arrested and the car used in the crime was also recovered, he said.

Also Read | 20 year old acquitted in case of sexually harassing sister

During interrogation, Kumar revealed he used to harass women and impersonate a customer care representative of call service providers namely Vodafone and Airtel, the police official said.

He used to call on different numbers to access the contact numbers of women. He then used to call them using different numbers and tried to lure them to be friends with him, the official added.

The accused told police that he used to harass all those women who refused to be friends with him by threatening them using different phone numbers, the police said.

For More New Delhi News, Click Here

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 17, 2018, 9:48 [IST]Delhi: Cop whose son brutally thrashed a woman suspended

New Delhi

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Sep 17: The Delhi Police on Monday suspended an assistant sub-inspector, whose son was seen brutally thrashing a woman in a video which went viral on social media.

Ashok Kumar Tomar, who was posted in the central district, was suspended for allegedly threatening the family of the victim, police said. Rohit Tomar, the 21-year-old son of the policeman, Ali Hasan, the owner of the call center where the incident happened, and Rajesh, a peon who worked there and shot the video, have been taken into police custody for questioning in connection with the case filed at the Uttam Nagar police station.

Rohit Tomar was arrested on Friday after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to take necessary action in the matter. The Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to the city police in this regard.

Two cases were registered against the main accused - one of criminal intimidation and molestation and the other of rape - based on complaints of two women, police said. The first case was registered Thursday at the Tilak Nagar police station in West Delhi following a complaint by Tomar's woman friend alleging that he showed her a video in which he could be seen thrashing a woman, police said. Tomar allegedly threatened her with the same kind of treatment if she did not follow his instructions.

The second case was registered at the Uttam Nagar police station after another woman, who was seen in the video, approached police on Friday alleging that on September 2, Tomar had called her to his friend's office in Uttam Nagar and raped her. In the video, Tomar is seen thrashing the woman when she threatened to file a police complaint against him.

PTIGurgaon: Day wagers live in fear as goons extort their earning

New Delhi

pti-PTI

Gurgaon, Sep 16: Several people working as car washers and newspaper hawkers in posh residential societies here have been forced to leave their jobs due to extortion by local goons, claimed residents on Sunday (Sep 16).

Around 20 representatives of various residents welfare associations (RWAs) here raised the issue with a Haryana minister and police in the last few weeks, they claimed. Residents also approached local Member of Parliament and Union Minister Rao Inderjeet Singh.

The representatives alleged that the strongmen from nearby villages are forcing the car washers and newspaper hawkers to pay a part of their income to them. Gurgaon Police PRO Subhash Bokan said, "The matter has come before the department and we have enhanced police patrolling in the region." The residents claimed this problem is being faced by employees working in the area between sector 103 and 109 having number of residential complexes.

Sneha Mittal, a representative of the residents welfare association of Raheja Atharva in sector 109 on Dwarka expressway, said her car washer left the job recently alleging that local goons are extorting money from him. "The car washer, who hailed from Nepal, told me that the strongmen from nearby villages are extorting money from him and others doing similar work here," she said.

The representatives claimed that the goons wait on motorcycles outside the residential colonies and do not let the car washers and newspaper hawkers enter if they refuse to pay the extortion money. This has triggered fear among the people doing such work and forced them to leave their jobs, they claimed. The goons are also forcing them to work as their employees in a bid to control these businesses, the representatives said.

Chain snatching and loot incidents have instilled a sense of fear among the residents who are now afraid to venture out of the societies. "I went to pick my son from his school a week ago when some persons on bikes snatched my gold chain. That made me afraid and now I am forced to ply in car despite the school is at a walking distance from my residential society," said a resident. The affected residents have brought the matter into notice of local administration in the last one month and during monthly meeting of grievance committee held in sector 44 on Saturday.

The residents claimed the meeting was chaired by state PWD Minister Rao Narbir Singh and Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh, Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon commissioner Yashpal Yadav and DCPs of every zone were present. They assured residents that adequate measures will be taken to resolve the issue, the representatives said.

For more New Delhi news Click Here.

PTIA sale of the property could mean the end for one of the last remaining Barnes & Noble stores in the city. The only other remaining stores are at 1 E. Jackson Blvd. in the Loop and in the Webster Place shopping center at Clybourn and Webster avenues in the Lincoln Park area.But he cautioned Lincoln to closely follow the law or the order would be rescinded and the firm shut down. In addition to putting up the bond, Lincoln must file its daily towing logs with the Illinois attorney generals office, which is representing the ICC in the appeal."It is a very difficult decision to leave Tyson Foods, but after careful consideration and discussions with my family and the board, I know it is the right thing to do," Hayes said in a statement.A different strategy involves transferring a distribution from an individual retirement account to a charity. Open only to those who are old enough to take required minimum distributions from their IRAs, this move shields the distribution from taxes but doesnt allow a deduction for the donation. Still, says Harlow, it can effectively result in a charitable deduction for those claiming the standard deduction.The less obvious reason for its appeal is something that Robert Kauzlarics adaptation for Lifeline Theatre (the first to open) gets right. In some regards, its quite faithful to the outlines of the original. But Kauzlarics approach is to treat the story primarily as an allegory for unnatural grief and how it isolates us even from those we love most. As Shelley wrote, Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.We asked our guests what they were looking for in a Red Collection hotel  and they said, Most importantly, stay affordable, said Andrew Alexander, president of the Columbus, Ohio-based Red Roof Inns. Weve been able to do that by focusing on exactly what the customer needs and not providing too many additional amenities that just end up adding to the price.There have been such an alarming number of police killings in recent years that some people barely blink at the news of yet another one. In some cases, it is easy to blame the victim, to accuse the dead man of having done something in the exchange with police to warrant his own death. We are used to that as well.Opalesque Industry Update - The APAC Committee of the Standards Board for Alternative Investments (SBAI) elected Ted Lee of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) as their new Chairman and Danny Yong of Dymon Asia Capital as their Vice-Chairman, in line with its rotating chairman system. The SBAI is the global standard-setting body for the alternative investment industry, supported by approximately 200 alternative investment managers and institutional investors who collectively manage $3.5 trillion. The SBAI's APAC Committee was established in June 2016 with APAC-based representatives from Albourne, CPPIB, Dymon Asia Capital, Future Fund, GIC, LIM Advisors and PAG. The Committee directs the SBAI's activities in the Asia-Pacific region, including assisting with the SBAI's dialogue and relationships with regulators, managers and investors, and ensuring that Asia-Pacific regional and local issues and needs are addressed as the SBAI develops standards and guidance. The outgoing Chairman Chris Gradel of PAG, who has run the Committee for two years but will remain a member of the Committee, said: "It has been rewarding to work with such a capable group of colleagues who galvanised our efforts in the region. With the Committee's participation, the SBAI held 15 events in the region, including roundtables and seminars on topics, ranging from institutional investor priorities, big data & artificial intelligence to cyber security. Many of these events were supported and co-hosted by the local regulators and sovereign wealth funds." The newly elected Chairman Ted Lee said: "It has been a pleasure to work with Chris and we count on his support in this new phase of the APAC Committee." Last year the APAC Committee put together a working group consisting of legal and compliance specialists from Albourne, CPPIB, GCM Grosvenor and Springs Capital to conduct a gap analysis between the SBAI's Alternative Investment Standards and the current Chinese regulation. The purpose of this analysis was to help foreign investors understand the similarities and differences between onshore China and global industry standards as well as help Chinese fund managers seeking foreign capital, understand global standards of practice. The findings of the working group were presented last month to the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC). The summary is available at the SBAI's website. Since the establishment of the APAC Committee, the SBAI has welcomed 17 new signatories and five Investor Chapter members from the APAC region. This is the largest number of stakeholders joining the SBAI from one given region in such a short period of time. Today APAC-based alternative investment managers account for 17% of the SBAI's signatories; up from 3% in 2015. Ted Lee is a Senior Portfolio Manager at CPPIB, overseeing their Asia Pacific hedge fund exposure. Prior to CPPIB, he was MD at Blackstone in the Funds of Hedge Fund Solutions team (Hong Kong). He also served on BAAM's Investment Committee. Prior to that, Ted was the Senior Portfolio Manager for SPARX Asset Management's fund of funds (Hong Kong). In 1997-2001, Ted was CFO of Legacy Advisors in Hong Kong. Also he was Asia's Regional Controller for Philips Electronics. Ted began his career at KPMG (New York) as an auditor. He received a BS in Accounting and International Business from New York University's Stern School of Business. He is a CFA Chartholder and a Certified Public Accountant. Danny Yong is the CIO and Founder of Dymon Asia Capital. Established in 2008, the alternative investment management firm has assets under management of approximately US$5 billion (as of August 2018) across hedge funds, private equity and venture capital strategies. Danny has traded FX, fixed income and futures for over 22 years. He was an MD at Citadel Investment Asia where he ran the Asia Macro trading business from 2005 to 2007. Prior to Citadel, he was Goldman Sachs' Head of Trading for South East Asian FX and Derivatives from 2000 to 2005. Danny started his trading career at JP Morgan in 1997.Pulmonary Drugs Market Analysis 2018 | Growth by Top Companies: Meda Pharmaceuticals, Circassia Pharmaceuticals Plc., AstraZenca Plc., GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Plc.

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1285

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/1285

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/talk-to-analyst/1285

The Global Pulmonary Drugs Market, by Drug Class (Inhaled Corticosteroids, Long Acting Beta-2 Agonists, Antihistamines, Vasodilators, and Others), by Application (Asthma & COPD, Allergic Rhinitis, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Cystic Fibrosis, and Others), by Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, and e-Commerce), and by Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa) was valued at US$ 28,064.5 million in 2016 and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 8.1% over the forecast period (2017  2025), as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. The pulmonary drugs market is expected to gain significant traction with patent expiry of branded drugs, which is expected to generate opportunities for the market players and robust number of drug candidates in the pipeline as a result of extensive R&D.Ask Sample Copy @Increasing prevalence of respiratory diseases is expected to propel growth of the marketIncreasing prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and other respiratory diseases across the world is one of the leading causes of death and disability. Thus, the prevention, treatment, and control of these diseases is one of the top priorities for governments and players in the healthcare sector. According to the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, in 2016, around 65 million people were suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease worldwide, leading to 3 million deaths. Moreover, around 334 million people suffered from asthma, which is the most common chronic respiratory condition among children as well as adults. A wide range of conditions are included within the ambit of pulmonary diseases that include pneumonia, allergic rhinitis, pulmonary hypertension, and others that are responsible for creating a giant economic burden on the healthcare sectors of most of nations. Pulmonary drugs are focused towards providing medications for all these types of diseases leading to expected market growth in near future. According to the World Health Organization, 2017, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) is responsible for about 5% of the total deaths worldwide in 2015. Furthermore, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion 2014, 25 million patients in the U.S. had asthma that led to an estimated annual expenditure for asthma turning around to US$ 20.7 billion. Thus, the constant rise in the number patients suffering with respiratory diseases are expected to surge the market growth over the forecast period.The major manufacturers are focused towards development of new and innovative products with extensive R&D on pulmonary drugs. For instance, in 2017, Sanofi SA completed the phase II clinical trials in April 2017 of new drug Dupilumab in association with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The drug is indicated for the treatment of uncontrolled asthma in children and is expected to complete its clinical trial studies in January, 2021. Moreover, in 2017, Circassia Pharmaceuticals completed Phase IV clinical trials of Tudorza with a collaborative agreement between Circassia and AstraZeneca Plc. for the treatment of COPD.Ask for customization:The key players adopt the strategies of mergers, definitive agreements, and acquisitions to expand the respiratory drugs product portfolio, thereby increasing market share. For instance, in 2015, AstraZeneca Plc entered into a definitive agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, under which AstraZeneca acquired the core respiratory business of Takeda to strengthen respiratory therapeutic portfolio. Furthermore, in 2016, Mylan N.V. acquired Meda Pharmaceuticals to enhance geographic reach with significant sales of products worldwide, in which China, South East Asia, and Middle East were the major regional targets for the company.Key Takeaways of the Pulmonary Drugs Market:The global pulmonary drugs market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 8.1% over the forecast period, owing to the presence of high potential market and increasing prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases in Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and AfricaAmong drug class, inhaled corticosteroids segment holds a dominant position attributed to the advantages offered by the drugs that include lower concentration of drug delivery into the patients system allowing even distribution as well as lower risk of side effects that are usually exhibited by oral steroid consumptionAmong application, asthma and COPD segment holds a dominant position in the pulmonary drugs market, owing to the rising incidence of the condition worldwide.Some of the major players operating in the global pulmonary drugs market include Sanofi SA, Meda Pharmaceuticals, Circassia Pharmaceuticals Plc., AstraZenca Plc., GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Plc., Cheisi farmaceutici S.p.A., Zambon Company S.p.A., Alaxia SAS, and Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited.Else place an Inquire before Purchase Non-Surgical Skin Tightening Market Size, Status and Forecast 2026 :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.1001 4th Ave,, #3200, Seattle, WA 98154#3200Phosphorescent Pigments Market Current Strategic Analysis of 2025

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/phosphorescent-pigments-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=36542

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence. Phosphorescent pigments crystal absorbs the radiations falling on them and thus e-emit the radiation it absorbs. The main characteristics of the phosphorescent pigments is the particular structure of its crystal with the strong capacity of absorbing-storing-emitting light. After absorbing varieties of visible lights, it can glow for more than twelve hours in the dark. Due to this property of glowing, they are also referred to as the glow-in-dark pigments. Phosphorescent pigment are used for many very different technical and artistic purposes due to its characteristics. It can be used in manufacturing paint; ink; plastic; rubber and films etc. It is completely safe for the application in consumer products such as clothing; shoes; caps; toys; stationery goods; watch; switch; novelties; fishing tools and sporting goods. It has good effects in the fields of building; decoration; traffic vehicle; military installations; fire emergency system. It is especially suitable for the production of long afterglow safety products such as warning; mandatory and escape-route signs.Read Report Overview @Paints and Coatings Make One of the Leading Shareholding Segments Based on ApplicationOn the basis of the products, phosphorescent pigments are classified according to the Zinc Sulphide and Strontium Aluminate. Strontium Aluminate is a class of newly developed phosphorescent (glow-in-the-dark) pigments which are based on Strontium Oxide Aluminate Chemistry. They are drastically different from conventional phosphorescent pigments which are either based on Zinc Sulfide or on radioisotopes for their self-luminous properties. Strontium aluminate can emit the light for about 12 hours which is not the case with the zinc sulphide. Strontium aluminate phosphorescent pigments are higher in prices than the zinc sulphide phosphorescent pigments. Strontium aluminate is doped with the Europium or Dysprosium so as to enhance the brightness and the duration of the glow. Zinc sulphide is the traditional phosphorescent pigment which is doped with copper to enhance the properties.Based on the applications, paints and coatings is amongst the largest shareholding segments. Paints and coatings are then followed by the plastics industry. Phosphorescent pigments are used as fishing lures, glow in dark toys, paints, concrete, carpets, light-switches, handrails, stair well markers, luminaire reflectors, high visibility jackets, hard hats, directional indicators, arrows, highlighting signs for the position of fire extinguishers and especially the internationally standardized phosphorescent safety signs are nowadays widely in use. The main application of all kinds of well-defined phosphorescent safety products are egress pass marking purposes as of high rise buildings, of public buildings, railway stations, underground trains, passenger ships, underground parking areas and areas with high foot traffic.Request to view Sample Report:Asia Pacific Reports High Consumption, with China Accounting for Nearly Half of Regional MarketIn terms of consumption, Asia Pacific was the largest market for Phosphorescent Pigments in 2016, China alone contributes to more than 50% of the Asia Pacific Phosphorescent Pigments market. The Phosphorescent Pigments market in Asia Pacific is very fragmented as most of the production is done by small scale manufacturers. Asia Pacific produces and exports Phosphorescent Pigments due to high availability of raw materials, developed technologies; and cheap labor. Europe is also a substantial market for Phosphorescent Pigments market, the region consumes more than 1/5th of the total volume of the global Phosphorescent Pigments market. Europe and North America have strong and developed construction industry thus the demand for Phosphorescent Pigments is anticipated to increase over the forecast period.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:The study could find, for example, that noon deliveries are particularly congested, and researchers could see if this could be fixed by delivering packages earlier, later, on a different day or by bringing packages to an alternative location instead of to a customers home, Berman said. A better window for delivery may persuade customers to be more flexible about how they receive their packages, Berman explained.Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Industry 2018 Global Market Survey and Research Report Up To 2023

Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)

https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/requestsample.aspx?name=1651870

https://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=1651870

https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/discount.aspx?name=1651870

Global Info Research recently announces a latest research report titled Global Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market 2018 which highlights the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market size, comprehensive Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) industry dynamics and high-tech updates of global Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market with respect to Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) industry opportunities, threats, challenges, constraints, cost structure and current trends in the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) industry.A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), virtual network operator (VNO), or mobile other licensed operator (MOLO), is a wireless communications services provider that does not own the wireless network infrastructure over which it provides services to its customers.This Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) research guide consist of top Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) manufacturers, Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market segmentation by Types, Application and Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market division based on geographical locations. The Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) research report primarily focuses on providing in-depth Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) research analysis and forecast for Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market from 2018 to 2023.Click to Download Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Research PDF (Sample) Copy Here:This Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) research helps to understand the competitive outlook of Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) markets key players and leading brands. The Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) report provides the cost-effective data in the form charts, tables, graphs, and figures which helps to analyze the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market growth rate, Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market share and trends.Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market by product type and applications/end industries.The Asia Pacific and MEA regions are projected to experience a significant growth over the forecast period. Asia Pacific regional market was valued at USD 4.62 billion in 2017. due to rapid growth of the telecom services industry in this region. Moreover, emerging economies, such as India, Vietnam, Myanmar, and China, are putting efforts in expanding and modernizing their telecommunication services. Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Singapore, and Philippines, are also estimated to contribute substantially to the regions expansion over the forecast period.Furthermore, the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) study provides the forecast of the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market for the next five years which assist Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) industry analyst in building and developing Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) business strategies. The report includes Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market key vendors discussion based on the companies overview, Profiles, financial analysis, Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market revenue, and Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market opportunities by top geological regions.Click to Get Direct Access of This Report:Report Covers Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Segment by Top Manufacturers are:Lebara Mobile, LycaMobile, Talkmobile, Giffgaff, Poste Mobile, Virgin Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Telefonica, Lycamobile, Truphone, T-Mobile, Citic Telecom, Tracfone Wireless, Japan Communications, China Unicom, Exetel, Drillisch Telekom, Data Xoom, China Telecommunications, Consumer Cellular, KDDI Mobile, TracFone Wireless, Boost Mobile, Tesco Mobile, China Mobile.Countries with advanced cellular networks, such as Japan, Malaysia, and Australia, are expected to play a major role in the expansion of the Asia Pacific regional market. For instance, in Japan, MVNOs offer services, such as remote management of vending machines, online gaming, M2M, and surveillance. They also provide voice-controlled services in security applications and patient monitoring in the healthcare industry. Europe and North America are projected to grow significantly over the forecast period due to favorable regulatory framework.Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Segmentation based on the Product Types are:- Reseller- Service Operator- Full MVNOMobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Segmentation based on the User Applications are:- Customer service- Billing support systems- Marketing- Sales personnelHowever, aggressive pricing strategies followed by MVNO have cannibalized growth opportunities in Europe, specifically in Spain and Austria. Countries, such as U.K., Germany, and Netherlands, are projected to have a positive impact on the regions growth over the forecast period. Data services are expected to be the key services for regional expansion. Favorable regulatory policies and active MNO support are anticipated to drive the Latin America and MEA regional markets.To understand Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market dynamics in the world principally, the global Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) market is analyzed across key global regions. Global Info Research also prepares customized separate regional and country-level Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) reports for the following areas.North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico.Central & South America: Brazil and Argentina.Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.Europe: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, and Russia.Asia-Pacific: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore.For Discount & Customization of the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market 2018 Report Click Here:TOC of Report Contains 15 Chapters which Explains Global Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Briefly are:Market OverviewManufacturers ProfilesGlobal Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Competition by Manufacturer (2016-2017)Global Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Analysis by RegionsNorth America Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) by CountriesEurope Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) by CountriesAsia-Pacific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) by CountriesSouth America Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) by CountriesMiddle East and Africa Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) by CountriesGlobal Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Segment by TypeGlobal Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Segment by ApplicationGlobal Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Segment by ApplicationSales Channel, Distributors, Traders and DealersResearch Findings and ConclusionAppendix.About Us:ReportsnReports.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets. With comprehensive information about the publishers and the industries for which they publish market research reports, we help you in your purchase decision by mapping your information needs with our huge collection of reports. Feel free to Call us at + 1 888 391 5441 or Email us at sales@reportsandreports.comConnect with us:Hrishikesh Patwardhan+ 1 888 391 5441sales@reportsandreports.comC-Tran passengers as of Sunday can no longer bring "leaking, dripping" garbage bags of empty cans and bottles on buses.

The Clark County transit agency's policy doesn't include any specifics about how many cans and bottles are too many - that determination will be left to the bus driver -- but officials say the rules are in response to "continued sanitation and safety concerns."

"We all have a right to a clean, safe experience," Chris Selk, C-Tran spokeswoman, said of public transit riders, "and if someone is bringing on a bulging, leaking bag of smelly cans, that's not fair to the rest of the people on the bus."

Washington doesn't have a bottle and can return system, where customers are charged a deposit but can return the bottles or cans for a refund at grocery stores or distribution centers. But C-Tran has several bus routes that cross the river, and Oregon's landmark bottle bill, the first in the nation, recently kicked returns up to 10 cents per item.

Selk said the increased refund had no bearing on the policy, noting C-Tran employees have raised concerns about large bags of cans for several years. Riders were also complaining about the issue, Selk said.

It's illegal to return cans purchased out of state at Oregon retailers. State rules say retailers can refuse to accept cans "if staff have reasonable grounds to believe the beverage was not purchased in Oregon." They can even ask for receipts.

Some riders, Selk said, would park giant trash bags of empty bottles and cans in handicapped seating areas or on seats next to them. The bags take up space, leak on the seats and floor, and create a slippery or sticky hazard for other riders.

The new policy will be policed with a "common-sense approach."

But Selk wanted to be clear the policy isn't designed to exclude people who need help and are trying to redeem cans and bottles. "We're not targeting the homeless," she said.

The transit agency has had a few "civil discussions" with Clark County area social service providers, she said.

Several of those providers didn't immediately respond to a request to comment for this story.

Line 60, which runs from downtown Vancouver to Jantzen Beach and Delta Park in North Portland, was one of the main problem areas. Selk said C-Tran's Vine express service, which runs between downtown Vancouver and the Vancouver Mall Transit Center, was also a problem area.

Tia York, a TriMet spokeswoman, said the agency does not have a policy banning bags of cans or bottles on any of its services. Rules on both transit systems prohibit riders from blocking seats or access to aisles or doors. York said TriMet has received "a small number of complaints" about cans, but, she claimed, "More so, we've heard support of TriMet allowing them, as they may be the individual's only source of income," she said in an email.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheenBy Ivonne Roman

If you want to know why the numbers of women in policing have stagnated in the past 20 years, hovering at 12 percent of municipal police officers and 3 percent of police chiefs, a good place to start is Portland.

In 1908, Portland appointed Lola Baldwin as the superintendent of the Women's Protective Division, making her the nation's first policewoman. In 1985, Portland again made history, when Penny Harrington was appointed as chief, making her the first woman to head a major U.S. city police department.

Harrington's litany of firsts -- first female detective, first female sergeant, first female lieutenant, first female captain -- opened many doors. She played a pivotal role in providing women access to precincts, patrol cars and promotions. Now 76, she recounted for The Marshall Project the personal costs of those firsts: her rise to chief, her battles with the "boys-only club," the tumultuous tenure that forced her to resign and her disappointment at the distance women still have to go.

Editor's note

Ivonne Roman is an outspoken advocate for women who is on leave from the Newark Police Department, where she holds the rank of captain. She told The Oregonian/OregonLive that she plans to loeave the police department as she pursues her doctorate.

This piece was originally published by The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering U.S. criminal justice system."

Growing up, Harrington imagined becoming a secretary or some other gender stereotype. Then she attended a high school career day that featured a policewoman, and everything changed.

Harrington enrolled in Michigan State University's Police Administration program. There, she was steered towards juvenile justice and child psychology courses. It was, after all, the role women filled in law enforcement at the time.

She was hired by the Portland Police Bureau to work in the

Women's Protective Division. The division was considered progressive at its inception in 1908, but not so much in 1964. Portland policewomen were required to have a college degree and wear "ladylike" clothes -- silk pussy-bow blouses, black slingback pumps and white gloves. Policemen were required to have a high school diploma or its equivalent, and earned significantly more.

Harrington quickly learned the ropes in the division. After five years though, she longed for relief from the emotional toll "women's work" entailed -- battered children, sexual assault.

She learned about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and applied for a detective position in the Portland Police Bureau, a job only open to patrolmen. When she applied, the Civil Service Division accused her of being a troublemaker. She was reassigned to secretarial duties.

Harrington ranked at the top on a test for policewoman sergeant, but she was passed over because of the "detective stunt." She became the bureau's first person to be skipped over on a promotional list.

Around this time, the Portland Police Association was trying to unionize. Harrington was recruited by Captain Leo Miller, with a copy of "Feminine Mystique," by Betty Friedan. Harrington says the book spoke to all that she felt at the bureau but couldn't articulate. She agreed to help if her rights were included in the association's agenda. Miller agreed.

In 1969, the association was unionized, negotiating huge raises. It also set up a Planning and Research Division, which Miller asked her to join, but the chief refused to transfer her.

In frustration, she marched to City Hall and demanded to see Mayor Terry Schrunk. The mayor listened to her history of being passed over. "There's nothing I can do," was his response.

"If you don't transfer me," she vowed, "I'm going to sue you."

By the time she returned to her office, she had been transferred, becoming making her the first policewoman transferred to the Portland Police Bureau. It was January 1970.

Harrington and Miller worked long hours on multiple projects, growing closer and eventually becoming lovers. With Miller's support, she continued her fight for women's rights. She attacked "the agility test, the separate patrolman/policewoman classifications, the promotions system, the transfer policies, the pay policies -- everything!"

She quietly requested to have all the bureau's classifications changed to police officer, instead of patrolman or policewoman. The request was approved. The seemingly minor change meant men and women could apply for detective ranks. Shockwaves rocked the bureau when the list was announced. Three women were on it, with Harrington leading the pack.

It was the first time Harrington experienced open hostility from patrolmen. Men yelled, "You aren't qualified to be a detective!" "You're taking the job away from the man that has to support a family!"

In February 1972, Harrington became a detective. She received lewd phone calls and hate mail. One letter called her a "fat homley (sic) double chin hump back cow."

Next she hired an attorney to fight the bureau's pay disparity, filing 42 complaints between 1975 and 1978.

By the end of 1973, three women had been sworn in as Portland police officers.

One of them, Annette Jolin, professor emeritus at Portland State University, speaks of her experience as "punishing." "Women were referred to as 'cracks,'" she said. "The men refused to work with us, and the department refused to make them."

She credited Harrington for helping women manage those times. "Penny was so supportive of the three of us," she says. "She wanted us to succeed."

Harrington rarely took vacation time, developing a long list of ailments. One day she collapsed at work. She was diagnosed with stress. Harrington recalls, "My health suffered because of the constant fighting. But all I could think was -- If I stop now, they were going to win."

Miller helped nurse her back to health, providing moral and financial support while she was out of work.

In her book, "Triumph of Spirit," Harrington writes that Miller turned down the chief's position when he could not get assurances against political interference from City Hall. According to Harrington, Miller was then subjected to a series of "disciplinary" transfers, eventually landing in the Traffic Division, a "do nothing job."

In April 1975, Miller abruptly resigned, saying he needed to rest. In the throes of her own depression and anxiety, Harrington says she didn't realize that Miller was also quietly suffering from stress. Shortly before her July 1975 return to work, Miller committed suicide.

He left a note addressed to "Penny": "My work was my life. I choose not to seek a second career." The envelope contained a bank slip. Miller had deposited his savings into her account.

Harrington returned as a sergeant of the North Precinct, considered a "dumping ground for misfits." The assignment was a blessing though. Officers rallied around Harrington after Miller's death. "They cared about me and wanted me to succeed," Harrington says.

Harrington took the written lieutenant's exam, placing first. However, during the oral portion of the exam she was asked questions such as, "Do you think that men will respect you?" "Do you really believe that a woman could discipline a man?" She scored poorly on the oral interview, lowering her ranking from one to four. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission because of the discriminatory questioning.

In February 1977, the bureau announced her promotion to lieutenant. Harrington recounts walking in on the precinct captain groping a new secretary, as he pinned her against a cabinet. Harrington says she yelled, "Let her go," and convinced the secretary to file a complaint.

Deputy Chief James Brouillette assured Harrington the matter would be handled swiftly, while the captain was away on vacation.

To Harrington's surprise, the captain returned from vacation and summoned Harrington to his office. He asked for a briefing on precinct activity. As Harrington obeyed, she alleges the captain grabbed her hand and rubbed it across his genitals.

"I punched him in the face," she says, "and knocked him to the ground!"

In 1980, she became the bureau's youngest and first female captain. She became the personnel captain, working to address community concerns of discriminatory policing practices.

Trust between the community and the bureau continued to deteriorate with a scandal involving the narcotics team. The team executed a search warrant at a motorcycle gang leader's home. As the team breached the door, a man with a shotgun opened fire, killing a detective.

At the hospital, drugs were found in the slain officer's pocket, triggering a major corruption scandal. A special commission found that narcotics officers committed perjury, planted drugs and stole narcotics and money. Ten officers were fired or resigned, and one was convicted of unrelated drug charges. Multnomah County District Attorney Michael Schrunk released a report citing 94 cases of police misconduct, and asked for 58 pardons for the wrongly convicted.

Only two narcotics officers were left unscathed; one was Harrington's sister, Roberta.

In another instance that strained community trust, two officers left dead possums in front of the Burger Barn, a popular restaurant in a predominantly black neighborhood. The black owner saw the patrol cars driving away and notified the media. The officers were fired, a move Harrington supported. The union appealed and an arbitrator reinstated the officers.

In 1984, John E. "Bud" Clark, an activist and owner of a popular bar, mounted an insurgent campaign for mayor and pulled off a surprising upset. He served two terms and changed Harrington's life.

Clark wanted to transform the bureau. He fired the chief, Ron Still. "I wanted to fire the whole department and start all over again," Clark recalled, "because how do you change the culture?"

On Jan. 24, 1985, Harrington became chief. Clark said he chose her because "she was fully supported by the PD; she had involvement with the community... She was the most qualified of the candidates at the time."

She faced challenges immediately. First, the mayor agreed to provide police services to much of Multnomah County, adding 30 square miles and an estimated 32,000 calls to the already overburdened bureau. The next week, a city council ruling led to the layoff of 72 police officer layoffs.

Then, fearing a repeat of the 1982 narcotics team scandal, Harrington dismantled the unit, incorporating drug investigations into the general detective bureau.

The union regularly panned her performance. In her memoir she writes that "the resistance may be no more than an angry response to impending budget cuts, but it might also reflect the uncertainty with which certain members of the force still view a female chief in a bureau where male officers outnumber females by seven to one."

Harrington says, "Stan Peters, the union president, went to every roll call in the police bureau and said I was trying to bust the union -- I was trying to emasculate him."

In April 1985, Portland officers subdued an unarmed black male using a 'sleeper' hold, killing the 29-year-old security guard. Harrington ordered a review of the use of force policy. The union marched in protest. While the review was being conducted, two officers sold T-shirts emblazoned with "Don't Choke'em, Smoke'em." She fired them. The union responded with a vote of no confidence. The mayor ignored it.

Harrington learned from DA Schrunk that her husband, Gary Harrington (an officer she had married in February 1982), was suspected of tipping off a restaurant owner about a drug investigation.

After two months of hearings by a special mayoral commission, Gary was cleared of criminal wrongdoing. But he was found to have violated bureau orders regarding associations with suspected criminals. The report also focused on Harrington's leadership, stating, "she lost the confidence of her command and is unlikely to ever regain the confidence of a working majority of the bureau or other law enforcement agencies." The report recommended her removal.

Former Mayor Clark told The Marshall Project, "Her assistant chiefs, they rebelled against her.... You can't run an army that way."

Harrington says the damning report left her no choice but to resign. She forfeited her pension with her resignation. "I really went through lows," she sayd, "I couldn't stay there after what they did to me. I sold my house. I lived in an apartment, then a small camper. I couldn't find work for two years until I was hired by the California State Bar Association" as assistant director of investigations. She worked there for seven years, then as director of the National Center for Women in Policing, which helped police departments hire women. She also served as an expert witness in sexual harassment cases. However, the work was physically and emotionally taxing. "You are reliving the trauma of what you experienced over and over again. It was good money, but it wasn't worth my emotional health."

Harrington's path to healing led her to reiki and meditation. She is the owner of a metaphysics shop where she is a master reiki healer.

"I did my part. I'm tired. I'm enjoying my life in my rock shop. It's someone else's turn now."

She is still waiting, she says, for the "MeToo" movement to reach law enforcement. "I was hoping women in law enforcement would speak out too," she says. "That tells you how bad it is for women in there. They still don't dare speak up."

-- Ivonne Roman is an intern at The Marshall Project this summer, on leave from the Newark Police Department, where she holds the rank of captain. She founded the Women's Leadership Academy earlier this year, to increase the recruitment and retention of women in law enforcement in New Jersey.By Shan Wu, Julie Grohovsky, Norman Eisen

Special To The Washington Post

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court on Thursday. But as former prosecutors and a defense lawyer who collectively have decades of experience working on cases involving allegations of sexual assault, we believe the committee must review - with witnesses testifying under oath - he allegations that Kavanaugh assaulted a woman when they were in high school. Christine Blasey Ford's specific, credible account more than meets the threshold under the Judiciary Committee's rules for such a review. And in our experience, Ford's delay in coming forward publicly with her allegations is consistent with a common pattern of survivors of sexual assault.

Ford told The Washington Post in a story published Sunday that Kavanaugh and a friend of his, both "stumbling drunk," cornered her in a bedroom during a gathering when all of them were teenagers in su burban Washington, and that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and tried to pull her bathing suit off. She escaped the room and fled the house, she said. Kavanaugh, in a statement issued last week, "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegations.

The incident allegedly happened in the early 1980s. But trauma often causes delayed reporting of sexual assaults, which is well recognized now. Moreover, this is not a "new," allegation, one made for the first time on the eve of Kavanaugh's confirmation. Rather, The Post reported that Ford made previous disclosures to her husband and to a therapist years ago. Those disclosures also took place long after the alleged assault, but they were made at a time when Ford would have had no reason to fabricate the details.

Those prior disclosures also follow a common pattern with survivors in the gradual revelation of specificity and detail. Ford reportedly first told her husband that she had been the victim of a physical assault. Later, in therapy, she disclosed the sexual nature of the events. This step-by-step disclosure is common with survivors of sexual abuse, especially when the abuse occurred when the survivor was relatively young. Ford was 15 at the time of the alleged assault.

Those examining Ford's account focused Sunday on possible gaps in her recollection. It is true that, for example, she recalls some specific details of the alleged assault itself - Kavanaugh's hand allegedly covering her mouth, the other boy in the room laughing - more clearly than she did other details, such as the address of the party and time and date. But assault survivors often focus on very particular details of what happened to them rather than facts such as location and time. For example, in a landmark rape case two of us prosecuted, the survivor gave compelling testimony about how she remembered the smell of the defendant but was not clear on the exact time of day the attack occurred. (Her attacker pleaded guilty after hearing the testimony of the survivor.)

To the extent there are discrepancies in the record, they appear to be minor and not uncommon. Ford's therapist's notes state that there were four boys "involved" rather than the two that Ford told her husband about. Ford now says that was an error on her therapist's part while taking the notes, but either way, it's reconcilable with Ford's recollection that two boys - Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge - were in the room but a total of four boys were at the party. We often found that such minor errors were common even in the note-taking of trained law enforcement agents who know their work may be subject to review and cross-examination in criminal prosecutions. Indeed, in our collective experience, it is unusual for notes not to have such discrepancies. Particularly for a therapist - whose focus is on healing trauma, not stenography or pursuing criminal charges - this type of error while simultaneously listening, reacting and writing would not be uncommon.

Ford also passed a lie-detector test administered earlier this summer by a former FBI polygrapher. While it is true that polygraph results are not admissible in court, investigators and attorneys consider the results relevant in evaluating a person's credibility. So does the federal government: Regular polygraphs are used as a part of security clearance arrangements in the intelligence community. Indeed, we have found that a person's very willingness to undergo a polygraph often helps indicate their credibility.

When allegations of sexual harassment from years before came out against Justice Clarence Thomas during his confirmation hearing in 1991, they were addressed in a way that many do not consider sufficiently serious or respectful to the victim. That process has not aged well as the understanding of these issues has increased with time. It would be best not to rush into the same mistake now, at a time when we as a society should know better.

In considering the veracity of the allegations, we must also apply some scrutiny to Kavanaugh's denial. His credibility must be assessed in light of whether he has been candid on other issues. That record is not irrelevant to the judgment that the Senate must now make about his credibility on Ford's allegations.

Ford initially told Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, about the allegations earlier this summer. But until recent days, Ford wasn't willing to discuss her account more publicly. At any rate, the matter is out now, and any delay in pushing the committee to act on the allegations is overshadowed by larger considerations. Supreme Court confirmation hearings need to get done right the first time because it is the only time. No mechanisms exist for appeals or do-overs outside of the extraordinary one of impeachment - not used against a Supreme Court justice in our history in over 200 years, and only once, unsuccessfully, before that.

Against the prospect of as long as 40 or even more years on the bench for the nominee, what is a short delay to have a fair process? Under the committee's rules, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has the power to convene hearings "as he may deem necessary." Reassuring the country the allegations were taken seriously - and taking them seriously, including hearing from witnesses under oath - is necessary to maintain public confidence in the confirmation process and the person confirmed. Surely ascertaining the truth is in the interest of the Senate as well.

It is also in the interest of the victim, and that must not be ignored. Sexual assault survivors must cope with the trauma for the remainder of their lives. To all of them, to Ford in particular, and to our country, we owe a duty to take the time for full and careful investigation of these allegations before bestowing upon Kavanaugh a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land.

About the authors:

-- Shan Wu, a former federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., is a partner in the law firm of Wu, Grohovsky and Whipple, where his practice areas include white-collar defense & Title IX campus sexual assault cases. He is former counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno and a CNN legal analyst.

-- Norman Eisen is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a former U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic and author of "The Last Palace: Europe's Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House."

-- Julie Grohovsky, a former sex offense prosecutor in Washington, D.C., is a partner in the law firm of Wu, Grohovsky & Whipple where her practice includes representing victims of crime.Officials continued monitoring portions of the Mount Hood National Forest this weekend as they awaited test results on a cougar killed Friday they believe might be responsible for the death of a hiker

So far, they've found no trace of other cougars on the trails.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has deployed about two-dozen cameras in the area to look for any evidence of cougar activity.

Officials used those cameras Friday to locate, and then shoot and kill, a cougar believed to have killed 55-year-old Diana Bober. But until they are able to use lab results to conclusively link that cougar to Bober's death, officials are keeping watch from afar.

"We haven't confirmed that this animal is the offending animal," said Rick Swart, an agency spokesman. "And so we need to continue to monitor the home range to see if anybody else shows up."

Cougars often travel alone and stick to their territories. Officials don't expect to find many other cougars in the area and, if they do, it might be only a handful.

Some 6,600 cougars are estimated to roam Oregon. Bober's death is the first believed to be linked to a cougar.

"For us this is unprecedented," Michelle Dennehy, a state spokeswoman, said of the attack on a human.

Dennehy said officials hope to have confirmation this week that it was a cougar, and not a different type of animal, that attacked Bober. Likewise, officials hope lab testing will confirm it was the cougar they shot Friday.

Dennehy said authorities are "fairly confident" both theories will be proven correct. That's because the state medical examiner's office determined last week that Bober's injuries were constant with a cougar attack. And there's only a slim likelihood that a different cougar would go into the area where Bober was found.

Although Dennehy said lab results could be finished this week, Swart, the other agency spokesperson, was noncommittal.

"I don't know that we have any expectations," he said Sunday night. "The sooner, the better, is our position. We're anxious for those results."

-- Brad Schmidt and Everton BaileyA five-time bank robber was sentenced Monday to seven years in federal prison.

Eric Basil Smotherman hit four credit unions and one bank in the Portland area within a three-week period.

The robberies occurred between Sept. 13 and Oct. 6, 2017. In each, Smotherman passed a note to a teller demanding cash.

Eric B. Smotherman

"The note that every teller fears,'' recalled one of Smotherman's victims, a teller from Castparts Employees Federal Credit Union, identified in court as only Christine.

Once she read the first few words of the note and realized it was a robbery, she said she couldn't read on. She couldn't sleep for days and remains "constantly on the lookout'' at work, wondering if the next person she encounters is going to rob her employer, she told the judge.

After Smotherman hit four more banks, Portland police caught him through a bank tracking device that pinpointed his location, according to court records.

Smotherman's untreated bipolar disorder, coupled with his heroin addiction, led to his crime spree, defense lawyer Thomas Price said. Smotherman turned to heroin after he became addicted to the painkiller OxyContin following a serious hand injury from a fishing boat accident. After living with his father didn't work out, he was homeless, living out of a car.

"The biggest thing I regret is the innocent lives I've affected,'' said Smotherman, 36. "I wish I could change that. All I can do is sincerely apologize. ... I deeply regret everything that I did.''

Smotherman robbed the Casparts credit union, 8120 S.E. Luther Road in Portland, on Sept. 13, 2017. His note said: "Give me all the money in the drawer 'no' dye pack no tracer I know what they are stay calm no alarms don't make me hurt anyone,'' according to court records.

His other robberies: the Oregon First Community Credit Union at 1531 N.E. Park Lane in Fairview on Sept. 20; the Unitus Community Credit Union at 3355 N.E. Williams Ave. in Portland on Sept. 27; the Advantis Credit Union at 3010 S.E. Belmont St. in Portland on Sept. 29. and Key Bank at 3839 N.E. Broadway in Portland on Oct 6.

He made off with $4,912 from Castparts Employees, $2,650 from Oregon First, $424 from Unitus, $2,300 from Advantis and $1,511 from Key Bank.

Portland police found Smotherman near the Key Bank after a tracking device signaled his location. An officer also had noticed Smotherman jogging from the bank, holding a piece of paper before getting into a black Ford Mustang. Police stopped the car at Northeast 47th Avenue and Halsey Street.

Officers found a pellet gun in his car and what looked like a hoax explosive in his pants pocket, according to the government. Neither of them were used in the bank or credit union hold-ups. He was found with $1,400 in cash, according to court documents.

Smotherman's restitution was set at $11, 797.

U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones agreed to recommend Smotherman be placed at the Terminal Island federal prison in San Pedro, California, where he can receive treatment for his bipolar disorder.

"The best pace for you will be in prison, where you wil lnot relapse, as you have many times,'' the judge told the defendant.

Jones said he's visited the Terminal Island prison, noted it's beside the water and told Smotherman, "You can watch the ships go by.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

503-221-8212Marion County deputies arrested a man accused of striking his vehicle into multiple cars Sunday following an incident that began miles away.

Authorities say they received word at about 3 p.m. to keep an eye out for a vehicle involved in an incident to the north, in Washington County. Marion County deputies located the vehicle on Interstate 5 but didn't pursue it "due to the erratic nature of the driver," the agency said in a news release Sunday.

That vehicle later struck a vehicle near Chemawa Road NE and Portland Road NE, north of Salem, but continued on.

An Oregon State Trooper located the vehicle at a nearby service station. But the suspect rammed his vehicle into the trooper's cruiser and fled.

Deputies found the vehicle several miles south, at a gas station on Cordon Road near Gaffin Road. Authorities sent a police canine into the station's store to apprehend the suspect.

Deputies arrested Gale Merrill, 59 of Beaverton, although authorities did not list the charges he faces. Merrill is currently being held at Salem Hospital for a psychological evaluation.

-- Brad Schmidt

bschmidt@oregonian.com

@_brad_schmidt

503-294-7628The GOP candidate for governor, Knute Buehler, has received a major cash infusion  $750,000  from the Republican Governors Association in recent months, the group confirmed Monday.

"The Oregon governorship is a prime pick-up opportunity for Republicans this November," communications director Jon Thompson wrote in an email Monday afternoon.

It's just the latest reminder that the state contest holds national importance for both Republicans and Democrats. The Republican Governors Association has been helping Buehler throughout the year. In August, Gov. Kate Brown accepted $500,000 from EMILY's List, a group that supports pro-choice Democratic women candidates.

Brown and Buehler are in a tight race, with the most recent publicly released polls showing mixed results.

Political candidates have until early October to disclose their fundraising and spending, so the state database doesn't show many recent transactions, including those from the Republican Governors Association. Starting Sept. 25, candidates and political action committees will have seven days to report campaign finance transactions.

State campaign finance records do suggest Buehler needs national Republicans' support to keep up with Brown's campaign spending. He also recently received $1 million from Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who has supported candidates from both parties over the years. Nike is supporting Brown.

As of Monday afternoon, Oregon's campaign finance database showed Buehler's campaign with $1.6 million on hand. He's reported raising $3.2 million and spending $1.8 million since 2017.

Brown has $4.3 million on hand, according to public records. The governor has reported raising $7.2 million and spending $5.2 million over the last 21 months.

Whereas Buehler spent heavily to win the contentious Republican primary, Brown didn't face any serious challengers and was able to save her campaign cash.

Brown also controls two political action committees, Defend Oregon's Values and Team Oregon. So far, much of their money comes from transfers out of the governor's campaign committee but Defend Oregon's Values also got $100,000 in television and radio ads paid for by Service Employees International Union 503.

Both Brown and Buehler have been getting help from outside groups. The Democratic Party of Oregon has aided Brown by attacking Buehler, as have groups such as Planned Parenthood.

Buehler has received help indirectly from the political nonprofit Priority Oregon, which has been going after Brown with negative attack ads all year. It exchanged $30,000 worth of research with the Republican Governors Association earlier this year. The Republican Governors Association also helped Buehler through an affiliated group, the political nonprofit State Solutions, which spent roughly $300,000 on ads, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported in August.

In poll results released Friday afternoon, The Hoffman Research Group based in Portland found Brown had a 10 percentage point lead over Buehler, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. Pollster Tim Nashif said the firm paid for the survey so it could release the results and maintain a good rating with entities that rate polling companies.

The same survey showed 42 percent of respondents had a favorable impression of Brown and 41 percent had an unfavorable impression of her. Buehler's results were also split, with 27 percent of respondents saying they had a favorable view of him and 27 percent unfavorable. However, 45 percent either had no impression of Buehler or had never heard of him.

"With her negatives at 41 percent, there's room for him to grow because she's much, much more well-known than he is," Nashif said. "But somehow or another, he's going to have to pick it up with the independents and (non-affiliated voters.)"

Nashif noted that his firm polls for conservative campaigns.

Also last week, an Oregon Republican political action committee shared its polling results on the governor's race with Oregon Public Broadcasting that showed Buehler leading with 43 percent, compared with Brown's 41 percent. That was roughly the margin of error in the survey by Causeway Solutions of Washington, D.C., OPB reported.

-- Hillary Borrud

503-294-4034; @hborrudA romance mystery novelist suspected of gunning down her chef husband in a Portland culinary school pleaded not guilty Monday.

Nancy Crampton Brophy, 68, was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court on one count of murder with a firearm constituting domestic violence, a Measure 11 crime.

Prosecutors, in an indictment filed last week, claim the Beaverton author used a 9mm pistol to intentionally kill Daniel Brophy, her husband of 27 years.

Crampton Brophy, who published the essay "How to Murder Your Husband" in 2011, displayed little emotion during her brief appearance by video. Alissa Larson-Xu, her court-appointed attorney, was at the hearing.



Jane Claus, a private defense lawyer who appeared with Crampton Brophy in court Sept. 6, withdrew from the case last week, court records show. She did not respond to a request for comment.

Present in the courtroom were Daniel Brophy's parents, Karen and Jack Brophy, as well as his adult son, Nathaniel Stillwater.

Prosecutor Shawn Overstreet requested an order to prohibit Crampton Brophy from contacting all three, as well as those who provided witness testimony in the case to a grand jury on Sept. 13.

Judge Jerry Hodson granted the order.

Several Portland-area romance writers attended the arraignment as well. Among them: Jessie Smith, who helped run the See Jane Publish website where Crampton Brophy's treatise on killing one's spouse originally appeared.

Smith declined to comment to a reporter after the arraignment.

A beloved instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute, Daniel Brophy, 63, was found shot in a kitchen at the school June 2. The baffling early morning incident yielded no immediate suspects.

Crampton Brophy, whose self-published novels include "The Wrong Husband" and "Hell on the Heart," was arrested at her home in the 3300 block of Southwest 108th Avenue in Beaverton on Sept. 5.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office took the rare step of petitioning a judge to seal the probable cause affidavit in the case, citing an ongoing criminal investigation.

Brent Weisberg, a district attorney's spokesman, told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Monday that affidavit would remain sealed. He did not provide a timeline for when that would change.

Crampton Brophy's trial is scheduled for Oct. 26.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaughFlores and three of her youngest daughters have been in Chicago since May, after they were released from a detention center pending the outcome of their case. But it was only recently that Flores 18-year-old daughter, Laura Portillo Flores, was released from a San Diego-area detention center and reunited with her family in Chicago. They were part of a caravan of Central Americans who traveled to the U.S. border this spring to turn themselves in and ask for asylum.Auburn native Chris Graveline will become the first independent candidate on the statewide ballot in 30 years.

The Board of State Canvassers has ruled that Graveline, an independent candidate for Michigan attorney general, has qualified for inclusion on the November ballot.

"For nearly a decade, I strove every day to make Detroit a safer place. From motorcycle and street gangs to drug smugglers, I helped transform the way we approach violent and organized crime in the city. It's hard to say former, because it was a job I loved," stated the former federal prosecutor on his website.

Graveline, 45, was raised in Auburn, and graduated from Bay City Western High School. His family moved to Gladwin after he graduated from high school, and six of his nine siblings graduated from Gladwin High School. Graveline later married Gladwin native Colleen Zelt. The couple resides in Berkley, in suburban Detroit, with their five children, ages 5 to 15.

On June 1, 2018, Graveline left his job as a federal prosecutor to run for Michigan attorney general.

To qualify, Graveline had to collect a minimum of 30,000 signatures. Graveline was able to collect over 14,000 signatures and attempted to file them with the Secretary of State by the July 19 deadline. The Bureau of Elections refused to accept the petitions. Graveline, along with the three registered voters (one Republican, one Democrat, and one independent) then filed a lawsuit in Detroit's U.S. federal district court alleging that several provisions of Michigan's election laws violated their First and 14th Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.

On Aug. 27, federal Judge Victoria Roberts granted a temporary injunction and ordered that:

1. Graveline must immediately present his qualifying petition - with all materials he tried to submit on July 19, including the signatures of registered voters that he collected - to the Bureau of Elections;

2. The state must accept Graveline's filing as complete and determine the validity of the signatures in time to place Graveline on the ballot if he has sufficient valid signatures; and

3. If Graveline has at least 5,000 valid signatures, and at least 100 valid signatures from registered voters in each of at least half of the 14 congressional districts of the state, his name must be placed on the Nov. 6 general election ballot as an independent for the office of Michigan Attorney General.

Graveline is running as a political moderate who wants a non-partisan approach brought to the attorney general's office. Graveline's platform will combat violent crime, opioid trafficking, and identity theft, bringing consumer protection actions, and defending the state in civil lawsuits.

For more information, Graveline's campaign website is http://cg4ag.com.A status conference set Friday for Gladwin County Drain Commissioner Robert Evans on 81 charges of failing to do his job was adjourned. Meanwhile, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is still reviewing the county's request to terminate him.

Evans was set for the hearing in Ingham County Circuit Court regarding charges filed against him by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and state attorney general. The hearing has not yet been rescheduled.The Gift Shop Service volunteers of MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland donated more than $157,000 to the MidMichigan Health Foundation completing their FY 2018 funding pledge. Their support enabled the Medical Center to purchase equipment that will benefit patients served in Cardiovascular Services, Dining and Catering Services, Maternal Child Health, Medical ICU, Operating Room, Radiation Oncology and Rehabilitation Services.

"The Gift Shop volunteers are very pleased to be able to purchase equipment for the departments," said Donna Herringshaw, FY 2018 chair, Gift Shop Service Steering Committee. "Many can relate to friends or relatives having procedures done that use the equipment as part of the process. The volunteers love to have staff from a recipient department come and talk about how the equipment was beneficial to them and the patients at our spring membership meeting."

Equipment purchased consisted of Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) machines including a portable device, which will assist the vascular team in their ability to perform faster and easier ABI exams for the diagnosis and tracking of Peripheral Artery Disease. iPads for Dining and Catering Services were also bought, which will help patients place orders at their bedside enabling faster service.

Laboring mothers will benefit from a wireless fetal monitor thanks to donated funds from the Gift Shop Service. This monitor will allow mothers in labor the ability to move more freely and still be watched closely rather than be limited to lying in bed.

Patients needing to sustain a heart rate until further interventions can be done are being aided with temporary pacemakers bought with Gift Shop Service support. Pinpoint accuracy on targeting tumors will be accomplished thanks to the purchase of a physics monitor for Radiation Oncology.

Medical procedures done in the Operating Room will be enhanced due to the purchase of urology equipment to aid in prostate and bladder tumor resections, a bronchoscope used to look inside the lungs and a pediatric scope set specifically made to assist urologists treating young patients with urology concerns.

Critically ill patients can stay in their relatively comfortable rooms for urgent endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures thanks to the purchase of a GI Travel Cart. Fiberoptic endoscope evaluations, as part of a swallowing study in Rehabilitation Services, can now also take place conveniently at the patient's bedside thanks to funds given for an additional endoscope by the Gift Shop Service.

Volunteers in the Medical Center's Gift Shop sell merchandise to patients, visitors and staff. Profits are donated annually to the Medical Center for equipment. To learn more about the volunteer program, visit www.midmichigan.org/volunteers, or contact the Volunteer Services Department at 989-839-3340.

The MidMichigan Health Foundation supports the patients and families served by MidMichigan Health by raising funds for equipment, services and programs. MidMichigan Health is a non-profit health system headquartered in Midland, affiliated with Michigan Medicine, the health care division of the University of Michigan. MidMichigan Health covers a 23-county region with medical centers in Midland, Alpena, Alma, Clare, Gladwin, Mt. Pleasant and West Branch.

In addition to its Medical Centers, MidMichigan Health also offers both home health care and physician services, and has a strong commitment to medical education. MidMichigan Physicians Group provides urgent care and medical offices in more than 30 specialties and subspecialties including cardiology, hematology/oncology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, family medicine and more. Currently, MidMichigan has more than 7,800 employees, volunteers and physicians and provided $90 million in community benefits in fiscal year 2017.2. Jason Van Dyke may be the defendant, but his attorneys clearly intend to put Laquan McDonald on trial alongside him. The story in this case is a story written, directed and orchestrated by one person: Laquan McDonald, Van Dyke's attorney, Daniel Herbert, said during his opening statement. The 24 hours preceding this, Laquan McDonald was on a wild rampage through the city  (Prosecutors) want you to look at the final chapter without reading the rest of the book. The defense teams example of the wild rampage included a woman who called 911 to report McDonald  who was later determined to be on PCP  had asked to borrow her car in the middle of the previous night. Herbert also told the jury that McDonald had been using a disabled retired veterans public transit card throughout the city.Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.Divers searched the water for 90 minutes and recovered his body around 5 a.m., the Fire Department said in a tweet. Fellow firefighters saluted as an ambulance brought his body to the medical examiner's office.Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is an excellent Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) solution that integrates with various Linux distros as well as with Windows Server through 2016. GCP (whose cost can be determined by contacting the company) has grown to 15 regions, with at least three zones each since we last reviewed it. Each zone has multiple data centers and is increasing as Google continues to build storage infrastructure. Google has expanded its network to meet the growing demands of its data centers and has had the recent addition of three undersea cables. Notably, one cable is to the western Pacific landing in Guam. This interconnects with 10 undersea cables connecting Asia, the South Pacific, Australia, Japan, and the US mainland.

Google's global networking is a significant asset when considered with its wide choices in networking available to GCP users. Network setup is well-designed, easy to use, and provides a wide selection of assets including network infrastructure and virtual networking. All of this is now available in the newly designed GCP Console, which is intuitive and easy to use in its own right. Because of all these positives and more, we gave GCP an excellent rating in our IaaS review roundup, though GCP still didn't beat competitor Amazon Web Services ($6,415.00 at Amazon) (AWS), which garnered our Editors' Choice and might be slightly less expensive.

Setup and Configuration

Where once you needed to be a keyboard jockey to use Google Cloud, basic setup and operation is no longer the domain of the command line. Virtually everything can be accomplished through the new graphical user interface (GUI), and doing things such as creating and configuring a compute server is now reduced mostly to mouse clicks in your browser. This makes basic setup on Google just as easy as services with a simpler reputation like DigitalOcean ($6,415.00 at Amazon) or Rackspace ($6,415.00 at Amazon) .

To make things easier, Google provides a wide selection of preconfigured servers. Network configuration settings are also easily available, and you can set up servers through the user interface (UI).

That UI replaces nearly all of the functions that were previous only available through the command line. You access the menus and screens through your browser, and once your server is configured, you can access its GUI as well. When we set up our Windows 2016 server, for example, we used the remote desktop to manage the server just as if it were a local server, not one located hundreds of miles away.

It's worth noting that GCP's network performance is such that we saw no evidence of latency, even when using Windows Server through the remote desktop. While the remote desktop didn't support our 4K monitor, it provided a screen that's large enough to be managed easily.

GCP Performance

Since we last reviewed GCP, it has expanded its footprint significantly. As mentioned earlier, there are now 15 regions, each with at least three zones, and each of those has at least one data center, but most contain more than one. This footprint is being expanded with five more regions planned for 2018 and 2019. Google does not say how many data centers it has for GCP overall, primarily because the number keeps changing. It is fair to say that there's probably a data center nearby wherever you are. For example, our testing was done by using the data center in Northern Virginia, which is only a short drive from where our review was being conducted. During testing, there was no discernible latency. There are GCP regions on every continent except Africa.

Each of these data centers is constantly being upgraded, with GCP currently offering servers with Intel Skylake processors. Google has said in previous announcements that it intends to upgrade to processors without the Spectre and Meltdown security flaws that have affected Intel processors. GCP's internal network now runs at speeds up to 16 gigabits per second (Gbps). The network provides encrypted connections between regions using Google's private global fiber network. All this adds up to a service with capabilities advanced enough to compete with enterprise-oriented services, including AWS and IBM Cloud ($6,415.00 at Amazon) .

Testing GCP

As for the service itself, to test it I used Geekbench 4 from Primate Labs. Geekbench is a cross-platform benchmarking application that's designed to treat all platforms the same, regardless of the operating system. For GCP, I used the minimum configuration needed for the benchmark: an n1-standard-1. This platform consists of a single Intel Xeon Virtual CPU (vCPU), 3.75 gigabytes (GB) of RAM, and a 10GB hard drive. The benchmark instance consisted of 64-bit Windows Server 2016 Enterprise. As was the case with the other services, we ran Geekbench from the remote Windows desktop.

This benchmark program runs several integer, floating point, and memory tests. With this benchmark, higher numbers are better. I didn't try to formally test networking or storage performance.

GCP delivered an average single-core benchmark score of 2,827 and an average multi-core score of 2,659. The numbers are similar because were were only using one core. These results are very similar to those of the other cloud services also running Windows Server. While there were minor differences, it would appear that while the scores have improved somewhat over the previous benchmark for GCP, speed is not a significant differentiator for this cloud service.

Pricing and Contract

Google Compute Engine's service-level agreement (SLA) guarantees at least 99.99 percent uptime. If your monthly uptime percentage is between 99.95 and 99.99 percent, then you'll get a 10 percent credit. If it drops to between 95 percent and 99 percent, then you'll get 25 percent. If it goes below 95 percent in a month, then you'll get a 50 percent credit. Google provides pricing for each instance you create as you're creating it. It bills on a per-second basis. For example, the benchmark instance would have cost $65.89 per month if I would let it run for one month (defined by Google as 720 hours).

I used GCP's Pricing Calculator to price out a three-tier Ubuntu Linux web app. This was made up of two on-demand microinstances: the load balancer and the hosting website. The web server itself was hosted on a g1-small Linux instance. These were supported by a pair of on-demand, f1-micro Linux web servers for peak demand and a g1-small Linux disaster-recovery (DR) server.

For the database backup, I used 300GB and 4GB storage residing on Google Cloud Storage Standard. The 150GB database management system (DBMS) itself resided on a Cloud SQL D8 MySQL instance. The DR DBMS with 300 GB of storage made its home on a Cloud SQL D2 MySQL. The total monthly data transfer allowance, source to destination, was 440 GB, with a destination to source allowance of 1,140 GB.

As for tech support, I went with the minimum available support system. This helpdesk provided assistance via both email and tickets. In total, this simple eight-server web app package costs approximately $5,358.28 per year.

GCP is affordable and features robust performance even as Google has quickly added various data centers to support demand. The result of this massive growth is the unusual pricing for using GCP, which will vary slightly depending on location. GCP server farms in regions with abundant cheap energy will cost less to use as opposed to regions were the costs of electricity are higher.

However, Google's aggressive rate of building data centers means that it's much more likely you'll find one near you. Using a data center that's closer will reduce latency, both because of reduced propagation delays and reduced latency related to internet congestion and infrastructure latency. Depending on your app, latency may not matter to you. But, in general, you probably want to use a location near you.

It's also worth notingand Google makes sure to stress thisthat there's a lot more to GCP than just than just IaaS. You also have access to Knowledge-as-a-Service (KaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), along with other services, including a wide selection of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) services, including Google's well-known speech and vision ML features.

While this review was aimed at IaaS, GCP, like other cloud services, is much more than just IaaS. Chances are that GCP can do anything in the cloud that you're likely to want done.

Google Cloud Platform 4.0 See It Visit Site at Google Cloud MSRP Free Pros Powerful platform with excellent support for Windows and Linux.

Vast array of global private networks equals speed and ease of connectivity.

Impressive selection of AI and data analysis apps. Cons Pricier than AWS.

Can be a challenge to integrate with non-Google products. The Bottom Line Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a top-notch Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) solution with various cloud services that will appeal to users of Google services. Features include impressive AL and ML functionality and outstanding overall performance.Lenovos ThinkPad X1 Carbon (6th Gen) continues its tradition as a premier, though pricey, business laptop that weighs as little as some tablets. Quite simply, it exudes quality.

Around the very good 14-inch display can be found a variety of ports, including a pair of high-speed Thunderbolt connectors ideal for driving external displays. Battery life is also very good, though thats assisted by the somewhat basic 1080p display that accompanied our review unit. Under the hood, theres an 8th-gen quad-core Intel Kaby Lake-R processor that accomplishes quite enough for most business tasks. It may be be a few hundred dollars more than the competition, but that hasnt prevented it from earning our Editors Choice award. Read on for why.

This review is part of our best laptops roundup. Go there for details about competing products and how we tested them.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (6th gen): Basic specs

Thin and oh so light, with a variety of ports

According to Lenovo, the Thinkpad X1 Carbon is constructed of four layers of carbon fiber, together with a magnesium alloy roll-cage. In our day-to-day handling, that meant that it felt solid: both light and totally sturdy, with nary the slightest wiggle in the chassis. (Its rugged enough to pass the militarys MIL-STD-810G ruggedized tests, Lenovo says.)

The carbon construction also pays dividends in terms of weight. One of the theoretical advantages of a Windows tablet like the sturdy 2017 HP Spectre x2 is its mobility, at 2.48 pounds on our scale. But the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gen weighs even less: 2.46 pounds, and its far sturdier on the lap. All told, youll almost certainly be surprised with how thin and light it feels in the hand.

Mark Hachman / IDG The left-hand side of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gen boasts a variety of ports, including the USB-C and Gen 2 ethernet port that can be used with one of Lenovos physical docks.

Though its optionally available in silver, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gen is most frequently offered in ThinkPads signature black. Its not technically a convertible, but the display reclines to a flat angle, serving as a writing surface if you choose. (Lenovo doesnt bundle a stylus with the X1 Carbon, however, nor does it list one among its accessories.) The Carbons stiff hinge also resists any movement when flopping about.

Open the Carbons cover, and youre met with the ThinkPad X1 Carbons display, not typically one of Lenovos traditional strengths. Four options are available, all 14-inch panels: The 19201080 display generated 309 nits using our tests. We generally test with a brightness between 250 and 260 nits as a comfortable level for daily work, and measure battery life accordingly. Hitting that target was a smart decision on Lenovos part, as it maximizes battery life without sacrificing additional brightness.

Mark Hachman / IDG Another USB-A port is tucked on the right of the Lenovo X1 Carbon (6th Gen), along with some large fan vents. Theres a Kensington dock and a headphone jack, too.

Keep in mind, though, that the base display doesnt offer touch. For that, youll pay $85 extra for a 1080p, 300-nit (rated) display, which was on the model we reviewed. You can also pay more for a higher-res 25601440, 300-nit display (a $138 adder) or $180 more for a 500-nit, 25601440 glossy display boasting the Dolby Vision HDR capabilities. All of the lower-cost panels feature anti-glare coating, which works as advertised.

Maybe Im just used to higher-res panels, but the 1080p 14-inch panel looked a little too squished for an everyday, business notebook. And to my eye, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gens image quality looked a bit too yellowish, even when Lenovos software reported a maximum color temperature of 6500K. Turning on Eye Care mode (the equivalent of Windows night light settings) within the Lenovo Vantage utility software really dialed down the blue light (4500K). But, like Windows, you do have the ability to make adjustments via a slider bar.

In terms of ports, the X1 Carbon offers a smorgasbord of options. More and more notebook and tablet makers are moving to USB-C charging, and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gen is no exception. One of the nice older traditions within the ThinkPad line was the consistency of its chargers; Lenovo shipped us the same 65-watt charger in two different models of Lenovo notebooks were testing.

The left-hand side of the chassis is where the X1 Carbon 6th Gen includes that USB-C port, which is Thunderbolt 3.0 enabledmeaning that it can supply (or receive) power, provide USB 3.0 data transfers, and power up to two 4K monitors at 30Hz refresh rates apiece. An HDMI port and a more traditional USB 3.1 Type A connector provide legacy connections.

Right in the middle, though theres also Lenovos proprietary docking connector, which includes a second, Thunderbolt 3.0 port plus a special ethernet Gen 2 jack, both physically designed for Lenovos 90W Pro Dock, which we didnt test. Its all a bit inconvenient if you dont buy into Lenovos dock vision; the USB-C port is standard, but youll almost certainly need to buy a dongle to fit the special ethernet adapter, which wasnt shipped with our review unit, or simply connect wirelessly. In my mind, this is the only thing that annoyed me about the X1 Carbon, though an ethernet-to-USB-C dongleRemove non-product link is really just $25 or so more.

The righthand side of the chassis includes the second USB-A connector, a Kensington lock, large fan vents, and the 3.5mm headphone/mic jack.

And dont forget about the combination SD card and WLAN SIM card holder, which is tucked away within the hinge, and somewhat inaccessible unless the laptop is aligned just so. Naturally, youll need to supply your own SIM, and the Fibocom L850-GL 4G LTE-A cat 9 card that enables it is a $100 option. The Thinkpad X1 Carbon 6th Gen also includes a hardware dTPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip, too, for additional security.

Mark Hachman / IDG The combination SD/WWAN slot on the X1 Carbon (6th Gen) is hidden near the hinge. Youll need a pushpin, staple, or SIM prong to remove it.

Two other key features were also designed with security in mind. First, theres the fingerprint reader to the right of the trackpad, Lenovos choice for allowing users to log in using Windows Hello. We were pleased to find it as reliable as other Lenovo fingerprint readers weve used. Lenovo also offers an upgrade to an IR depth camera that should allow Windows Hello to be used via the front-facing camera, too, though our review unit lacked that capability.

Heres a slightly more unusual security feature. Lenovos X1 Carbon 6th Genfor those models without the IR cameranow includes something called ThinkShutter, a sliding physical shutter that you can close, a nod to those who are concerned that someone may hack their webcam without their knowledge. I found the ThinkShutter to be really pretty stiff when I first started sliding it back and forth using the integrated divot, though it loosened up over time. When shut, a red ring surrounds the small lens, notifying you that the camera is obscured.

Mark Hachman / IDG You can use your fingernail or a coin to slide the ThinkShutter over. But its stiff enough that you may be concerned about breaking a nail.

Any audio propelled upward by the X1 Carbons speakers sounds flattish and somewhat on the soft side, though the the breathy lyrics of Suzanne Vegas Toms Diner didnt seem to lose any clarity when played back over the laptops speakers. Theres more than enough volume to fill a normal conference room, though it tends to blare without a lot of depth.

Its worth noting that the X1 Carbon includes the Dolby Atmos audio enhancement algorithm, which improves the audio both over the speakers and headphones. Still, even headphones produced audio that wasnt all that inspiring, and the volume controls didnt actually seem to elevate the audio volume in the upper echelons of the audio controls. Granted, this is a business PC first and foremost.

Keyboard and typing: ThinkPad quality

Lenovos keyboards have earned an elite reputation, and the X1 Carbon continues that tradition. The X1 Carbons keys feel a bit springier than those of its cousin, the X1 Tablet, thought each key is actually a bit smaller than I expected. Other notebooks such as the Huawei Matebook X Pro compress some of the control keys and use the extra space to increase the size of the main, lettered keys. There are two levels of backlighting.

Mark Hachman / IDG Naturally, theres a familiar ThinkPad keyboard under the hood of the X1 Carbon.

Again, the extra bit of resilience may weary some fingers a bitit did for me, although I accustomed myself to it in a day or two. Some keyboards allow your fingers to glide over them, gently depressing each key. Another way to look at it would be to say that the X1 Carbon more approximates a desktop keyboard than other notebooks do.

Mark Hachman / IDG Depth cameras are great, but this fingerprint sensor on the X1 Carbon 6th Gen reliably does the job. The small ridge to the top is an LED, which lights white while you log in, or red to indicate that the login failed. The process takes less than a second.

As you might expect, the X1 Carbon also includes the the iconic red Trackpoint nub, as well as the physical left, right and center buttons above the trackpad. The trackpad feels a little smoother and slicker than those on other Lenovo products I had handy, but its proportionally a bit smaller, too. Dont forget about the small fingerprint sensor to the right of the trackpad, which serves as a convenient way to log in thats also compliant with Windows Hello. All of these are typical of most Lenovo notebooks. Remember that Lenovo also places the Function key in the far left-hand corner, while others reserve this for the Control key. This can be adjusted using the Vantage software.

As befitting a business notebook, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon foregoes virtually all unnecessary apps, save for what Windows itself provides. Lenovos aforementioned Vantage software continues to be worth perusing, both as a means to upgrade drivers and firmware, as well as to toggle specific features on and off.

Performance: excellent almost across the board

By default, Lenovos X1 Carbon optimizes its performance settings to boost performance when you need it. In reality, this means that the ultrabooks fan runs quite a bit, either in a fully revved-up mode or in a sort of quiet, background state. Even in a quiet office with central heating and air, the X1 Carbons revved-up fan noise was mildly annoying. The accompanying Lenovo Vantage software (go to the Hardware Settings icon, then Smart Settings) allows you to turn off this automatic Intelligent Cooling mode and place it into a Cool & Quiet state. Unfortunately, the X1 Carbons fan often kept quietly yet noticeably hissing away.

If you occasionally work in a home office (and who doesnt?) be aware that I received some anomalous results that I believe were tied to the ambient temperature, due to a malfunctioning air conditioner. At a warm house temperature of 78 degrees, the X1 Carbons Cinebench scores dropped by a full 25 percent, and our prolonged HandBrake video conversion scores fell considerably, too. All of our final numbers, however, represent testing that we performed at PCWorlds consistently air-conditioned office in San Francisco, where the system could use cooler, ambient air to chill the system.

Still, we noticed that after resuming the X1 Carbon from a prolonged sleep state, installing some software, and rebooting (including a Windows update) the X1 Carbon immediately began power throttling to avoid going over its voltage threshold.

As we normally do, we measured the X1 Carbon 6th Gens performance using our trio of PCMarks benchmarks: Work, Home, and Creative. Remember, with a quad-core 1.8GHz Core i7-8550U (Kaby Lake-R) chip inside it, the X1 Carbon should plow through general office tasks handily, and in our experience, it did so. The Work test measures Web browsing, working with Excel spreadsheets, and more. Clearly, its 8th-gen Core chip elevates it to the top of the heap.

Mark Hachman / IDG

The Home test emphasizes light gaming and photo manipulation. We normally test consumer products using the Creative test as well, though some of our business-class products drop this test. (Though we dont show it here, the X1 Carbon 6th Gen finished at the top of the small number of thin-and-lights we tested using the Creative test.) In all of these, the X1 Carbon 6th Gen performed admirably. Again, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon tops the others.

Mark Hachman / IDG The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gen tops the heap in our Home test, which we dont always apply to business-focused PCs.

Maxons Cinebench benchmark, which asks the system to render a 2D scene, is the closest to a universal benchmark that we use, stressing the four-core, eight-thread Core i7 8550U to its utmost. We stress-test using all of the cores enabled. Again, this was a test that we found was susceptible to ambient heat, which may have reduced the X1 Carbons performance slightly. Still, its in the top tier.

Mark Hachman / IDG Under the Cinebench rendering test, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gen can be found near the top of the heap.

The HandBrake open-source tool pushes all four cores, converting a top-tier Hollywood movie into a resolution that can be used on an Android tablet. Its a good, prolonged stress test for how the laptop will hold up over prolonged exertion, and the X1 Carbon is almost at the top.

Mark Hachman / IDG Our prolonged Handbrake test shows off the power of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (6th Gen) and its 8th-gen Core chip.

Finally, we look at 3D performance using the integrated HD 620 GPU. We dont expect much here out of a business laptop, and its performance near the bottom reflects that.

Mark Hachman / IDG 3D performance is one of the few weak spots for the Lenovo X1 Carbon 6th Gen, overshadowed by other notebooks with discrete 3D GPUs.

With a battery-sipping 8th-gen CPU under the hood, as well as a 1080p panel, we expected battery life to be more than satisfactory. It is, assisted by the large 57Wh battery. Keep in mind that if you opt for a higher-resolution panel, though, that battery life will fall accordingly. Its duration with an FHD display of just under 9 hours is a bit disappointing compared to the competition, which is hovering around 10 hours or so.

Mark Hachman / IDG At nearly 9 hours of battery life, the Lenovo X1 Carbon 6th Gen should last through a full day of work, though it pales a bit to some of its competition.

Conclusion: A premier business machine

Its hard to find any fault with Lenovos latest entry into the X1 Carbon line, especially if youre looking for a moderately powerful business machine with good battery life. One of its drawbacks, its high price, will likely be erased if an IT department budget is footing the bill, rather than a consumer. Options like WWAN capabilities, a higher-resolution screen, and a faster processor will naturally elevate the price. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 6th Gen receives our PCWorld Editors Choice award as a thin-and-light laptop that deserves to be on your desk.WILLIAMSPORT - The state attorney general's office has been dismissed from a civil suit in which it was accused of forcing an environmental services company into bankruptcy.

However, U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann on Friday refused to remove lawyers and agents from the attorney general's office who were involved in the prosecution of Minuteman Spill Response Inc.

The judge also dismissed current Attorney General Joshua Shapiro but gave the plaintiffs 14 days to file a document stating why he should be a defendant since he was not in office at the time.

Brian J. Bolus

The suit stems from the prosecution of Minuteman and its president Brian J. Bolus following the 2014 presentment by a statewide grand jury.

The complaint charges agents for the attorney general's office lied, fabricated and mischaracterized evidence to obtain a grand jury presentment.

More than 100 charges were filed in Montour, Northumberland and Union counties following the grand jury presentment. All but two later were dismissed or not prosecuted.

Minuteman was approved for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for the remaining two.

The criminal complaints charged environmental crimes, insurance fraud, overbilling and intentional disposition of radioactive material.

Bolus contends the investigation and seizure of assets forced Minuteman to file for bankruptcy.

Prior to the execution of search warrants, he says his environmental services business employed more than 100 people with annual profits exceeding $6 million.

Freezing accounts and seizing the business and personal assets of the Boluses deprived Minuteman of the liquidity necessary to carry on its business, he claims.

Minuteman, Bolus, his wife Karen and son, Preston, in their complaint raise civil rights, malicious prosecution, false arrest, assault, battery and loss of consortium allegations.

The false arrest, assault and battery claims are brought by Karen Bolus who alleges she was restrained when agents searched the family's former home in the Lewisburg area in May 2103.

Brann ruled the Office of the Attorney General was immune from being sued in this case but denied immunity for Amy Carnicella and Robert B. Stewart III, deputy attorneys general at the time.

The judge also ruled Minuteman's entry into the ARD program is not grounds at this point in the litigation to dismiss the malicious prosecution claims.

In court documents filed previously, the defendants acknowledge Karen Bolus was "knowingly restrained" during the search of the home but "vehemently" deny any constitutional rights were violated.

Karen Bolus claims she was forced at gunpoint to lie on the kitchen floor and was handcuffed in front of her son, then 8. She alleges agents threatened to shoot the family dog because it was barking.

The AG's office also denies the claim it is responsible for the bankruptcy of Minuteman, a former Milton area company that had a facility in Middletown.

Bolus claims the business value of Minuteman went from $40 million to zero. Then Gov. Tom Corbett in 2012 called the company "an American success story."

Other defendants in the civil suit are former Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane and agents Richard M. Bosco, David A. Ellis, Christopher M. Antonucci and Paul Zimmer, who still are with the office.

In a separate matter, Brian Bolus in January 2016 pleaded guilty to a federal tax evasion charge.

He admitted paying his personal expenses with funds of BPK Management Inc., a firm that included Minuteman.

Bolus was placed on two years' probation and agreed to pay a total of $468,765 to cover taxes, interest and penalties for 2010 through 2012.

The tax evasion charge covered only 2012 when the tax loss was $139,103, but Bolus agreed to pay more to resolve all his issues with the Internal Revenue Service.The six Pennsylvania bishops at the center of a blistering grand jury report into clergy sex abuse as well as their dioceses are the target of a class action lawsuit filed on Monday by survivors of abuse and their families.

The lawsuit, filed Monday morning in the Court of Common Pleas for Allegheny County, was filed by three individuals and on behalf of victims as well as parents whose children attend Catholic school. The lawsuit seeks to compel the dioceses to meet obligations as mandatory reporters.

"The healing process for survivors is excruciating," said lead plaintiff Ryan O'Connor, who, as a child, was sexually abused by his parish priest and now has two children enrolled in Catholic school.

"We are made to feel as though we must choose between our faith and our recovery. Key to this healing process is knowing that my own children aren't in danger. I'm speaking out for all survivors and all parents who want to know why this church believes they are above the law. We're here to tell them that they are not."

Benjamin Sweet, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the goal of the lawsuit was the protection of children.

"Until the church reveals the names of the predators it continues to protect, Pennsylvania's children are not safe," he said. "The church's coverup will continue unless and until it publicly releases the names of all suspected predators."

The lawsuit seeks to compel each diocese to submit the names of all suspected predators and to provide sufficient proof to the court that they have done so.

The lawsuits targets the six dioceses at the center of the recent 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury: Harrisburg, Erie, Scranton, Pittsburgh, Greensburg and Allentown. The grand jury investigation found church officials for years failed to report, and even protected, priests accused of sexually molesting children.

In addition, the lawsuit also targets two other dioceses previously investigated: the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, which in 2016 was the focus of another grand jury investigation, and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which was investigated in 2005 and 2011.

Those two previous investigations found near-identical patterns of clergy sex abuse and its concealment by church officials.

The lawsuit asserts that the dioceses systematically failed to meet their reporting obligations: Only 10 of the 301 priests named as sexual abusers in the grand jury report are listed on Pennsylvania's Megan Law Database.

The lawsuit further asserts that while at least two priests have been arrested, 20 others remain redacted in the report.

Plaintiffs contend that the dioceses continue to conceal predatory priests from the public and law enforcement.

Under Pennsylvania's mandatory reporting laws, clergy who become aware of any suspected child abuse must report the abuse to law enforcement.

In addition to two indictments - one of which resulted in a conviction - several dioceses at the center of the investigation have removed from the ministry priests who have been accused of sexual crimes against minors. At least two dioceses have turned allegations over to local law enforcement officials, and a number of plaintiffs have even filed lawsuits against priests and bishops.

In addition, several bishops face potential criminal liability, including Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik and his predecessor Cardinal Donald Wuerl, both named in at least one lawsuit.

Zubik recently placed three priests accused of sexually abusing minors on administrative leave. The dioceses of Erie and Greensburg have also removed from ministry priests accused of child sex crimes.

In a written statement to PennLive, Matt Kerr, spokesman for the Diocese of Allentown said: "The Diocese of Allentown has reported to law enforcement every allegation of clergy sexual abuse of which it is aware, and the Diocese published a list of all Diocesan Priests against whom there have been credible allegations of abuse of minors."

Kristen Hancock, another plaintiff whose child also attends Catholic school, said she had the right to know the names of all accused priests named in the report.

"It's a shame that public safety and common sense does not prevail," Hancock said. "It's a shame that the Catholic Church is still driving which information becomes public. And it's a shame that it takes a lawsuit to seek to release these names to protect our children. People deserve to know right now what additional information the Church is withholding."

This report has been updated.

Class action lawsuit against eight Pa. dioceses by PennLive on ScribdLANCASTER, Pa. (AP) -- Authorities say a man has died in a police-involved shooting in Pennsylvania.

The shooting at the Lancaster home occurred around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, several hours after police had responded there for a reported hostage situation.

But further details on the shooting and the people involved were not immediately available.

Authorities say no other injuries were reported.

Police remained at the scene early Monday.A woman was killed after being hit while on side of a road in East Lampeter Township on Saturday morning.

Thelma Rineer, of Ronks, age not given, was declared dead after being hit along the 2500 block of Siegrist Road, around 5:25 a.m. Saturday, police said.

Craig Gomez, a Ronks resident, was driving a 2002 Hyundai Sonata east on Siegrist Road when he hit Rineer along the south side of the road, police said.

The road between Lynwood and East Brook Road was shut down for 5 hours during the investigation and crash reconstruction, police said.

East Lampeter Police were assisted by the Manor-Hempfield Crash Team, Gordonville Ambulance, Bird-In-Hand Fire Company, LEMSA and the Lancaster County Coroner's Office.

The investigation is ongoing, and witnesses are asked to contact East Lampeter Township Police at 717-291-4676.WILLIAMSPORT - An out-of-court settlement has been reached in a federal civil rights suit in which Weis Markets Inc. was accused of unlawful race discrimination in employee hiring and promotions.

No terms were included in the settlement notice filed Friday in U.S. Middle District Court in the suit filed in April by Jason Allen, an African-American employee at the food market chain's Milton warehouse.

The Sunbury resident had sought to represent all African-Americans who were not hired, promoted or subjected to a racially hostile work environment.

Weis denied the discrimination claim and opposed Allen's request to make his complaint a class action because it claimed he did not allege any other African-Americans were subjected to a hostile work environment.

Weis spokesman Dennis Current Monday confirmed the settlement but said the company had no other comment.

Allen, a Weis employee since 2012, claimed in his complaint he repeatedly had been passed over for promotion in favor of similarly situated or less qualified Caucasians.

READ MORE: Employee sues Weis Markets, accuses it of race discrimination

The discriminatory practice is evident in the racial imbalance of the chain's workforce, management and supervisory staff, he contended.

Weis' executive leadership "has executed a top-down promotion policy, which consistently, systematically and willfully discriminates on the basis of race," Allen charged.

He also accused the executive leadership of not maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for racial discrimination despite doing so for other types of discrimination including sexual harassment.

Allen contended he has endured a racially hostile work environment including a co-worker referring to him with a racial slur.

He said he was transferred to a different department after reporting the incident to a supervisor but the co-worker who made the comment followed him several weeks later.Despite the fireworks in court in the months leading up to the trial, Mondays opening day was largely understated. In his brief, workmanlike opening statement to the jury, McMahon said police officers have the authority to fire their weapons in very specific situations, but this was not one of them. Holding up the 3-inch blade that McDonald carried that night, McMahon suggested the teen could have  and should have  been subdued with a Taser.A true Rosie  Donna Crandall Watkinss

The local Rosie the Riveter group interviewed a 96 year old Carp Lake woman who helped out with the war efforts during WWII

Wonder whats going on in ballet this week? Weve pulled together some highlights.

New York City Ballets Fall Season Opens with Jewels New York City Ballets fall season opens September 18 at Lincoln Centers David H. Koch Theater with six performances of Jewels. George Balanchines beloved triptych is celebrated as the first full-length abstract ballet. When it debuted in 1967, Balanchine explained the inspiration behind his new masterpiece to an interviewer by saying, The whole thing wasI like jewels. Catch a glimpse of Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds in the above trailer. The first week of NYCBs season also includes an all-Balanchine program featuring Concerto Barocco, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Stravinsky Violin Concerto and Symphony in C.

The Australian Ballet Debuts a New Spartacus September 1829, The Australian Ballets much awaited Spartacus debuts in Melbourne. Choreographer Lucas Jervies new production retells the classical story of a warrior leading a slave rebellion against the Roman empire with music by Aram Khachaturian and sets and costumes by Jerome Kaplan, known for his work on Alexei Ratmanskys Cinderella. The Australian Ballet has put out a series of behind-the-scenes videos giving viewers an insider look at the sets, costumes and choreography of the, ambitious production. Spartacus returns November 924 in Sydney.

Pacific Northwest Ballet Kicks Off Jerome Robbins Festival Celebrations of Jerome Robbins centennial are still in full swing. Pacific Northwest Ballet presented an all-Robbins program in Paris this summer, and now on September 21, theyre bringing it back home. PNBs two-week Robbins festival featuring seven iconic ballets: In the Night, West Side Story Suite, Afternoon of a Faun, Other Dances, Circus Polka, The Concert and Dances at a Gathering. Check out an excerpt of the hilarious Mistake Waltz section of The Concert in the above video.

Nashville Ballet Opens Season with Swan Lake Nashville Ballet is opening their season with a bang: Their upgraded Swan Lake runs September 2123. Artistic director Paul Vasterling (celebrating his 20th year with the company) made a number of choreographic updates, and Odette and the swan corps will be sporting new costumes. In anticipation, Nashville Ballet just put out this video describing the process behind creating 28 new swan tutus. Watch to see how many hours go into making a tutuwe bet youll be surprised.

The Firebird Lights Up Ballet Austins Season Opener Ballet Austins 201819 season opens September 2123 with a program featuring artistic director Stephen Mills The Firebird juxtaposed by Lar Lubovitchs fluid Dvorak Serenade. Performances will feature company dancer Aara Krumpe in one of her best-known roles, the Firebird. Krumpe is embarking on her final season with Ballet Austin after a 20-year tenure, the longest of any dancer in the companys history.1.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

On the heels of Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein calling for a halt in the Kavanaugh confirmation, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) joined her, citing the serious and credible allegations that must be thoroughly investigated. For too long, when woman have made serious allegations of abuse, they have been ignored. That cannot happen in this case.

Senator Grassley must postpone the vote until, at a very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated. For too long, when woman have made serious allegations of abuse, they have been ignored. That cannot happen in this case, Schumer wrote in a statement sent to PoliticusUSA.

Schumer pointed out that Kavanaugh already has a record of being less than honest:

Judge Kavanaughs credibility has already been seriously questioned because of his answers regarding Manny Miranda, Judge Pryor, and other issues during his time in the Bush White House, and now his credibility is even more suspect. To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court.

It is Kavanaugh who has a credibility problem here. His alleged victim has passed an FBI-administered lie detector test, and has two separate therapy note sessions from years ago backing up her claims, in addition to her husband recalling her citing Kavanaugh specifically.

Professor Ford came forward Sunday morning with a horrifying account she referred to as a rape attack by Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Senator Feinstein (D-CA) quickly called for his confirmation to be put on hold until the FBI conducts an investigation.

There is no way around this for Republicans  Kavanaugh is a problem for them. He might well be innocent of sexual assault, but for Republicans to refuse to even investigate and to confirm without even peeking under the hood, instead relying upon a handy letter Kavanaugh just to happened to have signed by 65 women who say hes so wonderful (btw, this is totally irrelevant because many wonderful men have committed horrible acts of sexual and physical violence against women). Why are they so quick to throw women under the bus?

American women deserve a Supreme Court justice who is not credibly accused of sexual assault. This is not hard.

But Republicans wont care, and the White House has already said they wont revoke the nomination. Of course they wont- sexual assault is not a problem for the Trump White House or the Republicans in Congress. They simply do not care about women or children or male victims.

But voters do.In August, police found Miller with gunshot wounds to the torso standing near a van with its doors open, near the intersection of Northwest Highway and Foster Avenue, police said.2.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

After Professor Ford came forward with a grueling story about what she calls a rape attack by Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) called for his confirmation to be put on hold until the FBI conducts an investigation.

Ford said of the attack, I thought he might inadvertently kill me. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

It has always been Mrs. Fords decision whether to come forward publicly. For any woman, sharing an experience involving sexual assaultparticularly when it involves a politically connected man with influence, authority and poweris extraordinarily difficult, Feinstein said in a statement sent to PoliticusUSA.

From the outset, I have believed these allegations were extremely serious and bear heavily on Judge Kavanaughs character. However, as we have seen over the past few days, they also come at a price for the victim. I hope the attacks and shaming of her will stop and this will be treated with the seriousness it deserves.

I support Mrs. Fords decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee.

Feinstein is not alone in calling for at least a pause here before Republicans install another sexual predator on the Supreme Court.

NOW President Toni Van Pelt issued a statement Sunday prior to Fords story becoming public, saying NOW is firm in our demand that Brett Kavanaugh withdraw his name from consideration for a seat on the Supreme Court.

Pelt pointed out why Ford probably hadnt told earlier, She probably remembered why she hadnt told earlier. Anita Hill told the whole world on national TV and Clarence Thomas was still seated on the Supreme Court. Monica Lewinsky told her friend and Bill Clinton got re-elected. The college wrestlers told, the students at Penn State told, the young women Olympic gymnasts told, the altar boys and seminary students told, female clerks for judges told, actresses and secretaries and hotel maids and construction workers and inmates and many more told and yet few of the predators were held accountable and cover-ups were legion.

NOW demanded that Kavanaugh withdraw and if he wont, the full Senate to reject his nomination.

NOW respectfully demands that Brett Kavanaugh withdraw and if he doesnt, that the Committee and the full Senate rejects the nomination of this flawed nominee. Our nation simply must deal with bullying, dating, domestic violence, sexual harassment, misconduct, assault, and rape. And until we make sure our homes, schools, workplace, and communities are a safe haven, we will continue to have deaths and lifetime trauma on our hands. Enough is enough.

As Adalia Woodbury wrote in these pages this morning, We dont need or want knights in shining armor to explain what life is like for women followed by their mutual admiration for each others enlightenment. We want a seat at the table. And we dont want an alleged attempted rapist on the Supreme Court.

Women deserve better than this. Women deserve to have justices who have not violated the very laws they are entrusted to uphold, and justices who do not have an inherent bias against women and womens rights.

Judge Kavanaugh is biased against women. This was already clear given his stance on Roe v Wade among other things, but now is so obvious it cant be refuted.5.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Republican Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) is on the Senate Judiciary Committee and he said Sunday evening that until he learns more about the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh, he is not comfortable voting yes.

Burgess Everett of POLITICO updated his story on Republican Senator Jeff Flake opposing a quick vote on Kavanaugh, putting confirmation in doubt after Professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward Sunday with her credible sexual assault allegations against Judge Kavanaugh.

Sen. Jeff Flake, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in an interview Sunday evening that until he learns more about the sexual assault allegation regarding Brett Kavanaugh, he is not comfortable voting yes on Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court at a scheduled Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday.

The Arizona senator is one of 11 Republicans on the narrowly divided panel, and without his support, the nomination cannot move forward given Democratic opposition. We need to hear from her. And I dont think Im alone in this, Flake told POLITICO.

Indeed he is not alone, as Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)  also on the Judiciary Committee  also said he would be willing to hear from the alleged victim:

My statement on Judge Kavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/QGz3uUyzC9  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 16, 2018

Graham, of course, seems to think speedily getting through the already dubious vetting process (a vetting with hidden documents and misrepresentations during the confirmation hearings no less) of an already less than credible person, Brett Kavanaugh, is more important than hearing from a woman who described what he did to her as a rape attack.

Republicans have a problem, because they are already branded as the party of predators. They stood by Donald Trump even after he confessed to sexual assault on tape, on top of the numerous accusations made against him by women from all walks of life and his vicious attacks on female journalists, including calling them c*nts when they wrote accurate portrayals of him.

Senator Flake stands alone in seeing possible sexual assault against a woman as more important than giving his party a quick win. The Republican Party can still have its win, they are predicted to win the senate. But perhaps they could choose someone for a lifetime appointment who is not credibly accused  Ms. Ford passed a lie detector test administered by the FBI  of sexual assault.51.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Heres your daily hypocrisy alert. I mean, the Republican Party no longer stands for anything so this is a pointless exercise because not only do they not stand for anything (say hello to the deficit they almost doubled in a year after spending eight years threatening the country because they cared about deficits so much) but they shamelessly do not care that they are hypocrites.

So this is only for those who are still selling themselves as moderates. Hi, Senator Collins.

Sen Susan Collins (R-ME) called for Sen Frankens (D-MN) resignation. Al Franken was accused of much less than Kavanaugh is. He had multiple accusers, but the accusations were not as troubling in nature. I did not defend him then and not doing it now. But it wasnt as serious as shoving someone into a room, holding them down, trying to take their clothes off to rape them and covering their mouth while they screamed. If anyone is in doubt of this, have someone cover your mouth for a few minutes while attacking you and get back to me.

When this went down with Al Franken, Collins called for him to resign.

Maines U.S. senators and 23 Democratic senators called on Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, to resign on Wednesday amid a fresh allegation in what a fellow senator called a clear pattern of sexual misconduct Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told CNN that it would be best for the Senate if Franken followed the advice of his Democratic colleagues.'

Thats right. His own party wanted him to step down because Democrats try to walk their talk when it comes to women these days, unlike Republicans who keep telling us there is no war on women, while they refuse to fund the violence against women act, elect a sexual predator to the White House, have a track record of horrible comments when it comes to rape, recently ran a Roy Moore for Senate who allegedly sexually assaulted a teenager, and now they want to rush through yet another sexual predator to the Supreme Court.

Collins also said the Franken allegations were credible, disgusting and appalling.

Susan Collins thought Al Franken wasnt fit for the Senate after he tried to force a kiss on someone and other accusations of this nature. Again Im not defending this, but put up next to what Kavanaugh is credibly accused of  the woman accusing Kavanaugh took an FBI lie detector test and passed, on top of other incidents that suggest merit to her claim- the two are not on the same playing field at all.

Yet, Collins has not said she wont support Kavanaugh.

How is worse sexual behavior fit for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, but she thought a 6 year Senator needed to step down for less.

This, friends, is what we call a failure to be genuine. Collins doesnt seem to care what Kavanaugh did, shes going to be a party stooge for Donald Trump  yet another sexual predator  and that makes her claim of being a moderate a total joke.

Meanwhile, Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) has said he needs to hear from the alleged victim and the credible allegation needs to be investigated. That is what we integrity looks like.2.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Trump is expected to attack the woman who is accusing his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault as Republicans in the Senate are showing signs of nervousness about the nomination.

Politico reported that Trump is expected to attack Christine Ford, Three of those people also said they expect the president to go after Kavanaughs accuser rather than to turn on the judge. They noted that Trump has done so before, not just denouncing his own accusers but also attacking those of others, notably, failed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.

Meanwhile, Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) gave answers that should make Republicans nervous when they were asked about Kavanaugh:

Trump Is Going To Do The Worst Thing Possible To Defend Kavanaugh

Attacking sexual assault accusers is Trumps go-to move. He did it when dozens of women accused him of sexual harassment and sexual assault during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump attacked the accusers who came out and told their stories about Roy Moore during the US Senate special election in Alabama.

The lower than low president is going to try to discredit Brett Kavanaughs accuser because he has no problem with violence against women. An ugly attack is coming soon from Trump because Republicans are teetering close to losing the Kavanaugh nomination. While the odds still favor the valueless and morally bankrupt Republican Party of Trump will confirm Kavanaugh, the party is within one vote of watching the Kavanaugh nomination collapse.

The worst thing that Trump could do would be to attack Christine Ford, which is what that is exactly what those who know Trump best expect him to do. Trumps terrible judgment could destroy his own Supreme Court nominee.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.The president who has been accused by dozens of women of sexual assault and sexual harassment is refusing to withdraw the nomination of his Supreme Court nominee who is accused of sexual assault.

Politico reported:

A lawyer close to the White House said the nomination would not be withdrawn.

No way, not even a hint of it, the lawyer said. If anything, its the opposite. If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried. We can all be accused of something.

The White Is Sticking With Brett Kavanaugh Because He Is Accused Of Sexual Assault

The White House response to the allegation against their Supreme Court nominee was not unexpected, but still nauseating. A president with character or even a shred of decency would not stand by a nominee who is accused of sexual assault, but Trump has a consistent pattern of hiring staff who like him have been accused of sexual assault.

Trump is an alleged serial sexual assaulter, so he is going to view sex crimes by his nominees as no big deal.

If Kavanaugh is going to be stopped, it is going to take Republican Senate votes to get it done. The Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are defending Kavanaugh, so the showdown will have to come on the Senate floor, where it will be up to Republicans to shoot down Trumps nominee.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court nomination was plunged into chaos after a woman accusing him of sexual assault spoke publicly for the first time about the allegation on Sunday, in an interview with the Washington Post.

The fallout from the decades-old allegation is putting pressure on Senate Republicans, who must decide if they want to rush forward with the nomination despite the assault charges.

GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) are two potential swing votes and they have yet to say how they will vote or if they want to delay the vote in the wake of the allegations.

The two senators, who are now under great pressure to oppose Kavanaugh, spoke up on Sunday night with their thoughts about Kavanaughs nomination.

Murkowski said the Judiciary Committee might need to consider delaying a vote on Kavanaugh. As a moderate Republican she is a potential no vote.

Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion, Murkowski told CNN late Sunday night asked if the Judiciary Committee should delay a vote.

This is not something that came up during the hearings. The hearings are now over, and if there is real substance to this, it demands a response. That may be something the committee needs to look into, Murkowski said.

Collins criticized Senate Democrats for how they handled the sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh. She questioned why Democrats had waited for weeks to come forward with the allegation, arguing it wasnt fair to either Kavanaugh or his accuser, professor Christine Blasey Ford.

What is puzzling to me is the Democrats, by not bringing this out earlier, after having had this information for more than six weeks, have managed to cast a cloud of doubt on both the professor and the judge, Collins told The New York Times.

Collins asked if Democrats believed Ford, why didnt they surface this information earlier, and if they didnt believe Ford, why did they decide at the 11th hour to release it?

It is really not fair to either of them the way it is was handled, Collins said.

Neither Murkowski nor Collins have announced a decision on Kavanaugh. What they decide to do will help determine when, and if, he gets confirmed. Democrats would need to win over two Republican senators if they want to block Kavanaughs nomination.

Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans defended Kavanaugh on Sunday, saying he had undergone multiple FBI background checks, and questioned the timing of the allegations.

A spokesman for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), released a lengthy statement saying it was disturbing that the uncorroborated allegations from more than 35 years ago, during high school, would surface on the eve of the committee vote.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, said on Sunday he believes the panel shouldnt vote on Kavanaughs nomination until theyve had time to dig into the allegation.

For me, we cant vote until we hear more, Flake said. If the committee tried to move forward on Thursday and Flake joined all Democrats in voting no, that would leave the panel in a tie.

But even as Republican leadership is indicating they want to move forward with Kavanaugh, his nomination remains short of the 50 votes needed to be confirmed.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is currently scheduled to vote on Brett Kavanaughs nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday.

What happens between now and then may decide the ideological makeup of the Court for decades.546 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Senior Presidential Advisor Kellyanne Conway appeared on Fox & Friends this morning and revealed possible clues about how the White House will address the current political firestorm surrounding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Brett Kavanaugh accuser should be heard, testify under oath on allegations, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway says

Brett Kavanaugh accuser should be heard, 'testify under oath' on allegations, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway says https://t.co/eyyR2N6MtN  Fox News (@FoxNews) September 17, 2018

A confirmation vote set for Thursday of this week is now in question and could be delayed as a result of new allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh. An interview with his accuser, Dr. Christine Ford, a professor in California, was published yesterday in the Washington Post.

Conways fellow Republicans have been attacking Democrats who raised reasonable questions about Kavanaughs suitability for the Supreme Court. So it was welcome to hear her comments which offered a more sympathetic tone towards Kavanaughs accuser.

Conway said of Ford Monday:

She should not be insulted. She should not be ignored. She should testify under oath and she should do it on Capitol Hill. She should be heard

.@KellyannePolls: Woman who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault should not be insulted, and she should not be ignored pic.twitter.com/5o49tWkQQK  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) September 17, 2018

Conway also discussed other options that the Judiciary Committee has to hear Dr. Fords testimony.

Conway said she had discussed the situation with President Trump. She said that she believes both Ford and Kavanaugh should testify. She said Sen. Lindsey Graham had told her it could happen as soon as tomorrow and the White House will respect the process.

Pointing out that Kavanaugh has already testified before the committee, and has undergone FBI background checks, Conway added:

I think you have to weigh this testimonial evidence from Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh along with the considerable body of evidence that is already there about the judges temperament and qualifications and character.

In television interviews on Monday morning, Fords attorney Debra Katz said her client was willing to tell her story in public to the Senate Judiciary Committee, although no lawmakers or their aides had yet contacted her. Katz also denied that Ford, a Democrat, is politically motivated, saying:

No one in their right mind regardless of their motives would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of violation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go though.  She was quite reluctant to come forward.

Kellyanne Conway speaking on television this morning is significant, but she does not set policy in either the White House or the Senate Judiciary Committee. It remains to be seen whether or not Dr. Ford will be allowed to testify under oath, in public, about her allegations of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh.

If she isnt, it will be another black mark for Republicans in Congress. It will hurt them politically just 50 days before the midterm elections that will decide which party is in control of Congress.

If she is allowed to testify, however, it may change the course of the Kavanaugh nomination process. It will probably throw his eventual confirmation into doubt.

Either way it looks like Democrats are in a winning position as this debacle unfolds. In the #MeToo era the Republicans will gain nothing by promoting an accused sex offender to the U.S. Supreme Court.937 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Morning Joe guest Donny Deustch said this morning that he thinks Brett Kavanaugh will not be confirmed to the Supreme Court. He also said Republicans face a lose/lose situation in the political fight over the sexual assault allegations against Donald Trumps nominee.

MSNBC's Donny Deutsch says Kavanaugh confirmation would be 'suicidal' for GOP https://t.co/BPRh7HB29m  Raw Story (@RawStory) September 17, 2018

California professor Christine Blasey Ford has come forward to publicly discuss her claims that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while a friend stood watch when all three were teenagers in the 1980s.

This morning both Fords attorney and Kellyanne Conway have said on television that they think Kavanaughs accuser should testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

There is one option they cant walk away from, this is where kind of culturally and politically the worlds are colliding, Deutsch said. The subhead of the #MeToo movement is, its time for men to listen. If the Republicans are saying were not even going to listen, you know, we dont even want to hear it out, that is a suicidal mission.

Deutsch expressed the opinions of many in saying that he thinks Fords accusations are credible. And he said Republicans must take them seriously or forever hurt themselves politically.

I would hate to be any Republican going forward in their career, not just in this election that will stand up and say, No, we werent even willing to listen, Deutsch said. That would be going against an entire societal wave that is happening in our culture, that is going against an entire gender reboot of who we are.

This year is being called the year of the woman in politics, and women are expected to turn out in droves for the November 6th midterm elections. Kavanaughs confirmation could risk GOP congressional majorities by energizing the womens vote even more than it already is.

Not only the House is gone, will put the Senate in real, real, real, real play, Deutsch said on the topic. If the Republicans are tone deaf here it will be a death spiral for them.

Deutsch said he did not believe Republicans will risk their Senate majority to defend Trumps Supreme Court nominee.

I hope theres Republicans listening, this is not a grayish issue, this is a black and white. at the very least you need to say, No, were not going to not hear, we need to listen, Deutsch added. I believe Kavanaugh is dead at this point. I would be shocked if he was ever a Supreme Court justice.

Deutsch then addressed the political downsides of even bringing in Ford to testify, saying:

The Republicans are in a lose/lose. Painting a picture of a Republican male grilling, investigating, putting on the pressure a victim who something in your gut tells you this is not being made up.

How do you go at her? Picture women watching at home. And all women in some form or another have felt victimized in their life. This is an extreme case, attempted rape. Watching women at home watching every one of those male Republicans grill and attack this victim. Boy, I would not like to be one of those questioners and have to answer to women in my district or anywhere.

The regular Morning Joe guest then finished his monologue by giving his advice to Republicans:

Duck, do the right thing and say look at the very least you have to hear this thing through but I would not want to be one of those men attacking this woman in front of the nation.

This year, Republicans ignore the concerns of women at their own peril, Donnie Deutsch said. https://t.co/3sly6FgCHn  Crooks and Liars (@crooksandliars) September 17, 2018

Deutsch is probably right. To confirm Brett Kavanaugh would be political suicide for the Republican Party and for the U.S. senators who vote to confirm him. This doesnt mean that they wont vote to confirm him, however, because it appears that the only goal they have is to stack the U.S. Supreme Court with right-wing ideologues for decades to come.Two of Santoyos friends managed to evade the gunfire and hide beneath a car about two houses down, authorities said. But when they returned to check on Santoyo, they found him lying on the porch and bleeding from a gunshot wound to the right side of his head. He was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.188 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

A new poll provides evidence that there is an increasing lack of faith in American democracy. According to a new NPR/Marist poll nearly half of American voters do not believe that their votes will be counted accurately in Novembers midterm elections. In addition to that bad news, nearly 40% do not believe that U.S. elections are fair.

In a new NPR/Marist poll, nearly half of respondents lacked faith that votes would be counted accurately in the upcoming midterm elections.

In a new NPR/Marist poll, nearly half of respondents lacked faith that votes would be counted accurately in the upcoming midterm elections. https://t.co/O1EvuGCgWc  NPR (@NPR) September 17, 2018

As might be expected, nonwhite voters, women and individuals who identify as Democrats have much greater doubts about the fairness of elections when compared to self-identifying Republicans, 91 percent of whom believe elections are fair.

This shows that race, sex and party identification are all major factors in determining whether or not an individual voter has confidence in Americas democratic system.

The poll showed that overall 47 percent of all respondents think it is either likely or very likely that not all votes will actually be counted in November. And in a disturbing finding, non-white voters have even less faith: almost 60 percent of such voters believe there will be an incorrect tabulation of voting results on November 6th.

On a whole this is a pretty lousy report card on the state of American elections, said Dr. Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, which conducted the poll.

Concerning the fairness of U.S. elections in general, there was a big gender gap. Nearly half of the women surveyed (47%) said that they have little or no trust that elections are fair. This compares to less than one-third of men surveyed who said they believe American elections are unfair.

And showing the huge differences between the two parties, just 9 percent of Republicans say elections arent fair, compared to 48 percent of Democrats who feel that way.

Natalie Adona, a senior research associate at the Democracy Fund said that the big difference between Democrats and Republicans is due to the fact that Republicans currently control Congress and the White House, as well as most state governments. People generally have more faith in the electoral process if they have been successful in winning recent elections, Adona said.

Nonwhite voters also report standing in line longer and traveling farther to polling places than white voters. Forty-six percent percent of these voters said elections were unfair, while only 33 percent of white voters think elections were unfair.

There is a gap between white and nonwhite attitudes about a number of aspects of elections, Adona said. Its not surprising to me, especially folks who come from communities that have faced barriers to voting, that they would perceive elections a bit differently than most Americans do.

Poll respondent LaDonna Bonner, a 47-year-old African-American woman in California said she didnt think elections were obviously biased against people of color in the U.S.. However, she said that things like transportation to the polls, and getting time off from work are usually more difficult than for many white voters.

Like, if it takes a day off from work to vote  will I have a job when I get back? she said. Those kind of issues may prevent people from voting. But the actual process of voting, I dont think anyone can really tell oh this is white persons ballot or this is a black persons ballot.'

Overall, this survey shows that there is a disturbing lack of confidence in American voting processes. This is something that governments at all levels need to work on. There has been a trend in recent years for the party in power to try to suppress voter turnout, which is undemocratic, and this must change.Get the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.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.As deadly Florence eyes its exit from the Carolinas, and while pockets of the Palmetto State continue to battle dangerous flooding, meteorologists anticipated a tamer forecast for the Lowcountry on Monday.

The region was largely spared from the effects of the storm that has waged disastrous flooding across North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. While some parts of the state saw no rain at all, others were deluged. Chesterfield and Marion counties, combined, collected more than 30 inches of rainfall, the service said.

Throughout the Charleston area, a chance of showers was expected in the morning accompanied by partly sunny skies with a high near 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Mostly cloudy skies were forecast for the evening with a low around 76.

On Tuesday, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 90 with a heat index as high as 101, the service said. Wednesday, there is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 89.

Mostly sunny and clear conditions were forecast for the Lowcountry through the remainder of the week.

Widespread heavy rains over the northeastern part of the state was expected to continue over the next couple of days. The depression is moving north-northeast at about 13 mph with maximum sustained winds near 30 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. Some weakening is expected Monday.

Elsewhere in the state  in areas spanning the Pee Dee, Lumber and Waccamaw rivers  those communities are continuing to brace for water expected to rush downstream from North Carolina.

There have been at least six storm-related deaths in South Carolina and at least 11 in North Carolina, officials said.You are the owner of this article.Assistant Columbia bureau chief

Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill.Elizondo, 45, and his partner, Officer David Salgado, 37, were indicted in May on federal charges of lying to Cook County judges to obtain search warrants and then stealing cash and drugs from the locations they raided. Both officers, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, were stripped of their police powers. Cook County prosecutors have also dismissed dozens of the drug cases linked to their work on the gang crimes squad.Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.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.Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune.Schools back, summers over, and area pharmacies are enticing customers with low-cost flu vaccinations on every corner.

The Baltimore Sun checked in with Dr. Kathleen M. Neuzil, director of the Center for Vaccine Development at University of Maryland School of Medicine, and area pediatrician Dr. Dan Levy, to pose questions about this years influenza vaccine.

When should I get a flu shot?

Now would be good.

"Flu season in Maryland is usually between October and April," said Levy. "It tends to peak out in colder months when kids are indoors coughing on each other."

To prepare, Neuzil advises getting a flu shot by the end of October. But sooner may be better for some people. "Its more important to get the dose than to wait and not get a dose."

The vaccine takes a week or two to be effective, and those who wait may be out of luck if the flu hits early.

Children getting the flu shot for the first time need two doses, four weeks apart. "Absolutely children need to receive a vaccine as early as possible," Neuzil said.

Who should get a vaccine?

Almost everyone. The Center for Disease Control recommends that everyone older than 6 months get a flu vaccine.

Im healthy. Why do I need a flu shot?

Its not all about you.

"There are a lot of young healthy people who feel invincible and dont believe they need the flu shot," said Neuzil. "Also remember that youre getting an influenza vaccine to protect the people around you," such as babies, elderly folks and those with compromised immune systems.

Levy talked about the principle of "herd immunization"  meaning "the more people in a population you get covered with a vaccine the more likely it is that youll prevent an epidemic," he said. "If children dont get sick themselves, they cant spread the flu."

Is this years flu going to be bad?

Hard to say. Influenza can be a life-threatening illness, but its virulence varies from year to year.

"My favorite line is influenza is predictably unpredictable," said Neuzil.

Although last year was a severe season in the United States, it was less severe in other parts of the world. Doctors cant say when it will hit, or how virulent it will be.

Can I get a nasal spray?

Yes. This year the nasal spray will be widely available in the United States. Neuzil says its just as effective as a shot for people ages 2 and older. "Traditionally the nasal spray has worked extremely well in children," she said.

In past years, some authorities had been cautious in endorsing the nasal spray, Neuzil said. But it was widely and successfully used in the U.K. last year, and other studies have proven its effectiveness.

This year, "Parents can use either the spray or the shot as long as the child is at least 2 years or older."

The CDC recommends the nasal spray flu vaccine (or live attenuated influenza vaccine) as an option for non-pregnant individuals ages 2 to 49.

Are there any risks associated with the flu shot?

No. "I think there is a lot of hesitancy about vaccines in general," Neuzil said. But the flu shot has been around for a long time  and scientists have studied it to prevent side effects. Common side effects include a sore arm from the shot or a runny nose from the nasal spray.

While older versions of the vaccine, perhaps 40 years ago, may have caused some side effects, modern vaccines are well-tolerated, Neuzil said.

Is it possible to get the flu even after being vaccinated?

Yes. "The vaccine is never 100 percent effective," Levy said.

Still, even for those who do end up getting the flu, the vaccine will help it be less severe, and it will be less likely that the patient ends up in the hospital.

Levy said about 180 children died in the U.S. from flu last year  he thinks many of those deaths could have been prevented had the kids been vaccinated.

Can I get sick from the flu shot?

No. "You cannot get sick from the flu shot," Neuzil said. "Theres no live virus there."

A small portion of people may find that they coincidentally get a headache the following day and may be tempted to blame the vaccine. "Its human nature to correlate the two," she said.

But in reality, she said, the flu shot doesnt make people sick. "Sometimes there are other viruses that are circulating in the community.""People will want to try to say all things and everything Rich Daley did positive or negative, you should either get the credit or get the blame for. Well, that's not me," he said. "My name is Bill Daley. It is not Richard M. or Richard J. It is Bill Daley, and I will try to stand on my record and what I've done and what I've been involved in and what I hope to bring to the city of Chicago for the leadership over the next four years."Ambros Inc. President and CEO Frank Shimizu is being recognized by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.

Shimizu is the first Guamanian to receive the prestigious award. The past seven awardees were all Japanese nationals.

Shimizu is chairman of the Guam Nikkei Association, which includes families on Guam with Japanese ancestry. His grandfather came to Guam from the city of Koga in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture. He told The Guam Daily Post that he was "pleasantly surprised" by the honor.

The Guam Nikkei Association has been actively involved in sponsoring high school student exchanges between Guam and Okayama in the Chugoku region of Japan. On Saturday the association sponsored the fourth annual Lantern Floating Ceremony in Tumon.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

The traditional Japanese ceremony commemorates loved ones who have passed away from illness, tragedy or war.

Commendations are being awarded this year to 205 individuals and 49 different organizations in Japan and throughout the world.

A formal presentation ceremony for Shimizu is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Japanese Counsel General's official residence on Guam.Traitor is normally considered a harsh word, but it is the only printable thing I have called Republican Senator Jeff Flake since he announced, a few hours ago, that he is not comfortable voting yes on Judge Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court. His concern is the ridiculously stale allegation by Democrat professor Christine Ford that Kavanaugh groped her and tried to kiss her at a party when they were both high school students more than 30 years ago. You might reasonably think this is a joke. Unfortunately not.

Kavanaugh unequivocally denies Fords allegation, and the only witness to the event (per Ford), Mark Judge, says Its just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way. I think Ms. Ford is pretty obviously lying (dont get me started on the friendly lie detector test that the Washington Post says she passed), or, on the most charitable explanation, possibly has Brett Kavanaugh confused with someone else.

In any event, the idea that a 30 to 40 year old story of this sortHe tried to kiss me! He lay on top of me!that has never been heard before, can derail the nomination of a man who by all accounts, including those of political adversaries, is of the most sterling possible character, is ridiculous.

Despite the feebleness of Fords complaint, it is easy to understand why the Democrats are clinging to it like a life raft. But what could possibly prompt Jeff Flake, who ran for office and was elected as a Republican, to join in their attempt to block one of the most superbly qualified jurists ever appointed to the Court? There is only one answer: his insane hatred for President Trump.

Flake is a never-Trumper. Like a number of others for whom I once had considerable respect, Flake has elevated his hatred for our president over every principle of politics and public policy. He would rather subvert his own allegedly conservative principles than allow President Trump to exercise his constitutional powers as president. Words can hardly express how contemptible this is.

Flake is a member of the Judiciary Committee, so Kavanaughs appointment cannot proceed to the Senate floor without his vote. (It goes without saying that there is no Democrat on the committee who will follow his or her conscience rather than the Schumer party line.) Flake has resigned from the Senate effective the end of this term, so this could be his parting shot against the party and the principles he claimed to represent. He is not yet a party-switcher like Jim Jeffordsremember him? He was briefly celebratedbut he might as well be. Rarely have I witnessed anything so disgusting in the world of politics.

Jeff Flake should be ashamed of himself. One can only hope that he sees the light between now and Thursday, when the Judiciary Committee vote is scheduled to be held.

UPDATE: Given that Flake ultimately voted to confirm Kavanaugh, my characterization of him as a traitor to his party may be harsh. On the other hand, his refusal to support Kavanaugh without hearing from Christine Ford, rather than rejecting her stale and implausible accusation outright, was an important source of the fiasco that was the Judiciary Committees second confirmation hearinga public disgrace that never should have happened. Then again, popular revulsion against the Democrats conduct, as revealed in that hearing and the events surrounding it, evidently will help Republicans in next months elections. So one could say that Flake inadvertently did his party a favor.

All I know for sure is, I will be glad to see the last of this never-Trumper when he leaves the Senate in January.The failure of the much-derided pop tax could become an issue in Preckwinkles campaign for mayor, even as shes worked to put the controversy behind her. As she has in the past, shes likely to note that county finances, as reflected in bond ratings, are much sounder than those of the city or state  and her pension debt repayment plan is on track to work without further tax increases.A KSTP/Survey USA Poll gives us the first glimpse of the state of play in cop killer loving cum lawman wannabe Keith Ellisons bid for Minnesota Attorney General. Only Republican candidate Keith Wardlow stands in his way. The poll results show a dead heat at 41 percent each.

Democrats have held a lock on the office roughly since the memory of man runneth not to the contrary. While Republicans have successfully competed for other statewide office in Minnesota over the years, no Republican candidate has won election to the office of Attorney General since 1966.

Doug Wardlow is a good candidate and a serious man, but he has run an ineffectual campaign so far. He has yet to get out the word on Keith Ellison and the Star Tribune is not going to do it for him. I put it out there in the Weekly Standard column Can Keith Ellison turn lawman?

The KSTP story shows Ellison with a large lead among women and Wardlow with a large lead among men. This despite the domestic abuse allegations that hang over Ellison. Forty percent of the respondents in the poll nevertheless indicate that the allegations are a factor in their response. I assume that the 40 percent correlates to a substantial extent with declared Wardlow voters. Voters of all stripes  men, women, Democrats, Republicans, independents, urban and rural  need to be supplied with information about Ellisons support for cop killers and his attitude to law enforcement. These remain a deep secret.

Ellison himself wouldnt talk to KSTP. He declined multiple requests for interviews about the poll. He is avoiding something or other. Ellison instead had his campaign spokesman email an unresponsive statement reiterating campaign talking points on Ellisons behalf.

Doug, turn up the heat! Readers who would like to obstruct Ellisons continuing degradation of our politics and public life can contribute to Dougs campaign here.It looks like Brett Kavanaughs mother, Judge Martha Kavanaugh, ruled against the parents of Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accuses Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Court documents show the losing party in a foreclosure case Martha Kavanaugh heard to be Ralph and Paula Blasey of Potomac, Maryland. They appear to be Christine Blasey Fords parents.

The fact that Kavanaughs mother ruled against Fords parents doesnt prove Ford is lying about the conduct of the son. Her allegation, coming so many years after the fact and without a description of when or where the event supposedly occurred, is probably not susceptible to being ruled out conclusively. But there now seems to be a motive, beyond partisan politics, for Ford to make up or significantly embellish her story so long after the fact.

In any event, the fact that Fords story, having been presented so late and with little detail as to time and place, is probably not susceptible to being ruled out means that, if not ruled in conclusively, the story should not preclude Kavanaughs confirmation. We have statutes of limitations for a reason.

Finally, unless we accept the view that Kavanaugh truly attempted to rape this girl, I dont believe his conduct provides a basis for rejecting his nomination. Kavanaugh was still a teenager. More than five dozen women who knew him at the time vouch for his behavior. His female law clerks consider him a gentleman and a mentor.

So even assuming that, on one occasion, the teenage Kavanaugh, having had too much to drink, engaged in serious misconduct towards this girl, I fail to see why this should bar him from the Supreme Court.

I dont assume this occurred, however. It seems more likely that Ms. Ford has invented or substantially embellished this story  out of political bias, animus towards the family because of the court case, or both.

UPDATE: The report, which I picked up from various conservative sources yesterday, that Martha Kavanaugh ruled against the accusers parents is false. In fact, Kavanaughs mother ruled in favor of the parents by dismissing a foreclosure action against them..The San Francisco Chroniclenot exactly a bastion of conservative journalism ever since Debra Saunders left their staffis harsh in its house editorial about Sen. Feinstein:

Sen. Dianne Feinsteins treatment of a more than 3-decade-old sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was unfair all around. It was unfair to Kavanaugh, unfair to his accuser and unfair to Feinsteins colleagues  Democrats and Republicans alike  on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Feinstein, a California Democrat, took the worst possible course by waiting until almost a week after Kavanaughs confirmation hearing was completed to ominously announce that she had turned over information from an individual about Kavanaugh to the FBI, and adding that she would be honoring the womans strongly requested confidentiality.

Feinstein has been around Washington long enough to know that her opaque statement guaranteed that the contents of the letter, sent by a Stanford law professor on behalf of the accuser, would be pursued and publicized in short order. And they were

In concealing the accusation she had received in July, according to reports, Feinstein did a disservice to her Judiciary Committee colleagues, who might have wanted to determine if corroborating accounts were available, or at least question Kavanaugh about the accusation in a closed session.

Instead, Feinsteins colleagues were left in the dark.PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-17 12:00:21

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 380 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Banyan Gold Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Banyan Gold Corp. (TSX Venture:BYN). has issued a press release with the following headline:Banyan Extends Gold Mineralization 450 Metres At Hyland Gold Project, YukonTo 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 Banyan Gold Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Banyan Gold Corp.Source: Banyan Gold Corp. (TSX Venture: BYN)Date: September 17, 2018Time: 6:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Banyan Gold Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-17 23:31:01

CNH Industrials (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI) General Counsel Richard Konrath will be awarded a Best Corporate Counsel honor from the Milwaukee Business Journal. Mr. Konrath will be recognized during the C-Suite Stars Awards ceremony at The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA on September 24.

I am honored to receive this award on behalf of my team and all of my colleagues at CNH Industrial. This is truly a team award reflective of all the great talent I have the privilege of working with every day, said Richard Konrath.

Mr. Konrath joined CNH Industrial in 2009. He is a 32-year law industry veteran with experience working for the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and Caterpillar, Inc. At CNH Industrial he leads a team of professionals that handles legal matters for the Companys operations in North America. Mr. Konrath currently lives in Milwaukee and is an adjunct professor at the Marquette University Law School. Additionally, he performs legal work on behalf of disabled military veterans.

The work Mr. Konrath and his team does is vital to CNH Industrial. We are proud that his accomplishments are being recognized along with other top corporate industry peers, said Leandro Lecheta, CNH Industrial Chief Operating Officer, North America.

The Milwaukee Business Journals C-Suite Stars Awards honor top Wisconsin chief financial officers, chief marketing officers, chief information officers, and corporate counsels. Winners were nominated and selected based on their professional accomplishments and service impact in their community.

CNH Industrial has 12 manufacturing plants, 10 research and development centers, and a workforce of 9,000 in North America. The Company designs, produces and sells machines for work and is present in all major markets worldwide giving it a unique competitive position.

Burr Ridge, September 17, 2018

AttachmentsConsumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) Market Size, Consumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) Market Share

PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-17 19:58:07

Press Information

Polaris Market Research

Contact us-





Mr. Neel





Corporate Sales, USA





Polaris Market Research





Phone: 1-646-568-9980





Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com





Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com



Mr. Neel

Manager

1-646-568-9980

email

https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/





# 705 Words

Contact us-Mr. NeelCorporate Sales, USAPolaris Market ResearchPhone: 1-646-568-9980Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.comWeb: www.polarismarketresearch.comManager1-646-568-9980

The global consumer network attached storage market is anticipated to reach USD 10.2 billion by 2026. The demand for consumer network attached storage globally is driven by increasing demand for cost-effective storage systems, efficient data backup systems, and speedy data transfer. Further, the market is also bolstering due to easy installation and low-cost of product, coupled with network sharing of data that improves the accessibility of users to data, among the office or in-house network. Furthermore, innovative offerings including cloud backup that is capable of integrating with consumer network attached storage system, is also driving the market growth for consumer network attached storage.Sample Copy Of This Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/consumer-network-attached-storage-nas-market/request-for-free-sample The market by end-user is dominated by SMEs segment. The demand is highly attributed to the cost-effectiveness as well rising awareness for consumer network attached storage system. Also, by regions, Asia Pacific is expected to notice the highest growth. Further, region Middle East & Africa is also expected to notice considerable growth during the forecast period. Rising awareness among people and their increasing spending capability are the major factors driving the market growth in these regions. The North America region is expected to dominate the market, with US being the major contributor. The market in US is driven by presence of several start-ups in the country also, US in one of the hub for start-ups and a major location of several large technology companies. By design, the market is segmented into 1-Bay, 2-Bays, 4-Bays, 5-Bays, 6-Bays, and 6-Bays & above. The 4-Bays segment is dominating the market by design however, 2-Bay segment is expected to grow at a highest CAGR during the projected period.Consumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) Market, By Design1-Bay2-Bays4-Bays5-Bays6-Bays6Bays.Consumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) Market, By TypeRackmount and StandaloneConsumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) Market, By End-userResidential, SMEs, and Large Enterprises.Consumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) Market, By Regions- North America - U.S., Canada- Europe - Germany, UK, France, Italy- Asia-Pacific - China, South Korea, Japan, India- Latin America - Brazil, Mexico; Middle East & Africa.Make an inquiry before buying this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/consumer-network-attached-storage-nas-market/inquire-before-buying Top Key Player:-Western Digital CorporationNetgear Inc.Synology Inc.ASUSTOR Inc.QNAP Systems, Inc.ZyXEL Communications Inc.Buffalo America Inc.Drobo Inc.,D-Link Corporation.The North America market for Consumer NAS is currently leading with the largest market share among geographies, followed by Europe. The presence of huge number of technology firms in the region coupled with their considerable investments in R&D is driving the growth in North American market. Further, the demand in European region is influenced by increasing awareness among constantly increasing SMEs in the region. Moreover, US being one of the hub for start-ups has propelled the market demand in the country.Browse Full Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/consumer-network-attached-storage-nas-market/ About us Polaris Market ResearchPolaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.We mainly focus on aiding our customers with substantial competitive intelligence, helping them to secure a competitive advantage in the market and accomplish sustainable growth in different market domains. Adept with a highly competent, experienced and extremely qualified team of experts comprising SMEs, analysts and consultants, we at Polaris endeavor to deliver value-added business solutions to our customers. Through dedicated qualitative and quantitative primary and secondary market research and consulting assignments, we adeptly formulate competitive strategies to address business challenges for our clients through analyzing market trends and emerging technologies.Contact us-Mr. NeelCorporate Sales, USAPolaris Market ResearchPhone: 1-646-568-9980Email: sales@ polarismarketresearch.com Web: www.polarismarketresearch.comPR-Inside.com: 2018-09-17 22:44:20

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 379 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Gamehost Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Red Deer, Alberta (FSCWire) - Gamehost Inc. (TSX:GH). has issued a press release with the following headline:Gamehost Announces Regular Monthly Dividend for SeptemberTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Gamehost Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Gamehost Inc.Source: Gamehost Inc. (TSX: GH, OTC Pink: GHIFF, WKN: A1H5MC, ISIN: CA36468B1040)Date: September 17, 2018Time: 4:44 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Gamehost Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-17 07:07:01

Press Release

Sequana Medical announces presentation of pre-clinical proof of concept results of its

Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) therapy for the management of volume overload in heart failure at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA)



DSR therapy demonstrated to be safe and effective in heart failure animal model

Zurich, SWITZERLAND  17 September 2018  Sequana Medical AG (Sequana Medical), a commercial stage medical device company focused on the development of innovative treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders, announces today positive findings from its Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) therapy proof of concept study in pigs.

Sequana Medicals proprietary DSR therapy is a novel approach to the management of volume overload in heart failure, a major clinical problem and a significant burden on healthcare systems. The bodys response to heart failure causes sodium levels to increase, which in turn leads to the body retaining more fluid. Sequana Medicals DSR therapy involves the removal of sodium via diffusion from the peritoneal cavity by administering a sodium-free solution (the infusate) into the abdomen. The infusate and the extracted sodium are then removed, resulting in the elimination of sodium from the body. The body responds by eliminating the associated fluid via osmotic ultrafiltration and/or urination.

The impact of administering a sodium-free infusate to the peritoneal cavity, and the resulting sodium and fluid removal, was evaluated in a preclinical study with 20 pigs, of which five had experimentally induced heart failure. The study demonstrated that DSR therapy is capable of removing large quantities of fluid and sodium whilst having a negligible impact on the sodium concentration in the bloodstream, indicating the potential of this therapeutic approach.

The findings of the study were presented by Principal Investigator Jeffrey Testani, MD MTR, Associate Professor, Yale University at the 22nd Annual Scientific Meeting of HFSA being held from 15-18 September in Nashville, Tennessee. The poster will be made available on the Sequana Medical website, under the news & events section .

Dr. Jeffrey Testani, Associate Professor at Yale University, commented: Volume overload in heart failure is a major clinical challenge in the significant proportion of patients that no longer respond effectively to diuretic therapy. The concept of sodium and fluid removal via non-renal routes is an interesting approach given the limitations of existing therapies. These results show that by administering a relatively small volume of a sodium-free solution, DSR therapy can remove a clinically relevant amount of sodium and fluid.

Ian Crosbie, Chief Executive Officer of Sequana Medical, added: Obtaining proof of concept in this preclinical study is an important step in the further development of DSR therapy and first in human studies are planned for later this year. Through leveraging our proven alfapump platform, we are developing the alfapump DSR system to deliver a convenient and fully implanted system for DSR therapy and intend to commence first in human studies with the system in the second half of 2019.

Contacts:

Sequana Medical AG

Lies Vanneste

Director IR

Tel: +32 (0) 498 05 35 79

Email: IR@sequanamedical.com

Consilium Strategic Communications

Amber Fennell, Alexandra Harrison, Sukaina Virji

Tel: +44 (0) 203 709 5000

Email: sequanamedical@consilium-comms.com

ENDS

Note to Editors

About Heart Failure

Volume overload in heart failure is a major clinical problem. There are 6.5 million adults in the U.S. suffering from heart failure and this number is forecasted to grow to 8.0 million by 2030. There are over one million hospitalisations in the United States (the U.S.) each year due to heart failure and 90% are due to symptoms of volume overload. The treatment options are severely limited in those patients for whom diuretic therapy is no longer effective. This limitation is evident from the 24% hospital re-admission rate at 30 days from discharge. The estimated cost of heart failure-related hospitalisations in the U.S. is $13 billion a year.

About Sequana Medical

Sequana Medical is a commercial stage medical device company focused on the development of innovative treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders.

Sequana Medicals alfapump is a fully implantable, programmable, wirelessly-charged, battery-powered system that is CE-marked for the management of i) refractory ascites (chronic fluid build-up in the abdomen) due to liver cirrhosis and ii) malignant ascites (with a life expectancy of six months or less). The number of patients with liver refractory ascites is forecast to increase dramatically due to the growing prevalence of NASH (Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis).

Over 650 alfapump systems have been implanted and since April 2018, the alfapump has been included in the EASL (European Association for the Study of the Liver) clinical practice guidelines for decompensated cirrhosis. The alfapump MOSAIC North American IDE feasibility study in patients with liver refractory or recurrent ascites is complete and initial results were presented at the AASLD (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases) in October 2017. The alfapump has not yet received a pre-market approval in the U.S.

The alfapump is one of the first safe and effective, long-term alternatives to large-volume paracentesis which is a lengthy, invasive and painful procedure, only providing short-term symptomatic relief, requiring hospital visits and placing a significant burden on the healthcare system and patient quality of life. By automatically and continuously moving ascites to the bladder, where the body eliminates it naturally through urination, the alfapump prevents fluid build-up and its possible complications, improving patient quality of life and nutrition, and potentially reducing hospital visits and healthcare costs. The alfapump DirectLink technology allows clinicians to receive pump performance information and more effectively manage patients treated by the alfapump.

Sequana Medical is developing the alfapump DSR, built upon the proven alfapump platform, to deliver a convenient and fully implanted system for DSR therapy, a novel and proprietary approach for the management of fluid overload in heart failure. Data from animal studies presented at EuroPCR 2018 and HFSA 2018 indicate that DSR therapy is effective and safe.

Sequana Medical is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and investors include NeoMed Management, Life Science Partners, VI Partners, BioMedPartners, Capricorn Venture Partners, Entrepreneurs Fund and Salus Partners. For further information, please visit www.sequanamedical.com .PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-17 07:01:01

Press Release

Sequana Medical reports positive data on use of the alfapump in malignant ascites patients

at the International Gynecologic Cancer Society



Data also to be presented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the Society of Pelvic Surgeons in Romania

Zurich, SWITZERLAND  17 September 2018  Sequana Medical AG (Sequana Medical), a commercial stage medical device company focused on the development of innovative treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders, announces today positive findings from its Retrospective Malignant Ascites Study.

The study retrospectively evaluated 17 patients with malignant ascites that had been implanted with the alfapump in centres across Europe. The study demonstrated that the alfapump was effective in treating palliative patients with malignant ascites and improving their quality of life.

The findings of the study were presented by Principal Investigator, Christina Fotopoulou MD, PhD, Imperial College London at the 17th Biennial Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society that was held from 14-16 September in Kyoto, Japan.

Prof. Dr. Christina Fotopoulou at Imperial College London commented: The alfapump is a novel strategy offering a new opportunity for patients with refractory malignant ascites to have an improved quality of life and a lower need for hospitalisation, so that they can spend more time outside of a hospital environment. It is a very promising, minimally invasive technology that has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of patients in a very difficult phase of their lives.

Ian Crosbie, Chief Executive Officer of Sequana Medical, added: These data build upon our extensive clinical and commercial experience with the alfapump in liver refractory ascites and support our growth strategy in malignant ascites. Patients with malignant ascites have a poor prognosis where the impact of ascites on their quality of life is significant, often reducing their ability to withstand further cancer treatments. There is therefore a high unmet need for a therapy that manages malignant ascites and improves patients quality of life. We believe that these data demonstrate the compelling potential of the alfapump to improve clinical outcomes for malignant ascites patients.

The data will also be presented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the Society of Pelvic Surgeons being held from 23-29 September 2018 in Bucharest, Romania.

Event details:

Date/Time presentation: Tuesday, 25 September 2018 at 11:15am local time

Abstract title: Continuous low-flow ascites-drainage through the urinary bladder via the alfa-pump (AP) closed system in palliative patients with malignant ascites (MA)

The poster and presentation will be made available on Sequana Medicals website, under the news & events section , shortly after the event.

Contacts:

Sequana Medical AG

Lies Vanneste

Director IR

Tel: +32 (0) 498 05 35 79

Email: IR@sequanamedical.com

Consilium Strategic Communications

Amber Fennell, Alexandra Harrison, Sukaina Virji

Tel: +44 (0) 203 709 5000

Email: sequanamedical@consilium-comms.com

ENDS

Note to Editors

About Malignant Ascites

Ascites is a common complication of certain late-stage cancers as a result of fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity due to a number of causes including draining of the lymph system. While life expectancy for many cancer patients with malignant ascites is short (less than 3 months), ovarian and breast cancer patients often have longer life expectancies.

As with ascites due to liver disease, paracentesis is used to eliminate the ascites that accumulates when diuretics are not effective. The impact of ascites on patient health reduces their ability to withstand anti-cancer therapies, thereby potentially reducing survival, and places a burden on the patient through a significant reduction in quality of life through regular hospital visits and impact on daily life.

There is a significant unmet medical need for a minimally invasive therapy to manage malignant ascites that does not cause a further detriment to quality of life among patients with an already poor prognosis. In addition to improving the quality of life for these patients, a long-term treatment for malignant ascites could enhance their ability to withstand additional cancer treatments and increase their chances of survival.

About Sequana Medical

Sequana Medical is a commercial stage medical device company focused on the development of innovative treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders.

Sequana Medicals alfapump is a fully implantable, programmable, wirelessly-charged, battery-powered system that is CE-marked for the management of i) refractory ascites (chronic fluid build-up in the abdomen) due to liver cirrhosis and ii) malignant ascites (with a life expectancy of six months or less). The number of patients with liver refractory ascites is forecast to increase dramatically due to the growing prevalence of NASH (Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis).

Over 650 alfapump systems have been implanted and since April 2018, the alfapump has been included in the EASL (European Association for the Study of the Liver) clinical practice guidelines for decompensated cirrhosis. The alfapump MOSAIC North American IDE feasibility study in patients with liver refractory or recurrent ascites is complete and initial results were presented at the AASLD (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases) in October 2017. The alfapump has not yet received a pre-market approval in the U.S.

The alfapump is one of the first safe and effective, long-term alternatives to large-volume paracentesis which is a lengthy, invasive and painful procedure, only providing short-term symptomatic relief, requiring hospital visits and placing a significant burden on the healthcare system and patient quality of life. By automatically and continuously moving ascites to the bladder, where the body eliminates it naturally through urination, the alfapump prevents fluid build-up and its possible complications, improving patient quality of life and nutrition, and potentially reducing hospital visits and healthcare costs. The alfapump DirectLink technology allows clinicians to receive pump performance information and more effectively manage patients treated by the alfapump.

Sequana Medical is developing the alfapump DSR, built upon the proven alfapump platform, to deliver a convenient and fully implanted system for Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) therapy, a novel and proprietary approach for the management of volume overload in heart failure. Data from animal studies presented at EuroPCR 2018 and HFSA 2018 indicate that DSR therapy is effective and safe. Treatment of volume overload in diuretic-resistant heart failure patients is a major clinical challenge. There are an estimated one million hospitalisations due to heart failure in the United States (the U.S.) each year, of which 90% are due to symptoms of volume overload. The estimated cost of heart failure-related hospitalisations in the U.S. is $13 billion.

Sequana Medical is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and investors include NeoMed Management, Life Science Partners, VI Partners, BioMedPartners, Capricorn Venture Partners, Entrepreneurs Fund and Salus Partners. For further information, please visit www.sequanamedical.com .US media giant, Meredith Corporation, has agreed to sell Time Magazine for $190 million, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Marc Benioff, co-founder of the cloud computing company Salesforce.com, and his wife Lynn Benioff are purchasing the publication, they confirmed to the Journal. The proposed sale to the Benioffs is expected to close within 30 days and will be unrelated to Salesforce.com.

They also told the newspaper that they wont have any day-to-day influence over the magazines operations, nor will they have any journalistic input.

Were investing in a company with tremendous impact on the world, one that is also an incredibly strong business. Thats what were looking for when we invest as a family, Marc Benioff told the newspaper.

He added that Time is the only magazine they are planning to purchase from Meredith.

The couple will be taking over Time amid a turbulent time for print publications.

Print advertising is on the decline and Time cut circulation down from 3 million to 2.3 million earlier this year, according to the Alliance for Audited Media.

However, the Benioffs said theyre hopeful given Times large audience and expanded online presence.

Time.com has 31.7 million multi-platform, unique visitors in July 2018, a hike from the 27.4 million who visited its platforms during the same period in 2015, according to media measurement firm comScore Inc.

The power of Time is its unique story telling of the people and issues that affect us all and connect us all, Lynn Benioff said.

The deal comes roughly eight months after Meredith Corp., a publisher with ties to GOP mega-donor Charles Koch, purchased Time Inc. for $1.8 billion.Hill, a Yale Law graduate raised on an Oklahoma farm, spoke after him, explaining that she "may have used poor judgment" in not taking more "militant steps," but that this "seemed the better as well as the easier approach."



She recounted how she had tried to maintain her privacy, reluctant to come forward when Senate staff approached her about Thomas's nomination. Ultimately, however, she felt she had a "duty to report," she said.



The all-male, all-white members of the committee questioned her credibility and quibbled with her over the lurid details of her account. At one point, Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced that the FBI report "contains no reference to any mention of Judge Thomas' private parts or sexual prowess or size of his private parts."



"With the traditions of the Senate and the committee, Biden thought he was going to conduct a hearing, but the Republicans knew - led by Arlen Specter - that they were going to conduct a trial," said Barbara A. Mikulski, a Democratic Maryland congresswoman at the time, in an oral history conducted by the Post with the small group of Hill's congressional advocates. "And Professor Hill would be the one on trial."



Biden refused to permit public testimony from a number of witnesses who endorsed Hill's version of events. The then-Delaware senator did "a disservice to me, a disservice more importantly, to the public," Hill said in a 2014 interview with the Huffington Post.



"I wish I had been able to do more for Anita Hill," Biden told Teen Vogue last year. "I owe her an apology." The former vice president and possible 2020 presidential contender ultimately voted against Thomas when the judge was confirmed 52-48 on Oct. 15, 1991.



Hill, who did not return an email late Sunday seeking comment, told Politico through a spokeswoman last week, as the allegation against Kavanaugh leaked into public view, that, "the government needs to find a fair and neutral way for complaints to be investigated."



"I have seen firsthand what happens when such a process is weaponized against an accuser, and no one should have to endure that again," added Hill, who is now a professor at Brandeis University.



The alleged wrongs are different. The ages of the nominees at the time of the alleged wrongdoing are different.



So, too, is the makeup of the Judiciary Committee different, though not markedly so. Of its 21 members, four are women - all Democrats. Among them is Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California, who on Sunday pinned a message to the top of her Twitter page calling for a "thorough investigation" before a vote on the nomination. But the Senate is controlled by Republicans, whereas Democrats held legislative power in 1991.



Kavanaugh has emphasized his support for young female lawyers, saying in his opening statement before the Judiciary Committee that he was "proud that a majority of my law clerks have been women." Republicans have also trumpeted the judge's backing among women. On Friday, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, circulated a letter from 65 women who claim to have known the nominee in high school vouching for his character.



Last month, Lisa Blatt, a self-described "liberal feminist lawyer," set out in Politico her case for Kavanaugh. "Kavanaugh is a Mentor to Women," proclaimed Amy Chua of Yale Law School, writing in the Wall Street Journal that there was "no judge" she would "trust more" to guide her own daughter's legal training. Neither woman returned an email seeking comment Sunday night.



In his 1994 account of the Thomas nomination, "Resurrection: The Confirmation of Clarence Thomas," former senator John Danforth of Missouri, whom the judge credits for his legal career, quotes Thomas as saying that he "played by the rules" in his hearings.



"And playing by those rules, the country has never seen the real person," Thomas said, according to Danforth. "There is an inherent dishonesty in the system."The chairman of the board of directors of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Kyari Bukar, has resigned his position.

Mr Bukar who announced his resignation on Monday after three years in office, said the decision takes effect immediately.

A statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday said Mr Bukars resignation is to enable him pursue his political aspiration.

The statement named Asue Ighodalo, the first vice chairman of the board, as the acting board chairman till further notice.

The Board and Management of the NESG remain thankful to Mr Kyari for his years of voluntary service and for the many accomplishments of the Group under his leadership. We wish him the very best in his future endeavours, the statement read.

Mr Bukar reportedly described his time as NESG Chairman as an enormous privilege to lead the group during an important period of transformation and renewed relevance in the public policy sphere.

I am proud to have worked with remarkable colleagues who are so committed to advancing the mandate of the NESG, he added.

Mr Bukar who joined the NESG in 2009, actively contributed to the Science and Technology Policy Commission as well as Governance and Institutions Policy Commission. He later joined the Board of Directors and rose to become the chairman in 2015.

Mr Ighodalos profile shows he is the founder and managing partner at Banwo & Ighodalo and a non-executive director of CardinalStone Partners Limited and the chairman of the board of Sterling Bank Plc since July 2014.

Besides, Mr Ighodalo sits on the boards of public and private companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Christopher Kolade Foundation, FATE Foundation, Lagos State Lottery Board, Main Street Technologies Limited, Union Bank (UK) Plc, Nigeria Leadership Initiative.

Also, he has been a non-executive Director of Dangote Flour Mills PLC since December 10, 2015.

His core areas of practice include corporate finance, capital markets, energy, natural resources, mergers and acquisitions, banking, securitisation and project finance.

A trained economist and lawyer, Mr. Ighodalo was called to the Nigeria bar in July 1985. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Ibadan in 1981, a Law degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1984 and a Bachelor of Law from the Nigerian Law School in 1985.

The NESG is a private sector-led think-tank that promotes sustainable growth and development in the Nigerian economy.

It is also a not-for-profit/non-partisan organisation with a mandate to promote and champion the reform of the basseyNigerian economy into an open, private sector-led economy.

Over the years, the NESG has emerged as the leading platform for public-private dialogue in Nigeria.Kaspersky Lab has revealed the online activities of children across Nigeria, based on statistics from the companys Parental Control modules. The research has revealed what children in the region watched, listened to, purchased and searched for online.

The report shows anonymised statistics on websites visited from Windows PCs and Macs, and search activity on Windows PCs, Macs, Android and iOS devices. The stats were taken from Kaspersky Labs flagship products that have the Parental Control module switched on, and from Kaspersky Safe Kids, a standalone service installed for kids online protection.

Globally, children were more likely to watch video content and listen to music, than spend time on social media. However this was not true for children in Nigeria, who were most active across internet communication media (referred to as social media/networks) in the region at 35 per cent with the most popular being Facebook, Google Mail, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram. This was then followed by video content and music at 29 per cent. The research revealed that children spent more time on YouTube in particular, showing an increased interest in Netflix and o2tvseries.com for movies and series.

Children in the region also began to visit news sites more frequently, including sports.ndtv.com, accounting for 20 per cent of activities. Electronic commerce was also among top four categories as well: 7 per cent of children showed their interest in exploring online stores for clothes and mobile devices. With regards to online stores, children in Nigeria visited Amazon the most.

It should be noted that alongside computer games (just under 1 per cent), similar statistics where noted for children in Nigeria who also searched for adult-content web-sites. However, if their parents had blocked such sites (for example with a Kaspersky Lab product), then the childrens attempts to visit these sites were unsuccessful.

The statistics we have obtained indicate the interests of children and teens in the region today. This is why we recommend using parental control products not only to block potentially dangerous content, but also to help parents stay informed about their childrens interests and passions. Many software programs, including those from Kaspersky Lab, allow parents to see reports about their childrens online activities. Naturally, reports like this do not disclose any private information. In our opinion, the parents knowledge of what their children do online should promote better family relationships, helping to encourage open dialogue and preventing more serious threats to children in the region, Riaan Badenhorst, General Manager for Kaspersky Lab Africa.

The Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky Internet Security consumer solutions include a Parental Control module to help adults protect their children against online threats and block sites or apps containing inappropriate content. In turn, the Kaspersky Safe Kids solution allows parents to monitor what their children do, see, or search for, online across all devices, including mobile devices, and offers useful advice on how to help children behave safely online. To see the whole report, please visit.Ugandas government on Monday accused the European Union Parliament of meddling in its internal affairs after the legislator passed a resolution deploring the alleged torture of opposition politicians in the East African country.

Robert Kyagulanyi, a Ugandan pop star and lawmaker, and Francis Zaake were allegedly tortured after they were arrested in August on suspicion of participating in stoning the motorcade of President Yoweri Museveni.

The government has denied that security staff tortured the two men, saying the injuries visible on their bodies could have been sustained in scuffles as they tried to resist arrest.

For EU parliament to pass a resolution asking the courts of Uganda to drop charges is inconceivable.

We see this as a premeditated attempt to hijack and subvert our institutions, government spokesman Ofwono Opondo told a news conference.

The EU is a key source of budget support to Uganda and has helped fund construction of major highways and other infrastructure.

Mr Musevenis convoy was stoned as he left the northwestern Ugandan town of Arua where he had traveled to campaign for a ruling party candidate participating in a parliamentary by-election.

Kyagulanyi, Zaake and dozens of their supporters were charged with treason for their roles in the incident.

The two MPs are now in the U.S. and India respectively seeking treatment for their injuries.

The detentions of the MPs and their supporters and reports of their torture sparked days of protest in different parts of Uganda.

Uganda takes objection to the tacit approval of undisciplined behaviour by EU and some of its institutions of some of the politicians in the country, Mr Opondo said.

He added that the EU was hostile to Uganda because of our emerging relations with China.

Critics of Museveni accused him of using security forces to suppress opposition to his rule but officials say Museveni, 74, enjoys genuine mass support.

Parliament, which is tightly controlled by his ruling party, 2017 voted to remove an age cap on the presidency that would have barred him from seeking re-election in 2021.

(Reuters/NAN)The Nigerian Army on Sunday announced that its soldiers successfully repelled a Boko Haram ambush in Borno State.

In a post on its official Twitter handle, the army said the ambush occurred along Maiduguri Bama Axis.

It said the troops successfully repelled the ambush after serious exchange of gunfire.

Reports just reaching us confirmed that troops of 21 Brigade led by Brigade Commander on a clearance patrol in support of Operation Rainbow were ambushed by BHT along Maiduguri Bama Axis at about 11am 16 Sep 2018.

There was serious exchange of gunfire. The gallant troops of 222 battalion were reportedly high on morale as a result of the just concluded assurance visit to the theatre of operation by the COAS Lt Gen TY Buratai & they successfully cleared the ambush.

As a result, 1 x GPMG and 2 X AK 47 and several rounds of ammunition belonging to the terrorist were recovered. As at the time of filing this report, troops were still exploiting the general areas in search of some BHTs who escaped with gunshot wounds.

The attack occurred on the day the army chief, Tukur Buratai, said recent attacks by Boko Haram on soldiers does not mean a resurgence of the terror attacks.

The Boko Haram insurgency has caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009, according to the Borno State Government.The convoy of the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, was on Sunday attacked by aggrieved members of his own party, APC, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Mr Yari, whose Zamfara State is suffering from attacks by armed bandits, is also the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

NAN reports that some APC supporters attacked the governors convoy at Lalan Roundabout in Gusau on Sunday as he was travelling to Kaduna.

Seven aggrieved governorship hopefuls, including the deputy governor, Ibrahim Wakkala, had organised a rally in Gusau on Sunday, where a multitude of their supporters turned out to receive them.

While the rallying aspirants and their supporters were coming into town, they ran into the governors convoy and the irate crowd attacked the governors motorcade destroying glasses.

However, the quick intervention of the mobile police and governors security details who fired gunshots in the air, dispersed the mob.

NAN reports that calm has since been restored in the state capital after the confrontation.

The exact reason for the attack is not clear but is related to selecting an APC candidate that will take over from Mr Yari whose tenure ends next year.

Mr Yari has condemned the attack on his convoy.

Mr Yari, in a statement issued on Sunday in Gusau by Ibrahim Dosara, his Special Adviser on Media and Public Enlightenment, cautioned his loyalists to desist from revenge.

He urged people of the state to be law-abiding citizens and avoid any form of violence in the name of politics.

Any law-abiding citizen needs to respect the peaceful atmosphere concerning politics in Zamfara.

The governor said that his administration had done a lot to stop loyalists and all youth, especially supporters of APC, from engaging in any activity that would endanger the peace among political associations and parties.

He urged politicians to enlighten their supporters on peace and stability in relations to all political associations and gatherings.

Former Gov. Abdulazizi-Yari of Zamfara State.

At the rally that led to the attack, the seven APC governorship aspirants called for direct primaries.

In his remarks, Mamuda Shikafi, a former governor of the state and one of the aspirants, said that the rally was organised to draw the attention of the party at the national level to the issue of imposition of candidates.

Mr Shinkafi said, We will continue to be loyal to the party and governments of at all levels; however, our only concern is justice and equity to the entire citizens of the state.

He said what was needed in the state was true democratic process that gives equal opportunity to every party member to participate.

He said no one was after the candidature of anybody but the concern was imposition of candidates by the state governor.

The seven aspirants in their separate speeches, considered direct primaries as the only way to sustain the unity of the party in the state.

They agreed that one person would finally emerge as the candidate under the platform of the party.

They underscored the need for a transparent that would lead to the choice of an acceptable candidate.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven aspirants are Mamuda Shinkafi, Ibrahim Wakkala, Aminu Jaji, Sagir Hamidu, Mansur Ali, Abu Magaji and Dauda Dare.

(NAN)A magistrate court in Abuja on Monday struck out the suit against a journalist, Jones Abiri, for lack of jurisdiction.

The court stated that the offence for which the journalist was arraigned before the court amounted to criminal intimidation under the Criminal Code and the court could not entertain the trial because the offences were allegedly committed outside its jurisdiction.

The judgement followed an application brought by Mr Abiris lawyer, Samuel Ogala, that the court should transfer his trial to Bayelsa State, since that was where he was arrested.

Mr Abiri, publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Weekly Source newspaper, was being tried for alleged links to armed militancy in the Niger Delta.

Before the federal government arraigned him before the magistrate court in Abuja, he was detained by the State Security Service (SSS) for two years without trial.

He was granted bail after government charged him to court following a public outcry.

After the court reviewed his initial bail conditions, he was released on August 15 having met the new conditions.

A high court had in a separate but related case last week awarded Mr Abiri N10 million judgement against the SSS and the Nigerian government for the two years detention without trial.

Speaking on Mr Abiris trial on Monday, the Chief Magistrate, Chukwuemeka Nweke, said the offence he is accused of is criminal intimidation under the Criminal Code Act, and was allegedly committed in Bayelsa State outside the territorial jurisdiction of the court.

That no element of the alleged offence of criminal intimidation took place within the Federal Capital Territory. I uphold in this honourable court the jurisdiction to hear the first information, which was filed against the applicants.

That the court has the duty to uphold doctrine of fair hearing, which guarantees that an accused is charged within the territorial jurisdiction.

That the first information report as presently presented is an abuse of process of this honourable court.

Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended reads: In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.

According to Mr Nweke, counsel to the 2nd defendant, Collins Truman, had in a preliminary objection filed a two paragraph affidavit and a written address, that the court lacks the power to transfer the matter to Bayelsa State.

Mr Nweke added that counsel to the prosecution filed a reply of point of law, that it is only at the point of law that the court would form an opinion whether it has the jurisdiction to try an offence or not.

According to the Chief Magistrate, Section 112 (10) of Administrative Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 states that, Where the evidence referred to in subsection (9) of this section has been taken or at any stage of the case, the magistrate is of the opinion that there is round that the suspect has committed an offence triable under this part, which such magistrate court is competent to try and which, in the opinion of the Magistrate could be adequately punished, the magistrate shall frame a charge stating the offence for which the suspect will either be tried by the court or direct that the suspect be tried in another magistrate court.

Mr Nweke said under the jurisdiction of the magistrate court to look at the offence before the court, none of the alleged offences was within the territorial jurisdiction of the court.

It is therefore deemed that the prosecution is not disputing the facts that all elements of the alleged offence occurred in Bayelsa State.

This court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain this matter and I hereby strike out this case, Mr Nweke said.The immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has said President Muhammadu Buhari deserves to be re-elected in 2019 following his development strides.

Mr Lawal stated this while speaking with reporters on Monday in Abuja, adding that those opposed to Mr Buharis re-election were probably blind to his numerous achievements.

Mr Lawal was fired in October 2017 for diverting funds meant for people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

He had earlier been indicted by the Senate which called for his removal and prosecution, a call initially ignored by Mr Buhari.

On January 24, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), ostensibly on the orders of the president arrested the former official.

He was however subsequently let off and not much has been heard about his since despite calls for his prosecution by Nigerians.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier published a detailed account of how the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) headed by Mr Lawal became a centre of corruption and rot with companies raking in, through fraudulent procurement process, billions of naira and paying kickbacks to the embattled cabinet secretary, according to bank documents and a report of the Senate Committee on the Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-east.

However, on Monday, Mr Lawal had kind words for his ex-boss.

I know very well that President Buhari has done very well to be re-elected over and over again, I wonder whether those still in doubt have not seen infrastructure, construction and other things he has been doing.

I challenge those in doubt to come to Adamawa to see things for themselves, he said.

He said President Buhari had done so much for the country, adding that before he (Buhari) assumed office, the people of Adamawa were being held captive by Boko Haram sect.

Mr Lawal said the government had rebuilt virtually everything that was destroyed by the sect, including schools, police stations, markets and hospitals.

Before his coming into office, I could not go to my village, I could not go to my farm or to my local government, but the situation has changed.

Now, I can drive to my house even at 2 a.m, I can visit the remotest corners of the village with my family. I go to my farm in the forest and come back safely.

If you have never faced an unsecured situation, you may not appreciate what I am saying, he said.

He noted that under the Buhari-led government, all trunk A roads in Adamawa were now under construction or contracts awarded.

He said such roads include Yola to Gombe, Numan to Taraba, Yola to Mubi, Mararaba to Bama and many others under construction.

The former SGF, however, said that in spite of the situation that surrounded his leaving office, he had no regret, saying his sack was a blessing in disguise.

Let me shock you, before I came into government, I have been in business, I was a very successful businessman.

I am a world renowned IT consultant and I have a very large farm, spanning over 1,000 hectares, which I abandoned to join governance.

I was earning N930, 000 monthly as the SGF, now that I have returned to my farm and reactivated it after my sack, I now have 4,000 hectares under cultivation.

Last year, I earned close to half a billion naira from my farm proceeds, I have a cattle ranch that I am developing gradually and I am back to IT consultancy, life is now good, he said.

Mr Lawal, who was speaking to the press for the first time since he left office, added that everybody who saw him now, complimented him, saying he was looking good and healthy.

He, however, said that his sack opened his eyes to a lot of things that were hidden from him, adding that lots of people he helped in the past, were actually planning for his downfall.

Referring to the scripture the former SGF said; everything that happened to a man is for his own good; my sack I would say, is rather a blessing in disguise.

Let me tell you, nothing happened to me. Right from the beginning of the saga, I knew that the whole thing was fabricated and that was why I did not give any damn from the beginning.

The reason some people dont like me is that I am so confident of myself. Did you hear me defend myself that time, I didnt do it and I will not do it because I know that they are fabricated, he said.

He added that he had however forgiven all those who wanted his downfall, saying forgiveness is my number one principle because I want to make heaven.

Mr Lawal debunked insinuations that he nominated Mr Mustapha, the incumbent SGF, saying that he is, however, my brother and I cannot deny him. (NAN)Over 100 people have died in floods in several Nigerian states following heavy rains that caused the Rivers Niger and Benue to overflow, the National Emergency Management Agency announced Monday.

The emergency body, NEMA, declared national disaster in the affected states of Kogi, Niger, Anambra and Delta.

Eight other states are being monitored, the agency said. They are Taraba Adamawa, Kebbi, Edo, Rivers, Benue, Bayelsa and Kwara states.

More than 100 people have died in floods, Sani Datti, the agencys spokesperson, told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday.

The four states are in very bad condition; the remaining states are being monitored, but if the conditions of the remaining eight states (deteriorate) they would also be declared a national disaster, Mr Datti said.

Nigeria has faced flooding in recent years, with hundreds killed and thousands displaced.

Details of the huge number of deaths were not immediately clear, but the BBC quoted NEMA as saying 40 people had died in Niger state alone.

Earlier, the Kano State Government had confirmed the death of 31 people and destruction of more than 10,000 houses during the recent flood disaster in 15 Local Government Areas of the state.

Ali Bashir, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Monday that the cost of the disaster was estimated at over N5 billion.

On Friday, the North-west zone of NEMA said 53 lives were lost to flood in both Katsina and Kaduna states.

Ishaya Chonoko, zonal coordinator of the agency, gave the figures in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

According to him, the agency recorded 51 deaths in Katsina State, two in Kaduna State, while 30 persons were confirmed missing in Jibiya, a border town in Katsina state.

The Presidency said on Friday President Muhammadu Buhari had delegated authority to NEMA boss, Mustapha Maihaja, to declare a national disaster in the event that anticipated flooding turns a reality in parts of the country, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.

The directive followed a warning by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency that Rivers Benue and Niger had almost reached levels that resulted in flooding in 2012.

President Buhari later approved N3 billion for the first stages of preparedness, response disaster mitigation, the NEMA chief said.A woman and two men were killed on Sunday in Kwata area of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State by unknown gunmen who buried the bodies in unmarked graves.

The killings occurred two days after two persons were killed in an attack on three herders in Kuru district of the same area.

Nura Abdullahi, state chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria ( MACBAN), told PREMIUM TIMES the police had arrested eight suspects in the Sunday killings.

But the police have not confirmed the attack or arrest as at press time.

Mr Abdullahi said members of his association and officers of the police from Bukuru division recovered the bodies.

The DPO of (B) division in Bukuru is much aware of everything. The state commissioner of police is also aware of the incident because we have spoken about the incident and he asked me to calm down.

They were all killed on Sunday but the bodies were recovered on Monday. Among them include a pregnant woman and two men.

 The deceased were attacked, killed and buried by Berom youth. But we have together with the police officers of Bukuru dug (out) the deceased from where they were buried for proper funeral prayer,  he said.

Davou Jatau, spokesperson of Berom community, denied the allegation of Berom youth being responsible for the crime.

I dont think they were killed by Berom youth. I think it is purely an act of criminality. It was never an ethnic killing. These days, I have been hearing of incidents of attacking people on motorcycles and stealing them. So, I dont think the attack has ethnic colouration. But I will confirm,  Mr Jatau said.

Aminu Amadu, husband of Aisha, the female victim, narrated how the incident occurred.

My wife left home yesterday at about 9 a.m. to Sabon Gidan Kanal to buy cow milk from the village. It has been her usual business to travel to the said area to buy milk and return to sell it in the town.

Hours after she left the house on Sunday, we began to fear that all was not well because she stayed longer than any other day. It was unusual. Myself and her brother, Ibrahim Aminu, quickly went out in search of her whereabouts.

We went to vigilante chairman of Gero area and reported the issue to him who thereafter located the area where my wife and two men were killed and buried.

The vigilante chairman also identified the perpetrators of the act and eight of them have been arrested by the police in Bukuru, the widower said.

When contacted, the state police spokesperson, Tyopev Terna, promised to get back to the reporter.

Two hours later, he said, I am writing something. I will get back to you.

Over an hour later, he is yet to get back to this reporter.President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday condemned as heinous and despicable, the killing of Saifura Khorsa an aid worker, kidnapped about six months ago at the Rann camp for internally displaced persons by Boko Haram terrorists.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier published how the Red Cross confirmed the death of the aid worker.

The terrorists have equally threatened to harm others, including the lone Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu still in their custody, President Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said in a statement.

Miss Sharibu is one of the over 100 schoolgirls kidnapped by the Boko Haram in Dapchi, Yobe State, earlier in the year. While all her other schoolmates who survived the kidnap have been released by the terrorists, Miss Sharibu was held back by the Boko Haram for allegedly refusing to denounce her Christian faith.

Nigerians as well as local and international rights groups have appealed for Miss Sharibus release and called on the federal government to do all possible to ensure her release.

In its earlier statement, the Red Cross said two aide workers were still with the Boko Haram.

At the time of their abduction, Saifura, as well as other colleagues Hauwa Mohammed Liman and Alice Loksha, a nurse working in a UNICEF-supported centre, were providing essential antenatal care to communities in Rann, whose population has more than doubled after an influx of people fleeing the violence, the agency said.

We urge those still holding our colleague Hauwa and Alice: release these women. Like Saifura, they are not part of the fight. They are a midwife and a nurse. They are daughters, a wife, and a mother  women with families that depend on them.

In his reaction to the murder of the Red Cross staff, Mr Buhari said the government of Nigeria strongly condemns this reprehensible and inhuman act. No religion permits the killing of the innocent. Saifura worked for the Red Cross, a humanitarian organization tirelessly working to bring succor to all the victims of violence irrespective of the sides of the conflict.

The president sent out an appeal to Nigerias international partners and about everyone with an influence on the terrorists to prevail on them to stop these acts of extreme barbarism.

Mr Buhari further assured that his administration will seize every given opportunity with both hands and use all means available to bring home all citizens held against their will by the Boko Haram terrorists.

On behalf of his family, the government and people of Nigeria, President Buhari extended condolences to the family of Saifura, the Red Red Cross and UNICEF over the loss of this selfless and hardworking mother, Mr Shehu said.In February, the foundation announced that it would donate more than $3.5 million to the Park District to build this new artificial turf field. That announcement came after questions arose about where students would practice and host their games while the presidential center was being built. Now that the track project is being held up, its not clear where the students will go.The Nigerian government wants to provide critical infrastructure in the maritime sector to enhance transportation of goods from the ports to the hinterland.

President Muhammadu Buhari said this is with a view to boosting the countrys economic competitiveness as targeted by Nigerias Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

He stated this in Abuja on Monday while declaring open the African regional conference of the International Association of Ports and Harbours.

This administration that I am privileged to lead is committed to rebuilding infrastructure that supports the means of transportation form the ports to the hinterland. We understand that this interconnectivity will improve Nigerias economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, Mr Buhari said.

The president further said he had since directed relevant authorities to ensure that every port has a compliment of rail infrastructure, adding that roads across the country are also being given attention.

I have directed that every port must have a compliment of rail infrastructure. Our projection is that by the end of 2021, we will have standard gauge railway across the main North-South rail route. The same level of serious attention is being given to the improvement of road infrastructure. At least 25 major highways and 44 roads are under construction across the six geo-political zones of the country, Mr Buhari stated.

The Nigerian leader said major inland waterways are also receiving attention.

We have stimulated activities on our inland water ways, as major inland water channels are being dredged, for the ease of navigation through the Eastern and Northern parts of the country and that is the best way to go if we plan to remain competitive in the maritime industry, he said.

Mr Buhari implored participants at the regional conference to see themselves as people opportuned to stand in positions of responsibility on behalf of the African continent.

He therefore urged them to at the end of their deliberations at the conference come out with resolutions that will benefit the entire continent because the maritime sector, where they are stakeholders, is central to the facilitation of trade and the total integration of the African economy.

On is part, Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, said the theme of the conference, African Ports and Hinterland Connectivity, was in line with the commitment of the Buhari administrations commitment to optimising the comparative advantage Nigerias maritime endowments confer on other parts of the world.

He disclosed governments plan of developing a multi-model system of transportation from all the ports in Nigeria.

There were goodwill messages from the International Maritime Organisation as well as other regional and global bodies in the maritime industry.

In her welcome address, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman, said: The theme for the Conference African Ports and Hinterland Connectivity is of topical importance and would enable delegates to examine the African ports sector and their captive and competitive hinterlands, the connectivity facilitation infrastructure, expertise and hinterland accessibility compared to progress achieved in other parts of the world.

The managing director said all African Ports, Port Operators and Corridor Management Organisations and hinterland countries, as well as IAPH Member Organisations were invited to attend the conference and take advantage of the learning and networking opportunities it will offer.

She said the conference, which is the first ever IAPH Africa Regional Conference, will synergise to build the capacity and competitiveness in hinterland connectivity in Africa.The National Assembly Joint Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday reconvened to deliberate on the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018 for the fourth time.

This is coming exactly two weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari, for the third time on September 3, declined assent to the bill, which was passed by the legislature on July 24.

Chairman of the committee, Suleiman Nazif, announced the resumption of work on the bill while addressing National Assembly correspondents in Abuja.

Mr Nazif, who spoke shortly before the committee went into a closed-door executive session, said the move followed concerns expressed by Nigerians over fate of the 2019 general elections.

Gentlemen of the press and Nigerians, you will recall that there was a first Electoral (Amendment) Act, the second one and the third one, and if we pass this one, it would be the fourth.

But I believe what we are doing is in the best interest of this country.

It will address all the fears and ensure that we equip INEC with what will ensure free and fair elections in 2019, he said.

Mr Nazif (APC-Bauchi) said the committee would brief the press on the outcome of the executive session by 11 a.m. on Tuesday. (NAN)The office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) said that part of activities for the country`s 58th Independence Anniversary will include displays by the Nigerian Air Force jets.

This was announced in a statement by Gabriel Aduda, chairman, 2018 Independence Day organising committee, on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Aduda said movement of military hardware would also be part of the activities.

He said the flight displays by fast air force jets and helicopters would be within the airspace of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Mr Aduda added that the major airspace to be affected would include those of Eagle Square, the Three Arms Zones, Keffi, Ado, Orozo, Karu, Nyanya, Guzape and Asokoro areas of the FCT.

He said that the air force jet simulations involving 27 air-craft assembled from various NAF units, were planned for between September 14 to 30 and between 10 a.m to 4 p.m daily.

He, therefore, advised members of the public not to panic at the sight and sounds of the personnel and equipment manoeuvres by the military and other paramilitary agencies.

Citizens are therefore advised to go about their normal activities, he said.

He added that full details of the activities to mark the 2018 Independence Day would be released at a world press conference on September 18 at the National Press Centre in Abuja. (NAN)A former governor of Sokoto State, Atthairu Bafarawa, on Monday pledged to embrace restructuring and focus on the economy of the nation, if elected president in 2019.

Mr Bafarawa made the pledge while fielding questions from journalists in Akure shortly after a meeting with leaders of Afenifere, a Yoruba Socio-cultural organisation.

The presidential aspirant under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming 2019 general elections, promised to implement report of the 2014 National Conference.

According to him, when we are talking on restructuring we are talking about development.

We are going to liaise with the National Assembly and the judiciary to extrapolate outcomes of past national conferences and discourses, with a view to restructuring our nation to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry.

We shall strengthen the principles of separation of power and ensure strict adherence to the rule of law, he said.

The two-term governor of Sokoto State also promised to turn around the economy of Nigeria if voted into power.

He said that he would diversify the nations economy in such a way that alternative sources of driving the economy shall be explored.

According to him, Nigerias economy has been so much damaged that it is only PDP that can correct the mistakes made by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

When we come to power, we are going to take our time to do damage control. All our ideas is to correct where mistake had been made, we are not going to witch-hunt anybody.

We shall de-emphasise over-dependence on oil and look toward, agriculture, tourism, mining and manufacturing as potential drivers of our economy, Bafarawa said.

The presidential aspirant also promised to create enabling environment for efficient and sustainable security within a short time, if voted into power.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to join him in his vision toward rescuing Nigeria and placing her on a robust path of development.

(NAN)The Gombe State Governor and Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) presidential aspirant, Ibrahim Dankwambo, has expressed determination to end all forms of tribal and religious killings across the country, if elected president in 2019.

Mr Dankwambo disclosed this in a statement signed by Ayoade Adewopo, Director of Media and Publicity of his campaign organisation in Abuja, on Monday.

The governor sympathised with the victims of a recent attack in Gon, Nzumosu, Bolki, Nyanga and Bukuto villages in Numan LGA of Adamawa State, where a Lutheran priest and 51 other were reportedly killed.

He said that if given the mandate to rule Nigeria in 2019, the holistic approach he used in handling security issues in his Gombe home state would be replicated nationwide.

I will end tribal and religious killings as president. I have had the privilege through good leadership to keep Gombe State a safe haven for all its citizens and residents.

The same will be replicated in Nigeria, as a whole if I am given the opportunity to become the Chief Security Officer, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and president of the country.

Today, I empathise with the governor and the good people of Adamawa state over the nonsensical killings by terrorists of a Lutheran priest and 51 others in Gon, Nzumosu, Bolki, Nyanga and Bukuto villages in Numan LGA, Adamawa state.

Together we must restore Nigeria he stated.

(NAN)A witness, Edwin Uduji, on Monday told an Igbosere High Court in Lagos how kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, threatened to collect a fine of 10, 000 dollars for any fake 100 dollar bill in the ransom paid to him.

Mr Uduji, an elder brother to abduction victim, James Uduji, made the revelation while giving evidence at the trial of Evans, the Anambra-born high-profile kidnapper, known for kidnapping mainly billionaires.

Evans is currently facing two separate charges, bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

In the first charge, Evans is standing trial alongside one Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

In the second charge, the big time kidnapper is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

At the resumed trial, Mr Uduji narrated to the court how he paid one million dollar ransom to the kidnappers of his brother.

He said that he was contacted by phone by the kidnappers two days after his brother (James) was kidnapped, adding that he was made to speak with the kidnap victim.

My brother told me that the kidnappers had agreed to collect one million dollars.

My brother said I should do everything possible to gather the money to save his life because he sustained bullet wound from the kidnappers bullet, Mr Uduji said.

The victims brother said that the ransom was gathered from his brothers business associates.

Mr Uduji said he had to change all the money into dollars through bureau de change, adding that the ransom was paid in two installments of 200, 000 and 800, 000 dollars, respectively.

The instruction from the voice that usually called me was that when I get the naira, I must change it into cripsy 100 dollar bills and if there is any fake 100 dollar, I will pay a fine of 10,000 dollars.

My brother (the victim) also pleaded with me not to make arrangements with security agents so that the kidnappers will not kill him.

On the day I dropped the first ransom of 200, 000 dollars, the kidnappers instructed me with phone where to drop the money. I was made to drive round Lagos before they finally instructed me to drop it along Cele expressway at about 2.20 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2015, Edwin said.

He said the second ransom tranche of 800, 000 dollars, was paid by his relative, Izuchukwu Ezeuko, adding that the 800, 000 dollars was paid in the eastern part of the country.

Mr Uduji also told court that when the money was taking time to be gathered, the kidnappers asked that he be swapped with his brother (James) so that James could get home and source the money quickly.

During cross- examination, Counsel to Evans, E. C. Obiagwu, tried discrediting the witnesss statement, adding that the phone conversation he allegedly had with the kidnappers were not mentioned in his statement at the police station.

Another witness, Donatus Nwoye, an assistant driver to the victim also narrated his side of the story to the court.

Mr Nwoye said he sustained bullet wound at his left shoulder when the kidnappers were shooting sporadically.

I was taken to the hospital by some commercial motorcyclists after the incident, he said.

During cross-examination, Mr Nwoye who had said he was unconscious when the bullet hit him, said his understanding of unconsciousness was somebody who is not well.

After listening to the argument, Mr Akintoye adjourned the case until October 4 for continuation of hearing.

(NAN)President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commended the founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, for his contributions to entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

Buhari gave the commendation in a message at the public presentation and launch of Mr Ovias book Africa Arise and Shine in Lagos.

He said Mr Ovia had contributed so much to inspiring entrepreneurs, particularly the Nigerian youths.

It is my pleasure to convey my congratulations to you on the publication of the book Africa rise and shine, which you authored.

I commend you in this contribution to the knowledge base of Nigerias entrepreneurs, particularly the Nigerian youth.

Your journey in building one of our countrys most iconic enterprise is an encouragement to our fellow citizens. Congratulations on this achievement, Mr Buhari wrote.

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, in his speech said that successful people in the country owed the society three taxes.

Mr Osinbajo described the three as personal income and corporate tax, social and civic tax.

He, however, said Mr Ovia was not one of such people as he was a law abiding citizen who discharged his obligations in tax payments.

The vice president also lauded Mr Ovias philanthropic gestures, particularly his investment in education where he said Obis impressed him by his many feats.

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, said that Mr Ovia possessed many qualities which all ought to be emulated by professionals.

According to him, in the book, Mr Ovia shares important words of wisdom drawn from his more than 38-year experience as a trail blazer in Nigerias banking sector and his experience in the telecommunications and insurance sectors.

The book conveys an inspirational message on universal principles that are applicable in every country which can serve as a guide to millions of young Nigerians on how to succeed.

These principles are devotion to knowledge, commitment to excellence and courage to dare where many feared.

As you will find in the book, these factors were instrumental in enabling him to build a US$16 billion conglomerate from barely N203 million at start-up of this empire.

For those of us who know him and have worked under him, Jim Ovia is a stickler for knowledge and is deeply committed to excellence.

Mr Emefiele said those were important principles that should guide local and foreign investors in their approach to the Nigerian and African markets.

He said that the key success factors for investors should be clear understanding of the potential of the market, leveraging technology and innovation in providing superior products and services to a market of about 200 million people, in the case of Nigeria.

If these principles are followed like Mr Jim Ovia has done in Nigeria as well as in other parts of the world, you can expect to receive huge rewards for your efforts.

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, highlighted the contributions of Mr Ovia to the accountancy and banking professions in Nigeria.

Mr Ambode called on leading entrepreneurs in Africa to take time to expose the younger generations to their inspiring stories with a view to showing them how to become successful business owners.

He said it was important for successful entrepreneurs like the author of the book to tell the story of how they were able to navigate the business climate to inspire others who looked forward to be like them.

He commended the author for taking out time to write the book, saying Mr Ovias contributions to the banking and accountancy professions could not be downplayed.

Obviously, the truth is there is no person that has actually gone through the profession of accountancy that would not have had something to do with Jim Ovia, Mr Ambode said.

The author said internet was changing the world which had enabled people to do online transactions, online sales, online education and everything.

He said that an economy driven by technology would always blossom.

So, for us to blossom the Nigerian economy, lets start to digitise the economy. if we digitise the economy, it will continue to grow.

If we use technology to drive our manufacturing process, our agriculture and healthcare, we will know what that will do for us.

Mr Ovia said that what inspired him to write the book was the need to change the narrative of African continent.

The narrative of Africa has been something so pathetic.

When you Google about Africa then, the first things that come out is that it is a continent of complex, a continent of corruption and of coups.

That was played out very dramatically when The Economist magazine had on their front page that Africa then was a continent of coup and a continent of corruption.

But after two decades, that narrative started changing. Today, we now know that Africa is truly rising, he said.

Mr Ovia said that African countries had recorded GDP per capita of above 1,000 dollars, whereas about 20 years ago, it was below 500 dollars.

So, for me, Africa is rising. Twenty years ago, only few African countries had mobile phones, but today, all the African countries, not only have mobile phones, they also have broadband technology and internet penetration is high.

Africa is rising by embracing technology.

Amazon is now over $1 trillion. This Amazon doesnt have a factory anywhere.

They dont have any oil well at all, but has over $1 trillion in market capitalisation and richer than Nigeria and twice the GDP of Nigeria.

It is because they embraced technology and the internet, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the book is essentially about the story of how Mr Ovia commenced his business in the 1980s and now worth 16 billion dollars.

Dignitaries at the event included Governors Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Ibrahim Shettima (Borno), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti Governor-elect).

They also included the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, Segun Osoba Christopher Kolade, Emeka Anyaoku, Akintola Williams, Tony Elumelu, Folorunso Alakija, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu I. (NAN)The Diocese of Ekiti West, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), on Sunday advised politicians against making unrealistic promises to the electorate as the 2019 general elections approaches.

It also admonished Nigerians against the practice of vote buying, which it noted, had also been gaining ground in the country, saying that the practice aimed at stifling people from making free choice of their candidates.

These were some of the resolutions reached at the 1st Session of the 7th Synod of the diocese which ended on Sunday.

It was presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese, Rufus Adepoju.

NAN reports that the four-day synod which held at St. Pauls Anglican Church, Idagba, Efon Alaaye, in Efon Local Government Area of the state, had as its theme: Be Ye Steadfast.

A communique issued at the end of the synod, stressed that vote buying could give a bad candidate with loads of funds an undeserved edge to the detriment of the people in the long run.

The synod urged all eligible Nigerians who had registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in order to be able to perform their civic responsibility of voting.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the church noted that empty promises had dampened the interest of Nigerians in the electoral system.

The Synod admonished some of our politicians who are in the habit of making empty promises to desist from such practices, which only heighten peoples expectations only to disappointed at last.

This practice contributes to disaffection for people in governance and politics.

Synod appealed to governments at both states and national level to promptly pay salary and pension arrears to serving workers and pensioners.

The non-payment of these deserved salaries and pension has brought untold hardship to families, especially those where the husband and wife are civil servants.

According to the communique, Synod expressed concern over the scourge of political and religious motivated killings, kidnapping and other anti-social behaviours.

It urged the federal government to deploy adequate security resources to tackle the menace and eradicate them. (NAN)The supervising Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, on Monday assumed duty, vowing to work towards greater economic stability of Nigeria.

Mrs Ahmed was named on Friday as the successor to Kemi Adeosun, who was forced to resign after she was found to have used a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate to secure the appointment.

An exclusive report by PREMIUM TIMES had uncovered the scandal. But, for over 60 days, Mrs Adeosun ignored the report and continued in office till she was forced to resign from the office.

On arrival at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja, Mrs Ahmed was received by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, along with other management staff.

Shortly after, she met with the permanent secretary and directors of the ministry.

During the meeting, the minister noted the serious revenue challenges the country is facing, saying it is the responsibility of the ministry to shore up the countrys revenue base.

She charged the management staff of the ministry to do all within their powers to justify the confidence of President Muhammadu Buhari, in their ability to achieve economic turnaround of the country.

We have very serious revenue challenges and it is up to us (the ministry) to make sure we shore up the revenue base of the country, she said.

The president has a lot of confidence that we can do this if we work together. You are working for the president and at the end of the day, youre working for the benefit of the citizens, she said.

The minister, who is overseeing the affairs of the ministry till a substantive minister is appointed, expressed her readiness to ensure harmonious working relationship with the permanent secretary and other management staff of the ministry to achieve set goals and objectives.

Speaking earlier, Mr Isa-Dutse assured the minister of the readiness of the management and staff to give her the needed support in her duties.

Until her new role as the supervising minister of finance, Mrs Ahmed was the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning.

She is a Fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), a member of the Nigerian Institute of Taxation and the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).We know that laws preventing the sales of assault weapons work  the federal ban in place from 1994 to 2004 was proved to reduce shooting massacres in the United States. But if Congress is unwilling to act on the issue, it falls to private industry to do so. Under federal law, you must be 21 years old or older to purchase a handgun. But to buy a long gun, including a semi-automatic rifle, the purchaser only needs to be 18 years old.An elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, has described the agitation for restructuring as a Yoruba agenda promoted by uninformed Igbo people.

Restructuring is a topical political issue as Nigeria moves towards the next general election, with top politicians and groups demanding it should determine the choice of voters.

But the outspoken Mr Yakasai sees the agitation as another attempt to foment trouble in the country.

He said most of the socio-political crises that threatened the corporate existence of Nigeria right from the colonial era emanated from the South-west.

Mr Yakasai stated this position on Sunday in Kano at a public lecture organised by Africa Research and Development Agency (ARADA).

The octogenarian added that those clamouring for restructuring are afraid to clearly state what they are advocating.

Restructuring, as many other problematic concepts, was conceived by Afenifere, an offshoot of Action Group, to destabilise the country, he said.

It is upon those who are agitating for restructuring to tell Nigerians the real meaning of restructuring. For example, how will Nigeria look like after restructuring? What is your fate?

If restructuring means constitutional amendments, there is laid down procedure for constitutional amendment. Because constitutional amendment is being conducted through elected representatives, and the North by virtue of its population has higher number of representatives, that is why they are afraid to call for constitutional amendment, Mr Yakasai said.

Some people are advocating we should adopt the 1962 Constitution. To the best of my knowledge, the 1962 Constitution recognised four regions. Now we have six geo-political regions. But they failed to explain which regions should be retained or merged.

According to him, If the Igbo who lost their wealth during the Nigerian civil war emerged prosperous and presently own 70 percent of Lagos industries, the North has no cause to fear any threat from other parts of the country.

During the civil war, regional governments took over landed properties belonging to Igbos in their respective regions. But in Kano and entire Northern part , the landed properties were handed over to the Igbos after the civil war.

In Kano, a committee was constituted under the leadership of Dr Uba Adamu who renovated Igbo properties vandalised during the civil war and returned them to Igbos after the war. But their properties in Port Harcourt were not given to them till date, Mr Yakasai said.

The controversial politician did not discuss on specific issues proponents of restructuring have clamoured for. Proponents like former vice president Atiku Abubakar have highlighted key issues such as devolution of powers, state police, and so on as major components of their restructuring stance.

In his speech, Mr Yakasai advised Northern Nigeria to reestablish relationship with Sahel countries as, according to him, they share similar socio-cultural traits ahead of possible disintegration of Nigeria.

He said during the civil war, Republic of Niger assisted Nigeria with weapons, but later Northern Nigeria failed to to reciprocate the gesture.

On why he supported Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 against Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Yakasai said he did it to cement the relationship between Southern minorities and Northerners.

I supported Jonathan during the national conference, though I have never meet him. Igbo and Yoruba have common enmity against Hausa. There is need to establish relationship with Southern minorities, because we share similar fate.

Niger Delta has petroleum resources, North has human resources but they are lagging behind the West and the East in terms of education and economy, he said.

Mr Yakasai revealed that some people through his children put pressure on him to take his family away from Kano during the 2015 elections against fear of post election violence, saying I sent some of my family to their relatives, while others followed me to hotel through the election period.

Recalling the intrigues of the 1999 elections, Mr Yakasai said Northern bloc supported former president Olusegun Obasanjo against Second Republic vice president Alex Ekwueme, because the latter had accused Northerners of depriving him of the chance to succeed then president Shehu Shagari.

NPN (National Party of Nigeria) had developed a zoning formula before the 1979 elections. President from North and vice president from East with the intention of Ekwueme to succeed Shagari after he completed his second term.

When military overthrew Shagaris government, Ekwueme accused Shagari of conniving with military to deprive him opportunity of becoming president. He spent most of his prison days crying. I used to go to his cell along with Lawal Kaita to comfort him. I taught him Hausa when we were serving at Kirikiri Prisons, Mr Yakasai revealed.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of ARADA, Sule Bello, said the lecture was organised to share experiences, sensitise people and develop a common roadmap on the development of Nigeria.The International Committee of the Red Cross has condemned the killing of one of its recently abducted staff, Saifura Khorsa.

It also appealed to the abductors to immediately release a second ICRC midwife and another health-care worker kidnapped in the North-east in March.

We are devastated by the murder (killing) of our colleague Saifura, said Eloi Fillion, the head of the ICRC delegation in Abuja. Saifura moved to Rann to selflessly help those in need. Our thoughts are with her family and other loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.

At the time of their abduction, Saifura, as well as other colleagues Hauwa Mohammed Liman and Alice Loksha, a nurse working in a UNICEF-supported centre, were providing essential antenatal care to communities in Rann, whose population has more than doubled after an influx of people fleeing the violence.

We urge those still holding our colleague Hauwa and Alice: release these women. Like Saifura, they are not part of the fight. They are a midwife and a nurse. They are daughters, a wife, and a mother  women with families that depend on them, Mr Fillion said.

Their families and friends miss them dearly and will not give up the hope of seeing them again soon. There is no ideology or religious law that could justify doing any harm to them

Saifura, 25, was a devoted mother and midwife. Those who knew her said she adored her two children, a two-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl. The children have not been able to comprehend their mothers absence, as they frequently asked their grandmother if a passing plane was bringing their mother home. That grandmother must now find the words to tell two children their mother will never return.

The ICRC did not comment on the identity of the womens abductors (believed to be Boko Haram), their motives or the details surrounding Saifuras death.

It said since the womens abduction six months ago, it has made sustained and committed efforts to secure the three healthcare workers release, and will continue to do everything in its power to ensure that Hauwa and Alice are released and can return to their families immediately.Senate President Bukola Saraki on Monday declared he is all out to oust President Muhammed Buhari at the polls in 2019.

Mr Saraki stated this at a townhall meeting with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State.

The event at Park Inn Hotels, Abeokuta, was in continuation of his campaigns for the presidential ticket of the PDP.

Today in Nigeria, we are at a crossroads. Theres no sense of belonging in Nigeria again. We want a president that belongs to all Nigerians, that will unite Nigerians, he told the party members.

Mr Saraki, who was accompanied by Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, and other chieftains of the party, said there is a new order globally which encourages dynamic and energetic leaders, adding that he belongs in that category.

There is a new order all over the world we have seen bringing in dynamic, youthful, energetic and digital presidents. Our people are suffering because you cannot give what you dont have. We need a visionary leader. It is time not to vote for sentiments, but vote for someone that can perform, he added.

I believe I have the capacity, ability and track record, it is time we have a leader that stands for justice and I believe I represent such person. Our elders, I know many aspirants have come here, tell them your son has come out, they should mellow. On October 5 and 6, I want Ogun delegates to vote for me, Mr Saraki said.

In his contribution, Mr Melaye added a comic dimension to the meeting as he embarked on a series of political songs to seek support for Mr Saraki.

He also condemned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as President Buhari, calling on him to retire to Daura, his hometown on completion of his first term in office.

Mr Melaye said the ruling party is a disaster to Nigeria, calling on delegates to support Mr Saraki at the PDP primary.The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Monday announced its relocation to a yet to be disclosed venue after it formally opened its session amid threats of insecurity.

The tribunal, which was sitting at the premises of the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti, witnessed a throng of party supporters at the opening in the morning despite a large deployment of security personnel to the venue.

It was learnt that the restive mob created a scene and almost manhandled people entering into the court.

There were also reports of gunshots by security operatives to bring sanity to the environment.

The fear of insecurity was so palpable that the entry into the venue was restricted and security operatives conducted searches on those gaining entrance, including journalists and judicial officers.

The state police command also deployed an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and several police vans which were positioned in front of the court to ward off troublemakers.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kolapo Olusola, is challenging the victory of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Kayode Fayemi, at the July 14 election, praying the tribunal to declare him the validly elected governor of Ekiti State.

Mr Fayemi polled 197,459 to emerge winner against Mr Olusola, who received 178, 122 votes.

While the three-member panel resolved that the tribunal would be relocated due to security concerns, there were however strong indications that the choice of Abuja was being considered.

The ruling followed an oral application made by the counsel to the petitioner, Adebayo Adelodun, who cited cases of insecurity and threat to lives by the crowd massed at the courts gate before the commencement of the sitting.

The application was supported by the counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Charles Edosomwan, the APC, Akin Olujimi, and counsel to the governor-elect, Kayode Fayemi.

The counsels complained that they were nearly mobbed by those suspected to be party goons on their way into the court in the morning, noting that the mob was not discriminatory in their attacks.

The tribunal, which rose for about an hour later reconvened to deliver its ruling through its Chairman, Suleiman Belgore.

Other judges in the panel are Aliyu Baba and Ebiyerin Omukoro respectively.

Mr Belgore sustained the issue of insecurity raised by the lawyers that there was threat to human lives around the court.

He said he personally had an encounter with the unruly crowd on his way into the court in the morning and recommended that the venue be relocated, a conclusion that was not opposed by any of the parties.

Lawyers to the respondents expressed similar inclinations that the venue should be relocated to another city citing cases of insecurity to lives, said the judge.

We are critically mindful of the consequences of the applications made by the counsel to the petitioner, which was not opposed by the counsel to the respondents.

We have rubbed minds together and came to the conclusion that this fear is real and apparent that the situation is becoming insecure and tense and we cant trivialise such .

We hereby grant the application because of the consequences the insecurity could have on this tribunal and the new venue shall be communicated through our secretary to all parties within 48 hours.

Mr Belgore, earlier in his inaugural speech, promised that the panel would act truly as unbiased umpire and would not betray the confidence reposed in them by the Appeal Court President, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwal .

Mr Belgore added that the tribunal would comply strictly with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rule and the Practice Directive as issued by the President of the Court of Appeal.

He said the panel would not tolerate any act that could be inimical to smooth running of the tribunal regarding the hearing and dispensation of judgement within 180 days stipulated by the appeal court.

It would be recalled that on the 14th July, 2018, election was held into the office of the Governor of Ekiti State . Following the declaration and return of Dr Fayemi of the APC as the winner, his co-contestant, Prof Olusola of the PDP are challenging the outcome

and declaration before this tribunal, said Mr Belgore.

We cannot lose sight of the importance of our oath of office, the sacred duties we owe our conscience and the judiciary. We therefore, wish to assure all parties counsel and indeed all and sundry that the field will not only be levelled but officiating shall be impartial ,

fair and strictly in accordance with the relevant provisions of our laws.

Let me warn that the tribunal will not condone acts inimical to smooth proceedings. We hereby appeal to the members of the bar to show courtesy, diligence and due sense of professionalism in their appearances before us.

We must all bear in mind at all times that section 285 of the constitution and Section 134(2) of the Electoral Act are clear that all petitions must be heard and judgements delivered within 180 days.

So, we dont have the luxury of time. We intend to be pedantic in our work while at the same time no red herring technicalities shall be entertained.

To the security agencies, especially Department of State Security and police, we implore you to be fully alert and conscious of your operations. You cannot afford to exhibit laxity or laziness or indeed any slight indifference to security challenges in the course of performing our duties, he said.The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that cameras and other recording devices will not be allowed into polling booths during Saturdays governorship election in Osun State.

Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, made this known in Osogbo on Monday at an interactive session with stakeholders.

He said the move would curb the acts of vote-buying and vote-selling which had become a new strategy adopted by politicians to rig elections.

He said voters would not be barred from using their devices at the polling units but would not be allowed to hold their cameras and telephones from the moment they are issued with ballot papers until they cast their marked ballots inside the ballot boxes.

The menace of vote buying is now a new concept in our electoral system, and I can assure you that the commission will rise to these challenges, he said.

I want to make clarification on the use of mobile phones, we are restricting its usage from the time a voter gets ballot paper and cast his vote, in which the device will be returned thereafter.

Mr Yakubu also said the commission had achieved 73 per cent collection of Permanent Voter Cards by eligible voters in preparation for the governorship election slated for September 22.

He said Osun State has set a record of having 48 political parties participating in the election, the highest so far in Nigeria.

Our ultimate objective is to ensure that the choice of who governs the people of Osun in the next four years is in the hands of the electorate, said Mr Yakubu.

Today, malpractices like ballot snatching, ballot stuffing, hijacking of electoral materials and the rest have been considerably reduced.

Obviously, we have been progressively improved on our punctuality to the polling units, and the same tempo will be sustained in this contest.

I want to assure that come Saturday, only the votes cast by voters in the state will determine who becomes the next governor of the state.

The Inspector-General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, in his remarks at the event, said the police would be impartial and ensure the security of voters and other stakeholders before, during, and after the contest.

He disclosed that 18,426 police officers would be deployed to the state, adding that eight commissioners would be in charge of all area commands in the state.The Nigerian Railway Police Command in Enugu has arrested 14 persons in connection with alleged vandalism and theft of property belonging to the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

Henry Njoku, the Area Commander in-charge of the Eastern District Police Area Command, confirmed the arrest to journalists on Monday in Enugu.

Mr Njoku said that the suspects included two police officers, who were allegedly aiding and shielding ths suspects.

He said that the activities of hoodlums had continued to hamper the operations of the corporation in virtually all its routes within the Eastern Corridor.

The police boss said that the two police officers would face orderly room trial and risk dismissal, if found guilty.

He said that they would also be arraigned at the end of the trial along with the other 12 suspects.

He said that the arrest was made possible through intelligence report and painstaking investigation in the past two months.

He said that most of the suspects were arrested between midnight and 2 a.m. on September 15, while carrying out the act.

Mr Njoku said that the vandals were caught stealing heavy irons of brake system control, wagon parts, wagon wheels, clips of rail slippers and rail slippers.

Other items, he said, included armoured railway doors, sheets of zinc and rail cables, among others.

He said that the command had recorded a lot of vandalism within Isiagu-Izuakoli-Mbaeke-Umuhia sections and Emene-Ogui-Ogbete sections of the Eastern Corridors.

Mr Njoku said, We are strategising to ensure that we put a stop to this growing trend of sabotage to the economy of the nation.

The activities of the vandals are denying the people of this part of the country the opportunity to enjoy train services.

According to him, the property vandalised and stolen, including the ones recovered, runs into millions of dollars.

Items allegedly recovered from the suspects included a jeep, five tricycles, two mini-buses and two trucks used for conveying the stolen items, four gas cylinders and a big cutter.

(NAN)Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has nominated his commissioner of Agriculture, Nasiru Gawuna, as deputy governor.

Mr Gawuna is to replace Hafiz Abubakar who resigned from the position last month.

Reading the nomination letter at the State House of Assembly plenary on Monday, the Speaker, Kabiru Rurum, said the letter was in line with section 191 (3) (C) of 1999 Constitution of federal republic of Nigeria.

The letter read: In accordance with section 191 (3) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I hereby nominated Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna for confirmation as deputy governor.

The nominee is currently the commissioner of Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and member Kano state Executive Council.

In view of the above it is my hope this exercise will receive the usual kind consideration of honourable members of this Assembly.

The house has invited Mr Gawuna to appear before it on Tuesday by 10 a.m.

Mr Gawuna is a graduate of Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto. Before he joined politics, he worked with Kano State Hospital Management Board in Muhammad Abdullahi Wase and Murtala Muhammad specialist Hospital.

He was elected as chairman of Nassarawa Local Government in 2004 and re-elected in 2007.

Mr Gawuna was appointed commissioner of Agriculture in 2014 by Rabiu Kwankwaso and reappointed by Mr Ganduje to the same ministry in 2015.Some coastal communities in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have been flooded, with many residents rendered homeless.

Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Commissioner for Information in Bayelsa, who confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, said the state government was still assessing the damage caused by the disaster.

Mr Iworiso-Markson disclosed that the number of communities affected by the flood is on the increase, adding that the state is in dire need of support, especially from the federal government.

He observed that the timely steps taken by the government in setting up a flood response team and subsequent sensitisation had prepared the minds of the flood prone communities, adding that earlier flood alert also saved the day.

The commissioner, however, reiterated an earlier call made by the Bayelsa Deputy Governor, John Jonah, that the state is yet to get its own share of the flood intervention fund.

Mr Jonah had on Wednesday, while receiving a delegation from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) expressed displeasure over the non-payment of its share of the N1.6 billion approved by the federal givernment for states ravaged by flood.

Mr Iworiso-Markson decried the delay in the release of the fund since 2012, saying it would have helped to complement the efforts of the state government in tackling the flood.

The commissioner urged residents in Bayelsa to be vigilante and report flood incidents in their various communities to the flood emergency telephone lines for quick intervention.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Sagbama constituency 3 in the State House of Assembly, Salo Adikumo, confirmed that the worst hit communities in his area included Asamabiri, Elemebiri, Ekperiware and Adagbabiri.

Mr Adikumo said, so far, properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed in the affected communities.

He called for the intervention of the federal government, through NEMA.

The lawmaker also appealed to other relevant Federal agencies to make haste in coming to the rescue of those affected by the flood in the state.

He said the state government is doing its best; within the limit of its resources.

(NAN)Another aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel has resigned his appointment with the Akwa Ibom State Government.

The aide, Anietie Ebe, until his resignation, was Mr Emmanuels special assistant on project investments and industries.

He was working at the states Foreign Direct Investment office, Uyo.

Mr Ebe told the governor in his resignation letter dated September 1 that he had been denied basic work tools and other fringe benefits since his appointment in 2015.

This situation, I do not think will ever improve. It is barely a couple of months to the end of the tenure, he said.

Mr Ebe, who is the son of a former deputy governor of the state, Valerie Ebe, also informed Governor Emmanuel that he was leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His mother, Mrs Ebe, defected a few days ago from the PDP to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Ebe told PREMIUM TIMES, Monday, that he and other officials did not visit a single project site throughout his three years or so in office because, according to him, the government refused to mobilise them for such visit.

I have never been mobilised to visit investment sites.

We had meetings with the governor and he told us it wasnt possible for him to provide those things we needed. They are running government as if it were a private thing, he said.

He added, A lot more other aides of the governor are agitating to leave. They are only hanging on to get their salary and would likely leave towards the end of the governors tenure.

A lot of them have hope in the salary, you know how difficult things are.

Mr Ebe, who said Akwa Ibom needs a leader that means what he says, weighed in on Mr Emmanuels experience in the banking sector, and said the governor would probably have been better off if he had had the experience in the public sector, as well.

Anyone who works in the bank could grow probably because he has been able to source enough funds to the bank, and that could push you up the ladder.

Exposure is actually serving in different sectors, especially the public sector so that you would know how to handle public issues.

You dont run the public sector like a private sector, he said.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the head of the Foreign Direct Investment, Gabriel Ukpe, he said Mr Ebe was just a lazy man.

All the things I gave him to do, nothing came out of it, and at some point in time I shut him out because I am a professional, I came from the private sector, having worked with pwc for about 34 years.

The governor put me there for a purpose. It is either you want to work or you dont want to work. If you dont want to work, Ill just leave you and work with other people who want to work. We dont have time for people who are lazy. Maybe to him, its was a political appointment.

Mr Ukpe said it wasnt part of their department job schedules to go on project inspection.

We operate as a one-stop-shop. When investors come, lets assume they want to go into agriculture, we would bring in the commissioner for agriculture to discuss with them and agree on certain terms, we draw up MoU and then agree on the land size and allocate land to them and give them the certificate of occupancy. If theres need to form a joint venture company, they form one.

Once the investors start work, they go to the ministry, it is the ministry that would supervise them. Most of those investments are private sector-driven.

You see, people misunderstand this; when they hear of industrialisation, they think the government is carrying money to go and throw it in, somewhere.

Mr Ukpe said Mr Ebe was a low-level staff in his office, and therefore he did not want to engage in any argument with him.

Before Mr Ebe, at least two of the governors other aides have resigned their appointment with the state government.

Chris Okorie, who was a special assistant to the governor on electoral matters, had defected to the APC after resigning his appointment in June 2017.

Mr Okorie, a former chairman of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, had similarly complained of lack of basic work tools.

Five months ago, another aide to the governor, Ibanga Etang, also defected to the APC after resigning his appointment as a special assistant to the governor on projects.

The governors adviser on politics, Ekong Sampson, however, told PREMIUM TIMES, Monday evening, that there was nothing to worry about since those who have resigned are very few when compared with the number of aides working for the governor.Chris Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has joined the race to the red chamber for the Anambra South Senatorial district election in 2019.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Uba is contending the seat with his elder brother and serving senator, Andy, as well as Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the Ikemba Nnewi, Odumegwu Ojukwu, and others under different political platforms.

NAN reports that while Chris is contesting the seat under the platform of the PDP, his brother, Andy is re-contesting under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Bianca is bidding under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Briefing journalists in Awka on Sunday, Anambra PDP Chairman, Ndubuisi Nwobu, said that the PDP had bright chances in the 2019 poll in the state considering the quality of people picking the partys various nomination forms.

He said that others who had picked the partys nomination forms for the senatorial race in the state were a one-time security adviser to the Anambra State Government, Chuma Nzeribe, former governorship aspirants, Alex Obiogbolu and Obinna Uzor.

Mr Nwobu said the party would field candidates for the 11 House of Representatives seats in the state and the 30 House of Assembly seats in the general elections in 2019.

The PDP chairman said that the likes of Chris Uba had a track record of positive political dispositions in the state and was optimistic that his decision to run under the party would restore lasting peace and victory to the party.

Mr Nwobu said that Mr Uba was known as the godfather of Anambra politics since 1999 and had been sponsoring candidates for political positions both in the PDP and other political parties.

He said that Mr Uba had in the past had political battles with two former governors of the state, Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Chris Ngige over appointments and other political patronages which he came out strong.

NAN also reports that business moguls, Ifeanyi Ubah and Nicholas Ukachukwu, are contesting for same Anambra South senatorial ticket on the platform of the APGA.

NAN recalls that a former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, had penultimate week said that 15 Igbo billionaires had been mobilised to sponsor Mrs Ojukwus widow in the poll.

Mr Ohakim made the disclosure in Ekwulobia in Aguata LGA of Anambra during Mrs Ojukwu s formal declaration of interest for the senatorial seat .

He said, the Igbo will not stand and watch anybody intimidate Ojukwus widow in any circumstance.

He added, We shall march her opponents strength for strength and cash for cash.

NAN reports that in the just concluded APGA retreat held in Awka, Anambra state capital, the Board of Trustee chairman and Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano, said that the party primaries would be free and fair.

He urged all interested political contestants in all the elective posts to get prepared to face their constituents during the party primary. (NAN)New Yorks Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo would like to change such neutrality by blackmail. His Department of Financial Services sent guidance letters to banks and insurance companies advising against dealings with the NRA or similar gun promotion organizations. It imposed millions of dollars in fines on two firms and banned the sale of insurance products endorsed by the NRA. Receiving back-channel threats, financial and insurance providers canceled business relationships with the NRA.The Police Command in Anambra on Sunday unsealed the state secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a commitment by the two factions that they would be lawful in their conduct.

Haruna Mohammed, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Awka,

Mr Mohammed stated that the commitment by the two factions was reached during a meeting with the state police xommissioner, Garba Umar.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the PDP secretariat was sealed on Wednesday following a violent clash between two factions of the party.

The secretariat, located at Udoka Housing Estate in Awka was locked up on Mr Umars orders and armed police officers were deployed to keep vigil at the office pending the return of peace.

Meanwhile, the commands spokesperson stated that members of the factions had been advised to be peaceful, as anybody who ignited trouble would be dealt with in line with the law.

Mr Mohammed explained that after a meeting between the police and the PDP officials on Saturday, Mr Umar directed that the office be unsealed.

Some of the aggrieved members of the executive said that they were disappointed with the way and manner the chairman, Ndubuisi Nwobu, and about four others, accepted to serve as caretaker members.

The spokesperson disclosed that a police team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police, A. John, was detailed to unlock the office at about and withdraw all police personnel deployed, to ensure peace at the secretariat.(NAN)A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Lagos, Jide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday said he had a strong conviction that God had prepared him to be the next governor of the state.

Mr Sanwo-Olu made the statement at Lagos City Hall while speaking at the formal launch of his governorship bid.

NAN reports that members of the National Assembly, council chairmen and other chieftains were at the declaration. A senator, Gbenga Ashafa; former minister, Ademola Seriki; and a federal lawmaker, Rotimi Agunsoye were among those present.

It was a carnival atmosphere at the well-attended declaration as party members danced and interrupted Mr Sanwo-Olus speech with the chants of incoming,incoming !

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had on Monday declared his bid for re-election while a former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Obafemi Hamzat, is also in the race for the APC governorship ticket.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said he believed God was moulding him to become the next governor of Lagos by making it possible to have an understanding of government through series of private and public service responsibilities.

When I look at my experience in public service, I realised that God has prepared me for this moment .

I believe that my contribution to the public service made it possible to be appointed as acting Commissioner for Economic Planning, then Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and later Commissioner for Establishment and Training.

My public service career has crowned the glorious achievements of my journey to the private sector where I had worked in the financial industry.he said.

He said his decision to contest the Lagos governorship was out of the need to sustain the vision of the past great leaders of the state.

Mr Sanwo-Olu praised the achievements of Mobolaji Johnson, Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola, saying their strides as past governors contributed to the prosperity of Lagos.

He said he would sustain the great legacies and further reposition the state if elected as governor.

If elected as the next governor, I shall immediately embark on full restoration of the glory of the state and make the people the cornerstone of government.

I will restore the environment that has become the source of serious anxiety to Lagosians.

I will relieve residents of Lagos State of the persistent gridlocks and hiccups that has made life nasty and brutish for all of us.

Our government focal point shall be to provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people in Lagos State.

I have invited all of you here to join me in this journey to take Lagos to new dimension by transforming the manifesto of our party to the programme of action

I am sending a clarion call to all our members that there is a lot to be done to achieve a Lagos of our dream.

And I present myself as a capable and competent and tested hands to make Lagos greater, he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu promised to carry party members along and stick to the ideology of the APC if elected.

He urged other residents to believe in his aspiration to take the state to greater heights.

(NAN)Members of a group, known as Human and Consumer Rights Advocacy Centre, staged rallies in various parts of Lagos on Monday to support Gov. Akinwunmi Ambodes re-election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group staged rallies at Ojota, Ogba, Berger and Iyana Ipaja, chanting solidarity songs in support of Mr Ambode.

The rallies are coming against the backdrop of speculations that Ambode has fallen out of favour with his political godfather, Bola Tinubu.

Mr Tinubu is said to be currently rooting for a former commissioner in the state, Jide Sanwo-Olu, who has already declared his intention to contest the governorship on the platform of the APC party, where Mr Ambode also belongs.

Analysts view the development as a trying political season for Mr Ambode, who has since announced his desire to seek re-election.

Mr Tinubu, a former Lagos Governor and Senator, has dominated the politics of Lagos State, Nigerias economic capital for many years.

Members of the HACRAC group chanted solidarity songs as they moved from one place to another in the city, clutching placards with various inscriptions.

The placards read: Let the good man continue. Asiwaju, Ambode is your son. In solidarity with Ambode. Ambode is a resilient responsible governor.

Others read: Gov. Ambode is our man. Asiwaju, pls, leave Mr Actualiser. Let the good job continue. Let Ambode continue his good but unfinished job.

On September 14, a group, called `Ambodemania Movement/Support Worldwide, staged a similar rally in Lagos to celebrate what they called good governance in Lagos.

One of the leaders of the rally, Alex Omotehinse, told reporters that the rallies were holding simultaneously at Ogba, Iyana-Ipaja, Berger and other areas to drum support for Mr Ambode.

He said the action was aimed at supporting the good governance and sterling performance of the governor since his assumption of office.

We are in support that Ambode should be returned as the next governor of Lagos State. The rally is because of insinuations that there is going to be an imposition because of god-fatherism.

Nigerians and Lagosians believe that the man has tried. Nobody is perfect. Some of us believe that Ambode has tried his best and that no one knows it all. We believe he deserves another term.

He should be given an opportunity to complete what he has started, Mr Omotehinse, the Lagos State Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights said.

According to him, if a new governor is elected, it will slow down the pace of development as such governor will start afresh, learn and come up with new policies.

It is a must for Ambode to return. Let us applaud his sterling performances and good will from the masses and encourage him to continue. Ambode is tested okay. We know what he can offer.

Also speaking to NAN, an activist, Funmi Ajayi, said if Mr Ambodes re-election was what Lagosians wanted, the leadership of APC should field Mr Ambode for a second term.

The people of Lagos State are saying they have enjoyed the work that he has done, so they want him to continue.

People are pleading with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on behalf of Ambode to grant him the second term to continue his infrastructural development. Kudos to Gov. Ambode, he is working, Ms Ajayi said.

(NAN)Anyone who wants to buy a gun from a licensed dealer is required to fill out a Firearms Transaction Record. It asks various questions to determine if the customer is legally prohibited from getting a gun  because he or she is a felon or a fugitive from justice, received a dishonorable military discharge, has been adjudicated as a mental defective and the like. It also notes that the purchase may not be made on behalf of another person.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.



So far, Mayor Rahm Emanuel hasnt shown much enthusiasm for the idea. He likes the original green space proposal for the North Branch redevelopment  60 acres of scattered patches of parkland, a tot lot here, a green rooftop there. That doesnt come close to what a park of 24 contiguous acres would offer. The mayor should view the park plan through the same prism through which he envisioned the Riverwalk, now an urban jewel and part of his legacy. North Branch Park could give similar refuge from urban density that Millennium Park, Grant Park or Jackson Park give.PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey, conducted in August among more than a thousand U.S. adults, found that Americans are familiar with constitutional provisions involving impeachment and pardons, issues that are in the news.

But they know less about fundamentals like the three branches of government.

This year 32 percent of Americans were able to correctly name all three branches, an increase from last year's 26 percent and the highest since 2014, when it was 36 percent. The rise may reflect greater awareness after a year of nonstop political news about the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court  the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The portion of respondents who couldn't name any of the three branches was unchanged, at 33 percent.

"It is a sad commentary on the well-being of the body politic that the ability of a third of the public to name the three branches is worthy of a headline," said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania. "Let's hope that this year's increase will be followed by steady increases in the following years."

Low knowledge of essential facts

The 2018 Annenberg civics knowledge survey, released for Constitution Day (Sept. 17), found that many people do not know how the branches of government work:

A quarter (27 percent) incorrectly said the Constitution allows the president to ignore a Supreme Court ruling if the president believes the ruling is wrong;

A plurality (41 percent) incorrectly said that both the House and Senate must approve before a nominee becomes a justice on the Supreme Court (30 percent correctly know that the Senate alone confirms);

But a slim majority (55 percent) knows that a 5-4 Supreme Court decision is the law and must be followed, about the same as last year.

Higher knowledge about impeachment and pardons

The survey found that a substantial majority of Americans is knowledgeable about some issues, including impeachment and pardons:

82 percent know that the Constitution allows the president to be removed from office if the president is impeached for and convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors;

75 percent know that the Constitution requires the federal government to count the number of people in the United States every 10 years, also known as the census;

every 10 years, also known as the census; 73 percent know that when the president vetoes a bill, it still can become law if two-thirds of the members in each house of Congress vote to override the president's veto;

And 68 percent know that the Constitution gives the president the power to grant pardons for offenses against the United States .

Protecting the Supreme Court

Respondents were asked if they agreed or disagreed with two statements on the Supreme Court:

Three-quarters (73 percent) strongly or somewhat disagreed with the statement: If the Supreme Court started making a lot of rulings that most Americans disagreed with, it might be better to do away with the Court altogether. (21 percent strongly or somewhat agreed.)

Two-thirds (65 percent) strongly or somewhat disagreed with the statement: When Congress disagrees with the Supreme Court's decisions, Congress should pass legislation saying the Supreme Court can no longer rule on that issue or topic. (28 percent strongly or somewhat agreed.)

The survey found a significant relationship between constitutional knowledge and protecting the Supreme Court. An analysis of responses to four of the key knowledge questions found that people who correctly answered all four strongly opposed weakening or getting rid of the court. Those items concerned the names of the three branches; what it takes for Congress to override a veto; who confirms a Supreme Court justice; and what a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling means.

"We found a direct relationship between basic knowledge about the three branches of government and wanting to protect the independence of the courts," said APPC distinguished research fellow Bruce Hardy, an assistant professor of communication and social influence at Temple University.

Jamieson said, "The survey shows the important role that understanding of the Constitution plays in the public's support for an independent judiciary. But it is worrisome both that 1 in 5 would consider doing away with the Supreme Court if it were to issue a lot of unpopular decisions and that 1 in 4 think it would be OK for Congress to strip jurisdiction from the court in instances in which it disagrees with the court's ruling.

"High-quality civics education is not a luxury," Jamieson added. "One is unlikely to appreciate or defend constitutional prerogatives or rights one does not understand."

Methodology

The survey for the Annenberg Public Policy Center was conducted by phone from August 8-12, 2018, among 1,008 U.S. adults by SSRS, an independent research company. The margin of error is 3.8 percent. (See the accompanying Appendix for the details and questions.)

Constitution Day and the Civics Renewal Network

APPC's Annenberg Classroom is one of more than 30 nonpartisan partners in the Civics Renewal Network (CRN), which seeks to raise the visibility of civics education by providing free, high-quality resources for teachers of all grade levels. Many of the organizations sponsor activities for Constitution Day, which celebrates the signing of the Constitution in 1787, including:

CRN and its members sponsor the Preamble Challenge, in which teachers, classes and citizens recite, perform, and celebrate the 52-word Preamble to the Constitution.

Federal courts celebrate Constitution Day with educational outreach events, including naturalization ceremonies. In keeping with the judiciary's 2018 theme, "Federal Courts: Guardians of the Constitution," the courts are staging group recitations of the Preamble in courthouses, schools, and public events. (Watch: Students reflect on the Preamble.)

Annenberg Classroom has released the short video "The Supremacy Clause: McCulloch v. Maryland" exploring the tension between states and the federal government through this landmark Supreme Court case.

See CRN's partners for more about Constitution Day.

Coming soon: Next month the Annenberg Public Policy Center, home of Annenberg Classroom and FactCheck.org, and iCivics will release a media literacy game for secondary school students through adults, teaching them how to confirm information and identify misinformation.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center was established in 1993 to educate the public and policy makers about the media's role in advancing public understanding of political, health, and science issues at the local, state and federal levels. Find APPC on Facebook and on Twitter at @APPCPenn. Follow the Civics Renewal Network at @CivicsRenewal.

SOURCE The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania

Related Links

http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org

In a capitalistic society money flows to where returns are highest. Lincoln Park, the South Loop, Hyde Park  all have an abundance of private capital for high-priced apartments and condominiums, shopping centers, businesses. That means that neighborhoods that are economically less well-off must look to government for investment, such as the $95 million police and fire training academy to be located in the Garfield Park neighborhood.LAS VEGAS, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Digipath, Inc. (OTCQB: DIGP), an independent cannabis lab testing and media company, is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors; Dr. Cindy Orser, PhD. and Mr. Bruce Raben.

Dr. Orser is the Chief Science Officer ("CSO") of Digipath's wholly owned subsidiary, Digipath Labs, Inc. As CSO of Digipath Labs since 2014, Cindy has created a replicable state-of-the-art cannabis-testing facility in Las Vegas, NV with validated standard operating procedures to ensure cannabis and cannabis-based products are safe once they reach the dispensary shelves. Dr. Orser is also leading Digipath's promotion of cannabis strain authentication, which combines chemoprofile data analytics with strain genotyping to distinguish cannabis drug type strains.

Dr. Orser draws from over 25 years of innovative experience in both academia and private industry. She holds 18 issued patents and has authored 46 peer-reviewed publications. She received her BS in Botany from Montana State University in Bozeman and was awarded a PhD in Plant Pathology and Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Orser is the founder of five biotech companies including Adyfe, Cellphire, Big Sky Biosystems, ASDx Biosystems and iPDx Biosciences. She has consulted for the molecular diagnostic and cannabis industry as well as the federal government. For five years, Dr. Orser served as Corporate Senior Scientist and Head of the Biodefense/Biotechnology Initiative at Arete Associates in Washington, D.C. and was a tenured Professor of Biochemistry and Bacteriology at the University of Idaho.

Mr. Raben is the co-founder and President of Hudson Capital Advisors BD, LLC. Hudson Capital is a financial advisory firm that provides a wide array of financial advisory services to companies, entrepreneurs, financial sponsors and institutional investors primarily focused on the middle and lower middle market. It provides capital raising and private placement services, advice and transactional support for mergers and acquisitions, as well as other advisory services such as restructuring, re-capitalization and valuations.

Mr. Raben has been an investment banker, merchant banker and private investor for over 30 years. He started his career and became a senior banking executive at Drexel Burnham Lambert in 1979 where he worked on numerous leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations, including Mattel Toys, SFN Co.'s, Magma Copper, Warnaco, Mellon Bank and John Fairfax. He then went on in 1990 to become a cofounder of the corporate finance department at Jefferies & Co. At Jefferies, he was the architect of forming its Energy Group and Gaming Group. From there, Mr. Raben went off to open the west coast office for CIBC's High yield and Merchant Banking activities in 1996. At CIBC, he was the lead banker on CIBC's financing and co-founding of what became Global Crossing. Over the years, Mr. Raben has sat on a number of public and private company boards of directors, including Foodmaker, Rival Manufacturing, Magnetek, Warnaco, Terex, Global Crossing, Equity Marketing and Fresh Direct. Mr. Raben received his B.A. from Vassar College in 1975 and his MBA from Columbia University in 1979.

Todd Denkin, CEO and Chairman remarked "Dr. Orser has been part of the senior leadership at Digipath from the beginning, and to be able to have her contribute her formidable skills and insight at the board level will be a terrific addition as the Company strategically expands. Bruce Raben brings a wealth of banking, finance and transactional experience to the Company and the board. We are very enthusiastic about both of them joining us as we embark on our next chapter of growth."

About Digipath, Inc. (DIGP)

Digipath, Inc., supports the cannabis industry's best practices for reliable testing, cannabis education and data acquisition, and brings unbiased cannabis news coverage to the cannabis industry.

Digipath Labs provides pharmaceutical-grade analysis and testing to the cannabis industry to ensure producers, consumers and patients know exactly what is in the cannabis they ingest and to help maximize the quality of its client's products through analysis, research, development, and standardization.

Information about Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that include information relating to future events. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: the Company's need for additional funding, the demand for the Company's products, governmental regulation of the cannabis industry, the Company's ability to maintain customer and strategic business relationships, the impact of competitive products and pricing, growth in targeted markets, the adequacy of the Company's liquidity and financial strength to support its growth, and other risks that may be detailed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting Digipath, please refer to the Company's recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact

Investor Relations

Digipath, Inc.

(702) 527.2060

[email protected]

SOURCE Digipath, Inc.

Related Links

http://digipath.com

"CellPoint Mobile has demonstrated its commitment and knowledge of the Africa region as a member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), as well as its global reach as a payment service provider," said Miretab Teklaye, Director Digital, at Ethiopian Airlines. "The Alipay integration is the first in our PSP partnership in China and an important step in our airline's growth strategy for the mobile channel".

Earlier this year, Ethiopian Airlines and CellPoint Mobile announced an ongoing partnership that includes implementation of the Velocity payment platform  a full merchant-side payment control environment built specifically for the travel industry. Velocity's comprehensive platform enables immediate access to multiple PSPs, acquirers and global consumer wallets and APMs.

Velocity also features a PCI DSS Level 1 certified card vault and advanced fraud monitoring  important value-adds for airlines operating to and from the growing APAC region, where local acquirer connections and support for local payment methods are paramount for success.

Payment Support for Airlines in New Markets

With 100 million Chinese traveling abroad every year, more merchants in Southeast Asia, Western Europe, North America  and now Ethiopia  are investing in mobile solutions to support Alipay for Chinese visitors and tourists, as well as foreign expats living in China. In nearby Japan, the number of stores accepting Alipay doubled to more than 50,000 last year, as mobile payment transactions in China reached a record $12.8 trillion; in comparison, the U.S. had only $49.3 billion in total mobile payment transactions in 2017.

"By adding support for Alipay, Ethiopian Airlines is strengthening its position not only as the flag carrier of Ethiopia, but as a leading airline for commercial air travel within Africa," said Ciaran Wilson, Senior Sales & Account Director at CellPoint Mobile. "As part of our ongoing partnership, CellPoint Mobile will continue to support Ethiopian Airlines in its mobile payment strategies and provide more competitive and forward-looking PSP services in an increasingly complex payment environment."

Payment Platform for Airlines & Travel Merchants

As an official member of AFRAA, the regional body for African airlines, CellPoint Mobile is committed to the growth of the region's commercial aviation industry. As a mobile-first PSP, CellPoint Mobile can help carriers like Ethiopian Airlines gradually become more competitive in the mobile channel, reduce transactional friction, increase mobile look-to-book ratios, and boost incremental revenues throughout the entire passenger journey.

Ethiopian Airlines has prioritized the mobile channel and taken incremental steps to enhance customers convenience by partnering with one of today's most important payment methods for the global traveler  Alipay. CellPoint Mobile can help other airlines in Africa add new payment methods, grow sales and revenue and make travel easier for mobile users.

For more information about the Ethiopian Airlines deployment of Alipay or to interview Ciaran Wilson of CellPoint Mobile, please contact Vanessa Horwell at [email protected].

About CellPoint Mobile

We Make Travel Easier for airlines, travel companies and their customers.

CellPoint Mobile provides airlines, ground and sea transportation providers, hospitality firms and travel companies across the globe with flexible, configurable solutions that help them collect revenues from the mobile channel and profitably manage interactions and transactions from both the selling side and the payment side. Dedicated to a client-first, mobile-first culture since 2007, CellPoint Mobile provides companies with the fintech and travel-tech solutions they need to get to market quickly: booking, payments, alternative payment methods, ancillary sales, loyalty transactions, communications, stored payment capability, real-time reporting, reconciliation, connections to payment service providers (PSPs) and acquirers, and more. Serving companies on five continents, CellPoint Mobile has locations in Miami, London, Copenhagen, Dallas, Dubai, Pune and Singapore. Visit www.cellpointmobile.com to learn more.

About Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become the continent's leading carrier, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success. Ethiopian commands the lion's share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 116 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with eight business units: Ethiopian Regional Services; Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering; Ethiopian Ground Services and Ethiopian Airports Services. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.

About Alipay

Operated by Ant Financial Services Group, Alipay is the world's largest mobile and online payment platform. Launched in 2004, Alipay currently works with over 200 domestic financial institution partners. Over the years, Alipay has evolved from a digital wallet to a lifestyle enabler. Users can hail a taxi, book a hotel, buy movie tickets, pay utility bills, make appointments with doctors, or purchase wealth management products directly from within the app. In addition to online payments, Alipay is expanding to in-store offline payments both inside and outside of China. Alipay's in-store payment service covers over 40 countries and regions across the world, and tax reimbursement via Alipay is supported in 29 countries and regions. Alipay works with over 250 overseas financial institutions and payment solution providers to enable cross-border payments for Chinese travelling overseas and overseas customers who purchase products from Chinese e-commerce sites. Alipay currently supports 27 currencies.

SOURCE CellPoint Mobile

Related Links

http://www.cellpointmobile.com

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Excite Medical installs a DRX9000 and a DRX9000C in Baghdad, which becomes the third city in Iraq to offer its technology. The American Private Medical Centers, which made the latest purchase have locations in Sulaimanyia (North Iraq), Baghdad and the Babylon.

DRX9000 By Excite Medical Treatment for Back Pain www.ExciteMedical.com DRX9000 Treatment for Back Pain Lumbar and Cervical www.ExciteMedical.com

The DRX9000 installation in Iraq is the third country in recent years that Excite Medical has accomplished in the middle east. The middle east has been a fast growing market for Excite Medical with DRX9000 systems in Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Excite Medical's president Saleem Musallam, who is fluent in Arabic, stated "this is just the beginning of an anticipated large growth potential in the region.

Mr. Amjed Al Janabi, General Manager of the American Centers, said, "After visiting Excite Medical's establishment in Tampa, FL, I was very impressed with the company and its founder Mr. Musallam." He added, "I look forward to a long term relationship with Excite and purchasing additional systems from them, I highly recommend them."

Excite Medical has built a solid reputation in the international market by delivering 100% of the time and providing complete support to its clients regardless of their location. Mr. Musallam first traveled to the Middle East on business in 2005 and over the years has established long term flourishing relationships. The DRX9000, Excite Medical's flagship product, currently has over a million fans on Facebook and has become the most popular non-surgical, drug free treatment for back pain.

Having excellent communication skills, in depth knowledge of international government regulations, and shipping logistics has been key to Excite's international success. Excite Medical's flagship product can be found in over 1,000 clinics in 45 countries around the globe. For further information connect with Excite's president on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/saleem-musallam-01335625/

For more information contact:

Briana Kaufman

[email protected]

813-310-1111

SOURCE Excite MedicalROESRATH, Germany, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- GKN's Niche Customer, Motorsport & Aftermarket (NMA) website has been completely overhauled with a simple-to-use, modern look and interesting content that is integrated into the common GKN brand presence on the GKN Driveline website. This integration means that all important and interesting information on GKN activities and events can be found in one place.

The site is located at the URL:

https://www.gkn.com/en/our-divisions/gkn-driveline/our-solutions/drivelineservices/

The new site has been designed to focus emphasis on customer solutions. The main menu provides access to information on Motorsport, Aftermarket and Niche Customers.

Alongside are related systems and individual products such as a simple and fast download option for brochures and catalogues. To assist the Aftermarket business, users have access to a news center with information on new products, the latest version of the online catalogue (updated monthly) and a portal with how-to videos and installation tips for workshops. Plus, a trade show calendar provides details on industry events where the NMA is showcasing its wares.

The web pages are compatible with all standard browsers and optimized for mobile devices. The brand and keyword search function makes it quick and easy for users to find the information they need on contacts, products and technologies.

GKN's Download section provides access to a wide range of material. A comprehensive reference database shows the application diversity of the company's driveline components group. Content is offered in English, although further language versions are currently in preparation.

Aftermarket covers more wide-ranging and varied customers than virtually any other business division. The GKN people working in this area supply the independent replacement parts market with almost all products manufactured by GKN for cars and light commercial vehicles. The overall product line-up is further enhanced by supplier parts like springs and steering technology.

SOURCE GKN

Related Links

https://www.gkn.com

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/745108/Roscongress_Global_Fishery_Forum.jpg )



More than 3,000 business leaders, fisheries representatives and government officials from Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Canada, China, Morocco, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Japan and elsewhere attended the Forum. Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev read a welcome address from President Vladimir Putin.

Deputy Agriculture Minister and Head of the Federal Fishery Agency Ilya Shestakov, leaders of sectoral agencies of the Faroe Islands and Morocco, UN (FAO) experts, the Pacific Biological Station, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, and the Embassy of Denmark spoke at the "Global fishing activities 2050: resources, markets, technologies" plenary session. Attendees discussed competition in the World Ocean, aquatic bioresources reserves and the prospects of aquaculture given the Earth's growing population.

Pressing issues were discussed at panel sessions "Issues in commercial straddling stocks fishing activities," "Shipbuilding 2050: A peek into the future," "Resources," "Aquaculture: 2050 breeding and development forecast," "Global consumer markets," "Russian fish: a strategy for promoting Russian fish products on the Russian market," and "Fishery technologies: the food loss and food waste problem."

Important agreements were signed between Russia and Guinea, Russia's Federal Fishery Agency and the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama, and FOR Group and Lenta.

The Expo showcased fishing, processing, trading and shipbuilding companies, equipment manufacturers, government agencies and trade associations. Visitors tasted products, took part in a video tour of leading Russian companies, experienced an interactive tunnel and took part in a 3D presentation "120 Years of Russia's Fishing Industry."

The Expo featured joint booths of the Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kaliningrad regions, Karelia and Tatarstan and the Azov and Black Sea fishery basin, as well as national booths of Norway, Iceland, Morocco and Argentina. Its 13,000 square meters hosted 180 companies, including 122 from Russia. Russian Fish, Russia's first fish fast-food restaurant, operated in the expo area.

Construction on a 30 ton/day fishing vessel was started (Dmitry Patrushev, Ilya Shestakov and Arkhangelsk Region Governor Igor Orlov took part in the ceremony), the International Year of Salmon, established by academics and environmentalists, was inaugurated, and winners of the all-Russia competition "The Best Fish Product" were announced.

The event was organized by the Federal Fishery Agency, and the Forum was operated by Roscongress Foundation.

The Global Fishery Forum official website is at http://www.fishexpoforum.com

SOURCE Roscongress FoundationPITTSBURGH, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An inventor from Lacolle, Quebec, Canada, has developed the INDOOR SMOKE ERADICATOR, an integrated system that will ventilate cigarette or marijuana smoke from the interior of a residence.

"With Canada's upcoming legalization of marijuana, landlords are concerned about second hand smoke. In addition, non-smokers are concerned with the effect on their health as well as their children's," said the inventor. The INDOOR SMOKE ERADICATOR ventilates foul or irritating odors associated with tobacco or marijuana smoke. This will help minimize health hazards associated with tobacco or marijuana smoke. This may offer peace of mind to tobacco and marijuana users. The system is easy to install and use, and it is durable for years of effective use. Finally, it is producible in various models with different options.

The original design was submitted to the National Sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 17-KOC-944, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

Related Links

http://www.inventhelp.com

HONOLULU, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SVA Architects, Inc. is pleased to announce that its Kapolei mixed-use project, Kulana Hale, received $80 million in bond funding from the Hawaii Housing Finance & Development Corporation (HHFDC) for the project's affordable components on August 10, 2018. The West Oahu project will bring approximately 300 new residences and 32,000 square feet of retail to the area. Kulana Hale is part of a recent rapid growth in Kapolei that has transformed the city into the central business district on West Oahu. SVA Architects finalized the design and is prepared to commence construction of phase one for Coastal Rim Properties, Inc. and Highridge Costa Development Company, LLC; the project is scheduled to break ground on September 20, 2018.

Located at 1020 Wakea St., the three-acre Kulana Hale is bordered by Haumea, Wakea, Alohikea and Ala Kahawai Streets. The $130 million mixed-use project will consist of three components developed in three phases. Phase one will be a 13-story tower with 154 affordable senior rental units and ground floor retail space. Phase two will add another 13-story tower with 143 family affordable units, as well as additional retail. Phase three will add a one-story retail building. Phase one of the project is expected to be complete by early 2020.

Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, CEO of SVA Architects, states, "This is a very exciting project that will help bring new energy to this rapidly growing area of West Oahu. We are very proud to be a part of Kapolei's growth and bring affordable housing to an area where affordable housing is in high demand." Mr. Vasquez has been working in Hawaii since 1983.

Mohannad H. Mohanna, President of Highridge Costa Development Company adds, "We are pleased to announce the closing and start of construction of our newest community in Kapolei, Kulana Hale. We are very excited to provide much needed affordable senior and family housing to the community. Our commitment to provide quality affordable housing will make Kulana Hale an important addition to Kapolei. This development is a result of years of hard work with our partners, Coastal Rim Properties, HHFDC, Citibank, Aegon, SVA Architects, American Savings Bank and LIIF. It takes a village to make a dream like Kulana Hale become a reality."

Founded in 2003, SVA Architects has become one of the Country's most innovative and respected design and planning organizations. The award-winning firm specializes in urban planning, architecture, and interior design of public, private, and mixed-use projects. Among the firm's portfolio are civic, educational, residential, commercial and mixed-use developments. SVA Architects values institutional and public environments as the foundation of a community and the backdrop against which we live, learn, work, worship, and play. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana with offices in Oakland, San Diego, and Honolulu. For more information, visit www.sva-architects.com.

Media Contact: Beth Binger

BCI

Mobile: (619) 987-6658

[email protected]

SOURCE SVA Architects, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sva-architects.com

"Dip creates a new experience for our customers, focusing on a thoughtfully designed and curated collection that is simple, stylish and affordable," said Christina Groth, Kroger's vice president of general merchandise. "During the product development process, we were intentional about creating a brand that's unique and resonates with our shoppers  and we believe we've done just that."

Dip makes it easy for shoppers of all ages to look and feel great. More than 80 percent of the collection is $19 or less.

To create a cohesive and compelling brand experience, Kroger leveraged customer insights provided by 84.51 and recruited talented fashion designer Joe Mimran, best known for Club Monaco, Pink Tartan and Joe Fresh, to lead the creative and design vision. Jackman Reinvents partnered to help create the brand name and image, go-to-market plan and end-to-end shopper experience.

"No detail in the fit and finish of Dip has been overlooked," offered Joe Mimran, creative director. "Dip is reflective of customers' true needs and built around a foundation of key modern pieces. It's fresh. It feels fantastic in your hand. It's a fun attitude. It's all those things. These are clothes for really living life in and looking good while doing it."

The Dip collection offers clothing for men, women, young men, juniors, kids, toddlers and babies and features elevated essentials and seasonal trend pieces.

"To win, you must view the world through the eyes of your customers," outlined Joe Jackman, founder and CEO of Jackman Reinvents. "At every stage of development, we kept the customer benefit at the forefront. If an element didn't help shoppers achieve effortless style every day, it didn't make the brand. Simple as that."

"We anticipate customers quickly connecting with Dip. The new brand is easy to find in our stores and offers incredible quality, style and value. It's simplified pricing, so there's no waiting for a sale or hunting for a coupon," added Groth. "And we're just getting started. We want everyone to enjoy Dip  expect to see new items, designs and styles."

To see visuals of Dip, visit here.

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Related Links

http://www.kroger.com

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- National PTA announced today the launch of PTA Connected, an initiative to educate and engage families in digital wellness, security, access, equity and literacy. The initiative formalizes and builds on the association's work in the digital space in response to the growing needs and interest of parents nationwide. National PTA is launching PTA Connected with support from presenting and founding sponsor Symantec. Additional founding sponsors of the initiative are Facebook, Google and AT&T.

"Parenting in the digital age is increasingly complex, as families strive to help children act safely, responsibly and thoughtfully online," said Jim Accomando, president of National PTA. "National PTA has been working for more than five years to explore and address these issues. We remain committed to this important work and are proud to formally launch our PTA Connected initiative."

PTA Connected combines National PTA's work into a multi-dimensional program that will deepen the understanding and knowledge of parents, families and teachers about digital safety tools and resources; mobilize PTAs, schools and communities to engage families around best practices and shared learning; and generate collective impact.

With the support of corporate and non-profit collaborators, National PTA will educate parents and encourage dialogue to help them guide their children in the digital world and make the best possible decisions for their families. Training and grants will also be delivered to state and local PTA leaders across the country to lead community conversationsgiving parents a space to network and share successes and worries about parenting in the digital world as well as share ideas, resources and tools to help keep children safe online.

As part of the launch of PTA Connected, National PTA also announced today a first phase of grants for local PTAs.

An initial 200 PTAs among all 54 state congresses will be selected to receive a $1,000 grant to host a Digital Families Community Event with Facebook.

Twenty-five local PTAs will also be selected to receive a $1,000 grant sponsored by Symantec to host an event in conjunction with Safer Internet Day, which will be celebrated Feb. 5, 2019 .

The deadline to apply for this first wave of PTA Connected grants is Oct. 14, 2018. The next phase of PTA Connected will launch with Google in the coming weeks.

"Symantec has supported National PTA's education and awareness-raising efforts in cyber safety for many years. Today, we are proud to announce our pioneering involvement with and sponsorship of PTA Connected," said Cecily Joseph, vice president of Corporate Responsibility for Symantec. "Together, we can provide parents with tools and resources that help teach safe internet habits to their kids and support their educational growth, while helping to create an internet where they can safely explore and feel empowered."

"National PTA is grateful to Symantec, Facebook, Google and AT&T for supporting our efforts to help families navigate the digital world. We are pleased to continue our work together through PTA Connected," added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. "As parents, we want our children to connect, learn and have fun through technologyand at the same time, stay safe. National PTA has been and remains committed to fostering safe, positive use of technology and the internet among youth as well as providing families with tools to help their children be successful both online and off."

About National PTA

National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

SOURCE National PTA

Related Links

http://www.pta.org

ROSEVILLE, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This Court-Ordered Notice arises out of a class action lawsuit involving slurry-coated roofing tiles that were manufactured by Monier Inc. At trial, a jury determined that qualifying homeowners are entitled to damages in the amount of $3,705. Qualifying commercial property owners are entitled to $400 or more. The purpose of this Notice is to inform Class Members of their right to submit a claim for compensation in a Claims Process overseen by the Superior Court of California.

This notice is only a summary. For additional information, including a Detailed Notice that fully describes this Claim Process, please visit www.RoofingTilesClassAction.com.

Who is eligible for a payment?

All owners of homes or commercial properties in the State of California, or previous owners of homes or commercial properties in the State of California, with Monier tiles sold between January 1, 1978 and August 14, 1997 ("Qualifying Tiles"), or previous owners of homes or commercial properties with Monier tiles sold during that same period, may be entitled to compensation. Homeowners may be entitled to receive $3,705 per home, and commercial property owners may be entitled to receive $400 for every 30 roofing squares.

How is the class defined?

The Court created two classes that overlap and they are defined as follows:

UCL CLASS: (i) all individuals or entities in the State of California who own structures with slurry-coated roof tiles sold by Monier Company, Monier Roof Tile, Inc., or Monier Inc. between January 1, 1978, and August 14, 1997 (the "Tiles"); and (ii) all California individuals and entities who paid to replace or repair such Tiles. Membership in the Class is limited to those who, prior to purchasing or obtaining their Monier roof tile product, were exposed to a statement along the lines that the Tiles would have a 50 year life, permanent color, or would be maintenance free. The Class excludes the trial judge and his family, and defendants and their counsel.

CLRA CLASS: (i) all individuals in the State of California who own, for personal, family or household use, structures with slurry-coated roof tiles sold by Monier Company, Monier Roof Tile, Inc., or Monier Inc. between January 1, 1978, and August 14, 1997 (the "Tiles"); and (ii) all California individuals who owned such homes for personal, family or household use and who paid to replace or repair such Tiles. Membership in the Class is limited to those who, prior to purchasing or obtaining their Monier roof tile product, were exposed to a statement along the lines that the Tiles would have a 50 year life, permanent color, or would be maintenance free. The Class excludes the trial judge and his family, and defendants and their counsel.

How do Class Members receive payment?

To qualify for payment, Class Members must (1) own a home with qualifying Monier tiles, and (2) complete and return a claim form further demonstrating that they are entitled to payment.

The Claim Form must be returned by U.S. Mail as instructed on the forms, postmarked no later than September 17, 2019.

There is a claims administrator directly involved in the Claims Process that can answer questions and assist in filing claims. Contact information for the Claims Administrator is listed below.

How can Class Members get more information?

For additional information about the claim process please visit the website at www.RoofingTilesClassAction.com, call toll-free at 1-877-797-6085, or write to Monier Tile Class Action, P.O. Box 4068, Portland, OR 97208-4068.

Class Counsel have been appointed by the Court to represent the Class. If the Court grants Class Counsels' fee request, those fees and expenses will paid separately by Monier. Class Members do not have to pay any fees or expenses.

SOURCE Superior Court, State of California, County of Placer

Related Links

http://www.roofingtilesclassaction.com

Whether the accused is a beloved actor, Catholic cardinal or a Supreme Court nominee, all allegations of sexual assault should be investigated. The time elapsed or the age of the victim should never be ammunition for discounting or dismissing a sexual crime allegation.OTTAWA, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) is conducting a federal environmental assessment of the proposed Red Mountain Underground Gold Project, located northeast of Stewart, British Columbia. The project is also subject to requirements under the Nisga'a Final Agreement, a modern treaty signed by the governments of Canada, British Columbia, and the Nis g a'a Nation.

The Agency invites the Nis g a'a Nation, Indigenous groups and the public to comment on the draft Environmental Assessment Report , which includes the Agency's conclusions and recommendations regarding the potential environmental effects of the project and their significance, the proposed mitigation measures, and the follow-up program.

The Agency also invites comments on the potential environmental assessment conditions for the project. Final conditions would become legally-binding on the proponent if the project is allowed to proceed.

This project has benefited from several public and Indigenous consultation opportunities. This is the final public comment period in the process.

All comments received will be considered public. Written comments in either official language must be submitted by October 18, 2018 to:

Red Mountain Underground Gold Project

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

410-701 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, British Columbia V7Y 1C6

Telephone: 604-666-2431

Email: [email protected]

Following the public comment period, the Environmental Assessment Report and potential environmental assessment conditions will be finalized and provided to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, along with comments received. The Minister will make a decision on whether the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

Associated Links

Follow us on Twitter: @CEAA_ACEE

SOURCE Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

Related Links

http://www.ceaa.gc.ca

Regarding her love of animals, Judd stated: "All my life I've felt a special bond with animals. I don't know what I would do without my own rescue pets and their unconditional love. Sadly, there are animals in shelters around the country still waiting anxiously to give their love to someone. On Remember Me Thursday, please take a moment to advocate for and remember these special animals. Speak up for pet adoption!"

Judd leads an impressive list of celebrity supporters also aligning themselves with Remember Me Thursday. Notable personalities, professional athletes, pet behaviorists and social media pet stars have signed on as "luminaries," committing to share their thoughts on pet adoption in videos and via their social media accounts throughout the campaign. At press time, 70+ influential luminaries have joined the cause, including:

Notable Film, TV and Stage Personalities: Alexander Jean, Andie MacDowell, Ashley Bell, Ashley Roberts, Bellamy Young, Beth Stern, Bo Derek, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, Carrie Ann Inaba (2015 Official Spokesperson), Christian Siriano, Coco Austin, Courtney Lopez, David Tutera, Daymond John, Diane Keaton, Elaine Hendrix, Eric Paslay, Eric Roberts, Holly Madison, Ian Somerhalder & Nikki Reed, Katherine Heigl (2014 Official Spokesperson), Kathy Najimy, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Kristin Chenoweth (2017 Official Spokesperson), Linda Blair, Lou Wegner, Mark Steines, Pauley Perrette (2016 Official Spokesperson), Rick Springfield, Ross Mathews, Wil Wheaton, and Wynonna Judd (2018 Official Spokesperson).

Cartoonists: Greg Evans (creator of LUANN), and Patrick McDonnell (creator of MUTTS).

Professional Athletes: Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings), Bryan Bickell (Chicago Blackhawks), David Backes (Boston Bruins), Evan Longoria (San Francisco Giants), Jake Muzzin (Los Angeles Kings), Jeff Carter (Los Angeles Kings), Joey Logano (NASCAR), Kevin Kiermaier (Tampa Bay Rays), Liam Hendriks (Oakland A's), Marc Rzepczynski (Seattle Mariners), Mark Buehrle (World Series Champion), Matt Duffy (Tampa Bay Rays) and Ryan Newman (NASCAR).

Animal Specialty Celebrities: Dr. Marty Becker, Hannah Shaw, Jack Hanna, Jackson Galaxy, Jill Rappaport, Tamar Geller, Victoria Stilwell, and Wendy Diamond.

Animal Celebrities: Alien Cat Matilda, Chewie, Chi Chi, Chloe, Choupette Lagerfeld, Cole and Marmalade, Cooper, Fugee, Justin Fire Survivor, Kitten Faces, Lil BUB, Louie, Monty Boy, My Cat Kyle, Nala Cat, Norbert, Paddington, Pumpkin the Raccoon, Purrminators, Sauerkraut Kitty, Smush, Tango, Tuna, Vito Vincent, Worried Cat, and Yeti (the 2018 Remember Me Thursday Rescue Pet Hero).

Remember Me Thursday was established in 2013 by Helen Woodward Animal Center President and CEO Mike Arms. Moved by the staggering statistic of the 2.7 million1 homeless pets who lose their lives each year in the U.S., Arms put out a call to rescue organizations in an attempt to create a global awareness campaign. As creator of the International Pet Adoptathon and the International Home 4 the Holidays program (placing over 14 million pets in homes since 1999), he was able to send out an expansive request and the response was significant.

Now in its sixth year, Remember Me Thursday has been supported by 180 countries with hundreds of thousands of individuals and more than 700 separate animal welfare organizations around the globe holding candle-lighting ceremonies of their own, spreading the message on social media, or lighting a virtual candle. The enormous swell of celebrity support has resulted in the topic trending each year on both Facebook and Twitter, garnering more than 1 billion social media impressions since its start.

To be a part of the 2018 Remember Me Thursday campaign, individuals and animal welfare organizations are encouraged to get the entire world talking about pet adoption on Thursday, September 27th, by tweeting, tagging, posting and sharing the beauty and life-saving significance of pet adoption using the hashtag #RememberMeThursday and @hwac. Animal-lovers can win life-saving funds, toys and food for adoptable pets looking for forever families at their favorite non-profit, pet adoption organization. To enter the Remember Me Thursday Social Media Contest, simply upload your rescue pet's photo and story to the #RememberTheRescue Photo Wall for a chance to win!* (*Restrictions apply. Final selection remains at the sole discretion of Helen Woodward Animal Center).

For more information on Remember Me Thursday and a full list of participating celebrities and animal welfare organizations, go to www.remembermethursday.org. For more information, contact (858) 756-4117 or animalcenter.org.

About Remember Me Thursday

Animal lovers and organizations across the globe unite on the fourth Thursday in September to light a candle in remembrance of the millions of homeless pets who lost their lives without the benefit of a loving home and to shine a light via social media on the millions of orphan pets still waiting for their forever homes. The Remember Me Thursday global awareness campaign is championed by Mike Arms, President of Helen Woodward Animal Center, and creator of both the International Pet Adoptathon and successful Home 4 the Holidays program which, in partnership with national animal organizations, has placed over 14 million pets in homes since 1999. For more information, please visit remembermethursday.org or via hashtag #RememberMeThursday on social media.

1Animal 24-7 published by Merritt Clifton approximates the number of homeless pets euthanized at 2.7 million annually.

SOURCE Helen Woodward Animal Center

Related Links

http://animalcenter.org

GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 16, the 24th World Route Development Forum kicked off in Guangzhou, an international metropolis built over 2230 years ago.

The Routes event has been commonly dubbed as "the Olympics" and "World Expo" in the international civil aviation community. The World Routes 2018 has an unprecedented scale, attracting more than 3500 guests of airlines, airport administrative organizations, governments and travel agencies in 115 countries, a record high since the first edition in 1995. This grand event has generated prime opportunities for Guangzhou and China in international markets and witnessed the rise of Guangzhou's international aviation hub.

In recent years, Guangzhou's international aviation hub and airport economy have experienced rapid development, with a new airport that acts as a new driver for national development. The aviation hub, as it improves, allows Guangzhou to vigorously promote the Belt and Road Initiative and drastically enhance its innovative capacity and ability to stimulate the development of the surrounding areas.

The Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the third largest in China. At the opening ceremony of the forum, the Guangdong Airport Authority, organizer of the event, signed memorandums of cooperation in developing air routes with seven Chinese and foreign airlines, and important routes to Madrid, Milan, St. Petersburg, and Islamabad are expected to open in the near future. Statistics show that the Baiyun Airport has set in place 23 international routes that were newly-launched or saw an increase of flight frequency and connected another seven destinations since the flag handover ceremony at the World Routes 2017 in Barcelona last September. By far the airport has been home to nearly 80 Chinese and foreign airlines, and it has air connections with more than 210 destinations, nearly 90 of them being overseas.

"A world-class aviation hub can bring in a huge and valuable traffic," said Wen Wenxing, general manager of the Guangdong Airport Authority, adding that the ability to connect the country and the world and strong capacity to allocate resources have enabled Guangzhou to gain an inherent edge over developing the airport economy. Guangzhou has been home to a number of high-end projects, represented by Airbus's and Boeing's plants of converting passenger planes into cargo planes. Another highlight is the city's aviation maintenance industry, which has witnessed the forming of the world's largest aircraft maintenance and freighter conversion bases.

Simultaneously, industries related to the airport economy have enjoyed rapid growth as Guangzhou continues to enhance its aviation strength. According to statistics, Guangzhou has ranked first in China by volume of cross-border e-commerce business for four consecutive years. The comprehensive bonded zone now houses over 1,000 companies engaging in cross-border e-commerce, and registering over 100,000 kinds of products. Each day, an average of over 140,000 lists of cargo was handled at the airport.

"This conference helps to demonstrate to the world the achievements of reform and opening up in Guangzhou, Guangdong and even China. We are willing to build more cooperation platforms with airports, airlines and travel agencies all over the world, and open up more channels to achieve win-win development," said Zhang Shuofu, Secretary of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee, at the forum.

The international aviation community, gathering in China for the World Routes 2018, the third edition in China, holds high expectation for enhancing inter-connectivity and win-win cooperation, and draws a blueprint for the aviation development in the future.

Tewolde, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, expressed his hope to further expand the aviation market in China, and the company is planning to increase the flight frequency to Guangzhou and other major airports in China.

On September 10th, JC (Cambodia) International Airlines officially launched the Guangzhou-Sihanoukville route, the first direct air route connecting the two destinations. Upekha Anupauma Bentota Pathiranha, senior vice president of JC, said at the forum: "Currently, JC has direct route connections with 10 Chinese cities including Guangzhou. We plan to increase that figure to 15 by the end of this year."

"We're planning to make further progress in southern China, Guangzhou in particular, because Guangdong is a critical market to us," said Huseyin Ceyhan, vice president, Asia-Pacific at Turkish Cargo.

SOURCE Guangdong Airport AuthoritySTOCKHOLM, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

- What the US can learn about the world's 'coolest' region for data

- An extensive new study from the market leader for hyper-efficient, green data centers in cold Nordic countries has revealed fast-changing business priorities and growing awareness of the long-term benefits of efficient, clean data  reasons attracting major global hyperscalers to make major investments in the region.

DigiPlex, the leading pan-Nordic operator of hyper-efficient, green data centers has today released extensive research into changing attitudes and business priorities from Nordic senior executives in the heart of one of the world's most attractive region for data storage and colocation.

With American hyperscale digital operators such as Google, Amazon and Facebook making massive investments into the region, the company's American co-owner and chairman Byrne Murphy urges more US businesses to take note of the major strategic benefits emerging from the region.

"With global business demand for data storage, connectivity, and security rising at a faster rate than anyone can deliver, American businesses should be asking why some of the biggest global market players are investing billions[1] to build data centers in the Nordic region" says Murphy. "Nordic data centers offer huge advantages for American businesses looking for a gateway to Europe. Beyond being easier to cool because of the climate, power is cheaper and greener than just about anywhere else."

America's hyperscalers flocking to the coolest, best connected area of Europe

The new survey provides a unique window into trends and attitudes in a region that has become a preferred destination for some or the largest, and most ambitious data center constructions. Recognizing the significant savings emerging from cheap, clean power, stable governments, low taxes and excellent global connectivity presented by the region and its estimated the scale of investment in the market has reached $3 billion.[2]

"The recent wave of hyperscale investment in the Nordic region, by businesses who are utterly committed to efficiency and long-term planning, is proving what we at DigiPlex realized nearly 20 years ago: the overlapping geographic, political and structural benefits make the Nordics the world's most exciting and important region for data centers, and something no global business leader can afford to ignore. Our data center in Sweden, for example, offers a power use efficiency of 1.2, far below the industry average of 1.8, which adds up to massive savings."

The cost of data climbs to the top of board agendas

DigiPlex's report shows how the data center issue at C-level has increased in line with greater and more globally widespread deployment of new technologies. Seven in ten surveyed companies believe that the biggest source of business disruption comes from Cloud Computing, which is expected to change core business models and have a considerable impact on revenue and margins in just three years, closely followed by Big Data and Analytics (69%), and AI and Machine Learning (66%).

"Our survey shows that businesses are starting to recognize the importance of data to their operations, but many are still missing out on a lot of information. A full 60% still couldn't say where their data is located which may have significant impact in a post GDPR world" continues Murphy. "The stage is set for a seismic shift in business models, as reality sets in and the true impact of digital transformation hits the balance sheet."

Change of attitude  sustainability higher on the agenda

Another major concern revealed by the survey is the impact of digitization on the environment. In one of the most notable indicators of a rapid shift in attitudes, 'Sustainability' emerged as the fastest rising data center concern, from 27th place to fourth place in just two years, joining 'Security', 'Operating Costs' and 'Energy' at the top of the list of concerns.

Sustainability moved to fourth place in 2018 as the most pressing concern for the respondents, up from 27th place in the 2016 Survey.

A Perfect Storm: Nordic Data Centre Trends 2018 may be downloaded here

"The carbon cost of constructing and running data centers is becoming a global concern, with activist pressure from groups like Greenpeace and increased government awareness pointing to potential fines, new taxes or reputation damage down the line. Nordic data centers run fully on100% clean, renewable hydropower. The average kilowatt-hour of electricity in Norway generates only 3 grams of C02, compared to an average of 300 grams in California, nearly 600 in Virginia or over 800 in New Mexico."

The report, titled A Perfect Storm: Nordic Data Centre Trends 2018, conducted in partnership with IDG Connect, reveals the outlook of 300 business leaders in the Nordic Region. Senior decision-makers indicate the considerable effort now being spent to ensure data is processed and stored sustainably, whether that be related to running cost, security or long-term environment impact.

DigiPlex has established a reputation as a global leader in sustainable and green data centers, with operations in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. All DigiPlex's data centers are run on 100% renewable energy. As a leader in the field, DigiPlex is at the forefront of innovation in the sector delivered through pioneering engineering.

Two of the most recent examples of this use energy and heat from data centers to power homes. An award-winning program launched in spring 2018 in conjunction with Stockholm Exergi to return heat to 10,000 homes in the city, and a subsequent announcement in summer 2018 launched a similar effort with Norway's largest district heating supplier, Fortum Oslo Varme, offering heat to roughly 5,000 apartments in Oslo.

DigiPlex designs, builds and operates data centers in the Nordics. The company specializes in delivering best-in-class services to its customers by delivering tailored, secure and resilient environments with the highest possible availability. As a result, DigiPlex is trusted by public and private customers alike  including security sensitive organizations such as government and financial institutions. All DigiPlex data centers consume only electricity produced from sustainable sources.

Read more on www.digiplex.com

Notes to editors:

Methodology: IDG Connect surveyed 151 respondents in Sweden and 145 in Norway in early 2018. All respondents to this online poll were from organizations with at least 50 employees, with the largest companies having more than 25,000 employees; the majority of respondents had between 250 and 999 staff. On aggregate, 24% of respondents came from government/public administration/military and 19% came from finance/banking/accounting/investment. The remainder came from a wide spread of industries including insurance, retail and e-commerce. The respondents represented an equal mix of CEO, CFO and CIO roles. Gartner research, and numerous academic studies have shown Data centers are responsible for 2% of the world's annual CO2 emissions and 3% of the power consumption. By 2025, data centers are predicted to consume 1/5th of the world's energy, indicating that digitization's impact on the environment through conventional methods is not sustainable. Further information about the Stockholm heat reuse partnership can be found here: https://www.digiplex.com/insights/articles/digiplex-heat-reuse-partnership

[1] Source: Broadgroup Data Centers Nordics report, September 2017 http://www.broad-group.com/reports/data-centers-nordic-iii

[2] Source: Broadgroup Data Centers Nordics report, September 2017 http://www.broad-group.com/reports/data-centers-nordic-iii

CONTACT:

For more information please contact:

Elisabeth Lennhede, Head of Communications, DigiPlex

[email protected], +46-70-33-22-705

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/digiplex/r/what-the-us-can-learn-about-the-world-s--coolest--region-for-data,c2620072

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/7526/2620072/910552.pdf Press release (PDF) http://news.cision.com/digiplex/i/gisle-m-eckhoff-ceo-digiplex,c2489398 Gisle M Eckhoff CEO DigiPlex

SOURCE DigiplexNEW YORK and LONDON, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and CFA Institute will mark Global Ethics Day on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 by exploring how businesses are preparing for an ethical future in the face of threats and challenges presented by globalization, technology, and human psychology.

Beginning with a series of "follow the sun" events on Global Ethics Day, the three are producing a film interview series, Ethics in business: in their own words, featuring a number of global CEOs discussing the greatest ethical challenge facing their respective organizations: Helen Brand OBE, chief executive of ACCA; Paul Smith, president and CEO of CFA Institute; and, David MacLennan, chairman and CEO of Cargill.

ACCA Singapore and ACCA Hong Kong also will run film festivals throughout October, showcasing documentaries such as Banking on Bitcoin (2016), about the cyber and digital monetary revolution; Big Men (2014), about oil discovery in Africa and balancing risk and reward; and The Price We Pay (2014), about the impact of tax avoidance and offshoring by big business.

"This is the fifth anniversary of Global Ethics Day, and an opportunity for us all to stop and think ahead to the ethical challenges we face and how we can all work together to tackle them," said Helen Brand OBE, ACCA's chief executive. "Ethics and professionalism are the foundations of the accountancy profession, although they are of course far from exclusive to accountancy. And having strong ethical principles is at the heart of the ACCA Qualification, giving ACCA professional accountants the clear moral compass to guide the business decisions they make on a daily basis. But a strong ethical mindset is not immune to challenges."

She added, "This day is to remind individuals and businesses of their ethical responsibilities and highlight why doing the right thing is so important, and this is why ACCA is supporting Global Ethics Day 2018, working with Carnegie and CFA Institute to shine a spotlight on all things ethical."

Joel H. Rosenthal, president of Carnegie Council, said, "This is a great opportunity to organize a global conversation on the evolving role of business in society. Ethics is no longer a downside proposition focussing only on compliance and risk. It is now about opportunity. It is now about creating a sense of purpose rooted in human-centered values and these values empower businesses to improve the lives of shareholders and stakeholders alike."

"At CFA Institute, ethics and professionalism have always been an integral part of our curriculum and are core to our life as a professional membership body," said Paul Smith, president and CEO, CFA Institute. 'We are pleased to join with ACCA and the Carnegie Council to promote Global Ethics Day. At CFA Institute, we seek to promote the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence in the Investment Management Industry, and so we are proud to join this effort."

The organizations are using the hashtag #globalethicsday2018 to celebrate the day.

About ACCA

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

ACCA supports its 208,000 members and 503,000 students in 179 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 104 offices and centers and more than 7,300 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.

ACCA is currently introducing major innovations to its flagship qualification to ensure its members and future members continue to be the most valued, up to date and sought-after accountancy professionals globally. Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com

About Carnegie Council

Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1914, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is a forum for the world's leading thinkers, experts and decision makers. Through lectures, workshops, panel discussions, conferences, interviews, articles and a wealth of free multimedia online resources, the Council has earned a reputation as an honest, objective voice for ethics in international affairs. www.carnegiecouncil.org

Held every October, Global Ethics Day provides an opportunity for organizations around the world to hold events on or around this day, exploring ethics in action in world affairs.

About CFA

CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behaviour in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 155,000 members in 165 countries and territories, including 150,000 CFA charterholders, and 151 member societies. www.cfainstitute.org.

SOURCE ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

Related Links

http://www.accaglobal.com

PHOENIX, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, one of the nation's largest networks of independent financial advisory firms comprised of FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates Inc., SagePoint Financial Inc., and Woodbury Financial Services Inc., today announced it has been named the winner of two WealthManagement.com Industry Awards for the initiatives listed below:

Service: The Future is Now 2.0 program, a series of educational offerings intended to help advisors adapt to the industry's changes and continue to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. Members of Advisor Group's executive team hold one-day roadshows to give advisors the opportunity to network with their peers and the firm's leadership team.

The Future is Now 2.0 program, a series of educational offerings intended to help advisors adapt to the industry's changes and continue to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. Members of Advisor Group's executive team hold one-day roadshows to give advisors the opportunity to network with their peers and the firm's leadership team. Transition Support: My Succession Plan, which increases the connectivity between advisors and helps them plan for the succession of their businesses. Launched in October 2017 , the website consists of a community of advisors seeking to build, buy, or sell a practice.

"These awards are a testament to the ongoing efforts of our team at Advisor Group and our commitment to address the needs of our advisors as the industry continues to rapidly evolve," said Jamie Price, president, and CEO at Advisor Group. "It's an honor to provide our advisors with the resources they need during such a critical transition time for their businesses, and we see this recognition as a sign from the industry that our hard work is paying off."

The latest offerings from Advisor Group help to address many of the unique pain points that advisors face:

The Future is Now 2.0 has enabled its advisors to keep pace with the industry's rapid changes and maintain a strong network of peers. In fact, nearly 98% of attendees said that the roadshows underscored Advisor Group's commitment to its partners.

My Succession Plan connects advisors with one another to ensure the succession of their businesses goes smoothly. The program had nearly 400 members just two months after its launch, with total assets exceeding $26 billion .

"Our industry is changing every day, and Advisor Group strives to provide advisors with the tools they need to adapt to this change as seamlessly as possible," added Valerie Brown, executive chairman at Advisor Group. "We're proud to see our hard work honored by the industry we serve, and we're excited to continue providing advisors with the most up-to-date solutions available on the market."

Now in their fourth year, the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards celebrate the individuals and firms that are supporting organizational success and transformation in the financial advisory space. Nominations are assessed by an esteemed panel of industry experts and influencers, who this year judged entries from nearly 200 firms. This year's winners were announced at a dinner ceremony in New York City on September 13, 2018.

In 2017, Advisor Group achieved double-digit growth in both revenue and AUA as it introduced new products and services to help advisors continue to grow their businesses.



About Advisor Group

Advisor Group, Inc. is one of the nation's largest networks of independent financial advisors serving over 5,000 advisors and overseeing approximately $190 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, the firm is mission-driven to support the heroic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients, offering securities and investment advisory services through its subsidiaries FSC Securities Corp., Royal Alliance Associates Inc., SagePoint Financial Inc., and Woodbury Financial Services Inc., as broker/dealers, registered investment advisors and members of FINRA and SIPC. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial advisors and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way.

SOURCE Advisor Group

Related Links

https://www.advisorgroup.com

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 10th annual Growth, Innovation and Leadership (GIL) African Best Practices Awards hosted by Frost & Sullivan, in partnership with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and Arkadin, were held on 13 September 2018, at the Table Bay in Cape Town.

The event kicked off with Frost & Sullivan's Hendrik Malan, Partner and Operations Director for Africa, presenting the 2018-2019 Global Mega Trends at the CEO Think Tank, followed by a presentation on innovation and supporting start-ups by Sholto Dolamo, Head of Research for the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).

Awards keynote speaker Tonya Fowler, Frost & Sullivan Global Research Director, discussed the rigorous process based on completed consulting and research that research analysts go through when nominating companies for Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards.

Several companies were recognized with Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards for their contribution to the growth of Africa. Award categories included Energy & Environment, Transformational Health, Digital Transformation and Mobility.

The 2017 and 2018 Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recipients are:

2017 Southern African Dry Sanitation  Company of the Year Award  Enviro Loo

2017 East African Renewable Energy Development and Distribution  Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership Award  Rift Valley Energy Tanzania

2017 South African Enterprise Software for Retail  Customer Value Leadership Award  redPanda Software

2018 Sub-Saharan African Smart Water Management Solutions  Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership Award  Utility Systems

2018 Nigerian Pharmaceutical Production and Distribution  Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership Award  Fidson Healthcare

2018 African Health Product and Technology Distributor  Visionary Innovation Leadership Award  Kiara Health

2018 Sub-Saharan African Communications Services  Enabling Technology Leadership Award  Afrique Telecom

2018 Middle Eastern & African Smart Cards  Customer Value Leadership Award  Gemalto

2018 Sub-Saharan African Tower Infrastructure  Enabling Technology Leadership Award  NuRAN Wireless

2018 South African LPWAN Enabling Technology Leadership Award  SqwidNet

2018 African IoT  Technology Innovation Award  Vodacom

2018 South African Taxi Hailing  New Product Innovation Award  Afta Robot

2018 South African On-demand Logistics  New Product Innovation Award  EmptyTrips

For media partnership opportunities or to attend next year's Growth, Innovation and Leadership: Africa, please send an e-mail to Donna Liedemann, Corporate Communications for Africa at [email protected]

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Donna Liedemann

Corporate Communications  Africa

P: +27 21 680 3574

F: +27 21 680 3296

E: [email protected]

T: @FrostSullivanSA

http://www.frost.com

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

http://www.frost.com

SEATTLE, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. today reported August and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis for its mainline operations operated by subsidiary Alaska Airlines Inc. and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries Inc. and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

On Jan. 11, 2018, Alaska and Virgin America consolidated their operations onto a Single Operating Certificate. Results for Alaska and Virgin America have been combined into a single mainline operation.

AIR GROUP

On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 3.8 percent increase in traffic on a 4.3 percent increase in capacity compared to August 2017. Load factor decreased 0.5 points to 85.7 percent.

The following table shows the operational results for August and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



August

Year-to-Date

2018

2017

Change

2018

2017

Change Revenue passengers (000) 4,195

4,024

4.2%

31,107

29,496

5.5% Revenue passenger miles RPM (000,000) "traffic" 4,964

4,784

3.8%

37,086

34,910

6.2% Available seat miles ASM (000,000) "capacity" 5,791

5,552

4.3%

44,072

41,148

7.1% Passenger load factor 85.7%

86.2%

(0.5) pts

84.1%

84.8%

(0.7) pts

MAINLINE

Mainline reported a 2.6 percent increase in traffic on a 2.9 percent increase in capacity compared to August 2017. Load factor decreased 0.2 points to 86.2 percent. Mainline also reported 75 percent of its flights arrived on time in August 2018, compared to 78.5 percent reported in August 2017.

Mainline operational results reflect both Alaska and Virgin America combined. The following table shows mainline operational results for August and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



August

Year-to-Date

2018

2017

Change

2018

2017

Change Revenue passengers (000) 3,264

3,174

2.8%

24,352

23,094

5.4% RPMs (000,000) 4,523

4,408

2.6%

33,888

32,245

5.1% ASMs (000,000) 5,247

5,101

2.9%

40,054

37,831

5.9% Passenger load factor 86.2%

86.4%

(0.2) pts

84.6%

85.2%

(0.6) pts On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 75.0%

78.5%

(3.5) pts

82.2%

77.3%

4.9 pts

REGIONAL

Regional traffic increased 17.3 percent on a 20.6 percent increase in capacity compared to August 2017. Load factor decreased 2.2 points to 81.2 percent. Alaska's regional partners also reported 74.2 percent of its flights arrived on time in August 2018, compared to 76.3 percent in August 2017.

The following table shows regional operational results for August and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



August

Year-to-Date

2018

2017

Change

2018

2017

Change Revenue passengers (000) 931

850

9.5%

6,755

6,402

5.5% RPMs (000,000) 441

376

17.3%

3,198

2,665

20.0% ASMs (000,000) 544

451

20.6%

4,018

3,317

21.1% Passenger load factor 81.2%

83.4%

(2.2) pts

79.6%

80.3%

(0.7) pts On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 74.2%

76.3%

(2.1) pts

84.6%

78.9%

5.7 pts

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 44 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 11 consecutive years from 2008 to 2018. Learn about Alaska's award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.alaskaair.com

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Which college towns have the lowest housing and utility costs? Where is the cheapest university city to purchase a movie ticket and a half-liter of domestic beer? Move.org's recent study of college towns calculated college town living costs by these and other criteria. They designated Helena, Montana, to be the most economical option for college students. Rounding out the top three are Lincoln, Nebraska, and Augusta, Maine. Living expenses make up a significant portion of a student's total cost of going to college. This is no small consideration considering that more than 44 million borrowers currently owe more than $1.5 trillion. As American Financial Benefits Center (AFBC) clients know, the total cost of college can weigh down borrowers for years, but federal income-driven repayment plans (IDRs) may help lessen the burden.

"We feel that students should carefully consider all costs associated with college and be extraordinarily careful to understand how much student loan debt they are taking on and how that will affect them," said Sara Molina, manager at AFBC. "An IDR, with payments based on income and family size, might be a great option for borrowers who have already found themselves overburdened by student loan debt."

The study based their findings on city population, median one-bedroom apartment rental, utility costs, transportation, minimum wage, beer price and average annual tuition. Helena has the cheapest average rent, at $680, and Helena College University, at $17,152 per year, is also the least expensive of all universities in the top three. The city is also situated between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park, making it even more attractive for nature-loving students on a budget.

Lincoln, Nebraska, ranks second according to the study. Rent is only $697 per month and in-state tuition at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is $24,544. Though Lincoln is not considered a destination city for most, with a minimum wage of $9 per hour and low living expenses, Lincoln might be just the destination for students hoping to minimize their student loan debt.

The capital of Maine, Augusta, is just a bit more expensive for rent, at $716, and utilities, at $157. But with a minimum wage of $10 and a beautiful setting on the Kennebec River, the University of Maine at Augusta, which costs $19,808 per year, makes a case for itself as one of the prettiest, inexpensive places to go to college.

Unfortunately, even in these "inexpensive" places to go to college, students can still run up a large amount of student loan debt that can weigh down future economic accomplishments for years. An IDR can help alleviate some of that stress, even ending in forgiveness in 20 or 25 years of remaining in a particular program.

"Information like this is really helpful. Students need to make every choice possible to keep student loan debt from negatively impacting their lives," said Molina. "We are here to not only help our clients find and enroll in IDRs but to also help them recertify yearly, taking the worry and stress out of a sometimes complex process."

About American Financial Benefits Center

American Financial Benefits Center is a document preparation company that helps clients apply for federal student loan repayment plans that fit their personal financial and student loan situation. Through its strict customer service guidelines, the company strives for the highest levels of honesty and integrity.

Each AFBC telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

American Financial Benefits Center Newsroom

Contact

To learn more about American Financial Benefits Center, please contact:

American Financial Benefits Center

1900 Powell Street #600

Emeryville, CA 94608

1-800-488-1490

[email protected]

Related Images

augusta-maine.jpg

Augusta, Maine

Credit: SeanPavonePhoto/Bigstocl

image2.png

Related Links

AFBC home page

SOURCE American Financial Benefits CenterAnd when members of CPD , including the superintendent, marched onto the Dan Ryan, they violated the law. That's not OK. I mean, that's not OK. We want police officers to enforce the law, not to violate it. And if an officer violates the law, they should be prosecuted. Whether it's a shooting or whether it's a domestic violence incident. Whether it's stealing. Whether it's working with narcotics dealers. Or walking onto the Dan Ryan in uniform.ROHNERT PARK, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameritech Financial is closely following the recent trend of companies offering employees assistance with college education. Such programs can help to minimize student debt or pay it off, depending on the specifics of the program. For example, companies such as Starbucks, UPS, Wells Fargo and Comcast are offering employees assistance with college education. Now, MGM is doubling down on this trend. The resort and casino giant is offering free online courses and help with both outside tuition and student loan repayment. For those who have already taken on overwhelming student loan debt, Ameritech Financial, a document processing company, can expertly guide borrowers through the sometimes complex federal repayment application process, which may lead to possibly lower monthly payment with an income-driven repayment plan (IDR).

Credit: Jacqueline Cooper/Bigstock

"It is great to see these companies offer these programs to employees. Engaged, growth-oriented employees are good for business," said Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial. "And you shouldn't have to go into a lifetime of debt just to get an education. If you do have more student loan debt than you can manage, we can help you navigate applying for and maintaining enrollment in an IDR, hopefully lowering your payment so that you can finally have a chance to get ahead."

Each corporate higher education plan is different. Whereas Walmart, for example, offers very limited courses of study, MGM, which owns large properties on the Las Vegas strip, is offering to pay for any online course taken at Nevada System of Higher Education schools, including the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

The MGM plan is also more generous with paying outside tuition and student loan repayment. MGM Resorts has promised upcoming improvements to its existing tuition repayment assistance benefit and is also promoting its plan to launch a new student loan repayment plan. This is a welcome program with so many Americans burdened by student loan debt, who generally are on their own in repayment. Thankfully, those with federal loans have access to various repayment plans through the Department of Education.

"We are very happy to see these solutions being offered to employees," said Knickerbocker. "If you are not working for a company that offers to help you keep up with your payments, we can help. We have provided expert assistance to thousands of borrowers saving them millions of dollars each month. An IDR based on income and family size can even end in forgiveness after 20 or 25 years."

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

[email protected]

Related Images

mgm-lion.jpg

MGM Lion

Credit: Jacqueline Cooper/Bigstock

image2.png

Related Links

Ameritech Financial home page

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRza8MbLvuM

SOURCE Ameritech FinancialBELOIT, Wis., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's biggest collection of angels may be split up if no buyer for the Angel Museum's 10,000-plus angels emerges by October 11. Beloit Auction & Realty is seeking offers for the collection, as Beloit's landmark prepares to close.

Angel Museum, which has received more than 180,000 visitors over the past 20 years, is recognized by the Guinness Book as having the largest such collection in the world, and the owners are hoping it will remain whole. However, the individual pieces in the collection are set to go to an online auction on October 13, according to Rich Ranft, president of the auction company.

"The collection started in 1976 when Joyce Berg and her husband, Lowell, happened into a store in a strip mall while on vacation in Florida. They saw some angels and fell in love with them, and accumulated this collection over many years," said Ranft.

Along the way, a famous African American celebrity contributed 600 black angels that are part of the collection.

"Whether the collection sells as a whole or as individual pieces at auction, it is probably the end of an era for Beloit, unless someone decides to buy it and continue to operate the museum here," said Ranft.

The final showing for the museum will be a "20-Year Celebration and Farewell" from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, October 13, beginning at the close of the Downtown Beloit Association's Wine Walk.

Individuals interested in purchasing the entire collection may call David Allen (608-333-4586) or Rich Ranft (608-751-2184) or email [email protected]. If the collection does not sell by the 11th, the pieces will go up in an online auction Saturday, October 13, at www.beloitauction.com.

Beloit Auction & Realty is a long-standing family-run auction house in Beloit, Wisconsin, that specializes in real estate, inventory liquidations, personal property, and specialty collections.

Contact: David Allen

Phone: 608-333-4586

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Beloit Auction & Realty

Related Links

http://www.beloitauction.com

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Australis Capital Inc. ("Australis" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the Company has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the "LOI") to purchase a 15% equity interest (the "Share Purchase") in the capital of Wagner Dimas Inc. ("Wagner Dimas") from Cannroy Delware Inc. ("Cannroy Delaware"), the current registered and beneficial owner of such interest, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cannaroyalty Corp.

Wagner Dimas is a Nevada corporation which develops technology for large scale manufacturing in a variety of applications including production scale rolling machines to mass manufacture hemp and cannabis pre-rolls and cones. Wagner Dimas licensees have experienced significant demand for both its co-packing and contract manufacturing services with over 40 of the largest cannabis brands, dispensaries and cultivators, tapping Wagner Dimas' propriety hardware to produce unparalleled quantity and quality of finished product.

"Wagner Dimas proprietary processes and patented technologies are scaling to a new facility on pace to produce 50 million pre-rolls annually in the California market alone," stated Scott Dowty, CEO of Australis Capital Inc. "Our investment in Wagner Dimas with their expertise in traditional cannabis delivery systems, expanding business to business vertical, geographic expansion and significant branding opportunities serve as key growth vectors to our diverse investment strategy in the United States."

Pursuant to the terms of the LOI, the Company intends to acquire approximately 15% equity interest in Wagner Dimas from Cannroy Delaware. As consideration for the Share Purchase, the Company would pay CAD $3,000,000 payable in either common shares of Australis or cash, at the election of the Company.

The LOI is non-binding and the completion of the Share Purchase is subject to customary closing conditions.

About Australis Capital Inc.

Australis Capital identifies and invests in the cannabis industry predominately in the United States, a highly regulated, fragmented, rapidly expanding and evolving industry. Investments may include and are not limited to equity, debt or other securities of both public and private companies, financings in exchange for royalties or other distribution streams, and control stake acquisitions. Australis Capital adheres to stringent investment criteria and will focus on significant near and mid-term high-quality opportunities with strong return potentials while maintaining a steadfast commitment to governance and community. Australis Capital's Board, Management and Advisory Committee members have material experience with, and knowledge of, the cannabis space in the U.S., extensive backgrounds in highly regulated industries, adherence to stringent regulatory compliance, public company and operational expertise.

For further information, please contact the Company by e-mail at [email protected] or visit www.ausacap.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Scott Dowty"

_____________________

Scott Dowty

Chief Executive Officer

Forward-Looking Information Statement

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including statements in respect of the entering into of definitive agreements and completion of the proposed Share Purchase. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. There is no assurance that the Share Purchase will be completed as proposed or at all.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company's management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company's 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. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws.

The CSE has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Australis Capital Inc.CHICAGO, NEW YORK and TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Capital Markets will host its annual Real Estate Conference on September 20 and September 21, 2018 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, Illinois.

The conference brings together North American real estate industry leaders, along with institutional and private equity investors.

The conference will feature a series of fireside chats, thematic panels, Q&A sessions, as well as keynote presentations:

Future of Work, Live and Play with Granit Gjonbalaj , Chief Development Officer, WeWork; Brad Hargreaves , CEO, Common; and Arnaud Simeray, VP, Strategic Partnerships, Storefront

with , Chief Development Officer, WeWork; , CEO, Common; and Arnaud Simeray, VP, Strategic Partnerships, Storefront Blockchain Applications & Real Estate with Mo Shaikh , Co-Founder, Meridio and Dr. Jeremy Clark , Associate Professor, Concordia University

with , Co-Founder, Meridio and Dr. , Associate Professor, Fed Risk Late-Cycle Curve Inversion with Ian Lyngen , Managing Director, Head of Rates Strategy, BMO Capital Markets

with , Managing Director, Head of Rates Strategy, BMO Capital Markets High Yield Lending with Joseph L. Pagliari, Jr. , Ph.D. with University of Chicago's Booth School of Business

with , Ph.D. with Booth School of Business Diagnosing the Bull with Brian Belski , Managing Director, Chief Investment Strategist, BMO Capital Markets

Additionally, some of the companies scheduled to share insights at the conference include:

 Allied Properties REIT (AP.UN)  Federal Realty (FRT)  Brixmor Property Group Inc. (BRX)  Healthcare Realty (HR)  Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (CAR.UN)  JLL (JLL)  Choice Properties REIT (CHP.UN)  Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA)  CyrusOne Inc. (CONE)  Prologis (PLD)  Digital Realty Trust (DLR)  RioCan REIT  Duke Realty (DRE)  SL Green (SLG)  Equity Lifestyle (ELS)  Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI)

Media who are interested in attending the conference in person or in scheduling an interview may contact BMO Media Relations (information below).

About BMO Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service North American-based financial services provider offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of products and services including equity and debt underwriting, corporate lending and project financing, mergers and acquisitions advisory services, securitization, treasury management, market risk management, debt and equity research and institutional sales and trading. With approximately 2,500 professionals in 30 locations around the world, including 16 offices in North America, BMO Capital Markets works proactively with clients to provide innovative and integrated financial solutions.

SOURCE BMO Financial GroupAUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BorgWarner has been selected to supply its state-of-the-art on-axis P2 drive module and electro-hydraulic control unit for hybrid-electric vehicles to two leading Chinese original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). BorgWarner was chosen as the supplier for these high-volume programs based on the technological advantages their P2 modules deliver including: the cost-effective power dense electric motor; state-of-the-art clutching and controls technology; and the efficiency, functional and packaging optimization of integrating the modules in the vehicle powertrains. This new business award is the result of close collaboration between the company's global research and development centers and strong local Chinese engineering capability. With these two recent awards, BorgWarner will now have content on 18 P2 hybrid transmissions by 2023 serving various global OEMs and spanning multiple vehicle platforms.

BorgWarners P2 on-axis drive module enables both hybrid and pure electric driving.

"Our in-house development expertise and extensive hybrid product portfolio provides us with the flexibility to offer customers a wide variety of solutions customized to fit their individual needs," said Frederic Lissalde, President and CEO, BorgWarner. "Being awarded these high-volume contracts from key Chinese automakers reinforces the company's position as a global leader in clean and efficient propulsion systems across all types of powertrains."

By placing the electric motor directly between the internal combustion engine and the transmission, BorgWarner's on-axis P2 drive module delivers cost-effective hybridization by being compatible with existing vehicle platforms. The innovative P2 solution offers the possibility of integrating up to three clutches, including a disconnecting clutch, which allows the system to decouple from the engine for pure electric driving, enabling customers to achieve both their individual fuel-efficiency and performance goals. In addition, BorgWarner can supply the electrohydraulic controls for actuating the wet clutches, giving customers the option to choose individual components or a complete system.

BorgWarner's P2 drive module is also available in an off-axis configuration. This design places the electric motor parallel to the main axis and connects the system via one of the company's durable chain technologies, ensuring maximum torque transfer.

The company's P2 drive modules give OEMs the flexibility to place the electric motor where they have space in existing architectures, either on- or off-axis. By using BorgWarner's award-winning S-wind wire-forming process to create the motor, the P2 drive module produces high power and torque densities in an extremely compact package. In addition, unlike other off-axis P2 solutions that use a belt to attach the system, BorgWarner's off-axis drive module delivers top performance from connecting the P2 via one of its best-in-strength and durability, quiet, chain drive technologies. Moreover, the solution offers stop/start, regenerative braking and supplemental electric propulsion, and is available for 48-volt and high-voltage hybrid systems.

In addition to the P2 drive modules, BorgWarner's extensive product lineup includes solutions for all potential hybrid drive architectures, along with integrated clean and efficient propulsion systems for combustion and electric vehicles. Committed to advancing sustainable mobility, the company continues to work internally and with industry partners to develop next-generation propulsion technologies.

About BorgWarner

BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) is a global product leader in clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. With manufacturing and technical facilities in 66 locations in 18 countries, the company employs approximately 29,000 worldwide. For more information, please visit borgwarner.com.

Statements in this press release may contain forward-looking statements as contemplated by the 1995 Private Securities Litigation Reform Act that are based on management's current outlook, expectations, estimates and projections. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "continues," "could," "designed," "effect," "estimates," "evaluates," "expects," "forecasts," "goal," "initiative," "intends," "outlook," "plans," "potential," "project," "pursue," "seek," "should," "target," "when," "would," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include: fluctuations in domestic or foreign vehicle production, the continued use by original equipment manufacturers of outside suppliers, fluctuations in demand for vehicles containing our products, changes in general economic conditions, as well as other risks noted in reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Risk Factors identified in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K. We do not undertake any obligation to update or announce publicly any updates to or revision to any of the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE BorgWarner

Related Links

http://www.borgwarner.com

VANCOUVER, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Capstone Mining Corp. ("Capstone" or the "Company") (TSX: CS) today announced high grade results from step-out drilling at its Cozamin Mine in Mexico, which will be included in a re-estimation of mineral resources in the Mala Noche Footwall Zone ("MNFWZ") later this year. Since the last Mineral Resource estimate, effective March 31, 2018, Capstone has completed 46 additional holes, including 23 step-out holes beyond the boundaries of the March 31 model. Drill intercepts underpinning Capstone's decision to re-estimate the Mineral Resource are summarized below in Table 1.

Table 1  Selected MNFWZ Drilling Completed Since March 31, 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate

Section

ID # Drill hole ID Type From

(m) To (m) Width

(m) True

Width*

(m) Cu

(%) Zn

(%) Pb

(%) Ag

(g/t) Au

(g/t) 4 CG-18-S323 including step-out 657.4 662.4 673.3 673.3 15.9 10.9 15.4 10.6 3.88 5.39 0.12 0.17 0.01 0.01 63.1 88.6 0.02 0.02 6 CG-18-S331 step-out 690.4 698.5 8.1 8.0 2.08 0.07 0.01 69.9 0.15 9 CG-18-S337 including step-out 648.8 663.5 666.7 666.1 17.9 2.6 17.1 2.5 2.19 4.47 0.07 0.11 0.01 0.01 39.3 68.3 0.01 0.02 12 CG-18-S343 including step-out 542.3 548.6 558.5 557.8 16.2 9.2 14.8 8.4 5.34 8.00 0.80 1.02 0.03 0.04 112.3 157.9 0.05 0.06 16 CG-18-U474 and step-out 661.5 676.9 672.0 678.9 10.5 2.0 9.7 1.9 2.26 1.80 0.19 0.07 0.02 0.01 40.3 29.0 0.01 0.00

*estimated true width of vein intercept for inclined drill holes

"Given the grade and substantially thicker intervals in multiple new drill intercepts, including holes well up-dip of the March 31 resource model, we have decided to re-estimate the MNFWZ Mineral Resource," said Brad Mercer, Senior Vice President of Exploration at Capstone. "We have completed drilling up-dip and along strike, and to a lesser extent down-dip, from the March 2018 Mineral Resource estimate. We intend to keep drilling with five to six drills for the remainder of 2018, both stepping out and infilling the MNFWZ extension."

A Cozamin technical review is underway and a technical report is expected to be completed later this year. The review will target the March 31 Mineral Resource for conversion to mineral reserves, update the resource estimate to include the additional drilling since the March 31 update and will also include the materials handling study currently underway. This study is assessing options to increase Cozamin's copper output by debottlenecking the mine in order to take advantage of the current 20% unutilized mill capacity.

"We are extremely optimistic about Cozamin's future based on our recent exploration success," said Darren Pylot, Capstone's President and CEO. "This low cost mine is going through a paradigm shift as we continue to unlock its potential value through ongoing exploration and evaluation of various scenarios to increase copper production."

The full results for all MNFWZ holes completed since the March 31, 2018 Mineral Resource estimate are in Table 2 below. For drill hole location and context please view the long-section of the MNFWZ at: http://capstonemining.com/files/images/maps/MNFWZ-Sept2018.pdf.

Table 2  All MNFWZ Drilling Completed Since March 31, 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate

Section

ID # Drill hole ID Type From

(m) To

(m) Width

(m) True

Width*

(m) Cu (%) Zn (%) Pb (%) Ag

(g/t) Au

(g/t) 1 CG-18-S315 step-out 681.9 695.4 13.5 12.0 1.50 0.47 0.01 22.9 0.01 2 CG-18-S317 step-out 728.4 729.0 0.6 0.6 0.95 0.07 0.01 24.3 0.01 3 CG-18-S318 step-out 970.7 971.2 0.5 0.4 2.69 0.12 0.03 33.5 0.00 4 CG-18-S323 including step-out 657.4 662.4 673.3 673.3 15.9 10.9 15.4 10.6 3.88 5.39 0.12 0.17 0.01 0.01 63.1 88.6 0.02 0.02 5 CG-18-S325 step-out 686.2 688.2 2.0 1.8 0.06 0.21 0.04 22.2 0.04 6 CG-18-S331 step-out 690.4 698.5 8.1 8.0 2.08 0.07 0.01 69.9 0.15 7 CG-18-S332 step-out 640.3 642.3 2.0 2.0 5.85 0.19 0.01 97.7 0.04 8 CG-18-S334 step-out 641.8 651.3 9.5 9.3 1.50 0.06 0.01 32.0 0.01 9 CG-18-S337 including step-out 648.8 663.5 666.7 666.1 17.9 2.6 17.1 2.5 2.19 4.47 0.07 0.11 0.01 0.01 39.3 68.3 0.01 0.02 10 CG-18-S339 and step-out 483.7 499.0 486.8 503.5 3.1 4.5 2.6 3.8 0.90 1.75 0.03 0.07 0.01 0.01 21.0 34.3 0.03 0.09 11 CG-18-S342 step-out 674.8 675.5 0.7 0.6 3.32 0.12 0.01 59.0 0.02 12 CG-18-S343 including step-out 542.3 548.6 558.5 557.8 16.2 9.2 14.8 8.4 5.34 8.00 0.80 1.02 0.03 0.04 112.3 157.9 0.05 0.06 13 CG-18-S344 including step-out 611.0 611.0 618.2 615.9 7.2 4.9 7.0 4.7 1.42 1.85 0.05 0.06 0.01 0.01 31.1 40.2 0.01 0.01 14 CG-18-S346 and step-out 568.3 599.0 569.4 601.2 1.1 2.2 0.9 1.8 0.47 0.72 0.07 0.20 0.01 0.15 8.2 43.0 0.07 0.02 15 CG-18-U472 and step-out 663.7 677.1 665.0 677.6 1.3 0.5 1.1 0.4 0.76 0.99 0.02 0.06 0.00 0.01 9.0 21.0 0.01 0.04 16 CG-18-U474 and step-out 661.5 676.9 672.0 678.9 10.5 2.0 9.7 1.9 2.26 1.80 0.19 0.07 0.02 0.01 40.3 29.0 0.01 0.00 17 CG-18-S348 including step-out 609.5 635.7 642.7 642.7 33.2 7.0 28.5 6.0 0.67 2.1 0.05 0.17 0.03 0.13 15.6 44.3 0.03 0.06 18 CG-18-S347 step-out assays pending 19 CG-18-S349 step-out assays pending 20 CG-18-S351 step-out assays pending 21 CG-18-S352 step-out assays pending 22 CG-18-S353 step-out assays pending 23 CG-18-S354 step-out assays pending 24 CG-18-S355 step-out in progress 25 CG-18-S356 step-out in progress 26 CG-18-S357 step-out in progress 27 CG-18-U477 step-out in progress 28 CG-18-S314 infill 777.1 782.3 5.2 4.4 5.20 0.93 0.26 130.8 0.03 29 CG-18-S316 infill 759.9 765.9 6.0 5.4 1.12 0.26 0.01 24.0 0.02 30 CG-18-S319 and infill 788.5 797.6 791.7 801.9 3.2 4.3 3.0 3.8 3.13 1.14 0.34 1.50 0.01 0.41 52.0 116.6 0.06 0.18 31 CG-18-S320 infill 704.7 708.0 3.3 3.1 3.57 1.30 0.02 61.2 0.03 32 CG-18-S321 and infill 626.5 776.3 636.9 790.8 10.4 14.5 9.2 12.9 1.45 2.11 3.25 0.23 4.26 0.01 87.1 37.8 0.08 0.01 33 CG-18-S322 infill 884.7 894.5 9.8 8.0 1.25 0.08 0.03 22.2 0.00 34 CG-18-S326 infill 753.1 760.4 7.3 7.1 7.89 0.84 0.30 128.2 0.03 35 CG-18-S328 infill 872.2 878.8 6.6 5.6 0.69 0.03 0.01 11.4 0.01 36 CG-18-S329 infill no significant intercepts 37 CG-18-S333 infill 865.6 869.8 4.2 3.8 1.76 0.07 0.01 24.9 0.01 38 CG-18-S338 including and including infill 807.0 817.7 846.9 859.9 824.2 824.2 871.3 866.1 17.2 6.5 24.4 6.2 14.9 5.7 21.2 5.4 1.57 2.77 1.96 5.52 0.06 0.10 0.50 1.20 0.02 0.02 0.06 0.18 36.5 45.7 35.6 96.2 0.06 0.02 0.01 0.01 39 CG-18-S358 infill in progress 40 CG-18-U461 infill 632.0 633.2 1.2 1.0 1.32 0.02 0.01 9.0 0.01 41 CG-18-U464 infill 641.5 647.3 5.8 5.6 4.15 0.67 0.01 71.9 0.06 42 CG-18-U465 infill 656.1 658.9 2.8 2.6 2.52 0.69 0.02 52.5 0.04 43 CG-18-U466 infill 557.2 566.3 9.1 8.0 1.81 0.11 0.00 42.1 0.09 44 CG-18-U467 infill 605.3 611.4 6.1 5.8 1.46 0.18 0.04 26.7 0.06 45 CG-18-U468 infill 577.4 587.6 10.2 9.7 3.83 0.72 0.03 65.3 0.04 46 CG-18-U469 including infill 665.1 669.0 670.4 669.9 5.3 0.9 4.7 0.8 0.49 1.55 0.05 0.08 0.01 0.01 9.3 22.0 0.01 0.02 47 CG-18-U470 including infill 635.7 641.4 656.2 656.2 20.5 14.8 18.1 13.1 1.27 1.43 0.38 0.51 0.09 0.12 57.5 73.7 0.14 0.18 48 CG-18-U471 and infill 701.1 718.0 709.0 721.3 7.9 3.3 7.0 2.9 3.20 3.69 0.15 0.30 0.03 0.06 49.2 66.4 0.01 0.01 49 CG-18-U473 including infill 687.0 695.0 698.0 696.0 11.0 1.0 9.1 0.8 0.84 3.38 0.05 0.13 0.01 0.02 13.2 46.0 0.01 0.02 50 CG-18-U475 infill assays pending 51 CG-18-U476 infill assays pending 52 CG-18-U478 infill in progress

*estimated true width of vein intercept for inclined drill holes

All samples were submitted for preparation by ALS at its facilities in Zacatecas, Mexico, followed by analysis at the ALS Laboratory in North Vancouver, Canada. The entire sample is crushed to a minimum of 70% passing -10 mesh. A 250g subsample of the crushed material is then pulverized to 85% passing -200 mesh. Copper, zinc, lead and silver are determined by ICP analysis after 4 acid digestion of a 0.4g subsample of pulverized material. Gold is determined by fire assay of a 30g sub-sample with AA finish. QAQC samples in each batch of 20 samples include a blank, a certified reference material and a duplicate (one of a field, coarse reject or pulp reject).

About Capstone Mining Corp.

Capstone Mining Corp. is a Canadian base metals mining company, focused on copper. We are committed to the responsible development of our assets and the environments in which we operate. Our three producing mines are the Pinto Valley copper mine located in Arizona, US, the Cozamin polymetallic mine in Zacatecas State, Mexico and the Minto copper mine in Yukon, Canada. In addition, Capstone has the large scale 70% owned copper-iron Santo Domingo development project in Region III, Chile, in partnership with Korea Resources Corporation as well as a portfolio of exploration properties. Capstone's strategy is to focus on the optimization of operations and assets in politically stable, mining-friendly regions, centred in the Americas. Our headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada and we are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Further information is available at www.capstonemining.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This document may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document and Capstone does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable securities legislation.

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect our expectations or beliefs regarding future events. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the continuing success of mineral exploration, Capstone's ability to fund future exploration activities, the realization of mineral reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production and the success of mining operations. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. In this document certain forward-looking statements are identified by words including "subject", "expected" and "intend". By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, amongst others, risks related to inherent hazards associated with mining projects, future prices of copper and other metals, changes in general economic conditions, and other risks of the mining industry as well as those factors detailed from time to time in the Company's interim and annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in our forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause our results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that our forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.

National Instrument 43-101 Compliance

Unless otherwise indicated, Capstone has prepared the technical information in this news release ("Technical Information") based on information contained in the technical reports, news releases and MD&A's (collectively the "Disclosure Documents") available under Capstone Mining Corp.'s company profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Each Disclosure Document was prepared by, or under the supervision of, a qualified person (a "Qualified Person") as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 43-101"). Readers are encouraged to review the full text of the Disclosure Documents which qualifies the Technical Information. Readers are advised that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Disclosure Documents are each intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context. The Technical Information is subject to the assumptions and qualifications contained in the Disclosure Documents.

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 43-101") and supervised and reviewed by Brad Mercer, P. Geol., Capstone's Senior Vice President, Exploration, a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and the person who oversees exploration activities on the Cozamin Mine property. In addition, Gregg Bush, Capstone's Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, reviewed and approved this news release.

SOURCE Capstone Mining Corp.

Related Links

www.capstonemining.com

Choice Hotels is a member of the Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, which ensures American Red Cross is prepared to respond to disasters and meet the needs of those affected anytime and anywhere across the United States.

Each year, the American Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters around the country, providing food, shelter and comfort to people affected by disasters during their greatest time of need. In 2017, Choice Hotels mobilized the generosity of Choice Privileges members to donate to disaster relief, together raising a combined total of nearly $400,000, in addition to providing 1,000 comfort kits and blankets.

"Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Florence, and we are committed to assisting our franchisees and their guests, as well as supporting local recovery efforts," said Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels. "Hospitality extends beyond hotels and into the communities where we live and work, which is why Choice is dedicated to ensuring those in need are cared for during disasters."

For more information on Choice Hotels' efforts and to donate, visit https://www.choicehotels.com/choice-privileges/redeem-points/donations.

Guests who are looking for a hotel room can visit ChoiceHotels.com or call 1(877)424-6423 for the most up-to-date information on availability and rates.

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.

About American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

 2018 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.choicehotels.com

SARASOTA, Fla., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Companion Call for Help, a purpose-built, voice-activated medical alert system developed by Sarasota-based Ways Security, is one of eight national finalists in AARP's Caregiver Accelerator Competition on September 17 at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg.

Amazon's Alexa voice technology, Companion Call for Help provides 24/7 emergency support by two-way voice. For more information, go to companionhelp.com.

Drawing on the multilingual capabilities of Amazon's Alexa technology, Companion Call for Help offers 24/7 emergency support by two-way voice, without the need for a wearable panic button or pendant, says Mark Gray, CEO of Ways Security. "Just say, 'Alexa, call for help' and our patented alert system will connect you instantly to our highly trained, urgent response agents," Gray said. "They will assess your situation and if you need emergency help, they will dispatch the help you need with full information about your address and condition, so first-responders will be well-prepared to save your life."

Gray said the AARP competition provides a "live" national stage to showcase the many benefits of Companion Call for Help for older adults, veterans, their families and caregivers. "Along with being able to call for help in an emergency, our Companion technology helps seniors stay engaged with their community, friends and family, reducing social isolation and improving their overall quality of life," he said.

Sponsored by AARP Innovation Labs, hosted by AARP Florida and organized by ReunionCare, Inc., the upcoming national competition focuses on new technologies that can contribute to solving the caregiver crisis. It will be live-streamed on Monday, September 17, at facebook.com/AARPFL.

Audience members at the September 17, 2018 pitch event, including both onsite at the Poynter Institute and watching on the AARP Florida's Facebook page, will participate in judging the seven pitches. The top two vote tallies will move onto compete in a national final pitch event in Washington DC on October 25 along with the top two companies from Boston, Oakland and Raleigh. These companies will be eligible for joining AARP Innovation Lab called "The Hatchery" in Washington DC to incubate and accelerate their growth with access to funding from a JP Morgan investment fund.

"With the U.S. population of older adults growing rapidly, we will need 40 million caregivers by 2025, so it's essential to use innovative technology like Companion Call for Help to support those human resources," Gray said.

While medical alert pendants and wearable call buttons have long been available, more than 80 percent of seniors don't use them, according to Gray. "Wearables are often forgotten or left on the nightstand," he added. "They can't save you if you don't have them on."

In contrast, Companion Call for Help allows seniors to speak up and request assistance from anywhere in their home, or from a car using a smartphone and mobile application. Ways Security provides Companion subscribers with Amazon Echo devices preloaded with Alexa, and installs and maintains them as part of the service. A setup typically takes just a few minutes to configure a cell phone and a Wi-Fi Internet connection with easy-to-understand instructions, or onsite installation and training is available nationwide.

To build a voice-activated solution based on Alexas' current and future capabilities, Ways Security drew on more than 50 years of providing security services to the Southwest Florida market, as well as a partnership with Andrew Westlund, a former vice president at Amazon.

"Alexa is one of the leading platforms in the fast-growing voice technology sector, which analysts predict will reach 55 percent of U.S. households by 2020  a faster uptake than mobile phones, laptops or tablets," said Gray." One reason is that we can speak many times faster than we can type. Plus, Alexa does fun stuff with thousands of free apps. It's an ideal technology for seniors and their caregivers."

ABOUT COMPANION CALL FOR HELP

Headquartered in Sarasota, FL, Companion - Call for Help ("Companion") offers a voice-initiated solution that provides an easy way for individuals hindered by limited vision, mobility, aging or other challenges to communicate with family and professional caregivers, or "Call for Help" in an emergency. Companion is integrated with the Alexa Voice Service and Alexa-enabled devices like Amazon Echo. It provides greater engagement, connection, memory care and access to highly trained urgent response agents (24/7) providing cost-effective, peace-of-mind. Companion is a purpose built, voice-driven solution empowering older adults or veterans to live safe and independent lives.

For more information, go to companionhelp.com.

Media contact:

Allison Moore - Ward Group PR

Tel: 941.961-3708

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Companion Call for Help

Related Links

http://companionhelp.com

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) will host a live video webcast of its Mid-Year Investor and Analyst Meeting at Pall on September 18, 2018 beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET. The event will be held at Danaher's Pall facility in Westborough, Massachusetts and hosted by Rainer Blair, Executive Vice President of the Life Sciences platform, and Daniel L. Comas, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. A link to the webcast and accompanying slide presentation will be available on the "Investors" section of Danaher's website, www.danaher.com, under the subheading "Events & Presentations." A replay of the video webcast will be available following the presentation.

About Danaher

Danaher is a global science and technology innovator committed to helping its customers solve complex challenges and improving quality of life around the world. Its family of world class brands has leadership positions in some of the most demanding and attractive industries, including health care, environmental and industrial. With more than 20 operating companies, Danaher's globally diverse team of approximately 67,000 associates is united by a common culture and operating system, the Danaher Business System. For more information, please visit www.danaher.com.

SOURCE Danaher Corporation

Related Links

http://www.danaher.com

536 N. Vine St., Hinsdale: $3,249,000 | Listed: Aug. 20, 2021



This five-bedroom home has a heated covered patio, a bluestone terrace with a built-in entertaining station and fire table, and Smart Home technologies for lighting, cameras and sound. The kitchen has a center island, a custom-crafted range hood, reverse osmosis water filters, a gallery workstation sink and a TopBrew coffee center. The dining room has an adjacent butlers pantry. The primary bedroom suite has a closet with an island, a bathroom, an office and a private balcony. The lower level of this home is equipped with a golf simulator, a home theater, a fitness room, a second kitchen, a wine room and a rec room. This home also has a heated three-car garage and a heated driveway.



Agent: Megan McCleary, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, 312-848-9370



*Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options.



To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com.



Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies under pressure to move faster due to competitive shifts fueled by technology-driven business models are turning to Anything-as-a-Service (XaaS) to tap into advanced technologies quickly. While improving operational efficiency and reducing costs remain important goals for XaaS adoption, business agility  the ability to pivot quickly as new opportunities and threats emerge  is rivaling these traditional uses of XaaS, according to Deloitte's Flexible Consumption Models study released today. By accelerating and democratizing access to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), mobile, analytics and IoT, XaaS is helping bigger companies innovate faster, while giving smaller companies the scale and capabilities they need to compete.

The study revealed that XaaS has become essential for keeping up with competitors, with 28 percent of companies reporting that they are able to use XaaS to create a sizable lead. Thirty-nine percent of companies report that XaaS adoption helps them catch up to or keep pace with their competitors, and another 32 percent believe it will help them edge slightly ahead. In fact, adopting XaaS is no longer just a part of the information technology (IT) playbook, with seven in 10 companies reporting it is "very" or "critically" important to their business success. Furthermore, the study found in the next one to two years, the number of companies that consume over three-quarters of IT as a service will increase by 50 percent.

Democratizing advanced technologies levels the playing field

Innovation acceleration with XaaS is emerging as an essential part of companies' strategic playbooks, particularly for the C-suite, the study notes. Making new technologies accessible to companies of all sizes, and to business units within companies, is driving experimentation and agility.

Seventy percent of companies said flexible consumption allows them to access a product or solution that otherwise would be too expensive.

Seventy-five percent of respondents said that XaaS makes it easier and faster to prototype new solutions.

Eight in 10 companies reported that XaaS gives them quicker access to the latest technologies and innovative capabilities.

"Companies want to access advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, data analytics, and IoT as a service because it's faster and cheaper than building their own capabilities. That's especially true for small companies that lack the IT budgets and tech talent of market leaders," said Paul Sallomi, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP, global TMT industry leader and U.S. technology sector leader. "In this sense, XaaS is democratizing technology and promoting competition."

XaaS security: Trust grows with experience

While XaaS' popularity is soaring, challenges remain, the study found. Topping the list are data security and privacy concerns (43 percent). Only one-third of companies keep sensitive data such as customer details, financials and intellectual property "mostly" or "fully" in the cloud. Compared with those who have used XaaS for less time, companies with three or more years of XaaS experience are 60 percent more likely to keep their customers' proprietary data mostly/fully in the cloud, and 37 percent more likely to do the same with their financial data.

More than 70 percent of respondents noted new privacy regulations are causing them to re-examine how they handle data through XaaS solutions.

Yet, the comfort level for XaaS security is improving, with 69 percent of respondents noting they now have adequate processes and policies in place.

"Companies are adopting XaaS to use AI and data analytics. To get the best insights, they'll have to put sensitive data about their customers, financials and operations in the cloud. We've found that the more experience they have with XaaS, the more comfortable they are with this," said Dr. Jeff Loucks, executive director, Deloitte Center for Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Deloitte LLP. "Strong data and privacy governance should be a top priority for companies looking to use XaaS to build agility."

The cost conundrum

Organizations are generally satisfied with their ROI from XaaS, with 69 percent of respondents saying it has resulted in better ROI and a lower total cost of ownership than traditional IT. Using XaaS to reduce costs isn't straightforward, however:

More than one-third of companies rated cost concerns as a top-three challenge of XaaS.

Among these respondents, 45 percent reported that XaaS costs are difficult to predict and budget, 42 percent said costs were greater than anticipated.

One reason for higher costs is duplication: continuing to pay for traditional IT (such as existing infrastructure) while moving to XaaS. Forty-four percent who cited cost as a top-three challenge are concerned with duplicative costs.

To learn more about how companies are adopting and benefiting from XaaS solutions, Deloitte surveyed 1,170 IT and line-of-business professionals across 12 industries from large US companies that consume at least 15 percent or more of their enterprise IT as a service.

Connect with us on Twitter: @DeloitteTMT, @Jeff_Loucks.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including more than 85 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to make an impact that matters  delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

SOURCE Deloitte

Related Links

http://www.deloitte.com/us

WATFORD, England, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

New structure prepares company to capitalize on strategic acquisitions and to capture additional market opportunities

Designer Parfums today announces organizational changes that clearly align its structure with its strategy.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/744321/Designer_Parfums_Logo.jpg )



The company, on a growth path driven by both organic development and acquisition, is building its capabilities to develop exciting brands, accelerate progress in expanding its geographical footprint and streamline operations, further enabling opportunities for synergies across businesses. As a consequence, it intends to continue recruiting new talent to deliver on its ambitions.

Chief Operating Officer

Santiago Alvarez is to be appointed to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer. Most recently he served as Global Commercial Director for niche brands Penhaligon's and L'Artisan Parfumeur, after having held leadership positions at Puig, including markets such as China, Europe, Middle East, Russia and Africa.

"Santiago understands global sales, go-to-market strategy, brand development and operations, and has a proven track record of capturing the growth potential of beauty brands in multiple distribution channels across diverse geographies," says Designer Parfums CEO, Dilesh Mehta.

Joint Managing Directors

Parag Vidyarthi has been a key part of the team for more than 10 years, now as Joint Managing Director, and has been instrumental in building our business and reputation in the market.

Arkesh Shah has been confirmed into the Leadership team as Joint Managing Director, after having advised Designer Parfums for several years, most recently as a strategic consultant to haircare brand Frederic Fekkai, following a distinguished career in Investment Banking.

"We are very proud of what our team has accomplished during these years, and their hard work and commitment makes us confident that this group of people, with the right leadership, can take on additional challenges. We are delighted to formally bring Arkesh into Designer Parfums having led the acquisition of Playboy and Cerruti, to now oversee their integration into our business," said Mehta.

Global Marketing Director

As part of the company's determination to further develop exciting brands, Designer Parfums is to appoint Pascale Fontaine as Global Marketing Director.

Fontaine brings over 20 years of extensive and successful global marketing expertise in beauty brand building and license management, in the categories of Fragrances, Make Up and Body Care. Starting her career at Unilever, she spent her last 17 years at Coty where she served most recently as Global Vice President of Adidas Fragrance and Body Care.

"I am pleased to have Pascale on board, and I am convinced she will very soon start contributing to the growth of our brands and our business," continued Mehta.

About Designer Parfums

Designer Parfums is a UK company with over 15 years experience in developing, producing and distributing internationally acclaimed beauty brands. Its portfolio of brands includes Ghost, Hawaiian Tropic, Jennifer Lopez, Manish Arora, Naomi Campbell, Playboy and Cerruti amongst others.

More information available at http://www.designerparfums.com or at [email protected]

CONTACT:

Santiago Alvarez, +44-1923-204450

SOURCE SA Designer Parfums LtdNEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to help businesses better suit the needs of their customers, digital marketing agency fishbat discusses the digital future of customer service.

Previously, the primary way that customers would connect with companies through customer support would be through a customer support line. While phone chat is still a viable way to address customer concern, consumers are looking for more convenient ways to interact with brands and receive the support that they need.

Listed below are just a few ways that the customer service scene has changed to better suit a digital world.

Social Media is King. Being active on platforms like Facebook and Twitter is no longer optional for businesses in the digital age. More customers than ever before are turning toward social media in order to get the support they need and voice their complaints. Being active on Facebook Messenger and keeping an eye on the company's twitter feed is an excellent way to quickly connect with customers and address their complaints. Much fewer customers are calling in for support - instead taking to online platforms in order to get the information that they need.

Intelligent Chatbots. Another way that customer service has changed in the digital age is with the rise of the chatbot. While online customer support even a few years ago necessitated using human representatives, intelligent chat bots can provide support for a wide range of common queries. These bots are an excellent first option for customers who are seeking assistance, and they are also smart enough to recognize when an issue needs the human touch. Being able to save a company's representatives for more complicated matters and letting the bot focus on common questions can save a significant amount of time and money while providing quick service to customers.

Customer Service Through Marketing. When a customer has a problem with a product or service, the first thing they are likely to do is to get online and search for the information on Google. This can be considered a "micro moment," as it is an intention-focused web browsing session with a clear goal in mind. Adjusting SEO and marketing in order to rank highly in these searches ensures that customers will be directed to official company pages for the best support, and opens up the possibility of increasing profits as more traffic is driven to the website.

ABOUT FISHBAT

fishbat New York digital marketing agency is a full-service firm that takes a holistic business approach to their clients' digital marketing programs. The fishbat team understands the importance of business principles just as well as the nuances of the latest digital technologies. fishbat offers every digital marketing service available from digital marketing research and planning to brand development to website and asset creation through social media management and search engine optimization programs - all custom calibrated for both B2B and B2C businesses. Media Contact: Scott Darrohn, fishbat Media, 855-347-4228, [email protected]

SOURCE fishbat

Related Links

http://www.fishbat.com

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Michela Gallagher has been named the recipient of the 2018 Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Alzheimer's Drug Discovery. The prize, awarded by the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), recognizes leading researchers developing treatments for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Michela Gallagher, Ph.D.

Dr. Gallagher, whose lifetime of research in cognitive neuroscience has focused on age-related cognitive decline, is the Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and heads the Neurogenetics and Behavior Center at Johns Hopkins University. She is also founder of AgeneBio, Inc. a pharmaceutical development company that has initiated a Phase 3 trial to delay the progression of Alzheimer's dementia and a second track of research on a late-stage discovery program of therapies for Alzheimer's, autism and schizophrenia.

The prize includes a $150,000 award and will support Dr. Gallagher's therapeutic development of AGB-101, the first and only treatment to target hippocampal hyperactivity, a condition characteristic of the amnestic mild cognitive impairment stage of Alzheimer's disease. There is currently no FDA-approved therapy for patients in this pre-dementia stage of Alzheimer's disease, representing an enormous unmet clinical need.

"Dr. Gallagher's research could yield the first drug to dramatically slow or stop progression of amnestic mild cognitive impairment, altering the course of Alzheimer's disease and restoring normal brain function," said Dr. Howard Fillit, Founding Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the ADDF. "The enormous potential of her research is why ADDF has supported Dr. Gallagher's work for nearly a decade and recognizes her with the fourth annual Goodes Prize."

The Goodes Prize is awarded by a selection committee comprised of seven leading scientists who choose the awardee based on past achievements and proposed future research in the field of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The selection committee noted Dr. Gallagher's years of academic neuroscience research on memory  working effectively to identify new drug targets, screen compounds and advance them into clinical development as potential new therapies for Alzheimer's disease.

ADDF has supported AgeneBio's discovery stage and clinical trials since 2010 with over $2.5 million in grant funding. AgeneBio recently launched the Phase 3 trial for AGB-101 making it the most advanced program in the ADDF portfolio.

"I am honored by this recognition and grateful to the ADDF and the Goodes family whose lasting commitment to tackling this insidious disease brings us closer to a solution every day," said Dr. Gallagher. "It's through the generosity of committed individuals like Melvin and Nancy Goodes and the sustained commitment of organizations like the ADDF, that this vital research can progress."

ABOUT THE GOODES PRIZE

The Melvin R. Goodes Prize is named in honor of the courage, legacy and research advocacy of Mr. Goodes, former Warner-Lambert CEO and Chairman and honorary member of the ADDF's Board of Governors. It was created thanks to the generosity of Mr. Goodes and his wife, Nancy, who is also on the ADDF's Board. The Goodes Family Foundation committed $750,000 to fund the Goodes Prizes for 10 years, and the ADDF matched that contribution. Each year, the Goodes Prizes is awarded to a professionally active researcher in academia or industry who has pursued novel research and made a significant and lasting impact in Alzheimer's drug discovery. A Selection Committee that includes leaders in the field nominates candidates for consideration and chooses a winner based on past achievements and proposed future research.

2018 Goodes Prize Selection Committee

Frank M. Longo, M.D., Ph.D., * Chairman of the Board and Founder, Pharmatrophix

George E. and Lucy Becker Professor in Medicine and Professor, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery, Stanford University

Elias K. Michaelis, M.D., Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas School of Pharmacy

Richard Mohs, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation

Suzana Petanceska, Ph.D., Senior Advisor for Strategic Development and Partnerships and Program Director for Systems Biology and Systems Pharmacology, Division of Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging

Rachel Schindler, M.D., Principal, Schindler Neuroscience Consulting Group

Linda J. Van Eldik, Ph.D., Director, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky

D. Martin Watterson, Ph.D., * John G. Searle Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and Professor of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

*Previous Goodes Prize recipients

ABOUT MELVIN R. GOODES

Melvin R. Goodes joined Warner-Lambert Canada as manager of new product development in 1965 and quickly rose through the ranks to become CEO and Chairman Worldwide in 1991. Under his leadership, Warner-Lambert became a major player in the prescription drug industry, bringing Lipitor to market in 1996. Lipitor, a highly effective statin, was the world's best-selling drug, with more than $135 billion in sales. Early in his tenure as CEO, he spearheaded the development of Cognex, the first drug approved by the FDA for Alzheimer's disease. In 2010, Mr. Goodes made headlines with a landmark speech revealing his early-stage Alzheimer's disease and pledging to apply all his efforts to speed up the search for new therapies. Since this speech, he and his wife Nancy have become strong ambassadors for the ADDF, inspiring hope among Alzheimer's patients, caregivers, physicians, and researchers.

ABOUT THE ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION

Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer's disease. The ADDF is the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer's, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in academia and the biotech industry. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded over $100 million to fund more than 550 Alzheimer's drug discovery programs and clinical trials in 18 countries. To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.

ABOUT AGENEBIO

AgeneBio is a development-stage CNS biopharmaceutical company with a novel pipeline for neurological and psychiatric diseases addressing significant unmet medical needs. The company's lead asset, AGB101, is in development for mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (MCI due to AD), the earliest symptomatic stage of AD. The company also has a late discovery stage program (GABA A a5 positive allosteric modulator program) with potential in Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and autism. The company's lead program, AGB101, modulates synaptic neurotransmitter release in the hippocampus by binding to synaptic vesicle protein SV2A. Based on Phase 2a clinical research results to date, AGB101 restores normal brain network function and preserves memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (MCI due to AD), the earliest symptomatic stage of Alzheimer's and may prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's dementia. AGB101 is well- positioned, pending Phase 3 clinical results and FDA approval, to make a tremendous difference in the lives of patients and society as a whole.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation

Related Links

https://www.alzdiscovery.org

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DSW Inc., (NYSE: DSW) a leading branded footwear and accessories retailer, announced today the appointment of Ekta Singh-Bushell to its Board of Directors. She will serve on the Company's Audit Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

Ms. Singh-Bushell is an accomplished executive who brings over 25 years of experience in diverse global management, financial auditing, and digital and technology implementation to the Company. Ms. Singh-Bushell previously served as Chief Operating Officer, Executive Office at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Prior to the Bank, Ms. Singh-Bushell worked in numerous capacities at Ernst & Young where she led transformations across multiple industries impacted by digital technology and information management advances. While at Ernst and Young, Ms. Singh-Bushell also served in various managing partner roles, including US Innovation & Digital Strategy leader, Northeast Talent Advisory leader and Global Information Security Officer and managed all aspects pertaining to information and cyber security in that role.

Jay Schottenstein, Chairman of DSW's Board of Directors said, "We are excited to welcome Ekta to DSW's Board of Directors. Ekta brings a wealth of international experience in audit, finance, cybersecurity, and technology. Her experience developing global commercial business practices that provide companies with crucial insight into global management will provide added support to DSW's continued growth."

"DSW brings an innovative and unique vision to the footwear retail space, and I am delighted to join the Board of Directors," stated Ms. Singh-Bushell. She further commented, "I look forward to working with Jay Schottenstein and the rest of the Board to help expand the business and to continue its growth on a global scale."

Ms. Singh-Bushell currently serves on the Board of Directors at TTEC Holdings, Inc., where she serves on the Audit Committee and Nominating & Governance Committee. She also currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Datatec, Inc., where she is a member of the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee and the Social and Ethics Committee. Ms. Singh-Bushell currently serves as Strategic Board Advisor for DecisionGPS, LLC, and LifeStream, Inc. as well.

Ms. Singh-Bushell will stand for election at the Company's 2019 Annual Shareholder Meeting, for a three-year term expiring in 2022.

About DSW Inc.

DSW Inc. is a leading footwear and accessories retailer that operates a portfolio of several value retail concepts under the DSW and Town Shoes Limited brands. DSW Inc. also supplies footwear at leased locations in the U.S. through its Affiliated Business Group and franchised international locations. Products are available across North America at close to 1,000 retail outlets and via ecommerce sites and a mobile app. More information can be found at www.dswinc.com.

Source: DSW Inc.

SOURCE DSW Inc.

Related Links

http://www.DSWinc.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has restored power to more than 1 million customers so far in North Carolina and South Carolina out of more than 1.4 million total power outages in the wake of what is now Tropical Depression Florence.

Some of the most challenging power restoration work remains ahead in currently inaccessible coastal areas that experienced massive flooding and structural damage.

Duke Energy this weekend moved crews and equipment as close as possible to those heavily impacted areas to enable comprehensive restoration work to begin as soon as conditions allow.

As of 4 p.m. today, 404,000 customers  381,000 in North Carolina and 23,000 in South Carolina  remained without power. Latest outage numbers can be found here.

Additional outages are expected tonight as the storm continues to impact the Carolinas.

In 12 of North Carolina's hardest-hit counties, more than 75 percent of Duke Energy's customers have lost power: Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Duplin, Jones, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Pitt and Robeson.

Duke Energy has dispatched more than 20,000 personnel to restore power. Their efforts are being hampered by severe flooding, road closures, wind gusts and storm debris in coastal and other areas of the Carolinas.

For example, vehicle access to many sections of Wilmington, N.C., and New Bern, N.C., remains impossible due to widespread flooding that has forced the closure of major highways and secondary roads.

Estimated power restoration times

With the slow-moving storm and massive damage in some areas, comprehensive damage assessments have been difficult to complete and power restoration times have been difficult to determine.

The company late today was able to conduct limited initial damage assessments by helicopter in some areas.

To give customers as much information as possible, Duke Energy has established 12 separate areas for restoration across the Carolinas to provide targeted updates. A map showing these areas will be continuously updated. See the latest map for the latest updates today.

In addition, Duke Energy will send impacted customers updated information via text messages.

In hard-hit areas, estimated restoration times will be determined after field crews first complete damage assessments. That process could take several days due to flooding and road closures.

In those areas, total power restoration might take weeks, rather than days, due to flooding and widespread damage to power lines, utility poles and other key components of the electric grid.

How to report power outages

For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).

Storm updates

Storm updates and videos from Duke Energy can be found at

www.dukeenergyupdates.com

Stay away from fallen or sagging power lines

Stay away from fallen and sagging power lines. Keep children, pets and others away from power lines.

Consider all power lines  as well as trees, branches and anything else in contact with power lines  energized and dangerous.

Use extreme caution when traversing damaged and flooded areas. Energized power lines could be hidden by debris and flood waters.

High-water safety reminders

The Duke Energy hydro operations team continues to aggressively move water through its river systems to reduce impacts as much as possible. Please stay alert to changing conditions, as significant rainfall will lead to even higher lake levels.

High water conditions can create navigational hazards. Please use caution and adhere to the advice of local emergency management officials before going on area lakes and rivers.

For updated lake level information, go to duke-energy.com/community/lakes or call Duke Energy's lake neighbor information phone line at 800-829-Lake (5253) (Duke Energy Carolinas lakes) and 800.899.4435 (Duke Energy Progress lakes).

Safety information for extended power outages

Never use a generator indoors. Always follow manufacturer instructions.

Keep at least one battery-powered flashlight where it can be located easily in the dark.

Listen for storm information on a battery-powered radio

Keep an extra supply of fresh batteries.

Never use outdoor grills in the house.

Medical needs

Families who have special medical needs should continue to closely monitor their situations and call 911 if the situation becomes life-threatening.

Duke Energy

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts.

The company's Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit serves approximately 7.6 million retail electric customers in six states  North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

Its Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in five states  North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. Its Commercial Renewables unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the U.S.

More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center includes news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke EnergyCHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy crews are fully focused on restoring power to the remaining 300,000 customers who lost electricity when Hurricane Florence rolled through the Carolinas.

As of 1 p.m. ET Monday, the company has experienced a total of 1.5 million outages throughout the storm event. Duke Energy has restored power to roughly 1.2 million.

Many of the remaining impacted customers are located in tough-to-access coastal areas that experienced historic flooding, multiple road closures and significant structural damage. The latest outage numbers can be found here.

"With many of the main and secondary roads closed, getting additional crews to the impacted areas has been a challenge," said Howard Fowler, Duke Energy incident commander. "We want all our customers in the hard-hit areas to know more help is coming to assist the crews already working in these areas."

Overall, Duke Energy has dispatched more than 20,000 personnel to restore power across the Carolinas  the company's largest storm response in the region ever.

Estimated power restoration times

To give customers as much information as possible, Duke Energy has established 12 separate areas for restoration across the Carolinas to provide targeted updates. A map showing these areas is being continuously updated. See the latest map for updates.

In addition, Duke Energy will send impacted customers updated information via text messages.

The company conducted some limited aerial inspections in some of the hard-hit areas late Sunday. However, improving weather conditions will aid assessments today. Still, full power restoration may take weeks, rather than days, due to the widespread damage and flooding.

Reporting outages and storm update:

Visit www.dukeenergyupdates.com

Texting "OUT" to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).

Call the automated outage-reporting system at 800-769-3766 for Duke Energy Carolinas customers; 800-419-6356 for Duke Energy Progress customers.

For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).

Stay away from fallen or sagging power lines

Stay away from fallen and sagging power lines. Keep children, pets and others away from power lines.

Consider all power lines  as well as trees, branches and anything else in contact with power lines  energized and dangerous.

Use extreme caution when traversing damaged and flooded areas. Energized power lines could be hidden by debris and flood waters.

High-water safety reminders

The Duke Energy hydro operations team continues to aggressively move water through its river systems to reduce impacts as much as possible. Please stay alert to changing conditions, as significant rainfall will lead to even higher lake levels.

High water conditions can create navigational hazards. Please use caution and adhere to the advice of local emergency management officials before going on area lakes and rivers.

For updated lake level information, go to duke-energy.com/community/lakes or call Duke Energy's lake neighbor information phone line at 800-829-Lake (5253) (Duke Energy Carolinas lakes) and 800.899.4435 (Duke Energy Progress lakes).

Safety information for extended power outages

Never use a generator indoors. Always follow manufacturer instructions.

Keep at least one battery-powered flashlight where it can be located easily in the dark.

Listen for storm information on a battery-powered radio

Keep an extra supply of fresh batteries.

Never use outdoor grills in the house.

Medical needs

Families who have special medical needs should continue to closely monitor their situations and call 911 if the situation becomes life-threatening.

Duke Energy

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts.

The company's Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit serves approximately 7.6 million retail electric customers in six states  North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

Its Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in five states  North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. Its Commercial Renewables unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the U.S.

More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center includes news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

http://www.duke-energy.com

The 2018 Arxan Forum opened on September 16th. More than 300 experts and academics, government officials, financial practitioners and representatives from scientific research institutions gathered together in Arxan, Xing'an Prefecture, Inner Mongolia, where they discussed the prospect of a shared future for all mankind. They were deeply moved by the passion and charm of this beautiful city, and were highly appreciative.

As soon as people got off the plane, they began taking photos. "This is the first time I have been to Arxan. I was immediately attracted by the magnificent scenery while I was still in the air. What an eye-opener it has been!" said Mr. Bakyei, an academic from the Mongolian Academy of Science. "The scenery around Arxan is wonderful. The autumn here looks just like an ink painting, making people feel relaxed and happy. The environment is also particularly comfortable, and the architecture both unique and impressive." He said he planned to take full advantage of the wonderful natural scenery and delicious food here over the next few days.

"Arxan is fantastic!" said Professor Hamid from Iran's Azad University, full of praise for the area. This was professor Hamid's second visit to Arxan, and he felt that the appeal of Arxan lies in its natural beauty, just as Chinese President Xi Jinping said: "The natural scenery of Arxan is beautiful in all seasons". "There is fresh air, mountains and rivers, pleasant scenery, blue skies, clear waters, and Tianchi Forest..." Hamid was full of praise for the city of Arxan. He said that he came here just in time to see the picturesque autumn colors, at the most beautiful time of year for visiting the region.

As Hamid studied in Beijing for nine years, he knows China very well. "To my surprise, Arxan has changed so much and it has become even more impressive with each visit. There are many foreigners on the streets, and the local people are very warm. This all points towards Arxan becoming a more international city," Hamid said. He was impressed by the local cuisine, especially the lamb chops and noodles. "Arxan has excellent resources for tourism and great development potential. I'm full of hope for the city!" he added.

The beauty of Arxan is obvious for all to see, and Xing'an Prefecture, where the city is located, is also breathtakingly attractive. Inner Mongolia is the main birthplace of the grassland culture, and Xing'an Prefecture is one of North China's shinning pearls. Here, 1/3 of the national territorial area is grassland, 1/4 is forest, and 1/10 is nature reserve. There are more than 300 rivers, with the number of good air quality days exceeding 97% and the rate of pollution-free water reaching 100%. The natural greenness is the biggest ecological advantage of the land here. There is a vast amount of fertile black earth, which provides an important production and processing base for green agricultural and livestock products. "Hinggan Prefecture rice" is famous for being high-quality, ecologically-friendly, and healthy.

Arxan is known as Arshaan in Mongolian, which means "warm and holy spring". It has been designated a World Geopark, a National Forest park, and a National AAAAA Scenic Area. Natural landscapes include springs, forests, grasslands, wetlands, and volcanoes, as well as ice and snow, and it is also an ecological experience area that is excellent for human health. Arxan not only boasts beautiful scenery but also unique cuisine, with 12 dishes in particular being especially famous. These include cold cabbage salad, stewed Tianchi crucian carp with tofu, and black truffles.

SOURCE The 2018 Arxan ForumBecause open enrollment season, the period when consumers can enroll in or make changes to a health plan, begins this fall, clear information about health insurance and healthcare costs is especially valuable now. FAIR Health Consumidor's cost lookup tool, which is powered by FAIR Health's database of billions of billed medical and dental claims, allows Spanish-speaking consumers to estimate their medical or dental costs for particular procedures in their geographic areas. The tool takes into account whether they are insured or uninsuredand if insured, whether they are seeking in-network care, i.e., within their plans' networks, or are seeking care out of network. New features include:

Typical in-network rates for thousands of medical procedures in the consumer's locale, so consumers can estimate how much they will have to pay their in-network providers for care before they meet their deductibles;

Total and itemized costs of 25 common "bundles" or episodes of care that involve multiple procedures related to a single medical condition, such as diabetes, or a complex procedure, such as a hip replacement;

A toolkit explaining how to use healthcare quality measures to make informed decisions about care;

Expanded educational resources with more articles on health insurance and healthcare costs;

Videos showing the usefulness of the site for researching costs on different health conditions; and

A fresh design and easy-to-use interface.

In addition, residents of New York State will find, for 100 commonly performed procedures, a listing of thousands of New York State-based healthcare providers with information about their practices and prices. For scores of hospitals in selected regions in the state, the site lists facility pricing for a set of outpatient procedures and detailed quality metrics. Within New York City, FAIR Health will conduct a multifaceted, culturally relevant marketing campaign designed to reach the city's Hispanic/Latino population.

FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd commented: "The Hispanic/Latino community is disproportionately uninsured and faces linguistic and cultural barriers to understanding health insurance. We are excited to offer new Spanish-language consumer tools to help them make informed decisions about managing their healthcare and preparing for its costs."

Irfan Hasan, program director of The Trust's Healthy Lives, stated: "Improving healthcare is not simply about seeing the doctorit is also about managing the associated costs and understanding how health insurance works. With this new website, Hispanic/Latino communities will have access to a new level of information so they can safeguard their health and their wallets."

Follow us on Twitter @FAIRHealth

About FAIR Health

FAIR Health is a national, independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation's largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 26 billion claim records contributed by payors and administrators who insure or process claims for private insurance plans covering more than 150 million individuals. FAIR Health licenses its privately billed data and data productsincluding benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics, episodes of care analytics and market indicesto commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. FAIR Health also holds separate data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare from 2013 to the present (as well as Medicare Advantage enrollees represented in its private claims data). Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a Qualified Entity, FAIR Health receives all of Medicare Parts A, B and D claims data for use in nationwide transparency efforts. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health has earned HITRUST CSF and Service Organization Controls (SOC 2) certifications by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers' compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish and an English/Spanish mobile app, which enable consumers to estimate and plan their healthcare expenditures and offer a rich educational platform on health insurance. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. FAIR Health also is named a top resource for patients in Elisabeth Rosenthal's book, An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org.

About The New York Community Trust

Through the generosity of New Yorkers who have set up charitable funds with us, we are able to make grants for a huge range of charitable activity so important to the well-being of our city. We are New York City's community foundation, and one of the largest funders of City nonprofits. Since 1924, The Trust has helped make donors' charitable dreams come true by funding the nonprofits that make our city a vital and secure place. See nycommunitytrust.org.

Contact:

Dean Sicoli

Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations

FAIR Health

646-664-1645

[email protected]

SOURCE FAIR Health

Related Links

https://www.fairhealth.org

DUBLIN, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fly Leasing Limited (NYSE: FLY) ("FLY"), a global leader in aircraft leasing, today announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Julie Ruehl, is scheduled to present at the RBC Capital Markets Aircraft Leasing Investor Day in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 1:55 pm PDT.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Events & Presentations page in the Investor Relations section of FLY's website at: http://www.flyleasing.com/investor-relations/events-and-presentations/2018.

An archived replay of the webcast will be available on the website for 90 days.

About FLY

FLY is a global aircraft leasing company with a fleet of modern, high-demand and fuel-efficient commercial jet aircraft. FLY leases its aircraft under multi-year operating lease contracts to a diverse group of airlines throughout the world. FLY is managed and serviced by BBAM LP, a worldwide leader in aircraft lease management and financing. For more information visit www.flyleasing.com.

Contact:

Matt Dallas

Fly Leasing Limited

+1 203-769-5916

[email protected]

SOURCE Fly Leasing Limited

Related Links

http://www.flyleasing.com

They sent an email back telling us that since they were not on American soil, they were not subject to American laws, and if we wanted to buy the website, we needed to pay them $5,000, Sosa said. Im not sure who this person is or what this game is about, but it feels like extortion.ROCKVILLE, Maryland, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Foliar fertilizers are steadily gaining ground in the agriculture industry as an effective multifaceted solution to enhance plant vitals. Increasing importance of crop nutrition, backed by the rising government initiatives continues to influence the demand for foliar fertilizers. Sales of foliar fertilizers are expected to increase on the back of the increasing demand for agricultural produce worldwide. These insights are according to a new study on foliar fertilizer market by Fact.MR. According to the report, demand for foliar fertilizer is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.0% with respect to volume during the period of forecast, 2018-2028. Steady demand for foliar fertilizer is likely to translate into significant sales volumes crossing 3,400,000 metric tons by the end of the assessment period.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/713666/FactMR_Logo.jpg )

Effective training programs provided by the governments regarding the use of foliar fertilizer continues to remain instrumental in driving the foliar fertilizer sales worldwide. Moreover, subsidy provisions by governments in fertilizer space has translated into increased farmer confidence in using the foliar fertilizer, says the report. For instance, the government of India has declared a subsidy of around US$ 10,000 Mn in 2018 encouraging the farmers to improve the agricultural yield. Rising awareness regarding benefits of foliar fertilizer is expected to contribute to the growing sales volumes of the product in the coming years.

Request For Sample Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1031

Foliar fertilizer sales with nitrogen composition are likely to be on an upswing on the back of the growing demand for the nutrient in crop rejuvenation. Nitrogen, a key element in crop health, facilitates efficient photosynthesis, protein production and overall plant physiology. Fact.MR report opines that sales volume of foliar fertilizer with nitrogen composition is estimated to cross 1,800,000 metric tons by 2019 end. On the contrary, the demand for potassium foliar fertilizer is projected to grow at a relatively rapid pace in the light of high pest and disease resistance and fruit quality enhancing properties. Potassium foliar fertilizer also facilitates rapid formation and movement of sugars, starches and oils in crops, in turn, enhancing the plant nutrition.

Sales of mineral foliar fertilizer are expected to gain increasing momentum across key regional markets. Mineral foliar fertilizer are expected to account for a major share in the overall foliar fertilizer market as compared to the organic foliar fertilizer. However, organic foliar fertilizer is expected to gain traction on the back of larger profit margins that they offer. Against this backdrop, manufacturers and suppliers of organic foliar fertilizer are introducing new products. For instance, Gronn Gjodsel AS has introduced Pepton 85/16, an organic foliar fertilizer featuring high nutritional content.

To Get more Insights on Foliar Fertilizer Market, Visit - https://www.factmr.com/report/1031/foliar-fertilizer-market

The demand for foliar fertilizer in enhancing fruits and veritable health is expected to soar at a significant pace during the period of forecast. However, sales of foliar fertilizer for cereals and grains are expected to account for a larger value and volume share in the foliar fertilizer market.

Sales of foliar fertilizer are likely to remain concentrated in the Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region, particularly in the emerging economies of China and India. The APEJ region's growing agriculture industry coupled with the increasing population rates are expected to create avenues for foliar fertilizer manufacturers, according to the report. In addition, the demand for foliar fertilizer in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, is projected to expand at a robust rate throughout the forecast period.

Albeit nutritional benefits, foliar burn is expected to challenge the growth of the foliar fertilizer market. Foliar fertilizer feeding permits the nutrients to enter the vascular system of the plant through direct stem and lead absorption. However, improper foliar fertilizer application, can be detrimental to the plant's health. In bright sunlight, application of foliar fertilizer can result in foliar burns owing to liquid deposition on leaf, resulting in heat amplification. This aspect is likely to dent farmers' confidence about foliar fertilizer and impact the sales.

To Buy Foliar Fertilizer Market Report, Visit- https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1031/S

About Fact.MR

Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.

Contact Us

Rohit Bhisey

Fact.MR

11140 Rockville Pike

Suite 400

Rockville, MD 20852

United States

Email: [email protected]



Web: https://www.factmr.com/

Blog: https://factmrblog.com/

Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/factmr/

SOURCE Fact.MRMENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Gala Therapeutics (Gala), a clinical-stage developer of medical devices to treat pulmonary disease, today announced positive results from its First-in-Human trial of RheOx in patients with chronic bronchitis. The data showed a favorable safety profile and clinically meaningful benefit after Bronchial Rheoplasty.

"There remains a clear unmet need for a therapy that directly targets cough and mucus hypersecretion in chronic bronchitis patients who are at increased risk of exacerbations, morbidity and mortality," said Arschang Valipour, MD, FCCP, Associate Professor from the Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institute for COPD and Respiratory Epidemiology at the Otto Wagner Spital in Vienna, Austria. Valipour presented preliminary results of the First-in-Human study at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) in Paris, France on Monday September 17th in a late-breaking session. "These preliminary data demonstrate safety as well as significant improvement in Quality of Life, validated by biopsy evidence of a reduction in mucus-producing goblet cells and increases in airway volumes on CT scan imaging. This supports further study of RheOx as a potential new therapeutic option for a disease state that is not sufficiently addressed by pharmacotherapy," Valipour said.

Trial Design

The First-in-Human study is an ongoing, multi-center study evaluating the safety and clinical effect of RheOx in patients with chronic bronchitis. Bronchial Rheoplasty will be performed in two treatments, the first to treat the right lung airways and the second, one month later, to treat the left lung airways. A third bronchoscopy approximately three months after the second treatment is performed for sample collection only. The primary endpoint of the study is safety. Secondary endpoints include changes in Quality of Life as measured by the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ, and COPD Assessment Test, CAT, as well as pulmonary function testing, histopathology, and airway volume measures on CT scans. The results reported in this press release include data from thirty patients enrolled to date including twenty-two patients who have reached the 3-month endpoint and are in varying stages of follow up with some beyond one year.

Results from First Cohort

Primary endpoint analysis revealed Bronchial Rheoplasty to be well tolerated in treated patients with no device-related severe adverse events (SAEs). No unanticipated SAEs were reported.

The secondary endpoint measures showed a reduction in mean SGRQ score of 16.1 points (p<0.05) at 3-months, which was sustained in the subjects that have reached 6 and 12-months. An improvement of 4 points is considered clinically meaningful, according to peer-reviewed literature. Mucus and cough domains on the CAT score were reduced at 3-month follow-up by 38% and 45%, respectively, and were sustained at 6 and 12-months. Eighty-four percent of biopsy specimens were normal at the 3-month follow up and there was a 23% increase in the distal airway volumes measured by CT scan, which in published literature has been predictive of a reduction in exacerbations.

"The data presented today strengthens our conviction that a targeted, device-based approach to treat the airways reduces mucus hypersecretion in subjects with chronic bronchitis. Patients were symptomatic at baseline despite being prescribed guideline-directed medications. These results may translate into therapeutic benefits in a wide range of pulmonary and non-pulmonary diseases that are similarly mediated," said Jonathan Waldstreicher, MD, Founder and CEO of Gala. "As a next step, we look forward to working with the physicians and sites in the United States that will treat the first patients in our Early Feasibility Study in the coming weeks."

RheOx is an investigational medical device limited by United States law to investigational study only.

About Gala Therapeutics

Gala Therapeutics is a privately-held medical device company based in Menlo Park, CA that was formed by Apple Tree Partners, a life-sciences focused venture capital firm based in New York. Gala is dedicated to developing disease modifying therapies that improve survival, quality of life, and outcomes for patients with lung cancer, COPD, asthma, and other pulmonary diseases. Gala is building a portfolio of technologies to address the needs of interventional pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, and all physicians who treat pulmonary disease.

SOURCE Gala Therapeutics

Related Links

http://www.galatherapeutics.com

STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Lyme Alliance (GLA), the leading 501(c)(3) dedicated to conquering Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through research, education and awareness, will hold its 4th annual New York City Gala on October 11th at Cipriani 42nd Street. The event aims to raise Lyme disease awareness and research funds to improve diagnostics, treatments and ultimately find a cure for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Erin Walker will serve as the evening's honored guest. As a mother, equestrian, business owner, and wife of 2016 PGA Champion Jimmy Walker, she is an active advocate for Lyme disease awareness and research. Both Erin and Jimmy Walker have been affected by Lyme, which is a global epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 329,000 new cases are reported in the U.S. alone every year.

"We are inspired by Erin and Jimmy's stories," said GLA CEO Scott Santarella, "and join them in their fight to not only find a cure for themselves, and the millions of others who are currently suffering from Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses. This year, Global Lyme Alliance celebrated surpassing $10 million in research grant funding, a milestone in our commitment to accurately diagnose, treat and cure this potentially incapacitating tick-borne disease. But tens of millions of more dollars are needed if we are to convert promising tests and therapies from the lab to the doctor's office."

More than 700 individuals, including celebrities, business leaders, philanthropists and noteworthy scientists, are expected to attend the event. It will be hosted by Lori Stokes, co-host of FOX 5's "Good Day New York." Celebrated event planner Lawrence Scott is producing the evening including designing and donating the decor for the event. The Gala menu is inspired by Drew Nieporent of Myriad Restaurant Group, including Nobu. Sutton Foster, Broadway veteran and star of TV Land's "Younger" will headline the program. Foster is a two-time Tony Award winner for her starring roles in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Anything Goes."

The Co-Chairs for the event include Joseph Abboud, celebrated menswear designer and author; Charles Balducci, co-founder, Snyder/Balducci Group, Merrill Lynch; Chris Corrinet, senior VP, CBRE; Robert Kobre, vice chairman, Credit Suisse; Jarrod Nadel, chief product development officer, Tailored Brands, Inc.; Drew Nieporent, owner, Myriad Restaurant Group; Peter Norley, COO, Credit Suisse Securities; and Larry Scott, owner, Lawrence Scott Events.

Honorary Event Chairs include: Jay McInerney, Jim Miller, Mary Beth Pfeiffer, Mike Schneider, Victor Slezak, and Marisol and Rob Thomas.

Platinum Sponsors include: Big Apple Circus, Credit Suisse, Nancy and Bob Del Genio, David Nolan Foundation, Lawrence Scott Events, Tailored Brands, and Withersworldwide.

The Global Lyme Alliance New York Gala will be held Thursday, October 11, 2018 from 6:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 East 42nd Street at Park Avenue. It features a cocktail reception, dinner and live auction. For more information, or to purchase tables or tickets, please contact Jennifer Kunin at 212-249-6188 or go to GLA.org/2018nygala.

About Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an illness caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted through the bite of an infected black-legged tick. The disease has been reported in all 50 states and more than 80 countries. All ages are affected, but children aged 3-14 are most at risk, with 200 new cases every day. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to combating the disease. However, current diagnostics are 55% inaccurate, leading to delayed treatment. If untreated, Lyme disease can become a severely debilitating illness affecting multiple organs, including joints, heart, brain and other parts of the central nervous system. Even when treated early, up to 20% go on to suffer debilitating long-term symptoms that are difficult, if not impossible, to cure.

About Global Lyme Alliance

Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) is the leading 501(c)(3) dedicated to conquering Lyme disease through research, education and awareness. GLA has gained national prominence for funding the most urgent and promising research in the field, while expanding education and awareness programs for the general public and physicians. To learn more about GLA's unrivaled focus on the science of Lyme, check out its inaugural research report here or visit its website at www.globallymealliance.org

SOURCE Global Lyme Alliance

Related Links

http://www.globallymealliance.org

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Group K Diagnostics has been recognized for its disruptive point-of-care solution as the winner of the technology category in the 2018 Stellar Startup Awards.

Created by the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Awards are in the third year of honoring innovative companies. The winners were announced at an awards gala sponsored by MassMutual Greater Philadelphia on Thursday, September 13.

Group K Team wins Stellar Startup 2018 Technology Category

"We appreciate the honor of winning, and the chance to let the public know about our product's technology and the purpose of our products," said Brianna Wronko, founder and CEO of Group K Diagnostics. "The MultiDiagnostic has the capability to change way diagnostics are seen today, allowing fast results and customized treatment plans," Wronko continued.

The MultiDiagnostic is easy-to-use, consisting of a test strip and a suite of software. Clinicians will determine test results in 20 minutes or less and avoid the costs, time, and risks associated with sending samples to an off-site laboratory. Obtaining quantitative, evidence-based results at the point of care enables clinicians to develop more informed care plans, improving overall quality of care.

In addition to Group K's image processing algorithm, the software suite includes a number of valuable features, such as epidemic tracking, inter-hospital record keeping, and a patient portal.

About Group K Diagnostics

Group K Diagnostics is revolutionizing patient care with accurate, fast and affordable diagnoses. Group K's microfluidic point-of-care device, called the MultiDiagnostic, provides test results in 20 minutes, allowing patients to have direct access to their medical results and enabling doctors to adjust medical treatments in a timely manner. The device has the potential to drastically improve quality of patient care. CEO Brianna Wronko founded the Philadelphia-based company in 2016.

Since its invention, Group K's innovation has generated praise in the healthcare and technology industries. Group K was named 2017 Best of the Best by MABA and Most Innovative Company of the 2017 Heart Science Forum. Wronko has also received recognition as the 2018 Spring PACT TiE Top Pitch Event Winner, the semi-finalist in the inaugural Wharton Startup Challenge, winner of the technology category of the 2018 Stellar Startup awards, and the recipient of various other grants and awards. Group K participated in UPenn's VIP-X and Dreamit.

For more details on Group K Diagnostics, visit groupkdiagnostics.com, email [email protected] or call Brianna Wronko at 201-450-8785.

SOURCE Group K Diagnostics

Related Links

http://groupkdiagnostics.com

In the context of the increasingly severe trend of population aging, the concept of "intelligent old-age care" emerged at the right moment for the purpose of improving and guaranteeing the life qualities of aged people. As a start-up enterprise of "internet plus aged care", Chengdu Magicare Technology Co., LTD. has been incubated successfully in Chengdu Tianfu Software Park and has taken the lead in the industry. As Magicare's CEO He Wei said, its intelligent aged care and nursing system which was developed and researched independently has had group customers of 60 corporations. With the market share ranking number one in China, the system has been implemented in 30 cities. Magicare is the first enterprise of China to possess intelligent aged care and nursing products and also the first to export such technologies to Finland and Japan.

Status quo: a shortage of nursing resources

As the data showed, the number of aged people in China has reached as many as 211 million in 2014, including 200 million having home-based care, 8 million having community support and 3 million having institution care. Until 2020, the number of aged people will keep rising continuously, while the number of the aged who will need community support for elderly life will rise to 17.01 million, and the number of aged people needing institutional care will reach 7.29 million.

"Now, the shortage of nursing resources has been a tremendous difficulty in the aged care industry," He Wei, Magicare's CEO said. China's Ministry of Civil Affairs has issued statistics that the shortage of aged care and nursing workers was about more than 12 million. Wei continued: "The proportion of nursing attendants in the nursing institutions for the aged is between 1 to 15 and 1 to 20. That is to say, one attendant needs to take care of 15-20 aged people, while the nursing attendant proportion in Japan is 1 to 3 and that in Hong Kong is 1 to 4." To change this situation, many universities in China have gradually established the aged care and nursing major to cultivate human resources. "However, in the long cultivation period, we must think about how to define 'China's age-people caring mode' and how to solve all kinds of difficulties in aged care," said Wei.

Thought: a coverage of three aged care modes

Some scholars raised the concept of "9073" for the current situations of old-age care in China, which means 90% of the aged people spend their old age at home, 7% in the communities and 3% in the nursing institutions for the aged. However, through the profound investigations for the aged care industry in these several years, He Wei raised a different view: "The aged people would choose to live their old age at home when their bodies are in a relatively healthy state, and they would choose community care when they become older. They will choose professional institution to spend their old age when their health condition is really poor. These three modes are mutually complementary and indispensible." He Wei plans to provide services and solve problems with scientific and technological methods, taking aged people care institutions as the starting step, community care for the aged people as the second step and home-based care for the aged people as the last step.

To collect data from the front-line old age caring institutions, the programmers of "Magicare" moved into the old age caring institutions, lived and ate together with the aged people. With eight months' in-depth life there, the technologists designed a whole set of software and hardware products according to the most practical and demanding needs of the elderly people. To convert the design into products, He Wei had no experience to learn from. On the upstream, the parts-makers had no data. On the downstream, the foundry didn't have an assembly method, a production technique, nor was it clear about the quality test standards. The first order of Magicare only included ten bracelets. "With continuous hardships and repetitive experiments for two years, we finally launched the first set of commercial products," said Wei. In the entrepreneurial process, He Wei has met with more than one hundred investors. Continuous negations and doubts haven't changed his determination of showing his respect to the old age caring cause: "We have also got many supports in this career. Tianfu Software Park has provided us offices free for three years, which has been a very great help for we frugal enterprise starters."

Now, Magicare has already accomplished the exploration for intelligent care and nursing of institutional aged care. As for community and home-based aged care, He Wei put forward his view: home-based aged care must depend on community. The internet is not accessible to the majority of aged people, and thus it can only reach them through community offline service stores." On learning from the experience of internet S2C thought, Magicare began to integrate resource S terminal to provide energies for the C terminal and expanded the exploration of the commercial route of community aged care. They have launched a new product "smart Magicare" in communities. The S terminal is a powerful supply chain platform, the B terminal refers to community day-care center, and the C terminal refers to aged people in the community. "Constructing a supply chain platform to connect the day-care center with the aged people in the community, and this method solves the problems happening in the last area between the communities' aged-people care and home-base aged care," said Wei.

At present, "smart Magicare" has seen 136 seed stores and 226 co-construction users. In the future, aged people can enjoy day care, full-time care, meal delivery, cleaning, physical therapy, door-to-door services within 1.5 kilometers and other services in the community stores of the "smart Magicare".

Products: aged-people oriented design

Magicare has launched systematic scientific solutions for institutional aged care. The solutions include five functions: call service, active forewarning, care and nursing plan, health record and interaction with children. Li Guangpeng, CTO of Magicare, has shown the specific operation mode of the intelligent care and nursing system.

In the call service, aged people can use bracelets, breast plates and bedside alarms to realize "one-button alarm". "According to the different needs of the aged people, we have designed the call modes for different scenes. Old people who are in good physical condition can wear the bracelet and press the alarm button when in an emergency; if aged people have difficulties in moving, and can't press down the button of the bracelet, such as the old people with Parkinson's disease, we have designed relatively bigger breast plate which can make calls as long as the aged people lower their heads," said Li Guangpeng. Li Guangpeng pressed down the bracelet on the spot, and the electronic display screen of the medical nursing terminal immediately displayed the information and accurate position of the person who had made the call. "Through repetitive data operations, we have endeavored to control the positioning precision of the calling within 5 meters outdoors and 2 meters indoors. Moreover, the medical nursing personnel will wear the bracelets so that they can receive the calling information of the aged people at all times and places."

To display the active forewarning function more vividly, Magicare has simulated the home-based life scenes of the aged people. "We will install smoke alarms and activity detectors for aged people's activities. If aged people don't have any activities in the room for a long time, the system will make alarms automatically," said Li Guanpeng. Moreover, Li Guangpeng has also displayed another monitoring "Black Technology" -- an intelligent mattress which can not only monitor the heart rate, breath, and body actions, but also can actively alert the medical nursing personnel if the aged person has left the bed.

Along with the painstaking work for the above-mentioned hardware facilities, the software development of Magicare followed closely. When aged people enter the aged care institutions, a suitable customized care and nursing plan will be generated automatically. When the medical nursing personnel make the daily physical examination for the aged people, the data of the results will be uploaded in real time to the Cloud to form health reports. "The medical nursing personnel don't need to write and copy the health reports by hand. Our goal is to free the hands of them, for they should work on more efficient tasks," Li Guangpeng said. At last, children can browse the physical condition of the aged people and interact with them through the WeChat of Magicare.

SOURCE MagicareNEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare Global Market Report By Product Type: Healthcare Services; Pharmaceutical Drugs; Medical Equipment; Biologics; By Region, By Country, With Forecast Until 2021



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05312917



The global healthcare market is expected to grow to $11801 billion in 2021 at an attractive compound annual growth rate (CAGR). The aging population profile of most countries contributed to the growth of the healthcare market. Access to healthcare services is expected to improve in developing countries in this period.

The healthcare industry is one of the largest and fast growing industries in the world, and it has a direct effect on the quality of life of patients. The term healthcare refers to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease or illness, and other physical and mental impairments in humans and animals. The healthcare industry provides products and services to treat patients with curative, preventive, rehabilitative or palliative care.

Healthcare industry in this report is segmented into healthcare services, pharmaceuticals drugs, medical equipment and biologics.

Healthcare Services comprise hospitals, nursing and community care facilities; home healthcare services; medical and diagnostic laboratories; veterinary services and residential mental health centers. It also includes offices of dentists, physicians and healthcare practitioners.

Pharmaceuticals Drugs industry is comprised of many public and private organizations that discover, develop, manufacture and market medicines for human and animal health.

Medical Equipment market comprises surgical and medical instruments, surgical appliances and supplies, ophthalmic goods, dental laboratories, and in vitro reagents.

Biologics industry comprises companies manufacturing biological products that are derived from genetically modified proteins and human genes.

North America was the largest region in the healthcare market in 2017, accounting for 35% market share followed by Asia Pacific and Middle East.

Healthcare Services was the largest segment in the healthcare market with an 83% share of the market. Healthcare services involve treatment for illness, disorders and injuries in hospitals and other emergency departments.

Merger and acquisition activity in the healthcare market has surged during recent years. Most mergers and acquisitions were intended to boost product portfolios and to expand the market reach of products and services. Leading deals have included those done by Actavis, Medtronic Plc., Novartis, GSK, Roche and Bayer.

NHS was the largest competitor of the market, followed by Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., and Novartis AG.

Segments: Healthcare Services; Pharmaceutical Drugs; Medical Equipment; Biologics

Regions covered: Asia-Pacific, North America, South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa

Countries covered: India, China, Japan, Australia, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, USA, Brazil

Historic period: 2013-2017

Base year: 2017

Forecast period: 2017-2021

Executive Summary



The healthcare industry is one of the largest and fast growing industries in the world, and it has a direct effect on the quality of life of patients. The term healthcare refers to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease or illness, and other physical and mental impairments in humans and animals. The healthcare industry provides products and services to treat patients with curative, preventive, rehabilitative or palliative care.



North America was the largest region in the healthcare market in 2017, accounting for around 35% market share. Asia Pacific was the second largest region accounting for around 27% market share. Middle East was the smallest region accounting for around 3% market share.



Digitalization of information related to patients including their medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results is being made possible with Electronic Health Records (EHRs). EHRs increase patient participation, and improve diagnostic and treatment outcomes.



The Healthcare Global Market Report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global healthcare market.



Reasons to Purchase

 Outperform competitors using accurate up to date demand-side dynamics information.

 Identify growth segments for investment.

 Facilitate decision making on the basis of historic and forecast data and the drivers and restraints on the market.

 Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis.

 Stay abreast of the latest customer and market research findings

 Benchmark performance against key competitors.

 Develop strategies based on likely future developments.

 Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing.

 Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis

 Gain a global perspective on the development of the market.

 Report will be updated with the latest data and delivered to you within 3-5 working days of order.



Description:

Where is the largest and fastest growing market for the healthcare? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The healthcare market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.



The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider healthcare market, and compares it with other markets.

 The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market.

 The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market and forecasting the future. Drivers and restraints looks at the external factors supporting and controlling the growth of the market.

 Market segmentations break down market into sub markets.

 The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers all the regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets. It draws comparisons with country populations and economies to understand the importance of the market by country and how this is changing.

 Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.

 The trends and strategies section highlights the likely future developments in the market and suggests approaches companies can take to exploit this.

 The healthcare market section of the report gives context. It compares the healthcare market with other segments of the healthcare market by size and growth, historic and forecast. It analyses Expenditure Per Capita, The Healthcare Market Indicators Comparison.

 The industry metrics section looks at critical drivers while the macro-economic section looks at the market in relation to the overall economy.



Scope

Markets Covered: Healthcare Services; Pharmaceutical Drugs; Medical Equipment; Biologic



Companies Mentioned: NHS, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Novartis AG



Countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, Russia, UK, USA and Australia.



Regions: Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East And Africa



Time series: Five years historic and forecast.



Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP, Expenditure Per Capita, The Healthcare Market Indicators Comparison.



Data segmentations: country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments.



Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05312917



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com

"Kurt has been a strong leader in the CPS organization, driving growth and providing mentorship to our sales teams throughout our business. We congratulate him on a great career and wish him all the best in his upcoming retirement," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods.

"Natosha is well prepared to assume Kurt's responsibilities and has earned a reputation for being a customer-focused leader," said Deanna Brady, group vice president of consumer products sales at Hormel Foods. "I look forward to Natosha providing leadership and bold thinking to the sales organization."

During his career at Hormel Foods, Mueller has brought a passion and commitment to recruiting, succession planning and performance management, and his experience in logistics and sales planning has provided the CPS organization with a unique perspective.

Walsh has been a driver for the advancement of women within CPS and throughout the company, serving as a member of company's employee resource group Women's Insights Network from its inception. In addition to her time with the company, Walsh has been an active member of the Network of Executive Women for over 15 years. She was just named co-chair of the Boise chapter, where she is responsible for establishing this chapter.

Mueller

Mueller graduated from the University of Wisconsin  Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing. He joined the company in 1979 in sales and advanced through various sales roles before becoming a product manager, district manager and director of retail marketing. His career continued to advance in sales and marketing and he was named senior vice president of business planning for CPS in 2004 and then assumed his current role in 2014.

Walsh

Walsh graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in marketing and international business and began her career with the company in 1999. Throughout her career, she has held positions of increasing responsibility in supply chain, category management, customer account leadership and product management.

About Hormel Foods  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 10th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

Related Links

http://www.hormelfoods.com

Under the TACP-MCS Block 2 contract, iGov will modify the M1165 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) armored variant used by Air Force Tactical Air Control Party operators. To successfully execute Close Air Support (CAS) operations, iGov will integrate and deliver modernized, robust voice, data, and video communication capabilities required by Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs). Work will be performed at iGov's Tampa, Florida facility and is expected to be complete by January 2024.

"The MCS Block 2 award is a testament to our company's dedication to unparalleled client service and success achieved in delivering MCS Block 1," said iGov CEO Pat Neven. "This award confirms recognition that iGov provides the Air Force an innovative and experienced team capable of effective delivery of reliable solutions."

"With MCS Block 2, the Air Force is going to receive a mature solution built upon the capabilities we are successfully fielding for MCS Block 1," said Chuck Reiche, Senior Vice President of Business Development. "We are committed to excellence as we continue to provide Air Force TACP operators the communications systems they need to successfully execute their missions."

About iGov

iGov is an employee owned, systems integrator specializing in delivering mission-centric C4ISR solutions to its government customers. iGov deploys its people, expertise, and processes to execute full lifecycle enterprise and tactical programs in the following areas: Tactical Networking, Software Development, Systems Engineering, Communications Systems, and Platform Integration. For more information, visit www.igov.com.

Media Contact:

Chuck Reiche

iGov Technologies, Inc

[email protected]

(813) 448-3323

SOURCE iGov Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.igov.com

"Each Franchise Owner and Business Development Agent is an entrepreneur and partners that has helped build our brand into the world's best restaurant chain," said Current CEO Trevor Haynes. "We know the best ideas often come from those who work closest to bring an exceptional experience to our guests each and every day. We are excited to collaborate with Franchise Owners and Business Development Agents around the world to continue setting an innovative path for the brand and to maintain our status as one of the world's most favorite brands."

The Subway brand has more than 21,000 franchisees, who engage with millions of customers around the world each day.

The 2018 Subway Franchise Owners of the Year are:

Brenda Aranda , Chicago, Ill

, Mohammad Hannan , Washington, DC

, Refined Holding Limited, London, England

Love's Travel Shops & Country Stores Inc., Oklahoma City, OK

Danilo Araujo Gomes Martins , Lorena Carvalho Monteiro , Andre Correa Carvalho Pinelli and Wesley da Silveira Torres from Belo Horizonte, Brazil

, , and from Johannes Jansen , Maastricht, Netherlands

, Maastricht, Sanjucta Kumar, New Delhi, India

Hemal Shah and Vibha Shah , Mumbai, India

Subway Business Development Agents, who are usually Franchise Owners themselves, create teams in their markets to work with Franchise Owners on a wide range of tasks  from food safety and appearance to new product launches and brand initiatives. In their role, they help franchisees operate exceptional and profitable sandwich shops.

The 2018 Subway Business Development Agents of the Year are:

Chetan Arora , Bobby Gulri and Robby Gulri , India

, and , Jennifer Garana and Michael Ku , South Korea

and , Mike Lopez and Scott Ritchie , Canada

About Subway Restaurants

Subway offers a fresh alternative to traditional fast food, serving 7 million made-to-order sandwiches a day. Guests choose from 4.9 billion combinations of quality proteins, fresh vegetables, and bread baked daily. The world's largest restaurant chain serves nutritious and delicious subs, soups, and salads at about 44,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. The Subway experience is also delivered online at www.Subway.com and through the Subway App, available in select markets at the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Founded by then 17-year-old Fred DeLuca and family friend Dr. Peter Buck more than 53 years ago, Subway is still a family-owned business, working with more than 21,000 dedicated Franchisees in communities around the world.

Subway is a registered trademark of Subway IP Inc.

SOURCE Subway Restaurants

Related Links

http://www.subway.com

In a statement earlier this year, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said they are planning to work with Foxconn, local government officials and other state and federal agencies to ensure all applicable permit requirements are met during development of the plant, including consideration of any environmental impacts associated with any permits or approvals.BASEL, Switzerland, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jet Aviation today announced it has formed a new region for Asia-Pacific (APAC) and appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations APAC, effective immediately. The company also appointed David Best, current VP Business Development, as its new SVP Strategic Global Growth (SGG), effective December 1. Best succeeds Johannes Turzer, who is retiring from this role at the end of January 2019.

To help the company capture the value of Hawker Pacific and pursue interests and ambitions in support of its vision, Jet Aviation has formed a new region in Asia-Pacific (APAC) to which it has appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations. Reckling joins the leadership team, reporting directly to Jet Aviation President, Rob Smith, and will oversee the company's business activities throughout the region. The new APAC region has 21 locations and more than 1,100 employees.

Reckling joined Hawker Pacific as CFO in 2008, having held senior financial, commercial and managerial roles with various public companies in the UK and Australia. A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Town and is a graduate of the Executive Program for Growing Business at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

"Joe has a strong background in mergers and acquisitions and post-acquisition business integration," adds Smith. "I'm very pleased to welcome him to the leadership team and am confident he will continue to expand and strengthen our service offerings in Asia-Pacific to exceed customer demand."

Best joined Turzer's SGG team as VP Business Development in April 2017 and has been largely responsible for the successful acquisition and integration of Hawker Pacific to date. Prior to joining Jet, he founded and led a global aviation and business consultancy company and held senior positions with BBA Aviation Asia Pacific and Signature Flight Support. Best serves as Board of Governor of the Asian Business Aviation Association and sits on the Governing Board of the International Business Aviation Council. He is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, where he earned his MBA and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Turzer began his career with Jet Aviation in Dusseldorf in 1976 as an Avionics Engineer. In 1978, he left the company to take on various managerial roles in the Industry until 1999. In 2000, Turzer returned to Jet Aviation as VP and GM of our Germany operations. He later assumed further responsibilities for London Biggin Hill and was also instrumental in establishing Jet Aviation's Moscow Vnukovo presence in late 2007. In 2011, Turzer took leadership of our maintenance operation in Basel, and is credited for successfully overcoming considerable market challenges before assuming his current role as SVP SGG in 2017.

"David has lived and worked in Europe, Asia and the USA throughout his business career," says Smith. "He brings to his new role deep knowledge and expertise in all aspects of strategy, corporate growth, acquisitions and business aviation infrastructure. Please join me in thanking Johannes for his significant contribution to Jet, and in wishing David continued success as SVP SGG."

Best also joins the company's leadership team, reporting to Smith. Turzer will relocate to his home in Dusseldorf, Germany in mid-December, and serve in an advisory capacity as GM Germany effective February 1, 2019.

Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. More than 4,800 employees cater to client needs from close to 50 facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America and the Caribbean. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, FBO and fuel services, along with aircraft management, charter services and personnel services. Jet Aviation's European and U.S. aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of some 300 aircraft. Please visit www.jetaviation.com and follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/jetaviation.

More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

SOURCE Jet Aviation

Related Links

http://www.jetaviation.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kentik, the leader in network analytics, today announced that Tata Communications, a leading global digital infrastructure provider, is now using Kentik's SaaS-based network analytics platform to further optimize network efficiency and end-user experience.

Kentik's platform provides Tata Communications with an enhanced view of its traffic composition and traffic paths across its leading global Tier-1 IP network. Tata Communications' digital infrastructure carries around 30 percent of the world's Internet routes, connects businesses to 60 percent of the world's cloud giants, and enables businesses to reach 240 countries and territories. The enhanced network visibility provided by Kentik further boosts network performance, efficiency and end user experience for Tata Communications' customers.

"Today's telecommunications leaders provide broadband connectivity to millions of companies and billions of people worldwide. That requires investing in best-of-breed technology to ensure their global networks and our service offerings remain highly performant and secure," said Avi Freedman, co-founder and CEO of Kentik. "We look forward to working closely with Tata Communications to pave the way for new insights enabled by our platform."

With the help of Kentik, communications service providers are able to customize network reporting to their specific needs and integrate the business intelligence information collected, through APIs, into their infrastructure.

For more information on Kentik or to receive a demo or free trial, visit kentik.com/trial.

About Kentik

Easily the world's most powerful network analytics, Kentik uses real-time flow analysis, uniquely enriched with business and internet context to help enterprises and service providers protect their revenue and reputation. Kentik's SaaS platform is built on a patented big data engine to deliver modern network analytics that is both powerful and easy to use. Kentik is based in San Francisco  learn more at kentik.com.

TATA COMMUNICATIONS and TATA are trademarks of Tata Sons Limited in certain countries.

SOURCE Kentik

Related Links

https://www.kentik.com

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su has secured a settlement to recover more than $450,000 in wages, penalties and interest for 15 residential care workers who suffered overtime and other wage theft violations. L'Chaim House agreed to make the payments after the Labor Commissioner's Office sued to block the San Rafael-based residential care business from transferring ownership of its real estate to evade penalties. A lien against the real estate will ensure the payments are made.

"Employers who steal wages from their workers will be held accountable, meaning we will not just investigate and cite those who break the law, we will use the tools we have been given to ensure workers get their money," said Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su. "In this case we were able to show that the transfers were intended to hide the assets and evade legal responsibility."

The Labor Commissioner's Office opened an investigation in December 2015 after workers at L'Chaim House's two locations reported labor law violations. Investigators audited 36 months of the employer's payroll records and found caregivers frequently worked more than 12 hours a day without overtime pay. Citations totaling $486,399 were issued in February 2016 for minimum wage, overtime, meal period and wage statement violations. L'Chaim House appealed the fines, which were upheld in both an administrative hearing and in a decision by the Sonoma County Superior Court on September 20, 2017.

Shortly after the citations were issued, the owner of L'Chaim House placed its real estate in a trust to avoid legal liability for the wage citations. The Labor Commissioner filed a lawsuit on September 29, 2017 in Marin County for civil fraudulent transfer. As a result of the lawsuit, L'Chaim House agreed to pay more than $450,000 of the penalties and wages owed. L'Chaim House also committed to full compliance with employment and labor laws going forward as part of the settlement.

The 15 workers will receive settlement payments ranging from $49 to $77,807, with an average payout of $25,008 each. The settlement payment also included $74,900 in civil penalties payable to the state. In addition, part of the amount owed$89,080 for meal period penaltiesremains in dispute before an appellate court. If upheld, $77,430 of those penalties would also go to the workers with the remainder to the state.

In 2016, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed into law Senate Bill 588 (de Leon), which gave the Labor Commissioner's Office more tools to collect citations and wage payment orders. The law added sections to the labor code allowing the Labor Commissioner to levy the bank accounts and receivables of employers that fail to comply with judgments for unpaid wages. Since the law went into effect, the Labor Commissioner has issued more than 4,848 levies. These levies have resulted in more than $3.4 million in payments and payment agreements for workers.

The law also enabled the Labor Commissioner's Office to issue stop orders against scofflaw employers until they pay their workers. The Labor Commissioner has investigated potential actions related to 166 different judgments, and issued 29 stop orders. Over the last year, these investigations and stop orders led to the recovery of more than $1,099,800 in payments and payment plans for wages owed to workers.

"The power to issue stop orders tells employers who have broken the law that paying wages to workers is not optional. If you want to do business in California, you have to pay your employees," said Labor Commissioner Su.

Enforcement investigations typically include a payroll audit of the previous three years to determine minimum wage, overtime and other labor law violations, and calculate payments owed and penalties due. Civil penalties collected are transferred to the State's General Fund as required by law.

The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or the Labor Commissioner's Office, is the division within the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) with wide-ranging enforcement responsibilities, including public works enforcement, adjudicating wage claims, inspecting workplaces for wage and hour violations, investigating retaliation complaints and educating the public on labor laws.

In 2014, Labor Commissioner Su launched the Wage Theft is a Crime multilingual public awareness campaign. The campaign defines wage theft and informs workers of their rights and the resources available to them to recover unpaid wages or report other labor law violations.

Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR's Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734).

Members of the press may contact Peter Melton or Lucas Brown at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR's press releases or other departmental updates.

https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR

https://twitter.com/CA_DIR

http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR

http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1



The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR's Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.

SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations

Related Links

https://www.dir.ca.gov

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A mix of mining, energy, telecommunications, retail and food and beverage companies are in this year's list of Profit Kings in Latin Trade's Top 500 Companies of 2018.

At the top of the profit kings list is Brazilian miner Vale, with profits reaching $5.3 billion, up 30.5 percent from the year before.

Following Vale is Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, with profits reaching $3.4 billion, a 33 percent increase from the previous year.

One of the highlights in the profit kings list is Mexican beverage and retail company Femsa. The Monterrey-based firm saw its profit surge 110 percent from the previous year to $2.1 billion.

On the other side of the ranking, the list of profit losers is mostly comprised of companies in sectors such as electricity, ethanol and fertilizer manufacturing. At the top of this list is Brazil's Eletropaulo, with a 4,076 percent plunge in profits from the year before.

The LT500 ranking gathers all the essential financial data of companies: total assets, EBITDA, revenues and profit, compared with last year. The sectors covered include:

Finance & Insurance

Oil & Gas

Mining

Telecommunications

Electricity

Food & Beverage

Agriculture & Fisheries

Chemical

Software & Data

Vehicles & Parts

Transport

Construction

And more

To view and download the full document, visit: http://latintrade.com/latin-americas-top-500-companies-of-2018/

About Latin Trade

Latin Trade is a leading provider of information and business services to companies operating in Latin America. It publishes award-winning content in Spanish and English for distribution throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States through print and online media. Editora Latin Trade publishes Latin Trade magazine and Latintrade.com.

Media contact:

David Buchanan

[email protected]

SOURCE Latin TradeThis summit is being organized jointly by the Indonesian Blockchain Association (ABI) and XBlockchain. It will cover similar themes, such as international wealth transfers and financial inclusion, to the IMF-WBG, but it will be devoted to exploring real-world instances of the application of blockchain, which has been heralded with so much potential.

The XBlockchain Summit 2018 will host debates with global leaders from the United Nations, IBM, Deloitte, Stellar, Pundi X, and leading blockchain representatives and experts from various Asian industries, countries and government. Global leaders will speak to topics spanning every use of blockchain: healthcare, financial inclusion, supply chain management, high finance, music, gaming and much more.

The Minister of Finance for Lithuania, Vilius Sapoka will provide the European Union's views on regulation and share his views on how forward-thinking and friendly regulation in addition to suitable infrastructure can accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology for progressive nations.

Speakers of the summit will include Susan Oh of United Nations' Blockchain for Impact, Inge Halim of IBM Indonesia, Paul Sin of Deloitte's Asia Pacific Blockchain Lab, Chia Hock Lai of the Singapore Fintech Association and many more from the USA, Europe, Australia and Asia region.

Stellar's founder McCaleb will cover the future adoption of blockchain technology, and how his establishment of new global infrastructure for cross-border transfers allowed him to reach the general public. Pundi X CEO and Co-founder Zac Cheah will reveal the next generation of blockchain technology for real world implementation.

Entrepreneur-turned-legislator Jason Hsu of Taiwan will talk about The State of the Digital Economy, Blockchain, and Regulations as he draws from an extensive background in policymaking, having authored such laws as the Fintech Sandbox Act and Angel Investment Law. Hon. Dharmendar Sesungkur, Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Republic of Mauritius, will also address his work in making Mauritius a global blockchain centre.

Networking sessions will take place during the 2-day summit including an invite-only exclusive high-level meeting taking place as well called "Blockchain on the Yacht" atop the Bali sea.

"Just weeks out we are thrilled to announce that we will be having global speakers, exhibitors and high-level discussion sessions at the summit," said Steven Suhadi, Chairman of Asosiasi Blockchain Indonesia. "The Summit has indeed become one of the most anticipated events in the realm of digital technology not just in Indonesia, but in the Asian region as well,"

With slots quickly filling up, those interested to join the Summit are encouraged to purchase their passes as soon as possible. Ranging from $150 to $250, participants will get access to the Main Conference, Business Matchmaking Tools, XBlockchain Awards & Party, XBlockchain Lounge, and Exclusive Access to the XBlockchain Leader's Dinner.

About Xblockchain

In its inaugural year, XBlockchain is committed to building the region's most influential platform for blockchain innovators.

With our extensive network of international and domestic partners, XBlockchain promotes communication and collaboration, and provides an open innovation platform to connect enterprising individuals, developers, startups, established organizations, government agencies and investors who seek to foster a spirit of positive disruption in the field of blockchain.

XBlockchain creates the blockchain industry's flagship event - the XBlockchain Summit, which is a global, top-level, private, invitation-only network for attendees spanning blockchain innovators and representatives from different industries and government

XBlockchain seeks to highlight the positive developments being made by the blockchain industry and believes that technology can enhance the traditional order and make it more effective and efficient.

SOURCE XblockchainLOS ANGELES, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The following release was issued by RG/2 Claims Administration LLC, as Claims Administrator, on behalf of The Rosen Law Firm. P.A.

KEVIN KNOX; NOE BAROCIO; SALVADOR BAROCIO; CINDY CONYBEAR, each individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. YINGLI GREEN ENERGY HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED; LIANSHENG MIAO; YIYU WANG; and ZONGWEI "BRYAN" LI, Defendants.

Master File No.: 2:15-cv-04003-ODW (MRWx)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SUMMARY NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT

TO: ALL PERSONS WHO PURCHASED AMERICAN DEPOSITORY SHARES OF YINGLI GREEN ENERGY HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED DURING THE PERIOD FROM DECEMBER 2, 2010 THROUGH MAY 15, 2015, INCLUSIVE.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to an Order of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, that a hearing will be held on December 10, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 5D before the Honorable Otis D. Wright II, United States District Judge of the Central District of California, 350 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 5th Floor (the "Settlement Hearing") for the purpose of determining: (1) whether the proposed Settlement consisting of the sum of $1,200,000 in cash should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (2) whether the proposed plan to distribute the settlement proceeds is fair and reasonable; (3) whether the application for an award of attorneys' fees of 25% of the Settlement Fund ($300,000 in cash) and reimbursement of expenses of not more than $100,000, as well as an award to Plaintiffs of not more than $18,000, should be approved; and (4) whether the Litigation should be dismissed with prejudice with respect to the Released Parties.

If you purchased Yingli American Depository Shares during the class period from December 2, 2010 through May 15, 2015, inclusive, your rights may be affected by the Settlement of this action. If you have not received a Postcard Notice providing information on how to review the Internet Notice of Pendency and Settlement of Class Action and obtain a copy of the Proof of Claim and Release Form, you may obtain copies by writing to Yingli Securities Litigation c/o RG/2 Claims Administration LLC (Tel: 866-742-4955); (Fax: 215-979-1695); (email: [email protected]), or going to the website, www.rg2claims.com/Yingli.html, where you can also view and print these documents. If you are a member of the Class, in order to share in the distribution of the Net Settlement Fund, you must submit a Proof of Claim and Release no later than December 8, 2018, establishing that you are entitled to recovery to the Claims Administrator. Unless you submit a written exclusion request, you will be bound by any judgment rendered in the Litigation whether or not you make a claim. If you desire to be excluded from the Class, you must submit a request for exclusion to the Claims Administrator, postmarked no later than November 20, 2018, in the manner and form explained in the detailed Internet Notice of Pendency and Settlement of Class Action.

Any objection to the Settlement, Plan of Allocation, or Plaintiffs' Counsel's request for an award of attorneys' fees and reimbursement of expenses must be in the manner and form explained in the detailed Internet Notice of Pendency and Settlement of Class Action and postmarked no later than November 20, 2018, to each of the following:

Laurence M. Rosen, Esq.

THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 34th Floor

New York, NY 10128



Plaintiffs' Counsel

Chet Kronenberg, Esq.

SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP

1999 Avenue of the Stars, 29th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90067



Counsel for Defendant

If you have any questions about the Settlement, you may call or write to Lead Counsel:

Laurence M. Rosen, Esq.

THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 34th Floor

New York, NY 10128

Tel.: (212) 686-1060

Fax: (212) 202-3827

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE REGARDING THIS NOTICE.

DATED: September 17, 2018

BY ORDER OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SOURCE: Laurence M. Rosen, Esq., The Rosen Law Firm, P.A., 275 Madison Ave, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10128, Telephone 212-686-1060, and Tina Chiango, RG/2 Claims Administration LLC, P.O. Box 59479, Philadelphia, PA 19102-9479, Telephone 866-742-4955, Facsimile 215-979-1695, [email protected]

SOURCE RG/2 Claims Administration LLC

Related Links

https://www.rg2claims.com

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Clause, the leading provider of smart legal contracting technology, has joined forces with LegalZoom, the leading provider of online legal solutions, to provide smart legal contracts to consumers and small businesses. For LegalZoom, the collaboration represents an extension to their product offering; enabling users to access and use blockchain and non-blockchain computable contracting technologies. For Clause, the venture represents an extension of the technology into consumer-focused smart legal contract applications.

LegalZoom will adopt the Clause technology and the Accord Project specification for representation of smart legal contracts, making documents available for editing, signing, and execution using the Clause API and platform. LegalZoom contracts will be augmented with Smart Clauses, enabling the contracts to perform blockchain-based transactions and integrate with web services such as accounting, invoicing, or payroll systems.

"LegalZoom's North Star has always been to democratize law," said Vanessa Butnick Davis, VP and Legal Managing Product Counsel of LegalZoom. "Making sure every American and small business owner can access the same resources previously available only to larger corporations. This collaboration makes cutting-edge technology available to and useable by consumers and small businesses in ways previously unimaginable."

"This development brings together two genuine pioneers in the delivery of legal services," said Peter Hunn, Founder of Clause. "It will augment LegalZoom's existing model with functionality that enables LegalZoom users to connect their existing business systems to contracts that are automatically executed when a milestone is achieved or a task completed. By teaming up with LegalZoom, the value of this technology can be brought to millions of small- and medium-sized businesses and individuals around the world."

About Clause

Clause is the leading provider of smart legal contracting technology, enabling users to add Smart Clause provisions to turn their existing legal contracts into 'living documents' that integrate with various blockchain platforms and enterprise web services. Clause helped found the Accord Project with leading law firms, standards bodies, and leading technology organizations. The Accord Project is the leading organization for the development of techno-legal specifications for smart legal contracts and distributed ledger applications in the legal industry. For more information, please visit www.clause.io.

About LegalZoom

LegalZoom is a trusted platform of people and technology that gives the world access to consistently high quality legal solutions. As the nation's leading provider, LegalZoom empowers millions of people to protect what matters most to them. Whether it's helping small business owners or families, LegalZoom is at the vanguard of efficiently delivering high touch, high service legal help. By changing the approach to obtaining legal help, LegalZoom helps people become informed, educated and secure in their legal options and decisions. Since its founding over 15 years ago, LegalZoom has serviced over 4 million customers in the US and the UK, and is now over 1200 employees strong. For more information, please visit www.legalzoom.com.

Media Relations: [email protected]

SOURCE Clause, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.clause.io

The Transaction represents a major milestone for Lucid and will provide the Company with the necessary funding to commercially launch its first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air in 2020. Lucid plans to use the funding to complete engineering development and testing of the Lucid Air, construct its factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, begin the global rollout of its retail strategy starting in North America, and enter production for the Lucid Air.

Lucid's mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating the most captivating luxury electric vehicles, centered around the human experience. "The convergence of new technologies is reshaping the automobile, but the benefits have yet to be truly realized. This is inhibiting the pace at which sustainable mobility and energy are adopted. At Lucid, we will demonstrate the full potential of the electric connected vehicle in order to push the industry forward," said Peter Rawlinson, Chief Technology Officer of Lucid.

Lucid and PIF are strongly aligned around the vision to create a global luxury electric car company based in the heart of Silicon Valley with world-class engineering talent. Lucid will work closely with PIF to ensure a strategic focus on quickly bringing its products to market at a time of rapid change in the automotive industry.

A spokesperson for PIF said: "By investing in the rapidly expanding electric vehicle market, PIF is gaining exposure to long-term growth opportunities, supporting innovation and technological development and driving revenue and sectoral diversification for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

The spokesperson added: "PIF's international investment strategy aims to strengthen PIF's performance as an active contributor in the international economy, an investor in the industries of the future and the partner of choice for international investment opportunities. Our investment in Lucid is a strong example of these objectives."

About the Public Investment Fund (PIF)

PIF seeks to become one of the largest and most impactful sovereign wealth funds in the world, enabling the creation of new sectors and opportunities that will shape the future global economy, while driving the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia.

To achieve this, PIF is building a world-class, diversified portfolio through investments in attractive, long-term opportunities across sectors and asset classes at both the domestic and international level. Working alongside global strategic partners and renowned investment managers, PIF acts as the Kingdom's main investment arm to deliver a strategy focused on achieving attractive financial returns and long-term value for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with Vision 2030.

In October 2017 at the Future Investment Initiative (www.futureinvestmentinitiative.com), the Public Investment Fund Program (2018-2020) was launched as part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 Vision Realization Programs ("VRP"). The PIF Program is one of twelve VRPs and acts as a roadmap for the next three years to strengthen PIF's position as the engine behind economic diversification in the Kingdom and role in transforming Saudi Arabia into a global investment powerhouse. The program will see PIF's Assets Under Management increase to over $400 billion by 2020 and outlines how PIF aims to complement private sector development in the Kingdom through its new domestic investment, split between PIF's Saudi Holdings, Saudi Sector Development, Saudi Real Estate & Infrastructure Development, and Saudi Giga-Projects.

Contact:

Media Contact: [email protected]

About Lucid Motors

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Lucid's mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating the most captivating electric vehicles, centered around the human experience. All of Lucid's vehicles are built upon Lucid's industry-leading proprietary electric powertrain technology, and are uniquely developed to deliver an unprecedented experience for both driver and passenger. Lucid's first vehicle, the Lucid Air, is widely acclaimed by automotive journalists and is scheduled to begin production at Lucid's manufacturing facility in Arizona, USA in 2020.

Contact:

Lucid Motors

7500 Gateway Blvd

Newark, CA 94560

+1 (510) 648-3553

[email protected]

www.lucidmotors.com

SOURCE Lucid Motors

Related Links

http://www.lucidmotors.com

"With more than 30 years of industry experience with some of the nation's largest homebuilders and developers, Diane will be a valuable asset for Mattamy," says Pete Skelly, CEO of Mattamy Homes US. "Her background in the industry is extremely diverse, and we're excited that she will be helping to guide our business into the future."

Most recently with Lennar Corporation, as their National Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Diane oversaw regional marketing and sales operations, national sales training development and national strategic partnerships. Diane was previously with CalAtlantic Homes as the National Vice President of Marketing and was with the Ryland Group for 15 years in a variety of key executive sales and marketing roles. She also worked as the Texas Regional Vice President of Marketing for Newland Communities and began her career with Taylor Morrison. Diane has a degree in Interior Design with a concentration in Architecture from Texas State University and attended the Executive Master's Program at Rollins College. Diane is also a Member of the Institute of Residential Marketing and a speaker at National Association of Home Builders events.

About Mattamy Homes

Mattamy Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, with a 40-year history of operations across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps 7,000 families realize their dream of home ownership. In the United States, the company is represented in 10 markets Charlotte, Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, Jacksonville, Orlando (where its US head office is located), Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and Southeast Florida  and in Canada, its communities stretch across the Greater Toronto Area, as well as in Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton. Visit www.mattamyhomes.com for more information.

SOURCE Mattamy Homes Limited

Related Links

http://www.mattamyhomes.com/

COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxim Healthcare Services is celebrating its 30-year anniversary during the month of September.

Established as a healthcare staffing company in 1988 in Towson, Maryland, Maxim has since expanded to provide a comprehensive suite of home healthcare, behavioral care, healthcare staffing, personal caregiving, population health and wellness solutions. The company has more than 200 offices in over 40 states and the District of Columbia. In 2017, Maxim served more than 50,000 patients and their families, as well as caregivers and customers.

Maxim's team of nurses, therapists and home health aides provide long-term and continuous care for patients with a variety of conditions and needs in the comfort of home. Teams work with patients, families and physicians to implement a plan that promotes clinical excellence and helps patients to maintain a fulfilling daily life.

"When you work with Maxim, you're connected to a network of local offices that have deep roots in each of the communities we serve, as well as access to the resources and expertise of one of the largest healthcare staffing and services companies in the nation," said Maxim CEO Bill Butz. "From patients, family members and job seekers to healthcare providers, managed care plans and major corporations, we're committed to providing the same personalized service we've offered for the past 30 years."

As the healthcare industry evolves, Maxim is committed to investing in new tools, technology and programs to better meet the needs of those it serves.

Maxim recently introduced the MaximCare Mobile app , a user-friendly Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) solution that allows caregivers to record documentation, view their schedules and pick up assignments. Available on Android and Apple devices, the app creates greater efficiency, accountability and convenience for patients and caregivers.





, a user-friendly Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) solution that allows caregivers to record documentation, view their schedules and pick up assignments. Available on Android and Apple devices, the app creates greater efficiency, accountability and convenience for patients and caregivers. Earlier this summer, Maxim partnered with Leidos Health to develop a suite of healthcare products that will put actionable information in the hands of caregivers before entering a patient's home. These tools will allow community-based caregivers to balance the type, level and amount of care needed to improve health outcomes at a lower cost.





to develop a suite of healthcare products that will put actionable information in the hands of caregivers entering a patient's home. These tools will allow community-based caregivers to balance the type, level and amount of care needed to improve health outcomes at a lower cost. The company's online Home Mechanical Ventilation (HMV) program prepares nurses for emergency management of home mechanical ventilation. The training program allows nurses to enhance their knowledge and skills to provide a level of service that meets the industry's highest standards.

Maxim has received several accolades including accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), certification for staffing from the Joint Commission and five Health Ethics Trust Compliance Best Practice awards. Staffing Industry Analysts has consistently ranked Maxim as one of the largest healthcare staffing firms in the United States. For more information about Maxim and its 30 years of service, view this video that recaps the company's growth, future plans and recognition of its caregivers and team members who have made the organization what it is today.

About Maxim Healthcare Services

Maxim Healthcare Services provides a comprehensive suite of home healthcare, behavioral care, healthcare staffing, personal caregiving, and population health and wellness solutions. Our commitment to customer service, compassionate patient care and staffing experienced healthcare professionals has made a difference in the lives of patients, employees and caregivers nationwide for 30 years. Learn more about Maxim Healthcare Services, or get more information about available positions.

SOURCE Maxim Healthcare Services

Related Links

https://www.maximhealthcare.com

TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - mdBriefCase Group Inc. (the "Company" or "mdBriefCase"), a leading provider of online continuing professional development for physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other allied healthcare professionals in Canada, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, and around the world, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jason Flowerday as Chief Executive Officer ("CEO").

As an executive and an entrepreneur, Flowerday brings more than two decades of industry experience focusing on operations management, business development, and strategy. "I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to lead the world-class team at mdBriefCase," said Flowerday. "With a proven track record created over the past 17 years, and more than 170,000 members worldwide, mdBriefCase is in a great position to deliver new and exciting continuing medical education to improve patient care on a global scale."

Since 2001, mdBriefCase has delivered interactive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based programs free of charge on its proprietary learning management system. mdBriefCase is the leading provider of online accredited medical education in Canada and has also established a leading presence in the Australian market after opening an additional location in Sydney in 2012.

The key to its success is the strong partnerships mdBriefCase has with several prestigious medical organizations around the world. In Canada, the company has over 20 long-standing partnerships including the recently formed collaborations between the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Thoracic Society, and the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism. These partnerships allow mdBriefCase to provide the latest guidelines and information, as well as increasing the breadth of content for each profession and specialty.

Internationally, mdBriefCase has expanded to deliver learning content for healthcare professionals in 16 countries around the world. Alongside programs available in Europe and the United States, mdBriefCase offers programs to members in emerging markets such as Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Asia. All programs are locally adapted to reflect the practices, treatments and therapies available in those regions. mdBriefCase is proud to establish recent partnerships with several renowned organizations such as the King Fahad Medical City (Saudi Arabia), the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (Abu Dhabi), the Royal College of General Practitioners (United Kingdom), and the International Society of Endocrinology.

"We are fully committed to supporting mdBriefCase as the Company continues its global expansion strategy," added John Trang, Partner at Persistence Capital Partners, private equity partners of mdBriefCase. "I'm excited about Jason's addition to the organization and what we will achieve together, in partnership with some of the most respected medical organizations in the world."

Before joining mdBriefCase, Flowerday held CEO positions at 3D Signatures Inc., a publicly traded, personalized medical software company, Pro Bono Bio Inc., a biotechnology and medical device company based in the United Kingdom and Knight Therapeutics Inc. Previously, he spent over a decade at Bayer Healthcare and Ortho Biotech before co-founding and selling a pair of successful start-ups, which included a digital healthcare medical education company.

Flowerday's academic credentials include a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Queen's School of Business.

About mdBriefCase Group

mdBriefCase Group Inc. specializes in developing online, accredited continuing professional development for healthcare professionals. The company partners with prestigious regional and international medical associations to ensure its innovative education programs reflect the local experiences of healthcare professionals around the world. Its programs are peer-reviewed by clinical specialists to ensure balance and applicability to practice. Over 170,000 healthcare professionals have free access to the latest evidence-based information and guidelines to improve local patient care. For more information, visit the company's website at: www.mdbriefcasegroup.com

About Persistence Capital Partners

Persistence Capital Partners is Canada's leading private equity fund exclusively focused on high-growth opportunities in the healthcare field. With deep healthcare industry expertise, PCP aims to create significant long-term capital appreciation for its investors by identifying and developing attractive investment opportunities in the Canadian healthcare market. PCP has offices in Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto, Ontario. www.persistencecapital.com

SOURCE mdBriefCase Group Inc.

Related Links

https://www.mdbriefcase.com/default.aspx?

VEVEY, Switzerland, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nestle today announced that it agreed to sell the Gerber Life Insurance Company ("Gerber Life"), to Western & Southern Financial Group for USD 1.55 billion in cash. Gerber Life is a highly recognized and trusted leader in the juvenile and family life insurance market, with statutory capital and surplus of approximately USD 285 million (as of June 30, 2018). The business had sales of USD 856 million in 2017.

The deal allows Western & Southern Financial Group to market insurance products under the Gerber Life brand. The transaction does not include Nestle's Gerber Products business, a household brand in baby food and baby care, which Nestle will continue to develop.

Nestle CEO Mark Schneider said: "We are delighted to have found an outstanding new home for Gerber Life at Western & Southern, where it will flourish as part of a larger financial services organization. This move is part of the ongoing evolution of our portfolio. It will allow us to invest further in our core food and beverage business and in consumer healthcare."

The agreement follows Nestle's announcement in February 2018 that it was exploring strategic options for the Gerber Life business. The transaction is expected to close in late 2018 or early 2019, following the completion of customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

Contacts Media Christoph Meier Tel.: +41 21 924 22 00



Josh Morton (USA) Tel.: +1 571 457 52 62









Investors Luca Borlini Tel.: +41 21 924 35 09

SOURCE NestleNEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As the country's financial crisis clearly demonstrated, the incurred-loss model in place to assess banks' loan portfolios is lacking. After the crisis, the financial services industry was forced to grapple with the factors which led to massively over-valued assets and loan defaults that few saw coming. In response, the industry's top regulator, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), made one of the biggest accounting changes in banking history and announced the current expected credit loss standard (CECL) to be instituted by 2020.

In a new study proactively confronting the problem  The Expected Rate of Credit Losses on Banks' Loan Portfolios  Columbia Business School Professors Urooj Khan, The Class of 1967 Associate Professor of Business, Trevor Harris, the Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Professional Practice, and Doron Nissim, the Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting & Finance, introduce ExpectedRCL, a structural model of the expected rate of credit losses which has proven to outperform previous models in predicting credit losses up to one year ahead.

"It's inherently difficult for outsiders to accurately forecast losses for banks of any size, whether they're investors, customers, or competitors," said Columbia Business School Professor Urooj Khan. "Opaque loan portfolios present a significant obstacle to transparency. ExpectedRCL marks a fundamental change to the financial industry, allowing anyone to use publicly disclosed documents to better estimate a bank's future performance. It's an important step forward to ensure trust among the industry, its stakeholders, and the public."

Analyzing 20 years of quarterly FR Y-9C reports for bank holding companies, the researchers explain in detail how they create an estimate of expected credit losses. They develop the metric through a structural model that incorporates different accounting data, including nonperforming loans, net charge-offs, loan portfolio size, and the average balance of loans, among other measures. The researchers use cross-sectional analyses to determine coefficients for estimating each period's measure of expected credit losses. ExpectedRCL is designed to be able to benchmark and assess the quality of the data that banks are reporting for the allowance for loan and lease losses (ALLL) and the provision for loan and lease losses (PLLL).

The metric presents a number of benefits for the financial industry.

Outperforming Other Predictors, including Net Charge-Offs: The researchers found that ExpectedRCL is a better predictor of one-year-ahead realized credit losses than any other publicly disclosed credit-risk-related metrics and that it can serve as a benchmark to compare with public disclosures for a better understanding of future portfolio performance.

Forecasting an Earnings Surprise: Comparing analyst PLLL forecasts with ExpectedRCL, the researchers find that banks on average experience larger earnings surprises when the differences between ExpectedRCL and analyst PLLL forecasts are larger. Similar conclusions can be drawn using a comparison with net charge-offs.

Predicting Bank Failures: Researchers reviewed the data for 71 banks that fit the study conditions over the time period. Despite a small sample size, researchers found that ExpectedRCL is incrementally useful in predicting bank failure over the next year.

The study, The Expected Rate of Credit Losses on Banks' Loan Portfolios, published in The Accounting Review is available online here.

To learn more about the cutting-edge research taking place at Columbia Business School, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu.

About Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School is the only world-class, Ivy League business school that delivers a learning experience where academic excellence meets with real-time exposure to the pulse of global business. Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the School's transformative curriculum bridges academic theory with unparalleled exposure to real-world business practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in any business environment. The thought leadership of the School's faculty and staff members, combined with the accomplishments of its distinguished alumni and position in the center of global business, means that the School's efforts have an immediate, measurable impact on the forces shaping business every day. To learn more about Columbia Business School's position at the very center of business, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu.

SOURCE Columbia Business School

Related Links

http://www.gsb.columbia.edu

NOTRE DAME, Ind., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Notre Dame Federal Credit Union (Notre Dame FCU) announced today that it is the first and only Indiana credit union to be awarded the prestigious national Juntos Avanzamos (Together We Advance) designation for its commitment to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers.

"On behalf of the network of Juntos Avanzamos credit unions, the Federation congratulates Notre Dame Federal Credit Union for their leadership in promoting financial inclusion for the Latino community," said Pablo DeFilippi, Senior Vice President of Membership and Network Engagement, National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions. "We're pleased to announce that Notre Dame Federal Credit Union is the first credit union in the state of Indiana to receive the Juntos Avanzamos designation."

Thomas J Gryp, President & CEO commented, "This distinction acknowledges our historical and on-going commitment to help all our member-owners "move forward together" with financial empowerment tools that improve lives."

To earn the Juntos Avanzamos designation, credit unions must complete an extensive application, requiring information about what products and services the credit union offers to specifically address the needs of the Hispanic Market, as well as what strategies they are utilizing to serve this important demographic group.

One such program cited was the Opportunity Loan, offered by Notre Dame FCU since 2009. The program provides low-cost financing for immigration-related fees associated with seeking citizenship, permanent residency or deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) extensions.

Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Esmi Rivera, commented, "Receiving this designation is a great honor that was not achieved overnight. I am very honored and proud to work in an organization that supports and loves the community and does not allow cultural barriers to stand in the way of financial empowerment. Our mission at Notre Dame FCU is to change a life a day, and with our commitment, coupled with the help of the Juntos Avanzamos team, we will truly create a remarkable impact in our community."

To celebrate the designation, Notre Dame FCU will be launching a new marketing campaign on national Citizenship Day to celebrate Doing More than just speaking the Spanish language. In addition, a formal presentation event will be scheduled later in the year. Learn more at www.notredamefcu.com/JuntosAvanzamos.

About Notre Dame Federal Credit Union

Notre Dame Federal Credit Union (Notre Dame FCU) is a not-for-profit financial cooperative. With assets exceeding $600 million and more than 57,000 members worldwide, Notre Dame FCU's dedicated partners (employees), coupled with a wide array of financial services, provide members a personalized experience through the credit union's nine convenient branch locations, its virtual branch (Shamrock Center), and through its robust online banking platform and mobile apps. Founded in 1941, Notre Dame FCU has grown from its origins in the Administration Building at the University of Notre Dame, and today serves over 900 affiliated groups. Visit us at www.NotreDameFCU.com

About Juntos Avanzamos

Juntos Avanzamos ("Together We Advance") is a designation for credit unions committed to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers  helping them navigate the U.S. financial system and providing safe, affordable and relevant financial services. Juntos Avanzamos credit unions employ bilingual, culturally-competent staff and leadership, accept alternative forms of ID and treat all of their members with respect, regardless of immigration status. The Juntos Avazamos network is growing quickly; it currently includes 85 credit unions in 23 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Learn more about Juntos Avanzamos at www.cdcu.coop/juntosavanzamos.

SOURCE Notre Dame Federal Credit Union

Related Links

http://www.NotreDameFCU.com

LONDON, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

CAPEX Forecasts by Components (Turbine, Foundation, Installations, Others), Contract Details of Planned Projects (Name, Capacity MW, Year) & Operational Projects (Name, Owner, Cost $m, Location, Year, Capacity MW, Turbine Capacity & Manufacturer, Average Depth (m), Distance to Shore (km), Foundation Type Plus Profiles of Leading Companies and Leading National Markets Forecasts & Analysis

Visiongain has calculated that the global offshore wind market will see capital expenditure (CAPEX) of $24,448m in 2018, including spending on turbines, foundations and installation services. This report addresses the development of the global offshore wind market, analysing the prospects for four submarkets and twelve national markets. It focuses on CAPEX for the EPC of projects for 2018-2028, and also includes a global offshore wind capacity forecast for this period. It is essential reading for stakeholders in the wind and power generation industry. Do not miss an opportunity to remain informed of key market dynamics and investment opportunities.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/523989/Visiongain_Logo.jpg )



This report is essential reading for anyone in the power or renewables sectors with an interest in offshore wind. Purchasing this report today will allow you to recognise important market opportunities and make informed business decisions about the global offshore wind market.

The report will answer questions such as:

 How is the global offshore wind market evolving?

 What are the prospects for cost reduction in the three key components of the offshore wind market: foundations, turbines and installation services

 Which countries are currently attracting the greatest spending and which will see the highest growth rates over the next ten years?

 Who are the main companies in the global offshore wind market, where do they operate and what are their future prospects?

 What are the main factors driving and restraining each of the leading national offshore wind markets?

Four reasons why you must order and read this report today:

1) The report provides CAPEX forecasts and analyses for the four main offshore wind components from 2018-2028:

 Turbines

 Foundations

 Installation services

 Other

2) The report includes CAPEX forecasts and detailed analysis of developments in tweleve national markets from 2018 to 2028:

 The Taiwanese Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The USA Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The Chinese Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The Japanese Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The Rest of the World Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The Belgian Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The French Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The Polish Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The German Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The Netherlands Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The UK Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

 The Indian Offshore Wind Market Forecast 2018-2028

3) The report also includes detailed tables of all existing and planned offshore wind power projects:

Planned Projects

 Project Name

 Capacity MW

 Year of Commencement

Operational Projects

 Project Name

 Owner

 Estimated Cost $m

 Location

 Year Commissioned

 Total Capacity (MW)

 Turbine Capacity and Manufacturer

 Average Depth (m)

 Distance to Shore (km)

 Foundation Type

4) The report includes detailed profiles of the ten leading companies operating in the offshore wind power market including an overview of their key projects:

 Dong Energy

 Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction

 E.ON SE

 Eneco Group

 General Electric Company

 RWE Group

 Senvion S.A.

 Siemens AG

 Vattenfall AB

 Vestas

This independent, 198-page report guarantees you will remain better informed than your competitors. With 134 tables and figures examining the offshore wind market space, the report gives you a direct, detailed breakdown of the offshore wind market. With CAPEX forecasts, a detailed breakdown of historical installed offshore wind capacity and national offshore wind capacity forecasts, as well as in-depth analysis from 2018-2028, this report will keep your knowledge that one step ahead of your rivals.

Who should read this report?

 Anyone within the wind power value chain

 CEOs

 COOs

 CIOs

 Business development managers

 Marketing managers

 Technologists

 Suppliers

 Investors

 Banks

 Government agencies

 Contractors

 Transmission and distribution system operators

 Electricity sector utilities

 Operators and owners of offshore plants

Don't miss out.

This report is essential reading for you or anyone in the power or energy sector with an interest in offshore wind. Purchasing this report today will provide you with invaluable insight that will help you to recognise vital market opportunities and challenges.

Order the Offshore Wind Market 2018-2028 report now. We look forward to receiving your order.

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/offshore-wind-power-market-report-2018-2028/

A Vila Matos

A2SEA

Acacia Renewables

Adwen

Alstom

Ampepre Equity Fund

Areva Wind

Aspiravi

Axpo

BaoNan

Bard

BASF SE

Blackstone Group

Bonus Energy

Centrica Renewable Energy Ltd

China Datang Corp

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group

China Longyuan Power Group Corporation

China National Offshore Oil Corp

China Power New Energy Development Company Ltd

China Three Gorges Corporation

Dansk Videnergi ApS

DEME

Dominion Energy Virginia

DONG

Doosan Heavy Industries

Drift AB

Dynawind

E.ON

E.ON Climate and Renewables GmbH

EDF Energies Novelles Group

EDP Inovacao

EIG

EnBW Energie Baden Wurttemberg

Eneco Energie

ENGIE

ENOVA Energieanlagen

Enron

Entega AG

Envision

Esportes Offshore Betiligungs

EWE AG

FC Wind 1 GmbH

Fuji Heavy Industries

Fundo de Apoio a Inovavao

Fyo Ocean Development and Engineering

Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica S.A.

Gazprom

GE energy

GE Wind Energy

Goah Offshore

Goldwind

Great Belt Link

Green Investment Bank

Greencoat UK

Guodian United Power

Hitachi Ltd

Hyundai Heavy Industries

Ideol

InovCapital

Inustriens Pension

Japan Renewable Energy Corporation

Kirkbi A/s

Kraft AB

La Caisse

LM Wind Power

Macquarie Capitcal Group Limited

Marguerite Fund

Marubeni Corporation

Masdar

Meewind

Mingyang

Mitani Corporation

Mitsubishi

MPI Offshore

Municipal Private

Nedwind

NEG Micon

New Development Bank (NDB)

New Energy and Industrial Technology

Norderland Projekt GmbH

Nordex

Nordtank

Nuhma CVBA

Nuon Energy

Ocean Breeze Energy GmbH & Co. KG.

OMV Group

Oticon Foundation

Parkwind

PensionDanmark

PGGM

PKA A/S

Pohjolan Voima

Principle Power

Repsol

RWE

RWE Innogy GmbH

Samsung

Seajacks

SEAS

Seaway Heavy lifting

Senvion

Sewind

Shanghai Electric

Shanghai Green Energy Corporation

Shell

Siemens

Siemens Financial Services

Sinovel

Societe Regionale d;Investissement de Wallonie

Socofe

SSE

Stadtwerke Munchen GmbH

Statkraft

Statoil

Sumitomo Corporation

Suomen Hyotytuuli Oy

Talisman Energy

THV

TODA Corp

Tokyo Electric Power Company Inc

Trianel

Van Oord

Vattenfall Europe Windkraft GmbH

Vestas Wind Systems

Vietnam Electricity

Windlab Limited

Windland Energieerzeugungs GmbH

Windreich

WinWinD

WinWorld

Workfox

Xiangshui Yangtze Wind Power Co

To see a report overview please e-mail Sara Peerun on [email protected]

SOURCE VisiongainSAN FRANCISCO, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The global paraxylene market size is expected to reach USD 66.9 billion by 2022, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 10.5% over the forecast period. Rising demand for fiber and polyester resin from numerous end-use industries is projected to propel product demand over the coming years.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg )

Rapid growth in demand for polyester fabric is acting as a major market driver. Surging demand for purified terephthalic acid (PTA) in polyester production process is projected to provide fillip to the paraxylene market. Lower polyester manufacturing cost for Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and terephthalic acid and higher conversion efficiency of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) have attracted polymer industry players to expand their terephthalic acid product portfolio.

Overall industry is facing oversupply, which is pushing manufacturers towards reducing product prices and output. Sudden drop in total import of PTA from China has adversely affected the global market. Oversupply of PET in past few years has now forced terephthalic acid manufacturers to lower the capacity utilization rate in recent past.

PTA production capacity has expanded faster than the demand, affecting global utilization rate. Sudden decrease in Chinese PTA import on account of increased in-house production has drastically affected PTA manufacturers located in Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific emerged as the largest region for the global paraxylene market with a share of more than 79% in 2014. Availability of low-cost labor and raw material along with the presence of end-use industries is projected to drive the regional market at the fastest CAGR over the next few years.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Paraxylene Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Dimethyl Terephthalate, Purified Terephthalic Acid), By Region (North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, CSA), And Segment Forecasts, 2012 - 2022" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/paraxylene-market

Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest:

PTA emerged as the dominant application segment in the paraxylene market with a share of more than 97.0% in 2014

Paraxylene production cost varies depending upon raw material and production technology

Huge planned capacity additions during next few years are expected to worsen the supply-demand scenario resulting in PX oversupply and increasing product pricing

Some of the prominent companies operating in this market are BP, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp., Reliance Industries Ltd., CNPC, S-Oil, FCFC, Dragon, GS Caltex, ONGC, Orpic, ExxonMobil, Dalian Fujia Dahua, Toyo, Pertamina, and Teijin Fibers

Browse related reports by Grand View Research:

Polyamide-Imide (PAI) Market - The global polyamide-imide (PAI) market size was USD 387.6 million in 2015.

Exterior Architectural Coating Market - The global exterior architectural coating market size was USD 22.54 billion in 2015.

Base Oil Market - The global base oil market size was USD 28.32 billion in 2015.

Iron Oxide Pigment Market - The global iron oxide pigment market size was USD 1.83 billion in 2015.

Grand View Research has segmented the global paraxylene market report on the basis of application and region:

Paraxylene Application Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2022) Dimethyl Terephthalate (DMT) Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Others

Paraxylene Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2022) North America U.S. Europe Germany France U.K. Asia Pacific China India Japan Central & South America Middle East & Africa



Explore the BI enabled intuitive market research database, Grand View Compass, 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.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: +1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]



Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.The firm achieved more honors than any other company in the rankings, and was the only firmboth in its market areas and nationallythat ranked in every single category recognizing residential brokerages. The company's website ranked No. 1 Best Overall Website, No. 1 Best Community, recognizing the details and search capability provided for local communities served, No. 2 Best Property Detail, No. 4 Best Video, No. 7 Best Design and No. 7 Best Mobile.

"Lately we have seen so-called real estate industry 'disruptors' entering our marketplaces, businesses entirely new to selling real estate that manage to impress by referring to themselves as technology companies. Our company on the other hand has a track record of successfully selling real estate and leading in innovation since 1949. And now one of the most trusted news sources in real estate, REAL Trends, has verified our strength in digital innovation," said Paul Breunich, President and Chief Executive Officer of William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty.

REAL Trends reviewed the websites of residential real estate brokerages in all 50 states, including the technology "disruptors."

"Our team analyzed all aspects of these websites, everything from brand messaging to design, navigation and the user experience," said Brent Driggers, web strategist for REAL Trends. "William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty uses compelling design attributes such as animations, hover effects, strong imagery, market data and video that transitions smoothly from desktop to mobile. The company's website was named best overall for a modern, one-of-a-kind web presence that is truly captivating."

"This accolade effectively serves as an incredibly prestigious endorsement of our sales professionals as leaders in technology," added Vin Socci, Chief Operating Officer for William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty. "The award is an extraordinary differentiator for us, one that sets us apart from our competitors and provides our agents with a significant advantage with their clients and in their own marketing."

Information about the 2018 REAL Trends Website Rankings can be found online at http://realtrendswebrankings.com.

ABOUT REAL Trends

REAL Trends is a privately-held, Colorado-based publishing, consulting and communications company specializing in the residential brokerage and housing industries. REAL Trends provides a wide range of advisory services to a clientele of local, regional and national real estate organizations. REAL Trends' areas of expertise include operational analysis, valuations, merger and acquisition advisory services, technology and digital marketing consulting, consumer and business research and strategic planning. Visit REAL Trends at www.realtrends.com.

About William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Founded in 1949, William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty manages a $4.2-billion portfolio with more than 1,000 sales associates in 27 brokerages spanning Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York. William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty is one of the largest Sotheby's International Realty(R) affiliates globally and the 34th-largest real estate company by sales volume in the United States. For more information, visit the website at williampitt.com.



Sotheby's International Realty's worldwide network includes 950 offices throughout 69 countries and territories on six continents.

William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty Contact:

Andrew Wood

Vice President of Public Relations and Communications

[email protected]

(203) 644-1938

SOURCE William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International RealtyOAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Retail Properties of America, Inc. (NYSE: RPAI) (the "Company") today announced that it will host an Investor Event and Property Tour beginning on September 20, 2018 at 4:15 pm (ET) at its Class A mixed-use asset One Loudoun Downtown in Ashburn, Virginia.

The presentation will be accessible in the INVEST section of the Company's website at www.rpai.com at 4:15 pm (ET) on the day of the presentation.

About RPAI

Retail Properties of America, Inc. is a REIT that owns and operates high quality, strategically located open-air shopping centers, including properties with a mixed-use component. As of June 30, 2018, the Company owned 105 retail operating properties in the United States representing 19.5 million square feet. The Company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RPAI. Additional information about the Company is available at www.rpai.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Julie Swinehart

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Retail Properties of America, Inc.

(630) 634-4225

SOURCE Retail Properties of America, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.rpai.com

This Private Plane learning experience has enrolled participants who range in age from 62 to 89 and hail from 15 states (and one from the UK). They will learn and travel in a stylish, customized 767 private jet, outfitted with 54 "lie-flat" business class seats and a comfortable lounge for socializing, a luxurious classroom in the sky unlike any they've encountered before. In each locale, they will stay in four-and-five-star hotels. Many of the participants say they gravitated to the Private Plane program because it combines several special destinations into one incredible journey. This experience is offered at a cost of $47,999, which is at the highest end of Road Scholar's offerings, while still offering exceptional value.

Road Scholar, the nation's largest not-for-profit educational travel organization for adults, recently announced the launch of this remarkable air-borne learning adventure, which will take off on October 8, 2019. Road Scholar programs are widely recognized as a winning combination of educational enrichment and the camaraderie of journeying with other inquisitive travelers, immersing themselves in different cultures. It's not unusual to find participants who've enrolled in 20, 30 or more Road Scholar learning experiences. In fact, this program marks Kaye's 82nd Road Scholar journey!

Travel highlights of the Private Plane program include:

Stonehenge

The Great Pyramids and Egyptian Antiquities Museum

The Taj Mahal

Petra-Jordan

Old Delhi  Jama Masjid

 Jama Masjid Beijing, China

Cambodia

Myanmar

Muscat

"Our first learning adventure on a Private Plane is an opportunity to visit some of the world's most iconic destinations in one high value tuition package," said JoAnn Bell, Senior Vice President of Programs at Road Scholar. "Even with more than 5,500 programs, ranging greatly in scope and price, this one is unique for Road Scholar and we are delighted to be able to offer it. This is really a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience!"

About Road Scholar

Road Scholar is the nation's largest not-for-profit educational travel organization for adults  a true university of the world. It offers 5,500 programs in 150 countries and 50 states and financial aid for those who otherwise could not participate in its programs.

Road Scholar educational adventures are created by Elderhostel, the world leader in educational travel since 1975. Learn more at press.roadscholar.org.

SOURCE Road Scholar

Related Links

http://www.roadscholar.org

"Love is at the crux of all Sandals Resorts, and this love extends to the oceans and communities around them," said Adam Stewart, Deputy Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. "We care deeply about our commitment to preserving both marine wildlife and human health within the many beautiful islands we're connected to. Eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers is only the beginning of our journey toward helping create a plastic-free sea in the region we call home," he added.

Sandals Resorts is committed to moving beyond single-use plastic. Through a new partnership with Oceanic Global, a non-profit focused on providing solutions to issues impacting our oceans, the company is conducting an audit  both front and back of house  to determine a roadmap to the elimination of single-use plastic across its resorts. The audit will be conducted in accordance to guidelines outlined in Oceanic Global's industry-specific sustainability toolkit, The Oceanic Standard. Following the elimination of single-use plastic straws and stirrers, Sandals Resorts International will explore opportunities to eliminate other plastic across its resorts by September 2019. The company has already made headway with the elimination of plastic laundry bags and plastic bags throughout gift shops.

"We're thrilled to partner with Sandals Resorts International, the first all-inclusive brand to join our mission," said Lea d'Auriol, Founder of Oceanic Global. "Seventy percent of our world is made up of oceans. It's critical that we take steps to protect this precious resource  and Sandals is sending the message to companies with a major presence along ocean shores that they have a responsibility to take action, and that preserving ocean health can be both efficient and effective," she added.

This initiative is part of a larger effort to reduce plastic waste in the Caribbean region, where the Caribbean Sea connects more than 700 islands and coastlines that draw more than 30 million visitors each year. Sandals Resorts is already invested in environmental sustainability. The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, has intensified efforts to reduce plastic pollution in the Caribbean and educate communities on the dangers plastic pollution poses to the environment, health and tourism. The Sandals Foundation's recent initiatives include distributing reusable water bottles in schools across the Caribbean to reduce the use of disposable bottles among school children, delivering reusable tote bags to supermarkets across the region, and instituting a Solid Waste Reduction Project in Jamaica's South Coast to clean up the communities and educate residents on how to properly manage their waste.

"Plastic pollution is one of the leading environmental issues in the Caribbean. Sandals and Beaches Resorts are rooted in oceanfront communities, and we are committed to protecting our marine wildlife, developing effective conservation practices, and teaching the next generation the importance of caring for their communities," said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation.

Sandals and Beaches Resorts has long held environmental sustainability as part of its core mission, earning its place as the only hotel chain in the world to have all of its resorts certified by the EarthCheck benchmarking and certification program, with nine resorts currently holding Master Certification. Additionally, throughout its history, Sandals has garnered sustainability-driven accolades such as the CHA/AMEX Caribbean Environmental Award for Green Hotel of the Year, the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Green Six Star Diamond Award, and the PADI Green Star Award. Each resort has a dedicated Environment, Health and Safety Manager charged with implementing and managing sustainable programs, including but not limited to the installation of solar water heaters, the retro-fitting of lighting and equipment for better energy performance and efficiency, and the composting of food waste.

To learn more about Sandals Resorts Internationals' commitment to sustainability, visit https://www.sandals.com/all-inclusive/eco-friendly-resorts/.

About Sandals Resorts International

Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is the parent company of some of travel's most visible brands including Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts. Founded by Gordon "Butch" Stewart in 1981, SRI is based in Montego Bay, Jamaica and is responsible for resort development, service standards, training and day-to-day operations.

About the Sandals Foundation

The Sandals Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), the Caribbean's leading family-owned resort company. The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was created to continue and expand upon the charitable work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken since its founding in 1981 to play a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where SRI operates throughout the Caribbean. The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment. One hundred percent of the monies contributed by the general public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community. To learn more about the Sandals Foundation, visit online at www.sandalsfoundation.org or on social media @sandalsfdn

About Oceanic Global

Oceanic Global Foundation engages new audiences in ocean conservation. The non-profit taps into universal passions to raise awareness for issues impacting our oceans and to provide individual and industry solutions that drive positive change. Oceanic Global takes a uniquely creative approach to conservation, creating immersive experiences that engage local communities, amplify the efforts of synergistic groups, generate measurable impact and ignite global action. In 2018 pioneered a toolkit for industry-specific sustainability solutions entitled The Oceanic Standard. Since its launch, the toolkit has been implemented by over 150 leading organizations and institutions worldwide. For more information please visit www.oceanic.global.

SOURCE Sandals Resorts InternationalELGIN, Ill., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As of September 17, 2018, there have been 41,252 shootings in the United States. Those shootings have resulted in 10,381 deaths and 20,387 people injured. 256 of those shootings are considered Mass shootings (according to Gun Violence Archive).

Tactical Laser Training of Elgin, Illinois specializes in active shooter training. They put you in a real life scenario where you are involved in an active shooter situation. Your adrenaline will spike, your heart will race, and you will feel like you're in real danger because there laser training system supplies a pain penalty to you if you get shot in your scenario.



Todd Thiede, President and one of the many skilled instructors at Tactical Training, says, "Our whole lives we've been doing Fire Drills and Tornado Drills. It's time we do active shooter drills. You never know how you'll respond when someone starts shooting until you are actually in that scenario. We put you there without the fear of losing your life or even being injured by a projectile. Our systems provides you a pain penalty that makes you remember the first rule of an active shooter. That rule...'Don't get shot!'"



On September 8, 2018 in a 5/3rd Bank in Cincinnati, OH. 4 people were killed and 2 more people were injured by an active shooter. One employee at the building was hiding and was later quoted, "I was just waiting for my turn to be shot." Thiede believes his new innovative training will take that feeling away and empower people to survive the worst day of their life.



Tactical Laser Training is truly for everyone according to Thiede. They welcome gun owners, conceal carry holders, and people that don't want to ever touch a gun alike. They influence families to come and learn how to work together to get through a live shooting. They can even take their unique training and equipment to homes, offices, factories, and yes even schools to show people how to handle a shooting in their own familiar surroundings. They also help companies set up Emergency plans to help save employees lives.



At Tactical Laser Training's facility located at 812 S. McLean Blvd., Elgin, Illinois 60123 they can put you and your group through as many as 100 different scenarios based on real life situations that could come up. They use A.L.I.C.E. type training, as well as USCCA and FEMA approved Run-Hide-Fight training to make sure you and your loved ones get home safely.



Visit this new training at http://www.tltdefense.com or call them at 224-325-4355



Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/12729888



Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Tactical Laser Training

Related Links

http://www.tltdefense.com

HIPAA and HITRUST-compliant privacy-preserving technology

Nationwide access to a majority of health systems and providers with the ability to stitch together disparate health data in a longitudinal timeline

Full integration with continuous data from wearable and fitness devices such as the new Apple Watch Series 4 and Fitbit

Direct access to DNA results from consumer genomic & clinical diagnostic labs including 23andMe, Ancestry.com, Invitae, and Color Genomics

Caregivers can instantly collect, view, and share health data for loved ones

"While working closely with the staff and families of the Glenner Alzheimer's centers we found that the family caregivers are at the center of a complex web of medical, family, service and social interactions," said Ardy Arianpour, CEO and co-founder, Seqster. "Navigating these networks while providing care can be one of the most challenging aspects of family caregiving, and the stress can be overwhelming. Making it easier for the family caregiver to not only support their effort, but also their own health and well-being with Seqster and our unique Caregiver View is extremely rewarding."

"Alzheimer's dementia is a brutal disease that not only robs individuals of their memory, but it also robs families of their loved ones," said Scott Tarde, CEO of George G. Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers. "Our vision in partnering with Seqster has always been to reduce the burden of care on the primary caregiver by using Seqster's unique ability to seamlessly pull together health data from multiple healthcare providers so that caregivers could monitor, manage, engage and communicate the health of their loved ones in real time. Seqster worked with our Alzheimer's Disease families and witnessed firsthand how tough it is to be the caregiver. The difficulty of caring for someone else is compounded when you have your own significant health issues to monitor and treatments to do throughout the day. Seqster took that experience and created an easy and intuitive platform to enable caregivers to see all of their health data and the health data of their loved ones in one place. This is big."

The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP state in their 2015 report that there are approximately 43.5 million caregivers providing unpaid care to an adult or child in the US. Of those, more than 6.1 million caregivers care for 2 or more adults. The economic value of this unpaid caregiving exceeds $470 billion with females shouldering a majority of the care spending an average of 21.9 hours per weeks providing care.

About Seqster

Seqster, pronounced "seek-ster," is the first and only health data management platform that enables organizations to empower their employees, members, or patients to collect, own and share all of their health, DNA and fitness data in one HIPAA compliant secure digital platform. Seqster's platform currently connects users to more than 9300 healthcare providers covering 2000 hospitals, 8400 medical and specialty groups and 300 cancer center locations nationwide, with additional providers added daily.

Launched in February 2018, Seqster is privately held and headquartered in San Diego. For more information on Seqster and how we can bring health to your members, employees or patients, please visit www.seqster.com or follow @Seqster.

SOURCE Seqster

Related Links

http://www.seqster.com

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Ampio" or the "Company") (NYSE: AMPE) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, District of Colorado, and index under 18-cv-02252, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired the publicly traded securities of Ampio between December 14, 2017 and August 7, 2018, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Plaintiff seeks to recover compensable damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Ampio securities between December 14, 2017, and August 7, 2018, both dates inclusive, you have until October 24, 2018, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Ampio is a biopharmaceutical company which focuses on the development of therapies for the treatment of prevalent inflammatory conditions in the United States.

Ampion, a biologic intra-articular injection being studied for the treatment of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee, is one of the Company's lead product candidates. The Company conducted a Phase III trial for Ampion, titled: "AP-003".

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose that: (1) the FDA would find Ampio's AP-003-C Phase 3 clinical trial inadequate and not well-controlled; (2) as a result, Ampio had not successfully completed two pivotal clinal trials for Ampion; (3) consequently, Defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On August 7, 2018, after the market closed, Ampio announced updated business disclosures relating to its AP-003-A and AP-003-C trials, disclosing that the FDA found that a single trial the AP-003-A study alone does not appear to provide sufficient evidence of effectiveness to support a BLA and that the FDA does not consider the AP-003-C trial to be an adequate and well-controlled clinical trial.

On this news, shares of Ampio fell $2.25 per share or over 78% to close at $0.61 per share on August 8, 2018. Shares continued to fall another 21.3% the next day.

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://www.pomerantzlaw.com

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a national securities firm headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating FCB Holdings, Inc. ("FCB" or the "Company") (NYSE: FCB) relating to the sale of the Company to Synovus Financial Corp. ("Synovus"). Under the terms of the agreement, FCB shareholders are anticipated to receive 1.055 shares of Synovus for each share of FCB common stock held.

Click here for more information: https://monteverdelaw.com/case/fcb-holdings-inc. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

The investigation focuses on whether FCB and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's stockholders by 1) failing to conduct a fair process, 2) whether and by how much this proposed transaction undervalues the Company by and 3) failing to disclose all material financial information in connection with the upcoming shareholder meeting.

Monteverde & Associates PC is a national class action securities and consumer litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders and consumers from corporate wrongdoing. Monteverde & Associates lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions, whereby they protect investors by recovering money and remedying corporate misconduct. Mr. Monteverde, who leads the legal team at the firm, has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013 and 2017, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017 Top Rated Lawyer.

If you own common stock in FCB and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2018 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Related Links

http://www.monteverdelaw.com

MIDLAND, Texas and NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tall City Exploration III LLC ("Tall City" or "the Company"), an oil and gas exploration and production company, announced today that it has received a line of equity financing of up to $500 million from funds affiliated with Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm focused on growth investing.

Headquartered in Midland, Texas, with additional offices in Houston, Texas, Tall City intends to pursue play extension and acquire-and-exploit opportunities throughout the Permian Basin. Tall City will apply the same proven geologic and petrophysics-driven thesis consistent with the team's prior successful ventures, including most recently at Tall City I, where the team assembled more than 90,000 net acres in Howard and Reagan Counties.

Tall City is led by President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Oestmann, an Exxon-trained geologist and geophysicist with considerable Permian Basin experience and a successful track record in senior leadership positions at several independent entities. Mr. Oestmann is joined by many members of the original Tall City team who have deep operational and engineering experience in the Permian Basin, including: Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer Michael Marziani; Senior Vice President of Drilling Dennis Kruse; Senior Vice President of Operations Gary Womack; and Senior Vice President of Land and General Counsel Angela Staples. Additionally, Tall City is joined by new management team members Tom Fekete, VP of Geoscience, and Matt Lake, VP of Reservoir Engineering.



"Since our successful exit of Tall City I, we have been actively evaluating new opportunities to replicate our prior successes and continue to find attractive opportunities in the Permian Basin," said Michael Oestmann, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tall City. "We are very pleased to have the support of Warburg Pincus, a leading and long-standing Permian Basin investor, as we establish the new Tall City to pursue attractive opportunities in this prolific region."

"Tall City has an outstanding track record for developing extensional acreage and delivering strong returns," said David Habachy, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus. "The Company presents a compelling opportunity in the Permian Basin and complements our existing investments in the region. We are thrilled to partner with a very strong operator in this high potential geography, and we look forward to working with Mike and his highly experienced team on this exciting new venture."

About Tall City

Tall City Exploration III LLC is a Warburg Pincus backed exploration and production oil and gas company headquartered in Midland, Texas. The company's primary activities include the pursuit of acquisitions and the exploration and development of upstream oil and gas assets in the Permian Basin. For more information, please visit www.tallcityexploration.com.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The firm has more than $45 billion in private equity assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 175 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector, and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value.

Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 17 private equity funds which have invested more than $68 billion in over 825 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com.

Media Contacts



Tall City

Mike Marziani

432.218.7816

Warburg Pincus

David Habachy

713.325.5339

SOURCE Warburg Pincus LLC

Related Links

http://www.warburgpincus.com

Established in 2015, the "Floral Retailer of the Year" Award was created to honor former Chairman Tom Butler, who was devoted to serving as a trusted business partner, friend and innovator to independent retail florists across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to leading a superb retail operation, the awarded florist must show immense commitment to servicing their community, is a steadfast ambassador in the floral industry and offers meaningful guidance to fellow florists.

"We are extremely proud of Shirley Lyons for demonstrating Tom Butler's legacy through her hard work at Dandelions Flowers & Gifts in Eugene. Her business acumen and community involvement are remarkable," said Jack Howard, Executive Vice President of National Accounts at Teleflora. "In addition to her commitment to the community, Lyons' numerous accolades and leadership roles within the floral industry  including SAF President and Chairman of the SAF board  exemplify why we are thrilled to honor her with this year's Teleflora Floral Retailer of the Year Award."

Dandelions Flowers & Gifts has been serving the Eugene, OR area for more than 45 years and was started initially by Lyons and her husband while working in the banking industry. She realized her passion for the artistry of flowers and opened her 250 sq. foot floral and gift shop, steadily growing her business and thriving on a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee with an aggressive marketing strategy. The floral shop's community involvement is evident through their yearly "Bras for a Cause" event, which encourages local businesses to decorate bras with the goal of raising awareness and funds for breast cancer every October, obtaining about $130,000 to date. Last year, the Oregon Cancer Foundation awarded her the inaugural Sparrow of Hope Award for her tireless contributions to this cause. Lyons is also a powerhouse in the floral industry, taking on numerous leadership positions over the years. In 2014, she was named President of the Society of American Florists (SAF), which marked an important milestone as she became the first woman to hold this title in the organizations' 140-year history, and subsequently she was the first woman Chairman of the Board in 2015. In 2011, Lyons was recognized as "Business Woman of the Year" by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce.

About the Leadership Legacy of Tom Butler

Tom Butler's passion for the floral industry inspired an almost 50-year career. He served as Chairman of Teleflora, Chairman of the American Floral Endowment (AFE) and was a longtime devoted advocate for the Endowment, beginning his service as a trustee in 2006. Known for possessing an unparalleled knack for fundraising and for his significant interest in expanding and improving the Endowment, Tom's commitment to giving and innovation continues within the floral industry through the Tom Butler Family Fund that helps provide funds to support The American Floral Endowment's research and grant efforts. Among his many roles and accomplishments, Tom served as the Chair of the AFE Development Committee and as a Trustee on the AFE Board; TI World President; Member of the American Academy of Florists; Professional Floral Communicators International; Society of American Florists (Past Board of Directors).

He was also a member of numerous national floral and state floral associations. He was a recipient of SAF's Hall of Fame Award and Paul Ecke, Jr. Award; Florida State Florists' Association Hall of Fame Award and Lifetime Achievement Award and Place in the Sun Award; Michigan State Florists' Association Award of National Industry Service; Michigan Floral Foundation Hall of Fame Award; Arkansas State Florists' Association Distinguished Service Award and Oklahoma State Florists' Hall of Fame. Tom passed away in August, 2014, after a battle with cancer. For many who knew Tom, he was considered to be the 'Chief Champion of Florists'  always there when they needed him, always understanding their issues and concerns, and always representing their cause.

About Teleflora

Say everything and share your "Love Out Loud" with the gift of Teleflora flowers  all made by hand and delivered by hand by your local florist. By tapping nearly 10,000 member florists in North America alone, Teleflora offers the kind of personal touches, artistry and expertise you expect from a trusted neighborhood florist  even if that neighborhood is across the country. No prepackaged flowers in nondescript boxes dropped on your doorstep  Teleflora's network of professional florists create artistic arrangements personally delivered in a vase, often on the same day. Teleflora makes every day an occasion with a two-in-one gift that includes a multipurpose keepsake container for long-lasting enjoyment. Follow Teleflora on Facebook and tag your own #LoveOutLoud moment.

SOURCE Teleflora

Related Links

https://www.teleflora.com

Leshan, the permanent venue for the Sichuan International Travel Expo, will implement the development plan put forth by the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee. By acting on a proposal submitted by Party Secretary of Sichuan Province Peng Qinghua that calls for a revitalization of the city through tourism and by strengthening its existing industries, Leshan plans to bring its tourism sector up to international standards through a combination of rebuilding and reshaping key public spaces, implementing a series of structural adjustments, upgrading the quality of services and cleaning up the environment, while incorporating the province's regional development strategy which emphasizes a high level of cooperation between the districts and counties that make up the city's administrative divisions as well as collaboration with travel organizations both within China and abroad. Leshan will take full advantage of its rich historical background, good ecological environment and solid industrial foundation to develop its tourism sector, in a move to integrate its cultural points of interest with its tourism resources, expand capacity by building hotels and other facilities that service travelers, improve the quality of existing services and bring together the city's natural and man-made assets to create a travel destination that will appeal to a diverse tourism audience. Leshan will utilize the Sichuan International Travel Expo as an important platform to promote the high-quality development of its tourism sector and accelerate its development as an international-caliber tourism destination.

SOURCE Sichuan Provincial Tourism Development CommitteeBRUSSELS, September 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The European Head and Neck Society launch the sixth annual Make Sense campaign European awareness week

Today the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) announce the start of the Make Sense campaign's sixth annual head and neck cancer awareness week (17 - 21 September). Patients, physicians and the head and neck cancer community will come together to make this form of rare cancer recognisable.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/739902/Make_Sense_and_EHNS_Logo.jpg )



Teams around Europe, Brazil and South Korea will bring attention to the often-unrecognised signs and symptoms head and neck cancer, stress the importance of early diagnosis, and promote the interests of patients from diagnosis, throughout treatment into survivorship. Activities include:

Unrecognisable - A digital campaign bringing attention to the physical and psychological impacts of head and neck cancer

- A digital campaign bringing attention to the physical and psychological impacts of head and neck cancer Making Meals Make Sense - A cookbook, developed in partnership with people who have had head and neck cancer, physicians, nutritionists and speech therapists. The cookbook provides nutritious recipes, alongside personal experiences and advice on overcoming the physical and mental challenges of eating following treatment

- A cookbook, developed in partnership with people who have had head and neck cancer, physicians, nutritionists and speech therapists. The cookbook provides nutritious recipes, alongside personal experiences and advice on overcoming the physical and mental challenges of eating following treatment Early Diagnosis Day clinics - Where the public can receive a free head and neck cancer screening, as well as information on the disease

"The Campaign would not be the success it is today, without the dedication of the local teams across Europe, Brazil and South Korea," said, Professor Rene Leemans, Chair of the Make Sense campaign steering committee and Professor and Chief of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam. "Their commitment and expertise have played a vital role, in raising awareness of this devastating disease, ultimately saving lives."

In addition to the Cookbook, the Campaign continues to work closely with our patient network to ensure all activities focus on helping patients through this process. This week a variety of activities including educational lectures and digital activities will take place across Europe. Visit the updated Make Sense website, for a full summary of the activities taking place across Europe and elsewhere.

About the Make Sense Campaign

The Make Sense campaign, run by the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS), aims to raise awareness of head and neck cancer and ultimately improve outcomes for patients with the disease. It will do this through:

Education on disease prevention

Driving understanding of the signs and symptoms of the disease

Encouraging earlier presentation, diagnosis and referral

The Make Sense campaign is supported by Merck, Norgine and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

About Head and Neck Cancer

Each year, just under 700,000 people are diagnosed with head and neck cancer worldwide, and half of those will not be alive after five years. However, if diagnosed at the early stages 80 - 90% of head and neck cancer patients will survive. For more information, visit: http://www.makesensecampaign.eu/.

About the EHNS

The European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) is an international non-profit association based in Belgium. The EHNS is composed of national and multinational societies, and associated study groups oriented towards head and neck cancer research, training and treatment throughout Europe. Individuals from the rest of the world are also welcome to apply for membership. The intent of the EHNS is to promote exchange of knowledge in all aspects of head and neck neoplastic diseases and to promote the highest standards of research, education and training, disease prevention and patient care. For more information, please visit: http://www.ehns.org/.

Media contacts

Edward Brightman

+44(0)20-3595-2430

[email protected]



SOURCE EHNSHe said the Orland Township food pantry had a significant increase in clients starting shortly after the 2008 recession. Soon after that, OGrady said, officials began noticing many clients had to give up their beloved pets because they couldnt afford to feed them.Report on Business Cannabis Professional supported by dedicated journalism team

TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - With unprecedented resources and the largest dedicated cannabis coverage team in the market, The Globe and Mail today launched Report on Business Cannabis Professional, a premium subscription news service for global cannabis insiders and investors.

Backed by The Globe's award-winning journalism and the largest business newsroom in Canada, Report on Business Cannabis Professional (https://robcannabispro.com/) covers exclusive information about the cannabis sector not available elsewhere. The B2B newsletter, available weekday mornings, will include need-to-know news about policy decisions, people moves, corporate finance, and business strategy and operations. In addition, subscribers will be the first to receive alerts with breaking cannabis industry news from The Globe's newsroom and bureaus.

"This is a product geared for people who need the best understanding of an industry that is on the cusp of a historic moment, with federal legalization coming in October," says Rob Gilroy, Editor, Report on Business Cannabis Professional. "The opportunities and risks for entrepreneurs and investors will be huge. From tracking policy trends across the country to reporting the latest mergers and acquisitions, our seasoned reporters will cut through the noise to bring subscribers the industry intelligence and insight they need to get ahead."

Gilroy, a Report on Business veteran, leads a team of experienced journalists to bring subscribers essential news and insights. The group includes:

Globe cannabis reporters Christina Pellegrini and Mark Rendell ;

and ; Marcy Nicholson , a veteran journalist from Reuters joining The Globe to cover the industry in Western Canada from our Calgary bureau;

, a veteran journalist from Reuters joining The Globe to cover the industry in from our bureau; Jessie Willms , a data journalist with a strong track record who joined The Globe from CBC;

, a data journalist with a strong track record who joined The Globe from CBC; Award-winning business writer David Milstead ;

; Members of The Globe and Mail's Report on Business team, including financial columnist Andrew Willis and investing writer David Berman ; as well as

and investing writer ; as well as Cannabis experts from outside The Globe.

Report on Business editor Derek DeCloet oversees the product, which exemplifies The Globe's expected journalism excellence.

"Cannabis professionals globally are looking to Canada to see how we navigate the first recreational cannabis legalization in a G7 country," says Gilroy. "Our coverage will go behind the headlines for a comprehensive view of this multi-billion-dollar market."

"The Globe and Mail is respected for its business reporting across the country and its coverage of new industries such as cannabis," says Phillip Crawley, The Globe's Publisher and CEO. "With significant change occurring weekly, if not daily, in the cannabis sector, The Globe is well-placed to provide subscribers with what they need to know to make better business decisions with current and reliable news and analysis."

Report on Business Cannabis Professional is supported by a dedicated business team:

Pierre Kitchell  Manager, Premium Digital Subscriptions

 Manager, Premium Digital Subscriptions Carlos Morales  Product Marketing Manager

 Product Marketing Manager Garth Thomas  Managing Director, Business and Financial Products

 Managing Director, Business and Financial Products Lindsey Lowy  Director, Consumer Marketing

 Director, Consumer Marketing Scott Adams  Director, Digital Subscription Product Development

 Director, Digital Subscription Product Development Neal Madan  Managing Director, Corporate Development & Planning

The news service will provide exclusive, original reporting on the cannabis industry only to Report on Business Cannabis Professional subscribers, as well as access to major breaking news on the cannabis industry that is published on globeandmail.com or in the newspaper. This is a stand-alone product and is not covered by a globeandmail.com or print subscription.

Images available at https://pr.theglobeandmail.com/robcanpro-visual-assets-170918

Staff head shots

Mobile screen shot

Logos

For interviews, contact Lanna Crucefix (Communications Manager) at [email protected], 416-585-5867.

For news tips, contact editor Rob Gilroy at [email protected], 416-585-5164.

To subscribe, contact Pierre Kitchell (Manager, Premium Digital Subscriptions) at [email protected], 416-585-3327.

About The Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail is Canada's foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With our award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, we reach 6.8 million readers through our print and digital formats, including Report on Business magazine reaching 1.6 million readers in print and digital every issue. Our investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

SOURCE The Globe and Mail(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/693182/The_Martime_Standard_Logo.jpg )

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/745043/The_Maritime_Standard_Awards_2017.jpg )

For the fifth year in a row The Maritime Standard (TMS) has secured the royal patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

An expert panel of judges drawn from different industry sectors, all with a long track record of excellence in their chosen fields, has over the past few weeks been assessing and evaluating nominations for a total of 19 different categories, the winners of which will be announced at the Gala dinner. The Editor of The Maritime Standard, Clive Woodbridge, says, "Once again the standard of entries for all of the Awards has been exceptionally high and a tremendous amount of effort has been put into making a strong case for each entry. It has not been an easy job for the judges to assess the entries, make comparisons and come to conclusions, but I am pleased to say this process has now been completed and all of those who are in contention for an Award deserve recognition as quality performers."

The categories that have been judged by the panel are: Safety and Security; Environmental Protection; Green Shipping; Technology & Innovation; Corporate Social Responsibility; Maritime Education and Training; Transport & Logistics and Energy, Oil and Gas Shipping. In addition there are awards for Shipyard/Ship Repair Facility; Marine Broker; Marine Insurance Company; Ship Manager; Ship Agency; Tanker Operator; Shipowner and Operator; Classification Society; Terminal Operator; Shipping Company and Port of the Year.

The full list of finalists is:

The Safety and Security Award

Bahri Ship Management

DNV-GL

DP World UAE Region

Drydocks World Dubai

Emarat Maritime LLC

Emirates Classification Society (TASNEEF)

Essar Ports Ltd

Kuwait Oil Tanker Company

Oman Ship Management Company

The Shipping Corporation of India

The Environment Protection Award

DP World, UAE Region

Emarat Maritime LLC

Fairdeal Marine Services LLC

HullWiper Limited

Kuwait Oil Tanker Company

LUKOIL Marine Lubricants DMCC

MAN Diesel & Turbo Middle East LLC

The Green Shipping Award

Emarat Maritime LLC

GMS ( Dubai )

) HullWiper Limited

Kuwait Oil Tanker Company

Monjasa

Orient Overseas Container Line Limited

The Technology/Innovations Award

Abu Dhabi Ports

HullWiper Limited

Kongsberg Maritime Middle East DMCCO

Kuwait Institute of Maritime Research

LUKOIL Marine Lubricants DMCC

MAN Diesel & Turbo Middle East LLC

Marlink

ShipNEXT

The Corporate Social Responsibility Award

DP World India

Essar Ports Ltd

Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)

Maharashtra Maritime Board

The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd

Shipyard / Ship Repair Facility of the Year

Abu Dhabi Ship Building

Albwardy Damen

Drydocks World Dubai

Inter Ocean Ship Repair LLC

Nico International

The Maritime Education & Training Award

Abu Dhabi Ports

DP World

Jordan Academy for Maritime Studies

Kuwait Oil Tanker Company

Mercantile Seaman Training Institute Ltd.

The Shipping Corporation of India

Energy, Oil and Gas Shipping Award

Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC

Monjasa

Transport and Logistics Award

GAC Group

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics LLC

Pentagon Freight Services LLC

Tristar Transport

Yacht International Co. LLC

Marine Broker of the Year

Maersk Broker Middle East DMC EST

Main Mast Marsec Private Limited

McQuilling Shipping Services DMCC

Safepassage Shipping LLP

Marine Insurer of the Year

Dubai National Insurance and Reinsurance PSC

General Insurance Corporation Of India

Islamic P&I Club

Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance ( Middle East ) B.S.C

) B.S.C The New India Assurance Co Ltd

Ship Manager of the Year

Bahri Ship Management Ltd. DMCC

Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC

Synergy Group

Ship Agency of the Year

DTA Ship Agency

GAC Group

KANOO Shipping

Wilhelmsen Ships Service

Yacht International Co. LLC

Tanker Operator of the Year

ADNOC Logistics & Services

Bahri

Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC

Kuwait Oil Tanker Company

Oman Charter Company S.A.O.C

Tristar Shipping

Ship Owner/Operator of the Year

ADNOC Logistics & Services

Bahri

Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC

International Shipping & Logistics FZE

The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd

Tomini Shipping

Tristar Shipping

Classification Society of the Year

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)

DNV-GL

Emirates Classification Society (TASNEEF)

Terminal Operator of the Year

Abu Dhabi Terminals

ADANI Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited

DP World, UAE Region

Essar Ports Ltd

Red Sea Gateway Terminal

Port of the Year

Abu Dhabi Ports

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited

and Special Economic Zone Limited Essar Ports Ltd

Shipping Company of the Year

APL Emirates L.L.C

Bahri

Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC

Oman Charter Company S.A.O.C

The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd

In addition to the Awards chosen by the judging panel on the basis of the nominations submitted, there will be a number of individual awards selected by The Maritime Standard. These include the Best Practices Award; Deal of the Year; Young Person in Shipping; Woman in Shipping; Editor's Choice; Outstanding Achievement; Personality of the Year; TMS Excellence in Shipping; Lifetime Achievement; and Hall of Fame Awards.

The selection of these shortlisted companies and organisations has been carried out by the independent judging panel, against criteria set for each category. No judge is asked to vote in a category where their company has an interest, nor where they are a nominee. The Maritime Standard Awards 2018 judges, all well respected individuals with deserved reputations in the industry for their expertise and integrity, are:

Clive Woodbridge , Editor, The Maritime Standard (Chairman of the Judging

Panel)

, Editor, The Maritime Standard (Chairman of the Judging Panel) Ali Shehab , Deputy CEO, KOTC

, Deputy CEO, KOTC Capt. Abdulkareem Al Masabi , CEO, ADNOC Logistics & Services

, CEO, ADNOC Logistics & Services Angus Frew , Secretary General/CEO, BIMCO

, Secretary General/CEO, BIMCO Capt. Anoop Kumar Sharma , Chairman and Managing Director, The Shipping Corporation of India

, Chairman and Managing Director, The Shipping Corporation of H.E. Eng. Hessa Bint Ahmed Al Malek , Executive Director of the Maritime

Sector, Federal Transport Authority-Land & Maritime

, Executive Director of the Maritime Sector, Federal Transport Authority-Land & Maritime Ruwan Waidyaratne , Chairman of CASA and MD of Hayley's Advantis Limited

, Chairman of CASA and MD of Hayley's Advantis Limited Dr. Mustafa Massad , President, Jordan Academy for Maritime Studies

, President, for Maritime Studies Capt. David Stockley , COO, Oman Shipping Company

, COO, Oman Shipping Company Capt. S.R. Patnaik, Director and Chief Executive Officer, International Shipping

and Logistics

and Logistics Capt. Jitendra Misra , Managing Director, Emarat Maritime

, Managing Director, Emarat Maritime Eng. Sherine El Naggar , Chairman, Eng. Sherine El Naggar

More information about The Maritime Standard Awards, and how to book a table to attend this prestigious event, can be found by going to http://www.tmsawards.com

Press Contact:

Ammaar Murtaza Moosa

M: +971-55-245-4466

E: [email protected]

(A Division of Flagship Events LLC)

PO Box 25980,

Office 108, Oasis Centre,

Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE

Tel: + 971-4-380-5556 | Fax: +971-4-380-5509



SOURCE The Maritime StandardVisiting destinations across the world, Nature provides an awe-inspiring look into the lives of a diverse group of wildlife. From a tiny squirrel's successful exploits, to the perilous journey of newborn polar bear cubs leaving their den for the first time, to the precious life inside an egg, the new season focuses on the emotional stories of heartbreak and triumph in the natural world, utilizing the latest filmmaking techniques to capture footage never seen before. Each documentary will stream the day after the broadcast premiere via pbs.org/nature and PBS OTT apps.

Nature will culminate its season in May 2019 with a live television event, Spring Live (w.t.), which will follow a large group of researchers, scientists, and citizens as they investigate  in real time  how nature and wildlife respond to the change of seasons, in ecosystems ranging from Montana's Rocky Mountains to Florida's Everglades, from inner-city parks on the East Coast to remote wilderness preserves in the desert Southwest.

New documentaries in Nature Season 37 include:

Super Cats, A Nature Miniseries (three-part series)

Premieres Wednesdays, October 24-November 7 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)

Stalking in the shadows, prowling almost every continent, cats are among the world's most diverse and successful predators. But there is far more to these charismatic and misunderstood animals. Filmed over 600 days in 14 countries and featuring 31 species of cat, this groundbreaking three-part miniseries narrated by F. Murray Abraham uncovers the secret lives of big cats and introduces behaviors captured on film for the first time, using the latest camera technology and scientific research. From the solitary bachelor snow leopard in the Himalayas, to the very elusive swamp tiger of South Asia, to the tiny but deadly black-footed cat in South Africa, Nature brings these animal superstars out of the shadows.

Nature: A Squirrel's Guide to Success

Premieres Wednesday, November 14 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)

The squirrel family, from tiny chipmunks to big prairie dogs, is one of the most widespread on Earth. There are almost 300 species of squirrels that can glide through the air, outwit rattlesnakes, and survive the coldest temperatures of any mammal. So what is the secret to their success? Uncover the extraordinary abilities of these cheeky nut lovers as a filmmaker puts their problem-solving to the test on a specially designed obstacle course. Join some of the world's top squirrel scientists who are making ground breaking discoveries - from the brainy fox squirrel who can remember the location of 9,000 nuts, to the acrobatic gray squirrel whose tree-top leaps are the basis of new designs in robotics. And see the world through the eyes of an orphan red squirrel called Billy, as he grows up and develops all the skills he will need to be released back to the wild.

Nature: Dogs in the Land of Lions

Premieres Wednesday, November 21 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)

Filmed over two years by cinematographer Kim Wolhuter (Nature: The Cheetah Children), Nature: Dogs in the Land of Lions takes viewers into the heart of an African wild dog family. When lions kill her mate, a wild dog mother called Puzzles suddenly must raise two generations of pups all on her own without the help of a pack. Witness the loyalty and selflessness that sets wild dogs apart from other large, social carnivores in this deeply intimate portrayal of motherhood. But in this unforgiving Zimbabwe wilderness, it turns out the top dogs are the big cats. Lions are the wild dogs' ultimate enemies. The young dogs provide some light-hearted moments while discovering the world around them, but as they grow up, they must face these eternal enemies on their journey to independence.

Nature: Snow Bears

Premieres Wednesday, November 28 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)

Set against the harsh backdrop of the Arctic, Nature: Snow Bears is a dramatized story based on the extraordinary adventures and life-changing journey of newborn polar bear cubs as they leave the safety of their den for the first time. Bravely led by their mother, the cubs must make the perilous 400-mile voyage to the sea to feed. Encountering many dangers and adventures along the way  marauding male bears ready to kill, extreme weather, Arctic foxes, Walruses, Narwhal whales, snowdrifts and ice cracks  they undertake an epic survival challenge. These cubs are rarely seen in their natural habitat, and this is a unique glimpse into their world. Kate Winslet narrates.

Nature: Volcano Day (w.t.)

Premieres Winter/Spring 2019 on PBS

Volcanoes are the portal to the earth's fiery magma heart; one might imagine that life above ground would avoid living nearby. But a surprising number of animals survive and thrive alongside them. Right now, in any 24-hour period, some 30 volcanoes are erupting on our planet. This film will uncover the varied activity  both human and natural  that occurs on the slopes of active volcanoes. All life on Earth owes itself to their existence. Volcanoes create the land we live on, emit gas that forms the air we breathe, spew minerals from the center of the Earth and make homes for spectacular natural history  they are the source of life.

Nature: The Egg (w.t.)

Premieres Winter/Spring 2019 on PBS

The egg is evolution's finest self-contained life support system. For the first time, a camera will film from inside an egg  beginning the moment it is laid, to the moment it hatches. This inside story of the egg illustrates how nature made a structure that keeps microbial aliens out while allowing an embryo inside to breathe, and how it made a shell strong enough to withstand the weight of an incubating bird, but weak enough to allow a hatchling to break free. Follow the development of the egg and gain a glimpse of life never before seen. Sir David Attenborough presents.

Nature: Equus: The Story of the Horse (w.t.) (two-part series)

Premieres Winter/Spring 2019 on PBS

The relationship between man and his noble steed is almost as old as civilization itself, allowing our species to explore, conquer and flourish side by side with the horse. Nature traces this revolutionizing partnership with anthropologist Niobe Thompson, who treks around the world in search of the moment when man first climbed into the saddle and explains how the relationship between humans and horses has evolved in today's modern world. Discover the habits of these majestic animals and their unique biological makeup, which made them a perfect fit for our ancestors. Ride along with the world's last nomadic tribes, who view the horse not just as an animal, but a means of survival. Witness the return of horses to the wild as mankind preserves the hardest-working animal partners we've ever had. Locations in this two-part series include Mongolia, Montana, Kentucky, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Siberia, and Sable Island, Nova Scotia.

Nature: Wild Way of the Vikings

Premieres Winter/Spring 2019 on PBS

Experience the natural world through the eyes of the Vikings, when nature meets history in a journey showcasing the wildlife of the North Atlantic. Combining blue-chip natural history filmmaking and dramatic recreations, Nature travels from Norway to Newfoundland, just as the seafaring warriors did in 1,000 A.D., to get a glimpse of the Vikings' world in the Americas hundreds of years before Columbus. Experience the deep history and cultural respect the Vikings had with the land and sea: from the killer whales of the North Sea to the puffins and otters of the Scottish coast to the volcanic mounts of Iceland and the frozen tundra of Greenland. Go back to the age where Vikings ruled the northern seas; when their only compass was the birds in the sky and the whales pushing through the icy waters.

Nature: Attenborough and the Sea Dragon

Premieres Winter/Spring 2019 on PBS

A remarkable chance discovery is about to reveal secrets that have laid hidden for 200 million years. A super predator that ruled the ocean at the time of the dinosaurs was found in a crumbling cliff face. It's an Ichthyosaur, a fish lizard. Older than dinosaurs, these fearsome predators had the very best characteristics of reptiles and mammals in one formidable package. They could regulate their own body temperature, had astonishingly acute eyesight and combined speed, sensitive "prey-detecting" organs and an impressive set of teeth. Sir David Attenborough hosts this detective story, from the challenging onsite extraction of the fossils to the 3D reconstruction of the creature. He looks at evidence from animals across the world to try and piece together how this "sea dragon" lived.

Spring Live (w.t.) (three-part live event)  April 29  May 1, 2019

It is one of nature's greatest performances. Spring is a symphony in green, a time of renewed energy, an awakening. For both plants and animals, age-old survival strategies are on full display at this time of year, and intimate relationships are laid bare. The transformations wrought by this season can be sudden and dramatic  epic migrations culminate in dazzling displays. Or they can be intimate and barely perceptible  like the seduction of a bumblebee by a blossom. Spring Live will be an unprecedented Nature event, broadcast over three consecutive days from iconic locations across North America  varied ecosystems ranging from the Rockies to the Everglades, from inner-city parks to remote wilderness preserves. A diverse group of researchers and citizen scientists will investigate in real time how a wide range of organisms respond to the change of seasons. They will share their insights into the natural world and reveal new technologies that make their discoveries possible. A strong social media component will encourage the audience to participate in the event on a second screen, inspiring them to join in the adventure of science.

Nature pioneered a television genre that is now widely emulated in the broadcast industry. Throughout its history, the series has brought the natural world to millions of viewers and been consistently among the most-watched primetime series on public television.

Nature has won more than 700 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film communities and environmental organizations, including 18 Emmys and three Peabodys. The series received two of the wildlife film industry's highest honors: the Christopher Parsons Outstanding Achievement Award, given by the Wildscreen Festival, and the Grand Teton Award, given by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. The International Wildlife Film Festival honored Nature executive producer Fred Kaufman with its Lifetime Achievement Award for Media.

Nature's award-winning website, pbs.org/nature, features full episodes, short films, behind-the-scenes content, nature-related articles, educational resources and more.

Nature is a production of THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET and PBS. Fred Kaufman is executive producer. Bill Murphy is series producer.

Support for Nature is made possible in part by the Arnhold Family in memory of Clarisse Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, the Anderson Family Fund, the Filomen M. D'Agostino Foundation, Rosalind P. Walter, the Halmi Family in memory of Robert Halmi, Sr., Sandra Atlas Bass, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by the nation's public television stations.

Websites:

pbs.org/nature, facebook.com/PBSNature, @PBSNature, instagram.com/pbsnature, pbsnature.tumblr.com, youtube.com/naturepbs, #NaturePBS

About WNET

WNET is America's flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 . WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET's groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! And Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history experience. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Theater Close-Up, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender identity, First Person. Through multi-platform initiatives Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America and Peril and Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change, WNET showcases the human stories around these issues and promising solutions. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport.

SOURCE WNETNEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Toby Hassan Fishman, the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Eff Creative Group, an award-winning Inc. 500 company that designs, develops, and markets groundbreaking digital and consumer products and social campaigns, has been recognized by the prestigious 15th Annual International Business Awards as Woman of the Year. She received the Silver Stevie Award, which is among the organization's highest honors. Additionally, Toby was recognized with a Gold win from the 2018 6th Annual Best In Biz International Awards, where she took home the title of Creative Executive of the Year.

The International Business Awards are the world's premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide  public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small  are eligible to submit nominations. The 2018 IBAs received entries from 74 nations and territories.

The Best in Biz International Awards are an independent business awards program judged by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications. The awards entrants span a wide spectrum, from some of the most innovative start-ups to the most recognizable global brands. Close to 300 public and private companies from all sectors of the global economy and more than 35 countries competed in the 2018 6th Annual Best in Biz Awards' International program.

With a natural knack for design and aesthetics, Toby started her inspirational journey of graphic design and branding at the young age of 19. Now a single mother of two and co-founder of Eff Creative Group in New York City and Eff Creative Pte Ltd in Singapore, the award winning creative maestro's secret to success is reflected in her ability to nurture the diverse team of Eff Creative Group to build products and provide services that push the boundaries of creativity and innovation through strategy.

"What an achievement for a business women who started at an early stage of life, but had it built in her from consulting to leading the way to bigger and better opportunities in business. Toby's great vision to spread her wings abroad can be seen in her dedication to succeed further. Great business acumen and management skills," shared an IBA judge. "Impressive story of personal strength and resilience, which has been recognized globally."

On top of Toby's Woman of the Year and Creative Executive of the Year wins, Eff Creative Group was recognized with four additional awards in the following categories:

Fastest-Growing Company of the Year in the U.S.A. and Canada

and Company of the Year in Advertising, Marketing and PR

Most Innovative Company of the Year

Fastest-Growing Small Company of the Year

"Both Woman of the Year and Creative Executive of the Year are such all-encompassing titles that I'm incredibly humbled to be awarded from so many different aspects," said Toby Hassan Fishman, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Eff Creative Group. "As someone who did not have a formal college education, I'm honored to be included amongst such an impactful roster of business professionals in both these categories and so touched by the incredibly kind and inspiring comments that the judges have shared. I'm proud of what these awards mean for myself, for my daughters, and for my future."

Toby's Co-Founder and Eff Creative Group's CEO, Doron J. Fetman, was also recognized as Executive of the Year in the Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations categories. He was awarded the Gold Stevie Award.

ABOUT EFF CREATIVE GROUP

Eff Creative Group is an award-winning Inc. 500 company located in Times Square, New York. A team of experienced creative innovators, Eff strategically designs, develops, and markets groundbreaking digital and consumer products launching campaigns for businesses with bespoke market solutions. With offices in NYC, Singapore and Hong Kong, Eff is a globally-renowned vertically-integrated boutique creative agency that is experienced in a multitude of industries and is constantly reinventing the world of design, media, and technology. To learn more, visit: www.EffCreative.com.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Eff Creative Group

Related Links

http://www.effcreative.com

PLANO, Texas, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Financial Services (TFS) announced it is offering payment relief options to its customers affected by Hurricane Florence. This broad outreach includes any Toyota Financial Services (TFS) or Lexus Financial Services (LFS) customer in the designated disaster areas.

We at Toyota Financial Services care about the safety and well-being of our customers and want to help those impacted by the hurricane. Impacted lease and finance customers residing in the devastated areas may be eligible to take advantage of several payment relief options, some of which include:

extensions and lease deferred payments

redirecting billing statements

arranging phone or on-line payments

Toyota Financial Services will proactively attempt to contact customers via email and telephone in the affected areas to assess their needs and inform customers of the options available to them.

Customers who would like to discuss their account options are encouraged to contact TFS or LFS:

Toyota Financial Services customers may call 800-874-8822 or contact TFS via email using the Mail Center function after logging into ToyotaFinancial.com.

Lexus Financial Services customers may call 800-874-7050 or contact LFS via email using the Mail Center function after logging into LexusFinancial.com.

We extend our heartfelt thoughts to those affected by the devastating storm.

About Toyota Financial Services

Toyota Financial Services (TFS) is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota in the United States, offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and Toyota Lease Trust. TFS also offers extended service contracts through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS). The company services Lexus dealers and customers using the Lexus Financial Services brand. TFS currently employs approximately 3,300 associates nationwide, and has assets totaling over $120 billion. It is part of a worldwide network of comprehensive financial services offered by Toyota Financial Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation. We announce material financial information using the investor relations section of our website (www.toyotafinancial.com) and SEC filings. We use these channels, press releases, and social media to communicate about our company, our services and other issues. While not all information we post on social media is of a material nature, some information could be material. Therefore, we encourage those interested in our company to review our posts on Twitter at www.twitter.com/toyotafinancial.

Points of Light has named TFS one of its Civic 50, which recognizes the most community-minded companies in the nation. For more information about the company's support of financial literacy, youth development programs, and other community initiatives, please visit www.tfsinthecommunity.com.

Media Contact: Vincent Bray 469-486-9065

SOURCE Toyota Financial Services

Related Links

http://www.toyotafinancial.com

Built to enable users to interact more authentically online, Vero is also committed to driving positive change in the real world and the inaugural award is accompanied by a $50,000 donation made by Vero to a charity of the artist's choice. Smith has chosen leading music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins to receive the $50,000 donation in her name, enabling Nordoff Robbins to change even more lives through the power of music.

"Since her first track was uploaded when she was just 18 years old, Jorja has won fans and critical acclaim across the globe," said Ayman Hariri, Co-founder and CEO of Vero, "and we can't think of a better artist to win the inaugural Vero Breakthrough Solo Artist of the Year Award. Jorja is one of the most authentic voices in music today and we look forward to everything that is yet to come for her and are delighted to be working with her to support the life-changing work of Nordoff Robbins."

As the UK's leading independent music therapy charity, Nordoff Robbins celebrates the connection and joy music can bring to those with life-limiting illnesses, physical disabilities or emotional challenges. Working across the country, they offer vital support through their dedicated open access centres and alongside over 150 partner organisations to change lives through music.

"Nordoff Robins is an incredible charity and I am grateful to Vero for giving me this opportunity to support the work they do," says Jorja Smith. "The work Nordoff Robins does for people from all walks of life is phenomenal. Music really connects people and gives people a chance to communicate when there is no other way. To feel connected and have fun too. It was such a great experience going to the centre as I wasn't aware of how much - and also how far - music can travel to change someone's life."

Hannah Sheedy, Director of Fundraising says, "We are thrilled to hear that Jorja has dedicated this donation to Nordoff Robbins. We were so fortunate to have had the opportunity to show her our work recently - her support of the charity and our music therapy work means the world to us. We congratulate Jorja on winning the Vero Breakthrough Solo Artist of the Year Award, and we thank Vero and Jorja for their generosity. This money will help directly fund our music therapy delivery around the UK, helping us reach the people who need us most."

Dylan Jones, Editor of British GQ says, "We are thrilled Vero decided to bolster the inaugural Vero Breakthrough Solo Artist Of The Year Award with a charity donation, and even more so that the recipient will be Nordoff Robbins. Giving back socially in this exceedingly generous way to a charity that changes lives through music is just another example of how Vero supports musical creativity at every level."

NOTES FOR EDITORS

ABOUT VERO

Vero is a subscription-based, ad-free social network that has been referred to as the antidote to ad-driven social media. Vero does not sell their users' information or mine personal data. Founded in 2015, Vero has grown to over 4M users and has been the most-downloaded app in the app stores across the world. Tackling the problem of social media addiction, Vero is also the first social network to roll out usage info that tells users how much time they spend on Vero  a potential encouragement to users to spend less time on it.

www.vero.co

ABOUT NORDOFF ROBBINS

Nordoff Robbins is the largest independent music therapy charity in the UK, dedicated to changing the lives of vulnerable and isolated people. We support thousands of people through our own centres and by working in partnership with a wide range of organisations including care homes, schools and hospitals.

In the hands of a trained practitioner, music therapy can be used to support people living with a wide range of needs. It can help a child with autism to communicate, unlock forgotten memories for those living with dementia or provide comfort for someone facing a terminal illness.

Music therapy can be life-changing for so many people.

https://www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk/

ABOUT BRITISH GQ

Urbane, upscale, bold and always stylish, GQ's status as a byword for men's style is unparalleled. Known for the highest standards in feature writing and photography, the UK's leading quality men's fashion and lifestyle magazine has won innumerable awards in its 30-year history. The monthly magazine has a combined print and digital circulation of 115,006 (ABC Jul-Dec 2017); a readership of 939,000 (PAMCO Apr'17- Mar'18); and GQ online has 2,498,592 unique users (Google analytics Apr-June 2018). In addition to print and digital, GQ hosts events including the annual GQ Men of the Year Awards, GQ Food & Drink Awards, GQ Grooming Awards and GQ Car Awards.

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/

MEDIA CONTACT: Andrew Ricci ([email protected])

SOURCE Vero

Related Links

http://www.vero.co

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, VisualDx, the leading diagnostic clinical decision support tool for physicians, unveiled its first app geared at consumers, Aysa, at the Health 2.0 Conference in Santa Clara. Aysa, an artificial intelligence driven symptom checker app, allows consumers to become more educated and make more informed decisions about their personal skin conditions. Aysa is trained through the VisualDx platform which combines clinical search and medical knowledge from experts with a database of more than 120,000 of the best medical images in the world.

In 2017, the average wait time in metro areas to see a dermatologist for a routine skin exam was 32 days. Using machine learning, Aysa is able to provide real-time results for skin photos taken in the privacy of a consumer's home.

Skin rashes, which can range from annoying but benign to a sign of a serious condition, can look different on different skin types, even if they are the same condition. From psoriasis to eczema to herpes, skin conditions come in different shapes, sizes and severity. By simply taking a photo of one's skin condition and answering a few questions, Aysa is able to generate a few possible answers in addition to next steps whether for self-care measures or for a visit with a health care provider.

"Aysa is a terrific tool to help narrow down a list of potential skin diagnoses. I recently had a large red spot on the area around my thumb and was concerned since I didn't know what it could be," said Jennifer, an early beta tester of the app, who lives in Boston. "With the help of Aysa, I was able to take a picture of the spot, answer a few questions and review some of the possibilities. Turns out the spot was something called a lime rash that I had gotten from squeezing limes a few days prior. Aysa correctly identified the rash on my hand and put my mind at ease before visiting a dermatologist. It was intuitive, easy to follow and a lot faster than what I normally do by searching the internet."

VisualDx, the developer of Aysa, is a physician-led company with a deep knowledge base and understanding of dermatology making it uniquely qualified to bring this app to market. The company is introducing Aysa as a way to augment health research, but not replace the role of a clinician. In doing so, Aysa does not diagnose yet it is able to generate potential diseases and next steps for individuals with common skin conditions, thanks to the power of its world-class medical image library and the use of Apple's CoreML, a framework designed to speed up machine learning tasks on the iOS operating system.

Because it is developed for iOS-based devices, Aysa can adjust its results based on a user's medical history, thereby truly customizing the experience further for users. Because Apple enables users to aggregate existing health records from participating providers in the Apple Health app on iPhones, apps like Aysa and others, can interact with existing data with a user's permission.

"Industry data suggests that nearly 80 percent of internet users have searched for a health-related topic online, however 50 percent of the time these searches produce inaccurate information," said Dr. Art Papier, CEO of VisualDx. "Consumers in the U.S. deserve better and Aysa can provide peace of mind by serving as the foundation for a productive visit to the doctor's office. We want people to use their smartphones to get the right answers when they need it most, and for the answers to be drawn from the professional knowledge of physicians."

Aysa, which will cost $9.99 for a one-year subscription, can be downloaded in the Apple App Store. For a limited time, new users can download Aysa free of charge. An Android version of Aysa is currently under development. For more information, visit www.askaysa.com.

VisualDx is an award-winning diagnostic clinical decision support system and a standard electronic resource at medical schools and in hospital and clinic settings. VisualDx combines clinical search with a database of more than 120,000 of the best medical images in the world, plus medical knowledge from experts to help with diagnosis, treatment, self-education, and patient communication. Expanding to provide diagnostic decision support across general medicine, VisualDx brings increased speed and accuracy to the art of diagnosis. Learn more at www.visualdx.com.

SOURCE VisualDx

Related Links

http://www.visualdx.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept., 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Voting has opened to determine the winner of the Ecolab People's Choice Award for the second annual Celebrate Aging Film Festival, which will be held Oct. 3, 2018 at the historic Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee. All nine of the nominated films can be viewed at the Ecolab People's Choice Award homepage, where visitors may cast votes for their favorite film. Voting ends Sept. 30.

Voting for the Ecolab People's Choice Award opens September 17.

Each of the nominated films was created by residents and associates at Brookdale Senior Living communities using only iPads. More than 60 films were submitted to the festival. A panel narrowed the list down to nine films in the following categories: Best Picture, Best Writing, Best Acting, Best Technical Design, and the Courage Award, which highlights the true stories of courageous older adults who are living life to the fullest. Brookdale associates in Chicago, Milwaukee and Nashville viewed all nominated films and cast votes to decide the winners in each category. All nine films are eligible to win the Ecolab People's Choice Award. Last year more than 12,700 votes were cast.

Residents from the nine communities with nominated films, accompanied by a Brookdale associate, will travel across the country to attend the festival. These "movie stars" will receive the celebrity treatment including a red carpet walk with photographs and a special screening and awards show.

Brookdale's Celebrate Aging Film Festival was created to help change the perception of aging and gives residents and associates the opportunity to work together to develop a compelling story. Ecolab, Brookdale's trusted partner in providing clean, safe and healthy environments for its residents, generously sponsors the Celebrate Aging Film Festival.

Nominated Films:

Title: Reflections

Community: Brookdale Greenville

Location: Greenville, S.C.



Title: Tempest in a Teapot

Community: Brookdale Meridian Westland

Location: Lakewood, Colo. Title: Old or Older?

Community: Freedom Pointe at the Villages

Location: The Villages, Fla. Title: You Don't Know Mr. Hall At All

Community: Brookdale Dogwood Creek

Location: Germantown, Tenn. Title: Don't Let Life Fly By

Community: Freedom Village at Bradenton

Location: Bradenton, Fla. Title: Cat's Outta the Bag

Community: Brookdale Colonial Heights

Location: Kingsport, Tenn. Title: Life is a Soundtrack

Community: Brookdale North Austin

Location: Austin, Texas Title: All These Moments

Community: The Solana at Vintage Park

Location: Houston, Texas Title: Determination Becoming Inspiration

Community: Brookdale Oklahoma City Southwest

Location: Oklahoma City, Okla.

About Brookdale

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. For more Brookdale news, go to brookdalenews.com

About Ecolab

A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With annual sales of $14 billion and 47,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

Follow on Twitter @ecolab or Facebook at facebook.com/ecolab.

Contact: Mitch Kline, (615) 564-8788, [email protected]

SOURCE Brookdale Senior Living

Related Links

http://www.brookdaleliving.com

PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation (the "Company") (NYSE: WMC) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.31 per share for the third quarter of 2018. Today's dividend is payable on October 26, 2018 to common shareholders of record as of September 27, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of September 26, 2018.

In addition, the Company estimates that its book value per share, as of August 31, 2018, was approximately $11.51. The August 31, 2018 estimated book value is unaudited, has not been verified or reviewed by any third party and is subject to normal quarterly reconciliation and other procedures. Further, the estimated book value is as of August 31, 2018 and does not include the dividend announced today. Book value will fluctuate with market conditions, the results of the Company's operations and other factors. The Company's current book value may be materially different from the August 31, 2018 estimated book value.

ABOUT WESTERN ASSET MORTGAGE CAPITAL CORPORATION

Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation is a real estate investment trust that invests in, acquires and manages a diverse portfolio of assets consisting of Agency CMBS, Agency RMBS, Non-Agency RMBS, Non-Agency CMBS, ABS, GSE Risk Transfer Securities, Residential Whole and Bridge Loans and Commercial Loans. The Company's investment strategy may change, subject to the Company's stated investment guidelines, and is based on its manager Western Asset Management Company's perspective of which mix of portfolio assets it believes provide the Company with the best risk-reward opportunities at any given time. The Company is externally managed and advised by Western Asset Management Company, an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. Please visit the Company's website at www.westernassetmcc.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Operating results are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, without limitation, changes in interest rates; changes in the yield curve; changes in prepayment rates; the availability and terms of financing; general economic conditions; market conditions; conditions in the market for mortgage related investments; and legislative and regulatory changes that could adversely affect the business of the Company; and other factors, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2017 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

SOURCE Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation

Related Links

http://www.westernasset.com

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned designer J Mays is joining Whirlpool Corporation as Vice President and Chief Design Officer. An automotive design leader known all over the world, Mays brings a proven and high-profile talent to the company, to take the design legacy to new heights for its global brands. His role is effective October 15, 2018.

"J Mays joining Whirlpool Corporation represents the merging of an iconic home appliance leader and a respected and influential designer," said Roberto Campos, head of Whirlpool Corporation's Global Product Organization.

Mays has worked on numerous landmark design projects over the years, notably driving concept and design work at Audi, Volkswagen, BMW and Ford Motor Company.

"Throughout my career, I've learned the importance of finding an emotional connection with the customer," said Mays. "My interests extend far beyond automobile design, and that's why this opportunity caught my eye. I look forward to leading and collaborating with the already strong Whirlpool Global Consumer Design team. The team has a wealth of talent, is vibrant and passionate, and a driving force behind creating customer interest, desire, and satisfaction."

Mays' responsibilities will include translating consumer insights, needs, and wants along with influential trends into next generation product design concepts. Working with all regions and key stakeholders, he will own and lead design strategy and execution across all product platforms and categories, including advanced design and user experience design.

"Whirlpool Corporation is committed to an approach, philosophy, and vision of being a global leader in design," said Marc Bitzer, CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. "This is a fantastic opportunity to bring J's leadership to our accomplished teams to help them set the design direction of our product portfolio around the world."

Prior to joining Whirlpool, Mays was Group Vice President of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company, and recently, Mays has served in various consulting and advisory roles including the motion picture industry. Mays is also a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art in London.

Born in Pauls Valley, Okla., Mays studied automotive design at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the world's leading major home appliance company, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 92,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2017. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation

Related Links

http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com

Pullman had to attract excellent technicians, you know, people who could build complicated systems. And because of the wealthy people that were going to use these cars, they wanted it to be as ostentatious as possible, he said. So to do that, he had to bring in artisans and craftsmen from Europe that would do all the fine woodworking, that would do the stained glass, that would do all the elaborate interior stuff, you know, some of the murals in the cars, the paintings.WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- White Plains, New York-based law firm Yankwitt LLP announced that two of its partners have been named to the 2018 New York Super Lawyers list.

Founding partner Russell Yankwitt, who was first named to the New York Super Lawyers list in 2011, was included in the 2018 list in the area of Business Litigation. He also was named to the list of the Top 25 Westchester County Super Lawyers, an honor he has received for the fourth time. Partner Kathy Marks was also named in the area of Business Litigation. She made her New York Super Lawyers list debut in 2013.

Yankwitt LLP litigates commercial matters of all types, including contract and partnership disputes, employment and shareholder lawsuits, and premises liability cases. Recognized as Westchester's go-to litigator and trial attorney, Yankwitt is regularly retained by Westchester law firms to collaborate on their high-stakes trials throughout the state of New York.

Active in the legal community, Yankwitt was the founding member and first chairperson of the Federal Bar Council's Westchester Committee, and continues to hold leadership positions on the Council at large. He also serves on the boards of the Hudson Valley Legal Services, the Westchester County Bar Foundation, and the Westchester County Bar Association Grievance Committee.

Yankwitt graduated cum laude with his J.D. degree from Cornell Law School. After graduating, he clerked for the Honorable Thomas C. Platt in the Eastern District of New York, before working as a litigation associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLP, and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York.

Marks joined Yankwitt LLP in 2010 after working for nearly 20 years in both the private and public sectors. She spent the early part of her career at two New York-area law firms before serving 15 years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. She then worked as counsel to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the New York State Attorney General's Office before returning to private practice with Yankwitt LLP.

Marks graduated magna cum laude from both Georgetown University's College of Arts and Sciences and Georgetown University Law Center, where she was an associate editor of the Law Journal.

Founded in 2009, Yankwitt LLP has grown to 12 attorneys in less than 10 years. Yankwitt LLP has the distinction of being the only firm in the state to have a former law clerk from each active federal district judge in White Plains.

About Super Lawyers

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a research-driven, peer-influenced rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Attorneys are selected using a patented multiphase selection process in which peer nominations are combined with third party research. The mission of Super Lawyers is to bring visibility to those attorneys who exhibit excellence in practice. The Super Lawyers lists are published in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines across the country. For more information, go to SuperLawyers.com.

About Yankwitt LLP

Yankwitt LLP is an elite trial and litigation firm located in White Plains, NY. All of the firm's New York partners and senior lawyers are former federal law clerks or prosecutors or both, and its lawyers are prominent members of the Westchester and New York City bars. They all draw on their broad experience and expertise to produce exceptional outcomes for their clients, which include Fortune 100 companies, other New York law firms and high-net-worth individuals.

Contact: Ilisa Pliskow

914-686-1500

SOURCE Yankwitt LLP

Related Links

https://www.yankwitt.com/

Yangon, Sep 17 : Some 40 prisoners broke a jail in Hpa-an township, Myanmar's Kayin state, and escaped on Sunday, an official from Kayin State Prison Department told Xinhua.

The inmates took a car of a prison officer and fled the jail by breaking through the gates at 8:45 a.m.

One prison officer was injured and some prisoners fleeing the jail were caught at the scene.

An investigation is underway by the regional authorities.Manila, Sep 17 : At least 33 miners were confirmed dead and 29 others missing in the mining town of Itogon in the northern Philippine Benguet province due to typhoon-triggered landslides, authorities said on Sunday.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said in local radio interviews that landslides had blocked roads, making relief rescue efforts difficult, Xinhua reported.

In Ucab village of Itogon, he said, two bunkhouses with an estimated 100 people living inside were buried by mud and rubble triggered by Typhoon Mangkhut on Saturday.

"I can't begin to accept this, but it looks like the casualties here are going to go up to at least 100," Palangdan said.

Most of Itogon residents work as miners in small scale mining industry while the rest are in farming. Most mine workers built boot camps around the mining area with their families.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines have sent troops to the disaster area to help in the rescue and retrieval efforts. But rescuers said the buried bunkhouses were built at a steep angle, making it difficult to implement rescue.

Meanwhile, the regional police of Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) said at least 49 people have so far died in the region that bore the brunt of the typhoon. Fourteen others are missing, the police said. Thirty-two people were also injured, the police added.

The Cordillera Administrative Region, which consists seven provinces, is the only land-locked region of the Philippines. The regional centre is Baguio City, officially known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines.Riyadh, Sep 17 : Saudi Arabia on Sunday intercepted a missile fired from Yemen toward the border city of Jazan, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The latest attack has brought the number of missiles shot from Yemen targeting various Saudi cities to 197, Xinhua reported.

Turki Al Maliki, spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, said the missile was launched by Houthi militias from Yemen's Saada Governorate at 4:49 p.m. and destroyed by the Saudi air forces.

Although the frequency of the missile attacks has increased recently, most of them were intercepted and destroyed without causing injuries.

Saudi Arabia has been targeted by Yemeni Houthi rebels for having been leading a war against them since 2015. The Houthis say their missile attacks were launched in response to the coalition airstrikes on Houthi-controlled lands in Yemen.Islamabad, Sep 17 : Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that Finance Minister Asad Umer will present the Mini-Budget on Tuesday.

During his meeting with the owners of Pakistani media outlets in the southern port city of Karachi, Imran Khan called for austerity measures to curtail the country's expenses. He also stressed the need for eliminating corruption from the society. He further stated that austerity and corruption elimination aspects were the topmost priorities of his government.

According to the Pakistani economic experts, the Pakistani government faces a massive challenge of reducing the burdens of trade deficit and budget deficit, which is weakening its economy.

The government also has to increase its revenues by taxing the rich strata of the society and reducing the burden of tax on the salaried class. The Finance Minister will present the budget for the remaining nine months of the fiscal year of 2018-19. The main aim to present the mini-budget is to streamline the government's economic policies with the current economic indicators.Los Angeles, Sep 17 : Actress Ruby Rose, who is getting ready to play lesbian Batwoman in a new series, showed off her martial arts skills on Instagram.

On Saturday, Rose gave a sneak-peak at her martial arts training, which is likely to be part of her preparations for the iconic role, reports dailymail.co.uk.

The model-turned-actress looked to be in serious Zen mode as she followed her instructor's every move and instruction.

She is dressed in full martial arts garb that included a robe, matching pants and a black cloth tied around her lean waist.

Initially, the instructor had her working on her arm and wrist strength by slowly lifting a piece of concrete with a stick and rope.

The instructor then went into a number of held positions which Rose captioned: "This part I can do."

Eventually the training turned to some relaxed maneuver that involved breaking a piece of metal in half by slamming it into his arms.

With this the actress wrote: "This part I can not do... yet."Managua, Sep 17 : Anti-government protests continued in Nicaragua despite the ongoing threats and attacks against the demonstrators.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Managua on Sunday to march against President Daniel Ortega, who they hold accountable for the death of hundreds in the anti-government protests that have gripped the country since April, reports Efe news.

The protest attracted a large crowd of people despite a strong police presence at the scene, which is unusual in Nicaragua.

Hours before the march, two "key" protesters were arrested, one of them, Javier Espinoza, and the other, Norwin Gutierrez Alvarez, who was in charge of directing the protests to avoid violent situations.

The Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights (CENIDH) termed the arrested protesters as political prisoners, because they were arrested without committing a crime, just like the other 309 people who had been arrested in a similar manner since the unrest began.

The demonstrators also accused the police of "practicing acts of intimidation", to which they will not yield.

The protest march extended for more than 10 kms.

The demonstrations against Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, began on April 18 due to failed social security reforms and became a demand for the President to resign after 11 years in power.Mexico City, Sep 17 : The Mexican government is confident that a new North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) with Canada and the US will take place by December.

The government of President Enrique Pena Nieto is hoping to sign an updated version of the 1994 trade accord before his six-year term ends on November 30, Xinhua news agency quoted presidential spokesman Eduardo Sanchez as saying on Sunday.

"We're working on it. Hopefully this government will get to sign it," Sanchez said on the sidelines of Mexico's Independence Day parade.

On August 27, Mexico and the US reached an agreement in principle on a revamped deal, but to preserve the three-way agreement, those changes also require Canada's approval.

After US President Donald Trump took office, he insisted the deal be renegotiated to secure more favourable terms for American industry and workers, saying his administration could pursue bilateral agreements with its two regional trade partners if a trilateral deal is not successful.

Sanchez denied rumours that Pena Nieto and Trump were to meet over the agreement next week in New York during the annual UN General Assembly sessions.

Pena Nieto's successor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office on December 1, has said he is in favour of Nafta and his advisers have been taking part in the negotiations.New Delhi, Sep 17 : As Apple refreshed its luxury iPhone line-up last week, Manu Jain who is Vice President, Xiaomi Global and Managing Director, Xiaomi India, tweeted: "Choose wisely -- MI (Xiaomi) or EMI".

Jain reacted to a follower who mentioned that one has to shell out Rs 12,075 a month as zero-cost EMI for a period of one year to own the 512GB variant of iPhone XS Max that will come for a mind-boggling Rs 144,900 in India.

Apple this month announced two other new models. The iPhone XS with 512GB storage model will cost Rs 134,900 and the cheapest of the lot, the iPhone XR, has a starting price (64GB) of Rs 76,900 in India.

The message from the $1 trillion company is loud and clear: Come what may, either own a new iPhone with a higher price tag or adjust with older and discounted models.

Here is the truth: Apple shipped 63 million iPhone X's (now discontinued) till August this year. According to Counterpoint Research, iPhone X is on track to become the most successful revenue and profit-generating iPhone ever.

These 63 million-odd consumers are set to upgrade to new "luxury" iPhones - down payment or via EMI route -- so the global smartphone powerhouse is safe here.

India contributed to just one per cent of the total iPhone X shipments till August. In 2017, Apple sold nearly 3.2 million iPhones in India and the company does not appear to be either in a panic or aggressive mode to change the status quo at the moment.

The company is also not in a mood to compete with Xiaomi or other Chinese brands but aims to keep its brand image and aspirational value intact, say experts.

"Apple remains a luxury brand and this has been their overall strategy for years. India is not in the list of top 10 global markets for them when it comes to new iPhone launches. The company has a strong loyal base globally who will buy its devices despite the hefty price tag," Jaipal Singh, Associate Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India, told IANS.

"For the Indian market, Apple will never compete with Chinese brands by lowering prices of new iPhones," Singh added.

According to Tarun Pathak, Associate Director, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems at Counterpoint Research, hardcore Apple users would be willing to shell out the hefty price because owning a new Apple device is a status symbol for them.

"However, that section is still small. We believe that Apple strategy in India should be to sell more iPhones rather than new iPhones. Given the stickiness of the iOS ecosystem, these older iPhone users are likely to upgrade to iPhone only," Pathak told IANS.

This is exactly what Apple has done. The company has slashed prices of older iPhones for the Indian consumers who want to upgrade to iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and even iPhone X.

Apple has discontinued the "super premium" iPhone X that actually did quite well despite low sale predictions.

The Cupertino-based company has also bid goodbye to iPhone SE - its least expensive model which was being assembled in India and the iPhone 6s -- marking the end of iPhones with headphone jacks.

According to Pathak, the fact is that aspirational user audience is more in number than hardcore iPhone users in India. So there can be uptick in Apple numbers driven by cheaper older generation iPhones.

Depending on the quarter, the older generation iPhones capture somewhat half to two-third of Apple's total sales in India.

"As custom duty continues to have impact on iPhone prices and making new iPhones is costlier, the price cut and subsequent promotions of older generation iPhones can increase iPhone sales in India. iPhone 7 can be the new iPhone 6 for Apple in the country," noted Pathak.

Since Apple does not manufacture or assemble its products in India, the price will always be on the higher side.

"What Apple can do for the Indian market is to open experiences centres, the way Samsung and OnePlus have done, to pull more Android users towards its ecosystem. A bigger retail presence will help Apple gain more share in the price-sensitive Indian market," Singh emphasised.

Apple is currently going through an overhaul under Michel Coulomb, the new head of the India operations who took over from Sanjay Kaul in December last year.

The iPhone maker is also seeking tax relief and other incentives from the government to begin assembling more handsets in the country and its proposal to set up a manufacturing unit is reportedly being evaluated.

According to Pathak, new iPhones can still be a good upgrade for users in India which have skipped the previous iPhone generations but the company will never lower the prices for new iPhones.

In a nutshell, CEO Tim Cook has clearly told India that Apple is the Ferrari in the world of smartphones and to own that exclusiveness, shell out extra - cash down or EMI -- as others are doing.

(Nishant Arora can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in)New Delhi, Sep 17 : HP India on Monday introduced an affordable mini desktop to help students learn and collaborate in schools and educational institutions across the country.

Starting at Rs 19,990, the HP 260 G3 desktop will enable schools and institutes to set up or upgrade computers in their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) labs at a minimal cost, the company said in a statement.

"As technology becomes integral to businesses and consumers' daily lives, students need to learn digital skills that equip them well for the future," said Sumeer Chandra, Managing Director, HP India.

When paired with HP Integrated Work Center and HP EliteDisplay, teachers can read and present files effortlessly. With the wide range of input display connectors, documents can also be shared across multiple monitors.

"Driven by our goal to empower students, HP has launched the mini desktop solution to enable easy and affordable digital learning for students across India," Chandra added.

The Pentium Dual Core with 18.5-inch monitor system is available at a starting price of Rs 19,990 while Intel Core i3 with 18.5-inch monitor is available at a starting price of Rs 25,990.

"We are hitting a new price band with the HP 260 G3 desktop mini. With this, HP will be able to address the market's need for cost-effective desktop PCs," said Vickram Bedi, Senior Director, Personal Systems, HP Inc. India.

The company is reaching out to schools and educational institutions as well as in smaller cities, where affordable digital learning devices can be highly useful.

The system runs Windows 10 Pro and houses memory up to 32GB of DDR4.If you live in this small area of town that is part of Will County, you often are at odds with your friends to the north. It seems to take longer to go anywhere. You send your property tax payments to Joliet, not Chicago. You need to travel a couple more miles to vote on Election Day and even though you live in Will County, you probably pay most of your sales taxes in another county.Sevilla (Spain), Sep 17 : Getafe defeated host Sevilla 2-0 on two goals by Angel Rodriguez before the break and a winning attitude all the way through the match.

Although Sevilla was in possession of the ball for 70 per cent of the match and fired 15 shots towards the goal, just three of them were on target and all were saved by Getafe goaltender David Soria on Sunday.

Getafe, on the other hand, fired just 10 shots towards their rivals' goal, with six of them being on target, and two of them - both by Rodriguez - got by Tomas Vaclik for the tallies, reports Efe news.

Rodriguez scored his first goal of the evening just three minutes into play and then took advantage of a Sevilla mistake to make it 2-0 in the 38th minute.

Some 37,000 fans were on hand for the match to see Sevilla go down to its second consecutive loss in the fourth week of Spanish La Liga action.Washington, Sep 17 : Americans are recognizing that they don't trust the US President who has maintained that he knew nothing about what was went on in his campaign, Indian-American Congressman Pramila Jayapal has said.

Her comments came after Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges last week.

He also agreed to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing investigations about the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

"You see people recognizing they don't trust the President. They believe that Bob Mueller is doing a good job and that the investigation should continue. People are saying, look, this is outrageous," the first Indian-American woman elected to the US House of Representatives told CNN on Sunday.

"This level of corruption, greed, some of the individual charges that are outlined in the Manafort, charging document really show that this guy (Manafort)... is in jail because of jury tampering.

"When you think about this, it isn't just the individual pieces that we're seeing, but what we're seeing is top advisers, people who ran the campaign, the campaign manager, the deputy campaign manager, the President's personal lawyer who have all pleaded guilty.

"... And you have to begin to wonder how it could possibly be the case that the President knew nothing about what was going on," asked Jayapal.

She praised Muller for doing a "great investigation".

"I think Bob Muller has been doing a great investigation. I think he was just handed the keys to the castle, not just with Manafort but also with Michael Cohen."

In August, Cohen pleaded guilty to violating election laws and said he had been directed to do so by the President. He had also admitted paying hush money to two women to keep them from talking about their affairs with Trump during the presidential campaign.

"They (people) see the chaos of the last 18 months. They don't want it. They don't like shattering of norms. What does a person who has the biggest bully pulpit of the White House do? They don't like the tweets that come from the President, contesting what happened in (Hurricane) Maria," Jayapal said.

She said that people want Trump to be focussed and to be presidential, but "he is none of those things".

"In addition to that, people are not seeing their own lives changing. Healthcare is the number one issue on the table.

"When you look at what Republicans have done to undermine healthcare costs, to drive premiums up, to strip pre-existing, the ability to qualify for healthcare with pre-existing conditions, these are things that Americans care about. They do not see healthcare getting better," she said.Islamabad, Sep 17 : Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has dismissed reports that Islamabad has expressed readiness to talk on restoring the India-Afghanistan trade route through its territory.

"Pakistan has not agreed to consider Afghanistan-India trade through our land," the Foreign Office said on Sunday, quoting Qureshi.

According to a report by the Express Tribune, the rejection came after US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass said that Pakistan was considering resumption of India-Afghanistan trade via its territory.

"Pakistan had already approached Afghanistan earlier this year and indicated its willingness to resume trade between Afghanistan and India through its land," Bass had said in an interview to an Indian daily last week.

The Express Tribune called the revelation "significant" as according to it Pakistan "did not allow Indian goods to be transported through its territory into Afghanistan".Kathmandu, Sep 17 : A 55-year-old Indian national has been arrested in Nepal's Kanchanpur district with banned Indian currency notes, the police said.

Acting on a special tip off, the police arrested Satman Singh from Belauri area on Sunday evening and recovered Indian currency notes worth Rs 200,000 of Rs 500 denomination, the Himalayan Times reported on Monday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Krishna Raj Ojha said an investigation into the incident was underway.New Delhi, Sep 17 : The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on Monday said the government cannot ban the entry of private players into Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) just because their performance was "bad".

Speaking on the subject 'Bold Philanthropy - how to amplify impact' in the national capital, the Ministry's Secretary K.P. Krishnan said: "We cannot ban the entry of the private sector into skill training centres, just because they are performing badly... the whole idea is to make them work."

His comments came after the opposition parties often claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship scheme for the Ministry, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), was running with a poor track record.

Earlier on August 25, Krishnan, an economist who also worked with the World Bank, said private ITIs are performing worse when compared to the government ones as they lack quality labs and equipment.

On the same day, he also accused the private sector in India of not taking the skill training certifications seriously.

However, in Monday's discussion, the bureaucrat, reiterating that the private ITIs were weak in skill and training, said that private players have been in the education system for the last 50 years.

"Who are going to provide employment, it is the private sector... you cannot ban it," he added.

The PMKVY scheme was launched in 2015 to provide industry-relevant skill training to the youth so that they can secure a better livelihood, but it (the scheme) was soon riven with flaws.

Both Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Sharada Prasad Committee in its reports held the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) responsible for poor implementation of the scheme and pointed to its failure in reaching placement targets.Kolkata, Sep 17 : West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh's car was attacked on Monday in East Midnapore district where he had arrived in the morning to attend a meeting, police said.

According to Ghosh, the attack at Contai was facilitated by Trinamool Congress workers, a charge denied by the ruling party. Police said those behind the attack were yet to be identified.

The BJP claimed that around 10 party workers were injured in the attack.New Delhi/Mumbai, Sep 17 : Financially strained unlisted holding company IL&FS has sought the Central government's support to avert a looming default crisis.

Reports appearing on Monday said that the Finance Ministry was approached after the IL&FS' key stakeholder, the state-run Life Insurance Corporation and others rejected a Rs 3,000 crore loan facility.

According to reports, the company requires this amount to avert default on its Commercial Paper (CP) obligations and a ratings downgrade.

LIC is the largest shareholder in IL&FS with a 25.34 per cent stake while the state-owned State Bank of India has a 6.42 per cent stake.

The two financial institutions are, in turn, under the supervision of the Department of Financial Services (DFS).

According to reports, however, the Ministry appears to have taken an adverse view of the proposal by IL&FS to stave-off the looming debt crisis.

When contacted, the Ministry did not respond to queries by IANS on the issue.

As part of its fund-raising plans, the company's board had, on August 29, approved a Rights Issue of 30 crore equity shares at Rs 150 per share aggregating to Rs 4,500 crore to shore up its capital. The process would be completed by October 30, the company had said in a statement earlier.

"As on March 31, 2018, IL&FS net worth was Rs 7,400 crore. In addition, the Board approved the re-capitalization of group companies to the extent of Rs 5,000 crore in IL&FS Financial Services, IL&FS Transportation, IL&FS Energy, IL&FS Environment, and IL&FS Education," the company said.

"The Board also approved the Company's specific asset divestment plan based on which IL&FS expects to reduce its overall debt by Rs 30,000 crore. Out of a portfolio of 25 projects identified for sale, firm offers have already been received for 14 projects."

The August 29 statement had also said that the company expects to complete its divestment plan over the next 12 to 18 months in a systematic and professional way to fulfil its commitments.

The group has around Rs 1 lakh crore worth of debt on its books.

IL&FS companies form an ecosystem of expertise across infrastructure, finance and social and environmental services Initially promoted by the Central Bank of India, Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited and Unit Trust of India, IL&FS was incorporated in 1987.

Over the years, it has inducted institutional shareholders including SBI, LIC, ORIX Corporation of Japan, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).

As on March 31, 2018, LIC and ORIX Corporation are the largest shareholders in IL&FS with their stake holding at 25.34 per cent and 23.54 per cent respectively. Other prominent shareholders include ADIA (12.56 per cent stake), HDFC (9.02 per cent stake), CBI and (7.67 per cent stake) and SBI (6.42 per cent stake).London, Sep 17 : The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday warned that a "no-deal" Brexit on World Trade Organization terms will entail "substantial costs" for the UK economy.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde gave a speech at the Treasury in London, less than 200 days till the UK, yet to secure a post-Brexit deal with Brussels, is due to depart the bloc.

The IMF said that all likely Brexit scenarios would "entail costs", but a disorderly departure could lead to "a significantly worse outcome", the BBC reported.

"All the likely Brexit scenarios will have costs for the UK economy and to a lesser extent, as well, for the EU," Lagarde said.

"The larger the impediments to trade in the new relationship, the costlier it will be. This should be fairly obvious, but it seems that sometimes it is not."

Lagarde said the UK's economy was projected to grow 1.5 per cent over the next two years only if a substantial deal was struck with the EU and the withdrawal process was orderly.

The UK's conservative government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Theresa May, has so far failed to strike a deal with negotiators in Brussels despite two years of discussions.

The Cabinet's draft deal, the so-called Chequers plan, even faced opposition from hardline Brexit supporting backbench party members, increasing the chances of a no deal scenario.

But Lagarde offered a grave warning that failure to secure a deal would have grave consequences for the UK.

"It would inevitably have a series of consequences in terms of reduced growth going forward, increased deficit most likely, depreciation of the currency and it would in reasonably short order mean a reduction of the size of the UK economy," she said.

She added that any deal struck after Brexit would not be as good as the status quo. The UK electorate narrowly voted to abandon the EU in a referendum in June 2016.

The country is on track to formally leave the bloc by March 2019.Toronto, Sep 17 : Witnessing violence in high school may lead to emotional distress among children and affect their academic performance later, suggests a new research.

The findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, suggest that schools should seek to empower bystander students who are not directly involved in acts of school violence, rather than giving them messages to stay uninvolved.

For the study, the researchers statistically tested the relationship between witnessing school violence in Grade 8 and subsequent anti-social behaviour (drug use, delinquency), emotional distress (social anxiety, depressive symptoms), and academic adjustment (school achievement, engagement) in Grade 10.

The research involved nearly 4,000 high-school students in Canada.

"There were several take-home messages. First, witnessing school violence in Grade 8 predicted later impairment at Grade 10. Second, bystander effects were very similar to being victimized by violence directly," said study co-author Linda Pagani, Professor at University of Montreal in Canada.

The researchers examined different forms of violence and established the fact that witnessing major violence including physical assaults or carrying weapons is associated with drug use and delinquency later.

The effect was the same for hidden or veiled violence, which included theft and vandalism.

Witnessing minor violence (threats and insults) resulted in an increase in drug use, social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and decrease in engagement and participation at school, the findings showed.

"Most students reported witnessing violence. It is clear that approaches to prevention and intervention should include witnesses as well victims and perpetrators and target all forms of school violence," Michel Janosz of University of Montreal said.

"Supportive family and community relationships also prevent emotional desensitisation to violence which contribute to aggressive behaviour in youth," Janosz said.Mumbai, Sep 17 : Actor-dancer-host Shantanu Maheshwari will reunite with his former "Dil Dostii Dance" (D3) co-star Vrushika Mehta for an upcoming music video.

The song has been sung by Aditi Singh Sharma.

"I am very happy to be working with Vrushika once again. We will be dancing together after a long time, and will definitely relive some D3 memories too. I am also happy that Aditi Sharma will be voicing our track," Shantanu said in a statement.

"She has a lovely voice and I love listening to her music. 'Raabta' from her songs' list is one of my favourites. The theme of the video is a romantic one and so, it's going to be a new experience," he added.New Delhi, Sep 17 : The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order in which it had not given exemption to two-wheelers and vehicles driven by women in the national capital during the odd-even vehicle rotation scheme.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta stayed the November 11, 2017 order of the NGT after the counsel appearing for Delhi government contended that apart from the two-wheelers, they also wanted exemption for vehicles driven by women due to "safety" concern.

The NGT had directed that odd-even scheme, which is currently not in force in Delhi, would be applicable for all vehicles otherwise such relaxation would defeat the purpose of improving Delhi's ambient air quality.

Under the scheme, odd and even numbered vehicles are to ply on alternate days.

The top court while hearing the Delhi government's plea against the NGT order, also issued notice to the petitioner who filed the plea before the tribunal.

During the hearing, the apex court also asked the counsel appearing for Delhi government why there is no odd-even scheme in force now. At this, counsel replied the scheme would be implemented based on the level of PM10 and PM2.5 and the ensuing months of winter would be the time for it.

As per the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the odd-even scheme comes into effect automatically whenever the particulate matter PM10 and PM 2.5 rises to 500 microgram per cubic metre and 300 microgram per cubic metre respectively for 48 hours.

Earlier, during odd-even scheme, exemption was granted to women driving four-wheelers due to safety reasons.New Delhi, Sep 17 : Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "industrialist friend" Gautam Adani, the Congress on Monday asked the Centre to strongly contest the Adani group's plea in the Bombay High Court regarding an alleged Rs 29,000-crore scam of over-valuing coal imports.

The Congress, which has been seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the scam, demanded that the Modi government appoint a special counsel as the High Court is slated to hear on Wednesday a plea to seek quashing of all Letters Rogatory (LRs) issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence against the group.

Accusing the Centre of extending "undue favours" to the Adani group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that the DRI's request to the Central government for appointing a special counsel was being neglected.

"The Modi government keeps on asserting about its clean intentions. So, it should display that intention by accepting the DRI's request to field a special counsel to assert that the LRs are imperative to probe the group's complicity in the coal import scam," Ramesh told the media here.

The DRI had alleged that 40 companies, including those from the Adani group, had inflated price of coal imported from Indonesia so as to siphon money abroad and avail of higher power tariff compensation.

The group moved the High Court in August after a Singapore court rejected its plea for a stay to produce documents pertaining to coal imports.

Ramesh claimed that the Modi government's motto is "privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses", adding that probe into the group's financial irregularities had been stalled by the Centre.

"Modi's much touted slogan of 'minimum government, maximum governance' has now given way to privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses wherein companies are allowed to make profits and recover their loses at the cost of public exchequer and the common people.

"Almost 80 per cent of India's coal imports is done by the Adani group. The DRI has indicted the group in the scam, yet the government is not showing any inclination to secure the documents that are imperative for probing this scam. There can be no bigger example of crony capitalism," said Ramesh.

He accused the BJP government in Gujarat of "working on the directions of the Modi regime to provide relief" to power companies owned by Adani, Tatas and Essar.

"Despite the Supreme Court ruling against the power companies demand to increase tariffs agreed upon in power purchase agreements (PPA), a state government appointed committee has recommended revision in the tariff structure.

"Because of this relief by the Gujarat government, the Adani, Tata and Essar groups will reap profit of Rs 1,30,000 crore in 30 years. The burden of this huge profit will be put on banks and consumers. This is nothing but privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses," added Ramesh.New Delhi, Sep 17 : Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Monday said his government will provide a financial help of Rs 10 lakh to the family of a man who died while cleaning a sewer pit in west Delhi on Friday.

"The Delhi government condoles the death of Anil and is ready to offer financial help of Rs 10 lakh to his family," Gautam told IANS over telephone, adding that the financial aid could get delayed by a day or two due to a hitch over who are the legal heirs of the victim.

"The woman said to be Anil's wife is not legally his wife. The lady has some other man's name as her husband in her Aadhar card. Even the children are not his. I have asked the SHO (Station House Officer) of the area to investigate the matter, so that only legal heirs get the financial aid," Gautam said.

Anil, 20, died while cleaning a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) sewer pit in west Delhi's Dabri on Friday evening. The incident comes less than a week after the death of five workers inside a sewage pipe of DLF Capital Greens in Moti Nagar.

Anil was not wearing any safety gear and was handed over an old rope by the person who had called him to go inside the sewer.

On this, Gautam said that the Delhi government has "zero tolerance" against private entities who engage in manual scavenging and that the government is working on forming a regulatory committee to eliminate this "toxic" practice.

The Delhi government, he said, has decided to go for mechanization of sewer cleanup work to prevent such cases. "Under the mechanism, no cleaning staff will have to get inside a sewer. 200 machines will be provided soon to avoid such incidents," he said.New Delhi, Sep 17 : The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from Centre on a plea for a ban on 85 pesticides since these were banned in other countries but were allowed in India, posing a serious health hazards to farmers.

A bench of Justice Arun Misra and Justice Vineet Saran issued notice to the Centre and others on a plea by one Kavita Kuruganti who said that the continued use of "deadly pesticides" is a major threat to the right to life of farm workers and farmers.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, argued for empowering the states to take decisions at their own level for prohibition and restriction related to pesticides.

The plea said: "The continued use of deadly pesticides is a major threat to the right to life of farm workers and farmers. Just in terms of acute poisoning, without even getting into chronic health impacts, the situation is alarming and needs urgent action to remove deadly poisons from the scene."

The plea said though there was much evidence of the success of agricultural practices like organic farming in terms of profitability for farmers and crop productivity, these deadly pesticides were still in use.

It said that 84 cases of hospitalisation in Yavatmal in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and 40 other cases stand testimony to this danger.Jaipur, Sep 17 : BJP President Amit Shah was seeking votes in Rajasthan in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he has lost faith in Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said on Monday.

Amit Shah was well aware that people in the state shall never vote for her, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told the media.

He added that Amit Shah needed to know that people of Rajasthan were aware of the fake promises made to them by the BJP and hence even Modi's magic shall not work any more in the coming Assembly or Lok Sabha elections.

Modi's popularity graph was going down rapidly, he added.

After accusing Modi and Amit Shah of pursuing a fascist approach, Gehlot challenged the Chief Minister to make public five major accomplishments of her government in the last four and a half years.New Delhi, Sep 17 : In a bid to reach out to the civil society groups and social organisations, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday set up Civic and Social Outreach Congress department and appointed Madhusudan Mistry as its chairman Gandhi has set up this department to reach out to all civil society groups, social organisations, consumer and civic organisations, women's groups at the national level.

"The function of this department will be to coordinate with these groups and raise their issues. Its scope is very wide. Our job will be to ensure that their views and opinions are merged in the political system," Mistry told IANS.

The party also appointed Bhupen Borah as All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary for Mizoram.

"Borah, Secretary AICC for Tripura, will also be Secretary AICC for Mizoram till the completion of Mizoram state elections," said an AICC statement released by party General Secretary Ashok Gehlot.New Delhi, Sep 17 : The CBI will name some bank officials in its second charge-sheet to be filed soon against fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya in a Rs 9,000-crore loan default case against him and his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, informed sources said.

Both serving and retired senior officials of a consortium of 17 banks, including the SBI, who had handled the Kingfisher Airlines loans, are to be named as accused in the charge-sheet as the CBI has gathered enough evidence against them on misuse of official position, the sources said.

The charge-sheet will mention the details of loan fraud committed by Mallya against a consortium of 17 banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI), said the sources, adding that some of these loans were granted despite Kingfisher's low creditworthiness and overvaluation of some securities.

Kingfisher began defaulting on loans beginning 2009-10.

According to the sources, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has come across the role of some senior bank officials in the irregularities while disbursing these loans.

The then Chief Managing Directors of banks -- O.P. Bhatt (SBI), T.S. Narayanaswami (Bank of India), M.D. Mallya (Bank of Baroda), S.K. Goel (UCO Bank), and then Chairman of United Bank -- are to be named in the charge-sheet against whom action was not taken in 2009 when a loan of Rs 2,000 crore was sanctioned to Kingfisher, said the sources.

"Bhatt is learnt to have led the consortium to offer the Rs 2,000 crore loan and also ensured that the SBI have a loan of Rs 300 crore on an ad hoc basis in August 2010."

Ex-Kingfisher Airlines Chief Financial Officer A. Raghunathan and other former senior executives are also likely to be named in the charge-sheet.

Mallya is currently facing extradition from London where he flew on March 2, 2016.

The CBI last year had filed a charge-sheet against Mallya in a separate case related to a Rs 900 crore pending loan given by IDBI Bank in which senior officials of the bank were allegedly involved.

The probe agency had registered two cases against Mallya related to the IDBI loans in 2015 and a consortium loan in 2016.

The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money laundering aspect in the case, have named IDBI officials B.K. Batra, Yogesh Agarwal, O.V. Bundelu, S.K Shrivastava and R.S. Sridhar in their charge sheets last year.

The CBI FIR alleged that the SBI and its consortium banks had advanced various credit facilities to Kingfisher Airlines between 2005 and 2010.

During 2009-10, the company failed to meet its repayment commitments to the banks.Vienna/Tehran, Sep 17 : Iran's nuclear chief on Monday called on European countries to take concrete steps to save the 2015 nuclear agreement following the US withdrawal from the deal.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, during a speech to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, said he was encouraged by proposals from France, the UK and Germany but added further action was required, Efe news reported.

Iran and six world powers -- Russia, Britain, China, France, the US and Germany -- struck the landmark deal over Iran's nuclear programme, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Under the 2015 deal, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear programme in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against it.

However, US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal on May 8 and re-impose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Iran.

Salehi warned that US policies jeopardized peace and security in the Middle East, saying that the EU needed to fulfil its obligations during the gathering of the IAEA's 62nd General Conference.

European countries have been working to keep the deal from collapsing through measures dedicated to guaranteeing the economic benefits for Iran that were part of the deal.

For his part, US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry asserted during the conference on Monday that the nuclear deal was defective from the beginning.

The IAEA general conference is held to review the activities and policies of the UN agency, charged with ensuring global nuclear safety.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the US over the enduring thorny issues in the near future.

Tehran would not again sit at the negotiation table with the "cheating" US government, Ministry spokesperson Bahram Qasemi said.Brussels, Sep 17 : A police officer was wounded on Monday after suffering a knife attack near Maximilien Park in central Brussels, officials said.

The incident took place in the morning. The officer sustained slight cuts while the attacker was hit by police shots in the chest and a leg, according to VRT, a Flemish public channel.

The Brussels prosecutor's office stated there was nothing to suggest a terror attack, Efe news reported.

According to Belga news agency, the attacker, whose identity was not disclosed, was rushed to hospital in "critical state" and apparently was a migrant who was sleeping rough in the park when he was woken up by a police patrol.

The migrant pulled out a knife against the police officers, who asked him to drop it but after he refused, sprayed him with CS gas, used as a riot control agent.

The man responded by assaulting an officer, wounding him "slightly on the head", and prompting the other officer to open fire.

This incident resulted in the opening of two investigations, one to ascertain if the police weapon was used according to standing engagement rules and the other related to the knife attack.

Maximilien Park is located beside Brussel's Gare du Nord, where hundreds of migrants, mainly Sudanese and Eritreans, gather on a daily basis.Kolkata, Sep 17 : Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday predicted that the high-voltage Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan would be an even contest.

"It will be a 50-50 contest between India and Pakistan," Ganguly said on the sidelines of a promotional event here.

India have a 6-5 win loss ratio at the Asia Cup and on Wednesday the Rohit Sharma led side would look to continue the momentum.

Asked if regular captain and star batsman Virat Kohli's absence would be a factor, Ganguly said, "Virat Kohli's absence won't be a factor, they are a better side."

India are the most successful side in the Asia Cup, having won the title a total of six times, while Pakistan have won twice.

The men in blue begin their campaign against Hong Kong on Tuesday, while Pakistan beat the same opponents by eight wickets on Sunday.Rome, Sep 17 : Italian authorities have deported a 32-year-old Moroccan accused of glorifying the deadly jihadist attacks in Barcelona last year and of calling for other such attacks, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

The Moroccan was expelled from Italy aboard a flight from Milan's Malpensa airport to Casablanca, the Ministry stated.

Investigators observed the suspect praising the August 17, 2017 attacks on Barcelona's central tourist avenue Las Ramblas which killed 15 people and urged further jihadist attacks "on numerous occasions" while he was in jail for assault, according to the statement.

A total of 322 suspected Islamic extremists have been expelled from Italy since January 2015, according to the Interior Ministry.New Delhi, Sep 17 : The Delhi government on Monday said it will launch a massive campaign to bring awareness about the 2013 Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act.

The decision was taken after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reviewed the implementation of the act in a meeting with the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) here.

"The Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the status, challenges and progress in the implementation of this Act in all 11 districts of Delhi. Eight out of 11 districts have formed local level committees in their districts," a statement released by Sisodia's office said.

The two-month-long awareness campaign will include using mediums like radio, television and cinema halls, among others, so that the informal sector workers as well as formal institutions are aware of their rights under the act.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act makes it mandatory for the government, private and non-government formal establishments to form Internal Committee (IC) wherever there are more than 10 employees.

For the informal sector, such as domestic workers and open markets, in case of any harassment faced by a woman, a local committee (LC) at the district level should be formed with a nodal officer in-charge to address the complaint.

Taking cognizance of the Act, Sisodia said: "This is a very effective act and we must use it in both letter and spirit to make it workable. These local committees can play a very important role in the implementation of this act. It is our top concern to provide a safe work environment for Delhi's women."

In the meeting, it was decided that by November 31, all formal institutions and organisations will be mandated to form their Internal Committees.Guwahati, Sep 17 : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident of recovery of a bullet-riddled body of an Assam Police jawan from the security barrack attached to the CM's official residence.

The body of Lance Naik Sukleswar Kathar was recovered from the barrack, at Kharghuli in Guwahati, on Sunday evening.

The police said six bullets hit Kathar's body. The bullets were fired from his service weapon, an AK 47 rifle.

"The incident took place around 7.45 p.m. He was alone in the barrack then. Other guards on duty rushed him to the MMC Hospital but the doctors declared him dead," said Guwahati Police Commissioner P.C. Saloi.

"It is difficult to say at this moment whether it is a suicide or some others are involved in his killing," the police officer said.

"There was a sound of firing and guards from other parts rushed to the barrack. They saw Kathar lying in a pool of blood. His service weapon was also near him. There was no one else in the barrack then," said Saloi.

The body was handed over to the family members after conducting the post-mortem examination on Monday.New Delhi, Sep 17 : The North African nation of Morocco, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, on Monday opened a full-fledged Moroccan National Tourism Office here in a bid to woo Indian tourists.

"Morocco has a lot of potential in the tourism sector," Mohammed Sajid, the Moroccan Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, said at an event to mark the office's inauguration.

"We (Morocco and India) are open to each other's cultures," Sajid said, adding that "we can learn a lot from each other's tourism sectors and create jobs".

According to Sajid, the new office in New Delhi will help Morocco in planning various strategic promotional and awareness programmes to tap the robust tourism sector in India.

He said that his ministry and the Indian Tourism Ministry also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) earlier in the day.

"We are going to sign an agreement on air transport between Air India and Royal Air Maroc," Sajid stated.

Stating that Morocco has 17 tourism promotion offices in the world, Adel El Fakir, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Moroccan National Tourist Office, said that the newest office in New Delhi "is a very strategic office for us".

"We had 1.3 billion tourists last year," El Fakir said.

Tourism remains a vital pillar of the Moroccan economy and the country's second biggest employer after agriculture.

Indian tourists are known to be among the world's highest-spending globetrotters.

"Their spending power has been estimated to be four times that of the Chinese and Japanese which justifies the need for a planned strategic campaign for Morocco in India," the Moroccan Embassy here said in a statement.Kolkata, Sep 17 : Fake Indian currency notes (FICN) of Rs 5-lakh face value was seized and one person arrested by the city police from central Kolkata on Monday, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, the city police's Special Task Force (STF) personnel challenged a resident of Malda district, Mujibur Sk, in the Esplanade area and seized 250 fake notes of Rs 2,000 denomination from his possession.

The accused would be presented at a city court on Tuesday.New Delhi, Sep 17 : As the government on Monday proposed amalgamation of Bank of Baroda (BoB), Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank into the country's third-largest bank, BoB Managing Director P.S. Jayakumar said it may happen in four to six months.

"Going by past practices, the merger may take four to six months. It can be speeded up also...it depends," Jayakumar told reporters after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar announced the proposal here.

The envisaged amalgamation will be the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore. The combined entity will have a net NPA ratio at 5.71 per cent, better than public sector banks (PSB)'s average of 12.13 per cent.

"With the benefit of scale working in, with greater distribution and more opportunities for products for costumers etc., a reasonable assumption is that there will be good opportunity to come but it is something that will happen in due course," he said.

The boards of the three state-run banks are expected to meet shortly and consider the government's proposal and decide the merger ratio and other details of the scheme of amalgamation. The government's shareholding will be as per the merger ratio.

Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar said the biggest beneficiary of the merger is the amalgamated entity and the banking industry, as it aims to get scale, synergy and reach for the benefit of the customers.

"It is in tune with the sixth largest economy in the world. You need a global reach. Both Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank will get that global reach through BoB and BoB will get a much sounder credit culture in the Vijaya Bank. It's futuristic where you have large global banks," Kumar said.

BoB MD and CEO Jayakumar said while it will benefit loss-making Dena Bank, BoB will be benefited by its stronger presence in Maharashtra and Gujarat, and by having more branches in under-represented four southern states.

"BoB brings a huge foreign currency position to the table, technology is there and there are lot of things we are doing in the transformation journey which will be value to them (Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank).

"The new entity will benefit from a better CASA ratio of Dena Bank. The loan book will get diversified more into retail and MSME from a corporate exposure perspective. The loan book of BoB will go up by 40 per cent in the combined entity," he said.

CASA ratio is the ratio of deposits in current and saving accounts to total deposits. Higher CASA ratio indicates lower cost of funds for banks.

"It is a progressive move and signifies the government's determination to strengthen the banking sector in the country," industry body FICCI President Rashesh Shah said.

"This merger will lead to greater operational efficiencies and the entities involved would benefit through a synergistic relationship that would leverage each other's network, customer base and access to low-cost deposits," he said.

Though the government has assured there will be no job cuts, Delhi State Bank Workers Organisation General Secretary Ashwani Rana opposed the decision.

"The government's decision to merge the banks is not correct and the unions oppose it. There is no guarantee that it will benefit the banks, its employees and customers. Also, it is less likely to impact the NPA as was seen in SBI's case. It will have an adverse impact on the current employees," Rana said.

The National Organization of Bank Workers (NOBW) also opposes this merger, he added.New Delhi, Sep 18 : RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday not only acknowledged Congress's contribution in freedom struggle but also admitted that the grand old party contributed to the country post Independence in a big way.

His remarks came here during his address on the first day of the three-day lecture series on "Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective".

"Under Congress, a big movement started in the country. There were many great personalities who sacrificed their lives and who still inspires us. They inspired many common people to come forward for Independence. That stream (Congress) made a big contribution," he said.

He said that the Rashtriya Swayansevak Sangh (RSS) does not believe in its own domination but in strengthening and enabling the society to take the nation forward.

Presenting the Sangh's way of working and its views, Bhagwat said the Sangh's work is so unique that its comparison with any other organisation is not possible.

"I will explain the working of the Sangh. My intention is not to convince you. Your judgement is your own prerogative. If you want to check out the facts that I give you, you must come closer to the Sangh and check for yourself," he said.

"To understand the Sangh, one must understand its founder -- Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar," Bhagwat said and went on to relate the life and experiences that shaped Dr. Hedgewar.

He related various anecdotes about Dr Hedgewar's life, his participation in the independence struggle and how he became convinced about the imperative need to train the people to create a strong and united society.

He quoted many leaders and thinkers such as Rabindranath Tagore, communist thinker M.N. Roy, former President Dr Abdul Kalam, who came to believe that the society needs to be awakened to realise the strengths of its traditional values.

Hedgewar, he said, interacted copiously with different ideologists and came to believe that all ideologies must come together to form a strong nation.

Bhagwat said Dr Hedgewar felt the need to train people to work towards positively transforming the society and the nation.

"It was with this objective that he announced the formation of the Sangh on Vijayadashmi day in 1925," he said.

"RSS is a methodology. It's only work is 'vyakti nirman' (making good human beings). There should be good Swayamsevaks in every village and mohalla," he said.

To bring out a positive change in the society, he said, the RSS objective is simply to motivate and train every Swayamsevak.

Prominent personalities who attended the lecture series were Metro man E. Sreedharan, Manisha Koirala, Malini Awasthi, Anu Malik, Anu Kapur, Manoj Tiwari, Chetan Chauhan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amar Singh, Swapandas Gupta, Madhur Bhandarkar, Hansraj Hans, Gajendra, and BJP leaders Ram Madhav, Ram Lal and Subramaniam Swamy.

Several Union Ministers including Harshvardhan, Vijay Goel, Arjunram Meghwal and Alphons Kananthanam also attended the event.Abu Dhabi, Sep 18 : Afghanistan knocked Sri Lanka out of the Asia Cup after thrashing the Islanders by 91 runs in a Group B match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Tuesday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Afghanistan showed great maturity by piling on 249 runs before skittling out the Sri Lankans for a mere 158 in 41.2 overs.

With this win, Afghanistan will join Bangladesh from Group B in the Super Fours.

For Afghanistan, this was their first win over the Sri Lankans in One-day Internationals, with the Islanders already facing a must-win situation having come into this game on the back of a 137-run loss to Bangladesh in their tournament opener on Saturday.

Riding on a fine half century from Rahmat Shah (72), and valuable contributions from the opening duo of Mohammad Shahzad (34) and Ihsanullah Janat (45), the Afghans batted confidently to deny the Sri Lankans any early inroads in their innings.

Afghanistan were off to a strong 57-run opening start between Shahzad and Janat, before Shah joined Janat for another 50 runs for the second wicket.

The departure of the opening duo, however, did not deter the minnows from taking the attack to the opposition as Shah forged together a 80-run fourth wicket stand with Hashmatullah Shahidi (37) to take the side to a comfortable position.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera (5/55) managed to break the partnership before triggering a mini collapse of sort but by then the Afghans had neared the 250-run mark towards the end of their innings.

In reply, the Islanders once again faltered with their batting and lost their first wicket in the opening over itself with teenaged off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/32) packing back Kusal Mendis for a duck.

Upul Tharanga (36) and Dhananjaya de Silva (23) put on a brave show to weather the storm with a 54-run second wicket stand before being separated, courtesy a silly run-out of the latter.

Thereafter, wickets began to tumble one after the other as the Sri Lankans slipped from a comfortable 86/2A to lose half their side with just 108 runs from 27 overs.

Skipper Angelo Matthews (22) and Thisara Perera (28) managed to get decent starts but the loss of partners at regular intervals dented their hopes, even as the Afghan spinners led by leggie Rashid Khan (2/26) kept dominating the proceedings Besides Rashid and Mujeeb, veteran offie Mohammed Nabi and seamer Gulbadin Naib also contributed with two wickets apiece.

Brief Scores: Afghanistan 249 (Rahmat Shah 72, Ihsanullah Janat 45, Hashmatullah Shahidi 37; Thisara Perera 5/55) beat Sri Lanka 158 (Upul Tharanga 36, Thisara Perera 28; Rashid Khan 2/26, Gulbadin Naib 2/29) by 91 runs.Islamabad, Sep 18 : Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates from Tuesday at the invitation of the two countries leaderships, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

It will be the prime minister's first foreign visit since he took office in August. Khan will be accompanied by the foreign minister, the finance minister and his commerce adviser, the Foreign Ministry said.

Khan is expected to call on Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and hold a bilateral meeting with crown prince on bilateral ties, the ministry said in a statement.

The Pakistani delegation will also proceed to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE on Wednesday. The two sides will discuss issues of bilateral interests, according to the statement.Riyadh, Sep 18 : Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that foreign Umrah performers can visit any city in the country with their 30-day Umrah visa, Al Arabiya local news reported.

However, 15 days must be spent in visiting the two grand mosques in Mecca and Medina during their 30-day Umrah stay, said Abdulaziz Wazzan, undersecretary of Hajj Ministry for Umrah Affairs, Xinhua news agency.

He revealed that more than 1,000 pilgrims arrived in the kingdom last week, while over 25,000 Umrah visas were issued in the last four days.

The move cames as Saudi Arabia is taking major steps including promoting tourism to diversify its economy, in order to get ready for the post-oil era.You can feel that America was almost not ready for a black president, but I dont see why. A lot of Republicans try to make it look like he was a really bad president. He did whatever he could do, but he was always obstructed by a majority Republican Congress that hated his guts and would not work with him. Now they do everything for this president. This president has committed crimes. You can plainly see he has, but the Republicans wont hold him accountable. Its like heres this double standard that now the president is above the law. Its just not the way our Constitution works. No one in this country is above the law. We need to show that in action.Tehran, Sep 18 : Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said Monday that the US withdrawal from the 2015 international nuclear deal would cause serious repercussions on the regional and international peace and security, Press TV reported.

"The unilateral US move to withdraw from this agreement will have negative impacts on regional and international peace and security," Ali Akbar Salehi said in an address to the 62nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Monday.

Washington decided to pull out of the deal "despite the IAEA verification of the Islamic republic's compliance with the agreement on 12 consecutive occasions," he added, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Washington never fulfilled its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) completely," Salehi was quoted as saying.

Iran and six world powers, namely China, Russia, Britain, France, the United States and Germany, struck a deal over Iran's nuclear program in 2015.

However, Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal earlier this year and re-impose sanctions on Iran.Dubai, Sep 18 : About 18 months after the Arab quartet severed ties with Qatar, "there is still no solution to the spat in sight," said UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash on Monday.

Referring to an interview by former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani on FRANCE 24 earlier in the day, Gargash said on his Twitter account that "I agree ... that there is no solution to his country's crisis," Xinhua reported.

In the interview, Al-Thani, Qatar's Prime Minister from April 3, 2007 to June 23, 2013, said he was disappointed about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud who he said was "not well advised."

Gargash said he does not think that Al-Thani was "not in a position to give advice to Riyadh and its leadership."

On June 5 last year, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, cut diplomatic and economic relations with Qatar.

The four accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region.

However, Doha has rejected the accusations, calling them "unjustified" and "baseless."Regus, the provider of flexible workplace solutions, has leased 1,072 sq m of office space in Grojecka 208 office building. Experts from JLL advised Regus on selecting the location and negotiation of lease terms. In legal aspects, the tenant was represented by Baker & McKenzie law firm.

The opening...

[]Former world champion boxer Jeff Horn attended the auction of a Sunnybank Hills home at the weekend.

He was at the auction of 82 The Avenue in Sunnybank Hills with his trainer Glenn Rushton, wife Jo and nine-month-old daughter Isabelle Kate.

Theres a heap of people here, its crazy, Horn told The Courier Mail before the auction.

I dont think all of them are going to be bidding, but are here to have a look."

Bidding started at $2.5 million, with negotiations back and forth between multiple bidders for about an hour.

When the bidding stalled at just over $3 million, "Horn decided to throw in the towel."

The house was formally passed in at $3.35 million, with negotiations ongoing.

Place agent Kevin Chiu, who is marketing the property, spoke with Horn who lives locally.

Horn calls Acacia Ridge home, where he's owned a three bedroom, 1950s home south of Brisbane since paying $347,000 in 2013.

Sunnybank Hills is classed by realestate.com.au as a high demand market.

Place Coorparoo lead agent Kevin Chiu said they had more than 200 inspections on the property and expected at least 10 people to register to buy.

Chui told The Courier-Mail the renovation's attention to detail had been turning heads, particularly its $150,000 kitchen renovation.

The house has a professional grade cinema with 4k 3D media room with 138-inch screen.

The property last sold in 2014 at $1,465,000.The Australian housing market will continue its downward correction on a national basis through 2018 and most of 2019, according to the CoreLogic-Moodys Analytics Australian Home Value Index Forecast.

They see trends that will show a degree of diversity at the city and state levels.

Sydney values, which Moodys predict will fall 5.1 percent this year, will only rise 0.6 percent in 2019.

National values are forecast to fall by 1.6% year on year in 2018, following a 9.5% gain in 2017.

Click here to enlarge.

In the rest of New South Wales outside of Sydney, demand has increased as areas show better affordability.

The Central Coast, which has benefitted from Sydney's soaring house prices, is forecast to escape the correction.

Moody's sees a 3.6 percent rise in 2018 and eight percent in 2019.

Click here to enlarge.

The growth in house values in Melbourne is forecast to decelerate sharply - after a 12.5% rise in 2017 - to 0.3% in 2018, on the back of declines in inner Melbourne areas.

Recovery is elusive in the near-term, with Melbourne house values forecast to fall 0.2% in 2019.

House values across Brisbane are forecast to see a mild 1.5% gain in 2018, with strength in West Brisbane and Inner Brisbane offsetting declines in south Brisbane.

Despite stabilising commodity prices, house values in Perth  whose economy is very much tied to the mining industry -- will likely decline by 1.9% in 2018, followed by a further 0.5% retreat in 2019. However, a slow recovery is likely in 2020 as the local economy improves thanks to population growth.

Meanwhile Adelaides housing market will have a stable run, with values forecast to rise 1.5% in 2018, after a 4.9% gain in 2017. Hobarts housing market is likely at the end of its bull run.

While values are forecast to rise 11.3% in 2018, they will fall 0.3% in 2019.The Agency's long awaited acquisition of the McGrath rebels Top Level Real Estate seems set to be completed mid-week.

The Western Australia based The Agency has been seeking the acquisition since February 2017, with numerous extensions being sought from the Matt Lahood-led agency.

The Agency had been seeking a $10 million capital raising to purchase Top Level.

It has yet to be revealed if they secured the intended $10 million funding for the outfit which was set up by a host of defecting McGrath agents at the start of 2017.

The Agency have requested the ASX allow for a trading halt until the imminent announcement due Wednesday, then subject to shareholder approval.

"The trading halt is requested pending an announcement by the Company regarding the finalisation of funding agreements relating to a capital raising (a Condition Precedent under the Amended and Restated Binding Option Agreement to acquire Top Level Real Estate Pty Ltd)," the request read.

Before the 9.25am announcement, the shares were trading at 0.11c, valuing the company at $7.5 million.

The Agency shares fell to a record low 0.07c in June as the ASX sought an update from the company after an unusually high two million shares were traded in back to back days.

Market sources are saying the only remaining condition to the transaction is shareholder approval.

On completion, The Agency group will comprise a national real estate business having two prominent brands (The Agency and Sell Lease Property), along with 300 sales representatives across Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.

Earlier this month The Agency announced they had recorded the same annual losses as last year, despite recording significantly higher revenue.Over 250 Dental Professionals from Metro-Detroit attended this event API organized this CE seminar to address and help local dentists and their staff understand the connection between oral health and systemic diseases. Dr. Brian Mealey was the guest speaker.

A seminar on the topic, The Oral-Systemic Connection in Daily Dental Practice: Your Patients Are Asking About It; What Are You Telling Them?' was organized for dental professionals by Advanced Periodontics and Implantology (API), a premier clinical and education center in Michigan, spearheaded by Dr. Monish Bhola (DDS, MSD), a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, on September 14, 2018 in Livonia, Michigan. Dr. Monish Bhola, Director of API, stated, API organized this CE seminar to address and help our referring doctors and their staff understand the connection between oral health and systemic diseases. We were honored to have Dr. Brian Mealey as our guest speaker to help our attendees recognize the relationship between periodontal disease and other systemic conditions, such as, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and pregnancy. Dr. Brian Mealey, DDS (Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio) discussed various types of associations by which periodontal disease may be linked to these systemic conditions

Dr. Mealey, who is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, a former Director of the Board and co-editor and author of two textbooks in periodontics, informed the audience that, chronic inflammation is a key component of the initiation and progression of numerous systemic conditions. Expanding knowledge of the pathogenesis of oral inflammatory diseases, especially periodontal disease, has shed light on the intimate relationships between periodontal health and overall systemic health. "It is important for the entire dental team to understand these relationships. Most imperative, is the translation of information from the world of basic science and clinical research into the daily practice of dentistry." A clinically relevant discussion about the interrelationships between periodontal/peri-implant inflammation and commonly encountered systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and pregnancy took place. All attendees left with valuable information and knowledge that will be implemented in their day-to-day clinical practice of educating patients.

The seminar was attended by over two hundred and fifty dental professionals at Burton Manor in Livonia, MI and was highly praised. Dr. Bhola, who is among the top faculty members at the Zimmer Biomet Institute (http://www.zimmerbiometdental.com), a state of the art training facility with locations all over the world stated, API strives to elevate the knowledge and skills of its members through regular CE programs. In 2018, it has offered more than twenty hours of CE Lectures in periodontics, dental implants, restorative dentistry and oral pathology and medicine, apart from hands-on courses (on site and off site).

About API and Dr. Monish Bhola:

Advanced Periodontics & Implantology is a specialty dental clinic and education center with locations in Livonia and Plymouth, Michigan. It is leading the field in educating practicing dentists on socially relevant topics such as preventing the overuse of opioids, the oral-systemic health connection and recognizing and responding to human trafficking in Michigan. Dr. Bhola (DDS, MSD) served as a Professor & Director of Graduate Periodontics & Implantology at The University of Detroit Mercy, School of Dentistry. He is the recipient of the prestigious Bud and Linda Tarrson Fellowship award given by the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation and a fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the OKU Nu Nu Chapter, a National Honor Dental Society. Dr. Bhola conducts several training courses in Periodontics and Implantology for dentists from all over the world (http://www.drbhola.com) and has over thirty peer-reviewed publications in leading dental journals. Other API dentists, Dr. Shilpa Kolhatkar and Dr. Leyvee Jacobs also conduct Periodontics and Implantology courses for dentists and regularly publish research in leading dental journals.

Contact Information:

Myra Franklin

Advanced Periodontics & Implantology (API) http://www.advancedperiodontics.com

(734) 459-4077

Dr Monish Bhola

Advanced Periodontics & Implantology (API) http://www.drbhola.com

(734) 522-7313The All In Relief Fund is a vital, first step toward generating the additional resources needed to help our students and affiliate staff get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

Communities In Schools (CIS), the national organization dedicated to empowering at-risk students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future, today announced the creation of the All In Relief Fund to support CIS affiliates who have suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Florence.

Communities In Schools has affiliates in North and South Carolina that have been impacted by or are still in the path of floods left behind by the storm:



CIS of North Carolina in Pamlico County

CIS of the Rocky Mount Region

CIS of Brunswick County

CIS of Cape Fear

CIS of Cumberland County

CIS of Robeson County

CIS of the Charleston Area

CIS of the Midlands

An additional affiliate, CIS of Hampton Roads in Portsmouth, Virginia is also potentially threatened by floodwaters from the storm and will receive assistance from the Relief Fund.

Together, these affiliates of Communities In Schools serve more than 66,000 students through the work of 202 caring professionals who work inside schools every day providing the supports and resources they need. The All In Relief Fund will provide essential emergency services and long-term support for the affiliates, allowing them to resume work supporting students and their families. CIS employees who have suffered damage to their homes or lost their personal belongings as a result of the storm are also eligible for assistance.

The full scope of this disaster is still unfolding, but we know our students, families and communities are going to need immediate relief and long-term support, said Communities In Schools National President and CEO Dale Erquiaga. The All In Relief Fund is a vital, first step toward generating the additional resources needed to help our students and affiliate staff get back on their feet as quickly as possible. The entire CIS family is all in for our students and staffers in the affected region.

To support the All In Relief Fund, click here.

About Communities In Schools

Communities In Schools (CIS) is the nation's largest organization dedicated to empowering at-risk students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future. Working directly inside more than 2,300 schools across the country, we connect kids to caring adults and community resources designed to help them succeed. We do whatever it takes to ensure that all kids - regardless of the challenges they may face - have what they need to realize their potential. For more information please visit: http://www.CommunitiesInSchools.orgALM Intelligence, a division of ALM Media LLC, supports legal, consulting, and benefits decision-makers seeking guidance on critical business challenges By applying the latest best-thinking in search, data visualization, and data modeling we are giving users a tool that unlocks the full value of the 5500 and stands alone as the platform for serious benefits intelligence," said Eric Ryles, Vice President of Custom Solutions, ALM Intelligence.

ALM Intelligences Benefits division, Judy Diamond Associates, has just released upgrades to its industry-leading Group Insurance (GI) tool. These new features will help insurance carriers and brokers to prospect, analyze, and discover opportunities within the Group Insurance market.

The GI 3.0 Tool will provide users with:



The ability to aggregate data at the sponsor level, combining data from multiple filings to create a complete view of a firms employee benefits package.

An exclusive and detailed model of the premiums paid by each plan sponsor, correctly allocated to the individual lines of insurance coverage

Interactive data charts to review the last 5 years of payments to brokers, carriers, and other service providers

Search-dependent heat mapping, to allow users to generate customized graphics of the country or any state based on any one over 100 different criteria

Real time data aggregation and analysis, to summarize and display key information on plan types, industries, carriers, and brokers

An all new quick search interface which allows for complex queries in seconds

The GI Tool has also added and vetted 90,000 new contacts to its database which are not found in the 5500, making them exclusive to the Judy Diamond platform.

This upgrade to Judy Diamonds flagship product will be rolled out to all existing and new customers at no cost, as part of their subscription, said Eric Ryles, Vice President of Custom Solutions, ALM Intelligence. By applying the latest best-thinking in search, data visualization, and data modeling we are giving users a tool that unlocks the full value of the 5500 and stands alone as the platform for serious benefits intelligence.

To find out more about the Group Insurance tool, visit: https://www.judydiamond.com/products/group-insurance-directory/

About ALM Intelligence

ALM Intelligence, a division of ALM Media LLC, supports legal, consulting, and benefits decision-makers seeking guidance on critical business challenges. Our proprietary market reports and analysis, rating guides, prospecting tools, surveys, and rankings, inform and empower business leaders to meet business challenges with confidence. Please visit http://www.alm.com/intelligence for more information.The American College of Tax Counsel announces the filing on September 14, 2018 of an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in the case of Philip G. Groves v. United States of America (No. 17-2937). With this brief, the College asks the court to recognize the applicability of the catch-all statute of limitations to an IRS assessment of a tax penalty. Otherwise, the College argues, an advisor could remain exposed forever to potential liability for past conduct, regardless of how long ago it may have occurred.

Background of the Case

The Groves case is an appeal from a decision of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Philip G. Groves v. United States of America, No. 16-cv-2485). In that case, the district court held that the catch-all statute of limitations provision in 28 U.S.C.  2462 did not apply to an IRS assessment of a tax penalty under 26 U.S.C.  6700, which authorizes the imposition of penalties for certain activity related to tax shelters. Section 2462, however, is a statute of limitations which applies by its express terms to any action, suit or proceeding that is commenced for the enforcement of anypenalty. Section 2462 further requires any such action to be commenced within five years from the date when the claim first accrued.

The plaintiff Groves had been assessed a penalty related to promotion of tax shelters. Groves argued that the five-year statute of limitations in 28 U.S.C. 2462 applied, barring the assessment of the Section 6700 penalty. The trial court, however, concluded that an IRS assessment of tax penalty is not an action, suit or proceeding covered by section 2462, and therefore the catch-all statute of limitations did not apply. Groves has appealed this decision to the Seventh Circuit, seeking reversal of the District Court decision.

American College of Tax Counsel Urges Appeals Court to Reverse Lower Court Opinion

The College maintains in its brief that the assessment of section 6700 penalties is an, action, suit or proceeding, and therefore meets the criteria for the application of the catch-all statute of limitations provided in 28 U.S.C  2462. Explaining the legislative history of section 2462, the College points out that section 2462 had its genesis in the revenue laws. The brief also notes that Congress clearly has the ability to exempt certain statutes from section 2462 when it wants to, and has done so in the past, pointing to several anti-fraud provisions in the Internal Revenue Code that are expressly excepted from the application of section 2462. However, Congress made no such express exception for Code section 6700. According to Armando Gomez, a Regent of the College who is counsel of record on the brief, the Supreme Court has made clear that Congress intended section 2462 as a broad, catch-all statute of limitations to ensure all persons  even wrongdoers  would have the protection and finality that a statute of limitations provides. Failing to apply section 2462 to the case at hand, says Gomez, frustrates the will of Congress and fails to provide certainty under the law by leaving decisions on whether to pursue these penalties long after the conduct at issue entirely at the discretion of the IRS.

Applying the statute of limitations to tax penalties is important to the fair administration of justice, the College asserts. Statutes of limitation have been in use in American and English legal systems for nearly 400 years, and they promote the important aim of repose, the College noted. A statute of limitations provides security and stability by ending the possibility of litigation after the lapse of a reasonable period of time. Under the District Courts view, the potential liability for the section 6700 penalty would exist for the advisors lifetime.

Another important goal served by statutes of limitations is the timely prosecution of cases while the evidence is still fresh. Evidence tends to deteriorate over time, as C. Wells Hall, Vice President of the College, points out. Evidence is lost, memories fade and witnesses die or disappear. A statute of limitations ensures that evidence will be used, if at all, while it is still reliable and not after it has become stale.

Finally, the College also points out that the United States Supreme Court in Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research v. United States, 562 U.S. 44 (2011) rejected the outdated doctrine of Tax Exceptionalism, which is the idea that tax laws are somehow special and should not be subject to the same generally applicable legal principles that apply to other areas of general administrative law. The rejection of Tax Exceptionalism confirms that general provisions of federal law, such as section 2462, necessarily apply to the tax code too.

About Amicus Briefs

An Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) or Amicus brief allows a person or organization with a strong interest in or important views on the subject matter of a case to file a brief explaining those views and urging the court to rule in a manner consistent with those views. Friend of the court briefs are often filed in cases of broad public interest and are filed with the permission of the court and usually, as in this instance, with the written consent of all the parties in the case.

About the American College of Tax Counsel

The American College of Tax Counsel is a nonprofit association of tax lawyers in private practice, in law school teaching positions, and in government, who are recognized for their excellence in tax practice and for their substantial contributions and commitment to the profession. One of the chief purposes of the College is to provide a mechanism for input by tax attorneys into the development of U.S. tax laws and policy. The Colleges brief was submitted by the its governing Board of Regents, represented by attorneys Armando Gomez, Alan Swirski and Keith Neely of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Washington, D.C.This new research brings to light the intricate interconnections of the telecom, mobility and IT ecosystem and the demands of digital transformation on enterprises today and the vendors who support those efforts, says Stacy Hiquet, AOTMP Chief Content Officer.

AOTMP, a global information, research and advisory firm for telecom, mobility and technology management best practices and industry standards, has unveiled the AOTMP Research Agenda for Q4 2018 and Q1 2019.

The upcoming agenda includes fresh perspectives and insights into todays evolving telecom landscape. It also includes the first AOTMP research focusing on the European TEM landscape. Following are the reports that will be published over the next six months.

Q4 2018



Why ITSM is the Hottest Software Segment in the Enterprise: Secrets to Integration (Analyst Perspective)

Integration Download: Why TEM to ITSM Integration Matters in Today's Ecosystem (Analyst Perspective)

So You Want a TEM: Landmines to Avoid When Selecting a TEM for Your Business (Analyst Perspective)

European TEM Market Landscape Market Landscape

Business Value Revealed: What Enterprises Want from TEM (Analyst Perspective)

Business Value Revealed: What Enterprises Want from MMS (Analyst Perspective)

Myths and Facts: An Informed Guide to MMS Vendor Evaluation (Analyst Perspective)

Q1 2019



Telecom / Mobility / IT: Technology Radically Changing Business Outcomes (Analyst Perspective)

2019 State of the Telecom / Mobility / IT Management Industry State of the Industry

Vendors Transforming the SD-WAN Landscape Market Landscape

Digital Transformation: Beyond the Hype and into Reality (Analyst Perspective)

Telecom / Mobility / IT Professionals: How to Earn Change Agent Accolades by Flexing - Your Digital Transformation Muscle (Analyst Perspective)

Business Case Development: Is SD-WAN Right for Your Enterprise? (Analyst Perspective)

This new research brings to light the intricate interconnections of the telecom, mobility and IT ecosystem and the demands of digital transformation on enterprises today and the vendors who support those efforts, says Stacy Hiquet, AOTMP Chief Content Officer.

This research agenda reflects key themes that will be discussed/explored during keynote sessions, breakouts, and roundtables at AOTMP 2019 to be held April 7  11 in Orlando, Florida.

To download a detailed Q4 or Q1 agenda, visit AOTMP Research and Advisory. For information about subscribing to AOTMP Research and Advisory or to license a published or upcoming report, contact AOTMP Research Sales or email research@aotmp.com.

ABOUT AOTMP

AOTMP is a leading global information, services and advisory firm for next generation Telecom / Mobility / IT Management best practices and industry standards for organizations and the vendors who support them. Best practices cover network services, carrier services, mobility and IoT solutions, cloud solutions, software, hardware, and emerging technologies that impact telecom environment performance. Using information, data and compiled analytics from thousands of telecom environments worldwide, AOTMP solutions help enterprises drive performance, efficiency and productivity while significantly reducing costs; and help vendors provide a new level of value to their customers. AOTMPs solutions are based on its patented Efficiency First Framework methodology and are the foundation for Telecom / Mobility / IT Management Centers of Excellence being built across the globe. For more information, visit aotmp.com.APEX Analytix, the industry leader in software and services solutions to audit, recover and optimize global procure to pay processes for the worlds largest companies, gives back to the communities where we work and live. On August 22nd, APEX Analytix associates volunteered at Peacehaven Farm in Whitsett, North Carolina.

Peacehaven Community Farm is dedicated to establishing an affordable housing community that provides a permanent home for adults with special needs in a supportive and family-like environment. They are committed to environmental stewardship and sustainability on a working, community supported farm.

I have been volunteering with other APEX Analytix associates at Peacehaven Farm for three years, said Rosette Luko, Sales Operations Analyst at APEX Analytix, and chairperson of this years Peacehaven workday. It continues to be so rewarding to see the progress at the Community Farm, and the impact of hard work. I love that APEX Analytix supports this, and that we can make a real difference by donating our time and energy to help on the Community Farm.

About APEX Analytix

APEX Analytix is the worlds leading provider of supplier portal software; accounts payable (AP) controls, audit, analytics software; and AP recovery audit services. We help companies on six continents hyper-optimize procure-to-pay and safeguard more than $4.6 trillion in disbursements annually. Our supplier portal is the fastest growing in history, with over 3 million suppliers in three years. And our proprietary SmartVM database continuously perfects scored supplier records with contacts for more than 20 million suppliers to the Global 2000. For more information, visit http://www.apexanalytix.com or call 800-284-4522.Peanut, Butter, and Jelly Kids: Christmas Story: a heartwarming story inspired by a very special woman and the warmth of a loving family. This Christmas story is one of two creations of published author Lena Dodley Grandma Jelly Series. She is a mother and grandmother devoted to childrens welfare and touching the lives of as many as possible through her writing.

Lenas characters come to life as readers follow along, getting to know one familys Christmas traditions. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Lena Dodleys new book is an inviting story of celebrating the spirit of love and giving during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

View a synopsis of Peanut, Butter, and Jelly Kids: Christmas Story on YouTube.

Readers can purchasePeanut, Butter, and Jelly Kids: Christmas Story at traditional brick and mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Peanut, Butter, and Jelly Kids: Christmas Story, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.BriskHeat adds Evapoway anti-condensate evaporator pans to its product lineup. As leaders in the heating product industry, its a natural fit for BriskHeat to carry the line of condensate evaporators from Evapoway. Condensation can be a serious issue for our customers, and we want to be able to provide tools they need to get their work done.

BriskHeat, a leading provider of flexible heating, insulating, and temperature control solutions, announced the addition of Evapoway anti-condensate evaporator pans to its product lineup. These evaporator pans help companies in commercial refrigeration, HVAC, elevator and other industries with the evaporation of frost and condensate where no drain is available or practical.

As leaders in the heating product industry, its a natural fit for BriskHeat to carry the line of condensate evaporators from Evapoway, said Patrick Doyle, Vice President of Business Development. Condensation can be a serious issue for our customers, and we want to be able to provide tools they need to get their work done.

The Evapoway electric condensate evaporators have successfully passed rigorous testing and are UL recognized in the USA and Canada. They are made from corrosion-resistant 22-gauge stainless steel and are manufactured in multiple sizes, wattage options, and dissipation rates.

With a large variety of features and benefits, the evaporators provide companies with multiple configurations to meet their systems exact requirements.

Theres one for nearly any application. You can remove as little one gallon all the way up to 24 gallons of condensation a day, added Doyle. Whatever your need, weve got you covered.

About BriskHeat

Since 1949, BriskHeat has provided flexible heating solutions used for freeze protection, condensation prevention, flow/viscosity control, vacuum bake-out, composite curing, and temperature process control. BriskHeats primary manufacturing facilities and headquarters are located in Columbus, Ohio. BriskHeat has a worldwide sales network including sales offices in Taiwan, China, Germany, France and Austria, as well as a manufacturing facility in Vietnam. In 2017, BriskHeat was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. Follow BriskHeat on Twitter (@BriskHeat), Facebook, and LinkedIn.Capillus joined Dr. Durante backstage to provide complementary hair health analysis and laser therapy treatments during New York Fashion Week on September 6, 2018 at Industria Studios, 775 Washington Street.

Capillus is a revolutionary company that utilizes FDA-approved methods to produce treatment options for hair loss. Up to 80% of men and 50% of women are affected by androgenetic alopecia  hair loss due to genetic factors.

Dr. Durante, is a board certified micro surgeon and an authorized Capillus physician, he conducted hair rejuvenation treatments and scalp analysis to educate NYFW attendees between shows. Physicians are best qualified to evaluate the cause of hair loss and determine the best course of action for each patient. Over the years, physicians have seen the results low level laser therapy (LLLT) has had on treating hair loss patients suffering from androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness). Since 2012, hair transplant surgeons have been prescribing clinically proven and FDA-Cleared Capillus laser therapy devices to their patients.

Alopecia can be devastating to self-esteem, and can influence how patients suffering are viewed in society. Capillus has a personal goal to reach those for whom hair loss is a concern, before it becomes an irreversible condition.

A peer-reviewed study authored by Founding President, American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery Dr. Shelly Friedman, DO, FAOCD, confirms that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with Capillus may play a considerable role in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia for females, given the impartial evidence illustrating favorable hair regrowth results. The research was published in the June 2017 edition of Dermatologic Surgery, the official journal of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, encouraging familiarity of LLLT as a practical method of fighting hair loss at home within the greater medical community.

Known for their LLLT laser therapy caps, Capillus has also created a line of clinical hair care products with minoxidil, one of the few FDA-cleared treatment methods that are proven to work for hair regrowth.

Capillus products are available through hair restoration physicians around the world from Miami to New York for both men and women with hair loss. Capillus brings options to those suffering from hair loss. Laser therapy, hair care products and quick fixes to conceal hair loss connecting physicians to patient. Capillus strives to be a resource of information to those looking for ways to deal with thinning hair and hair loss. While there may not yet be a cure for hair loss, they look for safe and effective ways to treat it.

About Capillus, LLC (@capillushair) Capillus, LLC offers prescription and over-the-counter hair regrowth products and medical devices for both men and women suffering from hair loss. The Capillus premier product lines include low-level laser therapy (LLLT) tools that are FDA-cleared and manufactured in the US under the highest-quality certification standard for the medical device industry (ISO13485). Capillus also offers additional non-prescription clinical hair products for hair and scalp health. Capillus products are available directly to the public for at-home use and even to their network of physicians for office use. For more information, visit https://www.Capillus.com

Capillus is represented by Megan Wilson PR (MWPR)

mw@meganwilsonpr.com

@meganwilsonpr

http://www.meganwilsonpr.comWho better to share whats coming next for commercial UAS than one of the nations top drone regulators and the CTO for the White House? said Lisa Murray, Group Director of Diversified Communications, organizer of Commercial UAV Expo.

Commercial UAV Expo has announced the final line up of speakers for the keynote presentations taking place on Tuesday, October 2 at the Westgate Hotel in Las Vegas. Earl Lawrence, Executive Director of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Michael Kratsios, Deputy Assistant to the President and the Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer at the White House, will each sit down with Gretchen West, of Hogan Lovells and Commercial Drone Alliance, to provide perspective on the commercial drone industry from their respective vantage points. These industry experts will cover crucial topics related to commercial drones and discuss the future of this industry. Gretchen will then engage a panel comprised of top executives from BP, CNN, AES Corporation and Southern Company about pros and cons pertaining to recent progress in UAS and other key topics. The 4th annual trade show and conference will take place Monday, October 1 through Wednesday, October 3.

Who better to share whats coming next for commercial UAS than one of the nations top drone regulators and the CTO for the White House? said Lisa Murray, Group Director of Diversified Communications, organizer of Commercial UAV Expo. Our attendees have become accustomed to us bringing the best and brightest minds in the industry to share important perspectives on the commercial drone industry and share their insights and knowledge. Earl and Michael are joining an exciting line up of speakers at this 4th annual event, which has become a must-attend event for commercial drone users.

As the Executive Director of the FAAs Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office (or AUS), Earl Lawrence is responsible for facilitating all regulations, policies, and procedures required to support the FAAs safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (also known as UAS, or drones) into the National Airspace System (NAS). He played a fundamental role in the establishment of his organization  an organization that did not exist in FAA until a few years ago. When the need to facilitate UAS research, policy development, and technical coordination became evident, Mr. Lawrence helped marshal the Congressional approval that led to the creation of AUS in 2016.

Michael Kratsios is a Deputy Assistant to the President and the Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer at the White House. Michael advises the President on a broad range of technology policy issues and drives U.S. technology priorities and strategic initiatives. Under his leadership, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy encourages the development of emerging technologies in the United States, empowers American companies to commercialize and adopt new technologies, and improves and expands access to the tools necessary for Americans to succeed in the 21st century economy.

Following the conversations with Earl Lawrence and Michael Kratsios, Gretchen West will moderate a fireside chat panel discussion with asset owners, including Dave Truch, Technology Director, Digital Innovation Organization, BP; Greg Agvent, Senior Director, Aerial Imagery & Reporting, CNN; Assel Ayapova, Global Drone Program Manager, AES Corporation; and Harry Nuttal, System Air Director and Unmanned Aerial Systems, Southern Company. The panelists will discuss pros and cons pertaining to recent progress in UAS; how these technologies connect to greater initiatives such as digital twin and remote operations and automation/removing human-in-the-loop; progress toward practical field needs; considerations for leading-edge vs. bleeding edge technology investments; leveraging data effectively for predictive analytics and risk management; what theyd like to see from vendors; best methods for private enterprise to influence change for broader use of UAS; looking in the crystal ball.

During the three-day event, attendees will also hear experts from AT&T, AiRxOS, a GE Venture, California Department of Transportation, DJI, Facebook, Los Angeles Fire Department, Menlo Park Fire District, Rio Tinto, San Diego Homeland Security, US Department of the Interior, Woolpert, and many more. For a complete list of speakers and a program overview, visit https://www.expouav.com/conference-program/ Commercial UAV Expo will offer six plenary sessions, eight deep dive vertical industry sessions and an Exhibit Hall Theater as well as a robust exhibit hall with more than 200 booths and several networking events. To register for the 4th Annual Commercial UAV Expo, visit http://www.expouav.com.

About Commercial UAV Expo Americas

Commercial UAV Expo Americas, presented by Commercial UAV News, is a conference and exhibition exclusively focused on the commercial drone market covering industries including Surveying & Mapping; Civil Infrastructure; Aggregates & Mining; Construction; Process, Power & Utilities; Precision Agriculture; Law Enforcement, Emergency Response and Search & Rescue (SAR). The fourth annual Americas event is taking place October 1-3, 2018 in Las Vegas. Commercial UAV Expo Europe launched in Brussels in June 2017 and will take place in Amsterdam 8-10 April 2019. For more information, visit http://www.expouav.com and http://www.expouav.com/europe or email info@expouav.com.

The events are organized by Diversified Communications, a leading organizer of conferences, trade shows and online media with 15 years in the geospatial arena, including Commercial UAV Expo Americas, Commercial UAV Expo Europe, Commercial UAV News, SPAR 3D Expo & Conference, SPAR3D.com, AECNext Technology Expo & Conference, AEC Next News and International LiDAR Mapping Forum. http://www.divcom.comWattNode Meter Enclosure without circuit protection "We experienced an unprecedented response to our initial release of our original enclosure, but our customers want more options"

In time for the Solar Power International Expo in Anaheim, California, September 25-27, CCS will release an expanded offering of NEMA 4 enclosures. Due to unprecedented response to the initial release of the metal UL 508A Listed product, CCS has expanded its offering to include US manufactured polyurethane enclosures. Similar to the metal enclosures, the polyurethane enclosure is designed and built specifically for the WattNode energy meter. It is available with a three-phase circuit breaker, a fuse block, or no circuit protection, but comes with added terminal block for code compliant ground connections. When ordered together with a WattNode meter, the meter comes installed in either the metal or poly enclosure for no additional charge. Both the metal and polyurethane enclosures are suitable for indoor or outdoor use, both providing rapid, low cost, time saving installation. The molded polyurethane enclosure offers non-corrosive, light weight, (4.4 lbs), NEMA 4 certified protection to the installed WattNode, preferable when ambient temperatures are a concern.

"We are proud to offer an enclosure option which is US made. We experienced an unprecedented response to our initial release, but our customers want more options. The polyurethane construction is lightweight, easy to handle, and less expensive to ship, it is a great alternative to our standard metal enclosure", said Cynthia Boyd, director of sales and marketing at CCS.

Continental Control Systems is recognized as a UL 508A manufacturing house and offers both standard and customized enclosure options for single and multiple metering solutions. Founded in 1995, Colorado-based CCS specializes in high accuracy electric power metering and inverter metering equipment. The company's products are UL listed or Recognized by Underwriters Laboratories Inc for use worldwide.Our success would not be possible without our valued employees and clients. We believe this recognition proves our commitment to hiring extremely talented people and providing our customers and our dedication to providing them with the most effective marketing and advertising campaign.

Conversion Pipeline, a leading provider of digital marketing solutions, has been named one of the top 25 largest advertising agencies in the Greater Washington D.C. area for the second year in a row.

We are again thrilled to be among the top 25 marketing firms in the Washington D.C. Metro Area, said Sam Collingwood, Co-Founder and COO at Conversion Pipeline. Our success would not be possible without our valued employees and clients. We believe this recognition proves our commitment to hiring extremely talented people and providing our customers and our dedication to providing them with the most effective marketing and advertising campaign.

Conversion Pipeline has experienced significant growth in a variety of service offerings including search engine optimization, e-commerce website development and design, HubSpot Inbound Marketing and managing paid advertising campaigns.

The company has worked with numerous clients across a wide range of industries. Notable clients include Sun Realty, Breaux Vineyards, The Great Courses, Spire Consulting, Open Blooms, and American Computer Development, Inc.

Conversion Pipeline is no stranger to awards. Since their opening in 2009, the company has earned multiple awards including Small Business of the Year and the Presidents Award from the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. In 2017, CIO Review Magazine named Conversion Pipeline as one of the 20 Most Promising Google Technology Solutions Providers.

The Washington Business Journal is a leading source for business news, networking, and marketing information for business people in and around the Greater Washington D.C. Metro Area. The Washington Business Journal provides a wealth of information in its printed publications, on their website, through email, or the newspapers many events and awards programs.

To see the full list of the Largest Advertising Agencies in the Greater D.C. Area. click here: https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/subscriber-only/2018/08/03/largest-advertising-agencies-in-greater.html.

About Conversion Pipeline

Conversion Pipeline is an award-winning, full-service digital marketing company who are experts in search engine optimization (SEO), website design, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, e-commerce development, email marketing, social media advertising, and more. Conversion Pipeline is a Google Premier Partner, Bing Partner and certified HubSpot Partner. Visit http://www.conversionpipeline.com or call 877-877-0542 to learn how we can lead your marketing and advertising campaigns to the next level.Cortech Engineering, a pump distributing company in Southern California, will host its second annual Cortech University Pump School on October 25 and 26. This two-day training event will be hosted at the company's Anaheim, California headquarters. It is free to attend and will cover many key issues and topics facing the municipal and industrial pump industry.

The Cortech University Pump School training programs started as a way to provide further guidance and information to those interested in learning more about pumps and specialized process equipment. Last year's Cortech University Pump School in Anaheim was a huge success for Cortech Engineering, with many representatives from the industrial and municipal markets in attendance. The company also held a similar event back in May 2018 at their other location in Bakersfield, California.

This year, the Cortech University Pump School will be split into two specific days. Thursday, October 25 will be Industrial Training Day for those representing various process industries. Friday, October 26 will be the Municipal Training Day for those in the municipal sector. Both days will be filled with hands-on classes and insight from leading experts in the pump industry. At the end of the day, each attendant will receive a personalized Cortech University Training Certificate. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day, as well.

Cortech Engineering is a leading distributor of pumps and process equipment throughout Southern California, Central California and Southern Nevada. They are known for providing customers with expert insight and exceptional support when it comes to selecting, purchasing and servicing pumps and accessories from many of the world's leading pump manufacturers.

To register for Industrial Training Day on October 25 or Municipal Training Day on October 26, visit cortecheng.com. For more information on the event, contact Marc Sanchez at (714) 779-0911.General Manager, Nicole Hendrix and Director of Revenue Management, Michael Ormond We are confident Nicoles management and operational expertise will be a great asset to Aliz. Michael will also be a great addition to the team, providing extraordinary customer service that will benefit our guests and clients. We are excited to welcome Nicole and Michael on board.

Aliz Group announced today the appointment of the new management team who will oversee day-to-day operations at the groups flagship property, Aliz Hotel Times Square, which is managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts.

Managed by 25-year hospitality veteran Nicole Hendrix, and award-winning and nationally recognized Management Company, Crescent Hotels & Resorts, Aliz Hotel Times Square will debut this fall at one of the most iconic intersections in NYC.

Joining as General Manager for the property, Hendrix will be an integral part of the Aliz management team. Her strengths in generating new strategies for operational productivity and developing talent allows for the hotels guest-centric philosophy to flourish. Hendrix has a unique understanding of core hospitality standards while elevating and accomplishing brand goals. Having advanced her career contributing to different hospitality leaders such as Kimpton Hotels, Marriott and Hilton, Hendrix will bring a seasoned and unique perspective to this new modern lifestyle property.

Aliz has also named Michael Ormond as director of revenue management. His expertise in driving bookings through extensive revenue analysis was defined during his experience at dynamic and authentic properties such as The Out NYC, Marmara Hotels NYC and NoMo SoHo, which lends to the spirit of Aliz as well.

We are confident Nicoles management and operational expertise will be a great asset to Aliz. Michael will also be a great addition to the team, providing extraordinary customer service that will benefit our guests and clients. We are excited to welcome Nicole and Michael on board, said Michael Sullivan, spokesperson for Aliz Group.

Aliz will feature an innovative design with 287 guest rooms, a two-story rooftop bar and lounge, stylish restaurant and lounge spaces, and luxury amenities  all within walking distance to Times Square, Hudson Yards and the Jacob Javits Center.

For hi-res images, please click here. For more information, visit http://www.alizhotel.com. Follow us at @alizhoteltimesquare #BeAliz

About Aliz Hotel Times Square

Aliz Hotels is a new experiential, design-driven independent lifestyle brand making its signature debut this fall in New York City with its Times Square location. Aliz Hotel Times Square is owned by Aliz Group, LLC, a privately owned and operated property management, acquisition, and development company headquartered in New York City. Managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts, Aliz Hotel Times Square is also a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

About Crescent Hotels & Resorts

Crescent Hotels & Resorts is an award winning, nationally recognized, top-3 operator of hotels and resorts. Crescent currently operates over 100 hotels, resorts & conference centers in the US and Canada. Crescent is one of the few elite management companies approved to operate upper- upscale and luxury hotels under the brand families of Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG. Crescent also operates a collection of legendary independent lifestyle hotels and resorts under the Latitudes Collection umbrella. Crescents clients include premiere REITs, private equity firms and major developers. For more information, please visit http://www.crescenthotels.com/ & http://www.latitudesbycrescent.com/or connect with Crescent on LinkedIn.CSOP Compass Platform - Dedicated China Alpha Solutions CSOP Compass Platform aims to present China equity investment intelligence by systematically assessing Chinas 8,700+ sunshine managers. CSOP Compass Platform not only discovers top performers, but also equips top performers with rigorous and internationally standardized risk management frameworks.

With the gradual inclusion of Chinas A shares into MSCI global index framework, more and more global investors start to look at Chinas equity market and wait for a good timing and vehicle to get access to the worlds second largest economy. CSOP Asset Management Limited (CSOP), well known as the largest RMB qualified institutional investors (RQFII) and one of the largest China offshore China A shares ETF providers, has been introducing its CSOP Compass Platform to global investors who are looking for alpha opportunities in China A shares.

CSOP Compass Platform is a solution thats designed to offer the quality China alpha opportunities, connecting talented onshore sunshine fund managers to the international investment community. The initial idea of CSOP Compass Platform was firstly formed in 2013 when CSOP issued a RQFII mutual fund with 3 China onshore sunshine managers as investment advisories. The great success achieved by this fund inspired CSOP to develop the idea into a more sophisticated and systematic investment solutions which is CSOP Compass Platform in which there are more than 20 excellent China sunshine managers out of 8,700 onshore sunshine managers scanned. Through the platform, CSOP is currently providing tailor-made investment services in various legal structures to global investors from main financial hubs with total asset under management of more than RMB 2bn. (Source: CSOP, as of Aug 30, 2018)

Sunshine Managers highly incentivized China A shares investment talents with trackable performance, transparent and flexible investment practices

The asset management industry is one of the fastest growing business sectors in China. Privately managed (non-retail) funds in China, often referred to as sunshine funds by local practitioners, are regarded as reputable China A share investors  the managers are typically spin-outs from large local asset managers, brokers and/or insurance companies. The term sunshine comes from the more transparent practices on information disclosure and by holding assets in third-party banks, as opposed to earlier private funds, which were largely unregulated.

Sunshine funds have more investment flexibility than mutual funds with historical material outperformance. Private fund business has been a young but growing industry with recent emergence of market leaders. Unlike mutual funds, private managers have equity stakes and are highly incentivized. As many as 80% of these Chinese sunshine (hedge) funds are long-only or long-biased equity managers, given shorting of individual stocks both difficult and expensive, but the portfolios are typically concentrated with active rotation of themes and greater use of cash for downside protection. We consider them as hedge funds with Chinese characteristics. (Source: CSOP, AMAC, as at the end of 2017)

CSOP Compass Platform- one-stop solution to connect quality China onshore sunshine managers to global investors in tailor made structures with international risk management standards

Domestically, sunshine funds are only accessible to high-net-wealth individuals and institutions, although we start to see foreign institutions showing interests.

The sunshine funds are inaccessible to non-China investors directly, but advisory model may work through an offshore fund or managed account, utilizing Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) quota, RQFII quota or Shanghai-Hong Kong or Shenzhen-Hong Kong stock connect scheme.

CSOP Compass Platform is a solution thats designed to offer the quality China alpha opportunities, connecting talented onshore sunshine fund managers to the international investment community.

Committed to the mission of leading the Worlds China Investment, CSOP Compass Platform systematically assesses Chinas 8,700+ sunshine managers (source: Asset Management Association of China, by the end of June 2018). CSOP Compass Platform not only discovers top performers, but also equips top performers with rigorous risk management frameworks.

Most investors understand that China is becoming a market too big to ignore and sunshine managers may offer higher alpha. However, execution is where most foreign institutional investors find difficult. China is not known for providing transparent and consistent data, and there is no database available to evaluate qualified sunshine managers. Most local databases are oriented to retail investors only with the screening purely based on return rankings and fee competitiveness. Global databases have limited coverage in China, especially for sunshine managers, thus foreign institutional investors can only access the sunshine managers who happen to have an English-speaking salesperson. Some most common concerns for a typical domestic sunshine managers are: does not speak English; has little to no experience in structuring cross-border investments; lacks compliance and risk functions that follow international standards; frequently changes investment style in attempt to capture changing market sentiment; cannot promise security of assets due to repatriation concerns; lack of audit and tax guidance, etc.

This is where CSOP Compass Platform adds value. We screen, select, and monitor the quality China alpha managers by categorize the investment styles into locally defined Growth, Value, Growth plus Value classifications. Meanwhile, we also streamline the investment process, ensure each step is transparent and secure, proper risk control and compliance measure is also in place. It is China local investing made, safe and simple! Ms. Wang Chen, Portfolio Manager of CSOP Compass Platform concluded.

About CSOP Asset Management Limited

CSOP Asset Management Limited (CSOP) was founded in 2008 as the first offshore asset manager set up by a regulated asset management company in China. With a dedicated focus on China investing, CSOP manages public and private funds, as well as providing investment advisory services to Asian and global investors. Managing the largest RMB equity and fixed income ETF listed in offshore China, CSOP is the largest RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor ("RQFII") asset manager globally. As of 30 June 2018, CSOP had US$ 4.5 billion in assets under management.

For further information, please contact

Larry Wang / 3406 5613 / larry.wang(at)csopasset(dot)com

Issuer: CSOP Asset Management Limited

This document is prepared for the use of presentation, illustration and discussion. It is intended for professional investors only and is not legally binding. It should not be considered as an offer or solicitation to deal in any investment products. CSOP Asset Management Limited (CSOP) which prepared this document believes that information in this document is based upon sources that are believed to be accurate, complete, and reliable. However, CSOP does not warrant the accuracy and completeness of the information, and shall not be liable to the recipient or controlling shareholders of the recipient resulting from its use. CSOP is under no obligation to keep the information up-to-date. The provision of this document shall not be deemed as constituting any offer, acceptance, or promise of any further contract or amendment to any contract. This document should not be distributed to any parties without the written consent of CSOP. Nothing herein shall be construed as granting the recipient, explicit or implicit, any license or right to the information in this document.

Investment involves risk. Past performance figures are not indicative of future performance. The value of units may rise as well as fall. Investors are reminded that in certain circumstances their right to redeem may be suspended. We recommend investors obtain and read a copy of the offering documents (including risk factors) before investing. Investors should not make any investment decision solely based on this document. This material has not been reviewed by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong.This program will not only help us thank our veterans for their service, but it also provides a social, arts-based activity to boost camaraderie in the local veteran community.

The Weinberg Center for the Arts free ticket initiative for area veterans, Vets Night Out, is still available for the Weinbergs 2018-2019 season. The program is made possible through a generous grant from the Delaplaine Foundation. Vets Night Out seeks to provide a memorable arts experience for Frederick area veterans and their families by providing free tickets to Weinberg Center performances.

We are so grateful to the Delaplaine Foundation for their generosity to the Weinberg Center, said Manager of Development Rebecca OLeary. Weve had an overwhelmingly positive response to this program. This program will not only help us thank our veterans for their service, but it also provides a social, arts-based activity to boost camaraderie in the local veteran community.

Interested area veterans are asked to contact Jef Cliber at boxoffice@weinbergcenter.org or 301.600.2835 to learn more about participating in the program and available performances.

A complete listing of artists and performers scheduled for the 2018-2019 season can be found at WeinbergCenter.org.

ABOUT THE WEINBERG CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Weinberg Center for the Arts is one of the regions premier performing arts presenters, offering film, music, dance, theater, and family-focused programming. Located in the historic Tivoli movie theater in downtown Frederick, MD the Weinberg Center strives to ensure that the arts remain accessible and affordable to local and regional audiences alike. Weinberg Center events are made possible with major support from the City of Frederick, the Maryland State Arts Council, Plamondon Hospitality Partners and other corporate and individual donors.Dental Aid, Inc., a provider of affordable, high quality dental care and education to the low-income and uninsured residents of Colorados Boulder and Broomfield counties, announces the retirement of its President and CEO, Dennis J. Lewis, after 17 years of service to the organization.

During his nearly 40 year career, Lewis has practiced all facets of general dentistry from the owner of a private practice to staff dentist, and from university professor to Director of General Dentistry overseeing the work of multiple clinics.

Throughout his career, he has worked to provide oral health care to the uninsured and underserved. Lewis is well known for the community partnerships he has created to increase access to dental health care and for his work to integrate medical and dental care. Among his many milestones in advancing care for the underserved are:



Measuring the effects of pre-natal oral health education and treatment during pregnancy on the oral health outcomes of children at three years of age.

Establishing relationships with Northern Colorado and Boulder County AIDS Projects to provide much-needed oral health care to people with HIV infection.

Authoring protocols and procedures for a feasibility study of training bi-cultural and bi-lingual dental assistants.

Establishing referral mechanisms for physicians to refer women during pregnancy for oral health exams and treatment.

Establishing a relationship with Early Head Start to educate care providers in the early recognition and referral of white spot lesions and the prevention of early childhood caries.

At the appointment of the Governor of Colorado, he serves on the State Medical Assistance and Services Advisory Council representing dentistry. He also serves on the Delta Dental of Colorado Committee to increase provider participation in Colorado's Medicaid Program. He is the technical advisor and trainer for the Cavity Free at Three program.

Its been a privilege to lead Dental Aid over the years," said Lewis. I am grateful for the vast number of patients the organization has been able to care for over the years. I am also proud of the innovative programs committed employees have implemented to improve access to dental care for the underserved in our community.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Dennis for his leadership and many years of service supporting Dental Aids mission. The impact he has had here, and on the underserved in our community has been tremendous, said Tanya Karnavy, DDS, Chairman of Dental Aid Board of Directors. Dennis is a rare find of technical oral healthcare skills, public policy expertise and undeniable compassion for the underserved in our area.

Karnavy added, On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to announce the selection of Dental Aids new Executive Director, Ernest (Ernie) Duff.

Duff brings a wealth of experience to the position, including serving as the Executive Director of Denvers Howard Dental Center and the Rocky Mountain Survivors Center. Additionally, he was the Executive Director of the Life After Exoneration Program in Berkeley, CA. Duff has a Masters Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Divinity.

Dental Aid's board members all agreed that Ernie has what we are looking for in our new Executive Director; he fits in exceptionally well with this organizations unique purpose and mission, said Karnavy.

About Dental Aid

Dental Aid provides compassionate, affordable, high-quality dental care and education to low-income and uninsured residents of Colorados Boulder and Broomfield counties. Its clinics are located in Boulder, Longmont and Louisville, CO.

The long-term clinical focus of Dental Aid follows a chronic disease management model directed at prevention, education, and treatment in the early stages of disease. In addition to direct clinical care, Dental Aid prioritizes education and outreach to high-risk patients including:



Families and children of all ages

Pregnant women

People with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS

People with physical, mental or emotional disabilities

Dental Aid was one of the first stand-alone, nonprofit, complete-care dental clinics in the U.S. The organization was founded in 1974 as a referral organization and opened its first full-service clinic in 1980. Today, Dental Aid provides dental care to more than 8,000 children and adults annually. It provides services through three clinics (Boulder, Longmont and Louisville, CO) and a satellite clinic at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless. Also, portable dental equipment is used to bring dental care to the homebound or those living in long-term care facilities. For more information, visit http://www.dentalaid.org.Working with Dr. Perlmutter has been one of the truly special opportunities weve had over the past five years.

Digital Natives Group (http://nativesgroup.com) congratulates author Dr. David Perlmutter, and publisher Little, Brown and Company on the 5th anniversary of the release of Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar--Your Brain's Silent Killers. First published on this date in 2013, Grain Brain has since become a global phenomenon, helping millions of readers lead healthier, more empowered lives.

Grain Brain has repeatedly topped numerous bestseller lists since publication, including those from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Furthermore, Publishers Weekly revealed that the book was the single best-selling hardcover non-fiction book of 2014.

The book has been followed by several also-best-selling publications by Dr. Perlmutter: The Grain Brain Cookbook (2014), Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brainfor Life (2015), and The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan (2016). Additionally, Dr. Perlmutter has continued to be an outspoken advocate for wellness across his active and vibrant social media channels, website, and in other media.

Once declared by the New Yorker to be a foundational text of the gluten-free movement, Grain Brain has made a positive impact on the lives of readers from all walks of life, as evidenced by the constant stream of thousands of testimonials, messages, and reviews from its followers.

Working with Dr. Perlmutter has been one of the truly special opportunities weve had over the past five years. Between David, the business team at Proton Enterprises, the publishing team at Hachette, and everybody else that has pitched in, we have proof that a dedicated team can make magic happen. We congratulate everybody on this milestone, and hope to continue celebrating this success story for years to come. said Jonathan Jacobs, Partner at Digital Natives Group.

The work by Natives supporting the books of Dr. Perlmutter has been recognized by multiple marketing industry award organizations. Digital Natives Group, a digital marketing agency in New Yorks Long Island City neighborhood, continues to work in the publishing space, with more than 35 best-selling books launched by the agency.

In celebration of this milestone, Grain Brain will be re-released in hardcover on December 18, 2018, completely revised and update. https://amzn.to/2p71zz7The new office will increase our ability to service current and future partners, as well as further enhance the support that has contributed to Eagle Eyes success. - Dean Drako, CEO, Eagle Eye Networks

Eagle Eye Networks, the leading global provider of cloud-based video surveillance solutions, today announced it has opened an office in Tokyo, Japan. The new office will provide stronger technical, operational, and sales support for customers in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.

The decision to expand our presence in Asia-Pacific was a logical step to support our growth in the region, said Dean Drako, CEO of Eagle Eye Networks. The new office will increase our ability to service current and future partners, as well as further enhance the support that has contributed to Eagle Eyes success.

The new office will be for Eagle Eyes Asia-Pacific Sales and Customer Support teams. Eagle Eye Networks new office is located at Glass City Shibuya 6F, 16-28 Nampeidai-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0036 Japan.

Eagle Eye Networks sells the Eagle Eye Cloud VMS for video surveillance throughout Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. The cloud based surveillance solution provides customers with a redundant and encrypted video surveillance, with a lower total cost of ownership, and without the headaches of traditional on premise computing equipment. The Eagle Eye Cloud VMS utilizes the two Eagle Eye Data Centers that are operated in the Tokyo region for Asia-Pacific customers.

For more information about Eagle Eye Networks, visit http://www.een.com or call +81-3-6866-2926.

PRESS CONTACT

Deborah Demarchi

ddemarchi@een.com

+1-512-473-0500

+81-3-6866-2926

ABOUT EAGLE EYE NETWORKS

Founded in 2012, Eagle Eye Networks, Inc., (Eagle Eye) is the leading global provider of cloud-based video surveillance solutions addressing the needs of businesses, alarm companies, security integrators, and individuals. Eagle Eyes 100% cloud managed solutions provides cloud and on-premise recording, bank level security and encryption, and broad analog and digital camera support  all accessed via the web or mobile applications. Businesses of all sizes and types utilize Eagle Eye solutions for operational optimization and security. All Eagle Eye products benefit from Eagle Eyes developer friendly RESTful API platform and Big Data Video Framework , which allow for indexing, search, retrieval, and analysis of live and archived video. Eagle Eyes open Video API has been widely adopted for integration in alarm monitoring, third party analytics, security dashboards, and point of sale system integrations.

Eagle Eye sells its products through authorized global resellers and installation partners. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, Eagle Eye has offices in Europe and Asia-Pacific. For more information, please visit http://www.een.com or call +1-512-473-0500 or +81-3-6866-292.The best and fastest-growing companies embrace and measure employee engagement as a must-have KPI to better run their businesses and win at, what Edison calls, the people equation.

Edison Partners today announced leading a $7.5 million growth investment in Emplify, the Fishers, Indiana-based employee engagement measurement company. Proceeds will be used for continued product innovation and to accelerate customer acquisition and growth.

Market analysts indicate that employers spend upwards of $76 billion annually on employee engagement across recognition, wellness, talent management and measurement. However, there are few standard performance measures to tie employee engagement with business performance. Emplify solves this problem with a SaaS platform that provides an omni-channel survey application, interactive analytics, KPI-scoring and step-by-step actions supported by engagement strategists to improve employee engagement, culture and performance.

During the last 12-months, Emplify has experienced dramatic customer growth, increasing annual revenue by more than 450 percent. The company works directly with more than 200 companies, and recently, introduced the Emplify Partner Program to support the employee engagement initiatives that talent and human capital management (HCM) consulting firms lead with their customers.

While employee engagement is often viewed as a cornerstone to business growth and profitability, most employers remain unable to quantify this critical performance metric. This avoidable gap exists as the war for talent escalates and the demographics of the US workforce go through a sea change, with Millennials set to become the majority of the labor workforce, said Ryan Ziegler, General Partner for Edison Partners, who led the investment. Empify is making employee engagement a best-practice KPI supported with actionable insight that can be owned by the C-Suite organization to advance their businesses. They are far ahead in this strategy and were excited to partner with Santiago to fuel Emplifys next stage of growth.

Through its recent 2018 Growth Index study, Edison Partners similarly found that fast-growing companies have these people-related traits in common: strong employee growth, retention, and revenue per employee. This people equation is powered by strong corporate cultures that promote employee engagement and assessment on a continual basis, not just annually.

The best and fastest-growing companies embrace and measure employee engagement as a must-have KPI to better run their businesses and win at, what Edison calls, the people equation. They know that employee culture, engagement and productivity are inextricably linked, said Santiago Jaramillo, CEO and Co-founder of Emplify. Were thrilled to partner with Ryan and the Edison team. They share these beliefs and uniquely offer an integrated approach; one team of investors and operators working side-by-side to help us grow and scale.

Emplify is the third Edison Partners investment in the Midwest over the last four months. For more than 30 years, Edison has identified and invested in exceptional growth ecosystems located outside Silicon Valley. The Indianapolis metro-area offers an emerging technology hub with strong State support and economic incentives. Breakout companies like Emplify have enjoyed strong engineering and business talent from local educational institutions. Indianas reasonable cost of living and wages are also very conducive to building a sustainable technology business.

Edison Partners has financed and guided more than 200 private companies, a quarter of which have been in the enterprise solutions space. Blue Medora, Bento for Business, and Emplify are the firms most recent growth equity investments in the Midwest region. Edisons current enterprise solutions portfolio includes All Traffic Solutions, Blue Medora, Bricata, eSentire, Giant Oak, ItemMaster, Jornaya, Predata, PathFactory and Terminus. Notable exits in the sector include Archive Systems, Assessment Systems, Axent, Billtrust, InSoft, Logfire, Marcam, Notable Solutions, Operative, Tangoe, Telarix, VirtualEdge, Vocus, Uptivity, and VFA.

About Emplify

Emplify, a leader in employee engagement measurement, enables executives to ask for, analyze, and act on employee feedback  transforming actionable insight into action. Informed by science and psychometrics, Emplify is the first to fuse survey insights, employee communication, performance enhancement, and transformation strategists into a proven agile engagement system. Leading impact-makers at companies like Terminus, Harley-Davidson, Appirio and Cheetah Digital trust Emplify to power better people decisions. Learn more at emplify.com.

About Edison Partners

For more than 30 years, Edison Partners has been helping CEOs and their executive teams grow and scale successful companies. The firms investment team brings extensive investing and operating experience to each investment. Through a unique combination of growth capital and the Edison Edge platform, consisting of operating leverage, the Edison Director Network, and executive education programs, Edison employs a truly integrated approach to accelerating growth and creating value for businesses. A team of experts in financial technology, healthcare IT and enterprise solution sectors, Edison targets high-growth companies with $5 to $20 million in revenue; investments also include buyouts, recapitalizations, spinouts and secondary stock purchases.

Edisons active portfolio has created aggregated market value exceeding $10 billion. Edison Partners is based in Princeton, NJ and manages more than $1.4 billion in assets throughout the eastern United States.Experiencing new cultures, foods and environments has been the passion of my life, and my hope is that my escapades in Mike Honeycutts World of Hunting and Fishing will instill within others the desire to do the same.

An experienced globetrotter and expert hunter and fisherman has released his one-of-a-kind travel book that, through short, journal-style entries, sweeps readers up on an international escapade, taking them to some of the worlds most remote locations in search of exotic trophies.

In Mike Honeycutts World of Hunting and Fishing, author Mike Honeycutt relives nearly two decades of his travel experiences, inviting armchair adventurers to come along with him as he tracks dangerous game in the Gobi Desert, embarks on a polar bear hunting expedition through the Arctic ice pack and fishes in Red Lake, Ontario.

Through this book, I want to reach out to anyone with the spirit of adventure or the desire to learn more about remote areas of the world, such as those with proximity to the Ring of Fire, Honeycutt said. Experiencing new cultures, foods and environments has been the passion of my life, and my hope is that my escapades in Mike Honeycutts World of Hunting and Fishing will instill within others the desire to do the same.

A unique and exciting portrait of the global hunting and fishing landscape, Honeycutts book gives readers an intimate look into the authors experiences traveling the world and learning about other cultures while also detailing some of the basic aspects of being an exotic game hunter, such as how he was able to get the trophies he claimed through airport security.

Mike Honeycutts World of Hunting and Fishing

By Mike Honeycutt

ISBN: 978-1-4907-8805-0 (hardback); 978-1-4907-8804-3 (paperback); 978-1-4907-8925-5 (electronic)

Available through Trafford Publishing, Barnes & Noble and Amazon

About the author

Mike Honeycutt is passionate about global travel, hunting and fishing and has decades of experience in pursuing and claiming exotic trophies. Honeycutt is the CEO of Lady Lou LTD and holds a degree from Southwest Missouri State University. He currently resides in remote South-Central Missouri. To learn more, please visit http://www.mikestravelringoffire.com or view a trailer for the book on YouTube.

###

General Inquiries, Review Copies & Interview Requests:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

480-648-7557

dgrobmeier@lavidge.comFlutura Decision Sciences & Analytics

Flutura, a disruptor in the Artificial Intelligence powered Industrial IoT (Internet of Things) solutions space, today announced its partnership with Siemens to help drive the adoption of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The partnership will enable customers to benefit from pre-built industry-specific applications (Cerebra NanoApps), built on Cerebra SignalStudio, Fluturas artificial intelligence platform specifically designed for asset- and process-heavy industries, and MindSphere, the cloud-based, open IoT operating system from Siemens.

MindSphere connects products, plants, systems, and machines, enabling businesses to harness the wealth of data generated by the IoT with advanced analytics, while Cerebra will transform the treasure of data collected into actions driving business results.

"The industrial world is rapidly advancing towards digitalization. With MindSphere, Siemens has developed an innovative cloud-based open IoT operating system with high performance capability to meet this growing demand. As a leader in engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality, it is our privilege to partner with Siemens and help industrial customers unlock massive business value," said Krishnan Raman, CEO and Co-founder of Flutura.

"The Cerebra platform, with its advanced analytics capabilities and ability to integrate physics, heuristics and artificial intelligence to provide advanced diagnostics and prognostics solutions, can deliver tremendous value to the industrial market, said Paul Kaeley, SVP of the Global Partner Ecosystem at Siemens PLM Software. With Flutura bringing Cerebras pre-built industry solutions into the MindSphere ecosystem, we can continue to help deliver innovative IIoT Intelligence solutions globally.

Flutura will initially focus the partnership on the speciality chemicals and oil and gas industries. Speciality chemicals offers huge possibilities to drive transformational improvements in product quality and yield. With the oil prices looking up and activities on an upswing, oil and gas presents a unique opportunity for digitalization to drive asset uptime and throughput to new levels.

Note: MindSphere is a registered trademark of Siemens AG.

Related Links: http://flutura.com

About Flutura Decision Sciences and Analytics

Flutura is a pioneer in the Industrial IoT Intelligence space having operations in Palo Alto, Houston, Tokyo and Bangalore. Its Cerebra IoT Intelligence solution providing diagnostics and prognostics solutions for equipment and process operations is unlocking new business value for many leading engineering and energy customers. To learn more about Flutura, please visit http://www.flutura.com

For Inquiries:

Greg Slater

Flutura

greg.slater@flutura.comOver the past few years we've seen a surge in demand for our transaction advisory services.

Frazier & Deeter, a nationally ranked public accounting and advisory firm, announced today that Tim Koch has joined the firm as a partner who will be leading the firms Transaction Advisory Practice.

Over the past few years weve seen a surge in demand for our transaction advisory services, noted Seth McDaniel, Managing Partner of Frazier & Deeter. Were delighted to add a Lead Partner to the practice who brings a strong track record supporting complex transactions.

Im excited to join Frazier & Deeters Transaction Advisory practice, stated Koch. Frazier & Deeter is a well-respected firm that has been gaining traction nationally, and Im proud to help accelerate that growth.

Koch was most recently a partner at a top 25 CPA firm, where he was a lead transaction advisory partner focused on middle market buy-side and sell-side transactions for private equity and corporate clients. Tim has participated in transactions that have had enterprise values ranging from a few million to over one billion dollars. Many of Tim's transactions have involved companies with cross-border operations.

Koch has significant senior executive experience, including being the Chief Financial Officer and executive committee member for a large privately held business. He also previously was recruited to serve as a Senior Financial Officer to assist a large public company reorganizing under U.S. bankruptcy laws. Koch began his career with Arthur Andersen.

He has Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University and is a graduate of the University of Chicagos Advanced Business Advisor Program. He is a licensed CPA in the state of North Carolina, and a member of the Association for Corporate Growth.

Frazier & Deeter offers a suite of services that includes audit, business and personal tax advisory, transaction advisory, governance/compliance, cybersecurity, IT audit, fund administration and other advisory services. The firms clients include public and private companies across all industries, as well as high net worth individuals, trusts and investment funds.School phobia, social anxiety, selective mutism, public speaking anxiety, panic attacks, and performance anxiety are some of the anxiety problems that students will bring into the classroom this school year. Little help is available due to the complexity of the anxiety disorder spectrum.

Although anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States, most sufferers do not receive help. This is because an anxiety disorder is the quintessential disease of resistance; especially social anxiety, which is the largest subset. This resistance is due to the fact that the most afflicted are ruled by embarrassment and shame and remain avoidant. The result is that the mental health profession has struggled to provide productive treatment strategies.

Conservative estimates put the figure at 18.1% of the population.

School phobia, social anxiety, selective mutism, public speaking anxiety, panic attacks, and performance anxiety are some of the anxiety problems that students will bring into the classroom this school year, where schools are essentially clueless as to how to help. This is due to the complexity of the anxiety disorder spectrum.

Heres an example. Selective Mutism (http://www.social-anxiety.com/area-of-concerns/selective-mutism), a complex form of obsessive-compulsive disorder is, in essence, a speaking phobia. Approximately 7 out of 1000 children are impacted. There is very little help worldwide. Public schools are mandated to legally accommodate this disability.

However; the process of accommodating academically often inhibits the mental health of the child. Its complex.

Berent says, The most common thing Ive heard from thousands of patients of all ages is 'I have nothing to say or I dont know what to say.' Societys obsessive and compulsive technology dependence is inhibiting the neuroplasticity required for the social skill of verbal conversation. In essence, its an epidemic of selective mutism on the rise. Consider the fact:

Texting has replaced talking as the most common form of communication.

In a recent article, My Patient Said 'I Understand Why Those Kids Shot Up Schools,'" (http://www.social-anxiety.com/article/my-patient-said-i-understand-why-those-kids-shot-up-schools), Berent describes the psycho-dynamics of the school shooter. Its worth noting that the majority of perpetrators experienced challenged social skills. Many have been described as noticeably or abnormally quiet.

The most common anxiety in the world is fear of public speaking (http://www.social-anxiety.com/area-of-concerns/public-speaking-anxiety). Many of Berents patients have traced the roots of this insidious problem back to school settings where the emotions of shame and embarrassment were raw. Closely associated with public speaking, in both formal and informal settings, is the fear of being noticeably nervous. This can manifest as erythrophobia (fear of blushing), hyperhidrosis (sweating), panic attacks, and verbal freezing or stammering.

The fear of being noticeably nervous can create unbearable emotional pain for many. This pain often evolves into situational avoidance, which is a phobia. Substance dependence and depressions are significantly co-morbid. Suicide is on the rise. In general, the mental health profession has been remiss in understanding the depth of emotional pain associated with anxiety disorders.

Many children and adolescents experience school phobia. This is a combination of an anxiety breakdown and dysfunctional parenting. Finding a school-based program to help with this common disorder is next to impossible.

Anxiety disorders, technology over-dependence, and FOMO (fear of missing out, associated with social media addiction), mixed in with evolving hyper-vigilance associated with the school shooting epidemic, create the perfect storm for our schools. Berent believes that while schools are breeding grounds for anxiety disorders, there is great potential for prevention if anxiety and stress management courses were integrated into the curriculum. Berent adds, anxiety disorders are evolving at a rapid pace due to societys blueprint for increased performance and productivity.

About Jonathan Berent, L.C.S.W

Jonathan Berent, L.C.S.W. is the author of Beyond Shyness (Simon & Schuster), Work Makes Me Nervous (Wiley), and Social Anxiety: The Untold Story (AKFSA). Berents extensive work and unmatched clinical success is evidenced in his clinical library (http://www.social-anxiety.com/clinical-interviews) and dates back to 1978. He is available to the media as an expert on social anxiety and related disorders.Owen described black holes as the most compact thing in the universe. Since scientists can measure gravitational waves, they can learn more about them. Scientists dont have to be able to see objects such as black holes to learn their properties.The G8C Token Launch Party is to be held on the 30th of October at the exclusive Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar, and is expected to gain significant attention in Malta.

The co-CEOs of Ganapati Group company, GanaEight Coin Limited, met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta, Joseph Muscat, to personally invite him to their G8C launch and share further information about their progress.

Following a successful first meeting in Japan in July, Mr Hayato Terai and Dr Kristina C. Deguar, the two CEOs of the G8C issuing company, sat down with the Prime Minister, this time in Malta, to hand him a personal invitation to their upcoming launch.

The G8C Token Launch Party is to be held on the 30th of October at the exclusive Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar, and is expected to gain significant attention in Malta.

Terai and Deguara also updated the Prime Minister on the latest developments of their ICO on the run-up to its launch.

The Prime Ministers reaffirmed his full support for the project, which he recently offered to the Company during their talks in Japan. He welcomed G8C to Malta and expressed his excitement that the country is quickly becoming the Blockchain Island.hCentive is looking forward to exhibiting as a Silver Sponsor at Booth #123. hCentives Business Development Team, including Jennifer Hamaker, Vice President of Market Development, and Linda Moore, Director of Business Development, will be in attendance.

Exhibit Hall Hours:

Sunday, September 16th: 6:30 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Monday, September 17th: 9:30 a.m.  5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September 18th: 9:30 a.m.  7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 19th: 7:30 a.m.  10:30 a.m.

To schedule an appointment to meet with hCentive in Seattle, please email: sales@hcentive.com

A complete schedule breakdown of ISM 2018 is available at:

https://www.ismconference.com/agenda

About hCentive, Inc.

hCentive, Inc. is a healthcare technology and services firm, serving clients nationwide since 2009. Specializing in eligibility, enrollment, and exchange solutions, hCentive provides a range of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), software-as-a-service (SaaS) cloud-based technology solutions. We also provide associated operations and support services to meet the needs of our government clients and partners. The technology and support services we provide range from the implementation of our existing products, to the design, development, and implementation of new functionality, to the maintenance and operation of existing solutions. At hCentive, we have the solutions and services you need backed by experienced teams dedicated to modernization and successful technology delivery. For more information, please visit http://www.hcentive.com.

About the ISM Conference

The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) celebrates the 51st Anniversary of the ISM Conference in 2018. This annual conference has become the largest and most comprehensive H/HS technology conference in the United States. The ISM Conference is dedicated to bringing together state and local IT leaders, federal partners, private sector industry experts and thought leaders to promote solutions that support the mission and vision of H/HS programs. The conference promotes best practices in information technology by sharing innovative solutions, connecting IT professionals and collaborating with private sector partners.America's Healthiest Schools represent 26 states and the District of Columbia. "We applaud these 461 award-winning schools for finding creative ways to keep all kids active, eating healthy and engaged in learning while setting them on a path to lifelong health. -- Brian Weaver, Chief Program Officer, Alliance for a Healthier Generation

A record 461 schools, from 26 states and the District of Columbia, were recognized today as Americas Healthiest Schools by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a national organization that empowers kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits.

Americas Healthiest Schools earned the distinction by successfully meeting a rigorous set of criteria for serving healthier meals and snacks, getting students moving more, offering high-quality health and physical education, and empowering school leaders to be healthy role models. The schools, 81 percent of which serve high-need populations, also receive Healthier Generations National Healthy Schools Award at the Bronze, Silver or Gold level, based on the standards they achieve.

All of the award-winning, Americas Healthiest Schools:



Meet or exceed federal nutrition standards for school meals and snacks

Offer breakfast daily

Implement district wellness policies and update progress annually

Provide students with at least 60 minutes of physical education per week and ensure physical activity throughout the school day

The most important investments we can make are those that support kids health and education, said Brian Weaver, Chief Program Officer at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. We applaud these 461 award-winning schools for finding creative ways to keep all kids active, eating healthy and engaged in learning while setting them on a path to lifelong health.

Americas Healthiest Schools are all participants in Healthier Generations landmark Healthy Schools Programone of the nations largest school-based childhood obesity prevention initiativeswhich has worked with more than 42,000 schools serving over 25 million students since 2006.

Americas Healthiest Schools all recognize that when we prioritize childrens health, we increase their chances of excelling in school and beyond, said Monica Hobbs Vinluan, Senior Program Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which has supported the Healthy Schools Program since its inception. Every childparticularly those from low-income families or struggling communitiesdeserves to attend a school that is committed to both their overall health and academic success. That commitment will help all kids reach their full potential.

Healthier Generations work with award-winning schools is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The JPB Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Target Enterprise, Inc., Saint Luke's Foundation of Cleveland, Ohio, Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation and the Missouri Foundation for Health.

The Americas Healthiest Schools campaign, an annual celebration of the award-winning schools, is sponsored in part by Novo Nordisk.

To view the complete list of Americas Healthiest Schools visit HealthiestSchools.org.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation believes every child deserves a healthy future. For more than a decade, Healthier Generation has been empowering kids to develop lifelong healthy habits by ensuring the environments that surround them provide and promote good health. Driven by our passion that all young people deserve a chance to live healthier lives, our work has helped more than 28 million kids across the country. Make a difference at HealthierGeneration.org and join us on Facebook and Twitter.We are in a hot real estate market and an auction helps move good property to sale in an expedited manner.

Following their successful online only auction of the former corporate headquarters of Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) building, real estate agents Rich Kruse and Zane Fry have partnered together again to sell the 25,895 square-foot corporate office building.

We are in a hot real estate market and an auction helps move good property to sale in an expedited manner, stated property co-owner Jake Worley.

Their newest project is located at 635 Brooksedge Blvd., Westerville, OH 43081. The site boasts rolling ground, well maintained site lines providing a unique environment for employer and employees, and multiple balconies providing an uncommon amenity and a unique breakout space. With 147 parking spaces, the property boasts 5.7 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet and site on 3.336 +/- acres in Westerville Planned Industrial District. the properties many attributes will benefit investors or owner users looking to reposition an asset in the quickly expanding Columbus market.

The auction will be conducted entirely online at http://www.635brooksedge.com. Bidding is currently open and will end at 1:30 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2018. Broker participation is encouraged.

Individuals with questions, including those seeking to inspect the facility, may contact Rich Kruse at rfk@gryphonusa.com (614-885-0020) or Zane Fry at zane.fry@cushman.com (614-827-1723) for a copy of the Offering Memo or to set up interior viewing.

You can also have immediate access to the online deal room by using the link https://635brooksedge.onehub.com/new-project

About Mr. Kruse

Richard F. Kruse is Managing Partner of Gryphon USA, Ltd. The company oversees a receivership & asset management group, a commercial auction business and, in conjunction with Borror Properties, a full service real estate advisory practice. Mr. Kruse has been in the real estate auction business for 21 years and is the former Chairman of the Ohio Auctioneers Commission.

About Mr. Fry

Zane Fry has been with Cushman & Wakefield for over 12 years. This experience combined with his degree in Real Estate & Urban Development from The Ohio State University have provided him a diverse depth of knowledge and experience that serve him and his clients well as a Director in Capital Markets. With over $200 million in completed transactions to date, Zane has gained a reputation for placing the needs of his clients first.Inca Transcoders Certified for Nielsen ID3 Tag Generation How consumers view and consume content is constantly changing, says Robert Bell, CEO of Inca Networks. At Inca, we believe that its important to adopt powerful initiatives such as Nielsens watermarking technology to help understand audience behaviour.

Inca Networks, the leader of Intelligent Video Delivery, announced today that its family of carrier-grade hardware transcoders, the 4400 Modular Series and the 3840 Adaptive Bitrate Transcoder, have successfully completed certification for Nielsen audio watermarking and ID3 tag creation.

Nielsen, a global measurement and data analytics company, compiles audience insights and measurements for all devices, including TV, audio, computers, tablets, smartphones, where content is consumed. Nielsen uses an innovative method of audio watermarking in television broadcasts to track audience sizes for particular programs and advertisements. These measurements are expertly combined to produce powerful insights into how viewing habits and retail spending are connected.

As more and more people are streaming over-the-top (OTT) and adaptive bitrate content on devices other than television sets, its a continuous challenge to measure engagement across a variety of platforms. Nielsen is the world leader in providing audience intelligence for video and can accurately capture changes in viewing habits across multiscreen devices. This is why Inca Networks prioritized integration of Nielsen watermarking within their linear and adaptive bitrate (ABR) video delivery platforms.

The Inca 4400 Modular Series and the 3840 Adaptive Bitrate Transcoder are now able to extract the Nielsen watermark from Dolby AC-3 source audio streams and output ID3 data tags prepared for online streaming. This is done through Incas award-winning user interface VidiOS, a sophisticated management and monitoring tool optimized for rapid deployment. With this new feature and approved certification, Inca Networks adds Nielsen to its expanding list of technology partners.

How consumers view and consume content is constantly changing, says Robert Bell, CEO of Inca Networks. At Inca, we believe that its important to adopt powerful initiatives such as Nielsens watermarking technology to help understand audience behaviour.

For more information about Incas carrier-grade linear and ABR transcoders or to arrange an online demonstration, please visit http://www.incanetworks.com.

About Inca Networks

Inca Networks, a WISI company, provides carrier-grade video delivery solutions with a world-class user experience. At the core of every Inca product is VidiOS, an advanced software processing and monitoring engine that provides deep visibility and control of all video flows, combined with powerful, modular hardware. In July 2015, WISI Communications (WISI) acquired Inca Networks, Inc. Founded in 1926, WISI is one of the worlds pioneers in broadband reception and distribution technology. Video providers around the globe use Inca to deliver content to any screen on any network, all with a superior customer viewing experience and a second-to-none view of the network. In March 2018, Robert Bell became CEO of Inca Networks. For more information, visit http://www.incanetworks.com.

For more information please contact Rosalinda Thorleifson, Tel. +1-604-998-4665 ext. 2028 or rosalinda.thorleifson@incanetworks.com.Karla Jo Helms, CEO for JoTo PR, discusses how integrating AI technology will increase senior care and save billions for the healthcare industry. If the pace of AIs growth progresses, the inclusion of big data, sensor technology, robotics and other AI processes alike will significantly decrease the rate of fall-related deaths for seniorssaving the healthcare industry billions on hospitalization costs.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the death toll for seniors fall-related injuries among seniors rose 31% from 2007 to 2016.1 Additionally, there is a 97% staff turnover rate for certified nurse aides and a 90% turnover rate for registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses2while demand for home care workers is expected to increase by 50% from 2014 to 2026.3 JoTo PR signed Zanthion, an artificial intelligence (AI) healthcare company, advocating for seniors safety by spreading awareness and benefits AI technology has on assisted living and long-term care facilities.

The value of AI within the healthcare industry is expected to exceed $5.5 billion by 2022.4 AI technology enhances vision and speech recognition for seniors, but there are other opportunities for advancement that will save the U.S healthcare industry $150 billion annually by 2026: robot-assisted surgery (estimated value of $40 billion), virtual nursing assistants (estimated value of $20 billion) and administrative workflow assistance (estimated value of $18 billion).5 Zanthions technology includes stylish wearable sensors integrated with AI technology that predict frailty, protection from falls, ongoing measurement of health, crowdsourced notification and assessment of events and responder performance.

Healthcare professionals and caregivers are aware of future developments AI technology will have on patients, Founder and CEO of JoTo PR, Karla Jo Helms said. She believes upgrades in health education and awareness will shift the landscape of the healthcare industry and patient care over the next 10 years. If the pace of AIs growth progresses, the inclusion of big data, sensor technology, robotics and other AI processes alike will significantly decrease the rate of fall-related deaths for seniorssaving the healthcare industry billions on hospitalization costs.

Zanthion is an AI Digital Healthcare Company specializing in the integration of an extensible architecture of sensors and protective clothing and environmental equipment for both Assisted Living Communities and the home; a cross between Uber, smart homes, fall detection, and senior care. Zanthion exists to create new and disruptive solutions for seniors and their families to track and detect possible issues and injuries for todays senior citizensusing technology to provide a better quality of life for everyone involved.

Helms points to predictions made by Philip Regenie, CEO of Zanthion, as he states that AI processes put into place can reduce negative drug interactions by 80% as well as urinary tract infections and sepsis by 50%.6 Safety measures taken by Zanthion are improving the everyday lives of patients and their families searching for immediate on-site care.

JoTo PR has a history of innovative PR services that demonstrates their ability in gaining consistent news traction within the media for national and international organizationshelping provide front-line information to the media about industry disruptions and technological solutions aimed at making markets better for consumers. The firm is a trailblazer in the PR industry, blending traditional PR expertise with disruptive digital media to harness the advantages of the current media landscape. JoTo PR specializes in the healthcare, finance and technology sectors, but has worked for a variety of industries and non-profits, using a proprietary process to consistently identify, communicate and distribute to the press the newest news thats most valuable to its readers, viewers and listenership.

About JoTo PR:

After doing marketing research on a cross-section majority of 5,000 CEOs of fast-growth trajectory companies and finding out exactly how they used PR, how they measure it and how they wanted the PR industry to be different, PR veteran and innovator Karla Jo Helms created JoTo PR and established its entire business model on those research findings. Astute in recognizing industry changes since its launch in 2009, JoTo PRs team utilizes newly established patterns to create timely PR campaigns comprising both traditional and the latest proven media methods. This unique skill enables JoTo PR to continue to increase the market share and improve return on investment (ROI) for its clients, year after yearbeating usual industry standards. Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, JoTo PR is an established international public relations agency. Today, all of JoTo PRs processes are streamlined PR services that have become the hallmark of the JoTo PR name. For more information, visit JoTo PR online at http://www.jotopr.com.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 May 2018.

2. Garcia, Laura. Report Shows Statewide Nursing Home Workforce Crisis. The Victoria Advocate, 20 July 2018.

3. Farrell, Chris. The Shortage of Home Care Workers: Worse Than You Think

4. Hall, Susan; How Artificial Intelligence Impacts Senior Care, Health Tech Magazine; December 27, 2017.

5. Zaidi, Deena; The 3 Most Valuable Applications of AI in Health Care. Venture Beat; April 22, 2018.

6. Regenie, Philip; Digital Healthcare for Seniors Shouldnt Have Junior Status. Internet Health Management, 30 July 2018.The Grand Theatre, sponsored by Salt Lake Community College, is proud to present Richard OBriens The Rocky Horror Show, running October 4  27, 2018.

As a humorous tribute to classic science fiction and B-horror films, The Rocky Horror Show centers around squeaky clean couple, Brad and Janet. The pair innocently sets out to see an old professor, but car trouble forces them to seek help at the castle of the alien-transvestite scientist, Dr. Frank N. Furter. As they get mixed up in the nights misadventures, they begin to question everything they know. Filled with over-the-top characters, outrageous plot twists and an unforgettable rock score, this show is unlike any other.

The Grand will have prop bags available for purchase and asks that patrons refrain from bringing their own props.

In addition, on the shows opening night The Grand will have an American Sign Language interpreter to sign the performance. Those in need of an interpreter can reserve seats by contacting Breezy Bassett at 801-957-3033 or Breanna.Bassett(at)slcc.edu.

The Rocky Horror Show is under the direction of Anne Stewart Mark, with musical direction by Dave Evanoff. Performances will take place Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $17 - $23 and can be purchased at 801-957-3322 or http://www.GrandTheatreCompany.com. As always, high school students receive one free ticket with their school ID.

The Rocky Horror Show is rated R for adult themes and strong language.

The Grand Theatre is a 1,100-seat venue located at Salt Lake Community Colleges historic South City Campus, home of the innovative and state-of-the-industry Center for Arts and Media at 1575 South State Street in Salt Lake City. The theatre dates back to the 1930s and has since with great care and expense retained its Depression-era charm and attraction while also incorporating the latest technology in lighting and sound. For the past four years it has been an official screening venue for the annual Sundance Film Festival. Every season the Grand is host to award-winning theatre and dance productions and concerts that attract arts enthusiasts from all along the Wasatch Front.I am so excited by the endless opportunities to improve the quality and affordability of care to women while bringing great prosperity to our hardworking doctors and staff. - Dr. Jack Feltz, President and CEO of Lifeline Medical Associates.

Lifeline Medical Associates (Lifeline) announced its alignment with Unified Physician Management (Unified), effective August 23, 2018. As a leader in womens healthcare in New Jersey, Lifeline will continue to provide its best-in-class patient experience while expanding its services and locations.

The partnership between Lifeline and Unified is founded upon their aligned missions and their shared vision to improve the quality of care for women.

I am so excited by the endless opportunities to improve the quality and affordability of care to women while bringing great prosperity to our hardworking doctors and staff, said Dr. Jack Feltz, President and CEO of Lifeline Medical Associates. Our partnership with Unified will provide the necessary capital, support and expertise to fulfill our shared mission. Working with and learning from the many high-quality physician groups across the country who have also partnered with Unified is the icing on the cake.

With Unifieds support and resources as the nations largest Ob-Gyn physician practice management organization, Lifeline can continue its model of value-based, physician-led care.

Unified is rapidly expanding its lead in the healthcare industry as the nations largest Ob-Gyn physician practice management organization as well as being a thought leader in womens health, said Bob LaGalia, President and CEO of Unified. Managing toward value-based compensation models requires deep knowledge and infrastructure that few if any practices possess today. Independent physician groups look to Unified to accelerate their participation in the future value-based medical environment and provide their practices with the support they need so that they can concentrate on clinical care delivery and providing value to patients and payors alike.

Unified bolsters local autonomy and decision making for the Lifeline group practice, while also providing wholehearted support for the practice administration.

With Unifieds support, our Lifeline employees have the added security and strength to proactively manage each practice efficiently and effectively, said Karen Ryer, Chief Operating Officer of Lifeline. Operating a medical practice today is highly complex, but with Lifeline and Unified working together, we will not only sustain but grow."

Lifeline and Unified have already started the implementation process to leverage the newly formed relationships purpose and long-term strategy. Lifeline looks forward to staying ahead of the womens healthcare curve, and remaining focused on its highest priority, which is delivering the best patient care.

About Lifeline Medical Associates

Lifeline Medical Associates is a widely respected group of Ob-Gyn practices with more than 150 providers in 44 practice locations across 13 counties in New Jersey. The healthcare professionals across Lifeline are highly regarded in their fields, focusing on the unique needs of women, offering many additional specialty services in support of women throughout their lives. Founded in 1997, Lifeline grew from 32 providers to the vibrant, successful company it is today. Continually on the cutting edge of womens healthcare, Lifeline trains it teams in the latest innovations and advancements in healthcare supported by evidence-based medicine. For more information about Lifeline Medical Associates, please visit: https://lma-llc.com .

About Unified Physician Management

Unified is an Ob-Gyn physician practice organization providing more than 1,500 independent Ob-Gyn providers with strategic, operational and financial support for substantially greater growth and opportunity. Unified is backed by funds managed by the Private Equity Group at Ares Management, L.P., a publicly traded, leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $121 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2018. Unified operates in eight states and the District of Columbia, including Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and now New Jersey. For more information about Unified, visit: http://www.unifiedhc.com .

Media Inquiries

Chris Cooney

The WilMark Group

407-921-6932

chris@wilmarkgroup.com

Dr. Jack Feltz

President

Lifeline Medical Associates

973-316-6760Hurricane Florences impact on the East Coast is an important reminder for auto dealers that now is the time to reevaluate their disaster recovery plans. Nationally recognized public accounting firm MBAF wants to provide dealers with the information they need to protect themselves for their immediate safety, and their eventual recovery.

Hurricanes are large-scale, destructive events that can inflict damage over a large area with little warning. While most of us know what to do to keep ourselves, our employees, and the physical structures of our places of business as safe as possible, in preparation for an impending storm of the magnitude of Florence, many do not realize, that just as much preparation needs to be put in place to ensure business continuity after the storm.

Safety First

Before we discuss recovery, indeed, the first priority is the safety of your personnel and clients/customers. Every dealership location should have an evacuation plan for all staff and customers. This means more than knowing where the emergency exits are located. You need to designate someone to be in charge of communicating with employees and customers, and implementing your evacuation plan in a calm and orderly fashion.

It is a good idea to assign a Team Captain to take charge and coordinate your plan in the event of an emergency. Check into the backgrounds of your employees for anyone that has had military, or other kinds of training, which would make him or her ideal for this role.

Have your captain or emergency coordinator check all public safety gear and equipment, including firefighting equipment and first aid materials. Repair and replace faulty items as necessary. In addition to fire safety equipment and first aid kits, you may want to budget for Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs), and other shelter-in-place supplies that may be needed. Make sure all employees know how to access and use these supplies.

All dealerships should also have an employee communications plan. This plan starts with each employee having a list of all employee addresses, home phone and cell phone numbers. A call system should be established, with department heads and other captains calling designated employees to find out if their homes suffered damage and if they need any assistance. In addition to having a plan in place for employee communications, you need to know who to contact in an emergency, and how they can help. Be sure you have contact information for:



Local and state police

Fire department and emergency medical services

Local government officials, emergency management office

Local public health agency

Local American Red Cross chapter

National Weather Service

Utility companies

Neighboring businesses

Continuity and Recovery

While preparing to protect life and limb and your property is your first priority, the importance of preparing for what to do after the disaster, cannot be understated. According to a recent study conducted by Business Insider, over a five year period from 2000 to 2015, natural disasters cost the global economy 2.5 Trillion dollars. According to The Institute for Business and Home Safety at least 25 percent of businesses will close after a natural disaster and never reopen.

Preparing for Continuity

Check your insurance policies before their annual renewal dates to make sure that coverage has kept pace with exposure. That review should be extensive for property and casualty policies and for business interruption insurance. You also need to be aware of penalties for co-insurance, and make sure you are insured for the proper amounts. For example, if you have an 80/20 coinsurance clause in your policy, and the actual cost to replace your building is $1,000,000, and you have insured the property for only $750,000, since its insured value is less than 80% of its replacement value, when you suffer its loss, the insurance payout may be subject to a reduction adjustment to the payout amount, due to underinsuring your property.

Business interruption insurance is critical. This type of insurance, often called business income insurance, provides money to a policyholder for a pre-designated period to replace lost revenue and cover payroll when your dealership may have to be shut down due to disaster.

Business interruption policies and many property and casualty policies do not cover flood damage. The National Flood Insurance Program includes the option of buying business interruption coverage for flood damage. Businesses in the Carolinas that have already been saturated with rain over the past few weeks, need to be particularly concerned about flood damage.

Many business interruption policies do not pay claims when a business is shut due to off-site events, such as electrical damage when a hurricane knocks down power lines.

In some states, many insurance companies do not include coverage for hurricane damage, also known as windstorm, and for earthquake damage as part of standard property insurance policies. Businesses and homeowners are usually able to obtain separate policies to cover windstorm and earthquakes. Insurance agents can provide details.

Continuity preparation should also include daily electronic backups of important documents, files and databases. Auto dealership owners should make copies of those records and store them in an off-site, physically secure facility. Articles of incorporation, accounts receivable, client records and important personnel and administrative documents should be among the priorities for back-up.

Other key business continuity preparation issues include:

Credit: Because insurance payments can be delayed, it is important to maintain a sufficient line of credit for business continuation.

Payroll: Do you have a strategy in place to be sure to cover payroll immediately post disaster, and during recovery?

Tax Issues: Depending on the magnitude of the disaster, federal aid may be available in the form of tax breaks at the end of the year. Thus, it is critical to stay up-to-date on tax policy changes.

Preparing for Recovery

After a hurricane or other disaster, recovery for your operation involves rebuilding not only your physical structures but also your financial structure.

Remember, in the wake of a disaster, the main goal should be to restore customer confidence by getting the doors back open as soon as possible, which means even a partial reopening may be better than remaining closed.

Cash flow and traditional forms of credit may be interrupted in the aftermath of a hurricane or other major disaster. Your business may qualify for federal grants or low-cost disaster recovery loans.

Taxes and Other Financial Concerns

In the aftermath of a hurricane or other significant natural disaster, it is also important to consider the financial reporting implications of such extreme events, as the effects can be substantial. Once safety is assured, you need to begin considering what steps to take to appropriately capture the effect the hurricane has had on your operation, and also to be ready for period-end reporting. We have broken down post disaster recording considerations into five steps, as a way to consider addressing GAAP and GAAS issues.

1. Develop an expectation of what could have happened.

2. Inquire of appropriate personnel.

3. Consider the effects the disaster will have on various assertions/assumptions and consider additional procedures on areas such as:

o Valuation of receivables

o Inventory lower of cost or net realizable value considerations

o Impairment of Property, Plant, and Equipment

o Incentives/warranty

o Insurance proceeds and gains/losses

4. Consider the appropriateness of disclosures in the financial statements.

5. Be ready for possible additional audit procedures to be performed by your financial statement auditors.

You can find out more about how to implement these five steps, by accessing our report: GAAP and Post-Disaster Audit and Accounting Procedures.

Last year in the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey, Florence and Maria, the Federal Government implemented several tax relief provisions designed to help people who had suffered losses from damage associated with hurricanes. This will likely occur again for victims of Florence.

If You Need to File an Insurance Claim

If you do need to file an insurance claim after the storm, here are four tips:

1. Locate all applicable insurance policies.

2. Document all damaged property and inventory.

3. Contact your insurance company or insurance agent as soon as possible to report damages, and be sure to obtain and record a claim number.

4. Cover damaged areas that may be exposed to the elements in order to prevent further damage. You need to understand, that post-disaster, it is your responsibility to mitigate your loses, and minimize additional damages and expenses.

5. Be sure to check your policies for extra expenses, or loss of use clauses. You may be entitled to be reimbursed for any additional expenses you have incurred due to damage to your property.

How MBAF Can Help

In the aftermath of a hurricane or other disaster, you may be facing more than merely physical damage as your business tries to recover. With our years of expertise in providing post-disaster advice, we can help you through the above steps and considerations relative to your specific dealerships, and damage/loss you may have incurred.

In addition, we also provide the following specific post-disaster services:

Consulting on the application of GAAP

Assistance with preparing for financial statement audits

Business valuations

Business interruption cases

Help prepare insurance claims

Disaster tax planning

Loss of profit claims

At MBAF, it is our sincere wish that all of our auto dealership clients, their customers, associates and families, remain safe for the remainder of Hurricane Season, and we remind you, that we are here to help with disaster preparations and recovery in any and all ways that we can.

About MBAF

MBAF is ranked nationally as a Top 40 accounting and advisory firm by Accounting Today and has been named one of the Best of the Best firms in the country by INSIDE Public Accounting for the past 17 years consecutively, being chosen for demonstrating long-term consistency and exceptional performance, regardless of outside factors. Named a 2018 and 2017 South Florida Business Journal Best Places to Work finalist and a 2017 Accounting Today Best Accounting Firm to Work For, MBAF is committed to creating an engaging and supportive workplace for its more than 600 highly qualified principals and employees. The MBAF team serves domestic and international clients across a broad range of industries and practices in more than 55 countries and all 50 states. Its offices are located in New York, Valhalla (Westchester, NY), Miami, Coral Gables, Naples, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Boca Raton, Boulder, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Orlando, and India.

###

Media Contact:

rbb Communications / 305-967-6678

Julie Jimenez/Julie.Jimenez@rbbcommunications.com"MediScripts has helped hundreds of brands achieve their promotional goals of raising product and message awareness and delivering a wonderful return on investment, all while positively impacting the patient/physician relationship," stated Joshua Lapsker.

PM360, a publication for marketing decision makers in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries, held its 2018 Trailblazer Awards Gala in New York City. Joshua Lapsker, Chairman of MediSolutions, was awarded the first-ever Vanguard Award.

New this year, the award recognized an industry pioneer who developed a new service, strategy, product, or technology that greatly impacted the industry Joshua Lapsker, who invented the concept of advertising inside the prescription pad 35 years ago, was selected due to his sustained originality and his positive effect on the healthcare marketing business.

The PM360 Trailblazer Awards have accredited outstanding achievement and innovation in healthcare marketing for almost a decade. The award finalists are selected by the PM360 Editorial Advisory Board, which is comprised of some of the most forward-thinking leaders in their respective fields.

"To be honored with such a prestigious distinction from other leaders in the field is an incredible acknowledgement. MediScripts has helped hundreds of brands achieve their promotional goals of raising product and message awareness and delivering a wonderful return on investment, all while positively impacting the patient/physician relationship," stated Joshua Lapsker.

Nevertheless, his lifetime achievement extends far beyond prescription pads. Since the commencement of their first advertising medium, MediScripts in 1981, MediSolutions now works with a vast physician nationwide network and predicts exponential growth through itsground-breaking virtual reality tool, MediVRx, which will use cutting-edge technology to advance the way physicians and patients interact.

And, due to Lapsker's vision, he has successfully assembled a powerful team of innovators and marketers, including his own son, Erez Lapsker, who recently took on the position as Chief Executive Officer to further the MediSolutions' mission to bring MediVRx to the forefront of patient education, care and adherence.

Erez Lapsker, who presented the Vanguard Award to his father explained, "I am so proud of all that he has accomplished. I have some big shoes to fill. This is an exciting new chapter for MediSolutions where we are building on my father's past success and entering into an expanding marketplace for both the patient and the physician."

Erez Lapsker, will be leading the company into this next phase with the continued focus on improving the patient experience.

As the incoming CEO, Im looking forward to driving continued success for MediSolutions. In the coming weeks, we will be going live with our new MediVRx platform as a tool to maximize the impact of medical communication," explained Erez Lapsker. " In fact, we soon plan to announce the results of asignificant trial showing the impactful benefits for patient use as well."

Receiving full support from his father, Joshua noted that "with Erez's experience and proven track record of leadership in pharma and biotech digital innovation, I have no doubt that my son will lead MediSolutions into the next phase of unrelenting success."

About Erez Lapsker, CEO

Lapsker brings over 15 years of design and innovation experience specific to the healthcare and pharmaceutical space. Lapsker previously served as the President of MediSolutions for over a decade before founding OffWorld Laboratories, a virtual reality multi-tech company committed to transforming the enterprise and individual experience through storytelling and connected technology. He re-joins the MediSolutions team as CEO to bring his experience in building Virtual Reality experiences to deliver on the MediVRx health education platform for physicians and patients. His vision for MediSolutions is to use disruptive technology to create a new paradigm for how pharma, physicians and patients interact. Lapsker was born and raised in New Jersey and is a longtime resident of Bergen County.

About MediSolutions

MediSolutions is a premier supplier of point of care products for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and patients. Since the launch of its founding product, MediScripts in 1981, MediSolutions has evolved into a cutting-edge healthcare service agency offering the MediVRx solution to enhance the patient care experience using virtual reality as a tool to educate and inform on a multitude of treatment options. MediSolutions has been long recognized as a leader in point of care education is excited to deliver MediVRx to empower the healthcare community improving quality and outcomes for all.

For more information about MediSolutions, visit: https://www.medisolutions.healthcare/Monster Tree Service, the nations first and fastest-growing tree service franchise, is expanding to Charlotte, North Carolina. Recently featured by SUCCESS magazine, Thrive Global, and Franchise Times, the Monster Tree Service franchise continues to build on its rapid three-year franchise system growth.

Business entrepreneur Eric Waynick has purchased the rights to three Monster Tree Service territories in Charlotte, North Carolina. Waynick was awarded the territories in early August and aims to officially launch in mid-October. Waynick, a North Carolina native, is no stranger to the world of business ownership. After a successful career in technology, Waynick went on to build a multi-million-dollar business. That company developed software that helped teachers individualize instruction for their students. Now, Waynick is ready for a change and is thrilled to be moving forward with Monster Tree Service.

I am so excited to be on board with Monster Tree Service, says Waynick. Im looking forward to spending more time outside while simultaneously giving back to the Charlotte community. Im proud to offer our wide array of services, including tree and limb removal, plant healthcare, tree maintenance and more.

Josh Skolnick, CEO and Founder of Monster Tree Service, is confident Waynick will be a tremendous asset to the Monster Tree Service franchise.

Eric is an ideal Monster Tree Service franchisee, says Skolnick. He has a proven track record of success and is knowledgeable in the world of business. He has a knack for understanding the needs of his community, and I am confident he will thrive as the newest member of the Monster family. We are excited to have him on our team.

Monster Tree Service is the only franchise tree company capitalizing on the under-served $17 billion tree service industry. Monster Tree Service has achieved consistent year over year, 5 percent growth since 2009, resulting in a $10+ million business. Because its a high-upside opportunity, and a recession-proof business, Monster Tree Service expects to achieve $100 million in sales by 2021.

Monster Tree Service is growing rapidly, and I was immediately attracted to the scalable business model, says Waynick. I have enjoyed connecting with fellow entrepreneurs as I dive into the tree service industry. But above all, Monster Tree Service values safety, quality customer service and a commitment to excellence. Those core values line up with my own, and I cant wait to get started.

For more information about Monster Tree Service, please visit http://www.whymonster.com/.

For more information about Monster Tree Service franchise opportunities, please visit http://www.monsterfranchising.com/.

To learn more about CEO Josh Skolnicks vision for Monster Tree Service, please visit https://www.monsterfranchising.com/vision-story.

About Monster Tree Service

Founded in 2008 in Fort Washington, PA by Founder and CEO Josh Skolnick, Monster Tree Service is the first and only national franchise brand serving the $17 billion tree care industry. Over the past decade, Skolnick has aggressively built Monster Tree Service into a thriving national franchise system working day and night to build the company into a $10+ million business with 26 franchise partners in 17 states operating 58 active territories (with dozens of others in development) throughout the country. Each Monster Tree Service franchised outlet offers full-scale tree pruning and removal services, including: tree pruning and trimming, tree removal, stump grinding, shrub maintenance, emergency services, plant healthcare, and various secondary services.

In stark contrast to various mom and pop style tree service companies, all Monster Tree Service franchise owners are dedicated to Making the world a more beautiful place, one tree at a time by providing homeowners with unparalleled service completed by certified professionals. Monster Tree Service is committed to educating all customers on the natural conditions, diseases and infestations that impact the health of their plants/trees and treating all issues with an environmentally friendly, Do Not Harm approach. Its all part of the Monster Tree Service vision to partner with homeowners across the country to make their trees healthy, strong, and vital.

For more information about Monster Tree Service, please visit http://www.whymonster.com/.

For more information about Monster Tree Service franchise opportunities, please visit http://www.monsterfranchising.com/.With President Trump and leaders from 192 other countries about to convene in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, a new poll finds that young Americans  Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike  favor an America first, but not alone approach to U.S. foreign policy over simply putting America First.

The poll also found that these generations rejected isolationism and America going it alone. They have more favorable views of a president who works to improve Americas relations with other countries around the world rather than one who focuses much more on issues in the U.S., rather than on global or international issues.

Young Americans are informed, fired up, and keen on continued U.S. leadership on the world stage, said Kathy Calvin, President of the UN Foundation. As leaders gather at the UN General Assembly, this is a reminder that young Americans want the U.S. to step forward, not step back in the world.

The poll findings were clear that these generations can put partisan politics aside to come together in support of the United Nations.

When asked whether the UN is supportive of Americas interests around the world, 63% of young Americans, including 59% of Republicans, 53% of Independents and 70% of Democrats, agree that it is. 71% believe the U.S. should continue to belong to the UN.

Millennials and Generation Z have a 55% favorable view of the UN, which is 19 percentage points higher than the U.S. Congress and 16 percentage points higher than NATO. Even among those who voted in the 2016 election, 53% of Trump voters and 60% of Clinton voters have a favorable opinion of the UN.

Knowing that the largest voting bloc in America is firmly committed to continued U.S. leadership at the UN can only bolster Ambassador Haleys work in New York, said Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign. Young Americans are disinclined to support any moves to pull back from tackling problems around the world or disengaging from international organizations like the UN.

Roughly two-thirds (65%) of young Americans confirmed that they follow international affairs closely. The top international issues they want the U.S. to act on are the environment, human rights, and poverty. When asked about the Global Goals, they overwhelmingly agreed the UN and its agencies would do the most to ensure countries around the world achieve the Global Goals For Sustainable Development, like ending poverty and hunger and defending human rights for all.

The poll also found that young people are ready to put in the work to make this world better for all. Majorities (58%) said that it is very important to them to personally help address the problems of people living in other countries. Furthermore, 92 percent of them agreed that they would be willing to act in some capacity on behalf of the most pressing issues facing the world today.

The national online survey among 1,501 adults and registered voters ages 17-35 was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates on behalf of the United Nations Foundation and the Better World Campaign.

All respondents who completed the survey ages 18+ are registered voters. The survey was conducted August 2-10, 2018. The confidence interval for a sample size of N=1,501 is +2.88%.

Click here for the full results.To give our customers more choices in how they keep their data safe, we partnered with NextLabs, a leading provider of digital rights management solutions, which is bringing tremendous value to our customers.

NextLabs, Inc., a Siemens Solution Partner and leading provider of data-centric security software for large enterprises, today announced that Siemens will resell NextLabs Enterprise Digital Rights Management (EDRM) for the Teamcenter portfolio. The solution applies data protection to all file types of Teamcenter product lifecycle management (PLM) software so organizations can share their critical information internally and externally with the proper level of security.

Intellectual property, such as R&D data, CAD/CAM designs, trade secrets, and strategic business plans are a companys most important assets. Given that todays business often requires organizations to share sensitive information with partners and suppliers located all over the globe, proper security controls have to be in place to prevent unauthorized sharing of sensitive data.

NextLabs EDRM for Teamcenter applies digital rights protection that follows content no matter where it goes. Organizations can share their critical information internally, in the cloud, and throughout the extended enterprise - with the appropriate level of security controls.

NextLabs EDRM for Teamcenter is integrated natively with the program to ensure that data extracted or taken out of Teamcenter is continually protected. The product provides built-in integration with the Teamcenter business object model and transactions to make data protection transparent to the end user. It is also integrated with the Teamcenter file management service, applying digital rights policies to files coming in as well those already stored in the Teamcenter repository. As a result, this policy-based approach becomes an integral part of the business process, protecting the data no matter where it goes  whether on-premises or in the cloud.

NextLabs EDRM protects a wide range of file formats, including those of Teamcenter, Microsoft Office applications, 2D/3D CAD, PDF, HTML, image files, archives, source code, rich media, and more. File classification and rights protection can be initiated either manually or automatically based on rules or events. Policies are enforced in real-time to determine whether access should be granted upon request. Ease of use and accessibility via rich clients, mobile apps, or web browsers highlight the solutions ability to scale globally.

We strive to protect data regardless of where the data is stored, used, originated from, or sent to, said Keng Lim, CEO & founder of NextLabs. NextLabs EDRM for Teamcenter is designed to simplify information security and allow users to focus on innovation and what they do best. We have designed our products to be natively integrated with Siemens PLM Softwares Teamcenter portfolio to offer the best user experience. Security should be transparent to the end user.

Customers use Teamcenter software to manage some of their most important product data assets. We know that protecting customer IP is critical for data in store and in motion. To give our customers more choices in how they keep their data safe, we partnered with NextLabs, a leading provider of digital rights management solutions, which is bringing tremendous value to our customers, said Rohit Tangri, Vice President, Product Management, Marketing, and Business Development for Teamcenter at Siemens PLM Software.

Note: Teamcenter is a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries.

About NextLabs

NextLabs provides data-centric security software to protect business-critical data and applications. Our patented dynamic authorization technology and industry-leading attribute-based policy platform help enterprises identify and protect data, monitor and control access to sensitive data, and help prevent regulatory violationswhether on the cloud or on premise. The software automates enforcement of security controls and compliance policies to enable secure information sharing across the extended enterprise. NextLabs has some of the largest global enterprises as customers and has strategic relationships with industry leaders. For more information on NextLabs, please visit http://www.nextlabs.comOTIS provides the MotherToBaby service Its reached the level where its almost on a daily basis that I take care of pregnant and breastfeeding women struggling with opioid dependency.

A series of new opioid-specific fact sheets, blogs and a recent webinar are just some of the pregnancy and breastfeeding-related resources unveiled by MotherToBaby, a service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), in response to the alarming toll opioid addiction is taking on communities from coast to coast. The new resources come as the U.S. recognizes National Recovery Month and the White House proclaims September 16  22, 2018 Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week.

MotherToBaby is recommended by many agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for evidence-based information about exposures, like opioids, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It has 15 affiliates across the country that provide this service to all 50 states as well as the US territories.

The new MotherToBaby resources surrounding opioids can be found at http://www.MotherToBaby.org/opioids and include resources to help healthcare providers, addiction specialists, and women struggling with addiction to prescription and illicit drugs:



Evidence-based fact sheets on a variety of opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, morphine, buprenorphine, heroin, hydromorphone, methadone, codeine and tramadol.

A webinar for health care providers on Opioid Abuse in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding, conducted by OTIS, the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the Teratology Society.

Opioid-specific blogs authored by teratogen information specialists, experts in assessing birth defects risks from exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Ways for women and health care providers to receive free and confidential personalized risk assessments through MotherToBabys toll-free helpline (866) 626-6847, text line (855) 999-3525 (standard messaging rates may apply), live chat and email-an-expert services.

Additional resources for addiction support.

Its reached the level where its almost on a daily basis that I take care of pregnant and breastfeeding women struggling with opioid dependency, said Sarah Obican, MD, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Subspecialist at the University of South Florida and director of the new MotherToBaby Florida affiliate set to open in November. Florida is just one of the states where health officials and providers are seeing the opioid epidemic unfold first-hand. Rates of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) among Floridas infants have increased over the past four years, according to the Florida Birth Defects Registry which tracks the number of infants diagnosed with NAS.

While theres no evidence at this time of an increased risk for birth defects, babies with NAS born to opioid-addicted mothers may be at an increased risk for adverse neurobehavioral effects, explained Dr. Obican. They are simply not getting the best possible start to life that they deserve, but we can change that by supporting mom and getting her the resources she needs.

More about MotherToBaby, a service of OTIS.

OTIS is a professional scientific society made up of individuals engaged in assessing and evaluating risks to pregnancy and breastfeeding from environmental exposures. Members include, but are not limited to, specialists in the fields of: obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, genetics, dysmorphology, perinatal epidemiology, teratology, behavioral teratology, pharmacy, genetic counseling, nursing, midwifery, maternal and child health, public health, and includes experts that provide MotherToBaby services and researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies. MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many federal agencies including the CDC and the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Office of Womens Health. MotherToBaby has been able to embark on new outreach efforts to reach underserved populations and launch new communication technologies, such as the MotherToBaby app (available for free download on iOS and Android markets), through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, as well as through the generous donations made by the public. To learn more about MotherToBaby, the ways to contact its network of experts, or how to support its services, please visit http://www.MotherToBaby.org.

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez(atMotherToBaby.org. Interviews in Spanish are also available.PRECO Electronics By providing trucks, buses, construction equipment, and mining machines with side and rear radar systems, PRECO strives to mitigate risk, while eliminating accident-related injuries and fatalities through active blind spot monitoring.

Across the globe, an average of 1.3 million people lose their lives each year in incidents involving a vehicle. Today alone, a vehicle will be the main cause of an estimated 3,287 fatalities, including vulnerable road users (VRU). The European Union (EU) has recognized this as a public health crisis and is in the process of mandating blind spot safety legislation for all heavy-duty vehicles in the EU.

In anticipation of the EUs new legislation, the need for side blind zone detection coverage has become a priority. Since introducing the first radar-based side collision mitigation solution in 2003, PRECO Electronics has maintained the leadership position in side object detection as well as rear blind zone coverage which continues to be recognized as a significant health and safety issue.

PRECO will proudly debut an enhanced PreView Side Defender solution at the 67th IAA Commercial Vehicles fair, optimized specifically for aftermarket users. Side Defenders advanced technology has been very successful with OEMs and the updated solution will provide a powerful and affordable option with ease of installation for retrofits.

The intelligent technology in the PreView Side Defender is able to detect moving cyclists and cars in the side blind zones while filtering out stationary objects. Equipped with a 150-degree viewing angle and a new display, the system is an expandable and flexible safety option. The enhanced system is a self-contained solution, engineered for OEM integration and now easily retrofitted in the aftermarket to meet the safety needs of fleets.

In 2016, PreView Side Defender, the industrys most advanced side object detection solution, and PreView Sentry, the most flexible, accurate, and powerful active blind spot monitoring solution were launched, further solidifying PRECO as the global leader of blind spot solutions. Both radar systems are shipped globally and are designed, engineered and manufactured by PRECO to protect heavy-duty equipment fleets, their operators, and those around them.

With its extensive worldwide dealer network, PRECO is equipped to understand and focus on the blind spot challenges specific to locations across the globe. With this network, PRECOs goal is to design safety systems engineered to successfully serve as the premier safety solution in all worldwide heavy-duty environments.

As the global leader in collision mitigation technologies, PRECO Electronics recognizes the severity of the issue and stands at the forefront of the movement to eliminate heavy-duty vehicle collisions. Safety has remained at the heart of PRECO, and lowering worldwide collision figures has been the companys lifelong pursuit, since patenting the first electronic back up alarm in 1967.

With over 70 years of innovation and earned experience, PRECOs customers continue to see up to an 85 percent reduction in blind zone incidents after installing PreView Radar systems. Keeping pace with the evolving needs of the industry, PRECOs engineering team proudly continues their innovative advances in new safety technologies. With a focus on finding solutions to the safety issues faced by heavy-duty industries, developing new technologies to help keep fleets, drivers, and the public safe by increasing blind spot and object awareness is a priority.

PRECO aims to assist in the difficult task of operating heavy-duty equipment. By providing trucks, buses, construction equipment, and mining machines with side and rear radar systems, PRECO strives to mitigate risk, while eliminating accident-related injuries and fatalities through active blind spot monitoring.

PRECO will be exhibiting Sept. 19  27, at the 67th IAA Commercial Vehicles Conference (Hall 11, Stand G13), in Hannover, Germany. For more information on PRECOs heavy-duty vehicle collision mitigation technology, please stop by the stand to talk to the team, or visit http://www.preco.com.Piloting this e-learning program with the Business Learning Institute is revolutionary in providing CPE opportunities and 24/7 access for (PrimeGlobal).

PrimeGlobal, one of the five largest associations of independent accounting firms in the world, is offering a customized on-demand library of the Business Learning Institutes future-ready e-learning programs to its membership, the organizations announced today.

Partnering with BLI has brought to PrimeGlobal membership our first on-demand learning library," said Michelle Arnold, PrimeGlobal North America's chief regional officer. "Member firms are eager to utilize the opportunities at many different levels in the firms and in a wide range of disciplines. Piloting this e-learning program with the Business Learning Institute is revolutionary in providing CPE opportunities and 24/7 access for our association."

Also known as BLI, the Business Learning Institutes programs are mapped to seven future-ready competencies  skill sets that accounting and finance professionals will need to master in order to succeed going forward. Those competencies are:



Anticipating and serving evolving needs

Communication

Critical thinking and problem-solving

Integration and collaboration

Leadership

Technological acumen and data analytics

Technical functional and domain expertise

In addition, an eighth category of skills will be offered featuring the 10 most popular BLI on-demand courses currently available.

The partnership between PrimeGlobal and BLI is designed to give accounting and finance professionals the skills they will need to best serve their clients in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world.

We are excited to partner with PrimeGlobal on an innovative learning portfolio of success skills based on our research into the critical competencies that CPAs, finance and accounting professionals will need to be more future-ready and to thrive in this Fourth Industrial Revolution, said Tom Hood, CPA, CITP, CGMA, CEO of the Business Learning Institute.

ABOUT PRIMEGLOBAL

PrimeGlobal is one of the five largest associations of independent accounting firms in the world, comprised of approximately 300 highly successful independent public accounting firms in more than 80 countries. PrimeGlobals independent member firms house a combined total of more than 2,000 partners, 22,000 employees and a combined revenue of over $2.5 billion. PrimeGlobals main purpose is to provide its member firms and their clients with a powerful pipeline to build relationships with one another and share ideas and business opportunities. For more information, visit http://PrimeGlobal.net.

ABOUT THE BUSINESS LEARNING INSTITUTE

The Business Learning Institute is the leading talent-development organization for CPAs, finance, and accounting professionals in the United States. It provides customized, competency-based curriculums and a portfolio of success skills and technical programs designed for the finance and accounting profession. Founded in 1999 by the Maryland Association of CPAs, the BLI is an innovation and learning center that facilitates the development and sharing of competencies and strategic knowledge required for leadership in todays rapidly changing business environment. For more information, visit http://www.BLIonline.org.FLtecnics The global stand-up pouch market is showing highly favorable tailwinds for continued strong growth over the next five years, which makes FLtecnics a natural fit with ProMach. --Mark Anderson, ProMach President & CEO

ProMach, a worldwide leader in packaging machinery solutions, continues to expand its global footprint and flexible packaging product line with the acquisition of FLtecnics of Girona, Spain. ProMachs relationship with the European horizontal form-fill-seal pouch provider began in 2014 when it began to sell and support FLtecnics products in the North American market.

Five years ago, we saw a growing need in the North American marketplace for a single source provider of a full range of flexible packaging solutions, said Mark Anderson, ProMach President and CEO. We have invested in this space through product development, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships with companies like FLtecnics. They are a technology leader in the horizontal form-fill-seal pouch space and we are excited to invest in their continued product development to bring new innovations and new technology into the global marketplace.

ProMachs Flexibles business line provides a wide variety of flexible packaging machinery solutions, including bags, pouches, sachets, stickpacks, and more from numerous product brands for a wide range of industries. In recent years ProMach has increased its focus on markets outside North America, particularly the Latin American and European marketplace, resulting in double-digit annual growth of international sales. The addition of FLtecnics helps ProMach strengthen its global position in the fast-growing stand-up pouch market.

Over the last five years the flexible packaging market has continued expanding not just in North America, but all over the world, says Mr. Anderson. The global stand-up pouch market, in particular, is showing highly favorable tailwinds for continued strong growth over the next five years, which makes taking the next step to bring FLtecnics fully into the ProMach family of product brands a natural fit.

FLtecnics manufactures innovative servo-controlled carrousel and walking-beam horizontal form-fill-seal machines capable of packaging 400 pouches per minute for the food, liquid, cosmetics, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Formats include flat pouches, stand up pouches, spouted pouches, zipper pouches, Velcro pouches, three side seal pouches, and more.

FLtecnics leadership, sales, engineering, and customer service staff are joining the ProMach Flexibles team. Current FLtecnics CEO Mateo Lara and COO Pablo Pizarro will continue leading the product brand as Vice President & General Manager and Vice President of Operations, respectively.

ProMach and FLtecnics have demonstrated tremendous success working together these past four years, says Mr. Lara. This will be a seamless transition for our team and our customers and we look forward to introducing ProMach solutions more deeply into the marketplace.

Were enthusiastic about this opportunity to expand our sales and service further into the global market, adds Mr. Anderson. Our customers receive best-in-class solutions for their unique environments and ProMach can also provide integrated turnkey systems upstream and downstream of the pouch machines for complete packaging lines.

For more information about FLtecnics please visit http://www.FLtecnics.com or call +1 (262) 268-8300 in North America or (+34) 972 85 91 17 from Europe.

About ProMach

ProMach is a family of best-in-class packaging solution brands serving manufacturers of all sizes and geographies in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, and household and industrial goods industries. ProMach brands operate across the entire packaging spectrum: filling and capping, flexibles, pharma, product handling, labeling and coding, and end of line. ProMach also provides Performance Services including integrated solutions, design/build, engineering services, and productivity software to optimize packaging line design and deliver maximum uptime.

ProMach designs, manufactures, integrates, and supports the most sophisticated and advanced packaging solutions in the global marketplace. Its diverse customer base, from Fortune 500 companies to smaller, privately-held businesses worldwide, depends on reliable, flexible, technologically advanced equipment and integrated solutions. ProMach is headquartered near Cincinnati, Ohio, with manufacturing facilities and offices throughout North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. For more information about ProMach, visit http://www.ProMachBuilt.com.Modernizing the electric grid is one of the most important infrastructure projects we need to tackle as a country since it is one of the pillars of our economy and quality of life, said Anand Iyer, QSI. "We are extremely proud to be a part of the thriving innovation culture in this sector."

Quantum Spatial, Inc. (QSI), the nations largest independent geospatial data firm, today announced that QSI won Zprymes start@ETS pilot pitch competition for having the most compelling, innovative solution for energy and utility companies. Hosted by Zpryme, a research agency within the energy industry, start@ETS provides a platform for utilities to tackle industry challenges through innovation by bringing together startups and utilities that are looking to address the most pressing issues facing the energy industry.

Modernizing the electric grid is one of the most important infrastructure projects we need to tackle as a country since it is one of the pillars of our economy and quality of life, said Anand Iyer, senior vice president of Products and Services for QSI. We are extremely proud that InSITE Pole Manager was named as the most compelling solution and we are also proud to be a part of the thriving innovation culture in this sector. Innovation is an active grassroots value at QSI, not just a corporate program. We also congratulate all the finalists for their contributions to this vital sector.

During the pilot pitch competition, QSIs Product Managers Matt Nugent and Camille Westlake , Professional Services Director Eric Merten, and Analyst Katie Weatherhead presented inSITE Pole Manager, a cloud-based product which uses LiDAR data and spherical imagery to perform an automated utility pole inspection for clearance analysis or utility pole loading. Poles that fail to meet specifications are flagged and detailed measurements or analysis can be reviewed. The product includes detailed pole measurements, 3D visualizations, and integration with industry standard engineering software within a robust geospatial application.

inSITE Pole Manager is currently under development and scheduled for release in Q4. For more information about inSITE Pole Manager, contact Matt Nugent, QSI Product Manager via email at mnugent (at) quantumspatial (dot) com.

About Quantum Spatial, Inc.

Quantum Spatial, Inc., (QSI) the nations largest independent geospatial data firm, provides geographic insights to the largest government and corporate organizations that need geospatial intelligence to mitigate risk, plan for growth, better manage resources and advance scientific understanding. A pioneer in advanced mapping technology, QSIs end-to-end solutions and services deliver the industrys highest data quality and accuracy, while leveraging the widest array of technologies for analyzing all types of terrains. Customers use the companys acquisition, processing, analytics and visualization solutions in a range of technical and scientific disciplines  from geology and biology, to hydrology, forestry and civil engineering. Utilities, oil and gas producers, engineering and construction firms, as well as the military and major government agencies, are QSI customers. QSI has multiple offices around the country. For more information visit quantumspatial.com, join us on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter @QuantumSpatial.Registration is now open for the 2018 Chabner Colloquium: Answering the Big Questions in Cancer Research. This live CME event is sponsored by the Society for Translational Oncology (STO) in co-providership with Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and in partnership with The Oncologist, STO's official journal. It will be held November 5, 2018, at The Liberty Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.

Now in its ninth year, this one-day colloquium will highlight updates on the most promising targets for the development of new cancer treatments. Physician-scientists, industry professionals, and others interested in learning about advances in cancer biology leading to new approaches in clinical practice are invited to attend. Over 100 oncologists of all experience levels are in attendance each year. To view the agenda and confirmed faculty, please visit: https://sto-online.org/chabner-colloquia.

The meeting is named for Dr. Bruce A. Chabner, Allen Distinguished Investigator, Clinical Director, Emeritus at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Founding Editor-in-Chief of The Oncologist. Dr. Chabner designs and leads this annual event. Dr. Chabner states, It's a unique opportunity to share insights and perspectives between investigators and industry professionals working on novel therapeutic targets that will bring exciting changes in oncology practice in the years ahead."

The final session of the day will be the Junior Faculty Forum, in which the inaugural Young Investigator Award recipient will be announced. The award will be presented preceding the closing reception offering light hors doeuvres and a Marine Natural Life Sculptures art exhibit by Gar Waterman.

###

Society for Translational Oncology

STO is a 501(c)3 nonprofit professional organization dedicated to the continuing education of oncology professionals and to improvement in the quality and safety of care for cancer patients. The Society is committed to:



Bringing knowledge and strategies for critical new developments in cancer treatment into the practice environment of the community oncologist;

Bridging the translational gap between discovery and delivery of care to the patient; and

Providing educational activities to improve physician competencies and strategies for screening, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with cancer.

About the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

An integral part of one of the worlds most distinguished academic medical centers, the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is among the leading cancer care providers in the United States.

U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks the Mass General Cancer Center as one of the top ten cancer centers in the country. Its nurses were the first in Massachusetts to achieve Magnet status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in recognition of the hospital's exceptional nursing care.

Known for providing customized, innovative treatments and compassionate care to both adults and children, the Cancer Center comprises more than 37 treatment programs within 29 fully integrated, multidisciplinary disease centers and a vast array of support and educational services. Its network of affiliations extends throughout New England and the southeastern U.S.

The Cancer Centers commitment to eradicating cancer is fueled by scientific investigation conducted as part of one of the largest hospital-based research programs in the nation. Through a powerful synergy between laboratory scientists and bedside physicians, the Mass General Cancer Center fosters innovation in all phases of cancer research. Physician investigators conduct nearly 400 clinical trials annually.

The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is proud to be a founding member of a Harvard Medical School consortium designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. This prestigious seven-member center forms the largest cancer research collaboration in the country. The promising new treatments developed through this partnership are revolutionizing the future of cancer medicine.ACG Solutions, a leading provider of state-of-the-art information technology (IT), security and telecommunications solutions, today announced that School of Rock Buford (School of Rock), among the newest franchise locations for the global after-school music program, has successfully adopted components of the companys protect solutions.

Like many schools across the country, School of Rock regards the safety of its students and staff a top priority. Because School of Rocks curriculum combines private instructor/student lessons with group band practices, protecting student and staff from harm and liability exposure was identified as a strategic imperative. Management also sought security measures to protect high-end instruments mixing boards, and other studio recording equipment from theft and/or vandalism.

Our strategic imperative is to create a safe place for kids to learn, develop friendships with other kids who are into music, and carve out a niche for themselves by tapping into natural and learned talent, said Neal Weaver, Owner/Principal, School of Rock Buford.

The technology solutions ACG recommended became the drivers to achieve our security measure priorities while creating a positive learning environment, which is our ultimate goal.

After a consultation on business needs, ACG Solutions architected a unified camera system with built in microphones in School of Rocks private studios. Now administrators can monitor or replay all conversations and activities in the studios. The camera system also provides the additional benefit of providing an additional channel to grade and evaluate instructors on teaching quality. The personalized consultation also supported School of Rock in obtaining a better phone system contract and an upgraded internet speed for its computer network. All the recommended technology is scalable to support future expansion as School of Rocks business grows.

We are pleased to support School of Rock Buford to address its protection imperative, said Laura Faught, president and COO, ACG Solutions. Our company brings to bear not only the latest and best technology solutions, but also in-depth product knowledge with installation expertise to create a single point of accountability. That helps our customers achieve faster and better results so they can place primary focus on their core business.

About School of Rock Buford

School of Rock Buford offers music education programs for children (typically ages 5- to 8-years old) to learn playing rock-based instruments  with the ultimate goal of joining a band. With a grand opening planned for Saturday, Sept. 22nd, School of Rock Buford is among the newest franchise locations for this for-profit educational company and is becoming the largest after-school music program in the United States. For more information visit (https://locations.schoolofrock.com/buford ).

About School of Rock

With over 210 locations worldwide, School of Rock is the world's premier music education program, offering classes for ages 3 and up using the song first method to get students excited about playing music. In addition to weekly private lessons, students enrolled in the School of Rock Performance Program rehearse every week to prepare for their seasonal concerts at real rock venues! In the past year alone, School of Rock has performed at some of the most prestigious stages in Los Angeles including The Troubadour, The Whisky A Go Go, and The Roxy. For more information, please visit http://www.schoolofrock.com.

About ACG Solutions

ACG Solutions serves all industries with a complete portfolio of information technology, security and telecommunications solutions for powering the intelligent building.

For more information, please visit http://www.acg-solutions.com.We are more alike than different - and this is the message The Backpack Barber is trying to get across - one haircut, one conversation at a time.

Greg Young, co-founder of barber shop Noblemen's Cut and Shave today announced the launch of The Backpack Barber, a nonprofit initiative to help raise awareness and improve lives of the homeless in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. The nonprofit aims to make a positive impact on the community by providing support, free haircuts, and backpacks filled with hygiene supplies to the homeless, as well as raising awareness through visual storytelling and social media campaigns.

The man behind The Backpack Barber, Florida-native barber Greg Young urges the local community to join him in helping the less fortunate improve their lives while inspiring others to be the change they wish to see. As part of his initiative, Young regularly meets with the Fort Lauderdale homeless and cuts their hair. After the haircut, he gives each man or woman a backpack filled with hygiene products, water and a snack.

I want to thank the local community who makes The Backpack Barber possible for their continued support, said Greg Young, Founder of the nonprofit. Even though we exist side-by-side with the homeless, people often choose to ignore them and pretend as if they didnt exist at all. However, we are more alike than different - and this is the message The Backpack Barber is trying to get across - one haircut, one conversation at a time.

Young himself is no stranger to lifes hardships. Raised by a single mother who struggled with addiction, Young spent his early adult years either in jail or in the streets where he often abused drugs and alcohol. Fortunately, Young was eventually able to turn his life around. He has remained sober for over five years and started a successful business as a barber.

However, Young never forgot where he came from, and the human kindness that has led him to where he is now. With the launch of The Backpack Barber, Young aims to bring this important conversation to light and demonstrate the simple ways anyone in the community can make a difference starting today.

To learn more about The Backpack Barber and to get involved, visit http://www.thebackpackbarber.com.

About The Backpack Barber

The Backpack Barber is an initiative started by local barber and community builder Greg Young to help address the growing homeless issue in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, FL. Through giving back in the form of providing support, free haircuts, and backpacks filled with hygiene supplies to the homeless, The Backpack Barber makes an impact on this pivotal issue. By bringing the conversation to light through visual storytelling and social media campaigns, The Backpack Barber demonstrates real ways that anyone in the community can give back, inspiring both the fortunate and less fortunate to continue improving their lives every day. To learn more about The Backpack Barber and to get involved, visit http://www.thebackpackbarber.com.Dr. Brown and Dr. Hansen Salida is lucky to have Dr. Brown as a new option for dentistry! Its unusual to have someone with Dr. Browns skillset open a practice in a small town like ours. Hes a small town guy himself though, so I think he feels right at home here.

Dr. Nicholas Brown, the owner and founder of Relaxation Dental Specialties (RDS), is taking over Dr. Greg Bixbys practice at 1222 C St. in Salida after Bixby announced his plans for retirement earlier this summer. The practice will operate under the RDS name and will offer advanced procedures that most dental offices have to refer elsewhere, such as oral surgeries, cosmetic dentistry, dental implant placement, Invisalign and Sedation Dentistry techniques. Gone are the days when people travel to Denver or Colorado Springs for dental procedures.

Sedation Dentistry is the main area of expertise for Dr. Brown and RDS, an offering that only 1% of dentists in the state of Colorado are certified to perform. Sedation Dentistry allows patients with fear of the dentist or those undergoing serious procedures to snooze through their appointments using medication administered orally or through an IV. Sedation Dentistry allows a lot more people to maintain optimal oral health, says Dr. Brown. So many people avoid the dentist out of fear or because theyve had bad experiences in the past, but I dont think dental work needs to be stressful! My expertise in Sedation Dentistry gives me the opportunity to help people who otherwise never would have gone to the dentist.

Dr. Brown has started seeing patients in the C Street location near Salida High School with Dr. Bixbys guidance. Dr. Bixby, who specializes in Temporo Mandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders and sees patients from all over Colorado, will assist Dr. Brown throughout the remainder of the year before retiring. Salida is lucky to have Dr. Brown as a new option for dentistry! stated Bixby. Its unusual to have someone with Dr. Browns skillset open a practice in a small town like ours. Hes a small town guy himself though, so I think he feels right at home here.

Dr. Brown lives in Salida with his wife and three children and invites anyone to stop by and meet him at the C Street location. For those interested in scheduling an appointment, the Salida locations phone number is 719-539-3145.

About Relaxation Dental Specialties

Relaxation Dental Specialties specializes in sedation dentistry using the latest proven anxiety-reduction procedures. Its services include bone grafting, bonding/white fillings, botox, bridges, crowns, crown lengthening, dental implants, dentures/partial dentures, extractions, root canals, cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, veneers, Invisalign and more. For more information, please call (970) 453-4244, or visit http://www.relaxationdentalspecialties.com. Relaxation Dental Specialties is located at 235 S. Ridge St., Breckenridge, CO 80424 and 1222 C St., Salida, CO 81201.

For media inquiries, call the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361.Source: San Antonio Woman Magazine

Tammie Jo Shults, the heroic Southwest Pilot who successfully landed Southwest Flight 1380 earlier this year after the plane lost an engine and experienced uncontrolled decompression, has joined the Honorary Advisory Board of the First Airline Monument Project. Shults began her career in aviation by becoming one of the first female fighter pilots in the U.S. Navy before retiring to pursue a career as a commercial pilot.

We welcome Tammie Jo Shults support and advice in our journey to erect a monument commemorating the first commercial airline, which took off from St. Petersburg, a little over 100 years ago, said Will Michaels, President of Flight 2014. Tammie Jo Shults is a pilot in the best tradition of pioneer flyer Tony Jannus who was the chief pilot for the worlds first airline which flew from St. Petersburg to Tampa, in 1914. That airline was the beginning of todays multi-billion dollar commercial aviation industry.

The First Airline Monument Project has raised approximately $290 thousand from private donors towards financing a destination monument commemorating the first airline. Some notable donors to the project to date include Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Airlines for America, the International Air Transport Association, the Airlines Reporting Corporation and the Abe Pheil Family of St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg Mayor Abe Pheil was the first passenger on the first airline.

About The First Airline Monument Project

The First Airline Monument Project is sponsored by Flight 2014, Inc. Flight 2014 was organized to celebrate the Centennial of the First Airline in 2014. Flight 2014 is composed of a number of aviation-related organizations in Tampa Bay. More information may be obtained from the Flight 2014 website at http://www.airlinecentennial.org.IIC Executive Director Dr. Richard Soley (left) and IDSA Deputy Chairman of the Board Prof. Dr. Boris Otto (right) sign liaison agreement between Industrial Internet Consortium and International Data As data becomes more of an economic factor in IIoT, the collaboration between our two organizations will provide guidance to help accelerate the innovation of the IoT.

The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), the worlds leading organization transforming business and society by accelerating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), an initiative to support the secure exchange and the simple linking of data in business eco-systems on the basis of standards and by means of common governance models, announced they have agreed to a liaison to work together to advance their shared interests. Under the agreement, the IIC and IDSA will work together to promote the digital economy by preventing fragmentation and harmonizing various aspects in the fields of the industrial Internet.

A ceremony to solidify the liaison was held on September 12, 2018, at the quarterly IIC member meeting in Chicago. IIC Executive Director Richard Soley and IDSA Deputy Chairman of the Board Prof. Dr. Boris Otto of Fraunhofer ISST signed a memorandum of understanding that outlined the joint activities between the two organizations.

Joint activities between IIC and IDSA will include:



Identifying and sharing good practices;

Realizing interoperability by harmonizing architecture and other elements;

Collaborating on standardization;

Emphasizing the focus concerning security and usage control of data in the IIRA integrating the trusted connector approach; and

Promoting the cooperation and validating the architectural alignment by establishing at least one joint use case with companies using testbeds of the IIC.

Data is the center of IoT innovation. Our collaboration will advance data sovereignty as one of the fundamental building blocks of the digital economy, said Prof. Dr. Boris Otto, Deputy Chairman of the IDSA Board and Executive Director of Fraunhofer ISST.

As data becomes more of an economic factor in IIoT, the collaboration between our two organizations will provide guidance to help accelerate the innovation of the IoT, said IIC Executive Director Dr. Richard Soley.

With billions of IoT devices collecting data, the trustworthiness of that data within ecosystems remains a key concern. This collaboration will help improve trustworthiness within ecosystems and IIoT solutions, said Andreas Teuscher, Chair of the IDSA Architecture Working Group and Chief Industrial Security Officer of SICK AG.

Data and trustworthiness are an important part of successful IoT adoption, said Wael William Diab, Chair of the IIC Liaison Working Group, and Senior Director at Huawei. The collaboration with IDSA adds to the industrial IoT ecosystem that IIC is driving.

The IIC Liaison Working Group is the gateway for formal relationships with standards and open-source organizations, consortia, alliances, certification and testing bodies and government entities/agencies.

International Data Spaces Association (IDSA)  With the establishment of the International Data Spaces Association, business and research take an active part in designing a trustworthy architecture for the data economy. More than 90 companies and institutions from 17 countries are members of the association. The IDSA aims to guarantee data sovereignty by an open, vendor-independent architecture for a peer-to-peer network that provides usage control of data from all domains.

About the Industrial Internet Consortium

The Industrial Internet Consortium is the worlds leading membership program transforming business and society by accelerating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The IIC delivers a trustworthy IIoT in which the worlds systems and devices are securely connected and controlled to deliver transformational outcomes. The Industrial Internet Consortium is a program of the Object Management Group (OMG).

Note to editors: Industrial Internet Consortium is a registered trademark of OMG. For a listing of all OMG trademarks, visit http://www.omg.org/legal/tm_list. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.Spotted Dog and Leary Firefighter Grant Availability 85% of all fire departments are staffed by volunteer firefighters who are ready at a moments notice to respond to emergencies and save lives.

85% of all fire departments are staffed by volunteer firefighters who are ready at a moments notice to respond to emergencies and save lives. To thank these heroes, The Leary Firefighters Foundation and Spotted Dog Technologies, developer of the Rover Mobile Platform, have teamed up to award three $5,000 grants to volunteer fire departments to license mobile response technology.

To qualify for the grant, volunteer fire department will need to be nominated by firefighters and members of their community on the http://www.SpotAHero.com website. The five departments with the most votes will be vetted by the Leary Firefighters Foundation, who will then award three departments a grant of $5,000 each.

Nominations are being accepted from September 17 until midnight EST on October 27. Flyers, social media images and videos that communities can use to promote the campaign are available at http://www.SpotaHero.com/gallery. Suggested posts to spread the word through social media sites include:

Facebook: Thank your local volunteer firefighters by nominating them for a chance to win a $5K grant for mobile technology from Spotted Dog Technologies and the Leary Firefighter Foundation. Cast your vote at http://www.SpotAHero.com https://youtu.be/GTrH4lU_6Fo

Instagram and Twitter: Thank your local volunteer fire dept. Nominate them for a $5K tech grant from @SpottedDogTech and @LearyFF. http://www.SpotAHero.com #spotahero https://youtu.be/GTrH4lU_6Fo

About the Leary Firefighters Foundation

The Leary Firefighters Foundation was established in 2000 by actor Denis Leary in response to a tragic fire in Worcester, Mass., that claimed the lives of Learys cousin, a childhood friend, and four other firefighters. The Foundation has raised over $10 million for first responders across the country. For more information, visit https://www.learyfirefighters.org

About Spotted Dog Technologies

Spotted Dog Technologies is a leading provider of emergency response solutions that transform the way public safety and first response organizations manage and mobilize resources. The companys cloud-based Rover platform facilitates communication between dispatchers and first responders to decrease incident response time and improve outcomes. The companys digital solutions are used by over 25,000 first responders throughout the U.S., Canada and Australia. For more information, visit http://www.spotteddogtech.com

# # #The Quinism Foundation has partnered with Lifemark Health Group to license the two-question White River Mefloquine Instrument (WRMI-2) as part of a pilot program to screen self-identifying Canadian veterans for a history of symptomatic exposure to the antimalarial drug mefloquine.

We are very pleased to make our White River Mefloquine Instrument available to our partners at Lifemark Health Group, said Remington Nevin, MD, MPH, DrPH, executive director of The Quinism Foundation.

Mefloquine exposure may be the cause of several disabling conditions, including dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, loss of balance, and mental health issues, said Dr. Nevin. These symptoms are often misattributed to other conditions, including traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. For this reason, use of the WRMI-2 should be considered standard of care during the evaluation of veterans at risk of mefloquine exposure.

Dr. Nevin cautions that the WRMI-2 is not a clinical screening tool and does not provide a medical diagnosis or a legal determination in disability evaluations. Instead, the WRMI-2 is an exposure assessment instrument, intended to assist clinicians in identifying veterans who may be at risk of disability as a result of their exposure.

If the veteran reports symptomatic exposure, it is important to obtain a detailed mefloquine history and conduct appropriate examinations, retaining an index of suspicion that certain chronic neuropsychiatric signs or symptoms could represent effects of a medical condition also known as chronic quinoline encephalopathy or neuropsychiatric quinism.

Lifemark is proud to partner with The Quinism Foundation to include the WRMI-2 as part of its vestibular (dizziness & balance) assessment available to Canadian veterans at the majority of its 175+ clinics throughout Canada, said Sheelah Woodhouse, Director of Vestibular Rehabilitation. This pilot program will help us identify potentially useful information in seeking to provide the best care to our patients. In addition to our vestibular physiotherapists addressing dizziness and balance issues, our occupational therapists and psychologists will be involved in the project to assist with addressing mental health issues.

The foundation announced the partnership with Lifemark in advance of its Annual Educational Meeting, to be held September 18th, 2018, at 1pm, at the Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command, in Ottawa, Ontario. During the meeting, which is focused on the needs of Canadian veterans and their families, attendees will learn about use of the WRMI-2 instrument in clinical evaluations, and how to evaluate potential disability from mefloquine exposure. The foundation will also provide an update on current research related to mefloquine and its association with tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo, and other conditions.

About The Quinism Foundation

The Quinism Foundation, founded in January 2018, in White River Junction, Vermont, promotes and supports education and research on quinism, the family of medical disorders caused by exposure to quinoline drugs, including mefloquine and tafenoquine. Executive director Dr. Nevin is a board-certified occupational medicine and preventive medicine physician and former U.S. Army medical officer and epidemiologist. He is author of more than 30 scientific publications on malaria and the quinoline antimalarials, including Screening for Symptomatic Mefloquine Exposure (see: https://www.mdedge.com/fedprac/article/132560/mental-health/screening-symptomatic-mefloquine-exposure-among-veterans).

About Lifemark

Lifemark Health Group (http://lifemark.ca) is a market leader in customized healthcare solutions. With over 20 years of service excellence, Lifemark Health Group is one of the largest, most trusted, and most comprehensive providers in Canada. As a national healthcare company, Lifemark Health Group has over 2500 highly-trained clinicians and medical experts in over 175 locations coast-to-coast.

1. Nevin RL. A serious nightmare: psychiatric and neurologic adverse reactions to mefloquine are serious adverse reactions. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives. 2017; 5(4): e00328.

2. Livezey J, Oliver T, Cantilena L. Prolonged Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in a Military Service Member Exposed to Mefloquine. Drug Safety Case Reports. 2016;3(1):7.

3. Nevin RL. Limbic encephalopathy and central vestibulopathy caused by mefloquine: a case report. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2012 May;10(3):144-51.The crypto industry is rounding the corner from infrastructure installation into business model experimentation, and the next decade promises to be spectacular.

David Siemer is the founder of Wavemaker Partners, a global early-stage venture fund managing $225M with investments in 300 companies around the world, as well as Wavemaker Genesis. Siemer has joined forces with Cory Klippsten, (investor and advisor for dozens of crypto and VC-backed startups, formerly with Google and McKinsey), and Les Borsai, (advisor to Ripple and YouNow and early investor in Ethereum, Filecoin, Tezos, Stellar), to launch Genesis.

Genesis will offer best in class crypto investment and advisory services. Genesis asset management arm, Genesis Invest, will apply proven principles across a diversified set of product offerings to build tailored strategies for founders and investors in the burgeoning cryptocurrency industry. Genesis advisory practice, Genesis Connect, will provide strategic consulting to top-tier blockchain projects, helping accelerate ecosystem development and global adoption.

Genesis deep expertise and constantly expanding strategic network of industry leaders uniquely position the firm to create value for entrepreneurs and investors as the nascent cryptocurrency space continues to shape and evolve.

The Genesis team brings together proven and experienced leaders in crypto and blockchain asset management and strategic consulting. The depth of experience and talent of this team give Genesis incredible strength from Day 1, stated David Siemer, Genesis CEO.

As we approach the ten-year anniversary of the Bitcoin mainnet launch, Satoshi Nakamotos invention has sparked an explosion of technological advancement, noted Cory Klippsten, Genesis President. The crypto industry is rounding the corner from infrastructure installation into business model experimentation, and the next decade promises to be spectacular. We are excited to be working with the most innovative teams on the planet, bringing them relationships and strategies to help them succeed.

Genesis has a roster of clients and employees with robust backgrounds in venture capital, investment banking and management consulting (Morgan Stanley, Google, AllianceBernstein, Guggenheim Partners, McKinsey, Bank of America, Microsoft, Enterprise Ethereum Alliance).

To schedule an interview, please contact Sarah Cohen at Melrose PR; sarah@melrosepr.com or call (310) 2607901.

About Genesis

Genesis subsidiaries will offer best in class crypto investment products and strategic advisory services. Genesis aims to further the growth of the crypto and digital asset ecosystem with best practices and support from a global network of experts. The Genesis team is led by CEO, David Siemer, and President, Cory Klippsten.

Genesis Invest will manage a full suite of crypto asset management products, corporate treasury management, and a systematic quantitative hedge fund.

Genesis Connect is a strategy consulting firm uniquely focused on fully developed crypto projects that are capable of leading the decentralized revolution. The comprehensive knowledge set and high impact relationships position Genesis to be the leading strategic consulting partner in all of crypto.

Genesis Treasury will be a full-service treasury management services provider. We will utilize best-in-class solutions for custody, liquidity, diversification, liability management, and tax reporting.

This press release is for general informational purposes only. Nothing herein is an offer to buy or sell, or the solicitation of any offer to buy, any security or interest in any fund, nor is it intended to be used for marketing purposes to any existing or prospective investor in any jurisdiction, and is subject to correction, completion and amendment without notice. A solicitation of any offer to buy at such time as an offering may commence will only be made to a qualified offeree pursuant to a confidential offering memorandum describing the offering and related subscription agreement, and in accordance with applicable state or federal law or that of any other applicable jurisdiction. Genesis will provide investment advisory services only to privately offered funds and does not solicit or make its services available to the public or other advisory clients.Zahroof Valves, Inc. (ZVI) today announced that they have been named a finalist for the 2018 Petroleum Economist Awards in the category of Technology Company of the Year. The winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony on November 27, 2018 at One Great George Street in London.

Founded in 1934, the Petroleum Economist Awards celebrate the people, companies and projects that epitomize the best of the energy industry. Recognizing innovation and originality, sound business practice, and commitment to environmental protection and employee welfare, these awards are the best in class for the sector.

Zahroof Valves Inc. (ZVI) develops and markets a unique and groundbreaking reciprocating compressor valve based on the Modular Reed Valve technology invented by its President and Founder, Zahroof Mohamed. The StraightFloTM Valve (SFV) is a drop-in replacement compressor valve that is unique in that the valve assembly is made up of replaceable reed valve modules that are designed so that the gas flows essentially in a straight line through the valve, with very little deviation resulting in very low losses in the valve. ZVI has 43 patents granted and several pending on nine different technologies in thirty-one different countries.

We are proud to be among the company of so many organizations that are committed to driving innovation in the energy industry, said Mohamed. This honor of recognition is a testament to the entire team at Zahroof Valves, and our continuous effort to provide cutting-edge solutions that benefit and grow the industry as a whole.

ZVI has been designing and manufacturing compressor valves since 2010. Its award-winning StraightFlo Valve performs much more reliably and efficiently than its competition and can significantly reduce emissions and carbon footprints. The metal housing has a 10-year warranty that is unheard of in the industry; valves can be serviced on site, easily, without any machining required. Such technical innovations have garnered the company various awards and recognitions. It won a 2016 Edison Award in the Carbon Reduction category, won second place in the Houston Business Journal's 2018 Fast 100 Awards, was considered a Rising Star as a finalist in Platts 2015 Global Energy Awards, was named an Energy Innovation Pioneer at IHS CERAWeek 2015 and was the 2013 recipient of the Land-based Pipeline Technology Award via the Pipeline Industries Guild.

About Zahroof Valves, Inc.

Zahroof Valves, Inc. (ZVI) is an innovative company, headquartered in Houston, Texas, that develops and markets the revolutionary StraightFloTM Valve for use in reciprocating gas compressors. The StraightFlo Valve delivers a step change in compressor valve performance, serviceability, and reliability. Thanks to these proven, measured improvements, ZVI is able to guarantee a 20% improvement in valve losses and a 100% increase in service intervals, with a 10-year warranty on the valve housing.

For more information, please visit http://www.zahroofvalves.com.

Media Contact:

Jennifer Rodriguez

Firecracker PR

jennifer(at)firecrackerpr(dot)com

1-888-317-4687 ext. 702A dozen of the 21 seats on the three school boards will be filled by voters during the April election.The stakes are particularly high in Township High School District 113, where five of seven seats could potentially turn over just a few months before a new superintendent assumes the helm July 1. The current school board plans to launch the search this fall with the assistance of a recruiting firm to be hired in the next few weeks.Delay made these statement in a conversation with veteran rapper, Okyeame Kwame when he called into the show she hosted as a guest on Adom FM.

When asked by Okyeame Kwame if her standards were set high, the talk show host explained:

People will come on social media and say Delay, why are you not married?. Then you meet someone you really like. A Ghanaian guy you really like,then these same people asking why youre not married will send messages to the guy asking if he can handle you. That they should look for their size," she said.

They continue this consistently. Despite the person liking you, theyre humans,she added.

ece-auto-gen

READ MORE: Wizkid and Olamide get the Supa craze as they join challenge on SM

Okyeame Kwame then added that the guy probably gets into panic mode with Delay agreeing that these people would talk for the guy to get an alter call saying I dont like you anymore.

Delay also talked about the fact that some men are intimated by a beautiful woman who works hard and is brainy, something she insisted she is.

The controversial TV host, who recently celebrated her 36th birthday in an earlier interview revealed she is dating a nice young man and at the right time Ghanaians will know when she ties the knot.Speaking in an interview on Abusua FM, when asked if he Shatta Wale has accused the BhimNation president of killing his mother and coming back to make peace.

"I agree with you that our values and norms as Ghanaians dont encourage us to say such things and I can tell you that I wasnt brought up to say such things about others. That is why Im saying I did not say that he said.

ece-auto-gen

READ MORE: Wizkid gets the Supa craze as he joins challenge on SM

He opined that he will keep attacking Stonebwoy because he is weak and acts like a baby.A few like the hot water challenge was alarming. Some started and looked fun until people start getting hurt. We saw videos of people getting knocked down by cars as they did the Kiki challenge.

Despite all these, we never seem to tire of these hashtags. These are 7 hashtag challenges/trends that held Ghanaians captivated. Which one was/is your favourite?

SUPA Walk Challenge

This is the newest trending challenge among Ghanaians now. It all started when people began to mimic how Ghana2pac aka SUPA walk off after every freestyle rap. SUPA became an internet sensation overnight and blow to the top when King Sark decided to throw weight behind him. So the next time you want to exit in grand style, try the Supa walk.

Yo Geng!

Yo geng, we writing and posting bhad, bhad, bhad! How can we forget the cuties that started of this trend? Just like they did, gather your friends around and share a yo-geng greeting to the world.

READ ALSO: Shatta Wale launches Reign album merchandise at Social Media Week Accra

One Corner Challenge

Patapaa set a frenzy when his hit song one corner challenge had everyone looking for a corner to do the dance. To get into the trend, find a spot and twist your waist to the rhythm of the song.

Gringo Challenge

This frenzy started in the SM camp and spread quite infectiously to us all. Grab your straw hats, an oversized checked shirt, dusty jeans, and boots paired off with a shawl. And for the final bit, turn on the Gringo song and groove with it.

The Kitchen Stool Challenge

Grab a kitchen stool the next time you are expecting a conjugal visit from your partner. Kind courtesy of a Headteacher and his student a new position emerged to compete those featured in Kamasutra. This challenge even went far and beyond to include hike in prices of kitchen stools.

READ ALSO: 2018 Social Media Week successfully launched in Accra

The Abrokwah/Afia Acid Challenge

Understandably being a celebrity is no easy job but thats the price you pay when you make money off your popularity. Here lies the story of marriage bliss turned sour. But please note that Abrokwah said it was merely water in the bottle. Do not use acid on anyone, its a crime!

The Ladder ChallengeKehinde Bademosi, AKA Kenny Brandmuse is reported to have told Sunday Scoop that, aside men of God, he has had sex with a lawmaker in the Nigerian senate.

Though he failed to mention names of the said men of God and the senator, he sounded confident about the claim.

The bold Kenny Brandmuse is quoted as saying: The elephant in the room is denial. We pretend these things are not here. We blame it on the devil or white people. I once slept with a Nigerian Senator, and Im not surprised he will be the first to put his hands up voting in favour of the same sex marriage prohibition act.

While in Nigeria, I had sex with church ministers who would come in the open to preach against homosexuality as though it was the reason why Nigeria never had constant electricity. The hypocrisy is deafening. We didnt learn about same-sex relationships from western countries.

Some of my first same-sex encounters were mostly with people who didnt speak English at all or ever set their feet in a Western school environment. Gay people are not the only ones who need to come out. We all need to look into our lives and be upfront with ourselves.Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!Mr Dan Mutuma, a nurse in Kansas City, was reversing his car from the parking when the child, Mishael Mutuma, walked unnoticed behind the vehicle, and was crushed.

The child was the grandson of Pastor Moses Mutuma of Miathene SDA district in Meru County, Kenya.

Mr Mutumas brother-in-law Ezra Kamencu Mingaine said the tragic incident has left the young family distraught.

The man had left his home early morning for a local university where he is studying but realised he had forgotten some document and went to get it.

READ ALSO:Majority leader caught naked bathing in a market at night

He hurriedly picked the item, bid his wife Loise, who was tending to their young twins and mother-in-law goodbye, and quickly left the house without realising that his son had sneaked out of the house and followed him.

It is so painful to the entire family and especially to the father to have crushed his own son. There is no way he could have seen the kid who was playing behind. The child had run unnoticed behind the vehicle as the father was reversing.

The mother-in-law was in the kitchen while the wife was tending to the other twin children. It was so painful, nobody could be blamed for it, said Mr Mingaine by phone.

ece-auto-gen

According to Fox 4 News, residents who saw the tragedy happen said they heard the father wailing after the child was hit by the car.

The TV station reported that local Olathe police were investigating the matter but did not expect to prefer any criminal charges from the incident and were treating it as an accident.

Mr Mingaine said that the incident has triggered revival of a campaign to sensitize motorists on the need to check their vehicles to prevent such tragedies from happening.Diata Hoggar, who represented the Brong Ahafo Region had this to say after she was crowned the winner. I just want to say a big thank you to everyone. Its been a very challenging but transformational time for me. These ladies have made it very interesting and I will never forget it, I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.The 3 banks are GN Bank, Premium Bank, and Sahel Sahara Bank.

The merger talks was led by the Gold Coast Fund Management, a subsidiary of the Groupe Nduom, owned by business magnate, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, and his wife, Mrs Yvonne Nduom.

In May this year, the Chief Executive Officer of GN Bank, Issah Adam said that the bank was on track to meet the deadline for the Bank of Ghanas new minimum capital requirement. He revealed that the shareholders of GN Bank had been able to raise more than they had projected in the first quarter of the year.

We submitted our capital plan to Bank of Ghana in December 2017 and in the capital plan the shareholders had promised to bring in 56million in quarter one, then another chunk, about 160million in quarter two and then the balance in quarter three As I speak to you, our shareholders brought in 60million that is 4million above what they had planned to do. So, we are on track and this quarter two, we are really poised to be able to deliver what we promised that we going to come up with, he told Ghanaweb.

The BoG, in 2017 announced an increment in the minimum capital requirement of Universal Banks from 120 million to 400 million giving commercial banks up to December 2018 to meet the new capital which represents an increase of 233 per cent.The deaths are reported to have occurred due to a week-long-heavy rains.

The Sissala East municipal Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Ishahaku Issah Bganhaa, in confirming the deaths indicated that the deceased have already been buried in accordance with Islamic tradition. while most of the affected farmers have been compelled to seek shelter on their farms.

ece-auto-gen

About 34 farming communities have been hit hard by the flooding with over 5,600 residents displaced as a result.

According to reports, the five died in separate flood incidents recorded in the area.Green, 28, was held for allegedly raping the patient who came to the facility to seek malaria treatment.

ece-auto-gen

Police said the Mr Green asked the victim if she would prefer a private ward when she was checked in but she opted for the sideward because of her condition.

READ ALSO: Damongo Hospital staff strike to support their colleague accused of rape

The suspect was transferred to the Northern Regional Police Command where he was out before court.

The Judge in dismissing the case said there wasnt ample evidence against the accused.

The leader of the Damongo Catholic Hospital Chapter of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Ngmenbon Aidan, in a Citi News interview said the outcome of the ruling was a great relief for them.

ece-auto-gen

He said nurses and other paramedical staff who earlier laid down their tools in solidarity with Ernest Green have been vindicated.The exercise which is under the auspices of Ministry of Education (MOE) seeks to rid-off bedbugs, mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, ants, reptiles, rodents among others which normally distracts the effective learning environments of students.

Some Senior High Schools visited in the Eastern, Ashanti and Northern regions witnessed Spraying Gangs of Zoomlions vector control team busily fumigating school dormitories, classrooms, laboratories, offices, staff bungalows, drains, mattresses, chop boxes among others.

READ ALSO: undefined

ece-auto-gen

The Headmaster of Ghana Senior High School (Ghanass) in the Eastern region, Very Rev. Abraham Osei Donkor expressed his utmost appreciation to the Ministry of Education and Zoomlion for undertaking this important health service.

He said the exercise was timely especially as students are about to start serious academic works and there is the need to ensure that anything that disrupts smooth academic learning is taken care of.

ece-auto-gen

The National Vector Control Coordinator of Zoomlion, Rev. Kwame Addae in an interview explained that the vector control exercise is being executed by Zoomlion in all public Senior High Schools in the Eastern, Ashanti and the Northern Regions.

READ ALSO: undefined

He said the two-weeks exercise which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Education is to ensure the successful implementation of its Free SHS Programme which includes a conducive learning environment for students.

ece-auto-gen

Some of the students interviewed from the campuses in the Ashanti, Eastern and northern regions respectively expressed their joy for the fumigation exercise.

ece-auto-genHe said the lack of leadership exhibited by the party resulted in their defeat.

Namoale, who is a staunch supporter of Professor Joshua Alabi, said Mahama's campaign was shallow and it only concentrated on his infrastructure projects.

In 2016, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo polled 5,755,758 votes representing 53.72% as against former President John Dramani Mahama who polled 4,771,188 votes representing 44.53% to emerge victorious.

ece-auto-gen

In the view of Namoale, this was due to the lack of hope the John Mahama administration offered Ghanaians.The two-day event will feature investor missions from the US, UK, and UAE, an Alpha Expo featuring the most exciting startups and entrepreneurs in Nigeria, a half-day blockchain masterclass, and an awards ceremony.

The Summit, organized by Dedalus Global, gathers innovators, investors, policy makers and other key stakeholders in the Fintech sector to discuss technologies transforming finance on the continent, debate regulatory policies, compare best practices, and forge new ventures.

Leland Rice, the Chairman of the Summit, said, Lagos is an ideal host city; its an epicentre of Africas fintech revolution and the driving force behind the continents entrepreneurial spirit. The successes of companies such as Paga, Flutterwave, Mines.io, and Paystack have strategically positioned Lagos as the destination of choice for investors.

The first edition of the Summit in D.C. was a launch pad for several milestone fintech deals struck among its delegates in the months after the event. We plan to build on these successes in Lagos, with a focus on bringing innovators and policymakers together to move the needle on fintech regulation and bringing founders and investors together to facilitate further capital raises, added Leland.

Reacting to the decision to host the Summit in Lagos, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technology, Lanre Osibona, stated, This reflects the progress Nigeria is making in the areas of technology and financial services. The event is very important as it comes at the heels of the Vice President Osinbajos trip to Silicon Valley to promote Nigerias tech sector. We look forward to collaborating with the organizing committee and to a successful event in Lagos.

In similar vein, Tayo Oviosu, the founder of Paga - a payment company that recently raised $10 million in Series B2 funding - said that the Africa Fintech Summit in Washington D.C. provided valuable insights into the fintech space and connected me with key players in the industry. I look forward to the Lagos edition.

Speakers lined up for the event include Chief Economist of PwC Nigeria, Dr. Andrew S. Nevin; Managing General Partner of EchoVC, Eghosa Omoigui; CEO of Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie; Founder of Flutterwave, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji; and CEO of PayStack, Shola Akinlade, whose company recently raised $8 million Series A funding.

This event comes on the heels of the earlier edition took place in Washington D.C. In April 2018. It featured leading policymakers, tech and finance professionals, regulators, and investors from across Africa and the US to discuss the technologies revolutionizing finance.With this outspread, Tizeti now joins Paystack, which made the decision to expand operations into Ghana last month, and Paga, which is going into Ethiopia, Mexico and the Philippines. I asked Kendall what the plan was for breaking into the Ghanaian market.

There are more fibre cables in Accra than in Nigeria, he said. The power supply in Ghana is also far better than in Nigeria. Both of these factors will allow Tizeti provide competitive prices and save a lot more than it currently does in Nigeria. The money saved can then be used to spread into smaller cities across the country.

What then informs this decision to expand into Ghana at this time? Does Kendall feel the company has covered Nigeria well enough to warrant the new development? I asked him these and he replied that Tizeti already has a certain level of exposure in Lagos, its core market in Nigeria. If you search on Google for unlimited internet in Lagos, Tizeti is the top result. He explains that it is the top choice for unlimited internet within its coverage areas.

This level of exposure and reputation in Lagos took time to build. This is why the company has decided to move into Ghana at this time, to start on time and not take as much time as it did building up its brand in Lagos.

Doing business in Nigeria is tough and comes with some mighty challenges that could easily put off anyone. At the top of the list is the inadequate power supply. 50% of our capital expenditure goes into power, Kendall tells me, not unimaginable given that Nigeria generates less than 5,000 MW of electricity for a nation of about 200 million people. However, a challenge more unique to running an internet service provider in Nigeria is wireless interference.

Operating an ISP could be likened to running a radio station. Each radio station transmits at a particular frequency which is licensed to it by the national regulator. However, should someone decide to operate at that same frequency, the radio stations transmission will be disrupted. This is why sometimes when youre listening to a radio station, there could be a sudden switch and you will get a completely different channel on the same frequency.

This happens to ISPs in Nigeria sometimes -- they are transmitting wifi signals at a given frequency, but the signals could very well be interrupted should another provider get on the same frequency, sometimes accidentally. To remedy this, Tizeti is obtaining a licence from the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Another challenge the company has faced operating in Nigeria is a scarcity of skilled personnel. As you grow bigger, you start seeing a shortage of skilled personnel, Kendall tells me. That is, a shortage of engineers who can work with wireless networks within an organisation. Tizeti plans to solve this challenge through a graduate trainee programme, where university graduates are brought in and are taught the skills they need in 6-12 months.

Looking at the many challenges it faces in Nigeria, I ask Kendall how the company will take the lessons learned and apply them to its new market. The first two challenges (of power and wireless interference) are not that big of a deal in Ghana, he says, and the third will be dealt with through knowledge transfer.World Religion News reports that a study commissioned by the German unit of the Roman Catholic Church has discovered that these children, were sexually abused by from 1946 to 2014.

The results of the Church-sponsored report which was leaked before the September 25 publication date found at least 1,670 church personnel guilty of abusing children in the last 70 years or so.

According to this new compiled from 38,000 documents from 27 German dioceses, 4.4 percent of the entire German clergymen have committed rape and other forms of sexual abuse on these victims, who were mostly boys.

Sadly, this new study found that only 38% of these alleged perpetrators were prosecuted. In the rare case that they faced legal action, they only received minor disciplinary procedures which included being moved elsewhere without any warning to these new parishes.

ece-auto-gen

Bishop Stephan Ackermann, a spokesman for the German Bishops' Conference which commissioned the report, said the goal was to expose "this dark side of our Church, for the sake of those affected, but also for us ourselves to see the errors and to do everything to prevent them from being repeated."

Reacting to these findings, he said: "We know the extent of the sexual abuse that has been demonstrated by the study. We are dismayed and ashamed by it."

More on clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic church

This new report follows a recent one carried out by the grand jury in Pennsylvania. The research, published in August 2018, discovered that at least 1,000 children have been abused by 300 priests.

ece-auto-gen

Meanwhile, a popular Chilean priest has been expelled by Pope Francis after previously denying the charges of clergy sexual abuse.The media entrepreneur announced the big news via her blog a few minutes ago, with the caption,

''I welcomed my first child, popularly known as baby J today September 17th in a hospital in Atlanta. I cant believe I'm a mum. More later. Make I sleep small for now. lol''

It will be recalled that on Sunday, May 20, 2018, her sister through a post shared on her Instagram page.

"See who's gonna be a mummy. Congrats Lin @officiallindaikeji" wrote Laura Ikeji on her Instagram post, alongside a photo of Linda rocking a baby bump.

ALSO READ:Linda Ikeji is engaged

Linda Ikeji writes about her pregnancy

You can read her post below;

Did you guys read the title of this post? Should I write it again? Oh God, I cant breathlol. So let me say that againI, Linda Ikeji, is going to be a mum. Somebody please pinch me! Gosh, I cant get over it.

2018 started with me finding out I was pregnant. When I missed my period and my friend and I did a home pregnancy test and it read positive, my friend began to cry with happiness but I was just there staring at the stick like, youre not messing with me, are you? This is real and not a joke on me, right?

I refused to believe it and asked my friend to drive me to a lab for another test. And there it was confirmed, I was pregnant. Me, Linda, I am going to have my own child. Please dont wake me up from this lovely dream..lol'' she had shared.

Linda Ikeji blogger is pregnant!

ece-auto-gen

Back in May 2018, the news of Linda Ikeji being pregnant broke the Internet. The good news was shared by her sister Laura Ikeji today, Sunday, May 20, 2018 on her Instagram page.During an exclusive interview with PULSE, the award-winning actor lamented how he was even investigated by the police following the repeated use of his name and photos for Internet fraud scam.

"This has brought tears to me, so much embarrassment. I have even abroad before and someone has held my shirt and said "After talking to you yesterday, after doing everything for you, I sent 25 computers to your foundation, I sent money to you and now you come into this country, don't tell me you are trying to sneak into this country.

"It's so so sad, I have gotten death threats from people, I have gotten husbands of these people, boyfriends of these people, maybe because of the way I deal with it you know, that's another thing. I have been sp used to get money off people. The EFCC in Benin have been so helpful, I mean, it is really really bad. I have seen five people caught. There was a time it was so much the Inspector General of Police's office got my account investigated, I was invited to the IGP's office in Abuja, it was that bad.

"I saw two boys walk in caught! I was expecting to see some very big boys but there were two little boys. All I could is why? Why this? Why are you doing? Even though i tried to plead, the police said no no, it is Nigeria verse them, it is their case. There was an unrepentant one that kept doing this and kept being warned. It was even that bad, they caught one, he ran away, they even went to catch his father and from what I hear, the father is still there with them," he concluded.

He went to appeal to people who make friends online to desist from communicating with people using his photo to ask for financial assistance or start a romantic relationship.

"If you see anyone trying to communicate with you online, it is not me. Do you know what surprises me, they have devised means, they could use this video right now, crop this video, get my voice out of the way, superimpose theirs put into IMO or Whatsapp to deceive their victims. All am saying is if you see these fake videos, tell that video to stand up, touch his ears, touch his eyes, touch his ears, you will see that it all pre-recorded and the lips don't sync. A lot of celebrities apart from myself, this has been going on and on and I have been warning people for over two years.Taking to her Twitter page, [@TiwaSavage], she posted a number of messages, venting and calling out the promoter for the way she has been treated.

''Checking out of the hotel and full accommodation not paid for, no car to take us to the airport and promoters want to talk trash about artists.''

She then went further saying, ''Funny how everyone is asleep and phones are off after the show but they blow up your phone when they need you for radio and press runs before the show.''

Tiwa Savage had taken to the stage in Nairobi, Kenya over the weekend, where she performed at the Carnivore Restaurant, venue of the Dancehall legend, Redsan's ''Baddest Album Launch.''

Kenyas dancehall king Redsan gave his fans something special during the launch of his fifth studio album titled Baddest on Saturday at the Carnivore Grounds.

The concert featured Jamaican Dancehall artiste Demarco, Nigerian pop queen Tiwa Savage as well as Kenyan hip-hop king Khaligraph Jones.In the position paper titled Telco: Investment, Innovation and Competition in ICT Infrastructure, Huawei summarises the development trends of ICT as observed around the globe and evaluates potential social economic development spurred by ICT, after conducting a regression analysis based on a data set of 125 countries for the period 2010 to 2016. It concludes that every 16-20% increase in ICT investment brings 1% growth in GDP; so in order to fully unleash the potential of ICT in promoting economic growth and societal well-being, governments have a critical role to play in terms of supporting investment in ICT infrastructure, encouraging ICT innovation, and in guiding and regulating ICT competition.

At the launching ceremony, HoulinZhao, ITU Secretary-General, said government should make ICT policy not just sectorial but national. The development of ICT and relevant infrastructure cannot be realised by solely relying on participants in the ICT ecosystem. Instead, it requires support and guidance from governments.

Our objectives are clear: connecting the unconnected, providing people with more advanced technologies, developing new applications, and facilitating other ecosystems. And to succeed in this endeavor, we need more innovative public-private partnerships. said Zhao.

Phillippa Biggs, chief content coordinator of ITU Broadband Commission for Digital Development said policies for an enabling environment are a must for broadband, including enabling policies and regulation to help co-investment of cross-country interconnection, USF for broadband roll-out and promotion of utility infrastructure synergies.

Zhou Mingcheng, Vice President of Huawei Global Government Affairs Dept., said ICT has become a fundamental feature of modern society, and fast and healthy development of ICT industry requires supports and guidance from governments in stimulating investment in ICT infrastructure, encouraging ICT innovation and regulating competitions.According to CBS News, the suspect who was jailed on Sunday, September 16, 2018, has been held on a $2.5 million bond in a Texas prison.

Ortiz was reportedly apprehended a day prior. CBS News confirms that he was caught hiding in a truck stationed at the parking lot of a hotel.

The discovery of the corpse of a 29-year-old sex worker, Melissa Ramirez, directed the attention of law enforcement agents to the possibility of having a serial killer on the loose.Both of Ericksens parents said their son had been given the psychedelic drug PCP in a drink without his knowledge when he was 17, and that it affected his cognitive abilities and left him trusting and an easy mark for those looking to take advantage of people.Over the past six years, aided by social media and the Internet, Twitter NG, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have helped document the underlying societal realities and even given them a name.

ALSO READ: 94 Minutes with a Yoruba Demon

Some of these names (or tags) are;

1. Yoruba Demon

A modern description for the average unrepentant, Nigerian, philanderous man As such, harmless Yoruba men at Owanbe, dressed in native attires get called Yoruba demon.

It became a slur by women who have been cheated on  fashion choices that exude class, brought echoes of what a traditional Yoruba man is known for; cheating. Interestingly, non-Yoruba men get called, demons these days.

ALSO READ: Yoruba Demon have a great sex

Even dead grandfathers are getting their bodies exhumed by memories of their scummy antics to get this Yoruba demon smoke. Nobody is free and pop culture seems to have a photographic memory and a vindictive heart to serve smoke across board.

2.Slay Queen

This was initially a simple term of endearment for good looking Nigerian women, who could afford to look good. Somehow, Nigerian men turned it into a slur and slay queens or slay mamas meant waywardness or parasites, who leech of rich men or, unemployed females without any real ambition than to look good. Interestingly, even women also use the term derogatorily these days.

3. Small girl, big god

On July 24, 2018, Pulse broke down how the movement initially started as a harmless decision by petite women, then became a slur by Nigerian men against women, after the slang started becoming viral, used by young women, doing amazing things. Nigerian men recreated the narrative as young women with the good life funded by rich, older men. Women then took it back and owned it.

The trends represent societal truths

The viral trends, like even the more recent, Na dem dey rush us off a comical video have managed to represent the inner city realities of millennials as an evolving generation and of generation xers who lived before social media became a thing and internet became as accessible as terrible, tough suya on a Lagos street corner.

Sweet Boys (Association)

Women owned small girl, big god back, Na dem dey rush us became of more popular demand than gold circle condoms and men were still scum and trash  men needed to find a happy slang/hashtag to restart the fires of male relevance on social media.

Enter, the multi-talented, multi-functional creative, Folarin Falana, also known as, Falz to save the day with another widely relevant trend for us to munch like a pack of sugary plantain chips by tired Lagosians in traffic. Sweet Boys Association is Falz's gift to men on social media.

Like anything related to Falz, it has since created a storm on social media that looks set to be another weapon in the near-perpetual gender war. Even when Falz does not intend it, his products create a storm  it seems.

Origin

This scribbler first heard Falz use the term Sweet Boy" reference in one of his comedy skits, just after he blew up  circa 2017. Apparently, he had just gotten a haircut from the barbers, then looked in the mirror to admire himself by using the term sweet boy, in no dissimilar way to how women initially used 'slay queen/mama'.

In the video, Falz said, I mean look at the sweet boy, with the juicy bear bear (beard) Mo wa ri wipe, omo yen hans gan (I see that, the boy (describing himself) is handsome as a way to appreciate his good looks.

Falz - Sweet Boy Music Video

At the time, the video was harmless and 'sweet boy' was meaningless.

2018

On September 14, 2018 Falz released his new single, 'Sweet Boys'  produced by Focus Ramon, complete with a music video - the song is witty and sharp. Before that release, Falz had commenced a roll out for that single in typically creative Falz way and it birthed the now viral, Sweet Boys Association.

The trailer depicts the rapper, behind a podium emblazoned with the acronym, 'SBA'  looking alive and bouncy, unlike some people  looking like a countrys executive, looking to deliver a speech. We were to discover that the acronym means Sweet Boys Association and that was Falzs inauguration speech for the association  such grandeur.

Who's a Sweet Boy?

Our brains were rewarded with the official take-off of the Sweet Boys Association with Falz setting out its core principles, values, inspiration and then launched its official website where people can register and get screened before potential acceptance as a sweet boy to get this image;

A sweet boy is simply a good looking man, with a clean cut attitude, but without the makings of a bad guy.

In the video, Falz said the movement was geared at togetherness for men and the released a set of rules for the association. Talk about a good roll-out complete with Falz naming himself president and naming his new single, the anthem for the association.

Gender wars

As more men became members and the joke started creating hashtags, women tried to give the Yoruba demon smoke to our dear Sweet Boys. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not pretty as we have started seeing threads, I kid you not.

Their anger comes from how men supposedly ruined Slay queen, small girl, big god, and feminist for them and turned those words into symbols of waywardness, unnecessary anger and leeching tendencies of an unambitious woman. Truth is, they are right. Women are however determined this time and this is destined to get ugly.

Points of women ruining, Yoruba demon did not avail men as the phrase has never been of positive connotation. Women basically created the phrase to derogate cheating men, who have repeatedly broken their hearts and made them emotionally unavailable while these men end up getting married and grown terrible potbellies and love handles.

Men should calm down and also take this smoke, so peace can rain. Social media is not a pretty place when gender wars are in full swing.

Nonetheless, every term of empowerment turns derogatory and we need to stop

You wont die if you let people have things, I promise you. The switching of these words started out as jokes, but the meanings have since turned too serious.Nigerian actress, model and television presenter Zainab Balogun who is best known for her role in the movie The Wedding Party as the erratic wedding planner Wonu, is also known for her stylish and eclectic style.

The beautiful entertainer, who recently got married to her sweetheart Dikko, looked every inch the movie star as she stepped out for the premiere of her latest movie, Sylvia.

The actress teased fans earlier in the day with a glimpse of her outfit and her gorgeous hair and makeup. Fresh from Lala Akindoju , the actress did a quick change and looked spectacular, just in time to debut her film Slyvia.

Finally, Zainab showed us the full look and she looked sensational in a blue hi-lo top and a pair of flattering glittery pants. She paired it with a pair of sky high baby blue heels and a matching clutch bag.The Amasunzu is a very creative and eccentric range of traditional hairstyles, especially for its time. It was and still is a symbol of pride, worn as a common denominator in Rwanda. The Amasunzu hairstyle was worn by mostly men and young girls and it represented different roles and stages in the life of women and men.

What do they mean?

Speaking to Rise and Shine Rwanda, an unnamed Amasunzu connoisseur said: "I've lived in many countries and done my research on hair and only Rwandese could cut their hair. The colonisers came and changed that. They realised that only Rwandans were cutting their hairs so they banned it because they considered it Pagan."

Warriors wore it to symbolise strength and bravery and young women wore it to mark the marital status of "unmarried" and "virgin". After marriage, some women let their hair grow freely.

There are different variations of the hairstyle. The first, and original, is called the "Ingobeke". Later on, when the Rwandan people went to war and couldn't comb or cut their hairs, they created the "Impagarike". The next one is the "Intambike" which is similar to the original hairstyle. There's also the "Igisuguri", spotted on the former Rwandan President, Juvenal Habyarimana. "Imbwa Irenga" consisted of just two semi circles. "Ibisage" is the final one and is mostly for kids who adorn the hairstyle with beads and other ornaments.Abiri, the publisher of the Weekly Source, a newspaper based in Bayelsa state was arrested by the DSS in 2016.

The allegations levelled against him was that he is the leader of the joint revolutionary council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, a separatist group.

He was also accused of planning to bomb oil installations.

Arraigned in 2018

The journalist was however not taken to court until Friday, July 28, 2018, following public outcry.

Abiri was granted bailby the Magistrate, Chukwuemeka Nweke and August 8, 2018 was fixed as date to vary the bail conditions.

Case closed

At the hearing on Monday, Samuel Ogala, Abiris counsel told the court to transfer the case to Bayelsa state, as the alleged crime was not committed in Abuja, The Cable reports.

In his response, the Magistrate, Chukwuemeka Nweke agreed that the case is outside the jurisdiction of the court.

That the court has the duty to uphold doctrine of fair hearing, which guarantees that an accused is charged within the territorial jurisdiction.

That the first information report as presently presented is an abuse of process of this court.

Section 112 (10) of Administrative Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 states that; Where the evidence referred to in subsection (9) of this section has been taken or at any stage of the case, the magistrate is of the opinion that there is round that the suspect has committed an offence triable under this part, which such magistrate court is competent to try and which, in the opinion of the Magistrate could be adequately punished, the magistrate shall frame a charge stating the offence for which the suspect will either be tried by the court or direct that the suspect be tried in another magistrate court.

ALSO READ: Jones Abiri taken to court two years after DSS arrest

It is therefore deemed that the prosecution is not disputing the facts that all elements of the alleged offence occurred in Bayelsa. This court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain this matter and I hereby strike out this case, he added.Khorsa,who worked for the Red Cross, was kidnapped about six months ago at the Rann camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno by Boko Haram terrorists.

The president made the condemnation in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday.

The terrorists have equally threatened to harm others, including the lone Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu still in their custody.

In his reaction, President Buhari said: The government of Nigeria strongly condemns this reprehensible and inhuman act. No religion permits the killing of the innocent.

Saifura worked for the Red Cross, a humanitarian organisation tirelessly working to bring succor to all the victims of violence irrespective of the sides of the conflict.

The President, therefore, appealed to Nigerias international partners and everyone with an influence on the terrorists to prevail on them to stop these acts of extreme barbarism.

ALSO READ: Terrorists release new video executing 3 govt spies

Buhari further assured that his administration would seize every given opportunity, with both hands and to use all means available to bring home all citizens being held against their will by the Boko Haram terrorists.According to the group, Jonathans tenure took the Niger-Delta region backwards.

The RNDA made the declaration in a statement signed by its leader, Maj-Gen, John Mark Ezenobi.

The militant group also announced that they are in support of the Presidents decision to contest for a second term in 2019.

Ezenobi said the RNDA took the decision to back Buhari following several meetings with its members across the Niger-Delta.

According to Daily Post, he said The RNDA with the coalition of the nine militant groups in the creeks has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for another term in office.

This endorsement is because of the Presidents integrity characterized so far in fighting against the menace of corruption to a standstill in the country because it is corruption and bad leadership that have contributed to the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta region and the country at large.

Buhari-led Federal Government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has shown much commitment to address the under-developmental challenges facing the Niger Delta region for decades caused by the corrupt previous bad administration of PDP, which wasted 16 years of governance.

RNDA note with regret that the six years administration of former President Good luck Badluck Jonathan was characterized by massive corruption, looting, favouritism and gross non-supervision of his appointees with no completed project in the long-neglected region.

Jonathans government took the people of the Niger Delta and region back to the stone age of under development.

RNDA accepted the Federal Governments ceasefire agreement in 2016 for dialogue. This led to the remarkable and sustained peace process in the region following renewed destruction and bombing of oil installation and facilities that crippled the nations crude oil output and eventually led to recession.

Most worrisome and painful is the fact that Former President Jonathans administration goofed on the development of the region as he was unable to complete the road to his Otuoke community in Bayelsa State.

RNDA is pleased with President Buharis willingness and commitment to the development of the Niger Delta since he came on board in 2015 in spite of the economic recession that greeted the emergence of his administration as the crude oil price hit an all-time low of N35 per barrel.

President Buhari fight against corruption which was the signpost of the previous PDP administrations clearly defined his stand on the development of the region.

We commend him for the smooth take-off of academic activities at the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, and we commend the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for the approval for the dredging of the Escravos River to enable cargo vessels to access Warri which will, in turn, boost economic activities.Akpabio, alongside Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), led delegation from Akwa Ibom State APC on a courtesy visit to Buhari at the presidential villa on Monday.

While fielding questions from State House Correspondents, Akpabio, said Akwa Ibom State would be the first state to fall for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

I believe strongly in the saying, `res ipsa loquitor, the act speaks for itself.

From the caliber of personages you saw here today, the strength and character of the delegation, the capacities of the personalities you saw, it is clear that President Buhari will win Akwa Ibom State come 2019 general elections.

He will not only win, he will win with a landslide; I can predict that the first state in Nigeria to fall to the APC in 2019 presidential election is Akwa Ibom State.

Nobody can controvert it; I say so with authority because I have the backing of my people to pronounce it  victory for APC and victory for Buhari come 2019 in Akwa Ibom State, he said.

He said that he was the governor of Akwa Ibom State for eight years, and could not remember one kilometre of road that was done by the Federal Government in Akwa Ibom State.

He said that in terms of appointments, Akwa Ibom State had benefited more from Buharis administration than it did from 1999 to 2015 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.

Akpabio said that Akwa Ibom was always taken for a strong PDP state; hence it was taken for granted under PDP administration.

This president went out of his way to give our children the opportunity to have very sensitive appointments at the Federal level.

When I was a governor, we had a minister of state for many years but today we have a full fledged Minister of Budget and National Planning and a lot of other appointments.Mrs Samantha Newport, Head of Communications, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Kallon said that 25-year old Hussaini, a staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was abducted on March 1, in Rann, Borno.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator said that Hussaini was kidnapped alongside two other female aid workers, following a deadly attack by a Non-State Armed Group in which three other aid workers were killed.

The killing of Ms. Hussaini, a young, dedicated and passionate midwife and humanitarian, is a cowardly, heinous and despicable act.

Our deepest condolences go to her family, including her two young children, and friends.

The United Nations calls on authorities to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice and account."

He called for immediate release of other aid workers, and reiterated commitment of international community to assist the North/East region.

The United Nations also calls for the immediate release of the two aid workers who are still being held.

This incident demonstrates the severe challenges that Nigeria continues to face, but will not deter the international community from providing aid to millions of Nigerians caught up in the conflict in the North-East.

The United Nations stands in solidarity with the humanitarian community, Kallon said.

ALSO READ: Leah Sharibu begs Buhari to secure her freedom in new audio

He said the humanitarian community is currently providing life-saving assistance, including food, safe water and medicine, to over 60,000 internally displaced people in in Rann Camp and millions more in the region.

He said that about 3,000 aid workers were present in the North-East, majority of who are Nigerian nationals.

Kallon said that the humanitarian crisis in Nigerias North-East, which has spilled into the Lake Chad region, was one of the most severe in the world today.Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu has emerged the handpicked candidate of APC kingmakers in Lagos, and he's been anointed the preferred candidate to unseat Ambode during a primary election exercise slated for September 29, 2018.

Ambode was very sure of a second term in office before a dizzying spate of events in September made him sink into his office chair in agony, on occasion.

Two former Commissioners in Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat and Sanwoolu, picked up their respective nomination forms on the day Ambode was acquiring his, throwing the race for Lagos government house open.

Ambode in the battle of his life

The APC in Lagos will go with the direct primary system as opposed to the indirect primary system.

In a direct primary, all members of the party are allowed to choose flagbearers ahead of general election. In an indirect primary, only select party delegates are allowed to vote.

Were Ambode in the good books of godfather Bola Tinubu or other power brokers in the APC, an indirect primary would have been settled for and he would have been handed an automatic ticket.

"The fact that they are making him go through the primaries with other aspirants in a state like Lagos, shows you that they want to humiliate him",Prince Abeng, a political pundit, submitted.

One top ranking official in the Lagos State government set-up told Pulse that Ambodes mood swings are now more frequent than there have ever been and that the governor isnt holding back the tears.

We saw him shedding tears the other day. He even drove himself out of government house, something hes never done, the source disclosed.

Pulse was also told that Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike rang Ambode to offer him the PDP governorship ticket in Lagos.

Pulse has been unable to independently verify these stories from our sources, as neither Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ambode, Abib Haruna nor Commissioner for Information in Lagos, Kehinde Bamigbetan, picked up their phones.

An email sent to Bamigbetan on the intrigues in the politics of Lagos APC, has also not been replied, days after.

Moody and dejected

One aide in Alausa, the seat of government in Lagos, describes Ambodes mood these days as crestfallen, somber and a tad dejected.

When Sanwoolu formally declared for Ambodes seat on Sunday, September 16, 2018, all of Tinubus loyalists in Lagos, including Senator Gbenga Ashafa who represents Lagos East in the upper legislative chamber, were in the audience to cheer him onwith chants of incoming, incoming!

Sanwoolu enjoys Tinubus backing and is being galvanized by the Mandate Movementa grassroot assemblage that answers to Tinubu.

All 57 council chairmen in Lagos have also endorsed Sanwoolu who promised to restore work on a 25-year masterplan once he is elected.Theres plenty of office and research facilities, along with company headquarters, that still call Deerfield home, and its quite early to start a GoFundMe page. Yet, it must be unnerving to village officials and business boosters to wake up one morning and find thousands of jobs  of which hundreds of employees undoubtedly live in the village and nearby environs  soon will vanish. At least Waukegan slowly suffered the eradication of workers.Tinubu and Ambodewere guests at the launch of 'Africa Rise and Shine'; a book written by Jim Ovia, businessman and founder of Zenith bank.

The event held on Monday, September 17, 2018, at the Eko Hotel in Lagos.

A firm handshake

Tinubu and Ambode shook hands firmly after the Jagaban alighted the podium.

Both men also sat on the same table at the event attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu and other state governors.

Ambode occupied the seat besides Osinbajos.

After Tinubu exited the stage, Ambode was introduced and asked to step to the podium.

ece-auto-gen

"Who am I to speak after the Jagaban has spoken?", Ambode asked jocularly, to applause and laughter from the audience.

The governor laughed heartily, waited for the din from the audience to wane, before proceeding with the rest of his remarks.

Tinubu and Ambode are reportedly not the best of friends at the moment.Ambode has and chieftains of the party in Lagos.

Sanwoolu, who served as Commissioner in the Tinubu and Babatunde Raji Fashola administrations respectively, has emerged favorite to nick the Lagos APC governorship ticket at the primary exercise slated for Saturday, September 29, 2018.

We have told him (Ambode) to endorse Sanwoolu now that there is still time or be disgraced during the primary election. Its his choice to make at the moment. If he doesn't step aside, he may come third at the end of the primary behind a chieftain of Lagos APC told Pulse on condition of anonymity.

ece-auto-gen

All the to unseat Ambode. Tinubu's grassroot group, Mandate Movement, has also thrown its weight behind Sanwoolu.

Ambode had purchased the N22.5 million governorship nomination formas he aims for a second term in office as leader of Nigerias commercial capital.

'The ship has sailed'

Everybody has left him now. I mean everyone that matters has abandoned the Ambode ship as we speak. Even his commissioners have deserted him. If hes smart enough, he will realize that the ship has sailed and throw in the towel while theres still time, our source added.

Two other chieftains of the APC told Pulse that Ambode became too arrogant for his own good and insulted stakeholders of the party at will.

Imagine a governor who started calling Lagos money my money. None of us could reach him anymore. He refused to give us his phone numbers. The man became too arrogant. He even insulted and other bosses of our party, said one source.

ece-auto-gen

Within the APC in Lagos, Ambode is now regarded as a pariah, Pulse was told.

could not independently verify the claims from some of these chieftains, however. Chief Press Secretary to Gov Ambode, Abib Haruna and Commissioner for Information in Lagos, Kehinde Bamigbetan, weren't immediately available for comments. Calls placed to their mobile returned unanswered.

A phone call from the church

When General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, rang Tinubu to intercede for Ambode, Tinubu told him there was nothing he could do at this point because the matter was now beyond him.

Sir, people have been accusing me of imposition. They say I imposed candidates at will, Tinubu reportedly told Adeboye in excerpts of the phone conversation made available to Pulse from BourdillonTinubus famous home address. That is why I said all aspirants including the governor should get to the field and test their popularity among the people in an open contest of direct primaries.

Sir, my hands are tied on this matter. I cannot ask those who have picked expression of interest and nomination forms to withdraw or not contest. That will be greatly unfair. We will ensure a level playing field for all aspirants including the incumbent governor, Tinubu reportedly told the preacher.

A rift denied

Ambode had earlier said there was no rift between Tinubu and himself.

I want you to know that there is no fight anywhere. The National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and my good self, we are not in any fight, we are not in any controversy.

We are praying to God that the best is yet to come and the best will be what Lagos State deserves and I want you to just continue with your prayers that at this time, God will show His hand and make sure that everything that is of blessing to Lagos State will come to pass, Ambode said.According to Punch, the committee announced on Monday, September 17, 2018, that it is looking into the issues raised by President Buhari.

This was made known to newsmen by Senator Suleiman Nazif, the Chairman of the joint committee.

The President rejected the bill for the second time recently, citing some irregularities.

Nazif said that Nigerians are watching the committee closely to see what will happen, adding that they are in the eye of the storm.

The committee chairman also said that this is the fourth time they will be working on the document.

I believe that what we are doing is in the best interest of Nigerians, he added.

No card reader

The Presidency, in a statement which it issued to explain while Buhari declined assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, said that Card Readers were not includedin the document.Ambode has fallen out with Tinubu and the APC godfather has settled for 53-year-old Babajide Sanwoolu to end Ambodes bid for a second term in office.

Transcripts of an alleged phone conversation between Pastor Adeboye and Tinubuwere made available to various media outlets in the past week.

But the preacher says he never rang Tinubu to discuss Ambodes travails.

'Adeboye would not be involved in politics'

In a statement issued on Pastor Adeboyes social media accounts, the RCCG said Our attention has been drawn to news making the rounds from dailies especially the New Telegraph that Pastor E.A Adeboye, the General Overseer of the RCCG had a recent phone conversation with the Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

We would like to inform the general public that this is false and Pastor E.A Adeboye has not and would not be involved in inter/intra party politics in Nigeria and anywhere RCCG is present across the world. Pastor E.A Adeboye advises all well meaning Nigerians just like him to get their PVCs and exercise their civic duty.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

The ordination

Pastor Adeboye is notable friends with the Tinubus. Hes also on first name basis with a handful of politicians in the power corridors.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a serving Pastor of the RCCG.Saraki, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, made the statement in Lagos while addressing party members.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit to the party secretariat is in continuation of his nationwide tour of state chapters to garner support for his aspiration.

Saraki was accompanied on the visit by Sen. Dino Melaye; a former minister, Alhaji Muhammed Wakil; and former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Idris Wada.

A former Presidential Adviser on Media and Publicity and Director-General of Saraki Campaign Organisation, Dr Doyin Okupe, was also with him.

The Senate President said that great nations, including the Asian Tigers, were built by visionary leadership, saying Nigeria would be better if entrusted in capable hands.

We should stop using sentiments to vote for our leaders because a man cannot give what he does not have.

Most of us here read about great countries including the Asian Tigers; all their achievements do not happen by chance or luck.

They happened because there are visionary leaderships in those countries.

So, it is time for Nigerians to vote for leaders who have the capacity, the courage, and knows what he wants to do for his people, he said.

Saraki said he was seeking to lead the country out of the need to serve and deliver the dividends of democracy.

The Senate president said he had the capacity, the experience and the youthfulness to turn the country around.

He said that he was the best and the only sure one to deliver out of all the presidential aspirants across the parties.

Saraki decried the killings in parts of the country and other challenges in the country, saying it was the responsibility of all citizens to address them.

He promised to make the issues history, if elected to lead the country.

On restructuring, Saraki said there was the need for powers to devolve to the states to make them more viable.

He said the over-concentration of powers in the centre had stifled the development of the other federating units.

The Senate president expressed concerns that most aspirants who promised restructuring could not deliver, saying only somebody who could pursue the right legislative action and has the political sagacity could implement it.

A lot of people come and tell you here that they can do restructuring.

Restructuring is not one thing only a president can do, because it requires laws to be changed.

Implementing restructuring requires somebody with the political sagacity to carry people along with him to the destination, he said.

Saraki urged party delegates to see him as part of them and vote for him at the national convention.

He said Lagos had always remained with him, having spent his school years in the state and even married an indigene of Lagos.

The Senate president urged party members to congratulate themselves in advance, promising to do his best to ensure PDP wins Lagos for the first time.

Melaye, who also spoke at the event, told the party members that Saraki remained the best out of the aspirants seeking to lead Nigeria.

Addressing party members in Yoruba, the senator described the APC government as a failure, urging delegates to support the aspiration of Saraki.

Okupe similarly appealed for support for Saraki, saying he was the best man for the job.

The PDP Secretary in the state, Prince Muiz Dosunmu, commended Saraki, saying the chapter aligned with his vision to reposition the country.Skeptic Mark Honeychurch joins Ryan Bradley to expose this weeks woos and scams.

Mark discusses his Church visits this week.

A visiting academic, Hamed from Iran, had never seen a Christian service before so Mark decided to show him two extremes of what church can be.

They discuss Hameds impression of the two services, and how one was a lot more like what he was expecting than the other.

Ryan and Mark then take a look at Indian scammers.

Mark had a phone call from Spark this week, speaking to a couple of Indian gentlemen who explained that his private IP address had been made public.

Of course it was a scam.

Mark luckily thought to record the conversation a couple of minutes into it.

Ryan and Mark also visit the subject of Alex Jones - the American conspiracy theorist.

This comes in light of a recent interview in which Mr Jones cut off US Republican Senator Marco Rubio, and came across as somewhat unhinged.

Listen to the full interview with Mark Honeychurch above.

Weekend Variety Wireless with Ryan Bradley in for Graeme Hill, 8pm - midnight Saturdays and Sundays, on RadioLIVE and streaming live to the Rova app on Android and iPhone.

RadioLIVE.GERMANY: The two prototype Coradia iLint fuel-cell powered multiple-units began operating in revenue service on September 17, following a formal launch the previous day with a ceremony at Bremervorde attended by representatives from the federal and Land governments, regional transport authority LNVG and operator Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser.Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada.

Search Real EstateYes, does anybody tolerate these high taxes we have in Zion and Lake County? Look how much the school systems taken from us. Weve got superintendents making a quarter of a million dollars a year and theyve got assistants. Some teachers are making decent, but some of them are way overboard and well pay your salary. How come we dont have any say-so about this? How about poor seniors like me trying to make ends meet and trying to pay your house taxes, because you keep wanting more and more money. This is ridiculous. It aint like it used to be. It used to be a teacher had to work two jobs to make it. Now, one job and they get the whole summer off. Ive never seen such a job with so many days off. Man, if Id known that, Id have gotten into the system years ago. We need to cut down on school money. We need more police. We need to pay less money to the school system and more to the police. We need the police.,



We're sorry, this article is not currently availableBy Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/17/2018



ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

host Chris Harrison is apparently chomping at the bit to see what happens during Colton Underwood 's season."I think he's going to be great; there's a lot of layers to this guy," Chris, 47, told Us Weekly."I think it's going to be fascinating to go through this with a guy who -- obviously, the secret's out: He's a virgin and also the question is, is he ready? Is he ready to commit?"The longtime host added, "It's going to be fun to go through it with a guy with so many unanswered questions."Colton will be starring on 's 23rd season, which is expected to premiere in January 2019, after competing for Becca Kufrin 's heart on ette earlier this year and then failing to find love with his former fling, Tia Booth , on Bachelor in Paradise's fifth season this past summer.Becca has said she's happy about Colton's casting in the leading role for the franchise."I've said this about all of the guys: I want them to genuinely find love and be happy," the former Minnesota publicist recently told Us.On behalf of her fiance, Garrett Yrigoyen , Becca added, "If he is all in and completely wants to do it again, we will support him. We're excited for him ."Tia, however, isn't looking forward to the new season, and she may not even watch. The Arkansas-based physical therapist said it would be "kind of weird" to watch Colton date other women, even if they are just friends now.Tia told Access that while she supports Colton in his journey to find love, "seeing how much he struggled in Paradise -- one, with seeing Becca, and two, for not being ready for a relationship with me -- I don't really know how he would handle having to hurt people, like, emotionally every week... How would he be able to handle that?"Regardless, Colton insisted on Good Morning America he's absolutely ready to get engaged and settle down with the woman of his dreams.Interested in more news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook GroupAt around 1:10 a.m. on Sept. 21 an officer in a marked vehicle was involved in an accident with a pedestrian on Baxter Street, according to anTORRINGTON  To celebrate its new mascot, Dr. Barkley, one of the Tails of NW CT dog sculptures, Community Health & Wellness Center is hosting Pizza with the Pups, a community event, Thursday, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will be held at CHWCs Torrington medical office at 469 Migeon Avenue.

During the festivities, residentss will have the opportunity to see a demonstration by the Torrington K-9 Unit team: Officer Justin Deloy and his partner Titus, a black German Shepherd, at 4 p.m.

Guests can meet Tuna, a Golden Retriever owned by Dale Picard, co-founder of Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities of Winsted, at 5 p.m. Pizza and snacks will be served, and children can pose for a souvenir Pizza with the Pups Instax photo with a commemorative frame. Pizza is provided, in part, courtesy of a donation from Torringtons Big Y.

Tails of NW CT is a public art project made possible by the collaboration of three regional non-profits: The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, The Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, and Prime Time House. The initiative offered a series of dog forms that have been decorated by various artists and made available to area businesses to foster on display for the public to view. The dog sculptures can then be adopted at the Tails of NW CT Auction on Saturday, October 20th. CHWC will adopt Dr. Barkley, who was created by area artist Jennifer Atkins. Hes a dogtor who wears blue scrubs and has a stethoscope around his neck.

We are delighted to open our lobby up for the public to view Dr. Barkley up close and personal during Pizza with the Pups, said Joanne Borduas, CEO of CHWC, in a written statement. Our staff loves animals, and we are grateful that the Torrington Police K-9 Unit and ECAD partnered with us for this special event.

CHWC offers a range of healthcare services for the underserved throughout northwest Connecticut, including medical, dental, chiropractic, and counseling services. It strives to achieve the reputation of provider of choice for affordable, high quality services that achieve positive patient outcomes in a welcoming and caring environment.

CHWC is located at 469 Migeon Avenue, Torrington and 115 Spencer Street, Winsted with satellite locations at FISH of Torrington, 332 South Main Street, Torrington; Sullivan Senior Center, 88 East Albert Street, Torrington, CT; The Open Door Soup Kitchen, 160 Main Street, Winsted; YMCA Emergency Shelter, 480 Main Street, Winsted; Torrington Soup Kitchen, 220 Prospect Street, Torrington; and Oliver Wolcott Technical School, 75 Oliver Street, Torrington. Telephone 860-489-0931, visit at www.chwctorr.org and on Facebook.TORRINGTON  The agenda for the last scheduled meeting of the year for the state Bond Commission Thursday includes the consideration of a $1 million grant for the Warner Theatre.

The grant would help replace the roof, said theater Executive Director Lynn Gelormino.

Its over 20 years old and its flat and rubberized, she said.

Its a very large roof, Gelormino added, and it covers the 1,700-seat auditorium and the lobby.

The leaking roof has affected the adjacent masonry, and caused damage to the interior of the building, Gelormino said. The the theaters board and administrators completed a capital assessment plan two years ago, which totaled $4.9 million, she said.

The roof repairs were considered the most urgent, Gelormino said.

The Warner Theatre is a staple not only in Torrington, but in the Northwest corner region, state Rep. Michelle Cook, D-Torrington, wrote in a statement. This historical landmark has been an integral part of Torrington since 1931, and improvements are needed.

I hope it will go through (and be approved), said Gelormino. We know whats needed and it needs to be done sooner rather than later.

The initial request to the bond commission was for $4 million, Cook said Monday.

We asked for the gold figure and then see what we can get, she said in her statement. Were excited for the amount to be $1 million.

The funding would be provided through the states Grants-in-Aid for Urban Development program, according to the commissions agenda.

Our theatre welcomes over 100,000 patrons annually with diverse performances and educational opportunities that our community has come to depend on, Cook wrote. We want to maintain the structure, she said.

There are a variety of funding mechanisms, for future grants, Cook wrote. Their (theater) board does a good job and turns over every stone to find funding.

Were very grateful, Gelormino said, for the request to be considered by the commission.

According to the agenda, the Warner Theatres request through the Grants-in-Aid for Urban Development program is the only one in Litchfield County to be considered for the funding.

Another notable performing arts grant request is for nearly $303,000 for infrastructure improvements for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford.Workers are seen in silhouette near a liquefied natural gas storage tank at PetroChina's receiving terminal at Rudong port in Nantong, eastern China's Jiangsu province, Sept. 4, 2018.

China's plans to avoid another natural gas crisis next winter may depend on how deeply U.S. tariffs cut into its economy, experts say.

The effect of tariffs on industrial production is one of several unpredictable factors that will weigh on demand for the cleaner-burning fuel as the government tries to guard against winter shortages for the second year in a row.

Last December, many homes and schools in the smog-bound northeast were left in the cold after the government banned coal-fired heating before new gas networks could be completed in time.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) soon relented and allowed coal burning to resume, but the scramble for gas led to shortages and drove prices to record highs.

The NDRC planning agency has tried to tackle the problems by promoting more gas storage, more receiving terminals for imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and clearer guidelines for scrapping coal-fired boilers in the absence of adequate gas supplies.

"Last year's shortage of natural gas in northern China showed the country's shortcomings in production, supply, storage and sales of such energy," said an NDRC spokesman in April, as quoted by the official English-language China Daily last month.

The paper cited a report by the China Electric Planning and Engineering Institute, concluding that seasonal differences in gas consumption were "aggravated" by encouraging fuel conversions for households and industrial enterprises at the same time.

Vice Minister of Finance Liu Wei said that future replacements of coal-fired boilers must secure a "matching supply source" of gas before proceeding, Reuters reported, citing the ruling Chinese Communist Partys flagship paper People's Daily.

But the pace of gas demand will also be influenced by forces that may pull in opposite directions, according to Ling Xiao, chairman of Kunlun Energy, the Hong Kong-listed distributor of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) subsidiary PetroChina.

In remarks reported by the South China Morning Post, Ling said on Aug. 29 that it was "almost certain mainland China will once again face a tight gas supply this winter."

Ling's comments followed mixed assurances by a PetroChina official in July, reported by China Securities Journal.

The company was "fully prepared this year" to deal with last winter's equipment problems with pipeline gas from Central Asia that contributed to the crisis, according to the official.

"Gas supplies are still expected to be tight this winter, but the situation should be better than last year," the official said.

Ling's more recent remarks suggest there are still unsettled issues in preparing for the winter gas squeeze.

Local governments "will have to balance residential heating needs with industrial users' gas demands," he said.

During last winter's heating crisis, the NDRC ordered local governments to prioritize gas supplies for households, forcing some industrial enterprises to close or cut back.

On March 1, before the end of the last heating season, the NDRC said that "gas for nonresidential use should be reduced when necessary" to meet household demand.



Lack of clear instructions

Ling's comments suggest that distributors and local officials may lack clear instructions for the coming heating season this year.

Ling said the trade war with Washington "could result in a slowdown in China's manufacturing sector," which would both reduce gas demand and weaken the ability of industrial users to pay for the higher-priced but cleaner fuel.

But the impact of slowing demand would be "largely offset" by the central government's anti-pollution push, he said.

Despite last winter's problems, the cabinet-level State Council announced in July that it would expand its seasonal smog-fighting program from 28 northern cities to 82 by limiting some steel, aluminum and cement production, and promoting more conversions to gas.

Last February, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said plans called for switching 4 million more households and industrial plants from coal to gas or electricity this year, Reuters reported at the time.

While the impact of tariffs and production curbs may reduce demand and relieve shortages, the net effect of new gas conversions is unclear.

The government may also be tempted to spur industrial production with stimulus policies to keep economic growth from slipping, further complicating the outlook for gas demand.

The unsettled issues raise the question of how the government should prepare for a second season of potential shortages beyond the steps it has already taken.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation's liquefied natural gas station in Dapeng, in Shenzhen, May 23, 2013. EyePress Partial solutions

Philip Andrews-Speed, a China energy expert at the National University of Singapore, said that the government's strategies must go beyond partial solutions.

"The underlying problem is how to ensure that the supply chain infrastructure and the contractual arrangements are in place from well head to burner tip," Andrews-Speed said by email.

"If we see another surge in the conversion of coal-fired appliances, it is almost certain that there will be unsatisfied demand, unless end-user prices are raised sufficiently to cut off this demand, which is unlikely," he said.

So far, the government's policies have stopped short of fully deregulating gas prices and allowing market forces to reconcile supply and demand.

In May, the NDRC announced a partial reform for wholesale pricing of pipeline gas that allows "city gate" rates for residential use to rise by up to 20 percent over set levels.

The adequacy of the adjusted price cap may be tested if a gas crunch is repeated this year, triggering competition for supplies.

"Local governments will have to decide which sector deserves preferential treatment," Andrews-Speed said, "In the past, this has usually been the households, assuming that the distribution pipelines and boilers are in place and the gas supply is provided."

"However, as we know from last year and earlier experience, putting in place the end-user infrastructure for a given quantity of gas consumption is quicker and easier for industry than for households," he said. "So, once again, the households may go cold."



Double-digit imports

As the government has pursued its winter gas policies, China has relied on double-digit increases in imports to meet its growing demand for gas.

Last year, China's gas consumption rose 17 percent, according to CNPC. But domestic production failed to keep pace as output rose at just half that rate, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

This year, apparent demand climbed 16.8 percent from a year earlier in the first half, the National Energy Administration (NEA) reported, while domestic production increased 4.6 percent, according to NBS data.

In the first eight months of this year, domestic gas output gained slightly but growth remained at only 5.9 percent.

Last year, combined imports of pipeline gas and LNG soared 26.9 percent, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said. This year through August, gas imports are up 34.8 percent, Reuters said.

On Sept. 5, the State Council issued a new guideline for promoting gas sector development, but provisions reported by Xinhua were general and vague.

"The country should effectively solve the problem of unbalanced and insufficient development of the sector to deal with the natural gas shortage and production capacity, realize balanced supply and demand, make facilities safe and efficient, and improve the market-oriented mechanism," the guideline said.

Among other things, "the country should accurately forecast natural gas demand," said the government, according to Xinhua.Zhu Yufu is shown following his release from prison in a March 4, 2018 photo.

Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang on Monday detained a prominent member of a now-banned pro-democracy party for questioning on suspicion of "subversion," just months after his release from his second jail term for subversion based on a poem he wrote.

Zhu Yufu was released from the Zhejiang No. 4 Prison in March, where he had reported retaliatory treatment, including the cancellation of his meals, after his relatives traveled to the United States to campaign for his release.

Left with no income or health care as a result of his time in jail, Zhu now faces further potential charges, police have told him.

"At around 10.00 a.m. on Sept. 17, Zhu Yufu was visited by uniformed and plainclothes police officers at his home in Shangcheng district, Hangzhou city, who issued him with a summons for questioning and demanded his cooperation," the Hubei-based rights website Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch reported.

The summons document said that the Hangzhou police department had opened an investigation into Zhu, who is under suspicion of "subversion of state power," it said.

Police also searched Zhu's home, confiscating his two notebook computers and five receipts for courier shipments, it said.

"Then Zhu Yufu was taken away for questioning," the report said.

Zhu was released later on Monday, and told RFA that the "investigation" was linked to his recent participation in an art auction via the social media platform WeChat.

"Actually, I am selling my calligraphy right now for purely commercial reasons," Zhu said. "I want to make a living by selling my art, and I wanted to use the auction as a way of testing its value and gaining recognition in the eyes of others about how much it's worth. Then I would have a benchmark."

"This was my first time ... and under normal circumstances I would have to pay [a fee] to the auctioneer, but I didn't have that money, so I asked if they could donate the proceeds to the families of prisoners of conscience," he said.

Broken rules

Zhu said the police officer who questioned him had provided no explanation of the "subversion" investigation, but merely repeated that he had "broken the rules" of his residential surveillance.

"He told me I didn't have the right of publication, but that means I can sell calligraphy, which has nothing to do with publishing anything," he said.

Zhu's wife Jiang Hangli told RFA later on Monday that police had retained his electronic and communications devices. "All of his computers and cell phone are still over there [at the police department]; they just let him come home."

She said Zhu wasn't supposed to speak to the media.

"The state security police told him not to give any interviews," Jiang said.

Zhu's friend and fellow activist Qi Huimin said Zhu is currently in very poor health after serving many years in jail for peacefully opposing the ruling Chinese Communist Party, and he currently lacks any pension or health insurance.

"The authorities refused to give Zhu Yufu a pension because he'd been in jail," Qi told RFA. "That is totally unreasonable."

"Zhu Yufu is in great financial difficulty right now ... I'm guessing that this summons was a kind of warning, because Zhu still has a lot of influence, and he is able to write for money and sell calligraphy," he said.

Friend and fellow activist Zou Wei said the police were deliberately making a mountain out of a molehill.

"They are doing this to act as a deterrent to any other political dissidents," Zou said. "They want people to be nervous and frightened."

Zhu was handed a seven-year jail term in January 2012 for "incitement to subvert state power" after he penned a poem calling on the Chinese people to vote with their feet.

At his trial, the prosecution cited as evidence a poem, It Is Time, that Zhu wrote and shared during online calls for 'Jasmine' rallies inspired by protests in the Middle East in early 2011.

Party banned

Zhu was one of several prominent Chinese political activists who tried to set up the banned China Democracy Party (CDP) by applying for official permits from civil affairs bureaus across the country in 1998, but the attempt ended with the banning of the party and the sentencing of three of its founders to lengthy jail terms.

Zhejiang dissident Wang Youcai, Wuhan-based Qin Yongmin, and Beijing-based Xu Wenli were sentenced, respectively, to 11, 12, and 13 years in prison on charges of "instigation to subvert state power."

Also sentenced were Zhu, Sichuan-based Liu Xianbin, Beijing-based Zha Jianguo, as well as Hangzhou-based Chen Shuqing and Wu Yilong.

Xu Wenli and Wang Youcai were exiled to the United States on "medical parole" on Dec. 24, 2002, and March 4, 2004, respectively.

But CDP activists who remain in China and who have continued their activism have faced repeated jail terms.

Qin was redetained in 2015 and sentenced last July to 13 years' imprisonment by the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court, which convicted him of "incitement to subvert state power." He had served nearly 26 years in jail prior to the latest sentence.

CDP activist Lu Gengsong was jailed for 11 years in June 2016 by the Intermediate People's Court in Hangzhou after pleading not guilty to charges of "incitement to subvert state power."

Chen Shuqing was handed a sentence of 10 years and six months on the same charges.

Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wen Yuqing for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.A court in the Thai capital Bangkok ruled on Monday that police can hold two political refugees from China for an additional 12 days to complete investigation of their case, court official said.

Wu Yuhua, who is also known by her nickname Ai Wu, was detained by police in Bangkok with her husband Yang Chong on Aug. 29 and locked up in an immigration detention center. They had lodged a bail application last week in a bid to stall attempts to repatriate them to China, where they fear political reprisals at the hands of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

The couple appeared at the court in which the police sought extended custody because the case was not complete, the official at the Pathumwan Municipal Court in Bangkok told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

The court approved the custody request for another 12 days, the officials said, adding that police had already charged them with illegal entry into the country.

Detainee Yang was being held at the Bangkok Remand Prison on the outskirts of the Thai capital, while Wu was at a remand facility for women in nearby Pathum Thani province, the official said.

He said he was unaware of a bail request related to Mondays hearing.

Supporters of the couple said they had been registered as genuine political refugees by the United Nations and were awaiting resettlement in a third country. But Thailand, which isn't a signatory to international conventions on refugees, doesn't legally recognize that status.

Officials with the Bangkok office of the U.N.s refugee agency (UNHCR), however, last week declined to confirm whether the Chinese couple had refugee status.

UNHCR cannot comment on, or even confirm the existence of, individual cases, Hannah MacDonald, a spokeswoman for the agency, told BenarNews.

Yang and Wu were initially targeted by Chinese police after taking part in the press freedom protests in the southern city of Guangzhou in January 2013.

They fled the country in February 2015 and made their way to Thailand after Wu started a support group for disappeared rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. In Thailand, they eked out an existence without papers in the country's Pattaya region.

They were approved as political refugees by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangkok in 2017, but had yet to be accepted for resettlement in a third country amid a global tightening of national immigration policies.

Wu and Yang were detained along with He Weiyi outside the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok, where they had hoped to persuade New Zealand officials to consider them for resettlement.

Thailand has sent refugees of China back home in the past.

In July, authorities in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing jailed two rights activists sent home from Thailand as they were awaiting resettlement as political refugees, prompting an international outcry.

Dong Guangping and Jiang Yefei fled with their families to Thailand in 2015, and were granted refugee status by the UNHCR office in Bangkok.

But as they awaited resettlement in a third country, they were handed over to China by the Thai police, in a move that drew strong criticism from the U.N.

Dong and Jiang were both found guilty of "incitement to subvert state power" and "illegally crossing a national border" by a court in Chongqing.

Jiang received a six-and-a-half-year jail term, while Dong was sentenced to three-and-a-half years, their relatives said, citing phone calls with police and online reports.

In July 2015, Thailand forcibly repatriated nearly 100 Uyghurs to China, a move that drew criticism from United Nations officials and human rights groups. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said it was shocked at the deportation of a group believed to include women and children who did not wish to return to China, where the Turkic-speaking Muslim minority that suffers harsh repression under Chinese rule.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.The main gate of Hpa-an Prison in Myanmar's Shan state stands open in an undated photo.

Police in Myanmars eastern Kayin state have recaptured 18 of 41 convicts who escaped from the state prison in Hpa-an on Sunday morning, and are still searching for the others believed to be hiding in the jungle and in nearby villages, a state police official said Monday.

Most of them have long sentences, and one has been handed a death sentence, state police chief Aung Myat Moe told RFAs Myanmar Service. They know they have to stay in prison for a long time, and thats why they tried to escape with an advance plan.

We have closed all entrances and exits in seven townships and are working with military units to search everywhere, he said. The Myanmar Police Force, the General Administrative Department, and the military are taking care of the prisons security.

The inmates were clearing bushes inside the prison grounds in Taungkalay village when some of them beat a detention center employee who was about to load trash and cut vegetation onto a truck to be driven away, according to a report by the online news journal The Irrawaddy.

The wounded employee was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The prisoners seized the truck and drove out of the facility for 22.5 kilometers (14 miles), then ran into nearby jungle and other villages to hide, The Irrawaddy said.

Police shot inmate Kyaw Main Hla, who led the prison break, during their search operation. He later died in a hospital in Hpa-an, the report said, citing Kyin Naing, a local police officer who participated in the manhunt.

In the meantime, police are publishing reports about the manhunt operations online.

RFA was unable to reach prison officials for comment.

Former political prisoner Nanda Sit Aung, who spent time in the Hpa-an prison, said most inmates serving long sentences at the time were involved in narcotics cases.

There are two big gates inside the prison, and they [the prisoners] cant go outside the inner gate, he said.

They said these prisoners stole a truck outside of the jail and escaped, [but] that is impossible, Nanda Sit Aug said.

Reported by Kyaw Lwin Oo for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.Immigration authorities in Turkey are holding an ethnic Uyghur woman from northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), citing a problem with her Chinese passport, according to her husband, who worries she could face detention in a political re-education camp if sent home.



Rushengul Tashmuhemmet was detained by passport control officers at Istanbuls Ataturk Airport after arriving there by plane from Kazakhstans Almaty city with her young son at around 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, she told RFAs Uyghur Service by telephone.



They stopped me here at the airport, saying my passport has a problem, she said, adding that authorities had not informed her of the specific issue with her documents.



Please help. I am sitting here with my son and I pray that one day I will be reunited with the rest of my family.



Tashmuhemmet had been living in Almaty with her husband Omurbek Eli, a 41-year-old Kazakh national of mixed Uyghur and Kazakh heritage from the XUAR, and the couples three children.



Eli was arrested by police in the XUARs Turpan (in Chinese, Tulufan) prefecture in 2017 while visiting his parents and accused of terrorist activities. He was refused legal representation and imprisoned for more than seven months, despite never having been tried by a court of law.



Eli was eventually freed with the assistance of the Kazakh government and returned to Kazakhstan, but left the country for Turkey in May, saying he had faced harassment from local authorities for speaking to RFA earlier this year about his detention in China. His two older children relocated to Turkey soon after to join him.



Tashmuhemmet stayed behind in Almaty while awaiting the issuance of Kazakh travel documents for the couples youngest son, who was born in Kazakhstan. After the papers were recently processed, the two of them traveled to Turkey on Sunday, when they were detained at immigration.



As of Monday, Tashmuhemmet and her son were still being held by passport control, according to Eli, who spoke to RFA from outside of the Ataturk Airport, where he was waiting for his wife along with their two other children.



My wife has a valid [Chinese] passport, as well as a Turkish visa and other related documents, Eli said.



One hour after their arrival, I learned that they were stopped at passport control ... So far they are still there, he added.



If my wife is deported, my family will be destroyed.



Beginning in April 2017, Uyghurs accused of harboring strong religious views and politically incorrect ideas have been jailed or detained in political re-education camps throughout the XUAR, where members of the ethnic group have long complained of pervasive discrimination, religious repression, and cultural suppression under Chinese rule.



The position of China's central government authorities has evolved from denying that large numbers of Uyghurs have been incarcerated in camps to disputing that the facilities are political re-education camps. Beijing now describes the camps as educational centers.



Credible sources suggest that some 1.1 million people are or have been detained in the camps, which equates to 10-11 percent of the adult Muslim population of the region.



Omurbek Eli with his children in Kazakhstan following his release from detention in China, 2017. Photo courtesy of Omurbek Eli New camps



Experts recently told RFA that they have confirmed two previously unverified re-education camps in the seat of Elis home prefecture of Turpan through the analysis of satellite imagery, although neither location has been acknowledged by authorities.



Murat Harri Uyghur, 33, a member of the Uyghur exile community in Finland, said a study of imagery found on Google Maps revealed a camp facility accessible by a narrow road near Turpan citys Qiquan bazaar, a mountainous coal mining area located around 15 kilometers (nine miles) north of the city center.



There is a factory near the bazaar and the camp is located next to the factory, he said.



The camp is one of the most dangerous ones to be sent to, and its easy to become ill because of high levels of pollution and poor sanitation. I heard that it was originally used as accommodation for workers, but it was converted into a re-education camp.



According to Uyghur, the facility was enlarged and had a wall erected around the exterior that includes watchtowers.



There is a factory there, but it is difficult to know what it produces, he said. There are restrictions in place to stop people and vehicles from entering the area.



Uyghur said that both of his parents are being held in re-education camps, and that his 57-year-old mother Tiemuer Guihuahana former journalist for a state-run newspaper in Turpan who is now retiredis detained in the Qiquan facility.



My mother has been locked up in a re-education camp since April 2017, while my father was taken away in January this year, he said.



Uyghur said he had been unable to determine the location of his 57-year-old father Wufuer Saitiniyazi, a former translator at the Turpan regional governments judicial department, who is also retired.



Some people said he was in Daheyan [a town northwest of Turpan city], but when they went to look for him in the camp in Daheyan, they were told that there was no one there with such a name, he said.



All I know is that my father and mother are not in the same camp.



Camp expansion



Shawn Zhang, a Chinese law student in Canada who has identified more than 20 re-education camps by cross-referencing Google Maps satellite imagery with Chinese government construction bids seeking companies to build the facilities, recently told RFA he believes he has confirmed a second camp in Turpan city that was referenced in a report by the Wall Street Journal last month.



There is another one near the Turpan city detention center, although I havent been able to verify it yet from contractors documents, he said.



I came to this conclusion only by analyzing the satellite images of the buildingthe layout of the barbed wire and watch towers are completely identical to the picture that was published in the Wall Street Journal.



Zhang said that in addition to the newly discovered camp in Turpan city, he had also noticed an expansion of one of the largest re-education camps in the seat of Kashgar (Kashi) prefecture, with the addition of a food production facility.



They are claiming that they are building classrooms and accommodations as part of expanding the camp, he said.



In this so-called career training center a food factory is registered  but the registration information is very vague. It is not clear what this company does.



According to Zhang, the food company could be providing meals for the people held in the camp, or it is using people in the camp as slave labor.



The registration says it invested 20 million yuan (U.S. $2.9 million), which suggests that it is a large company, he said.



I think the second possibility [of using inmates as slave labor] is more likely, because if the factory was only providing food for people in the camp, it wouldnt require such a huge investment.



Reported by Gulchehra Hoja for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Mamatjan Juma. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.A court in the northern Vietnamese province of Bac Ninh sentenced land rights activist and citizen journalist Do Cong Duong 48 months in prison on Monday for disturbing public order, his lawyer told RFAs Vietnamese Service.

Duong, 54, was detained on January 24 by the police of Tu Son commune in Bac Ninh while he was filming a forced eviction. He met his lawyer, Ha Huy Son, on April 5 and was charged with "disturbing public order."

There were 4 defendants, and the other three plead guilty. Duong got the heaviest sentence of 48 months in prison under the article 331 of the 2015 penal code, Son told RFA.

My opinion is that the verdict is wrong. Duong did not disturb public order, he said, adding that his client had asked son to file an appeal.

According to the Vietnamese Political Prisoner Database, Duong was warned by authorities in September 2017 that he was sharing on Facebook content that distorts the truth, impacts upon the credibility and reputation of other citizens and organizations and content that contradicts the directions and policies of the Party and the law of the state."

The advocacy website said Duong was not in good health when he met lawyer Son in April and his family has faced harassment over the years due to Duong's land rights and anti-corruption activism.

Vietnams one-party communist government is currently detaining at least 130 political prisoners, including rights advocates and bloggers deemed threats to national security, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch. It also controls all media, censors the internet, and restricts basic freedoms of expression.

During the first eight months of 2018, at least 28 rights activists and bloggers have been put on trial, convicted, and sentenced to long prison terms, including prominent blogger and democracy advocate Tran Huynh Duy Thuc.

Thuc, who is serving a 16-year sentence, has been on a hunger strike for nearly a month to protest police pressure on him to plead guilty in exchange for amnesty.

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Paul Eckert.Less than a week before the gubernatorial runoff in Russia's Far East Primorye region, President Vladimir Putin met with the Kremlin-backed candidate, who had failed to secure the required majority to defeat his Communist Party runner-up outright in the first round.



"I know you have a runoff coming up," Putin told Andrei Tarasenko -- the candidate with the ruling United Russia party whom he appointed acting governor last year -- during the September 11 meeting in Vladivostok. "I think everything will be alright."



Things were not looking good for Tarasenko, who trailed Communist Party challenger Andrei Ishchenko for most of the day as votes were counted in the September 16 second-round ballot.



But a funny thing happened on the way to Ishchenko's seemingly assured victory: A last-second surge of votes tallied for Tarasenko pushed the acting governor ahead toward what one election analyst called a "mathematically impossible" victory, thanks to what Ishchenko denounced as blatant fraud.



"My friends, they are stealing our votes. We will defend our victory now!" Ishchenko wrote on his Facebook page.



Supporters of Ishchenko, who declared a hunger strike in response to the results, rallied in protest outside the regional administration's headquarters in Vladivostok, holding banners denouncing election officials as "scam artists" and reading "Ishchenko is our governor."

The Vladivostok headquarters of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny called on people to join the protests.





Here's what you need to know about one of the strangest Russian elections in recent years.



What Happened?



With 95 percent of the voting precincts having reported on September 16, Ishchenko was leading with 51.61 percent of the votes, compared to 45.79 for Tarasenko, whose appointment by Putin in October 2017 came amid what the Kremlin has portrayed as an effort to inject fresh administrative blood into Russia's regions.

But as more precincts began reporting, Tarasenko began closing in on Ishchenko, who represents the Communist Party in the regional parliament. With 98.77 percent of voting precincts reporting, Ishchenko had 49.91 percent of the votes compared to 47.61 for Tarasenko.

By the time 99.1 percent of precincts had reported, official tallies showed the acting governor ahead of his challenger by a total of 7,644 votes.

Aleksandr Kireyev, a Russian electoral geography expert, wrote on his blog that Tarasenko's comeback after trailing by nearly 6 percentage points with 95 percent of precincts reporting was "mathematically impossible."



"I had a solid lead of 5 percent, but in the morning the magic of numbers spelled defeat for me," Ishchenko wrote on Facebook.



His fellow regional Communist lawmaker, Artyom Samsonov, alleged that Ishchenko had been robbed of more than 20,000 votes in the city of Ussuriisk, where official results showed Tarasenko defeating Ishchenko 74.27 percent to 24.42 percent.



Two precincts in Ussuriisk reported that Ishchenko received zero votes compared to 540 and 112, respectively, for the acting governor, according to results posted by the regional election commission.



The situation in the region is "very important for Russia," Boris Nadezhdin, a liberal former federal lawmaker, wrote on Facebook.



"Falsifications have happened before, but for the first time falsifications truly changed the outcome of a gubernatorial election; [and] the scope and audacity of the falsifiers is unprecedented," Nadezhdin wrote.



What Is United Russia Saying?



Tarasenko's election headquarters, meanwhile, is accusing the Communists of illegally buying votes for Ishchenko, who finished in second place in first-round voting with 24.6 percent compared to 46.6 percent for Tarasenko.



"Primorye region has seen a direct falsification attempt through vote buying," Igor Khrushchyov, a top United Russia official in the region, told Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency.



Khrushchyov alleged that Tarasenko's campaign has audio, photographic, and video evidence to support the allegations.



The official website of United Russia had made no mention of the dispute surrounding the runoff vote as of midday on September 17.



What Are Election Officials Saying?



Russian Central Election Commission (TsIK) chief Ella Pamfilova, a former human rights ombudswoman whom Kremlin opponents accuse of lending a veneer of legitimacy to an electoral system they call rigged, said on September 17 that her commission would "thoroughly deal with everything" before announcing the final results of the election.Enough power to light and heat not only Central Asia's big cities and towns but also remote villages, and at less cost than current energy sources. That was the topic of discussion at the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation's (CAREC) 3rd Energy Investment Forum (EIF) in Batumi, Georgia, on September 11-12.

CAREC is a project of the Asian Development Bank, seeking to promote "regional cooperation in four priority areas: transport; trade facilitation; energy, and trade policy."

Government officials and corporate representatives presented their ideas for bringing CAREC countries -- Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan -- firmly into the 21st century in terms of alternative, green sources of energy.

As speakers made clear, it is not simply an ecological matter. In many of the CAREC countries, certainly in Central Asia, the decades-old power plants currently in use that consume coal, gas, or oil will soon need to be replaced, and the estimated cost of new hydrocarbon-based facilities is actually higher than that of plants that would use geothermal, solar, wind, or hydropower.

Fossil-fuel-based power plants are also regarded as less efficient. Power-transmission lines sometimes need to stretch hundreds of kilometers to reach smaller communities. Those lines lose electricity along their routes. Even with technological improvements, up to 10 percent of power can simply dissipate as it travels far from power stations.

Green sources of energy can be better targeted to meet the power needs of small towns and villages that are hundreds of kilometers from major cities where large power plants are usually located. Solar power plants and wind farms can be constructed near inhabited areas of the hinterland and supply sufficient energy to not only provide light and heat but also to open up new industries: small factories and shops that could provide new employment for local populations.

Solar might arguably be the power source of choice. "Human civilization has spent too much time looking down while the sun is burning our back," Sohail Hasnie of the ADB said during the conference. A solar panel that generates 100 watts of electricity cost, on average, some $37 in 2016; but by the end of the year, that cost is expected to have decreased to around $24, and it is expected to continue to fall.

Central Asia is ideally located to take advantage of solar power. Countries there average some 250 sunny days a year. Marina Asankulova of the Kyrgyz Transport Ministry said her country was looking into ways to harness solar and wind power, even as Kyrgyzstan progresses on hydropower projects.

It was noted that hydro- and solar power can actually go hand in hand. One presentation suggested that China is helping to pioneer such a combination of green energy sources with a floating solar farm in the Three Gorges area, ironically at the site of a former coal mine that collapsed and filled with water. Chinese authorities say the $151 million floating solar plant can deliver some 150 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply power to around 50,000 homes.

Tajikistan is due to launch the first turbine at its Roghun hydropower plant in November. Eventually there should be six units at Roghun, generating 3,600 megawatts of electricity; but the surface area of the reservoir is some 110 square kilometers, ideal for construction of a floating solar farm.

Of course, hydropower plants run at peak capacity in the warming months when snows melt; and not every day is sunny or windy. So the EIF in Batumi also featured presentations on developments with battery storage, the so-called super lithium-ion batteries Tesla chief Elon Musk has been working on. Here, too, efficiency is improving and costs are decreasing as companies work to store excess solar and wind power.

...But There's A Catch

Allow me to digress here for a moment, because I have seen some of this technology work on very small scales in Central Asia. I remember a lonely house in the hills outside of Tash-Kumyr, in Kyrgyzstan, that was receiving power from a small windmill. In a remote area of Kyrgyzstan's southern Batken Province I saw a house powered by a "microhydro" source -- a paddle wheel about the size of a car tire placed in an "aryk," or small canal, that passed by the family home. And, of course, there is the yurt of the future that I wrote about years ago.

These sources of power appear cheaper and cleaner, and one or another of them can be set up practically anywhere. Seems an obvious choice.

But there is an obstacle, and it's a formidable one: the fossil-fuel industry. As I mentioned in a previous article, coal use is actually increasing in Central Asia.

In Central Asia, the people in charge of the oil, gas, and coal industries, and power plants, tend to be people close to government officials, or even government officials themselves. Any conversion to greener, more affordable sources of energy could threaten their personal fortunes. Solar and wind farms can be connected to major power grids, but solar and wind (and microhydro) work off the grid, too, translating into little or no profit for state or big power companies.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RLBritish police have ruled out the nerve agent Novichok in an incident in which two people fell ill after eating in a restaurant in Salisbury, the town where former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in March.

Earlier this evening, Wiltshire Police and partners declared a major incident following a report that two people had fallen ill in Salisbury, police said in a statement early on September 17.

We can now confirm that there is nothing to suggest that Novichok is the substance.

At this stage, it is not yet clear if a crime has been committed and inquiries remain ongoing, it said.

Police said a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s had become ill after eating at around 6:45 p.m. The two were said to be conscious as ambulances and hazardous materials crews arrived at the scene.

After the incident, the Prezzo restaurant where the two had eaten and nearby streets in the city center were cordoned off by police in a highly precautionary approach.

Police said the cordon will remain around the restaurant as the investigation continues. Cordons were lifted from all other areas, officials added.

Skripal and daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury on March 4.

They were both in critical condition and spent several weeks in the hospital but were later released, with British officials saying they are making a good recovery. Their whereabouts are being kept secret.

Sergei Skripal is a former double agent who was convicted of spying and imprisoned in Russia but was released and sent to Britain in a 2010 spy swap.

British officials say the Skripals were poisoned with Novichok, a military-grade chemical weapon that was developed in the Soviet Union, and blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin's government for the attack.

A British citizen, Dawn Sturgess, died in June and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, was made ill when they stumbled across remnants of the poison in a town near Salisbury.

Russia denies involvement, and a diplomatic confrontation over the case has led to sanctions and the expulsion of more than 150 Russian diplomats from two dozen Western countries.

On September 5, British authorities announced they had charged two Russian men, identified as Aleksandr Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, with carrying out the poisoning on March 4.

British authorities said a European arrest warrant had been issued for the two Russians.

The men appeared in an interview on Kremlin-funded RT television station on September 13 to proclaim their innocence and said they were merely tourists in the city southwest of London.

James Slack, spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May, derided their claims as "lies and blatant fabrications."

With reporting by Reuters, mirror.co.uk, dpa, and AFPSupporters of Russia's Communist Party are protesting after the ruling United Russia party's candidate suddenly surged ahead in the final stages of the vote count in a runoff election for governor of the Primorye region.

With 95 percent of the ballots counted on September 17, acting Governor Andrei Tarasenko was nearly 6 percentage points behind Communist challenger Andrei Ishchenko, according to election officials.

But the officials said that once the ballot count reached 99 percent, Tarasenko had 49.5 percent and Ishchenko 48 percent.

Alleging fraud, dozens of Communist supporters protested outside the regional administration building in the Pacific coast port city of Vladivostok.

Ishchenko told RFE/RL that he had cancelled a hunger strike that he had announced earlier. He also withdrew his earlier call for supporters to set up a tent camp on a central square.



He said the change of tactics was adopted following consultations with Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov and in response to positive signals from Central Election Commission Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova.



Ishchenko said Zyuganov urged him to act exclusively "within the framework of the law."



In Moscow, Zyuganov appealed to President Vladimir Putin to look into the situation. He also promised to hold a national protest action on September 22 if there was no progress by then.

The Communist Party is preparing lawsuits challenging the declared results in several districts, Ishchenko said.

Ishchenko said party members who monitored the vote count in several locations had copies of the vote-count protocols that differ from the results announced by local election officials.

Jailed Kremlin opponent Aleksei Navalny, a vocal foe of Putin, issued a tweet urging residents of Primorye to hit the streets for protests "immediately" and for Russians nationwide to support them.

United Russia also accused the Communists of falsifications, and the regional election commission chief, Natalya Kamayeva, said the commission would not announce the results on September 17.

Out of 21 Russian regions in which gubernatorial elections were held on September 9, Primorye was one of four where candidates from Kremlin-controlled United Russia faced runoffs after failing to win 50 percent of the vote in the first round.

Central Election Commission head Pamfilova said on September 17 that election authorities will consider all complaints before official results are announced later in the week.

United Russia, which unequivocally supports President Vladimir Putin, dominates the executive and legislative branches of power on the national, regional, and local levels.

The September 9 elections were a test of Putin's government as it seeks to raise the retirement age for men and women by five years, a highly unpopular move that has prompted protests across the country.

Putin met with Tarasenko ahead of the September 16 runoff and told him that "everything is going to be fine," according to the transcript on the Kremlin website.

The runoff vote came days after Putin hosted Asian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at an economic forum in Vladivostok last week.

Navalny organized protests in dozens of cities and towns on the day the elections were held.

Police detained more than 1,000 people during the demonstrations, conducting a crackdown that was condemned by human rights groups and Western governments.

With reporting by AP, Interfax, RIA Novosti, and Ekho MoskvyTaliban attacks across two western Afghan provinces have left at least 12 Afghan police officers dead, officials say.

In the province of Farah, provincial council member Khair Mohammad Noorzai said at least seven Afghan police officers were killed after militants attacked a check post early on September 17.

At least two policemen were also wounded in the fighting in Posht Rod district, adding that the Taliban took all the weapons with them and set fire to the check post.

Fared Bakhtawer, head of Farah Provinces council, said the Taliban fighters launched attacks in other parts of the province, too, and that at least 17 members of the country's security forces died in the violence.

In Badghis Province, local council member Abdullah Afzali said five policemen, including a police commander, were killed and eight were wounded after the Taliban attacked a number of check posts.

Mohammad Nasir Nazari, another council member, said the whereabouts of eight other police officers were unknown following the overnight firefights in Qala-e Naw district.

Around 22 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded during the gunbattle, according to Jamshid Shahabi, spokesman for the Badghis provincial governor.

There were no immediate comments from the Taliban.

Afghan security forces have struggled to counter attacks from both the Taliban and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO combat troops in 2014.

Based on reporting by AP and dpaA group of anarchists has attacked the Iranian Embassy in Athens to protest Tehran's treatment of its Kurdish population, Greek authorities say.

Police officials said that about 10 people armed with iron bars early on September 17 smashed windows in the embassys waiting room and threw red paint into the courtyard.

Nobody was reported hurt in the attack.

In a statement posted on the Internet, the anarchist Rubicon group claimed it carried out the attack in a gesture of solidarity with the "Kurds of Iran."

The group has carried out a series of similar attacks in Greece in recent years, targeting embassies, companies, and public buildings.

The latest attack in Athens comes days after activists targeted the Iranian Embassy in Paris, throwing objects and smashing windows at the building.

Iranian media said the September 14 attack was carried out by about 15 Kurdish activists.

The countrys Foreign Ministry accused French police of failing to respond quickly.

Members of Irans Kurdish minority live mainly in the west and northwest of the country. Human rights groups say are facing discrimination and human rights abuses from the Iranian government.

With reporting by AFPThe Russian military has made a new claim about the downing of a passenger jet over the war zone in eastern Ukraine in 2014, asserting that the missile that brought Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 down was sent to Soviet Ukraine after it was made in 1986 and never returned to Russia.

Defense Ministry officials made the claim at a news conference in Moscow on September 17, in an apparent attempt to discredit the findings of an international investigation that determined the system that fired the missile was brought into Ukraine from Russia before the Boeing 777 was shot down on July 17, 2014, and smuggled back into Russia afterward.

Kyiv swiftly disputed the Russian assertion, which a senior Ukrainian official called an "awkward fake," while the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) said that it was still waiting for Russia to send documents it requested long ago and that Russia had made "factually inaccurate" claims in the past.

In a statement to RFE/RL, the Dutch government said it had "taken notice of the publications in relation to the press conference by the Russian Ministry of Defense."

"The Netherlands has the utmost confidence in the findings and conclusions of the JIT," the statement added. "The JIT investigation has broad support by the international community. The government is committed to full cooperation with the criminal investigation by all countries concerned as reflected in [UN Security Council] Resolution 2166."

Speaking to RFE/RL's Russian Service in an interview, the founder of cybersleuthing outfit Bellingcat accused Russia of "lying about the content" of videos it used as evidence, and said there was "absolutely no way to know" whether the records it cited are genuine.

All 298 passengers and crew were killed when the jet, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed in an area held by Russia-backed separatists in the Donetsk region.

The tragedy caused an international outcry and deepened tensions between Moscow and the West following Russia's seizure of Crimea and support for the militants in their fight against Kyiv's forces after pro-European protests pushed Moscow-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych from power.

The JIT also found that the Buk missile came from Russia's 53rd Antiaircraft Missile Brigade and was fired from territory held by the Russia-backed separatists.

Many of the JIT's findings have been corroborated or supported by evidence gathered by journalists and independent investigators, such as the British-based Bellingcat.

The Russian Defense Ministry officials claimed that some of the evidence used by the JIT, including videos investigators used to track the path of the missile from Russia to Ukraine and back, was falsified. They cited alleged evidence whose authenticity and accuracy could not immediately be independently assessed.



Citing what they said were newly declassified documents, the Defense Ministry officials asserted that the missile was manufactured in Dolgoprudny, outside Moscow, in 1986 -- five years before the Soviet Union fell apart -- and was sent by railway to a missile brigade in the Ternopil region of western Ukraine in December of that year.



"The missile belongs to the Ukrainian armed forces and never returned to Russian territory," said Lieutenant General Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Defense Ministry's missile and artillery department.

In Ukraine, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said Russia's "statement alleging that the missile that downed MH17 had a Ukrainian footprint was yet another awkward fake [issued] by the Kremlin in order to conceal its crime, which has been proven by both the official investigation and by independent expert groups."

Earlier, Bellingcat's Eliot Higgins cast doubt on the allegation that video footage was doctored by investigators, writing on Twitter that the Russian Defense Ministry "should probably know we have the original version of the video they're talking about at the moment."



"And we've never published it. And the JIT has it," Higgins added in successive tweets.



In a statement on September 17, the JIT said it would "meticulously study the materials presented as soon as the Russian Federation makes the relevant documents available to the JIT as requested in May 2018" and required under a UN Security Council resolution."

The JIT said that it asked Russia to provide "all relevant information" about the incident back in 2014, and in May 2018 "specifically requested information concerning numbers found on several recovered missile parts."

The investigative body said that it had "always carefully analyzed" information provided by Russia, and in doing so "has found that information from the Russian Ministry of Defense previously presented to the public and provided to the JIT was factually inaccurate on several points."

Bellingcat's Higgins echoed that statement, telling RFE/RL's Russian Service that "the Russian Ministry of Defense has a long and well-established track record of lying and faking evidence."



"So, really, there is absolutely no way to know that this information is genuine," Higgins said. He also disputed the claim that videos were doctored, accusing the Defense Ministry of making "purposely misleading" statements about video evidence and "just lying about the content."

The new Russian assertions follow several other attempts by Russia to lay blame for the downing of MH-17 on Ukraine, including initial suggestions -- now discredited -- that the jet was shot down by a Ukrainian warplane.

The 298 victims of the crash are among more than 10,300 people killed since April 2014 in the war in eastern Ukraine, where fighting persists and the Moscow-backed militants continue to hold parts of the Donestk and Luhansk provinces despite internationally-backed cease-fire and political-settlement deals known as the Minsk Accords.

With reporting by Meduza, AP, and Interfax"Live free or die" is the official motto of the U.S. state of New Hampshire.

It's a mantra that resonates deeply with Safiya Wazir, an Afghan refugee who fled Taliban rule in the 1990s, resettled with her family in neighboring Uzbekistan, and is now a U.S. citizen vying to make political history in her adopted state.

The 27-year-old won the Democratic Party primary for a seat in the state legislature on September 11, and should she defeat Republican Dennis Soucy in the November general election, she would become the first former refugee to hold public office in New Hampshire.

"Many people sacrifice for freedom," Wazir tells RFE/RL in a phone interview. "[I] had the opportunity to live freely or die."

Wazir seized the opportunity, moving to the United States in 2007. She graduated from high school and became a U.S. citizen in 2013. After three years of working low-salary jobs, she earned a business degree.

Now, she is campaigning to represent District 17, a blue-collar neighborhood in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire, a predominately white state.

In the Democratic primary, Wazir defeated four-term incumbent Dick Patten, a 66-year-old former city councilor. During the campaign, Patten reportedly accused immigrants of "getting everything," such as social benefits, at the expense of people born and raised in New Hampshire.

After his loss, he was quoted as saying, "She's from Afghanistan, so she was treated like the princess." He has reportedly said he will vote for Wazir's Republican rival in the November election.

Wazir was shocked when she won the vote in a landslide.

"The diversity of the population in the community is rising," she says. "I want to be the voice of everybody from native-borns to immigrants. I want to be an example to the new generation. You have the opportunity, with the freedom and democracy we have, to step up and do better."

Wazir has spent years involved in community activism and dedicated herself to education and family issues.

The mother of two -- who is expecting her third child in January -- has championed the causes of young families, campaigned for expanded health care and paid parental leave, and fought for more funding for childhood education.

A New Generation

Wazir is part of a wave of young people and minorities to enjoy success in primaries across the United States, defeating older and more established rivals, signaling what observers say is a desire among many Democratic voters for generational change.

Among them are Stacey Abrams, a 44-year-old black woman, who is the Democratic nominee for governor for the state of Georgia; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28-year-old first-time candidate who won a New York congressional primary in June; and Ayanna Pressley, the Boston city councilor who defeated a 10-term incumbent earlier this month and is now poised to become Massachusetts' first black congresswoman.

"It's finally the year for women to step up and run," Wazir says. "This is the year many of us have been fortunate to [be in] this position."

Her unlikely foray into New Hampshire politics began at the age of 6. Born in the Dushi district of Baghlan Province, in northern Afghanistan, her family moved to neighboring Uzbekistan in 1997. Ten years later, Wazir moved to Concord with her parents with the help of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

While she remembers little of Afghanistan and has only returned to the war-torn country once -- in 2012, to get married -- her birth country remains a source of inspiration.

Her focus, however, is squarely on her adopted home.

"Afghanistan is [facing] many difficulties," Wazir says. "But it's not just in Afghanistan. We face [some of] those situations in the U.S. and we have so many problems in New Hampshire. That's why I'm running."U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Macedonia on September 17 with a warning that Russia was attempting to use its money and influence to build opposition to the upcoming referendum on changing the former Yugoslav republics name.

"No doubt that they have transferred money and they are also conducting broader influence campaigns," Mattis told reporters traveling with him to the Macedonian capital, Skopje.

He said it was unclear how effective Moscow's efforts to defeat the referendum had been.

Western leaders have visited Skopje in recent days to back a "yes" vote at the September 30 referendum on whether to change the Balkan country's name to North Macedonia.

The planned vote follows an agreement between Skopje and Athens in June to break a decades-long stalemate that has poisoned their relations since 1991 and could pave the way for Macedonia to join NATO -- a move Moscow opposes.

Opinion polls have shown the yes vote with a clear lead, but it will require a turnout of more than 50 percent of the Balkan nations 1.8 million registered voters to be valid.

In Skopje, Mattis met Macedonian Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska and center-left Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who struck the name-change deal with Athens.

Mattis said that agreement with Greece unlocked Macedonia's NATO accession process and allowed Macedonians to determine their own future in "institutions made up of like-minded countries."



"You would join an alliance in which countries large and small work together to uphold shared principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom from coercion, while others seek to diminish these very values, sowing discord from Syria to the Ukraine," Mattis said.



Mattis called the referendum a "complex political choice" and "the most important vote" in the nation's history. 

WATCH: U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis urged Macedonians to vote in a forthcoming referendum on changing their country's name, after arriving in Skopje on September 17.

The U.S. defense secretary later announced a plan for the United States and Macedonia to "expand our cybersecurity cooperation to thwart malicious cyberactivity that threatens both our democracies."

Zaev predicted that Macedonians will vote in favor of the name change, saying, "There is no other alternative for the Republic of Macedonia than the integration into NATO and the EU."



Mattis also held talks with President Gjorge Ivanov, who opposes the agreement with Greece.

Moscow's ambassador to Skopje has criticized Macedonia's ambitions to join NATO, warning that the Balkan country could become "a legitimate target" if relations between NATO and Russia deteriorate further.

In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats and blocked two others from entering over suspicions they attempted to undermine the deal between Skopje and Athens.

Moscow denounced the expulsions as unjustified and responded in kind with expulsions of Greeks.

The name dispute between Macedonia and Greece dates back to 1991, when Macedonia peacefully broke away from Yugoslavia, declaring independence as the Republic of Macedonia.

Greece has objected to the name Macedonia, saying it implies territorial claims on the northern Greek region with the same name.

Greece, an EU and NATO member, has cited the dispute to veto Macedonia's bid to join the two organizations.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and APPakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has pledged to grant citizenship to Pakistan-born children of Afghan and Bengali refugees, many of whom have lived in the country for decades.

Khan said late on September 16 that hundreds of thousands of Afghans and Bangladeshis live in Pakistan without the benefits of its social security system.

He said the children's lack of documentation and education has prevented them from getting jobs, so they turn to crime.

"When you are born in America, you get the American passport. It is the practice in every country in the world, so why not here? How cruel it is for them," Khan said.

Khan took office last month after his Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI) party won national elections on July 25.

Pakistan is home to some 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, some of whom have lived in the country since fleeing the Soviet invasion in 1979.

There are also some 250,000 Bengalis, many of whom arrived during Pakistan's civil war in 1971, when East Pakistan broke away to declare independence and become Bangladesh.

The United Nations refugee agency welcomed Imran Khan's announcement.

Based on reporting by AP and AFPThe presidents of Russia and Turkey have agreed to create a demilitarized buffer zone in Syria's Idlib region to separate government and rebel forces.

President Vladimir Putin said that the buffer zone would be 15 to 25 kilometers wide and come into force by October 15.

This would entail a "withdrawal of all radical fighters" from Idlib including the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front, Putin said after more than four hours of talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the Russian city of Sochi on September 17.

The two leaders also agreed on the withdrawal of "heavy weaponry from this zone," including tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems, and rocket launchers belonging to all armed groups, Putin added.

Speaking at a joint news conference, Erdogan said the two countries would carry out coordinated military patrols on the borders of the buffer zone.

"The opposition will continue to remain in the areas where they are. In return, we will ensure that the radical groups, which we will determine with Russia, will not operate in the area under discussion," Erdogan said.



The meeting in the Russian Black sea resort city of Sochi comes 10 days after a summit between Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and their Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rohani, failed to produce a compromise in a bid to avert an expected Syrian government offensive in Idlib Province, which the Turkish president has warned would ignite a "bloodbath."

Moscow and Tehran have given Syrian President Bashar al-Assad crucial support throughout the war, which began with a government crackdown on protesters in March 2011.

The three allies have been pressing ahead with the Idlib offensive, saying they want to put an end to what they call the last main "terrorist" stronghold in Syria.

However, Turkey is backing rebel groups and it fears that a large-scale assault on Idlib, which lies on its southern border, could trigger a massive flow of refugees onto its soil.

The country is already home to more than 3 million Syrians who have fled the war.

Idlib Province is the Syrian opposition's last major stronghold and it is held by an array of rebels.



The most powerful is Tahrir al-Sham, a merger of Islamist groups dominated by the former Al-Nusra Front -- an Al-Qaeda affiliate until 2016.



Other Islamists, and groups fighting as the Free Syrian Army banner, are now gathered with Turkish backing under the banner of the National Front for Liberation.



Neither Putin not Erdogan explained how they planned to differentiate "radical" rebels from other anti-Assad groups.



It was also not immediately clear how much of the city of Idlib fell within the buffer zone.

Earlier, Turkey's Hurriyet daily quoted Erdogan as saying Ankara's calls for a cease-fire in Idlib were bearing fruit after days of relative calm.

"It looks like we obtained a result with the efforts which were made," he told reporters on a flight back from Azerbaijan. "But we are still not satisfied."

Turkey has established military observation posts around Idlib, which Ankara has reportedly reinforced with troops and equipment in recent weeks.



Erdogan said these posts are aimed at protecting the "innocent people" there, according to Hurriyet.



"But currently everybody can see the regime's mercilessness and the terror that they are spreading there. There is a terror state," he added.



While backing separate sides, Turkey, Russia, and Iran launched a negotiations process last year in the Kazakh capital, Astana, mainly dealing with battlefield issues, such as cease-fires and deescalation zones. A separate UN-led round of talks addressing political issues has taken place in Geneva.



The United Nations expects up to 900,000 people to flee if Syrian government forces launch a large-scale offensive on Idlib, home to some 3 million people.



The 7 1/2-year war has killed more than 400,000 people and displaced millions.

With reporting by AFP, TASS, and ReutersA diplomatic war of words between Switzerland and Russia has intensified, with the Swiss demanding that Moscow cease spying activities on its territory after two suspected espionage cases came to light in recent days.

"The Swiss Department Of Foreign Affairs has called on Russia to immediately end illegal activities on Swiss soil or against Swiss targets," it said on September 16.

The Swiss ministry said it summoned Sergei Garmonin, Moscows ambassador in Bern, to protest Russian activity in Switzerland.

The statement did not cite specifics, but it came a day after newspaper reports said Russian spies had allegedly targeted a laboratory in Spiez that was testing the nerve agent used on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in the English city of Salisbury in March.

The lab also tests suspected weapons of the type allegedly used by Russia's ally, the Syrian government, in that country's civil war.

It is the third time the ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador this year to protest alleged attacks on organizations operating in Switzerland.

In the most recent case, the Swiss government on September 15 confirmed reports that Dutch authorities had arrested and expelled two suspected Russian spies earlier this year after the two allegedly tried to hack the Swiss laboratory.

Switzerland summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the attempted attack as Moscow rejected the allegations, the latest Western claim about Russian spying and other acts of interference.

The alleged target in the recent case was the Spiez Laboratory, which analyzed samples from the March poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England.

Britain says Moscow used Novichok to try to kill Skripal and has charged two Russian men in absentia with attempted murder.

Skripal and his daughter Yulia recovered from the attack, but a British citizen, Dawn Sturgess, died in June and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, fell ill when they stumbled across remnants of the poison in a town near Salisbury.

Meanwhile, Swiss prosecutors revealed they were investigating a March 2017 cyberattack against the offices of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Switzerland.

WADA, based in Montreal, suspended RUSADA, Russia's anti-doping agency, in 2015 over alleged state-backed doping in sports. Moscow has repeatedly denied state involvement in doping.

The individuals concerned in that probe were the same pair identified by the Swiss intelligence service a day earlier, prosecutors said.

The Russian Embassy described the newspaper's allegations as "unsubstantiated" and "baseless."

"This seems an absurd attempt to give readers a biased view of the Russians working in Switzerland," the Russian Embassy said.

With reporting by Reuters, BBC, and The Financial TimesWe had such an overwhelming response from so many people, I had to limit it to starting this years diversity bulletin board with families who have a second grader, Hofmeier said, adding, These families are so excited to be a part of our school, and they just love to talk about their culture and celebrate our diversity.We saw this judge through the trial, how thorough he was, how strict he was with the prosecution, Varughese said in a phone interview. To hear this from him today was very surprising. We were very puzzled.More than 100 volunteers helped to make the event possible for 2018, Triptow said. Funds raised for the chamber help to provide scholarships, as well as planning for special events including parades and wine strolls, she said. The chamber has about 250 members, she added.The magistrates' court being demolished last year.

PART of the old magistrates court site will be used as a car park, under new council plans.

RMBC has asked for permission for 50 pay and display spaces at The Statutes in the town centre.

The courts were demolished after being closed by the Government in 2016 and sold to Rotherham Borough Council for 1 in spring last year.

The site is part of the wider Forge Island development. Work is set to begin next year and include a cinema, food and drinks outlets and a hotel.I demonstrated what Id heard the best I could. And she explained what it was and told me she didnt have any of it in stock, but that she could order it. That blew my mind. She knew about it, as obscure as it was, Foley said.Saratoga Springs City Police

Suspended registration: Jajuan A. Perez, 28 of Watervliet, was arrested September 14 at 2:35 a.m. on Broadway and charged with operating motor vehicle with a suspended registration, a misdemeanor.

Criminal contempt: Robert W. Rivers, 35 of Saratoga Springs, was arrested September 13 at 11:41 a.m. on South Broadway and charged with first-degree criminal contempt, a felony and aggravated family offense, a felony.

Resisting arrest: Shawn L. Whitman, 17 of Porters Corners, was arrested September 13 at 7:52 a.m. on Blue Street Boulevard and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, a misdemeanor.

Criminal trespass: Gregory M. Scott, 23 of Schaghticoke, was arrested September 13 at 2 a.m. on Caroline Street and charged with third-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor and fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.

Controlled substance: Christopher T. Kavanagh, 31 of Saratoga Springs, and Jordan M. Doughty, 24 of Stillwater, were arrested September 12 at 10:15 p.m. on Henry Street and charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, felonies.

Petit larceny: Keachia F. Holmes, 20 of Malta, was arrested September 12 at 5:24 p.m. on Route 9P and charged with petit larceny, a misdemeanor.

DWI: Brian E. Dailey, 23 of Gansevoort, was arrested September 12 at 4:08 a.m. on Maple Avenue and charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, driving with BAC more than .08 of one percent, a misdemeanor and aggravated driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor.

Criminal sale of a controlled substance: John R. Bellon, 25 of Porters Corners, was arrested September 11 at 11 a.m. on a warrant and charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, both felonies.

DWI: Janel S. Constantine, 36 of Saratoga Springs, was arrested Sept. 11 at 12:43 a.m. on Veterans Way and charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, driving with BAC more than .08 of one percent, a misdemeanor and aggravated driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor.At the time of his arrest on Sept. 13, Karas, had been on administrative leave from the Rosemont Public Safety Department since June, when he was stripped of his police powers pending an internal investigation, the statement said. The reason Karas was the subject of an internal investigation has not been disclosed by Rosemont officials.SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.>> The riders come from all over.

As far as Alaska and California they arrived over the last couple days through air. Some drove from Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Thirty of the bicyclists riding Saturday live in the Capital Region. In total, over 500 will bike for JDRFs Ride to Cure Diabetes.

Its the second straight year JDRF has a location in Saratoga Springs. Bikers begin at 7 a.m. with festivities happening at the Saratoga Springs City Center all weekend.

Cyclists ride one of three routes ranging from 25 to 100 miles. All routes follow an out-and-back course north up the Hudson River.

Tom Hoffman, CEO of Hoffman Development Corporation, serves as a member of the Capital Region team.

He has had Type 1 diabetes for 34 years. Even though hes not an avid bike rider, he couldnt pass up the opportunity to ride in the first Saratoga Springs event last year. He plans to ride 100 miles again Saturday.

Ive enjoyed the benefits of the hard work and the research dollars that the JDRF raises, Hoffman said. Its a way that I can support the fundraising activities, plus with business contacts and all my friends Im blessed to be able to raise a lot of money, especially because of our business.

Entering Friday, Hoffman and his team raised the sixth most money out of the 81 teams registered for Saturdays event.

Last year more than $2.7 million was raised.

Denise Nicastro, director of development for JDRF Northeastern New York, said the event brought in more than half a million dollars of extra revenue for Saratoga Springs.

Our riders are here as tourists as well. The event itself is one day, but for the four days that they are here they spend so much time in town. They get to know the store owners, Nicastro said. We encourage all of our riders to visit the shop.

Go in and support our local businesses because they are supporting us.

There are several Ride to Cure Diabetes throughout the country.

Sites in Wisconsin and Colorado have already held their ride this year. Florida, California and New Mexico are scheduled for later this year. It all began almost 18 years ago with Death Valley as the first Ride to Cure Diabetes. Its grown rapidly; to date the rides have raised more than $38. 42 million for Type 1 diabetes research.

JDRF invested $110 million over 10 years to help support the Medtronic 670Gs development and worked closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to facilitate the systems approval in a third of the time it usually takes.

Hoffman has a Medtronic 670G, the first commercially available artificial pancreas systems in the United States. Hes had it for almost a year and a half now.

Its been an incredible improvement in managing for my diabetes, especially during exercise, Hoffman said.  Itll be pumping much less insulin, if at all, during the ride to help keep my blood sugar normal, or as normal as possible while Im exercising during this 100-mile extravaganza.

Hoffman said the best feature is the device nearly eliminated all of the low blood sugars I used to experience before I had the pump.

Nicastro rode alongside Hoffman last year. She rides for her daughter.

What brings us together is we all share the love and passion for finding a cure for our loved one that has Type 1 diabetes, Nicastro said. People are either riding with the disease or theyre riding for someone in their family that has Type 1, usually a child.KEENE, N.Y.  A majority of hikers support limits on trailhead parking, temporarily closing eroded trails, and mandatory education to prevent damage to sensitive parts of the Adirondack Park, a survey says.

Findings are contained in an Adirondack Council report, conducted last fall, which questioned hikers climbing 4,059-foot-high Cascade Mountain, one of 46 peaks required to become an Adirondack 46er.

Most hikers said they were more interested in taking a hike with a view than in bagging one of the 46 tall peaks. Conservationists view this as a good sign because the eastern High Peaks Wilderness Area has been negatively impacted by overuse, which threatens hiker safety, degrades natural resources, and detracts from peoples overall experience.

Adirondack Park tourism has grown considerably in recent years, from 10 million people in 2001 to more than 12.4 million in 2018. About 80 percent of all visits occur in the six months from May and October.

People love the Adirondack Park and the High Peaks, said William C. Janeway, the councils executive director. Hikers are keenly aware of the problems caused by too many people in one place at the same time. They see the trail erosion, damaged vegetation, trash and human waste. Because of the damage being caused, people are willing to be redirected to new locations and to be educated on how to leave no trace of their visit. There is very strong support for parking limitations and enforcement.

A majority of those surveyed said they were willing to pay a fee to hike if the money was spent on protection and better management of the Forest Preserve, the council says.

The 2017 survey was developed working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and conducted at the Cascade Mountain trailhead in Keene over two days last Columbus Day weekend. More than 200 hikers stopped and answered a series of questions related to their visits.

When asked why they were climbing Cascade Mountain that day, 96 percent said they wanted a hike with a view; 75 percent wanted to climb a High Peak; 62 percent wanted to climb above 4,000 feet; 50 percent wanted the solitude of a wilderness hiker (despite the typical crowds at Cascades popular roadside trailhead); and, just over 15 percent heard about the hike on social media and decided to try it for that reason.

Survey takers found that a significant number of people, when told about the availability of a shorter nearby hike (Mt. Van Hoevenberg) with a good view, chose that non-Wilderness Area destination, which involve climbing a 4,000-foot-high mountain.

Hikers support education by a two-to-one margin (58 percent versus 30 percent), such as requiring all hikers to watch a video on how to hike and camp without damaging the forests, waters or wildlife, the survey says.

They also supported parking limits by a margin of 68 percent to 20 percent, including enforcement of no parking zones outside of parking lots and on roadsides.

The survey was a preliminary test, with data also collected on how to conduct a larger, more comprehensive survey in 2018, with a smaller margin of error.

The Adirondack Council, after working with university professionals prepared and started to conduct a larger survey in 2018. The Department of Environmental

Conservation issued a temporary revocable permit for interviews on state land, but is not the entity that constructed or is fielding the survey.

Preliminary results and 650 interviews find that by more than two-to-one, hikers disagree with the statement overuse is not a problem and a majority disagrees that the state should prioritize recreational opportunities and infrastructure over wilderness character and sense of solitude.

An online version of the survey is available at: http://bit.ly/SurveyADK.Stefanik does not reflect our values

During these times of immense division in our political discourse, it is important that we remember the lessons of our founders. Under our Constitution, our great country has prospered for two-hundred forty-one years. The framers, based on their experiences with the tyrannical tendencies of King George III, created many safeguards to ensure that type of behavior would never happen in America. Therefore, two of our most cherished Constitutional concepts are the separation of powers and checks and balances.

The premiere example of these is the power and duty of the Congress to check the power of the executive, including advice and consent and oversight. There has been a great dereliction of duty by our representatives in Washington who are tasked with performing these essential functions. No two people are more guilty than Paul Ryan and Elise Stefanik.

Speaker Ryan and Rep. Stefanik have showed themselves to be unreliable in the face of the current administration. The transgressions gone unopposed are many including cabinet members wasting taxpayer money in egregious proportions, the administration insisting that honorable border patrol officers commit human-rights violations by separating parents from their young children, the executive claiming he has the power to pardon himself, and the White House standing motionless while our country was attacked by a foreign power. Ryan and Stefanik put up with this all for a legislative agenda that included a bill that would have left 23 million more Americans without health insurance by 2026 had it been passed.

This is not Buckley, Goldwater or Reagan conservatism. This is Ryan conservatism and it does not reflect our values. Yet who has been handpicked by the Speaker to carry on this tradition? Elise Stefanik. Its time to swap out our Washington insider for a North Country insider. Vote for Tedra Cobb on Nov. 6.

Tom Sheffield

Ballston Spa

Behavior of Congress embarrassing

Some character from the play Hamlet once uttered, There is something rotten in Denmark. That quip has suddenly become appropriate.

Had it not been for my interest in watching the Supreme Court nomination hearings concerning Bret Kavanaugh, my focus would have been elsewhere  pickle ball, banjo playing, happy hour. But, the above-mentioned hearings, like some siren seductress luring a hapless sailor to his death, reeled me in.

Caught up in this daytime spectacle, a few things came to light. Our members of Congress, yes, yours and mine, both Democrat and Republican, are some of the most vicious, hateful and politically biased people on Earth. Those on the Trump-hating side think nothing about encouraging disruptions from the gaggle of protesters. From the back of the auditorium, catcalls and verbal smears are so vile as to have the nominee ask that his two young daughters not attend the rest of the session.

On the pro-Trump side, soft-ball pitched questions are lofted up to Judge Kavanaugh making me think that I could have correctly responded  well, maybe not. On both sides of the political spectrum, the men and women of Congress are making themselves look like members of a mob instead of the highly-educated officials we put in office.

Judge Kavanaugh, forgive us; we elected them. Maybe there is something rotten in Denmark.

Allen R. Remaley

Saratoga Springs

Charter Commission had great teamwork

Democrats and Republicans, Commissioners and Deputies all worked together to update the Saratoga Springs City Charter which will be on the ballot Nov. 6.

Thanks to Mayor Kelly and the knowledgeable team she appointed to this years Charter Review Commission for proposing changes to make the commission form of government even more efficient and effective.

It was refreshing to listen to the in-depth discussions as the Charter Review Commission members went line-by-line through the charter and made improvements for the voters to consider in the November referendum. Videos and minutes of all of their meetings are on the citys website if youre curious about their discussions and how they reached decisions.

City Commissioners and Deputies will be holding outreach meetings this month and next where you can ask them questions about the proposed changes to the current charter.

It was great to see everyone working for the good of our city rather than protecting their departments, thereby disproving the negative silo-descriptions circulated during last years referendum campaign.

I hope that voters will approve of this commissions work and vote yes in the referendum this November to update our current form of government.

Richard Sellers

Saratoga Springs

Participating in walk can help save lives

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in this country. It touches millions of lives-people of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds-but the research is clear: suicide can be prevented. The more people who stand up for suicide prevention and mental health, the more lives we can save.

If youve lost someone to suicide, or you or someone you know suffers from a mental health condition like depression or anxiety, please join us for the Capital Region Walk for R.I.T.A. to bring awareness and raise funds for suicide prevention on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 at the Saratoga Spa State Park-Orenda Pavillion. To register or make a donation go to www.afsp.org/rita. We offer other walks in the Capital Region, including in Schenectady on October 13. For more information you can go to www.afsp.org/crnywalks or email CapitalRegionNY@afsp.org.

Funds raised support the Capital Region NY Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We provide local suicide prevention, education, awareness, training and support programs free of charge throughout the 15 counties served and support the organizations bold goal to reduce the annual suicide rate in the United States 20 percent by 2025 through research, education, advocacy, and support.

I hope you will join us for at least one walk this fall season. Each walk is truly an uplifting experience filled with messages of healing and hope.

Together we can save lives.

Sally Gangell

Saratoga SpringsBased on field surveys in northern Afghanistan, Zalmai Moheb, an ecologist with the Wildlife Conservation Society's Afghanistan Program and a doctoral candidate in environmental conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with others, report this week that they have for the first time documented by direct observation the presence of two rare Asian wild goat species in the country.

The species, both of concern to conservationists, are the markhor (Capra falconeri) or screw-horned goat, and the Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica), which occur in several countries. Both have been reported in Afghanistan, but few studies have been made there in recent years and their distribution is largely unknown, Moheb points out.

The report of field surveys he and colleagues conducted from July to October 2011 has just been published in the annual newsletter of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Caprinae Specialist Group.

Moheb and colleagues report that they directly observed markhor and ibex on the Afghan side of the Amu Darva River, the border with Tajikistan, for the first time in the Shahr-e Buzurg district and the Darwaz region, plus indirect field evidence and local community reports.

They say, "The strip of land along the Amu Darya River from western Darwaz to Shahr-e Buzurg district through Khawahan and Raghistan districts should be a priority site for future markhor and ibex conservation in Afghanistan. If protection measures are taken, this area along with the adjacent protected area in Tajikistan, could act as valuable and viable refuge for sustaining markhor and other wild species that inhabit the region."

Moheb and co-authors Said Naqibullah Mostafawi and Peter Zahler, with the Wildlife Conservation Society at the time of the survey, plus his advisor at UMass Amherst professor Todd Fuller, point out that the animals are "nominally protected" from hunting, but both species are most likely hunted throughout their range by local tribesmen. Zahler is now vice president of conservation initiatives at Woodland Park Zoo, Washington, D.C. and Mostafawi is now a free-lance consultant.

advertisement

For this work, the research ecologists surveyed a strip of shrubby scrubland along the Amu Darya River in four districts of Afghanistan's northern Badakhshan Province. They visited 46 villages and four field sites, most in valleys, over 115 square miles (300 sq. km) in Shahr-e Buzurg and 770 square miles (1,997 sq. km) in the Darwaz region. They also interviewed and showed photographs to village headmen, hunters and shepherds believed to be the most knowledgeable about local wildlife.

They also visited potential markhor and ibex habitats suggested by sources using experienced local hunters as field guides to confirm animals in the area. In Shahr-e Buzurg the ecologists report 41 of 67 respondents, 61 percent, said that markhor were present and once abundant, but numbers have declined and few remain. The researchers themselves saw four markhor in the Payan-e Moor area and local hunters said they thought about 20 markhor were in the area. They also found horns and markhor skins.

In the Darwaz region, the researchers report that 37 percent, 15 of 40 respondents said markhor existed in the western part of the district, and the researchers themselves saw six animals and four pairs of markhor horns. Further, 56 percent of respondents, 74 or 131, said that ibex occurs in some parts of the region and showed them skin and horns.

Overall, the ecologists say markhor populations in Shahr-e Buzurg are believed to be small and may only survive due to animals coming in from Tajikistan. Markhor populations in Leiwgard in the Kof Ab district of Darwas appear "larger and more stable," though still linked to nearby Tajik populations.

"We suspect that when water level drops in the river during winter, markhor could move between both areas," the authors note. "The remoteness of Leiwgard is likely the primary reason that markhor and ibex still exist in this area." Leiwgard is home to roughly 80 markhor, sources said, along with ibex, brown bear and snow leopards.

Local sources also reported that markhor and ibex share the same area, but markhor prefer lower elevations and steep cliffs, while ibex like higher elevations with colder environments. "This, if true, is one of the very few areas where these two caprid species overlap," the researchers note.

Moheb and colleagues urge taking several conservation management actions to assist markhor and biodiversity in the area, in particular along the Amu Darya River. "This area is a priority for future markhor conservation and for other endangered wildlife such as snow leopard. The area has the advantage of being connected to the M-Sayod Conservancy on the Tajik side of the border, and so efforts could be combined between Afghanistan and Tajikistan to promote conservation in the larger area," they point out. Coordinating conservation efforts could preserve unique habitats and endangered wildlife, they add.Airborne marine biologists were amazed by the sheer abundance and diversity of large marine wildlife in their recent aerial survey of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the only marine national monument on the East Coast, about 150 southeast of Cape Cod. Scientists with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium documented more than 600 animal sightings in just four hours, including a "superpod" of about 250 common dolphins and a rare sighting of a giant manta ray.

The researchers, aboard a small, four-seat airplane, saw the equivalent of three animal sightings every minute. They also spotted hundreds of Risso's dolphins, some rarely-seen beaked whales, pods of bottlenose dolphins, and the bizarre-looking giant ocean sunfish, also known as the mola mola. The 605-total seen during the September survey nearly doubles the survey team's previous sighting record of 339 animals in April 2018.

"This was an amazing number of animals to see in such a short period of time and the highest count we've seen so far in our surveys," said Dr. Ester Quintana, head of the survey team. "The marine monument is known as the 'Serengeti of the sea' for a reason."

The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a critical hotspot of biodiversity on the edge of the continental shelf where the shallow seas off of New England drop sharply into the deep waters of the northwestern Atlantic. On September 16, the monument will celebrate its two year anniversary. In 2016, President Obama designated three underwater canyons that are deeper than the Grand Canyon, and four seamounts as tall as the Rockies, as the first American marine national monument in Atlantic waters. At the moment, is still the most strongly protected area in U.S. Atlantic waters. However, in 2017, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke recommended to President Trump has recommended weakening the area's protections.

"It's simply impossible to overstate the uniqueness of this habitat and its value as the most protected region in the U.S. Atlantic," said Vikki Spruill, President and CEO of the New England Aquarium. "And let's be clear about what it protects: Us. Our way of life. Our values. Our future. The monument should be here to stay."

Given the great distance offshore, documenting the marine life in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts is a challenge. During the 4-hour aerial survey, the team spotted 335 common dolphins, 30 bottlenose dolphins, 2 beaked whales, 3 ocean sunfish (mola mola), and a giant manta ray. The manta was an especially unexpected sight because the species is very rarely seen this far north. All of the dolphin groups included many calves and juveniles, reinforcing observations that the monument is a nursery area for several species.

This was the fourth in a series of aerial surveys of the monument that began in summer 2017, and the number of sightings by the scientists during this survey was higher than any other, nearly double the number of animals observed last fall.A white shark's acute sense of smell is legendary, allowing it to detect a potential meal several miles away -- and giving pause to those of us who work and play in the ocean.

But now humans can sniff them out as well, thanks to a collaboration between researchers from UC Santa Barbara and the U.S. Geological Survey, with colleagues from California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and Central Michigan University (CMU). Through developments in environmental DNA (eDNA), scientists -- and soon, perhaps, any curious individual -- can determine if white sharks have been nearby.

"One of the goals of this research is for a lifeguard to be able to walk down to the shore, scoop up some water, shake it and see if white sharks are around," said Kevin Lafferty, a USGS ecologist and researcher with UCSB's Marine Science Institute (MSI). He is lead author of the new paper "Detecting southern California's white sharks with environmental DNA," published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

The team's results add to a growing body of evidence that white sharks, which had been declining in numbers due to overfishing, have for the last several years been experiencing a comeback along the California coast.

According to CSULB professor, white shark expert and study co-author Chris Lowe, the resurgence is due to the success of state and federal protections from fishing, recovery of marine mammal populations and better fisheries management.

"However, white shark population recovery has co-occurred during a period when more people than ever before are using the coastal ocean for recreation, ultimately increasing the likelihood of interactions," he said. "While sightings of juvenile white sharks have risen considerably along California over the last eight years, there has been no dramatic increase in shark bites on people."

Environmental DNA is genetic material collected from the environment, as opposed to within a living organism. Things animals may leave behind -- such as mucus, feces or shed skin -- contain their genetic signatures, which can be parsed out and identified through genetic sequencing. Scientists can extract and amplify specific genes within the DNA fragments found in water samples, and determine if the DNA contained in those samples is from a specific species.

advertisement

In Carpinteria, down the coast from UC Santa Barbara, Lowe had been acoustic- and satellite-tracking tagged juvenile sharks at one of several summer/fall nurseries along southern California. Lafferty and Lowe wondered if these sharks were leaving a detectable eDNA plume. Lafferty had little success using eDNA to sample for sharks until eDNA expert and MSI researcher Chris Jerde shared a new protocol he developed with CMU's Andrew Mahon.

"Ten years ago we started working on eDNA," said Jerde, who is a co-author of the paper. "The advances in technology since then have dramatically improved the reliability, portability and widespread application of the method."

Using a new species-specific genetic analysis called digital droplet PCR, CMU biology professor and study co-author Mahon designed specific genetic markers from white shark tissue sent to him by Lowe. Mahon's student, Kasey Benesh, analyzed the water samples and controls blindly. Samples near the shark aggregation matched the genes in the white shark tissue, whereas water samples a mile away did not, confirming that a water sample could sniff out white sharks.

Because eDNA can drift with currents, and sharks can swim long distances in the time it takes eDNA to degrade, the new approach only gives a rough idea about where sharks actually are at a particular moment. Still, "Chris Lowe can now add eDNA to his new white shark monitoring program, which includes real-time acoustic tracking and drone flights," Lafferty said.

For surfers, ocean swimmers and beachgoers, the increase in white shark population may be a cause for concern. Although white sharks don't feed on humans (and juveniles favor rays and other fish), they have certainly been known to bite out of defensiveness, curiosity or mistaken identity, causing grave or lethal injuries. Environmental DNA monitoring could give lifeguards and other people responsible for public safety clues as to when to be extra vigilant, and also help marine biologists understand how well white sharks are recovering in response to protection.

advertisement

"We can now sample eDNA along the coast to make better maps and seasons for white sharks," Lafferty said, "And if we can do it for white sharks, we can do it for other marine species, too."

Added Lowe, "We can use eDNA not only to determine whether white sharks have been present at a beach, but also to determine if their favorite food is there is well, such as stingrays. Once we are able to better refine and calibrate the methods, another goal will be to integrate eDNA technology into autonomous surface vehicles that can be programmed to move along the coast sampling water and send data into the cloud, along with text alerts to local lifeguards, of the presence of white sharks at a particular location. This technology holds great promise for future, near real-time monitoring."

The result of the scientists' study proves that eDNA sequencing has become a powerful tool for tracking the general movement of single species, as well as for monitoring the biodiversity of a region in real time. Initially a tool to detect the presence of invasive species, such as Asian carp and bullfrogs, eDNA has also been used to detect threatened and endangered species that are often elusive, such as arroyo toads, California red-legged frogs and tidewater gobies.

"New advances in eDNA are allowing for not just a single species to be detected, but instead the DNA for the water sample is screened for all fish species or all amphibian species," Jerde said. "The same technology used to decode the human genome is now used to sequence all the DNA in a water sample. From this we can monitor fish stocks, measure the presence or absence of rare species, and better connect how climate change and pollution are impacting biodiversity."

This study was made possible with support from UCSB's Marine Biodiversity Observation Network.A study in the journal Bulletin of Marine Science describes a new, blood-red species of octocoral found in Panama. The species in the genus Thesea was discovered in the threatened low-light reef environment on Hannibal Bank, 60 kilometers off mainland Pacific Panama, by researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama (STRI) and the Centro de Investigacion en Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia (CIMAR) at the University of Costa Rica.

Scientists established the new species, Thesea dalioi, by comparing its physical traits, such as branch thickness and the bright red colony color, with the only other species in the genus in the eastern Pacific, T. variabilis.

T. dalioi is named for Ray Dalio, a supporter of marine exploration. Its name is intended to recognize Dalio's valuable contributions to marine research and public outreach. Hannibal Bank, part of the Coiba National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a coastal seamount and a biodiversity hot spot that has only been explored recently. "After just two expeditions using submersibles down to 300 meters, we have identified 17 species of octocorals for the Hannibal Bank, including the discovery and description of three new species," said Hector M. Guzman, marine ecologist at STRI and one of the authors of the study.

Light-dependent coral and algae, as well as other life-forms found in low-light environments, live on mesophotic reefs: meso means middle and photic means light. These reefs, such as the one where T. dalioi was found, are considered fragile habitats with a high diversity of corals, algae and sponges. They are also generally neglected in most environmental and conservation policies because they are difficult to reach. Hannibal Bank is one of the spots requiring more attention for its protection. "The present study should provide the basis for further research on the genus and contributes to the diversity and distribution knowledge of octocorals from the mesophotic zone in the eastern Pacific Ocean," said Odalisca Breedy, marine biologist at CIMAR and one of the authors of the study.

"Medical researchers have identified therapeutic benefits derived from both soft and hard corals such as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, bone repair and neurological benefits," said Guzman. "But our ability to contribute to the understanding of soft corals and their habitats, depends not only on steady funding for the use of submersibles, but also on our continued ability to obtain permission to work in Coiba National Park."Perez and Phillips, whove been a couple for two years and engaged for almost exactly a year, fell into being the Marriage Mills first couple almost as easily as they became a couple in the first place. Both were members of an online dating site and were both about to cancel their accounts when Dan saw Andreas profile. As he read it, a phrase stuck jumped out at him.A new tool developed by University of British Columbia researchers could help ensure limited conservation dollars are well spent by determining which actions would save the most species per dollar.

In a case study published in Conservation Letters, researchers from UBC and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) applied the tool to endangered species in Canada for the first time, focusing on 15 species at risk in southwestern Saskatchewan.

"Recovery of species at risk in Canada and around the world is failing -- often we are spending our limited conservation resources on species with the lowest likelihood of recovery at the highest cost," said Tara Martin, lead author and professor in the faculty of forestry at the University of British Columbia. "We've developed the first scientific tool aimed at recovering as many species as possible within any given budget."

The tool -- a mathematical equation that draws on both empirical data and expert knowledge -- helps prioritize conservation strategies for species at risk by answering key questions like how much it will cost to recover all endangered species, which management strategies are likely to achieve the greatest recovery of species per dollar invested, how many species can be recovered for a given budget and which species are unlikely to be recovered regardless of investment.

"We calculate the cost-effectiveness of different decisions every day, from what we're going to buy at the grocery store to which school we're going to send our children to, but in conservation we've been shopping with no price tags," said Martin. "This tool will help us make those calculations, put a price tag to conservation strategies and determine how effective they will be."

Martin and her co-authors applied the tool, called Priority Threat Management, to 15 species considered lost, endangered or threatened in southwestern Saskatchewan, including animals like the greater sage-grouse, the burrowing owl and the swift fox.

Thirteen of the species were included in a 2017 ECCC multi-species action plan that recommended 18 general management strategies and more than 200 actions to conserve the species. With insufficient resources to implement all recommended strategies, agencies found it difficult to discern which strategies would have the greatest impact across all species.

"This tool helps us make those conservation decisions in a more transparent, repeatable and defensible way," said Paul Smith, an ECCC researcher involved in the project.

By applying the tool, the researchers found that with minimal-to-no species management, only two of the 15 species were likely to achieve their recovery goals. However, if five of the 18 strategies were implemented, 13 of the 15 species were likely to meet their recovery goals.

"We estimate the overall cost of deploying those five management strategies would be $126 million over 20 years," said Martin. "We can't recover all the species but can achieve the best possible outcome for at least 13 of those species."

Martin points to the Canada Nature Fund -- a $1.3 billion-dollar conservation fund announced by the federal government in February 2018 -- as an unprecedented opportunity for conservation in Canada.

"This is more money than has ever been earmarked for conservation by any government in Canada's history and my hope is that by using tools like ours, we can demonstrate the conservation return on investment and ensure the recovery and protection of as many species as possible."Evidence of tiny particles of carbon, typically created by burning fossil fuels, has been found in placentas for the first time, in new research presented today (Sunday) at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Previous research has indicated links between pregnant mothers' exposure to air pollution and premature birth, low birth weight, infant mortality and childhood respiratory problems.

The new study adds to existing evidence on the dangers of pollution for unborn babies and suggests that when pregnant women breathe polluted air, sooty particles are able to reach the placenta via the bloodstream.

The work was presented by Dr Norrice Liu, a paediatrician and clinical research fellow, and Dr Lisa Miyashita, a post-doctoral researcher, both members of Professor Jonathan Grigg's research group at Queen Mary University of London, UK. Dr Miyashita said: "We've known for a while that air pollution affects fetal development and can continue to affect babies after birth and throughout their lives.

"We were interested to see if these effects could be due to pollution particles moving from the mother's lungs to the placenta. Until now, there has been very little evidence that inhaled particles get into the blood from the lung."

The researchers worked with five pregnant women who were all living in London and due to have planned caesarean section deliveries at the Royal London Hospital. They were all non-smokers with an uncomplicated pregnancy and each one gave birth to a healthy baby. The women all gave permission for researchers to study their placentas after delivery.

advertisement

The researchers were interested in particular cells called placental macrophages. Macrophages exist in many different parts in the body. They are part of the body's immune system and work by engulfing harmful particles, such as bacteria and pollution particles. In the placenta they also help to protect the fetus.

The team studied a total of 3,500 placental macrophage cells from the five placentas and examined them under a high-powered microscope. They found 60 cells that between them contained 72 small black areas that researchers believe were carbon particles. On average, each placenta contained around five square micrometres of this black substance.

They went on to study the placental macrophages from two placentas in greater details using an electron microscope and again found material that they believe was made up of tiny carbon particles.

In previous research, the team have used the same techniques to identify and measure these sooty particles in macrophages in people's airways. Dr Liu added: "We thought that looking at macrophages in other organs might provide direct evidence that inhaled particles move out of the lungs to other parts of the body.

"We were not sure if we were going to find any particles and if we did find them, we were only expecting to find a small number of placental macrophages that contain these sooty particles. This is because most of them should be engulfed by macrophages within the airways, particularly the bigger particles, and only a minority of small sized particles would move into the circulation.

advertisement

"Our results provide the first evidence that inhaled pollution particles can move from the lungs into the circulation and then to the placenta.

"We do not know whether the particles we found could also move across into the fetus, but our evidence suggests that this is indeed possible. We also know that the particles do not need to get into the baby's body to have an adverse effect, because if they have an effect on the placenta, this will have a direct impact on the fetus."

Professor Mina Gaga is President of the European Respiratory Society, and Medical Director and Head of the Respiratory Department of Athens Chest Hospital, Greece, and was not involved in the study. She said: "Previous research shows that pregnant women living in polluted cities are more prone to pregnancy issues such as restricted fetal growth, premature birth and low birth weight babies. The evidence suggests that an increased risk of low birthweight can happen even at levels of pollution that are lower than the European Union recommended annual limit.

"This new research suggests a possible mechanism of how babies are affected by pollution while being theoretically protected in the womb. This should raise awareness amongst clinicians and the public regarding the harmful effects of air pollution in pregnant women.

"We need stricter policies for cleaner air to reduce the impact of pollution on health worldwide because we are already seeing a new population of young adults with health issues."In a large clinical trial to determine the risks and benefits of daily low-dose aspirin in healthy older adults without previous cardiovascular events, aspirin did not prolong healthy, independent living (life free of dementia or persistent physical disability). Risk of dying from a range of causes, including cancer and heart disease, varied and will require further analysis and additional follow-up of study participants. These initial findings from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial, partially supported by the National Institutes of Health, were published online on September 16, 2018 in three papers in The New England Journal of Medicine.

ASPREE is an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that enrolled 19,114 older people (16,703 in Australia and 2,411 in the United States). The study began in 2010 and enrolled participants aged 70 and older; 65 was the minimum age of entry for African-American and Hispanic individuals in the United States because of their higher risk for dementia and cardiovascular disease. At study enrollment, ASPREE participants could not have dementia or a physical disability and had to be free of medical conditions requiring aspirin use. They were followed for an average of 4.7 years to determine outcomes.

"Clinical guidelines note the benefits of aspirin for preventing heart attacks and strokes in persons with vascular conditions such as coronary artery disease," said NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. "The concern has been uncertainty about whether aspirin is beneficial for otherwise healthy older people without those conditions. This study shows why it is so important to conduct this type of research, so that we can gain a fuller picture of aspirin's benefits and risks among healthy older persons."

The team of scientists was led by John J. McNeil, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., head of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Health at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and Anne M. Murray, M.D., director of the Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis. The research was supported in part by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), both parts of the NIH. The Australian component of the study also received funding from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and Monash University. Aspirin and placebo were supplied by Bayer, which had no other involvement with the study.

In the total study population, treatment with 100 mg of low-dose aspirin per day did not affect survival free of dementia or disability. Among the people randomly assigned to take aspirin, 90.3 percent remained alive at the end of the treatment without persistent physical disability or dementia, compared with 90.5 percent of those taking a placebo. Rates of physical disability were similar, and rates of dementia were almost identical in both groups.

The group taking aspirin had an increased risk of death compared to the placebo group: 5.9 percent of participants taking aspirin and 5.2 percent taking placebo died during the study. This effect of aspirin has not been noted in previous studies; and caution is needed in interpreting this finding. The higher death rate in the aspirin-treated group was due primarily to a higher rate of cancer deaths. A small increase in new cancer cases was reported in the group taking aspirin but the difference could have been due to chance.

The researchers also analyzed the ASPREE results to determine whether cardiovascular events took place. They found that the rates for major cardiovascular events -- including coronary heart disease, nonfatal heart attacks, and fatal and nonfatal ischemic stroke -- were similar in the aspirin and the placebo groups. In the aspirin group, 448 people experienced cardiovascular events, compared with 474 people in the placebo group.

Significant bleeding -- a known risk of regular aspirin use -- was also measured. The investigators noted that aspirin was associated with a significantly increased risk of bleeding, primarily in the gastrointestinal tract and brain. Clinically significant bleeding -- hemorrhagic stroke, bleeding in the brain, gastrointestinal hemorrhages or hemorrhages at other sites that required transfusion or hospitalization -- occurred in 361 people (3.8 percent) on aspirin and in 265 (2.7 percent) taking the placebo.

As would be expected in an older adult population, cancer was a common cause of death, and 50 percent of the people who died in the trial had some type of cancer. Heart disease and stroke accounted for 19 percent of the deaths and major bleeding for 5 percent.

"The increase in cancer deaths in study participants in the aspirin group was surprising, given prior studies suggesting aspirin use improved cancer outcomes," said Leslie Ford, M.D., associate director for clinical research, NCI Division of Cancer Prevention. "Analysis of all the cancer-related data from the trial is under way and until we have additional data, these findings should be interpreted with caution."

"Continuing follow-up of the ASPREE participants is crucial, particularly since longer term effects on risks for outcomes such as cancer and dementia may differ from those during the study to date," said Evan Hadley, M.D., director of NIA's Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology. "These initial findings will help to clarify the role of aspirin in disease prevention for older adults, but much more needs to be learned. The ASPREE team is continuing to analyze the results of this study and has implemented plans for monitoring participants."

As these efforts continue, Hadley emphasized that older adults should follow the advice from their own physicians about daily aspirin use. It is important to note that the new findings do not apply to people with a proven indication for aspirin such as stroke, heart attack or other cardiovascular disease. In addition, the study did not address aspirin's effects in people younger than age 65. Also, since only 11 percent of participants had regularly taken low-dose aspirin prior to entering the study, the implications of ASPREE's findings need further investigation to determine whether healthy older people who have been regularly using aspirin for disease prevention should continue or discontinue use.Many women in doctoral degree programs in fields like engineering and physics are in a class of their own -- and that's not a good thing.

A new study found that the fewer females who enter a doctoral program at the same time, the less likely any one of them will graduate within six years.

In the worst-case scenario -- where there's just one woman in a new class -- she is 12 percentage points less likely to graduate within six years than her male classmates, the study found.

However, for each additional 10 percent of women in a new class, that gender gap in on-time graduation rates closes by more than 2 percentage points.

The findings suggest that the "female-friendliness" of doctoral programs may play a key role in the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.

"It has been nearly impossible to quantify the climate for women in male-dominated STEM fields," said Valerie Bostwick, co-author of the study and a post-doctoral researcher in economics at The Ohio State University.

advertisement

"But our data gave us a unique opportunity to try to measure what it is like for women in STEM. What we found suggests that if there are few or no other women in your incoming class, it can make it more difficult to complete your degree."

Bostwick conducted the research with Bruce Weinberg, professor of economics at Ohio State. Their results will be published Monday, Sept. 17 on the website of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

They used a new data set that previously had not been available to researchers. They linked transcript records from all public universities in Ohio to data from the UMETRICS project, which provides information on students supported by federal research grants.

A key advantage of this data is that it shows when and if students drop out -- something that most data sets on graduate students don't show.

"Most datasets are based on students who graduate -- they don't see you if you don't get your degree," Bostwick said. "That makes it impossible to find out why students drop out."

This study examined all 2,541 students who enrolled in 33 graduate programs at six Ohio public universities between 2005 and 2016.

advertisement

Overall, the average incoming class of doctoral programs included about 17 students and was about 38 percent female. But there was wide variation in class sizes and the percentage of female students.

The researchers separated the programs into those that were typically male and typically female. Typically male programs (including chemical engineering, computer science and physics) were those that were less than 38.5 percent female.

In typically male programs, the average number of women who joined a class in any particular year was less than five.

The study shows the importance for women of having a support system of other women in their entering class, Weinberg said.

A woman joining a class that was more male than typical for her doctoral program was about 7 percent less likely to graduate within six years than were her male peers.

"But if there were more women than average in the program, that graduation gap goes away," Weinberg said.

Findings showed that when women dropped out of male-dominated programs, they usually did it in the first year. Women who joined a doctoral class with no other females were 10 percentage points more likely to drop out in that first year.

The researchers looked at two potential reasons why women may be dropping out: research funding and grades.

If female students were less likely to obtain research funding than their male peers, that could be an important reason why they're failing to finish. But the study found no real differences in funding for men and women.

Results did show that women had slightly lower grades than men when they were in male-dominated classes. Women who joined a class with no other females had first-term GPAs that were 0.11 grade points lower than their male peers.

"That's not enough to make a big difference," Bostwick said. "We estimate that grades could not explain more than a quarter of the difference between the number of women and men who graduate within six years."

Bostwick said that if grades or research funding are not the main reason for why women are not completing their STEM degrees, that suggests the reason must be something that can't be directly measured: the academic climate for women.

"We can only speculate about what it is in the climate that is making it more difficult for women," Bostwick said.

"It may be hard to feel like you belong when you don't see other women around you. There may be subtle discrimination. We don't know. But it highlights the fact that women need support, particularly if they are the only ones entering a doctoral class. They need to know about resources that could help them, particularly in that first key year."Sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp and Amazon display user reviews of products and services. Consumers take heed: nine out of ten people read these peer reviews and trust what they see. In fact, up to 40% of users decide to make a purchase based on only a couple of reviews, and great reviews make people spend 30% more on their purchases.

Yet not all reviews are legitimate. Fake reviews written by real people are already common on review sites, but the amount of fakes generated by machines is likely to increase substantially.

According to doctoral student Mika Juuti at Aalto University, fake reviews based on algorithms are nowadays easy, accurate and fast to generate. Most of the time, people are unable to tell the difference between genuine and machine-generated fake reviews.

'Misbehaving companies can either try to boost their sales by creating a positive brand image artificially or by generating fake negative reviews about a competitor. The motivation is, of course, money: online reviews are a big business for travel destinations, hotels, service providers and consumer products,' says Mika Juuti.

In 2017, researchers from the University of Chicago described a method for training a machine learning model, a deep neural network, using a dataset of three million real restaurant ratings on Yelp. After the training, the model generated fake restaurant reviews character by character.

There was a slight hiccup in the method, however; it had a hard time staying on topic. For a review of a Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas, the model could make references to an Italian restaurant in Baltimore. These kinds of errors are, of course, easily spotted by readers.

To help the review generator stay on the mark, Juuti and his team used a technique called neural machine translation to give the model a sense of context. Using a text sequence of 'review rating, restaurant name, city, state, and food tags', they started to obtain believable results.

'In the user study we conducted, we showed participants real reviews written by humans and fake machine-generated reviews and asked them to identify the fakes. Up to 60% of the fake reviews were mistakenly thought to be real,' says Juuti.

Juuti and his colleagues then devised a classifier that would be able to spot the fakes. The classifier turned out to perform well, particularly in cases where human evaluators had the most difficulties in telling whether a review is real or not.A recent study, affiliated UNIST has introduced a novel technology that promises to significantly boost the performance of lithium metal batteries, a promising candidate for the next generation of rechargeable batteries. The study also validates the principle of enhanced battery performance via the real-time in situ observation of charge-discharge cycling.

This breakthrough has been led by Professor Hyun-Wook Lee in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST in collaboration with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) in Singapore.

Lithium metal batteries are a type of rechargeable battery that has lithium as an anode. Among a number of different cathode materials, lithium metal has the lowest driving voltage and boasts about 10 times more capacity than conventional graphite anodes. Therefore, it has been gaining much attention as a potential next generation anode material for electric vehicles and large scale energy storage systems.

While lithium metal anode is an ideal candidate for high energy density batteries, fully using it as an anode in commercial cells is still remain elusive. For example, lithium metal tends to grow into dendritic structures during the continuous charging/discharging processes of a battery, which may result in poor performance. This is because this dendritic structure on the lithium metal surface layer triggers internal short circuits by piercing through the battery separator.

In the study, the research team suppressed dendritic growth of lithium metal anode by coating the lithium foil with a lithium silicide (LixSi) layer. Results showed excellent electrochemical performances in terms of rate capability and cycle stability.

In situ optical microscopic study was also carried out to monitor the electrochemical deposition of lithium on the LixSi?modified lithium electrodes and the bare lithium electrode. Conventional lithium metal anodes tend to form dendritic structures, which are known to trigger internal short circuits by piercing through the battery separator. However, it is observed that a much more uniform lithium dissolution/deposition on the LixSi?modified lithium anode can be achieved as compared to the bare lithium electrode.

"Our study provides the direct observation on the electrochemical behavior, volume expansion, as well as the lithium dendrite growth of lithium metal anodes," says Professor Lee. "Applying this in real battery will also help contribute to the commercialization of lithium metal batteries."

This research has been supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education. Their findings have been published in Advanced Materials on July 6, 2018.As childhood obesity rates rise and physical education offerings dwindle, elementary schools keep searching for ways to incorporate the federally mandated half-hour of physical activity into the school day.

A series of recent University of Michigan studies found that two-minute bursts of in-class exercise breaks increased the amount of daily exercise for elementary children without hurting math performance. More importantly, when incorporated into classrooms across southeast Michigan, teachers found the breaks were doable and didn't disrupt learning.

"What we're showing is that we can give kids an additional 16 minutes of health-enhancing physical activity," said Rebecca Hasson, principal investigator and one of the lead authors.

Hasson, U-M associate professor of kinesiology and nutritional sciences, is the director of the Childhood Disparities Research Laboratory, which collaborated on the five studies with the U-M schools of public health, education, and architecture and urban planning, and Project Healthy Schools, a statewide community-Michigan Medicine collaborative.

While 16 minutes doesn't sound like much, it adds up, Hasson said. Kids are supposed to get an hour of exercise a day -- 30 minutes of that during school. Most don't.

"Many kids don't have PE every day but they might have recess, and if they get 10 more minutes of activity there, it would meet that school requirement," Hasson said. "This doesn't replace PE, it's a supplement. We're trying to create a culture of health throughout the entire school day, not just in the gym."

The Active Class Space lab studies examined the effect of activity breaks on mood, cognition, appetite and overall physical activity of 39 children in Hasson's lab. A study done in real classrooms tested the feasibility of implementing inPACT (Interrupting Prolonged sitting with ACTivity), the exercise program Hasson and her colleagues developed.

advertisement

In the lab studies, kids ages 7-11 completed four experiments: eight hours of sitting, interrupted with two-minute low-, moderate- or high-intensity activity breaks, and eight hours of sitting interrupted with two minutes of sedentary screen time.

Findings show that when the sitting was interrupted with high-intensity activity breaks, children maintained their usual activity levels away from the laboratory, thereby burning an additional 150 calories a day without overeating. Unlike adults, children in the study didn't compensate for the increased exercise by sitting around after school or by eating more, Hasson said.

While mood was higher immediately following the screen-time breaks compared to the activity breaks, children reported positive mood during both the sedentary and exercise conditions, and they subsequently rated the activity breaks as more fun.

And, after high-intensity activity, overweight and obese children enjoyed improved moods all day, Hasson said. This suggests children reflected upon the exercise and took more satisfaction in it.

All of the activity breaks elicited the same level of math performance, and when Hasson took the exercise breaks to real classrooms, teachers could do them.

advertisement

"We got a lot of pushback at first. The fear was that teachers would be overloaded," Hasson said. "Teachers get a lot of stuff thrown at them. Our experience was that teachers were all very positive about exercise. They know it's good for the kids. They were open to the idea but they needed more information on how to do it safely."

U-M's College of Architecture and Urban Planning and School of Education, along with Project Healthy Schools staff, helped design classrooms to accommodate exercise and to safely get kids exercising and then back to class work quickly.

"Teachers were worried it would make kids more rowdy, but 99 percent of kids were back on task within 30 seconds of doing activity breaks," Hasson said. "We even had one teacher who did an activity break in the middle of a math exam -- she realized the benefit of getting them up and moving."

Initially, researchers requested that teachers do 10 three-minute breaks, but most teachers averaged between five and six breaks -- about 15-18 minutes of activity. Schools in disadvantaged districts didn't complete as many activity breaks as schools in wealthier districts. Hasson is currently working to eliminate this disparity by adding elements of game playing -- point scoring, competition, reward system -- to increase physical activity enjoyment in the children.

Based on these studies, Hasson said next they'll try five, four-minute activity breaks totaling 20 minutes, and gauge the impact on mood, activity levels, calorie intake and cognition.Scientists have observed for years that Earth's tropics are widening in connection with complex changes in climate and weather patterns. But in recent years, it appeared the widening was outpacing what models predicted, suggesting other factors were at work.

A new paper co-authored by Indiana University Bloomington researcher Paul Staten, however, finds that the most up-to-date models and the best data match up reasonably well.

"If we compare the observed trends of how the tropics have widened to modeling trends, it's actually not outside of what the models predict," said Staten, assistant professor of atmospheric sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Staten is an affiliated researcher with the IU Environmental Resilience Institute, which was established under Prepared for Environmental Change, the second initiative funded by the university's Grand Challenges Program.

The paper, "Re-examining Tropical Expansion," was published in the journal Nature Climate Change. Additional authors include Jian Lu of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Kevin Grise of the University of Virginia, Sean Davis of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Colorado and Thomas Birner of Ludwig Maximilians University Munich in Germany.

Staten said the research should add confidence to predictions based on current climate models.

"Climate change should continue to expand the tropics over the next several decades," he said. "But the expansion may not continue at the rapid rate we've seen; at times it may even temporarily contract."

The authors conclude that the tropics have been widening at an average rate of about 0.2 degrees latitude, or about 17 miles, per decade in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The rate varies widely from year to year and from location to location.

Widening of the tropics is important because it could be associated with severe changes in climate, Staten said. The world's hot, dry deserts tend to be located in bands along the northern and southern edges of the tropics, so widening of the tropics could lead to expansion of the subtropical deserts. At sea, the edges of the tropics are zones of high salinity and low marine productivity.

About half of the world's population lives in or near subtropical semi-arid climate zones, the researchers write, so changes in the subtropical climate could affect billions of people.

The researchers focus on five factors that may influence the widening of the tropics:

Increases in greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to a warmer global climate.

Depletion of ozone in the stratosphere over the South Pole, which probably shifts the edge of the tropics, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.

Aerosols from volcanic eruptions.

Pollution, including soot and ozone in the troposphere.

Natural variation, including changes in sea surface temperatures tied to the El Nino and La Nina phenomena.

Given the complexity of the factors, the authors say, it is difficult for now to tease out differences in natural and human-caused influences on the widening of the tropics. But if greenhouse gas emissions and pollution continue to increase, they write, human causes will become more obvious.When he returned to the house on Polk Street, he yelled for Dashana to come open the door, the affidavit states. As Fowler and her boyfriend were talking, they heard a pop, according to the affidavit. The boyfriend pushed Dashana out of the way and went to the bedroom, where he saw Jayla, the affidavit states.WAN Dynamics joins SD-WAN Expo 2019 as a Gold Sponsor

SD-WAN industry professional consultant group signs on to support the Florida event

Trumbull, CTSeptember 17, 2018  TMC (News - Alert) today announced WAN Dynamics has signed on as a gold sponsor for SD-WAN Expo being held January 29  February 1, 2019 at Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward Country Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. SD-WAN Expo is the leading forum for enterprise executives, service providers, and technology vendors to connect, learn and discuss how the market is growing and how to make the most of the SD-WAN opportunity. The event includes a robust exhibit floor, industry perspectives, case studies, unique panels and presentations, special events, networking opportunities and much more.







WAN Dynamics is delighted to participate as a Gold Sponsor of this years SD-WAN Expo, said Jason Gintert, Chief Technical Officer of WAN Dynamics. Growth has been tremendous for us with this transformative technology and we have enjoyed guiding organizations on their journey to the network nirvana that is SD-WAN.

WAN Dynamics was founded by veterans of the service provider industry who felt there must be a better way to manage networks than the decades old methods that were used up to now, which were static, closed and complex. After discovering the promise of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and the incredibly successful application of it in the form of SD-WAN, WAN Dynamics set off to help organizations manage their network smarter and in a less expensive way. WAN Dynamics excels in making traditional networks more adaptive to the business.

Questions regarding speaking opportunities at SD-WAN Expo should be sent to Dave Rodriguez at 203-852-6800 x146 or Maurice Nagle at 203-852-6800 x320

SD-Wan Expo is also supported by platinum sponsors, Open Systems, Multapplied Networks, gold sponsors Granite, InnuCloud, Talari Networks (News - Alert) and exhibitor, Mushroom Networks.

For more information on SD-WAN Expo, contact [email protected]. For media inquiries, contact Jessica Seabrook. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages for SD-WAN Expo should contact TMC's Joe Fabiano at 203-852-6800 x132 or Maureen Gambino at 203-852-6800 x109.



For the latest SD-WAN Expo news, updates and information follow the event on Twitter (News - Alert) at @SDWANexpo.

About TMC

Through education, industry news, live events and social influence, global buyers rely on TMC's content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. As a result, leading technology vendors turn to TMC for unparalleled branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities. Our in-person and online events deliver unmatched visibility and sales prospects for all percipients. Through our custom lead generation programs, we provide clients with an ongoing stream of leads that turn into sales opportunities and build databases. Additionally, we bolster brand reputations with the millions of impressions from display advertising on our news sites and newsletters. Making TMC a 360 degree marketing solution, we offer comprehensive event and road show management services and custom content creation with expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, @tmcnet .

Media and Analyst Contact:

Jessica Seabrook

Marketing Director

TMC

203-852-6800 x 170

[email protected]

Edited by Erik LinaskIts extremely unusual in todays society to maintain a friendship for 60 years; that is not the norm for our society today, he said. That friendship, he said was a testament to Paras loyalty to friends and family.The NPS found that the new plans removed too much of the building from public access, and that the proposed uses no longer supported outdoor public recreation, said Dunes Action member Norman Hellmers in the release. The DNR either needs to return to the former plans, or update them yet again to comply with the LWCF. The only other option is submitting to the conversion process.The resident saw a vehicle pull up and park near Campbell Street and Northview Drive, and two men got of the car and walked away. The car was described as a red Volkswagen with an Illinois license plate.The feud over whether a family-run company should continue to run the Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry grew more turbulent Monday with word that the State Lands Commission wants the California Department of Parks and Recreation to call off consideration of a new ferry operator.

The Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry Co., owned and often operated by Capt. Maggie McDonogh, has run the boat service for nearly 60 years, making the 15-minute trip across the Raccoon Strait to the state park. But the ferry contract, as state law requires, is up for bid, and McDonogh contends the terms of the proposed new contract are too costly for her fifth-generation company to bid.Former San Francisco Police Chief Willis Casey has died from cancer at age 80.

Casey served in the San Francisco Police Department for 30 years as an officer, including two years as chief. Casey died Thursday, according to Sneider Sullivan & OConnells Funeral Home in San Mateo, where a memorial service is scheduled to be held Thursday.

Will devoted almost 60 years of his life to serving the public, according to the funeral homes obituary. Strong leadership and strength in character and integrity defines Wills careers, but he will be most fondly remembered by family and friends for his wonderful sense of humor and warm loving nature.

Willis Augustus Casey was born in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 1937.

After earning a bachelors degree in political science from the University of San Francisco in 1959, Casey served two years in the Army then joined the San Francisco Police Department, where he rose to become deputy chief and later chief.

He was a good administrator, said Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council, a pro-business advocacy organization. Wunderman was special assistant to then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein when Casey was deputy police chief in the 1980s.

Casey was managing the department in the midst of budget cuts, during a time when funding was being shifted to other agencies, such as the Department of Public Health amid the AIDS crisis, Wunderman said.

I had to recommend a lot of cuts, Wunderman said. Casey wasnt overly critical. I thought he played it pretty fair.

In 1990, Casey replaced Police Chief Frank Jordan, who retired to run successfully for mayor.

Now Playing: From earthquakes to major sports victories, many events have brought San Franciscans together and shaped the Bay Area as we know it. Video: Edited by Katie Wood / SFGATE

Chronicle stories at the time of his appointment in 1990 referred to Casey as a hard-line street cop who was smart, shrewd and tough.

During his time with the San Francisco police, Casey earned a masters degree in government from the University of San Francisco.

Casey was fired by then-Mayor Jordan in 1992 in a surprising and controversial move after Casey defended the Police Department against attacks made by Jordan in a campaign, The Chronicle reported at the time.

He didnt really make a big mark as chief. He was a dutiful, by-the-books guy. I dont think he came in with a huge change, Wunderman said of Casey. Jordan probably replaced Casey in part because Casey had been appointed by another mayor, Art Agnos, Wunderman said.

Casey went on to serve as chief of the Pittsburg Police Department from 1994 until 1998.

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.

Chronicle stories at the time credited Casey as cleaning up a scandal-plagued Pittsburg department.

Will Casey served the community proudly, sincerely and with integrity, the Pittsburg Police Department wrote on a Saturday post on Nextdoor.com. The most important fact about Will Casey is that he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather with five children and 10 grandchildren.

Casey joined the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office as commander of the patrol and contract law enforcement units from 1998 until 2000.

Casey became Pittsburgs city manager after serving in the position on an interim basis after replacing Jeff Kolin in 2000. He remained as the city manager for three years before serving on the Pittsburg City Council for two terms. He stepped down from the City Council in 2017, according to the funeral homes obituary.

Casey is survived by four children and 10 grandchildren. His wife of 48 years, Patricia Dwyer, died in 2007.

Sneider & Sullivan & OConnells Funeral Home will host a visitation service from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday. A funeral Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco.

Lauren Hernandez and Roland Li are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com, roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LaurenPorFavor, @rolandlisfOfficials at San Francisco Unified School District may have acted prematurely in raising wages for around 3,600 teachers before the revenue stream to pay for them  generated by a parcel tax voters approved in June  actually kicks in.

In a letter sent to SFUSD Superintendent Vincent Matthews on Friday, Mayor London Breed called the timing of the wage increase an issue of great concern, given unresolved questions about when the money generated by Proposition G will be available, or if itll be available at all.

That could mean that the school district is spending money to raise teacher wages while anticipating revenue that might never materialize.

SFUSD teachers have been receiving bigger paychecks since late August, according to Laura Dudnick, a spokeswoman for the district.

Prop. G sought to provide a $5,500 boost to teachers salaries by levying a $298 annual parcel tax, which would generate around $50 million a year. The measure passed with nearly 61 percent of the vote.

Breed, who supported the parcel tax, said in her letter to Matthews that she still believes our educators deserve better pay for the important work they do every single day to educate and support our children and families.

Yet she questioned the fiscal prudence of raising wages before the money generated by the measure has even been collected.

Dudnick said in an email that SFUSD is taking steps to develop contingency plans to protect the financial well-being of the district without creating risk to the city and county. In the meantime, we are intending to continue in processing the raises.

Now Playing: From managing the city's $10 billion budget to hearing out public comment, members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors have a number of duties and are accountable to voters. Video: Ted Andersen, SFGATE

She added that both the school district and United Educators of San Francisco, the teachers union, agreed that it was important to implement the measure as soon as possible, in order to attract, recruit, hire and retain educators for this school year.

Susan Solomon, president of UESF, said the raises were helping with the districts recruitment efforts and had lifted the morale of existing staff.

In general, weve heard from many of our members about how respected they felt and how happy they were to see the raise, she said, adding that the union had no expectation that teachers who received raises would have to repay them.

The first property tax mailings that would include the Prop. G parcel tax have not yet been mailed to homeowners, Breed said, and the first payments on those taxes arent due until December. On top of that, both Breed and the Board of Supervisors have to approve and transfer the funds once theyre collected.

Neither body has appropriated and transferred SFUSD any funds for this purpose, Breed said.

But a legal challenge to another June ballot measure could pose an even greater threat to Prop. G. Last month, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association sued the city to block it from implementing Proposition C, which sought to raise commercial rents to fund a variety of child care and education initiatives. Prop. C narrowly passed with just under 51 percent of the vote.

Calling Prop. C an illegal special tax, the Jarvis association sued, claiming that because Prop. C was levying a tax for a specific purpose, it required a two-thirds majority to pass, according to state law.

In 1996, California voters approved Proposition 218, which spelled out the procedures for how local governments can levy new taxes and fees, including the vote thresholds that have to be met to approve proposed taxes. Since then, taxes for a specific purpose have required a two-thirds majority to pass.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

But a memo written by the San Francisco city attorneys office last year interpreting a state Supreme Court ruling argued that proposed tax measures placed on the ballot by citizens  and not the government  needed only a simple majority to pass.

Now, the fates of Prop. C and, by extension, Prop. G. are tied to the outcome of the Jarvis lawsuit. If the court is convinced by the Jarvis associations arguments, it would probably prevent both measures from being enacted. The case also has implications for Novembers Our City, Our Home ballot measure, which is also seeking a simple-majority vote to pass a tax on commercial gross receipts to fund homeless services.

The City Controllers Office, Breed said in her letter, had also informed the school district that current legal uncertainties prevented the city from authorizing Prop. G funds to boost teachers pay.

The districts actions, Breed said, during this time of uncertainty, and unresolved legal circumstances regarding the allocation of funding under Proposition G, give me great concern about the fiscal prudence of this decision.

Dudnick, the school districts spokeswoman, said SFUSD looked forward to discussing the issues with Breed. Solomon from the teachers union said that should the courts rule against the city, we would go back to the table with the school district and discuss what would happen moving forward.

The district has also been in conversation with the controllers office for several months about the intentions of SFUSD and plans to distribute the Prop. G funds without creating risk to the City and County, she said.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassaThe San Francisco Model Yacht Club is cheaper than most yacht clubs, perhaps because it doesnt have a bar. It costs $30 a year, plus a $10 initiation fee for new members.

For that, the price of two martinis downtown, you get to be a kid for the rest of your life.

On Sunday, the model boats were running on Spreckels Lake just off Fulton Street in Golden Gate Park. There were model tugs and Monterey fishing vessels, lobster boats and cabin cruisers. There were boats powered by steam and gas and wind.

Model Boats on Parade was extra special this year, partly because it was the 120th anniversary of the clubs founding and partly because the day was an informal memorial for Don Ciucci, a longtime deputy fire chief in Daly City who died in late July.

Few cared more about San Franciscos model boating community than Cooch, as he was known, and few did more to keep the clubs traditions alive. His late father, Nello, a master cabinetmaker, built some of the most beautiful boats in the fleet. Cooch picked up the family hobby, passing it on to his son, Matt Ciucci, and his brother-in-law Jim Wettstein.

Don Ciucci built or restored more than 50 boats in his days  he liked hot rods and cabin cruisers. He liked speed and big engines.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

He hated it when guys would die and their boats would disappear from the lake, said Craig Carter, the clubs power squadron officer. He looked at it as history disappearing. He would track down boats that had been here and revive them, restore them.

The idea of having a biannual parade focused on wooden boats was something Ciucci came up with about 20 years ago, Wettstein said. He said, We need to get these wooden boats out of mothballs.

The club is the oldest continuously run club of its kind in the United States, opening in 1898. The lake was built in 1904 specifically for the model boats.

Unfortunately, Ciucci died too soon for Jim Renfrew, a retired mechanical engineer who came to the city this weekend for the boat parade from his home in British Columbia. Renfrew got to know Ciucci by phone and email but never in person.

Renfrew had seen pictures of one of Ciuccis boats, a Hacker Craft cabin cruiser modeled on a vessel called the Margie, which is displayed in the clubs clubhouse. Renfrew fell in love with it and reached out to Ciucci, who passed along the plans. Renfrew built his own slightly smaller model.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

He decided he would bring it to San Francisco and show it to Ciucci  he was looking forward to meeting him in person and seeing the boats side by side.

The day he died was a real sad time, Renfrew said. Don was extremely well respected. I didnt get to meet him in person, but I talked to him a lot on the phone. I would call him up and ask him for the angles on the window or something like that.

Despite Ciuccis death, Renfrew said he was thrilled to be there.

This is like Disneyland for me. Its over the top. There are no other shows that I have seen like this, he said. And the people here are terrific.

Many of the older club members grew up along the Richmond Districts foggy avenues and were taken to see the boats as kids. Maybe they built model boats as kids and took a break as careers and young families interfered. Then they get back into it as their kids get older and pass along the tradition.

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.

When you get a family, you have to build houses instead of model boats, Renfrew said. Then when you retire, you have time to get back to it.

Jim Hirsch toiled 200 hours to finish up a Bertram 31-inch cabin cruiser for the parade. He named it after his twin daughters as a matter of diplomacy.

I spend perhaps more time than I should in my workshop, Hirsch said. The family members are much more supportive when you name the boat after them.

On Sunday, San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer, a Richmond District native who raised her kids nearby, showed up to thank the club members. The citys parks director, Phil Ginsburg, also was there.

You dont have to have a boat to enjoy them, Fewer said. It is so delightful to watch these boats as a bystander. I cant tell you how many Sundays I came out here with my son, and he was amazed at the boats. He would just watch them and watch them and watch them.

Yacht Club Commodore Colleen Stobbe was wearing a Victorian dress and ostrich feather cap in honor of the occasion.

This in some ways is an arcane sport, Stobbe said. But for the enthusiast and for the community, it is a gem. And we keep it going. This lake is a treasure to the city, as is the clubhouse.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineenFilipa Ioannou

A 23-year-old man was shot and killed on the 1100 block of Polk Street in San Francisco at 2:23 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

The victim, who was not immediately identified, was found dead when police arrived on scene.If a New York company has its way, there will be more than a thousand new campgrounds in California next year  each with only one campsite.

The company, Tentrr, installs standardized glamping campsites on remote, private land, including ranches and family farms, that might otherwise go unused. Its designed to appeal to campers looking for a more private experience than you typically find at established campgrounds in state and national parks.

Launched in 2016, Tentrr has more than 500 sites in the U.S.  most are in the Northeast  and just opened its first 10 in California in August. Because of Californias wealth of undeveloped private land  and because seasons are less of a consideration  DAgostino said the company hopes to find between 600 and 1,000 landowners in the state in 2019 who want to make extra cash renting remote sites to solitude-seeking travelers.

The sharing economy is becoming more and more of a force in the world, says Michael DAgostino, Tentrrs founder. And why cant we reinvent the infrastructure of how people enjoy the great outdoors by redistributing it to local landowners, who then can now participate in the economics of outdoor discovery and adventure?

Its unclear how many Tentrr campsites could be coming to the San Francisco Bay Area  it would be based on who applies to host a site and is approved. On a map with the locations of landowners who applied during August (but have not been vetted or accepted yet), more than 20 were in the region, ranging from Napa and Sonoma counties to Santa Cruz County. Each potential site needs to have a wow factor  water features, stunning views and natural beauty  and be located near other potential activities, DAgostino says.

Mary Esch / Associated Press

Among the sites already operating in Northern California are one on a family-owned, 850-acre cattle and grain ranch in Paso Robles wine country; a landing on a 60-acre ranch overlooking the Russian River Valley in Sonoma; and a campsite in the woods of the Sierra foothills in Nevada County. Some sites are suited for two campers, while others are large enough for families or groups.

Landowners apply online to host a campsite and, if the site is approved, they pay Tentrr $1,500 to install a fully-equipped campsite, including a platform, a canvas expedition tent, a combination picnic table and storage unit, a fire pit, wood stove and a camp toilet, playfully called the Tentrr Loo. (Landowners keep 80 percent of the camping fee.) According to the companys online application site, potential campsites should be about 10 acres to assure privacy, and be accessible by car.

There are other companies focused on booking glamping sites (which has become the catch-all phrase for lodging that is quirky, unorthodox or remote), including Glamping Hub, which lists 35,000 sites globally. That service, however, is more akin to Airbnb in that it is a third-party booking platform and doesnt create or own any of the lodging it lists.

We have complete sway over what our marketplace is, DAgostino says. Whereas you or I could put an empty refrigerator box out on the corner of Main and Fifth Street and rent it out on Airbnb, we take a little bit of a different approach where we carefully design these things. Theyre standardized.

Its the same experience whether in Napa or in the Adirondacks, he says. Among the variations in the experience are the extras that camp keepers can offer (and charge for), nearby or on the land, from bottles of wine and firewood to kayaking and fly fishing.

While Tentrr follows a similar shared-economy model to Airbnb, Uber and Lyft, the company made a point of avoiding some of the regulation gaps that became issues for those companies, including liability, vetting of both landowners and campers for safety concerns, and registering with local authorities where necessary. Each site is insured for $2 million in general commercial liability, DAgostino says. Most homeowners insurance doesnt cover you for commercial activity.

Although the company does not get involved with ensuring that landowners declare that money with tax officials, he says, It is regular income, and we expect that people will follow the respective tax codes in their town, state, municipality.

Asked about the use of fire pits and wood stoves in parts of the state that are desperately dry, a spokeswoman for the company said Tentrr follows each countys changing conditions for open flames and notes it on the campsites page. Each campsite also is equipped with a fire extinguisher.

Some aspects of the standardized experience might not be for everyone.

The intentional remoteness equates to a lack of plumbing  and shower and toilet facilities that are rustic. Campsites are equipped with a sun shower, essentially a large bag of water (heated by the sun) that hangs from a tree limb; and a toilet that is a portable wooden box with a toilet seat on top and a bucket inside.

Originally we were just going to have a trowel and instructions on how to dig a 6-inch hole, DAgostino says. The landowners objected to that.

Instead, the loo contains a single-use bag with a gelling agent developed by NASA that breaks down the waste and odors quickly and is landfill-safe. DAgostino says the loo is surprisingly popular, based on customer feedback, although campers should be prepared to have some flexibility about privacy if it rains.

Tentrr Loo aside, DAgostino says he believes theres room for enormous growth, if only because there are 8.7 million privately owned residential properties of 10 acres or more in the United States.

We see a huge potential in California. Everywhere people would currently go to enjoy the great outdoors is a great opportunity for us, he says. I think theres a lot of opportunity for surplus demand around the national parks where people can still visit the park, but have a lovely place to stay just outside.

The companys shoot-for-the-moon goal, he says, is to have 60,000 campsites in the country in the next four to five years. A shocking number of people are very interested in having a turnkey glamping business.

For more information on booking with Tentrr, visit the companys website or download the mobile app.

Spud Hilton is an editor of Travel. Email: shilton@sfchronicle.com. Twitter and Instagram: @spudhiltonWASHINGTON  President Trumps bid to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court was thrown into uncertainty Sunday as a Bay Area woman came forward with explosive allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers more than three decades ago.

Christine Blasey Ford, 51, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University, said in an interview with the Washington Post that during a high school party in the early 1980s, a drunken Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed, groped her and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, the newspaper quoted her as saying. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Kavanaugh has denied the accusations, and in a terse statement on Sunday, the White House stood by those denials. It signaled that it had no intention of pulling the nomination.

But two Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee  Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona  opened the door Sunday to a potential delay in a panel vote scheduled for Thursday.

Graham said on Twitter that if Ms. Ford wishes to provide information to the committee, I would gladly listen to what she has to say and compare that against all other information we have received about Judge Kavanaugh.

And Flake told Politico that he was not comfortable voting yes on the nomination until he learned more about her account.

Fords decision to put her name behind accusations that began to circulate late last week  a choice made after weeks of reluctance  quickly intensified Democrats demands that a confirmation vote be delayed. The disclosure injected a volatile #MeToo element into the confirmation debate, one that is playing out in the overwhelmingly male Republican-led Senate during a midterm election that has energized Democratic women.

Fords account comes as Democrats are already raising questions about Kavanaughs truthfulness during his confirmation hearings this month. They have accused him of dissembling on a range of issues from his time in the George W. Bush White House, including a breach of secret Democratic files on judicial nominations and discussions about detainee policy and torture.

Senate Republicans in the hours after the Posts article appeared indicated that they planned to move forward with voting on Kavanaughs nomination. Republicans planned to argue that unless corroborating information came to light, they had no way of verifying Fords story and saw no reason to delay the vote, according to a person involved in the discussions.

But the revelation prompted a hurried effort by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, the Judiciary Committee chairman, to set up conference calls to allow Democratic and Republican aides to interview both Kavanaugh and Ford before Thursdays scheduled committee vote. A spokesman, Garrett Ventry, said it was routine to hold such calls when updates are made to nominees background files.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, however, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, rejected Grassleys plan for phone interviews with Kavanaugh and Ford. Staff calls arent the appropriate way to handle this, she said late Sunday.

The decision about any delay in the vote could rest on the opinions of two Republican women: Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Both are publicly undecided about Kavanaugh.

Collins said in an interview Sunday night that she considered the allegations serious and that Ford needs to be personally interviewed to get a fuller account. But Collins said Democrats had done a disservice to both Ford and Kavanaugh with their handling of the accusations.

What is puzzling to me is the Democrats, by not bringing this out earlier, after having had this information for more than six weeks, have managed to cast a cloud of doubt on both the professor and the judge, she said.

White House officials sought to bolster Kavanaugh by pointing to statements by women who have known him and testified to his character, including a letter from 65 women who said that they knew him in high school and that he had always treated women with decency and respect.

Advisers to Trump were trying to avoid publicly assailing the accuser while hoping that the lack of contemporaneous corroboration for Fords account would mean that Senate Republicans could move ahead without addressing it in detail.

More delicately, advisers were privately urging Trump, who has been accused of sexual harassment by more than a dozen women, not to speak out about the allegations against Kavanaugh on Twitter for fear that he would only inflame the situation.

Still, some of the presidents allies on the right excoriated Ford  a registered Democrat  as a partisan. But Democrats and their liberal allies rallied around her, praising her courage and deeming her allegations credible.

Feinstein called the accusations extremely serious and said they bear heavily on Judge Kavanaughs character. She urged critics of his accuser to stop the attacks and stop shaming her.

Fellow Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California also urged a delay in the confirmation vote.

It is a credible and serious allegation, Harris tweeted. A vote on Kavanaughs nomination must be delayed until there is a thorough investigation.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., went further, invoking Anita Hill, who came forward during Justice Clarence Thomas 1991 confirmation hearings to accuse him of sexual harassment.

I was motivated to run for the Senate after watching the truly awful way Anita Hill was treated by an all-male Judiciary Committee interrogating her about the sexual harassment she endured at the hands of now-Justice Clarence Thomas, Murray said in a statement, adding that the hearings must be delayed.

There is an important difference between the two cases, however: Hill detailed harassment that took place in the workplace, when she and Thomas were adults.

The Posts article included an interview with Fords husband and her lawyer, Debra Katz, and described a therapists notes from 2012 in which Ford told of the attack. At Katzs urging, Ford also underwent a polygraph examination in early August; the retired FBI agent who conducted the examination, Jerry Hanafin, said in an interview Sunday that the results showed no deception indicated.

Fords account has also been detailed in her confidential letter, which Feinstein has shared with the FBI. Feinstein disclosed its existence Thursday, although she had been in possession of it at least since late July.

Most lawmakers have yet to read the letter Feinstein sent to the FBI, and Senate aides and lawmakers were privately weighing the implications of Fords interview Sunday. Republicans on the Judiciary Committee said that if Feinstein had taken the allegations against Kavanaugh seriously, she should have brought them up much earlier.

But Katz said that throughout August, while Feinstein was in possession of the letter, she had checked back with Katz from time to time to see if Ford would go public. But Ford, fearing she would be attacked, wanted to remain private and the senator respected her wishes, Katz said.

She said Ford decided to reveal herself only because journalists began contacting her, and inaccurate stories about her began circulating.

Ford had contacted the Post through a tip line in early July after it had become clear that Kavanaugh was on Trumps short list to fill a vacancy but before the Republican president nominated him, the newspaper said.

Ford contacted her representative in Congress, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, around the same time and requested confidentiality. In late July, Ford sent a letter through Eshoos office to Feinstein. Feinstein said she notified federal investigators about the letter, and the FBI confirmed it has included the information in the letter in Kavanaughs background file, which all senators can read.

The New York Times published an account of the letter Friday. In her interview with the Post, Ford offered further detail, saying that one summer in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh and a friend, both stumbling drunk, led her into a bedroom at a home in Montgomery County, Md., in suburban Washington, where teenagers had gathered.

The woman was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under her clothes. While his friend watched, the woman said, Kavanaugh pinned her down, grinding his body against hers and trying to pull off her bathing suit and clothing.

She said she was able to escape when Kavanaughs friend, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them, sending all three tumbling.

In the interview, Ford said the lasting trauma from the attack had derailed me substantially for four or five years, and had caused anxiety for years after that.

Kavanaugh, in a statement released last week, said: I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.

In an interview, Judge, who had learned from reporters that he was the other student named in the letter, denied that any such episode had taken place.

Both Eshoo and Feinstein said Sunday that they supported Fords decision to come forward.

Im proud of my constituent for the courage she has displayed to come forward to tell her full story, Eshoo said in a statement.

On Sunday, no one answered the door at Fords single-story home in a pleasant, tree-shaded Palo Alto neighborhood, where she lives with her husband and two sons, ages 12 and 14.

Neighbors described the family as friendly and said they know nothing about the Kavanaugh letter.

Theyre wonderful people with good kids, said John, 84, who lives across the street and didnt want to give his last name. The Fords have lived in the home for about 10 years, he said.

The street was quiet Sunday, with just a few media outlets camped out, waiting to see if Ford would return home and talk.

A man drove to the home Sunday afternoon and told reporters he was there to collect their dog. He declined to give his name.

She wont be coming back, he told the reporters. She doesnt want to talk to you guys.

Chronicle staff writer Michael Cabanatuan and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg is a New York Times writer.A scientific mission into the secret ocean lair of Californias great white sharks has provided tantalizing clues into a vexing mystery  why the fearsome predators spend winter and spring in what has long appeared to be an empty void in the deep sea.

A boatload of researchers from five scientific institutions visited the middle-of-nowhere spot between Baja California and Hawaii this past spring on a quest to learn more about what draws the big sharks to what has become known as the White Shark Cafe, almost as if they were pulled by some astrological stimulus.

The sharks annual pilgrimage to the mid-Pacific region from the coasts of California and Mexico has baffled scientists for years, not just because it is so far away  it takes a month for the sharks to get there  but because it seemed, on the surface, to be lacking the kind of prey or habitat that the toothy carnivores prefer.

But the researchers made a remarkable discovery. Instead of blank, barren sea, the expedition, led by scientists with Stanford University and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, found a vast community of tiny light-sensitive creatures so tantalizing that the sharks cross the sea en masse to reach them.

The primary lure, scientists believe, is an extraordinary abundance of squid and small fish that migrate up and down in a little understood deep-water portion of ocean known as the mid-water, a region skirting the edge of complete darkness that could provide an immeasurably valuable trove of information about the ocean ecosystem and climate change.

The story of the white shark tells you that this area is vitally important in ways we never knew about, said Salvador Jorgensen, a research scientist for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and one of the expeditions leaders. They are telling us this incredible story about the mid-water, and there is this whole secret life that we need to know about.

The researchers focus, a 160-mile-radius subtropical region about 1,200 nautical miles east of Hawaii, was essentially unknown to science until marine scientist Barbara Block, of Stanford Universitys Hopkins Marine Station, began attaching acoustic pinger tags to white sharks 14 years ago.

Block discovered that the local sharks, known as northeastern Pacific whites, feed on elephant seals and other marine mammals in the so-called Red Triangle, between Monterey Bay, the Farallon Islands and Bodega Head, from about August to December. She also tracked their movements into San Francisco Bay and around Guadalupe Island, in Mexico.

But then, each December, the acoustic tags showed a mass movement out to sea that was as confusing to the researchers as it was surprising.

Block found that the sharks were leaving the food-rich waters along the West Coast to spend spring and most of the summer in a patch of open ocean about the size of Colorado, a place that looked in satellite images like an empty, oceanic Sahara desert.

She named it the White Shark Cafe even though she wasnt sure whether the sharks went there for food or sex.

To find out, Block organized the monthlong expedition in April and May aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institutes research vessel Falkor, which was equipped with high-tech instruments, sail drones and a remotely operated submarine. Last fall, before departure, her team of scientists tracked down 36 local sharks using acoustic signals and fitted them with high-tech satellite monitoring tags with locator beacons programmed to pop off and float to the surface during the cafe expedition.

The scheme worked. The researchers got data from 10 of the 22 tags that floated up and signaled the Falkor that they had detached and were bobbing around ready to be collected, an exercise that Jorgensen called a white shark treasure hunt. The scientists also obtained recorded information on shark movements and behavior over the previous months from six other great whites through radio uplinks. The rest only transmitted their location or were not recovered.

Now Playing: A great white shark was seen chomping on the carcass of a whale on July 19, 2018 by the crew of an AllWater Charter boat. Video: AllWater Charter

The data on the recovered tags documented highly unusual diving behavior at depths scientists had rarely before seen in white sharks.

On the way to the cafe, the sharks made periodic dives 3,000 feet deep, a surprising discovery given that the big fish normally wouldnt be able to stay warm enough to digest food in such cold, pressurized depths. The sharks, researchers found, were using warm circular currents to get down the water column, suggesting they were following prey. Still, it isnt clear what they were eating.

Know your great white sharks Great white sharks, known scientifically as Carcharodon carcharias, are protected under state legislation that makes it illegal to fish for them. The trade in shark parts - mainly jaws and fins - is also illegal internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. They average 15 to 16 feet in length, but can grow much larger. The biggest white shark ever recorded was caught in 1939 and it was 21 feet long and weighed 7,300 pounds. Starting in late summer and fall, an estimated 220 white sharks feed offshore of the Farallon Islands, Ano Nuevo and Drakes Bay, but at least 20 have been documented over the years inside San Francisco Bay, including one seen devouring a seal in 2015 just a few feet off Alcatraz Island. Female sharks typically visit the Gulf of the Farallones in alternate years, suggesting that their migration pattern is tied to a two-year reproductive cycle. DNA testing has shown the sharks off the coast of California are genetically unique compared with other great whites. Researchers tagged 37 great white sharks last year and have given them names including Torpedo, Scargirl, Sicklefin, OrcaFin and ShawShark Redemption. The oldest and longest studied shark is a 16-foot, 3,158-pound great white named Tom Johnson, which was first seen off the Farallon Islands in 1987. The only reported fatal human-shark encounter off San Francisco shores occurred in May 1959, when 18-year-old Albert Kogler Jr. died after he was attacked in roughly 15 feet of water while swimming off Baker Beach. Eleven people have been killed by sharks off the California coast since the first documented attack on a human in Pacific Grove in December, 1952. The body of a probable 12th victim was never found, so he isn't counted. Sources: Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station; Monterey Bay Aquarium; Schmidt Ocean Institute; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. See More Collapse

Once they reached their destination in late winter and early spring, the animals engaged in bounce dives down to 1,400 feet below the surface during the day and 650 feet at night, Jorgensen said.

In April, the male sharks started behaving very differently from the females, moving individually up and down the water in a V-shape as many as 140 times a day, Jorgensen said. The females, on the other hand, continued their previous behavior, diving deep during the day and shallow at night, he said.

The scientists still havent figured out the disparate gender behaviors.

Either they are eating something different or this is related in some way to their mating, Jorgensen said.

Whats clear so far is that, like the hidden community of specialized wildlife in the Sahara, the shark cafe is a swirling mass of tiny phytoplankton, fish, squid and jellies. They move up and down in a soupy layer deep under water, a kind of twilight zone just below where sunlight stops penetrating the ocean depths.

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.

Its the largest migration of animals on Earth  a vertical migration thats timed with the light cycle, Jorgensen said. During the day they go just below where there is light and at night they come up nearer the surface to warmer, more productive waters under the cover of darkness.

Its a surreal deep water world populated by bioluminescent lantern fish and other species that have evolved amazing adaptations to darkness, Jorgensen said.

Scientists in recent years have discovered hundreds of new species in deep water zones like this one. The uniquely abundant mass of fish draws all kinds of predators, like small cookiecutter sharks, which have evolved light-emitting organs called photophores on the underside of their bodies that act, to prey, like invisibility cloaks.

The white sharks arent the only large predators tracking the mid-water creatures. Squid-eating bigeye tuna, blue and mako sharks also frequent the cafe. Jorgensen said these larger fish may be what the white sharks eat, but there isnt any definitive evidence of that.

What weve learned through the progression of our research is that this mid-water layer is extremely important for white sharks, he said. They are swimming in these layers, tracking (prey) day and night. ... Its a game of hide-and-seek.

Scientists say this little understood mid-water zone is a biological laboratory that, with more research, could lead to biomedical breakthroughs and yield clues to how the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide and how species adapt to climate change. There is also concern that it is ripe for exploitation, particularly long-line and drift net fishing.

Triggered by some crypic mechanism, the sharks leave their mid-ocean sanctum during the summer and begin to gather along the coast of California around August.

Block said researchers will not know whether the sharks were feeding, mating or doing both during their time in the White Shark Cafe until the analyses are completed.

We now have a gold mine of data. We have doubled the current 20-year data set on white shark diving behaviors and environmental preferences in just three weeks, Block said. This will help us better understand the persistence of this unique environment and why it attracts such large predators.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @pfimriteErin Schaff / New York Times

Senate Republicans were ultimately right to suspend their race to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to hear out the woman who has accused him of sexual assault. Whether the nomination can or should survive the allegation dating to Kavanaughs high school years isnt yet clear. What is clear is that the accusers story and the judges defense must be considered before the nomination can proceed.

Palo Alto University Professor Christine Blasey Fords account rose from a Washington whisper to a detailed, on-the-record allegation after she came forward and her lawyer said she was willing to testify before the Judiciary Committee. Kavanaugh, who denied the allegation, said he would respond however the committee deemed appropriate. Both are expected to get that chance Monday, which will delay a committee vote on the nomination that had been scheduled for Thursday.WEDNESDAY

Berkeley City Council candidates: The League of Women Voters hosts a forum for candidates for Berkeley City Council in Districts Four, Seven and Eight. 6:30-9 p.m., Berkeley City College, 2050 Center St. More information is here.

THURSDAY

Albany candidates: League of Women Voters hosts a forum for Albany candidates for public office. 7-9 p.m., 1000 San Pablo Ave., Albany. More information is here.

Midterm Run: Run 4 All Women sponsors a 4K run/walk to raise money and awareness for candidates trying to flip Congress. 6-8 p.m. at the Assembly, 449 14th St., San Francisco. More information is here.

Interracial sisterhood: A discussion on building interracial sisterhood in progressive politics, sponsored by Racy Conversations. 5:30-8:30 p.m., Year Up Bay Area, 80 Sutter St., San Francisco. More information is here.

East Bay candidates forum: Organizing for Power sponsors a forum for East Bay candidates on what they would to do help the black community and other communities of color. Invitees include candidates for Assembly District 15; Oakland mayor, City Council, school board and auditor; Peralta Community College District board; AC Transit board; and Alameda County assessor. 5:30-8:30 p.m., Merritt College student center, 12500 Campus Drive, Oakland. More information is here.

FRIDAY

East Bay candidates: Candidates for the Peralta Community College District board in areas Three and Five, Oakland City Council District Six and Oakland city auditor take part in a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters. 6-9 p.m., Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. More information is here.

Changing Georgia: Nse Ufot, executive director of the New Georgia Project, talks about strategies to get more people of color, young people and unmarried women to the polls. Free. 6-8 p.m. at Hustle, 343 Sansome St., Suite 600, San Francisco. More information is here.

SATURDAY

Race and medicine: Panel discussion on the impact of race in medicine. Sponsored by the African American Community Health Advisory Committee and the African American Library Advisory Committee. 2-4 p.m., San Mateo Public Library, 55 West Third Ave. More information is here.

MONDAY

S.F. Politics 101: An introduction to the citys politics. Speakers include state Sen. Scott Wiener, Joel Engardio, Jessica Ho and David Latt. Sponsored by United Democratic Club. Free. 6-8 p.m., Ortega Branch Library, 3223 Ortega St., San Francisco. More information is here.

SEPT. 25

Berkeley school board candidates: The League of Women Voters holds a forum for Berkeley school board candidates Ka'Dijah Brown, Julie Sinai, Ty Alper, Abdur Sikder, Dru Howard and Norma Harrison. 7:30-8:45 p.m., Berkeley City College, 2050 Center St. More information is here.

Lieutenant governor candidates: Eleni Kounalakis and Ed Hernandez, candidates for lieutenant governor, take part in a forum on higher education issues. The lieutenant governor is a University of California regent and California State University trustee. Free. 4:30-7 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

Oakland D4 candidates: Forum for City Council and school board candidates in Oaklands District Four. 6:30-8:30 p.m., Allendale Recreation Center, 3711 Suter St. More information is here.

Brisbane development: Brisbane Mayor Pro Tem Madison Davis and City Councilwoman Karen Cunningham take questions on Measure JJ, which would allow development of 2,000 housing units and commercial space and hotels in the Baylands area. 6-7:30 p.m., Madhouse Coffee, 402 Visitacion Ave., Brisbane. More information is here.

Get out the vote: Register to vote, learn about legislation affecting local communities and network with social justice advocates. Sponsored by Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. More information is here.

Progressive take on midterms: A look at midterm candidates and state ballot measures from the progressive perspective, with 48 Hills founder Tim Redmond and Bill Honigman, organizer for Progressive Democrats of America. 7-9 p.m., San Francisco Unitarian-Universalist Center chapel, 1187 Franklin St. More information is here.

Truth decay: RAND Corp. CEO Michael Rich discusses truth decay  the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life, at the Commonwealth Club. $35 nonmembers, $10 students. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

SEPT. 26

Berkeley rent board candidates: Candidates for Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board take part in a forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters. 7-9 p.m., Berkeley City College, 2050 Center St. More information is here.

D6 supervisor candidates: Matt Haney, Christine Johnson and Sonja Trauss, candidates for San Francisco supervisor in District Six, take part in a forum in the race to lead the innovation district. Sponsored by sf.citi. 6-8:30 p.m. at Lyft, 185 Berry St. fifth floor. More information is here.

SEPT. 27

Iran and Trump: Covering Iran in the age of Trump: a conversation with reporter Melissa Etehad of the Los Angeles Times, moderated by San Francisco State journalism Professor Venise Wagner. 12:30-2 p.m., Room 587 of the Humanities Building, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave. More information is here.

SEPT. 28

Speaker training: Non-Profit Housing Association sponsors speakers training for people who want to advocate for state Proposition 1, a $4 billion affordable housing bond measure, and Proposition 2, to increase allowable spending on housing homeless people. 2-4 p.m., San Francisco location to be announced. More information is here.

Federalism issues: Ed DuMont, solicitor general of California, and Lawrence VanDyke, solicitor general of Nevada, discuss cases before the Supreme Court and the federal courts that center on state vs. federal rights. Sponsored by Federalist Society. $15 for nonmembers, free for students. 6-7 p.m., Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law firm, 555 Mission St., Suite 3000, San Francisco. More information is here.

SEPT. 29

Tech politics: Candidates for statewide and Bay Area offices invited to discuss issues of importance to Silicon Valley and the technology industry. Sponsored by Royce Law LLC. Noon-4 p.m., Mission Bay Conference Center at UCSF, 1675 Owens St., San Francisco. More information is here.

D6 supervisor candidates: Matt Haney, Christine Johnson and Sonja Trauss, candidates for San Francisco supervisor in District Six, take part in a forum moderated by Chronicle columnist Heather Knight. 9:30-11:30 a.m., Childrens Creativity Museum Theater, 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. More information is here.

SEPT. 30

Preventing nuclear war: Free forum marking 50th anniversary of Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty features ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern and anti-nuclear activists Jacqueline Cabasso and Marylia Kelley. Sponsored by San Francisco Public Library and Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament. 1 p.m., Main Public Librarys Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin St., San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 2

Assembly candidates forum: Jovanka Beckles and Buffy Wicks, candidates in Assembly District 15 in the East Bay, participate in a League of Women Voters forum. 7-8:30 p.m., Berkeley City College, 2050 Center St. More information is here.

The Browns and California: Journalist Miriam Pawel, author of The Browns of California: The Family Dynasty That Transformed a State and Shaped a Nation, discusses Pat Brown, Jerry Brown and the modern history of the state, at the Commonwealth Club. $20 for nonmembers, $7 for students. 6-7:15 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 4

State ballot measures: League of Women Voters hosts a pros-and-cons session on the measures on Californias November ballot. 6:30-9 p.m., Berkeley City College, 2050 Center St. More information is here.

Francis Fukuyama: Political scientist and author Francis Fukuyama discusses identity politics. Sponsored by the Commonwealth Club. $25 for nonmembers, $10 for students. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 5

Oakland mayoral forum: Ten candidates for Oakland mayor take part in a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters. 7-8:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. More information is here.

Barbara Lee: Forum with Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, celebrating her 20th anniversary in Congress. Sponsored by the Commonwealth Club. $30 for nonmembers, $10 for students. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 5-6

Women and Spirit of the New Deal: Authors, scholars, historians and activists gather at UC Berkeley to examine womens contributions to the New Deal and their growing role in political leadership today. Full conference schedule is here. Registration and more information is here.

OCT. 9

Emeryville candidates: League of Women Voters hosts a forum for Emeryville City Council and school board candidates. 7-9 p.m., City Council chambers, 1333 Park Ave. More information is here.

OCT. 10

Pussy Riot: Nadya Tolokonnikova, founder of the Russian art collective Pussy Riot, discusses her new book Read & Riot: A Pussy Riot Guide to Activism. $12.50. 7 p.m., Kanbar Hall, Jewish Community Center, 3200 California St., San Francisco. More information is here.

Danica Roem: Virginia House of Delegates member Danica Roem, the first openly transgender member of a state legislature, discusses her career and life story. Sponsored by Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. $10. 7 p.m., 3200 California St., San Francisco. More information is here.

Left, Right and Center: A rollicking examination of national issues, with panelists Ana Marie Cox, host of With Friends Like These; Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle; and Business Insider senior editor Josh Barro. Sponsored by Inforum and NPR member station KCRW. $35, $10 for students. 7-8 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

Postcarding: A postcarding event encourage voters to turn out for progressive legislative candidates. 6-8 p.m., Richmond Republic Draught House, 642 Clement St., San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 14

D4 supervisor forum: Candidates for supervisor in San Francisco District Four take part in a forum sponsored by the Outer Sunset/Parkside Residents Association. 6-8:30 p.m., Lawton Alternative School, Lawton Street between 30th and 31st avenues, San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 16

D4 supervisor forum: Candidates for San Francisco supervisorial District Four participate in a forum sponsored by the Outer Sunset/Parkside Residents Association. 6-8:30 p.m., Ortega Branch Library, 3223 Ortega St., San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 18

Hacking politics: Keynote address for weekend conference on how the political system is being hacked. Sponsored by UC Berkeley Center for New Media, SFMOMAs Public Knowledge Initiative, the UC Berkeley School of Journalism and Boalt School of Law. Free. 6 p.m., Phyllis Wattis Theater, SFMOMA, 151 Third St., San Francisco. More information is here. Symposium runs from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 19 at 310 Banatao Auditorium, Sutardja Dai Hall, UC Berkeley. More information is here.

Berkeley voter information: UC Berkeleys Science Policy Group hosts a voter information night, focuses on state ballot initiatives. 5:30-8:30 p.m., Anthony Hall, UC Berkeley. More information is here.

OCT. 20

Race and politics: Panel discussion on the impact of race in politics. Sponsored by the African American Community Health Advisory Committee and the African American Library Advisory Committee. 2-4 p.m., San Mateo Public Library, 55 West Third Ave. More information is here.

OCT. 23

Women in leadership: Former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and University of California President Janet Napolitano discuss opportunities and challenges for women in leadership. Moderated by Politico California Playbook senior writer Carla Marinucci. Free. 4-5:30 p.m., Banatao Auditorium, UC Berkeley. Registration and more information are here.

Rick Wilson: Republican strategist and Daily Beast columnist discusses dark politics in the age of Trump. Sponsored by the Commonwealth Club. $30 for nonmembers, $10 for students. Noon-1 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 25

Max Boot: Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow and Washington Post columnist discusses his book The Corrosion of Conservatism: Why I Left the Right at the Commonwealth Club. $25 for nonmembers, $10 for students. Noon-1 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

OCT. 26

Julian Castro: Former Housing and Urban Development secretary and former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, speaks at the Commonwealth Club. $30 for nonmembers, $10 for students. Noon-1 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

NOV. 7

Jeffrey Rosen: Scholar and author examines constitutional questions and the post-Anthony Kennedy Supreme Court. Sponsored by Commonwealth Club. $25 for nonmembers, $10 for students. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 110 Embarcadero, San Francisco. More information is here.

NOV. 8

Susan Rice: Former President Barack Obamas national security adviser and U.N. ambassador discusses U.S. foreign policy priorities and national security interests. Sponsored by the World Affairs Council. $40 for nonmembers, $10 for students. 6:30-7:30 p.m., Marines Memorial Theater, 609 Sutter St., San Francisco. More information is here.

To list an event, email Politics Editor Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicleAssociated Press photos /

SACRAMENTO  California voters will have a chance to listen to gubernatorial candidates Gavin Newsom and John Cox debate next month, with the radio faceoff on KQED-FM the only one that the candidates have agreed to ahead of the November election.

The debate at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 8, will be moderated by KQED politics editor Scott Shafer on the stations Forum program. It will be a conversational format in which the candidates will not be limited to strict timed responses, the San Francisco station said.In a district that has far fewer homeless people than some other areas of San Francisco, three candidates for supervisor say officials should treat the crisis as a regional problem and consider temporarily housing people outside of the city.

Two of those candidates for the District Two seat, Schuyler Hudak and John Dennis, said they would go as far as considering building Navigation Centers outside of San Francisco, while current Supervisor Catherine Stefani proposed expanding agreements with surrounding cities to find beds for people coming out of substance abuse treatment programs.

A fourth candidate, Nick Josefowitz, said he wouldnt support shipping people out on a temporary basis to other cities.

Dennis doesnt support opening a Navigation Center in his district. Instead, he said, San Francisco should issue a request for proposals to locate them outside of the city.

We are competing for the most expensive real estate in the world to put up some of these Navigation Centers, said Dennis, a developer, investor and the only Republican candidate. If we cant do it here, weve got to put them someplace else.

Hudak, founder of video startup Cor, said she would first support opening a Navigation Center within the district, which includes Pacific Heights, the Marina and Cow Hollow, but said San Francisco cant solve the homeless crisis on its own.

She mentioned the possibly of building facilities for the homeless on San Francisco-owned property outside of the city.

We need to start collaborating with other counties and thinking about this as a regional issue, because it truly is, said Hudak, whose campaign focuses on mental health treatment as a way to address homelessness.

The issue of where to place shelters has long troubled city supervisors, who must consider opposition from some constituents and demands that districts with lower homeless populations shoulder some of the burden.

There are currently two Navigation Centers in the Mission, and one each in Dogpatch and Mid-Market  and the mayors office is scouting plots of land where more can be opened. The centers allow the homeless to bring in their partners and pets and help them transition into permanent housing through on-site services.

Homelessness is one of those issues that everyone wants solved in their neighborhood, but they want it solved somewhere else, said Jeff Kositsky, the director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. I really appreciate when supervisors and other community leaders come to us with a willingness to provide services to address homelessness.

Stefani said she would support opening a Navigation Center in District Two and also proposed expanding on a longtime city practice of sending people in need to available facilities outside of San Francisco.

If someone is exiting a treatment program and there is no place for them to go in San Francisco, my feeling is there is no reason why we shouldnt be working with the surrounding counties and ask them, Do you have a clean and sober living environment where this person could go? Stefani said.

Josefowitz, a BART director and founder of a renewable energy company, also supports opening a District Two Navigation Center. He said the only way he would consider moving people out of San Francisco is if it were into permanent housing.

The field to represent District Two is made up of three candidates with private sector experience  Hudak, Dennis and Josefowitz  and Stefani, who has been in City Hall for several years as county clerk and as a legislative aide to former Supervisors Mark Farrell and Michela Alioto-Pier. She was appointed to the seat seven months ago after Farrell was tapped to become interim mayor in January.

In confronting homelessness and other issues, Stefani said at a recent Chronicle editorial board meeting that experience counts.

Ive proven myself as someone who gets things done, she said.

But her competitors argue the current occupants of City Hall  including her, by implication  have failed to alleviate San Franciscos most pressing issues. Addressing homelessness, housing and public safety, they said, would benefit from the ideas of someone from the outside.

While the crime and homeless population in District Two is much lower than in other districts, the candidates said the issue has seemed to get worse over the past few years. They said residents are frustrated at the constant car break-ins around touristy areas such as Lombard Street, and have also become jittery after a woman and her children were robbed at gunpoint at the Palace of Fine Arts in July.

We are drifting into something that reminds me of the public housing project that I grew up in Jersey City, Dennis said. And the city seems unable to deal with the issues systemically.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadaniThe San Francisco Model Yacht Club is cheaper than most yacht clubs, perhaps because it doesnt have a bar. It costs $30 a year, plus a $10 initiation fee for new members.

For that, the price of two martinis downtown, you get to be a kid for the rest of your life.

On Sunday, the model boats were running on Spreckels Lake just off Fulton Street in Golden Gate Park. There were model tugs and Monterey fishing vessels, lobster boats and cabin cruisers. There were boats powered by steam and gas and wind.

Model Boats on Parade was extra special this year, partly because it was the 120th anniversary of the clubs founding and partly because the day was an informal memorial for Don Ciucci, a longtime deputy fire chief in Daly City who died in late July.

Few cared more about San Franciscos model boating community than Cooch, as he was known, and few did more to keep the clubs traditions alive. His late father, Nello, a master cabinetmaker, built some of the most beautiful boats in the fleet. Cooch picked up the family hobby, passing it on to his son, Matt Ciucci, and his brother-in-law Jim Wettstein.

Don Ciucci built or restored more than 50 boats in his days  he liked hot rods and cabin cruisers. He liked speed and big engines.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

He hated it when guys would die and their boats would disappear from the lake, said Craig Carter, the clubs power squadron officer. He looked at it as history disappearing. He would track down boats that had been here and revive them, restore them.

The idea of having a biannual parade focused on wooden boats was something Ciucci came up with about 20 years ago, Wettstein said. He said, We need to get these wooden boats out of mothballs.

The club is the oldest continuously run club of its kind in the United States, opening in 1898. The lake was built in 1904 specifically for the model boats.

Unfortunately, Ciucci died too soon for Jim Renfrew, a retired mechanical engineer who came to the city this weekend for the boat parade from his home in British Columbia. Renfrew got to know Ciucci by phone and email but never in person.

Renfrew had seen pictures of one of Ciuccis boats, a Hacker Craft cabin cruiser modeled on a vessel called the Margie, which is displayed in the clubs clubhouse. Renfrew fell in love with it and reached out to Ciucci, who passed along the plans. Renfrew built his own slightly smaller model.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

He decided he would bring it to San Francisco and show it to Ciucci  he was looking forward to meeting him in person and seeing the boats side by side.

The day he died was a real sad time, Renfrew said. Don was extremely well respected. I didnt get to meet him in person, but I talked to him a lot on the phone. I would call him up and ask him for the angles on the window or something like that.

Despite Ciuccis death, Renfrew said he was thrilled to be there.

This is like Disneyland for me. Its over the top. There are no other shows that I have seen like this, he said. And the people here are terrific.

Many of the older club members grew up along the Richmond Districts foggy avenues and were taken to see the boats as kids. Maybe they built model boats as kids and took a break as careers and young families interfered. Then they get back into it as their kids get older and pass along the tradition.

When you get a family, you have to build houses instead of model boats, Renfrew said. Then when you retire, you have time to get back to it.

Jim Hirsch toiled 200 hours to finish up a Bertram 31-inch cabin cruiser for the parade. He named it after his twin daughters as a matter of diplomacy.

I spend perhaps more time than I should in my workshop, Hirsch said. The family members are much more supportive when you name the boat after them.

On Sunday, San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer, a Richmond District native who raised her kids nearby, showed up to thank the club members. The citys parks director, Phil Ginsburg, also was there.

You dont have to have a boat to enjoy them, Fewer said. It is so delightful to watch these boats as a bystander. I cant tell you how many Sundays I came out here with my son, and he was amazed at the boats. He would just watch them and watch them and watch them.

Yacht Club Commodore Colleen Stobbe was wearing a Victorian dress and ostrich feather cap in honor of the occasion.

This in some ways is an arcane sport, Stobbe said. But for the enthusiast and for the community, it is a gem. And we keep it going. This lake is a treasure to the city, as is the clubhouse.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineenRead the latest story on what happened to the Burning Man 747: Burning Man art piece made from 747 now a tourist attraction in the Black Rock Desert

A Burning Man camp has come under fire for leaving its massive art piece made from a Boeing 747 airplane parked in the Black Rock Desert and breaking one of the annual festival's most important rules, "leave no trace."

The owners of the plane, a nonprofit called Big Imagination, say they haven't abandoned it and are working with the Bureau of Land Management to move it into a storage location.

Ken Feldman, co-founder and CEO of Big Imagination, says the original plan was to move the plane to a piece of private property near the Playa when the festival ended, but the landowner backed out at the last minute.

Feldman and his team have scrambled the past two weeks to resolve the situation and have identified a new location for the plane.

"We would like to have this completed before this weekend," Feldman says. "If we could have done it two weeks ago, we would have done it. We are moving as fast as we possibly can."

"As a collective of 500-plus volunteers who have been working on this since 2014, the last thing we would want to do is to leave behind an ecological disaster on the Playa or in any way impact Burning Man from getting their permit," a statement from the group reads. "We acknowledge that our exodus plan has not gone as expected and we apologize for any undue stress this has caused the greater burning community, or the Burning Man Org and especially the BLM whom we've always sought good relations and whom we are working closely with to resolve this situation as rapidly as possible."

The Bureau of Land Management manages the Burning Man site and BLM spokesperson Rudy Evenson says a Big Imagination representative visited the BLM's Winnemucca District office Monday. Evenson confirms the group is "working diligently to remove it."

ALSO: Police report from Burning Man: 44 arrests, 1 death, armed car jacking and plane crash

"Leave no trace" is an important principle behind the annual event, which lures more than 70,000 people into northwest Nevada's desert. Attendees are required to clean up after themselves, taking away their art pieces and removing all trash. Burning Man's guide to cleaning up mentions all the tiny pieces of litter that could easily get left behind: tent stakes, bottle caps, ashes, wood debris, orange peels, cigarette butts, pistachio shells, rope fibers, sequins.

Evenson says the 747 was moved 12 miles north of the festival site after the event ended and has been sitting there ever since. plane.

"They are trespassing when technically speaking because they don't have any authorization to take this large vehicle out of the Playa and it has been out there longer than 14 days," Evenson says.

Jim Graham, a spokesperson for Burning Man, said in an email statement, "All art pieces are expected to be removed from the event site the week the event ends, with smaller pieces having a tighter turnaround and larger, more complex pieces taking additional time. While the 747 was removed from the Burning Man event site early Friday morning, we're aware the piece has not yet been removed from the Black Rock Desert and are monitoring the situation."We have a Blue Ribbon school and the event is run by those tied to St. Joseph, a community that supports the love of God and academic excellence, Kendrick said. This is an opportunity for our families to come together to enjoy the day.Americans household earnings are finally stretching back to their pre-recession heights. But feeling secure and comfortable isnt only a measure of how much money you have. Its also a measure of how much you have compared to others.

For many, that is one reason that recent financial progress may seem overshadowed by the gains theyve missed out on and a needling sense that theyve lost ground.

As new research illustrates, two groups in particular have stalled: whites without a college degree, and blacks and Hispanics with one. Both are being far outpaced by college-educated whites.

America has been a story of getting ahead, of progress, said Morris P. Fiorina, a political scientist at Stanford University. Theres been no story of progress  for them.

The findings, part of a study on the demographics of wealth between 1989 and 2016 from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, show significant advances in education and earnings among white, black and Hispanic Americans over that period. A recent Census Bureau report also showed continued income gains last year. But the study highlights the growing importance of relative shifts in position up or down the income ladder at a time when the economys riches are flowing increasingly to the wealthiest sliver.

The economic swoops and comebacks of the past three decades have chipped away at many measures of well-being. An advanced global economy has radically revalued the contributions of blue-collar labor and technological skills.

The lingering economic insecurity has fired resentments, sharpened identity politics and fueled populism on the right and left that is upending hierarchies in the Democratic and Republican parties.

But parallels between whites who did not finish college and blacks and Hispanics who did show that this is not clearly a race story and not clearly an education story, said William R. Emmons, an economist at the St. Louis Fed and a co-author of its report.

To Emmons, the most striking result was the steep declines among white families headed by someone without a college degree. Members of this group  labeled the white working class  were not only left behind financially, but also lagged in other measures of well-being, like self-reported health, homeownership and marriage or cohabitation rates.

In absolute terms, they are still doing better than their black and Hispanic counterparts, with nine times the wealth and a higher median income. But as Theodore Roosevelt observed, Comparison is the thief of joy.

The white working class, which once dominated the American workforce and reaped a hefty chunk of its rewards, has seen its incomes trail far behind those of college graduates. In less than three decades, its share of total income sank to 27 percent from 45 percent. For these workers, the education gap is starker than ever.

At the same time, working-class blacks and Hispanics began to catch up. These groups median incomes grew at an accelerated pace over the same period that the median income of working-class whites declined.

Their relative position has fallen dramatically, said Ronald Inglehart, a political scientist and professor emeritus at the University of Michigan, at a time when the desirable standard of living has risen a lot.

To Inglehart, expanding inequality is the primary culprit, decreasing satisfaction while fanning ethnic and racial tensions and anti-immigrant sentiment around the world. Rewards are being sucked up at the top to a degree that is stunning, he said.

In the United States, polls have shown that a majority of whites feel whites are discriminated against. Sociologist Arlie Hochschild describes it as a powerful feeling that the government is helping others to cut ahead of them in line as they fall further back. This has helped turn them more aggressively against affirmative action and policies that assist displaced migrants, she argues. But as the Fed data suggests, waning privilege is a more likely reason.

The most plausible explanation, the report concluded, is the diminishing set of advantages relative to nonwhite working-class families in terms of high school graduation rates, access to relatively high-paying jobs, and freedom from explicit workplace discrimination.

What may be surprising is that the group with the most similar experience in some respects is black and Hispanic college graduates. Additional education has clearly paid off in terms of greater wealth and income. Yet they are lagging well behind their white counterparts. Among college graduates, white families, for instance, had six times the median wealth of black and Hispanic families, extending a stubborn racial gap.

Without a cushion of family assets, the housing bubble and recession cut deep among minorities, gnawing away the assets even of college graduates. White households with similar education levels also lost wealth, but their relative position was enhanced. In the 1990s, their real median net worth was 256 percent of the general populations. That figure jumped to 416 percent by 2016.

Racial privilege is alive and well among college-educated elites, said Joan C. Williams, a law professor at the UC Hastings College of the Law and the author of White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America.

Black college graduates were also the only other group besides the white working class that experienced declines in all three nonfinancial measures tracked  health, homeownership and marriage or cohabitation rates.

Researchers have found that socioeconomic status and health shadow each other, climbing or falling in tandem.

For upwardly mobile African Americans, and to a lesser extent, Hispanics, achieving the American dream has had a peculiar side effect. They tend to encounter more discrimination because they live and work in predominantly white environments, said Cynthia Colen, an associate professor at Ohio State Universitys College of Public Health.

The feeling of decline among the groups lagging behind is well founded, Williams said. Whats at issue here is whether theyre going to interpret that decline through the lens of race or through the lens of class, she said. Theres a war over interpretation.

Patricia Cohen is a New York Times writer.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund invested over $1 billion Monday in a Bay Area electric car manufacturer just weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk earlier claimed the kingdom would help his own firm go private.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund said it would invest the more than $1 billion in Lucid Motors, an 11-year-old Newark company that has yet to bring a vehicle to market.

Tesla stock dropped briefly Monday in reaction to the news, which came the same day that the Saudi fund announced it had taken its first loan, borrowing $11 billion from global banks as it tries to expand its investments. It wasnt immediately clear if that loan money played a part in the electric-car investment.

The investment is a bold move for Saudi Arabia, an ultraconservative kingdom that for decades has relied on its oil wealth as the worlds top crude exporter. But previous splashy market-moving promises by the kingdoms assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have yet to materialize.

The investment will provide the necessary funding to commercially launch Lucids first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air, in 2020, the fund said. The company plans to use the funding to complete engineering development and testing of the Lucid Air, construct its factory in Arizona, enter production for the Lucid Air to begin the global rollout of the companys retail strategy starting in North America.

Lucid issued a statement quoting Peter Rawlinson, its chief technology officer, welcoming the investment.

At Lucid, we will demonstrate the full potential of the electric-connected vehicle in order to push the industry forward, said Rawlinson, who worked as the lead engineer of the Tesla Model S before joining Lucid.

The more than $1 billion investment easily dwarfs prior funding for the manufacturer and puts Saudi Arabia clearly in the firms driver seat. Three previous venture funding rounds have netted Lucid Motors some $131 million, according to Crunchbase.

The Lucid Air will have a range of over 400 miles. The company already is taking deposits for the vehicle, priced at $52,500.

The Saudi announcement comes after Musk on Aug. 7 tweeted that he had funding secured to take Tesla private. Investors pushed Teslas shares up 11 percent in a day, boosting its valuation by $6 billion.

There are multiple reports that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the disclosure, including asking board members what they knew about Musks plans. Experts say regulators likely are investigating if Musk was truthful in the tweet about having the financing set for the deal. Musk later said the Saudi Public Investment Fund would be investing in the firm, something Saudi officials never commented on. Musk on Aug. 24 said Tesla would remain publicly traded.

Jon Gambrell is an Associated Press writer.One recent afternoon, San Franciscos newest grocery market was trying to figure out whether I would buy, steal or leave behind a bag of white cheddar popcorn  and so was I.

On its side: 27 cameras along the ceiling and a wealth of behavioral data.

On my side: crippling indecision.

This month, the city got its first cashier-less store, Standard Market. Shoppers who download the stores app can go into the 1,900-square-foot space, grab items and simply leave. There is no check-in gate or checkout swipe. Ceiling cameras identify the shopper and the items, and determine when said items leave with said shopper. Or, at least, thats the idea.

The startup behind this is Standard Cognition, which has raised $11.2 million in venture capital and formed partnerships with four retails chains around the world. This first market is a prototype to showcase the technology and work on the bugs. The ambitious goal is to add the tech in 100 stores a day (each day!) by 2020.

Five of the seven founders came from the Securities and Exchange Commission, where they built artificial intelligence software to detect fraud and trade violations, before starting Standard Cognition in 2017. Now these fraud experts are working to discern something equally complicated: whether I am stealing a snack.

Standard Market is the latest entry in the emerging fray of retail automation, where companies are throwing cameras, sensors and machine learning into grocery stores to replace the checkout line. In January, Amazon opened its first cashier-less Go market in Seattle to the public; it has since opened more of the stores. In China, experiments in cashier-less stores abound, using radio frequency identification tags and a self-checkout process that involves scanning a Quick Response code or your face.

Standard Cognitions approach is different. It relies exclusively on the ceiling cameras and artificial intelligence software to figure out what you are buying. The cameras document shoppers movements, speed, stride length and gaze. The store knows when I glance at a poster and for how long. It knows if I slowed down, grabbed a chocolate bar and put it back. It knows if my body is facing the dried mangoes but my face is set on the popcorn.

And it knows (or is trying to know) when I am planning to steal.

The goal is to predict, and prevent, shoplifting, because unlike Amazons Go stores, which have a subway turnstile-like gate for entry and exit, Standard Market has an open door, and the path is clear.

We learn behaviors of what it looks like to leave, said Michael Suswal, Standard Cognitions co-founder and chief operating officer. Trajectory, gaze and speed are especially useful for detecting theft, he said, adding, If theyre going to steal, their gait is larger, and theyre looking at the door.

Once the system decides it has detected potential theft behavior, a store attendant will get a text and walk over for a polite conversation, Suswal said.

Predicting theft requires a lot of data about shoppers, much of which does not exist yet  or at least no one is willing to give it to us, he said.

So a few days before Standard Market opened, Standard Cognition hired 100 actors to shop there for four hours. In Japan, the team has worked with a convenience store chain, whose name it has not disclosed, in a very useful data collection effort.

Standard Cognition said that unlike facial recognition, it did not collect biometric information, a possibility that has troubled privacy experts watching the technology evolve.

The growth of cashier-less technology could hurt the American labor force; there are nearly 5 million retail sales workers in America. But as Suswal has pitched Standard Cognitions technology, he said, he has found that most shop owners are not looking to replace workers. Instead, they want their workers wandering the stores more, in hopes of luring shoppers back into brick-and-mortar retail.

They all talk about new services, making shopping more fun, making it worthwhile to shop offline, Suswal said.

And they talk about data. While a store owner can look at receipts to see who bought a generic ketchup, cashierless technology can help tell if the shopper first picked up a Heinz bottle and how long he or she looked at it. Basically, now an owner can see what a customer did not buy.

On a recent Friday, a line stretched down the street from Standard Market as a bouncer at the door took in one shopper at a time for the automated experience. The store is in the Mid-Market neighborhood, between Chanvi Eatery, a Pakistani restaurant, and Huckleberry Bicycles, a high-end bike shop. People outside were downloading the app and typing in their credit card numbers.

Walking out was Yoshimasa Takahashi, 32, who works nearby in finance. A receipt popped up on his phone. It said he had bought noodles and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese  except, he had not bought the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

I was playing with it but didnt take it out, Takahashi said, smiling at his win over the tech.

The bouncer gave him a refund.

Store hours are short for the next few weeks  the store will be open only half days on Wednesdays and Fridays while the tech is tweaked. For now, the selection of food is extremely limited. The store has only 25 square feet devoted to food because, the founders said, they have not yet gotten the permits required for more. So there is an odd assortment of items  Fritos, Apple Jacks and Starbucks Frappuccinos  that leans heavily toward dorm-room-style snacks.

To shop, I opened my phone, which flashed blue, letting the store know I had entered. I wandered, throwing items into my tote. Then I left.

Outside I found Suswal. A minute went by, and a notification popped up on my phone with my receipt: one white cheddar popcorn and one roll of toilet paper for a total of $1.19.

In fact, I had left with two bags of popcorn. I had toyed with the second bag, debated buying it, considered my dinner plans, put it back and finally took it with a quick impulsive grab. The system missed it.

That shouldnt happen, Suswal said. And yet it did. He shrugged and said I had won it.

So I left with the extra 99-cent bag of popcorn, and I did not feel bad, really. Soon, Standard Cognition and others will probably get better, will perfectly detect where that snack went, and my movement will be subsumed and predicted by artificial intelligences endless data maw.

But for now its not quite good enough. And Im covered in crumbs.

Nellie Bowles is a New York Times writer.LONDON  Hadeel Ayoub slips a black glove onto her hand before beginning the swish of sign language that is meaningless to the untrained observer. Then she pushes a button on her wrist, and a small speaker relays the message drawn in the air: Lets Dance!

My dream is to give a voice to those who cant speak, says the 36-year-old inventor, who is developing her BrightSign glove while working toward a doctorate in assistive technology at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Ayoubs glove is just one example of a bigger trend as entrepreneurs, startups and companies like Microsoft and Google try to harness the power of artificial intelligence to make life easier for people with disabilities. The initiatives come as the World Health Organization estimates that the number of people needing assistive devices ranging from wheelchairs to communication technologies will double to 2 billion by 2050.

Improvements in artificial intelligence, combined with the decreasing cost of hardware, are making it possible for inventors to develop new products without the need for the deep pockets of governments or corporations. With the help of 3-D printers and the increased processing power of home computers, they are creating devices designed for people with motor, vision, hearing and cognitive impairments.

Microsoft and Google are trying to spur work in this area, offering a total of $45 million in grants to developers of assistive technologies. Microsoft says it hopes to identify promising projects that can eventually be incorporated into widely available services.

Were certainly seeing an explosion of new technology that is looking to support people with disabilities, said Zvika Krieger, head of technology policy and partnerships at the World Economic Forum. There are a lot of innovators out there ... who are looking to move beyond maybe a dating app or a social networking app and are looking to do something that really helps the disadvantaged.

While Ayoub hopes her efforts pay off financially, she says she is driven by a desire to create a world where disabilities become meaningless. She is trying to raise about $1.3 million to bring BrightSign to the market, estimating her gloves will cost a few hundred dollars each, compared with $2,000 or more for existing technology.

The need for such products is only going to increase as the worlds population ages, increasing the number of people with physical, cognitive, vision and hearing problems, according to a WHO report published this year. The challenge is to develop new technologies while also increasing the availability of simple devices like spectacles and wheelchairs that many people cant afford.

Companies are starting to recognize the financial potential of the market, as these innovations can improve products sold more widely, said Hector Minto, who has the unusual title of accessibility evangelist at Microsoft.

For example, Microsoft last year launched its free Seeing AI app, which turns a smart phone into a talking camera that helps visually impaired people do things like scan and read aloud text, recognize faces and identify products bar codes. Similar technology goes into the companys text Translator service, which costs businesses $10 to $45,000 a month, depending on the number of transactions.

Its important to remember that all of us have impairments at times, says Robin Christopherson, head of digital inclusion at the British charity AbilityNet, which helps older people and the disabled use computers.

He explains it like this: A person with perfect sight might have a visual impairment when trying to read a smartphone in bright sunlight, or a person with perfect hearing can struggle to understand a phone call when on the street outside. As a result, technology that helps people with permanent vision or hearing problems also makes products better for everyone.

Innovation has not yet produced products good enough to offer complete freedom for the impaired, said Tom Kamber, executive director of Older Adults Technology Services, a Brooklyn nonprofit that helps the elderly use technology. But there is reason for optimism because investors are actively looking for the next big thing in technology, he said.

Theres no shortage of people in Silicon Valley that will take your call, Kamber said. The sector has advanced to the point that a lot of money is going to be made.

The holy grail is for such technology to be integrated into off-the-shelf products, so people with disabilities can get the help they need without extra cost, said Christopherson of AbilityNet. Christopherson, who is blind, cited the iPhone, which allowed him to swap a backpack full of equipment and cables for one device.

And then theres the opportunity for technology to help people with impairments experience the world in completely different ways.

Ford Motor Co. worked with the Aedo Project, an Italian startup, to create a device that helps blind people feel the view outside a car window by turning light into vibrations that, when combined with audio description, convey a sense of the scenery passing by.

While the technology is only in the prototype stage, one blind man who worked on the project described his amazement when he tried out the device for the first time.

My first sensation when my finger went from the mountain to the sky felt like I had ended up in cream, something milky, something soft, Antonio Bruni said. They told me: These were clouds.

Danica Kirka is an Associated Press writer.Following the rapid growth of discount transatlantic carriers like Norwegian, WOW, Level, and the new Primera Air, another low-cost operator is being formed in Europe to target U.S. destinations  and it will rely on single-aisle planes.

Temporarily called Swiss Skies  it will be rebranded before launch, officials said  the new company is seeking an initial $100 million in investment capital and plans to start flying in the second half of 2019 from a base at the Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg EuroAirport, strategically located where the Swiss, German and French borders meet.

The airline's founders (including a pilot who ran flight operations at Brazil's Azul and a former Lufthansa/Air Berlin executive) said they want to focus on point-to-point travel to secondary U.S. airports, citing Basel-Cincinnati as an example of their likely first route, since both regions are home to large pharmaceutical businesses. (Similarly, Swiss flies the "Roche coach" between San Francisco and Zurich due to heavy pharma and biotech traffic.)

They said Swiss Skies' fleet will rely on narrow-body, long-range Airbus A321neos  the same aircraft that JetBlue has suggested it could use to begin transatlantic service from Boston and New York. (It's also the same plane Hawaiian Air plans to phase into many of its West Coast routes, including Oakland-Kauai) The company plans to use a 190-seat version of the A321neo, and said its operating plan calls for it to offer fares that are 30 percent lower than those currently in the market.

It expects to have 16 A321s in its fleet by the second year of operations, and 38 in its fourth year. While it would start by flying to U.S. destinations, the airline would later expand to serve points in the Middle East, Caribbean, and Brazil, and would add other European bases as well.

The greater range and fuel efficiency of next-generation single-aisle aircraft is making them a favorite among airlines that want to fly between points in western Europe and the northeastern U.S. Besides JetBlue's stated intention to consider flying A321neos between the northeast and London, Norwegian uses single-aisle Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for many of its routes between New York/New England and northwestern Europe  including the world's longest 737 route, 3,456 miles between New York State's Stewart Airport and Bergen, Norway (Norwegian uses 787 Dreamliners for longer routes to the U.S.).

Except for its California routes, which use wide-body A330s, WOW uses A321s for its U.S. routes  although WOW's transatlantic service to Europe requires a stopover or connection in Reykjavik. Primera Air also uses A321neos for its transatlantic routes from Newark and Boston to London Stansted and Paris CDG as well as Washington Dulles-London. Primera plans to expand in 2019 by starting service to Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt and Madrid from the northeastern U.S.

Do you think there's room for another European low-cost carrier? Any thoughts about flying single aisle jets across oceans? Tell us in the comments.

Read all recent TravelSkills posts here

Get twice-per-week updates from TravelSkills via email! Sign up here

Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.It's back-to-school season, and for high school kids that means back to worrying about test scores and perhaps the looming specter of college applications. And at some Bay Area high schools, the standardized test scores are among the strongest in the state.

RELATED: Best Bay Area public high schools according to US News and World Report

Annual data released by the state Department of Education in July revealed which public high schools had the highest percentage of students meeting the state targets for SAT scores.

The statistics measure how many students who take the SAT score hit certain score minimums for the reading and math section. For seniors, the target scores are 480 on the reading section and 530 on the math, for a combined score of 1010. For 11th-graders it's 460 and 510, for a combined score of 970; for 10th-graders, it's 430 and 480, summing to a target of 910; and for freshman, it's 410 and 450, for a combined score of 860.

The SAT was redesigned by the College Board in 2016, switching from the 2,400 point, three-section format back to a two-section, 1,600-point format that eliminated the penalty for guessing and made the essay section optional.

MORE RANKINGS: The best colleges in California, according to Forbes

There's unsurprisingly a lot of overlap with the schools that tend to make the lists of best Bay Area public schools curated by Niche and US News and World Report.

Many of the schools are either magnet schools or located in affluent areas like Piedmont, Los Gatos and Cupertino, fairly unsurprising since standardized test scores tend to track with parental income levels.

South Bay schools tended to perform especially well, and only one San Francisco high school cracked the list.

Click through the gallery above to see which high schools made the list.

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on TwitterMore than six months after Hurricane Irmas catastrophic rampage across the Caribbean and the southeastern United States, the number of deaths attributed to the storm increased to 129  more than twice the amount reported at the end of the storm.

It took years for Hurricane Katrinas death toll to become fully known. That number is still debated today with figures used by disaster agencies varying by as much as 600 deaths. About 1,800 died from Katrina, though some agencies still list it at 1,200.

And while the change in the number of dead from Hurricane Maria is perhaps the most dramatic  rising from 64 to a 2,975 after the Puerto Rican governor commissioned university researchers to review the count  its common for death tolls in natural disasters to escalate weeks and months later because of deaths indirectly caused by a storm.

Those can include things like infections from contaminated water, electrocutions from downed power lines and failure to receive dialysis because of power outages. Deaths directly linked to a disaster include drownings from a storm surge or being crushed in a wind-toppled building.

Sometimes we may never know how many deaths really occurred, said Susan Cutter, director of Hazards & Vulnerability Research Institute at the University of South Carolina.

On Friday, President Trump falsely accused Democrats of inflating the death toll from Hurricane Maria to make him look as bad as possible.

But unlike tornadoes that destroy a relatively small area, hurricanes pose challenges in getting a count quickly because of the vast regions that the storms affect, according to disaster experts.

Flooding can mean places are inaccessible for weeks, hiding the dead. Some people may be swept miles away from their homes. People may not be reported missing because neighbors believe they evacuated and decided not to return.

The poor, disabled and elderly are at most risk after a storm hits because they often dont have the means to get out and are unable to get to food, water and medicines. Those are the deaths that commonly are added later.

There are discrepancies in how the deaths are recorded but disaster experts say that often causes an undercount. If a drowning on a death certificate does not link it to a storm, it may not be counted.

No single government entity is tasked with counting the dead in a natural disaster. Officials rely on everything from media accounts to first responders reports.

Julie Watson is an Associated Press writer.WILMINGTON, N.C.  Throwing a lifeline to a city surrounded by floodwaters, emergency crews delivered food and water to Wilmington on Monday as rescuers picked up more people stranded by Hurricane Florence.

The death toll from Florence rose to at least 32, and crews elsewhere used helicopters and boats to rescue people trapped by still-rising rivers.

Thank you, a frazzled, shirtless Willie Schubert mouthed to members of a Coast Guard helicopter crew who plucked him and his dog Lucky from atop a house encircled by water in Pollocksville. It was not clear how long he had been stranded.

A day earlier, Wilmingtons entire population of 120,000 people was cut off by flooding. By midday Monday, authorities reopened a single road into the town, but it wasnt clear if the route would remain open as the Cape Fear River kept swelling.

In some places, the rain finally stopped, and the sun peeked through, but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned that dangerously high water would persist for days. He urged residents who were evacuated from the hardest-hit areas to stay away because of closed roads and catastrophic flooding that submerged entire communities.

Theres too much going on, he told a news conference.

About two dozen truckloads of military provisions and bottled water were delivered overnight to Wilmington, the states eighth-largest city, officials said.

The chairman of New Hanover Countys commissioners, Woody White, said three centers would open by Tuesday morning to begin distributing essentials to residents. Things are getting better slowly, and we thank God for that, White said.

Mayor Bill Saffo said he was working with the governors office to get more fuel into Wilmington.

Crews have conducted about 700 rescues in New Hanover County, where more than 60 percent of homes and businesses were without power, authorities said.

Desperate for gas to run a generator at home, Nick Monroe waited in a half-mile-long line at a Speedway station even though the pumps were wrapped in plastic. His power went off Thursday before Florence hit the coast, but he couldnt recall exactly when.

Its all kind of a blur, Monroe said.

Florence was still massive, despite being downgraded from a tropical depression from a once-fearsome Category 4 hurricane. The storm still had top winds of around 25 mph, and forecasters said it was expected to turn toward the Northeast, which is in for as much as 4 inches of rain.

Flooding worries increased in West Virginia and Virginia, where roads were closed and power outages were on the rise. About 500,000 homes and businesses were in the dark.

The death toll climbed as authorities found the body of a 1-year-old boy who was swept away after his mother drove into floodwaters and lost her grip on him while trying to get back to dry land. Elsewhere in North Carolina, an 88-year-old man died after his car was caught in floodwaters.

Chuck Burton and Martha Waggoner are Associated Press writers.WASHINGTON  Nearly two years out of the White House, former President Barack Obama is facing another political test.

To the delight of many Democrats, hes stepped back into the fray that former presidents often try to avoid, campaigning for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterms and blasting the political culture of the Trump era. He attracted a large, adoring crowd last week in Ohio and will be in Pennsylvania on Friday campaigning for Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.

But Obamas return poses challenges for both the former president and his party. For one, Obama has struggled to turn admiration for him into votes when hes not on the ballot. Democrats lost significant ground in the 2010 and 2014 midterms and his enthusiastic campaigning for Hillary Clinton didnt carry her across the finish line in 2016. Perhaps more important, Obamas public re-entry into politics could serve as a motivating factor for Republicans, potentially handing the GOP a gift at a time when they face an uphill battle to maintain their grip on Congress.

This is perfect for us, said Rep. Lou Barletta, the Republican challenging Casey for the Senate seat. It will energize Republicans as a reminder.

The former president will also energize those blue-collar Democrats who worried about their jobs under Obama and went out to vote for Donald Trump, Barletta added.

For their part, Democrats say an Obama visit is a huge boon. Massive crowds give candidates and the party a chance to organize, update contact lists, motivate new donors and boost volunteerism.

Michael Halle, the campaign manager for Richard Cordray, the Democratic candidate for governor in Ohio, said Obamas visit sent a message about the stakes of the race, which could have implications for redistricting and voting rights in the future.

First and foremost, its important for the people who live in Ohio, he said. But secondly, there are also significant national implications, and I think the (former) president weighed those in making the decision.

An aide to the former president said Obama is aware that he does not have a strong record of aiding Democrats in midterm elections and that his presence can have the effect of galvanizing Republican voters. The aide said Obama would take a strategic approach to the midterm races and pointed to the light footprint that the former president kept earlier in his post-presidency. Thats when he recorded a get-out-the-vote robocall for Democrat Doug Jones, rather than travel to Alabama to appear with Jones ahead of his upset Senate victory. The aide cast the decision as an example of how Obama could still lend his voice in a part of the country where he is less popular. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity.

Scott Mulhauser, who served as Vice President Joe Bidens deputy chief of staff during the 2012 election, said Obama left office as the most admired man in the country, and his popularity has only increased since.

Part of his success is being strategic in his approach to campaigning  coordinating with campaigns to maximize his impact and minimize any blowback, stumping where it makes sense and avoiding where it doesnt, Mulhauser said, noting Obamas role in the Jones campaign. Hes rightfully out on the trail for certain campaigns, taking a pass on others and recording calls and sending emails on behalf of those that want to use him and his popularity in a targeted manner.

In Pennsylvania, Obama returns to a state he carried twice but that swung to Trump in 2016. The state features critical contests for Congress and governor.

While in Philadelphia, Obama will raise funds for Senate Democrats in general and in particular, Casey, who was among Obamas earliest Senate backers when he sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

While Obamas full schedule is taking shape, aides say he is weighing how to best engage on behalf of Democratic candidates across the nation.

Juana Summer and Marc Levy are Associated Press writers.You could say Lodi has been a visitor destination for tens of thousands of years  as much for its regional cuisine as its temperate winter climate and scenic Delta landscape. But its only in recent decades that humans have followed in the footsteps of some of the 40,000 sandhill cranes that flock to Lodi every fall.

The humans come for Lodis annual Sandhill Crane Festival, which celebrates the return of the ancient species by offering birding tours in nearby wetland preserves along with expert speakers, arts and crafts, vendors and childrens activities at Hutchins Street Square, Lodis community event center. This years festival will take place Nov. 2-4; admission is free, with advance registration suggested for the paid tours, including bus, boat and kayak options.

For the cranes part, the two species  lesser and greater, ranging from 3 to 4.5 feet tall  are attracted by the regions shallow waters, which allows them to hear the splash of would-be predators. The birds are also drawn to ample corn and rice left in harvested fields as well as worms and insects and the warmer temperatures than those of their summer homes in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and even Siberia, according to tour coordinator Howard Larimer, a former science educator and current docent with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

They can fly over 20,000 feet high, since they have to cross mountains that high coming out of Alaska. Thats pretty magnificent, Larimer said. Once people see them, theyre blown away. Theyre huge birds, their vocalizations are beautiful and theyre so graceful.

Although they tend to hunt in small family groups by day, the birds depart and return to their roosting sites en masse, which morning and twilight tours are timed to witness. The evening tours are awe-inspiring, according to the nonprofit festivals co-founder Ken Nieland.

In the space of 20 to 30 minutes, you can go from no cranes and silence to a few thousand cranes and them all calling and its spectacular. They have an eerie, almost prehistoric call that can be heard from long distances, he said. Like all wildlife viewing, you cant always guarantee you can experience it, but Ive had the fortune to experience it many, many times. You close your eyes and realize its been going on a long, long time before we were ever traipsing around the Delta.

For visitors who cannot make it to the festival, there are plenty of opportunities to see the cranes from October to February. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife offers tours at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, which is also known as the Isenberg Crane Reserve, the first three weekends of each month from October through February, with the exception of the festival weekend.

Many Bay Area residents have another reason to appreciate the sandhill cranes and their habitat, said festival organizer Kathy Grant, the city of Lodis watershed program coordinator.

If you go Sandhill Crane Festival: Nov. 2-4, Hutchins Street Square, Lodi. Free admission; tour fees vary. Registration begins in early September. 800-581-6150, www.crane festival.com. Sandhill crane wetland tours in Woodbridge Ecological Reserve: First three weekend evenings of each month October-February, offered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Free, but Lands Pass ($4) required. Registration opens six weeks in advance. 209-234-3435, www. wildlife.ca.gov/regions/3/ crane-tour See More Collapse

If you are in the East Bay, the water that comes out of your tap is from the same river were all sharing, she noted. These birds become an ambassador for water quality since theyre standing upstream in the water that were drinking. Theyre the megafauna for promoting stewardship of the Mokelumne River watershed.

For first-time participants from the Bay Area, the festival often also opens their eyes in other ways, according to longtime tour leader and state wildlife docent Mamie Starr.

Bay Area people kind of block out the Central Valley as a kind of destination, so when they come here and they see the cranes, and we orient them that there are millions of birds that migrate through the valley, not just water birds, then they look around and see this is really a pretty area, Starr said. They often say, We had no idea that Lodi was such a nice place. They see its not really as uptight or expensive as Napa, so they can also go wine tasting. They think, This is really pretty fun and its not so far, so we can come back again. Public defender takes over in Steve Pankey case; potential retrial looms

Steve Pankey and his new defense team will be back in court for a hearing Nov. 17 as the fate of his potential retrial is decided.Exporters in China can now benefit from increased export tax rebates, following new government measures to blunt the impact of the deepening trade war with the US.

On September 5, Chinas Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation jointly issued the Circular on the Increase of Export Tax Rebates for Electromechanical and Cultural Products, which increased export tax rebates on 397 items.

The increased export tax rebates came into effect on September 15, and apply to a range of products, including steel products, chemicals, lithium batteries, LEDs, multi-component semiconductors, machinery products, and books and newspapers.

Products affected

Exporters based in China are required to pay export value-added tax (VAT) on goods they ship abroad. Once the goods are sold, however, exporters can file for a rebate on the taxes.

Products that will now qualify for a 16 percent export tax rebate include:

Adhesives based on rubber or plastics;

Books and newspapers;

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs);

Lithium batteries;

Machinery products;

Multi-component integrated circuits;

Non-electromagnetic interference filters; and

Various types of vitamins.

Products that now qualify for a 13 percent export tax rebate include:

Antifreeze;

Bamboo carvings;

Lubricants;

Paint;

Picture frames;

Salt;

Steel products; and

Wood fans.

Products qualifying for a nine percent export tax rebate include:

Basalt fiber and its products;

Polyester;

Safety pins;

Shovels, knives, axes, pitchforks, and other tools;

Stainless steel products; and

Staples.

The entire list of affected products can be found here.

Applying for export tax rebates

In order to receive an export tax rebate, exporters must provide their business license and export approval documentation to the relevant local authorities, and submit monthly tax declarations.

Export approval documentation includes a summarized declaration form for export tax refunds, a customs declaration form for exports, and a VAT declaration form for export tax refunds, among others.

Businesses should note that the exact filing procedure differs based on region, industry, and whether the company is a manufacturing firm or a trading firm.

If the application is successful, the export tax refund will be obtained about two to three months after the initial application is submitted.

More support measures anticipated

The move to increase export tax rebates is just one of several that the Chinese government has made in recent weeks to mitigate the impact of the trade conflict with the US.

So far, the US has slapped tariffs on US$50 billion worth of Chinese products, and has threatened to imminently apply tariffs on US$200 billion more.

Other measures the Chinese government has taken to assist exporters include cutting tariffs for five Asian countries, tax cuts to support small businesses, and regional policies to cut business costs.

Despite the US tariffs, Chinas exports have remained fairly steady so far. In August, Chinas exports grew by 9.8 percent year-on-year  down from 12.2 percent in July  widening Chinas trade surplus with the US to a record high US$31.05 billion for the month.

However, some of Chinas better-than-expected export numbers can be attributed to the front-loading of orders before more US tariffs got put into place. As US tariffs on China increase, US-based buyers may look to alternatives from countries such as Vietnam and India to meet their needs.

While the increased export tax rebates only apply to specific products, China-based exporters will welcome any support measures from the government as they brace for the full brunt of the worsening US-China trade war.WASHINGTON  President Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, said he is willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee about accusations from a woman who said he sexually assaulted her while they were teenagers in high school.

Kavanaughs accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, is also willing to testify before Congress, Fords lawyer said Monday.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations and in a statement Monday said, I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

Trumps counselor, Kellyanne Conway, said that she had spoken with the president and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and that the woman will be heard.

Calls for delaying the Senates vote on Kavanaugh, planned for Thursday, grew Monday. Republicans had hoped to confirm Kavanaugh before the midterm elections in November, when their control of the Senate could slip away.

Conway, speaking Monday on Fox & Friends, said the Senate Judiciary Committee would decide when and how Fords testimony would be heard.

So, let me make very clear, Conway said. I have spoken with the president. I have spoken with Sen. Graham and others. This woman will be heard. Conway referred to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Judiciary committee, which is considering Kavanaughs confirmation this week.

Democrats say the vote should be delayed so that the committee can hear Ford  a move Republicans have said is a stalling tactic. Kavanaughs confirmation hearings have drawn raucous protests and partisan fights, even before Fords allegations became public.

Fords lawyer, Debra Katz, said Monday that her client was willing to testify before Congress.

We hope that this hearing is fair and not another weaponized attack on a woman who has come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against a powerful man, Katz told The New York Times.

There was no indication early Monday that the Judiciary Committee had requested such testimony or that the panel planned to delay the vote.

A key Republican on the committee, however, Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, told Politico that he was not comfortable voting yes on Kavanaughs nomination until he learned more about Fords account. Flakes objection could force a delay for the committee, which has 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats.

Senate Republicans have also expected they could win the support of some Democrats who face tough re-election campaigns in states Trump won in 2016. One such Democrat, Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, said Monday that the allegations against Kavanaugh were serious and merit further review.

Ford, a research psychologist at Palo Alto University in Northern California, told the The Washington Post that a drunken, teenage Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed, groped her and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, the newspaper quoted her as saying. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Ford came forward publicly over the weekend, putting her name behind accusations that had been shared with the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee on the condition that she remain anonymous.

The Democratic senator, Dianne Feinstein of California, received Fords letter in July, after Ford shared it with her local congresswoman, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif.

The letter and its contents were shared only with a small group of Capitol Hill aides. The issue was not raised during Kavanaughs days of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, even though by that point the letter was an open secret on Capitol Hill.

Katz told NBC on Monday that Ford believes what she said Kavanaugh did to her was attempted rape.

On Monday, a White House spokeswoman reiterated Kavanaughs denial of the incident.

On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh categorically and unequivocally denied this allegation, the spokeswoman, Kerri Kupec, said in a statement. This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement.

Advisers to the president have privately urged Trump, who has been accused of sexual harassment by more than a dozen women, not to address the allegations on Twitter, his favorite public platform. Early on Monday, Trump was busy retweeting updates about the storm, Florence, that hit the Carolinas over the weekend.

This article originally appeared in The New York TimesChinese characters, sunflowers, traditional landscapes and a wide range of colors mark the prolific work of a Cuban artist of Chinese descent, Flora Fong, who is one of the most sought-after painters on the island and abroad.

Fong identifies herself as a genuine Cuban painter who never forgets her Chinese roots, which is apparent in her works.

In her western Havana home, also the site of her gallery and studio, Fong spends most of her mornings on painting new art pieces either for future personal exhibitions or at the special requests from both cultural institutions and friends.

"As an artist, there is always an idea to portray and a new concept to work on and that is what keeps me painting every day," Fong told Xinhua while putting finishing touches on an oil painting of sunflowers.

China has always been a very important reference for Fong, both in her paintings and sculptures.

"My academic preparation was of Western-style painting, but as a personal choice, I decided to learn about oriental and particularly Chinese arts," she said.

After her first trip to China in 1989 to reconnect with her father's family in China's southern province of Guangdong, Fong discovered that learning the significance behind some Chinese characters could help her give new meanings to her paintings.

As time passed by, the curiosity about her ancestors' culture became a passion.

"I began to study Chinese calligraphy, pictograms and started to incorporate those elements into my paintings. After learning about it for about 10 years, I discovered it could be linked to a truly Caribbean theme like hurricanes," she said.

Many art critics in Cuba believe Fong has appropriated artistic elements from China and the uniqueness of Cuban symbols and landscapes to propose a new way of admiring reality.

By doing so, Fong also began to use playful, vivid colors that contrasted with the solemnity of Chinese calligraphy.

"I mainly use black and sometimes white and red to trace the character and later I add lively colors like blue and yellow, which depict Cuba's appeal as an island as well as its infinite horizon," she said.

In her artwork, viewers will find that she is always questioning and analyzing the relationship between man and nature.

"Nature gives me strength, it is my inspiration. I like to paint the sea because of its tranquility and hurricanes for their inner strength," she said.

The Cuban painter is also defined by humility, discipline and perseverance, qualities inherited from her hard-working and persistent ancestors.

"It's definitely a legacy that is expressed in my artwork, in my everyday life," she said.Artists from Beijing Dance Theater gave a performance in Athens on Sept 9, introducing Chinese contemporary ballet to an audience of Greek and Chinese expatriates who share a love of art.

The troupe was welcomed onto the stage of the PK Theater as it presented, for first time in Greece, original dance work inspired by poems and novels of renowned Chinese writers.

Founded in 2008 and led by artistic director and choreographer Wang Yuanyuan, BDT is the first contemporary ballet troupe in China and its artists have performed across the globe.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary this month, BDT organized a Chinese Literature and Contemporary Ballet Tour to Sweden, Belgium, Spain and Greece.

A lecture on Chinese literature and contemporary ballet at PK Theater included performances of pieces such as Beyond the Smoke, Walking Alone, December and Farewell Shadow.

Wang Yinan, BDT's associate director, talked about the theater's vision and approach to contemporary ballet, the mingling of classical ballet, traditional repertoire and modern dance, answering many questions about the contemporary dance scene in China before giving the floor to the six dancers and their performance.

With their fluidity of movement, they demonstrated their ability to tell a story just by using their bodies.

Afterward, Wang expressed the troupe's eagerness to return to Greece to present more of their work and collaborate with local artists.

"We actually hope to have more communication with local artists and have another opportunity to work with them," he said.

"This is a good way to show the Greek people a few pieces of the (BDT's) work, but next time we hope to bring a whole production to our Greek friends. Our embassy will do its best to continue introducing Chinese arts and culture to the local people," Wang Qiang, political counselor at the Chinese embassy in Greece, said.

Lefteris Alexandris was one of the Greek audience members who enjoyed the performance and is looking forward to the troupe's next visit.

"Honestly, I was quite amazed, because it was the first time I've watched contemporary ballet. It was weird at first, as I am not very familiar with this type of dancing, but now I think I am able to get the whole picture," he said.

"We are waiting for the Beijing Dance Theater to come back so that we can see the complete performance. It was very, very interesting," he added.VALLEJO (BCN)



Firefighters in Vallejo this morning are at the scene of a structure fire at a Salvation Army building.



Crews responded around 4 a.m. to a report of a structure fire at 630 Tuolumne St.



Responding firefighters were able to put out the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other structures.



The blaze was reported extinguished at around 5:30 a.m.



The cause of the fire is under investigation.



No other details about the fire were immediately available.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN JOSE (BCN)



Residents and supporters of San Jose Hope Village, a privately funded homeless tent encampment near Mineta San Jose International Airport, said they've been told the camp will be cleared out by the California Highway Patrol starting at 8 a.m. Monday.



Hope Village organizers plan to hold a rally and press conference starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday at 1010 Ruff Drive adjacent to the collection of tents that was set up Sept. 8.



Some people are willing to engage in "nonviolent civil disobedience" in the name of protecting Hope Village residents and their property, according to a news release from Peter Miron-Conk, one of a small group who planned and assembled the camp.



Hope Village had been open for only two days when on Sept. 10 its organizers and residents were given 72-hour notice by the CHP to clear out. The CHP didn't follow through on removing the camp, though, instead opting to let Hope Village's organizers find another location.



That changed abruptly Friday afternoon, Miron-Conk said, when CHP officials told him the camp would be cleared out Monday morning.



"We've been asking for an extension to find a good location to move," he said tonight. "Now, they're not willing to modify their position."



CHP San Jose spokesman Officer Ross Lee did not return a call for comment by 9:30 p.m. tonight.



Miron-Conk said an array of San Jose officials and other electeds want the camp to survive, and he hopes that before 8 a.m. Monday a resolution, at least a temporary one, will prevent the camp from being removed completely, and its residents' possessions being put into storage.



"I'm real hopeful that we'll hear something tonight," he said.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN LEANDRO (BCN)



A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and weapons charges for allegedly shooting an acquaintance at a Walmart store in San Leandro on Sunday afternoon, police said today.



Officers responded to the Walmart at 15555 Hesperian Blvd. at about 12:35 p.m. Sunday after receiving numerous calls about a shooting in the parking lot and located a male victim who had been shot once in the neck, according to police.



The victim was conscious and alert and was provided medical attention immediately and later was transported to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley for further treatment, police said.



Investigators learned that the victim was shot from a passing vehicle while he was walking in the parking lot, according to police.



Investigators also obtained video evidence from Walmart that provided vital evidence, such as information on the suspect vehicle, and they eventually learning the identity of the suspect and his whereabouts, police said.



The suspect, 29-year-old Israel Jaquez, was then arrested by San Leandro police detectives in San Jose at about 6 p.m. Sunday.



Police said Jaquez's vehicle, the one that was seen in the video and the one they believe was used in the crime, was also located. A search of the vehicle revealed a stolen handgun that investigators believe was the weapon that was used to shoot the victim.



Police later learned that Jaquez and the victim knew each other, but the motive for the shooting is still under investigation.



The victim's injuries weren't life-threatening and he has since been released from the hospital, according to police.



"This was a violent and deliberate crime that occurred in the middle of the day in one of the busiest shopping locations in town," San Leandro police spokesman Lt. Isaac Benabou said in a statement.



"Not only did the suspect intend to shoot the victim, but he also had no concern for the other people in the parking lot. Fortunately, no bystander was harmed and the victim in the case escaped serious injury," Benabou said.



Jaquez is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. San Leandro police said they will present his case to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday for charging.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.A 30-year-old man was struck and killed by a vehicle in the unincorporated Santa Cruz County area of Corralitos on Sunday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The collision was reported at 9:06 p.m. on Corralitos Road north of Varni Road.



A 27-year-old woman driving a 2016 Honda Fit south on Corralitos Road for some reason veered off the roadway to the right and struck the 30-year-old pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the CHP.



His name is not yet being released by the Santa Cruz County coroner's office.



The Honda driver, who suffered moderate injuries, was not arrested following the crash. The cause of the collision remains under investigation and officers have not determined whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the case, CHP officials said.



Corralitos Road was closed for about three hours during the collision investigation.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.A man suffered serious injuries Sunday afternoon in a solo motorcycle accident on Mines Road about 20 miles southeast of Livermore in rural Alameda County, Alameda County Fire officials said on social media Sunday.



The accident was reported about 1:15 p.m. near mile marker 17 on Mines Road. The victim, an adult male, was treated by paramedics at the scene and then flown by CalStar helicopter to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with major injuries, firefighters said.



No additional information was available late Sunday night.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.Authorities are investigating a shooting and hit-and-run early this morning on a highway in Castro Valley, according to the California Highway Patrol.



No one was injured in the shooting, which happened shortly after midnight on Interstate Highway 238, CHP officials said.



The incident began when a white Ford Taurus station wagon that was driving erratically collided with another car on southbound Highway 238 at Hesperian Boulevard.



The driver of the Ford, which was a late 90s or early 2000s model, followed the victim's car and then fired four or five shots when the cars were near the 164th Avenue exit on Interstate Highway 580.



Four of those shots hit the victim's car but no one was injured, CHP Officer Gabriel Walters said.



The victim, the only occupant of the car, pulled over and called 911 at about 12:25 a.m.



The victim apparently didn't know the suspect, Walters said. Authorities canvassed the freeway and closed the roadway near the Highways 238-580 interchange during the investigation and reopened it at about 5 a.m.







A 30-year-old man was struck and killed by a vehicle in the unincorporated Santa Cruz County area of Corralitos on Sunday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The collision was reported at 9:06 p.m. on Corralitos Road north of Varni Road.



A 27-year-old woman driving a 2016 Honda Fit south on Corralitos Road for some reason veered off the roadway to the right and struck the 30-year-old pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the CHP.



His name is not yet being released by the Santa Cruz County coroner's office.



The Honda driver, who suffered moderate injuries, was not arrested following the crash. The cause of the collision remains under investigation and officers have not determined whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the case, CHP officials said.







Two people died after a crash Saturday night in Pittsburg, police said.



Officers responded shortly after 10 p.m. to a crash that happened when a Toyota traveling south on Railroad Avenue attempted to make a lane change while a Lexus traveling at a high rate of speed tried to pass the Toyota, according to Pittsburg police Capt. Steve Albanese.



The driver of the Lexus sideswiped the other vehicle and lost control, ultimately crashing into a tree on the right shoulder of the road near Alturas Avenue, Albanese said.



A passenger in the Lexus was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the Lexus had to be extricated. He was taken to John Muir Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries early Sunday, authorities said.



The driver of the Toyota suffered minor injuries in the crash and cooperated with investigators. The Contra Costa County coroner's office has not released the names of the victims, pending notification of their next of kin.







Santa Rosa police have identified a man who was killed in a hit-and-run collision in west Santa Rosa Saturday night as 37-year=old Matthew Thomas Eck.



Police responded to the collision near the intersection of Stony Point and Occidental roads around 9:20 p.m.



Eck, a Santa Rosa resident, was found in the westbound lane in front of the Round Table Pizza restaurant at 2065 Occidental Road, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.



Witnesses statements and surveillance camera video indicate a white compact sedan, possibly with a spoiler, similar to a Honda Prelude fled west on Occidental Road after the collision. The vehicle may have major front damage, police said.







A 23-year-old man was fatally shot in San Francisco early Saturday morning, police said today.



The shooting was reported at 2:23 a.m. Saturday in the 1100 block of Polk Street.



The name of the victim was not immediately available from the medical examiner's office.



Police said the suspect is a 27-year-old man, but no arrest has been made and no detailed suspect description was released.



Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444.







A 30-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries when a vehicle struck a street sign that then hit him in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood on Friday morning, police said today.



The collision was reported at 8:08 a.m. Friday in the 300 block of Ellis Street.



A 60-year-old man driving a vehicle hit the sign, which then struck the 30-year-old man, according to police.



He was taken to a hospital and an update on his condition was not immediately released.







Residents of a homeless encampment in San Jose were moved this morning to a nearby lot aimed to serve as a temporary camp until a longer-term site can be found, authorities said.



The privately funded Hope Village camp on Ruff Drive, near Mineta San Jose International Airport, moved down the street to a parking lot next to the Service Employees International Union Local 1877 building, California Highway Patrol Officer Ross Lee said today.



The residents of the camp at 1010 Ruff Drive said they had been told that their eight tents and belongings would be cleared out by 8 a.m. today, but an agreement was reached Sunday night with county officials, according to Andrew Lanier, a supporter and recent resident of the camp.



The agreement allows the camp to stay on the SEIU lot for a week while another longer-term location is found, according to Lenine Umali from Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese's office.



Organizers worked to find the temporary location and arrived at the agreement for the SEIU lot late Sunday night, Umali said.



They are planning to submit a formal request this afternoon to the city of San Jose for another location that could serve as a pilot project to house the homeless, Umali said.







A gas leak behind a Costco store in Rohnert Park this morning has been stopped and a shelter in place has been lifted, according to the city's Department of Public Safety.



A construction crew ruptured a 1.25-inch plastic gas line with a backhoe around 8 a.m. The gas leak at Labath Avenue and Carlson Court was stopped by squeezing the line at 9:35 a.m., PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras said.



One PG&E customer, a radio station, lost gas service, Contreras said.







Police in San Jose are investigating two recent armed robberies that occurred at businesses in the same shopping center and are releasing photos and video of the suspect.



At 10:26 a.m. on Aug. 31, a woman entered a business in the 100 block of Branham Lane, presented a note demanding money and pulled a gun from her waistband.



The suspect was able to flee the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.



At 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 1, the woman entered a different business also in the shopping center in the 100 block of Branham Lane, pulled out a handgun and demanded cash from the store's employees and customers.



She was again able to flee the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.



Police have described the suspect as a white woman in her 20s with a thin build.



In the robberies, the woman was wearing spandex pants, aviator sunglasses, white sneakers and either a gray hooded sweatshirt or a red checkered jacket.







A motorcyclist suffered major injuries in a crash on an off-ramp from state Highway 1 in Watsonville on Saturday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The crash was reported at 9:32 a.m. Saturday on the Airport Boulevard off-ramp from southbound Highway 1.



The 40-year-old man driving a 2018 Harley-Davidson motorcycle began to take the off-ramp but lost control as he approached a right-hand curve, CHP officials said.



His left leg and the left side of the motorcycle struck a guard rail, causing the motorcyclist to be ejected over the guard rail, according to the CHP.



Good Samaritans stopped to check on the man, who was eventually taken by medical helicopter to Stanford Hospital.



The cause of the crash is under investigation, but alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors, according to the CHP.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, said she is glad the woman who has accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of improper sexual behavior stepped forward and identified herself, and added detail to her accusation.



"I'm proud of my constituent for the courage she has displayed to come forward to tell her full story to the American people," Eshoo said in a statement Sunday afternoon. "In weighing her privacy and the consequences to herself and her family, she has demonstrated her willingness to risk these factors to present the truth."



That constituent is Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University who trains graduate students in clinical psychology. She spoke to the Washington Post for a story published Sunday.



Ford told the Post that at a party in Maryland in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes. When she tried to scream, she told the Post, Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth.



On Sunday, several legislators called for a delay in Kavanaugh's confirmation until Ford's assertions are thoroughly vetted.







Residents and supporters of San Jose Hope Village, a privately funded homeless tent encampment near Mineta San Jose International Airport, said they've been told the camp will be cleared out by the California Highway Patrol starting at 8 a.m. today.



Meanwhile, a CHP spokesman said late Sunday night that there won't be any removals at 8 a.m. today, but said the Hope Village can't remain at its spot for long.



"We've always maintained this is not a permanent, viable location," said CHP Officer Ross Lee. When asked whether the camp could be removed later Monday or later in the week, Lee said, "It's really up in the air at this point."



Hope Village organizers plan to hold a rally and press conference starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday at 1010 Ruff Drive adjacent to the collection of tents that was set up Sept. 8.



Some people are willing to engage in "nonviolent civil disobedience" in the name of protecting Hope Village residents and their property, according to Peter Miron-Conk, one of a small group who planned and assembled the camp.



Miron-Conk said an array of San Jose officials and other electeds want the camp to survive, and he hopes that before 8 a.m. Monday a resolution, at least a temporary one, will prevent the camp from being removed completely, and its residents' possessions being put into storage.



Lee said the CHP -- handling this case because the land where the tents are is owned by the state - doesn't want to "criminalize homelessness."







Fremont police arrested a man suspected of attacking and seriously injuring a man with a machete or large knife late Sunday morning, officers said.



Police received a call about 11 a.m. Sunday from a screaming woman who told police a member of her family had been attacked by a man with a machete inside a house on the 3000 block of Rockett Drive, near Central Park. According to a social media post by Fremont police, officers arrived at that house to find a man with cuts and lacerations consistent with an attack with a machete-like weapon.



The victim was treated by Fremont Fire paramedics and then taken to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.



The suspect apparently was acquainted with the victim.



Through investigative leads, the suspect was located in Union City. He was safely taken into custody without incident at approximately 4 p.m. Sunday, police said. The weapon had not been found by Sunday night, police said.



The suspect also not been booked into jail by 8 p.m. Sunday, and police did not release his name Sunday night. He was still being questioned, police said, and the suspect is expected to be booked into the Alameda County Jail later tonight. Charges had not been set by 8:30 p.m. Sunday, but police called it an attempted homicide investigation.







Former First Lady Michelle Obama's upcoming book tour for her memoir "Becoming" will bring her to San Jose on Dec. 14.



"Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama" will come to the SAP Center at 8 p.m. that day as part of a nationwide tour that kicks off Nov. 13 in Chicago.



In the book, Obama chronicles "the experiences that have shaped her -- from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address," according to https://www.becomingmichelleobama.com/



Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday, but those who register as verified fans at https://verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/michelleobama will have the opportunity to purchase tickets starting at 10 a.m. Thursday.







Petaluma police made several arrests stemming from fights late Saturday night and early Sunday morning in Petaluma's downtown area.



The first incident started around 11:26 p.m. Saturday, when police said they responded to a fight involving numerous people on Kentucky Street. One of the suspects, 26-year-old Rafael Magana of Marin, was arrested on suspicion of having a no-bail warrant from Marin County.



At 1:25 a.m. Sunday, officers witnessed a physical altercation between a man and a woman, also on Kentucky Street, police said. They arrested the woman on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence after seeing her hit the man in the face. The two had previously been in a dating relationship, according to police.



As they were investigating that incident, police received another call that a fight had broken out inside the nearby Keller Street parking garage. About 12 people were involved in the fight, police said. When they arrived, one of those involved, 23-year-old Eduardo Cruz Martinez of Santa Rosa allegedly shoved an officer and squared off with the officer in a fighting stance. He was detained and arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer and violation of probation.



Another suspect in the incident, Richard Alonso-Jimenez, 22, from Santa Rosa was arrested on suspicion of fighting in a public place.







Two stray German shepherds were rescued on Interstate Highway 580 Sunday morning after officers briefly stopped westbound traffic, the California Highway Patrol said.



The CHP received several calls around 7 a.m. Sunday near the Park Boulevard exit reporting the dogs wandering on the freeway. Officers briefly stopped traffic while they collected the dogs, which were fed and taken to an animal shelter.



"(The dogs) were pretty compliant," CHP Officer Herman Baza said. "They looked pretty exhausted. We later found out they were pretty hungry."



Baza said the incident was a good example of motorists alerting police of stray animals on the freeway rather than ignoring them or trying to rescue the animals themselves. Stray animals on roadways can easily cause accidents, he said, and it is unsafe for motorists to leave their cars and walk onto highways.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SFPD

Police are asking for the public's help in finding a missing 11-year-old boy who was last seen in San Francisco on Sunday.



Dennis Dixon left a home in the city's Diamond Heights neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. after a disagreement with his family and has not been seen since, according to police.



Dennis is described as being 4 feet tall, weighing 90 pounds and having black hair and brown eyes.



He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt, light blue pants and black shoes. He may also be carrying a red superhero backpack, police said.



Anyone with information about Dennis' whereabouts is asked to contact San Francisco police at (415) 553-0123 or (415) 575-4444.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.An ancient bust of Buddha worth millions of dollars was mysteriously removed from a Sotheby's New York auction on Wednesday after it was discovered to be similar to a bust stolen from the Longmen Grottoes in Central China's Henan Province about 100 years ago.

The bust was expected to be part of an auction titled the "Junkunc: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture" but it appears to have been removed as item 'five' in the Sotheby's catalogue for the auction. The bust appears on the website of the Chinese art auction website yidulive.com promoting the Sotheby's auction.

The Sotheby's website shows 17 items from the Junkunc family collection of ancient sculptures but the list jumps from item four to item six.

The remaining items in the auction sold for more than $7.5 million.

The 70-centimeter tall bust was described as being from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and was expected to sell for between $2 to 3 million and was the priciest item on auction.

Li Suisen, deputy director of the Longmen Grottoes Management Committee told the Global Times on Sunday, his committee is holding meetings to deal with the case.

Sotheby's and the Junkunc family decided to withdraw the item from auction after they reviewed photographs taken by a Japanese historian who visited the grottoes in the 1920s and 1930s, according to an email from Sotheby's sent to the Dahe Newspaper of Henan.

Antiquities expert Yang Xin noticed the Tang-style sculpture in August, reported Beijing Youth Daily. Yang later found an old photo of the Buddhist sculpture taken in 1920 by Sekino Tadashi, a Japanese scholar.

A more recent photo of a Buddha statue in the Longmen grotto also clearly resembles Sekino's 90-year-old photo except the Buddha's head is missing.

A World Heritage site since 2000, Longmen Grottoes has more than 97,000 sculptures, inscriptions and pagodas.

Although the item resembles the photographs, experts need to examine the historical object to ensure it belongs to the Longmen Grottoes.

Longmen sculptures were seriously damaged between 1918 and 1935, Wang Zhenguo from the Institute of Longmen Grottoes told the Global Times on Sunday.

Warlords, domestic and foreign antique dealers chopped off the heads of Buddha statues at Longmen and sold them to buyers in Japan, the US and around the world, Wang said.

Recovering China's looted and pillage ancient treasures from overseas remains a difficult task, said Liu Zheng, member of China Cultural Relics Academy told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Private collectors are less likely to cooperate than governments and museums," said Liu. Agreements on repatriating historic treasures signed with governments and public museums have no sway over private collectors of stolen antiques, Liu said.SALINAS (BCN)



Police in Salinas are investigating the theft Friday night of a puppy from the Monterey County Animal Services shelter.



Staff at the shelter discovered the young Labrador mix was missing Saturday morning.



The thieves broke into the shelter overnight and kidnapped the puppy.



The puppy is black with white on his paws and chest.



A local family had already adopted the puppy and was scheduled to bring the animal home this week.



Staff members at the county shelter are reviewing security footage of the incident to help police identify the suspects who broke into the shelter.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.PALO ALTO (BCN)



Congresswoman Anna Eshoo said she is glad the woman who has accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of improper sexual behavior stepped forward and identified herself, and added detail to her accusation.



"I'm proud of my constituent for the courage she has displayed to come forward to tell her full story to the American people," Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, said in a statement this afternoon. "In weighing her privacy and the consequences to herself and her family, she has demonstrated her willingness to risk these factors to present the truth."



That constituent is Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University who trains graduate students in clinical psychology. She spoke to the Washington Post for a story published Sunday.



Ford told the Post that at a party in Maryland in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes. When she tried to scream, she told the Post, Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth.



In July, Ford contacted both the Post and Eshoo's office about her assertions about Kavanaugh. She did not go public with her name until the Post story was published.



In a formal statement, Kavanaugh - now a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals -- said, "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time."



On Sunday, several legislators called for a delay in Kavanaugh's confirmation until Ford's assertions are thoroughly vetted.



Eshoo said today she is glad Ford stepped up.



"I am grateful to her for weighing these equities and choosing to speak out on one of the most consequential decisions in our country, an appointment to the highest court in the land," Eshoo said in her statement. "In a democracy we always seek the truth and honor it."









Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.With international trade and tourism booming in China, aviation companies are accelerating efforts to open new air routes, especially to emerging markets, according to industry insiders.

"Demand is strongest for destinations in Africa and Australia," said Qiu Jiachen, chairman of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. "We plan to open 30 new international routes in the next three years."

He made the remarks on Sunday at the opening ceremony of the 24th World Routes, an international exhibition of airlines and airports. About 3,500 delegates from 115 countries have gathered in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, for the three-day event.

After the ceremony, the Guangdong Airport Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with seven domestic and international airlines opening new routes to cities including Madrid, Milan and Sao Paulo.

"China is an active participant in and promoter of civil aviation development around the world," said Wang Zhiqing, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. He said the nation opened 382 international routes last year, taking the total to 1,634 - double the number in 2015.

"Imports and exports around the globe will provide strong support for the expansion of the country's aviation market," he said, adding that China is expected to import $24 trillion in goods over the next 15 years.

Surging demand has also created opportunities for international operators.

Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, said there were only about 30 passengers when his company first started operating flights between Addis Ababa and Guangzhou in the early 2000s. Now, the company has 10 flights for passengers and five for cargo every week.

Yet capacity is still far short of demand.

"We predict 20 percent growth between China and Africa annually," GebreMariam said, adding that more destinations in China - such as Zhengzhou, Henan province, and Shenzhen on Guangdong's southern coast - are joining its network.

In addition, big-name aviation companies are eyeing transit traffic from China to Latin America and Europe.

Ignacio Biosca, head of airport marketing and airline relations for Spain's Aena, the world's largest airport operator for passenger volume, said the rapidly growing traffic between China and Latin America "has emerged as a significant market" for Aena.

More Chinese people are going to Latin American countries, and vice versa, he said, adding that because of the growth in various markets, air traffic between Spain and China has tripled in the past two years.In a sprawling warehouse in Tokyo, several robots made by Chinese company HIT Robot Group are busy picking and stacking goods on to the shelves.

Equipped with sensors and image recognition software, they navigate the alleys between the shelves intuitively, choosing unobstructed straight lines that save time and enable efficiency, unlike human workers who might zigzag unconsciously.

"In Japan, the labor cost is very high with its shrinking pool of working population. The demand for workers in warehouses also changes with the alternating peak season and slack period in e-commerce. Our robots solve this problem with lower operating costs and higher efficiency," said Yu Zhenzhong, senior vice-president of HIT Robot Group.

With constant progress in research and development, Chinese robot makers such as HRG are increasingly going global, shipping their products to overseas markets. At the same time, they are helping foreign companies better tap the potential in China, the world's largest robot applications market, to deepen global exchanges.

"International cooperation is of crucial importance to build a well-organized global robotics industrial chain. Frequent communication can generate new ideas for cutting-edge technologies," Yu said.

According to him, with robots increasingly intertwined with artificial intelligence and other technologies, Chinese companies and their foreign counterparts are realizing the need to go beyond naked competition. Instead, they are trying to cultivate a win-win mentality, marked by shared interests and an intent to take full advantage of each other's expertise to grow rapidly.

Toward that end, HRG is partnering with multinational robot heavyweights such as ABB Group of Switzerland. Such companies are seeking to integrate robot systems to offer better localized solutions for diverse sectors.

The Harbin-based HRG is also teaming up with Israeli companies for research and development of drones. They hope to feed off each other's prowess.

The push for closer ties has become a trend in China. Government officials, entrepreneurs and experts are all calling for deeper international cooperation in the booming robotics sector.

Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology, the nation's industry regulator, said China will ramp up resources to strengthen international cooperation as it strives to build a globally competitive robotics industry and accelerate the use of smart machines in manufacturing, healthcare and other sectors.

"China, as the world's largest robot market, sincerely welcomes foreign companies to partake of the strategic opportunity to jointly build a global industrial ecosystem," Miao said at the 2018 World Robot Conference in Beijing last month. Over 160 companies from 15 countries participated in the conference.

According to Miao, the ministry will roll out measures to encourage wider cooperation among Chinese companies, their international peers and foreign universities in technological research, product development and technical education.

That would build on the achievements over the past five years. China's robotics industry has been growing at about 30 percent a year.

In 2017, its industrial scale hit 120 billion yuan ($17.5 billion), according to the Analysis Report on Robot Industry in China 2018, which was jointly released by HIT, and the China Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation, a research institute.

China became the world's largest market for industrial robots in 2013, surpassing Japan, according to the International Federation of Robotics. Last year, sales of robots used in assembly lines exceeded 140,000 units in the country, up 58 percent year-on-year.

Still, the robot density, a metric for measuring a country's level of automation, in China is lower than that in many economies, indicating ample room for growth.

In 2016, the density of robot workers in China was 68 units per 10,000 people and ranked 23rd worldwide, lower than the global average of 74 units per 10,000 people.

Karel Eloot, senior partner at consultancy McKinsey & Company, said: "We forecast in 2020, the demand for robots in China will account for 40 percent of overall global demand. It will grow into a gigantic market for robot makers."

Agreed Qu Daokui, president of Siasun Robot & Automation Co. "To better prepare for the upcoming opportunities in China, we (Chinese robot companies) must go global. The robotics industry is so globalized and changing so fast that no one knows what a robot will look like in five to seven years. If we only keep our eyes on the home turf, we will die out."

Siasun Robot is looking to acquire cutting-edge robot technology leaders in Europe and the United States. Acquisition deals could be in the region of $1 billion upward. Similarly, HRG has set up a venture capital fund to invest in promising startups in the US.

Chinese home appliances maker Midea Group has bought a majority stake in German robot manufacturer Kuka GA.

"Broadly speaking, as the robot industry chain involves many categories and fields, it is difficult, if not impossible, for a single country to be an 'all-round champion' that fully controls the whole industry. Instead, countries tend to specialize in one area while relying on imports in other areas. That is also why international cooperation is so important," Qu said.

Not just important but urgent, given the US' groundless accusation that China has been limiting the market share of foreign companies in key sectors including robotics, industry experts said.

Zhu Sendi, a member of the National Manufacturing Strategy Advisory Committee, which advises the central authorities on manufacturing policies, said foreign robot makers have gained immensely from China's growing investment in smart manufacturing.

According to data from the China Machinery Industry Federation, in the China market, the combined share of international robot makers jumped to 73.2 percent in 2017 from 67.3 percent in 2016.

Liu Fang, China market director at Festo, a German multinational industrial control and automation company, said as Chinese manufacturers scramble to deploy highly automated machines in assembly lines, the country has evolved into a strategically important market for Festo.

"We have served more than 50,000 clients in the country, ranging from sectors like automobile, food, consumer electronics to water processing. Their demand for better automation solutions is inspiring our innovation efforts," Liu said.The unit is rapidly approaching full strength as more pilots pass rigorous tests to fly the J-15 fighter in all conditions. Zhao Lei reports.

As China's aircraft carrier fleet expands and grows stronger, the People's Liberation Army Navy's carrier-borne fighter jet force is further developing its combat ability and moving toward the goal of gaining full joint-operation capability.

Several groups of Navy pilots are now qualified to take off and land the J-15 fighter jet on the flight deck of the CNS Liaoning, the nation's first aircraft carrier.

Some have been exposed to fierce live fire exercises that included breathtaking combat scenarios, while an elite team has carried out night landings - widely considered the riskiest carrier-based activity - and are therefore capable of undertaking round-the-clock, all-weather operations.

The endeavors and enterprising spirit of the commanders and pilots have seen the unit achieve initial joint-operation capability, according to the PLA Navy.

All of these achievements have been made since 2013, something many foreign observers would probably not have anticipated five years ago, given that the PLA Navy had just begun operating the Liaoning and most of its naval aviation units were based at airports rather than on ships.

Recently, J-15 pilots and their commanders, most of whom are also experienced aviators, have been speaking to the media about their training and the factors behind their impressive progress in the past few years.

'Race against time'

"We fly in clear skies. We fly in bad weather. We train day and night, and barely have time to take care of our families," Lieutenant Commander Pei Yingjie said. "This is because we are clearly aware of the differences between us and our potential opponents in terms of experience and capabilities."

One of the younger members of the carrier-borne fighter jet force, the 30-something Pei said every time new pilots join the unit they encounter many new things - the J-15 jet, training programs, flight procedures and the operational environment.

"We have no alternative but to train hard and make full use of every minute," he said.

Senior Captain Xu Hanjun, commander of a naval aviation base that oversees the J-15 fighter jet unit at an undisclosed location, said his pilots are all top aviators with rich experience, and they were handpicked from combat aircraft units in the PLA Navy and PLA Air Force.

However, they have had to overhaul a great many muscle memories - the process whereby repetition results in a person accomplishing an action almost automatically - and prior experiences to become accustomed to carrier-based operations, which have many differences from airport-based operations.

"For instance, the landing procedure on the carrier is totally different to that at an airport, so our pilots have to fight many deeply ingrained customs and practices, and undertake many training flights before they can master this new expertise," Xu said.

"Furthermore, the carrier's recovery area is much smaller than that at an airport - the runway is only about 30 meters long, while it is usually at least 2,000 m long at an airport. It's not a big deal if a pilot misses by 100 m when landing a plane at an airport, but it's a huge problem if they miss by several meters when landing on a carrier."

In addition, unlike a ground landing site, the carrier moves in response to waves and tides, which also challenges the pilots' skills and response capabilities, he said.

Lieutenant Commander Shi Jinjie, who is in the same class as Pei, said uncertainty is the biggest concern for young pilots like him and exerts great pressure on them.

"We are likely to encounter fast-changing weather above the open sea. If we experience an emergency, there is nowhere for us to land our jet except the carrier, and we can't afford too many attempts if the first or second landing fails," he said.

Pei added that the pilots understand they will face dangers and a number of unexpected trials in their training and carrier-based operations: "Risks and challenges always exist. All we can do is to improve our capabilities and skills to ensure we are ready for them."

Challenges in the dark

Captain Lu Zhaohui, a senior J-15 pilot at the naval aviation base, said night operations are a major part of modern naval warfare, which requires the carrier-borne fighter jet force to be capable of conducting operations in low visibility and difficult weather conditions over dark seas.

"Landing a plane on a carrier in the dark is the hardest and riskiest of all nighttime operations and much more difficult than landing during the daytime," he said. "We have overcome a lot of difficulties to enable our pilots to perform night landings. The first was that we didn't know how to arrange the lights on the carrier's deck or how bright they should be."

During the approach on a typical night landing, the pilots have no points of reference other than signal lights placed along the runway of the carrier's recovery area. The brightness of the lights is adjustable and subject to conditions such as distance and altitude, according to Lu.

In addition, members of the deck crew also use lights when handling operations on the flight deck.

"If the lights are too bright, they can cause the pilots to experience momentary blindness during takeoff or landing, which is very dangerous. If the lights are too dim, the pilots may not see them, and that could lead to accidents," he said, noting that every navy that operates aircraft carriers has experienced the same problems.

Lu, his fellow pilots and a number of deck crew commanders carried out countless experiments and tests which allowed them to devise a number of lighting protocols to fit different times and weather conditions, he added.

Captain Xu Ying, commander of the J-15 unit, noted that it is extremely difficult and dangerous to land a plane on a narrow, seaborne runway at night, since the lack of reference points can impair the pilots' sense of direction. Moreover, their ability to react and make judgments is substantially reduced when flying in total darkness above the ocean.

"We learn to depend on landing-assistance instruments on the aircraft and the carrier, and on instructions from signal officers," he said. "Our aviators need to undertake repeated training procedures in night operations to gain more experience."

Li Jie, a well-known naval researcher in Beijing, said, "As soon as a sufficient number of the carrier-borne fighter pilots are qualified to carry out round-the-clock operations, the carrier will come closer to full combat capability."

Looking ahead

China commissioned the CNS Liaoning in September 2012. Two months later, Senior Captain Dai Mingmeng landed a J-15 on the carrier's flight deck, becoming the first Chinese pilot to achieve the feat.

China has now built its second aircraft carrier and it has undergone two sea trials. The new vessel, the first to be designed domestically, is basically identical to the Liaoning but has several modifications.

In May 2013, the carrier-borne fighter jet force, the first of its kind in the PLA and one of the youngest units in the Chinese military, was established in Northeast China.

In August of the same year, President Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected the unit and observed a series of takeoffs and landings by a J-15 fighter jet at its base.

The force has now gained enough experience to shorten the time required to provide full training for J-15 pilots.

Since 2015, the unit's aviators have flown their jets in three parades, including the country's largest-ever sea parade, which was conducted in the South China Sea in April.

As a growing number of pilots have mastered the basic skills of flying carrier-borne fighter jets, they have started to move on to the next stage of their training - honing their combat maneuvers.

Sun Baosong, a captain at the naval aviation base and a J-15 veteran, said aviators now spend most of their time practicing group tactics and combat maneuvers.

He recalled a fleet defense exercise during a training operation on the Liaoning in which he and another pilot were ordered to intercept incoming aircraft.

The exercise was intense and realistic, with each side sparing no effort to beat the other.

The adversaries were tough, and they were accompanied by planes fitted with electronic-warfare systems, which made the task even tougher. In response, Sun and his fellow trainee decided to adopt an audacious but risky tactic by making a long-distance, sea-skimming penetration run to strike the "enemy's" base. They succeeded and gained useful experience in the process.

Captain Xu echoed Sun's remarks, saying a considerable proportion of his unit's training has shifted from flying skills to tactical tasks.

"Next, we will select and train more pilots for the carrier force and strengthen the combat capabilities of our current airmen," he said.

According to Sun, in addition to the force's progress, relations between the unit and the Liaoning's flight deck crew have become closer and smoother.

That has produced obvious results, and the carrier is now capable of carrying more fighter jets and can launch and recover a larger number of aircraft more efficiently. In addition, pilots and members of the carrier's crew have established specific procedures for deck operations.

"In the past five years, we have reached the East and South China seas, as well as the western Pacific Ocean. We conducted many tactical drills there and verified our capabilities," Sun said. "In the future, we will go farther and undertake more missions."

The Communist Party of China and the military have conferred many honors on members of the force as a reward for their accomplishments and contribution to national security.

In August 2014, Xi conferred the honorary title of "Heroic Test Pilot of a Carrier-borne Fighter Jet" on Senior Captain Dai, who was deputy commander of the unit's aviation base at the time. In November 2016, Xi made a posthumous award to Lieutenant Commander Zhang Chao, who died in a training accident earlier that year.

In addition to Dai and Zhang, seven members of the unit have been awarded a first-class military service citation, while others have received second-class citations.

Despite their achievements, the unit's commanders are not complacent, according to Senior Captain Zhang Zhongming, political commissar of the naval aviation base.

"The training of carrier-borne fighter jet pilots must be accelerated to pave the way for the Navy's aircraft carrier plans," he said.It was a close call in the San Francisco Bay Saturday. Tourists out on the water with San Francisco Whale Tours watched as a cargo ship narrowly passed by a feeding humpback whale.

The whale was feeding in the busy area of the bay between Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz.

"It's the equivalent of trying to have dinner in the middle of a freeway," said Michael Pierson, spokesperson for the whale watching company.

WHALE WATCH: Photographer catches incredible video of mom and baby humpbacks breaching

The whale watching boat backed off when it noticed the massive ship approaching, and crew members hoped the freighter would do the same. When the humpback heard the rumble of the ship's engines, it moved out of the way.

Not all whales are so lucky, though. A study by Point Blue Conservation Science last year found that more than 80 whales are killed by ship collisions every year. Several whale carcasses have washed up on Bay Area shores this year, from the Oakland Estuary to Marin County. A 62-foot-long endangered blue whale washed up in Point Reyes in June.

The cause of death in all cases were determined to be human-related.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.

Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.Elephants were thought to be safe in Botswana, the last stronghold for the endangered animal in Africa, but the recent discovery of nearly 90 pachyderm carcasses deep in the northern part of the country has shattered that notion.

In 2014, an audit by the conservation group Elephants Without Borders found nine newly killed elephants in the country. The 2018 survey already has counted 87 slain for their ivory, with more than three months left in the year.

"While we had elephant poaching in the country before this year, it certainly wasn't of the magnitude that we're seeing now. It's completely unprecedented," Mike Chase, director and founder of Elephants Without Borders, told CNN.

MORE: Lions eat South African poacher, leave only head

Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks Elephants Without Borders denied that widespread poaching had taken place, claiming in a statement that Elephants Without Borders' numbers were "false and misleading."

But Chase stood by EWB's findings, telling National Geographic that a GPS location was logged for each carcass, and each had multiple witnesses. Most were older bulls, including "great tuskers," prized by poachers for their large tusks, which command large sums in the illicit Asian ivory trade.

Conservationists estimate there are only about 50 great tuskers remaining in Africa.

The killings coincide with the disarming of Botswana's anti-poaching unit by new president Mokgweetsi Masisi in May. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks said the rangers' guns were taken away for legal reasons.

The government maintains that the disarming of rangers has had little or no effect on poaching, but Chase disagrees, blaming at least a portion of the recent killings on the new policy.

Another reason could be that poachers are simply venturing deeper into Botswana because that's where the elephants are. The herd has been thinned so much along Botswana's Namibian and Zimbabwean borders, poachers are traveling farther  and taking greater risks  in order to prey upon the animals.

Chase says the elephants appear to be frequently targeted as they approach water holes.

The 130,000 savanna elephants in Botswana make up the largest herd in Africa. They are critical to the nation's tourism industry, which is the country's second-largest source of income.MOSCOW  The leaders of Russia and Turkey on Monday announced that a deep demilitarized zone will be established in Syrias Idlib region, the last bastion of antigovernment rebels where fears have been high of a devastating offensive by government forces.

The zone will be established by Oct. 15 and be 9-12 miles deep, President Vladimir Putin said at the end of a more than three-hour meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

I believe that with this agreement we prevented a humanitarian crisis in Idlib, Erdogan said at a joint briefing with Putin in Sochi.

The province of Idlib in the countrys northwest is the last stronghold of Syrian rebels, and Turkey has been eager to prevent a government assault.

Russia has called Idlib a hotbed of terrorism and had said the Syrian government has the right to retake control of it. Turkey appealed to Russia and Iran, its uneasy negotiating partners, for a diplomatic resolution. At the same time, Turkey has sent reinforcements to its troops ringing Idlib, a move designed to ward off a ground assault, at least for now.

Moscow is keen on strengthening ties with Turkey, at a time when Ankaras relations are at their lowest with the United States.

After proving its influence in Syria and the Middle East, Russia wants to pull Turkey away from the West much more than achieve a military victory over the armed Syrian opposition, Mustafa Ellabbad, an expert on Turkish-Arab relations, wrote in Kuwaits al-Qabas newspaper.

Asked whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government agreed with the Putin-Erdogan plan, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told reporters in Sochi that in the coming hours, we will agree with them on all the positions put forth in this document.

Putin said the demilitarized zone would be enforced by patrols of Turkish forces and Russian military police.

It was quiet in Idlib and surrounding areas Monday, a continuation of the calm that started less than a week ago amid the Russia-Turkey talks.

The province, the size of Lebanon, has been the beating heart of the rebellion for years. Idlib and surrounding areas is home to more than 3 million Syrians, and an estimated 60,000 rebel fighters.

Jim Heintz is an Associated Press writer.SKOPJE, Macedonia  Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday condemned Russias efforts to use its money and influence to build opposition to an upcoming vote that could pave the way for Macedonia to join NATO, a move Moscow opposes.

Mattis told reporters traveling with him to Skopje that there is no doubt that Moscow has been funding pro-Russian groups to defeat the referendum on a name change later this month.

They have transferred money, and theyre also conducting broader influence campaigns, Mattis said. We ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds.

Macedonians will vote Sept. 30 on whether to approve the name North Macedonia in an effort to placate Greece, which has for years blocked Macedonias path to NATO and the European Union. Greece argues the existing name implies a territorial claim against the northern Greek region of Macedonia and its ancient heritage.

However, any progress toward NATO membership by the Balkan nation is strongly opposed by Russia, which doesnt want the alliance to expand to areas formerly under Moscows influence.

Mattis, speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, made no mention of Russia but announced the U.S. plans to expand its cybersecurity cooperation with Macedonia to thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens our democracies.

Zaev predicted Macedonians will vote in favor of the name change and thus the move into NATO. There is no other alternative for the Republic of Macedonia than the integration into NATO and the EU, he said.

Macedonias main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party repeated its position that the agreement with Greece is the worst deal signed in the Macedonias history.

Mattis is the latest in a string of international leaders visiting Macedonia to voice support for the referendum, and hes the most senior U.S. official to visit. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, German chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz have visited and made public endorsements of the name change, saying its critical in order for the country to join NATO after years of waiting.

Russia already has been called out for trying to influence the vote. In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of supplying funds to protest groups opposing the name change deal. Russia denounced the expulsions as unjustified.

Lolita C. Baldor is an Associated Press writer.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A tractor-trailer that careened off the road and into a row of houses early Monday morning has been removed from the scene, about six hours after initial impact.

A spokesman for the Buildings Department provided a run-down of damages on the residential street in Mariners Harbor:

223 South Ave.: Damage observed at the front of the house and front porch;

227 South Ave.: Damage observed at the front entry foyer;

229 South Ave.: Damage observed at the front entry foyer;

233 South Ave.: Damage to the driveway and front yard fence.

The city has issued a partial vacate order for two of the properties, while members of the Red Cross were on scene in an effort to aid any displaced residents.

Cops are investigating whether the 54-year-old man behind the wheel of the big rig became distracted for a moment, then, struck a parked sedan and careened off the road, according to an NYPD spokeswoman.

The driver, 54, was taken to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton in stable condition, with neck and back pain, the police spokeswoman said.

No other injuries were reported.

A company logo on the side of the truck read OEG, a company based in Sayreville, N.J. that manufactures steel building materials. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.It may sound strange today, but, according to an article published on this very website, as recently as 1900, China had no modern science and technology at all. One startling fact: less than 10 people throughout China had learned calculus.



However, on November 20, 1999, China's first experimental spacecraft "Shenzhou" blasted into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province, marking a turning point in China's space history. Then four years later, on October 15, 2003, 38-year-old Yang Liwei became China's first astronaut, creating a legacy 1.3 billion Chinese should be proud of.

Another important date is May 5, 2017, when the passenger jetliner C919 made a successful 79-minute flight debut as a product of China's ambitious aviation industry.

For a country that only 40 years ago was considered backward, the C919's flight symbolized the industrial might of a developing country in seizing the opportunities of the new technological era to break the long-held monopolies of Boeing and Airbus in the global market.

Since the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping announced the policy of reform and opening up at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in December 1978, China's political, economic, cultural, and scientific and technological developments have gripped world attention.

Today, over 60 percent of China's technologies have reached or are close to the world advanced level, although still lagging in some areas.

In 1995 the Chinese government put forward the strategy of "rejuvenating the nation by relying on science and education." Scientific research institutions, under the stewardship of the CPC and its leaders, have successfully moved the country from a manufacturing-based economy to an innovation-driven, knowledge-based one.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Chinese government has redoubled its investments in nuclear energy, space, high-energy physics, biology and computer and information technologies. According to China's National Natural Science Foundation, the state-led funding increased to US$10 billion in 2015 on basic research, about one-quarter of U.S. federal spending on such research.

The 13th Five Year Plan (announced in March 2015), Robotics Industry Development Plan (April 2016), and Three-Year Guidance for Internet Plus Artificial Intelligence Plan (May 2016) are all contributing to China's sci-tech innovation.

Undoubtedly, remarkable achievements in AI-related industries such as image recognition, voice translation, behavioral analysis, intelligent robotics, unmanned shops, and driverless vehicles have established China's reputation as a rising contributor to science and technology.

However, there's still a long way to go to build China into an innovative country and a world-leading sci-tech power. The latest Global Innovation Index published last month shows China rose from 22nd to 17th on the list of the world's most innovative nations in 2018.

On March 10, 2018, Wan Gang, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, rightly pointed out at a press conference, "Our weak points are the depth of basic research and originality."

China still relies heavily on foreign imports, particularly, advanced materials, core equipment and high-end computer chips, and needs to strengthen its basic research and provide more input into developing core technology.

Rabi Sankar Bosu, Secretary of New Horizon Radio Listeners' Club, West Bengal, India





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.



WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh said Monday he was willing to speak to the Senate Judiciary Committee to "refute" the charge that he sexually assaulted a woman while in high school, as the woman making the accusation said via her attorney that she was ready to tell her story to the panel in public.

Kavanaugh released a new statement calling the allegation "completely false" and saying he "had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself" on Sunday to The Washington Post.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity," Kavanaugh said.

Kavanaugh, meanwhile, was seen arriving at the White House late Monday morning. There was no immediate explanation of the reason for his visit.

He had been on a smooth confirmation track, but the new allegations have roiled that process. Republican senators have expressed concern over a woman's private-turned-public allegation that a drunken Kavanaugh groped her and tried to take off her clothes at a party when they were teenagers.

Debra S. Katz, the attorney for the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, said her client considered the incident to be an attempted rape.

"She believes that if were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped," Katz told NBC's "Today."

Kavanaugh, 53, "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegations when they came out anonymously last week.

"This has not changed," said White House spokesman Kerri Kupec on Monday. "Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement."

Still, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said of Ford: "She should not be insulted. She should not be ignored. She should testify under oath and she should do it on Capitol Hill."

Conway, who said she had discussed the situation with President Donald Trump, said that both Ford and Kavanaugh should testify, but made clear it was up to the Judiciary Committee. She said Sen. Lindsey Graham had told her it could happen as soon as Tuesday and the White House will "respect the process."

Stressing that Kavanaugh had already testified and undergone FBI background checks, Conway said: "I think you have to weigh this testimonial evidence from Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh along with the considerable body of evidence that is already there about the judge's temperament and qualifications and character."

In morning television interviews, Katz said her client was willing to tell her story in public to the Judiciary panel, although no lawmakers or their aides had yet contacted her. Katz also denied that Ford, a Democrat, is politically motivated.

"No one in their right mind regardless of their motives would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of violation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go though. ... She was quite reluctant to come forward."

Initially the sexual misconduct allegation was conveyed in a private letter, without revealing Ford's name. With a name and disturbing details, the accusation raised the prospect of congressional Republicans defending Trump's nominee ahead of midterm elections featuring an unprecedented number of female candidates and informed in part by the #MeToo movement.

Ford told the Post that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a Maryland party in the early 1980s, clumsily tried to remove her clothing and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

She said Kavanaugh and a friend -- both "stumbling drunk," she says -- corralled her in a bedroom when she was around 15 and Kavanaugh was around 17. She says Kavanaugh groped her over her clothes, grinded his body against hers and tried to take off her one-piece swimsuit and the outfit she wore over it. Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream, she says, and escaped when the friend, Mark Judge, jumped on them.

Kavanaugh attended a private school for boys in Maryland while Ford attended a nearby school.

A split seemed to be emerging among the GOP.

The GOP-controlled Judiciary Committee has previously scheduled a Thursday vote on whether to recommend approval of Kavanaugh's nomination in the full Senate.

Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, called for a delay in the vote, and two committee Republicans -- all 11 on the GOP side are men -- Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said they wanted to hear more from Ford. Flake went as far as to say he was "not comfortable" voting for Kavanaugh for the time being.

A potential "no" vote from Flake would complicate the judge's prospects. A Republican not on the committee, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, said the vote should be postponed until the committee heard from Ford. Contacted Sunday by CNN, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, wouldn't say if the vote should be postponed.

A committee spokesman said late Sunday that its chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, was trying to arrange separate, follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, but just for aides to Grassley and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., before Thursday's scheduled vote. Critics have already accused the GOP of fast-tracking the process to get Kavanaugh on the court by Oct. 1, the first day of the fall term.

The allegation against Kavanaugh first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that had been for some time in the possession of Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and one of its four female members. On Sunday, The Washington Post published an interview with Ford.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," said Ford, 51, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

In the interview, Ford says she never revealed what had happened to her until 2012, when she and her husband sought couples therapy. Ford's husband, Russell Ford, said he recalled his wife using Kavanaugh's last name and expressing concern that Kavanaugh -- then a federal judge -- might someday be nominated to the Supreme Court.

Senate Republicans, along with the White House, see no need to postpone voting over what they consider uncorroborated and unverifiable accusations, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.

In considering their options Sunday, Republicans largely settled on the view that Ford's story alone was not enough to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Grassley could invite Ford to testify, likely in closed session before Thursday. Kavanaugh would also probably be asked to appear before senators. The panel would also likely seek testimony from Judge, Kavanaugh's friend and classmate who Ford says jumped on top of her. Judge has denied that the incident happened.

Republicans have not settled on the strategy, the person familiar with the situation said, but were weighing options, including doing nothing.

Republicans say the allegations have already cast a shadow over Kavanaugh but that it does not appear to be enough to change the votes in the narrowly divided 51-49 Senate. Key will be the views of Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Both are under enormous pressure from outside groups who want them to oppose Kavanaugh on grounds that as a justice he could vote to undercut the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion in the U.S.

The White House has accused Feinstein of mounting an "11th hour attempt to delay his confirmation." The White House has also sought to cast doubt about Ford's allegation by noting that the FBI has repeatedly investigated Kavanaugh since the 1990s for highly sensitive positions he has held, including in the office of independent counsel Ken Starr, at the White House and his current post on the federal appeals court in Washington.

Sixty-five women who knew Kavanagh in high school defended him in a separate letter, circulated by Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, as someone who "always treated women with decency and respect."STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While infant walker-related injuries are on the decline, more than 9,000 children in the United States are still injured when using the devices every year, a new study found.

The study was published Monday in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) journal, "Pediatrics."

"Infant walkers remain a dangerous and preventable source of injury for children, despite a U.S. mandatory safety standard, increased public awareness and fewer older walkers in the home," the APP said in a press release.

The study found that, from 1990 to 2014, approximately 230,676 children under 15 months old were treated in U.S. emergency departments for injuries related to the use of infant walkers. That's about 9,611 children injured by walkers each year.

More than 90 percent of children hurt using a walker suffered head and neck injuries, and the most common cause of injury (74 percent) was children falling down the stairs in the walker, according to the study.

Other causes of injury included falling out of the walker, and children injured after pulling or touching an object they were able to reach when in the walker.

"Infant walker-related injuries decreased after the implementation of the federal mandatory safety standard in 2010," the APP said in the study. "This decrease may, in part, be attributable to the standard as well as other factors, such as decreased infant walker use and fewer older infant walkers in homes."

The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for a ban on the manufacture and sale of infant walkers in the United States. Other countries, like Canada, have a complete ban on the sale of infant walkers.To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Flash

The 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation was held on Sunday, with both sides pledging to promote bilateral practical cooperation in various fields for more fruitful outcomes.

The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Wang said that the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries conducted historic exchange of visits last year, and made top-level design and strategic plans for the overall enhancement of bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation, charting the course for the development of China-Vietnam ties in the new era.

Over the past year, China-Vietnam relationship has progressed in a steady manner, with smooth operation of dialogue mechanism, fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation, and advancement in cultural and people-to-people exchanges as well as border provinces' cooperation, he said.

The Chinese state councilor called on both sides to take as the main line the further implementation of the important outcomes achieved by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries during their exchange of visits, strengthen guidance of their respective departments and localities, and jointly plan for bilateral exchanges and cooperation across-the-board, so as to deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperation.

Wang suggested both sides stick to the strategic guidance for high-level exchanges, continuously build up consensus, deepen mutual trust and well grasp the right direction of bilateral ties.

He also called on both sides to adhere to the mutually beneficial and win-win arrangement of cooperation, promote cooperation in infrastructure and industrial capacity, and advance the building of cross-border economic cooperation zones at an early date, and explore new ideas and ways for cooperation and work for the sustainable growth of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Both sides should continue to secure more favourable public opinion and do more to promote understanding and affinity between the two peoples, Wang said.

The two countries should also properly resolve their differences, steadily move forward maritime cooperation from a long-term perspective, and translate the shared strategic interests of the two countries into a driving force to move forward practical cooperation, Wang added.

For his part, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said since last year's meeting between the top leaders of the two countries, Vietnam-China relationship has been maintaining a positive momentum, and high-level exchanges between the two parties and the two countries have been going on frequently, contributing greatly to the traditional friendship, management and control of differences, and the healthy and steady development of bilateral ties.

Now bilateral trade volume has reached historical high, cooperation in all fields has made substantial advances, non-governmental exchanges and regional cooperation have been expanded, boundary territorial issues have generally been managed and controlled effectively, Pham added.

Both sides also agreed to improve the work of the Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, further strengthen coordination and planning, and push the pragmatic cooperation in every field to bear more fruits.

Wang said the most active way to manage and control maritime disputes is to discuss joint exploration, and the best remembrance of the 10th anniversary of settling and monumentalizing the land boundary between China and Vietnam is to establish cross-border economic cooperation zones at an early date.AMP has failed to refund nearly $1 million in life insurance premiums it charged to thousands of its superannuation members it knew were dead, the banking royal commission has heard.

The commission heard on Monday it was AMP's practice to charge dead people life insurance premiums and then refund those premiums rather than cutting off a policy when informed of a client's death.

AMP's group executive of wealth solutions and chief customer officer, Paul Sainsbury, told the commission AMP had identified 3124 members who had not been refunded and had been charged about $922,000 in additional life insurance premiums despite AMP being told the member had died.

Responding to questions from counsel assisting the commission, Mark Costello, Mr Sainsbury said AMP had discovered in April that it had deducted life insurance premiums from some of its members' accounts after their death but had not refunded those premiums.Showcase 2018. The Australian Ballet School. Choreographers: Mark Annear, Stephen Baynes, Areti Boyaci, Simon Dow, Paul Knobloch, Margaret Wilson. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. September 22 at 1.30 and 7.30pm. Tickets $55-$89. Bookings canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 62752700.

Dancers from the Australian Ballet School in 'Valetta'. Credit:Sergey Konstantinov

The Australian Ballet Schools Showcase has garnered for itself a strong reputation with audiences in Melbourne where it is a much-anticipated annual event. This year, Canberra audiences have a chance to see Showcase 2018 with its diverse range of works highlighting emerging stars of the future.

Among the many stories from behind the scenes of Showcase 2018 is one that is almost unbelievable. Jasmin Forner, one of the dancers who will perform in Canberra, spent several weeks in Canberra Hospital early in 2018 following a serious car accident on New Year's Eve in 2017. She cant remember much about the accident itself but she suffered damage to her brain and some fractured bones in her face. She was placed in an induced coma and underwent major surgery to relieve pressure on her brain. But her dancers body refused to give in and she was discharged after four weeks and returned to Melbourne. Six weeks later she was back in Canberra for a check-up. Miraculously there was no long-term damage and Jasmin was cleared to go back to her vocational training at the Australian Ballet School.

The accident made me very determined to get back to dancing, Forner says. "I felt as though I had lost everything and I had to overcome that, not let it hold me back.Saturdays event in Penrith resulted in the death of 23-year-old Joseph Pham from Edensor Park and a 21-year-old woman from Melbourne. Westmead Hospital confirmed on Monday that a 19-year-old man from Artarmon was in a "stable" condition. A 28-year-old woman at Nepean Hospital was also stable. Another man was at Liverpool Hospital in a "critical but stable" condition. There were also calls for a repeat of then premier Bob Carrs 1999 landmark drug summit, largely prompted by the death of 15-year-old Anna Wood four years earlier. NSW shadow health minister Walt Secord said: "As for the Premiers unilateral decision on the festival, we should pause, reflect and await the findings of the toxicology analysis by NSW Health and the investigation by NSW Police and the Coroner before the state government imposes a wide-ranging blanket ban." He added: "A Foley Labor government in 2019 will hold a bipartisan drug summit  patterned on the historic 1999 one  as drug use has changed significantly since then." He said that official NSW Labor policy did not support pill testing.

Paul Dillon of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia said: "Ecstasy has been very weak for a long time, they can double drop or triple drop," he said. "When you are taking two or three at a time of something very strong, with an adulterant, thats dangerous. "They believe MDMA is safe. You need 110 milligrams of MDMA to get an effect. We are seeing capsules with anything like 170 milligrams right up to 394 milligrams. Its a complexity that young people are not going to think about when they are popping something to have a good time." Joseph Pham died after a suspected overdose at Defqon on Saturday. Mr Dillon also said shutting down events would not solve the problem. Four years ago, he said there would be five overdose deaths by Christmas. There were seven. In recent weeks he has told year 12 students there will be more. He declined to predict a figure. "To me it is a knee-jerk response. To clamp down and remove an event somehow thinking thats going to solve the problem, the real risk is that it will just pop up somewhere else in a much more dangerous context. Its a vote-winner," he said.

"Do we really want to go back to the days of the early 90s with underground events held at warehouses with police raiding them and people doing more dangerous things. Obviously what we are doing currently is not working. We need to look at other options and pill testing should be in the mix, but we should be careful of thinking it will be a silver bullet because it wont be." The nations peak medical body has backed calls for pill-testing trials in the wake of the deaths. Loading Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone said law enforcement could not be the only approach to solving the illicit drug issue. Testing could do more than verify whether adulterants were in festival-goers pills, he said.

"Its an opportunity to try and inform... about the dangerous consequences and try to get an opportunity to give them education and access to rehabilitation in terms of trying to reduce their drug dependency." He said his organisation was clear that "proper co-ordinated clinical trials" were needed to determine "if pill testing did have a role to play". Greens MP David Shoebridge also called for festivals to introduce pill testing, amnesty bins and other harm-minimisation measures. A pill-testing trial at "Groovin the Moo" in Canberra in April found some lethal ingredients in what many festival-goers believed to be party drugs. In an Australian first, a total of 85 substances were tested at the music festival over the weekend by Safety and Testing and Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE), with many consumers surprised by what was revealed.

The tests revealed some "quite pure... high-quality" ecstasy, as well as cocaine and ketamine. 'You wouldnt give it to your worst enemy' Battling to control his emotions, Mr Pauljevic, who was born in the former Yugoslavia, personified the fears of every parent with teenagers wanting to attend music festivals. "Why stop these young people enjoying themselves at these festivals? There is nothing wrong with that. I went to the first music festival in Australia, in Sunbury in Victoria," he said. Mr Pauljevic said friends had invited Nigel, who had a younger sister and older brother, to go to the festival. "He wasnt interested. Three days before the festival, there were two carloads, one couldnt make it with the car. Nigel had his nannas car so they begged him and, because he is kindhearted, he said yes and drove them there.A 50-year-old woman was allegedly drunk and texting while driving when she crashed into a family of four in Sydneys north-west on Sunday night, police say.

The crash left a four-year-old girl fighting for her life and her mother, father and aunt in hospital with serious injuries.

Fairfax Media understands the driver, charged with multiple offences relating to the crash, is Lisa Mottram, the estranged wife of former Parramatta Eels chief Denis Fitzgerald.

It's alleged Ms Mottram's white SUV struck the family just before 9.30pm on Sunday, as they walked along Hezlett Road in Kellyville.An inquest has begun into the death of a truck driver who was struck by a semi- trailer while securing his load of cement bags during a police operation in Sydney's northwest.

Father-of-seven Solomon Shortland had been pulled over by a highway patrol officer on Vardys Road in Kings Park in January 2017 when he tugged on a ratchet strap and fell backwards into the path of a passing Mack truck.

Solomon Shortland died at the scene after falling into the path of a passing semi-trailer. Credit:TNV

The driver "did his best" to veer right but Mr Shortland's head and shoulder were struck, which spun his body around before his body and legs were also run over.

"His condition rapidly deteriorated and he succumbed to the extensive injuries he sustained," counsel assisting the coroner, Cameron Gardiner, said at Glebe Coroners Court on Monday.It is astounding the Premier vows to stop a festival, a move which would have no impact on drug supply, but rules out pill testing, which has the potential to save lives. The people of NSW deserve better  we need brave and progressive politicians, not small government with no solutions. - Marie Healy, Redfern Risk taking is not the issue. Protection of the young and the uninformed is. That's where pill testing has proven it can save lives and money, by keeping hundreds out of our emergency departments. - Glenda Gartrell, Artarmon That's right, Gladys: just shut everything down, rather than adopt  or try  a rational approach to drugs. - Ian Stocks, Surry Hills There can be little doubt that after the success of the ACT's pill-testing initiative this year, NSW has to follow suit.

The Premier's knee-jerk reaction in calling for the event to be banned isn't going to help. The unrealistic no-tolerance approach needs to be turned into a more knowledge-based one. - Peter Neufeld, Mosman NSW has no blueprint for addressing its drug issues. It has weak drug laws, they don't deter anyone. - Ted Bush, Ermington Death and illness in relation to the kind of drugs taken at music festivals, mostly MDMA or ecstasy, is because of contamination of the drug, not overdose. And contamination is a classic symptom of prohibition and zero-tolerance policing. - Ian Waters, Surry Hills How many people died over the weekend because of alcohol and tobacco use? Will the Premier ban every pub and club selling alcohol and stop all outlets selling cigarettes? - Jim Aimer, Kirribilli

Are we to assume that with the high number of traffic accident fatalities that driving will soon be banned too? - Peter Montgomery, Erskineville Aged care royal commission will state the obvious The Royal Commission into Aged Care could be avoided with some simple changes to the system and the money diverted to care ("PM rejects claims of aged care cuts ahead of 'bruising' inquiry", September 17). I say this from my 25 years of experience and observations as a registered nurse and educator in aged care. The accreditation system is government run and needs to be changed to independent accreditors to get a true inspection and response to problems. Staff levels for both registered and assistant nurses need to be increased.

Families, friends and volunteers need to be encouraged to regularly visit the elderly and advocate for them.We should try to change the system and improve quality of care now, instead of just formally stating the obvious at great cost. - Christine Flannery, Hunters Hill A royal commission is a waste of money. Anybody who has had a relative in such a facility can advise the government what is wrong. Retirement villages are also a concern. Current contracts force residents to bear the capital costs with no benefit on leaving the facility. The first problem is that both industries run for a profit and in some instances for large profits. Solution: Government-run industries on a not-for-profit basis. - Barry O'Connell, Old Toongabbie The NSW Nurses Association has been lobbying for staff-patient ratios to be legislated for the aged care sector.

Aged care providers can employ minimal staff, resulting in inadequate staffing, overworked staff, stressed staff. The level of care provided is therefore poor, to say the least. Some nurses may only have the most minimal of training. Residents need appropriately trained staff to care for them, staff who are passionate and want to provide the best possible care. Royal commission? What will that achieve? - Rosemary Wolf, Mount Warrigal Most Australians wouldn't be aware that retirement villages, a massive part of the aged care sector, are not aged care as defined by the federal government.

Should these villages become a Commonwealth responsibility when the states have so widely failed the elderly in their regulation? - Ian Bowie, Bowral We need to look at funding for aged care. Let's not solely focus the investigation on cuts to government funding for the sector but also look at the vast profits that aged care providers are taking out of their lucrative businesses. Appalling hourly pay rates for their casualised workforce, minimal staff-to-resident ratios, miserly budgets for catering  all these savings contribute to the bottom line for the huge multinational providers that dominate this industry. - Alexandra Copley, Tumbulgum Look to Seekers for anthem

Good to know I am not the only one disenchanted with our national anthem (Letters, September 17). It is a pompous dirge. The Seekers wrote a beautiful song with beautiful melody and lyrics which we would all be proud to sing, and included a verse recognising Australia's first people, I am Australian. - Jan Carroll, Potts Point A national anthem does not require words, so the solution is simple: Waltzing Matilda without words. Gerald Borthwick, Stockton Thank you, Nola Tucker. The substitution of just one word makes our anthem far more acceptable. "Strong and free". Let's just do it.

Patrick McMahon, Beverley Park Bathroom or toilet? Does the newly co-ed Marist College really have new "bathrooms", or are they, as real Aussies refer to them, actually toilets ("Boys' school gates open to girls", September 17)? - Bronwyn Bryceson, Mangerton

Fantastic, no fast food How fantastic to see not a single fast-food outlet on Central Railway's newly opened and refurbished main concourse! - Beverley Bramley, Balmain More reason for sugar tax The alarming article on sugary drinks supports the need for a tax on sugar in all its forms ("Sugar high a stress on body'', September 17) . Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

Only poll that counts is on election day Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten appear to be running neck and neck as we head to next year's federal election ("Fairfax-Ipsos poll: Scott Morrison ahead of Bill Shorten on leadership qualities but lags behind Malcolm Turnbull", September 17). When a nation of punters is confronted with two equally objectionable alternatives, the only winner must be Hobson's choice. - John Richardson, Wallagoot. I find polls a waste of time. In the latest, the Prime Minister is rated more highly than Bill Shorten on economic management.

How do we know Shorten's competence when he has never been in government, let alone treasurer? Another anomaly: Morrison's vision for Australia's future is rated more highly than Shorten's, yet well over half of us have expressed a wish for Australia to curtail fossil fuels in favour of renewables, which Morrison will never promote. Any opposition leader is a dark horse until he becomes prime minister. The time to judge his competence and vision will come when he is in office. - Jeannette Tsoulos, West Pymble I agree with Tony Walker's advice to Scott Morrison to keep his ideas positive and framed in reality ("Tips for our PM: #1, shout less", September 17). People are soon turned off by frenetic screaming and continual insult. We look up to the PM to create policies and obtain the cooperation of the opposition in implementing them. - Bill McMahon, Lennox Head

A tax on them all The Liberal Party affiliated Menzies Research Centre might need to be careful what it wishes for when it seeks to have unions "treated like companies" ("Push for unions to be taxed like companies", September 17). The biggest challenge for a quality research centre perhaps should be to identify which companies pay the appropriate amount of taxation and indeed which companies don't pay any taxation at all. - Barry Sexton, Primbee If the unions had paid tax for the last decade, like multinational corporations pay tax under an LNP government, they would have paid absolutely no tax whatsoever. - Ian Sinclair, Wagga Wagga

If unions should be taxed because they have income from investments, how about taxing churches, too? - Liz Jacka, Marrickville Why stop at unions? Perhaps if all not-for-profits paid tax, governments would have the funds to deliver services, rather than outsourcing service delivery to not-for-profits. - Adam Johnston, Davidson Labor's secret weapon It's hard to imagine Tony Abbott wanting to face the humiliation of being told to get on his bike (so to speak) by his constituents at the next election ("Tide turns against Abbott", September 17). What odds on retirement "for family reasons"? - Brett Jack, Bonnyrigg Heights

Was there a faint echo of Trump and the size of his inauguration audience in Abbott's claim to have received about 70 per cent support from the selection committee? - Joan Brown, Orange If Abbott did as well as he claims in his preselection vote for Warringah why is he so shy about releasing the figures? - Nick Franklin, Katoomba While many within his own party and preselection group may be dismayed that Abbott will again recontest the seat of Warringah, the Labor Party must be rejoicing. No one has worked harder and done more to get Labor into government than he has. - Alan Marel, North Curl Curl Can't wait for the anonymous op-ed piece in the Herald "I am part of the resistance inside the Warringah Liberal Party". - Eric Viana, Denistone Mountain to climb

As a Wentworth voter I have a good idea of Labor and Liberal policies ("Phelps to test Wentworth waters," September 17). Independents merely split the vote and provide a few policies, half-baked ideas and whimsical notions. - John Temple, Rose Bay While spruiking her credentials as a candidate for Wentworth, Dr Kerryn Phelps said she's lived in the electorate for the past 20 years. In defence of not living in the electorate, Dave Sharma said he had only recently returned to Australia having lived overseas for the past 20 years. Given Australia's leading psephologist Antony Green believes Wentworth electors don't respond well to blow-ins, the star Liberal recruit has a herculean task to convince the locals he's one of them. - Ian De Landelles, Murrays Beach

Degree of wisdom Henrietta Cook notes that a university degree is worth less than it used to be (Success by degrees no longer a career certainty, September 17). University degrees for everyone may not make the country or the individual wealthier: just a little wiser perhaps.

Ivan Head, Burradoo Cherished park

Great to see Redfern Oval nominated for heritage listing ("Historic home of the Rabbitohs given heritage listing", September 17). So why can't Woollahra Council do the same for the much-cherished 1885 Rushcutters Bay Park, well-known for its exceptional social, historic and environmental significance? Or is too hooked into the idea of a mega-concrete, rowdy skateboard park which will devalue the park, robbing ratepayers of the one thing they value most; open space? - Andrew Woodhouse, Potts Point Kept in the darkA forensic search of the former home of Lynette Dawson, who disappeared in 1982, has turned up nothing of interest.

NSW Police arrived at the home last Wednesday, digging up four areas of the backyard of the Bayview property in the hope of finding a body, or any item of interest related to Mrs Dawson.

The Sydney mother vanished 36 years ago from the home she shared with her husband Chris.

Police had been hopeful that investigators from Strike Force Scriven, which was formed in 2015 to re-investigate Mrs Dawson's disappearance, would secure enough evidence to prosecute Mr Dawson for his wife's murder.A nine-year-old girl has died in hospital after being hit by a car in northern NSW on Monday morning.

Emergency services were called to Cameron Road, McLeans Ridges, about 10 kilometres east of Lismore, after the girl was struck by a southbound Hyundai station wagon about 9.30am.

The girl was taken to Lismore Base Hospital where she later died. Credit:Port Macquarie News

Paramedics treated the girl at the scene, before she was taken to Lismore Base Hospital.

She died a short time later.Police have charged a third person over the shooting death of a Sydney teenager in his bed last year.

Brayden Dillon, 15, was shot in the head by a masked gunman while asleep in his family home at Glenfield on April 14, 2017.

One man has been charged with his murder, and last week his alleged accomplice pleaded guilty to her role in driving the getaway vehicle.A workplace accident seven years ago was all it took for Ben Harrison to lose everything he loved. Alcoholic, drug-addicted and living on the street, he gave up on life.

He is now 597 days clean and lives in a housing commission unit in the western Brisbane suburb of Indooroopilly. Mr Harrison credited the Salvation Army's Streetlevel Mission with saving his life.

Streetlevel gave Ben Harrison a pathway to rebuild his life, as well as much-needed support during rehab.

The former marine mechanic was happily employed until a 3.5-tonne piece of steel fell from a crane and landed on him.

He was "lucky to be alive" after suffering spinal injuries and nearly losing his leg but unable to return to work. Flash

Saudi Arabia and Russia have held "hostage" the oil market as the U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to impose new sanctions on Iranian oil sales, senior Iranian energy official said on Saturday.





"Russia and Saudi Arabia claim they seek to balance the global oil market, but they are trying to take over a part of Iran's share," Iran's governor of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.





"Trump's efforts to cut Iran's access to the global crude market has prompted Russia and Saudi Arabia to take hostage the oil market," Kazempour Ardebili said.





On Saturday, he accused Moscow and Riyadh of welcoming sanctions against Iran for their own gain, and warned that such actions would damage the credibility of OPEC, according to Tasnim.





Ardebili also said "Saudi Arabia and UAE are turning the OPEC into a U.S. tool."





U.S. sanctions on Iran snapped back on Aug. 6, a move after U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal on May 8. The sanctions would include targeting Iran's automotive sector, trade in gold, and other key metals.





The remaining sanctions will snap back on Nov. 4. These sanctions will include targeting Iran's energy sector and petroleum-related transactions, and transactions with the Central Bank of Iran.





Washington's withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear deal was criticized across the world. Some of its major European allies have been working to prevent the 2015 deal from falling apart.A bankrupt property developer who models himself on Wall Street character Gordon Gekko has been kicked off a Mount Hotham hotel project, amid serious concerns about the due diligence undertaken by the alpine resort's board.

Anton Joseph Wilson, who owed more than $61 million when declared bankrupt last year, has been told he will not be part of the $26 million redevelopment, according to a statement from the Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board.

Film character Gordon Gekko and bankrupt developer Anton Wilson.

Mr Wilson's development firm, Mider, and any associated companies, are also banned from any involvement following a series of revelations in The Age last month.

The decision to banish Mr Wilson from the project is expected to delay construction on what has been promoted as the largest private development in Mount Hotham's history.Glenn Comensoli was a cruel conman who went as far as convincing his victim to loan him thousands of dollars so he could buy her an engagement ring.

Glenn Comensoli.

The wedding never happened, the money he claimed to have in a term deposit never existed and the woman who loved him was left $29,000 out of pocket for money she thought she was loaning him over the course of a year.

Magistrate David Faram called him despicable as he this week sentenced Comensoli, 44, of Wangaratta, to six months in jail.

This was not the first time Comensoli had tricked a woman into giving him money: he was sentenced to four years and three months in jail in 2015 for conning another fiancee and a Bendigo glazier out of more than $200,000.Melbourne Express, Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Were sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later.

DismissDesperate Melbourne Demons fans are willing to fly to Perth via overseas cities and pay thousands of dollars in a bid to get to Saturday's Preliminary Final.

One fan is so keen to watch the game live she is flying from Melbourne to WA via Singapore.

Shirley Pettman, left, with other Melbourne fans who are planning their best route to Perth. Credit:Darrian Traynor

One-way flights from Melbourne to Perth are so scarce that fares can cost as much as four times the normal price.

Shirley Pettman, a cheer squad member, told 3AW she started looking at flights during the game on Friday night, when Melbourne looked as if it would beat Hawthorn.Twin statues of Melbourne's founding fathers have nowhere to call home with developers refusing to return them to a rebuilt and redesigned CBD plaza and the city council turning its back on them and the troubled civic history they represent.

A pair of sculptures of John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner stood side by side in front of the National Mutual building in Collins Street for almost 40 years.

Sculptor Michael Meszaros with a maquette of his 1978 sculpture of John Pascoe Fawkner. Credit:Scott McNaughton

Removed to make way for the $1 billion pantscraper project by property fund CBUS, the bronze sculptures are now gathering dust in storage.

The works were originally commissioned in 1978 by the City of Melbourne but they now belong to CBUS, which has told Melbourne sculptor Michael Meszaros  who cast the Fawkner sculpture  that it has no intention of returning them to their former home.This is an image of Jonathan Dick. Victoria Police had to issue a retraction after releasing CCTV footage that purported to show the wanted man. Credit:Victoria Police

A man identified as accused killer Jonathan Dick has come forward to say he is not the wanted man after police published CCTV images of a man sighted in Melbourne's CBD last week.

Victoria Police have been forced to retract images of the man walking through the city after investigators initially believed he was one of Australia's most wanted fugitives.

Homicide Squad detectives revealed late on Monday evening that investigators had spoken to a man who came forward as a result of publicised images.

Investigators confirmed that the person in the CCTV is not Mr Dick.Joseph Pham died after a suspected overdose at Defqon on Saturday.

A Sydney man who had a heart attack and died after a suspected drug overdose at a music festival was one of three revellers who had heart attacks at the same event.

Joseph Pham, 23, from western Sydney, had a heart attack and died after another apparent drug overdose at the music festival in Penrith on Saturday night.

He and a young woman from Melbourne are believed to be two of three revellers at the festival who had heart attacks at the same time.

Two other people have also been left fighting for their lives after suspected overdoses.The ex-partner of former AFL star Ben Cousins has been accused of driving under the influence of illicit drugs and will face a Perth court next month.

Maylea Tinecheff, who has two young children with 40-year-old Cousins, was charged with driving with an illicit drug in her oral fluid or blood and having no authority to drive.

She was stopped by police in her BMW on Ranford Road in Canning Vale on August 24 and allegedly tested positive for illicit drugs in a preliminary roadside test.

The ex-partner of Ben Cousins, Maylea Tinecheff, will face court on drug driving charges. Credit:Seven

It has been reported the pair's two young kids were in the car at the time Tinecheff was stopped.Gang Crime officers have seized drugs and cash following a raid on a Lakelands property last week.

The cash was seized by officers.

Weapons, steroids and drug paraphernalia were uncovered during the Malata Ridge search, as well as $35,980 in cash and 195.4g of methamphetamine.

The drugs were found at a Lakelands home on Friday.

Two men were arrested at the home. A 22-year-old man was charged with possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply, two counts of possession of steroids, possession of drug paraphernalia and weapons, failing to ensure safekeeping of ammunition, possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property and having ready access to both weapons and illegal drugs.The Coalition has increased funding to aged care in dollar terms, as a proportion of all government expenses and as a fraction of the economy, dispelling Labor's claims that Prime Minister Scott Morrison cut funding to the sector when he was treasurer.

Funding per person in 24-hour aged care has also increased, up by $6000 between 2012 and 2015, but has fallen once retirement homes - which receive some aged care services - are taken into account, as the royal commission prepares to investigate whether funding pressures have exacerbated systemic issues in the sector.

Both sides of politics will be watching to see if conditions, wages and regulators have had a role in exposing Australians to elder abuse, opening the government to a multibillion-dollar bill if the commissioner finds the sector must be cleaned up.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during a press conference announcing a Royal Commission into Aged Care Credit:AAP

An analysis of seven years of federal budget figures by Fairfax Media shows total spending on the aged - excluding pensions but including national partnership payments and home support - rose from $16.5 billion in 2015-16 to $19.9 billion in 2018-19. Flash

A case of Chinese tourists being abused by police in Stockholm, Sweden, has gripped the public since the Chinese embassy in Sweden released a statement on the incident on Saturday.





Around midnight on Sept. 2, a Chinese man and his 64-and 67-year-old parents, were mistreated by Stockholm police, said the statement on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden.





The embassy said it was deeply appalled and angered that three Chinese tourists were "brutally abused by the Swedish police".





On Sept. 2, a Chinese tourist surnamed Zeng and his parents arrived at midnight at the hotel he booked in Stockholm, and he was told the room would not be available for check-in until later in the day, the Global Times reported.





Considering the poor health of his elderly parents, Zeng asked the hotel staff to allow them to stay in the lobby for the time being, but his request was rejected.





The hotel staff called the police, who dragged Zeng's father out of the hotel even though Zeng showed them proof that his father suffers from cardiovascular disease. Zeng and his parents were taken away in a police car and later dropped off at a cemetery, the report said.





Zeng notified the Chinese embassy of the incident and flew back to China with his parents.





The embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have strongly protested to the Swedish government, stressing that what the police did "severely endangered the life and violated the basic human rights of the Chinese citizens".





"We hope that the Swedish side will handle the case in accordance with the law, and we urge the Swedish side again to take immediate actions to protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Sweden," the statement said.





Speaking to local media on Sunday, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou said the three Chinese tourists were mistreated by Swedish police under circumstances in which they hadn't broken Swedish law.





The incident took place in a country that honors human rights and justice all the time, which "puzzled and even shocked us a lot", Gui said, adding the Chinese government and his embassy shoulder the responsibility for protecting the life, safety and dignity of the Chinese people abroad.





The Ministry of Culture and Tourism released a statement on Saturday, saying it is highly concerned over the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese tourists in Sweden, and it urged the country to raise safety awareness and strengthen safety precautions.





The Swedish Embassy in China said in a statement on Sunday that Swedish authorities have conducted an independent investigation into the incident to determine whether the police had neglected their duty or violated the law. The statement did not touch on the findings of the investigation.





Some netizens in China also called on Chinese tourists abroad to respect local rules and customs, and be more rational in protecting their legitimate rights in any dispute.Prime Minister Scott Morrison has moved to thwart any fresh complaints from female MPs after another one, Ann Sudmalis, announced she will quit politics at the next election, citing branch-stacking and unethical behaviour by fellow Liberals.

Mr Morrison, who met with Ms Sudmalis on Monday morning in a last-ditch attempt to change her mind, acknowledged her complaints and announced a new mechanism will be created for handling such grievances in the organisational wing of the Liberal Party.

"I have today, through the federal director, requested the federal executive of the Liberal Party to consider how they will take steps to ensure there is a rigorous and confidential process to deal with concerns and complaints from party members, including members of Parliament," he said in a statement.

"I want the federal executive to include in that report their concrete plans to ensure the party continues to attract and support outstanding men and women who want to represent their party in this parliament."Prime Minister Scott Morrison will enact "preventative regulation and legislation" to shield freedom of religion from future enemies, giving his strongest hints to date about the government's intentions regarding "religious freedom" laws.

In a television interview with Sky News on Monday night, Mr Morrison indicated he was displeased with the "trajectory" of freedom of speech and freedom of religion over the past decade.

Eyeing "preventative" law reform: Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Asked to identify specific areas that needed protection, the PM said the Christian school to which he sent his children should be able to hire and fire staff as it pleased, and deliver education in line with his expectations as a Christian parent. Schools can already do so under current laws.

He also said Australians should be free to take up positions on the boards of public companies  or as partners in a law firm  regardless of whether their religious beliefs conflicted with the policies of that company.Robo-trousers that help people stand up, walk upstairs and get out and about are being designed by British scientists in a government-funded scheme to help the elderly and disabled stay mobile.

The University of Bristol is developing "smart trousers" with artificial muscles which give frail people bionic strength so they can live independently for longer.

The smart pants contain 'soft robotic' muscles that can help get people moving. Credit:PA

The project has been dubbed "The Right Trousers" in reference to The Wrong Trousers, the Wallace and Gromit animation in which Wallace constructs a pair of calamitous cyber slacks.

Although the researchers did admit there was a slim chance of "trouser hijacking", as happened in the Nick Park adventure, they said it was more likely they would simply help people get out of the armchair to make a cup of tea. In Britain there are 10 million people living with disabilities and 1.2 million people coping with the after effects of a stroke. The numbers are predicted to rise with an ageing population.Hong Kong: Mangkhut weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern China on Monday, leaving death and destruction from Hong Kong to the Philippines.

The storm was still affecting southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue throughout Tuesday.

Hong Kong residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for occasional gales. Bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were cancelled at the city's airport, one of the world's busiest. The South China Morning Post said Hong Kong's hospitals had to use backup power due to outages caused by the storm.

Mangkhut earlier lashed the Philippines, sparking landslides and building collapses that killed at least 65 people, with another 43 missing. Authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, China's manufacturing hub.London: Among the casualties of the March poisoning of a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, is London's sumptuous Russian Debutante Ball, where, once a year, the daughters of Soviet-born businessmen have been ushered into adult society in an atmosphere of frothy pre-Revolutionary nostalgia.

Elisabeth Smagin-Melloni, who has organised similar coming-out balls for wealthy Russians in 12 cities, said she decided to cancel the sixth annual London event because, in the rancorous atmosphere around the spy scandal, Russians planning to travel for the ball had complained of difficulty getting British visas.

"Over the summer it became even worse, with all these poisoned spies or not-poisoned spies, and we decided finally at the end of August that we wouldn't do it," Smagin-Melloni said. She said it was the first time she had encountered this problem since she began organising such events, in 2003.

"I am not discussing politics here, I think," she said. "If I like Mr Putin or don't like Mr Putin should not be an item to be discussed. We should not make a political question out of normal human relationships."The latest figures suggest that Church of England affiliation has halved since 2002 and that only 2 per cent of young people call themselves Anglican. This is despite the Church of England spending decades chasing cultural relevance. At the weekend, there was a discussion in this newspaper about whether or not God has a gender. "I don't want young girls or young boys to hear us constantly refer to God as he," said Rt Rev Rachel Treweek, the Bishop of Gloucester, because that might alienate people.

You can watch a video online: down the aisle come clerics, musicians and men on stilts dressed as trees. Notice though, as the camera pans out, that the congregation is a bit thin at the back. And old. It's in desperate need of some new sap.

London: There's nowhere more relevant to the modern world than Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. This Episcopal church advertises yoga and is totally non-judgmental (there's a photo on its website of a man dressed as a nun), and I bet a fun time was had by all at last week's Global Climate Action Summit Multi-Faith Service.

The Rev doesn't need to worry because no one is listening. Those of us who are Christian (I'm a Catholic and we have just the same problems as the Protestants) blame our falling numbers on everything but ourselves, from immigration to the internet. The truth is that Western Christianity isn't dying out from natural causes or murder; it's committing suicide.

Like many agonies, you can blame it on the 1960s. The experiences of world war and nuclear threat seemed to necessitate a rethink in the way Christians acted: to preach less, listen more. Protestants and Catholics tried to meet people halfway, to talk to them in their own language. This could have been a marvellous project; humility and meekness are inherently Christian virtues. The crucifixion turned weakness into a strength, say the gospels, offering Jesus as a sacrifice for the whole of mankind. And, yes, it's good to talk to the other faiths and, of course, social justice is a divine calling. At some point, however, dialogue turned into deference and socialism became the only face many bishops were comfortable showing the world.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby's recent speech to the Trades Union Congress was a case in point. The gig economy, he said, is an "ancient evil" - and he may well be right. An archbishop has a duty to say it as he sees it, to articulate a preference for the poor. But if he imagined for one moment that his speech would win a single convert to Anglicanism, he was mistaken. All that happens when priests confirm the beliefs of Left-wing atheists is that the audience says: "thank you very much" and goes on being atheist, because they're not being challenged; they're being validated.

Indeed, so much of what mainstream Christians now offer is a validation of Western society, a kind of a "thumbs up, well done", which is stupid because unless you bring up God in a conversation, non-believers certainly won't. If trying to be relevant to a shallow popular culture worked, church attendance would have risen since the Sixties or even stayed the same. It's plummeted. And the few who do still loyally show up to communion aren't there to talk about zero-hour contracts. That's God's time.

You hear this said by the laity a lot; among younger clergy, too. The ones who stubbornly cling to the nostrums of the Sixties are the greying church leadership, who are reminiscent of the establishment "blob" that conservatives complain dominates education: good people, absolutely, but men and women who see themselves as curators of a faith rather than its evangelists, and who have become rather comfortable with underperformance.Washington: Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's US Supreme Court pick, on Monday called a woman's allegation that he sexually assaulted her 36 years ago "completely false", while a lawyer said the accuser is willing to publicly testify before a Senate panel that is scheduled to vote this week on his nomination.

In a day of fast-moving developments, all 10 Democratic members of Senate Judiciary Committee overseeing the confirmation process sent a letter calling for Thursday's planned vote to be delayed so the FBI can investigate the allegation.

Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor in California, has accused Kavanaugh of trying to attack her and remove her clothing in 1982 when they were both high school students in a Maryland suburb outside Washington.

Ford detailed her story in a letter sent to Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein in July but asked that it not be made public. The contents of the letter leaked last week and Ford said she felt forced to come forward in an interview with the Washington Post published on Sunday. She provided clinician's notes from a therapy session in 2012 that described a "rape attempt" and results from a positive polygraph test. Her husband said she disclosed it to him early in their relationship.The woman in the white pickup was feeling increasingly uneasy about the driver, whom she knew only as "David". Two fellow sex workers in Laredo, Texas, had been recently killed, and one of them was her friend Melissa.

The man and the woman had already been at his house, where she had discussed Melissa. He had reacted strangely, she later told authorities, and the situation had grown so tense that she vomited in the front yard before they left for a gas station. The woman's mind lingered on Melissa. She wanted to keep talking about her.

He produced a gun in response and grabbed hold of her shirt. She managed to jump out of the truck and into the night, her shirt torn from her body. He fled, and she found a state trooper fuelling up nearby. She told the trooper where the man lived.

That information led officers to Juan David Ortiz, a supervisory Border Patrol agent. He had been hiding in a hotel parking lot after fleeing from officers and was arrested at 2.30am on Saturday, according to an affidavit provided to The Washington Post by county prosecutors.Wellington: Fears over needles in Australian strawberries have spilled across the Tasman, with one of New Zealand's two major food distributors taking the fruit off its shelves as a precaution.

Foodstuffs - which supplies various chains that make up about half of New Zealand's grocery store market - in a statement on Monday said it had stopped shipping Australian strawberries to its stores.

Berry Obsession recalled its strawberries.

While none of its products had been affected by the major recall in Australia, it had brought the freeze in to reassure customers, a spokesman said.

The New Zealand strawberry season would kick off shortly, filling the supply gap, a spokesman said.Thanks to MrT for the link!

It has been reported recently in Newsweek and Haaretz regarding a deal that has been struck for the management of Haifas port to be handled by a Chinese company, the Shanghai International Port Group. This is due to begin in 2021 and to run for 25 years.



While most of the coverage on this topic has been around the effect this may have on US naval interests in Israel, there is another issue at stake, which is that Haifas strategic value is such that it could well be the single largest prize of any regional peace settlement, and handing its control to the Chinese could backfire on Israels interests should there be a regional agreement in the next 28 years.



Israels unique geographic location on the east of the Mediterranean gives it a strategic advantage as a conduit of trade between the East and West. Although most of this trade currently goes through the Suez Canal, the port at Haifa allows countries of the Middle East to bypass the canal and to access the Mediterranean directly.



There are three significant benefits of this, particularly for the export of oil from the Persian Gulf to Europe and the US.



The first is that it is a more secure route than the current route around the Arabian Peninsula, where there are threats of the closure of the straits of Hurmuz near Iran, instability near Yemen and complete control of the Suez Canal by Egypt, which has only stabilised in recent years and is still fighting an insurgency in Sinai. The whole region is often embroiled in conflict, including Sudan and Eritrea which also line the Red Sea route. A pipeline from the major exporters through Jordan to Israel, can actually be a more stable and reliable route.



The second, is cost. Transit fees through the Suez Canal are steep, at around US$400,000 per ship depending on size. This provides Egypt with $5b in revenues last year alone. This fee is so steep that some struggling carriers are considering taking the long route around Africa to get to Europe when fuel costs are low, despite the additional 7000 miles of transit.



The third reason is speed. There is an additional thousand miles of transit when shipping along the Arabian Peninsula route, than if the oil was piped and loaded onto tankers in Haifa. Haifas port also has a natural deep harbour, making it ideal for the loading up of oil tankers, and is one of the largest in the western Mediterranean in terms of volume.





Sidenote.

Full disclosure. I'm a supporter of Israel. I've ignored some pretty shady stuff because I believed that they were fighting for their very survival in a land filled with enemies. I've ignored some behaviors that went against the interests of the US because of that belief.Having said that, this is a bridge too far. I want more details but if this is true then so be it. They've made their bed, they've made their choice and they will live with the consequences. To partner with a mortal enemy of the US? Too much to take. Check out the article below.Israel is playing the role of stupid little sheep. They're inviting in the wolf and locking the door on the sheep dog that has put up with its nonsense to keep it safe.China will in turn open the door to all of Israel's enemies and their fate will be sealed.So be it.They made a choice. They live with the results of that decision. I'm done with them.Interview with MotherlodeTV and CEO David D\-\-Onoforio

Posted by Publisher Internet

On September 6, White Gold Corp. (V.WGO) put out a press release detailing the new discoveries at it?s ?Ryan?s Showing? target. MotherlodeTV recently interviewed White Gold Corp. CEO, David D?Onofrio, about this satellite deposit in the White Gold District, Yukon.

Why is this Ryan?s Showing discovery so significant?

The high grades seen at the Ryan?s Showing are very exciting ? the first hole intersected 20.64 g/t Au over 6.10m with individual assays ranging from 7.07 g/t to 39.8 g/t Au. This high grade combined with the fact that the mineralization is just 83.82m from surface and 2 km from our existing Golden Saddle deposit with a 1.2 M oz high-grade resource, makes this target very interesting. This is one of many targets on the White Gold property that has the potential to be a satellite deposit to the Golden Saddle deposit. As they say, the best place to find a deposit is near an existing deposit. Furthermore, the 2km of land on trend between the Golden Saddle and Ryan?s Showing has only had very limited historical exploration. We have identified several targets in this area and are testing some this year. Lidar imagery, DIGHEM and IP-Resistivity has shown this structure to be open along strike and at depth, and demonstrates the potential for multiple mineralized structures.

What is reverse circulation drilling and why do you use it to test new targets?

Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling is a fast, light-weight and cost-effective method of generating high quality samples?which are eligible for inclusion of a resource calculation. RC drilling achieves better penetration than Rotary Air Blast (RAB) drilling, but is cheaper than diamond drilling, allowing us to complete more drill holes within a given?time and monetary?budget. Additionally, the environmental impacts of RC drilling are minimal as the drill is mounted on rubber tracks that do not disturb the ground.

How did you select ?Ryan?s Showing? for drill testing. What features did it have before you brought in the drills? (And, yes, I did read the paragraph on Ryan?s Showing. Could we go even more basic?)

Rather than jump directly to costly drilling, our team uses a systematic approach to exploration. Given our massive land package this is critical; it?s simply not feasible to drill every target on each of our properties. Ryan?s Showing had all of the positive indicators, including geophysical structure as mapped with Lidar, geochemical soil anomalies and rock samples with high-grade gold. The presence of all of these characteristics made the Ryan?s Showing a viable drill target and the drill results confirmed this.?This measured approach allows us to stretch exploration dollars further and test more targets each season.

In the release, Jodie (Jodie Gibson, P.Geo. and Vice President of Exploration) mentions ?satellite deposits?. How many of these have you identified and, ballpark, what size are you looking for?

There is an old adage, ?The best place to make a new discovery is near an existing discovery?.? We have seen this proven to be true over and over again, and we believe this to be the case on our White Gold property.?One of the key ways we?re working to grow our existing 1.25M oz gold resource is through the exploration of the land surrounding the Golden Saddle for satellite deposits. There are 5-6 targets we are actively exploring right now, with many more in the queue. With the planned infrastructure improvements, including roads built directly to the White Gold property, even deposits of 250k-500k ounces become viable?that are not very close to our existing resource. There are also opportunities to share infrastructure with nearby mines, such as Goldcorp?s mine which is scheduled to be in production by 2021, making satellite deposits more economical.

At this point, are you viewing Ryan?s Showing as part of the Golden Saddle ?system? or are you considering it a ?stand-alone? occurrence?

Ryan?s Showing is located 2 km away from the Golden Saddle deposit?but is along the same trend, and while we believe it to part of the same system, it is a completely new mineralized zone. Ryan?s Showing is characterized by particularly high grades?from shallow depths, with the discovery hole returning grades ranging from 7.07 g/t to 39.8 g/t Au, some of the highest ever in the Yukon.?What is also very exciting is that the system is wide open and only very limited historical work has been done between the Golden Saddle and the Ryan Showing before this year. Additional results from this year?s exploration are pending and will be released in due course.

How much longer will White Gold be able to continue with this season?s exploration program ? weather? Daylight??

Drilling was well ahead of schedule which allowed us to expand our budget and get more exploration work done than originally planned. This is well timed as it will avoid scrambling to finish the program as the days get shorter and temperatures drop.?Having achieved our exploration goals we?are looking forward to taking the winter to digest this season?s results and sharper our plans for next season.?With that said,?however, we are set up to and will continue to work as long as it makes economic sense to do so as we are following up on a number of exciting opportunities.

About White Gold Corp.

The Company owns a portfolio of 19,606 quartz claims across 30 properties covering over 390,000 hectares representing approximately 40% of the Yukon?s White Gold District. The Company?s flagship White Gold property has a mineral resource of 960,970 ounces Indicated at 2.43 g/t gold and 262,220 ounces Inferred at 1.70 g/t gold as set forth in the technical report entitled ?Independent Technical Report for the White Gold Project, Dawson Range, Yukon, Canada?, dated March 5, 2018, filed under the Company?s profile on SEDAR. Mineralization on the Golden Saddle and Arc is also known to extend beyond the limits of the current resource estimate. Regional exploration work has also produced several other prospective targets on the Company?s claim packages which border sizable gold discoveries including the Coffee project owned by Goldcorp Inc. (disclosed M&I gold resource of 4.1M oz) and Western Copper and Gold Corporation?s Casino project (disclosed P&P gold reserves of 8.9M oz Au and 4.5B lb Cu). The Company has outlined an aggressive exploration plan to further explore its properties. For more information visit?www.whitegoldcorp.ca.

QA/QC

The analytical work for the 2018 program has been performed by Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd., an internationally recognized analytical services provider, at its Vancouver, British Columbia laboratory.? Sample preparation was carried out at its Whitehorse, Yukon facility. All GT Probe, RAB, RC, and diamond core samples were prepared using procedure PRP70-250 (crush, split and pulverize 250 g to 200 mesh) and analyzed by method FA430 (30g fire assay with AAS finish) and AQ200 (0.5g, aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis). Samples containing >10g/t Au were reanalyzed using method FA530 (30g Fire Assay with gravimetric finish). Metallic-screen analysis may also be utilized if coarse gold mineralization is encounter (FS600).

The work was completed using industry standard procedures, including a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program consisting of the regular insertion of certified standards and blanks into the sample stream. The qualified person detected no significant QA/QC issues during review of the data.

Qualified Person

Jodie Gibson, P.Geo. and Vice President of Exploration for the Company is a ?qualified person? as defined under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.?

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release contains \forward-looking information\ and \forward-looking statements\ (collectively, \forward-looking statements\) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as \expects\, or \does not expect\, \is expected\, \anticipates\ or \does not anticipate\, \plans\, ?proposed?, \budget\, \scheduled\, \forecasts\, \estimates\, \believes\ or \intends\ or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results \may\ or \could\, \would\, \might\ or \will\ be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the anticipated benefits to the Company and its shareholders respecting the Company?s objectives, goals and exploration activities conducted and proposed to be conducted at the White Gold properties; future growth potential of the Company, including whether any further mineral resources will be established in accordance with NI 43-101 at any of the Company?s properties; exploration results; and future exploration plans.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: the expected benefits to the Company relating to the exploration conducted and proposed to be conducted at the White Gold properties; failure to expand or identify any additional mineral resources; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the White Gold properties and the Company?s other properties; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; title to properties; and those factors described under the heading \Risks and Uncertainties\ in the Company?s most recently filed management?s discussion and analysis. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the ?Exchange?) nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.TUV Rheinland at it-sa 2018: Cybersecurity in the industrial sector

Posted by Publisher Telecommunication

In today?s world, every device is connected through a network, from mobile phones, to computers to everyday items in your home. For almost 20 years, TUV Rheinland has been providing comprehensive advice in the field of cybersecurity to offer the right level of security within the framework of such networking. TUV Rheinland will have a booth and several presentations at it-sa, the largest IT security trade fair, in Nuremberg Oct. 9 ? 11. The booth will be located in the Technology Forum Hall 10.0, Stand 10.0-511.

Established trade fair for 10 years

\it-sa is the largest cybersecurity trade fair in Europe. The big players in the industry are represented here,\ says Bjorn Haan, Managing Director of the Cybersecurity business field. \I am delighted that we are able to present our customers, partners and the community with exactly the groundbreaking solutions and technologies that our customers expect from us, both on our exhibition floor and in the context of our presentations.?

Extensive lecture program

Wolfgang Kiener, Business Development Manager at TUV Rheinland, will present ?Reduce Time to Detect & Contain Cyber incidents\ on October 9th at 10:45 a.m. in the Technology Forum in Hall 10.0. Recent attacks on well-known companies show that preventive controls alone are not enough to combat the increasingly sophisticated threats to cybersecurity. The time it takes to identify and respond to threats can have a significant impact on the level of damage in a security incident.

Jorg Zimmermann, Principal in the Cybersecurity field at TUV Rheinland, will present ?Measures for Mastering the Complexity of Cybersecurity in the Context of Digital Transformation? on October 10th at 4:30 p.m. in the Management Forum in Hall 10.1.

In a live hacking lecture, TUV Rheinland experts Wolfgang Kiener and Benedikt Westermann will demonstrate how a potential attacker can penetrate into a production environment via various weak points in the corporate network and point out consequences this may have on October 11th at the Technik Forum, Hall 10.0

Dinner event on the first evening of the trade fair

In addition to the presentations, TUV Rheinland along with partner RSA will host a networking dinner on October 9th at 6 p.m. at the it-sa exhibition grounds in the Lisbon  NCC Mitte area. During the dinner, there will be an opportunity to exchange ideas with industry experts in addition to a specialist lecture. The event is free of charge upon registration.

600 specialists worldwide

For almost 20 years, TUV Rheinland has supported the private and public sectors with comprehensive consulting and solutions expertise in the areas of cybersecurity and telecommunications. This includes cybersecurity solutions, digital transformation consulting, telecommunications infrastructure planning, IT services, management consulting and support for innovative research projects.?More than?600 experts work in the Business Stream Digital Transformation & Cybersecurity worldwide.

All information about it-sa as well as voucher codes and registration for the Networking Dinner can be found at www.tuv.com/it-sa

TUV Rheinland ist ein weltweit fuhrender unabhangiger Prufdienstleister mit 145 Jahren Tradition. Im Konzern arbeiten uber 20.000 Menschen rund um den Globus. Sie erwirtschaften einen Jahresumsatz von knapp 2 Milliarden Euro. Die unabhangigen Fachleute stehen fur Qualitat und Sicherheit von Mensch, Technik und Umwelt in fast allen Wirtschafts- und Lebensbereichen. TUV Rheinland pruft technische Anlagen, Produkte und Dienstleistungen, begleitet Projekte, Prozesse und Informationssicherheit fur Unternehmen. Die Experten trainieren Menschen in zahlreichen Berufen und Branchen. Dazu verfugt TUV Rheinland uber ein globales Netz anerkannter Labore, Prufstellen und Ausbildungszentren. Seit 2006 ist TUV Rheinland Mitglied im Global Compact der Vereinten Nationen fur mehr Nachhaltigkeit und gegen Korruption. Website: www.tuv.comWe want to become better known for access control - Q&A with Bosch Building Technologies Gregor Schlechtriem

Gregor Schlechtriem has worked in the access control market for over 20 years and is now responsible for the Access & Intrusion Business Unit at Bosch Building Technologies. In this interview, the expert talks about key industry trends, the impact of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, technical innovations and his companys strategy. Mr. Schlechtriem, you have many years of experience in the security technology market. What is your background and what are your responsibilities as Senior Vice President at Bosch Building Technologies? Gregor Schlechtriem: I am a trained engineer and electrical technician, and have been involved with access control in the broadest sense, since I started my career in the late 1980s. I started in the field of parking garage technology and then switched to security technology in 2001, as Managing Director of micos GmbH, which specialised in traditional access control. micos GmbH was known for its highly available and highly secure access control systems, for critical infrastructure and government applications. Many systems from that time are still in use today and continue to be supported and upgraded. Bosch is continuing micos business here? Gregor Schlechtriem: Exactly, micos was taken over in 2004 by Bosch Security Systems, now known as Bosch Building Technologies. Since then, we have continuously been developing the access control business. Being part of the Bosch Building Technologies division, we benefit a lot from international cooperation with colleagues Being part of the Bosch Building Technologies division, we benefit a lot from international cooperation with colleagues and from overlap with other product lines, such as intrusion detection technology and video security. This gives us the opportunity to implement outstanding project solutions for demanding customers in an international environment. In developing this business, I rely on my experience from other interesting roles at Bosch that I took on, after micos was bought in 2004. For a time, I worked in the European System Integrator Business, which I also had the privilege of managing for several years, as well as being directly responsible for business units. In Fairport, USA, I had the overall responsibility for intrusion detection technology for many years, as I later did in Eindhoven for video systems. Since 2018, the global access control and intrusion detection business has once again been my direct responsibility. At Bosch Building Technologies, we have in the meantime assigned sales to the respective business units, so that we can develop our product and solution portfolio, in close cooperation with sales and our regular customers. Our main task now is to make our access control portfolio accessible to a broader market. We want to make Bosch much better known, as an access control provider, in the international market. After all, with our own access product portfolio, the power of the Bosch Group and over 40 years of experience in this sector, we have a lot to offer. As an expert in access control, how do you see the industry developing? In which direction is it currently evolving? Gregor Schlechtriem: First of all, I see that security requirements are constantly increasing. Whereas there are currently still simple key replacement systems that merely record card numbers, such an approach, to a large extent, no longer meets todays security and user experience requirements.The core task of access control has not changed over the years In the beginning, access control was more or less a kind of key replacement. Later, there was the possibility of increasing security via a pin code, i.e., via verification through simple data inputs. The next step in this direction was biometrics, which is another key step up, because it allows verification by means of unmistakable characteristics. However, the core task of access control has not changed over all the years and has basically always remained the same: access control means determining who has an access request and checking whether this request can be fulfilled. Whats next on this path to greater security? Gregor Schlechtriem: Biometrics-based access control is becoming increasingly powerful and user-friendly through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Here, data protection plays a major role, as wherever identities are established and movement data is recorded, it is necessary to reconcile the evolving technology with data protection.Biometrics-based access control is becoming increasingly powerful and user-friendly through the use of artificial intelligence The question of data protection is becoming even more significant, as systems increasingly migrate to the Cloud. Bosch puts particular emphasis on ensuring that, even in the cloud, the data generated in access control is always in line with data protection rules, regardless of where it is located. In my opinion, this trend towards the Cloud will continue, because companies are increasingly looking for complete service offerings, so that they can focus on their core business. Also, a system in the Cloud is easier to maintain and always up-to-date with the latest software, which makes cloud solutions even more attractive for providers and users. How can higher security be reconciled with a good user experience? Gregor Schlechtriem: Today, the card still plays a central role in the user experience, as the essential credential. Another current trend is one card for everything: with the increasing availability of secure multi-function smart cards, the possibility arises to use cards beyond the pure access function, for example, for payment in the canteen, at the catering and coffee machines, and in the parking garage, as well as simple access to other properties and so on.The security of cards has evolved significantly and kept pace with requirements The security of the cards, the reading and encryption processes, has evolved significantly and kept pace with requirements, although we are also facing an installed base that no longer meets these requirements, due to outdated systems. Today, it is standard for communications between reader and card to be encrypted. In some cases, the keys are also only held centrally to further increase security. The security systems industry was also affected by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. How do you think the industry has changed? What technical solutions have emerged during this time? Gregor Schlechtriem: First of all, there is a certain need for retrofitting in the industry due to changes in how buildings are used. For example, American retailers used to be open around the clock and always had staff on site. Now, due to COVID-19, stores are also closed, and this results in a whole new need for intrusion detection and access control systems to protect the buildings. For access control, an obvious task has arisen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely to track contacts, as far as this is compatible with data protection. We actually expected more to happen here, but in our observation, many companies did quite little, despite clear and simple steps that could have been implemented relatively quickly. The installed access control systems clearly lag behind the technical possibilities. Another topic that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus is hygiene Another topic that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus is hygiene. Companies should actually have invested in contactless systems here and retrofitted speed gates or motorised doors. But in many cases this was not put into practice. The door opener is still often used, which has to be operated manually and therefore, is touched multiple times. But, if everyone presses the same button, that doesn't help hygiene. Surprisingly, this is different in North America. Here, request-to-exit proximity detectors are used almost everywhere, which avoids this problem completely and releases the door, when an authorised person approaches it. Mobile access and smartphone-based access control are also growing markets. What kind of developments do you see in these areas? Gregor Schlechtriem: I already mentioned that users increasingly want to be able to use one card for several applications. But, what we are seeing here is that even with the most modern cards, which have a lot of applications loaded on them, we are reaching performance limits and the user experience suffers. If you compare the card with the smartphone as a credential, you have a much more attractive integration platform there, which is significantly faster and delivers much better performance. For us, the mobile credential or the smartphone is the future, because it simply offers more possibilities that the card will not be able to provide in the long term. What is the specific direction Bosch is taking here? Gregor Schlechtriem: We are currently working on a broad implementation. A whole team is working on the user experience around the smartphone, because its understood that smartphone-based access has to work just as easily, as it currently does with a card.A whole team is working on the user experience around the smartphone In theory it does, but if you look at some of the actual implementations, this topic is still relatively complex. In terms of user experience and automation, we still have quite a way to go, and we are working hard on that at the moment. The user experience is one side of the coin, the other side concerns establishing security in the smartphone as a whole. In other words: How do I make the smartphone secure enough as a mobile credential, to meet my access control requirements? We are also working intensively on this. That's actually an IT task. Do you do this yourself at Bosch or do you work with external experts here? Gregor Schlechtriem: We have our own powerful Bosch IT, which also manages our company smartphones. If our company smartphones are lost, the data on them is automatically deleted. The devices use biometrics to identify users, before they can access the data. It is a sound security concept that a card cannot offer. Moreover, we are working with other partners in the IDunion project, to create the additional infrastructure around mobile credentials as well. What exactly is the IDunion and what role does Bosch play? Gregor Schlechtriem: Digital identities must be openly accessible, widely usable, interoperable, and secure. This applies not only to access control, but to the digitised economy in general. The IDunion project has set itself the task of creating the infrastructure for this, in the form of an independent wallet, i.e., secure identity storage on smart devices. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWI), because digitisation is also a critical social issue. We are intensively involved in the Physical access to the building work package in this consortium. Through this involvement, we want to ensure that our access control systems benefit from this infrastructure and are open to future digital business models. Does digital identity management, which includes biometrics and mobile access, also play a role for Bosch? Yes, it plays an important role for us, and I wouldnt consider these topics separate Gregor Schlechtriem: Yes, it plays an important role for us, and I wouldnt consider these topics separate. For me, a mobile device has the advantage that it has already ensured and verified my identity from the moment of interaction. Thats the fascinating thing about it. If I only allow the device to communicate with the access control system, if I have identified myself first, I have implemented biometrics and access control together in a widely accepted process. From my point of view, this is a very interesting perspective, in terms of security and user experience, because the biometrics procedures in smartphones are, I think, the best currently available. In my view, the smartphone has the potential to take over central functions in access control in the future. What are your goals for the access control business of Bosch Building Technologies in the near future? Gregor Schlechtriem: We will continue to focus on specific solutions for large customers. That is the continuation of our current strategy. In these projects, we will introduce new topics as I have just described, i.e., primarily new technology elements. I believe that, precisely because of the longevity of access control, a long-term migration capability is also of particular importance. We want to reach out to the broader market and make more widely available, what we have developed in terms of technology and innovation. We are currently in the process of setting up and optimising our sales organisation, so that it becomes much more widely known that we at Bosch have our own powerful access control portfolio, which can be used for all kinds of applications. In addition, we want to differentiate ourselves in the market with our systems, in line with the motto of our founder, Robert Bosch: Technology for life. The user experience with Mobile Access should be simple, straightforward, and secure: You hold your smartphone in front of the reader and the door opens.Update: SpaceX has announced Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will fly around the moon on the BFR, along with six to eight artists. Read the full story here.

It's going to be a big night for space tourism. The private spaceflight company SpaceX will reveal its first passenger for a trip around the moon on the company's massive BFR rocket and you can watch it all live online. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has even dropped tantalizing previews of the BFR's new rocket design on Twitter.

SpaceX will unveil its BFR rocket passenger (the name stands for Big Falcon Rocket) in a webcast tonight (Sept. 17) at its Hawthorne, California headquarters. You can watch it live here, courtesy of SpaceX, beginning at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 Sept. 18 GMT).

The highlight anticipated reveal comes on the heels of SpaceX's surprise announcement late Thursday (Sept. 13) that it had signed its first passenger to fly around the moon on its BFR spaceship. The company has dubbed the flight the "BFR Lunar Mission." [The BFR in Images: SpaceX's Giant Spaceship for Mars & Beyond]

"SpaceX has signed the world's first private passenger to fly around the Moon aboard our BFR launch vehiclean important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space," SpaceX representatives announced on Twitter Thursday. "Find out whos flying and why on Monday, September 17."

See more

Musk, SpaceX's founder, has been dropping more clues about the passenger's identity and the BFR's new design ever since.

In a pair of early-morning Twitter posts today, Musk unveiled new artist renderings of the BFR spacecraft. The images appear to confirm changes to BFR's crewed spaceship, including three huge fins and a black, belly-mounted heat shield. The spacecraft will also feature a deployable "forward moving wing" near its nose, according to Musk.

See more

Late Thursday, Musk also dropped a hint of where SpaceX's BFR passenger may be from when he posted a single Japanese flag emoji on Twitter. Whoever the passenger is, it's a good bet he or she will be extremely wealthy. Trips to the International Space Station have cost upwards of $35 million for space tourists, and SpaceX's moon shot is aiming much higher.

"Only 24 humans have been to the Moon in history. No one has visited since the last Apollo mission in 1972," they added. That last NASA Apollo moon mission was Apollo 17 in December 1972.

And then there's the rocket.

Musk first unveiled SpaceX's BFR launch system in 2016 as the dedicated spacecraft and booster it will use launch the people and cargo needed to build a Mars colony. In 2017, Musk refined those plans with a leaner BFR spacecraft and booster, but the essence of the design a giant spaceship capable of flying 100 people and a booster to launch it into orbit remained the same. BFR also has another nickname at SpaceX, the not-safe-for-work Big F****** Rocket.

Musk has said he hopes BFR could be ready for an unpiloted trip to Mars in 2022, with a crewed flight to follow in 2024.

Musk has also said the BFR launch system would ultimately replace SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. It will be able to launch up to 150 tons to low-Earth orbit (more than NASA's Saturn V moon rocket), fly to the moon, Mars or other destinations, and even fly passenger trips around Earth, Musk has said.

As you await SpaceX's big announcement tonight, do remember that the company has made an announcement like this before.

In 2017, Musk announced that SpaceX would launch two passengers around the moon as early as this year using its heavy-lift Falcon Heavy rocket and crewed Dragon spacecraft. But when SpaceX launched its first Falcon Heavy flight in February, Musk said those plans had changed and SpaceX would not pursue a crewed version of the Falcon Heavy rocket. [The Evolution of SpaceX's Rockets in Pictures]

Instead, the company would focus on the BFR for future flights. In May, SpaceX confirmed it would not be flying its passenger moon flight this year to the Washington Post.

Still, the BFR still has a long way to go before it can launch its passenger around the moon.

Musk has said the crewed spacecraft could potentially begin making unpiloted suborbital test hops at SpaceX's rocket proving grounds in Texas in 2019. The company might base those tests at its newest site near Brownsville, Texas, which has a lot of empty space in case of a failure, Musk has said.

And of course, SpaceX still has to actually build the BFR. Earlier this year, the company signed a deal with the Port of Los Angeles for space to build a facility to build its BFR rockets.

But who will fly on the first BFR passenger flight around the moon? And how has the massive spacecraft's design changed since last year? We'll have to wait until tonight to find those out.

Visit Space.com tonight for complete coverage of SpaceX's BFR moon shot announcement.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.



This week on Mayans showed that being a good wife and being a devoted mother are two very different things when your child is threatened. We also learned more about the toll the deal EZ made is taking on him and his relationships. Let's discuss.



Trust



The rabbit jumped and rocked Emily's world. We had to watch a desperate and defiant Emily fight against the rebels who eventually ripped her young son Cristobal from her arms and it was heart wrenching. Sarah Bolger didn't have a lot to work with in the pilot, but here we saw a devastated mother trying to stop a gang from taking the one who mattered most away from her. The curious thing is how this character reconciles being with someone like Miguel knowing who and what he does as a profession. That world bled into her life and she could no longer sit back and pretend to turn a blind eye. Emily wants to know everything that her husband Miguel is doing to get their child back, and he is trying to avoid letting her know what those things are.Miguel in all of this is a conflicted father torn between familial obligation and the birthright of running his father's cartel no matter the personal cost. He calls on the Mayans to assist him and we learn more about his marriage and where he stands with the regime that still remains from his father. There are also tense moments that let us know that EZ is well aware who his former girlfriend is married to and vice versa. The tense exchange when Miguel tells the club his son was missing and EZ blurting out the question of Emily's safety was all we needed to know when it comes to where are these players stand in the triangle. EZ obviously lives with the knowledge that Emily married a very powerful and dangerous man, and it most likely eats away at him like most things that were taken from his former life. Back to Miguel, it is hard to imagine feeling sympathy for a man that brutally tortures a man whose only fault is driving his ice-cream truck past where a rebel group is making a propaganda video describing why they are targeting his cartel, yet I feel for the struggle of missing his child.The cracks of the Emily/Miguel marriage clearly show in this episode when she begs him not to retaliate after the video and he agrees until his mother tells the story of his older brother being taken at a young age and his father refusing to bend to the rebels. We learn that Miguel thought his brother died of pneumonia when in fact he was murdered due to a trader in his father's midst and his father striking back to show force. Miguel agrees to do the same and okays the burning of the ice cream man and his son as a message to Adelita's rebels. When Miguel avoids her, Emily knows something is wrong and this leads her straight to Felipe's butcher shop and EZ. This was a very interesting way to get those two in the same room, but it worked perfectly to show their shared connection.Emily and EZ share their first meaningful scene in the present and I for one was captivated. Seeing her go to him cards on the table about her son was heartbreaking but also insightful for what these two mean to one another. It was real on both fronts because they obviously have a trust that Miguel doesn't share with her, and that's why she ended up there. EZ in return, didn't keep club business to himself and told her that Miguel had indeed retaliated, and that he would help her get Cristobal back. These interactions have all the hallmarks of a tragic, yet engaging love story and I am looking forward to seeing more. Miguel and Emily are now deeply fractured and Emily fell back to the place that makes her secure in EZ..... This will get messy and I am more than sure I cannot wait to see the angst.Aside from dealing with Miguel's son, we get to see the Mayans deal with day-to-day club doings while seeking out a member of the DogWood crew, Louie, who is not holding up his end of a deal. This was a little murky in the beginning for my taste because I for one had no idea what this had to do with the story until they caught him. A little more clarity would have been nice as Angel, Coco, EZ and others tracked this guy from his apartment to a dog kennel/back alley detox center. Louie seems like a throwaway character for punchlines and a way to introduce more of Coco's backstory. They needed more information on the drug running from him and to get a larger cut because they had to seek him out. They turn a blind eye to him being involved in underage girls participating in porn until Coco's 'sister' was involved (BTW, Coco doesn't have a younger sister involved, but it worked nicely to scare him). All of this confusing drama was interrupted by Miguel's above mentioned drama and I for one was happy, because I was thoroughly confused. Hopefully we will get more on this dynamic later.The Mayans crew once again intersects with Miguel's needs when his son goes missing. In these scenes we get to see how much the club despises working for him and the power he holds. EZ mouthing off to Miguel about not treating people like peasants was awesome and the fact he didn't get clocked in the jaw this time but praised by Bishop and El Padrino was a cool moment. Bishop really showed what kind of leader he is and dare I say, I like his leadership style. He lets his club do their thing and is there for support. I still am scared by the fact that Angel and EZ are working on opposite sides of him and worry we have not seen how brutal he can be when threatened. Time and more episodes will tell where this will land for the Reyes men.Another very important piece to Mayans being Mayans is the fact that Angel is the key to finding Miguel's son but he can't let the club know that. EZ knows about the deal and is wanting Angel to contact Adelita about what is going on. Angel toes the line most of the episode until the end when he goes to Mexico and asks Adelita about Cristobal. This deal is complex because Angel has aligned himself with Adelita's crew, so he can't just demand that they return Emily and Miguel's son. He must tread carefully but at least finds out that the boy is alive and being taken care of. I do think she could have given him a heads up that this was going down so he wasn't blindsided and scrambling to maintain composure. Another interesting tidbit from this interaction is that Angel seems to feel more for Adelita than her just being an ally. What is THEIR past? The Reyes boys sure do seem to be drawn to complicated and unavailable women don't they? I hope we get more of Angel and Adelita's personal connection in coming episodes because it could provide more clarity about how he got to going against his club to help her.* The emotional scene with EZ and Felipe was heartbreaking. EZ was desperate and willing to turn to his DEA handler to help with Emily's son and it added more layers to how deeply he loves her. He also cracked about his brother and how much he loves Angel and what this doing to him. In turn, Felipe reassured his son that he has to trust himself and do what he needs which was a great father/son moment. My issue here is the distance with Felipe and Angel, I need to know why they stay away from each other and I hope we get that next episode.* Coco's backstory is being planted. We see him oddly searching the porn site and then see him find his mother who is a prostitute. I think it is great that they expanding the stories past the Reyes and Galindo family and I am looking forward to seeing if his mom plays into the bigger story.* I squealed when Chucky from sons was at the Mayans junkyard. That guy is the cockroach of the SOAverse and it was funny that he some how ended up down there helping this club.* I think Emily needs to be careful going to EZ like that. Miguel's people are clearly loyal, he may not be too pleased she ran off to him even though she told them she was getting a roast. I doubt Miguel will buy that.* Anyone else get the vibe that Miguel's mom is lying about his brother?Amazon debuted on Monday an extension of its website called Amazon Storefronts, offering more than a million products from some 20,000 small and mid-sized businesses in the United States.

The website includes buttons organizing products across more than two dozen categories to include handmade, back to school, holidays and the home. Each week, the website at www.amazon.com/storefronts will post a video highlighting a storefront of the week and its owner, with a focus on artisans, family-owned businesses, those run by women or innovator makers in Amazons words.Boehringer Ingelheim continued its deep dive into immunological therapy by acquiring a company and forming a partnership with a university in China.

BI announced late last week it has acquired ViraTherapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of oncolytic, or cancer cell destroying, viral therapies. ViraTherapeutics will operate in Innsbruck, Austria, as a unit of BIs Discovery Research organization.

BI is based in Ingelheim, Germany, and has its North American headquarters in Ridgefield.

The acquisition marked the latest move in BIs commitment to research and development of viral-based immune-oncology treatment.

We are committed to investing in early research with promise and where our expertise best complements the strengths of our partners, Dr. Michel Pairet, member of Boehringer Ingelheims board of managing directors, said in a release. Together, we aim to discover breakthrough medical treatments to transform the lives of patients and win the fight against cancer.

Oncolytic viral therapy is a two-pronged approach to cancer treatment. First, the virus replicates in and kills cancer cells. Second, viral infection educates the immune system to recognize the same cancer cells, leading to the killing of infected and non-infected cancer cells.

BI and ViraTherapeutics are working to develop a next generation oncolytic viral therapy platform.

The acquisition  is the conclusion of a trusting and close cooperation over two years, Dr. Heinz Schwer, CEO of ViraTherapeutics, said. We are highly optimistic that our  programs and technology will complement Boehringer Ingelheims immuno-oncology franchise and will serve as a source of innovative, new treatment options for patients living with cancer.

ViraTherapeutics was a portfolio company of EMBL Ventures and the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, or BIVF, which is focused on investment in innovative biotechnology and startup medical science companies to help drive innovation in medical science.

New partnership

BI also announced recently a new collaboration with Tsinghua University in Beijing to develop novel therapy approaches that rally the immune system against infectious diseases using the principles of immune modulation.

Immuno-infection is a new focus area of BIs Research Beyond Borders department.

The partners will establish the Boehringer Ingelheim-Tsinghua University Joint Research Center at the school for scientists from BI and the university.

Infectious diseases such as lower respiratory tract infections are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. In China, chronic hepatitis B and tuberculosis are of high prevalence and associated with high mortality.

Lending a hand

Last week, the BI legal department held at Ethan Allen Hotel in Danbury its seventh annual Free Community Seminar for nonprofit organizations in Connecticut and New York. The event is part of the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundations skills-based volunteering program in which employees apply their workplace experience to help local nonprofit groups reach their goals.

The all-day event was free of charge to employees of nonprofit organizations. Speakers discussed a variety of topics, such as employment law, social media, records management, copyright law and fundraising.

Supporting our community nonprofit organizations through this pro bono seminar is the highlight of our year in the Boehringer Ingelhiem legal department, Sheila Denton, senior vice president, general counsel at Boehringer Ingelheim USA, said.STAMFORD  Actor Gene Wilder was known for his comedic timing.

But the longtime Stamford resident was also an intellectual, a writer and a patron of the arts, particularly in the city he called home. From about 2004 to 2012, film buffs came from near and far for Wilders Picks, where the actor presented two classic films he loved, as well as one of his own works, over the course of three months. His wife, Karen Wilder, often interviewed him about the movie before the screening.

They had a wonderful repertoire, recalls Deborah Royce, a Greenwich resident, former actress and friend of the Wilders. It was great to sit and listen to them...What really came through from Gene was his absolute intelligence and humor. He wasnt cracking jokes. That sparkle in his eye that you saw in his films, you definitely saw in person. He was just a brilliant man. They together were an extraordinary couple.

Wilders brilliance and work is now forever commemorated in front of the Avon Theatre via a pyramid sculpture and mural depicting him as characters from his films. The piece, auctioned off by Stamfords Downtown Special Services District (DSSD), was purchased by Royce, an Avon board member and co-founder who donated it to the theater.

When that sculpture came upm it was meaningful to us, Royce said. Gene Wilder is and always will be a part of Stamford history.

The Wilder tribute arrives to Bedford Street shortly before the departure of the last lingering piece of the summer 2018 art series. Forever Marilyn, the 26-foot Marilyn Monroe sculpture in Latham Park that was partly sponsored by Royce and her family, will be taken down on Sept. 25, according to Kate Cook, of the DSSD. The rest of the proportionately life-sized statues were removed earlier this month, but Cook said Marilyn, who became as popular a draw as Wilders Picks, will need to be more carefully disassembled with the help of a crane.

Cook said the DSSD will see if foot traffic drops in Latham Park once the 30,000-pound statue is removed. The group installed a pedestrian counter in the park earlier in the summer to measure how many people the iconic blonde attracted to the area.

Its really brought exposure to such a great park we have downtown that honestly a lot of people dont even know, Cook said. Its been great to not only have exposure for the park, but bring more people out. I dont think Ive ever driven past Marilyn without seeing a dozen people out.

erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayataSTAMFORD  Three new developments that call for increased density and some demolition of old structures in the city have accomplished a rare feat  snagging endorsements from neighbors and preservationists.

The three  one approved, the other two slated for hearings this month  all call for adapting old brick buildings for new uses and building atop or in addition. Some aspects of the near-century old buildings will be demolished, but the brick core will be left alone. The re-use stands in contrast to the city norm dating to Urban Renewal in the 1960s and perpetuated amid a current bulldozing building boom, or so-called progress by tear down.

In the South End, neighbors who fight what they see as encroaching new development erasing their historic district lauded a new effort last week to build in the heart of it. And in downtown where preservationists are grieving the loss of one St. John cylindrical tower, they backed a proposal to turn an 1890 office building into apartments.

Meanwhile, a 25,000-square-foot antiques store in Shippan built in 1968 will soon become nearly 40 apartments - some built on the roof. The project met with little opposition at hearings this summer.

All three projects include some demolition  Shippans, at 614 Shipppan Ave., will incur the loss of a next door home, the South Ends industrial-era factory will lose an 80-year-old annex and downtowns office building will see its facade, one of two veneers it has had, scraped away.

Renee Kahn, founder of the citys Historic Neighborhood Preservation Program, said she has seen an uptick in developers seeking preservation, there have been some 10 ideas floated this year compared with two during an average year.

Kahn consults city boards and land-use staffers when developers apply to re-use historic structures.

Theyre coming in like the transom has broken, she said. Im shocked. Im delighted.

Land Use Bureau Chief Ralph Blessing said there are often plans to switch commercial space to residential  especially downtown where the zoning code incentivizes it  but historic conversion is more rare. The older the building, the more difficult it is to restore, he said.

The recent spike is likely a coincidence, he said.

Its conditions  its the layout of the current building, Blessing said. If your floor-to-ceiling height is too low, or too high, for example, it might not create conditions that make for a an easy re-use.

Jason Klein, a land use attorney who successfully oversaw the Shippan plan to city approval and will on Monday pitch converting a 1917 former machine-shop in the South End into a modern office, said the key is finding those buildings that you can work with.

The South End project, at 583 Pacific Street, calls for razing a one-story annex and replacing it with four stories of office space for textile design company Caro Home.

At a South End Neighborhood Revitalization Zone meeting last week, Caros owner and designer Carolina Feinstein said the old building was a perfect fit and the South End was where she wanted her team of a dozen designers to be.

Klein said the issue of parking can be the biggest obstacle to conversion.

The lots are so small, he said. Cars werent really cars back then so its really hard to preserve those buildings with with 20th-century parking regulations.

To make these kinds of projects easier, zoning code allows for some nonconformities in historic buildings and incentivizes preservation with density bonuses, such as scrapping front-yard requirements.

The oldest of the buildings in question, 36 Atlantic St., which was built before the turn of the century, is both a historic conversion and a commercial-to-residential switch. It calls for adding two stories and completing the third story for a total of 20 units.

The street-level floor, where sportswear seller Scout Adventure & Sport Scape now is, will remain retail.

Kahn believes the South End project will be a good addition and a well done conversion project, but she has some reservations about the Atlantic Street plan.

She hopes the developer restores the facade to its original masonry, a picture of which she forward the architect recently, she said.

Theyre trying to go back to original appearance and see if the historic brick remains, she said.

Kahn didnt consult on the Shippan Avenue project, but said anything would be a vast improvement over the dull warehouse it has long been.

barry.lytton@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2263; @bglyttonSTAMFORD  Two construction workers were injured on Monday when large chunks of reinforced steel and concrete collapsed from the roof of an empty structure on Canal Street.

The workers were part of a crew demolishing the 90,000-square-foot building at 860 Canal St.

One of the workers was cutting through the concrete structure on the roof of the hollowed-out building when the floor gave way, sending him falling to the floor below, said Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Tripodi. A second worker on the floor below the roof was also injured, he said.

The situation appeared as if it could have been worse, as pieces of concrete and steel were dangling from the roof structure after the incident. It was unclear how much of the roof actually fell to the floor below.

One of the men suffered a minor injury, according to Stamford Police Chief Jon Fontneau.

The other was evacuated by a fire ladder. Tripodi said the man was secured to a bucket at the end of the ladder and lowered to the ground, allowing him to evacuate the structure safely.

Fontneau said the demolition crew has been working on the site for months, tearing the structure down little by little.

The Canal Street building was sold to Stamford Media Village for $7.6 million late last year. The new building is expected to be a production facility that could include a brewery. The building, which stands next to a marina, is expected to open by the summer of 2019.

Tripodi said demolition work comes with many risks.

Building demolition is a very dangerous job, he said. There are inherent hazards with any type of demolition work.

Tripodi said workers on site were complying with the safety measures of wearing helmets and using harnesses.

The site is managed by A. Pappajohn Company, a Norwalk construction company.

Representatives from the company declined to comment for this story.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.comEditors Note: Inspire Me is a series in which entrepreneurs and leaders share what motivates them through good times and bad, while also sharing stories of how they overcame challenges in hopes of inspiring others.

Like many entrepreneurs, FindSpark co-founder and CEO Emily Miethner solved a problem that she, herself, struggled with. Miethner graduated during the height of the recession with a degree in fine arts and design. After leaving school, she was able to land a job in working in social media management at a publishing house and then a startup, but all the while, she saw how difficult it was for her fellow creatives to get a foothold in the industries of their choice.

Even for me, as someone who identified outgoing and a people person, I found a lot of situations when it came to finding internships or networking daunting, Miethner recalled to Entrepreneur. I thought, if I was an extrovert, and I'm finding this daunting, then I understand why other people my age don't like networking or understand the power of it, because they haven't really done it successfully yet.

So she worked to demystify networking, organizing events, job boards, career fairs and resources all geared towards students and recent grads. It started as a side hustle, but in 2013, she decided to make the leap and start running the company full time after spending her mornings, nights, lunches and weekends dedicated to helping FindSpark succeed.

Five years later, the company has held more than 250 career programs for a community of more than 28,000 young professionals, helping to place them at big name companies ranging from Buzzfeed and Grey Advertising to LOreal and Ralph Lauren. After several years as an entirely New York-based operation, FindSpark recently expanded to open a Chicago headquarters.

Miethner says that during stressful moments when she feels like she is juggling a million things at once, she seeks inspiration from her own carefully cultivated network and takes a moment to feel grateful for the relationships she has been able to form over the years, not just for herself, but for the talented young people who came after her.

I wanted to make networking fun and inclusive and welcoming, says Miethner. That is what enable us to grow this really incredible, talented diverse group of members that employers want to connect with.

Miethner shared her insights about the importance of generosity and how to make your connections count.

What inspires you at work?

Hearing success stories from our members and our clients is the best. For our members success can be anything from finally launching a personal website, landing a job or an internship or reaching out to someone they admire and getting an inspirational interview. For our employers, helping them get awesome people on their team whom they might not have otherwise connected with.

Who was a mentor that inspired you?

I had a professor who has been a huge inspiration. He's the one that really helped to instill the importance of networking in me as a student. I think seeing someone like him who was so generous in making these connections [made a difference]. He had this really amazing speaker come in like two years prior to my being a student in his class. I fell in love with this guy's work. His name is Evan Roth, and he is this incredibly cool artist.

I remember telling [my professor] that he should have [Evan] come back in and speak again, and he invited him back because I asked him. I got to meet [Evan] in person after admiring his work. And for another speaker, I emailed [my professor] and asked if he would introduce me after his talk. He looped him into the email chain and said, Emily is one of my best students, and she really wants to meet you. I got two internships through that referral. Not everybody is that generous. Of course, in networking, things will not work out so easily, but they can. Having someone like him who showed me that if you're just constantly putting yourself out there, those sort of things happen, instilled in me my desire to pass on the joy of connecting. Now that I have a really strong network, I try to do that as much as possible.

What has inspired you to be a better person?

I do not always mention this, but I do think it's really important to have a supportive partner in your life. That has such a big impact on you. My fiance is also an entrepreneur and definitely has been a huge motivator and supporter. We've collaborated on a lot of projects together. We're always like calling each other to do more and do better and supporting each other through difficulties. I always love seeing other entrepreneurial couples who co-founded things or worked together.

Who is a woman that inspires you?

A woman whom I admire the most is the CEO and co-founder of BeautyCon, Moj Mahdara. She's just incredible. BeautyCon and that community is all about supporting diversity and expression. She takes the time to inspire and motivate other people and to share her story. Seeing someone like her, who's a woman founder, LGBT and a person of color -- she puts herself out there all the time and also shares how hard it is to be a CEO. She talks about traveling and missing her family. It's very clear that she loves her work, but I think she also puts it out there that shows it's incredibly hard work. She's shows the real side of things.

For those women who are looking to start a business, or have begun one, but are feeling discouraged, what advice do you have for them to keep going?

Remember when things get tough, that as an entrepreneur, [you will have] more control over your future and your work and your life. That sort of control [is] really valuable. It's very scary, and it's a very big responsibility -- but it is also a motivation.

Related:

This Young Entrepreneur Started a Company to Harness the Power of Networking and Help Her Community Hustle

Women Entrepreneurs: Here's How to Meet Your Growth Goals This Year

This Executive's Mother Passed Away Right Before Her Wedding. Here's How She Moved Forward -- and How the Tragedy Inspired a New Career Trajectory.



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedSTAMFORD  One of the men behind the heroin spoon sculpture placed in front of OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharmas headquarters as a publicity stunt was granted relief from his charges on Monday.

Judge Richard Comerford accepted Fernando Alvarezs application for accelerated rehabilitation, or AR, which would essentially clear him of all charges if he complies with a year-long request to stay away from Purdue Pharma.

Alvarez, who owns an art gallery bearing his name on Bedford Street, was arrested in June after placing the 11-foot-long, 4-foot-high spoon sculpture, created by artist Domenic Esposito, in front of Purdue Pharma on Tresser Boulevard. He was charged with obstruction of free passage and interfering with police.

Alvarez qualified for AR, said attorney Rebecca Brown, because he did not commit a serious crime and does not have a criminal record. Further, she said, he is not at great risk of reoffending.

The heroin spoon, which was returned to Esposito last month and is currently on exhibit at Alvarez gallery, was an art piece meant to draw attention to the opioid epidemic. Espositos brother has struggled with drug addiction, and there have been frequent protests in front of Purdue Pharmas corporate offices over the last year.

Were happy with the outcome, said Brown, an associate attorney with Calhoun & Lawrence in White Plains, New York. We support Mr. Alvarez cause and we hope hes able to continue to get the message out.

If Alvarez were to be arrested in the next 12 months, the accelerated rehabilitation would be nulled, and the initial charges against him would be reinstated. He would no longer be eligible for the program, said Brown.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.comC ake maker Finsbury Food Group on Monday revealed it is hunting for more UK-based eggs and butter suppliers in preparation for Brexit.

The AIM-listed baker updated on contingency planning as it warned on potential higher bills. The firm said: The group is likely to face higher logistics costs and administration costs due to increased custom border checks, and will require higher stock levels due to lengthening delivery times for ingredients.

Chief executive John Duffy said a number of butter and egg products are imported from the continent, including Holland. He is now looking at getting more from Britain.

Duffy told the Standard: I dont ever envisage a scenario where we cant bake cakes and have them on supermarket shelves. However, in the event of a hard Brexit, we may have to put up the price of some products if they contain certain ingredients that become more expensive once we leave the EU.

His comments came as Finsbury Food Group posted a 65.7% fall in pretax profits to 4.5 million. That was linked to the closure of the firms loss making pastry business Grain DOr.F inancial markets are already assuming Britain will crash out of the EU, a top European bank boss said on Monday.

In a key week for Brexit talks, UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti said the bank has chosen Frankfurt to be its post-Brexit European Union hub and has made worst-case scenario plans.

Ermotti told Bloomberg: The financial system is already operating on the assumption that there is no agreement, between the UK and EU.

Whatever is going to happen from now onwards, its not going to make the exercise less expensive.

If other banks copy UBS, the long predicted drift of business away from the City could begin in earnest.

UBS reckons that it will have to spend more than $100 million (76.4 million) on Brexit, including the cost of moving staff from London. EU regulators say that they expect banks to establish full-scale, stand-alone operations within the 27 remaining member states as soon as possible.

Ermotti said the impact of Britains decision to leave the EU has already been felt, with companies pulling back across the continent.

Its a complication that undermines the willingness to make investments, he said. In the UK and in general in Europe this has been something that has prevented people taking action and investing for the future.

Until recently, fears of a City exodus appeared overblown. Many banks have pulled back from threats to move bankers overseas, with most experts expecting London to retain its status as a leading financial centre.

It did lose the top spot to New York last week however. Meanwhile, UBS rival Deutsche Bank is planning to shift billions in assets from London to Frankfurt. Deutsche, struggling to revamp its business under new chief executive Christian Sewing, is under pressure from regulators over the size of its UK operations.

It could move most of its 600 billion in London-based assets back to Germany. Sewing has pledged to keep a significant presence in London after Brexit. Deutsche has 8,000 London staff.

Last week Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned a chaotic no deal Brexit would see house prices crash by a third. That would put intense pressure on banks, risking another crash.O ne of Unilevers top 10 shareholders on Monday predicted the consumer goods giant will struggle in its bid to move its headquarters to the Netherlands.

David Cumming, chief investment officer at Aviva Investors, which has a 1.4% stake in Dove soap, Magnum ice cream and Colmans mustard maker Unilever, thinks the firm will struggle to get the votes needed to end its dual UK-Dutch ownership structure.

The firm will need the backing of 75% of UK shareholders and 50% of non-UK shareholders to progress.

Cumming told the BBC: "I think they may struggle to reach 75%."

In another statement today he said: "We will be voting against the proposal to relinquish its UK domicile in favour of Rotterdam. Unilevers decision appears to be a defensive response to recent governance challenges and consequently will not create any value for shareholders.

Unilever, which has been based in London and Rotterdam for nearly a century, first announced in March that it had picked the latter city for its sole legal headquarters.

It will put the move to shareholders in the Dutch and UK entities next month. If it gets the green light it will retain a listing in London but leave the FTSE, which will mean the stock is less likely to be included in UK managers portfolios.

Avivas Cumming said: A material number of long-standing supportive UK shareholders will become forced sellers due to the resultant removal of this high-quality company from the FTSE All Share and FTSE 100 indices.

Unilever thinks the move will make its governance more transparent and make it easier to take part in major acquisitions.

The FTSE 100 firm added that it has engaged extensively with investors and it believes the vast majority supported the boards proposal.L ets do the maths. There are 650 MPs in the Commons. Because some of the MPs hold jobs such as the Speaker, and Sinn Fein dont take their seats, the magic number you need to win a vote is 320. The Conservatives only have 315 MPs, plus two who are suspended. They also have an expensive alliance with the nine Democratic Unionist Party MPs, which means that on most votes on most issues they just clear the hurdle for a majority.

But not on the Prime Ministers Chequers proposals . In fact, Downing Street is nowhere near close to the numbers needed to win a parliamentary vote. Hardline Tory Brexiteers say they wont back it because, to use Boris Johnsons language today, it would coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of the EU. Reports of a technological solution to the Irish border issue are a red herring. The EU is set this week to reject the central Chequers idea of dividing the single market, and the Brexit hardliners wont accept the other central idea of adopting the rules and judgments of the EU.

Its not clear yet how many other Tory MPs are in the Johnson/David Davis camp. One of their leaders says the number will be around 80. Others who are doing the counting put it at more like 40. Either way, that cuts the Governments forces to well under 300. On top of that, pro-Europeans such as Ken Clarke and Anna Soubry will never support any plan to take Britain out of the single market. Moderates who want the UK to be in the EEA for now, such as Nick Boles, also say they wont back it.

So how does Chequers get through the Commons? Ask the Cabinet and its members say, privately, Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru, Green and Liberal Democrats MPs will vote for it. Thats the other 315 MPs, plus some Tory pro-European waverers, who the Prime Minister is appealing to today when she says the alternative [to Chequers] will be having no deal. Note the switch of tactics. Previously Theresa May was trying to keep the hardliners on board by saying: its Chequers or no Brexit. But that plan fell apart. So now its Chequers or no deal.

No deal

This approach clearly isnt designed to frighten Brexit hardliners  they now positively welcome no deal, with their European Research Group publishing papers last week saying it would even boost the economy. What the Chequers or no deal choice is aimed at, therefore, are the pro-European MPs in the rest of Parliament.

But Downing Street is making a foolish miscalculation. For a start, it just isnt what oppositions do. Ask the dwindling number of Tory ministers who were once shadow ministers how many times they backed Messrs Blair and Brown. Almost never. Theres always an excuse to vote against, which is why Tory oppositions found themselves finding convenient reasons to oppose ideas they backed, such as tuition fees and foundation hospitals. The Tory opposition only very rarely backed the Government, on issues such as Trident and academy schools, when it would cause maximum embarrassment to the then Prime Minister. But now the opposition senses it can go one better: bring down a weak Prime Minister and precipitate an early election.

But surely, ministers say in private, the Labour and Lib-Dem MPs wouldnt knowingly join hardline Brexiteers and plunge the country into an economic mess? Its not a great line when thats precisely what the IMF says today the Cabinet is doing with Chequers  reminding Britains political class that milder versions of Brexit, such as remaining in the EEA, do less damage. The Labour and Lib-Dem leaderships have made it very clear in the past week that they will not vote for Chequers.W ho are the high priests of the modern world? If were focusing on religious candidates alone, the Archbishop of Canterbury is likely to be near the top of the list. Justin Welbys speech at the TUC Conference last week ticked all the usual boxes: support the vulnerable; chase the tax avoiders; resist populism.

Arguably, however, other high priests are more important for our material (as opposed to our spiritual) wellbeing. While the Archbishop has prayer and faith in his armoury, he has no direct control over, for example, the levers of monetary policy. They are ultimately the Governor of the Bank of Englands responsibility. Mark Carney is, I submit, the UKs most influential high priest.

On Thursday, Carney allegedly told the Cabinet that a bad Brexit might lead to house prices falling by around 35 per cent. Of course, only a handful of people were in Downing Street to hear his words of wisdom and those who subsequently briefed the media almost certainly got hold of the wrong end of the stick. The Banks worst-case scenario was not, it turns out, a bad Brexit story but instead an example of the Banks (perfectly sensible) desire to stress-test the financial system in the most extreme circumstances imaginable.

Both the Archbishops actual words and the Governors alleged ones suggest, however, that were in danger of losing touch with the UKs biggest long-term challenge. The Archbishops biblical language of rich and poor pays no heed to the extraordinary gains in living standards witnessed in the UK over the past 200-odd years alongside the much more recent period of stagnation. Meanwhile, the Bank of England, like the Treasury, is so engaged in Brexit firefighting that it has not had time to think about why growth has recently been so weak.

The Archbishops anxieties regarding rich and poor are, of course, understandable. Although annual GDP per capita in England today is probably just shy of 30,000, that number is inflated by the incomes of the super-rich (in the same way that the batting average of the Indian Test team is hugely elevated thanks to the exploits of its captain, Virat Kohli, the worlds best batsman). Most people get by on considerably less and those at the bottom of the income distribution on a lot less.

These numbers must be placed in historical context. In 1956, the year in which Archbishop Welby was born, per capita GDP in todays prices was a mere 8,832. In 1611, the year in which the King James Bible was first published (and a couple of centuries ahead of the Industrial Revolution), per capita GDP was a tiny 1,188. Incomes were only half that in Roman times. There are people in the world today living, tragically, on those kinds of incomes  most obviously in the poorest parts of Africa  but not in the UK. We are all  both rich and poor  better off than previous generations. Growth matters.

For much of the post-war period, UK living standards rose in real terms between 20 and 30 per cent from one decade to the next. Over the past 10 years, however, theyve risen by a rather hopeless four per cent. Tax revenues have come in lower than expected. Public spending increases have been limited to health and pensions, a reflection of population ageing: there have been cuts elsewhere. The burden of disappointment has fallen on young adults where incomes are typically lower now than they were ahead of the 2008 global financial crisis.

Periods of stagnation are too often associated with an unpleasant battle over the spoils. One persons gain is another persons loss. An expanding pie, in contrast, is one in which everyone can be better off, whether or not inequality is on the rise. The tragedy of Brexit is that were no longer focused on the UKs fundamental growth challenge. Were spending too much time debating the colour of passports, the validity of driving licences and the stockpiling of drugs and not enough understanding why productivity growth is so weak.

Paradoxically, it may be that technological advance is contributing to disappointing productivity performance. The spread of zero-hours contracts and the gig economy reflects the enhanced ability of companies to hire workers by the hour or task thanks to the increasingly widespread use of hiring apps. This, in turn, creates another batting average effect. People who, in earlier times, wouldnt have found work at all might end up doing a few hours one week, a few the next. Their presence both reduces unemployment and lowers the average level of productivity (and wages). Weirdly, it seems productivity growth is being dented by the emergence of new technologies. Were all in danger of becoming Luddites.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell thinks he has the solution, suggesting the Bank of England should be set an annual productivity growth target of three per cent. Yet the last time the UK regularly managed to achieve productivity growth at that kind of pace was in the first half of the Eighties when Thatcherism was in full flow. Soaring unemployment created another batting average effect. Those who lost their jobs were typically less productive than those who remained in work: it was the equivalent of keeping the specialist batsmen on the payroll and letting the bowlers go.

Meanwhile, no one has explained how the Bank would set about achieving Mr McDonnells goal. Should the Bank be involved in nitty-gritty lending decisions? Should it be encouraging banks to lend only to those industries that a future government has identified as winners? Should the Bank be recreated in the image of Gosplan, the Soviet State Planning Committee?

None of this sounds plausible. I can, however, offer another alternative. If all else fails, we should perhaps all pray for a productivity renaissance. If so, the next Bank of England Governor should be the Archbishop of Canterbury.Riccardo Tisci has already made it clear he is determined to make his mark on British brand, Burberry.

In the five months leading up to his London Fashion Week debut he already changed the brand iconic logo and made the brand fur-free for the first time ever.

On Monday evening, he finally showcased his first Spring/Summer 2019 collection and amongst the 50 shades of beige trench coats, dresses and trousers, there was one thing that stood out from the crowd: Tisci had changed Burberry's iconic check.

The red, black and beige print that has been the brand's most recognisable trademark for generations has now been altered into a more contemporary stripe.

Tisci gave a sneak peek of the check on Burberry's Instagram mere hours before the show, citing its inspiration as "Burberry Wallpaper, 1998-2000".

Burberry's new check by Tisci / AFP/Getty Images

As well as changing the iconic nova check, Tisci also introduced pieces in his new striking white, orange and beige Burberry logo.

The monogram, which features the letters 'T' and 'B' - which stand for the label's founder, Thomas Burberry - adorned several items, including a rather chic pussy bow blouse.If there was a definitive place to be at 17.27 this evening it was the Burberry show and the debut catwalk show from chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci.

Ahead of what is undoubtedly one of the most hotly anticipated fashion shows in the super brand's history, Tisci chose an industrial space located behind the site of the new American Embassy in Vauxhall as the backdrop for his return to British fashion, twenty years after showing his graduate collection here in the capital.

The show ended months of speculation in which purveyors of style pondered how the brand famous for classic trench coats might look in the hands of an Italian outsider whose design signatures includes gothic romanticism and Kim Kardashians wedding dress.

It was when the first bars of Massive Attacks Unfinished Symphony soared above Tiscis catwalk and the black blinds blocking out the natural light slid back to reveal bright blue London sky that this new dawn began.

Burberry SS19 / AFP/Getty Images

First on the catwalk in a show with which Tisci sought to communicate with a host of opposing Burberry men and women - from the boardroom executive to a millennial influencer - was (yes, you guessed it) a trench coat. Classic in shape and pulled in at the waist via an oversized claret leather belt, this was Tiscis promise that he came in peace.

Scarves which borrowed prints from collections of old were used as fastenings on outerwear and served as literal proof that Tisci had spent his first season in charge digging deep in the archive. There was also a lot in the way of checks on display with Tisci interpreting Burberrys signature motif on lapels and linings.

Burberry SS19 / AFP/Getty Images

Keen to reassert the label as one which should appeal to a grown up customer who wants luxury clothes that work hard in her wardrobe, he unveiled side skimming pencil skirts, Dalmatian print blouses and masterfully tailored jackets. While this was a collection deep rooted in London culture and Tiscis attempt at reflecting the melting pot that is our capital, it spoke to metropoles - and the Burberry customers who inhabit them - across the globe. Male models who evoked images of Bret Easton Ellis Patrick Bateman with slicked back hair, perfectly cut workwear shirts and umbrella holders, which nodded to Burberrys roots as a rainwear outfitter, stood as fine examples.

As the show continued, the sense of restraint weakened somewhat with Tisci reverting to an aesthetic which was more recognisable as his own. Playing with streetwear trends, he unveiled nylon parkas alongside bandage dresses in military hues. Tisci said hed been thinking about journeys - both literal and physcological - when creating the collection and printed the word departures on polo shirts and skater t-shirts to hammer home his point.

For evening, things took an feminine turn with long black cocktail dresses - included to reflect the formality of British occasions - the takeaway pieces.

Accessories are major business for Burberry and this collection was loaded with them with smart shoulder bags featuring Tiscis interpretation of the logo, graphite splayed tote bags and peep-toe court shoes all key components in his reinvention strategy.

The 44-year-old Italian designer, who follows in the footsteps of Christopher Baileys 17-year tenure, is well versed in luxury rebrands. Prior to his appointment at Burberry, Tisci was first in command at Givenchy which benefited from buoyant profits and a mass of celebrity followers during his time in charge.

If youve found yourself circling Marble Arch in a cab, or indeed pounding the pavements of Regent Street recently, youll understand that todays showcase is the latest chapter in a rebranding exercise that has been underway for a while. In August, Tisci unveiled his take on the Burberry logo - a collaboration with graphic designer Peter Saville - which has been unchanged for nearly 20 years. In an attempt to acquaint the customer with the idea that change is afoot, the logo been splayed across Burberrys Regent Street shop front and more noticeably, across a giant teddy bear positioned on the Marble Arch roundabout. Other titillations intended to harbour some of the excitement surrounding todays reveal included an overhaul of the flagship store at 121 Regent Street which reopened on Saturday and a collection of limited edition t-shirts which could be purchased via Instagram.Megan Barton-Hanson shot to fame this summer on ITVs Love Island.

The pool party might be over, but Megan's career in the spotlight is only just beginning. In fact, if this London Fashion Week is anything to go by, shes fast becoming a front row fashion darling.

Saturday saw her take her place FROW at the Julien MacDonald show alongside fellow Love Islander Lauren Anderson in a super sheer sequin-embellished dress by the designer.

Theyre super glam, very Essex, says the 24-year-old about MacDonalds clothes.

(Dave Benett/Getty Images for Julien Macdonald) / Dave Benett

On Monday, we joined the Love Islander for the morning as she cruised between shows in a Bentley.

First up (after a glass or three of Moet) was Paul Costelloe, to which Megan wore a beige Topshop boiler suit with Louis Vuitton monogrammed lace-up hiking boots (all very on trend for AW18).

Next up was Hailey Baldwins Adidas x JD show for which she changed into a grey Adidas tracksuit and white Adidas crop.

Joining her on the FROW was Kaz Crossley, another pal from the island.

Kaz Crossley and Megan Barton-Hanson at the adidas x JD LFW show / PAI t's the question I have been waiting all my professional life to ask and one that, I suspect, Matthew Lopez has long wanted to answer: why is Howards End the most magnificent novel of all time? Lopez smiles. His answer will be long and thoughtful. As well it might be, given that EM Forsters 1910 masterpiece about three very different but suddenly interlinked families is the inspiration  so close an inspiration that you almost feel its breath in some scenes  for The Inheritance.

The Inheritance is American Lopezs homage to his English author hero, a gloriously intimate yet sweeping two-part, seven-hour drama about the lives and loves of a group of gay men in New York in the early 21st century. After a sell-out run at the Young Vic earlier this year, the plays, directed by Stephen Daldry, are about to open in the West End. Expect them to figure highly in all this years theatre awards talk.

So back to that all-important Howards End question. Lopez, 41, laughs. The glib answer is, quite simply, because it is. Something has to be! Softly spoken, in the most perfectly shaped sentences, he continues. Very few things I can think of can be so rooted in its time and yet manage to be timeless. Forster said in his lecture to a working mens college: Governments come and go, societies change, but people stay the same, and I think that is the key to why Howards End endures. I found in adapting the novel that it is wonderfully malleable. It breathes, it gives, it comes along for the ride.

Indeed it does, and one of Lopezs most inspired touches is to include Forster himself, beautifully played by Paul Hilton, as a key character, encouraging the young men, prime among them Eric Glass (Kyle Soller ), to tell their story. Its a story overhung, as it must be, by the Aids crisis of the 1980s. Make no mistake, The Inheritance is this centurys answer to Angels in America, but its softer, less sprawling and, for my money, more powerful.

In Lopezs affecting programme note for The Inheritance at the Young Vic, he draws a vivid picture of his lonely 16-year-old self, taken by his mother to see the 1992 Oscar-winning film adaptation of Howards End one Sunday afternoon after church. He grew up in Panama City, in the Florida panhandle, a place that he describes as very conservative, very southern. Its referred to as the redneck Riviera. No joke, that is its nickname. Its not the best place for a young gay Puerto Rican kid to grow up. Did he experience racism? The racial structure of that particular place was on a strictly black-white binary. If you werent African-American you were considered white, and people could ignore the funny last name I had. It was the gayness that really made me feel like an other. That was something that was not going to be left unremarked upon. I dealt with a lot of abuse and bullying from the beginning of school through to the end, he says.

Of the 16-year-old Matthew, he adds He was rather formless. For me the escape through childhood into adolescence was theatre, books, movies, which is why I think Howards End was this life raft for me. I dont think it is too much hyperbole to say that my adult life began that day [he went to the cinema to see the film]. My creative life certainly began that day.

The Inheritance - in pictures 1 /9 The Inheritance - in pictures The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand The Inheritance - in pictures Simon Annand

Lopez appealingly describes himself as hopeful. Frightened, of that which I cant be hopeful about. Grateful and he went to the University of South Florida in Tampa to study drama, with the hope of becoming an actor. He greatly enjoyed a playwriting course in college, but still the acting idea prevailed. I have to be hit over the head many times before I realise something. I can be a maddeningly slow draw, he says, and in New York post-graduation he realised that I was willing to sacrifice my time for the writing in ways that I wasnt willing to sacrifice my time to prepare for auditions. He sent a play of his to a New York theatre company. It was a miraculous thing. If I wrote it in a play or movie I would get a note to cut it because it was unbelievable. I got a call one morning from my acting agent dropping me, saying he didnt think I was serious enough. It felt more of a relief than anything. Hours later I got a phone call offering me a reading of the play I had submitted. I will admit that while I am slow on the uptake sometimes, that was a very clear message. It was one of those moments when you look heavenwards and say, Right. Got it!

The genesis of The Inheritance came from a similar day of revelation, when Lopez was in his late 20s. So monogamous with Howards End had he been that he hadnt read any of Forsters other novels. He picked up a copy of Howards End in New Yorks Strand Bookstore  which features in The Inheritance  and was in Central Park reading the biographical sketch in the back of the book, which mentioned that Forster was gay. I had this eureka moment, says Lopez, and the notion [for the idea and plot of The Inheritance] just came to me in an instant.

Why did The Inheritance premiere in London and not New York? Stephen Daldry just wanted to get to work quickly in a cab! he laughs. The goal is a US transfer in 2019, but working within the UKs subsidised system at the Young Vic helped the shaping and development of the piece. Even in what we call the non-profit world of New York theatre, the die is cast once you start previews, whether youre on Broadway or at the Flea [one of New Yorks smallest venues]. So Stephens idea was to start it as far away from New York as possible and that was when he sent it to David Lan. Lan, the Young Vics just-departed artistic director, says of first reading the script, By page 20 of a 400-page play, I was in. Matthew has taken the huge risk of arrogance  who the f**k do you think you are, writing a play of this length?  but he has pulled it off.

Lopez would love to do a big television series of The Inheritance  and Daldry certainly has form in this area, as director of The Crown for Netflix  but before then there are two film scripts to keep him busy. He is adapting The Legend of Georgia McBride, his own play about a drag queen, and then theres the screenplay Dr Q, the miraculous story, and a remarkable one of Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, who went from being a 19-year-old illegal Mexican immigrant in the US to one of the countrys top brain surgeons. This prestige project is with the producers of Moonlight and 12 Years a Slave. In a range of media, were going to be hearing a lot more from Matthew Lopez. Lucky us.

The Inheritance is at the Noel Coward Theatre, WC2 from Sep 21 to Jan 19, 2019W hat to do...

Unlike Evans, youre not likely to be hanging out with the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler when you visit Canadas second-largest city  the stars were there in the summer to film Murder Mystery for Netflix. In between shooting scenes around Montreal, including in the trendy Le Plateau-Mont-Royal suburb, the Welsh actor was spotted admiring the Gothic Notre-Dame Basilica in historic Old Montreal (basiliquenotredame.ca/en). Evans also took a trip aboard Le Bateau-Mouche on Canada Day, celebrating in style as he cruised along the St Lawrence river before exploring the area around Vieux-Port, the old port of Montreal, on foot.

Where to eat ...

An old-timey bistro in the industrial neighbourhood of Little Burgundy is the unlikely home of one of Canadas most famous restaurants but one look at Joe Beefs clientele and you know youre in good company. Evans made regular pit stops during his time in Montreal, while renowned chef David Chang considers it one of his favourite restaurants of all time (joebeef.ca). The menu, scrawled onto blackboards throughout the space, changes daily but you can count on gluttonous American-sized portions of steak and seafood prepared with French touches in a way that perfectly reflects Montreals DNA.

Where to stay ...A cannabis farm was found at a 2 million house in an exclusive street in north-east London.

Police made the discovery after being called to reports of a burglary at the house in Chigwell on Saturday.

They found about 500 plants of the Class B drug at the address in Hainault Road, where houses sell for in excess of 2m.

A 50-year-old businessman who lives nearby today told the Standard: I was coming home when I had quite a shock because there were two police cars, and I assumed someone had been burgled.

We thought the house was empty  it seemed like no one lived there.

He added: Its very unusual for this area. Weve been here 15 years and its a very family orientated place.

Another neighbour who had been out jogging on Saturday evening said he saw officers pull up at the house and ask for the gates to be opened.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said there had been no arrests.

She added: We were called at around 5.50pm on Saturday, 15 September, to reports of a suspected burglary on Hainault Road, Chigwell.N ursery schools that look after some of the capitals most vulnerable children are at risk of closing within the next two years because of a funding crisis, London Councils has warned.

Research by the body, which represents all London boroughs, found that the future of many maintained nursery schools is under threat.

A new London Councils report said if the Government does not provide additional money the nurseries will either have to close or stop taking children with the most complex needs.

Maintained nursery schools work with the most disadvantaged children and take high numbers of children with special educational needs. They are obliged to employ more qualified, specialist teachers and therefore cost more to run than other nurseries. They have the same status as schools so must employ a headteacher, deputy, governing body and special educational needs co-ordinator, which also costs more.

The Government gave maintained nursery schools supplementary funding to cover these extra costs but it runs out in 2020. London Councils said it wants a guarantee that the money will be continued beyond 2020.

Nickie Aiken, London Councils executive member for childrens services, said: These schools are specialists in their field and need to be funded accordingly to ensure that this valuable resource is not lost.

London Councils is also calling on the Government to provide emergency funding for maintained nursery schools under immediate threat of closure. Its report, called Hidden Value, has interviews with staff from 19 of Londons 80 maintained nursery schools.

Most headteachers said they would not be able to stay open past 2020 and if they did, it would be because they were accepting fewer children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), or by reducing the support available to these children.

Children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi said the Government was providing councils 60 million a year up until 2020 to protect maintained nursery schools funding.

He added: I regularly meet with maintained nursery school leaders and we work closely to better understand the value these nurseries offer, so I would urge councils not to make premature decisions on the future of these nurseries as this work continues. Decisions about what happens after this will be taken as part of the next spending review.

Chantel Gyasl and son Grayson

Chantel GyasI sends her three-year-old son Grayson, who does not have any special educational needs, to Effra nursery near their home in Brixton.

She said: I chose Effra because it is a maintained nursery school. Its important to me that the staff are well qualified. I am very happy with the way Grayson is developing. I am planning to send my youngest son Chase there when he is two."I dentical twins who grew up in a tough south London neighbourhood became multi-millionaires by designing one of the worlds leading cryptocurrencies in their mothers kitchen.

Steve and Sam Williams, 39, whose parents emigrated from Nigeria in the early Seventies, spent four years working on the software behind their Populous PPT currency in the family home in Brockley.

It helps small and medium-sized businesses with cash flow. Within the first five days of launching in June last year, demand was so strong that the initial batch of tokens was worth more than 8 million.

Populous is now rated as the 51st most valuable cryptocurrency in the world out of about 2,000, with a market value of about 100 million.

What is Bitcoin? Everything you need to know about the cryptocurrency

They own 16 million Populous tokens worth a total of $55.3 million (42.3 million) at todays price of 3.46 cents per token. At the peak of the Bitcoin frenzy at the start of the year their holding was valued at close to 1 billion.

The success means that Sam now lives in a Knightsbridge apartment and Steve, who lives in Essex with his wife and two young children, sends his six-year-old to private school. Their offices are in Mayfair and they have become friends with stars, such as rapper 50 Cent and boxer Floyd Mayweather.

Steve Williams (right) and brother Sam with rapper 50 Cent

In the brothers first newspaper interview, they told the Evening Standard that the outcome could have been very different as they were always in trouble as schoolboys.

Steve, who is older by one minute, said: It was very tough in terms of gang violence. You had no choice: you either got bullied or you pretended to be part of one of the gangs to safeguard yourself.

The three-bedroom terrace where they grew up with their mother, a chef, accountant father and sister, was so cramped that Sam sometimes had to sleep on the sofa.

Steve studied advanced business in sixth form in Lewisham, while Sam took a course in computer programming.

In 2008 Steve was charged and convicted of obtaining money transfers by deception and served 18 months of a three-and-a-half-year jail term.

He said the experience made me learn a lot about what it means to be a victim of crime and how it impacts on them. It filled in some elements that were missing in me and opened my eyes to what could happen to me.

Sam has since launched two other crypto coins called Zloadr and DocTailor, aimed at legal professionals. Steve added: We have gone through a lot together as brothers and it is great that all our hard work has paid off. Deeply disturbing anti-Semitic posters in London must be removed, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire told councils today.

He urged town halls to use their legal powers and police help, saying there should be no place for abuse in the city.

Mr Brokenshire said growing numbers of anti-Semitic posters and signs have been appearing on bus stops across London, apparently with the sole aim of spreading hatred and anger.

He said that the public should help to tackle the problem and that walking past and ignoring the problem was the wrong response, but the action should be led by councils which should to use the law, and police assistance, to eliminate displays of anti-Semitic hatred.

It follows the appearance of posters on bus stops saying Israel is a racist endeavour  a statement classed as anti-Semitic under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) / Getty Images

Police say they are investigating the incidents, while Transport for London has described the fly-posters as an act of vandalism.

Mr Brokenshire said that the phenomenon was hugely concerning ... To see one just a stones throw from Parliament, in plain view of thousands of people passing, was a deeply disturbing reminder of how pervasive hate crime can be. Local authorities must clamp down on this quickly, wherever and whenever hateful language appears.

They have the power to remove any poster displayed unlawfully in their area  and I call on them to continue doing so, with the support of the police.

No one, regardless of their beliefs, should make another person feel unwelcome in their own neighbourhood.

The appearance of the posters follows a prolonged row within Labour about the approach of its leader Jeremy Corbyn, and some of his supporters, to anti-Semitism and controversy about whether it should adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition.

It eventually did so, while issuing a separate statement insisting that the decision would not in any way undermine freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians.

Labours shadow chancellor John McDonnell also called for the posters, which appeared at a number of sites including bus stops in Westminster and Waterloo, to be taken down. He said the message they contained was not the right thing to say.A hero MP who came to the aid of a police officer stabbed in the Westminster terror attack told the Old Bailey today how he rushed towards danger as others fled with panic in their eyes.

Tobias Ellwood MP, 52, heard the crash as terrorist Khalid Masood drove his car into the perimeter fence of Parliament on March 22 last year, then heard shouting and screaming as pedestrians fled.

Islamic extremist Masood got out of his wrecked car, having already run over a series of pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, and rushed into the Parliamentary grounds where he stabbed PC Keith Palmer.

Mr Ellwood, then a foreign office minister, told the inquest this morning that he was heading back to Parliament when he heard the commotion.

MP Tobias Ellwood breaks down recalling Westminster attack explanation to son

I heard a significant crash followed by screams, he said.

These were not screams of pain, not screams in my interpretation of anyone hurt. They were screams of shock which is slightly different.

Mr Ellwood, who reached the rank of captain in the Royal Green Jackets during a military career before entering politics, said he saw two waves of people running away from the scene of the attack in a panic.

I ran into one group of people shouting and screaming with panic in their eyes.

Asked if he knew he was heading into potential danger, Mr Ellwood replied: very much so.

Front Pages for Westminster & Parliament Attack 1 /32 Front Pages for Westminster & Parliament Attack The front pages of today's newspapers the day after a terrorist attack Ryan Hooper/PA Evening Standard Evening Standard The Times The Times Daily Mail Daily Mail The Sun The Sun i i The Scotsman The Scotsman The Daily Telegraph The Daily Telegraph The Guardian The Guardian Daily Mirror Daily Mirror Daily Star Daily Star Daily Express Daily Express Metro Metro City A.M City A.M Independent Independent The front pages of today's newspapers the day after a terrorist attack PA

The MP added: There is always a concern of a secondary attack. It didnt cross my mind but my brother was killed in a secondary attack in Bali.

Mr Ellwood was among the people who offered medical assistance to PC Palmer as he lay gravely wounded on the ground.

He performed CPR as the officers condition worsened. The officer, who had tussled with Masood at the gates of Parliament, later died from his injuries.

The inquest is investigating the deaths of Andreea Cristea, 31, Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Aysha Frade, 44, who were hit by Masoods car on the bridge, as well as the death of PC Palmer, 48.Tanya Hill has been able to stay free of cancer after taking part in a clinical trial at UCLH.

Tanya, 27, from Biggleswade, was diagnosed with B cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) in December 2015, when she was 25.

A stem cell transplant from her brother Steven and chemotherapy at Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge failed to work, but she went into remission after receiving the trial drug Inotozumab.

Her doctors then enrolled her in the trial at UCLH last September to prevent the cancer returning.

CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) cells are immune cells genetically modified to recognise a protein in cancer cells and attack them. The CAR-T cells were generated using another donation from her brother.

Dog-walker Ms Hill said: My brother went in to have his cells taken  it took only a few minutes. I didnt really have any side-effects. Im still in remission and Ive got plenty to look forward to  Im getting married next year and we plan to go to Thailand to volunteer at an elephant sanctuary and to Australia. Apart from having to go to hospital every three months Im back to normal... its as if I was watching a movie about someone else and it didnt really happen to me.G uerilla artists replaced road signs with notices marked drug dealers only to highlight the impact of crime in an east London neighbourhood.

The artists, calling themselves the Columbia Road Cartel, installed six signs on lampposts around Columbia Road near Shoreditch.

Despite appearing to be normal road signs, the notices carried messages such as Give way to oncoming drug dealers and Crack pickup point.

The group also marked out a parking space for drug dealers at the corner of Chambord Street and Virginia Road, which residents claim is a black spot for drug dealing.

The anti-drugs signs in east London / SplashNews.com

Residents of the Columbia Road area commissioned the road signs in response to a perceived lack of action on dealing in the area.

One resident said: It is quite usual for there to be up to 10 or 15 addicts outside my house waiting for their drug drops, every day 24/7.

The Weavers Community Action Group, which commissioned the signs, claims to have around 70 members from the area.

It was formed in April this year in response to open trading in hard and dangerous drugs which it claims have become a normal part of daily life around Columbia Road.

A Tower Hamlets spokesperson said: Like the rest of London, Tower Hamlets suffers from some blatant drug dealing at times. We understand the frustration of these residents, which is why the council has invested 3 million in additional police officers to make up some of the shortfall in government cuts to the police.A former Independent candidate for Mayor of London who came close to beating the Liberal Democrats is planning to stand again - this time as a Lib Dem.

Former civil servant Siobhan Benita was the big political surprise of the 2012 mayoral contest when she amassed an extraordinary 83,914 first-preference votes.

The haul put her only 8,000 votes behind official Lib Dem candidate Brian Paddick, on 91,771  and she attracted twice as many as Ukip who managed 43,000.

Ms Benitas campaign was boosted by an endorsement from the former head of the civil service, Gus ODonnell, known as GOD.

Speaking to the Evening Standard she revealed: Im having another go because it is unfinished business.

I did much better than people expected, coming very close to some of the main parties. I always knew I would run again.

Whenever anyone asked me then why I would do such a crazy thing, the honest answer was why wouldnt you want to be Mayor of London? Its one of the best jobs in the world.

Ms Benita, 46, is married with two daughters at university and works in London for Warwick University.

She joined the Liberal Democrats the morning after the 2016 referendum and vowed to campaign for a fresh referendum. I genuinely believe there is now a space for, and a need for, a different kind of politics which is what I wanted to bring. The other two parties are tearing themselves apart and we need other people to come forward and fill the space in the centre.

Up to half a dozen potential Lib Dem candidates will throw their hats into the ring before nominations close at the end of this month.

Asked if GOD would be on her side again, Ms Benita said: I think Gus will be watching very closely how it goes.

She said Sadiq Khan was doing well in some areas but in others there have been warm words but no delivery.

A member of the Youth Violence Commission, she said Mr Khan had failed to bring in a joined up approach to tackle underlying issues.

She said the three potential Conservative candidates were Brexiteers and out of step with Remain-backing London.T he EU is ready to make concessions over the Irish border using technology that will help reduce checks, it was reported today.

Brussels is said to be ready to accept that advances in scanning technology can be used to solve the deadlock on customs checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Under the EU plan, goods will be tracked using shipping barcodes, reportedly removing the need for extra infrastructure.

The development comes ahead of Theresa May's trip to Salzburg later this week to meet with EU leaders.

Mr Johnson again criticised Theresa May's Chequers plans / Leon Neal/Reuters

Meanwhile Boris Johnson has yet again attacked Mrs May's Chequers plan describing it as a "spectacular political car crash.

In his Daily Telegraph column, the former foreign secretary said: If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash."

Mr Johnson said the EUs technology proposal for the Irish border would mean Northern Ireland being annexed by Brussels.

Meanwhile, he claimed the alternative plans set out by Mrs May would "effectively" keep Britain in the bloc.

Leading Brexiteer Mr Johnson, who once compared the Irish border to that of Camden and Islington, said: "If we are to get out of this mess, and get the great British motor back on track, then we need to understand the Irish backstop, and how it is being used to coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of Brussels.

Boris Johnson, pictured last week, said 'both versions of the backstop are disastrous' / Simon Dawson/Reuters

"Both versions of the backstop are disastrous. One threatens the union, the other version - and its close cousin, Chequers - keep us effectively in the EU, as humiliated rules takers.

"We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

"We are straining at the gnat of the Irish border problem - in fact we haven't even tried to chew the gnat - and we are swallowing the camel of EU membership in all but name."

Mr Johnson said that if Chequers was adopted "it would mean that for the first time since 1066 our leaders were deliberately acquiescing in foreign rule".

Mrs May said there needs to be "friction-free" movement of goods across the Irish border, without customs or regulatory checks between the UK and EU, after Brexit.

She said that the counter-proposal will not "solve the issue of no hard border by having a hard border 20km inside Ireland".

"The people of Northern Ireland deserve to be listened to in these negotiations by the UK Government, as do people elsewhere in this country," she told the BBC.

"I want to ensure that as we go forward we have that strong union... Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. They don't want a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

"The only proposal that's been put forward that delivers on them not having a hard border and ensures that we don't carve up the United Kingdom, is the Chequers plan."

Mrs May also said she believes Parliament will vote for a deal to maintain a good trading relationship with the EU and cooperation on other matters.

But she cast doubt on whether the EU would offer a better deal if MPs rejected it, adding: "I believe we'll get a good deal, we'll bring that back from the EU negotiations, put that to Parliament.

"I think the alternative to that will be not having a deal because a) I don't think the negotiations will have that deal, and b) we're leaving on March 29 2019."

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is drafting a new "protocol" text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks at the Irish border, according to The Times.

Diplomatic notes seen by the paper state: "The biggest unsolved problem is Northern Ireland.A nti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller warned today that politicians must put values before vanity as she argued for a new EU referendum on the terms of the Brexit deal.

The businesswoman, who became the figurehead of the legal fight forcing Theresa May to get parliamentary approval for triggering Article 50, took aim at the self-interest of those vying to lead Britains departure from the EU.

Speaking in Brighton today at the Liberal Democrats autumn conference, she said: Its time for more politicians to put national interest before ideology. To put values before vanity and careers.

She ruled herself out of becoming a future Lib Dem leader after Sir Vince Cable steps down if the party enacts rule changes that allow non-members to stand.

However, in her speech, she said she wanted the party to thrive and urged people not to sit out the national crisis created by Brexit. We need a strong third party, as much as we need a strong opposition, she said.

The Guyanese-British business owners landmark legal case against the Government ended in a Supreme Court judgement.

It ruled the Government could not invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty  starting the formal process of the UK leaving the EU  without seeking approval from Parliament.

As one of the most prominent Remain figures following the EU referendum, there was speculation the 53-year-old would take on a more front-line role in British politics. Ms Millar is not currently a member of the Lib Dems.

She is a major supporter of the Peoples Vote campaign which is fighting to give the public a say on the terms of a Brexit deal.

Ms Miller said: Its time for the politicians to do the morally and democratically right thing  to let the people decide their own future on the facts, before it is too late.

Today former deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said Theresa Mays insistence that Britain should accept the Chequers Brexit plan or face an abyss was insulting.

Speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme, he said: Were now going to be told, Its my way or no way. Its either the Chequers fudge or a sort of cataclysmic cliff edge.

The idea that the only thing this country should accept is a fudge or the abyss is not only an insult to the intelligence of British voters, but not true.

He said Brussels would allow Britain more time to come up with new proposals if officials asked. One thing that is very elastic in Brussels is time, he said.I MF boss Christine Lagarde today warned that Theresa Mays Chequers deal would harm the economy and cast doubts on the Prime Ministers claim that a 20 billion boost to the NHS could be funded by a Brexit dividend.

The International Monetary Fund used its latest verdict on the UK economy to stress that it is already being damaged by Brexit and that in the event of a no deal, it may shrink rather than grow at about 1.5 per cent a year.

At the launch of the IMF report at the Treasury this morning, Chancellor Philip Hammond warned that crashing out of the EU could set the UK back a decade.

The IMF are clear today that no deal would be extremely costly for the UK as it would also for the EU, and that despite the contingency actions we are taking, leaving without a deal would put at risk the substantial progress the British people have made over the past ten years in repairing our economy.

The Prime Minister declared that if her Chequers proposals are rejected, the UK faces plunging out of the EU without a deal / REUTERS

Ms Lagarde stressed that the UK economy would be hit whatever deal is struck. Let me be clear, compared with todays smooth single market, all the likely Brexit scenarios will have costs for the economy, and to a lesser extent as well for the EU, she said.

In what will be seen as a swipe at Leaver MPs calling for close economic ties to be cut with the EU, she added: The larger the impediments to trade in the new relationship, the costlier it will be. This should be fairly obvious, but it seems that sometimes it is not.

She spoke out after the Prime Minister declared that if her Chequers proposals are rejected, the UK faced plunging out of the EU without a deal. Her words sparked a backlash from Tory Right-wingers who claimed a no deal is better than her proposals.

But the IMF warned such a chaotic departure could send the pound into a downward spiral and the Bank of England might have to pump billions into the economy.



Chancellor Philip Hammond speaks at press conference / PA

Its report came as:

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned that the Brexit talks were heading for a spectacular political car crash.

With Labour oppposing Chequers, as well as many Leaver and some Remainer Tory MPs, Mrs May faces a very difficult task, if not impossible, in getting Commons backing for it especially as the EU will almost certainly demand more concessions.

Signs emerged that Brussels may be moving to reach a solution on the Irish border row, through greater use of technology, as Mrs May prepared to make the case for Chequers at an EU summit in Salzburg this week.

A new poll revealed that more than one in five current 18 and 19-year-olds would back Remaining in the EU if there was a second referendum.

A report by the Institute for Government warned that ministers had left no deal preparations until too late and that the 21-month transition period is too short for the negotiation, ratification and implementation of any final trade deal.

The Washington-based economists also raised doubts over whether the Brexit dividend, which Mrs May said would be used to inject billions more in the NHS, would materialise in time.

With Mrs May facing a huge, if not impossible, task to get Commons backing for her Chequers proposals, former foreign secretary Boris Johnson warned that the Brexit talks were heading for a spectacular political car crash.

It also emerged today that EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier warned of serious problems with the Chequers plan within days of it being published in July, because it ran contrary to his mandate.J ames Dysons office is a place of strong coffee and fascination. If you designed a stage set for a great engineer and inventor, it would be this clutter of deconstructed motors and robotic cameras.

At his companys headquarters on the edge of a small Wiltshire town theres an old Dyson washing machine in the corner, a reminder of a rare commercial failure for the 70-year olds company. A bottle of blue ink and pens sit near a retro telephone. There are pieces of great past design, including an original Sony Walkman. Outside in the car park, near Dysons battleship-sized Rolls- Royce, theres a Harrier Jump Jet.

And at the middle of it all sits an engaging Englishman in thick-rimmed round glasses. The son of a teacher from Norfolk, hes turned what was a start-up in 1993 into a global business  and, according to the Sunday Times Rich List , he is now worth almost 10 billion.

Hes done this in the spirit of the great engineers who came before him: Brunel is one of his heroes. So is the jet designer Frank Whittle. The last working engine made by Whittle sits outside. Dyson likes to fire it up, in sight of the English Electric Lightening fighter that hangs above the canteen, the closest the RAF ever had to a rocket with wings.

These are the things the company is keen for visitors to see. But an afternoon at Dysons workshops, where thousands work to design the worlds best electric motors and  he hopes  best battery  is full of secrets, too. iPhones are wrapped in plastic at the door, to block their cameras. You can look in through glass windows at rows of desks at the front of the long, flowing steel building but behind them are bigger, very private areas where the company is developing what it expects to be its most remarkable product. Famous for cleaners, fans and hairdryers, Dyson is now betting 2 billion on creating an electric car.

Can he pull it off? He admits the idea is like walking on a knife-edge but I find that exciting and stimulating. The fact that hes never made a car is an advantage. If youre trying to do something radical and different its quite a good idea not to have experience but to be naive and inquisitive.

Taking flight: The lightning jet hanging in the canteen at James Dyson's HQ / Alamy Stock Photo

The obvious comparison is with Elon Musk: but Dyson is wary of being seen as yet another controversial tech billionaire. I hope to do it very differently to Tesla on all sorts of levels. my approach is the technology approach, he says. Im risking my own money not shareholders money, which is very, very different.

Get it right and hell be even richer. Electric cars will become ubiquitous, everybody will have one. He wants to produce the first in 2020 and have them on sale by 2021. We know what we have got to do, he says. Were developing a new type of battery  safer, quicker to charge and able to power vehicles for longer. It is literally a solid, he says, unlike the current packs that fuel his rivals products.

Hes taken over most of an old Second World War airbase to engineer and test the cars. Theres a runway for a speed, a tight course for handling, a cross-country route and  in old grass-covered bunkers  sites to expose them to extreme heat and cold. And as with Dysons other projects everythings been done in-house. I choose to do everything, we have no consultants. So if he needs a better battery, hell find the right people and make one. Thats a very different model to Apples.

What the car will be like remains a mystery: Everythings covered up  if we were testing a car, it would be camouflaged. But there are clues. It wont be fully-autonomous, for instance. Im making a car for the driver, because people want to drive  its utterly boring if you are not driving. Also, I think its incredibly dangerous not being in control. If you take your eyes off the road and start doing something else your ability to react to a dangerous situation is non-existent. He says software is best used to make driving safer, which is where our interest lies things that stop you crashing into people.

So will the Dyson car be made here? The company attracted criticism when it moved manufacturing abroad, though its owner points out hes created more and better engineering jobs in the UK since. There are easier places to make things, he admits. It would be doing something quite new if we were to make it here. That sounds like a no.

The big challenge for the firm, he says, is finding fresh graduates. I cant get enough of them. Hes confronted every recent education secretary about the issue: the only minister to respond, he says, was Jo Johnson (whos now been moved). He said start your own university then and it took me about 20 seconds to say yes.

Its daring: personally backing a new style of education, on site and fully-funded. The second intake, 40 per cent female, against an average at other universities of around 14 per cent, has just arrived on site at the start of a four-year course. New pods to house them are being built. A clubhouse is going up and theres a gym but this isnt a typical student experience. They work for us for three days, have two days academic work and then usually have a lot of work to do over the weekend, so its a tough course. The academic year has been replaced by the working week and shorter holidays  but so far no student has dropped out. I meet some of these young trailblazers in the canteen, where they queue up for lunch alongise the full-time engineers.

They come here because they wanted to do real live things and are taught by real live engineers, Dyson says. We pay them, so the nice thing is they arent having to borrow money. And there are no fees. Elsewhere, undergraduates get a terribly raw deal in my view, they have to borrow all this money and are only taught for half the year.

He hopes many will stay at Dyson after they finish: filling a gap made wider by immigration rules that mean overseas engineering students at UK universities have to leave after they graduate. I was fighting Theresa May when she was home secretary. There was just a zero tolerance of immigration of any sort.

Which takes us to an unavoidable controversy. Dysons unwavering in his backing for a hard Brexit  he doesnt look thrilled when I mention the Chequers deal. I am for free trade, he says. He has been paying WTO tariffs for years and it hasnt stopped us for being one of the fastest-growing companies in Europe.

More than 90 per cent of Dysons business is already outside Europe. Huge in China, hes trying now to conquer India. Were taking billions in components across hard borders everyday. Britain, may have to walk away without an agreement its not falling off a cliff, as everybody tries to pretend, it really isnt, he says.

Its not clear why, if Dysons business has thrived while Britain is inside the EU, he thinks it would do any better outside it. But hes excited by other things. Theres the collapse of the old retail world that sold his products on the high street. Hes opening his own shops everywhere from Manila to Stockholm. Theres farming, too: Dysons bought 33,000 acres of land in Lincolnshire alone and is entranced by the technology of his huge harvesting machines, which we watch on an iPad munching through seas of peas and wheat. Drones monitor soil quality and wildlife.A t least 69 people are feared dead and dozens more missing after typhoon Mangkhut battered Hong Kong, parts of China and the Philippines.

Bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were cancelled at Hong Kong's airport, one of the world's busiest.

Residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for gales.

Hospitals had to use back-up power due to outages caused by the storm, according to the South China Morning Post.

Police said the latest death toll was 69, with 43 people missing and 64 injured.

Deadly typhoon heads for Hong Kong

Chinese authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, China's manufacturing hub.

The storm was still affecting southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday.

An office building's windows damaged by Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong / AP

It also battered parts of the Philippines.

Deadly Typhoon Mangkhut batters Philippines

Many of the missing in the Philippines are gold miners and their families feared buried in a landslide after seeking shelter in a bunkhouse-turned-chapel in a village in Benguet province.

Hong Kong, China and the Philippines were all badly hit by the storm

As of Monday morning Mangkhut was on track to pass over the Guangxi regional capital of Nanning and move toward the border with tourism powerhouse Yunnan province.

The Hong Kong Observatory reported Mangkhut was the most powerful cyclone to hit the city since 1979, packing maximum sustained gusts of 121 mph.

Typhoon Mangkhut 1 /43 Typhoon Mangkhut A man takes video of himself on an empty Nathan Road during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong, China EPA Police officers carry a girl out of a collapsed school on September 16, 2018 in Hong Kong Getty Images A man takes pictures against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut on the waterfront of Victoria Habour Hong Kong AP A man takes selfies on the Victoria Harbour waterfront during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong EPA A man takes photograph at the seafront on September 16, 2018 in Hong Kong Getty Images Police officers carry a boy out of a collapsed school on September 16, 2018 in Hong Kong Getty Images Filipino policemen clear a fallen tree in the typhoon-hit town of Caranglan, Cagayan province, Philippines EPA Fire rescue members help a woman to cross a flooded street in the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A fire rescue worker helps a child cross a flooded street at the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts as fire rescue workers assist her through floodwaters in the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Pedestrians run across an empty Nathan Road during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong EPA A girl stands against strong wind caused by Typhoon Mangkhut at a pier on the waterfront of Victoria Habour Hong Kong AP Strong winds carry debris in the air as a storm surge floods the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A photojournalist walks amongst plastic debris blown by strong winds in the residential district of Heng Fa Chuen during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A man wades through floodwaters in the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Firefighters brace themselves as high waves hit the shore at Heng Fa Chuen, a residental district near the waterfront, during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong, China REUTERS Rescue workers clear a road of debris and toppled electric posts caused by strong winds due to super Typhoon Mangkhut AFP/Getty Images A Filipino elderly woman is seen in the typhoon-hit town of Aparri, Cagayan province EPA A woman holds her umbrella during heavy rains caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in Manila AFP/Getty Images A teenager carries his friend in floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA People with umbrellas walk against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut at Nanshan District in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province AP A giant wave strikes the coast during Typhoon Mangkhut, Hong Kong REUTERS Residents living along the coastal community of Baseco seek temporary shelter at an evacuation center in the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut AP giant large waves hitting the coast of Taitung county, eastern Taiwan, as typhoon Mangkhut approaches the southern Taiwan AFP/Getty Images Soldiers assist a family carrying their sick child to a waiting government vehicle after their ambulance failed to make it through a road blocked with fallen tree debris and electric posts toppled by strong winds AFP/Getty Images A man looks at a damaged house due to strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut as it barreled across Tuguegarao city in Cagayan province, northeastern Philippines AP Commuters brave the rain and strong winds brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut which barreled into northeastern Philippines before dawn Saturday AP Commuters push a car after it got stuck in the floods due to Typhoon Mangkhut which barreled into northeastern Philippines before dawn Saturday AP Motorists negotiate a flooded street following heavy rains and strong winds brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut which barreled into northeastern Philippines AP Residents walk in floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA Residents ride a raft in floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA Residents collect coconuts which fell due to strong from Typhoon Mangkhut as it barreled across Tuguegarao city, Cagayan province AP Debris on a road brought by large waves in Taitung county, eastern Taiwan AFP/Getty Images A damaged building is seen as Typhoon Mangkhut hits Philippines, in Laoag, Philippines REUTERS Daredevil: a man takes pictures in Typhoon Mangkhut on the waterfront at Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong AP A dog and a duck sit amongst the ruins of a house after Super Typhoon Mangkhut hit the town of Alcala, Cagayan province AFP/Getty Images A resident looks out from his home amidst floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA Strong waves caused by super Typhoon Mangkhut are seen in Manila AFP/Getty Images A man attempts to recover salvageable materials in Manila Bay EPA Residents take shleter as they wait for the government's help in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Mangkhut AFP/Getty Images An overturned tricycle is seen next to a destroyed house after Super Typhoon Mangkhut hit the town of Alcala, Cagayan province AFP/Getty Images A man looks at a flooded field in Cagayan Province, northern Philippines Avalon.red A man and a girl walk against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut AP

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern China's Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the typhoon, state media said.

"Prepare for the worst," Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents.

Collapsed bamboo scaffolding is seen hanging from a building during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong / AFP/Getty Images

That warning followed Mangkhut's devastating march through the northern Philippines on Saturday with sustained winds of 127 miles per hour.

Landslides caused by the pounding storm hit two villages in Itogon town in the mountain province of Benguet.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said that at the height of the typhoon's onslaught on Saturday afternoon, dozens of people, mostly miners and their families, rushed into an old three-story building in the village of Ucab.

A man carries a woman to safety through floodwater / Getty Images

The building - a former mining bunkhouse that had been transformed into a chapel - was obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed. Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened.

"They thought they were really safe there," the mayor said on Sunday.

A man and a girl walk against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut / AP

The rescue work halted for the night before resuming on Monday morning.

Men used pikes and shovels to dig into the mud since the soaked ground was unstable and limited the use of heavy equipment on site.

Mangkhut also shattered glass windows on commercial skyscrapers, felled trees, tore scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded some areas of Hong Kong with waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

Casinos on Macau were ordered closed for the first time due to the typhoon.T he Islamic State drone bombs lie on the ground surrounded by shattered buildings and rubble as a former London student describes the challenge faced by his bomb disposal team, as they try to make the ancient heart of the Iraqi city of Mosul safe for its residents to return.

There is lots of unexploded ordnance here  mortars, grenades, artillery shells  and on top of that we are finding improvised explosive devices, bomb-making factories and suicide vests, says Simon Woodbridge, 50, who gained a chemistry degree at Kings College during a six-year stay in London before becoming a bomb disposal expert. Every time we come here we find things, he adds. A lot of what we find is pretty basic. But if a child picks it up its going to function. I always wanted to be a doctor, but this is very rewarding.

Now employed by the private security firm G4S after a 14-year career in the British Army including service in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, Mr Woodbridge is working in Iraq on a contract with the United Nations Mine Action Service, as part of its efforts to remove dangerous munitions in conflict zones.

Everywhere around him, as he speaks in the Al Maedam district of Mosuls historic Old City, there is destruction caused by the fierce battle which took place here last year when the Iraqi army and militias combined to end three years of Islamic State rule.

The ruins of Mosul, full of wrecked vehicles, bullets and bombs

Mr Woodbridge explains that the area was an IS stronghold, which is why there are so many devices to make safe, and gestures towards the shattered remains of a church and two mosques to emphasise his point.

There were a lot of IS uniforms found in the Orthodox church there so it looks like thats where they slept, he says, as he walks through the debris.

The womens mosque behind it was a medical centre  we found lots of syringes and saline bags, the place was littered with medical supplies  and the mens mosque was a bomb-making factory where there were lots of syringe detonators and switches.

He adds that a burnt-out people carrier and bus, which lie charred nearby, were according to locals used by IS to take people out and shoot them and that another bomb factory was located in a police station which has already been cleared and demolished.

Official UN figures show that 33,000 explosives have already been removed from the Old City since IS was defeated with 50,000 homes destroyed across Mosul, many lives lost, and 7.9 million tonnes of rubble left to clear. Some of the worst damage is in Al Maedam district where Mr Woodbridge and his team have been working in recent weeks. The lethal munitions found include 450 suicide belts many filled with human remains  as well as 2,000 other explosives.

The bomb disposal team includes eight high-risk searchers responsible for locating and making explosives safe, an ambulance driver in case of accidents, and a six-man armed security unit to protect them from attack by IS supporters still lurking in the city. There are also two community liaison officers, who seek information from locals about explosive finds, and a surveyor who records the information.

It is difficult and dangerous, but Mr Woodbridge  who now lives in New Zealand  says the team is amazing and that because 80 per cent come from Mosul itself they are determined to make their city habitable again.

They want to rebuild it because it is their community. When we find a suicide vest in a carpenters shop, then it can reopen, then next the church can reopen. The locals have been fantastic. The kids are always telling us where things have been found. We are just doing churches, other public buildings and the lanes at the moment, but the eventual plan is to clear each of the houses too.

There are a few houses on the other side of the mosque and you can still smell the bodies so when we get into the cellars who knows what we will find.

He has already made gruesome discoveries. We did see a suicide bomber. We found four or five grenades and his head and neck splayed out. Thats what normally happens. We could smell him before we found him. Part of the challenge of making devices safe is the rudimentary way some have been constructed. There is also the need to check for booby traps.

There are no robots so the most important tools are your eyes and torch, Mr Woodbridge says. If you move something the wrong way its going to detonate.  Meanwhile, as the bomb clearance continues, some Mosul residents are seeking to heal the wounds of war by joining an Active Citizens volunteer programme run by the British Council.

It aims to encourage community action to promote education, particularly for women and girls. One group of participants hopes to use play schemes to avoid conflict between children raised by IS-supporting parents, or those suspected of sympathising with the terror group, and classmates whose families suffered at its hands. Others have ideas to banish divisions between different religious and ethnic groups.

One of them is university lecturer Mohammed Wajid, who wants to set up a girls college to improve their opportunities. He says Iraqs government gave Mosul to IS without a fight as soldiers stationed there to defend it fled.D onald Trump's push for a conservative judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court was in turmoil today after Republican senators called for more information from the woman who accused him of sexual assault.

Senators say a vote on Brett Kavanaughs nomination, which was due to take place on Thursday, should be delayed until they hear evidence from Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor who accused the candidate of sexually assaulting her at a house party when she was 15 and he was 17.

Ms Ford, now 51, previously made the claims anonymously but went public yesterday, telling the Washington Post: I thought he might inadvertently kill me. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Appeals court judge Mr Kavanaugh, 53, has denied the allegations. If chosen for the lifetime appointment, he would be expected to tilt the highest courts balance to the Right and is opposed by Democrats.

Brett Kavanaugh is Donald Trump's nominee for Supreme Court judge / AFP/Getty Images

Today, Republican Jeff Flake, who holds the crucial vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee, indicated he could vote against the confirmation unless he hears from Mr Kavanaughs accuser.

The committee, which is split between 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, will decide whether Mr Kavanaughs nomination should go forward to a full vote in the 100-seat Senate, where the Republicans hold a 51-49 majority.

If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what shes had to say, Im not comfortable voting yes, Senator Flake told Politico. We need to hear from her. And I dont think Im alone in this.

Ms Ford claimed Mr Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back while stumbling drunk. He then groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers as he tried to remove her clothes, she claims.C hinese officials have branded the treatment of a family visiting Sweden as a "human rights abuse" after they were forcibly removed from a Stockholm hostel.

Videos emerged on social media of the Chinese family being carried out of a hostel in Stockholm by police, allegedly in a dispute over check-in times.

The dispute ended in dramatic scenes with the family crying "This is Killing!" and screaming in the street outside the building.

Beijing's embassy in Sweden called the treatment "brutal abuse" on September 2, after officers carried out the hysterical family members.

Some members of the family are elderly and said to be suffering form health complaints.

A spokesman said: "Three Chinese tourists were brutally abused by the Swedish police. The Chinese Embassy in Sweden is deeply appalled and angered by what happened and strongly condemns the behaviour of the Swedish police.

"The Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China have made solemn representations to the Swedish government respectively in Stockholm and Beijing, stressing that what the police had done severely endangered the life and violated the basic human rights of the Chinese citizens. We urged the Swedish government to conduct thorough and immediate investigation, and respond to the Chinese citizens requests for punishment, apology and compensation in time. We cannot understand why the Swedish side has not given us any feedback.

"We hope that the Swedish side will handle the case in accordance with law, and urge the Swedish side again to take immediate actions to protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Sweden."

The family arrived a night early for the booking at the Generator Hostel in Torstatanm, in the Norrmalm district of northern Stockholm.

They were allowed to wait in the lobby but staff later ordered them to leave before police forcibly ejected them. Videos later emerged of the family being carried out by their arms and legs and left on the pavement outside.

The incident has reportedly escalated into a "diplomatic" row after Beijing made demands for Swedish authorities to investigate, and reprimand the officers.

Relations between China and Sweden have historically been friendly. The country was the first to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic in 1950, then under Mao Zedong. But ties have become increasingly strained in recent months, after the Dalai Lama, seen as a violent separatist in China, visited Sweden last week as part of a European tour, and China continues to detain the Chinese born Swedish citizen, Gui Minhai, 54, allegedly over his publishing of satirical literature in Hong Kong.

Political Analyst Malik Ayub Sumbal tweeted: "This is Sweden the torchbearer of Human Rights and lecturing the world on humanity, this is the actual face of fascists & fascism, the Swedish police treatment with the Chinese tourists is brutal, insane and racists."

But many have questioned the validity of the Zeng family's complaints as they dramatically wailed outside the hostel after being carried out by police, with reports that they were being verbally abusive themselves, and tried to sleep in the lobby.

The Guardian reported that on the Chinese blog website Weibo, commenters criticised how the incident "disgraced" China. The Dalai Lama visits Sweden and the foreign ministry uses this incident as a pretext to make a fuss. Thats more embarrassing than the performance of this family, one user wrote.

The family's son told the Global Times - an English-language newspaper in Beijing. I was not able to think whether it is was appropriate or not. I just wanted to denounce the police and seek help from pedestrians.

Sweden's foreign affairs department has said it is "looking into" an allegation that an officer struck the mother of the family.

A manager at the Generator hostel told Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, the family had arrived at midnight, hours before their booking the following morning, and when they refused to leave the police were called and they started to make verbal threats.

Swedish police said they had referred the incident on to independent prosecutors to assess whether the family was mistreated.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority told the Standard that it now reason to believe any offence was committed against the family.

The said in a statement: "The Separate Public Prosecution Office assesses whether it is to be believed that a criminal offence has been committed. This is not to be confused with whether certain actions are appropriate or the best way to handle a situation.

"In the case regarding the Chinese tourists, the Separate Public Prosecution Office has made the assessment that no criminal offence has been committed by the police and therefore they have decided to not start a preliminary investigation."

The incident follows the release of a damning Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on abuses carried out by the Chinese government, with reports of mass arbitrary detaining of Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang province, with people being imprisoned in "political education camps" for long periods without being charged or tried, under the pretext of countering terrorism and religious extremism.I ncredible photos show Hong Kong commuters battling huge crowds to get back to work after Typhoon Mangkhut wreaked havoc on the region.

The city was working to get business up and running on Monday morning after ferocious winds of more than 120mph hit the financial hub on Sunday.

Thousands of commuters were left stranded in stations as they tried to board infrequent trains amid sweeping cancellations on rail and bus services.

There was anger that city leader Carrie Lam had not announced an official day off for workers following the typhoon, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

Mangkhut is already confirmed to have killed 66 people in the Philippines and four in China, where it weakened to a tropical storm as it churned inland Monday.

On Monday, Mangkhut was still affecting southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday.

In Hong Kong, crews cleared fallen trees and other wreckage left from when the financial hub felt the full brunt of the storm on Sunday.

"This typhoon really was super strong ... but overall, I feel we can say we got through it safely," Ms Lam, the territory's chief executive, told reporters.

Typhoon Mangkhut Aftermath 1 /40 Typhoon Mangkhut Aftermath A woman runs in the rainstorm REUTERS A fisherman tries to salvage his damaged boat in the aftermath AFP/Getty Images A pedestrian wades through waist-high floodwaters on a street amid heavy rainfall Reuters Rescuers search for people trapped at a landslide caused at the height of Typhoon Mangkhut Reuters Traffic commutes on a road covered in debris at Deep Water Bay AFP/Getty Images A general view shows debris at Deep Water Bay AFP/Getty Images A general view shows a fallen tree at Repulse Bay beach AFP/Getty Images A woman carries a child through fallen trees at Repulse Bay beach AFP/Getty Images Large waves hit Repulse Bay beach Men use a basin to cross a flooded street AFP Rescuers use a search dog to look for victims AP Waves caused by Typhoon Mangkhut is seen in Hong Kong Reuters A tree rests on a damaged taxi AFP/Getty Images Rescuers work on the site where victims were believed to have been buried by a landslide AP A view of debris and destroyed houses at the site of a landslide Reuters An underground carpark is flooded after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong Reuters People walk past an uprooted tree Reuters People walk past an uprooted tree Reuters People prepare to rescue a man (not pictured) trapped in raging flood waters Reuters A man trapped in raging flood waters caused by Typhoon Mangkhut Reuters A man trapped in raging flood waters Reuters Damage caused by Typhoon Reuters A taxi is left abandoned after breaking down in floodwaters AFP/Getty Images A Hong Kong hotel lobby is flooded during Super Typhoon Mangkhut A Hong Kong hotel lobby is flooded during Super Typhoon Mangkhut Rescuers search for people trapped in a landslide caused by Typhoon Mangkhut at a small-scale mining camp in Itogon Reuters Rescue volunteers carry the body of a landslide victim caused by Typhoon Mangkhut EPA People rest during rescue and retrieval operation for landslide victims caused by Typhoon Mangkhut EPA Rescuers search for people trapped in a landslide caused by Typhoon Mangkhut Reuters People continue to work during rescue and retrieval operation for landslide victims EPA People continue to work during rescue and retrieval operation for landslide victims caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in Ucab village, Itogon town, Benguet Province, Philippines EPA Workers clear scaffolding that was brought down by strong winds AFP/Getty Images A man stands in front of scaffolding that was brought down by strong winds AFP/Getty Images A women looks on as a worker (top L) removes scaffolding that was brought down by strong winds AFP/Getty Images A woman walks over mud from flooding caused by a storm surge on the floor of a restaurant AFP/Getty Images A shop owner scoops out floodwater from his shop AFP/Getty Images Rescuers continue to search for victims buried by a landslide AP Rescuers carry a body recovered from a landslide caused by Typhoon Mangkhut AP A general view shows small boats and debris washed up on a beach at Deep Water Bay in the aftermath AFP/Getty Images People wait for public transport amongst fallen tree branches AFP/Getty Images

The aftermath of the storm sparked delays across the travel network with services suspended on bus, ferry and rail on Monday morning.

A sea of frustrated travellers were pictured squashed into Tai Wai station amid the travel chaos.

Meanwhile others were pictured climbing over or walking under fallen branches in the city streets as they attempted to get to work.

Many complained of having to go into work following the powerful storm.

Pedestrians walk past trees that were blown down the day before during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong / AFP/Getty Images

Ben Lo, 40, told SCMP: There should be an announcement to call a half-day off so clear-up work can be carried out."

And William Wan, 63, said: The government should allow all workers to be exempted from work today.

The MTR has tried its best, but I think they can raise the frequency of trains from every 10 minutes to every two to three minutes.

Officials said it was impractical to expect the government to give people the day off work

Deadly typhoon heads for Hong Kong

Speaking on a radio programme, Ronny Tong Ka-wah, who sits on Lams cabinet, the Executive Council, said: In a capitalist society, the government has no power to meddle with all the contracts between employers and employees."

The Hong Kong Observatory said Mangkhut was the most powerful storm to hit the city since 1979, packing winds of 195 kph (121 mph).

Dozens of people believed buried in a landslide unleashed by the typhoon in the Philippines probably did not survive, a mayor said on Monday, although rescuers kept digging through mud and debris covering a chapel where they had taken shelter.

Of the 40 to 50 miners and their families believed inside the chapel, there is a "99 per cent" chance that they all were killed, said Mayor Victorio Palangdan of Itogon, the Benguet province town that was among the hardest hit by the typhoon that struck on Saturday.

Typhoon Mangkhut 1 /43 Typhoon Mangkhut A man takes video of himself on an empty Nathan Road during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong, China EPA Police officers carry a girl out of a collapsed school on September 16, 2018 in Hong Kong Getty Images A man takes pictures against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut on the waterfront of Victoria Habour Hong Kong AP A man takes selfies on the Victoria Harbour waterfront during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong EPA A man takes photograph at the seafront on September 16, 2018 in Hong Kong Getty Images Police officers carry a boy out of a collapsed school on September 16, 2018 in Hong Kong Getty Images Filipino policemen clear a fallen tree in the typhoon-hit town of Caranglan, Cagayan province, Philippines EPA Fire rescue members help a woman to cross a flooded street in the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A fire rescue worker helps a child cross a flooded street at the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts as fire rescue workers assist her through floodwaters in the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Pedestrians run across an empty Nathan Road during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong EPA A girl stands against strong wind caused by Typhoon Mangkhut at a pier on the waterfront of Victoria Habour Hong Kong AP Strong winds carry debris in the air as a storm surge floods the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A photojournalist walks amongst plastic debris blown by strong winds in the residential district of Heng Fa Chuen during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A man wades through floodwaters in the village of Lei Yu Mun during Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Firefighters brace themselves as high waves hit the shore at Heng Fa Chuen, a residental district near the waterfront, during Typhoon Mangkhut in Hong Kong, China REUTERS Rescue workers clear a road of debris and toppled electric posts caused by strong winds due to super Typhoon Mangkhut AFP/Getty Images A Filipino elderly woman is seen in the typhoon-hit town of Aparri, Cagayan province EPA A woman holds her umbrella during heavy rains caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in Manila AFP/Getty Images A teenager carries his friend in floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA People with umbrellas walk against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut at Nanshan District in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province AP A giant wave strikes the coast during Typhoon Mangkhut, Hong Kong REUTERS Residents living along the coastal community of Baseco seek temporary shelter at an evacuation center in the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut AP giant large waves hitting the coast of Taitung county, eastern Taiwan, as typhoon Mangkhut approaches the southern Taiwan AFP/Getty Images Soldiers assist a family carrying their sick child to a waiting government vehicle after their ambulance failed to make it through a road blocked with fallen tree debris and electric posts toppled by strong winds AFP/Getty Images A man looks at a damaged house due to strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut as it barreled across Tuguegarao city in Cagayan province, northeastern Philippines AP Commuters brave the rain and strong winds brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut which barreled into northeastern Philippines before dawn Saturday AP Commuters push a car after it got stuck in the floods due to Typhoon Mangkhut which barreled into northeastern Philippines before dawn Saturday AP Motorists negotiate a flooded street following heavy rains and strong winds brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut which barreled into northeastern Philippines AP Residents walk in floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA Residents ride a raft in floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA Residents collect coconuts which fell due to strong from Typhoon Mangkhut as it barreled across Tuguegarao city, Cagayan province AP Debris on a road brought by large waves in Taitung county, eastern Taiwan AFP/Getty Images A damaged building is seen as Typhoon Mangkhut hits Philippines, in Laoag, Philippines REUTERS Daredevil: a man takes pictures in Typhoon Mangkhut on the waterfront at Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong AP A dog and a duck sit amongst the ruins of a house after Super Typhoon Mangkhut hit the town of Alcala, Cagayan province AFP/Getty Images A resident looks out from his home amidst floodwaters in San Mateo town of Rizal Province, east of Manila EPA Strong waves caused by super Typhoon Mangkhut are seen in Manila AFP/Getty Images A man attempts to recover salvageable materials in Manila Bay EPA Residents take shleter as they wait for the government's help in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Mangkhut AFP/Getty Images An overturned tricycle is seen next to a destroyed house after Super Typhoon Mangkhut hit the town of Alcala, Cagayan province AFP/Getty Images A man looks at a flooded field in Cagayan Province, northern Philippines Avalon.red A man and a girl walk against strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut AP

Palangdan said rescuers have recovered 11 bodies from the muddy avalanche, which covered a former bunkhouse for the miners that had been turned into a chapel.

Dozens of people sought shelter there during the storm despite warnings it was dangerous.

The storm was about 200 kilometers (124 miles) west of the city of Nanning in Guangxi region on Monday afternoon, moving in a northwesterly direction and weakening as it progressed.

There were no new reports of deaths or serious damage.P lumes of thick black smoke billowed into the air in Brooklyn as a fire raged at a major shopping centre.

Footage has emerged of the clouds filling the sky in the New York borough as firefighters battled the blaze on Monday.

Multiple vehicles in the car park of the site, known as Kings Plaza Shopping Center or King's Plaza Mall, are thought to be involved.

The New York City Fire Department has reported 21 injuries, none of which are thought to be life threatening.

An update from the department said: "There are 21 injuries  three to civilians and 18 to Firefighters, none are life-threatening. Members have various levels of smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion, working under these conditions."

Eric Adams, borough president of Brooklyn, wrote on Twitter: There's currently a six-alarm fire at Kings Plaza Mall. Please avoid the Kings Plaza area until further notice from emergency officials, if possible. If you live or work in the surrounding community, please avoid the smoke and close all windows.

The level was upgraded to a "seven-alarm" fire, with 200 members of the fire department along with 50 of the service's vehicles called to the incident, which is in the Mill Basin area.

An update from the malls social media said: Kings Plaza currently closed. Multiple cars on fire in garage and smoke conditions. FDNY on scene. Avoid area.

Images from concerned onlookers have circulated on social media as smoke filled the area.

One person, responding to a post from the fire department, said: "Please God protect these brave firefighters and responders and any civilians.

"Thank you for your service to our community."

Another person on Twitter wrote: "I hope no one gets injured in the fire at King's Plaza. So sad."

Others said they were upset by the incident and that the scenes looked "crazy".

Many expressed there hopes that people were not hurt.

The fire broke broke out at around 8.30am local time and initiated on the second floor of the garage involved, the New York Post reported.

King's Plaza has more than 120 stores including well-known retailers such as Clarks, H&M, Foot Locker, Victoria's Secret.W oody Allens wife Soon-Yi Previn today broke a 25-year silence to defend her husband from what she describes as unjust treatment in the #MeToo era.

In a bombshell interview for New York Magazine, Previn, also hit back with a strongly-worded attack on her adoptive mother Mia Farrow.

She claimed that as a child, Farrow, 73, beat her with hairbrushes, called her moronic and would hold her upside down because she thought.. that blood going to my head would make me smarter or something.

Previn said she had been motivated to give a rare interview because she believes Farrow is manipulating the #MeToo movement to exact revenge on her renowned film director husband.

The couple - who have a 35-year age gap - married in 1997 after a five-year affair which began while Allen, now 82, and Farrow were a couple.

Whats happened to Woody is so upsetting, so unjust, Previn said, referring to renewed coverage of sexual abuse allegations levelled against him by his and Farrows daughter, Dylan Farrow.

[Mia] has taken advantage of the #MeToo movement and paraded Dylan as a victim. And a whole new generation is hearing about it when they shouldnt.

Dylan Farrow, 33 - another of Farrows 10 adopted children - has repeatedly alleged Allen sexually assaulted her as a seven-year-old in 1992.

The claims were examined at the time by a judge who found that it was unlikely that [Allen] could be successfully prosecuted for sexual abuse because this would not be supported by the evidence, but denied his custody claim for Dylan.

The latest explosive article was written by the famed directors longtime friend, Daphne Merkin - and was immediately dismissed by Dylan as being full of multiple obvious falsehoods.

Her brother Ronan, a journalist, called it a hit job.

Previn said she had a difficult relationship with her adoptive mother from the moment she was picked up, aged six, from a Korean orphanage in 1977.

I remember the second I laid eyes on her, Previn recounted to the magazine. She came to me, and she threw her arms around me to give me a big hug. Im standing there rigidly, thinking, Who is this woman, and can she get her hands off of me?

Previn went to live with Farrow and her then-husband, the composer Andre Previn, one of six siblings including the couples biological children  Matthew, Sascha and Fletcher.

She claimed: She [Farrow] tried to teach me the alphabet with those wooden blocks, she said. If I didnt get them right, sometimes shed throw them at me or down on the floor.

Farrow slapped her adopted daughter across the face and spanked her with a hairbrush, often while calling her stupid or moronic, Previn claimed.

When Farrow and Andre Previn divorced in 1979, the family moved to New York. Farrow began seeing Allen when Soon-Yi was 11, and her relationship with him began while the couple were still together and she was 21.

In the past year, actors such as Greta Gerwig and Colin Firth have apologised for accepting roles in Allens films, and the director says he is now a pariah.

Mia Farrow did not comment for the New York magazine article.

Ronan Farrow, a journalist who has been a key reporter in the #MeToo movement, criticised the magazine for its decision to publish a hit job, written by a longtime admirer and friend of Woody Allens.

He said: The idea of letting a friend of an alleged predator write a one-sided piece attacking the credibility of his victim is disgusting,T ributes have been paid to a US student who was killed in the first fatal shark attack off the coast of Massachusetts in over 60 years.

Police have confirmed Arthur Medici, 26, was the victim of a brutal attack in shallow waters off the coast of Cape Cod, close to Boston. It is said to be the first fatal attack in the area since 1936.

Mr Medici, an engineering student originally from Brazil, had been living in Massachusetts for three years and worked at the Capital Grille restaurant in Burlington, Massachusetts. He is said to be a "joyous" young man, actively involved with his local church and always willing to help those in need.

The family put out a tribute to him on their Gofundme page, as they seek support in the wake of his death.

They wrote: "Arthur was a very happy young man. He loved life, he was an active member of a Christian church, devoting his life to the Lord. He participated in the praise group of the church in Revere and was very involved in all of the church activities. He loved hiking, biking, surfing and various other sports.

"There was never a bad time for him. He was always joyful and willing to help others, even going as far as feeding the homeless. He was happily engaged to a smart, kind-hearted medical student with a bright future. Our lives are are never going to be the same without him. His laughter filled our home and he will be greatly missed by us all."

His mother, Denise Gava posted on Facebook before the incident, that she was "always with him - I love to stand by his side".

Arthur's father, Itamar Medici, an administrator at Brazil's ministry of agriculture, wrote on social media: "Nothing has meaning to me, for God has taken the reason of my life and my tears are drying. I was fighting to give you everything and now.... who is going to keep what was being saved for you. I love you for all eternity."

Facebook

Capecod.com reported that "numerous bystanders" came to assist Mr Medici, who had reportedly suffered serious leg injuries and was unconscious when he was pulled out of the water and brought to a car park to await emergency services.

Police said in a statement: On Saturday September 15, 2018 at approximately 12.13pm the Wellfleet Police Department received a 911 call reporting a possible shark attack at Newcomb Hollow Beach.

"The Wellfleet Police and Fire Departments, in conjunction with the National Park Service responded to the beach. Upon arrival, emergency personnel were directed to bystanders who pulled a male victim in his mid 20s from the water and CPR was in progress.

Police and rescue vehicles fill the parking lot at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, Massachusetts after a fatal shark attack. / AP/Steve Heaslip

"Emergency personnel continued CPR and extricated the male victim from the beach and transported him to Cape Cod Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The incident is currently under investigation by the Cape and Island District Attorneys Office and the Massachusetts State Police.

CBS reported that the Coast Guard had closed all beaches in the area after the attack on Saturday - Cape Cod National Seashore still has a beach closure in place at Marconi Beach - just south of Newcomb Hollow where thee attack took place.

Mr Medici was boogie boarding with his fiance's brother at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet on Saturday afternoon when he was attacked. It's not know what kind of shark attacked him but Cape Cod has an active system for monitoring Great Whites, which continuously prowl the area and have been seen increasingly in shallow waters this summer.

He reportedly tried to kick the shark then was attacked, falling off the board.

This is the second shark attack to take place in Cape Cod this summer. William Lytton, 61, told the incredibly story of how he came close to death when his leg was savaged by a Great White shark on August 15 - off the coast of Truro, only a few kilometres north of Wellfleet. Mr Lyttin, from New York, managed to give the shark a strong smack on the gills and it released him, allowing him to swim back to shore.

Surfer Andrew Jacobs recorded a video of bystanders rushing to help Mr Medici, and carry him from the water as he struggled to live.

He tweeted: "Pretty sad day at the beach today. Amazing effort by everyone who jumped into action to help this young man out. Prayers to him and his family."

Newcombe Hollow Beach was closed after the attack but has since been re-opened. Other areas along the Cape Cod stretch of sea-front are still under shark warnings. / AP

Local fisherman and surfer Joe Booth said he witnessed as Mr Medici kicked something behind him, and then he saw a flicker of a tail in the water.

"I was that guy on the beach screaming 'Shark, shark!' It was like right out of that movie Jaws. This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here," he told WBUR news.

Following the terrible incident, sharks made the news again today as beach-goers joined forces to help a beached great white, digging a trench to drag it back into the water near White Crest Beach, on the same stretch of Cape Cod coastline.E . coli may not have been a factor in the deaths of a British couple in Egypt, lawyers have revealed following a UK post-mortem.

John and Susan Cooper were staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada on a Thomas Cook holiday when they died.

Initial results from authorities in Egypt suggested the cause of deaths were linked to E. coli bacteria, but this was dismissed by the couple's daughter Kelly Ormerod last week.

Solicitors acting for the family said on Monday further Home Office post-mortems had proven "inconclusive" but further tests will be carried out.

E-coli was a factor in the deaths of two British tourists in Egypt, prosecutor says

The statement from Smith Jones solicitors said: "By way of update, we can confirm that a Home Office post mortem has now been carried out on John and Susan Cooper.

"Unfortunately, notwithstanding the 'positive', though contradictory, assertions of the Egyptian authorities, the results of that post mortem were inconclusive, and the pathologist was unable to ascertain the likely cause of death in either case.

"It is understood that further toxicological screening and other relevant tests will now be carried out as a matter of urgency to aid that process.

"An inquest is to be opened on September 18 and the family are certain that the Coroner will undertake a rigorous investigation of all the circumstances surrounding the deaths to enable answers to be provided.

"Kelly and her family remain committed to establishing the true cause of John and Susan's deaths and holding those responsible to account.

"They look forward to assisting the Coroner in whatever way they can with what they acknowledge will be a difficult and complex task."

John and Susan Cooper were staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt / AP

Ms Ormerod, 40, has said she has "no faith" in the Egyptian authorities, who said their examinations showed Mr Cooper, 69, suffered acute intestinal dysentery caused by E.coli.

The results also suggested Mrs Cooper, a 63-year-old Thomas Cook employee, suffered a complication linked to infection, likely to have been caused by E.coli.

He said the bodies of the couple showed "no criminal violence" and other tests of air and water at the hotel found nothing unusual.

Thomas Cook's own tests identified a high level of E.coli at the hotel, which would "explain the raised level of illness reported among guests".

But the firm said the independent specialists it commissioned to carry out the tests, and Dr Vanya Gant from University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, did not believe the results "shed any light" on the cause of the Coopers' deaths.

Thomas Cook moved 300 guests out of the hotel 24 hours after the couple died as a precaution.

Inquests into the deaths of the couple, from Burnley, Lancashire, are expected to be opened and adjourned at Preston Coroner's Court on Tuesday.A ustralian police are investigating after a woman, 62, was accused of planting a needle inside a banana.

Queensland Police said the woman was assisting with their inquiries following the alleged contamination at a supermarket in Maryborough.

The incident came as Australia was gripped by a strawberry sabotage crisis. Needles have been found planted in punnets across the country.

But in a statement, police said on Monday that the alleged banana incident was isolated.

The force said: Police are confident no other products were contaminated in this alleged incident.

It is also being treated as an isolated incident without any links to other food contamination investigations.

The community is reminded that contaminating food is treated as a serious offence and a threat to public safety.

Metal needles have reportedly been found in strawberries in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.

The Queensland Strawberry Growers Association said it was working to reduce the risk of copycat incidents.

It said on Facebook: For peace of mind purchasers of fresh strawberries have been advised to take the simple precaution of cutting the fruit in half before eating.

As with all farmers who produce food for our nation, strawberry growers strive to ensure the quality, security and freshness of their produce and these spiteful incidents have been extremely disheartening and troubling.

Regretfully, preventing random acts of extremism, sabotage and simple maliciousness from people with a grudge appears to be an increasing challenge across our society.K atie Prices mansion caught fire leaving her terrified the house was going to burn down.

The former glamour model was said to be in shock after discovering the blaze, which is believed to have spread from five-year-old son Jetts bedroom across the first floor.

Prices step-father Paul is said to have put the fire out before emergency services had to be called.

The mother-of-five and her family are believed to be unharmed.

The TV personality is reportedly concerned at the cost of repairing the damage as the bedroom and corridor were left blackened with smoke.

A source told the Sun: Katie and the family were terrified the house was going to burn down.

She's trying to sell the house at the moment, so it's really bad news for Katie. It's going to cost her a fortune to repair.

Nobody knows how it started but if Paul hadn't been visiting at the time with Katie's mum Amy, the whole house could have burnt to the ground.

Standard Online has contacted representatives of Price for comment.

Katie Price avoids being declared bankrupt as court hearing is adjourned for three months

The news comes in the wake of news that Price narrowly avoided being declared bankrupt.

She was granted 12 weeks to avoid financial ruin after submitting an application to pay off her creditors.

She was once estimated to be worth 45 million and has reportedly been fighting against bankruptcy for the last few months following the breakdown of her third marriage and the collapse of her clothing company, KP Boutique.K irstie Alley has slammed reports that her best friend John Travolta is gay.

The American actress has supposedly insisted that she knows her Whos Talking co-star well enough to know his sexuality.

Speaking to The Sun, the 67-year-old said: No I don't [think he is gay]. I mean, I know him pretty well and I know the love...'

Alley went on to speak about her close relationship with Travolta admitting that she had fallen in love with him but was determined to stay loyal to her then-husband Parker Stevenson.

Best Pals: Alley gushed over her relationship with Travolta / Charley Gallay/Getty Images

She told the publication: John would agree it was mutual that we sort of fell in love with each other.

I will say its one of the hardest things Ive ever done, the hardest decision Ive ever made because I was madly in love with him  we were fun and funny together.

Alley added: It wasnt a sexual relationship because Im not going to cheat on my husband. But you know I think there are things that are way worse than sexual relationships, than cheating on someone that way.

I consider what I did even worse because I actually let myself fall in love with him and stay in love with him for a long time.

When it became very apparent that I was staying married, he started seeing Kelly again.

The former Celebrity Big Brother star added that the pair have remained best friends all these years and even live next door to one another.L isa Armstrong has hit out at paparazzi pictures taken of her while wearing pink leg warmers and flip flops.

The make-up artist was pictured on the phone outside an Essex hotel as she enjoyed a spa break.

Armstrong, who split from Ant McPartlin earlier this year, hit back at the creepy men in bushes taking the photos.

Posting to her 137,000 followers, she wrote: Whilst I still have one ass instead of two, Ill wear what I want if thats ok by you.....

Erin Brockovich #pinklegwarmersrock #washavingaspaday #leavemealone #creepymeninbushes.

Armstrong, who heads up the make-up team on Strictly Come Dancing, ended her 11-year marriage to McPartlin in January.

Cute: Lisa Armstrong favourited a tweet from a fan with a sweet message (Twitter ) / Twitter

Days ago, Armstrong liked a fan tweet about losing hope and being told she wont face this alone.

The sweet image, adorned with two teddy bears, read: Weve all hit a time when weve lost hope and need someone to put their arms around us and say: Ive got you right now, I wont let you face this alone.

Alongside the picture, the tweet read: So so true. I would give you a hug and tell you I'm here for you any day as i just feel that your one amazing young lady. 

The make-up artist was not invited back to Saturday Night Takeaway following her split from McPartlin who stars and produces the show with Declan Donnelly. She has since taken up a post on Stephen Mulherns upcoming In For A Penny which is also part of McPartlins production company.R ichard Gere is set to become a father again at 69 with his 35-year-old wife Alejandra Silva, the couple have revealed.

The Shall We Dance actor is gearing up to welcome his first child with the Spanish activist.

Silva shared an image of the Dalai Lama blessing her bump alongside Gere.

She wrote: A very special moment just a few minutes ago... Getting blessings for our precious to come.. we couldnt say it before telling HH Dalai Lama #dalailama#richardgere #alejandragere #love.

The couple were flooded with support from fans sending their love and blessings.

Gere is a Tibetan Buddhist and long-time supporter of the Dalai Lama.

He was previously married to supermodel Cindy Crawford from 1991 to 1995 and actress Carey Lowell from 2002-2016, with whom he has 18-year-old son Homer.

Silva has a five-year old son from a previous marriage.

Gere tied the knot with Silva after four years together in an Indian-inspired ceremony at Gere's ranch outside of New York earlier this year.

The couple arrived together at the ceremony in a tuk-tuk.

In an interview with Hello! magazine, Gere said: "I'm the happiest man in the universe.

"How could I not be? I'm married to a beautiful woman who is smart, sensitive, committed to helping people, who's fun, patient, who knows how to forgive, who's a great cook - and who makes the best salads in the world.S torm Helene is set to hit the UK and Ireland on Monday evening, with coastal communities warned to expect powerful winds.

The Met Office has warned winds could trees and disrupt transport links, and large waves could batter the seafront.

But as it sweeps across the north of England and Wales, other parts will see the mercury hit a balmy 26C - around 8C higher than average for this time of year.

Unseasonably warm weather is expected in London and the south east as low pressure draws up warm air from the south.

A NASA satellite image from September 11 shows Storm Helene on the right with tropical storm Isaac in the centre / AP

So where exactly is Storm Helene predicted to hit - and when?

Here's everything you need to know about the storm.

Where will it hit?

A yellow weather warning for wind is in place for much of England and Wales, and parts of southern Scotland.

The centre of the storm is expected to travel through the middle of Ireland, and most of the strong winds are likely to be in the Irish sea and the west of Scotland.

Grahame Madge, forcaster at the Met Office, warned western parts of the UK will likely bear the brunt of 50mph winds.

He said: "The strongest gusts are likely to be around western facing coasts - I would expect places like Land's End, Devon, Cornwall, west Wales and up through the Irish Sea to see the strongest impacts."

The storm will also draw up warm air from the south and the Atlantic, meaning temperatures in some areas will be higher than average for this time of year.

Aberdeen could top 23C, St James's Park 24C and Birmingham 22C.

The Met Office warned people to be careful in coastal regions as Storm Helene bears down on the UK (file photo) / PA

When will it hit?

The storm is expected to hit around 9pm this evening, with the weather warning in place until 6pm tomorrow.

How high will the wind speeds be?

Mr Madge warned of winds speeds of around 50mph, but gusts could be more than that.

Some areas in the western half of the UK, in places like Fort William, the Lake District and north Wales could also see rain.

What is the potential for damage?

High wind speeds mean travel services across the UK could be disrupted.WCPO-TV(CINCINNATI) -- After one family said their baby was sent home with two months to live, neighbors and friends around the world have banded together to create early Christmas for the boy.



"We decided to make every day that he has left as amazing as it can be," Brodys sister McKenzie Allen, 21, told ABC News. "We try to think of every fun thing that he would like to do to just bring a smile to his face."



Last year, the family took 2-year-old Brody to see Christmas lights displays and his face lit up with joy and excitement.



"He loves Christmas lights," Allen said. "So we decided to do Christmas early."



In May, Brody's family realized there may be something more serious wrong with him after he appeared dizzy, vomited and had difficulty walking.



"We got really worried because he just laid down on the floor and threw up and then was just drooling. It was terrible, Allen said.



The family said they took Brody to a hospital where they were told the boy may have an inner ear infection. But when they took him to the children's hospital for treatment, Allen said doctors found four brain tumors.



Brody was in the hospital for treatment for the aggressive cancer for almost 100 days, the family said, but on Aug. 4, the doctors found another tumor and that the main tumor had grown significantly.



"That's when we had found out that the chemo treatment wasn't working," Allen said. "That moment was even worse than finding out he had cancer in the first place."



The doctors told the family that there is nothing more they could do for Brody and that he might have only two more months. He was released to go home.



"Its was unimaginable. I really dont have any word, but the best I can describe is my heart just instantly drops to the bottom of my stomach," Allen said. "I felt hopeless and scared. I was a little angry too, I mean hes so young."



The family decided making the time that Brody has left the best life he could live. Three weeks ago, the family had a "birthday" party for him.



"We had an early birthday for him and just let him open presents and had a birthday cake and all sorts of fun stuff," Allen said.



On the family's Facebook page, which they said they set up a week after they found out Brody had cancer and now has 6,000 followers, they posted about throwing the early Christmas party for him and asked for decorations.



"He has no idea how sick he is," the boys father, Todd Allen wrote on the post. "He doesn't care. He just wants to have fun and enjoy every minute."



The family received an outpouring of support from neighbors and strangers in the community who brought them Christmas items, according to Allen. A week ago, their town of Colerain Township in northern Cincinnati started to decorate for Christmas too.



Some friends and neighbors have also set up early Christmas decorations at their homes to join the family.



"It's amazing," Allen said about the people who have joined "Team Brody." "We have people in New York that have decorations up and all across the United States.



She said the family has also been contacted by people in Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Germany, Russia, Belgium, and Italy who want to send Brody Christmas cards.



Back at home, people in the community have organized a Christmas parade for him.



"Everybody is sending their personal Merry Christmas wishes to Brody," she said, adding some said they even put pictures of Brody on their Christmas trees.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.B ig Brothers shortest-lived contestant Ellis Hillon is facing an uncertain future with McDonalds after racists tweets sent from her account emerged over the weekend.

Fast food worker Ellis, who entered the famous house for its final series on Friday night, was booted out after just 19 hours when the alleged tweets were discovered.

Confirming their decision, Big Brother announced on Saturday that Ellis  who turned 20 that day  had been removed from the house as a result of an investigation into offensive and unacceptable posts on social media.

Her employers have since said that they are conducting their own investigation into the alleged social media posts.

Ex-housemate: Ellis Hillon / PA Picselect

McDonalds confirmed: We do not comment on individual employees but can confirm we are looking into these alleged social media posts.

According to The Sun, the decision wont be made for a few days.

The tweets on her account, which has since been deleted, allegedly referred to smelly p*** terrorists and real n*****.

Hours before the launch, the network confirmed plans to axe the show , which they picked up in 2011 after it was dropped by Channel 4.

On Sunday night, viewers were shown footage of Ellis being booted out of the house after a scolding Diary Room chat.

After being shown her offending tweets, Ellis confirmed that she wrote the tweets years ago and later apologised.The officials of the Three Seas Initiative platform have inked on Monday at the Business Forum at Romexpo in northern Bucharest, the Joint Declaration on the fathering of the Chambers of Commerce network of the Three Seas Initiative as well as a Letter of Intent in connection with the establishment of an Investment Fund dedicated to the same Initiative.

Through the Investment Fund, estimated to be worth tens of billions of euro, a series of interconnection priority projects in energy, transport and digital sector could be financed. Around 40 such projects are currently tabled. Poland had the initiative of creating this fund.

The inking ceremony of the Joint Declaration was attended by officials of the Chambers of Commerce of Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia and Romania.Likewise, the Letter of Intent referring to the establishment of the Investment Fund dedicated to the Three Seas Initiative was signed by the representatives of the national banks and the guarantee funds from Croatia, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania.The Three Seas Initiative comes to support the common goal of the European Union, that of making Eastern and Western Europe get together, declared, on Monday, the European Commissioner for Regional Development, Corina Cretu.

"I have the honor of talking on behalf of the president of the European Commission, Mr. Jean Claude Juncker. The European Commission's main message is of great appreciation towards this Initiative of the Three Seas. As you all know, last week, during his speech concerning the state of the European Union, President Juncker highlighted that he wishes for us to make larger efforts in order to bring Eastern and Western Europe closer together, at both the European Commission's level, as well as at the level of the member states, and the Three Seas Initiative comes to support this common objective. It is a very relevant and legitimate initiative, that contributes to the regional development, thus enhancing the cohesion process at the level of the entire European Union. An initiative that can offer prosperity and security, in equal parts, for the member states. There were talks here about the gaps that exist, unfortunately, on our continent, not only between East and West, but within some member states. If we look to the Transportation field, in Central and Eastern Europe the same distance takes twice the duration it takes in the Western states of the European Union," Cretu said, during the first edition of the Three Seas Initiative Business Forum, held at Romexpo, on the sidelines of the Three Seas Initiative Summit.

The Commissioner for Regional Development also mentioned that the European forum supports the common objective of the heads of states and governments, that of identifying common projects in the fields of energy, transportation and digital technologies."We (the EC, ed. n.) encourage in achieving transnational projects in these fields, and the structural and investment funds, which I have the honor of managing in this committee, could contribute to accomplishing them, together with the private sector, of course. Only by bringing together small and medium businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups and all interested parties from the business environment to the first edition of the Business Forum, will contribute, without any doubt, to creating favorable conditions for launching concrete actions," Corina Cretu said.She underlined that the Bucharest Summit represents a unique opportunity to reiterate the importance for the European Union of a high level of connectivity between Central and Eastern Europe, whether it is about the energy, the transportation or the digital sector."Continuous geopolitical tension from the Middle East, the more and more obvious effects of climate change, the commercial disputes, the refugee and the migrant crisis, all these phenomena had negative effects on the economic and social balance of Europe. Yet, the European Union, our Union, must remain united, robust and innovative, in order to face the difficult commercial negotiations, in order to be one step ahead of the global competition, in order for it to be independent and strong in the face of external shocks. In this respect, the European Union salutes the desire of continuing to deepen transatlantic relations, relations between the European Union, its member states and the United States of America," Cretu pointed out.Assessing the state of the bilateral relations was the main topic of discussions that took place on Monday between the Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Melescanu and Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State for Economic and Commercial Business of the United Arab Emirates, according to a press release sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).

According to the quoted source, the talks focused on assessing the state of bilateral relations and the progress registered with regard to the consolidation of economic and sectoral cooperation between Romania and the United Arab Emirates, following the first session of the first Joint Cooperation Committee between the Romanian Government and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, that took place during the period of 16 and 17 April 2018.

Minister Teodor Melescanu reiterated the importance that Romania grants to developing the bilateral cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, pointing out, at the same time, the UAE's position as an extremely important trade partner in the Gulf region. He also pointed out the necessity of continuing efforts to identify new opportunities to enhance the economic and sectorial relations in common interest fields, with an emphasis on the great potential for attracting new Emirati investments in Romania.In his turn, Minister Al Jaber voiced his appreciation of the stage of bilateral relations, including that of political-diplomatic dialogue and highlighted the importance that the UAE gives to the development of the bilateral relations, with an emphasis on transportation, agriculture, energy and investments.The discussions also occasioned an exchange of views concerning the interest topics on the international and regional agenda, with a focus on the recent developments in the Middle East. In context, Minister Teodor Melescanu underlined that Romania, a state that will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will continue to grant special importance to the Southern Neighborhood of the European Union, all the while promoting political solutions to the differences in the Middle East and North Africa.Prime Minister Viorica Dancila welcomed on Monday Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler's representative of the Al Dhafra region in the United Arab Emirates, context in which she voiced Romania's special interest in promoting cooperation with the Arab states.

According to a press release of the Gov't, talks revolved around the stage of the bilateral relations and the development perspectives for economic cooperation.

"Premier Viorica Dancila voiced Romania's special interest in promoting cooperation with the Arab states, an objective emphasised in the governing programme. In context, she expressed appreciation for last year's boost of the political-diplomatic dialogue which has yielded positive results both in the economic field as well as from the perspective of the sectoral cooperation," the quoted source informs.Special attention was also given to the analysis of the stage of the collaboration initiatives launched on the occasion of the first session of the Joint Cooperation Committee between Romania's Government and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, an event held in Bucharest, 16 to 17 April 2018.Prime Minister Dancila reiterated Romania's Executive desire to further consolidate the bilateral relations with the Gov't in Abu Dhabi, "both in the traditional cooperation segments (economic, trade, investments, energy, industry, transport and agriculture), and in developing common, large-scale projects, with partners form the United Arab Emirates."Prime minister Viorica Dancila on Monday talked at the Victoria Palace with a delegation headed by the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Suma Chakrabarti, about the opportunity of a future cooperation with the EBRD in developing and upgrading the network of hospitals in Romania and the financing of the infrastructure, a release by the gov't reads.

The meeting was also attended by Public Finance minister Eugen Teodorovici and Deputy PM Viorel Stefan.

After an overview of the EBRD's activity in Romania, talks focused on the public private partnership, the internationalisation of the Romanian companies, the EBRD's involvemnt in the structuring and operationalisation of the future Sovereign Fund, as well as the perspectives of establishing a Development Bank.The Romanian side also expressed its support for the EBRD's involvement in all the initiatives of European interconnection, the ones that make the object of the talks at the Three Seas Initiative Summit ongoing in Bucharest, included."We support the EU initiatives in the main case files aiming at the EBRD activity and also from the perspective of Romania's taking over the Presidency of the Council of the EU," Viorica Dancila said.The Romanian officials also appreciated the EBRD's efforts in the last years for accomplishing the energy interconnections between EU/Romania and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the support granted to the Moldovan financial and banking authorities in restructuring their banking system.President Iohannis welcomed Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler's representative of the Al-Dhafra region in Abu Dhabi, on an official visit to Romania, and showed during discussions that the United Arab Emirates remain one of the most important partners in the region, as well as Romania's most active economic partners in the Gulf area, reads a press release sent by the Presidential Administration.

President Iohannis evoked the expansion of the cooperation between Romania and the United Arab Emirates, that ensued after the first session of the Joint Cooperation Committee of bilateral cooperation, that took place in April 2018 in Bucharest, alongside a Romanian-Emirate Forum, and underlined the importance of quickly putting into practice the aspects that were agreed upon on this occasion, the Presidential Administration informs.

The President also pleaded for intensifying bilateral trade and increasing the level of the UAE's investments in Romania and showed our country's interest in a tighter collaboration with the United Arab Emirates in the field of energy.Klaus Iohannis thanked on this occasion the efforts made by the authorities in the United Arab Emirates so as to integrate the ever-growing community of Romanians who are established, who work and substantially contribute to the development of the Emirati society. At the same time, the Romanian head of state highlighted the importance of deepening bilateral relations in the cultural and education fields, starting from the educational offer of the Romanian universities.Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan thanked the President for his support in the development of collaboration with Romania in all fields, the relationship with our country, a friendly country for the United Arab Emirates, that has a strategic character. The high-ranking Emirati official underlined in this sense his country's desire to particularly emphasise the growth of the economic field, with mutual benefits for both sides and mentioned the interest of the United Arab Emirates, including at the highest level, in increasing the Emirati investments in Romania. The guest further showed that his country is also interested in intensifying cooperation with Romania in the field of the protection of the environment and expressed his special appreciation for the Romanian community in the United Arab Emirates.President Klaus Iohannis and the head of the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mihai Daraban welcomed on Monday the official delegations participating in the "Three Seas Initiative" Summit.

Among these were: Croatia's President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Poland's President Andrzej Duda, Austria's President Alexander van der Bellen, European commissioner Corina Cretu.

The third edition of the "Three Seas Initiative" Summit is taking place September 17-18 in Bucharest, a political platform launched in 2015, whose main objective is to provide political support for a better cooperation and interconnectivity of the economies of the states in the geographic area between the three seas: the Baltic, the Adriatic and the Black Sea - in such areas as the energy, transport, telecommunications or the environment protection, according to the Presidential Administration.The Three Seas Initiative includes the 12 EU member states located between the Adriatic, the Baltic and Black Seas: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia as well as other state, European and international partner institutions.One of the main objectives of the Summit in Bucharest is to accomplish concrete progress aimed at increasing interconnectivity in the region in three main domains: energy, transport and the digital one. In this regard, the representatives of the EU member states together with their guests will discuss concrete ways for the development of connectivity in the region, the increase of the level of convergence, cohesion and European unity, and at the same time, about consolidating transatlantic cooperation.The importance of the Romanian-Chinese relations was underlined at the meeting between the Chamber of Deputies' Speaker, Liviu Dragnea and the Vice President of the Standing Committee of the National Congress of the Chinese People and President of the Women's Federation of Entire China, Shen Yueyue, a release by the Chamber of Deputies sent to AGERPRES on Monday informs.

The meeting was an opportunity to bring to mind the relations between Romania and China, that are enjoying a high trustworthiness capital and are grounded on the traditional friendship between the two peoples. In context, Speaker Dragnea expressed interest for the enhancement of the political dialogue, so that it will represent a tool in boosting bilateral collaboration, the release adds.

Considering the excellent economic cooperation, China being Romania's main commercial partner in Asia, the two dignitaries found that opportunities exist to extend collaboration in this field, through both commercial exchanges and investment projects tabled by our country.Standing out among the strategic fields in which China could become main investor are: energy, in particular units 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Plant, and the construction of an energy group at the Rovinari thermo-electric power plant, alongside a series of large infrastructure projects for Romania, given our country's strategic positioning on the European transport corridors and additionally, on the New Silk Roads. By capitalizing on Romania's geographic position, it can become a relevant component of the transport corridors between Europe and Asia, in particular through the Constanta Port and the Danube.The two dignitaries expressed satisfaction towards the stage of certain ongoing partnerships, mentioning the establishment of some industrial parks, and the initiative of the Liaoning region to carry out a Chinese industrial park in the southern County of Prahova, focused on IT and edge technologies, medical equipment and electric vehicles, with an estimated value of 200 million euro.The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, sent a message to President Klaus Iohannis, in the latter's capacity as a host of the 2018 Three Seas Initiative Summit, meant for all the participants in the Bucharest Summit, in which message he hailed the initiative and underscored that the US is proud to remain a partner of this initiative, in a region of a strategic importance according to Agerpres.

"Last year, I had the honor of speaking at the Three Sees Initiative Business Forum in Warsaw, Poland. During my visit, I reaffirmed the United States' strong support for the Three Seas Initiative and our shared focus on expanding infrastructure, enhancing business connections, strengthening energy security, and reducing barriers to free, fair, and reciprocal trade in Central and Eastern Europe. The Three Seas Initiative has great potential to deliver on these and other important areas of cooperation. New energy infrastructure is essential to supporting deeper economic integration, opening access to new markets, and diversifying energy sources throughout the region. I applaud Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia for the progress they have made to support energy diversification through the construction of gas pipeline infrastructure. The United States remains a proud partner in these efforts through liquefied natural gas exports to this strategically important region and the participation of American companies in the Three Seas Initiative Business Forum. At many levels, our country remains committed to working with the 12 member nations to continue expanding energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure," reads the message of the US President sent to AGERPRS by the Presidential Administration.

Donald Trump thanked President of Romania Klaus Iohannis for convening this important event, and also to Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, for leading the American Delegation."I look forward to hearing about our shared progress on new investment projects and business partnership. The United States pledges to remain a strong ally and partner in this Initiative as we continue to focus on achieving even greater wealth and security in the 21th century. I send my best wishes for a productive and successful forum," concluded the US President in his message.The US research agency Stratfor has forecast that the United States will solidify its naval presence in the South China Sea and continue building up defence and economic ties along China's periphery from Taiwan to Southeast Asia, and given the all-embracing belligerence that seems to envelope Washington, its analysts are probably right. There are few countries or international accords that are not targeted by the malevolence of a president who declared at his inauguration that its going to be only America first, America first and whose disciples applaud his erratic lurches from truculent insults to maudlin self-pity.

In November 2017 Trump visited Vietnam and called for all South China Sea claimants to clarify and comport their maritime claims in accordance with the international law of the sea as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS] and to implement their international legal obligations in good faith in managing or resolving these disputes.

The main problem about this self-satisfied drivel is that, as Voice of America reported in 2016, the US has not accepted UNCLOS because of opposition from Republicans in the Senate, where treaties must be approved by a two-thirds' vote. And in 2018 the Congress is still controlled by Republicans and they still havent agreed to ratify the Convention. Why should they? It goes against everything that Washington stands for in the way of America First, which sentiment excludes anything at all that might commit the US to international law.

So the Pentagon continues to send nuclear-capable bombers and missile-equipped warships and electronic warfare aircraft around and over the South China Sea, to make it clear to China that the most important thing to Washington in the region is its military domination of Chinas coast. The most recent confrontational activity was three months ago when the US Navys Antietam, a guided-missile cruiser, and the Higgins guided-missile destroyer were sent to try to provoke Chinese reaction by operating within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands. They didnt just pass through the Paracels : they conducted tactical manoeuvres among the islets, but this didnt prevent a spokesman for the US Navys Seventh Fleet telling Time magazine, presumably without a smirk on his face, that the operations are not about one country, nor are they about making political statements.

Britain, which is roughly the same distance from the South China Sea as America (10,000 km as against 12,000 km) decided to join Washington in making political statements by sending HMS Albion, an Amphibious Assault Ship of Britains Royal Navy to mimic US antics in the region.

Albion is impressive-looking but is not a combat vessel, because its mission is simply to deliver troops and equipment to a previously secured landing area. But off it went to the South China Sea to sail along and conduct a so-called freedom of navigation exercise on August 31 in the waters round the Paracel Islands, which the Brits declared was in full compliance with international law.

On June 27, a month after the last US Navy venture against China and two months before the UKs Royal Navy was ordered by its government to imitate the US ships fandangos, Chinas ambassador to Britain noted that there was no problem with freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and that The reality is that more than 100,000 merchant ships pass through these waters every year and none has ever run into any difficulty with freedom of navigation. Despite some disputes between China and some of its neighbours, maintaining stability in the South China Sea has been a matter of consensus for all the countries in this region. The overall situation has been stable, thanks to the joint efforts of all the regional partners.

There was absolutely no need for a British warship to sail close to any of the islands where China has for decades had a large presence. On its way to Vietnam from Japan, the Albion had no reason whatever to pass close to any of the Paracels. It could have sailed more directly from Tokyo to Ho Chi Minh City with no problem at all  and it would have used less fuel. But the UK government authorised the Navys spokesman to declare that HMS Albion exercised her rights for freedom of navigation in full compliance with international law and norms.

The object of the operation was to try to provoke China to take action against yet another instance of foreign military coat-trailing in a region in which Britain has no territorial claims and no local alliances. It was following Washingtons policy of trying to irritate China, and in this it succeeded, although it was most unwise to do so.

When Britains Prime Minister Theresa May was in Beijing in January 2018, one of her more important observations was that her visit would intensify the golden era in UK-China relations. And a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said Beijing saw Mrs May's trip as an opportunity to achieve new development of the China-UK global comprehensive strategic partnership. It seemed at the time that bilateral relations were at least practical, and could even progress to the commercially cordial.

There were, after all, trade deals agreed worth some 9 billion pounds, and PM May declared that as the UK is preparing to leave the European Union were seizing the opportunity to become an ever-more outward-looking Global Britain, deepening our trade relations with nations around the world  including China.

But Mrs May was sadly mistaken if she imagined for one moment that a golden era of Sino-UK relations would be welcomed by China after her silly and totally needless aggravation in the South China Sea. On September 7 the Chinese reaction to Britains freedom of navigation frolic was Britains actions were wrong. They clearly violated the consensus and spirit put forward by Britains leadership that they wished to build a golden era in ties with China. This certainly will unfavourably influence the further development of the China-Britain relationship.

The China-UK trade balance is in Chinas favour, but Britain needs China much more than China needs Britain  and this will be especially so when the UK exits the European Union, which will engage further and more deeply with China in many ways.

Just as in its relations with Russia, it would serve Britain better to cease posturing and try moderation with China. It is very easy, and no doubt enjoyable in a juvenile way, to leap up and down and insult other countries, but it is wiser to be restrained and balanced. What happens in the South China Sea is nothing to do with Britain, which has plenty of Brexit problems on its plate without looking for more complications.The hackneyed old stories about the threat of Russian meddling in the elections of other countries have gone stale. Since no real evidence has ever been presented, they dont attract much public attention anymore. It is generally believed that poor Europe is not ready to stop Russia, but it should be, as the European parliamentary election scheduled for May 2019 is drawing closer. Warnings have been issued, alarm bells sounded, and recommendations presented by think tanks. Former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned about the Russia threat as far back as last March. As there was nothing to substantiate his statement, one can only assume that the former official has been endowed with the gift of clairvoyance.

Currently Europe under threat from populist and neo-Nazi formations and the only way to counter it is to stay united. In other words, there must be no EU reforms, no policy changes, those Brussels-based pooh-bahs will go on enjoying their serene lives tut-tutting about the nefarious plans of those who oppose them, and refugees will be free to pour in until the EU explodes.

Has Russia done anything specifically to provoke the accusations that it has plans to meddle in the European election race? Not a thing, but there is somebody else who has.

No, the EU leadership is not dismayed enough to raise a hue and cry over the scandalous remarks made by US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell. It sees no need to do anything about it. In June, the ambassador did not shy away from openly promising to use his office to help far-right nationalists inspired by Donald Trump take power across Europe! In an interview with Breitbart News, Richard Grenell said he was excited by the rise of far-right parties on the continent and wanted to empower other conservatives throughout Europe, other leaders. Those were his literal words!

If thats not interference, then what is? But no, no warning has been issued about the danger of US meddling in Europes May elections. Just imagine what would happen if a Russian ambassador to an EU country publicly said such a thing! Mr. Grenell did not see anything wrong with praising the Austrian government coalition, which includes the Freedom Party that was formed in the 1950s by a former Nazi officer. He actually lectured the Germans about what their government should look like. It seems like times have changed and intervening in European politics on behalf of far-right leaders has become the norm, at least for the ambassadors of the United States.

George Soros, a US billionaire who became one of the worlds wealthiest people by managing hedge funds and betting on currency fluctuations, has meddled in European elections many times. The last Italian election is one example. His Open Society Foundations spend $940 million a year in 100 countries in pursuit of political goals. He has been asked to leave Russia and Hungary, the country of his birth, for interfering in politics. The Soros network has great influence in the European Parliament and in other European Union institutions. Its an open secret that the billionaire is a vehicle used by the US State Department to meddle in other countries internal affairs. USAID and the Soros network often team up. Last year, six US senators signed a letter asking the State Department to look into government funding of Soros-backed organizations, but to no avail. The State Department always protects the financier.

Last year, the Soros list was made public. It contained the names of 226 MEPs from all sides of political spectrum who are eager to promote the ideas of Soros, such as the integration of Ukraine into the EU, and, of course, taking a stand against Russia. The lawmakers on the list hold roughly one-third of the seats in the European Parliament! They vote as they are told by a US tycoon. But no, this fact has been swept into the shadows. there is no threat to democracy, no negative impact on any elections  nothing to worry about. Can anybody imagine what would happen if it were revealed that a Russian oligarch with close ties to the government was keeping a list of allied European politicians? Europe is adamant about countering foreign influence and the threat coming from  Russia. The fact that one-third of MEPs are allied with George Soros is not a big thing. Its Moscows alleged meddling that is keeping the EU leaders and media magnates from sleeping.

Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Trump, is pretty busy at present. He is in the process of setting up a non-profit Brussels-based foundation called The Movement, to support right-wing anti-EU parties during the European Parliament races. The British Ukip party has already pledged to work with it. The short-term goal is to produce a European Parliament in which every third lawmaker belongs to a right-wing supergroup, so that it will be possible to disrupt parliamentary proceedings. Right-wing populist nationalism is what will happen. Thats what will govern, Steve Bannon told the Daily Beast. Youre going to have individual nation states with their own identities, their own borders. According to the source, The operation is also supposed to serve as a link between Europes right-wing movements and the pro-Trump Freedom Caucus in the US. He wants a well-financed, centralized operation in order to bring right-wingers together. The Daily Beast quotes Raheem Kassam, a former Breitbart editor, who said, Forget your Merkels. According to him, Soros and Bannon are going to be the two biggest players in European politics for years to come. What would Europeans say if a formerly highly placed Russian official with close ties to the president set up a political movement to openly influence the Old Worlds political life?

The Movement would challenge the work of philanthropist George Soros, and his liberal Open Society Foundations (OSF). If they succeed, Americans closely linked to the US government will control European mainstream politics. One-third (Bannon) plus one-third (Soros) equals two-thirds  an overwhelming majority consisting of right-wingers and liberals.

The US involvement in European politics is so evident and extensive that talking about Russian meddling sounds farcical. The Americans are free to do anything they want. It never occurs to European leaders to sound the alarm and put the issue on the EUs security agenda. They are too busy looking the other way while turning a blind eye to the fact that the meddling they fear so much has already been taking place without hindrance for a very long time indeed.Is the Buddhist spiritual leader a white supremacist, an inveterate racist or even a closet Nazi? Only a very misinformed person would suggest such a thing. So how do we explain his recent remark that the millions of refugees who have been allowed to enter Europe should ultimately return to their homelands to rebuild their own country"? Is that really such a vile and hateful suggestion?

Speaking at an event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of Individual Human Aid (IM), an international charity group that helped Buddhists resettle in Sweden following the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the 83-year-old Dalai Lama spoke without any fear of upsetting his PC-obsessed audience.

Recently large numbers of refugees, many from the Middle East, have fled to Europe in fear for their lives, he told a group of journalists. They have been given shelter and support, but the long-term solution should include providing training and education, particularly for their children, so they can return to rebuild their own countries when peace has been restored.

"Receive them, help them, educate them but ultimately they should develop their own country," advised the 83-year-old Tibetan, who understands firsthand what it means to be an (legitimate) asylum seeker.

"I think Europe belongs to the Europeans," he continued, adding that refugees should understand that "they ultimately should rebuild their own country".

Predictably, the comment struck fell like a lightning bolt not only in the globalist camp, obsessed as it is with bringing Europe to its knees, but throughout Sweden, which just witnessed the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats party take third place in the general election with 18 percent of the vote, an increase of nearly 5 points since the 2014 election. Third place may not sound great, until it is realized that it was the first time that Swedens ruling Social Democratic Party failed to win an absolute majority since its founding 129 years ago.

The comments by the Dalai Lama came across as a bracing slap in the face, a courageous wake-up call, and not least of all because the event took place in Swedens third-largest city of Malmo, where soaring crime rates among foreign-born nationals have made some neighborhoods no-go zones, where not even police and firefighters dare tread.

The reason the Dalai Lama is permitted to utter such unspeakable things goes beyond his spiritual authority; he himself is a refugee living in exile who dreams of returning someday to his native homeland of Tibet. It is that hope of return that informs his attitude to the ongoing migrant crisis, which is now dividing Europe along many cultural, social and political lines.

I am tempted to believe the Dalai Lama was invited to Sweden specifically to utter the things so many Swedes find it impossible to articulate; a sort of sadomasochistic exercise in humility and humiliation before the wise, plainspoken spiritual leader. After all, it is no secret that the Tibetan Buddhist leader has made such controversial remarks before.

Back in 2016, for example, in an interview in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, he remarked, with regards to migrants, there are too many now". Then, in a swipe at Angela Merkels open-door migrant policy, which has seen millions of migrants flood the European Union since 2015, he said, with the perpetual, all-knowing smile on his face, Germany cannot become an Arab countryGermany is Germany.

Now just imagine the feigned fury had Steve Bannon, Donald Trumps former Chief Strategist, for example, uttered something similar. Actually, there is no need to imagine because it just happened this week as Bannon defended Matteo Salvini, Italys deputy prime minister, and Viktor Orban, Hungarys prime minister, for attempting to protect the sovereignty of their country.

The Dalai Lama added that "from a moral point of view too, I think that the refugees should only be admitted temporarily".

However, for anybody who has studied the history of the mass movement of peoples, repatriation rarely if ever happens. Once a group of people have entered the borders of a sovereign state and set down roots  especially in the case of the European Union with its preponderance of bureaucratic red tape  it is excessively difficult to send them back to where they originated. It is no exaggeration to say that the Swedish people may become in some not-so-distant future the minority, forced to accept whatever charity their conquerors will bestow upon them.

The one individual who seems to have the best grasp of the situation is Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, who just suffered a defeat in the European Parliament as MEPs voted to launch sanctions against his country. Viktor Orbans unspeakable crime: daring to take physical measures to prevent an invasion of illegal aliens from entering Hungary  like constructing a barbed-wire fence that runs the length of the border with Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia.

Orban is the leading voice among the so-called Visegrad countries, made up of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These nations played no role in conquering Middle Eastern sovereign states, which instigated the mass exodus of people in the first place. Why must Budapest sacrifice its social order and security, much like Germany, France and the UK have already done, which is evident by the terrorist attacks that have rocked these places on a number of occasions?

Furthermore, the only moral responsibility that true, unscrupulous leaders like Viktor Orban have in mind is the safeguarding of their nation and people. The feeling of moral responsibility should have come much earlier in the form of speaking out against illegitimate Middle Eastern wars that are responsible for producing these refugees in the first place. Where is the voice of the Netherlands, for example, the home of NATO, to make sure these barbaric acts of aggression did not happen in the first place? It is on the question of military aggression, conducted by NATO states, where the question of moral responsibility must first be heard, not after the fact by countries suddenly expected to absorb the flood.

Europe is experiencing a grave moral deficit from its major powers because they refused to speak out against Americas imperial ambitions in the first place. Now, unless more people begin to heed the wise words of individuals like the Dalai Lama and, yes, Steve Bannon, the entire European project will collapse and Western civilization as we know it will have changed to the point of irrelevancy.Bay of Plenty

Ever thought of joining the civil construction industry? if so then this is your chance to get a foot in the door. We are...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nzClick the image above to watch the video

In today's forecast we are expecting an overcast day with showers and northerly breezes.

It's a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 18 and an overnight low of 13 degrees. Humidity is 95 per cent.

High tide is at 12.30pm and low tide is at 6.40pm (Tay Street times). There's a sea swell of .3m with a sea temperature of 14 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 6.03pm.

If you're going fishing the next best fish bite time is between 5.20pm and 7.20pm.

On this day in NZ history in 1941 flogging and whipping was abolished. As well as temporarily doing away with capital punishment for murder, the Crimes Amendment Act 1941 abolished judicial provision for flogging and whipping.

In world history on this day in 1787 the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia approved the constitution for the United States of America.

In 1916 Germanys Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, won his first aerial combat. In 1942 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met with Soviet Premier Josef Stalin in Moscow as the German Army rammed into Stalingrad.

In 1959 the X-15 rocket plane made its first flight. In 1976 the Space Shuttle was unveiled to the public.

In 2006 Alaskas Fourpeaked Mountain erupted for the first time in at least 10,000 years. In 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement calling for greater social and economic equality began in New York Citys Zuccotti Park, coining the phrase We are the 99 per cent.

Today is the birthday of Marquis Marie Jean de Condorcet, French mathematician and philosopher, a leading thinker in the Enlightenment. Born in 1743 he once said Our hopes, as to the future condition of the human species, may be reduced to three points: the destruction of inequality between different nations; the progress of equality in one and the same nation; and lastly, the real improvement of man.

For activities and events, please check out our What's on page.

Have a great day!Bay of Plenty

You will be operating the Roller and also required to help out the team hands on. You will be working near Bayfair for a...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nzLabour List MP Jan Tinetti is looking for a Youth MP to work with her as part of the 2019 Youth Parliament.

She says the role is fit for a talented local person who would enjoy the experience of being in Parliament and taking on the role of being a voice for younger people.

I think it is a very exciting opportunity, its something I would have liked to have done when I was young, says Jan.

Applicants must be: aged 16-18 years on October 19; living in the Tauranga or Coromandel Electorates; active in their community and passionate about youth issues, politics and social change; able to attend the Youth Parliament on July 16 and 17; and able to commit to the Youth MP tenure from March 1 to August 31, 2019.

Jan says those who fit the criteria are encouraged to apply.

People can apply by sending me a two minute video or one page letter stating why they are the right person to represent the youth of the electorate, how they would make New Zealand a better place and what they believe are the key issues or matters of interest for young people in New Zealand.

Please send your application with home and email address, phone number, the name of your school or education provider and the contact details of a referee by 5pm, on September 28 to Jan.Tinetti@parliament.govt.nz.

Candidates will then be shortlisted and invited for an interview.

I am so delighted to be in the position to offer this opportunity to a young person in our community said Jan.Te Puke artist Bridget Reweti will be among 10 of New Zealands leading contemporary visual artists to have their work featured in the United Kingdoms first major exhibition of Maori and Pacific culture this month.

Oceania will run at the Royal Academy of Arts in London from September 29-December 10, including around 200 works showcasing the art and culture of New Zealand, Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.

Bridget (Ngati Ranginui, Ngai Te Rangi) is a member of the Mata Aho Collective  a collective of four Maori women artists who will present their work, Kiko Moana. Other members include Erena Baker, Sarah Hudson and Terri Te Tau.

Kiko Moana is made from iconic blue tarpaulin that is folded, stitched and slashed. The collective has employed accessible materials and researched customary Maori sewing techniques to portray the tradition of innovation.

The work is accompanied by online Taniwha Tales  gifts from friends and whanau about their encounters, memories or insights around taniwha.

We chose taniwha as they like to travel, are guardians and live in or around water, says Bridget. As Kiko Moana was our first work to travel overseas, we wanted to ground it in stories from home.

Bridget grew up in Te Puke and went on to get a masters degree in Maori visual arts from Massey University and a post graduate diploma in museum and heritage studies from Victoria University.

She has held numerous residencies both nationally and internationally and her work is held in both private and public collections.

Bridgets work is largely lens-based, using both photographic and video equipment.

It offers a way for me to employ lens-based techniques and tools, but also the concepts it encompasses, like perspective, position or focus, she says. An important aspect of image making is asking who is behind the lens and what power do they have?

Bridget lives and works in Wellington, but is very proud of her Tauranga Moana whakapapa.

Living in Wellington now means I can focus on developing not only my own art practice, but writing and curating other Maori artists into exhibitions, she explains.

I've always been interested in ideas, in being able to research and explore possibilities beyond our current situations, and art is an avenue that provides that. I am inspired by the strong women whom have been ever-present in my life.

Bridget enjoys bringing her work home, however, and her exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery last year, Irihanga, was particularly special as she was able to work with her nan, Geraldine Hinemoa Reweti, to record the narrative.

This exhibition highlighted the settlements that were destroyed during the 1867 Tauranga Bush Campaign, says Bridget. I was fortunate to visit some of these sites, which are now either farmland or forestry.

It was difficult to reconcile such a violent history with so much loss. I was grateful to be able to contribute a small part towards honouring the narratives of that time that still affect us today.

The work that Bridget does with the Mata Aho Collective is quite different to her individual practice. The four women met studying at Massey University and bonded over similar interests and a need to support each other in art endeavours.

I really enjoy being able to work collectively, she says, to share ideas and develop work not in isolation. In saying that, I relish the freedom of my individual practice, which involves spending time in the mountains.

Kiko Moana was originally presented at documenta 14 in Kassel, Germany in 2017 alongside the work of Ralph Hotere and Nathan Pohio.

We were the first group of New Zealand artists to ever exhibit at documenta 14. So although we were treading new territory, we knew that many people before us has forged new paths and as nervous as we were, we also felt secure in our work and support networks, says Bridget.

I feel proud and humbled to be part of the Maori artists who are making change locally, nationally and internationally.

Bridget says the collective is overwhelmed to be chosen to exhibit at Oceania.

I'm not sure I'll know exactly how I'll feel when we arrive though. I am acutely aware that there will be many taonga from all over the Pacific that haven't seen home for a long time. This might be a bit heartbreaking.

I'm glad I'll be viewing these taonga with my three friends though. We can share that load.

Heading: A Taniwha Tale from Kiko Moana

KH  41

Ngati Awa  Ngai Tuhoe

I don't know loads about Taniwha except what we were told as kids. They were protectors of the area they were in and if you disrespected that area, the Taniwha would get you! Half the time I think it was to put the fear of god in us so that we wouldn't go there and misbehave lol but then there are more than likely to be more reasons behind the stories than I was ever told. I know we were told about a Taniwha that was in a river when I was younger so that scared the crap out of me and I never wanted to swim there. I guess that might have been Ben's way of making sure I didn't swim there and drown who knows, but it worked. I often thought of them as big dragons for some reason, I'm sure each kid had their own vision of what a Taniwha looked like. Sadly, I never saw my dragon or maybe you only saw them if you were naughty.

To read more Taniwha Tales go to: www.kikomoana.comVodafone provides improved internet connectivity to over 300,000ha of farmland, allowing New Zealands largest pastoral farming company to run its business more efficiently.

The Rural Connect Project sees Vodafone successfully bringing fast and reliable internet to 125 Pamu farms around New Zealand. It is the second largest connectivity project in the country, after the governments Rural Broadband Initiative.

Pamu is the brand name for Landcorp, a State-owned enterprise. Pamu is New Zealands largest farming company. It is also the name given to the quality products created by the company. Pamu produces high quality milk, lamb, beef, venison and wool products from its 125 farms spread throughout the country.

The state-owned enterprise owns over 100,000ha of farmland throughout New Zealand and manages an additional 200,000ha. Many of these farms are in rural regions where many farmers had very poor internet connection.

Vodafone has spent three years delving into the connectivity problems across all areas of Pamus business, including regular farm visits and research interviews.

Vodafone Public Sector Business Development Manager, Alistair McDonnell, says the improved internet connection helps farms work smarter not harder.

Improving connectivity means employees can communicate with others in different parts of the country more regularly, with better quality and improved efficiency.

We often take for granted the connectivity we have in our big cities but thats not the reality for many famers. Now Pamus employees are able to work as if theyre in the CBD but from all over the country, says Alistair.

East Coast Business Manager Victoria Magazinovic says the connection has helped her farms communicate more often and effectively with other stations.

Since the new connection was put in place we have a weekly conference with other farms to catch up on how everything is tracking. The video conference is such a simple piece of technology but now it works really well having a fast-enough internet connection, so we can get on and get the job done.

Vodafone has also helped us extend the connection to the woolshed so the weights and EID information can be uploaded to Farm Management System in real time, allowing other farms to see our results, she says.

For years farmers have had issues with internet connectivity, this has made them reserved in using online tools aimed to help productivity, communication and health and safety on the farms. But the benefits of the new connection to farms and employees are continuing to grow, says Pamu General Manager for Innovation, Environment and Technology Rob Ford.

The new connectivity has helped farmers feel connected and involved. Its been a true partnership with Vodafone and the team has really understood the importance of this project.

The next phase of the Vodafone and Pamu partnership will see data collected from the rural farms to help predict trends for how farm businesses can perform better across the board and develop with the new technology.Click the image above to watch the video

In today's forecast we are expecting the weather to be often cloudy, with the odd shower turning to rain in the evening. Also easterly breezes.

It's a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 18 and an overnight low of 13 degrees. Humidity is 94 per cent.

High tide is at 1.20pm and low tide is at 7.30pm (Tay Street times). There's a sea swell of .4m with a sea temperature of 15 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 6.04pm.

If you're going fishing the next best fish bite time is tomorrow morning between 6.30am and 8.30am.

On this day in NZ history in 1937 the first state house was opened in Miramar. Most of the Labour Cabinet helped the first tenants move into 12 Fife Lane in Miramar, Wellington. Even Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage carried a cumbersome dining table through a cheering throng.

In world history on this day in 1793 George Washington laid the foundation stone for the U.S. Capitol. In 1830 Tom Thumb, the first locomotive built in the United States, lost a nine-mile race in Maryland to a horse.

In 1929 Charles Lindbergh took off on a 10,000 mile air tour of South America. In 1973 East and West Germany and The Bahamas were admitted to the United Nations. In 1977 Voyager I took the first photo of Earth and the Moon together. In 1998 ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) was formed to coordinate unique identifying addresses for Websites worldwide.

Today is the birthday of English essayist and poet Samuel Johnson. Born in 1709, he once said "The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."

For events and activities across the Bay today, please check out our What's on page.

Have a great day!North Syracuse high school graduate Richard Gere is expecting a child with his wife Alejandra Silva.

The 69-year-old actor and the 35-year-old Spanish businesswoman got married in April and rumors have spread in recent months that she's pregnant. Silva confirmed the news on Sunday, adding that her baby bump had been blessed by the Dalai Lama.

"A very special moment just a few minutes ago ... Getting blessings for our precious to come," Silva wrote on Instagram. "We couldn't say it before telling HH Dalai Lama."

Gere, a longtime Buddhist and supporter of the Tibetan spiritual leader, has an 18-year-old son, Homer, with his previous wife, Carey Lowell. Gere was married to Lowell, a Bond girl in "License to Kill," from 2002 to 2013 and was also married to supermodel Cindy Crawford from 1991 to 1995.

People reports this will also be the second child for Silva, who has a 5-year-old son, Albert, with her former husband Govind Friedland.

"I have found the quiet and happy life that I have always sought," the former "Pretty Woman" star told Hola! magazine earlier this year when he wed Silva after 3 years of dating.

Gere has starred in more than 50 movies, including "An Officer and a Gentleman," "Runaway Bride," "Chicago" and "Shall We Dance." He recently appeared in 2017's "The Dinner" and next stars in a British TV series, "MotherFatherSon."

The Golden Globe-winning actor was born in Philadelphia and raised in North Syracuse, where his mother died in 2016.SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Anthony Saccone's request to withdraw his guilty plea to killing three people while driving drunk then fleeing near Onondaga Community College was a surprise to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick said he wasn't expecting Saccone's request during the bail hearing Monday morning and outside the courtroom Fitzpatrick voiced his frustration.

How much do these families "have to endure from this maggot before enough is enough," Fitzpatrick said. "I'm at that point. Enough is enough...I'm ready to take this case to trial."

Saccone said he pleaded guilty days after his "wrongful arrest" for reckless driving on July 22.

"I was coerced," Saccone told County Court Judge Matthew Doran Monday morning. "I was forced into this plea deal."

The judge ordered Saccone to continue to be held in jail.

Fitzpatrick said he wants Saccone to stay in jail until he is sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison on Oct. 19.

"I'm confident that sentencing is going to continue on the 19th," Fitzpatrick said.

Saccone pleaded guilty in July to aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges.

Killed in the early Feb. 23 crash at Onondaga Boulevard and Onondaga Road were Baylie Rose, 19, Michael Walker, 18, and Samra Osmanovic, 20. Fitzpatrick said Saccone, who was drunk and high on cocaine, was going more than 80 mph when he blew through a red light and crashed into the victims' car.

Saccone's family on social media has been asking people to call the DA's office and demand Saccone be released after unrelated charges filed against Saccone were dismissed.

"Legally he still has 1 month to spend home with us until he is sentenced," according to a post by Renee Saccone, Anthony Saccone's wife. "So here I ask everyone if you've considered him a brother, a friend help me get him home to his boys and family where he should have been for the past 2 months."

The post went on to say "The more calls put in the more hassle and the better the chances of them speeding things up on his release."SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Onondaga County District Attorney will give an update this morning on the deadly double shooting at Chili's in DeWitt.

District Attorney William Fitzpatrick will hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. in his Syracuse office. Follow Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard on Facebook for live coverage.

Kristopher Hicks and Stephen Gudknecht, both Chili's employees, were shot to death early Saturday morning as they finished their shift at the Erie Boulevard restaurant.

The DeWitt Police Department said William B. Wood Jr., a former Chili's employee, killed the two men during a robbery. The 32-year-old Syracuse man has been charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree murder.

Wood stopped working at Chili's last year and knew both victims, police said. He is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center without bail.DEWITT, N.Y. -- Everywhere Nancy Chappell looked Sunday night, there was another person with arms extended.

"I couldn't turn around without getting another hug," said Chappell, whose son Stephen Gudknecht was one of two Chili's workers killed early Saturday at work.

More than 200 people gathered for a candlelight vigil Sunday night outside the Chili's on Erie Boulevard East in DeWitt, where Gudknecht and Kristopher Hicks were gunned down as they finished their shift.

Police have arrested William B. Wood Jr., a former Chili's employee. Wood is facing first-degree murder and first-degree robbery charges. He is accused of killing Gudknecht and Hicks, and robbing the restaurant of cash.

The Rev. Alan Rudnick, a pastor with DeWitt Community Church, a short walk from the restaurant, said Chili's staff reached out to his church after the shooting to help them "remember and grieve."

At the vigil Sunday night, Rudnick asked everyone gathered to pause and remember Kris and Steve -- and what had occurred at the restaurant. Rudnick told the crowd he knows what happened will always be difficult, but to also "remember the good times -- to laugh and share stories of two loved ones -- and to rebuild."

"As we gather at this place, many will say this a place where a great tragedy occurred," Rudnick said. "We can say that, but we can also say this place is a sacred place. It is a sacred place because two men's lives were lost doing their jobs... It's a place of memory and it's a place where people share their memories as they come together."

Gudknecht's brother, Chris Chappell, walked up to the podium and spoke about his "idol."

"He was the role model for the father I want to be," he said. "... He became one of the best men I've met in my entire life. This still doesn't honestly feel real, but this tragedy is not how we're going to remember Kris and Steve."

Rudnick then asked everyone to light a candle for Gudknecht and Hicks, and to remember that although "there are dark days ahead, the light will always shine."

"As we hold these lights, and we remember, we remember Kris and Steve, that the light will not go out in our hearts."

Ashley Gunn said she worked at Chili's with Gudknecht and Hicks. She said she will always remember how Gudknecht talked about his children, 9-year-old Nikolaus and 14-year-old Adrianna, and how he was always willing to help others.

"He was always talking about his kids. He loved his kids," she said. "Whenever you needed help, he would stop what he was doing and help you. If you needed something, he was always there for you."

Allison Andrieu, who worked with Hicks on-and-off for eight years, said he was a kind co-worker.

"He was hilarious. He was so sweet," Andrieu said. "He'd give you the shirt off his back. He would always make us special food."



Many Chili's workers, family members and friends cried, hugged and shared stories about Gudknecht and Hicks. They also placed bouquets of flowers and candles near the entrance to Chili's, and signed posters filled with photographs.

"You will always be missed," one person wrote on the poster board.

"Steve, You changed my heart and world. I love you soo much," another wrote.

"I love you Steve & Kris. Always and forever."

Gudknecht's mother and Hicks's girlfriend each received one of the signed posters. When Nancy Chappell saw the poster with a photo of her son, she tearfully kissed it.

Adrianna Gudknecht, 14, of Camillus, said is she thankful for everyone who donated to a GoFundMe page that will help her and her younger brother. She said she hopes to go to college to become a homicide detective one day. So far, more than $6,000 has been donated.

She also said she was overwhelmed at how many people came out to the candlelight vigil for her father and his co-worker.

"It was amazing, overwhelming," she said. "It's crazy to think how much people cared about him. My dad cared so much. He had a huge heart."

-- Staff writer Patrick Lohmann contributed to this report.DEWITT, N.Y. -- A robber killed two Chili's employees in DeWitt early Saturday over less than $900, police said in court records.

It was around 1 a.m. Saturday when William Wood Jr. walked into the Erie Boulevard East restaurant armed with a pistol, the DeWitt Police Department said in a felony complaint filed in DeWitt Town Court.

Wood - who had worked there about a year ago - shot two of his former coworkers - Stephen Gudknecht and Kristopher Hicks - in the head inside Chili's, police said. Then, he stole $875 and ran away, police said.

One man was dead when officers arrived at the restaurant. The other man died after he was rushed to the hospital.

Stephen Gudknecht, left, poses for a photo with his daughter in this undated photo. Gudknecht was one of the two Chile's employees killed Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, during a robbery and shooting at the DeWitt restaurant.

"Make no mistake: Two innocent people were murdered by an evil person," said DeWitt Police Chief John Anton, "and I hope that person spends the rest of his life behind bars."

Anton said Wood confessed to killing the employees after he was arrested.

Wood would've killed two other Chili's employees, said Onondaga District Attorney William Fitzpatrick during a news conference Monday. But it appears Wood's gun may have jammed, he said, allowing a woman and a man to escape.

"He had no intention of leaving any witnesses," Fitzpatrick said.

Kristopher Hicks, left, was one of the two Chile's employees shot to death on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, at the DeWitt restaurant. This photo -- and others -- of Hicks were placed on a poster displayed Sunday at a vigil.

The four employees were getting ready to leave the restaurant when the shooting happened. Wood addressed his four former coworkers by name, the DA said, and tried to disguise his face.

Wood was familiar with Chili's: He previously worked at the restaurant, police said, and was let go from his job about one year ago. But investigators said they do not believe the suspect was trying to get revenge for losing his job.

Stealing money appeared to be the sole motive, Fitzpatrick said.

"This wasn't a gunfight or a struggle," Fitzpatrick said. "This was an execution."

DeWitt police are investigating how Wood -- who used a bicycle to get around -- got to and from Chili's, said Anton. Investigators are also working to determine how the Syracuse man got to Fulton, where he was arrested early Sunday morning.

Wood, 32, of Syracuse, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree robbery. He is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center without bail.

If Wood is found guilty of first-degree murder, Fitzpatrick said he could face life in prison without parole.DEWITT, N.Y. -- The victims of a fatal robbery at a Chili's in DeWitt have been identified through the mother of one victim and a GoFundMe page set up to help support two young children who are now fatherless.

Kristopher Hicks and Stephen Gudknecht were the employees who were shot and killed early Saturday morning as they finished their shift at the Erie Boulevard chain restaurant, according to Nancy Ruff Chappell, Gudknecht's mother, and a GoFundMe page seeking support for Gudknecht's 14-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son.

"Steve was managing the late shift around 1 am... when an ex-employee entered through the back door of the building with a gun and robbed the (Chili's)," according to the page, written by Gudknecht's cousin. "Unfortunately my cousin Steve and another employee of the restaurant Kris Hicks were gunned down in cold blood. My cousin died at the scene and Kris was rushed to the hospital where he also died."

Police arrested William Wood, Jr., 32, an ex-employee of the restaurant, and charged him with murder and robbery.

Chappell, in a brief phone call with Syracuse.com | The Posdt-Standard, said she was worried about her grandkids and overwhelmed by the events of recent days.

Chappell said she would attend a vigil, which is open to the public, for Hicks and Gudknecht that will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at the restaurant at 3691 Erie Blvd. East. More than 50 people have signed up to attend on a Facebook event invitation.

The GoFundMe fundraiser has already raised $475. The author also said he would keep an eye out if a similar fundraiser shows up for Hicks' family.

Members of Hicks' family could not be immediately reached. No one was home at a North Side address listed for him earlier today.

Chili's has offered to pay for the funerals for both victims, according to the GoFundMe page.

"We are absolutely grateful to the company for all they have done so far. This fundraiser is for his 2 surviving children," Gudknecht's cousin said.

Police and Chili's officials have said both families have been notified about their loved ones' deaths.NEW YORK CITY -- Former top governor's aide Joseph Percoco is scheduled to be sentenced on corruption convictions this week.

In a letter to the judge, Percoco wrote he was "filled with remorse and regret," for his choices leading up to the convictions earlier this year.

"I wish I could go back and do things differently, but I can't," Percoco wrote. "Your Honor, I let down the people of the State of New York and I disappointed my family. I am truly sorry."

Percoco, the former campaign manager and deputy executive secretary to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was found guilty by a jury earlier this year of conspiring with Syracuse and Hudson Valley business executives in a bribery scheme.

He was convicted of three charges in a federal trial in March. Syracuse-based Cor Development executive Steven Aiello was also convicted in that trial. Business partner Joseph Gerardi was acquitted in that case, but convicted in a second trial this summer.

Percoco is first-up to be sentenced, this Thursday. Some of his charges carry up to 20 years in prison, but both defense attorneys and prosecutors agree that's far too long.

Percoco is asking U.S. District Court Judge Valerie Caproni to consider two years, while the prosecution has asked the judge to send a message about public corruption with a sentence that "meaningfully exceeds" five years. Dozens of letters have been filed to the judge weighing in on Percoco's sentence.

Lawyers are also debating whether Percoco should have to forfeit money to the government in connection with his crimes. The prosecution has asked that he forfeit $320,000 which they say was collected through bribes from Aiello, Gerardi and the Hudson Valley executive.

In his letter to Caproni, filed on Friday, Percoco didn't ask for leniency but instead expressed his remorse. He said he lays awake at night thinking of how he failed to live up to his own standards of integrity.

"I regret that I made even a single New Yorker question the integrity of their government," he said.

Read our continuing coverage of the corruption trials

Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992A vigil for DeWitt Chili's homicide victims Kristopher Hicks and Stephen Gudknecht is happening at about 7 p.m. Sunday night outside the restaurant at 3691 Erie Blvd. E.

Hicks and Gudknecht were workers at the restaurant, and police say they were killed in a robbery.

Police have arrested William B. Wood Jr., a former employee.

We will have live video from the vigil when it begins.SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Larry Sharpe wants to legalize weed, eliminate the state income tax and sever ties with the U.S. Department of Education.

Those aggressive changes are just part of Sharpe's Libertarian platform as he runs for governor of New York.

In a recent interview with The Post-Standard/syracuse.com Sharpe said his goal is to upend the political establishment with bold ideas that will generate revenue for the state and deregulate things like business and education.

Before any of that can happen, though, Sharpe would need to win a race in which most people don't even know he's running. He's among the least known of six candidates vying for the governor's job, and he's got less money and institutional support than most of his challengers.

To fix that, he's been crisscrossing the state meeting with voters to get his name and his ideas into the public eye.

As governor, Sharpe said his top goal would be eliminating the state income tax. He would abolish all economic development corporations like the ones Gov. Andrew Cuomo created to funnel money into projects upstate. He would end the state's policy of requiring counties to pay for services like Medicaid. He would legalize marijuana, which he said would attract people and business here.

He would also lease naming rights on state infrastructure to bring in money. If taxpayers built it, he said, let's get a private company to slap their name on it...for a price.

His prime example is the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, formerly the Tappan Zee Bridge. Why not charge a company millions of dollars to sponsor it?

"We have an imperial bridge named after our royal family," he said. "It could be the Staples Bridge, the 3M Bridge, the Kellogg Bridge, the Apple Bridge, whatever. These companies spend billions of dollars every year on marketing. $100 million for a bridge? Why not?"

He'd do the same with other state-owned infrastructure, from roads to bridges to locks on the Erie Canal. He suggested making Google pay to repair or replace Interstate 81 in Syracuse.

Sharpe also doesn't want New York to be beholden to federal education regulations. He said centralized control doesn't work. He would refuse federal money for education and let New York write its own policies, including letting students opt out of standardized testing and only requiring schooling from kindergarten to 10th grade. He'd also abolish the Board of Regents.

"Some schools are going to fail. That's true. Those I will help," he said. "Now, though, we're failing en masse. Have you seen our graduation rates? They're embarrassing."

Sharpe, 50, is a businessman from Queens with a strong accent. He's a Marine Corps veteran and has a wife and two daughters. In 2016, he sought his party's nomination for vice president, eventually losing to Bill Weld, governor of Massachusetts.

Sharpe readily acknowledges he has an uphill battle in New York. Apart from his lack of big money and name recognition, he's running with a party often dismissed as a sideshow. But he said he has positive momentum heading into the election.

In 2016, Libertarian Gary Johnson (running with Weld) received a record number of votes for his party in the presidential race, prompting newfound attention for the limited-government movement.

Johnson won 2.3 percent of the vote in New York -- more than 176,000 votes. He received 4.5 million votes nationwide running against two historically unpopular major party candidates: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Many voters turned to him out of frustration with the other options.

Sharpe has raised a quarter-million dollars so far in the race. That's more than any prior Libertarian candidate, but still pales in comparison to Gov. Cuomo's $16 million war chest. Most of Sharpe's donations come from out of state.

Sharpe is running an active campaign, but said he has a hard time generating interest at events. Some towns he goes to, only a handful of people show up to hear him speak. Late last month, he held the first rally of his campaign at Thornden Park in Syracuse.

Another challenge, Sharpe said, is attracting attention from media. High-profile candidates like Cuomo and his recently defeated primary challenger, Cynthia Nixon, tend to sap up a lot of airtime.

"Nixon is very exciting, she's popular in New York City. Cuomo is the governor. So they tend to get more media than I do," Sharpe said. "When I first started running people were picking me up because they though, Ah, Libertarian, he'll be funny. He'll say something stupid."

Sharpe's presence on the ballot will likely be enough to earn ballot access for his party for the next four years. If he gets 50,000 votes as a Libertarian, the party gets a permanent line on ballots until the next gubernatorial race.

Sharpe said that's not why he's in this race, though. He's in it because there is a disdain for the establishment. If elected, he said, he would probably spend four years at war (and in court) with the federal government.

"This state is in the spiral of decay because of the establishment," he said. "How are they going to change the system? It's like asking someone to burn their own house down."Cohoes, N.Y. -- Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse is under increasing pressure to resign after a news report over the weekend detailed allegations that he used physical violence against his wife and daughter.



Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, called for Morse to resign in a statement on Sunday. Cuomo issued the statement after a story in the Albany Times Union detailing multiple reports of Morse becoming violent with his wife and younger daughter.



Cuomo also said state police were reopening their investigation of the mayor's conduct in light of the new allegations, according to the Times Union.



"The frightening and egregious evidence of domestic violence against Mayor Morse, as documented in recent media reports, cannot be ignored," Cuomo said in a statement.



State Democratic Party Chairman Bryon Brown also called for Morse to step down and called him "unfit to serve," the Times Union said.



In documents, Morse's wife Brenda accused him of assaulting her throughout their 19-year marriage. She is pursuing a divorce, the Times Union aid.



Morse punched, kicked and slapped her repeatedly over the years, Brenda Morse said in documents, according to the Times Union. He also broke a jewelry box over her head, broke a picture frame across her back, threw her down a flight of stairs and slammed her face against a concrete surface, she said in documents.



Child protective services reports stated that Morse regularly used physical violence against his younger daughter, who is now 16. He allegedly pulled her hair, threw her to the ground, choked her and punched her in the head, according to the Times Union.



Allegations of abuse surfaced last year after Brenda Morse called 911 on her husband. Cohoes police dismissed her allegations after responding to the call, the Times Union said.



State police said they investigated, but did not develop probable cause for an arrest.



Abuse allegations involving former girlfriends of Morse also emerged last year.



Morse said on Sunday he would not resign before his term ends next year. He has denied ever striking or choking women, the Times Union said. He wouldn't comment on allegations involving his daughter.



Morse said Cuomo is the one who should resign and called him "the most corrupt governor in America," according to WHEC in Rochester.



Morse also attributed the abuse allegations to his wife's "mental illness and drug addiction," the Times Union said.



A Democratic councilman in Cohoes has already announced plans to run for mayor next year, according to the Troy Record.



"We must restore honor and integrity to the office of the mayor," Councilman Randy Koniowka said, according to the Record. "Anyone that physically abuses or has physically abused a woman has no business being dog catcher, let alone mayor."

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-282-8598WASHINGTON (AP) -- The woman accusing Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her is willing to tell her story in public to a Senate panel considering his nomination to the Supreme Court, her lawyer said Monday.

Kavanaugh had been on a smooth confirmation track, but the new allegations have roiled that process. Republican senators have expressed concern over a woman's private-turned-public allegation that a drunken Kavanaugh groped her and tried to take off her clothes at a party when they were teenagers.

Debra S. Katz, the attorney for the woman, Christine Blasey Ford, said her client considered the incident to be an attempted rape.

"She believes that if were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped," Katz told NBC's "Today."

Kavanaugh has "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegations, a statement the White House repeated Monday.

"This has not changed," said White House spokesman Kerri Kupec. "Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement."

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said of Ford Monday: "She should not be insulted. She should not be ignored. She should testify under oath and she should do it on Capitol Hill."

Conway, who said she had discussed the situation with President Donald Trump, said that both Ford and Kavanaugh should testify, but made clear it was up to the Senate Judiciary Committee. She said Sen. Lindsey Graham had told her it could happen as soon as tomorrow and the White House will "respect the process."

Stressing that Kavanaugh had already testified and undergone FBI background checks, Conway said: "I think you have to weigh this testimonial evidence from Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh along with the considerable body of evidence that is already there about the judge's temperament and qualifications and character."

In morning television interviews, Katz said her client was willing to tell her story in public to the Senate Judiciary Committee, although no lawmakers or their aides had yet contacted her. Katz also denied that Ford, a Democrat, is politically motivated.

"No one in their right mind regardless of their motives would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of violation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go though. ... She was quite reluctant to come forward."

Initially the sexual misconduct allegation was conveyed in a private letter, without revealing Ford's name. With a name and disturbing details, the accusation raised the prospect of congressional Republicans defending Trump's nominee ahead of midterm elections featuring an unprecedented number of female candidates and informed in part by the #MeToo movement.

The GOP-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee appeared nonetheless committed to a vote later this week despite Ford's account in The Washington Post.

Kavanaugh, she told the Post, pinned her to a bed at a Maryland party in the early 1980s, clumsily tried to remove her clothing and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

Ford said Kavanaugh and a friend -- both "stumbling drunk," she says -- corralled her in a bedroom when she was around 15 and Kavanaugh was around 17. She says Kavanaugh groped her over her clothes, grinded his body against hers and tried to take off her one-piece swimsuit and the outfit she wore over it. Kavanaugh covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream, she says, and escaped when Judge jumped on them.

Kavanaugh attended a private school for boys in Maryland while Ford attended a nearby school.

Through the White House, Kavanaugh, 53, a federal appeals judge in Washington, said: "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time."

A split seemed to be emerging among the GOP.

As Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, called for a delay in the vote, two committee Republicans -- all 11 on the GOP side are men -- Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said they wanted to hear more from Ford. Flake went as far as to say he was "not comfortable" voting for Kavanaugh for the time being.

A potential "no" vote from Flake would complicate the judge's prospects. A Republican not on the committee, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, said the vote should be postponed until the committee heard from Ford. Contacted Sunday by CNN, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, wouldn't say if the vote should be postponed.

A committee spokesman said late Sunday that its chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, was trying to arrange separate, follow-up calls with Kavanaugh and Ford, but just for aides to Grassley and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., before Thursday's scheduled vote. Critics have already accused the GOP of fast-tracking the process to get Kavanaugh on the court by Oct. 1, the first day of the fall term.

The allegation against Kavanaugh first came to light late last week in the form of a letter that had been for some time in the possession of Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and one of its four female members. On Sunday, The Washington Post published an interview with Ford, who after months of soul-searching decided to go public.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," said Ford, 51, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing." She told the Post that she was able to escape after Mark Judge, a friend of Kavanaugh's who was in the room, jumped on top of them and everyone tumbled.

In the interview, Ford says she never revealed what had happened to her until 2012, when she and her husband sought couples therapy. Ford's husband, Russell Ford, said he recalled his wife using Kavanaugh's last name and expressing concern that Kavanaugh -- then a federal judge -- might someday be nominated to the Supreme Court.

Senate Republicans, along with the White House, see no need to postpone voting over what they consider uncorroborated and unverifiable accusations, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.

In considering their options Sunday, Republicans largely settled on the view that Ford's story alone was not enough to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Grassley could invite Ford to testify, likely in closed session before Thursday. Kavanaugh would also probably be asked to appear before senators. The panel would also likely seek testimony from Judge, Kavanaugh's friend and classmate who Ford says jumped on top of her. Judge has denied that the incident happened.

Republicans have not settled on the strategy, the person familiar with the situation said, but were weighing options, including doing nothing.

Republicans say the allegations have already cast a shadow over Kavanaugh but that it does not appear to be enough to change the votes in the narrowly divided 51-49 Senate. Key will be the views of Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Both are under enormous pressure from outside groups who want them to oppose Kavanaugh on grounds that as a justice he could vote to undercut the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion in the U.S.

The White House has accused Feinstein of mounting an "11th hour attempt to delay his confirmation." The White House has also sought to cast doubt about Ford's allegation by noting that the FBI has repeatedly investigated Kavanaugh since the 1990s for highly sensitive positions he has held, including in the office of independent counsel Ken Starr, at the White House and his current post on the federal appeals court in Washington.

Sixty-five women who knew Kavanagh in high school defended him in a separate letter, circulated by Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, as someone who "always treated women with decency and respect."A Queens native living in Israel was fatally stabbed while shopping in a West Bank supermarket by a Palestinian terrorist Sunday morning.



Ari Fuld, 45, who grew up in Hillcrest, Queens, was a staunch supporter of the Israeli government and the Israel Defense Forces.



The father of four was stabbed in the back by Khalil Jabarin, a 17-year-old Palestinian from the village of Yatta, close to Hebron, according to Israeli media.



Fuld, bleeding from his wound, managed to chase his attacker and shoot the fleeing teen, video surveillance from the store close to the Gush Etzion settlement shows.



"He lived a hero and died a hero," Fuld's brother Hillel Fuld told the Daily News.



Jabarin was brought to Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus, where he is being treated for multiple gunshot wounds, according to hospital officials. He's in moderate condition, the hospital staff said.



While living in Queens, Fuld attended S.A.R. Academy, a modern Orthodox yeshiva in Riverdale, the Bronx, where his father was the principal.



Friend Uri Pillichowski remembered Fuld as a "warrior" who "fought for Israel on the battlefield and in the media."



"He loved the land of Israel and its people . . . ," he said on Facebook. "He gave his life to Israel. He knew he could make a difference and he set out to do so."



In Israel, Fuld, who lived in Efrat, would often deliver care packages of food and other goodies to Israeli soldiers on the front lines.



He was never afraid to confront critics of the Israeli government or Palestinian supporters. His Facebook account was sometimes suspended.



"He did not hold back on his opinions," settler spokesman Josh Hasten told The Associated Press. "If that meant 30 days of Facebook jail, so be it."



Political officials also hailed Fuld.



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he "heroically" battled his assailant and lived as "an advocate for Israel who fought to spread the truth."



David Friedman, U.S. ambassador to Israel, noted Fuld was a vocal backer of the Israeli settlements and called him "a passionate defender of Israel and an American patriot."



Close friends mourned Fuld's death.



"Ari is the last person you'd think would be attacked as he was always visibly armed and terrorists tend to shy away from armed civilians," Eddie Dvir posted on Facebook.



Fuld would frequently share information with Dvir about terror attacks.



"We are all in shock," Dvir said. "May his memory forever be for a blessing."



A GoFundMe page has been created to help raise money for Fuld's family. The site raised $93,812 within seven hours of its launch.

-- By Reuven Blau, New York Daily NewsNot too big. Not too small. Just right. Thats a conclusion many shoppers will reach when spotting the JBL Link 300, the mid-range of JBLs Google Assistant-powered Link smart speaker lineup. Its $250 price tag makes for a reasonable port of entry for anyone looking to build a voice-activated, multi-room audio and home-control system on a miserly budget.

And since this speaker also supports Googles Chromecast audio technology, the Link 300and any of its bigger or smaller siblingscan be paired with any other speaker that supports Chromecast. Delivering JBLs signature California studio monitor sounda warm, realistically fleshed out soundstage and presence with soul and the stamina to crankthe Link 300 outperformed the vaunted Sonos One in many of my listening tests.

While demanding a larger spot on the table than the entry-level Sonos, the JBL Link 300 rewards with a more open, airy sound, equally comfortable with everything from pop wonderkid Arianna Grandes Sweetener and the pumped-up dance rock of The Chainsmokers (with the fresh EP Sick Boy . . . Side Effects), to the rich soloing sonorities of Yo-Yo Ma (Six EvolutionsBach: Cello Suites) and the elegantly spare acoustic jazz sessions (think Sarah Vaughan, Hank Garland, Bobby Timmons, and Melody Gardot) that are stock-in-trade on TSF JazzParis, my favorite compare/contrast streaming channel.

Jonathan Takiff The JBL Link 300 has a much larger footprint its rival smart speaker, the Sonos One, but that extra girth results in bigger bass response.

The JBL Link 300 also impressed with a significantly bigger (though not overblown) bass that I initially found annoying until I learned how to work it. But the Link 300 is not quite as razor sharp as the Sonos One at celebrating searing high-frequency tones (sorry, jam-band guitar heads).

Oval shaped and available in black or white, the Link 300 has a wrap-around textured mesh grill masking a front-mounted 0.8 inch tweeter and a 3.5-inch woofer, with a large passive radiator in back thats crucial to that JBL sound signature.

The ever-ready Google Assistant wants users to control almost everything by voice. Still, this speakers hard plastic and rubbery-surfaced top offers press-deep (not thermal contact) volume and pause/play buttons, as well as the obligatory microphone mute button to tap if you fear Big Brother is listening. Also note the Bluetooth pairing button and a centered home button. Pressing the latter lets you abbreviate a voice command to eliminate the tedium of saying Hey Google before calling out a radio station, artist, or action request for news, weather, jokes, movie times, recipes, light switching, door locking, and hundreds of other commands.

JBL This oversized passive radiator is the secret sauce heating up the Link 300s warm presence and kick-butt bass response.

Although there are just two far-field microphones fitted on the top of the Link 300, they did a good job of hearing my requests, even from across the room. But this thing never comprehends when I ask for KCRW, always serving up KCRC. To score KCRW I must add the locating words Santa Monica.

Four white indicator LEDs just below the top edge of the speaker glow when the Link is listening and when the volume level is being raised or lowered. A three-bar light at the bottom reveals Wi-Fi signal strength.

Pair and pair alike

Jonathan Takiff The Google Home makes it easy to group speakers together, so can control multiples with a single voice command.

Synching music to play across a multiroom system is easily done with any other powered speaker that supports Chromecast, either onboard or ready to add with a dongle (as some Como Audio products now allow).

Onboard music delivery apps include Spotify (both the premium and free, ad-supported versions), Pandora, Google Play Music, and YouTube Music. Amazon Prime Music is notably absent here, but you can pump up a multi-room partyat resolutions and sampling rates up to 24-bit/96kHzwith any phone or tablet music app that supports Chromecast networking. And you can beam any sonic stream to a single Link 300 via Bluetooth. But then the multiroom-audio option goes away.

I created a three-room system by pairing the Link 300 with Google Home and Google Home Mini smart speakers. After the three were registered, I was ready to combine the speakers as groupsassigning them the names Kitchen Kapers and Two Floors. Thereafter, I could get a group going by saying OK Google, play dinner music on Two Floors, triggering a playlist or artist from my default music service. Up to six users can be voice-registered to a single Google Assistant smart speaker, which thereafter will recognize each persons voice and switch to his or her default music service.

JBL Good ol'-fashioned buttons: Because sometimes its just easier to push one than to ask Google to make a move for you.

The networking of speakers (spaced one per floor) worked well in my environment, with the shared content synching up with hardly any dropouts. If you move the 3.8-pound Link 300 from one location to another, it quickly re-establishes Wi-Fi connectivity on either the 2.4- or 5GHz frequency bands. But I discovered one design weakness: The Link 300 kept cutting out when a text message came in to my smartphone. It finally dawned on me that my iPhone X was still Bluetooth-linked to this speaker from an earlier streaming session. As soon as I switched off the phones Bluetooth, the hiccups disappeared and the speaker streamed just fine.

The JBL Link 300 is no raving beauty, and its reliance on the Google Home app means its onscreen user interface isnt much to write home about eitherit certainly cant compete with Sonos when it comes to deep musical explorations and multi-room customizations (Sonos also supports AirPlay 2, for starters). But the JBL Link 300 is great for casual listening, and JBL has two portable, battery-powered, and waterproof speakers in its Link lineup where Sonos steadfastly refuses to come up with anything weatherized and portable.As the preferred data management system for a wide array of companies spanning across numerous industries, Microsoft SQL Server is a database that is worth learning how to navigate. Start a lucrative career by landing a job in Microsoft server management today with the help of The MCSA SQL Server Certification Training Bundle.

This bundle includes two courses that will take you about 53 hours to prepare you for earning two highly sought after certification exams. In preparing for the Microsoft 70-764 SQL Server 2016 Certification Exam, you'll learn all about administering a Microsoft SQL Server 2016 with backup strategies and methods of encryption. The 70-765 SQL Server 2016 Certification Exam trains you on the intricacies of mastering Microsoft Azure.

You'll learn how to configure data access, permissions, and auditing, perform encryption on server data, and a myriad of other skills to help you ace the exams. Get The MCSA SQL Server Certification Training Bundle today for just $19, which is 96% off the original price.

Note: TechSpot may receive a commission for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.What just happened? Linus Torvalds may be the creator of the Linux kernel, but he's just as well known for his outbursts that are usually aimed at other developers and companies. Now, hes decided to take a break from his work on the open-source software and seek help for his behavior.

In an email to the Linux Kernel Mailing List, which also addresses the kernel update of Linux 4.19-rc4, Torvalds writes: "I need to change some of my behavior, and I want to apologize to the people that my personal behavior hurt and possibly drove away from kernel development entirely."

I am going to take time off and get some assistance on how to understand peoples emotions and respond appropriately.

Torvalds has worked on the Linux operating system kernel since creating it in 1991, but his aggressive behavior, often directed at fellow coders, has brought unwanted attention. In 2013, kernel developer Sarah (now Sage) Sharp called him out for advocating for physical intimidation and violence, and hes known for hurling expletives at those who dont live up to his expectations.

Even big companies havent escaped Torvalds wrath. In 2012, he famously told Nvidia fu*k you and gave the firm the middle finger on camera. More recently, he blasted Intel over its garbage Spectre patches.

It seems the tipping point was related to the Linux Kernal Maintainers Summit. After the event was moved from Canada to Scotland so it would fit in with his family vacation plans, Torvalds said he was hoping to avoid attending, which didnt please developers.

"I am not an emotionally empathetic kind of person and that probably doesn't come as a big surprise to anybody. Least of all me. The fact that I then misread people and don't realize (for years) how badly I've judged a situation and contributed to an unprofessional environment is not good."

Torvalds emphasized that he wasnt walking away for good. "This is not some kind of 'I'm burnt out, I need to just go away' break. I'm not feeling like I don't want to continue maintaining Linux. Quite the reverse. I very much *do* want to continue to do this project that I've been working on for almost three decades."What just happened? Nvidia has postponed retail availability of its RTX 2080 Ti cards, while maintaining pre-order delivery dates. Those looking for RTX cards for their DIY enthusiast projects will have to sit tight until the cards arrive, a week later than originally expected.

For those waiting on the sidelines to figure out if the RTX-powered graphics cards from Nvidia are as good as it claims they are, then, there's a bit of bad news. Even if these turn out to be great performers, and you're willing to part with your hard-earned monies, you won't be able to pick one up for another week.

On the Geforce forums, one of the moderators (possibly Eric Thorsen, who heads up Nvidia's retail business) has announced that "GeForce RTX 2080 Ti general availability has shifted to September 27th, a one week delay. We expect pre-orders to arrive between September 20th and September 27th."

Now, it is our understanding this refers to retail units of Nvidia-built RTX 2080 Ti cards, and does not reflect on AIB partner shipments or the availability of the RTX 2080. The RTX 2070 card's availability remains "late October".

Nvidia did not provide a more clear explanation for the delay, although odds are high that it is due to Taiwan (and much of the Pacific rim) being blasted by typhoon Mangkhut, disrupting supply chains. A typhoon hitting a major manufacturing and logistics center like Taiwan constitutes an "act of god" and if that is the case, then that's all Nvidia needed to say in the forum post  that and extending a bit of sympathy for those affected by Mother Nature's fury. If this is indeed the case, we should also see AIB partners starting to inform customers of delivery delays, soon.

With the Geforce RTX 2080 Ti reviews hitting the web later today, consumers will finally get a complete understanding of the capabilities of the RTX-capable cards, and reassurance of sorts, telling them if they made the right choice.Why it matters: Google pulled its search product from the Chinese market in 2010 over human rights concerns but given how massive the market it, the company apparently feels it is too lucrative to stay away from. Sooner or later, however, Google will have to publicly address Dragonfly.

Reports surfaced in early August that Google was secretly working on a controversial search engine for the Chinese market. Dubbed Dragonfly, the project for Android devices was said to be a heavily censored search engine that blocks access to an array of forbidden topics such as religion, human rights and peaceful protests.

Dragonfly created quite the dust up, both among human rights groups and within Googles walls. The Intercept said at least five employees quit over the matter and according to MIT Technology Review, 1,400 US Google employees have signed a letter demanding more information.

A recent report from The Intercept claims that Google has built a prototype version of Dragonfly that links a users search queries to their personal phone number, a move that would make it trivially easy for the Chinese government to monitor citizens web activities.

Sources also note that Dragonfly would allow the Chinese government to supply its own weather and air pollution data directly from an unnamed source in Beijing. The country has been known to provide inaccurate data about pollution in the past, raising concerns that Dragonfly could allow the government to provide false data to downplay air quality concerns.

Its been roughly six weeks since the first news broke about Dragonfly and thus far, Google hasnt publicly addressed the project.

Lead photo via Getty ImagesWhat just happened? Path, the mobile-focused social network that was once courted by Google for $100 million, is shutting down after an eight year run. The service helped pioneer a few interesting ideas but it was never robust enough to be considered a serious threat to any of the established platforms.

Mobile-based social network Path on Monday announced it will be shutting down next month.

The service was co-founded by Napster founders Shawn Fanning and Dustin Mierau alongside former Facebook product manager Dave Mornin in 2010. Path was unique in that initially, it limited a users friend count to just 50 friends in order to maintain an intimate feel. The limit was later raised to 150 friends before being removed entirely.

It is with deep regret to announce that Path service will be discontinued. It has been a long journey and we sincerely thank each one of you for your years of love and support Path.

Please visit here https://t.co/2MFh5A7C23 for more details. pic.twitter.com/rczKgx6ooW  Path (@path) September 17, 2018



At its peak, Path had around 15 million users. Its claim to fame, if you will, came in early 2013 when it helped pioneer sticker-style emojis. After launching that feature (which many other social networks borrowed), Path was reportedly adding a million users a week for a short spell.

Competing with the Facebooks, Twitters and Instagrams of the world is no easy task, however. In 2015, Path was sold to South Korean Internet company Kakao for an undisclosed sum. Kakao wasnt able to do much with the acquisition and, well, here we are.

Path will pull its app from iTunes and Google Play on October 1 and terminate the platform entirely on October 18. Users will have until that date to download a copy of their data. Instruction on how to do so can be found over on Paths farewell blog post.

Lead image via Ken James, The New York TimesThree people reportedly died last weekend as a result of a drug overdose linked to fentanyl-laced cocaine. Authorities are warning the public that the drugs might still be being sold on the streets and to seek help for anyone with a drug addiction problem.

Cocaine Laced With Fentanyl

Just last weekend, three people were found dead in the Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach areas, while two others survived an overdose. Two of the victims who died were found in a home after relatives grew concerned of the lack of communication from one of them. The victims were said to be between 30 and 47 years old.

Toxicology results revealed that the victims ingested cocaine laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be deadly even in very small doses. So far, authorities are conducting investigations on the matter, and no arrests have been made. They cannot publicly say where the drugs are being distributed by drug dealers, but they believe that it is still being sold.

Public Warning

On Sept. 14, the San Diego District Attorneys Office (DA), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), San Diego Police Department, San Diego County Health and Human Services, and the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office issued a public warning following investigations on the fentanyl-related deaths and overdoses. The agencies reminded the public of the dangers of controlled substances, specifically when it comes to fentanyl-laced cocaine currently being sold on San Diego streets.

According to District Attorney Summer Stephan, they are seeing a deadly trend of drug dealers cutting the drugs they sell with fentanyl, while DEA Special Agent in Charge Karen Flowers notes that they have been seizing fentanyl-laced heroin, meth, cocaine, and even counterfeit pills throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties.

The public needs to be aware that it is not possible to tell if a product contains fentanyl. There is no test available at the drug store or from your dealer. The only test is in a laboratory. Dont let your loved ones find out the test results at the mortuary, said Flowers.

Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine even in very small doses. In fact, even just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal for most people.

It is typically used to treat sudden episodes of pain in cancer patients at least 18 years old, and it works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to the pain. However, fentanyl tends to be addictive and habit forming, which is why it is important to only take it as directed by the doctor and not in larger doses or for a longer period than prescribed.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Walter Mischel, the psychologist most known for formulating the Marshmallow Test, has passed away. He was 88 years old.

Walter Mischel Dead At 88

The author and university professor died in his home in Manhattan on Wednesday, Sept. 12, surrounded by family. His daughter, Linda Mischel Eisner, confirmed that news and divulged that pancreatic cancer was the cause of his death. He was survived by his wife, three daughters, and grandchildren.

"Walter was a living legend in psychology yet a humble mentor and colleague," stated Chair of Columbia University's Department of Psychology, Carl Hart. "We will miss him dearly."

The Marshmallow Test

Dr. Mischel's landmark behavioral study, the Marshmallow Test, was published in 1990 and involved children aged 4 to 6 years old. The psychologist and his team of researchers gave each child a marshmallow with the option to eat it right away or wait a few minutes to get a second marshmallow as a reward.

He then left the children in a room with a camera and monitored them. Some ate the marshmallow right away while others cheated by licking the food or taking small bites on the edges hoping that the researchers will not notice.

One-third of the children held out long enough (15 minutes) to earn the second marshmallow.

Years later, Dr. Mischel revisited the children involved in the experiment to see how they are doing. He found that there is a strong correlation between the children's ability to delay gratification and their success later in life.

Many have tried and recreate the study over the years to varied results. More recently, researchers from New York University and the University of California, Irving redid the experiment and published their discovery on Sage Journals in May 2018.

The new study involved children whose mothers did not finish college but, otherwise, the experiment stayed the same. They were all given a marshmallow with the option to eat it right away or wait a few more minutes to get a reward. They failed to garner the same results especially after factoring their parents' socioeconomic status.

However, Dr. Mischel was first to caution about wrongfully interpreting the results of his infamous study. In an interview with PBS in 2015, he iterated that children who choose to eat the marshmallow immediately are not doomed to be failures later in life.

"For us in the field, that paper was perhaps his biggest contribution," stated Brent Roberts, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois. "Dr. Mischel was one of the central pillars of the entire personality field for the last 50 years."

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Several African agriculture ministers joined public and private sector

representatives calling for more investment in agriculture at a

Leadership4Agriculture event held at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Kigali, Rwanda.

Organized by the African Development Bank, the Leadership4Agriculture session facilitated partnerships between policy makers, private investors, institutions and offered participants opportunity to learn more about the Leadership4Agriculture networks agenda to drive

action-oriented, growth enabling investments.

Several ministers at the event criticized what they said was a culture of talk without action. Too many of the same declarations are made but are never carried out at the African Union level, said Cote dIvoire Minister of Agriculture, Mamadou Coulibaly.

Stories Continues after ad

The African Unions Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program in 2003 set a target for African governments to allocate 10 per cent of national budgets to agriculture. According to AGRF, only 13 African nations have reached or surpassed this goal.

Jennifer Blanke, African Development Bank Vice-President for

Agriculture, Social and Human Development, and the Rockefeller

Foundations Managing Director for Africa, Mamadou Biteye, earlier set the tone for the session. They charged their organizations to advance the Leadership4Agriculture mission.

With [Bank] partners the Rockefeller Foundation, now we have funding for a Secretariat for Leadership4Agriculture, which will allow us to track progress, said Blanke. Let us all, together, make Africa shine, she added.

Agriculture ministers from across the continent, including from

Zambia, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Gabon, Mozambique, South Sudan, Togo and Mauritius. Rwandas former Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, who now serve as President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), said ministers need to campaign harder for increased budget funding for smallholders.

(Agriculture) is a governments most important industry, AGRA

President Agnes Kalibata told the audience. Nobody is going to give you money because you are Minister of Agriculture  there are 20 other ministries competing for money. It is (an agriculture ministers) responsibility to make the case, she said.

AGRF research indicates farming remains a key source of income for 60 to 65 per cent of the labor force in sub-Saharan Africa and will continue to be a major source of employment for a decade or more.

Leadership4Agriculture session attendees said the mentality that

agriculture is more of a traditional career for those who dont have

alternative r work options, has to change.

Edward Mabaya, Manager of the African Development Banks Agribusiness Development Division, said government leaders and farmers should replace the word agriculture with agribusiness.

Vice-President Blanke announced that the next Leadership 4Agriculture event will be held during the African Development Banks historic Africa Investment Forum, to be held from 7-9 November in South Africa.

Five African Ministers of Agriculture and Finance, the Rockefeller

Foundation and the African Union Commission established

Leadership4Agriculture, or L4Ag. The African Development Bank secured support from the Rockefeller Foundation for the establishment of the platform.Where is J50? Authorities have remained on alert for the 3-year-old orca amid fears that she might have already died.

Missing Orca J50

J50, also known as Scarlet, is a young orca that authorities have been monitoring in the past weeks because of her weakening condition. Since August, biologists have been monitoring Scarlets condition after she was observed to be lethargic.

Scientists feared that she may not survive. Last Sept. 7, she was seen lagging half a mile behind the rest of her pod and they observed that she had grown thinner and weaker.

The Sept. 7 sighting was the last time Scarlet was seen and by late afternoon of Sept. 14, Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research declared her dead. In response, a spokesperson from the NOAA Fisheries stated that both the U.S. and Canadian governments will continue with the search.

The agency's latest update on Facebook, however, indicates that the team has ended the active search. However, the U.S. Coast Guard, West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and various researchers on water will remain on high alert.

This is not the first time that Scarlet was feared to be dead as she occasionally went missing for days at a time but still return to her pod. In fact, Scarlet had disappeared for two weeks last August just before authorities were able to give her medication for a common parasite that they discovered in her feces.

In an attempt to help her when she reappeared, a veterinarian even shot her with an antibiotic-filled dart, while the crew also dropped salmon in front of her just to get her to eat.

Should Scarlet reappear, authorities are expected to capture her and take her to a facility where she will remain in captivity until she gets better and will then be released back into the wild.

Southern Resident Killer Whale Population In Danger

No enough evidence can determine the exact status of the entire orca or killer whale population worldwide. However, the southern resident killer whales have been considered endangered in the last decade, with their numbers continuing to decline. In fact, their population, Scarlet included, is down from 98 in 1995 to just 75 today.

This decline in their numbers is primarily caused by the decrease in their main food source, the Chinook salmon, which are threatened by high water toxicity, overfishing, and boat disturbances. It does not help either that the orca population in the area is already low. Apparently, Scarlet is important to the pod as she is one of the few reproductive-age members.

Interestingly, Scarlet is in the same pod as J35 or Tahlequah, the grieving mother who carried her dead calf for weeks after its death.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.A man was killed by a shark attack at a beach in Cape Cod, the first fatality in over 80 years in the state of Massachusetts.

There have been various programs on how to survive shark attacks. Unfortunately for the 26-year-old swimmer, was not able to survive his encounter with a shark.

Swimmer Killed By Shark Attack In Cape Cod

Arthur Medici, a 26-year-old from Revere, Massachusetts, was swimming in Newcomb Hollow Beach in Massachusetts' Cape Cod on Sept. 15 around noon when it was believed that he was attacked by a shark.

According to witnesses, Medici and a companion were riding boogie boards about 30 yards off the beach when the incident happened. Medici was pulled out of the water to be given first aid and CPR, but he passed away at the Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.

Medici, an engineering transfer option major, was enrolled as a part-time student in the spring at Bunker Hill Community College.

Cape Cod National Seashore acting deputy chief Chris Hartsgrove said that Medici's injuries appeared to have been inflicted by a shark. One of the witnesses, Joe Booth, described the scene as a "nightmare," with a giant eruption of water that was 15 feet wide.

"I saw a tail and a lot of thrashing," said Booth, adding that the body language of the people in the water signaled that there was something wrong.

According to Florida Program for Shark Research director Gavin Naylor, many attacks happen because sharks mistake human for prey. He did not have the complete details of the incident yet, but Naylor believed that the fatal shark attack in Cape Cod was due to mistaken identity.

"A 12-foot-long, 1,200-pound white shark moving at 20 knots with an open mouth does a bit of damage," Naylor said. "They're like a truck when they get bigger."

Cape Cod Shark Attacks

Medici was the first shark attack fatality in Massachusetts in over eight decades, but shark sightings have been increasing in Cape Cod due to the rising gray seal population.

Bill Lytton, a 61-year-old, almost lost his life in August before Medici, but he survived by fighting off the shark that attacked him.

Lytton was swimming a few yards away from the Longnook Beach in Cape Cod when he suddenly felt "beyond excruciating" pain, and after turning around, he saw a shark biting his leg. He then remembered seeing in documentaries that dolphins hit the gills of sharks to drive them away, so he punched the shark in its gills. The shark let him go, and Lytton was able to swim to shore to get help.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Strawberry lovers should be very careful when eating their favorite fruit, as there have been cases of pins and needles being found inside strawberries in Queensland.

Authorities of the Australian state have launched the manhunt for the culprit behind the dangerous scheme, offering a reward to anyone who can provide information to help the search.

Strawberries Found With Pins And Needles

People buying strawberries, especially those from Queensland, Australia, are highly urged to slice the fruits before eating them, instead of biting into the strawberries or popping them whole into the mouth. This is because some strawberries sold in the state have been found to have pins and needles inside them.

Six brands have been identified to have some strawberries contaminated with the sharp objects. A recall order has been issued to strawberries sold by Berry Obsession, Berry Licious, and Donnybrook Berries in Queensland. It is now also believed that the brands Love Berry, Delightful Strawberries, and Oasis in neighboring New South Wales may also be affected, though it appears that a copycat is behind the pins and needles for these strawberries.

The government of Queensland is now offering A$100,000, or about $72,000, to people who can provide information on who has been inserting the pins and needles into the strawberries.

"Whoever is behind this is not just putting families at risk across Queensland and the rest of Australia - they are putting an entire industry at risk," said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. "How could any right-minded person want to put a baby or a child or anybody's health at risk by doing such a dreadful act?"

"I would urge anyone with information that may be relevant to this incident in any way to contact police as soon as possible," Palaszczuk added.

Dangerous Strawberries

Strawberries are turning out to be dangerous fruits, even before the news of the pins and needles being discovered inside them in Australia. This is because, for the third straight year, strawberries topped the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen 2018 list, which ranks fruits and vegetables on which ones have the most pesticides.

According to the EWG, one-third of all conventional strawberry samples tested positive for at least 10 pesticides. One sample of strawberries, in fact, was found to contain 22 different pesticides. Alarmingly, the study discovered that nearly 70 percent of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables contained traces of pesticides.

Strawberries were also at the top of the Dirty Dozen 2017 list, repeating from 2016 when it took the top spot from apples. Apple headed the rankings for five straight years before then.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.The prototype of the new Google search engine for China will allow the government to track the search queries made by its citizens, according to a report by The Intercept.

The search engine, codenamed Dragonfly, has been the subject of massive scrutiny as it will allegedly implement China's strict censorship regulations. However, with the news that it will also monitor the online activity of the Chinese people, the new Google search engine for China just got even more controversial.

Google Dragonfly Will Track Search Queries

According to The Intercept, a prototype of Google's Project Dragonfly revealed that search queries will be linked to personal phone numbers, which will allow the Chinese government to monitor the search queries made by each citizen.

Prototypes of the search engine, which is being designed to work with Android-powered devices, will link the app with the user's mobile phone number, sources familiar with the matter told The Intercept. Citizens who input search queries that are banned by the government may find themselves under interrogation or detention.

"This is very problematic from a privacy point of view, because it would allow far more detailed tracking and profiling of people's behavior," said Human Rights Watch senior internet researcher Cynthia Wong.

The report also claimed that in the search engine, information on weather and air pollution in China has been replaced by figures from an unnamed source in Beijing. The air pollution in the city is horrible, and the government has tried to hide data that showed the real numbers that contradicted the official measurements.

Project Dragonfly will also remove content that is deemed as sensitive by China's ruling Communist Party, such as information on free speech, human rights, peaceful protests, democracy, and political dissidents. Google has allegedly compiled a list of terms that will be censored, including the Mandarin words for human rights, student protest, and Nobel Prize.

Google Employees Resigning Over Dragonfly

Project Dragonfly's search queries tracking, combined with the censorship measures, have made several Google employees resign. One of these employees was Jack Poulson, a former senior Google scientist who left the company in protests over Project Dragonfly.

"There is an all-too-real possibility that other nations will attempt to leverage our actions in China in order to demand our compliance with their security demands," Poulson warned in his resignation letter to Google.

Several weeks have passed since Google revealed Dragonfly to the public, but the company has not yet addressed the many concerns against the project. Google CEO Sundar Pichai was absent in a recent Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, where he would have been questioned about the search engine for China.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Dr. Victor Chou, who has opened a medical marijuana clinic in Baton Rouge, right, speaks with Lester W. Johnson, center, and Kim Sport, both members of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in New Orleans. The board was considering changes to a rule limiting how many medical marijuana patients a doctor can treat. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)CHARLOTTE, N.C.  Eleven people have died in North Carolina because of Hurricane Florence, and Gov. Roy Cooper urged residents Sunday to beware of treacherous flash flooding for days to come.

Flood waters are still raging across our state, Cooper said at a noon news conference.

As this storm continues to churn through North Carolina, it has dumped more than two feet or more in many places, Cooper said.

He said thats enough to inundate areas that have never flooded before.

Never drive through flooded roads. Just a few inches of water can wash your car away, the governor warned.

Forecasters expected the heaviest rainfall in the southeast and Sandhills through Sunday night, but said there is a high risk for flash flooding from the coast to the western mountains. Some rivers, including the Cape Fear, Lumber, Neuse, Yadkin and portions of the Rocky River and South Fork of the Catawba River, are expected to crest at new record levels, breaking those set during Hurricane Matthew.

He's 'Survivor': Kitten with wildly appropriate name rescued amid Hurricane Florence NEW BERN, N.C.  From his seat on the back of a small jon boat, Robert Simmons Jr. surveyed the floodwater in his neighborhood in northwest N

Cooper cautioned people across the state  including those in areas that typically do not experience flooding  to stay alert and heed warnings from emergency officials.

As of Sunday morning, there were more than 600 road closures across the state, the North Carolina Department of Transportation reports.

Cooper had just returned from surveying damage in Eastern North Carolina by helicopter with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Rear Admiral Scott Buschman of the U.S. Coast Guard said the Coast Guard has been flying since Friday in some pretty extreme conditions.

We had a number of helicopters out there flying yesterday to rescue folks  we rescued about 50 different people. As of this morning, we have nine helicopters in the area, and dozens of shallow water boats out there assisting people, Buschman said.

During Coopers helicopter tour, he saw that the Cape Fear Rivers water is well over its banks, and farmland is underwater, he said.

Cooper expressed concerns for the crops that are now underneath inches of water. Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry said the hog lagoons where farmers store hog waste were drawn down and could take up to 30 inches of rain.

We are closely monitoring the hog lagoons with our Department Environmental Quality and Department of Agriculture partners, and we havent had any reports of issues at this time, he said.

Cooper said he mourns what at the time was the loss of 10 lives in North Carolina and our hearts go out to the victims families. He said that swift water rescues are underway and more than 900 lives had been saved.

Cajun Navy in the Carolinas: Groups share videos as Hurricane Florence whips area As Hurricane Florence began to inundate parts of North and South Carolina, members from multiple Cajun Navy organizations were at the front lines.

Across the state, around 700,000 people remain without power, he said, and many are likely to be without power for a while.

Sprayberry said the state is currently involved in a large-scale search and rescue operation in our coastal counties. First responders are conducting searches with boats and aircrafts.

Lawmakers were briefed again Sunday afternoon by North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon and other state officials.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Legislators were told that parts of Interstate 95 and Interstate 40 in the eastern part of the state were already overcome with flooding, complicating travel to and from Wilmington. State officials said that residents should not return to any location that is south of U.S. 64 and east of Interstate 73.

Greenville, New Bern, Wilmington, Morehead City, Lumberton and extending west in the coming days along U.S. 74 East from Richmond County over to Wilmington is too hazardous to travel, according to a release from North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moores office.

Officials recommend waiting at least until Tuesday or Wednesday, then evaluating the routes again before returning to those areas, the Moore release stated.

Some drivers in North Carolina are being detoured toward Raleigh, Charlotte and Hickory road systems, the release said.

Shelters remain a high priority, Sprayberry said. There are about 15,000 occupants in shelters, but thats a number you have a hard time tracking. Officials are already working to establish temporary housing options once the brunt of the storm has passed.

Officials are expecting tens of thousands of homes to be damaged because of the storm, but the full total wont be known until the storm leaves.

In the weeks to come, we will set up disaster recovery centers, Sprayberry said.

Cooper said once the storm passes and towns start to rebuild, there will be an emphasis on housing that is affordable.

Theres a concern about affordable housing all over the state, in urban areas but particularly in southeastern North Carolina where we are seeing such significant devastation, Cooper said. I know the Department of Emergency Management, Mike (Sprayberry) and I have had significant conversations about that with our partners with how we need to aim toward that goal.

Areas throughout the state were hit hard by flooding, including those around the Cape Fear, Neuse, Pungo, Lumber, Rocky, Catawba and Yadkin rivers.

On Sunday afternoon the National Weather Service reported the Lumber River at Lumberton was 24 feet, and was expected to crest at 25.7 feet on Monday. Its already at a major flood level, and will likely eclipse the previous record flood of 24.4 feet in October 2016 during Hurricane Matthew.

The Cape Fear River in Fayetteville is also experiencing major flooding in the wake of Florence. According to the National Weather Service, the river was over 42 feet high on Sunday, and was expected to crest at 65.3 feet on Tuesday. Its record crest was nearly 69 feet in 1945.

Trogdon, the Department of Transportation secretary, said that as of noon Sunday there were 171 primary road closures. That number jumped from Saturdays total of 60 primary roads closed. Trogdon said two more portions of Interstate 95 had closed overnight Saturday  one near Lumberton and another near Benson. Interstate 40 also had two more closures  near Burgaw and Castle Hayne.

Road access to Wilmington has also been cut off since US-74 in Columbus County closed, Trogdon said.

Were working other contingencies to support Wilmington on the ocean side, he said.

Col. Glenn McNeill, commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, said the patrol responded to 48 collisions and 126 calls for service overnight  most of those for road closures, downed trees and stranded motorists.

The National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. Sunday update that Florence continues to produce widespread heavy rains over much of the Carolinas and flash flooding and major river flooding will continue over a significant portion of North Carolina and South Carolina.

The National Weather Service in Morehead City reported Sunday afternoon that the Trent River at Trenton has exceeded record flooding levels and is at 29 feet. It also reported that the river gauge at Chinquapin in Duplin County was topped by rising flood waters and has become unreliable.

The National Weather Service warned Sunday that the worst is not over yet, even as Florence was downgraded to a tropical depression.

Seventeen people have died in the Carolinas because of the storm, including a 3-month-old in Gaston County on Sunday.For seven years, Ghislaine Finck waited in Belgium with no word about what happened to her older sister. During that time, Finck did, however, receive updates on her young niece, her little princess, through an East Baton Rouge sheriff's detective in Louisiana, a world away.

Now, it seems everything is happening at once. Her brother-in-law, Oscar Lozada, was arrested Thursday in Texas in the murder of Sylviane Finck Lozada; their daughter, 12-year-old Angelina, is now with a foster family in Baton Rouge.

Ghislaine Finck and her younger brother, Georges Finck, took one of the first flights to Louisiana to reunite with the detective who cracked the case while they wait, again, for what happens next.

Its a relief to know that Oscar Lozada is in prison, Ghislaine Finck said. Justice is coming and its very important for us because all the years it was very difficult to think he lived normally with his daughter. It was very difficult to not have news and not see Angelina. Its very, very difficult to explain in English.

+6 Husband of slain Brusly teacher arrested after 7 years, daughter rescued, sheriff says More than seven years after a Brusly High School teacher disappeared, her husband has been arrested in her death and her daughter, now 12 year

Though Ghislaine Fincks first language is French, she spoke in English with The Advocate during a telephone interview Sunday, pausing to look up a word on a translator on her phone or consulting with her family and Detective Todd Morris on the best way to phrase a sentence or word.

One emotion she articulated in English, relief, captured her feelings about the development in a case that had gone cold. But the case is far from over. Lozada has not yet been returned to Baton Rouge for formal charge and trial; and Angelina must go through a custody hearing through the state Department of Child and Family Services.

Heidi Rogers Kinchen, a DCFS spokeswoman, said she couldn't comment on the specific case due to confidentiality laws. Generally, she said, a judge weighs the facts of a case to decide if a child should remain under DCFS custody or live with a family member. It is unclear how long that could take.

Ghislaine Finck is prepared to stay in Baton Rouge as the custody hearing progresses. Its possible that Angelina could stay in Baton Rouge, where she was born, move to Belgium with her maternal aunt, or return to paternal relatives in Venezuela. Those options and others will be discussed by officials in the near future.

We dont know whats best for Angelina, Ghislaine Finck said. We would like her to have happiness. The most important thing for Angelina is happiness and peace now. We will discuss with the authorities and we will try to find a good way for Angelina.

Sylviane Finck Lozada was reported missing from her Baton Rouge home in July 2011. Oscar Lozada booked two round-trip tickets to his home country of Venezuela in the days following his wifes disappearance. He left Louisiana with Angelina, refusing to return to the U.S. despite investigators twice booking him flights so they could question him.

East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office investigators announced last week Lozada was arrested on second-degree murder after he moved to Mexico, a country that co-operates with criminal investigations in the U.S. Later, Mexican authorities transferred Lozada across the border to Texas.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Morris had kept in contact with Lozada until mid-2016. Morris would relay information about Angelina to Ghislaine Finck, whom he reunited with Saturday at Baton Rouge Metro Airport. Ghislaine Finck waved to Morris across the terminal before they embraced, as seen in a video of the reunion released by the sheriff's office.

Can't see video below? Click here.

I would like to thank Todd because he works a lot, very hard and we have the good emotions today because he did a good job, Ghislaine Finck said. During seven years they worked all the time. He continued to contact me and he asked me to have patience. My family and I thank him very much. Today, its not finished and other things have begun for Angelina.

Sylviane Finck Lozada moved in 1994 from Belgium to Baton Rouge, where she obtained a doctorate from LSU and started her family, her sister said. Ghislaine Finck called her sister intelligent, kind, loving and someone who "would like to do all things correctly in her work."

The best thing for her was Angelina, her daughter smiling all the time, Ghislaine Finck said.

+10 Photos, video: Sister of slain Brusly teacher reunites with detective who cracked the case The East Baton Rouge detective who solved the 7-year-old case of a slain Brusly teacher reunited Saturday with the victim's sister, who he had

When Finck Lozada gave birth to her daughter in 2006, Ghislaine Finck came to her side and spent a few weeks at her home. After that, Finck Lozada would bring Angelina to Belgium to visit her family for one month every year. But Oscar Lozada would never come. Ghislaine Finck said she never developed a relationship with him.

He destroyed my sisters life and also disturbed Angelina a lot for her whole life, Finck said. (Angelina) had a good life here in Baton Rouge with my sister.

Finck hasnt yet reunited with her niece, who was only 4 years old when she was whisked away to Venezuela. But Finck takes solace in knowing the pre-teen is happy and safe in a foster home, where she had a belated birthday celebration complete with her favorite red velvet cake.

The most important thing now is Angelina, the little princess, Ghislaine Finck said.President Donald Trump talks with Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin during a meeting with state leaders about prison reform, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) ORG XMIT: NJCK110Calvin Duncan poses for a photo with two stacks of legal paperwork in his Central Business District office in New Orleans, La., Friday, Feb. 23, 2018.Welcome to Gambit's 2018 Music Issue, taking another dive into new music, scenes and albums from New Orleans artists. Meet the Pink Room ProjeDistrict C Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer announces support for a "ban the box" ordinance to a crowd outside City Hall Sept. 12 alongside Council President Jason Williams, right.A Slidell man who sued the St. Tammany Parish school system several years after he was raped by a janitor in the restroom of his elementary school has been awarded more than $460,000.

Judge Raymond Childress of 22nd Judicial District Court said in his judgment Friday that the school system failed to exercise reasonable care in hiring the janitor, Dino Schwertz.

No one checked Schwertz's references, and the system's Human Resources Department did not communicate information about his criminal history to the school's principal.

Schwertz had been convicted of bank fraud and violating protective orders, but on his job application, he said he had no prior convictions.

"This court acknowledges the complexities of running a school system as large as that of St. Tammany," the judge said in his ruling. "However, that is not an excuse for the (School Board) to shield itself from its responsibility for the safety of students attending St. Tammany schools."

Schwertz was convicted for the 2007 rape of Justin Bleker, who was 11 at the time. Schwertz is serving a life sentence.

The New Orleans Advocate normally does not name victims of sex crimes, but Bleker, who is now 22, consented to the use of his name when his lawsuit was heard in June.

The judge also awarded $25,000 each to his parents.

Bleker said Friday that he is relieved.

Im glad its over, at least this part, he said. It gives me peace of mind now the school cant sit there and say that it didnt happen and its not their fault. It is their fault.

Now, he said, hes waiting to see if the school system is going to appeal.

Meredith Mendez, a spokeswoman for the School Board, said its attorney is reviewing the ruling.

Bleker's mother, Rebecca Hickman, said she cried when she learned about the judgment, feeling both joy and relief.

No matter the money, now at least they know that they were wrong, she said of the school system. And unless the parents stick together and push for change, theyre not gonna stick to it.

St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Bleker was a fourth grade special-education student at Abney Elementary School in Slidell in 2007 when Schwertz, who had been hired on a temporary basis, raped him twice in the boys bathroom during the school day, Bleker testified in Schwertzs 2009 rape trial.

The man threatened to kill the boy and his family if he told anyone, Bleker testified.

His family did not learn of the attacks until 2008, when news broke that Schwertz had been arrested for raping two students at the school.

The family sued the school system for damages in 2011, and the case, which took up five volumes of court records, finally went to trial this year.

The school system denied that it was liable in the case. But Childress said the issue of liability had been thrashed out in a case brought by another one of Schwertzs victims.

In that case, the trial court had dismissed some of the claims brought against the school system, but the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal reversed the dismissals, holding that the school system has a duty of reasonable care to students on its campuses.

It is this courts conclusion that the deficiencies as determined by the Court of Appeals, as well as the testimony and evidence presented in the case at bar, constitute a breach of the duty of reasonable care by the school system, Childress wrote.

Multiple errors were made, the judge said, including failure to check Schwertzs references, failure to investigate lies on his application about his criminal background and failing to fire him immediately when the lies came to light.

What stood out was the lack of coordination or effort made in the hiring and placing of this janitor, perhaps because of the nature of his work, Childress wrote. But as a janitor, Schwertz had complete and unsupervised access to the school, restrooms and grounds every day, and in the presence of school children, the judge said.

The incidents involving Justin all occurred when he was allowed to leave the classroom on his own to use the restroom, with no one in the bathroom stall but himself and the ever-present janitor, whose supply room was directly outside of the student bathrooms," the ruling said.

Childress awarded Bleker $350,000 for mental and physical pain, anguish and suffering; $20,762 for past medical expenses paid to his therapist; $20,000 for future medical care; and $70,920 for other past medical expenses.

The money awarded to his parents is in response to their claim that their sons rape hurt their marriage. They have since divorced.

During the trial, Hickman said that the situation broke their family.A broad area of low pressure associated with the remnants of Hurricane Isaac has a small chance of redeveloping in the Caribbean Sea and emerging in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said Monday morning.

The disturbance is is located near eastern Jamaica, according to the NHC. The chance of development in the next five days is about 20 percent.

Showers and thunderstorms are disorganized, and forecasters said factors such as they system's proximity to dry air, land interaction with Jamaica and overall environmental conditions will likely deter development.

No other tropical development is expected in the Atlantic Basin in the next five days.

Can't see video below? Click here.

Isaac came to life Sept. 7 as a depression far out in the Atlantic. The system grew into a named tropical storm Sept. 8 and flared up to a Category 1 hurricane the next day, becoming the fifth named hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic season. It lost its hurricane status by Sept. 10. The NHC stopped formal advisories on Isaac this past Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Long-serving National Australia Bank executive Andrew Hagger is leaving the bank as it continues to grapple with the "fees-for-no-service" scandal that has rocked the industry, saying he took "accountability" for the "successes and failures" that occurred on his watch.

His exit, amid a broader executive reshuffle, comes as NAB prepares to demerge the troublesome wealth arm he previously ran, amid revelations at the banking royal commission that it charged hundreds of thousands of retirees for financial advice they never received between 2012 and 2017.

Andrew Hagger after last month's royal commission hearings. Credit:James Ross

The remainder of his job  the high-profile consumer banking arm  will be taken over by former NSW premier Mike Baird, who moves from the institutional division.

Despite Mr Hagger's October 1 departure occurring soon after his second appearance at the royal commission into financial misconduct last month, NAB sources insisted his exit was not connected.Pharmaceutical companies behind some of Australias best-known brands avoided an estimated $215 million a year in tax in Australia over a three year period - almost four times the $63 million actually paid - Oxfam says.

The report, Prescription for Poverty looks at four of the worlds largest global pharmaceutical companies - Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Merck, Sharpe & Dome (MSD Australia), and Abbott  which in Australia are estimated to have unfairly avoided paying $215 million in taxes a year between 2013 and 2015.

Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Merck, Sharpe & Dome (MSD Australia), and Abbott are estimated to have unfairly avoided paying $215 million in taxes a year between 2013 and 2015. Credit:Illustration: Matt Davidson

Such practices, while not illegal, are not in line with the spirit of the law, Oxfam said, as pharmaceutical companies are structuring their operations to shift profits to low-tax or no-tax jurisdictions.Louise Taylor remembers sitting in the ACT Magistrates Court as a nervous young lawyer, questioning her sanity as she rehearsed the phrase "may it please the court" over and over again in her head.

On Monday morning, after more than 15 years working in prosecution and defence roles across various courts, she returned to the court to take her new seat on the bench.

Louise Taylor, who has become the ACT's first Aboriginal judicial officer. Credit:Karleen Minney

Ms Taylor was sworn in as a magistrate during a ceremonial sitting that made her the ACT's first Aboriginal judicial officer.

In her speech, Ms Taylor said she had been overwhelmed by the legal fraternity's reaction to her appointment, and humbled by suggestions she would be a trailblazer for Aboriginal members of the profession.Those caught contaminating berries across Australia with sewing needles must be caught and jailed, the federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said.

In his first comments since the contamination scare sent shockwaves through the berry growing industry and forced supermarkets to dump their stock, Mr Littleproud said the government was always looking for ways to support farmers.

"State agencies need to throw the book at them. Whoever this idiot is is lucky they havent hurt anybody. I'd expect penalties to include jail time," he told Fairfax Media.

My thoughts are with every farmer caught up in this and the Coalition is always looking at ways to help farmers and we will continue to monitor developments as this unfolds.Andrew Brown was only supposed be the acting Queensland Health Ombudsman for a few weeks, stepping into an office that was struggling to meet its regulated requirements and overshadowed by the suspension of its former leader.

Andrew Brown, Queensland Health Ombudsman, was appointed to the role in May 2018.

Instead, in May, he found himself promoted to the lead role of an organisation beset by a backlog of unresolved public complaints, and deepening mistrust from the health sector.

In October last year, then-health ombudsman Leon Atkinson-MacEwen was suspended over his response to a complaint against a former Mater Hospital anaesthetic technician who was charged with assault and fraud.

In November, Mr Brown was transferred from the Queensland Ombudsman office to become acting health ombudsman, and in May his appointment was confirmed for the three-year position.A metal object has been discovered in a Queensland banana amid ongoing concern over numerous strawberry brands sabotaged with needles and pulled from supermarket shelves nationwide.

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said police had received one report of a metal object in a banana but it is understood the incident was isolated and involved a person placing a metal object in a banana at a shop.

An isolated incident was reported with a metal object found in a banana. Credit:File/Andrew Quilty

"There are significant leads in relation to that [banana] matter," he said.

A 62-year-old woman is assisting Maryborough Police over the alleged incident reported at a supermarket in the town.A major state government campaign has been launched to promote public schools and drive up their enrolments, signalling a departure from the mantra of school choice.

Nine weeks out from the state election, the Andrews government has rolled out advertisements on digital displays at the MCG that urge footy fans to enrol now at a state school.

The campaign will also appear as TV, digital, radio, billboard, bus and print media ads.

The government would not disclose the cost of the campaign, saying the details would be revealed in the Education Departments next annual report.A young man accused of killing an off-duty policeman on a memorial ride in Victorias east had smoked the drug ice before getting behind the wheel to drive to Melbourne to see his newborn, a court has heard.

Melbourne man Jesse Reid, 21, had driven to Merimbula in NSW to see his mother when he received news his girlfriend was in labour.

Major Collision Investigation Unit Detective Phil Frith told Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court Mr Reid had had one hours sleep when he decided to drive back on Friday.

Mr Reid, who has two prior drink-driving matters, stopped in Eden to smoke ice and drink beer before he got his 16-year-old friend to blow into an interlock device to start his Holden Commodore Acclaim, Detective acting Sergeant Frith said.The man charged over the Claremont serial killings may face trial by judge alone.

Bradley Robert Edwards, 49, stands charged with the murders of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon in the 1990s.

Hes also been charged over an alleged break in at a house in Huntingdale in 1988 and the alleged sexual assault of a woman in 1995.

Mr Edwards made his first appearance in the WA Supreme Court on Monday. Hes been in custody since December 2016.

Prosecutors told the court that they had filed an application for the trial - expected to begin next year - to be heard by judge alone, without a jury. That application by the prosecution will be heard on November 1.Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis has launched an extraordinary attack on colleagues, using parliamentary privilege to accuse a NSW MP of "bullying, betrayal and backstabbing".

The member for the marginal NSW seat of Gilmore on Monday announced that she would quit politics at the next election, blaming branch stacking and unethical behaviour by Liberal colleagues.

In a speech to Parliament on Monday night, Ms Sudmalis named Gareth Ward, a longtime political adversary who holds the state seat of Kiama, as a key factor behind her decision to quit.

"This is not the first time that Gareth has flexed his vengeance on strong Liberal women. He doesn't just get even, he annihilates anyone who opposes him," she said.The Queensland government has been warned of a significant gap in its revenge porn legislation, which may not cover sexually threatening posts made without associated imagery.

Speaking at a parliamentary committee hearing into proposed revenge porn laws, Brisbane Domestic Violence Service team leader Rebecca Shearman cited one horrific example that she thought would not be covered by the legislation.

The Queensland legislation would introduce penalties of up to three years for posting intimate photos on the internet. Credit:iStock

In that example, an offender allegedly posted details about his ex-partner, including her phone number and the type of humiliation she would purportedly enjoy online, prompting a flood of messages from strangers, including some with graphic descriptions of violent sex acts.

"She got 50 to 100 messages within a very short space of time, some of them were pretty demeaning and disgusting but that's because he'd posted that that's what she liked," Ms Shearman said.One of the former associates, an ex-employee, identified two of the names that frequently appeared in the documents' metadata, "Jessica Longley" and "Jim Evans Mowing," as pseudonyms assigned to two WikiLeaks laptops. All five former associates spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, in some cases because they didn't want their past association with WikiLeaks to become public, and in others because they feared legal retaliation or harassment from the group's supporters. Among other things, the documents lay out Assange's campaign to avoid being arrested and extradited to Sweden over allegations that he sexually molested one woman and raped another during a trip to the Scandinavian country in August 2010. This document obtained by AP shows a letter to the Russian Consulate in London dated November 30, 2010. Credit:AP Assange has always denied wrongdoing in the case, which he cast as a prelude to extradition to the US. The Swedish prosecution jeopardised what at the time was WikiLeaks' biggest-ever disclosure: the publication of around 250,000 US State Department cables. Swedish authorities issued a warrant for his arrest on November 18, just 10 days before the cables exploded across the web, with bombshell revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, American spying at the UN and corruption across the Arab world.

Italy's then foreign minister, Franco Frattini, described the release as the "September 11 of world diplomacy." Enraged American politicians demanded that Assange be treated like a terrorist. Metadata suggests that it was on November 29, the day after the release of the first batch of US State Department files, that the letter to the Russian Consulate was drafted on the Jessica Longley computer. The AP couldn't confirm whether or when the message was actually delivered, but the choice of Israel Shamir as a go-between was significant. Assange's involvement with Shamir, a fringe intellectual who once said it was the duty of every Christian and Muslim to deny the Holocaust, would draw indignation when it became public. Shamir told the AP he was plagued by memory problems and couldn't remember delivering Assange's letter or say whether he eventually got the visa on Assange's behalf. "I can't possibly exclude that it happened," Shamir said in a telephone interview. "I have a very vague memory of those things."

Shamir's memory appeared sharper during a January 20, 2011 interview with Russian News Service radio - a Moscow-based station now known as Life Zvuk, or Life Sound. Shamir said he'd personally brokered a Russian visa for Assange, but that it had come too late to rescue him from the sex crimes investigation. Russia "would be one of those places where he and his organisation would be comfortable operating," Shamir explained. Asked if Assange had friends in the Kremlin, Shamir smiled and said: "Let's hope that's the case." Shamir often makes eyebrow-raising claims (in the same interview he said that the US offered Assange $US100 million not to publish the cables), but it was true that any visa for Assange would have been moot. On November 30, 2010  the date on the letter  Interpol issued a Red Notice seeking Assange's arrest, making any relocation to Russia virtually impossible. With legal bills mounting, Assange turned himself in on December 7 and his staff's focus turned to getting him out of jail. One WikiLeaks spreadsheet listed names of potential supporters arrayed by wealth and influence; a second one titled "Get Out of Jail Free" tracked proposed bail donations and pledges for surety. Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange stand outside of the Ecuadorian embassy as Assange addresses the media, in London. Credit:AP

As they gathered money, Assange's allies also plotted what to do once the WikiLeaks founder was released. One document showed Guatemalan human rights lawyer Renata Avila floating the idea of jumping bail. "I will advise him to seek asylum abroad: we already contacted the Ministry of Justice in Brazil, there is a possibility to run out of the country in a Brazilian ship," Avila told fellow WikiLeaks supporters in a memo. The document said Assange should "plan to escape and pay the bail money back to his supporters." Avila didn't return repeated messages seeking comment. It's not clear whether her idea went anywhere; former Brazilian Justice Minister Eduardo Cardozo, who was serving on then president-elect Dilma Rousseff's transition team at the time, told the AP that he'd never heard of an Assange asylum request. Assange would eventually skip bail after exhausting his British legal campaign to block the Swedish extradition effort, darting into the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012. The move frustrated the sex crimes prosecution, which was dropped last year, but it sparked a standoff that continues to this day, with Assange refusing to leave the embassy unless he is shielded from extradition to the US.

Assange's escape left many of his guarantors in the lurch. When a group of them went to court in late 2012 to reduce their bill, the escape plan went unmentioned. A lawyer for four of Assange's supporters, Henry Blaxland, told the judge that Assange's Ecuadorean asylum stunt caught everyone off guard. "Nobody could reasonably have foreseen that's what he would do," Blaxland said. Wikileaks reacted on Twitter by also alleging relevant parts of documents were left out of the AP reporting.New York: A crucial confirmation vote on US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been delayed so the Senate can hear testimony from the judge and the woman who has accused him of attempting to sexually assault her while in high school.

The emergence of sexual assault allegations by Christine Blasey Ford has thrown Kavanaugh's confirmation process into turmoil. It's also raised the possibility that Trump's nominee may not join the nation's most powerful court as appeared almost certain just days ago.

On Sunday, Ford, a research psychologist at Palo Alto University in Northern California, went public with allegations that Kavanaugh had tried to rape her while at a high school party.

She alleged that a drunken Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming.Republican Senator Jeff Flake is calling for the nomination process to be delayed in the light of the allegations. Credit:Bloomberg Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley is working to set up bipartisan staff conversations with Kavanaugh and Ford before Thursday's committee vote on the nomination, Grassley spokesman Taylor Foy said on Sunday (US time). Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Judiciary Committee Democrat, said a staff call on the matter wasn't adequate. "I agree with Senator Flake that we should delay this week's vote," Feinstein said. "There's a lot of information we don't know and the FBI should have the time it needs to investigate this new material." The Trump administration is preparing to attack the charges on grounds they surfaced late in the confirmation, and to question the credibility of the accuser since she didn't tell anybody about the alleged assault at the time, a White House official said.

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein has backed the call for proceedings to be delayed. Credit:AP The White House is prepared to go along with a confidential closed-door consideration of allegations but not public testimony, the official said. Such testimony is risky and could build public sympathy for the accuser. Loading The allegation puts heavy pressure on moderate senators who must decide whether to vote for Kavanaugh at the risk of angering the "Me Too" movement. That growing backlash against men facing claims of sexually abusing women has already forced the resignations of top executives and some lawmakers. Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Murkowski of Alaska haven't said whether they'll vote to confirm Kavanaugh, nor have a handful of Democrats from states that backed Trump in 2016. It's also a significant challenge for Republicans who are struggling to win suburban women's votes in the November 6 election that will decide control of the US House and Senate.

Foy, Grassley's spokesman, said in an earlier statement that it was "disturbing that these uncorroborated allegations" had surfaced shortly before Thursday's planned committee vote. The statement didn't say whether there would be any schedule change, and Foy didn't immediately respond to a query on the issue. Republicans are aiming for full Senate confirmation of Kavanaugh before the Supreme Court term begins October 1. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, also a Judiciary Committee member, said that if Ford wants to provide information to the committee, "I would gladly listen to what she has to say." But he said that should be done immediately, "so the process can continue as scheduled". US President Donald Trump is hoping to establish a conservative majority on the Supreme Court with appointment of Brett Kavanaugh. Credit:Bloomberg The White House on Friday released a statement from Kavanaugh in which the nominee said, "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time."

The controversy comes 27 years after the bruising confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who was accused of sexually harassing attorney Anita Hill at two federal jobs, including when he chaired the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that handles harassment and discrimination issues. Thomas was confirmed on a 52-48 vote. Sunday's development threatens what would be a major win for Trump's White House and McConnell, as they seek to give a strong rightward tilt to the federal judiciary. White House Counsel Donald McGahn, a leading architect of the strategy, has been due to leave the White House once Kavanaugh is confirmed, after it was disclosed that he was cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian election meddling. Loading Republicans control the Senate 51-49, meaning they need no Democratic support to confirm Kavanaugh, but the outcome likely depends on pro-choice Senators Collins and Murkowski, neither of whom responded to requests for comment on Sunday. Kavanaugh could provide the fifth vote to overturn the Roe v Wade abortion-rights ruling. He called Roe an "important precedent" during his Senate Judiciary confirmation hearing but refused to say whether the ruling was correct. Kavanaugh's potential impact on the abortion debate is a risk to the GOP's already lacklustre standing with women, and the sexual assault allegation could make things worse. Female voters preferred Democratic candidates over Republican ones by 54 per cent to 33 per cent, while 62 per cent of women disapproved of Trump's job performance, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll in July.

The Post quoted Ford as saying Kavanaugh and a friend were "stumbling drunk" when they took her into a bedroom during a party in a house in the Maryland suburbs of Washington. Kavanaugh pinned her to the bed and groped her through her clothes, grinding his body against hers and trying to pull off her clothes, the Post quoted Ford as saying. She said that when she tried to scream, he put his hand over her mouth. She said she believed the attack occurred in 1982. "I thought he might inadvertently kill me," the Post quoted Ford as saying. She said Kavanaugh's friend, Mark Judge, jumped on top of them, sending them tumbling, and she was able to escape, the newspaper reported. She said she went home and didn't tell anyone until she and her husband were in couples therapy in 2012. The Post said it viewed notes from that session and an individual therapy session the following year. The paper said the 2013 notes showed that Ford described a "rape attempt" in her late teens. Her husband, Russell Ford, told the newspaper that when she described the incident in the 2012 session, she used Kavanaugh's last name and said she was concerned he might eventually be nominated to the Supreme Court. He has been a federal appeals court judge since 2006. Ford and her lawyer, Debra Katz, didn't immediately return calls seeking comment. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer called on Grassley to postpone the nomination vote "until, at a very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated".Creators of immersive theater too often fall under the mistaken impression that the very novelty of the experience absolves them of the responsibility of creating a good play. That certainly seems to be the case with Stars in the Night. Billed as an "intimate immersive production," this glorified walking tour is currently stumbling through the streets of DUMBO.

It wasn't initially created with Brooklyn in mind: Devised by the Los Angeles-based Firelight Collective (Firelight's co-artistic directors Stephanie Feury and Nathan Keyes directed this production), Stars in the Night originally played the Hollywood Hills, where its dreamy, slightly incoherent tone might have conveyed a David Lynchian mystique. If so, it hasn't carried over to New York.

We can sense from the earliest moments that Stars in the Night fits uncomfortably in its new environment, and that no serious effort has been made to ease the transition. Twelve audience members are greeted in a secret meeting point by the Man in the Orange Tie (a harried-looking Matt Brown). This rumpled Southern traveling salesman in a khaki suit leads us on a brisk walk along the Brooklyn waterfront, stopping intermittently to dispense deep-fried banalities about his true love, a girl who smelled like lilac. He lost her long ago, we are told, but the stars still help him to recall his former passion. Ominously, a thick overcast the night I attended prevented us from seeing a single one.

Jennifer Sacks makes a one-sided phone call in Stars in the Night.

( Matt Pulliam)

He soon leaves us and we meet other characters: a skater (William Nicol) inexplicably clad in a non la searching for his lost sister, followed by a young woman (Jennifer Sacks) carrying on a painfully protracted one-sided phone call. Unfortunately, large chunks of their speech take place directly under the Manhattan Bridge, leaving the actors struggling to compete with the roar of the passing D train. We catch about 50 percent of their lines.

That's not to say that the moments of aural clarity are particularly illuminating. Much of the script feels like it was written from the perspective of an alien whose only evidence of human civilization is a small treasury of Lifetime movies, with cliches filling in for actual plot. The young caller screams in frustration after a conversation with mom, consoling herself with interpretative dance. A wild-eyed woman in a sheer dress (Deanna Noe) speaks glowingly of her affair with a married man (David Haley), and tells us that we are all made of stars. Naturally, the wife (Allison Byrnes) discovers everything and lashes out: "You're a piece of sh*t," she whisper-screams at her husband, "who makes everyone feel like they're going down to crazy town." You tell him, sister.

Deanna Noe stars in Stars in the Night.

( Matt Pulliam)

Feury and Keyes seem to have set out to create a cast of characters whose connection is slowly revealed by the end, reinforcing the "we are all stars" motif. They also seem to have bitten off more that they could chew in this endeavor, with only the latter third of the play feeling fully developed. Their lackadaisical direction hasn't helped matters, with most of the performers appearing overwhelmed by the task of leading the audience down DUMBO's cobbled streets while delivering their head-scratching lines.

The one exception is Davonna Dehay, who plays a Brooklyn real estate agent with authentic mania. Her job is clearly just to get us from one set to the next, but she does so with such over-the-top panache that we're temporarily able to laugh and actually enjoy ourselves at this mostly awkward event. Even she can't compensate for this play's thud of a landing, however: Shoving programs into our hands, she quickly turns tail and runs away from the 12 befuddled audience members. I can't say I blame her: I wish I could have done the same thing.Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage

Before anyone knew anything else about him, it was charm that made Jian Ghomeshi a big deal. It began in the mid 2000s, when he hosted a Canadian arts-and-culture radio show, Q. In one episode, the actor Billy Bob Thornton was a guest, and a singularly obnoxious presence; but in the face of his monosyllabic answers and looks of blank hostility, Ghomeshi retained his composure and his warmth. Eventually, the actor accused Canadians of being boring audiences, like mashed potatoes without the gravy, and Ghomeshi gently pushed back, replying: Oh weve got some gravy up here. The YouTube clip, of this good-natured radio host defending his countrys honor against a discourteous megastar, went viral, cementing Ghomeshis place as a national icon and skyrocketing Qs popularity. And so when, five years later, in the course of an onslaught of sexual allegations against him, the public discovered that behind the scenes of their beloved show, Ghomeshi was allegedly telling his producer he wanted to hate fuck her and terrorizing his staff, the sense of disjunction was severe. Captain Canada, as he sometimes called himself, had turned out to be an alleged monster.

Canadians felt betrayed; Ghomeshis whole thing was that he was the nicest guy you knew. And thats why the rumors about him choking, slapping, and abusing women circulated for so long before gaining real traction. Its also why his essay in the latest edition of The New York Review of Books is so dangerous. The nice guy we once knew is being given the opportunity to repaint himself as just that.

I know what its like to fall for his charm. He and I first met in spring 2010, when we began a brief relationship. (Ive previously written about what it was like to date him.) At first, his behavior seemed romantic. Hed drop by my apartment and surprise me, text me in the morning to tell me that he was thinking of me throughout the show. He took me to concerts and premieres. I was 24 and dating a celebrity 19 years my senior and I was enthralled. Everywhere we went people would come up to talk to him like they knew him. With them, Ghomeshi would be like the guy they heard on the radio show  affable, friendly, familiar. I loved watching the effect hed have on people just by shaking their hand.

But the longer I was with him, the more he became something else. He would demand that I show him effusive public affection and get sulky if I said I was uncomfortable. He exploded at me if I changed our plans. One night, when we were kissing good-bye in his car, he pushed me up against the window so hard it hurt and wouldnt let go until I struggled away from his hands.

In what the NYRB has cutely titled Reflections from a Hashtag, Ghomeshi reflects on what its like to go from being a celebrity to an outcast. He describes the depression, self-loathing, and professional consequences hes experienced since 2014, when multiple women alleged that hed subjected them to physical and sexual violence. (The case eventually went to trial, where Ghomeshi faced four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking, but was ultimately acquitted.) In the four years since the trial concluded, Ghomeshi recounts being abandoned by his closest confidants, contemplating suicide. There has indeed been enough humiliation for a lifetime, he writes.

The essay could be considered part of a genre thats recently emerged, in which men who have been exposed by the #MeToo movement attempt to return to the spotlight by throwing themselves pity parties in the countrys most prestigious publications. On Wednesday, John Hockenberry, another disgraced radio host, published a similar piece in Harpers titled Exile. Hockenberry denies the sexual allegations that were brought against him late last year, and describes the grand injustices that he feels the #MeToo movement has wrought. The question of how exiled either of these men really are, considering national magazines are granting them space to tell their story, is certainly worth considering.

In 2014, it took months for reporter Jesse Brown of the Toronto Star to gather all of the horrific, twisted allegations against Jian Ghomeshi. In the end, more than a dozen women came forward with stories of him slapping, choking, punching, and biting them without consent. Two of the women said that before he abused them, he introduced them to a stuffed bear in his bedroom and asked them to turn him around, saying that Big Ears Teddy shouldnt see this. Ghomeshi doesnt address any of that in his piece. Instead, he qualifies his treatment of women as being emotionally thoughtless and admits that he should have respected women more. It seems hed like us to think of him as just your average selfish dude  the kind of guy who might not return a text or a phone call. I wonder what the woman who said he punched her so many times she couldnt see straight would say to that.

Ghomeshi denies the allegations brought against him. In any case, his essay isnt really about the the claims, or the women who made them, at all. He spends his pages reflecting on his own pain, without considering the damage hes done. Hes so self-obsessed, he cant even bring himself to apologize to the women hes hurt. In a maelstrom of confusion, humiliation, resistance, and conflicting feedback from those around you, he writes, how much can anyone really inhabit Im sorry? Has he contacted any of the women who he allegedly abused? Has he done any kind of real, measurable work to understand what went wrong? No. This is nothing more than an expression of one mans ego.

In about 3,400 words, if you care to read them all, Ghomeshi does his best to remind us how likable he is, that underneath all that sexual assault nonsense hes still the charming guy we know and love. Most notably, anecdotes of recent interactions with women bookend the piece. In the opening scene at a karaoke bar, he befriends a woman whos initially skeptical of him. Chalk up one more human being who no longer thinks Im a creep, he writes, clearly chuffed at his success. The essay concludes with a woman he meets in Paris thanking him for a great conversation. Throughout the piece Ghomeshi cites the female friends whove stood by him. Look, the ladies love me! he seems desperate to convey.

Eight years ago, the more I got to know Ghomeshi, the more I realized that something didnt feel right. But I was so caught up in who I thought he was that I didnt want to let go. There were two Jians  one in public and one in private. I see much of this same behavior in his essay. An attempt to mask whats beneath; a desire to control the experience of engaging with him. This time, his manipulations exist between the lines. This piece  which, by the way, only exists because he chose to write it  is his chance to tell the story he wants us to believe. Its his attempt to try to blind us into accepting his version of truth, without acknowledging the depth of the pain hes caused. But we already know who Jian Ghomeshi is, and its not the man portrayed in The New York Review of Books. Make no mistake: This essay is not a reckoning. Its just another charm offensive.Senior high school students studying at night to prepare for the college entrance exams at a high school in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu province, on May 24, 2016. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

A Neglected Outbreak of TB Is Causing Chinese High School Students to Attempt Suicide

In Hunan Province, scores of students contracted pulmonary tuberculosis as school staff turned blind eye

A string of tuberculosis cases at a high school in Hunan Province, southern China, has led to harsh criticism of the school administration and the local authorities following the attempted suicides of three students suffering from the disease.

Just a few days before a female students suicide attempt on Sept. 9, a lawyer representing the victims of the outbreak received threats from the legal authorities that they would revoke his license to practice.

The lawyer, Chen Keyun, told NTD Television that the girl, a student attending an elite class of Taojiang Countys No. 4 High School, had contracted pulmonary tuberculosis last August and her academic performance and mental state suffered greatly as a result.

According to Chen, all students in the class are under pressure to maintain their grades and be accepted at good universities. But the girl developed severe perforations in both lungs as well as multiple side effects from the medicine she needs to control the disease. In June, she missed Chinas nationwide college entrance exam and was unable to transfer to another high school to continue her studies.

Chen said the girl is the third tuberculosis patient to attempt suicide at the school. All were saved, however, Chen efforts to litigate on their behalf has led the authorities to see him as a nuisance.

In March, the Guangzhou Lawyers Association issued a tax evasion notice to me to force me to stop my representation, Chen told NTD Television. On Sept. 3, the Justice Department of Guangdong Province [which borders Hunan Province] summoned me and said my lawyers license would be revoked.

Chen said he wont give up because of the urgency of the case. Meanwhile, the local health authorities have not released any information about investigating the outbreak, though two county-level deputy directors of the health agency as well as several other employees have been fired for their negligence.

Outbreak Ignored

Ding Ling, the pseudonym of a female student from the class at the Taojiang No. 4 High School told The Epoch Times that one of her classmates had been coughing in the classroom since June 2016 and that he said, I feel like Im going to cough my lungs out.

In order to keep up his grades, the boy didnt see a doctor until late that July when his condition became too bad to continue. Neither the school nor the hospital followed legal regulations requiring that all cases of pulmonary tuberculosisa class C infectious diseasebe reported within 24 hours of diagnosis and that all teachers and students receive medication to keep the disease from spreading.

Ding Ling only knew that more students had contracted tuberculosis throughout the rest of 2016 when a close friend of hers fell ill in February 2017. But the school only took action that August, by which point many students were already infected and were coughing. Students were given some basic medication but not allowed to leave the school or provided hygienic masks.

The principal said that we couldnt take any breaks from study unless somebody died, Ding Ling said.

According to Ding Ling, 75 students were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis by November 2017. More than 50 of them were from my class, and most of the others were students in other classes moved out of my class, she said.

Another student in the class, surnamed Liu, told The Epoch Times that when her parents and over 30 others went to petition the provincial government on Nov. 15, 2017, they were dispersed by the police. One parent was arrested and detained for more than 20 hours.

Mr. Huang, a father of one of the students, told the Epoch Times: In Taojiang, 100 to 200 students were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. Many have moved to other cities after being diagnosed with the disease.

The school administration is only concerned with the college acceptance rate, Huang said, since it affects their positions and salaries. As a result, students are forced to study without adequate rest, even if they face bullying and spread the disease to others.Album review: Beauty Come Dancing

Gordon Getty's ode to love and dance

Gordon Getty (b. 1933) is a distinguished composer of songs and operas inspired by poetry. Beauty Come Dancing is a new release on the Pentatone label of Gettys choral works performed by The Netherlands Radio Choir led by chorus master Klaas Stok, and The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by James Gaffigan. This is the third album of his choral works.

Getty is a self-described conservative, both in the poetry that inspires him and the music he writes.

The only living poet in the collection and the one who wrote the title piece and two other songs on the CD is himself. This is not the first time he has set his own words to music. Like Wagner, whom Getty admires, he supplies his own librettos for his operas: Plump Jack (based on Shakespeares Falstaff), Usher House (based on Edgar Allan Poes short story The Fall of the House of Usher), and The Canterville Ghost (based on Oscar Wildes novella).

The opening piece, and the longest and most complex work in the collection, is The Old Man in the Night. The lyrics deal with two men, one young and other elderly, both supposedly representing the author at different times in his life. Much of the poem is an evocation of beauty, ending with: Beauty beyond all keeping, worth all cost/O beautiful and merciless my love.

The Old Man in the Morning shows a more hopeful new day, where it is all spring, all morning, just as then.

John Keats (17951821) is Gettys favorite poet, and John Masefield (18781967) his second favorite. Both are represented in his collection.

Masefield, like Getty, was a ballet aficionado and, in Ballet Russe, Beauty returns in the form of a ballerina, all that a boyhood loves and manhood needs. The first line of the poem mentions Chopin, and the music suggests the style of the earlier composer.

The title piece on the CD, with words by Getty, has all nature dancing, when the world is young and loud with music [and] mirth.

Shenandoah is Gettys choral arrangement of the American folk song. He had written an earlier arrangement for soprano Lisa Delan, who has been a frequent interpreter of his music.

There Was a Naughty Boy is a lighthearted poem by Keats, and Gettys setting is equally playful.

Sara Teasdales (18841933) Those Who Love the Most (the only poem on the album by a female writer) is a look backward to the era of courtly love, with references to Guinevere, Deirdre, Iseult, and Heloise.

Edward Arlington Robinsons For a Dead Lady is a melancholy waltz, wondering at the end, Of what inexorable cause/Makes Time so vicious in his reaping.

The Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron (17881824) is a dramatic piece, beginning with an attack by the Assyrian army and concluding with the grieving widows of Ashur.

Ernest Christopher Dowsons (18671900) Cynara is performed by a male chorus and orchestra. At one point the poet exclaims, I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! In my fashion. This poem was supposedly the inspiration for Cole Porters song Always True to You in My Fashion from the musical Kiss Me, Kate. Gettys musical setting is far more serious in tone than the Broadway composers.

Keatss La Belle Dame sans Merci again recalls knightly love and ends with the poet alone where no birds sing.

The Netherlands Radio Choir under Chorus Master Klaas Stok clearly articulates the text, although where the orchestra reaches an occasional crescendo, the words are sometimes obscured. Pentatone helpfully supplies the poems along with an essay by Jeff Kaliss, a statement from the composer, and information about the choir, the superb Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as its conductor James Gaffigan.

Beauty Come Dancing attests to Gettys facility for setting poetry to music.

Barry Bassis has been a music, theater, and travel writer for over a decade for various publications.Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple Inc., speaks during an event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Apples References to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau at New iPhone Release Event Angers Beijing

Apple got into the Chinese regimes crosshairs recently with its new iPhone launch.

During the Sept. 12 release event for the tech giants latest line of smartphones, the iPhone XS, Apples senior vice-president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, displayed a projection screen on which it showed flags representing the companys various market around the world.

The screen included China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan separatelymuch to the ire of Beijing and its state media.

That is because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regards Taiwan, a self-ruled island with its own democratically-elected government, as a part of its territory. The CCP is particularly sensitive about any indications that Taiwan is a separate, independent entity from mainland China. In recent months, Beijing has threatened international firms to conform to its sovereign claims, forcing them to apologize if they recognize Taiwan. Most aggressively in May, the Chinese regime ordered 44 international airlines to change all their references to Taiwan as part of China, or face certain consequences. Many airlines complied.

After news about the Apple projection spread on social media, the Chinese regimes state broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV), and the state-run tabloid, Global Times, slammed Apple for not referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau as a part of China.

Hong Kong and Macau are former British and Portuguese colonies that were returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 and 1999 respectively, but enjoy relative autonomy due to their governments separate from Beijing.

Apple, what are you trying to say at your release event? the Global Times questioned in a Sept. 13 article. The newspaper urged Apple to write China in front of the references to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Meanwhile, CCTVs report threatened Apple that it may encounter unnecessary political and legal troubles hereafter.

But some Chinese netizens left comments saying that the Global Times and other CCP state-run media were unreasonable and simply wanted to stir up trouble.

Apple is referring to markets, not countries or regions, one netizen wrote, saying that the Chinese regime was being too sensitive.

Another questioned why there is no China placed in front of the Shanghai municipal government or other municipalities that are directly governed by the central authorities; under the CCP system, Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, and other metropolises are classified as directly controlled cities.

Netizens joked that the CCP was perhaps secretly advocating for the independence of Shanghai or other cities.Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland arrives for a meeting at the US Trade Representative's office September 5, 2018 in Washington, DC. - Freeland said she is looking forward to "constructive" discussions with US officials on the North American Free Trade Agreement. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Canadas Freeland Heading Back to Washington for NAFTA talks

OTTAWACanadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Sept. 17 said she would return to Washington, D.C. this week for fresh talks on NAFTA as time is running very short to meet a U.S. demand for a deal by October 1.

Freeland, speaking after a phone conversation with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, said a date for the latest round had not yet been set.

Although the two have met in Washington in each of the last three weeks, officials are still seeking common ground on major issues in the trilateral North American Free Trade Agreement.

We agreed we would continue to talk in Washington later this week  there are some conversations its better to have face-to-face and I think its absolutely the right thing for us to meet this week, she told reporters.

President Donald Trump last month announced a two-party deal with Mexico and has warned Ottawa that he is prepared to leave Canada out if it fails to accept terms more favorable to the United States.

Washington wants the text of a deal by Oct. 1 so the pact can be signed by the outgoing Mexican administration. Canadian officials say that they will not be rushed, given the size of the obstacles.

The two nations are trying to solve differences over dispute resolution mechanisms and deal with a U.S. demand for more access to Canadas protected dairy market.

Earlier on Sept. 17, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would stand up for the so-called supply management system of import tariffs and production limits that ensure high prices for dairy, egg and poultry products.

We have been very, very clearwe will protect supply management, Trudeau told the House of Commons.

That said, Canadian officials say privately that Ottawa will most likely offer U.S. producers more access to the market.

This alarms the powerful dairy industry, which requested a meeting with Freeland last week. She said the two sides had a long and good conversation but gave no details.

The Dairy Farmers of Canada lobby group did not respond to a request for comment.

By David LjunggrenConstitution Day: Distrust, Tyranny, and the Bill of Rights

Part 1 of 5 on understanding the Bill of Rights

In honor of U.S. Constitution Day, on Sept. 17, we present a five-part series on the Bill of Rights. It reveals how the first 10 amendments to the Constitution guarantee freedom of speech, religion, and the press, and, in so many other ways, limit the power of the federal government and secure the rights of individuals.

Thomas Jefferson said: When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When people fear the government, there is tyranny.

A recent Gallup poll found that 72 percent of Americans see big government as the most significant threat to the nation. (To compare, 21 percent said big business and only 5 percent said big labor.) Thats not a good sign for big government. Of course, the truth is that Americansthroughout historyhave been distrustful of government. After all, this nation sprung out of a revolution that overthrew a king who most Americans saw as tyrannical.

The Bill of Rights, one of Americas foundational documents, was designed specifically to address this distrust by limiting the power of the federal government and thereby preventing a new tyranny. As such, the Bill of Rights is the single most powerful and successful assertion of individual rights and liberties ever written. It is one of historys most important and influential documents and the worlds best road map for human rights and freedom from oppression.

To understand the Bill of Rights, look back to colonial days. Back then, there was no national American identity. To the extent there was something bigger than the colony, it was England. Of course, a great deal of resentment toward England developed even prior to the Revolutionary War. During the war, it only got worse. Nevertheless, after the colonists overthrew England, it became clear that they needed some type of union to facilitate trade and self-defense. They didnt want to create a new King George, but rather a strong central government that might do the same kind of things that the British had done.

Richard Henry Lee, a statesman from Virginia, said, The first maxim of a man who loves liberty should be, never to grant to rulers an atom of power that is not most clearly and indispensably necessary for the safety and well-being of society.

So, in that hot summer in Philadelphia, in 1787, as the founders were hammering out a new constitution with its separation of powers and checks and balances, they also discussed the need for a provision that would limit the authority of this new central governmenta bill of rights.

John Adams refused to support the Constitution unless the Federalists could guarantee that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press, or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States  from keeping their own arms;  or to subject the people to unreasonable searches and seizures of their persons, papers or possessions.

Others argued that if the Constitution contained enumerated rights, it might be construed as excluding those not named. Hamilton, for instance, in Federalist 84, said: I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted.

So, some people wanted a bill to limit the federal government, while others opposed such a bill not because they wanted a significant federal government, but because they, too, were afraid of a strong central government. The sovereignty of the states was a principle on which both sides of this debate agreed.

The Constitution was eventually drafted without a Bill of Rights. At that point, an interesting thing happened. When it was sent to the states for ratification, it rapidly became clear that the Constitution wouldnt be approved without a list of enumerated rights. So, an agreement was reached. The Constitution would be ratified as written, but the first Congress would add a bill of rights.

James Madison, who had originally opposed having a bill of rights, undertook the task of preparing the document, and here, he showed his true genius. First of all, he had to identify the rights that would be included. Over 200 suggestions were sent in from the states, and he had to decide which to keep and which to eliminate.

Madison took the suggestions and distilled them to 20 amendments with a separate preamble. Some representatives opposed the proposal, arguing that any move to amend the new Constitution so soon after its implementation would create an appearance of instability in the government, but the House of Representatives ultimately approved a version with 17 amendments. This version went to the Senate, where it underwent more extensive revisions and emerged as a document containing 12 amendments. Congress approved this final bill of rights, as a joint resolution on Sept. 25, 1789.

The document sent to the colonies for ratification had 12 proposed amendments, but only 10 of those were ratified. Those 10 are now familiar to Americans as the Bill of Rights. Of the two that werent ratified, the first dealt with the size of electoral districts and was never ratified. A version of the second proposed amendment, which prohibits pay raises for Congress members until the next election, eventually was ratified in 1992 as the 27th Amendment. (Its amusing when people speak of the special honor given to the First Amendment. After all, it was initially proposed as the third!)

The brilliance of the Bill of Rights is that it doesnt actually grant rights to U.S. citizens. It assumes that the rights exist, and restricts the government from interfering. In a literal sense, the Bill of Rights isnt a list of rights but a list of restrictions on governmental power, and it stems from the traditional American concern about the dangers of a strong central government.

Ronald J. Rychlak is the Jamie L. Whitten chair in law and government at The University of Mississippi. He is the author of several books, including Hitler, the War, and the Pope, Disinformation (co-authored with Ion Mihai Pacepa), and The Persecution and Genocide of Christians in the Middle East (co-edited with Jane Adolphe).

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Constitution Day: The Ninth and 10th Amendments

Part 2 of 5 on understanding the Bill of Rights

In honor of U.S. Constitution Day, on Sept. 17, we present a five-part series on the Bill of Rights. It reveals how the first 10 amendments to the Constitution guarantee freedom of speech, religion, and the press, and, in so many other ways, limit the power of the federal government and secure the rights of individuals.

The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution constitute the Bill of Rights. The first eight of those amendments clearly were designed to protect citizens from the type of governmental intrusions that were common under British rule, but the last two are different in nature.

The First Amendment says that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The British had done all those things.

The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It wasnt about hunting or self-defense. Even before the war, the Brits had begun to confiscate guns.

The Third Amendment prevents the military from quartering soldiers during peacetime in any house, without the consent of the owner. During times of war, it could be done only in a manner to be prescribed by law. The British had done both of these things.

The Fourth Amendment protects the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. It sets probable cause as the requirement for warrants prior to governmental searches of private property. Colonists really hated the so-called general warrant that let British authorities enter homes to check that all merchandise had appropriate tax stamps. This would stop that.

The Fifth Amendment provides for grand jury indictments prior to prosecution, protection against double jeopardy, the right not to incriminate ones self, due process, and compensation when private property is taken for public use. The British had done all these things.

The Sixth Amendment gives criminal defendants the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed. The defendant also has the right to cross-examine witnesses against him, the right to compel favorable witnesses to testify, and the assistance of counsel. Back then, some criminal defendants were sent back to England for trial and did not have access to the witnesses.

The Seventh Amendment says that in civil suits involving more than $20, the parties have a right to a jury trial and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. While federal courts have limited jurisdiction and the $20 limit is antiquated, this amendment assures the right of a jury trial for civil cases and guarantees that jury verdicts wont be overturned, as sometimes happened in England. Those are significant rights to the litigants.

The Eighth Amendment says, Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Many of the punishments back then would certainly be considered cruel today, and bail was often set at unattainable levels.

These first eight amendments expressly apply only to the federal government. The first amendment, in fact, says, Congress shall make no law  Colonies could have such laws, and Congress couldnt change them. Thus, in Massachusetts, until the 1820s, you had to go to the Congregationalist Church on Sunday or be fined. Some colonies/new states also prohibited Catholics and Jews from holding public office.

In drafting the Bill of Rights, Madison was greatly influenced by George Masons 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights, the 1689 English Bill of Rights, and the Magna Carta (1215). The big difference between the Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta, however, is that the Bill of Rights assumes that power rests with the people and the government only has those powers expressly granted to it. The Magna Carta proceeds from the assumption that the King has the power, but will refrain from using it in certain ways. This assumption about the source of power that underlies the U.S. Bill of Rights is most clearly reflected in the final two provisions of the Bill of Rights, the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution.

The Ninth Amendment provides, The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. That is more or less an express answer to the fears brought up by Alexander Hamilton and others who were concerned that the very existence of a Bill of Rights might be read as suggesting that only the enumerated restrictions applied to the new government.

The Tenth Amendment says, The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

These final two provisions of the Bill of Rights, while often overlooked, are profoundly important. Unless otherwise expressly spelled out in the Constitution, governmental powers are reserved to the states and the people. The one-size-fits-all approach of federal lawmaking is incapable of considering the permutations and varieties that best serve individual states. Thus, the federal government is one of limited jurisdiction.

That leaves state and local governments, which are closer to the people, in position to be responsive to the people. That is pretty much exactly where revolutionary colonists would have wanted the nation to be.

Ronald J. Rychlak is the Jamie P. Whitten chair in law and government at the University of Mississippi. He is the author of several books, including Hitler, the War, and the Pope, Disinformation (co-authored with Ion Mihai Pacepa), and The Persecution and Genocide of Christians in the Middle East (co-edited with Jane Adolphe).

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.County in Alabama Votes to Display In God We Trust in All Public Schools

Alabamas Cullman County School Board voted to display In God We Trust inside all public schools.

The resolution was passed unanimously at a meeting on the evening of Sept. 13, The Cullman Times reported. The vote follows an earlier one by the Alabama state government that allowed all state institutions to display the motto.

Superintendent Shane Barnette handed out materials describing the history of In God We Trust at the meeting.

Some people may disagree with it, but the Legislature voted to allow it, Barnette told The Cullman Times. I think its important for students to know the history and how this came about in our nations early years.

The materials described how the phrase is engraved in buildings of both chambers of the U.S. Congress.

I think now more than ever we need God, Terri Peppers, a local parent, told WVTM. Personally as a family thats what we believe in. So if I walk in and see it, its just a daily reminder.

The school system plans to display the motto in all 28 schools in the school system, according to WVTM.

Action in Other States

The move follows similar ones in other states. This year in Florida, a state law passed requiring schools to display In God We Trust. Schools are complying by displaying the state seal, which includes the motto.

What would happen if we removed God from our public forums and things we do every day? When we remove God, we remove hope, said the bills sponsor Rep. Kimberly Daniels, during an earlier speech, via the Orlando Sentinel.

Critics of the law think Florida has more pressing issues, especially after the school shooting in Parkland. Daniels addressed the shooting, and emphasized that the law is even more relevant than before.

Few would disagree with me that God is positive. Hes not a Republican and hes not a Democrat, she said, via the Orlando Sentinel. Hes not black, and hes not white. He is the light. And our schools need light in them like never before.

Tennessee also passed a law this year requiring In God We Trust to be displayed in schools.

We hang the Constitution. We hang the Declaration of Independence and other historical documents in our schools, why not the national motto? said State Rep. Susan Lynn, who sponsored the bill, via WATE. I think its a good message that we dont trust in government. Its not government we trust, its In God We Trust.

Lynn told WATE there is no penalty if a school decides not to post the motto.

In Alabama, In God We Trust was already on display in 17 public venues, but until the recent vote, no new venues have displayed the motto since 2014, AL.com reported.

Alabama residents will vote in November to decide if public schools can display the Ten Commandments.

My hope is they have the Ten Commandments in the schools all over the state of Alabama as well as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the historical documents that go with this country, said Dean Young, chairman of the Ten Commandments political action committee, via AL.com.

From NTD.tvA Lumberton firefighter holds on to two nursing home patients as a member of the Cajun Navy drives his truck during the evacuation of a nursing home due to rising flood waters in Lumberton, North Carolina, on Sept. 15, 2018 in the wake of Hurricane Florence. (Alex Edelman / AFP/Getty Images)

Deadly Storm Florences Rising Floodwaters Devastate North Carolina

WILSON/WILMINGTON, N.C.Deadly storm Florence drenched North Carolina with more downpours on Sept. 16, cutting off the city of Wilmington, damaging tens of thousands of homes, and threatening worse flooding as rivers fill to bursting point.

The death toll rose to at least 15 from Florence, which crashed into the state as a hurricane on Sept. 14, bringing record rainfall.

The storm had weakened to a tropical depression by Sept. 16 but was forecast to drop a further five to 10 inches of rain in North Carolina, bringing rainfall totals in some inland areas to 15 to 20 inches and over 30 inches closer to the coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm has never been more dangerous than it is right now, Gov. Roy Cooper told a news conference. Many rivers are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow.

More than 900 people were rescued from rising floodwaters, and 15,000 remain in shelters in the state, Cooper said.

South Carolinas governor issued a similar warning, urging anyone in a flood-prone area to evacuate.

Those rivers in North Carolina that have received heavy rainfall are coming our way, Gov. Henry McMaster said during a news conference. They have not even begun (to crest). But they will. And the question is how high will the water be, and we do not know.

At least 10 people have died so far in the storm in North Carolina, including a mother and child killed by a falling tree, state officials said. Five people died in South Carolina, including three in car accidents and two from carbon monoxide poisoning from running a generator indoors.

Officials urged those who evacuated to stay away.

Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington, New Hanover County Commission Chairman Woody White told a news conference. We want you home, but you cant come yet.

In New Bern, a riverfront city near North Carolinas coast, the storm tore away porch steps, splintered balconies, and sent a yacht plowing into a garage that shattered like kindling.

Anne Francis Coronado came back on Sept. 16 to inspect the damage with her husband.

Theres mud all over the floor and the wood floors have buckled, she said, adding that they planned to return to her brothers house because of the musty smell that pervades their home.

Weve been through hurricanes here but weve never had it come anywhere close to this.

Din of Generators

In Leland, a low-lying city north of Wilmington, homes and businesses were engulfed by water.

Gas stations were abandoned, with many pumps keeled over, and fallen trees cluttered many roads, making them impassable. The whir of generators could be heard throughout the city, a sound not expected to dim soon as crews work to restore power.

About 668,000 homes and businesses were without power in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.

In Belville, North Carolina, just south of Leland, some shops had power restored on Sept. 16.

I thought Id come out here and see if I could get more fuel, but no luck, Steve McLean said outside a Harris Teeter gasoline station that had electricity, but no gasoline.

So far, weve been holding up pretty well, said McLean, 72, a self-employed heating and air conditioning contractor. Well see how long this lasts.

Five people were arrested for breaking into a Dollar General Store, according to the police department in Wilmington, which has imposed a nighttime curfew.

Florence set a state record for rain from a hurricane, dumping 33.9 inches in Swansboro, N.C. The previous record was 24 inches, set by Hurricane Floyd, which killed 56 people in 1999, said Bryce Link, a meteorologist with private forecasting service DTN Marine Weather.

North Carolina officials warned motorists not to drive on roads in a large areasouth of the I-64 and east of the I-73/74 highwaysbecause of hazardous conditions in the southeastern part of the state. Swelling rivers and creeks threatened dams and bridges.

The flooding could taint waterways with murky coal ash. Meanwhile, officials said the states many lagoons of toxic hog waste had so far withstood the storm.

By early Sept. 6, Florences winds had dropped to about 35 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm was moving at 10 mph, with its center expected to cross the western Carolinas during Sept. 16 and into the Ohio Valley and the Northeast United States on Sept. 1718.

The White House said President Donald Trump has approved making federal funding available in some affected counties. Trump, who plans to visit the region this week, tweeted his condolences.

By Anna Mehler Paperny & Ernest ScheyderDishonest Language About Carbon Serves to Sully Climate Debate

The Sierra Club proclaimed in an Aug. 23 press release that Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and Santa Monica just announced their intent to join 15 other cities around the world and adopt a plan for zero-carbon buildings by 2050.

The World Green Building Council (WGBC) defines a net zero-carbon building as a highly energy-efficient building with all remaining operational energy use from renewable energy, preferably on-site but also off-site production, to achieve net zero-carbon emissions annually in operation.

WGBC referenced the signing of the Paris agreement as the start of the most important race in our existencethe race to curb global greenhouse gas emissions so that global temperature rise remains below 2 degrees Celsius and, ideally, below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

But this makes no sensewe cant control climate as if we had a global thermostat, and we arent really talking about controlling carbon anyway.

The person arguably most responsible for this confusion is former Vice President Al Gore. From the day that Gore released his 2006 documentary An Inconvenient Truth, the general population was told that carbon emissions were going to destroy our planet. Gore, more or less, coined the term carbon footprint.

He and his cohorts actually were never talking about carbon, of course. They were talking about carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), but they understood that most people recognize that they exhale carbon dioxide and plants take it up in order to live. Not a dark thought.

So, in an unfortunately all-too-successful attempt to scare the populace, they seized on using the term carbon as a synonym for CO 2 , knowing it would conjure up visions of soot, lamp black, and coal dust, none of which are warm and fuzzy. Aside from the fact that CO 2 contains a single atom of carbon, it bears no resemblance to elemental carbon. It has about as much in common with carbon as lightning does with a lightning bug.

Sierra cites Dr. Robert M. Gould, president of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, to illustrate just how distorted the language of the climate debate has become. While Gould referenced the decarbonization of our planet that is imperative for human survival, a decarbonized Earth would be a dead world, a world devoid of all life including ours. Surely, that isnt the doctors goal.

The public has unwittingly accepted the carbon sleight of hand without realizing they are being manipulated toward negative thoughts about plant food. Its possibly the best example of subliminal brainwashing ever.

Fears that CO 2 increases can deleteriously impact temperatures should be scuttled as well. CO 2 can only absorb a narrow waveband of the radiation returning to the atmosphere from the Earth, which initially absorbs it from the sun. That wavelength is 15 microns or millionths of a meter. Its a fact that the atmospheres 410 parts per million of CO 2 today has already absorbed essentially all of the heats wavelength the Earth has to give. Therefore, further additions of carbon dioxide can have no measurable impact on the Earths temperature or the greenhouse effect.

For many, the real goal of these deceptions is summed up well by journalist H. L. Mencken, known in the early 20th century as the Sage of Baltimore, who once said, The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed and hence clamorous to be led to safety by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. Global warming has been among the very best hobgoblins.

Misuse of the word carbon isnt a laughing matter. This unsubstantiated fear is depriving the less fortunate among us of sorely needed inexpensive energy by eliminating life-giving fossil fuels and the miracle molecule of life: CO 2 . In so doing, society is subjected to further government control, thereby reducing individual freedom, moving our country closer to socialism and away from capitalism.

In the coming days and weeks, take note of how often you read the word carbon when CO 2 is, in fact, the real subject. Capture the picture in your mind when you read it. Go back and reread it as CO 2 and capture your thought again.

This isnt like the difference between describing a flower as pretty or beautiful. It is an intentional distortion aimed at provoking fear. We must call out those who would advance the distortion every time.

Dr. Jay Lehr is the science director of The Heartland Institute, based in Arlington Heights, Ill. Tom Harris is executive director of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Drone Army Is Ready to Swoop in for Florence Power Recovery

As Hurricane Florence batters the southeastern U.S., a small army of drones is being assembled to quickly help identify and even fix damage caused by the storm.

At least 53 drone teams have been recruited to help with damage assessment, said Brian Reil, a spokesman for Edison Electric Institute, the Washington-based industry group coordinating utility recovery efforts. Each team usually brings more than one drone and the force collectively includes about 100 to 160 operators, he said.

The numbers may seem small compared with the roughly 40,000 utility workers mobilized to provide assistance, but drones can provide faster access to find problems in flooded or otherwise dangerous areas. Local providers including Duke Energy Corp. and Southern Co. are deploying aerial equipment fitted with infrared and high-zoom sensors that can inspect substations, locate malfunctioning solar panels and even help to restring power lines.

Take Hurricane Harvey last year: When it flooded Houston, CenterPoint Energy Inc. used drones to assess a substation, determined it was seriously damaged and then quickly built a back-up in a church parking lot, said Chris Behme, an energy and utilities partner at IBM.

IBM worked with the Texas utility during recovery efforts and expects drones to do similar work in the wake of Florence, he said. They can also be used to check hospital generators or alert residents if the local hardware store is open to get supplies, Behme said via telephone.

While utility drones may be pivotal, theres a concern those owned by other companies or curious individuals could interfere with rescue and recovery. In a news conference Friday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told enthusiasts to keep their craft on the ground.

We dont want people to fly these drones and put peoples lives and properties at risk, he said.

Its unclear how many drones are in the southeast right now, said EEIs Reil. To keep them from hindering efforts by government and utilities, the Federal Aviation Administration is limiting personal drone flights in the disaster area.

The agency warned this week of significant fines for hampering emergency operations. As of noon on Sept. 13, only one private drone was approved to operate in the area for rescue and recovery work, spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said in an email.

Duke, based in Charlotte, N.C., started using drones in 2015. The company had about 30 drone operators in June with plans to double the number by years end, according to its website.

Duke, Atlanta-based Southern and the New York Power Authority were among utilities that sent drones to aid recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico last year.

For Florence, the New York Power Authority has offered as many as six drones with two crew members apiece, spokesman Paul DeMichele said. They are on standby along with transmission and generation experts, he said.

Insurers including Travelers Cos. and United Services Automobile Association say theyll also use the technology to inspect properties and collect evidence for claims after the storm has passed. Travelers has almost 600 trained drone pilots, said Jim Wucherpfennig, the companys vice-president for property claims.

Certainly that will be a key piece of our response here for Florence, he said.

By Naureen S. MalikFEMA Administrator Brock Long (C) after briefing President Donald Trump on Hurricane Florence in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 11, 2018. (Zach Gibson/AFP/Getty Images)

FEMA Head Defends Trump on Criticism of Puerto Rico Hurricane Death Toll Figure

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long is defending President Donald Trumps criticism of Puerto Ricos official figure for deaths caused by Hurricane Maria.

Long said Trump, who says the death toll was improperly inflated to defame his administration, was defending the work FEMA has done in Puerto Rico.

Maria hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017, and caused massive damage to the islands already dilapidated infrastructure.

After several updates, the territory government set the official death toll at 64. More fatalities had been expected, and the government hired a team from George Washington University to review the number based on death certificates and a more in-depth research.

The study was published on Aug. 28 and estimated 2,975 excess deaths due to Maria. The Puerto Rican government, led by Democrat Ricardo Rossello, used the figure as the official death toll.

But the study (pdf) didnt count individual deathsit compared mortality in years before and after the hurricane. It estimated that mortality in the six months from September 2017 to February 2018 increased by about 20-24 percent. It then attributed all the excess deaths to the hurricane.

Trump wrote in a Sept. 13 tweet: 3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. When I left the Island, AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths. As time went by it did not go up by much. Then, a long time later, they started to report really large numbers, like 3000.

This was done by the Democrats in order to make me look as bad as possible when I was successfully raising Billions of Dollars to help rebuild Puerto Rico, he said in a subsequent tweet. If a person died for any reason, like old age, just add them onto the list. Bad politics. I love Puerto Rico!

Harvard University published another study on May 29, which estimated the increased mortality translated into 793 to 8498 additional deaths in Puerto Rico from Sept. 20 through Dec. 31, 2017. It was based on a survey of 3,299 random households.

The numbers are all over the place, Long told NBC News Chuck Todd on Sunday. He said the focus should be on deaths directly caused by the disaster.

In my opinion, what weve got to do is figure out why people die from direct deaths, which is the wind, the water, and the waves, buildings collapsing, he said. The deaths caused indirectly, on the other hand, are harder to attribute.

You might see more deaths occur as time goes on because people have heart attacks due to stress, they fall off their house trying to fix their roof, they die in car crashes because they went through an intersection when the stop lights werent working, he said.

The Harvard study stated the primary cause of high mortality rates in the months post-hurricane was due to interruption to medical care.

Growing numbers of persons have chronic diseases and use sophisticated pharmaceutical and mechanical support that is dependent on electricity, the authors wrote.

Electricity was a major problem even before the hurricane. In 2016, the average Puerto Rican saw 4.5 power outages that took an average of 3 hours to fix (pdf). A 2016 study (pdf) found the generation and transmission infrastructure literally falling apart. Maria almost completely wiped the grid out.

FEMA organized the major workforce for fixing the grid, having over 2,000 Army Corps of Engineers personnel working on the repairs.

Long appreciated that Trump stood behind FEMAs work.

He is probably the one president that has had more support for what goes on back here, he said, pointing to the FEMA employees working behind him. I think hes defensive because he knows how hard these guys behind me work day in and day out for a very complex situation.Florence Swells Rivers Toward Record Levels, 17 Confirmed Dead

WILMINGTON, N.C. With Wilmington cut off from the rest of North Carolina by still-rising floodwaters from Florence, officials plan to airlift food and water to a city of nearly 120,000 people as rescuers elsewhere pull inland residents from homes threatened by swollen rivers.

The spreading disaster claimed additional lives Sunday, with at least 17 people confirmed dead, and the nations top emergency official said other states were in the path this week.

Not only are you going to see more impact across North Carolina,  but were also anticipating you are about to see a lot of damage going through West Virginia, all the way up to Ohio as the system exits out, Brock Long of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Sunday on Fox News.

In Wilmington , the states eighth-largest city, residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water. Police guarded the door of one store, and only 10 people were allowed inside at a time.

County commission chairman Woody White said officials were planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city.

Our roads are flooded, he said. There is no access to Wilmington.

About 70 miles (115 kilometers) away from the coast, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards; river forecasts showed the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

Downgraded to a tropical depression, Florence was still massive. Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states, with North and South Carolina in the bulls-eye.

Meanwhile, half way around the world, Typhoon Mangkhutbarreled into southern China on Sunday after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left dozens dead. More than 2.4 million people were evacuated from Chinas southern Guangdong province ahead of the massive typhoon, the strongest to hit the region in nearly two decades.

3-Month-Old Killed When Tree Fell on Home

In North Carolina, fears of what could be the worst flooding in the states history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it wasnt clear how many had fled or even could.

President Donald Trump said federal emergency workers, first responders and law enforcement officials were working really hard. As the storm begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional! he declared in a tweet.

The storms death toll climbed to 17 when authorities said a 3-month-old child was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home in North Carolina. Three people died in weather-related traffic accidents, officials said.

Victor Merlos was overjoyed to find a store open for business in Wilmington since he had about 20 relatives staying at his apartment, which still had power. He spent more than $500 on cereal, eggs, soft drinks and other necessities, plus beer.

I have everything I need for my whole family, said Merlos. Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all take-out, with the price of $2 per item.

Kenneth Campbell had donned waterproof waders intending to check out his home in Lumberton , but he didnt bother when he saw the Coast Guard and murky waters in his neighborhood.

Im not going to waste my time. I already know, he said.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

Theyre not listening to me

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal feces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters. In past hurricanes, flooding at dozens of farms also left hundreds of thousands of dead hogs, chickens and other decomposing livestock bobbing in floodwaters.

Some stream gauges used to monitor river levels failed when they became submerged, but others showed water levels rising steadily, with forecasts calling for rivers to at or near record levels. The Defense Department said about 13,500 military personnel were assigned to help relief efforts.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile (1.6 kilometers) of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the North Carolina coast. The evacuation zone included part of the city of Fayetteville, population 200,000.

Near the flooded-out town of New Bern , where about 455 people had to be rescued from the swirling flood waters, water completely surrounded churches, businesses and homes. In the neighboring town of Trenton, downtown streets were turned to creeks full of brown water.

The rain was unrelenting in Cheraw, a town of about 6,000 people in northeastern South Carolina. Streets were flooded and Police Chief Keith Thomas warned people not to drive, but the local food and gas store had customers.

As you can tell, theyre not listening to me, he said.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Hans-Georg Maassen, the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany's domestic security agency in Cologne, Germany on Oct. 31, 2014. (Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo)

German Spy Scandal Exposes Deep Divisions in Merkel Government

BERLINA scandal over migrants being chased through the streets has exposed a rift between Angela Merkel and Germanys security establishment that is dividing her coalition and hindering efforts to contain the fall-out from her open door refugee policy.

The crisis blew up when Hans-Georg Maassen, chief of the BfV intelligence agency, said he was not convinced far-right extremists had attacked migrants in the eastern city of Chemnitz last month and a video said to show the violence may be fake.

That put Maassen at odds with Merkel, who said the pictures very clearly revealed hate which could not be tolerated.

For a more decisive chancellor, this would have been enough to fire him, said Carsten Nickel at political consultancy Teneo Intelligence, adding that support for Maassen from Merkels conservative Bavarian allies was staying her hand.

Now, Merkel is caught between her Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), which backs Maassen, and her other coalition partner, the left-leaning Social Democrats (SPD), who say he has lost credibility and must go.

The upshot is that the chancellor looks weak, her coalition is in crisis, and she is less able to deal with pressing issues such as Brexit, European Union reform, and trade problems with the United States.

The migration issue will certainly continue to haunt Merkel until the end of her term, said Nickel.

The Maassen row has its roots in Merkels 2015 decision to open Germanys borders to refugees fleeing war in the Middle East. More than one million came in total.

Maassen is not an isolated case. Maassen is part of the security community, said Robin Alexander, author of Die Getriebenen, or Those Driven by Events, an account of how Merkel and her lieutenants handled the refugee crisis.

For this security community, autumn 2015 was a disasternot just for Maassen, but for all of them, he added. There is a deep alienation of the whole security community from the chancellor, and that was not the case in Germany previously.

Frustrated Spies

The rift opened up in October 2015, when Merkel put her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, in charge of Germanys response to the refugee crisis, with Emily Habera diplomatacting as point person in the Interior Ministry.

That chain of command effectively shut out the security services, which wasnt able to meet with Merkel.

That totally frustrated these people  they were horrified, said Alexander.

In private, Maassen complained about the difficulty of keeping tabs on the refugees and assessing whether they posed a security risk.

His cause got a boost with the 2017 election, when the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged into parliament for the first time and Merkel had to reshuffle her government.

CSU leader Horst Seehofer, who had called Merkels handling of the refugee crisis a reign of injustice, was made interior minister. He gave Maassen political cover to push his security agenda, which he duly did.

In an interview with Reuters in January, Maassen, 55, called for a review of laws restricting the surveillance of minors to guard against the children of Islamist fighters returning to Germany as sleeper agents who could carry out attacks.

Maassen also clashed with other more circumspect government officials when he said Russia was the likely culprit behind cyber attacks on Germany.

Then came Chemnitz. This time, Maassen publicly questioned the authenticity of the video before his agency had finished its work on the incident.

In a Sept. 10 letter to the Interior Ministry, seen by Reuters, in which he explained his comments on Chemnitz, Maassen said he wanted to shed light on events after the state premier of Saxony, where the city is located, denied migrants had been hounded.

By Paul CarrelA street blocked by fallen trees and scattered leaves after Typhoon Mangkhut hit, in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China, on September 17, 2018. (Jason Lee/Reuters)

Hong Kong, Southern China Clean Up After Destruction by Super Typhoon Mangkhut

SHANGHAIThe financial hub of Hong Kong began cleaning up Sept. 17, with financial markets and offices operating as normal, after being battered by one of the strongest typhoons in recent years.

Super typhoon Mangkhut, with winds of well over 124 mph, had barreled past the northern tip of the Philippines, killing at least 50 people. It then skirted south of Hong Kong and the neighboring gambling hub of Macau, before making landfall in southern China.

While parts of Hong Kong and Macau were severely flooded, there were no immediate reports of fatalities. Chinas state-run broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV), said four people were killed in Guangdong, Chinas most populous province with over 100 million residents.

CCTV also said flood warnings had been issued for 38 rivers in the neighboring region of Guangxi, while 12 coastal monitoring stations reported their biggest-ever waves. It also said more than 32,000 acres (roughly 13,300 hectares) of farmland had been damaged.

As many as 2.45 million people in Guangdong Province had been evacuated as of Sept. 16, Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The China Meteorological Administration said the typhoon, dubbed King of Storms, swept west to Guangxi at 6 a.m. and weakened to a tropical storm. The agency forecast the storm would hit the southwestern areas of Guizhou, Chongqing, and Yunnan on Sept. 17.

The meteorological administration said Mangkhut was one of the 10 biggest storms to hit southeast China since 1949when records beganwith wind speeds at about 100 miles per hour (162 km per hour).

The Hong Kong Observatory also reported that Mangkhut was the most powerful cyclone to hit the city since 1979.

Across Hong Kong, authorities worked to clear roads of debris, including toppled trees and bamboo scaffolding. Some buildings, including the One Harbourfront office tower, had many smashed windows, a day after some of the citys skyscrapers had swayed with the ferocious gusts.

Yesterdays storm was very strong. Even for a person of my weight, I was about to be blown down by the wind, which made me very scared, said a 70-year-old resident surnamed Fung.

It was very serious this time, Fung added.

On Sept. 17, Hong Kong residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for occasional gales. Bus, ferry, and rail service were suspended and almost 900 flights were canceled at the citys airport, according to the Associated Press. Flights in the region were resuming slowly after a complete shutdown on Sept. 16.

Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post reported that the citys hospitals were forced to use backup power due to outages caused by the storm.

Stock and financial markets opened as normal on Sept. 17 in Hong Kong and the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

In Macau, badly hit by a super typhoon last year, authorities were much more prepared this time, ordering casinos to close late on Sept. 15 night as the storm approached.

Casinos were operational again early on Sept. 17, although authorities were still struggling to restore power to some of the 20,000 households that suffered power cuts.

Macau gambling stocks were down in early Sept. 17 trading.

By David Stanway & James Pomfret. Epoch Times staff member Annie Wu contributed to this report.Nunes Says House Intelligence Committee to Release Russia Probe Interviews

The House Intelligence Committee in the next few weeks will release dozens of transcripts of depositions it conducted as part of the Russia investigation, according to committee chairman Devin Nunes.

The committee interviewed 73 witnesses (pdf) as part of its 14-month Russia investigation that concluded in March. Though around 70-80 percent of the interviews are not classified, the committee has never made the transcripts public. Nunes plans to send the classified interviews to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for vetting.

Nunes plans to release all of the transcripts before the midterms elections on Nov. 6 in a bid to shed more light on the investigation of the Trump campaign by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI before and after the 2016 election.

The American people now are beginning to see the walls are beginning to close in on the corrupt officials at the Department of Justice and the FBI, Nunes told Fox News on Sept. 16.

Many of them have been fired. Many of them are on leave. Many of them have been demoted. But you are slowly starting to see this collapse in on them even though the mainstream media is not covering this as they seem so focused on drinking the Russian Kool-Aid.

The committee investigated, among other matters, whether the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump coordinated with Russia. When asked whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia, none of the 73 witnesses provided any evidence, according to the committees final report (pdf). On the other hand, the committee found that the Clinton campaign paid for an anti-Trump dossier with intelligence gathered from Russian sources, including government officials with links to the Kremlin.

Media Implicated

Instead of focusing on the findings of the committees investigation, the mainstream media continues to look into whos getting indicted by the special counsel instead of focusing on Was there any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia?' Nunes said, to which the answer is No.'

The role of the mainstream media in the Russia investigation moved into the spotlight over the past month with revelations that senior FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page discussed a media leak strategy in April 2017. Text messages between Strzok and Page show that the pair was in touch with the media in 2016 and that the bureau was not the only agency involved in leaking. In one message, Strzok told Page that our sisters have begun leaking like mad, with sisters likely referring to the other agencies in the intelligence community.

The problem with the leaks, according to Nunes, is that the FBI appears to have planted stories in the media to use them as a pretext to interview American citizens. In addition, the FBI used at least one planted news story to corroborate the anti-Trump dossier as part of a warrant application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to spy on former Trump-campaign volunteer Carter Page.

The committee pinpointed 2-3 dozen reporters who were fed dirt by the Clinton campaign and Fusion GPS, the firm behind the anti-Trump dossier.

What was happening here, and this ought to scare American people, it scares me to know that the FBI and DOJ would go out and leak fake news stories in many cases, plant them in many cases, and then pick up those fake news stories to use them as a pretext  to go out and interview American citizens, Nunes said.

These people are really dirty, he added. I hope that we continue to get all this information out before the election so that people know just how sick this Russia Kool-Aid thats been poured on the American people, how bad its really been.

According to Rep. John Ratcliffe, the intelligence committee interviewed a host of top Obama-administration officials, including former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power and former National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

Crossfire Hurricane

The findings of the intelligence committee, combined with volumes of evidence that has since surfaced, suggest that under the pretense of investigating the Trump campaigns alleged ties with Russia, the intelligence apparatus of the United States unleashed an unprecedented surveillance operation on the Trump campaign using at least five of the most intrusive spy tools.

Codenamed Crossfire Hurricane, this counterintelligence investigation started in late July 2016 and eventually evolved into the criminal probe by special counsel Robert Mueller. Given the revelations about Crossfire Hurricane and the fact that Mueller has not produced any evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, President Donald Trump regularly expresses frustration with the special counsel probe, calling it a hoax and a witch hunt.

The illegal Mueller Witch Hunt continues in search of a crime. There was never Collusion with Russia, except by the Clinton campaign, so the 17 Angry Democrats are looking at anything they can find. Very unfair and BAD for the country. ALSO, not allowed under the LAW! Trump wrote on Twitter Sept. 16.

According to Ratcliffe, lawmakers are also frustrated by Muellers probe, mainly because part of what the special counsel is investigating remains a mystery. Congress has yet to see the second scope memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein which outlines the parameters of Muellers investigation.

Many of the documents related to the probe of the Trump campaign, including the secret court warrant to spy on Carter Page, remain classified either in part or in full. Trump has hinted that he may declassify the documents to find additional corruption. Several Republican members of the House Freedom Caucus, including, Reps Jim Jordan, Mark Meadows, Matt Gaetz, and Lee Zeldin, urged the president on Sept. 6 to declassify the documents.

The only satisfactory outcome now is full transparency for the American public and full accountability for those who maliciously subjected American citizens to surveillance abuses, said Zeldin.Hurricane Florence Death Toll Hits 23, Could Rise

The carnage caused by Hurricane Florence continues to reveal itself as the rain is easing and wreckage is being cleared.

As of noon on Sept. 17, 23 deaths related to the hurricane had been reported. That number could well rise as rescue workers and cleanup crews move into more rural areas, according to SFGate.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said that as of the morning of Sept. 17, 17 people had died as a result of Hurricane Florence in that state.

South Carolina officials said they had confirmed six storm-related deaths there as of the afternoon of Sept. 17, SFGate reported.

We mourn the loss of each and every life and our hearts go out to their friends and their family, Governor Cooper told SFGate. We hope theres not another life lost, but we know that raging rivers are still out there.

Some of the deaths were truly tragic.

A 3-month-old baby in Gaston County, North Carolina, was crushed to death when a pine tree split outside the familys mobile home. Half the tree fell across the residence. Both parents were home tending to the child.

Another child, this a 1-year-old, was swept away by floodwaters on Sept. 16. The boys body was discovered the next day.

Trapped by a Falling Tree

The Gill family, Olen, Tammy, and 3-month-old Kade, were inside their mobile home on Moses Court in unincorporated Gaston County around 12:45 p.m. on Sept. 16, when a large pine tree outside the home split down the middle and fell.

Kades mother, Tammy, was holding him in her arms when the half tree fell right across the middle of their dwelling.

The tree had divided us, father Olen Gill told the Gaston Gazette. Im in the kitchen and shes in the living room on the couch.

Neighbor Billy Hawkins heard the tree split.

I brought the dog out and I heard something snap, said Hawkins. Then the daddy came out hollering, Call 911, Call 911.

Gill and Hawkins went inside the mobile home where Tammy Gill was trapped under the tree, shouting, Get my kid, get my kid.

Hawkins and Gill were able to free the infant. Tammy Gill remained pinned beneath the tree until firefighters from Spencer Mountain Volunteer Fire Department arrived and cut the two-foot-diameter trunk into movable sections.

EMTs took Kade Gill to the hospital, but his injuries were too severe. They come in the room and said he had head trauma and we didnt even know, Tammy Gill told the Gazette.

They had been doing CPR for the last 30 minutes and they just wanted permission to stop. I said no at first, but after another 30 minutes, he wouldnt come back.

Kade Gill became the 17th death related to Hurricane Florence since it hit the North Carolina coast on Sept. 14.

Tammy Gill was treated at CaroMont Regional Medical Center and released.

Child Lost in the Flood

Kaiden Lee-Welch, 1, lost his life after his mother decided to ignore barricades blocking a flooded road.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the boys mother was heading east on N.C. 298 through Union County, North Carolina on the evening of Sept. 16, when she came upon barricades blocking the roadway.

The woman drove around the barricades and into the flood. The rushing waters swept her car off the road.

Searchers have recovered the body of one year old Kaiden Lee-Welch. Our thoughts and prayers for the little boys Posted by Union County Sheriff's Office, Monroe, NC on Monday, September 17, 2018

Her vehicle left the roadway and came to rest amongst a group of trees, officials from the Union County Sheriffs Office told the Observer.

She managed to free herself and Kaiden, who was in a car seat, but lost her grip on him in the rushing water.

Searchers spent several hours looking for the body that night, but suspended the search around midnight. The body was recovered around 10 a.m. on Sept. 17, the Observer reported.

RESCUE MISSION STATUS  NC 218Search and rescue teams spent several hours last night searching for the missing one Posted by Union County Sheriff's Office, Monroe, NC on Monday, September 17, 2018

From NTD.tvRichard Liu, CEO and founder of China's e-commerce company JD.com, attends the second annual World Internet Conference in Wuzhen town of Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China on December 16, 2015. (Aly Song/Reuters)

JD.com CEO, Under Investigation for Rape Allegation, Skips China Forum

SHANGHAIThe CEO of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, Richard Liu, will no longer appear at a high-profile state-run tech forum in Shanghai this week that he had earlier been scheduled to attend.

Liu was arrested on Aug. 31 in the U.S. state of Minnesota after an allegation of rape. He was released the following day without charge and without paying bail, but remains under investigation by U.S. police. He has, through his lawyers, denied any wrongdoing and returned to work in China.

A spokeswoman for the e-commerce giant said Liu would not attend the forum, but did not elaborate on the reason why. The event will run from Sept. 17 to Sept. 18. Lius name had been printed in the program and he had been named as a speaker.

U.S.-based lawyers for Liu could not immediately be reached for comment on Sept. 17.

Since returning to China, Liu has appeared at small signing events on behalf of the company but is yet to attend a high-profile public event.

The Shanghai forum is hosted by Chinas National Development and Reform Commission as well as the regimes industry and cyberspace ministries, and is aimed at showcasing the countrys advances in artificial intelligence.

Other guest speakers include Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma, Tencent CEO Pony Ma, and Baidu CEO Robin Li.

Local U.S. media and independent Chinese media confirmed that Liu was in the United States as a student at the University of Minneapolis, enrolled in a PhD course in business administration. On the eve of Aug. 31, Liu went to a local restaurant with 9 other people, including the alleged victim, a Chinese student and model attending the same university.

After the diners consumed 32 bottles of wine late into the night, Liu offered to drive the alleged victim back to her apartment.

Soon after, the alleged victim called the police to report that she had been raped, according to the source.

By Cate Cadell. Epoch Times staff member Nicole Hao contributed to this report.Kavanaugh, Accuser Both Agree to Speak With Lawmakers

"I think hes very much on track,' Trump says

President Donald Trump urged senators to hear from both Judge Brett Kavanaugh and the woman who accused him of sexual assault before the Senate Judiciary Committee votes whether to recommend the nominee for confirmation to a seat on the Supreme Court.

The president made the comments on the afternoon of Sept. 17, after both Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, agreed to speak with lawmakers. Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said he was working to set up calls with both parties.

Ford, a 51-year-old psychology professor, accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her 36 years ago in the 1980s, when they were both teenagers in high school. Ford detailed the accusation in a letter sent in July to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Feinstein didnt disclose the letter until after the confirmation hearings.

Kavanaugh said he would be willing to talk to the committee to refute the allegations, according to a statement released by the White House on Sept. 17.

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone, Kavanaugh said. I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Fords attorney, Debra Katz, told multiple media outlets on Sept. 17 that her client would be willing to testify.

Trump told reporters that Kavanaugh is respected by everybody and never even had a little blemish on his record. The president highlighted that his nominee for the Supreme Court had been vetted by the FBI on six different occasions as he ascended to higher posts in Washington.

At the same time, we want to go through a process, Trump said. We want to make sure everything is perfect, everything is just right. I wish the Democrats could have done this a lot sooner, because theyve had this information for many months.

Ford had originally wished to remain anonymous but came forward after Feinstein disclosed the existence of the letter, and details of the allegation were leaked to the media.

On the evening of Sept. 17, the committee still had a hearing scheduled for Sept. 20 to vote on recommending Kavanaugh for a full Senate vote. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has the option of bringing Kavanaughs confirmation to a floor vote without a recommendation from the committee.

Grassley said in a statement that he will follow standard procedure for updating a nominees background file, which involves follow-up calls with the parties involved, in this case, Kavanaugh and Ford. Feinsteins office refused Grassleys request to set up the calls.

Unfortunately, committee Republicans have only known this persons identity from news reports for less than 24 hours and known about her allegations for less than a week, Grassley said. Senator Feinstein, on the other hand, has had this information for many weeks and deprived her colleagues of the information necessary to do our jobs.

The Minority withheld even the anonymous allegations for six weeks, only to later decide that they were serious enough to investigate on the eve of the committee vote, after the vetting process had been completed, he added. Its deeply disturbing that the existence of these allegations were leaked in a way that seemed to preclude Dr. Fords confidentiality.

Two Republican senators known for bucking the presidentJeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennesseehave called for a delay in the confirmation vote so the committee can hear from Ford.

While Fords accusations were still anonymous, 65 women who have known Kavanaugh since high school sent a letter to the committee in support of the judge.

We are women who have known Brett Kavanaugh for more than 35 years and knew him while he attended high school between 1979 and 1983, the letter states. For the entire time we have known Brett Kavanaugh, he has behaved honorably and treated women with respect.

Through the more than 35 years we have known him, Brett has stood out for his friendship, character, and integrity. In particular, he has always treated women with decency and respect. That was true when he was in high school, and it has remained true to this day.

Trump told reporters that his nominee is still on track for confirmation, pending due process by the Senate.

I think hes very much on track. If they delay a little bit just to make sure everybodys happythey want to be happy. I can tell you the Republican senators want to be 100 percent happy themselves. Theyre doing it very, very professionally, Trump said.

Trump nominated Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Kavanaugh sailed through four days of hearings and his confirmation was all but certain before the allegations were raised. Trump noted the political timing of Feinsteins move.

Judge Kavanaugh spent quite a bit of time with Senator Feinstein and it wasnt even brought up at that meeting and she had this information, Trump said. So, you would have thought certainly that she would have brought it up at the meetingnot wait till everythings finished and then have to start a process all over again.

Theyll go through a process and hear everybody out, Trump added. I think its important. I believe they think its important. But again, he is one of the great intellects and one of the finest people that anybody has known. You look at his referencesIve never seen anything quite like it.Richard Ngeno shows what used to be his familys residence in Nkoben village in Kenyas Mau Complex on Sept. 10, 2018, before it was burned down as part of government evacuation enforcement. (Dominic Kirui/Special to The Epoch Times)

Kenyas Mau Forest Evictions: Balancing Conservation, Human Rights, and Ethnic Clashes

MASAITA, KenyaTwenty years ago, when Rael Chemutai and her husband heard about the fertile land that was for sale near the Mau Forest, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) west of Kenyas capital Nairobi, they decided to sell their belongings and set out on a journey to finally settle on the productive land.

The 90-year-old mother of 10 is now living with her eight grandchildren in a makeshift structure made of nylon papers and old corrugated iron sheets near the Mau Forest in Masaita village, a few kilometers away from her original home in the village of Ororwet, where they first settled after the move.

Chemutais home in Ororwet was among the ones torched by government officials last July as part of the latest drive to clear the forest of settlers. According to Chemutai, Forest Service officials set her familys home on fire one morning before they woke up, at about 6 a.m.

They gave us a warning the previous day at around 4 p.m. and we didnt think they were going to forcefully evict us this way, recounted Chemutai, a member of the Kipsigis tribe.

The evictions are part of a forest conservation initiative by the Ministry of Environment, which wants to free up the land that they say villagers are encroaching on. The push to remove the residents also has been linked with ethnic clashes, with the current residents, the Kipsigis tribe, claiming the Maasai community are using political power and violence to free the land so it can be used as pasture for their cattle.

In the past few days, there have been fierce ethnic clashes between the Maasai and Kipsigis that have left five people dead and 33 others injured.

We have had very rough times in all the 20 years that we have lived in this place. We have been evicted several times, only being taken back by politicians when it is nearing elections, because they want to look good for the ballot, Chemutai said.

The Mau complex is an area that starts at about 175 kilometers west of Nairobi and is the largest water catchment area for Kenya, lying on about 400,000 hectares (almost 988,500 acres) of land. It spreads to several counties including Kericho, Bomet, Narok, and Nakuru.

Long History

Evictions from the Mau forest date back to colonial periods, when the British colonial government tried to evict the indigenous Ogiek tribe that lived there. But because there wasnt a proper structure of government, it was hard to make the evictions stick since the Ogiek just moved to new places within the forest and set up their lives again.

There have been repeated attempts at evictions since then as well with each of the consecutive five governments. The administration of Daniel Arap Moi, who became president in 1978, is accused of attempting to evacuate existing residents to settle members of Kipsigis, part of his Kalenjin ethnic group, in the forest.

The most impactful mass evictions, however, were carried out by the administration of former President Mwai Kibaki, who was in office until 2013.

The Tanzania-based African Court of Human and Peoples Rights issued a ruling in May last year that deemed it illegal to evict the Ogiek from any forest, since they are known for having their homes there and for not harming the forests. The Ogiek dont practice farming but depend on gathering fruits and honey for a living.

However, other tribes, like the Kipsigis, coming into the forest has led to major destruction as they clear the land for charcoal and for agricultural production. The maize fields that stretch through the hills, and valleys that used to be covered by thick forest, are a testament to the destruction.

On the other hand, the evictions have sparked clashes between the Maasai communitya majority tribe in Narok Countywho believe that the members of the Kipsigis tribe that live in the forest should be removed.

Politicians have been said to fuel the clashes with their remarks, both in public forums and on social media. Narok County Senator Ledama Olekina, part of the Maasai community, has been criticized for remarks about the evictions. The clashes first started when a herder was killed by one community and his livestock taken away.

Juliana Bor, a resident of Ororwet village in the Mau Complex, also was evicted. But, as she recounts, things have gotten worse since Olekinas public remarks.

He promised to come after us with the Maasai warriors, and sure they did. A few days ago, almost 200 Maasai warriors armed with nuts, arrows, and spears came and started attacking us. One of them aimed at me in my house but missed, his huge nut cut through the corrugated iron sheet wall into the structure I live in, Bor said.

The Maasai and Kipsigis communities are known to use metal nuts from tractors and other heavy machinery as a projectile during their fighting, with the help of a piece of wood, normally about a foot long.

Repeated efforts to reach Olekina through phone calls to his office, visits to his office, and contacting him on social media for comments were unsuccessful.

The Balance

Last year, several human-rights defenders came together to file a paper in protest of the human-rights violations committed by the Kenyan government in evicting people from the forests.

It said in part, The actions of the Government of Kenya in forcibly evicting tens of thousands of people from forests violates a range of human rights, which are contained in international instruments to which Kenya is a State Party.

Kenyan lawyer Leonard Sigey Bett has filed a petition with the International Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands challenging the evictions.

If you look at Article Seven of the Rome Statute, it talks about forceful evictions of members of one ethnic community as being wrong and this is exactly what we see in the Maasai Mau. I was required to prove that there is no mechanism or minimal intervention by the local government to stop the evictions, Bett said.

The chief prosecutor wrote back to me acknowledging my letter and said that they will act soon [within 30 days] to determine their jurisdiction on the matter and carry on with the case.

Environmental conservation groups generally support the eviction of people from the forest, but only if the exercise is done amicably and humanely.

The efforts that are ongoing to save the Mau and other water catchment areas is a good step in the right direction if its done in a proper manner, said Psamson Nzioki, program officer at the Climate Governance Integrity Program at Transparency InternationalKenya.

The area chief, Michael Lemein, who represents the government, said that residents were given enough notice about the evictionsup to a year before they were enforced.

He also disputed media reports that 15 local schools were shut down as part of the evictions.

Narok County Police Commissioner George Natembeya rejects the many claims of police brutality in enforcing the evictions.

If someone has been beaten, he should report to us. We have also launched investigations to claims of politicians fueling clashes and banned all political meetings in the area, he said.

With the second phase of evictions set to begin at any time, the residents who are now displaced dont know what to do next. Richard Ngeno, a resident who heads the evictees from Nkoben village, said he is left with nothing.

I have decided that I will go back to my village and wait for either the warriors or the police officers to kill me. I have lost everything I owned, even my land that I had sold my cattle in order to buy, Ngeno said.Lisa Page (C), former legal counsel to former FBI Director Andrew McCabe, arrives on Capitol Hill to speak before the House Judiciary and Oversight Committee on July 16, 2018. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Lisa Page Testimony: FBI Had No Proof of Collusion at Time of Mueller Appointment

At the time that Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel in May 2017, the FBI didnt have evidence to determine whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia, according to excerpts of a closed-door interview between congressional investigators and former FBI attorney Lisa Page obtained by The Hill and Fox News.

Page became one of the faces of the FBIs probe of the Trump campaign after the public release of her biased text messages with then-FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok.

When Page testified before on Capitol Hill in mid-July, lawmakers pressed her on the meaning of a text message, in which Strzok spoke of joining Muellers team. Strzok sent the message on May 18, 2017, the day after Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to take over the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign.

Who gives a [expletive], one more [assistant director][versus an] investigation leading to impeachment?  You and I both know the odds are nothing, Strzok wrote. If I thought it was likely, Id be there no question. I hesitate in part because of my gut sense and concern theres no big there there.

Page told lawmakers that she took the message to mean that the FBI didnt know if the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

I think this represents that even as far as May 2017, we still couldnt answer the question, Page said.

Pages admission is a blow to the foundation of the special counsel investigation because Mueller took over the FBI probe upon appointment.

The bureau had officially investigated the Trump team for more than nine months by May 2017. The bureau used, among other tools, a highly intrusive surveillance warrant to spy on former Trump campaign volunteer Carter Page.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) told The Hill that throughout her testimony, Lisa Page seemed to indicate that there was no real evidence of collusion all the way until Muellers appointment. Jordan said the admission isnt a surprise, considering the fruits of Muellers work to date. The special counsel hasnt produced any evidence or indictments related to coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Lawmakers pressed Page about the same text message on several occasions. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) asked Page if Strzok believed the odds were nothing and that he had a concern that there was no big there there regarding any collusion.

No, I dont think so, Page replied. I think its a reflection of us still not knowing It still existed in the scope of possibility that there would be literally nothing, probably not nothing nothing, as we probably knew more than that by that point.

But in the scheme of the possible outcomes, the most serious one obviously being crimes serious enough to warrant impeachment; but on the other scale that, you know, maybe an unwitting person was, in fact, involved in the release of information, but it didnt ultimately touch any senior, you know, people in the administration or on the campaign. And so the text just sort of reflects that spectrum, she said.

Pages testimony isnt the first time that lawmakers learned about the lack of evidence of collusion in the days leading up to Muellers appointment. Former FBI Director James Comey told Congress that shortly after he was fired on May 9, 2017, the FBI did not have an investigation focused on President Trump.

Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz questioned Strzok about the no big there there text message as part of the IG probe into the FBIs handling of the Clinton-email investigation. According to the final IG report (pdf), Strzok told the IG that the text meant that he was still not sure if the there really was a broad, coordinated effort between the Trump campaign and Russia or if what the agents have dug up was simply the work of a bunch of opportunists seeking to advance their own or individual agendas.

The combined doubts by Strzok, Page, and Comey in May 2017 add up to an alternate reality compared to the media reporting on the Russia-collusion narrative at the time. Headline after headline implied that Trump associates were in cahoots with Moscow. Congressional investigators have since learned that Strzok, Page, and scores of FBI officials were in regular contact with the media and appear to have leaked information potentially damaging to the Trump administration.

The leaking preceded the Mueller appointment and continued after it. In December 2016, Strzok wrote to Page that the FBIs sister agencies were leaking like mad and in April 2017, Strzok told Page of a media leak strategy.Juan Frausto Cazares, 22, was charged with capital murder for killing three teens in Central El Paso, Tex. on Sept. 14. (El Paso Police)

Man Charged With Capital Murder for Texas Shooting

A 22-year-old has been charged with capital murder after killing three teens in Central El Paso, on Sept. 14.

According to the El Paso police, Juan Frausto Cazares shot three victims, two male and one female, while Cazares was suffering from stab wounds.

The officers arrived at the scene of the crime, 3633 Lincoln, just before 6 p.m.

In the initial investigation, the officers believed that Ricardo Del Moro, 18, and Emmanuel Del Moro, 17, confronted Cazares and a fight ensued.

The two teens started stabbing Cazares while Leslie Ibarra, 17, stood by.

During the fight, the knife broke and the three teens fled into the parking lot of the apartment complex at 3633 Lincoln.

The investigators believe that both Del Moros and Ibarra were working together in the attack.

While the three were running off, Cazares retrieved a shotgun and fired one round, killing them.

Cazares was transported to University Medical Center to get treated for his stab wounds.

After his release from the medical center, Cazares was taken into custody, given a Capital Murder charge, and booked in El Paso County Jail with a bond of $1,000,000.

Did you enjoy this article? Continue to read more stories here.Shell, Eni Facing Massive Corporate Corruption Case Over $1.3 Billion Nigerian Oil Field

LONDONSenior executives from oil giants Royal Dutch Shell and Eni are facing corruption charges in Milan over a $1.3 billion deal for a huge African oil field.

Italian prosecutors allege that $1.1 billion from the deal didnt go to Nigeria, where the oil field OPL 245 is located, but to accounts belonging to former oil lawmaker Dan Etete. He is accused of subsequently distributing hundreds of millions of dollars to others as bribes, including to former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

The trial starts this week, with defendants that include former Shell Vice President for sub-Saharan Africa Peter Robinson and former company board member Malcolm Brinded.

A briefcase uncovered in an apartment in Geneva could hold the keys to the case. It belonged to Emeka Obi, who is alleged to have earned hundreds of millions as a middleman, according to the Independent.

The case contained a hard drive with 41,000 documents on it that could be central to the case, along with two Nigerian passports, and five SIM cards.

It was discovered in an apartment belonging to a former Credit Suisse banker, Olivier Couriol, who is under investigation in two other cases involving international corruption.

Couriel claims that Obi was on holiday and accidentally left his briefcase in his apartment, but prosecutors allege it was put there intentionally to hide it from investigators.

Some of the documents recovered from the briefcase have been cleared by a court in Geneva to be unsealed for use in Milan. But with Obi starting a new appeal to block that, and the possibility of his trial being fast-tracked in Milan, the race is on.

Convicted Money Launderer

The OPL 245 oil field, which contains about a quarter of Nigerias oil reserves, was handed to a company called Malabu Oil and Gas in 1998. Malabu was controlled by Etete, who has since been convicted of money laundering.

Rights to OPL 245 were sold in 2011, with the payments being handled by the Nigerian government. However, $1.1 billion was transferred into Malabus accounts, most of it routed via banks in London. Shell has repeatedly denied it knowingly dealt with Etete and says it sent payment to Nigeria.

In a statement released in Dec. 2017, the company said, Shell attaches the greatest importance to business integrity. Shell has clear rules on anti-bribery and corruption and these are included in our Code of Conduct for all staff. There is no place for bribery or corruption in our company.

Eni also refutes any wrongdoing, saying in a statement that it reaffirmed its confidence that the company was not involved in alleged corrupt activities in relation to the transaction.

But anti-corruption watchdog Global Witness alleged in April 2017 that leaked emails showed Shell was aware where the money would end up, and that they had been in contact with Etete more than two years before the deal was concluded.

Emails allegedly from ex-MI6 agent John Copleston, who was being employed by Shell, show him discussing a meeting with Etete.

In Oct. 2009, Copleston purportedly wrote that he had met with Etete: We are getting along very well personallylunch and lots of iced champagne.

In March 2010, another ex-MI6 agent, Guy Colegate, reportedly wrote to Peter Voser, Shells then-CEO: Etete can smell the money. If at nearly 70 years old, he does turn his nose up at nearly $1.2 bill, he is completely certifiable. But I think he knows its his for the taking.

Hundreds of millions of dollars from the deal flowed through the London branch of JPMorgan, which is now being taken to court for gross negligence by the Federal Government of Nigeria.Smeared by Mainland Propaganda, Taiwan Diplomat Commits Suicide

Fake news created impression that Taipei failed to help citizens stranded in Japan during typhoon

Su Chi-cheng, director of the Taiwan Representative Office in Osaka, Japan, committed suicide on Sept. 14 following heavy criticism for his supposed negligence in the rescue of citizens stranded at Kansai Airport during heavy rains caused by Super Typhoon Jebi.

The criticism was based on false reports by mainland Chinese media claiming that the Peoples Republic of China consular authorities in Japan had sent buses to pick up stranded mainland citizens, leading to an uproar in Taiwan  officially the Republic of China  over Su Chi-chengs seeming failure to rescue ROC citizens in Japan.

Later reports, however, revealed that all rescue operations had been handled by the Japanese authorities.

Super Typhoon Jebi struck Japan on Sept. 4, causing heavy downpours across the western part of the country and grounding flights out of Kansai Airport, located on an artificial island near Osaka. During the typhoon, a ship lost control and collided with the bridge servicing the airport, stranding 7,800 passengers and workers on the island.

Following inspections, the authorities opened the north side of the damaged bridge and chartered buses and vessels to evacuate all people at the airport.

On Sept. 7, Chinese media reported that the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka had chartered 15 buses and picked 1044 Chinese passengers trapped in Kansai Airport up and sent them to Osaka in six trips on Sept. 5. According to the reports, the 1044 passengers included 115 Hong Kong residents, five people from Macao, and 32 Taiwanese citizens who claimed mainland citizenship.

The report also claimed that Frank Hsieh Chang-ting, the Taiwans representative to Japan, said that the Representative Offices in Osaka and Hokkaido were too busy to render aid to about hundreds of trapped Taiwanese tourists, and that the Hokkaido Office had only two clerks.

The propaganda was widely spread in both Taiwan and mainland China. A typical mainland comment went: In times of need, we have a strong country to back us. The news stirred public outrage in Taiwan, with protests against the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan  the official name of Taiwans de facto ambassadorial agencies.

Taiwan is the last unconquered province of the Republic of China, which lost control of the mainland to communist forces in 1949 in the Chinese Civil War.

ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu made statements to soothe the angry public, while Frank Hsieh Chang-ting organized all six ROC representative offices in Japan to discuss how to improve their work during emergencies.

On Sept. 11, Japans Sankei Shimbun published a report contradicting the mainland Chinese medias description of events.

Quoting a Kansai Airport spokeswoman, Sankei reported that no buses were allowed to enter the airport during Super Typhoon Jebi except those belonging to the Japanese authorities.

Kansai Airport evacuated all the passengers to the rail station in Izumisano but sent the Chinese passengers to the parking lot of the Izumisano shopping mall, according to Sankei, Then Chinas buses picked the passengers up and sent them to Osaka.

After Su Chi-cheng died, both Taiwans Presidential Office and Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued statements of mourning. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the public to give more support to all Taiwan diplomats.

Kuan Bi-ling, a member of the ROC Legislative Yuan, said on Facebook that a combination of fake news and text messages caused a diplomat to sacrifice his life. This is not the true meaning of democracy.

Thirty-three years ago, Su Chi-cheng studied at Osaka University and then worked for the representative office in Osaka for three years. In 1991, Su entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was sent to Tokyo as secretary of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in 2007. In 2013, Su was promoted to be the director of the representative office in Naha, Okinawa, then transferred to Osaka in July 2018.

Su was 60 years old, and is survived by two children and his wife, who is a university professor.Super Typhoon Wrecks Buildings, Trees in Hong Kong

HONG KONGTyphoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sept. 16, killing two people after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left at least 64 dead and dozens more feared buried in a landslide.

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern Chinas Guangdong province by Sept. 16 evening to flee the massive typhoon and nearly 50,000 fishing boats were called back to port, state media reported. It threatened to be the strongest typhoon to hit Hong Kong in nearly two decades.

Prepare for the worst, Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents.

That warning came after Mangkhuts devastating march through the northern Philippines, where the storm made landfall Sept. 15 on Luzon island with sustained winds of 205 kilometers (127 miles) per hour and gusts of 255 kph (158 mph).

Police Superintendent Pelita Tacio said 34 villagers had died and 36 remained missing in landslides in two villages in Itogon town in the northern Philippine mountain province of Benguet.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan told The Associated Press by phone that at the height of the typhoons onslaught Sept. 15 afternoon, dozens of people, mostly miners and their families, rushed into an old three-story building in the village of Ucab.

The buildinga former mining bunkhouse that had been transformed into a chapelwas obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed. Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened.

They thought they were really safe there, the mayor said. He expressed sadness that the villagers, many of them poor, had few options to survive in a region where big corporations have profited immensely from gold mines.

Rescuers were scrambling to pull out the body of a victim from the mound of mud and rocks in Ucab before Tacio, the police official, left the area Sept. 16.

I could hear villagers wailing in their homes near the site of the accident, Tacio said.

The tragedy came as Florence, another major storm, unleashed catastrophic flooding across the Carolinas in the United States, where more than 30 inches of rain since Sept. 14 threatened a deluge of historic proportions as the storm slowly crawled inland from the coast. Muddy river waters swamped entire communities and the coastal city of Wilmington, North Carolina, was cut off by the flood waters.

In China, meanwhile, Mangkhut continued its destructive path, with Hong Kong bracing for a storm that could be the strongest to hit the city since Typhoon York in 1999.

A video posted online by residents showed the top corner of an old building break and fall off, while in another video, a tall building swayed as strong winds blew.

The storm shattered glass windows on commercial skyscrapers in Hong Kong, sending sheets of paper pouring out of the buildings, fluttering and spiraling as they headed for the debris-strewn ground, according to several videos posted on social media.

Mangkhut also felled trees, tore bamboo scaffolding off buildings under construction and flooded some areas of Hong Kong with waist-high waters, according to the South China Morning Post.

The paper said the heavy rains brought storm surges of 3 meters (10 feet) around Hong Kong.

The storm made landfall in the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 p.m., packing wind speeds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour. State television broadcaster CGTN reported that surging waves flooded a seaside hotel in the city of Shenzhen.

In Macau, next door to Hong Kong, casinos were ordered to close from 11 p.m. Sept. 15 , the first time such action was taken in the city, the South China Morning Post reported. In the citys inner harbor district, the water level reached 1.5 meters (5 feet) on Sunday and was expected to rise further. The area was one of the most affected by floods from Typhoon Hato, which left 10 people dead last year.

Authorities in southern China issued a red alert, the most severe warning, as the national meteorological center said the densely populated region would face a severe test caused by wind and rain and urged officials to prepare for possible disasters.

Hong Kongs Cathay Pacific said all of its flights would be canceled between 2:30 a.m. Sept. 16 and 4 a.m. Sept. 17. The city of Shenzhen also canceled all flights between Sept. 16 and early Sept. 17 morning. Hainan Airlines canceled 234 flights in the cities of Haikou, Sanya, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai scheduled over the weekend.

All high-speed and some normal rail services in Guangdong and Hainan provinces were also halted, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Co. said.

In the Philippines, rescuers for the Itogon landslide were hampered by rain and mud. The search and rescue operation was suspended at nightfall and was to resume at daybreak Monday, said Palangdan, the mayor. Police and their vehicles could not immediately reach the landslide-hit area because the ground was unstable and soaked from the heavy rains, regional police chief Rolando Nana told the ABS-CBN TV network.

Overall, at least 64 people have died in typhoon-related incidents in the northern Philippines, mostly from landslides and collapsed houses, according to the national police. Forty-five other people were missing and 33 were injured in the storm.

The hardest-hit area was Benguet province, where 38 people died, mostly in the two landslides in Itogon, and 37 are missing, the police said.

Still, the Philippines appeared to have been spared the high number of casualties many had feared. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattened villages and displaced more than 5 million in the central Philippines. A massive evacuation of about 87,000 people from high-risk areas helped lessen potential casualties, officials said.

The typhoon struck at the start of the rice and corn harvesting season in the Philippines northern breadbasket, prompting farmers to scramble to save what they could of their crops, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said.

By Vincent Yu and Jim Gomez

Did you enjoy this article? Continue to read more stories here.Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen takes part in an interview with AFP at the Presidential Office in Taipei on June 25, 2018. (Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images)

Taiwan and Latin America Are Under Siege by Beijings Manipulated News

In China, media is heavily censored and published articles must toe the party line, and fake news pieces are all too common. But Beijing has recently expanded its subversion techniques beyond its borders, with Taiwan and Latin America now under siege by manipulated news that promotes its agenda.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, while stumping for a fellow party member who is running for mayor in the southern city of Tainan, pointed to the serious problem of fake news from China spreading widely in Taiwan through social media, according to a Sept. 16 article by Taiwanese newspaper The Liberty Times.

Tsai noted that Beijing has taken advantage of the fact that Taiwan is a democratic country where the government cant control the media and where freedom of speech is respected. Beijing is publishing fake news related to Taiwan in order to polarize Taiwanese society and incite conflicts, she added.

Taiwan and mainland Chinas conflict stems from Beijings increased desire to restrict Taiwans role on the international stage. Since the Nationalist Party was defeated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during Chinas civil war and retreated to Taiwan, the island has transitioned to a full-fledged democracy with its own constitution, government, and military. However, China, under authoritarian, one-party rule, considers Taiwan a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland one dayusing military force, if necessary.

Recently, there were two prominent incidents of fake news involving Taiwans military. In May 2017, during Taiwans annual five-day military exercise known as the Han Kuang, Taiwans Ministry of National Defense announced that it had thwarted Chinas attempts to flood Taiwan online forums with negative and misleading information about the exercise, according to Taiwanese English-language newspaper the Taipei Times. The negative news was meant to lower morale among the Taiwanese public.

Then, in December 2017, Chinese media widely reported about photos published by Chinas air force on its Weibo account, a Chinese equivalent of Twitter, claiming that the images showed Chinas fighter jets approaching Yushan Mountain, the islands highest peak, in central Taiwan. These reports have been rejected as impossible by Taiwanese military officials and local military experts, who say that given that the Chinese jets ere flying outside Taiwans Air Defense Identification Zone, they would have been too far away to include the image of Yushan.

Just several days ago, a tragedy occurred that is likely an inadvertent result of fake news from China. Su Chi-cheng, director of the Taiwan Representative Office in Osaka, Japan, committed suicide on Sept. 14. He left behind a suicide note, in which he spoke of the incredible pressure he was under while doing rescue work related to Typhoon Jebi, which made landfall in Japan on Sept. 4 and caused massive destruction to western Japan.

After a floating ship smashed into an airport bridge connecting the Kansai Airport to the mainland in Osaka, travelers were confined to the airport for one night. Then news surfaced that CCP officials in Japan had successfully transported 1,044 mainland Chinese travelers trapped at the airport, as well as some Taiwanese, while Taiwans office didnt do so, Taiwanese officials were harshly criticized by the Taiwan citizens.

The news about the CCPs rescue effort turned out to be fake.

To combat the prevalence of fake news in Taiwan, Taiwan FactCheck Center, a nonprofit, was established by Taiwanese foundation Media Watch in July. One of its missions is to verify the authenticity of public information and news.

Rick Chu, a journalism lecturer at Taiwans National Chengchi University and a former chief editor at the Taipei Times, called on the Taiwanese government to work out a freedom of speech law to tackle the fake news problem in Taiwan, according to a Sept. 17 article by the Liberty Times. Chu explained that the law would subject self-mediaa term used to refer to social media accounts that often publish content without the rigorous fact-checking of traditional journalism and considered a common source of misinformationto regulation.

Tsai urged the Taiwanese public that they shouldnt forward anything from social messaging platforms like Line or Facebook that they think could be misleading or false. Furthermore, Tsai called on people to alert others if they come across fake news.

Latin America

Countries in Latin America also face the problem of fake news from China.

Global Americans, a nonprofit that aims to provide evidence-based analysis and opinion on issues affecting Latin America, launched a two-week-long initiative in June to study a worrying trend in the region: misinformation masquerading as objective news reporting, published by Russian and Chinese state-owned media in Spanish.

The nonprofit published its findings on July 12. Among its analysis were one article by the Chinese Communist Partys mouthpiece, Peoples Daily, and three articles by another state-run media, Xinhuaall containing either false or misleading information.

The report pointed out Xinhuas deep inroads in Latin America: It has established 21 bureaus in 19 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.

For example, in a June 21 Xinhua article about the Dominican Republic Minister of Economy Isidoro Santana visiting China, Global Americans found the article misleading because no other story on his visit to China mentions his explicit support for Chinas OBOR initiative.

One Belt, One Road (OBOR, also known as Belt and Road) is an investment initiative announced by Beijing in 2013, with a plan to build up trade routes spanning over 60 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America through Chinese-financed infrastructure projects. The initiative has been criticized for placing developing countries into a debt trap.

Global Americans concluded that a Xinhua article published on Aug. 7 about a group of 6th-grade students from the Beijing-established Peoples Republic of China School in Montevideo, Uruguay visiting Chinas capital, exaggerates in its portrayal of China as the best educational partner for Uruguay and the region at large.

For instance, the article quotes the school director Irupe Buzzetti as saying, All countries should follow the example of China, a comment that didnt appear in any other media outlet, according to Global Americans.

The misinformation was an effort by Beijing to bolster its standing in Latin America, the nonprofit concluded.Taiwan Science and Technology Department Holds Conference on Expansion

Taiwans Ministry of Science and Technology group held an extended investment promotion and marketing conference for its three major science parks: Hsinchu, Central, and Southern science parks at the Hyatt Regency in Boston on Sept. 13. Yu-Chin Hsu, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, shared experiences with over a hundred guests attending the event. Hsu voiced the current status and future opportunities in both high tech companies and science parks in Taiwan. On the same day, the group invites Dr. Hsiujuan Tsai from Tangsueng Technology Consulting Co., Ltd. to share the presentation entitled Innovative Development and Opportunities in Taiwan from the US Perspective. Chengfung Li, co-founder, and chief operating officer of Origin Wireless Intelligent Broadcasting Company, shares his investment experience in the Taiwan Science Parks with guests.

Douglas Y. T. Hsu, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston, was present to welcome guests. Mark Sullivan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Trade and Investment Office, also attended the event. He introduced his responsibilities and briefed on the economic state of the Massachusetts industry. Sullivan praised Taiwan as an excellent investment location.

Introducing Start-up Technology Companies

Hsu and his colleagues from the Ministry of Science and Technology were in San Francisco for business on Sept. 7. The party visited several local companies including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other enterprises. Hsu mentioned that semiconductors, precision machinery, and biomedicine were the fastest growing industries in Taiwan for the first six months of 2018reflecting the developmental trend of the international industry. He believes that Taiwan has a solid manufacturing foundation and expects to attract new companies to develop in Taiwan science parks, such as software, artificial intelligence, big data, and other businesses.

Hsu acknowledges Boston as a high-tech center in the United States, with top universities and start-ups in artificial intelligence and biomedicine. He also believes that technology must be connected to manufacturers in the future. New technologies are combined with Taiwans mainstream and start-up companies, similar to many successful examples in Taiwan in the past.

Yeong-Junaq Wang, Director-General of Hsinchu Science Park, expressed his interest in virtual reality technology when he visited Aemass in Silicon Valley. The group hopes that companies specializing in the field will reach out with Taiwanese manufacturers to find more applications for VR/AR technology.

Weichen Lin, Director-General of the Southern Science Park, announced the 0th drone competition to be held next year in Southern Science Park. He intends to gain insight into drone competition in Taiwan before holding world-class competitions in the future.

Our Science Park is most proud of the service, Wang said. He conveys that the one-stop service of the park allows foreign companies to run all procedures in one department, greatly simplifying administrative processes.

Read More Three Taiwan Science Parks Joint Overseas Invest-in-Taiwan Conference

Startups Share Investment Experience

Origin Wireless Inc (OWI), a US-based smart radio wave company, has the first state-of-the-art positioning and tracking technology in the world. It was founded by Dr. Li Chengfung and Professor Liu Guorui from Taiwan and has 75 patents in the United States. The company has set up offices in Japan and Silicon Valley and invested in Yuanchuang Electronics Co., Ltd. in Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan this year.

Li Chengfung indicated that the Taiwan Science and Technology Park has a complete industrial ecology and provides support for the companys product development, manufacturer contact, and consumer services. He also mentioned that in the process of cooperation, the Science and Technology Park has an enthusiastic contacting with investors, actively serving, supporting investors in research and development of technology and output products. Also, they will provide professional and meticulous information for investors in each process. His company has thus been able to develop efficiently.

Li also said that Taiwans three major science and technology parks are widely involved in different industries so that investors can reach out to partners in various fields. For its radio wave companies, the collaborative resources of the technology park give them the opportunity to apply technology to devices in more industries.

The Three Major Parks Complement Each Other

During the conference, Yu-Chin Hsu, Wang Yongzhuang, Yeong-Junaq Wang and Deputy Director of the Central Science Park, Shi Wenfang expressed the advantages and investment prospects of the three science parks to the guests. Mark Sullivan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Trade and Investment Office, also introduced his departmental responsibilities and expressed his willingness to provide information and organize exchanges for investors in Taiwan and Massachusetts.

Yu-Chin Hsu gave an example of Taiwans advantageous semiconductor industry and described the advantages of the upstream and downstream sectors of the Science Park. The park is the key point of the semiconductor in the worldit makes IC and semiconductor. In Taiwan, you can find all the companies within two hours which from IC design, manufacturing, to testing, all industries are very comprehensive, he said.

He commented that the key of the original industry of the Hsinchu Science Park is semiconductors, but now it has added biomedicine and software. The central park focuses on precision machinery and the south science park target at medical facilities and has the worlds most advanced semiconductor manufacturing process. Also, there are artificial intelligence schools in Taiwan which trains more than 1,000 talents every year to promote the upgrading of these industries to artificial intelligence.

The group also mentioned that the government would provide various development subsidies and support policies such as tax incentives, research supporting, and lower prices to lease land in the park. Also, companies in the park can enjoy a one-stop administrative process and a comfortable environment.

It (Southern Science Park) has more than 70 public art, and it is a real park, Yeong-Junaq Wang said.

Yu-Chin Hsu welcomed entrepreneurs to visit the three major science parks and met with officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology to understand the local environment and preferential policies.

The Investment Promotion Group of the Ministry of Science and Technology will end the itinerary on Sept. 15. For the first time in the history of Taiwan, the Ministry of Science and Technology led three major science parks to attract investment and expected that seeds would be planted along the West Coast to the East Coast. The Ministry of Science and Technology will continue to work harder and will lead a delegation to Japan to attract investment in January next year.

By Liu Jinghao in BostonThe First Full Trailer for Mary Poppins Returns Is Here

Disney just provided a new look at the sequel to one of its most successful films of all time, the magical 1964 musical Mary Poppins.

The first full-length trailer for Mary Poppins Returns, starring Emily Blunt in Julie Andrewss classic role, was released on Sept. 17.

The film is set 25 years after the former film. After a family tragedy, Poppins flies back into the lives of the Banks family in much the same way as before. However, this time, her mission is to look after the three children of Michael Banks, who was a young boy in the original movie.

As an adult, Banks, played by Ben Whishaw, is shocked to see his former nanny again.

You seem hardly to have aged at all, he says.

Really? One never discusses a womans age, Michael, replies Poppins. Wouldve hoped I taught you better.

The new cast stars Meryl Streep as a new character, Topsy, as well as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Angela Lansbury, Colin Firth, and Emily Mortimer. Julie Andrews reportedly turned down a chance to star in the new film, however, Dick Van Dyke returns as the son of his famous comedic role of Mr. Dawes.

Dick Van Dyke in the original Mary Poppins and him in the new one #MaryPoppinsReturns pic.twitter.com/WKGcVuKmq0  Olly Gibbs (@ollyog) September 17, 2018

Rob Marshall, from Into the Woods and Chicago will direct the film, and David Magee wrote the screenplay, according to Variety.

The creators and stars of the original Mary Poppins were the winners of numerous awards, including five Academy Awards. Julie Andrews won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best actress.

Mary Poppins Returns will open in theaters on Dec. 19.McDonald's restaurant employees rally after walking off the job to demand a $15 per hour wage and union rights in Los Angeles on Nov. 29, 2016. (David McNew/Getty Images)

NLRB Aims to Roll Back Obama-Era Rules That Left Franchisers Open to Labor Lawsuits

Federal regulators have proposed nixing a set of rules that made it possible for employees of franchise holders to go after the companies issuing the franchises for labor violations.

The amended rules would help companies such as McDonalds, which outsources most of its restaurants as franchises. It would also help companies that use contract workers or agencies that supply temporary workers.

Under the new rules, if a company like McDonalds issues a franchise, it cant be sued for unfair labor practices if it only indirectly controls essential terms and conditions of employment at the franchisees restaurant, such as by requiring certain opening hours.

If the franchiser was to dictate essential terms, such as requiring the franchisee to offer certain pension or health plans, it could still be deemed a joint-employer. That would open the franchiser to labor suits and force it to negotiate with unions representing the franchisees employees, among other issues.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proposed the amended rules on Sept. 14. The rules would only consider two companies a joint-employer if they share or co-determine the employees essential terms and conditions of employment, such as hiring, firing, discipline, supervision, and direction.

An employer must possess and actually exercise substantial direct and immediate control over the essential terms and conditions of employment of another employers employees in a manner that is not limited and routine, the proposal states.

President Donald Trump has appointed the majority of the five-member NLRB.

Current Rules

The current rules determine the joint-employers more broadly, also considering whether an employer has exercised control over terms and conditions of employment indirectly through an intermediary, or whether it has reserved the authority to do so. They were enacted in 2015 by a then-NLRB majority appointed by then-President Barack Obama.

Trumps NLRB majority has deemed the Obama-era rules too vague, making companies unsure when they could be sued and when not.

The amended rules are open to a 60-day public comment period in which interested parties can submit recommendations.

Industry Applauds

Franchise owners have been frustrated about the vague and uncertain legal minefield created by the NLRB joint employer standard since it was expanded in 2015, said Robert Cresanti, president and chief executive of the International Franchise Association, in a Sept. 13 release.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a libertarian-leaning think tank, concurred.

The proposed new standard will create greater certainty for businesses, which will allow employers to plan for the future and be confident in knowing what kinds of business-to-business relationship will establish a joint-employer relationship, CEI labor policy analyst Trey Kovacs said in a Sept. 13 statement.

Hit to Unions

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has been attempting to unionize franchise workers for years, but that would require bargaining a contract with each of the thousands of franchisees. The Obama-era NLRB rules opened a way for it to have the franchisers marked as joint-employers, thus forcing them to negotiate with the SEIU and potentially force a single union contract on all their franchisees from the top.

A labor lawsuit against McDonalds that hinges on the issue of joint-employer designation has gone on since 2012, but the NLRB moved earlier this year to settle itwithout designating McDonalds a joint-employer.

The SEIU didnt respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. The National Employment Law Project, a pro-union advocacy group, also didnt respond to a request for a comment.

Trump and Unions

The president has had a mixed relationship with unions. Some are sympathetic, like those in law enforcement. Some, like the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, favor his tough stance against the use of cheap labor from Mexico. Others fight him, like the teachers unions, which face the risk of losing members with Trumps support for vouchers, charter schools, and homeschooling.

Public-sector unions seem to have especially rocky relationship with the president. In June, the Supreme Court ruled that public-sector union fees as a condition of employment violate workers First Amendment rights. The ruling opened a path for government workers to sue the unions for more than $100 million in forced union fees stretching back decades, according to the right-leaning Work Legal Defense Foundation.Turkeys Erdogan Got a Half-Billion Dollar Gift From Qatar

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has received a luxury jet worth about half a billion dollars from the emir of Qatar.

Erdogan confirmed receipt of the gift as he hit back at critics whod been questioning whether it was actually paid for with taxpayer money. Turkey had shown interest in purchasing the aircraft when it was up for sale for around $500 million, Erdogan told reporters over the weekend, according to Hurriyet newspaper. But when Qatars ruler found out, he donated it to the Turkish presidency free of charge, Erdogan said.

Turkeys political, military and economic relations with Qatar have improved dramatically as Ankara sided with the gas-rich Gulf state in its tussle with a regional alliance led by Saudi Arabia. Last month, Qatars ruler met Erdogan in Ankara and promised to invest $15 billion in the country to try and pull Turkey back from the brink of a financial crisis.

Initial reports in Turkish state media that Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Al Thani gifted the Boeing 747-8i to Turkey triggered a wave of criticism, with a member of the main opposition party filing an official inquiry into the transfer. Lawmaker Gamze Tascier asked Vice President Fuat Oktay to disclose the jets price, which she speculated was paid for by the government.

The plane they mention is now being painted, Erdogan told reporters flying with him from Azerbaijan to Turkey over the weekend. God willing, we can have a trip with it when all is over.

Prestige Matters

The Turkish leaders spending has long been a topic of attack by opposition parties, who say hes wasted precious resources on things like a new presidential palace thats four times the size of Versailles, and fleets of luxury vehicles. Erdogan has said the palace belongs to the government, not himself, and that costs arent to be considered when it comes to the prestige of the Turkish state.

The jet was produced in 2012 and is designed for 76 passengers and eighteen crew, according to a report in thedrive.com by Tyler Rogaway of Aviation Intel, which follows developments in the industry. It has ornate lounges, staterooms, and even its own hospital, according to the report, which called it the largest and most expensive private jet in the world.

The plane was flown to Istanbuls Sabiha Gokcen Airport from EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg in France on Sept. 11 via an 8.5-hour route that took it over the Atlantic to the Azores, back to Brussels, and then to Istanbul, according to Rogoway.

Its unclear what will be done with Erdogans current jet, an Airbus A-330-200 that he received in 2014. That purchase also sparked controversy because the jet was commissioned for the prime ministers office, but was delivered to Erdogan immediately after he was sworn in as president. Daily Sabah cited an aviation expert at the time estimating the planes cost at $221 million, with an additional $100 million spent on the custom refit.

Another jet-related controversy erupted in 2015 when Erdogan responded to public uproar about the chief of the religious affairs directorates $385,000 Mercedes. When the head of the directorate, Mehmet Gormez, returned the vehicle under public pressure, Erdogan gifted him a similar car from his own fleet and publicly announced that he was also giving Gormez a private jet.

By Onur AntUnusual Event Declared at Brunswick Nuclear Plant After Hurricane Florence

A nuclear power plant located near Wilmington, North Carolina, said it declared an unusual event on Sept. 17 ,amid rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence.

The Brunswick Nuclear Plant located 30 miles south of Wilmington declared a state of emergency, which is the lowest under Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidelines, Fox News reported.

Roads surrounding the 1,200-acre complex were inundated by flooding and have been blocked off by downed trees

None of the main roads are passable, according to Joey Ledford, a spokesman for the NRC, the News & Observer reported. The plant is safe. The reactors are in hot stand-by mode 3 shutdown.

Ledford added to Fox that the nuclear plant is stable and poses no threat to public safety, and meanwhile, no floodwaters have breached the facility.

Officials said the plant is accessible from one route due to the floodwaters. However, there are not multiple routes available, and the plant was placed under an unusual event, Fox reported.

The plant was shut down before the hurricane arrived in the Carolinas, according to the report.

Daniel Bacon, a senior operations engineer, told the paper that workers are sleeping on cots and using portable toilets because the water is shut off, and the toilets cannot flush, according to the News & Observer.

Its kind-of like camping, Bacon said. Everyone is handling it very well. I havent heard any complaining.

Florence Update

Tens of thousands of houses have been damaged, but for many parts of the Carolinas, the worst is yet to come as river levels rise to historic levels, said Zach Taylor, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Weather Service, according to Reuters

The soil is soaked and cant absorb any more rain so that water has to go somewhere, unfortunately, he said, adding that the rivers would start to crest on Sept. 17.

The remnants of Hurricane Florence are forecast to move north before heading over the northeastern United States on the night of Sept. 17 and Sept. 18.

Flash flooding continues over North and South Carolina and might develop to parts of Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware into Pennsylvania, according to the NHC in its 11 a.m. update.

Flash flood warnings are currently in effect across parts of central North Carolina into far southern Virginia. Flash flood watches are in effect across much of North Carolina, northern South Carolina, portions of Western Virginia, southern and eastern West Virginia, central and western Maryland, central and western Pennsylvania, southern New York and southern New England, said the NHC.

It added: Florence is expected to produce heavy to excessive rainfall over the next couple of days. Portions of the Mid Atlantic states west of Interstate 95 into southern New York and southern New England are expected to receive an additional 2 to 4 inches of rainwith isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches possible.

Reuters contributed to this reportIt's still technically summer, yet pumpkin-flavored everything is already all around us.

It seems like not long ago, we would walk the aisles of Trader Joe's and delight in the fall seasonal offerings, snagging a pumpkin item or two while we had the chance.

Now, many of us on the SFGATE team feel like the pumpkin spice trend has gone too far. Not just at Trader Joe's, but everywhere.

It's not just the famous Starbucks pumpkin-spice latte anymore. Grocery store aisles are lined with pumpkin spice yogurt, potato chips and hummus. There's even pumpkin spice pizza now. We wish we were kidding.

We decided to put a selection of Trader Joe's pumpkin-flavored offerings to the test. The taste test, that is.

Click through the slideshow at the top of this story for the results of the SFGATE taste test.

It was actually pretty tough to recruit SFGATE team members who were willing to participate in the tasting.

"This is like a 10-course meal from hell," said one staffer.

In the end, three pumpkin lovers agreed to painstakingly review 11 different Trader Joe's pumpkin products on camera. You can watch their reactions in the video above.

PUMPKIN OVERLOAD: Reporter uses every pumpkin spice product she could find for a week

The rest of our staff picked over the leftovers and worked together to rank everything we tried, from tasty to terrible. Read our unfiltered opinions in the slideshow above.

What's your favorite pumpkin spice product? What's the worst one you've tried? Let us know in the comments.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.

Dave Curran, Susana Guerrero, Alyssa Pereira, Chris Preovolos and many other SFGATE staffers contributed to this story.WASHINGTON  For Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and their Democratic colleagues, last-minute surfacing of a sexual-abuse allegation may do to Brett Kavanaugh what hearings did not: Delay confirmation or sink his Supreme Court nomination entirely.

The allegation that Kavanaugh, as a high-school student, held down and groped a teenage girl developed into a full-fledged political firestorm Monday.

The accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, came forward publicly over the weekend and offered to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee  of which Blumenthal is a member.

What we need now is a full, fair investigation by the FBI that involves witnesses, records and documents and enables the American people to know the facts, Blumenthal said in an interview Monday.

There is no question that confirmation must be delayed.

Blumenthal and five other Democratic senators on Monday filed a lawsuit to compel release of documents by the National Archives and the CIA on Kavanaughs years as associate counsel and staff secretary in the White House under former President George W. Bush.

The White House said in a statement that Kavanaugh looks forward to a hearing where he can clear his name of this false allegation. He stands ready to testify (Tuesday) if the Senate is ready to hear him.

Late Monday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the committee would hear from both Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh on Sept. 24.

The committee, Grassley said, would give these allegations a full airing in order to provide ample transparency.

Blumenthal has been an out-front critic of Kavanaugh since President Donald Trump nominated him in July. As a Democrat in the minority, he peppered Kavanaugh in three rounds of questioning during confirmation hearings two weeks ago.

But neither Blumenthal nor his Democratic colleagues on the committee landed blows sufficient to throw the Kavanaugh nomination off course. Nothing appeared likely to derail Kavanaugh until Blasey Ford, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, stepped forward to recount how at age 15, she was assaulted by Kavanaugh, then 17, and feared he would inadvertently kill her.

Blasey Ford recounted that, at a party in Washingtons Maryland suburbs, Kavanaugh was stumbling drunk as he pushed her down on a bed, tried to yank off her one-piece bathing suit and put his hand over her mouth to prevent screams.

She told the Washington Post she escaped after a friend of Kavanaugh jumped on them and the three went toppling to the floor, enabling her to lock herself in a bathroom.

Although the incident in question took place in the early 1980s and was relayed months ago to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the senior Democrat on Judiciary, the allegation took on a life of its own Monday.

Republicans found themselves walking a tightrope between keeping the confirmation on track while not appearing insensitive to the complaint.

At least three Republicans whose votes are critical to confirmation  Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.  said the allegation against Kavanaugh must be resolved before a vote takes place.

Judiciary chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said he wanted to try to resolve the matter through a series of phone calls with both Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford, a process Blumenthal said was inadequate.

Informal phone calls are no substitute for a full, fair investigation, he said. Theres no margin of error for a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land. So theres no reason to rush through the investigation to meet an arbitrary Oct. 1 deadline.

Republicans had pledged to confirm Kavanaugh by Oct. 1, the first day of the Supreme Courts 2018-19 term.

Murphy on Monday joined Blumenthal in the fray.

These are really serious allegations, Murphy said in a statement. Ive already made up my mind to vote against Kavanaugh, but for senators who are still undecided or had announced their support for the nomination, there is just no reason to rush this.

A vote by the GOP-dominated Judiciary committee had been scheduled for Thursday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had promised a full Senate vote next week, in time to get Kavanaugh sworn in before Oct. 1. That timeline Monday appeared to have been badly damaged, if not scuttled entirely.

At the White House, Trump praised the 53-year-old D.C. federal appeals court judge for his outstanding intellect, saying Kavanaugh is respected by everybody; never even had a little blemish on his record.

He joined Grassley in criticizing Democrats for an allegation that should have been brought up long before this.

But he conceded it would take time for the allegation to be resolved. If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay, he said.

For Blumenthal, Murphy and other Democrats, the leveling of the allegation against Kavanaugh arguably represents their last and best chance to keep the Supreme Court from adding a fifth reliable conservative who could tip the court rightward for a generation to come.

For Republicans, delays in the confirmation process eat up valuable time they dont have.

Further delays could push the confirmation vote past Election Day, raising the prospect that Democratic retaking of the Senate  a longshot at this point  could bring the curtain down on Kavanaugh for good.

Blumenthal declined to directly address the high-stakes chess game unfolding over the confirmation.

As a senator who declared his opposition to Kavanaugh on Day 1, Blumenthal was among those on the lookout during confirmation hearings for misstatements, inaccuracies or contradictions  anything to offset Kavanaughs relatively smooth performance as an earnest, neutral jurist with no hidden agenda.

Whether the allegation against Kavanaugh succeeds where previous lines of attack failed remains to be seen.

If confirmed, he could be critical in votes that affect real people leading real lives in really destructive ways, for decades to come, Blumenthal said.

dan@hearstdc.comAnother line of surveillance cameras is being planned for seven southwest Connecticut train stations in Norwalk, Westport and Darien.

The state Department of Transportation says the installation of the cameras on the stations rail platforms is planned in the fall of 2019.

Some railroad stations already have security cams, including the Stamford train station, the busiest on the New Haven Line, and Union Station in New Haven.

Railroad stations that have opened in recent years in Fairfield, West Haven and the new Hartford Line also have cameras.

And while other towns like Westport have cameras in station parking lots, it does not have cameras on the rail platforms.

The DOT said new cameras at the seven stations are planned because of security improvements and network infrastructure upgrades.

Security cameras are planned at: Noroton Heights and Darien; Rowayton, South Norwalk, and East Norwalk railroad station platforms; and Westport and Greens Farms.

Along with the railroad stations, DOT determined the need for installing security cameras at the railroad bridge over the Saugatuck River in Westport.

Before the plan moves forward, DOT will hold a public information meeting in October regarding the installation of security cameras at the stations. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17 in the Norwalk Town Hall Community Room, Room 128, 125 East Avenue in Norwalk.In a prologue to their 1994 book, "Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas," journalists Jane Mayer and Jill Abramson wrote of how "unresolved the conflict" remained between Thomas, the conservative justice, and Anita Hill, the law professor who testified that he had sexually harassed her a decade earlier.

"Rather than dying down, their clash has become part of an active battlefront in America's culture wars," observed the journalists of the nomination battle, which elevated Thomas to the nation's top court in 1991. "The fight has gone well beyond the individuals - who have been reduced to symbols and caricatures - to strike at the heart of American politics."

Nearly three decades later, as the Senate prepares to vote on another Supreme Court nomination, a contest is taking shape with clear parallels to the controversy that pitted the word of Thomas against that of Hill. An allegation of sexual assault has surfaced against Brett M. Kavanaugh, a nominee put forward by President Trump, who himself stands accused of sexual misconduct. All three Republicans - Thomas, Kavanaugh, Trump, who are dissimilar in background and temperament - deny the accusations.

A year into the #MeToo movement, the dispute over Kavanaugh's nomination could test how the culture wars have evolved and what the country has learned since 1991, whose convulsive events helped give 1992 its label as the "Year of the Woman." The designation captured the historic number of women who rose to public office that year, in a mass political mobilization finding echoes in 2018.

"I was motivated to run for the Senate after watching the truly awful way Anita Hill was treated by an all-male Judiciary Committee interrogating her about the sexual harassment she endured at the hands of now-Justice Clarence Thomas," Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a member of Democratic leadership, said in a statement Sunday.

Murray asked her colleagues to "treat this survivor with empathy and humanity and make sure that the United States Senate in 2018 doesn't send the signal it sent to millions of women in 1991 who were scared to speak up, afraid to share their stories, and watched on television as someone very much like them was attacked and maligned."

Kavanaugh's nomination was already fraught. Democrats are still incensed by the refusal of Senate Republicans to consider Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland in the spring of 2016. They've denounced the withholding of thousands of pages of documents detailing Kavanaugh's involvement in pitched political battles, including his service in George W. Bush's White House.

The revelation over the weekend that Kavanaugh stands accused of sexual assault will widen the meaning of his nomination beyond the judiciary. It is now also a fight over the #MeToo movement and the rules for adjudicating claims of misconduct in an intensely partisan arena.

In testimony before the Judiciary Committee, John Dean, Nixon's White House counsel, admonished the majority for withholding background documents about Kavanaugh, invoking the 11th-hour disclosures about Thomas's past.

"Because Justice Thomas was not fully vetted, his career on the court has been under a cloud," Dean said. "Thomas's truthfulness vis-a-vis Professor Anita Hill's claims of sexual harassment has never been fully resolved."

Crucial factors link allegations against Kavanaugh and those leveled against Thomas on the eve of his 1991 appointment. Both women wanted to remain anonymous. Both episodes are said to have occurred in the early 1980s. But the two cases also diverge in important ways, among them the fact that only a decade had passed between Hill's alleged sexual harassment by Thomas and his installation on the court versus three decades that have gone by between the Kavanaugh' alleged behavior and his confirmation process.

As the The Washington Post revealed Sunday, a research scientist in California, Christine Blasey Ford, has accused Kavanaugh, a judge on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, of sexually assaulting her when he was 17 and she was 15. One summer night in the early 1980s, she claims, Kavanaugh pinned her down and attempted to remove her clothes, placing his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream.

"I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time," Kavanaugh said in a statement issued by the White House last week, when aspects of Ford's account came into view.

Ford did not intend to go public, but when details emerged last week of a letter she had sent to Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, she decided her "civic responsibility" outweighed her "anguish" and fear of retaliation. The alleged episode, though many years in the past, exacted a psychological toll on her, one that she first articulated during couples therapy in 2012, as the Post's Emma Brown reported.

The Judiciary Committee had been expected to vote Thursday on Kavanaugh's nomination, a timeline that may now be in doubt, with several GOP senators joining Democrats in saying Ford should be heard.

Hill was heard before the Judiciary Committee, but under circumstances that she claims were designed to discredit her. At the time of her testimony, she was a law professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

She had worked under Thomas in the early 1980s, first at the Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Education and then at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. During this time, she alleged, Thomas repeatedly asked her out, ignoring her refusals, and tried to initiate conversation about pornographic films as well as his sexual prowess.

In an opening statement before the committee in October 1991, Hill recounted how she "began to feel severe stress on the job," fearful that Thomas would "take out his anger" on her by passing her over for assignments or even dismissing her.

The FBI had investigated her claims the previous month and reported back to the committee, at which point lawmakers split 7-7 on the nomination, put forward by George H.W. Bush. Then Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, the committee's top Democrat, joined six Republicans in supporting Thomas. No mention of Hill's charges was made at the public meeting.

With the panel's work apparently finished, debate in the full chamber began early the following month. But on Oct. 6, 1991, NPR and Newsday broke news of Hill's allegations.

"Here is a person who is in charge of protecting rights of women and other groups in the workplace, and he is using his position of power for personal gain, for one thing," Hill told NPR's Nina Totenberg. "And he did it in a very, just ugly and intimidating way."

Thomas denied the allegations, and when the committee hearings reopened on Oct. 11, the D.C. circuit judge and Yale Law School graduate - a pedigree shared by Kavanaugh - called the proceedings "a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves, to do for themselves, to have different ideas."

Hill, a Yale Law graduate raised on an Oklahoma farm, spoke after him, explaining that she "may have used poor judgment" in not taking more "militant steps," but that this "seemed the better as well as the easier approach."

She recounted how she had tried to maintain her privacy, reluctant to come forward when Senate staff approached her about Thomas's nomination. Ultimately, however, she felt she had a "duty to report," she said.

The all-male, all-white members of the committee questioned her credibility and quibbled with her over the lurid details of her account. At one point, Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced that the FBI report "contains no reference to any mention of Judge Thomas' private parts or sexual prowess or size of his private parts."

"With the traditions of the Senate and the committee, Biden thought he was going to conduct a hearing, but the Republicans knew - led by Arlen Specter - that they were going to conduct a trial," said Barbara A. Mikulski, a Democratic Maryland congresswoman at the time, in an oral history conducted by the Post with the small group of Hill's congressional advocates. "And Professor Hill would be the one on trial."

Biden refused to permit public testimony from a number of witnesses who endorsed Hill's version of events. The then-Delaware senator did "a disservice to me, a disservice more importantly, to the public," Hill said in a 2014 interview with the Huffington Post.

"I wish I had been able to do more for Anita Hill," Biden told Teen Vogue last year. "I owe her an apology." The former vice president and possible 2020 presidential contender ultimately voted against Thomas when the judge was confirmed 52-48 on Oct. 15, 1991.

Hill, who did not return an email late Sunday seeking comment, told Politico through a spokeswoman last week, as the allegation against Kavanaugh leaked into public view, that, "the government needs to find a fair and neutral way for complaints to be investigated."

"I have seen firsthand what happens when such a process is weaponized against an accuser, and no one should have to endure that again," added Hill, who is now a professor at Brandeis University.

The alleged wrongs are different. The ages of the nominees at the time of the alleged wrongdoing are different.

So, too, is the makeup of the Judiciary Committee different, though not markedly so. Of its 21 members, four are women - all Democrats. Among them is Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California, who on Sunday pinned a message to the top of her Twitter page calling for a "thorough investigation" before a vote on the nomination. But the Senate is controlled by Republicans, whereas Democrats held legislative power in 1991.

Kavanaugh has emphasized his support for young female lawyers, saying in his opening statement before the Judiciary Committee that he was "proud that a majority of my law clerks have been women." Republicans have also trumpeted the judge's backing among women. On Friday, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, circulated a letter from 65 women who claim to have known the nominee in high school vouching for his character.

Last month, Lisa Blatt, a self-described "liberal feminist lawyer," set out in Politico her case for Kavanaugh. "Kavanaugh is a Mentor to Women," proclaimed Amy Chua of Yale Law School, writing in the Wall Street Journal that there was "no judge" she would "trust more" to guide her own daughter's legal training. Neither woman returned an email seeking comment Sunday night.

In his 1994 account of the Thomas nomination, "Resurrection: The Confirmation of Clarence Thomas," former senator John Danforth of Missouri, whom the judge credits for his legal career, quotes Thomas as saying that he "played by the rules" in his hearings.

"And playing by those rules, the country has never seen the real person," Thomas said, according to Danforth. "There is an inherent dishonesty in the system."Fernando Haddad, leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's chosen successor, would face front-runner Jair Bolsonaro in a runoff vote for Brazil's presidency, according to the latest poll opinion published on Monday.

Bolsonaro would get 28.2 percent of first-round votes, followed by Haddad with 17.6 percent, according to an MDA survey published by the National Transportation Confederation. The poll showed ex-Ceara state Governor Ciro Gomes trailing with 10.8 percent, followed by market-friendly candidate Geraldo Alckmin with 6.1 percent. In a simulation for a runoff vote, Bolsonaro would get 39 percent against 35.7 percent for Haddad.Almost 40 years ago, a 15-year-old Marc Benioff sold his first piece of software, called How to Juggle, for $75. Now, hes a billionaire tech mogul and the co-founder of Salesforce, a leading enterprise cloud computing company.

With an illustrious list of mentors -- including Larry Ellison and Steve Jobs -- Benioff set off to launch his company in 1999, working out of an apartment in San Francisco. Almost two decades later, Salesforces annual revenue surpassed $10 billion for fiscal year 2018.

Here are 10 details from Benioffs life that begin to paint a picture of the billionaire tech mogul.

1. He cleaned cases at a jewelry store for his first official paying job.

Benioff asked his parents for permission to work at the jewelry store after school so he could save enough money for his first computer, which he bought at Radio Shack. (He was later fired for using the wrong soap on the floors.)

2. He developed games for Atari as a teenager.

Benioff founded his first company, Liberty Software, at age 15 -- the same age he sold his first piece of software (How to Juggle) for $75. Benioff then sold several 8-bit games for systems including the Atari 800, including Crypt of the Undead, King Arthurs Heir, The Nightmare and Escape From Vulcans Isle.

3. He was a millionaire by age 25.

Benioff spent 13 years working at database software giant Oracle under then-CEO Larry Ellison. He was one of the companys youngest executives, and at age 25, his salary put him over the millionaire mark.

4. A sabbatical trip around the world inspired him to start Salesforce.

After about a decade at Oracle, Benioff felt something was missing in his view of success and spoke with Ellison about taking a sabbatical. He spent a few months in Hawaii studying meditation, and had the fundamental idea for Salesforce while swimming with dolphins in the Pacific Ocean. Amazon and eBay had recently emerged, and he asked himself, Why are we still loading and upgrading software the way weve been doing all this time when we can now do it over the internet? The next leg of Benioffs trip was India, where a host of spiritual leaders inspired him to prioritize philanthropy.

5. He considered Steve Jobs a mentor.

In 1984, Benioff, then a college student, interned at Apple. He went on to develop a friendship with founder Steve Jobs and often asked him for input in Salesforces early stages. There would be no Salesforce.com without Steve Jobs, Benioff said at a 2013 conference, crediting Jobs as the guide for many of his early decisions. Jobs, like Benioff, also spent time searching for inspiration in India.

Related: The Steve Jobs Equation for Tough Leadership

6. He helped invent a $116 billion market.

With Salesforce, Benioff launched a new form of cloud computing: software as a service (SaaS). Through SaaS, individuals and companies can rent software over the internet instead of installing it on physical computers -- and its estimated market size for 2018 is upwards of $116 billion.

7. He turned down a $55 billion offer from Microsoft.

Microsoft and Salesforce have a famously volatile relationship -- theyve been both competitors and partners over the years, and a potential merger fell apart in 2015. Microsoft made a bid for Salesforce amounting to roughly $55 billion, but Benioffs asking price was reportedly $15 billion more. The deal fell through.

8. He developed a new 1-1-1 model for corporate philanthropy.

Benioff dedicated Salesforce to philanthropy at its core: a 1-1-1 model stipulating that the company set aside 1 percent of equity, 1 percent of product and 1 percent of employees time for nonprofits and local communities.

9. His net worth is an estimated $6.51 billion.

Benioffs wealth has increased by about 60 percent since June 2016, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Related: These Are the 19 Richest Tech Billionaires on the Planet

10. He and his wife Lynne paid $190 million in cash for Time magazine.

Eight months after the end of TIME Inc., the brands namesake publication will change hands in a $190 million deal between the Benioffs and Meredith Corp. The Benioffs announced their acquisition of Time magazine on Sunday. The deal, which is already drawing comparisons to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezoss purchase of The Washington Post, is expected to close within 30 days. Benioff said he and his wife will have no journalistic input and will not be involved in the magazines day-to-day operations.

"The power of Time has always been in its unique storytelling of the people and issues that affect us all and connect us all," said Benioff in a tweet. "[Time is a] treasure trove of our history and culture. We have deep respect for their organization and [are] honored to be stewards of this iconic brand."

Related:

How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Entrepreneurship in India

Guy Fieri Is Insanely Busy. Here's How He Gets It All Done.

How to Multi-Task Like Tim Ferriss, Randi Zuckerberg and Other Very Busy People



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedNORWALK  Drivers of Audis, BMWs and other high-end vehicles soon will get a head-up on when a traffic light is about to change in Norwalk.

The Norwalk Common Council this month authorized Mayor Harry Rilling to execute data-sharing agreements with Traffic Technology Services, Inc., Connected Signals, Inc., and Live Traffic Data Corp. to share real-time traffic signal information in exchange for autonomous information from connected vehicle applications to improve roadway safety, reduce congestion, and optimize traffic flow.

They (motorists) will get the traffic information, either on the app or the navigation system, said Norwalk Traffic Engineer Fred Eshraghi. When you get close to the intersection, you can see the traffic lights, either on the app or on the navigation system of your car  the red lights, the green and the yellow and the time they have to change  so it will provide the information to the motorists.

At no cost to the city, the real-time traffic signal information systems will allow drivers to make smarter decisions, lower fuel emissions, reduce their carbon footprint and increase safety while allowing the Norwalk Department of Public Works to better calibrate the citys traffic signals, according to Michael Yeosock, assistant principal engineer in department.

These systems have been found to improve fuel efficiency by 8-15 percent and reduce red-light crashes by 25 percent, Yeosock wrote in a memorandum to the council. In return for sharing our traffic signal data, the developers of these programs will provide the City, at no cost, with various information and programs that can help us improve the efficiency of our traffic signal system.

An efficiency improvement, for example, would be re-timing a traffic signal that now leaves motorists waiting a red light for several minutes even though no vehicles crossing the intersection on the green light.

The BMW Group announced in July 2015 that it was working with Connected Signals to bring a traffic-light predicting app into its vehicles. Audi of America and Traffic Technology Services launched a traffic light information system in select models in fall 2016.

Live Traffic Data partners with traffic agencies to install hardware to connect isolated signalized intersections with traffic management centers. The company also provides performance measurement software to monitor and properly retime traffic signals, according to its website.

Eshraghi said the Connected Signals will be the first system communicating with the approximately 53 city traffic signals that are connected to the Traffic Management Center at the Public Works Department  as soon as the contract is signed and ready.

The Norwalk traffic engineer anticipates other car manufacturers will incorporate traffic-signal information systems into their vehicles.

The last time that the Traffic Technology Services representatives were here, they were saying they are working on other cars as well, Eshraghi said. But in Connecticut, because of the community, having a luxury car is an advantage.Search All categories Advertising General Aerospace General Agriculture General Airlines General America - Post 9/11 General Apparel General Apple Products General Architectural General Architecture Architecture Art & Entertainments Books Celebrities Country Music Dance Magazines Movies Museums Music Music Downloads News & Talk Shows Performing Arts Photography Television Web Sites Arts/Culture General Auction General Automotive Aftermarket Classic Autos Consumer Publications General Motorcycle & Bike Racing Recreational Vehicle Repair & Service Trade Publications Blogging & Social Media Blogging & Social Media Business Advertising / Marketing Books Consumer Research Direct Marketing e-Commerce Entrepreneurs Finance Franchise Human Resources Insurance Investment Management Markets Network Marketing Online Marketing / SEO Payday Loans Public Relations Publications Real Estate Retail Stocks Supermarkets Women in Business Careers/HR General Chemical General Coaching / Mentoring Coaching / Mentoring Computers Apple Products Databases Games & Entertainment General Hosting Instruction Linux / GNU "Open Source" Macintosh Microsoft Windows PC Operating Systems Programming Security Software Tablet PCs Utilities Construction General Consumer Gifts and Collectibles Hobbies Web sites / Internet Design Graphic Design Industrial Web E-Cigarette General eCommerce General Economy General Education College / University General Home Schooling K-12 Post Graduate Technical Electronics General Email Marketing General EmailWire Press Releases Press Release Tips Employment/Careers General Engineering General Entertainment General Environment General Events / Trade Shows General Finance General Food General Franchise General Fraud / Identity Theft General Gaming General Government General Judicial Law Enforcement Legislative Local National Public Services Security State Transportation Healthcare General Home and Family Banking / Personal Finance Bereavement / Loss Home Furnishings / Interiors Landscaping & Gardening Marriage / Relationships Money Parenting Payday Loans Pets Taxes Wedding / Bridal Home Schooling General Hotels/Resorts General Household General Industry Aerospace / Defense Agriculture Apparel / Textiles Broadcast Construction / Building Electrical Food Funeral Healthcare Leisure / Hospitality Logistics / Shipping Manufacturing / Production Mining / Metals Oil / Energy Paper / Forest Products Plumbing, Heating & AC Print Media Printing Publishing Radio Restaurants Tobacco Toy Insurance General Internet/Online General Legal General Leisure General Lifestyle Beauty Dating / Singles Diet / Weight Loss Fashion Food / Beverage Health & Fitness Hotel / Resorts Pastimes Restaurants Retirement Travel & Tourism Machinery General Maritime General Medical Addiction Allergies Alternative Medicine Asthma Cancer Cardiology Chiropractic Dental Dermatology Diabetes Emergency Family Medicine General General Geriatrics Hospitals Infectious Diseases Internal Medicine Managed Care / HMO Medical Products Mental Health Neurology Nursing Nutrition OB / GYN Pediatrics Pharmaceuticals Physical Therapy Plastic Surgery Psychology Radiology / Imaging Research Sports Medicine Surgery Vision Military General Mining/Metals General Miscellaneous General Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Non-profit General Occupational Safety Occupational Safety Oil/Energy General Opinion / Editorial Opinion / Editorial Paper Products General Paper/Forest General Pharmaceuticals General Podcasting Announce Tools and Services Politics Politics Print Media General Public Utilities Public Utilities Publishing General Radio General Real Estate General Religion Christian General Islam Jewish Other Restaurants General Retail General RSS & Content Syndication RSS & Content Syndication Science and Research Science and Research Self-Help / Personal Growth Self-Help / Personal Growth Shipbuilding General Society African American Interests Asian Interests Childrens Issues Disabled Issues / Disabilities Gay / Lesbian Hispanic Mens Interests Native American Senior Citizens Social Services Teen Issues/Interests Womens Interest Software General Sports Baseball Basketball Bicycling Boating / Maritime Bowling Boxing Fishing Football Golf Hockey Hunting Martial Arts Outdoors Rugby Soccer Tennis Water Winter/Snow Sports/Fitness General Stocks General Supermarkets General Technology Biotechnology Computer Electronics Enterprise Software Games Graphics/Printing/CAD Hardware / Peripherals Industrial Information Internet Multimedia Networking Public Sector/Government Robotics Semiconductor Software Telecommunications Webmasters Telecom General Wireless Television General Tobacco General Trade General Transportation General Travel General Utilities General Volunteer Volunteer Weather WeatherBETHALTO  Ameren Illinois provided Bethalto Mayor Alan Winslow with the keys to a 37-foot aerial bucket truck Monday morning that the village will use for maintenance work.

For a community of our size, this is a major asset to acquire, Winslow said outside the Public Works Department building. Its in great condition. We are grateful to Ameren Illinois for their generosity.

Village of Bethalto employees will use the truck for tree trimming, light pole maintenance and general upkeep work around the community. The bucket truck is especially useful for projects that require workers to safely reach heights, Winslow said.

Village leaders reached out to us and indicated that they had a need, said Jason Klein, director of Division Operations, Ameren Illinois, covering Madison County. Were glad to keep this reliable, heavy duty vehicle in service for the people of Bethalto.

After trucks get to a certain age, but they still are in good working condition, we give them to small communities to get more use out of them, said Brian Bretsch, communications executive for Ameren. In the past we used to sell the the trucks.

Bretsch said the 2009, Ford F550 Super Duty model was recently retired from the Ameren Illinois fleet after nine years in service.

Ameren Illinois has nearly 3,300 vehicles including trucks, trailers and equipment, a company press release says.

Vehicles that are being rotated out of the fleet and require minimal repairs or refurbishing can be made available for donation to a local municipality or community organization, the press release says.

Last year, Ameren Illinois donated six vehicles to entities in central and southern Illinois.A closed Meredosia-Chambersburg elementary school building was sold in August but its new owner may not yet be ready to settle in.

Instead, the new owner may sell the property to Andrew Chen, who is considering turning the space into an Asian carp processing plant that would remove the fish bones to make jewelry and ship the rest to New York to be used as fertilizer.

Asian carp average around 35 pounds but can grow up to 110 pounds. The fish has become a problem in Illinois, where it consumes the food supply of native fish in the Mississippi River.

Chen, who recently explained to the Meredosia village board his intentions for the building, moved with his family to New York in 2005. He previously was involved in exporting diamonds but became interested in Asian carp after meeting the owners of an Asian carp facility in Kentucky. He initially opened an Asia carp facility in Beardstown, but that location proved unsuitable and recently was closed.

Board members voiced their concern about potential odor at such a plant, though Chen said his processing method results in a limited smell.

That wasnt enough to satisfy some board members, with John Rentz voicing his disapproval and suggesting that Chen look to buy a building in another community.

Board member Rob Ransom asked if there is another such facility that the board could tour. Chen said no, that his processing method is unique. He said there currently is no market for Asian carp and his plant would be a way to process the fish, considered an invasive  and, thus, unwanted  species, out of the environment.

Mayor David Werries said he and the board would research the issue and give their opinion to Chen soon.

In other business, board members and Matthew Sturgeon discussed putting cameras up at the Meredosia boat dock. The receiver for the cameras will be placed in the Naples Boat Club. In exchange, the village will install two cameras at the clubs entrances.

Board members also discussed properties that need attention and how to deal with vacant properties. Board members agreed to contact the village attorney to put liens against two unkempt properties.

Sarah Sweeting of accounting firm Zumbahlen, Eyth, Surratt, Foote & Flynn went over the annual audit report and discussed changes the village can make to improve its accounts.GLEN CARBON  In an act of police kindness and cooperation, the Village of Glen Carbon Police Department will be donating two former police cars to the Livingston Police Department.

At the last regular meeting of the Village Board, Trustees approved a request from GCPD Chief Todd Link to donate two surplus vehicles to the Village of Livingston.

Recently the Glen Carbon Police Department purchased two 2016 Dodge Chargers from the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Those purchases, paid for by funds from the federal Asset Forfeiture and Equitable Sharing Program, meant that the departments two 2008 Chevy Impalas were surplus property.

Typically the village auctions off surplus vehicles for amounts ranging from $500 to $2,000, Link said. Livingston Police Chief Wayne Emshousen has asked to have our surplus vehicles donated to the Village of Livingston to assist his police department.

Link said the Livingston department only has one squad car, which is a 2006 Dodge Charger.

This isnt the first time Glen Carbon has donated surplus police cars to other municipalities.

A year ago, the village donated a surplus police car to the Caseyville Police Department.

Link said the request had the full approval of the Village Public Safety Committee.

The board of trustees approved the request unanimously.

In other police business before the Village Board, trustees granted the departments request to open a Glen Carbon Police Department Instagram account.

Link said the Instagram account would allow the police to post photographs and links to community engagement activities.

The Glen Carbon Police Department engages in several community events annually, which allow police officers and civilian staff exposure to the people in the community, Link said. The account would also allow us to share community safety tips, information about police officer recruitment and educational opportunities.

Another positive about the account is the police would reach a younger demographic.

This would give the department an opportunity to reach a younger, college-aged group, as compared to Facebook, Link said.

Instagram has a demographic of between 19 and 29 years old, while Facebooks average users are generally 30 to 45 years old.

The account can be found at www.instagram.com/glencarbonpolice.

The account will be managed by the Public Safety Administration Supervisor, under the Chief of Police and would adhere to the villages social media policy.

The proposal was reviewed and approved by the Public Safety Committee.

Trustees approved the request unanimously.1 hour ago

Storied General Electric to split into 3 public companies

General Electric, the storied American manufacturer that struggled under its own weight after growing to become a sprawling conglomerate, will divide itself into three public companies focused on aviation, healthcare and energy. It is the culmination of an arduous, years-long reshaping of a symbol of American manufacturing might that could signal the end of conglomerates as a whole.

Read ArticlePhuket-bound mules busted with 780kg of kratom

PHUKET: Police and military personnel arrested a man at the Phuket Checkpoint yesterday (Sept 16) as he tried to smuggle onto the island more than half a ton of kratom leaves jammed into a Toyota Fortuner.

drugscrimepolice

By The Phuket News

Monday 17 September 2018, 07:03PM

Wichan Kaikew, 38, from Songkhla, told police that he was paid B6,000 to bring the kratom to Phuket. Photo: Tha Chatchai Police

Noticing the odd load jammed into the car, officers stopped and searched the vehicle. On opening one the bags, the officers realised that it was packed solid with kratom leaves, as were the rest of the bags.

In all, officers counted that the bright pink bags in total contained 530kg of kratom leaves.

The driver of the vehicle, Wichan Kaikew, 38, from Songkhla, told the officers that he was hired by his brother-in-law, Rungtawan Srijumpa, to pick up the kratom leaves from Bang Klam District in Songkhla and deliver them a customer in Patong.

He was paid B6,000 to make the delivery.

He has now been charged with possession of a Category 5 drug with intent to sell.

Officers at the checkpoint arrested two more men early this morning (Sept 17) while they were attempting to bring a further 250kg of kratom packed into a white pickup truck onto the island.

Officers arrested the driver Prachuab Rinrat, 40, and his passenger Yamin Toadol, 26, both from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, at 2:20am, Tha Chatchai Police Chief Col Prawit Suttiruangarun told The Phuket News.

The two men told police that they were to deliver the kratom to a man in Sakoo, near Phuket International Airport, Col Prawit added.

Prachuab confirmed that they brought the Kratom from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, he said.

He said he was hired by a Mr Bao to deliver the kratom for B5,000 to a Mr Gaet in Sakoo, in Phuket, Col Prawit explained.

Prachuab said he does not know the mens real names, but said that he was to share money with Yamin and give him B1,000, he added.

Both men have been charged possession of a Category 5 drug with intent to sell.

Our officers are continuing their investigation into this, Col Prawit said.Phuket mops up after storm lashes island, plunges businesses into darkness

PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) this morning reported that they had not received any reports of damage to houses or structures from yesterdays battering by strong winds and driving rain.

weather

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Monday 17 September 2018, 11:25AM

A video posted by Aroon Solos shows the howling winds breaking large panes of glass on the catwalk joining the two Central Phuket shopping mall buildings. Screengrab: Aroon Solos

At the height of the storm, wind speeds in and around Phuket Town exceeeded 46km/h and more than 54mm of rainfall was recorded in one three-hour period.

Before the storm arrived, the DDPM national office in Bangkok issued a yellow warning for many areas across the country, including Phuket Phang Nga and Krabi. (See here.)

However, DDPM-Phuket Chief Prapan Kanprasang told The Phuket News this morning (Sept 17), We have not yet had any reports from people suffering from the effects of the heavy rain and wind from yesterday.

Also there are not reports about landslides or accidents from flooding, he said.

Consequently, it appears that the DDPM-Phuket office was not informed of the windows on the catwalk over Wichit Songkhram Rd joining the newly opened Central Floresta building and the long-standing Central Festival building.

Videos of the damage done, with large panes of glass broken and wind and rain driving into the catwalk, were posted online by Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos, gaining more than 17,000 views and hundreds of shares overnight. (See here.)

Of note, any glass that did not fall into the catwalk would have fallen down onto the footpath below.

Central Phuket management issued a statement recognising the incident.

Central Phuket apologises to all customers about this incident which was caused by this heavy storm. We are investigating the details immediately and are trying to fix it urgently.

The walkway between the two buildings is exposed, so it is necessary for us to have glass installed into the spaces (where previous panes broke) to prevent the wind and rain from coming into into the walkway.

An engineer has been assigned to inspect this urgently. The structure of the walkway is still strong and safe, and did not suffer any damage from this storm, the statement said.

We sincerely apologise and thank you very much for sharing important information about this moment, it added.

Meanwhile, blackouts struck areas across the island.

Staff at the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Patong office told The Phuket News this morning winds brought down power cables at 17 locations throughout the busy tourism town.

Today we still have seven of those power outages to to fix, one staffer said.

Calls by The Phuket News to the main PEA office for Phuket for an update on what areas were affected or still without power went unanswered.

Though one resident in the Soi Taiad Chalong area confirmed that the street was left with out power from just after 4pm. Power was restored to most of the businesses after 10pm, but some houses were still without power supply this morning.

Thai Meteorological Department Director-General Wanchai Sakudomchai this morning (Sept 17) re-issued a weather warning for most of the country, including the Andaman coast.

During 17-20 September, the wind will become strong with the waves about 2-4 metres high in the Andaman Sea but above 4 metres high in thundershower areas and 2-3 metres high in the upper Gulf, the warning said.

All ships should proceed with caution, small boats do not venture out, and people along the seashore keep off the inshore surge, Mr Wanchai added. (See warning here.)Tourists rescued from stranded boat off Koh Phi Phi

KRABI: Officials at Nopparat Tara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park and a boat operator rescued 14 tourists, four of them children, stranded in rough seas off Phi Phi Island on Saturday (Sept 15) due to an engine problem on the catamaran they were riding.

tourismtransportweathermarineSafety

By Bangkok Post

Monday 17 September 2018, 09:14AM

Spanish tourists are helped off a pier on Koh Phi Phi on Saturday following their rescue from a stranded catamaran. Photo: Nopparat Tara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park

Officials posted on the parks Facebook page yesterday (Sept 16) that the 14 passengers of the 70-foot catamaran Shangani were rescued by park officials using a patrol boat and a speedboat off Koh Phi Phi.

The engine of the catamaran had failed, the Facebook post said.

The boat was also carrying seven crew members and all were safe.

Park Chief Worapoj Lomlin told Thai news portal Naew Na yesterday that the rescue operation took more than one hour.

The park official said the Spanish family members were transferred to a resort on Phi Phi before their return to Phuket. The catamaran was towed to the island, where it was waiting for mechanics to arrive from Phuket to fix the engine, he added.

According to the Tiger Marine Charters website, the Shangani can carry up to 60 passengers.

The Meteorological Department yesterday warned of high waves in the Andaman Sea until Thursday due to the impact of Typhoon Mangkhut on the South China Sea.Milbank looking to complete season-ending flourish with state Class 11A football championship

Dont be surprised if one of the better state high school football championship games this week turns out to be the Battle of the Bulldogs in Class 11A  seventh-seeded Milbank Area (8-3) against No. 1 Madison (11-0).UPPER GWYNEDD  Upper Gwynedd Township police are trying to locate 17-year-old Christopher Joseph Craven who has not returned home from work since 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Sept. 16.

He was last seen finishing his shift at Delaware Valley University. Christopher was operating a Gray 2006 Audi A4 with tinted windows bearing PA Registration KVN-8989. Christopher is 511 and 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing black pants and a gray polo work shirt with the Delaware Valley University logo on the shirt.

If you know anything about the whereabouts of Christopher, contact Upper Gwynedd Township Police at 215-699-5861.An eight-year-old boy found his dad's Ecky stash and shared them with his school mates, thinking the drugs were lollies.



An easy mistake, kiddo.



NZ Herald reports that the kid found the pressed pills in his dad's car, and shared his findings with four wee sprouts aged between 7 and 9 at his primary school in Riau, Indonesia.



The local papers reported that two of the beansprouts didn't end up eating the colourful pills, upon realising they were pretty damn shitty tasting for candy. Meanwhile, the other three were hospitalised after complaining of dizziness and headaches.



"The kids thought the green pills in their parents' car were candy. They cut up the pills and shared them with friends," Riau Police spokesperson Sunarto said

What kinda kid cuts up candy?



Anyway, good news is they have all made a full recovery from their accidental bender.Premier Doug Ford is heading to Washington on Wednesday to talk trade.

He and Economic Development and Trade Minister Jim Wilson will meet with negotiators to get an update on discussions to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, as a Sept. 30 deadline looms.

Ill be accompanying the premier to Washington to talk to our negotiating team  Canadas negotiating team first-hand and Ontarios people that are there, meet with (David MacNaughton) Canadian ambassador to the U.S., and have a face-to-face, Wilson told reporters Monday at Queens Park.

We havent done that; we are usually over the phone and we think its time that we went down there and once again stand up for Ontario workers, Ontario jobs  protect the jobs that we have and grow jobs in the future.

To date, NAFTA negotiations have been rocky, with key areas of disagreement remaining, in particular on access to Canadas dairy and cultural markets, as well as how to resolve trade disputes.

The trip will take Ford and Wilson away from the province at a time when the government has been focused on its fight to cut Toronto city council.

Were serious about helping the feds as best we can, said Wilson, the MPP for Simcoe-Grey, warning that a million jobs overnight would be lost if we lost NAFTA. Nine million jobs in the States if you consider retaliatory tariffs that might go in.

Read more:

Trudeau sets out fall priorities including finalizing the Trans-Pacific trade deal as NAFTA talks continue

Plenty of players and cards still on table in NAFTA game

Opinion | Is Canadas dairy cartel really milking the system?

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said, Everybody is really quite concerned about whats happening with NAFTA  I agree that the best thing to do is to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the federal government, and I hope thats whats happening here.

Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter (Scarborough-Guildwood) said its about time Ford turned his attention to something other than Toronto council.

We just saw the results coming out for August in terms of the job numbers  80,000 jobs being lost in Ontario. So its about time that they focus on Ontarios economy. They inherited an economy that was one of the strongest in the G7. We had a 20-year low unemployment rate in this province and things are starting to not look as good.

Green Party Leader and Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner said, Here we are debating the premiers personal grudge match against the City of Toronto  the premier ... should be doing what he can to negotiate a NAFTA that is beneficial to the people of Ontario.

Ford has spoken with about 10 U.S. governors since taking office at the end of June. In her last year in office, former premier Kathleen Wynne met with about 37 to stress the importance of trade ties.

Every year, about $400 billion worth of trade is conducted between Ontario and the U.S.

Ontario is the biggest customer of more than half of all U.S. states.

Read more about:OTTAWAPolitical parties should not be allowed to collect and use Canadians private information without rules or oversight, Canadas privacy watchdogs say.

There are currently no laws restricting how federal political parties collect, store and use Canadians private information, even as those parties are increasingly reliant on sophisticated data operations to win elections.

That needs to change, said federal privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien.

Political parties are gathering significant amounts of personal information on voters as they adopt new targeting techniques, Therrien said in a joint statement from federal, provincial and territorial watchdogs. The statement was released Monday morning.

Information about our political views is highly sensitive and its clearly unacceptable that federal and provincial parties are not subject to privacy laws.

British Columbia is the only jurisdiction at the provincial level that has concrete rules around how parties can amass private information on voters.

In June, MPs on the House of Commons privacy and access to information committee unanimously endorsed a recommendation to subject federal parties to privacy laws, and called for more transparency on how parties use big data and analytics.

The recommendation stemmed from the committees study into the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal, where 87 million Facebook users  including 600,000 Canadians  had their data improperly harvested and used for political analysis.

The recommendation was endorsed by MPs from all three major parties on the committee. At the time, Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Goulds office did not commit to moving on the recommendation.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Gould said they take protecting Canadians personal information seriously.

Bill C-76 will require political parties  for the first time  to publish a robust privacy policy detailing how their party will protect the data they have and how they will use it, Nicky Cayer wrote in a statement to the Star.

Bill C-76 requires political parties to be transparent about how they use data. But without independent oversight, Canadians would have to simply take parties at their word that their databases are secure and not being misused. It also does not subject parties to federal privacy laws.

Last month, the Canadian Press reported the Liberals were looking to beef up Bill C-76, their reforms to Canadas election laws. The bill is broad, but partially meant to ensure the 2019 election is secure from foreign interference or tampering.

Therrien said C-76 adds nothing of substance in terms of protecting Canadians privacy.

Read more about:OTTAWAToronto-area MP Leona Alleslevs floor-crossing from the Liberals to the Conservatives had been in the works for almost a month, two Conservative sources have told the Star.

Alleslev made the surprise announcement that she would leave the Liberal party to sit as a Conservative on Monday, giving Andrew Scheers party a public relations win as Parliament began its fall sitting.

But the talks between Alleslev and Scheers team began three or four weeks earlier, just a few weeks after she hosted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in her AuroraOak RidgesRichmond Hill riding.

Above a photo of her and Trudeau on July 20, Alleslev tweeted that she was proud to be part of this (Liberal) team as we head into 2019.

On Monday, she said she would no longer support Trudeau and his government.

The citizens of my riding and all Canadians need a government that delivers foundational change for the things that matter, Alleslev told reporters outside the House of Commons.

The world has changed dramatically in the last three years and we find ourselves in a time of unprecedented instability  Canada faces a perfect storm of serious challenges at home and abroad. This is not a strong economy, and our country needs strong leadership.

Alleslev suggested criticizing the Liberals while serving as a Liberal MP would undermine the government, so she decided to oppose it openly instead. She did not answer a direct question about whether or not she raised any concerns within the Liberal caucus and leadership before crossing the floor.

Alleslev did not attend the Liberal caucus retreat last week. However, her riding association was still in touch with the Liberal team in Ottawa in recent weeks, a Liberal source said.

The MPs departure took the party by surprise, said the source, who spoke to the Star on the condition of anonymity.

Read more:

Parliament resumes with a floor-crossing surprise in election-year preview

Opinion | Susan Delacourt: Is Trudeau keeping pace with the change that is sweeping politics?

Speaking briefly with reporters before question period, Trudeau said floor crossing is something we allow for in our system, obviously and that he wished Alleslev well in her decision.

Alleslev was first elected in 2015 in the newly created, largely suburban riding of AuroraOak RidgesRichmond Hill. She unseated Costas Menegakis, who had expected to run in the riding for the Conservatives in 2019.

In a statement on Twitter, Menegakis said he was withdrawing his nomination to run in nearby Richmond Hill instead.

Alleslev bested Menegakis by just over 1,000 votes in 2015. In the Ontario election held in June this year, the Progressive Conservatives handily won the riding, with PC candidate Michael Parsa garnering more than 50 per cent of the ballots cast.

But Alleslev maintained it was principle, not the way the political winds were blowing, that guided her decision.

Its truly not about that. Its about being able to look my constituents and look myself in the mirror and know that I did everything while I was an elected member of Parliament to serve my constituents and this country, Alleslev said.

Were facing some very serious challenges and this is how I can do the job that my constituents sent me here to do.

A retired Air Force captain, Alleslev will serve as Scheers critic for global security. In prepared remarks to reporters, Alleslev talked about growing instability in both trade relationships and military alliances.

Alleslev should be quite familiar with the file  and the Liberals current thinking about it  after serving on the House of Commons national defence and immigration committees, as well as taking a lead role on the Canada NATO parliamentary committee.

Scheer, in introducing the newest member of the Conservative caucus, made an appeal for other disaffected Liberals to join his cause.

If, like Leona, you supported Justin Trudeau and the Liberals in the last election, and youre frustrated or even angry with the ineffective leadership, know this: you are both welcome and needed in the Conservative Party of Canada, Scheer said.

With files from Susan Delacourt and Tonda MacCharles

Read more about:The murder of Hamilton real estate agent Al Iavarone at his home last week suggests that the New York State mob still has considerable influence in the southern Ontario underworld, sources say.

I dont think anyone knows for certain how this plays out, said Paul Manning, a former Hamilton undercover police officer who worked on organized crime investigations. One things for sure, Buffalo will always have a say north of the border.

Iavarone, 50, was shot dead in the midst of a dispute between two Niagara Region groups of mobsters who are both tied to the New York State mob, several former southern Ontario organized crime police investigators said.

Buffalo would have to give approval for high-level killings, sources said, adding that mob leaders there are believed to have turned their backs on one side in the dispute and given tacit approval to the other.

Theyre all supposed to be under Buffalo, one source said of the two feuding Ontario crime factions.

This does not end well for anyone, the former police organized crime specialist said.

Read more:

Ancaster mans murder is retaliation for 2017 mob hit: former undercover cop

Musitano family makes first public comment since murder

Hamilton mobster gunned down in driveway of suburban home

Iavarones killer hid in bushes outside his detached home at on Sunflower Cres. in Ancasters quiet Scenic Woods neighbourhood, shooting him around 9:55 p.m. as he walked from his car. He was killed in retaliation for the murder of Angelo (Ang) Musitano, 39, in the Hamilton suburb of Waterdown in May 2017 and the revenge for Musitanos murder is far from over, former police organized crime investigators said.

Iavarone didnt take part in Musitanos murder but he was close to one of the suspected killers, a source said.

Musitano was shot at close range several times while in his truck outside his home while his wife and children waited inside for him.

Years earlier, Musitano and his brother Pasquale (Pat) were convicted of conspiracy related to the 1997 murder of Niagara Falls mobster Carmen Barillaro.

This (Iavarone murder) is for Ang, one former investigator said. This is retaliation for Ang.

Iavarone didnt have a criminal record. He was known to police because he was associated to individuals involved in traditional organized crime in the Hamilton area, Det.-Sgt. Peter Thom of the Hamilton police said hours after his murder.

Its our belief that there is something going on in the underworld, maybe a power struggle, Thom said.

Some of Iavarones underworld ties were south of the border, sources said.

The recently deceased had ties to New York, a former police investigator said.

Buffalo factions of Traditional Organized Crime are not in Canada per se, but historically have controlled aspects of Canadian family business and do get kickbacks from profits from illicit activity, Manning said.

Prior to his death, Musitano was owed money from a man involved in gambling who worked for New York State mobsters, a source said.

When he demanded payment or a piece of the gambling operation, he was murdered by a crew of Niagara Region men connected to the gambler, the sources said.

None of the men involved in the Angelo Musitano murder were actual mob members, leaving them vulnerable to retaliation, the source said.

They have already been cut astray by the New York mob, a police source said.

They have no backing, the source said.The head of the TTC is pushing back against his provincial counterparts suggestion that it would be easy to upload the citys subway network to the Ontario government.

In a memo sent to all of the Toronto transit agencys employees Monday, TTC CEO Rick Leary described the rail network as a valuable and complex asset that couldnt simply be flipped to the province.

The suggestion that its rolling stock, yards, carhouses, tunnels, signals, stations, ventilation, electrical, drainage and all other interdependent systems can somehow be easily transferred or uploaded is simply not the case, Leary states in the memo.

The letter is an apparent response to comments made last week by the CEO of Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency responsible for the GTHA.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Metrolinx board Friday, Phil Verster asserted it would be quite straightforward to implement the Ontario PC governments controversial proposal to have the province take ownership of the subway network.

This is not difficult to see how this can be done, Verster said.

He noted the $5.3-billion Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which is currently under construction, will be owned by the province but operated by the TTC.

Its exactly the same model that will be required for the TTC upload, Verster said.

Premier Doug Ford has said his government intends to take ownership of Torontos rail lines, while allowing the TTC to continue operating the subway and collecting the fare revenue. The TTC would also retain ownership of the bus and streetcar fleet.

City councillors, transit advocates, and the opposition NDP have all criticized the proposal to split ownership of the TTC system as impossibly complex and potentially damaging to transit service. The largest TTC workers union claims the province intends to privatize work on the subway lines.

Metrolinx is the likeliest organization to take ownership of the subway in event of an upload. The TTC values the subway network, including trains, at $3.9 billion.

TTC officials have so far been reluctant to weigh in on the politically sensitive plan, and have referred reporters questions on the topic to councillors serving on the transit agencys board.

Although Learys memo didnt mention Verster by name or specifically reference his remarks, the document represents the TTC chiefs strongest comments on the upload to date, and appears intended as a public defence of his employees role in operating and maintaining the subway network.

The daily miracle we all contribute to each day to ready our service and embark on safely moving our daily 1.8 million riders across the city is incredibly complex, requiring thousands of dedicated women and men, he said.

I will work with the city to help the province fully understand and appreciate precisely how the subway network is maintained, managed, and funded. I will also share with the province how our expansion plans are managed, reminding everyone of the depths of skill and expertise that resides within the TTC.

Metrolinx declined to answer questions Monday about whether Verster stood by his remarks, or if Learys memo is a sign of a serious rift between the two agencies.

In August the Conservative government appointed Michael Lindsay, a former vice-president at Infrastructure Ontario, as special adviser on the upload plan. His initial term is for one year, although an extension is possible. Hell work with a panel of up to three experts to make recommendations on the proposal.

According to TTC spokesperson Brad Ross, Leary and Lindsay are in the process of arranging their first meeting.

Read more about:A controversial bill reducing the size of Toronto council has cleared a major hurdle.

Following a raucous all-night legislative session that began at 12:01 a.m. Monday, the Progressive Conservatives concluded the requisite six-and-a-half hours of second-reading debate of Bill 31, the Efficient Local Government Act.

Aimed at cutting council from 47 members to 25 after the Oct. 22 election, it is the reintroduction of Bill 5, the Better Local Government Act, struck down as unconstitutional a week ago by Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba.

The Tories will soon introduce a time-allocation motion and the bill could then pass second and third reading as well as receive royal assent by Thursday. The deadline for registering as a municipal candidate would be two days later.

For the first time in Ontario history, the government will invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to override Belobabas decision.

Read more:

Will there be 25 or 47 wards? Toronto city clerk at the centre of electoral storm

Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Never mind the charter, Doug Ford has diminished our democratic norms

As Toronto waits for Bill 31, MPPs will take time off for a plowing match. Heres what you need to know  starting with the basics

Premier Doug Ford, who never once mentioned any plan to slash Toronto council during the June 7 provincial election campaign, said he wants to fix a broken city hall and save $25 million over a four-year term.

By working overnight on behalf of the people, we are sending an important message, the former one-term councillor, who lost to Mayor John Tory in the 2014 mayoral election, told the legislature around 6:15 a.m.

We will do whatever it takes to get the job done. We will do whatever it takes to deliver better transit, to fix housing, to make sure we dont have a housing crisis  and make sure that we take care of the crumbling infrastructure, he said.

Were going to fix the political gridlock that has crippled city hall for decades.

Ford could not say how much the overnight emergency session of the legislature cost taxpayers. Scores of Legislative Assembly employees were called in on overtime.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath castigated Ford for acting unilaterally, charging these are the actions we would expect from a dictator.

Its absolutely shameful, the abuse of office. How petty is that, said Horwath, deriding the bully premier.

Were all embarrassed by what you people are doing, she chided Tory MPPs during an emotion-charged debate.

Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said his bill is necessary because Toronto council is broken.

City council took 15 hours to pass its budget. Toronto voters deserve a leaner and more efficient city council. They shouldnt have to wait, said Clark.

Throughout the night, protesters demonstrated loudly outside the legislature.

Let us in! Let us in! Let us in! they chanted when refused entry to the building.

Whose House? Our House! Whose House? Our House! Whose House? Our House! the protesters continued as they banged construction hoardings like drums.

Notwithstanding, were here standing!

The cacophony could be heard in the chamber all night, including when Attorney General Caroline Mulroney was telling MPPs that Toronto city council is dysfunctional.

Decision-making at city council is far from efficient, she said at 1 a.m.

From the public galleries a man shouted this is our government before being escorted out. Speaker Ted Arnott was forced to recess the House for 10 minutes and clear the galleries.

Mulroney could win a stay of Belobabas ruling Tuesday at the Court of Appeal.

That would would negate the need for the notwithstanding clause because Bill 5, which passed a month ago, could take effect. In that scenario, Bill 31 would be unnecessary.

Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter said the Tories were trivializing the importance of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms  especially when they never told voters what they were planning.

This isnt right. This is unjust and unfair. There was no mention of this during the campaign, said Hunter (Scarborough-Guildwood).

In the pre-dawn hours Monday, the Conservatives had some welcome news from the Speaker.

Arnott rejected a formal NDP complaint that Bill 31 was out of order because it is virtually identical to Bill 5, which is against the rules because duplicate legislation cannot be tabled in the same session.

He ruled that because Bill 31 includes the notwithstanding clause, it is significantly different from Bill 5.

The urgency at Queens Park stems from Fords decision to change the ward boundaries in the middle of an election that began May 1.

At city hall, clerk Ulli Watkiss has been warning a fair Oct. 22 municipal vote is becoming virtually impossible to carry out.

Watkiss, who has taken the unusual step of retaining her own outside legal counsel, said in court filings Friday that printers would need to work 14 hours a day for seven days to prepare the 2.6 million ballots.

The current schedule does not provide any room for slippage for unanticipated issues or the correction of errors, she said in her submission to court.

Ballots cannot yet be printed because it remains uncertain whether there will be 47 council wards or 25.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner accused the Tories of playing political games with the midnight sitting.

I would gladly work emergency hours if the legislature was being recalled to address serious problems that affect everyone in Ontario, such as hallway medicine, the mental health and addictions crisis, housing affordability, transit and the largest one-month job loss in a decade, said Schreiner.

The premier is responsible for this mess and he needs to explain why he is wasting so much time and money on his personal vendetta against Toronto, instead of serving the people of Ontario, he said.

Government House Leader Todd Smith expressed optimism that MPPs can still break Tuesday for the International Plowing Match rural expo in Chatham-Kent.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about:Premier Doug Fords dream of a shrunken Toronto city council will soon be the law of the land.

A controversial bill reducing the size of council cleared a major hurdle and should pass Thursday.

Following a raucous all-night legislative session that began at 12:01 a.m. Monday, the Progressive Conservatives concluded the requisite six-and-a-half of hours of second-reading debate of Bill 31, the Efficient Local Government Act.

Aimed at cutting council from 47 to 25 members for the Oct. 22 election, it is the reintroduction of Bill 5, the Better Local Government Act, which was struck down as unconstitutional a week ago by Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba.

The Tories introduced a time allocation motion, and the bill could then pass second and third reading as well as receive royal assent by Thursday. The deadline for registering as a municipal candidate would be two days later.

For the first time in Ontario history, the government will invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to override Belobabas decision.

Ford, who never once mentioned any plan to slash Toronto council during the spring provincial election campaign, said he wants to fix a broken city hall and save $25 million over a four-year term.

By working overnight on behalf of the people, we are sending an important message, the former one-term Toronto councillor, who lost to Mayor John Tory in the 2014 mayoral election, told the legislature around 6:15 a.m.

Read more:

Will there be 25 or 47 wards? Toronto city clerk at the centre of electoral storm

Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Never mind the charter, Doug Ford has diminished our democratic norms

As Toronto waits for Bill 31, MPPs will take time off for a plowing match. Heres what you need to know  starting with the basics

We will do whatever it takes to get the job done. We will do whatever it takes to deliver better transit, to fix housing, to make sure we dont have a housing crisis  and make sure that we take care of the crumbling infrastructure, he said.

Were going to fix the political gridlock that has crippled city hall for decades.

Ford could not say how much the overnight emergency session of the legislature cost taxpayers. Scores of legislative assembly employees were called in on overtime and numerous Toronto police officers were on hand outside in cruisers and on bicycles.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath castigated Ford for acting unilaterally by targeting Toronto council, charging that these are the actions we would expect from a dictator.

Its absolutely shameful, the abuse of office. How petty is that, said Horwath, deriding the bully premier.

Were all embarrassed by what you people are doing, she chided Tory MPPs during the emotionally charged debate.

Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said his bill is necessary because Toronto council accomplishes little.

City council took 15 hours to pass its budget. Toronto voters deserve a leaner and more efficient city council. They shouldnt have to wait, said Clark.

Throughout the night, protesters demonstrated loudly outside the legislature.

Let us in! Let us in! Let us in! they chanted when refused entry to the building.

Whose house? Our house! Whose house? Our house! Whose house? Our house! the protesters continued as they banged on construction hoardings like drums.

Notwithstanding, were here standing!

The cacophony could be heard in the chamber all night, including when Attorney General Caroline Mulroney was telling MPPs that Toronto city council is dysfunctional.

Decision-making at city council is far from efficient, she said at 1 a.m.

From the public galleries, a man shouted, This is our government before being escorted out. Speaker Ted Arnott was forced to recess the house for 10 minutes and clear the galleries.

Mulroney could win a stay of Belobabas ruling Tuesday at the Court of Appeal.

That would negate the need for the notwithstanding clause because Bill 5, which passed a month ago, could take effect. In that scenario, Bill 31 would be unnecessary.

Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter said the Tories were trivializing the importance of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms  especially when they never told voters what they were planning.

This isnt right. This is unjust and unfair. There was no mention of this during the campaign, said Hunter (Scarborough-Guildwood).

In the pre-dawn hours Monday, the Conservatives had some welcome news from the Speaker.

Arnott rejected a formal NDP complaint that Bill 31 was out of order because it is virtually identical to Bill 5, which is against the rules because duplicate legislation cannot be tabled in the same session.

He ruled that because Bill 31 includes the notwithstanding clause, it is significantly different from Bill 5.

The urgency at Queens Park stems from Fords decision to change Torontos ward boundaries in the middle of an election that began May 1.

At city hall, clerk Ulli Watkiss has been warning a fair Oct. 22 municipal vote is becoming virtually impossible to carry out.

Watkiss, who has taken the unusual step of retaining her own outside legal counsel, said in court filings Friday that printers would need to work 14 hours a day for seven days to prepare the 2.6 million ballots.

Those cannot yet be printed because of the uncertainty swirling around the number of council wards.

Green party Leader Mike Schreiner accused the Tories of playing political games with the midnight sitting, the first in more than 20 years.

I would gladly work emergency hours if the legislature was being recalled to address serious problems that affect everyone in Ontario, such as hallway medicine, the mental health and addictions crisis, housing affordability, transit and the largest one-month job loss in a decade, said Schreiner.

The premier is responsible for this mess and he needs to explain why he is wasting so much time and money on his personal vendetta against Toronto, instead of serving the people of Ontario, he said.

Government house leader Todd Smith was pleased MPPs would be able to attend the International Plowing Match in southwestern Ontario on Tuesday.

The legislature traditionally takes a break for the rural expo, an important annual event in the provinces political calendar.

Its important for all of us to get to the IPM in the Chatham area for tomorrow. Well come back on Wednesday. Our intention is to debate that time allocation motion, said Smith.

Well have all of the votes on this bill on Thursday.

With files from Kristin Rushowy

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about:WASHINGTONRepublicans on Monday abruptly called Brett Kavanaugh and the woman accusing him of sexual assault decades ago to testify publicly next week, grudgingly setting up a dramatic showdown they hoped would prevent the allegation from sinking his nomination to the Supreme Court.

Senate leaders announced the move under pressure from fellow Republicans who wanted a fuller, open examination of the allegations from Christine Blasey Ford, a college professor in California. After initially suggesting a private conference call on the matter would suffice, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said his panel would hold a hearing next Monday to provide ample transparency.

The move forced Republicans to put off a planned committee vote for Thursday on Kavanaughs nomination. The delay makes it increasingly difficult for Kavanaugh to win approval by Oct. 1, when the new session of the Supreme Court begins. It also sets up a public, televised airing of sexual misconduct allegations, reminiscent of the seminal hearings against Clarence Thomas in 1991, that could derail Kavanaughs nomination altogether.

Just hours earlier, top Republicans had shown no interest in a theatrical spectacle that would thrust Kavanaugh and Ford before television cameras with each offering public and no doubt conflicting and emotional  versions of what did or didnt happen at a high school party in the early 1980s.

Instead, Grassley had said hed seek telephone interviews with Kavanaugh and Ford, winning plaudits from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for planning to handle the episode by the book. Democrats rejected that plan, saying the seriousness of the charges merited a full FBI investigation.

Republicans had also displayed no willingness to delay a Judiciary panel vote that Grassley had planned for this Thursday to advance the nomination. But U.S. President Donald Trump telegraphed earlier Monday that that schedule might slow. He told reporters at the White House: If it takes a little delay, it will take a little delay.

Read more:

Kavanaugh accuser comes forward, saying he pinned her on bed and groped her

Kavanaugh grilled at Supreme Court confirmation hearing on abortion rights and alleged spying

If the Judiciary committees timetable slips further, it would become increasingly difficult for Republicans to schedule a vote before the Nov. 6 elections, in which congressional control will be at stake.

With fragile GOP majorities of just 11-10 on the Judiciary committee and 51-49 in the full Senate, Republican leaders had little room for defectors without risking a humiliating defeat of Trumps nominee to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Among the GOP defectors was Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a Judiciary Committee member who has clashed bitterly with Trump and is retiring from the Senate. Flake said he told No. 2 Senate Republican leader John Cornyn of Texas on Sunday that if we didnt give her a chance to be heard, then I would vote no.

There was enormous pressure on GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, two moderates who have yet to announce their positions on Kavanaugh and arent on the Judiciary Committee.

Collins said that in a telephone conversation with Kavanaugh on Friday, he was absolutely emphatic that the assault didnt occur, and she said it would be disqualifying if Kavanaugh was lying. Murkowski said Fords story must be taken seriously. Neither Collins nor Murkowski faces re-election this fall.

With the #MeToo movement galvanizing liberal and female voters and already costing prominent men their jobs in government, journalism and entertainment, a hearing would offer a fuller vetting of Fords charges but also present a politically jarring prelude to Novembers midterm elections.

Cornyn said Senate Republicans used a closed-door meeting Monday to agree to the public hearing.

Some Democrats raised questions about whether Grassleys plan was sufficient.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel, said in a statement Monday night that she was disappointed the FBI and White House are failing to take even the most basic steps to investigate this matter and that the process was being rushed. She said President George H.W. Bush had asked the FBI to investigate Anita Hills allegations against Thomas.

Another Democrat on the panel, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, said staging the hearing without the FBI investigation would make it a sham.

The Justice Department said in a statement late Monday that the accusation against Kavanaugh does not involve any potential federal crime. It said the FBI had forwarded to the White House a letter, evidently from Ford, describing alleged misconduct in the 1980s by Kavanaugh. The statement seemed to suggest that the FBI was not currently investigating it.

Underscoring the raw political divisions prompted by the Kavanaugh fight, Feinstein said shed only learned of the hearing on Twitter.

Earlier, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer of New York said it would be a deep insult to the women of America if Grassley did not postpone Thursdays meeting. And in an unusually personal swipe, Schumer said McConnell was showing unmitigated gall to oppose delaying Kavanaughs nomination after refusing for most of 2016 to consider President Barack Obamas nomination of Merrick Garland to the court after Antonin Scalia died.

Kavanaugh and Ford had each indicated earlier Monday a willingness to testify to the Judiciary committee. Debra S. Katz, Fords attorney, said on NBCs Today show that Ford was ready to testify publicly to the Judiciary panel, but she did not respond Monday evening to efforts to learn whether she would appear.

Kavanaugh, 53, whose confirmation had seemed to be on a smooth trajectory, went to the White House on Monday. Trump said he did not meet with his nominee and declined to say whether Kavanaugh had offered to withdraw, dismissing the question as ridiculous.

Ford, now a psychology professor at Californias Palo Alto University, told The Washington Post that an intoxicated Kavanaugh corralled her into a bedroom at a Maryland party when she was around 15 and he was about 17, held her down on a bed, tried to undress her and held his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. She said she got away when a companion of Kavanaughs jumped on him.

Kavanaugh said in a statement distributed by the White House on Monday that he wanted to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Kavanaugh is currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, widely viewed as the nations second-most-powerful court.

Until Monday, Trump had remained silent about the allegations against Kavanaugh. The president himself has faced accusations of affairs and unwanted advances  not to mention his taped comments about groping women that emerged shortly before he was elected in 2016.

Katz said Ford believes she would have been raped by Kavanaugh had he not been drunk.

Read more about:WILMINGTON, N.C.Throwing a lifeline to a city surrounded by floodwaters, emergency crews delivered food and water to Wilmington on Monday as rescuers picked up more people stranded by Hurricane Florence and the storms remnants took aim at the densely populated Northeast.

The death toll from Florence rose to at least 20, and crews elsewhere used helicopters and boats to rescue people trapped by still-rising rivers.

Thank you, a frazzled, shirtless Willie Schubert mouthed to members of a Coast Guard helicopter crew who plucked him and his dog Lucky from atop a house encircled by water in Pollocksville. It was not clear how long he had been stranded.

A day earlier, Wilmingtons entire population of 120,000 people was cut off by flooding. By midday Monday, authorities reopened a single unidentified road into the town, which stands on a peninsula. But it wasnt clear if that the route would remain open as the Cape Fear River kept swelling. And officials did not say when other roads might be clear.

In some places, the rain finally stopped, and the sun peeked through, but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned that dangerously high water would persist for days. He urged residents who were evacuated from the hardest-hit areas to stay away because of closed roads and catastrophic flooding that submerged entire communities.

Theres too much going on, he told a news conference.

About two dozen truckloads of military MREs and bottled water were delivered overnight to Wilmington, the states eighth-largest city, officials said.

The chairman of New Hanover Countys commissioners, Woody White, said three centres would open by Tuesday morning to begin distributing essentials to residents.

Things are getting better slowly, and we thank God for that, White said.

Mayor Bill Saffo said he was working with the governors office to get more fuel into Wilmington.

At this time, things are moving as well as can be in the city, he said.

Crews have conducted about 700 rescues in New Hanover County, where more than 60 per cent of homes and businesses were without power, authorities said.

Compounding problems, downed power lines and broken trees crisscrossed many roads in Wilmington three days after Florence made landfall. The smell of broken pine trees wafted through damaged neighbourhoods.

Desperate for gas to run a generator at home, Nick Monroe waited in a half-mile-long line at a Speedway station even though the pumps were wrapped in plastic. His power went off Thursday before Florence hit the coast, but he couldnt recall exactly when.

Its all kind of a blur, Monroe said.

At another gas station, a long line of vehicles followed a tanker truck that pulled in with 8,800 gallons of fuel.

Downgraded from a tropical depression, the deadly storm still had abundant rain and top winds around 35 km/h. Forecasters said it was expected to continue toward the Northeast, which is in for as much as 15 centimetres of rain, before the system moves offshore again.

Flooding worries increased in Virginia, where roads were closed and power outages were on the rise. In all, about 420,000 homes and businesses in three states were in the dark. Most of the outages were in North Carolina.

The death toll climbed by two as authorities found the body of a 1-year-old boy who was swept away after his mother drove into floodwaters and lost her grip on him while trying to get back to dry land. Elsewhere in North Carolina, an 88-year-old man died after his car was swept away.

Florence, once a fearsome Category 4 hurricane, was still massive. Radar showed parts of the sprawling storm over six states.

Fears of what could be the worst flooding in the states history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it was not clear how many had fled or even could.

Emergency officials had difficulty keeping up with the scope of the spreading disaster. In Lumberton, where the Lumber River inundated homes, Fire Chief John Paul Ivey couldnt even count how many calls authorities had received about people needing to be rescued.

Weve been going so hard and fast we dont have a number yet, he said.

Read more about:MOSCOWThe leaders of Russia and Turkey agreed Monday to establish a demilitarized zone in Syrias Idlib region, the last major stronghold of anti-government rebels where fears had been running high of a devastating offensive by government forces.

The zone will be established by Oct. 15 and be 15-20 kilometres deep, with troops from Russia and NATO-member Turkey conducting co-ordinated patrols, President Vladimir Putin said at the end of a more than three-hour meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi.

The deal marked a significant agreement between the two leaders and effectively delays an offensive by Syria and its Russian and Iranian allies, one that Turkey fears would create a humanitarian crisis near its border.

Putin said radical militants would have to withdraw from the zone. Among them would be those from the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham  Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee. The group denies it is linked to Al Qaeda.

It was not immediately clear exactly how the deal would be implemented in the province, which is home to more than three million Syrians and an estimated 60,000 rebel fighters from various groups.

I believe that with this agreement we prevented a great humanitarian crisis in Idlib, Erdogan said at a joint briefing with Putin.

Turkey has been eager to prevent an assault by Syrian government troops in the province.

Putin said he believed the agreement on Idlib could hasten final resolution of Syrias long and devastating civil war.

We agreed that practical implementation of the steps we plan will give a fresh impetus to the process of political settlement of the Syrian conflict and will make it possible to invigorate efforts in the Geneva format and will help restore peace in Syria, he said.

Asked whether Syrian President Bashar Assads government agreed with the Putin-Erdogan plan, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told reporters in Sochi that in the coming hours, we will agree with them on all the positions put forth in this document.

Ahmed Ramadan, a spokesperson for the Syrian political opposition in exile, said the agreement offered Russia a chance to walk back its threat against Idlib and represented a success for diplomatic pressure from Turkey and the United States, which was also against an offensive.

Ramadan also said the deal offers the Syrian government and Russia one of their main demands, which is securing the highway that passes through Idlib and links northern Syria with other cities. That was one of the governments strategic aims in an offensive in Idlib.

Turkey offered Putin a ladder with which to climb down from the tree, threatening a military offensive in Idlib that had little chance for success, Ramadan said in a series of text messages with The Associated Press. The Turkish and U.S. serious pressures were the reason behind Russia abstaining from the offensive and offering an air cover which means Iran alone wont be able to carry out the offensive with the overstretched forces of the Assad regime.

He said Russia has also refrained from its accusations that the rebels are all terrorists. Russia swallowed all its accusations, he said. Turkey is in a strong position.

He said the zone would be enforced by Turkish patrols on the opposition side and Russian patrols on the government side.

Ramadan added that the opposition was now stronger than when it was after losses in Daraa and Ghouta.

He said the Russians reached the agreement without negotiating it first with the Syrian government, pointing to Shoigus comments that Moscow will discuss the deal with the Syrian government later.

Abu Omar, a spokesperson for the Turkey-backed rebel group Faylaq al-Sham, thanked Erdogan for preventing an offensive and giving the rebels time to defend their rebellion and people. Millions of civilians in Idlib are in peace, he tweeted.

He said he was confident that the deal would not have been possible without the steadfastness of our people and fighters. Thank you, Erdogan.

Capt. Naji al-Mustafa, a spokesperson for the Turkey-backed umbrella group of opposition fighters known as the National Front for Liberation, said diplomatic efforts have prevented a wide-offensive on Idlib but that his group still needs to learn the details of the deal.

He said the nature of the demilitarized zone and how it would be implemented are not yet clear.

We need details, he said, adding that the Assad government has broken many agreements before, including the Russian-Turkey negotiated de-escalation zones.

We will remain ready for fighting, he said.

Russia has called Idlib a hotbed of terrorism and had said the Syrian government has the right to retake control of it. In recent weeks, Russian officials repeatedly claimed rebels in Idlib were preparing a chemical weapons attack that could be blamed on the Syrian government and prompt a retaliatory strike by the West.

Turkey had appealed to Russia and Iran, its uneasy negotiating partners, for a diplomatic resolution. At the same time, it has sent reinforcements to its troops ringing Idlib, a move designed to ward off a ground assault, at least for now.

The International Rescue Committee, a New-York based humanitarian group, said the people of Idlib will rest easier tonight knowing that they are less likely to face an impending assault.

However, Lorraine Bramwell, the groups Syria country director, cautioned that previous de-escalation deals didnt last long.

In order to give people in Idlib peace of mind then, this agreement needs to be built upon by the global powers working together to find a lasting political solution that protects civilians, Bramwell said. It is also essential that humanitarian organizations are allowed to reach those who will remain in need throughout Idlib, including in any demilitarized zone.

Idlib and surrounding areas were quiet Monday, a continuation of the calm that started less than a week ago amid Russia-Turkey talks.

Read more about:Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday accused Russia of systematically cheating on international sanctions against North Korea by illicitly helping the country acquire oil and coal.

Three months after President Donald Trump held a summit with Kim Jong Un in Singapore, Haley told the U.N. Security Council that Moscow has been actively working to undermine Security Council sanctions imposed on North Korea.

Why, after voting for sanctions 11 different times is Russia backing away from them? she said. We know the answer. Its because Russia has been cheating. And now theyve been caught.

Haley spoke at an emergency meeting of the Security Council called by the United States. Repeating an accusation she made last week, Haley said Russia had threatened to block an independent report on the status of North Korean sanctions unless a list of Russian violations was excised.

Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia denied that Russia had violated sanctions or blocked the report.

This is a falsehood, he said, according to the official translation of his remarks.

Citing Russias actions in Syria, the alleged poisoning of a former spy in England and election interference in the United States, Haley said, Deny, distract and lie is the new norm of Russian culture.

Haleys remarks represented another example of administration officials using uncompromising rhetoric against Russia even as Trump has played up his friendly relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

Trump also has exchanged warm regards with Kim, even though negotiations to curb North Koreas nuclear and ballistic program have been stalemated. Last month, Trump cancelled Secretary of State Mike Pompeos planned visit to Pyongyang, hours before the diplomat was due to leave, because Trump felt the talks were not making sufficient progress, he tweeted.

The United States is trying to maintain what officials call the maximum pressure campaign of North Korean sanctions, though Trump has said he longer uses the term because were getting along.

The administration led efforts last year to dramatically increase wide-ranging sanctions against North Korea to dry up its revenue for missile and nuclear programs.

But Haley said the United States has evidence that Russia has been evading the measures by helping with ship-to-ship transfers of oil, coal and other goods.

Step by step, sanction by sanction, and time and time again, Russia is working across the board to undermine the sanctions regime, she said.

Nebenzia accused the U.S. administration of undercutting diplomatic overtures by refusing to make any concessions to Pyongyang, only demands. And he said the White House is being overly aggressive in Security Council in an attempt to subjugate the body to U.S. policy.

Chinas ambassador Ma Zhaoxu said confrontation is a dead-end, and called for U.N. sanctions to be enforced but gradually lifted as a reward for steps toward denuclearization.

Last month, Trump tweeted that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful!

In a briefing to the council, U.N. political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned that despite some positive steps, there continue to be signs the DPRK [North Korea] is maintaining and developing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

Read more about:NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKEToronto isnt the only place in Ontario getting kicked around by Premier Doug Ford.

While Ford is noisily dismembering Torontos city council, using tactics that degrade and disrespect Canadas Constitution, his Progressive Conservative government has also more quietly cancelled elections for regional chair in York, Peel and Niagara.

Its always murky for a senior government to deny Ontarians the right to vote for regional representatives, so the cancellation of all three elections raises questions. But cancelling the vote for regional chair in Niagara may be the most murky of Fords moves outside Toronto.

The cancellation leaves unanswered a number of questions about the way Niagara Region is administered and the way its elected regional council functions.

They really boil down to this: Is Niagara Region Ontarios rotten borough?

Niagara Region has been wallowing in the mire quite a bit, it seems.

Last December the regional council illegally seized the notes and computer of a St. Catharines Standard reporter, Bill Sawchuk, whose transgression appears to have been covering a council meeting  doing his job.

One regional councillor, Andy Petrowski, got in trouble for sending out inflammatory Trump-like tweets about other local officials, homosexuality and Muslims, as well as an email from his government account with a pornographic image of a woman with her legs spread open.

Pewtrowski, who is not running again, said he was sorry about the email, which he says he didnt send. But he has refused to apologize for what objectively, anyone would consider some fairly nasty tweets about Islam  he says these are truth and the word of God.

Theres also a bit of mess at the regions Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, which cost taxpayers a bundle in lawyers fees. The authority, along with its former chief administrator, Carmen DAngelo, sued a local activist, Ed Smith, for defamation and they lost.

The failed lawsuit left taxpayers on the hook for at least $100,000.

Niagaras regional chair, Alan Caslin, then played a role in hiring DAngelo as Niagara Regions chief administrative officer to a cushy $230,000-a-year job. The CAO of a region executes the policies that the elected officials approve.

DAngelo may be a fine administrator, but it also turns out that he had help with the job interview.

Grant LaFleche, a reporter at the local paper, the St. Catharines Standard, did some digging and found that Caslins office appears to have tipped the hiring process, providing DAngelo with his job interview questions  along with suggested answers.

Have you ever applied for a job you really wanted? Who among us wouldnt want to be given the exact interview questions and answers?

Lucky DAngelo won the $230,000 taxpayer-funded job.

It would have been reasonable for Niagaras voters to ask Caslin, who was running for regional chair, what happened and how his office was involved.

Except that, whoops! Thanks to Ford, he doesnt have to answer now.

Just after the local story broke about the interview help, Ford cancelled the regional election as part of the ill-fated bill that proposed to slash Torontos council.

The court decision that forced Ford to go back to the drawing board on Toronto did not affect the cancelling of votes in Niagara (or Vaughan or Peel).

Caslin is now free to run for a local seat on Niagaras regional council, instead of region-wide. He can then try to get reappointed by his peers in the clubby regional council.

Meanwhile, it turns out that, without anyone overseeing or approving, Caslin also quietly extended DAngelos contract, with a golden parachute.

The contract Caslin approved gives DAngelo a full years salary  $230,000  even if his contract expires and council decides not to renew it.

Niagaras other councillors say they did not find out about this cushy contract extension until right around the time Ford decided that Caslin would not have to run region-wide.

In announcing that he would use the Constitution of Canada to pursue his personal vendetta against Toronto and its council, Ford made a point of saying he believes he has this right because, I was elected.

What about electing the Chair of Niagaras Regional Council? When Niagara voters go to the polls on Oct. 22, they can forget about that.

Correction  Sept. 17, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said the city of Vaughan had regional chair elections. In fact, York Region had regional chair elections before it was cancelled by the Progressive Conservative government.

David Israelson, a former journalist with the Star, lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He is a candidate for a seat on the District School Board of Niagara.

Read more about:Appointing judges is one of the most important responsibilities that I have as minister of justice and attorney general of Canada.

Consider this. A federally appointed judge can sit until age 75. That judge will hear the most important cases in our legal system: criminal trials involving murders and sexual assaults, civil cases, and family law matters.

Over a long career, a judge will preside over hundreds of trials and make hundreds of decisions impacting the lives of Canadians from all walks of life. I get one chance to appoint that judge, and so I want to get that right. I need to conduct due-diligence to ensure I name only the most meritorious candidates to the bench.

When I became minister I committed to creating a better judicial appointment process  one that would be open, transparent and ensured that the best possible candidates became judges. I also wanted a judiciary that more accurately reflected the country it served.

That process is in place now and is effective. Since I became minister I have made 212 appointments, including 168 under the new process. From March to December last year, I made 100 appointments, the most by any minister in more than two decades. And I am happy to say that the pace of appointments this year is just as brisk. The system is working.

Some, including senior members of the judiciary, have argued that the long-standing problem of court delays would be solved if I filled all vacancies at the same time. They say too much due-diligence is getting in the way of faster appointments. That assertion demands a response.

When an individual applies to be a judge, the application is reviewed by one of 17 Judicial Advisory Committees (JAC) across Canada. As part of our new process, I reconstituted these JACs to better reflect Canadian society. These committees meet regularly to consider applications and work incredibly hard. I am grateful for the many hours these volunteers devote to quiet but critically important public service. At the end of their review process, they send me a list of highly recommended, recommended and not recommended candidates.

The JACs work is critical, but there is much more to an appointment than a recommendation. The JAC tells me whether someone is qualified to be a judge. My responsibility is to take that information and then determine whether or not this candidate is the best candidate for the vacancy.

To do that, my office and I will go far beyond the list of references provided as part of a candidates application, to get a clearer picture of the candidate. We do a deep dive into the candidates work, what they have written or argued, and confirm their qualifications. We do extensive background checks.

But there is more to consider. What legal expertise does the court need? Does it need family law experts? Or criminal law experts? A bilingual judge in an area with a large Francophone population? I work with the chief justices across Canada to ensure their needs are met. Sometimes, meeting those specific needs takes more time.

Woven through all of this is the need for a bench that more accurately reflects the country it serves. Diversity matters. Among the judges I have appointed or promoted to new roles, more than half are women, eight are Indigenous, 18 are members of visible minority communities, 12 identify as LGBTQ2, and three identify as people with disabilities.

I know the pressures faced by our justice system because of the Supreme Courts Jordan decision. Our government is doing its part. We have increased the judicial complement 35 judges across Canada (and by 10 in Ontario), we have advanced law reforms such as Bill C-75 to address court delays. We are working closely with the provinces and territories. As the Supreme Court noted in Jordan, the culture of delay is something to be addressed by all actors in the system. Appointing judges is one part.

I am proud of the process I have implemented, and I am incredibly proud of the appointments I have made. Judges play a critical role in the health of our democracy, whether or not we agree with the decisions they make.In a saner world, one where Doug Ford wasnt rampaging through the City of Toronto, busting up things that arent broken, at least part of Monday would have been spent discussing public safety in Canadas biggest city.

Its an important issue, what with the worrying rise in gun violence and proposals for a ban on handguns and assault rifles. Mayoral candidate Jennifer Keesmaat released a five-point action plan for community safety on Monday and Mayor John Torys record on security and police reform is well worth debating.

But were Torontonians engaged in such a worthwhile discussion? No, they were not. Instead, once again their attention was hijacked by Fords obsessional drive to cut city council in half, and damn the consequences. The spectacle of the legislature pulling an all-nighter to ram through Fords changes blotted out everything else.

There has already been much tallying of the costs of this move, both in terms of the damage to local democracy and the worrying precedent set by an Ontario government going where Queens Park has never dared go before  using the notwithstanding clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to brush aside a court ruling it doesnt like.

These costs are very real. But just as important is what hasnt been happening.

Torontos municipal election has effectively been obliterated since Ford dropped his bombshell at the end of July. Even if Bill 31, the law now being rushed through the legislature, passes by the end of this week, the whole effort will have completely dominated the citys public life for eight weeks  time that would normally have been spent discussing actual issues.

Voters and politicians will have barely four weeks to do that, leaving aside the minor details of figuring out who will run where and getting campaigns up and going.

Four weeks (considerably less, really, given those enormous uncertainties) to air such matters as affordability, housing policy, transit, traffic, property taxes, policing, pedestrian safety, the opioid crisis, homelessness, privatization of services, social housing ... the list goes on.

A maximum of four weeks for voters to assess Torys record after four years and take the measure of Keesmaat and others seeking the mayoralty. And, just as important, for voters to decide who will best represent them on council, not to mention who is even running in their neighbourhood.

This is a serious disservice to the people of Toronto, one caused entirely by Fords personal vendetta with his old enemies on city council.

What could make this worse? If anything, the very real possibility that the election on Oct. 22 will fall short of the standards of transparency and fairness we have a right to expect.

Torontos city clerk, Ulli Watkiss, warned council late last week that it will be virtually impossible to hold a fair election on that date.

She said she isnt sure if it will be possible to organize advance polls in that timeframe, potentially depriving many people of their vote. Even if there are advance polls, they cant be done over Thanksgiving weekend, when many students will be home from college, or there may be fewer of them.

None of this is likely to promote public confidence in the integrity of this election. If things go according to Fords plan, were likely to have a campaign that is short on the issues, confusing about who is running where, and more difficult for people to vote.

Thanks, Premier.

Read more about:How is it that an organization representing almost every municipality across Ontario doesnt seem to understand something thats so obvious to 77-year-old Ester Reiter?

As Reiter, who cancelled her music practice to protest the provincial governments actions against Toronto and the Charter in the legislature last week, says: You dont fight (injustice) for yourself. You fight it for everybody.

But the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has, so far, seen no reason to speak out against a premier who has blown up a municipal election and maintains that his power over municipalities is absolute, no matter the consequences.

Indeed, on the very same day in August that Toronto city council was holding an emergency meeting over Doug Fords first round of legislation to slash council seats in half in the middle of the election, AMO was happily giving him a platform at its annual conference. He trotted out his fewer-politicians-is-better line and bizarrely, given what hes done, spoke about his plan to be a collaborative partner with municipalities.

You want a provincial partner that listens to your needs, said the premier.

To all that, the audience of municipal leaders and officials from hundreds of towns and cities across Ontario cheered, and stayed silent about what was happening in Toronto.

Part of that can be explained by Torontos absence from the group. It should be a member of the century-old municipal lobby group, but the city left in a fit of pique more than a decade ago under then-mayor David Miller.

Beyond that, AMO says it rarely advocates around an issue affecting an individual municipality. Instead, it sticks to broad, shared concerns.

Surely that standard has been met by now. Not only has Fords government shown a complete disregard for the will of a democratically elected council, it has gone so far as to argue in court that effective representation at the municipal level is nothing more than a policy choice. And, of course, it has invoked the notwithstanding clause to override a court decision based on Charter rights.

That should be a concern from Ajax to Zorra and the hundreds of other municipalities AMO represents, including the likes of Ottawa, Mississauga, Brampton and Hamilton.

The experience of those towns and cities so far with this premier has, undoubtedly, been quite different than Torontos, and perhaps understandably they dont want to risk changing that. After all, theyve just witnessed how Ford deals with those who get in his way.

But just because youre doing okay under a particular system has never been a good reason to stay quiet when great injustices come to the fore. History is replete with those lessons.

Its time AMO and others realized that what Ford is doing is about far more than deciding how many council seats Toronto will have. Hes not just trampling on the rights of Torontonians; hes sweeping aside the rights of all Ontarians.

Certainly AMO is not the only organization that has remained silent for too long. Other civil society and business groups  CivicAction and the Toronto Region Board of Trade, for example  have also chosen to stay on the sidelines when they should be standing up for Toronto.

Thankfully, Ester Reiter is far from the only one who understands how serious things are and why its important to stand up and be heard.

Citizens have filled the galleries at city hall and the legislature, the opposition NDP is doing all it can, and even some Progressive Conservative luminaries, led by former premier Bill Davis, are speaking out. Most recently, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities added its name to the list.

Theres a fundamental issue of democracy at stake here about local representation, its legitimacy and I think Canadians are rallying behind that, said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, chair of the federations big city caucus.

Will AMO, which represents the municipal voice in the province where this injustice is actually happening, come around to that way of thinking?

It should.

Read more about:And it came to pass in the days of Justin the Prince, chief ruler of the True North, there arose in the land of Hogtown, a new Pharaoh, born at odds with his city.

Conceived nigh in the hills of Etobicoke, a stingy and tight-fisted outpost on the western suburb of the great city by the lake, Doug Ford shared his fathers name and would borrow the familys bent toward politics. He also adopted an animus toward the intelligentsia, the elites, the civic architects who created the ethos and culture that made central Toronto the heartbeat of an envious global metropolis.

But to see Doug is to overlook the pudgy pugilist as a political force; for he seems unable to spell finesse and is incapable of pronouncing subtlety.

Whether by nature or nurture, Doug Jr. embraced the ethic that it is better to punch ones way out of a corner than backpedal to fight another day.

Thus, long before, the new Pharaoh became king, er, Premier of Ontario, in the dominion that housed Hogtown, the smiling assassin had earned several names, among them, Doug the Thug.

It was he who rode into Hogtowns city hall for one term with his crack-smoking brother as mayor, and plunged the peoples place into unprecedented chaos and world infamy. The polished half of a diabolical twinning, Doug badmouthed a home for people with autism, called councillors monkeys and journalists pricks, and proposed to cut city council in half and give the mayor more powers and cut the number of libraries and tear up transit plans and build Coney Island on the waterfront and privatize anything that wasnt nailed down.

Read more:

As Doug Ford tries to bypass court ruling on cutting Toronto Council, judges stress need for respect for judiciary to maintain public confidence in justice system

Edward Keenan | Opinion: On the absurdity of Doug Ford causing crises, then holding himself out as the solution

Doug Ford has yet to respond to breach of trust allegations made by Rob Fords widow

And wherever the Fords went, chaos and disruption and strife besieged the people. Oh, they were comical, indeed, and fed the American late night TV comedy machine. Embarrassed, city councillors stripped the mayor of his powers because he could not be counted on to show up for work sober and not under the influence of illicit substances, and because of a litany of other indiscretions. Doug railed and seethed.

When his brother Rob took ill, Doug replaced him and sought the peoples vote as mayor.

But the populace of Hogtown would not be punked again.

So the voters chose another Con(servative), a progressive one, more in line with their sensibilities: John Tory.

When the smiling assassin became Pharaoh and casually mentioned to Timid Tory that he might cut city council nearly in half, the mayor should have taken it seriously. The fact that Trusting Tory sounded no alarm and offered citizens no tool to fight the intrusion, except weak words and a proposed non-binding referendum, left opponents with little option but to ask what he knew about the scam.

In the seventh month of the year that a black woman married into the British monarchy, and the world signaled approval as naturally as it scorned the Trump of a U.S. president, the new Pharaoh ascended the throne in such a twisted and bizarre tangle of circumstances only fate could explain.

A Ford government would return Ontario to a failed past, one scribe had warned the people, pointing to the first Pharaoh, one Mike Harris, whose very name rekindled emotions best left buried. Temperamentally unsuited, another cautioned. A third predicted that Pharaoh Ford would not resist the temptation to inflict harsh measures and Ford-ian restrictions on Hogtown.

The warnings served as an invitation to many across the dominion, especially the Toronto-haters, the jealous citizens always wary of the anything-goes, topsy-turvy, sushi-sucking, maddening mix of grime and grunge and chichi sophisticates in leftist downtown Sodom.

Citizens tired of Liberal party scandals and choking on grouses built up over 15 years or rulers named McGuinty and Wynne grabbed the lifeline. Government-haters and those averse to increasing taxes to pay for things found company and consorts, if not a clan. Perennial trolls of politicians linked up with everyday trolls whose Twitter feeds are populated with posts about elites and leftists and downtown bike-riding pinko environmentalists who wage war on the car.

Now, the new Pharaoh inherited a government that faces serious challenges: 50,000 jobs gone, a rising deficit, the challenge of crafting a budget, a strained health care suystem, unaffordable housing, aging infrastructure and a trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico on the edge of collapse.

Instead of focusing on addressing them, the boss reached all the way down to Hogtown to meddle in its local business.

Call it unfinished business.

He targeted the petty issue of how many councillors the people could elect. Worse, he moved without any consultation or prior warning, cutting the number almost in half. Worse, he changed the rules in the middle of an election. Worse still, when a judge ruled that he was wrong in doing so, the Pharaoh doubled down and used a rarely used consitutional power to override the judge for a purpose it was never intended. Worse even than that, he promised to do it again whenever his political designs are thwarted by the courts  challenging the very system of laws established to govern the people.

The action seemed so extreme for so small a goal.

Who is preoccupied with cutting the number of Toronto councillors to 25 from 47?

And why?

About 20 years ago, when the first Pharaoh amalgamated six cities into one Toronto, 107 councillors were cut to 56. Last election we had 44.

Why the urgency to reduce it further? And only in Hogtown, when almost all of Ontario towns and cities have more councillors per population than Toronto?

Dissembler Doug borrowed from the Trump playbook and staunchly claimed what was demonstrably false: that no transit is being built, infrastructure is stalled and Toronto council is the most dysfunctional in Canada.

The Spadina subway extension opened in December. The Eglinton Crosstown is clearly under construction. And the Scarborough Subway plans are pushing along.

Indeed, the biggest slowdown of transit plans occurred when the Fords arrived at city hall and tore up the comprehensive Transit City plan.

But there is a method to the madness; the Ford plan that got defeated at city council is now being resurrected from the province and there is no council with the power to stop it. With more disruption to come.

In ruling Fords move illegal, Justice Edward Belobaba tried, declaring the obvious: that Fords actions reflected one of pique over principle.

Pharaoh Pique ploughs ahead, notwithstanding. Mission accomplished.

And, once again, the bully tactics prove effective as the ones holding the checks and balances are cowered into silence or bludgeoned into obeisance.

So complete is the coup, so utterly defeated the home side, that Thursdays final emergency gathering of Toronto council was more akin to a wake than an awakening.

When Mayor John Tory finally rose to his feet, the final speaker, and delivered dross and pap that could elevate not a single decibel much less the level of debate, the abject capitulation was complete.

Pity poor Hogtown!

Under Doug Ford rule, ravaged and undefended.

Selah!

Chapter 2: Wheres the fight?

Royson James is a former Star reporter who is a current freelance columnist based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @roysonjames

Read more about:Conservatives are like communists; they never get along.

So Conservative Party splittist Maxime Bernier is welcoming disaffected Canadian conservatives to a new day, a new party. It is the PPC, the Peoples Party of Canada, so named because the current CPC apparently doesnt like people  we just dont care for them, dont know why  and apparently work to repel them.

The party will of course be referred to as Maxime Berniers PP.

Did no one give this a run-through? Say it out loud? Perhaps Bernier forgot that in 2000, Conservative splittists initially formed the Canadian Conservative Reform Alliance Party, or CCRAP, pronounced as C-CRAP.

All the laughter died in sorrow. Again, does no one check these things?

It is possible, of course, that they did and laughed and tanked the party as a secret joke, ha ha.

There is a Loblaws near my house in the east end of Toronto. We drive past the back parking lot to the front via a small delivery alley at the side of the store.

Teens drove maniacally on the lot at night, so Loblaws put in speed bumps to slow them down and politely posted signs that read SPEED BUMP.

Read more:

Conservatives paying attention to Berniers new party, MP says

Maxime Bernier launches new party as The Peoples Party of Canada

Berniers new party draws its first public backers

Naturally, they didnt read that way for long. The signs would read PEE BUM. And maintenance would paint it over. The next week the signs would read PEE PUMP. Thats not the funny part. The funny part is that this went on for years and I laughed every single time.

As the little blue ball that is our world spun around the sun, as governments fell and rose again, as the hippity-hoppity of life consumed us, you could count on one thing: that teenagers devoted to their craft knew that everyone likes a potty joke or two.

I found this evidence of Canadian winsomeness reassuring. To this day I think pee bum every time I drive by. Just as every time I see Bernier speak, I will think peepee and I will laugh.

I mean, I will laugh anyway because its Bernier, the hapless minister canned by Stephen Harper in 2008 over a girlfriend with links to the Hells Angels. Bernier is a simpleton radiating self-love and a coward who is coy about Canadian hard-right populism.

Premier Doug Ford also alleges he represents the people although he told zero people he would use the notwithstanding clause to kill local elections. U.S. President Trumps base is real people and the uneducated, but he despises dumb Southerners, retards, Black people, women ... Really he loves only one people: himself. Donald Trump, party of one.

Visit the PPC website and see what kind of people are Berniers people. May I say that Trump is an honorary member of the Pee Party? There, I said it.

Bernier hates equalization payments and carbon taxes, will end corporate welfare but lower the corporate tax rate from 15 per cent to 10 per cent, will bring the private sector into health care, abolish the capital gains tax and the maple syrup cartel, kill most foreign aid, and end immigration of people he considers dark and dodgy.

He expects immigrants and refugees to share Canadian values such as the equality of men and woman (sic) but does not mention helping women. In fact, he has said hell allow a free vote on abortion rights. Oh.

Bernier says hell stand up for rural Canadians in eight different ways but doesnt mention cities  we dont even rate a handgun ban  despite most Canadians being urban. The PP caters to insecure rural white gun-owning men, and immigrants who fit in, possibly by being rural white gun-owning men, but Bernier doesnt have the courage to say that.

They are people who want to pay for their own health care, let corporations be kings, be uni-coloured, and buy cheaper stuff. They are basically Americans, which we will never be until the Americans invade and insist.

Bernier will succeed in hiving off the Angry Pajamas of the Conservative Party, giving Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer a lighter load.

The NDP are Mensheviks and the Liberals may win again. Scheer is a decent person who would have resisted being pushed into a racist corner. Now he is free.

Heather Mallick is a columnist based in Toronto covering current affairs. Follow her on Twitter: is a columnist based in Toronto covering current affairs. Follow her on Twitter: @HeatherMallick

Read more about:ALTON  Supporters of a retired Alton priest are rallying to raise money for his legal fees as he faces likely deportation because of a mistake he made 12 years ago based on misinformation.

My immigration lawyer tells me deportation is inevitable and that the position I might be granted is voluntary departure, but it is up to the decision of the immigration judge, said the Rev. David Boase, 69, who retired in 2014 from St. Paul Episcopal Church, 10 E. Third St.

Technically, I am not being deported, I will leave on my own account, he said if the judge allows the voluntary departure for him to go back to England. I have to leave America  my home, my church and my friends. Ive been here 14 years. My life is here. It is going to wreck my life. I am so happy here, in the parish, in the community and the area. It is a mess.

Boase has a second hearing before a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services judge Sept. 28 in Kansas City, Missouri, where he will learn his fate. The judge has several options in his ruling, but Boase does not plan to fight the decision. He said if the judge allows him to leave voluntarily, he could be eligible to obtain a non-immigrant visa so he would be able to return for visits.

I want to come back to America, the land and places I love, he said.

If the judge orders Boase deported, he cannot return for a specific amount of years; he said his attorney said it likely would be for 10 years, but a judge can specify five, 10 or 20 years  or never, online sources say. The judge also can specify how much time Boase has before he must leave the United States, and it could be immediately.

Boase grew up in the Lake District of northwest England, but lived in York in the northeast part of the country prior to coming to the United States. In 2004, he received his calling to the Episcopal Parish of Alton, to minister at St. Paul, his first and only assignment in the United States.

The fateful turn of events happened shortly after his arrival, when he went to an Illinois Secretary of State office to obtain a drivers license. Boase said a supervisor asked him if he wanted to register to vote, so he signed the card, not knowing he was ineligible. He later received a notice informing him of his polling place.

I trusted the supervisor at the DMZ (Secretary of State) office, he misled me, Boase said. He did not ask if I was an American citizen and he should have. Two years later, Boase voted in the Nov. 7, 2006 mid-election, mainly because of his interest in a local ballot question.

More Information The gofundme page for the Rev. David Boase describes his plight: "After a lifetime of serving God around the world, he had finally found his home. For the next 10 years, David ministered to the needs of his parish like few could imagine. His natural wit, engaging personality and boundless empathy revitalized the church. At the same time, he threw himself into the broader Alton community, touching lives and becoming involved in a variety of activities including Alton Little Theater. His dream, like so many others, was to become an American citizen. So after his 2014 retirement from full-time priesthood (he continues to "fill-in" at other churches when needed), he began the process of naturalization. He took his test and shortly before his birthday (July 4th), David was notified that he had indeed passed and should be expecting a final date to take his Oath of Allegiance. That day never came. Instead, he received notice of removal due to a mistake he made several years ago. The mistake: David voted. One time, in 2006. A day he had wished had never happened, but it did." Emotionally, this has been devastating to David. But through it all, his faith in God has not been dented in the least. And neither, it should be said, is his faith in America. David loves this country, even when the fairness of its actions fall short of perfection," the writeup says. "So what's next? In part, that's up to you. For David, deportation is not as simple as just returning to his native England. After a lifetime of serving God around the world, he has no home to return. He lives modestly on a combination of a small pension and Social Security. In Alton, that can be a comfortable - yet hardly extravagant - life. But with no Social Security, mounting legal bills and enormous moving cost, the future looks quite bleak. Especially with the prospect of living in a new country with no support system and no obvious way to earn a living. "We are asking for your help. Speak up. Let your representative in congress know. Tell your friends. For 14 years, David has been there for us - at baptisms and funerals and weddings, on Sunday morning and in the middle of the night. Your prayers and your support are what he needs now. Thank you, and God bless America." See More Collapse

When he later mentioned voting, a parishioner told him he should not have done so, and Boase said he never voted again.

In a second unfortunate turn of events for the priest, Boase said an attorney suggested he apply for U.S. citizenship, which set off his current problems. Boase said he began the process and passed the interview with an immigration agent.

The agent recommended me for citizenship, he said. Another agent then began investigating Boase and discovered he improperly had voted years ago, and reported the priest.

Now, Boase said he will have to sell his house in Godfrey and all of its contents. He has been living on a modest pension and Social Security, the latter which will cease when he returns to England.

He said he does not have enough money to buy, or possibly even to rent a home in York. He has a daughter in England and a son in China, but his heart is in the United States. Alton-Godfrey is a wonderful place to live, he said.

Although retired, Boase has been filling in to celebrate services at churches throughout Southern Illinois, as well as officiating at weddings, baptisms and funerals. He also has been involved in community activities over the years, such as Vintage Voices and a half-dozen Alton Little Theater plays.

Gordon Robertson, an Alton area native whose family is friends with Boase, has been spearheading the effort to let the community know of the priests likely imminent deportation and need for financial assistance. He said he also contacted U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworths (D-Illinois) office for assistance.

David doesnt contest the fact that he did this, but there is a flaw in the system, he was offered the opportunity to vote, said Robertson of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It wasnt like he went to vote trying to tip the election. This is all blown up. He is a pillar of the community.

A search of Madison County Circuit Court records does not reveal any criminal charges or citations for Boase, including any traffic tickets.

Robertson posted a YouTube video of Boase discussing his situation at: https://youtu.be/KooooCfxr7c; set up a Facebook page called, Friends United for Fr. David Boase (https://www.facebook.com/United4DavidBoase); and established a gofundme page (United for Father David Boase) to raise $5,000 for Boases legal expenses, although the total cost is unknown.

As of 4 p.m. Monday, the United for Father David Boase fund totaled $1,000.JERSEYVILLE  A Godfrey man was charged with felony weapons violations after police discovered a semi-automatic assault rifle and body armor after a traffic stop Sept. 12.

Shane A. Reese, 39, of the 27200 block of Beltrees Lane, Godfrey, was charged Sept. 12 with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Super Class X felony; and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Super Class 3 felony. He was also charged with driving with a suspended license.

The felony charges stem from an attempted traffic stop by a Jersey County Sheriffs deputy.

According to court records and Jersey County Sheriff John Wimmersberg, Reese was driving a 1994 GMC truck on Illinois Route 3 and Beltrees Lane when a deputy attempted to stop Reese for failure to signal. Reese allegedly continued driving to his residence, where he was taken into custody.

Wimmersberg said that based on evidence recovered from the vehicle, a search was made on the property and house. Police recovered the SKS semi-automatic assault rifle, a Soviet-style weapon from the 1940s-1950s, body armor and what Wimmersberg described as a large amount of cannabis.

Fortunately we got him detained in his vehicle, Wimmersberg said.

Bail was set at $100,000. The case is still under investigation and additional charges are possible.

Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447.The Kingdom Child-Newly Released -- Based on a True Story



SUGAR LAND, Texas, Sept. 17, 2018 /



"The Kingdom Child melts the coldest heart and opens the blindest of eyes. If you are looking for a book that brings a message from God, you have found it." -- R.H. Lewis, author of Secrets of Bayboro Mansion



View full press release here.



Share Tweet Contact: Jennifer Johnson, 713-545-9979SUGAR LAND, Texas, Sept. 17, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- The Kingdom Child-a true story inspired by the faith of a 14 year old boy who discovered the purpose for his life would be revealed while battling for his survival. This book will pierce the soul of every reader as they discover the authenticity of their own faith, especially in their darkest moments. There's a life that leads to death, and a death that leads to life. Only a Kingdom Child can know the difference."The Kingdom Child melts the coldest heart and opens the blindest of eyes. If you are looking for a book that brings a message from God, you have found it." -- R.H. Lewis, author of Secrets of Bayboro MansionWOOD RIVER  A St. Louis man was charged Monday after allegedly robbing the Wood River Verizon Wireless store last week.

Ronald D. Mottley, 35, of the 1500 block of Pine Street, St. Louis, was charged with robbery after the incident was reported at the store, 623 Wesley Drive, at 11:37 a.m. Friday.

According to a release from the Wood River Police Department, a 911 call to the department reported a suspect wearing a Hardees restaurant uniform, hat and apron entered the store and made inquiries about iPhones. While the employee was assisting the suspect, he was able take two phones from the employee. He ran from the store. The suspect ran south towards the south end of the business complex, Police Chief Brad Wells said.

A check of the area was done, but the suspect was not immediately located. A crime scene technician from the Illinois State Police was requested to process the crime scene, and a police canine from the Collinsville Police Department was requested in an attempt to track the suspect.

Investigators were able to identify the suspect through a canvas of area businesses.

The warrant and criminal information was signed by the Honorable Judge Neil Schroeder. Bond was set at $60,000.

Mottley was not in custody as of Monday afternoon.Dink Abbotts letter to the editor in the Sept. 15 Telegraph edition is a perfect example of the paranoia that the MSM has been able to create in the minds of the gullible.

With the MSM pounding Trump 24/7 with their anti-Trump propaganda and Russian collusion fabrications, it is little wonder that many of the gullible have developed what has become known as Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). The MSM and their gullible believers are so obsessed with their anti-Trump sentiment that anything he does is immediately attacked.The Accounts & Procurement Assistant willensure accurate and timely procurement and maintenance of accounting records, controlsand procedures for the Farmandmanagement of the supply process and supplier relationships. This positioncovers broad and sensitive aspects of the finance function, and the incumbentis expected to demonstrate flexibility, initiative and honesty his/her approachto the role.Armour Energy(Uganda) is an oil and gas exploration company, licensed to undertakeexploration activities in the Kanywataba license area in Ntoroko District, inUganda, invites suitably qualified persons to apply for the position of GeneralAdministrative Assistant. The tenure of the job is for an initial 6 months termwith potential for both growth and renewal.Director Anthony Maras new film Hotel Mumbai had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film stars Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name), Jason Issacs (Harry Potter) and Anupam Kher (The Big Sick). All of these actors attended the premiere and participated in a compelling Q&A conversation with the audience after the film.

The movie depicts the Mumbai terror attacks that took place Nov. 26-29, 2008, when 10 gunmen belonging to the Pakistan-based militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba staged a series of co-ordinated attacks across the city, ending with a multi-day siege of the luxurious Taj Mahal Hotel that left 164 dead and hundreds wounded.

Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with survivors and witnesses and told from the perspective of hotel guests, staff and to some extent the gunmen, the film sets out to recreate the attacks faithfully and authentically.

The film expertly ratchets up tension and confusion, drawing the viewer into a harrowing experience that is not broken up by lengthy plot digressions or exposition.

Hotel Mumbai provides a raw and rare look behind the curtain of a terrorist attack, inviting the audience to experience its unrelenting and gut-wrenching reality. The film doesnt concern itself with the contextual details that emerge in the aftermath of a terror plot; instead it replicates the confusion, panic and genuine fear one would feel at the time.

For almost the entire two hour run-time, the viewer is left to struggle with the intensity of that confusion, not knowing when or if safety will materialize.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, popular media in North America has moved from amorphous representations of political violence to a plot format that explicitly uses terrorism, invokes real militant groups and focuses almost exclusively on the United States and Islamic extremism as their bread and butter. Few films actually take the viewer inside the experience of terror plots as they happen; this is where Hotel Mumbai ushers in a new complex path with audiences.

The only potential drawback of this narrative style is that for viewers unfamiliar with the broader political context of terrorism in India  and in Western audiences they may be the majority  there is little information about where the attack comes from or how it fits into the larger story of the Indian subcontinent.

Terrorism in India

The Mumbai gunmen were trained in Pakistan and, as depicted in the film, carried out their attack with direction via mobile phones from planners in Pakistans metropolis port, Karachi. The gunmen were found to be members of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based militant group that was also responsible for a 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi.

The existence of groups like LeT is a significant sore spot in India-Pakistan relations. India accuses Pakistan of enabling or even encouraging such groups and Pakistan consistently denies these allegations.

LeT emerged out of the radicalization of the Kashmir conflict  a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over which country has the right to govern the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley. This conflict began with the 1947 partition of British colonial India into the two sovereign nations of India and Pakistan and has gone through numerous phases of escalation and detente.

Indias continued military presence and the human rights abuses carried out by security forces in Kashmir provide a major source of grievance to some Indian and Pakistani Muslims. Although India is home to the second largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia, Muslims in India are heavily disadvantaged in comparison to the Hindu majority. They also experience higher rates of poverty and lower literacy levels.

Despite this, the vast majority of Muslims  whether in India or elsewhere  consistently reject religious extremism.

Everyday heroism

As a suspenseful and emotional snapshot of the events of November 2008, the film certainly succeeds. The audiences applause felt genuine and visceral, not polite or obligatory. The cast themselves were visibly emotional on stage, notably when Maras revealed that one of the real-life survivors of the attack portrayed in the film was present in the audience. This survivor (unnamed here to avoid spoilers) received an immediate and emotional standing ovation.

The film is full of heroes, but not the kind that audiences are accustomed to seeing in movies about terror attacks. In Hotel Mumbai, heroes can die with the casual and unceremonious pulling of a trigger, just like anyone else. Though the film uses character archetypes, it does so in a way that disrupts common film tropes associated with the genre.

For example, the local police are brave but are hopelessly outgunned and out of their depth when faced by trained insurgents with automatic weapons. Armie Hammers character, the white American male that so often saves the day in Hollywood blockbusters, spends most of the film wanting to protect his family but having no real idea how to do so.

By contrast, Anupam Khers Chef Oberoi displays a quiet dignity by relinquishing his opportunity for escape in favour of protecting the hotel guests by calmly hosting them in one of the hotels hidden lounges. Dev Patel, as always, gives a memorable performance as a hotel staff member who just wants to get back to his family but displays remarkable courage and compassion along the way.

Just as there is no Hollywood action hero ready to jump in and save the day, Hotel Mumbai also steers clear of depicting the kind of one-dimensional villains that dominate most films in the spy or terrorism genres. The attacks in the film (as in real-life) are brutal, shocking and almost casual in their indifferent disregard for human life.

But the gunmen themselves remain undeniably human. In one scene, we see the terrorists coldly gunning down unarmed civilians and in the next we see them teasing each other about whether there is pork in the canapes. Later, we see the inner conflict of one of the gunmen, who seems to be in over his head as he oscillates between crippling self-doubt and brutal determination.

It is the dissonance between these two dimensions that make this depiction of terrorism so compelling. We also see how the attack impacts each of the attackers in subtly different ways, reinforcing that each has been drawn into this act of horrific violence through their own distinct motivations, whether religious, political or socio-economic.

It is not necessarily that the gunmen in this movie are relatable or sympathetic in the traditional sense (for the most part they are not), but they are resolutely human and that is part of what makes their violence so disturbing. The viewer is asked to face the uncomfortable truth that the people who carry out these attacks might not be the monsters hiding in the shadows that we so often see depicted on screen, but are simply ordinary people carrying out extraordinary acts of brutality.

Despite the horror that this film paints with such gritty and meticulous attention to detail, Hotel Mumbai is ultimately not about violence as an act that is carried out upon passive victims. Instead, it is about the resistance, resilience and quiet heroism of people confronted by chaotic scenarios filled with impossible choices.

Rising terrorism on soft targets

The film asks us to challenge easy assumptions and to rethink any sensationalist preconceptions we may hold about how we would, or would not, react in such a crisis.

Hotel Mumbai feels every bit as relevant today as if it had been released back in 2008 when the attacks occurred. If anything, the passage of a decade has perhaps made the tragedy of the Mumbai attacks resonate even more strongly with international audiences.

Massacres carried out by armed gunmen in soft targets such as hotels, train stations and shopping malls have become depressingly common in recent years.

Historically most of al-Qaidas most well-known attacks have used explosives, making them devastating in their death tolls but also relatively difficult to plan and execute.

Since 2014, ISIS has popularized the strategy of using any and all weapons available to attack public spaces, making attacks carried out by their sympathizers incredibly challenging to prevent. This style of attack is widespread across the ideological spectrum with notable examples including the Norway massacre of 2011 and the Las Vegas shootings of 2017.

Hotel Mumbai is ultimately intended as an anthem of resistance for those who survive such attacks, a quiet memorial of those who dont and a sobering snapshot of the chaos of terrorism for those who, fortunately, have never found themselves inside its brutal plot.

Joseph McQuade, SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for South Asian Studies, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto and Emily LeDuc, Doctoral Candidate and Teaching Fellow, Queen's University, Ontario

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.Anti-Trump Kavanaugh Accuser Has Axe to Grind Making Her Not Credible Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-683-6790 ext. 111; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Vice President, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info.operationrescue@gmail.com



WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Democrats are up to their old tricks again. They did it to Clarence Thomas. They did it to Judge Roy Moore. They have done it to President Donald Trump.



Now, Sen. Diane Feinstein has trotted out the latest woman with claims of abuse, this time against Judge Brett Kavanaugh.



Feinstein reportedly held a letter since July from accuser Christine Blasey Ford detailing an alleged attack on her by Kavanaugh when they were in high school three decades ago. Suspiciously, Feinstein remained silent through the confirmation process and hearings until just days before a scheduled vote on his nomination.



Judge Kavanaugh categorically denies Ford's allegations.



Now, news is surfacing that calls into question the credibility of Ford's story, which has apparently changed dramatically over the years. News reports indicate she can't even remember the location or year of the alleged attack. The only witness to the incident, Mark Judge, denies her account.



But there is more to this than a "he-said, she-said."



According to documents on file with the Maryland Court System, found by a Twitter user, Ford's parents, Ralph G. and Paula K. Blasey owned property that was in foreclosure. The judge who presided over that case was Brett Kavanaugh's mother, Martha G. Kavanaugh.



"It seems Ms. Ford has an axe to grind with the Kavanaugh family over a property foreclosure. She is also a liberal Democrat who opposes Trump. There is not a shred of real evidence to back up her story. She is simply not believable," said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. "It's shameful that Democrats would try to destroy yet another man's life and drag his family through the mud without cause. It's time for conservatives to stand up to the baseless allegations trotted out by Trump-hating politicians who have no other argument than slander and sexual smear tactics. Operation Rescue stands strong in our support of Judge Kavanaugh's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court."



Ford, who is a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, has a record of political donations to a Democrat fundraising organization called ActBlue and other Democratic causes.



She even signed a letter in opposition to Trump's border policies. (View letter at Heavy.com.)



"The allegations against Judge Kavanaugh are just another round of Democrat dirty tricks. We knew they would pull out every nasty tactic in their arsenal to block this man from serving on the nation's Highest Court because their pet issue, abortion, is at stake," said Newman. "We urge the Senate to not to allow the Democrats' gutter-level politics to delay scheduled votes on Kavanaugh's confirmation."



Read this online.



About Operation Rescue

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Click here to support Operation Rescue.



Share TweetBanking on the virtually untapped space of luxury travel in India, FABgetaways broke into the scene to help the Indian traveller live their wanderlust in the most luxurious way possible.

The luxury travel industry in India is wide open. The definition of travel itself has undergone changes in the last few years. Zeroing in on the best properties from across the world, FABgetaways offers curated travel deals, and ensures that travellers experience holidays with a touch of luxury.

Raaj Bajaj, Founder & CEO of FABgetaways, started the members-only luxury travel platform in April this year with the aim of giving Indian travellers experiential vacations. It was born out of an idea that was formed in Raaj's mind since his college days at IIM Shillong to have his own business, preferably in the travel industry. He and his team started working on an e-commerce platform for travellers in October 2017 when he realised that the Indian luxury travel market was largely unexplored.

India's luxury market is, however, booming, according to the report 'Shaping the Future of Luxury Travel' commissioned by travel tech company Amadeus. The sector is expected to grow at an annual rate of 13 per cent, paving the way for FABgetaways, which is the first members-only affordable luxury travel platform. Since FABgetaways' commencement, over 30,000 members have joined the luxury travel platform.

The Ahmedabad-based company has also partnered with various 4-star, 5-star and boutique hotels such as Fairmont, Jumeirah, St Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Taj, Viceroy, Relais & Chateaux, Hard Rock, Sofitel and Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) among others.

Luxury travel, however, is not confined to any particular class or age group. And that's where FABgetaways has capitalised. Apart from travel enthusiasts and social media influencers, FABgetaways has got a good response from people who regularly follow travel updates. People from across India are keen on luxury vacations, family holidays or romantic getaways for couples that could range from Rs 8,000-9,000 to Rs 3 lakh.

We dont get an enquiry just about a luxury room. Its more than that, says Raaj. We offer exciting inclusions like complimentary meals, private dinner by the beach, traditional spa treatments, personalised honeymoon welcome, access to premium clubs, guaranteed upgrades, complimentary snorkeling and kayaking, a day in a houseboat on the famous backwaters of Kerala, a 24-hour butler... the list is endlessjust to make their stay memorable. And all for the price listed on our platform. Our travel specialists get the most amazing limited time only holiday deals from hotels all around the world. Our mission is to give you the most amazing handpicked luxury holidays at equally amazing prices upto 80 per cent off and ensure that our clients time away is perfect.

We have a lot of traction from metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi, Hyderabad and also from cities such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Jaipur and the likes, says Raaj. The age group between 23 and 40 is the one which has shown the most interest. However, we have helped a 70-year-old gentleman plan a family holiday and also an 18-year-old teenager plan a vacation with friends with our deals so there is pretty much something for people of every age on our platform.

FABgetaways is on point while offering deals on luxury properties that may not be available elsewhere. The company wants to ensure that it doesn't miss out on the affordable luxury travel market. It also offers marketing platforms to hotel and property partners who are looking to boost themselves in the luxury travel market. Deals on these properties are available on the FABgetaways website for a limited time, allowing members, who have signed up, to book it.

So, now that FABgetaways has managed to get a strong footing in the luxury travel industry, what does the future hold for the company?

In the near future, we would be open to look at investments that would help us scale up, says Raaj. Chiripal Group, a leading textile group, is one of the main investors in the travel platform, and Raaj says that its MD Brijmohan Chiripal has been closely working with FABgetaways.

Raaj also adds that while the company is keen on expansion, the focus right now is on building a trusted member-base and their brand name.State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) will prepare a detailed project report for development of Palaly airport in Sri Lanka.

This would be the first project for the AAI in the island nation and "we are trying to get engaged with our neighbours", an AAI official said.

In a release issued on Monday, the AAI said it has signed an agreement with External Affairs Ministry for "preparation of a Detailed Project Report for development of Palaly airport in Sri Lanka".

Palaly airport is in northern Sri Lanka.

The official said all the technical and design aspects would be covered in the DPR, which is expected to be completed in three months time.

"The AAI has developed more than 60 airports in metro and non-metro cities in India and now the AAI wants to leverage its expertise to other countries on a bigger scale," the release said.

The AAI manages more than 120 airports in different parts of the country.The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite...AIMIM, BBM had said they will forge an alliance for Maharashtra assembly, LS polls

Terming the proposed pre-poll alliance between the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) of Asaduddin Owaisi and the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) of Prakash Ambedkar as "bogus", the Shiv Sena said on Monday that such a political move is not a good omen. Prakash is the grandson of B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.

The AIMIM-BBM alliance would only benefit the BJP, the Shiv Sena claimed, alleging that the move by the BBM chief, who is the grandson of B.R. Ambedkar, is akin to betraying people of his own community.

The political alliance of Owaisi and Ambedkar is only for someone's defeat and is a well-planned strategy," it said, without naming any party.

Leaders of the AIMIM and the BBM had said Saturday that both parties will forge an alliance for the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls in 2019.

Owaisi, chief of the AIMIM, which has its headquarters in Hyderabad, had said preliminary talks held between the two parties yielded positive results.

"The proposed political alliance of the AIMIM and Prakash Ambedkar's front of scheduled castes is not a good omen," the Shiv Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.

Till now, both were carrying out activities behind the curtains in support of the BJP, but now they will come out openly to help the saffron party, said the Shiv Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.

It said instead of openly joining hands with the BJP, the AIMIM-BBM have chosen to set up a new front, which has nothing to do with the line of thinking of B.R. Ambedkar.

"Babasaheb fought against the wrong, unjust traditions of Hindu religion, but he never joined hands with radical Muslim groups. He even rejected an offer to convert to Islam," the Marathi publication said.

The AIMIM is a "corrupt version" of the Muslim League, it alleged, adding that it is involved in Muslim vote bank politics.

"One Owaisi brother had allegedly remarked that 25 crore Muslims could easily overpower Hindus in this country. The grandson of late Babasaheb Ambedkar joining hands with such people is like betraying people of his own community," it said.

"However, any rational Muslim or a scheduled caste youth will not fall for such a bogus alliance," it added.

Alleging that Owaisi's language propagates "anarchism", the Shiv Sena asked Prakash to clarify if he is comfortable with it.

"If someone construes that BBM's joining hands with Owaisi would lead to instigating the scheduled caste youth and fuel riots in the state, then what answer does Prakash Ambedkar have for it?" it sought to know.

Most of the scheduled caste community outfits are already affiliated to some mainstream political party. The leaders are more interested in their self-growth than helping the community, the Shiv Sena said.

"The schedule castes are already divided into several factions, such as Athawale, Kawade, Gavai and Ambedkar. Instead of these factions floating their own front, Prakash Ambedkar is joining hands with the AIMIM," it said, wondering if such a move will be accepted to the scheduled caste youth.PM Modi turns 68 on Monday. The prime minister plans to celebrate his birthday in a school at his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. Modi will reach Narur village on Monday afternoon where he will interact with children of a primary school, which is aided by a non-profit organisation, Room to Read.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to greet him. The prime minister will later interact with students of the Kashi Vidyapeeth and the children assisted by them at the Diesel Locomotive Works campus.

In the meantime, to celebrate Modi's birthday, BJP state chief Tamilisai Soundararajan who is also a gynaecologist, gifted gold rings to babies born at a government hospital run by the Chennai civic body. She took to Twitter to wish PM Modi.

@narendramodi birthday prayers for our visionary PM for all success in the years to come with sound healthy future in the interest of common man whose lives needs your good governance in this country  Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisaiBJP) September 16, 2018

This is not the first time that political parties have given out expensive things to mark events of significance. Rivals Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi had constantly given away items like computers, mobile phones, mixer grinders and more in a bid to garner more votes. In fact, in Feburuary 2016, AIADMK marked the birth anniversary of then chief minister Jayalalithaa by presenting gold rings to seven babies born on that day.

Tamil Nadu has proved to be tough nut to crack for the BJP, with Dravidian politics taking prominenece in the state. In the 2014 general eletions BJP won just one seat in the state and in the 2016 assembly elections, it won on 2.86% of the votes. Will the 'gold gifting' gesture help gain more supporters, remains to be seen.



Here is how leaders have taken to Twitter to greet the prime minister.

Birthday greetings to our Prime Minister @narendramodi. Wish him a long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country #PresidentKovind  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 17, 2018

"Birthday greetings to our Prime Minister @narendramodi. Wish him a long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country," Kovind tweeted.

Naidu, who is in Malta, called up Modi to wish him on his birthday.

Warm Birthday wishes to Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. India is making rapid strides under his visionary leadership and taking its rightful place in the comity of nations. May he be blessed with long and healthy life. @narendramodi #narendramodibirthday #NaMo pic.twitter.com/DqwJmU5ulD  VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) September 17, 2018

"Warm Birthday wishes to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. India is making rapid strides under his visionary leadership and taking its rightful place in the comity of nations. May he be blessed with long and healthy life," said Naidu's Twitter handle.





Amit Shah hailed Modi's leadership, saying India under him has become synonymous with development and that he has infused energy into every section of society like never before.

India has a government under Modi, which is committed to the development of the poor, farmers and every section of society, the BJP chief said in a tweet.Controversial 'Third Wave Missions' Book Marks Major Four-Million-Copy Milestone GFA (Gospel for Asia) founder K.P. Yohannan's classic 'Revolution in World Missions' has helped spark growth of indigenous-Christian-worker movement



Contact: Gregg Wooding,

972-567-7660



WILLS POINT, Texas, Sept. 17, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- A book first met with controversy but now widely credited with helping change the face of modern missions is marking a major milestonemore than four million copies in print.



Since it was published in 1986, Dr. K.P. Yohannan's Revolution in World Missions has helped spark the change its title champions, enabling thousands of indigenous men and women to be the hands and feet of Jesus around the world.



Written by the founder of GFA (Gospel for Asia, www.gfa.org), the book tells of his personal call to be part of taking the love of Christ to a world so desperate in need, and challenges readers to a radical lifestyle of all-out commitment to Christ and his cause. It also advocates what has been called a "third wave" in missions, shifting away from a focus on sending Western missionaries to one that is more on support for national Christian workers.



Leaders who endorsed the book include George Verwer, founder and former international director of Operation Mobilization. Rev. Dr. Paul Blackham, CEO of Biblical Frameworks in London, England, calls the book "one of the great classics of Christian literature."



Since the book first came out, Yohannan has seen GFA grow into one of the most influential movements in this generation. With an emphasis on practical expressions of God's love, workers are involved in a wide range of ministries, from providing fresh water and health care to literacy programs, vocational training and childhood education.



In the latest, revised edition of Revolution in World Missions, Yohannan writes of how "the Holy Spirit is moving over Asian and African nations, raising up thousands of dedicated men and women to take the story of [Christ's love] to their own people, helping them to hear for the first time about the love of God."



Reflecting on the impact of his book, Yohannan said that he was shocked by how many people have been touched, with many ministries started as a result.



"I'm constantly amazed what God will do with a life that's surrendered to him and a heart that wants to follow after him," he said. "God loves us all, and we must also love everyone enough to pay any price to take his love to the world. We have so many examples of those who have paved the way for us," Yohannan said. "It was Adoniram Judson who brought hope to millions who had none in Burma and the neighboring nations, and he lived a perpetual life of suffering to do so. It was Christ's love that compelled him, and it is the same for us."



Born in South India in 1950, Yohannan had an encounter with God as a timid teenager that transformed his life. After several years with Operation Mobilization, he studied in seminary before founding GFA. He has published more than 200 books in Asia11 in the U.S.and broadcasts radio programs Spiritual Journey and Road to Reality around the world.



Translated into eight languages, Revolution in World Missions is available free at the GFA website, at gfa.org/getthebookfree.



GFA (Gospel for Asia, www.gfa.org) has  for more than 30 years  provided humanitarian assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially among those who have yet to hear the Good News. Last year, this included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,000 wells drilled, over 11,000 water filters installed, Christmas presents for more than 200,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry.



Share TweetMichael Avenatti, the lawyer representing adult movie actor Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump, on Sunday expressed his intentions about a possible run for the presidency in the 2020 election, saying he is "very serious" about it.

Avenatti told CNN's Reliable Sources, "I'm very serious. And I'm getting more serious by the week because I'm travelling around the country and people are encouraging me to do it."

Lashing out at his Democratic critics who say he lacks the experience of holding public office, Avenatti said that he has 20 years of experience as an attorney and has knowledge about the working of government regulations.

"I've got 20 years of experience at a very high level as an attorney. I understand how governmental regulations are passed, how laws are passed, how the Supreme Court works. I have an extreme depth of knowledge," he added.

The 47-year-old attorney has been vying to run for the presidency in the 2020 presidential election since recent months. In July, Avenatti had announced that he would stand in the polls if Trump ran for re-election.

Avenatti made headlines earlier this year for representing Daniels against Trump and his lawyer Michael Cohen for the $130,000 hush agreement over the alleged affair between the adult star and the US president.Cooperative banks need a new "vision document": RBI Director

Pune, Sep 17 (PTI) Patron of Sahakar Bharati and

Reserve Bank of India Director Satish Marathe said Monday co-

operative banks in India need a new "vision document".

He said it is unfortunate that in the last 15 years,

not a single urban cooperative bank came up in the country. At

the same time, small finance banks, payment banks and other

private financial institutions have flourished.

"Till 1967, the Centre, as well as state policy, was

to give priority to the cooperative sector but in the later

years, barring some institutions, the cooperative sector did

not flourish.

"After the division in the Congress in the late 60s,

the perspective to look at the cooperative sector as a

developmental movement changed and the cooperative sector

became a stepping stone to enter politics," said Marathe.

He was speaking to reporters here.

"There is a need to put the cooperative sector into

right and balanced perspective as the existing cooperative

policy was formulated 15 years ago and now a review of that

policy is needed. Thus, cooperative banks in the country

need a new vision document," he asserted.

Marathe said he is engaging with the RBI on the

issues related to co-operative banks.

Marathe was appointed a part-timedirector on the RBI

board last month along with S Gurumurthy, co-convenor of RSS

affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch.

Sahakar Bharati is a non-political and non-government

organisation that works for strengthening the co-operative

movement in the country. PTI SPK

RSY RSYNew Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) Khadi India Monday celebrated the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by launching an exclusive designer range of 'Modi Jackets' and 'Modi Kurtas' at its flagship store at Connaught Place here.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said that the designer jackets and kurtas will also be available at all Khadi outlets in the country.

He said KVIC workers celebrated with fervour and gaiety, the 68th birthday of Modi who himself has become the biggest brand Ambassador of the Khadi.

Saxena said it was the inspiration and vision of the prime minister that Khadi had achieved several milestones in the last four years.

"For Khadi, Prime Minister himself has become the biggest brand Ambassador. It was his call of 'Khadi for Fashion' that millions of youths adopted Khadi. The launch of these designer jackets and kurtas is the expression of love and gratitude from our artisans for whom the Prime Minister has always shown his concern," Saxena said.

He said the new collection, stitched by expert tailors, was available in affordable range of Rs 999 to Rs 3,500. PTI RKS RKS DIP

DIPKathmandu, Sep 17 (PTI) The grieving parents of a 13-year-old girl in Nepal who was raped and murdered in July in the country's remote west, met Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday and sought justice for their daughter whose brutal killing triggered nationwide outrage.

Prime Minister Oli told the parents that he had directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to reinvestigate the case and briefed them about the government's actions, including suspensions of police personnel, My Republica reported.

The girl's parents came to the capital last week to draw the attention of the government towards the case.

Oli said the government would leave no stones unturned to nab those involved.

"No matter how wealthy, strong or politically connected the culprit is, we will book the criminals," Oli said.

The girl was raped and murdered on July 26. Her body was found in a sugarcane field the next day.

Angry crowds took to the streets accusing police of protecting the person responsible for the brutal crime.

The victim's father alleged that top police and civil official had coerced him to sign a paper and quickly perform the last rites of his daughter with about 300 police personnel deployed, Nepalese media reported.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal had earlier defended the investigation as well as the way the incident was handled.

The parents had last week met President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and asked the government not to deny justice to their daughter.

Bhandari had said that "justice should not be delayed and denied to the victim and her family". PTI PMS AKJ PMS

PMSLondon, Sep 17 (PTI) Britain's Opposition Labour Party on Monday called for a ban on sex determination tests for pregnant women to counter a bias among South Asian communities in favour of male babies.

Indian-origin Labour MP Tan Dhesi said gender determination tests during pregnancies should be controlled to ensure the "social evil" of aborting female foetuses can be kept in check in Britain.

"Communities in South Asia have made huge strides in tackling this social evil. That's been primarily through legislation, banning gender determination clinics," the UK's first turbaned Sikh MP said.

In the UK I think we need to be doing likewise, with regards to the private sector as well," he said.

Choosing an abortion for gender reasons is illegal in the UK but it is difficult to detect as women often cite other reasons for having the procedure.

The UK's Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT) is used by the state-run National Health Service (NHS) to test for genetic conditions, but people can pay for it privately to discover a baby's sex for around 200 pounds.

Pakistani-origin Labour MP Naz Shah, who is the shadow women and equalities minister, said it was morally wrong for people to use the test to abort pregnancies based on the outcome.

"NIPT screenings should be used for their intended purpose, to screen for serious conditions such as Down's Syndrome. The government needs to look into this exploitative practice and enforce appropriate restrictions," she said.

An investigation by the BBC found thousands of pregnant women in the UK using online forums to discuss the discovery of their babys gender through NIPT testing.

Jeena International, a charity supporting women from ethnic minority communities in the UK, said some women were forced into abortions because they became pregnant with a girl for a second or third time.

"No wonder they're resorting to sex-selection abortion because they've got no choice, said charity founder Rani Bilkhu.

"They don't want to be homeless, they don't want their marriage to fail  all because they couldn't give birth to a boy," she said.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, a UK government advisory body, has warned that increasingly widespread private NIPT testing in the UK could lead to the country becoming a haven for "sex-selective" abortions.

"Countries like China and India have recognised the problem of sex-selective abortionso if we allow it, people will come here as tourists," warned Dr Tom Shakespeare of the council.

A spokesperson for the UK government's Department of Health and Social Care said, "The pre-natal test is never meant to be used for gender. We will continue to review the evidence". PTI AK KUN

KUNLondon, Sep 17 (PTI) A prominent Wales-based businessman has become the first Indian-origin person to be appointed Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the UK's Royal Navy.

Raj Aggarwal, who is India's Honorary Consul in Wales, was appointed to his naval post by Admiral Sir Philip Jones following the formal approval of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

The move will see the pharmacist and healthcare expert take on the rank of honorary lieutenant commander in the Royal Navy, which is equivalent to the rank of an army major, and he will be affiliated to the Royal Navy ship 'HMS Dragon' in his new role.

"Raj is a great friend and advocate of the Naval service and his appointment will deepen the relationship between the community and the Royal Navy," Royal Marine Brigadier Graeme Fraser told the 'Wales Online' newspaper.

"Our Armed Forces are inclusive employers; we recognise the value of diversity and proudly serve all members of our communities at home and overseas. As the only Honorary Royal Navy officer in Wales, it is fitting that we celebrate his appointment. He will wear his Naval officer's uniform at the ceremony with pride," said Fraser.

Each honorary officer is expected to bring a breadth of experience and make a contribution in their own distinct way to the Royal Navy. The official inauguration ceremony, which took place on Sunday on 'HMS Cambria'  the only Royal Navy base in Wales, was dubbed the Royal Naval Mela in honour of Aggarwal's Indian roots.

Aggarwal said, "It is my great honour to accept this position in the Royal Navy as one of the special honoraries. I want to use this position to create greater diversity in the Navy, to show the community that the Navy will be supportive and that there are amazing careers on offer, with first rate skills-training and opportunities to see the world".

Aggarwal, chairman of pharma firm RK Aggarwal Ltd, migrated from Kenya to Wales in 1967 and studied pharmacy at Cardiff University before settling down in Cardiff. PTI AK KUN

KUNNew Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours:



FGN14 UK-IMMIGRATION-BREXIT

EU, non-EU nationals to face similar post-Brexit immigration rules: UK PM May

London: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday gave the first major indication that immigration rules for non-EU citizens such as Indians are set to be closely aligned with those for European Union nationals once Britain has left the economic bloc by next year. By Aditi Khanna



FGN13 UK-2NDLD POISONING

Pair taken ill in UK town not linked with Russian spy poisoning: police

London: British police Monday said there is nothing to suggest that Novichok was the cause of two people falling ill at a restaurant in Salisbury, where a former Russian double agent and his daughter suffered poisoning from a military-grade nerve agent attack in March. By Aditi Khanna



FGN12 PAK-SHARIF-LD PAROLE

Sharifs set to return to jail after end of parole: Report

Lahore: Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law are set to return to the jail on Monday after the end their five-day parole granted to them to attend the funeral of Begum Kulsoom who died last week in London after battling with cancer, according to a media report.



FGN10 CHINA-SCS-DRILL

Japan conducts first submarine drill in disputed South China Sea: media

Tokyo: Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, a newspaper said Monday, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters.(AP)

PTI AMS

AMSMoscow, Sep 17 (AP) The Russian military said on Monday that the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing all 298 people on board, came from the arsenals of the Ukrainian army, not from Russia.

The jet was shot down by a Soviet-made missile over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border, where fighting had been raging for months between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. Associated Press reporters sighted a Buk missile system not far from the site just hours before the plane crash.

The Netherlands and Australia announced in May that they believe the missile was transported to Ukraine from a military unit in the Russian city of Kursk.

Russia has vehemently denied involvement and has over the years come up with various theories as to the cause of the crash.

Lt Gen Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Missile and Artillery Directorate at the Russian Defense Ministry, told reporters on Monday that the military had studied and declassified archives at the research center outside Moscow that produced the Buk missiles after the Dutch investigators displayed parts of the missile and their serial numbers.

Parshin said the Russian archives show that the missile that was made of these parts was transported to a military unit in western Ukraine in 1986, and to Russia's knowledge never left Ukraine.

Asked about the possibility that the separatists may have seized the missile system during fighting in 2014, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov conceded that Russia does not have any documents proving otherwise but pointed to the statements of Ukrainian officials who have denied that separatists seized any of their Buks. (AP)

PMS

PMSLondon, Sep 17 (PTI) Two persons have fallen ill at a restaurant in Salisbury, a British city where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia had suffered a Novichok nerve agent poisoning earlier this year, prompting police to launch an investigation into the incident.

Wiltshire Police declared a major incident after a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s became ill at Prezzo in High Street on Sunday evening.

Nearby streets were cordoned off "due to recent events" in the city, but restrictions have now been lifted.

Later police said they were no longer treating the illness as a major incident.

"Due to recent events in the city and concerns that the pair had been exposed to an unknown substance, a highly precautionary approach was taken by all emergency services," A Wiltshire Police statement said.

Salisbury is in south-west England where Skripal and his daughter Yulia had suffered a Novichok nerve agent poisoning in March.

In June two Amesbury residents fell ill after being exposed to the same nerve agent. Dawn Sturgess, 44, died and a murder inquiry was launched.

The UK government has accused two Russian men, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, of attempting to kill the Skripals. Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning. PTI AK NSA

NSA

NSAWashington, Sep 18 (AFP) US President Donald Trump stood firmly by his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Monday after a woman accused the conservative judge of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers.

But Trump acknowledged there could be a delay in approving the nominee as pressure built for Congress to reopen hearings to review the bombshell allegation.

"Judge Kavanaugh is one of the finest people I have ever known," Trump told reporters from the Oval Office.

"Never even had a little blemish on his record."

He described as "ridiculous" the suggestion that Kavanaugh might withdraw his candidacy.

"I think he's on track, very much on track," Trump said. "If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay."

Trump did not comment directly on the claim by California university professor Christine Blasey Ford that a drunken Kavanaugh and one of his friends trapped her in a room and attempted to pull her clothes off at a high school party in 1982 -- although he questioned why she had not come forward sooner.

After Ford's lawyer said she was ready to testify under oath about the incident, Democrats with the apparent support of some Republicans urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to postpone a vote on the nomination scheduled for Thursday.

Kavanaugh, whose approval had previously appeared certain, denied the allegations and said he was willing to return to the committee to answer the charge.

"I have never done anything like what the accuser describes -- to her or to anyone," he said in a statement released by the White House.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation from 36 years ago and defend my integrity."

The explosive assault claim makes the Supreme Court the latest US institution to be rocked by fallout from the year-old #MeToo movement exposing sexual misconduct.

Trump questioned why the accusation became public only on Friday, after Kavanaugh had undergone four days of questioning in early September.

"This is something that should have been brought up long before this. They had the information in July as I understand it," he said -- referring to Democratic lawmakers who were contacted by Ford before she went public.

The allegation now threatens to inject a potentially heated "he said-she said" battle into the looming midterm congressional elections, with Republican control of the House of Representatives and the Senate at stake.

And it stands to derail one of the most consequential appointments to the nine-seat high court in decades.

Evenly balanced for years, the court is expected to tilt decidedly conservative if Kavanaugh is approved, potentially threatening women's access to abortion, restrictions on presidential powers, and efforts to curb gun ownership.

It was not clear if the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee would reopen hearings.

Chairman Chuck Grassley said in a statement that Ford "deserves to be heard", but he proposed the committee hold phone calls with Ford and Kavanaugh.

Moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins, whose support is crucial to Kavanaugh's nomination, said both the judge and his accuser should testify under oath.

"I don't know enough about Dr Ford and her allegations yet" to reach a judgement, Collins said in the Senate Monday afternoon.

"I have said that in order for me to assess the credibility of these allegations, that I want to have both individuals come before the Senate Judiciary Committee and testify under oath." "Obviously, if Judge Kavanaugh has lied about what happened, that would be disqualifying." Kellyanne Conway, Trump's top female aide, also said Ford should be heard out.

"This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored," Conway said.

Ford's lawyer, Debra Katz, told US media her client had been ambivalent about the pressure that would come with speaking out publicly.

She first contacted lawmakers about her experience in July, but initially insisted on remaining remain anonymous, saying the 1982 incident, when she and Kavanaugh both attended private schools in suburban Washington, had been a source of lasting trauma.

"She's now going to have to live with the tremendous efforts by people to annihilate her and to try to discredit her," Katz told CNN.

Ford's challenge evoked the 1991 battle of over the Republican nomination of Clarence Thomas, now the court's most conservative justice.

During his hearings allegations from a former colleague, law school professor Anita Hill, surfaced accusing him of repeated sexual harassment when they worked together.

Hill endured a brutal assault on her personal reputation in hearings and in conservative media, and the all-male Republicans on the committee ultimately backed Thomas.

This time, the Republicans on the committee are also all men. (AFP) RAX

RAXMaha minister threatens to dissolve APMCs not implementing

mortgage scheme

Mumbai, Sep 17 (PTI) Maharashtra State Marketing

Minister Subhash Deshmukh Monday threatened to dissolve

agricultural produce market committees in the state if they

did not implement the agricultural commodity mortgage scheme.

As part of the scheme, a farmer unhappy with

prevailing prices can store his produce at state-owned godowns

till prices get favourable.

During this time, he can avail loans by mortgaging his

produce.

"Farmers have already mortgaged 2.15 lakh quintal

produce and availed loan on it. As many as 138 APMCs in the

state have implemented the scheme so far. If any APMC is found

refusing mortgage requests from farmers, its board of

directors will be dissolved," Deshmukh said.

He said farmers should register complaints with the

District Sub-Registrars in case market committees do not give

loans on commodity mortgage.

The Agricultural Commodity Mortgage Loan Scheme is

implemented by the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing

Board.

The state government also asked the Centre to set up

more procurement centres for moong and urad across the state,

a release from the government said.

The arrival of urad and moong has begun in Kharif

season of2018, and the state has sent a proposal to the

Centre that they be bought at MSP as market prices are

currently lesser than MSP. PTI ND

BNM BNMNew Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's India visit next month, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has clearly indicated that India will not allow its time-tested defence and security ties with Russia to be impacted by the US sanctions on military transactions with Moscow.

She also said negotiations on the S-400 missile deal with Russia are almost complete, hinting that India is on course to finalise it soon.

"India has maintained its sovereignty as regards to its relationship with countries. We shall maintain it in all earnestness," she told PTI.

Sitharaman was replying to a question on whether the US sanctions on military transactions with Russia will hit New Delhi's strategic and defence ties with one of its closest partners.

Putin is scheduled to visit India early next month to hold the annual India-Russia summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which both sides are likely to deliberate on ways to further strengthen strategic ties.

Russia has been one of India's key suppliers of arms and ammunition. After years of negotiations, both countries are on the verge of inking a Rs 40,000 crore deal to procure S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems for the Indian Air Force.

There was some uncertainty over the deal in the wake of the US military sanctions against Russia under the stringent CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) law for its annexation of Crimea.

However, India has already conveyed to the US that it will go ahead with the procurement of the air defence systems despite Washington's sanctions, official sources said. The issue figured during the first edition of two-plus-two talks between India and the US on September 6.

There have been mounting concerns in India over the US sanctions against Russian defence majors, including Rosoboronexport, as billions of dollars of military purchases may be impacted because of the punitive measure.

CAATSA mandates the Donald Trump administration to punish entities engaging in significant transaction with the defence or intelligence establishment of Russia.

India wants to procure the long-range missile systems to tighten its air defence mechanism, particularly along the nearly 4,000-km-long Sino-India border.

In 2016, India and Russia signed an agreement on the 'Triumf' interceptor-based missile system which can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km. S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.

China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system and Moscow has already started delivery of unknown number of the S-400 missile systems to Beijing.

The S-400 is an upgraded version of the S-300 systems. The missile system, manufactured by Almaz-Antey, has been in service in Russia since 2007. PTI MPB VJ MPB MIN

MINJaipur, Sep 17 (PTI) BJP president Amit Shah Monday asked party workers in poll-bound Rajasthan to think about 'Bharat Mata' and 'Lotus' when they campaign, prompting opposition party Congress to ask whether he has lost faith in the state's Vasundhara Raje government.

Addressing BJP workers at an event in industrial city Bhilwara, Shah asked them to work hard at booth level, saying elections cannot be won only through achievements of the government and it was an election of party workers rather than just of any minister or chief minister.

At the same time, the BJP chief also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje are working as double engines to lead the country and the state, respectively, and every party worker should visit door-to-door to highlight the work done by the two leaders.

He also highlighted several achievements of the Modi government at the Centre, listing surgical strike against Pakistan, increase in minimum support price for farm produce and vaccination scheme among others.

Exuding confidence in party workers, Shah said that it was not an election of any minister or chief minister but it was an election of party workers and the BJP.

Party workers should think only about the party symbol 'Lotus' and 'Bharat Mata' (Mother India) when they campaign, he said at the 'Shakti Kendra Sammelan' event.

Reacting to his speech, Rajasthan Congress Chief Sachin Pilot said the saffron party head has lost faith in five-year tenure of Raje government in the state as he was seeking votes in the name of 'Bharat Mata' and the BJP.

Shah also hit out at the Congress on issues of NRC (National Register of Citizens in Assam) and surgical strike. He said the 'Mahagathbandhan', or the grand alliance, that the Opposition is talking about will not be able to defeat the BJP.

At another event in Bhilwara, Shah celebrated Modi's birthday with differently-abled children and said the prime minister's life was dedicated people of the country, its pride and its development.

Shah will address 'Shakti Kendra Sammelan' in Nagaur and Udaipur on Tuesday. The BJP president is interacting with party workers at various places through this event.

Since July, this is Shah's third visit to the state where assembly elections are scheduled to take place later this year. PTI AG BJ

BJVaranasi, Sep 17 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday offered lotus flowers and 11 litres of milk at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple here on his birthday, a priest said.

Modi, who turned 68, offered a special prayer at the Shiva temple.

The prime minister also made a surprise visit to the Manduadih Railway Station and spent a few minutes at platform number 1. He then went to the Diesel Locomotive Works guesthouse, where he will spend the night.

Modi, who was on a day-long visit to his parliamentary constituency, reached the temple to worship Lord Shiva after interacting with the students of Kashi Vidyapith and Banaras Hindu University who teach poor children at the DLW.

Modi also interacted with children at a primary school in Narur village, where he received a greeting card from them.

The prime minister gifted a bag containing study material to the children.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey accompanied the prime minister and offered prayers at the temple. PTI Corr



GVSJaipur, Sep 17 (PTI) A three-day conference to deliberate on global benchmark documents prepared by the World Health Organization for practice in Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani medicine system commenced here on Monday.

A total of 39 experts representing 18 countries -- 13 each from Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani -- would be reviewing the draft documents developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) through consultative process, an official of National Ayurveda Institute said.

Developing benchmark documents is part of Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) between WHO and the Ministry of AYUSH to provide safe, effective and accessible traditional medicine to global community.

WHO regional advisor for traditional medicine Sungchol Kim stressed on the need of integrating traditional medicine system in the conventional medicine system.

Addressing the gathering, AYUSH secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said the ministry was "actively" using a centralised web portal for documentation of its facilities and activities, including the recent rehabilitative efforts undertaken during floods in Kerala.

Kotecha said the National Ayurveda Morbidity Standardized Terminology Engine (NAMSTE) is being used for documentation of its facilities and activities, according to an official statement.

The AYUSH Ministry secretary also talked about the activities undertaken by the ministry under the government's 'Ayushman Bharat" scheme, touted as the world's largest healthcare scheme, aims at providing a coverage of Rs five lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.

He suggested that WHO may also provide assistance in the scheme.

"He requested WHO may also help Ministry of AYUSH for developing country specific module and applications based program like M-Yoga and M-Ayurveda etc," the statement said.

The three-day programme containing four sessions on each day has been organised by the Ministry of AYUSH and coordinated by National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur.

The purposes of the meeting are to review, comment and revise as required each of the three zero draft documents prepared by the experts.

"The documents are expected to provide minimum requirements for qualified practice by practitioners of Ayurveda, Panchkarma and Unani to provide minimum safety requirement for practising these and also to serve as a reference to national authorities to establish/ strengthen regulatory standards to ensure qualified practice of such system and patients safety," the statement added.

Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy-Director General, WHO, stated that traditional medicines are an important and integral part of universal health coverage programme, especially under Sustainable Developmental Goal-3 (SDG-3).

She pointed out that Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems have been included in 2nd Traditional Medicine Module of ICD Chapter-11 and 2018 is being celebrated as 40th Anniversay Year of Alma Ata Declaration. PTI AG TDS SMNNew Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) A notification, constituting town vending committees (TVCs) for which elections were held on July 15, has been issued, the Delhi government Monday told the Supreme Court.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta was informed by the counsel for Delhi government that the notification has been issued in accordance with the Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2017.

The apex court said that since the TVCs have been notified, the committees could now look into all aspects related to street vendors in the national capital.

On September 12, the Delhi government had told the apex court that it would issue within three days the notification regarding constitution of the TVCs.

An advocate, appearing for the street vendors, said the elections for 26 TVCs had taken place on July 15, but only 12 TVC had the required number of members.

The bench then observed, "We have to move forward and not backward. Now the notification has come. Let it be implemented. Let the statute be implemented."

The advocate said that now a scheme has to be formulated by the Delhi government in consultation with the TVCs as per the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

The bench, after perusing the provisions of the Act, asked the Delhi government counsel to frame the scheme on or before December 31 this year.

The apex court had earlier pulled up the city government and asked why no TVCs were constituted as per the rules even after 2014 Act came into force four years ago.

The issue of encroachments had also cropped in the Delhi sealing matter in which the apex court is dealing with the issue of validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 and subsequent legislations which protect unauthorised constructions from being sealed. PTI ABA MNL SJK RKS ARCNew Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Monday directed Facebook and Google to remove allegedly derogatory material relating to expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa after she said that some unknown persons were threatening to tarnish her image by uploading her morphed photos and videos.

Justice Yogesh Khanna said since the counsel for Pushpa has provided the URLs, the social media platforms should remove such materials forthwith, preferably today.

The court also asked the platforms to file their written submissions and listed the matter for further hearing on January 14 next year.

Earlier, the court had restrained Facebook India, Google India, YouTube and Twitter India from publishing or showing any derogatory photographs of the Rajya Sabha MP.

However, they were deleted as parties and parent US companies were arrayed as parties in the suit.

During the hearing, advocate Bhavook Chauhaan, appearing for Pushpa, said he has filed an application giving the URLs which contain derogatory material and the platforms be directed to remove them.

The counsel, appearing for the platforms, referred to a Supreme Court verdict and said that such materials are removed through court order or as notified by the government.

The court was hearing a plea by Pushpa seeking an injunction order against the social media platforms on the ground that they have not made any attempt to verify the authenticity of the photographs before uploading it.

Earlier, Pushpa's counsel had alleged that after she refused to resign as a party MP, some unknown persons had threatened that they would distribute the pictures to all media houses and upload them on social media, which would severely defame and embarrass her.

Pushpa, who was expelled from AIADMK in August 2016, had said in her plea that the issue arose after she informed Parliament that she had been slapped by a AIADMK leader in Chennai and was facing death threats.

She had also said a false complaint was filed against her and her family members for allegedly ill-treating and sexually abusing two domestic aides in the year 2011.

Her counsel had said she was protected from arrest in the case by the Supreme Court, which has asked her to join the probe.

The plea stated that on September 19, 2016, Pushpa received a phone call with the caller saying he would update few photographs and videos on YouTube and cause physical and mental harm to her.

"The person threatened her to resign from her constitutional post or else he will start spreading false rumours and allegations against plaintiff, including false statements regarding her moral character. Further, he will also upload lot of pictures on social media," the plea said. PTI SKV HMP SAShimla, Sep 17 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has expressed grief over the death of Kartik Thakur, a Pilot in the Air Force, who belonged to Lahla village in Lad-Badhol Tehsil of Mandi district.

Stating this here Monday, an official spokesperson said 23-year-old Kartik Thakur was posted at Hyderabad and had gone to Kolkata for training where he died in an accident.

The chief minister expressed deep condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for peace to the departed soul, the spokesperson said. PTI DJI CKNew Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) Before the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration banned protests and rallies in campus Monday, the varsity's teachers' association took out a peace march against the incidents of violence.

The march, which was also attended by students and university staffers, started from Ganga Dhaba and culminated at Chandrabhaga Hostel. The teachers and students are also carrying out a night vigil against the attack and the ban imposed by the administration on protests and gatherings.

The JNUTA expressed its serious concern at the situation in the varsity "where several students, including many women, have been targets of mob violence within the university".

"The administration seems to have been standing by as a mute spectator. An air of insecurity is prevailing in the campus as there are several reports of incidents and there is a palpable lack of response on the part of the administration," the JNUTA said.

The JNUTA accused the administration of having an "uneven approach" and blamed it for the emboldening of "the perpetrators of such violence who are hell bent on undermining JNU's great democratic traditions".

"While disciplinary powers have been used very harshly and excessively to penalise students and students' union activists protesting peacefully against the administration's policies, and even teachers have been similarly targeted, others indulging in violence (particularly against fellow students) have been favoured with kid glove treatment," they said.

The JNU Administration appears to be complicit in this process and failing in its duty to defend its own university and its democratic culture, the JNUTA said.

"The JNUTA demands an immediate end to this administrative ineptitude  it demands that more security personnel be deployed at all hostels and other locations," they said.

Students wishing to register complaints have been attacked in the vicinity of the police station and the JNUTA alleged its members and students were even threatened inside the police station.

"Several teachers who went to the Vasant Kunj Police Station only because they heard that the newly elected JNUSU president was being threatened there were witness to this sordid event.

"The JNUTA hopes the Delhi Police will do the needful to ensure the safety and security of JNU students and all other members of the JNU community," they said.

Members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-backed AISA clashed early Monday, hours after the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results were announced, with both groups accusing each other of attacking their supporters.

Violence erupted on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus after a united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by considerable margins.

While the AISA alleged that ABVP members randomly attacked students with a former student being almost "lynched" and the new JNUSU president being beaten up, the RSS-affiliate claimed its activists were attacked by Left supporters and three were injured.

This is the second incident of the two groups clashing on campus, the last being on Saturday ahead of the counting, which was suspended after election authorities cited "forcible entry" and "attempts to snatch away ballot boxes". PTI SLB DIP

DIPA familiar refrain of Proactive's finance director when talking about our all-singing, all-dancing new accounting software is that the package is only as good as the data you plug in.

The same could be said of discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis.

DCF is the default method of benchmarking research-stage life sciences companies because it provides a seductively simple method of valuing potential future revenues from drugs that have yet to find their way to market.

Input into the DCF model are elements such as the market potential of the research firm's drug candidate, its likely share of the said market, the treatment's expected price tag and the royalty rate if the drug is licensed out.

DCF is the default method of benchmarking research-stage life sciences companies

Guesstimate

In other words, you are trying to essentially 'guesstimate' the future free cash flow.

The major discounting factor is the chance of regulatory success. Along with this, development costs are layered into the mix, along with the cost of capital and the time value of money.

But to be truly effective, the number cruncher compiling a DCF valuation of a biotech requires a fully functioning crystal ball.

That's because the per share valuation that pops out the bottom of the spreadsheet should be seen in the context of the information it omits as much as the data it includes.

For one thing, the forecast doesn't always capture value triggers such as licensing deals.

Innovation key

Neither can it convey just how innovative the drug actually is, or whether, after tens (or even hundreds) of millions of pounds invested, insurance companies and health services around the world will pay for the new medication.

Expanding on the first point: very few small biotechs hit the home run of taking a drug from first principles all the way to the market.

Instead, they rely on the deep pockets of big pharma companies that step in (usually once Phase II trials are complete) to fund the remainder of the development.

A licensing deal with a larger firm is a value inflexion point for the smaller company (and its investors) as it will likely involve a significant upfront payment, further cash awards once certain milestones have been reached and a royalty on sales if the compound makes it out into the market.

Often the staged cash instalments involved dwarf the market capitalisation of the minnow that first spawned the innovative drug picked up by the industry's 600-pound gorilla.

Management track record

Your DCF model, however elegant, won't take into account whether a company's management has a track record of tying up licensing deals with big pharma; but it's a filter worth applying.

Neither will it identify those businesses incapable of finding an industry partner that is happy to burn through shareholders' cash.

Another factor overlooked is the quality of the product being developed.

Of course, the holy grail is the newly-discovered blockbuster with the capacity of generating peak sales in excess of $1billion a year.

But they are hard to find. A fall-back might be to develop 'me-too' copies of the blockbusters, or 'me-better' products that have bells-and-whistle enhancements.

Me-too and me-better

While arguably easier to create, they are entering crowded markets where there may be a reluctance to switch from the brand leader.

The path to regulatory sign-off can be a little more fraught. 'Me-toos' and 'me-betters' tend to have to show superior efficacy and safety to their forerunners to receive the regulatory seal of approval.

By contrast, if you have a genuinely innovative drug that tackles an area of unmet medical need, then the regulatory pathway is shortened.

But even where there isn't explicit guidance from the drugs watchdog, common sense and precedent suggest good innovative medicines are likely to find sign-off less taxing than a fifth or sixth me-too cholesterol drug.

Using the DCF and putting on the additional filters, we trawled AIM to see what, other than a landmine and a rusty pram, that process has brought to the surface.

Interesting case study

An interesting case study can be found in the respiratory segment of the drugs sector.

Verona Pharma is developing an inhaled medicine for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is normally induced by smoking. The company is making the preparations to take the treatment into Phase III trials.

Verona Pharma is developing an inhaled medicine for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

With a 120million market capitalisation, Verona's progress thus far points to the uplift its competitor, Synairgen, might enjoy if its drug SNG001, an inhaled interferon beta, delivers similarly emphatic results in Phase II.

Its COPD drug has been developed to offer protection to sufferers who contract cold or flu, which is a much-needed innovation for people with COPD.

The shock is Synairgen's market-capitalisation, which is 20million  so there's a long way to go to catch Verona up.

In SNG001, which embarked on Phase-II trials earlier this year, the company hopes to deliver a significant advance on current treatments. Interim data suggests the inhaled treatment is having the desired effect in boosting the antiviral defences of COPD sufferers.

Commercially savvy

Commercially, the Synairgen team is savvy and has a track record of negotiating lucrative out-licensing deals.

SNG001 was originally farmed out to AstraZeneca (more of this later), while it currently has a deal with Aussie outfit Pharmaxis for its LOXL2 programme for fibrosis.

That collaboration has already generated a 5million for Synairgen, which will receive 17 per cent of all future partnering proceeds.

The money from the Pharmaxis collaboration combined with cash it already has in the bank, give Synairgen the runway required to get SNG001 through its current Phase II trial.

Both SNG001 and the LOXL2 programme have significant potential, according to the analysts who reckon peak sales could be in the order of $2billion each (though remember Synairgen now only has 17 per cent of LOXL2).

You plug those numbers into a spreadsheet and the valuation is well in excess of the current share price of around 18p. City broker finnCap's price target is 63p, which is derived using a risk-adjusted net present value calculation rather than bog-standard DCF.

Out of whack with latest estimates

So why is the current valuation so out of whack with analysts' current estimates?

The AstraZeneca deal mentioned earlier holds the key to that conundrum.

SNG001 was being developed by AstraZeneca, which handed it back last year, stating the interferon beta drug didn't meet pre-defined criteria for progression.

One analyst Proactive spoke to, pointed out the drug was jettisoned before AstraZeneca received the whole data set, particularly around viral events.

Why this happened is unclear. But many of the big pharma companies have been under pressure to cut R&D programmes irrespective of their merit in order to get costs down.

SNG001 may or may not have been a victim of this baby-out-with-the-bathwater mentality.

In the aftermath of the AstraZeneca disappointment, a small number of long-term holders of the stock bailed.

Big hitters involved

However, the big hitters, Woodford and Lansdowne Partners, along with the major individual high net worth investors Richard Griffiths and Leonard Licht, remained loyal.

That said, this loyalty has come at a price. It has meant the stock has been illiquid.

In common with many small companies with a preponderance of institutional and high-net-worth shareholders, the lack of trading volume has left Synairgen adrift.

Data and deals will change this. We've had safety and biomarker data, which have lifted the stock from its recent floor. An 80-patient efficacy study should read out in the first-half half of next year.

And it's thought Pharmaxis could complete a deal for the LOXL2 programme by the end of the year. In other words, the value catalysts are there.Bacanora Minerals Ltd. is a developer and explorer of industrial minerals. The Company is engaged in exploration and development of mineral properties in Mexico. It is focused on its Sonora Lithium Project, and has a borates project located near the town of Magdalena de Kino, north of Hermosillo, Mexico. The Sonora Lithium Project consists of approximately 10 contiguous concessions covering over 94,186 hectares. The concessions include La Ventana, La Ventana 1, El Sauz, El Sauz 1, El Sauz 2, Fleur, Fleur 2, San Gabriel and Buenavista. These concessions are located approximately 190 kilometers northeast of the city of Hermosillo, in Sonora State, Mexico. The Magdalena Borate Project consists of approximately seven concessions, with a total area of approximately 16,503 hectares. The borate zones located on the Magdalena Borates Project are the Cajon Borate Deposit (Cajon); Bellota, and Pozo Nuevo. The Company's other target in Magdalena Borates Project includes the Represo prospect.

Read MoreUPPER GWYNEDD  Police are asking for the publics help in locating a teen who went missing after working at an area college Sunday night.

Cristopher Joseph Craven, 17, never returned home from his job at Delaware Valley University after completing his shift around 9:30 p.m. Sept. 16, according to a press release issued by Upper Gwynedd Township.

Christopher is described as 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gray polo shirt with the Delaware Valley University logo on it and black pants.

He was driving a gray 2006 Audi A4 with tinted windows with the license plate: KVN-8989.

Anyone with information on Christophers whereabouts is asked to call Upper Gwynedd Township Police at 215-699-5861.ALBANY  Federal prosecutors say Joe Percoco and his wife shouldn't be able to hold on to a share of the money they took from a power company that received favors from the former top Cuomo aide.

Federal prosecutors late last week filed a request that U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni should compel the Percocos to forfeit the entire sum Lisa Toscano-Percoco was paid by Competitive Power Ventures, which paid her roughly $287,000 through a Connecticut-based limited liability company. The arrangement lasted for more than three years, and ended when Percoco left the Executive Chamber in January 2016  nine months before he was charged with corruption by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office.

In a letter to Caproni dated Friday, prosecutors asked her to impose a forfeiture order of $320,000, covering the payments from CPV as well as $35,000 from Syracuse-based COR Development that were funneled through Potomac Strategies LLC, which was controlled by consultant Todd Howe, and paid to Percoco's wife. Howe  like Percoco a longtime confidant of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo  pleaded guilty to multiple felonies in September 2016 and is also awaiting sentencing.

Prosecutors said they "were unable to reach agreement on the total forfeiture amount" with Percoco, who "asserts that the payments from CPV should be discounted by some amount of 'direct costs incurred in providing the goods and services'" to the company, which is developing a controversial gas-fired power plant in Orange County.

At trial, prosecutors successfully depicted Toscano-Percoco's work on a CPV educational initiative as a "low-show" job that served as a pretext to conceal the illicit payments to Percoco, who at the time was serving as Cuomo's executive deputy secretary. Testimony showed that the arrangement alarmed executives within the company, and included criticism of Toscano-Percoco's level of effort.

Prosecutors state in a footnote they are not seeking forfeiture of approximately $1,596 of reimbursements Toscano-Percoco received from CPV above and beyond the monthly payments of $7,500 paid by the company.

"The Government asserts there are no such 'costs' that should be deducted from the forfeitable amount of proceeds Percoco obtained in connection with his crimes because, as supported by the jury's verdict at trial, Lisa Percoco's job itself was provided as part of a quid pro quo agreement, and therefore all of her compensation from CPV is proceeds of the CPV-related crimes of which Percoco was convicted," the letter states.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The Percoco jury failed to reach a verdict on charges brought against former CPV executive Peter Galbraith Kelly, who orchestrated the payments to the Percocos. Kelly pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and is awaiting sentencing.

Percoco, who served as Cuomo's campaign manager for his 2010 and 2014 gubernatorial runs, is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday. He was found guilty in March of honest services fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and solicitation of bribes and gratuities. He was acquitted of three other counts against him, including extortion.

Last week, Percoco submitted a letter to Caproni expressing "tremendous remorse for my actions and regret for the damage I have caused to others." The letter did not address the question of how much of the CPV payments he and his wife should be able to retain.Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Durbin was happy being the bridesmaid, whereas Schumer always wanted to be the bride, Baker said.East Greenbush

Regeneron is growing so fast that it can't find space fast enough.

The Tarrytown-based drug maker announced last week that it plans to spend $800 million expanding and adding 1,500 jobs at a second campus in East Greenbush that's currently under construction a few miles away from its current manufacturing location next to the University at Albany's School of Public Health off Routes 9 and 20.

Regeneron is also looking to expand at the East Greenbush Technology Park, where it currently shares office space with the software company Autotask, the Albany Business Review reported last week.

Under a plan approved last week by the Rensselaer County Industrial Development Agency, Regeneron would buy an existing building at 26 Tech Valley Drive that it currently leases with Autotask.

Autotask would move into a new building that would be built at 33 Tech Valley Drive.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Regeneron does all of its U.S. manufacturing in East Greenbush at its existing campus next to the University at Albany's Health Sciences Campus, which includes UAlbany's School of Public Health.

Regeneron's second campus is being built closer to I-90 on Tempel Lane. The company is planning 800,000 square feet of warehouse, research and manufacturing space on 119 acres. The site will be home to 1,500 employees when completed. The Cuomo administration is offering the company $140 million in state incentives for the $800 million project.

Earlier this summer, Regeneron told the Rensselaer County IDA that it was interested in buying 26 Tech Valley Drive for an undisclosed amount from the building's owner, Greenbush Associates.In Reed Morano's new film, "I Think We're Alone Now," opening Friday, a misanthrope (Peter Dinklage) believes he's the sole survivor of an apparent apocalypse until he runs into a mysterious young woman (Elle Fanning). As one of the few female directors who also serves as her own cinematographer, Morano may feel almost as alone. But that didn't stop her from taking on that demanding dual role with her first movie, either, the 2015 grieving-parents drama "Meadowland."

"That same year, I'd battled cancer, and it felt like one of those YOLO moments," said Morano, 41, who survived Stage 2 cancer of the tongue. "It could've been a disaster, but when your gut tells you to do something, you do it."

Her gut also led her to direct the pilot of Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale," for which she won an Emmy, and to "The Rhythm Section," a forthcoming big-budget action movie starring Blake Lively. She recently discussed all these projects; these are edited excerpts from that conversation.

Q: Why go with a jokey title like "I Think We're Alone Now" for such a dark movie?

A: It's a problem because people go into it thinking they're going to watch a movie about karaoke or the '80s. Or it's going to be a feel-good movie, which I do think at moments it is. We did have a discussion about changing the title, then we just didn't. I always liked that song, and now I kind of hate it, because people expect to find it in the movie. But if I put it in, that'd be a groaner.

Q: As the director and cinematographer, how did you use the camera to tell the story?

A: The first 13 minutes of the movie, there's no dialogue, and I didn't want to do voice-over. Between the sonic experience and the visuals, the idea was to try to tell as many things about these people's lives as possible without actually having them say words. Some people love that, and some people don't like it.

Q: How did you initially get interested in cinematography?

A: My dad gave me a video camera when I was in third grade, so I got into the visual side. When I went to (New York University) film school and started to go on sets, I was attracted to the person holding the camera. It felt like they had the most control. I remember thinking, "Whatever he sees is what the audience is going to see. I want to be that person."

Q: Why do you think there have been so few female cinematographers historically?

A: There's this weird misconception that women aren't strong enough to hold cameras, and it's not true. I just plowed forward and never made a thing about it. Now women come up to me all the time and say, "I see what you're doing, and I think I can do it, too."

Q: Why did you, as a mother of two, pick "Meadowland" as your first movie?

A: It was a dark place to go as a parent, but I had just come out of a very dark place. I didn't talk for eight weeks or eat food with my mouth for more than 130 days. When I came out of being sick, I realized nothing scared me anymore except, God forbid, anything should happen to my children. Doing that movie was an interesting, weird kind of therapy. I felt like I could tell the story, even if I didn't want to watch it.

Q: What interested you about "The Handmaid's Tale"?

A: I didn't want to go into TV. I like the idea of starting something and completing it as one story. But I really got into "The Handmaid's Tale" when I read it in college, and I thought, "That's an interesting challenge, because so much of it is in the main character's head." I felt very clearly about exactly what I would do with every aspect of it, from the music to the sound design to how to differentiate flashbacks from present day.

Q: Why did you leave after directing the first three episodes?

A: That's all they hired me to do. I came in, and I got to create that world. I did what I needed to do, and then I had to let that bird fly from the nest, so to speak. I'm happy they've done so well with it.Q: I have been a resident of Clifton Park since the Spring of 1971. I've witnessed the growth of population, commercial endeavours and more importantly  traffic.

I am against the idea of a roundabout at the intersection of Vischer Ferry Road/Route 146/Route 146A.

I'm thinking that the NYS Transportation Department's road engineers must have looked at this intersection some years ago, or if more recently, with blinders on and at night.

Traffic has increased significantly over the years along this corridor. In current times, both eastbound and westbound traffic along Route 146 can be seen as bumper to bumper almost throughout the day, at least from Nott Road and from just about Route 9, with a significant uptick in really slow traffic during school days.

The problem is really too many vehicles trying to use the same limited space on roadways that need improvement with outdated and badly coordinated traffic signals.

Possible cures: impose tolls for traffic using the Route 146 corridor. That should shunt to other heavily used alternate east/west roadways.

Rather than a roundabout, reconfigure the roadways by adding more lanes for appropriate left, straight-ahead and right turning lanes.

Install better, more modern traffic control signals that are better metered/timed to coordinate with the traffic flow that varies during the day.

I can see that the intersection is going to be rebuilt. My hope is that it's rebuilt without a roundabout in a way that more efficiently will handle the traffic.

And think about the next big traffic headache situation  Route 146 from Maxwell Road to Old Plank Road/Plank Road just east of Route 9 adjacent to Lowe's. You'll need a bridge engineer or someone with complex fly-over design experience to solve this mess.

 Al Alexander, Clifton Park

A: I hate to burst your bubble, Al, but the New York State Department of Transportation is indeed planning to construct a roundabout at this intersection.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Plans for a modern, two-lane roundabout are in the works. According to the DOT, the project will improve safety for motorists and pedestrians while reducing traffic delays and improving traffic flow through the busy intersection at routes 146 and 146A in Clifton Park.

More Information Hot spots What to watch for this week: The Northway (I-87), between Malta and Saratoga Springs: The Crescent Avenue and East High street bridges are now open, but be on alert for off-peak lane closures underneath the bridges between Exit 12 (Malta) and Exit 14 (Saratoga Springs) as final bridge construction work continues. Hamburg Street, Rotterdam: Traffic open in both directions. Watch for flaggers and alternating traffic during continuing roadwork eastbound (Route 146). Michigan Avenue bridge, Schenectady: Left turns prohibited onto I-890. Detour by turning right onto eastbound or westbound I-890, then loop around at next exit. Columbia Street (routes 9 and 20) over South Street and railroad tracks, Rensselaer and East Greenbush: Reduced to two lanes through the fall for a rehabilitation project. Watch for lane shifts. Detour for tractor-trailers arriving from Route 9J over the Dunn Memorial Bridge to I-787 northbound, then I-90 eastbound to Exit 9, south on Route 4, and back to routes 9 and 20. Route 7, Brunswick: Watch for lane shifts, flaggers and workers between Leonard Avenue in Sycaway and Route 278 in Brunswick Center for work on ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps. County Route 9, West Berne: Bridge construction and rehabilitation will close the intersection of Dutch Settlement Road and County Route 9 through Thanksgiving. While repairs are made to the approach of the bridge over Fox Creek, a detour will run 16 miles along Rickard Hill Road and state routes 30 and 443. Thacher Park Road (Route 157): Closed through Nov. 27 to replace two culverts near the Thacher Park Visitors Center and Paint Mine Picnic Area. Posted detour to accommodate large trucks includes routes 157, 85 and 85A through Voorheesville, Route 156 through Altamont and then back to Route 157. I-87, from Route 378 in Menands to Tibbits Avenue in Green Island: Night paving work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly through the end of October. Motorists should watch for single lane closures and ramp closures with signed detours. Route 67, Ballston Spa and Malta: Night paving work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. between State Farm Boulevard in Malta and Route 50 in Ballston Spa. Traffic will be reduced to a single alternating lane controlled by flaggers through early October. Route 144 (Main Street), Coeymans: Watch for a single alternating lane of traffic controlled by flaggers, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., for pavement work between James Drive and Westerlo Street. See More Collapse

The proposed project will also install a new, multi-use path along eastbound Route 146 west of the intersection, connecting two existing multi-use paths.

You can speak during a public open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, at the Clifton Park Senior Center, located at 6 Clifton Park Common Court. The preliminary project design will be presented and redesign plans will be discussed.

Following public input, the DOT anticipates completing design work this winter, with construction to begin in the spring.One of the state's top judges made a clear distinction last week between an allegation of sex without consent and "rape."

In fact, Court of Appeals Associate Judge Paul Feinman seemed absolutely dumbfounded when Lloyd Grandy, an attorney for former SUNY Potsdam student Benjamin Haug, who was kicked out of college, equated the allegation against his client to rape.

"This is not a plagiarism case or a cheating on a test case. This is an alleged rape case," Grandy told the Court of Appeals on Thursday. "Just saying the word 'rape' carries with it a guttural response. Not only for the person who is the alleged victim, but also you're going to be labeling someone a rapist."

Feinman cut in.

"Hold on, OK?" Feinman told Grandy. "Because he's not been labeled a rapist here. This is sexual misconduct defined in a code of conduct and all the penal law definitions of rape, what the requirements are, objective evidence, that's not what we're talking about here."

Haug was never charged with rape or any other crime.

Instead, his case was handled as a disciplinary matter at the college, where a student can be punished if the hearing board believes a preponderance of the evidence proves the incident occurred. It's a far lower standard than beyond a reasonable doubt, the threshold needed to convict someone of a crime.

Haug, now 22, was suspended and later expelled from Potsdam because the school determined he violated its code against misconduct in September 2014.

The case went to the high court last week, which has been asked to rule on how Potsdam handled the case. The judges could decide the college was justified to remove Haug or affirm a lower court decision that found the evidence for his expulsion was insufficient.

Haug met the woman, whom he knew in high school, after he returned from a night of drinking.

They had sex. But while the woman told school officials she took her shirt off, she said she never consented to sex. Haug appealed the school decision and not only was his suspension upheld but he was kicked out.

Haug's alleged victim did not testify at the hearing. She said she "didn't want any evidence collected" or Haug "to be necessarily in trouble," a police officer testified at the hearing.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

An appellate court overturned the school's ruling, which means as of this writing Haug has been found to have committed no wrongdoing.

The case sounds like the plot of a "Law & Order: SVU" episode.

More for you High court weighs SUNY Potsdam student's expulsion in sex case

But there's a difference between the court of public opinion and the Court of Appeals.

Just ask Feinman.

rgavin@timesunion.com  518-434-2403  @RobertGavinTUCOHOES  Mayor Shawn M. Morse on Monday said he will not resign his office, and insisted that allegations he had physically abused women  including his wife and younger daughter  are untrue.

Morse, 51, who has in recent days faced increasing pressure to step down from more than a dozen fellow elected leaders, including Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, cast his estranged wife, Brenda, as a serial liar with a substance abuse problem.

"If Im going to save my family, my kids, and even my wifes life, I guess I have no choice but to stand here in public," Morse said during an afternoon press conference at City Hall. "The reality is Brenda is very troubled, shes on a downward spiral and Ill leave it at that."

Morse played a recording on his mobile phone of Brenda Morse, clearly emotional, yelling at him during what he said was a recent argument outside City Hall. He claimed, without offering proof, that she had recently flunked a Family Court drug test. He also said she had violated an order of protection by allowing their 15-year-old daughter to be around a teenage boy she was prohibited from contacting.

But Morse did not explain why their younger daughter had told Child Protective Services investigators last year that he had choked her, pulled her hair, knocked her down and punched her during separate incidents. He said the allegations were "unfounded," and offered to provide documentation from Child Protective Services showing that was the outcome. His attorney, Joseph Ahearn, did not respond to a request to provide the documents.

"I will tell you that I have never touched a woman, I've never touched my wife, I've never touched my daughters and I've never touched my son," Morse said. "I will take that to the grave with me, because it's never happened."

His extraordinary press conference took place a day after Cuomo called for Morse to step down and said that State Police have reopened their investigation of abuse allegations against the mayor following a story published in Sunday's Times Union.

The story detailed the daughter's allegations to CPS investigators and also cited an affidavit from Brenda Morse, prepared in connection with their divorce proceeding, in which she said her husband had physically abused her throughout their 19-year marriage.

Morse also denied allegations by Colleen Keller, the mother of their son, who went public last year and said that Morse had repeatedly broken into her residence and abused her in the 1990s, including an incident in which he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. A former Cohoes police officer, Gary Ethier, had confirmed responding to Keller's residence when she called police for help.

Morse assailed state Assemblyman John McDonald, a former Cohoes mayor, for confirming that he had witnessed an incident in the late 1980s when Morse allegedly dragged a woman he was dating out of McDonald's family pharmacy by her hair.

Morse called McDonald "a liar" and seized on the fact the lawmaker later clarified that although he witnessed the incident, someone told him who Morse was because they didn't know one another at the time. But McDonald has never backtracked from the fact he said he saw the incident, and that the woman and her family did not want the police called.

The Albany County district attorney's office has been overseeing an investigation of Morse since last November, when Brenda Morse called 911 and told a dispatcher that her husband had grabbed her by the throat and thrown her to the ground during an argument.

Shawn Morse initially said that his wife accidentally dialed 911 and he claimed that she never told a dispatcher he had choked her. He also initially denied having a scratch under his left eye a day after the incident, but now acknowledges that she scratched him. Brenda Morse has said she scratched at his face when he grabbed her throat.

Colonie police opened a new investigation of Morse after his wife filed a complaint last week alleging that he assaulted her  bruising her arm and shoulder and spitting in her face  when they met at a Wolf Road restaurant on Thursday morning to discuss the terms of their separation.

Morse implied his wife had concocted the allegation about their Wolf Road meeting in response to a State Police statement issued last week  after TimesUnion.com published Brenda Morse's 911 call  saying their 10-month investigation had not produced enough evidence to charge him with the allegations made by his wife in the November 911 call. However, Brenda Morse had made the allegations a day before her husband claimed during the news conference.

Morse said he was "cleared" of the allegations made last November, but the State Police later reopened their investigation and expanded it to examine the accusations made by the couple's younger daughter.

Cohoes police, who were aware of the Child Protective Services investigation, have not responded to requests for comment on whether they took any action. Morse, who as mayor is the public safety commissioner overseeing the department, said he's unaware if Cohoes police were aware of his daughter's abuse allegations, or did anything about it if they had been.

The Child Protective Services reports, filed by investigators in Rensselaer County because of Shawn Morse's political ties in Albany County, detail allegations that he regularly used physical violence against his younger daughter, now 16. It's unclear why CPS investigators became involved, but during at least one interview Morse's daughter was accompanied by her math teacher from Cohoes High School. That interview took place March 24, 2017, at the Cohoes Public Library, according to the report.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

During the interview, a CPS investigator wrote in a report that the daughter  whose name is being withheld by the Times Union  recounted how a few days earlier her father allegedly attacked her unprovoked at the family's home following a heated argument he had with his wife in the middle of the night, the document states.

"(Child) said she pulled covers over her head and (father) was pulling the covers off and punching her in the side of the head," the report states. "(Child) said she was fighting and kicking (father). ... (Child) said she got up to go to her room and put clothes on to leave. (Child) said (father) followed and was standing kind of on the side of her and he grabbed her with both hands and started to choke her. (Child) said (father) was saying 'I'll kill you right now ... who are you talking to me like that.' (Child) said (father) was holding her throat for about 5 seconds and said he saw that she couldn't breathe and started crying so he let go."

The press conference took place about two hours after more than a dozen Democratic political leaders from Albany County, including members of the state Legislature, issued a statement Monday calling for Morse to resign in the wake of additional allegations of domestic abuse.

Those signing the statement included County Executive Daniel P. McCoy; county Democratic Chairman Jack Flynn; county Legislators Joanne Cunningham, Raymond Joyce, Allison McLean Lane and Lynne Lekakis; state Sen. Neil Breslin; Assembly members John McDonald and Patricia Fahy; Bethlehem Supervisor David VanLuvenand; and six Albany Common Council members.

"Given the troubling allegations of domestic violence and child abuse made against Mayor Shawn Morse, we are in agreement that he cannot continue to serve as mayor of the city of Cohoes and accordingly we join with Gov. Cuomo in calling for his immediate resignation," read the statement from the officials in Albany County.

Morse brushed off Cuomo's request that he resign and called him "the most corrupt governor in America."

The day's event ended with an emergency meeting of the Cohoes Common Council, which convened in the same room in which Morse held his news conference a few hours earlier. The mayor attended and repeated many of the arguments he had made earlier.

"This is a real tough spot that our mayor is in," council member Christopher Briggs said. "This thing has grown, and grown and grown to be some monster that is more than what it started off to be. What I'm saying is, it's not about Shawn and his personal problems. It's about Shawn the mayor, not Shawn the individual."

About 100 people packed into the often tense meeting. About a dozen people spoke during the public comment portion, most speaking in favor of Morse as a "good honest man" and a "great mayor."

In the end, the meeting adjourned without any formal decision or vote on the matter. Briggs said the meeting served as a conversation between council members and the public.

"I'm struggling in my mind with what do you do?" Briggs said during the meeting. " ... We don't have the ability to remove him. It's Shawn's decision. He is going to have to be the one to determine whether it's about him, (or) if it's about the city."COHOES  Gov. Andrew Cuomo, reacting to Sunday's Times Union report that Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse is alleged to have used physical violence against his wife and daughter, urged Morse to resign and said State Police were reopening their investigation of the mayor's conduct in light of the new allegations.

"The frightening and egregious evidence of domestic violence against Mayor Morse, as documented in recent media reports, cannot be ignored," Cuomo said in a statement released Sunday afternoon. Both are Democrats.

"Given the documented evidence presented in these reports, it is clear he cannot continue to serve and must resign," the governor said. "The New York State Police have reopened their investigation based on new reported evidence."

Byron Brown, the chairman of the state Democratic Party, echoed Cuomo's resignation demand, calling Morse "unfit to serve.'

The renewal of the State Police investigation wasn't Morse's only potential legal problem to emerge on Sunday.

Colonie police on Sunday confirmed that they are investigating a complaint his wife, Brenda Morse, filed on Friday accusing her estranged husband of grabbing her, causing bruises, and spitting in her face when they met at a Wolf Road restaurant last week to discuss the terms of their separation and child custody issues.

Police opened the investigation after interviewing Brenda Morse and documenting bruises on her arm and shoulder, and a scratch on her left ear.

Morse on Sunday said he would not resign before his term ends next year. He called on Cuomo to leave office because "he's the most corrupt governor in America."

"When the governor starts using the Times Union as his source of fact then he should start calling out the people in his cabinet that have been arrested for corruption all across New York rather than pretend like he knows nothing about it," Morse said.

Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi shot back: "No amount of baseless name calling will detract from the fact that the evidence presented shows this mayor is a disgrace and isn't fit to lead."

Earlier Sunday, Morse faulted the Times Union for reporting the abuse allegations, claiming they were based on the "mental illness and drug addiction of my wife." He repeated that assertion in an interview Sunday.

The article, published Sunday, detailed allegations that Morse used physical violence on multiple occasions against his wife and younger daughter. The article was based on documents including an affidavit and child protective services reports obtained by the Times Union.

The new information expands the number of women that Morse has been accused of physically abusing. Colleen Keller, a former girlfriend, went public last year and said that Morse had repeatedly abused her in the 1990s, including an incident where he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground.

Abuse allegations have dogged Morse since his wife called 911 last November, marking the first time that allegations of domestic abuse against Morse became public.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Cohoes police quickly dismissed Brenda Morse's allegations after responding to the call, saying they noticed a scratch on Morse's face but did not see any visible injuries on Brenda Morse. The case was turned over to the State Police.

Last week, a spokesman for the State Police said they had "thoroughly investigated this case and did not develop probable cause to make an arrest. However, the case will be reopened if additional information is developed, and an arrest will be made if warranted."

The Albany County District Attorney's office began investigating how the Cohoes Police Department handled allegations of abuse by Morse, but the status of that probe is unclear.

The documents shared with the Times Union include an affidavit  never filed in court  in which Brenda Morse accused her estranged husband of assaulting her throughout their 19-year marriage. The document attributes to Brenda Morse statements that her husband "has punched me, kicked me, slapped me, broken a jewelry box over my head, broken a picture frame across my back, thrown me down a flight of stairs, and slammed my face against a concrete surface, causing a bloody nose and facial cuts."

Brenda Morse, who is pursuing a divorce, declined to talk to the Times Union on the advice of her attorney. But she confirmed that the accusations contained in the affidavit and the child protective services reports are accurate, and that she stands by the allegations she made against her husband.

The child protective services reports, filed by investigators in Rensselaer County because of Shawn Morse's political ties in Albany County, detail allegations that he regularly used physical violence against his younger daughter, now 16, including pulling her hair, throwing her to the ground, choking her and punching her in the head.

It's unclear why CPS investigators became involved, but during at least one interview Morse's daughter was accompanied by Heather Bradt, a math teacher and tutor at Cohoes High School who has mentored Morse's daughter. That interview took place March 24, 2017, at the Cohoes Public Library, according to the report.

During the interview, a CPS investigator wrote in a report that the daughter, then 15  whose name is being withheld by the Times Union  recounted how a few days earlier her father allegedly attacked her unprovoked at the family's residence following a heated argument he had with his wife in the middle of the night, the document states.NORTH GREENBUSH Supervisor Louis J. Desso had to have the town's contracted engineers do a map and report before he had a sewer line extension approved for his house in March 2017.

But Desso didn't write a check for the town's nearly $2,000 fee for the work until Aug. 7, 2018 - the same week the State Police began interviewing people about some of Desso's conduct since he became supervisor.

The $1,850 check written to the Town of North Greenbush was dated Aug. 7, 2018, and signed by Desso's wife, Debra, with the explanation in the memo line "sewer ext.," according to records obtained by the Times Union. The town comptroller's office also created a document acknowledging it received the check on Aug. 7 for "sewer district/extension creation fee."

Applicants to the town are expected to pay fees at the time of submitting requests for permits or board approvals. The town board approved Desso's sewer extension 18 months ago - on March 9, 2017, according to town records of the meeting.

It's unknown why Desso did not provide payment for the sewer extension until last month. Desso did not return requests for comment. Town Comptroller Anthony Germano did not return a call and an email in response to questions about the payment.

The engineering firm, Laberge Group, does the maps and reports for sewer line extensions, and bills the town for its work. But it's unknown if the town reimbursed Laberge at the time it did the work; the date on the map for Desso's sewer extension was March 7, 2017.

Laberge Group President Richard Laberge told the Times Union last Thursday that he would "look into" if the town paid his firm for the Desso sewer map, but he couldn't get such information until Monday.

Desso's sewer line extension to his Stephen Drive house and subdivided property he gave to his son is also the subject of a Rensselaer County inquiry. In June, county officials realized the extension was not reported to the appropriate taxing entity for sewer districts in Rensselaer County.

The supervisor has also provided conflicting information about whether his new sewer service was up and running. In early July, Desso said he had not paid his contractor, long-time friend J.R. Casale, because the line wasn't hooked up. But a month later, Desso told the Times Union through his friend and attorney Joseph Ahearn that the line had already been installed and Casale had been paid. "He privately paid the contractor with no town resources used," Ahearn told the Times Union in August. "There is nothing out of the ordinary about it."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The county said in a June letter to Desso that it found several dozen other unreported sewer users in North Greenbush who had been receiving county sewer service for free since at least early 2017. Desso told the Times Union in July that it was standard practice for the town to only report new sewer districts to the county once a year.

Desso's sewer line to his properties are part of a series of issues that have raised eyebrows since he took office in Jan. 2016. The Times Union reported in July, Desso has taken in large campaign donations from developers with business before the town. In June, Desso accepted free fill on his subdivided property from an developer with projects in town who is also a campaign contributor.

A former Democratic challenger of Desso's, Ron Sinico, wrote a letter to Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove in July, asking the prosecutor to seek a special prosecutor to investigate Desso. He argued Abelove's office could not investigate Desso because the supervisor's son, Jonathan, is the spokesman for Abelove's office.

Last month, Abelove responded by advising Sinico to reach out to State Police. Police did interviews with Sinico and frequent town government critic Charles Smith concerning the case, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.Washington

Leading Democrats called Sunday for the Senate to put a hold on Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court after a woman who has accused him of sexually assaulting her when they were in high school publicly identified herself.

The accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, a psychologist and professor at Palo Alto University in California, identified herself in a Washington Post interview published Sunday  four days before the Senate Judiciary Committee was to vote on whether to endorse Kavanaugh's lifetime appointment to the nation's highest court, which would in turn set the stage for a vote by the full Senate.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations, which initially came to public light last week.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York; California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee; and other Democratic senators quickly called for that vote to be set aside and for the FBI to investigate the allegations.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The developments threw into disarray the nomination of Kavanaugh, whose confirmation could put President Donald Trump's stamp on Supreme Court for a generation, after the ascension of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch last year.

"From the outset, I have believed these allegations were extremely serious and bear heavily on Judge Kavanaugh's character," Feinstein said in a statement. "I support Mrs. Ford's decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation."RENSSELAER  A city firefighter's decision to alert the state that volunteers are behind on mandated training prompted the fire chief to forbid the crew of 18 volunteers from rushing into burning buildings.

"The training will be upgraded," Mayor Daniel Dwyer said. "We will do it in a couple of weeks."



Dwyer said a "disgruntled" firefighter contacted the state's Public Employees Safety Health Bureau to complain about the lack of training, which led to Chief Bill Hummel's decision to sideline the volunteers.

The restriction put on the volunteers and not on the 12 paid firefighters reflects an ongoing battle between the volunteers and members of the paid firefighters' union, said Michael Stammel, one of the volunteer firefighters and a Rensselaer County legislator.

Stammel said that the paid staff is trying to squeeze out the volunteers, an effort that escalated into a 2016 lawsuit filed by Rensselaer Professional Firefighters Local 2643 against the volunteers. The suit seeks to restore city funds to the paid staff that were for equipment and other things the volunteers needed.

Stammel said paid firefighters give short notice to volunteers about mandatory training.

"We are told the night before or the day of," Stammel said. "Unless we are at the firehouse all the time, we usually can't make it. Our training has been hit or miss. This has been going on for a while."

He said that he and most of the other volunteer firefighters have not received annual training and tests, including hazardous-material and workplace-violence training as well as fitness tests, for years. Often, he said, training is done outside of the area.



"We shouldn't have to go outside of the city to get the training," Stammel said. "These trainings and tests are important."

The restrictions on volunteers follows two major city fires, one at a housing development in April and one that killed a grandmother, mother and son in March.

The Commissioner of Public Works Dominic Tagliento said that all the volunteers will receive an eight-hour refresher course in two separate sections this week and next. They will then be allowed to go back inside burning buildings.

"It was a misunderstanding," Tagliento said. "After they catch up, we will make sure the volunteers get training on a steady basis. But there was no time that anyone was at risk. These are highly trained firefighters who would do what they were trained to do."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

It's not just training. Stammel said volunteers are supplied with subpar equipment, have no lockers at the firehouse and no keys to the firehouse. They are not alerted about a fire until the paid staff is notified, he said.

"We just want to be treated equally," Stammel said. "Treated equally communication wise, equipment wise and respect wise. We are all employees of the city, even though we are not paid, we should be treated equally."

Dwyer said the dispute between fire department factions has "been blown out of proportion."

"We have fights," Dwyer said. "It's been handed over to the lawyers."



Hummel did not return a call for comment.

"If a neighbor's house is burning, you're going to help no matter what the chief may say," Stammel said. "It's in our blood. It's an obligation, not a job, to take care of our community."Manhasset

A cardiac surgeon killed with his wife when their single-engine plane crashed north of Boston was being remembered by colleagues at his Long Island hospital for both his medical skills and his personality.

Dr. Michael Graver, 65, and Jodi Cohen, 52, were killed on Saturday when their craft crashed in Woburn, Mass.

Graver was a cardiothoracic surgeon at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

He "was an outstanding surgeon and a great guy," said Dr. Alan Hartman, senior vice president of cardiothoracic services at Northwell Health, which oversees the hospital.

Graver graduated from Albany Medical College and had been in practice for two decades, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Officials said the couple left from Republic Airport in Farmingdale at around 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

They had been heading to Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass., which is about four miles from the crash site.

Officials said Graver, who co-owned the 2016 single-engine Columbia Aircraft LC41, was a "very experienced pilot."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Hartman told the Boston Globe that Graver often took colleagues on flying trips to other states.

"It was not so much where they were going but the fun in getting there," he said.

He said the couple had gone to Massachusetts to meet their son, who was there for a conference.

Residents in the neighborhood where the plane went down recounted feeling the impact, but no one on the ground was injured and no homes were hit.

The National Transportation Safety Board was investigating the cause of the crash.The Trump administration has made clear that its top priority in the Middle East is to thwart Iran's nuclear and regional ambitions. So why is it so reluctant to lift a finger against Tehran's most audacious gambit in Syria?

That gambit is the reconquest, by Syrian dictator Bashar Assad and his Iranian and Russian allies, of Idlib province, the last major rebel holdout in western Syria and home to about 3 million people. A humanitarian catastrophe is expected to follow, entailing mass casualties and another tidal wave of refugees.

By now, the strategic consequences should also be obvious. Iran will have succeeded in consolidating a Shiite crescent stretching from Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf to the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. Russia will have succeeded in reasserting itself as a Mideast military victor and diplomatic power broker. Hezbollah, already the dominant political player in Lebanon, will further extend its influence in Syria.

As for Assad, he will have shown that the community of civilized nations will, in fact, let you get away with murder. And with using prohibited chemical weapons. And with decimating your own people by means of barrel bombs, mass torture and food blockades.

The losers in this equation: Turkey, already groaning under the pressure of millions of Syrian refugees and a crumbling economy; Israel, whose repeated strikes against Iranian targets in Syria have dented but not denied Tehran's ambitions; Europe, which could face yet another refugee crisis even as the effects of the last are felt in the resurgence of the far right; and the Syrian people, terrorized witnesses to the marriage of wickedness and indifference. And then there's the United States, where two administrations have now allowed the Syrian crisis to become depressing testimony to the worthlessness of our word, the fickleness of our friendship and hollowness of our values. Donald Trump, loudly billing himself as Barack Obama's opposite in every respect, has effectively adopted his predecessor's worst foreign policy mistake.

At least the Obama administration could privately justify a weak Syria policy as being consonant with their desire to strike a nuclear deal with Iran. Trump's Syria policy lacks that dubious coherence: It seems to have no broader rationale other than the president's knee-jerk isolationism, his deference to Vladimir Putin, his apparent belief that the only vital U.S. interest in Syria is the defeat of the Islamic State group, and his occasional need to look tough by ordering minimally effective airstrikes. Even John Bolton's latest threat to hit Assad harder if he uses chemical weapons in Idlib doesn't rise to the level of meaningful policy. Punishing the use of chemical weapons without exacting a devastating price on the user is just the sort of feckless gesture the national security adviser would gleefully have mocked when he was out of government.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

What would be a serious policy? Trump warned  in a tweet!  that Assad "must not recklessly attack Idlib Province." Such an attack should be the administration's red line, regardless of whether the Syrian regime uses chemical weapons. If Assad crosses it, the U.S. can destroy everything that remains of the Syrian air force and crater the runways Iran uses to supply its own forces in Syria. If Assad continues to move, his presidential palaces should be next. After that, Assad himself. By then he will have been fairly warned.

The larger goal is to establish that the U.S. has the ability and will to achieve core foreign policy objectives at a relatively reasonable price. Those objectives are to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe; exact an increasingly heavy toll on Assad and his allies for prosecuting their offensive; create leverage for future diplomacy; and demonstrate to regional allies that we can be an effective, engaged and reliable partner, provided they're willing to do their share. What the objective is not is to dictate Syria's future or solve its problems, much less get into the weeds of sorting out Idlib's bad rebels from the more moderate ones. Down that road lies Iraq II. But American policymakers desperately need to learn how to find the middle road between overreaction and inaction; between a missionary zeal to solve other people's agonies and the illusion that we can remain aloof from them. The Trump administration might still think it can fire off a few cruise missiles and the odd tweet in the face of Assad's depredations. If so, it will wind up as a midwife to the mullahs' ambitions, however many sanctions the president might otherwise slap on Tehran.

The countdown for the siege of Idlib has begun. America's enemies know the stakes. Do we?

Bret Stephens writes for The New York Times.Pride and celebration were the order of the day in Cashel Community School as Cashel CS students collected their Junior Cert results on Wednesday 12th September.

It was was marvellous to see the delight and sheer happiness of our students as they received the results of all their efforts. This years results were truly spectacular with results in all areas being above the national average.

Cashel Community School would like to congratulate the students who completed their Junior Certificate programme this year.

There were some excellent results across the board in what was a difficult and challenging year for all involved within our school community.

The students were rewarded for all their hard work and efforts during the last three years.

The Principal, John Gallagher, paid tribute to the committed teachers , guidance counsellors, SNAs and ancillary staff in the School and acknowledged the support the school receives from the parents in their collective efforts to constantly promote excellence and a good work ethic in Cashel Community School.

Mr Gallagher said that  there were some tremendous results ,however we in Cashel Community School believe that success comes in many forms .

Whilst acknowledging the outstanding achievements of those pupils who scored very well in the Junior Certificate, we also recognise and applaud the excellent achievements of the many students who fulfilled their potential.

That said he paid a special tribute to Kate Maher who achieved straight A s in all her subjects, this by any standard is a phenomenal achievement.

Finally ,as a school we look forward to seeing our students build on these results as they progress into the senior cycle and beyond.[September 16, 2018] IG Asia Partners Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer to be the first broker to offer miles

SINGAPORE, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IG Asia Pte Ltd ("IG") partners with Singapore Airlines Group's KrisFlyer frequent flyer programme, to launch an air miles incentive scheme. This will make IG, the first broker in the region to offer such an initiative. With over 40 years' experience, IG, the world's No.1 CFD provider in online trading, gives clients access to over 15,000 financial markets -- including forex, shares, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies. Tony Lim, Head of IG, Singapore: "We are very honoured to partner KrisFlyer to reach out to customers of the SIA Group, collaborating with the world's most awarded airline and one of the most recognized brands internationally. This partnership will bring lots of synergy and convenience to both KrisFlyer and IG's clientele who are associated with both industy leaders. Our discerning clientele expect only the best from us and we believe that this collaboration with KrisFlyer will no doubt deliver and exceed expectations."



This will be the first of its kind reward program in Singapore, exclusive to IG, where clients can open a new account, and earn miles when fulfilling the trading criteria. From now till 31 December 2018, new clients can earn up to 30,000 KrisFlyer miles during the promotional period, equivalent to a round trip Saver Award redemption to Hong Kong. Exclusive to IG, a great way to trade. Find out more at ig.com.sg/KF.

About IG IG empowers informed, decisive, adventurous people to access opportunities in over 15,000 financial markets. With a strong focus on innovation and technology, the company puts client needs at the heart of everything it does. IG is a global leader in online trading, providing fast and flexible access to a wide range of financial markets -- including forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, shares and indices. The head office in London was established in 1974, and we aim to become the default choice for active traders globally. It is an award-winning multi-platform trading company and the world's No.1 provider in CFDs*. IG is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and is a constituent member of the FTSE 250, with offices across Europe, US, Africa and Asia-Pacific. For more details on this promotion, please visit www.ig.com.sg/KF. *Based on revenue excluding FX, from published financial statements, May 2018. Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180913/2236800-1LOGO SOURCE IG Asia Pte Ltd

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Ping An Good Doctor Participates in the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2018 to Demonstrate "AI + Health" Innovation

HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- China's leading one-stop healthcare ecosystem platform, Ping An Good Doctor (the "Company", stock code: 1833.HK), today showed its AI medical devices and technology at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2018, including "One-minute Clinics", AI-assisted medical system and Smart Earphone, drawing attention of the participating professionals and audience. The World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2018 is one of the largest and highest-profile exhibitions in the artificial intelligence industry, jointly organized by the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Cyberspace Administration of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Shanghai Municipal People's Government. Themed on "A New Era Empowered By Artificial Intelligence", the Conference explores the wide application of artificial intelligence in various industry sectors and social services. Ping An Good Doctor, Google, Tencent and other enterprises were invited to participate as representatives in the field of deep integration of artificial intelligence and medical health. Demonstrate Four Innovations of "AI + Health" At Ping An Good Doctor's "AI + Health" experience zone, a smart wristband can identify the human's pulse, which attracted a lot of attentions and experiencers. Experiencers only need to lay down their hand into the wristband and the test would be activated. The smart wristband, smart pulse-taking device, is an important part of Ping An Good Doctor's "Modern Physician Hua Tuo". Its tested results and the statistics are automatically sent to the user's mobile phone and the online doctor from Ping An Good Doctor, to support the consultation by traditional Chinese medicine ("TCM") doctors. Apart from this, Ping An Good Doctor also demonstrates other achievements in smart healthcare including the smart medicine cabinets of "One-minute Clinics" and "AI-assisted Medical Consultation Capability", as well as the smart Bluetooth earphone products that could protect hearing at the scene. The Company applies medical big data and AI technology to scenarios including health centers, pharmacies, families and offices, so as to provide the service of "cure + medicine + healthcare management" to the common people. Besides, "One-minute Clinics" connects with Ping An Good Doctor's online medical consultation capability, as well as its medical professional team and big data with AI in the backstage. Patients only need to stay in the approximately 1 sq.m., and then they could obtain the medical consultations, recovery guidelines and medicine recommendations through symptoms description via voice messages and graphics. This significantly reduces the time for the consultation of common illnesses. After the consultation, patients could also purchase the medicine from the smart medicine cabinets nearby if needed. It truly achieves the one-stop consultation progress of "AI preliminary consultation, online consultation and purchase of medicine". By using inelligent speech, semantics analysis and big data technology, Ping An Good Doctor's AI-assisted medical system has accepted more than 300 million online medical and health consultation, which will be well and safely applied to online medical consultation and thus increase the efficiency of doctors' consultations by more than 5 times, greatly improving the efficiency and accuracy of online consultation. As at the end of June 2018, Ping An Good Doctor had applied for a total of 26 patents for its AI research and development.



The Smart Earphone is a smart hearing-protection product developed by the Company and authoritative institutions in acoustics. By connecting the earphone to the user's mobile phone and taking the hearing ability test, the results are saved and further analyzed by the advanced hearing ability algorithm behind the scenes, and thus obtaining the parametric curve of the hearing ability. The sound effect is then adjusted to suit the hearing ability of the user according to the parameters, as well as forming a medical hearing protection for the user. Building "AI family TCM doctor" to Become a Must-have

With the aging of the population, the increase of the incidence of chronic diseases, and the growing awareness of residents' health and wellness, the diagnosis and treatment of TCM industry has developed rapidly in recent years. At present, the integration of "AI + Medical" is mainly concentrated in the field of Western medicine, with a lack of breakthroughs in the TCM field. In order to use AI to standardize and improve intelligence of TCM, and realize the "concurrent treatment" of AI Chinese and Western medicine, Ping An doctor launched the "Modern Physician Hua Tuo Plan" in 2017, corresponding to the "Wang Wen Wen Qie" of the Chinese medicine consultation process, and successively launched the smart tongue diagnosis, intelligent medical consultation, intelligent consultation, intelligent pulse diagnosis. It is able to simulate the preliminary consultation by mankind, the traditional Chinese medicine doctors, and collect the cause and history of illness based on the Four Diagnostic Methods in the traditional Chinese medicine, which are "Observation, Listen to breathing, Ask about symptoms and Pulse-taking". The smart system will then transfer the integrated data analysis results to the doctor's workspace with the hypothesis, and lastly recommend the prescription of Chinese medicine with the physique of the patient taken into consideration. "Modern Physician Hua Tuo" would effectively improve the consultation experience of the patients. This also enables Ping An Good Doctor's "AI+Healthcare" technology to provide both Chinese and Western medical services for users of different ages and needs. For middle-aged and elderly users, who have stronger demand for Chinese medicine, Ping An Good Doctor's AI family TCM doctor can provide all kinds of services such as prevention of disease, medical treatment, Chinese medicine healthcare and health management to improve their health condition. A series of AI medical technology achievements, such as "Modern Physician Hua Tuo", one-minute clinics, AI-assisted medical system, and the smart Bluetooth earphone, Ping An Good Doctor has built a "smart medical system", integrating technology, products and services. The system has multiplied the service capacity, accuracy and efficiency, providing one-stop quality medical and healthcare services to hundreds of millions of online and offline users. About Ping An Good Doctor (1833.HK)

Ping An Good Doctor is the leading one-stop healthcare ecosystem platform in China. By combining "mobile health + AI technology", the Company strives to provide every family with a family doctor, every person with an e-health profile and everyone with a healthcare management plan. Ping An Good Doctor has established a comprehensive, one-stop healthcare ecosystem covering family doctor services, consumer healthcare services, a health mall as well as health management and wellness interaction. As of the end of June 2018, there were 228 million registered users and the Company's MAU reached 48.6 million. Ping An Good Doctor is today the largest mobile medical application in China in terms of user scale. Ping An Good Doctor employs more than a thousand medical personnel (Assistant Supervisor Level or above from Class III Grade A Hospitals) in its in-house medical team and contracts with 4,650 renowned external doctors. This in-house medical team, empowered by our proprietary AI technology, provides users with 24 x 7 online consultation services. In our offline partnership network, Ping An Good Doctor collaborates with approximately 3,100 hospitals (including more than 1,200 Class III Grade A hospitals) to provide services such as hospital referral, appointment and inpatient arrangements. Ping An Good Doctor also partners with more than 2,000 healthcare institutions, including physical examination centers, dental clinics, cosmetic surgery institutions and more than 10,000 pharmacy outlets, to provide relevant health and wellness services to our users. By integrating our AI-empowered medical team, external doctors and offline network, Ping An Good Doctor has established a closed-loop healthcare ecosystem which enables our users to enjoy online consultations and online drug purchases, as well as online consultations and offline follow-up treatment, thereby providing convenient, high-quality and efficient family doctor services. In April 2015, the App "Ping An Good Doctor" was officially launched. In May 2016, the Company completed an A round financing and raised US$500 million. In December 2017, the Company completed the pre-IPO financing from Softbank Vision Fund, during which it raised US$400 million. On 4 May 2018, Ping An Good Doctor became the No.1 listed internet health-tech company in the world when it joined the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, stock code 01833.HK. Our IPO cornerstone investors include Blackrock, Capital Group, GIC, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Swiss Re and CP Group. SOURCE Ping An Good Doctor

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Mecmesin, a Specialist in Force and Torque Measurement Technology, Joins Battery Ventures' Physical Properties Testing Group

Battery Ventures, a global technology investment firm, has reached an agreement for its platform in the material-property testing market, Physical Properties Testing* (PPT), to acquire Mecmesin,* a global supplier of force- and torque-testing equipment for consumer and industrial products. Mecmesin, based near Horsham, West Sussex, England, will join existing PPT portfolio company James Heal, which makes lab instruments and test materials for the textile industry. Battery-which has raised more than $6.9 billion since its inception-maintains an active practice investing in industrial-technology companies in the U.S. and Europe and has acquired more than 40 such companies and brands in the last decade. Mecmesin's equipment is used in R&D and quality-control laboratories and manufacturing plants around the world to assess and ensure the quality of raw materials, components and finished products. Industries using Mecmesin's products range from pharmaceuticals and consumer-packaged goods-drug makers use Mecmesin's equipment to test pill bottles, for example-to automotive, aerospace and construction. Customers rely on the company's affordable testing machines for a wide range of force- and torque- measurement applications, including tests involving tension, compression, torque, adhesion, flexure, coefficient of friction, crush and others. Many of Mecmesin's products are built to withstand tough factory conditions, allowing customers to immediately test products on the factory floor, instead of using a more-expensive outside lab later. "We are pleased to welcome Mecmesin to the PPT family, where its force-and-torque testing expertise with various types of products will complement James Heal's focus on textile testing," said Don Templeman, PPT's chairman. Added Jesse Feldman, a general partner with Battery: "The Mecmesin business is diverse and growing, and we are excited to explore potential synergies between its products and those of other companies in the PPT Group. This should help Mecmesin's current product brands grow sales even more." Mecmesin was founded in 1977 by Jim Oakley, a design engineer, and has since expanded to include regional offices in the U.S., China, Thailand and Germany. The company also maintains a global network of distributors in more than 50 countries to provide technial expertise and after-sales support.



"We're extremely excited to work with PPT and Battery as we become part of this broader physical-property testing group," said Oakley. "The additional resources will help the company continue its global growth." Battery Ventures provides investment advisory services solely to privately offered funds. Battery Ventures neither solicits nor makes its services available to the public or other advisory clients. For more information about Battery Ventures' potential financing capabilities for prospective portfolio companies, please refer to our website. *Physical Properties Testing and Mecmesin are Battery portfolio companies. For a complete list of all portfolio companies, please click here.

No assumptions should be made that any investments identified above were or will be profitable. It should not be assumed that recommendations in the future will be profitable or equal the performance of the companies identified above. Please refer to Section 1 of our Terms of Use for further information. About Battery Battery strives to invest in cutting-edge, category-defining businesses in markets including software and services, Web infrastructure, consumer Internet, mobile and industrial technologies. Founded in 1983, the firm backs companies at stages ranging from seed to private equity and invests globally from offices in Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, London, Israel and New York. Follow the firm on Twitter (News - Alert) @BatteryVentures, visit our website at www.battery.com and find a full list* of Battery's portfolio companies here. About Mecmesin Established in 1977, Mecmesin is a British company specializing in the design and manufacture of force and torque measurement equipment for quality control. Based in Horsham, West Sussex, the company has expanded globally with subsidiary companies in Germany, Thailand, China and the USA plus a global network of exclusive distributors who offer customers technical expertise and after-sales support. Mecmesin's test systems enable designers, engineers and quality managers to feel confident in the quality of their raw materials, components or finished products, to maintain consistency of manufacture, to comply with relevant standards and to save money by minimizing rejects in the production process. Thousands of companies worldwide rely upon Mecmesin force and torque measurement systems for product and materials testing in a diverse range of industries including aerospace, automotive, cosmetics, construction electrical and electronics, medical devices, packaging, pharmaceuticals, plastics and textiles. For more information visit www.mecmesin.com and follow Mecmesin on @Mecmesin_uk View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005178/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] KBRwyle to Shape Commercialization of Low-Earth Orbit with NASA Contract

HOUSTON, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) announced today that its global government services business, KBRwyle, has been awarded a contract to study the future of commercial enterprise in low-Earth orbit (LEO), including long-range opportunities for the International Space Station (ISS). NASA selected KBRwyle as one of thirteen contract awardees. KBRwyle will assess the potential growth of a LEO market and how to offer affordable access to LEO. It will also analyze how to foster demand for commercial and government use of LEO platforms and capabilities. KBRwyle will study specific industry concepts like the viability of habitable platforms including the space station and separate free-flying structures. KBRwyle will also provide NASA with recommendations on the role of the government and the space station in developing and growing a commercial economy in LEO. According to NASA, the findings from these studies will help it, the administration and Congress develop a strategic approach to growing opportunities for American industry. The application of these results will expand access to LEO and stimulate a vibrant and competitive industrial base for continued U.S. leadership in space. "KBRwyle has been at the forefront of U.S. space exploration for the last 50 years," said Byron Bright, President, KBR Government Services U.S. "We look forward to applying our expertise to these studies, working to profoundly impact the future of space exploration and shape tomorrow's space economy." KBRwyle has worked with every U.S. astronaut since 1968 and has provided critical support to the ISS during design, construction and almost 18 years of continuous crewed operations. It operates at eleven NASA centers and facilities and supports work in the areas of space technology, aeronautics, science, and human exploration and operations. KBRwyle is a leading space industry services provider supporting the civil, military and commercial space segments. Estimated revenue associated with this contract award will be booked into the backlog of unfilled orders for KBR's Government Services business segment. About KBR, Inc.

KBR is a global providr of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program life cycle within the Government Services and Hydrocarbons sectors. KBR employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 75 countries, and operations in 40 countries, across three synergistic global businesses:



Government Services, serving government customers globally, including capabilities that cover the full life-cycle of defense, space, aviation and other government programs and missions from research and development, through systems engineering, test and evaluation, program management, to operations, maintenance, and field logistics

Technology, including proprietary technology focused on the monetization of hydrocarbons (especially natural gas and natural gas liquids) in ethylene and petrochemicals; ammonia, nitric acid and fertilizers; oil refining and gasification

Hydrocarbons Services, including onshore oil and gas; LNG (liquefaction and regasification)/GTL; oil refining; petrochemicals; chemicals; fertilizers; differentiated EPC; maintenance services (Brown & Root Industrial Services); offshore oil and gas (shallow-water, deep-water, subsea); floating solutions (FPU, FPSO, FLNG & FSRU); program management and consulting services KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, integrated EPC delivery and long term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver. Visit www.kbr.com

Forward Looking Statement

The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; the scope and enforceability of the company's indemnities from its former parent; changes in capital spending by the company's customers; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company. KBR's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that KBR has identified that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, KBR undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kbrwyle-to-shape-commercialization-of-low-earth-orbit-with-nasa-contract-300713124.html SOURCE KBR, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] dynaCERT Continues New Global Installations and Significant Progress

TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- dynaCERT Inc. (TSX VENTURE: DYA) (OTCQB: DYFSF) (DAX: DMJ) ("dynaCERT" or the "Company") is pleased to report significant progress in its key marketing and design endeavours:

Global Installations dynaCERT is pleased to announce that global installations of its new HG1-45 models are underway and advancing very successfully. Of note are the following installations and advanced negotiations: Several HG1-45B units have been shipped and are being installed in Bangladesh, Brazil and India. Of significant note is dynaCERTs Dealer in South Asia that has had many meetings in West Bengal and Bangladesh with authorities to begin verification trials on buses, transports, power generators and fishing vessels and with a view to implementing large orders backed by Export Development Corporation (EDC). EDC is a crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada and whose mandate is to foster international trade by supporting Canadian businesses to sell their products internationally throughout the world. As these installations are on older diesel technology engines that are typically Euro2 rated, the end-users are reporting to dynaCERT reductions in fuel consumption and improvements in engine power within a week of the start of use. dynaCERTs Dealer in Brazil has met with local authorities whose mandates are strongly focused on carbon emission reductions. Several units shipped last month to Brazil are now installed on different machinery and transports. Of particular note is one logging truck operating at 10 kilometres per hour for a distance of only 50 kilometres per day hauling heavy loads, 40 tonnes of logs, which is already experiencing fuel savings. The first of its kind, the HG1-45-4C unit, is to be installed onto a 1.5-megawatt generator in the Middle East. It is currently in transit from Dubai to its final destination in a remote desert where it will be installed onto one of 12 diesel generators. The customer of dynaCERTs Middle East Dealer, a very large industrial equipment manufacturer and operator, runs over 500 power plants in the region. This model HG1-45-4C unit is expected to be used throughout the Middle East on generators that power the requirements of small villages and oil-refining plants. Dyna CERT has been advised that every jurisdiction in the region is seeking cost effective and sustainable solutions, their primary focus being Carbon Emissions Reduction. Development of dynaCERTs large engine HG-145-6C unit has passed through functional testing. The HG1-45-6C is targeted and appropriate for engines of 80 to 100 litres in size for commercial mining machinery, such as the CAT 797F Large-Haul ore truck. dynaCERT is now ready to ship its first of such units to a large gold mining operation in Northern Quebec. The first-of-type, the HG1-45-F unit, is installed onto a large combine in Western Canada for this years annual harvest. This HG1-45-F unit is expected to operate 24 hours per day for the next 2 months. European Trade Show dynaCERT is participating at the international IAA Transport trade show (IAA) in Hannover, Germany from September 19 to 27, 2018. he IAA is the largest trade show for commercial vehicles, drawing over 2,000 exhibitors from 52 countries that present their innovations on the show grounds in Hannover. The IAA facility is 270,000 square metre (2.9 million square feet) in 27 buildings. IAA is the worlds most important trade fair for transport, logistics and mobility. dynaCERT already has many large interested parties scheduling meetings with representatives of the Company during the show.



European Testing Results and Homologation Officially, the European Homologation testing results will be released at the IAA. In advance of the release, dynaCERT is pleased to report that after two months of testing to the important standards of International Protocols WTNE and WHSC on an HG1-45B unit mounted on a MAN TGX 18.460 Euro 6 Long Haul truck, very positive results were achieved.

These extremely positive results include a 8.9% improvement in fuel consumption, a 8.7% reduction in CO2, a 88% reduction in NOx, a 52% reduction in Total Hydrocarbons (THC), a 54.5% reduction in Particulate Matter (PM) and a 74.3% reduction in Particulate Number. The testing also confirmed that the use of dynaCERTs HydraGEN Technology improved the life of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and reduced the expected consumption of the Diesel Emission Fluid (DEF). These testing protocols included a baseline dynamometer test, installation of the HG1-45B unit onto the side of the frame, approximately 30 days of driving in a commercial use application and an ensuing final test on the dynamometer. There was also a subsequent on-the-road Portable Emission Measuring System (PEMS) test, which conclusively confirmed that the emission results on the dynamometer were matched with real life test and they were not computer controlled results. These results, together with the previously reported positive testing reports conducted by TUV SUD, confirm that dynaCERTs HydraGEN Technology meets the requirements for Homologation in Europe. About dynaCERT Inc.

dynaCERT Inc. manufactures, distributes, and installs Carbon Emission Reduction Technology for use with internal combustion engines. As part of the growing global hydrogen economy, our patent-pending technology creates hydrogen and oxygen on-demand through electrolysis and supplies these through the air intake to enhance combustion, resulting in lower carbon emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Our technology is designed for use with all types and sizes of diesel engines used in on-road vehicles, reefer trailers, off-road construction, power generation, mining and forestry equipment, marine vessels and railroad locomotives. Website: www. dynaCERT .com READER ADVISORY

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to the potential expansion into new markets, industries and segments, such as diesel-powered use of any the dynaCERT products and sales. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; the uncertainty of the emerging hydrogen economy; including the hydrogen economy moving at a pace not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the release. On Behalf of the Board Murray James Payne, CEO

For more information, please contact: Jim Payne, CEO & President

dynaCERT Inc.

#101  501 Alliance Avenue

Toronto, Ontario M6N 2J1

(416) 766-9691 x 2

jpayne@ dynaCERT .com Investor Relations

dynaCERT Inc.

Nancy Massicotte

(416) 766-9691 x 1

ir@ dynaCERT .com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018]

BroadJump Introduces Dynamic Spend Intelligence at IDN Fall Summit 2018

DALLAS, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BroadJump, the leader in comparative analytics for the healthcare industry, is introducing its new expense management platform at the IDN Fall Summit in Phoenix, Arizona on September 17. Dynamic Spend Intelligence provides a web-based, centralized view of all non-labor expense, along with category specific, comparable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), enabling healthcare systems and facilities to easily identify areas for expense management improvement.

Multiple data sources in a single dashboard

Dynamic Spend Intelligence consolidates purchase data from multiples sources for spplies, pharmaceuticals, procedures, purchased services and capital expenses, combining them into a single dashboard. BroadJump clients are able to see high-level trends and comparative summaries, and then navigate down to line-item detail as needed, all from one application. "IDN Fall Summit attendees know the challenges of tracking expense data across multiple vendors, ERP systems and pharmacy wholesalers. Dynamic Spend Intelligence simplifies data access from all these sources and provides relevant analytics that quickly and easily identify opportunities for improvement," says BroadJump Chief Operating Officer Greg Corban. "We like to call it 'mission control for expense management'".







Dynamic Spend Intelligence enables data mining

Dynamic Spend Intelligence allows the user to mine data by segment, department, general ledger, sourcing category or manufacturer. It integrates seamlessly with BroadJump's entire suite of comparative analytics applications, including AutoPricer and ProcedureProfiler, to provide additional visibility into opportunities within an organization's purchased supplies and services. BroadJump representatives will be in attendance at this year's IDN Fall Summit to answer questions and provide demonstrations of Dynamic Spend Intelligence.

For more information on Dynamic Spend Intelligence, please visit our website.

About BroadJump

BroadJump is a comparative analytics company that delivers transparency to healthcare expense management. Using its Web-based applications, BroadJump's clients gain access to comprehensive, unbiased insights that result in improved efficiency and care. For more information, please visit www.BroadJumpLLC.com.

Contact: Craig Premo, cpremo@broadjumpllc.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/broadjump-introduces-dynamic-spend-intelligence-at-idn-fall-summit-2018-300712939.html

SOURCE BroadJump[September 17, 2018] Quanergy Names CRON Systems Certified System Integrator to Provide Advanced Border Security Solutions in India

Quanergy Systems Inc., a global leader in the design and development of light detection and ranging technology (LiDAR) sensors and smart sensing solutions, and CRON Systems, the defense technology startup that delivers innovative situational awareness solutions, today announced a strategic collaboration to enhance detection features of CRON's advanced Kavach series for perimeter security. CRON, which has been working with Indian armed forces for border security, will now collaborate with Quanergy to provide this cutting-edge perimeter monitoring system along the Indian border. Through this strategic agreement, Quanergy's LiDAR-based security platform, QORTEX for Security, will be integrated into CRON's Kavach Z series to bolster its technology platform. Built using CRON Smart Fusion technology, Kavach Z is an advanced all-weather, all-terrain intrusion detection product that provides complete situational awareness along any perimeter. This collaboration will offer Indian armed forces the necessary technology to protect their borders. "Quanergy is a global leader when it comes to LiDAR technology and this will be crucial for our upcoming Kavach Z series," said Tushar Chhabra, CEO of CRON Systems. "Kavach Z has been designed understanding the complexities of the high altitude installations for proven capabilities for the Indo-Pak border in Kashmir. This tie-up will be a massive leap for both Quanergy and CRON. It will create a unique product that will be a prerequisite for all PIDS (Perimeter Intrusion (News - Alert) Detection System) requirements. The system now has the capability to not just 'detect' but also 'classify' and 'track' threats around perimeters." Quanergy's M8 LiDAR sensor and QORTEX artificial intelligence perception software enable the Kavach Z to detect, track, and classify movement at and around the Indian border and instantly alert authoriies, directing them to the location of the security breach. One single unit of Kavach Z equipped with Quanergy's QORTEX for Security will allow Indian forces to secure a radius of 200 meters at a fraction of the cost compared to other solutions. Quanergy's LiDAR system enables multiple units to be linked together, securing a perimeter of any size. Beyond national borders, LiDAR-driven perimeter security systems can also be implemented to secure critical infrastructure including power plants, powerlines, natural resource fields, prisons, airports, railroads, subways, and more.



"While LiDAR is most commonly known for its use in autonomous vehicles, it is also an efficient and powerful tool for securing vulnerable perimeters," said Dr. Louay Eldada, CEO and co-founder of Quanergy. "Our LiDAR technology, integrated with CRON's Kavach product, provides a full-scale, cost-effective and efficient perimeter security solution." About Quanergy Systems, Inc.:

Quanergy Systems, Inc. was founded in 2012 and builds on decades of experience of its team in the areas of optics, photonics, optoelectronics, artificial intelligence software, and control systems. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, Quanergy offers smart sensing solutions. It is the leading provider of LiDAR sensors and perception software for real-time capture and processing of 3D spatial data and object detection, identification, classification, and tracking. Its sensors are disruptive in price, performance, reliability, size, weight, and power. Its solutions are applicable in numerous sectors including transportation, security, industrial automation, 3D mapping, mining, agriculture, drones, robotics, smart spaces and 3D-aware smart devices for improved safety, efficiency and quality of life. For more information, visit www.quanergy.com. About CRON Systems: CRON Systems is a TechStars backed defence technology company developing next generation IoT based Intrusion Detection Systems for securing perimeters and borders. Founded in 2015, CRON's success is driven by a commitment to deliver unrivalled customer service offerings and customer-focused technology. The company is committed to reinventing IoT for Security (IoST) making it one of the leading innovators in this market. Its disruptive autonomous situational awareness platform 'detects, tracks and classifies' the intruding object, giving real-time, actionable intelligence for interception to the forces on ground. CRON's technology uniquely functions with minimum additions to the existing infrastructure and additionally, CRON offers Engineering-Procurement Commissioning-Maintenance (EPCM) - the only Indian defence technology company to do so, even in the most hostile of conditions. For more information, visit: http://cronsystems.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005211/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] DT Research Introduces 7" Rugged Tablet with Scientific-grade GNSS

Military-grade Tablet with Integrated RTK Positioning

Powers Forensic Mapping, Collision Reconstruction, Land Surveying, e-Construction and Building Information Modeling SAN JOSE, Calif, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COPS West 2018  DT Research , the leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, today announced the DT372AP-TR Rugged RTK Tablet, a lightweight military-grade tablet that is purpose-built with Real Time Kinematic (RTK) used to enhance the precision of position data derived from satellite-based positioning systems. This unique tablet enables 3D Point Cloud creation with centimeter-level accuracy  meeting the high standards required for scientific-grade evidence in court. The DT372AP-TR RTK tablet is military-grade with an IP65 rating, yet lightweight - offering the versatility to be used in the field, office and vehicles. A dual frequency GNSS module is built into the tablet, which uses real-time reference points within 1  2-centimeter accuracy to position 3D point clouds created from aerial photogrammetry, using GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO satellites. Users can measure with the RTK GNSS positioning directly using an external antenna for better survey grade precision. We designed a more compact tablet that still offers all the functionality of a rugged RTK tablet, to give ultra-mobility to law enforcement and first responders who are already weighed down with heavy equipment, said Daw Tsai Sc.D., president of DT Research. With programmable side buttons and directional pad, this tablet combines ease of use with a small form factor and centimeter level accuracy, there is nothing in the market now in the same category that can offer this combination. The DT372AP-TR RTK tablet is compatible with existing survey and GIS software for mapping applications and brings together the advanced workflow for data capture, accurate positioning, and data transmitting. The tablet can be used in a variety of scenarios, including: Forensic Mapping  Public safety teams, investigators and crash reconstructionists can use the DT372AP-TR RTK Tablet to accurately collect measurements that are scientifically and legally defensible by using the real-time centimeter reference points to position 3Dpoint clouds created from aerial photogrammetry or take stand-alone measurements. By using a DT372AP-TR with a drone for crime and crash scene investigation, cost goes down while accuracy and speed improve, helping to clear areas faster thereby improving overall public safety.



Land Surveying  Surveyors can use the DT372AP-TR RTK tablet to measure the altitudes, angles and distances on the land surface so that they can be accurately plotted on a map to determine property boundaries, construction layout and mapmaking. e-Construction  Construction workers can manage the collection, review, approval and distribution of highway construction contract documents in a paperless environment using the DT372AP-TR RTK tablet.

The DT372AP-TR RTK Tablet has been purpose-built for precision mapping in a variety of environments and includes the following features and capabilities: Dual Frequency GNSS Module  GNSS L1 & L2 RTK that receives GPS, GLONAS, GALILEO, BEIDOU and QZSS signals up to 372 channels



 GNSS L1 & L2 RTK that receives GPS, GLONAS, GALILEO, BEIDOU and QZSS signals up to 372 channels High Performance CPU and Windows OS  Intel Pentium processor with Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Enterprise with 8 GB of RAM.



Intel Pentium processor with Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Enterprise with 8 GB of RAM. Brilliant Sunlight-readable Display  A 7 inch LED-backlight, high-brightness (800 nits) sunlight-readable screen with capacitive touch and 1280 x 800 resolution.



 A 7 inch LED-backlight, high-brightness (800 nits) sunlight-readable screen with capacitive touch and 1280 x 800 resolution. Superior Wireless Connectivity  Long Range Class 1 Bluetooth option powers connectivity up to 1,000 feet



Long Range Class 1 Bluetooth option powers connectivity up to 1,000 feet Mobile Broadband option  For ideal field connectivity, there is an option for 4G mobile broadband for LTE, HESPA+, GMS/GPRS/EDGE, EV-DO, Rev A and 1xRTT



For ideal field connectivity, there is an option for 4G mobile broadband for LTE, HESPA+, GMS/GPRS/EDGE, EV-DO, Rev A and 1xRTT Military Standards  For use in harsh environments, the tablet is fully ruggedized to meet the highest durability standards with an IP65 rating, MIL-STD-810G for vibration and shock resistance and MIL-STD-461F for EMI and EMC tolerance.



For use in harsh environments, the tablet is fully ruggedized to meet the highest durability standards with an IP65 rating, MIL-STD-810G for vibration and shock resistance and MIL-STD-461F for EMI and EMC tolerance. High Capacity Hot-Swappable Battery Pack  Delivers 60 or 90 watts for up to 15 hours of continuous mobile communications.



 Delivers 60 or 90 watts for up to 15 hours of continuous mobile communications. Camera option  The optional back camera offers 5 megapixels, CMOS sensor, and auto focus to capture project progress or record crash and crime scene details.



The optional back camera offers 5 megapixels, CMOS sensor, and auto focus to capture project progress or record crash and crime scene details. Accessories - The DT372AP-TR Rugged RTK Tablet is complemented by a variety of accessories, including: external antennas, pole mount cradles, battery charging kits, and digital pens. Availability

The DT372AP-TR RTK Tablet is available in October from DT Researchs authorized resellers and partners. About DT Research

DT Research, an early Mobile Tablet pioneer and leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing systems for vertical markets, delivers the worlds most comprehensive line of Rugged and Industrial-grade Tablets, Mobile POS Tablets, Digital Signage Systems and Medical Computing Solutions. DT Research products are uniquely designed with customizable built-in options assembled in California, providing customers with rapid time-to-market solutions. The DT Research family of products is based on embedded computing platforms that power secure, reliable and cost-effective computing. DT Research systems offer computing mobility within industrial and harsh environments through durable solutions with wireless connectivity, high-quality touch displays, and Windows operating systems. More than 200 organizations across the globe rely on DT Research solutions in industries such as government, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, military, retail and warehousing. DT Research is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California with offices in China and Taiwan. For more information, visit www.dtresearch.com and follow @dtresearch, #PurposeBuiltTablets and #RuggedTablets. DT Research and WebDT are trademarks of DT Research, Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts:

Gabrielle Marshall

DT Research

gmarshall@dtri.com

o) 408-934-6192 Barbara Reichert

Reichert Communications, LLC

barbara@reichertcom.com

o) 650-548-1002 m) 415-225-2991

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Investor's Business Daily Partners With Peeptrade to Educate the Next Generation of Investors

Investor's Business Daily (IBD), a leading financial news and research organization, today announced that it has joined forces with Peeptrade, a trading platform that leverages the power of social networks to groom the next generation of investors, for the Fall 2018 Peeptrade Global Investment Challenge. This innovative competition was designed to supply university students with a wealth of practical investing experience. To facilitate the competition, IBD is providing every program participant with unlimited, free access to its top-performing products, Leaderboard, and MarketSmith, as well as IBD Digital and the mobile app. Peeptrade Global Investment Challenge undergraduate and graduate contestants construct a portfolio using a virtual endorsement of $1,000,000. They compete on the investment performance of their virtual portfolios across a variety of factors, such as risk compliance, and execution of strategy. Peeptrade then provides the top 10 teams with an all-expense paid trip to Chicago for a final event, hosted by The University of Chicago. The top contestants will be determined by a distinguished panel of judges, including a key member from IBD. Past participants include groups from Georgetown, Princeton, MIT (News - Alert) Sloan School of Management, and the University of Southern California (USC). "The Peeptrade Global Challenge was created to give real-world experience to future investors, without incurring risk, while also generating excitement around the practice of trading. In response, outstanding teams have emerged from all over the world, and participation has skyrocketed with each respective Challenge," said Peeptrade CEO, Ali Bakir. "We are delighted to have IBD join us this fall, offering contestants exceptonal tools for data and analysis. This will enable teams to receive an even greater education in smart, strategic investing."



IBD has earned a reputation as a one-stop-shop for investors that provides unparalleled analysis, industry-leading stock lists, and top-performing products based on reliable real-time information. It has been widely recognized for its analytical approach to investing and ability to educate investors at every level. IBD's popular stock lists, such as Sector Leaders, IBD 50, and IBD Big Cap 20, consistently beat the S&P 500 over three-month, six-month and 12-month periods, often by double digits, while products like Leaderboard, MarketSmith, and IBD Digital help everyone from novice to expert investors quickly and easily raise their understanding of market behavior and stock performance. "IBD's focus has always been on educating investors, regardless of age, and this mission has never been more important. The next generation is more reluctant to invest in individual stocks, and we want to reverse this trend," said Chris Gessel, Chief Content Officer at IBD. "We want students to see the power of financial markets, understand how to read the signs to capitalize on opportunity, and enjoy active participation in the economy. We are excited to partner with Peeptrade for this fall's Global Investment Challenge so that IBD can assist in cultivating the investors of tomorrow."

To register for the Global Investment Challenge, please visit https://peeptrade.com/university-challenge/fall-2018. Upon registration, participants will receive login credentials for all IBD products and services. To find out more about all that IBD has to offer, please visit www.investors.com. About IBD Investor's Business Daily (IBD) is a leading financial news and research organization recognized for proprietary stock screens, comparative performance ratings and a record of identifying stock leaders as they emerge. The company takes a data-first approach to investing, educating investors about how to invest successfully using tested methods and sound research. IBD has honed its approach over the last 50 years to help investors make smarter decisions. Its stock lists have outperformed the S&P, and its presidential poll, the most accurate over the past four election cycles, was one of only two national polls to accurately predict the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election. IBD offers a number of interactive stock research tools and provides information for investors of every level. To learn more about all that IBD has available, please visit www.investors.com.  2018 Investor's Business Daily, Inc. All rights reserved. Investor's Business Daily, IBD, CAN SLIM and their corresponding logos are registered trademarks of Investor's Business Daily, Inc. About PeepTrade Peeptrade is an award-winning social network and financial information platform that allows people to "peep" into the success of other investors, giving them a transparent and competitive edge. Peeptrade allows users to access the portfolios and investment history of investors alongside a wide range of interactive tools, charts, and research documents. A true 'one-stop shop' for investment information, the platform also acts as a social network for investors, allowing them to share knowledge, build trusted relationships, and discuss developments in the financial markets. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005139/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Pax8 Featured in CRN Cloud Partner Program Guide

DENVER, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pax8 , the leader in cloud distribution, today announced that CRN  , a brand of The Channel Company , has recognized the company in its 2018 Cloud Partner Program Guide, a list of leading technology vendors with cloud-related partner programs that enable and accelerate the growth of solution providers cloud initiatives.

For the second consecutive year, is an honor to be listed in the CRN Cloud Partner Program Guide for the Wingman experience we provide our partners, said Ryan Walsh, chief channel officer at Pax8. At Pax8, we believe our partner experience is our product. We are dedicated to helping our partners achieve more with cloud technology, and our Wingman partner program helps facilitate their success. The Wingman Partner Program gives MSPs access to full quote-to-cash support, simplified billing, automated provisioning, enablement training, leading PSA integrations , access to best of breed vendors, resources, and more. Pax8 offers the tools like Pax8 Stax  and a simplified approach that empowers MSPs to go-to-market effectively with cloud solutions. The CRN 2018 Cloud Partner Program Guide serves as a valuable resource for solution providers navigating the growing cloud marketplace, assisting them in finding technology suppliers with ground-breaking cloud offerngs and partner programs. To meet the requirements for inclusion in the Cloud Partner Program Guide, tech vendors must have unique partner program benefits that deliver cloud infrastructure or applications.



With so many options available in the cloud marketplace today, solution providers often have a difficult time deciding which vendors offer the best program to complement their business strategy, said Bob Skelley, chief executive officer at the Channel Company. The CRN Cloud Partner Program Guide helps to simplify the process by researching and identifying the cloud partner programs with the most comprehensive combination of resources, support, training, and financial incentives. Our 2018 guide includes a strong combination of innovative companies who support their partners needs and help them to succeed. The Cloud Partner Program Guide will be featured in the October issue of CRN and can be viewed online at www.crn.com/cloud-ppg .

To learn more about Pax8, please contact the cloud solutions advisors at (855) 884-PAX8, email info@pax8.com , or visit www.pax8.com . About Pax8

Pax8 is the leader in cloud distribution. As a born in the cloud company, Pax8 empowers managed service providers (MSPs) to capitalize on the $1 trillion cloud opportunity. Through billing, provisioning, automation, industry-leading PSA integrations, and pre-and-post sales support, Pax8 simplifies cloud buying, improves operational efficiency, and lowers customer acquisition cost.

Pax8 is a proven, award-winning disruptor in the market, earning accolades like NexGens Best in Show two years in a row, Biggest Buzz at IT Nation, CRNs Coolest Cloud Vendor, Best in Show at XChange two years in a row, HTGs Rookie of the Year, and more. If you want to be successful with cloud, you want to work with Pax8. Get started today at www.pax8.com . Follow Pax8 on Facebook , LinkedIn , and Twitter . About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. Learn more at www.thechannelco.com . Media Contact

Amanda Lee

ARL Strategic Communications for Pax8

(727) 272-0781

Amanda.Lee@arlpr.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Vista Equity Partners Backs Dispatch to Partner for Growth and Empower the Modern Field Service Experience

Dispatch, a leading field service leader and customer experience pioneer, announced today it has received a strategic investment from Vista Equity Partners ("Vista") with participation from existing investor GrandBanks Capital. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005336/en/ Vista is a leading global investment firm focused on software, data, and technology-enabled companies. Vista provides companies and management teams with the capital, access, and infrastructure needed to scale effectively to compete and succeed in today's digital economy. The investment in Dispatch comes from Vista's Endeavor Fund, which focuses on emerging, high-growth companies with mission-critical enterprise software and data solutions seeking to expand their innovation and impact in the markets they serve. The Dispatch field service platform powers more than a million jobs per month for some of the most iconic home service brands in the world. Dispatch plans to leverage the funding to enhance its suite of products, expand partnerships, and hire across all departments in their Boston headquarters. "Home service companies have long struggled to meet customer expectations. Companies like Uber and Amazon have raised the bar even further for how a business should interact with its customers," said Avi Goldberg, Founder and CEO of Dispatch. "We started Dispatch to bring the same consumer-first technology to the home service market. We do so by seamlessly connecting brands, service providers, and homeowners together, creating a modern, interactive customer experience. This results in two things: happy homeowners and brands with deep insights into their service delivery networks. We're excited to continue this mission, and specifically chose to partner with Vista because of teir strong track record for growing successful SaaS (News - Alert) companies around the world."



"We are thrilled to partner with the Dispatch team to help accelerate growth and continue to enhance the value they bring to home service providers," said Rene Yang Stewart, Principal at Vista Equity Partners and Co-Head of the Vista Endeavor Fund. "Dispatch has established a unique position in their ability to connect homeowners, enterprise brands, and service providers which creates a strong platform that we're excited to help grow and innovate with the Dispatch team." "Over the past four years we have seen Dispatch's business grow dramatically and become a market leader in field services delivery," said Tim Wright, General Partner at GrandBanks Capital. "We are excited to continue this momentum and expand the vision, which is why we introduced Dispatch to Vista Equity Partners."

About Dispatch Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Boston, Dispatch is a customer-centric service logistics company that is transforming the field service landscape. Through persona-based mobile and web applications, robust platform API's and both cloud/on-premise connectors, Dispatch helps enterprises collect and strategically leverage data about the last mile of the service delivery process. As the service industry shifts towards a more flexible and non-dedicated workforce, Dispatch's easy to implement, extensible platform connects the enterprise, service provider and customer together to create a world-class service experience that surpasses the rising expectations of the modern-day market. About Vista Equity Partners Vista Equity Partners, a U.S.-based investment firm with offices in Austin, San Francisco, Chicago, and Oakland, currently invests in software, data and technology-enabled organizations led by world-class management teams with long-term perspectives. Vista is a value-added investor, contributing professional expertise and multi-level support towards companies' realization of their full potential. Vista's investment approach is anchored by a sizable long-term capital base, experience in structuring technology-oriented transactions, and proven management techniques that yield flexibility and opportunity in private equity investing. For more information, please visit www.vistaequitypartners.com About GrandBanks Capital GrandBanks Capital partners with entrepreneurs to create and build dominant, market-leading companies through our established experience set, operating expertise and insight, and extensive top-level industry relationships. Understanding the challenges that arise when building a world-class company, GrandBanks Capital guides entrepreneurs in the direction of market leadership by utilizing the team's early-stage investing experience and broad network of contacts through some of the fastest growing industry sectors. For more information, please visit www.grandbankscapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005336/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Google Launches Grow With Google Initiative in Canada

Grow with Google provides small business owners and job seekers with access to free digital training, workshops and events TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2018 /CNW/ - Today, Google launched Grow with Google, a new initiative aimed at helping Canadians access the best of Google's training and tools to grow their skills, careers, and businesses. As part of this new initiative, Google announced $2 million in grants from Google.Org to bring digital skills training to individuals across the country. The grant will be used to bring two of Google's leading digital skills training programs to Canada: Applied Digital Skills and the Professional IT Support Certificate. Google is partnering with Canada Learning Code to provide Canadians with access to the Applied Digital Skills Program, a blended online and in-person curriculum that teaches digital skills through practical problem solving so learners can be competitive in an evolving job market. To make sure those lessons are available to all Canadians, the entire Digital Skills Training Program is offered in both French and English. The Professional IT Support Certification Program takes beginner learners to job readiness in eight months with no experience required. Developed by Googl and hosted on Coursera, the program has over 64 hours of video lessons, hands-on labs and interactive assessments for adults looking to reskill and start a new career in technology. Google has partnered with leading Canadian companies like RBC and Walmart Canada, and of course Google Canada to get graduates information into the hands of HR departments following course completion.



Google is also bringing workshops, in-person training, and one-on-one sessions to communities across Canada, in partnership with local community groups, businesses and leaders. Grow with Google events will cover topics suited to small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to scale their business and individuals interested in growing their skills. "Technology is the key to opportunity, which is why we are launching Grow with Google in Canada," said Sabrina Geremia, Country Director, Google Canada. "By making our resources available to everyone online, by bringing hands-on training into communities across the country, and by partnering with organizations like Canada Learning Code who are devoted to expanding access to digital tools and training, we can help Canadians grow their skills, their opportunities, and their futures."

"Digital skills are tools of empowerment," says Melissa Sariffodeen, Chief Executive Officer at Canada Learning Code. "Our vision is a Canada in which all people have the knowledge and confidence to harness the power of technology to achieve economic and personal fulfillment. Our partnership with Grow with Google puts us one step closer to achieving that vision by allowing us to offer new content and scale our existing coding and digital literacy curriculum to more Canadians." About Grow with Google Grow with Google is an initiative aimed to help create economic opportunities for Canadians. The Grow with Google initiative draws on Google's 20-year history of building products, platforms, and services that help people and businesses grow. Through this initiative, we aim to help everyone across Canada  those who make up the workforce of today and those who will drive the workforce of tomorrow  access the best of Google's training and tools to grow their skills, careers, and businesses. Visit g.co/GrowCanada to learn more and register for our local Grow with Google events. About Google Canada Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. As a global technology leader, Google's innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. Google Canada has offices in Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa with nearly 1,000 Canadian Google employees working on teams across Engineering, AI Research, Sales, Marketing, PR, Policy, and HR. SOURCE Google Canada

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Karamba Security Selected as an Auto-ISAC Strategic Partner

Karamba Security, a world-leading provider of end-to-end automotive cybersecurity protection solutions, today announced it has been selected by the Automotive-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Auto-ISAC) to join the organization's Strategic Partnership Program. As a strategic partner, Karamba Security will provide the Auto-ISAC and its members research analysis on attack activity and forensics data of such attacks against electronic control units (ECUs) to keep autonomous and connected vehicles secure. Karamba will regularly share findings from threat analysis tools in an aggregated and anonymized way with the Auto-ISAC. These shareable insights will help vehicle OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers secure ECUs from hackers. Automotive cyberattacks occur when hackers compromise externally connected ECUs and send commands to safety ECUs, compromising driver, passenger and cargo safety. Keeping the community updated on vulnerabilities in vehicle connected ECUs (telematics control units (TCUs), gateway, infotainment, ADAS, CAN bus external connectivity, etc.) provides actionable mitigation steps to reduce risk. "It is our privilege to be selected by the Auto-ISAC as a Strategic Partner. Joining the Auto-ISAC Strategic Partnership Program enables Karamba Security to better deliver on its mission to prevent cyber hacks and maintain consumer safety," said Ami Dotan, Karamba Security's co-founder and CEO. "Karamba Security's real-time, detailed, forensics data enables Auto-ISAC members to expose hidden vulnerabilities in their ECUs and remedy the ECU befoe it is compromised. It is an honor to be trusted by the Auto-ISAC to provide the community with insights that will help secure vehicles."



"We are excited to have Karamba Security as an Auto-ISAC Strategic Partner and are looking forward to the insights into ECU vulnerabilities and threats that they will provide to our community," said Faye Francy, Executive Director of the Auto-ISAC. "Leveraging Karamba Security's ECU hardening and forensics will help our members address security measures throughout the vehicle lifecycle." The Auto-ISAC was formed in August 2015 by automakers to establish a global information sharing community to address vehicle cybersecurity risks. Auto-ISAC operates a central hub for sharing, tracking and analyzing intelligence about cyber threats, vulnerabilities and incidents related to the connected vehicle. With Karamba joining Auto-ISAC as a strategic partner, it will be able to collaborate with auto makers with to ensure cybersecurity is considered at all stages of the vehicle lifecycle. Members of the Auto-ISAC include, among others, FCA, Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Mazda, Honda (News - Alert) , Hyundai, Mitsubishi Motors, BMW, Mercedes Benz, VW and Volvo Group North America.

To learn more about Karamba Security and recent product innovations, visit Booth #1 at the Auto-ISAC Cybersecurity Summit on September 25-26 in Detroit. About Karamba Security Karamba Security provides industry-leading automotive cybersecurity solutions for autonomous and connected cars. Its Autonomous Security software products, including Carwall and SafeCAN, provide end-to-end in-vehicle cybersecurity for the endpoints and the internal messaging bus. Karamba Security's award-winning solutions prevent cyberattacks with zero false positives and secure communications, including OTA updates, with negligible performance impact. Karamba is engaged with 17 OEM and tier-1 customers and received numerous industry awards. More information is available at www.karambasecurity.com. About Auto-ISAC The Auto-ISAC facilitates sharing of timely and actionable information pertaining to cybersecurity threats affecting the automotive industry. It enhances the ability of the automotive industry to prepare for and respond to cyberthreats, deal with vulnerabilities and incidents, and raise awareness across the community to reduce business risks. Auto-ISAC was established in 2015, when Global Automakers, Auto Alliance and 14 automakers joined forces to build this global community to foster collaboration that creates a safe, efficient, secure and resilient connected vehicle ecosystem. Auto-ISAC shares and analyzes timely and actionable intelligence about emerging cybersecurity risks to the vehicle. It also works to develop and mature vehicle cybersecurity capabilities across the industry through initiatives like its Best Practices and information exchanges. Membership is open to light- and heavy-duty vehicle OEMs and suppliers, and commercial vehicle sector (e.g. fleets, carriers). Partnerships are open to security solutions providers, industry associations, research consortia, government agencies and academia. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005446/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] World Leaders Convene to Debate Blockchain for Social Good at the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly

On September 24th, under the theme 'Blockchain for Social Good: Utilizing Blockchain to Aid Economic Development,' leading technology experts and government officials from around the world will come together to discuss the impact and potential of blockchain technology on economic growth. The summit will be held during opening week of the 73rd UN General Assembly (UNGA 73) at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Hosted by Blockchain Charity Foundation (BCF), Finance Center for South-South Cooperation (FCSSC) and Women Political Leaders Global Forum (WPL), the symposium will feature a keynote address by President of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, as well as a roundtable discussion and showcase of global blockchain pilot programs. "BCF firmly believes that blockchain will substantially transform the world by introducing transparency, accountability and efficiency to charitable activities and accelerating global poverty reduction, job creation and economic growth," said Helen Hai, UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador and Head of Blockchain Charity Foundation. "BCF is delighted to work with international organizations and industry laders to embark on this new journey together."



"We at WPL believe that technology and digitalisation can greatly benefit the advancement of society globally," said Silvana Koch-Mehrin, Founder & President of the Women Political Leaders Global Forum. "Convening women political leaders who have the drive and the influence to create positive change and enabling a discussion on how new technologies can advance national interests is a key step towards action on the national and local levels." For more information on the event, please contact pr@binance.com.

About Blockchain Charity Foundation (BCF): The Blockchain Charity Foundation (BCF) is a not-for-profit foundation supporting the utilizing of blockchain for social good and the advancing of 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. BCF works with global leadership organizations and innovators to educate and raise awareness of the use of blockchain-based solutions. About Finance Center for South-South Cooperation (FCSSC): Finance Center for South-South Cooperation (FCSSC) is a non-profit international organization founded in Hong Kong in April 2014. It is an integral platform which specializes in providing experience, knowledge, productivity and financing supports for South-South Cooperation and aims to promote pragmatic cooperation and partnerships among governments of developing countries, private enterprises, multilateral development institutions and international development assistance organizations. About Women Political Leaders Global Forum (WPL): The Women Political Leaders Global Forum (WPL) is the global network of female politicians. The mission of WPL is to increase the number and the influence of women in political leadership positions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005457/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Mintz Adds Former Federal Prosecutor Jason P.W. Halperin to Litigation Practice in New York

Mintz has further expanded its corporate investigations, enforcement and white collar practices with the arrival of highly recognized trial and investigative lawyer Jason P.W. Halperin. A former Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, Mr. Halperin's practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, regulatory enforcement and litigation matters. He joins the firm's New York office from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, and will serve as a Member in the national litigation practice. Mr. Halperin is the second former federal prosecutor to join Mintz's nationally recognized litigation team in the last several months. In May, the firm announced the addition of David Siegal, who also served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York. In addition to Mr. Siegal, Mr. Halperin also joins Peter Chavkin, a former special assistant to the head of the Department of Justice's Civil Division and New York federal prosecutor, who Co-chairs Mintz's White Collar Defense Practice. "Jason is a highly accomplished and talented attorney, and we are extremely fortunate to have him join our litigation team. Jason has been successful as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's office and in private practice where he represented an impressive array of clients in high stakes government and internal invstigations, and he further strengthens our ability to serve our clients," said Bob Bodian, Managing Member of the firm.



Mr. Halperin served in the Southern District of New York from 2004-2015, during which time he conducted 13 federal jury trials and never lost a trial. Throughout his tenure he tried numerous high-profile cases, including the terrorism trial involving four men from Newburgh who were convicted of plotting to blow up synagogues in Riverdale, New York, and a public corruption trial involving a Yonkers City Councilwoman and her political patron who were convicted of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, bribery, extortion, mortgage fraud, and tax fraud. He also successfully prosecuted three New York State Senators, political aides and developers for white-collar corruption crimes and tax fraud. In addition, he prosecuted a vast array of white-collar fraud cases, including public corruption, bank fraud, wire fraud, mortgage fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, obstruction of justice, and false statement cases. Mr. Halperin also brings significant experience in international investigations and prosecutions. He has prosecuted both international and domestic terrorism cases as well as national security cases that involve unlawful exports, international sanctions, international money laundering and overseas money transmitting schemes, and require expertise in OFAC, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and federal export regulations.

Highly knowledgeable about national and international security, Mr. Halperin has worked with foreign prosecutors, foreign law enforcement, and foreign intelligence agencies, as well as with the U.S. intelligence community. In 2013, he won the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)'s Counterintelligence Award for Excellence, the ODNI's highest nationwide award, for an international counterproliferation investigation. He has further conducted trainings on counterintelligence and public corruption cases with other prosecutors and federal agents from around the country at the U.S. Department of Justice's National Advocacy Center. Mr. Halperin has extensive experience practicing before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, having briefed and argued numerous cases on appeal. After attending Yale University and the New York University School of Law, Mr. Halperin clerked for the Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina, United States District Judge for the District of Columbia. The Mintz litigation practice comprises more than 100 attorneys throughout the U.S., including numerous litigators who have worked in law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice and offices of U.S. attorneys, state attorneys, and state attorneys general. The team also includes highly experienced trial attorneys with extensive experience in trial and appellate courts and arbitration proceedings, and veteran practitioners who regularly litigate high-stakes, "bet the company" matters. For more information about Mintz, please visit www.mintz.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005474/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Burlington Stores Provides AdoptAClassroom.org with Largest Donation Ever

Today, AdoptAClassroom.org, the award-winning national nonprofit organization that helps teachers get the basic supplies and materials needed to help their students learn and succeed, announced the largest donation in its history of more than $1.9 million from Burlington Stores, the national off-price retailer. Just in time for kids to head back to school, the donation will be used to fund the tools and resources that students need to achieve, benefiting more than 2,750 teachers and 83,000 students nationwide. Demonstrating their passion for education, Oscar-winning actor, artist, and activist Common and his mother, Dr. Mahalia Hines, a 35-year educator and Chicago Board of Education member, once again teamed up with Burlington and AdoptAClassroom.org to support the cause. Common and Dr. Hines surprised students and teachers at P.S. 111 in New York City on July 19 with a $10,000 donation to kick off the campaign. The donation provided every teacher at P.S. 111 with funding to prepare their classrooms ahead of the new school year. Common and Dr. Hines also spent time with the fourth-and fifth-grade students, viewing some of their creative works and hearing about the inspiration behind them. Burlington hosted a point-of-sale campaign from July 9 to August 18, giving customers the opportunity to donate $1 or more at checkout to support AdoptAClassroom.org. As a result of this year's campaign, each Burlington store location was able to adopt a local classroom and provide $1,100 to fund the school supplies students need to learn and succeed. The remaining donations collected will be used to adopt entire schools with a $10,000 donation when the retailer opens new stores this fall and next spring. Over the past two years, Burlington has raised more than $3.6 million for classroom resources to ensure students have an equal chance to learn and succeed.



"As a caring company, Burlington is proud to partner with AdoptAClassroom.org for the second consecutive year and we are appreciative that Common and his mother, Dr. Hines, have continued their support for our campaign. Thanks to the generosity demonstrated by our associates and our customers, together, we have been able to fund classroom materials for students to succeed." said Tom Kingsbury, CEO and Chairman of Burlington Stores. "Providing teachers with the basic resources they need to be successful in the classroom has an immeasurable effect on students,"says Ann Pifer, executive director of AdoptAClassroom.org. "Burlington's significant donation of $1.9 million, and over $3.6 million to date, has enabled AdoptAClassroom.org to expand our reach and impact thousands of teachers and students in the schools we serve."

For more information, visit Burlington.com or AdoptAClassroom.org. About Burlington Stores, Inc. Burlington is a national off-price retailer offering style for less at up to 65 percent off other retailers' prices every day. Departments include ladies' dresses, suits, sportswear, juniors, accessories, menswear, family footwear, and children's clothing. It also includes an assortment of furniture and accessories for baby at Baby Depot, home decor, and gifts, along with the largest selection of coats in the nation for the entire family. Burlington has more than 650 stores in 45 States and Puerto Rico. For more, and to view our Pricing Policy, visit www.Burlington.com. About AdoptAClassroom.org AdoptAClassroom.org advances equity in education by powering today's classrooms to prepare tomorrow's graduates. The national, award-winning 501(c)(3), makes it easy for individual donors and corporate sponsors to donate funds to K-12 classrooms in public, private and charter schools throughout the U.S. On average, teachers spend $740 of their own money each year to equip their classrooms - 28% of teachers spend more than $1000 annually. Since 1998 AdoptAClassroom.org has raised more than $36 million and benefited 4.5 million students in more than 178,000 classrooms. 2018 marks the organization's 20th year supporting teachers and classrooms. AdoptAClassroom.org holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. For more information, or to adopt a classroom, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005625/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Black Enterprise TechConneXt Returns To Silicon Valley Oct. 8-9 With A Powerhouse Lineup Of Speakers

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Enterprise will present its annual TechConneXt on Monday, Oct. 8 through Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the San Francisco Marriott Waterfront Hotel. TechConneXt is the gathering spot for professionals looking to enter the tech world and companies recruiting some of the brightest minds. TechConneXt is a hard-hitting, two-day summit that brings together leaders in tech to exchange ideas and provide information to professionals who may be struggling to find their footing in the industry as well as seasoned tech professionals and entrepreneurs who may be looking for new opportunities in the space. A major highlight of TCX will be the BE Smart HBCU Hackathon, where 15 schools will be challenged to use their creativity and skills to develop a unique new program. Teams will be judged based on the viability of the program, its utility to individual users, and the efficacy of the technological platform and will be evaluated by an elite group of judges. TCX will feature nationally recognized tech leaders and will provide attendees with the information, access, and resources needed to achieve real success in their industry. Confirmed speakers and honorees include: Akon , Chief Visionary, Akoin; Grammy-nominated artist; Entrepreneur & Philanthropist

, Chief Visionary, Akoin; Grammy-nominated artist; Entrepreneur & Philanthropist Terry Oppong , Chief Visionary Officer, BlackBand

, Chief Visionary Officer, BlackBand Morgan DeBaun , Founder & CEO, Blavity

, Founder & CEO, Blavity Abiola Oke , CEO & Publisher, OkayAfrica

, CEO & Publisher, OkayAfrica Van Lathan , Senio Producer, TMZ

, Senio Producer, TMZ Dajae Williams , Manufacturing Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

, Manufacturing Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Abou "Bu" Thiam , Co-CEO, WAW Internet Co.

, Co-CEO, WAW Internet Co. Angela Yee , Radio Personality, The Breakfast Club

Radio Personality, The Breakfast Club Tavonia Evans , Founder & CEO, $Guap Coin L.L.C.

Founder & CEO, $Guap Coin L.L.C. Nancy Douyon , International Research Lead, Uber

, International Research Lead, Uber Phillip Agnew , Co-Director, The Dream Defenders

, Co-Director, The Dream Defenders Rashaun Williams , General Partner, Manhattan Venture Partners

General Partner, Manhattan Venture Partners Jaylen Bledsoe , CEO, Bledsoe Global Group

, CEO, Bledsoe Global Group Damien Hooper-Campbell , Chief Diversity Officer, eBay

, Chief Diversity Officer, eBay Christopher Gray , Founder & CEO, Scholly Inc.

Founder & CEO, Scholly Inc. Lloyd Carney , Founder & CEO, Carney Global Venture LLC



TechConneXt attendees will enjoy:

BE Tech Talks & One-on-Ones: Leaders in tech will share their insights

Networking: A fantastic meeting place to network with tech peers, VCs, and corporations looking to diversify their talent.

BE Smart Hackathon: Competing college teams will develop and present a product to our judges

TCX Pitch Competition: Contestants will have an opportunity to pitch their tech startup to win $10,000!

TCX Black Tech Awards: Recognizing the amazing minds in the black tech space Every minute and every session will challenge attendees to overturn conventional thinking and revolutionize the way they see the technology industry. Whether you're looking to launch a career at a top tech company, a mid-career professional looking for fresh opportunities, a growth-minded tech entrepreneur, or a company seeking to engage more diverse pools of talent, BE's TechConneXt presents a unique and unparalleled opportunity for attendees. To register and find out more information, visit www.blackenterprise.com/techconnext. You can also search #TECHCNXT for additional updates and information about TCX on social media. The 2018 TechConneXt is Presented by American Airlines with Platinum sponsor is Prudential; Gold sponsors AT&T, FedEx, Intel, and Salesforce; Silver sponsor IBM; and Corporate sponsor Dell, Electronic Arts and PepsiCo. and Tech Partner Kapor Center for Social Impact. Black Enterprise, your ultimate source to build Wealth for Life, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, Black Enterprise magazine provides 6 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. Visit www.blackenterprise.com for more information. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/black-enterprise-techconnext-returns-to-silicon-valley-oct-89-with-a-powerhouse-lineup-of-speakers-300713862.html SOURCE BLACK ENTERPRISE

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] B23 Co-Founder is Speaker at Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference - Discovery Day London

Tysons, VA, Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- David Hirko, Co-Founder and Managing Partner B23 LLC, will speak at the Machine Learning and AI Conference Discovery Day London, September 26th & 27th, 2018 on the topic of operating enterprise data engineering and data science activities at scale in the Amazon Web Services cloud. The Battlefin Discovery Day London event brings together alternative data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) experts from the worlds largest hedge funds, investment bankers, and venture capitalists. Almost all organizations are interested in harnessing the capabilities of artificial intelligence using data in order to gain a competitive advantage, and yet so few are currently able to produce meaningful results, explains Hirko. These organizations are still throttled by fudamental data engineering challenges that can be easily overcome given the right skills and capabilities. B23 helps customers engineer and transform data so they can invest and focus on their core competency of developing algorithms to compete and gain additional revenues not otherwise possible using legacy techniques. Getting the data engineering correct just means quants can now do their jobs effectively - its really a zero-sum game. We achieve a level of unparalled operational excellence getting the data right using our technology platform we call the B23 Data Platform, that has been operational for over four years and battle tested in many of the largest, security conscious enterprises on the globe.



Before co-founding B23 with Brad Kolarov, Hirko and Kolarov worked at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and were instrumental in launching several of the most influential cloud computing initiatives to-date. About B23, LLC: B23 is a software company that enables businesses to harness the power of nearly infinite cloud resources to extract intelligence from endless streams of datain minutes. With the belief that all businesses are data businesses, our cloud-based B23 Data Platform automates the collection and analysis of large volumes of data to provide unique competitive insights. B23 is privately held and headquartered in Tysons, VA. http://www.b23.ai/





Brad Kolarov +1 (703) 957-9155 info@b23.io

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Illinois American Water's Cairo District Celebrates 19 Years of Excellence in Safety

Last month, Illinois American Water's Cairo District celebrated 19 years without experiencing any lost-time accidents. To ensure continued safe work practices, employees attend both classroom and hands-on training on a regular basis. Employees also participate in facility and job site audits at every job site to ensure compliance with established workplace safety practices. "Safety is a daily focus. We continuously evaluate and remove hazards to prevent injury," said Mike Brown, operations superintendent for Illinois American Water's Cairo District. Illinois American Water employees work around the clock to provide critical water service to homes and businesses. To provide water for public health, fire protection and household uses, employees may need to work in confined spaces, among motorists and in extreme weather. Employees may also handle chemicals, conduct excavation and operate equipment. According to Brown, these are just some of the hazards the team could face. He said, "The work we do is complex. This is why our safety program is a top priority. We want our employees to go home in the same condition they arrived at work, if not better. We are proud of our continued years of excellence in safety." The skilled workforce is also equipped with proper personal and work zone protection equipment, chemical handling requirements and training, work zone safety training, andmore.



This focus on safety has earned the Cairo District the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Wendell R. LaDue Utility Safety Award in both 2017 and 2011. The award recognizes distinguished safety programs by water utilities and requires excellent safety records for five consecutive years, as well as a consistent safety program focused on continuous improvement. About Illinois American Water - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to over 14 million people in 45 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005687/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][September 17, 2018] Versature to Scale Operations Through Acquisition by net2phone

Accelerated Growth for one of Canada's Fastest Growing Companies OTTAWA, Ontario, Sept. 17, 2018 /CNW/ -- net2phone, a global provider of unified communications services and subsidiary of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT), today announced that it has acquired Versature, a rapidly growing SaaS-based business communications solutions and hosted VoIP provider serving the Canadian market. "We are delighted to welcome Versature's management and employees, customers and partners to net2phone," said Jonah Fink, net2phone's President. "Our two companies share a customer-centric philosophy and a commitment to develop and deploy powerful integrated communications and collaboration features. This shared vision will enable Versature and net2phone to continue providing Canadian companies with the outstanding cloud-based communications services they demand." "This transaction will accelerate Versature's growth trajectory in Canada through a powerful alignment of values and innovative technology for voice and call analytics combined with ready access to capital," said Versature's President and COO Jonathon Moody. "As a result, Versature will scale Canadian operations by attracting top talent while continuing to innovate and aggressively pursue opportunities in the Canadian market." With the addition of Versature, one of the fastest growing Canadian companies according to Growth 500, et2phone continues to broaden its international presence.



Post-acquisition, Versature plans to accelerate its expansion in Canada through investment in the partner and direct channels, recruitment of additional top talent and continued development of innovative call, voice-centric, and unified communications technology solutions. "We are thrilled to have found a partner that is equally committed to evolving and innovating the communications experience for our customers and businesses across Canada," said Paul Emond, Versature's CEO.

"We continue to be very pleased by the trajectory of net2phone's business as it expands internationally," said Shmuel Jonas, CEO of IDT Corporation. "We are looking forward to working with the Versature team to continue their outstanding service to Canadian businesses while leveraging their expertise throughout our global operations." All statements above that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "target" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors. Our filings with the SEC provide detailed information on such statements and risks, and should be consulted along with this release. To the extent permitted under applicable law, IDT assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. About Versature:

Versature is the leader in Canadian SaaS-based business phone and communication solutions. Trusted by clients and partners across the country, Versature is an award-winning company that is raising the bar with the highest quality phone systems, superior Communications as a Service and operational system integrations, and Canadian-based technical support. Founded in 2003, Versature has a rapidly growing subscriber base and strong partner network from coast to coast. About net2phone:

net2phone is a global provider of unified communications services and collaboration tools serving businesses in the Americas, Asia and Europe. net2phone is a subsidiary of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT), a provider of communications and payment services. To learn more, please visit net2phone.com. SOURCE net2phone

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of NiSource Inc. Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of NiSource Inc. ("NiSource" or the "Company") (NYSE: NI) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.







On September 13, 2018, numerous gas explosions destroyed homes in Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence, Massachusetts, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen. Andover's Fire Chief subsequently announced that investigators suspected over-pressurization of a gas main belonging to Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, a unit of NiSource. On this news, shares of NiSource fell $3.29, or nearly 12% to close at $24.79 on September 14, 2018, thereby injuring investors.

If you purchased NiSource securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley F. Portnoy, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005781/en/BancorpSouth and FHLB Dallas to Celebrate $100K Grant Benefiting Homeless Shelter

BancorpSouth Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) will celebrate a $100,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant that was awarded to Community Solutions, which built One Hopeful Place, a shelter that serves homeless single adults with disabling mental health and substance abuse conditions.

A ceremonial check presentation will take place at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 19, 2018, at One Hopeful Place at 1564 Percy L. Coleman Road in Fort Walton Beach. The media is encouraged to attend.

FHLB Dallas annually returns 10 percent of its profits in the form of AHP grants to the communities served by its member institutions such as BancorpSouth Bank. AHP grants fund a variety of projects, including home rehabilitation and modifications for low-income, elderly and special-needs residents; down payment and closing cost assistance for qualified first-time homebuyers; and the construction of low-income, multifamily rental communities and single-family homes.

For more information about the AHP, visit fhlb.com/ahp.







WHAT: Check Presentation WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 19, 2018 WHO: Nathan Monk, Executive Director, Community Solutions Evelyn Edwards, Vice President, Community Development Grant Specialist, BancorpSouth Bank Ron Moliterno, President, BancorpSouth Bank Mark Loya, Senior Affordable Housing Analyst, FHLB Dallas WHERE: One Hopeful Place 1564 Percy L. Coleman Road Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32547

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180917005807/en/[September 17, 2018] Airbiquity to Sponsor escar Asia 2018: Leading Asian Automotive Cybersecurity Conference

Leader in Connected Vehicle Services Will Showcase Uptane Security Framework and SafeRide Multi-Layer Security Integration into Its OTAmatic Software Update and Data Management Offering SEATTLE, Sept. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Airbiquity, a global leader in connected vehicle services, will sponsor and attend escar Asia in Tokyo, Japan on October 3-4. The two-day automotive industry event is an open forum that gathers automotive manufacturers, suppliers, analysts, researchers, and government transportation representatives to collaborate on connected vehicle cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, risk mitigation, and countermeasures. At the conference, Airbiquity will demonstrate its industry-leading OTAmatic over-the-air (OTA) software update and data management offering for connected vehicles featuring the compromise-resilient Uptane Security Framework. OTAmatic reliably and securely orchestrates and automates vehicle software updates and data management from the cloud, utilizing Uptane along with security signing management tools and processes to guarantee authenticity and integrity of sftware updates transmitted and installed in the vehicle.



Uptane's open standard automotive software update security framework was developed with support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), Southwest Research Institute (SWRI), and leading automakers and suppliers. Uptane provides the foundation for Airbiquity OTAmatic's defense-in-depth security approach for automotive OTA leveraging automotive grade standards-based certification, authentication, and encryption technologies and processes. Airbiquity will also demonstrate OTAmatic data management and edge analytics module integration with the SafeRide vSentryTM Multi-Layer Cybersecurity Solution to deliver a robust end-to-end and future-proof cybersecurity system for connected and autonomous vehicles. SafeRide vSentry provides deterministic and heuristic cyberthreat protection using AI Machine Learning and Deep Learning technology that reliably monitors vehicle security in real-time and uncovers vulnerabilities. When the vSentry anomaly detection module running in OTAmatic's Data Agent detects a vehicle cyberattack exploiting a new vulnerability the system sends an alert to Airbiquity's OTAmatic service which then transmits and installs the appropriate vehicle software update to remedy the vulnerability and restore protection of the vehicle asset and occupants.

To learn more about Airbiquity and OTAmatic visit www.airbiquity.com or contact sales@airbiquity.com. To learn more about SafeRide and vSentry visit www.saferide.io or contact info@Saferide.io About Airbiquity

Airbiquity is a global leader in connected vehicle services and pioneer in the development and engineering of automotive telematics technology. At the forefront of automotive innovation, Airbiquity operates the industry's most advanced cloud-based connected vehicle service delivery platform, Choreo, and supports all leading use cases including over-the-air (OTA) software update and data management. Working with Airbiquity, automakers and automotive suppliers have deployed highly scalable, manageable, and secure connected vehicle service programs meeting the needs of their customers in over 60 countries around the world. Learn more about Airbiquity at www.airbiquity.com or join the conversation @Airbiquity. Airbiquity is a trademark of Airbiquity Inc. CONTACT:

Shelby Simonson

Airbiquity PR

1-206-264-8220

media@airbiquity.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/744528/Saferide_Airbiquity.jpg SOURCE Airbiquity

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- A house was shot in Kansas City for the third time in two weeks. The house is in the 1900 block of N. Allis, west of 69 Highway. Overnight, according to the police chief, there was a drive-by shooting and three rounds hit the house.Kansas City Soldier Tribute

Vietnam Vets to be honored in ceremony in Kansas City Vietnam veterans will be honored at a ceremony in Kansas City this week. Humana, a health insurance company is holding a pinning and proclamation ceremony Thursday at its Humana Community location in Kansas City. All veterans who served between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975, are eligible to participate in the ceremony.

More Deets On Crossroads Gunfire

Three injured in shooting overnight at bar in Kansas City's Crossroads Three people were injured in an overnight shooting at a Kansas City Crossroads bar. Police were called to 'Rhythm & Booze' on Southwest Boulevard around 2:23 a.m. to investigate an aggravated assault. When they arrived, they found three people with gunshot wounds. Police said the first two victims were rushed to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Kansas City Pumpkin Spice Season

Fall festivals happening in the second half of September KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- There is no Pawnee Harvest Festival or Leslie Knope near us, but it's pumpkin season, and there are plenty of events happening near us to tickle your autumn-fancy. Here are ten festivals coming up in the near future.

Fanboy Pull Back

Arrowheadlines: Patrick Mahomes is exceeding impossible expectations Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes is exceeding impossible expectations. It starts with a mindset | Kansas City Star Ask Mahomes about nerves, and he'll say maybe he gets some but ... not really. He felt prepared, after all, so why be nervous?

KCMO Agenda Inside The Loop

Sharks, Jets & Martin headline the week ahead in Downtown From the world premiere of a play about MLK to an exhibition of the best photos of the year; from Todd Rungren to Tanya Tucker; and from Samantha Fish to RuPaul; and from an operatic West Side Story to a taste of Hamilton ... Downtown Kansas City will be soaring all week long.

Quick collection of news links for those starting the work week early . . .is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now . . .Remembering Marilyn Strauss, 1927-2018 - In Kansas City Marilyn Strauss was an icon, a pioneer and mentor in the theater community. The Kansas City native-a Tony award-winning producer-passed away Saturday. Strauss was an accomplished Broadway producer, but it wasn't until she returned to Kansas City in 1990 that local audiences could appreciate her tenacious abilities.

This is a big deal for the classy middle-class denizens of the metro and something that goes over the head of just about everybody else. Most of the tributes have been far too esoteric . . . This one follows suit:The 14th Annual WNC Pottery Festival returns to the Western North Carolina town of Dillsboro on Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Selected as one of the Southeasts Top 20 Events and regarded annually as one of the most popular arts events in the mountains, the festival attracts several thousand pottery aficionados each year.

This years event promises attendees top-tier craftsmanship from 44 master potters.

This is always an outstanding event and the talent this year is out of this world, said Joe Frank McKee, of Dillsboros Tree House Pottery, who co-founded the event. The festival has grown immensely in recent years, showcasing the best applicants weve ever seen and earning respect from potters and art lovers nationwide.

All potters compete for slots prior to the start of the festival, and this years event welcomes seven new potters for a total of 44 exhibitors.

Dillsboros Front Street will be lined with tents featuring some of the countrys best handmade pieces.

A large variety of styles and techniques will be showcased, ranging from glazed sculptural tree forms to mixed media pottery.

The WNC Pottery Festival brings together some of the most experienced and talented potters from across the country to feature their work, said McKee. With artists from 17 different states representing a mixture of talents and skills, this is a must-see event for pottery fans everywhere.

During the festival, visitors can watch throwing and firing demonstrations by some of the participating potters. Among the demonstrators will be this years featured potter, Judy Brater, of Knoxville, Tenn. Brater specializes in carving, painting and firing uniquely shaped slabs to form vessels unlike any other.

Pre-show events, including the Clay Olympics where potters can participate in timed competitions, will be held on Friday, Nov. 2, before the festival. These events, as fun for spectators as they are for the competitors, will take place outside of Tree House Pottery from 1-3 p.m.

Admission to the WNC Pottery Festival is $5 per person and includes a raffle ticket. Children under 12 receive free admission.

For more information, visit http://www.wncpotteryfestival.com/.From left to right, Jeanne O'Connor, Jordan Wright, John Adams and Joan Rinchisen have been cast in Brevard Little Theatre's upcoming production of "Deathtrap." (Photo courtesy of Brevard Little Theatre)

The twisting plots, infectious deceit and suspenseful moments characteristic of captivating thrillers will soon be on display in downtown Brevard as Brevard Little Theatre prepares its production of the Broadway hit "Deathtrap," running weekends, Oct. 12-28.

The play, a long-running thriller written by Ira Levin, follows the tribulations of Sidney Bruhl, a previously successful playwright who finds himself amidst a series of failed plays with little hope of turning around his fate. But when one of his students presents Sidney with a promising script, the plot of his own story begins to change course.

The role of Sidney will be played by Jordan Wright. Wright most recently played Vanya in BLT's spring performance of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," where he proved his acting acumen. In "Deathtrap," Wright will portray Sidney's insecurities as a has-been playwright of successful Broadway thrillers and his struggles as a husband to a doting wife whom he does not love.

The role of Sidney's wife Myra has been filled by Joan Rinchisen. A newcomer to Brevard and the BLT stage, Rinchisen had been an ensemble member of Old World Theatre in Skokie, Ill., since 2013. In her latest role, she must show her character's naivete and blind devotion to her husband, even as a plot against her unfurls.

Another BLT newcomer, John Adams, will take on the role of Sidney Bruhl's aspiring protege, Clifford Anderson. Adams, an award-winning freelance magazine writer, as well as a photographer and film critic, will pull from his appreciation of character roles to embody Clifford's conspiring nature in pursuit of his desires.

Jeanne O'Connor has been cast in the role of Helga Ten Dorp, a business savvy psychic from Holland who provides comic relief in an otherwise dark thriller. O'Connor is also new to BLT but has performed at Hendersonville Community Theatre, on other stages and in TV commercials.

Lastly, BLT veteran actor and director Jonathan Forrester returns to the stage in the role of Porter Milgrim, Sidney's friend and lawyer who tries to protect his client at any cost. Forrester previously entertained BLT audiences as Clarence in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" last fall and has directed several BLT shows, including last year's acclaimed performance of "The Rainmaker."

"Deathtrap" will be directed by Annette Hobbs and produced by Lauren Day, with George Ferencz as the assistant producer. The cast and production crew will perform nine shows over the three-week period. Friday and Saturday performances will be held at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday shows will be held at 3 p.m., at the theater located at 55 E. Jordan St.

Purchase tickets for the upcoming show online at http://www.thebrevardlittletheatre.org/, at the theater beginning one hour before each show or by calling (828) 884-2587.

Plan to be wowed, but be warned: Don't come alone!Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will deliver the keynote address as Western Carolina University holds a ceremony to honor the academic success of 1,423 students who were named to the university's chancellor's list for spring semester 2018.

The ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 18, in the performance hall of the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Both the ceremony and a reception that will be held afterward in the Bardo Arts Center Star Lobby are free and open to the public.

The chancellor's list is a WCU designation to recognize students who achieve a 3.8 or higher GPA during a semester. Those being honored include 362 students who graduated following the spring semester. Invited guests for the event include the high-achieving students, their mentors on campus and the students' families.

Lynch will speak on the topic Empowering the Next Generation of Change Agents."

A native of Greensboro and daughter of a school librarian and fourth-generation Baptist minister, she became the nation's first female African-American attorney general when she was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2015. She also served as head of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the eastern district of New York on two occasions, for both President Bill Clinton and President Obama. Lynch has been described by Obama as "the only lawyer in America who battles mobsters, drug lords and terrorists, and still has the reputation for being a charming 'people person.'"

As head of the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York's eastern district, Lynch became known for the high-profile civil rights conviction of two Brooklyn police officers who assaulted Haitian immigrant Abner Louima. In her private practice, Lynch served as a volunteer legal adviser for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which was established to prosecute those responsible for human rights violations in the 1994 genocide in that nation.

Remarks also will be delivered during the ceremony by WCU Interim Chancellor Alison Morrison-Shetlar and Acting Provost Carol Burton.

Lynch's visit is part of WCU's new Distinguished Speaker Series and the ceremony is a DegreePlus event for students.

For more information, contact WCU's Office of Student Transitions at (828) 227-3017.On Sept. 11, despite a torrential rainstorm, members of the Transylvania County Honor Guard proved that their mission to honor a fallen brother outweighs any adversity as they performed their ceremony of respect for shooting victim Waybern Coy Shelton. As far as this team was concerned, Shelton, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War, would receive a burial with military honors, no matter what the obstacle.

Ominous skies moved over Brevard as the team gathered at 1:30 p.m. The team provided six pallbearers, two columns of flags and rifles and full in-ranks members for the service. The pallbearers were LCpl Jim Bohn, Sgt. Carl Newman, Cpl Johnny Martinez, SO1 Clent Williams, two members of the National Guard, and Honor Guard Commander Howard "Sarge" Thiele NCO as guide.

The two columns of flags were manned by 1stLt Craig Adams, U.S. Army flag; EM3 Lewis Powell, U.S. flag; LCpl Bill Bailey, USMC flag; A1C Joe Ownbey, USAF flag; MCPO Larry Garofalo, U.S. Navy flag; and SP4 Jimmy McKinney, N.C. state flag.

Fears of bad weather were realized as the skies opened with a torrential downpour.

"We stayed in the cover of the family tent for 30 minutes, hoping for it to slow down," said Thiele. "Then the van bearing flowers arrived. That was a sign that things were about to get messy."

As the storm intensified with thunder and continuous lightning strikes, the funeral procession's police escort slowly moved into the cemetery.

I apologized to the team," said Thiele. "I said, 'We have to do this.' Willingly, everyone moved into position and awaited the hearse. Once the hearse stopped moving, the family and guests stayed in their autos hoping for the storm to abate or pass. It did not."

Resolutely, the team stood at attention in the deluge for 30 minutes. Finally, the funeral director opened the hearse and the Honor Guard pallbearers slowly conveyed Waybern Coy Shelton to the grave site and then assumed their positions in formation.

The rainstorm was unrelenting as the minister collapsed his umbrella and began the service. Finally, 1stLt Craig Adams and Cpt Ervin Bridges initiated the military portion of the service. In the pouring rain, bugler LTC Dawn Ellis played a beautiful rendition of "Taps."

"LCpl Jim Bohn, already drenched, fired the three-round volley perfectly, with precision," said Thiele. "The remainder of us stood our ground and did, 'what we do' regardless of the weather."

Two sergeants from the National Guard folded the flag perfectly and presented it to 1stLt Adams for presentation to the next of kin. The family was also presented with a beautiful Bible in a leather-bound case from the VFW post 4309 of Brevard, NC.

After the service, the Honor Guard returned to their cars, their mission of honor accomplished. The respite would be brief, however. They would gather again the next day to perform their ceremony for another deserving "comrade in arms."

Thiele was visibly moved as he described the ceremony.

"I am awestruck and humbled to serve with the finest group of people I have ever met in my 71 years. I served with a lot of great people during my 24 years in the Army, but this team is one of a kind - from the same mold created by our Lord. I hope he still has that mold," said Thiele.STATE OF North CAROLINA

COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

FILE NO. 18E290

EXECUTORS - ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Helen Chapman Smith of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Helen Chapman Smith to present them to the undersigned on or before December 17, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment.

Dated: September 17, 2018.

Garry L. Smith

PO Box 42

Brevard, NC 28712

M/9/17/4TP-69684

______________________________________________________________

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF North CAROLINA

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

Transylvania COUNTY

18SP46

IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY DEBORAH L. ISLEY DATED OCTOBER 12, 2007 AND RECORDED IN BOOK DOC 439 AT PAGE 402 IN THE Transylvania County PUBLIC REGISTRY, North CAROLINA

NOTICE OF SALE

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in the payment of the secured indebtedness and failure to perform the stipulation and agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the owner and holder of the secured debt, the undersigned substitute trustee will expose for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 1:30PM on October 1, 2018 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Transylvania County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

THE FOLLOWING REAL PROPERTY SITUATE IN THE COUNTY OF Transylvania, AND STATE OF North Carolina, DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:

ALL OF THAT CERTAIN LOT, PARCEL OR TRACT OF LAND SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN HOGBACK TOWNSHIP, Transylvania County NORTH Carolina, AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:

BEING ALL OF THAT CERTAIN 0.49 ACRE TRACT OF LAND KNOWN AS LOT 806 OF FOX RIDGE SUBDIVISION, AS SHOWN ON PLAT THEREOF ENTITLED SURVEY FOR TOLLOCK POLLOCK AND MATHEW POLLOCK, DRAWN BY E. ROGER RAXTER, P.L.S., DRAWING NO. 07-034A, DATED JUNE 12, 2007, AND RECORDED IN PLAT FILE 12 AT SLIDE 262 OF THE Transylvania County REGISTRY TO WHICH REFERENCE IS HEREBY SPECIFICALLY MADE.

And Being more commonly known as: 275 Hickory Ln, Lake Toxaway, NC 28747

The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Deborah L. Isley.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is made subject to all prior liens and encumbrances, and unpaid taxes and assessments including but not limited to any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), which-ever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. Following the expiration of the statutory upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS: If you are a tenant residing in the property, be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon written notice to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time notice of termination is provided. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is August 29, 2018.

Grady I. Ingle or Elizabeth B. Ells

Substitute Trustee

10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400

Charlotte, NC 28216

(704) 333-8107

http://shapiroattorneys.com/nc/

18-100516

Client Code: CWF

M/9/17/2TC-69588Like most people who have some disposable income, I am inundated with daily pleas for money. Most of the organizations seeking it are worthy of support. With limited funds one cannot support all of them.

The fundraisers play on our feelings of fellowship for our neighbors and the planet itself. Pictures of sad-eyed dogs abused or abandoned. Photos of keen-eyed children with stomachs bloated from extreme hunger which are accompanied by the awful statistics of the death of those children in far off places. Requests for feeding and housing the poor in this country, of whom there are far too many, a testament to the callousness of a government where sharing the wealth, not with the middle class, but with the desperately poor seems to be beyond what those governing us call their Christian ethic.

These fundraisers guilt trip us by sending us unsolicited gifts. Return address labels. Mittens. Socks. Small blankets. Even tiny amounts of cash. Follow up letters play on our guilt for accepting these presents. There is no real way to refuse them.

Another class of request is from politicians running for office and organizations set up to support them. I suggest to my fellow Transylvania Times readers that these terminally annoying fund-raising letters should take precedence.

These are perilous times. The next few months are crucial to determine which America we wish to see. Many people of all political stripes would welcome a government that shouldered its responsibility for people, not armaments, and would alleviate the plight of many of those seeking the undeclared tax of our charity. I urge you to join me in directing your charitable dollars for the next two months to the political process. Support get out the vote campaigns. Support candidates whose words, at least, promise to fight for a change in direction, not necessarily the directions pointed to by the traditional political parties, but which embrace concrete solutions. A contribution to the process is an investment in a better world.

Fred Cohn

BrevardWhite nose syndrome grows on bats noses while they sleep, which forces them to wake up and use precious energy to clean it off. The bats eventually die from dehydration. (Courtesy Photo)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is providing much needed support in the fight against the bat-killing fungal disease white-nose syndrome (WNS) through an additional $1 million in grants to 39 states and the District of Columbia. WNS has killed millions of North American bats in recent years, decimating many populations and putting several species at additional risk of extinction.

Bats are crucial to our nation's farmers and foresters, helping control pest insects such as beetles and locusts, and significantly reducing the amount of toxic pesticides that would otherwise be needed. Studies estimate bats save farmers at least $3.7 billion per year in lost crop revenue and pesticide savings.

Funds will help states support a national strategy for the disease, which includes increasing bat survival rates, preventing further spread and preparing for the potential arrival of the disease in new areas.

This year's grants bring the total funding to states for WNS response over the last eight years to $8 million. This financial support is part of a service-led, cooperative, international effort involving more than 100 state, federal, tribal, academic and non-profit partners.

"These grants are critical to helping states respond to white-nose syndrome," said Jeremy Coleman, National White-nose Syndrome Coordinator for the Service. "We've seen so much collaboration and innovative work from states engaged in the international response."

For example, last year the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries used funds to search for bats hibernating in rock rubble because Maine has only a handful of caves and mines where bats hibernate. This year they plan to expand the search to wells after talking with their counterparts to the northeast on Prince Edward Island, where bats commonly hibernate in wells. Several other states across the country will also look for bats in places other than caves and mines where the impacts of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome have not been thoroughly documented.

First discovered in New York in the winter of 2006-2007, the WNS fungus has now spread to at least 36 states and seven Canadian provinces and infects nine of the top 10 agricultural producing states.

"Without the grants, many states would be limited in the amount of work they can do to help bats," said Coleman. Funds may be used to support activities addressing WNS including response planning, population monitoring, sample collection for disease surveillance, containment, and outreach and support of research, such as experimental treatment research funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Bats for the Future Fund.

Additional information about WNS is available at http://www.whitenosesyndrome.

org.There is a fundamental logical inconsistency here. Either the stuff is bad for you or it isn't.

TreeHugger Katherine reports that BPA replacements aren't safe either, study finds. She is discussing new research that shows that "the chemicals used to replace BPA over the past 20 years have the same damaging effects." Katherine reminds us:

BPA does indeed have a serious effect on the developing brain, heart, lung, prostate, mammary gland, sperm and eggs. This spurred a widespread rejection of BPA in many consumer products, which is why it's now common to see 'BPA-free' labels on certain plastics.

Most websites discussing the research use the same kind of construction and language, basically acknowledging that BPA is bad. Quartz:

(while showing disposable water bottles which are made from PET which has never included BPA). Science:

. Even the authors of the research write in Science Alert:

Which is particularly maddening, since we haven't replaced BPA except in polycarbonates.

All of this makes me want to bang my head against the wall and scream in bold upper case: BUT YOU ALL ARE DRINKING OUT OF BPA LEACHING EPOXY LINED BEER AND POP CANS! The epoxy resin lining the cans so that they don't taste like aluminum is 80 percent BPA. One hundred billion cans made in the USA every year, almost all of them lined with BPA.

The fundamental contradiction

Here's the thing. If BPA is harmless and is not a xenoestrogen (a chemical that mimics estrogen), then you can delete Katherine's story and every other one on the internet about this new research; there is no story here. Except you can't because they found effects from the BPA substitutes that they say are just as bad as the BPA they replaced, scrambling the chromosomes of baby mice. So there is a story and everyone is covering it.

If you go to any website of any brewer that addresses the issue, they all say BPA is harmless. Sierra Nevada claims that "some studies show that youd have to eat and drink the contents of roughly 450 cans per day, every day, to ingest enough BPA from a can liner to reach unsafe levels." But they conclude "in our opinion, the benefits of cansportability, lower carbon footprint, recyclability, and absolute protection from light and oxygenoutweigh the risk." They got that from the Bisphenol A.org site which also notes that the FDA considers BPA to be harmless.

Human exposure to BPA from can coatings is minimal and poses no known risk to human health. Can coatings have been and continue to be recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.K. Food Standards Agency, the EC Scientific Committee on Food and other government bodies worldwide.

We know that BPA leaches from the inside of beer and pop cans; the beer companies even acknowledge it and worry about it. From industry mag Beer Advocate:

Government of Canada/Public Domain

Human exposure to bisphenol A is widespread and it does quantifiably leach into beer, says Jaime Jurado, director of brewing operations at Abita Brewing, pointing to a Canadian study that measured BPA in eight of eight beer cans it sampled. In contrast, the study only found BPA in one of the eight beer bottles it studied. Still, Jurado says, just because you detect BPA doesnt mean youve proven that its harmful. That area still needs more research. Little information on the effects of BPA on development in humans is available, explains Jurado.

This is not the first time I have written about BPA in cans (see related links below), which continue to rule the market because they are convenient, cheaper to ship, and all the cool kids like drinking from them; I can't even get my own kids to listen to me. But it makes no sense reading and believing every website saying "BPA substitutes are as bad as BPA" while we swill down a can of pop or beer lined with BPA epoxy. Either you believe it or you don't.A panhandler returned to aggressive behavior days after being photographed dropping trousers and pooping next to a city police officer and vehicle on Hamilton Ave.

First, for the record, public panhandling ranks as an allowable behavior in the city.

According to Code 201-10, under Article IV Begging and Panhandling:

A. The City Council recognizes a constitutional right to beg or solicit in a peaceful and nonthreatening manner. The City Council finds, however, that an increase in aggressive solicitation throughout the City has become extremely disturbing and disruptive to residents and businesses and has contributed not only to the loss of access to and enjoyment of public places but also to an enhanced sense of fear, intimidation and disorder. B. Aggressive panhandling usually includes approaching or following pedestrians, the use of abusive language, unwanted physical contact or the intentional blocking of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

The City Council further finds that the presence of individuals who solicit money from persons at or near banks or automated teller machines is especially troublesome. Motorists also find themselves confronted by persons who, without permission, wash their automobile windows at traffic intersections despite explicit indications by drivers not to do so. Such activity often carries with it an implicit threat to both persons and property. People driving or parking on City streets frequently find themselves faced with panhandlers seeking money by offering to perform services such as opening car doors or locating parking spaces.

City officials should explain how this guy continues to demoralize residents and damage whats left of this citys pride. Standing in the middle of traffic and getting up close and personal to motorists seems like a violation. At this point, who knows.

Add this guys daily appearance to another dreadful weekend of violence, including one murder and horrific photos from a city-inspired clean up on Sanford St. and the Trenton brand received significant damage.

A call continues for resolution of this disappointing panhandler issue. If City of Trenton officials have no solution for this man then how in the world can residents expect positive gains against those people who carry weapons and commit more serious crimes.

L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist.editorial@tribune.com

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16

Parents will feel the pinch of the surge in the fuel prices as the Chandigarh School Bus Operators Welfare Association today decided to hike the bus fare by Rs 50 per month for every child.

The fee will now be increased by Rs 600 annually per child. As many as 20,000 students, who travel by over 400 buses, are likely to be affected by the hike in the bus fare.

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, the president of association, Manjit Singh, said the price of diesel had increased from Rs 60 per litre to Rs 70 per litre since April. He said the association had decided not to hike the transportation charges if the fluctuation in the diesel price was up to Rs 5 per litre. However, the price of diesel had now increased by Rs 10.

He said, The hike in the fuel prices has increased our financial burden due to which we are hiking the bus fare by Rs 50 per month for each child.

Manjit expressed concern over unauthorised vehicles such as autos ferrying children to school. These vehicles have affected the strength of students who used to travel by school buses earlier. The school authorities are requested to check such vehicles as these do not comply with the norms of the Safe Vahan policy, said Manjit.

The existing bus fare in the city varies from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400 per child, depending on the distance. The bus fare is hiked by over 8 per cent in every academic session. In April this year, the bus fare was increased by Rs 80 to Rs 100 per month.

The transporter has to bear the cost of the salary of the woman attendant, conductor and driver. Besides, miscellaneous costs include bus maintenance, insurance and wear and tear expenses. According to the CBSE guidelines and the Safe Vahan policy, safety equipment needs to be installed in buses, which increases the cost further.

HS Mamik, president of the Independent Schools Association, said, The hike in the school bus fare was impending. There has been a rise in the fuel prices by 15 per cent lately. Various bus operators have been coming to me for months to raise the fare. This couldnt have been delayed any longer.

However, parents are irked over the fare hike.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 16

To check the use of spurious dairy products in the preparation of sweets and dishes, the Mohali administration has asked owners of sweets shops, restaurants, hotels and other such establishments to provide details of their suppliers and resources of such products to them immediately.

The owners have also been asked to display the details in their establishments.

The initiative has been taken in view of the coming festival season in which the demand for such products rises substantially. To earn big profits and meet the high demand, spurious dairy products are used, especially during the festival season.

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra said to check the hazard in an effective manner, the administration had, at a recent meeting, directed the businessmen concerned to provide details of the suppliers of milk products.

Our teams will make random visits to the places from where the products are being supplied. This way we will able to check the use of spurious dairy products effectively, said Sapra.

Sapra said the directions had been issued by all deputy commissioners in Punjab following a communique from the state government.

She said health teams would continue to collect samples from sweets shops, restaurants, hotels and other eating joints.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16

The problem of garbage aggravated further as waste collectors refused to end their strike today. They have not been lifting garbage for the past five days.

While the MC authorities are considering making alternative arrangements from tomorrow, residents of several sectors have been facing stench. Ranvir Sing, a leader of the garbage collectors union, said around 4,600 workers had been working in the field for the past 30 years and the MC had suddenly decided to remove all of them. This, he said, would not be tolerated.

He said the waste collectors were ready to adopt any new technique or process as decided by the MC, but removing them from the job would not be allowed. He said they wanted the MC not to engage any workers from outside and let the current system continue.

KK Yadav, MC Commissioner, said the MC would not remove the garbage collectors and was ready to find a solution through talks. He said the aim was to streamline the waste collection process and end exploitation of collectors. All registered waste collectors would be paid according to the norms.

While union leaders claim there are around 4,600 workers on the job, officials disagree with the figure. They said as per the data with the MC, there are around 1,400 such workers in the city.

City residents have demanded an immediate end the stand-off between the MC and the garbage collectors so that garbage can be lifted.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated a 26 kW solar power plant installed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office, Kamalam, in Sector 33 here today.

Earlier, Khattar attended the state executive meeting of the city BJP at the party office here.

Khattar congratulated the Chandigarh chapter for the installation of the solar power plant at the party office and said this would serve as an example for other regions to follow.

Organisational General Secretary Dinesh Kumar also addressed the meeting. Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher also shared her thoughts on the occasion.

A brief documentary film based on the life of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also shown on the occasion. It was followed by a kavi sammelan in the memory of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Chandigarh BJP president Sanjay Tandon addressed the meeting. He asked the members to prepare for the upcoming elections and make arrangements to make people aware of the development works carried out by the government at the booth level.

Documentary on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's life

A brief documentary film based on the life of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also shown on the occasion. It was followed by a kavi sammelan in the memory of the former Prime Minister.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16

Three snatching incidents were reported from the city in the past 24 hours in which mobile phones were taken away.

Two unidentified Activa-borne miscreants snatched a mobile phone last night. According to the police, the miscreants, aged around 20, snatched the phone from Ashok Kumar in Sector 40. The incident was reported around 11 pm.

The police were informed, who rushed to the spot and initiated an investigation. Sources said the victim failed to note down the registration number of the scooter.

A case has been registered at the Sector 39 police station.

In another incident, three boys riding a Bullet motorcycle snatched a mobile phone from a pedestrian in Sector 19 today. The incident was reported near the temple. The victim failed to note down the registration number of the motorcycle. The police said the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area was being scrutinised. A case has been registered at the Sector 19 police station.

Yet another snatching was reported from Sector 38. Sources said scooter-borne miscreants snatched a mobile from Shubham. The incident took place today. The police were informed, who have initiated an investigation.Pamela Philipose

Pamela Philipose

Senior Journalist

The melding of entrenched power, religio-spiritual authority and an all-encompassing patriarchy creates the perfect conditions for the exercise of sexual impunity. The rape charges, brought by a nun in a Kerala convent against Franco Mulakkal, the former bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, is yet another manifestation of this ugly but familiar reality. The meltdown that the Gurmeet Ram Rahim empire suffered a year ago would not have happened without that anonymous letter to the Prime Minister, written by a female disciple in 2002, alleging that she had been raped repeatedly by the man she had venerated as her guru.

Asaram could sexually assault children for years, under the garb of dispensing benefaction, until a 16-year-old schoolgirl stood up against him.

Confronting rapists is a mentally and physically punishing process in the most conducive of times, but when sexual predators come wrapped in the garments and panoply of an assumed divinity, shored up by their office, cocooned by the adulation of devotees, and protected by the government of the day for its own political purposes, it becomes a near impossible prospect.

Franco Mulakkal today resigned from his position as bishop, a step he should have taken in late June. Instead he had tried to brazen it out. Till the last he claimed to be innocent, hoping for divine intervention that will prove it. Meanwhile, the nun of Kuravilangad convent, who had made the charge, was subjected to the vilest of treatment. It was she, not the former bishop, who was stigmatised, accused of everything from blackmailing and betrayal of the faith to promiscuity. The statement by Independent MLA, PC George, that she was a prostitute who enjoyed sexual assault 12 times and cried rape on the 13th occasion, is just one instance of the calumny that was directed at her. This statement may have been retracted under public pressure, but its crude masculinist vulgarity reflects the scenario in which this woman is fighting for justice.

The Syro-Malabar Church, one of the most powerful and wealthy Christian institutions in the country, should have taken a public stand on the issue and ensured that the bishop stood down immediately after the nun had filed her complaint, until his name was cleared in court. Instead of providing moral direction in this case, it preferred a hands-off policy, stating that it has no jurisdiction over the Jalandhar diocese.

As for the Missionaries of Jesus, the congregation of which the nun is a part, it had even conducted a preliminary inquiry last week to exonerate him. While terming him an innocent soul who was being crucified, it saw nothing wrong in publicising a photograph of the nun with the bishop to prove its case, violating the anti-rape law in the process. The five courageous nuns who came out in support of their colleague, and sat outside the Kerala High Court in Kochi in protest, themselves came under attack from their religious superiors, with the entire issue being framed as a conspiracy against the church by external forces.

Such a response conforms to what Thomas Doyle, a US-based priest in the Dominican Order, highighted in a piece he wrote years ago: In every case I have seen or been involved in, the initial response of the official church whether it is on the part of the Pope, a bishop or religious superior, has been to hide the facts from the public. The second response, he added, is just as consistent, with bishops doing all they can to manipulate the truth so as to protect the image of the hierarchy first and the institutional church second.

To understand this system of privilege more fully, we would also need to factor in the immense difference in status between a bishop and a nun. In the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, the bishop is all-powerful within his diocese  an assigned geographic area of control  with a leadership role in the all-male, top hierarchy. Nothing takes place within the diocese without his involvement and approval, including, of course, the management of funds and personnel.

In contrast, nuns play an extremely subordinate role within the church. According to an estimate, there are around one lakh nuns in some 9,000 convents in India, with each following an iron-clad chain of command to enforce strict discipline and preserve a culture of secrecy and total obedience to the vows taken. Failure to conform could have dire consequences. A former chairperson of the Kerala Womens Commission is on record for revealing that defiant nuns sometimes end up on psychiatric medication.

Many in the sorority are consigned to tasks like cooking, cleaning and serving within their establishments the personnel who are in the higher echelons. Such work  as in the case of their lay counterparts  is neither accounted for, nor valued. Only occasionally does a ray of sunlight illuminate the opaqueness of these establishments. A case of crime could surface, such as the killing of Sister Abhaya in 1992, or someone may summon up the courage to detail her experiences, as a former sister, Jesme, did in 2009. Her book in Malayalam on the abuse of power within convents flew off the charts but evidently provoked no introspection among church authorities.

In fact, the Catholic Church in India, as many women activists within its fold have highlighted over the years, has failed to internalise the principle of gender equality in its functioning. Even the guidelines to deal with sexual harassment at the workplace were drawn up only last year, although the law mandating them had come into force in 2013. The present case has become another test of whether it can summon the will to do so.Vappala Balachandran

Vappala Balachandran

Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat

Historically all our governments in New Delhi have been resisting foreign scrutiny of our management of internal and external policies. This includes sensitive subjects like human rights and religious freedom. We feel that they are interfering into our decision making sovereignty. In this we include UN agencies too although we have no problems in taking up our disputes to them against other countries. We feel that foreign criticism of our policies on human rights, religious freedom and free trade is a neo-colonial strategy to keep developing countries under their pressure. Hence we tell them that they are interfering into our domestic management.

On the other hand Western nations quote the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine finalised at the 2005 World Summit and UNSC Resolution 1674 to claim that diplomatic criticism is more preferable to convey their displeasure rather than coercive measures like sanctions or military intervention.

Publishing adverse reports is one such R2P strategy. Following the release of US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF- 2018) report which contained adverse remarks against minority protection in India, the CIA listed VHP and Bajrang Dal as Militant Religious Organisations for the first time in 2018. This was in its Field listing of Political pressure groups & leaders. The RSS was named Nationalist organisation, which in USCIRFs lexicon is a militant religious organisation.

A similar controversy is likely to erupt once we are able to understand the implications of the latest paper by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) on our religious issues management. On September 15 our media quoted its contents briefly saying that the rising Hindu nationalism in India, according to US Congress, was eroding Indias secular nature and leading to new assaults on the countrys religious freedom. An erroneous impression was created among some sections in India that this was a riposte to the September 7 address by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat in Chicago at the World Hindu Congress. It was not so. This well-researched Congressional Research Service (CRS) report was released on August 30, 2018. The motive for releasing this at this juncture is not very clear.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a separate wing of the Library of Congress to prepare bipartisan analytical reports for the use of Senators and Representatives. It examines all domestic and global issues affecting US interests and recommends policy options. Its research is joined by the Congressional Budget Office and Government Accountability Office. All these are free from the executive branch control. In course of time the CRS has earned the reputation of being the most reliable bipartisan think tank in America with their timely, balanced and objective reports. In that way its reports are studied by all foreign countries and trade bodies to anticipate Congressional debates and law making.

Senators resentment

Their report India: Religious Freedom Issues begins with a preamble that Prime Minister Modi, a self avowed Hindu nationalist and lifelong RSS member with a controversial past was denied a US Visa under a rarely used law barring entry to foreign government officials found to be complicit in severe violations of religious freedom. It has flagged certain issues which are causing increased resentment among some sections of Congressional circles against India. They say that this resentment was evident even in June 2016 when the Prime Minister visited Washington DC. The report refers to a May 2016 hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when several on the panel, including Sen.

Bob Crocker called attention to reported abuses. It mentions that ranking member Sen. Ben Cardin, had spoken in New Delhi in June 2016 requesting India to do better to address issues of violence against women, government corruption, extra-judicial killings, human trafficking, and outdated anti-conversion laws that are still in use. The report says that the 2014 BJP victory appeared to have empowered domestically extremist groups that can undercut Indias and Modi governments international standing. It then quotes the Time magazine of November 2, 2015 carrying interviews of Top Indian business leaders that religious intolerance would harm the countrys economic interests.

The report adds that in 2017 a bipartisan group of five senators had written to President Donald Trump to raise the issue of Indias deteriorating religious freedom with our Prime Minister during his visit to Washington DC. It is unclear if the President did so.

Bigotry more common

It then concludes that indicators of Hindu chauvinism and bigotry are more common in India after four years of BJP rule at the federal level and expanded power in state governments since 2014. It says that perceived abuses have produced friction in the US-India relationship, including within the Congress.

On Indo-US relations it says: The earlier optimism of many US policy makers and stake holders about the likelihood of expanding US-India commercial ties has given way to intensifying concerns over existing trade and investment barriers.

The report has used strong language against the NDA governments policies against NGOs and religious discrimination. The report mentions that the Prime Minister has rarely condemned lynching and when he did in 2015, it was half heartedly after an eight-day delay. The 2017 seating of a hard line Hindu cleric as chief minister of Indias largest state sparked a spate of cow protection vigilantism in Uttar Pradesh, and shuttering of dozens of slaughter houses and 50,000 meat-selling shops, reportedly to a 15 per cent drop in Indias multi-billion dollar beef export industry, amongst the worlds largest.

Why now?

Our diplomats should enquire why this adverse report was released now when we are euphoric at the Success of the 2+2 US-India Strategic Dialogue. They should know that the US Congress and the Executive Branch do not work in tandem. Do they know that 3 Evangelicals (President Trumps main constituents) have been appointed in May 2018 as new members of the USCIRF? Are these circles trying to sabotage Prime Minister Modis invitation to President Trump as the 2019 Republic Day Chief guest?Arati R Jerath

Arati R Jerath

Political Commentator

Two developments have the potential to trip the BJP on its signature Hindutva plank. One is the Congress partys newfound tryst with Hinduism. The other is the upper caste backlash brewing in the Hindi heartland against the amended SC/ST Act to overturn a Supreme Court ruling watering down some of the Acts more stringent provisions.

Both have caught the BJP unawares, prompting strangely incoherent responses from a party that prides itself on its mastery over the art of controlling the narrative. On the one hand, its been peevish. It has mocked Rahul Gandhis temple run during the 2017 Gujarat Assembly election, sneered at him for the janeo-dhari Brahmin claim and gone ballistic because the Congress president ate non-veg in Kathmandu before embarking on his pilgrimage to Kailash-Mansarovar. Hes playing with sentiments and faith of Hindus, tweeted the partys IT cell head, Amit Malviya, in outrage. Really, because he ate chicken kurkure in Nepal? Interestingly, the restaurant in Kathmandu denied the claim, making Malviya and the BJP look rather foolish.

In sharp contrast to the blather on the new soft Hindu look of Rahuls Congress, the BJP has chosen to duck the vexed caste question which is threatening to singe its electoral prospects in key states across North India. It hasnt said a word on the issue although its MPs, particularly the Brahmins, are facing the brunt of upper caste anger in their constituencies. An MP in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh was so overcome by outpouring of animosity from her Brahmin supporters that she exploded in rage. Bring a sword and cut off my head, she is believed to have screamed at the protesters.

Significantly, there was no mention of rising social tensions over the SC/ST Act amendment at the partys two-day national executive meet. The silence was odd because the meet happened less than a week after a Bharat bandh called by upper caste organisations in protest against the Act. The bandh turned violent in several places and hit at least 55 cities and towns, with MP and UP being the worst affected.

BJP elected representatives and workers were hoping that either Amit Shah or Narendra Modi would set the party line on the issue, so that they can face their supporters. Apparently, the matter was discussed at a closed-door meeting of office-bearers, but the leadership decided not to go public for fear that they would fall between two stools, with an explanation that would neither satisfy the upper castes nor the Dalits whose votes are being aggressively pursued by the BJP.

It is important to juxtapose the two to understand the extent of the BJPs worry. Upper castes make up the partys core vote base in the heartland. But they were once Congress supporters. They flocked to the BJP as the Congress waned and Mandal politics shaped the electoral landscape. But as political parties have learnt over successive elections, few communities are committed vote banks. Even Jatavs turned their back on Mayawati and the BSP in 2014, and later in 2017, overwhelmed as they were by the Modi wave that swept UP.

Can the upper castes, especially the Brahmins, turn again to the Congress, if only to register their protest at being taken for granted by the BJP? The forthcoming Assembly election in Madhya Pradesh may well provide some pointers to the strategies being crafted by the BJP and the Congress to deal with the caste conundrum vexing both of them equally.

It is evident that the Congress has decided to play the Hindu card aggressively in MP. No more soft Hindutva. The party is wearing its religion unabashedly on its sleeve. For starters, its top five leaders, including Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh, are embarking on a Rampath Gaman, that is, a journey to retrace the footsteps of Ram and Sita who spent 11 of their 14 years in exile in the region now known as Madhya Pradesh.

This is an unfulfilled BJP promise, first articulated by Uma Bharti when she was briefly Chief Minister and reiterated by Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 2007. Neither BJP CMs did it. The Congress has picked up the vow and intends to walk through five districts, spanning 35 Assembly constituencies as they invoke Ram and Sita.

Oddly enough, just two days after the Congress announced this in MP, Modi, accompanied by Chouhan, visited the famed Saifee Nagar mosque in Indore to address a gathering of Dawoodi Bohra Muslims. He praised the community for being patriots and part of his development story.

Is this a role reversal? The Congress goes Hindu while the BJP dons the secular mantle? The compulsion to win elections can throw up strange mutations.

The reasons for the new look Hindu Congress are self-evident. Rahul is obviously trying to shake off the BJP branding of the Congress as a Muslim party. But in MP, playing the Hindu card has extra value. The state has an insignificant Muslim population, about 2 per cent. It is estimated to have the highest population of Brahmins, around 14 per cent. The state is dotted with historical landmarks deeply embedded in Hindu literature and mythology. It is also a state where the conflict between the Dalits and the upper castes has erupted in violence on several occasions, leading to the death of six Dalit youths. Importantly, OBC groups have joined hands with the upper castes to oppose the amended Act.

MP is thus a test case for Rahuls experimentation with a Hindu look for his party. No wonder there is consternation in the BJP on being challenged on its own turf with its own weapons. However, Rahul has to tread carefully. His grandmother dexterously played up her Hindu Brahmin identity while paying obeisance to the Congress secular heritage. His father, Rajiv, on the other hand, slipped badly while trying to balance the two. Time will tell whose political legacy he has inherited.vermaajay1968@gmail.com

That state-run hotels in Himachal Pradesh are running at a loss is no surprise. The state has not only been proved to be particularly wanting in the hospitality and customer-interface sectors, but also there is discrimination. There is a world of a difference in the treatment provided to the ordinary, average traveller and a functionary of the state  bureaucrats, judges, legislators and ministers. Indeed there is a case for abolishing all tourism development corporations and their replacement with a proactive grievance redress regulatory body. The Himachal Government needs to be commended for considering the issue of leasing out some of its three dozen loss-making hotels.

The government has rightly avoided the political trap of selling the hotels outright, for it not only leads to cherry picking, but private hoteliers who go for such properties are actually realtors. They view the property from the angle of exploitation of land entailing damage to heritage structures as well as more congestion and injury to the ecology. But the Himachal governmnets path has pitfalls. The comrades are active in the hills and their unrelenting agitprop has the potential to deplete the governments political capital if they manage to send across the message that this is an employee-unfriendly government.

The HPTDC was relevant when the private sector was almost absent. But the stark reality is that with an army of 2,000 staffers and a poor track record of upkeep and maintenance  the sine qua non of the hospitality industry  the other alternative is to keep incurring losses. This is a road travelled in the past but the Virbhadra Singh government later developed cold feet. Since then, all alternative strategies such as focusing more on the off-season have come to grief. The government needs to get rid of the white elephant early in its tenure when political resistance is low. It also needs to demonstrably put the money saved to better use as well as prepare a satisfying golden handshake for the surplus staff or even renegotiate their terms of re-employment.editorial@tribune.com

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16

Anticipating the delivery of a 10-seater aircraft worth Rs 41 crore for use of Governor, Chief Minister and other dignitaries by November, Haryana has offered re-employment to a pilot and an aeronautical engineer whom it had shown the door nearly three years back.

The Tribune has learnt that the state government has entered into an out-of-the-court settlement with pilot Capt Dinesh Bansal and engineer Harpreet Singh Saini that they would not claim salary etc for the period they were out of the job as their petitions against removal are pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

A senior officer of the Haryana Civil Aviation Department confirmed the development and said while Bansal has joined duty, Saini was expected to join very soon.

They have given government affidavit to us with regard to the terms of settlement, he added.

The officer, however, did not divulge details of the terms of the settlement.

Sources, however, confirmed that they have agreed to withdraw their petitions and they would not press for salary and other benefits for the period when they were out of job.

The BJP government that came to power in October 2014 had sent three pilots and an aeronautical engineer who were on its rolls at that time home. This was because the state did not have any aircraft of its own and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had refused to buy one for the sake of austerity.

The governments only 10-seater airplane  Super King Air B 200  which the state government had bought in 2006 was irreparably damaged after it caught fire while taking off from Chandigarh for New Delhi with the then Governor Jagannath Pahadia on board on March 27, 2014.

Those relieved by the state government in May 2015 were senior executive pilot Wing CommanderB Nanda (retd) and pilots Capt Kapil Khatana, Capt Dinesh Bansal andaeronautical engineer Harpreet S Saini.

All of them had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against their removal and the cases are pending.

Sources said that Wing Commander B Nanda (retd) has since joined a private airliner while Khatana had died due to illness on March 6, 2016.

Remember 2014?

The BJP government that came to power in October 2014 had sent three pilots and an aeronautical engineer who were on its rolls at that time home. This was because the state did not have any aircraft of its own and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had refused to buy one for the sake of austerityeditorial@tribune.com

BS Malik

Sonepat, September 16

A team from the Rai police station seized 1,077 boxes of illicit liquor from the premises of Happy Hatchery Farm at Mukeempur village in the district late Monday evening.

The team also seized five liquor-loaded vehicles, including three cars. Three persons, identified as Naresh of Khewra village in the district and Vipin and Sonu from Gaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, were arrested.

SHO Kuldeep Deswal said the seized stock was not marked for sale in Haryana.

A team of the Chief Minister Flying squad from Rohtak seized 638 boxes of illicit liquor loaded in five vehicles from Pai village in the district on Sunday night last week.

Similarly, an STF team seized 648 halves of different liquor brands, a tank filled with 500 litre of liquor, empty stock of 630 bottles, 2,100 halves and eight bags of empty quarters, a large stock of sealing machine and rolls, labels, covers and other material from a bottling plant from Baiyanpur village in the district the same night.

Sonepat continues to be a favourite transit station for liquor smugglers of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh because of its geographical location. Large stock of illicit liquor has been seized and a bottling plant of spurious liquor has been uinearthed in the district in the recent days.shalender@tribune.com

The idea to use technology through corporate intervention is still remote in the Indian agriculture sector. For decades, the agrarian and industrial economies were treated as unrelated entities, hence agriculture still looks at corporate interventions with suspicion. Until recently, companies' involvement in the farming communities was only through the corporate social responsibility (CSR). Anything beyond CSR raises distrust.

There was some basis for this mistrust. While some corporate bigwigs did try to work in the fields with farmers posing as their friends, but it often turned out to be a proxy of marketing techniques to sell their seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other materials.

Thankfully, this situation is changing. In the past couple of years, the corporate spectrum in the country has witnessed a number of entrepreneurial initiatives, where the modus operandi is to connect with the farmers in the field, apparently for better yields through technological interventions and crop diversification.

This latest trend is different from earlier attempts of the corporate majors. Now, most of these initiatives are being spearheaded by young professionals with humble backgrounds who have 'farmer welfare' and 'zeal to do something better for agriculture' at the core of their business philosophy.

They have a clear ethos: farms and farmers are not the subject of experiments. Unlike earlier attempts by big companies, these young entrepreneurs neither intend, nor do they try treating agricultural fields as their live laboratories. For them, the field is the boardroom and farmers are the partners in progress. There is no pretence of any high moral stand. It is pure business, a well-planned strategy for the startups. The model of these newly developed corporate initiatives, often termed as agri startups, is such that they need long-term bonding and mutual trust between the entrepreneurs and their clients (farmers).

Unlike corporate, agri startups do not need thousands of hectare of land to transform farming by implementing their lab experiments the ground and make huge profits for shareholders. They need sufficient land for their bread and butter. Startups know that they would be out of business if the land and the farmers working with them turn hostile.

These startups have some salient features. Mostly, they work as aggregators of products and technologies. Agri Hub, Big Haat, EM3, Agro Star are some startups which are developing themselves as platforms to provide facilities to choose from multiple options in a particular segment. In their endeavour to cater to more and more farmers with utmost effectiveness, they continuously pursue new technological advancements in their respective specialities and the end beneficiary is, of course, the farmer.

Agri Hub has developed an expertise in polyhouses, net houses and mulching, mostly based on technologies developed and being practised in Israel and Germany. With its endeavour to produce a "Wikipedia of Agriculture", the company provides various product offerings under seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, plant-protection, planting material, farm tools and equipment sections. Big Haat has its core interest in seeds, and provides farmers an access to around two dozen brands of healthy and authentic seeds. Delhi-based EM3 is providing the latest agricultural equipment to farmers at a low cost. The company rents out high-end equipment to farmers. Pune-based Agro Star is also providing agri equipment and other inputs to farmers.

Such companies have done a great job in empowering the farmers to choose agri inputs from a range of national and international brands sitting in their villages. These companies understand that their business success depends upon how much goodwill they earn from farmers and that this needs long-term engagement with their consumers. That is why most of these companies not only sell products, but also facilitate farmers to get expert opinion as and when required. These companies run their business through technology-driven resources like the internet and smartphones. This way, these companies are also helping the country to move towards financial inclusion and digital transformation.

There is another set of companies like Green Digital and SatSure, which are providing unique services to farmers. Digital Green makes small video tutorials featuring successful farmers and shows it to other farmers letting them experience the change in real terms. SatSure aims to create an archive of images taken every eight days for 15 years. After creating the bank, experts in the company will analyse the pictures on various parameters, like crop and ground water. The data will be sold to various government and private agencies to help them carry out their jobs with more precision and accountability. Especially in the case of farm-loss claims under the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme (PMCIS), such data will be of immense help to settle the claims fairly and quickly. Another startup Barixx Ago Sciences offers eco-friendly crop protection methods after much research on products that support organic farming to increase crop produce and quality with minimal expenditure. There are many more on the list.

These startups have two very clear messages for the world: Indian agriculture is on the cusp of a silent revolution, and agriculture is no longer a business based on primitive agrarian practices. Naturally, supportive government policies with foreign and domestic investments will go a long way in achieving the dreams of agri startups.

 The writer is AVP, NCDEX. Views are personalrchopra@tribunemail.com

Amir Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 17

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said he could not change Pakistans mindset and didnt see any change under Imran Khan, though he hoped for it.

The minister was addressing the media after inaugurating the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) programme at the BSF headquarters here.

Rajnath said it is a historic day for the country. A new pilot project has been launched. With this technology our borders will be more secure. Earlier, our jawans had to be there personally, even on odd days.

He said the Indo-Pakistan border is sensitive and the BSF were facing casualties, though they gave a befitting reply to Pakistan.

The minister said, Around 226 km vulnerable area will be covered under CIBMS. Dependence on physical patrolling will reduce. After getting the feedback we will make the system foolproof.

He said, During my visit to Israel I saw this technology and brought it here. In Assam, the project will be launched for 60 km.

Rajnath said that on Prime Minister Narendra Modis birthday on Monday he dedicated the project to the security personnel who had laid down their lives.rchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, September 17

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday left for Jammu and Kashmir to inaugurate two pilot projects of smart border fencing built under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) programme.

The two projects, each covering a 5.5 km-border stretch along the International Border in Jammu, are set to get a first-of-a-kind high-tech surveillance system that will create an invisible electronic barrier on land, water and even in air and underground, helping the Border Security Force (BSF) to detect and foil infiltration bids in the most difficult terrains.

CIBMS involves deployment of a range of state-of-the-art surveillance technologies--thermal imagers, infra-red and laser-based intruder alarms that form an invisible land fence, aerostats for aerial surveillance, unattended ground sensors that can help detect intrusion bids through tunnels, radars, sonar systems to secure riverine borders, fibre-optic sensors and a command and control system that shall receive data from all surveillance devices in real time.

The programme is a more robust border management system which is seamlessly integrating modern technology with human resource, a Home Ministry official said.

Based on integrated border management system, this virtual fence would be first-of-its-kind initiative in India, said the official.

The officer said the CIBMS is designed to guard stretches where physical surveillance is not possible either due to inhospitable terrain or riverine borders. IANSeditorial@tribune.com

Arun Joshi

NEW Commissioner of the United Nations Human Rights Council Michelle Bachelet has voiced concern that a report on Kashmir released during her predecessor Zeid Raad Al-Husseins time was not followed up with meaningful improvements.

It was clear that she had not read the 49-page report, a document in which the author acted as judge, jury and executioner. The report released in June had brought some selective incidents to light with a clear agenda to defame India. What happens in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was a passing reference. The bias was clear as the report had called PoK as Azad Kashmir, the name that Pakistan uses for the territories under its illegal occupation with the false claim that the part is free. The report was conceived and authored with a fixed mind to pin down India on its human rights record in Kashmir  the most vulnerable geo-strategic location on the countrys map because of unrelenting violence instigated and sponsored by Pakistan.

India failed miserably to put things in the right perspective. The UNHRC report was not studied in depth by neither its admirers nor critics. A big blame game followed.

New Delhi stood alone in its echo chamber while Pakistan, which had inspired the report, deployed its best and charming diplomats all over the world to display the report as a holy book in which India was demonised. This report gave a sort of international legitimacy to the unsubstantiated charges of Pakistan on Kashmir. New Delhi committed another mistake  it employed retired Army officers, some of whom had served in J&K and were responsible for some controversial incidents  to rubbish the report. They did their job in a military way. This made the world more doubtful about the Indian version.

The chronology of the ugly incidents, though without going into the backdrop, was perfect. The bibliography, however, was full of individuals and groups known for their anti-India hatred. It is an open secret that some of them are funded from across the border. That was the basic flaw in the report. But the Indian side lost the argument by painting everything Pakistani.

Economic distress in Pakistan did not prevent it from fuelling the fire of unrest in the Valley. Indias over-reliance on military helped Pakistans case. Those responsible for the misdeeds have escaped punishment. The Pathribal and Machil fake encounters bear testimony to that. The innocent villagers were dubbed as terrorists and killed. Justice continues to elude the victims to date. That makes the world look at Kashmir, the way it does. A relentless pursuit of justice-oriented investigations holds the key to the dignity of the people of Kashmir.editorial@tribune.com

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 16

The announcement of the schedule for the urban local bodies (ULBs) elections has rekindled a hope among citizens to get basic civic amenities, but the polls are nothing but a cruel joke for those maintain cleanliness for the common masses.

As non-permanent residents, members of the Valmiki community working in different parts of Jammu province as safai karamcharis are being deprived of the right to franchise in the elections.

Providing civic amenities to people solely depends on people of the Valmiki community, who are the backbone of most of the urban local bodies in Jammu. Most of these families are living in urban areas such as Gandhi Nagar, Dogra Hall, Resham Ghar, Bakshi Nagar, Nagrota, Udhampur and other localities.

See our agony. Members of our community are the backbone of most of the civic bodies across the Jammu region, but we dont have the voting rights in the ULBs elections, Garu Bhatti, president of the Valmiki Samaj, told The Tribune. To us, these elections are nothing but a cruel joke, he said.

Living in different localities of Jammu since 1957, these safai karamcharies were especially called from Punjab to provide basic amenities to people. Then Prime Minister of J&K Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad had convened an emergent Cabinet meeting, in which a decision was taken to bring safai karmacharis from other states to ensure cleanliness in Jammu.

Over 250 Valmiki families were brought from the Gurdaspur and Amritsar areas of Punjab with a promise that all constitutional rights as being provided to other citizens of J&K will be given to them by relaxing some rules.

Even after 61 years, members of the community are required in J&K only to serve as safai karamcharis without having any constitutional and democratic right.

In Jammu since 1965amansharma@tribunemail.com

Srinagar, September 17

The separatist groups appealed to the people on Monday to boycott the upcoming panchayat and urban local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

Under the banner of the Joint Resistance Leaders (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, the separatists said in a statement that any electoral process was not a substitute to the "right to self-determination".

They appealed to the "freedom-loving people" of Kashmir to observe a complete boycott. "The election drama is a political gimmick to hoodwink the international community that the people of Kashmir enjoy Indian democracy freely," the statement said.

They claimed that the elections were a "bait" to lure the pro-India politicians to act as "agents to change the demography and state subject law of the state".

The urban local body elections will be conducted in four phases starting October 8, whereas the panchayat polls will be held in nine phase from November 17.

The National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party have decided to boycott the polls until the Centre gave an assurance to protect Article 35A, against which a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court. The article confers special status to the permanent residents of the state. - PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Former Defence Minister of Canada and leader of the Opposition United Conservative Party Jason Kenney supports US sanctions against Iran and hopes India will stop profiting a theocratic regime in Tehran. In an interview with The Tribunes Smita Sharma, he supports freedom of expression regarding pro-Khalistan campaign, but wants zero tolerance to violent extremism.

What is the focus of your India visit?

I am meeting ministers in Delhi and senior leaders in BJP and Congress. Then in Punjab we hope to meet with the CM. We will go to Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat and hold commercial meetings in Mumbai. Our focus is to promote Canada as a destination for investment and cooperation in oil and gas.

Can Canada be an energy alternative for India amid looming US sanctions on Iran?

Ten years ago when I first met Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad, he hoped that Canada could export natural gas to fuel energy needs in India because he understood then that we are the most stable and democratic major source of hydrocarbon energy. Venezuela and Russia have top two petroleum reserves, third is Canada and fourth is Saudi Arabia. It is obvious that for a democracy like India, it is preferable to source its energy from a fellow democracy with similar values and a stable country.

What are your views on Trumps withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal?

Trump came to power with one of his central commitments being withdrawal from the Iran deal. There will be US sanctions that will affect global oil prices. I dont like the fact that Indians are profiting the mullahs in Iran who run a theocratic dictatorship. I am not sad to see Iran go under the pressure it is facing from the Trump administration. I dont trust the Iranian regime.

Did Justin Trudeau visit damage bilateral ties with India?

The relationship is deeper and stronger than any one visit or missteps. India-Canada relationship is fundamentally strong. We do need to take note of legitimate Indian concerns on national security. I have always been a hawk on these issues.

Is Canadas ruling party appeasing Khalistan sentiment?

Canadian politicians have zero tolerance to violent extremism of any kind. But we have a constitutionally protected freedom of expression. If Canadians want to give peaceful expressions to political views, they are free to do so. But if it crosses the line into advocating violent extremism, then it is a crime in Canada.

When you call for secessionist campaign, does it not impinge upon Indias territorial integrity?

Canada supports a united India. It does not support this or any other separatist movement. It regards India as a magnificent example of unity in diversity, of successful pluralism. We have a leader of the Social Democratic Party who is quite open in his support for that movement. But if people express their political views in Canada with civility and in spirit of non-violence and democratic engagement, it is a constitutionally protected right to do so. But we must never tolerate any support for violent extremism or glorification of those who have been involved in violence.

How do you view rise of minority Sikh leader Jagmeet Singh?

Canada is fortunate to have many talented people of Indian origin in our political life. His emergence as leader of a major party is reflection of Canadas openness to diversity. I, however, strongly disagree with his political views. He has been a pathetically weak leader to date. He speculated on conspiracy theories implying that the Kanishka bombings were done by Indian intelligence services. These views are extreme and I dont think because of this he has any chance of becoming Prime Minister.monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Ananya Panda

Tribune news Service

New Delhi, September 17

Fresh violence involving members of the RSS' student wing Akhil Bahartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA) erupted early morning on Monday hours after the results of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students' Union elections were declared.

Both the sides accused each other of "assaulting their activists" and later lodged cross complaints at the area's Vasant Kunj police station. Once the news of attacks and counter violence broke entry of the media was banned during the day.

In the wake of several episodes of violence since Saturday, the JNU administration issued a ban on rallies and processions on campus even as the JNU Teachers' Association carried out a "Save JNU" peaceful march, which saw a huge participation by faculty members as well as general students. The Left has decided not to carry out the customary victory procession given the prevailing situation, as confirmed by former JNUSU vice president Simone Zoya Khan.

The newly elected JNUSU president N Sai Balaji said the ABVP "randomly attacked students" early in the morning and he was allegedly assaulted by right wing students.

The AISA alleged that a former student was "almost lynched" outside Sutlej hostel whereas the ABVP, on its part, claimed its several activists were attacked by students associated with the Left and in the clashes many were badly injured.

"I was called to the scene at Sutlej Hostel. As elected JNUSU president, I went to ensure Pawan Meena's (AISA activist) safety who was attacked by ABVP students with sticks. Upon reaching, what I saw was mayhem. The mob led by Saurabh Sharma (former JNUSU joint secretary from ABVP) were attacking students with sticks," claimed Balaji.

Balaji also alleged that the rival party openly threatened him, former JNUSU president Geeta and some others of "dire consequences" if they intervened to stop the violence. Later Balaji was allegedly beaten up while he was in a PCR van before he lodged a complaint against the ABVP members at the area's police station.

While Balaji accompanied by some teachers was inside the police station local members of the right wing group were learnt to have gathered outside there. Alleging that "open threats to eliminate Balaji" were given, the AISA members mobilised students with later the JNU student council president-elect being escorted by the police and teachers back to the campus.

The Sangh-backed students had a different version, levelling similar allegations of attack over its members."Students affiliated to ABVP were attacked by the criminals hiding as champions of Communist ideology. Around 15-20 Left workers, including non-students, were attacked in a targeted manner. They were led by Geeta Kumari and her friend Ankit Singh. They entered Sujal Yadav's room, punched him and hit him with sticks. The left party workers had already fractured his hand yesterday. He has been attacked for the second time in 30 hours," said Monika Chaudhary, ABVP national media convener.

"Left organisations are turning more and more aggressive and violent. In the present circumstances, the safety of the students, especially of those who are affiliated with ABVP, is in grave danger," read a statement issued by her.

The police said complaints have been received at Vasant Kunj police station and legal action is being taken based on merit. "After a call a PCR call around 3 am the police rushed and held a meeting with the administration and students. The situation is under control now and police arrangements are in place," said the police.

JNUTA takes out peaceful protest march

The JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) in the evening took out a peaceful protest march on the campus against the instances of hooliganism the varsity has witnessed over the last two days.

In the wake of the clashes that unfolded since Saturday early morning the JNU administration condemned the violence and cautioned all at the campus to remain "vigilant and refrain from organising or participating in any public rallies or marches".

In an appeal, varsity Registrar Prof Pramod told students faculty and staff that some miscreants had pelted stones at the warden's flat and a few others tried to break open the door of another warden's flat.

"There are apprehensions of disruption of peace on the campus, if such events are held. Due to the prevailing situation on the campus any form of procession, demonstration, rallies, etc are not allowed on the campus until further notice," read another notice issued by the registrar.

After the JNUSU results the student parties along with the winning panel usually carry out a celebratory march on the campus.

On Sunday the Left coalition (AISA, SFI, DSF and AISF) defeated the right wing ABVP in all the four central panel posts, besides walking away with at least 15 councillor seats which form a part of the varsity's student council.uttara@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, September 17

Former Defence Minister of Canada and leader of opposition United Conservative Party Jason Kenney is batting for Canadian oil and gas exports to India as he meets with host of ministers, including Harsimrat Badal, Nitin Gadkari and Sushma Swaraj in Delhi.

He will also travel to Punjab to meet with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. Kenney supports US sanctions against Iran and hopes India will stop profiting a theocratic regime in Tehran.

In an exclusive conversation with The Tribunes Smita Sharma, Kenney supported freedom of expression when asked about pro-Khalistan campaign but underlined there has to be zero tolerance to violent extremism. He also strongly criticised policies of the first Sikh minority leader Jagmeet Singh heading a political party in Canada.

What is the focus of your India visit?

I am meeting ministers in Delhi and senior leaders in BJP and Congress. Then in Punjab we hope to meet with the chief minister. We will go to Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat and hold commercial meetings in Mumbai. Our focus is to promote Canada as a destination for investment, co-operation in Oil and Gas.

Can Canada be an alternative energy supplier for India amid US sanctions on Iran?

Ten years ago, when I first met Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad, he desperately hoped that Canada could export natural gas to fuel energy needs in India because he understood then that we are the most stable and democratic major source of hydrocarbon energy. Venezuela and Russia have top two petroleum reserves, third is Canada and fourth is Saudi. Its obvious that for a democracy like India it is preferable to source its energy from a fellow democracy with similar values and a stable country. When we purchase oil from some of these OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) dictatorships we are indirectly subsidising spread of extremism of which Indians have been primary victims.

Your views on Trumps withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.

Trump came to power with one of his central commitments being withdrawal from the Iran deal. Of course the sanctions will affect global oil prices. I dont like the fact that Indians are profiting the mullahs in Iran who run a theocratic dictatorship that treats women like property rather than people and has one of the most atrocious human rights record on earth. Im not sad to see Iran go under the pressure it is facing from the Trump administration. I dont trust the Iranian regime and dont think anybody else should.

Do you think Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit damaged tyour country's bilateral relations with India?

The relationship is deeper and stronger than any one visit or missteps. India-Canada relationship is fundamentally strong. We do need to take note of legitimate indian concerns on national security. I have always been a hawk on these issues.

Do you think Canada's ruling party is trying to appease the Khalistani sentiment?

Canadian politicians have zero tolerance to violent extremism of any kind. But we have a constitutionally protected freedom of expression. If Canadians want to give peaceful expressions to political views they are free to do so. But if it crosses the line into advocating violent extremism, then it is a crime in Canada.

When you call for secessionist campaign, doesnt it impinge upon Indias territorial integrity?

Canada supports a united India. It does not support this or any other separatist movement. It regards India as a magnificent example of unity in diversity, of successful pluralism. We have a leader of the Social Democratic Party who is quite open in his support for that movement. But if people express their political views in Canada with civility and in the spirit of non-violence and democratic engagement it is a constitutionally protected right to do so. But we must never tolerate that moving into support for violent extremism or glorification of those who have been involved in violence.

How do you see the rise of minority Sikh leader Jagmeet Singh?

Canada is fortunate to have many talented people of Indian origin in our political life. His (Jagmeet Singhs) emergence as leader of a major party is reflection of Canadas openness to diversity. I however strongly disagree with his political views. He has been a pathetically weak leader who speculates on conspiracy theories implying that the Kanishka bombings were done by Indian intelligence services. These views are extreme and I dont think he has a chance of becoming Prime Minister because of them.editorial@tribune.com

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 16

China seems to be interested in keeping alive the boundary dispute with India, a parliamentary panel has said. An overarching border engagement agreement should be concluded between the armies of the two counties, it has suggested.

The panel, headed by former Minister of State for External Affairs and Congress MP Sashi Tharoor, said: It is difficult for the committee to escape the perception that China sees it as being in its interests to keep the (boundary) dispute alive indefinitely for the purpose of throwing India off-balance whenever it so desires.

Till such time as a definitive solution can be negotiated, maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas is an important pre-requisite for the smooth progression of bilateral relations.

The committee said: It would strongly desire that a comprehensive Border Engagement Agreement is concluded between the Indian Army and the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army).

This, it says, should subsume all established mechanisms for confidence building, including border personnel meetings, flag meetings, meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on border affairs (WMCC) and other diplomatic channels.

Since Parliament is not in session, the panel presented the report Sino-India relations, including Doklam, border situation... to the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on September 4.

The committee requested Direction 71A of the Directions by the Speaker with the request to permit the printing, publication and circulation of the report under Rule 280 of the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Lok Sabha. The report was made public on September 12.

It has suggested that baseless claims made by China on the limits of the boundary with India need to be fully exposed before the international community. These claims are devoid of any amount of credibility or justification.rchopra@tribunemail.com

Kolkata, September 17

The fire that engulfed the famous Bagree Market in the central part of the city early on Sunday is still raging, with firefighters saying it may take several hours to control the blaze.

Thirty-five fire tenders were pressed into service as the blaze spread to other parts of the market, in congested Canning Street. Firefighters tried to control the blaze by spraying water on the building from six directions.

A senior police officer, who visited the area, said the situation had improved on Monday and firemen were still working to tame the flames.

It might take several hours more to fight the fire, a senior official of the fire department told PTI.

Almost the entire building has been engulfed in the fire, because a huge amount of inflammable materials stored inside the shops helped in spreading it.

Most of the shops are closed with shutters locked due to which we are facing a tough time to reach crucial points. Despite the problems, we are fighting to the best of our abilities to douse the fire, the fire department official said.

Firefighters on Sunday had a tough time bringing in fire tenders and other equipment inside the congested area. They had to cut innumerable overhead tangled wires to bring in one hydraulic ladder to fight the fire.

The fire personnel also sprayed water on the adjacent buildings, to control the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings.

Firefighters faced difficulties with scarcity of water in the area as water was supplied from a water body in nearby Laldighi and the Hooghly river in Mallickghat.

Water scarcity is a problem here. If there was a water supply from this area we could have fought the fire in a much better manner. Supplying water has been a problem as it is brought from nearby supplies, another official of the fire department present at the site said.

The fire which broke out around 2.30 am on Sunday gutted at least 1,000 business establishments inside the G+5 market causing huge losses to traders ahead of the Durga Puja festival.

No loss of life had been reported but six persons, including two firefighters, fell sick after inhaling the toxic smoke, the the police said.

The sick persons were treated at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital and later discharged. PTIeditorial@tribune.com

BY Satya Prakash

There are varying accounts as to who was the genius behind the maxim Justice delayed is justice denied. But the idea of a link between judicial delays and denial of justice is not new. It can be traced back to Magna Carta (1215). Clause 40 of the historic document says: To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.

Eight centuries on, the Indian judicial system is struggling to deal with the phenomenon of delayed justice that often leads to denial of justice to a large number of people.

Thirty four years after almost 3,000 Sikhs were killed in Delhi in the riots that followed the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, most of the accused are yet to be punished.

Twenty four years after being falsely implicated in a spy scandal, ISRO scientist S Nambi Narayanan was awarded a sum of Rs 50 Lakh as compensation last Friday. Only God knows how much time it will take to punish the Kerala Police officers who ruined his life.

The Delhi High Court granted divorce to an 85-year-old man in 2014 after a protracted legal battle of 32 years that spoiled his chances of getting remarried.

On August 14, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote to chief justices of all high courts requesting them to expedite the process for recruitment of judicial officers for subordinate courts. The situation in the Supreme Court, which is already faced with six vacancies, is likely to get worse as three more judges, including CJI Dipak Misra, are due to retire by the end of this year.

One of the underlying reasons behind the high pendency is sometimes the inordinate delay in filling vacancies of judicial officers, Prasad wrote. What the minister said about subordinate courts is equally true about high courts and the Supreme Court. Chief Justice of India designate Ranjan Gogoi recently blamed high courts for delaying the process for appointment of subordinate court judges. Its not that the government or the judiciary has not attempted to tackle it. A proper mechanism was created in the form of Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices to discuss important issues facing the judiciary to find out solutions, but the results have not been encouraging. There are dozens of reasons behind itpoor judge-population ratio, lack of proper infrastructure, poor docket management, miniscule budgetary allocation to judiciary, hesitation in the use of IT, protracted oral arguments, lengthy procedures, lack of judicial impact assessment and many more.

But one thing is clear. Even if all issues are addressed, the problem of pendency cant be tackled without having sufficient judicial manpower. Unfortunately, the judiciary cant blame the government for huge number of vacancies as appointments remain in their own hands, notwithstanding some occasional face-offs on certain appointments in the top courts.

In 1987, the Law Commission in its 120th report recommended that India should have 50 judges per million people as against 10.5 judges (then). Now the figure has reached 17 judges per million people, but its nothing compared to the US or the UK where the figure stands at 107 and 51 judges per million people, respectively.

Indian judges are overburdened. An average Indian judge decided 2,600 cases a yearmany times more than a judge in any advanced country.

What is worse is that a 2012 report of National Court Management Systems has projected that the number of cases being filed would reach 15 crore in 30 years, requiring 75,000 judges.

With income and educational profile of Indians changing very fast, the number of people knocking at the doors of the judiciary is expected to go up significantly.

Discussions and debate and the usual blame game must be over. Its time to act before litigation explosion hits India.amansharma@tribunemail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 19

Minister of State for External Affairs General V K Singh on Monday lashed out at Pakistan for sponsoring terror.

Interacting with the media along the sidelines of a seminar on Smart Border Management organised by industry body FICCI, Singh accused Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan of being puppet of the army.

Did you all expect a change? The question is that he was propped up by the Army. Let us wait and watch. Question remains whether he will remain under Army control or not, responded the minister to a question on the new Pakistani governments approach to terror sanctuaries on its soil. Singhs sharp comments though come just weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Imran Khan to congratulate him on his election victory and wrote a letter soon after his oath-taking ceremony.

United States had recently welcomed the positive approach between the two bitter neighbours.

The junior minister also reiterated the governments stated position of talks on terror can happen but talks and terror cannot go hand in hand. Our policy is very clear that dialogue will happen provided the environment is made conducive, Singh said when asked about possibility of a dialogue window opening with new government in Islamabad.

Delhi continues to boycott the SAARC summit which Islamabad is to host, even as India and Pakistan armies for the first time undertook joint military exercise under SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) framework recently.

Meanwhile, Singh also clarified that no formal proposal has been received from Pakistan regarding opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

The two governments have been passing the ball in each others court even as Punjab Minister Navjot Sidhu wrote a letter to Sushma Swaraj asking the Indian side to take up on Pakistans positive intent displayed on the matter. Union Minister Harsimrat Badal also wrote to Swaraj seeking clarity on status of bilateral discussions on the issue. There is no proposal from Pakistan yet. This issue has been going on for a very long time. There is nothing that has come about yet, V K Singh clarified today, even as Sidhu met Sushma Swaraj in Delhi.

Sources said the Kartarpur corridor issue and Sidhus recent interaction with the Pakistan Army chief during his visit to Islamabad for Imran Khans swearing in ceremony were part of the discussions.vermaajay1968@gmail.com

New Delhi, September 16

Indira Gandhi made two serious mistakes  declaring the Emergency in 1975 and allowing Operation Bluestar to happen, but regardless of these she was a great and powerful Prime Minister and a considerate humanist, feels veteran Congressman K Natwar Singh.

Singh worked in her office from 1966 to 1971 as a civil services officer before joining the Congress in the 1980s and becoming a minister in the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet.

Ever so often, Indira Gandhi is depicted as solemn, severe, prickly and ruthless. Seldom is it mentioned that this beautiful, caring, charming, graceful and sparkling human being was a considerate humanist and a voracious reader, that she was endowed with charm, elegance, style, good taste and, above all, gravitas, he says about the former Prime Minister. Singh expresses these views in his new book, Treasured Epistles, a collection of letters. Those who regularly wrote to him included friends, contemporaries and colleagues, from the days of his foreign service to ambassadorship, to recent days as the minister of foreign affairs.

The topics of Indira Gandhis letters to Natwar Singh ranged from congratulating him for becoming a father to politics, books, birthday wishes and get-well-soon messages.  PTIrchopra@tribunemail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 17

Born in 1949, a year after Ceylon (Sri Lanka) got free Bandula the elephant today is 10-ft tall. But the last 67 years of his life he has spent in shackles since he was brought in from Hambantota as a three-year-old cub. Today, as voices in the island nation come together to seek his freedom, it has struck a chord with people in India too.

Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has written a letter to Sri Lankan President Sirisena seeking compassion for Bandula.

A noted animal rights activist, Gandhi, in her letter dated September 14, writes, Many people in Sri Lanka have reached out to me about the plight of Bandula that has been chained for 67 years in the Dehiwala zoo. Sri Lanka is such a gentle and beautiful island. It seems out of character to treat an elephant in this way.

Incidentally, a former diplomat and former spokesperson to the previous Rajapakse government, Bandula Jayasekera, filed an online petition on change.org, seeking freedom for Bandula the tusker as well as six other female elephants, similarly shackled at the Colombo zoo.

The petition demands an open sanctuary or safari for the animals to roam free, a sentiment shared by Gandhi who also raised the matter with former President Rajapakse during his visit to New Delhi last week for a conference, sources say.

May I request you to release the elephant and send it to the Ridiyagama Safari Park to live free. We have, in India, banned elephants in zoos because they showed so much stress at being chained for so long. Many went mad. Recently, we have released six elephants in Safari Park, wrote the minister, sharing Indias experience on the subject with the Sri Lankan President.

People have not really campaigned enough for Bandula so far. We have created awareness and are hopeful, especially after the letter written by Maneka Gandhi. In case President Sirisena is not aware of the matter, we hope he will now understand and take cognisance, Bandula Jayasekara told The Tribune from Colombo.monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 17

Former President Pranab Mukherjees birthday greetings for Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a buzz in political circles on Monday as the Congress veteran wished Modi to serve the nation for many more years to come.

Although Congress President Rahul Gandhi was among the few opposition leaders to wish Modi a happy birthday early, Mukherjees tweet on the occasion was seen by many as politically significant and loaded.

I extend my warm wishes to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi on his Birthday. May you be blessed with a long, healthy & happy life and continue to serve the nation for many more years to come. #CitizenMukherjee, Mukherjee said wishing PM Modi a long public life on the eve of next General Election and closer to four state elections.

Mukherjee has in the past too raised the hackles of the Congress by delivering a valedictory address at an RSS event in Nagpur.

The early trend of twitter wishes for Modi presented an interesting picture.

Among opposition leaders who sent their birthday greetings for the PM early were Gandhi, RJDs Tejaswi Yadav, TMCs Mamata Banerjee, National Conferences Omar Abdullah and former Karnataka CM and Congress stalwart Siddharamaiah.

NCPs Sharad Pawar, CPMs Sitaram Yechury, PDPs Mehbooba Mufti and TDPs Chandrababu Naidu were in no hurry to greet the PM.

Modi also received a birthday message from Malayali film star Mohanlal who is widely believed to be getting closer to the BJP in the state. There is possibility of the BJP preparing Mohanlal to fight the next LS poll from Thiriuvananthapuram, where Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is the sitting MP.

A host of sportspersons also greeted Modi, including VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Hima Das, boxer Vijender Singh among others.vermaajay1968@gmail.com

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, September 16

Hitting back at Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad alias Ravan for referring to her as his bua (paternal aunt), BSP national president Mayawati today said she was only related to the crores of Dalits who gave her complete respect and considered her their ideal.

Addressing the media at her grand newly refurbished 9 Mall Avenue personal bungalow on Sunday, the BSP supremo alerted her followers from such elements who set up organisations in the name of Dalits for their selfish material motives.

Categorically denying any relation or blood connection with the youth Dalit icon, Mayawati charged him with instigating violence in Shabbirpur in Saharanpur last year and blamed him for strengthening the BJP behind the scenes.

She said till the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, the BJP will continue to prop up such forces.

She accused the BJP of using the name of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to draw political mileage in an election year and to divert attention from their failure on all fronts.

If the BJP government really had any respect for Atalji, they should have followed in his footsteps in governance and not allowed religious insanity and mob lynching in the name of protecting the cow.

Mayawati also hit out at the BJP-led Central government for prohibiting the use of the word Dalit and insistence on using Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe on the ground that it was used in the Constitution.

She said in that case, even Hindustan word should not be used to describe India as the Constitution mentioned only Bharat.

Referring to the proposed alliance, she reiterated her stand by stating that she was not against the principle of alliance but would enter one only if she was given a respectful number of seats.

Thanking the BJP government for the 9 Mall Avenue bungalow in which she moved in last evening, Mayawati said during the Vajpayee regime, her BJP-backed government in Lucknow was being pressured to enter into an alliance for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections in which BJP wanted 60 of the 80 seats in UP.

When I refused and preferred to resigned, I was falsely implicated in the Taj corridor case and DA cases against me and my relatives were lodged, which angered my supporters across the country, she said.

It was after the BJPs attempt to trouble me that my supporters said I had given my life for the party and the movement and hence they decided to collect small donations with which I could buy a house for myself. This is how I bought this property and another one in Delhi, Mayawati claimed.gspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, September 17

The basic duty of an airline towards a passenger who it has left behind is to provide meals and accommodation for overnight stay, the apex consumer commission has said while asking Indigo Airlines to pay compensation to a family of four who failed to board the flight due to deficiency in service.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), hearing a review plea of the airlines against the Tripura state commissions order, asked Indigo to pay Rs 20,000 to Kalpana Rani Debbarma and her family.

Debbarma, her husband and her two minor sons were travelling from Kolkata to Agartala availing Indigo flight services in 2017. The airlines had issued boarding passes to all of them.

Debbarma claimed in her plea that the airlines left all her family at the Kolkata Airport without informing them despite their being in the airport premises.

She also claimed that the airport staff snatched away the tickets from her when she went to the office staff to file a written complaint.

The family had to stay in a hotel and purchase new tickets the next day.

The basic duty of care for a passenger who has been left behind despite issuance of the boarding passes, when admittedly boarding passes were issued well ahead of the boarding time and the baggage was also boarded on to the airlines, is to provide meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation in cases where stay of one more night is necessary and the operating carrier should also pay particular attention to the needs of the accompanying family, said a Bench comprising Justice R K Agrawal and presiding member Justice M Shreesha.

The commission said that apart from not only forcibly taking the boarding passes from the complainants, no effort was made by the airline to compensate them by arranging for their travel in the next scheduled flight to Agartala.

It is not in dispute that the complainants were put to lot of mental agony and inconvenience as they had to stay in a hotel for two days and once again travelled by Indigo Airlines after two days after having had to purchase fresh tickets by spending an amount of Rs 16,432, it said.

The commission further said that even when the complainants chose to fly again by the airlines after two days there was no concession made by way of compensating for the inconvenience caused.

The airline should have taken care to see that the passengers boarded the plane especially when the baggage was also checked in. Further, the attitude of the airline in snatching away the boarding pass is deprecated, it said.

The airline had contended that numerous announcements were made at regular intervals and that the passengers did not report at the boarding gate on time.

It said that once the passengers checked in, their movements are restricted to a very limited sensitised area and it is beyond comprehension not to report at the gate and hence the assertion that the announcements were made does not hold any water.

More so, when it is not a silent airport, we are of the considered view that announcements should be made at least in the sensitised waiting area, the commission said.  PTIuttara@tribuneindia.com

Chennai/Tirupur, September 17

A man hurled his shoe at a statue of Dravidian icon EV Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, at Chennai while another one was vandalised near Tirupur Monday on a day when the rationalist's 139th birth anniversary was celebrated across the state.

Police said they are on the lookout for those who vandalised Periyar's statue at Dharapuram in Tirupur district, while the culprit was overpowered and arrested in Chennai.

The ruling AIADMK, the main opposition DMK, its parent outfit DK and other political parties condemned the incidents.

AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said: "Amma's (late Jayalalithaa) government will not tolerate such unacceptable acts. They (the culprits) will be brought to book. Stern action will be taken against them". DMK chief MK Stalin demanded that those responsible for the incidents be booked under the National Security Act.

Demanding tough action against the culprits, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) chief K Veeramani said Periyar could not be defamed by hurling footwear at his statue.

When cadre of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi were paying floral tributes to a statue of Periyar on Anna Salai in Chennai, a man arrived on a motorcycle and flung a shoe at it.

VCK cadre roughed up the man, later identified as Jagadeesan, before he was whisked away, police said.

The VKC workers, led by party chief Thol Thirumavalavan, staged a flash protest, seeking tough action against the accused.

"The man who threw the shoe was arrested after questioning," a police officer told PTI.

When DMK and DK cadres congregated in a park at Dharampuram to pay homage to the late leader, they found footwear on the head of Periyar's statue.

Scratches were also found on the head portion of the six-feet high bronze statue of the social reformer and a slight damage to the spectacles, police said.

Demanding action against the culprits, Tamil Nadu BJP President Tamilisai Soundararajan said "our party's basic political philosophy espouses respect for other ideologies and leaders...vandalising Periyar's statue is unacceptable and condemnable".

MDMK chief Vaiko sought tough legal action to ensure that "vandals do not get out of jail on bail". Periyar (1879-1973), the Dravidian ideologue, who fought for the uplift of the backward and oppressed classes and an egalitarian society, is venerated by Dravidian parties. PTImonicakchauhan@gmail.com

New Delhi, September 17

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate his 68th birthday on Monday in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi where he will interact with school children.

Modi will reach Narur village this afternoon where he will interact with children of a primary school, which is aided by a non-profit organisation, Room to Read.

Later, at the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) campus, the prime minister will interact with students of the Kashi Vidyapeeth and the children assisted by them, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to greet him.

"Birthday greetings to our Prime Minister @narendramodi. Wish him a long life and many years of dedicated service to the people of the country," Kovind tweeted.

Wasi mohabaat kamal ki hote hai jin ka milna mukadra me nahi hota

Naidu, who is in Malta, called up Modi to wish him on his birthday, the Vice President Secretariat said.

"Warm Birthday wishes to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. India is making rapid strides under his visionary leadership and taking its rightful place in the comity of nations. May he be blessed with long and healthy life," said Naidu's Twitter handle.

Shah hailed Modi's leadership, saying India under him has become synonymous with development and that he has infused energy into every section of society like never before.

India has a government under Modi, which is committed to the development of the poor, farmers and every section of society, the BJP chief said in a tweet.

He described Modi as a leader who is loved by all and has provided a decisive and visionary leadership to country, as he prayed for a long and healthy life for the prime minister. PTIvermaajay1968@gmail.com

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16

For 138 years, publishing religious texts had been Amritsar-based Harbhajan Singhs family business. But humiliated and manhandled by fanatics, he stopped publishing Guru Granth Sahib a decade ago. Now, with the Punjab Assembly having amended the law to make sacrilege of religious texts punishable with life imprisonment, the states oldest publishers, Bhai Chatar Singh Jiwan Singh, may find it difficult to remain in business.

Under the amended law, incarceration for sacrilege has been enhanced from two years to 10 years. Also, Section 295-AA provides for life imprisonment, if sacrilege has been committed with the intention of hurting religious feelings. These amendments have struck fear in the minds of publishers and writers.

Harbhajan Singh, targeted by religious zealots for the past two decades, says a single mistake in a religious text can now land him in jail for life. The publication business has become just too risky, he says. Whether fiction or non-fiction, writers often quote from religious books. As the new law doesnt define what exactly constitutes sacrilege, errors in quotes too can make one liable for trial.

Agrees Chandigarh-based publisher Harish Jain. Essentially, the amendment is a new avatar of its earlier version (295-A). With sentencing enhanced to life imprisonment and 295-AA undefined, the possible scope of its interpretation has triggered anxiety among authors and academics. Publishers Bhai Chatar Singh Jiwan Singh have been repeatedly targeted under Section 295-A since 1998 for not maintaining decorum while printing and transporting copies of Guru Granth Sahib. More recently, in July last year, Punjabi poet Surjit Gag was booked by the Ropar police under this Section. He remained behind bars for two months. It is nothing but an attempt to silence the voices of dissent as in Pakistan, the poet says.

Dhahan prize-winner Baldev Singh Sadaknama too faced harassment for deliberately and maliciously outraging religious feelings and beliefs of Sikhs in his novel Suraj Di Akh, which won him the Sahitya Akademi Award. Such draconian laws limit the imagination of any writer, he says.

Barnala-based government employee Varinder Diwana, who runs a public library, was booked likewise for a post on the social media in 2014.gspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, September 17

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the kin of those who had died in a bomb blast along with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, to file additional documents in their plea objecting to the Tamil Nadu Governments decision to release seven convicts in the case.

A Bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and KM Joseph listed the matter for further hearing after four weeks.

Advocate G Sivabalmurugan, appearing for petitioner S Abbas and three others, said their writ has been pending since 2014 when they had challenged the first decision of then J Jayalalithaa-led government to release the seven convicts.

He sought permission to file additional documents and amend the petition, saying recently, the Tamil Nadu Government has again decided to release these convicts.

After Sivabalmurugan said several orders have been passed by the apex court since 2014 with regard to the case and he needed to put it on record, the Bench asked him to file the additional documents.

S Abbas, now 35, was eight years old when his mother had died in the blast triggered by an LTTE suicide bomber in which the former prime minister was killed at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991.

On September 6, in a separate case, the apex court had asked the Tamil Nadu Governor to consider the mercy petition of AG Perarivalan, a convict in the 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The Centre had on August 10 told the apex court that it does not concur with the Tamil Nadu Governments proposal of 2014 to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, claiming remission of their sentence will set a dangerous precedent and have international ramifications.

On August 20, 47-year-old Perarivalan alias Arivu had told the apex court that no decision has been taken as yet on his mercy petition filed before the Tamil Nadu Governor over two years ago under Article 161 of the Constitution.

He had filed the petition on December 30, 2015, saying he had suffered over 24 years of solitary/single confinement.

He was charged with supplying a 9-volt battery which was allegedly used for the belt bomb that had killed Gandhi and 14 others.

Convicts Perarivalan, V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santham, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, P Ravichandaran and Nalini have been in jail for more than 25 years.

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.

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 Gandhis assassination, the probe was transferred from the state police to a Special Investigation Team of the CBI at 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 governments recommendation and an appeal by Rajivs wife and then Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The death sentence of the remaining three convicts was commuted in February 2014 by the apex court on grounds of inordinate delay of 11 years in deciding their mercy petitions.  PTIrchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, September 17

The Supreme Court said on Monday it may order SIT probe if it found that evidence has been cooked up and the material supporting the arrest of the five rights activists in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case needed to be examined.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra extended till September 19 the house arrest of the five rights activistsVaravara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakhaat their respective homes and said it would accord a final hearing after two days on the plea of historian Romila Thapar and four others.

Every criminal investigation is based on allegations and we have to see whether there is some material, the Bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said.

First of all we must have a look at the material. If we find that the material is cooked up, we will set up SIT. ... How can we adjudicate against them (Maharashtra police) without hearing them and looking at the material? We will see the materials of the agency," the Bench said.

At the outset, Additional Solicitors General Maninder Singh and Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Maharashtra Government respectively, opposed the plea of Thapar and others, asking what was it they had that could create the impression that the lower judicial forum would not hear the accused.

The Bench then said it has granted protection to the accused keeping in mind their liberty and this would continue till the courts below decided their pleas.

We entertained the case on the foundations of liberty. Issues like independent enquiry...comes at a later stage. Let the accused seek relief below. Meanwhile, our interim order (on house arrest) may continue, the Bench said.

So far as the problem of 'Naxalism' is concerned, it is becoming a bigger problem and has spread throughout the country. That is why I have intervened, Singh said.

What is the situation or the case which has not been entertained by the courts below and what is that aspect that creates doubt in their minds that the lower judicial forum won't hear them, he said.

Mehta said irrespective of the belief of the petitioners that the arrested accused are human rights activists, there was enough materials, seen by him, against them.

"This is not about dissent. This concerns serious offences. Your Lordships may not be convinced now, but evidence from laptops, computers, hard disks will show that they were involved," the law officer said, adding the accused have also resorted to parallel remedies in other courts including the High Courts.

"Let them (arrested accused) withdraw their respective petitions in the courts as there cannot be parallel proceedings," he said, adding the "strangers to the lis" have no locus to file the matter and seek remedy in criminal cases.

The Bench said it was not on the point of "locus" of Thapar and the others and the activists could be made parties as it has been done on a daily basis in high courts.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the historian and others, termed the objections of the Centre and Maharashtra "pedantic", and said that after the apex court took note of this case, nothing has taken place in other courts below.

Singhvi said he should be allowed to present the case as it would shock the conscience of the court.

Proceeding with the submissions by referring to documents including the two FIRs, he said the key point that there was a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister was not mentioned in either the FIRs or in the reply filed by the Maharashtra Government.

What we have been hearing that there is a possible attempt to eliminate the Prime Minister. The FIRs and others do not talk about assassination plot, Singhvi said.

He said after the top court's observation asking Maharashtra police not to speak to media about the probe, the "spreading of lies has subsided" but not stopped.

"Canard has been spread about criminal past of some of the activists," he said and gave details about the status of the matters against some of them.

There were 25 cases against Rao and he is either acquitted or the cases have been withdrawn, he said, adding that against Gonsalves, there were 18 cases and he is acquitted in 17 and the appeal is pending in one.

There were either 10 or 11 cases against Arun Ferreira and he has been acquitted in all of them, Singhvi said. Referring to the violence case, he said two former judges, one of Supreme Court and other of the High Court, were also invited to the event that was being organised for the past 200 years at Bhima Koregaon.

The arrested activists were neither present, nor named in the FIRs, Singhvi said.

The plea by Thapar and economists Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain, sociology professor Satish Deshpande and human rights lawyer Maja Daruwala has sought an independent probe into the arrests and the immediate release of the five activists.

The Maharashtra police had arrested the rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave 'Elgaar Parishad'held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.

Prominent Telugu poet Rao was arrested on August 28 from Hyderabad, while activists Gonsalves and Ferreira were nabbed from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj from Faridabad in Haryana and civil liberties activist Navlakha from Delhi. PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 16

With Intelligence inputs suggesting that the commanders of Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) outfits are regrouping at the tri-junction of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, which is also known as Vistaar area, and are planning to disrupt forthcoming Assembly poll in the region, the government has asked the CRPF to deploy seven more battalions to ensure peaceful electioneering and voting.

According to a report by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the CPI-Maoists plans to target the forthcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, said a senior Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official.

Earlier this month, the MHA asked the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to deploy seven more battalions, each comprising 1,000 personnel, in the region. The Chhattisgarh Government had also sent a similar request to the MHA in that regard. The Maoists have reportedly been working to create a link corridor between Balaghat-Rajnandgaon-Kabirdham-Gondia with their old battle zones of Odisha and Jharkhand to facilitate their armed cadres move towards Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Officials said the additional CRPF battalions would be deployed in Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh) and Gondia (Maharashtra).

According to the IB report, the Maoists have set up several camps to train their cadres in making IEDs and carrying out ambush. One such camp has come up in Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh) and another at Gondia (Maharashtra).rchopra@tribunemail.com

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17

The AAP began peace efforts with the warring groups and former leaders on a high note on Sunday night when the Kejriwal group represented by Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema and state co-convenor Dr Balbir Singh met state ex-head Sucha Singh Chhotepur at his residence in Mohali.

Sources said Chhotepur is all set to be rehabilitated into the party with full respect after he was removed from the post of state convenor months before the Assembly elections in 2017. He had formed his own party--Apna Punjab Party (APP).

The AAP is fighting a major division within the party these days with the Sukhpal Khaira-led group of eight MLAs making their parallel state structure. Kejriwal directed his supporting group, the official state AAP, to reach out to the rebels and former leaders.

The Tribune was the first newspaper to report that Kejriwal had issued such directions and his two emissaries--Dr Balbir Singh and Harpal Cheema--met some local leaders in the past few days. Chhotepur is the seniormost leader the peace group has met so far.

In the changed scenario for Chhotepur, the AAP is now saying he is an aggrieved party. Dr Balbir Singh told The Tribune that the party acknowledged that he worked very hard for the party. He is surely an aggrieved person. He has suffered a lot of humiliation and it is but natural that he is sulking and demanding an apology. We will go to any length to bring back leaders like him.

Dr Balbir Singh said no position is offered to any leader and the common meeting ground is the agenda for the people of the state. Chhotepur has also not demanded any post. We have huge respect for him.editorial@tribune.com

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, September 16

Buoyed by the response to its Jabar Virodhi rally here on Sunday, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed that despite the Congress efforts to tarnish their image, the partys support base had widened in the state, particularly in the areas affected by sacrilege incidents. The SAD took on the Congress government, accusing it of colluding with radicals on the issue of sacrilege.

Akali patron Parkash Singh Badal alleged that the Congress and AAP were behind sacrilege incidents as they wanted to disturb the smooth functioning of the then Akali-BJP government and gain power.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, in a bid to divert peoples attention from his failure to fulfil poll promises, is now using a fake report to exploit Sikh sentiments, he claimed.

Party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report had tried to pin blame on him and former CM Parkash Singh Badal, but in vain. Such vicious attempt was made by the party which was responsible for Operation Bluestar and the anti-Sikh riots, he alleged.

At least 73 incidents of sacrilege took place in the state since the Congress came to power. It is now applying its old formula of divide and rule to take control of Sikh shrines and the SGPC and pushing the state into another phase of terror and turmoil, alleged Sukhbir.

He also targeted PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar and Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Randhwa, saying Jakhars father Balram Jakhar and Sukhjinders father Santokh Randhawa had praised former PM Indira Gandhi for attacking the Darbar Sahib.

On the protest led by radical leaders Baljit Singh Daduwal and Dhian Singh Mand at Bargari, Sukhbir flashed some documents on the stage and claimed that those were the copies of bank statements and a registration deed, which showed Daduwal received Rs 16 crore and Mand made a land deal worth Rs 30 lakh. He alleged that they were collecting funds in the name of protest at Bargari.

Badal honoured two advocates who contested the partys case in the High Court on Saturday, following which the party was allowed to hold the rally.

Former minister and Majitha MLA Bikram Singh Majithia accused Cabinet Minister Navjot Sidhu of having sung paeans to Bapu Asaram and Radhe Maa.

Senior Akali leaders Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Charanjit Atwal, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Daljit Singh Cheema, Virsa Singh Valtoha and former state BJP chief Rajinder Bhandari were among other leaders who spoke on the occasion.

Ex-CM: Radical nabbed with pistol; ssp denies

While addressing the rally, former CM Parkash Singh Badal claimed that a Sikh radical was arrested with a pistol from the rally venue. He claimed that he had come to kill him and his son. However, Rajbachan Singh Sidhu, SSP, denied arresting any such person. I have no such information, he said.

Desecration still on

Sukhbir claimed that there was still no end to sacrilege cases in the state. At least 73 such incidents took place since the Congress came to power. It was using divide-and-rule policy to gain control over the SGPC and Sikh shrines, he alleged.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, September 16

Tension prevailed in the town and the adjoining Kotkapura on Sunday after Sikh hardliners, sitting on a dharna at Bargari, announced that they would not allow the Akalis to hold the rally.

Though the police had put up nakas at all entry and exit points of the town and restrained Sikh activists at Gurdwara Mai Godri on the Kotkapura-Faridkot road, situated at the distance of about 6 km from the rally venue, nearly 100 activists, brandishing swords and other weapons, managed to enter the town.

At 2 pm, the hardliners started a march towards the rally venue, but a heavy police force deployed near city police station stopped them.

Besides seeking passage to the rally, the hardliners asked the police to release four of their members. During this struggle with the police, some hardliners ran towards the rally venue and allegedly damaged two vehicles of SAD workers, parked near the railway station.

Party chief Sukhbir Badal later alleged that the police made no serious effort to stop the radicals despite the High Court orders to maintain law and order. In the name of controlling these elements, the police blocked the main roads to harass SAD workers so that they could not reach the venue, he alleged.

Rajbachan Singh Sidhu, SSP, denied the allegations, saying maintaining law and order was their top priority. Around 20 companies of police were deployed in the town, he said.

Manjinder Singh, sarpanch of Mughal Chak village in Tarn Taran, demanded a criminal case against radical leaders, including Daduwal, for a murderous attack

on him and other SAD supporters and for damaging their vehicles.

Vehicles collide

Muktsar: Some vehicles in Sukhbirs cavalcade collided at a security check point at Maan Singh Wala village on the Muktsar-Sadiq-Faridkot road on Sunday. There was no loss apart from minor damage to vehicles. Sukhbir was leaving for the Faridkot rally when the mishap occurred.

Cops failed to rein in radicals: Sukhbir

Party chief Sukhbir Badal later alleged that the police made no serious effort to stop the radicals despite the High Court orders to maintain law and order. In the name of controlling these elements, the police blocked the main roads to harass SAD workers so that they could not reach the venue, he alleged.editorial@tribune.com

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 16

The Congress has grabbed 25 per cent seats in the Majha zone unopposed ahead of the zila parishad and block samiti elections, scheduled to be held on September 19.

In Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot, of 80 zones of zila parishad, candidates in 23 zones were declared winner unopposed. Similarly, in 723 zones of block samitis, 177 zones were won without election. Almost all seats were grabbed by Congress candidates.

Main issues, including civic amenities, health, education and agrarian crisis, took a back seat, whereas Panthic issues are on the top of the parties agenda.

The Congress leaders have been highlighting the Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission report during campaigning.

The MLAs and former legislators from the ruling and opposition parties have started participating in political gatherings in villages in support of their candidates.

In Gurdaspur, which has 25 zila parishad zones, elections will be held on 12. Congress candidates have been elected unopposed on the rest. Of 217 zones of block samitis, the Congress bagged 143.

In Tarn Taran, Congress candidates are set to be elected on nine of 20 zones. In block samitis, 85 zones are in their kitty of a total of 160. Two zones were won unopposed by SAD candidates. Amritsar district has 25 zila parishad zones and 199 block samiti zones.

Congress candidate from Bohoewali village in Ajnala Sarabjit Kaur has won the zila parishad seat. In block samitis, 45 candidates won unopposed. Seven have won unopposed in Ajnala zone, five each in Harsha Chinna and Chogawan, eight in Attari, four each in Verka and Jandiala Guru, two in Tarsikka and nine in Rayya zone. In Pathankot, elections will be held on 10 zones. In 91 zones of block samitis, only three candidates won unopposed.

Majithia leads dharna outside police station

Amritsar: Ex-minister Bikram Singh Majithia led an Akali dharna outside Jandiala Guru police station here on Sunday evening. The protesters alleged that the ruling Congress was victimising Akali workers in the run-up to the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections. They alleged that an SAD worker was thrashed at Sadhpur village in Chogawan block, but the police were threatening the victim instead of registering a complaint. Parampal Singh, SSP, said: Leaders of both parties are levelling allegations against each other. We are conducting an investigation. TNSgspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, September 17

Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and urged her to help initiate dialogue with Pakistan on the opening up of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor.

Union Minister and Akali leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, however, claimed that Swaraj reprimanded Sidhu for messing up the issue of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor dialogue and accused him of misusing the political clearance granted to him in visiting Pakistan recently to attend Imran Khans swearing-in as prime minister there.

External Affairs Minister (Swaraj) reprimands Navjot Sidhu for messing up Kartarpur Sahib corridor dialogue and misusing political clearance granted for private visit by hugging military Chief responsible for killing our soldiers, Badal said on Twitter.

Sources said Sidhu met Swaraj along with another senior Congress leader and a former Rajya Sabha MP to discuss the issue with her.

Sidhu had courted controversy by hugging Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and claimed that he did so as Bajwa told him that the Pakistan government was working out opening of the Kartarpur corrdidor for Sikh pilgrims from Indian state of Punjab.  PTIvinaymishra188@gmail.com

New Delhi, September 16

The fourth edition of the Dehradun International Film Festival (DIFF) will be held from September 21-23 at Silver City, Rajpur Road.

The festival will showcase a wide array of regional films, short films, documentaries and national and international award-winning films

like The Saviour, Noorie: The Light, Pankhuri, Kismat and Raja Bajrangi to name a few.

The fourth edition will not only witness the renowned people from the industry like Ramesh Sippy, Sharman Joshi, Vivek Vaswani and Hemant Pandey but also showcase distinguished writers, literary and contemporary guests from the domain of art, culture and other social segments, said a statement.

The mission behind the Dehradun International Film Festival is to offer a platform to the local talent to showcase their works and screen the movies which are rich in content and deliver a strong message.

The festival is aimed at bringing the aspiring talent of Uttarakhand and the renowned names of the film industry on one common platform, facilitating a dialogue between them and eventually opening the door of opportunities for the film industry and for the aspiring talent.

With Bollywood celebrities like Subhash Ghai, Prem Chopra, Divya Dutta, Ranvir Shorey et al supporting us tremendously, our vision of making Uttarakhand a natural hub for celebrating cinema, art, and culture through DIFF shall come true, said Rajesh Sharma, Festival Director.

DIFF will conclude with an award function to honour the winners of the short film (fiction and non-fiction), feature film (fiction and non-fiction) and to facilitate the Lifetime Achievement Award. The award ceremony will also appreciate the contribution of various performers and other associates.  IANSvinaymishra188@gmail.com

Dehradun, September 16

A joint military training exercise between the Indian and US armies began on Sunday at Chaubattia in the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhands Almora district.

Yudh Abhyas 2018 is one of the longest running joint military training exercises and a major bilateral defence cooperation endeavour between India and the US.

This is the 14th edition of the joint military exercise, which is hosted alternately by the two countries.

Set to conclude on September 29, the combined exercise simulates scenarios where both nations are working together in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain, a defence press release said.

The two-week exercise will see the participation of about 350 personnel of the US Army and similar strength from the Garud Division of the Indian Army.

The exercise curriculum is progressively planned where the participants will initially get familiar with each others organisational structure, weapons, equipment, confidence training and tactical drills.

Subsequently, the training will advance to joint tactical exercises and battle drills of both the armies.

The training will culminate with a final validation exercise in which troops of both countries will jointly carry out an operation against terrorists in a fictitious but realistic setting.  PTI

Defence coop with USmonicakchauhan@gmail.com

Pyongyang, Septemebr 17

Sixteen-year-old Ri Jin Ryong, a member of North Korea's paramilitary Worker-Peasant Red Guards militia, says he has one message for South Koreans if the two countries ever reunite.

"I will spread the word about how wonderful it is to be in our dear Marshal Kim Jong Un's arms," he told Reuters at Pyongyang's zoo, where he and other soldiers were given a day of recreation after participating in a gruelling military parade before the North Korean leader on September 9.

Ahead of this week's summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Pyongyang, North Korea is once again highlighting the idea of reuniting the two countries divided since the 1940s, through state media and major events.

In South Korea, however, the concept of unification has become increasingly convoluted and viewed as unrealistic amid an ever-widening gulf between the two nations.

North Koreas rhetoric gravitates around unification not because they really believe in an immediate unification but its a powerful slogan that gives justification for them to improve inter-Korean relations," said Lim Eul-chul, professor of North Korean studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul.

"To South Koreans, the idea of unification is not as appealing because it immediately reminds them of the burden of unification costs."

Days before hosting Moon for their third summit of the year, Kim Jong Un said: "We should tear down this wall of conflict to meet the Korean peoples constant ideals and demands to open a grand path for unification," state newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on Sunday.

"One country, two systems"

International sanctions over North Korea's nuclear weapons restrict many cooperative projects and trade, a major obstacle to warming ties between the two Koreas, let alone reunification.

But North Korean defectors are much more likely to support the idea than their Southern neighbours, according to past surveys.

More than 95 percent of North Korean defectors who responded said unification is needed, compared to about 53 percent for South Korean respondents, one 2017 survey by the Seoul National University Institute for Peace and Unification Studies showed.

For decades, North Koreans have pushed the concept of "one country, two systems," under which the country would maintain different systems of government in the North and South, at least until the two could be peacefully reconciled.

"We understood that we should acknowledge differences between the North and the South on ideology, religion, faith alike, and cooperate with each other," one North Korean who defected to the South in 2013 spoke on condition of anonymity.

"I also remember learning that unification would also help resolve our economic difficulties."

North Korea's per capita Gross National Income of 1.46 million won ($1,283.52) is only about 4.4 percent that of South Korea, according to estimates by the South's central bank. While projections of the cost of reunification have ranged widely, running as high as $5 trillion, most believe the cost would fall almost entirely on South Korea.

After the first meeting between leaders of the two Koreas in 2000, both sides agreed to consider the idea of "one country, two systems", at least as an interim step to unification.

But on its website, the Institute for Unification Education, the education arm of South Korea's Unification Ministry, said the North's idea of a federation consisting of two regional governments with different ideologies and systems "has little possibility of becoming reality given no historical precedents." "North Koreas rhetoric concentrates on the unification between one people ... but what it really means is that they think unification between the Koreas justifies disregarding international relations and sanctions," said Shin Beom-chul, senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.

"In a situation where there are U.N. and U.S. sanctions, its hard to go along with that rhetoric for the South. Sanctions baning almost all trade with the isolated country have hindered even basic bilateral exchanges between the neighbours. South and North Korea opened a liaison office on Friday after weeks of delay, as Seoul sought to address Washington's concerns about a potential breach of sanctions.

"One blood"

On the streets of Pyongyang, North Koreans interviewed by Reuters uniformly supported the idea of unification, and just as uniformly, said Kim Jong Un is making it more likely than ever.

"Under the dear leader's superior leadership, I believe the nations unification could certainly become reality if the North and the South cooperate from now on," said cashier Ri Hae Kyong, 53.

Like all the North Koreans interviewed by Reuters in Pyongyang, Ri was speaking in front of the government minders who accompany media everywhere, making it difficult to truly assess North Korean views on unification.

Cosmetics clerk Yang Su Jong, 27, also said she believes "its not long" before unification happens, in part because Kim had made North Korea a "strong nuclear power." And North Koreans said they see their Southern neighbours as family.

"North and South are one blood," Pyongyang waitress Song Jin A told Reuters. "As a new generation, we want to live with our compatriots in the South as one, (we) want to all live together cuddled in our leader Kim Jong Uns arms." Reutersshalender@tribune.com

BERLIN, September 16

An anti-Kremlin activist lost his sight, hearing and ability to walk in a suspected poisoning last week but is doing better since he arrived in Berlin for treatment, according to a fellow member of the Pussy Riot band and a newspaper.

Pyotr Verzilov was flown to Berlin on a special medical transport plane late on Saturday, German newspaper Bild. It published a photograph of Verzilov on a stretcher at the airport.

A member of the protest band with whom Verzilov collaborated told Bild she believe he was poisoned. Hes better. Everything is okay, another band member, Veronika Nikulshina, told Reuters from Verzilovs hospital room. The doctors here are great. She made no further comment.

No comment was immediately available from the Charite hospital in Berlin, the largest university hospital in Europe, where Verzilov is believed to be receiving treatment.

Bild on Saturday quoted family members as saying he had lost his sight, his ability to speak and his ability to walk.

I believe that he was poisoned intentionally, and that it was an attempt to intimidate him or kill him, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, his wife and fellow Pussy Riot member, told the newspaper at Berlins Schoenefeld airport, as she awaited his arrival.  Reuterspardeepdhull@gmail.com

Melbourne, September 17

Public fears about sewing needles concealed inside strawberries on supermarket shelves have spread across Australia and New Zealand as growers turn to metal detectors and the Australian government launches an investigation to restore public confidence in the popular fruit.

The government of Queensland state, where the contamination scare started last week, offered a 100,000 Australian dollar ($72,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for inserting needles into strawberries after six brandsDonnybrook Berries, Love Berry, Delightful Strawberries, Oasis, Berry Obsession and Berry Liciouswere recalled.

The scare had spread across the nation by Monday, with needles reported found in strawberries in all six Australian states. No injuries have been reported.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt ordered the national food safety watchdog to investigate Queensland's handling of the needle scare. He directed Food Standards Australia New Zealand to investigate whether there are supply chain weaknesses that need to be fixed.

"The job is very, very clear. Protect the public and keep them safe," Hunt told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Both of New Zealand's major food distributors, Foodstuffs and Countdown, announced on Monday they are taking Australian strawberries off their shelves because of the scare.

New Zealand imports Australian strawberries when they are out of season locally from April to September, and both chains say the homegrown product will be on supermarket shelves soon.

Queensland Strawberry Growers Association vice-president Adrian Schultz said what had started as a single act of "commercial terrorism" had brought a multimillion-dollar industry to its knees.

"I'm angry for all the associated people, it's the farmers, the people who supply them, the packaging people, the truckies with families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs ... it's far-reaching," Schultz said.

Major Australian supermarket chains Coles and Aldi have pulled all strawberries from their shelves across Australia except in Western Australia state as a precaution.

But Western Australia police announced Monday that the first suspected needle contamination case has been reported in locally grown fruit.

A man in the town of York reported to police that he found a needle in a sink after washing strawberries.

The report came after a 7-year-old girl in South Australia state found a needle in a Western Australia-grown strawberry on Saturday.

Western Australia Health Minister Roger Cook said the needle could have been inserted in the fruit after it arrived in South Australia.

Strawberry Growers Association of Western Australia president Neil Handasyde said growers had received requests from major retailers and insurance companies to scan fruit for needles.

"As an industry we are sure that (the needles) are not coming from the farm, but we're trying to get confidence into consumers that when they buy ... strawberries, that there isn't going to be anything other than strawberries in there and they're safe to eat," Handasyde told ABC.

"Industry are looking at lots of different ways of tackling this issue. There's been metal detectors purchased and tamper-proof packaging looked at," he said.

Handasyde said he paid AU$20,000 for a metal detector for his berry farm.  APshalender@tribune.com

London, September 16

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday that she was irritated by speculation about a leadership contest as she slammed former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, seen as her most likely challenger.

The centre-right Conservative Partys leader said she was focused on securing a Brexit deal rather than her own future, in a BBC television interview marking the six-month countdown to Britains departure from the European Union.

May blasted Johnson for using completely inappropriate language when he described her Brexit blueprint as putting Britain in a suicide vest.

Asked about her plans to stay in the job, she said: I get a little bit irritated but this debate is not about my future-this debate is about the future of the people of the UK and its future. Thats what Im focused on and thats what we should all be focused on.

Johnson, who quit the Cabinet over Mays proposals to keep Britain close to the EU on trade, is the bookmakers favourite to succeed May, ahead of interior minister Sajid Javid, eurosceptic backbench leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, environment minister Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Mays Conservative minority government contains a sizeable bloc of hardcore Brexiteers.  PTIshalender@tribune.com

Hong Kong/Manila, Sept 16

Super Typhoon Mangkhut slammed into Chinas southern Guangdong province on Sunday, killing two persons and forcing evacuation of over 2.45 million people in the country after battering Hong Kong and the Philippines. Earlier, its fury killed 64 persons in the Philippines.

Packing winds of more than 200 kph, tropical cyclone Mangkhut is considered the strongest to hit the region this year, equivalent to a maximum Category 5 intense hurricane in the Atlantic.

Thats more powerful than the maximum sustained winds of 150 kph when Hurricane Florence roared into North Carolina in the United States on Friday.

The eye of Mangkhut, the Thai name for Southeast Asias mangosteen fruit, skirted 100 km south of Hong Kong but the former British colony was still caught in the typhoons swirling bands of rain and gale-force winds.

Hong Kong raised its highest No. 10 typhoon signal at mid-morning as ferocious winds uprooted trees and smashed windows in office and residential buildings, some of which swayed in the gusts.

It swayed for quite a long time, at least two hours. It made me feel so dizzy, said Elaine Wong, who lives in a high-rise tower in Kowloon.

Water levels surged 12 ft in some places, waves swamped roads and washed up live fish, washing into some residential blocks and a mall in an eastern district. Its the worst Ive seen, resident Martin Wong told Reuters. Ive not seen the roads flood like this, (and) the windows shake like this, before. The plans of tens of thousands of travellers were disrupted by flight cancellations at Hong Kongs international airport, a major regional hub. Airlines such as flagship carrier Cathay Pacific cancelled many flights last week.

In the northern Philippines, Mangkhut made landfall on Saturday on the northeastern tip of Luzon island with sustained winds of 205 km per hour and gusts of 255 kph.

Dozens of people, mostly small-scale miners and their families, were feared to have been trapped by a landslide in the far-flung village of Ucab in Itogon town in the northern Philippines Benguet province, Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said by phone on Sunday.

Palangdan said three villagers who nearly got buried by the huge pile of mud and rocks told authorities they saw residents rush into an old three-story building, a former mining bunkhouse that has been transformed into a chapel, at the height of the typhoons onslaught Saturday afternoon.

A police official said 34 villagers had died and 36 remained missing in the landslides in Ucab and another village in Itogon town.

Rescuers were hampered by rain and mud, and the search and rescue operation was suspended at nightfall and will resume at daybreak Monday, Palangdan said.

Police and their vehicles could not immediately reach the landside-hit area because the ground was unstable and soaked from the heavy rains, regional police chief said.

Overall, at least 64 persons have died in typhoon incidents in the northern Philippines, mostly from landslides and collapsed houses.

Forty-five others were missing and 33 were injured in the storm.  Agenciesshalender@tribune.com

WILSON/WILMINGTON, Sept 16

Deadly storm Florence drenched North Carolina with yet more downpours on Sunday, cutting off the city of Wilmington, damaging tens of thousands of homes and threatening worse flooding as rivers fill to bursting point.

The death toll rose to at least 14 from Florence, which crashed into the state as a hurricane on Friday, bringing record rainfall.

It had weakened to a tropical depression by Sunday, but was forecast to drop another 13 to 25 cm of rain in North Carolina, bringing rainfall totals in some inland areas to 76 cm closer to the coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm has never been more dangerous than it is now, North Carolinas emergency management office said on Twitter, quoting Governor Roy Cooper. Many rivers are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow. More than 900 people were rescued from rising flood waters and 15,000 remained in shelters in the state, Cooper said on Sunday.

At least 10 persons have died so far in the storm in North Carolina, including a mother and child killed by a falling tree, state officials said. Four persons died in South Carolina, including a woman whose car hit a fallen tree.

People who evacuated were eager to return home but officials urged them to stay away.

Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington, New Hanover County Commission chairman Woody White said. We want you home but you can't come yet. Fresh evacuations were ordered further inland as rivers crested and spilled out of their banks.

In Fayetteville, a North Carolina city of about 210,000 people some 145 km from the ocean, authorities told thousands of residents near the Cape Fear River and Little River to get out of their homes by Sunday afternoon because of the flood risk.

The worst is yet to come, Mayor Mitch Colvin told a news conference on Saturday.

North Carolina Emergency Management Director Michael Sprayberry said it was too early to estimate how many people in the state would be made homeless by the storm. Right now, we are thinking that there will tens of thousands of homes that are going to be damaged, he said.

In Leland, a low-lying city north of Wilmington, homes and local businesses were engulfed by water.

Gas stations were abandoned, with many pumps keeled over, and fallen trees cluttered many roads, making them impassable.

The whir of generators could be heard throughout the city, a sound not expected to dim soon as crews work to restore power. About 756,000 homes and businesses were without power in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.  Reutersgspannu7@gmail.com

Karachi, September 17

Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that his government will give citizenship to all Afghan and Bangladeshi refugees who are born in Pakistan, according to media reports.

Prime Minister Khan, during his maiden visit to Karachi on Sunday after forming the government, said that Pakistan-born Afghan and Bangladeshi refugees would get National Identity Cards (NICs) and passports, the Express Tribune reported.

These poor migrants from Bangladesh, they have been here for more than 40 years, their children are grown older now...we will give them passports and ID cards, as well as those Afghans whose children have been raised here, who were born here, we will also give them (citizenship), Khan was quoted as saying by media reports.

Pakistan is home to more than 1.39 million Afghan refugees, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), many of whom have been resident in the country for more than 30 years.

There are also more than 200,000 Bangladeshis in Pakistan. Many of them arrived during Pakistans civil war in 1971, when Bangladesh, then East Pakistan, gained independence.  PTIgspannu7@gmail.com

Moscow, September 17

The Russian military said on Monday that the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing all 298 people on board, came from the arsenals of the Ukrainian army, not from Russia.

The jet was shot down by a Soviet-made missile over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border, where fighting had been raging for months between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.

Associated Press reporters sighted a Buk missile system not far from the site just hours before the plane crash.

The Netherlands and Australia announced in May that they believe the missile was transported to Ukraine from a military unit in the Russian city of Kursk.

Russia has vehemently denied involvement and has over the years come up with various theories as to the cause of the crash.

Lt Gen Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Missile and Artillery Directorate at the Russian Defense Ministry, told reporters on Monday that the military had studied and declassified archives at the research center outside Moscow that produced the Buk missiles after the Dutch investigators displayed parts of the missile and their serial numbers.

Parshin said the Russian archives show that the missile that was made of these parts was transported to a military unit in western Ukraine in 1986, and to Russias knowledge never left Ukraine.

Asked about the possibility that the separatists may have seized the missile system during fighting in 2014, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov conceded that Russia does not have any documents proving otherwise but pointed to the statements of Ukrainian officials who have denied that separatists seized any of their Buks.  APshalender@tribune.com

Damascus, September 16

Syrians in government-controlled areas cast their ballots on Sunday in the first local elections there since 2011, when the countrys ill-fated uprising erupted against President Bashar al-Assads rule.

Seven years since the last vote, the conflict has killed more than 360,000 people, forced millions more to flee, and left the economy in tatters.

Now, Syrian troops are back in control of around two-thirds of the country after a string of victories, most recently around Damascus and in southern Syria.

Polling booths across government-held parts of the country and will be open for 12 hours, with a potential five-hour extension depending on turnout, reported state news agency SANA.

It said more than 40,000 candidates would compete for 18,478 seats on local administrative councils.

In Damascus, election posters mostly featuring incumbents were plastered across public squares, including in the Old City.

Mohammad Kabbadi, a government employee, cast his ballot in the Bab Sharqi district of the capital for a candidate from his neighbourhood. I know exactly who I am going to vote for-hes young, active and his victory will bring good things to residents of this area, said Kabbadi.

There appeared to be fewer people heading to the polls than in previous presidential or parliamentary elections, particularly as Sunday was a regular work day.

Still, Syrian state television broadcast footage of voters around Damascus and in the coastal government bastions of Tartus and Latakia. They dropped their ballots into plastic boxes as election officials looked on.  AFPgspannu7@gmail.com

Kabul, September 17

The Taliban launched multiple attacks on Afghan checkpoints as well as police and military bases in different parts of the country, killing at least 27 members of the security forces, Afghan officials said on Monday.

The attacks and the high casualty toll underscore the difficulties Afghan forces face in trying to secure the country on their own.

The Afghan forces have struggled to combat both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate since the US and NATO formally ended their combat mission in the country in 2014.

In western Farah province, attacks began on Sunday night and killed at least 17 members of the security forces. Fared Bakhtawer, head of the provincial council, said the Taliban attacked police checkpoints across the province and around the provincial capital.

A group of Taliban fighters first targeted checkpoints in the district of Push Rod, where 10 policemen died. Another attack struck in Bala Buluk district, where seven were killed and at least three others were abducted by the insurgents. Separately, also in Bala Buluk, six policemen surrendered to the Taliban after an intense battle.

There were also attacks elsewhere in Farah but Bakhtawer couldnt provide any casualty figures, pending more detailed reports.

In northwestern Badghis province, five officers were killed, including Abdul Hakim, the police commander of a reserve unit, in an attack that took place on Monday morning near the provincial capital of Qala-i-Now.

Jamshid Shahabi, spokesman for the Badghis governor, said around 22 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded during the gun battle there.

In northern Baghlan province, the Taliban on Monday attacked a joint army and police base, killing three army and two police officers, said Gen. Ekramuddin Serih, the provincial police chief.

Four other members of the security forces were wounded in the attack, which took place in the Baghlani Markazi district, he said.

The base is under the control of the Afghan security forces now and reinforcements have also been sent to the district, he said.

The police chief added that at least 20 Taliban were killed and wounded in the fighting.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi said the Taliban were claiming responsibility for the attacks in Farah. Separately, the insurgents also claimed the attack in Badghis.

The Taliban have a strong presence in all three provinces and often attack on Afghan security forces there.  APSponsored: Ministry of Planning

With heightened international awareness of the issues relating to hazardous chemicals and waste, ozone depletion and biodiversity conservation, there has been increased global action to address these issues. Trinidad and Tobago has been no different.

More hereIt's not an issue of "customer protection laws". When you buy separate tickets you are buying two separate contracts, one A to B and and a second B to C. Airlines offer protected connections by purchasing one ticket with multiple segments. Australian airlines will get you from A to B but they won't protect a transfer on a separate contract. I know AA offer protection to separate tickets within the USA but that's a commercial decision they have taken. Actually EU261 doesn't help in the situation of missing a transfer from one ticket to another, except if the delay was not due to exceptional circumstances you might get some compensation. But if you are delayed because of weather, there is no rule in the EU that airlines have to help you out or give you any compensation. TBH I am surprised if there is a law or ruling that enforces that in Canada (rather than airline policy).

So, if you intend to travel straight back from Perth, book an open jaw ticket with the international and domestics. (Also booking on one ticket including the international leg gives you the international luggage allowance on the domestics).

Edited: 3 years agoYeah it will be hot and the flies will be about but BH has a lot going for it besides Silverton and is well worth spending at least 3 or 4 nights in the city. There is the Living desert and sculpture reserve. The city is also home to a number of very good art galleries including those featuring well known outback artists such as Pro Hart, Jack Absolom and my favourite Howard W Steere who goes by the name the "Flying Doctor" and produces paintings depicting life in the outback in a satirical style. The artist has produced book called "just what the doctor ordered" which can be ordered and would make an ideal souvenir to take home.

The Royal Flying Doctor Base at Broken Hill airport is well worth a visit as the visitors centre provides a very good insight into the work the RFDS does in providing essential medical services to outback communities.

Consider returning to Adelaide via the Silver City highway and Mildura if you have time. There is a road house on the silver city highway at Coombah doesn't look much on the outside but step inside and you are greeted with warm country hospitality good coffee and one of the biggest burgers you will find anywhere.

Enjoy planning your trip.-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.Firstly, I'll post this in the Cambodia and the Vietnam forums as it includes both countries and be good to get the feedback of TA folk in both :-)

So - finally got what I think is a reasonable itinerary together, after much deliberation and brain-frying. We wanted something that didn't involve too much time heading to and from airports, and allowed some longer times spent in certain destinations.

We are flying in to Siem Reap and out of HCMC, and flights already booked so cannot change that. We are hoping this gives a 'flavour' for both destinations of Cambodia and Vietnam.

I appreciate there is a decent amount of moving around (in Cambodia especially), but with it being buses/boats, and only a couple of internal flights panned, we are hoping that the journey will be as much part of the experience.

5 nt  Siem Reap

2 nt  Battambang

2 nt  Phnom Penh

1 nt - Chau Doc (arrive evening by Blue Cruiser boat from PP)

1 nt - Mekong Delta homestay tour (currently looking at 'tour with Susan')

4 nt - Da Nang (fly from Can Tho)  incl day tour to Hue, explore Son Tra Peninsula

1 nt  Hoi An

4 nt - Saigon (flight from Da Nang)

From this:

1. Is it better to cut out Battambang to spend a bit longer in Phnom Penh? I actually would prefer to go to Battambang with a choice, but the lack of ongoing connections make this a more awkward destination to leave from if we were to miss PP>

2. After I discovered Da Nang was easy to fly to from Can Tho, seems to make sense to use that city as a base to get a bit of ocean/mountain time, and maybe visit Hue (I know it's a long journey for a day trip but I don't want to use a night here for a quick stay as we want to have a few solid days sleeping in one place, not moving luggage around, so am prepared to compromise and accept we will only get a glimpse). Da Nang appears to have good connections, surrounding scenery, good food and lovely hotels?

3. Is 4 nights in Saigon a good amount of time to get a feel for the city? Should we drop a night there and spend 2 nights in Hoi An, instead?

I really wanted to visit Qui Nhon, but Da Nang seemed far more 'doable' from Can Tho, and seems to have more things to do surrounding it.

I would love to visit Hanoi also, but it's going to be impossible without spreading ourselves so thinly. We have already decided that we will come back to Vietnam for our honeymoon in 2020, as we are getting married later next year. So - we will focus on the north (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa etc then).

Really appreciate any of your thoughts on this, or if you feel there's a better way of doing things?

I am hoping this itinerary gives a good mixture of city/coast/culture/food/scenery.Bahraini authorities are stepping up their clampdown on annual Ashura commemorations, targeting all displays associated with the occasion as well as those observing it.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Bahraini authorities are stepping up their clampdown on annual Ashura commemorations, targeting all displays associated with the occasion as well as those observing it.



On Friday, Salam for Democracy and Human Rights reported that detainees in Bahrains Jaw Prison were beaten and forced to remain outdoors under the scorching desert sun for taking part in Ashura mourning rites.



Meanwhile, Manamas security forces stormed a number of Shiite villages, forcibly removing black flags and Ashura slogans.



Several local residents were struck with birdshot pellets as they attempted to prevent officers from taking down the banners.



Ashura is a major part of the Shiite religious calendar when communities around the globe mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS).





/257Hi all,

We'll be heading to Vietnam for about 3 weeks before traveling to Loas and Northern Thailand. Flying into HCM, and then a quick flight to Angkor for 3 days (first time) before flying to Hanoi.

My question is: Are there any islands and/or nice beaches near Hanoi that compare to those in the south? Would the southern beaches still be significantly better even in October?

It seems that the weather will be significantly better up north in October, and we'll also have more time there as we also want to spend some time hiking and will travel overland to Laos. Given that we're short on time, and islands aren't the primary priority of the trip we're okay skipping them for now, but it would be nice to find a quiet beach for a few days if possible.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!COHOES, N.Y.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he believes that Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse should resign due to several allegations of domestic violence.

This comes after the Times Union reported new allegations of domestic violence between Morse and his estranged wife Brenda Morse, along with their child.

The allegations against Morse, a Democrat, first surfaced last year, but with more allegations and reports being released, more people, including Cuomo, are calling for Morse to resign.

Last week, the New York State Police said they had closed their investigation and found no probable cause to charge Morse.

However, now Cuomo, who is also a Democrat, said the state police reopened their investigation.

On Monday morning, Colonie Police also confirmed that they are investigating a complaint involving Morse, and his wife, that was filed with the department on Friday. Colonie Police said there have been no arrests and both parties are cooperating with the investigation.

The frightening and egregious evidence of domestic violence against Mayor Morse, as documented in recent media reports, cannot be ignored. Given the documented evidence presented in these reports, it is clear he cannot continue to serve and must resign. The New York State Police have reopened their investigation based on new reported evidence, Cuomo said in a statement Sunday.

During a news conference late Monday afternoon, Morse vowed that he would not resign, while also accusing his wife Brenda of having drug and mental health problems recently.

I will tell you straight up that I am not resigning from my position, said Morse. I was elected by the citizens of the city of Cohoes, they will tell me whether I should continue to be employed as mayor of this city, nobody else has a right to tell me what my livelihood will be and why I should not continue being mayor of the city. Every agency investigated me and every complaint and no one found anything to be credible.

Morse said that his wife has been using drugs like zanax and cocaine. He also played an audio recording from an incident between he and his wife three weeks ago in front of City Hall, where Brenda threatens to smash out Morses car windows and hit him in the face if he didnt give her money. Morse also said that his wife was recently arrested and that their 15-year-old daughter is currently in a treatment facility, where only he is authorized to visit her. Three weeks ago my wife was put in jail for violating an order of protection and putting [our] 15-year-old daughter in danger, two days after that she failed her drug screening for cocaine, two days after that I am now the only one allowed to see my daughter outside of the confines of where she is getting taken care of, said Morse.

Morse was with his attorney Joe Ahearn during the news conference, and Ahearn said he is confident that Morse will be cleared by Colonie Police and that he will be cleared again by State Police.

The reality is Brenda is very troubled, shes on a downward spiral, said Ahearn. Brenda Morses cousins [made statements] how she routinely has bruises on her body from falling while impaired by alcohol and drugs and has told her own cousins who she is residing with, Thats OK, Im going to take pictures and tell the police Shawn did it to me.

Members of the Albany County Democratic Committee, along with New York State Democratic Committee also issued statements Sunday calling for Morse to resign.

The Albany County Democratic Committee does not condone domestic violence. We stand in agreement with Governor Cuomos call for Mr. Morse to resign his position of Mayor of the City of Cohoes, said Chairman Jack Flynn in his statement.

Recent media reports surrounding allegations of domestic abuse by the Mayor of Cohoes are disturbing and disqualifying. These reports merit further investigation and demonstrate Mayor Shawn Morse is unfit to serve. He must resign from office effective immediately, added New York State Democratic Committee Chairman Byron Brown in a statement.

Fellow Democrats including, Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy along with Albany County Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce and Albany County Legislature Majority Leader Dennis Feeney joined in Monday in calling for Morse to resign.

Given the troubling allegations of domestic violence and child abuse made against Mayor Shawn Morse, we are in agreement that he cannot continue to serve as mayor of the City of Cohoes and accordingly we join with Governor Cuomo in calling for his immediate resignation, the three said in a joint statement.

Morse is currently in his third year of a four-year term.

Assemblyman John McDonald III, D-Cohoes, who is a former Mayor in Cohoes, agreed with other state officials saying that although Morse has done good work for the city, that he believes it would make sense for Morse to resign from his position now.

These allegations are very concerning, said McDonald.

Cohoes Common Council President Christopher Briggs, also a Democrat, said that members of the council will host a special meeting Monday night at 7 p.m. in City Hall to discuss the situation concerning the mayor.

Ive never touched a woman, Ive never touched my wife, Ive never touched my daughters and Ive never touched my son and I will take that to the grave with me because its never happened, said Morse.

With all do respect to the governor, the governors call reopening the investigation doesnt change the facts in this matter, its not going to change the facts and its not going to change the sworn statements, added Ahearn.SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> Local residents are among the hundreds of American Red Cross personnel headed South to help victims of Hurricane Florence, which is expected to slam the Carolinas on Thursday.

Kevin Coffey of Saratoga Springs and Josh Moskowitz of Schuylerville departed Albany International Airport on Wednesday, joining others that began arriving earlier this week.

The Category 3 storm is expected to bring catastrophic flooding and life-threatening tidal surges to the region.

This is such a large-scale effort, more than 1,500 disaster workers from throughout the U.S. are there or en route, said Kimmy Venter, Red Cross Eastern New York Region spokesperson. Its really like a national operation. Most volunteers, just like evacuees, will be staying in shelters.

Three dozen shelters have already been set up in North and South Carolina to assist more than 100,000 people fleeing the storm, which one federal official described as a Mike Tyson punch to the Carolina coast.

Plans called for opening dozens more evacuation centers on Wednesday.

Coffey and Moskowitz are Red Cross staffers.

Kevin, our local chief development officer, and is headed to South Carolina to lead fund-raising efforts there, Venter said. Josh is our local disaster program manager. Hes headed to North Carolina to help run shelter operations on a large scale.

Coffeys wife, Jennifer, said, Im concerned for his safety, but I know hes doing really important work and will help a lot of people and many communities. Hell be coordinating telethons and working with disaster operations teams. Im really proud of him and so are our three young children. They think his job is very cool. Theyll miss him, but they certainly understand why hes going and how important it is.

The Red Cross Eastern New York Region encompasses 24 counties from the Mid-Hudson Valley north to the Canadian border and west to the Utica and Watertown area.

In addition to full-time personnel, about two dozen trained volunteers from the region are helping with relief efforts. Most will work in shelters, where theyll set up cots, serve meals or simply talk to people who need a friend to lean on.

However, personnel with medical and mental health backgrounds are also needed.

Volunteers typically deploy for two weeks.

Last August, about 60 area people attended a Red Cross rapid-deployment boot camp, in Glen Falls, to become trained for shelter work in hurricane-ravaged Houston.

Venter said most people headed to the Carolinas and Virginia have some prior disaster response experience.

There are no plans to train new, inexperienced volunteers for Hurricane Florence, she said.

However, Red Cross says its response might cover up to 11 states as the storm heads inland, dumping huge amounts of rain, which will likely trigger ravaging floodwaters.

In addition to Red Cross workers, 80 emergency response vehicles and more than 120 trailers of equipment and relief supplies have been deployed so far. As the storm passes, Red Cross is preparing to provide shelter for tens of thousands of people until they can return home or find other places to stay.

Some evacuation centers may not have cots, food, running water or electricity. They are meant to safely house people for about 72 hours until the storm passes and weather conditions improve.

If needed, local government officials may transition evacuation centers into emergency shelters if residents cant return home after the storm.

Red Cross encourages eligible blood donors in parts of the country unaffected by the storm to give blood or platelets to help ensure a sufficient supply. Platelet and type O positive blood donations are critically needed because an estimated 1,445 donations will be cancelled by the storm.

Hurricane Florence has already forced the cancellation of many Southeast blood drives and additional cancellations are expected in coming days because of poor weather conditions.

Blood donation appointments can be made by using the Red Cross Blood Donor app, going to the website: redcrossblood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).TROY, N.Y. >> A Troy man recently pled guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in Rensselaer County Court, according to District Attorney Joel Abelove.

Abelove said that on Tuesday, Sept. 11, Joshua Aponte, also known as Pharoah and Joshua Solano, 30, pled guilty to one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C violent felony, in satisfaction of a 10-count indictment.

Officials said on Sept. 7, 2017, members of the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team executed a search warrant on Apontes residence following four controlled purchases of cocaine. Officials said the search revealed a loaded firearm as well as more cocaine and scales.

A news release said Aponte was living under the assumed identity of Joshua Solano, as he was wanted out of Ulster County for a 2015 drug conviction.

Officials said Aponte had previously been convicted of Attempted Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Fifth Degree, a class E felony, in 2009. He was sentenced to one to three years of state prison.

Abelove said as a result of the plea, the defendant will be sentenced to twelve years in state prison, to be followed by five years of post-release supervision.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 8, 2018, at the Rensselaer County Courthouse and will be held before County Court Judge Jennifer G. Sober.

This dangerous, repeat felon was dealing drugs while illegally possessing a gun. I commend the New York State Police for their hard work in helping to remove this menace from our streets for a long time, said Abelove in the release.

Assistant District Attorney Carl Rosenkranz prosecuted the case.Bank of Africa Kenya Limited (BOA Kenya) is one of the commercial banks in Kenya that is licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya and the national banking regulator. It provides banking services to corporate, SME and retail clientele. Having been in operation in Kenya since July 2004, the bank not only operates in Kenya but also in 31 countries across four continents. In Kenya, it is a mid-tier bank with a ranked position 15 out of the total 42 commercial banks by the Commercial Bank of Kenya, with total assets valued at Kshs 77.08 billion as of 31st December 2014. The bank has over 30 branches countrywide thus making transactions easier and convenient for its customers. If you are one of the clients or if you intend to do business with them, it is now easier, faster and convenient for you because the Bank of Africa Kenya contacts have been made available in this post.

Every financial institution is obligated to serve its customers efficiently and with respect, thus increasing its reliability. I mean, we all want to partner with a bank that is reliable and is able to solve our financial needs, dont we? Well, The Bank of Africa Kenya is fully committed to serving its customers with efficiency and courtesy in order to optimize its growth and increase its reliability. Bank of Africa Kenya branches are well distributed across the country making it easier for customers to access help from their nearest branch rather than the head office.

A good number of branches have been set up in Nairobi as well as other major towns across the country. Read on to get more of Bank of Africa Kenya ltd contacts.

READ ALSO: List of Banks in Kenya 2018

Bank of Africa Kenya Head Office contacts

Physical location: BOA House, Karuna Close, off Waiyaki Way,

P.O Box: 69562-00400,

Nairobi, Kenya

Phone 1: 0703 058 120

Phone 2: 020 327 5120

Email address: yoursay@buokenya.com

SMS: 20030

Website: www.boakenya.com

Face book page: Bank of Africa Kenya

Twitter handle: @bankofAfrica ke

Bank of Africa branches in Nairobi

Ngong Road branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 409

Ongata Rongai branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 344

River Road branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 299

Ruaraka branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 606

Sameer Business Park branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 340/337

Uhuru Highway branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 404

Upper Hill branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 512

Westlands branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 273

Gigiri branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 116

Embakasi branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 429

Galleria branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 316

Greenspan branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 518

Kenyatta Avenue branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 282

Kitengela branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 504

Lunga Lunga branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 154

Nairobi branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 291

BOA Kenya Nairobi Business Center: 0703058120/ 0203 275 273

Bank of Africa branches in other towns

Bungoma branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 664

Changamwe branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 656

Kakamega branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 618

Kericho branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 649

Kisii branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 680

Kisumu branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 602

Meru branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 691

Moi Avenue (Mombasa) branch: 703058120/ 0203 275 338

Nakuru branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 623

Nyali Branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 441

Narok branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 166

Thika branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 614

Ukunda branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 391

Eldoret branch: 0703058120/ 0203 275 632

BOA Kenya Mombasa Business Centre: 0703058120/ 0203 275 123

The branches are normally open from 8:30am-4:00pm on Monday to Friday and 9:00 am-1:00 pm on Saturday.

READ ALSO: List of international banks in Kenya

Services provided by the BOA Kenya Limited

Bank of Africa Ltd Kenya offers different financial services through its countrywide branches. These services include; loans & credit facilities such as asset finance, mortgage finance and salary or education loans, opening of personal business and investment accounts, mobile banking, internet banking, e-chama and money transfer services.

If you have been finding it hard to get in touch with this financial provider, this article has given you a full list of Bank of Africa Kenya contacts including their respective branches. Just go ahead and reach out to them for inquiries or any assistance you may need. They will be glad to help.

Source: Tuko Kenya- The suspects gave their statements in Migori County on Sunday afternoon

- Two suspects, Governor Obado's personal assistance and a former MCA are already in custody

- Obado earlier recorded a statement in which he denied playing any role in Sharon's murder

- The seven-month pregnant woman was found dead in Kodera Forest a day after she went missing

Detectives have received statements from three more suspects linked to the gruesome murder of Rongo University student, Sharon Otieno.

The new suspects reportedly gave their statements on Sunday, September 16, in Migori County as probe into the university student's murder entered a second week.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Two people arrested in connection with murder of Rongo University student

A seven-month pregnant Rongo University student, Sharon Otieno, was found dead in Kodera Forest, Homa Bay County, day after she went missing.

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: The murder of Rongo University student is a lesson to girls, leave sponsors alone - MP Gladys Wanga

TUKO.co.ke on Monday learnt the new homicide suspects whose names were not immediately identified were taken to Migori Police Station for interrogation.

According to the Migori County CID boss, Benedict Kigen, the suspects were not taken into police custody as was earlier reported by a section of the media.

READ ALSO: Who killed pregnant university student Sharon Otieno? Kenyans demand answers

Also in police custody are Migori Governor Zachary Okoth Obado's personal assistant (PA), Michael Oyamo and former Member of County Assembly (MCA), Lawrence Mula.

The two were earlier arraigned in connection with the murder of Sharon.

Governor Obado also recorded a statement after his name was adversely mentioned in relation to the brutal murder crime.

READ ALSO: Body of pregnant Rongo student who was kidnapped with journalist found in forest

The governor admitted he knew Sharon at a personal level but denied he had anything to do with either her abduction or cruel murder.

The 26-year-old student's body was discovered abandoned in Kodera Forest, Homa Bay County, about two-hours drive from Migori County, a day after she was abducted alongside Nation Media Group journalist, Barrack Oduor.

An autopsy report released by Chief government Pathologist Johansen Oduor revealed Sharon was beaten, gang-raped, strangled and then stabbed eight times.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Winnie Pasaka's Story: From A Housemaid To An Engineer - Faces of Kenya - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Newspaper- Kenya has private property valued at over KSh 10.49 trillion

- Nairobi was also ranked among wealthiest cities in Africa

- From 2016, Kenya spent at least KSh 100 billion in the luxury market

The ever increasing appetite for private investments in Kenya has made the country be ranked the fifth wealthiest in Africa.

According to The AfrAsia Bank Wealth Report 2018, the country has privately owned wealth to a tune of KSh 10.49 trillion.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens.

READ ALSO: Washukiwa wengine wa mauaji ya Sharon Otieno wakamatwa, wahojiwa na makachero

Nairobi was also ranked sixth among wealthiest cities in Africa with a value of KSh 5.45 trillion in privately owned assets. Photo. UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: We will not be intimidated - MPs vow to shoot down fuel levy despite what party bosses think

According to the report, South Africa is the wealthiest with private property valued at KSh 72.8 trillion, Egypt second with KSh 33.0 trillion, Nigeria (KSh 25.3 trillion) and Morocco at KSh 12.2 trillion.

The wealth was arrived at by calculating the value of property, cash, equities and business interests. Liabilities and government funds were factored out.

READ ALSO: Kibera slum girls forced into sex for sanitary pads - UN report

The report also ranked Kenya fourth as the country with fastest wealth growth which was capped at 73%.

Mauritius had the highest wealth growth rate at 195%, Ethiopia 190%, Rwanda 74% and Tanzania 66%.

"Total wealth held in Africa has risen by 13% over the past 10 years (2007 to 2017) and by 3% over the past year (2017). Mauritius was the top performing individual market during both of these periods," read the report.

The wealth amount was arrived at by calculating the value of property, cash, equities and business interests but liabilities and government funds factored out. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mutahi Ngunyi tells William Ruto to ignore Twitter post calling for Weston Hotel demolition

On the part of cities, Nairobi was ranked the sixth wealthiest city in Africa valued at KSh 5.45 trillion.

"Total wealth held in the city amounts to KSh 5.45 trillion (USD 54 billion). Major sectors in the city include financial services, real estate and construction, retail businesses, tourism services, telecoms and basic materials," the report stated.

Johannesburg was the wealthiest with KSh 27.6 trillion, Cape Town (KSh 15.5 trillion), Cairo (KSh 14.0 trillion), Lagos (KSh 10.8 trillion) and Durban at KSh 5.5 trillion.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Teresiah Wambui Story: The Struggles of a Kenyan Woman With Beards - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Kenya- Popular Kenyan slay king Robertta took to social media to explain a nasty experience with a 'client'

- Robertta was nearly assaulted by a doctor after a steamy session

- He gave a graphic account of his sexual exploits with the doctor who wanted more than the slay king bargained for

Popular gay socialite, Robert Wanyoike, popularly known as Robertta, recently took to social media to narrate a disturbing experience where he was exploited against his will by a doctor.

Wanyoike who has gained some recognition online for his cross-dressing, gave a detailed account of his nasty experience with a local medical practitioner.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

Wanyoike, who has gained some recognition online for his crossdressing gave a detailed account of his nasty experience with local medical practitioner. Photo: Facebook/Robertta

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Hot news anchor Victoria Rubadiri mourns following death of diplomat grandfather

Through a lengthy post seen by TUKO.co.ke, he explained he had gone to the doctor's house for an apparent steamy session but events did not go as planned.

According to the post, not only did the 'steamy session' prove too much for the gay socialite, but the doctor allegedly resorted to assaulting the hapless lad.

READ ALSO: Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage left stranded with unpaid hotel bills after Kenyan promoters disappear

"So now you probably think my life is a rollercoaster but these men are all brutal none of them will leave there wives and come spend time with you just because you think you have something special! If I got out of that house alive I thank God! This things are real and Sharon is among many others who have passed away at the hands of such men," his post read in part.

After the whole incident, the poor Robertta was thrown out of the doctor's house with a mere KSh 300.

READ ALSO: Chaka ranch price list: accommodation and entrance fees

While there is no solid evidence to back up his claims, it is no secret Robertta is a fan of the fast-lane life.

The sassy slay king has even gone to lengths of flooding social media with raunchy photos revealing his wild personality.

He has previously narrated how his journey of self identity was not easy since his parents confiscated some of his possessions as a way to draw him away from his choices.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: TUKO News

One on one with Jasper Murume | Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko- The Ugandan forces were heavily armed with binoculars as they kept a keen eye on the lake's operations

- They cordoned the island forcing Kenyan fishermen to keep off

- The rocky island has been a source of dispute between Kenya and Uganda for over a decade

- Kenyan fishermen have repeatedly been harassed and arrested by the Ugandan authorities

- Matiang'i warned Kenya would take radical action after diplomatic talks failed

A major diplomatic row is heating up between Kenya and Uganda over the disputed Migingo island in Lake Victoria after Yoweri Museveni's government deployed several forces to man the isle.

Heavily armed Uganda forces cordoned the one-acre island forcing many terrified Kenyan fishermen to keep off their operations in the region.

READ ALSO: Uganda soldiers fire in the air, disperse Kenyan traders from disputed Migingo island

Heavily disputed fish-rich Migingo island in Lake Victoria is becoming a source of a major diplomatic row between Kenya and Uganda. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kenyan police manning disputed Migingo island chased like stray dogs by Ugandan counterparts

In a report by the Daily Nation, other officers were seen patrolling the lake with binoculars keeping watch of the operations in the lake.

The officers have reportedly also recruited Kenyan fishermen who give them information about the intentions of the government on the island.

The heavy security deployment on the island came days after the Uganda forces fired in the air forcing the fishermen and traders to take cover in their houses.

Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, warned Uganda against harassing Kenyan citizens and police deployed to man the island. Photo: UGC

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO:Diplomacy has failed, no more negotiation with Uganda over Migingo - Matiang'i

Heavily armed with guns and ammunition across their chests, they patrolled the island bringing businesses to standstill after they brought down the Kenyan flag and issued a stern warning to the residents never to try hoist it again.

The latest developments came barely a month after Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, warned Uganda against harassing Kenyan citizens and police deployed to man the island.

Matiang'i announced the government had worked on a comprehensive plan to stop external aggression along Lake Victoria.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Breaking News Kenya: Raila Odinga: Kenya's Fuel Crisis Will Not Occur | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News LatestThe detention by Russian warships of Ukrainian and foreign vessels in the Ukrainian part of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait is a flagrant violation.

Leonid Osavoliuk, Ukraine's representative on the contractual and legal registration of the state border of Ukraine (2011-2016), wrote this in an article for Ukraine's Mirror Weekly newspaper (DT.UA).

"Even more flagrant violation is the detention by Russian warships of such ships in the Ukrainian part of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. It should be taken into account that main navigable routes pass precisely in the Ukrainian inland waters of these water areas. An exception for the stopping of vessels, including Russian ones, may be only the order of the passage along the Kerch Strait. The international law of the sea also allows warships to inspect foreign vessels, but only in case of suspicion of piracy, slave trade, unauthorized broadcasting, etc," the diplomat said.

He recalled that Article 2 of the December 24, 2003 agreement between Ukraine and Russia on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait stipulates that merchant vessels and warships, as well as other state vessels under the flag of Ukraine or the Russian Federation, use the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait by the freedom of navigation. Merchant vessels flying the flags of third states may enter the Sea of Azov and pass through the Kerch Strait if they are traveling to or from a Ukrainian or Russian port.

Accordingly, in accordance with the agreement, neither Ukraine nor Russia have the right to detain or inspect in the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov a Russian or Ukrainian vessel, as well as ships of third states traveling to Ukrainian or Russian ports, Osavoliuk said.

opUkraine will lose $3 billion, which it annually receives from the transit of natural gas to the EU countries if the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is built.

Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolev said this at the YES forum in Kyiv on Saturday, September 15, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"If Nord Stream 2 is built, Ukraine will lose $3 billion. This is a big amount of money for our economy," Kobolev said.

Earlier, Kobolev said that Ukraine's partner in the issue of Nord Stream 2 is the United States.

"I believe that the U.S. already has a significant impact on the European gas market. The current prices were formed due to imports of gas from Russia and liquefied natural gas from the U.S. If the share is large, the influence will be intensified," Kobolev said.

Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany bypassing Ukraine across the Baltic Sea. Some 51% of shares belong to Russia's Gazprom. Russia wants to build two lines of the gas pipeline.

The Nord Stream 2 gas transport corridor from the end of 2019 is to transport about 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany.

Opponents to the project, including Poland, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Moldova, the United States, and Denmark, say that Nord Stream 2 will increase EU dependence on Gazprom, which already supplies about a third of the EU's gas volume.

opIn August 2018, Ukrainian sugar producers delivered 22,400 tonnes of sugar to the foreign markets.

"In the last month of the marketing year, domestic manufacturers delivered 22,400 tonnes of sugar to the foreign markets. The largest deliveries were made to Uzbekistan (79%). In addition, minor shipments were made to Azerbaijan and Moldova (10% and 6% respectively)," the press service of the National Association of Sugar Producers of Ukraine reports.

August is not a very active month for sugar exports, so shipments abroad dropped by 39% compared to July, noted Ruslana Butylo, the director of the Analytical Department of the National Association of Sugar Producers of Ukraine.

September 2017 - August 2018, 560,400 tonnes of Ukrainian sugar were exported.

olUkrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree enacting the National Security and Defense Council's (NSDC) decision to terminate the agreement on friendship between Ukraine and Russia, the press service of the head of state has reported.

"President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree on the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of September 6, 2018 on the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. In accordance with the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the proposals of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the termination of Ukraine's Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, which was signed on May 31, 1997, were supported," the statement reads.

It is envisaged that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine should declare to Russia the desire of Ukraine to terminate the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, which was signed on May 31, 1997, in accordance with Article 40 of this Treaty, and to submit a draft law of Ukraine on the termination of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation in accordance with the established procedure for consideration by Ukraine's president.

According to the NSDC decision, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry must inform the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other international organizations about Ukraine's desire to terminate the effect of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia, which was signed on May 31, 1997, and about grounds for its termination.

opThe eyewitnesses of the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine lit a symbolic candle in Australia within the framework of the international action Light a candle of remembrance.

"Ive been waiting for this for 92 years," said Nadiya Kulyk, who lit a symbolic candle together with other Holodomor survivors - Domna Datskiv and Klava Dyachenko, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The memorial services for the Holodomor victims were held in the St Andrew's Ukrainian Catholic Church and the House of Ukrainian Youth Association in Sydney.

As Stefan Romaniw, the Chairman of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, noted, the global community of Ukrainians currently creates an international body representing the descendants of the Holodomor victims, who will give testimony about those horrific events at the UN level already this year.

On September 1, 85 days before the Holodomor remembrance day, Ukraine and the world began to honor the victims who died during the genocide of 1932-1933.

olThe Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has declared Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn's chief political adviser and former communist Andrew Murray a persona non-grata, Daily Mail has said, citing a letter from the SBU.

"Jeremy Corbyn's most influential Commons adviser has been barred from entering Ukraine on the grounds that he is a national security threat because of his alleged links to Vladimir Putin's 'global propaganda network'," reads the statement.

It notes that the former communist was slapped with the three-year ban in June on the advice of the country's security service, the SBU.

Murray, in turn, denied being part of any "so-called propaganda network." However, it was he who has played a key role in a campaign to support pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine, the newspaper writes.

Murray also questioned whether Moscow was responsible for the shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew, over Eastern Ukraine in that year.

opfacebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter

Published September 17, 2018

University of Louisiana Monroe President Dr. Nick J. Bruno will host the groundbreaking ceremony for the anticipated Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 at ULM.

The site is located in Heritage Park between the Laird Weems Center and the presidents home, Bon Aire.

Special guest Gov. John Bel Edwards will participate in the groundbreaking with ULM and VCOM representatives, elected officials and area leaders. Afterward, a reception will be held at Bayou Pointe Student Event Center.

The public is invited to the groundbreaking and the reception.

It is extraordinary event for the people of northeastern Louisiana and the university, said Bruno. Having an anticipated medical school on campus will change the face of this region as medical students and doctors go into our communities to provide healthcare for so many who so desperately need it.

VCOMs President and Provost Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, is one of the schools founders. She will participate in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Tooke-Rawlins said, The partnership with ULM is centered in the heart of VCOMs mission to graduate physicians who will serve in rural and medically underserved regions. VCOM is focused on making a difference in the communities we serve, as well as providing a positive economic impact.

VCOM is a nonprofit, private (5013)c four-year osteopathic medical school offering the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. The Virginia campus is in Blacksburg, Va., the Carolinas campus is in Spartanburg, S.C., and the Alabama campus is in Auburn, Ala.

The groundbreaking is the last phase in a three-step process the state of Louisiana required to legitimize the partnership between ULM and VCOM. First the Board of Regents approved VCOM to operate a medical school in Louisiana; second, the Board of Supervisors approved a land lease between ULM and VCOM and third, a dean for the anticipated medical school was to be hired. The new dean is Ray Morrison, DO.

VCOM is now in the process of seeking national accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), and if all of the steps go as planned, the anticipated campus could open to its first class as early as the fall of 2020.

A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is a licensed physician with a four-year degree, just as a medical doctor. DOs have an additional 200 hours of training dedicated to the musculoskeletal system and osteopathic manipulation with an emphasis on whole body/whole person wellness.

Osteopathic doctors, just as MDs, can practice any specialty. Osteopaths in northeast Louisiana include pediatrics, oncologists, family practice, orthopedics and others. DOs can write prescriptions and hospitalize patients.

About the buildingUkraine has been deceived, North Korea does not cost anything without nuclear weapons, Kuchma said.

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has said U.S. President Donald Trump should apologize to Ukraine for the "Budapest Memorandum."

Read alsoEx-President Kuchma names major mistakes over years of Ukraine's independence

"Ukraine has been deceived, North Korea does not cost anything without nuclear weapons. What kind of advice would we like to give in this regard to Trump? The main thing is that he must return and say: 'I'm sorry, I am ready to help Ukraine more actively in this issue, which is terrible not only for Ukraine today, but also for Europe and the whole world,'" Kuchma said on the sidelines of the 15th Yalta European Strategy (YES) Annual Meeting in Kyiv, Espreso.TV reports.

UNIAN memo. The signatory states of the Budapest Memorandum, among which were Ukraine, USA, Russia and Great Britain, in addition to the non-use of nuclear weapons, pledged to "respect the independence, sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine" and "refrain from the threat of force or its use against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and pledged that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the United Nations Charter."Russia will be informed by the note of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry until September 30 about Ukraine's desire to terminate the treaty.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree "On the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine of September 6, 2018 "On the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.'"

According to the decision, the NSDC supported the proposals of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine regarding the termination of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation signed on May 31, 1997, the president's press service said.

Read alsoPoroshenko to notify Russia of termination of friendship agreement by Sept 30

It is noted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry should inform Russia about Ukraine's desire to terminate the Treaty on Friendship in accordance with Article 40 of this document and submit a draft law on the termination of the Treaty to the president of Ukraine.

Moreover, according to the NSDC's decision, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry should inform the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, other international organizations about Ukraine's desire to terminate the Treaty and the grounds for its termination.

At the same time, Ukrainian presidential representative in parliament Iryna Lutsenko said Russia would be informed by the note of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry until September 30 about Ukraine's desire to terminate the treaty, and the head of state would submit the relevant bill to the parliament in accordance with Article 24 of the Law "On International Treaties of Ukraine."

As UNIAN reported, Poroshenko said on August 28 he was waiting a package of documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the start of the process of terminating the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia.

UNIAN memo. The Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation was signed by the then Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and his Russian counterpart Boris Yeltsin on May 31, 1997. The document fixed the principle of strategic partnership, the recognition of the inviolability of existing borders, respect for territorial integrity and mutual commitment not to use its territory to harm the security of each other. It automatically renews on each 10th anniversary of its signing, unless one party advises the other of its intention to end the treaty. After Russia annexed Crimea and unleashed war in Donbas in 2014, there have been repeat appeals in Ukraine to sever the treaty.The Russian claim is highly likely to be disputed by many in the West.

The Russian military has made a new claim about the downing of a passenger jet over the war zone in eastern Ukraine in 2014, asserting that the missile that brought Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 down was sent to Soviet Ukraine after it was made in 1986 and never returned to Russia.

Defense Ministry officials made the claim at a news conference in Moscow on September 17, in an apparent attempt to discredit the findings of an international investigation that determined the system that fired the missile was brought into Ukraine from Russia before the Boeing 777 was shot down on July 17, 2014, and smuggled back into Russia afterwards, RFE/RL reported.

Read alsoU.S. to continue to support efforts to hold perpetrators for MH17 crash accountable  Pompeo

All 298 passengers and crew were killed when the jet, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed in an area held by Russia-backed separatists in the Donetsk region.

The tragedy caused an international outcry and deepened tensions between Moscow and the West following Russia's seizure of Crimea and support for the militants in their fight against Kyiv's forces after pro-European protests pushed Moscow-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych from power.

The Dutch-led Joint Investigative Team (JIT) also found that the Buk missile came from Russia's 53rd Antiaircraft Missile Brigade and was fired from territory held by the Russia-backed separatists.

Many of the JIT's findings have been corroborated or supported by evidence gathered by journalists and independent investigators, such as the British-based open-source cybersleuthing group Bellingcat.

The Russian Defense Ministry officials claimed that some of the evidence used by the JIT, including videos investigators used to track the path of the missile from Russia to Ukraine and back, was falsified. They cited alleged evidence whose authenticity and accuracy could not immediately be independently assessed.

Read alsoMogherini: Deadly Buk that shot down MH17 "beyond doubt" belongs to Russian army

Citing what they said were newly declassified documents, the Defense Ministry officials asserted that the missile was manufactured in Dolgoprudny, outside Moscow, in 1986  five years before the Soviet Union fell apart  and was sent by railway to a missile brigade in Ternopil region of western Ukraine in December of that year.

"The missile belongs to the Ukrainian armed forces and never returned to Russian territory," said Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Defense Ministry's missile and artillery department.

The Russian claim is highly likely to be disputed by many in the West.

Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins cast doubt on the allegation that video footage was doctored by investigators, writing on Twitter that the Russian Defense Ministry "should probably know we have the original version of the video they're talking about at the moment."

"And we've never published it. And the JIT has it," Higgins added in successive tweets.

The new Russian assertions follow several other attempts by Russia to lay blame for the downing of MH-17 on Ukraine, including initial suggestions  now discredited  that the jet was shot down by a Ukrainian warplane.

The 298 victims of the crash are among more than 10,300 people killed since April 2014 in the war in eastern Ukraine, where fighting persists and the Moscow-backed militants continue to hold parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces despite internationally-backed cease-fire and political-settlement deals known as the Minsk Accords.The head of Ukrainian diplomacy says Russia's intention of partitioning Ukraine is no longer hidden.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin believes Moscow has abandoned the idea of electing pro-Russian authorities in Ukraine, seeking its partition.

Read alsoRussia wants to federalize, dismember Ukraine  Klimkin

"Russia's goal is no longer the creation of pro-Russian reality in Ukraine. If there are still intelligent people in Russia, and they are there, they have given up hope for that and are now clearly seeking fragmentation of Ukraine," he said at a meeting of the Euro-Atlantic forum in Kyiv on September 17, according to Europeiska Pravda.

He said Russia no longer conceals the intention to divide Ukraine. "If you listen to their expert discussions, it is now a key idea for them. Therefore, it makes no sense to indicate who of our candidates is more pro-Russian," he added.

Klimkin also stressed the preservation of integral Ukraine is necessary for the EU itself. "The sooner the transatlantic world understands that Ukraine plays an existential role for the transatlantic world itself, the better is not only for Ukraine, but also for the transatlantic world itself," the minister said.Such fake stories are designed to cover up the real criminals.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has said Russia's Defense Ministry has made up and presented another fake story on MH17, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing shot down over Russian-occupied Donbas in July 2014.

"The Russian Defense Ministry has presented a new fake story about Ukraine's alleged involvement in the tragedy with the Malaysian Boeing," he was quoted by the NSDC's press service as saying in a comment on a statement by the Russian side that alleges that the missile used to down the plane was Ukrainian.

"As far as I remember, this is perhaps a ninth or tenth theory, which the Russian military and politicians have been trying to impose on the international community to cover up their involvement in this terrible crime," Turchynov said.

Read alsoRFE/RL: In new claim, Moscow denies missile that brought down MH17 came from Russia

"[They have invented] a Spanish air traffic controller, a Ukrainian jet fighter, and air-to-air missiles, and there was a so-called former military who was on the airfield seeing the Ukrainian fighter taking off to shoot down the Boeing, and a lot of other lies [have been told]," he said.

Such fake stories are designed to cover up the real criminals, Turchynov said.

"The fact that the real criminals are the Russian military and political leaders has already been proven both by an official investigation and by independent experts," he said.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on September 17, 2018, that the missile of the Buk anti-aircraft missile system, which was used to down MH17 in 2014, was manufactured in the town of Dolgoprudny in Moscow Oblast in 1986 and sent off to a Ukrainian military unit in Ternopil region, Ukraine's west, in December 1986.A May conference has resulted in several serious and useful leads that are under investigation at the moment.

A joint investigation team (JIT) made of representatives of Ukraine, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia and Belgium who are probing into the downing of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane over Donbas in 2014 (flight MH17) says it would like to obtain documents from the Russian Federation on new "evidence."

"The JIT has taken note of the information that has been publicly presented by the authorities of the Russian Federation for the first time today. Already in 2014 the JIT has requested the Russian Federation to provide all relevant information. In May 2018 the JIT specifically requested information concerning numbers found on several recovered missile parts," the JIT said in a statement posted by the Public Prosecution Service of the Netherlands on September 17 in reaction to a press conference of the Russian Ministry of Defense on the same day.

Read alsoTurchynov: Russian Defense Ministry presents new fake story on MH17

The Russian Federation has left that question and several other questions addressed by the JIT to the Russian Federation unanswered. In August 2018 the Russian Federation notified the JIT in writing that no additional requests have to be made by the JIT in order to receive relevant information in possession of the Russian authorities.

The JIT says it will meticulously study the materials presented on September 17 as soon as the Russian Federation makes the relevant documents available to the JIT as requested in May 2018 and required by UNSC resolution 2166.

"From the start of the investigation until today, the JIT has always carefully analyzed and processed the information provided by the Russian Federation. In doing so, the JIT has found that information from the Russian Ministry of Defense previously presented to the public and provided to the JIT was factually inaccurate on several points. An example is the alleged presence of a fighter plane in the vicinity of MH17 on radar imagery presented to the public on a press conference in July 2014," it said.

The JIT's first results of the criminal investigation into the downing of flight MH17 on July 17, 2014, were presented on September 28, 2016.

At the presentation in 2016, the main conclusion of the JIT was that on the basis of the criminal investigation results it could be established that Flight MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014 by a BUK missile from the 9M38 series, which was fired from an agricultural field in the area of Pervomaiskyi. At that time this area was controlled by Russian-led forces.

The presentation also demonstrated that the missile from the 9M38 series was fired by a BUK TELAR. This BUK TELAR was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation and was returned to the Russian Federation after use.

In May 2018 the JIT presented new results. The JIT has come to the conclusion that the BUK TELAR that shot down flight MH17 comes from the 53rd Anti Aircraft Missile Brigade, or the 53rd Brigade from Kursk in the Russian Federation. That brigade is a unit of the Russian Federation's armed forces.

During this presentation the JIT showed a venturi and a casing that were found in Eastern Ukraine and asked for information about the numbers on these parts. The JIT also asked for more information about the unit the missile (of which the venture and the casing were part of) was supplied to.

During the presentation in May, the JIT also called for witnesses to come forward. This call has resulted in several serious and useful leads that are under investigation at the moment. The JIT emphasizes that the call for witnesses remains current.The two officials agreed to remain in regular contact in the run-up to the next Association Council.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini and Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman have discussed the pace of reforms in Ukraine and the creation of the High Anti-Corruption Court.

They had a phone call on September 17, the EU Delegation to Ukraine has said in a statement.

"The High Representative emphasised the importance of continued progress on the reform agenda, particularly in the establishment of the High Anti-Corruption Court, commending Prime Minister Groysman for his government's commitment," the statement said. "This is key also in terms of the EU's Macro-Financial Assistance, for which the Commission and Ukraine signed last Friday a Memorandum of Understanding for up to EUR1 billion."

Read alsoUkraine, EU sign memorandum on EUR 1 bln in macro-financial assistance

They said they looked forward to taking stock of progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, at the next meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Council, it said.

High Representative Mogherini and Prime Minister Groysman agreed to remain in regular contact in the run-up to the next Association Council.Granting autocephaly to the UOC would also effect the BAOC since the Belarusian church should be the next after the recognition of the Ukrainian one.

The Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church supports the provision of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and aims to officially obtain the status of autocephaly.

"Of course, we support this decision. Our goal is also to legalize in Belarus and officially get the status of autocephaly," First Hierarch of the Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (BAOC), Archbishop Sviatoslav Lohin told RFE/RL's Ukrainian service on September 16.

Read alsoHoly divorce: Russian Orthodox Church quits Constantinople-led structures

"Historically, we have a centuries-old Orthodox tradition. In the last century, our church took real steps to get autocephaly and to be recognized," he added.

Lohin explained the Ukrainian and Belarusian churches had a single metropolitan church in the past, i.e. the church in Belarus originated from the Kyiv Metropolis. "Later, it was a Kyiv-Lithuanian metropolis, with a center in [the city] of Navahrudak, which was destroyed by the Moscow church. And to this day Moscow has been doing everything to prevent the Ukrainian and Belarusian churches from receiving autocephaly," the archbishop said.

According to him, there must be a desire of believers and authorities so that the Belarusian Orthodoxy could get an autocephalous status. Lohin is convinced in order for the state to be spiritually independent, its church should be independent as well. Therefore, the state should be interested in this independence.

"Under the current authorities, the legalization of the Belarusian church, its further development and the obtaining of autocephaly are hardly possible. The current authorities are economically, politically and spiritually subordinated to Moscow," he added.

At the same time, the archbishop expressed the hope that granting autocephaly to the UOC would also effect the BAOC since the Belarusian church should be the next after the recognition of the Ukrainian one.Balukh's lawyer immediately contacted the duty officer at the SIZO who asserted that there had been no incidents at all.

The report that Volodymyr Balukh is in severe pain after being beaten in prison has not been confirmed or refuted, but only because both his lawyer and Archbishop Kliment, his civic defender, were prevented from visiting him on September 15.

On September 14, Akhtem Chiygoz, the Crimean Tatar Mejlis leader who was himself held prisoner for nearly three years in the same Simferopol SIZO [remand prison], reported that Balukh had been taken out of his cell by the head of the SIZO Sergei Berezhnoy who ordered him to get on his knees. He refused, after which he was kicked to the concrete floor, and beaten around the head, liver area and legs. According to his information, Balukh was, as a result, suffering pain to the head and liver, the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group wrote.

Read alsoCrimean activist Balukh reportedly in serious condition

Balukh's lawyer immediately contacted the duty officer at the SIZO who asserted that there had been no incidents at all. The lawyer said he wished to ascertain this for himself, and was told that he could come the next day (Saturday) and, if the head of the SIZO agreed, see Balukh.

The lawyer arrived early on Saturday, and was forced to wait for Berezhnoy's arrival. When the latter finally arrived, he refused permission to see Balukh until Monday, claiming that this was because it was the weekend. He further asserted that he had seen Balukh, and that everything was fine with him. Since the information that Chiygoz received suggests that Berezhnoy was responsible for the reported ill-treatment, his acknowledgement that he saw Balukh could hardly be deemed reassuring.

After Archbishop Kliment arrived, he and the lawyer phoned the Crimean Penitentiary Service but were very rudely refused permission, with the excuse also being that it was the weekend.

There was a conflicting report on September 15 from journalist Anton Naumlyuk, who had been informed that the CCTV camera in Balukh's cell had broken, after which staff, together with the head of the SIZO Sergei Berezhnoy, had carried out a search. Balukh had been taken out of the cell, with Naumlyuk saying that a verbal altercation ensued, with Berezhnoy accusing him of breaking the camera, and that Balukh had then been taken in handcuffs to a punishment cell. Neither he nor Chiygoz name their sources, for obvious reasons, however Chiygoz clearly believes that Naumlyuk has simply believed those who carried out the alleged beating.

Balukh went on total hunger strike on March 19 in protest at his first politically-motivated sentence. He was persuaded after 25 days to take what is essentially a bare minimum to slow down the collapse of his organs and probably to prevent force-feeding. He had then resumed the full hunger strike on June 23 in protest at a second fabricated 'criminal case,' initiated while he was already imprisoned. He has since again reverted to a minimal amount. He is evidently weakened by almost six months with virtually no food and has for some time complained of chest pain, and, more recently, pain in the area around the liver. Lawyer Olga Dinze recently reported that he is forced to take painkilling medication due to severe pain.People publish photos showing how the fences and cars left outside are covered with rust.

The residents of Russian-annexed Crimea complain the environmental situation on the peninsula is only getting worse, despite optimistic statements by the so-called authorities.

"It's hard to breathe, people have a sore throat and they are scared," the residents wrote in social networks.

They publish photos showing how the fences and cars left outside are covered with rust, as well as everything in the houses with open windows.

As UNIAN reported earlier, acid leaks at the Crimean Titan plant were reported in Crimea's north in the early hours of August 24. Crimean environmentalists explained the leaks by heat and the lack of water in the North Crimean Canal. Children were evacuated from the affected areas for two weeks.

A possibly repeat release of sulfuric acid in the town of Armyansk was reported on September 13.Most of them leave Ukraine to work abroad.

Some 518,333 citizens of Ukraine have left their country since March 20, 2018, while most of them are labor migrants.

Read alsoOne in five Polish companies employs Ukrainian workers: study

The number is increased by two people every minute, according to ukrainianpeopleleaks.com. The Ukrainianpeopleleaks platform, which monitors the number of migrants online, is associated with WikiLeaks, an international non-profit organization that publishes classified information from anonymous sources.

It should be noted that according to a consensus forecast by Ukraine's Economic Development and Trade Ministry and a report by the National Bank of Ukraine, the risk from labor migration is put on the same list with consequences of the termination of cooperation with the IMF.

The Ukrainians will lose the incentive to seek work abroad if their salaries reach about EUR 500, expert in the foreign labor market Yaroslav Mazur told the Ukrainian online news outlet Obozrevatel on September 17. By the way, salaries in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv have already reached this level, according to the data of a major personnel portal.Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that evidence of the attack on Balukh would be transferred to courts.

Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate Clement says that Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh, 47, who has been on hunger strike in a Russian-controlled prison in Crimea since March 19, complains about acute pain in the heart.

The archbishop, who is a civil defender of the activist, says that despite the pain in his heart, Balukh continues his hunger strike, Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service said.

The defender refused to comment on reports that the activist had been beaten by guards in the Simferopol prison. Clement said he was going to discuss the information about the incident he had learned from Balukh with his lawyer.

"I've seen Volodymyr, talked to him, including about his health, and handed letters of support over to him. First, we will discuss some things with the lawyer; it will be followed by an official statement on this matter. I can only say that Volodymyr complains about pain in the heart, sometimes the pain is so acute that he suffocates and feels like vomiting," the Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea said.

Read alsoBalukh takes strong painkillers  lawyer

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Crimean court on July 5 sentenced Ukrainian political prisoner Volodymyr Balukh to an extra five-year term in a penal colony and a RUB 10,000 fine in the second criminal case opened against him. That second case was based on claims by Valeriy Tkachenko, the head of a detention center in the village of Rozdolne, who stated Balukh had allegedly assaulted him, while the prisoner and his defense insisted that it was Tkachenko who had in fact attacked the defendant. Balukh was detained by Russia's FSB Federal Security Service on December 8, 2016. FSB operatives claimed that they had allegedly found 90 ammunition rounds and several TNT explosives in his attic. On March 14, 2018, the Kremlin-controlled "Supreme Court of Crimea" reviewed Balukh's original verdict and sentenced him to three years and five months in a penal colony settlement and a RUB 10,000 fine. On March 19, Balukh said he would go on hunger strike in response to the verdict. Balukh's defense and human rights activists assert that he is a victim of repression over his public pro-Ukrainian position.

Recently, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chiygoz reported that Balukh who is being kept in a Simferopol detention center had badly been beaten and faced death threats.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that evidence of the attack on Balukh would be transferred to courts.Ukraine's Joint Forces have reported no casualties in the past 24 hours.

Russian-led forces mounted 30 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas in the past 24 hours.

"No casualties among the Ukrainian troops have been reported over the past day. According to intelligence reports, three occupiers were killed and another three were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on September 17, 2018.

Read alsoRussian-led forces pull 21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems near occupied Luhansk

Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and small arms to attack the defenders of the towns of Zolote, Svitlodarsk, Krasnohorivka, and Maryinka, and the villages of Krymske, Novotoshkivske, Novozvanivka, Novoluhanske, Opytne, Nevelske, Novotroyitske, Novohryhorivka, Starohnativka, Chermalyk, Pavlopil, Hnutove, Vodiane, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne.

The enemy resorted to 120mm mortars to shell the Ukrainian positions near Novoluhanske, as well as 82mm mortars in Lebedynske.

In addition, the defenders of Novohryhorivka came under fire from weapons of an infantry fighting vehicle.

"Since Monday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted one attack on the Ukrainian positions near Hnutove, using heavy machine guns and small arms. There have been no casualties among Ukrainian troops from the start of the day," reads the report.Russia hopes for a favorable outcome of future elections in Ukraine.

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker says that Moscow's military actions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, have "produced the opposite" of Russian President Vladimir Putin's objective: maintaining a "Russia-friendly Ukraine" that is "part of Russia's orbit."

The Minsk agreements signed by Russia clearly indicate that entire Donbas is Ukrainian territory, there is no room for any "republics," Volker said in an interview with the RBC Ukraine news agency.

In his words, "Russia is trying to make use of the 'republics' and this conflict to put pressure on Ukraine, influence political and other processes within Ukraine."

Read alsoEnvoy: U.S. willing to consider further lethal aid to Ukraine  media

"Their goal is to make the Ukrainian government a part of Russia's orbit again, but Russia miscalculated that doing all this has produced the opposite: the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the occupation of part of its territory gave rise to an even more unified, more Western-oriented, more nationalist and anti-Russian Ukraine than ever. Their strategy has failed, and now they hope for a favorable outcome of future elections in Ukraine. And again, I think, they will miscalculate. The country is changing, no politician has any chance of winning elections and ruling the country if he or she gives up Crimea and Donbas, a European way of development," Volker said.

He also noted that "residents of Ukraine now have a common view on what it means to be a Ukrainian."The Swiss ministry said it summoned Sergei Garmonin, Moscow's ambassador in Bern, to protest Russian activity in Switzerland.

A diplomatic war of words between Switzerland and Russia has intensified, with the Swiss demanding that Moscow cease spying activities on its territory after two suspected espionage cases came to light in recent days.

"The Swiss Department Of Foreign Affairs has called on Russia to immediately end illegal activities on Swiss soil or against Swiss targets," it said on September 16, RFE/RL wrote.

The Swiss ministry said it summoned Sergei Garmonin, Moscow's ambassador in Bern, to protest Russian activity in Switzerland.

Read alsoMacron urges Europe to take charge of own defense

The statement did not cite specifics, but it came a day after newspaper reports said Russian spies had allegedly targeted a laboratory in Spiez that was testing the nerve agent used on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in the English city of Salisbury in March.

The lab also tests suspected weapons of the type allegedly used by Russia's ally, the Syrian government, in that country's civil war.

It is the third time the ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador this year to protest alleged attacks on organizations operating in Switzerland.

In the most recent case, the Swiss government on September 15 confirmed reports that Dutch authorities had arrested and expelled two suspected Russian spies earlier this year after the two allegedly tried to hack the Swiss laboratory.

Switzerland summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the "attempted attack" as Moscow rejected the allegations, the latest Western claim about Russian spying and other acts of interference.

The alleged target in the recent case was the Spiez Laboratory, which analyzed samples from the March poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England.

Britain says Moscow used Novichok to try to kill Skripal and has charged two Russian men in absentia with attempted murder.

Skripal and his daughter Yulia recovered from the attack, but a British citizen, Dawn Sturgess, died in June and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, fell ill when they stumbled across remnants of the poison in a town near Salisbury.

Meanwhile, Swiss prosecutors revealed they were investigating a March 2017 cyberattack against the offices of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Switzerland.

WADA, based in Montreal, suspended RUSADA, Russia's anti-doping agency, in 2015 over alleged state-backed doping in sports. Moscow has repeatedly denied state involvement in doping.

The individuals concerned in that probe were the same pair identified by the Swiss intelligence service a day earlier, prosecutors said.

The Russian Embassy described the newspaper's allegations as "unsubstantiated" and "baseless."

"This seems an absurd attempt to give readers a biased view of the Russians working in Switzerland," the Russian Embassy said.UNICEF Executive Board takes a close look at work in Bhutan and Uganda and sets course for 2019

By Naomi Lindt



NEW YORK, United States of America, 17 September 2018  On Friday, the UNICEF Executive Board ended its second regular session of 2018 after three days about discussions and deliberations of issues relating to the programmes, policies, finances and oversight of the organization.



United for children in Bhutan



A delegation made up of members of the Bureau of the Executive Board visited Bhutan from 17 to 22 April. Led by Executive Board President H.E. Mr. Tore Hattrem, the group visited several UNICEF projects and met with government officials, including the Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Lyoncheon Tshering Tobgay; users of health facilities and health workers; teachers and students; community groups and civil society organizations; religious leaders and young monks; and UNICEF staff.

We observed that the various levels of Government were united around the cause of children and improving their lives, said Ambassador Hattrem, while presenting the report of the visit.



He further remarked that UNICEFs engagement with partners, the private sector, civil society, communities and faith-based organizations demonstrated the multiplier effect UNICEF can produce by bringing different partners together.



Womens and childrens health in Bhutan



In Bhutan, newborn deaths account for one in two under-five deaths. UNICEF is working to increase the number of rural women who schedule regular health check-ups, an important measure towards safer pregnancies and childbirth.

One in five Bhutanese children under 5 years old are stunted, and 44 per cent are anaemic. UNICEF and partners are committed to improving mother and child nutrition by ensuring that increasing numbers of newborns receive optimal care for their survival and growth.

UNICEF has helped to bring improvements to Bhutans water supply and child-friendly, gender-sensitive sanitation for more than 5,000 girls and boys, adding to a cumulative total of 12,600 schoolchildren since 2014.

Important progress has been made in strengthening the policy and legislative environment for child protection. UNICEF will continue its focus on programming across sectors, and to support partners to provide disaggregated data that reveal social disparities and help to pinpoint the vulnerable populations.

Our view is that the UNICEF programme in Bhutan hasa meaningful impact on the well-being of the countrys children, said Ambassador Hattrem, while also welcoming UNICEFs strong emphasis on national ownership of the programme.



 UNICEF/UN0224440/Bongyereirwe A student of the Bright Centre Early Childhood Development Centre in the Bidibidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda. The UNICEF-supported centre has more than 515 students.

Joint visit of the Boards to Uganda



From 30 April to 4 May, members of the UNICEF Executive Board joined delegates from the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS, UN-Women and WFP Boards on a joint field visit to Uganda.



The delegation examined the UNs effectiveness on the ground and took a close look at partnerships, including with the Government, NGOs, civil society and the private sector. In Kampala, the delegation met with several high-level officials, and visited several UN-assisted projects, including a vocational training institute, a womens economic empowerment programme and a youth centre.

The delegation found strong links between the work of the UN in Uganda, national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Refugees in Uganda



A key area of discussion between the Executive Board delegation and the President of Uganda, H.E. Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, was the refugee situation. Uganda currently offers sanctuary to the highest number of refugees in Africa and the third largest globally: 1 million from South Sudan and more than 430,000 from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in the region. Over half of the refugee population is female and three in five refugees are children.



Presenting the report of the joint field visit, H.E. Mr. Omer Dahab Fadl Mohamed, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sudan said, [t]he delegation welcomed the governments open refugee policy and its demonstrated leadership in tackling this challenge. The governments approach has included the principle of refugee integration into the society rather than its exclusion.



The delegation observed the work of UN agencies in refugee settlements, where they provide infrastructure and immediate, logistical and broader development support, such as health care, education, entrepreneurship and agriculture. Communities were found to be engaged in programmes tackling gender issues.



Challenges include balancing support for refugees and locals, scaling up interventions, improving communications and developing appropriate infrastructure, said Ambassador Mohamed.



 UNICEF/UN0235856/Nesbitt On 12 September 2018, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore and President of the UNICEF Executive Board H.E. Mr. Tore Hattrem participate in the special focus session on innovation.

Forging ahead around the world



The Board approved 15 new programme documents from six UNICEF regions, paving the way for continued work with these Governments in the coming years. The new programmes encompass low, lower-middle and upper-middle income countries.



While responding to individual economic, political and environmental situations, all of the country programmes prioritize UNICEFs commitment to bettering the lives of children, and mitigating the ill effects of poverty. The programmes cover a number of issues that support national priorities and align with UNICEFs expertise in the areas of child health and nutrition; child protection; education; water, sanitation and hygiene; and social policy.



Leveraging technology toward the fulfillment of childrens rights  a topic covered during the Executive Boards special focus session held during the first afternoon of the Board meeting  is another global priority, whether in generating high-quality evidence to influence programming for children, or engaging directly with young people.



Key decisions



The Executive Board adopted a total of nine decisions during its meeting, including a joint item on cost recovery harmonizing the approaches of UNICEF and its sister agencies UNDP, UNFPA and UN-Women; and a decision on working methods, aimed at promoting inter-agency efficiency, coherence and collaboration, while keeping the autonomy and independence of each Board.

A decision adopted on the UNICEF Strategic Plan: updated financial estimates will help UNICEF to determine the level of expenditure from core resources, thus informing new country programmes that will come to the Board for approval. A decision was adopted on the Structured dialogue on financing the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 20182021, which aims to improve the quality and transparency of funding and to better match resources to the outcomes of the Strategic Plan. The Board also adopted decisions on the Private Fundraising and Partnerships financial report for the year ended 31 December 2017; on an evaluation of its response to the outbreak of cholera in Yemen as well as its management response; and on the 15 new programme documents.

In closing remarks, Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore thanked the President for his leadership, stewardship and advice over the year. She aptly summed up issues covered over the three days, stating thematically this session has travelled far, from innovation to financing our work, to the inner workings of the Executive Board, to UNICEFs action on the ground and to continued efforts to make a real commitment to zero tolerance for all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and abuse of power.

Closing the session, Ambassador Hattrem reviewed the achievements made during the session as well as the work done by the Board over the year. I leave this session with increased admiration for UNICEF and for its dedicated staff, he said. As a Board, we guide, we critique, we encourage. But it is the staff of UNICEF who do the hard work. It is because of their dedication, determination, innovation and their optimism in the face of difficult situations, that millions of children all over the world can look forward to a brighter future. Their brighter future is ultimately a brighter future for all of us.



Read next:



A changing landscape: Executive Board seeks innovative and practical technology solutions for achieving UNICEFs mission



UNICEF InnovationSeptember 17 2018

Hopes that The Glasgow School of Art may one day be rebuilt have been given a boost after Muriel Gray, chairwoman of the schools board, told the BBC that the premises will be rebuilt to the original drawings.

Dismissing speculation that the Mackintosh Building could be repurposed as a museum, or even demolished entirely, Gray is adamant that the school will return into use as a working art school, insisting that this goal is non-negotiable.

Three months have passed since a devastating blaze swept through the building, but the school still remains cordoned off as investigators assess both the full extent of the damage and seek to understand how a devastating fire can have been allowed to take hold twice in four years.

Gray has pledged full transparency in all investigative work but conceded that The Mack could be out of action for a further decade and had no estimate for what any rebuild cost might be, although some capital remains unspent from the 2014 fire appeal.

Speaking to the BBCs Good Morning Scotland programme Gray said: There is absolutely no way it wouldn't be a working art school. It's non-negotiable

The board of governors were completely unanimous about this and it's not up for discussion. The debate now is how we fit in to the whole tragedy that's happened to the entire Garnethill community and the Sauchiehall street refurbishing and how we do that as a working art school.

Patience is wearing thin amongst the schools neighbours with the CCA critical of continued delays in granting access to the Scott Street venue, the latest of which has pushed back a mid-September estimate into October.

Professor Tom Inns, director of The Glasgow School of Art said: The Glasgow School of Art has a close relationship with the CCA. We have been working with them to identify solutions to the key issue of their fire exits on Scott Street, and to see what can be done to enable managed access.

Along with Glasgow City Council we had hoped that access in mid-September might have been possible, but inspections of the building following the final removal of existing scaffolding on the south west corner confirmed that additional work would need to be undertaken here.

In recent days an unchecked toilet leak has led to the collapse of a gallery ceiling at the CCA, damaging more artwork in the process.Contact Details

Address:

45 Carlyle Avenue

Hillington Industrial Estate



GLASGOW

G52 4XX

Phone: 0141 882 9946

Fax: 0141 882 7503

Company Statement

Stannah in Scotland are part of the Stannah Group of independent, family owned companies. With over 150 years of experience in the lift industry, we supply, install and maintain escalators, moving walkways, passenger lifts, disabled access platform lifts, stairlifts, service & goods lifts and loading systems. Many of which are manufactured by Stannah. Our lift maintenance engineers look after all types of lifts from all manufacturers across the whole of Scotland. We provide our customers with a one-stop solution to all their requirements for the movement of people and goods.

Recent Projects

Supply and installation of bespoke lifts for the ongoing regeneration of Edinburgh Waverley Station

Supply and installation of escalators for H&M Hennes at The Fort, Glasgow

Supply and installation of moving walkways into ASDA at Coatbridge

Supply and installation of new passenger lift at Edinburgh Waverley Station

Refurbishment of lifts at Glasgow Central Station

Refurbishment of lifts at Glasgow City Chambers

Refurbishment of Lifts at South Lanarkshire Council HQ

Lift maintenance at Edinburgh Castle

Lift Maintenance at Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre (AECC)

Supply and maintenance of domestic lift products, including Stannah Stairlifts to the following LAs

East Ayrshire Council

Scottish Borders Council

Supply & Repair of stairlifts for Cordia

Maintenance, refurbishment and supply of new lifts for Network Rail in Scotland

Lift maintenance and repair for Mothercare

Lift maintenance and repair for Gap

Lift maintenance and repair for H&M Hennes

Lift Maintenance & Repair to Lifts at G1 Group

Lift Maintenance & Repair to MODMoldovan President Igor Dodon held on Monday the final meeting dedicated to preparations for the first Moldovan-Russian Economic Forum (MREF) and presented the agenda for the event, which will include discussions on industry, agriculture, tourism and urban development.

CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Moldovan President Igor Dodon held on Monday the final meeting dedicated to preparations for the first Moldovan-Russian Economic Forum (MREF) and presented the agenda for the event, which will include discussions on industry, agriculture, tourism and urban development.

The event will kick off Thursday evening. The participants will meet with Dodon and attend a welcome dinner.

"Today, I held the final session on the organization of the Moldovan-Russian Economic Forum, which will be held in [the Moldovan capital] of Chisinau on September 20-22, under the aegis of the president of the Republic of Moldova. Around 200 Russian and over 350 Moldovan businesspeople have voiced their willingness to take part in the forum," Dodon posted on Facebook, adding that seven panel discussions dedicated to tourism, industry, urban development, agriculture and wine production, as well as a plenary session would be held on Friday.

The plenary session, dubbed "Moldova is calling," will bring together Dodon, co-chairman of the all-Russian business association Business Russia Andrei Nazarov, Russian business ombudsman Boris Titov, head of the Russian Commerce and Industry Chamber Sergei Katyrin and Alexander Kalinin, the head of the all-Russian non-governmental organization of small and medium businesses Opora Russia. The session will also feature an address by Michael Harms, the managing director of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations.

On Saturday, a business breakfast for media representatives will be held, and then the participants of the forum will do sightseeing.

The MREF is set to become an annual event and will be held in the Russian capital of Moscow in 2019.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The Global Enema Bags Market is expected to gain prominence over the forecast period (20182023). It is estimated that the Global Enema Bags Market is expected to register a CAGR of ~ 10.2 % during the forecast period of 20182023.

The growth of this market is due to the rising chronic diseases in an aging population with cancer and diabetes coupled with the increasing prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders and growing awareness about enema administration. Home care is generally safe but should be administered only after the advice of the clinician.

However, certain disrupting factors that might restrain the growth of enema bags include the possibility of newer methods of enema treatment. Moreover, there might be environmental issues as the bags are made up of silicone, rubber, etc.

Get Sample PDF Illustration @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1363

Key Players for Global Enema Bags Market

Market Research Future (MRFR) recognizes the following companies as the key players in Enema Bags Market: There are plenty of large and small market players which operate in this market all over the globe.

Some of the key players in the Global Enema Bags Market are Baxter International, Inc. (U.S.), Coloplast A/S (Denmark), B Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Hollister Incorporated (U.S.), Medline Industries, Inc. (U.S.), MacoPharma (France), Qingdao Sinoland International Trade Co., Ltd., Cascade Healthcare Products, Inc., Narang Medical Ltd., Covidien Private Ltd., Flexicare Medical Limited, Farla medical Ltd., Ocean Health Products Ltd., and others.

Regional Analysis for Global Enema Bags Market

Globally, the American region is the largest market for enema bags owing to the high level of hygiene developed in hospitals and clinics, increasing use of enema-based products at home, and rising demand for enema kits by healthcare providers. As per a study conducted by the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, constipation is a common problem among the people in the North American region. Moreover, the study stated that 20% of the North American population suffers from constipation.

Asia Pacific and North America are expected to collectively dominate the enema bags market in terms of volume and value, respectively, due to the increase in awareness towards abdominal diseases and high demand from the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. The U.S. has the largest market of enema bags in the North American region and countries such as India and China are the highest producers of enema bags in the Asia Pacific region. The factor influencing the growth is the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Currently, the major problem in China and India is diabetes. India had the worlds second-largest population of diabetic patients that was around 69.2 million in 2015 which is expected to increase to 123.5 million by 2040. The number of undiagnosed diabetes is higher in India which was around 36 million in 2015.

The European market is growing due to the increasing prevalence of diarrhea, obesity, and constipation. Increasing cases of enema administration procedures in hospitals are contributing to the progress of the market. The prevalence of diabetes is also found to be increasing in Europe. As per a study published by the World Health Organization, almost 60 million people in the European region have diabetes, and the prevalence tends to be high among people aging 30 years and above.

The Middle East and Africa also shows a steady rise in the market owing to the availability of enema-based products, lack of physical exercise, and increasing cases of constipation.

Get Complete Access of Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/enema-bag-market-1363

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

Contact Us:

Market Research Future

Hadapsar, Pune  411028

Maharashtra, India

Phone: +1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comNational Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has won Asian Development Bank (ADB)'s annual Trade Finance Programme award-2018 for emerging as the leading partner bank of the ADB in Pakistan.

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2018 ) :National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has won Asian Development Bank (ADB)'s annual Trade Finance Programme award-2018 for emerging as the leading partner bank of the ADB in Pakistan.

The award was presented to the National Bank for the highest number of transactions with TFP in Pakistan during the period July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, said a statement.

Shaikh Tariq Abdullah, Head Financial Institutions, International Banking Group, National Bank of Pakistan received this prestigious award on behalf of the bank in the Trade Finance Programme (TFP) Awards and Partners dinner held in Singapore recently.

The NBP also received "Trade Deal of the Year Award" in last year's ADB TFP Awards.Russian energy giant Gazprom's supply of gas to China, including via western route, will not affect the volume of the company's deliveries to Europe, Gazprom Export Director General Elena Burmistrova said Monday.

BARCELONA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Russian energy giant Gazprom's supply of gas to China, including via western route, will not affect the volume of the company's deliveries to Europe, Gazprom Export Director General Elena Burmistrova said Monday.

Earlier in September, an official from China's National Energy Administration (NEA) said that Beijing intended to increase imports of natural gas from Russia and Kazakhstan in the near future. Also this month, Russian energy company Rosneft and Chinese National Oil and Gas Corporation (CNPC) agreed on broader cooperation in the area of exploration and extraction.

"I would not say it would affect our relationship with Europe. It has always been our natural customer, a partner as well, geographically. We are lucky to be just in the middle. China is our new partner and we are happy that our project is finally alive and we can talk about new options.

It will be different fields and I do not think it will somehow influence our European supplies," Burmistrova said during a session at the Gastech conference in Barcelona.

In 2014, Gazprom and China's CNPC signed a framework agreement on the delivery of 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. The agreement stipulates the construction of appropriate infrastructure for the gas deliveries.

Next year, Gazprom and CNPC signed an agreement on constructing the western route pipeline, known as the Power of Siberia-2. The pipeline is planned to supplement the eastern route Power of Siberia pipeline and has a planned annual capacity of 30 billion cubic meters.

Additionally, Russian gas producer Novatek is implementing the Yamal LNG project jointly with CNPC. China also became the buyer of the second batch of LNG from this project.(@FahadShabbir)

Vice President China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) Yang Jinjun called on Secretary Planning Zafar Hassan here on Monday and discussed matters of mutual interest.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2018 ) :Vice President China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) Yang Jinjun called on Secretary Planning Zafar Hassan here on Monday and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Both the sides discussed investment opportunities, offered by Special Economic Zones being implemented under CPEC.

It was emphasized that Chinese firms should ensure capacity building of the local manpower by providing them with on job training and employment.

The CRCC Vice President Yang Jinjun highlighted the economic development of Pakistan through ML-1 as it is one of the strategic projects which is technically very feasible.

He was of the view that besides ML-1, Karachi Circular Railway project aims well being of the local people of Karachi.

He said his state owned company would explore opportunities to jointly work with the Federal and provincial governments to ensure speedy implementation of these important projects.

On this occasion, CRCC's hinted to work for establishment of SEZs especially in Islamabad on priority basis.

High Tech SEZs in Islamabad will be more advantageous because of its prime location and rich human resource and availability of R&D Sector.

Zafar Hassan assured full support of Ministry of Planning Development and Reform for all the CPEC projects. However, he said, for any new projects, government of Pakistan would be interested in public private partnerships and with a more innovate approach for financially feasible projects.

He also assured that Government of Pakistan is paying serious attention to have SEZs on fast track basis.

He said ML1 project have number of stations which can be monetized to generate finances for the project.

The Chinese side appreciated the improved security situation in the country which will further attract more investment in Pakistan.by Hatem Mohamed ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Sep, 2018) Abu Dhabi Global Market, ADGM, considers it essential to develop alternative financing solutions to bridge the commercial funding gap in the UAE and the middle East and North Africa Region, Richard Teng, the Chief Executive Officer of Financial Services Regulatory Authority at ADGM.

Speaking to the Emirates news Agency, WAM, on the ADGM FinTech Abu Dhabi Bootcamp Day today, Teng ruled out assumptions that FinTech is restricted to financial companies, affirming it is rather for the higher good of the economy in general.

FinTech Abu Dhabi Bootcamp is the precursor to the FinTech Abu Dhabi Summit, which takes place tomorrow under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi.

"ADGM is the first in the region to deep-dive into building FinTech ecosystem since March 2016. When we first started, many in the region have not even heard of FinTech and were sceptical of our efforts," Teng said.

"Therefore you will find Abu Dhabi has already been voted as the top FinTech Hub for the MENA region in the latest Global FinTech Hubs Review, "A Tale of 44 Cities", by Deloitte in partnership with the Global FinTech Hubs Federation. This special FinTech Hubs review was released at the 2017 Innovate Finance Global Summit in London last year.

"Today our Regulatory Laboratory is the 2nd most active FinTech sandbox globally and the most successful regulatory sandbox in the region that enables FinTech players to work closely with real institutions."

Teng cited ADGM-Etihad Airways partnership as evidence that FinTech can never be restricted to financial companies.

"We signed a partnership agreement with Etihad Airways that sees the airline become the Official Airline Partner of ADGM. The agreement harnesses the roles of both entities as ambassadors of Abu Dhabi and key players in delivering on Abu Dhabis vision as a world-leading business, tourism, and cultural destination. The partnership establishes in-depth cooperation in commercial development and destination marketing that will drive business for both organisations, as well as providing ADGM members with privileged access to Etihad Airways and its partner airlines, including unique benefits across the combined network.

"

On the role played by ADGM in stimulating SMS, Teng said "ADGM plays an important role in improving access to financial services and developing financing ecosystems for start-ups and SMEs seeking to launch and grow their businesses, as well as spurring innovation and enhancing competitiveness across all economic sectors.

He underlined the paramount importance ADGM is attaching to innovation, "Innovation influences and shapes our service offerings and regulatory framework. As an ecosystem developer, we aim to support Abu Dhabis leading position as the FinTech hub for the MENA region."

"Having a vibrant technology cluster is vital for the creation of a strong innovation ecosystem. Besides catering to FinTechs, ADGM has a tailored commercial licensing regime for tech start-ups."

Addressing the inaugural session earlier, Teng announced the launch of MENA FinTech Association, an industry-led not-for-profit body to champion the interest of the FinTech community, explaining that ADGM will be on the board of advisors.

ADGM today hosted its first-ever Bootcamp Day as part of the annual Fintech Abu Dhabi 2018. The event was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, for the second consecutive year.

Around 300 participants attended the day-long Bootcamp, launched exclusively for FinTech start-ups, which saw university students, banking institutions, global accelerators, investors and potential customers come together to network and absorb a variety of strategic topics relevant to their growth journey, from Legal 101 for Start-ups to FinTech Investing. The Bootcamp participants were also able to interact with ADGM Reglab Firms, and of which, 10 out of 26 firms are showcasing their cutting-edge solutions to re-imagine how firms trade cross-border, receive credit, and make payments in both conventional and Islamic finance. Their solutions aim to address the real needs of the SME sector and the economy. Under the support of ADGM Reglab, the start-ups are now live-testing their solutions with clients under regulatory supervision.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Sep, 2018) Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi, Minister of the Federal Supreme Council at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, today received, in his office at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Dr. Mostafa Ali Al Sayed, Secretary-General of the Royal Charity Foundation of Bahrain.

During the meeting, both sides discussed the urgent rescue programmes that will be carried out in Yemen by the Royal Charity Foundation, in cooperation with the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, which will include the distribution of basic food supplies.

Al Zaabi said that this cooperation is part of the directives of the wise leadership, as well as the monitoring of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to support underprivileged persons globally.

Dr. Al Sayed thanked the UAEs wise leadership for its international humanitarian efforts, which have allowed Emirati charity organisations lead in offering assistance, in line with the countrys prominent role in supporting humanitarian action.

The meeting was attended by Mohammed Haji Al Khouri, Director-General of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.(@rukhshanmir)

The Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), as part of the Cruise Arabia delegation, is to attend SeaTrade Cruise Med, a high-level event which will take place from the 19th  20th September in Lisbon, Portugal.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Sep, 2018) The Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), as part of the Cruise Arabia delegation, is to attend SeaTrade Cruise Med, a high-level event which will take place from the 19th  20th September in Lisbon, Portugal.

Abu Dhabis participation in this international event is just one in a series of initiatives aimed at further promoting the cruise tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf and positioning Abu Dhabi as the leading cruise destination in the lead-up to the 2018/19 cruise season.

Cruise Arabia is an umbrella organisation comprising DCT Abu Dhabi and the tourism authorities of Sharjah and Dubai, Abu Dhabi Ports and Etihad Airways, tasked with promoting cruise tourism in the region.

Bringing together buyers and suppliers for a two-day conference, SeaTrade Cruise Med will welcome more than 26,000 registered attendees, over 160 exhibiting companies from 60 countries and more than 30 cruise line brands, in what has become the cruise industrys epicentre of ideas, products, and services. The Abu Dhabi delegation will include Abu Dhabi Ports and Etihad Airways.

Saeed Abdulla Al Dhaheri, Special Interests Tourism Manager, at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, "Through this event, we aim to connect with our key holiday and cruise agents across Europe to establish Abu Dhabi as the stopover destination of choice within their cruise programmes. We look forward to meeting with cruise line operators and educate them about Abu Dhabis offerings which will hopefully increase our number of cruise visitors."

Abu Dhabi is working towards becoming the leading cruise destination in the middle East with over 329,000 cruise tourists visiting the city during the 2017 season. As such, the capital is at the forefront of the Arabian Gulfs ambitions to become the leading international cruise destination. By participating in important events and networking forums, Abu Dhabi aims to attract an increasing number of vessels and passengers by raising awareness of its unmatched product offerings and attractions.

Mario Alovisi, Vice President Revenue Management, Itinerary and Transportation at Costa Cruises, said, "Costa Cruises was the first cruise company in the world, together with our sister brand Aida Cruises, to start regular cruises in the Arabian Gulf back in 2006.

Since then, Abu Dhabi has always been one of the main destinations for our cruises in the area, both as a transit port and as a home port. During the next winter season Costa Mediterranea will be in Abu Dhabi every Thursday for a two-day overnight call, while in winter 2019/20 we will deploy to Abu Dhabi our flagship Costa Diadema".

Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, Cruise Terminal Manager at Abu Dhabi Ports, said, "Along with our partners, Abu Dhabi Ports has heavily invested in dedicated facilities such as Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal and Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach by offering seamless operations for our passengers.

"Cruise tourism is a core pillar within Abu Dhabis economic diversification strategy. As a key industry player, Abu Dhabi Ports is committed to investing in renowned events such as SeaTrade Cruise Med that further cement Abu Dhabis position as a leading hub for visitors, as well as offers us the platform to highlight the unique offerings and distinguished services available for passengers and vessels. We will continue to support Cruise Arabia in its efforts to promote Abu Dhabi globally."

Robin Kamark, Etihad Aviation Group Chief Commercial Officer, said, "SeaTrade Cruise Med is an ideal platform for Etihad Airways and Hala Abu Dhabi, as a major enablers of cruise tourism to the Arabian Gulf, to meet important industry partners and to play our part in achieving Abu Dhabis ambition of becoming a world-leading cruise destination.

"Etihads extensive global network allows us to seek and develop new source markets for inbound fly-cruise packages with major operators including AIDA, TUI and Oceana, and to increase outbound tourism from the UAE to major cruise destinations around the world, soon to be joined by our new service to Barcelona, further bolstering the growth of trade and tourism in the region. Furthermore, Hala Abu Dhabis cruise department continues to maintain flawless operations, providing the highest standards of service."

DCT Abu Dhabis participation at SeaTrade Cruise Global is the first of a series of roadshows that it will participate in this year. It will be followed by SeaTrade Cruise Forum Middle East.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

FUJAIRAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Sep, 2018) The Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted the desire of the UAEs private sector to develop economic ties with Indonesia and promote trade between the two countries while commenting on the importance of benefiting from available investment opportunities.

It made this statement during a meeting that was held at the headquarters of the chamber today, between Khalifa Khamis Mattar Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Husin Bagis, Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE.

Bagis invited the chamber and local businessmen to participate in the annual EXPO Indonesia 2018, which will take place from 24th to 28th October 2018.

He added that the fair attracts large numbers of participants and investors from around the world to explore available investment opportunities while stressing his countrys welcoming representatives of Emirati commercial and investment sectors.

Al Kaabi highlighted the chambers keenness to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries, through supporting the role of the private sector in promoting joint investments. He also stressed the importance of overcoming trade barriers and building an economic partnership, especially as both countries possess strong economic foundations and many investment opportunities.

He then called upon people in business and representatives of commercial and industrial sectors from the two countries to explore and develop available investment opportunities.

Khalid Mohammed Al Jassem, Director-General of the Chamber, highlighted the keenness of Fujairah and the chambers members to trade with Indonesia, through establishing joint projects and exchanging visits between economic delegations.

The meeting was also attended by Radwan Hassan, Consul-General of Indonesia to the UAE, and officials from both sides.Hamad Mohammed Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to Khartoum, attended today the opening training courses, held as part of a project to safeguard Sudan's Intangible cultural heritage (ICH).

KHARTOUM, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 18th Sep, 2018) Hamad Mohammed Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to Khartoum, attended today the opening training courses, held as part of a project to safeguard Sudan's Intangible cultural heritage (ICH).

The project is funded by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT-Abu Dhabi) and implemented by the UNESCO Office in Khartoum as part of an agreement that covers eight countries, including Sudan. The courses are attended by 60 trainees from different states, government non-government organisations in Sudan.

In a speech at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Al Junaibi said the DCT-Abu Dhabi's patronage of the project is part of the efforts to realise the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan's vision to instill cultural and traditional values and to preserve them for the next generations.

Abdul Qadir Mohammed Hassan, Secretary General of Sudan's National UNESCO Committee, praised the support given by the DCT-Abu Dhabi to the project and underlined UAE's contribution to the establishment of the Khartoum University's African and Asian Studies Institute.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

60 Senegalese school children welcomed the promise of a new school in their community which is in the process of being constructed in the local community in Tasset Peulh village in Senegal, under the umbrella of Dubai Cares Volunteer Globally initiative.

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Sep, 2018) 60 Senegalese school children welcomed the promise of a new school in their community which is in the process of being constructed in the local community in Tasset Peulh village in Senegal, under the umbrella of Dubai Cares Volunteer Globally initiative.

Upon completion, the Primary school premises will benefit 60 school children, 60 illiterate adults and 300 villagers. Earlier this week, thirteen UAE-based volunteers, who represented 9 nationalities, travelled to Senegal to set the foundation for the educational centerpiece of the community.

It is estimated that approximately 38 percent of Senegals Out-Of-School-Children (OOSC) are between the ages of 7 and 14 years. The rates for the children from rural areas is 49 percent, higher than those for children in urban areas which stood at 21 percent, reiterating the urgency and importance of the school premises for the Tasset Peulh village in Thies region in western Senegal.

Dubai Cares Volunteer Globally initiative underpins the organisations mandate to eradicate poverty through education in developing countries. This community engagement initiative, which was launched in 2009, has attracted overwhelming interest from members of the UAE community, who are committed to devoting their time and energy towards improving the lives of underprivileged children and young people.

In Senegal, the volunteers participated in the construction work by assisting in tasks that included digging, lifting, pumping water, mixing concrete, reinforcing steel bars, and making and laying bricks. They also had plenty of opportunities to participate in cultural education workshops to help them interact directly with the local families and assimilate themselves within the local community for a complete enriching experience.

"Each year, we are amazed by the response from the people in the UAE towards our Volunteer Globally initiative. We are incredibly proud of the spirit of volunteerism that runs deep within our community, its people and residents. It is extremely rewarding to join the volunteers each year, as we take on the responsibility of helping realize the vision of Dubai Cares. Volunteer Globally allows community members from the UAE to experience first-hand the Dubai Cares work and the organisations programmes in developing countries and to also make a lifelong positive impact on the lives of others," said Abdulla Ahmed Al Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Cares.

Jennifer Hardie, a Canadian volunteer who joined Dubai Cares delegation in Senegal described her experience as humbling and unforgettable. "This year I have been very keen on joining the country in celebrating the spirit of the Year of Zayed, and I found Dubai Cares Volunteer Globally to embody all of the later founders values. The experience of working hand-in-hand with a local community in Senegal is a memory I will always cherish, especially after I have seen how important this school is to them."

Yousuf El Abbasy from Egypt said, "Dubai Cares Volunteer Globally is an excellent platform for UAE-based individuals to engage in volunteering activities. It is an ideal window to realize the tremendous work that is being done by Dubai Cares in developing countries and the impact of its work. I feel truly privileged to have been selected for this years edition and to have been given an opportunity to dedicate a tiny part of my life towards bringing real value into the lives of this Senegalese community, and to work together with a diverse team from the UAE."PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Sep, 2018 ) :The Awami National Party (ANP) Sunday reiterated its demand for constitution of a parliamentary commission to probe the alleged rigging in the general election 2018.

Addressing a press conference here at the Peshawar Press Club, ANP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) President and member of the National Assembly Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said his party had reservations about the July 25 election results as the ballot boxes were allegedly opened in the absence of its polling agents.

Hoti, who was also flanked by ANP parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak, said if their reservations were not addressed the upcoming by-elections would also become controversial.

He said the prime minister had also promised in his first speech that the opposition's grievances would be addressed. A parliamentary commission comprising all the stakeholders should be formed to probe the rigging allegations, he added.

To a question, he said the ANP was not against the construction of dams, however, controversial projects should not be focused.

Regarding threats to the life of ANP senior leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Hoti said the government should take steps for his security. The ANP leaders, he said, had given sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

He said the share of KP in the National Finance Commission Award should not be curtailed, rather it should be enhanced particularly after the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas into the province.

He also called for starting work on the development projects in tribal districts under the Rs 100 billion package.

He criticized imposition of tax in Malakand division.ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Sep, 2018 ) :Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls, Dr Sharman Stone Sunday arrived here on a three-day visit to exchange views on gender equality and the rights of women and girls.

"Australia has made gender equality a key objective of our foreign policy because we recognise the benefits that flow to whole communities from women's full and equal participation," Dr Stone said.

She said gender equality was not only a basic human right, but also a fundamental basis for a peaceful, innovative, prosperous and inclusive world besides driving growth and creating jobs everywhere.

"I am excited to be here talking about such important issues with Pakistani friends at a time when both Australia and Pakistan are serving on the United Nations Human Rights Council, and flowing from Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 and our two countries' commitments under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women" Dr Stone said.

During her visit, Dr Stone will launch a A$6 million sexual and reproductive health program bringing family planning services to thousands of women living in areas bordering Afghanistan.

"These services are critical to empowering women and reducing maternal and child mortality. By helping women stay healthy, we help them participate equally in society, education and the economy," Dr Stone said.

Welcoming Dr Stone's visit, the Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Margaret Adamson, stressed Australia's long-term and high-level commitment to gender goals.

"In Pakistan, we are actively supporting gender equality, including efforts to end violence against women and girls," Ms Adamson said.

During her visit, Dr Stone will also launch a gender strategy for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in Pakistan. She will meet with senior officials, including the Minister for Human Rights and the Foreign Secretary.

As Ambassador for Women and Girls, Dr Stone promotes gender equality in Australia and internationally. Prior to her appointment as ambassador in 2017, she had a distinguished 20-year career in the Australian Parliament.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday visited Headquarters of People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing and met PLA Chief, Gen Han Weiguo.

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2018 ) :Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday visited Headquarters of People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing and met PLA Chief, Gen Han Weiguo.

Both the commanders discussed regional security environment, security of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and bilateral security cooperation, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asif Ghafoor said on his official Ttwitter handle.

The PLA Chief appreciated and acknowledged high professional standing of Pakistan Army displayed while combating terrorism.

He also appreciated high degree of security being provided to CPEC by Pakistan Army.

The Chinese General expressed his keen desire to benefit from Pakistan Army's combat experience and also expand bilateral cooperation.

The COAS thanked his counterpart for hosting him. He said that both armies had history of cooperation and there were vast avenues for further enhancing the same.

Earlier, upon arrival at PLA Headquarters, General Qamar Javed Bajwa was presented guard of honour. OnTuesday, the COAS is scheduled to meet Vice Chairman Central Military Commission(CMC), Gen Zhang Youxia.Ambassador-designate of Pakistan, Najeeb Durrani presented his credentials to President Michel Aoun of Lebanon in an elegant ceremony held in Beirut on September 13.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2018 ) :Ambassador-designate of Pakistan, Najeeb Durrani presented his credentials to President Michel Aoun of Lebanon in an elegant ceremony held in Beirut on September 13.

According to a message received here from Beirut on Monday, the ambassador conveyed the greetings from President of Pakistan to the Lebanese President.

Congratulating the Lebanese government on successfully holding parliamentary elections in the country after a gap of nine years, the ambassador conveyed good wishes of the Pakistani leadership for the progress and prosperity of the Lebanese people.

Welcoming the ambassador to Lebanon, President Aoun reciprocated the sentiments of the Pakistani leadership. The ambassador stated that Pakistan and Lebanon both were not only heirs to great ancient civilizations but were connected by the bonds of common faith and culture.

Spanning over several decades, Pak-Lebanon bilateral relations were characterized by similarity of views on important regional and global issues like Palestine, counter-terrorism, return of refugees, and inter-faith harmony.

The ambassador stressed that there existed great scope for building upon such commonalities and learning and benefitting from each other's experiences.He expressed his resolve to work, with the support of the Lebanese government, towards further strengthening the existing friendly relations between Pakistan and Lebanon especially in the field of trade and investment.

The Lebanese President affirmed his government's readiness to facilitate the ambassador's mission towards achievement of the common goal of deepening bilateral ties.ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Sep, 2018 ) :The United Kingdom Prime Minister'sTrade Envoyto Pakistan and member of British Parliament Rehman Chishti said the British government was supporting reforms to improve Pakistan's business environment to attract foreign investors.

Chishti's visit came just after the UK became Pakistan's second largest export market in the world. He used his visit to highlight the importance of improving the ease of doing business and to ensure stronger and long-lasting trade ties between UK and Pakistan, British High Commission in Pakistan said in a press release on Sunday.

During his four-day visit to Karachi and Islamabad, Chishti held a roundtable with business and industry adviser Razak Dawood, met the chief minister of Sindh, the governor of Sindh, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, chairman of Port Qasim Authority, the managing director of Shell, gave a talk at the Karachi school of Business Leadership and hosted a reception at Centre Point for Business Leaders.

He also took part in a Defence and Security Industry Day onboard HMSXwhich was also visiting Pakistan.

Chishti also reiterated the UK's commitment to work closely with the new government to create a healthier, more easily accessible business environment.

UK-Pakistan bilateral trade in 2017 was 2.9 billion; with Pakistan exporting 1.8 billion of goods and services to the UK and the UK exporting 1.1 billion of goods and services to Pakistan.

The UK is also Pakistan's third largest source of foreign direct investment  and accounts for 8% of foreign direct investment into Pakistan.

Over 120 British firms are operating and investing in Pakistan. Major UK businesses succeeding in Pakistan included Mott MacDonald in infrastructure development, who played an integral role in the development of the new Islamabad Airport; consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser; Standard Chartered and UBL in banking; pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline; and Shell in oil and gas. There are also UK brands including Debenhams, Toni & Guy, Monsoon & Accessorize in retail.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Germany will reduce the number of troops stationed in northern Iraq, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday.

BERLIN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2018 ) :Germany will reduce the number of troops stationed in northern Iraq, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, Ursula von der Leyen said Germany was considering to reduce troops from around 150 to around 100.

Following the military victory against Daesh, the German troops will now focus on stabilization efforts, military health services and training of the local Peshmerga forces, von der Leyen said.

Germany has been an active partner of the international coalition against Daesh since 2015, and has deployed nearly 150 troops in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, to train local forces there.

Over the same period, Germany has sent more than 30 shipments of weapons (weighing morethan 2,000 tons in total) to the local forces fighting the Daesh terrorist group.Official celebration events took place on the Greek island of Poros on Monday in connection with the 190th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Greece.

POROS ISLAND (Greece) (UrduPoint news / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Official celebration events took place on the Greek island of Poros on Monday in connection with the 190th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Greece.

RUSSIA FIRST TO RECOGNISE GREECE INDEPENDENCE

Russian Ambassador to Greece Andrey Maslov, commander of Russian Black Sea frigate Admiral Essen, Cmdr. Anton Kuprin, and mayor of the Greek island Yannis Dimitriadis laid wreaths to the marble plaque at the residence of Governor of the First Hellenic Republic Ioannis Kapodistrias.

The sailors of the Russian ship, which visited a Poros port on a business occasion, military attaches, the Russian embassy's officials, as well as representatives of the Greek public and Russian-speaking residents of the island also took part in the ceremony.

"We very much appreciate our relations with Russia, cherish them and intend to strengthen them," Dimitriadis said after the ceremony.

The two countries have indeed deep historic ties, since Russian played a decisive role in Greece obtaining independence.

"Today is a big date - 190 years ago, on September 17, 1828, the Russian Empire envoy, Count Mark Bulgari, presented his credentials to the first governor of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias. Kapodistrias headed the Russian Foreign Ministry for several years and then was sent to Greece by the Russian tsar and became its first governor after the proclamation of the country's independence," the Russian ambassador told Sputnik.

He noted that there were many Greeks in the Russian Foreign Ministry at that time. Mark Bulgari was also Greek and now his family is well known in the north of Greece, in Ioannina.

Maslov recalled that Russia was the first country to establish official relations with Greece and thus recognizing its independence.

"The recognition from other states came only after that," the ambassador clarified.

He noted that the anniversary date would be also celebrated in Moscow. A special reception is expected to take place on Wednesday, with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Greek Ambassador to Moscow Andreas Friganas is also invited. The relevant events are planned in Greece too.

Speaking about the current state of Russian-Greek relations amid general deterioration of ties with the West, the ambassador expressed belief that they would soon be restored.

HISTORY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Official relations between Russia and Greece were established in 1828. At that time, Greece was not yet an independent state in the full sense of the word and therefore the document was about the establishment of official rather than diplomatic relations, the Russian diplomats clarified.

Other states, primarily the United Kingdom, for a long time refrained from accrediting their official representatives to Greece and recognizing Greece as an independent state.

In 1829, in accordance with the Adrianople peace treaty between Russia and Turkey, the sultan recognized the autonomy of Greece and then, one year later, recognized its independence.

Russia played a significant role in obtaining independence by Greece, actively facilitating the development of the young Greek state. With Russia's support Greece became a unified state and obtained full independence in 1830.

RUSSIAN SHIP VISITING GREEK PORT

Russian frigate Admiral Essen docked in the port of Poros Island on Sunday and will remain there until Wednesday, with the crew of the ship expected to do sightseeing on the island.

After the wreath-laying ceremony, sailors organized a tour of the vessel for the Russian ambassador.

Russia's presence on the Poros Island began well before the arrival of Kapodistrias and lasted for some 100 years. Poros was the main naval base of the Russian Empire in the Mediterranean.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Askar Mamin, the first deputy prime minister of Kazakhstan, and Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, have discussed the prospects for cooperation on communications satellites, the press service of the Kazakh prime minister said on Monday.

ASTANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Askar Mamin, the first deputy prime minister of Kazakhstan, and Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, have discussed the prospects for cooperation on communications satellites, the press service of the Kazakh prime minister said on Monday.

The meeting was held on Saturday in Moscow.

"Issues related to the creation of a special economic zone in the city of Baikonur, set to attract investment, are currently being discussed. The prospects for cooperation on the creation of space communications satellites have also been discussed during the meeting," the press service said in a statement.

Rogozin and Mamin also discussed the further work of the intergovernmental commission on the Baikonur space complex, according to the press service.

"In the course of the meeting, there has been an exchange of opinions on pressing issues of bilateral cooperation and on the prospects for further development of the the Baikonur complex, issues of implementation of joint Kazakh-Russian project Baiterek have been studied," the press service added.

Kazakhstan-based Baikonur cosmodrome, operating Russian and multinational space programs, is on lease to Russia until 2050. In 2004, Russia and Kazakhstan launched the Baiterek project, envisaging the creation of the infrastructure enabling the launch of eco-friendly rocket carriers from Baikonur.Nouakchott, Sept 16 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Sep, 2018 ) :A low turn out marked the second round of legislative and local elections in Mauritania, a frontline state in the fight against Islamic extremists, seven months before key presidential polls in the West African country.

President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's Union for the Republic has already won 67 of the 157 seats in parliament at the first round of voting on September 1.

The Islamist Tewassoul party was in second place with 14 seats from the first round.

Tewassoul was one of several opposition parties to boycott the previous polls in 2013, but a record 98 parties took part this time.

There were another 22 parliamentary seats up for grabs on Saturday with the ruling party needing 12 more to secure an absolute majority in parliament.

Elections were also held Saturday for nine regional councils and 111 municipalities.

Afternoon rains lashed the capital Nouakchott, where turnout was estimated to be between 20 and 30 percent, according to the national election commission.

It put the national turnout at around 40 percent.

The president, who voted in Nouakchott, hailed the results of the first round, saying: "Mauritanians have voted for stability, development and progress".

They had "rejected religious extremists and racists who have destroyed the country and tarnished the image of islam around the world," he said.

Mauritania is a frontline country in the fight against Islamist extremists.

Aziz, 61, came to power in a coup in 2008. He won elections in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

He has been frequently accused by opposition figures and NGOs of rights abuses, and though he says he will not seek a third mandate -- which would be against the constitution -- statements by ministers and supporters have led some to suggest he might.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

HAMA (Syria) (UrduPoint news / Sputnik - 18th September, 2018) Militants are preventing civilians from leaving the province of Idlib through a humanitarian corridor near the town of Abu Adh Dhurur, the head of Damascus-based Syrian Human Rights Network, Ahmad Kazem, told Sputnik on Monday.

"We met with groups of people who managed to flee [Idlib] through the Abu Adh Dhurur area. Residents were very happy with the opening of a humanitarian corridor in Abu Adh Dhurur. People really want to move to the territory controlled by the Syrian government.

But the terrorists threatened to kill anyone who would try to approach the corridor," Kazem said.

He noted that human rights violations and kidnappings of children were taking place in Idlib on a daily basis.

While the Syrian government has eliminated terrorists in vast territories of the country, Idlib is still occupied by militant extremists.

Earlier on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to set up a demilitarized zone in Idlib by October 15.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Over 130 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from neighboring Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Refugee Reception, Distribution and Settlement said on Monday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Over 130 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from neighboring Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Refugee Reception, Distribution and Settlement said on Monday.

"Over the past day, a total of 132 refugees have returned to the Syrian Arab Republic from Lebanon via the Jaydet-Yabus and the Talkalakh crossing points (39 women, 68 children)," the center said in its daily bulletin.

As many as 13,537 Syrians have returned to their home country from abroad since July 18, while 13,219 of them have left Lebanon, according to the bulletin.

A total of 104 internally displaced Syrians have returned to their homes over the past 24 hours, the center added.

No refugees have left the northern Syrian Idlib de-escalation zone over the past 24 hours.

Damascus is currently focused on creating favorable conditions for the repatriating refugees, as well as on eliminating the terrorist insurgency in Idlib.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

In the Report Automotive Wheel Bearing Market: By Bearing Type (Ball bearing, Roller bearing and others); By Vehicle Type (PC, LCV, HCV and Two-wheelers) & By Region (Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, RoW)- Forecast (2018-2023), published by IndustryARC, growing average period of vehicles is key factor fueling the market growth.

The market research analysis identifies the development of public transport facilities and the push towards green mobility as some of the key growth factors for the Global Automotive Wheel Bearings Market. The robust spending on developing public road systems and the popularity of electric vehicles will fuel the growth of the automotive wheel bearings market in the next four years.

Asia-Pacific Dominates with Major Growth in the Automotive Wheel Bearing Market

Asia-Pacific accounted for the major share of the Automotive wheel bearings market during 2017, and countries such as China and India contribute for the major shares in this region. Apart from the automotive sector, the findings show APAC creating its share in industrial sector for bearing market.

The growing demand for commercial and passenger cars in the region will drive the growth of the market. North America and Europe will have a steady growth of the automotive wheel ball bearings. Developed countries such as Brazil and South Africa are expected to have a higher growth rate during 2018-2023.

Selected Bearing Type Analysis Done in the Full Report:

The Automotive Wheel Bearing Market is segmented into types of bearing, which includes ball bearing and roller bearing. Ball bearings are hardened spherical balls that decrease friction between moving parts. On the other hand, roller bearings comprise high load resonant capacity as the areas of interaction is of line type and the load is thus distributed on a larger area. Due to the advancement in the areas of lubricant technology, seal technology and lightweight materials, the automotive wheel bearings market has become very modest and is creating existence opportunities for companies which are in automotive ball bearing wheels business. The demand for commercial vehicles has significantly increased over the past few years. Due to this, the global automotive wheel bearing market is experiencing substantial growth opportunities. Also, the production of passenger vehicles has increased worldwide due to high demand. This has also fueled the demand for global wheel bearing market.

Excerpts on Market Growth Factors

As vehicle performance is importantly dependent on the operative of bearings, it has become necessary for the manufacturers to design technologically advanced automotive tire bearing. Going through the recent trends, manufacturers have incorporated automotive wheel bearing with various sensors technology that will monitor the performance of the bearings. This trend has become one of the most important factors playing a significant role in boosting the growth of the market.

The companies have focused to reduce wheel bearing cost. This will led the automotive bearing industry a competitive job to produce integrated bearings that will improve the efficiency and restrict the new companies to enter in the market.

To access the full report browse the link below

https://industryarc.com/Report/16302/automotive-wheel-bearing-market.html

Key players of the Automotive Wheel Bearing Market

The automotive wheel bearings market is characterized by the presence of small and renowned number of players. The players in the market account for enormous market shares, thereby restricting the new players. The Timken Company, Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB, Schaeffler AG., Jtekt Corporation, NTN Corporation are some of the major players increasing their production level due to the technological advanced solutions. Schaeffler AG. has bearing products that function in Truck Axle Module known as 1T Generation, hub unit offset design and for passenger vehicle it has All FAG wheel bearings with 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation. NTN Corporation has various number of wheel bearings used in Linear Motion, Spherical roller bearings, Tapered roller bearings, Cylindrical roller bearings, High precision and others.

The Automotive Wheel Bearing Market Report is Segmented as Below:

Automotive Wheel Bearing Market, By Bearing Type Ball bearing Roller bearing Others

Automotive Wheel Bearing Market, By Vehicle Type PC LCV HCV Two-wheelers

Automotive Wheel Bearing Market by Geography (covers 10+ countries)

Automotive Wheel Bearing Entropy Market

Manufacturer Citied / Interviewed ABC Bearings Tata Bearings. NSK Ltd. Iljin Bearing Co., Ltd.



F.Appendix: Abbreviations, Sources, Research Methodology, Bibliography, Compilation of Experts, Disclaimer.

Sample Report @ https://industryarc.com/pdfdownload.php?id=16302

What can you expect from the report?

The Automotive Wheel Bearing Market Report is prepared with the main agenda to cover the following 20 points:

1. Market Size by Product Category

2. Market Trends

3. Manufacturer Landscape

4. Distributor Landscape

5. Pricing Analysis

6. Top 10 End User Analysis

7. Product Benchmarking

8. Product Developments

9. Mergers & Acquisition Analysis

10. Patent Analysis

11. Demand Analysis (By Revenue & Volume)

12. Country level Analysis (15+)

13. Competitor Analysis

14. Market Shares Analysis

15. Value Chain Analysis

16. Supply Chain Analysis

17. Strategic Analysis

18. Current & Future Market Landscape Analysis

19. Opportunity Analysis

20. Revenue and Volume Analysis

Media Contact:

Mr. Venkat Reddy

Sales Manager

Email 1: sales@industryarc.com

Or Email 2: venkat@industryarc.com

Contact Sales: +1-614-588-8538 (Ext-101)

About IndustryARC:

IndustryARC is a Research and Consulting Firm that publishes more than 500 reports annually, in various industries such as Agriculture, Automotive, Automation & Instrumentation, Chemicals and Materials, Energy and Power, Electronics, Food & Beverages, Information Technology, Life sciences & Healthcare.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) The accusations alleging Russia's spying activities on the territory of Switzerland are groundless and seem to be politically motivated, Russia's envoy to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) Gennady Gatilov said on Sunday, commenting on the relevant media reports.

On Sunday, the Swiss Tages-Anzeiger newspaper released an article, in which it claimed that every fourth Russian diplomat in Switzerland was an intelligence agent. The news outlet also stated that Russia's Permanent Mission to the UNOG was traditionally spying most without providing, at the same time, any evidence proving the allegations.

"There are indeed many employees at the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN Office in Geneva, which reflects the priority given to cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies by Russia .

.. We consider such accusations absurd and clearly politically motivated," Gatilov said as quoted in a statement released on the official website of the Russian Permanent Mission to the UNOG.

On Sunday, the Russian Embassy in Switzerland condemned Tages-Anzeiger for the release of the article, which, according to the Russian diplomatic mission, was "characterized by the absence of any facts." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in turn, stressed that Russia would be ready to comment on the reports as soon as it received facts supporting the claims.Mauritania's ruling Union for the Republic (UPR) party has won the second round of parliamentary election, held on Saturday, a source in the local government told Sputnik on Monday.

NOUAKCHOTT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Mauritania's ruling Union for the Republic (UPR) party has won the second round of parliamentary election, held on Saturday, a source in the local government told Sputnik on Monday.

The source said that the party "had secured all the seats in the regional councils, as well as 22 seats in the parliament, and 120 seats in the municipalities.

"

The UPR, led by the country's president, now has the majority of seats in the country's unicameral parliament  89 out of 157, as it has already secured 67 seats out of 131 that were decided in the first round of the voting, held on September 1.

While 113 lawmakers are elected in Mauritanian Constituencies, the other 40 are elected in a nationwide constituency, with the proportional representation system being applied in both cases. Four other parliament members are elected by the diaspora communities.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Russia handed over on Monday new evidence materials related to the investigation of the MH17 flight crash in Ukraine in July 2014 to the Dutch investigators, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office said.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Russia handed over on Monday new evidence materials related to the investigation of the MH17 flight crash in Ukraine in July 2014 to the Dutch investigators, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office said.

"The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation has examined the materials received from Russia's Investigative Committee related to a request for legal assistance from the National Prosecutor's Office of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in connection with the investigation of the crash of the Malaysian flight MH17.

It was handed over today to a representative of the Dutch side," spokesman Alexander Kurennoy said.

On July 17, 2014, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed near the city of Donetsk, killing all 298 passengers and crew members on board. Kiev accused local militias of downing the aircraft, while they said they had no weapons capable of downing such a plane.Switzerland has tightened the procedure for accreditation of Russian diplomats due to the suspicions of illegal activities, the Swiss Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.

GENEVA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Switzerland has tightened the procedure for accreditation of Russian diplomats due to the suspicions of illegal activities, the Swiss Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.

On Sunday, the Swiss Tages-Anzeiger newspaper released an article, in which it claimed that every fourth Russian diplomat in Switzerland was an intelligence agent.

The news outlet also stated that Russia's Permanent Mission to the UNOG was traditionally spying most without providing, at the same time, any evidence proving the allegations. The Russian Embassy slammed the media reports as "groundless."

"The Foreign Ministry has urged Russia to immediately stop illegal activities in Switzerland against Swiss objects. The review of Russian applications for accreditation has been tightened," the ministry's spokesperson said.KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2018) The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has banned Andrew Murray, the chief political adviser of UK Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, from visiting Ukraine for three years over security concerns, UK media reported, citing a source from the SBU.

The decision to introduce the ban was taken in June.

"It is extremely unusual for us to ban anyone from entering the country, especially a Briton ... It is not a step we take lightly and it means he is considered a potential threat to our national security," the source said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

According to the source, Murray had been banned from visiting Ukraine as the SBU considered him as "being part of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's global propaganda network, peddling Russian lies, particularly about Crimea and the war in Eastern Ukraine.

"

Murray has repeatedly voiced his support for the Russian engagement in the Ukrainian conflict settlement, for example, via promoting the launch of "Solidarity with the Antifascist Resistance in Ukraine" campaign in 2014, protesting against the West's backing of the Ukrainian pro-EU government that came to power back then.

Ukraine and Russia have been at odds since 2014, when the new government came to power in Kiev, with Kiev accusing Moscow of providing military support to the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics that proclaimed independence refusing to accept the new authorities. The reunification of the Crimean peninsula, a former Ukrainian territory, and Russia has also contributed to the escalation of tensions, as Kiev qualified this as annexation.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

HAMA (Syria) (UrduPoint news / Sputnik - 18th September, 2018) Militants are preventing civilians from leaving the province of Idlib through a humanitarian corridor near the town of Abu Adh Dhurur, the head of Damascus-based Syrian Human Rights Network, Ahmad Kazem, told Sputnik on Monday.

"We met with groups of people who managed to flee [Idlib] through the Abu Adh Dhurur area. Residents were very happy with the opening of a humanitarian corridor in Abu Adh Dhurur. People really want to move to the territory controlled by the Syrian government. But the terrorists threatened to kill anyone who would try to approach the corridor," Kazem said.

Kazem added that militants of the Jabhat al Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia) had detained 93 people who wanted to leave Idlib.

"A month ago, the Nusra terrorists detained 93 people in the settlement of Maarrat Misrin only because they wanted peace [with the Syrian government] and were moving toward Abu Adh Dhurur.

They were detained and tortured. The fate of some of them is still unknown," Kazem said.

He noted that human rights violations and kidnappings of children were taking place in Idlib on a daily basis.

"[The civilians] have confirmed the reports about cases of child theft. There are concerns that the children could be used in staged chemical weapons attacks, which would be blamed on the Syrian side," Kadem added.

While the Syrian government has eliminated terrorists in vast territories of the country, Idlib is still occupied by militant extremists.

Earlier on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to set up a demilitarized zone in Idlib by October 15.The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS, outlawed in Russia) terrorist group in Syria and Iraq carried out 66 strikes over the past week, Joint Task Force Operation Inhere Resolve said in a press release on Monday.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS, outlawed in Russia) terrorist group in Syria and Iraq carried out 66 strikes over the past week, Joint Task Force Operation Inhere Resolve said in a press release on Monday.

"Between September 10 and September 16, Coalition military forces conducted 66 strikes consisting of 102 engagements in Iraq and Syria," the release said.

The majority of those strikes, 64 in total, targeted IS near the Syrian border city of Al Bukamal, the release said. The strikes engaged IS tactical units, suppressed multiple mortars and destroyed command and control centers, supply routes, an improvised explosive device (IED) facility, a trench system and fighting positions.

The coalition launched two strikes in Iraq near Asad and Kisik, destroying IS tunnels, a bunker and a vehicle shelter, the release said.

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 United Nations Security Council.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WikiLeaks whistleblowing organization on Monday denied the reports that its founder Julian Assange had tried to secretly apply for a Russian visa in 2010.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) WikiLeaks whistleblowing organization on Monday denied the reports that its founder Julian Assange had tried to secretly apply for a Russian visa in 2010.

Earlier in the day, Associated Press news agency reported that internal WikiLeaks files suggested Assange was secretly looking for a Russian visa in 2010 and wrote to the Russian consulate in London, granting a friend the authority to drop off and collect Assange's passport.

"Mr. Assange did not apply for such a visa at any time or author the document.

The source is document fabricator & paid FBI informant Sigurdur Thordarson who was sentenced to prison for fabricating docs impersonating Assange, multiple frauds & pedophilllia," WikiLeaks said on Twitter.

Assange has been staying at the Embassy of Ecuador in London since 2012, unable to leave for fear of being detained by the UK authorities.

WikiLeaks has revealed a number of classified documents, including the sensitive information allegedly related to the US diplomats and intelligence community.Milan, Italy (UroToday.com) Dr. Morselaar gave an update on the recent trials in metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer (MHSPC). Ever since the discovery of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) by Charles B. Huggins in 1966, hormonal therapy has been a key factor in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. However, for many years now, there has been an attempt to add additional therapies in addition to ADT, to improve outcomes. In 2013, the French GETUG-15 trial compared ADT to ADT + docetaxel.Although the trial demonstrated an advantage in clinical progression free survival for the docetaxel group, no advantage was seen in overall survival. Furthermore, no difference was seen in the metastases rate in both groups.In 2015, the ChemoHormonal Therapy Versus Androgen Ablation Randomized Trial for Extensive Disease in Prostate Cancer (CHAARTED) study was published by Dr. Sweeny in the New England Journal of Medicine.This was a prospective randomized controlled study randomizing patient with hormonal sensitive advanced prostate cancer disease into ADT alone or ADT with docetaxel. This study demonstrated an overall survival advantage to the docetaxel group, but when stratifying by disease volume, a survival benefit was seen only in patients with high volume disease.Recently, data on the extended follow- of this trial was published, with a median follow-up of 53.7 months.In these updated analyses, it was demonstrated that the survival advantage was predominantly seen in high volume de novo disease, and not in low volume disease, or in high volume disease occurring after local treatment had been already given.The Systemic Therapy in Advancing or Metastatic Prostate Cancer Evaluation for Drug Efficacy (STAMPEDE) trial is a multi-arm British study comparing different therapies to the standard of care (ADT alone). One of these arms included standard of care (ADT) + docetaxel. In this specific comparison, a similar survival advantage was seen in the docetaxel arm (as was seen in CHAARTED), with a hazard ratio of 0.76, p=0.003. This study also demonstrated that the greatest advantage for docetaxel was seen in metastatic patients, and especially in those with denovo metastatic disease.The definition of MHSPC high-volume disease varies significantly across the literature demonstrating the various definitions for high volume disease in different studies.In a meta-analysis that included 2993 patients from CHAARTED, GETUG-15, and STAMPEDE and comparing ADT alone to ADT + docetaxel, the overall survival hazard ratio was 0.77 (0.68-0.87), favoring the docetaxel + ADT group.The next trial discussed was the LATITUDE trial, which included newly diagnosed MHSPC patients with 2 or more of the following: Gleason 8-10, >=3 bone metastases, and measurable visceral disease.Patients who had neuroendocrine differentiation or small-cell histologic features were excluded from the trial. Patients were randomized to either ADT + placebo, or ADT + abiraterone and prednisone. The results demonstrated a clear advantage to the abiraterone arm in progression free survival and overall survival.One of the studies in STAMPEDE is a direct comparison between abiraterone and docetaxel. In this comparison a difference favoring abiraterone was seen in failure free survival and progression free survival.In contrast, no significant differences were seen in metastatic free survival, symptomatic skeletal events, cancer specific survival, or overall survival. However, in a meta-analysis incorporating all trials comparing docetaxel +ADT to abiraterone + ADT, a clear advantage was seen favoring abiraterone.Other relevant drugs have also been assessed, although in much smaller scale studies. There is a phase-two open-label, single arm study examining enzalutamide monotherapy in HSPC patients.However, only 39% of the patients were metastatic at study entry, so the analyzed population of this study is mostly non-metastatic HSPC. Another study examining the response rate of daily enzalutamide160 mg in 26 MHSPC patients, who received this therapy for 3 years. The results showed a complete response rate of 53.8% in the enzalutamide treated patients.Radium 223 for primary bone metastasis in MHSPC patients was examined as well, but this was a very small study including only 10 patients, therefore making any conclusions from it is quite difficult.Dr. Moorselaar ended his interesting update by mentioning some of the ongoing relevant studies. These include the currently recruiting PEACE-1 trial (NCT01957436) , which is a multi-arm trial comparing ADT + docetaxel, ADT + docetaxel + abiraterone + prednisone, ADT + docetaxel + radiotherapy, and ADT + docetaxel + abiraterone + prednisone + radiotherapy.Another trial that is active but not recruiting is the ARASENS trial (NCT02799602) comparing ADT + docetaxel + darolutamide to ADT + placebo + docetaxel. Two additional active but currently non-recruiting trials are ENZAMET (NCT02446405) comparing ADT + enzalutamide to ADT + placebo, and lastly, the TITAN trial (NCT02489318) comparing apalutamide + ADT to placebo + ADT.The current European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines recommend offering ADT combined with either chemotherapy or abiraterone to patients fit enough for these treatments. When deciding whether to administer docetaxel or abiraterone, one should consider the volume of disease, and be inclined to give docetaxel for high volume disease. In general Dr. Moorselaar believes that it is better to give docetaxel as soon as possible, as later on, the patient might not be fit enough to receive this treatment. Other factors that need to be considered when deciding which treatment to administer include the fact that docetaxel is given intravenously in six cycles, vs. long term oral abiraterone and prednisone. Whether the disease is de novo metastases or the patient has received prior local treatment should also be considered. The differences in side effects should be taken into account and the much higher cost of abiraterone compared to docetaxel is undoubtedly an important factor.Speaker: J. van Moorselaar, Amsterdam (NL)Written by: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Twitter:@GoldbergHanan at the 2nd EAU Update on Prostate Cancer (PCa18) September 14-15, 2018  Milan, Italy References:1. Gravis et al. Lancet Oncol 14:149, 20132. Sweeney et al. NEJM 373: 737, 20153. Kyriakopoulos et al. J Clin Oncol 36: 1080, 20184. James et al. Lancet 387: 1163, 20165. Vale et al. Lancet Oncol 17:243, 20166. Fizazi et al. NEJM 377:351, 20177. Sydes et al. Ann Oncol 29: 1235, 20188. Wallis et al. Eur Urol 73: 834, 20189. Tombal B et al. Lancet Oncol 2014; 15: 592-60010. Tombal B et al. J URol 199: 45, 201811. Wenter V et al. Oncotarget 8 (27):44131, 2017Milan, Italy (UroToday.com) This was an interesting talk on treatment of metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer (MHSPC) patients. Dr. Maresburger began the session stating that when considering treatment for these patients we should ask several important questions: When is the proper time to start therapy? Do we need to use combined androgen blockade? Combine other treatments? and what do we do when there is evident progression? In a Cochrane review analyzing early vs. deferred androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, the results clearly demonstrated that early treatment has a significant benefit.According to the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines, ADT should be given to patients presenting with metastatic disease, together with chemotherapy if they are fit for it. ADT with an antiandrogen should be offered to all metastatic patients unfit for or unwilling to consider chemotherapy. ADT is recommended in select patients with localized disease, in patients with positive nodes, in locally advanced prostate cancer when local treatment is not possible, or when PSA doubling time is less than 12 months, and the tumor is poorly differentiated, and lastly in metastatic prostate cancer patients.The LATITUDE study (1) randomized metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer patients to either ADT + placebo, or ADT + abiraterone 1000 mg and prednisone 5 mg. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Patients randomized had to have at least two poor-risk features (Gleason >=8, more than 3 bone metastases, or visceral metastases). The results of the study showed a clear advantage to the abiraterone arm with a 38% reduction of the risk of death, as seen in Figure 1. The 3-year survival rate for abiraterone was 66% vs. 49% in the ADT + placebo group. In all secondary endpoints, abiraterone also had a significant advantage: 53% risk reduction in progression free survival, 30% risk reduction in patients without pain progression, 70% risk reduction in patients without PSA progression, and 30% risk reduction in patients without symptomatic skeletal events.The STAMPEDE trial had a similar comparison, between standard of care (ADT) and ADT + abiraterone. (2) The results demonstrated and overall 37% prolongation of overall survival with abiraterone, and a hazard ratio of 0.63, as shown in figure 2. Abiraterone increased the time until disease progression by 14 months and reduced bone associated problems by 54%.In the next session, Dr. Cornford discussed some of the controversies of the treatment of MHSPC patients. These included whether earlier treatment is better, how to treat patients with low volume disease, the effect imaging has on diagnosis, and the comparison of the combination treatments. The first study mentioned was the French GETUG 15 study randomizing MHSPC patients to receive either ADT alone or ADT + docetaxel. (3) This study demonstrated improved biochemical progression free survival in the docetaxel group with 22.9 months vs. 12.9 months, p=0.005. However, no difference was seen in overall survival between the two groups. The similar CHAARTED study randomized patients in the same manner and showed an overall survival difference in favor of the docetaxel group. However, when looking specifically at patients with low volume disease, no statistically significant difference was seen between the groups in overall survival. With even further follow-up (4), less evidence of benefit in low volume disease was noticed, with a hazard ratio of 1.04, p=0.86. Very similar results were seen in the STAMPEDE trial, when looking only at patients with M0 disease, demonstrating a hazard ratio of 1.01 (95% CI 0.5-1.56). (5)The next topic discussed was the role of imaging in these patients. The modality and type of imaging is crucial, as each modality can show different results, due to lack of specificity and sensitivity. PSMA PET/CT imaging is the current most promising modality showing at primary staging sensitivity and specificity of 61%, and 97%, respectively, while at restaging following biochemical recurrence, the sensitivity and specificity are 87-93% and 92-100%, respectively.The STAMPEDE trial has one arm of patients being treated with ADT and docetaxel, and another arm of patients being treated with ADT and abiraterone. This enables performing a head to head comparison between these two drugs. The results demonstrated a benefit for abiraterone in failure free survival with a hazard ratio of 0.51 (p<0.001), 0.34 (p=0.003), and 0.56 (p<0.001) for all patients, M0 patients, and M1 patients, respectively. However, no differences were seen in the metastatic progression free survival, cancer specific survival, and overall survival between these two groups.In summary, ADT is still the backbone of all treatments in MHSPC patients. As of 2017, docetaxel or abiraterone should be added to these patients. There is strong data supporting the use of abiraterone due to better failure free survival and progression free survival, but no evidence supporting its superiority in metastatic progression free survival, cancer specific survival and overall survival. Currently, there is no sufficient evidence to support treatment for patients with M0 HSPC.Speaker: A. Merseburger, Lubeck (DE) P. Cornford, Liverpool (GB)Written by: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Twitter:@GoldbergHanan at the 2nd EAU Update on Prostate Cancer (PCa18) September 14-15, 2018  Milan, Italy References:1. Fizazi K et al. NEJM 20172. James N et al. J Clin Oncol 35, 20173. Gravis G et al. Lancet Oncol 2013; 14 (2): 149-584. Kyriakopoulos CE et al JCO 20185. James N et al. Lancet 2016; 387:1163-1177The people of Estonia are waiting with expectation for Pope Francis Apostolic Journey to their thriving European country, and hoping for a chance to spend time together with the Pope and each other.

By Devin Watkins

Pope Francis sets off on his 25th Apostolic Journey on Saturday, visiting the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

He follows in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II, who visited the region in September of 1993.

Marge-Marie Paas, Communications Coordinator for the Popes visit to Estonia, spoke to Devin Watkins about the expectations and preparations for the Holy Fathers journey.

We really hope that this historic day will touch lots of peoples hearts, Ms. Paas said.

Listen to the full interview

Wake Up, My Heart

The motto for the Estonian leg of the Popes visit, which takes place on Tuesday, September 25th, is: Wake Up, My Heart.

Estonia is a highly developed European nation, ranking high in the Human Development Index, and is well-known as one of the worlds most digitally advanced societies. It held elections over the Internet in 2005, the first country to do so, and began offering e-residency in 2014.

In the midst of this economic success, Ms. Paas points out that Estonians are searching for something deeper. She asks, echoing the motto: Where does our heart lie? We really want this day to be spiritually deep for Estonian people, not just Catholics but everybody, she said.

There are roughly 6,000 Catholics living in the country.

Together with young people

Pope Francis will hold an ecumenical youth meeting Tuesday afternoon, and Ms. Paas said she knows many young people who are very excited to see the Holy Father. They have many questions for him about life and the future, she believes.

In our days, youth basically live in cyberspace, chatting on the internet, but I understand they would like to come out [from that world]. Really, this is an event for them to be together, to be together not only with Pope Francis but with friends and other youth and [people of] different nationalities.

Silver jubilee

As well as being Pope Francis silver jubilee for papal visits, his Apostolic Journey to the Baltics also marks 25 years since Pope St. John Paul II visited Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in 1993.

Marge-Marie Paas said the Saints visit came at a very different time for Estonia. The country had recently gained independence on August 20, 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. We were like youth! she said.

John Paul II, Ms. Paas said, lent much support to Estonia and its newfound identity. He had a really strong message for our culture: to keep our own language. With a population of little more than 1.3 million, it took a concerted effort not to lose that heritage.

Keep your language; be strong spiritually; dont be afraid, she said this was JPIIs message for Estonians.

Spiritual memory

Ms. Paas said Pope Francis visit is an opportunity to take stock of how well Estonians have heeded that message. Were asking ourselves: are we truly strong spiritually? Have we kept our language? She said these questions are pertinent at a time when young people often use other languages on social media, and as many of their peers leave the country to seek employment elsewhere.

She hopes Pope Francis visit will provide Estonians with the same spiritual oomph as his predecessors trip.

John Paul IIs visit was really something for Estonians, for the whole country; it was very fruitful. I think Pope Francis visit will be as well, because it is important for our small nation.Prime Minister Hun Sen has criticized foreign government officials for interfering in the politics of Southeast Asian nations in a speech at the World Economic Forum on Asean in Vietnam.

Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than 30 years, said countries outside of the region were always slapping our heads and getting involved in regional politics, according to a video of the speech posted on his Facebook page.

I raised this issue, not as a message for any particular country, but I think that the Mekong countries are political victims, so I ask that those outside of the region who are not aware of our issues, you should let us solve our own problems, he said.

Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party won all of the seats in a parliamentary election in July after the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party was banned in November and during a wide-ranging crackdown on the opposition, civil society, and independent media.

The moves drew criticism from the west, including the United States, which has imposed limited sanctions on Cambodian officials as a result of the crackdown. Cambodia had accused Washington of plotting with the former leader of the opposition, Kem Sokha, to overthrow Hun Sen. Sokha was jailed on treason charges and is now living under house arrest while his trial proceeds.

On Monday, Michelle Bachelet, the former Chilean president and current UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a meeting of the UN nations that the declining rights situation in Cambodia would impact Cambodias social and economic growth.

Ney Sam Ol, Cambodias ambassador to the UN, said he was disappointed by the remarks in a statement that labeled her sources as politically motivated and said she was ignoring the real needs on the ground and the tragic path of hard-earned peace Cambodia had been through since its civil war ended in the early 1990s.

He said the election was an unprecedented event in the contemporary history of Cambodia pointing to the participation of 20 parties in the vote.The number of Cambodian women getting involved in business is growing steadily and female entrepreneurs have begun to engage in regional business circles in recent years. But for the first time this month, a group of pioneering Cambodian businesswomen has traveled to the United States to meet with their US counterparts.

Twelve Cambodian businesswomen from state-run institutions and the private sector were invited to take part in a program sponsored by the State Departments International Visitor Leadership Program.

The program aims to promote womens entrepreneurship, providing advocacy strategies, best practices, and methods to cultivate womens leadership in businesses.

Sreat Mom Sophear, CEO of SOPHIYA Corporation, a company providing tourism, home management, spa and nail services, said the initiative was a rare opportunity for her and her peers to meet with US business experts.

The United States is the leading country in terms of technology that helps businesses to grow, and this is something that remains limited in Cambodias business landscape. So I think it is such a great opportunity for me, as well as other women, to learn more about global business technologies over there, she said.

Over the course of the nine-day trip, the businesswomen will also meet with government officials to discover how federal and state institutions support small business owners.

The Cambodian government has made efforts to empower women to enter the business world. While women own the majority of businesses in Cambodia, they lack access to finance, training, mentoring, and other information that would allow them to grow their businesses.

Chen Sopheap, managing director of Keiy Tambanh Khmer, a clothing company, said she hoped to learn how U.S. women entrepreneurs find ways to become influencers in order to expand their business circle and especially to gain access to financing networks, in order to attract larger investment in their businesses.

Founded in 2015, Chens business has expanded from employing 10 to 200 female silk weavers who have gained new skills and entrepreneurship knowledge from the Keiy Tambanh Khmer Association that Chen founded.Leaders of the Mekong nations have raised concerns over the development of hydropower along the river system following the collapse of a major dam in Laos in July.

The leaders met on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum on Asean to discuss their vision for the regions development, which was live streamed.

The Lower Mekong Basin is home to some 60 million people and has a gross domestic product of about $800 billion, according to official figures. About 40 percent of the population lives within a 15-kilometer-wide corridor along the river banks and depend on the river to support four-fifths of their food and other livelihood needs, according to the Mekong River Commission.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars state councilor, said the Mekong nations must work together to solve the problems plaguing the region.

There are a lot of things involved: competition, cooperation, complementary, common challenges, and climate change. These are all the things that we are facing now. I think these give us a very, very good chance to cooperate, she said.

Thongloun Sisoulith, the Laotian prime minister, said Laos had the capacity to leverage this potential in terms of water resources and could produce electricity that is sufficient for Laos and can be exported to our neighboring countries.

Some 7,000 people were forced to flee the Atapeu dam collapse in July, which left several dead.

Suu Kyi said Myanmar was considering delaying the import of electricity from Laos.

We were thinking of buying electricity from Laos, but we have been warned that perhaps we shouldnt rush into this, she said.

Myanmar and Laos signed the MOU on power cooperation in January 2018.

Building hydropower dam projects in Laos should be done based on a well-studied and well-planned approach, said Laos Sisoulith. We have to ensure that we comply with international standards. The study of the project should be based on scientific information and expert views, he added.The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, rappers are getting involved in politics - including one well-known rap artist who hopes to fix the country's problems by running for a seat in parliament. Chika Oduah reports for VOA from Kinshasa.Greece should urgently move children and other vulnerable migrants and refugees from its most overcrowded island camp to the mainland or to other EU countries for the sake of their mental and physical health, the MSF aid agency said on Monday.

The appeal from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) came days after the governor of the region where the Moria camp is based said it should be closed next month unless authorities clean up uncontrollable amounts of waste.

MSF said it had witnessed an unprecedented health crisis in the camp, Greeces biggest and home to some 9,000 migrants, a third of whom are children. It said many teenagers had attempted to commit suicide or were harming themselves on a weekly basis.

Other children suffer from elective mutism, panic attacks and anxiety, it said in a statement.

This is the third year that MSF has been calling on the Greek authorities and the EU to take responsibility for their collective failures, the agency said. It is time to immediately evacuate the most vulnerable to safe accommodation in other European countries.

The migrants in the camp, which is on the island of Lesbos, are housed in shipping containers and flimsy tents in conditions widely criticised as falling short of basic standards.

Greece is a gateway into the European Union for hundreds of thousands of refugees who have arrived since 2015 from Syria and other war-ravaged countries in the Middle East and from Africa.

Athens, which exited the biggest bailout in economic history in August, is struggling to handle the thousands of refugees who are stranded on its islands.

It has criticised Europes handling of the refugee crisis and some EU member states for being reluctant to share their burden.

Last week, 19 non-governmental organizations urged Greece to take action to alleviate the plight of refugees in all its island camps, not just Moria, to render them more fit for human habitation.

The total number of migrants and refugees holed up in the island camps exceeds 17,000.Armed men attacked a school in Cameroon's southwest English-speaking region, wounding more than 20 people, a government official said Monday.

An unknown number of armed men, using machetes and homemade guns, staged the attack on Saint Joseph's College near Buea late Sunday, according to South West Region governor Bernard Okalia Bilai. No one was killed, he said.

The wounded children were rushed to hospitals and hundreds of parents started pulling their children from schools.

"It is a terrible situation. We are not safe at home, our children not safe at school," said Enanga Luisy, a mother of two students.

At least half a dozen schools in Buea have asked parents to take their children home.

Last month, armed separatists used social media to warn parents against sending their children to school. The government, however, assured the parents it had taken enough security measures to protect the schools.

The violence comes weeks ahead of Cameroon's Oct. 7 presidential elections that separatists say should not take place.

At least 70 schools have been torched since a crisis began in Cameroon's English-speaking northwest and southwest areas in 2016 when teachers and lawyers protested the overbearing use of the French language in the bilingual country.

Separatists then took up the cause, arming themselves and demanding a separate English-speaking state they call Ambazonia.

More than 300 people, including soldiers and police, have been killed in mounting violence since.

Thousands have been fleeing from the northwest and southwest areas but the government is urging them to return, saying their security is assured.The Australian government has offered a reward to anyone with information following reports of strawberries being contaminated with needles and pins, in what the federal health minister has called "a vicious crime."

Reports of needles in strawberries spread to two additional states, police said Monday, broadening a food scare which began in the state of Queensland last week when a man was admitted to the hospital with stomach pains after eating strawberries.

"Whoever is behind this is not just putting families at risk across Queensland and the rest of Australia, they are putting an entire industry at risk," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Saturday.

Her government is offering a $100,000 AUD ($71,000 USD) reward to anyone who can provide information that would lead to a conviction.

Australia's Health Minister Greg Hunt has ordered the Food Safety Authority of Australia and New Zealand to investigate the crime, calling it a "general attack on the public," and has advised consumers to slice strawberries.

Police have said at least two people have reported finding needles in their strawberries in the last two days. Authorities believe that as many as six brands could have been contaminated, but are unclear whether the crime is the result of one person acting alone or a coordinated group.

The state of Queensland is a major strawberry producer in a national industry worth over $93 million USD a year.As Bangladesh gears up for national elections later this year, the largest opposition party in the country is staging mass protests demanding the immediate release of their jailed leader, Khaleda Zia. The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) says the freedom of the former three-term prime minister should be a priority for the government in the interest of free and fair elections, which are expected to be held in December.

BNP chairperson Zia, 73, has been in jail since February after a court sentenced her over the alleged embezzlement of foreign funds meant for an orphanage trust.

If Khaleda Zia can work freely leading the party during the election campaign, BNP will win overwhelmingly and form the next government. They are keeping her in jail simply to keep her away from our partys election campaign, Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar, a senior BNP leader and former President of Bangladesh, told VOA. She has been framed in a trumped up case and is a victim of political vengeance.

BNP leaders also alleged she was being denied proper medical treatment in the jail.

She is very sick. But, while being held in a damp near-abandoned jail she has no access to special medical treatment what she badly needs, BNP leader A K M Wahiduzzaman, told VOA. They are gradually pushing her towards death.

Transfer of power

The Zia-led BNP and the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League (AL), the party which is currently in power, used to alternate in government in metronomic regularity and the rivalry between the two leaders became known as battling begums of Bangladesh.

Between 1991 and 2006 Zia became the prime minister for three terms and Hasina for one.

But since Hasina became the prime minister for her second term in 2009, her party has been in power for 9 years.

When the Hasina-led government refused to hand over power to a caretaker government before the 2014 national elections, BNP boycotted the poll.

Opposition arrests

Zia, her son and four others were accused of embezzling BDT 21 million (USD $252,000) of foreign donations intended for a Bangladeshi charity named after her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman. In February, a court sentenced her to five years in jail. Five others, including her son, received jail-terms of 10 years each.

In May, Zia was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the trust case. But, she still remains in jail after being implicated in some other violence-related cases.

Thousands of BNP leaders and activists have been arrested in recent months, mostly on charges of political violence.

Dhaka University law professor Asif Nazrul said the arrests or detention of the opposition leaders and activists are still going on, apparently to undermine BNPs ability to take part in the upcoming elections.

By undertaking various oppressive measures, the government is trying to reduce the strength of BNP and at the same time they may be instigating them to initiate aggressive protests so that they could be maligned by the government-controlled media and more of the partys leaders and activists could be sent to jail, said Nazrul.

But senior leader and spokesperson of the ruling Awami League, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, denied the arrests are politically motivated.

Many BNP leaders and workers participated in violent subversive activities in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They injured and killed people in many ways, including by throwing petrol bombs. The law enforced agencies are taking routine legal action against them because they were accused in those criminal cases, Hanif told VOA.

No innocent person will be arrested or harassed with any suit- this is a strict instruction from the government, he added.

New demands

Earlier this month, BNP presented a list of demands to be fulfilled by the government before it would take part in election. Two of the major demands were the release of Zia with all cases against her scrapped and the dissolution of the Parliament ahead of the national election.

But Food Minister Kamrul Islam responded and said the government would not fulfill any of the BNPs election-related demands.

We will not fulfill any of their demands, but our government will conduct the national election in a free and fair manner, following the Constitution, Islam said.

However, a BNP leader said that under no circumstance would his party boycott the election this time.

In the past 9 years, over 200 BNP leaders and activists have been victims of enforced disappearance and over 6,000 of them have been victims of extrajudicial killings and other political murders. In the past months, over 12,000 of BNP leaders and activists have been detained or arrested, BNP leader Wahiduzzaman told VOA. But, we will make our best effort to campaign and take part in the national election this time.

Professor Nazrul added that if free and fair voting takes place there is a very high possibility that AL would lose power. This is mainly because of a strong anti-incumbency factor, he said.A Belgium court has ruled that there is no reason to return a Spanish rapper to Spain.

Spain had asked Belgium to extradite rapper Jose Miguel Arenas Beltran, better known as Valtonyc, on the grounds that the entertainer had written lyrics that "glorified terrorism, insulted the royal family, and contained threats."

Valtonyc had received a two-year sentence in Spain because of his lyrics, but fled to Belgium.

Simon Bekaert, the rapper's lawyer said Monday in Ghent that "the judge has decided there will be no extradition and discarded all three charges."

Bekaert said the judge ruled "there is no terrorism involved, so there is no question of a crime, according to Belgian law."

It was not immediately clear if prosecutors would appeal the judge's decision.Brazilian far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro held a solid lead ahead of the Oct. 7 election following a near-fatal stabbing, but Workers Party (PT) candidate Fernando Haddad has emerged in second place, signaling a potential polarized right-left runoff, an opinion poll showed on Monday.

The poll points to increased chances of Brazil's most uncertain election in a generation being decided between two candidates with no plans to deal with Brazil's unsustainable budget deficit.

Bolsonaro, who is in the hospital and unable to campaign, took 28.2 percent of voter support, according to the survey by pollster MDA. Haddad, who replaced imprisoned former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the ticket last week, had 17.6 percent in his first showing in an MDA poll.

Haddad's numbers indicate that Lula, who is banned from running because he was convicted for corruption, is successfully transferring enough votes to the former Sao Paulo mayor to face off with Bolsonaro in the second round in late October. Center-left populist Ciro Gomes had 10.8 percent and business-friendly candidate Geraldo Alckmin, favored by investors as the man who can restore fiscal discipline and business confidence, was fourth with 6.1 percent.

Environmentalist Marina Silva trailed with 4.1 percent. "A second round between the far-right and the left will unsettle the markets, with implementation of pro-business reforms unlikely," said Carlos Caicedo, Associate Director for Latin America Country Risk at analytics data firm IHS Markit.

Bolsonaro is still an unknown quantity who has not defined a clear economic program and whose nationalist views could pose a risk of trade protectionism that would increase capital outflows, Caicedo said in a note to clients. Lula's PT, on the other hand, opposes pension reform needed to curb the deficit.

In a runoff, which would be triggered if no candidate wins half of the valid votes, Bolsonaro would defeat all other candidates except for Gomes, with whom he is statistically tied, the MDA poll said. One in four voters are still undecided or say they will annul or leave their ballot blank.

Other opinion polls published by better-known pollsters last week showed Haddad beginning to gain traction, but Bolsonaro losing a runoff against most candidates.

The nationwide MDA survey of 2,002 people was carried out for the transportation sector lobby CNT between Sept. 12 and 15 and had a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points, meaning results could vary that much either way.Cuba's president says he supports a change to the island's constitution in support of same-sex marriage.

Miguel Diaz-Canel said in an interview broadcast Sunday on the Venezuela-based television station Telesur: "The approach of recognizing marriage between two people, without limitations, responds to a problem of eliminating all types of discrimination in society."

Cuba's current constitution limits marriage to the "voluntary union of a man and a woman."

In a new constitution, however, that parliament has approved and that will be submitted for a national referendum next year, marriage is defined as a union between "two people."

The definition of marriage in the proposed constitution and the president's support represent seismic changes for the Cuban government's attitude towards homosexuals.

"We've been going through a massive thought evolution and many taboos have been broken," Diaz-Canel told Telesur.

Much of the change can be attributed to Mariela Castro who has spearheaded a campaign for years for the rights of Cuba's LGBT community. She is the daughter of former Cuban president Raul Castro.

Diaz-Canel replaced Raul Castro in April.The influences of Jonathan Bethony's experiences in Africa are everywhere in his Washington DC bakery, from its name to the practice of grinding whole grains from local farms in his on-site mill.

Started in Senegal

More than 15 years ago, Bethony, then an aspiring musician, visited Senegal to learn West African drumming. He ended up living in a small desert village where he became more interested in working with local farmers. He wanted to help locals who were struggling for their next meal. When he came back to the U.S., he began working in restaurants and discovered a passion for baking.

I returned to Senegal 10 years later, sent by USDA to work with a millet program, Bethony recalls. And this millet program happened to be operating where this village is and I got to bring them into the millet program. So we were doing some work there in the village with development and with agriculture.

Bethonys skills were honed when he landed a job at Washington State Universitys Bread Lab. That's where he worked to develop new techniques that take advantage of locally grown wheat varieties without discarding any of their components.

Having his own bakery was the next step for him to put into practice the techniques hed learned and developed over the years. So, in November, he opened his bakery and called it Seylou, which means eagle in the Mandinka language of West Africa.

Milling local grains

The idea of sustainability became a cornerstone for Seylou, which gets all of its grain fresh from local farmers. Bethony uses about 20 varieties of organic grains in making his bread loaves.

We use several varieties of wheat alone, and about 3 different ryes, he says. We also use barley, oats, non-gluten grain, sorghum, buckwheat. I use legume from farmers. I have some beans in some of my bread. Our mission here is to use what they call underutilized grains, which is important to grow in the organic system. A lot of these soils are destroyed from growing tobacco. So, growing a crop like millet helps rejuvenate them.

Bethony is also one of only a handful of bakers around the United States who mill their grains on-site. This unique approach to bread-making caught the attention of food and environment reporter Sam Fromartz, who's written a book titled, "In Search of the Perfect Loaf." He says knowing how to mill and knowing which grains to use is what gives each type of bread its unique texture and taste.

Milling your own flour is hugely challenging because there is a whole industry, the milling industry, whose whole purpose is to create a really consistent product, he explains. But when you start baking with grains from particular farmers, the grains will be different in each farm. So, Jonathan, in a sense, is adjusting each batch of grain that he mills. One type of flour from a particular grain might ferment really quickly. Another may take much longer. One might be really appropriate for, say, a baguette, and another type of flour might not be appropriate for that. So, hes kind of mixing and matching and playing with his ingredients. It adds another layer to the process.

Fromartz says Bethony is part of a developing trend in the American food industry. There are bakers like him in different parts of the country, and even in Europe as well, who are kind of pertaining to what I call the old food ways, trying to bake with whole grain. But its still pretty rare.

Whole grain pastries

Using 100 percent organic whole grain is not only for making bread, different kinds of pastry products are also made from whole grains and contain no refined white sugar.

It's easy because Bethony surrounds himself with like-minded people, like his pastry chef, Charbel Abrache.

Charbel is patient and willing to take risk, he says. Hes been to pastry school, and used to teach in a pastry school and work in fine dining, but he doesnt let his preconceptions about pastry get in the way of innovating and experimenting with non-traditional ingredients. The result is variety of unconventional pastries like whole wheat croissant, sorghum brownies and millet chocolate chip cookies.

Bethony says Seylou wouldnt fly without the support of his wife, Jessica Azees, a teacher and yoga instructor who became his business partner.

Its a rewarding opportunity for me to get to meet all kinds of great people walking through the door, working with our staff, with the farmers were working with all the time. Azeez says.

It's the taste

Seylou's baked products are rich in natural minerals, vitamins and essential acids. But it's the taste that brings customers back. That pleases Bethony, as he wants people to have a different perception of healthy food.

When youre going to a pastry shop or a bakery, there is excitement, like 'lets go get a treat or a crusty bread', he says. I dont want to take away any of this experience. Id love for people to come and get the excitement at the same time get something thats very nurturing for them. The front of the house doesnt explain about our philosophy. But my favorite part is when someone actually doesnt know these things, they enjoy it just as if it was that sweet piece of cake or that sugary pastry or that white flour croissant.

Customer Nooni Reatig, an architect who works nearby, has been convinced. At first, I was skeptical about the whole, whole grain," she admits. "But I tasted Jonathan's bread and its not something static, its completely a live product. It has so many things going on at once, like the bread, when you bite in, the crust is crispy but inside has a bounce and a texture.

That texture and flavor don't come easy. Bethony forms each loaf by hand, feeding them one by one into a wood fired oven. Each loaf takes about 36 hours from start to finish. It's a long process, but Seylou's loyal customers say the results are worth it.The mayor of a small Philippine town says he is "99 percent sure" that dozens of people missing in a landslide triggered by the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut have been killed.

Eleven bodies have been recovered from the rubble in the town of Itogon on the northern tip of the main island of Luzon, which was struck hard when Mangkhut made landfall last Saturday with winds of 270 kilometers per hour. The discovery of the 11 bodies raises the death toll in the Philippines from 54 to 65.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said the victims were miners and their families who had taken shelter inside a former miner's bunkhouse that was converted into a chapel. At least 40 people are believed to among the missing and presumed dead.

Emergency officials are unable to bring heavy equipment into Itogon as the landslides left the roads into the town impassible, forcing rescuers to dig through the rubble with only shovels and their bare hands.

Itogon is located in the Cordillera region, where officials have warned that mining by either legal or illegal mining outfits have made the hillsides unstable and more prone to landslides. Environmental Secretary Roy Cimatu on Monday ordered the stoppage of all mining operations in Cordillera.

Farms across Luzon, the Philippines largest island, are under floodwaters. Luzon farms produce most of the country's rice and corn. Now, however, their crops have been ruined just a month before harvest.

Mangkhut has been downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm after reaching the southern Chinese province of Guangdong Sunday, where four people have been killed. More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated from Guangdong ahead of Mangkhut's arrival.

Authorities in Hong Kong have begun totaling up the damage left behind by Mangkhut, which struck the territory with winds of more than 230 kilometers an hour, prompting officials to declare a Number 10 storm warning, its highest alert.

The storm blew out windows in skyscrapers, pulled trees up by their roots and scattered them across streets, and affected all modes of transportation.Bahraini photojournalist Hussein Habeel was freed on Sunday after serving a 5-year prison sentence.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Bahraini photojournalist Hussein Habeel was freed on Sunday after serving a 5-year prison sentence.



The 26-year-old was charged with inciting hatred against the regime over his alleged links to the opposition February 14 Youth Coalition, which the Manama regime classifies as a terrorist organization.



According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), more than a dozen journalists and citizen-journalists are still detained in Bahrain for broaching sensitive subjects.



In April, the Paris-based NGO ranked Bahrain 166th out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index, accusing Manama of holding journalists who reported information that the authorities would have preferred to suppress.





/257Guatemala's constitutional court has ruled that the country's president must allow the head of a United Nations-backed anti-graft commission back into the country.

The court ruled late Sunday that President Jimmy Morales must let Ivan Velasquez, the chief of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, or CICIG, return to Guatemala.

The president came under international condemnation when he announced earlier this month that he was shuttering CICIG and barring Velasquez from the country.

Velasquez had conducted a number of high-profile corruption investigations, include one pending against the president.

Morales said Velasquez is "a person who attacks order and public security in the country."Guatemala will not allow the head of the the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, or CICIG, to return to the country, defying an order by the constitutional court.



Late Sunday, the countrys top court ruled that President Jimmy Morales must let Ivan Velasquez back into the country.

Interior Minister Enrique Degenhart announced Monday that Morales administration would defy the court order. Instead, Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel said she had asked the United Nations to send a list of possible replacements for Velasquez for Guatemalas approval.



Morales came under international condemnation when he announced in late August that he was closing the CICIG and barring Velasquez from the country.

Velasquez had conducted a number of high-profile corruption investigations, include one pending against the president.

Morales said Velasquez is a person who attacks order and public security in the country.U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused Russia of attempting to influence an upcoming referendum in Macedonia that would open the way for the country to join NATO.

Mattis told reporters traveling with him to the Macedonian capital he had "no doubt" Moscow has been funding pro-Russian groups to defeat a referendum to change the Balkan country's name  settling a dispute with neighboring Greece, who has repeatedly blocked Macedonia's bid to join NATO.

"They have transferred money and they are also conducting broader influence campaigns,'' Mattis said. "We ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds.''

Macedonians will vote September 30 on a referendum that would change the name of their country, following a historic agreement with Greece, who claims the name "Macedonia" for one of its regions.

Speaking after talks in Skojpe with Macedonia's president, Mattis made no mention of Russia specifically, but said the United States is helping the Balkan country bolster their cybersecurity.

Mattis joined other Western leaders, including Germany's Angela Merkel and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, in accusing Russia of trying to interfere in the former Soviet state's path to join NATO. In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of supplying funds to groups protesting the name change. Russia called the expulsions unjustified.

Greece and Macedonia have been feuding over who gets to use the name since Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Many Greeks say allowing the neighboring country to use the name insults Greek history and implies a claim on the Greek territory also known as Macedonia, a key province in Alexander the Great's ancient empire.

As a result, Greece has blocked Macedonian efforts to join the EU and NATO. Despite recognition by 137 countries, Macedonia is officially known at the United Nations as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

The referendum asks Macedonian voters, "Are you in favor of European Union and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?" A "Yes" vote would result in the country being named the "Republic of North Macedonia."German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Monday during a one-day visit to the country to discuss migration and the situation in neighboring Libya.

Algeria's official APS news agency reported the meeting happened in the presence Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and other government members.

The discussions take on particular significance before April's presidential election in Algeria. No candidate has yet emerged because everyone is waiting to learn whether Bouteflika, 81, partially paralyzed from a stroke and rarely seen in public, will seek a fifth term.

Bouteflika traveled to Switzerland earlier this month for medical check-ups.

Algerian television channels showed images of Merkel and Bouteflika talking together.

In a joint news conference, Merkel and Ouyahia said they agreed on a process to send about 700 Algerian migrants identified as illegally staying in Germany back to their country.

Ouyahia suggested that German airline Lufthansa should help with their transfer in addition to Air Algeria. Algerian authorities requested that no special flight is chartered, he said.

"Algeria will take back its children staying irregularly in Germany,'' he said.

Merkel said they also discussed the situation in neighboring Mali and Libya, without providing details.

Before the talks, Merkel visited the hilltop memorial to "martyrs'' who died in Algeria's war of independence with France that ended in 1962.

Germany was Algeria's fourth-largest commercial partner in 2017, with 200 German companies working in various sectors in the North African country.

This was Merkel's first visit to Algeria in a decade. Initially set for February 2017, it was postponed because Bouteflika was stricken with the flu.

Both countries also sought to deepen their economic cooperation.

Mohamed Saidj, professor of political science in Algiers, told The Associated Press that Merkel's meeting with Bouteflika provided the Algerian president an occasion to "show his adversaries that he keeps assuming normally the prerogatives of his office.''

Saidj stressed that Algeria has strong economic links with Germany especially in mechanical engineering, the auto industry, renewable energy, the chemical sector and pharmaceuticals.NASA chiefs going back 30 years have come together to mark the space agency's 60th anniversary.

Five former NASA administrators joined current boss Jim Bridenstine in Orlando on Monday. It was the largest gathering ever of NASA heads and included every administrator since 1989. The conference was arranged by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The longest-serving administrator, Daniel Goldin of the 1990s, told Bridenstine there's more to NASA than human spaceflight and that the science and technology programs can help draw more public support.

Richard Truly of the post-Challenger shuttle era agreed, but noted humans need to explore.

Bridenstine, meanwhile, ran down NASA's latest plans for sending astronauts back to the moon.

Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin was present for the panel discussion.

NASA began operations on Oct. 1, 1958.Peru's president wants the opposition-dominated Congress to hold a special session this week to debate his proposed anti-corruption measures.

President Martin Vizcarra made the announcement Sunday night in a televised speech, calling on Peru's Congress to give his Cabinet a vote of confidence.

If the lawmakers instead give a no-confidence vote, Vizcarra will then be empowered by Peru's constitution to dissolve Congress.

Analysts say, however, the lawmakers may rally behind the president's proposal, following the emergence of several videos showing judges negotiating bribes with politicians to settle cases.

Vizcarra took office in March after Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned amid a graft scandal.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin say they have reached an agreement that averts a looming military offensive on the Syrian rebel-held Idlib enclave.



"We will prevent a humanitarian tragedy which could happen as a result of military action," Erdogan said after Monday's talks at the Russian Black Sea Sochi resort.



The two leaders agreed to create a 15 to 20 kilometer demilitarized zone in the Syrian enclave. Putin claimed the agreement would remove the threat to the Russian Hmeimim military airbase, which has been targeted by rebels, including using drones.

Putin said Russian and Turkish forces would enforce the demilitarized zone, which would see the removal of the rebels' heavy weapons as well as the "withdrawal of all radical fighters" from Idlib, including the Al-Nusra Front.



Syrian forces, backed by Russian airpower, were threatening to overrun Idlib  the last rebel stronghold. Erdogan has warned of a looming "bloodbath." On Monday, he said the "world was looking at Sochi" to avert a humanitarian crisis.



A top U.S. official Wednesday called the talks between Russia and Turkey "encouraging."



"The discussions that they're having lead us down a path the potential that you're going to get something that's less kinetic [based on military action]," Defense Intelligence Agency Director, Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, told an audience in Washington.



A military campaign "does no good for the long term of Syria because all it does is continue to add to the human suffering," he said. "We want to see the factions and the different parties come together to be able to start to look at a way we can start setting peace and start working to a sense of normalcy."



Up to 3 million civilians are believed to be trapped in the enclave, along with tens of thousands of rebel fighters, including jihadis linked to al-Qaida and the so-called Islamic State.



Erdogan said Monday's agreement underscored the importance of the two countries' deepening ties.

Turkish media reported that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said a deal would soon be reached by Russian and Syrian forces to end airstrikes on Idlib.



The Sochi meeting is being viewed as a diplomatic success for Erdogan.



"We can say this is a success, as there is a new timeline of the 15th of October, when the heavy weapons have to be evacuated [from the demilitarized zone]," said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who served across the region.



"The mere fact that this meeting in Sochi could have happened  the two leaders being of the same mind as much as possible  this tells me this Russian-Turkish relationship is still very much alive," he added."



Securing more time for Idlib was a key priority for Ankara.

"It's asking for more time to find a nonmilitary solution to the Idlib conundrum," said Sinan Ulgen, head of the Edam think tank.



Ankara fears any attack on Idlib would see hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing across the border. With over 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, Erdogan said the country could not take any more.



Damascus, supported by Moscow, claims the Idlib region is a center of terrorism, which threatens the whole country.



At a summit in Tehran earlier this month with Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Erdogan proposed that Turkish forces help to differentiate rebels from designated terrorist organizations in Idlib. Putin dismissed the proposal.



Despite backing opposite sides, Ankara and Moscow have been cooperating with Tehran to end the Syrian civil war. The process was initiated in the Kazakh capital of Astana, focusing mainly on resolving battlefield issues.



Turkish-Russian cooperation on Syria is the springboard for broader deepening ties, causing concern among Turkey's NATO allies.



"If we witnessed such an operation against Idlib, it would undermine Turkey's trust in Russia," Ulgen said.



Analysts suggest Putin's apparent accommodation of Erdogan is likely motivated by his broader strategic goal of continuing to foment tensions in NATO by courting Erdogan.



"Right after this meeting in Sochi, President Erdogan will be traveling to New York," Selcen noted. "And so, maybe Putin felt he had to sweeten this relationship enough, so not to push Turkey towards the American side once again."



U.S.-Turkish relations remain deeply strained over a myriad of differences. However, the two sides share common ground opposing Damascus's threatened Idlib operation.



Ankara has also been reinforcing its armed presence in the rebel enclave. Under an agreement with Moscow and Tehran, Turkey has established 12 military observation posts in Idlib.



In the last few days, the observation posts have been beefed up with tanks and heavy artillery.



"We will fulfill our responsibilities in Syria," Erdogan said Monday before his meeting with Putin. "The protection of civilians, as well as dealing with terrorists, are a crucial matter."



Turkish armed forces are also deployed on the Idlib border, including long-range artillery.



"Moscow was determined to avoid the danger of a confrontation between Turkey and Damascus," Selcen said.



The Sochi agreement appears to have at least bought time for further diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation in Idlib. However, analysts warn there are good reasons for caution.



"We have to wait and see what happens in the next month or so in Idlib," said Selcen. "How will Turkey stop groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [an al Qaida-linked group] [from] fighting and give up their heavy weapons? That task will fall heaviest on Turkey. It remains to be seen how they will achieve this. That is why I am cautious."The Russian military said on Monday that the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing all 298 people on board, came from the arsenals of the Ukrainian army, not from Russia.

The jet was shot down by a Soviet-made missile over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border, where fighting had been raging for months between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.

The Netherlands and Australia announced in May that they believe the missile was transported to Ukraine from a military unit in the Russian city of Kursk.

Russia has vehemently denied involvement and has over the years come up with various theories as to the cause of the crash, generally laying the blame on the Ukrainian side.

Lt. Gen. Nikolai Parshin, chief of the Missile and Artillery Directorate at the Russian Defense Ministry, told reporters on Monday that the military had studied and declassified archives at the research center outside Moscow that produced the Buk missiles after the Dutch investigators displayed parts of the missile and their serial numbers. Parshin said the Russian archives show that the missile that was made of these parts was transported to a military unit in western Ukraine in 1986, and to Russia's knowledge never left Ukraine.

Asked about the possibility that the separatists may have seized the missile system during fighting in 2014, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov conceded that Russia does not have any documents proving otherwise but pointed to the statements of Ukrainian officials who have denied that separatists seized any of their Buks.

The Joint Investigation Team, set up by nations that lost citizens in the MH17 crash, said in a statement that it has "taken note" of the information that the Russian military made public Monday. The investigators said they had asked Russia for information regarding the serial numbers before but had not received a reply.

The separatists in the weeks prior to the plane crash bragged on social media about shooting down Ukrainian military aircraft. On the day that MH17 crashed, a rebel commander posted that his troops had shot down a Ukrainian military plane. He later said his account has been hacked and that the rebels did not shoot down any aircraft that day.

A highly placed rebel, speaking to the AP shortly after the crash, admitted that rebels were responsible. The rebels believed they were targeting a Ukrainian military plane, the person said. He did not speculate, however, on a possible role of the Russian military in the attack.

The Russian military did provide material assistance to the rebels, and journalists sighted sophisticated weapons in the separatist-controlled areas that were never in Ukraine's arsenals.

Oleksandr Turchynov, secretary of Ukraine's Security and Defense Council, said on Monday that Russia's claim is "yet another failed fake report that the Kremlin made up in order to cover up their crime that has been proven by the official investigation as well as independent experts."A number of senators, including several Republicans, are calling for a possible delay in the nomination vote for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after a woman publicly alleged Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

Christine Blasey Ford, professor at Palo Alto University in California, told the Washington Post that she feared for her life during the attack. Ford's laywer says she is willing to testify before Congress about the incident.

"I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford told the Post in an interview published Sunday.

Ford said the incident took place at a party in Maryland in the 1980s when both she and Kavanaugh were in high school.

She said Kavanaugh and a friend cornered her in a bedroom where Kavanaugh threw her down on a bed and tried to remove her clothes. She said both boys were "stumbling drunk.''

Kavanaugh has denied any wrongdoing.

"I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation," he said in a statement last week. "I did not do this back in high school or at anytime."

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination on Thursday.

A committee statement Sunday accused Democrats of hiding Ford's allegations until the eve of the vote.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the committee, said he agrees with the concerns expressed in the statement, but that he would welcome hearing from Ford if she wants to talk to the members directly.

"If the the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled," Graham said.

Sen. Jeff Flake, another Republican on the committee, went further, saying he would not vote to approve Kavanaugh without first hearing from Ford.

Another Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, also told CNN late Sunday that the committee should consider delaying the vote.

"This is not something that came up during the hearings. And if there is real substance to this, it demands a response," she said.

The top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Dianne Feinstein led a number of Democrats calling for a delay in the vote.

"I support Mrs. Ford's decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee," Feinstein said in a statement released Sunday.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also called for a delay in the confirmation process while Ford's allegations are investigated.

"To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court," he said in a statement.

Kavanaugh, 53, is a federal appeals judge in Washington. President Donald Trump nominated him in July to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.South Sudanese President Salva Kiir says he called rebel leader Riek Machar to urge him to pull back his troops after reports of fighting in parts of Yei River state.

Speaking Monday at a memorial service in Juba for the 20 victims of a plane crash last week in Eastern Lakes state, Kiir said government and SPLA-IO forces have been fighting for the past three days in parts of Yei River state.

He told the congregation he asked the chairman of the SPLA-IO to order his forces not to attack government troops for the sake of peace.

"It was my initiative to call him and ask him why he is still fighting us when we have signed the agreement. So I told him, 'What is this? Is it the acquisition of more territories? We have signed the agreement. I don't want us to go back to war again. So, you talk to your commanders in the field so that they don't attack us again,'" Kiir said.

Kiir, Machar and the leaders of other parties at the talks signed what they call a final, revitalized peace agreement last week in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Kiir said the peace deal marks the end of five years of civil war.

"I want to personally assure you that the agreement we have just signed has ended the war. Your suffering provided the primary motivation for this government to pursue peace by all means necessary," Kiir told the congregation.

He called on the South Sudanese people to join the government and others in implementing the peace deal and to put their differences with other community members behind them.

"I want to appeal to all of you to accept and embrace this peace agreement [and forgive] your brothers and sisters from the opposition side and so that we close the dark chapter on the wall by forgiving each other. We give the chance to peace and prosperity of our peace and our nation," Kiir said.

According to the agreement, the parties are supposed to form a Joint Defense Command to include soldiers from the government side as well as from other armed groups.

The Cease-fire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSSAMM) confirmed there was fighting during the weekend in Yei town, and it is investigating reports of clashes between government and SPLA-IO forces in Yei River state.

In a Twitter post on Saturday, CTSAMM said it received reports of violations of the cease-fire agreement in the Yei area and reminded the parties of their commitment to refrain from any form of hostilities.

A civil society activist who prefers to be identified only as "Benson" for security reasons tells VOA's South Sudan In Focus that civilians fear for their lives.

"I see people who are kind of being reserved now in the way they talk, the way they walk, they do their things in town because people are having this suspicion that something at any time can happen," said the activist.

He says that since the beginning of the month, government and rebel forces have clashed in Lainya of Yei River state.

Benson says residents are questioning if the parties are serious about implementing the agreement signed last week.They dug trenches around towns, reinforced caves for cover and put up sand bags around their positions. They issued calls to arms, urging young men to join in the defense of Idlib, the Syrian province where opposition fighters expect to make their last stand against Russian- and Iranian-backed government troops they have fought for years.

This time, it's "surrender or die."

As the decisive stand for their last stronghold looms, this motley crew of tens of thousands of opposition fighters, including some of the world's most radical groups, is looking for ways to salvage whatever is possible of an armed rebellion that at one point in the seven-year conflict controlled more than half of the country.

In its last chapter, just as it has throughout the long, bloody war, the Syrian rebellion's fate lies in foreign hands. This time, the splintered and diverse rebels have only Turkey.

"The whole world gave up on us, but Turkey will not," said Captain Najib al-Mustafa, spokesman for the Turkish-backed umbrella group known as the National Front for Liberation.

Idlib, with its 3 million residents and more than 60,000 fighters, is Turkey's burden to bear.

Ankara has appealed to Russia and Iran, its uneasy negotiating partners, for a diplomatic resolution to the ticking bomb. At the same time, it has sent reinforcements of its troops ringing Idlib, a move designed to ward off a ground assault, at least for now.

A wide offensive is only likely after a green light from Russia. But delicate diplomatic moves are at work. Moscow is keen on strengthening ties with Turkey, at a time when Ankara's relations are at their lowest with the United States. Turkey, by calling on the United States and Europe for support, seems to be playing on that interest to pressure Russia to accept its proposals for a solution on Idlib that avoids an attack.

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met for the second time in 10 days with Russia's Vladimir Putin, this time in Sochi, Russia.

"After proving its influence in Syria and the Middle East, Russia wants to pull Turkey away from the West much more than achieve a military victory over the armed Syrian opposition," Mustafa Ellabbad, an expert on Turkish-Arab relations, wrote in Kuwait's al-Qabas newspaper.

The beating heart of the rebellion

The province, the size of Lebanon, has been the beating heart of the rebellion for years. In rebel hands since 2015, it is the largest contiguous territory they controlled. It has access to Turkish borders, securing supply lines for weapons, fighters and aid.

For the past two years, Idlib saw an influx of an estimated 20,000 rebel fighters from around the country after their losses to government troops and surrender deals negotiated with Russia and Damascus following devastating sieges. Civilians who refused to go back under government rule were also bused there, nearly doubling the province's population.

Among the estimated 60,000 opposition fighters in Idlib are at least 10,000 radicals affiliated with the al-Qaida-linked group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee). The group denies it is linked to al-Qaida. Thousands of foreign fighters, from China, Europe and the Middle East, are the backbone of the radical groups.

The Turkish reinforcements are going to 12 observation points that Ankara set up around Idlib last year under a deal with Russia and Iran creating a "de-escalation zone." The deal also effectively stopped an earlier government advance and set Turkey up as Idlib's protector.

Separately, Turkey has troops stationed in the enclave under its control north and east of Idlib, where it backs Syrian opposition fighters and a civilian administration. It is part of its plan to create a safe area along the border where some of the more than 3 million Syrian refugees it hosts may return.

Ankara initially sent in its troops more than two years ago to push out the Islamic State group and Syrian Kurdish fighters. For Ankara, the increasingly assertive, U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds were an existential threat that encourages the aspirations of its own Kurdish insurgents.

"In the mind of the rebellion, the hope is that from Turkish support they can have ... a republic of northern Syria, protected by Turkey like Northern Cyprus," said Fabrice Balanche, a Syria watcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

These Turkey-administered areas are likely to be the destination of the displaced and rebels of Idlib in case of an offensive.

Threats for Turkey

An Idlib offensive holds multiple threats for Turkey right on its border  a humanitarian crisis, a security nightmare with thousands of gunmen loose and a defeat to its plans for the safe zone. If Syrian forces retake Idlib with no agreement on the fate of the opposition fighters, they could threaten the Turkey-controlled enclave, and Ankara would lose credibility with the fighters and leverage with Damascus on any future deal.

"There is really no way for the Syrian military and Damascus' allies to launch a military offensive on Idlib that doesn't have deeply negative, injurious effects on Turkey. There is no real way they can cushion this for Turkey," said Sam Heller, a Syria expert in the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

Turkey's strategy in the opposition areas has been complicated by the presence of radical fighters. By backing the National Front, it argued it can draw fighters away from the al-Qaida-linked HTS, the dominant power in the province, forcing it to dissolve and creating a new opposition force ready to negotiate with the Syrian government.

The strategy has had limited success.

The National Front in recent months gained control of territory in Idlib from HTS, which still controls nearly 70 percent of the province. HTS began to show signs of splits and two weeks ago, Turkey declared it a terrorist group.

But with the onset of a military offensive, HTS has set up joint operation rooms with different National Front factions.

Making a rare video appearance in late August, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani  wearing an olive-green military uniform  vowed to fight Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and said Turkish observation points were no protection.

The HTS spokesman in Idlib said now was not the time to talk about dissolving into Turkish-backed rebel groups. He underlined that an arrangement must eventually be made for the foreign fighters in the group.

"Right now, no sound is louder than that of the battle," Imad Eddin Mujahed said. "We have many military surprises; enough to upset the balance and ward off aggressors."

In rallies around Idlib the last two weeks, protesters took to the streets to deny that the province is a hotbed of extremists. Thousands raised only the flag of the Syrian revolution, a reminder that there was once a popular uprising against Assad, and Idlib is now its last bastion.

Some raised banners reading: "The rebels are our hope and the Turks are our brothers."

Syrian forces and Iranian-backed militias are likely to avoid a clash with the Turkish troops. But the stance of the Syrian government and Iran is clear: They vow to recapture all Syrian territory and are loath to see an expansion of Turkish and U.S. influence. They argue the West fueled jihadis with past support of the opposition and now must let Syria get rid of them.

"Assad and Russia gave the choice to the international community: First we kill everybody. Second thing, [they said] if you want to protect [Idlib], then take those people you think are nice. ... It is cynical but puts the international community before its contradictions," Balanche said.

Al-Mustafa, the National Front spokesman, said the rebels are prepared for a battle he called "existential."

But, he added, "our cause will not end if we lose this battle."Syria appears to be rejecting urgent calls to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in its northern Idlib enclave, the country's last rebel-held area. Despite appeals by the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria, the government says it is determined to do whatever it takes to root out terrorists.

Military attacks by Syria and its Russian ally against Idlib have been increasing in frequency and intensity during the past weeks.

The United Nations reports dozens of people, including women and children, have been killed and wounded, and several hospitals and schools have been attacked and taken out of service.

The United Nations warns an offensive to retake Idlib, where nearly three million civilians reside, would trigger the biggest massacre of this century.

In a presentation to the U.N. Human Rights Council, Commission of Inquiry on Syria Chairman Paulo Pinheiro notes unlike previous battles in Dara'a or eastern Ghouta civilians in Idlib have nowhere left to flee. War in Idlib, he says, would generate a humanitarian catastrophe.

We call on all parties to urge restraint, to prioritize meaningful political dialogue, and to refrain from embarking on such a tragic repetition, Pinheiro said. To spare the civilian population in Idlib, parties must come to the table and engage in genuine and constructive political dialogue.

In response, Syrias ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Hussam Edin Aala, said his government respects all rules of international humanitarian law and has taken all necessary measures to protect civilians during operations to liberate areas from terrorist groups.

Regarding Idlib province, the Syrian state is determined to liberate Idlib from terrorist entities and organizations, namely the al-Nusra front, classified by the Security Council as a terrorist entity, Aala said. We are also determined to recover the states sovereignty.

The United Nations estimates about 10,000 rebels are intertwined among the civilians. The commission says risking the lives of so many innocent people in a battle to defeat a relative handful of armed fighters is too high a price to pay.A 10-year-old girl has died in Somalia due to complications from female genital mutilation (FGM).

Mumtaz Qorane was the third child to die in the country this week after undergoing the practice, which is also known as female circumcision.

Dr. Mohamed Hussein Aden tells VOA's Somali service that the girl underwent the procedure three days ago in the countryside near the town of Goldogob, and contracted tetanus afterward.

He said a medical team sent to bring her to a hospital in the town of Galkayo was told Monday morning that the girl had died.

Aden received an emergency call about the girls grave condition on Sunday while talking to VOA Somali about the death of two sisters, Asiya Farah Abdi Warsame and Khadija Farah Abdi Warsame, who bled to death following FGM.

Doctors and activists said the girls died in Bur Salah village about 75 kilometers west of Galkayo, but the mutilation took place about a week ago near Galladi, across the border in the Somali region of Ethiopia.

Galkayo hospital is the main health facility used by nomads who live along the border areas between Somalia and Ethiopia.

Dr. Mohamed Hussein Aden said the two girls who died in Bur Salah were aged 10 and 11, adding, "There is no other way to describe it, it's brutal."

Activists are demanding an end to female circumcision, calling it a dangerous ritual with no practical benefits.

The practice involves removing part or all of the clitoris and labia for non-medical reasons. The World Health Organization (WHO) says cutting, often performed on girls 15 and younger, can result in bleeding, infection, problems with urination and complications with childbearing.U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh went to the White House on Monday after strongly denying that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl three decades ago when they both were in high school, an accusation that has thrown his nomination to the lifetime appointment into turmoil.

"Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday," Kavanaugh said in a statement Monday. "I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity. The federal circuit judge declared he had "never done anything like what the accuser describes."

Christine Blasey Ford alleged in a Washington Post interview published Sunday that she feared for her life when Kavanaugh and a friend, both "stumbling drunk," cornered her in a bedroom at a house party in suburban Washington in the early 1980s and Kavanaugh groped her.



All 10 Democratic Party members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are calling for the panels Republican chairman to postpone Thursdays planned vote on Kavanaugh.

Committee chairman Senator Chuck Grassley said "Anyone who comes forward as Dr. Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner....we are working diligently to get to the bottom of these claims," he said in a statement.

Republican Senator Susan Collins tweeted that both Ford and Kavanaugh should testify under oath.



Lawyer Debra Katz, who is representing Ford, said her client was willing to testify about her allegation before the Senate panel.



White House adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters earlier Monday that Ford "should not be insulted and she should not be ignored."

Katz told news shows Monday that Ford, now a 51-year-old research psychologist at Palo Alto University in California, characterizes Kavanaugh's actions as "attempted rape," and believes "that if it were not for the severe intoxication of Brett Kavanaugh, she would have been raped."

The Judiciary panel questioned the 53-year-old Kavanaugh for two days earlier this month. Democrats and a handful of Republican lawmakers are calling for time to hear Ford's accusations and Kavanaugh's response.



Republicans, some of whom see the allegations as a stalling tactic of Democrats, have been pushing to confirm Kavanaugh before Novembers mid-term elections when they could lose control of the Senate.

Ford is not taking a position, Katz said, on whether Kavanaugh ought to withdraw his bid to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy.

She believes that these allegations obviously bear on his character and his fitness, and the denials of course bear on his character and fitness, Katz told NBC.

This is not a politically motivated action, Katz said. In fact, she was quite reluctant to come forward.

Ford said in the interview with the newspaper that Kavanaugh threw her down on a bed, grinding his body against hers and trying to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she was wearing over it. Ford said that when she tried to scream, he put his hand over her mouth.



I thought he might inadvertently kill me, she was quoted as saying in the newspaper. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Ford said she escaped when Kavanaugh's friend jumped on top of them, sending all three tumbling. Ford said she ran from the room, briefly locking herself in a bathroom and then fleeing from the house.



A Judiciary committee statement Sunday accused Democrats of hiding Ford's allegations until the eve of the committee vote.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the committee, said he would welcome hearing from Ford.

"If the committee is to hear from Ms. Ford, it should be done immediately so the process can continue as scheduled," Graham said.

Sen. Jeff Flake, another Republican on the committee, went further, saying he would not vote to approve Kavanaugh without first hearing from Ford.

The top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, led a number of Democrats calling for a delay in the vote.

"I support Mrs. Ford's decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee," Feinstein said in a statement released Sunday.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer also called for a delay in the confirmation process while Ford's allegations are investigated.

"To railroad a vote now would be an insult to the women of America and the integrity of the Supreme Court," he said in a statement.The Ugandan government says the European parliament is trying to interfere in the countrys politics. Last week, the EU parliament passed a resolution condemning acts by Ugandan security forces, including the arrests of members of parliament, the violent repression of protests, and alleged acts of torture.

The Ugandan government says the move by the European Parliament is calculated to undermine the progress Uganda has made over the years.

Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said Monday the resolution is meant to bolster a few Ugandan leaders who want to act with impunity merely because they are elected.

The EU Parliament resolution, among other things, states the arrest of members of parliament is a serious violation of their right to immunity and thereby an attack on the independence of the Ugandan parliament.

It also calls for the immediate release of all the suspects detained illegally, and for criminal proceedings against police officers suspected to have shot dead two civilians.

Opondo characterized the resolution as a show of support for Ugandas opposition.

Uganda takes objection to the tacit approval of indisciplined behavior by the EU leaders and some of their institutions of Ugandas opposition politicians in the country, Opondo said. Could [the] EU parliament and those who actively promote impunity in other peoples nations have some humility in this area?

Four legislators and 29 others face charges of treason for allegedly pelting President Yoweri Musevenis convoy with stones and damaging property during election-related violence in the Arua district in August.

In his address to the nation on the Arua chaos, Museveni said the protesters had been paid by unidentified non-government organizations to disrupt the country.

Museveni said opposition politicians accused of terrorism, conspiracy to commit arson, and treason are telling lies to foreign governments.

"Interfering in the internal affairs of other countries is morally and practically wrong, Museveni said. Morally wrong because the question is, what superior intelligence do you have to think that you can understand the problem in my house better than we the occupants? If there is a problem in my house, we the occupants will solve it, keep out.

The government insists an opposition member who is unhappy with the decisions of government must use peaceful methods to challenge it.

Opondo says they are now waiting for the EU parliament to formally furnish the resolution. When that happens, he said, the Uganda minister of foreign affairs will make a diplomatic response.The Commission of Inquiry on Burundi accused the country of persistent and widespread violations of human rights, some of which it says constitute crimes against humanity.

The Commission presented its final report on the situation in Burundi to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. It says violations  which include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, and sexual violence  are used by the government and its allies to bend the Burundian people to its will.

The Commission accuses members of the National Intelligence Service, including senior officials and the police, of serious violations. It also expresses concern about the growing role played by the youth militia, the Imbonerakure, in controlling the population.

Commission member Francoise Hampson says the Burundian state is to blame for the wrongful acts committed by the Imbonerakure, since it exercises overall effective control.

"The climate of disregard for human rights in Burundi continues to be fomented by repeated calls for hatred and violence by authorities, including the head of state  and by an overall context of impunity," she said. "The judiciary in Burundi is not independent, and has not been so for several years."

The government of Burundi has refused to cooperate with the Commission, declaring its members persona non grata. The Commission has collected more than 400 testimonial accounts from victims and witnesses in neighboring countries, as well as remotely from Burundians residing in the country.

The Commission is appealing to the U.N. Council to renew its mandate for one more year, especially in light of the preparation for the 2020 elections. It notes the number of serious human rights violations that occurred in 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for and won a controversial third term.

Burundi's Ambassador to the U.N. Renovat Tabu rejected the report, calling it false, politically motivated, insulting and derogatory. He says the report is scandalous and a flagrant violation of Burundi's sovereignty.U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley accused Russia of cheating on international sanctions against North Korea, saying Moscow is undermining U.S. efforts to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.

Russian corruption is like a virus, Haley told a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday. It is impeding our ability to achieve complete denuclearization in North Korea.



Haley said she was upset about a report from the independent experts who monitor U.N. sanctions implementation. The United States had provided evidence to the experts of Russian violations, but the report presented to council members omitted the Russian violations.



Apparently, Russia threatened to prevent release of the report unless its demand to hide the evidence of its violations was met, the U.S. ambassador said. To our deep regret, the panel agreed.

Haley said the United States had no choice but to prevent publication of the tainted report.



The difficult, very sensitive talks with North Korea are ongoing, Haley told council members. The Trump-Kim summit has set us on a path toward complete denuclearization, but we are not there yet. And until we get there, we must not ease the powerful worldwide sanctions that are in place. U.S. and North Korean leaders met on June 12 in Singapore and agreed to that the North would dismantle its nuclear program.

Haley said Moscow has systematically violated U.N. sanctions, particularly on oil exports, allowing Russian flagged vessels to transfer petroleum products to North Korean tankers on the high seas. Since January, Haley said the U.S. has tracked at least 148 instances of such transfers.



We estimate that, at least, North Korea has obtained over 800,000 barrels of refined petroleum products in the first eight months of this year, the U.S. ambassador noted. Thats 160 percent of the 2018 annual cap of 500,000. In reality, we think they have obtained four times the annual quota in the first 8 months of this year.

Russias U.N. envoy dismissed the U.S. accusations, saying it was Washington that sought to interfere with the work of the panel, not Moscow.



The work of the panel of experts -- which because of decisions beyond our control became increasing politicized -- they became ultimately the hostages to the vision of Washington, Vassily Nebenzia said.



The Russian ambassador said the panels first version of the report did not meet the committees standards of objectivity and impartiality and that Moscow, as well as some other council members, submitted comments to the panel that were viewed correctly by the experts and then taken on board when they sent their final report to the council.



In fact, Nebenzia countered, it is not Moscow that is pressuring the experts, but Washington.



Arent you the ones who are exerting direct pressure on the group demanding that they change their opinion in their report that they will convey to the Security Council? Nebenzia asked. He said Washington is treating the sanctions committee as a sledgehammer to punish Pyongyang for its intransigence.



While he offered simple explanations to refute each of the U.S. accusations, he did not explicitly state that Russia is enforcing the sanctions. And he recommended that the sanctions committee ease sanctions through special temporary exemptions for inter-Korean projects.

Other council members reiterated the importance of Security Council unity and maintaining pressure through sanctions implementation.



In the region, the leaders of South and North Korea are continuing their engagement and are to meet for a third time on Tuesday.



The summit is expected to add renewed energy to the current diplomatic process, South Koreans U.N. Ambassador Cho Tae-yul told the council. We hope and expect that a significant breakthrough can be made during the summit meeting in Pyongyang, which in turn will help resume the stalled U.S.-DPRK negotiations. DPRK is the abbreviation for North Koreas full name.

Also during Monday's meeting, the U.N.s political chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, told the Security Council there continue to be signs that North Korea is maintaining and developing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.



The International Atomic Energy Agency remains unable to access the DPRK and verify the correctness and completeness of the DPRKs declarations under its safeguards agreement, DiCarlo said referring to the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency.The newly appointed United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, says that Zimbabwe must follow through on promised reforms if it wants U.S. sanctions on the country to be lifted.

In an interview Friday at the Voice of Americas Washington headquarters, the diplomat told VOAs Zimbabwe Service that the newly elected administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa will get the U.S. government's full support if it implements legal changes it promised during the election campaign.

Nichols said those reforms include observing the rule of law and allowing citizens such freedoms as access to information and free speech.

Sanctions renewed

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump renewed sanctions against Zimbabwe and set out steps the country needed to take to have them removed. The presidential act, called the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act of 2018, also known as Zidera, set one such condition as ensuring that Julys national elections were free and fair.

Following those elections, the ruling ZANU-PF was declared the winner, but the opposition challenged the results, claiming fraud. The Constitutional Court in August ruled against the oppositions claims of election rigging.

The election, which many said was peaceful compared to previous elections, was not free of violence. The army reportedly used live ammunition and killed at least six people during opposition protests of the vote.

Nichols said he has met both Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and looks forward to working with both men.

I think they are both people who love their country and are committed to improving Zimbabwe and changing many of the problems of the past, he said.

Targeted sanctions, remedies

Mnangagwa has called for the lifting of U.S. sanctions against officials from the ZANU-PF ruling party, top military figures and some government-owned firms, which were imposed during former President Robert Mugabes rule for election rigging and human rights abuses.

Zimbabwes Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo has said Mnangagwas government was shocked by the renewal of U.S. sanctions.

Nicholas emphasized that the United States has targeted sanctions on only some individuals and entities in Zimbabwe, but not the entire country, and that U.S. businesses are not restricted from investing or doing business in Zimbabwe.

He said that businesses want to invest in Zimbabwe, but also that investors want to see the implementation of reforms talked about by government officials.

Decisions on investment in Zimbabwe are driven by the economic conditions in Zimbabwe, the rule of law, the assurances that peoples investments will be protected, that they have the right to have majority ownership in their businesses, he said.

Economic potential

Nichols says he believes Zimbabwe has much economic potential, especially in tourism, agriculture and mining sectors.

Zimbabwe is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.  Zimbabwe should be capturing more tourists and providing them with a world-class experience, he said.

In terms of agriculture, Nichols said he hopes reforms discussed by both candidates during the presidential campaign will be implemented to help build a more resilient and successful agricultural sector. Zimbabwes agricultural output plummeted under Mugabe, who seized white-owned farmland beginning in 2000 and gave it to blacks with little experience in large-scale farming.

And then obviously the extractive industry sector, mining, is one where Zimbabwe has tremendous potential  40 different valuable minerals in Zimbabwe  that I think, if properly managed, could provide tremendous, tremendous opportunities, Nichols said.

Nichols also announced an initiative in which the United States would help Zimbabwe fight a cholera epidemic. He said the United States was working to provide Zimbabweans with more than 300,000 vaccinations that can help prevent cholera or speed recovery from its infection.

Read the full transcript of the interview with Ambassador Nichols on VOA Zimbabwe Service's website.More than 650 deploying Soldiers of the Minnesota National Guards 34th Red Bull Infantry Division Headquarters, their family members and friends will gather for a deployment departure event at the Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Thursday September 20, 2018.

At the conclusion of the departure ceremony, the Saint Paul-based civic group Serving Our Troops will host a special farewell family dinner in the adjoining Saint Paul RiverCentre Exhibition Hall for the more than 5,000 attendees including deploying Soldiers, family and friends.

After a month of training at Fort Hood, Texas, the deploying Soldiers will be primarily stationed at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait until their return home in late July 2019.

The Division's mission is command and control within Operation Spartan Shield, which builds partner capacity in the Middle East, promotes regional self-reliance and increased security, said Division Chief of Staff, Army Col. Simon Schaefer. The Division will be responsible for operations in approximately 10 countries.

The deploying Soldiers come from more than 220 communities across Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, and several other states.

This is a challenge that our Red Bulls are trained and ready for, said Division Command Sgt. Maj. Joe Hjelmstad of Battle Lake, Minnesota. Our Citizen-Soldiers will return to their families and employers with new skills and experience that will make them even more valuable members of their communities.

The 34th Red Bull Infantry Division Headquarters, and many of the deploying Soldiers, have seen other recent deployments overseas including to Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia.

A live-stream of the deployment departure event will be available for sharing at: Facebook.com/TheRedBulls, YouTube.com/c/TheRedBulls and Twitter.com/TheRedBulls.

The Roy Wilkins Auditorium and Saint Paul River Centre are located at: 175 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102This content is expired!

Unfortunely this content is expired and cannot be viewed anymore; if You are the owner of this content please login to our Website, go to our access panel and enable this content again.The ruined Excubitorium, an ancient barracks for Rome's fire brigade, serves as a memorial to the citys first responders.

The trams rumbling along Viale Trastevere wake me. The bell announcing morning prayers at S. Crisogono tolls a little later. Ponte Garibaldi is visible from the terrace and roofs stretch away to the distant onion dome of S. Andrea della Valle. The Tiber is in flood far upstream, but not here, and so it lies way below its high, canalised embankment. This bucolic setting in Rome bids any viewer to think its eternal. Outside, though, not all is as it appears from the terrace. The never-ending piles of rubbish attract rats that scrabble brazenly over the cobblestones. The pavements are crumbling, the only clean sections are being swept by enterprising migrants who invite pedestrians to pitch a coin into soup bowls beside signs in crude cursive. Everyone knows Rome is in crisis. House prices are going up, visitors arrive in droves to occupy a spiralling number of Airbnb rooms, but civic life in this eternal city is visibly waning.

Excubitorium

Under my apartment block lies the ancient Roman fire-station  the Excubitorium - known as Corte VII. Although it is normally closed to the public, it is possible to get a permesso, and a kindly inspector from Romes superintendency will open it up. I cannot stress how worthwhile and thought-provoking these ruins are. Excavated in 1866 by Angelo Pellegrini on behalf of the Vatican, they remained open and uncurated until 1966. Sad to say, this 1966 roof is no longer trustworthy. Bits plunge into the excavated bowels of the fire station below, obliging us to only stand at the door and not enter. Still, it is an extraordinary sight if you let your imagination loose.

Constant vigilance

Ancient Romes fire service was set up by Augustus in 6 AD when the citys population numbered an estimated million souls. The Excubutorium was the watch-house of the seventh cohort of the vigiles, the brigade that took care of the Transtiber (region XIV). The citys brigade was composed of 3,920 men divided into seven cohorts of 560, each subdivided into seven centuries of 80 men. Each cohort had responsibility for two regions, with a watch-house in each where the men kept their kit. The vigili were constantly on the lookout for fires and were authorised to break into property to stop one from spreading.

The Corte VII building was a brick-built town house dating from the second century AD that was transformed into a fire station at the end of the century. From the steps of today's ruins you look into a dark courtyard with a fountain in the centre. To the right is an elegant porticoed niche that for all the world looks like a door. In fact, it was for a shrine and faces a door on the left that leads into the two- or three-storey, multi-roomed fire-house. Benching followed the walls of the atrium. Red plaster once covered the benches and walls to conceal the brickwork, and, according to our guide, was vandalised by hundreds of graffiti made by the firemen as they whiled away their down-time.

Excavations

Descending into this now anonymous excavation, the extent and complexity of life in ancient Rome at its zenith is nothing less than awesome. Did firemen from here cross the Tiber to fight the great 80 AD fire in the Campus Martius, seat today of the Crypta Balbi, the museum dedicated to Romes final centuries and the immediately following period?

Heading for the Crypta, as Italian archaeologists affectionately call it, my visit to the Excubitorium sets me thinking. I have recently been reading Kyle Harpers Fate of Rome (2017), his spirited, provocative and well-written new book that almost, if not quite, attributes the decline of Rome to climatic conditions and the bubonic plague.

A view of the exedra of the Crypta Balbi today.

In his faux thriller, Harper leads his readers smartly through Roman imperial history from Augustus to the seventh century. Cleverly, he inserts climatic change as a causal vector along the way. The fire-station under my apartment, it would now appear, was constructed during the Roman Climatic Optimum. Over this period the Mediterranean tessellation of micro climates enjoyed warm, wet and stable weather causing the Alpine glaciers to melt. The empire of Augustus and his immediate successors, according to Harper, was a fecund, giant greenhouse. This was what historian Edward Gibbon famously described as the happiest age.

There were adverse consequences for Romes metaphorical soul, such as the river Tiber regularly breaking its banks, most often in late summer halcyon days. Pliny the Younger describes furniture floating through the streets. The Optimum ended in the Antonine period, in the second century AD, with a smallpox plague. Catastrophic late summer floods that doubtless engulfed the firemen in the Excubitorium, the breeding ground of infectious diseases like bacillary dysentery and malaria, were eclipsed by a smallpox pandemic that carried away as many as 150,000 of Romes citizens in mid-to-late 166 AD. It was, writes Harper, a pathogen bomb.

Romes apocalypse?

Rome and its empire bounced back, of course. But by the fifth century civic management was in poor shape and probably led to the desertion of the Excubitorium. Worse followed, as Harper colourfully describes. Climatic change ushered in the Late Antique Little Ice Age, a period in the sixth to seventh centuries of cooling and winter storms causing extreme flooding in the capital, as well as colder climes. As if this wasnt bad enough, a pernicious disaster struck in the form of a promiscuous killer, Yersinia Pestis, carried by an oriental rat flea. The pest arrived from the Indian Ocean and first devastated the cities of the eastern Empire.

The reconstructed north porticus at Crytpa Balbi

In the midst of a war between the Ostrogoths and Byzantium, traders and mariners unwittingly transported the flea to Rome, and in 542 AD it decimated the eternal city. As Harper says, the Colosseum, which had been spruced up for games in 520 AD, could by 590 AD and the new pontificate of Gregory the Great have easily accommodated the citys surviving 10-20,000 residents in the fabled arena. (The lugubrious Byzantine historian, Procopius, estimated the citys population plunged to a pitiful 500 citizens.) As Pope Gregory balefully noted, the end of the world is no longer just predicted, but is revealing itself. How many firemen survived, one wonders?

Harpers fateful view of Rome deserves our attention. There can be no doubt that the ancient metropolis was first and foremost a city of civil servants, full of institutions like the fire brigades. With no political will, afflicted by unrest and internecine political struggle to control it, as well as by the pernicious flea, and at a time of drastically unsettled weather, a perfect storm seems to have extinguished Romes administrative classes. That is certainly the upshot of visiting the Crypta Balbi museum, close to the Largo Argentina where Julius Caesar met his end.

Excavating an insula

This discreet museum is a shrine for me. Here history was made by archaeologists who gave texture to Romes imperial twilight and its aftermath. The museums exhibitions date from the citys bi-millennial celebrations, when the city last invested lavishly in its historical assets. At its heart is a celebrated dig, a vaunting and ambitious project by the sagacious and elfin Daniele Manacorda, then a professor at Siena University. Starting in 1982, Manacorda was already a veteran of many digs in Rome and around the Mediterranean. He had cut his teeth unearthing Roman monuments and houses, but rarely placed them in meaningful context. His dream, which he set before the bold superintendent of Rome antiquities Adriano La Regina, was to excavate an ancient insula  a city block  from the 19th century back to Etruscan times. La Regina encouraged him, and apart from his stirring discoveries, the young Manacorda trained a generation. The teams that dug here included many who went on to be professors in countless fields. All were touched by Manacordas vision as well as his kindly intellect.

Gargantuan digs

After more than a decade of gargantuan digs producing warehouses full of finds, it became abundantly clear that the dream was both extraordinarily important and excessive. Important because the wealth of evidence for certain periods was unexpected, excessive because the city did not possess the funds to unearth more than a bite-sized section of the area once associated with the fabled patrician, Balbus.

Lucius Cornelius Balbus was a Spaniard from Cadiz and a prominent member of Emperor Augustuss inner circle. He acquired land in the Campus Martius to construct a theatre after his patrons victory over Libya in 19 BC. Finished in 13 BC, it was opened while the Tiber was in flood. Behind the theatre lay a large, rectangular, enclosed building with a semi-circular exedra on its eastern side. Manacordas excavations, now splendidly published, discovered Etruscan phases and Republican buildings, as well as the steady evolution of Balbuss monumental legacy after the great fire of 80 AD.

Christianity

Perhaps the most important discoveries were made in the phases after Constantine introduced Christianity as the state religion. The huge complex steadily fell into ruin, entertaining not only makeshift Late Antique workshops but also occasional graves before becoming a dumping ground for rubbish from the neighbouring monastery of S. Lorenzo in Pallacinis. Mounds of trash from the exedra attest to seventh-century jewellers making decent bling for Lombard gentry in the mountain valleys of central Italy. Small crosses, late bronze coins and Sicilian amphorae as well as hand-made lamps attest to the decline into a twilight world that Kyle Harper signals in his book. Certain artisans showed admirable competency, while others descended to the pure primitive. The most eloquent testimony to Romes cultural nadir takes the form of its early eighth-century currency: crude, rectangular bronze alloy clippings of coins stamped with cartoon images of popes.

A late-sixth-century child's grave from the exedra of the Crytpa Balbi.

Later, apart from the finest imperial statuary stacked brazenly for burning are fine levels associated with a ninth-century lime kiln, packed with the knick-knacks charting Romes quotidian revival in the ninth and tenth centuries: thick glazed pitchers, glassware and commonplace dress pins.

The museum is a treasure-house dedicated to Romes fate and mediaeval revival. Framed within the ruins of Balbuss imperial foundation, the myriad cases review the inexorable steps towards ruin. Traded Mediterranean amphorae and glasses provide abundant detail for commerce until the early seventh century. It is a bullish narrative of imperial continuity melding into the pontificates. No mention is made of seasonal Tiber flooding or pandemics, only of civil strife and Christian fortitude. Indeed, you might be forgiven for asking if the apocalypse is merely a post-modern fascination with the end of civilization.

Glorious Christian crosses, polished ivories and, above all, frescoes from the surviving shrines constitute the heart of the exhibitions. Painted scenes from the Life of St Erasmus, or the full-frontal frescoed image of a composed St Paul both taken from the mid-eighth century church of S. Maria in Via Lata (now Via del Corso) as well as the later eighth-century architrave from S. Adriano al Foro (made inside the Curia Iulia) with its faux imperial dedication by Pope Hadrian (772-795 AD), attempt to speak to Romes pilgrims as though they belonged to the city in Balbuss times.

Pinpricks of light

For an evocative measure of the outcome of the perfect storm in the sixth century, stop and study the sequence of reconstruction pictures made in their heyday by Studio Inklink. Many excavations from Manacordas great investigations onwards have confirmed that the Carolingian guidebook to Romes churches, the Einsiedeln Itinerary, connected one church and its cults to another similar minuscule beacon through the thickets of stupendous ruins. This Swiss guide comprises eleven itineraries, ten of which meandered within the old walls, and mentions more than a hundred monuments and churches.

The Crypta Balbi museum is overshadowed in the centro storico by Romes great collections in the Capitoline, Domitians Baths, the Palazzo Massimo, and Trajans Markets. Its treasures belong to a world of turmoil rather than stasis and are an antipasto for visiting the churches that straddle Romes decline and mediaeval revival  breathtaking monuments like S. Clemente and S.S. Quattro Coronati.

Fresco of St Paul from S. Maria in Via Lata

The Basilica of S. Crisogono across from my Trastevere apartment was on the ninth-century tourist trail listed in the Einsiedeln Itinerary. Returning over the high-embanked Tiber today, I feel for those foreign pilgrims in early mediaeval times visiting the city of cities and diligently wading through summer flood waters, slapping mosquitoes. Almost certainly they will not have realised that across the street from this shrine, now locked within the fabric of the 12th-century and baroque church you see today, once stood a fire station where vigili with an extraordinary regimen once served as Romes first responders.

Unlike so many world capitals, Rome is obviously eternal thanks to its seamless sequence of kings, senators, emperors, popes, and mayors. Yet behind this continuity it was also an extraordinary barometer of sweeping moments when high waters, toxic fleas, and armed militants swept through the streets and caused havoc.

By Richard Hodges

Further reading: Kyle Harper, The Fate of Rome. Climate, Disease, & the End of an Empire, Princeton, 2017.

Richard Hodges, an eminent archaeologist, is president of The American University of Rome and was director of the British School at Rome from 1988-1995.

This article was published in the July-August 2018 edition of Wanted in Rome magazine.Numerous Rome museums will stay open late on Saturday 22 September.

Italy presents a nationwide programme of more than 1,000 events to mark European Heritage Days which is held across Europe on the weekend of 22-23 September.

Many of Rome's museums and archaeological sites will stay open late on Saturday 22 September, with symbolic ticket prices of 1, and numerous special happenings scheduled in the city's museums on Sunday 23 September.

One of the highlights this year will be the special opening of Palazzo Farnese, seat of the French embassy, which welcomes visitors (for free and without booking) from 09.00-21.00 on 23 September.

Held annually across Europe since 1991, the European Days of Patrimony initiative is designed to emphasise the common cultural heritage shared between Europeans. This year the theme is L'Arte di condividere (The Art of Sharing).Netflix is a global subscriber-based business, a model antagonistic to the long-term theatrical experience. But the company is desperately seeking its first major Oscar win. In the past few months it has hired consultants with numerous best picture prizes to their name to work full-time for the company. Despite spending heavily in the past several years on hopefuls such as the dramas Mudbound and Beasts of No Nation, Netflix has received prizes only in smaller categories such as documentary and cinematography. It has never been nominated for best picture.Some companies have done away with customer service departments. Weve lost the human touch that makes it easier and far more pleasant to do business. And when I called my doctors office with a question about my test results, I wasnt allowed to speak with him, but instead was sent to a physician assistant, who couldnt answer my questions. To all companies that do business with the public, please put people back on the phones!But that time is necessary. In the Kavanaugh case, as The Posts Emma Brown reported in her piece, Ford didnt want her name used, for fear of subjecting herself to criticism and the personal attacks that would be sure to follow. (And have.)The Trump era, overflowing with news, and the emergence of new ways to tell stories appear to be giving a jolt to journalism schools that in recent years struggled to cope with industry contractions. Students such as Ready are more fired up than ever about learning the tools of newsgathering, educators say. And at some prominent schools, theres evidence of growing demand for journalism degrees as applications and enrollment rebound and investigative reporting classes fill up.Their remarks come as universities grapple with how to deal with controversial speakers or ideas, a predicament made more challenging amid widening political polarization and students pushback against speech they view as racist, sexist or homophobic. In some cases, universities have canceled or rescheduled events because of violent protests. And schools have been tested when extreme figures, such as white-nationalist leader Richard Spencer, want to speak on campus. Spencer espouses racist views and advocates for the creation of an all-white state.It was, she said, a source of pride and of pain  a five-year experience that she never regretted, but that came to haunt her in peacetime. Late at night, unable to fall asleep, she sometimes recalled the words of an old battle song that served as an anthem for her and her sister: We have carried the best to their graves/ torn and fired at, beaten till the blood ran/ surrounded by the executioners on the scaffold and jail/ but the raging of the enemy doesnt frighten us.Todays Headlines

The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

Email address

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy PolicyThe Flynn date would fall at least three weeks after the midterm elections. On the one hand, it could mark an end of the special counsel offices investigation of matters related to Flynn or his cooperation, and a deadline for the filing of any related charges or report.Several years ago, a pair of college-age women took turns walking on a well-traveled path across the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. Upon encountering another pedestrian, the women did one of three things: met that persons eyes; met that persons eyes and smiled; or looked toward their eyes but past them  looking at them as if they were air, in the words of Eric D. Wesselmann.The $75 million total represents an upper limit, Layne told members of the House of Delegates Appropriations Committee. About $60 million of the cost was authorized by Northam in advance, but it could be substantially less as resources set aside for Virginia are transferred to North and South Carolina, which took the brunt of the storm.Communities across the Carolinas became cut off and turned into virtual islands Sunday as floodwaters blocked roads, ports remained closed and officials warily monitored damaged utility systems and 3,300 hog ponds loaded with manure. The rivers continue to rise, with some unlikely to crest for several more days.

The death toll from Hurricane Florence rose to at least 17 Sunday night as the remnants of the storm, downgraded to a tropical depression, slid into western North Carolina and the Appalachians. The coastal storm surge, which swamped towns along tidal rivers, has subsided, but now the river flooding is intensifying as the water from Florences record rainfall makes its way to the sea.

Of major concern are the flooded roads, some of them more dangerous than they might first appear to motorists. More than 600 roads are closed in North Carolina, and the states Department of Transportation said motorists should avoid the state altogether. Interstate 95, a crucial East Coast artery, is blocked in both directions in Lumberton, N.C., where the Lumber River on Sunday was already five feet above major flood stage.

First responders and the Coast Guard have rescued more than 900 people from the high water.

This storm has never been more dangerous, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said at midday news conference.



A car drives through a flooded intersection in Latta, in eastern South Carolina, on Sunday. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Cooper said approximately 20,000 people were staying in about 150 shelters across North Carolina. Local and federal officials were warning evacuees that it was not safe to return home.

For those who have evacuated, please stay where you are, said Bill Saffo, mayor of Wilmington, N.C.

The storm and the flooding have created numerous threats to life and health.

Officials in Gaston County, N.C., said a 3-month-old baby was killed Sunday when a tree fell through a familys mobile home. The infant and his mother were taken to a hospital, where the baby died, said Maj. Jamie McConnell, of the countys emergency medical services.

Officials said Sunday that a man and woman in their early 60s died in Horry County, S.C., from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a generator inside their home. Two more South Carolinians died in car crashes, officials said. In Duplin County, N.C., officials said two people died Saturday when flash flooding overwhelmed roads.

At least 11 people in North Carolina and six in South Carolina have died as a result of the storm.

Here in the town of Kinston, hundreds of people woke Sunday for yet another day in the emergency shelter at Lenoir Community College.

For Clifton Jones and his girlfriend, Traci Vann, it was their fourth day of shelter living, and another day of wondering what would happen with the swollen Neuse River.

Youre just kind of stuck here until you figure out where the water is going, Jones said.

We might be stuck on this island for a few weeks, Vann said.

Jones said he doesnt have flood insurance.

If I flood, Ive lost everything, he said. I dont know how Id overcome and start back over again.

Ray Edwards, the shelter manager, said 300 staff members and guests were inside. Another shelter in Kinston had to divert people to the community college after it lost power and started to take on sewage.

As he spoke, his flip phone started to ring.

Oh, food! Edwards said. He was eager to dispatch trucks to pick up hot barbecue from a restaurant in Goldsboro.

Where are you? How many meals you got? he said into the phone.

David Croom, 74, had come to the shelter asking for any information on when the electricity would come back on. His home in a nearby trailer park had been without power since Thursday. His wife needed ice to keep her insulin cool, and he needed electricity for a breathing machine. He was wary of bringing his wife and daughter to the shelter because they have panic attacks in large crowds, he said.

His eyes welled up.

Im not worried about myself, he said. Im worried about them.

Some communities in North Carolina remain largely deserted, including Atlantic Beach. The sporting goods shop Pacific Superstore there was badly damaged, with no one in sight working on the cleanup. Store windows had been shattered, leaving tiny cubes of glass strewn across the parking lot. An inflatable kiddie pool still tethered to the ceiling dangled out the window frame.

In nearby Pine Knoll Shores, Tim Bowers-Young biked through a flooded street. He had defied a mandatory evacuation order.

Im not supposed to be walking in the street, he said. I think Im breaking the law.



John Hendren, 73, leads his horses to safety on Sunday after members of the U.S. Coast Guard helped cut down a fallen tree trapping the horses in a flooded field in Lumberton, N.C. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Resident Bill Stanley, who hadnt left his home since Wednesday, grabbed his shears and started clipping downed branches. Residential neighborhoods look like an upside-down forest of snapped trunks and roots. Some of Stanleys favorite trees are gone, including one he planted after his first Christmas in the house. That tree now leans at a 45-degree angle.

Stanley said he wasnt sure what day it was. He squinted at his watch and decided it was Sunday.

He said he had been running his fridge and freezer on a generator, plugging each in for four hours at a time.

Im going through the gasoline pretty good, and thats hard to get for a while, he said.

In Florence County, S.C., Renee Matthews, 48, surveyed her familys property along the Lynches River on Sunday. The river had risen by more than five feet over the weekend. She has stocked up on water and food and has a motorboat on standby for an emergency. Her mother is sick and her father is frail, and she needs to know when its time to get them out.

These kinds of rain right here is what floods this area, Matthews said, noting the steady precipitation. Next week, itll be our problem. This rivers going to keep rising.

Wilmington residents are coping with what amounts to island living. Theres virtually no way in or out of the city. Interstate 40, the biggest highway leading here, is flooded in many places.

The power remains out almost everywhere. Businesses are shuttered. Residents idle in cars in long lines at a few gas stations.

At 10:09 a.m. Sunday, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority put out a desperate plea for fuel, saying that within 48 hours it could run out and would no longer be able to provide the public with drinking water.

It is with a heavy heart that we share this information with our customers, however, we want to give you as much notice as possible, the utility said on its website. Please begin to make contingency plans for you and your family. Now is a good time to begin filling up bathtubs and water jugs as a contingency to a loss of water delivery.

But three hours later, the situation had grown less ominous, with the utility posting a new notice saying it had found a reliable fuel source for the duration of the recovery.



A member of the North Carolina Task Force urban search-and- rescue team wades through a flooded neighborhood looking for residents who tried to sit out the storm in Fayetteville, N.C., on Sunday. (David Goldman/AP)

New Hanover County and Wilmington city officials Sunday asked the governors office for additional law enforcement personnel, including from the National Guard. Police arrested some looters overnight.

The floodwater is dirty and could get dirtier, depending on the hog ponds and other environmental hazards. By midday Sunday, 28 utility systems had issued boil-water orders, the Environmental Protection Agency said.

If you can avoid contact with floodwaters, do so, said Reggie Cheatham, director of the EPAs Office of Emergency Management. Officials so far are fairly confident, Cheatham said, that farmers prepared adequately in advance of the storm to prevent the ponds from overtopping.

Cassie Gavin, an expert at the Sierra Club, said that it was too early to assess what was happening with hog farms and their waste lagoons. In the 1990s, North Carolina went from 2 million to 10 million hogs virtually overnight, and with few regulations in place, Gavin said.

Studies have found that some eastern North Carolina rivers that have factory farms in the watersheds contain high levels of fecal bacteria and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, Gavin added.

Another environmental hazard comes from coal ash. Environmentalists, Duke Energy and state officials are closely watching developments at the L.V. Sutton Steam Plant in Wilmington, where heavy rains from Florence damaged a coal-ash landfill, eroding a portion of the wall surrounding it.



Parts of a neighborhood are flooded in Latta, S.C. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

EPA officials said that about 2,000 cubic yards of material  the size of two-thirds of an Olympic-size swimming pool  collapsed into a ditch that leads to an on-site pond used for clean cooling water. Dozens of people from Duke Energy and a contractor were braving the weather with heavy equipment Sunday to construct earthen berms to reroute the coal-ash-contaminated ditch water and keep it from running into the cooling-water pond.

The cooling-water pond is separated from Lake Sutton by a narrow berm, and the Cape Fear River runs nearby.

On Sunday, Duke Energy, the facility operator and owner, played down the environmental threat. The situation comes against the backdrop of a regulatory change from the Trump administration that extended the lives of some existing coal-ash ponds from April 2019 to October 2020. The rule change will save the industry between $28 million and $31 million a year in compliance costs, the EPA said.

The EPA treats coal ash as a toxic substance, and Physicians for Social Responsibility says that it typically contains heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium and selenium, and that if consumed or inhaled, it could cause cancer and nervous system disorders.

Duke Energy owns all 31 coal-ash ponds in North Carolina and four more in South Carolina. Paige Sheehan, a Duke spokeswoman, said that coal-ash is nonhazardous. The company does not believe this incident poses a risk to public health or the environment.

Sullivan reported from Wilmington, N.C. Mufson and Achenbach reported from Washington. Kristine Phillips in Florence County, S.C., Sarah Kaplan in Lumberton, N.C., Kirk Ross in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Jason Samenow, Felicia Sonmez and Katie Zezima in Washington contributed to this report.The group is also working to elect Lucy McBath, who is running for a seat in Georgias 6th Congressional District. McBaths 17-year-old son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot in 2012 during a dispute about loud music as he was sitting in a car outside a gas station in Jacksonville, Fla. McBath became a gun control advocate after her sons death and has worked with Everytown. The group has given her $1.2 million.For many in this flooded neighborhood, Monday was a time for those on higher ground to get used to living a life circumscribed by water, a condition many had endured during Hurricane Matthew two years ago  but not to the same extent. For others, it was time to flee for the few patches of dry ground left in this city of 22,000 people about 20 miles from the South Carolina border.Rebels say airstrike hits radio station in Yemen, killing 4: A suspected airstrike by a Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Shiite rebels hit a radio station in the Red Sea port of Hodeida, killing at least four people, a rebel official said. Heavy fighting has been raging around Hodeida as Yemeni government forces backed by the coalition try to retake the city from the rebels, known as Houthis. The attack occurred as officials with the United Nations engaged in shuttle diplomacy to arrange a resumption of peace talks in the conflict.Lawmakers would be wise to add a mechanism to make these financial entities build up their capital in good times to add another layer of safety, as former top housing regulator James Lockhart has proposed. But the precise details of the plan are less important than the fact that Mr. Hensarling supports it. For him, this represents a retreat from his long-held and, in policy terms, highly defensible position that the government could bow out of the mortgage-backing business completely. There is overwhelming political opposition to that position, however, so Mr. Hensarling has now adopted one that, in his view, at least, would increase the influence of market forces. This, in turn, means that Republicans in the next Congress, whichever party controls it, can engage with Democrats on housing finance reform with the implicit blessing of their partys strongest advocate of a market-based solution.The Sweden Democrats vote-share was contained because the other major parties became tougher on immigration as the campaign went on. But Sheri Berman, a Barnard College scholar and close student of social democracy, noted that this was not enough to blunt the desertion of onetime Social Democratic voters to the far right. Exit polls showed that the largest share of defectors from the Social Democrats since the last election  fully one-third of them  went to the Sweden Democrats. Also significant: Parties to the left of more moderate Social Democrats have been gaining ground. In Sweden, the Left Partys vote rose from 5.7 percent to 8 percent.Which raises the question of what corroboration exists. I dont doubt that Ford is telling the truth as best she recalls it, but her recollection is fuzzy. She told The Posts Emma Brown that she did not remember where the incident took place or how she got home. How well did she know Kavanaugh? Is it possible that she misidentified him? She told no one about it at the time  understandable but less than ideal. Hill confided in friends at the time about Thomass behavior. Ford did not describe the incident to others until 2012, some three decades afterward.If theres a hearing before that investigation, the committee is going to be shooting in the dark with questions, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the committee. As a former prosecutor and state attorney general, theres no way I would put a crime survivor on the stand in front of a jury, let alone the American people, without a full investigation so that I know what the facts are before I start asking questions.Legal experts expressed skepticism that Manafort, who has pledged his full cooperation with prosecutors, could be confident that he does not have information that could assist Muellers investigation of Trump. The special counsel has been examining contacts between Trump aides and Russians, as well as whether the president sought to obstruct the investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 campaign.These next few weeks could be perilous for members of the Judiciary Committee  the panel will hear from Kavanaugh again next Monday and has invited Christine Blasey Ford to appear. In an interview with The Washington Post, Ford alleged that, when they were both teenagers in the Bethesda area, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her.To meet that challenge, the Air Force must increase the number of bomber squadrons from nine to 14 and tanker squadrons from 40 to 54, the study found. Operational squadrons include bombers, airlift, cyber, combat search and rescue, and other functions. Squadrons vary in size, but range from about 100 to 1,200 people. A fighter squadron, for example, includes about 24 aircraft.The local sheriff and those tasked with guarding the observatory after the closure said that even they had been kept in the dark. FBI agents  who were on the scene during the evacuation  declined to say anything. Internet sleuths wondered whether researchers had spotted something extraterrestrial, or whether the solar telescope at the site had possibly been hacked to spy on a nearby missile testing range.I dont think anyone liked the idea of the president having to sit through stern defenses of the Iran deal from May and Macron. He could have got very tetchy, as he did at NATO and the G-7, or walked out of the council causing a diplomatic fuss, Gowan added.Trump also has exchanged warm regards with Kim, even though negotiations to curb North Koreas nuclear and ballistic program have been stalemated. Last month, Trump canceled Secretary of State Mike Pompeos planned visit to Pyongyang, hours before the diplomat was due to leave, because Trump felt the talks were not making sufficient progress, he tweeted.Two Bahraini Shiite clerics were detained on Sunday after being interrogated by police for over nine hours.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Two Bahraini Shiite clerics were detained on Sunday after being interrogated by police for over nine hours.



Sheikh Hani al-Banna and Sheikh Yassin al-Jamri were reportedly transferred to the Budaiya Police Station and are expected to appear before Bahrains Public Prosecution on Monday.



Throughout the course of last week, at least six Shiite clerics were summoned for questioning over the content of their religious sermons in the lead up to the annual Ashura commemorations.



Manamas security forces routinely step-up their harassment of Shiite religious figures during Ashura, which honors the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammads grandson, Imam Hussein (AS).





/257If confirmed, it would be the second Israeli strike in two days against Syrian targets, after an attack overnight Saturday on a warehouse at the Damascus airport. Although Israel refuses to confirm or deny most of the scores of attacks it is suspected to have carried out in Syria, its leaders have maintained that Israel reserves the right to strike at will to deter the expansion of Iran and the militant group Hezbollah in Syria and neighboring Lebanon.Australia's Catholic priests have responded to the cathartic experience of the child abuse royal commission with a push for optional celibacy, married priests and a plan to take the issues to the Vatican.

The National Council of Priests believes Pope Francis would approve a request from Australias bishops to allow married priests in remote parts of the country where the lack of priests is a critical and long-standing issue, council chairman Father James Clarke said after a conference last week that considered the royal commission findings.

The councils submission to the Australian Catholic Church Plenary Council conference in 2020, the first of its kind since 1937, will argue priests who have left the church to marry should be allowed to return to the priesthood as married priests.

The councils strong support for reform came in the week Pope Francis called 130 bishops from around the world to a summit in February to discuss the churchs child sexual abuse crisis, after Germany became just the latest country to document decades of abuse by 1600 priests.

The National Council of Priests of Australia backs a full debate of all aspects of the churchs current rules on mandatory celibacy at the 2020 plenary council, after the child abuse royal commission concluded it was an unattainable ideal for many priests that led them to lead double lives, and contributed to a culture of secrecy and hypocrisy in the church.Health Minister Roger Cook has reassured West Australians they can eat local strawberries after a needle was allegedly found in a WA-produced punnet in South Australia on Saturday.

Mr Cook said he was "very confident" widespread tampering of the fruit did not occur in WA despite the weekend discovery, which is being investigated by SA police.

"There has been no incident of tampering of strawberry products in WA," he said on Monday.

"People should obviously be cautious but there should be no fear in consuming strawberry products.

"We don't know where this [contamination] took place ... it may have taken place in South Australia."Dubai: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday accused Twitter of closing accounts of "real" Iranians, while allowing anti-government ones backed by the United States.

In August, Facebook Inc, Twitter Inc and Alphabet Inc collectively removed hundreds of accounts tied to an alleged Iranian propaganda operation.

Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Credit:dpa

"Hello @Jack. Twitter has shuttered accounts of real Iranians, (including) TV presenters & students, for supposedly being part of an 'influence op'," Zarif said in a tweet, addressing Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

"How about looking at actual bots in (the Albanian capital of) Tirana used to prop up 'regime change' propaganda spewed out of (Washington) DC? #YouAreBots," Zarif said.Cairo: Egypt says archaeologists have discovered a statue of a human head and a lion's body in the southern city of Aswan.

A sphinx has been discovered in the Temple of Kom Ombo in Aswan, the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry said on Sunday. Credit:AP

The Antiquities Ministry said on Sunday the sphinx, made of sandstone, was found in the Temple of Kom Ombo during work to protect the site from groundwater.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities said the statue probably dates back to the Ptolemaic time because two engraved sandstone reliefs of King Ptolemy V were two months ago at the south-eastern side of the temple.

The Ptolemaic dynasty ruled Egypt for about 300 years - from about 320BC until the Roman conquest in 30BC.Washington: With the mid-term elections fast approaching in the US, Hillary Clinton has written a scathing critique of President Donald Trump that accused him of disregarding the law and weakening the social fabric of the country, imploring voters to "do everything we can to fight back" and "mobilise massive turnout" in November.

Hillary Clinton in 2016. Credit:AP

When Trump prevailed over Clinton in the 2016 election, she had told her supporters that they owed him "an open mind and the chance to lead," she recalled in the essay, which was posted by The Atlantic on Sunday.

"I hoped that my fears for our future were overblown," she wrote. "They were not."

"And right now, our democracy is in crisis," she added, saying she does not use the word "crisis" lightly.WSU School of Nursing Named in Honor of Annie Taylor Dee

September 11, 2018

OGDEN, Utah  Annie Taylor Dee is remembered as the visionary who brought nursing education to Ogden; now her legacy will be honored with the naming of the Weber State University Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing.

A celebration of the naming will be held Oct. 2 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Weber State University Ballrooms with students, alumni, and members of the medical community.

There is a rich heritage to the name Annie Taylor Dee, and it has resonated throughout our city of Ogden for many, many years, said Susan Thornock, nursing chair. Its always been associated with healthcare and nursing. The stories we hear of her passion for nursing really tie in the history and mission of the school of nursing at Weber State.

Annie Taylor Dee Family History

Annie Taylor Dee, 1912,

Stewart Library Special Collections

Annie Taylor and Thomas Dee married and settled in Ogden in 1871. Thomas partnered with other enterprising Ogdenites to launch successful business ventures in construction, manufacturing, banking, transportation and utilities. Annie joined a number of womens organizations, including the Child Culture Club, whose members taught local mothers how to care for their children, and the Martha Society, which opened a nursery for working mothers and found adoptive homes for orphans.

Tragedy struck the Dee family in December of 1894, when Thomas and Annies 21-year-old son, Thomas Reese, developed severe abdominal pain. At that time, there was no place in Ogden to receive emergency medical treatment. Following a crude operation performed on the familys dining room table, Reese suffered an agonizing death from a ruptured appendix.

Eleven years later on a scorching July day, Thomas traveled by horse-drawn wagon up Ogden Canyon to explore possible water sources there. He accidently slipped into the river and got chilled. By the time he returned home, Thomas had developed pneumonia. Once again, Annie watched helplessly as a loved one suffered. Thomas died on July 9, 1905 at the age of 60.

Thomas D. Dee Memorial Hospital

Annie resolved to honor her husbands memory by building a community hospital that would provide the most competent and compassionate medical care available. The Dee family donated three acres of land on the corner of Harrison Boulevard and 24th Street. The hospital was dedicated Dec. 29, 1910.

Thomas D. Dee Memorial Hospital School of Nursing

It was always Annies intent to establish a nursing school at the Dee Hospital. The Thomas D. Dee Memorial Hospital School of Nursing was the first formal nursing school in Utah. In 1913, the nursing school held its first graduation ceremony at Weber Academy (now Weber State University). Eight graduating nurses recited the Florence Nightingale Pledge and received specially designed diplomas from Annie Taylor Dee.

Dee School of Nursing Class of 1932

Stewart Library Special Collections

Dee Hospital nurses and nursing students made their own cotton balls, sharpened needles and surgical knives, sterilized thermometersand paid for those that broke. They ran the operating and delivery rooms, administered emergency anesthetics, operated the hospital switchboard and staffed the information desk. They admitted and released patients and tallied the bills. In 1932, the Dee Hospital School of Nursing aligned its coursework with Weber College to meet the nursing professions growing academic standards.

In the 1950s, a nursing shortage plagued the U.S. health care system. An experimental program based at Columbia University sought to train nurses in two years instead of three or four. Weber College was one of only seven schools in the nation selected to pilot this revolutionary associate degree model of nursing education. In September 1953, Weber College opened its first nursing classes to 36 women. The students gained practical experience by caring for patients at The Dee.

In 1955, the Dee Hospital School of Nursing was phased out and students were integrated into Weber Colleges program. The iconic Dee Hospital passed into history on July 12, 1969, when patients were moved into Ogdens new McKay-Dee Hospital. Today, the original Dee Hospital site is a community park.

Charitable Foundation

Annie Taylor Dees legacy of giving is sustained through charitable foundations established by her descendants, including son Lawrence Taylor Dee, grandson Thomas D. Dee II and granddaughter Elizabeth Dee Shaw Stewart. The substantial and ongoing support given to WSU and its nursing program by the Lawrence T. & Janet T. Dee and Stewart Education foundations advances the commitment Annie made to education and health care during her lifetime.

The Dee and Stewart foundations are very pleased to support faculty enrichment in the School of Nursing, and honored that the university has chosen to name the school after our ancestor Annie Taylor Dee, said Thomas Tim D. Dee III. She chose nursing as an area to focus her energies and resources, knowing the impact nurses have on healing in people's lives.

About the Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing

Thomas D. Dee Memorial Hospital

Stewart Library Special Collections

The Weber State Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing has more than 40 full-time faculty members and educates nearly 1,000 nursing students each year. The key to the programs success is its flexibility and the ability to deliver nursing education to the student and the community using the stepladder approach. Today the School of Nursing offers three nursing program levels: associates bachelors and masters with a selected focus on administration or education. This format provides nursing students with the option to enter or exit the program at different times or levels in their education. More than 65 years ago, Weber State Universitys Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing opened its doors as part of an innovative program to educate nurses during a time of critical scarcity, Thornock said. The program retains its national reputation for excellence and flexibility and continues to provide highly trained nurses who provide quality care in both urban and rural settings around the region, state and nation.

For photos, visit the following link.

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Colleges-and-Departments/Health-Professions-Dr-Ezekiel-/Nursing/Annie-Taylor-Dee

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.GREENWICH  Last year Greenwich Democrats met with far more success than usual at the ballot box, and the party faithful are looking to build on that in the upcoming November elections.

On Sunday afternoon, the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee held its annual picnic, touting state Senate candidate Alexandra Bergstein and state House candidates Laura Kostin and Stephen Mesgers  all first-time contenders trying to break the Republican grip on state Legislature seats from Greenwich.

Theyre willing to be thoughtful about their votes and not always tow the party line, DTC Chair Tony Turner said Sunday. That degree of independence they bring to the table is something we feel is very, very important for voters.

Turner said the DTC had sold approximately 330 tickets for the picnic, up from the 189 in 2017. Additionally, the number of guests and other attendees swelled the crowd size closer to 400.

We have more unaffiliated voters here than ever before, Turner said. We have more Republican voters here than ever before, and we have more split-registration households here than ever before. Weve got more first-time Democrats than ever before and we have young Democrats here. The momentum were seeing is in a number of demographics and its fantastic.

Bergstein is challenging incumbent State Sen. L. Scott Frantz, R-36, in a district that covers all of Greenwich as well as parts of Stamford and New Canaan. She said she is encouraged from the reaction she has received on the campaign trail as she has focused on pension reform, infrastructure reform and tax reform as part of an economic recovery plan.

Everywhere I go, people are enthusiastic and receptive, Bergstein said. People, regardless of party, want to hear about real solutions that can drive us forward. They dont want to hear about who caused problems or whos to blame. They want realistic solutions.  People are jaded and they can hear right through fluff and campaign rhetoric. Theyve heard that for years and years and years. They are hungry for the truth and real solutions.

In his race against incumbent State Rep. Michael Bocchino, R-150, Meskers said he has knocked on 2,200 doors and will make sure he gets to every one in the district.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive, Meskers said. People have been very warm and welcoming and have been expressing their concerns on the economy and health care and womens health issues. Theyre thrilled to have someone show up on their door and ask for their votes.

Based on his 35 years of experience in investment banking, Meskers said he feels he knows how to redirect the state in the right direction. He said the regulatory environment and taxes need to be addressed to encourage companies that are in Connecticut to hire more employees and to get more companies to move to Connecticut. Lowering the marginal tax rate for companies can do that, he said.

Kostin is running against Republican incumbent state Rep. Fred Camillo in the 151st District. She said her main goal has been to listen to the concerns of voters.

I think everybody is very concerned about the economy and whether Connecticut can be a leader in job growth again, Kostin said. They keep telling me theyre worried that people are leaving our state and that were losing our young people and Im worried about it too. I think we need to lower our corporate tax rate. I think if companies are lured here by paying less and employ more people as a result, I think our income tax receipts will go and more people will pay sales tax and gas tax. Thats a win.

State Rep. Livvy Floren, R-149, does not have a Democratic challenger.

Last November, Greenwich Democrats met with surprising success. The party won control of the towns Board of Estimate and Taxation for the first time in Greenwichs recorded history and Democrat Howard Richman defeated incumbent Republican Tax Collector Tod Laudonia. Additionally, the Democrats exceeded expectations in the Board of Education race, and Selectman Sandy Litvack did better than anticipated in his race against First Selectman Peter Tesei.

We want to harness the energy, Turner said. We have so many people now and we want to tap into that volunteerism. We have armies available today and we need to tap into that and do the work, whether its knocking on doors, making phone calls, recruiting people to get people to the polls.

Greenwich Republicans are set to have their annual September gathering next weekend. The Cos Cob Republican Club and Greenwich Republican Town Committee Clambake will take place Sept. 23 at Greenwich Point with Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski expected to appear along with Frantz, Floren, Bocchino and Camillo.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.comJim was a hard-working man who always had a smile for everyoneA new study predicts 2019 will see 40 billion mobile phone calls, but they also expect about half of those to be from scammers.

Tech company First Orion recently announced scammers are picking up efforts in their 2018 Scam Call Trends and Projections Report.

Topeka resident Randy Austin said over the years hes received more and more spam calls.

Yesterday I got a call that I'd better talk with them because my student loans were in jeopardy, Austin said.

In fact over the past year First Orion's data shows a dramatic increase in scam calls, from 3.7 percent of total calls in 2017 to 29.2 percent in 2018, and by 2019 they expect 44.6 percent of all calls to be scams.

One of their most popular tactics is neighborhood spoofing where the scammer disguises their number to look like a local number on caller i-d.

Austin agreed its effective saying, "If it's in our area code 785 we're going to pick it up, even though we don't recognize the number.

To combat the problem First Orion, which assists phone carriers like t-mobile and sprint, will fully roll out a new in network technology known as "CallPrinting". The company expects it will significantly mitigate the volume of scam traffic beginning in October of this year.

In the meantime, and as always, the best way to protect yourself is to keep your wits about you like Austin.

"I think that [scammers] are going to do things as long as they are effective, so to me the best way to stop scam calls, spam calls, political calls and that sort of thing is immediately to hang up."

The Federal Communications Commission has also joined forces with First Orion to combat scam calls.

For more information on First Orion and their efforts to combat scammers just click

.The days of scrambling to secure toilet paper are over. But the pandemic is continuing to wreak havoc on supply ...

Nearly Two-Thirds of Doctors Say They Could Be Forced to Stop Taking New Medicare Patients Texas Medicare patients could soon...One of the two male workers who were removed from a train that derailed south of Thompson has died and the second worker has life-threatening injuries, according to the RCM

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/9/2018 (1150 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the two male workers who were removed from a train that derailed south of Thompson has died and the second worker has life-threatening injuries, according to the RCM

Around 5:45 p.m. Saturday, the Wabowden detachment received a report of a train derailment at the Minago River crossing on the east-west rail line, located 12 kilometres west of the junction of Highway 6 and Highway 39.

Officers were advised there were two injured crew members from The Pas who were trapped on board and that the train was carrying gasoline and propane.

Officers were flown to the crash site Saturday evening and remained on the scene until rescue personnel and specialized equipment could be brought in.

A 38-year-old worker was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 59-year-old was extricated from the locomotive and airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The RCMP said officers will assist Transport Canada with its investigation.

The Arctic Gateway Group, which recently purchased the Hudson Bay Railway, issued a statement Sunday that said police are still notifying the affected families.

It said it is co-operating with the emergency services teams on site and will conduct an internal review to determine the cause of the derailment.

The company says the train had three locomotives and several dozen railcars, some of which were carrying liquefied petroleum.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Thompson deputy fire chief Selby Brown said the workers were trapped in the train for hours. He said the train went off the tracks on a washed-out trestle bridge in a swampy area. The derailment site is about 600 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

The deadly derailment occurred just one day after Arctic Gateway held a celebratory news conference at The Forks in Winnipeg to mark the end of successful negotiations to buy the problem-plagued northern railway from Omnitrax of Denver.

At the event, representatives of all parties involved  the federal government, 30 First Nations, 11 other northern Manitoba communities and seven communities in Nunavut, Fairfax Financial Holdings and AGT Foods and Ingredients  called it a historic transaction.

Almost 16 months ago, rail service to Churchill, a town on the shore of Hudson Bay, was cut off after a spring storm resulted in massive flooding along the rail line on the portion between Thompson and Churchill.

Arctic Gateway has had contractors working to repair the tracks for about a week and reiterated Friday that it hopes to have service to Churchill up and running before winter.

The federal government, through the Western Economic Diversification program, has committed $117 million to the new owners, including $74 million to acquire the rail line and assets and to pay for repairs and $43 million for 10 years worth of ongoing subsidy.Peter Pyros has survived cancer, a stroke and nine surgeries. Yet his most challenging and terrifying ordeal, he said, occurred in his own car parked inside his Cleveland garage late last month.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/9/2018 (1149 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Peter Pyros has survived cancer, a stroke and nine surgeries. Yet his most challenging and terrifying ordeal, he said, occurred in his own car parked inside his Cleveland garage late last month.

"I actually scribbled a letter to my nephew, I wrote, This is a terrible death, but I love you. I didnt want anyone to think I committed suicide," Pyros told the Detroit Free Press.

Pyros, 75, was trapped inside his 2006 Cadillac XLR roadster when the car failed to start, shutting down its electrical system and locking him inside. Over the next 14 hours, Pyros said he passed out twice and experienced despair and heat exhaustion before he was finally rescued from his car.

Heres what happened:

On the morning of Aug. 31, Pyros decided to give his beloved burgundy 2006 convertible Cadillac XLR a spin before the weather turned too inclement to enjoy having the top down.

"I had started the car a couple weeks earlier and backed it out, then I put it back in the garage," Pyros said. "I was going to do the same thing, but then go for a little ride."

Pyros got in, shut the door and hit the push-start button. Silence. He tried putting the key fob into a slot to start it, but still nothing. He had two new key-fob batteries in the centre console, so he replaced the battery with each. Still, the engine was silent.

The car, which has only about 12,000 miles on it, has buttons instead of door handles, so with the engine dead and the electrical system not working, the doors and windows did not budge. Even the horn did not work, he said. Electricity is required to take the hard-top convertible cover down.

"It was getting really hot and it was difficult to breathe  this was all within a half hour," Pyros said. "I was trying to find something to get me out of the car. Nothing worked. I started to scream as loud as I could."

Pyros lives alone. At 10 a.m. that day, his neighbours were at work. He tried punching and kicking out the window, but he couldnt break it.

"I tried pounding on the window thinking someone would hear me," Pyros said. "That didnt work either."

Critics say that what happened to Pyros can occur too easily in late-model cars.

"Too many of the automakers shortchange the technology in the vehicle in that there should be fail-safe electrical back-up just as there is for the airbag system," said Byron Bloch, a court-qualified auto safety expert based in Potomac, Md.

Bloch has consulted on and testified in hundreds of auto safety cases over a 40-year career, including on a similar case in 2015 when a Texas man became entrapped in his Corvette and died. Its a risk most people dont consider when they get in their car.

"You should be worried... unless you can check in your owners manual to determine if you have an energy reserve power system. You could not only be entrapped, but if its a hot summer day and you have a child in there with you, youd be powerless to save your child when the car reaches 120 or 130 (F) degrees," Bloch said.

Pyross Cadillac has a manual door release on the floor, but he didnt know that and his owners manual was in the house.

According to AccuWeather, the outside temperature that day in Cleveland hit a high of 25 C. Inside the cramped car in his muggy garage, Pyros said it was well over 38 C.

He sweated so much that the car interior is stained with what resembles road salt from his dried sweat, he said.

"I came to the conclusion that I was going to die," Pyros said. "I was at peace with it. I asked God to help me twice, then I said, OK, God, if this is the way Im supposed to die, I will die."

When darkness came, Pyros said he tried one more time, pressing his face to the window, screaming his neighbours name and "Help."

Around 11:20 p.m., he looked up and saw his neighbour entering the garage. Earlier, that neighbour had noticed Pyross garage door open and called Pyros to tell him. Pyros had left his cellphone in the house. When Pyros did not return the neighbours call, the neighbour went over to tell Pyros. Thats when the neighbour heard muffled pounding and his name, Pyros said.

"Something told him, I think it was God, not to go to bed that night," Pyros said. "And around 11 or 11:30, he came over and he saved my life."

Pyross car could not be opened using the fire departments usual crowbars, so a fireman instructed Pyros to pop the hood, he said. Then, rescuers jump-started the engine, opened the doors and freed Pyros. He spent the night in the hospital recovering. Days later, he found in the owners manual the directions to a mechanical door release handle on the floor next to each seat.

A GM spokesman said any vehicle could lose electrical power and that risk can increase as a vehicle ages. He said GM provides ways to manually unlock doors in that event.

"Because this varies by make and model, drivers should review the door-lock section of their owners manual, and followup with their dealer or customer assistance centre if they have any questions," GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson wrote in an email.

Bloch said car owners can ensure their safety by making sure they and family members who use the car know where the emergency manual door release handles are located. Next, he said, go through the owners manual and find out if theres a reserve system for the electrical system. If not, your vehicle is "less safe than those" that have one, he said. Finally, check the key fob battery every two to three years.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"Car companies like to say, We put it in the owners manual, and if you were stupid enough to not read it, its your fault," Bloch said.

But he said even dealership sales staff cant recite the vast information contained in an owners manual.

"Just putting a line in the owners manual, thats not fair to the purchaser of the vehicle," Bloch said. "Its truly life and death."

Indeed, Pyross life has permanently changed since his ordeal, he said.

"Im having a hard time. I wake up and think Im in the car. I cry now when I say my prayers because I dont know why I was so lucky to live," Pyros said. "I wouldnt want my worst enemy to go through one-thousandth of what I went through. You cant describe it youre dying, youre dying."

 Detroit Free PressThousands of former Royal Winnipeg Ballet School students are getting notices about a multimillion-dollar, class-action lawsuit against a former dance instructor who allegedly took intimate photos of students.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/9/2018 (1149 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thousands of former Royal Winnipeg Ballet School students are getting notices about a multimillion-dollar, class-action lawsuit against a former dance instructor who allegedly took intimate photos of students.

The ballet school is sending a legal notice  which was drafted by Toronto law firm Waddell Phillips Professional Corp. after receiving instruction by an Ontario judge  to students who were at the school from 1984 to 2015. The notice asks former students if they were photographed by Bruce Monk in a private setting during that time.

The notice says if they are a class member, there is nothing they need to do. If they dont want to be part of the legal action, they have to opt out by sending a signed letter, fax or email to lawyers handling the lawsuit.

Lawyer Margaret Waddell said the ballet has the addresses of about 40 per cent of the dancers who passed through the school during those years and all are receiving copies of the notice.

"It is in the thousands," Waddell said on Friday. "The professional division had just a few hundred per year, but this is also the recreational dancers, including the after-school and summer camps. There are thousands."

Waddell said former students who get the legal notice arent necessarily part of the class-action suit.

"If you werent privately photographed by Mr. Monk, then you are not part of the class. You dont have to opt out," she said.

Waddell said so far, they have heard from 70 people who are potential class-action participants. They either came forward on their own or their names were put forward by others.

Waddell said people have until Nov. 20 to decide if they want to stay in the lawsuit.

Natasha Havrilenko, the RWBs communications manager, said the RWB cannot comment on anything connected to the lawsuit.

"As a standard procedure of any class action, there is an opt-out notice period during which time we are ordered by the court to not communicate any information," Havrilenko said.

Monk was a teacher, choreographer and photographer at the school for 28 years until the RWB let him go in 2015 after allegations against him surfaced.

The lead plaintiff for the lawsuit, Sarah Doucet, alleges Monk persuaded her to let him take semi-nude photos of her as a teenager. She later learned he had distributed them.

Doucet is suing for $50 million in damages on behalf of herself and other students. Another former student, who is not named in the lawsuit, is suing for $10 million. Unspecified special damages are being sought as well as $25 million in punitive and exemplary damages.

Its similar to allegations contained in a separate lawsuit, which was filed in Manitoba Court of Queens Bench by a former dance student, and remains before the courts.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The woman, who is now in her 30s and has three children, is suing for $300,000 in general damages and $100,000 in punitive, aggravated and/or exemplary damages. She is also suing for unspecified special damages.

None of the allegations in either the Winnipeg case or the Ontario class-action lawsuit has been proven in court. Monk and the RWB have filed statements of defence denying the allegations.

In November 2016, Manitoba Justice announced that after an investigation, no criminal charges would be laid.

"The Crown recommended that charges not be laid because a conviction was unlikely," a justice official said at the time.

"Complainants were made aware of this decision and supports were offered through the provinces victim services branch."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.caWhen health-care officials and law enforcement use the word crisis to describe the challenges they face from methamphetamine, this is what theyre talking about.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/9/2018 (1149 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Michael Probst / The Associated Press files Data show city emergency rooms have seen a 1,200 per cent increase in the past five years for meth-related visits.

When health-care officials and law enforcement use the word "crisis" to describe the challenges they face from methamphetamine, this is what theyre talking about.

In the past five years, there has been a more than 1,200 per cent increase in the number of people arriving at city emergency rooms under the influence of meth, according to the most recent statistics available from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, obtained by the Free Press.

That is not a typo.

For the past five years, the WRHA has been tracking what it refers to as "presentations" of people suffering from meth at city emergency rooms.

In 2013, city ERs in total averaged about 10 meth users a month. In July 2018, that number skyrocketed to 240 per month.

Breaking it down even further, five years ago city ERs saw less than one meth user a day; now, on average, eight patients a day arrive at hospitals under the influence of meth. And not just any patients.

Someone under the influence of methamphetamine presents a particularly profound challenge to health professionals. An extremely high percentage of the patients presenting at ERs suffer from acute meth-induced psychosis that involves extreme anxiety, paranoia, suicidal thoughts and violent behaviour.

And unlike opioids, there is no drug therapy that can block the effects of methamphetamine. Health professionals are forced to watch over the users and wait for the effects to wear off on their own. Its a unique and pressing crisis that health-care professionals believe requires a much broader and more complex approach than is currently being used.

"Addiction treatment requires a whole government approach," said Dr. Jitender Sareen, medical director of the WRHAs mental-health program and head of the psychiatry department at the University of Manitoba. "We cant make headway unless we go beyond the health-care systems. It cant just be the emergency rooms."

The challenge of finding a more effective and affordable response to the meth crisis has certainly evaded lawmakers and social-policy architects. Often, because it was being viewed as just another drug crisis.

Earlier this month, Winnipeg Liberal MP Doug Eyolfson, who is a physician, hosted a forum in the city to brainstorm responses to the meth crisis. He admitted that the federal government is playing catch-up on the issue, despite the fact that provinces and municipalities have been sounding the alarm for some time now.

In general, Ottawa has stayed firmly on the sidelines of the meth crisis, arguing that because meth is made in underground labs and not prescribed by physicians, there is little it can do. Thats an opinion that could really only come from ignoring the reality for those working on the frontlines, where more resources are needed in both hospital and community settings.

Over the summer, Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth declared the city to be suffering from a full-blown meth crisis, straining police and EMS resources to the very limit.

In 2017, there was a ten-fold increase in meth-related calls to police and a 64 per cent increase in drug-possession charges. Along with spikes in violent crime, included aggravated assaults, its easy to see why the word crisis has become so commonplace whenever meth is discussed.

Substance abuse and addiction is certainly not a new problem  however, meth presents several unique challenges.

Sareen noted that the lack of an effective drug therapy, and the often severe manifestation of psychotic symptoms, make this a particularly dire situation. And although there is a profound lack of academic data on the longer-term impacts of meth, what data does exist paints a horrifying picture.

A recent study of meth users in New Zealand showed that of every 100 presenting at hospital, 40 may require treatment because of extreme paranoia or anxiety, Sareen said. That means meth causes significantly more psychosis than alcohol, marijuana, opioids or other illegal drugs.

And because of the severe symptoms, it's very difficult to treat someone on an outpatient basis. "When the person is very anxious or paranoid, and their family is concerned, it is very hard to manage them in the community," Sareen said. "Thats what leads to the increase in emergency presentations. Its very hard to predict how people react to the drug and the increased paranoia creates high risk of violence."

According to Gina Trinidad, the WRHAs chief health operations officer, most of the patients exhibiting meth-induced psychosis need to be observed for between four and 12 hours. The gross majority of those patients are kept in the ER, sometimes overseen by police if there is a concern about violent behaviour.

During that time in the ER, physicians can prescribe a variety of anti-psychotic medications which, while they fall short of being an antidote, do help stabilize meth users, she added.

However, unlike drugs such as opioids, there is no known drug antidote for meth. And the impact of meth on users tends to be extremely volatile. In the most severe cases, where the psychosis has not been alleviated within 12 hours, the patients have to be admitted to the six-bed psychiatric Reassessment Observation Unit (ROU) at Health Sciences Centre.

If youre concerned that a six-bed unit is a rather underwhelming response in the face of the tsunami of meth users arriving at city ERs, youre not wrong. "We are continuously over capacity," Trinidad said.

In the face of these enormous challenges, its extremely disheartening to see so little urgent response from all three levels of government.

With a civic election campaign underway, some mayoral candidates have already weighed in on the meth crisis with various ideas.

Mayoral challenger Jenny Motkaluk has suggested the city pay to create a meth-treatment unit at the Main Street Project, which provides a safe place for those who have become incapacitated from alcohol. She said the proposal would relieve pressure on emergency rooms and free police from having to babysit violent meth users.

Dan Lett | Not for Attribution A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world that is sent every Tuesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Her proposal is not dissimilar from the provincial governments Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) clinics, which have been effective at helping drug users on an outpatient basis who are displaying milder symptoms.

The problem with Motkaluks proposal, and the RAAM clinics, is that they do nothing to help meth users suffering from acute psychosis. And it is those cases that most often involve violent behaviour and require police to maintain a vigil in hospital to protect medical staff and other patients.

Another mayoral candidate, Winnipeg police officer Tim Diack, wants to build a 100-bed, lock-secure facility just for meth users. Unfortunately, he does not know how much that would cost or where the money would be found.

For the time being, we are facing an extreme and complex problem with a variety of overly simplistic solutions.

Count on the crisis to continue for some time to come.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.caThe United States media has been awash with debates about civility in recent months after a number of officials in Donald Trumps administration have been heckled and shamed in public places.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/9/2018 (1149 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

The United States media has been awash with debates about civility in recent months after a number of officials in Donald Trumps administration have been heckled and shamed in public places.

Commentators have claimed the cause of incivility stems from everything from political orientation to Donald Trumps leadership and the way we communicate on social media. The recent White House wavering on flag-lowering protocol following the death of Sen. John McCain has only reinforced the ubiquity of this issue, as did high-profile speakers calling for a return to civility at his funeral.

But eroding civility is not just a modern American affliction; Canada, the U.K. and others are not immune.

Respect and civility ultimately reflect our social competency. Their decline can be attributed to a number of factors in our modern world: Abrupt encounters between different beliefs (e.g., through immigration and refugee "crises"), the disbelief and denial that social inequalities still persist, social media algorithms that only expose us to beliefs that are similar to our own and the rise of both real and artificial online trolls.

The microcosm: Incivility in groups

Whether intentional or instinctual, human and non-human animals alike act in a way that ensures equitable exchanges within their group.

We seek balance. If we are treated in a respectful manner, we want to return the favour. If we feel slighted, we typically want reprisal. This is the catalyst for the spiral of incivility.

Incivility has become a persistent concern in workplaces around the world (e.g., U.S. and Japan). It reflects more general tendencies driven by features of individual psychology in group settings.

Whether at work, at a restaurant, or at home, our expectations will ultimately depend on the kind of relationship we believe we share with those around us: Communal sharing in a family, equality with a co-worker, deference to a boss or even proportional cost and benefit in a market economy.

All of these expectations reflect possible models of fair interpersonal exchange that we might reference. Crucially, violating their norms can make us feel justified in engaging in verbal and nonverbal aggression.

Rather than being unethical or disrespectful, others simply might not share the same beliefs about what is appropriate in a given context: For example, as children grow older, the expectation of deference to a parent can turn into an expectation of equality  one that is not yet shared by the parent.

Civility requires that we make a concerted effort to understand each other. Despite our confidence in knowing the intentions of others, our accuracy can be quite low.

Depersonalizing ourselves, others online

All we truly know of each other are sundry fragments that are hastily gathered in a moment. Social judgments are made fast and furiously. Yet, understanding others is a multi-faceted competency that requires time to develop.

In an online setting, where many social cues are modest or absent, we are left with the written word. Without nonverbal cues discerning their meaning can be a daunting task. Online posts have become the Rorschach tests of our time. They are as ambiguous and equally inaccurate in predicting behaviour.

Making matters worse, when we feel like we are one of the crowd, we tend to misbehave. Anonymity, a lack of time, and stress can reduce helpful behaviour and increase antisocial behaviour.

In online spaces, we feel disinhibited. Online communities and dating sites are replete with uncivil behaviour. Rather than living in a community with repercussions, we practice avoidance. Rather than constructively confronting perceived inaccuracies we find in ourselves, we might run further away from one another and toward the fringes.

In the short run, we might preserve a fragile sense of self as a good and competent individual. In the long run, this isolation only reinforces perceived differences and places us in a bubble.

Losing contact with our leaders

Power can alter our behaviour. It can change what people want and how they attain their goals.

Leaders believe that they must symbolically represent the group and its values. If those with power feel its their duty to adhere to the values of the group, they will. If certain values are deemed irrelevant, they will be ignored: A leader might focus on a groups finances and neglect its ethics.

Over the long term, leaders can trap themselves if these values are not realistically attainable over the course of their tenure. This moral hypocrisy places them in a precarious position. The higher the pedestal, the greater the fall. And people will push.

Wanting a world without ambiguity, followers often resort to rationalizing inconsistencies and can dismiss the proposals from those of other groups , something that can translate into real-world consequences.

Choosing the course of history

History is a willing tutor if were prepared to listen with a critical ear. When we come together to fight a common enemy, we can push back empires. When we lose common ground, our societies shatter.

A reading of the history of North America reflects an uneasy plurality. Whether historically or presently, evidence suggests that tensions can be reduced when faced with common threats. Leaders can and do manipulate this to increase cohesion within the majority. However, there is a price to pay.

In the Second World War, Japanese-Canadians paid the price. Now, an increase in hate crimes might suggest Canadian Muslims are footing the bill. The U.K. and the U.S. have their own variants.

Unless we want to become another failed stratum in the sediment of history like Rome, we must choose our responses wisely. When our barbarians are at the gates, will we be prepared?

The greatest threats are not as simple as identifiable countries or peoples. Instead, our common adversaries are largely self-made. Antibiotic-resistant diseases, climate change, workforces ill-equipped for seismic technological shifts and overly simplified rhetoric imperil us.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The endemic rashness of political discourse can no longer be tolerated.

Civility has a role to play here as we challenge ourselves and others. We must be humble with the limits of our knowledge. In an age when fact and opinion have become blurred for many, we must approach absolute statements with caution. This requires deliberation and respectful exchange. The more reasoned the arguments we take into consideration, the better off we will be.

Equally important, civility does not imply that all opinions have equal merit. Instead, we must invest time and effort in our response and avoid being stuck between reactive gut feelings and indifference. We must reflect on how we will be judged and remembered when the dust of history settles upon us.

In an irrevocably globalized world, civility is likely more important now than it has ever been.

Jordan Richard Schoenherr is an adjunct research professor in the department of psychology at Carleton University.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.At least four Bahraini Shiite clerics have been summoned for questioning by authorities in the lead-up to the annual Ashura commemorations.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): At least four Bahraini Shiite clerics have been summoned for questioning by authorities in the lead-up to the annual Ashura commemorations.



During interrogations that stretched on for hours, Bahraini authorities reportedly questioned the clerics over the content of their religious sermons.



Among those interrogated on Friday was Sayyed Mohieldin Al-Mashaal who was freed from prison just last month after completing a one-year sentence.



He was accused of inciting hatred against the regime.



The charges against Al-Mashaal were based on a sermon that the cleric delivered a few months prior to his arrest.



Manamas security forces routinely step-up their harassment of Shiite religious figures during Ashura, which honors the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammads grandson, Imam Hussein (AS).





/257These contributions often are called dark money because political nonprofits are not required to disclose their donors and can spend money supporting or opposing political candidates. By using government records and other publicly available sources, Issue One has compiled the most comprehensive accounting of such contributions to date.

To compile the data, Issue One identified the 15 political nonprofits that reported spending the most money in federal elections since the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC in early 2010. It then found contributions using corporate filings, nonprofit reports and documents from the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and Federal Election Commission. One of the top-spending political nonprofits, the National Association of Realtors, is almost entirely funded by its membership and has no records in this data.

For each contribution, you can see the source document detailing the transaction in FEC Itemizer.

The recipients are a whos who of national political groups: Americans for Prosperity, the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Planned Parenthood Action Fund Inc. account for more than half of the $763 million in contributions in the data.

Theres also American Encore, formerly the Center to Protect Patient Rights, one of the main conduits for the conservative financial network created by Charles and David Koch.

The largest donor is the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, a Koch-organized business association that has contributed at least $181 million to the leading political nonprofits.

Other donors include the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, which has given at least $25 million to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and major labor unions like the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, which has given at least $2.8 million to Democratic political nonprofit organizations.

Also among the donors are major corporations like Dow Chemical (mostly giving to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), gun manufacturers (to the NRA), 501(c)(3) charities and individuals.

You can read Issue Ones report on its work as well as its methodology for discovering the contribution records. Because many of the sources are documents that are filed annually, this data wont be updated the same way that FEC Itemizer is for campaign finance filings, but it represents the most comprehensive collection of dark money contributions to date.Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of 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, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, 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, 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.The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Advisors S.r.l., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe (Services) Limited, AIG Europe Holdings S.a.rl., AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Insurance Company (Switzerland) Ltd, AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG Shared Services Corporation, AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE EOLA LLC, AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American Home Assurance Company Escritorio de Representacao no Brasil Ltda., American International Group Inc., American International Group UK Limited, American International Overseas Association, American International Overseas Limited, American International Realty Corp., American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A., American Security Life Insurance Company Limited, Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Avondhu Limited, Blackboard Customer Care Insurance Services LLC, Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Services LLC, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., Chartis Takaful Enaya B.S.C. (c), Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Fortitude Group Holdings LLC, Fortitude Life & Annuity Solutions Inc., Fortitude Reinsurance Company Ltd., Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Group Risk Services Limited, Group Risk Technologies Limited, Illinois National Insurance Co., Jefferson Eola Venture LLC, Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, MG Reinsurance Limited, Mt. Mansfield Company Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Private Joint-Stock Company AIG Ukraine Insurance Company, Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SA Affordable Housing LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., Thai CIT Holding Company Limited, The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., Western World Insurance Company, and Western World Insurance Group Inc..The following companies are subsidiares of The Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc..iShares MSCI Germany ETF's stock was trading at $23.17 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWG stock has increased by 48.7% and is now trading at $34.45.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Mallinckrodt plc (NYSE:MNK) announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August, 4th. The company reported $1.89 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.55. The firm had revenue of $700.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $630.19 million. Mallinckrodt had a negative net margin of 89.94% and a positive trailing twelve-month return on equity of 34.26%. The business's quarterly revenue was down 14.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.53 earnings per share.

View Mallinckrodt's earnings history.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 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..Anixter International Inc., through its subsidiary, Anixter Inc., distributes enterprise cabling and security solutions, electrical and electronic wire and cable solutions, and utility power solutions worldwide. The company operates through Network & Security Solutions (NSS), Electrical & Electronic Solutions (EES), and Utility Power Solutions (UPS) segments. The NSS segment offers copper and fiber optic cable and connectivity, access control, video surveillance, intrusion and fire/life safety, cabinet, power, cable management, wireless, professional audio/video, voice and networking switches, and other ancillary products for the technology, finance, transportation, education, government, healthcare, and retail industries, as well as telecommunications service providers. The EES Solutions segment provides electrical and electronic wires and cables, shipboard cables, support and supply products, low-voltage and instrumentation cables, industrial communication and control products, security cables, connectors, industrial Ethernet switches, and voice and data cables to the commercial and industrial, and original equipment manufacturer markets. The UPS segment supplies electrical transmission and distribution products, power plant maintenance, repair and operations supplies, and smart-grid products, as well as arranges materials management and procurement outsourcing for the power generation and transmission, and electricity distribution industries. The company serves contractors, installers, system integrators, value-added resellers, architects, engineers, and wholesale distributors in various industries, including manufacturing, resource extraction, telecommunications, Internet service providers, finance, education, healthcare, retail, transportation, utilities, and defense, as well as government customers. The company was formerly known as Itel Corporation. Anixter International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Glenview, Illinois.

Read MoreX-trackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF's stock was trading at $46.10 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, HYLB stock has decreased by 13.3% and is now trading at $39.96.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.China Telecom Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides wireline and mobile telecommunications services primarily in the People's Republic of China. It offers wireline voice services, including local wireline telephone services and long distance wireline services; CDMA mobile voice services, such as local calls, domestic and international long distance calls, intra-provincial roaming, and inter-provincial roaming and international roaming; wireline Internet access services comprising dial-up and broadband services; wireless Internet access services; and wireline, Internet, and mobile value-added services. The company also provides Best Tone information services; and information technology-based integrated solutions, such as system integration and consulting, outsourcing, special advisory, information application, knowledge, and software development services. In addition, it offers managed data services that include digital data network, frame relay, and asynchronous transfer mode services for government agencies, large corporations, and institutions; and leased line services, as well as sells, repairs, and maintains customer-end equipment. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, including network, Internet access and transit, Internet data center, and mobile virtual network services in various countries, including the Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America; and music production and related information, instant messenger, finance leasing, capital and financial management, and e-commerce services, as well as sells telecommunications terminals. As of December 31, 2019, it had approximately 336 million mobile subscribers; 153 million wireline broadband subscribers; and 111 million access lines in service. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is based in Wanchai, Hong Kong. China Telecom Corporation Limited is a subsidiary of China Telecommunications Corporation.

Read MoreiShares MSCI Denmark ETF's stock was trading at 60.79 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EDEN shares have increased by 89.1% and is now trading at 114.94.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.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.

Read MoreAgilent Technologies, Inc. engages in the provision of application focused solutions for life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. It operates through the following segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets; Diagnostics and Genomics; and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers application-focused solutions that include instruments and software that enable to identify, quantify, and analyze the physical and biological properties of substances and products, as well as the clinical and life sciences research areas to interrogate samples at the molecular and cellular level. The Diagnostics and Genomics segment consists of activity providing active pharmaceutical ingredients for oligo-based therapeutics, as well as solutions that include reagents, instruments, software and consumables. The Agilent CrossLab segment includes startup, operational, training and compliance support, software as a service, and asset management and consultative services. The company was founded in May 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Vodafone Group: 360 Connect S.A., [email protected] Telecom, A-ccelerator B.V., A-ccelerator Holding B.V, AAA (Euro) Limited, AAA (MCR) Limited, AAA (UK) Limited, Acorn Communications Limited, Africonnect (Zambia) Limited, Ag Mercantile Company Private Limited, Al-Amin Investments Limited, Amsterdamse Beheer- en Consultingmaatschappij B.V., Apollo Submarine Cable System Limited, Array Holdings Limited, Asian Telecommunication Investments (Mauritius) Limited, Aspective Limited, Astec Communications Limited, Autoconnex Limited, Aztec Limited, BelCompany BV, Bluefish Apac Communications Pte. Ltd, Bluefish Communications, Bluefish Communications Limited, Business Serve Limited, C&W Worldwide Nigeria Limited, C.S.P. Solutions Limited, CCII (Mauritius) Inc., CGP India Investments Ltd., CGP Investments (Holdings) Limited, COOP Mobil s.r.o, CT Networks Limited, CWGNL S.A., CWW Operations Limited, Cable & Wireless Access Limited, Cable & Wireless Americas Systems Inc., Cable & Wireless Aspac Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Services Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Svyaz LLC, Cable & Wireless Capital Limited , Cable & Wireless Communications Data Network Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Starclass Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Technical Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), Cable & Wireless Europe Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless GN Limited, Cable & Wireless Global (India) Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Business Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Holding Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Telecommunication Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Holdco Limited, Cable & Wireless Networks India Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Trade Mark Management Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Waterside Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Pension Trustee Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Voice Messaging Limited, Cable & Wireless a-Services Inc, Cable & Wireless a-Services Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited Indian Branch Office, Cable and Wireless Nominee Limited, Cable and Wireless Worldwide South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cavalry Holdings Ltd, Celfocus  Solucoes Informaticas Para Telecomunicacoes S.A, Cellops Limited, Cellular Operations Limited, Central Communications Group Limited, Central Telecom (Northern) Limited, Centurion GSM Limited, Chelys Limited, City Cable (Holdings) Limited, Cobra do Brasil Servicos de Telematica ltda., Commnet Cellular Inc., Complete Network Technology, Connect (India) Mobile Technologies Private Limited, Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited, Dataroam Limited , Device Insight, Digital Island (UK) Ltd, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, East Africa Investment (Mauritius) Limited, Emtel Europe Limited, Energis (Ireland) Limited, Energis Communications Limited, Energis Holdings Limited, Energis Local Access Limited, Energis Management Limited, Energis Squared Limited, Erudite Systems Limited, Esprit Telecom B.V., Eudokia Limited, Euro Pacific Securities Ltd., Eurocall Holdings Limited, Europolitan Holdings AB (now Europolitan Vodafone AB), FB Holdings Limited, FM Associates (UK) Limited, FinCo Partner 1 B.V., FireFly Networks Limited, Flexphone Limited, GS Telecom (Pty) Limited, Gateway Communications Africa (UK) Limited, Gateway Communications Tanzania Limited, General Mobile Corporation, Generation Telecom Limited, Ghana Telecommunications, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, Global Cellular Rental Limited, Globe Limited, GrandCentrix GmbH, Grupo Corporativo ONO S.A.U., H3ga Properties (No 3) Pty Limited, HBO Nederland Cooperatief U.A., HBO Netherlands Channels sro, HBO Netherlands Distribution B.V., Hellas Online, How2 Telecom Limited, Hutchison Essar Ltd, Indus Towers Limited, Intercell Communications Limited, Internet Network Services Limited, Invitation Digital Limited, Ipergy Communications NV, Isis Telecommunications Management Limited, Jaguar Communications Limited, Jaykay Finholding (India) Private Limited, Jupicol (Proprietary) Limited, KABELCOM Braunschweig Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, KABELCOM Wolfsburg Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel Deutschland Holding, Kabel Deutschland Holding Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Holding Zweite Beteilgungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Neunte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Siebte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabelfernsehen Munchen Servicenter GmbH & Co. KG, LG Financing Partnership, LGE HoldCo V B.V., LGE HoldCo VI B.V., LGE HoldCo VIII B.V., LGE Holdco VII B.V., LLC Vodafone Enterprise Ukraine, Le Bunt Holdings Limited, Legend Communications Limited, Liberty Global, Liberty Global Content Netherlands B.V., London Hydraulic Power Company, M-PESA Foundation, M-PESA Holding Co. Limited, ML Integration Group Limited, ML Integration Limited, ML Integration Services Limited, MV Healthcare Services Private Limited, Mannesmann AG, MetroHoldings Limited, Mezzanine Ware Proprietary Limited (RF), Mirambo Limited, Misrfone Trading Company LLC, MobiFon S.A., Mobile Commerce Solutions Limited, Mobile Phone Centre Limited, Mobile Wallet VM1, Mobile Wallet VM2, Mobile by Sainsburys Limited, Mobiles 4 Business.com Limited, Mobileworld Communications Pty Limited, Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd, Mobilvest, Motifpros 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Multi Risk Indemnity Company Limited, Multi Risk Limited, ND Callus Info Services Private Limited, Nadal Trading Company Private Limited, Nat Comm Air Limited, National Communications Backbone Company Limited, Navtrak Ltd, Netforce Group Limited, Netgrid Telecom SRL, Number Portability Company (Proprietary) Limited, ONO, Omega Telecom Holdings Private Limited, Oni Way  Infocomunicacoes S.A, Oskar Mobil S.R.O., Oxygen Solutions Limited, P.C.P. (North West) Limited, PPL Pty Limited, PT Network Services Limited, PTI Telecom Limited, Peoples Phone Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Group Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Limited, Plex Limited, Plustech Mercantile Company Private Limited, Prime Metals Ltd., Project Telecom Holdings Limited, Quickcomm Software Solutions, Radio Opt GmbH, Rian Mobile Limited, SBC SMART CITY 1517 B.V., SMMS Investments Pvt Limited, Safaricom Limited, Safenet N.P A., Sarmady Communications, Scarlet Ibis Investments 23 (Pty) Limited, Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Silver Stream Investments Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Ltd., Singlepoint Payment Services Limited, Siro Limited, Spar Aerospace (Nigeria) Limited, Sport TV Portugal S.A, Starnet, Stentor Communications Limited, Stentor Limited, Storage Technology Services (Pty) Limited, T.W. Telecom Limited, T3 Telecommunications Limited, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern Beteiligungs GmbH, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, TNAS Limited, TSM NZ Limited, Talkland Airtime Services Limited, Talkland Australia Pty Limited, Talkland Communications Limited, Talkland International Limited, Talkland Midlands Limited, Talkmobile Limited, Tele2 Italia SPA, Tele2 Spain, Telecom Investments India Private Limited, Telecommunications Europe Limited, Ternhill Communications Limited, The Cobra Group, The Eastern Leasing Company Limited, The Old Telecom Sales Co. Limited, Thus Group Holdings Limited, Thus Group Limited, Thus Limited, Thus Profit Sharing Trustees Limited, TnT Expense Management LLC, Tomorrow Street GP S.a r.l., Tomorrow Street SCA, Torenspits II B.V., Townley Communications Limited, Trans Crystal Ltd., UMT Investments Limited, UPC Nederland Holding I B.V., UPC Nederland Holding II B.V., UPC Nederland Holding III B.V., Unified Communications, Uniqueair Limited, Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH & Co.KG, Usha Martin Telematics Limited, VAPL No. 2 Pty Limited, VBA (Mauritius) Limited, VBA Holdings Limited, VBA International (SL) Limited, VBA International Limited, VEI S.r.l., VM SA, VND S.p.A, VSSB Vodafone Shared Services Budapest Private Limited Company, Verwaltung Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH, Victus Networks S.A., Vizzavi Finance Limited, Vizzavi Limited, Voda Limited, Vodacall Limited, Vodacash s.p.r.l., Vodacom (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business (Angola) Limitada, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, Vodacom Business (Kenya) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group Services Limited, Vodacom Business Cameroon SA, Vodacom Business Cote Divoire S.A.R.L., Vodacom Congo (RDC) SA, Vodacom Financial Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Group Limited, Vodacom Insurance Administration Company (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Insurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom International Holdings (Pty) Limited, Vodacom International Limited, Vodacom Lesotho (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Life Assurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom Payment Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No.2 (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Tanzania Limited Zanzibar, Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company, Vodacom UK Limited, Vodafone (NI) Limited, Vodafone (New Zealand) Hedging Limited, Vodafone (Scotland) Limited, Vodafone 2, Vodafone 4 UK, Vodafone 5 Limited, Vodafone 5 UK, Vodafone 6 UK, Vodafone Albania Sh.A, Vodafone Alternatif Telekom Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Americas 4, Vodafone Americas Virginia Inc., Vodafone And Qatar Foundation L.L.C, Vodafone Asset Management Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Automotive Electronic Systems S.r.L, Vodafone Automotive France S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Iberia S.L, Vodafone Automotive Italia S.p.A, Vodafone Automotive Japan K.K, Vodafone Automotive Korea Limited, Vodafone Automotive SpA, Vodafone Automotive Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd, Vodafone Automotive Telematics Development S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Telematics S.A, Vodafone Automotive UK Limited, Vodafone Belgium SA/NV, Vodafone Benelux Limited, Vodafone Bilgi Ve Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, Vodafone Business Services Limited, Vodafone Business Solutions Limited, Vodafone Canada Inc, Vodafone Cellular Limited, Vodafone Central Services Limited, Vodafone China Limited (China), Vodafone China Limited (Hong Kong), Vodafone Connect 2 Limited, Vodafone Connect Limited, Vodafone Consolidated Holdings Limited, Vodafone Corporate Limited, Vodafone Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Czech Republic A.S., Vodafone DC Pension Trustee Company Limited, Vodafone Dagitim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Data, Vodafone Distribution Holdings Limited, Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications S.A.E., Vodafone Elektronik Para Ve Odeme Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Empresa Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, Vodafone Empresa Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Vodafone Enabler Espana S.L., Vodafone Enterprise Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Austria GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Bahrain W.L.L., Vodafone Enterprise Bulgaria EOOD, Vodafone Enterprise Chile SA, Vodafone Enterprise Communications Technical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Denmark A/S, Vodafone Enterprise Equipment Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited  Czech Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited  DubaiI Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Finland OY, Vodafone Enterprise France SAS, Vodafone Enterprise Germany GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Global Businesses S.a r.l., Vodafone Enterprise Global Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network HK Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network Pte. Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Hong Kong Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Italy S.r.L, Vodafone Enterprise Korea Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Luxembourg S.A., Vodafone Enterprise Netherlands BV, Vodafone Enterprise Norway AS, Vodafone Enterprise Regional Business Singapore Pte.Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Singapore Pte.Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Spain S.L.U.  Portugal Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Spain SLU, Vodafone Enterprise Sweden AB, Vodafone Enterprise Switzerland AG, Vodafone Erste Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Vodafone Espana S.A.U., Vodafone Euro Hedging Limited, Vodafone Euro Hedging Two, Vodafone Europe B.V., Vodafone Europe UK, Vodafone European Investments, Vodafone European Portal Limited, Vodafone Finance Limited, Vodafone Finance Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Finance Sweden, Vodafone Finance UK Limited, Vodafone Financial Operations, Vodafone Financial Services B.V., Vodafone Fixed Ltd, Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Foundation Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Gestioni S.p.A, Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, Vodafone Global Content Services Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Hong Kong) Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Italy) S.R.L., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Japan) K.K., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Russia LLC, Vodafone Global Enterprise Taiwan Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Telecommunications (Hellas) A.E., Vodafone Global Network Limited, Vodafone Global Network Limited  Slovakia Branch, Vodafone Global Services Private Limited, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone Group (Directors) Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Pension Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Services GmbH, Vodafone Group Services Ireland Limited, Vodafone Group Services Limited, Vodafone Group Services No.2 Limited, Vodafone Group Share Trustee Limited, Vodafone Hire Limited, Vodafone Holding A.S., Vodafone Holdings (Jersey) Limited, Vodafone Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Holdings Europe S.L.U., Vodafone Holdings Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Finance Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Receivables Pty Limited, Vodafone IP Licensing Limited, Vodafone India Digital Limited, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone India Services Private Limited, Vodafone India Ventures Limited, Vodafone Institut fur Gesellschaft und Kommunikation GmbH, Vodafone Intermediate Enterprises Limited, Vodafone International 1 S.a.r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone International 1 S.a r.l., Vodafone International 2 Limited, Vodafone International Holdings B.V., Vodafone International Holdings Limited, Vodafone International M S.a r.l., Vodafone International Operations Limited, Vodafone International Services LLC, Vodafone Investment UK, Vodafone Investments (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Investments Australia Limited, Vodafone Investments Limited, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Ireland Distribution Limited, Vodafone Ireland Ltd., Vodafone Ireland Marketing Limited, Vodafone Ireland Property Holdings Limited, Vodafone Ireland Retail Limited, Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Vodafone Jersey Dollar Holdings Limited, Vodafone Jersey Finance, Vodafone Jersey Yen Holdings Unlimited, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Field Services GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Kundenbetreuung GmbH, Vodafone Kenya Limited, Vodafone Leasing Limited, Vodafone Libertel B.V., Vodafone Limited, Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone M-PESA SH.P.K., Vodafone M-Pesa S.A, Vodafone M.C. Mobile Services Limited , Vodafone Magyarorszag Mobile Tavkozlesi Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Vodafone Malta Limited, Vodafone Marketing UK , Vodafone Maroc SARL, Vodafone Mauritius Ltd., Vodafone Mobile Commerce Limited, Vodafone Mobile Communications Limited, Vodafone Mobile Enterprises Limited, Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited, Vodafone Mobile Network Limited, Vodafone Mobile Operations Limited, Vodafone Mobile Services Limited, Vodafone Multimedia Limited, Vodafone Nederland Holding I B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding II B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding III B.V., Vodafone Net Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Network Pty Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Foundation Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Limited, Vodafone Next Generation Services Limited, Vodafone Nominees Limited1, Vodafone ONO S.A.U., Vodafone Oceania Limited, Vodafone Old Show Ground Site Management Limited, Vodafone Overseas Finance Limited, Vodafone Overseas Holdings Limited, Vodafone Panafon International Holdings B.V., Vodafone Panafon UK, Vodafone Partner Services Limited, Vodafone Payment Solutions S.a r.l., Vodafone Portugal  Comunicacoes Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Procurement Company S.a r.l., Vodafone Property Investments Limited, Vodafone Pty Limited, Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C., Vodafone Retail (Holdings) Limited , Vodafone Retail Limited, Vodafone Roaming Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Romania S.A, Vodafone Romania M - Payments SRL, Vodafone Romania Technologies SRL, Vodafone Sales & Services Limited, Vodafone Satellite Services Limited, Vodafone Servicios SL.U, Vodafone Servizi E Tecnologie S.R.L, Vodafone Servicos Empresariais Brasil Ltda., Vodafone Shared Services Romania SRL, Vodafone Specialist Communications Limited, Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland Gemeinnutzige GmbH, Vodafone Technology Solutions Limited, Vodafone Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Tele-Services (India) Holdings Limited, Vodafone Telecel-Comunicates Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Telecommunications (India) Limited, Vodafone Telekomunikasyon A.S, Vodafone Towers Limited, Vodafone UK Content Services Limited, Vodafone UK Investments Limited , Vodafone UK Limited1 , Vodafone US Inc, Vodafone Ventures Limited1 , Vodafone Vierte Verwaltungs AG, Vodafone Worldwide Holdings Limited, Vodafone Yen Finance Limited , Vodafone m-pesa Limited, Vodafone-Central Limited Vodaphone Limited, Vodafone-Panafon Hellenic Telecommunications Company S.A., VodafoneZiggo Group Holding B.V, Vodata Limited , Vouchercloud SA (Pty) Ltd, Wataneya Telecommunications S.A.E, Waterberg Lodge (Proprietary) Limited, Wayfinder, Wheatfields Investments 276 (Proprietary) Limited, Wireless Interactions & NFC Accelerator 2013 B.V., Woodend Cellular Limited, Woodend Communications Limited, Woodend Group Limited, Woodend Holdings Limited, XB Facilities B.V, XLink Communications (Proprietary) Limited, Your Communications Group Limited, ZUM B.V., ZYB, Zelitron S.A., Zesko B.V., Ziggo B.V., Ziggo Bond Company B.V., Ziggo Deelnemingen B.V., Ziggo Finance 2 B.V., Ziggo Financing Partnership, Ziggo Holding B.V., Ziggo Netwerk B.V., Ziggo Netwerk II B.V., Ziggo Services B.V., Ziggo Services Employment B.V., Ziggo Services Netwerk 2 B.V., Ziggo Zakelijk Services B.V., and Zoranet Connectivity Services B.V.. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at contact@marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF's stock was trading at $73.54 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IWS shares have increased by 65.5% and is now trading at $121.73.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.The following companies are subsidiares of The Allstate: AIMCO Private Fund I Holding LLC, AIMCO Private Fund I LLC, AIMCO Private Fund II LLC, ALIC Reinsurance Company, ALINV Mosaic LLC, ANIHI Newco LLC, AP Real Estate LLC, AP Riverway Plaza LLC, AP Timber LLC, Allstate Assignment Company, Allstate Assurance Company, Allstate County Mutual Insurance Company, Allstate Digital Ventures LLC, Allstate Distributors L.L.C., Allstate Enterprises LLC, Allstate Exchange Services LLC, Allstate Finance Company Agency Loans LLC, Allstate Finance Company LLC, Allstate Financial Advisors LLC, Allstate Financial Corporation, Allstate Financial Insurance Holdings Corporation, Allstate Financial LLC, Allstate Financial Services LLC (1), Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Global Holdings Limited, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, Allstate Insurance Holdings LLC, Allstate International Assignments Ltd., Allstate International Holdings Inc., Allstate Investment Management Company, Allstate Investments LLC, Allstate Life Insurance Company (2), Allstate Life Insurance Company of Canada, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Allstate Motor Club Inc., Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company, Allstate New Jersey Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Non-Insurance Holdings Inc., Allstate North American Insurance Company, Allstate Northbrook Indemnity Company, Allstate Northern Ireland Limited, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Settlement Corporation, Allstate Short Term Pool LLC, Allstate Solutions Private Limited, Allstate Texas Lloyds, Allstate Texas Lloyds Inc., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company, American Heritage Life Insurance Company, American Heritage Service Company, Answer Financial Inc., Answer Marketplace LLC, Arity 875 LLC, Arity International Limited, Arity LLC, Arity Services LLC, CE Care Plan Corp, Castle Key Indemnity Company, Castle Key Insurance Company, Complete Product Care Corp, Current Creek Investments LLC, E.R.J. Insurance Group Inc. (3), Encompass Floridian Indemnity Company, Encompass Floridian Insurance Company, Encompass Home and Auto Insurance Company, Encompass Indemnity Company, Encompass Independent Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance Company of America, Encompass Insurance Company of Massachusetts, Encompass Insurance Company of New Jersey, Encompass Insurance Holdings LLC, Encompass Property and Casualty Company, Encompass Property and Casualty Insurance Company of New Jersey, Esurance Holdings Inc., Esurance Insurance Company, Esurance Insurance Company of Canada, Esurance Insurance Company of New Jersey, Esurance Insurance Services Company of Canada, Esurance Insurance Services Inc. (4), Esurance Property and Casualty Insurance Company, First Colonial Insurance Company, Identity Protection Strategic Solutions LLC, InfoArmor Aggra Inc., InfoArmor Inc., Insurance Answer Center LLC (5), Intramerica Life Insurance Company, Ivantage Insurance Brokers Inc., Ivantage Select Agency Inc., Kennett Capital Inc., NBInv AF1 LLC, NBInv AF2 LLC, NBInv AF3 LLC, NBInv AF4 LLC, NBInv AF5 LLC, NBInv AF6 LLC, NBInv AP1 LLC, NBInv AP2 LLC, NBInv AP3 LLC, NBInv AP4 LLC, NBInv AP5 LLC, NBInv AP6 LLC, NBInv AP7 LLC, NBInv AP8 LLC, NBInv APAF1 LLC, NBInv Riverside Cars1 LLC, NBInv Riverside Management LLC, North Light Specialty Insurance Company, Northeast Agencies Inc. (6), Pablo Creek Services Inc., Pafco Insurance Company, Pembridge Insurance Company, PlumChoice Business Services Inc., PlumChoice Inc., Protection Plan Group Inc., Right Answer Insurance Agency LLC, Road Bay Investments LLC, ST Product Care Corp, Signature Agency Inc., Signature Motor Club Inc., Signature Motor Club of California Inc., Signature Nationwide Auto Club of California Inc., Signatures Nationwide Auto Club Inc., SquareTrade Australia Pty Ltd, SquareTrade Canada Inc., SquareTrade Europe Limited, SquareTrade Holding Company Inc., SquareTrade Inc. (7), SquareTrade Insurance Services Inc., SquareTrade Limited, SquareTrade Protection Solutions Inc., SquareTradeGo Inc., Tech-Cor LLC, and West Plaza RE Holdings LLC.The following companies are subsidiares of 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.Bangladesh is to have its 11th parliamentary elections in November-December this year. As in the past, the elections are expected to take place in the midst of several controversies, some new and some enduring. Again, as in the past, ensuring free and fair elections in Bangladeshs highly divisive, politicized and violence-ridden environment is going to be a major challenge for the State.



Begum Khaleda Zia, head of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is in jail for alleged corruption with no chance of release before the polls. The leaderless BNP has threatened to boycott the coming elections if she is not released and if a neutral or Non-Party Caretaker Government (NPCG) is not put in place to conduct the polls.



In 2014, the BNP had boycotted the elections saying that it had no faith in the electoral process in the absence of a NPCG.



Though only 30% of the electorate voted as a result of the boycott, the Awami League (AL) was got into power with a huge majority. It had won 150 seats uncontested.



With the BNP leaderless and without any influence over the government, the AL headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been having a field day. It has achieved notable feats in the economic sphere launching mega projects with Chinese loans. But the government is also seen as being repressive. Disappearances, arrests of critics and the extra-judicial killing of suspected terrorists and drug dealers had become commonplace, giving rise to fears that in her bid for a third term, Hasina could rig the 2018 elections.



Hence the rising demand for a non-partisan election-time government, a system which had existed in the past and had, on balance, succeeded in instilling confidence in the public.



Given the subtle pressure from Big Brother India and the West to facilitate the return of the BNP to parliamentary elections, PM Hasina has talked about holding the elections  under an election-time government. But she has not said if the election time government will be a non-partisan or a non-party government.



However, the General Secretary of AL, Obaidul Quader, has said that no one from outside will be part of the election-time government. In other words, there will be no technocrat in the election-time government. Earlier, Hasina had said that it could be a government of the ruling and opposition parties. Quader had said that the Jatiya Party requested the government to include two or three of its members but added that the Prime Minister had not decided on it.



With Hasina and her party being vague about the election time government, the Gono Forum led by Kamal Hossain, and the Jukto Front on Saturday demanded dissolution of parliament before the schedule for the next election and the formation of an election-time government after discussions with all parties.



The leaders of the poll-time government should not contest the elections, the two organizations said. They demanded the reformation of the Election Commission (EC) with people acceptable to all parties.



The EC, they said, should control the police. And the army should be deployed with magistracy powers for 40 days from a month before the voting day. There should be a moratorium on the arrest of politicians and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) should be prohibited.

Though only 30% of the electorate voted as a result of the boycott, the Awami League (AL) was got into power with a huge majority. It had won 150 seats uncontested



Past Performance



Sheikh Hasinas reluctance to sanction a NPCG is not unprecedented. In the past, political parties and civil society had to struggle hard for it, losing life and limb in the process. It was part of a larger struggle and continuous for democracy.



The first blow to democracy was delivered in January 1975, four years after the birth of Bangladesh, when the then President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman banned all political parties barring his own Bangladesh Farmers and Laborers Peoples League popularly known as BAKSAL. This led to his assassination by some army officers in August 1975. That in turn led to military rule under Gen. Ziaur Rahman. Later he formed the BNP to give his rule a civilian veneer. After Zia was assassinated by military personnel in 1981, Gen. H. M. Ershad assumed power and ruled through his own outfit, the Jatiya Party (JP).



Though elections were held by Zia and Ershad, these had no credibility because of the military backed their political outfits. It was only in 1986 that political parties got together to oust Ershad and hold free and fair elections. The movement for NPCG intensified and got the widest measure of support ahead of the 1988 elections. The struggle continued till Ershad quit in 1990.



President Shahabuddin Ahmed was made head of the Caretaker Government, which held the fifth parliamentary elections in 1991. In sharp contrast to the past, these elections were free and fair.



The BNP won the elections and formed the government in alliance with the Bangladesh Jamat-i-Islam (BJI). But the BNPs rigging of the Magura by-election made the AL and Jatiya Party support BJIs proposal to hold all future elections under a NPCG.



The ruling BNP resisted this, but offered to reform the Election Commission. But this was not acceptable to the AL, JP and the BJI. The opposition began a boycott of parliament and started an agitation with AL demanding that power be handed over to the Chief Justice. When the BNP rejected this, 153 opposition members resigned from parliament. The Speaker declined to accept their resignation. The opposition stuck to the boycott of parliament though.



The sixth parliamentary elections were held in February 1996 without NPCG, The opposition had boycotted the election. With only 10% of the electorate voting, BNP won handsomely. But Prime Minister Khaled Zia could not savor the victory as agitations against the illegitimacy of her government mounted. She had no option but to enact a law to install an NPCG. She then resigned and handed over the government to retired Chief Justice Habibur Rahman.



The NPCG held free and fair elections in 2001. For the 2006 elections the NPCG was reconstituted with K. M. Hasan as the Chief Advisor. But the opposition opposed Hasan saying that he was a BNP loyalist and launched an agitation, which resulted in President Iajuddin Ahmed himself becoming Chief Advisor with a team of Advisors chosen by him.



The Awami Leagues continuing agitation led to Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, former Governor of the Bangladesh Central Bank, becoming the head of the NPCG but with the involvement of the army chief Gen. Moeen U. Ahmed. The people welcomed the army-backed NPCG. But this NPCG was turned out to be undemocratic, banning all political functions, annulling scheduled parliamentary elections and launching a massive anti-corruption drive, arresting over 200,000 suspects.



NPCG alienated the political parties, which resulted in Hasina and Khalida joining to fight for a proper NPCG.



Repeal of NPCG



Fresh polls were held in 2008, which the NPCG conducted in a free and fair manner. The AL registered a landslide victory. But once ensconced in power, the AL took advantage of a Supreme Court ruling of May 10, 2011 on the NPCG, to end the NPCG system.



The court had said that the NPCG is an undemocratic and unconstitutional system because it is un-elected. By the 15th Amendment, Hasina got rid of the NPCG system.



President Zillur Rahman, an AL man, tried to sugar coat the bitter pill by saying the Election Commission will be strengthened. But this did not cut ice with the masses. According to a survey conducted by the Center for Strategic Research, 67% of the people interviewed were against abolition of the NPCG.iShares MSCI Japan ETF shares reverse split before market open on Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, October 14th 2016. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the closing bell on Friday, November 4th 2016. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split.John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC. It is co-managed by John Hancock Asset Management. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors, with an emphasis on the utilities sector. The fund primarily invests in dividend paying preferred stocks and common stocks of companies. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against a composite benchmark comprised of 70% Bank of America Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock DRD Eligible Index and 30% S&P 500 Utilities Index. The fund was formerly known as John Hancock Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II. John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund was formed on December 21, 1989 and is domiciled in the United States.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Kellogg: 545 LLC, AQFTM Inc., Afical - Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Afical Holding LLC, Alimentos Gollek S.A., Alimentos Kellogg S.A., Alimentos Kellogg de Panama SRL, Argkel Inc., Austin Quality Foods Inc., BDH Inc., Bear Naked Inc., Bisco Misr, CC Real Estate Holdings LLC, Canada Holding LLC, Cary Land Corporation, Eighteen94 Capital LLC, Favorite Food Products Limited, Gardenburger LLC, Gollek Argentina S.R.L., Gollek B.V., Gollek Inc., Gollek Interamericas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gollek Servicios S.C., Gollek UK Limited, Illinois Baking Corporation, Instituto De Nutricion y Salud Kellogg A.C., Insurgent Brands LLC, K (China) Limited, K Europe Holding Company Limited, K India Private Limited, K-One Inc., K-Two Inc., KBAR SRL, KECL LLC, KELF Limited, KJAL Limited, KPAR Limited, KT International Finance SRL, KTRY Limited, Kashi Company, Kashi Company Pty Ltd, Kashi Sales L.L.C., Keebler Company, Keebler Foods Company, Keebler Holding Corp., Keebler USA Inc., Kelarg Inc., Kelcone Limited, Kelcorn Limited, Kellman S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., Kellogg (Deutschland) GmbH, Kellogg (Japan) G.K., Kellogg (Osterreich) Gesellschaft GmbH, Kellogg (Schweiz) GmbH, Kellogg (Thailand) Limited, Kellogg Activation Services Company, Kellogg Argentina S.R.L., Kellogg Asia Inc., Kellogg Asia Marketing Inc., Kellogg Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Kellogg Asia Products Sdn.. Bhd., Kellogg Asia Sdn. Bhd., Kellogg Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Belgium Services Company BVBA, Kellogg Brasil Inc., Kellogg Brasil Ltda., Kellogg Business Services Company, Kellogg Canada Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Inc., Kellogg Caribbean Services Company Inc., Kellogg Chile Inc., Kellogg Company East Africa Limited, Kellogg Company Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg Company Subsidiaries, Kellogg Company of Great Britain Limited, Kellogg Company of Ireland Limited, Kellogg Company of South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Kellogg Costa Rica S. de R.L., Kellogg Ecuador C. LTDA., Kellogg El Salvador Ltda. de C.V., Kellogg Espana S.L., Kellogg Europe Company Limited, Kellogg Europe Finance Limited, Kellogg Europe Services Limited, Kellogg Europe Trading Limited, Kellogg Europe Treasury Services Limited, Kellogg European Logistics Services Company Limited, Kellogg European Support Services SRL, Kellogg Fearn Inc., Kellogg Funding Company LLC, Kellogg Group LLC, Kellogg Group Limited, Kellogg Group S.a.r.l., Kellogg Hellas Single Member Limited Liability Company, Kellogg Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Holding LLC, Kellogg Hong Kong Holding Company Limited, Kellogg Hong Kong Private Limited, Kellogg India Private Limited, Kellogg International Holding Company, Kellogg Irish Holding Limited, Kellogg Italia S.p.A., Kellogg Kayco, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (One) Limited, Kellogg Latin America Holding Company (Two) Limited, Kellogg Latvia Inc., Kellogg Lux I S.ar.l., Kellogg Lux III S. ar L., Kellogg Lux V S.a.r.l., Kellogg Lux VI S.ar.l., Kellogg Management Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Manchester Limited, Kellogg Manufacturing Espana S.L., Kellogg Marketing and Sales Company (UK) Limited, Kellogg Med Gida Ticaret Limited SirketiI, Kellogg Netherlands Holding B.V., Kellogg North America Company, Kellogg Northern Europe GmbH, Kellogg Pakistan (Private) Limted, Kellogg Rus LLC, Kellogg Sales Company, Kellogg Services GmbH, Kellogg Servicios S.C., Kellogg Snacks Financing Limited, Kellogg Snacks Holding Company Europe Limited, Kellogg Superannuation Pty. Ltd., Kellogg Supply Services (Europe) Limited, Kellogg Talbot LLC, Kellogg Transition MA&P L.L.C., Kellogg Treasury Services Company, Kellogg U.K. Holding Company Limited, Kellogg UK Minor Limited, Kellogg USA LLC, Kellogg de Centro America S.A., Kellogg de Colombia S.A., Kellogg de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kellogg de Peru S.R.L., Kellogg's Produits Alimentaires S.A.S., Kelmill Limited, Kelpac Limited, Klux A Sarl, Klux B Sarl, Mass Food, Mass Food International SAE, Mass Food SAE, Mass Trade for Trade and Distribution SAE, McCamly Plaza Hotel Inc., Multipro Consumer Products Limited*, Multipro Private Limited*, Multipro Singapore Pte. Ltd*, Nhong Shim Kellogg Co. Ltd.*, Nikko Industries*, Nordisk Kellogg's ApS, PRUX S.a r.l., Padua Ltda, Parati Group, Parati Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda, Portable Foods Manufacturing Company Limited, Prime Bond Cyprus Holding Company Limited, Prime Bond Holdings Limited, Pringles, Pringles (Shanghai) Food Co. Ltd., Pringles Australia Pty Ltd, Pringles Hong Kong Limited, Pringles International Operations Sarl, Pringles Japan G.K., Pringles LLC, Pringles Manufacturing Company, Pringles Overseas Holdings Sarl, Pringles S.a r.l., Pronumex S de R.L. de C.V., RX Bar UK Limited, RXBRANDS Canada ULC, Ritmo Investimentos, Rondo Food Manufacturing S.A.E., RxBar, Saragusa Frozen Foods Limited, Servicios Argkel S.C., Shaffer Clarke & Co. Inc., Specialty Cereals Pty Limited, Specialty Foods L.L.C., Stretch Fibres*, Stretch Island Fruit Sales L.L.C., Sunshine Biscuits L.L.C., The Eggo Company, The Healthy Snack People Pty Limited, Trafford Park Insurance Limited, Uma Investments sp. z o.o., Vita+ Naturprodukte GmbH*, Wimble Manufacturing Belgium BVBA, Wimble Services Belgium BVBA, and Worthington Foods Inc..Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Read MoreThere is not enough analysis data for Centennial Mining.

5.0 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Centennial Mining has received 57 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Centennial Mining has received 17 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Centennial Mining has received 77.03% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Centennial Mining and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CTL will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CTL will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

Previous

NextCircumcision, like the other fitra acts involving the removal of redundant outgrowths that contribute to uncleanliness, takes the human body to a more perfect state ordained by God

Much has been written about female circumcision of late, with many writers confusing this Islamic practice with FGM (Female Genital Mutilation). However this is far from the truth. Female circumcision as prescribed in Islam involves removing only the prepuce (foreskin) covering the clitoris. This is a relatively minor and harmless procedure very much like male circumcision and which like it confers many health benefits, including facilitating genital hygiene and improving sex life. Nowadays even American womenchoose to undergo it as a cosmetic surgery popularly known as hoodectomy.



Islamic Basis



The evidence for circumcision, both male and female, come from the ahadith (Sayings of Prophet Muhammad, PBUH) like the following:



1) Five are the acts of fitra:circumcision, removing pubic hair, clipping the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the hair under the armpits(Sahih Bukhari and Muslim)



Circumcision, like the other fitra acts involving the removal of redundant outgrowths that contribute to uncleanliness, takes the human body to a more perfect state ordained by God, which is why it is called an act that is in accord with the fitra (God-given natural inclinations of humans). That it should apply equally to females as much as males goes without saying as both sexes have a prepuce, a fold of unclean skin covering the erectile tissue of their genitals. Besides, it is a well established principle of Islam that males and females are to be treated equally in all respects where they are similar and there can be no doubt that in this respect they are indeed similar.



2) When the (male) circumcised part meets the (female) circumcised part, bath becomes obligatory(Ahmad, Tirmidhi)



Here we have the Prophet declaring that the bath following sexual intercourse (without which no prayer is valid) becomes obligatory when both the circumcised parts meet The fact that the Prophet defined sexual intercourse as the meeting of the male and female circumcised parts when stressing on the need for the obligatory post-coital bath pre-supposes the obligatory nature of circumcision in the case of both males and females.



3) Abdullah Ibn Umar states that the Prophet instructed some Ansar (Medinan) women visiting him to be circumcised (Mukhtassar zawaid musnad al bazzar, Ibn Hajar).



4) The Prophet told Umm Atiyyah Al Ansariyyah, a lady who circumcised girls in Medina: When you circumcise, cut plainly and do not cut severely, for it is beauty for the face and desirable for the husband (Abu Dawud and Tarikh Baghdad of Al Baghdadi).



But thats not all. We have a few more traditions concerning the Prophets closest companions who believed it to be necessary for women:



1) Umm Al Muhajir said: I was captured with some girls from Byzantium. (Caliph) Uthman offered us Islam, but only myself and one other girl accepted Islam. Uthman said: Go and circumcise them and purify them (Adab al Mufrad of Bukhari)



2) Umm Alqamah says that when the nieces of Ayishas brother were circumcised, Aisha was asked: Shall we call someone to amuse them? Yes she replied (Adab Al Mufrad)



So here we have Uthman, one of the closest companions of the Prophet and the third Caliph of Islam ordering that some women who had converted to Islam be circumcised. The other tradition tells us that the Prophets wife Ayisha had her nieces circumcised, suggesting that she believed it to be obligatory.



The Islamic Procedure



All the early scholars of Islam were agreed that all that is needed to be removed in the circumcision of the female is the prepuce of the clitoris, the fold of skin covering the clitoris. This is the female equivalent of the foreskin in males which is taken off during circumcision. Ibn HajarAsqalani states in Fathul Bari that it constitutes the removal of the skin covering the cocks comb-like structure, and not the flesh. These early scholars of Islam did not arbitrarily decide how it should be done. They based it on a saying of the Prophet where he is reported to have told Umm Atiyya Al Ansariya, a lady who circumcised females in Medina: When you circumcise, cut plainly (in a shallow manner) and do not cut deeply, for it is beauty for the face and desirable for the husband (Sunan Abu Dawud).



This hadith clearly indicates the procedure to be followed in the circumcision of girls. The words Cut plainly and do not cut deeply (ashimmi wa-la-tanhaki) is to be understood in the sense of removing the skin covering the clitoris, and not the clitoris. The word ashimmi used here means to sniff, thereby implying a delicate sniff of steel (over the clitoris to remove its skin). Latanhaki means do not cut deeply, do not uproot which is a clear prohibition to do harm to the clitoris. Thus it is very clear that the Prophet commanded the removal only of the clitoral prepuce and prohibited harming the clitoris in any way.



Health Benefits



As shown by numerous studies, male circumcision confers significant health benefits. That its female equivalent which involves an analogous procedure, the removal of the prepuce of the clitoris, should offer similar benefits goes without saying. It has been found that the genital hygiene of women is, on the average, poorer than that of men because of numerous folds and the semi-hidden position of the clitoris. Whether we like it or not, its easier for males to retract and clean their foreskins of the regular buildup of smegma than women to clean theirs due to the obvious anatomical differences as shown above. It would be necessary for them to retract the hood each day or every other day, in order to prevent adhesion forming and smegma collecting beneath the prepuce.



It has been found that urinary tract infections (UTIs), an all too frequent complaint in women even more so than in uncircumcised little boys is very likely caused by smegma buildup beneath the clitoris. Female circumcision also contributes to preventing HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) transmission to male partners of women enjoying oral sex as the virus which finds a congenial home beneath the prepuce of the clitoris could be transmitted through cunnilingus or oral sex resulting in the occurrence of oral cancer among men. Interestingly Hollywood Actor Michael Douglas recently revealed that his throat cancer was caused not by smoking or drinking, but by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) contracted by giving oral sex to women.



The procedure also prevents unpleasant smells associated with the smegma buildup beneath the clitoris. Men as is widely known are turned off by unpleasant smells during sex and when it comes to oral sex could be easily put off (unless of course his partner has washed her clitoris by retracting it thoroughly with soap or body wash). So why go through all this as a routine matter when it could be permanently corrected by a minor surgery, preserving sexual joy in its purest form.



Fulfilling Sex Lives



Detractors claim that female circumcision reduces sexual pleasure in women. This is because they have deliberately lumped it together with un-islamic forms of Female Genital Mutilation like clitoridectomy and infibulation practiced in some African countries. These harmful forms have a detrimental effect on female sexuality but cannot be compared with Islamic female circumcision which has the opposite effect from these. In fact it contributes to enhancing sexual satisfaction in women during the sex act rather than decreasing it. This procedure is gaining popularity among Western women, and especially American women, not so much for health reasons as to lead satisfactory sex lives. It is popularly known as hoodectomy, after the hood of the clitoris (clitoral prepuce) that is removed in this minor procedure.

The author is Vice President- Outreach, Centre for Islamic StudiesThe North West Company Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the retail of food and everyday products and services to rural communities and urban neighborhood markets in Canada, Alaska, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. The company's Canadian operations comprise 118 Northern stores, which offers food, financial services, and general merchandise; 5 NorthMart stores that provides fresh foods, apparel, and health products and services; 25 Quickstop convenience stores that provides ready-to-eat foods, and fuel and related services; 5 Giant Tiger junior discount stores, which offers family fashion, household products, and food; 2 Valu Lots discount center and direct-to-customer food distribution outlet; 2 Pharmacy and Convenience stores; 1 Solo Market store for rural market; and 1 North West Company motorsports dealership offering sales, service, parts and accessories for Ski-doo, Honda, Can-am and other premier brands. The Canadian operations also provides contract tele-pharmacist services to rural hospitals and health centers; water and air-based transportation services; and produce and fresh meats to independent grocery stores. Its International operations include 27 Alaska Commercial Company stores that provides food and general merchandise to remote and rural regions; 12 Cost-U-Less mid-size warehouse stores, which offers discount food and general merchandise; 5 Quickstop convenience stores; 8 Riteway food markets; and 1 Cash and Carry store. The North West Company Inc. was founded in 1668 and is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada.

Read MoreiShares MSCI India ETF's stock was trading at $28.76 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, INDA stock has increased by 76.3% and is now trading at $50.69.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Red Hat, Inc. provides open source software solutions to develop and offer operating system, virtualization, management, middleware, cloud, mobile, and storage technologies to various enterprises worldwide. It offers infrastructure-related solutions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, an operating system platform that runs on hardware for use in hybrid cloud environments; Red Hat Satellite, a system management offering that helps to deploy, scale, and manage in hybrid cloud environments; and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, a software solution that allows customers to utilize and manage a common hardware infrastructure to run multiple operating systems and applications. The company offers application development-related and other technology solutions, such as Red Hat JBoss Middleware, a solution for developing, deploying, and managing applications; integrating applications, data, and devices; and automating business processes in hybrid cloud environments; The company's application development-related and other technology solutions also includes Red Hat cloud offerings, a software solution that enables customers to build and manage various cloud computing environments; Red Hat Mobile, a software development platform that enables customers to develop, integrate, deploy, and manage mobile applications for enterprises; and Red Hat Storage, a software solution that enables customers to manage large, unstructured, or semi-structured data in hybrid cloud environments. It also provides consulting, support, and training services; and realtime operating system, distributed computing, directory services, and user authentication. Red Hat, Inc. has collaboration with Juniper Networks Expand to provide a unified solution for enterprises designed to manage and run applications and services. The company was formerly known as Red Hat Software, Inc. and changed its name to Red Hat, Inc. in June 1999. Red Hat, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Read MoreC3.ai, Inc. operates as an enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) software company. The company provides software-as-a-service applications for enterprises. Its software solutions include C3 AI Suite, a platform-as-a-service application development and runtime environment that enables customers to design, develop, and deploy enterprise AI applications; and C3 AI Applications, which include industry-specific and application-specific turnkey AI solutions. Its C3 AI applications include C3 AI Inventory Optimization, a solution to optimize raw material, in-process, and finished goods inventory levels; C3 AI Supply Network Risk, which provides visibility into risks of disruption throughout the supply chain operations for enterprise supply chain managers; C3 AI Customer Churn Management, which enables account executives and relationship managers to monitor customer satisfaction using transactional, behavioral, and contextual information, as well as to take action to prevent customer churn with AI-based and human-interpretable predictions and warning; C3 AI Production Schedule Optimization, a solution for scheduling production; C3 AI Predictive Maintenance, which provides insight into asset risk to maintenance planners and equipment operators; C3 AI Fraud Detection solution; and C3 AI Energy Management solution. The company also offers integrated turnkey enterprise AI applications for various market segments, including oil and gas, chemicals, utilities, manufacturing, retail, banking, financial services, intelligence, aerospace and defense, healthcare, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, smart cities, transportation, and others. C3.ai, Inc. serves customers primarily in Europe, Asia, and the United States. It has strategic partnerships with Baker Hughes in the areas of oil and gas market; FIS in the areas of financial services market; Raytheon in the areas of the U.S. defense and intelligence communities; and Microsoft and Adobe in the areas of customer relationship management. The company was formerly known as C3 IoT, Inc. and changed its name to C3.ai, Inc. in June 2019. C3.ai, Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.

Read MoreAlthough foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Sri Lanka have recovered in 2017, hitting the much-touted US $ 1 billion landmark, the underlying bottlenecks of poor ease of doing business, attracting the wrong types of investments and policy uncertainty have prevented Sri Lanka from ushering in optimal FDI gains throughout the post-war period.



This study delves into firm-level investments in Sri Lankas manufacturing sector to further explore these bottlenecks. Three firm-level datasets of the Board of Investment (BOI) enterprises for the years 2002, 2009 and 2016 were used for this purpose and a comparative analysis between the datasets was conducted. Three key takeaways from the analysis are discussed below.



High firm turnover

The firm turnover is high, in both the short and long terms (Table 1). An entry/exit analysis found that compared to the number of entrants (202), twice as many firms have exited (410) in the post-conflict period from 2009 to 2016, while the exits are relatively higher than the entrants (665 vs. 469) even in the long term.



However, it should be noted that the authors definition for exits is firms that are absent in a later dataset but present in a previous dataset and vice versa for entrant firms; this implies that Table 1 displays not the total number of entrants and exits within a period but rather the comparative difference between the two time periods.



Furthermore, of the 933 firms that were in operation in 2002, only 408 have continued operations till 2016. In the post-conflict period, of the 930 firms that were in operation in 2009, only 675 firms have continued operations till 2016.



The turnover in the textiles and garments (T&G) sector is particularly high, relative to the other manufacturing sub-sectors in both periods under analysis; almost double the number of entrant firms have exited in the 2002-2016 period (150 vs. 255), while over double the number of firms exited within the 2009-2016 period (59 vs. 146).



This is potentially a reflection of the footloose nature of T&G, where firms are highly mobile and are constantly on the lookout for low-cost locations for production. While the labour-intensive components of production have been shifted to low-wage countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Thailand, etc, production is now shifting to bases with even lower costs, such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The relatively high exits in the T&G sector could be a reflection of this shift, given that Sri Lankas labour costs have steadily increased.



In addition, firms in this sector generally seek preferential access to markets in developing economies through schemes such as the GSP Plus programme. Therefore, while it is difficult to solely attribute the exit of firms in the T&G sector to Sri Lankas loss of GSP Plus concessions in 2010, it may have been a factor.



This aside, the high turnover of firms, which characterises almost all sub-sectors of Sri Lankas manufacturing sector, is a cause for concern. This phenomenon appears to be linked with the type of investments that are predominantly coming into Sri Lanka: incentive-seeking rather than efficiency-seeking investments.



The incentive-seeking investments are more footloose and tend to move between locations and engage in incentive shopping. Attracting more efficiency-seeking FDI that are here to stay relies on strengthening the trade-investment nexus via FTAs, along with institutional/regulatory steps that encourage efficiency gains rather than incentive shopping.



Firm composition shifting away from joint ventures

The datasets analysed comprised of manufacturing firms that are locally owned, foreign owned, as well as joint ventures. Ideally, Sri Lankas share of joint ventures should be increasing, in the interest of reaping the benefits of joint venture investments for a developing country like Sri Lanka, such as technology upgrading/transfers and providing links to global value chains. However, the share of joint ventures has declined from 30 to 20 percent, while the share of locally-owned firms has increased from 37 to 49 percent between 2009 and 2016.



Whilst some of the changes could be attributed to an increase in the number of domestic investors, the number of reductions in foreign and joint ventures are considerably higher. This trend is likely due to protectionist trade and investment policies restricting the investment space. For instance, policies such as the Land (Restrictions on Alienation) Act in 2014, which restricted foreigners from buying land in Sri Lanka, reduced the security of foreign investment and made the country a less desirable location for FDI.



Beginning commercial operations is time-consuming

A duration analysis of the time taken to set up business in Sri Lanka was conducted, using the sample of 202 entrant firms in the 2009-2016 period. Two stages of the business start-up process were considered: (1) application to the BOI approval (2) application to the beginning of commercial operations.



It takes less than three months for a majority of firms (165 of 202) to obtain the BOI approval, from the point of submitting an application to the BOI. This is in line with the World Banks Investing Across Borders database, which finds that it takes six procedures and 65 days to establish a foreign-owned limited liability company in Sri Lanka. However, the time taken for most firms to begin commercial operations, in the period after gaining the BOI approval, is far longer. Only seven out of 202 firms began commercial operations in a period of less than three months.



Only 24 firms were able to begin commercial operations in less than six months and only 80 firms were able to do so in less than one year. The majority (over 50 percent) of firms took over a year to begin operations and 62 firms (30 percent) took over two years to begin operations, from the time of submitting an application to the BOI. This is because the investors are referred to different ministries/agencies to obtain other required approvals (VAT registration from Inland Revenue, import export registration from Sri Lanka Customs, registration with utilities authorities).



As per the national budget proposals for 2018, the government proposes to establish a National Single Window to overcome these failings. This will enable foreign investors to apply on an online registration platform and undergo a fast-track approval process that doesnt require approvals from different line agencies, as per the current procedure in place. To this end, the BOI has established a Single Window Investment Facilitation Taskforce (SWIFT) with the Inland Revenue Department, Registrar of Companies, Sri Lanka Customs, Urban Development Authority, Colombo Municipal Council and Central Environment Authority, at the time of writing.



By end-2018, the BOI plans to extend this to 18 more line agencies to collectively incorporate a total of 24 agencies, which will cover the majority of approvals necessary for foreign companies that are planning to establish themselves in Sri Lanka.



Way forward

While the broader requirement of policy consistency is challenging to achieve, quick-wins such as speeding up the approval process for investors and reorientation towards attracting more efficiency-seeking FDI into the country, should be prioritised in the short term. The current policy environment, where the government is aiming to liberalise the existing restrictions on foreign entry on certain sectors and make land ownership laws less restrictive for foreigners, along with the BOIs recently implemented SWIFT facility, is positive in this direction.



Whether these efforts come to fruition and for how long a supportive policy environment is sustained, will undoubtedly affect whether Sri Lanka witnesses an improvement in firm-level outcomes for manufacturing sector investments in the country.



(This Policy Insight is based on the findings from a study on Firm-Level Analysis of Manufacturing Sector Investment in Sri Lanka by Kithmina Hewage and Harini Weerasekera. The publication can be purchased from the Publications Unit of the Institute of Policy Studies, located at No: 100/20, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7 and leading bookstores islandwide. For more information, contact the Publications Officer (Amesh) on 0112143107/0112143100 or email amesh@ips.lk)Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest

Read MoreSquare, Inc. provides payment and point-of-sale solutions in the United States and internationally. The company's commerce ecosystem includes point-of-sale software and hardware that enables sellers to turn mobile and computing devices into payment and point-of-sale solutions. It offers hardware products, including Magstripe reader, which enables swiped transactions of magnetic stripe cards; Contactless and chip reader that accepts EMV chip cards and Near Field Communication payments; Chip card reader, which accepts EMV chip cards and enables swiped transactions of magnetic stripe cards; Square Stand, which enables an iPad to be used as a payment terminal or full point of sale solution; and Square Register that combines its hardware, point-of-sale software, and payments technology, as well as managed payments solutions. The company also provides Square Point of Sale software; Cash App, which provides access to the financial system, allowing customers to electronically send, store, and spend money; Caviar, a food ordering platform for restaurants to offer food ordering, pickup and delivery, to their customers; and Square Capital that facilitates loans to sellers based on real-time payment and point-of-sale data. Square, Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Read MoreReckitt Benckiser Group plc manufactures, markets, and sells health, hygiene, and home products. The company offers acne treatment creams, facial washes, and cleansing pads; disinfection, hygiene, and first aid products; condoms, sex toys, and lubricants; heartburn and indigestion solutions; and cough and chest congestion, multi-symptom, and sinus remedies for adults and children under the Clearasil, Dettol, Durex, Gaviscon, and Mucinex brands. It also provides analgesics; footcare and footwear products; sore throat medications; and women's beauty products under the Nurofen, Scholl, Strepsils, and Veet brand. In addition, the company offers fragrances and devices; water softeners; home cleaning products; dish washes; toilet bowl cleaners; disinfectants; sprays, baits, and plug-ins for pest control; stain removals; and fabric washing products under the Air Wick, Calgon, Cillit Bang, Finish, Harpic, Lysol, Mortein, Vanish, and Woolite brands, as well as infant and child nutrition products under the Enfamil and Nutramigen brands. It operates in the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia/CIS, Turkey, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and internationally. The company was founded in 1823 and is headquartered in Slough, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreWhen the Defence Academy was eleveated to Universoity status, Gen. Denis Perera (Bottom) was made the first Chancellor

The Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers is a distinguished Association of Senior Officers, composed broadly of Generals, Admirals and Air Marshal and subcategories among these high ranks, now officially in retirement from the services.



The association is engaged in a broad range of activities pertaining to the areas of international relations, defence policy, institutional development and comparative studies and historical research relating to the three services.



In this context, they have brought out a biography of Deshamanya General Denis Perera former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army titled General Denis: Epitome of Leadership.



The General, a pioneering and seminal contributor to the growth, expansion and the inculcation and enforcement of high standards in all matters connected with the development of the Army was possessed of a commanding personality allied to a sense of personal modesty.



Therefore, when about to retire it was suggested that he should write his memoirs, he replied politely that I will leave to others. Those others in the form of The Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers have now acted on the Generals comment which at the time it was made, he no doubt felt would not bear fruit. Sadly, he is not with us to appreciate the commendable effort that has gone into bringing out this publication.

The book relates the central role he played in upgrading the Training Centre at Diyatalawa to the status of a well-constituted and well-resourced academy...



The book is important in many dimensions: The General was among the first batch of officer cadets who were sent to the Sandhurst Military Training Establishment in Britain at the dawn of Ceylons Independence.



From that point onwards, Denis Pereras career and growth of the national army were coterminous.



In this unfolding scenario, the young officer gradually acquiring more seniority and entrusted with more responsibility showed his qualities of hard work, consistency, bold initiative and implementation capacity.



Perhaps, there was an element of destiny in all this. Denis happened to enlist as an officer cadet on the 10th of October 1949, the day the Army was formed, which also happened to be his birthday!



The book contains well-researched facts, figures and dates. It has in a commendable manner gathered up important details that would have been scattered in files, documents, regimental records, the Training Centre at Diyatalawa and many other places.



These have been woven into the narrative in an easy and readable style enriched further with interesting personal recollections of many persons. As one reads, one feels the difficulty of separating the person from the institution, the institution that he was doing so much to build.



At the end of the book, there is the reproduction of a moving eulogy delivered by Brigadier A. P. R. David at the memorial service for the late General at the All Saints Church, Borella on October 14, 2013. In death as in life, General Denis Perera was loved and respected.



This book then is a valuable contribution to the biographical literature of the country. It is all the more valuable in that there is a comparative dearth of writings on the institutions and personalities relating to the armed services.



The information, episodes and material in the book, however, transcend the institutions that form its background and have many elements of universal application and relevance.



There is very little knowledge in the civilian sectors about matters relating to the intense training, discipline and standards that are promoted and inculcated in service by men and women.



The knowledge and insights provided in this book are important, relevant and valuable to all professional groups and persons who themselves have to follow conventions and codes of discipline, establish focus, provide leadership and aim at the achievement.

There is very little knowledge among civilians about the intense training, discipline and standards that are promoted and inculcated in service by men and women.



The Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers has therefore provided a valuable public service in bringing out this book. It is plain that much hard work, research, discussion and skilled drafting had gone into the production of this biography which is enhanced with well-selected pictures and photographs. The writers and editors while paying deserved homage to a great military personality and gentlemanhave also skillfully made the publication relevant to the wider circle of professionals in this country.



The impact made is, therefore, greater than the life and times of a single person, important as he was.



The book relates the central role he played in upgrading the Training Centre at Diyatalawa to the status of a well-constituted and well-resourced academy. In striking fashion, the narrative records the growing seniority, positions, responsibilities and achievements of the subject of this biography.



The Major Army Cantonment at Panagoda; the Combat Training School at Ampara. The setting up strategically of cantonments in various planned locations; the raising of new Regiments, many of them of great note and importance later, such as the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, The Rajarata Rifles, later to become the Gajaba Regiment; the Commando Unit, the Womens Corps and others, were all the products of his vision, energy and initiative.



The book also relates the negotiations conducted with Sir John Kotelawala and success that was had in persuading Sir Johnto gift his Kandawala Estate in Ratmalana to set up the Defence Academy for the higher education and training of officers of all three services.



Quite deservedly when the academy was elevated to the status of a University, General Denis Perera became its Chancellor.



There were many other achievements to his credit as a military personality. They are all contained in the book. But one that needs special mention is the Generals role in coordinating the compilation of the important publication entitled the History of the Army Fifty years on



The biography also knits together many interesting stories and anecdotes relating to the training at Sandhurst, travel on the continent, the resourcefulness and problem-solving skills that were displayed when required, camaraderie among colleagues and idiosyncrasies of trainers among other matters. The book also brings out charming vignettes of family life encompassing different generations and families. It contains reminiscences of children, grandchildren, in-laws, friends, colleagues and subordinates. All reflections display both affection and respect. The positive impacts on others lives are clear. The biography is therefore not a mere historical record or a chronicle of events and personalities. It is also a warm and living human document.



Finally, the book unfolds the Generals post-retirement activities and the responsibilities he undertook as High Commissioner to Australia with concurrent accreditation to many other countries, including Papua New Guinea and Fiji, as well as the important role he played in the private sector of Sri Lanka, as Chairman or a member of the Board of Directors of many companies.



The Generals interests and accomplishments did not stop there. He was a member or high office holder of many important associations, including being President of the Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers.



Writer, Deshamanya M. D. D. Pieris is a former member of the Ceylon Civil Service (SLAS) and Secretary to the Prime Minister and has served as Secretary to several Ministries as well.VeriFone Systems, Inc. provides payments and commerce solutions at the point of sale (POS) worldwide. It offers countertop solutions that accept payment options, including contactless, NFC, mobile wallets, and EMV; PIN pads that support credit and debit card, EBT, EMV, and other PIN-based transactions; and multilane consumer facing commerce devices. It also provides portable payment devices, including small, portable, and handheld devices that enable merchants to accept electronic payments wherever wireless connectivity is available; and mobile solutions that attach to and interface with iOS or Android based smartphones and tablets. In addition, it offers integrated electronic payment systems that combine electronic payment processing, fuel dispensing, and ECR functions, as well as secure payment systems for integration with petroleum pump controllers; unattended and self-service payment solutions designed to enable payment transactions in self-service, high-transaction volume, and public transportation environments; and network access solutions. Further, it provides installation, deployment, training, and application development and delivery solutions; project management, client education program, and consulting services; helpdesk support, equipment repair and maintenance, and software post-contract support services; and application libraries and development tools. Additionally, it offers omnichannel commerce, terminal management, and security solutions; and cloud-based managed, transaction payment, and other value added services. It sells its products directly; and through third party and channel partners. It serves financial institutions, payment processors, government organizations, and retailers; petroleum, transportation, and healthcare companies; and quick service restaurants. The company was formerly known as VeriFone Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to VeriFone Systems, Inc. in May 2010. VeriFone Systems, Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Cardinal Health: A+ Secure Packaging LLC, Access Closure, Access Closure Inc., Aero-Med Ltd., Alaris Medical Systems, Allegiance Corporation, Allegiance Healthcare, AssuraMed, AssuraMed Inc., Automatic Liquid Packaging, Bergen Brunswig Corp, Bindley Western Industries, Boron LePore & Associates, Borschow Hospital & Medical Supplies, Cardinal Health 100 Inc., Cardinal Health 104 LP, Cardinal Health 105 Inc., Cardinal Health 107 LLC, Cardinal Health 108 LLC, Cardinal Health 110 LLC, Cardinal Health 112 LLC, Cardinal Health 113 LLC, Cardinal Health 114 Inc., Cardinal Health 115 LLC, Cardinal Health 116 LLC, Cardinal Health 118 LLC, Cardinal Health 119 LLC, Cardinal Health 121 LLC, Cardinal Health 122 LLC, Cardinal Health 123 LLC, Cardinal Health 124 LLC, Cardinal Health 126 LLC, Cardinal Health 127 Inc., Cardinal Health 2 LLC, Cardinal Health 200 LLC, Cardinal Health 201 Inc., Cardinal Health 222 (Thailand) Ltd., Cardinal Health 247 Inc., Cardinal Health 249 LLC, Cardinal Health 3 LLC, Cardinal Health 414 LLC, Cardinal Health 5 LLC, Cardinal Health 6 Inc., Cardinal Health 7 LLC, Cardinal Health Australia 503 Pty. Ltd., Cardinal Health Austria 504 GmbH, Cardinal Health Belgium 505 BVBA, Cardinal Health Canada Holdings Cooperative U.A., Cardinal Health Canada Inc., Cardinal Health Chile Limitada, Cardinal Health Colombia S.A.S., Cardinal Health D.R. 203 II Ltd., Cardinal Health Denmark ApS, Cardinal Health Finland Oy, Cardinal Health Foundation, Cardinal Health France 506 SAS, Cardinal Health Funding LLC, Cardinal Health Germany 507 GmbH, Cardinal Health Germany Manufacturing GmbH, Cardinal Health IPS LLC, Cardinal Health International Philippines Inc., Cardinal Health Ireland 419 Designated Activity Company, Cardinal Health Ireland 508 Limited, Cardinal Health Ireland Unlimited Company, Cardinal Health Italy 509 Srl, Cardinal Health Japan G.K., Cardinal Health Korea Limited, Cardinal Health Malaysia 211 Sdn. Bhd., Cardinal Health Malta 212 Limited, Cardinal Health Managed Care Services LLC, Cardinal Health Medical Equipment Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cardinal Health Medical Products India Private Limited, Cardinal Health Mexico 244 S. de R.L. de C.V., Cardinal Health Mexico 514 S. de R.L. de C.V., Cardinal Health Middle East FZ-LLC, Cardinal Health Netherlands 502 B.V., Cardinal Health Norway AS, Cardinal Health P.R. 120 Inc., Cardinal Health P.R. 218 Inc., Cardinal Health P.R. 220 LLC, Cardinal Health Pharmaceutical Contracting LLC, Cardinal Health Pharmacy Services LLC, Cardinal Health Poland Spolka z ograniczonaa odpowiedzialnossciaa, Cardinal Health Portugal 513 Unipessoal Lda., Cardinal Health Singapore 225 Pte. Ltd., Cardinal Health Spain 511 S.L., Cardinal Health Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Cardinal Health Sweden 512 A.B., Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH, Cardinal Health Systems Inc., Cardinal Health Technologies LLC, Cardinal Health Technologies Switzerland GmbH, Cardinal Health U.K. 432 Limited, Cardinal Health do Brasil Ltd., CareFusion, Cirpro de Delicias S.A. de C.V., Convertors de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Cordis, Cordis (Shanghai) Medical Devices Co. Ltd., Cordis Cashel Company Unlimited, Cordis Corporation, Cornerstone Partners G.P.O. L.P., Covidien Manufacturing Solutions S.A., Curaspan Health Group Inc., Denver Biomedical, Dik Drug, EPIC Insurance Company, Emerge Medical, Enturia, Especialidades Medicas Kenmex S.A. de C.V., Futuremed Health Care Products, Gala Biotech, Geodax Technology, Griffin Capital LLC, HLS Freight Services, Healthcare Solutions Holding, Innovative Therapies Inc., Instant Diagnostic Systems Inc., KPR Australia Pty. Ltd., KPR Italia S.r.l., KPR Switzerland Sales Gmbh, KPR U.S. LLC, Kendall Patient Recovery BVBA, Kendall-Gammatron Limited, Kinray, Leader Drugstores Inc., Limited Liability Company "Cardinal Health Russia", Ludlow Technical Products Canada Ltd., MCD, Magellan Laboratories, Marin Apothecaries, MedMined, Medicine Shoppe International Inc., Mediquip Sdn. Bhd., Medtronic - Patient Monitoring & Recovery, Mirixa Corporation, NaviHealth, Nippon Covidien Ltd., One Cloverleaf LLC, Outcomes Incorporated, Owen Healthcare, PCI Pharma Services, ParMed Pharmaceuticals, Pinnacle Intellectual Property Services Inc., Pinnacle Intellectual Property Services-International Inc., Post-Acute Care Center for Research LLC, Pyxis Corporation, Quiroproductos de Cuauhtemoc S. de R.L. de C.V., R Cubed Inc., R.P. Scherer Corporation, RGH Enterprises Inc., RainTree GPO LLC, RainTree Oncology Services, Renal Purchasing Group LLC, Rxealtime Inc., Sonexus Health LLC, Syncor International, TelePharm, TelePharm LLC, The Harvard Drug Group, The Harvard Drug Group L.L.C., Tradex International Inc., Viasys Healthcare, WaveMark Inc., Zuellig Pharma China, mscripts, mscripts LLC, and mscripts Systems India Private Limited.Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Reinsurance, International, Bermuda, and Insurance. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. The International segment offers foreign property and casualty reinsurance through Everest Re's branches in Canada and Singapore and through offices in Brazil, Miami, and New Jersey. The Bermuda segment comprises reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets through brokers and directly with ceding companies from its Bermuda office and reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets through its UK branch and Ireland Re. The Insurance segment writes property and casualty insurance directly and through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents within the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartere

Read MoreAn Iranian official described participation of the countrys pilgrims in this years Hajj as successful but said conditions are not yet ready for Iranians to go on Umrah (minor Hajj) pilgrimage.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): An Iranian official described participation of the countrys pilgrims in this years Hajj as successful but said conditions are not yet ready for Iranians to go on Umrah (minor Hajj) pilgrimage.



Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday, Head of Irans Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Hamid Mohammadi said 86,000 pilgrims from Iran were sent to the Holy Land in 589 batches in this years Hajj season.



He added that the 2018 Hajj was held calmly and safely.



While the Hajj was held successfully and the Saudis behavior toward Iranians was good, Iran cannot resume Umrah pilgrimage until its demands are met, he said.



I cannot decisively say whether or not Umrah pilgrimage will be resumed this year, but I dont see the current conditions ready for that.



Back in November 2017, too, Mohammadi saidconditions were not ripe for the country to resume dispatching nationals to Saudi Arabia for performing the Umrah.



The resumption of the Umrah pilgrimage requires special arrangements and mechanisms and it will take place if Saudi Arabia fulfills them, he said at the time.



In 2016, more than 1.8 million pilgrims attended Hajj, but Iranians stayed at home after tensions between Riyadh and Tehran boiled over following a deadly crush of people during the 2015 pilgrimage.



On September 24, 2015, thousands of people lost their lives in the deadly crush after Saudi authorities blocked a road in Mina during a ritual, forcing large crowds of pilgrims to collide.



The crush was the deadliest incident in the history of the pilgrimage. According to an Associated Press count based on official statements from the 36 countries that lost citizens in the disaster, more than 2,400 pilgrims were killed in the incident.



Saudi Arabia claims nearly 770 people were killed, but officials at Irans Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization say about 4,700 people, including over 460 Iranian pilgrims, lost their lives.







/257The Jathika Hela Urumaya(JHU), an ally of the government, today called for a general amnesty to all the military personnel and LTTE cadres charged for war crimes.

Its stalwart Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka told a news conference that the Attorney General's Department should determine war related crimes in this case.

He said the members of Tamil parties that helped the military should also be granted such an amnesty under this.

He said the consent of all the Tamil political parties should be secured in this regard.

However, he said neither had an Act been brought to Parliament to rehabilitate and release LTTE members nor was there a Cabinet approval and said that some 12,000 LTTE members were released.

On such grounds Minister Ranawaka said the enforcement of law only against state security forces had led to public disappointment.

The JHU proposed to the Government to appoint a committee comprised of specialists under the aegis of the Attorney Generals Department, to identify war crimes and crimes committed for private motives, during the civil war. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)Aenza SAA is a holding company, which engages in the provision of engineering, management consulting, real estate, and corporate shares trading services. It operates through the following segments: Engineering and Construction, Infrastructure, Real Estate, Technical Services, and Parent Company Operation. The Engineering and Construction segment includes activities such as engineering, civil works, electro-mechanic construction, building construction, and contract mining. The Infrastructure segment provides operation and maintenance services for infrastructure assets. The Real Estate segment develops and sells homes targeted to low and middle income population sectors. The Technical Services segment offers information technology services, and electricity networks services. The Parent Company Operation segment corresponds to the services which the holding company provides, management, logistics, and accounting services. The company was founded by Alejandro Grana Garland, Carlos Montero Bernales, and Carlos Grana Elizalde on June 22, 1933 and is headquartered in Lima, Peru.

Read MoreIndian Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi has written to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena requesting him to free elephant Bandula from Dehiwala Zoo, the NDTV reported on Monday.

In her letter, Ms.Gandhi said many in Sri Lanka have reached out to her about the "plight of Bandula" who is in chains for last 67 years.

There were reports about bleeding wounds on Bandula's limbs, due to heavy chains for years.

Sri Lanka is such a gentle and beautiful island. It seems out of character to treat the elephant this way. Send the elephant to the Ridiyagama National Park to live free, Ms.Gandhi said.

The minister cited examples in India about how elephants are banned in zoos and the elephants look stressed when chained as they have the same sensitivities as humans.Volunteers Don Hoarde and Nicole Brien, right, were busy serving up hot lunch of baked BBQ chicken, pasta, vegetables, beets, warm bread and assorted pastries at New Beginnings Soup Kitchen in Woonsocket Tuesday. New Beginnings serve hot meals to those in need Monday through Thursday noon to 1:30 p.m.Paul Dwyer, of Warwick, left, greets old friend Tom (Cat) McGeough, of Woonsocket, during the opening day of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island weekend at Diamond Hill Park in Cumberland Friday. Dwyer and McGeough are both Vietnam Army veterans who served during the Tet Offensive and were in Vietnam from 1969-71. The two look forward to seeing each other every year during Operation Stand Down.Denuclearisation will be high on the agenda for this week's inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday on the eve of his third meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"I've confirmed the sincere willingness of both Chairman Kim Jong Un and President Trump on several occasions," Moon said during a Cabinet meeting.

"I plan to hold frank talks with Chairman Kim Jong Un on ways to find a point of compromise between the US demand for denuclearisation and the North's demand for ending hostile relations," he added.

Moon, who met Kim in April and May this year, was instrumental in brokering the historic Singapore summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim in June, when Kim backed denuclearisation of the "Korean peninsula".

But no details were agreed and Washington and Pyongyang have sparred since over what that means and how it will be achieved.

The US is pressing for the North's "final, fully verified denuclearisation", while Pyongyang is seeking a formal declaration that the 1950-53 Korean War is over -- hostilities ceased with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. It has condemned demands for it to give up its weapons unilaterally as "gangster-like".

The dovish South Korean leader -- who has gladly taken on the role of a mediator -- will try to close the gap between the US and the North, according to Moon's chief of staff Im Jong-seok.

"Through various meetings and phone calls, President Moon has a better understanding of what the US is thinking than Chairman Kim," Im told reporters.

Moon is due to fly to New York later this month to attend the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to meet Trump.

Moon will hold at least two formal meetings with Kim, who may make a rare appearance at the airport to welcome his guests, the chief of staff said.

The South's president is also scheduled to attend a concert and visit key sites in the North's capital with his delegation, which includes tycoons Lee Jae-yong -- the heir to the Samsung group -- and the vice chairman of Hyundai Motor.

Moon has been pushing inter-Korean economic co-operation but several South Korean newspapers urged caution Monday, with the Korea Herald calling the businessmen's presence on the trip "untimely".

"It is better to postpone economic projects involving the North until after negotiations to remove its nuclear program make substantial progress," it said in an editorial.

And investment in the North was "fraught with risks and uncertainty", it added.

Other issues on Moon's agenda will be improving inter-Korean ties and easing military tensions on the peninsula. Seoul said this could lay the groundwork for a declaration on the Korean War - implying that such an announcement was unlikely during the trip.Minister Harsha de Silva with the affected residents near the construction site on Saturday (15)

A meeting conveyed by State Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Dr. Harsha De Silva regarding issues faced by a group of residents in Off Buthgamuwa Road, Rajagiriya is to take place today (September 18) with Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRC) Chairman Roshan Gunawardena and Municipal Commissioner of Sri Japura-Kotte Wasanthi Rathnapala.



Following the Dailymirror Expose titled Nuisance next door published on September 13, Minister De Silva, who is also the MP for Kotte, visited the group of affected residents on Saturday (September 15) and called for this meeting with SLLRC Chairman and Municipal Commissioner of Sri Japura-Kotte.



The Dailymirror Expose reported the long standing residents in the area alleging an Indian property developer Iconic Developments (Pvt) Ltd of building a super luxury condominium project named Iconic Galaxy on a land in their neighborhood. The story neighbours were quoted in stating that the property developer was illegally filling the marsh, forcibly using a private road and building an unauthorised bridge as the main access to the complex.



They also alleged that the Urban Development Authority (UDA), the SLLRDC, Japura-Kotte Municipal Council and the Welikada Police are acting to facilitate the requirements of the Indian company, violating the laws of Sri Lanka.



According to the revelation by Dailymirror it was found that a private road had been allegedly converted to a public road to make access to the condominium under construction. This was supported by documentary evidence. The residents also complained that they were greatly disturbed by the construction with sound pollution continuing to late night. The female residents also had complained that they were undergoing sexual harrament due to the workers at the site.



As there can be many sides to a story, the Dailymirror before publishing the Expose also obtained a response from the Indian property developer and published it prominantly in the article.



Meanwhile, Minister de Silva, who is a very active politician on social media, made a post on his official Facebook page, regarding this Rajagiriya issue, in connection which Iconics MD Parikh has also replied. Later, a conversation between Parikh and Minister De Silva began.



Ministers FB post



In reply to the Iconic Developments Managing Director, the minister made a lengthy post. Below are extracts from his comments.



I had a meeting, with all stakeholders together; Iconic representatives, residents, UDA, SLLRDC, MC, police etc. At that meeting it was found that the road was in fact a private one. That is why the police agreed to the signage This is a Private Road being erected. There seems to be a dispute with regard to the filling of the land too. I have asked the SLLRDC to immediately inspect and provide a report.



All I want is the law to be adhered to. Most disturbingly I just found out today that last week a meeting had been called without me and certain decisions had been taken to demolish what has been called illegal constructions encroaching on to the 30 foot public road. I have directed that the minutes of the said meeting be immediately sent to me to understand what had happened at this non-transparent meeting by leaving the elected representative out.



This I find most strange and not in keeping with the good governance we have to practice. In any case the ownership and the width of the road have to be established before any demolition of houses of long time residents is to take place given the situation.



When I visited the area every person on that road came to speak with me. Yes, it is only a few residents who live down the road. I am perplexed about your number of 500 residents; perhaps they are those who have paid for the new apartments. Yes, they are important and hard earned money has been spent. Sums between Rs 30 and 50 million has been paid as down payments and these monies keep the construction going. I am fully aware of their rights and intend safeguarding same. But that does not in any way mean that the rights of the existing residents can be dismissed.



I would also like to mention in public that I cannot be silenced by powerful people and it is best that such attempts are not made in the future by either side. It is best that there is an understanding that not every politician is the same, the minister said. (Note that the ministers Face Book comments have been edited to the suite the print edition of the Dailymirror )



Meanwhile, the minister said that he was not satisfied with the Kotte MC at all since corruption has been rampant within the MC.



I requested for an audit from the UDA of 39 ongoing developments in Kotte last year, after we were alerted by some residents about a massive fraud where a particular developer had obtained a permit to go up 13 stories, but found a way to increase it to 25 stories. According to this report, of the 37 buildings audited (the Kotte MC did not share details of 2 projects even after the UDA requested for same repeatedly) it was found that:



a) Only 04 projects complied with the planning and building regulations specified in the Kotte Development Plan.

b) Of the remaining projects, 12 had received permits, but with major deviations; and

c) 15 were progressing with valid permits, but without clearances from relevant agencies such as the Central Environmental Authority and the Traffic Planning Committee etc.

d) The rest were not scrutinized as they could not be classified as apartments.



Minister stated that certain persons, who were directly responsible for the 13 stories going up to 25, were the same people who are involved in the Iconic Galaxy apartment complex mess from the MC.



If we find out that Kotte MC officials have been manipulating matters I will ensure that they are dealt with full force of the law, he further said.



Justice to be meted out to all



The minister reiterated that he hoped justice would be meted out to all parties and if the developer has transgressed they will have to correct themselves. If the residents have transgressed then they will have to correct themselves too.



Meanwhile, many people and residents representing organisations from Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia, Kotte and Colombo suburbs have rendered support to the group of Rajagiriya residents. Those organisations and the people claim that they were experiencing the same issues in their areas.



Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror learns that the Indian developer in question Iconic Developments (Pvt) Ltd has organised a press conference to be held today (Tuesday) at a five- star hotel in Colombo.

Iconic developers send second response

The Dailymirror contacted the management of the property developer via email and sent them the allegations made by the people, seeking a reply to be published in the Expose. Subsequently, the Managing Director of the Iconic Developments Rohan Parikh replied and his reply was published in the DM article. However, the management of Iconic Developments Pvt Limited had sent another response on Monday in response to the Expose article. As the Daily Mirror respects the right of reply and believes all voices should be heard, the following are the relevant sections of the second response sent to the Daily Mirror:



1: Iconic causing inconvenience to residents



Response: A small group of 4-5 residents has misled a local politician and the residents have been trying to extract monies from Iconic. 4-5 residents have illegally built their walls onto a shared public road which is blatantly an illegal act. When asked to move their walls back, they have responded with lies and threats. This is their vested interest.



2: Indian and Chinese workers behaving inappropriately



Response: Not a single Indian or Chinese national worker is employed at Iconics site. The photograph in the paper is of workers from the neighbouring site belonging to another Sri Lankan construction company. The same project has taken up a large warehouse for storage on this particular road. There are multiple developments coming up along that area. Iconic developments take the utmost care to ensure that any inconvenience to the residents is at the minimum. We follow all norms prescribed by the local authorities regarding construction. Our construction is handled by Maga, a local Sri Lankan Company employing Sri Lankan manpower. In fact every agency working on our project is a Sri Lankan Company employing Sri Lankan manpower.



3: The construction site releases effluents into the canal



Response: The canal was a sewage dump until it was cleaned and maintained by Iconic. Images of the canal before and after are easily available. Iconic challenges the newspaper and the neighbours to produce a single shred of evidence of pollution.



Iconic further charges that the canal was used by the residents as a garbage dump for many years. Now that a clean development is coming up, their use of this canal as a dump yard has been stopped. This has annoyed the 4-5 residents as mentioned previously.



We have left 60% of the land open for flooding of the canal in compliance with the rules of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation & Development Corporation.



4: RTI revealed Off Buthgamuwa road is not a public road



Response: Municipal records, Land records, UDA records, the owners purchase documents confirm that the road was declared public in the 2009. Anyone is free to visit either the Kotte Municipal or our offices where all copies exist to verify the same. It is unfortunate that basic due diligence is missing.



5: Off Buthgama Road is a private road for residents



Response: Not only is it a public road, Iconic owns a clear right of way over the road. Iconic has an inalienable right to use this road. The opinion of nearly every top law firm in Sri Lanka is unanimous on this, as is the opinion of every government agency.



The right of way documents are available for public examination at the offices of Iconic Development.



6: Govt agencies are turning a blind eye



Response: The project has gone though years and months of intense scrutiny from the BOI, the UDA, the Kotte Municipal Council, the Ministry of Environment, The Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation. Many onerous environmental and developmental standards have been imposed on Iconic and 100% complied. Every building code, fire code, flood code, earthquake code, structural code, etc has been complied with to the letter. We challenge anyone to find a single code violation.At the Cabinet meeting, the President raised concerns about the prolonged detention without trial of military officers. He was equally livid that he as the Commander-In-Chief of the tri-forces was not informed of the impending arrest of the Chief of Defence Staff

Last Thursday, barely 48 hours after the regular Cabinet meeting, President Maithripala Sirisena convened an emergency Cabinet meeting. The reason for this hush-hush meeting (The President repeatedly urged his ministers not to divulge the substance to the media) was the impending arrest of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne by the CID. Admiral Wijegunaratne was accused of aiding a former officer of the naval intelligence wing, now a key suspect in the disappearance of 11 civilians, to evade the arrest. The officer in question is Hettiaratchchi Mudiyanselage Chandana Prasad Hettiaratchchi, better known as navy Sampath, a former Lieutenant Commander of the Navy and the personal security officer of the former navy commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda. Earlier, Mr. Hettiarachchi was arrested at Lotus road. It was alleged that he had been working at a plantation in Dompe, using a forged National Identity Card. However, talk in the military circles was that he had been assisted by the naval top brass to flee the country.

Nor does it reassure the majority in the South, when the same government is failing to forge ahead with an equal amount of assertiveness in matters of economic development



Now, the CID alleged that he had been transported out of Sri Lankan waters in a naval vessel and moved to another ship which took him to Thailand. Later he had returned to Sri Lanka under an assumed name. There were allegations about the connivance of the naval top brass, including Admiral Wijegunaratne, a former navy commander. Colombo Chief Magistrate had issued an order for the arrest of Admiral Wijegunaratne if the CID found incriminating evidence against him. However, on the day he was summoned to the CID (September 11), Admiral Wijegunaratne took a flight to Mexico, ostensibly to represent Sri Lanka at Mexicos Independence Day celebrations. He is expected to give a statement to the CID on September 19 upon his return.



At the Cabinet meeting, the President raised concerns about the prolonged detention without trial of military officers. He was equally livid that he as the Commander-In-Chief of the tri-forces was not informed of the impending arrest of the Chief of Defence Staff, the senior-most serving officer of the unified command of the armed forces. The current government is in itself caught up in a catch-22 situation because of the extreme vested interests and raw emotions attached to the trials of military officials.



The President himself promised in his election manifesto to investigate the incidents of human rights violations allegedly committed during the previous regime. His government subsequently co-sponsored a UN Human Rights Council resolution in which the government reaffirmed its commitment to transitional justice and to bring a closure to the thousands of victims of the 30-year war. Since then, a few selected cases have been vigorously pursued by the CID. One was the disappearance of 11 youth, though the initial complaint on the matter was lodged by the then navy commander Admiral Karannagoda in 2009 after his then personal security officer Lt. Commander Sampath fell out with him.

There are various analogies about the immediate cause for the estrangement; the incident, nonetheless, led to the unearthing of an abduction racket run by the Special Intelligence Unit of the Navy, ostensibly with the knowledge of at least some of the senior officers. Fearing for his life, Mr. Sampath later sought sanctuary under the then Army commander General Sarath Fonseka. A mutual animosity between the then Army chief and his navy counterpart was also public knowledge. Sampath also confided that the senior officers were privy to the abduction racket, and divulged an alleged plan to kill several journalists loyal to General Fonseka. This saw them being accorded security by the army commandos. Then defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, though some of his associates claim was keen to investigate the allegations of abductions, in fact sat on them. Investigations were resumed only after the election of the current government in 2015. During a five-year-long hiatus, much could have happened to the evidence.



Thus this whole affair is a lot more complicated than it appears on the surface. It also bears the signature of the recent troubled past. That was also a time when an entire country was reeling from suicide bombers; security vulnerability of the state effectively triggered a kind of behaviour that may not be condoned in hindsight, though abductions of the innocent young men for ransom, as the case under investigation has revealed to be, is unjustified under any circumstance.



None of the above should deprive the victims and loved ones the justice they are clamouring for. However, the path to justice is trickier than it would normally be. Justice will be best served to the victims if the CID and the other agencies focused on the case itself (i.e. who is responsible for the tragic plight of 11 young men) and not its subsequent swings. Sidetracking the investigation could well open a can of worms and getting rid of the infestation would not be easy. It is better to avoid that predicament.

However, talk in the military circles was that he had been assisted by the naval top brass to flee the country. The CID alleged that he had been transported out of Sri Lankan waters in a naval vessel



It is fashionable in this country to be sanctimonious after the end of a brutal conflict. However, war is a bloody business where one may be forced to cross the lines of what is not permissible in normal times. Counter insurgency is dirtier. Digging deeper into the affairs of the past would not be in anyones interest.



Also, the overzealous actions of the CID in certain cases are not matched by the other agencies that investigate separate cases. While military officers are held in prolonged detention without trial, and then released, those who are accused of high profile cases of corruption during the previous regime are roaming free. The government has failed to convict a single fat cat politician whom it accused of being corrupt even when evidence of certain incidents of corruption are publicly available. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the former defence secretary has avoided arrest by obtaining repeated restraining orders. Investigations into certain other incidents, such as the killing of Welikada prison inmates, ostensibly picked and chosen according to a Gota list have been stalled.



This governments inertia does not add up with overly eager investigations into certain other matters. Nor does it reassure the majority in the South, when the same government is failing to forge ahead with an equal amount of assertiveness in matters of economic development.



Sri Lankas quest for transitional justice cannot be pursued in isolation of other national priorities. It should be one among a set of multiple pressing imperatives that should be achieved in coordination. Any mutually exclusive approach to appease the European Union and UN Human Rights Council is bound to fail at home.

In its search for transitional justice, the government should also be able to a draw a line between what is possible and what is not and focused its time and energy on things which are possible to achieve without creating a major consternation in the country. Rather than empowering peace and giving a closure to the victims, mixing up of priorities would only embolden the ultra-nationalists in the South.



Follow @RangaJayasuriya on TwitterAlmost 18 million children headed to school in Turkey on Monday for the start of a new academic year.

More than a million teachers also returned to school at the start of the first semester, which will last till Jan. 18, 2019.

The mid-term break will end on Feb. 1 and the second semester is scheduled to begin on Feb. 4 and end on June 14.

On Sunday, the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a message wishing success to all teachers and students for the new school year.While confirming that the entire staff of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Austria including its Ambassador was recalled, President Maithripala Sirisena today said he ordered to do so to send a message across to other Sri Lankan missions as well.

Addressing the National Ozone Day celebrations at the BMICH in Colombo, the President said his staff tried to contact the Embassy in Vienna, Austria for four and a half hours because he wanted to speak with the Sri Lankan Ambassador there.

However, no one was available to respond to at least one of the six phones at the embassy. Therefore, the entire Sri Lankan staff from the ambassador to the labourer was recalled. The staff will return soon. I made this order to send a message to other embassies as well, he said.Afghanistan have on Monday knocked five-time Asian champion Sri Lanka out of the continents premier ODI competition.

Batting first, Afghanistan set a modest target of 250.

Shah struck five boundaries during his 90-ball knock of 72 and added 50 for the second wicket with Ihsanullah Janat (45) after Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat on a flat pitch.

Janat hit six boundaries in his 65-ball innings while his opening partner Mohammad Shahzad batted in his aggressive style, hitting a six and four boundaries in his 47-ball 34.

For Sri Lanka, who lost the opening match to Bangladesh by 137 runs in Dubai, seamer Thisara Perera took five for 55 and spinner Akila Dananjaya finished with two for 39.

In reply, Sri Lanka were all dismissed for 158. Rehman, Nabi and Rashid took two wickets apiece. Tharanga remained highest scorer for Sri Lanka with 36 runs.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week attended the 4th Eastern Economic Forum, hosted by Russia in Vladivostok. Leaders and top officials from China, South Korea, and Mongolia also attended to discuss economic development and investment in the Russian Far East and the Asia-Pacific.

On September 10, Abe met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss plans for economic cooperation, particularly on the disputed Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories in Japan). They agreed to a road map in five previously-agreed fieldsaquaculture, greenhouse farming, tourism, wind power and waste reduction. Few details were announced aside from plans to cultivate strawberries in greenhouses and sea urchins.

Other forms of cooperation include plans for business delegations from both countries to visit the disputed islands in October. The head of Japans Self-Defense Forces, Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, will visit Russia next month following the visit of General Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of Russias armed forces, to Japan last December. Tokyo also plans to relax visa restrictions for Russians to increase tourism.

Both countries have promoted economic cooperation on these islands as a means of resolving the decades-long territorial dispute, which has also prevented them signing a peace treaty to formally end World War II. Both Abe and Putin have expressed an interest in a treaty with Putin saying on September 10 he was ready to explore solutions that both sides could accept. The dispute involves four islands off the coast of Hokkaido, which the former Soviet Union seized in August 1945 as the war was ending.

Last Wednesday, Putin in a seemingly surprise move during the forums plenary session went one step further, saying, Lets conclude a peace agreement by years end without any preconditions. Tokyo responded cautiously by repeating its position that the territorial dispute should be resolved first.

However, last Friday, Abe suggested there was more going on behind the scenes: I cannot talk about it because we are in the middle of negotiations... What I can say is that I believe a summit meeting in November or December will be an important one.

It is unlikely that Putins comment was an off-the-cuff remark given the increased pressure Washington has placed on all the countries in the region. Putin may hope to seize upon Japans growing frustration with the US and the Trump administration over trade to break through some of the isolation imposed on Russia by US and Western European sanctions.

Tokyo publicly plays to the US presidents vanity, yet trade talks over the summer reportedly became contentious with Trump even referring to the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during one fraught meeting.

Japan has already been impacted by the US trade war on China, in addition to US tariffs on Japanese steel and aluminum. Washington is also considering additional tariffs on Japanese vehicles while hinting at the possibility of more measures to come.

The Wall Street Journal s James Freeman wrote on September 6 that during a phone call Trump stated his relationship with Tokyo was good but quoted the US president as saying, Of course that will end as soon as I tell them how much they have to pay.

Within this context, Tokyo is trying to reposition itself within the Asia-Pacific region to offset Washingtons protectionist measures as well as find new trade agreements to replace the Trans-Pacific Partnership, formerly backed by the US but abandoned when Trump came to office.

During his speech last Wednesday, Abe portrayed Japan as a dot connector, linking up different projects and enterprises throughout Eurasia in various fields. The Japanese premier stated: Through Japan-Russia cooperation, here, Vladivostok, and locations all around Far East Russia will become gateways where human resources, goods, and capital come together.

Abe continued: The Arctic Ocean to the Bering Sea, the North Pacific, and the Sea of Japan will together form a major, arterial sea road of peace and prosperity.

Russia in the past has been reluctant to realize such a passageway or return the disputed Kuril Islands given the close military partnership between Japan and the US and the strategic nature of the sea route. Putin expressed concern over any territorial transfers in June 2017 saying that tomorrow some (US) bases or elements of missile defence will appear there. For us this is absolutely unacceptable.

In December 2016, Putin visited Japan and much was made about the potential for closer relations as well as a settlement on the territorial issue. However, with Trump coming to office and the uncertainty generated as a result, Moscow was under less pressure to make a deal.

In addition to talks with Putin, Abe met with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon, Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Significantly, both Abe and Xi emphasized that bilateral relations were on the right track. The two discussed how Japan and China could work together on investment projects related to Beijings Belt and Road Initiative.

Abe is planning to visit China for a summit with Xi on October 23, where they will mark the 40th anniversary of the normalization of relations. They also intend to move forward on negotiations for a fifth basic document, outlining relations between Tokyo and Beijing.

Japans goal in reaching out to Moscow and Beijing has nothing to do with peace and prosperity as Abe has claimed. Washingtons moves towards trade and military conflict with regional adversaries as well as allies is generating instability while pushing countries like China and Russia closer together economically and militarily.

Fearing such an alliance, as well as hoping to address its own flagging economy, Japan is inserting itself into the mix to ensure its own national interests are met, regardless of the impact on the US-Japan alliance.

The growing tensions in relations between Washington and Tokyo are ultimately not the result of the current US administration or mere aberrations that will subside after Trump leaves office. Rather they are the product of the drive by US imperialism to offset its historic decline and maintain global hegemony as the expense of any rival, including allies such as Japan.

The author also recommends:

Japan and China improve relations in face of US trade war measures

[10 September 2018]There is growing anger among auto workers over the injury of a Fiat Chrysler Kokomo Casting Plant worker in Indiana, amid a news blackout from FCA management and the United Auto Workers.

An article posted by the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter on the injury of the worker, Eric Parsons, has been widely read by workers, with hundreds sharing the article and commenting on it on Facebook.

Parsons was severely injured on September 5 when a die slide fell on top of him. He was later evacuated by helicopter to a trauma center in Indianapolis. He suffered multiple injuries, including internal bleeding as well as serious injury to his pelvis and spine. He faces a protracted recovery period, and family members are hopeful that he will be able to walk again. They have set up a gofundme account to raise financial support.

One reader of the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter wrote, I can tell you with no uncertainty that OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] + UAW + FCA = collusion.

Ive personally worked in areas with blatant OSHA violations, witnessed co-workers take the concerns to our steward, following procedure, witnessed them contact OSHA, following procedure, witnessed OSHA agent *rather than investigate* speak to UAW regarding complaint, then post investigation found no evidence or corrective action taken notices WITHOUT EVER LOOKING AT THE SITE.

I've continued working at that site for months without anything being done to abate the hazard, and had dozens of co-workers referred to the OSHA notice whenever they expressed concern about the problem.

A worker at the Fiat Chrysler Sterling Heights Assembly plant near Detroit said, If the UAW could hide the language of [the 2015] contracts from us, why would they care about safety? We knew that something was wrong when the corruption scandal began, but this is just adding to what is already there, she said referring to the multiple indictments of top UAW officials for receiving illegal payoffs from Fiat Chrysler.

The casting plant employs some 1,400 workers, and supplies critical components used in the manufacture of transmissions. FCAs massive transmission operations in Kokomo supply all of the companys North American vehicle assembly plants.

The Kokomo Casting Plant pours about 1 million pounds of aluminum each day, or about 3 percent of the worlds supply of aluminum. The plant recently installed three new die cast machines to produce Chryslers eight-speed transmission. The facility also makes engine blocks for Ferrari.

The plant has also begun to re-melt aluminum in the name of improving efficiency. As a result of this and other changes, the plant won a bronze award on the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) scale. WCM ratings focus on eliminating waste.

The dies used for the manufacture of transmissions are massive, weighing several tons. The die slide is used for the manufacture of internal parts of the transmission. The maintenance of the dies involves an extensive lockout system.

There are many potential hazards in a casting plant, where crucibles of molten aluminum are transported overhead to feed the giant casting machines. The injury rate in die casting is approximately two times the rate for the rest of industry, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A spokesperson for the Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration told the WSWS that an investigation into the recent accident has begun, but could provide no further details.

One Kokomo casting plant worker wrote to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, noting the potential hazards of working in the plant:

Working on the dies in the machines at [the] casting plant there are lock out procedures you have to follow for your safety. Also in moving dies there are safety rules to follow. If any of these are changed it could or will kill you. I have seen two operators killed in machines while I worked there.

In 2011 the Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration fined Fiat Chrysler $200,000 for safety infractions it uncovered following the death of a worker at the Kokomo Casting Plant. Claude Brock Jr., 62, a maintenance worker, fell to his death from a conveyor system. The fines involved penalties for not requiring the use of appropriate equipment for the prevention of falls and for improper training.

In a statement to the press, Brocks widow, Alberta Brock, criticized IOSHA for not imposing more severe penalties on the company and noted that her husband had previously indicated to her that he was surprised that more workers werent killed or injured at the factory due to unsafe conditions.

In another horrific tragedy, in September 2007 John Kelly Wright, 48, was crushed to death by a die cast machine. According to an account published by his nephew, Wright was crushed between two side panels of a die cast machine after going inside to check on an apparent malfunction. Sensors had detected that a part had not been properly ejected after it was cast. Wright had gone inside to adjust the pneumatic pins that eject the transmission from the machine after it has cooled off from casting. Problems with the pins had been a longstanding issue.

A sensor is supposed to detect when the door to the machine is open. However, for months prior to that the sensors had apparently been malfunctioning. Wright and other workers had complained about the safety equipment but had been told a fix was not cost effective. Even though the door was wide open, the machine went into operation, with Wright still inside.

Chrysler was eventually fined a mere $15,000 in relation to the death, which the company promptly appealed.

Workers at four Kokomo area Fiat Chrysler transmission plants voted overwhelmingly for strike authorization in July over unresolved health and safety grievances. Since that time, the UAW has imposed a virtual news blackout on the state of the negotiations. Reflecting the unserious nature of the UAW leaderships claim to be waging a struggle, no strike deadline has been set.

No confidence can be placed in the UAW-Fiat Chrysler joint safety committee to uncover the facts relating to the injury to Parsons. The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter encourages Kokomo Fiat Chrysler workers, friends and family to contact us with information and background to this tragedy. All contact information will be kept confidential.

Only an independent investigation initiated by workers can prevent similar occurrences. This calls for the building of rank-and-file factory committees, independent of management and its UAW lackeys.Djordje Kuzmanovic, an advisor of Unsubmissive France (LFI) leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, has hailed his German ally Sahra Wagenknechts launching of the xenophobic Aufstehen (Rise up) movement. In a long interview with LObs on Wednesday, the former paratrooper and geopolitical analyst posed as a defender of French people against low-wage immigrant workers. He also tried to pass off his xenophobic line as a Marxist analysis.

Wagenknecht, a leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) and partner of Melenchons political associate, Oskar Lafontaine, founded Aufstehen at the beginning of September. She declared that Aufstehen was a movement from below, though it advocates militarily reinforcing the European Union (EU) and hostility towards refugees. She condemned free circulation and immigration as the main source of growing competition for low-paid work and denounced refugees for creating uncertainty.

Wagenknechts appeal won her the applause of the German neo-fascists. The far-right newspaper Junge Freiheit (Young Freedom) hailed Aufstehens role in the debate on a return to the nation state and declared that the only way to avoid social and political upheavals was to organise a broad social debate on the massive problems caused by uncontrolled migration.

And Kuzmanovic added his applause to that of the German far right, hailing in LObs Aufstehens chauvinist and anti-immigrant line as a strategy for LFI to win workers votes.

He said: Some left-wing voters are turning to right-wing populism, but the main problem is that most of the lower classes abstain. If there is an electorate to be won over, thats the one! The risk, if we do not manage to do it, is to find ourselves in an Italian-type situation, where progressive forces are in tatters and the xenophobic right is in power. Sahra Wagenknechts political line on the migration issue therefore seems to me to be a question of public cleanliness.

This is a reactionary proposal to develop LFI on political bases that are compatible with European neo-fascism. It is founded on a political lie, that is, the claim that the collapse in votes for social democratic, Stalinist or allied political parties is due first and foremost to a shift among workers toward support for neo-fascism.

In fact, if Frances Socialist Party (PS), Germanys Social Democratic Party (SPD) and their LFI and Die Linke allies have lost voters, it is due above all to the right-wing shift of the petty-bourgeois, post-1968 student movement from which they drew their leaders. Amid a deepening social crisis and growing working-class opposition to the entire political establishment, their nationalist and anti-Marxist orientation allows them to rally to a line that is ever closer to a neo-fascist position.

Terrified by the eruption of revolutionary sentiment in the working class in the general strike of May-June 1968 50 years ago, these layers evolved steadily towards pro-war, pro-austerity positions. The austerity turn of the PS in France, the Spanish Socialist Party and Pasok in Greece in the early 1980s, the Stalinist restoration of capitalism in the USSR itself in 1991, and then the SPDs Hartz IV austerity laws, initiated decades of austerity by the social democrats and their Stalinist and Pabloite allies. Their electoral base has now collapsed.

The more recent founding of Syriza, Die Linke, Podemos, LFI and now Aufstehen ultimately provided only a facelift for nationalist, petty-bourgeois forces coming from Stalinism or Pabloismlike Melenchon, who began his political career in the Organisation communiste internationaliste (OCI) of Pierre Lambert. The OCI had broken with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and with Trotskyism in 1971. He joined the PS in 1976 and then worked closely under PS President Francois Mitterrand.

Syriza (the Coalition of the Radical Left), which has held power in Greece since 2015, is carrying out a violent austerity policy and detaining refugees in appalling conditions, packed into squalid internment camps on the Greek islands.

The sections of the petty bourgeoisie represented by Syriza, LFI and co. are moving sharply to the right, in line with the entire European political establishment. Kuzmanovic tries, of course, to maintain the fiction that his xenophobic policy differs fundamentally from that of the neo-fascists. He says, for instance, We are against hunting down migrants: this is a great difference with the far right.

For a refugee arriving in France, however, the difference between the current persecution of migrants and that advocated by Kuzmanovic would be small indeed.

Indeed, Kuzmanovic proposes to attack companies that hire refugees and only accept a tiny minority of the refugees who are fleeing towards Europe. If we want to oppose unbridled migration and exploitation, we must attack those who hire unregistered workers, he says. As for the few tens of thousands of people who are fleeing war, we can take them. This is a duty inscribed in the Geneva Conventions of 1957 and 1962, which France signed.

In fact, tens of millions of refugees are fleeing NATO and French imperialist wars in Iraq, Syria, Mali, Afghanistan and beyond. Kuzmanovics statement shows that he not only wants to deprive refugees arriving in France of a job, but above all to expel from France the vast majority of those fleeing war.

Conscious that he is vulnerable to left-wing criticisms that would expose his proximity to neo-fascist positions, Kuzmanovic issues xenophobic accusations that his critics are facilitating the hiring of foreign workers by French companies.

He declares: If you are left wing and you have the same position on the immigration as big business, there is a problem.  What we are saying is not new at all. It is a purely Marxist analysis: capital is building its reserve army of labor. If it is possible to pay low wages to undocumented workers, this will drag all salaries down. You are telling us this is a far-right analysis? You are joking.

This attempt to palm off xenophobic demagogy praised by neo-fascists as Marxism is a repugnant political fraud. The Communist Manifesto , written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, begins by declaring, The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles, and ends with a statement that has been celebrated for 150 years: Proletarians of all countries, unite!

The essential task of Marxists has always been to unite the working class in struggle, above all to overcome the national divisions along which the ruling class seeks to divide it. Marxists have always insisted that a common struggle against nationalism, neo-fascism and militarismthe stock-in-trade of dubious political operators like Kuzmanovicwould unite immigrant and native-born workers.

Kuzmanovic, a former paratrooper, worked in Rwanda in 1994, when Paris was supporting the genocidal regime of Juvenal Habyarimana, and participated in French intelligence operations in Yugoslavia. He is part of an entire layer of police and intelligence operatives within LFI, including the head of the General Confederation of Labor police union, Alexandre Langlois, and the Interior Ministry trade unionist Georges Knecht. Their integration into the apparatus of repression directed against the working class by French imperialism underscores that they have nothing in common with Marxism.On September 11, the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), the primary teachers union, announced it would present a revised pay offer from the Ministry of Education to around 29,000 teachers and principals.

The proposed annual pay increase of 3 percent a year over three years for most teachers is a sellout that should be decisively rejected. The offer is less than half the 16 percent increase over two years which the NZEI told its members it was seeking from the Labour Party-led government.

Pay for teachers and other staff has stagnated amid rising living costs, especially housing, which has increased 62.9 percent over the past decade. School buildings and resources have also been starved of funding. Many schools rely heavily on donations from parents and charities.

The new proposal is barely an increase on the previous offer of 2.2 percent and 2.6 percent a year for most staff. Teachers and principals rejected this offer and held a one-day strike on August 15, the first walkout called by the NZEI since 1994.

The teachers dispute is part of an international upsurge of class struggles after a decade of austerity measures following the 2008 financial crisis. Teachers have organised strikes in many parts of the United States, against the will of the unions, which have intervened to shut down industrial action. Teachers have also recently held strikes in Mexico, Argentina, Slovenia, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom and India.

In New Zealand, nurses and other public hospital workers held their first nationwide strike in 30 years last July. Public servants and transport workers have also taken action, and secondary teachers are demanding a 15 percent pay increase.

During last months strike, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hypocritically claimed to sympathise with teachers. She insisted, however, that radical change takes time and teachers demands for decent pay and conditions could not be addressed immediately. NZEI bureaucrats applauded Ardern, claiming Labour was listening to teachers.

The union, while making no official recommendation for or against the new proposal, is nonetheless bringing the offer to its members in a ballot to be held from September 18 to 25. The NZEI has made no commitment to hold another strike if the deal is rejected.

The NZEI is following the same playbook as the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), which presented five sellout offers and dragged out negotiations for almost a year. The union sought to demoralise health workers by repeating the governments lie that there was no more money to address the crisis caused by the chronic under funding of the health system.

NZEI president Lynda Stuart admitted the latest offer did not address teachers demands for improved wages, more support staff and smaller class sizes. A recent survey by the union found 52 percent of schools do not have all the teachers they need and 28 percent have had to increase class sizes this term.

Stuart told the New Zealand Herald, however, We are not going to be able to do everything that requires extra staffing all at once. Union leaders have been really clear around the importance of being able to stage things, she said.

There is an urgent need for a combined political and industrial fight against austerity uniting the entire working class. The NZEI is seeking to isolate its members from other workers, including secondary teachers and nurses. As they have done for the past decade, the unions are continuing to enforce austerity on behalf of the government, which is under funding health, education and other services, in order to keep taxes low for the super-rich, while allocating billions to the military and police.

Teachers are determined to fight for a better deal. The World Socialist Web Site recently spoke to a teacher from a working class school in South Auckland who said she intends to vote against the new offer, along with everyone she works with.

I didnt go on strike because Im greedy, the teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, stated. I went on strike to show that were at crisis point within the teaching profession, because teachers are leaving, because they cant get the support they need to do their job.

She explained that due to staff shortages, teachers often worked when they were sick. She said young children require more one-on-one work, so if you have anything over 20 [in a class], youre basically almost babysitting. Its like trying to herd cats. Some classes at her school had around 30 students.

The teacher had seen more and more children with behaviour and learning needs and we dont get the support that we require to help those children. Students whose cognitive abilities had been affected by parental drug use dont qualify for any extra support.

The teacher said some children come to school hungry and were really lucky we have charities that can help us to feed them. Many teachers had bought food for children in the past. Some also spent thousands of dollars on classroom materials.

The teacher was pleased the NZEI had called last Augusts strike. In previous years, she said, we would go to union meetings and say, Lets go on strike because were not happy, and we were told, Just take the deal.

She added that the NZEI doesnt always listen to the demands and suggestions that we put forward, which is very frustrating. For instance, a colleague of mine suggested that student teachers be paid [during their in-classroom training]. Paying student teachers, who often give up jobs in order to study, would encourage more people to take up the profession, but this was a suggestion the union wasnt going to hear about.

The South Auckland teacher had been excited when the Labour Party-led government was installed last year, promising change. She said the crisis had developed over many years and that now the Labour government is having to deal with teachers who are beyond the point of frustration.

She did not accept the governments claims that there was not enough money to address the problems facing schools. Its all about prioritising their funding, the teacher said. What they have to think about is that the children who are in our classrooms today are our future leaders and right now were failing them.

The WSWS warns that to carry out a real fight for decent, well-funded education, workers must politically break from the Labour Party and the pro-capitalist trade unions. Teachers need new organisations: rank-and-file committees, completely independent of the NZEI, and controlled by teachers, school support workers and parents.

Such committees will seek to unite teachers with other workers, in New Zealand and internationally, based on the fight for workers governments that would implement socialist policies, based on the needs of ordinary people, not the profit demands of a tiny corporate elite. Billions of dollars must be redistributed from the banks and the super-wealthy to guarantee the social right to decent healthcare, housing and education for all.

The authors also recommend:

Teachers must link up their fight with educators nationally and internationally!

[11 September 2018]

Following strike wave, New Zealand prime minister appeases the corporate elite

[8 September 2018]

Lessons of the New Zealand Nurses Organisations sellout

[18 August 2018]The following article is part of a series of articles dedicated to exposing the militarization of schools and universities. To read more about the issues facing young people and to join the IYSSE, visit iysse.com.

More than 100 school districts and public universities have hired social media monitoring companies over the past five years to spy on students social media accounts under the pretext of school safety and preventing school shootings, according to a report in the New York Times.

The private companies exploit social tragedy, recruiting more institutions after every mass shooting despite little evidence that the spying programs have any effect on violence.

The customers of these companies include school districts experiencing school shootings, such as the Newtown Public Schools in Connecticut, as well as some of the largest school districts in the nation, including in Los Angeles and Chicago. Large universities like Michigan State and Florida State have also contracted services from the companies.

The latest surge of contracts has come in the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, in which 17 people were killed, on February 14, 2018.

Monitoring students social media accounts is a violation of privacy and another layer in the intimate partnership between the US government and tech companies for mass surveillance and censorship of the internet.

Most of the companies offering spying services hold or have previously held contracts with police departments. In 2016, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) exposed one of the companies, Media Sonar, for recommending police officers follow hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter, #DontShoot, and #ImUnarmed during the Ferguson protests. In late 2015, Media Sonar also worked with the Ferguson-Florissant School District, which asked for alerts on the terms protest and walkout.

The monitoring companies maintain a high level of secrecy on every aspect of their work. Many have direct ties to the military and intelligence agencies.

One of the early companies to offer spying services, GEOCOP, is perhaps the most ominous. The companys owner, Bob Dowling, worked for the Naval Criminal Intelligence Service as a civilian special agent for 13 years. He was then assigned to work with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the US militarys technology development branch, and later the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force. GEOCOP was hired initially to monitor various schools in New York, including CUNY. It is unclear how active the company remains today.

Another example is Social Sentinel, run by Gary Margolis, who served as chief of police at the University of Vermont for 11 years. His companys web site declares, Dont miss out on the chance to listen.

GEO Listening, one of the few companies without a CEO directly connected to the state, is just as secretive about its operations. It lists its address in California, but no operations are conducted at the physical address and the credited testimonials are all, admittedly, pseudonyms.

These companies are often contracted without notifying students or parents.

The companies employ crafty methods to keep track of students posts. One method, called geofencing, is used to sweep up posts within a given geographic area by using keywords to narrow the search pool. The companies also use a persons hometown and other personal information to determine whose content should be flagged.

Social Sentinel is based in Vermont, with contracts in more than 30 states. The company has worked with police departments but has more recently shifted its focus to schools. It actively seeks schools affected by gun violence to offer its services and was one of many to immediately approach school districts in Florida after the Parkland shooting. Margolis, the companys chief executive, likened Social Sentinel to a carbon monoxide detector.

Despite claims that the programs helped identify students at risk of self-harm, a review of school documents shows that hundreds of harmless posts are what are often flagged.

The monitoring services have led to at least one students expulsion in 2013. Auseel Yousefi, now 22, was expelled from his high school for posting a Twitter message he insists was an inside joke between a teacher and students in the class. Yousefi said he was going to chop a teacher in the throat, which his school viewed as a threat.

One student had been accused of holding too much money in photographs, and another was suspended for an Instagram post in which she wore a sweatshirt with an image of her father, who was a murder victim. School officials alleged the sweatshirts colors and a hand symbol the student was using were evidence of gang ties.

Other posts flagged consist of typical student banter: Ok so all day Ive wanted my bio grade up online and now that its up Ive decided I want to die, one Twitter post said.

Hangnails make me want to die, said another. In many cases, the algorithms target individuals they are not intended to. Patrick Larkin, an assistant superintendent in Burlington, Massachusetts, told the New York Times he receives alerts on his phone in real time from Social Sentinel. He said 19 out of 20 come from people who are not even his students.

Observing social media posts is just one of many products and services being pushed in the wake of the Parkland massacre. Other proposals being adopted at schools across the country include active shooter insurance, facial recognition technology, bulletproof school supplies, arming teachers, and active shooter drills that involve sending SWAT teams onto campuses to stage an active shooter situation without informing teachers, students or parents.

Over the last two decades, school shootings have been exploited to strengthen the state. The political establishment has worked to obscure the fundamental issues at the root of the epidemic of mass violence in schools: over a quarter century of state-sanctioned US militarist violence, growing social inequality, and the destruction of social services.

The fact that police employ the services of these companies to monitor protests is a serious security issue to workers and students opposed to war, inequality and police violence. This effort is one aspect of a broader process of militarization taking place on campuses throughout the country. It poses immense dangers to the democratic rights of youth, students, and workers everywhere.Israel launched a series of missile strikes on targets close to Damascus International Airport late Saturday night. The strikes, which are the latest in a long line of aggressive interventions into the Syrian conflict by Tel Aviv, were reportedly aimed at destroying a weapons depot belonging to Iranian forces or the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.

The Israeli missiles, according to Syrian government news agency SANA, were aimed at the airport but were intercepted by air defences. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group with ties to the anti-Assad opposition, reported that the target was not the airport but the nearby weapons depot.

While the Israeli government as usual refused to confirm or deny the attack, comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday all but acknowledged Tel Avivs involvement. Israel is constantly working to prevent our enemies from arming themselves with advanced weaponry, declared Netanyahu following reports of the attack. Our red lines are as sharp as ever, and our determination to enforce them is as strong as ever.

If Netanyahus right-wing government can proceed so aggressively in Syria, it is because its provocative air strikes enjoy the full backing of Washington. The Trump administration, along with the entire political and military establishment, see Israel as a key ally in driving Iran out of Syria and preparing for war with Tehrana war that would have catastrophic consequences for the entire Middle East and beyond.

Earlier this month, Israeli jets struck Iranian positions in the northwestern Syria city of Hama. In August, Syrian media blamed the Israeli intelligence service Mossad for the assassination of Aziz Asber, a government scientist who Israeli media alleged ran a chemical weapons development facility in Masyaf. In early September, an Israeli army spokesman confirmed that Tel Aviv has fired over 800 missiles at Syria over the past 18 months, striking 200 targets.

In May, Israel seized on Trumps abrogation of the Iran nuclear deal to launch a series of air strikes on Iranian positions in Syria, killing at least 14 people and bringing the region to the brink of war. The two sides nearly entered all-out conflict after up to 20 projectiles were fired at Israeli positions on the Golan Heights in retaliation for the strikes, prompting the Israeli air force to respond with further missile attacks.

Tel Avivs latest incursion comes as the danger of war between the major powers in Syria mounts sharply. Over the past two weeks, Washington and its European allies have applied concerted pressure on the Assad regime and its Russian ally, including threatening an all-out military assault if Damascus and Moscow proceed with their plan to militarily crush fighters affiliated with Al Qaida in Idlib Province. Ten days ago, the Pentagon dispatched over 100 Marines to southeastern Syria, where they conducted artillery and air strike drills to intimidate Russia.

The aggressive US military build-up, which was aimed at reinforcing a base on the Syrian-Iraqi border that has served as a training ground for anti-Assad Islamist militias, was cynically justified by Trump administration officials and the corporate media with references to the threat posed to human rights in Idlib. In an interview with Fox News last Wednesday, UN Ambassador Niki Haley claimed that she was concerned for Idlibs civilian population, while the New York Times and Washington Post have issued warnings about the wars greatest humanitarian disaster.

The hypocrisy of such advocates for US imperialist violence knows no bounds. As well as being chiefly responsible for the Syrian bloodbath through its support for Islamist rebels with the aim of bringing about regime change in Damascus, the US has been involved in some of the most horrific crimes against the civilian population in Syria and neighbouring Iraq in the current conflict. The brutal US-led offensives to reclaim the cities of Mosul and Raqqa cost the lives of tens of thousands, while leaving much of these areas in ruins.

Washington has adopted this reckless agenda because it is determined to consolidate its unchallenged control over the energy-rich and strategically-important Middle East. The American ruling elite wants at all costs to prevent Assad from regaining control over all of Syria with Russian and Iranian support, since this would lead to Washingtons virtual exclusion from influencing post-war Syria and a would be a serious setback in its wider drive to contain Iran in preparation for war.

On Friday, Moscow confirmed that the Syrian governments offensive on Idlib was being postponed. Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet today with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a hastily-convened summit to agree on the next steps in Idlib.

Erdogan has made clear that Ankara will not tolerate a Russian-backed offensive. Fearing that an attack on Idlib would send a large proportion of its 3 million residents streaming across the Turkish border, Erdogan ordered the sending of reinforcements to Turkish troop positions in Idlib to serve as a warning to the attackers. Turkey has a series of military checkpoints in Idlib following an agreement it struck with Iran and Russia to turn the province into a deconfliction zone.

The alliance between Russia, Iran and Turkey was always one of convenience, with each country pursuing its own, and at times contradictory, interests in the Syrian conflict. While Turkey initially sought the overthrow of Assad, Iran hoped through its intervention on the side of Damascus to expand its influence in Syria and strengthen its regional power ambitions against Saudi Arabia and Israel. Russias intervention has focused chiefly on keeping Assad, the Kremlins only ally in the Middle East, in power.

However, Turkey fell out with Washington, a fellow NATO ally, over the US reliance during its anti-ISIS operations on Kurdish militias associated with the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), against which Ankara has waged a counter-insurgency war for three decades. Erdogan patched up his differences with Putin after Turkey had shot down a Russian jet in late 2015 before launching two major military offensives into northern Syria to push back Kurdish forces from the Turkish border and prevent the emergence of contiguous territory under Kurdish control.

It remains unclear whether Erdogan and Putin will reach an accommodation. According to some media reports, one scenario under consideration would involve Ankara consenting to Russian air strikes against known Al Qaida positions in Idlib, but opposing an all-out ground offensive by Syrian troops. Turkey is the main funder of Free Syrian Army units in and around Idlib and is calling for a diplomatic solution.

In the event of a major US-led military intervention, however, Turkey could once again distance itself from Russia. Ankara has appealed both to Washington and Europe for support in dealing with Idlib.

All indications suggest that US-led military action would be of a much larger attack than the missile strikes in April 2017 and April 2018. Washington has not only encouraged France and Britain to join military action but is also publicly urging Germany to join a new coalition of the willing. As James Jeffrey, the Trump administrations new adviser for Syria, stated on Thursday during a trip to Berlin, The best way to show political support is not in a speech, but with military solidarity.As the school year gets underway in Texas, the consequences of the states longstanding refusal to provide special education services to as many as 250,000 students, or roughly 5 percent of the total student body, are becoming ever clearer. Despite Texas having been ordered by the federal government to increase its services for special needs students, there is a severe shortage of qualified teachers and billions of dollars are missing from the budget to fund the necessary programming.

In January 2018, the US Department of Education found Texas in violation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Instead of proactively seeking out eligible disabled children, referred to as the Child Find provision, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) set a cap of 8.5 percent on the number who would be admitted into special education programs regardless of the true level of need.

The purpose of the TEA cap was to cut costs. To educate a student in special education is roughly twice the cost of educating one in general education.

Local districts employed a variety of means to block students from getting the testing necessary to determine their eligibility. In some instances, parents faced aggressive questioning from school administrators before being allowed to receive application forms. In other cases, they were told that the public schools could not provide services.

In one northwest Houston suburban school district, Klein ISD, Maritza Woodard, whose daughter suffers from bipolar disorder, was given a list of local private schools that would serve her childs special needs, denying her access to the public education system.

Classroom teachers also encountered obstacles getting their students the services they needed. Educators reported that they would submit recommendations for students who, in the course of their own professional observations, they deemed deserving of eligibility testing. Administrators then attempted to undermine these recommendations. Melanie Urbis, a math teacher in West ISD, said, They sit you down and basically interrogate you about whether this kid really needs to be evaluated for special ed services, and if you really think that, and if youre sure.

In the state with the third largest number of billionaires in the US, lawmakers cut $5 billion from the education budget in 2011. Responsibility for school funding was shifted largely onto local districts, which raise money through property taxes. However, the state employs a taxation formula that prevents districts from increasing property taxes from year to year, even when new funding is required to meet immediate needs, such as the current rapid influx of special education students into the public schools following the federal government ruling.

In a recent report to a subcommittee of the legislature, the TEA estimated that the increasing enrollment in special education will require a funding increase of $3.2 billion over three years and an additional $1.5 billion annually thereafter. These numbers do not include the estimated $150 million the state stands to pay out in compensation to students who were denied special education during the years the cap was in effect. The state government is working to pass these costs on to local districts, which can only handle such burdens by making cuts in other areas.

The flip side of Texas illegal cap on special education services was the failure to train, recruit, and hire certified special education teachers. There is now a massive teacher shortfall, which some estimates say could be as high as 10,000. Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the Learning Policy Institute at Stanford University, told Bloomberg that last school year 29 percent of Texass special education teachers were not even certified in the field.Tourist in Sri Lanka, who had been charged above fifty thousand Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) in VAT after making purchases at an authorized retailer that displays the "Tax Free" shopping logo will be entitled to claim a VAT refund when they leave Sri Lanka.

Will I be eligibility for a VAT refund in Sri Lanka?

A non-citizen and non-resident of Sri Lanka

Stayed in Sri Lanka for less than ninety days, under a visit Visa issued by the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka.

Should not be less than eighteen years of age as of the date you visit Sri Lanka.

Conditions of TVRS

The tourist required to have a minimum of LKR 50,000 worth of VAT liable purchases (exclusive of VAT) from any of the authorized retailers

Consisting of a maximum of 3 commercial invoices issued on the same day by the same retailer.

Obtained a tourist VAT refund Invoice (TVRI) from the same authorized retailers by providing the commercial invoices along with your passport.

Other conditions that may prevent you from obtaining a TVRS refund

Goods that are prohibited on aircrafts for safety reasons. (check with your airline for prohibited items)

Goods that are prohibited and restricted under Sri Lanka Customs Ordinance Act.

VAT exempted goods (where VAT was not paid)

Goods that have been wholly / partly consumed in Sri Lanka. (for example: food, Beverages)

Services consumed (Eg: hotel charges)

Goods purchased online and taken out of Sri Lanka.

Goods that are not presented for inspection with the required application form at the TVRS Counter.

Where to claim TVRS refunds?

The TVRS Counters are located at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.

How to claim TVRS refund?

You can make your claim for a tax refund by visiting a TVRS Counter at the point of departure.

Commissioner General, Inland Revenue Department, Colombo 02. Hotline  1944 Telephone: 011-2253970 Email: tvrs@ird.gov.lkThe government decided to create a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under Treasury to absorb the total liabilities of SriLankan Airlines after writing them off its balance sheets, a Minister said yesterday.

Public Enterprises Development Minister Lakshman Kiriella told Daily Mirror it was a pre-requisite to strike an equity sharing arrangement with an investor to develop the national career. He said the national career should start with a clean balance sheet with no debt burden.

We had talks with the Finance Ministry a couple of weeks ago and decided to create the Special Purpose Vehicle. It is an entity to transfer the liabilities of the national career, he said.

The Minister said a lot of investors including foreign airlines had shown interest in investing in Sri Lankas national career, but outstanding debt volume, accumulated over a period, had been deterrence.

He said the airlines from the countries such as Japan, China and Germany were keen to partner with Sri Lankan Airlines under an equity sharing arrangement.

We are contacted by a lot of investors. There are several airlines from China alone. But, the liabilities are a problem, he said.

Earlier, the Cabinet had granted approval for the government to absorb the total liabilities of the national career amounting to Rs.461 billion. (Kelum Bandara)(London) REUTERS: Londons vast financial sector must never again be the masters of the economy, the finance spokesman of Britains opposition Labour Party said, accusing bankers of profiting from speculation at the expense of ordinary people.



John McDonnell, a veteran socialist who is now seeking to reassure business, promised higher taxes and tougher regulation on banks on the 10th anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers  the pivotal moment in the global financial crisis.



The key lesson is this: never let the finance sector become the masters of the economy when they should be the servants of the economy, he said in a speech outside the Bank of England on Saturday.

He said ordinary people were still paying the price for the crisis through falling living standards and cuts to public services, and a Labour government would redress the balance.



With Prime Minister Theresa Mays government weakened by her Conservative Partys infighting over Brexit, Labour is hoping her minority government will collapse.

Most recent opinion polls show Labour level with the Conservatives, meaning they could form the next government, although the next election is not due until 2022.

Labour would introduce a financial transaction tax to extract more revenue from the City of London by expanding an existing tax on shares to trading on other assets such as bonds and derivatives.



The finance sector has a responsibly to deliver the resources that we need, he told the rally held by a variety of unions and campaigns including one called Change Finance.



Despite his previous antipathy towards bankers, McDonnell is trying to win the support of financial bosses, just as former Labour leader Tony Blair helped prepare his party for power with what was dubbed the prawn cocktail offensive in the 1990s.



For example, McDonnell went for talks with the Wall Street bank Goldman Sachs earlier this week to discuss Britains upcoming departure from the European Union.

He said his message when holding meeting with bankers and asset managers was simple: Youll get a decent rate of return but were not being ripped off anymore. Ripped off by speculation, privatisation, job cuts, exploitation of workers.



A Labour government would also try to end tax evasion and tax avoidance, and seek to tackle the issue of overseas companies owning properties in London, which he said has caused speculation and forced up prices.Border Patrol agent accused of killing 4 stockpiled weapons and sought 'suicide by cop' : Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent in Texas suspected of being a serial killer had prepared numerous weapons to confront law enforcement officers as they closed in to arrest him and had hoped to die by "suicide by cop," officials said Monday.

The suspect, Juan David Ortiz, 35, knew all four of the victims he allegedly killed and had gained their trust over a period of time before luring each of them to the outskirts of Laredo, Texas, and shooting them in the head, Chief Federico Garza of the Webb County Sheriff's Office said during a news conference.

PHOTO: Law enforcement officers gather near the scene where the body of a woman was found near Interstate 35 north of Laredo, Texas on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP)

While investigators are still trying to determine why Ortiz allegedly went on a rampage, Garza said the suspect "mentioned a dislike for the community that the victims represented."

"Ortiz targeted all the victims due to their profession and being vulnerable," Garza said. "At one point, Ortiz was able to gain their trust and then viciously shot them."

Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz said the victims were either drug users or sex workers.

"There appears to be some history between Ortiz and this community," said Alaniz, declining to elaborate.

Following his arrest early Saturday morning, Ortiz confessed to all of the killings which occurred between Sept. 3 and Sept. 15., according to police.

One victim was not identified, pending family notification. The other three, police said, were Claudine Anne Luera, 42, Melissa Ramirez, 29, and Humberto Ortiz, 28.

Garza credited a woman who escaped from Ortiz, a U.S. Border Patrol supervisor, for his arrest.

PHOTO: John David Ortiz, 35, was charged with the murder of four women in Laredo, Texas, since Sept. 3, 2018. (Webb County Sheriff's Office)

Ortiz was arrested after he was found hiding in a hotel parking lot around 2 a.m. Saturday. The woman who escaped from his truck at a gas station ran to a nearby police officer who was gassing up his patrol car, Garza said.

"What we understand here is that the witness had struggled with him," Garza said. "She was trying to get out. She later found that he had a weapon and she was not feeling just right to be with him. She tried to get away once. Then tried to get away twice. And from what I understand, on the second attempt, she was able to jump out through the door ..."

Story continues

He said Ortiz fled the gas station and drove to his home in Laredo as an all points bulletin was issued for his pickup truck.

"He had numerous weapons. He was loading up all his weapons, thinking that [Department of Public Safety officers] were going to confront him and he was looking at a confrontation," Garza said. "Thank God that didn't happen."

He said that when officers went to Ortiz's house he was no longer there. But about 1 a.m. on Saturday, police spotted his truck at a gas station.

Garza said Ortiz had left his weapons inside his truck while he went inside the gas station to use the restroom. When he came out, two troopers were waiting for him, and one attempted to use a stun gun on him.

Ortiz ran to a nearby hotel parking lot.

"He was going to do was try to commit suicide by cop," Garza said. "He was going to try to use his phone to make it look like it was a weapon. It didn't happen. He was apprehended without incident."

Alaniz said Ortiz has been charged with four counts of murder, one count of aggravated assault with a gun and unlawful restraint.

The prosecutor said that the charges could be elevated to capital murder, depending on the results of the investigation.

"I'm not ready to make that decision at this time," Alaniz said.

Ortiz is a 10-year veteran of the CBP and has been placed on indefinite unpaid leave, said U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost, who traveled from Washington to attend Monday's news conference.

"These are horrific crimes, and this was one rogue individual," Provost said. "I am sickened and saddened by the events that have occurred and offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims."

Juan Benavides, special agent in charge of the CBP Houston office of professional responsibility, that in the decade Ortiz has worked for the agency he had only one minor allegation against him. Benavides did not elaborate on that allegation.

"There was nothing in his background certainly that would have alerted CBP or would have indicated that Mr. Ortiz was capable of doing anything like this," Benavides said.

Alaniz said all of the killings had a "common scheme."

"The evidence that we have right now is that he committed these murder in a similar fashion -- taking these individuals out to desolate areas near or right outside the city limits and executing them with a handgun," Alaniz said.

(MORE: Border Patrol agent charged with killing 4 women after 5th escapes, alerts police)

"We do consider this to be a serial killer," Alaniz said on Saturday, following Ortiz's arrest. "It meets the qualifications or definition of being a serial killer -- in this case we have four people murdered."

PHOTO: Law enforcement officers gather near the scene where the body of a woman was found near Interstate 35 north of Laredo, Texas on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP)

The woman who escaped said Ortiz picked her up in a white pickup truck and took her to his home, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She said she began feeling uneasy when they began discussing her friend, a fellow sex worker recently found dead.

(MORE: Border patrol agent kills woman attempting to cross Texas border)

After leaving his home, the two stopped at a gas station where Ortiz allegedly pulled a gun on her and grabbed her by her shirt, according to the affidavit. She screamed for help and tried to fight him off, police said.

She said Ortiz eventually ripped her shirt off, allowing her to break free and run to the trooper who was pumping gas, according to the affidavit. She described the suspect and told police where he lived, according to the affidavit.

(MORE: Texas woman accuses Border Patrol agent of demanding ID, stopping her for speaking Spanish)

Ortiz is being held on a $2.5 million bond at Webb County Jail in Laredo. It's not clear if he has an attorney.

"We want to ensure the community out there that the killings will stop," Garza said. "We're certain that we have the right individual. We're hopeful that at the end justice will be served."Rescuers search for 1-year-old boy who got swept away in Florence's floodwaters Rescuers search for 1-year-old boy who got swept away in Florence's floodwaters (ABC News)

Flooding from 'epic storm' Florence isn't over yet, North Carolina governor warns originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

North Carolina's governor on Monday called Florence an "epic storm" and warned that some parts of his state "have not seen the worst flooding yet."

"This remains a significant disaster," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference. "The next few days will be long ones as the flooding continues."

First responders have rescued and evacuated more than 2,600 people and at least 300 animals from flooded areas, with rescues ongoing, Cooper said.

PHOTO: Residents step out of a high water vehicle after being evacuated by the police when their neighborhood began to flood as Hurricane Florence continues to dump heavy rain in Fayetteville, N.C., Sept. 16, 2018. (David Goldman/AP)

Rainfall totals in North Carolina and South Carolina have set new records from a tropical cyclone, with 35 inches and 23 inches respectively.

"We, the people of North Carolina, will get through this," Cooper said.

What a difference a 24 hour period has made to the Cape Fear River. A comparison photo from the Person St Bridge from yesterday to today. #Florence #ReadyNC #ReadyFay #NCWX pic.twitter.com/2BgWAUmuUx  Fayetteville Police (@FayettevillePD) September 17, 2018

Doing a survey of storm surge on North Topsail Island #Florence #ncwx pic.twitter.com/uAY09hzN5t  NWS Newport/Morehead (@NWSMoreheadCity) September 17, 2018

(MORE: How to help those impacted by Hurricane Florence)

Story continues

At least 32 people have died since Florence made landfall Friday, The Associated Press said.

Among the victims is 1-year-old Kaiden Lee-Welch, who was swept away by floodwaters in North Carolina.

PHOTO: Search and rescue teams spent several hours last night searching for the missing one year old child, Kaiden Lee-Welch, who was swept away in rushing waters from Richardson Creek on N.C. 218. (Union County Sheriff's Office/Monroe NC/Facebook)

His mother was driving on highway 218 when rushing water pushed the vehicle off the road.

"Her vehicle left the roadway and came to rest amongst a group of trees. She managed to free herself and Kaiden, who was in a car seat, but lost her grip on him in the rushing water," the Union County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. The boy's body has since been recovered.

Rivers across the Carolinas continue to swell and threaten neighborhoods with devastating floods as hundreds of roads have become largely impassable.

This isn't a river...this is Interstate 40. @NCAviation captured this drone footage today as part of damage assessment near mile marker 387 in Pender County. This illustrates our message that travel in this area is impassable and unsafe. #FlorenceNC pic.twitter.com/28Ok6Tjpcu  NCDOT (@NCDOT) September 17, 2018

Just arriving in Lumberton where folks are canoeing through flooded out highways. This is Route 211 right by the interchange with 95. #ABC11 #HurricaneFlorence pic.twitter.com/JJzQTo9S5Q  Elaina Athans (@AthansABC11) September 17, 2018

(MORE: 1-year-old swept away in floodwater among those killed by Florence)

Residents in South Lumberton, North Carolina, were evacuated Sunday as the Lumberton River continued to rise.

Mandatory evacuations were also issued late Sunday in Hoke County, west of Fayetteville, North Carolina, due to the potential breach of a dam at McLaughlin Lake.

PHOTO: Members of the North Carolina Task Force urban search and rescue team wade through a flooded neighborhood looking for residents who stayed behind as Hurricane Florence continues to dump heavy rain in Fayetteville, N.C., Sept. 16, 2018. (David Goldman/AP)

PHOTO: A volunteer from the community pulls a boat holding a mother and her children during their rescue from rising flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, in Leland, N.C., Sept. 16, 2018. (Jonathan Drake/Reuters)

(MORE: 'My biggest concern is rising water': Coast Guard chief worries over slow-moving Florence)

With 500,000 people without power Monday, trucks are having a hard time getting into some areas cut off by the flooded roads.

Getting food to people stranded by rising waters is also a problem.

"We have no way of getting food for ourselves or the animals," one trapped resident told ABC News.

"Power is not gonna come back for awhile. Our road is washed out."

In Winnabow, North Carolina some residents are cutoff and say they need help getting food and supplies. This is less than 15 miles south of Wilmington. Thats Highway 17 underwater in the background. #Florence @ABC @ABC11_WTVD @wpdeabc15 pic.twitter.com/7ypwpb6kTW  Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) September 17, 2018

PHOTO: Homes along the New River are flooded as a result of high tides and rain from Hurricane Florence which moved through the area in Jacksonville, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018. (AP)

PHOTO: Elton Matheson, who rode out the storm, looks at the flooded waters in front of his home after Hurricane Florence hit Emerald Isle N.C.,Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018. (AP)

(MORE: Hurricane Florence: NC nursing home patients ride out the storm despite warnings: 'It would be difficult for us to move them')

As residents of the Carolinas are trapped in the dangerous floodwaters, the remnants of Florence brought storms to the mid-Atlantic, including tornadoes to Virginia.

One person died Monday in Chesterfield County, Virginia, when a building was hit by a tornado and collapsed, according to the Chesterfield Fire Department.

ABC News' Rachel Katz contributed to this report.From left - Yashara Nathaniel, Youth Lead,UNDP;Fadhil Bakeer Markar, Partnerships & Innovation Focal Point, UNDP;TilakRanaviraja, Advisor to H.E the President; Jorn Sorenson, Country Director, UNDP Sri Lanka; Udaya Seneviratne, Secretary to H.E the President; Carl Cruz, Chairman, Unilever Sri Lanka;SumeetVerma, Director - HR & Corporate Relations, Unilever Sri Lanka; and Janmesh Antony, Head of Sustainable Business and Corporate Communications, Unilever Sri Lanka

Unilever Sri Lanka chairman Carl Cruz and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director Jorn Sorensen recently handed over a policy action paper for the promotion of public private partnerships for sustainable development to the Secretary to H.E. the President of Sri Lanka, Udaya Seneviratne.

The paper was the direct result of last years Unilever-UNGC-UNDP Forum which brought together Sri Lankas business leaders across a myriad of industries in the private sector, key personnel from the public sector, and key development partners to work on driving mutually beneficial partnerships towards the achievement of key priorities related to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As a signatory of the SDGs in 2015 Sri Lanka has committed to making a sustainable change today for a better tomorrow. However, the scope of the changes, which span the breadth and length of the nation and will ultimately impact every citizen, needed the unprecedented cooperation of both the public and private sector. The Forum in 2017 discussed the best practices for moving these Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) forward and ensuring their long term sustainability. The policy paper highlights the immediate next steps that need to be taken to align project goals to the wider national agenda.

Udaya Seneviratne, Secretary to H.E. the President of Sri Lanka, said, It is important to understand that we stand at the precipice of far reaching change and change at that magnitude cannot be achieved by any one entity alone. It needs the cooperation of an entire nation  both the public and private sectors working in unison towards a common goal. While the government continues to work towards bringing about sustainable development we commend the private sector for taking up the cause as well. I look forward to seeing the steps outlined in this policy paper in action.

Carl Cruz, Chairman, Unilever Sri Lanka, said, The changes required by the SDGs are neither small nor narrow. Therefore, if we are to achieve these goals we must work together to help the nation realize its vision of a brighter future. Only together can we bring long term sustainable change to the nation and help propel its growth. The steps that we as a nation need to take are outlined in the policy paper that we handed over to the Presidents Secretary. We look forward to working closely with our partners  in both the public and private sectors  to bring about the change Sri Lanka needs.

Jorn Sorensen, UNDP Sri Lanka Country Director, said, Sustainable development is the future and by investing in it now, we are securing Sri Lankas place in that future. However, to achieve sustainable development we will need the Government, businesses and development partners to work together towards our collective vision for the nation. The outline for this collaborative framework is laid out in the policy paper that we handed over to the President. UNDP is proud to be a catalyst in convening these stakeholders and helping them unleash their true potential for change.

The policy paper outlines several projects targeted at specific SDGs. These include project SustainabiliTEA which will target sustainable agriculture. The aim of the project is to ensure that all tea produced in Sri Lanka comply with sustainable agricultural practices by 2020. Partners in the project are Unilever Sri Lanka, Aitken Spence, Dialog Axiata, and Sri Lanka Tea Federation.

Project Grama Shakthi will target the economic inclusion of women by reaching out to directly engage with women in 7000 (50%) villages across the island and provide them with housing, education and encouragement to become entrepreneurs. Partners in the project are the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women & Child Affairs, Unilever Sri Lanka, Commercial Bank &MAS.

Project Sunlight will target waste management by converting 5000 retail outlets to solar energy by 2020. Partners in the project are the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy, Unilever Sri Lanka, Commercial Bank, and Aitken Spence.

This years forum, which is set to take place shortly, will tackle four more key areas of national importance thereby scaling for impact and widening the footprint of these PPPs. The four areas are namely conservation of threatened species & sustainable tourism; water management; community empowerment; and chronic kidney disease prevention. Ultimately, within a framework of collaboration, these partnerships will steer Sri Lanka towards a sustainable future.The man killed by a shark attack in Cape Cod on Saturday has been identified as 26-year-old Arthur Medici, according to multiple reports.

Friends described Medici as sweet and humble, ABC affiliate WCVB reported, adding that he enjoyed surfing and had come to the beach with his girlfriends brother. Medici was boogie boarding when the shark attacked, according to MassLive, leading to the first shark attack fatality in Massachusetts in eight decades.

Medici grew up in Brazil and moved to the U.S. for college two years ago, according to WCVB. His Facebook page listed him as an employee of The Capital Grille in Burlington, Massachusetts, a student at Bunker Hill Community College and a resident of Revere, Massachusetts.

The Facebook page said that he had been in a relationship since December 2016.

Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Tara Miltimore confirmed Medicis identity, the Associated Press reported.

The attack occurred around noon near Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, according to the Wellfleet Police Departments Facebook post. Medici was given CPR after he was pulled out of the water and the Wellfleet Fire Department then took him to Cape Cod Hospital, where he died.

People stand on the beach after the shark attack

People stand on the beach after the shark attack

The Town of Wellfleet is heartbroken by this tragedy, town administrator Dan Hoort and Wellfleet Selectboard chair Janet Reinhart said in a statement.

RELATED: 61-Year-Old Man Attacked by Shark Off Cape Cod: Were Hoping for the Best, Says Fire Chief

We send our sympathies to his family and the friends of this young man, the statement continued. We share the grief and pain you feel. We are grateful to the family, friends, beach staff, public and first responders who worked so valiantly to save his life. Everyone who lives in and visits Wellfleet is part of the Wellfleet community. Today we lost a member of our community and we grieve his passing.

Rep. Bill Keating tweeted, First and foremost, Tevis and I send our condolences to the family of Arthur Medici, the victim of yesterdays shark attack. Going forward, I will be convening meetings w/the National Park Service and coordinating w/state and local officials on how best to address this issue.

Story continues

First and foremost, Tevis and I send our condolences to the family of Arthur Medici, the victim of yesterday's shark attack. Going forward, I will be convening meetings w/the National Park Service and coordinating w/state and local officials on how best to address this issue.  Bill Keating (@USRepKeating) September 16, 2018

RELATED VIDEO: Three People Allegedly Stole a Shark From Texas Aquarium By Disguising It as a Baby in a Stroller

Joe Booth, a local fisherman who witnessed the attack, described it as reminiscent of the shark attack thriller Jaws to the AP.

I was that guy on the beach screaming, Shark, shark!' Booth recalled. It was like right out of that movie Jaws. This has turned into Amity Island real quick out here.

In August, a 61-year-old New York man fought off a shark in Truro, Massachusetts, the AP reported. He is recovering from serious injuries in a Boston hospital.

The last fatal shark attack in Massachusetts killed 16-year-old Joseph Troy Jr. on July 25, 1936, according to the AP.If theres one thing made clear by the criminal justice system, its that being young, white, and male can be a literal get-out-of-jail-free card, especially if you also happen to be wealthy. But the Young White Male defense can apply to men who are fully-grown adults, too. Defenders of Brett Kavanaugh are making that sentiment perfectly clear following the emergence of a sexual misconduct allegation said to have taken place when the accuser and Kavanaugh were teenagers. Though hes now likely headed for a lifetime appointment to the United States Supreme Court, many of Kavanaughs defenders say that, even if the alleged incident took place, its more or less excusable because he was just a kid when it would have happened.

On Sunday, the formerly anonymous woman behind the allegations spoke on the record to the Washington Post. Christine Blasey Ford, now a professor at Palo Alto University in California, reiterated the story she told in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein that came to the fore last week. I thought he might inadvertently kill me, Blasey Ford told the Post. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

As Blasey Fords words circulated the internet, Kavanaughs defenders came forward to argue that an alleged assault shouldnt have any sort of impact on his life now, even if true. Why? Because he was a teenager at the time. (Kavanaugh, for the record, has denied the allegations and said he will refute them before the Senate Judiciary Panel.)

It was drunk teenagers playing seven minutes of heaven, tweeted Fox News columnist Stephen Miller, dismissively echoing what seems to be a common sentiment. Sadly, many still feel that when boys attempt or commit acts of sexual violence, its simply a matter of boys being boys, a natural part of their sexual development. Thats not at all true, but even if it were, the experiences of the women involved rarely factor into this equation.

Story continues

The age of white men who hurt other people often gets them out of trouble. Aaron Persky, the judge in the case against the Stanford rapist, Brock Turner, said he didnt want to ruin the young mans life by giving him a long prison sentence. Turner was convicted of assaulting a woman while she was unconscious. When the woman he attacked spoke out anonymously against him, some blamed her for drinking to the point that she could have allowed herself to be assaulted  even though she was also young. The Young White Male defense does not apply to women.

The logic in defending Kavanaughs alleged actions in youth is not also applied to the multitudes of Black and brown young people who are thrown in jail, over and over, for non-violent legal infractions like smoking or selling weed. A 2016 report from the Sentencing Project states that as of 2013, black juveniles were more than four times as likely to be committed as white juveniles, American Indian juveniles were more than three times as likely, and Hispanic juveniles were 61 percent more likely.

No doubt thousands of Black and brown youth have been jailed in the decades since the alleged assault Kavanaugh is said to have committed. In that same time span, unknown masses of victimized women have been ignored or even blamed for the violence committed against them. Meanwhile, Kavanaugh has caused documented harm to women in just the recent past, including attempting to deny an undocumented immigrant teen an abortion.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on Kavanaughs nomination this Thursday. Some members of the Committee have said theyre open to hearing testimony from Blasey Ford, but so far Republicans are dismissing calls to delay the vote in light of the allegations.

What do you think? Tell us on Twitter @BritandCo.

(Photos via Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Addis Ababa (AFP) - Ethnic violence in Ethiopia left 23 people dead at the weekend, state media reported Monday, as protests against the killings gripped the capital Addis Ababa where an angry crowd gathered in the city centre.

The state-owned Ethiopia News Agency (ENA) said an organised mob carried out a spree of murder and looting in and around Burayu town, leaving 23 people dead and 886 displaced, citing Oromia regional police commissioner Alemayehu Ejigu.

ENA reported that over 70 people had been arrested.

On Twitter, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, said the leader "strongly condemns the killings and acts of violence against innocent citizens."

"These cowardly attacks represent a grave concern to the unity and solidarity of our people and will be met with an appropriate response," he said, without providing a toll.

On Monday an angry crowd gathered in central Meskel Square to protest against the killings which some blame on ethnic Oromo youth.

There was a heavy police presence in the city centre while some roads out of the capital were blocked by other protesters.

The weekend killings followed the triumphant return from exile of leaders of the once-outlawed Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) rebel group who struck an agreement to lay down arms with reformist Prime Minister Abiy.

Addis Ababa is an ethnically-mixed city of around four million people, but is situated within the larger Oromo-dominated Oromia region.

Oromo-led anti-government protests that began in late 2015 helped bring about the resignation of Ethiopia's former leader and Abiy's subsequent rise to power.Sanaa (AFP) - At least seven civilians have been killed in an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, an official and rebel media reported Monday.

The strike hit a house in the Huran district of central Yemen's Bayda province on Sunday, leaving one man, four women and two children dead, an official said.

Rebel-run news agency Saba put the number of deaths at 11.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the house had not been the intended target.

Yemen's long-running conflict escalated in 2014 when Iran-backed Huthi rebels seized control of large areas including the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year on the side of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

Nearly 10,000 people have since been killed and the country is teetering on the brink of famine.By MacDonald Dzirutwe HARARE (Reuters) - The World Health Organization and the Red Cross said on Thursday they were ramping up their emergency responses to Zimbabwe's deadliest cholera outbreak in a decade, with politicians trading blame over contaminated water and collapsing infrastructure. The death toll rose to 26 from the disease, testing the capacity of a new government to handle a major crisis just weeks after violent demonstrations that followed the first election since Robert Mugabe was toppled in a coup. The opposition controls the city government in the capital, and exchanged blame with the ruling ZANU-PF party of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was providing kits that contain oral rehydration solution, intravenous fluids and antibiotics as the outbreak expanded quickly in Harare. The International Red Cross in Zimbabwe said it had deployed more than 1,000 volunteers to contain the outbreak. Residents in Harare were dealing with a "double punch" after a recent outbreak of typhoid. "It's so painful to lose a lot of people and we are finding it difficult to mourn them under the circumstances," Sharon Chiwomboya, mother of a cholera patient, said outside a clinic in Glenview suburb. "We fear for our school-going kids who are also affected, as well as adults." Zimbabwe's biggest university said it had postponed a graduation ceremony set for Friday due to the cholera outbreak. Mnangagwa, who won an election in July after first taking power when Mugabe was toppled last year, faces the difficult task of rebuilding an economy that collapsed under Mugabe's four-decade rule. Rebuilding infrastructure is hard for a government that spends 93 percent of its $4 billion annual budget on salaries. The latest cholera outbreak hit the city of 1.5 million people after burst sewers in the Budiriro and Glenview suburbs contaminated water in boreholes used by residents. Harare's population draws water from one lake originally meant for 300,000 people, while a new dam first mooted in the 1990s is still to be constructed due to funding problems. "TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCE" "The current cholera epidemic is a terrible consequence of Zimbabwe's failure to invest in and manage both its basic water and sanitation infrastructure and its health care system," Jessica Pwiti, Executive Director of Amnesty International Zimbabwe, said. New Health Minister Obadiah Moyo blamed the opposition-controlled city government. "Someone was probably sitting on their job," he said. "This whole problem has arisen as a result of blocked sewers and these were reported and were never repaired for at least two months." The opposition says the central government should have provided more money. Harare city council officials have said they need up to $10 billion to repair water, sewers and roads. In the capital, long stretches of roads have been reduced to potholed dusty tracks. Roads in other towns are in a worse state of disrepair because government services are non-existent. Raw sewage flows daily from blocked and burst pipes and garbage piles up in some city townships. Residents in some suburbs in Harare have not had running water for years and use open wells. Zimbabwe's debt of $11 billion to foreign lenders like the World Bank and Africa Development Bank make it difficult to borrow to finance infrastructure development. At the height of Zimbabwe's economic crisis in 2008, 4,000 people died from cholera and more than 40,000 were infected. (Editing by James Macharia and Peter Graff)Algiers (AFP) - Algeria will take back its citizens illegally residing in Germany, Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia pledged Monday during a visit by the country's Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"I confirm that Algeria will bring its citizens back, whether it's a matter of 3,000 or 5,000 (people)," the premier said during a news conference alongside Merkel.

Ouyahia said most citizens had been returned on Air Algerie flights, adding the process could be speedier if Berlin was able to convince Lufthansa to fly them back on its regular flights.

Merkel affirmed the "will in Germany to welcome those who have good reasons to flee their countries," such as Iraqis and Syrians, offering them the right to stay and work.

"On the other hand, where the right to remain does not exist we expect that the state can take action.

"To that end, we need partners who are in agreement with us and Algeria is one of those partners," Merkel said.

Ouyahia said the Algerian authorities were also taking action against those illegally entering its territory.

"Algeria does battle for the rest of the international community," he said, by preventing "20,000 to 30,000 people annually from entering Algeria illegally" from where many continue their journeys to Europe.

Berlin wants to classify the North African nation as a "safe" country, as part of a legal change which would make it harder for Algerians to claim asylum in Germany.

Algiers has meanwhile asked Berlin to implement extradition requests issued by Algerian courts.

Speaking on Monday, Ouyahia denied Algeria had abandoned "Africans in the desert", following accusations by rights groups that thousands of migrants were dumped at the border.

Earlier this month the International Organization for Migration said more than 400 people had been rescued from the desert in northern Niger in two days, without specifying whether they had been pushed back from neighbouring Algeria.

Story continues

Merkel, who departed Algeria later on Monday, also met with the country's ailing president, 81-year-old Abdelaziz Bouteflika during her official visit.

As well as migration, economic issues and terrorism were also on the agenda, according to official Algerian Press Service.

"We wish... to contribute to the diversification of the Algerian economy" hit hard by low oil prices, Merkel said.

She also said Germany was willing to continue its "close cooperation" with Algeria in defence and security, particularly for "the fight against terrorism and internal security".The Daily Beast

The View/ScreenshotThe parade of conservative guest hosts auditioning to replace Meghan McCain continued this week on The View. And this time, yet another former Trump administration official took her turn, trying and failing to score gotcha points against the shows guest, in this case Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA).Schiff, who was there to promote his new book Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could, fielding primarily friendly questions from the shows four left-leanJohannesburg (AFP) - Conservationists expressed shock Monday after a Thai kingpin of the illegal rhino horn trade was released from jail in South Africa after serving just six years of his 40-year sentence.

Chumlong Lemtongthai was freed on parole in Pretoria last week and immediately flew back to Bangkok, government officials told AFP.

Lemtongthai pleaded guilty in 2012 to running bogus rhino hunts as a cover to source horns to sell on the lucrative black market.

His long sentence had been hailed by campaigners as a breakthrough in the criminal prosecution of traffickers.

But his release triggered accusations that South African authorities were failing to act to stop the slaughter.

"His early release is an utter disgrace. It makes a complete mockery of the seriousness of the crimes perpetrated," Audrey Delsink, director the Humane Society International animal charity, told AFP.

"It sends a strong message that high-level poachers with known links to wildlife trafficking networks are treated with leniency.

"Lemtongthai was personally involved in the illegal slaughtering of 26 rhinos, and ordering the deaths of at least 50 animals."

The World Wildlife Fund said authorities must push for "successful prosecutions and appropriate sentencing of those responsible".

Lemtongthai enlisted Thai prostitutes to pose as fake hunters on game farms in North West province, obtaining permits from the provincial authorities to shoot a set number of rhino.

Professional hunters shot the rhino and Lemtongthai's Laos-based trafficking network used false paperwork to traffic the horns as legitimate hunting trophies before selling them on Asia's traditional medicine market.

Driven by rocketing demand in Asia, the number of rhinos killed in South Africa has climbed steeply in the past decade from just 13 in 2007 to reach more than 1,000 annually in the past five years.

In the last eight years alone, roughly a quarter of the world population of rhinos has been killed in South Africa, home to 80 percent of the remaining animals.

Story continues

Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same substance as in human nails, and is falsely believed by some to have powerful healing properties.

"Unfortunately, people connected with him will be back, or are back already, and the slaughter will continue," forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan told the Oxpecker wildlife investigative group that tracked the case.

Lemtongthai's 40-year sentence was reduced on appeal in 2013 and again in 2014.

"When the parole board considered his profile, they saw fit that he was ready for parole. We applied law as prescribed," correctional services department spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo told AFP.

"We don't expect him back in the country."Def Jam Recordings; Aftermath/Shady Records/Interscope RecordsA few weeks ago, rapper Eminem surprise-released a new album called Kamikaze, which had a very familiar-looking album cover. The artwork featured the back of a silver fighter plane flying against a beige background, just like the artwork for Beastie Boys' iconic 1986 debut album, Licensed to Ill.

Speaking on Canada's House of Strombo, Beastlie Boy Michael "Mike D" Diamond revealed that he and band mate Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz didn't know about the Eminem cover ahead of time.

"I get, like, 10 text messages, 20 text messages. And I'm like, 'Why do I all of a sudden have 50 text messages? I better see what's going on,'" Diamond remembered. "Everybodys forwarding me the album cover from, like, the Twitter feed, or whatever. So, that's how we found out."

As for how they felt about the homage, Mike and Ad-Rock didn't really seem to have too many thoughts about it.

Meanwhile, Diamond and Horovitz will be releasing a nearly 600-page book on the history of the Beasties on October 30.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Iran's foreign ministry spokesman categorically dismissed the false news reports propagated by the Zionist regime, and said such news are aimed at destroying the image of the Islamic Republic of Iran.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iran's foreign ministry spokesman categorically dismissed the false news reports propagated by the Zionist regime, and said such news are aimed at destroying the image of the Islamic Republic of Iran.



Bahram Qasemi said that the false rhetoric of the authorities of the Zionist regime are not serious, and the words of the regime's officials, whose nature is clear, should not be taken seriously.



Answering to a question about a foreign media claiming the meeting of General Qassem Soleimani and the US envoy to Iraq in order to reduce tensions in the country, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the news is a lie and there are newspapers that should not even be named.



Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said about getting compensation for the attack on the Iranian Consulate in Basra and Paris, and said, 'We will protest against the attack against the diplomatic centers of the country, and if we continue to suffer damage, we follow the case.'



Qasemi added that the governments of these countries are definitely obliged to provide the security of diplomats and diplomatic buildings, and any kind of sluggishness by them is unbearable and we are pursuing the issue seriously in two different ways in the last two incidents.



In response to another question regarding the reason for the cancelation of the visit to Uzbekistan by Iranian president in August and the conduct of the diplomatic apparatus in this regard, he said, 'I do not think that the diplomatic apparatus is inactive towards Central Asia and the Caucasus.'



The spokesman for the diplomacy apparatus said, 'Iran has widespread relations with most countries in the region. And what you asked about Uzbekistan, I would prefer presidential spokesmen to respond.'



Qasemi added, 'Our relationship with Central Asia and the Caucasus is good, and I hope we will take even more serious steps with these countries.'



In response to the fact that if Iran has a condition for US's return to the negotiating table and whether Iran's defense and missile capabilities are negotiable, he said, 'We do not think about negotiating because of the situation that the US president Trump has created and abjectly and uncompromisingly behaved.'



He said that contacts with European countries are continuing, especially in the field of expertise that various mechanisms are under investigation, in response to Germany's attempt to establish a financial deal with Iran, whether there is a plan for a meeting between the leaders of two states.

.

Qassemi said, 'On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, we will hold the ministerial meeting of 4+1 states, but there is no such agenda in the case of high-level meeting, the date of which is outlined.



'Whether information has been transferred to Iran by the Iraqi authorities regarding the arrest of the attackers on Iranian Consulate in Basra?', Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said that details and sources cannot be revealed, but the authorities, the Iraqi government and the people of Iraq have regretted this because and they are doing the best they can in this regard.



'Several of the attackers were arrested and clues were obtained, and according to some information, it was thought that there was a guided and meaningful thread in Basra, which we hope release parts of the final report.



About a question on the entry of more than 100 Afghan refugees illegally from the Iranian border to go to Turkey on a daily basis, Qassemi said, 'Given the long borders that Iran has with its neighbors, these issues is not new, but how many and how they arrive in Iran and travel to other countries, you need the technical information that you can get from the Interior Ministry and security forces.'





/257Sarah Kabir (left), Author, Voices of Peace, and Sophia Mahendran (far right), Interpreter interviewing a combatant from Sri Lankas ethnic war.

Weaving together the personal experiences and stories of combatants actively engaged on either side of Sri Lankas ethnic conflict, Sri Lankan researcher and author, Sarah Kabir will launch Voices of Peace on Wednesday, 26 September 2018 at 5.30pm at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute.

Aimed at supporting lasting peace and advancing the difficult work of national reconciliation in a post-war Sri Lanka, Voices of Peace shares the stories of 10 former LTTE cadres and 10 Sri Lankan Military personnel who were each actively engaged in the conflict providing a cathartic platform for these unheard voices to share their stories and provide readers with an objective and compassionate window into the protracted conflict.

In sharing these stories, the author hopes to encourage empathy, meaningful public discussion and the continuation of dialogue between individuals, communities, and the nation as a whole, in order to positively influence national policy on peace and reconciliation.

Sarah Kabir (centre) discusses stories about the war with a combatant who was actively involved in the conflict.

Eminent guest speakers Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Aaranya Rajasingam and Saliya Pieris PC,will participate in a discussion focused on acknowledging the experience and plight of these individuals as well as on broader themes of peace and national reconciliation in a post-conflict Sri Lanka. The discussion will be moderated by Executive Director at National Peace Council of Sri Lanka, Dr. Jehan Perera.

Sarah Kabir is a researcher and humanitarianworker. She has a BSc in Social Policy from theUniversity of Bristol and an MSc in InternationalDevelopment and Humanitarian Emergencies fromthe London School of Economics. After her Masters,she worked on peacebuilding and development work.

She has participated in research projects concernedwith Philanthropy and Development, Diaspora andRemittances, and Pesticides and Global Healthalongside researchers from the Universities of Sussexand Durham. In addition, she has worked withvarious international and local organisations withinthe civil society sector. Her work appears in variousacademic publications and research reports.

For more information on how to register to attend the Voices of Peace launch, please contact+94772444462.Neither the motive for the attack nor the identities of the gunmen are known: Getty

Four people have been killed and nine injured after a shooting in a square in central Mexico City popular with tourists.

Mexicans heading into Independence Day celebrations were shocked by the shooting at the capital's iconic Garibaldi Plaza where mariachi musicians serenade holidaymakers.

The Mexico City prosecutors' office said at least one foreigner was among those wounded in Friday night's attack, which local media said was staged by gunmen dressed as mariachi musicians.

Mexican news outlet La Silla Rota circulated surveillance video of the alleged assailants wearing traditional embroidered jackets and trousers as they fled on motorcycles.

Many Mexicans wear mariachi costumes on Saturday evening to commemorate the launch of the revolt against Spanish rule on September 16, 1810.

Lisa Sanchez, director of Mexicans United Against Delinquency, described the shooting as a "piercing portrait" of Mexico.

She said the fact that the shooting happened in a crowded public square demonstrates that impunity prevails in the country.

On Saturday night, President Enrique Pena Nieto is set to shout "Viva Mexico"  or "Long Live Mexico"  shortly before midnight from a balcony of the National Palace.

Thousands crowd into Mexico City's central Zocalo square every year to hear the shout, and the celebration usually spills into Garibaldi Plaza.

Videos circulating on social media showed musicians in the plaza playing their music around the time of the shooting.

Mariachi musicians talk at the tourist Plaza Garibaldi hours after unknown assailants attacked people with rifles and pistols (Reuters)

In one video, a man plucking a large harp continues to belt out the Mexican civil war anthem "La Cucaracha" as dozens of gunshots can be heard in the background, though it is not clear the musicians heard them.

In another, brass instruments and melancholic voices fill the air as the flashing lights of police vehicles descend on the plaza.

APRivers swell to record levels while thousands are evacuated, stranded and left without power

As the death toll from Florence rose and hundreds were rescued from their flooded homes, North Carolina slid into the next stage of the disaster: catastrophic flooding.

On Saturday Mitch Colvin, mayor of Fayetteville, told reporters: The worst is yet to come.

On Sunday, the death toll in North and South Carolina rose to 17; the city of Wilmington was cut off by floodwater; 15,000 people were in temporary shelters; and 760,000 North Carolinians remained without power.

The storm has never been more dangerous than it is now, Governor Roy Cooper said. Many rivers are still rising, and are not expected to crest until later today or tomorrow.

As controversy over the federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico last year continued, Brock Long, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), told NBCs Meet the Press staff were meeting challenges as theyre coming up to us. The focus, he said, was on search-and-rescue and helping those in shelters.

Donald Trump used Twitter to say Fema, first responders and law enforcement are working really hard on hurricane Florence. As the storm begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional!

If you have been affected by Florence you can tell us about your experience using our encrypted form, or by sending your pictures and videos to the Guardian securely via WhatsApp by adding the contact +44(0)7867825056.



We will feature some of your contributions in our reporting.

Though wed like to hear from you, your safety and security is most important. When responding please make sure you put your safety and the safety of others first. Extreme weather events can be very unpredictable and carry very real risks

Nonetheless, the challenges were stiff. The mayor of New Bern, heavily hit by flooding, told NBC he had imposed a curfew. Thirty roads remained impassable, Dana Outlaw said, with 4,200 homes and more than 300 commercial buildings damaged, 6,000 people without power and 1,200 in shelters.

Story continues

On Saturday night, Duke Energy said heavy rains caused a slope to collapse at a coal ash landfill at a closed power station outside the port city of Wilmington. A Duke spokeswoman said about 2,000 cubic yards of ash were displaced at the Sutton Plant and contaminated water probably flowed into the cooling pond.

Ash left when coal is burned contains toxic heavy metals, including lead and arsenic. The company had not determined if the weir that drains the pond was open and if contamination may have flowed into the Cape Fear river.

This is not a talking point. We are saying this because we are concerned with you. The worst is yet to come Mitch Colvin, mayor of Fayetteville

After blowing ashore as a hurricane with 90mph winds, Florence lingered over the Carolinas. By Sunday it had weakened to a tropical depression. Winds were down to 35mph. But in North Carolina, rivers were swelling.

The evacuation zone included part of Fayetteville. This is not a talking point, said its mayor, Colvin, on Saturday. This is not a script, but we are saying this because we are concerned with you. The worst is yet to come. If you are refusing to leave during this mandatory evacuation, you need to do things like notify your legal next of kin. The loss of life is very, very possible.

Forecasts said rivers would crest on Sunday and Monday at record or near-record levels: the Little, the Cape Fear, the Lumber, the Neuse, the Waccamaw and the Pee Dee were all projected to burst their banks.

In Goldsboro, rain fell and the Neuse was swelling above its banks. Sunday service at the Greenleaf Christian church was cancelled. The churchs pastor is the civil rights leader William Barber. He was forced to evacuate his 86-year-old mother west, to Greensboro.

Speaking on the phone from Washington, Barber told the Guardian he planned to return to oversee outreach efforts. The church, which serves some of the poorest residents, will hand out meals to children who would usually receive food at school.

He said: I have members who live in rental housing that were afraid their housing was going to get destroyed during this particular hurricane. Thank God it lowered down to a category one. If it were a category three or four a number of my members would be out of home.

In Lumberton, the river is considered flooded at 13ft. The National Weather Service predicted on Saturday it would crest at 24.9ft on Sunday. On Saturday, much of the south of the city was already underwater.

Turner Park, a trailer park, was under 2ft. The Guardian watched as water crept towards Martin Luther King Jr Drive. Residents had been told to evacuate the park, where scores of 40ft x 12ft trailers stand on low-lying land. Across the road Newport church, a handsome white building with an impressive steeple, was under about a foot of water. Further north, single-storey homes were flooded.

Twenty-five per cent of the population of Lumberton lives below the poverty line. The city was hit hard by Hurricane Matthew two years ago. Residents face losing property and possessions all over again. Shelters in nearby Fayetteville were full.

On Sunday, about three miles south of the city, the coast guard went door to door  mostly by boat  urging people to leave.

In Wilmington, media said water supplies could be turned off. Families discussed finding batteries for generators and pouring drinking water into coolers.

A mother and baby in Wilmington were among the dead. Three people died in one inland county, Duplin, because of flooding. A husband and wife died in a storm-linked house fire, officials said, and an 81-year-old man died after falling while packing to evacuate.

In South Carolina, a 61-year-old woman was killed when her car hit a tree on a highway. Authorities said a 63-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman were asphyxiated after using a generator inside their home. The overall toll climbed to 16 after a driver lost control and went off the side of a road near Gilbert, hitting a tree.

The White House said Trump continues to monitor the preparedness and response efforts and had been briefed on Sunday afternoon.

But the presidents tweets about another storm, Maria, continued to cause controversy. Trump has repeatedly claimed the recognised death toll, around 3,000, has been inflated by his political opponents.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congressional candidate who has become a leading voice on the progressive left, told CNNs State of the Union Puerto Ricans, subject to the worst humanitarian catastrophe in modern American history, pointed to government inaction as the cause of death.By Gene Emery (Reuters Health) - In healthy elderly people who never had a heart attack, the widespread practice of taking a baby aspirin every day may do more harm than good, according to a U.S.-Australian study of more than 19,000 volunteers. The trial has "provided convincing evidence that aspirin is ineffective in preserving good health in elderly people without a medical (reason) to be using it," chief author Dr. John J. McNeil of Monash University in Melbourne told Reuters Health in an email. The results - which show that risks of major bleeding in low-dose aspirin users overwhelm any heart benefits - were reported online in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented Sunday at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Paris. The findings may upend a common practice. For people trying to prevent a second heart attack or stroke, evidence in support of baby aspirin therapy remains strong. But the new study, known as ASPREE, looked at the long-standing question of whether a first heart attack, stroke, or case of heart failure could be prevented with small amounts of the blood thinner in aspirin. Until now, the balance between risks and benefits in older individuals was unclear, said Dr. McNeil. Most volunteers had to be at least 70 years old. Patients who were black or Hispanic and living in the U.S. - two groups that face a higher risk of heart disease or dementia - could be age 65 or older. At the start of the study, all were expected to survive for at least five years. After about five years of treatment, the rate of heart disease was not significantly lower in the 9,525 volunteers taking 100 mg of aspirin daily than in the 9,589 who took placebo tablets. But the odds of a major bleeding episode were 38 percent higher with aspirin. Problems like stroke and intestinal bleeding occurred in 8.6 percent of aspirin patients versus 6.2 percent of placebo patients. "This should set the record straight," said Dr. Vincent Bufalino of the Advocate Heart Institute in Chicago, who was not involved in the study. "There's a lot of folks on both sides of this but this study should end the question. There is no benefit for seniors who do not have vascular disease." "I've spent the last five, six years trying to get all my seniors to stop taking aspirin" based on the clear risks and unproven benefit, he told Reuters Health by phone. "If you look at the new findings, at best it's neutral and at worst it increases the bleeding risk." And what about people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol who might be taking other medicines to mitigate a higher risk of heart attack or stroke? In the new study, most volunteers fell into that category and aspirin didn't seem to help them. "Essentially, we could not identify any subgroup in whom aspirin was beneficial in preserving good health," Dr. McNeil said. The ASPREE study was stopped early as it became clear that the "wonder drug" wasn't working wonders. While there were 21.5 cases of death, dementia or disability per 1,000 patients each year in the aspirin group, the rate was 21.2 with placebo. The difference wasn't statistically significant, meaning it could have been due to chance. But the rate of major bleeding with daily aspirin use was 3.8 percent, versus 2.8 percent with placebo. When the McNeil team looked at death from any cause, aspirin still made no difference statistically, with a rate of 12.7 per 1,000 patients each year with aspirin and 11.1 with placebo. Extra cases of cancer were the chief reason for the higher death rate, with 3.1 percent of aspirin users dying of cancer versus 2.3 percent in the control group. The higher pace of cancer deaths became apparent three and a half years after the study began, particularly death from stomach and intestinal tumors. The cancer finding surprised researchers because in other studies, aspirin protected against death from cancer. Thus, McNeil team said, the cancer results "should be interpreted with caution." The study was coordinated at 34 sites in the U.S. and 16 in Australia. SOURCES: https://bit.ly/2paVqCb, https://bit.ly/2pdTLvA and https://bit.ly/2D3pMQR The New England Journal of Medicine, online September 16, 2018.The ex-president is on the trail for the midterms, attacking Donald Trump. Strategists on both sides welcome him

Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Richard Cordray in Cleveland, Ohio. Photograph: Angelo Merendino/Getty Images

Barack Obama is back. After a nearly two-year absence from the national political stage, the 44th president has re-emerged as a force on the campaign trail  and a striking contrast to the man who now occupies the White House.

Obama is the most powerful figure in Democratic politics  and Donald Trumps favorite foil. His return is an opportunity for both parties to focus on his legacy and rally supporters ahead of the November midterm elections.

I need you to come through, Obama told thousands at a rally in Cleveland on Thursday, in support of the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, Richard Cordray. But more importantly, the country needs you to come through.

His message was simple but urgent: vote, because the consequences of staying home are far more dangerous now. Obama did not name Trump but his target was hardly veiled.

I need you to come through. But more importantly, the country needs you to come through Obama to Ohio Democrats

Obama comes to Ohio to campaign for [Cordray] and thinks the best way to help him is to attack President Trump? the Ohio Republican party shot back on Twitter. He must have forgotten that Trump won Ohio by a much wider margin than he did! Ohio is better off now thanks to @realDonaldTrump!

Obama and Trump have almost nothing in common, save for their near singular ability to rally their partys supporters and energize opponents.

Last month, Obama released a wave of 81 endorsements. The list included governors, congressmen, senators and 40 candidates for state legislative seats.

His full campaign schedule is still taking shape and more events are expected. Katie Hill, a spokeswoman for the former president, said he will prioritize races that are key to winning the House and building in the Senate, and also races relevant to congressional redistricting, which will take place after the next census in 2020. Many state officials who will be in charge of drawing those maps will be elected before then.

Story continues

On Friday, Obama will campaign in Philadelphia, in a state he won twice but which Trump carried in 2016. It is key to redistricting plans. Later this month, he will hold a fundraiser in New York City for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a group led by his former attorney general Eric Holder that is focused on redrawing gerrymandered maps that have helped cement Republican control in Washington and at state level.

Name your enemy

As Trump has dismantled his legacy, Obama has remained largely silent, weighing in intermittently and usually in the form of a written statement. Trump has frequently lashed out.

Then, at a debut rally in Illinois this month, Obama invoked Trump twice by name. He denounced politics of fear and resentment and said Trumps disregard for democratic norms posed an unprecedented threat to civil society.

It did not start with Donald Trump, Obama insisted. He is a symptom, not the cause.

Trump, famously sensitive to criticism, told an audience in North Dakota he tried to watch Obamas speech but fell asleep.

Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist who was an aide to the former Senate majority leader Harry Reid, said he thought Obama was effective when he took the fight to Trump.

This election is going to be all about Donald Trump. If youre going to get in the ring, youve got to name your enemy Jim Manley

This election is going to be all about Donald Trump, he said, adding: If youre going to get in the ring, youve got to name your enemy.

Democrats say Obama has the unique capacity to unify the party after a primary season of ideological and intergenerational rifts. They enter the midterms confident they can win the 23 seats needed to wrest control of the House; the Senate is a harder task but may be possible too.

Many of the most competitive races are in conservative-leaning suburbs, where Trump is intensely unpopular. Such districts are where Obama could be most potent, said Jesse Ferguson, a strategist and the former director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees independent expenditure arm.

Democratic candidates running in suburban districts are likely making his phone ring off the hook, he said. If Donald Trump called a Republican candidate running in a suburban district right now, theyd likely pick up and say: New phone, who dis?

At an invite-only rally in Anaheim last week, Josh Harder was one of six Hillary Clinton candidates  California Democrats running to replace House Republicans in districts she carried in 2016  who joined Obama on stage.

Obama greets supporters in Anaheim. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters

Obama waved a clipboard at the volunteers in the room. Electing Democrats in November is imperative, he warned, because things can get worse.

For the voters and volunteers of the Central Valley district where Harder is running, Obamas message, he said, was a powerful reminder of a not-too distant past when we had civility in our politics and politicians that we could believe in.

Motivating effect

Republicans too welcome Obama back to the trail. Lanhee Chen, a fellow at Stanfords Hoover Institution and a one-time adviser to Mitt Romneys presidential campaign, said Obama has a patchy record of success helping Democrats in elections when his name is not on the ballot.

The next several weeks of campaign appearances, Chen said, will test whether the president of hope and change can still inspire the voters who helped elect him twice.

The question, Chen said, becomes: which effect is bigger? The motivating effect on the progressive base or the motivating effect on the conservative base.

Michael Steel, a Republican strategist and former aide to ex-House speaker John Boehner, said Obama would rally the right as well as the left. His presence on the campaign trail, Steel said: will remind Republican voters that a Democratic victory means higher taxes, more regulation, and fewer jobs, plus Nancy Pelosi again wielding the speakers gavel, and  inevitably  the impeachment of President Trump.OTTAWA (Reuters) - A legislator from Canada's ruling Liberals unexpectedly defected to the main opposition party on Monday, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a year before the next federal election. Leona Alleslev, a backbench member of Parliament from the greater Toronto region, told reporters that she had joined the Conservatives because she was concerned about the government's handling of the economy. Critics say Trudeau, who now enjoys a majority of just 12 seats in the House of Commons, has mishandled talks on NAFTA - the trade agreement with the United States and Mexico currently being renegotiated - put up obstacles to major energy projects, and is running up too much debt. The next election is set for October 2019. "This is something that is allowed for in our system, obviously. I wish her well in her decision," Trudeau told reporters shortly after the announcement. The defection was the first from the Liberal ranks since Trudeau took power after an October 2015 election, when Alleslev overturned a large Conservative majority in her parliamentary constituency to win by around 1,100 votes. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bill Berkrot)Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testifying during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee - REUTERS

The woman who accused Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick of sexual assault on Sunday came forward to identify herself, saying she "thought he might inadvertently kill me."

Christine Blasey Ford, now a high-ranking research psychologist, initially wrote a letter to a senior Democrat detailing the circumstances of an alleged attack carried out by Brett Kavanaugh, who is just days from being confirmed as a Supreme Court judge.

She claims that Mr Kavanaugh pinned her down on a bed at a high-school party when she was 15 and he was 17 years old.

Ms Ford claims that he was "stumbling drunk" and tried to remove her clothes.

When she tried to scream, she alleges he put his hand over her mouth as his friend watched.

Brett Kavanaugh shakes hands with Donald Trump Credit: REUTERS/Jim Bourg

She claims she escaped from under him when his friend jumped on top of the bed and all three fell to the floor.

She says she ran from the room, briefly locked herself in a bathroom and then fled the house in Maryland, where the party was taking place.

Ms Ford, now 51, works at Palo Alto University in Northern California, and on Sunday gave her first on-the-record account to the Washington Post.

I think it derailed me substantially for four or five years, Ms Ford said of the alleged incident which she had described as a rape attempt during a therapy session in 2012.

"He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

She said she had grappled with her sense of duty for weeks over whether to come forward and identify herself, aware she may face a ferocious backlash and that her claims were unlikely to derail his nomination.

"Why suffer through the annhiliation if it's not going to matter, she said. "Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation."

Democratic senator Diane Feinstein said the Senate consideration of Mr Kavanaugh to become a Supreme Court justice should be put on hold until the FBI conducts an investigation.

Story continues

She said: I support Ms Fords decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee.

Earlier this week Mr Kavanaugh strenuously denied the accusations. I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation, he said in a statement. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which held confirmation hearings for Judge Kavanaugh, accused Democrats of sitting on the allegations raised by Ms Ford since July.

It raises a lot of questions about Democrats tactics and motives to bring this to the rest of the committees attention only now, a statement read.

The Telegraph contacted the White House for comment on Ms Ford's claims, but had no response at the time of going to press.A woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were high school students is willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, her lawyer said Monday.

Christine Blasey Ford identified herself in a Washington Post interview published Sunday as the author of a confidential letter sent in late July to two members of Congress. She is willing to tell her story publicly, her lawyer, Debra Katz, said Monday on NBCs Today show.

Shes willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth, Katz told NBCs Savannah Guthrie, when asked if Ford would testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to advance Kavanaughs nomination to the full Senate.

Is your client willing to testify before the Judiciary Committee publicly and tell this story? -@savannahguthrie



She is. Shes willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth. -Debra Katz, attorney for Kavanaugh accuser pic.twitter.com/V3BRF43nGK  TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 17, 2018

Ford told the Post that Kavanaugh pinned her down and groped her during a gathering in suburban Maryland around 1982 as another male teenager watched. Katz on Monday called the attack an attempted rape. Kavanaugh has denied the incident ever happened.

This is a completely false allegation, Kavanaugh said in a statement Monday. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

Top White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said Monday that Ford absolutely would testify before the Judiciary Committee and should be heard.

Let me be very clear on behalf of the president, with whom Ive spoken at length about this, Conway told reporters at the White House when asked if Ford should testify. She should not be ignored or insulted. She should be heard.

Story continues

Ford sent the letter to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) during the summer, after Kavanaugh was nominated for the high court vacancy by President Donald Trump, to share her concerns about him. She initially requested anonymity, but told the Post she decided to speak publicly once details about her story began to leak to the media.

After weeks of media speculation, Feinstein, ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, confirmed last week that she had received a confidential letter about Kavanaugh. She said she referred the matter to the FBI.

Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are calling on Thursdays scheduled vote to be delayed until the FBI investigates Fords allegations.

She has taken a polygraph. She is a credible person. These are serious allegations, and these should be addressed.



Watch @savannahguthries full interview with Debra Katz, attorney for Kavanaugh accuser pic.twitter.com/AIplgPpgqi  TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 17, 2018

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), also a member of the committee, suggested Sunday that the panel should delay the vote until they hear from Ford. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a key GOP swing vote on Kavanaughs nomination, suggested she would be open to pushing back the vote as well.

A spokeswoman for committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Sunday called into question Fords motive for coming forward, and suggested Republicans would continue to push for a vote on Kavanaugh without hearing from Ford.

Its disturbing that these uncorroborated allegations from more than 35 years ago, during high school, would surface on the eve of a committee vote after Democrats sat on them since July, Taylor Foy, a spokeswoman for Grassley, said in a statement.

Following comments from Republican committee members that theyd be willing to hear from Ford, Grassleys office said the committee would work to set up a time to meet with her.

Given the late addendum to the background file and revelations of Dr. Fords identity, Chairman Grassley is actively working to set up such follow-up calls with Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford ahead of Thursdays scheduled vote, his office said in a statement Sunday.

The White House reiterated its support for Kavanaugh on Monday.

On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh categorically and unequivocally denied this allegation, White House spokeswoman Kerri Kupec told The Washington Post in a statement. This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement.

This article has been updated to include Kavanaughs statement and Conways comments.

CORRECTION: An earlier version misidentified Sen. Lisa Murkowski as a Senate Judiciary Committee member. She is not.

Related...

Brett Kavanaugh Accuser Goes Public: 'I Thought He Might Inadvertently Kill Me'

Here Is What Brett Kavanaugh Said About Sexual Misconduct In His Hearings

Jeff Flake Suggests Delaying Kavanaugh Vote Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.The confirmation of Donald Trumps nominee for the Supreme Court has been thrown into doubt, with a woman having accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.

Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, is willing to testify about the claims she has levelled at Mr Kavanaugh, her lawyer Debra Katz has said.She is willing to do whatever is necessary, she told CBS. Shes willing to do what she needs to do, shes willing to hopefully tell her story in a manner that is a fair proceeding.

Ms Ford, who made the allegations several months ago but only agreed that her name be made public at the weekend in an interview with the Washington Post, said Mr Kavanaugh tried to force himself on her at a high school party three decades ago.

Amid mounting calls from Democrats and some Republicans to delay a vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee that is scheduled for Thursday, Mr Kavanaugh has issued several adamant denials.

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone, he said.

Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Follow live updates in the blog below, please allow a moment for it to loadRepublican heavyweights have joined Democrats in demanding a delay to Donald Trumps controversial US Supreme Courtnomination, Brett Kavanaugh, after a woman who has accused the judge of sexual assault went public.

Senators Jeff Flake and Bob Corker both said a vote should wait until senators had heard from Christine Blasey Ford  who claims Mr Kavanaugh attacked her when they were both teenagers.

Ive made it clear that I'm not comfortable moving ahead if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further," said Mr Flake.

A third senator, Lisa Murkowski, said a postponement was something they might need to consider.

If appointed, Judge Kavanaugh would shift the Supreme Court to the right, and give Mr Trump an ally of considerable power.

The senators voiced their concerns hours after Ms Ford  a research psychologist with Palo Alto University in California  identified herself as the woman at the centre of explosive claims.

The 51-year-old told her story to the Washington Post after first making the accusations in a confidential letter to Democratic representative Anna Eshoo and senator Dianne Feinstein in July.

She said she was going public now after her story became widely known and reporters had started to identify her as the author.

She claims the judge and another teen, Mark Judge, pinned her to a bed, restrained her and tried to remove her bathing suit while at a house party in the summer of 1982. She was just 15. Judge Kavanaugh and Mr Judge would have been 17.

The mother-of-two said she thought the pair might kill her at the time. I think it derailed me substantially for four or five years, she said, adding she struggled to establish healthy relationships with men in the aftermath. I was very ill-equipped to forge those kinds of relationships.

Both men deny the allegations, while top Trump allies have gone as far to dismiss the claims as a Democrat conspiracy designed to torpedo the administration.

Story continues

A senior White House official is said to have told the Daily Beast proceedings remained full steam ahead in favour of Judge Kavanaugh.

Ally Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, meanwhile, labelled the allegations transparently a desperate, last-minute attempt by Senate Democrats to delay the confirmation of one of the most eminently qualified Supreme Court nominees in modern history.

In the US, commentators have noted how the episode recalls another confirmation battle more than 25 years ago, when Clarence Thomas faced sexual harassment allegations during his own Supreme Court hearings.

The big question appears to be if, this time, things will turn out differently: Mr Thomas prevailed and was appointed to the court.The senior Republican senator overseeing the confirmation process of Donald Trumps nominee for the Supreme Court, has said the woman who has accused him of sexual misconduct deserves to be heard.

The process of confirming Brett Kavanaugh has been thrown into disarray after an academic claimed the judge had sexually assaulted her at a high school party decades ago.

Over the weekend, the woman, Christine Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, spoke publicly of the alleged incident in an interview with the Washington Post. Mr Kavanaugh has denied the claims.

On Monday, amid calls from Democrats to postpone a vote scheduled by the Senate Judiciary Committee for Thursday, Ms Fords lawyer said she was prepared testify in public before the committee.

Appearing on CBS, Debra Katz, a lawyer for Ms Ford, said "she is willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure the committee had the full story. Shes willing to do what she needs to do, shes willing to hopefully tell her story in a manner that is a fair proceeding," she said.

Unfortunately, what were already hearing this morning is that the Republicans intend to play hard ball, they intend to grill her.

Mr Kavanaugh, whose nomination is due to be voted on by the committee and passed to the full senate for confirmation on Thursday, has denied the allegations levelled against him. Last week, when the allegations were first made but before his accuser identified herself, Mr Kavanaugh issued a statement denying the claims: I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman @ChuckGrassley issued the following statement regarding the nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. #SCOTUShttps://t.co/QnS36Fd76Zpic.twitter.com/SXm5aBwiBk

 Senate Judiciary (@senjudiciary) September 17, 2018

On Monday, Mr Kavanaugh issued a second statement and said he was also prepared to answer questions on the matter.

Story continues

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday," he said

I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

Later on Monday, Mr Trump told reporters it was unfortunate the allegations against Mr Kavanaugh were not raised sooner. He said he believed nomination remained "very much on track" and that he wanted the senate to complete the process. He said Mr Kavanaugh was one of the "great intellects". "I want to see a complete process. Most of all, I want the American people to be happy." Asked if he was considering withdrawing Mr Kavanaugh's nomination, he said it was a "ridiculous" question.

The allegations against Mr Kavanaugh first emerged late last week, when Democrats in the Senate revealed they had referred a complaint involving Mr Kavanaugh to the FBI for investigation. The complaint came from a woman who accused Mr Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct when they were both in high school, more than 30 years ago.

Republican Chuck Grassley, chairman of the senate committee, said: Anyone who comes forward as Dr Ford has deserves to be heard, so I will continue working on a way to hear her out in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner.

The standard procedure for updates to any nominees background investigation file is to conduct separate follow-up calls with relevant parties. In this case, that would entail phone calls with at least Judge Kavanaugh and Dr Ford Consistent with that practice, I asked Senator Feinsteins office yesterday to join me in scheduling these follow-ups. Thus far, they have refused.

Ms Ford had contacted the Democrats in the summer before the confirmation process for the US Appeals Court judge had begun. In a letter to her local congresswoman, Anna Eshoo, she wrote that she had been a victim of sexual misconduct by Mr Kavanaugh in the 1980s, when he was student at Georgetown Preparatory School, in Bethesda, Maryland, and she was attending a nearby high school.

In the letter, the woman claimed that at a party, Mr Kavanaugh and a friend, who she said had both been drinking heavily, held her down on a bed and tried to force himself on her. She also claimed the young men had turned up the music to drown out any noise.

Brett Kavanaugh physically and sexually assaulted me during high school in the early 1980s. He conducted these acts with the assistance of [REDACTED]. Both were one to two years older than me and students at a local private school, she wrote.

Kavanaugh was on top of me while laughing with [REDACTED], who periodically jumped onto Kavanaugh. They both laughed as Kavanaugh tried to disrobe me in their highly inebriated state. With Kavanaughs hand over my mouth I feared he may inadvertently kill me. From across the room a very drunken [REDACTED] said mixed words to Kavanaugh ranging from 'go for it' to 'stop'.

I have received medical treatment regarding the assault. On July 6 I notified my local government representative to ask them how to proceed with sharing this information. It is upsetting to discuss sexual assault and its repercussions, yet I felt guilty and compelled as a citizen about the idea of not saying anything.

Over the weekend, the woman  whose letter was passed to Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democratic member of the committee  identified herself in an interview with the Washington Post.

Ms Ford told the newspaper she had not spoken in detail of the alleged incident until 2012, when she was in couples therapy with her husband. The therapists notes, portions of which were provided by Ms Ford and reviewed by the Post, did not mention Mr Kavanaugh by name but said she reported she was attacked by students from an elitist boys school who went on to become highly respected and high-ranking members of society in Washington.

Her husband, Russell Ford, said that in the 2012 sessions she had talked about being trapped in a room with two drunken boys, one of whom pinned her to a bed, molested her and prevented her from screaming. He said he recalled that his wife used Mr Kavanaughs last name and voiced concern that the judge might one day be nominated to the Supreme Court.

Senator Feinstein raised the Kavanaugh accusations with the committee last week (Getty)

The newspaper said Ms Ford had contacted it through a tip line some moths ago, but had not wanted to be identified. She took a polygraph test administered by a former FBI agent in early August, it said.

She engaged Ms Katz, a Washington lawyer known for her work on sexual harassment cases, who advised her to undergo the polygraph test, which she did last month. It said she was telling the truth.

As the accusations gathered steam, Senate judiciary committee chairman Charles Grassley, a Republican, released a letter from 65 women who said they knew Mr Kavanaugh when he attended high school in North Bethesda.

Through the more than 35 years we have known him, Brett has stood out for his friendship, character, and integrity, the women wrote. In particular, he has always treated women with decency and respect. That was true when he was in high school, and it has remained true to this day.

Like those women, the second young man said to have been present also denied that Ms Fords accusations were true. Its just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way, he said.

It was amid these denials, the Post said, that Ms Ford decided to identify herself as the person who said she was assaulted.

These are all the ills that I was trying to avoid, she said. Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation.

Longterm watchers of the Supreme Court say the claims by Ms Ford echo the allegations of sexual harassment that were made against nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991 by Anita Hill, who worked under Mr Thomas at the US Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Ms Hill was called to give televised testimony before the committee, and told senators: He spoke about acts that he had seen in pornographic films involving such matters as women having sex with animals and films showing group sex or rape scenes ... On several occasions, Thomas told me graphically of his own sexual prowess.

Mr Thomas, who had been nominated by George HW Bush, was eventually confirmed by the full senate in a narrow vote  52 to 48. He remains a justice on the court and would be a colleague of Mr Kavanaugh if he is confirmed.Jaguar unveiled this XF model in 2007. Photo: John MacDougall/Getty Images

Its easy to blame Brexit uncertainties for Jaguar Land Rovers decision to cut production at one of its factories in the UK. But besides Brexit there are other reasons too that are forcing changes at JLR.

Britains largest automaker announced on Monday that 1,000 workers at its Castle Bromwich factory near Birmingham would be downgraded to working three days per week.

Analysts say the key reason behind this decision is consumers growing preference for SUVs and crossover vehicles. The affected facility in the Midlands is known for producing saloon cars  the Jaguar XE and Jaguar XF.

Both the XE and XF are in stagnant sedan segments with more dominant players, while most of the interest is [in] crossovers, IHS senior auto analyst Ian Fletcher told Yahoo Finance UK.

A Jaguar Land Rover spokesperson confirmed that the cars from this facility were seeing lower demand.

Were reflecting the production thats required, she said.

Jaguar Land Rover, which is owned by Indias Tata Motors (TTM), employs roughly 44,000 people around the world. Its Castle Bromwich factory employs 2,000. Those affected will still be paid for five days of work despite doing three-day week. The current plan is for the shift switch to go into effect in October and last for two months, the spokesperson said.

Eric Totaro, a senior automotive analyst at Euromonitor International, said this change is a sign of the times, and a sign of the trends.

Its interesting to see this with Jaguar because they were one of the holdouts from going into the SUV space, he said. [Sister brand  Land Rover  is better known for its SUV prowess.]

Jaguar Land Rover is not alone in being affected by the shift towards SUVs.

Volkswagen Group (VOW.DE) announced last week it would stop producing its iconic Beetle compact car in 2019. Analysts say the Beetle was ultimately squashed by the preference for roomier SUVs.

Competitor Ford (F) announced earlier this year it would scrap most of its US car models  including the Fiesta, Taurus and Fusion  to focus on SUV production.

Story continues

Brexit, diesel and woe

Still, Brexit and slumping consumer demand for diesel vehicles arent helping Jaguar Land Rover.

Last week, the firms boss Ralf Speth warned that the wrong Brexit deal could cost tens of thousands of car jobs and risks production at the firm, especially if there are delays at ports and on motorways due to customs checks.

He also said that the UK government had demonised diesel cars, contributing to 1,000 job losses at the company earlier this year.

The British government is working to implement new rules to limit the sale of diesel vehicles in the coming years, which has spooked many consumers.

About 90% of JLRs sales in Britain are diesel models, which compares with roughly 45% globally, the company said earlier this year.

The Unite union blamed prime minister Theresa May for the moves at Britains largest carmaker.

This is the continuing effect of the chaotic mismanagement of the Brexit negotiations by the government which has created uncertainty across the UKs automotive industry and the manufacturing sector generally, said Unites assistant general secretary, Tony Burke.By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - Burundi, beset by accusations of crimes against humanity, threatened on Monday to withdraw from the U.N. Human Rights Council and sue its critics. A U.N. Commission of Inquiry, set up in 2016, published a detailed 272-page report that said the government and its supporters were responsible for crimes against humanity. The Central African state has refused to cooperate with the three commissioners and last week declared them to be personae non gratae. Burundian Ambassador Renovat Tabu told the Council that the report was "full of lies" and "politically motivated" and said it had "no regard for states, peoples and leaders". We must... have a culture of truth rather than letting ourselves be poisoned, indoctrinated, and intoxicated by the culture of lies which only destroys the morality of the world, Tabu said. Burundi reserves the possibility of bringing to justice any person who engages in defamation, even a member of the Commission. The three commissioners rejected Burundi's complaints, saying they were immune from legal action over any alleged defamation and Burundi's withdrawal from the Council would achieve little, without shielding it from scrutiny. On Friday, Willy Nyamitwe, an adviser to President Pierre Nkurunziza, said Burundi's human rights and justice ministers were in Geneva to meet U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet. If Burundi was not treated better, it reserved the right to pull out of the U.N. Human Rights Council, Nyamitwe said. The three commissioners welcomed the meeting between Bachelet and the Burundian ministers, hoping it could be a sign of a new willingness by Bujumbura to cooperate with the United Nations. Nyamitwe blamed the accusations in the report on Belgium, the former colonial power in Burundi, and the European Union, which he said wanted to destabilize the country. He also accused neighboring Rwanda of arming and recruiting Burundian refugees to try to overthrow the government in 2015. He said the report had ignored serious crimes committed by 34 people wanted in Burundi for involvement in the 2015 insurrection. Some were now activists based in Europe. I have seen some of them here (at the Human Rights Council)," Nyamitwe said. "We have seen them walking around the (U.N.) Palais des Nations." Nyamitwe also defended Burundi's decision to eject three U.N. experts who were supposed to be helping the government with human rights. Nyamitwe said they had arrived in the country without announcing their role. That was like an act of war, as if they were spies, he told reporters. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Mark Heinrich)Brett Kavanaugh, nominated by Donald Trump, is due to face a vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday - REUTERS

The confirmation of Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been plunged into uncertainty after US congressmen called to delay a vote on his candidacy following a claim of sexual assault.

Leading Democrats want the FBI to investigate the allegation before a Senate committee votes on his nomination while two Republican senators have also backed a delay until the accuser gives testimony.

The push to reschedule Thursdays vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee came after Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor, went public with her account of an alleged assault in the early 1980s.

She said that Mr Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her while drunk, covering her mouth when she tried to scream as a friend watched on, before she was able to escape the room.

Both Mrs Ford and Mr Kavanaugh were teenagers at the time of the alleged incident. Mr Kavanaugh has categorically and unequivocally denied the allegation.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh shakes hands with US President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House Credit: REUTERS/Jim Bourg

Mr Trump opened the door to the vote being pushed back, saying on Monday: "If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay."

The US president said there should be a "full process" with the chance to "hear everybody out" - an apparent backing of Mrs Ford's right to testify.

He also defended Mr Kavanaugh's reputation, saying: "He is one of the great intellects and one of the finest people that anybody has known."

Asked if Mr Kavanaugh had offered to withdraw, Mr Trump said the question was "ridiculous".

The allegation had been outlined in a letter to the leading Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein, with a request for anonymity. However Mrs Ford decided to go public through The Washington Post after details of her claim begun to leak.

The allegation has thrown Mr Kavanaughs nomination process into chaos, coming just days before he appeared on track to be approved by the committees members. A vote of the full Senate would have followed.

Story continues

The Republican leadership wants to wrap up the confirmation process by the November midterm elections, fearing the Democrats could win back the Senate majority then and block his appointment.

Since Mrs Ford went public there has been growing pressure in Washington to delay Thursdays vote from both Democrats and Republicans.

The United States Capitol in Washington, DC Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Ms Feinstein, the Democratic senator from California, called for a delay until an investigation was complete. She said: I support Mrs Fords decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee.

Jeff Flake, the Republican senator for Arizona who sits on the committee, said: Ive made it clear that Im not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further.

Bob Corker, the Republican senator for Tennessee who, like Mr Flake, is a frequent critic of Mr Trump, also backed calls for a delay. He said it "would be best for all involved" for the vote not to take place until Mrs Ford had given testimony.

On Monday, Mrs Fords lawyer Debra Katz said she was willing to speak to the committee about her allegation. Mr Kavanaugh also said he would be willing to speak as he issued a new denial.

Jeff Flake, the Republican senator for Arizona, right, with Donald Trump Credit: AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB

Mr Kavanaugh said in a statement circulated by the White House: This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describesto her or to anyone.

"Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday.

"I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.

The White House also appeared to support hearing from Mrs Ford.

Kellyanne Conway, an adviser to Mr Trump, said: This woman should not be insulted and she should not be ignored. I think the Senate is headed toward a reasonable approach, allowing this woman to be heard in sworn testimony, allowing Judge Kavanaugh to be heard in sworn testimony.Ottawa (AFP) - Canada's trade minister on Monday signalled that the government will push ratification of the Trans Pacific Partnership quickly through parliament, as stalled North American free trade talks have raised concerns it could lose its privileged access to the US market.

"Rapid ratification of the TPP" will mean "farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs and workers across the country can finally tap into new markets," Trade Minister Jim Carr said in a speech to parliament.

Signed in March without the United States, the Trans-Pacific Partnership will come into effect 60 days after ratification by at least six of the 11 signatories -- Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

The trading bloc represents 500 million consumers and 13 percent of the world's economic output.

Ottawa wants to be among the first six TPP signatories, but is facing pushback from the powerful union representing Canadian auto workers. Unifor wants stricter labor standards written into the pact and for negotiations with the United States and Mexico to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement completed first.

High-level talks ended last week with no deal, and no date has been set yet for Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland to return to Washington to continue negotiations.

For Canada, implementing the TPP is "of paramount importance," said Carr, if only to act as a counterbalance to growing US protectionism under US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to cut Canada out of a new continental trade deal if Ottawa didn't give in to his demands.

"This is not just a new trade agreement for Canada, it is also a message we send to the rest of the world: trade is important, the rules are important and we will not give in to protectionism," the minister said.BEIJING (AP)  China on Monday urged Sweden to respond to its complaints about the alleged mistreatment of a Chinese family removed by police from a hotel in Stockholm.

The foreign ministry and China's embassy in Stockholm have asked Sweden to investigate the case but have yet to hear back, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters.

"We once again urge Sweden to take seriously our concerns and take concrete measures to ensure the safety and legal rights and interests of Chinese tourists," Geng said, adding that the family had been "brutally abused by Swedish police."

Reports said an elderly couple and their son were removed from the hotel on Sept. 2 after they arrived a day before their booking and refused the staff's requests to leave.

Police were called and removed the group, at one point carrying the father out of the door by his arms and legs.

A statement on the Chinese Embassy's website posted Saturday said its citizens were asking for "punishment, apology and compensation in time."

"The Chinese Embassy in Sweden is deeply appalled and angered by what happened and strongly condemns the behavior of the Swedish police," the statement said.

The Swedish Embassy in Beijing posted on its microblog Sunday that it had been made aware of the accusations against the police and an independent investigation into the incident would be conducted to determine whether there had been "negligence or illegal behavior."

In Stockholm, however, Chief Prosecutor Mats Ericsson said an investigation was closed on Sept. 7 after concluding that police had done nothing wrong.

"This is very normal (when you have) disorderly behavior," he was quoted as saying by the Aftonbladet newspaper, one of Sweden's largest.

"Police have the right to remove a person from one place to another," he said.

Citing a police report, the tabloid said two people were lying on a sofa in the hotel lobby and refused to leave the premises at about 1:45 a.m. About 25 minutes later, a police patrol decided to remove them and the two people started screaming, reportedly about "human rights."

Story continues

The incident comes amid low-level tensions between Stockholm and Beijing over China's detention of a Chinese-born Swedish national on suspicion of leaking state secrets.

China has rebuked Sweden for demanding the release of Hong Kong-based bookseller Gui Minhai, 53, who was taken off a train by police in eastern China on Jan. 20 while in the company of two Swedish diplomats with whom he was traveling to Beijing.

A Swedish court on Friday also found a man guilty of spying for China by gathering information on Tibetans who had fled to Sweden and sentenced him to 22 months in jail.

That came during a visit to Sweden by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader whom China labels a dangerous separatist. China routinely demands foreign nations bar him entry to deny him a platform to speak.

___

Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.Chrissy Teigen has been open about her struggles with postpartum depression in the past. [Photo: Getty]

Placenta consumption still has to be one the biggest taboos in Western culture. Still, mothers and maternity experts tout its benefits for improving milk production, helping after-birth pain and containing tons of nutrients.

For some women, one of the biggest pros of eating the placenta  or placentophagy, as its formally known  is to help with postpartum depression. Chrissy Teigen is in this band, and has recently spoken about her decision to eat the placenta after the birth of her son, Miles.

The model and presenter recently spoke with CBS, saying that she thinks the process helped her avoid postpartum depression, something she has been open about having suffered with after the birth of her first-born, daughter Luna.

It sounds ridiculous, but people have this belief that if you eat your placenta, it gets all those nutrients that you lost when you were pregnant rather than just losing them immediately and losing that rush of endorphins, she said.

By taking these dry placenta pills you can kind of keep this energy up and be weaned off that feeling more.

But Chrissy isnt the only one: many believe that consuming the placenta has real benefits for the mental health of mothers. Heres what we know so far.

Can eating placenta help with postpartum depression?

Many believe that the nutrients in the placenta help to level off your hormones, lowering your chances of postpartum depression, insomnia and increasing energy levels.

The placenta is an organ attached to the lining of the womb during pregnancy which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the baby. The organ can be consumed in a variety of forms, from raw to cooked, however perhaps the most popular method involves drying it, crushing it into capsule form.

Despite tons of testimonials from new mothers, there has been no real evidence to prove that placentophagy has a positive impact on mental health.

What are thought to be other benefits of eating placenta?

Aside from aiding mental health, there are thought to be a ton of other benefits to eating the placenta.

Story continues

The placenta contains high concentrations of nutrients including fibre, protein, and potassium, and the organ also contains hormones such as estradiol and testosterone.

Some claim placentophagy aids milk production in new mothers, though, again, there is a lack of research in this field.

Aside from improving lactation, some believe placentophagy can act as a treatment for after-birth pain.

Postpartum depression is common in mothers. [Photo: Getty]

What are the negatives of eating placenta?

While science hasnt yet backed up the pros of eating placenta, it hasnt found any negatives either. This is except for one case, which caused the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a warning last year.

The warning detailed a case of a newborn who has developed sepsis after the mother ingested contaminated placenta capsules that were not heated at the correct temperature to kill of the group B streptococcus bacteria that was found in the pills.

A lack of research

For many, theres something about placentophagy that still feels very Goop, and this is down to a lack of research to prove its benefits in a scientific capacity.

Some claim the pricey process (placenta encapsulation is roughly 200 in the UK) is merely offers a placebo effect.

In 2015, a review by researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago found there to be insufficient evidence to suggest that eating the placenta provides health benefits for new mothers.

The concluded in their study notes: Despite the amount of information available to the public on the therapeutic benefits of placentophagy, there is no scientific evidence examining its effects in humans, and the data from animals are inconclusive.

The health benefits and risks of placentophagy warrant further investigation of the retained contents of the raw, cooked, and encapsulated placenta.

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:

Viral plate reminds the world women need weeks of rest after giving birth

Forget capsules, people are now planting placenta trees

Dawsons Creek actor praised for sharing graphic home birth photoLos Angeles (AFP) - Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has come forward to accuse US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault more than three decades ago, is a clinical psychology professor whose academic work has been widely published.

Ford, 51, teaches at Palo Alto University, south of San Francisco, in a consortium with Stanford University.

According to an archive of her LinkedIn professional networking page, she has worked as a research psychologist at Stanford since 1998, and also taught psychology at Pepperdine University.

In the private sector, she worked as a consultant to biotech companies in Silicon Valley, specializing in biostatistics.

The articles Ford has published have addressed a wide range of topics, including depression and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

She received her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina and earned a Master's degree in clinical psychology at Pepperdine University. She also earned a Master's in epidemiology and biostatistics at Stanford.

Ford earned her PhD in educational psychology at the University of Southern California.

- 'Civic responsibility' -

Ford came forward with her allegation concerning Kavanaugh in July, when she sent a confidential letter detailing the alleged assault to her congresswoman as well as veteran Senator Dianne Feinstein.

She spoke out herself on Sunday, telling The Washington Post that Kavanaugh and one of his friends -- both "stumbling drunk" -- pinned her down, groped her and tried to pull off her clothes. Kavanaugh also covered her mouth when she tried to scream.

Ford was 15 at the time of the alleged incident and Kavanaugh was 17. Both were attending prep schools in the Washington area.

"Now I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation," Ford told the Post.

Ford said she had kept silent about the alleged incident until she and her husband were in couples therapy in 2012.

Story continues

Ford said through her lawyer on Monday that she was willing to testify in public about the alleged attack.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegation, and 65 women who said they went to high school with him have signed a letter saying that in the 35 years they have known him, he has "behaved honorably and treated women with respect."

A group of women who went to Holton-Arms, the prestigious private girls' school outside Washington, are circulating their own open letter that had garnered more than 200 signatures as of Monday.

The signatories said they were grateful to Ford for coming forward and urged a "thorough and independent" investigation before any vote on Kavanaugh's nomination to the nation's highest court.

"Dr Blasey Ford's experience is all too consistent with stories we heard and lived while attending Holton," the letter states. "Many of us are survivors ourselves."

"Holton's motto teaches students to 'find a way or make one.' We dream of making a world where women are free from harassment, assault and sexual violence," it added.Denuclearisation will be high on the agenda for this week's inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday on the eve of his third meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Moon will fly to the North Korean capital on Tuesday for the latest stage in a diplomatic thaw on the peninsula, although progress has stalled in denuclearisation talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

"I've confirmed the sincere willingness of both Chairman Kim Jong Un and President Trump on several occasions," Moon said during a Cabinet meeting.

"I plan to hold frank talks with Chairman Kim Jong Un on ways to find a point of compromise between the US demand for denuclearisation and the North's demand for ending hostile relations," he added.

Moon, who met Kim in April and May this year, was instrumental in brokering the historic Singapore summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim in June, when Kim backed denuclearisation of the "Korean peninsula".

But no details were agreed and Washington and Pyongyang have sparred since over what that means and how it will be achieved.

The US is pressing for the North's "final, fully verified denuclearisation", while Pyongyang is seeking a formal declaration that the 1950-53 Korean War is over -- hostilities ceased with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. It has condemned demands for it to give up its weapons unilaterally as "gangster-like".

The dovish South Korean leader -- who has gladly taken on the role of a mediator -- will try to close the gap between the US and the North, according to Moon's chief of staff Im Jong-seok.

"Through various meetings and phone calls, President Moon has a better understanding of what the US is thinking than Chairman Kim," Im told reporters.

Moon is due to fly to New York later this month to attend the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to meet Trump.

Moon will hold at least two formal meetings with Kim, who may make a rare appearance at the airport to welcome his guests, the chief of staff said.

Story continues

The South's president is also scheduled to attend a concert and visit key sites in the North's capital with his delegation, which includes tycoons Lee Jae-yong -- the heir to the Samsung group -- and the vice chairman of Hyundai Motor.

Moon has been pushing inter-Korean economic co-operation but several South Korean newspapers urged caution Monday, with the Korea Herald calling the businessmen's presence on the trip "untimely".

"It is better to postpone economic projects involving the North until after negotiations to remove its nuclear program make substantial progress," it said in an editorial.

And investment in the North was "fraught with risks and uncertainty", it added.

Other issues on Moon's agenda will be improving inter-Korean ties and easing military tensions on the peninsula. Seoul said this could lay the groundwork for a declaration on the Korean War - implying that such an announcement was unlikely during the trip.John Kerry, the former US secretary of state, has torn into Donald Trump in response to the president accusing him of holding illegal meetings with Iran.

The former Massachusetts senator used decidedly undiplomatic language, saying Mr Trump had the maturity of an eight-year-old boy with the insecurity of a teenage girl. Thats just who he is".

He added: We have a president where the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth are three different things.

The attack came after Mr Trump tweeted that talks Mr Kerry held with Iran officials after leaving office were to the detriment of the American people".

The president said: He told them to wait out the Trump Administration! Was he registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act? BAD!

But, responding on the chat show Real Time with Bill Maher, Democrat Mr Kerry said: He's the first President who spends more time reading his Twitter likes than his briefing books or the constitution of the United States

"It's gone from the art of the deal to the art of the squeal.

Matt Summers, a spokesman for Mr Kerry, later defended the Iran meetings  which he revealed in a recent interview  more fully.

He said: Secretary Kerry stays in touch with his former counterparts around the world just like every previous secretary of state, and in a long phone conversation with Secretary Pompeo earlier this year, he went into great detail about what he had learned about the Iranian's view. No secrets were kept from this administration."

He added: "Like America's closest allies, Mr Kerry believes it is important that the commitments Iran made under the nuclear agreement, which took the world years to negotiate, remain effective.

"He was advocating for what was wholly consistent with US policy at the time.

"There's nothing unusual, let alone unseemly or inappropriate, about former diplomats meeting with foreign counterparts."Presidents son posted an image on Instagram on Saturday that seemed to suggest the accusations were a leftwing sabotage tactic

Finestein [sic] had the letter in July and saved it for the eve of his vote... honorable as always. I believe this is a copy for full transparency, Donald Trump Jr wrote on Instagram. Photograph: Money Sharma/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trump Jr posted an image to his Instagram account mocking Democrats and seeming to suggest the recent emergence of sexual assault allegations against the supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh were a partisan-minded sabotage tactic from the left.

Trump Jr posted the image on Saturday night, when the identity of Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were both in high school, was still anonymous.

Oh boy... the Dems and their usual nonsense games really have him on the ropes now. Finestein [sic] had the letter in July and saved it for the eve of his vote... honorable as always. I believe this is a copy for full transparency, he wrote in the caption, followed by a series of laughing and American flag emojis.

It is unclear if Trump Jr was aware at the time that Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, would make her identity known the next day in the Washington Post.

But the image itself, which according to timestamp data was posted at 9.30pm ET, goes beyond trolling Democrats, and seems to be making light of the concept of sexual assault itself.

Hi Cindy will you be my girlfreind [sic], the image reads in the style of a crudely drawn childrens note followed by a yes or no box. Love Bret [sic].

Ford told the Washington Post that Kavanaugh had groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers  clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, she said. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Kavanaugh again denied the accusations on Monday morning, in a statement issued by the White House. Both parties have said they would agree to testify before the Senate judiciary committee regarding the night in question.

Trump Jrs dismissal of the allegations against Kavanaugh as both a smear campaign and as mere youthful tomfoolery has become a common reaction on the right across social media yesterday into today. Fox News spent the morning questioning what Fords political motive might be, while others on the right have suggested this type of behavior is simply akin to boys being boys behavior.

Story continues

High school rape defenders are shook pic.twitter.com/ue9Mj161CZ  Eli Valley (@elivalley) September 16, 2018

A lawyer close to the White House said the nomination will not be withdrawn. No way, not even a hint of it. If anything, its the opposite. If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried. https://t.co/aAbYbNVgNj  Carrie Budoff Brown (@cbudoffbrown) September 16, 2018

Among those to like the image on Instagram were Katrina Pierson, the national spokeswoman for the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign, rightwing social media personalities Diamond & Silk, former Fox News personality and current Trump Jr romantic partner Kim Guilfoyle and housing and urban development official Lynne Patton.

Trump Jr has yet to comment on the post following the identification of Ford. Patton, on her own behalf, attempted to clarify her support for the Instagram post today, writing in a tweet:

This was not an attempt to diminish sexual assault. To the contrary, my post was in response to the hypocrisy highlighted by @DonaldJTrumpJr inasmuch that @SenFeinstein concealed Ms. Fords letter for 2 mos, releasing it only when the timing best suited her own. True exploitation.Donald Trump Jr. posted a meme on Instagram making fun of the woman who alleges that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were high school students.

Judge Kavanaughs sexual assault letter found by Dems, reads the caption at the top of an image, which features a crayon letter in what looks like a childs handwriting. The letters scrawl reads: Will you be my girlfriend alongside boxes marked with yes and no.

The Dems and their usual nonsense games really have him on the ropes now, the presidents eldest son wrote in apparent sarcasm in his caption. Finestein had the letter in July and saved it for the eve of his vote ... honorable as always. I believe this is a copy for full transparency.

Finestein appears to be a reference to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. She said she reported the accusers letter to the FBI last week.

The woman, Christine Blasey Ford, identified herself in a Washington Post interview published on Sunday as the author of the confidential letter sent in late July to Feinstein. Ford told the Post that Kavanaugh pinned her down and groped her while another male teenager watched when she was 15 in suburban Maryland around 1982.

Ford, now 51, also said she thought he might inadvertently kill me.

Kavanaugh, in a statement issued by the White House, denied the incident took place. Kavanaughs classmate, Mark Judge, said in a statement to The Weekly Standard that he has no recollection of any of the events described in todays Post article or attributed to her letter.

Ford would agree to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, her lawyer, Debra Katz, said Monday on the Today show.

Story continues

Trump Jr.s Instagram post drew a comment from Lynne Patton, who heads the Department of Housing and Urban Developments New York and New Jersey regional office for the Trump administration. She posted emojis of a laughing face and hands raised in agreement.

Trump Jr. took a further swipe at the sexual assault allegation in a response to a person who commented on his Instagram post, writing: you joke about it, but its important to find the truth regardless of the outcome.

Replied Trump: An anonymous letter from an anonymous source that a senator sat on for over 2 months thats talks about a very public figure who has been scrutinized for decades that the FBI refused to even look at conveniently appears right as hes finishing confirmation?

Yea thats credible... you cant really buy that crap can you?Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria was on Monday urged to ensure that trials of Boko Haram suspects meet international standards, amid concern about due process and prolonged periods of detention.

Human Rights Watch warned that failure to do so could even exacerbate the conflict, which has left more than 27,000 dead in northeast Nigeria since 2009.

Trials of 1,669 suspects, some of whom had been held for years, began at civilian courts sitting at a remote military base in Niger state last October.

The trials were welcomed at the time but there were concerns about justice being seen to be done as proceedings took place behind closed doors with media and the public banned.

What information has emerged has come from government statements, although reporters were briefly allowed to observe proceedings in February.

HRW's Anietie Ewang said: "Nigeria needs to pursue justice for those responsible for Boko Haram's atrocities and end the prolonged detention of thousands of suspects.

"However, to achieve justice and deter extremist attacks, the Nigerian government's overall strategy and trial procedures need to conform with constitutional safeguards and international standards."

Ewang said the group was able to monitor the third round of proceedings in July at which more than 200 defendants were tried.

A total of 113 people were convicted and sentenced on charges including membership of a proscribed organisation, supporting Boko Haram and participating in acts of terrorism.

One of those found guilty was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his part in the mass kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from the northeastern town of Chibok in 2014.

According to government statements, 240 people have been convicted in connection with the insurgency while 1,054 have been acquitted or had their cases dropped for lack of evidence.

HRW catalogued concerns about the trials, from the short length of time of proceedings and ambiguity of detail in charges to lack of interpreters and access to lawyers.

Story continues

The group urged the government to improve trial procedures and consider "truth commissions" and other efforts at reconciliation, particularly for lesser, non-violent crimes.

It also urged the international community to focus on non-military means of supporting Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram to ensure "genuine justice and accountability".

"Trials that abuse suspects' rights are not only unlawful, they can backfire by alienating local communities and handing a recruitment card to groups like Boko Haram," said Ewang.Paris (AFP) - The European Union must do "everything possible to avoid a hard Brexit," Austria's chancellor said on Monday ahead of a summit of EU leaders where Britain's exit from the bloc will be top of the agenda.

EU leaders are to meet for talks on Wednesday and Thursday in Austria, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

"In Salzburg there will be two main issues on the agenda. First Brexit, there we agree we have to do everything possible to avoid a hard Brexit and to make possible that there will be a strong cooperation between the UK and the European Union," Austria's Sebastian Kurz said ahead of talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The second issue would be migration, Kurz added.

Macron added that it was "essential that we find a deal (on Brexit), that the rules of cohesion and protection of Europe, of its single market, are fully preserved while the United Kingdom respects the vote by its people."

A so-called "hard Brexit" would entail major trade barriers being erected between Britain and the other 27 members of the EU at the end of March next year, while investors fear a "no deal" scenario in which Britain crashes out without a new trading arrangement.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking a breakthrough in talks on the Brexit divorce and the future UK-EU trading relationship during the talks in Salzburg amid deep divisions in her own political party and her country at large.Paris (AFP) - The European Union is riven with "too many tensions", Austria's chancellor said on Monday before hosting EU leaders later this week to try and close a major rift on immigration policy.

Sebastian Kurz, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said during a trip to Paris that Austria aimed to "support all those that want to be bridge-builders.

"There are far too many tensions in the European Union, between the east and west and north and south," he said at the start of a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

"We can all agree that the European Union can only be successful if we work together and if we act together."

Previous weeks have seen a gulf between anti-immigration governments in eastern Europe, led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and western members erupt into an open war of words.

Orban and Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini have labelled Macron as their main adversary in the fight against illegal immigration, while Macron sees them as betraying European values.

There are also underlying tensions caused by a French push for a new budget for the eurozone area, which could result in more funds distributed from the wealthy north of the bloc towards the poorer south.

Kurz and Macron both said that the 28-member bloc, soon to be 27 when Britain leaves, had made progress on the contentious issue of increasing taxes on US-based internet giants such as Amazon and Google.

The companies take advantage of EU tax law by moving revenues between high-tax countries to low-tax nations such as Luxembourg and Ireland, paying little corporate tax in areas where they derive most of their income.

An EU-wide tax regime has been under negotiation for over a year, but progress has been slow due to objections from low-tax countries who fear losses.

"I really think that it is possible to find a solution this semester," Macron said.

Kurz added: "We are both happy it was possible to make some progress on the taxation of internet giants at the meeting at the finance ministers in Vienna (last week) and I hope we will reach this goal before the end of our presidency" on December 31.

EU leaders are set to meet at an informal summit in the Austrian city of Salzburg on Wednesday and Thursday.By Robert Hetz and Sonya Dowsett MADRID (Reuters) - Talks between the European Union and Britain on Brexit are being conducted in a spirit of "good cooperation", Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator on the issue, said on Monday. Barnier spoke before meeting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in Madrid to discuss the state of negotiations on Britain's departure from the EU. "We continue working in a spirit of good cooperation," Barnier told reporters as he left the Foreign Ministry. Despite Barnier's upbeat mood, there is, so far, no full exit agreement and some rebels in British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party have threatened to vote down a deal if she clinches one with the EU. Barnier also discussed the matter of Gibraltar, a British territory on Spain's southern coast which will leave the EU along with the UK on March 29 next year. Although Gibraltar is not part of the EU customs union, businesses fear regulation of the border could become more rigid following Britain's exit from the EU, with detrimental effects for the thriving economy of the tiny territory. In a statement on Monday evening, the Spanish government reiterated on Monday evening that Gibraltar should not become "the latest hurdle to close the Brexit negotiations". "Spain's prime minister and the EU's chief Brexit negotiator agreed to maintain the current timetable that foresees finalising the Brexit negotiations before the European (Union) summit in October," the statement said. Former Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis told Reuters in an interview in April that Spain hoped to reach a bilateral agreement with Britain over Gibraltar before October. A major obstacle facing Britain as it negotiates its exit from the EU, including the single market and customs union, is future arrangements for the border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK. But Brexit also raises problems for Gibraltar, whose economy relies on workers crossing the border with Spain. Bilateral talks between London and Madrid regarding Gibraltar have been underway since the beginning of the year, with teams of Spanish and British civil servants meeting in encounters arranged in both countries. Talks have touched on a possible joint use of Gibraltar airport and more comprehensive sharing of fiscal data between Britain and Spain for Gibraltar residents to prevent tax avoidance. (Additional reporting by Jesus Aguado; Editing by Mark Heinrich)Buenos Aires (AFP) - Ex-Argentina president Cristina Kirchner was charged with corruption as a judge asked that her parliamentary immunity be lifted so she can be detained, reports said Monday.

She is accused of having accepted tens of millions of dollars in bribes in the notorious "corruption notebooks" scandal that has rocked Argentina's political and business elites.

As a senator, Kirchner is protected by parliamentary immunity from imprisonment, although not from prosecution.

Unless that immunity is lifted, she cannot be jailed, even if found guilty.

However, last month the Senate did vote to partially lift her immunity so that investigators could search her three luxury homes.

She has has already been called in for questioning twice by Claudio Bonadio, the judge leading the wide-ranging corruption investigation, and is due to appear again on Tuesday.

Kirchner is accused of heading an "illicit association."

During her first two hearings she refused to answer Bonadio's questions, instead submitting a written statement, as is her right.

Both Kirchner, 65, and her late husband, Nestor, whom she succeeded as president in 2007, are suspected of having accepted millions of dollars in bribes from businessmen in exchange for public works contracts.

More than a dozen former government officials and 30 elite businessman are implicated in the case first reported by La Nacion newspaper on August 1, claiming that bribes were delivered by a ministerial chauffeur to the Kirchners' residences over a 10-year period.

Prosecutor Carlos Stornelli has said a total of $160 million in bribes was handed over between 2005 and 2015.

At her last court appearance, Kirchner stressed her "categorical and strict denial" that she "committed any crime" or was involved in "any illicit activity."

Also facing trial in several other corruption cases, she has previously accused Bonadio of carrying out "judicial persecutions" aimed at derailing a possible presidential run next year.Buenos Aires (AFP) - Argentina's ex-president Cristina Kirchner was charged with corruption on Monday as a judge asked that her legislative immunity be lifted so she can be detained.

She is accused of having accepted tens of millions of dollars in bribes in the notorious "corruption notebooks" scandal that has rocked Argentina's political and business elites.

As a senator, Kirchner is protected by lawmakers' immunity from imprisonment, although not from prosecution.

Unless that immunity is lifted, which is highly unlikely, she cannot be jailed, even if found guilty.

However, last month the Senate did vote to partially lift her immunity so that investigators could search her three luxury homes.

Kirchner is accused of heading an "illicit association."

She has already been called in for questioning twice by Claudio Bonadio, the judge leading the wide-ranging corruption investigation, and is due to appear again on Tuesday.

During her first two hearings she refused to answer Bonadio's questions, instead submitting a written statement, as is her right.

Both Kirchner, 65, and her late husband, Nestor, whom she succeeded as president in 2007, are suspected of having accepted millions of dollars in bribes from businessmen in exchange for public works contracts.

- 'Collusion' -

According to Bonadio's indictment, released on Monday, "between 2003 and 2015, collusion between civil servants and business leaders created a system distributing bribes to civil servants," in which the company bosses "claimed to have succumbed to official pressure."

In order to gain public works contracts, companies "needed to deliver a percentage of the total amount paid by the state to civil servants designated by Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Kirchner," added Bonadio.

The payments were compiled by ministerial chauffeur Oscar Centeno in meticulous records kept in notebooks.

More than a dozen former government officials and 30 elite businessman are implicated in the case first reported by La Nacion newspaper on August 1.

Story continues

Prosecutor Carlos Stornelli has said a total of $160 million in bribes was handed over between 2005 and 2015.

At her last court appearance, Kirchner stressed her "categorical and strict denial" that she "committed any crime" or was involved in "any illicit activity."

Also facing trial in several other corruption cases, she has previously accused Bonadio of carrying out "judicial persecutions" aimed at derailing a possible presidential run next year.

Kirchner's immunity will not be lifted, according to Miguel Angel Pichetto, the head of the Federal Argentina group, the most represented in Congress; Kirchner is a member.

Pichetto said immunity can only be lifted "in case of a conviction and not for remand."

However, former president Carlos Menem, who served two terms from 1989-1999, has held onto his senate seat, to which the 88-year-old was re-elected in 2017, despite a seven-year conviction for smuggling arms to Ecuador and Croatia.

A dozen other ministers have been remanded in custody, though, including deputy Planning Minister Roberto Baratta, whose chauffeur was Centeno.

Planning Minister Julio De Vido and another of his deputies, Julio Lopez, did not need to be remanded in custody as they were already behind bars for other offences.

Lopez's dramatic arrest in June 2016 gripped the nation as he was caught in the act of trying to hide nine million dollars in a Buenos Aires convent.Grifton (Etats-Unis) (AFP) - Hidden in North Carolina's coastal plain, Contentnea Creek is a local treasure, a place to fish, paddle and birdwatch -- but after Hurricane Florence's torrential rains, the stream has morphed into a menace.

Waters in this tributary of the Neuse River are now dangerously close to the small bridge providing access to the tranquil, rural village of Grifton, population 2,500.

Deadly Hurricane Florence has weakened. But authorities warn the danger is far from over, with swollen waterways threatening catastrophic flooding.

Residents in Grifton are scrambling to prepare for the worst, having taken a hard hit from past monster storms Floyd in 1999 and Matthew in 2016.

Bridge access will likely be cut Wednesday, when it's predicted that waters bloated by pounding rains unleashed by Florence, since downgraded to a tropical depression, will peak.

The creek has already begun overflowing its banks in some spots, but for now emergency personnel are largely on standby.

"People who needed to be evacuated were evacuated," said Justin Johnson, Grifton's fire chief. "We continue to patrol the area, but people have already been through Hurricane Matthew and know what to expect."

Matthew roared into the Eastern Seaboard in 2016, making landfall in Florida before slowly marching up the US East Coast.

The northward turn took several states, including North Carolina, by surprise; unprepared for severe flooding, 26 people died.

But this time, local authorities have appealed to the US National Guard for relief operations help.

- On guard -

Sergeant John Brandt and his team were deployed to Grifton, where they've been camped out for several days in a room in the local fire department barracks.

"The Fire Department crews are mostly volunteers, but their professionalism is amazing. They are well trained," Brandt said from the cabin of his rescue vehicle.

"It's great for North Carolina to have all these great resources helping to keep the death toll low."

Story continues

As even higher floodwaters loom, the National Guard reserves are lending a semblance of reassurance to locals, whom Brandt said have been "really accommodating."

A mailbox peeks out from the floodwaters along with the top of crosses at a cemetery. Pointing out in front of the deluged road that passes by, Brandt says yesterday the area was still passable.

A few prefabricated cottages at the edge of the stream appear abandoned, and Brandt says many of them were condemned post-Matthew.

"They were bought by the FEMA and supposed to be destroyed in the next couple of weeks," he said from behind the wheel.

But perhaps even more than the still fresh memory of Matthew, that of 1999's Floyd has Grifton residents like Denise Harper on guard.

"After Floyd, we got cut off, there was nowhere to go, water everywhere, the military had to come to bring us some food," the nurse said.

"A lot of people have evacuated already. It's worrying to watch the water slowly rising."

Area authorities have set a curfew from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am to minimize risks at night, but according to the town's mayor Billy Ray Jackson, these measure are not always enough.

"You can put mandatory evacuations and curfews in place, the problem is to enforce them. You'll always have people thinking they can ride it out," he said.

"And those people are the first ones to call for help when in trouble, putting other people's lives at risk."By Anna Mehler Paperny and Eduardo Munoz

SPIVEY'S CORNER, N.C. (Reuters) - Francisco Javier Jaramillo and Victor Chavez should be picking sweet potatoes at a North Carolina farm and sending much-needed money to their families in Mexico.

Instead, Hurricane Florence has forced the migrant workers to evacuate their farm and seek refuge at a school-turned-shelter near the tiny hamlet of Spiveys Corner, where they sleep in school hallways, wait and worry.

"If the sweet potato fields are flooded, we cannot work. If we cannot work, we will be sent home. We will have nothing," said Chavez, 39.

When Florence tore through the Carolinas last week, bringing wave after wave of wind and rain, the storm not only disrupted a harvest but also jeopardized its harvesters.

Known for its fields upon fields of sweet potatoes, tobacco and peanuts, North Carolina's agricultural engine is powered by more than 83,000 migrant workers.

Many come from Mexico and other Latin American countries to toil on restrictive contracts working fields that double as floodplains when the weather sours.

The contracts guarantee a certain number of working hours but that can be nullified if a farmer declares an act of god if, for example, fields are so flooded or hurricane-battered their crop cannot be salvaged. That would mean these workers get sent home without the hours, or money, promised.

A spokeswoman for North Carolinas agriculture department said there are no estimates yet of the extent of crop damage.

At peak harvest in 2016 there were more than 83,000 migrant workers on North Carolina farms, according to the Employment Security Commission.

Workers on an H2A visa for temporary agricultural workers are among the most vulnerable people hit by a hurricane, according to advocates, lawyers and outreach workers who talked with Reuters. They have the least means to cushion the blow and the most to lose.

H2A workers are very isolated, very vulnerable," said Lariza Garzon, with the Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry. "They may not know their rights.

Story continues

Lee Wicker, deputy director of the 700-farmer North Carolina Growers Association, said maybe decades ago that might have been true but now resources are in place to ensure workers have the supports they need.

About 20,000 of the workers come to North Carolina every year on H2A visas, which tether them to an employer on whom they rely for housing, transportation and, in many cases, information about the outside world, said Caitlin Ryland, a supervising attorney with Legal Aid of North Carolina's farmworker unit.

They are frequently housed in areas close to farmland that can be prone to flooding, Ryland said.

Wicker said that sometimes happens, but said storms like Florence have outsize effects.

For workers like Jaramillo and Chavez, in a precarious labor position and with limited access to outside information, leaving camps for a few days to wait out a storm can be daunting.

Misinformation is rampant: many believe fleeing a storm can get them deported and barred from returning.

If their employer reports them as having abandoned their job, under the terms of the H2A visa it can start the clock ticking on having to leave the United States, Ryland said.

Fleeing for their lives in the face of a storm does not count as abandoning a job, she said, but many workers may not know that.

A spokeswoman for North Carolinas Department of Labor wrote in an email that "the Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau has not received any complaints from migrant workers concerning unsafe housing conditions due to the storm.

Five migrant workers Reuters spoke with at a supermarket outside Clinton, in Sampson County about 35 miles (56 km) east of Fayetteville, had elected to stay in their work camps despite the threats presented by the weather.

Explaining why he stayed, Miguel Hernandez motioned to the cement blocks used to build his barracks in an area under a flash-flood warning - surely they could withstand a storm, he said.

But Luis Alberto, a 25-year-old migrant worker from the Mexican state of Nayarit, was scared for his life when he and four friends decided to go to a shelter several miles away.

Luis Alberto, who asked not to use his last name, regularly sends money home to support his family. What worries him now is what happens next  if the crop is destroyed, if they cannot get the contracted hours of work they need.

"We want to know what is going to happen to us," he said. "Can we keep working? Will we be sent back to Mexico?"

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny and Eduardo Munoz; Editing by Frank McGurty, Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish)Philippine rescuers used shovels and bare hands to claw through mounds of rocky soil on Monday in a desperate search for dozens feared buried under a landslide unleashed by Typhoon Mangkhut.

Searchers have already pulled 11 bodies from the vast debris field in Itogon in the disaster-prone nation's north. Dozens may still be buried, with little hope they have survived.

Tearful families surrounded a white board bearing names of the dead and missing as others inspected recovered bodies for signs these could be their loved ones, more than 48 hours since the typhoon hit the north of the country's main island of Luzon.

"We're relieved that it's not him," Joan Catteg, 42, told AFP referring to her missing cousin Harvey, a miner in the area.

"He was at the bunkhouse during Typhoon Mangkhut. He texted his wife not to worry. He said nothing bad will happen to him and that once the rain stops, he will go up. But he hasn't returned until now."

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said there were an estimated 40 to 50 people in the area during the landslide.

"We believe that those people there, maybe 99 percent, are already dead," he said.

A hillside weakened by the monster storm's lashing rains collapsed on the miners' bunkhouse about half a kilometre below.

Mangkhut, the world's most powerful storm this year, pounded the Philippines at the weekend with torrential rain and violent winds that snapped utility poles and sheared roofs off homes.

Authorities say 65 are confirmed dead, mostly buried in landslides.

- Excruciatingly slow -

Hundreds of rescuers in rows formed a human chain to pass rocks, debris and tree trunks out of the search area in Itogon.

The massive landslide left a gaping gash in a green hillside studded with small homes topped with rusting metal roofs.

With damaged roads preventing the use of heavy equipment, soldiers, police and miners used shovels and channelled water from a nearby stream to loosen the earth.

Story continues

It was excruciatingly slow work, with rescuers having to hike down the mountain for an hour before getting to the site.

"In the morning, the sun is too hot, the soil is dry, making it hard to dig," rescuer Allan Drilon told AFP.

"It will be better if we have heavy equipment ... but it's not possible because the path going down is only wide enough for people to pass."

Residents of the remote town, in the Cordillera range about 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Manila, had sought refuge in the old bunkhouse to avoid the wrath of Mangkhut.

The two-storey structure was abandoned by a gold mining firm in an area that has since been settled by small-time miners, the mayor said.

Black body bags were lined up at a tent on a nearby road above the bunkhouse.

Landslides and flooding elsewhere in the Philippines forced nearly 200,000 people to flee their homes, according to a police tally.

Weeks of heavy monsoon downpours had already left hillsides unstable in the region.

Crescencio Bacalso, the governor of Benguet province that includes Itogon, also cited a tragic case in Baguio, the region's largest city, where small-scale miners were helping to find a woman whose house had been buried.

"Unfortunately, there was a second collapse and the responders themselves became victims of a landslide. Six of them managed to crawl out but two others are missing," Bacalso said.Bremervorde (Germany) (AFP) - Germany on Monday rolled out the world's first hydrogen-powered train, signalling the start of a push to challenge the might of polluting diesel trains with costlier but more eco-friendly technology.

Two bright blue Coradia iLint trains, built by French TGV-maker Alstom, began running a 100-kilometre (62-mile) route between the towns and cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde and Buxtehude in northern Germany -- a stretch normally plied by diesel trains.

"The world's first hydrogen train is entering into commercial service and is ready for serial production," Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge said at an unveiling ceremony in Bremervoerde, the station where the trains will be refuelled with hydrogen.

Alstom has said it plans to deliver another 14 of the zero-emissions trains to Lower Saxony state by 2021, with other German states also expressing an interest.

Hydrogen trains are equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity through a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, a process that leaves steam and water as the only emissions.

Excess energy is stored in ion lithium batteries on board the train.

The Coradia iLint trains can run for around 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen, similar to the range of diesel trains.

Alstom is betting on the technology as a greener, quieter alternative to diesel on non-electrified railway lines -- an attractive prospect to many German cities scrambling to combat air pollution.

"Sure, buying a hydrogen train is somewhat more expensive than a diesel train, but it is cheaper to run," Stefan Schrank, the project's manager at Alstom, told AFP.

Other countries are also looking into hydrogen trains, Alstom said, including Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Italy and Canada.

In France, the government has already said it wants the first hydrogen train to be on the rails by 2022.Berlin (AFP) - Germany's large Kurdish community said Monday it had been "banned" by Berlin authorities from holding a rally at the Brandenburg Gate during a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this month.

Instead of gathering on September 29 at the landmark symbol of German unity, the Kurds will now hold the rally a day earlier at the nearby Potsdamer Platz square, on the day the Turkish leader arrives.

Some 10,000 people are expected to attend.

A Berlin police spokesman, Michael Gassen, stressed that the protest had not been outlawed but that the Brandenburg Gate was reserved for the celebration of German Unity Day on October 3.

However, the Kurdish Community of Germany criticised the decision in an angry statement, claiming the "extensive security measures... significantly impede the freedom to demonstrate".

Community leader Ali Ertan Toprak said the restriction marked a "dubious message on the part of the authorities to limit the rights of democrats for the benefit of a despot".

Gassen, however, told AFP that "stages for the October 3 festival will already be under construction" during Erdogan's visit and thus a demonstration there would not be possible.

"We asked the organisers to suggest another location but they cancelled" the protest, he added.

Germany has a million-strong Kurdish community, many of whom are of Turkish origin.

During the September 27-29 visit, Erdogan will hold talks with German political leaders in Berlin and open a mosque in Cologne, which has a large Turkish community.

Turkey's largest ethnic minority are the Kurds, who have long complained of being denied their rights in the country.

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) took up arms in 1984 in a bloody insurgency that has left tens of thousands dead.

Erdogan in the first years of his rule took unprecedented steps towards giving the Kurds greater rights and opened talks with the PKK.

But a ceasefire unravelled in 2015 and violence continues, with still no peace deal in sight.The insurance industry is changing. Photo: Reuters

London-listed insurance group Charles Taylor (CTR.L) released its half year results on 12 September and what stood out was the surge in revenue (up 21%) and adjusted profits before tax (up 10%).

David Marock, the CEO of the firm which has 2,500 staff in 100 countries, told Yahoo Finance UK that while it can count a number of reasons for its year-on-year growth for the last few years, it has mainly attributed its success to its focus on developing and delivering cutting-edge technology to be administered in the insurance market.

A number of years ago we concluded that the time was finally coming for the insurance industry to embrace technology and, increasingly, clients were expecting it, said Marock.

He added that this wasnt just the case internally across the group but by realising that there was a gap in the market, it would pave the way for Charles Taylor to penetrate the rest of the industry by offering a product that could be implemented throughout its peers networks. This includes Charles Taylor InsureTech which aims to simplify a lot of the essential back office work through automation and document management. It also includes an element of machine-learning.

Marock says that alongside the firms significant acquisitions within tech, such as Inworx, a Latin American based insurance-focused technology consultancy and software provider for corporates across Latin America, the company has been able to make strides in growth in an area that the insurance industry is still grappling with.

We are able to bring in new tech much quicker [than a lot of others] than before and we saw that need within the market and from brokers, said Marock.

That has also meant that Charles Taylor has reshaped its workforce to accommodate that internal and external change. But despite a number of reports saying that the industry is struggling to recruit and retain the talent needed to facilitate that change he says it has been easy for Charles Taylor.

Story continues

People who join and stay with us are excited because its an entrepreneurial environment within a well-established company, he said.

A fifth of the groups global staff is now dedicated to insurance technology.

A new report by the World Economic Forum revealed that machines will overtake humans in terms of performing more tasks at the workplace by 2025. However, it said that while developments in artificial intelligence and automation could see 75 million jobs displaced, another 133 million new roles may be created by 2022.Tehran (AFP) - Iran said Monday it is committed to protecting civilians if its Syrian regime ally launches a full-scale offensive on the country's last rebel stronghold of Idlib province.

"The humanitarian issue is of significant importance to us," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told journalists in Tehran.

"In line with our policy of fighting terrorism and reclaiming Syria's territorial integrity, we are highly determined to solve the Idlib issue so that the people are not harmed," he added.

Tehran is a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's seven-year conflict, and has said it is ready to support an assault by regime forces on the rebel-held province.

Iran, Russia and Turkey met at a Tehran summit on September 7 to discuss the expected offensive against Idlib but were unable to overcome their differences.

While Ankara says it agrees with Moscow on the need to push extremists out, it is concerned about the fate of pro-Turkey rebels also present in the area.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan were due to meet on Monday to continue the talks.

Although Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will not be present, Ghasemi said Tehran is continuing discussions with both countries as well as Damascus.

Sixty percent of Idlib's area is controlled by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group, an alliance led by Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate.

Turkey has meanwhile bolstered its military presence in Idlib, with Ankara aiming to prevent a Moscow-backed assault by Assad's forces who have massed around the province in recent weeks.

The United Nations and non-governmental organisations have repeatedly warned that such an offensive would unleash a "bloodbath" and "humanitarian catastrophe" in the area, which is home to three million people.Jerusalem (AFP) - An American-French law professor arrested while protesting against the demolition of a Palestinian village in the West Bank says an Israeli court has revoked a deportation order against him.

Frank Romano, who teaches law at the Paris Nanterre University, was released late Sunday on the orders of the Jerusalem magistrates court and spoke in a video posted on social media.

He said that police had earlier handed him to immigration officials for immediate deportation without a court hearing but he refused to sign a consent form.

"The judge called the immigration and said 'bring him back' and we had the hearing," he said.

In the courtroom, the judge ordered his release, he said.

Supporters said he was allowed to stay in Israel until September 25, the original date of his return flight.

He was ordered to lodge a surety of 1,000 shekels ($256, 240 euros) and provide a guarantor for a separate 5,000 shekel bond, they said.

Romano was detained on Friday while taking part in a demonstration at the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem.

The village of roughly 200 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is at risk of being demolished at any time, despite fierce criticism from key European nations.

On September 5, Israel's supreme court upheld an order to raze it on grounds it was built without the proper permits.

It is extremely rare for Palestinians to be given Israeli permits to build in Area C of the West Bank, where Khan al-Ahmar is situated.

The village is located in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements and along a road leading to the Dead Sea.

There have been warnings that continued settlement construction in the area could eventually divide the West Bank in two and cut it off from Jerusalem, dealing a death blow to any remaining hopes of a two-state solution.

Anti-demolition activists said Romano was arrested along with two Palestinian protesters when they tried to block bulldozers sent in by Israeli authorities to seal off an access road to the village.

Pictures on social media show him being led from the scene by Israeli riot police.Jerusalem (AFP) - An American-French law professor arrested by Israel while protesting against the demolition of a Palestinian village in the West Bank is to be deported, his lawyer said Sunday.

US-born Frank Romano, who teaches law at the Paris Nanterre University, was detained on Friday while taking part in a demonstration at the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem.

"There is an administrative decision to deport him," lawyer Gaby Lansky told reporters.

Romano said he would fight deportation in the Israeli courts.

"I'm going to appeal if they want to expel me," he told reporters at a brief court hearing regarding the deportation order late Sunday.

"There is no reason to expel me, I have not committed an act of violence."

The court adjourned without giving a decision.

The village of roughly 200 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is at risk of being demolished at any time, despite fierce criticism from key European nations.

On September 5, Israel's supreme court upheld an order to raze it on grounds it was built without the proper permits.

It is extremely rare for Palestinians to be given Israeli permits to build in Area C of the West Bank, where Khan al-Ahmar is situated.

The village is located in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements and along a road leading to the Dead Sea.

There have been warnings that continued settlement construction in the area could eventually divide the West Bank in two and cut it off from Jerusalem, dealing a death blow to any remaining hopes of a two-state solution.

Anti-demolition activists said Romano was arrested along with two Palestinian protesters when they tried to block bulldozers sent in by Israeli authorities to seal off an access road to the village.

Pictures on social media show him being led from the scene by Israeli riot police.Jerusalem (AFP) - A Palestinian fatally stabbed an Israeli-American man near the entrance to a mall in the occupied West Bank on Sunday before being shot and wounded at the end of a brief foot chase, officials said.

The man killed, Ari Fuld, was a right-wing activist who has appeared regularly on television, but a police spokesman said there was no indication he was targeted for that reason.

Fuld, 45, was a father of four who lived in the Israeli settlement of Efrat, near the mall where he was stabbed.

The Palestinian attacker was 17-year-old Khalil Jabareen, from the village of Yatta in the southern West Bank, according to Palestinian security sources.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Jabareen was moderately wounded.

The incident took place at the Gush Etzion Junction south of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, according to Israel's military, which provided the details of the stabbing.

Surveillance footage shared on news sites and social media showed the assailant approaching an older man near the mall entrance and stabbing him several times.

He is then pursued by civilians and shot nearby.

There is regular friction between Israelis and Palestinians at the junction, which lies near a major Israeli settlement bloc and has been the site of numerous lone-wolf Palestinian attacks.

- Vocal defender of Israel -

Fuld created a Facebook page called "Israel Defense Page" and was a hardline defender of Israel in his television appearances.

During last year's march by right-wing Israelis through east Jerusalem's Old City to commemorate 50 years since Israel seized control of it in the Six-Day War, Fuld said it was a "miraculous day" for Jews.

"Today we are celebrating the unification of Jerusalem," he said.

US ambassador to Israel David Friedman said on Twitter that "America grieves as one of its citizens was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist."

"Ari Fuld was a passionate defender of Israel & an American patriot."

Story continues

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "in the name of every citizen of Israel, I send my condolences to the family of Ari Fuld, who was murdered today in a terrorist attack".

"He was an advocate for Israel who fought to spread the truth about Israel."

A wave of Palestinian knife attacks against Israelis broke out in 2015, but they have since become sporadic.

On September 3, a Palestinian wielding a knife approached an Israeli military checkpoint near the hardline Kiryat Arba settlement in the Hebron area and was shot dead by soldiers, according to the army.

In a stabbing attack on July 26 in the West Bank settlement of Adam, one Israeli was killed and two wounded. The 17-year-old Palestinian attacker was shot dead.

There are concerns that tensions between Israelis and Palestinians will increase this month as Jews celebrate their high holidays and pay more visits to holy sites.

In previous years, increased Jewish visits to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City -- what Jews call the Temple Mount -- have led to such tensions.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

While protests and clashes have continued at varying levels along the blockaded Gaza Strip border since March 30, the West Bank has remained relatively calm.

In the Gaza unrest, at least 179 Palestinians have been killed since March 30. One Israeli soldier has been killed in the Gaza border area since then.

Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, of seeking to use the protests to carry out attacks or infiltrations.

It says its actions are necessary to defend the border.

Palestinians and rights groups say protesters have been shot while posing little threat.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

mib-ssh-cmr-mjs/dvTOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese author Haruki Murakami has asked for the withdrawal of his nomination for an alternative to the Nobel Prize in Literature, postponed this year over a sexual misconduct scandal, saying he wanted to concentrate on his writing.

One of Japan's most successful literary exports, Murakami's Nobel prospects are the subject of intense annual scrutiny in his home country.

Murakami expressed gratitude at the nomination, but said he wanted to "concentrate on writing, away from media attention", the organizers of the New Academy Prize in Literature said while announcing his withdrawal on social media site Facebook.

It gave no further details of Murakami's decision.

The replacement award was set up by a group of Swedish cultural figures after this year's Nobel Prize in Literature was postponed following a sexual misconduct scandal at the Swedish Academy.

The other nominees for the alternative prize are British-born author Neil Gaiman, Guadeloupe-born Maryse Conde and Vietnam-born Kim Thuy.

They have all "expressed enthusiasm for their nomination," the organizers' statement added. The winner will be announced in October.

(Reporting by Sam Nussey; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)Presidential candidate Fernando Haddad attends a rally at Cinelandia Square in Rio de Janeiro - AFP

As the new favourite to face far-Right candidate Jair Bolsonaro in the Brazilian election race, there is only one question on the lips of Fernando Haddad's supporter base: who is he?

Last week, jailed former president Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva - the firm frontrunner - officially stepped down as the candidate for the centre-left Workers Party, calling in running mate Mr Haddad as his replacement.

Now, the Workers' Partys strategy is to transfer as much of these votes as possible to Lula's understudy Mr Haddad, the former education minister and Sao Paulo mayor.

Besides Mr Haddads professorial, technocratic demeanour  a far cry from Mr da Silvas passionate fist-shaking and rabble-rousing  the stand-in candidate is virtually unknown outside of the large urban centres of Brazils southeast.

Nevertheless, early indications show that Mr Haddad, who has seen his voting intentions triple in the last three weeks, is hotly tipped to challenge Mr Bolsonaro in a second-round runoff.

Supporters of Brazilian former president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva holds a mask of his face Credit: NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP

This week, Mr Haddad beings his campaign in the northeast of Brazil, the least developed region of the country and a traditional Workers Party stronghold.

During his last visit, Mr Haddad was a stranger to the local electorate, referred to mostly as Lulas guy, or mistakenly as Fernando Andrade.

This time, he will need to make a much greater impact. Brazil goes to the polls on October 7, leaving Mr Haddad little time to win over Mr da Silva's impressive support base.

Polls released last week gave Mr Haddad 13 per cent of the vote, up from 4 per cent three weeks ago and tied in second place alongside fellow centre-Left candidate Ciro Gomes.

Supporter of Brazil's Workers Party gather for a rally Credit: DANIEL RAMALHO/AFP/Getty Images

In contrast, before bowing out of the race, Mr da Silva was polling at 39 per cent.

Had he not been barred from running, there is a considerable chance he would have been elected with an overall majority, despite the fact he is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption and money laundering.

"Haddad is trying his best to present himself as Lulas candidate, and this is why he has been growing in opinion polls", said Jose Alvaro Moises, political scientist and one of the founders of the Workers Party.

"After two days campaigning, were already in second place", joked Mr Haddad at a press conference with foreign correspondents last week. "There are still 20 more days to go."WASHINGTON (AP)  As Trump associates folded one by one over the last year under the pressure of federal investigators, there was always Paul Manafort.

Until suddenly there wasn't.

Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, who for months stood resolute in his innocence and determined to fight charge upon charge even as fellow onetime loyalists caved, reached an extraordinary plea agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller's office on Friday that requires him to assist the Russia investigation and converts him into a potentially vital government cooperator.

The deal, struck in Washington just days before Manafort was to have faced a second trial, is tied to Ukrainian political consulting work and unrelated to the Trump campaign.

The question remains what information Manafort, 69, is able to provide about the president, as well as whether the Trump election effort coordinated with Russia.

Manafort's leadership of the campaign at a time when prosecutors say Russian intelligence was working to sway the election, and his involvement in episodes under scrutiny, may make him an especially insightful witness.

Manafort was among the participants in a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting in New York with Russians and Trump's oldest son and son-in-law that was arranged for the campaign to receive derogatory information about Democratic president nominee Hillary Clinton.

He was also a close business associate of a man who U.S. intelligence believes has ties to Russian intelligence. While he was working on the campaign, emails show Manafort discussed providing private briefings for a wealthy Russian businessman close to Vladimir Putin.

"The expectations around Manafort's cooperation are likely at a level beyond anyone else to date who has agreed to cooperate," said Jacob Frenkel, a Washington lawyer not involved in the case. "Whether those expectations will be met is the great unknown."

Manafort had long resisted the idea of cooperating even as prosecutors stacked additional charges against him in Washington and Virginia. Trump had saluted that stance, publicly praising him and suggesting Manafort had been treated worse than gangster Al Capone. Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had suggested a pardon might be a possibility after the investigation was concluded.

Story continues

Then came Friday's development.

Manafort agreed to provide any information asked of him, testify whenever asked and even work undercover if necessary. The cooperation ensures the investigation will extend far beyond the November elections despite entreaties from the president's lawyers that Mueller bring it to a close.

The agreement makes Manafort the latest associate of Trump, a president known to place a premium on loyalty among subordinates, to admit guilt and work with investigators in hopes of leniency.

Mueller had already secured cooperation from a former Trump national security adviser who lied to the FBI about discussing sanctions with a Russian ambassador; a Trump campaign aide who broached the idea of a meeting with Putin; and another aide who was indicted alongside Manafort but ultimately turned on him. Trump's former personal lawyer has separately pleaded guilty in New York.

Manafort was convicted last month of eight financial crimes in a separate trial in Virginia and faces an estimated seven to 10 years in prison in that case. The two conspiracy counts he admitted to on Friday carry up to five years, though Manafort's sentence will ultimately depend on his cooperation.

"He wanted to make sure that his family was able to remain safe and live a good life. He's accepted responsibility. This is for conduct that dates back many years and everybody should remember that," Manafort attorney Kevin Downing said outside court.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders insisted the Manafort case was unrelated to Trump. Giuliani said he spoke to Trump on Friday about Manafort's plea.

"The president was OK with it," he said. "In a way, it's another indication there is no evidence of collusion. All of these charges predate the time Paul spent with the president. And there's nothing in what he pleaded about collusion."

It's unclear how the deal might affect any Manafort pursuit of a pardon from Trump, though Giuliani told Politico before the deal that a plea without a cooperation agreement wouldn't foreclose the possibility of a pardon.

Under the terms of the deal, Manafort was allowed to plead guilty to just two counts, though the crimes he admitted largely overlap with the conduct alleged in an indictment last year. He abandoned his right to appeal his sentences in Washington and Virginia and agreed to forfeit homes in New York, including a condo in Trump Tower.

But the guilty plea spares Manafort the cost of a weekslong trial that could have added years to the prison time he's already facing following the Virginia guilty verdicts. A jury there found him guilty of filing false tax returns, failing to report foreign bank accounts and bank fraud. Jurors deadlocked on 10 other counts.

Prosecutors on Friday presented new information about allegations they were prepared to reveal at trial, which was to have focused on Manafort's political consulting and lobbying work on behalf of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and the pro-Russian Party of Regions.

That case alleged that Manafort directed a large-scale U.S. lobbying operation for Ukrainian interests but never registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent despite being required to do so under the law, and that he concealed millions of dollars in income for the consulting work from the IRS.

He also failed to disclose his involvement in lobbying efforts made through a group of former European politicians, known as the Hapsburg Group, who pushed policies beneficial to Ukraine, prosecutors said Friday.

In 2013, one of the politicians and his country's prime minister met with then-President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office. Manafort was later sent an email that the politicians had "delivered the message of not letting 'Russians Steal Ukraine from the West.'"

Another allegation revealed Friday concerns Manafort's efforts to peddle stories to discredit Yanukovych's opponent, Yulia Tymoshenko, and undermine U.S. government support for her.

Prosecutors said he spread stories and secretly coordinated with an Israeli government official to publicize the idea that a U.S. Cabinet official was an anti-Semite for supporting Tymoshenko, "who in turn had formed a political alliance with a Ukraine party that espoused anti-Semitic views," court documents said.

"I have someone pushing it on the NY Post. Bada bing bada boom," Manafort wrote to a colleague, prosecutors say.

___

Online: Read the charges against Manafort: http://apne.ws/M1oQRiaEmily Blunt is Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)

Disneys Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way.

Its not just one of the most iconic musicals of all time (although it is that too), but one of the most iconic motion pictures ever. Period.

The 1964 musical, adapted from a series of novels by PL Travers, is considered by many to be Walt Disneys most accomplished live action film. It earned Walt his one and only Best Picture nomination in his lifetime, won 5 Oscars in total, and is beloved by fans around the world.

It continues to be on hard rotation on the Christmas television schedules, and thanks to the Sherman brothers seminal writing, its soundtrack remains annoyingly hummable.

So, with all that in mind, its safe to say theres a huge weight of expectation on Rob Marshalls Mary Poppins Returns, but the Oscar-winning director of Chicago has assembled an incredible cast and crew to accomplish his supercalifragilisticexpialidocious task.

The long-awaited sequel will land in cinemas this Christmas, and Yahoo was lucky enough to be invited to see the film being made in April last year. We got to meet the cast, wander the sets, see the costumes, and  perhaps most excitingly  hear some of the new music thats guaranteed to bury its way into your subconscious on just one listen.

Heres everything you need to know about Christmas most anticipated movie.

Its very relevant

Mary Poppins Returns takes place around 25 years after the events of the 1964 film, placing the sequel in the Depression-era England of the mid-1930s, precisely the time PL Travers began writing the 8 Mary Poppins books. The original film only took inspiration from the first book, leaving the sequel open to mine the other Mary Poppins stories for input.

What we found in her books was really a treasure trove of new characters and episodes, explains producer Marc Platt. And we realised that we could bring the sequel, our own version and our own story, a original story of Mary Poppins all these years later in a very exciting way.

Story continues

Academy Award-winning screenwriter David Magee (Life of Pi) set about working on the screenplay that would pay homage to the original, update it to the 1930s, but also make it relevant to today.

A world in turmoil, a changing society, the shadows of a global financial crisis  its not hard to see parallels between the Depression and the crazy world we live in now, which is what drew Marshall to the project.

When Disney came to us with this, Marshall says, It was right at a point in the world where [producer] John DeLuca and myself were so desperate to do it for that reason; in order to balance out the world in which we live in now, and we have spent three years working on this film. To live in a world that has hope and escape and fantasy and truth and reality and emotion and all those other things, feels so important right now.

This also helped to land Meryl Streep for an extended cameo. I want to be part of bringing this message to the world now, Streep said to Marshall. This, to me, is a gift to the world now.

What you realise is that the magic, the hope, the optimism, the connectivity that Mary Poppins brings as a character, to the family, and the world around her, is really what I think people are yearning for in their lives, adds Platt.

Emily Blunt is Mary Poppins

Emily Blunt is Mary Poppins in Disneys Mary Poppins Returns, a sequel to the 1964 Mary Poppins. (Disney)

How do you solve a problem like Mary? Julie Andrews performance as Mary Poppins is impossible to shake, which was something that Emily Blunt quickly realised when she signed up to step into Andrews shoes and play the ageless nanny.

Its very surreal to me being Mary Poppins, says Blunt, who the producers insist is the only person they considered for Mary.

I feel that I just try to approach her as I would any other character and not be caught up in the white noise of, Oh my god, you are Mary Poppins. I think that has been my main focus, just to approach her calmly as I would any other character. How I would play her, with what I have given on the page? I have not watched the originals since I saw it as a child, because I no one is going to outdo Julie Andrews.

Theres quite a list of things you must be able to do to play Mary Poppins, explains Marshall. You need to be a great actor, but theres also a humanity in the character. Even though shes very upright and a strict nanny who is proper and so forth, underneath that there is this magical being who is bringing joy.

But she also needed to sing and dance, which is very rare these days. And I thought it was important that she be British because its such an iconic British character. And having just worked with Emily [on Into The Woods], I get what she does. I get her humourwere very simpatico. In fact, I dont know who else could play the role besides Emily, to be quite honest.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is Jack, a lamplighter

Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Annabel (Pixie Davies), Georgie (Joel Dawson), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) in Disneys original musical Mary Poppins Returns. (Disney)

The ying to Marys yang, in the original film, was Dick Van Dykes Bert. In Mary Poppins Returns, its Lin-Manuel Mirandas Jack. Its the multi-talented composer/lyricist/playwright/rapper/actors biggest movie role to date, and his first project since setting Broadway (and the world) alight with Hamilton.

He jokes that the key difference between performing on stage and in a movie musical is that you finish the musical number and they applaud in a year-and-a-half, but he calls the opportunity a dream come true.

There are dreams that you didnt even have the audacity to have, shares Miranda, like that there would be a sequel to Mary Poppins and you could be dancing with Mary Poppins someday. Who would have the audacity to have that dream? And here we are.

His character Jack is a lamplighter, the 1930s spiritual successor to the chimney sweeps of the Edwardian era. He, and an army of leeries, are responsible for lighting and extinguishing thousands of gas lights across London (fun fact: there are still around 1,500 working gas lights in London), but he also acts as a constant in Marys story too.

[Jack] apprenticed under Bert from the original films so he knows all about Mary, explains Miranda.

He knows that Mary shows up and stuffs going to happen and cool adventures will be had. So its really nice to play the Bert position in this film. You kind of get to go on all the fun adventures with the Banks family.

I think what Bert and Jack share is that they dont lose the imagination that comes with childhood. I think thats one of the themes, too, that grownups forget. Grownups forget imbuing the world with imagination at every turn. And what sets Bert apart and Jack apart is that they dont.

Miranda even gets his own chance to bring Mary Poppins Returns bang up to date with a rap in one of the films many musical numbers. And yes, the New York-born actor is doing an English accent in the film (you hear a snippet in the films new trailer) but whether itll be better or worse than Dick Van Dykes has yet to be proved.

Its more real

Julie Andrews in the original Mary Poppins that never filmed in London, unlike the sequel which was made entirely in the UKs capital city. (Disney)

One major difference that youll notice in Mary Poppins Returns, compared to the original, is the use of real life locations. The 1964 film, although set in London, was shot entirely at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California using painted London background scenes.

This wouldnt cut the mustard for the sequel. In a bid to make the sequel more accessible for modern audiences, Marshall decided he wanted to shoot as much as he could on location, telling production designer John Mhyre: I want to make it kind of a love letter to London.

After extensive location scouting, they decided to base the shoot in London, shooting on sound stages at Shepperton Studios and at various famous locations across London, including one scene filmed outside Buckingham Palace.

The very opening of the film, we see dawn breaking through the fog, shares Mhyre.

We see the Thames, we see Parliament, we see Big Ben, and that feels pretty Londony to us. And then through a whole series of real locations, theyre going to go by Tower Bridge, St. Pauls, Borough Market, through the parks, before we end up at Cherry Tree Lane.

The Banks

Emily Blunt is Mary Poppins, Emily Mortimer is Jane Banks, Ben Whishaw is Michael Banks and Joel Dawson is Georgie Banks in Disneys Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)

At Cherry Tree Lane, we find the Banks family still residing. Mother and father seemingly long departed (although we spotted their photo adorning a mantelpiece on set), the house is now occupied by the family of Michael Banks, played in the original by Matthew Garber, but in Mary Poppins Returns by voice of Paddington and Skyfall star Ben Whishaw.

The house is at risk of being repossessed after the family is struck by tragedy. Although it was never directly referenced on set, it looks like Michaels wife, and mother to their three children, has recently died, and Colin Firths Fidelity Fiduciary Bank is in the wings waiting to kick them while theyre down.

Its at this point Mary arrives, with Jack reeling her in from the sky using a kite. Cherry Tree Lane has been meticulously recreated for the film, although production designer Mhyre admits theyve downsized it slightly.

We didnt really like the idea that [in the first film] it looked like they were all living in white mansions, he explains. We thought it might be more accessible for todays audience if they lived a little more humbly. So we took the size of their houses down. We added brick into them and made them feel a little more real.

The music

Stepping in the shoes of the Sherman brothers for the soundtrack is Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, of Hairspray fame. What we created is a new and vibrant, wholly original musical score written by Marc and Scott that tells our story of Mary Poppins and our story of the Banks family and new characters, shares Platt.

Miranda, himself no stranger to writing original musicals, has nothing but praise for the songwriters.

Disney has just released this beautiful new poster for Mary Poppins Returns.

We write so differently that theres no jealousy, the Hamilton creator says. Its just like a thrill that I get to play in this world. We dont normally get to play together. So to get to sing Marc and Scotts music is a real joy. And its such a love letter to the Sherman brothers as you will soon see, that its great. It just feels like a love letter to the original.

All of the music we heard on set was very reminiscent of the originals soundtrack. Motifs and phrasing from familiar songs surfaced during every musical number that we heard or saw performed.

A full track list will undoubtedly be announced in due course, but some of the songs we jotted down include titles like Underneath the lovely London Sky, The place where lost things go, Can you imagine that?, Nowhere to go but up, Trip a little light fantastic, and The Royal Doulton Music Hall.

Fantasy sequences

Some of Mary Poppins Returns fantasy scenes are shown in the latest trailer (Disney)

That last song title accompanies a fantasy sequence briefly glimpsed in the new trailer. Its one of the biggest nods to the original film: a musical sequence that plays out in a mixture of live action and traditional animation, like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, complete with dancing penguins and all.

In [the book] Mary Poppins Comes Back they go into a Royal Doulton bowl. They disappear into it, so it just made sense to do because it felt like it was in the DNA of that world.

Marshall wanted to do it for real again, using traditional animation methods, rather than wholly relying on CGI. He says its part of the reason the film has required so much time in post-production.

And weve obviously come a long way in terms of animation, adds the director. Most of it is computer-generated now, but whats lost with that is that sense of artistry, this beautiful and extraordinary work.

Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke as Mary and Bert in Mary Poppins (Rex)

If Disney would have had this technology back then, Im sure he would have used it, too. So when you see the film, you are in this 2D hand-painted world but in a three-dimensional way. Its why our post production has been longer than normal. I mean, we have all been in post-production for a year because of that, but it is live action and animation so theres this wonderful interaction between the two, and I believe everyone feels it was worth it.

Everyone agreed it felt fresh again, when you see them speaking to these animated characters that are drawn that way and you feel that artistry, you feel a sense of nostalgia.

Other fantasy sequences include an underwater routine, again briefly spotted in the trailer, with a huge rubber duck and a sunken shipwreck, and a two-handed vaudevillian routine performed by Mary and Jack.

Topsy

Meryl Streep in Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)

One of the most impressive sets we saw at Shepperton was Topsys upside down house. Topsy Turvy, played by Meryl Streep, is Mary Poppins distant cousin. Mary and the Banks children visit Topsy to see if she can help to repair the broken Royal Doulton bowl. Unfortunately for Mary (but fortunately for us) they visit Topsys house on the first Monday of every month which, of course, is when her entire house turns upside down.

Topsy, who only appears in one musical number, is Marshalls nod to the Uncle Albert I Love To Laugh scene from the original, and was inspired by a Mr Turvy in the books.

The message is that he sees things from a different point of view because everything turns upside down on this certain day and Mary Poppins explains that sometimes its good to see things from a different point of view, so its a beautiful message, a wonderful message for kids.

And so we thought, if it were a woman, what if we worked with someone that we adore, that I adore, and who we just worked with on Into the Woods: Meryl Streep. I wonder if shed be interested in doing a character part like this, a small part, just one sequence in the film, so I asked her and she said, What took you so long to ask?

Cameos

Beyond the appearance of the record-breaking Oscar-winner, Mary Poppins Returns also has space for a couple of other high profile cameos, including one from a star of the original.

While Julie Andrews politely declined the chance to return, Dick Van Dyke was more than happy to return, putting in a couple of days on set as Mr Dawes, the son of the ancient banker he played in the first film.

Dick Van Dyke proves hes still got it in Mary Poppins Returns (Disney)

He looks kind of the same as in the original film, he just doesnt have to wear much make-up, jokes Platt. But it was a quite an exciting moment for all of us when he did his couple days of shooting. His spirit, his generosity, his joie de vivre was just ever present, and so he created a wonderful role.

It was like the best two days ever, beams Miranda, I aspire to having that much energy in my life, someday, much less at 91. It was a joyous two days. We were in the scene together, and we were just huddled off in the corner, and I was asking questions about Bye Bye Birdie.

Also putting in an appearance is Disney icon Angela Lansbury, who  if unsubstantiated rumours are to be believed  is playing the part originally intended for Andrews. Lansbury appears as a balloon seller in the films final sequence, a character from the books.

When you go to the balloon lady you get to choose the right balloon, explains Mhyre. She doesnt choose it for you, you have to choose the right balloon. And if you choose the right balloon, something really fantastical happens.

Something really fantastical is guaranteed to happen when Mary Poppins Returns hits cinemas this Christmas.

Read more

Lea Seydoux eyes Bond 25 return

The story behind the 1m Han Solo jacket

Aquaman set visit reportLONDON (Reuters) - Seven people were being treated in hospital, one of them in a critical condition, after they were involved in a fight in a residential street in the southeastern English town of Luton on Sunday, police said. Police said on Twitter that they attended the scene after receiving reports of a large number of individuals fighting. They said some people had been taken to hospital after reports of stab wounds. Video footage shared with the police on social media showed young men gesturing and jostling in the street. There were no early indications that the brawl was politically motivated. (Reporting by Rishika Chatterjee in Bengaluru and Paul Sandle in London, Editing by Angus MacSwan)Skopje (AFP) - US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Skopje on Monday to throw his support behind a 'yes' vote in Macedonia's upcoming referendum on a name change and to counter "Russian influence" against the move.

Slated for September 30, the vote will ask Macedonians whether they want to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, in a move which could open the door to NATO and EU membership.

The referendum follows a landmark agreement between Athens and Skopje in June which sought to break the stalemate that has poisoned their relations since 1991 and hobbled Macedonia's integration with the West.

Greece objects to its neighbour being called Macedonia because it has its own province of the same name.

It has also accused Skopje of territorial ambitions and blocked the Balkan country from joining NATO or starting EU accession talks.

Speaking on the plane en route to Skopje, Mattis said it was up to the Macedonians to decide whether they wanted the change, which could open important doors for this country of 2.1 million.

"I think to the people whose lives can be changed by economic opportunities, by security... it's very important that they have those options available," he said.

"We'll just look at how they'll shape their own future, not... someone else."

- 'Russian influence operations' -

But he had harsh words for what he called "Russian influence operations" and efforts to pay off certain political groups.

"We don't want to see Russia doing there what they have tried to do in so many other countries," he said.

"No doubt that they have transferred money and that they are also conducting a broader influence campaign," he said.

Russia is opposed to any NATO enlargement in eastern Europe and the Balkans, and Washington has accused Moscow of leading an online disinformation campaign in Macedonia to discourage voters from taking part.

Story continues

On arrival, Mattis -- the first US defence chief to visit Skopje since 2004 -- met his Macedonian counterpart Radmila Sekerinska and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who struck the name-change deal with Greece.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Mattis said Washington and Skopje would expand "cybersecurity cooperation to thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens both our democracies".

- 'No proof of Russian influence' -

But Zaev played down his allegations of Russian meddling.

"We don't have proof about Russian influence," he told reporters earlier on Monday on the sidelines of freedom of speech conference.

"The Russian Federation is a friend to Macedonia and they have nothing against our integration in the EU, but they are against our integration in NATO," he said.

Montenegro, another tiny Balkan country, joined NATO in 2017, despite opposition by Moscow and part of the population.

But Laura Cooper, who is in charge of Pentagon policy on Russia and central Europe, accused Moscow of paying voters to boycott the referendum and of financially supporting pro-Russian organisations.

"They are swooping in now with disinformation and other forms of malign influence to try to change the minds of the Macedonian people," she told reporters.

"There is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organisations."

- Macedonia's 'consequential mistake' -

In June, Russian ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told Greek media that Macedonia's choice to become a NATO member was "a mistake".

"There are errors that have consequences," he said.

Speaking to Macedonian news portal Nova Makedonija in late August, Russian ambassador Oleg Shcherbak accused the West of putting "very strong media and psychological pressure" on Macedonian voters.

Macedonian media, notably the main TV channels, have led a 'yes' campaign, which seems the likely outcome.

Under the Macedonian constitution, the referendum is only "consultative" -- meaning that any vote in favour of the change will need to be backed by parliament with a two-thirds majority.

The nationalist opposition VMRO-DPMNE, which opposes the name change, has decided not to back a social media campaign calling for a boycott of the vote.Nouakchott (AFP) - Mauritania's ruling party swept legislative, municipal and local elections, according to final results announced Monday, in a key test before a presidential poll seven months away.

The Union for the Republic (UPR) party of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz won an additional 22 seats in Saturday's runoff vote, bringing its majority to 89 in the 157-seat parliament.

It won all 13 regional councils, which have replaced the Senate under a constitutional reform, the national election commission said. The UPR also bagged 162 of the 219 communes up for grabs.

The first round was held on September 1.

The arid West African nation is a frontline state in the fight against Islamist extremism.

The so-called "radical" opposition won 29 parliamentary seats, of which 14 were for the Islamist Tewassoul party. Ten others went to "moderate" opposition parties.

Tewassoul only won five communes.

Mohamed Vall Ould Bellal, the head of the poll commission, admitted there were gaps in the election but hailed "the winds of modernity sweeping over the national political scene".

Aziz, 61, who came to power in a coup in 2008, won elections in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

He has been frequently accused by opposition figures and NGOs of rights abuses, and though he says he will not seek a third mandate -- which would be against the constitution -- statements by ministers and supporters have led some to suggest he might.The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has spearheaded a charity cookbook for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fires in London.

The project was born last summer, when the women of Grenfell began cooking together at a communal kitchen in West London to feed their families who were living in hotel rooms without kitchens.

Two days a week, the group of women would chop, dice and saute, sharing recipes, tips, but also stories, memories and tears at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre.

Eventually, they would give themselves a name, "the Hubb Community Kitchen." Hubb in Arabic means love.

Markle became a regular visitor to the kitchens after first meeting the women in January of this year. "Together: Our Community Cookbook," is Markle's first project as a royal through The Royal Foundation, with profits going to the Hubb group and related projects.

The book features 50 recipes from the women of the Hubb community. They include Middle Eastern, North African, European and Eastern Mediterranean recipes like green chilli and avocado dip, coconut chicken curry, Persian chicken and aubergine masala.

"I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together. Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy -- in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy -- something we can all relate to," Markle writes in the forward.

"Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive. Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy -- in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy - something we can all relate to."

Markle was also drawn to the project, no doubt as an avid at-home cook, who cooked often for Harry during their courtship in Toronto.

Story continues

The fire that ripped through Grenfell Tower in West London last summer killed 72 people and left hundreds of residents homeless.

"Together: Our Community Cookbook" is set for a Sept. 20 release and retails for 9.99.

https://www.royalfoundation.com/project/together-cookbook/ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  An observatory in the mountains of southern New Mexico that had been closed since early September because of an undisclosed security concern is scheduled to reopen on Monday, officials managing the facility said.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory no longer faces a security threat to staff, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy said in a statement Sunday. The facility closed on Sept. 6.

The association has hired a temporary security team to patrol the observatory when it reopens. "Given the significant amount of publicity the temporary closure has generated, and the consequent expectation of an unusual number of visitors to the site, we are temporarily engaging a security service while the facility returns to a normal working environment," the association said.

Authorities have not revealed the nature of the security threat the observatory faced. The FBI has referred all questions to the association.

"We recognize that the lack of communications while the facility was vacated was concerning and frustrating for some. However, our desire to provide additional information had to be balanced against the risk that, if spread at the time, the news would alert the suspect and impede the law enforcement investigation. That was a risk we could not take," the association said.

Located atop Sacramento Peak, the observatory was established in 1947.

It overlooks the Tularosa Basin  an expanse of desert that includes the city of Alamogordo, Holloman Air Force Base, White Sands Missile Range, White Sands National Monument and the site of the world's first atomic bomb test.

The telescope at Sunspot was originally built by the U.S. Air Force. After several years of operation, it was transferred to the National Solar Observatory, which is part of the National Science Foundation.

New Mexico State University in 2016 launched an initiative funded by the foundation to upgrade and update the facility through the newly formed Sunspot Solar Observatory Consortium.

Officials said Sunspot's one-of-a-kind telescope produces some of the sharpest images of the sun available in the world. Data from observations done at Sunspot is sent to New Mexico State University servers and can be used by researchers around the world.Brett Kavanaugh, Douglas Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas (Photos: Scott Applewhite/AP, Terry Ashe/LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images, Lee Corkran/Sygma via Getty Images)

In the day since Christine Blasey Ford stepped out of anonymity with her allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were both teenagers, two other names have also come back into the news: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his former subordinate Anita Hill, who accused him of sexual harassment in testimony at his confirmation hearing in 1991.

The similarities are many  both women reluctantly came forward late in the confirmation process, accusing a powerful man of sexual misconduct in lurid detail. Both men denied the charges. Both women (both, coincidentally, professors) were met with vehement pushback from Republican supporters of the nominees.

But there is another name, cited less often, whose nomination brought accusation and furor, and whose story is just as relevant, but in different ways  Douglas H. Ginsburg, nominated to the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan in 1987. Like Kavanaugh, he was accused of breaking the law decades earlier: As a college student during the 60s and 70s, he had smoked marijuana.

Past is always a prologue, and, taken together, the outcomes of both the Ginsburg and Thomas nominations tell us a lot about where we stand now. The questions asked and not completely answered back then reflect how we have changed as a society, and how we have not.

The first question in all three cases is did he do it? Learning that National Public Radios Nina Totenberg was about to break the story, Ginsburg quickly admitted that he had smoked pot, then withdrew his name nine days after he was nominated.

Thomas vehemently insisted on his innocence, calling the hearings a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks. And Kavanaugh, similarly, has denied the accusations, issuing an early-morning statement: This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone.

Is that the predictive takeaway? The guy who confesses doesnt get to be a Supreme Court justice, whereas the ones who assert innocence are confirmed?

Story continues

Things have changed since the Thomas hearings, starting with the very fact of those hearings. The way the Senate Judiciary Committee treated Hill  grilling her as though she were on trial, refusing to allow the testimony of a second woman with a similar story to tell  resulted in a voter backlash in the 1992 election that tripled the number of women in the Senate and sent a record number of women to the House.

Critics said that the entirely male committee was not trying to find the truth, but rather trying to protect the nominee, a charge that Fords lawyer is echoing now. Debra Katz told ABC News that although Ford is willing to cooperate, she is not willing to be part of this bloodletting that happens in Washington.

Debra Katz, the attorney for Brett Kavanaughs accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, says her client is willing to speak out publicly. (Photo: Reuters Video)

Republicans in Congress have been saying that theyre going to fight this tooth and nail, that theyre going to grill her, Katz said. Thats hardly an effort to get into a fair and thorough investigation of what has occurred. If were really trying to get at the truth, the hearings should not be used to weaponize against those who accuse powerful men.

Another difference since Hill stepped forward is the #MeToo movement, with its message that for too long, powerful men have been allowed to use that power against women, and that women should and would be believed. That altered landscape would suggest that these latest charges would have far more traction than Hills did in 1991.

Yes and no. Dozens of high-profile men have lost their jobs, campaigns and reputations after being accused of varying levels of sexual misconduct in the past year. One stark and telling exception, however, is the president of the United States, who has been accused of similar behavior by at least 13 women.

Perhaps, then, the common denominator for those who pay a price is proof: the existence of recordings, a parade of accusers, contemporaneous accounts and payments in exchange for silence. In most of the cases where high-level CEOs, entertainers and politicians have faced consequences, there has been at least one of the above. (Not so, again, in the case of the president, for whom all those elements of proof exist.)

Is there such proof in the Kavanaugh case?  clearly not the kind we have begun to demand in this technological age where we assume that all encounters must have left some electronic trail. But in her intended-to-be confidential letter to the FBI, Ford names a potential witness  another teenager she says was in the room when Kavanaugh allegedly pinned her down and attempted to remove her clothing.

That man has identified himself as Mark Judge, a classmate of Kavanaughs at Georgetown Preparatory School who told the Weekly Standard: Its just absolutely nuts. I never saw Brett act that way. Mother Jones, in turn, has pointed to two separate memoirs written by Judge, both of which describe his high school days as filled with blackout drinking, suggesting, writer Stephanie Mencimer says, that his memory of those days may not be entirely reliable.

Will this count as proof, one way or another, particularly with #MeToo as a backdrop? To answer that question requires first tackling another: Even if proven, should it matter? What weight should be given to a misdeed, even a crime, from 36 years ago?

Thats where Ginsburg comes in. At the time, his defenders called his marijuana use a youthful indiscretion, stressing that it happened decades earlier. But against the message of the times  a president who gave speeches condemning the culture for its flippant and irresponsible attitude toward drug use and a first lady whose slogan was Just Say No, it was enough to derail Ginsburg. Even the idea that everybody does it didnt help Ginsburg; two presidential candidates at the time, then-Sen. Al Gore, D-Tenn., and former Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt, made similar confessions, as did Newt Gingrich, then a Georgia Republican, and none of them paid a political price.

Anita Hill, a University of Oklahoma law professor, who testified that she was sexually harassed by Clarence Thomas. (Photo: AP)

Ah, so the message of the Ginsburg derailment is that as a nation, we have decided that the child is the measure of the man, and some jobs, Supreme Court justice, for instance, require such unimpeachable proof of character that even decades-old missteps still matter? And as such, Ginsburgs inability to advance to the court is the best answer to the argument that no one should be punished for behavior, however appalling or illegal, that happened so long ago.

Of course not. That would imply philosophical underpinnings that lead to consistency, and the Ginsburg nomination, along with the Thomas hearings and the current Kavanaugh standoff, illustrate exactly the opposite of that.

As a society, we have not yet resolved the question of how responsible any one of us is for our past. It is a question raised not only by Supreme Court hearings but also by the role and purpose of prisons, the rights of former felons (including the right to vote) and whether minors can be sentenced to life without parole. Rather than a broad social consensus on where the line might be  at the statute of limitations? the age of majority at 18? the time the brain reaches full maturity, at around age 26? evidence that a person has changed? suspicion that they havent?  we should, as a society, decide all these things. They are, however, tough questions, and require both thought and compromise, meaning we are further from answers than we been in generations.

In the absences of moral lessons learned, our politicians, therefore, look to political ones.

Supreme Court Justice nominee, Douglas Ginsburg, at home. (Photo: Diana Walker//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Ginsburg withdrew not because his long-ago drug use made him unfit for the court, but because it made his nomination untenable for the sitting president. Thomas was approved in part because some senators feared being accused of racism by rejecting a black man more than the consequences of being accused of sexism by disbelieving a womans allegations of harassment.

And Kavanaugh? Whether he is confirmed to the court will probably have little to do with what he did or didnt do in high school. It will not depend on whether senators believe him or his accuser, or whether they agree that an individuals youthful behavior should or should not be held against him or her. It will be about each senators calculations  most particularly those of Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine  of the political cost of believing either of those things.

Which is more important, getting this conservative seat on the court or risking voter reprisal in November? Which lights up the switchboard more, the #MeToo message that women should be believed, or one that Politico attributed to an unidentified White House adviser: If somebody can be brought down by accusations like this, then you, me, every man certainly should be worried. We can all be accused of something.

It will be politics, not truth or bedrock questions of right and wrong, that will be the deciding factor. And the Senate will kick the philosophical can down the road so some form of the same questions can be asked of the next nominee.

_____

More Yahoo News stories on the Supreme Court:(This version of Sept. 14 story has been refiled to make clear forgery claim first reported by Premium Times) By Chijioke Ohuocha ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday accepted the resignation of Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, who said she stepped down over allegations of using a forged certificate to avoid participation in the country's mandatory one-year national youth service scheme. Adeosun, a top cabinet member and a former investment banker who promoted the government's policy to boost growth following a recent recession, said in a statement that she believed she was exempt from the service scheme but felt bound to resign because of the administration's "focus on integrity." Allegations that Adeosun had used a forged exemption certificate to avoid participation in the youth service scheme surfaced in recent months in the Nigerian media. Adeosun did not comment on the claims initially, prompting criticism from her opponents. In her statement on Friday, Adeosun said her understanding was that she was exempted from the scheme because she had moved back to Nigeria from Britain, where she was born, after she had passed the required minimum age. "I have, today, become privy to the findings of the investigation into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of Exemption from National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) that I had presented was not genuine," she said in her statement. "This has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this administration's focus on integrity, I must do the honorable thing and resign." The claim that Adeosun had used a forged exemption document was first reported by Nigerian online publication Premium Times. Adeosun was appointed by Buhari to manage the finances of Africa's biggest economy in November 2015. Her flagship policy was a bid to improve tax collection and shore up the country's finances by cracking down on mismanagement by government agencies. Adeosun also oversaw a strategy of restructuring Nigeria's debt portfolio into longer term maturities by borrowing more offshore and less at home to lower costs. Buhari took office in 2015 after an election campaign largely fought on his vow to fight corruption, but his detractors have accused him of failing to investigate allies accused of wrongdoing. The presidency approved that the minister of state for budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed, would oversee the Finance Ministry with immediate effect, it said on its official Twitter account. The west African country emerged from recession last year, but growth remains sluggish and largely dependent on higher oil prices, despite the stated aim of Buhari's administration to increase non-oil revenues. The government's handling of the economy is likely to be a campaign issue in February's presidential election in which Buhari plans to seek a second term. (Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha, additional reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos; editing by Leslie Adler)While Florence forced humans to evacuate or seek shelter last week, the storm's impacts required the rescue of hundreds of animals. Dozens of organizations, teams and families from around the country came to the rescue throughout the weekend, providing temporary homes and transportation to safer shelters.



Laura Gretch, Frances

Laura Gretch, Humane Rescue Alliance transport manager, holds Frances, an 8 year-old Chihuahua mix as she help unload 26 cats and dogs arriving at Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018, from Norfolk Animal Care and Control of Norfolk, Va., in advance of Hurricane Florence. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

One such rescue occurred Friday night, when 123 cats and dogs from the Carteret County Humane Society (CCHS) in Newport, North Carolina, were rescued after flooding trapped the pets and staffers. The shelter had posted a request for help on Twitter Friday evening that the roof of their building was beginning to cave. There were reportedly 80 dogs and 43 cats needing to be evacuated before the Louisiana Cajun Navy arrived.



The animals have been rescued  CajunNavyRelief (@CajunNavyRelief) September 15, 2018

Following the evacuation, the CCHS was in need of a location to house all the pets. Many residents have posted on the organization's Facebook page that they would be willing to house a few of the pets, while the CCHS also posted that they would need a large warehouse-like facility to hold all the animals. On Friday night, the Carteret County Animal Control Services department shared that the animals and workers were being relocated.

Prior to the storm, animal rescue organizations from around the country flocked to the Carolinas to temporarily house pets from shelters that needed to evacuate. The Big Fluffy Dog Rescue posted on its Facebook page that they had taken in 15 cats and six chihuahuas. Other residents throughout the Carolinas have also taken in pets to open space in shelters. Another group, called Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, transported dozens of pets to Washington D.C., where foster families took them in.



Story continues

Foster families are receiving cats & dogs rescued from a shelter in advance of Hurricane Florence. Ironically they were rescued from Florence, SC. The animals had to be moved because the shelter could have flooded. Total of 55 dogs, 22 cats rescued by @PetConnectRescu @DCLuckyDog pic.twitter.com/Nlem0iIqer  Tom Roussey (@tomrousseyABC7) September 13, 2018

A Jacksonville-based group, the Florida Urgent Rescue, traveled up the coast to help relocate animals to shelters more inland. Mike Merrill, the organization's president, told news sources last week that there were dozens of shelters that needed help and that he'd be heading back to the storm-stricken states after Florence passes to help transport even more animals.

The Lost Dog and Cat Rescue shared last week that they had taken in a number of cats and dogs from Portsmouth, Virginia. Last year, the organization reportedly took in over 300 pets needing shelter after Hurricane Harvey, Maria and Irma.

It's common for animal shelters to be overcrowded during severe storms because normal foster families leave the area and many animals get abandoned by people evacuating. Shelters like the Coastal Animal Rescue were already at maximum capacity before the storm and had to refer owners to local boarding facilities. But to manage the full house, volunteers like Barbara Cook stay at the shelters around the clock.

"It would be senseless for me to say we're not nervous," Cook told Citizen-Times.com before the storm. "But I know we'll have people in and out constantly checking on us. Our volunteers care about what they're doing."ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa began a three-day visit to China on Sunday, Pakistan's military said, days after a Pakistani minister stirred unease about Chinese Silk Road projects in the South Asian nation. Bajwa is the most senior Pakistani figure to visit staunch ally China since the new government of Prime Minister Imran Khan took office in August, and his trip comes a week after China's top diplomat visited Islamabad. Pakistan has deepened ties with China in recent years as relations with the United States have frayed. Bajwa may be hoping in Beijing to smooth out any Chinese alarm at comments last week by Pakistan's commerce minister, Abdul Razak Dawood, who suggested suspending for a year projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Pakistan leg of China's Belt and Road Initiative that includes recreating the old Silk Road trading route. Bajwa, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), regularly holds meetings with world leaders due to the Pakistan armed forces' outsize influence in the nuclear-armed nation, where the military controls security and dictates major foreign policy decisions. "During the visit COAS will interact with various Chinese leaders including his counterpart," Major General Asif Ghafoor, the military spokesman, tweeted late on Sunday. Beijing has pledged to invest about $60 billion in Pakistan for infrastructure for the Belt and Road project. Dawood, in an interview with the Financial Times, also suggested the CPEC contracts had been unfairly negotiated by the previous government and were too favorable to the Chinese. Later he said the comments were taken out of context, but did not dispute their veracity. The critical comments were published just after China's top diplomat, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, visited Pakistan and the two sides reaffirmed the mutual benefits of the Beijing-funded projects. On Thursday, Pakistan's government said it wanted CPEC to include more projects with a focus on socio-economic development, something which would align more with the populist agenda of Khan's new administration. (Reporting by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Susan Fenton)Islamabad (AFP) - Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will head to Riyadh on Tuesday for his first foreign visit since coming to power, officials said.

The two-day trip to Saudi Arabia will begin exactly one month after Khan assumed office, with Pakistan facing a balance-of-payments crisis and speculation that the new premier could seek loans worth billions of dollars from allies.

The state visit was arranged on the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The Prime Minister will call on His Majesty King Salman and hold a bilateral meeting with the Crown Prince," it said, adding that the king will also host a state banquet for the prime minister at the royal court.

"The Prime Minister will meet Saudi leadership and will discuss regional and international issues," another senior government official told AFP.

Khan and his cabinet face challenges including a faltering economy, militant extremism, water shortages and a rapidly growing population.

The most pressing is a looming balance-of-payments crisis, with analysts predicting Pakistan will have to go to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.

There has been recent speculation in local media that Pakistan is eyeing Saudi Arabia and China to provide loans worth billion of dollars in order to rescue Islamabad from the economic crisis and from going back to the IMF.

Pakistani media accounts of a reported $2 billion loan from China and another $4.5 billion from Saudi Arabia have not been confirmed. Any Saudi funds would only be used to buy oil.

Powerful Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has already arrived in Beijing on an three-day official visit, the military said Sunday.

"During the visit COAS (Bajwa) will interact with various Chinese leaders including his counterpart," it said.Researchers took advantage of the willingness of people to engage in online personality tests - Getty Images

Since Hippocrates first suggested personality types might exist in the 4th century BC there have been attempts to group people by their character traits.

But despite the claims of self-help gurus and pseudo-psychologists, scientists have largely dismissed the idea that humans can be pigeon-holed into a handful of defined dispositions, until now.

Researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois sifted through data from more than 1.5 million questionnaire respondents and found at least four distinct clusters of personality types: average, reserved, self-centered and role model.

Role models were found to score high in conscientiousness and low in neuroticism Credit: Northwestern University

And good news for parents of teenagers. As people mature, their personality types shift with older people growing more conscientious and agreeable than those under 20 years old.

The researchers claim the findings are so important they challenge existing wisdom in psychology.

Personality types only existed in self-help literature and did not have a place in scientific journals, said study author Luis Amaral, the Erastus Otis Haven Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern Engineering.

Now, we think this will change because of this study.

The concept of personality types is controversial in psychology, with hard scientific proof difficult to find.

Previous attempts to define character groups were largely based on small research groups, which could not be replicated.

But the researchers decided to take advantage of a new phenomena of people taking online quizzes to try and learn more about their own personality.

For the first time scientists have identified four distinct personality types

The new study used answers from four online questionnaires including the BBC Big Personality Test.

The thing that is really, really cool is that a study with a dataset this large would not have been possible before the web, added Dr Amaral.

Previously, maybe researchers would recruit undergraduates on campus, and maybe get a few hundred people. Now, we have all these online resources available, and now data is being shared.

Story continues

From those datasets, the team plotted the five widely accepted basic personality traits: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

After developing new algorithms, four clusters emerged. Average people, who are high in neuroticism and extraversion, while low in openness, Reserved people who are emotionally stable, but not open or neurotic, as well as Role Models and Self-Centered individuals.

The data came back, and they kept coming up with the same four clusters of higher density and at higher densities than youd expect by chance, and you can show by replication that this is statistically unlikely, said co-author William Revelle, professor of psychology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

I like data, and I believe these results. People have tried to classify personality types since Hippocrates time, but previous scientific literature has found that to be nonsense.

Now, these data show there are higher densities of certain personality types, said Revelle, who specializes in personality measurement, theory and research.

To be sure the new clusters of types were accurate, the researchers used a notoriously self-centered group - teenaged boys - to validate their findings

We know teen boys behave in self-centered ways, added Dr Amaral. If the data were correct and sifted for demographics, they would they turn out to be the biggest cluster of people.

Young males were found to be overrepresented in the Self-Centered group, while females over 15 years old are vastly underrepresented.

The research was published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.Typhoon Mangkhut A worker walks by a road sign damaged by Typhoon Mangkhut on a street in Zhuhai, south Chinas Guangdong Province (Picture: AP)

A powerful storm that is making its way across China has forced 2.5 million people out of their homes.

Typhoon Mangkhut has already killed dozens of people in the Philippines and destroyed buildings in Hong Kong.

Four people have died in the province of Guangdong as the storm moved deeper into southern China on Monday.

It has weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm but was still affecting southern Chinas coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday.

Hong Kong residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for occasional gales.

Bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were cancelled at the citys airport, one of the worlds busiest.

The South China Morning Post said Hong Kongs hospitals had to use back-up power due to outages caused by the storm.

MORE: Leave voters could still be given a burgundy passport after Brexit

MORE: New Brexit poll shows dismal level of support for Theresa Mays Chequers proposals

Philippine and Chinese authorities said the death toll from a typhoon has risen to at least 69 with dozens missing.

A Philippine national police report said the latest death toll was 65, with 43 people missing and 64 injured. Chinese authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, Chinas manufacturing hub.

Many of the missing in the Philippines are gold miners and their families feared buried in a landslide after seeking shelter in a bunkhouse-turned-chapel in a village in Benguet province.

The Hong Kong Observatory reported Mangkhut was the most powerful cyclone to hit the city since 1979, packing maximum sustained gusts of 121 mph.

More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern Chinas Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the typhoon, state media said.

Prepare for the worst, Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee Ka-chiu urged residents.

That warning followed Mangkhuts devastating march through the northern Philippines on Saturday with sustained winds of 127 miles per hour.Luanda (AFP) - Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Monday kicked off a two-day trip to Angola designed to improve ties between Luanda and its former colonial master.

The diplomacy marks an effort to move beyond the bitter legacy of Lisbon's rule that ended in 1975 when Portugal withdrew without handing over power and Angola sank into civil war until 2002.

"Portugal and Angola have a long history, the tone of which should be defined by the future and not the past," said Costa as he set off for Luanda.

Angola entered a new era last year when Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled the country with an iron fist from 1979 to 2017, stepped down and was replaced by President Joao Lourenco.

"There's lots we can and should do together in terms of the economic ties between our countries which are already strong," Costa added shortly after arrival, becoming the first Portuguese head of government to visit for seven years.

"Angola has a major challenge to diversify its economy and to increase domestic production, shrinking imports."

Angola is a key trading partner with Portugal, and the third largest recipient of its investments.

A major source of friction was removed in May when a Portuguese court decided that Angola's former vice president Manuel Vicente can be tried in Luanda, rather than in Portugal, on corruption charges.

Lourenco had demanded that the trial take place in his country, "so that relations between Angola and Portugal can return to the level of the recent past".

- Investment plans -

Costa said Angola's efforts to shift its economy away from heavy dependence on oil presented opportunities for Portuguese businesses.

"We've put in place a number of mechanisms so that economic players can invest," he said.

The prime minister will attend a gathering of Portuguese businesses active in Angola as well as visiting the nation's new military history museum.

Story continues

He will meet Lourenco on Tuesday when the two will sign a slew of agreements that include deals on Angola's debts to Portuguese businesses -- estimated to be in excess of 400 million euros ($470 million).

"From Portugal's side, I don't think we have such intense relations with any other country on any continent as Angola," said Costa who called for greater policing, defence and tax cooperation between the two Lusophone nations.

"Like all intense, passionate relationships, these relations are often also emotional," he said.

Lourenco will visit Lisbon for a return visit in November.

Portugal, battered by the global financial crisis, avoided bankruptcy with a bailout from the European Union, while Angola has become the tenth largest foreign investor in the country.

The visit by Costa, which has been postponed several times, was a "very important step" toward normalising relations, said analyst Alex Vines of Britain's Chatham House think-tank.

President Lourenco has pledged to fight corruption and rebuild the economy of the second-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, which has still not recovered from the plunge in oil prices in 2014.

He has ousted relatives of his predecessor from leadership positions at state institutions and public companies in an effort to stamp his authority on the country and break with his predecessor's checkered past.Addis Ababa (AFP) - Demonstrators flooded the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday, blocking roads and shutting businesses in an explosion of anger following the killing of 23 people on the city's outskirts over the weekend.

The unrest in Ethiopia's largest city was the latest instance of ethnic violence to challenge Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has undertaken aggressive reforms including reigning in the security forces since his April inauguration.

Police appeared spread thin as groups of mostly young men waving protest flags and tree branches jogged through neighbourhoods across the city to denounce the weekend killings in the Burayu suburb.

Ethiopia's police chief, Zeynu Jemal, said officers had shot dead five people on Monday, describing them as "dangerous vagrants" who attempted to loot property and steal police weapons.

"I came for justice because our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered and thrown into the woods," said Bizuayehu Biyargegne Getahun, one of a group of more than a hundred protesters gathered in the central Meskel Square.

"They're raping our sisters and mothers," she claimed.

Zewdu Tinae called on the government to prevent the violence that he said had killed his brother and neighbour.

"The government is saying let's come together, but we're being driven apart because there's no rule of law," he said.

State-owned Ethiopia News Agency (ENA) said the violence in Burayu was carried out by an organised mob, who looted, killed and forced 886 people out of their homes, citing Alemayehu Ejigu, police commissioner for the Oromia region that surrounds Addis Ababa and includes Burayu.

Local media reported up to 200 arrests.

On Twitter, Abiy's chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, said the leader "strongly condemns the killings and acts of violence against innocent citizens.

"These cowardly attacks represent a grave concern to the unity and solidarity of our people and will be met with an appropriate response," he said.

Story continues

- Anger, reprisals -

But that wasn't enough for many protesters, who blamed the Oromos, Ethiopia's largest ethnicity which inhabits Oromia, for targeting minorities.

"People of Gamo and people of other ethnicities are being attacked," said Mahmud Emersa, referring to a minority ethnic group from southern Ethiopia.

He claimed the violence has gone on for the past four years.

The roads to Burayu were blocked by protesters on Monday, who threatened journalists covering the demonstrations.

Businesses closed their doors and avenues across the city were jammed with commuters waiting for public transportation that had greatly reduced due to the unrest.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries in the demonstrations.

The weekend killings followed the triumphant return from exile of leaders of the once-outlawed Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) rebel group who in August agreed with Ethiopia's government to lay down arms.

But in the days before their return, clashes broke out between young men from the ethnically-mixed city of around four million people and Oromos who came into Addis Ababa to welcome the OLF.

Oromo-led anti-government protests that began in late 2015 helped bring about the resignation of Ethiopia's former leader and Abiy's subsequent rise to power.

An Oromo himself, Abiy has shuffled the leadership of Ethiopia's police, military and intelligence arms, which have long been accused of abusing human rights.

But while he's encouraged the people of Africa's second most-populous country to set aside their differences, bloody ethnic conflicts have rocked his administration.

The most serious began shortly after his inauguration, when clashes between Oromos and members of the Gedeo ethnic displaced nearly one million people.Bannons appearance prompted musician Emmy the Great to pull out of the event: AP

Protesters gathered to voice their opposition to Steve Bannon as he used an appearance in New York to praise Hungarys nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban and Italys deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini.

Speaking at a live debate at the Open Future festival organised by The Economist in New York, the former White House chief strategist applauded the leaders for trying to safeguard the sovereignty of their nations.

These individuals, these populist national movements across Europe, are trying to get the sovereignties of their countries back, Donald Trumps former aide said.

Demonstrators outside the New York office brandished banners saying Dont normalise Bannon!, Racism destroys humanity, Would you invite Joseph Goebells to speak? and No platform for hate.

Protesters outside the @TheEconomist Open Future festival, where Steve Bannon will speak this morning pic.twitter.com/lCywzDJydF  Hanna Kozlowska (@hannakozlowska) September 15, 2018

Mr Bannons appearance at the festival prompted musician Emmy the Great to pull out of the event.

I worried that not speaking up would be inaction that I would regret later in life, after his dangerous ideas had proliferated further, and that performing as planned would be tantamount to helping him build respectability and mainstreaming his ideas, she said.

One friend said that inviting him to speak was treating his politics like an intellectual exercise, rather than the real threat that they are, and I agreed.

Monica Ramirez, a lawyer and social activist, also decided to withdraw from the event over Mr Bannons appearance.

She said: Power comes in many forms and can be exercised in a multitude of ways. Among these, power resides in the ability to decide when to speak, where to speak and with whom we speak alongside. Last week when I withdrew from speaking at The Economists event, I exercised this power.

Story continues

I believe in having critical conversations, challenging our own thinking and trying to reach common ground, which is what The Economists Open Future Festival seeks to accomplish, but I also believe that there are times when trying to have reasonable conversation with people who have made abundantly clear that there is no room to negotiate can have a negative impact and actually result in ceding ground and harming the communities that we seek to uplift.

Mr Bannon refused to brand as racist Mr Orban, who has described refugees as Muslim invaders, and Mr Salvini, who has launched a hardline crackdown on migrants.

He said: These people are trying to make their countries better. I certainly do not condemn Viktor Orban and Salvini.

The magazines editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes said in a letter the publication had asked many different kinds of people to participate in the event, including those "with views we agree and disagree".

She wrote: "Mr Bannon stands for a worldview that is antithetical to the liberal values The Economist has always espoused.

"We asked him to take part because his populist nationalism is of grave consequence in today's politics.

"He helped propel Donald Trump to the White House, and he is advising the populist far-right in several European countries where they are close to power or in government. Worryingly large numbers of people are drawn to nativist nationalism. And Mr Bannon is one of its chief proponents.

Mr Bannon, the former executive chairman of far-right site Breitbart News, resigned from his White House role after rumours of in-fighting in the West Wing last summer.

He returned to be head of the outlet, with the publication proclaiming the return of their populist hero on its homepage hours after his departure became public.

But in January, it emerged Mr Bannon was stepping down from his role as executive chairman, which he held before joining Mr Trump's team.(Photo: Joseph Rushmore for HuffPost)

LUMBERTON, N.C.  The roar of a fan boat echoed through a flooded neighborhood on the south side of town Sunday afternoon as dozens of volunteer rescuers went door to door in search of residents who hadnt fled the rapidly rising waters.

With a mandatory evacuation order in place, the rescue teams found most homes in this neighborhood empty. At one, members of the New Orleans-based group Cajun Navy Relief encountered a woman hunkered down with multiple pets. Despite water inching toward her front door, Diana Collazo refused to leave, afraid something might happen to her animals.

It wasnt until about an hour later, when her husband, Orlando, and her children returned to check on her that she finally accepted a ride on one of the boats, her cats in tow.

Here we go again, Collazo said after she was brought to safety in a church parking lot.

Orlando Collazo holds a pet carrier with his family's cats, Princess and Gizmo, after they were pulled from their flooded home by members of the Cajun Navy in Lumberton, North Carolina, on Sunday. (Photo: Joseph Rushmore for HuffPost)

The Collazos have been through this before. In fact, it was less than two years ago that their home  like so many others in this low-income area  flooded during Hurricane Matthew, in October 2016. That time, Collazo says, she stayed until the water in her home was waist-high and fish were swimming around the room. The family ended up in a hotel for four months.

Theres a lot of houses in here that havent been put back together from Matthew yet, she said. Whether or not her rental home floods again, Collazo has every intention of moving back in.

Similar scenes of rescue, relocation and uncertainty could be found throughout North and South Carolina on Sunday as the storm known as Florence  which made landfall Friday as a Category 1 hurricane and has since been downgraded to a tropical depression  continued to linger over the region, dumping torrential rain and inundating communities.

Florence is now the rainiest hurricane in North Carolina *and* South Carolina history.



The 2015 South Carolina flood is still the biggest in state history though -- technically it was unrelated to Hurricane Joaquin. https://t.co/o2bae7zoul  Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) September 16, 2018

In Lumberton, as the Lumber River continued to swell above flood stage Sunday, crews with bulldozers worked frantically to reinforce a temporary berm plugging a gap in the citys levee. The effort to hold back the floodwaters ultimately proved unsuccessful. A county spokeswoman confirmed that the barrier broke around 2 p.m., and urged residents in the west and south parts of town to get out now.

Story continues

Shortly before the makeshift barrier failed, sisters and longtime Lumberton residents Janie and Linda Prevatte were found relaxing at their homes just south of the levee. With medication and other essentials already packed, they kept a close eye out for water. If they saw it, they planned to evacuate. Until then, they were staying put.

We aint got nowhere to go, Janie said.

It was unclear if either womans home had flooded as of Sunday evening.

A boat crew with the Cajun Navy goes house to house to check for people in need of evacuation in Lumberton. (Photo: Joseph Rushmore for HuffPost)

Sundays rescue effort came a day after teams evacuated dozens of people from two trailer parks and a nursing home in Lumberton, according to a Cajun Navy Relief member who asked to be identified only by his first name, Tom. He and other volunteers sweeping neighborhoods Sunday said they expect things to get worse in Lumberton overnight and in the coming days. The Lumber River is expected to crest late Sunday or early Monday near the record height it reached  over 24 feet  in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.

Aaron Lee of Pinehurst came to Lumberton after assisting with rescues in New Bern, which was devastated by flooding starting last week.

I hope that someday when I need help, somebody can come help me, said Lee, 26. You know what I mean?

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Ronnie McRae and Lorenzo Mitchell watch rising floodwaters in Lumberton, North Carolina, on Sunday.

Brett Scott of Maine leaves a tag on the front door of a home in Lumberton so other rescuers will know the home has been checked and is empty.

Residents of Lumberton walk through floodwaters near downtown as the Lumber River rises on Sunday.

Scott walks through a flooded neighborhood in Lumberton checking homes for any pets that may have been left behind.

Linda Prevatte and Mary Jane Allen stand in their home in Lumberton, watching floodwaters rise and deciding whether to evacuate.

Workers with Duke Energy move through Lumberton by boat in an effort to restore power to customers on Sunday after intense flooding in the town.

A neighborhood on the south side of Lumberton is inundated with rising floodwaters from the Lumber River on Sunday.

Allen walks through her home in Lumberton after deciding not to follow mandatory evacuation orders.

Allen places her hand at the level where floodwaters reached in her home in Lumberton during Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Lumberton saw rising floodwaters throughout Sunday as the Lumber River rose over its banks and inundated the south side of town.

Rescue crews from Robeson County and the Cajun Navy go over maps in the parking lot of the Sandy Grove Baptist Church before launching their boats into a neighborhood on the south side of Lumberton on Sunday.

Rescuers with the Cajun Navy shield their faces from the spray off a fan boat as they prepare to enter a flooded neighborhood to evacuate people still in their homes in Lumberton on Sunday.

Scott brings food to a dog he rescued from the flooded streets of Lumberton on Sunday.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Alcala (Philippines) (AFP) - The skeleton of a shattered school, bare walls of homes stripped of their roofs and vast cornfields drowned in muddy floodwaters: this is the aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut as seen from the air.

A day after the world's worst storm of the year carved a path of deadly destruction across the northern Philippines' agricultural heartland, AFP was able to fly over some of the damage in Cagayan province.

Clumps of trees were picked clean of their leaves by the gusting winds of up to 255 kilometres (160 miles) per hour that tore through the region. Multiple homes were missing part or all of their roofs.

Rivers swollen from the typhoon's torrential downpours overflowed their banks and inundated massive stretches of farmland. Harvest time for much of the region was just weeks away.

"I saw widespread damage to planted crops, mostly corn. The corn crops were destroyed," said national disaster agency chief Ricardo Jalad.

Among the hundreds of buildings destroyed, an elementary school was missing most of its green roof, the bare bones of its rafters now exposed to the elements. The stacked students' chairs were visible from above.

Authorities were still assessing the extent of destruction in the remote, hard-to-access area, but 115 schools were believed to have been destroyed.

"It is tearful looking at the damaged schools. The books and computers were really covered with mud and destroyed," Education Secretary Leonor Briones told reporters.

Damage to schools alone would cost 106 million pesos ($1.9 million), she added, while officials had yet to fully count the cost of flooded crops.

The storm is just one more hardship for the nearly five million people who live in its path, a quarter of whom survive on a few dollars per day.

Authorities say they have yet to make a full assessment of the destruction as six provinces in the northern Philippines remain without power and communication lines. The death toll now stands at 49.

Authorities said they would offer aid to farmers while planning to airlift vegetables, fruit, poultry and fish from the southern island of Mindanao to augment the food supply in the north.On the return of Showtimes The Circus Sunday, one of the shows co-hosts, John Heilemann, sat down with Steve Bannon after viewing part of Bannons new film, Trump @war. The film opens with repeated imagery of violence towards Donald Trump supporters, and Heilemann was quick to criticize the films message. Essentially, you gotta vote republican to keep Trump in office, Heilemann assessed. If you don't do that, black-hooded antifa protesters, rioters will run rough shot over the streets of America.Bannon defended the film, which is airing on the One America news network, and the former White House Chief Strategist under Trump said his movie is meant to energize a republican party ahead of the midterm elections in November, a party that he says has become complacent.The people in the resistance, they will be there to impeach him, Bannon said about the democrats going after Trump. This midterm is the existential threat. I think we're the first guys to come out and get the messaging right. The troops are out there. They're waiting for somebody to say all hands on deck.How it will affect the republican base remains to be seen, but Heilemann does have one prediction about the film.I know Trump will like it, Heilemann joked to a somewhat blushing Bannon. Maybe you'll get phone calls returned occasionally now.The Circus airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on Showtime.Check out what happened when things got heated during Tucker Carlsons interview with Michael Avenatti:

Read more from Yahoo! Entertainment:

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.



A coastal city in the US has been completely cut off after it was flooded by Storm Florence.

All roads in and out of Wilmington, North Carolina, are impassable and officials have warned evacuated residents to stay away.

The city, which has a population of about 120,000, has been described in news reports as an island because of the heavy flooding.

About 400 people have been rescued from rising waters and most of the city remains without power.

Flash flooding is forecast in the city for another two days.

People watch as a truck plows through a flooded street in Wilmington, North Carolina (Picture: Getty)

New Hanover County Commission chairman Woody White said: Do not come here. Our roads are flooded, there is no access into Wilmington. We want you home, but you cant come yet.

With roads leading in and out of the city underwater and streams still swelling upward, residents waited for hours outside stores and restaurants for basic necessities like water.

Police guarded the door of one store, and only 10 people were allowed inside at a time.

A car is stuck on a flooded street in Wilmington (Picture: Getty)

Victor Merlos was overjoyed to find a store open for business in Wilmington since he had about 20 relatives staying at his apartment, which still had power. He spent more than 500 dollars on cereal, eggs, soft drinks and other necessities, plus beer.

I have everything I need for my whole family, said Mr Merlos.

Nearby, a Waffle House restaurant limited breakfast customers to one biscuit and one drink, all take-out, with the price of two dollars per item.

The storms death toll climbed to at least 17 when a three-month-old child was killed when a tree fell across a mobile home in North Carolina.

READ MORE ON YAHOO UK

Fred and Rose Wests daughter fears her parents killed 30 more women

Triathlete banned from all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant after downing 100 dishes

Watch: Ryanair passengers films baggage handler stealing from suitcase

In pictures: Chinas Typhoon Mangkhut forces 2.5 million to evacuate

This picture of an invisible car is blowing peoples minds online

Earlier, officials said three people died in separate, weather-related traffic accidents in South Carolina.

Story continues

North Carolina governor Roy Cooper declared the risk to life is rising with the angry waters.

The storm continued to crawl westward, dumping more than 30 inches of rain in spots since Friday, and fears of historic flooding grew.

Tens of thousands were ordered evacuated from communities along the states steadily rising rivers  with the Cape Fear, Little River, Lumber, Waccamaw and Pee Dee rivers all projected to burst their banks.

The Barefoot Princess tour boat sits next to the Trent River trestle after it was moved from its mooring by Storm Florence in New Bern, North Carolina (Picture: AP)

About 70 miles away from the coast, residents near the Lumber River stepped from their homes directly into boats floating in their front yards; river forecasts showed the scene could be repeated in towns as far as 250 miles inland as waters rise for days.

Downgraded overnight to a tropical depression, Florence was still massive. But with radar showing parts of the storm over six Southeastern states and flood worries spreading into southern Virginia and West Virginia, North and South Carolina were still in the bulls-eye.

In North Carolina, fears of what could be the worst flooding in the states history led officials to order tens of thousands to evacuate, though it was not clear how many had fled or even could.

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), Brock Long, said officials were focused on finding people and rescuing them.

Well get through this. Itll be ugly, but well get through it, Mr Long told NBCs Meet The Press.

An untethered boat sits behind a house in New Bern after it was removed from its dock by Storm Florence (Picture: AP)

President Donald Trump said federal emergency workers, first responders and law enforcement officials were working really hard.

As the storm begins to finally recede, they will kick into an even higher gear. Very Professional! he declared in a tweet.

As rivers swelled, state regulators and environmental groups were monitoring the threat from gigantic hog and poultry farms located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

The industrial-scale farms contain vast pits of animal faeces and urine that can pose a significant pollution threat if they are breached or inundated by floodwaters.

The Defence Department said about 13,500 military personnel had been assigned to help relief efforts.

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of up to 7,500 people living within a mile of a stretch of the Cape Fear River and the Little River, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast.



Susan Sarandon has issues with the media and the way it covers celebrity culture as well as politics.

The actress explained why to Yahoo Movies UK during an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival while promoting her new movie The Death and Life of John F. Donovan.

In Xavier Dolans film, Sarandon plays the mother of the titular character John, a closeted TV actor who falls victim to embellished narratives published in various media outlets, including British tabloids, after it is revealed he has spent five years writing letters back and forth with an 11-year-old boy.

Any kind of relationship gets scrutinised, the actress said. its pretty hard to find a way to be private but also theres an erosion of truth. People can print anything, Presidents can say anything, and it doesnt matter if its opinion as opposed to the truth  its just presented as fact.

[There are] so many magazines with really specific in-depth stories that are completely based on creative writing so I think were living in a time that has become really difficult. You can accuse someone of something, or report something, and it is very hard to take it back.

Susan Sarandon in The Death and Life of John F. Donovan

Sarandon says she feels for actors nowadays who are struggling to maintain privacy as everybody has a phone with a cameraso theres a kind of awareness of your presentation that didnt exist before which is hard to escape. Though her biggest concern is about people being fed misinformation by media outlets about politics and social issues, not celebrities.

I dont think it matters in terms of some of the silly stories about celebrities, you just dont read those things she argued. You just go to see peoples work and whatever, I find it difficult when it leaks into information thats relevant.

Sarandon recalled the 2016 Democratic party presidential primaries, claiming that she was victim to numerous false headlines about her support of Bernie Sanders.

I found that so many times, for instance, during the Primary when I was supporting Bernie Sanders and not Hillary Clinton there were so many headlines that were created about me that didnt even have an article to follow them, that then got picked up because people were just reading the clickbait, she said.

Story continues

Some British publications Ive even had problems with [that] take an interview from somewhere else, and give it a false title, and if you read the article it doesnt say that in it, but they get the traffic to their site, Sarandon continued.

Actor Susan Sarandon arrives for the world premiere of The Death and Life of John F. Donovan at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, Canada, September 10, 2018. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

I think that is really a problem because when it really impacts people on how they vote or information about candidates, then you are really messing with the truth, in a way.

The actress has been the subject of widespread criticism of late for comments she made at TIFF about Trumps election, after Variety claimed she had said the controversial president had inspired more women and people of colour to run for office, as well as her other movie Viper Club with the mother of an ISIS victim alleging that she stole her story.

Yahoo Movies UK also spoke with Kit Harington, who plays the titular character in The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, about how much his own life informed his performance and, in some ways, reflected it.

In some ways, its very very close and in some ways, its quite far away and that was always the interesting challenge with this character, the British star explained. Hes in a big TV show, a big TV star, some of the whirlwind that is his life I can very much put my experience to but also relate to having a secret life.

I have my own life, my own secrets, my own personal privacy and things that are mine and personal to me but Im not a gay man who is hiding his sexuality and thats who John is and what tears John apart by the end of the film.

The Death and Life of John F. Donovan premiered at Toronto International Film Festival but has yet to be given a UK release date.

Updated Sept 18: an earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed a Variety quote to Ms. Sarandon

READ MORE

Kit Harington defends straight actors playing gay roles

Lea Seydoux eyeing Bond 25 return

Ken Jeong defends Hangover stereotypeThanks to a couple of brave animal lovers, one lucky North Carolina dog was saved from the floodwaters of Florence  and she couldnt show her gratitude in a more adorable way.

The black-and-white female pit bull was found drenched and alone on a porch in South Lumberton, North Carolina, on Sunday by Brent Scott, 37, and Sam Woodman, 35. The pair drove down from Maine on Thursday to rescue animals in the aftermath of the storm.

She was so appreciative to see us, Scott told HuffPost of the abandoned pooch. She had no tag around her neck, and a cut section of leash dangled around her neck.

These people [in the neighborhood] werent even going to take her, he said. They just were ignoring her, and we said, Well, well take her now.

If the sweet pups unrelenting tail-wagging and big licks for her rescuers are any indication, she couldnt be any more thankful for their efforts.

This gorgeous pup was just rescued from a flooded neighborhood in South Lumberton. Shes soo happy.

Brent Scott drove down from Maine to help with animal rescues. pic.twitter.com/PYCuln56ud  Chris D'Angelo (@c_m_dangelo) September 16, 2018

The two men documented the rescue and subsequent ride to safety in a Facebook Live video on Sunday.

Were gonna get you a nice towel, get you dried off, Woodman can be heard in the video comforting the rescued dog inside their van. You ever see somebody so happy?

During their first days in North Carolina, the pair said they delivered pet food to area hotels where people had been forced to evacuate with their animals.

Responsible people take their dogs or at the very least leave their contact information around their neck, Scott said.

Asked if hed thought of a name for her, Woodman said, How about Florence! I couldnt do that. That would be too corny.

Fortunately, Scott and Woodman arent the only ones working hard to rescue animals threatened by the historic storm. Freelance reporter Marcus DiPaola rescued six dogs in Leland, North Carolina, on Sunday after they were left locked up in an outdoor cage.

Story continues

Rescued six dogs in Leland, NC, after the owner LEFT THEM locked in an outdoor cage that filled with flood water that was rapidly rising.



We got them out, but by the time we left, the water was so high that they would have drowned. BRING YOUR PETS WITH YOU! #HurricaneFlorence pic.twitter.com/tRibGxCjXy  Marcus DiPaola (@marcusdipaola) September 16, 2018

A pastor and two members of his church in Jacksonville, North Carolina, pulled both multiple dogs and cats from the floodwaters on Friday while searching for stranded humans.

Roughly 50 miles to the north, a team of rescuers set out Saturday on jet skis and motorboats with a mission to save four-legged friends in need. They rescued at least 18 dogs that day.

Florence, which made landfall on Friday as a Category 1 hurricane, and has since become a tropical depression, has killed multiple people and left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Related...

Reporter Interrupts Livestream To Help Rescue Dog From Hurricane Florence Flooding

Staff, Over 100 Cats And Dogs Escape From Top Floor Of Flooding Animal Shelter

Pastor Rescues Cats And Dogs Left Behind During Florence

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.AFP/Getty

The Texas Board of Education has voted to eliminate Hillary Clinton and other historical figures from the required curriculum in an effort to streamline lessons.

The vote does not prevent educators from teaching about Ms Clinton, deaf-blind activist Helen Keller, and Republican Barry Goldwater who was the first Jewish presidential candidate, but it is no longer compulsory for the states 5.4 million public school students to learn about them.

The final vote on the matter is set to take place in November after a period of public consultation.

Some of the groups estimated not teaching about Ms Clinton, for example, would save approximately 30 minutes of teachers time.

Textbooks and other instructional material are not affected by the decision at this time.

Working groups recommended leaving those and other figures out, contending students had too many people to learn about.

However, the elimination of these figures is not the only controversial, but preliminary, vote cast by the Republican-dominated Board.

The 15 members also voted to keep language in the required curriculum referring to the role of biblical figure Moses in the founding of the US - a point many critics have said violates the principle of separation of church and state.

One of the working groups, according to reporting by Dallas Morning News, wanted to remove Christian evangelical Billy Graham from the curriculum, but the board opted to keep him in the required lessons.

The board also voted to require teachers to tell students the "Arab rejection of the State of Israel has led to ongoing conflict" in the Middle East.

The working group came to their conclusions about certain historical figures through a ranking system which asked questions like "Did the person trigger a watershed change"; "Was the person from an underrepresented group"; and "Will their impact stand the test of time?" according to the Dallas Morning News.

Out of 20 points, Keller scored a 7 and Clinton scored a 5, the paper reported.Prime Minister Theresa May at her desk at 10 Downing Street in London during filming of Panorama (Picture: BBC/PA)

Theresa May has warned Tory MPs who want to scupper her Brexit plan that they must choose between her proposed deal with the EU or no deal at all.

In an interview with the BBC programme Panorama, to be broadcast on Monday evening, the prime minister also criticised Tory Brexiteers plans to resolve the Irish border question.

She told the BBCs Nick Robinson that if parliament does not give her controversial Chequers plan the green light, then I think that the alternative to that will be having no deal.

Mrs May said there needs to be friction-free movement of goods across the Irish border, without customs or regulatory checks between the UK and EU, after Brexit.

Last week, a group of Brexiteer Conservative MPs said a hard border could be avoided through the use of established technology and performing extra checks away from the border.

Mrs May being interviewed by Nick Robinson in the back of her car in London for Panorama (Picture: BBC/PA)

But Mrs May said the European Research Groups counter-proposal would not solve the issue of no hard border by having a hard border 20km inside Ireland.

She said: The people of Northern Ireland deserve to be listened to in these negotiations by the UK government, as do people elsewhere in this country.

I want to ensure that as we go forward we have that strong union Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. They dont want a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

The only proposal thats been put forward that delivers on them not having a hard border and ensures that we dont carve up the United Kingdom is the Chequers plan.

MORE: Leave voters could still be given a burgundy passport after Brexit

MORE: New Brexit poll shows dismal level of support for Theresa Mays Chequers proposals

However, former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has continued his attacks on the prime minister, while backing the ERG proposals for the Irish border.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: If the Brexit negotiations continue on this path they will end, I am afraid, in a spectacular political car crash.

Story continues

If we are to get out of this mess, and get the great British motor back on track, then we need to understand the Irish backstop, and how it is being used to coerce the UK into becoming a vassal state of Brussels.

Boris Johnson has once again criticised the Chequers deal (Picture: PA)

Mr Johnson said the EUs backstop would leave a border down the Irish sea while the UKs proposal left it volunteering to remain effectively in the customs union and large parts of the single market until Brussels says otherwise.

He added: Both versions of the backstop are disastrous. One threatens the union; the other version  and its close cousin, Chequers  keep us effectively in the EU, as humiliated rules takers.

We need to challenge the assumptions of both these Irish backstops, or we are heading full throttle for the ditch with a total write-off of Brexit.

Mrs May walking down the stairs at 10 Downing Street (Picture: BBC/PA)

According to The Times, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is drafting a new protocol text that includes the use of technology to minimise checks at the Irish border.

Diplomatic notes seen by the paper state: The biggest unsolved problem is Northern Ireland.

There is a political mobilisation in the UK in this regard. Therefore, we are trying to clarify the EU position.

Meanwhile, a ComRes poll for BBC Radio 5 Live found 50% of British adults believe Brexit will have a negative impact on the UK, compared to 41% who think it will be positive.

Mrs May and her husband Philip watching The Chase at Chequers during filming of the BBC Panorama show (Picture: BBC/PA)

Some eight out of 10 voters, 79%, think Brexit negotiations have been badly handled by the government.

In Mondays Panorama, Mrs May also says she is irked by the talk surrounding her future as leader.

She said: I get a little bit irritated but this debate is not about my future, this debate is about the future of the people of the UK and the future of the United Kingdom.

The interview was carried out at Chequers, the Prime Ministers country retreat.

Photographs show Mrs May sipping tea with her husband Philip while watching an episode of ITVs The Chase with her official red box of government documents at her side.Managua (AFP) - Thousands of demonstrators marched Sunday through Nicaragua's capital Managua to demand the resignation of President Daniel Ortega and the liberation of hundreds detained during months of deadly government repression.

Whole families -- including young children and the elderly --took part in the so-called "Rescuing the Homeland" march, many sounding noisy vuvuzelas, waving Nicaraguan flags and shouting slogans as they made their way through the streets.

Months of turmoil in the Central American country has left more than 300 people dead, according to rights groups.

The march, called by opposition groups, began in the northeast of the capital, monitored by hundreds of riot police.

Some of the marchers shouted "murderers" as they passed in front of police cordons blocking streets.

"We want Ortega to leave because he has done so much damage to Nicaragua," one of the demonstrators, Javier Franco, 49, told AFP.

"He has to go, whether he wants to or not. We want the elections to be brought forward," said Mario Jiminez, another demonstrator.

Nicaragua's descent into chaos was triggered on April 18 when relatively small protests against now-scrapped social security reforms were met with a government crackdown, backed by armed paramilitaries.

Catholic Church-brokered peace talks broke down in June after Ortega rejected a key opposition demand to step down and bring forward presidential elections.HONG KONG (AP)  Mangkhut weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern China on Monday, leaving death and destruction from Hong Kong to the Philippines. The storm was still affecting southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday. Hong Kong residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for occasional gales. Bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were canceled at the city's airport, one of the world's busiest. The South China Morning Post said Hong Kong's hospitals had to use backup power due to outages caused by the storm.

Philippine and Chinese authorities say the death toll from a typhoon has risen to at least 69 with dozens missing. Mangkhut weakened to a tropical storm Monday morning as it moved deeper into southern China, where rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Tuesday. A Philippine national police report said the death toll as of Monday midday was 65, with 43 people missing and 64 injured. Chinese authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, China's manufacturing hub. Many of the missing in the Philippines are gold miners and their families feared buried in a landslide after seeking shelter in a bunkhouse-turned-chapel in a village in Benguet province.

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP)  Reunification Highway runs all the way from the North Korean capital of Pyongyang to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the North from South Korea, 170 kilometers (100 miles) away. It starts under a giant concrete arch depicting two women in traditional gowns reaching out to each other and holding up a map of a unified Korea. Road signs along the way show the distance to Seoul, though it's impossible to actually drive there. The highway is one of the best in North Korea. It's paved  a rarity in the North. It's broad and visibility is generally good.

Story continues

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  A senior South Korean official is playing down the chance that this week's inter-Korean summit could produce major progress in efforts to rid North Korea of its nuclear program. Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok told reporters Monday that he still expects the summit to produce unspecified "meaningful" agreements on ways to ease a military standoff between the rivals. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is to fly to Pyongyang on Tuesday for his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year. Im said the Korean leaders plan to meet twice during Moon's three-day trip.

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Muslim militants have freed three Indonesian men they kidnapped at sea early last year off Malaysia then brought them to their jungle hideouts in the southern Philippines, officials said Sunday. The Indonesians were freed Friday with the help of the Moro National Liberation Front, a rebel group that signed a peace deal with the Philippine government, in Indanan town in Sulu province, police said. The released hostages, Hamdam Salim, Subandi Sattuh and Sudarlan Samansung, were to be handed to the Indonesian ambassador in southern Zamboanga city later Sunday, the military said. While cruising on board a speedboat, the three were taken at gunpoint by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants off Malaysia's Sabah state on Borneo island in January last year.

HONG KONG (AP)  Typhoon Mangkhut wreaked havoc on the northern Philippines and southern China, leaving dozens of people dead and forcing millions to evacuate. The massive storm made landfall on Saturday on the northeastern tip of Luzon island in the Philippines with sustained winds of 205 kilometers (127 miles) per hour and gusts of 255 kph (158 mph). It then moved on to Hong Kong and elsewhere in southern China. Chinese state media cited the Guangdong provincial meteorological station as saying that by Sunday evening, more than 2.4 million people had been relocated and nearly 50,000 fishing boats called back to port.

WASHINGTON (AP)  Nature expresses its fury in sundry ways. Two deadly storms  Hurricane Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut  roared ashore on the same day, half a world apart, but the way they spread devastation was as different as water and wind. Storms in the western Pacific generally hit with much higher winds and the people who live in their way are often poorer and more vulnerable, Princeton University hurricane and climate scientist Gabriel Vecchi said Saturday. That will likely determine the type of destruction. Mangkhut made landfall Friday on the northeastern tip of Luzon island in the Philippines with top-of-the-scale Category 5 winds of 165 mph.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  The shine is starting to come off South Korean President Moon Jae-in's engagement strategy with the North. The liberal politician, who reversed nearly a decade of conservative hard-line policy toward North Korea after his election last year, is preparing for a third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un amid growing public skepticism about his approach. Moon, who goes to Pyongyang on Tuesday, has seen his approval rating fall to 49 percent in a recent Gallup Korea survey, the first time it dipped below 50 percent since he took office in May 2017 promising better ties with North Korea and political reform.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)  A Pakistani government official says the roof of a mud and brick house collapsed amid heavy rain in northwestern Pakistan killing four members of a family and injuring another. Fahad Khan, a district official in Hangu, said Sunday that a couple and their two minor children were buried under the debris when the roof collapsed the previous night amid heavy rains in the region. Khan said rescue workers recovered the bodies in the morning and transported an injured boy to the area's main hospital. The official said there are reports of damage to other mud houses but no other immediate reports of injuries or fatalities.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  The first inter-Korean summit of 2018, a sunny spectacle in late April, reduced war fears on the peninsula. The second, an emergency one in May, helped ensure a historic meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump came off. Now, at his third summit with Kim next week in Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in faces his toughest challenge yet: delivering something substantive that goes beyond previous vague statements on denuclearization and helps get U.S.-North Korea talks back on track. Negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have sputtered in recent weeks, raising doubts about whether Kim is truly willing to relinquish his nuclear arsenal and putting pressure on Moon to broker progress once again.Londres (AFP) - Pro-Brexit figurehead Michael Gove insisted Sunday that Prime Minister Theresa May's blueprint for leaving the EU is right "for now" -- stressing that future PMs could alter it after Britain's departure.

Environment Secretary Gove was among main voices advocating a Leave vote in the 2016 referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union.

However, while other big-name Leavers have quit the cabinet over May's Brexit proposals to keep Britain close to the EU on trade, Gove is backing the so-called Chequers master plan.

"I believe the critical thing is making sure we leave in good order with a deal which safeguards the referendum mandate," he told BBC television.

"A future prime minister could always choose to alter the relationship between Britain and the European Union.

"But the Chequers approach is the right one for now because we have got to make sure that we respect that vote and take advantage of the opportunities of being outside the European Union."

Gove said the responsibility was now with Brussels "because we've shown flexibility".

"I've compromised," he added.

"As a result of Chequers I have to qualify one or two of my views," Gove said. "I have to acknowledge the parliamentary arithmetic."

May said she was "irritated" by speculation about a leadership contest as she slammed her former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, seen as her most likely challenger.

Johnson quit in July over the Chequers plan.

May, the centre-right Conservative Party's leader, said she was focused on securing a Brexit deal rather than her own future, in a BBC television interview out Sunday.

May blasted Johnson for using "completely inappropriate" language when he described her Brexit blueprint as putting Britain in a "suicide vest".

Asked about her plans to stay in the job, she said: "This is where I get a little bit irritated.

Story continues

"This debate is not about my future: this debate is about the future of the people of the UK and the future of the United Kingdom.

"That's what I'm focused on and that's what I think we should all be focused on."

May added it was important to ensure "we get that good deal from the European Union".

Johnson is the bookmakers' favourite to succeed May, ahead of interior minister Sajid Javid, eurosceptic backbench leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, Gove and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

- EU's 'reassuring noises' -

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox -- another top Leaver in the cabinet -- said Brussels had made "reassuring noises" in recent weeks on the Brexit talks.

"They have understood that Britain is serious that if we don't get a good deal we could end up with no deal," he told Sky News television.

Fox said Chequers was a "reasonable, constructive way forward" and sensed there was "movement" in the right direction from Brussels towards striking a deal.

He ruled out extending the negotiation process -- Britain is due to leave at the end of March 2019 -- saying such a move would effectively allow the EU "to dictate when Britain will leave".

May's Conservative minority government includes a sizeable bloc of hardcore Brexiteers headed by Rees-Mogg and would likely need the support of the left-wing main opposition Labour Party, or a chunk of their MPs, to get her Brexit proposals through parliament.

Keir Starmer, Labour's Brexit spokesman, said any EU deal must meet Labour's key Brexit tests, which include delivering the "exact same benefits" as Britain currently has inside the single market and customs union.By Ben Blanchard XIAN, China (Reuters) - A top Chinese general attended the opening on Monday of a regional armed forces health forum organized by the Chinese and U.S. militaries, as the two sides set aside friction over trade and territorial issues such as the South China Sea. This week's Asia Pacific Military Health Exchange in the western city of Xian, best known as the home of the Terracotta Army, has about 600 participants, with military officials from 28 countries, including U.S. allies like Japan and Australia. General Song Puxuan, head of China's Central Military Commission's Logistics Support Department, posed for pictures with Terry M. Rauch, acting U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense, at the opening ceremony in a Xian hotel. Song, whose attendance was not announced in advance, did not address the conference. Military sources say he is close to President Xi Jinping and was previously head of the military's northern command, having risen rapidly up the ranks since Xi took office six years ago. China has been keen to highlight its cooperation with the U.S. military, despite a bitter trade dispute and Chinese suspicion about U.S. support for self-ruled and Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and U.S. involvement in the disputed South China Sea. "This meeting can help promote the healthy and stable development of the two militaries' ties, and make our contribution towards promoting peace and stability in the Asia Pacific, providing positive energy," Song's colleague, Chen Jingyuan, head of health at the Logistics Support Department, told reporters. Speaking earlier, Chen hailed the exchange as a "first" between the Chinese and U.S. militaries on military health for the Asia Pacific. 'IMPORTANT TO BE HERE' Rear Admiral Louis C. Tripoli, command surgeon of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, thanked the People's Liberation Army for its efforts in arranging the conference. "We hope that you feel how important it is for us to be here," Tripoli said. He told reporters they had had "very good talks". "I believe that people are being transparent and are being truthful about the problems that we face in the region from a health standpoint and I believe that everyone is here and eager to work together to solve these problems," Tripoli said. China was angered in May when the United States withdrew an invitation to a major U.S.-hosted naval drill, saying that closing the door does not promote mutual trust and cooperation. The Rim of the Pacific exercise, known as RIMPAC and previously attended by China, is billed as the world's largest international maritime exercise and held every two years in Hawaii in June and July. The Pentagon said the withdrawal of the invitation was in response to what it saw as China's militarization of islands in the South China Sea. Still, China's navy chief Shen Jinlong plans to pay a working visit to the United States later this month, during which he will attend an international naval forum, according to China's Defence Ministry. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore, robert Birsel)Retirement investors looking to boost income have an opportunity that probably doesn't come to mind right away -- trading in the options market with strategies like writing covered calls.

It sounds like blasphemy. After all, the standard advice is to play it pretty safe in retirement accounts like IRAs, and options would seem to violate all that. For every winning options bet, someone loses -- likely the player with less experience. Most options contracts expire worthless, and since they have a fixed expiration date you can't just wait for things to turn around like with stocks and bonds.

But don't write off options in IRAs too soon. After all, many small investors have more money in their retirement accounts than in taxable accounts, so if options appeal to them, the IRAs are where the money is.

[See: 8 Stocks Most Exposed to Hurricane Florence.]

"Yes, you can trade options in IRAs," says Mike Scanlin, CEO of Born To Sell, an online service for covered-call traders. "Covered calls are by far the most common strategy."

Scanlin's customers are typically between 40 and 70 and try to use covered calls to earn 1 to 2 percent a month on the securities involved, he says.

"Covered calls can also be a great way to get a little extra yield from an asset that might be declining but that you feel confident holding on to for the longer term," says Russ Robertson, owner of ATI Wealth Partners in Atlanta.

"It's not very common for individual investors to trade options within an IRA," Robertson says, though he trades options for his clients' retirement accounts. "Most investors take a long-term view of IRA assets, a view which we support, and don't actively trade [in their IRAs]. Options inside an IRA are best suited to a disciplined, active investor that can monitor positions regularly."

Writing covered calls can boost your gains with little risk. And by doing this in a retirement account you can avoid the tax expense and record keeping hassles that could be a real headache in a taxable account. "You just pay taxes when you take the money out of the IRA," Scanlin says.

Story continues

Firms that provide IRAs and rollover IRAs (for money transferred from 401(k)s and similar accounts) don't generally promote options trading, but many do allow it. It's less common to find options trading in a 401(k) unless it's set up for very sophisticated investors, though many Solo 401(k)s, used by sole proprietors, do allow covered call writing.

Options trading rights in an IRA generally must be set up by filling out a form and acknowledging the risks. And these accounts typically do not allow trading on margin, or with borrowed money, a common feature in taxable options accounts. Typically, the IRA participant holder can write covered calls and buy calls and puts.

Options give the owner the right to buy (call) or sell (put) shares at a set price for a given period. The option purchaser pays a premium that is typically a fraction of the cost of the shares themselves, and profits if the security moves in the desired direction before the contract expires.

The person on the other side of the contract is the "writer," so the writer of a call agrees to sell the shares at the contract price if the buyer chooses to exercise before the expiration date. The call is "covered" if the writer already owns the shares and will not have to buy them to complete the deal if the option is exercised. Either way, the writer keeps the premium -- plus payment at the strike price if the call is exercised.

[See: 7 Things That Can Derail Your Retirement Investing.]

The cost of the premium varies. A contract with a long time to expiration -- six or nine months, for instance, carries a higher premium than one expiring soon, and one with a strike price below the current market price costs more than one with a strike above the market. The stock's volatility and market expectations about the share price also affect the premium.

For example, on Sept. 14, Apple (ticker: AAPL) was trading at $225. The seller of a call expiring Sept. 28 with a strike price of $230 could earn a premium of $2.73 per share, or $273 for a 100-share contract, boosting income by a little over 1 percent in two weeks.

It sounds like easy money, but experts say investors should consider several issues before writing covered calls:

Are options available? Options are available for most big-name stocks and many lesser-known ones as well. Options trades can also be done with shares of exchange-traded funds and many real estate investment trusts, but not with ordinary mutual funds. So the first question is do you own securities on which options are available?

Do you own enough? A single option contract involves 100 shares.

Investors who have loaded up on index mutual funds can get access to options by switching to exchange-traded funds tracking the same index. In a retirement account this exchange can be done with no tax bill.

Are you willing to sell? Once your covered call is sold you are obligated to sell the securities if the buyer exercises. It's important, therefore, to set a strike price at an acceptable level, realizing you will miss out on any gains above that price. Writing covered calls is best for the investor who wants to sell all or part of a holding, or who believes the price will not rise above the strike price.

"The big risk with a covered call strategy is that you miss out on potential gains -- something that has been particularly painful with tech names in the last couple years," Robertson says.

Plan the next step. It's best to have a plan for the proceeds if the option is exercised. Do you have your eye on another security? Will you keep the proceeds as cash for retirement expenses? Will you wait for the price to drop and buy the security again?

Robert R. Johnson, finance professor at Heider College of Business at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, says covered calls can benefit retirees who want extra income on assets they are planning to sell anyway.

"Essentially, a covered-call writer is selling some upside potential in exchange for additional current income," Johnson says. "This is particularly useful for IRA investors who are in retirement and are taking distributions from retirement accounts."

[See: 6 Ways to Fix a Retirement Savings Shortfall.]

Time and skill needed. Options trades take the same evaluation you would do for any stock or ETF. But while a stock has a single market price at any moment, every optionable security has many available options contracts with different combinations of strike price and expiration date. Writing a covered call expiring in a few days is obviously safer than one good for months, as much more can go wrong over a long period.

So, are you committed enough to do lots of study before and after writing a call? Robertson says that many retirement investors are not used to this much work.

"If an IRA is something you look at once a quarter when your provider sends you a statement, you should probably stay away from options," Robertson says.

Jeff Brown spent nearly 40 years as a newspaper reporter, columnist and editor, including 20 years writing about investing, personal finance, the economy and financial markets. He spent 20 years at The Philadelphia Inquirer and has been freelancing since 2007.President Donald Trump on Monday defended his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in the wake of allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman when they were both in high school.

Trump dismissed a reporters inquiry about whether Kavanaugh had offered to withdraw his nomination amid the allegations as a ridiculous question and called his nominee one of the finest people that Ive ever known, according to a pool report.

Never even had a little blemish on his record, Trump said. He is somebody very special.

He added: I wish the Democrats could have done this a lot sooner ... but with all of that being said, we want to go through the process.

The president acknowledged there might be a delay in confirming Kavanaugh, but said: Im sure it will work out very well.

TRUMP asked if KAVANAUGH offered to withdraw:



What a ridiculous question." pic.twitter.com/xxahlC2UNe  JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) September 17, 2018

Trumps comments came a day after Kavanaughs accuser publicly identified herself as Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, in an interview with The Washington Post.

I thought he might inadvertently kill me, Ford, 51, said of the alleged assault in the early 1980s. He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.

Ford alleges another teenager watched as a drunken Kavanaugh attempted to remove her clothing at a gathering in suburban Maryland. She told the Post that she tried to scream, but that Kavanaugh covered her mouth to silence her. She said she escaped after Kavanaughs friend entered the room and jumped on top of both of them.

Ford sent a confidential letter to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) after Kavanaughs nomination this summer to share her concerns about him.

Feinstein, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will decide whether to advance Kavanaughs nomination to the full Senate, confirmed the existence of the letter last week. She also said she referred the matter to the FBI.

Story continues

Kavanaugh has categorically and unequivocally denied the allegation.

Ford told the Post she hadnt wanted to come forward publicly, but after details of her letter began to leak, she decided she wanted to be the one to tell her story.

The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Kavanaughs confirmation on Thursday, but all 10 Democrats on the committee have said the panel should wait to vote until the FBI has conducted its review into the matter.

Several Republicans lawmakers, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee, have also urged committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to delay the proceedings.

Grassleys office said Sunday that the vote had not been rescheduled, but that the committee was working to set up a time for a staff call with Ford.

In a statement on Monday, Grassley said he is working diligently to get to the bottom of these claims as well as to find a way to hear from Ford in an appropriate, precedented and respectful manner.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) suggested in a tweet on Monday that Ford be allowed to testify before the Judiciary Committee.

Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh should both testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee.  Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) September 17, 2018

The White House also issued a fresh statement from Kavanaugh on Monday, in which the nominee said he would be willing to talk to the committee in any way it deems appropriate to defend my integrity.

Trumps sympathetic take on the allegation against Kavanaugh comes as no surprise. The president faces accusations of sexual misconduct from 21 women; hes denied them all.

This story has been updated with details of Fords allegations, reactions from several lawmakers, and a new statement from Kavanaugh.

Related Coverage

Brett Kavanaugh Is Rigged Justice

Brett Kavanaugh's Confirmation Hearings Have Been Shrouded In Secrecy

Brett Kavanaugh Committee Vote Delayed One Week

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - Two people fell ill on Sunday when eating in a restaurant in Salisbury, the English city where former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in March, police said. One of two people taken ill at a Salisbury restaurant is Russian, Sky News reported, citing sources. Police were called to the Prezzo restaurant in the evening in response to a "medical incident" involving a man and a woman, Wiltshire Police said in a statement. "As a precautionary measure, the restaurant and surrounding roads have been cordoned off while officers attend the scene and establish the circumstances surrounding what led them to become ill," it said. Britain has said Russian officers used the nerve agent Novichok to attack the Skripals. The Kremlin has denied any involvement. Police have said a nerve toxin had been left on the front door of the Skripals home. They were found slumped in Salisbury city center after visiting the Bishops Mill pub and Zizzi, another Italian restaurant. The former Russian spy and his daughter survived the murder attempt, but an unconnected woman, Dawn Sturgess, died in July and her partner Charlie Rowley fell ill after Rowley found a perfume bottle containing the same nerve agent. Earlier this month British prosecutors identified two Russians they said were operating under aliases - Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov - whom they accused of trying to murder the Skripals with a military-grade nerve agent. Britain charged the two men in absentia with attempted murder, and said the suspects were military intelligence officers almost certainly acting on orders from high up in the Russian state. Two Russians resembling the men said on television on Thursday that they were innocent tourists who had flown to London for fun and visited the city of Salisbury to see its cathedral. They surfaced a day after President Vladimir Putin said Russia had located Petrov and Boshirov, but that there was nothing special or criminal about them. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Paul Sandle; Additional reporting by Rishika Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Jonathan Oatis)UBS decided on the German financial centre a few weeks ago: Reuters

Swiss bank UBS has chosen Frankfurt as the base for its EU operations after Brexit, chief executive Sergio Ermotti said on Monday.

UBS decided on the German financial centre a few weeks ago and had been forced to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, Mr Ermotti told Bloomberg TV.

The financial system is already operating on the assumption that there is no agreement, between the UK and EU, Mr Ermotti said.

Whatever is going to happen from now onwards, its not going to make the exercise less expensive.

Brexit has already had an impact on companies across the continent, Mr Ermotti said.

Its a complication that undermines the willingness to make investments.

In the UK and in general in Europe this has been something that has prevented people taking action and investing for the future.

He added that the bank will pursue a decentralised strategy in Europe, with operations in Paris, Madrid and Milan.

Mr Ermotti played down fears that Brexit could lead to a new banking crisis. I think the system is well prepared. I dont think the next crisis is going to be a banking crisis. The banking system is very resilient.

However, Brexit could trigger a slowdown in the economy, he said. "That is clear".

Also on Monday, International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde said that no conceivable Brexit deal will be as beneficial for the economy as staying in the European Union.

Whatever the deal is will not be as good as it is at the moment, she told an audience at the Treasury.

Let me be clear, compared with todays smooth single market, all the likely Brexit scenarios will have costs for the economy and to a lesser extent as well for the EU, she said.

The larger the impediments to trade in the new relationship, the costlier it will be.

This should be fairly obvious, but it seems that sometimes it is not.Kiev (AFP) - An envoy of Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, told Ukraine's leader Monday that his country's church would soon be declared independent of Russia, a move set to infuriate Moscow.

Istanbul-based Bartholomew I is expected to rule in the coming months on a Ukrainian appeal to sever spiritual bonds with Moscow amid a simmering military conflict in the east of the former Soviet country.

An incensed Russian Orthodox Church last week cut ties with Bartholomew I, regarded as "first among equals" of the world's estimated 300 million Orthodox Christian believers, after he sent two representatives to Ukraine ahead of the independence decision.

One of those envoys told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko during a meeting that granting his country's church independence was essentially a done deal.

"We have come with an extraordinary mission," said Archbishop Daniel. "The process of granting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church autocephaly has begun," he added.

"We are on the finish line," said Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon, a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the US.

Poroshenko for his part thanked Bartholomew I for his "courage and wisdom" and said Ukrainians had prayed for "hundreds of years" to have an independent church.

"It's nice that God has answered our prayers," Poroshenko said.

The Orthodox Church in Ukraine is split between a branch whose clerics pledge loyalty to Moscow and one that is overseen by the unrecognised Kiev-based Patriarch Filaret.

The fracture has deepened following the Russian annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of a separatist uprising in Ukraine's east in 2014, a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people.

Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border, but Moscow has denied the claims despite evidence to the contrary.

Story continues

Outraged by what it called meddling in its affairs, the Russian Orthodox Church last Friday cut "diplomatic ties" with Bartholomew I, known as Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch.

This means Russia's Patriarch Kirill will stop mentioning Bartholomew I in his prayers, among other decisions.

The Russian Church has warned that if the Istanbul-based rival's "anti-canonical activities" continue, the bonds will be severed completely.

While Constantinople is the oldest Orthodox Church, Moscow is currently the most powerful with the largest number of worshippers.Sanaa (AFP) - The United Nations is working to open a humanitarian air bridge to take Yemeni cancer patients for treatment at qualified facilities, WHO country representative for Yemen Nevio Zagaria said Sunday.

The aim is to help patients suffering from cancer, chronic diseases and congenital anomalies receive the treatment they need, Zagaria said, adding that 12 health conditions had been targeted.

These include leukaemia, cervical and thyroid cancer, and "patients who need... bone marrow and kidney transplants, said Zagaria of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The air bridge will operate for an initial trial period of six months, WHO said, without specifying where the patients would be sent for treatment.

Eighty percent of patients for this flight are women and children," Zagaria said, adding: "The air bridge is one of their last hopes.

Twenty-two million people, or three in four Yemenis, require some form of humanitarian assistance in the conflict-ravaged country.

On Sunday, hospital and medical sources said clashes and air strikes around the city of Hodeida killed 32 rebels.

A military source told AFP the Saudi-led coalition fighting alongside the Yemeni government against Shiite Huthi rebels carried out an air raid on a radio station tower in the port city.

The coalition accuses the Tehran-aligned Huthis of smuggling arms from Iran through Hodeida and has imposed a partial blockade on the port, which the rebels seized in 2014.

The coalition in July announced a temporary ceasefire in Hodeida to give a chance to UN-brokered peace talks.

The UN's Yemen envoy, Martin Griffiths, arrived Sunday in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

He is pushing for new peace talks after a failed attempt to bring the two sides together in Geneva earlier this month.

Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in 2015 in the conflict between embattled Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, whose government is recognised by the United Nations, and the Huthis.

Nearly 10,000 people have since been killed and the country now stands on the brink of famine.United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States on Monday accused Russia of "cheating" on UN sanctions against North Korea with plans for a railway project, oil transfers and ongoing business dealings with Pyongyang.

Russia shot back and charged that Washington was blocking steps to foster cooperation between North and South Korea and using a UN sanctions committee "as a select channel to punish" North Korea.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told a Security Council meeting that the United States has evidence of "consistent and wide-ranging Russian violations" of the tough economic penalties imposed on North Korea.

Sanctions "cannot be an end in itself," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia responded. "You should, instead of creating roadblocks, promote the inter-Korean cooperation and dialogue," he told Haley.

The raucous meeting highlighted divisions between the United States, which is pushing for sanctions to be fully enforced on North Korea, and Russia, which argues that incentives must be offered to Pyongyang to move forward.

Led by the United States, the council last year adopted three sets of wide-ranging sanctions aimed at cutting off revenue to North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

Haley said Russia had been "cheating" despite supporting UN sanctions resolutions.

"Step by step, sanction by sanction, and time and time again, Russia is working across the board to undermine the sanctions regime," she said.

The United States maintains that UN sanctions which have dealt a blow to North Korea's economy must remain in place until Pyongyang has completely scrapped its nuclear weapons and military programs.

- Row over UN report -

Russia wants to develop railway links between North and South Korea to export coal from its Far East region and reach South Korean ports, Haley said.

Russia also blocked a US move to blacklist Russian ships allegedly involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined oil to North Korea and is refusing to expel a North Korean operative, Haley said.

Story continues

In a rebuttal, Nebenzia said the plan for rail links was not in violation of sanctions resolutions and rejected accusations of a Russian ship involved in oil transfers.

He said Russia had asked for further information from the United States on the North Korean national.

The council meeting was called by the United States after a report by an independent UN panel of experts was amended under pressure from Russia to remove sections that deal with Russian businesses.

The United States blocked release of the report on implementation of sanctions in protest at the changes in the latest version.

China called for UN sanctions to be enforced but recalled that resolutions allow for a lifting of the punitive measures if there is progress toward denuclearization.

Chinese Ambassador Mao Zhaoxu said "confrontation is a dead-end" and diplomacy must be "actively" promoted to bring an end to the standoff on the Korean peninsula.

China and Russia have argued that North Korea should be rewarded with the prospect of eased sanctions for opening up dialogue with the United States and halting missile tests.Conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh has been nominated to the Supreme Court by Donald Trump: AFP

A woman who anonymously accused Donald Trump's US Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, of sexual misconduct in the early 1980s decided to go public with her accusations and provided details of the alleged incident, according to the Washington Post.

In an interview with the newspaper, Christine Blasey Ford said that as a high school student in suburban Maryland just outside of Washington, a "stumbling drunk" Mr Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her and attempted to remove her clothing.

Last week, Mr Kavanaugh said he "categorically and unequivocally" denies the allegations. The White House on Sunday did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Ms Ford, now a 51-year-old research psychologist in California, told the Washington Post that in July she sent a letter to Democratic Representative Anna Eshoo about the incident but requested confidentiality at the time.

The existence of the letter and some details of its contents became public in recent days, however.

Ms Ford did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has completed its hearings on Mr Kavanaugh and planned to vote this week on his nomination to the highest court.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that he wants to hold a full Senate vote to confirm Mr Kavanaugh by 1 October.

Aides to Mr McConnell were not immediately available for comment.

ReutersIran dismissed Kuwaiti media reports claiming that Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Major General Qassem Soleimani has held a secret meeting with US special presidential envoy Brett McGurk to discuss prospects of forming a new government in Iraq.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iran dismissed Kuwaiti media reports claiming that Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Major General Qassem Soleimani has held a secret meeting with US special presidential envoy Brett McGurk to discuss prospects of forming a new government in Iraq.



"This is nonsense news and a lie which is rejected," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi told reporters in a press conference in Tehran on Monday.



He noted that the Kuwaiti paper, al-Jarida, repeatedly releases fake news about Iran, and said, "While it has no office in Iran, it releases fake news citing its office in Iran."



Kuwaits al-Jarida newspaper quoted an unknown source claiming that President Donald Trumps special envoy had met General Soleimani in Baghdad.



The source claimed that the visit was arranged at the request of McGurk, and that the American side had denied any US role in torching the Iranian consulate in Basra.



According to the source McGurk reportedly told Soleimani that the two countries set aside their differences and cooperate to support the new government in Baghdad.



The official Twitter account of the US Embassy in Baghdad also dismissed the report.



The embassy is aware of false media reports that special presidential envoy Brett McGurk and an Iranian general met to discuss forming a new Iraqi government. The reports are fake news. No such meeting ever happened, wrote Charles Cole, the US Embassy spokesman in Baghdad, on Sunday.





/257Two IDF soldiers and a female officer from the mixed Karakal combat Battalion were lightly wounded Sunday in Qalandiya after Palestinians hurled stones at their bus that accidently entered the Palestinian refugee camp.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The officer sustained injuries to her face and limbs caused by broken glass shards. She and the two additional soldiers wounded in the incident were evacuated to the hospital to receive medical attention.

Bus accidently enters Kalandia (   )

X

Border Police officers detained three Palestinian in their 20s and 30s suspected of attacking the bus, two of whom reside in Qalandiya and one in Ramallah.

Border Police and Karakal forcesassisted by Palestinian policemenextricated the bus from Qalandiya shortly after the Palestinian defense establishment and the IDF activated their rescue protocols.

In addition, security forces that were called to the scene fired into the air to disperse the violent crowd.

During the disturbances, one of the Border Police officers sustained an injury to his head despite wearing a helmet and was evacuated to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem while fully conscious.

Military bus which accidently entered Palestinian refugee camp

The IDF said the circumstances leading to the incident would be investigated.

Border Police force commander, Sgt. 1st Class Eyal Abas said, "After the report (of the attack on the bus) was received, Border Police forces operating in the area drove towards the bus.

"Upon their arrival, the forces saw dozens of Palestinians throwing stones and other objects at the bus, prompting them to use crowd-dispersal measures," Abas elaborated.

"By acting in a professional manner, the forces managed to rescue the soldiers from the refugee camp," he concluded.

In February, two soldiers who accidentally entered the West Bank city of Jenin were attacked by young Palestinians who encircled the military vehicle.

The two soldiers, a man and a woman, were wounded by stones. One of the soldiers' weapon was stolen, the IDF said.

A week earlier, an Israeli citizen drove into the Palestinian town of Abu Dis near Ma'ale Adumim on a Friday evening and was attacked by Palestinians, who torched his car and lightly wounded him.Ari Fuld, who was stabbed to death Sunday at the entrance to a local shopping center in Gush Etzion by a Palestinian terrorist, was an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for various settlement evacuation policies and for apologizing after the Shin Bet detained the left-wing Jewish-American journalist Peter Beinart at Ben-Gurion Airport.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Fuld, a US-born father of four and a well-known right-wing activist, shared his positions on his public Facebook page called "Ari Fuld Israel Defense Page."

He ran the Facebook page that had hundreds of followers on which he shared his political views and published videos which gained thousands of views.

Ari Fuld

"Stop apologizing to Israel's enemies and stop making agreements with them. Bibi, you owe this country's citizens an apology for this shameful behavior," he said, using Netanyahu's common nickname.

Thousands turned out late Sunday evening to attend Fuld's funeral at a cemetery at the Kfar Etzion settlement in the West Bank.

"The police, the Shin bet and the government did nothing when Jewish youths were severely abused during questioning. However, when an Israel-hater goes through meticulous inspection at the airport, the prime minister condemns and the Shin Bet apologizes?" he lashed out.

"And you still wonder why they agree to a ceasefire with Hamas?" Fuld said.

Netanyahu was panned again during the evacuation of the illegal outpost of Netiv Haavot in Gush Etzion.

Fuld posted a live video documenting the evacuation and came out against it.

"Those who think of voting for the Likud party (headed by Netanyahu) in the next electionsdon't cry," he stated.

"It is true Netanyahu is an outstanding statesman, but there is no PR, no words that can fix this," Fuld said in his video while pointing at the houses meant for demolition.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: AP)

Only five months ago Fuld criticized the military court's decision to convict a terrorist who stabbed an Israeli woman in the Gush Etzion junction of aggravated battery and not attempted murder.

"The Israeli court has lost its moral conscious," Fuld wrote.

In addition, the 45-year-old father of four slammed Arab Knesset members several times and argued some of them are working against Israel and want to see it destroyed.

In one of the videos uploaded on his page, Fuld can be heard saying, "Sometimes I ask myself if we are that stupid and want to commit suicide?

"Several Arab MKs are working against the country and cooperate with those who want to see us destroyed," the right-wing US-born activist went on to say.

"I wonder whether they should even be allowed to sit in the Knesset," he added.

On a different post, he shared a video blasting Arab MKs. "The terrorists must be removed from the Knesset! Share if you agree!"

In addition, Fuld repeatedly attacked left-wing and BDS activists. He compared, among others, the Left's advocacy for Jewish settlements evacuation from the West Bank to their objection of deporting infiltrators from Israel.

"What do you call it when Jews are treated differently?" he asked.

Elor Azaria on Fuld's Facebook page

Fuld's objection to the ceasefire with Hamas was also mentioned in the last post he published a month ago regarding the police's rejection of a request made by Elor Azariathe former IDF soldier who was convicted of manslaughter and imprisoned for shooting dead a seriously wounded neutralized terrorist in Hebron in March 2016for a gun license.

"Israel's governments have signed ceasefire agreements with Hamas, agreements with Mahmoud Abbas who supports the killing of Israelis, handed out weapons to terrorists such as Yasser Arafat who killed Jews with his own hands, but Elor Azaria cannot be issued a gun lisence because he killed a terrorist," he vented. "Is it just me who sees the problem here?"Thousands turned out late Sunday evening to attend the funeral of the 45-year-old American-Israeli Ari Fuld, who was killed in a stabbing attack by a Palestinian terrorist in Gush Etzion.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Family members and mourners waved Israeli flags at the funeral, which began close to midnight at a cemetery at the Kfar Etzion settlement in the West Bank.

Rabbi Yonah Fuld delivers eulogy at his son's funeral (:  )

X

I dont know how I will go on without you, said Fulds widow, Miriam, who had asked him to go shopping at the mall where he was stabbed to death by 16-year-old Khalil Jabarin from the Palestinian village of Yatta near Hebron.



We were born 24 hours apart from one another. We didnt know it would end like this. You fought for what you believed in. I promise to take care of the children. Your job is to look after us from above, Miriam said in an emotional eulogy.

Thank you for all the wonderful years and for the wonderful children that you gave me. I love you, I love you, I love you, she repeated.

Fulds daughter, Tamar, said that when she heard about the attack, it never crossed her mind that her father was the victim. My father always told me that if life is easy, something is not right, she said, standing alongside her mother.

(Photo: Elisha Ben Kimon)

Fulds son, Yakir, praised his father a fighter, adding, and this is how he died.

The father of four from Efrat gave chase to the terrorist after being stabbed and attempted to shoot at his attacker. However, Jabarin was eventually shot and neutralized by a passerby and Fuld was eventually pronounced dead at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem

Fulds father, Rabbi Yonah Fuld, also spoke at the funeral, lamenting Israels loss as a country in the death of his son.

Zion cries and the land of Israel cries. Ari influenced thousands of people all over the world, Yonah said about his son, who was a known activist in hasbara (PR) for Israel around the world.

Miriam and Tamar Fuld (Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)

My son said he would receive thousands of letters from all over the world. Even from Saudi Arabia. He was a hero to all, Yonah said in his eulogy, which was interspersed with English.

He was so strong, he was so full of life. He celebrated every moment, every breath. How that voice can be silent, Yonah said as he wept.

Our son was taken from us. He had the power and passion for his family and the land of Israel. He was a hero to all. You were proud of your children. You were completely committed to your children, he said.

Ari Fuld's brother, Moshe, with his father Yonah Fuld (R) (Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)

He gave his life to sanctify God, to sanctify the land. If you would have asked him, thats way he would have said he wanted to go, Yonah said.

Rabbi Fuld also recalled witnessing his son, whose grandmother was a Holocaust survivor, wake up at 3am to defend Israel throughout the world.

He understood why he was fighting for the land of Israel. He was a heavy machine gunner in the Paratroopers Brigade and he fought in the Second Lebanon War. He went to reserve duty every time he was called and mom always told him to stop. He would answer: Until my last breath.

(Photo: Eli Mendelbaum)

Fulds brother, Moshe, said: So many people came here to pay their final respects. If there is one word to describe my brother it is simply, hero.

Who can fight a terrorist, get out a gun, jump over a fence and shoot at the terrorist to stop him harming others, his older brother said. Ari, I am so sorry that I didnt tell you about your greatness. You are a true giant.Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman froze on Sunday evening the appointment of the advisory committee that was supposed to consider parole requests of terrorists who were sentenced to life in prison by military courts in the West Bank.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Lieberman issued the instruction following the revelations regarding the committees establishment in a Yedioth Ahronoth report.

The Defense Ministry said that Lieberman intends to hold a comprehensive discussion on the issue with the IDF, the Military Advocate General and the defense establishment's legal advisor.

(Photo: Ariel Harmoni)

The planned move was revealed during a hearing in the High Court of Justice (HCJ) regarding a parole request of a terrorist, who murdered Ziva Goldovsky, to be released from prison after serving 30 years, on the grounds that the current policy discriminates between those who are tried in West Banks military courts and those tried in civil courts in Israel.

The terrorist, who underwent a rehabilitation process in prison, appealed multiple times to military officials, who have full sovereignty in the West Bank, with a request to be pardoned, but it had always been rejected.

Until now, prisoners serving life sentences have been released only as part of plea deals, or due to decisions made by the political echelon, not by a relevant committee or a military source. The policy, which has been in place up to this point, did not allow the shortening of life sentences for terrorists. However, it has now been decided to equate the rights of those tried in military courts to prisoners who were convicted by civil courts.

According to legal sources, despite the establishment of the committee, the likelihood that terrorists' life sentences will be cut down are slim, but still, it constitutes a significant policy change.

Currently there are dozens of terrorists in Israeli prisons who are serving life sentences, including those who carried out terror attacks on Israeli soil.

The establishment of the committee will be accompanied by a legislative amendment, which is currently being drafted by the IDF.

"The IDF issued an official statement following the report saying the changes being made to the current policy are minor and technical.

(Photo: Gadi Kablo)

"The changes made on the issue of parole requests for those serving life sentences in the West Bank are procedural and technical, which deals with the process of considering requests by a committee to equate it with the same process in the Israeli prison system, stressed the statement.

Any attempt to present it as a change in policy or the IDFs intention to shorten the sentences of terrorists is wrong and inappropriate. There is no relief or change in policy, the statement continued before reiterating that the committee will not decide on parole requests but rather give recommendations to GOC Central Command, who has the authority on the matter.

"A procedural amendment has been adopted recently in the Judea and Samaria region, which will examine requests for life sentences and formulate a recommendation to the commander of the Central Command, who is authorized to decide on such requests. Life imprisonment (also for terrorist attacks in Israel).

"The legislation was amended following legal proceedings in the District Court and the High Court of Justice, during which the judges recommended the establishment of such a committee," it concluded.Israel has released an American law professor detained for allegedly trying to block IDF troops in a West Bank village slated for demolition which Israel says is illegal.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The 66-year-old Frank Romano, who reportedly also has a French citizenship, was detained on Friday in the embattled village of Khan al-Ahmar, along with two Palestinian activists.

Romano was found standing in front of heavy equipment being used to clear barriers that had been set up to slow demolition, witnesses said.

Khan al-Ahmar is located beside an Israeli highway that runs through the West Bank from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea.

Israeli police said three people were detained for causing disturbances.

Romano was initially taken to a West Bank police station where he briefly met with activists from an Israeli-Palestinian group, "Combatants for Peace".

Nahoum Oltchik, a member of the group, said Romano told him he started a hunger strike and would refrain from eating until Israel halts plans to demolish a hamlet of 180 Palestinians.

Gaby Lasky, Romano's lawyer, said a court ordered his release Sunday. She said he was freed early Monday after police decided not to appeal the decision.

Upon his release, Romano returned to the village and said: "I can continue the struggle with you."

Israel is expected to demolish the village in the coming days.

Last week, the High Court of Justice rejected petitions to prevent the move, paving the way for Khan al-Ahmar's potential demolition.

Israel says Khan al-Ahmar was illegally built and in an unsafe location near a major highway and has offered to resettle its 180 residents to a site 12 km (7 miles) away under improved conditions.Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman complained on Monday to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit over the IDF's decision not to demolish a house of the terrorist who murdered Adiel Kolman six months ago in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The decision not to demolish the house was made after the terrorists family managed to prove that he had suffered from a mental illness.

IDF in a house of Adiel Kolman's killer (:  ")

X

In his letter to the legal advisor, Lieberman wrote that the terrorists mental state at the time of the murder cannot be established due to his death.

"In was decided not to demolish the terrorist's house based on medical documents that indicate the terrorist's psychological history and uncertainty over his mental state at the time of the murder, which will never be solved due to his death during the incident, the defense minister wrote.

While the terrorist's family claims he was mentally ill, it simultaneously cheers and glorifies his name as a martyr in the media and social networks," he vented.

Lieberman and Mandelblit (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Lieberman's letter was also sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, to Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and to the head of the National Security Council, Meir Ben-Shabbat.



"I fear that if potential terrorists see the familys house not being demolished due to a medical historywhich will never be unequivocally provenour deterrence will be damaged, the defense minister continued.

"From now on, every murderer's family will try to claim the terrorists insanity at the time of the murder in order to avoid the destruction of their home," said the letter to Mandelblit.

IDF forces during house demolition (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

"I therefore request that you reconsider the legal policy regarding decisions not to demolish the homes of terrorists, who are alleged to have had a history of mental problems. This kind of policy encourages the families to falsely claim insanity, to delay the implementation of the demolition, and to seriously impair deterrence," he concluded.

Earlier this month Adiels family was informed that the IDF has decided not to demolish the house of terrorist Abd al-Rahman Bani Fadel.

(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit )

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit issued a statement saying, "It has been decided not to demolish the home following a thorough examination of the claims made by the terrorist's family regarding his mental state and after reviewing the relevant documents presented."

Kolman's family, however, disputes the conclusion that Fadel carried out the attack due to his mental problems while pointing out that Fadels family had expressed support for the stabbing that in Jerusalems Old City by the 28-year-old terrorist. Hamas, Kolman's family noted, had also offered Fadel's family support.IDF forces began mapping for demolition the home in the Palestinian village of Yatta overnight Sunday of the terrorist who stabbed Ari Fuld to death outside a Gush Etzion shopping mall.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Work permits were also confiscated from some of the members of the 16-year-old terrorist, Khalil Jabarin.

Video of IDF soldiers mapping terrorist's home in Yatta (:  ")

X

Jabarin left his home in the village which has produced a number of terrorists who have carried out major attacks on Israelis and stabbed Fuld, a 45-year-old father of four, in the back.

(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Fuld, a right-wing online activist, pursued his attacker and fired shots in his direction before being evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem where he was pronounced dead.

(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

The terrorist, who had no security-related history, was eventually shot and neutralized by a passerby. He was evacuated to the same hospital as Fuld fully conscious.

Yatta, near Hebron, has served as a hotbed of terror activity. The adjacent Palestinian village was the home of two terrorist who carried out a deadly shooting attack in Tel Avivs popular Sarona market in which four were killed and 16 wounded.

(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Other terror attacks committed by residents of Yatta and surrounding areas include a stabbing attack carried out in Rahat on Shlomit Gonen in February 2016.

Thousands turned out late Sunday evening to attend Fulds funeral , who was remembered as a hero to all.

Ari Fuld

Family members and mourners waved Israeli flags at the funeral, which began close to midnight at a cemetery at the Kfar Etzion settlement in the West Bank.

Fuld was at times an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for various settlement evacuation policies and for apologizing after the Shin Bet detained the left-wing Jewish-American journalist Peter Beinart at Ben-Gurion Airport.

Khalil Jabarin

Netanyahu and Bayit Yehudi Chairman Naftali Bennett also visited the Fuld family before the funeral.

This evening I met the parents and siblings of the Israeli hero Ari Fuld. I embraced them in the name of the whole nation of Israel during this terrible time for them. We owe our lives to heroes like Ari. We will always remember him, Netanyahu said after meeting the family of the 45-year-old victim.President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's calls for a ceasefire in Syria's rebel-held Idlib region were bearing fruit after days of relative calm but more work needed to be done, Hurriyet newspaper reported on Monday.

Erdogan was due to hold talks in Russia later on Monday with President Vladimir Putin, whose military support for the Syrian government has helped reverse years of rebel gains and who publicly rebuffed Turkey's ceasefire call 10 days ago.US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed Washington's support for a business summit that aims to boost connectivity in Eastern Europe and improve ties between the region and the US and European Union.Four months after Israel's Ambassador to Ankara Eitan Na'eh, was expelled from Turkey following the death of 61 Palestinian protesters during "March of Return" riots, the two countries are conducting secret talks in order to normalize relations.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



According to Israeli and Turkish officials, if there will not be another last-minute crisis, the two countries are expected to return their respective ambassadors after the Jewish holidays.

In addition, the Israeli Foreign Ministry recently published a tender for the appointment of a new Israeli ambassador to Turkey for the summer of 2019.

According to a Yedioth Ahronoth report, Turkey sent an economic attache to Israel for the first time in years. The attache is already active in promoting economic relations between the two countries.

Several factors are behind the resumption of talks between Israel and Turkeythe end of the Syrian civil war, Syria's President Bashar Assad who is a common enemy, and Iran's entrenchment in Syria.

Sources who follow the Turkish media say the country has surprisingly refrained from condemning Israel for the recent air strikes attributed to the IDF in Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganwho is at odds with the US administration and is dealing with an economic crisis which led to a drop in the Turkish currencybelieves it is not a good time for an additional diplomatic confrontation to develop further.

According to a Plate Radar report, an Israeli and a Turkish governmental planes took off simultaneously at 9am on Sunday from Ben Gurion International Airport to the United Arab Emirates, making a short, midway stop in Oman.

The planes landed in Abu Dhabi at 2:30pm and took off again this morning.

The purpose of the flights is not yet clear.

Also, both President Erdogan and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman spent the weekend in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and almost ran into each other.

Lieberman was invited to visit the Muslim state and held talks with President Ilham Aliyev and a number of senior officials in the country, which maintains extensive security ties with Israel.

Avigdor Lieberman (Photo: Avihu Shapira)

According to foreign reports, Azerbaijan is one of the main purchasers of Israeli weapons.

The local media reported that Lieberman and his hosts discussed strengthening the security ties between the two countries, the continuation of regional cooperation, and a threat posed by the Iranian regime.

Erdogan landed on Saturday in Baku in order to participate in a military parade marking the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Azerbaijan from the Armenian-Bolshevik occupation.

Diplomatic sources stress that the visits of the two officials were a coincidence and no attempts were made by the Azerbaijanis to try and mediate between the sides.

It was reported that the closest Lieberman got to the Turkish president was seeing Erdogans envoy return from the parade through his hotel window.The Russian military says the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 came from the arsenals of the Ukrainian army, not from Russia.

The passenger jet was shot down by a Soviet-made missile over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people aboard. The Netherlands and Australia announced in May that they believe the missile was transported to Ukraine from a military unit in the Russian city of Kursk.Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Sunday that he has asked Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to ask US officials for clarification on the identity of the Israeli official who assisted President Donald Trumps former campaign manager Paul Manafort to slander the opposition candidate in Ukraine during the Obama administration.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



An indictment submitted against Manafort said that he acted, together with a senior Israeli official in order to discredit the leader of the opposition in the eastern European country, Yulia Tymoshenko, and to label her as an anti-Semite.

According to the indictment, Manafort and the Israeli official colluded to ensure that Israel would publish a statement against an anti-Semitic comment made by one of Tymoshenkos supporters.

Paul Manafort (Photo: Reuters)

Manafort subsequently worked to ensure that the Israeli statement was disseminated and received further exposure in what was a ploy to pressure the Obama administration at the time to shun Tymoshenko and to support the pro-Russian government in Ukraine.

Manafort coordinated privately with a senior Israeli government official to issue a written statement publicizing this story, the indictment said. Manafort then, with secret advance knowledge of that Israeli statement, worked to disseminate this story in the United States.

The indictment makes reference to Manaforts scheme designed to whip up hysteria among Obama jews in order to put pressure on the administration to throw its weight behind the then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Yulia Tymoshenko (Photo: AP)

Yanukovych served as President of Ukraine from 2010 until his ouster in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, amid unrest over his push to take the Eastern European country back into the Russian sphere of influence and away from the EU.

Yanukovych, who is thought to be close to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, now lives in exile in Russia. Within days of Yanukovych fleeing, Russia took military action that ultimately lead to the annexation of the Crimea Peninsula from Ukraine.

The indictment does not elaborate on the identity of the Israeli official. However, in October 2012, Lieberman, who was then serving as the foreign minister, published a statement that was identical in nature to the statement contained in the indictment.

Lieberman denied having any connection with the issue and maintains that he never spoke to Manafort or met with him.

Liebermans latest request to Shaked on the matter was a partial attempt to remove any further suspicion that he was the official who colluded with Trumps former campaign strategist.

Liebermans close associates have emphasized that there was also a host of other Israeli officials at the time who came out against the developments in Ukraine and against the entry of the nationalist Freedom into parliament.

Minister Lieberman (Photo: Gil Nachshoni)

At the time, the current Israeli Envoy to the UN Danny Danonwho was then serving as the Minister of Aliyah and Absorptionasked Ukraines authorities to provide protection to the Jewish community there against the anti-Semitic Freedom party.

Danon also announced that he was considering holding emergency committee meetings in order to examine the activities being undertaken by the Ukrainian government to solve the case surrounding the murder of a Jewish doctor and steps taken to prevent anti-Semitic parties from promoting more attacks on Jews in the country.

In addition, 61 MKs signed a petition that was sent to the European parliament against the Freedom party and its ties with Tymoshenko's Fatherland party.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry initially refused to pass comment on the official statement of condemnation that was published in October 2012 and declined to respond to the question of whether proper staff work was carried out prior to its publication, or whether it was a directive from one senior official or another.

Former MK Zehava Galon (Meretz) urged Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to launch a criminal investigation against the Israeli official who colluded with Manafort.

The letter written to Mandelblit says that the unnamed official may have received personal gain for his role in the affair. Moreover, it says that the official exploited his position to promote the interests of Manafort, Russia and Russian officials in Ukraine.

Zionist Union leader Avi Gabbay also called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to immediately investigate the matter and to make public the identity of the official embroiled in the affair.

Danny Danon (Photo: Knesset)

The Foreign Ministry, however, defended the statement of condemnation that was published at the time

The condemnation of the Foreign Ministry at the time was correct and timely, against an anti-Semitic party that spread its satanic doctrine on dozens of occasions, the ministrys statement said.

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman does not know Manafort, has never met him and has never spoken to him. All the rest is fictional science for conspiracy lovers, it added.A medical source in the Palestinian Health Ministry backed away on Monday from an assertion that an 11-year-old boy killed at a protest on Friday at the border with Israel had been shot by Israeli soldiers.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



"The boy died of a head injury," said the source, who asked not be identified, declining to give specifics and stopping short of attributing the death to Israeli gunfire.

The boy was originally reported to be 14 years old.

On Friday, Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for the Health Ministry in Gaza, said the youth, Shadi Abdel-Al, had been shot dead by Israeli troops.

Violent Gaza protests (Photo: AFP)

Two other Palestinians were killed during the weekly protest by Israeli live fire, local medics said on Friday.

An Israeli military spokeswoman, asked on Monday about the circumstances of the boy's death and media reports that he had been killed by a stone thrown during the protest, referred Reuters to comments tweeted by the military's Arabic-language spokesman.

The spokesman tweeted that there were "increasing indicators from Gaza that question the credibility" of the Palestinian Health Ministry's original statement about the boy's death.

"According to the indicators and testimonies, the boy was killed as a result of an injury from stones thrown during the violent riots," the spokesman wrote.

Since March 30, Palestinians pressing claims against Israel have mounted stone-throwing protests that have included attempts to breach the Israeli border fence with Gaza, run by the Islamist terror Hamas.

In Friday's violent protests, the IDF said it used force necessary to prevent border breaches by some 13,000 Palestinians who massed at several points near the fence, some of them hurling rocks and fire bombs at troops under cover of smoke from burning tires.The Syrian Human Rights Monitoring Center announced Monday that some 113 Iranians and militia members affiliated with the Islamic Republic have been killed in the past two months in Israeli strikes on Syria.

On Wednesday, the Assad regime announced that air defense systems had launched missiles against Israeli warplanes that attacked the area near Damascus airport.The French Foreign Ministry condemned Monday the terrorist attack at the Gush Etzion intersection, where Ari Fuld was murdered Sunday.

"France condemns the attack in which an Israeli civilian was killed near Gush Etzion in the West Bank. We send our condolences to his family. We note that the use of violence is unacceptable and can only exacerbate tensions in the reagion", the statement read.Korea's President Moon Jae-in is set to cross the heavily militarised border on Tuesday for his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, seeking to cement a breakthrough in faltering nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

The inter-Korean summit will be a litmus test for another meeting Kim has recently proposed to US President Donald Trump, giving clues to whether Kim is serious about denuclearisation, a commitment he made at their first encounter in June.

Trump has asked Moon to be "chief negotiator" between himself and Kim, according to Moon's aides, after Trump cancelled a trip to Pyongyang by his secretary of state last month.US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley accused Russia on Monday of "cheating" on UN sanctions on North Korea and said Washington has "evidence of consistent and wide-ranging Russian violations."

Haley told the UN Security Council that while "difficult, sensitive talks" between the United States and North Korea are ongoing, it was the wrong time to start easing sanctions on Pyongyang.

"Russia must cease its violations of North Korea sanctions. It must end its concerted effort to cover up evidence of sanctions violations," she said. "Its violations are not one-offs. They are systematic."In a special discussion held Monday afternoon in the Knesset, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked blasts the opposition, prompting its MKs to slam the minister for her conduct regarding the appointment of the next police commissioner, and her approach towards the court system.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The opposition titled the discussion as "Minister of Justice's attack on High Court of Justice."

The High Court of Justice (HCJ) is widely seen in Israel as a liberal bastion that acts as a check and balance against right-wing governments. However, Shaked has been promoting more conservative judges to take the bench.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

"You have never been fans of the court, you really want it to be a submissive body rather than an independent and strong one. As long as it serves you, it is the center of justice, the minute it rules in a slightly different way, you are ready to burn the place, no less," Shaked attacked the opposition.

In response, Yesh Atid Chairman MK Yair Lapid questioned the government's motives behind the decision to replace the next police commissioner.

Yesh Atid Chairman MK Yair Lapid (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

"Who benefits the most from a weak court? A prime minister who knows that the court will decide whether he can serve as prime minister when there is an indictment against him. The answer, by the way, is that he cannot.

"That's why they're so eager to weaken the court, and that's why they do not care if they ruin Israeli society in the process," Lapid vented.

MK Shelly Yachimovich (Zionist Union) addressed Shaked's view on the controversial Nation-state law, and her attitude towards the HCJ.

MK Shelly Yachimovich (Zionist Union) (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

"I suspect Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked wants to bring down the HCJ justices and to dismiss its current president. It is clearly evident from her speech of incitement. And why? Because the court did not reject the petitions against the Nation-state law? Have you heard about separation of powers? What if tomorrow a Basic Law is passed depriving women of their basic right to own property? or perhaps depriving Israeli Arabs of the right to vote?"

"Every citizen of Israel gets up every morning and says to himself: thank goodness we have a Nation-state law, yes, you are really fulfilling the will of the people...you have degraded the court and delegitimized it, you, with your own bare hands, turned it into a persona non-grata," Yachimovich added

Meretz Chairman MK Tamar Zandberg (Photo: Amit Shabi)

When Meretz Chairman MK Tamar Zandberg took the floor, she talked about her concern for democracy, and referred to the government's decision to replace Police Commissioner Alsheikh.

"The decision not to extend the term of Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh is a political decision. A prime minister who is accused of a serious offensewill appoint his own judges and investigators. This is what a mafia looks like," Zandberg said .

Alsheikh.(left) and Netanyahu (Photos: Reuters, Alex Kolomoisky)

Addressing the HCJ's decision to freeze the proceedings of the Advisory Committee for the Appointment of Senior Officials, due to concern over the close ties of two of its members with Netanyahu, she said, "Instead of proposing that an independent committee will appoint the next commissioner they simply want to cancel the appointments committee."

"Shaked's mind is dangerous to Israeli democracy, it brings us closer to eastern European non-liberal democracies and dictators from around the world," she opined.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday 113 Iranian and militias members identified with the Islamic Republic were killed during the two past months in Israeli airstrikes in Syria.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



According to the Observatory, Iranian officers, and at least 28 pro-regime Syrian fighters were killed in the explosions of the arms depots and warehouses that were attacked since April and which Syria attributed to Israel.

Strikes in Syria (Photo: EPA)

Among the Iranian targets in Syria that were struck are the Al-Nayrab military airbase near Aleppo, Mezzeh military airport on the western edge Damascus, several locations in the Quneitra province that were repeatedly attacked, Dabaa military airfield in the Syrian province of Homs near the Syrian-Lebanese border, T-4 military airfield, locations in south west Syria, Aleppo International Airport, and the military airport in Hama.

In addition, according to the Syrian opposition head, Israel has attacked in recent months weapons depots near the Damascus International Airport and the coastal city of Baniyas, the town of Masyaf, Hama and other suburbs of the Syrian capital.

Following the attack on the Damascus International Airport Saturday which Syria also attributed to Israel, Syrian state news agency SANA reported the country's defense systems were activated and several Israeli missiles were intercepted.

"Our air defense systems thwarted an Israeli missile aggression on Damascus International Airport," the news agency SANA cited a military source as saying.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said Israel does not comment on foreign reports.

According to the Arab media outlets, the attack was directed against advanced weapons depots containing new arms delivery. They added severe damage was caused, but no casualties were reported.

Two weeks earlier, Syria said a series of explosions took place in at the Mezzeh military airport in Damascus. However, the Al Jazeera news network reported the attack targeted the scientific research center in the Jamraya area on the outskirts of Damascus.

Furthermore, it is estimated that since the beginning of Syria's civil war, 8,004 non-local fighters have been killed, most of them Shi'ite operating under the auspices of the Revolutionary Guards, and 1665 Hezbollah activists.

The Observatory added that 32,000 foreign fighters took part in the fighting in the war-torn country over the past seven years.The leaders of Turkey and Russia said on Monday they had agreed to create a demilitarized buffer zone in Syria's Idlib province to separate Syrian government troops from rebel forces, with Turkish and Russian soldiers patrolling the zone to ensure it is respected.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking after talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, said the agreement was that all heavy weapons be withdrawn from the zone, and that "radically-minded" rebels, including the Nusra front, would have to pull out of the zone.

The demilitarized zone will come into force by Oct. 15, Putin told reporters.Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday there will be no new military operation against Syria's Idlib by Syrian government forces and their allies, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

He was speaking after the Russian and Turkish presidents agreed on the creation of a demilitarized zone in Idlib to separate rebel forces in the city from Syrian government forces.A locked hand grenade connected to a balloon was found Monday afternoon on Route 234, between Kibbutz Re'im and Kibbutz Urim near the Gaza border fence.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The explosive device was located near a peanut field a day before its planned harvest.

The police closed the roads in the area to traffic, and asked the public to follow police instructions and use alternative routes. In addition, the public was asked to exercise extreme caution with regard to such suspicious objects kites and balloons which may contain explosives and flammable substances that may endanger public safety.

The police added that "immediate action was taken to isolate the scene and additional forces were called. At this stage, the suspicious object is being handled by a police sapper."

Hand grenade found in a peanut field ((Photo: Israel Police Spokesperson)

Gadi Yarkoni, Head of Eshkol Regional Council said in response that " the terror of incendiary balloons is escalating, now with explosives intended to increase the scope of the damage."

"The field was supposed to be harvested tomorrow, disaster was avoided this time, but we realize that incendiary balloons terror did not stop, but has escalated, now explosives are attached to balloon to increase damage," Yarkoni said.



"I expect policymakers to refrain from going back to their daily routine and from taking the growing terrorism in our communities for granted. Terror must be stopped immediately, and the threat to our lives should not become routine," he concluded.

Police sapper (Photo: Police)

Meanwhile, the weekly "March of Return" riots in Gaza continue. About 500 Palestinians demonstrators, who massed at several points near the Gaza border fence Saturday, burned tires, and threw stones and explosive devices toward IDF forces.

According to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, Palestinian terrorists tossed three grenades at the Karni crossing, and threw a pipe bomb in the Rafah area, targeting IDF troops.

On Friday, Gaza's Health Ministry claimed that three Palestinians, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed and at least 30 had been wounded by IDF fire in the northern Gaza Strip during weekly riots.

The IDF said in response that it used necessary force in order to prevent border breaches by some 13,000 Palestinians who gathered at several points near the fence, some of them hurling rocks and fire bombs at troops, under the cover of smoke from burning tires.

Incendiary balloons discovered in a childrens playground

Also on Friday, a several balloons were discovered in a childrens playground in Kiryat Gat which were affixed with what appeared to be a combustible thread that did not burn.

In addition, on Thursday, a pipe bomb was thrown at IDF troops near the Gaza border, prompting the force to respond with live fire targeting three Palestinians seen crawling along the security fence.

In all three cases there were no casualties and no damage was done.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit issued a statement saying Hamas continues to try and harm the defensive infrastructure of the security forces along the border fence while using civilians as shields and as cover for committing acts of terror."A missile attack was reported Monday targeting several locations in Syrian coastal city of Latakia.There is no war without war crimes. They happen and will continue to happen even in the militaries of the most democratic countries, including Britain, Canada, France and the United States.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



In the wake of human rights activists' claims against British soldiers, the British Defense Minister at the time, Michael Fallon, decided that he had enough. He threatened to suspend the Human Rights Act that enables the prosecution of war crimes committed by British soldiers.

(Photo: Getty Images)

"Instead of concentrating on the mission at hand, Fallon argued. The soldiers are distracted by potential future lawsuits. In addition, according to Fallon, many complaints against soldiers turned out to be false, but still cost the treasury a fortune.

The International Criminal Court (ICC), which follows the Rome Statute, is now threatening to investigate US soldiers suspected of war crimes in Afghanistan.

The US, like Israel, is not a signatory to the Rome Statute. Precisely because of concerns regarding the restrictions it may impose on US forces operating in many countries. However, that does not absolve anyone from prosecution.

Shortly after the establishment of the ICC in 2002, the US Congress passed a special law  the Law for the Defense of Security Service Personnel. It can be assumed that there was a connection between the legislation and US War on Terror after 9/11, and its invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.

At the time, it was clear that war crimes would be committed. They came to light once in a while, and soldiers were put on trial and sent to prison.

It should be made clear that this was not a one-party law. In the aftermath of 9/11, the law was supported by both parties.

Needless to say, since the law was passed, no investigation has been launched against US soldiers by the ICC.

When a state puts its own citizens on trial, they are no longer under the jurisdiction of the ICC. However, Hague prosecutor found various cases in which soldiers were not prosecuted, and so he decided to open an investigation.

John Bolton (Photo: Amit Shabi)

US National Security Adviser John Bolton was furious. American law is on his side. He made it clear that the United States will not extradite Americans to The Hague, and any assistance to any branch of the ICC in the United States is prohibited.

In addition, the law allows the United States to "take all necessary measures" to extricate its citizens from the long hand of The Hague agents. The law was dubbed the Hague Invasion Act," which is its best explanation.

Democratic states do not need to be exempt from war crimes prosecution. The point is, these countries have legal systems that deal with complaints dealing with irregularities. The fact that the punishments given are sometimes relatively lenient does not stem from disrespecting the law, but from a considering all circumstances.

This was the case with the British soldier Alex Blackman, who murdered a wounded terrorist after a battle in Afghanistan, as was the case with Elor Azaria, as is the case with many other Western soldiers who were tried.

Israel is also part of the picture. Bolton made it clear that not only would he not allow the ICC to prosecute American soldiers, but the United States would also protect Israel.

This is not an empty statement. In the wake of the dispute between The Hague court and the United States, the Palestinians have filed a complaint against Israel following the decision to evacuate the illegal Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar. It remains unclear whether the prosecution will agree to take the case since the decision was made by Israel's High Court of Justice which enjoys international prestige.

The great tragedy is the politicization of international law. When an international arrest warrant was issued against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, he was received with royal honor at the Arab summit. Syria's President Bashar Assad and other senior Syrian officials know that they have nothing to fear. But the Palestinians, who fund murderers and their families, turn to the ICC to file complaints against Israel.



Missiles targeted several locations in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia on Monday but were intercepted and downed by air defenses, Syrian state media said.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The official SANA news agency said state technical industry institutions in Latakia had been targeted, adding they are likely the result of Israeli strikes on a state technical company.

Attack on Latakia

X

According to the Russian news agency Sputnik, the strike was intended to hit a warehouse storing drones and missiles.

The Lebanese Al Mayadeen news channel, the main site attacked was the Technological Industries Corporation.

Al Jazeera said that the missiles were fired from the sea, while CNN reported that according to TASS, the ministry of defense specified that "the mark of IL-20 went off the radars disappeared during the attack of four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia."

Arabic Sky News quoted sources claiming that the missiles hit a base housing Iranian militias.

Israel has yet to comment on the incident.

"Air defenses have confronted enemy missiles coming from the sea in the direction of Latakia, and intercepted a number of them," SANA quoted a military source as saying.

A military official says more strikes targeted the provincial capital from the sea but Syrian air defenses intercepted them.

Explosion heard in Latakia

The state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV reported that half an hour aftrer loud explosions were heard, strikes continued. The Syrian program aired footage of what appeared to be fire in a pitch black area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles targeted ammunition depots of the technical industry institution located in the eastern outskirts of Latakia.

On Saturday, Syria's state media said Israel has launched a missile attack on Damascus International Airport, adding that Syrian air defenses shot down some of them.

IDF attacks Iranian targets in Syria (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

"Our air defense systems thwarted an Israeli missile aggression on Damascus International Airport," Syrian state news agency SANA cited a military source as saying.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said Israel does not comment on foreign reports.

Erlier on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 113 Iranian and militias members identified with the Islamic Republic were killed during the two past months in Israeli airstrikes in Syria

According to the Observatory, Iranian officers, and at least 28 pro-regime Syrian fighters were killed in the explosions of the arms depots and warehouses that were attacked since April and which Syria attributed to Israel.

Among the Iranian targets in Syria that were struck are the Al-Nayrab military airbase near Aleppo, Mezzeh military airport on the western edge Damascus, several locations in the Quneitra province that were repeatedly attacked, Dabaa military airfield in the Syrian province of Homs near the Syrian-Lebanese border, T-4 military airfield, locations in south west Syria, Aleppo International Airport, and the military airport in Hama.Gaza medics said on Tuesday that two Palestinians were killed by an Israeli missile strike the previous night on terrorists who the IDF said were placing a suspicious object near the Gaza border fence.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



There was no immediate word on the identities of those killed in the overnight strike east of Qarara village.

An Israeli military spokesman said in a statement late on Monday an aircraft fired at "terrorists (who) suspiciously approached the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip and placed an object adjacent to the fence".

In addition, thousands gathered Monday on the beach along the border fence separating the Gaza Strip and Israel to demonstrate against Egypt and Israel's blockade.

Gaza's Health Ministry says 26 Palestinians were wounded during the mass protest.

File Photo

The army says protesters burned tires and threw rocks and explosives at troops on the border, who responded with tear gas and live fire.

Earlier, a locked hand grenade connected to a balloon was found Monday afternoon on Route 234, between Kibbutz Re'im and Kibbutz Urim near the Gaza border fence.

The explosive device was located near a peanut field a day before its planned harvest.

The police closed the roads in the area to traffic, and asked the public to follow police instructions and use alternative routes. In addition, the public was asked to exercise extreme caution with regard to such suspicious objects kites and balloons which may contain explosives and flammable substances that may endanger public safety.

Hand grenade found in a peanut field

Gadi Yarkoni, Head of Eshkol Regional Council said in response that "the terror of incendiary balloons is escalating, now with explosives intended to increase the scope of the damage."

"The field was supposed to be harvested tomorrow, disaster was avoided this time, but we realize that incendiary balloons terror did not stop, but has escalated, now explosives are attached to balloon to increase damage," Yarkoni said.

"I expect policymakers to refrain from going back to their daily routine and from taking the growing terrorism in our communities for granted. Terror must be stopped immediately, and the threat to our lives should not become routine," he concluded.

Meanwhile, the weekly "March of Return" riots in Gaza continue. About 500 Palestinians demonstrators, who massed at several points near the Gaza border fence Saturday, burned tires, and threw stones and explosive devices toward IDF forces.

On Friday, Gaza's Health Ministry claimed that three Palestinians, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed and at least 30 had been wounded by IDF fire in the northern Gaza Strip during weekly riots.

The IDF said in response that it used necessary force in order to prevent border breaches by some 13,000 Palestinians who gathered at several points near the fence, some of them hurling rocks and fire bombs at troops, under the cover of smoke from burning tires.EDINBURGH - Prime Minister Theresa May pledged on Monday to protect British Jewish identity and Israel's right to defend itself, in an attack on opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn in the run-up to his Labour Party conference next weekend.

May told a United Jewish Israel Appeal dinner she was "sickened" by the idea that some Jews questioned whether Britain was a safe place to raise their children.

Labour has been angrily divided this year over pockets of anti-Semitism which Corbyn himself has acknowledged. Critics suggest he should step down for failing to tackle the issue.

A poll in Britain's Jewish Chronicle earlier this month said that 40 percent of Jews would consider emigrating if Corbyn won power in a national election.Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Last week, Andrew Emerson Beno, 31, of Chinle, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Beno had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.

Beno admitted to using a shotgun to shoot at the victim, which resulted in pellets becoming embedded in the victims leg. The incident occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, and both Beno and the victim are members of that tribe.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.Latest News

Salt Lake City, Utah - Federal prosecutors in Salt Lake City have unsealed charges alleging three individuals operating a drug trafficking organization traveled from Phoenix to Salt Lake City in August and kidnapped a 17-year-old boy at gunpoint from his mothers Utah business while trying to collect a heroin-related drug debt.

The defendants conducted surveillance on a business in West Valley City operated by the victims mother for two days before striking. They entered the business and demanded more than $20,000 in compensation for heroin that was seized as evidence by law enforcement officers when she was stopped while transporting the drugs from Minneapolis to the Salt Lake valley. The defendants, according to a complaint in the case, told her she was responsible not only for the cost of the kilogram of heroin seized from her on Aug. 11, 2018, but was also responsible for heroin seized from another member of the drug trafficking organization.

Charged in the case are Oscar Rene Chacon Lopez, age 26, a Honduran citizen living in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico; and Jeanette Mejia, age, 25, Juan Carlos Moreno Trinidad, age 41, Nadia Carolina Avalos, age 33, and Issa Jassim Al-Sadoon, age 26, all of Phoenix.

The defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin in a federal indictment. Chacon, Moreno, Avalos and Al-Sadoon are charged with kidnapping and Hobbs Act extortion in the indictment. Moreno, Avalos and Al-Sadoon are charged with brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and Chacon and Mejia are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The case stems from an investigation into a drug trafficking organization conducted by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and the Salt Lake City Division of the FBI. The West Valley City Police Department has also assisted with the case.

The complaint alleges the investigation has established that the defendants charged in the case have conspired with others to distribute 1000 grams or more of heroin in Utah.

The complaint alleges the individuals conspired to commit overt acts in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Law enforcement officers seized approximately 990 grams of heroin and 28 grams of cocaine during the execution of a search warrant at a storage unit in West Jordan on April 10, 2018. During a traffic stop in Sandy on the same day, investigators seized 638 grams of heroin, 43 grams of cocaine, and $1,300. Later the same day, investigators seized approximately 567 grams of heroin, 17 grams of cocaine, $2,195 in cash, and packaging material consistent with illegal drug distribution during the execution of a search warrant in Magna.

The juvenile victim was abducted on Aug. 13, 2018. The victim called his mother and told her he had been taken by men who wanted money from her. She also received a short video of the inside of her truck demonstrating the kidnappers had also stolen her truck. In the following hours, Chacon sent numerous typed text messages and recorded voice messages. The complaint alleges the juvenile was kidnapped because of a drug debts and he would only be released unharmed if she did what she was told and deposited cash into bank accounts he had provided. He threatened her son and other children at her home with physical violence. Chacon made it clear he directed the kidnappers in Utah and that her son would be released only after he was paid at least $10,000.

FBI agents, Utah County Major Crime Task Force detectives, and West Valley police officers were able to locate and remove the juvenile victim later that evening from a Salt Lake County hotel room and return the juvenile unharmed to his home. Chacon, Moreno, Al-Sadoon and Avalos were charged in a complaint filed Aug. 20, 2018. Mejia was added as a defendant in the case when it was presented to a grand jury Sept. 4, 2018.

The maximum potential for the heroin conspiracy charge is life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. The potential penalty for brandishing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense is 7 years in prison. Kidnapping carries a potential life sentence with a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence. The Hobbs Act extortion count and the conspiracy to commit money laundering both have potential 20-year sentences.

Moreno, Al-Sadoon, and Avalos have been arraigned on the charges in the indictment and have entered pleas of not guilty to the charges. A five-day jury trial has been set for Nov. 13, 2018, before U.S. District Judge David Sam. The defendants are in custody pending trial. Federal arrest warrants are pending for Chacon and Mejia.Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.Check out the details of the upcoming PSE event in Peshawar and invest in a property of your choice by visiting us on the event day.VILLANOVA, Pa.  Heidi M. Rose, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Communication in Villanova Universitys College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has received the 2018 Leslie Irene Coger Award for Distinguished Performance from the National Communication Association.

Given annually, the award honors individuals who have contributed an outstanding body of live performances. Dr. Rose has amassed many accomplishments in a 20-plus year career as a performance studies scholar, consistently crafting performances aimed at illuminating how power impacts bodies, cultures, families and theatre itself.

As both a professor and a solo performer, Dr. Rose studies performance from the interrelated perspectives of communication, culture and identity. She has performed her trilogy of solo one-acts, Words and Music: Mirror Image, Good Enough and Twin, as a guest artist at universities across the country, including Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, Arizona State University, Monmouth University and Emerson College.

In 2017 she received the Creative Expression Award from the NCA for the Study of Communication for her solo performance of Twin. In 2015 she was honored with the Lilla A. Heston Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Interpretation and Performance Studies.

The recognition Dr. Rose continues to receive for her work is well-deserved and truly inspiring, said Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD, Dean, Villanova University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is both an outstanding scholar and an acclaimed performance artist.

In addition to her solo performances, Dr. Roses research on Deaf culture and the poetics of American Sign Language has been groundbreaking in its contribution both to knowledge of Deaf culture and ASL. Her studies of ASL literature have been published in Text and Performance Quarterly, Language in Society and The Journal of Applied Communication Research. Dr. Rose co-edited and contributed to the first-ever bilingual-bicultural book/DVD on ASL literary theory and criticism, Signing the Body Poetic: Essays in American Sign Language Literature, published by the University of California Press. Her study of Jamaican Roots theatre and its contribution to postcolonial Jamaican identity recently appeared in Theatre Annual.

NCAs annual awards honor communication scholars teaching, scholarship and service, NCA Executive Director Trevor Parry-Giles said. Dr. Roses contributions to the communication discipline are noteworthy, and NCA is proud to recognize them with this award.

The National Communication Association advances Communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific and aesthetic inquiry. NCA serves the scholars, teachers and practitioners who are its members by enabling and supporting their professional interests in research and teaching. Dr. Roses award will be presented on Nov. 10 at the NCA 104th Annual Convention in Salt Lake City.

About Villanova Universitys College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Since its founding in 1842, Villanova Universitys College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has cultivated knowledge, understanding and intellectual courage for a purposeful life in a challenged and changing world. With 39 majors across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, it is the oldest and largest of Villanovas colleges, serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students each year. The College is committed to a teacher-scholar model, offering outstanding undergraduate and graduate research opportunities and a rigorous core curriculum that prepares students to become critical thinkers, strong communicators and ethical leaders with a truly global perspective.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova Universitys Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six collegesthe College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nations top universities, Villanova supports its students intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.Menlo Park, Calif.  Over the past three decades, lithium-ion batteries, rechargeable batteries that move lithium ions back and forth to charge and discharge, have enabled smaller devices that juice up faster and last longer.

Now, X-ray experiments at the Department of Energys SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have revealed that the pathways lithium ions take through a common battery material are more complex than previously thought. The results correct more than two decades worth of assumptions about the material and will help improve battery design, potentially leading to a new generation of lithium-ion batteries.

An international team of researchers, led by William Chueh, a faculty scientist at SLACs Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Sciences and a Stanford materials science professor, published these findings today in Nature Materials.

Before, it was kind of like a black box, said Martin Bazant, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and another leader of the study. You could see that the material worked pretty well and certain additives seemed to help, but you couldnt tell exactly where the lithium ions go in every step of the process. You could only try to develop a theory and work backwards from measurements. With new instruments and measurement techniques, were starting to have a more rigorous scientific understanding of how these things actually work.

The popcorn effect

Anyone who has ridden in an electric bus, worked with a power tool or used a cordless vacuum has likely reaped the benefits of the battery material they studied, lithium iron phosphate. It can also be used for the start-stop feature in cars with internal combustion engines and storage for wind and solar power in electrical grids. Better understanding of this material and others like it could lead to faster-charging, longer-lasting and more durable batteries. But until recently, researchers could only guess at the mechanisms that allow it to work.

When lithium-ion batteries charge and discharge, the lithium ions flow from a liquid solution into a solid reservoir. But once in the solid, the lithium can rearrange itself, sometimes causing the material to split into two distinct phases, much as oil and water separate when mixed together. This causes what Chueh refers to as a popcorn effect. The ions clump together into hot spots that end up shortening the battery lifetime.

In this study, researchers used two X-ray techniques to explore the inner workings of lithium-ion batteries. At SLACs Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) they bounced X-rays off a sample of lithium iron phosphate to reveal its atomic and electronic structure, giving them a sense of how the lithium ions were moving about in the material. At Berkeley Labs Advanced Light Source (ALS), they used X-ray microscopy to magnify the process, allowing them to map how the concentration of lithium changes over time.

Swimming upstream

Previously, researchers thought that lithium iron phosphate was a one-dimensional conductor, meaning lithium ions are only able to travel in one direction through the bulk of the material, like salmon swimming upstream.

But while sifting through their data, the researchers noticed that lithium was moving in a completely different direction on the surface of the material than one would expect based on previous models. It was as if someone had tossed a leaf onto the surface of the stream and discovered that the water was flowing in a completely different direction than the swimming salmon.

They worked with Saiful Islam, a chemistry professor at the University of Bath, UK, to develop computer models and simulations of the system. Those revealed that lithium ions moved in two additional directions on the surface of the material, making lithium iron phosphate a three-dimensional conductor.

As it turns out, these extra pathways are problematic for the material, promoting the popcorn-like behavior that leads to its failure, Chueh said. If lithium can be made to move more slowly on the surface, it will make the battery much more uniform. This is the key to developing higher performance and longer lasting batteries.

A new frontier in battery engineering

Even though lithium iron phosphate has been around for the past two decades, the ability to study it at the nanoscale and during battery operation wasn't possible until just a couple of years ago.

This explains how such a crucial property of the material has gone unnoticed for so long, said Yiyang Li, who led the experimental work as a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow at Stanford and SLAC. With new technologies, there are always new and interesting properties to be discovered about materials that make you think about them a little differently.

This work is one of the first papers to come out of a collaboration between Bazant, Chueh and several other scientists as part of a Toyota Research Institute-funded research center that utilizes theory and machine learning to design and interpret advanced experiments.

These most recent findings, Bazant said, create a more complex story that theorists and engineers are going to have to consider in future work.

It further builds the argument that engineering the surfaces of lithium-ion batteries is really the new frontier, he said. We have already discovered and developed some of the best bulk materials. And weve seen that lithium-ion batteries are still progressing at a pretty remarkable pace: They keep getting better and better. This research is enabling the steady advancement of a tried technology that actually works. Were building on an important bit of knowledge that can be added to the toolkit of battery engineers as they try to develop better materials.

Spanning different scales

To follow up on this study, the researchers will continue to combine modeling, simulation and experiments to try to understand fundamental questions about battery performance at many different length and time scales with facilities such as SLACs Linac Coherent Light Source, or LCLS, where researchers will be able to probe single ionic hops that happen at timescales as fast as one trillionth of a second.

One of the roadblocks to developing lithium-ion battery technologies is the huge span of length and time scales involved, Chueh said. Key processes can happen in a split second or over many years. The path forward requires mapping these processes at lengths that go from meters all the way down to the motion of atoms. At SLAC, we're studying battery materials at all of these scales. Combining that with modeling and experiment is really what made this understanding possible.

In addition to SLAC, Stanford, Berkeley Lab, MIT, and the University of Bath, the collaboration includes researchers from the National Institute of Chemistry and the University of Ljubljana, both in Slovenia.

LCLS, SSRL, and ALS are DOE Office of Science user facilities. The theoretical aspect of the work was supported by Toyota Research Institute, among other funding agencies.

-Written by Ali Sundermier

Citation: Li et al., Nature Materials, October 17 2018 (10.1038/s41563-018-0168-4)

Press Office Contact: Andrew Gordon, agordon@slac.stanford.edu, (650) 926-2282

SLAC is a multi-program laboratory exploring frontier questions in photon science, astrophysics, particle physics and accelerator research. Located in Menlo Park, California, SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. To learn more, please visit www.slac.stanford.edu.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and creditor and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its field sales force, advice centers, and online, as well as through independent insurance advisors and affinity relationships. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset, cash management, transaction banking, and treasury services to institutional clients; correspondent banking and trade finance services for financial institutions; and short-term funding and liquidity management services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, governments, and central banks. Royal Bank of Canada has a strategic partnership with Royal College Of Physicians & Surgeons Of Canada to support the needs of Canada's medical specialists. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Read MoreiShares MSCI Chile ETF's stock was trading at $25.05 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, ECH shares have increased by 6.1% and is now trading at $26.57.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Ghana Christian International High School is one of the best institutions of learning in the country. The most priceless gift that any parent can offer his children is the right to education. Education forms the basis of most things in the life of a student. Education is also responsible for the mental and psychological growth of a student. Schools like Ghana Christian International High School have gone an extra mile to incorporate spiritual growth in their curriculum thus making it rich and useful.

Education dramatically impacts the moral behavior of a student. There is a considerable difference between the moral life of a student who has gone through a Christian school and that of a student who has gone through a regular public school. This however, does not insinuate that public schools do not concentrate on the moral upbringing of a student. Christian schools have just put in extra effort in seeing to it that they bring up students who are morally upright. They have also focused on ensuring that the students are also spiritual and will make the best leaders in the society. For that reason, Ghana Christian International High School continues to serve as a great example.

READ ALSO: Ghana Institute of Languages schools, location and contacts

About Ghana Christian International High School

Ghana Christian International High School is one of the first Christian schools to be started in Ghana. The school also has one of the most exciting histories. Ghana Christian international high school came up as a result of a vision of the Adei family. The family had three kids, two of whom were girls. One of the girls schooled at SOS-Hermann Gmeiner International College. The other one studied at Ghana International School.

When the two girls graduated from their schools, they were happy with the kind of services that they got at the schools. For that reason, they came up with a proposal of having Christian schools in the Ghana. After sharing their idea with several Christian friends, two prominent people chose to support their vision. These were, the late Rev. Bernard E. Marbell and Dr. Mrs. De-Anne M. Marbell, together with a few their friends. Within a short time, the idea was implemented. They are the founders of Ghana Christian International High School and they also serve on the board of trustees. The school also receives financial support and incentives from Mr. Geoffrey Deane and some of his friends from Australia.

Being a Christian based school, Ghana Christian International High School focuses on service to God. The ultimate goal of the school is serving God. The school works on educating morally upright students who will make the best leaders in future. The motto of the school is, For God, Family, and Country.

Apart from service to God, family and the country, Ghana Christian International High School also focuses on molding the spiritual lives of students. The school works towards bringing children closer to God. It also aims at ensuring that students realize and utilize their spiritual potential.

The school has several ways of achieving all these aspirations. It encourages students to develop the habit of reading the Bible every day. It also encourages the students to make prayer part of their daily lives. To make God known to the students, Ghana Christian International High School subscribes to some verses in the Bible that refer to the truths of Christianity. Here are the truths of Christianity that Ghana Christian International High School subscribes to:

The belief in the unity of the Holy Trinity (II Cor. 13:14, I Tim. 2:5).

The belief in the sovereignty of God in creation, providence, revelation, and final judgment (Gen. 1:1. John 3:16, Heb. 1:1-2, 10:27).

The belief in the divine inspiration and entire trustworthiness of the Holy Bible and its supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct (II Tim. 3:16-17).

The belief that sinfulness and guilt of all men since the fall, renders all men subject to Gods wrath and condemnation (Rom. 3:23. 6:23)

The belief in the redemption from the guilt, penalty, and power of sin solely through the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate son of God, as our representative and substitute (Eph. 2:8-9, John 1:12, Rom. 8:1-2).

The belief in the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and his ascension to the right hand of the father (1Cor 15: 3-5).

The belief in the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit to make the death of the Lord Jesus Christ effective to the individual sinner, granting him repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus (John 16:8-11).

The belief in the justification of the sinner only by the Grace of God through faith in Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9).

The belief in the indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (John 16:13).

The belief in the one Holy and universal church to which all true believers belong as one body in Christ (1Cor 12:12-13).

The belief in the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian High International School Ghana teaches its students to wait expectantly for the return of Jesus Christ (Rev 22:10-13, 20).

Ghana Christian International High School address

Being an international school, the doors to Christian High International High School Ghana are open to both national and international students. If you wish to be part of Ghana Christian international high school, do not worry. The details on Ghana Christian International High School address are available, and they will be of help to you. Here is Ghana Christian International High School address:

Physical address:

Afienya - Dodowa Road Box DD 66, Dodowa.

Telephone number: +233 30 707 9798

Ghana Christian International High School location

New students, particularly international students, who wish to be part of Ghana Christian International High School may worry about the location of the school. That should not be the case though. Ghana Christian International High School location is not hard to find. The school is along the Afienya-Dodowa road.

READ ALSO: Chartered Institute of Bankers Ghana courses, fees, and entry requirements

Any parent would wish the best for his or her kids. The only gift that cannot be valued is education. Enrolling your children in this school means that you have chosen one of the best international schools in Ghana. The school focuses on bringing up individuals who are all round and can fit well in the current society. One thing that any parent should always remember is that the environment that a child spends time in drastically influences the morals of the child. If you choose to subject your child to a healthy environment, you will have the best of results. Choosing Ghana christian international high school is a good decision.

READ ALSO: LUCAS College Ghana courses and admission requirements

Source: YenJumia Ghana ideally deals with connecting buyers to the sellers via their website. They are also a corporation that get in frequent contact with customers and sellers due to their style of business which is online business. For this reason Jumia Ghana contact numbers are very useful and it is a must have for anyone who feels they might need to use Jumia for business.

Let us talk about Jumia Ghana offices and personnel contacts. Read through this article and get the detailed information.

Jumia Ghana call center contacts

As is the characteristic with all corporations dealing with people directly, there is always a call centre for customers and the corporations to interact. Call centres are basically used for the following reasons;

The customers get their queries answered

The customers get to interact with management to pass their concerns

It is an easy way to seek clarification on issues you may have

The call centre for Jumia operates from Monday to Friday. It is open from 8:30 in the morning to 5:30 in the evening. Their contacts are;

Website: Jumia Ghana

Telephone: 0302740630

Email address: customer-service@jumia.com.gh.

Email 2: affiliateprogram@jumia.com.gh

Email seller.support@jumia.com.gh

Jumia food Ghana contact number

Jumia also offers food deliveries to interested persons. They deliver foods for 200 restaurants all over Ghana. You get food from whichever restaurant you chose that is in their catalog. You can contact the service using the different contacts they have provided.

Email 1: food@jumia.com.gh

Email 2: service.food.gh@jumia.com

Email 3: restaurant.food@jumia.com.gh

Telephone: 03 02 74 06 50/ 0302740650 / 0302740651

READ ALSO: Top 10 Travel Agencies in Ghana

Jumia Travel Ghana contact number

Jumia travel deals with the people who wish to travel and find accommodation in new places. This is a service that will need customer interactions oftenly. Why does this particular service need effective customer an service providers interaction?

It deals with sensitive issues. No one wants to travel to a place without assurance of accommodation. For this reason, customers need to call the service provider frequently for confirmation.

You need customers to be reassured for them to trust your service. You reassure them by creating effective communication channels where you regularly update them and receive update from them.

The contact details for Jumia travel range from Cell numbers to emails.

Telephone: +233 54 039 5333.

Postal address: 222 Ashiakle street, Abelemkpe - Accra

Email: ca.travel@jumia.com

You can use these Jumia Ghana contacts to reach them from all over Ghana. They also serve as the Jumia Ghana Kumasi contact.

Source: Yen GhanaA beautiful Nigerian lady has just taken to social media to accuse veteran Nollywood comic actor of extra marital affairs. She carefully how she enjoyed her one night stand with John Okafor but also known as, Mr Ibu.

Identified as Igwe Gloria on Facebook, the pretty lady took to a Facebook group No CHILLS in NAIJA, she disclosed that the actor is gentle, cool and left her feeling on top of the world when they were done.

Gloria further commented in Mr Ibus big belly saying she was bothered as far as she got the money she deserved at the end of the day.

Nigerian lady Igwe Gloria narrates her one night stand with Nollywood actor Mr Ibu Photo: Lailasblog

READ ALSO: I have no idea Davido is a member of any secret cult - Asa Asika speaks

However, the Facebook group is private but the post reads: The level where I am now two years from now none of you guys will get there even in your next life. I finally had a one night stand with my Mr Ibu he is so cool, sweet and lovely. All celebrities have their own ways of having s*x, they dont rush it like all this chewing gum guys we have here. He shift the pants gently, kiss you romantically and lastly insert it gently. OMG last night was WOW! I felt on top of the world. His pot belle no be here o but me I no send as far as money is involved.

See screenshot of the post below:

However, the comic actor Mr Ibu is yet to speak on if he truly had something to do with this young lady. On Friday, September 14, she later changed her display picture on Facebook to a group picture of her and Mr Ibu.

See post below:

PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group

NAIJ.com earlier reported that talented Yoruba actor Kunle Afods wife has taken to social to give a hint about her husbands infidelity. She also seized the opportunity to warn actresses who share the bed with her husband.

Nawa o!

Why do women cheat? (Nigerian Street Interview) - Street Gist | Naij.com TV - on NAIJ.com TV.

Source: Yen.com.ghYOLO actress and entrepreneur, Fella Makafui, has wowed social media yet again with a video showing her spraying wads of cash at a wedding reception.

The video sighted by YEN.com.gh showed the actress showing off her wealth as she showered money on the newly-weds.

She was attending the wedding of the head of protocol for DBlacks Black Avenue music and tattoo artist, Fadi Charles.

READ ALSO: Delay embarrasses inconsistent Joyce Dzidzor Mensah

Fella Makafui was seen having fun with the couple on the dance floor as she showed them love and showered the cash on them.

The actress was seen in a pink dress and looked all glammed up as usual.

As was expected, many fans and followers, as well as critics, took to the comment section to express themselves over the video.

One fan, kimberlychucks, who had the aim of becoming just like the actress wrote, Goals

weapgee, another fan of the actress wrote, @fellamakafui we Appreciate uwe gotchu much love girlfriend.

Another fan, laddy_patt, remarked, Madame show on show

READ ALSO: Photos: Akpene Diatta Hoggar wins Miss Universe Ghana 2018

However, some critics of the actress also made themselves known with their comments.

One critic, martin_senanu_, wrote, This girl be childish papa

Another critic, obwoy_wadon indicated that all the cash she was showering would not exceed 100 cedis. His comment read, Masa dis her money no go reach 100cedis po

reggietanoe also wrote, 2cedis note nkoaaaa

africanprodigy, tried explaining why Fella Makafui had a straight face on with the comment, why is she so serious with it. This must be her first time throwing money in this quantity.

However, one fan of the actress, kate_freda_, shut down all the critics with her comment, Whether the money is up to 100 cedis,20 cedis or 10 ghc. Every young person shows off in their own and they do have an attitude doing it. What most of u dont realize is she is young. Let her live, experience, explore, make mistakes, and learn from her mistakes. Most of you dont even know maturity doesnt necessarily come with age.

At her age and regarding to how well she is doing, she has responsibilities and has a job... a gift in acting which doesnt come naturally to everyone. If u dont like her u dont but the thing that makes u not like her makes her different. Most of you talk too much. Work on your salvation and that is what will help in the end, she said.

Not too long ago, the actress announced the reopening of her wine shop after she relocated and was also seen cruising in a new car with a customized number plate.

READ ALSO: Moesha stuns social media with latest photo

Watch: Ghana News Today: Kofi Annan Burial Ceremony | Yen.com.gh

Have national and human interest issues to discuss?

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: Yen- A 73-year-old woman, Akua Kyeiwaa, has called on KNUST's authorities to rescind its decision to convert two halls of residence into mixed ones

- According to her, the conversion could lead to poor academic performance and pregnancies

Information available to YEN.com.gh suggests that a 73-year old woman has made some predictions about the Katanga and Unity halls in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

According to a report by MyNewsGH.com, the woman, identified as Akua Kyeiwaa, stated that it was a wring decision for the university authorities to admits females into the halls.

In her opinion, their admission will not only affect the academic performance of their male colleagues, but will also lead to pregnancies.

Professor Kwesi Obiri Danso, Vice-Chancellor, KNUST Source: Supplied

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Man arrested for stealing toiletries of legislators in Ghana

Kyeiwaa went ahead to say that there is an urgent need for the universitys authorities to rescind their decision.

It has never happened before all my life experience. How can boys and girls sleep in the same hall?" the old woman quizzed.

My humble appeal to those people asking these children to sleep together should rescind such decision since the females could be impregnated eventually, she said.

The decision to convert the halls into mixed ones has generated controversy in the university.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that police officials picked up some students who were present at a meeting on campus.

The reason for the act, it was disclosed, was that the students were discussing matters related to the conversion of the halls into mixed ones.

Alumni of both halls have protested against the conversion, but their resistance have been unsuccessful.

They had earlier petitioned the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who is KNUSTs Chncellor, and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to help their fight against authorities.

The issue has since generated a heated argument between management of KNUST and Alumni of both halls leading to armed military personnel being deployed on campus to keep the situation under wraps.

READ ALSO: 10 jobs created by the Akufo-Addo government since January 2017

Ghana News Today: Lack of Evidence Against Former GFA President | Yen.com.gh

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos

Source: Yen.com.ghShatta Wale believes his ability as a musician who understands the times has given him the inspiration to soon release a song he is calling "Nana Paper."

Self-acclaimed dancehall king, Shatta Wale has indicated that he is looking to compose and release a song inspired by the person and presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo. Shatta was speaking in an interview in promotion of his upcoming album.

The album is set to be launched on October 13, 2018. It is a 17-track album and it is the musician's third studio project since coming back onto the scene after close to a decade out of work.

In the interview that was first reported by Mynewsgh,com, Shatta Wale said he felt it was necessary for Ghanaian musicians to sing about happenings in the country.

READ ALSO: I have never accused Stonebwoy of killing his mother - Shatta Wale speaks

The "Ayoo" hitmaker argued that his ability to touch on more issues than other artistes has already been on show for people to see.

He cited his 2016 song "Mahama Paper" as an example of him branching out of usual topics for Ghanaian music.

He is reported as saying: People must talk about what is happening in the society and not always singing around love. People dont want to promote us and that is what Shatta Wale has taken upon himself.

You will brag I got this I got that, for me, I will sing for the people. And that is culture. That is why Im able to do a song like Mahama Paper. I want to do Nana Paper because Nana Paper has also come to be.

READ ALSO: Fella Makafui sprays cash at wedding reception

There is no indication that the presidency will welcome this initiative although a chance at good publicity is unlikely to be turned down by politicians.

Watch: Ghana News Today: Kofi Annan Burial Ceremony | Yen.com.gh

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page

Source: Yen- Former NDC executive, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has described the party's General Secretary, Johnson Asideu Nketia, as disrespectful and arrogant

- According to him, Nketia is one of those responsible for the woes of the party

- He went ahead to say that at the right time, he will reveal secrets about Nketia

The Former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has described the partys General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, as disrespectful and arrogant.

According to him, Nketia, also known as General Mosquito, is responsible for the downturn in the fortunes of the party.

In his opinion, General Mosquitos insubordination keeps escalating and therefore needs to be addressed.

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, NDC General Secretary Source: Supplied

Source: Original

READ ALSO: 7 armed robbers who terriorize Afram Plains traders arrested by the police

Speaking on Peace FMa Kokrokoo programme, he added that there is a calculated attempt by some party officials to destroy the NDC.

Allotey Jacobs then alluded to an incident that occurred at function organized by the party's executive committee.

He revealed that General Mosquito forcibly seized a microphone from the National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy, when he was speaking to the executives.

Video credit: peacemfonline.com

This, he said, happened in the presence of other party executives and can therefore not be denied.

He then threatened to reveal more of Asiedu Nketias arrogant attitude if there is no pause to his manners.

"I know him. When it reaches the time for me to talk, I will and you know, Allotey will say it as it is. People dont know what we have gone through. Dont allow people to destroy what you have built, he declared.

Allotey Jacobs again stated that he has a lot of things to say about Asiedu Nketia, and at the right time, he will spill the beans.

To him, the only way the party will regain its vibrancy is when General Mosquito leaves, adding that his continuous presence is destroying the party.

READ ALSO: Male Conti and Katanga students will impregnate the females in the halls - 73-year-old woman declares

Top 3 Ghana Richest Women: Who Are They? | Yen.com.gh

Use the comments section below to share your views on this story. Do you have a story to share or you have information for us? Get featured on YEN.com.gh. Message us on Facebook or Instagram

Source: YenThe assemblyman for Koraso electoral area at Berekum, Emmanuel Amankona, has assaulted a health officer from the Ghana Health Service.

According to a news report by the Daily Guide, a member of the treated insecticide net team of the District Health Directorate, Darteh Collins, was allegedly beaten by the assemblyman while performing his duty.

The victim, Collins, told the police that, the assemblyman, Emmanuel Amankona and his people pounced on him because he failed to inform him before the distribution of treated mosquito nets.

READ ALSO: Jobs created by government from January 2017 to September 2018

Narrating the incident, Darteh Collins said, while distributing the nets to beneficiaries at Koraso Information Centre, the assemblyman for the area came and stopped the distribution on the grounds that he was not informed prior to the exercise.

In the process, he snatched a Samsung tablet being used by personnel that contained the database of the materials distributed.

Two other members of the team in addition to the head of the team, Darteh Collins, allegedly received slaps from the assemblyman.

The assemblyman was said to have bolted with the tablet being used for the exercise.

READ ALSO: Man arrested for stealing MPs toilet roll at Parliament House

But the police in the Koraso electoral area have arrested the assemblyman who is now facing assault charges.

The regional police spokesman, Chief Inspector Kingsley Augustine Oppong confirmed the assault case to the Daily Guide phone.

The unfortunate incident happened on September 10, 2018.

Is Kofi Annan an Example for All? - Ghanaians Speak | Yen.com.gh

READ ALSO: Nothing is free in this world  Juliet Ibrahim preaches against free bedmatics

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: Yen.com.ghThe General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, is without doubt one of Ghanas most experienced politicians.

His office is however, being on the line, as his deputy, Koku Anyidoho, has also expressed interest in serving as the partys General Secretary.

As the race gets hotter by the day, Nketia, also known as General Mosquito, may soon part ways with politics in Ghana, if signals from the current political environment is anything to go by. The NDC is scheduled to elect its national officers on December 7, 2018.

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, NDC's General Secretary Source: Supplied

Source: Original

READ ALSO: Dr. Obengfo drops the list of people who have patronized his services

1. Revelations by Bernard Allotey Jacobs

The Former Central Regional Chairman of the NDC, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has on a number of occasions, taken General Mosquito to the cleaners. He has levelled a number of accusations against him, all of which negatively affect the NDC scribe's chances.

2. Anyidoho  Deputy to Substantive

Koku Anyidoho, General Mosquito's deputy, has garnered a lot of experience in the course of his political career. This may come in as an advantage to him, and drag his boss' career to a stop.

3. Fresh face

It is not unusual for political parties to call for new people and in that respect, new ideas to help push the fortunes of the party to a preferred level. In that regard, Anyidoho may take advantage of the political wind and campaign for a youthful leadership of the party.

4. Advanced age

General Mosquito will turn 62 years in December 2018, and compared with Anyidoho's youthful look, may fall on experience to secure victory as NDC's General Secretary on December 7. 2018. A message to the effect that the party needs a youthful and energetic General Secretary to work may hinder General Mosquito's chances.

5. Rumours of a mafia group

Allotey Jacobs once hinted of the existence of a mafia group in the NDC, headed by General Mosquito.

Whether or not the allegation is true, General Mosquito may have an ardous challenge of convincing delegates that he is working in the interest of the party.

READ ALSO: Female students in Katanga and Conti halls possess evil spirits - 73-year-old woman drops a bombshell

Ghana News: President Akufo-Addo Receives Remains of Kofi Annan | #Yencomgh

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos

Source: Yen.com.ghIt is hard to find anyone familiar with local Ghanaian parlance and not understand what "gnashing" means. Of course, with standard English language, appreciation of "gnashing" is very different from it means in local parlance.

When "gnashing" is used especially in pidgin Ghanaian English, it is in reference to a situation where someone who is looking for a lover is not succeeding in their search.

YEN.com.gh compiles a list of female celebrities who have in the recent past, made public statements on their love lives and how they do not have partners.

READ ALSO: Delay says gossips and rumours drive men away from her

1. Deloris "Delay"Frimpong-Manso

The celebrated media personality is known as an outspoken and to many, fearless personality. Delay has been noted as one of the best interviewers on TV from the way she gets her guests to touch on issues they would otherwise not.

In a story we carried recently, Delay blamed her status as a single woman on the fact that there are too many misconceptions about her. By that logic, it is safe to assume that if she gets a man who can transcend the rumours, Delay might just give in.

2. Xandy Kamel

Xandy Kamel has earned her popularity from acting as well as pushing across controversial talking points. Kamel is the daughter of a former Ghanaian minister who is now of blessed memory.

She has been explicit in her search for love. The actress even posted on Instagram a while ago that she hoped men would approach her on social media if they thought they liked her.

3. Gloria Sarfo

Sarfo is also an actress. She is one of the few Ghanaian actresses who has been able to act seamlessly in Kumawood and English-language films in Ghana.

YEN.com.gh carried a story about the actress who said although she intends to settle down as a wife, she is taking her time with her choice and decision. Sarfo was of the view that if the person and time is right, she will walk down the aisle.

READ ALSO: Ive slept with pastors and politicians - Nigerian gay man reveals

4. Martha Ankomah

Previously thought to be an easy-going and free-minded young woman, actress Martha Ankomah has shown up a very strong Christian woman.

Recently, Ankomah opened up to a media outlet that she was single. And what will thrill most people is that she is totally opened to having a man in her life now provided he was God-fearing.

Watch: Ghana News Today: Kofi Annan Burial Ceremony | Yen.com.gh

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page

Source: Yen.com.ghPresident Rouhani sent a message to express condolences over the passing of Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Morteza Ashrafi Shahroudi and wished his family patience, asking the Almighty blessings for him.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): President Rouhani sent a message to express condolences over the passing of Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Morteza Ashrafi Shahroudi and wished his family patience, asking the Almighty blessings for him.



President Hassan Rouhanis message is as follows:



In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful



We are all from Allah and to Him we shall return



The passing of the great scholar Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Morteza Ashrafi Shahroudi caused great grief and sorrow.



This warrior cleric that spent his blessed life promoting Islamic values and the path of Ahl ul-Bayt, and educating a lot of students will be everlasting in the memory of Iranians, especially the pious people of Shahroud.



I hereby offer my condolences to all his followers, especially his students and his respectful family, and ask the Almighty ample blessings for him.



Hassan Rouhani

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran





..........................

/257MEDIA COURTHOUSE  Former Upland Borough Council President Ed Mitchell was sentenced Friday to 65 to 348 months in a state correctional facility for a years-long kickback scheme involving the owner of an Eddystone security system company.

You are a thief, Common Pleas Court Judge John Capuzzi told Mitchell before imposing sentence. You stole from the taxpayers under the guise of being Robin Hood, except you were the recipient of the alleged benevolence. You are greedy. You are pompous. You violated your oath of office, you denigrated the position of borough councilman, you defiled the Borough of Upland and you made fools of the electorate.

Mitchell was convicted following a jury trial in July on 42 of 44 counts, including six counts each of theft by deception and restricted activities, 12 counts of criminal conspiracy and 18 counts of bribery.

He was somewhat ironically acquitted on two counts of intercept communications concerning secret cameras installed in borough offices, the discovery of which led to his downfall.

Mitchell, 76, of Fourth Street, a Republican, served on council for 17 years until his resignation Monday, including eight as president until he was replaced by Christine Peterson in 2016.

Thomas Willard, former owner of Eddystone security system company Logan Technology Solutions, testified at trial that he paid kickbacks to Mitchell over a period of about six years in exchange for securing no-bid contracts at borough properties.

He would make sure that the jobs would go through properly, said Willard. We worked out a deal where I would cash the checks and he would get some money from each check from the jobs.

Investigators found there were more than 275 invoices and payments to Logan totaling $914,000 between October 2009 and December 2015.

Willard entered an open guilty plea to all 82 counts against him prior to Mitchells trial and was sentenced Thursday to 23 months of intermediate punishment, largely for his cooperation with the case.

Among the contracts provided to Logan was a $30,300 payment for police dashboard cameras that Willard said he never ordered. Willard said he and Mitchell concocted a story that the equipment had been stolen and that Willard should rebill the borough for more than $15,000 in replacement parts.

Willard and Mitchell were ordered to pay joint restitution of $45,762 to the borough for those bills.

Jurors also heard from numerous borough personnel and Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division Detective Timothy Deery, who recorded an interview with Mitchell while serving a search warrant at his home in August 2016.

Was there a time when you signed off on  that check knowing you were going to get part of that nut? Deery asked in that interview.

Not all the time, but there were times, yes, replied Mitchell on the tape.

Mitchell estimated it had happened no more than 25 or 30 times over five years in that interview, but said it could be higher. He also said the payments he received were never more than $800.

But one former Logan employee testified that Willard had once directed him to retrieve a $5,000 kickback from a check cashing business and deliver it to Mitchell at his house.

In addition to the kickback scheme, Mitchell was accused of secretly recording fellow council members and others using covert cameras and microphones that Willard placed in the secretarys office and council chambers, allegedly at Mitchells direction.

The cameras were discovered by then-mayor and current borough Manager Michael Ciach in March 2016. Willard testified that Mitchell directed him to install the cameras and microphones, and that Mitchell had remote access to the recording system through his phone.

The discovery of the cameras prompted the CID investigation that eventually resulted in Mitchells and Willards arrests.

Ciach told the judge Friday that Mitchell was a vindictive man who would go after anything he could to gain leverage over you if you crossed him  including loved ones  and then brag about it afterward.

Capuzzi also heard from borough resident Denise Crawford, who said she had been duped into convincing neighbors that Mitchell was trustworthy and worthy of their vote, as well as current council Vice President Moira Crawford, who said Mitchell had violated his oath to protect and serve the borough.

Mr. Mitchell lined his pockets with taxpayer monies and while doing so harmed every resident of our borough, said Moira Crawford, speaking on behalf of council. The funds that Mr. Mitchell took could have been used for projects within our borough, including, but not limited to, services for senior citizens, our youth, capital improvements, as well as equipment, to name a few.

Mitchell did not speak pending an appeal on advice of co-counsel John Flannery and William Davis, but his daughter and wife addressed the court.

My father has made the choice all his life to be the man who gets things done, said Pamela Mitchell. He has held me accountable, been brutally honest, expected much and wanted little. He has done nothing but try to make my life, my familys life, better, and the same can be said with the community he served and the town which he calls home.

Ive never known Ed to take a bribe or do anything illegal that he has been charged with, said Mitchells wife of 49 years, Linda. While Ed doesnt attend church as much as I would like, he has been a faithful, loving husband, a great father and a truly good neighbor to our community and school.

Flannery argued that Mitchell suffers from a host of health problems and that the six years sought by Assistant District Attorney Mary Mann amounted to a life sentence.

Flannery characterized the crimes Mitchell was convicted of as a blip in the radar of an otherwise exemplary life, with no prior convictions on his record. He said Mitchell does not live a lavish lifestyle and has resigned his position on council amidst the humiliation of his conviction.

But Mann noted Mitchell had only resigned on Monday  after receiving his monthly stipend last Thursday. She added that that any infirmities he might be suffering from could be addressed by the Department of Corrections and that Mitchell still does not appear to have taken any responsibility for his actions.

In fact, if you look at the presentence investigation he claims he didnt do it, she said. He doesnt care what he did. As he stands here today, I would suggest to you that he still doesnt care what he did. He didnt care when he was doing it and he doesnt care now.

Mann asked that Capuzzi impose a prison sentence to send a message that this type of behavior cannot be tolerated by elected officials. The judge, who also spent 16 years on Yeadon Borough Council and the Marple Township Board of Commissioners, let Mitchell have it with both barrels before imposing sentence.

You exhibited total disdain for the mayor, the other members of council, the borough employees and the people of Upland, Capuzzi said. Much like a child predator, you slowly groomed these somewhat naive and trusting persons into thinking you had the best interests of the borough at heart. As a result, council  to its detrimental reliance  abdicated much of its responsibility and oversight. You evolved into a ruthless dictator who took revenge on anyone who had the audacity to question your actions.

Capuzzi added that he found Mitchells denial of receiving kickbacks in the presentence report was pure baloney and that he deserved no leniency due to his age or health.

In addition to prison time, Mitchell will serve four years of probation and will refund his monthly stipend for September to the borough. He will be eligible for early release on good time in 54 months.

Flannery asked that his client be allowed to remain on bail pending the appeals process, but the judge denied the motion and ordered Mitchell taken into custody immediately.John Van Cleef Courtesy

Community Resource Center recently announced that John Van Cleef is the organizations new executive director. Van Cleef will lead Community Resource Centers efforts to fight hunger, homelessness and domestic violence in North County San Diego. Van Cleef began his position at CRC on Sept. 17.

All of us at Community Resource Center are thrilled to welcome John Van Cleef to the team, said Katrina Dodson, president of the CRC board. Johns passion for community service, coupled with extensive experience leading nonprofit organizations, make him well positioned to lead CRC. As we near our 40th year of service in 2019, we look forward to having Johns strong leadership to guide us forward.

Van Cleef has more than 25 years of experience in executive leadership positions at a diverse range of human service organizations, including Palomar Health, YMCA of San Diego County and The Salvation Army. He spearheaded highly-successful capital, endowment and major giving campaigns during his nonprofit career. Previously, Van Cleef served in the United States Army.

Im particularly excited about joining the Community Resource Center because for nearly 40 years it represents the best this community has to offer its neighbors  self-giving, tireless compassion for others in need, Van Cleef said.

Van Cleef holds a BA in management and organizational leadership from George Fox University and an MA in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary,By Emily Birnbaum

17 September 2018

(The Hill)  Thousands of protesters are expected to mobilize for a week of action to demand justice for Puerto Rico one year after Hurricane Maria devastated the islands infrastructure and resources, displacing thousands and resulting in almost 3,000 deaths.Power 4 Puerto Rico, a coalition of Puerto Rican and progressive groups, has organized a trio of protests to take place across the country later this week. The major demonstrations will be held at the White House in Washington, D.C., Trump Tower in New York City and President Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Fla. The coalition is also urging local organizers to stage smaller protests across the country. From the day Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, President Trump has shown a level of indifference and callousness towards the people of Puerto Rico that is nothing short of reprehensible, said Jose Calderon, president of the Hispanic Federation, which is participating in the protests, in a statement.It is why today we continue our work with the Power 4 Puerto Coalition to unite diverse organizations across our country to demand justice for this egregious atrocity, Calderon added.Protestors have been told to bring candles and photos of loved ones who died as a result of the hurricane.By Amy B Wang

15 September 2018

(The Washington Post)  Like magic and NO WAY!

These are the latest phrases President Trump is using to express continuing disbelief that Hurricane Maria could have caused nearly 3,000 excess deaths in Puerto Rico. In his mind  or in his tweets, at least  the death toll remains in the double digits.Multiple times last week, Trump lashed out at a study from George Washington Universitys Milken Institute School of Public Health that estimated 2,975 excess deaths occurred on Puerto Rico in the six-month period after Hurricane Maria struck the U.S. territory.First, on Thursday, Trump falsely accused Democrats of inflating the death toll as a political ploy to make his administration look bad. Late Friday night, the president tweeted again, offering no evidence but alleging that they had hired GWU Research to arrive at a death toll that was FIFTY TIMES LAST ORIGINAL NUMBER  NO WAY!There are several claims in or related to Trumps latest pair of tweets that have already been explained or debunked. But because the president this time appears to be questioning the GWU studys methodology, as well as expressing a strong (read: ALL-CAPS) doubt that a death toll can jump from the tens to the thousands, lets break those ideas down.

How did GWU researchers arrive at the 2,975 figure?

To reiterate, the GWU study estimated 2,975 excess deaths occurred on Puerto Rico in the six-month period after Hurricane Maria struck the U.S. territory. The emphasis here is on the word excess: Using projections from past census data, researchers first estimated what the death rate in Puerto Rico would have been between September 2017 and February 2018 had the hurricane not happened at all. They also took into consideration the population change caused by people moving away from the island for good in the months after Hurricane Maria.Evaluating all those factors, the study concluded that anywhere from 2,658 to 3,290 excess deaths took place between September and February. (The 2,975 number represents the midpoint of that range.) Every social stratum and age group was affected by excess mortality, the study noted, although populations in lower-income areas were hit harder.As The Washington Posts Arelis R. Hernandez, Samantha Schmidt and Joel Achenbach reported when the study was released, GWU researchers intentionally evaluated a long period of time after the hurricane to see whether the death rate would taper back to normal after a while. It did not:

People continued to die at anomalous rates long after the storm, as the territory struggled with infrastructure failures and political infighting. Nearly 900 excess deaths were reported in January and February of this year. The mortality rates remained high in the poorest areas, the study found. The GWU report has a limitation: It does not specify how people died. It is a statistical study based on death records and expected mortality rates. The researchers said they hope to conduct a more detailed investigation in the future.  the leaders of the research effort said that in low-income areas the mortality rate remained somewhat elevated even after six months. They said further investigation of mortality rates after February could push the estimate even higher.

Notably, the study was commissioned by Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello, whose administration had been criticized for its response to the hurricane and for its unwillingness to accept earlier reports of a death toll higher than 64. When the GWU report was released in August, Rossello, a onetime Trump ally, publicly accepted the findings and promised that his administration would do better.By Jorge L. Ortiz and John Bacon

17 September 2018

(USA TODAY)  Storm-weary residents of North Carolina struggled Monday to loosen the grip of Florence, the lingering killer that has closed more than 100 roads, cut off power to almost 500,000 homes and businesses and essentially cut off the city of Wilmington from the world.

At least 17 people have died in the wreckage of the hurricane-turned-tropical depression that dumped 30 inches of rain in parts of the state since last week.

In Wilmington, officials were planning for food and water to be flown into the coastal city of almost 120,000 people. The National Weather Service has measured 23.59 inches of rain at the citys airport since Thursday.

Our roads are flooded, said Woody White, chairman of the board of commissioners in New Hanover County. There is no access to Wilmington.

The tragedies were widespread. Almost 200 miles to the west of Wilmington, the Union County Sheriffs Office said swift water rescue teams were conducting a desperate search for a 1-year-old child swept away from his mother after a flooded creek overwhelmed their car.Dams and levees in areas pelted by Florence were showing signs of distress as rivers overran their banks and authorities warned of more flooding to come. Landslides have become a concern as well  especially in North Carolinas western mountains.Tens of thousands faced mandatory evacuation orders from communities along the states steadily rising rivers  the Cape Fear, Little, Lumber, Waccamaw and Pee Dee rivers are all projected to overrun their banks. Thousands of residents have taken refuge in more than 100 shelters opened across the state.You know its hard to leave home, Gov. Roy Cooper said while touring a string of shelters across the state. You miss it as soon as you walk out the door. But tens of thousands of North Carolinians have had to do that this week. []Dr. Jeff Masters

16 September 2018

(Weather Underground)  Mangkhut made landfall in China at the Guangdong city of Taishan at 5 pm Sunday local time (9Z or 5 am EDT). At the time of the 6Z advisory, three hours prior to landfall, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) rated Mangkhut a Category 1 storm with 90 mph winds. Given the large amount of destruction Mangkhut caused during this landfall, the typhoon was likely stronger than that: the China Meteorological Agency (CMA) put Mangkhuts maximum sustained 2-minute average winds at 6Z at 108 mph (48 m/s); this is equivalent to a borderline Category 2/Category 3 hurricane with 1-minute-average sustained winds of 110115 mph. Chinas Xinhua news service reported the storm had winds of 100 mph (162 kph) at landfall.The official agency responsible for advisories in the Northwest Pacific, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), put Mangkhuts 6Z maximum sustained 10-minute winds at 85 mph, which is roughly equivalent to a borderline Category 1/Category 2 hurricane with 1-minute-average sustained winds of 95 mph.Mangkhut was a huge storm at landfall, with hurricane-force winds that extended out up to 100 miles (160 km) from the center, and tropical storm-force winds that extended out up to 315 miles (510 km) from the center. This huge wind field was able to generate a significant storm surge. In Macau, which the typhoons eye passed about 40 miles (70 km) to the west of, a storm surge of 1.9 meters (6.2 feet) flooded the entire inner harbor, according to South China Morning Post. A pressure of 970 mb was measured there, along with peak sustained winds of 65 mph (105 kph).In Hong Kong, the No. 10 signal  their highest level of danager alert  remained in place between 9:40 am and 7:40 pm on Sunday, only one hour shorter than the record set by Typhoon York, which ravaged the city for 11 hours in September 1999. At the 12 monitoring stations in Hong Kong, which the center passed 80 miles (130 km) to the west of, the pressure fell low as 971 mb, and winds as high as 101 mph (163 kph) were measured.According to senior science officer Lee Suk-ming of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mangkhut brought Hong Kong a record-breaking storm surge, which was more severe than those brought by Typhoon Wanda and Typhoon Hope. The maximum storm surges recorded at Quarry Bay and Tai Po Kau were 2.35 meters and 3.38 meters respectively, higher than the 1.77m surge bought by Typhoon Wanda in 1962 to Quarry Bay, and the 3.23m surge in Tai Po Kau under Typhoon Hope in 1979. Storm surge records in Hong Kong extend back to 1904. Lee said the stronger storm surge in the Victoria Harbour could be attributed to years of reclamation. [more]By Janis Mackey Frayer and Yuliya Talmazan

17 September 2018

ITOGON, Philippines (NBC News)  Dozens of miners and their families sheltering in a chapel were feared dead on Monday after a powerful typhoon swept through the Philippines and triggered a huge landslide that buried much of the remote community.

Typhoon Mangkhut, with sustained winds of around 124 mph and gusts of up to around 200 mph, barreled past the northern tip of the Philippines this weekend, killing at least 65 people. The storm then skirted south of Hong Kong and neighboring gambling hub of Macau before making landfall in China, where four deaths were reported.

In the Philippines, the typhoon affected about five million altogether  150,000 of whom were in evacuation centers when the storm hit. In the mining town of Itogon in the north of the island nation, hundreds of rescue workers using shovels and sometimes their bare hands battled treacherous conditions and heat to search for survivors after the typhoons heavy rains triggered two landslides.

As of Monday, local authorities told NBC News that they were searching for 56 people who were still missing. Officials earlier said that they were looking for up to 100 people  mostly local miners and their families. The official number of missing could go up as officials are relying on family members to report the names of those believed to be trapped under the debris.

Local miner Roel Ulani told NBC News that he had watched from a distance as part of the hill collapsed on Sunday, burying dozens. He said the victims had been taking shelter in a former workers dormitory that had been refurbished into a chapel when the landslide hit. A second landslide blocked any means to escape, leaving the community completely trapped. [more]Subscriber content preview

NEW YORK (AP)  The luxury retailer Henri Bendel, which opened its doors in New Yorks Greenwich Village at the end of the 19th century, is closing.

L Brands Inc., which acquired the brand in 1985, said that the 23 Bendel stores will turn out the lights in January. The Columbus, Ohio, company said it wants focus on larger brands with more growth potential.





. . .Blog Archive June 2021 (1) May 2021 (77) April 2021 (77) March 2021 (82) February 2021 (68) January 2021 (64) December 2020 (67) November 2020 (66) October 2020 (66) September 2020 (67) August 2020 (74) July 2020 (83) June 2020 (92) May 2020 (86) April 2020 (104) March 2020 (105) February 2020 (74) January 2020 (75) December 2019 (75) November 2019 (70) October 2019 (89) September 2019 (69) August 2019 (81) July 2019 (77) June 2019 (73) May 2019 (110) April 2019 (110) March 2019 (102) February 2019 (85) January 2019 (123) December 2018 (116) November 2018 (112) October 2018 (121) September 2018 (107) August 2018 (150) July 2018 (163) June 2018 (190) May 2018 (145) April 2018 (112) March 2018 (124) February 2018 (113) January 2018 (164) December 2017 (150) November 2017 (144) October 2017 (169) September 2017 (171) August 2017 (135) July 2017 (131) June 2017 (147) May 2017 (160) April 2017 (138) March 2017 (156) February 2017 (143) January 2017 (203) December 2016 (208) November 2016 (185) October 2016 (173) September 2016 (194) August 2016 (232) July 2016 (225) June 2016 (238) May 2016 (231) April 2016 (215) March 2016 (246) February 2016 (226) January 2016 (252) December 2015 (230) November 2015 (250) October 2015 (234) September 2015 (222) August 2015 (253) July 2015 (275) June 2015 (279) May 2015 (223) April 2015 (226) March 2015 (243) February 2015 (258) January 2015 (281) December 2014 (292) November 2014 (296) October 2014 (413) September 2014 (472) August 2014 (506) July 2014 (483) June 2014 (488) May 2014 (512) April 2014 (497) March 2014 (531) February 2014 (482) January 2014 (535) December 2013 (482) November 2013 (441) October 2013 (416) September 2013 (491) August 2013 (521) July 2013 (491) June 2013 (470) May 2013 (457) April 2013 (426) March 2013 (420) February 2013 (414) January 2013 (489) December 2012 (433) November 2012 (504) October 2012 (469) September 2012 (430) August 2012 (427) July 2012 (360) June 2012 (336) May 2012 (362) April 2012 (322) March 2012 (263) February 2012 (224) January 2012 (291) December 2011 (295) November 2011 (325) October 2011 (330) September 2011 (319) August 2011 (333) July 2011 (318) June 2011 (387) May 2011 (373) April 2011 (389) March 2011 (375) February 2011 (335) January 2011 (400) December 2010 (445) November 2010 (395) October 2010 (312) September 2010 (262) August 2010 (277) July 2010 (323) June 2010 (386) May 2010 (360) April 2010 (333) March 2010 (351) February 2010 (336) January 2010 (384) December 2009 (353) November 2009 (300) October 2009 (308) September 2009 (350) August 2009 (298) July 2009 (255) June 2009 (203) May 2009 (193) April 2009 (186) March 2009 (197) February 2009 (173) January 2009 (148) December 2008 (181) November 2008 (197) October 2008 (236) September 2008 (304) August 2008 (314) July 2008 (273) June 2008 (27) May 2008 (1) April 2008 (6) October 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (2) February 2007 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (1) August 2006 (4) July 2006 (4) June 2006 (1) July 2005 (1) May 2005 (2) March 2005 (1) June 2004 (2) May 2004 (1) April 2004 (4) March 2004 (2) February 2004 (2) July 2003 (2) June 2003 (5)

By USA Today, Sep. 14, 2018





The mayor who banned Nike products after the brand's Colin Kaepernick ad debuted has backtracked on the order following nationwide attention and advice from the city's attorney.





Kenner Mayor Ben Zahn prohibited the purchase of Nike products for use in recreation facilities in the New Orleans suburb in a leaked memo dated Sept. 5. Zahn said in a later statement that he aimed to protect taxpayer dollars from being used in a political campaign.

Read More:



Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com

Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter

"Like" Larry Elder on Facebook



"El edificio mas alto que jamas haya sido expuesto a una enorme fuerza sismica", reza una modesta placa de 1957 en el vestibulo de la Torre Latinoamericana, el rascacielos que inauguro la modernidad en Mexico y que se ha convertido en un simbolo de resistencia ante los terremotos mas letales.

Cuando el 19 de septiembre del ano pasado un poderoso terremoto de magnitud 7.1 azoto con fuerza Ciudad de Mexico, el ingeniero Victor Hugo Ariceaga, encargado del mantenimiento de este iconico rascacielos, no entro en panico. Sabia que se encontraba en uno de los lugares mas seguros de la capital.

Durante sus 62 anos de historia, la Latino -como la conocen popularmente los capitalinos- ha resistido a los poderosos terremotos de 1957, de 1985 y de 2017.

Dichos temblores, que dejaron centenares e incluso miles de muertos, solo provocaron algun cristal roto en este edificio de 181 metros de altura que en su momento fue el rascacielos mas alto del mundo, fuera de Estados Unidos.

"No es la mejor zona para construir, sin embargo aqui se construyo la torre", confiesa a Efe Ariceaga desde el turistico mirador de este rascacielos, donde trabajan unas 3,000 personas en sus casi 40 pisos de oficinas.

Y es que el centro historico de Ciudad de Mexico, lugar donde la compania La Latinoamericana Seguros erigio su torre en 1956, esta asentado sobre un antiguo lago, por lo que el suelo esta conformado por arcilla inestable.

A esto hay que anadir el hecho de que "en Mexico se registran 40 sismos al dia de distintas magnitudes", recuerda el ingeniero. Sin embargo, la Latino "los ha soportado perfectamente", incluidos los de mayor magnitud.

Es mas, si hubiera un terremoto capaz de tumbar la Latino, seria tan potente que ningun otro edificio de Ciudad de Mexico quedaria en pie, sostiene Ariceaga.

"Desde su concepcion de diseno, sabian los constructores y desarrolladores que esta es una zona de alta sismicidad", explica el arquitecto.

Por ello, los arquitectos mexicanos decidieron apostar por un sistema innovador, mas costoso pero mas previsor que lo que marcaba la normativa de la epoca. Eso permitio que hoy siga en pie.

Un cajon de cimentacion, robustas columnas y tres pisos de sotano con una profundidad de 33 metros sostienen las 25,000 toneladas de la Latino.

Un muro flotante separa la cimentacion del resto del edificio y permite que el rascacielos ascienda o descienda en funcion de las vibraciones de un sismo o del nivel de agua bajo tierra.

Ademas, el edificio tiene una estructura de acero, del mismo tipo que el Empire State de Nueva York, que "permite deformaciones para absorber los movimientos sismicos".

Tampoco es casual su caracteristica fachada que alterna ventanales con franjas azules, puesto que estas ultimas cubren unos anillos que aportan rigidez a la Latino.

Por todo ello, los sismos se sienten mas intensos en la parte superior del edificio. "Para quien no lo ha sentido, es una sensacion no muy agradable, pero a fin de cuentas estamos en un edificio muy seguro", explica el arquitecto.

"La torre no se evacua durante un sismo porque es imposible. Uno esta mas seguro dentro del edificio", anade. Eso si, hay un protocolo que conoce todo el personal de la Latino y que consiste en acercarse a las columnas y alejarse de muebles o ventanas.

Una vez finalizado el terremoto del ano pasado, la Latino fue evacuada para revisar cualquier tipo de dano. Solo un ventanal de los primeros pisos se habia desprendido.

Ariceaga estaba tan focalizado en su trabajo que no observo como desde la ventana de su despacho, en el noveno piso de la torre, se divisaban "incendios, derrumbes y cosas terribles". Partes de la ciudad habian quedado devastadas.

Por su resistencia, la Latino ha sido utilizada como "un laboratorio de pruebas" y muchos modernos rascacielos del centro de la capital, como los situados en el emblematico Paseo de la Reforma, han copiado su diseno estructural.

De hecho, el exito arquitectonico de la Latino no se pudo constatar hasta el sismo de 1957. Al observar su resistencia, muchas empresas decidieron trasladar alla sus oficinas, explica Ariceaga.

Este arquitecto, que lleva mas de dos decadas en la Latino, recuerda con una sonrisa el consejo que le dio Leonardo Zeevaert, uno de los ingenieros del rascacielos.

"Usted no debe permitir que se modifiquen las caracteristicas estructurales del edificio. Esa es su principal obligacion", le dijo. Una advertencia que ha seguido al pie de la letra.Delegates at the ceremony (Photo: VNA)

The statue shows the sentiment and admiration for Uncle Ho, hero of national liberation and world cultural celebrity, of the local administration, as well as helps tighten the friendship between the local people and the people of Vietnam.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor of Guadalajara city Enrique Ibarra Pedroza emphasized that this is a great honour of the people and administration of the city.

For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Nguyen Hoai Duong thanked the local people for their sentiment for President Ho Chi Minh and the people of Vietnam, and affirmed that President Ho Chi Minh is a great revolutionary leader who dedicated his life to the struggle for independence and freedom, not only of Vietnam but also of all the oppressed nations in the world.

The ambassador recalled the admiration of former Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas for President Ho Chi Minh and Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, saying "These are two examples of struggle for the people in world history and they served the countries with all their strengths and virtues for the sole purpose of liberating the nations from the oppression of the colonial and empirial yokes."

The bronze statue of President Ho Chi Minh located in Guadalajara city is 60cm in height. It is created by Mexican sculptor Saul Hernandez and is the fourth statue of Uncle Ho in Mexico./.French bank BNP Paribas will not pull out from Turkey

Bank's chair Jean Lemierre says Turkish Central Bank raising interest rates was 'right move'

French banking giant BNP Paribas has no intention of pulling out of Turkey, the chair of the bank said on Friday.

"TURKEY HAS A GREAT ECONOMY"

"Turkey is a great country, it's a great economy," Jean Lemierre told CNBC in an interview during the annual Singapore Summit.

Asked whether the bank was considering to pull out of Turkey, Lemierre said, "We should calm down all these comments. Turkey is great. They face difficulties, I hope and I'm sure they know how to face the difficulties."

French bank BNP Paribas will not pull out from Turkey - VIDEO

"RIGHT MEASURES AT A TIME"

Lemierre also said the Turkish Central Bank raising interest rates was a "right move" and "a bold, and serious, and an extremely important decision".

"Turkey has to react, and they have reacted, and I think they have taken the right measures at a time when the currency was weaker and weaker," he added.

On Thursday the Turkish Central Bank raised its one-week repo rate by 625 base points, from 17.75 percent to 24 percent.Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam and overseas Vietnamese people at the ground-breaking ceremony (Photo: vov.vn)

Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam attended the ceremony during his stay in Vanuatu to submit his credentials to Vanuatus President.

The House is built on a 1,000 sqm area, which was a farm where many Vietnamese people worked in indentured servitude from colonial times. It, expected to be inaugurated in 2019, will become a place for community activities and Vietnamese language teaching for the overseas Vietnamese community there.

Previously, during a meeting with the overseas Vietnamese community in Vanuatu, Mr Nam desired the community to strengthen solidarity, maintain and develop the Vietnamese characters. In the short term, it is necessary to complete the Friendship House as a common house of the overseas Vietnamese people and promote a project on building a Vietnamese pagoda and Vietnamese language teaching for young Vietnamese people.

The 300-member overseas Vietnamese community in Vanuatu has created a solid foothold, positively contributing to the economic development of the national island and as a bridge for bilateral friendship between the two nations. Most of them work in the field of construction, trade and farm. Many people have become successful businessmen, creating hundreds of jobs for local people and being highly appreciated by local leaders./.Woodward's 'Blue Wave' launch pad: Fear crazy Trump! By Mark Alexander

The prospect of any factual wrongdoing associated with the Democrat Party's fabricated "Trump/Putin collusion" conspiracy, along with the hope for some tangential shred of indictable evidence sufficient to take down Donald Trump, continues to fade. Since Democrats can't run against peace and prosperity in the upcoming midterm elections, they're launching yet another divide-and-conquer strategy to help defeat Republicans in the Senate and House  hoping to divert voter attention from the considerable Trump administration successes. Thus, the Demo-gogues, in collusion with their Leftmedia propagandists who have aptly demonstrated their editorial disdain for Trump (to put it kindly), are promoting a new theme: "Fear Crazy Trump  Vote Democrat." It's a perfect fit, given that the delusional decompensation among Demo constituents is growing louder and more desperate every day. Prepping for their "Crazy Trump" campaign, the first installment came earlier this month, free of charge, compliments of The New York Times editorial page. The Times ran an "anonymous op-ed letter" from a "senior official in the Trump administration." If we assume that "Anonymous" is in fact "senior," a label that could loosely be applied to more than 1,500 people with White House credentials, then there's a dishonorable deep-state mole. Anonymous writes that he/she/it singlehandedly protected the nation from Trump's "misguided impulses," because our duly elected president is "not moored to any discernible first principles that guide his decision making." He/she/it even claims to have "preserved our democratic institutions" by removing documents from Trump's desk before he could sign them. But it can be fairly assumed that this inane, unsigned letter was all about setting the stage for a "Fear Crazy Trump" blockbuster book that was released this week. Ever since the Demos successfully forced Richard M. Nixon's resignation after the Watergate cover-up 45 years ago, they have sought a sequel. Enter Bob Woodward, the once-respected Washington Post reporter who, with Carl Bernstein, broke the Watergate story. Woodward was once a reputable journalist, but his credibility is long past its expiration date. He keeps bobbing to the surface periodically, promising a catch, and his latest and likely last entry into presidential politics debuted last week: Fear: Trump in the White House. The book was released last Tuesday, on the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 Islamist attack. (Apparently, Woodward and his publisher were banking that there would be no competing scandal coverage on that solemn day.) "Fear is the most intimate portrait of a sitting president ever published during the president's first years in office," say the breathless folks at Simon and Schuster. The Washington Post, which does the bidding of leftist mega-billionaire Jeff Bezos, a charter member of the "Archenemies of Liberty Club," predictably offered accolades for the book. Of course, Woodward is still on Bezos's WaPo payroll as an "associate editor." According to the Post, "A central theme of the book is the stealthy machinations used by those in Trump's inner sanctum to try to control his impulses and prevent disasters. ... Woodward describes 'an administrative coup d'etat' and a 'nervous breakdown' of the executive branch, with senior aides conspiring to pluck official papers from the president's desk so he couldn't see or sign them." That's right, protecting the nation from Trump's "impulses" by plucking papers from his desk before he can sign them  precisely the claim made in the anonymous NYT letter. Could there be a connection? (That was a rhetorical question.) In an effort to distance himself from the anonymous Times letter, Woodward laughably criticized The Gray Lady, insisting that if he were a New York Times editor, he wouldn't have published an anonymous letter. "I wouldn't have used it. Too vague and does not meet the standards of trying to describe specific incidents. Specific incidents are the building blocks of journalism." That's true, except those are precisely the "building blocks" absent from Woodward's book on Trump. Criticizing the Times was a supreme example of hypocrisy and arrogance, as if Woodward believes we should all fall under his "Trust Bob" spell regardless of the fact that his standards are no better than the rest of the Leftmedia hacks. But such criticism is typical of Woodward, who for the last two decades has arrogantly promoted himself as a god above mere mass media mortals and talkingheads. For example, in March of this year, he was questioned about the Trump presidency as a "test" for the MSM. He was asked specifically, "Do you think the media is failing the test?" Woodward responded: "Reporters have at times become emotionally unhinged. ... In lots of reporting, particularly on television [and in] commentary, there's kind of a self-righteousness and smugness, and people kind of ridiculing the president. When we reported on Nixon, it was obviously a very different era, but we did not adopt a tone of ridicule. The tone was, 'What are the facts?'" Under Ben Bradlee, WaPo editor at the time Woodward and Bernstein unearthed the Watergate cover-up, the standards for journalism there were very different. Back then, Woodward would've been expected to focus on facts  and fired if he'd wrapped them in ridicule. But the Post dropped that journalistic standard when Bezos took over. And today, Woodward is the grand master of "self-righteousness and smugness." Before Woodward's "Crazy Trump" narrative was released, there were already six high-level denials from very "senior" Trump administration officials, by name. Among them are White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who offered this assessment of Woodward's book: "[It] is total BS. ... This is another pathetic attempt to smear people close to President Trump and distract from the administration's many successes." Defense Secretary James Mattis responded to Woodward on the record: "The contemptuous words about the President attributed to me in Woodward's book were never uttered by me or in my presence. While I generally enjoy reading fiction, this is a uniquely Washington brand of literature, and his anonymous sources do not lend credibility. ... In serving in this administration, the idea that I would show contempt for the elected Commander-in-Chief, President Trump, or tolerate disrespect to the office of the President from within our Department of Defense, is a product of someone's rich imagination." Here's White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "People have come forward to say that Woodward never reached out to corroborate statements that were attributed to them, which seems incredibly reckless ... to not ... get a $10 fact-checker to call around and find out if half of these quotes were accurate." For his part, President Trump declared, "It's just another bad book. He's had a lot of credibility problems. It's just nasty stuff. I never spoke to him. Maybe I wasn't given messages that he called." Of course, Woodward and his Leftmedia promoters dismiss the president's comments. But prior to Woodward's anti-Trump hit piece and its adoption as a launchpad for the Demos' midterm "blue wave," Woodward had been the object of a lot of Leftmedia criticism for lack of evidence and sources, especially when he stepped off the Leftmedia reservation and dared criticize Hillary Clinton. In August of 2015, for example, Woodward exercised his once-famous journalistic reputation in evaluating Clinton's infamously illegal communication subterfuge. He declared, "[This] reminds me of the Nixon tapes: Thousands of hours of secretly recorded conversations that Nixon thought were exclusively his. ... 60,000 emails and Hillary Clinton has said 30,000 of them, half, were personal and they were deleted. Who decided that? What's in those emails? ... The big question about Clinton is, who is she? ... The answers are probably not going to be pretty." Needless to say, that assessment didn't get a lot of press coverage. Leftist literary journalist Joan Didion says of Woodward's writing, "Measurable cerebral activity is virtually absent." Furthermore, he "covers the story not as it is occurring but as it is presented, which is to say as it is manufactured." There are also scholarly critics of the content of his books, from his "Deep Throat" character in his bestselling All the President's Men, to Veil, in which he stands accused of fabricating a key deathbed confession by former CIA Director William Casey. But wait. There's more. Jonathan Chait in New York magazine: "What the hell happened to Bob Woodward? ... As an analyst, Woodward is a particular kind of awful." Charles Pierce in Esquire: "The full depth of Bob Woodward's plunge into sheer hackery." Arianna Huffington in HuffPost: "He's the dumb blonde of American journalism." Jeffrey St. Clair in CounterPunch: "Woodward, despite filing one dubious story after another, retains his position as an eminence grise of DC reporters." Noam Scheiber in New Republic: "It is relentlessly biased against the president." Max Holland in Newsweek: "Woodward is the same now as he ever was. His misrepresentation ... is only the latest in a long string of questionable journalistic episodes. ... It reveals a grotesquely swollen ego fed by 40 years of hero worship." Even Ben Bradlee, Woodward's Washington Post editor at the time of Watergate, suspected he fabricated elements in All the President's Men. So, what to make of the "Crazy Trump" fear-mongering by Woodward and his renewed Leftmedia sycophantry? Brit Hume, an even-keeled political observer, offered this assessment: "The problem is of course ... [Woodward] doesn't disclose his sources, he doesn't annotate his books, [and] he doesn't give you a sense of who the people are with whom he spoke. ... A tremendous amount of Woodward's reports are never verified. ... It leaves us in a poor position to evaluate the work. ... What I would like to see ... is a connection between these [claimed] outbursts of the president and real policies and actions on his part that match their claims about how reckless he is. I haven't seen that. ... He's doing what he campaigned on. Some policies may not work out, but they're not 'crazy.'" Fact is, a broad swath of American voters disgracefully characterized by Hillary Clinton as "deplorables" elected Donald Trump to accomplish three things with his "MAGA" platform: Drop a metaphorical bomb on Washington, including status quo politicos in both parties, special interests, regulatory and bureaucratic behemoths, failed trade- and national-security policies, and all the pundits and mainstream media outlets. He's done that and continues to do so. Put our economy on the right track. He did that and continues to do so. Reestablish a conservative majority on the Supreme Court. He has done that and will continue to do so if Republicans hold the Senate. So shocked was the Left after Clinton's defeat that all of Trump's actions are viewed by deranged leftists as "crazy." Will the Woodward/Demo-Leftmedia "Crazy Trump" strategy work? Can Democrats generate enough noise to energize the leftist base for a successful run on congressional control? The midterm elections for control of the House and Senate will be very close. But what America should fear most is the power the Leftmedia exercises over public opinion, and thus, control of the future of Liberty. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. HomeGeorge Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying, not Russian collusion By Rachel Alexander

Much is being made of the fact that Donald Trumps campaign volunteer George Papadopoulos has been sentenced to two weeks in jail, a year of supervised release, 200 hours of community service and fined $9,500. Democrats gleefully point to his guilty plea as evidence of Russian collusion, along with the guilty plea of Trumps former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Both men pleaded guilty to lying about their alleged connections to Russians. But they did not plead guilty to any crime showing collusion (not to mention collusion by itself isnt even a crime). Papadopoulos was a member of the foreign policy advisory panel to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. His problems started on April 26, 2016 during a breakfast meeting at a London hotel. Maltese academic Joseph Mifsud allegedly told him there that the Russians had thousands of Hillary Clintons emails. Papadopoulos vaguely relayed this to Australian diplomat Alexander Downer during a meeting on May 10, 2016 in London, merely telling him that Russia had political dirt on Clinton. It is not known who Downer was working for. Downer gave this information directly to the Obama administration. That prompted the FBI to launch Crossfire Hurricane, its counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign, in July 2016. Papadopoulos did not mention the emails in follow-up emails to the Trump campaign. Papadopoulos told CNNs Jake Tapper during a recent interview that he does not recall telling the Trump campaign about the Russians claim of information on Hillary Clinton. Papadopoulos was receptive to information related to Russia because he was hoping to help set up a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Next, a source for the Trump dossier, Sergei Millian, contacted him on July 22, 2016 over LinkedIn. Millian is a Belarusian-American businessman who runs the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce. They met several times during the campaign. Papadopolous said during his interview with Tapper that Millian told him he was working for Trump real estate projects, he was promoting real estate endeavors of Trump. Millian presented a shady business proposal to him which entailed working as a PR consultant for an energy firm in Russia. He would receive $30,000 per month. The only qualifier was he had to be working for Trump at the same time. Papadopoulos wisely rejected the suspicious offer. At the same time, Millian was unwittingly turning over information to British spy Christopher Steele that would end up in Steeles dossier about Trump. He claimed that the Trump campaign was working with Russians to release the hacked DNC emails. He also claimed that the Russian government was blackmailing Trump with photos of him with prostitutes in a Russian hotel. Glenn Simpson, the founder of the opposition research firm that hired Steele, doubts Millians credibility. He referred to him as a big talker. Papadopoulos told Tapper that he thought Millian was working for someone, but he didnt know who. The Obama administration sent an FBI informant, academic Stefan Halper, to infiltrate the Trump campaign in order to find ties to Russia. Halper targeted Papadopoulos and another Trump adviser, Carter Page. On September 2, 2016, Halper offered to fly Papadopoulos to London and pay him $3,000 to write an academic paper on energy issues in Cyprus, Turkey and Israel, which was his area of expertise. Papadopoulos thought Halper was merely a Cambridge professor. The two had drinks in London and Papadopoulos said Halper started aggressively questioning him about involvement with the Russians hacking the DNC emails. Papadopoulos denied knowing anything about it. Ultimately, Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI, namely about the timing and scope of his contact with with Mifsud. Muellers team claimed that he lied about when his contacts with Mifsud started. Papadopoulos said they started before he was an adviser on the Trump campaign. Technically, he was correct. They started after he learned he would becoming an adviser, but before the position actually started. Mifsud told the FBI that he knew nothing about the stolen emails, that he didnt say anything to Papadopoulos and that he wasnt a Russian operative. However, Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee describe him as Russian-linked. His ties are mainly to Western governments and institutions, evidence he may be working with Western intelligence. The DNC reports that he may now be missing or dead. They have been unable to find him in order to serve him in a lawsuit against the Trump campaign, Wikileaks and Russia over interference in the 2016 election. Papadopoulos was merely a 28-year-old fourth-tier Trump adviser, as Kimberly Strassel from The Wall Street Journal describes him. If there was Russian collusion going on, it would not have been delegated to him. But prosecutors were able to scare him into thinking a jury could convict him of serious crimes. This is despite the fact he never facilitated any action that resulted in the Russians influencing the election. He merely talked to a few people who may have had ties to Russia. The Mueller team  of which 13 out of 17 are registered Democrats  knows what theyre doing. Anyone connected to Trump who has any ties to Russia is a target, because its easy to call it collusion and make Trump look bad. Who are they going to go after next?



Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, and other publications.

HomeRelevant irrelevance By Nathanael Costa

When I used to receive an allowance from my parents, I always enjoyed trading out two smaller bills for a larger one from one of my siblings. There was of course no actual change in the amount of money I had, but the novelty of the larger bill made it seem so much better. In a similar vein, my sister used to hate it when my mom cut up her food for her, because it seemed to her that there was now more food on the plate. While these are simply amusing stories about the way children act, how we view things can have a large impact on the actions we take, even into adulthood. In fact, as shown by economist Richard H. Thaler, these irrelevant ideas actually make a difference with how we act regarding our money. In an 2015 article he published in the New York Times, entitled, Unless You Are Spock, Irrelevant Things Matter in Economic Behavior, he gives the example of something that happened in a class that he taught. He gave out a midterm exam and the results came back with an average grade of 72 out of 100 in the class. Thaler curved the exam, but the students were still upset at how apparently low their scores were. Determined to solve this issue, he gave out his next exam with a possible score of 137. This time, the average grade was a 96 out of 137 (70%). Even though his students had done worse on average during that exam, they were much happier. He went on to argue that this is irrational, and thus economists are not often expecting this sort of behavior. However, if economists want to be well informed in their view of the world, they ought to take these sorts of things into account. Thaler goes on to argue that the way economists traditionally view the world is by assuming humans are practically robots (hence the title of his article, Unless You Are Spock) who act out of their own desires (our own self-interest, according to our Principles of Economics textbook 1.2). They often fail to consider the assumed irrelevant factors that play a part in peoples lives. He gives the example of retirement plans  even though robots could plan for retirement without difficulty, people still struggle making those decisions; employers recognize this factor and give their employees various retirement aids. This makes intuitive sense. Another example he gives is the difference between receiving a tax cut from the government in the form of a lump sum, or a series of smaller payments. Robots would act the same regardless of the way in which the money was given to them, but people tend to spend money much faster if it is given to them as a lump sum. In general, I agree with what Thaler argues for in this article. A lot of what hes saying would actually fall more under the topic of psychology than economics, but it applies regardless. I have considered minoring in marketing in college, and a lot of the same principles are in play there as well. Even if the product you are trying to sell isnt necessarily that much better than the product the consumer has, the way they feel about it can have a large impact on their decision to purchase it. People want to feel like they have something new, or big, or exclusive. The same wish affects how people view their economic situation. Thus, Richard Thaler contends that supposedly irrelevant factors (SIFs) actually affect the way that humans interact with money and economics in general. Unlike Vulcans, our feelings in a particular situation have a noticeable effect on the way we function. Whether it be the desire for something different or wanting a sum of money all at once, our desires have an impact on our decisions. Intuitively, this follows from what we know about the psychology of the human mind. Thaler rightly argues, then, that an informed economist ought to take this information into account when modeling our world. This is Nathanael Costas first contribution to Enter Stage Right. He is currently studying AP Macroeconomics in high school.  2018 Nathanael Costa HomeNorma Shearer By Michael Moriarty

One of my favorite American films of all time is Idiots Delight; and now I learn it lost money?!

Two Classically American Angels,

Gable and Shearer 1939 and the beginning of World War II. Clark Gable, in his only singing and dancing role, is an audiences delight. Norma Shearer, however, is even more unforgettable. Despite the worlds poor reception to Robert E. Sherwoods brilliant script, it is now considered, as it should be, an American Classic! The wardrobe for Gable alone is worthy of its own Oscar. And Norma Shearer doesnt just perform the role of Irene, she devours it! In both versions of a delightfully schizophrenic transformation, Norma Shearer explodes with the ecstasies of being a divine actress. Her performance is a pure Audiences Delight! America and Hollywood greet the nightmare of World War II as they should: Laugh!

While your heart is breaking!! It carries, even in 1939, the certainty that no matter how long it takes, we will beat the villains! Of course, the screenplay is also a pacifists cri de Coeur. However, the Gable/Shearer response to the inevitability of World War II is that of American realists. Indeed, Europe and England would have slim hopes until America, pushed into the war by Imperial Japan, joined the Allies three years later. Described as a declining phase of her career by Wikipedia, Norma Shearers performance in Idiots Delight has simply taken me by storm. I found both of her turns, in a double role as actually the same woman, to be, as the term was often used back then, truly divine! Reading about her, I find the reality of Norma Shearer even more divine. Hers was a singularly American success story. Set your goal

and,

no matter how hard

or painful

the obstacles are,

WIN! The size of her ambition and her acting style reminded me of Katherine Hepburn with whom I worked in Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie. Though Hepburns Wikipedia biography is far longer than that of Norma Shearer, I found Ms. Shearers talent and performing style certainly the equal of Ms. Hepburns. I also found Ms. Shearers comic timing even better than Ms. Hepburns. As must be sadly said, They dont make em like that anymore!! I certainly didnt have one tenth of their ambition. However, I wouldnt change my life with anyone elses. Why? The best is yet to come! 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Written by ACM

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/(Partly UpDated)- Manifold Converging Facts, gathered from Monday up to Thursday in EU Parliament by "Eurofora", clearly indicate that a Majority of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group (the Biggest) MEPs either Voted Against or Abstained on a Controversial Report threatening UnPrecedented Sanctions on Hungary, drafted by a former registered "Lobbyist" of NGOs linked to Mass Migration, LGBT, Soros, a.o. Lobbies, who, normally, should have Never been given such a big Responsibility, for obvious Conflict of Interest, (See Infra).

Indeed, an Absolute Majority of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group's 116 MEPs, were Against, Abstained or Refused to Participate in the Vote of that Report, which was Backed Only by a Minority of 102 EPP MEPs, (out of a Total of 218 : Previously 221).

In Addition, an even Stronger Majority in EU Parliament, of 348 MEPs, clearly Rejected a "Socialists"' Attempt to Deny the Fact that, nonobstant some NGOs' and EU/CoE/UN Bodies' alleged "Concerns" on Hungary, these are simply "Non Binding ...Opinions", since, "Legally, ...Only the Court of Justice of the EU may Interpret the provisions of the (EU) Treaty". (Indeed, Orban reportedly intends to Lodge a Legal Complaint to the ECJ at nearby Luxembourg asap).

All these Facts, obviously, Belie the incredble Claims and other "Fake News" by Establishment's Medias, as mainstream Newspaper "Le Monde" (France), according to whose "Special Envoy to Strasbourg", about "7 out of 10" ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEPs would have been ready to Vote Against Orban (sic !)...

--------------



+ Moreover, Victor Orban succeeded to Forge, thus, a rare Unity of All the Right, adding to Mainstream ChristianDemocrats/EPP MEPs (many of rare Personal/Political Quality, Top Euro-Politicians: See Infra), also anOther maistream Group : that of Conservatives (ECR), as well as the Atypical "Freedom and Democracy" Group of Euro-Sceptics (EFDD), and the Rightists of "Nations and Freedoms" (ENF) Group, added to almost All "Independent" MEPs. ++ He even managed to Attract several ... "Socialists", Liberals and Leftist MEPs (See Infra) !

And, all that, just by someone who Stands clearly at the Right side of the Political Spectrum, while also being in favour of a ..."Strong Europe", (as Orban's Hungarian EU Presidency's official Program underlined, already since its 2011 Official Document distributed in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, obtained and kept by "Eurofora" untl 2018 : See relevant PHOT0)...

(NDLR : For more concrete Details on Today's VOTE, See Infra).

=> Thus, Orban seems, meanwhile, in the process of Agreeing, de facto, with French President Emmanuel Macron, that they may Lead the 2 Different main Political Sides on which could be Polarized the forthcoming May 2019 EU Elections !



And even mainstream Center-Right EU Leader and German Chancellor, Angie Merkel, (that some attempt to oppose to Orban, Both EPP Members), reportedly observed, Earlier, at a Joint Press Conference with the Hungarian Prime Minister in Berlin, that, despite "some Differences", nevertheless, on the recent Mass Migration Issue, Victor Orban "has done a part of the work for us... , (by Stopping the Western Balkans Route from Turkey, at the Peak of the 2015-2016 Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants' Crisis).

However, a Paradox is that, Orban (who Triggered an Urgenty needed and succesful Protection of EU's Borders since February 2016: Comp. Supra), is now Harassed by various, mainly Leftist Opponents, and Threatened with Financial and/or Politicall "Sanctions", while, on the Contrary, Turkey, (which Suddenly threw into Europe more than 1,5 Millions of Heavily Islamized Non-European Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants, reportedly "Chosen" among the Most Difficult to Integrate, via a Network of Turkish Smugglers and Crooks), got ...an Additional + 3 Billions  in full Grants by EU Funds each Year !

+ And Today, it's only due to a Regrettable Division inside the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group of MEPs, (whose current Chair, Manfred Weber, said that he'd personaly Vote that Controversial Report opening a Procedure for Sanctions against Hungary - reportedly because, as a Cadidate for the Replacement of EU Commission's President Jean-Claude Juncker, he would have to become "Acceptable" also by Other Political Groups), that, finally, this Report was apparently Endorsed in EU Parliament (See Infra).

While, on the Contrary, (given also the Opposition of Both the "Conservatists" and the "pro-Brexit" Groups of MEPs, as well as of the Rightists, Independents, etc. : Comp. Supra and Infra), an eventual Unity of ChristianDemocrats/EPP around their Member : the Hungarian Governing Party "Fides", would have Certainly Rejected any such Threat of Sanction...



Indeed, according to a Controversial Interpretation of EU Parliament's Rules, anounced only at a Press Point this week in Strasbourg, it seems that the "Abstention" Votes (including of several EPP MEPs) are Not taken into Account, in order to Calculate if the Required 2/3 Majority was reached, or not., (Contrary to a Different Interpretation, given by the EU Parliament's competent Rapporter hershelf, Earlier from Thursday in Brussels : where she had Incited EPP's MEPs to ..."Go Drink a Coffee", instead of Voting, as mainstream Medias had stressed, even on their Headlines !). Thus a Final Vote of about 450 "Yes", versus 250 (incl. "No" + "Abstention") Votes, was, Finaly, Analysed as a "2/3 Majority"...



Something which is, however, another among the Disputed points in a very probable Legal Complaint due to be Decided by Hungary Next Week for the EU Court of Justice in nearby Luxembourg...



----------------------------------------------------



The point about EPP Group's Collective stance (Comp. Supra) has a particular and Wider Importance Nowadays, inter alia also because the embattled Prime Minister of Hungary, Victor Orban, (who recently Chaired the "Visegrad" Group of Central EU Countries), has, meanwhile, both Adopted a Set of (quite Popular) Political Principles which vary from those currently pushed by a controversial Establishment, and expressed his wish to actively contribute, this time, to Shape the Agenda of his Political Family, (the Center-Right, mainly of ChristianDemocrats/EPP), for the Crucial forthcoming European Elections of May 2019.



But, already, just in a Few Days Time : on September 20, 2018, an exceptional EU Summit of Heads of State/Goverment in Salzburg, Austria (the current EU rotating Chair), is due to Focus mainly on the Challenges of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants from Non-European Countries, particularly after that Sudden, more than 1,5 Millions Big "Tsunami" through Turkey since 2015/2016+, etc., who have notoriously presented UnPrecedented Problems of Integration because of Radical Islamization and even Bloody Terrorism targetting innocent Civilian People, until Recently, (f.ex. in Germany, but also in France, the UK, Netherlands, etc), with the Result to Provoke a UK Majority for "BREXIT" and a Long Series of Wide-Spreading Electoral Results in favor of Anti-Mass Migration and/or various Rightist, even more or less "Euro-Sceptic" Political Movements throughout Europe, (f.ex., in the Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Bulgaria, Denmark, Czech Republic, Switzerland, etc).



Victor Orban's Popular policies, (which were marked by 3 Landslide big Electoral Wins, with an Absolute Majority of Hungarian People's Votes), notoriously Stopped most of that UnPrecedented "Tsunami" coming through Turkey, already since the Beginning of 2016, by Protecting the Country's Borders towards the Balkans, (which Incited also many Other European Countries, located along that Route from Turkey, to do alike, in order to Prevent Big Masses of Irregular Migrants from being Accumulated and Blocked in their own Territories : See, f.ex. ....).



But, already Earlier, Hungary had also adopted anOther Series of Important Reforms on a Different Topical Issue, (which has notoriously Provoked a lot of Controversies, Socio-Political Infights and even an UnPrecedented use of Police Force against peaceful Demonstrators, f.ex. in France on 2013-2014, etc) : that of BioEthics.



Particularly concerning the Protection of Natural Family, between Men and Women, able to give Natural Births, Contrary to Recent Pressure (f.ex. by USA's former President Barack Hussein Obama, etc) to Impose "Same Sex Marriages", and even the Submission of Children to the Power of Homosexuals under pretext of "Adoption", inevitably Pushing, sooner or later, also towards the Exploitation of "Surrogate Mothers", and to a Fast-Growing Number of "Articificial" Births, obtained by Technological Interferences, (including, f.ex., "In Vitro Fertilisation", TransPlantations, Sperms/Eggs/Frozen Embryos' "Banks", Pre-Natal Tests, Genetic Manipulations of Human Embryos, etc), potentially Dangerous for all Humankind, (especially after Recent Discoveries of "Gene-Editing", etc).



Indeed, Hungary, (soon Followed also by various Similar Attempts in Many Other Countries : f.ex. Slovenia, Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Croatia, even inside many USA's Federated States, etc), was the 1st European Country (in Addition to Russia, etc), which decided (by Popular Referenda voted by the People) to Protect the Natural Family (and, therefore, Natural Births of Human Beings) inside its own Constitution. Inside which, Victor Orban and his followers also added an Explicit Reference to the National and European Cultural Heritage and/or Identity, which included our Continent's original Christian Roots.



=> For all those Reasons, inevitably, Orban's Hungary obviously started to become a Target of various kinds of Lobbies whose Interests or Agendas were Opposed to those Measures : From pro-Mass Migration or "LGBTI" NGOs, (including Millionaire Soros), up to Foreign States (even Non-European : as Obama's USA, etc), eager and pressing to Impose their Agendas, etc. The Resulting Social and Legal InFight inside Hungary itself, (mutatis-mutandis, as also in several USA's Federated States, up to the Supreme Court, etc), generated various Tensions and Strained the Established Medias, Judges, etc., (particularly After a Previous Period of alleged Clientelism and Cronyism by several former "Socialist" Governments, which had resulted even into UnForgetable Violent Clashes in Budapest and elsewhere, just Before the Hungarian People gave a Majority Government to Victor Orban (from 2010 until Now: 2018).



So that Many concrete Points Criticized inside a Controversial Report Drafted for EU Parliament by a "Green" MEP from the Netherlands, but of Italian Origin, Judith Sargentini, alone, (a former officialy Registered "Lobbyist", hired by pro-Migration NGOs, linked to controversial Millionaire Soros, and hershelf, personaly Member of "LGBTI" Group until now, etc), naturally concern, directly or indirectly, various real or alleged Aspects or Consequences obviously related to those Topical Issues, (f.ex., on Foreign NGOs, Medias, Judges, Legal/Constitutional Reforms, Massive Non-European Migration, LGBTI-related matters: Comp. Supra, etc).



Orban's Government strongly Criticised such a Report, arguying that it was adopted withOut real Dialogue, did Not Reply to many Legal Points made by Hungary, Missed several Facts, contrained many Inaccuracies or Errors, and appeared Biaised, Vowing to bring that Case up to EU's Court of Justice, at nearby Luxembourg.



After a 9/11 Debate "of Rare Violence", (as even Center-Left Establishment Newspaper "Le Monde" observed), in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, where even his President, Experienced former EU Commissioner, Antonio Tajani, had to personaly intervene in order to Allow for a "Roma" Woman from Hungary to Speak withOut Interruptions by Aggressive Opponents), during which Orban faced Many gross Insults, (Criticized by various MEPs at the Plenary even during the Next Days), and Denounced a Rigged Vote, since Everything would have been already Decided Beforehand, as he claimed, Urging for Political and Legal Action against it, finally, indeed, a Voting Result was obtained by his Opponents which, at least theoretically, Triggered, for the 1st Time in History, a Procedure Threatening to Exclude an EU Member Country from its Rights to Participate in EU's Collective Decision-Making process.



That unique "Sanction" had been Introduced precisely on the Occasion of such an Earlier Debate on ... Hungary itself (sic !), since 2013 in Strasbourg, (i.e. when the above-mentioned BioEthical Controversies involving "LGBTI" Lobbies, etc., notoriously were at their Highest level, f.ex. in France, Hungary, USA, etc), as its own Rapporteur had explained then, among others, in his Reply to an "Eurofora"'s Question during his Press Conference in EU Parliament, (See : ...)...



-----------------------------------------------

The VOTE's concrete Details :

----------------------------------------------------------



At any case, in Today's Vote, it's a Fact that an Absolute Majority of 116 ChristianDemocrats/EPP Group's MEPs, (against a Minority of Only 102), Refusent to Back that Controversial Report against Victor Orban's Hungary, by either Voting "Against" (57), Voting "Abstention" (29), or by Not Participating at all to that Reports' vote (28).



[In Addition, there were about anOther +30 More MEPs, from various Other Political Groups, (i.e. circa 57 MEPs in all), who did Not Participate at all to that Controversial Vote. And, at least 10 among them, were inside EU Parliament's Chamber Today, Voting at anOther Report, Earlier, (of Axel Voss, about Digital Publications' CopyrRight, etc), but, curiously, "Disappeared" when Sargentini's Paper against Victor Orban arrived at its Voting Time...]



-------------



Even more Interesting is also the Fact that those "Resisting" MEPs, particularly among the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, who either Voted Against, or Abstained when that Controversial Report surfaced, seem to be very Important, Top mainstream MEPs, (often Both on the European and at a National Political Level) :



Indeed, a careful Examination of the Facts, finds among them :



- several vice-Presidents of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group itself, and/or even EU Parliament's vice-Presidents or Quaestors ;



- Many very Experienced MEPs and/or former Prime Ministers or Ministers;



- a great lot of Presidents or vice-Presidents of various EU Parliament's Committees and/or Delegations;



- Added, also, to numerous very Qualified MEPs, (f.ex. University Professors, etc);



- Spreading accross Both most, if not all, former Central-Eastern European Countries, (from Czech Republic and Poland, down to Slovenia, and up to Bulgaria, etc), and among the Biggest EU Countries, (including the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, Romania, etc., as well as Germany (specially in Bavaria and Saxony), France, but also Austria, etc.



=> So that Victor Orban's Links to that Majority (of about 116 out of a Total of 218) ChristianDemocrat/EPP "Resisting" MEPs, appear to be particularly Important, and, at any case, canNot be Ignored.



------------------------



* Indeed, f.ex., among those ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEPs who Voted Against that Controversial Report of "Green" MEP Sargentini, but, on the Contrary, Supported Victor Orban's Popular politics in Hungary, were also :



- Vice-Presidents of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group : Lara COMI (Italy) ; Andrey KOVATCHEV, (also EU Parliament's Quaestor), from Bulgaria, (Governing Party of "Citizens for European Development"); Professor Jozsef SZAJER, (Hungary), former EPP v.P. Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI, still MEP, (Poland, See Infra).



+ EU Parliament's vice-Presidents: Livia JAROKA (Hungary) Voted "Against"; while Ramon Luis VALCARCEL SISO, (Spain), Voted "Abstention" ; but Andrey KOVATCHEV, also Quaestor, voted "Against", as well as former EP v.P. Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (Comp. Supra) voted "Against", same with former EP vice-President Tamas DEUTSCH, (Hungary), SG of the Governing Party; (as former EP v.President Mario DAVID, Portugal, strongly Defended Orban in the Press), added to Conservative EU Parliament's vice-President Zdzisaw KRASNODEBSKI (Poland), who also Voted "Against", while even "Socialist" Vladimir MANKA (Slovakia), EU Parliament's Quaestor, Voted "Abstention", (etc).



- Presidents of Committees/Delegations : Pavel SVOBODA, (Czech Republic), President of Legal affairs Committee ; Alojz PETERLE, (Slovenia), F. Prime Minister, now President of Delegation on FYROM ; Franck PROUST, (France), President of the French Delegation to the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, (Supported, initially Sarkozy, and afterwards Wauquiez); Fulvio MARTUSCIELLO, (Italy), President of EU Parliament's Delegation on Israel, (etc).



While Dr. Czesaw Adam SIEKIERSKI, (Poland). President of the Agriculture Committee. University Researcher. F. Minister of Agriculture. Member of the Board of "People's Party", Voted "Abstention" ; as well as Bogdan Andrzej ZDROJEWSKI, (Poland). President of EU Delegation for Belarus. F. Culture Minister ; Teresa JIMENEZ-BECERRIL BARRIO, (Spain), President of EU Delegation for Mexico ; Luis de GRANDES PASCUAL (Spain), President of EU Delegation to Andean Countries ; Ramona Nicole MANESCU (Romania), President of EU Delegation to Mashreq Countries ; (etc). -

------------



* Vice-Presidents of Committees/Delegations+: Stefano MAULLU, (Italy), vice-President of Committee on Culture and Education; Monica HOHLMEIER, vice-President of Budget Committee, Germany, f. Minister for Culture and Education in Bavaria (Federated State), f. President of CSU Party (Bavaria) ; Dubravka SUICA, (Croatia), vice-President of the Foreign Affairs Committee ; Pal CSAKY, vice-President of Petitions' Committee, (Slovakia) ; Kinga GAL vice-President of Committee for Civic Liberties and Justice (Hungary) ; Iuliu WINKLER, (Romania), vice-President of International Trade Committee ; Laszlo TOKES, vice-President of Human Rights Committee (Hungary) ; Miroslav MIKOLASIK, (Slovakia), vice-President of EU - Latin America Parliamentary Assembly, President of ChristianDemocrats/EPP's Working Group on BioEthics; Gabriel MATO, (Italy), vice-President of Committee for Central America ; Elisabetta GARDINI, (Italy), vice-President of Committee for Mercosur (Latin America) ; Romana TOMC, (Slovenia), vice-President of Committee on Japan ; Anna ZABORSKA vice-President of EU Delegation to the Caribbean Forum Assembly (16 Countries), from Slovakia : a Medical Doctor, committed on BioEthics, (+invited Speaker at the pro-Life March in Washington DC, USA, etc) ; Mrs Andrea BOCSKOR (Hungary) vice-President of Committees for Culture/Education and of "EuroN-EST" ; Traian UNGUREANU, (Romania), F. vice-President of EU Delegation to EuroNEst Assembly; Barbara MATERA, vice-President of Committee for Women and Equality, (Italy) ; Salvatore SICU, former Minister of Defense and of Finances, Italian, (Berlusconi's "Forza Italia"), vice-President of Committee on relations with Arab peninsula, Lawyer ; (etc).



While Rosa ESTARAS FERRAGUT, (Spain), vice-President of Petitions' Committee, Voted "Abstention" ; as well as Agustin DIAZ DE MERA GARCIA CONSUEGRA, (Spain) Vice-Chair of EU Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Assembly, F. vice-President of WEO's Assembly ;



-----------------------------------------------



- Prime Ministers or Ministers/Political Parties/Movements' Leaders : Salvatore SICU, (Italy) former Minister of Defense + of Finances, Voted "Against" ; as well as Nadine MORANO, (France), former Minister, National Political Counselor of the Republican Party, (initially of Sarkozy, now Wauquiez) ; Angelika NIEBLER, (Germany), vice-President of CSU Governing Party in Bavaria, F. President of Research/Industry/Energy Committee ; Herrmann WINKLER, Germany, CDU President in Leipsig, F. Minister for European affairs in the Federated State of Saxony, (NB : There where many German People demonstrated after another Murder by 2 Irregular Migrants, who had arrived through Turkey, and should, normally, have been Deported earlier : See Chemnitz City case at ...); Tamas DEUTSCH, also SG of the Governing Party, (Hungary) ; Alojz PETERLE, F. Prime Minister, (Slovenia) ; and Brice HORTEFEUX, (France), Experienced f. Minister on Migration and Integration, JHA, etc., (a Sarkozy faithful), had already Voted "Against" that Draft, inside the competent Committee, (etc).



While Michelle ALLIOT-MARIE (France), Chair of Committee on Arab peninsula, F. Minister of Defense, JHA, and Foreign Affairs, as well as Secretary General of Chirac's Party "UMP", (a Gaullist), Voted "Abstention"; but also Jarosaw KALINOWSKI, F. bis Prime Minister, (Poland) ; Dr. Theodor STOLOJAN, (Romania), F. Prime Minister, and Party President. Now Member of PDL Party's Executive Board ; Judge Rachida DATI, (France), f. Adviser and Spokesperson for Sarkozy, F. Minister of Justice ; Brice HORTEFEUX, (France), Experienced f. Minister on Migration and Integration, JHA, etc, (a Sarkozy faithful). [He had Voted "No" in Committee] ; Dr. Czesaw Adam SIEKIERSKI, (Poland), also F. Minister of Agriculture. Member of the Board of "People's Party" ; Bogdan Andrzej ZDROJEWSKI, (Poland) also F. Culture Minister ; Franc BOGOVIC, F. President of Slovenian People's Party, +Minister of Agriculture/Environment ; Santiago FISAS AYXELA, (Spain), F. Minister for Sports ; Algirdas SAUDARGAS, (Lithuania), Former President of the ChristianDemocrat Party, Ambassador to the Vatican, Foreign Minister (bis) ; Eva MAYDELL, (Bulgarian MEP), new President of the European Movement (International) ; (etc).



- Many Other Important MEPs of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, from Various Countries, did also Vote "Against" that Controversial Report, such as, f.ex. : Markus FERBER, Germany, (Bavaria), a most Experienced MEP since 1994-2018, President of "Europa-Union" for the Federated State of Bavaria ; Angelique DELAHAYE, (France), f. President of Farmers' Union, Knight of the Legion of Honour ; Massimiliano SALINI, New EU's Rapporteur on Space policy, from Italy, ("Forza Italia", of Berlusconi) ; Alessandra MUSSOLINI, Member of National Bureau of "Forza Italia", (Berlusconi's Party) ; Ambassador Zeljana ZOVKO (Croatia), F. BiH Permanent Representative to the WTO, FAO, UNESCO ; Andras GYURK, (Hungary), Director of the Governing Party's Electoral Campaigns ; Vladimir URUTCHEV, (Bulgaria), a Nuclear Technology Engineer, F. Member of the Executive Board in ENISS, FORATOM ; Dr Pilar AYUSO, Director of Research, (Spain) ; Andor DELI, Jurist for EU Law, deputy Governor of Voivodina Region, (Hungary) ; Tomas ZDECHOVSKY, Media Consultant of the Czech Government and of the EPP (Czech Republic) ; (etc).



But also : Albert DESS, Germany, (Bavaria) ; Aldo PATRICIELLO, (Italy), "Forza Italia" (Berlusconi's Party) ; Alberto CIRIO (Italy) ; Csaba SOGOR, a former Senator, from Romania ; Carlos ITURGAIZ, (Spain) ; Norbert ERDOS, from Hungary, as also Adam KOSA, Lawyer ; Gyorgy HOLVENYI ; Gyorgy SCHOPFLIN, etc.; Andrey NOVAKOV + Asim ADEMOV, + Emil RADEV, from Bulgaria, (recent EU Chair), of the Governing Party : "Citizens for European Development" ; Michaela SOJDROVA, from the Czech Republic ; Jozsef NAGY, from Slovakia ; Patricija SULIN, and Milan ZVER, from Slovenia ; Ivana Maletic, a Young MEP from Croatia (current CoE's Presidency) and Marijana PETIR, (ibid) ; etc.



-----------------



While several Other ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEPs Voted "Abstention", Refusing to endorse that Controversial Report, such as, f.ex., among others, also : Dr. Godelieve QUISTHOUDT-ROWOHL, (Germany), vice-President of EU Delegation for Canada, Experienced CDU's MEP during 1989-2018 from Lower Saxony, Member of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party's Political Bureau ; Sven SCHULZE (Germany). Engineer. Member of CDU's Executive Board at Saxony-Anhalt (Federated State) ; Arnaud DANJEAN, (France), vice-President of EU Delegation to NATO Assembly, (close to F. Prime Minister Alain Juppe) ; Philippe JUVIN, (France), Professor of Medicine, F. National Secretary of "UMP" Party, currently Spokesman of the "Republican" Party ; Geoffroy DIDIER, (France) Lawyer, F. Deputy Secretary General of "UMP" Party + "Republican" Party, F. Region vice-President ; Joachim ZELLER, (Germany, CDU, Berlin). Vice-President of Regional Development Committee ; Dr. Peter JAHR, (Germany), Agricultural Engineer - PhD of Leipsig University, CDU Party, in Saxony, (where a recent Murder by Irregular Migrants who arrived through Turkey was committed this Summer 2018 at Chemnitz City, provoking Popular Demonstrations, etc) ; Francisco Jose MILLAN MON (Spain), Diplomat/F. Director for Europe at the Foreign Ministry. Member of "Partido Popular'"s National Executive Board ; Jose Ignacio SALAFRANCA SANCHEZ-NEYRA, (Spain). Experienced MEP during 1994-2018 ; Pilar del CASTILLO VERA, (Spain), Professor of Political Science ; (etc).

-------------------------------



+ Among a Great Number of OTHER Political GROUPS' MEPs who Voted for Victor Orban, and "Against" that Controversial Report, are also, f.ex.,

- The Rightist MEPs from the FPO of the new Austrian Government coalition, (currently Chairing the EU), such as Harald VILIMSKY, (vice-President of ENF Group of MEPs) ; Franz OBERMAYR ; Barbara KAPPEL ; Georg MAYER, (ENF); etc.



- + Even amidst the currently "Independents", is, Paradoxically, included a former vice-President of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group, F. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee : Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI from Poland. He was excluded from the EPP Group on 2017, due mainly to a Division of the Right in Poland, which, regretfully, spilled over to EPP Group in EU Parliament on 2017. But, at any case, this Noteworthy Fact deserved to be Known.

-----------------------------



++ Even several important ..."Socialists", Liberals and Leftists MEPs, Voted for Victor Orban, and "Against" Sargentini's Controversial Report :

F.ex., among others, also : - Renate WEBER, (Liberal, Romania), vice-President of Employment/Social affairs Committee ; University Professor of Philosophy Jan KELLER, (Czech Repubic, PSD - Presidential Medal for services on Science) ; Norica NICOLAI, (Liberal, Romania), vice-President of National Liberal Party ; Iveta GRIGULE-PETERSE, (Latvia, Liberal), President of EU Delegations to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turcmenistan and Mongolia ; Jaromir KOHLICEK, (Left, from Czech Republic), vice-President of Industry, Research and Energy Committee ; Katerina KONECNA, (Left, from Czech Republic), Committee vice-President, Former President of Delegation to the IPU and vice-President of Foreign affairs Committee at the Parliament of Prague ; Joao FERREIRA, (Left, from Portugal), vice-President of EU Delegation to ACP Assembly ; Joao PIMENTA LOPES (Left, Portugal), vice-President of Womens' Rights and Equality Committee, + v.P of EU Delegation to Latin-American Assembly; Jiri MASTALKA, (Left - Czech Republic), vice-President of EU Delegation to Russia ; (etc).



+ In Addition, even noteworthy "Socialists" and Liberal, Independent or Left-leaning MEPs Voted "Abstention", Refusing to Endorse that Controversial Report, such as, f.ex. : Pavel POC, (Czech Republic, PSD), vice-President of Environment, Public Health+Food Safety Committee ; Vladimir MANKA, (Slovakia, PSD). EU Parliament's Quaestor ; Lawyer Antonio MARINHO E PINTO, vice-President of EU's Delegation to Brazil, (Liberal, from Portugal) ; Valentinas MAZURONIS (Liberal, from Lithuania), Head of Political Party, F. Minister of Environment, F. Head of the Opposition ; Kazimierz Micha UJAZDOWSKI, Former Minister of Culture (bis) and vice-President of PiS Party, University Senior Lecturer : (Poland, Independent) ; Monika SMOLKOVA, (Slovakia, PSD), (etc).



++ Even 2 MEPs from ...Beppe Grillo's "5 Stars" Movement (co-Governing now in Italy), such as, f.ex, : David BORRELLI (Independents) and Architect Daniela AIUTO (EFDD), etc.



-------------------------------------



>>> All this, naturally, goes Together with a Massive Support to Victor Orban, both from the Mainstream "Conservatives"' Group (ECR), as well as from the Atypical "Freedom and Direct Democracy" Group (EFDD), and the Rightists of the "Nations and Freedoms" Group (ENF), including most "Independents", almost all of whom Voted "Against" that Controversial Report, (Comp. Supra).



In this regard, it was really Astonishing to hear, during this EU Parliament's Plenary Debate, even the Leader of the Rightists, Nicolas Bay of France, openly declare to Victor Orban that "Your Europe, is the Europe of our Dreams !" :



It's probably the 1st Time that a Head of Rightists, (and allegedly "Euro-Sceptics", even accused by some to be "Anti-Europeans"), makes such an Emotive Proclamation vis a vis a ChristianDemocrat/EPP Leader that he (surprizingly) finds politically Interesting, attractive...



But, Succeed, at the Same Time, to keep Alive the Faith of a Majority of ChristianDemocrats/EPP MEPs (Comp. Supra), while also Attracting some important Liberals, "Socialists", Leftists, and other Atypical MEPs, (See Facts cited Supra), is something very Rare, if not Unique...



=> Has, perhaps, Macron's "New Foundation" of all EU Political Life, just Started, a few Months before the crucial May 2019 European Elections ?



---------------------------------



+ Last, but not least : The "Green" Rapporteur Miss Sargentini, in her Controversal Report, slams Victor Orban's Hungary, inter alia, also for "its Restrictive Definition of Family", (as she calls the Defense of Natural Family, between a Man and a Woman), Accusing it for "Discrimination", simply because "it does not encompass ... Same-Sex Couples" (sic !).

That same MEP, (Member of "LGBTI" Inter-Group, and former "Lobbyist" for NGOs sympathetic to Millionaire Soros, etc), goes on to Add also an Accusation for what she Claims to be "Negative Stereotypes and Prejudice" etc., "Against Lesbian, Gay, BiSexual and Trans-Gender Persons, particularly in the ...Education sector".



This was judged by the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group's Majority so Wrong, that it Officially Asked for a "Split" Vote, precisely on that Point, which was Accepted by EU Parliament, even if a Hasty Voting (and, probably, the Non-Participation of Many ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEPs in that Report's Vote : Comp. Supra), apparently, was Not Enough in order to clearly Reject such Claims, (at least for this time).



Concerning Human Rights and even Democracy, (since Victor Orban's Hungary is notoriously one among those EU Countries where a Strong Majority of People have recently Voted to confirm even in their Constitution the Traditional Principle of Natural Family), a key Question inevitably arises :



=> Does, Miss Sargentini, really Believe, in that case, that even ...the landmark European Convention of Human Rights, (where the EU is officially invited to join, according also to the current, Lisbon EU Treaty), might also be ... too "Restrictive" and full of "Negative Stereotypes and Prejudice" (etc : Comp. Supra), simply because its Article 12 says that the "Right to Marry and to found a Family" concerns "Men and Women" ?

Or, would she, perhaps, seek to Impose also to the 47 Member Countries-strong CoE a forced Revision of its PanEuropean Convention on Human Rights ?



- "Good Lack", in that case...

(../..)





--------------------------------------------------------

***

(NDLR : Headline PHOTO = Controversial Rapporteur, "Green" MEP Miss Sargentini, former "Lobbyist" for NGO and Member of "LGBTI" Group, celebrates with her pals the Adoption of her Report against Victor Orban's Hungary, threatening Sanctions).

***

WAs oldest and largest dairy processor Brownes Dairy is planning to take on Eastern States-based rivals on their home supermarket shelves with a selected range of products.

With the blessing of new owners, Chinese dairy giant Shanghai Ground Food Tech which purchased Brownes in November, the company is planning a national market foray ahead of any further moves into Asia.

Ultimately though, Brownes Dairy products are destined for Chinese and South East Asian markets as a niche premium range, complimenting Ground Food Techs local products, Brownes managing director Tony Girgis confirmed last Friday.

Their (new owners) mandate to us was effectively reinforcing our strategic plan anyway, which was number one in WA, then penetrate the national market with a compelling products proposition, Mr Girgis said.

Exporting is very difficult.

The Chinese regulations are such that its pretty hard to deliver a special product that complies with all of their requirements and then you hit the distribution chain which is not fully evolved.

They (Ground Food Tech) have their own brands which cater for the local market.

They want to use Brownes as a premium brand, not just in China but in South East Asia where weve already been exporting so we are already familiar to a lot of people in South East Asia through milk and yoghurt.

Theyve been very supportive of our plan of WA first, national next, then the world.

Established in 1886, Brownes is the biggest of the three major milk processors in WA with between 42 and 43 per cent of the States dairy processing capacity.

It processes and packages milk under its own labels and for Woolworths and the A2 brand.

In July, it bolstered milk supply by taking on the States largest milk producer, the Lactanz aggregate of four farms at Scott River operated by Melbourne-based Australian Agribusiness Group, after Parmalat-owned Harvey Fresh said it no longer required the milk.

The move on national markets will begin next month with a premium cold brew single-origin coffee which is bottled and distributed by Brownes.

It was launched in WA as a first-in-Australia and Brownes has a contract to supply Woolworths supermarkets nationally.

The move east under its own brand will follow in March next year, again with Woolworths, but with yoghurt and innovative packaging as its point of difference in a market, Mr Girgis admits, is already very crowded with lots of stuff on shelves.

Another Australia-first, a fully recyclable squeeze-bottle yoghurt container developed by Brownes at its Balcatta processing plant over three years from concept to product launch in WA this week, will be its eastern markets penetration spearhead.

We always had aspirations to take product across, the challenge has been to have a point of difference, Mr Girgis said.

If you go in as a me two or me three, supermarkets say well I got plenty of those why do I want you?

We knew the product was first class, the innovative packaging was the bridge with the supermarkets to say I think well give it a shot.

The product lends itself to this because there is nothing else like this in the country.

By bringing a product like this onto east coast shelves it will pull our (other) Brownes products over there - were not well known in the east, he said.

There are also plans to try again nationally with flavoured milk.

The business did attempt to operate on the east coast many years ago, primarily with Chill flavoured milk and Shake N Shake products, Mr Girgis said.

But we did it badly with no market support and it failed miserably.

The company has learned from that experience, he said.

With Brownes Brunswick cheese plant about to restart production after three years, in the longer term consumer packaged locally-made cheeses may also appear in Eastern States supermarkets, Mr Girgis confirmed.

Weve got supermarkets crying out to us for locally-made cheeses, he said.

Mr Girgis said a second cheese maker has been hired at Brunswick and the plan was to do a dry run this week.

Thats where you flog it hard and see what breaks, he said.

The expectation is, the following week well start (making cheese commercially again).

He said there had been recent discussions on site with Ground Food Tech about further capital investment in the plant which has received a $10 million upgrade to get it reopened.

Brownes plans to build a whey concentrator at Brunswick over the next 12 months to help cut its major waste product disposal cost from commercial cheese making.

That will give us the ability to concentrate whey into a form that can be used as a feedstock for animals, Mr Girgis said.

In the meantime, Brownes has a licence for two years to dispose of whey on a beef cattle property 200 kilometres east of Perth as a fertiliser.

Apart from innovation in packaging, moves onto national markets for its WA products had been facilitated by innovation in processing, Mr Girgis said.

Capital expenditure and planned expenditure on new technologies and processing equipment was designed to extend the shelf life of its products in supermarkets everywhere, he said.

Its becoming harder to just keep doing the same thing, he said.

We have to change the way we do business.Police in Brazil confiscated a bag of luxury watches and cash from Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue and his entourage after their private plane landed at an airport near Sao Paulo.

Obiang is the vice president of Equatorial Guinea and son of the president.

According to reports, police searched the luggage and found around $1.5 million of cash in one bag, and watches worth around $15 million in another.

The eleven-person entourage arrived last Friday at the Viracopos airport outside Sao Paulo by private jet, the Guardian said.

Its illegal to enter Brazil with more than 10,000 reais ($2,400) in cash without declaring it.

Last year a French court convicted Obiang of embezzling public money and using it to buy a 20-room apartment in Paris worth about 80 million ($93 million), a fleet of luxury cars, and high-end art.

In 2014, the U.S. DOJ brought a forfeiture action against Obiang under the Kleptocracy Initiative.

In a settlement, Obiang was forced to sell a $30 million mansion in Malibu, California and donate the money to a charity to help people in Equatorial Guinea.

He also forfeited a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia, and another $10.3 million in cash. The DOJ said the assets were the proceeds of corruption.

His father, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, has been the president of Equatorial Guinea since 1979.

____

Harry Cassin is the managing editor of the FCPA Blog.Leonard Glenn Francis (image courtesy of Stars and Stripes)The Malaysian businessman who spent a decade bribing scores of U.S. Navy personnel with booze and prostitutes is too sick to be in a federal lockup and now has trouble walking.

A story in Sundays San Diego Union-Tribune by reporter Greg Moran said Leonard Glenn Francis is suffering from renal cancer and for months has been under the care and treatment of unidentified physicians in San Diego.

Moran reported the story from transcripts and records in San Diego federal court, and interviews with some of those involved in the case.

Francis, now 54, was arrested in San Diego in 2013 and charged with bribery and fraud.

He 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.

His Singapore-based company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, provided port services to U.S. Navy ships across Asia.

As part of his plea deal, Francis agreed to forfeit $35 million and cooperate with investigators.

He testified for the first time  in a deposition taken for a court martial case for Cmdr. David Morales, an active duty fighter pilot charged with conspiracy and bribery, the San Diego Union-Tribune said. The deposition transcript was unsealed on September 1.

Renal cancer attacks the kidneys. Hes a man who can barely walk at this point, Francis lawyer told a federal judge.

Francis hasnt been sentenced yet and is still in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. But his illness is beyond the capability of the Marshals Service to handle, the San Diego Union-Tribune said.

Instead hes on a medical furlough requested by attorneys and approved by the federal judge overseeing his case late last year.

Francis is living in a small, studio-like apartment above a garage at the home of one of his physicians, the report said.

He is under guard 24 hours a day by private security guards, which his family is paying for.

Family members can visit for up to three or four hours at a time and hes allowed to go to church once a week, according to the deposition and other court records.

Francis bribed senior Navy officers and others with luxury hotel stays, expensive meals, cash, gifts, and the services of prostitutes.

In return they gave him secret Navy information about ship movements and helped him manipulate port calls where his company did business. The Navy personnel also protected Francis when he intentionally overcharged for food, fuel, and cleaning services.

So far the DOJ has charged 32 defendants in the massive scandal. Twenty one have pleaded guilty.

____

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.A judicial review decision in the High Court of England & Wales (the Court) on September 6, 2018 found that a notice served in the UK under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987 (a Section 2 notice) on the U.S.- based General Counsel of KBR Inc was enforceable and required the disclosure of documents held in the United States.

It was not relevant that KBR Inc had indicated that it would not make the documents available to the General Counsel for production. Neither was it relevant that the documents were not in the UK or that the documents were not under the direct control of the UK subsidiary over which the Court had clear jurisdiction. The Court decided that KBR Inc had a sufficient connection with the UK for the notice to be valid because of its role in payment approval and processing for its UK subsidiary.

Significantly, failure to comply with a Section 2 notice can potentially leave the recipient personally open to criminal prosecution. Therefore, this decision may reduce the appetite of senior U.S. staff to attend SFO meetings in person without seeking advice and where relevant assurances in advance.

Background. Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987 (Section 2) gives the SFO power to issue notices requiring production of non-privileged documents relevant to an SFO investigation. It is a criminal offense for the recipient to fail to comply without a reasonable excuse.

In April 2017 the SFO issued a Section 2 notice to KBR Ltd, the UK subsidiary of U.S. engineering and construction company KBR Inc. Earlier that year the SFO had opened a bribery investigation into KBR Ltd that followed from its ongoing investigation into Unaoil. The documents required by the Section 2 notice included both material held by KBR Ltd in the UK and material held by its parent, KBR Inc, in the United States. KBR Inc provided some of the U.S. held material, but indicated it was doing so on a voluntary basis.

Subsequently, in July 2017 KBR Incs General Counsel voluntarily attended a meeting with the SFO in the UK to discuss the investigation into KBR Ltd. During that meeting the SFO served the General Counsel an additional Section 2 notice in her name requiring her to provide KBR Incs U.S. held documents.

KBR Inc declined to comply with the July notice and applied to the Court for it to be set aside. It argued that Section 2 does not and should not operate extraterritorially. KBR Inc also stated that it would not make the relevant documents available to its General Counsel.

The Court rejected KBRs submissions. In summary, after a review of extensive case law, the Court found that Section 2 must have some element of extraterritorial application, or serious fraud investigations could be stymied by UK companies e.g. by transferring documents abroad.

Sufficient Connection. The Court enforced the July notice on the basis that there was a sufficient connection between KBR Inc and the UK. This connection was established primarily because payments central to the SFOs investigation of KBR Ltd required the approval of KBR Inc and were paid by KBR Inc through its treasury function in the United States. However, the Court further noted that the following facts did not on their own constitute a sufficient connection:

The mere fact that KBR Inc is the parent of KBR Ltd

The mere fact that KBR Inc had previously provided the SFO with material on a voluntary basis

The presence of senior KBR Inc officers at a meeting with the SFO in the UK in relation to the investigation of KBR Ltd.

Mutual Legal Assistance. Historically the SFO has often observed the convention of using Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) Treaties to collect documents held in the United States. As a result, KBR Inc also argued that the Director of the SFO, at that time David Green QC, was wrong to exercise his Section 2 powers in this case. However, the Court rejected this argument and noted that MLA was only an alternative and that the Director was not obliged to use it.

The Future Use of Section 2 Notices. It remains to be seen whether the Courts decision will result in more use of Section 2 notices on the legal staff of non-UK companies. The issue is contentious given data privacy, privilege and extraterritoriality concerns. In addition, the new Director of the SFO, Lisa Osofsky, has signalled her intention to maintain a positive and engaged relationship with the legal profession and may take a different approach to document collection to her predecessor.

Whilst these matters become clearer and pending any appeal, the Courts judgement may make non-UK in-house counsel more cautious when considering attending meetings with the SFO and to seek English law advice and where relevant SFO assurances in advance.

_____

Sam Tate, pictured above, is a partner at Reynolds, Porter Chamberlain LLP based in London. He is a co-author of a leading UK anti-corruption compliance text book Bribery: a Compliance Handbook published by Bloomsbury. He can be contacted here

The author thanks Toby Lamarque for his contributions to this post.Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (C) meets with European Council President Donald Tusk (L) and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 16, 2018. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that Egypt has not recorded a single case of illegal immigration from its territories since 2016. Sisi's comments came during his meeting with Donald Tusk and Sebastian Kurz, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement. (Xinhua/MENA)

CAIRO, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that Egypt has not recorded a single case of illegal immigration from its territories since 2016.

Sisi's comments came during his meeting with visiting President of the European Union Council Donald Tusk and the Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement.

Sisi reviewed Egypt's efforts in combating illegal immigration and securing its land and sea borders amid instability in neighboring countries, the presidency said.

Sisi and his guests also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East especially in Libya and Syria, the statement said, adding that they all agreed that political settlements can put an end to fighting as well as illegal immigration.

Egypt used to be a favored destination for illegal immigrants, who try to cross Egyptian territories to neighboring Libya on their way to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea, driven by difficult economic conditions back home.

In October 2016, the Egyptian parliament voted for a cabinet bill combating illegal immigration and human smuggling. The 34-article bill stipulates a penalty of between 50,000 Egyptian pounds (2,789 U.S. dollars) and 200,000 pounds, or a prison sentence.

3

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]Atreca, Inc., a Redwood City, Calif.-based biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics based on a deep understanding of the human immune response, closed a $125m Series C financing.

The round was led by an existing investor, which is un unnamed U.S.-based, healthcare-focused fund, with participation from existing investors Wellington Management Company, and Cormorant Asset Management, and new investors Aisling Capital, Boxer Capital of the Tavistock Group, EcoR1 Capital, Redmile Group, Samsara BioCapital, and funds managed by Tekla Capital Management.

The company intends to use the funds to broaden and accelerate its discovery and pipeline generation efforts and to move its first candidate into clinical development.

Led by John A. Orwin, President and CEO, Atreca is a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics based on a deep understanding of the human immune response of patients in therapeutic areas where such responses are the key phenomenon driving clinical outcomes.

The company Atreca is advancing a pipeline of candidates designed to engage the human immune response in oncology and other indications.

FinSMEs

17/09/2018Every year, US companies struggle for higher profits, fighting both with each other and with themselves to overcome their past performance.

The simple fact that you have found a brilliant idea and that you want to be successful is not enough to set up a sustainable business. In fact, statistics show that an overwhelming percentage of start-ups go bankrupt in the first year of operation. How can you increase your chances of success and how do you maintain a future for your business? Many choose to buy essay online with all this data, having an up today all the details.

Which are the fastest growing companies?

The Wal-Mart giants, Exxon Mobil, Apple, and Berkshine Hathawayau managed to keep their top positions in the top US players, with profits of more than $ 14 billion, according to a Fortune magazine annual report. The ranking is volatile, and corporations are aware that year after year the economic universe can radically transform without notice, and they can lose millions of dollars in a blink of an eye. Each year we see every biggest company in the world having new start-ups ready to rise in no time and threatening top brands. Which are the top 10 companies in the USA and what is the secret of success?

Having the possibility to buy essay topics on demand and in a short time, anyone can have a summary of the today market evolution. If you want to open a new business or do you want a study case of some top smart business in the world, top writers and experts will deliver all the details wanted. More than that, you will have more time for concentrating on your stuff, getting all the materials at the right time.

If we look at the top in terms of sectors and stock market capitalization, the technology continues to drive ahead of the financial year for the third consecutive year, in comparison of the consumer goods which is on the third place. The top three companies globally are still in the technology sector  Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft  followed, fifth place by Tencent and Facebook in eighth place, falling from sixth place last year.

Which are the rising companies in the US market?

For the fourth consecutive year, companies from the United States represent over half of the companies that are part of PwC s Global Top 100 study, showcasing the worlds largest firms. 54 US companies were part of the top this year, down from 55 in 2017. Moreover, the value of US companies is 61% of the total, down from 63% last year. Amazon is the company with the strongest increase in capitalization, being with 278 billion dollars much valuable on the market or 66% compared to 2017. Other business following places there are two companies in China, Tencent, with an increase in the value of 224 of billions of dollars, or 82% over last year, and Alibaba, with an increase of $ 201 billion or 75%.

Apple remains in pole position in terms of market capitalization for the seventh consecutive year. However, Alphabet which is in the second place has fallen with 25% on the market, to about 132 billion dollars, from 175 billion in 2017. Apple paid in 2017 31 billion dollars as dividends to investors and for the redemption of shares, compared to 29 billion in 2016, the highest amount of all top companies. JP Morgan Chase ranks second in terms of shareholder value, up 24 billion, up from 18 billion in the previous year.

If we look at the top in terms of sectors and stock market capitalization, the technology continues to drive ahead of the financial year for the third consecutive year, and that of consumer goods is on the third place. The top three companies globally are still in the technology sector  Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft  followed, fifth place by Tencent and Facebook in eighth place, falling from sixth place last year.

What do you need to know about your future smart business?

Even if we are talking about companies with some history which are found on public companies list, or we are referring to some start-ups we need to keep in mind that in todays market you need to put your brand in a battle of services  hard to equalize. For example, Workday founded in 2005 and with more than 6,000 employers in the future of the business in analytic apps and financial management. But what you do when you have a low budget?

One of the most interesting current trends is that of mobile food, food trucks. So, if you can buy such a toner, you are skilled in the kitchen, and you think you can handle the rhythm of street food, this can be one of the best urban business ideas in 2018. You can choose any specific, according to the customers wishes or the niche you want to take, from hamburgers to Italian, South American or French. The possibilities are endless. You will need at least 5,000 euros to develop a mobile food toner, but the investment can be quickly recovered if the food you produce is appreciated by customers.

Also, the handmade concept is becoming more and more popular among young people and those who want to buy valuable goods, born of talent, creativity, and originality. So, if you happen to have a passion for some objects, which you can produce quickly and cheaply, you can make the most of this urban business idea in 2018. Investing in this business is minimal, it only needs money for materials and, if applicable, some talented employees. You will also need a sales outlet for your products, but there are numerous fairs and exhibitions or stores where you can sell your unique items, regardless of their nature.Coda Biotherapeutics, Inc., a South San Francisco, Calif.-based preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a chemogenetic gene therapy platform for the treatment of intractable diseases, raised $19m in Series A financing.

Lead investors MPM Capital and Versant Ventures were joined by Astellas Venture Management and Novartis.

The company intends to use the funds to advance its gene therapy platform toward the clinic with an initial focus on neurological diseases.

Led by industry veteran Michael Narachi, M.S., MBA, who joined as president and chief executive officer (CEO), Coda is advancing a chemogenetic platform which aims to control the activity of neurons and other cells to treat diseases. With chemogenetics, the goal is to modify a target cell population using gene therapy to express a tunable switch protein. Cells modified with the switch can be activated or inactivated in a dose-dependent manner by a subsequently administered small molecule therapeutic, an effect that should only occur in the modified cells.

The companys first clinical application is aimed at the management of chronic neuropathic pain.

Narachi will serve on CODAs Board of Directors along with Mitchell Finer, Ph.D., executive partner at MPM Capital, and co-founder and initial CEO, Tom Woiwode, Ph.D., managing director at Versant Ventures, and Todd Foley, MBA, managing director, MPM Capital.

Board observers include:

 Ricardo Dolmetsch, Ph.D., global head of neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research;

 Shinichiro Fuse, Ph.D., principal, MPM Capital;

 Shunichiro Matsumoto, Ph.D., MBA, president, Astellas Venture Management; and

 Graham Walmsley, M.D., Ph.D., principal, Versant Ventures.

FinSMEs

17/09/2018Freightos, a Singapore-based online international freight marketplace, closed a US$44.4m Series C funding round.

The round, which brought total funding raised to date to US$94.4m, was led by Singapore Exchange (SGX), with participation from General Electric Ventures, ICV, Aleph, and others.

The company intends to use the funds to further scale its marketplace.

Launched in mid-2016 by Zvi Schreiber, CEO, Freightos provides an online international freight marketplace featuring price comparison, instant booking, online shipment management, tracking, and communication tools.

Today, the system powers over one million instant freight quote requests every month. The companys global rate database also drives the Freightos Baltic Index (FBX), a comprehensive and up-to-date container freight index in collaboration with the Baltic Exchange which is part of the SGX group.

FinSMEs

17/09/2018Lucid Motors, a Newark, CA-based electic vehicle maker, received a US$1bn+ investment agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

The investment  made through a special-purpose vehicle wholly owned by PIF  will provide the company with the funding to commercially launch its first electric vehicle.

Lucid plans to use the funding to complete engineering development and testing of the Lucid Air, begin the global rollout of its retail strategy starting in North America, and enter production for the Lucid Air.

The company makes vehicles which are built upon proprietary electric powertrain technology. The companys first vehicle, the Lucid Air, is scheduled to begin production at Lucids manufacturing facility in Casa Grande, in Arizona, USA in 2020.

FinSMEs

17/09/2018MortgageGym, a London, UK-based FCA-regulated mortgage robo-adviser, closed a 3.8m funding round.

Backers included LSL Property Services and GoCompare Group.

Following the investment, MortgageGym is valued at 12m.

The company intends to use the funds for ongoing investment in development of mortgage robo-advice and artificial intelligence services.

Formed in 2016 by entrepreneurs John Ingram and David Vertannes, MortgageGym is an FCA-regulated mortgage robo-adviser, allowing UK homebuyers to complete their entire application online in 15 minutes through a free, online portal combining robo- and live-broker advice.

It is also a digital mortgage network, which allowa brokers to acquire customers independently, operate a paperless business and remain MMR-compliant through a professional portal called MortgageGym Pro.

The company also promoted Jeremy Moll to Managing Director from Chief Commercial Officer.

MortgageGym has bank scorecards with Barclays, Coventry Building Society, Accord Mortgages, Platform Mortgages (The Co-Operative Bank), Leeds Building Society, The Family Building Society, Aldermore, The West Bromwich, Clydesdale Bank and Skipton Building Society and is on-boarding 5 further top tier lenders.

The round follows a seed funding round of 2.5m, which was completed in 2017, and almost a year of integration with GoCompares services. In addition, the company has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with LSL mortgage broker networks  which, at the end of 2017, had some 2,298 mortgage advisers and arranged 21bn in lending in 2017.

FinSMEs

17/09/2018SaaS Capital, a Cincinnati and Seattle-based provider of committed credit facilities to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, closed its third fund, with $75m in limited partner commitments.

Led by Todd Gardner, Founder and Managing Director, and Rob Belcher, Managing Director, SaaS Capital focuses exclusively on the B2B SaaS business model, providing $2m to $15m committed credit facilities to companies with at least $250k in monthly recurring revenue based in the US, Canada, or UK.

The firm began providing alternative growth capital to SaaS companies in 2007 and closed its first fund in May 2012 with $22.5m in LP commitments. Building on that, SaaS Capital closed its second fund in January 2015 with $58m in LP commitments.

To date, more than 50 SaaS companies all over the US, Canada, and the UK have been supported to fund their growth while allowing founders and existing equity holders to retain control of their companies and avoid significant dilution to their ownership.

In just the last 18 months, 10 SaaS Capital portfolio companies have realized exits and funding events, including:

 FreeAgents $74m acquisition by Royal Bank of Scotland,

 Uberflips $32m Series A/Recapitalization,

 CoverMyMeds $1.3 billion acquisition by McKesson Corporation,

 Reehers $43m acquisition by Blackbaud, and

 ClearCompanys $60m Series A/Recapitalization.

FinSMEs

17/09/2018Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L center) and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R center) attend the 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Sept. 16, 2018. The 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation was held here on Sunday, with both sides pledging to promote bilateral practical cooperation in various fields for more fruitful outcomes. (Xinhua/Wang Di)

HO CHI MINH CITY, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation was held here on Sunday, with both sides pledging to promote bilateral practical cooperation in various fields for more fruitful outcomes.

The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Wang said that the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries conducted historic exchange of visits last year, and made top-level design and strategic plans for the overall enhancement of bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation, charting the course for the development of China-Vietnam ties in the new era.

Over the past year, China-Vietnam relationship has progressed in a steady manner, with smooth operation of dialogue mechanism, fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation, and advancement in cultural and people-to-people exchanges as well as border provinces' cooperation, he said.

The Chinese state councilor called on both sides to take as the main line the further implementation of the important outcomes achieved by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries during their exchange of visits, strengthen guidance of their respective departments and localities, and jointly plan for bilateral exchanges and cooperation across-the-board, so as to deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperation.

Wang suggested both sides stick to the strategic guidance for high-level exchanges, continuously build up consensus, deepen mutual trust and well grasp the right direction of bilateral ties.

He also called on both sides to adhere to the mutually beneficial and win-win arrangement of cooperation, promote cooperation in infrastructure and industrial capacity, and advance the building of cross-border economic cooperation zones at an early date, and explore new ideas and ways for cooperation and work for the sustainable growth of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Both sides should continue to secure more favourable public opinion and do more to promote understanding and affinity between the two peoples, Wang said.

The two countries should also properly resolve their differences, steadily move forward maritime cooperation from a long-term perspective, and translate the shared strategic interests of the two countries into a driving force to move forward practical cooperation, Wang added.

For his part, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said since last year's meeting between the top leaders of the two countries, Vietnam-China relationship has been maintaining a positive momentum, and high-level exchanges between the two parties and the two countries have been going on frequently, contributing greatly to the traditional friendship, management and control of differences, and the healthy and steady development of bilateral ties.

Now bilateral trade volume has reached historical high, cooperation in all fields has made substantial advances, non-governmental exchanges and regional cooperation have been expanded, boundary territorial issues have generally been managed and controlled effectively, Pham added.

Both sides also agreed to improve the work of the Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, further strengthen coordination and planning, and push the pragmatic cooperation in every field to bear more fruits.

Wang said the most active way to manage and control maritime disputes is to discuss joint exploration, and the best remembrance of the 10th anniversary of settling and monumentalizing the land boundary between China and Vietnam is to establish cross-border economic cooperation zones at an early date.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]